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Ruben Amorim has revealed Manchester United will not have money to spend in the January transfer window despite the need for new signings.

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• Man Utd going through rough patch
• Fresh blood in January would benefit team
• Amorim admits winter reinforcements unlikely

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  United's 2-0 loss to Newcastle at Old Trafford on Monday marked their fourth consecutive defeat across all competitions. This dismal run has amplified concerns about the squad’s inability to adapt to Amorim’s preferred 3-4-3 formation. However, the Portuguese coach does not expect financial support to address these issues when the transfer window opens in January.

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  WHAT AMORIM SAID

  Speaking candidly to reporters on Monday night about the possibility of January transfers, Amorim stated, "We don't have that possibility in January. You know the situation better than I [do]. It's not the case I am not arriving here and I can spend a lot of money, changing all the team. You know the situation so it's not a point to talk about it."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  According to any incoming activity in January will depend on outgoing transfers. The Red Devils are open to both loan deals and permanent moves, which could free up some funds. If finances allow, signing a left wing-back would be the club’s top priority.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite growing calls to adapt his tactical approach, Amorim remains steadfast in his commitment to the 3-4-3 system, which he has used throughout his managerial career. He dismissed suggestions that reverting to the 4-3-3 system favoured by his predecessor Erik ten Hag could solve the team’s problems and instead argued that switching back to a previously unsuccessful setup would not provide the answers United need.

  "I have to sell my idea," he said. "If I change all the time it is going to be even worse. But I understand they have a lot of difficulties because they spent two years playing one way. You can feel it, I can feel it but I have to sell my idea, I don't have another one.

  "When you have a change of coach, especially in this type of club, it is because they were not winning. They play in the system they were bought for and were losing. So I am going to change to that system? This team was already in problems."

Owning a football club is one of the hardest journeys a business person can embark on. However, more recently, we have seen some of the world’s most established stars, celebrities, sportsmen and sportswomen get involved with the task themselves.

From musicians like Ed Sheeran and Stormzy, to actors such as Will Ferrell and Ryan Reynolds, here are some of the biggest celebrity owners in football.

Will Ferrell, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas & Michael Phelps Leeds United

One of football’s most fascinating ownership structures comes from West Yorkshire. Leeds United were taken over by 49ers Enterprises in the summer of 2023 in a deal worth £170m.

49ers Enterprises Global Football Group LLC is the investment arm of the American football team San Francisco 49ers. In 2018, they purchased a 15% stake in the Championship club, which then increased to 44% in 2021. The American syndicate now has full control of the Whites, who returned to the Premier League in 2025.

The most incredible thing about the investment group is not their multi-club portfolio, but the superstar lineup of celebrities and sports personalities who have now invested in their firm.

They include actors Will Ferrell and Russell Crowe, golfers Jordan Spieth and Justin Thomas, Olympic legend Michael Phelps and NBA basketball players Larry Nance Jr. and Russell Westbrook – all of whom collectively come under the blanket as Leeds United co-owners.

Magic Johnson, Will Ferrell & Mia Hamm Los Angeles FC

Speaking of large consortiums, that’s exactly what you’ll find at Los Angeles FC in MLS.

Like his ownership of Leeds United, Will Ferrell is part of a 26-person ownership of LAFC, who joined MLS in 2018 as part of the league’s expansion and won the MLS Cup for the first time in 2022.

The club was also valued at more than $700m (£524m) in February 2020, which was a record for any Major League Soccer team.

Ferrell is a minority owner alongside Golden State Warriors co-owner Peter Guber, NBA legend Magic Johnson, former United States footballer Mia Hamm and her husband, Nomar Garciaparra, who was a baseball player for the Boston Red Sox.

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ByMark Marston Dec 5, 2023 Mesut Ozil & Kate Upton Club Necaxa

It’s not quite the consortium that Leeds or LAFC have at their disposal, but Mexican football team Club Necaxa must be credited for attracting some very well-known stars to their club in recent years.

It was reported in 2021 that former Arsenal star Mesut Ozil had joined actor Kate Upton, alongside her husband, MLB pitcher Justin Verlander and fellow Hollywood star Eva Longoria in buying around half the shares of the Liga MX franchise.

This was part of a group formed by real estate investor Al Tylis and Sam Porter, an executive at MLS club D.C. United. More recently, it was revealed that an American duo of actors had also added Necaxa to their already popular portfolio…

Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney Wrexham AFC

You definitely haven’t heard of Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney being part-owners of Necaxa in Mexico, but you will, of course, have heard of the pair’s ownership of Welsh club Wrexham AFC.

