da bet sport： West Bromwich Albion are nervously hanging onto that last playoff spot in the Championship currently as Tony Mowbray continues to try and leave his mark on proceedings.

da dobrowin： The seasoned EFL manager has only managed to collect two wins since returning to the Baggies helm from six matches played, with a confidence-boosting victory often followed up by a back-to-square-one defeat.

The ex-Blackburn Rovers boss hasn’t been helped by Josh Maja’s unfortunate injury predicament, with the Baggies’ top scorer in league action this campaign sidelined since mid-January to the dismay of the 61-year-old.

Maja's heroics this season

Before picking up a setback that now requires surgery, the former Sunderland attacker was leading the line with unerring confidence for his promotion-chasing team.

Indeed, the potent 26-year-old was a man possessed in front of goal with a clinical 12 strikes coming his way from 26 league clashes, which even saw the likes of Premier League giants Chelsea allegedly sniffing around for his services.

Maja will just have to hope he can recapture his groove when he’s back fit, having already overcome a significant injury setback during his stay at the Hawthorns, with the unlucky striker only fit enough to make one Championship start during a derailed 2023/24 campaign.

Mowbray did boost his depleted centre-forward ranks with the deadline day arrival of EFL star Adam Armstrong on loan, but he could have Maja 2.0 on his hands with another injury-prone attacker if he can successfully drip-feed the imposing ace more and more minutes moving forward.

Mowbray's very own Maja

The now two-time Baggies head coach will have despaired over Maja being sidelined when initially taking on the reins, having once tried to buy the 5 foot 11 star when positioned in the Blackburn dug-out.

He will be waiting eagerly for his return into the first-team fold, therefore, but instead of just merely waiting around patiently for Maja to shake off his latest setback, he could find the next best thing in Daryl Dike’s long-awaited emergence back into the side.

Last time out versus Millwall saw the American make his first senior appearance for the Baggies since February 2024, with Mowbray cautiously giving the former Orlando City man some minutes at the Den to try and slowly but surely get him back up to speed.

If Dike can finally wriggle free of his long-standing injury demons – which has seen him miss a staggering 129 games since joining the West Brom ranks in 2022 – the promotion hopefuls could have a gem on their hands, when you consider his previous sublime goalscoring exploits at the level.

Dike’s career G/A record

Club played for

Games played

Goals scored

Assists

West Brom

33

8

1

Barnsley

22

9

0

Orlando City

41

19

4

Sourced by Transfermarkt

After all, the Baggies didn’t just snap up the 6 foot 2 striker for a whopping £7m on a whim, with Dike firing home a promising 17 strikes from 55 games playing for both West Brom and his former employers in the Tykes, away from also causing MLS defences all sorts of bother when on the books of Orlando.

If Maja was capable of finding his goalscoring mojo again, there will be hope in the air that Dike can do the same, with the potential added firepower of the American perhaps boosting West Brom’s promotion chances.

Initially, it will all be about getting the “incredible” – as he was once labelled by ex-Orlando teammate Nani – attacker’s sharpness back up, but if he passes all of his forthcoming tests with flying colours, he could be a player Mowbray relies on to give his team a fighting chance of a dramatic jump up to the Premier League.

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da poker： Arsenal have been contacted by agents who’ve offered Mikel Arteta the possibility of signing an alternative to Martin Zubimendi this summer.

Martin Zubimendi in advanced pre-summer talks to join Arsenal

da prosport bet： Back in January, The Mail broke the news that Arsenal began attempting a pre-summer deal for Zubimendi, with it gaining serious traction among credible media sources like Fabrizio Romano.

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However, while Arsenal’s talks to sign Zubimendi are believed to be at an advanced stage, with personal terms loosely agreed over wages (Ben Jacobs), there is still every chance that a rival club could swoop in to hijack the deal.

This was echoed by Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg last month, who poured cold water over suggestions that an agreement for the Spain international was all but done – adding that Real Madrid, Barcelona and Liverpool are also in the mix.

Arsenal plan to trigger Zubimendi’s £51m release clause, according to Romano, so the final sign-off on this transfer will rest solely on the boyhood Sociedad fan’s shoulders.

