Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has shared what’s impressed him most about teenager Andre Harriman-Annous after the Hale End graduate’s senior debut against Brighton on Wednesday.
The Gunners extended their unbeaten run to 11 in all competitions whilst booking a place in the Carabao Cup quarter-finals after their victory over Brighton.
Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest
Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 1-1 Man City
Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal
Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal
Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
Fulham 0-1 Arsenal
Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid
Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace
Arsenal 2-0 Brighton
Goals from fellow youngster Ethan Nwaneri and star winger Bukayo Saka handed Arsenal a routine win at the Emirates Stadium, despite summer signing Kepa Arrizabalaga being forced into a string of early saves to deny the Seagulls, who threatened to break through first.
The headlines initially belonged to Max Dowman, after the 15-year-old became Arsenal’s youngest ever starter.
Dowman showed flashes of brilliance on the right-hand side in place of Saka and the injured Noni Madueke, who’s believed to be making “faster-than-expected” progress in his recovery from a knee injury.
However, once the teenager was hauled off Saka, and Harriman-Annouss replaced Declan Rice, attention turned towards the latest in a long queue of star-studded talents from the Hale End production line.
Harriman-Annous, who bagged 18 goals in 37 games for the Under-21s last season, has been a regular in first-team training at London Colney with Arteta taking note.
The England Under-18 international can feel hard done by that he didn’t mark his first senior appearance for the club with a goal too, having watched Jason Steele save his one-v-one effort before Saka dispatched the rebound.
Arteta shares what's impressed him about Harriman-Annous after Arsenal debut
It was a night to remember for Harriman-Annous, with Arteta explaining in a post-match press conference why he finally gave the youngster a chance to shine at N5.
Arsenal’s boss explains that Harriman-Annous has impressed him with a fierce mentality and work ethic behind-the-scenes, with the versatile centre-forward desperate to make an impact.
Arsenal supporters have plenty of reasons to feel excited about Harriman-Annous after his debut against Brighton.
Stepping onto the pitch in a high-stakes cup match is no small feat, and the teen showed glimpses of the potential that has impressed coaches throughout his development.
His composure and confidence stood out. He demonstrated good technical skills and an understanding of the game that belies his age. For a young player making his first senior appearance, showing such calmness under pressure is a promising sign of future growth.
Harriman-Annous made the bench against Liverpool in August, and if he continues to seize his opportunities like he did against Brighton, it’s only a matter of time before he makes his first Premier League outing.
West Ham are in dire need of a new striker to relieve the pressure on Nuno Espírito Santo.
Nuno Espírito Santo requests three signings for West Ham in January
Alongside a centre-forward, it is also believed that West Ham’s new boss has personally urged both chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady to bring a new defender and midfielder as soon as the next January window (GiveMeSport).
This is somewhat backed up by Sky Sports too, who reiterate that the Hammers are indeed targeting a defender, midfielder and attacker in January, with Nuno also getting “confirmation” he would have money to spend.
Going by this flurry of reports, West Ham could be set for one of their busiest January windows in recent memory, and it’s definitely needed.
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
West Ham 0-2 Brentford
West Ham limped to an uninspired 2-0 defeat to Brentford in their last game, which was Nuno’s first home match since taking charge as manager, with the east Londoners completely failing to lay a glove on Keith Andrews’ side who strutted to victory with ease.
The scoreline could’ve been even worse for West Ham, on a night marred by large protests from the Hammers faithful against their club’s ownership. Brentford attempted a whopping 17 shots on goal and found it far too easy on enemy turf, with this performance highlighting exactly why reinforcements are badly needed.
Even though West Ham look soft as butter defensively, almost every supporter is desperate to see Sullivan and Brady go into the market and sign an exciting striker who can provide that needed injection of quality going forward.
WestHamUnited manager GrahamPotter and Callum Wilson celebrate after the match
Callum Wilson, who has a torrid injury record, and the inexperienced Callum Marshall are Nuno’s only natural options right now, forcing the West Ham boss to play Lucas Paqueta as a false nine against Brentford on Monday.
This experiment failed, with Paqueta failing to make an impact and losing possession a whopping 23 times.
Niclas Füllkrug, adding to his extensive list of missed games already for West Ham, is set to be “out for a while” after tearing a muscle bundle in his thigh, so the German cannot be relied upon yet again.
Luckily for Nuno, media sources suggest that West Ham are actively trying to solve their striker conundrum, and a key target emerging for the Irons is £53 million Real Madrid sensation Endrick on loan.
