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In pursuit of a fourth-consecutive victory in all competitions to put their previously worrying form to bed once and for all, Aston Villa may be forced to square off against Nottingham Forest will out one of Unai Emery’s star men.

Aston Villa injury news

The Villans have bounced back in style after going as many as eight games without victory in all competitions, since defeating Brentford, Southampton and then RB Leipzig in the Champions League in midweek. Almost making up for their previous run, Villa’s toughest test awaits this weekend when they face a Nottingham Forest side they can leapfrog into fifth and beyond with all three points.

Jhon Duran was once again the man of the moment in midweek, as he has so often been so far this season. Coming from the bench, again as he so often finds himself doing, the forward’s goal put Villa in the lead before Ross Barkley was left to score an eventual winner following Leipzig’s fightback.

Aston Villa must rue losing £22m flop who's now outscoring Duran & Watkins

This former Aston Villa flop has suddenly become a goal machine.

3 ByKelan Sarson Dec 12, 2024

As another tough task awaits this weekend, however, Duran may not be forced to save the day from the bench. As relayed by the Daily Mail, Ollie Watkins is facing a race to be fit to face Nottingham Forest after limping off at half-time against Leipzig – opening the door for Duran to make an impact from the off.

In usual circumstances, losing a player of Watkins’ calibre would be a major blow. In this instance, however, it’s simply a case of swapping one excellent goalscorer for another for Emery this weekend, should his starting forward miss out through injury. Having started just once in the Premier League all season, Duran will be chomping at the bit to take his potential opportunity against Forest.

Watkins injury could pave the way for Duran

Duran is arguably one of the most unfortunate strikers in European football. Not many can say that they’ve taken their opportunities as often as the young forward and still not been rewarded with a starting place. In just 406 minutes of Premier League football – the equivalent of almost five games – Duran has scored five goals in what is a perfect record.

Emery has remained firm with his decision to start Watkins, however, who has scored seven goals himself. But the question over whether accommodating both goalscorers is possible will continue to be thrown in the direction of the Spaniard.

Full of praise for £130,000-a-week Watkins, Emery told reporters as relayed by TNT Sports last season: “He’s amazing. Because he’s a really hard worker and his commitment to work every day is amazing.

“When he is scoring goals, it’s the main objective he can have. Where he is assisting as well, he’s contributing to help the team. But even when he’s not doing both, he’s working for the team.

Alas, the chance could now fall the way of Duran once and for all against Nottingham Forest to stake a greater claim than ever that he should be the forward to lead the line for Aston Villa and Emery.

Aston Villa return to the Champions League this mid-week away at RB Leipzig having recently turned around their dismal form.

Unai Emery’s men have now won two Premier League games on the bounce, after finding themselves without the sweet taste of victory for eight matches, which could bode well for their chances in Germany when facing off against Marco Rose’s hosts.

Morgan Rogers might well be key to Villa picking up another win in Europe against an opponent from the Bundesliga, with the former Manchester City youngster managing to shine bright for his side in their last two games to help those two crucial wins be picked up.

Morgan Rogers' form this season

Rogers got the ball rolling for his stuttering side versus Brentford after a harrowing 3-0 defeat at the hands of Chelsea right at the beginning of December piled on more misery.

He would delightfully find the back of net with a curled effort to gift his side a 1-0 lead early on, with the final scoreline reading 3-1 in his team’s favour to the relief of the home sections packed into Villa Park.

Away from just this contest, the electric 22-year-old has a further three goals and two assists in the Premier League, alongside showing off his daring best in an attacking capacity on Europe’s biggest stage.

One display from Rogers versus Bologna in the Champions League back in October saw the tricky attacker complete a ridiculous seven successful dribbles, with Emery now praying the 6 foot 2 ace can bamboozle Leipzig on Tuesday night in a similar fashion.

Villa will feel overjoyed that they paid Middlesbrough £15m to win their star man now, but they could stumble across their next iteration of Rogers for free in a sensational academy prospect.

