The 22-year-old has surged ahead of Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho as the club's best winger – and he should be recognised as such
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer was the player who used to make Manchester United fans happy when skies were grey and now there is a new smiling assassin on the block who is letting them see the sunshine amid the clouds. The Red Devils were staring down the barrel of a fourth consecutive defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium and facing three consecutive league defeats for the first time in nine years when Amad Diallo turned a wretched derby into an unforgettable win.
The winger's show-stopping late show on enemy territory has entrenched his cult-hero status among supporters after his last-gasp winner against Liverpool last season. Amad said he had been "working so hard to live this moment", but he has been bringing joy to the club for a long time already.
"I am so happy the team is very happy with me because I am a chill guy," Amad told "Every time we are training, I put a smile on everyone's face. But in the game you have to be focused and give your best. We knew today was not going to be easy because they are among the top teams. But this is a derby and you have to be more hungry than them and we showed we're hungry."
Four years after signing for United as an 18-year-old at an eye-catching £37 million ($48m) despite only playing five senior games for Atalanta, the "chill guy" is turning into the club's flag bearer. That initial investment is now handsomely paying off but the club need to show Amad how much they value him and lock down his future, ensuring he can keep them smiling for many years to come.
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Always believing
Amad's decisive display right at the end of the derby was both incredible and inevitable. He had always looked like the player in a red shirt who was going to make the most difference although things hadn't exactly gone his way. But he kept believing, staying alert and waiting for the right moment, such as reacting quickly when Matheus Nunes underhit a backpass and then anticipating the Portugal international's contact in the area.
He also kept believing when he latched on to Lisandro Martinez's chipped pass and flicked the ball over Ederson before guiding it into the net. He explained: "When I have to press, I go with 100 per cent and I do not care who is there or who is not there, I go 100%. I was happy to win the penalty. I tried to shoot but I was maybe a little bit smart and saw the defender coming and he touched my legs.
"For the second one, we know Licha is a good player to give you this ball. At the beginning, I did not believe in the ball because it was going too quickly, but I touched the ball and I scored."
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Shining light
Gary Neville could not contain his excitement in the commentary box, letting out a cry that was reminiscent of the infamous 'Goal-gasm' in reaction to Fernandes Torres scoring for Chelsea against Barcelona. This goal, in the Manchester derby, would have felt far more to Neville, and he spoke from the heart when he said Amad was "the only player to look like a Manchester United player". He also called him "a shining light".
pundit Danny Murphy added: "Talk about someone trying to impress a new manager. He is competing against some really good players and now he has said to the manager 'you can't leave me out'. He was the one player on the pitch who was playing with freedom and fearlessness, and also the only one from either side who seemed to be enjoying himself and trying to make an impact whenever he got on the ball."
The statistics backed up Murphy and Neville's assessments. Amad had 10 touches in the opposition box, more than any other player, while he also ranked top for shots on target, successful dribbles and sprints.
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Victim of trafficking
Amad might always have a smile on his face, but life has been far from easy for him. He left his family in the Ivory Coast when he was just 12 years old to move to Italy with false immigration papers, later becoming embroiled in a child trafficking investigation which concluded he had moved in with "fictitious parents" and used a fake name.
Despite being the victim in the plot as he was just a child, he was fined €48,000 (£40,000/$50,000) by the Italian FA. Having first played for Italian club Boca Barco before being scouted by Atalanta, Amad then moved clubs four times in less than two years, joining United in January 2021, Rangers in January 2022 and then Sunderland in August 2022.
Solskjaer, the manager at the time, hailed Amad as "one of the most exciting young prospects in the game, a player with all of the raw attributes that are needed to be an important player for Manchester United". He saw him as a prospect, though, rather than a ready-made player and so too did Rangers, who afforded him just four Scottish Premiership starts in a disappointing loan spell. It was in the north east of England where Amad ended up finding his feet, propelling Sunderland into the play-offs with 17 goals.
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Frustrated with Ten Hag
The Black Cats' boss Tony Mowbray was enamoured with the forward, who he said arrived "as just another young kid presented to the fans, doing 20 minutes here and there" before becoming "one of the first names on the team sheet" in just a few months. Mowbray backed him to succeed at United. "He undoubtedly has the talent to play at the top level," he said. "It is whether the personality will mature and grow into believing he can play on that stage. If he can get that and feel comfortable in that environment, then he has the talent to thrive there."