Some reports claim that West Ham are even holding talks with Real over a temporary deal for Endrick already, coming after Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Brazil international is expected to leave on a dry loan.
Given Endrick’s desperation for game time, a temporary stint at West Ham could be perfect for all parties involved, with the 19-year-old still classed as one of Brazil’s most exciting up-and-coming talents.
West Ham in pole position to sign Endrick from Real Madrid
Endrick, thanks in part to fitness issues, hasn’t managed to work his way into the Real starting eleven on a consistent basis, but did score five Copa del Rey goals en route to the final last season, before Los Blancos lost to rivals Barcelona.
The Premier League could be beckoning for a player who’s looking to battle his way into Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the World Cup, and West Ham are looking to take advantage.
According to reports from Spain, West Ham are “leading the race” to secure Endrick on loan, ahead of both Newcastle and Aston Villa.
Nuno’s side have expressed serious interest in bringing the teenage striker to England, and Endrick himself sees a temporary move away as critical for his development.
However, while it is reported by some that discussions have been held, a temporary move to another La Liga side is also factored in as a serious option, so West Ham won’t have a free run at his signature.
Aston Villa were steadily getting back to their best across October.
Indeed, five straight wins had been collected by Unai Emery’s men, with three of those victories falling in October, before a trip to Dutch outfit Go Ahead Eagles fell on the calendar in the Europa League.
Yet, even with Evann Guessand netting after just four minutes had been played, the Eredivisie hosts would collect a surprise 2-1 win come full-time, as Emery and Co. cursed their luck away from Villa Park.
On another night, Villa might well have at least collected a share of the points. Unfortunately, though, Emiliano Buendia noticeably underperformed throughout, with a second-half missed penalty from the ex-Norwich City midfielder only further confirming that it was the hosts’ lucky day.
Buendia's poor showing against Go Ahead Eagles
Before his Europa League hiccup, Buendia had very much shown Emery why he was deserving of more consistent first-team minutes.
It was widely reported this summer that Buendia was on the brink of a move away from the West Midlands, with his future at the club still remaining uncertain if Villa need to cash in on an asset here and there to satisfy PSR troubles.
Despite all this distracting chatter, Buendia had managed to let his football do the talking as of late, with a standout haul of three goals and an assist from 11 appearances.
However, his poor day at the office in the Netherlands does have the potential to trouble his concrete starting position.
The out-of-sorts number ten would spurn another big chance away from missing that vital spot-kick, with Buendia also uncharacteristically sloppy with the ball at his feet, with possession surrendered a worrying 17 times.
Off the back of this individual showing, leaving a sour taste in Emery’s mouth, the Spaniard could look to alternate options in the number ten spot when Premier League action returns, with Morgan Rogers an easy fix here.
He might not be afforded a spot down the left wing, either, with Guessand scoring from this spot on the pitch against Melvin Boel’s hosts, as the ex-OGC Nice forward was in the right place, at the right time, to poke home a rebound.
Emery will want all of his attackers to be as instinctive as the Ivorian when Manchester City come to town next, with this other notable Villa first-teamer fearful of his starting spot subsequently, after another quiet game passed him by mid-week.
Emery must axe Villa star who is "off it"
The former Arsenal boss isn’t blessed with plentiful options in the centre-forward department anymore, with super sub Jhon Duran now plying his trade in the Saudi Pro League, after once being seen as an ideal second-in-command figure.
This has ramped up the pressure on Ollie Watkins’ shoulders, arguably, with his forgettable season so far displaying a striker in clear decline, with talkSPORT’s Troy Deeney even calling out the England international as being way “off it” back in September, when his goal output had already begun to disastrously dry up.
Games played
12
Minutes played
822
Goals scored
1
Assists
0
Since this scathing assessment from the former Watford centre-forward, Watkins has only gone on to pick up an unsatisfactory one strike for the Villans from 12 matches, with Emery clearly losing patience with his usual reliable starter when benching him last time out in the Premier League against Tottenham Hotspur.
Villa didn’t look lost without their 88-goal man leading the line, either, with ex-Borussia Dortmund man Donyell Malen filling in as the main marksman somewhat competently, as the likes of the aforementioned Rogers and Buendia stole the show with goals from the midfield areas.
