أعلن نادي أتلتيك بلباو عن إصابة مهاجم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم، إينياكي ويليامز، قبل ساعات من انضمامه لمنتخب غانا الذي سيخوض كأس أمم إفريقيا 2023.
وتلعب غانا ضمن فرق المجموعة الثانية والتي تضم كلًا من مصر، موزمبيق والرأس الأخضر، وسيكون الأخير هو المنافس في الجولة الأولى.
اقرأ أيضًا | أسطورة غانا لـ بطولات: قادرون على إيقاف محمد صلاح.. وسنتأهل وصيفاً لـ مصر
🚑 PARTE MÉDICO I @Williaaams45 👇@ImqEuskadi I #AthleticClub 🦁 — Athletic Club (@AthleticClub) January 1, 2024
ويعاني ويليامز من نزلة برد خفيفة، ليخضع الغاني لفحوصات شاملة من قبل الجهاز الطبي لنادي أتلتيك بلباو اليوم، الإثنين.
وتلقى الغاني الدولي العلاج اللازم في الساعات القليلة الماضية، ولكن تتطلب حالته المزيد من الراحة، وسيتم تقييم حالته غدًا تحسبًا لقدرته على السفر والانضمام لمعسكر غانا في أقرب وقت ممكن.
وأكد النادي الإسباني أنهم قد أبلغوا الجهات في الاتحاد الغاني لكرة القدم بحالة ويليامز مع أتلتيك بلباو والموعد المحتمل لتعافيه من نزلة البرد.
Manchester United saw their hopes of securing Champions League football next season dealt a significant blow following the loss to Newcastle United on Sunday afternoon, with goals from Joe Willock and Callum Wilson handing the hosts a deserved win at St James' Park.
A major issue for United boss Erik ten Hag following that "lifeless" defeat – as per Manchester Evening News journalist Samuel Luckhurst – is the midfield ranks, with the Dutchman failing to settle on a suitable partnership in the absence of the suspended Casemiro.
With Christian Eriksen also yet to return from injury, the former Ajax head coach opted for a trio of Bruno Fernandes, Scott McTominay and Marcel Sabitzer for the trip to Tyneside, despite the fact that the Red Devils had "barely had a midfield" while utilising those same three players in the FA Cup win against Fulham, as per The Athletic's Adam Crafton.
With the only other senior option that of the polarising Fred – who has been branded "not good enough" by club legend Roy Keane – the Old Trafford outfit are rather limited in that department, hence the latest suggestion that a new 'number eight' could be a priority this summer.
Although such a statement signing is likely needed ahead of next season – amid apparent interest in both Frenkie de Jong and Jude Bellingham – in the short-term Ten Hag may need to look to the academy ranks to find a potential solution, with 18-year-old, Dan Gore, one standout candidate.
Who is Dan Gore?
A shot of life at senior level has yet to emerge for the teenager in his United career to date, although the midfield maestro does appear to be in the manager's thinking, having been called up to first-team training throughout the campaign.
The combative and composed ace – who notably irked Anthony Martial with a crunching, training ground challenge earlier in the season – has been hailed as "one of the most talented youngsters" in the club's academy set-up by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with that sign of the potential gem that Ten Hag has on his hands.
The England youth international was notably "superb" as part of the FA Youth Cup-winning side last term, according to MEN's Steven Railston, and has gone on to make "excellent progress" in the current campaign, notably registering two assists in 14 games for the U21s in Premier League 2.
Manchester United's Youth Cup winners
That fine run included a standout showing as captain in the recent draw with Arsenal in that latter competition, having been hailed as the "catalyst for creativity" in that 1-1 stalemate with the Gunners, as per Railston.
The £1.4k-per-week youngster's quality was also on show during the club's brief EFL Trophy run earlier in the campaign, with Gore averaging 1.3 tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game from his three outings to illustrate his tenacious approach, while also averaging one successful dribble per game.
That ability both on and off the ball was only recently praised by youth coach Mark Dempsey, who hailed the young 'leader': "I think he’s a proper footballer, good with the ball, good without the ball, and he can travel with it. His final pass has to improve for me, that’s the last bit for him, but the rest is great.