Aston Villa's next Morgan Rogers

The homegrown gem in question here is Ben Broggio who is already making waves for the Villans at youth level.

Often lining up down the left wing for his boyhood club – where Rogers has been moved out to recently – the 17-year-old star has more than stood out for his team this season across various different competitions.

Also channelling is inner Jack Grealish – who tore defences to shreds for Villa with direct displays on the left channel – Broggio has managed to find the back of the net six times from 16 games playing in and around the youth set-up at the Premier League side this season, which included the effort above rippling the back of the net in UEFA Youth League action.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast's In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Lauded too for his ability as a “creative” force by Villa Academy manager Mark Harrison earlier this year after the teenager had penned a professional contract, the sky is truly the limit for the 17-year-old now, who has even had a senior opportunity gifted to him this campaign.

U21s

19

4

2

U18s

15

4

2

Youth League

5

3

3

First team

1

0

0

Sourced by Transfermarkt

That came against Wycombe Wanderers in the EFL Cup, as the captivating attacking midfielder won himself four minutes on the pitch, which was deserved considering he has also picked up five assists this season from his 16 appearances.

Rogers is also known for being an unselfish talent willing to chip in with assists, with three next to his name in all competitions, alongside his promising four-goal return.

Broggio is some way off being able to strut his stuff in a similarly confident manner to Rogers in the senior mix, but if he keeps up his blistering displays at youth level, it won’t be long before even more first-team chances are presented to the teenage starlet.

Aston Villa leading the race to sign Tielemans 2.0

Aston Villa could be welcoming this new star in through the door in January.

1 ByKelan Sarson Dec 8, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

O meio-campista Villasanti, do Grêmio, está em bom estado de acordo com o jornalista Bruno Soares, da Rádio Gaúcha. O jogador foi atingido por uma pedra no ataque ao ônibus gremista, no trajeto para o estádio Beira-Rio.

RelacionadasFutebol NacionalPartida entre Grêmio e Internacional é adiada por ataque a ônibusFutebol Nacional26/02/2022Futebol NacionalVuaden, árbitro do Gre-Nal, confirma adiamento do clássico: ‘Não aceitamos esse tipo de conduta’Futebol Nacional26/02/2022InternacionalPresidente do Internacional lamenta violência, concorda com adiamento do Gre-Nal, mas cita desequilíbrioInternacional26/02/2022

– Está bem. Sob cuidados no hospital. Fez todos os exames do protocolo de traumatismo e concussão do hospital. Teve um traumatismo craniano e, em virtude do traumatismo, uma concussão cerebral. Não tem fratura na cabeça. Tem escoriações no rosto e trauma no quadril – informou o repórter Bruno Soares, da Rádio Grenal.

O Grêmio decidiu não entrar em campo para enfrentar o Internacional após o ataque.

How much do the LA Galaxy players earn annually and who receives the most into their account?

History firmly establishes LA Galaxy as the most successful club in Major League Soccer. With a record six MLS Cup titles, they have long been recognized as the powerhouse of North American football.

Over the years, Galaxy have attracted some of the most accomplished players, many of whom made their names in Europe. Icons like Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Javier Hernandez, Nigel de Jong, Steven Gerrard, and Giovanni dos Santos have all graced the club's prestigious colors.

Today, Galaxy continue to attract top-tier talent, with stars like Marco Reus and Riqui Puig currently lighting up the pitch for them. In fact, the last of their six MLS Cups came at the end of 2024, beating New York Red Bulls 2-1 in the final. They will hope to add more silverware at the end of the 2025 MLS season.

So, who is the highest-paid player at the Dignity Health Sports Park this season? And who is on the opposite end of the spectrum?

GOAL delved into the numbers from Capology and found out!

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Getty Images SportGoalkeepers

Veteran American goalkeeper John McCarthy, with an annual package of $275,000, is the highest-paid goalkeeper for LA Galaxy.

