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Wayne Rooney has named a “brilliant” former England star as his toughest-ever opponent, given both his tackling ability and skill in possession of the ball.

Rooney reveals toughest-ever opponent

Very few defenders were able to get the better of Rooney on a regular basis, as evidenced by the fact the Manchester United legend is the third-highest scorer in Premier League history, with a whopping 208 goals to his name.

The Liverpool-born forward spent the majority of his career at Old Trafford, where he enjoyed a great deal of success, playing a part in the Red Devils winning five Premier League titles, four EFL Cups, one FA Cup and one Champions League.

During the Sir Alex Ferguson era, United were extremely dominant, but they did go three seasons without winning the title in the early noughties, given the emergence of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea, who finished top back-to-back in 2004-05 and 2005-06.

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The likes of Didier Drogba, Frank Lampard and Petr Cech all cemented themselves as Blues legends in the process, but it is their former captain who was named as Rooney’s toughest-ever opponent when speaking on The Overlap. The 39-year-old said:

“I’ve always said John Terry was one of the toughest defenders to play against. On the ball he was very good – he was brilliant, and he could tackle. I also used to like playing against big centre-backs because I wanted a challenge and wanted that body contact – I could spin them all and come off them, then take them on. John Terry was the toughest though.”

Terry was part of the greatest-ever Premier League defence

It should come as no surprise that Rooney regards Terry as his most difficult opponent, given everything the former England star achieved at Chelsea, most notably playing a key role in the west Londoners setting the record for fewest goals conceded in a Premier League season.

During the 2004-05 campaign, Mourinho’s side shipped just 15 goals across the entire season, with the 78-time England international missing just two games, and he has since gone on to lavish the Portuguese manager with praise.

Not only was the ex-Chelsea captain a rock at the back, but he is also the highest-scoring defender in Premier League history, scoring 41 goals in 492 appearances.

With Levi Colwill set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to an ACL injury, Chelsea are in need of a new centre-back, but it will be extremely difficult to find one capable of coming close to replicating the impact Terry had at Stamford Bridge.

Tottenham manager Martin Ho has credited Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone and basketball legend Michael Jordan as being two of the greatest influences on his burgeoning coaching career. Widely regarded as one of the most promising coaches in women’s football, the 35-year-old has opened up on the figures who have helped shape him, with several other sporting greats making his list.

Ho makes promising start to life as Tottenham head coach

Having been appointed as the head coach of Tottenham Women in July, Ho has made a promising start to the 2025-26 Women’s Super League season. The Liverpudlian, who joined Spurs after a two-year spell at SK Brann which saw him lead the Norwegian side to the quarter-finals of the 2023-24 Women’s Champions League, has won five of his first seven games in charge of Tottenham. Across both the WSL and the Women’s League Cup, Ho’s side have secured victories over West Ham, Everton, Aston Villa, Leicester and Brighton, with their only defeats coming in the league to title-chasing pair Manchester City and Chelsea.

AdvertisementAtletico boss Simeone hailed as a key influence

And following Spurs’ strong beginnings under Ho, he has since revealed a number of sporting icons have helped him get to where he is today. When asked by about the key influences on his career to date, he was quick to pay tribute to long-time Atletico boss Simeone, as well as former Australia and England rugby union head coach Eddie Jones.

“Eddie Jones was a big one in terms of his man-management and his delegation around management and staff and how they done things,” said Ho.

“And Diego Simeone’s a big one from Atletico Madrid. Just from the playing style and more because of his persistence over a long period of time. He’s probably the longest-serving manager in men’s football and I think to be at a club for so long and deliver so many consistent results but then deliver titles also maybe with a squad that maybe people don’t always feel have the top, elite-level players, but he gets the best out of them individually by developing them. Yeah, that kind of motivates me to know that it’s not always the finances and resources you need, it’s kind of what’s within. And if you’ve got the right people around you and the right group of players who work hard and you have the right mindset, I believe you can achieve a lot.”

Hulton ArchiveJordan and Bryant also influential figures

And Ho’s influences are not limited to football either, with the former Everton and Manchester United assistant citing basketball stars Jordan and Kobe Bryant as two people whom he has also learned a great deal from.

Continuing to name the sporting legends who have helped him develop as a coach, Ho said: “In terms of sporting icons, Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant in terms of how they kind of harness a community and get people around them to be their best in terms of how they interact with the local community, how they more importantly interact with people around them. So those kind of things drive me to want to take advantage of my job, I’m in a privileged position and I want to make sure I take advantage of that.”

