يخوض الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، مواجهة قوية أمام أورلاندو بايراتس الجنوب إفريقي اليوم السبت، في اللقاء الذي يجمع بينهما ضمن منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال إفريقيا.
وتقام المباراة بين الأهلي وأورلاندو، في إطار لقاءات الجولة السادسة والأخيرة من مرحلة المجموعات بالبطولة القارية، على أرضية استاد القاهرة.
يأتي الأهلي في المجموعة الثالثة في دوري أبطال إفريقيا، إلى جانب فرق شباب بلوزداد الجزائري، واستاد أبيدجان الإيفواري، وأورلاندو بايرتس الجنوب إفريقي.
ويحتاج الأهلي للفوز وحصد النقاط الثلاث من أجل التأهل كمتصدر للمجموعة إلى منافسات دور ربع النهائي من دوري أبطال إفريقيا.
وسبق للأهلي أن لعب سبع مباريات مع أورلاندو بايرتس، منها خمس مباريات في دوري أبطال إفريقيا، فاز الأحمر في مباراة واحدة وتعادل في مواجهتين وخسر في 3 لقاءات، أحرز لاعبوه 6 أهداف وتلقت شباكه 9 أهداف. موعد مباراة الأهلي وأورلاندو اليوم في دوري أبطال إفريقيا
وتقام المباراة بين الأهلي وأورلاندو، في تمام السادسة مساءً بتوقيت القاهرة والسابعة مساءً بتوقيت السعودية.
فيديو | الأهلي يسقط بثنائية أمام أورلاندو ويفرط في الصدارة بـ دوري أبطال إفريقيا القنوات الناقلة لمباراة الأهلي وأورلاندو بايرتس اليوم
وتنقل المباراة بين الأهلي وأورلاندو بايرتس عبر قناة beIN Sports HD 6 وكذلك تايم سبورت الأرضية. معلق مباراة الأهلي وأورلاندو بايرتس اليوم
وتقرر أحمد عبده من أجل التعليق على أحداث المباراة بين الأهلي وأورلاندو بايرتس.
ويُمكنكم متابعة أحداث مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنــــا.
Respected transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that a 28-year-old "can be considered an Arsenal player on a permanent transfer" in 2024.
Who have Arsenal signed 2023?
The north Londoners were very busy in the most recent summer transfer window, backing manager Mikel Arteta with an array of impressive additions. Spending north of £200 million on the quartet of club-record signing Declan Rice, Netherlands international Jurrien Timber, former Chelsea star Kai Havertz and loanee goalkeeper David Raya, their ambition in the market has contributed to Arsenal's excellent Premier League start.
Arteta's side sit joint-top of the league with cross-town rivals Tottenham; boasting an identical unbeaten record of six wins from their opening eight matches. Rice has played exceptionally since joining from West Ham for around £105 million, while Raya has managed to usurp long-standing number one Aaron Ramsdale in-between the Emirates Stadium sticks.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta.
Ramsdale, speaking to the media recently (via 90min), revealed that the Spaniard even helps to pick him up when he's feeling deflated in training; as the pair push eachother to be ready for the Arsenal challenge.
"We work professionally really well together" said Ramsdale. "We push each other in training and there's days where I come in and I'm down because of the situation and he picks me up.
"And for whatever reason there might be a day where he's down and even though I'm suffering and hurting for not playing I have to stand up and be able to push him and make sure he's ready for the weekend if he’s picked to play."
David Raya transfer update
Raya is said to be impressing Arteta behind-the-scenes in north London, with the Gunners boss apparently "very happy" over his start to life. That is according to reliable transfer reporter Romano, who shared a Raya transfer update this week. Speaking on the Here We Go podcast, the journalist claims that while the former Blackburn keeper is only here on a temporary deal as things stand, Raya "can be considered an Arsenal player on a permanent transfer" next year.
“David Raya is very happy at Arsenal," said Romano. "We had an interview with Aaron Ramsdale in the Daily Mail about wanting to get back into the team.
