Glamorgan 278 for 3 (Tribe 131*, Smale 83*) beat Leicestershire 274 (Hill 81, Norton 3-41, Franco 3-59) by seven wicketsYoungsters prevailed for Glamorgan against Leicestershire, to secure a consolation victory at the end of a sour, bottom-placed title defence of the Metro Bank One-Day Cup.Asa Tribe’s second century in as many games backed up figures of 3 for 41 and 3 for 59 from 18-year-old pair Tom Norton, on debut, and Romano Franco respectively. Norton’s career got off to an impressive start as he dismissed Pakistan Test captain Shan Masood for a first professional wicket.Lewis Hill showed resistance for 81 in Leicestershire’s 274 before 21-year-old Tribe’s coming-of-age season was capped by his 131 not out, accompanied by Will Smale’s unbeaten 83 in a match-winning partnership against a much-changed Foxes side.It had been a poor campaign for the two teams who had shared the last two editions of the One-Day Cup. But Leicestershire came out the blocks firing despite being inserted, taking full advantage of a makeshift opening bowling pair lacking an out-and-out pace threat. Sol Budinger planted Andy Gorvin for two straight sixes inside five overs before being untimely dismissed, caught at deep third to a good low catch from Norton, in the first act of a strong fielding display.Zain Ul Hassan’s conceded five wides from his first ball, and four overthrows an over later was a reminder to snap back into concentation after Sol Budinger had threatened to take the game away early.At 44 for 1 from just five overs, Hill throttled back to ease to his half-century and looked less of a player in dire need of the runs, more one in full control.With Shan Masood and Peter Handscomb at four and five, Leicestershire threatened to take the game away from a side fielding two 18-year-old bowlers. However, Norton trapped Masood before another youngster Henry Hurle threw down Handscomb’s stumps to break an 84-run stand.At 176 for 4, Sam Wood arrived at number six, and with Leicestershire negotiating a few injuries and Hundred replacements, Glamorgan applied the pressure for a period of controlled ease, with no boundary for nearly eight overs after the 38th.A couple of Alex Green blows towards the back end helped the tail wag but Glamorgan finished in the driving seat after bowling a team out for the first time in their seven consecutive matches.Eddie Byrom started the chase with typical composure, milking singles before throwing away an off-side slash after getting himself in.Top wicket-taker in the tournament, Green, took just two balls to find himself a wicket – Hurle chopping the 18-year-old on.Kiran Carlson had three trademark sixes inside 13 balls before his cameo was ended prematurely, a partnership of 57 inside six overs while Tribe broke no sweat.Tribe went about his work quietly, remaining in Carlson’s shadow while still scoring at a-run-a-ball. He scored back-to-back boundaries to reach a 48-ball half-century, but that was just half the job done.The match-changing unbeaten partnership of 172 might have ended before it got going, when Smale drove a Green no-ball to backward-point on 3 for an early reprieve; another simple dropped catch followed when the damage had mostly been done.

O’Rourke has been sent home for further medical advice after suffering back stiffness on day three of the first Test

Alex Malcolm06-Aug-2025

New Zealand’s injury woes continue with quick Will O’Rourke the latest to be ruled out of the second Test against Zimbabwe with a back injury.New Zealand have already lost fast-bowling allrounder Nathan Smith ahead of the second Test with an abdominal strain with pace bowling allrounder Zakary Foulkes earning his maiden call-up into the Test squad as Smith’s replacement.Related

Latham-less New Zealand look to extend dominance as Zimbabwe search for Test revival

