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An esteemed member of Mikel Arteta's squad has been playing on with an injury all season, and it is believed he's still the hardest trainer at Arsenal.

Arsenal chasing first Premier League title in 20 years

The Gunners are in hot pursuit of their first league title in 20 years and have picked up scintillating form at just the right time with 33 goals scored in their last eight Premier League games alone.

Arteta could sign 36-goal striker for Arsenal at sizeable transfer discount

He’s been in sublime form this season.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 21, 2024

Arsenal currently sit top of the table, level on points with fellow contenders Liverpool whilst boasting the superior goal difference. Jurgen Klopp's side and Man City come as their biggest obstacles, with the two teams having dominated English football for over half a decade.

If Arteta can upset the applecart and usurp the pair, it would go down as a historic season and one which would cement the manager's status in Arsenal folklore.

Bukayo Saka

7.69

Declan Rice

7.40

Martin Odegaard

7.33

Gabriel Martinelli

7.10

Gabriel Magalhaes

7.04

Key players like Bukayo Saka, Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, William Saliba and others will have a major part to play in the race, but so will versatile defensive ace Ben White. The Englishman, who recently caused a stir by refusing a call-up to Gareth Southgate's England squad, has been pivotal over his 27 league appearances this season.

According to Arsenal journalist Charles Watts, speaking to Caught Offside, the 26-year-old shows his dedication week in, and week out at Hale End.

Ben White playing through injury as hardest trainer in Arsenal squad

Watts claims that White has been playing with an injury throughout the entirety of Arsenal's season, and nobody can question his work ethic as he stands out as the hardest trainer in Arteta'a squad.

“Ben White is as focused about football as any other elite player. You talk to anyone at Arsenal and they will say the same thing. No-one trains harder or works harder than Ben White," said the reporter.

“Just because he doesn’t go home and watch match after match on the TV doesn’t mean he isn’t fully committed to the game and his club. Mikel Arteta demands absolute professionalism from his players. If they don’t show that, they are swiftly shown the door. But White has been rewarded with a new contract that Arteta and Edu were desperate for him to sign and that tells you all you need to know about his character and how he is behind the scenes.

“White has been carrying an injury throughout the season, but he consistently plays through the pain barrier. He is absolutely committed to everything he does.

“So instead of people pointing the finger at White following his decision to opt out of playing for England, they should probably be asking why a player at the peak of his powers does not feel comfortable working with the current England coaching set-up.”

Given White's sheer importance, supporters will perhaps be breathing a huge sigh of relief that the £150,000-per-week defender won't be risking further injury in meaningless England friendlies.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are on course to have their best Premier League season since the two seventh-placed finishes during the 2018/19 and 2019/20 campaigns under Nuno Espírito Santo.

The Old Gold were excellent during their first two seasons back in the top flight and much of this was down to their large contingent of Portuguese players.

Indeed, the likes of Ruben Neves, Joao Moutinho and Rui Patricio were all esteemed international players, and it was the influence of Santo and agent Jorge Mendes which led these superstars to Molineux in the first place.

Season

Position

2022/23

13th

2021/22

10th

2020/21

13th

2019/20

7th

2018/19

7th

Another signing, Raul Jimenez, was their main attacking option and Wolves looked like they were building a squad which could see them cement their place in the top half of the table for the years to come.

Several of their signings during this time period lived up to their hype, especially Neves, but there was one who failed to make his mark at the club – Rafa Mir.

Why Wolves signed Rafa Mir from Valencia

Midway through their Championship winning season, Santo was already looking at bolstering his team ahead of potentially playing in the top flight.

In January 2018, the club announced that they had signed the 20-year-old on a four-and-a-half-year contract, and he joined that month for an undisclosed fee.

"I'm really excited to play with this team and to try and help the players achieve all the goals that the club has,” said Mir upon his arrival.

"It's a club that has already played in the Premier League. It's one of the biggest clubs in England and I'm really looking forward to my time with Wolves.”

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

After scoring 15 goals in just 19 matches for the Valencia B side, it was evident that Mir was a player who would continue his development in England in the hopes of playing regularly in the Premier League.

Unfortunately, it didn’t quite work out like that for the youngster, as he failed to impress at the club.