Amad looked set for a big year back at United but damaged his knee in the pre-season tour of the USA, not returning to action until December. He returned to a team in which Marcus Rashford and Alejandro Garnacho were the established wingers and despite scoring the goal that knocked out Liverpool and sent United to the FA Cup semi-finals, he didn't start a Premier League game until May.
He made a strong finish to the season, inspiring United to victory over Newcastle in their final home game and was given more opportunities early in the campaign by Ten Hag, although he didn't lock down his place. And his frustration at his secondary role under the Dutchman boiled over when Antony was brought on ahead of him in the 1-1 draw with Fenerbahce.
Arsenal have received a reply to their opening bid for a Euro 2024 star amid their talks over signing Real Sociedad midfielder Mikel Merino.
Arsenal in ongoing talks to seal Mikel Merino deal
The 28-year-old, who starred for Sociedad last season and contributed to Spain's triumph at the Euros, has been on Mikel Arteta and Edu Gaspar's radar for quite some time.
Fabrizio Romano says Arteta pushed Arsenal hard to sign star before Merino
The Spaniard is having a big say on their transfer plans this year.
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Emilio Galantini
Aug 9, 2024
Merino's contract situation means he could leave Sociedad for a much lesser fee than his reported £55 million release clause, with reports suggesting that Arsenal could strike an agreement for the midfielder at around £25 million.
According to reliable media sources like Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are keen to take advantage of this situation and sign a proven top-level player, who would come in to complement the likes of Jorginho, Declan Rice and Fabio Vieira in Arsenal's midfield.
Mikel Merino Real Sociedad Stats (2023/24 La Liga)
Games
32
Goals/assists
5/3
Pass accuracy
76.2%
Progressive passes per 90
5.91
Tackles per 90
2.79
Interceptions per 90
0.58
via WhoScored
Merino scored eight goals and registered five assists across 45 appearances in all competitions last season for Sociedad, and the former Newcastle United ace bagged Spain's winner in their Euro 2024 quarter-final triumph over host nation Germany.
“He knows that Mikel Arteta is a big fan," said Romano to GiveMeSport this week.
"Mikel Arteta has been very influential this summer for Arsenal. He was pushing a lot to have Calafiori, now, similar with Merino, he is another player he would love to have at the club.
“And so the player is keen, very keen on the move. Now it depends on the clubs when they can reach an agreement on the package and on the structure of the deal.”
The ex-Osasuna gem, like his Liverpool-linked teammate Martin Zubimendi, hasn't been called up to Sociedad's next game as Arsenal attempt to iron out the final details of a deal for Merino.
Another enticing draw for Arsenal in regard to Merino is his Premier League experience with Newcastle United, so he may not need much time to get re-accustomed to Europe's most prestigious league.
Arsenal make offer to sign Ferdi Kadioglu as club reply
According to a report out of Turkey this week, Merino and Calafiori aren't the only Euro 2024 stars who Arteta wants at Arsenal this summer.
Indeed, Fenerbahce defender Ferdi Kadioglu is another player who's been on Arsenal's radar all summer. Now, it is believed Arsenal have made a £17 million offer to sign Kadioglu, who impressed for Turkey at the Euros and for his club last season.
However, the Gunners will be disappointed by Fenerbahce's response, who have rejected the bid outright and are demanding a much higher fee for interested sides.
The 24-year-old started 37 Turkish Super Lig games last season, marking himself out as one of their best players with four assists and an average 7.25 match rating over those appearances, according to WhoScored.
“Ferdi is a quality and fantastic player," saidSpartak Trnava boss Michal Gasparik.
"He plays on both wings. He is a very good player”.