Watkins didn’t exactly bang the door down to reclaim his top-flight starting spot with his shoddy showing against Go Ahead Eagles, with what should have been a confidence-boosting night only sapping the 29-year-old’s belief even more, as three shots failed to find the back of the net from his minimal 17 touches of the ball.
Guessand might even be the face that Emery chooses to start up top against Pep Guardiola’s challengers, if he wants to experiment away from a goalless Malen, with eight goals actually collected by the versatile Ivorian from this position for Nice, as Watkins fears another spot warming the bench is going to come his way later today.
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Celtic full-back Colby Donovan is the current poster boy for the pathway from the B team to the first-team at Parkhead with his emergence this season.
Injuries to Alistair Johnston and Anthony Ralston convinced Brendan Rodgers to bring the 19-year-old right-back into the senior squad to fill in for several matches.
The Scotland U21 international started against Kilmarnock, Partick Thistle, Red Star Belgrade, and Braga before being left out of the matchday squad for the 3-2 win over Motherwell last time out.
Whilst he may not have been too pleased with dropping out of the squad last weekend in the Scottish Premiership, Donovan was delighted after he made his full European debut against Red Star Belgrade.
His appearances across all competitions in the 2025/26 campaign do show that Rodgers is prepared to bring through young players if they are ready and there is a space in the team to play them.
One position that the head coach could look to fill by utilising the B team is the number six position, as he starts to look to life beyond captain Callum McGregor.
Why Celtic may need to replace Callum McGregor
At the age of 32, the former Scotland international is not yet at the retirement stage or the point where Celtic have to worry about him becoming unplayable.
However, there have been some concerning performances at the start of this season that suggest that the veteran central midfielder’s influence on the team may be waning.
The left-footed star has never been the most powerful or intense player out of possession, due to his relaxed and composed nature in the number six position, but that has worked to his detriment this season.
Appearances
35
7
Goals
8
0
Assists
3
0
Ground duel success rate
54%
46%
Fouls committed
0.4
1.6
Fouls won
0.6
0.4
As you can see in the table above, McGregor’s physical output is down in comparison to the 2024/25 campaign in the Premiership, losing the majority of his ground duels and committing four times as many fouls per match on average.
This suggests that the captain has been a little off the pace in the league this term, as opposition players have been sharper than him to win duels and force him into committing fouls on them, whilst he has not provided as much of a threat in front of goal at the other end of the pitch.
The Scottish midfielder has also lost 64% of his duels in the first two outings in the Europa League, per Sofascore, losing 62% of his ground duels and 100% of his aerial battles.
With this in mind, Rodgers may start to think about what life will look like once McGregor is not a guaranteed starter, whilst also considering adding competition for his place.
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Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
One option could be to look to the academy to find a long-term replacement for the captain, as well as competition for his position in the short-term.
19-year-old Jude Bonnar, who is on loan at Ayr United, may be a player supporters would earmark as a McGregor successor from the youth team, but he has played on the wing and as an attack-minded midfielder, which may not suit the number six role.
The Celtic youngster who could replace Callum McGregor
Samuel Isiguzo, unlike Bonnar, has experience playing as a defender and as a central midfielder, per Transfermarkt, which may put him in a better place to develop into a holding midfielder or the Hoops.The 18-year-old star is typically deployed in a central midfield position, where McGregor plays, and has caught the eye in the early stages of the 2025/26 campaign.
Isiguzo, who can play in defence, as a wide midfielder, or as a central midfielder, has scored five goals and provided one assist in 16 appearances in all competitions for the academy this term, per Transfermarkt.
The teenage talent, who scored four goals in 13 outings in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, has shown that he has a knack for scoring goals from a midfield position, as McGregor did last season with his eight-goal haul in the Premiership.
Isiguzo, who was praised for his “dangerous” play by journalist Josh McCafferty, could also be the heir to McGregor’s position in the team because of his leadership skills.
The 18-year-old starlet has captained the B team in 13 of his 16 appearances this season, which shows that he is a respected leader at youth level who can lead by example and rally the troops, as the current first-team captain does.
Of course, there is a difference between captaining a youth team in front of a small crowd, if any crowd at all, and captaining Celtic on European nights with thousands of fans in attendance, but it does show that Isiguzo has the leadership potential.
With Bonnar out on loan and potentially suiting a number eight role more, the Scottish youngster could be the player to look to give McGregor some competition for his place this season.