Rafa Mir was meant to replace Raul Jimenez

After loan spells at Las Palmas and Nottingham Forest, Mir went on another loan spell to SD Huesca in January 2020 for 18 months.

Jimenez had scored 44 goals for Wolves during his first two seasons, and it was clear the Old Gold had a player who was going to score them at least 20 goals per season, something which would be hard to replace.

The 2020/21 campaign, however, saw the Mexican striker net just four goals through injury, and Santo was seemingly in need of some added firepower in his squad.

Former Wolves striker Steve Bull spoke to Football FanCast towards the end of that season and claimed Mir could return from his loan spell to spearhead their attack during the following campaign.

"He could turn into a great striker so Wolves could send him back out on loan again for another six to eight months where he can get more game time and goals under his belt,” said Bull.

“Therefore, when he comes back he can replace Jimenez."

He ended up being worse than Patrick Cutrone, however, another striker who failed to live up to expectations when he moved to Wolves.

How much Wolves paid for Patrick Cutrone

Cutrone arrived in the Midlands in the summer of 2019 for a staggering fee of £23m, joining from AC Milan, and it proved that Santo was keen on taking the club to the next level.

The Italian had scored 27 goals in 90 appearances for the Serie A side, and it looked like a stunning coup at the time for the Old Gold, as they were keen on adding more young talent to their first team.

He made 24 appearances during his maiden season in England, yet could only find the back of the net on four occasions, and it was beginning to look like £23m wasted.

Loan spells at Fiorentina Valencia and Empoli failed to convince the club that he was the man to lead the line and cement a place in the starting XI, before being sold to Como in the summer of 2022.

He was an expensive flop to say the least, but at least he scored for the Old Gold, something which Mir was never able to achieve.

What Rafa Mir is doing now

Following three loan spells, Mir was finally sold by Wolves for a fee of around £14m, going on to join La Liga side Sevilla.

The striker made an immediate impact back in his homeland, finishing the season with 13 goals in all competitions as he became a key member of the squad for the Andalusian side.

At the time of writing, Mir has scored 24 goals in just over 100 appearances for the Spanish side and, while this is hardly a wonderful strike rate, it proves that he has finally found a place to showcase his true talents.

What could have been had he remained at Wolves and was offered more chances in the first team, however? The centre-forward is clearly a wonderful player, as demonstrated by his stint at Sevilla.

Perhaps he was moved on far too soon, and if this was discussed a year or so ago, the decision may have come back to haunt Wolves.

Under Gary O’Neil, however, the club have improved from this time a year ago, and they have forwards such as Hwang Hee-Chan and Matheus Cunha, who are currently proving their worth for the Old Gold.

Wolves shouldn't have let £51m-rated ace go who's better than Gomes

The star only made five Premier League starts for Wolves.

ByTom Lever Feb 23, 2024

Mir was once looked upon as the natural successor to Jimenez a few years ago, but it just did not work out for him in the Midlands, and he has had to return to his homeland in order to restore a career that was going nowhere.

O’Neil will be looking to have greater success in the transfer market than a few of his predecessors. This could mean spending money on a few players, but making sure they are the correct fit for the club.

If they finish in the top half of the table, then this task could be made much easier.

Head coach, as well as other support staffers Grant Flower, Azhar Mahmood and Grant Luden, to be discarded next week

Umar Farooq and Danyal Rasool07-Aug-2019Mickey Arthur’s time as Pakistan’s head coach will end next week with the PCB deciding against renewing his contract. The board’s decision means that nearly the entire coaching staff – batting coach Grant Flower, bowling coach Azhar Mahmood, and fitness trainer Grant Luden – will not have their contracts extended.According to a statement released by the PCB on Wednesday, the board will be “immediately undertaking a robust recruitment process” to fill these roles ahead of Pakistan’s next international commitment, a Test series against Sri Lanka in October.With the contracts of Arthur, Flower, Azhar and Luden all scheduled to end on August 15 anyway, none of the coaches has been sacked per se. But Arthur, certainly, had expressed an eagerness to continue: in an exhaustive review conducted by the PCB after the World Cup, Arthur asked for a chance to present his report, which was widely seen as a chance for him to defend his record and make a case for an extension.