If you didn’t know already, Reynolds and McElhenney are the owners of Wrexham, after the pair bought the club for £2m in 2021.

They have since successfully guided their beloved club to the Championship, which is three steps above the National League, where the club resided when they first took over.

Through their company PR McReynolds, they have also recently added Necaxa to their portfolio. It is believed the deal also benefits Wrexham, as part of Necaxa’s ownership group purchased a 5% stake in the club, so expect to see some pre-season friendlies with Welsh and Mexican fans in attendance!

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ByStephan Georgiou Oct 8, 2024 Michael B. Jordan AFC Bournemouth

You may have watched Bournemouth rock some pretty cool, commemorative-style shirts in recent years. That’s because the Cherries went into the 2024/25 campaign celebrating 125 years since the club was founded, which also caused minority shareholder and Hollywood actor Michael B. Jordan to release two special kits of his own.

Jordan purchased a stake in the club as part of a minority investment group back in December 2022, alongside Bill Foley, who is a shareholder of Hibernian and owns the NHL ice hockey franchise Vegas Golden Knights.

LeBron James Liverpool

LeBron James became a part-owner of Liverpool in 2011 when he bought a 2% stake in the club for £4.7m.

According to a recent evaluation of the club by accountancy firm KPMG, James’ investment is now worth over £37m, with the club having got itself back to the top of world football by winning the Premier League and Champions League in recent years under the now departed Jurgen Klopp.

In March 2021, it was revealed that James and business partner Maverick Carter had become the first black partners at Fenway Sports Group (FSG), the owners of Liverpool.

The group, who also owns the Boston Red Rox, bought the Merseyside club in 2010 for £300m. Forbes estimated in May 2024 that Liverpool were worth £4.3bn, so it is likely that figure is even higher now.

James already had prior links with FSG, having co-produced a television show with Tom Werner, who has the second-largest stake in FSG behind owner John Henry.

Ed Sheeran Ipswich Town

Ed Sheeran became Ipswich Town’s part-time owner in August 2024. Sheeran has held a front-of-shirt sponsor on Ipswich’s kits since 2021, and has purchased a 1.4% stake in his beloved club through Gamechanger 20 Ltd, who bought the team from Marcus Evans for £40m three years ago.

However, the club confirmed that the music superstar would not join the board of directors, though he would be awarded with his own executive box at Portman Road, which was personally designed for the 2024/25 season.

The pop star, who has 67.5m monthly listeners on Spotify, also collaborated with the club to design their Suffolk-inspired pink third kit.

Stormzy and Wilfried Zaha AFC Croydon Athletic

Moving slightly down the leagues, AFC Croydon were bought by UK rapper Stormzy and former Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha.

The club was supporter-owned from 2012 after former team Croydon Athletic struggled financially once it emerged that their owner, Mazhar Majeed, had been jailed for 32 months for his role in a match-fixing scandal.

They play at the Mayfield Stadium in Thornton Heath in the Isthmian League South East Division, which is the eighth tier of English football. Both Zaha and Stormzy grew up in the south London borough of Croydon and are part of a three-man consortium involved with buying the club.

Stormzy grew up in South Norwood, while Zaha spent his childhood on Thornton Heath. Danny Young, former head of player care at Crystal Palace, is the third man involved with buying the club. He spent almost ten years at Palace as the club’s head of kit, a player liaison officer and head of player care.

Tom Brady Birmingham City

It was announced in August 2023 that seven-time Super Bowl champion and one of the NFL’s greatest-ever players, Tom Brady, would become a part-owner of Birmingham City.

Brady owns 3.3% of the club, but his shares are actually in Shelby Companies Ltd, which was the organisation used by US investment firm Knighthood Capital Management to buy the EFL club last year.

The man who spearheaded that takeover was American hedge fund manager and co-founder of Knighthood Capital Management, Tom Wagner. He bought 45.64% of Birmingham City and St Andrew’s Stadium and it is believed it was his friendly relationship with Brady that attracted the NFL icon to the club.

The pair have worked on previous projects, specifically investing in a major league pickleball team with tennis star Kim Clijsters.

David Beckham Inter Miami

David Beckham signed for LA Galaxy in 2007 after rising to one of football’s most popular figures at Manchester United and then Real Madrid.

According to sports business expert Joe Pompliano, Beckham made over $50m (£37.4m) of income per season in MLS, which was a 155% increase from the money he made at Real Madrid. Pompliano also claimed Beckham made $800m (£600m) by the time he retired from professional football in 2013.