"At the same time, David Raya is doing very well, Mikel Arteta is very happy with Raya, the feeling since they closed the deal is that it’s a loan deal, but all parties believe this formula was agreed just for Financial Fair Play and that in reality Raya can be considered an Arsenal player on a permanent transfer starting in 2024."
The shot-stopper has provided great competition at Arsenal since joining from Brentford, and has been hailed for his "very aggressive" style of goalkeeping.
"You can't have a strong mentality if you don't have any setbacks," said Bees boss Thomas Frank. "I know setbacks are different to a lot of people, but his clear and obvious abilities in terms of playing with his feet, high position, very aggressive in terms of his positioning and going for crosses, he definitely deserves this."
Since being promoted to the Premier League, Aston Villa have rarely been clear of trouble at the bottom, putting their supporters through a nerve-jangling campaign filled with relegation six-pointers.
It looked as though a similar narrative would play out in their last campaign as Villa were in 16th position under Steven Gerrard before the arrival of Unai Emery revived their season.
The four-time Europa League winner took them from the threat of relegation, utilising his managerial expertise to get the best out of every inch of his squad which saw them finish the season in a remarkable seventh place.
With Villa gearing up for another assault towards Europe, their rapid rise back to the top of English football is a testament to how quickly things can change in football.
In the two years that Steve Bruce was in charge between 2016 and 2018, he was expected to lead the Villans back to the promised land, but the man with four top-flight promotions on his CV ultimately failed to deliver that aim.
He was sacked in October 2018 with the club stranded in mid-table, leaving a trail of disastrous transfer dealings behind him with one of the few exceptions being the acquisition of John McGinn, a player who has been instrumental in their rise.
How much did Aston Villa pay for John McGinn?
While the veteran manager won't be remembered fondly by Villa fans – they will always be thankful for one thing – McGinn.
Having made several mishaps in the transfer window during his time at Villa Park, including the decision to shell out £12m on Scott Hogan, Bruce's final permanent signing – a £2.7m deal to sign the Scotland international from Hibernian in 2018 – proved to be his best.
During that summer, McGinn's boyhood club, Celtic, were chasing a deal to sign him and usually, when a player gets a chance to play for the club they support, they snap your hand off, however, Bruce had something special up his sleeve and used every inch of persuasion to lure him to Villa Park.
Speaking about how he managed to secure his services, he said: "How we got him out of Celtic, I don’t know because his grandfather was the chairman. It took a couple of games of golf at the Belfry with his dad until we could muster the money together."
Celtic's manager at the time, Brendan Rodgers, would be left bitterly disappointed that McGinn chose the Villans over his boyhood club with Bruce labelling this masterstroke as his "best ever signing", which is a testament to his achievements in claret and blue.
Is John McGinn an Aston Villa legend?
Since arriving at the club five years ago, the 28-year-old has been ever-present in every manager's plans, as Bruce, Dean Smith, Steven Gerrard and Emery have all taken a huge liking to the energetic midfielder.
Instrumental in their promotion to the Premier League in 2019 and now starring on the European stage, the "exceptional" McGinn – as dubbed by his former manager Smith – has gone from strength to strength since making the switch to Villa Park and while an influx of talent arrived this summer, the Scottish live wire has remained a constant fixture in Emery's starting XI.
John-mcginn-aston-villa
Repaying the faith shown in him by scoring a 94th-minute winner against Bosnian side Zrinjski in their Europa Conference League clash last Thursday night, it's this sort of magic from McGinn that has etched him into Villa folklore.
While he has an influence on the pitch with his boundless amounts of energy, aggression and tenacity to win possession back for his team and cover every blade of grass, McGinn has also impressed his manager since stepping into the role as captain last year.
Hailed as a "perfect role model" by Emery, the midfielder's standards rarely ever drop and as per Sofascore, has recorded an average rating of 7.03 this season, recovered 3.8 balls, and made 1.1 tackles per game.