Arsenal’s next five Premier League games

Date

Nottingham Forest (away)

February 26th

Man Utd (away)

March 9th

Chelsea (home)

March 16th

Fulham (home)

April 1st

Everton (away)

April 5th

The 25-year-old is known to have rejected a move to the Premier League before, snubbing Liverpool’s advances last summer (Sky Sports), and there is nothing to suggest that it wouldn’t happen to Arteta’s side as well.

Arsenal offered Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong

Taking this into account, it would be wise for interim Arsenal sporting director Jason Ayto to consider alternatives, with a move for Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong potentially on the table.

According to The Boot Room and journalist Graeme Bailey, intermediaries have contacted Arsenal to gauge their interest in signing de Jong from Barca, with the £302,000-per-week midfielder not exactly enjoying his best campaign at Camp Nou due to injury problems and a lack of form.

The Netherlands international is out of contract in 2026, meaning he could also depart for a cheap fee, which some reports estimate could be as low as £29 million.

De Jong was a top target for ex-Man United boss Erik ten Hag during his time at Old Trafford, and it appears a move to England could still be possible for the 27-year-old.

“Frenkie is an incredible player and for every club in the whole world he will strengthen the squad because he has a unique quality,” said Ten Hag, who worked with De Jong at Ajax (ESPN).

“If you can get him in the squad your team will be stronger. In Spain, he became even better. He’s a fantastic player, plays out from the back, he always has time, and it was a pleasure to work with him.”

da betsul： Real Madrid have been “heavily” scouting one of Sunderland’s star players ahead of a potential summer move, according to a new report.

Sunderland braced for interest in young stars as Le Bris prepares for playoffs

da mrbet： With the Championship season now nearing its conclusion, Sunderland are, barring an almighty slip-up, almost all but guaranteed a spot in the play-offs. Currently sitting in fourth place, Regis Le Bris’ side are well ahead of the sides below them, including Coventry, West Bromwich Albion and Bristol City.

Automatic promotion, however, while not totally out of the question, will be a push for the Black Cats, with Burnley, Sheffield United, and Leeds United all seemingly picking up steam in recent weeks while Sunderland ran out of it.

Earlier this week, Sunderland midfielders Jobe Bellingham and Chris Rigg were named join-best young men’s player at the North East Football Writer’s awards for their performances this season at the Stadium of Light.

Speaking with BBC Radio Newcastle in light of the awards, former Black Cats defender Darren Williams heaped particular praise on Bellingham, whose performances this year have seen him linked with some of Europe’s top clubs, including Borussia Dortmund, the former club of his older brother, Jude.

“Last season, I said I don’t think Jobe’s work rate was there, but this season he’s changed that. He’s been a massive, massive part of this season,” Williams said. “The two lads, they stand out. They’re amazing talents and obviously got a bright future.”

Real Madrid among huge clubs scouting Sunderland star

It isn’t just Bellingham who is being linked with a move away from the Stadium of Light. According to Sunderland AFC News, Rigg, who is just 17, is being scouted by some huge clubs, namely Real Madrid.

Speaking to the publication, transfer expert Graeme Bailey described Rigg, who has already made over half a century of appearances for Sunderland, as a “generational talent”. He revealed that he will have his pick of clubs come the end of the season whether they go up or not, as Madrid chiefs such as Florentino Perez “love” and “want” him.

Aside from Manchester United, a host of other Premier League clubs are also understood to be interested in Rigg.

Scouts from Chelsea have reportedly been closely monitoring the attacking midfielder’s development and have even sent scouts to watch him play on three separate occasions, against Leeds United, Hull City and Luton Town. Brighton, Arsenal and Wolves are also said to be keeping an eye on English youngster.

da apostebet： With just 11 games to go in the Championship campaign this season, Leeds United currently sit three points clear of Sheffield United in their hunt to secure promotion – but doing so whilst winning the title.

da dobrowin： The Whites’ form has been superb for large parts of the campaign, losing just three games to date, whilst also remaining unbeaten since the beginning of December.

Daniel Farke deserves a huge amount of credit for keeping the side competitive after numerous key departures over the summer after the play-off final defeat at Wembley.

