A disgruntled Lionel Messi fan expressed his frustration with a unique sign after spending almost $5000 not to watch the Inter Miami star in action.

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• Herons made long trip to Canada
• Left ex-Barcelona stars in Florida
• Supporters left disappointed

• Getty
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Over 50,000 tickets were sold for the Herons’ MLS clash with the Vancouver Whitecaps on Canadian soil. Many of those in attendance had splashed out on experience entrance passes in the hope of catching eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi in action.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  They were left disappointed, however, as the all-time great was not included in Tata Martino’s travelling squad – along with fellow former Barcelona stars Luis Suarez and Sergio Busquets. Inter Miami opted to rest that decorated trio in an ingoing bid to manage their respective workloads.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Said decision did not go down well in Vancouver, with supporters quick to air their frustration. Some took to altering their shirts, with Messi’s name being replaced by the word ‘Missing’, while one produced a home-made sign that pointed out how he spent $4900 on travel, tickets, food and accommodation, only to see the supposedly star attraction remain in Florida.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?

  Inter Miami are making no apologies for selection calls that have their best interests at heart – with no guarantees offered that Messi will grace all of their fixtures – but Martino is expected to have his talismanic captain available again for back-to-back home dates with Atlanta United and St Louis City.

Newcastle United have been quite wise with their newfound wealth ever since PIF took over the club at the end of 2021.

The Magpies have made smart acquisitions, signing young and hungry players who have potential to the be world-class under the right guidance, which has been the club’s recruitment policy under the new owners. The likes of Anthony Gordon, Sven Botman, Tino Livramento and Alexander Isak – the latter of whom is currently the club's record capture at £63m – are examples of this policy in action.

However, the Geordie club may be set to make an exception by moving for a World Cup winner.

Newcastle United transfer news – Paulo Dybala

According to a report from Corriere della Sella, via Sport Witness, Newcastle have contacted the representatives of Paulo Dybala in an attempt to complete a deal for the Argentine this winter. The AS Roma playmaker currently has a release clause of £11m which is set to expire next Monday, with the Magpies keen to entice Dybala to move to St. James’ Park.

Dybala has been in the Italian capital ever since 2022 when he followed Jose Mourinho to the Giallorossi on a free transfer, having left Juventus for nothing a few weeks prior.

It's been quite a successful eighteen-month period for the attacker as well. Dybala managed to reach a Europa League final under Mourinho, scoring in the defeat to Sevilla back in May, while also lifting the World Cup with Argentina in December 2022, earning the greatest medal that football has to offer.

Nevertheless, having had offers from England before, particularly from Manchester United, Newcastle and PIF could be set to hand Dybala one last chance of playing in the Premier League.

Paulo Dybala's stats this season

Should Newcastle United acquire the services of Dybala, the club's wage structure will look a little different as the forward may want to become the highest-paid player on Tyneside. However, right now, Bruno Guimaraes is on money more than Dybala, but the latter could be the sixth player with the Toon to earn more than £100k-per-week.

Player

Age

Weekly Wage

Bruno Guimaraes

25

£160k

Paulo Dybala

30

£137k

Alexander Isak

23

£120k

Sandro Tonali

22

£120k

Kieran Trippier

32

£120k

Matt Targett

27

£100k

Sportrac and Salary Sport

Dybala has had a sensational career and would undoubtedly be Newcastle United's most decorated signing since the club managed to entice Dutch great Patrick Kluivert to wear the black and white shirt back in 2004 as both were Ballon d'Or nominees in the past, with Dybala's coming in 2017.

Like the arrival of Kluivert, signing Dybala would prove to the Premier League and Europe that Newcastle can recruit some of the greatest talents on the planet.

The Argentine international has always been prolific throughout his career and has scored 169 goals and recorded 78 assists in 461 appearances in all competitions at club level, with the majority of these goal contributions coming at Juventus.