The £55k per-week dynamo, who has chalked up 46 goal contributions in 196 appearances for Villa, has also impressed with the creative side of his game this term, ranking in the top 7% against his positional peers in the Premier League for crosses into the penalty area and top 17% for passes into the penalty area, progressive passes and passes into the final third, as per FBref.
Demonstrating that he's the hub of Emery's creativity, despite the riches that have been spent this summer, if McGinn – who is now valued at £32m – can captain Villa to European glory by producing further match-winning moments, there is no doubt he'll be crowned as an Aston Villa legend once he hangs up his boots.
Southampton were relegated from the Premier League down to the Championship after an 11-year stint at the top level at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
The Saints enjoyed many years in the top-flight and enjoyed some adventures on the European stage, which included a 2-1 win against Inter at St. Mary's in 2016.
They were able to use their position within the division, and when they were in Europe, to splash the cash on new signings to bolster their squad.
Who are Southampton's most expensive signings?
Tino Livramento
£22.6m*
Danny Ings
£21.7m
Kamaldeen Sulemana
£21.6m
Jannik Vestergaard
£21.6m
Sadio Mane
£19.8m
*Includes the sell-on fee that Chelsea received from his move to Newcastle United this summer.
As you can see in the table above, Southampton have been willing to shell out millions on players over the years but they have not always been able to unearth a success like Sadio Mane or Danny Ings.
One signing the club had a nightmare with was their deal to sign central midfielder Mario Lemima from Italian giants Juventus in the summer of 2017.
How much did Southampton pay for Lemina?
The Saints reportedly splashed out an initial £15.4m to sign the Gabon international from the Serie A side, in a move that could have cost up to £18.1m including add-ons.
Vice-chairman, at the time, Les Reed hailed the midfield maestro as an "outstanding" player and stated that the signing was a "statement" of intent from the club as he had featured in the Champions League final for his former team earlier that year.
The fee that the club paid was just shy of the then-club-record £16m they spent to sign Sofiane Boufal from Lille the previous year, which illustrates how expensive Lemina was at the time.
Former Juventus midfielder Mario Lemina.
He arrived at St. Mary's off the back of a season as a rotation option for Juventus.
The 6-foot technician averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.92 across 19 Serie A appearances and only started eight matches.
Lemina produced 1.9 tackles and interceptions per game and came out on top in 50% of his individual duels to go along with one goal and one assist, as per Sofascore.
His best form for Juventus, however, came during the 2015/16 campaign.
The Gabon international averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.26 across ten league outings and contributed with an eye-catching 3.9 tackles and interceptions per match, which only Claudio Marchisio (4.9) was able to better within the squad.
He also showcased his impressive ability in possession with 2.2 dribbles per game and a sublime success rate of 96%. This shows that opposition players found it almost impossible to dispossess the central midfielder when he had the ball at his feet and was moving up the pitch.
These performances were seemingly convincing enough to make Southampton spend a significant amount of money on his services ahead of the 2017/18 Premier League campaign, with Reed and then-manager Mauricio Pellegrino bringing him to England.
How many appearances did Lemina make for Southampton?
The 30-year-old flop made 52 appearances for the Saints in all competitions over the course of his four-year stay on the south coast.
Lemina did, however, enjoy a fantastic debut season with the club as he became an instant success with his consistently impressive displays in the middle of the park.
The Gabon international averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 across 25 top-flight outings and caught the eye with his defensive and ball-carrying attributes.
Former Southampton midfielder Mario Lemina.
He made 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game and showcased his strength with a duel success rate of 61%, as per Sofascore, which showed that opposition players rarely got the better of him in physical contests.
Out of every player with at least five Premier League appearances, only Oriol Romeu (2.7) made more tackles per match than Lemina (2.2) as the ex-Old Lady ace displayed his ability to win possession back for his side on a regular basis.
The former Marseille star once again showed off his dribbling skills with 2.2 successful dribbles and an excellent success rate of 89% across the top-flight campaign.
