Tag Futebol

Mikel Arteta has built a truly world-class squad at Arsenal over the last few years.

From front to back, the likes of William Saliba, Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze would comfortably get into any side in the Premier League.

Yet, even though he’s not been at his very best this season, Bukayo Saka still stands as the club’s most important player.

The Hale Ender is their talisman, someone capable of winning games on his own, so fans should be delighted by reports linking Arsenal to someone even better than Saka.

Arsenal target a better player than Saka

Arsenal have already been linked with several truly brilliant players ahead of the winter window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, Juventus’ Kenan Yıldız has been touted for a £88m move to the Emirates, as has Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.

However, while both of these wingers are sensational talents and would undoubtedly improve the Gunners’ squad, neither one is better than Saka.

Vinícius Júnior, on the other hand, just might be.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are now interested in the Madrid superstar.

The report has revealed that with talks over a new deal at the Bernabéu going poorly, the Gunners are now ‘pursuing the Brazilian.’

A potential price is not mentioned, but with Transfermarkt valuing the winger at €150m – about £132m – it would likely require a new British record transfer fee.

With that said, if Arsenal have the chance to sign Vini Jr, they should take it, not least because he’s one of the few attackers in the world better than Saka.

How Vini compares to Saka

Now, the first thing to make clear is that Saka is a genuinely world-class footballer, and not only that, but he has the chance to become a legend at Arsenal.

However, what is equally true is that Vini Jr might just be a marginally better player, but one who could form a devastating partnership with him on the opposite flank.

With that out of the way, which international superstar comes out on top when we look at their output this season?

Well, so far this year, the Gunners’ number seven has scored six goals in 15 appearances, totalling 1053 minutes, coming out to an average of a goal every 2.5 games, or every 175.5 minutes.

For his efforts, the former Flamengo gem has scored five goals and provided four assists in 17 appearances, totalling 1172 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.88 games, or every 130.22 minutes.

Which game-changing wideman comes out on top when taking a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers?

Well, perhaps a little surprisingly, the Brazilian dynamo doesn’t just come out better in most metrics, but practically every single relevant one.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.57

0.47

Progressive Passes

4.80

2.21

Progressive Carries

8.90

4.07

Shots

3.21

2.22

Shots on Target

1.40

1.05

Passing Accuracy

79.9%

72.4%

Key Passes

2.90

2.21

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.10

1.74

Shot-Creating Actions

6.92

4.55

Goal-Creating Actions

0.80

0.12

Tackles Won

0.80

0.58

Successful Take-Ons

3.00

1.98

For example, these include metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots on target, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Saka is an exceptional player, but as Ronaldo once pointed out, Vini Jr is arguably “the best player in the world”, and therefore, if Arsenal have even the slightest chance to sign him, they should go all out to do so.

Trossard upgrade: Arsenal hold talks to sign "one of the world's best wingers"

Despite his brilliant form, Arsenal could soon sign an upgrade on Leandro Trossard.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025

Celtic are consulting the managerial market in an attempt to bring in a new boss and are reportedly now ready to present a formal approach to their preferred candidate.

Undoubtedly, the feeling around Parkhead has changed dramatically in the last couple of weeks since Martin O’Neill was appointed in interim charge to lead the Scottish Premiership champions.

Joyous scenes against Falkirk and Rangers were tempered by a disappointing first-half collapse against FC Midtjylland in the Europa League last Thursday. However, Celtic signed off for the international break with a 4-0 victory over Kilmarnock to close the gap on Heart of Midlothian to seven points.

Furthermore, a game in hand will serve as an opportunity to move within four points of the league leaders, though, who will be in charge to lead the Bhoys’ defence of the Scottish top-flight crown?

Wales boss Craig Bellamy has ruled himself out of the Celtic vacancy. Nevertheless, Cardiff City head coach Brian Barry-Murphy is the latest name to enter the running after his strong start to the campaign at the League One outfit.

Ipswich Town’s Kieran McKenna, Nicky Hayen, and Efrain Juarez are also on the Bhoys’ radar. Meanwhile, Wilfried Nancy is the wildcard choice after his sterling work at Columbus Crew.

With several pivotal fixtures to come and off-field tension between supporters and the hierarchy continuing to linger, there is a feeling that Celtic must get this appointment right to move forward in unison.