The German will be looking to make it three second-tier title wins in England in the coming months, adding to the two he claimed during his time in charge of Norwich City.

However, if he is to achieve such a feat, he will likely rely on one player who’s so often produced the goods in the final third over the last couple of months.

Joel Piroe’s stats for Leeds in 2024/25

The striker role at Elland Road has been one that has brought about conversation over recent years, with numerous players struggling to fill the void in Yorkshire.

However, over the last few months, Dutchman Joel Piroe has nailed down the starting role in Farke’s side, repaying the boss for the faith shown in him to lead the line.

The 25-year-old has already netted 16 times in his 35 appearances, already scoring outscoring his tally from his debut campaign at the club following his £10m move in 2023.

However, Piroe hasn’t had his success without his doubters, often coming under fire for his displays, but it’s safe to say the supporters are reaping the rewards with his recent form in the final third.

Despite his impressive run for the Whites in recent times, he’s still valued lower than one player who the club may regret offloading after his form away from the club.

The former Leeds star who’s worth more than Piroe

Before their recent success over the last couple of years, Leeds found themselves in a tricky financial situation, which saw them offloading numerous first-team players to balance the books.

Lewis Cook was just one example who departed his boyhood side for just £6m, now starring for Bournemouth in the Premier League and potentially featuring in Europe amid the Cherries’ recent form.

However, another player who previously plied their trade in Yorkshire but is now playing in the top flight is winger Jack Clarke, who made his breakthrough for the Whites back in the 2018/19 season.

The now 24-year-old departed in an £8.5m deal to join Tottenham Hotspur after his breakthrough campaign but failed to make a single Premier League appearance during his time in North London.

He’s since recaptured his form at Sunderland, registering 28 goals and 21 assists for the Black Cats, leading to Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley dubbing him “sensational” for his time at the Stadium of Light.

He’s since moved to Ipswich Town, once again joining a Premier League outfit, but has struggled to carry his excellent form to Portman Road, registering three goals and five assists to date – but has still seen an increase in his market value.

Jack Clarke’s stats since joining Sunderland permanently

Season

Team

Games

Goals

Assists

2021/22

Sunderland

20

1

3

2022/23

Sunderland

50

11

13

2023/24

Sunderland

42

15

4

2024/25

Sunderland

2

1

1

2024/25

Ipswich Town

26

3

5

Total:

140

31

25

Stats via FotMob

Clarke is now valued at £12.4m by Transfermarkt, a figure that is higher than that of Piroe, who’s only valued at £11.5m despite his excellent goalscoring record this campaign.

Given the increase and recent form in England’s second tier, Leeds must regret parting ways with Clarke, potentially having another dimension in attack had they kept hold of the youngster.

Undoubtedly, he left at a time when financial problems were present in Yorkshire, but his ability in the final third could’ve provided the added cutting edge in their quest for promotion in the coming months.

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da wazamba： Looking to pick up where they left off in the January transfer window this summer, Manchester City have reportedly made contact in the race to sign one particular gem in the coming months.

Man City set sights on rising star

da realbet： The Citizens are likely to be one of the busiest clubs in the Premier League this summer, as Pep Guardiola plans his first major overhaul since his first season in charge at the Etihad.

The rest of English football already received a glimpse of what that rebuild could look like during the January window when the likes of Omar Marmoush and Abdukodir Khusanov arrived.

Now, Manchester City could add to those arrivals and complete a swift and effective rebuild which should ensure that results such as this weekend’s 2-2 draw against Brighton & Hove Albion become a rarity once again.

On the incomings front, names such as Michele Di Gregorio have already been mentioned in recent reports in what could see the Citizens replace Ederson following his recent struggles.

Meanwhile, those at the Etihad have also reportedly turned their attention towards a rising star.

According to Graeme Bailey for The Boot Room, Manchester City have now made contact over potentially signing Benja Cremaschi from Inter Miami this summer, but face competition from the likes of Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur for his signature.

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The 20-year-old has played an important part for Inter Miami in the MLS this season, starting in all three of their league games with one of those coming alongside the great Lionel Messi.

Despite his age, Cremaschi already has impressive experience to his name, including at the Olympics when playing for the United States in Paris last summer.