West Indies’ lead selector Roger Harper has insisted that Jason Holder remains an “integral part” of the Test side despite losing the captaincy after five-and-a-half years in the role.Kraigg Brathwaite, who led the side to a 2-0 series win in Bangladesh last month after Holder opted out of the tour due to fatigue and concerns about the Covid-19 protocols in place, was unveiled as full-time captain on Thursday ahead of the series against Sri Lanka, which starts on March 21.While Holder won widespread praise for his leadership off the field and navigated West Indies’ Test side through some choppy waters, he had lost four Tests in a row as captain – two in England, two in New Zealand – and Harper said that the series win in Bangladesh had offered a clear blueprint as to how the team could move forward.”We must appreciate what Jason has done as captain,” Harper said. “He came in at a very young age, took the captaincy at a time when the team was a little unsettled, and he grew with the job and performed creditably. He’s had his moments of success and he has grown as a player as well to become the leading allrounder in the world.”I really think that Jason is a very integral part of the Test team and West Indies cricket going forwards. He plays all three formats and I think it’s an opportunity for him to really focus on taking his game to higher levels. I think that with him at his best and with Kraigg given the captaincy, it’s an opportunity for the team to move forwards.”I look forward to him performing exceptionally well in his role as a player and still as a leader as one of the senior players in this team. It was great to hear him say that he’s committed to giving Kraigg all the support needed and hearing the new captain saying that they have a very close relationship. I think that augurs very well for West Indies cricket going forward.”Brathwaite had been replaced as vice-captain by Roston Chase in November ahead of the series in New Zealand, with Harper asking him to focus on his batting, but he explained that Brathwaite’s form in Bangladesh had given the selectors belief that he was back to his best.”Sometimes a few months can be a very long time,” Harper said. “Bangladesh really opened our eyes to a number of things. What we saw was a team playing with passion, playing with determination, rallying around each other, great teamwork, and showing a great desire to succeed. Kraigg played a major part in that.”We also saw Kraigg’s batting returning to the sort of form that we expect and look forward to. He handled the responsibility very well and I expect big scores to come from Kraigg in the very near future. [In] areas where we thought there was a need for improvement, we saw exactly the sort of effort and spirit and the birth of a culture that we would really like to see go forward and develop and be instilled. “Brathwaite himself said that he saw the captaincy as an opportunity to continue leading from the front, and that having first led Barbados in first-class cricket at the age of 21, he was ready to embrace the challenge of the Test role.”Captaining Barbados for the first time at a young age was a challenge and I look forward to challenges,” he said. “As an opener, I always see myself as a leader. When I go out to bat I’m a batsman not a captain, but I will continue to lead. It will help me to dig deeper.”It’s just a continuing of what we did in Bangladesh. I thought the attitude we showed in practice sessions and on the field was key so for me as a leader, I want to lead from the front and for us to keep the same attitude.”Harper also explained that the omission of Chase and Shimron Hetmyer from the squad owed much to the success of Nkrumah Bonner and Kyle Mayers in the middle order during the series in Bangladesh.”All players are considered and we had a lot of discussion around Roston Chase,” he said. “When we looked at the performances of the team and the players in Bangladesh, some of those players performed exceptionally well and more or less grabbed the spots that they had and grabbed a place in the squad for this series. Players had to miss out, and Roston Chase was one of them.”I really think that Shimron has the ability to be one of the best batsmen in the world in all formats of the game. As far as Test cricket is concerned, he’s been absent for a while and hasn’t played regional four-day cricket for a while, so he needs to get some matches under his belt and show what he can do. He’s still in the forefront of our minds but we’re waiting for him to display the sort of passion and the sort of consistent performance that we’re looking for.”
Leicester City manager Steve Cooper did not hold back in his criticism of Premier League officiating following his side’s 2-1 loss to Chelsea.
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Leicester went down 2-1 to ChelseaCooper believes his side wrongly denied a penaltyFirst PL match since David Coote controversyFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Cooper was particularly incensed by referee Andy Madley’s decisions during the match, which left him questioning the overall standard of officiating in English football. The flash point of the game for Cooper came in the 84th minute when Stephy Mavididi went down after a challenge from Wesley Fofana. Despite strong appeals, Madley chose not to award a penalty, and the VAR review supported his call.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportWHAT COOPER SAID
Cooper described the decision as a glaring oversight, expressing frustration over what he saw as an inconsistency in the application of rules.
“When you play against teams like Chelsea, it’s about capitalising on your moments and hoping that the game is refereed in the right way, there is some of it on us,” Cooper told reporters.
The match marked the Premier League’s first fixture since referee David Coote was suspended after videos surfaced of him allegedly making offensive remarks about Liverpool and their former manager, Jurgen Klopp. Cooper acknowledged the challenging situation for Professional Game Match Officials Limited (PGMOL) chief Howard Webb but emphasised the need for higher standards.