Novak Micovic claims the second spot on this list, while 25-year-old Brady Scott rounds out the list as the lowest-paid goalkeeper.

Name Salary

John McCarthy

$275,000

Novak Micovic

$150,000

Brady Scott

$89,716

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDefenders

The Japanese duo of Maya Yoshida and Miki Yamane are the top two earners in defence, in that order, with the number three spot belonging to 21-year-old Argentine left-back Julian Aude.

El Salvador international Eriq Zalaveta is the lowest-paid defender at the club.

Name Salary

Maya Yoshida

$800,000

Miki Yamane

$550,000

Julian Aude

$325,000

John Nelson

$275,000

Carlos Garces

$200,000

Mauricio Cuevas

$125,000

Eriq Zalaveta

$89,716

Harbor Miller

Getty Images SportMidfielders

Former Barcelona prodigy Riqui Puig, now one of the top midfielders in MLS, is the highest-paid player in his position by a considerable margin.

Marco Delgado, capped six times by USA at international level, is the second-highest paid midfielder, with Edwin Cerrillo taking the number three spot.

Tucker Lepley and Isaiah Parente jointly share the bottom position on this list.

Name Salary

Riqui Puig

$4,000,000

Marco Delgado

$800,000

Edwin Cerrillo

$400,000

Tucker Lepley

$89,716

Isaiah Parente

$89,716

Sean Davis

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Getty Images SportAttackers

It's a surprise to not see Borussia Dortmund legend Marco Reus at the top of this list. In fact, he is the fourth-highest paid attacker. The number one position is claimed by Ghana international Joseph Paintsil, with prolific Brazilian right winger Gabriel Pec taking the second spot.

The third-highest paid attacker is Uruguay's Diego Fagundez, with Miguel Berry coming in at number five.

Gino Vivi and Aaron Bibout are the joint-lowest paid player in Galaxy's front line.

Name Salary

Joseph Paintsil

$3,136,000

Gabriel Pec

$1,680,000

Diego Fagundez

$1,250,000

Marco Reus

$960,000

Miguel Berry

$175,008

Gino Vivi

$71,401

Aaron Bibout

$71,401

Ruben Ramos Jr

There is a growing feeling within Arsenal that one league’s “strongest striker” could now decide to join Mikel Arteta’s side, as sporting director Edu Gaspar and his recruitment team continue to scour the market for options.

Arsenal ready to move for new centre-forward next year

The concerns surrounding Gabriel Jesus, leading to their over-reliance on makeshift false nine Kai Havertz, have reportedly motivated Arsenal to consider bringing in a new centre-forward next year.

Mikel Arteta handed boost as Arsenal star closes in on return from injury

The Spaniard has many doubts in his squad ahead of Sunday’s all-important clash with Liverpool.

ByEmilio Galantini Oct 26, 2024

Jesus is set for internal talks with Edu and Arteta over his future at the Emirates Stadium, with the Brazilian reportedly attracting interest from Palmeiras in his homeland, as the Gunners look to the transfer market for fresh options.

The former Man City star is yet to get off the mark in all competitions so far this season, leading to the likes of Sporting Lisbon star Viktor Gyokeres, Aston Villa’s Jhon Duran, RB Leipzig ace Benjamin Sesko, Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram and Eintracht Frankfurt’s Omar Marmoush being linked with moves to N5 in the last month.

Liverpool (home)

October 27

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

Chelsea (away)

November 10

Nottingham Forest (home)

November 23

West Ham United (away)

November 30

Edu is set to scout Gyokeres when Sporting take on Man City in the Champions League on November 5, while reports suggest Arsenal could return to the race for Sesko after missing out on a deal in the summer.

Duran remains a target for the Gunners despite recently signing a new deal, even if the in-form Colombian could also end up costing around £75 million to prise away from Villa Park. Arteta is said to be a real fan of Marmoush as well, following his exceptional start to the Bundesliga season at Eintracht Frankfurt, while Inter Milan striker Marcus Thuram is on Arsenal’s radar.