At LA Galaxy, Beckham’s lucrative contract also included an option to purchase an MLS expansion team at a discounted rate, and he did so with the addition of Inter Miami to his business portfolio in 2018.

Inter Miami made their debut on the pitch in March 2020 and were already the 10th-most valuable MLS franchise – valued at 24 times the original $25m expansion fee.

But that was only the beginning, as in June 2023, Lionel Messi turned down an epic offer from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal to join Beckham’s side following the conclusion of his contract at PSG.

Since then, the club have won their first major piece of silverware by winning the 2023 Leagues Cup title and continue to dominate viewing and financial figures in MLS, all to the pleasure of Mr Beckham himself.

England attack comprised five right-arm seamers and Root’s part-time offbreaks

Matt Roller16-Dec-2021Graham Thorpe, England’s assistant coach, has defended their selection and bowling plans after Australia racked up 221 for 2 on the first day of the second Ashes Test in Adelaide after David Warner admitted his surprise at their short-ball barrage.England made two changes to the side that was thrashed by nine wickets at the Gabba, bringing in James Anderson and Stuart Broad in place of Mark Wood and Jack Leach; as a result, their attack comprised five right-arm seamers of a similar pace and Joe Root’s part-time offbreaks.Jos Buttler dropped two catches off Marnus Labuschagne – including one particularly straightforward one late in the day – and England’s seamers beat the bat on a number of occasions, but ultimately a return of two wickets in 89 overs with the pink ball served to highlight the attack’s lack of variation.Related

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Asked if England should have included either a frontline spinner or a genuine fast bowler like Wood with a point of difference, Thorpe insisted that they had selected a strong attack. “No, I think we picked the right team for this match,” he said. “Actually, I thought that on another day, we could have grazed the edge more and it could have been different on day one.”England reverted to a short-ball plan at stages during the day, with Ben Stokes used as an enforcer and bowling to six-three leg-side fields. Stokes was England’s most expensive bowler, conceding 50 runs in his 13 overs, but did take the wicket of Warner, slapping a cut straight to cover.”That’s a tactic they have obviously tried to put through to us,” Warner said. “I don’t know why they were doing that. For us, you have to play each ball on its merits. Obviously here [the boundaries are] short square, so you have to back yourself to have a gameplan and stick to that. They mix up their fields as well with different field placements and then from your perspective it’s about how you’re going to adapt to that situation.”You get into positions where you are almost in one-day mode as well. There are gaps in front of the wicket, [you play] a couple of flat-bat shots. Once you get one or two boundaries away and you start leaking, you have to change tactics. But they didn’t do that. It worked into our plan a bit, and the ball gets softer.”The length that they bowled here today isn’t hitting the stumps,” he said, comparing conditions to the 2019 series in England when he had struggled against Broad. “That length there is hitting the stumps in England, and that’s the difference. I batted out of my crease and Marnus [Labuschagne] did as well to be able to leave the ball on a good length and we backed ourselves that the ball was going to go over the stumps. That was something that we learned from the Gabba.””It unsettles,” Thorpe had insisted earlier. “It gives you an option and a way of attacking. I don’t think you can attack like that all the time due to what it physically takes out of your bowlers. They may all be right-arm bowlers but for me they’ve all got a slightly different style about them as well. We stuck at it well but we didn’t quite get the rub today.”I don’t think our plans were too bad. If we’d bowled poorly, we would have gone for a lot more throughout the day. It’s not a case of feeling sorry for ourselves when we come in tomorrow again, it’s a case of trying to do very similar things and when it comes to our turn to bat, doing things for a long period of time.”I think you saw that from the two players today, they did things well for long periods of time, and you can take advantage in the last session at times if you have an attack which is a little bit more tired. It’s very important that we’re able to make some inroads tomorrow.”Having lost five World Test Championship points and their collective match fees due to a slow over-rate at the Gabba last week, England managed to bowl 89 of the scheduled 90 overs on the first day in Adelaide, though they required five overs of Root bowling negatively with the old ball in order to catch up.While over-rates are likely to remain a problem with a five-man seam attack, Thorpe played down the issue. “I think there’s bigger things going on in the world than over-rates,” he said. “You get through as quick as you can [but] reviews are taking time to get through, sometimes batsmen aren’t ready and minutes get lost throughout the day’s cricket.”It’s just one of those things in Test cricket. We’d like it to be more perfect but it isn’t. We would have liked some more overs [under floodlights] with a newer ball but it’s challenging at times. Everyone thinks it’s straightforward getting through 80 overs at the perfect time but it isn’t. It’s much harder [because of] temperatures, make-up of your team and the stoppages that go on throughout the day.”