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Simeone widely regarded as one of the greatest of his generation

Having taken over the helm in 2011, Simeone’s work at Atletico has led to him being considered as one of the greatest managers of his generation. Competing against Spanish powerhouses Real Madrid and Barcelona, Simeone has continually punched above his weight with Los Rojiblancos, winning two La Liga titles, two Europa Leagues and two UEFA Super Cups with the club. Simeone has also been credited with rebuilding his Atletico side over a number of years, as well as reviving the 4-4-2 formation in the modern game.

Harry Brook has been confirmed as England’s new white-ball captain, across both T20I and ODI formats, after Jos Buttler’s decision to stand down following his team’s early exit from the ICC Champions Trophy in March.Brook, 26, has been England’s vice-captain in white-ball cricket for the past year, and led the side in Buttler’s absence for five ODIs against Australia last September. His first outing as the official captain will come in three home T20Is and three ODIs against West Indies at the end of May.”It’s a real honour to be named England’s white-ball captain,” Brook said. “Ever since I was a kid playing cricket at Burley in Wharfedale, I dreamed of representing Yorkshire, playing for England, and maybe one day leading the team. To now be given that chance means a great deal to me.”Brook had been the outstanding candidate for the role after emerging as a key player across formats since his debut in 2022, including Test cricket, for which he is currently ranked as the No.2 batter behind his England team-mate Joe Root, having made a career-best 317 against Pakistan in Multan last year.Speculation had mounted about Brook’s impending appointment when, on the eve of this year’s IPL, he pulled out of his deal with Delhi Capitals for the second year running, citing the need for England to remain his “priority and focus” ahead of a busy 12 months across formats, including key Test series against India and Australia, and the next T20 World Cup in February 2026.”I want to thank my family and coaches who’ve supported me every step of the way,” Brook said. “Their belief in me has made all the difference and I wouldn’t be in this position without them.Related

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“There’s so much talent in this country, and I’m looking forward to getting started, moving us forward, and working towards winning series, World Cups and major events. I’m excited to get going and give it everything I’ve got.”Though still relatively inexperienced as a leader, Brook impressed with his tactical nous in the 3-2 series loss to Australia in September, having also led the Under-19 team at the 2018 World Cup. He has also captained Northern Superchargers in the Men’s Hundred, when available.Though there were no realistic alternatives to Brook as T20I captain, there had been some thought as to whether Ben Stokes should take on the role in ODI cricket, given his existing relationship with Brendon McCullum, and the extent to which the 50-over and Test squads have overlapped in recent months.Speaking in March, Rob Key, England men’s managing director, acknowledged it would be “stupid” not to consider Stokes’ credentials. However, with Stokes still recuperating from hamstring surgery, and given that he had previously retired from the format in 2022 citing his workload, this option was not pursued.Key said: “I’m delighted that Harry Brook has accepted the role as England’s white-ball captain across both formats. He’s been part of our succession planning for some time, albeit this opportunity has come slightly earlier than expected.”Harry is not only an outstanding cricketer, but also has an excellent cricketing brain and a clear vision for both teams that will help drive us towards winning more series, World Cups and major global tournaments.”To date, Brook has played 26 ODIs for England, scoring 816 runs at 34.00, including a match-winning century as captain against Australia last summer. In T20Is, he has played 44 games, averaging 28.50 with a top score of 81 not out, and was part of the team that won the T20 World Cup in Australia in 2022.

Whilst Spain did manage to return to their European throne last summer and are among the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup, it’ll take some doing to match the dominance that they enjoyed in the 2000s.

As Barcelona and Real Madrid battled it out for the club throne, it was Spain who benefitted on the international stage. Stars such as Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique put their rivalries aside to put the very best to the sword and leave several countries in their wake. It was the era of the El Clasico at its best from September to May, but collective Spanish dominance from then onwards.

With Vincente Del Bosque in charge, the Spaniards defeated the Netherlands in last-gasp fashion to win the World Cup in the 2010 World Cup. They then thrashed Italy two years later to win Euro 2012 in their second-consecutive European Championship win after victory in 2008. And it was in that 2012 game that Xavi particularly starred.

The Barcelona legend was often at the centre of the beauty that was Spain’s side at their peak. He was their controller – the conductor of a side so capable of ending summers with the perfect crescendo – and without him, there may have been no World Cup and there may have been no European Championships. He was that influential.

Yet, even one of the best midfielders of all time had no choice but to admit that another star man is the most talented player in Spain’s history. Simply put, as good as Xavi was, another star stands tall as the best that the country has ever seen.

Xavi: Iniesta is Spain's "most talented" player ever

From Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi to Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol, Barcelona enjoyed some incredible combinations during their best years, but perhaps none as perfect as Xavi and Andres Iniesta. The Spanish duo were untouchable when together with Sergio Busquets and all three took that invincibility to the international stage.

As good as all three were, however, Xavi only had one answer when selecting Spain’s “most talented” player in history – claiming that Iniesta is the country’s true standout.