Growing feeling inside Arsenal that Vlahovic could join them

Another potential target who’s done the rounds via press reports this week is Juventus star Dusan Vlahovic. The Serbia international has started the campaign very promisingly, but Juve risk losing their number nine as his contract expires in 2026. This gives the Old Lady just three more transfer windows to make a decision on whether to extend his deal or sell for a fee.

It is believed Vlahovic and Juventus are set for crunch new deal talks by the end of the year, but Arsenal are lurking in the background as they ponder whether to tempt him with a move to the Premier League.

Now, Football Insider report that there is a feeling inside Arsenal that Vlahovic could now be open to joining, with optimism increasing that they could land the 24-year-old after failing to get him in 2022.

So far, Vlahovic has bagged seven goals in 11 appearances across both Serie A and the Champions League – with international teammate Filip Kostic calling him the “strongest striker” in Italy at one point.

Opener pulls out to work on technique after losing Test place

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Oct-2021Dom Sibley has chosen to withdraw from this winter’s Lions tour to Australia, in the wake of his omission from the main Ashes tour party, with Yorkshire’s rising star Harry Brook taking his place in the 14-man squad.Sibley finished the season as a double trophy winner, following Warwickshire’s triumphs in the County Championship and the Bob Willis Trophy, but was a notable omission for the Ashes squad, which is due to depart for Australia on November 4, ahead of the opening Test at Brisbane on December 8.England preferred instead to retain Haseeb Hameed as Rory Burns’ nominal partner, following his recall during the India series, with Zak Crawley also returning as a top-order candidate despite a solitary half-century in 14 innings since his 267 against Pakistan last year.With Rob Yates, Sibley’s Warwickshire opening partner, also included in the Lions party, Sibley has chosen to sit this winter out and instead concentrate on his technique, after a notable struggle for fluency during the English Test season.He made 356 runs at 19.77 in ten Tests in 2021, and despite a trio of gutsy half-centuries, including one apiece in Sri Lanka and India, and a match-saving 60 not out against New Zealand in the first Test at Lord’s, his struggles to rotate the strike became a mounting concern for the management as he was dropped after England’s defeat against India, also at Lord’s.Harry Brook gets low to scoop during the Hundred•Getty ImagesIn a statement, the ECB said that Sibley’s withdrawal had come “after much thought and consideration”. “Sibley has decided to spend the winter working on his batting at home in a bid to regain England selection,” the statement added.Brook’s elevation caps an impressive year for one of England’s most promising young batters. He was named as the winner of two prestigious Young Player awards, from the PCA and the Cricket Writers’ Club respectively, after starring across formats for Yorkshire, as well as for Northern Superchargers in the inaugural season of the Hundred.Brook, 22, made more runs across the T20 Blast and the Hundred than any other English player, averaging 61.36 and striking at 150.33 from the middle order; he came into the season with a first-class average a shade under 25 but finished it as Yorkshire’s second-highest run-scorer in the County Championship.”I wrote a few things down at the start of the season – a few aims for the year, what runs I wanted to get in different formats,” Brook told ESPNcricinfo last month. “I got all them targets so I was very happy with it. I do it every season really, but I think this is the first year I’ve actually hit them goals. It’s just trying to know what a good season is before actually starting it. I think it’s nice to set goals and if you smash them, it’s a really good feeling.”The Lions party will depart for Australia alongside the Test specialists on November 4, and the two parties will be in camp together in the lead-up to the Ashes.A chance for the Lions players to impress will come in two intra-squad matches (1 x 3-day and 1 x 4-day matches) in Queensland. They will also take on Australia A in a four-day match, although the dates and venues are still to be confirmed. The party will return home on December 16.

كشفت تقارير صحفية، عن تحركات أحد الأندية المشاركة في كأس العالم للأندية، لضم لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بالنادي الأهلي، خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية المقبلة، لتعزيز صفوفه قبل خوض منافسات المونديال.