However, Lemina's form dipped throughout the following season as the central midfielder averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.89 over 21 appearances and only won 53% of his battles, to go along with 1.1 dribbles at a success rate of 64%.
His performance regressing over the course of the 2018/19 campaign led to loan moves to Galatasaray and Fulham over the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons respectively.
How much did Southampton sell Lemina for?
Southampton eventually sold the former Juventus maestro to Ligue 1 side Nice for a reported fee of €5.5m (£4.8m) in the summer of 2021.
This means that his value dropped by a staggering £10.6m throughout his four-year spell at St. Mary's, from the initial £15.4m that the club paid to sign him from Italy.
He was never able to follow up on his impressive first season on the south coast and ultimately turned out to be a poor signing as they did not get much value back on or off the pitch.
Therefore, Reed had a mare with the signing of the ex-Marseille gem in the summer of 2017 and he may look back on that as one of his worst pieces of business during his time at the club.
Where is Lemina now?
The central midfielder, who was once hailed as "combative" by journalist Josh Bunting, is currently playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League after his move to the Molineux from Nice in January of this year.
Wolves midfielder Mario Lemina.
He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.85 across six top-flight matches so far this season and has completed 0.8 dribbles with a success rate of 50%. The former Juventus dynamo has also lost 51% of his individual duels for Gary O'Neil's side so far this term.
These statistics suggest that Lemina has not been able to get back to the levels that he showed during the 2017/18 campaign for Southampton and that the club's decision to sell him in 2021 has not come back to bite them.
However, they may well still regret their move to sign him from Turin in 2017 as his market value dropped considerably by the time they were able to cash in on his services.
Arsenal have now set their sights on a new striker ahead of the January transfer window, with journalist Charles Watts recently naming a Premier League player as a potential target…
Who could Arsenal sign in January?
Arsenal are reportedly "close" to triggering the £51m release clause included in Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi's contract, having been linked with the Spaniard for a number of years, but the move could be contingent on a sale.
Thomas Partey has been touted for a move to either Saudi Arabia or Juventus in recent months, and the Ghanaian's departure could make room in the squad for the arrival of Zubimendi, while Mikel Arteta is also keen on bolstering his attacking options.
In a recent column for TEAMtalk, Watts has now revealed that Arteta will be seeking alternatives to Gabriel Jesus and Eddie Nketiah in the January transfer window, as the manager wants to bring in a more versatile option in attack.
Watts tips the Gunners to make a move for a more physical attacker either next summer or in January, depending on how they are faring by the time the mid-season transfer window comes along, and the journalist highlights two potential options.
Napoli's Victor Osimhen is named as a target, but it may be difficult to get a deal for the Nigeria international done, considering he will command a huge fee, amid interest from a whole host of clubs, so the north Londoners could turn their attentions elsewhere.
Brentford striker Ivan Toney is viewed as a "potential January option" by Watts, as the journalist believes he would be "perfect for Arsenal", considering the performance he put in at the Emirates Stadium last season.
Watts suggests that Toney caused William Saliba severe problems in the 2022-23 campaign, having scored the equalising goal in a 1-1 draw, and he is just one of the names on the list ahead of the January window, although there are a number of other targets.
Why isn't Ivan Toney playing?
The Brentford forward has been banned from football until January 2024, in light of breaching the FA's betting rules, but he put in some top performances for the Bees last season, and could hand the Gunners a real boost in the title race if he was signed in January.
In the previous campaign, the England international scored 20 Premier League goals, the third-highest total of any player in the top flight, indicating he could now be ready for a big move now he is entering his peak years.
At 27-years-old, the time may be right for the Brentford star to move on, but Arsenal may have to fend off interest from a number of other Premier League clubs, with Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur also being named as potential suitors.
Lauded as "sensational" by BBC Sport reporter Simon Stone, Toney could be an excellent signing for the Gunners in the winter transfer window, and former England international Jay Bothroyd believes he would be an upgrade on Gabriel Jesus, saying:
"If you put him in one of the top teams he will score at least 20 Premier League goals per season. Great on penalties, penalties he’s unbelievable. If you took him to someone like Arsenal, I would love Arsenal to sign him now. I think he would score more goals than Jesus, than Ollie Watkins, in the Premier League."
