Andre Onana did not rule out leaving Manchester United when asked about his future this summer.
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Onana asked while on holiday if he will leave this summerAwkward interaction followed as goalkeeper repliedFuture at Man Utd remains uncertainFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
While on holiday, Cameroon international Andre Onana was stopped by reporter Stephane Bassalia Ouattara for a chat. In an awkward interaction which was uploaded on X, Ouattara asked Onana if he will leave Manchester United, to which he smiled sheepishly and didn't appear to know how to answer. But he did not rule out the possibility of departing Old Trafford this summer.
AdvertisementWATCH THE CLIPWHAT ONANA SAID
Onana said: “Will I leave? I don’t know, we’ll see!”
The shot-stopper smiled and chuckled awkwardly as he answered a question which he has likely been asked multiple times in recent months, though he evidently doesn't yet know the answer as his future at Old Trafford remains undecided.
Getty WHAT NEXT FOR ONANA AND MAN UNITED?
Onana has come under criticism during his two seasons at United, and may have a decision to make about whether he stays to fight for his number one shirt or opts for a move away. The Red Devils have been linked with other goalkeepers such as Lille's Lucas Chevalier, meaning it is possible that Ruben Amorim doesn't see 29-year-old Onana as the long-term solution after an inconsistent time in Manchester.
Arsenal’s Hale End academy is quickly becoming recognised as one of the best youth systems in the country.
It’s an academy set-up to have produced Jack Wilshere, to have brought through Emile Smith Rowe and to have nurtured Bukayo Saka.
The stable of talent they have coming through isn’t slowing down either with Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly both becoming huge parts of Mikel Arteta’s first-team this season.
15-year-old Max Dowman is also making a huge impression for the U18s this term and has already become a household name among Arsenal supporters despite not making his senior debut yet.
Nwaneri – who made his bow at the same age – has understandably been collecting most of the hype this season. Only Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen scored more goals for a Premier League club in all competitions before turning 18 than the talented Arsenal gem.
He’s not the only one to have replicated their feats this term.
Myles Lewis-Skelly's England debut in numbers
When Thomas Tuchel announced his first England squad a little over a week ago, there were some notable surprises.
Tuchel-England-squad
Jordan Henderson, now of Ajax, was back in the squad. There was a place for Marcus Rashford too. Yet, Lewis-Skelly’s inclusion wasn’t that much of a shock.
After all, his performances since making his first-team debut last September have been nothing short of incredible.
A midfielder by trade, the 18-year-old has played as a left-back, inverting into central pockets of space and driving forward with the ball. He’s been here, there and everywhere, something symbolised by his only club goal to date, a gorgeous curling effort against Manchester City. We all remember the celebration.
Well, if he needed to make another statement to the doubters over his qualities, he did so on his England debut, a 2-0 win over Albania on Friday night.
Lewis-Skelly started at left-back and scored the first goal of the Tuchel era, racing in behind to get on the end of a quite delicious ball from Jude Bellingham, before nutmegging the goalkeeper. Only the aforementioned Owen and Rooney have been younger when scoring England goals.
His interview with clubmate Declan Rice after the game was lovely, with the Arsenal midfielder hailing him as a “fearless” talent.
The goal wasn’t the only impressive part of the teenager’s game, as the numbers below suggest.
It’s been quite the rise for the Arsenal teen this season. He’s featured on 26 occasions for the first team in 2024/25 and as Rice says, this is only the beginning.
Minutes played
89
Touches
87
Accurate passes
69/74 (93%)
Key passes
0
Duels won
3/3
Possession lost
7x
Fouled
2x
Successful dribbles
1/1
Arsenal will just hope his career doesn’t go in the same direction as another of Hale End’s best talents.
What happened to Arsenal's original Myles Lewis-Skelly
Through every academy there are thousands of players who never quite made the grade, eventually falling out of football.
For plenty, they stay in football but end up in the football league. Then, you have the elite, the players who do make the grade, graduating out of the academy and thriving at the top level.
For Ainsley Maitland-Niles, that story is certainly true. A midfielder by trade – like Lewis-Skelly – he made his debut for the senior side on 9th December 2014.
It was a Champions League tie with Galatasaray where Arsene Wenger introduced the teenager into the action as a substitute for Aaron Ramsey.
He was just 17 years and 102 days old, making him the second youngest player to have represented the club in the Champions League, behind Jack Wilshere. His future looked bright.