Whether the likes of Lamine Yamal eventually overtake Iniesta’s legacy is a debate for another time. Of course, if he does intend to do so, then he’ll need to find a way to beat the former midfielder’s iconic winning goal against the Netherlands in 2010. Over to you, Lamine.

Kevin De Bruyne’s emotional Etihad return lasted just 25 minutes as Napoli boss Antonio Conte sacrificed him following Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s red card in a 2-0 Champions League defeat to Manchester City. Conte admitted both he and De Bruyne were left “disappointed” after cutting short his appearance on a night City striker Erling Haaland made more history.

De Bruyne’s Etihad return cut short

The Belgian international De Bruyne was welcomed back to City with banners, chants, and a hero’s ovation, but his much-anticipated return ended in frustration. Napoli captain Giovanni Di Lorenzo was dismissed after a VAR check in the 21st minute, forcing Conte to reorganise. De Bruyne, visibly dejected, was the player withdrawn for Mathias Olivera.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportConte explains difficult substitution

Napoli boss Conte admitted it was a painful choice to replace De Bruyne so soon into his Etihad comeback. 

“The devil is in our midst, it was the only thing I could do at that moment. It wasn't just the boy who was disappointed, we deprived him of the satisfaction of playing in his old stadium, but above all me, having had to lose a player like him,” Conte said post-match. He stressed that depriving De Bruyne of playing time against his former club hurt him as much as the player.

Discussing Haaland's opening goal, Conte added: "The only thing we could have done with 10 men was wait and counterattack, but instead we conceded from an attempt to press high. We need more maturity and understanding of the moments, we were excessively generous."

Haaland and Doku seal City’s win

City apitalised on their numerical advantage in the second half, as Haaland struck his 50th Champions League goal in just 49 matches, breaking Ruud van Nistelrooy’s record. While Doku added a dazzling solo effort to wrap up a 2-0 victory, with Phil Foden calling Haaland “unbelievable” and praising his teammate’s relentless form.

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AFPEmotional tribute from City fans

Despite the brief outing, De Bruyne was serenaded by City fans before, during, and after the game. The Belgian, who won 19 major trophies in his decade at the club, completed a lap of honour post-match with former teammates. The club have already confirmed plans for a statue in his honour outside the Etihad.

City shift focus to a Premier League showdown with Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday. Napoli, meanwhile, return to Serie A duty against Pisa, with Conte urging his side to build on the positives he saw before the red card. The defeat leaves the Italians needing to recover quickly in their Champions League campaign.

Celtic hit the jackpot last summer when they broke their transfer record to sign Belgium international central midfielder Arne Engels from Augsburg for £11m.

The 21-year-old midfield star scored ten goals and provided 13 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish Premiership champions, which shows that he hit the ground running in his first year at the club.

Engels offered a consistent threat from midfield with his ability to score and assist goals for the Hoops, as he did not need any time to adjust to Scottish football.

The 21-year-old midfielder also has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve further in the coming years at Celtic, which means that he could get even better and grow in value if he continues to shine on the pitch for Brendan Rodgers.

Celtic eyeing goalscoring midfielder

The Premiership champions are now reportedly looking at another central midfielder who provides a big threat at the top end of the pitch to bolster their squad.

Transfer Focus

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

According to the Daily Star, as relayed by the Daily Record, Rodgers wants to bring former Burnley midfield star Josh Brownhill to Parkhead this summer.

The English whiz has confirmed that he has moved on from Turf Moor, despite their promotion to the Premier League, after his contract expired at the end of last month.

This latest report suggests that Celtic are in the race to snap him up on a free transfer, but they will face competition from Premier League side West Ham United.

It may now be down to Rodgers, who is keen to sign the midfielder, to convince Browning to reject a move to the London Stadium in the coming days.

Why Brownhill may be the next Engels for Celtic

Whilst he would not be a club-record signing or an exciting young talent like Engels was when the Belgian arrived last summer, the former Burnley man could make a similar impact on the pitch in the short term.

Like the former Augsburg dynamo, Brownhill is an attack-minded central midfielder who has the potential to provide the team with plenty of goals and assists.

The 29-year-old ace was once hailed as a potential “superstar” by former boss Lee Johnson, and that is exactly what he could be in Scotland if he carries his Championship form over to the Premiership.

Appearances

42

34

Goals

18

9

Goals per game

0.4

0.3

Big chances created

8

11

Assists

6

6

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.3

0.8

Ground duel success rate

46%

49%

As you can see in the table above, Brownhill scored twice as may league goals as Engels, whilst racking up as many assists, in the 2024/25 campaign.