Club

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Juventus

293

115

48

Palermo

93

21

16

Roma

56

24

14

Instituto

19

9

0

Total

461

169

78

Stats via Transfermarkt

Roma head coach Mourinho is a massive admirer of the world champion, claiming that he has the "quality to play for the biggest clubs in the world". Meanwhile, football scout Jacek Kulig has admitted that he is a big fan of Dybala's wand of a left foot, stating that it is "made of gold".

Furthermore, Chelsea defender Thiago Silva labelled the Roma star as "world class", proving how highly thought-of Dybala is in the football world.

Newcastle could unlock Bruno by signing 'lifelong Sunderland fan'

Eddie Howe could add a “real leader” to Newcastle’s team this winter.

ByAdam Scully Jan 10, 2024

With his six league titles, six cups and two international trophies, Dybala would be Newcastle's most decorated player to date under the Saudi ownership, making him an even more statement signing than the capture of the relatively youthful Isak.

While the £11m fee is not much for the club, this would be the team's biggest deal yet under Eddie Howe and would prove that PIF mean business going forward.

Southampton would have felt disappointed come full-time at Carrow Road on New Year's Day, the Saints stumbling to a draw versus Norwich City despite dominating for large spells of the contest.

On another day, Russell Martin's side would have humbled the Canaries on their own patch – the south coasters notching up 75% possession over the duration of the 90 minutes, whilst registering a hefty 21 shots on goal.

Still, it's another game without defeat for the unbeaten Saints who haven't tasted the bitterness of a loss in their last 18 second-tier matches with automatic promotion now not exactly out of their reach – Southampton only three points behind a slightly faltering Ipswich Town now in the league standings.

To enhance Southampton even further and take them to the next level to go toe-to-toe with the top two, Martin could be tempted to sign this entertaining midfielder on a temporary basis who could potentially displace Ryan Fraser.

Southampton transfer latest – Fabio Carvalho

The Daily Mail at the start of this month reported that Southampton could well be the next destination for Liverpool starlet Fabio Carvalho, with the Reds recalling the ex-Fulham attacker from his loan out to RB Leipzig prematurely.

The Saints would have to tussle it out with Enzo Maresca's table-topping Leicester City to sign Carvalho on a loan deal however, according to Sky Sports, the Foxes also keen to add bodies to their already impressive squad to ensure their fixed grip on first position doesn't slip.

Martin will attempt to persuade Carvalho to move to St Mary's over the King Power Stadium, displacing Fraser if signed as a proven livewire at second tier level previously with the Cottagers.

The stats that show why Carvalho would be a good signing for Southampton

The Portuguese attacking midfielder would give Southampton yet another flair option going forward, the Saints squad oozing class with Carlos Alcaraz, Stuart Armstrong, Sekou Mara and more all capable of conjuring up moments of magic slotted into the team behind Adam Armstrong leading the line.

Yet, Carvalho has the nous of winning promotion from this division on his CV which automatically puts him above the plethora of attacking talent already available to Martin and he will want to add another promotion to his resume come the end of his stint with Southampton.

Scoring ten times and assisting a further eight strikes during Fulham's title-winning 2021-22 campaign, Carvalho would be perfect for the promising Southampton side assembled by Martin as a creative force who can also chip in with a goal here and there when required.

It's why Liverpool decided to gamble on signing the Portuguese hotshot off the back of this breakthrough season, Jurgen Klopp praising the 21-year-old's attitude since joining Anfield as "unbelievable" despite not being afforded lots of game time for the Reds when quizzed on his happiness last campaign.

This loan move could, however, see Fraser fall down the pecking order, one loanee excelling whilst another is pushed to the fringes.

This campaign for Southampton, Fraser has been largely limited to coming off the bench and making an impact – only starting four games in total – but has shown signs of his Premier League class with four goals managed since joining from Newcastle United, which included a brace on Boxing Day.

But, with Carvalho's potential arrival to the south coast unsettling the status quo, competition for places will really heat up and Fraser won't be guaranteed plentiful game time despite his recent upturn in form.