Foulkes replaces Smith for second Test

Fisher on the cusp of a potential Test debut

Auckland Aces left-arm fast bowler Ben Lister was also called in as cover for O’Rourke who experienced back stiffness on day three of the first Test and will now remain with the squad after O’Rourke was sent home for further medical advice.”We are hopeful it’s nothing too series,” New Zealand bowling coach Jacob Oram said. “When he’s so important to our side for the next six to eight months but also next year with all the Test cricket, we’ve got some big tours, we need to make sure we look after the big guy and make sure that he’s okay. So we have our fingers crossed for him and hopefully he’ll be back on the park soon.”O’Rourke bowled 13 wicketless overs in the first innings of the first Test and had 3 for 28 from 10 in the second before he suffered back stiffness. O’Rourke’s injury opens the door for either Jacob Duffy or Matthew Fisher to possibly make their Test debut, with Fisher having been called into the squad just prior to the tour after impressing coach Rob Walter as a net bowler.New Zealand captain Tom Latham missed the opening game due to a shoulder injury, with Mitchell Santner standing in as skipper, and it remains to be seen whether he is passed fit for the second Test, which begins on August 7.

Neymar was left in utter shock during Santos' 3-2 defeat to Flamengo as his teammates appeared to completely ignore his instructions in a bizarre second-half moment that summed up the club’s chaotic season. The veteran forward, visibly frustrated, later stormed off after being substituted, capping off a night of confusion and controversy for the struggling Brazilian giants.

• Neymar left completely ignored by Santos team-mates

  The strange incident unfolded in the 66th minute of Santos' clash with Flamengo at the Maracana, as Neymar's frustrations boiled over. With his side trailing 2-0, the 33-year-old forward demanded that Santos abandon their ineffective long-ball approach and instead play short, controlled passes out from the back. When his request was ignored, Neymar – normally stationed in attack – dropped deep to take the goal kick himself, attempting to initiate the build-up play he wanted to see.

  But his efforts quickly went unrewarded as moments later, centre-back Luan Peres launched another long ball straight up the field, which was easily intercepted by Flamengo and handed possession right back to the home side. Neymar could be seen stopping in his tracks, arms raised in exasperation, before shaking his head in disbelief.

  The moment perfectly encapsulated the disconnect between Neymar and his team-mates during a season of turmoil at Vila Belmiro. For a player who rose through the ranks at Santos and then built his career on creative, possession-based football at Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, the lack of tactical cohesion since his return has been glaring. The clip's viral spread online – with fans calling it "the most Neymar thing ever" – only intensified scrutiny on the team's communication and morale.

Advertisement

• Video shows Neymar's tactical demand being blanked..

• Neymar throws tantrum after substitution

  Later in the game, Neymar was substituted by head coach Juan Pablo Vojvoda, an act that only deepened his frustration. With Santos trailing 3-0 in the 85th minute, Vojvoda replaced Neymar with Argentine midfielder Benjamin Rollheiser. Cameras caught the 33-year-old visibly questioning the decision, mouthing, "Are you going to take me out?" toward the bench before walking straight off the pitch and heading to the dressing room without waiting for the final whistle.

  Santos went on to score two late consolation goals but ultimately fell short, losing 3-2, a result that kept them mired in the relegation zone with only six matches remaining in the season. In his post-match comments, coach Vojvoda sought to downplay the tension, insisting Neymar's reaction was "normal for a player who wants to help the team". Yet the Brazilian's departure highlighted growing frustration within the Santos camp, as the club continues to battle relegation. The loss to Flamengo kept them two points adrift of safety with just 33 points from 32 games, leaving the eight-time Brazilian champions in real danger of dropping to Serie B.

  Neymar's personal struggles have mirrored those of the club. After returning to Santos from Al-Hilal in January, he has managed just three goals and six assists in 15 appearances amid recurring injury setbacks.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• getty
  

  What does this mean for Neymar's World Cup dreams?

  Neymar's uncertain situation at Santos is drawing attention from across the football world. Club president Marcelo Teixeira confirmed that contract renewal talks are ongoing but admitted financial limitations could force a separation at the end of the year. "Santos has a limit," he told . "Neymar's project is the 2026 World Cup. If we find common ground, his continuity will be confirmed."

  That World Cup dream remains central to Neymar's career decisions. Brazil head coach Carlo Ancelotti has not selected him since taking charge in mid-2025, citing the forward's lack of fitness and intensity. The former Real Madrid coach suggested Neymar's future lies in a more central role: "I think he needs to play more centrally, not as a winger, because wingers in today's football need to work defensively as well."