"Technical" Cremaschi is one to watch

Ahead of what looks set to be a Premier League race for his signature, Cremaschi is undoubtedly one to watch.

At just 20 years old, the MLS star is yet to reach his peak and has crucially starred alongside several serial winners to form the foundation for a player destined for big things. Whether those big things come courtesy of a move to Manchester City remains to be seen, however.

The young midfielder has unsurprisingly earned plenty of praise in recent years, including from former Fulham defender Tim Ream. The American said on his podcast ‘The American Dream’ when the topic of Cremaschi’s ability came up: “He’s looked sharp. He’s technical, not afraid to get into a tackle.

“Benja and I think Kristoffer [Lund], he’s kind of settling in [too]. Obviously English is more of a second language, but both very good with their English. [Cremaschi] has been the most impressive for sure in the couple of training sessions that we’ve had.”

As Manchester City look to add youthful exuberance to an ageing squad, the arrival of a rising star in the form of Cremaschi would certainly make sense. The 20-year-old, meanwhile, should jump at the opportunity if it comes his way this summer.

da bet vitoria： One of the major criticisms at Chelsea over the past several years has been the perceived over-focus on youth.

da premier bet： While the Blues have invested heavily, spending over £1billion on transfers since Clearlake arrived, there’s no doubting the need for a streamlined focus.

That said, while Chelsea do need established superstars to lead the line and between the sticks, a youthful crop, replete with talent, can be cherry-picked by head coach Enzo Maresca as he looks to bring it all together over the coming months and years.

There’s an up-and-coming talent in particular who will be eyeing first-team involvement sooner rather than later, but before we take a look at him, let’s visit Levi Colwill, whose campaign hasn’t quite gone to plan.

Levi Colwill's season in numbers

Colwill, 22, has been a central part of Chelsea’s senior set-up since the beginning of last season, having previously completed a promising loan spell with Brighton & Hove Albion in 2022/23.

Brighton wanted his services for good, with Liverpool also willing to table a bid before being rebuffed by Todd Boehly’s £100m demands. Though he’s got a lot about him, Colwill’s error-streaked campaign has cast a layer of doubt over his skillset.

Such concerns came to a head in a woeful effort at the AMEX last month.

Jamie Carragher and Gary Neville surprised the world in agreeing Colwill’s defending on the South Coast was damning, while Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley chipped in to brand him “inexcusable” in seeking a foul when there was defending to be done. The Seagulls then scored.

Though Maresca’s fashioned him into a more structured central defender, Colwill has been less accurate in the duel while also making a catalogue of mistakes to detract from his progress.

Levi Colwill in the Premier League for Chelsea

Match Stats (* per game)

23/24

24/25

Matches (starts)

23 (20)

26 (26)

Goals

1

1

Assists

1

1

Clean sheets

4

6

Touches*

62.5

88.0

Pass completion

83%

90%

Tackles + interceptions*

3.2

2.3

Clearances*

2.8

3.1

Ground duels (won)*

3.0 (63%)

2.0 (55%)

Aerial battles (won)*

1.9 (69%)

2.5 (62%)

Errors made

0

4

Stats via Sofascore

With Wesley Fofana now returned from injury, Colwill’s struggles have indeed heightened. The England international knows he is a top-class talent with a high-quality passing game – ostensibly perfect for Maresca’s tactical style – but his defending leaves something to be desired.

While Chelsea may have overloaded their Cobham halls with rising prospects, there are inevitably a few who look destined for the very top, with Colwill no doubt looking over his shoulder at a defender offering certain shades of one David Luiz.

Chelsea's new defensive star

The hybrid defender can be a priceless thing in football. For those capable of moving into holding midfield positions, tactical innovators such as Maresca can adopt fluid styles depending on the situation. In other words, it promotes interchangeability.

Luiz embodied this, playing 248 times for Chelsea across two spells, lifting the Premier League, Champions League and the Europa League and FA Cup twice.

Though he’s principally a centre-back, the Brazilian, now 37, was often situated as the third man in a three-back defence that saw English football conquered under Antonio Conte. Moreover, he’s played 36 matches across his career as a recognised midfielder, emphasising his athleticism and ball-playing ability.