It's a dilemma Martin will have to work out soon, but the £40k-per-week man joining the promotion hopefuls is however a no-brainer to give the second tier side a further boost in their promotion pursuit.

Kylian Mbappe has said he is open to a future transfer to AC Milan, despite the Paris Saint-Germain star reportedly being bound for Real Madrid.

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Mbappe admits to being an AC Milan fanRegularly follows the RossoneriCould pursue a Serie A transfer in the futureWHAT HAPPENED?

The 25-year-old forward is all set to leave the Parisian club this summer after deciding not to extend his contract at Parc des Princes. His next destination is most likely to be the Spanish capital, where Real Madrid are gearing up to welcome their latest galactico to the Santiago Bernabeu before heading into the summer break.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

However, Mbappe has now doubled down on his love for Milan and kicked up fresh speculation about his immediate future. He reiterated that his connection to the Rossoneri goes back to his youth, influenced by the family members who were ardent Milan supporters and his fondness for the seven-time Champions League winners has not waned over the years.

WHAT MBAPPE SAID

In an interview with , Mbappe admitted that he was still keeping a close eye on the Rossoneri in 2023-24 as they finished second in Serie A with the help of USMNT star Christian Pulisic. "When I was a kid, I was a fan of Milan, and I always said that if one day I come to Italy, I am going to play at Milan," he said. "So we never know what can happen, but I always watch the Italian league – every game of Milan. Since I was a young kid, I was with a family close to mine, they are big Milan fans, and I was always there as a kid in their house to watch Milan's games. So now I keep watching the games, but we never know what can happen."

While a transfer to Real this summer still appears to be on the cards, his admiration for Milan suggests that a move to Italy could materialise in the future. "I was in Paris, I'm going to have a new club now, and I'm really happy with what I have, but you never know what can happen," Mbappe remarked.

"The only thing I can say is that I watch Serie A, it's a really good league and we see that next year, they're going to have many teams in the Champions League. They improve a lot, and I wish them good luck."

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GOALWHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

Despite Mbappe's startling revelation, reports suggest with emphatic clarity that his immediate future lies at Real Madrid. The 2018 World Cup winner has reportedly agreed to join the Spanish giants on a free transfer, where he will become one of the highest-earning members of the squad and also bag a massive signing bonus.

تحدث أيمن الشريعي، رئيس نادي إنبي، عن سبب مغادرته اجتماع رابطة الأندية المحترفة، للاتفاق على نظام مسابقة الدوري المصري.

وقال الشريعي في تصريحات عبر قناة إل تي سي: “لماذا غادرت الاجتماع اليوم؟ أنا فقط أحب ترتيب كل شيء بدقة، وعندما واجهت فوضى ما، لم أحضر الاجتماع، حضرت الاجتماع التنسيقي، المعروف أيضاً بأجندته، حيث وصلتني دعوة لمناقشة جميع المقترحات لبطولة الدوري في الموسم القادم'”.

طالع..”بطولات” يكشف نظام الدوري المصري في الموسم الجديد.. هبوط فريقان

وتابع: “وجدت أن الأجندة تتضمن مناقشة الدوري الاستثنائي دون سابق إنذار، لذا فإن الأجندة لم تتماشى مع الدعوة”.

وأكمل: “كان من المفترض أن تنبه رابطة الأندية، الأندية بأنه سيتم مناقشة الدوري الاستثنائي عند إرسال الدعوة، بدلاً من مناقشة المقترحات”.

وواصل: “كنت قد أعددت مقترحاً للدوري العادي، ببداية من 1 نوفمبر وانتهاء في 10 يوليو، لكن وجدت أن الاجتماع سيتناول فقط الدوري الاستثنائي، لذا قررت المغادرة”.

وعن موقفه من مشاركة إنبي في مسابقة الدوري الموسم المقبل: “سأشارك وأحترم قرار الأغلبية، هذه هي الاحترافية”.