Academy graduates used
2
3
Academy graduate appearances
5
4
Academy graduate starts
0
0
Academy graduate minutes
90
25
As you can see in the table above, Rodgers has not given loads of opportunities to young players in recent seasons, but Donovan’s emergence in recent weeks shows that the manager is not completely against bringing through academy talent.
Therefore, Isiguzo could be an interesting player to watch out for in the coming months if the Hoops end up in a position where they feel that McGregor needs a rest, as the B team star could step in as a natural replacement.
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Ireland completed their highest successful chase of 268 off the last ball of the game and with one wicket in hand
Firdose Moonda18-Apr-2025Scotland and Ireland signed off from the women’s World Cup Qualifier with a thriller that saw Ireland complete their highest successful ODI chase, off the last ball of the game and with one wicket in hand, and knock Scotland out of contention of the World Cup. Both teams finished on four points.The result left the race for the second World Cup qualifier spot down to two teams on the final day of the tournament, where Bangladesh play already-qualified Pakistan and West Indies meet Thailand. Bangladesh are currently in second place and have some wriggle room. They do not need to beat Pakistan to qualify, and could get there with a loss, provided West Indies do not go past their net run-rate. West Indies must beat Thailand by a big margin in order to give themselves a chance of going through.Both Scotland and Ireland would be disappointed at missing out, especially after Scotland beat West Indies in their opener and were in the mix going into this game. They needed to beat Ireland to stay in contention and gave themselves as good a chance as they could after posting their highest ODI score of 268 for 7.Captain Kathryn Bryce was the architect of the total, scoring her first ODI century to help Scotland recover from 19 for 3 in the powerplay to set Ireland a challenging target. Bryce has also scored two half-centuries in the qualifier and with 293 runs, is the leading run-scorer.
A look back at an absolute thriller of a contest played out between Ireland and Scotland https://t.co/KMnXcoN5zB
— ICC (@ICC) April 18, 2025
Her innings was a wonderful mix of accuracy and aggression as she pierced gaps in the field and struck 14 fours and two sixes, mostly through the covers and over midwicket. Bryce shared in four half-century stands: a run-a-ball 62 with Ailsa Lister, 65 with Katherine Fraser, 51 with Priyanaz Chatterji, and 52 off 30 balls with Rachel Slater, who was with her when her hundred came up. Bryce got there with a slash over the covers off the 122nd ball she faced. She went on to score 31 more runs off the next 15 deliveries and showed off an excellent ability to accelerate at the death.Ireland’s prospects of reaching the World Cup were gone after their third loss earlier in the week and they approached their innings like a side with nothing to lose. Sarah Forbes and Gaby Lewis put on 109 for the first wicket and Forbes went on to her first ODI fifty to set Ireland up well. Forbes was run out when she ran from the non-striker’s end almost to Lewis, who had swept and turned down the single, but it was too late to send Forbes back. Amy Hunter was caught behind two balls later and Lewis, on 61, followed in the same fashion and Scotland were clawing their way back.[File photo] Gaby Lewis top-scored for Ireland with 61•BCCIOrla Prendergast looked good for her 33 but popped a simple catch to Lister at mid-on in the 35th over, with Ireland still 89 runs away from victory. Scotland dismissed Leah Paul, Louise Little and Sophie MacMahon in the space of 23 deliveries and at 209 for 7, Ireland looked out of the game. But Laura Delany had not yet had her full say. She had No. 8 Jane Maguire for company and they put on 53 runs for the eighth wicket to leave Scotland scrambling.Delany reached fifty off 55 balls at the end of the 47th over, with Ireland still needing 20 runs off the last 18 balls. Byrce took matters into her own hands. She already had figures of 2 for 37 from seven overs and brought herself on to bowl the 48th and 50th over. She conceded seven runs in the 48th over. Ireland needed 13 from 12. Slater was tasked with the penultimate over and six runs were scored off her first five balls before she had Maguire caught on the leg-side boundary as she tried to leave as little as possible to do in the last over. Maguire was dismissed for a career-best 28 and Ireland seven to win off the last over.It was all up to Bryce. She started with a dot ball to Delany and then gave away a single which brought the new batter, No. 10, Ava Canning, on strike. She took guard on middle stump, Bryce bowled it on that line and Canning scooped the ball out to long-on, where a diving fielder could not get to it in time to haul it in. That boundary left Ireland needing two runs off the last three balls and still Bryce wasn’t done. She bowled Canning, who played a loose drive, and Ireland needed two off two. Cara Murray padded the ball to the off side and Ireland ran one to level scores. With tensions running high, Delany tried to flick the final ball, missed and it trickled off her pad, but she ran with all she had to seal Ireland’s win in the most epic of Celtic clashes.