Right midfield
95
Right-back
79
Central midfield
52
Defensive midfield
30
Left-back
26
Left midfield
22
Centre-back
3
Attacking midfield
2
However, with a number of top midfielders in his way, the spritely academy graduate ended up playing more as a wing-back or full-back. You can see where we’re heading here with the Lewis-Skelly comparisons.
He even made his England debut at left-back, appearing in that position due to injuries elsewhere.
However, while Maitland-Niles looked like he had huge potential, he was never hugely keen on establishing himself as a full-back and wanted to play in midfield.
Indeed, upon heading on loan to West Brom in 2021, Sam Allardyce noted: “The problem with Ainsley is his position. His only position that he wants to play is centre midfield. The reason he came to West Brom – which he forced through – Edu and Arteta didn’t want him to come, was because I said he’d play in midfield.”
Well, with that in mind, his future was never going to be at Arsenal under the current manager. In the summer of 2023, his contract expired and he left on a free transfer. Lyon came calling where, coincidentally, he’s still playing as a full-back.
During his debut campaign in France, he made 29 appearances, catching the eye with two goals and four assists while this term, the 27-year-old has played 34 times, scoring one and supplying five assists.
His numbers and overall performances in Ligue 1 have actually seen calls for an England inclusion, with French football expert Matt Spiro commenting in December: “Ainsley Maitland-Niles should now be in the conversation [for England]. He’s playing the best football of his career with Lyon.”
So, while things didn’t pan out as he would have hoped at the Emirates, it’s nice to see Arsenal’s original Lewis-Skelly thriving elsewhere.
Arsenal starlet was ahead of Nwaneri & Lewis-Skelly, then he left for £1m
Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are two of the finest talents to emerge from the Arsenal academy.
كشف روبن باراخا، المدير الفني السابق لنادي فالنسيا، حقيقة ما تردد في الساعات الماضية بشأن اقترابه من تدريب الأهلي، خلفًا لمواطنه خوسيه ريبيرو.
ويبحث الأهلي عن مدرب جديد يقود الفريق بعد الانفصال عن ريبيرو عقب 94 يومًا فقط بسبب سوء النتائج.
اقرأ أيضًا.. الفتح يكشف لـ”بطولات” موقفه من رحيل جوزيه جوميز بعد أنباء اهتمام الأهلي
باراخا علق في تصريحات خاصة عبر بطولات، قائلاً: “سيكون أمرًا مثيرًا للاهتمام إذا تحدث معي أحد من النادي الأهلي حول تدريب الفريق”.
وأضاف: “لكن حتى الآن لم يحدث أي تواصل سواء معي بشكل مباشر أو مع وكيلي، ولم يصلني أي عرض رسمي أو غير رسمي، دعنا نرى ماذا سيحدث”.
وكانت تقارير صحفية قد أشارت إلى أن اسم باراخا طُرح على طاولة الأهلي في الفترة الماضية من أجل خلافة ريبيرو من خلال أحد الوكلاء.
المدرب الإسباني يملك مسيرة لافتة مع فالنسيا، حيث قاد الفريق في الموسم الماضي، وسبق له العمل في عدة أندية داخل إسبانيا مثل ريال سرقسطة، تينيريفي، رايو فاييكانو، سبورتنج خيخون، إلتشي.
ويُنتظر أن يواصل الأهلي دراسة عدد من الملفات التدريبية الأخرى قبل حسم هوية المدير الفني الجديد للفريق خلال الأيام المقبلة للبدء بعد فترة التوقف الدولي.
In what would see them get one over on their top six rivals, Manchester United are now keen to sign an attacking star who’s currently Tottenham Hoptspur’s top target this summer.
Man Utd and Spurs battling on and off the pitch
So much of Manchester United’s season has mirrored Tottenham’s. Both find themselves languishing in the bottom half, both have been left to rely on the Europa League for any chance of turning their season around and both are now in desperate need of summer reinforcements. When the summer transfer window does arrive, it would also come as little surprise if the two ‘big six’ sides found themselves operating in close quarters, either.
After admitting that nothing could turn their season around, Ruben Amorim will at least be hoping that the lure of Old Trafford is still enough to see the Red Devils secure their targets ahead of the likes of Spurs even in Manchester United’s current state.