Crisis over? Not quite yet. Sure, Liverpool put five past woeful Eintracht Frankfurt to get their Champions League campaign back on track, but fans will now expect a continuation of that performance carried into the weekend.

Liverpool travel to Brentford on Saturday evening, having lost three on the bounce in the Premier League. Last week’s Anfield defeat at the hands of Manchester United was a low ebb, and Arne Slot will no doubt have been chagrinned by this polarising level of performance.

Last season, of course, the Reds romped their way to the Premier League title. Few, if any, anticipated a title battle after Jurgen Klopp up and left, but this football club has a funny way of disproving doubt, and the charge was ultimately processional.

Frankly, Frankfurt were shocking defensively, inviting 18 shots and 14 on target. Liverpool amassed an xG (expected goals) total of 3.26.

The club-record signing, Alexander Isak, might have been withdrawn at half-time, having still not hit his stride after that contentious summer move, but Hugo Ekitike continues to show why he has been one of the signings of the season – and that’s accounting for all teams across Europe.

Hugo Ekitike's prolific start to the season

Ekitike, 23, joined Liverpool from Frankfurt this summer, choosing the Reds over Newcastle United. An initial fee of £69m was chequed over to the Germans, with a further £10m payable through add-ons.

Liverpool have been freighted with tactical imbalances and new crises of confidence, but Ekitike has been cool and calm and clinical in the final third, with his well-taken strike against his former club, respectably not celebrating, taking his tally to six goals and one assist this year.

As per Sofascore, the France international also won five of seven contested duels at the Deutsche Bank Park, emphasising a wider level of quality. Not just a sharpshooter, he links up play, fights for loose balls, drops deep and carves openings for teammates. Ekitike is the real deal.

As content creator Asim Mahmood puts it, “Right now, he’s undroppable.”

Right you are, Asim. But Ekitike isn’t the only one, with one of the club’s longest-serving stars proving he’s still got a few tricks up his sleeve.

Liverpool veteran is now as undroppable as Ekitike

In his post-match interview, Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk baulked at the suggestion he was relieved after turning around this tough run of losses. He has, after all, been in this game a long time.

And so has Andy Robertson, who for many years ran up Liverpool’s left line as a turbo-charged creative force, whipping in crosses and beating his man with blistering speed and neat dribbling.

Robertson has known criticism, these past 14 months or so. The 31-year-old no longer brings such energy and snap to his game, and has been somewhat remodelled into a less mobile full-back. His technical quality remains, though.

And against Frankfurt, this was on full show. You will have seen Ekitike’s opening goal, the deftness and composure to angle inward when played through and dispatch into the net. It was Robertson, though, who saw the opening and played a weighted pass through.

This is what he brings to the table. Sofascore also record that the Scotsman took 114 touches, attempting five crosses, making five ball recoveries, winning his one attempted tackle and making three interceptions.

Die Roten fell apart, and tougher tests will come for Slot’s side, but Robertson brings the balance, and it may well be that he has proved he is every bit as undroppable as Ekitike right now.

Milos Kerkez, of course, would have something to say about that, but Kerkez has flattered to deceive at Liverpool so far this season, and he does not look at home in the boss’s tactical system.

While the 21-year-old joined from Bournemouth for £45m and was named in the Premier League Team of the Season for 2024/25, he has not yet found his feet on Merseyside, where the spotlight shines much brighter and the calendar is more unforgiving.

He simply isn’t quite right – yet. Robertson started his first game in a month this week, and he must now retain his role. Less pacy he may be, the £160k-per-week veteran is one of the most distinguished creators in the Premier League, with his assist tally in the competition a testament to that.

The problem with Kerkez is that he’s not a natural ball technician. That is to say, to move him into a principally ball-playing role would be an erroneous move.

Correspondent David Lynch noted he is perceived to be “getting torn to shreds every week”, but that this isn’t actually the case, with the Hungarian simply misused across these opening months of the term.