Aggressive bodily contact, shoving, agitated yelling, pointed fingers and a shattered dressing room door, all marred the rancorous finish and the immediate aftermath, of the Nidahas Trophy match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
Andrew Fidel Fernando in Colombo16-Mar-2018
Celebrations in the Bangladesh dressing room in Colombo went a little down the wrong direction•Andrew Fernando/ESPNcricinfo
Aggressive bodily contact, shoving, agitated yelling, pointed fingers and a shattered dressing room door, all marred the finish and the immediate aftermath of the Nidahas Trophy match between Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.The shattered door was likely the doing of somebody inside the Bangladesh dressing room. An outward-facing camera caught a number of Bangladesh players racing down the steps in front of their dressing room as bits of glass were strewn on the stairs, the door probably having been shattered in those moments. Match Referee Chris Broad has seen the footage and spoken to some of the catering staff who have named the player they believe to be responsible, but Broad had suggested that those statements could not necessarily be taken as fact for the purposes of his work, and has asked for footage from the outside looking in. Bangladesh’s team management is understood to have offered to pay for the damage.The shoving – or one instance of it, at least – was by a Sri Lanka player on a Bangladesh substitute. The substitute had been on the field to deliver drinks immediately after the umpires had refused to award a no-ball when Isuru Udana delivered a second short-pitched delivery in the over. While batsman Mahmudullah was making an agitated case to the umpires, the substitute had become involved in a tense exchange with Sri Lanka players elsewhere on the field. He was pushed – not particularly hard, but not lightly either – as a group of Sri Lanka fielders followed him closely towards the boundary.Nurul Hasan and Thisara Perera were involved in a heated exchange•AFP
The shove, as well as the umpire’s refusal to award a no-ball, then tipped Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan into a fury. Shakib, along with several team-mates, immediately rushed to the edge of the boundary, where he entered into a heated exchange with reserve umpire Lyndon Hannibal. He then beckoned Mahmudullah and Rubel Hossain off the field, only the batsmen appeared very reluctant to follow those instructions, and ambled half-heartedly towards the boundary as many of the Sri Lanka fielders took their places. Eventually, Shakib relented and play was allowed to resume after the fracas had eaten up several minutes.After the winning runs were hit, the Bangladesh team charged the field, to enter into euphoric celebrations, but more vitriol was exchanged as the teams were walking out. This time it was Kusal Mendis – generally a composed and easy-going player – that was furiously pointing and yelling at someone in the Bangladesh group. Some senior Bangladesh players and interim coach Courtney Walsh were seen trying to calm tensions. Tamim Iqbal was gently restraining Mendis, and later put a friendly arm around his shoulder as the two exited the field. Mahmudullah was also seen taking an agitated Nurul Hasan – a substitute player – away from the crowd, to lecture him.After the match both sides were keen to play down the incident, but Shakib did confirm that it was the missed no-ball call that triggered Bangladesh’s indignation. He believed that one of the on-field umpires had initially called a no-ball when Udana delivered the second bouncer of the over, but had then reversed his decision. Throughout the tournament, all umpires have been Sri Lankans.”I don’t want to talk about it, but what happened was that the square-leg umpire called a no-ball and after a discussion they cancelled it,” Shakib said. “I didn’t think it was the right decision. I don’t know what happened after the first ball, which was a bouncer. But after the second ball, the umpire called a no-ball. We are all human, we should take it in the chin and move forward.There was also an admission that perhaps players, including himself, had allowed their emotions to get the better of them at the game’s denouement. “Many things happened that shouldn’t have happened. I need to remain calm. I was overjoyed. Excitement was there. I must know how to react next time. I will be careful.”What happens in the field should never spill over off the field. To be honest, we are all good friends. We see each other in the Bangladesh Premier League and Dhaka Premier League. The two boards have great relations. We help each other a lot. Just like I would want my team to win at all cost, they would have the same feeling. I am sure that both teams will never let it go off the field.”The ICC is yet to officially comment on the incidents, but is expected to do so on Saturday. The Nidahas Trophy final will be contested by Bangladesh and India on Sunday.