The unanimous recommendation of the Committee was that it was time for new leadership and a fresh approach. I am happy to accept their strong recommendationsEhsan Mani

The decisions were arrived at following a five-hour PCB cricket committee meeting on Monday, in which Arthur was grilled about his performance with the team over the last three years. He was keen to continue, and ESPNcricinfo understands that he asked for two more years at the job.Ehsan Mani, the PCB chairman, said in a statement: “I am thankful to the PCB Cricket Committee for submitting their recommendations following an exhaustive and detailed review process. The committee comprised of individuals who possess tremendous acumen, experience and knowledge. The unanimous recommendation of the Committee was that it was time for new leadership and a fresh approach. I am happy to accept their strong recommendations.ESPNcricinfo Ltd”On behalf of the PCB, I want to sincerely thank Mickey Arthur, Grant Flower, Grant Luden and Azhar Mahmood for their hard work and unwavering commitment during their tenures with the national men’s team. We wish them every success in their future endeavors.”This means five key people will be out of the set-up following Pakistan’s fifth-place finish at the World Cup, with chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq having earlier decided against contract renewal once his stint ended in July. The only survivor from the coaching staff is fielding coach Grant Bradburn, whose contract runs until September 2021.Bradburn’s continuation underscores the PCB’s stated position that no one has been removed, their contracts just haven’t been renewed. However, with the men leaving interested in staying on, it’s really a distinction without a difference.Arthur was appointed as head coach in May 2016 after Pakistan’s disappointing performance at the World T20 in 2016 ended with Waqar Younis’ stint coming to a close. Arthur immediately adopted a tough stance on the fitness and fielding standards of the players and brought in Steve Rixon as fielding coach. Several players were cast aside – Umar Akmal, Mohammad Irfan, Wahab Riaz and Sohail Khan for example – for not being at the levels Arthur wanted, while Pakistan’s fielding numbers soared under Rixon’s watch; in the 12 months before he left in June 2018, Pakistan were a better fielding side than South Africa and Australia.Will there be changes among the players too?•Getty ImagesUnder Arthur, Pakistan reached the top spot in the T20I rankings and, following a 2-2 series draw in England in 2016 – his first assignment as head coach – they rose to the top of the Test rankings. That didn’t last long, though, as Pakistan endured a disappointing run in the format after that, losing nine of the following 11 matches they played, including a 2-0 loss at home to Sri Lanka. It was Pakistan’s first Test series loss in the UAE since it became their home away from home. Overall, Pakistan won 10 and lost 17 of the Test matches played under Arthur, by far the most disappointing aspect of his coaching record with the side.But there were also concerns that his robust, high-intensity methods, and no-nonsense headmasterly style of coaching was beginning to wear out his players. There was a high-profile falling out with Umar Akmal in 2017, following which the player was sidelined for over a year, only to play in a five-match ODI series where Pakistan rested half-a-dozen frontline players. Then, in South Africa last year, Arthur had a go at several players following a second-innings collapse in Centurion, and also had tough words for Babar Azam following a loss against England in a five-match ODI series in May this year. Babar had scored a hundred in the game, but Arthur felt his strike rate was a contributing factor to the defeat.Flower’s departure, meanwhile, means Pakistan have let go of the longest-serving member of the coaching staff. Flower, who ESPNcricinfo understands was also willing to continue, was appointed in May 2014, and it was during this time that Sarfaraz Ahmed emerged as Pakistan’s No. 1 wicketkeeper-batsman in Test cricket, and players like Babar, Imam-ul-Haq and Fakhar Zaman all broke through.The highest point for the team, of course, was winning the Champions Trophy in 2017, when everything came together brilliantly. Arthur was the motivator as Pakistan turned a thumping early loss to India around with four wins on the trot. The top-order batting clicked in semi-final and final thrashings of England and India, while the pace bowling in those two games was exquisite. The fielding still hadn’t touched the heights it would in the 12 months to follow, but there were signs that a corner was being turned.Now, they have chosen to try and turn another corner and they will have to do it with a whole new group of people for company and guidance.

Leeds United survived a scare in Devon to eventually overcome Plymouth Argyle 4-1 in the FA Cup on Wednesday night, needing extra time in the replay at Home Park to score three goals to return back to West Yorkshire victorious.

