Tag Futebol

After a seismic summer which saw the likes of Viktor Gyokeres, Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke arrive at Arsenal, it’s fair to say that it has been Mikel Arteta’s old reliables doing the business so far this season.

With that trio all enduring mixed starts to life at the Emirates, scoring just nine Premier League goals between them, the onus has been on those already at the club to deliver the goods.

Indeed, two of the Gunners’ emerging cult heroes have been particularly influential, with Leandro Trossard racking up his ninth league goal involvement against Aston Villa last time out, while Mikel Merino has scored five times himself in all competitions so far.

Whether it is as an auxiliary striker or in his usual midfield berth, Merino has largely been something of a revelation in north London, having already scored 14 times in 67 games, after netting 27 times in total in 242 outings for former club Real Sociedad.

In an era of youthful, long-term signings, the Spaniard has proven the benefit of acquiring ready-made additions, with that trend perhaps set to be repeated in 2026.

Arsenal holding talks over another midfield signing

Led by Andrea Berta, there appears to be something of a win-now policy developing at Arsenal, with new arrivals Gyokeres and Eze both 27, while Martin Zubimendi turns 27 early next month.

While London rivals Chelsea continue to seek out a raft of under-23 signings, the Gunners are reaping the rewards of their slightly more short-term thinking, with last summer’s acquisition of a now 29-year-old Merino the obvious case in point.

Although not deemed a glamour signing at the time, the towering left-footer has proven to be such a valuable, versatile asset, with Berta seemingly targeting a similar figure if reports are to be believed.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Expand Collapse

According to Caught Offside, Arsenal are among the clubs interested in Bayern Munich powerhouse, Leon Goretzka, with the likes of Manchester United, Spurs and Juventus also in the mix.

As per the report, there is the suggestion that talks have already been held with the Premier League trio, in particular, with the piece outlining that the German’s representatives have made contact with those three clubs.

The report does add, however, that while both United and Arsenal are likely to be more inclined to move in the summer, with the 30-year-old out of contract in June, rivals Spurs could look to strike in the winter window.

Why Goretzka could be Arteta's new Merino

Arteta’s set-piece kings have formed a fearsome unit across recent windows, echoing the early Arsene Wenger era with a string of towering, intimidating operators all across the park, be it Gabriel at one end, or Gyokeres at the other.

Merino, at 6 foot 2, has added further physicality in the centre, alongside the far more slight Martin Odegaard, with Arteta having praised the £30m for being a “big, big threat” earlier this season.

While a bargain deal for soon-to-be free agent Goretzka would be unlikely to end in the Champions League winner operating as a makeshift centre-forward, the 6 foot 2 monster could also be a similar box-crashing threat from an advanced midfield role.

Described as a “machine” by ex-teammate Sami Khedira – who also praised his compatriot for working “like a madman” to regain his place back at Bayern – Goretzka has been something of an unsung hero at the Allianz Arena for over half a decade now, recording 49 goals and 48 assists in 310 games across all fronts.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Arsenal transfer insight Want deeper transfer context? Subscribe to the newsletter for in-depth Arsenal coverage – tactical fits, data-driven breakdowns and clear analysis of targets like Leon Goretzka, showing how a signing could mirror Merino’s role.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

That return, like Merino, has also come with the bulky midfielder showcasing a versatility to feature in a variety of positions, having operated on either flank, as well as even in a full-back or centre-back berth on occasion.

Goretzka – Bayern Bundesliga record

Season

Games

Goals (Assists)

25/26

14

0 (0)

24/25

26

4 (1)

23/24

30

6 (9)

22/23

27

3 (2)

21/22

19

3 (3)

20/21

24

5 (6)

19/20

24

6 (9)

18/19

30

8 (5)

Total

194

35 (35)

Stats via Transfermarkt

For a squad competing across four fronts, such flexibility is a real asset, with Goretzka surely the type of figure that Arteta would relish the chance to work with and repurpose for his own demands.

Like Merino, it is the 67-cap German star’s physical prowess that is the main attraction, having ranked in the top 12% of midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels won per 90, as per FBref, just behind the Arsenal man who ranks in the top 2%.

Again, like Merino, however, who ranks in the 6% for assists per 90, there is also a creative quality to be admired with regard to Goretzka, with one-time Schalke man ranking in the top 6% for progressive passes and the top 15% for progressive carries.

The all-round midfield asset in many ways, the experienced talent could well prove to be Arteta’s next Merino-style addition, should Berta manage to win the race for his signature – be it this month or over the summer.

Related He's the new William Saliba: Arsenal hold talks to sign a £35m defender

Arsenal could sign their new William Saliba in 2026.