Well, Chelsea may just have their next version in another South American: the up-and-coming Aaron Anselmino.

Signed from Boca Juniors last summer for about £15m (see him above celebrating a goal with Edinson Cavani) Anselmino has penned a seven-year deal at Stamford Bridge and arrives having been labelled an “elite talent” by one football analyst on X (Twitter).

The 19-year-old was permitted to remain in his homeland after Chelsea completed his signing to further his development ahead of the big leap toward Europe. However, he was recalled in January and has since been getting to grips with life in west London.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

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Described as a “complete and dominant” defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the teenager carries that gritty combativeness that Luiz once showcased so well, actually praised for his “thoroughness” and “aggression” by former manager Laurent Blanc while at Paris Saint-Germain, when he knocked the Blues out of the Champions League before returning the following year.

Regarding Anselmino, the signs are promising. The Athletic’s Simon Johnson confirmed Chelsea opted to keep their rising talent at the club rather than loan him back out during the winter transfer window, with plenty of sides across the continent and in England keen on doing a deal.

Moreover, Johnson revealed the Argentina youth international has graduated to regular first-team training, but why is this?

Well, according to Sofascore’s data, the dynamic defender played 12 times in the Liga Profesional de Futbal – Argentina’s top flight – in 2024, impressing through his crispness, smoothness, and natural-born creative sense.

Not only did Anselmino complete 86% of his passes, create four big chances and register three assists, but he also averaged 2.2 tackles and three clearances while winning 4.4 duels per game, only picking up one yellow card.

It’s promising stuff, but the most compelling part of all has to be the centre-half’s success in avoiding a single error across his matches. Contrast that with Colwill, who has made four in the Premier League this term, and you can see why he might find a pathway to prominence under Maresca’s wing.

The two-footer’s technical skill and dynamism, irregularly playing in midfield across his maiden years as a professional, has seen him skyrocket toward the forefront of the game. He’s not quite there yet, but all the pointers lead toward a successful future at Chelsea.

Should he leap over this final hurdle of youth, Anselmino may well replace Colwill as Maresca’s starting option alongside Fofana. It’s pleasing to see that Chelsea have such strength in depth, but it’s bad news for Colwill all the same.

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da dobrowin： They might not have won anything, but Mauricio Pochettino’s peak Tottenham Hotspur team was packed with talent.

da cassino： The North Londoners were blessed with some truly sensational players from front to back during that period.

Harry Kane, Son Heung-min and Dele Alli were scoring for fun, Jan Vertonghen and Toby Alderweireld created one of the best defensive pairings in Europe, and Hugo Lloris was, more often than not, a rock at the back.

However, perhaps the most underrated player – among non-Spurs fans – of them all from that period was the incredible Mousa Dembélé, and it looks as if Ange Postecoglou may have just uncovered his own version of the Belgian.

Mousa Dembélé's Spurs career

In the summer of 2012, after spending just over two seasons with West London side Fulham, Dembélé completed a £15m move to Spurs.

The former AZ Alkmaar star made an instant impact in North London, scoring on his debut – against Norwich City – and ending his first campaign at the club with 42 appearances across all competitions.

Already an established part of the first team, the Belgian “monster,” as dubbed by Eric Dier, took yet another step forward when Pochettino joined the club in May 2014.

Under the Argentine’s leadership, the Antwerp-born dynamo turned into one of the very best central midfielders in the Premier League, someone capable of winning the ball in his own half and carrying it all the way up the pitch for someone else to finish.

His immense abilities weren’t lost on his teammates or manager either, with Kyle Walker describing him as “the best player I’ve ever seen play football” and Pochettino claiming that he was a footballing “genius.”

In all, the 37-year-old made 249 appearances for the Lilywhites, scoring ten goals and providing ten assists, before moving to the Chinese Super League in January 2019 and retiring four years later.

Dembélé was an utterly sublime footballer, and while the club haven’t been able to replace him, Postecoglou may have just stumbled upon the club’s next version of the Belgian.