Kerkez is more of a touchline full-back. He has pace and power and incisiveness, and these are faculties sure to work in his favour down the line.

But we are not yet down the line. Liverpool are at the beginning of a transition, and Slot, for all his brilliance, has yet to crack the wider tactical nut.

Wednesday’s win was a step in the right direction, but Robertson dangled among the bunch of keys to victory; he added balance and coherence and stability down Liverpool’s left side.

The vice-captain simply “has to be in the line-up at Brentford”, according to The Athletic’s James Pearce, and this is a sentiment many would share after the events of recent weeks.

If Liverpool fail to pass the Gtech test – a stadium they have won at twice in a row – questions will be thrown back at Slot’s presser table. If the elusive synergy is to be captured and contained within Liverpool’s tactical make-up, players like Robertson and Ekitike have to reprise their starting roles.

Mac Allister upgrade: Liverpool preparing huge offer to sign £69m "monster"

Arne Slot’s Liverpool midfield is malfunctioning this season.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Oct 21, 2025

After Ange Postecoglou’s dismal season in the Premier League throughout 2024/25, changes simply had to be made if Tottenham Hotspur were to progress in the right direction.

His Europa League triumph certainly papered over the cracks, but former chairman Daniel Levy saw the bigger picture and decided a switch in manager was needed.

Such responsibility fell into the hands of Thomas Frank, with the former Brentford boss tasked with the responsibility of transforming the Lilywhites’ fortunes in England’s top-flight.

The backline was a real issue for the club last time around, but the 51-year-old has already made an immediate impact – as seen by their tally of six clean sheets across all competitions.

However, the upcoming January transfer window is rapidly approaching, which could see added quality being injected into the opposite end of the pitch.

Spurs’ hunt for new attacking talent in January

Over the last couple of days, Spurs have once again been linked with a deal to land Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo after previously wanting him during the summer.

The Ghanaian international has enjoyed a phenomenal start to 2025/26, scoring on six occasions and registering three assists within his first eight outings.

However, he’s not the only Premier League forward currently on their radar, with Sporting Director Fabio Paratici targeting a move for Everton star Iliman Ndiaye.

The latest report from TEAMtalk states that the Lilywhites see the 25-year-old as a top target for the winter window, but face competition from a fellow top-flight rival.

Newcastle United are also in the race to land the versatile forward in the coming months, which has seen a £60m price tag mooted to prise him away from the Toffees.

Why Spurs’ latest target is even better than Kudus

Landing an attacker from another Premier League side certainly isn’t alien to Spurs, as seen by their deal to land winger Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United.

The hierarchy forked out a fee in the region of £55m for the 25-year-old’s signature, with the Ghanaian seen as the player to take the frontline to the next level.

It’s safe to say he’s already had an immediate impact at the Lilywhites, scoring once and notching four assists within his first eight Premier League appearances.

Kudus has certainly nailed down the role on the right-hand side of the frontline, but he could be joined by another phenomenal talent in the form of Ndiaye.

The Toffees forward has rapidly progressed under David Moyes over the last couple of months, with the Senegalese international now one of the most potent attackers in the division.

When comparing his stats to those of the new Lilywhites addition, Ndiaye has managed to outperform him in numerous key areas throughout the early stages of 2025/26.

The Toffees star has achieved a better shot on target rate and a higher goal per shot on target average – which showcases the added goalscoring threat he possesses.

Games played

8

8

Goals & assists

4

5

Shot on target accuracy

83%

38%

Goals per shot on target

0.4

0.2

Pass accuracy

77%

73%

Key passes

1.8

1.7

Take-on success

47%

46%

Carries into final third

2.1

1.6

Fouls won

1.5

0.8

He’s also completed more passes and registered a higher tally of key passes per 90 – leading to one analyst labelling him as “one of the best” talents in the Premier League.

Ndiaye’s dominance over Kudus is further reflected in his higher take-on success and better tally of carries into the final third per 90 – highlighting his ability to progress the ball into dangerous areas whenever possible.