The motivation of making amends for missing this year’s World Test Championship final is an added driving force behind Australia’s push for an Ashes whitewash after they took a 2-0 series lead.Convincing victories in Brisbane and Adelaide mean that they can retain the Ashes with victory in Melbourne during the Boxing Day Test which would be a third consecutive success in a home series with England having not won a game since Sydney in 2010-11.The 2017-18 fixture at the MCG is the only one of the last 12 Ashes Tests in Australia that England have not lost courtesy of Alastair Cook’s double century on an awful pitch. Since then the surface has been rejuvenated and a recent Sheffield Shield pitch was rated by those who took part as one of the best the MCG had produced with pace, bounce and movement.Related

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In their previous dominant scorelines, Australia’s victories achieved after the Ashes had been secured widened the gap and helped their ranking, but now with the World Test Championship points on offer any further wins could be crucial as was evidenced by Australia narrowly missing the final in the previous cycle.”That’s what the Test Championship has brought in, it’s not just about winning the series you are currently playing but you are playing for something bigger than that as well,” Marnus Labuschagne said.Ultimately it was an over-rate fine in last season’s MCG Test against India which cost Australia a spot in the WTC final, but had they secured another win along the way they would also have qualified. That could have been achieved against India at the SCG, where the tourists battled to a draw, or the series-decider at Brisbane. Going further back there was the loss at The Oval in the 2019 Ashes where England leveled the series and, of course, the famous Headingley result.Australia have some tough overseas assignments in this WTC cycle•CA/Cricket Australia/Getty Images

“We had heaps of other opportunities that we could have made that game,” Labuschagne said. “Watching that final, I was in England, it was a great spectacle and awesome to watch. I think it’s important for us to take the Test Championship really seriously and it’s something we want to win. It certainly hurt me last time sitting and watching.”Australia are currently second in the WTC table having played just two Tests of the latest cycle. Their overseas portion of the competition will be demanding with tours of Pakistan, Sri Lanka and India while next summer’s home schedule involves West Indies and South Africa. Regardless of the opposition, they are determined not to be caught out by the same mistake.”Over-rates really shouldn’t be that big of a thing but we are always just trying to make sure we are getting through the overs and we learn our lesson from the [last] instance,” Labuschagne said. “Would be silly of us not to have learnt from that experience then all of a sudden find ourselves in a similar situation in 12-24 months time.”England, who are languishing at seventh, have already been docked eight points for their over-rate at the Gabba.Labuschagne also has personal motivation heading into Boxing Day as he looks for a maiden Test century at the MCG with a high score in his two outings of 63. In a warning to England, despite his first-innings century in Adelaide and match tally of 154 runs he was still not satisfied with his contribution.”Even though I scored runs this game I’m still disappointed I didn’t go and make a really big score and really shut the game out, especially after being dropped and getting a chance off a no-ball,” he said. “There’s a lot for me to learn from [Adelaide] and take into Boxing Day and make sure if I get to a hundred make it a really big score.”

Fast bowler backed after injury setbacks, and will stay with club at least until 2023

ESPNcricinfo staff28-Jan-2022Toby Roland-Jones will stay with Middlesex at least until the end of 2023, after signing a contract extension that will take him into his 13th year with the club.Roland-Jones has endured an injury-plagued few years, including a knee cartilage injury that took four months out of his 2021 season, following back and shoulder problems that had limited his involvement since 2018.However, he reaffirmed his importance to Middlesex with a five-wicket haul against Derbyshire on his first-class comeback in September, and with Richard Johnson having been appointed as the club’s new head coach, Roland-Jones will remain a key part of their plans for the coming seasons.”I am absolutely delighted to commit to Middlesex Cricket for the next two years,” Roland-Jones said. “I feel hugely fortunate that my passion for the club and the game continues to grow, as it has since the day I joined, back in 2010.”The excitement and potential in this squad gives us every opportunity to return this club to the level it should be at, and I look forward to playing any part I can to make that happen.”With the appointment of Richard Johnson as First Team Coach yesterday, we have a high-quality coach returning to the club, and someone who has previously worked with and helped so many of our players in the earlier parts of their careers. I know the players can’t wait to get started under him, and I’m sure he returns as eager as we all are to bring the club success.”Related