"I like to see him play football because he’s one of them to get fans off their seats. He smashes into people, technically he’s fantastic and he’s been terrific all season. He’s been captain a number of times and personality-wise, he’s a quiet boy, but he’s a leader.
"He leads by example. He’s a local lad, he loves the football club and you see that in the way he plays. Whether he’s playing at Old Trafford, a three-a-side at Carrington or at The Cliff, it’s the same performance from the kid and we’ve all got a lot of time for Daniel."
Such traits will likely go down well with both United supporters and with Ten Hag, with Gore's all-round attributes potentially making him a dream candidate to fix the club's current midfield woes.
Newcastle United goalkeeper Loris Karius has been offered to AC Milan and is keen to leave the Premier League, according to reports in the last 48 hours.
The Lowdown: Uncertain future
The German first arrived at St. James’ Park as a free agent back in September 2022 but has failed to establish himself under Eddie Howe.
The Magpies boss has predominantly opted for Nick Pope as his number one between the sticks and with Martin Dubravka as his back-up, the 29-year-old hasn’t had a proper look in.
Speaking during a recent interview, the 6 foot 2 shot-stopper admitted that he doesn’t know whether he’ll still be in the northeast beyond the summer. He said:
“I’m here until the summer. I don’t know if I’ll stay longer or not. We haven’t spoken about this – there was no need for it.
“There is so much going on here at the moment – we have important games, it’s a full schedule. There’s no rush.
“In football, you can never plan too far ahead, but I’m just enjoying my time here, really. Whatever role I have to play until the end of the season, I’m doing it for the team to be successful and then we will see.”
The Latest: Karius offered to AC Milan
According to CMW (via CaughtOffside), Karius’ agent has ‘already offered’ his client to AC Milan, with Inter Milan also interested in signing him in the upcoming window.
The Biberach native is reportedly ‘keen on leaving’ at the end of the season as a result of him wanting to spend more time with his partner who is based in Italy.
The Verdict: Let him go
Karius will be out of contract at Newcastle in the summer and his spell at St. James’ hasn’t been as successful as hoped so it would be the right decision to let him go.
Liverpool’s former star has made just one appearance during his time under Howe which was the Carabao Cup final vs Manchester United where he had a poor pass success rate of 38.5%.
The keeper is also the manager’s third choice having not even been named in the matchday squad for the last 13 top-flight games so it’s obvious he doesn’t view him as part of his long-term plans.
PIF won’t get any fee for Karius should he depart for nothing but his wages would certainly free up some money to invest in potential new signings in the months ahead.
Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that touted Manchester United transfer target Kim Min-jae could leave this summer due to his release clause but will likely decide his future in March or April.
What’s the latest on Kim Min-jae and the Man Utd links?
While the Red Devils are enjoying a spell of great form at the moment, lifting the Carabao Cup last weekend to end a six-year trophy drought, the club will no doubt be planning for the future.
And so, even though the summer transfer window is months away from opening, they will likely already be planning their moves to help bolster Erik ten Hag’s squad.
One player they may want is Napoli defender Kim. After all, he reportedly could be available this summer at a cut-price amid links to the Red Devils.
Speaking on The United Stand, Romano explained the current situation (15:15): “At the moment, Napoli are still pushing, offering him a new deal, but at the moment it’s not agreed yet.
“So it’s not an easy situation. Napoli are really trying and trying to convince the player. Let’s see how the conversation will continue.
“But I’m also sure that many top clubs are already approaching his agent, because they know that this is a very big, big possibility.
“I think this is a fantastic centre-back. probably worth 70-75 million euros and available for bit less than €50m. So imagine what kind of opportunity is on the market.
“But let’s see what the player will decide. I think March and April will be crucial months to understand if he’s going to extend the contract and remove the release clause, or if he’s going to be available on the market for two weeks for 50 million euros. And this is a very big opportunity.”
What does the Kim Min-jae release clause mean for Man Utd?
According to Corriere dello Sport in Italy (via Goal), The Napoli star’s £42m release clause will become active for a 15-day period this summer.