The win was managed even with Ethan Ampadu sitting out, the rock-solid Whites first-team figure given a well-deserved rest after a stellar season to date in the Championship.

Integral to the Leeds cause both as a centre-back and as a defensive midfielder wherever necessary, it's a signing that has really paid off for both the second-tier side and Ampadu who will now feel he's finally found a footballing home at Elland Road.

The signing of Ethan Ampadu

Landing Ampadu last summer for £7m might well have raised some eyebrows in Leeds quarters, the 23-year-old finally leaving Chelsea behind after an up-and-down time at Stamford Bridge often involved the 6-foot star being stuck in a constant loop of loans.

Featuring for the likes of Sheffield United on loan, alongside more left-field switches to Italy with Venezia and Spezia, Leeds hoped they had struck gold by being able to tie Ampadu down to a permanent deal.

The transfer now does look like an absolute masterstroke from Farke and Co, with Ampadu arguably one of the first names on the German manager's teamsheet whenever he's deliberating on his next chosen XI.

Playing every single minute this season in the Championship for Leeds, Ampadu's passing ability playing out from deep alongside his knack for successfully launching into tackles and duels unphased is a terrifying combo for opponents to manage.

Creating four big chances this season too, when helping out in attacks, it's no surprise to see that Ampadu's market value has skyrocketed since leaving Chelsea behind for Elland Road.

Joining the club for £7m only a matter of months ago, Ampadu is now worth more than double that with Leeds overjoyed as to how well their Welshman has done since moving to West Yorkshire.

Ethan Ampadu's increased value at Leeds

According to Football Transfers, the imperious figure of Ampadu now has a transfer value worth €18.5m (£15.7m) which will make Leeds very smug about their initial investment. That actually happens to be more than the silky Crysencio Summerville, according to the website's expected transfer value model, with the Dutchman sitting at £8.4m.

You can bet any side would have to pay a great deal more than that if they wanted to prise the youngster away from Elland Road. Either way, there's no chance that the Whites would aim to make a profit on their £40k per week man and offload him again anytime soon, realising how crucial Ampadu's presence around the dressing room will be to pulling off potential automatic promotion glory.

In Leeds' last Championship encounter, Ampadu was a brick wall against Bristol City partnered with an equally strong Joe Rodon at the heart of defence.

Blocking two shots in the contest to enable the Whites to pick up a clean sheet – their 12th already of the Championship season – the Welshman was also equally composed with the ball at his feet when the pressure was ramped up with 93 touches in total at Ashton Gate.

Leeds will have their fingers crossed that Ampadu – who was once described as a "destroyer" by football journalist Graham Smyth this campaign – continues to put in standout displays on the way to Whites rocking up more and more victories.

Next season, Ampadu could well be a Premier League defender even after his frustrating time at Chelsea had left him bereft of confidence and feeling unwanted. Now, he's a crucial cog in Farke's Leeds machine.

West Ham United have enjoyed considerable success in promoting talented prospects to the first-team over recent seasons, notably cashing in on Declan Rice for £105m last summer after the England international's central role in the success under David Moyes.

While there were fears that Rice's sale would spark a decline, astute investment throughout the summer has left the club fighting for continental qualification through the Premier League once again, also topping their Europa League group.

Moyes and the Hammers board will be eager to bring through the academy's next big thing and while there are multiple exciting players, centre-back Luizao could be approaching a state of readiness ahead of a senior debut on English shores.

Luizao's style of play

West Ham signed Luizao from Brazilian outfit Sao Paulo back in December 2022, and while he has long been considered a talented prospect, Moyes and the club's development staff deemed his progress was suited within the U21 set-up in the short-term.

This season, the 21-year-old has scored twice from 12 outings in the Premier League 2, and while The Athletic's Roshane Thomas was of the opinion that he doesn't "think Luizao is ready" for senior action back in September, one defeat during the action thus far speaks of his innate ability as a top-class defender within the first-team.

He also played a prominent role as the development squad reached the last 16 in the EFL Trophy, keeping two clean sheets from four starts, averaging and coming out on top in 71% of his contested ground duels, as per Sofascore.

Such metrics corroborate the observations of one West Ham youth expert that he has "dominated" at the base of the U21s so far.