"We have had a tough season with the referee this year. This is the last thing the PGMOL needed this weekend, it’s not just a performance like that, but it being the first game as well. I felt a bit sorry for Howard (Webb). That’s how it is. It’s definitely topical, everyone wants it to be at the level it should be at. When international breaks give the chance to talk about things. That will be the case again.”
THE BIGGER PICTURE
Earlier this season, Madley was the VAR official responsible for a controversial goal awarded to Crystal Palace in a match against Leicester. Additionally, he booked Cooper during Leicester’s Carabao Cup defeat to Manchester United. However, the manager steered clear of controversy when he was asked if he would have an issue with Madley officiating in Leicester City's matches in the future.
Cooper replied: “I shouldn’t get into that. I’d love to answer that to be honest but I’d be sat in the directors’ box. It’s an interesting season with him, sometimes it can go like that.”
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AFPWHAT NEXT FOR LEICESTER?
With the season nearing its midway point, Cooper knows his side must find form quickly to avoid a prolonged battle for survival. Leicester’s defeat saw them fall further in the standings as they sit 16th in the Premier League table. The Foxes will now aim to reverse their fortunes when they face Brentford on November 30.
“It’s just getting back that confidence to sidestep and run as hard as I can and dive around again”
ESPNcricinfo staff22-Feb-2021
David Warner was injured during the ODIs against India late last year•Getty Images
David Warner has said he may feel the effects of the groin injury that has interrupted his season for up to nine months but has confirmed he hopes to return for New South Wales early next month*.Warner suffered the injury during the second ODI against India at the end of November and missed the final ODI, the T20Is that followed and the first two Tests. He returned to the side for the Sydney and Brisbane matches when far from fully fit after Australia had patched up their opening pair with an out-of-form Joe Burns and out-of-position Matthew Wade.He scored 5, 13, 1 and 48 in his four innings before being named in the squad for the now-postponed tour of South Africa, a format where he believes the tempo makes the injury more manageable. His comeback is now set to be the Marsh Cup match against South Australia in Adelaide on March 4 before he heads to the IPL to join Sunrisers Hyderabad for which he’ll need an NOC from Cricket Australia.”I am almost back to full 100% sprinting in a straight line. This next week is getting back to fielding, picking up, throwing, very difficult that was [in the] last couple of weeks, even trying to throw,” Warner said during Fox Cricket’s coverage of the first T20I in Christchurch.Related
Pucovski to have shoulder reconstruction and will miss six months
Wade on Test omission: 'Someone was going to get left out after we lost'
“Now it’s all about lateral, running between wickets, building that up. It’s just the tendon that has got that slight tear in it now. It’s going to aggravate me for the next six to nine months but I am sure the medicos will help me out there.
“I have spoken to a few people that have actually had that type of injury and they have just said it’s a niggle. You have just got to teach your brain to not worry about the pain and that it’s not going to happen again. It’s just getting back that confidence to sidestep and run as hard as I can and dive around again. Once I get that, I will be right to go. It’s just not 100% there yet.”Warner’s schedule during the Australian winter remains uncertain. The side could yet qualify for the World Test Championship final, scheduled for June 18, if results in the India-England series go their way and there is a limited-overs trip to the West Indies due to take place. Trips to Sri Lanka and Bangladesh for T20Is ahead of the World Cup in India are pencilled in for September and October. He has also put his name into the draft for The Hundred.If Australia do not make the WTC final, their next Test cricket may not be until the Ashes, which could be pushed back to a December start, although the Test against Afghanistan, which was postponed from this season, may be slotted in before that series.Warner’s opening partner in the Sydney Test, Will Pucovski, has taken the opportunity of the likely lack of Test cricket to undergo shoulder reconstruction which will keep him out of action for up to six months.*4.30 GMT The story was updated after Warner’s tweet
Since the takeover by the Saudi PIF back in 2021, Newcastle United have conducted excellent business in the transfer market that has seen the club transform from relegation candidates to European hopefuls.
Eddie Howe, the man at the helm for the Magpies, has done an excellent job in creating a settled side with all the investment, with the vast majority of the signings making a huge impact at St James’ Park.