Posts ByMatt Dawson

Darrell Hair will stand in his first official match since his employment tribunal against the ICC ended when he umpires the UAE-Kenya Intercontinental Cup match in Sharjah, starting on January 18.Hair withdrew his claim for racial discrimination against the ICC – in relation to The Oval Test forfeiture involving England and Pakistan in August 2006 – during early October, shortly after the trial entered its second week in London.At the time Malcolm Speed said Hair’s immediate future would revolve around the lower-level matches, before a decision would be taken on his long-term future. “For the next six months he will umpire matches at Associate level. I can’t speculate as to whether he will return to umpiring Full-Member matches or not,” said Speed.Following the four-day match in Sharjah, Hair will stand in a one-day international, at the same venue, between UAE and Kenya before another Intercontinental Cup match involving UAE and Namibia, again at Sharjah, starting on January 23.

David Morgan and Sharad Pawar go head to head © Getty Images

The ICC have revealed David Morgan, the chairman of the ECB and Sharad Pawar, the BCCI president, as the two nominees to succeed Percy Sonn as president of the board.Sonn, 57, began his two-year term at the ICC’s annual conference in 2006. The board has the option of extending his contract to three years but, if not, his successor will take office at the annual conference next year. Pawar, who became the BCCI’s president in November 2005, has the backing of five member boards, including the Asian bloc.The voting process, however, is not restricted only to the 10 full-member boards. There are also the votes of the 32 associate members of the ICC, and the 55 affiliate members. Naturally the votes cast by the full members count for more than those of the others. The winning candidate needs to secure a two-thirds majority among the full-member countries, and a simple majority overall. The votes are weighted 75% in favour of the member boards, with 25% going to the associate and affiliate members. The 55 affiliate members only get five votes between them. It sounds rather complicated, but, basically a two-thirds majority of the full members will do the trick.A new nominations committee, put in place in July 2005, will meet soon to consider the nominations, before announcing its recommendation to the next executive board meeting in March. Voting will then take place at the annual conference which, this year, is being held in London; the successful candidate must secure support from two-thirds of the members.”This is the first time this method of selecting the ICC president has been employed,” said Dr Muttiah, chairman of the ICC nominations committee. “It is a fair and transparent process and one that we believe will ensure the most suitable candidate gets the job.”

Scorecard
Cameron Borgas continued South Australia’s batting resurgence this summer with a debut century as they made a strong impression on the second day of the Pura Cup match at Bellerive Oval. The Redbacks, who struggled for competitive totals throughout last season, were 3 for 251 at stumps after a crucial stand of 127 between Borgas and Mark Cosgrove following Tasmania’s declaration at 8 for 421.Borgas, who was a late inclusion for the injured Matthew Elliott, had a top first-class score of 53 before his seventh match, but he quickly secured a new mark when he brought up his century late in the day and finished unbeaten on 106. Darren Lehmann was not out on 17 and the pair will be crucial to South Australia’s bid for first-innings points after Cosgrove fell for 74 to the debutant Brendan Drew.Drew, who was so nervous he forgot his protector when going out to bat, added 15 as Tasmania’s lower order put on 110 before the declaration at lunch. Sean Clingeleffer collected almost half of those with an unbeaten 53 and he also picked up a catch off Darren McNees to dismiss Shane Deitz for 42.South Australia were also boosted by the news Elliott, who was misdiagnosed with a broken right wrist yesterday, may be available for Sunday’s ING Cup game against New South Wales at Adelaide. A scan today revealed Elliott suffered ligament damage instead of a fracture.

New Zealand Cricket has decided that Hamilton will not host a one-day international during Australia’s tour which starts next month. Westpac Park was scheduled to host the fourth match of the series on March 2, but following criticism of the pitch there during New Zealand’s match against the FICA World XI on January 26, the board decided that an alternative venue would be sought.Martin Snedden, NZC’s chief executive, said that the pitch had probably not settled completely since being laid in April 2004, and indicated that it might not match up to international standards. “We have decided to move the Australian ODI as we can’t afford to risk the pitch for that match not being up to international standard. We need to ensure the match is played on a good-quality surface.” The match is likely to shift to Auckland, Christchurch or Wellington.”The Hamilton City Council has done tremendous work improving facilities and upgrading the quality of the ground at Westpac Park,” said Snedden. “The issue with the wicket block is likely to be short term. With the exception of the pitch issues there were a large number of positives from the day [the January 26 match] which showed that the venue has the ability to successfully host ODIs.”We made the decision to play Wednesday’s match at Westpac Park based on previous experience with Waikari wicket-blocks. We had expected that the block would have settled enough to allow an acceptable playing surface to be prepared. That wasn’t the case, and ultimately the responsibility for that decision rests with NZC.”I am happy with the efforts of the Westpac Park turf-management team. The issue appears to be one with the block not settling as quickly as would be expected, rather than with the preparation of the playing surface.”The pitch at Hamilton came in for severe criticism, with Shane Warne, the World XI captain, suggesting that it wasn’t upto international standards. The World team was bundled out for 81 in that game, and the match finished in just more than 35 overs, forcing the sides to play a ten-overs-a-side game.