To put that in perspective, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk has won 67% of his ground duels in the Premier League this season.

Described as "super confident” by Brazilian journalist Jorge Nicola in the past, Luizao must now transfer this conviction onto the major stage, providing Moyes with what could be an invaluable extra option in the rearguard.

A replacement for Nayef Aguerd

Left-footed and capable of playing at left-back, Luizao could be the perfect in-house heir to Nayef Aguerd, who joined from Ligue 1 club Rennes for around £30m back in 2022.

While the 27-year-old has completed 52 appearances for the east London side and was instrumental in last year's Conference League triumph, club insider Claret & Hugh suggested back in October that Moyes has been seeking replacements for the Moroccan star, whose poor passing and lack of defensive awareness makes for a poor fit in the Scotsman's system.

Blocking

Aerial duels

Long passing

Passing

Clearances

Concentration

Source: WhoScored

Indeed, as per FBref, Aguerd ranks among the bottom 17% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and the bottom 29% for both tackles and interceptions per 90, highlighting deficiencies that certainly don't secure his spot in the side.

With Luizao impressing this season and pushing for his senior debut at West Ham, he could be the perfect solution to Moyes' defensive quandary, saving millions in the process.

After being handed a 10-point deduction, it was easy to worry about Everton's Premier League status. Since then, however, the Toffees have been better than ever under Sean Dyche and look on course to survive the drop for yet another season if they continue their form. This time around, those at Goodison Park could even get the boost of moving into mid-table and beyond, given how tight things are, making up for their deduction. If it wasn't for those 10 points, they would be sat in 10th and above Chelsea.

As the January transfer window arrives too, the Merseyside club could seek reinforcements to ensure that they enjoy even greater success in the second half of the campaign. First, however, they may need to turn their attention towards departures, with one player potentially heading for the exit door according to reports.

Everton transfer news

Even amid financial difficulty, Everton managed to get reinforcements over the line in the summer transfer window. The likes of Jack Harrison, Ashley Young and Beto all joined in the hope of handing Dyche a boost, before doing just that. The same can't be said for Arnaut Danjuma though, who has struggled to make his mark at Goodison Park and could now be set for an exit.

Everton could copy Garner deal by signing "magic" £9m-rated Harrison upgrade

This “magic” £9m-rated gem could be the perfect replacement for Jack Harrison.

By
Adam Scully

Dec 29, 2023

According to Foot Mercato, Lyon are eyeing a move to sign Everton loanee Danjuma in the January transfer window. The Ligue 1 side have found themselves in a shock relegation battle this season and are in desperate need of reinforcements next month, with the Villarreal forward on their list. They are thought to be considering a loan move with the option to buy if the deal is less than €15m (£13m) but could also go for a simple six-month loan deal if the deal is more expensive than that. Either way, it looks as though Everton could lose their forward next month.

Danjuma hasn't found his feet at Everton

Danjuma's stats at Everton don't exactly make for pretty reading, given that he has scored just twice in 15 appearances. With Dominic Calvert-Lewin now free from injury troubles too, the forward may be unlikely to break into Dyche's plan anytime soon, meaning that a move away could suit all parties involved. As the January window swings open in a matter of days, the Dutchman is certainly one to keep an eye on.

Earning plenty of praise when at his best, former Middlesbrough manager Jonathan Woodgate said: “Yeah, he’s an exceptional player, in a really good place at the minute, Arnie. He’s another one who I’ve always done a lot of work on him at his previous clubs, so I knew all about him coming into this role, I knew what type of player he was.

“I know last season that he didn’t really get a run in the Premier League and he maybe found it a bit difficult to get game time, but this season he’s been outstanding. I can only talk of what he’s done under my reign, but at the minute, he’s playing some exceptional football, and what else he is doing is working for the team."

Back in August when the UEFA Champions League draw occurred, Manchester United fans were thrilled with their Group A placement, with a place in the knockout stages looking extremely achievable. However, fast forward to today, and Erik ten Hag’s side is out of European competition altogether after crashing out in last place last night.

The Red Devils had to win the game versus Bayern Munich yesterday, yet they suffered a 1-0 defeat and showed very little intent to win the game, highlighted by the five attempts at goal, one shot on target, and 0.25 xG.