وأضاف: “اعترضت بكل احترام على التغييرات في الدوري ورحلت، ولم أسبب أي ضجة، كنت مع إقامة الدوري المصري بشكله الطبيعي مع مناقشة العيوب والفوائد وسعينا لإيجاد حلول”.

وعن موقفه من المشاركة في انتخابات الرابطة، قال: “مازلت أفكر، لكن نسبة تفكيري فيها انخفضت إلى 8% الآن بسبب أهمية التسويق وتأثير النظام الاستثنائي على المسابقة”.

وأتم: “لو كنت في موقف أحمد دياب، لن أستمر في رئاسة الرابطة، فأنا خدمت إنبي لمدة 4 سنوات، وإذا لم أحقق أهدافي فلن أترشح مرة أخرى، وإذا ترشح فلن أصوت له ولكن إذا فاز سأدعمه”.

Amid Financial Fair Play difficulties, Newcastle United's January transfer window has been centred around potential departures rather than incomings. If those exits take place, however, then the Magpies could welcome some much-needed reinforcements for Eddie Howe's side.

Newcastle transfer news

Among those linked with a move away is Miguel Almiron. According to reports, Newcastle have reached a verbal agreement with Al-Shabab over a deal for the winger, which could see the Magpies receive their reported asking price of £30m. Whilst that deal looks more and more likely though, it now looks like Kieran Trippier is set to stay put at St James' Park with Bayern Munich reportedly withdrawing from negotiations.

The same can be said for Callum Wilson, who has been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid this month, only for Newcastle to reportedly reject the La Liga side's loan offer. The former Bournemouth forward could still leave if a permanent offer comes in, but for now, he looks set to stay. If Wilson is part of Howe's squad, meanwhile, he may well be forced to compete with a potential incoming.

According to Fanatik in Turkey, Newcastle have made an offer for Can Uzun from FC Nurnberg, albeit so have Brighton & Hove Albion, Eintracht Frankfurt and Borussia Dortmund. The fee discussed is reportedly over €10m (£9m), but the forward is expected to find a new club in the summer transfer window rather than before the end of this month when Newcastle could be better positioned to strike a deal.

With just a week left until the January transfer window slams shut, Newcastle could be in for a busy few days on the exit front, which could then see them return to the market for reinforcements.

"Diamond" Uzun can replace Wilson

At just 18-years-old, Uzun has already impressed in the 2. Bundesliga with Nuremberg and now the only way is up. When compared to Wilson, Uzun's stats show that he's not only capable of replacing Wilson but also exceeding his time at St James' Park. Here's how the two forwards have compared this season so far…

Can Uzun

8

1

5.3

12

37

Callum Wilson

7

1

7.2

5

11

The numbers provide positive reading for Uzun, who has shown signs of possessing an all-round ability that out-and-out goalscorer Wilson perhaps has a lower ceiling on, whilst also outscoring the current Newcastle man.

Uzun earned the praise of OptaFranz after becoming the youngest goalscorer for Nurnberg at 17-years and 268-days-old, posting on X: "17 years, 268 days – Can Uzun is the youngest goalscorer for the Nurnberg. 2nd league, even in the Bundesliga, an FCN goalscorer has never been so young. Diamond."

That said, if Newcastle have the chance to sign a player who is still so young and already breaking records, then they should jump at the chance, especially given the fact that he's also managed to outscore Wilson in league action so far this season.