However, as Romano explains, Kim’s current team are understandably desperate to get him to sign a new deal to stop him from leaving at such a low price.
Seeing as he has started 23 of a possible 24 Serie A games this term, losing just once in that period, it’s not hard to see why the centre-back is wanted by Man Utd.
After all, if he does end up in England next season, he will almost certainly arrive having just won a league title in Italy. And so, seeing as there is a “big possibility” he could go on the cheap this summer, United will no doubt be monitoring his contractual moves very carefully over the coming months.
Leeds United could be set to replicate their appointment of Marcelo Bielsa, should they lean towards one managerial candidate in particular to fill the vacancy at Elland Road…
When was Knutsen linked to Leeds?
Partaking in a Leeds Live Q&A earlier this week, journalist Beren Cross was questioned about the possibility of Kjetil Knutsen making the move to Yorkshire.
He wrote that the Bodo/Glimt boss would be interested in the position, but as it stood he was not one of the frontrunners on the Premier League club’s shortlist.
However, given the ever-changing situations of the various managers that Leeds have considered as Jesse Marsch’s successor, there remains a strong possibility that Andrea Radrizzani could come back around to secure his signature.
Can Knutsen emulate Bielsa at Leeds?
The shades of Bielsa are there for all to see with Knutsen, both in terms of playing style and squad building.
When the Argentine took over at Leeds in 2018, his first season saw them narrowly miss out on promotion as he slowly bolstered his squad. Then, in the following campaign, he blitzed the Championship as the Whites returned to the Premier League at a canter.
Bielsa was afforded time to implement his philosophies, which are now well-known, and the club would reap the rewards.
Knutsen endured a similar task with Bodo/Glimt, as his first season in 2019 also saw him finish second before romping to the title a year later in record-breaking fashion.
His outfit had been transformed from a relegation-threatened side into a team which won the most points in a season, won the title by the largest margin, lost just one league game all year, scored the most goals and recorded the highest-ever goal difference in the history of the division.
Although time is of the essence, many of the foundations are already in place at Elland Road for Knutsen to implement his philosophy with ease due to the similarities that he and Bielsa share.
His high-pressing system often sees his teams throw plenty of bodies forward in an effort to strangle the opposition into relinquishing the ball. The team would operate high up the pitch in a style which was befitting of the “kamikaze” label that Bodo/Glimt captain Irick Saltnes bestowed.
Indeed, Chris Sutton used that exact word to describe Bielsa’s system during the Argentine’s tenure at Leeds. His gameplan requires a similarly exhausting amount of work as Knutsen’s, hence one of his training sessions being dubbed “murderball” by Patrick Bamford.
There are marked similarities between the way in which these two managers view how the game should be played, and how to recruit effectively.
Should the 54-year-old be appointed by the Leeds hierarchy, there will be hope that the foundation left by Bielsa will be strong enough to ensure that the Norwegian could hit the ground running in order to cement the Whites’ top-flight safety.
Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher will have ‘concerns’ over his Premier League playing time at Stamford Bridge.
The Lowdown: Gallagher shines on loan…
The Englishman dazzled on loan at Crystal Palace over the course of last season under Patrick Vieira, leading to summer interest from various top flight clubs.
Gallagher ranked as Palace’s best-performing player by average match rating at Selhurst Park, according to WhoScored, but he has since struggled to replicate that form under Graham Potter this season.
Over his 18 league appearances for Chelsea, the youngster has one goal and one assist to his name, and the influx of January signings could limit his game time.
The Latest: O’Rourke makes Gallagher claim…
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Pete O’Rourke claims Gallagher will have ‘concerns’ over his minutes at Chelsea after a very active transfer window.
He explained:
“I’m sure Conor Gallagher will have concerns.
“Any player at a club seeing your team sign players in your position, it’s definitely going to be a concern for you.”
The Verdict: Great player…
His stellar season at Palace last year shows there is certainly a great attacking player there, even if he hasn’t turned it on quite to that level at Chelsea over 2022/2023.