Fingers should be pointed at the side as a unit rather than individuals, but it is difficult to look past players' who cannot provide any level of consistency – including Diogo Dalot.

Diogo Dalot’s game vs Bayern in numbers

The Portuguese full-back started the evening at right back before moving over to the opposite flank due to Luke Shaw picking up another injury, but he failed to have a positive impact on the game in either role.

Dalot is an interesting player, as he displays glimpses of quality, but that is often overridden by mistakes or underwhelming performances.

That was evident yesterday, with the full-back showing promise going forward via direct, powerful dribbling. He completed 100% of his five dribble attempts, but composure in the final third was missing, registering five failed crosses from five attempts.

Below is an overview of his stats from the game against Bayern.

Diogo Dalot stats vs Bayern
Stats	Dalot
Pass completion %	73%
Possession lost	19
Dribbled past	2
Ground duels (won)	9 (5)
Clearances	2
Stats via Sofascore.

The stat above, which is particularly poor and frustrating, is that he gave the ball away 19 times, mainly due to complacency. Not only did this prevent United from sustaining pressure and control, but it also stopped attacking scenarios and allowed Bayern to regain possession or launch a quick transition.

The player who could replace Diogo Dalot

After the game, Manchester Evening News writer Samuel Luckhurst gave Dalot a match rating of five out of ten. However, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, who played the second half at right back, received a seven, a rightfully higher score than the Portugal international.

The number 29 was strong in attack and defensively, with the ex-Crystal Palace player creating United’s best chance of the game by underlapping Antony and cutting the ball back to the edge of the box before Bruno Fernandes blasted it over the bar. Wan-Bissaka also made two tackles and interceptions, won all three of his duels, and had 100% pass accuracy.

The 26-year-old provides much more balance and defensive control than Dalot, but the latter does outperform him going forward, as shown below.

Dalot vs Wan-Bissaka stats
Stats (per 90)	Dalot	Wan-Bissaka
Tackles	2.10	2.91
Interceptions	0.98	1.54
Clearences	2.94	4.46
Key passes	1.26	0.69
Crosses into the penalty area	0.70	0.00
Shot-creating actions	2.66	1.20
Stats via FBref from the 2023/24 Premier League season.

In truth, the right back spot at Manchester United is up for grabs, with neither Wan-Bissaka or Dalot impressing Ten Hag or the United faithful this season.

A right-back may be on the manager’s wish list in January, but given that the ex-Porto defender has started over double the amount the Englishman has in the Premier League, it is fair to now give Wan-Bissaka a shot at nailing down the position.

Sean Dyche has masterminded a turnaround in Everton’s fortunes this season, having narrowly stayed in the Premier League over the last two seasons. Even in the midst of a frightening ten-point deduction, the Toffees rose from the ashes and have picked up four straight wins in the league.

The Merseyside club are now seven points clear of the relegation zone already and, without punishment for breaching Financial Fair Play regulations, would have been sitting inside the top ten, above Chelsea, despite the London club spending over £1b since Todd Boehly took over control of the club eighteen months ago.

However, Everton can’t afford to rest on their laurels and Dyche has already started looking towards the transfer window to strengthen the squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.

Everton transfer news – Wilfried Gnonto

According to a report from Football Insider, Championship outfit Leeds United are willing to allow wantaway attacker Wilfried Gnonto to leave when the January transfer window opens in the new year.

The Italy international handed in a transfer request during the summer after the Peacocks were relegated from the Premier League in the hopes of returning to the top flight. Several clubs were said to be interested in signing Gnonto, including Everton.

The Toffees reportedly submitted numerous bids to Leeds for the Italian but all offers were swiftly rejected by the recently relegated side. One of these bids was even said to be worth a whopping £25m, but again, the Whites were refusing to let the former Zurich man leave.

However, Leeds have had an excellent first half of the campaign in England’s second tier and are firing on all fronts, with four players recording nine or more goal contributions in all competitions under manager Daniel Farke this term.

Furthermore, it was reported by Turkish outlet Fanatik that the Elland Road outfit were keeping tabs on Galatasaray star Kerem Akturkoglu ahead of the winter market which could be a sign that the club have agreed to let Gnonto go over the coming weeks.