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Roland-Jones has made a total of 224 appearances for Middlesex across all three formats of the game, with a total of 545 wickets. His debut for the club came in 2010, when he picked up two five-wicket hauls in eight appearances, and in 2015, he made his maiden first-class hundred against Yorkshire at Lord’s.His place in club folklore was secured in the final match of the 2016 season, when he claimed a hat-trick against Yorkshire to secure the County Championship title. His final wicket completed a ten-wicket haul, and took his tally for the season to 54 at 28.22.The following year, Roland-Jones made the first of his four Test appearances, claiming five wickets on debut against South Africa at The Oval, but his hopes of starring in that winter’s Ashes were curtailed by the diagnosis of a stress fracture in his back.Alan Coleman, Middlesex’s head of Men’s Performance, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to agree this extension to Toby’s contract. He is a huge character in our dressing room, a great influence to the rest of our group, and a key player for us on the field.”We saw at the back end of last season what he is capable of as a player, just like we have witnessed for many seasons beforehand, and I am certain that we’ll be seeing much more of that over the next two seasons.”

تحدث مدرب برشلونة هانز فليك، عقب مباراة فريقه أمام جيرونا، في منافسات بطولة الدوري الإسباني.

وتغلب برشلونة على جيرونا برباعية لهدف في إطار مباريات الجولة التاسعة والعشرين للدوري الإسباني “الليجا”.

وافتتح فليك حديثه قائلاً: “لقد حصدنا ثلاث نقاط، وهذا كان الأهم، هذا ما أعجبني أكثر في المباراة، وكذلك الطاقة التي أظهرناها بعد الاستراحة”.

وعن روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، أفاد: “إنه لاعب مهم وحاسم، يسجل أهدافًا، تحدثتُ إليه وأخبرته أنه يجب عليه تسجيل هدفين، لا أحب الحديث عن لاعبين فرديين، لكنه لاعب استثنائي، وأنا سعيد جدًا أيضًا من أجل فيران توريس”.

وأستطرد: “تحدثت إلى ليفاندوفسكي في بداية الموسم؛ أردنا أن نكون واضحين بشأن دوره ووضعه وأسلوب لعبه… من الجيد لجميع اللاعبين أن يروا أن المدرب يؤمن بهم”.

وأكمل: “يريد أن يكون الفائز بـ بيتشيتشي (الهداف)، يريد الفوز، لكن الأهم هو الفريق، ويركز أيضًا على مساعدة زملائه في الفريق، بالنسبة لي، الأمر كله يتعلق بالفريق، وأشعر أن الجميع يتحركون للأمام في هذا الاتجاه”.

وأكد: “وهذا أمر رائع بالنسبة لي ويساعدنا كثيرًا؛ يمكنك رؤيته على أرض الملعب، ولكنني سعيد جدًا أيضًا من أجل فيران توريس، أعتقد أننا قمنا بعمل عظيم”.

اقرأ أيضًا | ليفاندوفسكي: تقدمي في العمر لا يؤثر علي في برشلونة.. وهدفنا الفوز بالثلاثية

وأردف: “من الطبيعي أن يكون هناك شكوك بعد هدف التعادل، جيرونا فريق جيد يجيد التعامل مع الكرة، أجرينا تبديلات لأننا كنا نعاني من إرهاق اللاعبين، في هذه المرحلة من الموسم، لدينا لاعبون مثلهم، وهذا أمر طبيعي”.

وبشأن خصمه جيرونا، أشار: “جيرونا يلعب بشكل جيد للغاية، ومن الطبيعي أن يسببوا لنا صعوبات، كان هناك أيضًا لاعبون متعبون، وكانت التبديلات ناجحة”.

West Ham are currently in the recruitment phase ahead of the 2024/25 Premier League season, having already acquired Max Kilman and Luis Guilherme for new manager Julen Lopetegui.

After their 9th place finish last campaign under David Moyes, the Hammers will be keen to fight their way back into the European places, having finished eight points off of 7th and therefore a spot in the UEFA Conference League.

One key factor for West Ham will be extra recruitment in the forward areas, to offer support to Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus, two of their best performers last season.

West Ham transfer news

According to a report from Record, as relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham are one of the main sides showing interest in Vitoria Guimaraes winger Jota Silva, as their chairman Antonio Miguel Cardoso awaits a concrete proposal to arrive, in order for them to negotiate his departure.

The report claims it is 'practically inevitable' he will leave Vitoria this summer, and the window for him is open, with the 24-year-old said to have already received several approaches through his representatives.