Dembélé’s Spurs career

Appearances

249

Starts

181

Minutes

16115′

Goals

10

Assists

10

Goal Involvements per Match

0.08

Minutes per Goal Involvement

805.75

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Spurs' next Dembélé

Now, we are aware that such a label can be both a blessing and a curse for players, but we reckon Lucas Bergvall has more than enough talent to make good on it.

The young midfielder was signed from Swedish outfit Djurgårdens for around £8.5m last winter but didn’t officially join the squad until last summer, and while it took him some time to get up to speed in the first team, he has recently been one of the club’s most impressive players.

Like Dembélé, the young Swede is seemingly a natural in a few positions in midfield, making 34 appearances in central midfield, 16 in attacking midfield and 13 in defensive midfield.

Moreover, while each role requires something a little different from the 19-year-old, be that a dangerous final ball from the ten position or a brilliant interception at the base of midfield, he’s shown one quality that the Belgian star was known for: ball-carrying.

According to FBref, the “generational” talent, as dubbed by journalist Mitch Fretton, sits in the top 3% of midfielders in the Premier League this season for total carrying distance, the top 5% for successful take-ons, the top 7% for progressive carrying distance, the top 10% for carries and more, all per 90.

Finally, while the “uber-complete” teenage phenom, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, certainly has what it takes to play in the number ten position in the future, it does seem like Postecoglu and Co will be able to get more out of his incredible skillset by playing him in the middle of the park, where Dembélé used to boss games.

Ultimately, while he’s still incredibly young, and a lot could happen over the coming years, it looks like Spurs might just have their next genuinely great central midfielder in Bergvall.

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da heads bet： Ask an Arsenal fan what the positives to come out of this season have been, and we’d bet their only answer would be the development of their youth talent.

da 888： For example, the player who’s been on everyone’s lips over the last couple of weeks has been Hale End’s own Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The incredible talent was named in Thomas Tuchel’s first England squad, and on top of starting both games, he scored on his debut, sending his stock stratospheric.

The good news is that Hale End’s conveyor belt of talent is showing no signs of slowing down either, and one youngster looks like he could be the club’s next Martin Odegaard, and no, it’s not Ethan Nwaneri.

Nwaneri's rapid rise

The first glimpse fans got of Nwaneri in the first team came all the way back in September 2022, when Mikel Arteta sent him on in the dying embers of a 3-0 Premier League win away to Brentford.

The Hale End sensation was just 15 years and 181 days old at the time, making him the competition’s youngest player ever, and while he made another short cameo away to West Ham United the following campaign, he had to wait until this season to truly get his chance in the first team.

However, while he was likely clamouring to get on the pitch earlier, it appears as if Arteta and Co played it perfectly, as not only is the 18-year-old now regularly starting games but he’s also been arguably the team’s most dangerous attacker since Bukayo Saka suffered his hamstring injury in December.

Nwaneri’s 24/25

Appearances

29

Starts

12

Minutes

1087′

Goals

8

Assists

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.31

Minutes per Goal Involvement

120.77′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

For example, in just 29 appearances, totalling 1087 minutes, the “unplayable” teen, as dubbed by Jack Wilshere, has scored eight goals and provided one assist, meaning he’s averaging a goal involvement every 3.22 appearances, or, far more impressively, every 120.77 minutes.

So, with this rapid rise from academy gem to first-team star, why is the Enfield-born ace the club’s ‘next Odegaard?’

Well, simply put, it seems like Nwaneri’s best position, at least for the time being, is on the wing, and when he does play in midfield, he is far more aggressive than the Norwegian and far more intent on scoring himself than playing an intricate passing game and laying the ball off for someone else to finish.

Moreover, there is another young star in Hale End who very much could be the next iteration of the captain.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Expand Collapse Arsenal's next Odegaard

This season has been quite remarkable in terms of youth players like Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly coming straight into and thriving in the first team for Arsenal, but the same thing could happen with Dan Casey next year.

The incredible 17-year-old prospect has been in sensational form for the youth sides this term and could be the academy gem who eventually takes Odegaard’s place in the first team set up a few years from now.

With that said, what makes the Hale Ender a potential candidate to replace the Norwegian in the long term?