On that front, the rumours are already coming thick and fast. According to Caught Offside, Manchester United now want to sign Antoine Semenyo in a move that would see them beat Spurs to their top target this summer. The Lilywhites are even reportedly lining up a bid worth €40m (£34m) to sign the winger Bournemouth value at £50m ahead of the transfer window.
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That doesn’t look set to discourage United, however, who caught a first-hand glimpse of Semenyo’s quality earlier this season when he scored in a stunning 3-0 victory for Bournemouth. Handing Noussair Mazraoui a torrid time, the versatile full-back ended the defeat with just five defensive actions and a 50% duel-success rate.
Semenyo, meanwhile, found himself wheeling away in celebration after scoring the final of his side’s three goals to stun Old Trafford just after the hour mark.
"Powerful" Semenyo has earned big move
Whilst there would be plenty of irony involved if Semenyo set his sights on a big move this summer and found himself at a club currently on a crash course hurtling towards a bottom half finish, Manchester United’s name still carries plenty of weight. As they look to rebuild under Amorim, picking apart sides like Bournemouth would be a good place to start.
Antoine Semenyo scores for Bournemouth
Semenyo has certainly earned a chance to move onto a top six side too, scoring nine goals and assisting another five in all competitions for the Cherries so far this season. Receiving plenty of praise as a result, analyst Ben Mattinson dubbed the winger the “perfect instant-impact winger” who also possesses “powerful ambipedal ball striking”.
Semenyo certainly looks likely to have a decision to make this summer, but whether that results in a trip to Old Trafford remains to be seen.
The club remains winless through the first 13 games of the season
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Galaxy sign Vanney to new deal
Includes upgrades to sporting staff
MLS Cup champions remain winless
Get the MLS Season Pass today!Stream games now
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The LA Galaxy have signed head coach Greg Vanney to a multi-year contract extension, the club announced on Friday. Vanney, who led the Galaxy to last season's MLS Cup, was set to see his contract expire at the end of the season. According to GiveMeSport, both sides looked to get a deal done in the offseason, but negotiations were greatly impacted by the Galaxy's poor start to the season.
Through the first 13 matches of the season, the Galaxy remain winless, having lost 10 of those 13. Notably, the Galaxy fell, 7-0 to the New York Red Bulls on May 10. The Galaxy, however, have extended Vanney as a show of faith while also bolstering the club's soccer staff, promoting Juninho, to Senior Advisor to the General Manager and Zack Murshedi to Director of Team Administration and Player Care while hiring Rava Ramineni to a new role, Director of Quantitative Analysis.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Vanney has been with the Galaxy since 2021, having previously coached at Toronto FC. Throughout his coaching career, he's won two MLS Cups and reached four MLS Cup finals, while amassing a 16-6-2 career playoff record, level for best in league history.
However, the Galaxy have struggled mightily this season without star Riqui Puig, who suffered an ACL tear during last year's playoff run. Additionally, Joseph Paintsil missed significant time due to injury as well, while the departure of striker Dejan Jovelic due to salary cap reasons hasn't helped matters, either.
Imagn
WHAT VANNEY SAID
“I’m honored to continue this journey with a club that has meant so much to me,” said Vanney. “We know we haven’t started this season the way we intended, but we believe in the group, in the process, and in what we’re building. I’m fully committed to our players, our fans, and this organization – and I’m excited for what’s ahead.”
“Greg is one of the most respected and successful coaches in MLS history, and we are excited to be continuing under his leadership,” added LA Galaxy General Manager Will Kuntz. “While this season’s results haven’t reflected our standards, this was a decision made following our 2024 MLS Cup victory, and we remain confident in the project we are building with Greg, and we have a clear path forward to returning to an MLS champion level. Greg’s commitment to development, culture, and high standards is unwavering.”
Getty Images Sport
WHAT NEXT FOR THE GALAXY?
The Galaxy will look to earn their first win of the season this weekend when they face rivals LAFC in El Trafico.
Aston Villa hold a strong interest in a “smart” midfielder who is set to become a free agent at the end of the season, according to a recent report.
Aston Villa transfer news
The Villans came from a goal down to beat Chelsea 2-1 on Saturday night, and they had January signings Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio to thank. Rashford grabbed two assists as he set up Asensio twice to make sure all three points stayed in the Midlands.
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The loanee has performed excellently since his arrival at Villa Park.
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Rashford is on loan from Manchester United, and it was reported over the weekend that Villa do have an option to buy the Englishman for £40 million, but the chances of him joining the club on a permanent basis are slim.