£60m would be another huge statement from the hierarchy, but it’s a deal that could add further quality into Frank’s frontline in his quest for success in North London.

The prospect of Ndiaye thriving with Kudus at the Lilywhites is truly one to behold, which could see the club be the home to two of the division’s best attacking talents.

However, the board will have to act quickly in January to complete a deal for his signature, especially given the interest from rivals Newcastle United.

Forget Spence: Frank can bin Porro by unleashing "future £100m" Spurs star

Tottenham Hotspur already have another phenomenal talent within their ranks in North London.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 24, 2025

The New York Mets will likely be without pitcher Sean Manaea to start the season as he's dealing with a right oblique strain, the team's manager Carlos Mendoza told reporters on Monday.

Mendoza shared that Manaea will be "shut down" for a couple of weeks, and it's likely the starting pitcher will begin the 2025 season on the injured list. There is no clear timeline for when he's expected to make his season debut.

In his first year with the Mets last season, Manaea started 32 games, posting a 12-6 record and a 3.47 ERA—the lowest in his career when he's started in over 25 games. He struck out 184 batters and walked 63 over his career-high 181 2/3 innings pitched. Manaea made four postseason starts in the Mets' run to the National League Championship Series, posting a 2-1 record with a 4.74 ERA and 19 strikeouts.

The Mets were clearly impressed with Manaea's season with them as they signed him to a three-year, $75 million contract in December.

With the Minnesota Twins for sale, the team's fans are anxiously awaiting news of which magnate or magnates will shepherd the organization into a new era.

On Friday, reports emerged that that magnate could be the owner of another professional sports franchise on the other side of the country.

Phoenix Suns and Phoenix Mercury owner Mat Ishbia and his brother Justin are exploring purchasing the Twins, according to a Friday afternoon report from Dan Hayes of (which in turn cited a report from Bloomberg). The Ishbias have owned the Suns and Mercury since February 2023.

Minnesota has been owned by the Pohlad family since 1984, and has won two World Series under its stewardship (1987 and 1991). The Pohlads announced their intent to sell the Twins on Oct. 10.

As Hayes noted, the Ishbias immediately made a splash upon taking over Phoenix—trading for forward Kevin Durant days after their purchase was approved by the NBA.