ووفقًا لمصادر لصحيفة “sport7” المغربية، فإن نادي الوداد بدأ في التواصل مع يحيى عطية الله لاعب ستوشي الروسي المعار للأهلي، من أجل الاتفاق على عودته على سبيل الإعارة من ناديه، مُستغلًا عدم رغبة النادي الأهلي في تفعيل بند شراء اللاعب بشكل نهائي.

وجاء قرار الأهلي بالتخلي عن يحيى عطية الله بناءً على رؤية المدرب السويسري مارسيل كولر، الذي لم يقتنع بشكل كامل بإمكانياته الفنية والبدنية، إلى جانب ارتفاع قيمته المالية، مما دفع إدارة القلعة الحمراء إلى عدم الاستمرار في الصفقة.

طالع أيضًا | مليار دولار.. الفيفا يحدد قيمة جوائز الأندية المشاركة في كأس العالم للأندية

وبحسب الصحيفة، فإن المدير الفني للوداد، الجنوب إفريقي رولاني موكوينا، هو المحرك الرئيسي وراء رغبة النادي في استعادة اللاعب، حيث لم يقتنع بالمردود الفني لكل من أيوب بوشتة وزكرياء ناسيك في مركز الظهير الأيسر، ما جعله يطالب إدارة النادي بالتعاقد مع بديل قوي قادر على تقديم الإضافة في البطولة العالمية.

ومن المقرر أن يعود يحيى عطية الله إلى ناديه الروسي سوتشي في شهر يونيو المقبل، بعد انتهاء فترة إعارته للأهلي، مما يمنح الوداد فرصة التفاوض مع ناديه بشأن استعارته لموسم إضافي، من أجل الاستفادة من خدماته في المنافسات المحلية والقارية، وعلى رأسها كأس العالم للأندية.

علق خالد عباس، رئيس مجلس إدارة شركة العاصمة الإدارية، على توقيع اتفاقية رعاية بطولة كأس الرابطة خلال الفترة المقبلة، معلقًا على إقامة المنافسات الرياضية بـ استاد العاصمة خلال المرحلة المقبلة.

 وأعلنت رابطة الأندية خلال مؤتمر صحفي اليوم عن تغيير اسم كأس الرابطة ليصبح “كأس عاصمة مصر”.

وتُقام بطولة كأس عاصمة مصر هذا الموسم للمرة الرابعة على التوالي، حيث شهدت تتويج فيوتشر بلقب النسخة الأولى، بينما حقق سيراميكا كليوباترا اللقب في النسختين الماضيتين.

طالع.. فيديو | أحمد دياب يٌعلن عن جائزة مالية ضخمة لـ بطل كأس عاصمة مصر.. ونظام التأهل

وقال خالد عباس في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “نحن منذ فترة نتعاون مع المتحدة للرياضة، ونحاول دعم الرياضة المصرية بشكل عام لنقدم الإضافة، وجاءت فكرة إننا نغير مُسمى كأس الرابطة لكأس العاصمة”.

وأكمل: “رفعنا الجوائز بشكل غير مسبوق، وأصبحت كأس الرابطة هي أعلى بطولة محلية بها جوائز لأول مرة في التاريخ، وإن شاء الله نشاهد بطولة تاريخية ونكون داعمين للرياضة بشكل عام”.

واستطرد: “نُجهز استاد العاصمة الإدارية وإن شاء الله ستقام عليه مباريات وسيستضيف الأحداث الكبيرة”.

واختتم: “أي لعبة رياضية سنكون في ظهرها، وهناك كأس العالم للناشئين لكرة اليد وكأس العالم للفروسية، والعاصمة الإدارية بالمنشآت التي بها تستطيع استضافة أي حدث عالمي”.

Glasgow Rangers return to action in the Scottish Premiership this weekend as they travel away from Hampden Park to take on Dundee United on Sunday.

The Light Blues went into the first international break of the 2024/25 campaign sitting five points adrift of Celtic and Aberdeen at the top of the table, after winning two of their first four matches.