In further transfer news, Villa are interested in signing Samu Omorodion from FC Porto as a possible replacement for Jhon Duran, who left in January.
FC Porto's SamuOmorodioncelebrates scoring their first goal
Omorodion has been an impressive force in Portugal, and the Villans are now interested in making a deal happen, with Porto looking to get around £41 million for his services. Signing a new centre-forward will be a key priority for Unai Emery in the summer, and they would be more willing to splash out such a figure on the 20 year-old due to his age and sell on potential.
Aston Villa hold strong interest in "smart" Angel Gomes
But it is not just strikers on Villa’s radar, as according to Give Me Sport, Aston Villa are monitoring Lille midfielder Angel Gomes and have a strong interest in doing a deal in the summer.
Gomes has been with the French side since August 2020, but his time at the club appears to be coming to an end, as his contract is set to expire at the end of the campaign. The 24-year-old is expected to become a free agent, and Villa are among the Premier League teams keeping an eye on his situation.
Tottenham, Bournemouth, Man United and West Ham are also interested in signing Gomes, but the report states that Villa could represent an appealing option to the player. That is because Villa may be able to offer European football in some capacity, which the others likely won’t. Furthermore, given how the likes of Jacob Ramsey and Morgan Rogers have done under Emery at Villa, the England international may see the Midlands as somewhere he can really develop.
Apps
13
Starts
9
Goals
1
xG
1.71
Shots per game
0.7
Assists
1
xAG
1.55
Big chances created
4
Key passes
1.1
Passing accuracy per game
20.8 (82%)
Gomes, who has been described as a “smart passer” by analyst Ben Mattinson in the past, has been a key performer for Lille over a number of seasons now, and that has earned him recognition on the international stage. The midfielder may have his eye on a return to England and the Premier League to prove that he is more than capable of performing at this level, and it may improve his chances of success for England as well.
Saqlain Mushtaq and James Foster to also be part of the set-up as New Zealand plan to rotate their support staff over the next four months
Deivarayan Muthu22-Aug-2023
Stephen Fleming had previously worked with New Zealand in the lead-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup as well•BCCI
New Zealand have spruced up their support staff in the lead-up to the 2023 ODI World Cup, with Stephen Fleming and James Foster set to join the set-up. Ian Bell and Saqlain Mushtaq will also be among a rotating cast of New Zealand’s coaching staff over the next four months away from home.The appointments of Fleming and Foster are particularly significant as both bring with them IPL experience. Fleming comes on board with a decorated IPL CV – he has coached Chennai Super Kings to five titles in the league. Fleming had previously worked with New Zealand in the lead-up to the 2021 T20 World Cup in the UAE. He is currently coaching Southern Brave in the men’s Hundred and will then link up with the New Zealand team for the ODI series against England, which begins on September 8, three days after the end of the T20I series.”I think Flem will be great for players on that side of it and also good for the staff as well,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said. “He’s got [an] immense amount of knowledge in that part of the world [India] and has coached in the IPL right from the start of the competition [from 2009], so he’s coached in all those areas where we’re going to play in. So, it might just be the little one-two percenters you can get from that information that could tip the results on your side as well. If things go well you can pick up on some of those small things.”NZ coaching staff for away tours
England T20Is (Aug 30- 5 Sept) – Gary Stead, Luke Ronchi, Shane Jurgensen, Ian Bell England ODIs (Sept 8-15) – Gary Stead, Shane Jurgensen, Ian Bell, James Foster/Stephen Fleming Bangladesh ODIs (Sept 21-26) – Luke Ronchi, Shane Jurgensen, Ian Bell ODI World Cup (Oct-Nov) – Gary Stead, Luke Ronchi, Shane Jurgensen, James Foster Bangladesh Tests (Nov 28 – 10 Dec) – Luke Ronchi, Saqlain Mushtaq, bowling coach TBC