Everton manager David Moyes has now personally requested the signing of an “excellent” midfielder this summer, according to a journalist.
Toffees in need of summer rebuild
There has been a major improvement in performances since Moyes returned to Goodison Park, and the manager has achieved his main aim of avoiding relegation from the Premier League ahead of the move to Bramley-Moore Dock this summer.
However, the Toffees have made a habit of drawing far too many games, meaning they have now won just one of their last ten matches, most recently slipping up against already-relegated Ipswich Town in the penultimate match at Goodison Park.
Moyes’ side raced into a two-goal lead against the Tractor Boys, but the visitors fought back to earn a point on the road, which underlined the need to bring in new reinforcements in the summer transfer window.
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ByAngus Sinclair May 2, 2025
Targets have been identified in several key areas, including striker, with the Merseysiders now leading the race for Jamie Vardy, while the Friedkin Group are also ready to back Moyes by making a move for Sheffield United midfielder Gustavo Hamer.
Everton are interested in bringing in a new midfielder from elsewhere, but they also need to secure the future of Carlos Alcaraz, who has shown some promising signs since arriving on loan from Flamengo back in January.
Evertonmanager David Moyes withEverton's CarlosAlcaraz
According to journalist Bruno Lemos (via Sport Witness), Moyes has now personally requested for the Friedkin Group to sign Alcaraz on a permanent basis this summer, regardless of whether the mandatory clause to sign the midfielder for €18m (£15m) is triggered.
There are conflicting reports as to how many games Alcaraz will have to feature in for the Toffees to be obligated to sign him permanently, but Moyes wants a deal done either way, having seemingly been left by his performances in the second half of the campaign.
"Excellent" Alcaraz has earned permanent move
Upon arrival at Goodison Park, the 22-year-old was described as an “excellent ball carrier who can add real quality to our attack” by sporting director Kevin Thelwell, and he has since gone on to put in some impressive performances for Moyes’ side.
The attacking midfielder has featured 13 times in the Premier League, picking up one goal and two assists, most recently setting up Beto’s opening goal in the 2-2 draw against Ipswich at the weekend.
Not only does the Argentine contribute going forward, but he is also more than willing to pitch in defensively, ranking highly across some key defensive metrics over the past year, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.
Statistic
Average per 90
Tackles
1.60 (80th percentile)
Interceptions
0.99 (99th percentile)
Clearances
1.35 (95th percentile)
Alcaraz has proven he is well worth snapping up on a permanent basis this summer, so it is no surprise that Moyes has made it clear he wants club chiefs to get a deal over the line.
Carlos Corberan will want his West Brom players to put the dramatic defeat they suffered at the hands of Leicester City last game immediately to one side, the Baggies yearning for three points to come their way against a now managerless Sunderland side this Saturday to bounce back.
The Baggies boss will be forced into using his full squad for the game against the Black Cats in a less-than-ideal situation, trusted first team winger Matt Phillips is definitely ruled out for the game at the weekend owing to a long-term injury whilst Jed Wallace's availability remains up in the air.
On top of that, Corberan will also be without defensive midfielder Okay Yokuslu for the clash at the Stadium of Light – West Brom's Turkish titan picked up his fifth yellow card of the season against Leicester, meaning he will sit out this away game with a suspension.
This development comes at the worst possible time for the 29-year-old and his team, Yokuslu enjoying a purple patch recently for the Baggies before picking up a frankly needless fifth booking.
Okay Yokuslu's season in numbers
This will be the first time the defensive midfielder has missed a game this season, on the pitch in some capacity in all of West Brom's 19 games so far in the second tier.