Wilfried Gnonto’s stats this season

In the previous campaign, despite the side being relegated from the top flight, only five Leeds players registered more goal contributions than Gnonto with six in total in all competitions, including two goals and four assists.

It looked as though Gnonto would fulfil the potential that he showed during his time at Inter Milan, with football scout Jacek Kulig admitting that the Nerazzurri were losing a “real diamond” when the youngster left.

Everton eyeing star who “plays as if he’s dancing” after failed summer interest

He’s a top talent who “does things you can’t coach”.

By
Henry Jackson

Dec 18, 2023

It was his first season in English football, having moved to Elland Road from Zurich for £3.8m in 2022, but his return was solid for a team that was in turmoil on the pitch. Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville even described Gnonto as “mature” for his age after Leeds suffered a 2-1 defeat away at Aston Villa back in January.

“To see someone so mature, so young is very unusual in that position.

“Sometimes you see potential and talent but watching him so closely, his understanding of where to be, his choice of pass, when to run with it, his awareness of teammates, really good honestly.”

Nevertheless, despite Leeds’ reluctance to allow him to leave during the summer, the forward has seen very limited game-time on the pitch, playing for just 671 minutes in total.

Additionally, in his 17 appearances, Gnonto has found the net merely once, combining this single goal with one assist. Overall, the winger has been nowhere near as potent as his teammates who have all led the line for Leeds this season.

Leeds United's Attackers' Stats This Season
Player	Goals	Assists	Goals Per 90	Mins Per Goal
Crysencio Summerville	10	6	0.57	159
Joel Piroe	8	1	0.45	201
Daniel James	7	4	0.41	217
Georginio Rutter	4	9	0.20	455
Jaidon Anthony	1	0	0.31	290
Wilfried Gnonto	1	1	0.13	672
Stats via BBC

Now, the 20-year-old’s time in Yorkshire could be coming to an end within a matter of weeks and Everton should be ready to snap him up before any other suitors get their hands on him.

Arnaut Danjuma’s stats this season

One of the benefits Everton would get from signing Gnonto is his versatility. Throughout his professional career so far, the Italian has played all over the frontline, from being a striker to a winger on both sides and he has even operated as a number ten at times.

Wilfried Gnonto's Career Stats
Positions	Games	Goals	Assists
Second Striker	47	20	7
Left Winger	29	5	4
Right Winger	25	2	3
Attacking Midfielder	16	4	1
Centre-Forward	6	2	0
Left Midfielder	3	0	0
Right Midfielder	3	1	0
Stats via Transfermarkt

This would offer a great rotation option for Dyche for the likes of Jack Harrison and Dwight McNeil who have been run into the ground a little this season, particularly considering the drop-off in quality of their backup choices, notably Arnaut Danjuma.

After an unsuccessful spell with Tottenham Hotspur last season, Villarreal agreed to send Arnaut Danjuma out on loan to Goodison Park for the whole campaign. Unfortunately, for the Dutchman, his time in Merseyside hasn’t gone much better.

Danjuma has played merely 386 minutes of Premier League football this term and has started only three matches for the Toffees in England’s top tier, although he has still found the net twice.

Nevertheless, while Danjuma has scored one more goal than Gnonto this season, the latter is still outperforming the Everton loanee in a number of key attacking metrics.

Per 90 Metrics	Wilfried Gnonto	Arnaut Danjuma
Goals	0.13	0.29
Expected Goals	0.21	0.43
Assists	0.13	0
Expected Assists	0.22	0.05
Passes To Penalty Area	1.69	0.23
Passes To Final Third	2	0.7
Stats via FBref

This could be a very astute signing by Everton if Dyche can help Gnonto return to being the player who recorded 22 goal contributions across two seasons with Zurich, ensuring that the Toffees could secure a more long-term attacking option, instead of the on-loan Danjuma.