Difficult away clashes against St Mirren, Feyenoord and Hibernian linger on the other side of the international break, so it is fair to say time if of the essence if the Bhoys are to bring someone into the fold on a full-time basis, and they may just be about to pull off that feat.

Celtic readying formal approach for Kjetil Knutsen

According to TEAMtalk, Celtic are readying an official approach for Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen after discovering that the 57-year-old is keen to take on a new challenge and is excited by the thought of taking over at Parkhead.

The report make it clear that he is still the standout foreign candidate, albeit the Bhoys also want an interview with Ipswich boss McKenna despite the fact Dermot Desmond may have to pay £5 million to secure him from Portman Road.

Kjetil Knutsen’s record at Bodo/Glimt

Wins

209

Draws

72

Losses

70

Trophies

Eliteserien x4

Ferencvaros boss Robbie Keane, a former Celtic player, has yet to receive a phone call regarding the vacant position. Still, it is said that he would ‘sprint to the table if asked’ to succeed O’Neill at the helm of the Scottish champions.

The Bhoys want to come to a resolution by December at the latest and they could now be closer to finding their next permanent manager if Knutsen was able to finalise contract terms.

An alternative Celtic manager candidate has a secret release clause

Nevertheless, nothing is signed and sealed until ink physically exists on paper, so there is still a long way to go before supporters know who their next leader will be.

Stats highlights from Newlands, where South Africa posted their fourth-highest total in Tests

Shubh Agarwal04-Jan-2025615 – South Africa amassed their fourth-highest total at Newlands, Cape Town in the second Test against Pakistan, also their fourth 600-plus total at this venue. They fell only five runs short of 620 for 7d when they punished the Pakistan bowlers in the New Year Test in 2003. Their other two top scores are 627 for 7 against England in 2016 and 651 against Australia in 2009.259 – Ryan Rickelton was the nucleus around whom the hosts made the most of the batting-friendly conditions. Scoring his second Test ton, Rickelton broke a number of records during his 259 off 343 balls. He became the first South African batter to score a double-hundred since Hashim Amla’s 201, also in Cape Town, in 2016. Among openers, he is the first South African since Graeme Smith who scored a match-winning 234 against Pakistan in Dubai in 2013. His 259 is also the second-highest individual score at this venue, only behind Stephen Fleming’s 262 in 2006.235 – Rickelton added 235 runs for the fourth wicket with Temba Bavuma, who contributed 106 to South Africa’s mammoth total. It is the highest fourth-wicket stand for South Africa against Pakistan, surpassing the previous record set by Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers – 179 in Abu Dhabi 2010. Overall, it is the fourth-highest partnership for South Africa against Pakistan.Related

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• Bavuma, Rickelton prove, in their own special ways, that they can and they will

3 – Kyle Verreynne was the third centurion of the innings, scoring 100 off 147 deliveries including five sixes. It has been a productive season for Verreynne. He had only one hundred in 18 Tests at the start of the season and now he has added three more to his tally in six Tests, with hundreds against Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. He has leveled Denis Lindsay (1966/67) and AB de Villiers (2012/13 and 2013/14) for the most Test hundreds by a South African wicketkeeper in a season.4 – Pakistan’s sorry bowling card had Mir Hamza, Khurram Shahzad, Aamer Jamal and Salman Agha going for more than 100 runs. Meanwhile, Mohammad Abbas finished with 3 for 94. This is the second time in three months that four or more Pakistan bowlers have conceded more than 100 runs in an innings. In the first Test against England in Multan, six Pakistan bowlers went for over a 100 runs as England eased to 823/7d.33.76 – Pakistan now average 33.76 with the ball in this World Test Championship (WTC) cycle, the worst among all teams. On the contrary, South Africa average the best at 23.23 runs per wicket. It is also a function of the kind of pitches these teams have played on – Pakistan mostly on flatter tracks at home and South Africa on spicy pitches. But adding to their woes, Pakistan also have a poor record in Cape Town. In the 21st century, they now average 43.3 in Cape Town, the poorest among all venues in South Africa.6 – On a positive note, Mohammad Rizwan took six catches in the innings, leveling Rashid Latif (against Zimbabwe in 1998) and Adnan Akmal (against New Zealand in 2011) for most catches for a Pakistani wicketkeeper in an innings. The record belongs to Wasim Bari with seven catches against New Zealand in 1979.