Philippe Clement's side were humbled, with a 3-0 defeat, in the Old Firm last time out and will be looking to respond strongly with a convincing win later this week.

It has been a disappointing start to the season for the Scottish giants, who were also held to a 0-0 draw by Hearts on the opening day, as they already find themselves lagging behind in the title race.

Rangers need to find their groove and hit a consistent run of form to give themselves a chance of catching up with Celtic and providing real competition for the title by May.

James Tavernier is one player who may be crucial to their chances if he remains a Rangers player, amid reports linking him with a possible move to Turkey or Qatar.

James Tavernier's form this year

The right-back is a big source of goals and assists for the Light Blues with his ability to push forward and make a difference in the final third, whilst also being a terrific penalty and set-piece taker.

However, there are question marks over his quality out of possession after another slip-up in an Old Firm clash, as he allowed Daizen Maeda to get the run on him for the first goal and got lucky with Reo Hatate's huge miss after failing to pick up the midfielder at the back post.

Last year, former Rangers defender Steven Whittaker claimed that Tavernier needs to work on his defensive work, which still appears to be the case based on his latest showing against Celtic.

Tavernier does, though, make up for some of his defensive faults with his work on the ball. The 32-year-old ace has plundered eight goals and seven assists in all competitions in 2024 for the Light Blues.

Appearances

4

Goals

0

Big chances created

3

Assists

2

Key passes per game

2.5

As you can see in the table above, the English full-back has yet to find the back of the net in the Premiership this season, but has provided two assists.

Rangers need Tavernier to get back to his goalscoring best to ensure that the team gets back to winning ways and starts to move closer to the top of the table.

One former Gers player whose current form suggests that he could have been a big asset as a goalscorer to Clement is ex-academy starlet Lewis Morgan, who the club fumbled.

Rangers fumbled Lewis Morgan

The Scottish forward joined the academy set-up in Glasgow at the age of eight and spent eight years there before being released at the age of 16 in 2012.

He later revealed that Rangers wanted to have the biggest, physical, players in the country in his age group and that meant that Morgan was deemed surplus to requirements, due to his physical stature.

The winger used his rejection at Ibrox to motivate him to push on and forge a career for himself elsewhere, which is exactly what he did over the subsequent years.

St Mirren swooped to sign him on a free transfer from Rangers ahead of the 2012/13 campaign and the talented youngster went on to make the breakthrough at senior level there, with 29 goals and 23 assists in 118 appearances in all competitions.

His form convinced Celtic to bring him back to Glasgow, on the other side, in January 2018 but his spell with the Hoops did not go to plan in the end.

His time in green and white ended with a return of just two goals and three assists in 31 appearances in all competitions, whilst he also managed two goals and four assists in 22 games for Sunderland on loan in that time.

Celtic opted to cash in on the attacker in January 2020 amid interest from MLS side Inter Miami, where Morgan produced seven goals and seven assists in 58 matches before being sold to New York Red Bulls at the end of 2021.

Lewis Morgan's form in 2024

The 27-year-old star enjoyed a terrific first campaign with New York as he plundered an eye-catching 18 goals and three assists in 37 outings in 2022.

He then suffered a hip injury that resulted in him only being able to make six appearances in all competitions in 2023, before his return to form this term.

Morgan has been on fire in 2024 and has racked up more goals in the MLS than Tavernier has managed in all competitions for Rangers this year.

Appearances

23

xG

10.08

Goals

12

Big chances created

8

Assists

2

As you can see in the table above, the Scotland international has scored four more goals than the Gers captain this year, and has outperformed his xG in the process.

The New York star may be frustrated by his teammates, meanwhile, for his low assist tally, as they have not made the most of the 'big chances' that he has created for them this year.

Last season, no Rangers midfielder or winger scored more than 11 league goals in the Premiership, which suggests that the potential is there for Morgan to be the biggest goal threat in his position at Ibrox.