Alexander Isak has undoubtedly been the best addition out of the bunch, scoring 35 times in his 67 appearances for the club since his £63m move to Tyneside from Real Sociedad.
Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak
Anthony Gordon has also excelled since his big-money move to St James’ Park, with his figure of 21 goal contributions catching the eye of Chelsea in particular who have registered interest in the winger already this summer.
However, the club are lacking that third option in the frontline to really push the Magpies back towards the Champions League places, but their hunt may be coming to an end, with the club identifying one player who could fill the void.
Newcastle battling PL rivals to sign £42m youngster
According to German outlet Sport Bild, Newcastle are interested in signing Mainz right-winger Brajan Gruda who could be available for €50m (£42m) this summer.
Fellow Premier League side Aston Villa are also said to be interested in signing the 20-year-old, with Bundesliga outfits RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich also in the race to secure his signature.
The interest in the youngster is hardly a surprise, given his record of four goals and three assists in his 19 league starts last season, but the report states he wants to move to a side where he can guarantee regular first-team minutes.
Miguel Almiron has been the club’s most senior right-hand option in recent years, but with his future up in the air, the Magpies could sign Gruda who has the ability to solve the club’s issues.
Why Gruda would be the perfect player alongside Gordon
With Gruda being predominantly a right-sided attacker, he would be brought in to play alongside the wanted Gordon and replace the Paraguayan who could be set for a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia if reports are to be believed.
Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe withMiguelAlmiron
His addition would undoubtedly improve the forward line, providing an upgrade on Almiron whilst potentially able to form a deadly partnership with fellow winger Gordon.
During the 2023/24 campaign, Gruda – who is said to possess a "monstrous" left foot by analyst Ben Mattinson – dominated Almiron in numerous key areas. That included goals and assists despite featuring in five fewer matches than the 30-year-old.
The “superb” talent as described by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has also dominated with his progressive carries, completing 22 more than the current Magpies attacker – a tally that would create more frequent opportunities for Isak and Gordon should he arrive on Tyneside.
Games
33
28
Goals & assists
4
7
Percentage of shots on target
29%
40%
Take-ons completed
44%
47%
Progressive carries
78
100
Goals & assists per 90
0.2
0.4
Gruda has also completed 3% more of the take-ons he attempted last campaign, providing more of an end product – contributing double the number of goals and assists per 90.
He may be a costly addition to Howe’s side, but he’s demonstrated key qualities that could improve his Newcastle side despite his tender age.
Newcastle player Anthony Gordon
With the German only breaking through into professional football over the past couple of years, he’s still finding his feet, but the sky is the limit for the talented youngster with Newcastle potentially able to sign a long-term replacement for the right-wing position.
Newcastle must consider selling Howe favourite who's worth more than Minteh
The club are still looking to offload players despite the passing of the PSR deadline.
يشهد اليوم الثلاثاء الموافق 31-12-2024، ثلاثة مباريات قوية ومرتقبة، واحدة منهم بالدوري المصري، بالإضافة لمواجهتي نصف نهائي كأس الخليج “خليجي 26”.
في الدوري المصري، يحل المصري البورسعيدي ضيفًا على سيراميكا كليوباترا، ضمن منافسات الجولة السابعة من عمر المسابقة المحلية.
ويخوض منتخب السعودية مباراة قوية أمام عمان في اللقاء الذي يجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات دور نصف نهائي بطولة كأس الخليج 2024 “خليجي 26″، وعلى الجانب الآخر، يلاقي البحرين نظيره الكويت في الدور ذاته.
وتأهل منتخب السعودية إلى دور نصف نهائي كأس الخليج بعد احتلاله المركز الثاني بجدول ترتيب المجموعة الثانية بعد الفوز في مباراتين وتلقى هزيمة واحدة.
بينما تصدر منتخب عمان ترتيب المجموعة الأولى برصيد 5 نقاط، من الفوز في مباراة واحدة والتعادل بـ مواجهتين.
وكان منتخب الكويت قد حل وصيفًا في ترتيب المجموعة الأولى بعد أن تساوى مع منتخب عمان في النقاط (5) وفارق الأهداف (1) والأهداف المسجلة (4) كما تعادلا في المواجهة المباشرة.