Rusty Theron, who played for Kings XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers and Rajasthan Royals between 2010 and 2015 in the IPL, has been named in a 30-man USA squad traveling to Los Angeles this weekend for a selection camp

Peter Della Penna19-Jun-2019

Rusty Theron was a key part of the Somerset (NJ) Cavaliers run to the 2018 US Open T20 Final•Peter Della Penna

Rusty Theron, who played for Kings XI Punjab, Deccan Chargers and Rajasthan Royals between 2010 and 2015 in the IPL, has been named in a 30-man USA squad traveling to Los Angeles this weekend for a selection camp. Theron, who also represented South Africa in four ODIs and nine T20Is between 2010 and 2012, will be looking to make the USA squad for the next round of 2020 World T20 Qualifiers, in Bermuda this August.Theron had retired from South African first-class cricket in 2015 before moving to Florida where he was pursuing a teaching degree at a local college. He has now qualified to represent USA under the ICC’s three-year residency rule. According to multiple sources, USA Cricket had been aggressively pursuing Theron to join their squad for WCL Division Three in Oman last November but he made himself unavailable due to the tournament clashing with his own wedding.Theron has been a regular fixture at T20 club tournaments around the USA in the last several years, most prominently at the annual US Open T20 Cricket tournament in Florida. It’s the same tournament used by USA’s Ali Khan to gain attention on the T20 franchise radar. Theron appeared there most recently in December for Somerset (New Jersey) Cavaliers where he was team-mates with Andre Russell and helped bowl Cavaliers into the final, where they eventually lost to California Bears.Also in the USA squad are a pair of English County players with USA passports aiming to force their way into the national team for the first time. Durham’s Cameron Steel and Hampshire’s Ian Holland have both been included in the weekend camp.The 23-year-old Steel, born in California, made a career-best 224 against Leicestershire at age 21 two seasons ago but has struggled to keep his place in the Durham first XI this season. The 28-year-old Wisconsin-born, Australian-raised Holland similarly has struggled to keep a place in the Hampshire first XI – he was loaned to Northants for the Royal London One-Day Cup – since relocating to England after a solitary first-class appearance for Victoria in 2016.Another big name to emerge from the list for different reasons is allrounder Timroy Allen, one of USA’s biggest match-winners of the last decade. Allen was a key role player for Jamaica Tallawahs in 2016, playing six matches during their run to the CPL title, but has not played for USA since May 2017 due to work commitments.Vikash Mohan, former captain of Combined Campuses & Colleges, has also been included in the 30-man list. The US passport holder from Trinidad & Tobago took part in a USA fitness camp at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs and was also part of a USA selection camp held in Antigua in February ahead of WCL Division Two in Namibia but was not selected for that tour.Five other uncapped players are in the 30-man list besides Theron, Holland, Steel and Mohan. The most prominent of the bunch is Akshay Homraj, a former Guyana Under-19 wicketkeeper-batsman who has since migrated to New York and been part of multiple USA squad camps. The others are Dallas batsman Ali Samad, Chicago area wicketkeeper Shaheer Hassan, Los Angeles fast bowler Sahaj Patel and Los Angeles left-arm spinning allrounder Srinivas Raghavan.Players will participate in six T20 intra-squad trial matches during the camp before a squad is expected to be announced next month ahead of the ICC Americas Regional T20 Qualifier Final in Bermuda to be held from August 18-25. USA will take on Bermuda, Canada and Cayman Islands in a double-round robin event with the top two teams advancing to the Global T20 World Cup Qualifier in the UAE in October.USA squad: Timroy Allen, Usman Ashraf, Karima Gore, Shaheer Hassan, Ian Holland, Akshay Homraj, Elmore Hutchinson, Aaron Jones, Nosthush Kenjige, Ali Khan, Jaskaran Malhotra, Xavier Marshall, Vikash Mohan, Saurabh Netravalkar, Monank Patel, Nisarg Patel, Sagar Patel, Sahaj Patel, Timil Patel, Kyle Phillip, Srinivas Raghavan, Srini Salver, Ali Samad, Roy Silva, Jessy Singh, Cameron Steel, Abdullah Syed, Steven Taylor, Rusty Theron, Hayden Walsh Jr.

قرر مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي برئاسة محمود الخطيب، تكليف محمد الغزاوي، عضو مجلس الإدارة، برئاسة بعثة الفريق الأول في رحلتها إلى المملكة العربية السعودية.