Fast bowler reported the problem shortly after arriving in Barbados having flown from Australia a few days previously

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jan-2019Olly Stone faces a lengthy period of rehabilitation in the wake of his early departure from England’s tour of the Caribbean, after a stress fracture in his left lower back was confirmed following further examination in the UK.Stone, the fastest bowler in England’s original squad for the West Indies series, reported the problem shortly after arriving in Barbados earlier this month, having flown from Australia a few days previously. His place has been taken by Mark Wood, who linked up with the squad last weekend.His county, Warwickshire, confirmed he had suffered “a partial stress fracture to his left lower back”, which typically takes six to 12 weeks to heal.Jim Troughton, First Team Coach at Warwickshire CCC, said: “We’re bitterly disappointed for Olly who has already had his fair share of injury heartache.”Getting himself into the England set-up was a great achievement so the timing of this setback is a tough one for him.”The science and medical staff at Warwickshire will work closely with Olly, in partnership with the England medical team, and hopefully we can have him back to bowling as soon as possible.”Stone’s chances of breaking into the Test side on this tour were limited. But the England management were impressed by his pace and his attitude in Sri Lanka last year, where he claimed a wicket with his seventh ball in international cricket: a bouncer that took the gloves of Niroshan Dickwella as he fended the ball away from his face. He is seen as the sort of bowler who could learn from being in the environment and one day make a difference on an Ashes tour.

Spin, pace and sagacious batting took Bangladesh to a five-wicket win over West Indies in the first ODI in Dhaka. The only plan the visiting side seemed to have when defending a below-par 195 for 9 was to blow the home batsmen away with pace. But that wasn’t a very useful ploy on a slow and low pitch.After Mashrafe Mortaza and Mustafizur Rahman took three wickets each to restrict West Indies, Mushfiqur Rahim’s unbeaten 55 ensured victory with 14.5 overs to spare.Mushfiqur, who came in to bat after two quick wickets, struck five fours in his 70-ball stay. He let Liton Das and Shakib Al Hasan dictate their partnerships with him. He relied on reverse sweeps for early boundaries before getting two past both sides of the wicketkeeper and one through the covers.Bangladesh’s reply had started nervously when Liton, batting on five, flicked Kemar Roach right down deep square-leg’s throat in the seventh over. But after several replays, it was ascertained that Roach had overstepped.Liton responded by sweeping Roston Chase for two fours but then saw Tamim Iqbal fall to the same bowler later in the over, caught at cover. Imrul Kayes, whose previous ODI series fetched 349 runs, fell second ball to Oshane Thomas who blazed an inswinger through his bat and pad.Liton took a step back but soon after the first Powerplay, he struck fours with a square-cut, a cover drive and a deliberate outside edge. He added 47 runs for the third wicket with Mushfiqur before missing a hoick off Keemo Paul, throwing away a good start after having worked hard for his 41. He had struck five fours in his 57-ball stay.Mushfiqur then added 57 for the fourth wicket with Shakib, who struck four boundaries in his 26-ball 30. After hammering Paul for a pulled four, Shakib struck the pace bowler for consecutive fours through cover and mid-on with easy drives. However, he was caught behind trying to blast Rovman Powell back over his head.Soumya Sarkar, batting at No. 6 for a change, entertained with two upper-cuts off Thomas for a four and a six, but fell to Chase in the next over with 21 runs needed for victory.West Indies were earlier tied down by Mortaza, who was playing his 200th ODI, and Mustafizur. Mortaza removed Darren Bravo, who made a laboured 19 off 51 balls upon his return to ODIs after more than two years. Bravo had enjoyed reprieves on 13, with substitute Ariful Haque shelling a chance at point, and on 18, with Mushfiqur failing to hold on to one to his left. When he eventually fell, it was to a spectacular catch by Tamim, who dived full-length forward while running in from long-off.Mortaza then had Shai Hope, who top-scored with 43 off 59 balls, caught at point before removing his opposite number Rovman Powell, caught at mid-off.Mustafizur was excellent in the last five overs, breaking a sprightly 51-run stand for the seventh wicket when he had Chase skying to point in the 48th over. Paul, who struck two big sixes and a four in his 28-ball 36, also fell to Mustafizur in the last over, before the seamer had Devendra Bishoo caught and bowled one ball later. The partnership between Chase and Paul was the only time West Indies had a measure of dominance with the bat, and played a role in getting them towards 200.Bangladesh had strangled West Indies initially with spin, when Shakib and Mehidy Hasan Miraz limited the strokeplay of Kieran Powell and Hope. Almost everything worked in Bangladesh’s favour in the game, culminating in one of their easier wins over West Indies.