Silva, whose price tag is said to be up to €12m (£10m), made 42 appearances in all competitions last campaign for Vitoria, scoring 15 goals, providing seven assists, and totaling 3,456 minutes of football.

Silva and Kudus' potential partnership

Kudus made 45 appearances in all competitions for West Ham last season, scoring 14 goals, providing six assists, and totaling 3,511 minutes of football.

Silva, who was dubbed a "standout" by analyst Ben Mattinson, is a right-footed winger, whilst Kudus is a left-footer, and both could provide a similar output and dynamic, but from opposite ends of the pitch.

West Ham are in need of a right-footed winger for that left-hand side, as Kudus, Bowen, and Paqueta are all left-footed operators.

Stats (per 90 mins)

Silva

Kudus

Non-Penalty Goals

0.36

0.36

Shots Total

3.08

2.44

Assists

0.16

0.17

Succesful Take-Ons

1.36

3.93

Touches (Att Pen)

5.60

3.74

Aerials Won

1.85

0.53

Stats from FBref

As you can instantly tell, both players are best known for being goal-scoring wingers. Posting 0.36 Non-Penalty Goals per 90, putting them in the top 16% of attacking midfielders/wingers in the Men's Big 5 leagues and European competitions over the last 365 days.

Kudus has always been known as a high-volume shooting player, so for Silva to better him in this metric, taking 3.08 shots per 90, this shows both players aren't afraid to take a shot, and this explains their goalscoring with their shot-heavy tendencies.

To take this one step further, Silva gets 1.17 of his 3.08 shots per 90 on target, whilst Kudus only gets 0.72 of his 2.44 average shots per 90 on target. This gives Silva a 37.9% Shots on target percentage, whilst Kudus is only at 29.5%.

However, where Silva seems to be more efficient with his shooting, Kudus does better him as a ball carrier and 1v1 threat, completing 2+ more successful take-ons per 90, as well as 3.99 progressive carries per 90, compared to Silva's 2.72 per 90.

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By adding another efficient shooter outwide, who can bring goals to the side, Kudus could be more "free" to play as a progressive carrier, continue to threaten in transition with his speed and power, and also continue to add goals of his own, as he did so well last season, which is why they could be a deadly pairing.

da pinnacle： Arsenal are a team practically unrecognisable from the one Mikel Arteta took over in December 2019, and that's because, aside from the odd survivor, it is an entirely different sqaud.

da apostebet： In recent seasons, the Gunners have gone from the big six's whipping boys to Manchester City's biggest threat, and, on the whole, the squad took another step forward last year.

However, while Ben White, William Saliba, and even Bukayo Saka reached another level in 2023/24, Gabriel Martinelli was one of the few who took a step back.

The Brazilian went from being one of the first names on the teamsheet to fighting for a place in the side with Leandro Trossard, and based on recent transfer reports, he could be set to lose his spot altogether.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report out of Spain, Arsenal are one of several top sides interested in signing Paris Saint-Germain's Xavi Simons this summer and see him as a 'key piece' for the club's long-term vision.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Bayern Munich are also incredibly interested in landing the Dutch wonderkid.

The Bavarian's interest isn't the only obstacle the North Londoners will have to contend with to secure the 21-year-old's signature this summer, though. The report has also claimed that the French giants have slapped a massive €90m price tag on his head, which converts to around £76m.

Signing Simons would represent a significant investment from Arsenal, but given his recent form and boundless potential, one worth making – even if it spells trouble for Martinelli.

How Simons compares to Martinelli

Over recent seasons, Simons has proven himself to be a versatile player who can start on either wing or in an attacking midfield role. While this flexibility would undoubtedly come in handy were he to sign for Arsenal, he'd still likely be tasked with playing on the left more often than not, as it seems unlikely that he would displace Martin Odegaard or Saka in the starting lineup.

Therefore, Martinelli would be one of his main rivals for a long-term role in the first XI, which could be bad news for the Brazilian.

In 44 appearances for the North Londoners last season, the former Ituano gem scored eight goals and provided five assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 3.38 games.

This was a far cry from his form in the campaign prior, in which he scored 15 goals and provided six assists in 46 appearances, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 2.19 games.

In contrast, the Dutch dynamo, whom data analyst Ben Mattinson proclaimed is "destined for greatness", scored ten goals and provided 15 assists in 43 appearances last season, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games.

His output was even more impressive in 2022/23 as he scored a whopping 22 goals and provided 12 assists in just 48 matches, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.41 games in the Netherlands.