ومن المقرر أن يخوض الأهلي مواجهة مرتقبة أمام الزمالك للمنافسة على السوبر الإفريقي، يوم الجمعة المُقبل الموافق 27 سبتمبر، على ملعب “المملكة آرينا”، بمدينة الرياض.

ويأتي اختيار الغزاوي لهذا المنصب المهم نظرًا لخبرته الواسعة في مجال الإدارة الرياضية ومساهماته القيمة في دعم النادي، ومن المتوقع أن يساهم الغزاوي في توفير كافة الاحتياجات والمتطلبات التي تضمن للبعثة إقامة مريحة وتركيزًا كاملًا على تحقيق أفضل النتائج في هذه البطولة القارية.

طالع أيضًا | محمود أبو الدهب: مشكلة الزمالك أنه يخاف من الأهلي.. والسوبر “محسوم”

وفي إطار التحضيرات المكثفة لهذه المهمة، قام الغزاوي بالتنسيق بشكل وثيق مع سامي قمصان، القائم بأعمال مدير الكرة، لتحديد كافة الجوانب المتعلقة بالسفر والإقامة والتدريبات، ويشمل ذلك حجز تذاكر الطيران، وحجز الفندق، وتنظيم جدول التدريبات، وتوفير كافة المستلزمات الطبية والرياضية التي يحتاجها الفريق.

يهدف هذا التنسيق الوثيق إلى توفير بيئة مثالية للجهاز الفني واللاعبين لكي يتمكنوا من تقديم أفضل ما لديهم في هذه المباراة الحاسمة.

Sunderland aren't just troubled by their lack of prolific strikers currently, with Michael Beale's men in desperate need of some positive reinforcements in the left-back area on Wearside to help growing injury issues.

With Niall Huggins out for the foreseeable with a serious knee issue, alongside Dennis Cirkin requiring surgery recently to help his recovery from a similarly nasty injury, a brand new defender to fill in for both of these long-term absentees is a must this January.

Aji Alese has gone about his business quietly filling in for both of the injury-stricken faces as of late, but with this potential incoming through the door, concerns about a lack of fit options at left-back could be solved.

Sunderland's ongoing hunt for a left-back

Sunderland Nation have revealed that the Black Cats are targeting a move for Leicester City full-back Luke Thomas to bolster this depleted spot in their team, Thomas returning back to the King Power Stadium this month after a forgettable loan spell with Sheffield United.

Boasting 68 Premier League appearances already in his early career – Thomas still only 22 years of age – he could well be a fantastic addition to Beale's squad this month to soften blows surrounding Huggins and Cirkin.

Immediately taking over the reins from Alese on his potential arrival, the 15-time England U21 international could be a signing too that shows Sunderland aren't just going to drift away from the promotion pack as pressure intensifies near the top of the division.

How Thomas would fit into the Sunderland team

The Leicester defender would come straight into the starting XI, offering the Black Cats another forward-thinking and expansive option alongside breakout star Trai Hume on the right-hand side of defence.

Scoring two goals and picking up five assists playing in the Foxes senior side to date, Thomas' ability to find the back of the net marauding from the back stood out at youth level in particular – scoring eight times for the East Midlands club featuring for the U18s and the U21s.

On his senior debut back in 2020, Leicester beating Sheffield United 2-0, his defensive teammate on the day in former Sunderland defender Johnny Evans was full of praise for the emerging full-back, saying: "Everything he did was immaculate."

Thomas' presence in the Sunderland side could make the Black Cats even more terrifying down the left flank, supercharging top scorer Jack Clarke potentially if signed with added creativity to help the winger and a knack of even popping up with a goal himself.

A lacklustre loan switch to Sheffield United in the first half of this season could hold Thomas back, but he will be eager to prove any doubters wrong making the drop-down to the second tier.

Thrown into the deep end arguably playing under the then dire management spell of Paul Heckingbottom towards the bottom of the Premier League, Thomas did show brief signs of his quality for the forlorn Blades. One display in November against Brighton, which saw United draw 1-1 with the Seagulls, stood out in particular with Thomas misplacing just five passes in the draw.