Tickets are still available for the Cheltenham & Gloucester Trophy Final – between Gloucestershire and Worcestershire – at Lord’s on Saturday 30th August.No further advance bookings are being taken. Tickets will be available from the North Gate Sales Points in Wellington Place from 8.45 am.Only three types of ticket currently remain available – Adult tickets to the Upper Tier of the Grand Stand (£45 each), Adult tickets to the Mound Stand (£40) and Juvenile tickets to the Lower Tier of the Mound Stand (£5 each).

Cold, and sometimes wet, weather struck the second one-day match between New Zealand’s Cricket Academy and the Commonwealth Bank Cricket Academy of Australia at Lincoln University today.The game was originally reduced to a 42-over match, starting at 1pm, but three overs into Australia’s innings it rained briefly and the game was further reduced to 41 overs.New Zealand’s injury worries for its bowlers continued and Cleighten Cornelius joined James Franklin as ring-ins for the home team.They were both soon among the wickets which saw the Australians, such impressive winners in the first game, faltering at 26 for four wickets.But George Bailey and Cameron Borgas got the train back on the rails before Bailey departed at 74 for 32 when he attempted a high drive from Luke Woodcock’s bowling only to be caught by Shanan Stewart at long on.Fifty-three runs were added by Borgas and Mark Cosgrove for the sixth wicket in 32 minutes off 52 balls.Cosgrove was particularly severe on Aaron Redmond, striking him for 26 runs off nine balls (including three huge sixes), before holing out to a fine low catch to Nathan McCullum for an aggressive 36 off 28 balls. Redmond’s three expensive overs cost 34 runs.Xavier Doherty was run out after Borgas turned him back when mid-pitch, beaten by the throw to the wicket-keeper from Cornelius.Daniel Christian and Borgas worked the gaps between the batsmen and the fielders as they accumulated singles with positive communication and running.Taraia Robin bowled Christian with the second ball of his new spell and two balls later he removed the in-form Borgas, caught behind by wicket-keeper Reece Young for a well compiled 74 off 93 deliveries. Borgas provided the backbone of the Australian innings.Tail-enders Adam Crosthwaite and Steven Crook assisted the total to 209/9 with their undefeated 10th wicket partnership of 35 off 26 balls.Cornelius proved the best of the NZCA bowlers especially with his work into the strong southerly wind to record the parsimonious figures of 2-27 off his nine overs.The NZCA openers took their time to settle on a pitch that was becoming slower and lower as the game progressed. Jamie How and Brendon McCullum put on 86 runs in 81 minutes off 123 balls, looking to work the ball into the gaps.McCullum was the first to depart when he walked past a flighted delivery from left-arm spinner Doherty to be stumped untidily by a scrambling Crosthwaite for 41 off 58 balls.How was next out for 43 from 78 balls, when he was trapped leg before wicket by Doherty and a disappointing run out so Nick Horsley follow soon after.Suddenly from the competitive position of 86 without loss, New Zealand were 100 for three wickets off 25 overs. The pressure soon went on from the Australians and the run rate required by the home team mounted. Stewart was another victim of the pressure when he was run out.Redmond was bowled for a duck while Nathan McCullum was run out at the bowler’s end from a deflection onto the stumps.With five overs left, and four wickets in hand, New Zealand’s required rate was up to 12. Jonathan McNamee then departed and with four overs left 55 were required.And with three overs left, and Cornelius out, 47 were required off three overs.There was little option but for Franklin and Young to hit out in an attempt to narrow the widening gap. Young was severe on Crook taking 14 runs off his solitary over and 20 runs were then required off the last over.Young was run out off the third to last ball of the innings and that effectively shut the gate on New Zealand’s hopes. He scored an impressive 18 runs off only eight balls.The NZCA finally brought up the 200 but remained 10 runs short of victory. Franklin was 18 not out from 12 balls.The teams have a day off tomorrow then play two more one-day games on Friday and Saturday.