إلا أن منتخب الكويت جاء في المركز الثاني بعامل اللعب النظيف، إذ حصل لاعبوه على 10 بطاقات صفراء خلال مبارايات دور المجموعات فيما نال لاعبو عمان 7 إنذارات فقط، ليحصد فريق السلطنة الصدارة.
أما منتخب البحرين فقد تصدر ترتيب المجموعة الثانية برصيد 6 نقاط، وهو نفس رصيد منتخب السعودية صاحب الوصافة، إلا أن المواجهة المباشرة قد حسمها منتخب البحرين بنتيجة 3-2.
طالع أيضًا | مدرب عمان: نتطلع للوصول إلى نهائي خليجي 26.. ونمتلك خبرة اللعب تحت ضغط مواعيد مباريات اليوم الثلاثاء 31-12-2024 والقنوات الناقلةمواعيد مباريات الدوري المصري اليوم
سيراميكا كليوباترا ضد المصري، الساعة 3 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 4 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قناة “on time sport 1”. مواعيد مباريات كأس الخليج “خليجي 26”
عمان ضد البحرين، الساعة 4:30 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 5:30 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قنوات الكأس القطرية 1،2،5 وSSC NEWS HD، والكويت الرياضية، والشارقة الرياضية، البحرين الرياضية، أبو ظبي الرياضية1، عمان الرياضية ودبي الرياضية.
السعودية ضد الكويت، الساعة 7:45 مساءً بتوقيت مصر، 8:45 بتوقيت السعودية، وتُذاع عبر قنوات الكأس القطرية 1،2،5 وSSC NEWS HD، والكويت الرياضية، والشارقة الرياضية، البحرين الرياضية، أبو ظبي الرياضية1، عمان الرياضية ودبي الرياضية.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا
Aston Villa defied expectations to secure a top-four Premier League finish this season, but Unai Emery must hold the belief that some of the division's struggling giants will enjoy resurgences next year.
As such, transfer recruitment must be unerring, with Champions League football requiring added firepower and boosted quality to juggle the strain of competition across four different fronts.
Aston Villa manager Unai Emery
Ross Barkley is closing on a transfer to Villa Park, but he's not the only midfielder on Monchi's radar, with a prodigious talent now being lined up.
Villa send scouts for touted talent
According to Caught Offside, Villa have sent scouts to watch Desire Doue in action for Stade Rennais this season, with the French Ligue 1 outfit valuing the 18-year-old – who is said to have been the subject of talks with Arsenal – at €35m (£30m).
Rennes midfielder Desire Doue
That said, a host of top European sides – including Manchester United and Real Madrid – are also eager for his signature and Emery will need to fight tooth and nail to get this one over the line.
Desire Doue's season in numbers
Last season, a 17-year-old Doue started 11 matches – scoring three goals – in the French top flight and was hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig as "one of the leaders of a great French generation."
This season, the youngster's meteoric rise has seen him eclipse already lofty expectations to start 17 Ligue 1 matches and clinch four goals and four assists apiece, growing into his skin as a flexible attacking midfielder and developing an impressive and varied array of abilities.
Matches played
31
Matches started
17
Goals
4
Assists
4
Pass completion
79%
Big chances created
5
Key passes per game
1.0
Ball recoveries per game
3.0
Dribbles per game
2.1 (67%)
Duels won per game
5.1 (52%)
Moreover, Doue ranks among the top 7% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for progressive passes, the top 6% for successful take-ons, the top 15% for tackles, the top 6% for interceptions and the top 3% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.
His inborn athleticism and ease in progression makes him the perfect player to diversify the Villan attack, tenacious and robust enough to effectively add to the defensive efforts, while blessed with technical prowess to see him pick out his peers abounding ahead of him with frightening quality.
Doue been hailed as a "special" prospect by analyst Ben Mattinson and it's hardly difficult to discern why, with the Frenchman nurturing a truly incredible skill set that will only bloom as the years go by.
And it's for this reason that Emery and Monchi must throw the kitchen sink and secure his services, with his left-sided proclivity and dynamic approach potentially making him the perfect replacement for Jacob Ramsey, who has attracted attention from Liverpool, Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur recently amid growing concerns that Villa might need to cash in to stay in line with profitability and sustainability rules.