As for Foster, he has worked with Kolkata Knight Riders as a fielding coach and assistant coach in the IPL. He is also a well-traveled coach, having had stints in the PSL, CPL, BPL, BBL and ILT20. He had previously assisted New Zealand in the Emirates in 2018. Foster will be New Zealand’s assistant coach for the England ODI series and will also be part of their coaching staff for the ODI World Cup in India.”James spent a week with us in the UAE, think about four or five years ago when he was over there,” Stead said. “He might have even been playing at the time. But it’s great that he has come back. He will come to the World Cup; he’s got a lot of experience in the IPL with the KKR side and in an assistant coach role there he’s worked with video analysts, so will give us a lot of, I think, information and knowledge for us to consider when we approach all the different venues in the World Cup.”Ian Bell to fill in for Luke RonchiFormer England batter Bell has been appointed as New Zealand’s assistant coach for the upcoming T20I series against England. He will then fill in for Luke Ronchi as the batting coach for the following ODI series against England. Ronchi will then return to take charge of the side for the three-match ODI series in Bangladesh in September – New Zealand’s last ODI assignment before the World Cup – allowing Stead a short break. Bell will assist Ronchi and bowling coach Shane Jurgensen during the ODIs in Bangladesh. Bell is currently an assistant coach at Birmingham Phoenix in the men’s Hundred.”The well-being of our players and staff is of vital importance with the sheer amount of cricket being played these days,” New Zealand manager Simon Insley said.”Following the T20 team’s departure to the UAE (Aug 12), the team will be on the road right through until December 16 when the Test team returns, ahead of a busy home summer.”Saqlain to rejoin NZ support staffStead will also take a break for the Test leg of the Bangladesh tour, which begins on November 23, with a two-day practice game, just four days after the World Cup final on November 19. Former Pakistan spinner Saqlain will rejoin the side for that Test tour, having previously worked with the white-ball sides during the Pakistan tour in April. He has been appointed as spin coach. The Test tour of Bangladesh will likely be the first task for the new bowling coach, with Jurgensen taking up the role as head coach at Wellington after the World Cup. He is set to work with Wellington from November 22, 2023 to April 2027.”Saqi is a great human being,” Stead said. “He has had experience with our guys in Pakistan and knows about spin-bowling stocks and has certainly added to that area of the game. He’s just got great knowledge. As a player himself, he was superb; he was a Test player. And going to Bangladesh, he will certainly add some skills and add some expertise in the spin-bowling area, which isn’t always an area that we cover all the time.”
Wednesday's MLB action will wrap up with a late-night interleague showdown between the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers, starting at 10:10 pm et.
The Dodgers won the first game of the three-game set, annihilating the Rangers by the final score of 15-2. Los Angeles is now 6-4 in its last 10 games and have extended its lead in the NL West by 7.5 games.
Are we in for another blowout tonight? Let's find out what the oddsmakers think.
Rangers vs. Dodgers Odds, Run Line, and Total
Spread
Rangers +1.5 (-126)
Dodgers -1.5 (+105)
Moneyline
Rangers +154
Dodgers -184
Total
8.5 (Over -105/Under -115)
Rangers vs. Dodgers Probable Pitchers
Texas:
Los Angeles: Walker Buehler (1-3, 4.82 ERA)
Rangers vs. Dodgers How to Watch
Date: Wednesday, June 12
Time: 10:10 p.m. EST
Venue: Dodger Stadium
How to watch (TV): BSSW
Rangers record: 31-35
Dodgers record: 42-26
Rangers vs. Dodgers Key Players to Watch
Texas Rangers
Corey Seager: If the Rangers want to win this game, they need to find ways to score runs. They may be able to do that against Walker Buehler, who's giving up 2.3 home runs per nine innings this season. Corey Seager, who is tied for the team lead in home runs with 13, has a chance to make a difference tonight.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Walker Buehler: The Dodgers' starting pitcher needs to find a way to step up. he's allowed three earned runs in five of his six starts this season and the Dodgers have lost three of those games. He continuously puts his team behind the 8 ball so getting off to a hot start tonight is key.
Rangers vs. Dodgers Prediction and Pick
The defending World Series champions are a disaster right now. Their bullpen has been one of the worst in the Majors this season, ranking 27th in bullpen ERA at 4.80. Their offense has started to match their bullpens abysmal performance over the past month.
The Rangers' OPS sits at .635 over the last 30 days, which ranks 26th in Major League Baseball over that time frame. Now, they're matched up against a Dodgers team that's third in OPS over that same time frame.
No matter who the Rangers start tonight, the Dodgers are in prime position to win in another blowout tonight.
da apostebet： Rival supporters will mock the continued lack of silverware at Arsenal, but it is hard to ignore the progress that is being made under Mikel Arteta’s watch, having notably enjoyed a thrilling Champions League run last time out.
da 888casino： Yes, it may have all ended in heartbreak, but football is a game of moments, and few have been better in the Emirates era than that night against Real Madrid, with Declan Rice coming up clutch for the Gunners.