If Arsenal’s biggest flaw this season has been that they came undone at Anfield due to a late set-piece that unravelled plenty of good work beforehand, Mikel Arteta must be pretty chipper about his team’s chances.
And not just in the Premier League. Arsenal beat Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon to return to winning ways, piling the pressure back on Liverpool, taking first place, albeit on goal difference, albeit having played a game more.
Forest, newly led by Ange Postecoglou, were no match for the Gunners, who won with ease at the Emirates thanks to a brace from Martin Zubimendi and a tap-in from Viktor Gyokeres after fine work from Eberechi Eze.
New recruits all, and players who look set to play pivotal roles for many years in north London, and that’s without even mentioning 21-year-old centre-back Cristhian Mosquera, who was immense against the Tricky Trees.
Mosquera's performance vs Forest
Arsenal’s transfer chief Andrea Berta signed Mosquera from Valencia in July for an initial €15m (about £13m) fee, packing in some more depth to complement the world-class surface of the club’s defensive ranks.
But the Spaniard proved against Postecoglou’s side that he’s not just here to make up numbers, hailed in fact as “one of the best signings in the PL” by pundit Leo DaSilva, who was speaking on the Gunners’ shrewd summer business.
According to Sofascore, Mosquera won both of his ground duels and matched Gabriel Magalhaes’ defensive numbers, looking commanding in the air and stepping in with some key defensive contributions.
It’s rather clear that the £13m price tag will soon look a bargain, if it is not already. Soon, Mosquera might just find himself pressing against Arsenal’s elite and demanding a regular starting berth of his own.
He’s not the only one. Bukayo Saka has been out injured for the past few weeks, and he will be unavailable for several more matches. Even so, the attacking talisman’s absence hasn’t been too keenly felt, with Noni Madueke thriving in his place.
Arsenal have hit the jackpot on Madueke
Madueke has been around in the Premier League for a while, but the 23-year-old ebbed and flowed at Chelsea and perhaps has shown signs throughout his first month at Arsenal of progression.
Certainly, he’s needed to step up, with Saka’s injury fast-tracking him into a role of significance. And he’s up to the task. Yet to get off the mark, Madueke has looked dangerous and purposeful in Saka’s stead, creating five key passes and winning nine duels against Nottingham Forest alone.
Football.london handed Madueke a staggering 9/10 match rating after the win, drawing attention to his technical skills and his tenacity across the 90 minutes.
Saka is peerless, but Madueke’s recent showings suggest he can deputise perfectly. Let’s look at how the two compare.
PL 25/26 – Madueke vs Saka
Stats (* per game)
Madueke
Saka
Matches (starts)
4 (3)
2 (2)
Goals
0
1
Assists
0
0
Touches*
34.5
33.5
Pass completion
73%
90%
Big chances created
1
0
Key passes*
2.0
1.5
Dribbles*
1.5
1.5
Ball recoveries*
2.0
3.0
Tackles*
0.8
1.5
Duels won*
4.0
3.5
Data via Sofascore
The data pool is limited, to be sure, but it still emphasises the exciting start to Madueke’s Arsenal career, so confident when carrying the ball forward and taking on opponents and looking to create openings for his teammates.
Berta might have shelled out £48.5m for Chelsea’s rising winger, but that hasn’t stopped content creator Rory Cook from remarking that Arsenal “might’ve underpaid” for the versatile forward, who has since excelled on Three Lions duty and indeed looks a star in the making at the Emirates.
In any case, Arsenal have certainly struck gold on their new winger, who has yet to tap into his full potential and who has undoubtedly proven himself worthy of a starting role in this Arsenal team.
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While they might not always be the biggest spenders, Arsenal have made some huge signings over the years.
For example, Viktor Gyokeres’ arrival earlier this summer felt like it could be a needle mover; Declan Rice, a couple of years ago, was, and then, while he didn’t cost as much, Alexis Sanchez was a real coup when he joined.
However, when it comes to headline-grabbing transfers, none can claim the top spot off of Mesut Özil, as his arrival in 2013 is still one of the most memorable moments in the club’s modern history.
So, fans should be delighted that it now looks like Mikel Arteta is about to sign his own Ozil.