Jacob Ramsey for Aston Villa
Ramsey is a talented and multi-functioning player but he usually finds a home down the left flank, though considering that he also performs well in the centre of the park, Doue would mark not only the perfect replacement but actually a big upgrade.
The 22-year-old would fetch a figure as high as £50m and has been blighted by injuries this season, starting eight times in the league and having been absent since the early days of March.
Given that Ramsey has only scored one goal and supplied two assists last season, averaging 0.7 key passes and 2.6 successful duels per game, as per Sofascore, it might be time to cash in, especially if selling opens up space for a precocious prospect in Doue.
Aston Villa eyeing "special" signing who'd be more exciting than Barkley
Aston Villa are close to signing Ross Barkley but another exciting talent could be on the way.
In two weeks the streets of north London could be engulfed in a sea of red as Arsenal celebrate a historic Premier League title, their first in 20 years.
However, it could equally all be doom and gloom should the might of Manchester City win their remaining three matches of the season.
The Gunners have come so far this term and if they beat Manchester United and Everton, will finish on 89 points. The fact that tally may not be enough to be crowned champions is rather ludicrous.
City are still the favourites and if they do win the league, it’ll be back to the drawing board for Mikel Arteta and Co during what could be a rather exciting summer transfer window.
Last year it was all about Declan Rice. Edu had been tracking the England midfielder for quite some time and in a desperate attempt to ward off the Citizens, a £105m bid was lodged and finally accepted by West Ham after some toing and froing.
The end result has been near perfect. That fee has looked like a bargain for a man now thought to be in with a chance of winning the PFA Player of the Season award following a career-best haul of seven goals and nine assists, as well as some sterling defensive displays.
Declan Rice
He’s attracted praise right throughout the season, the latest of which has come from Ray Parlour.
What Ray Parlour said about Declan Rice
Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast on behalf of NetBet Sports Betting the former Arsenal midfield waxed lyrical over the club’s record signing.
He said: “Declan has been a top signing for Arsenal and it’s great he is still playing at such a high level when it matters most at the business end of the season. His energy is great, he plays every game, his goal against Bournemouth typifies his drive and energy during the game. He deserves to be up there for PFA Player of the Season. It was a big move for him and he’s settled immediately into this team.”
Asked whether any other Arsenal stars could be in the frame for the award at the season’s end, the Romford Pele commented: “Odegaard has been excellent as has Saka who both are in the mix for sure, but Rice for me takes it.
“One can’t forget both centre-backs who have been amazing and should both be in the team of the season. I think Arsenal will have many players in the team of the season for sure.”
So, what’s on the agenda for the forthcoming summer? Well, it could be about another Premier League star in Alexander Isak.
What Ray Parlour has said about Alexander Isak
Reports in recent weeks have suggested that the Newcastle striker is high on Arsenal’s list of priorities for the summer. The trouble is that it could take a seismic fee to prise away a man who has found the net on 24 occasions in all competitions this term. For context, that’s four more than Arteta’s leading marksman this term. Bukayo Saka has 20.
Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak
Speaking to FFC about what the Swede could bring to the Emirates Stadium, Parlour stated: “Isak is a player I like a lot. If you look at the signing of Rice, he is exactly what the team needed when Xhaka left and he has taken the club to another level.”
The move to acquire Rice was certainly a landmark moment in Arsenal’s recent history, but so too could the signing of an exciting centre-forward. There is a sense, despite the club’s leading Premier League tally of 88 goals this term, that they still need a striker to go to the next level.
Isak, therefore, could be exactly that man. Parlour continued: “Isak is the type of player who can do well in this Arsenal team. He will suit Arsenal’s fluid style of play and can do well in this team with the likes of Saka, Martinelli, Havertz, Trossard and Odegaard supporting him. It’s important to have quality strikers as we had in our era with Wiltord, Kanu, Henry and Bergkamp.
“However, Newcastle will not want to lose their top striker. Fee wise, he will be similar to Rice’s fee, so if Newcastle are forced to sell, then yes he would take Arsenal forward.”
The former midfielder isn’t wrong. Reports have stated that the Sweden international may well cost £100m if the Magpies are to sanction a sale.
Arsenal eye "unstoppable" Isak alternative who'd be an upgrade on Havertz
The incredible striker has been in unbelievable form this season.