Up against the holders and 15-time winners of the competition, Arteta’s men showed no signs of inferiority, with a collectively stunning performance epitomised by those two magic set-pieces from the club’s record signing. Who knew that the Englishman had that in his locker?
The recipient of the Gunners’ Player of the Year award – as voted for by fans – Rice is slowly but surely taking on talismanic status in north London, representing the leader without the armband in Arteta’s ranks.
While £105m looked like a sizeable investment two years ago, the 26-year-old has since backed up claims from former West Ham United boss David Moyes that he actually could have fetched more than £150m, such has been his “level of performance”.
Arsenal's Declan Rice celebrates scoring their first goal with teammates
If recent reports are to be believed, Arteta and co could be in the mix to make another similarly statement signing this time around.
Arsenal open talks for forward signing
The transfer circus is certainly in full swing, with things having reached the stage where the social media activity of a transfer target is even being scrutinised, as journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed that a certain Benjamin Sesko has begun following the club on Instagram.
Read into that what you will, although it is no real secret that the Gunners are working on a deal for the Slovenian striker, albeit with an issue over the 22-year-old’s price tag still to be resolved with RB Leipzig.
Elsewhere, meanwhile, BBC Sport’s Sami Mokbel has shed light on another potential attacking reinforcement that could be on his way to north London, with the respected insider revealing on the Latte Firm YouTube Channel that work has begun on a move for West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
As Mokbel hinted, talks have seemingly begun with the Hammers amid the claim that Arsenal are among one of the Premier League’s top six who have made an “enquiry” regarding the Ghanaian forward:
“My information is that all of the top six in the Premier League have checked in on the conditions of that deal. He’s got an £85m release clause for Premier League clubs but I think West Ham would be willing to go below that.
“They wouldn’t take masses below that but they would be open to a negotiation. There is a long-term interest there and as I understand that, there has been an enquiry from the Premier League’s top six; Arsenal are one of them. That could be one to watch in the absence of getting Rodrygo or Gordon which would be difficult deals to get over the line.”
West Ham United's MohammedKudusin action with Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly and Leandro Trossard
As Mokbel noted, the former Ajax man – who joined the Irons on a £38m deal in 2023 – could be available for less than his £85m release clause, with the race now on for his coveted signature.
Why Kudus would be a good signing for Arsenal
As already noted, it’s fair to say that Arsenal have got their money’s worth after their previous dealing with West Ham, with that man Rice providing 36 goals and assists from just 103 games in all competitions in his new surroundings.
The man who led his former employers to Conference League glory in 2023, prior to his high-profile exit, the Three Lions mainstay has certainly kicked on from his time in east London, where he provided just 28 goal involvements in 245 games across all fronts.
At one stage a defensive-minded midfielder, or even a centre-back, at West Ham, Rice has since been unleashed under Arteta’s tutelage, with the Spaniard having found the perfect role for his statement signing in an advanced number eight berth.
Kudus’ career stats by position
Position
Games
Goals
Assists
Centre-forward
51
16
3
Right winger
50
21
10
Attacking midfield
49
11
6
Central midfield
46
11
3
Left winger
19
6
3
Right midfield
3
0
2
Left midfield
2
0
0
Second striker
1
0
1
Stats via Transfermarkt
Hopefully, the former Manchester City assistant can replicate that feat with regard to Kudus, with the fleet-footed sensation in need of a settled role, after lining up on either flank, as a number ten, and even as a centre-forward during his time at the London Stadium to date.
Like Rice too, there is certainly room for growth, with the 24-year-old coming off the back of a disappointing campaign in which he provided just five goals and four assists in all competitions, as West Ham toiled under Julen Lopetegui and Graham Potter.
Such woes should not overshadow Kudus’ undoubted talent, however, as he had previously registered 23 goals and assists in 2023/24 during Moyes’ final season in charge, having also been dubbed a “generational talent” by journalist Gary Al-Smith.
With 39 goals and assists also under his belt in just 87 games in Amsterdam, the dynamic left-footer is a figure who can wreak havoc in the final third when at his best, as shown by the fact that he ranked in the top 3% of his Premier League peers for successful take-ons per 90 last season, as per FBref.