Arsenal target their new Özil
So far, it would be fair to say that Arsenal are having a great summer regarding transfers, as so far, new Sporting Director Andrea Berta has made six first-team additions.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Moreover, while the Gyokeres and Martin Zubimendi are the most exciting signings thus far, the Italian has made sure to fill in the gaps in the rest of the squad, with the likes of Noni Madueke, Christian Norgaard and Cristhian Mosquera.
However, instead of calling it quits there, the club now look set to make potentially the most exciting signing yet, one that could be seen as Arteta’s Ozil moment.
At least that is according to a recent report from The Standard’s Dom Smith, who has reaffirmed the news that Arsenal are now in pole position to secure Eberechi Eze.
In fact, Smith has revealed that the club-to-club details are “all agreed” and that the Crystal Palace star, who is an Arsenal fan, is now set to have his medical and sign his contract at some point on Friday, despite looking set to join North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday afternoon.
Having previously been in the Gunners academy until he was 13, at which point he was released, this is quite the sequence of events for a player who loves Arsenal.
It looks like the Englishman will cost Arsenal around £60m, and while that is a lot, it’s probably fair value for someone as talented as Eze, especially as he could be Arteta’s Ozil.
Why Eze could be the next Ozil
While fans will be hoping Eze’s Arsenal career ends in a better way than Ozil’s did, there are some significant similarities between them.
The first one relates to their transfers, as, despite being a world-class player at the time, fans had little to no idea that the German was moving to the Emirates until it was announced outside the stadium on Sky Sports News, much to the delight of the delirious fans that had gathered around the reporter to hear the news.
Now, the Crystal Palace star hasn’t officially been announced yet, but there was a similar euphoric reaction from the fans to David Ornstein’s surprise report that the club were after him last night.
That delirium was only intensified by Fabrizio Romano’s ‘here we go’ and the simple fact that Berta and Co look to have successfully hijacked the international star from Spurs.
On top of the nature of the transfer being similar to the former Real Madrid star’s, there is also a similar sense that the 27-year-old has the talent to be just as much of a game-changer for the Gunners.
Appearances
43
Minutes
3303′
Goals
14
Assists
11
Goal Involvements per Match
0.58
Minutes per Goal Involvement
132.12′
For example, despite playing for a mid-table side last season, the Greenwich-born “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes.
In other words, the £100k-per-week superstar managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.
That’s not all though, as the former QPR gem has also proven he can handle the biggest games and the biggest stages, as he scored in the quarter-final, semi-final and final of Palace’s triumphant FA Cup run last season.
Ultimately, while he isn’t the exact same type of player, the incredible way in which Arsenal secured his signature and the impact he could have on this team mean Eze could be seen as Arteta’s Ozil.
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Brendan Rodgers has not tried to keep his desire for the Celtic board to bring in more attackers before the end of the summer transfer window a secret.
The Northern Irish head coach has lost Portuguese winger Jota to a long-term ACL injury, and may not have him back until the start of next year, whilst Nicolas Kuhn has been sold to Italian side Como.
Nicolas Kuhn
Speaking earlier this month, Rodgers said: “I think it’s very clear. We need to improve in the front end of the pitch. The attacking department has always, and always will be, the strengths of my teams. We’ve lost important players in that area, and we need to replace players in that area.”
This shows that the Hoops head coach wants to add more attacking players in before September’s deadline, and the wide areas seem an obvious area for improvement.
At this moment in time, James Forrest, Hyun-jun Yang, and Daizen Maeda are the only senior and natural wingers in the squad for what could be a 50-60-game season.
The Scottish Premiership champions need to strengthen their options on the flanks, both because of their lack of depth and their lack of real quality.
Why Celtic need to sign a James Forrest upgrade
Forrest was called upon as a starter in the second game of the league season against Aberdeen after Rodgers was left unconvinced by Yang’s display against St Mirren on the opening day.
The 34-year-old winger is a steady performer for Celtic and will rarely let the team down with abysmal displays, but he is not a game-changer who will consistently make an impact in the final third, and nor should anyone expect him to be at this stage in his career.
Since the start of the 2024/25 campaign, Forrest has only scored one goal and provided seven assists in 36 appearances in all competitions for the Hoops, per Transfermarkt.
Celtic winger James Forrest.
The former Scotland international’s performances in the first two matches of the Premiership outline the kind of role he should have, and the level of output that he can offer at this point in his career.