The former Trabzonspor's man absence will be felt, Yokuslu particularly impressive last month in tricky games against Southampton and Ipswich Town in his holding role in the starting eleven.
Okay Yokuslu
His role in the Ipswich win went under the radar, but he was crucial throughout the statement 2-0 win for Corberan's side – winning six of his seven duels in the game, as per Sofascore.
Yokuslu could have even added a rare goal to his Baggies account against Kieran McKenna's men, hitting his only effort wide in a contest that saw West Brom dominate.
The win was secured courtesy of their no-nonsense presence standing strong up against Ipswich's flair players, the sort of presence that would be perfectly suited to the game against Sunderland when challenged with keeping tabs on skilful opposition players such as Dan Neil and Jack Clarke.
Jayson Molumby will more than likely come into the side to replace the suspended Yokuslu, however, hopeful of stepping up to the mark after an uninspiring season to date had seen him frozen out of Corberan's first-team plans.
Jayson Molumby's season in numbers
Once referred to by his manager as an "animal" in the centre of the park when performing at his best for the Baggies, the 24-year-old will be keen to offer energy and creativity alongside aggression from midfield against the Black Cats.
He'll definitely be wanting to perform to a better standard than he did when he was substituted on against the Foxes, West Brom's number eight winning just one of his four duels from a forgettable 15 minutes on the Hawthorns turf.
The Republic of Ireland senior international will instead want to tap into his excellent displays from earlier in the season and perform to that level again versus the Black Cats, Molumby starring in midfield against Millwall all the way back in August in what was the first home game of the campaign.
Molumby was measured and controlled in the middle of the pitch, only misplacing three passes all game in the otherwise drab 0-0 stalemate.
The Irishman will just hope he does enough against Sunderland to give Corberan a mini-selection dilemma when Yokuslu is free to be selected again, Molumby was one of the first names on the team sheet last season whilst this campaign he's faded to a position on the substitutes' bench.
Perhaps Saturday's crunch clash could be a rare opportunity for the 5 foot 9 gem to grasp.
Tottenham Hotspur had enjoyed a tremendous start to life under Ange Postecoglou and had established themselves as Premier League table-toppers after ten matches.
It was an unforeseen rise; while the craggy-faced Australian's appointment was viewed as rational – his tactical vision and approach aligned with the club's DNA, and won chairman Daniel Levy over despite interest in coaches such as Julian Nagelsmann – few expected him to blitz into early title contention.
Ange Postecoglou
Spurs had fallen by the wayside last season and finished eighth, but Postecoglou instilled belief and implemented his playing style swiftly, and the results were there for all to see.
But a triad of recent league defeats has exposed the frailty and thinness of Spurs' squad, and the January transfer window must be used to land some impactful additions.
Tottenham transfer news – Jota
According to The Times, Tottenham are 'stepping up' their interest in signing Al-Ittihad's Jota in a loan deal in January, with the Portuguese winger's playing time in Saudi Arabia severely hindered by a league limit on the number of foreign players eligible for inclusion in the matchday squad.
While Postecoglou's priority is the defence, injuries to Manor Solomon and Richarlison have made the proposition of signing the loan-listed 24-year-old enticing.
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Postecoglou could find a devastating new attacking outlet in this rising Spurs starlet.
ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2023
Jota starred under Postecoglou's wing at Celtic before completing a £25m transfer to the Saudi Pro League in July, though he was linked to Tottenham prior and could now make the move, replacing Bryan Gil on the flanks.
Bryan Gil's Tottenham statistics
Gil arrived with such promise. Leaving his Spanish homeland to join Tottenham in a £22m deal from Sevilla in 2021, this mercurial winger was touted for big things.
ESPN's David Cartlidge had dubbed him a "potential star in the making", and there was – is – so much to like; electric pace, deft dribbling and comparisons to Manchester City's Jack Grealish.
Tottenham winger Bryan Gil.
But he's failed to get going and yields just two assists and a grand total of zero goals from 34 Tottenham appearances, joining Valencia in a loan move in January 2022 and only returning to the pack this summer.