The 22-year-old still has many years ahead in what we’re sure will be a promising career, but depending on developments, perhaps the club could consider letting him go out on loan again this summer.
The likes of Aston Villa, West Ham and Newcastle displayed an interest at various points over the last six months and a move to teams of that ilk could hugely benefit Gallagher’s progression.
Perhaps even a return to Palace would bare fruit given Vieira’s wonderful relationship with Gallagher.
The Frenchman even called Gallagher a ‘really special’ player last season and such praise from a Premier League legend indicates that he is destined to remain at a top level.
Newcastle United have sent scouts to watch Lorient striker Terem Moffi in action ahead of a potential move for him, according to a new transfer rumour.
The Lowdown: Moffi shining for Lorient
The Nigerian is enjoying an excellent season for his current club, standing out as arguably one of the most prolific attacking players in Ligue 1.
Moffi has scored 11 goals in just 17 league appearances this season and he also found the net twice for Nigeria during last year’s Africa Cup of Nations.
A new report has now emerged that suggests the 23-year-old could be heading to the Premier League.
The Latest: Newcastle scouting attacker
According to Football Insider, Newcastle sent scouts to watch Moffi in action for Lorient against Monaco on Wednesday evening – a game in which he found the net.
They are ‘assessing’ forward targets for the January and summer transfer windows and consider him an option to come in.
The Magpies ‘face stiff competition’ for the attacker, however, with Southampton, Everton, Aston Villa, West Ham, Leicester City and Bournemouth all mention in the report, too.
Moffi could be a superb signing by Newcastle, providing Eddie Howe with a long-term option who could battle with Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson, eventually usurping the 30-year-old, injury-prone latter.
[freshpress-quiz id=“418867″]
His goalscoring record this season speaks for itself – only Kylian Mbappe has scored more times in Ligue 1 this season – and he has been hailed as a ‘man of gold’ by Lorient manager Christophe Pelissier.
Newcastle need to reach a point where they have two genuinely top-class option in every position and Moffi would make the squad significantly stronger, with 34 goals in 89 appearances for Lorient a highly impressive record for a young player.
Tottenham Hotspur are sweating over the fitness of Rodrigo Bentancur ahead of their Premier League meeting with Arsenal this afternoon.
What’s the latest?
Speaking in his pre-match press conference (via football.london), Antonio Conte revealed that the midfielder, who has missed Spurs’ last three league fixtures due to adductor problems, is touch-and-go for the visit of the Gunners, with the Italian suggesting that he does not want to rush the 25-year-old back and risk aggravating his injury.
Regarding the current condition of the Uruguay international, the 53-year-old said: “Now to accelerate the process to risk to recovery and to lose them for a long period again, is not good, is not positive. For this reason, we’ll see [if he can play against Arsenal]. We have another training session [on Saturday] to monitor the situation well about Rodrigo.”
Big blow for Tottenham
Considering just how important Bentancur has been in the heart of the Tottenham midfield so far this season, should the 25-year-old indeed be deemed not fit enough to feature in the north London derby this afternoon, it would undoubtedly come as a major blow to Conte and his side.
Indeed, over his 14 Premier League appearances in the current campaign, the £62m-rated talent has been in fantastic form going forwards, having already scored four goals and provided two assists, in addition to taking 0.9 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 1.3 dribbles – at a success rate of 54% – per game.
The £75k-per-week midfielder has also caught the eye in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 2.6 tackles, 1.3 interceptions and winning 5.1 duels – at a success rate of 54% – per fixture, as well as enjoying an average of 64.1 touches, playing 1.6 long balls and completing 42.1 total passes – at a success rate of 86% – per outing.
These returns have seen the 54-cap international average a breathtaking Sofascore match rating of 7.27, not only ranking him as Conte’s second-best performer in the league but also as the joint 16th-best player in the top flight of English football as a whole so far this season.
As such, it is clear for all to see that Bentancur’s continued absence for the visit of Tottenham’s fiercest rivals and current table-toppers would indeed be a massive blow to Spurs’ chances of picking up a positive result this afternoon. A loss would not only see Tottenham fall behind in the top four race, but may also allow Arsenal to take one step closer to potentially securing the title.