Minutes played

90

Touches

38

Accurate passes

17/22 (77%)

Duels won

5/11

Tackles won

3

The £10k per week man will hope he can be more impactful for Sunderland in the second half of this season, making the trip up to the Stadium of Light to help fix Beale's selection headaches at left-back on the way to promotion being reached.

Arsenal put in their arguably best performance of the Premier League season on Sunday afternoon as they comprehensively beat Liverpool at the Emirates.

Mikel Arteta's side was the better team to a man, and Jürgen Klopp's men looked utterly bewildered for much of the 90 minutes.

One of the goalscorers for the Gunners was Bukayo Saka, and while he might not be as aesthetically pleasing as last season, he has been just as effective.

So far, the 22-year-old superstar has scored 11 goals and provided 12 assists in 30 appearances for the north Londoners this year, and Hale End might already have the next Saka on their hands.

Bukayo Saka's Arsenal record

Saka joined the Arsenal set-up at just eight years old and has been with the club ever since, working his way up through the junior sides before finally making his way into the first team.

This journey from relative obscurity to international stardom with the Gunners is undeniably a part of what makes him so beloved by the Arsenal faithful. Still, he has the ability and impressive record to back it up.

Before establishing himself as a first-team player, the Ealing-born gem played 53 games for the U18 and U23 sides, where he scored 22 goals and provided 17 assists, meaning he averaged 0.73 goal involvements per game.

Bukayo Saka's Arsenal Career in Numbers

Team

Arsenal

Arsenal U23

Arsenal U18

Appearances

209

25

28

Goals

49

6

16

Assists

53

10

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.48

0.64

0.82

All Stats via Transfermarkt

He made his debut for the senior side in November 2018 in a Europa League Group Stage game against Ukrainian side Vorskla Poltava before making his first Premier League start for the club against Aston Villa in September 2019.

Since then, Arsenal's 'Little Chili' has made 209 appearances for the club, scored 49 goals and provided 53 assists, meaning he has averaged 0.48 goal involvements per match across his entire senior career.

The stats are genuinely remarkable, and with the emergence of another Hale End prodigy, Amario Cozier-Duberry, Arteta might have a second Saka on his hands.

The numbers that prove fans should be excited about Amario Cozier-Duberry

Now, comparing a youngster to a senior player as impressive and beloved as Saka could certainly be seen as setting said youngster up for failure.

However, with how impressive Cozier-Duberry has been for the Gunners' youth teams and how those in the know talk about him, it feels as if he is genuinely going to make it into the senior side soon.

For example, when speaking to The Athletic last season, Jack Wilshere, Arsenal's U18 coach, said: "He reminds me of Bukayo Saka. In some moments, he's unplayable. You give him the ball and he can make things happen. You can set up a team and have a game plan, but when you've got individuals like that you've got a chance."

This sense that he is special extends outside the club bubble as well, with talent scout Jacek Kulig describing the 18-year-old as "Hale End's finest" halfway through last season, and when looking at his numbers from the academy, it's not hard to see why people feel so strongly about his ability.

Related Arsenal can forget about Benzema by promoting "sensational" Hale End gem

The 16-year-old has already broken a Premier League record.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 6, 2024

In 72 games for the U21s, U18s and UEFA Youth League squads, the exciting "talent", as U23 scout Antonio Mango dubbed him, has scored 24 goals and provided 15 assists, meaning that he has been averaging a goal involvement every 1.8 games, or more than once every other game.

Amario Cozier-Duberry's Youth Career in Numbers

Team

Arsenal U21

Arsenal U18

Arsenal YL

Appearances

37

31

4

Goals

12

10

2

Assists

7

8

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.51

0.58

0.50

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Ultimately, hitting the bar set by Saka at Arsenal is a herculean task, of that there is no doubt, but if any of the Gunners' recent crop of youngsters stand a good chance of doing so, it's Cozier Duberry.