With Tottenham's mountainous pile of injuries calling for heavy rotation, Gil started during the recent loss against Aston Villa and did actually play well, completing 3/4 dribbles and making one key pass, as per Sofascore, but he boasts not the physicality nor the confidence to star for Postecoglou at present, and Jota should be brought in to take a starring role.
The statistics that show why Tottenham should sign Jota
Jota has not enjoyed the start to life in the Saudi Pro League that he would have hoped for, playing just five times, scoring one goal and not earning a single start – his last appearance came in September.
It's proved to be a waste of everyone's time, and given that Jota reportedly earns £200k-per-week it has not been a prudent business venture, especially after such a prolific 2022/23 campaign with Celtic, where he plundered 15 goals and 12 assists across all competitions, even scoring against Real Madrid in the Champions League.
The 5 foot 8 dynamo was absolutely incredible in the Scottish Premiership, clinching 11 goals and assists apiece, also creating 13 big chances and completing 80% of his passes, praised for his “perfect” technical skills by journalist Josh Bunting.
While the Premier League would be a step up, Postecoglou knows Jota's skill set well and could slot him right into the system, with his past exploits highlighting his cutting edge; he has even been described as a "genius" by pundit Ally McCoist.
If the Lilywhites can successfully manufacture a loan deal, a big upgrade on Gil could be secured while not precluding winter investment on the backline, which, all in all, makes for a fantastic window for Postecoglou as he looks to steer his side back on track after such a stellar start.
Leeds United are set to be gifted the chance to sign a "superb" player who they wanted to snap up in the summer transfer window, according to a new report.
Leeds transfer news
The Whites were relegated from the Premier League to the Championship last season, in what was a hugely disappointing setback after three years in the top flight. Unsurprisingly, plenty of big earners left the club, including playmakers Rodrigo and Jack Harrison, albeit the latter is only on loan as things stand, and it was vital for new faces to come in.
Leeds made sure that that happened, with several good signings made, including Joel Piroe arriving from Swansea City and Ethan Ampadu joining from Chelsea, and they are sitting nicely in third place in the Championship currently.
Leeds midfielder Ethan Ampadu.
There were a number of players who the Whites also ultimately missed out on during the summer, one of wich being Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Nadiem Amiri, who was all set to join Leeds but rejected the move at the last second.
Nadiem Amiri wants to leave Leverkusen
According to a new update from Kicker [via Sport Witness], Amiri now wants to leave Leverkusen and could join Leeds, with the 27-year-old pushing for a move away from his current club.
The report states that he is "aiming for a move" in the January transfer window, six months before his current Leverkusen deal expires, as he makes a "new attempt" to leave rather than let his deal run down. The Bundesliga side are happy to let him move on if a "reasonable offer" is made, with manager Xabi Alonso not seeing him as an important part of his plans.
Leeds were desperate to sign Amiri for a reason back in the summer, so the opportunity to get him in January is something the club should jump at. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has described Amiri as "superb" in the past, at a time when his stock continued to rise, and he has contributed positively for Leverusen overall despite falling a little out of favour this season.
Amiri's stats for his the Bundesliga club outline this, with 32 goal contributions (12 goals and 20 assists) coming his way in 140 appearances in total, not to mention winning five caps for Germany, which is no mean feat when you consider some of the quality they have in their squad.
Passing
Aerial duels
Dribbling
Finishing
Through balls
Tackling
While this update doesn't specifically mention that Leeds have shown fresh interest in the attacking midfielder, it would be a surprise if they didn't come back in for him in January, considering the level of intrigue they have shown in him in the past.
Amiri could be a perfect man to come in and add an extra bit of attacking quality to Daniel Farke's squad, at which point the Whites will still hopefully be in the automatic promotion race, using his experience and class to help Leeds get over the finish line and make a swift return to the Premier League.
There is sure to be interest from others, but the Whites remain a big club who could offer him good wages, not to mention the chance of playing in the Premier League in 2024/25.