Asa Tribe hit a career-best unbeaten 181 to keep Glamorgan’s promotion hopes firmly alive and put his side in a dominant position on day one of this Rothesay County Championship match against Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.Glamorgan were indebted to the 21-year-old Jersey international after losing four wickets before lunch after winning the toss, Luke Procter claiming two scalps. Opening the innings, Tribe never looked in real trouble, helping himself to 25 fours and two sixes in a fluent, confident innings and accounting for the bulk of the top-order runs.Sam Northeast (17) and Ben Kellaway (23) kept him company in half-century stands, but it was not until Chris Cooke’s arrival that Glamorgan mounted a substantial partnership, the keeper scoring 84 (12 fours, one six) while adding 162 for the sixth wicket with Tribe. Although Cooke fell before the close, Glamorgan were in a healthy position at 367 for six.Earlier Northamptonshire handed first-class debuts to left-arm pacer Ben Whitehouse and off-spinner Nirvan Ramesh, 17, who became the county’s third youngest debutant since the war.Zain ul Hassan was the first Glamorgan wicket to fall in the eighth over, driving outside off-stump to Procter and edging an easy catch behind.Tribe dealt almost exclusively in boundaries. He drove handsomely through midwicket against the seamers before a punch through cover point off Whitehouse brought up Glamorgan’s 50 at the end of the 15th over.Whitehouse meanwhile unsettled Northeast. After the Glamorgan skipper punched one to the boundary, Whitehouse struck him on the arm causing a short delay. Northeast recovered to slap a wide delivery from Justin Broad through extra cover to bring up the 50 partnership with Tribe off 58 balls, but the all-rounder found some late movement to draw the edge through to second slip.Tribe though looked imperious, reaching 50 off 63 deliveries. He pulled dismissively against Whitehouse who was guilty of bowling too short throughout both spells.Procter struck for the second time when he jagged one back sharply to Kiran Carlson who offered minimum foot movement and inside edged to the keeper. The impressive Ramesh then claimed his maiden first-class wicket when Colin Ingram (18) attempted to turn the ball to leg and was well caught off the leading edge by Procter in the covers, and while Tribe took consecutive boundaries off Calvin Harrison, Glamorgan went into lunch four down for 115.Tribe started positively after the interval, sweeping Ramesh over deep midwicket for six, while Kellaway eased into his work with a sumptuous cover drive off Liam Guthrie and a reverse sweep off Ramesh as Glamorgan moved past 150, Tribe bringing up the half-century partnership off 59 balls with a backfoot punch off Guthrie.With Ramesh bowling consecutive maidens at one end, Northamptonshire turned to Broad to try to force the breakthrough and he instantly troubled Tribe outside off-stump. But it was Harrison who bowled Kellaway round his legs as he went to sweep.New batter Cooke took the aggressive option against Broad but was almost undone by one that jagged back and kept low.Tribe reached three figures off 150 balls with his first false shot, under-edging an attempted sweep against Harrison, the ball running past the keeper for four. He endured a few nervous moments against Procter who beat him several times outside off-stump, but he duly moved past his previous highest score of 107 made against Leicestershire in June, despite suffering from flu at the time.After tea Cooke swung Harrison over the leg side for six to bring up the 100 partnership off 183 balls before reaching his own half-century. He continued to attack, clubbing spinners Harrison and Saif Zaib over midwicket, while Tribe hit Zaib straight for six, Glamorgan going on to pass 300 shortly before the new ball became due.Tribe steered Procter through midwicket to bring up the 150 stand off 246 balls while Cooke cut Guthrie powerfully for four. The bowler soon made the breakthrough when Cooke pulled and was well caught low down by Broad at deep backward square-leg.With Tribe still content to capitalise on anything loose and joined by Timm van der Gugten, Glamorgan secured a third batting bonus point shortly before the close.

MatériaMais Notícias

O ano vai chegando ao fim e a sensação de nostalgia bate à porta dos torcedores brasileiros. Com o fim das competições, restam as lembranças de um ano recheado de vitórias impressioantes e atuações inesquecíveis. Por isso, o Prêmio Lance! 2023 premiará os vencedores de categorias não tão comuns assim no futebol brasileiro. Mas para isso, o Lance! com a sua ajuda para decidir os campeões.

A votação acontecerá nas redes sociais do Lance!. O torcedor poderá escolher seu vencedor em todas as categorias votando nas enquetes ao final desta matéria até às 23:59, do dia 25/12, além do Whatsapp e Instagram.

CONFIRA TODAS AS CATEGORIAS DO PRÊMIO 🏆

👀Melhor atuação do ano: Suárez x Botafogo, Endrick x Botafogo e Cano x River Plate

🎯Jogador mais decisivo: John Kennedy, Endrick e Paulinho

📒Melhor técnico: Fernando Diniz, Pedro Caixinha e Renato Gaúcho

⚽Melhor jogador da temporada: Germán Cano, Luis Suárez e Paulinho

🦸‍♂️Herói improvável: Serginho, Rodrigo Nestor e Murilo

😆Melhor provocação: Jogadores do Vasco subindo na bola, Deyverson x Flamengo e Gabigol x Marcelo

🗣️Melhor aspas: Deyverson e a esposa, Renato Gaúcho (DVD) e Gabigol com o BBB

📈Jogador que mais evoluiu: John Kennedy, Gabriel Pec e Caio Paulista

🤝Melhor contratação: Luis Suárez, Paulinho e Marcelo

👴Melhor jogador idoso (38+): Fábio, Rafinha e Nenê

🎊Melhor comemoração: John Kennedy, Bruno Henrique, Payet

🍿Pipocada do ano: Botafogo x Palmeiras, Botafogo x Grêmio e Botafogo x Coritiba

🔙A melhor volta por cima: Bruno Henrique, Eduardo Sasha e Paulinho

This season is shaping up to be one of Arsenal’s best in a very, very long time.