Casey’s positional versatility

Position

Games

Goals

Assists

Attacking Midfield

8

9

2

Central Midfield

6

2

0

Centre-Forward

5

4

0

Defensive Midfield

2

3

0

Right-Winger

1

1

0

Left-Winger

1

0

0

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Well, the first thing is that he is far more positionally similar to the 26-year-old than Nwaneri, for example, as while he can play out wide and has even spent some time up top, his two most played positions are attacking and central midfield.

So, this would indicate that, like the former Real Madrid ace, he can be an incredibly effective outlet in the final third, but also has the game intelligence and technical ability to play in deeper areas and bring the ball out from the back when needed.

The second reason he could follow in the Drammen-born star’s footsteps is that he simply has the raw talent to do so.

For example, in 24 appearances this season, totalling 1589 minutes, the “box-crashing” midfielder, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, has put the ball in the back of the net 17 times and provided two assists to boot.

Casey’s 24/25

Appearances

24

Minutes

1589

Goals

17

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.79

Minutes per Goal Involvement

83.63′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That means the “very talented” 17-year-old, as dubbed by Hale End expert Jeorge Bird, is averaging a goal involvement every 1.26 appearances, or every 83.63 minutes.

Ultimately, Arsenal have seen a couple of potential superstars come out of the academy this season, and with Casey, it looks like it could happen again next year.

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da wazamba： Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made contact over a move for a top manager target who has already embarrassed Ange Postecoglou on more than one occasion.

Tottenham manager rumours with Ange under pressure

da 888casino： Spurs have had a season to forget so far under Postecoglou, although it could be recovered somewhat by winning the Europa League.

The Lilywhites are set to take on Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals as they aim to make the final in Bilbao and keep up Postecoglou’s record of winning a trophy in his second year in charge.

Tottenham’s next five fixtures

Date

Chelsea (away)

April 3rd

Southampton (home)

April 6th

Frankfurt (home)

April 10th

Wolves (away)

April 13th

Frankfurt (away)

April 17th

However, with Tottenham in the bottom half of the Premier League, there have been rumours over a managerial change in north London.

A plethora of managers have been linked as replacements for Postecoglou at Tottenham, with leading candidates thought to be Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva.

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Talking to Football Insider recently, ex-scout Mick Brown claimed it was Silva who is the top manager target at Tottenham.

“Tottenham, unless they put a run together from now to the end of the season, you would think that things might happen [to Postecoglou] there in terms of the sack for the manager.

“Silva would certainly be top of the pops in terms of competition for that [managerial] spot, that’s what I’m hearing from my sources there.”

Silva recently got the better of Postecoglou with Fulham defeating Spurs 2-0 prior to the international break, and a new update shows that Tottenham have made an opening move for the Cottagers’ boss.

Tottenham enquire for Fulham’s Marco Silva

According to reports in Portugal, relayed by Sport Witness, Tottenham have come forward and made an enquiry over a move for Silva.

It is claimed that Spurs, alongside Juventus, have both made contact over a move for the 47-year-old, who could be on course to leave Craven Cottage this summer after five years at the club.

Alongside the 2-0 defeat for Postecoglou at the hands of Silva, the Fulham manager also embarrassed the Australian in 2024, winning 3-0 against Spurs at Craven Cottage.

It looks as if Tottenham chiefs have liked what they’ve seen against Silva and have made an opening swoop for bring the “special” Fulham boss across London.

However, Juventus, who are on the search for a permanent manager themselves, have also acted, so it could be one to keep an eye on in north London over the coming months.

da bet nacional： Glasgow Rangers are set to be in the market for a new manager in the summer after Barry Ferguson’s interim term in charge comes to an end.

da betcris： The former Scotland international came in to replace Philippe Clement on a short-term basis earlier this year and, at this point, has not done enough to secure the job on a full-time basis.

Ferguson did lead his team to a win over Fenerbahce on penalties in the Europa League, but the side’s form in the Scottish Premiership has not been good enough.

The Scottish boss has managed six games in the Premiership and collected three wins, two defeats, and one draw, whilst his team have conceded a staggering 14 goals in the process.

That is not good enough for a team that wants to compete for the title, with more than two goals conceded per game on average, and that is why the Gers should look elsewhere for a long-term replacement for Clement.