Minutes
32
78
Key passes
0
2
Big chances created
0
0
Shots on target
0
0
Dribbles completed
0/0
3/5
Possession lost
11x
9x
As you can see in the table above, Forrest did not produce a single shot on target or create any ‘big chances’ for his teammates in either match, but did complete three dribbles and rarely lost possession of the ball.
This further backs up the idea that he should be used sparingly as a back-up option for Rodgers, as was his role in the 2024/25 campaign, rather than being a frontline option because of a lack of signings made in the transfer window.
That is why Celtic need to sign a new winger to be an upgrade on Forrest as a starter, and the club have reportedly identified a top target for that position.
Celtic pursuing deal for Danish star
According to Football Insider, Rodgers is ‘desperate’ to sign a new winger for Celtic and the Hoops have identified Jakbo Breum as their top target to bolster their options out wide.
Speaking to Football Insider, journalist Pete O’Rourke said: “Celtic are pursuing a deal for Jakob Breum from Go Ahead Eagles. He has been the top target for them this summer and they’ve had several bids turned down for him.
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“So if they can’t agree a deal for him, they could return for Balikwisha. Brendan Rodgers wants to bring in a winger, it’s been a key position for him this summer, so he’ll be hopeful they can get a deal over the line.”
Go Ahead Eagles reportedly want a fee of £5m for the Denmark U21 international, but it remains to be seen whether or not the Hoops are prepared to pay that asking price for him.
Brendan Rodgers
Breum is the top target, though, per O’Rourke, and they should push the boat out to pay what is needed to sign him if they feel that he would be the best fit for the squad.
Why Breum would be an upgrade on Forrest
The Danish star is a versatile attacker who can play as a number ten or on either flank, and the Hoops could utilise his talent out on the right wing as an upgrade on Forrest.
Breum would come in and offer more quality at the top end of the pitch as both a scorer and a creator of goals in comparison to the veteran Scotsman, if he can adapt to football in Scotland and translate his performances from the Netherlands over to Glasgow.
The 21-year-old wizard, who was described as an “exciting” talent by Sport Republic video scout RDF Tactics, caught the eye with his impressive performances in the Eredivisie for Go Ahead Eagles in the 2024/25 campaign.
Breum showcased his ability to make an impact as both a scorer and a creator of goals by delivering five assists and scoring ten goals in 26 league appearances for the club, significantly outperforming his xG of 6.27.
Appearances
26
23
Goals
10
1
Big chances missed
4
4
Key passes per game
1.7
1.1
Big chances created
6
5
Assists
5
5
Dribble success rate
47%
38%
As you can see in the table above, the Danish talent outperformed Forrest with his output at the top end of the pitch, despite playing for a Go Ahead Eagles side that finished seventh in the division.
In a dominant Celtic team that consistently wins, as evidenced by their achievement of winning the last four Premiership titles, Breum could have even more opportunities to show off his quality in front of goal as both a finisher and a creative passer.
This means that the £5m-rated star could provide even more goals and assists than he did in the Eredivisie with Go Ahead Eagles, which is why he could be a big upgrade on Forrest, who he already delivered more goal contributions than at league level last term.
At the age of 21, Breum would also arrive at Parkhead as a young player who still has time left ahead of him. This means that Rodgers could work with him on the training pitch to develop and hone his skills to make him a star for the Hoops moving forward.
Celtic could avenge Kvistgaarden miss with swoop for "flamboyant" £7m star
Celtic could avenge their Mathias Kvistgaarden blunder with a swoop to sign this star.
Manchester City star Jeremy Doku was baptised almost immediately after the club's 3-0 win over Manchester United on Sunday. The winger enjoyed a dazzling display at the Etihad as Pep Guardiola's side won comfortably, and Doku claimed that the day was 'already a victory' before the whistle blew against Ruben Amorim's side.
Doku dazzles at Etihad
Per The Sun, the Belgium international left the Etihad for his baptism ceremony. Doku enjoyed a stunning display against United, providing two assists, and it appears that his appointment with a church font inspired him ahead of the game's start.
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Proving a point
Doku has endured mixed fortunes to begin the season, and the clash with United was only his second start of four games. He has yet to complete 90 minutes, but his two assists against City's biggest rivals can only help his chances of becoming indispensable under Pep Guardiola.
Doku's 'victory' before kick-off
Doku was clearly excited about the ceremony, telling reporters: “If I can be honest, this was for me already a victory.