Moreover, when comparing the pair's creative underlying numbers, the PSG gem once again comes out ahead.

Simons vs Martinelli

Stats per 90

Simons

Martinelli

Expected Assists

0.33

0.27

Progressive Passes

6.34

2.90

Passing Accuracy

79.3%

77.9%

Key Passes

2.68

2.05

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.24

1.47

Shot-Creating Actions

5.97

4.10

Goal-Creating Actions

0.75

0.49

All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 League Season

For example, he produces a higher expected assists figure, maintains a higher passing accuracy, produces more progressive, key passes and passes into the penalty area and produces more shot and goal-creating actions, all per 90.

Ultimately, if Arsenal have the opportunity to sign Simons this summer, then they must take it, as even if Martinelli can get back to his best, the Dutchman looks to be just that slight step above him in terms of quality and could well go on to become a superstar in the coming years.

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Left-arm spinner has had to wait for her chance but has seized it at first opportunity in Guwahati

Valkerie Baynes03-Oct-2025Four months into her ODI career, four overs into her maiden 50-over World Cup, Linsey Smith made quite the impact, wrecking South Africa beyond repair as her England side secured an emphatic 10-wicket win in their opening match.Smith, the 30-year-old left-arm spinner, walked off the Barsapara Stadium field at the innings break – which arrived after 20.4 overs – with the stunning figures of 3 for 7 from four overs. She dismissed the usually formidable top-order of Laura Wolvaardt, Tazmin Brits and Marizanne Kapp as the Proteas collapsed to 19 for 4, before being bowled out for just 69.Smith was the pick of the England bowlers, who capitalised on lacklustre batting from a South African line-up devoid of footwork and thoughtful shot selection where only Sinalo Jafta, promoted to No.6, reached double figures with 22.Almost as impressive was Nat Sciver-Brunt’s 2 for 5 from three overs as she joined Lauren Bell in a two-pronged seam attack, having bowled just 9.3 overs in warm-up games since the WPL final in mid-March owing to an Achilles tendon injury.Bell dismissed Sune Luus, South Africa’s other top-order batter, while spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean took two wickets apiece.Smith’s performance was made all the more impressive given what had gone before.Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont mopped up England’s 10-wicket win over South Africa•ICC/Getty ImagesHaving made her T20I debut in 2018, Smith played her first ODI against West Indies in Derby in May and took a five-for. That was after she had been recalled to England’s T20I squad for last winter’s tour of New Zealand. Her absence of nearly five years told of her struggle to break into a squad boasting the world’s best left-arm spinner, Ecclestone.Smith earned a place at last year’s T20 World Cup, six years after her previous appearance at the tournament, and held her own in what was a disappointing campaign for England. Ahead of that event, she told ESPNcricinfo that she had feared her chance had passed her by.She played in only one T20I during the ill-fated Ashes tour of Australia in January then, during the 2025 home summer, she was the leading wicket-taker in three ODIs against West Indies with seven at 9.00 and an economy rate of 3.15. Against India, however, she played just two of the three ODIs, taking three wickets at 34.00 and 6.80, before just one more in three T20Is, which left her feeling on edge.”I definitely felt the pressure and the nerves coming into this,” Smith said. “But to start the competition how I have, and put in a performance for the team to get a big win, is something I’m really happy with.”England’s captain, Scvier-Brunt, opted to field first, hoping the pitch would improve for batting under lights, then called on Smith to open the bowling on a surface that ultimately didn’t offer huge assistance to spinners or seamers.That was proven when Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont navigated the meagre run-chase with an unbeaten 40 off 50 balls and a 34-ball 17 not out respectively.No stranger to opening the bowling at domestic level or in T20Is, where she has done it six times in 22 appearances for England, the decision for Smith to share the new ball with Bell was premeditated, and paid off handsomely as the pair defied South Africa, Smith with drift and Bell with swing.Sune Luus loses her stumps to Lauren Bell•ICC/Getty Images”I found out yesterday, which was nice, a bit of a heads-up,” Smith said. “It’s nothing that I’m too surprised by, I think it suits my bowling well. I enjoy the competition and the toughness of it and I’m glad that it came off today.”The conversations I had with Nat and Lottie (head coach Charlotte Edwards) was just about backing what I’ve done well over the years in domestic cricket. That’s, more often than not, try and hit the stumps and put a lot of pressure on the batters that way.”Smith took centre stage with her second delivery, in the second over of the day – a straightforward caught-and-bowled, as Wolvaardt sent a leading edge straight back to her with a shot indicative of the South African batting to come.Wolvaardt’s fellow opener, Brits, had made back-to-back ODI centuries against Pakistan just over a fortnight ago, but Smith splattered her leg stump with the first ball of her next over, finding devastating drift to slip through the gate.Bell then bowled Luus with an inswinger before Smith brought that drift to the fore again to beat Kapp’s forward defence and smash middle stump.Sciver-Brunt entered the attack in the eighth over and struck with first ball in each of her first two, trapping Anneke Bosch – preferred to Annerie Dercksen at No. 5 – directly in front of middle and leg stumps and enticing a leading edge from Chloe Tryon which went to Alice Capsey at mid-on.With leg-spinner Sarah Glenn on the bench, Ecclestone and Dean played their part.Ecclestone drew an attempted drive from Nadine de Klerk with one that straightened, Heather Knight gratefully accepting the catch at slip, and removed a charging Jafta, who took a wild swing at a slower ball that crashed into off stump.Related