Ferguson was a sensible short-term appointment to see out the campaign as a former Rangers player who knows the club and the fans, but there is another former Rangers star, turned manager, who they would love to have in the dugout instead – Mikel Arteta.

Why Rangers would love to have Mikel Arteta

The Spaniard joined the Light Blues from Barcelona in the summer of 2002 to bolster the club’s options in the middle of the park and enjoyed two years at Ibrox as a player.

Arteta racked up 14 goals and three assists in 64 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants in that two-year spell, winning the domestic treble – the Scottish Premiership, the League Cup, and the SFA Cup – in his first year in Glasgow.

He then went on to play for Everton and Arsenal in the Premier League before starting his coaching career at Manchester City, assisting Pep Guardiola, and then went on to land the Arsenal job in 2019.

Arteta has managed 280 matches for the Gunners to date and is set for his third consecutive second-place finish in the Premier League, whilst his team also have one foot in the semi-finals of the Champions League after a 3-0 win over Real Madrid.

The Spanish head coach has turned Arsenal into perennial title challengers in the Premier League, as well as making them competitive in Europe, and has established himself as one of the top coaches around as a result of those achievements.

Arteta, however, is now beyond Rangers’ grasp in regards to their current pursuit of a new long-term manager, given his status at one of Europe’s top clubs, but they are now reportedly eyeing another former player who could be their answer to the Gunners tactician.

Rangers eyeing former player as their next manager

According to Football Insider, Ferguson is ‘almost certain’ to move on from Ibrox at the end of his interim spell this summer, which means that they are looking at options to take over in the long term,

The report claims that out-of-contract head coach Russell Martin is in the running to land the top job, having been let go by Southampton earlier this season.

It states that a manager with an attractive style of play is appealing to the 49ers and that is why the English-born coach is likely to feature high up on their list of targets this summer.

The outlet adds that Martin would also be open to returning up to Scotland to manage the Gers, having spent a short spell on loan from Norwich City in 2018 during his playing career.

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With this in mind, Rangers must attempt to get a deal for the former Scotland international over the line because he could be their own Arteta at Ibrox moving forward.

Why Russell Martin could be Rangers' own Mikel Arteta

Like the Arsenal head coach, Martin deploys a possession-based 4-3-3 system that is built on keeping teams out by dominating the ball and consistently creating high-quality chances.

As you can see in the graphic above, the former Canaries man has had experiences with several clubs in England to build his style of play and philosophy, which means that Rangers would be appointing a manager with experience, rather than taking a big game on a coach fresh out of academy football.

Martin was, of course, sacked by Southampton earlier this season with a measly 0.31 points per game in the Premier League, but the Saints recently let go of his replacement – Ivan Juric – after a return of 0.29 points per game, suggesting that the issues at St. Mary’s run deeper than the man in charge.

Despite his team’s struggles in the top-flight, the Scottish manager’s style of play was described as “successful” and a “joy to watch” by Arteta, who suggested that their team deserved more points than they had at that point.

This shows that his possession-based, front-footed, approach to matches was enough to impress the Gunners chief, who implements a similar style at The Emirates.

Russell Martin’s attacking style of play

23/24 Championship

Southampton

League rank

Pass accuracy

87.7%

1st

Passes into the penalty area

594

1st

Progressive passes

2556

1st

Shot-creating actions

1255

1st

xG

79.8

2nd

Points per game

1.89

4th

Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Southampton’s performances in the Championship last season were a better reflection of Martin’s style of play and what he wants from his teams.

The Saints were dominant in possession, but not boring. They created the second-most high-quality xG chances in the league, created the most shots, and made the most passes into the penalty area, which shows that there was constant action in the opposition’s box for the supporters to enjoy.

At Rangers, Martin would be coming into an environment where success is expected and dominant performances are expected, which appears to suit his style of play more than battling relegation in the Premier League with Southampton did.

This is why the former Gers centre-back could be an excellent appointment by the 49ers this summer because he could deliver a successful and enjoyable brand of football to get the excitement back at Ibrox next season and beyond, making him their own version of Arteta.

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