“Why? Because I knew that after the game I'm going to be baptised.
“Maybe that's why I felt like I was pushed. That's why I'm very happy with the performance as well.”
He added: “You can do that as a kid but normally it's meant for when you're older and you really realise what you're doing, so that's what I'm going to do.
“I was already excited before the game because I knew that this is a victory day.”
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Hoping for guidance
Doku, a man of faith, will now be hoping that the man upstairs gives he and City all the help they need to return to the top of the table. They are already six points behind Liverpool after just four games.
Roberto Martinez's side kicked-off their World Cup qualifying campaign in style on an emotional evening
Cristiano Ronaldo led the way as Portugal swept aside Armenia in a 5-0 World Cup qualifying victory on Saturday. The 40-year-old icon struck once in either half and was too much for the Armenian defence to handle as the Selecao registered a convincing victory in their first match since the untimely passing of Diogo Jota.
It was Ronaldo's new Al-Nassr team-mate Joao Felix who opened the scoring in the 10th minute from a Joao Cancelo cross, heading home to set Roberto Martinez's side on their way. Eleven minutes later it was two, as Ronaldo diverted home an in-swinging Pedro Neto delivery with one touch of his prolific right boot. With the result already inevitable, Cancelo then turned goal-scorer as the Al-Hilal full-back powered home from the centre of the penalty area.
Just 45 seconds into the second half, Portugal had a fourth and it was Ronaldo again, this time with the best goal of the lot. After a defender turned aside Joao Neves' through ball, Ronaldo struck a sweet half-volley from 25 yards which flew past goalkeeper Henri Avagyan and high into the net. Despite coming close to netting a hat-trick on a couple of occasions and laying on the ball for Neves to strike the post, the ex-Real Madrid was then withdrawn in the 57th minute. Instead it was left to Felix to round out the scoring with an audacious scorpion flick.
GOAL rates Portugal's players from Hanrapetakan Stadium…
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Diogo Costa (7/10):
Kept a clean sheet but in truth had little to do on the day.
Joao Cancelo (8/10):
Registered a goal and an assist and was a constant thorn in Armenia's side with his creativity and quality on the ball. Had less to do from a defensive standpoint, but the 31-year-old was solid at both ends of the pitch.
Ruben Dias (6/10):
Similarly to his goalkeeper, Dias was solid at the back without needing to make many game-changing contributions.
Goncalo Inacio (6/10):
Making his 17th international appearance, the Sporting CP centre-back had a comfortable afternoon at the back alongside Dias.
Nuno Mendes (6/10):
A steady if not spectacular performance from arguably the world's best left-back in 2025.
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Joao Neves (7/10):
Worked hard as ever in midfield, breaking forward at will as Portugal mounted attack after attack. Could – and possibly should – have scored after Ronaldo laid the ball on a plate for him in the second half.
Vitinha (7/10):
Controlled the ball in the midfield in a confident performance.
Bruno Fernandes (6/10):
Not quite a game-changing display from the Manchester United captain, but it didn't need to be. Tried to get himself into the box to cause a threat for the Armenian defence and was inches away from a tap-in on a couple of occasions.
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Pedro Neto (5/10):
Did little to impose himself on the game and was withdrawn at half-time to be replaced by Trincao.
Cristiano Ronaldo (9/10):
The Portugal icon scored twice, showing two different sides of his finishing ability with a poacher's goal and a long-range piledriver. Could have had a hat-trick on another day.
Joao Felix (8/10):
Linked up well with new club team-mate Ronaldo and scored twice to bookend the game.
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Francisco Trincao (5/10):
Came on at the break and made slightly more of an impact than Neto as Portugal eased through much of the second period with the game already won.
Nuno Tavares (6/10):
Came on for Mendes and played in a couple of dangerous crosses as Portugal continued to create opportunities late on.
Goncalo Ramos (6/10):
Got himself into goal-scoring positions after his introduction for Ronaldo.
Pedro Goncalves (6/10):
Replaced Felix and had some nice touches in and around the penalty area as Portugal looked to cause more havoc. Was presented with what appeared a simple chance to score after a poor back-pass, but Avagyan made an improbable save.
Joao Palhinha (N/A):
Came on with just over 10 minutes to play to shore up the midfield.
Roberto Martinez (8/10):
Started with a strong side and that proved a smart choice, as the game was won very quickly in the first half. Martinez withdrew key men such as Ronaldo in the second half and utilised his squad well.