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Dean twice beat the bat to rattle off stump as Masabata Klaas played for some non-existent turn and Nonkululeko Mlaba swung through thin air to one that angled in, consigning South Africa to their lowest ODI total against England and their second-lowest total at a World Cup, after their 51 all out against New Zealand in 2009.The diminutive Smith chose not to question her elevation to opening bowler in this format, relishing the opportunity just as she has done with her ODI career.”I don’t know why Lottie made the decision to be honest, but that was what she went with, and I was happy be the one that they turned to,” she said. “I’m not your most traditional spinner. I’m not going to get the turn and bounce that necessarily Sophie gets, which is why I think we work well together in the team. But for me it was just about trying to hone in on the stumps as much as possible.”I’m not the tallest so I won’t get much bounce, which I think can help in these conditions. A few kept low today as well, which suited me. It’s early days in my ODI career, which is something I’ve really strived towards, so I’m just delighted I could help the team win today.”

da supremo： After a quiet first month that could be excused due to the Euros and Copa América, Arsenal have continued to be unusually subdued in the transfer window over the last week.

da bwin： Aside from making David Raya's deal permanent, the Premier League runners-up have done nothing to impact the first team, and if they want to go one better next year, they'll need to get moving.

The good news is that Edu Gaspar and Co have been at work looking for the right players, and based on recent reports, they've got a new plan to land one of their primary targets, a star who's won comparisons to the North Londoners' own starboy, Bukayo Saka.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal have maintained their interest in Nico Williams of Athletic Bilbao and have devised a new plan to bring him to North London.

The report claims that while the winger himself would favour a move to La Liga giants Barcelona, who are also incredibly keen to secure his services, the Gunners fully intend to make their move should the Catalan club's financial situation hinder them from paying the player's €58m – £49m – release clause and completing the deal.

Should Arsenal get their way, it would still represent a significant investment in a 22-year-old star, but given his recent performances and a complimentary comparison to Saka, it's one worth making.

Why Williams would be a great signing and his comparison to Saka

So, the first thing to examine here is the comparison between Williams and Saka, which stems from FBref.

They compared players in similar positions at this year's Euros and then created a list of the ten most comparable players for each position. In this case, they concluded that the Englishman was the ninth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Spanish star.

The easiest way to see these similarities is by looking at the underlying metrics in which they ranked most closely, such as progressive passes and passes received, passing accuracy, live passes, goal-creating actions, blocks and aerial duels won, all per 90.

Williams & Saka

Stats per 90

Williams

Saka

Progressive Passes

3.82

3.57

Progressive Passes Received

12.2

12.1

Passing Accuracy

81.4%

83.8%

Live Passes

35.6

36.0

Goal-Creating Actions

0.37

0.47

Blocks

0.91

1.00

Aerial Duels Won

0.36

0.43

All Stats via FBref for EURO 2024

However, it's not just his similarity to Saka that makes the young winger such a "level-raiser," as data analyst Ben Mattinson dubbed him, but also his output.

For example, in just 37 appearances last season, the Pamplona-born phenom scored eight goals and provided 19 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.37 games for the Basque club – incredible.

He also played a pivotal role in the team's Copa del Rey triumph and then did the same for La Roja at the Euros this summer, scoring twice – including in the final – and providing one assist in six appearances.

Ultimately, while it might be a long shot given Barcelona's interest, Arsenal are correct not to give up on signing Williams this summer. His outrageously impressive performances over the last year or so and comparison to Saka are all evidence of his immense quality.

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