Moeen Ali and Adil Rashid have been backed to give England the spin resources they need to challenge Pakistan, with the bowling partnership set to have a new nickname.Moeen claimed 3 for 41 from 22 overs during a hot day’s work in Sharjah as England completed their first two-day match against Pakistan A. Rashid, who is closing in on a Test debut, was wicketless but conceded under three runs an over during 20 overs as the spinners were given a lengthy outing by Alastair Cook.Mark Wood, who claimed one of the two wickets to fall to the pace bowlers, believes the pairing can flourish in tandem – a role they had during the one-day series against Australia last month – and a recent film night for the squad has inspired a moniker for them.”‘Tweedledee and Tweedledum’ are going to be perfect together in these conditions,” Wood said. “We watched [the film] last night, and there was a midfield partnership of ‘Tweedledee and Tweedledum’ – so I think they’re going to get that nickname now.”The spinners showed today they’re going to be vital. Moeen Ali, I thought, assessed the conditions really well and bowled a great pace. Then Adil Rashid, if chances had been taken off him, I think he’s proved he’s a wicket-taking bowler.”I thought they were excellent. I think, if we need to break a partnership, those two are going to be vital.”The 90 overs in the field reinforced what England will face when the Test starts next week in Abu Dhabi. The catching was far from faultless, with two chances doing down and another missed in the slips, and Wood is well aware that every opportunity will have to be grabbed when it really matters.”If we’d taken our half-chances, I think it would have been a brilliant day – but it’s still been a good one,” he said. “That’s how we we’re going to win the series, by taking those half-chances.”Wood also conceded that England are going to have to adapt their gameplan from the often gung-ho approach which paid dividends during home series against New Zealand and Australia. Large totals will have to be ground out then wickets chiselled away in Tests that are likely to move at a very different pace.”We found out it’s pretty hot here and you have to dig in and that patient cricket is going to do the business here,” he said. “I tried a few different things, tried to be aggressive at times but I have to be patient at times as well. We got used, during the summer, to playing this attacking brand of cricket – where we’ve been trying to blast teams out. That aggressive style is what we want to play at home [but this] is totally different.”One key element to England’s attack will be trying to get the ball to reverse swing once the small window of opportunity with the new ball has passed and Wood was pleased to see a hint of movement as the day wore on in Sharjah.”The ball reversed a little bit which is key for us. It’s going to be vital during the series that we get the ball moving off the straight – and we managed to do that today.”

Lancashire and Surrey have retained their female players on their Academy schemes. Kathryn Cross, of Lancashire, and the two Surrey players Ebony Rainford-Brent and Anna Stevenson, will embark upon their second year as academy players.Competition for places is fierce, with Lancashire offering 11 spots in all, while Surrey have cut their places from 14 to ten for this year.Meanwhile, the MCC has come on board to sponsor ‘ Young Sportswoman of the Year award. The three-year deal also includes an arrangement for Lord’s to host the annual event.Keith Bradshaw, MCC’s secretary and chief executive, said: “Women’s sport continues to grow in stature, popularity and excellence.  These awards are the ultimate recognition of excellence. We are extremely proud that Lord’s will play host to this prestigious event.”This year’s Sportswomen of the Year awards take place at Lord’s on November 20.

Scorecard

Shahid Afridi: three wickets and a blistering half-century © Getty Images

As many as 22 wickets tumbled on a sensational opening day of the four-day Quadrangular Stage Patron’s Trophy Cicket Championship match, between Habib Bank Limited (HBL) and Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA), in Karachi.Shabbir Ahmed, the fast bowler, captured 5 for 32 runs in 12.1 overs and fellow medium pacer Kashif Raza managed 3 for 52 as HBL, inserted to bat first, were bowled out for 125 on a seaming and bouncy track in Karachi. The WAPDA batsmen fared worse, being shot out for a 72 in reply. When play ended for the day, HBL were 80 for 2 in the second innings with an overall lead of 133.Shahid Afridi, leading HBL, was the star of the day. Fahad Masood caused the early damage in the WAPDA’s innings while Afridi polished off the tail with three wickets. Afridi then slammed 51 off 55 balls, including four fours and two sixes. Aftab Khan (24) and Azhar Mahmood (14*) were the other batsmen to reach double figures.At one stage HBL were reeling at 33 for 5 but Afridi and Aftab added 55 for the sixth wicket. Afridi also held two catches in the WAPDA first innings.
Scorecard
Only 65 overs of play were possible on the opening day owing to fading light but Khan Research Laboratories (KRL) ran up an impressive score of 220 for 2 in the Quadrangular Stage Patron’s Trophy Cricket Championship match in Karachi.After they were put in to bat first by Zarai Taraqiati Bank Limited (ZTBL), KRL lost two wickets for 48. Then, wicketkeeper Zulfiqar Jan and left-hander Saeed Anwar jnr joined hands in a magnificent 172-run unbroken stand for the third wicket.The 28-year-old Saeed from Burewala is nearing his first-class career’s ninth hundred, as he ended the day at 92 not out. His runs have come off 169 balls with the help of 15 fours and a six. Zulfiqar, who has two previous first-class tons to his credit, was unbeaten on 75.