The former Gers man could have been a huge asset to Clement in the final third but the Light Blues blundered by releasing the talented gem at academy level, instead of giving him an opportunity to develop and shine.

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ByDan Emery Sep 8, 2024

This may be a lesson to the current coaches in the academy that they should not give up on talented players if they are not physical enough at the age of 15, 16, or 17, as they still have plenty of time to grow and improve, which is exactly what Morgan did.

Arsenal’s academy has impressed in recent years, producing talents who are edging ever closer to breaking into the club’s first team under Mikel Arteta.

Ethan Nwaneri is arguably the most promising, making his debut for the club in September 2022 as a 15-year-old against Brentford at the GTEC Community Stadium – making him the youngest-ever appearance maker in the club’s history.

The now 17-year-old has only made one more competitive first-team appearance for the Gunners since, but he has started in the Premier League 2 for the U21 side, registering 13 goal contributions in his 13 appearances last season.

Midfielder Nwaneri has been a consistent goalscoring option for various youth sides in recent years, scoring a combined 26 goals from midfield for the U18 and U21 sides since his breakthrough a couple of years ago.

#1 Ethan Nwaneri

15 years, 5 months, 28 days

2022: Brentford

#2 Cesc Fabregas

16 years, 5 months, 24 days

2003: Rotherham

#3 Jack Wilshere

16 years, 8 months, 12 days

2008: Blackburn

#4 Jermaine Pennant

16 years, 10 months, 15 days

1999: Middlesbrough

#5 Paul Vaessen

16 years, 11 months, 11 days

1978: Lokomotive Leipzig

#6 Ryan Smith

16 years, 11 months, 18 days

2003: Rotherham

#7 Gedion Zelalem

16 years, 11 months, 29 days

2014: Coventry

#8 Armand Traore

17 years, 16 days

2006: West Brom

However, despite his consistent figures for the Hale End Academy, he’s yet to break into the starting team, with another European talent of a similar age already taking the world by storm at his club.

Lamine Yamal’s time at Barcelona

Like Nwaneri, Lamine Yamal is a player in the very early stages of his career, but the 17-year-old Spaniard has already announced himself as a key player for Barcelona after his breakthrough last season.

The forward made 50 appearances in all competitions for the LaLiga side, registering a total of 16 goal contributions – a stupendous figure for a player at such a tender age.

However, that would be just the tip of the iceberg for Yamal, with the youngster playing a huge part in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph this summer – featuring in every game, scoring a screamer against France whilst laying on four assists for his international teammates.

He subsequently was handed the Young Player of the Tournament award, a signal of his impact, with the talent continuing his impressive form into the new campaign.

Yamal already has five goal contributions in the opening four matches of the Hansi Flick era – aiming to claim another league title for Barça in the 2024/25 campaign.

Games

7

Goals

1

Assists

4

Shots taken

18

Pass accuracy

84%

Successful dribbles

12

Chances created

19

However, the Gunners could unearth their own version of the superstar, with one academy gem catching the eye in recent months.

The star who could be Arsenal’s own Yamal

Max Dowman may be a name unknown to many Arsenal supporters, but the young talent is making waves in the academy and progressing at a rapid rate.

The 14-year-old, who features internationally for England’s U17 side, is a regular performer in the club’s U18 squad – making his first appearance at that level at just 13. It’s a ridiculous fact.

Dowman, who’s been dubbed as “remarkable” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, operates in an attacking midfield role – achieving a total of two goals and five assists – demonstrating his ability to create opportunities in the final third.

The youngster has already caught the eye of former player and current U18’s head coach Jack Wilshere, with the former Arsenal talent saying:

It’s unfair to load expectations on such a young talent to impress, but given his rapid development and the qualities displayed, Dowman has all the tools to be the next player of a long list to break into the club’s first-team after spending numerous years in the academy setup.

Barça forward Yamal is just one example of a player who can thrive against Europe’s elite, with Dowman needing to remain focused and determined to continue on his upward trajectory before replicating the impact of the Spaniard at the Emirates.

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