That dribbling prowess also mirrors his ability as a ball carrier, something he shares with Rice. Indeed, the pair averaged 3.41 and 2.66 carries per 90, respectively, in the top-flight in 2024/25.
Such quality, if harnessed in the right way, could well be a real asset to Arteta’s forward line, with now the time for the Accra-born speedster to finally find a consistent, settled role for himself.
Lauded by Potter for his “really good” performance against the Gunners, during West Ham’s shock 1-0 win at the Emirates earlier this year, Kudus has also been described as something of an “example” at the club by the Englishman.
It could then be the case that after poaching Rice two years ago, Arteta could return with a fresh raid for another of the Hammers’ main men this summer.
Mikel Arteta personally wants Arsenal to sign £94m forward this summer
They know the costs of what would be a marquee deal.
Sunderland supporters will be trying to hold back their excitement ahead of the new Premier League season finally kicking off.
There’s no guarantee in place that signings galore will improve your chances of staying afloat in the tricky division, with Ipswich Town picking up 14 total purchases last season and still managing to fall through the relegation trapdoor.
But, the star-studded quality of signing Sunderland is managing to attract makes being giddy quite hard to contain, with the standout £20m purchase of Enzo Le Fee getting the ball rolling this summer, whilst a £30m deal for Habib Diarra to join from Strasbourg edges ever nearer to completion.
Reinildo is also set to join the Stadium of Light ranks after allowing his Atletico Madrid contract to expire, with plenty more notable names being tipped to call Wearside their fresh home shortly.
Atletico Madrid'sReinildoMandava before the match
Transfer latest at Sunderland
Most Sunderland supporters would have been initially apprehensive about all the business being conducted in this hectic transfer window, considering the window opened with both Jobe Bellingham and Tommy Watson deserting the Stadium of Light.
Now, however, the mood has flipped, with the likes of Georgian superstar Georges Mikautadze being tipped to join Le Bris’ enthused ranks alongside those already named, on top of an alleged £17m bid being lodged by the Black Cats to snap up Nantes attacker Matthis Abline.
The most intriguing purchase of them all could soon come in the form of Almeria goal-machine Luis Suarez moving to England, with reports from Spain now suggesting that Sunderland have enquired about landing the explosive attacker.
Such a deal would result in the Black Cats having to fork out £21m, with the La Liga 2 side upping their transfer valuation off the back of Suarez’s impressive 2024/25 offering.
It could even be argued that snapping up the clinical Colombian would see the newly promoted side land an even bigger talent than Diarra, despite the Senegal international costing Sunderland a club-record £30m to snap up.
Why Suarez could be a bigger talent than Diarra
After all, whilst Diarra was able to boast four goals and five assists from the midfield areas last season for Liam Rosenior’s men, Suarez’s numbers up top for Almeria in another demanding European setting are an even more majestic sight to take in.
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Indeed, the “crazy” South American – as he was once labelled by talent scout Jacek Kulig – would take La Liga 2 by storm with his devastating goalscoring prowess.
That was seen in him collecting 27 of his bumper 31 strikes in the second division, away from also netting four of those efforts in the challenging Copa Del Rey when facing off against opponents from La Liga.
Games played
41
Goals scored
27
Scoring frequency
135 mins
Assists
8
Big chances missed
27
Staggeringly, Suarez would also chip in with eight assists across his 41 La Liga 2 outings, which is three more assists than Diarra managed in the heart of Strasbourg’s midfield, with the hope that the dangerous Almeria marksman can offer up similarly deadly displays when leaping up to the Premier League.
He could instantly displace Wilson Isidor on his arrival, therefore, considering the Frenchman blew hot and cold last campaign with just 13 Championship goals next to his name, away from Suarez wreaking havoc in the Spanish second division.
On the contrary, it doesn’t feel as set in stone that Diarra would instantly dive into Le Bris’ XI – irrespective of his lofty price tag – with Dan Neil already at the Frenchman’s disposal centrally who collected five goal contributions himself last season in league action, alongside Le Bris also possessing the star-quality of Le Fee who could kick on even more up a division.
Whilst Diarra will no doubt go on to be a success story under the ex-Lorient manager’s wing if Le Fee’s trajectory is anything to go off of, it does appear as if Suarez could really burst into life even more as a terrifying goalscorer on Wearside, with his blistering introduction into the English game perhaps helping the Black Cats to maintain their fraught Premier League status.
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