Now, there is still a lot of football to be played, but going into the third international break of the campaign, Mikel Arteta has his side top of the Premier League and with four wins from four in the Champions League.

What makes it all the more impressive is the fact that, aside from the defence, there is a real sense that the team aren’t even operating at their best.

Moreover, the club have a significant number of injured players set to return in the coming weeks, which will massively bolster the squad, although it might also make it clear that a certain player appreciated by Thierry Henry needs to be moved on.

Arsenal's injury crisis

Now, Arsenal supporters will be the first to admit that the team just weren’t good enough to win the league last season.

First Impressions

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

However, a significant reason why the side was lacklustre on the domestic front was the absurd number of injuries Arteta has to deal with.

Understandably, the club sought to avoid a similar situation this year by signing eight first-team quality players in the summer, rather than spending record sums on individual players.

Kepa Arrizabalaga

Chelsea

Eberechi Eze

Palace

Viktor Gyokeres

Sporting

Piero Hincapie

Leverkusen

Noni Madueke

Chelsea

Cristhian Mosquera

Valencia

Christian Norgaard

Brentford

Martin Zubimendi

Sociedad

It’s an approach that has already paid off multiple times this season, as even though it hasn’t been discussed as much, the squad has once again dealt with a barrage of injuries this season.

Noni Madueke was able to cover for Bukayo Saka; Cristhian Mosquera covered for Gabriel Mahgaelese; Eberechi Eze stood in for Martin Odegaard, and Viktor Gyokeres was thrown into the deep end in place of the injured Kai Havertz.

However, the dam can only hold out for so long, and over the last few weeks, the injury list has grown too significant, with Mikel Merino once again starting up top for two matches in a row.

In all, Arsenal were without six first-team players for the draw against Sunderland, and all six of them were attacking players, which helps explain why the bench looked so short on options and why the manager brought on only Mosquera.

The good news is that most of them will be back in contention after the international break, and all should be available to play by the new year.

However, that means the squad could become quite bloated in attack, and so it might be time to sell someone Henry was once very complimentary about.

The Arsenal star who should be sold

With Gyokeres and Madueke being summer signings and Havertz clearly a firm favourite of Arteta, it feels like, of all the injured players, it’s £45m man, Gabriel Jesus, who should be moved on.

Now, that is no indictment of the player himself, as at his best, the former Manchester City star was almost unplayable and capable of things that no other Arsenal attacker could even think of doing.

That’s not hyperbole either, as following a particularly impressive showing against Seville, the legendary Henry said he “would have loved to play with him” due to his close control and ability to create for others.

However, that was over two years ago, and it’s been over three years since he was at his utterly incredible best.

Since then, there have been flashes of that sensational ability, but every time he seems to build up any steam, he goes down with another injury.

Since the start of his Arsenal career in the 22/23 season, the Brazilian international has been injured seven times, which has seen him spend a grand total of 559 days on the sidelines and miss 90 games for club and country.

It doesn’t really matter how talented a player is; if they are that unreliable, then they are not an asset to a club.

24/25

370 days

56

23/24

89 days

17

22/23

100 days

17

20/21

60 days

14

19/20

34 days

5

18/19

26 days

6

17/18

76 days

13

16/17

68 days

15

Moreover, it’s not like the 28-year-old is on a modest wage; he’s currently earning a whopping £265k-per-week, which makes him the second-highest earner at the club.

Ultimately, Jesus is undeniably an excellent footballer, but he’s just never available when the club need him and considering he has such an enormous wage, it might be time to sell him in the winter, or at the end of the season.

Arsenal ready bid to sign £71m Trossard upgrade who's like an "early Henry"

Andrea Berta could end Trossard’s Arsenal career with this big £71m move.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 12, 2025