West Bromwich Albion’s signing of Karlan Grant has turned into a disaster, as his market value has plummeted during his spell at the Hawthorns.
The striker would join the Baggies from Huddersfield Town in 2020, joining for a fee of around £15m after hitting 23 goals in just 57 appearances for the Yorkshire side.
However, he has sadly never been able to replicate that goalscoring form with the Midlands side and a January exit could well be on the cards for the 25-year-old, who has lost his starting spot under new manager Carlos Corberan.
This season has seen Grant manage just three goals in 19 Championship appearances for West Brom, with WhoScored awarding him an average rating of 6.30, which ranks him as the second-worst player to feature at least 10 times in the Championship so far this campaign.
The former Charlton Athletic man is certainly not popular amongst fans either, with many turning against the striker after he missed a shocking penalty in a defeat against Swansea earlier this season.
Journalist Chris Lepkowski said: “Much as Bruce takes the heat – rightly so, too – what the hell is Grant doing with a penalty like that? 2-2; chance to arrest a poor run and he goes all Panenka on us. It’s just utterly unprofessional.”
It is no surprise, therefore, that his valuation has dropped like a stone in his time at the Hawthorns, with Transfermarkt now valuing the striker at just £5.3m, which represents a 65% decrease from the £15m West Brom paid just two years ago.
West Brom have looked completely revitalised under Corberan, winning all six of their Championship games under the former Huddersfield boss, and it is a testament that Grant has started just one of those, with brief cameos from the bench in another two.
Unfortunately for the Baggies, the underwhelming striker is contracted at the Hawthorns until 2026, which suggests that the Baggies will have to find a buyer soon if they want to move him on while he still retains some value.
It does seem clear that, whenever Grant does leave West Brom, the club will make a significant loss on his transfer, so his signing must go down as a disaster.
Arsenal have been dealt a devastating injury blow concerning Gabriel Jesus.
What’s the latest?
In a statement posted on the club website, Arsenal confirmed that, despite earlier reports suggesting that the injury the centre-forward picked up in action for Brazil on Friday would only keep the 25-year-old sidelined for three weeks, the striker has now undergone surgery on his knee – meaning he will now be ruled out of action for around three months.
In their statement, the club wrote: “Gabriel Jesus has successfully undergone surgery to his right knee after suffering an injury during the Brazil vs Cameroon World Cup group stage match on Friday. Gabby will now begin his rehabilitation programme. Everyone at the club is supporting Gabby and will be working hard to get him back on the pitch as soon as possible.”
Arteta will be devastated
Considering just how crucial Jesus has been in Arsenal’s title charge so far this season, the confirmation that the Brazilian is now set for an extended spell on the treatment table will have undoubtedly come as a devastating blow to Mikel Arteta and his side.
Indeed, over his 14 Premier League fixtures in the current campaign, the £103m-rated hitman has been in breathtaking form, having bagged five goals, provided five assists and created five big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 3.6 shots – 1.1 of which have been on target – making 1.6 key passes and completing 1.9 dribbles per game.
These metrics have seen the £265k-per-week talent average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.11, not only ranking him as Arteta’s seventh-best performer in the league but also as the joint 49th-best player in the top flight as a whole.
Furthermore, with the Gunners’ third-choice centre-forward, Khayon Edwards, also revealing that he too has undergone surgery as a result of injury in the last week, Arteta has now been left with only Eddie Nketiah as an out-and-out option at centre-forward in his first-team squad.
And, with Nketiah having scored no goals over his 12 Premier League appearances so far this season, in addition to the 23-year-old averaging a disappointing Sofascore match rating of just 6.57 – ranking him as Arsenal’s second-worst performer in the league – it is evident that step down from Jesus to the former England U21 international is a very steep one indeed.
As such, the confirmation that Jesus is set to spend three months on the sidelines is undeniably a colossal blow to the Gunners’ title chances this season, with it now appearing an absolute must for Arteta to strengthen his centre-forward options in the January transfer window if Arsenal are to have any chance of beating Manchester City to the top flight crown come next May.