These statistics suggest that he has the potential to be the first midfielder to score 18 goals since Matt O’Riley managed it in the Premiership in the 2023/24 season, before his £25m move to Brighton.

Brownhill, who also delivered seven goals and eight assists in the 2022/23 Championship season, is a midfielder who looks to be a difference-maker for his side with goals and assists from the middle of the park, which is why he could be an Engels repeat for the Hoops.

The Belgian star hit the ground running to score and assist goals on a regular basis from midfield last term, and the English ace could follow in his footsteps, possibly offering even more of a threat in front of goal, if the club can strike a deal with him.

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New Zealand batter fell for 92 just eight balls into the final morning, before Jayasuriya bagged five in the second innings

Madushka Balasuriya23-Sep-2024

Prabath Jayasuriya bagged 5 for 68 in the second innings•AFP/Getty Images

Sri Lanka didn’t need long on the final morning in Galle to wrap things up, taking just 15 minutes to grab the final two New Zealand wickets and secure a 63-run win in the first Test. The result means Sri Lanka go 1-0 up in the two-match series, while also leapfrogging New Zealand up to third place in the World Test Championship (WTC) points table.Prabath Jayasuriya was at the forefront of Sri Lanka’s charge, finishing with figures of 5 for 68 – his eighth five-wicket haul, and his seventh in Galle. He ended with match figures of 9 for 204, taking home the Player-of-the-Match award.After having fought so hard the previous day, Rachin Ravindra lasted just eight deliveries into the first session of the final morning as Jayasuriya trapped him in front with an arm ball for 92 off 168 balls. Coming around the wicket, Jayasuriya tossed one up on leg as Ravindra was caught in the crease playing down the wrong line. He reviewed, but once it was confirmed to be pitching in line, there would be no saving him.And any lingering hopes of a famous rearguard were then swiftly quashed, as Will O’Rourke kept out just five deliveries before the sixth slipped past his forward defence and on to off stump to hand Jayasuriya his fifth wicket of the innings.O’Rourke wouldn’t quite be satisfied with how the game ended after an impressive showing in the game as he finished with eight wickets to his name – the second-most across the Test, and the same as Ajaz Patel.In terms of how this result impacts the WTC, it keeps Sri Lanka’s outside hopes of a berth in the final alive. But for New Zealand, it makes their task considerably tougher, with an away series against India and a home series England coming up in the next few months.There will be no time to dwell on this result for either team, with just a two-day break before the second Test gets underway on Thursday – also in Galle.

Whilst they must act with caution amid their PSR concerns, Aston Villa are now reportedly keen to sign a Serie A midfielder who kept Morgan Rogers quiet last season.

Aston Villa still face PSR concern

With June 30 and the PSR deadline approaching, Aston Villa are running out of time to sell players and face what could be the most important week of their summer. At this stage, the likeliest players to depart seem to be Emiliano Martinez and Leon Bailey. The former has been the subject of interest from Manchester United and although Villa won’t be desperate to sell a key man to a rival club, they may have no choice before next month.

Of course, the departure of Bailey would be far easier to stomach this summer. The Jamaican winger fell down the pecking order last season following the arrival of Donyell Malen and even after the loan spells of Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio came to an end, he remains a player who Villa could be wise to sell this month.

Whether the likely sale of Philippe Coutinho to Vasco da Gama solves Villa’s problems completely is also a big question. To that end, reports have claimed that it will help them on the PSR front but it will not solve their issues entirely. Even after the former Liverpool star’s exit, Villa may still require one more sale before a much-needed PSR reset.

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It’s then that those in the Midlands will be able to shift their focus back towards incomings and potentially a Serie A midfielder who pocketed Rogers last season.

Aston Villa keen to sign Jens Cajuste

According to Area Napoli, as relayed by Sport Witness, Aston Villa are now keen to sign Jens Cajuste from Napoli this summer. Following a season on loan at Ipswich Town, the midfielder will now reportedly be allowed to leave the Italian club for as little as €10m (£8.5m) in the coming months.

Whilst his first season in the Premier League featured a relegation, Cajuste still stood out at times for Ipswich Town. In fact, one of his best games came against Unai Emery’s Aston Villa side in a 1-1 draw at Villa Park.

Keeping attacking midfielder Rogers quiet, Cajuste made three interceptions – more than any other central midfielder on the pitch – and completed five recoveries. Rogers, meanwhile, was limited to just one successful dribble and won a third of his duels in a frustrating afternoon.

One of several solid performances, Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna was often full of praise for Cajuste during his time at the club – telling reporters when asked about the midfielder in April: “He’s a really terrifically talented footballer, but in terms of his robustness he’s making really good progress and he’s improved as the season’s gone on.”

كشف الاتحاد المصري لكرة القدم، موقف الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” من زي منتخب مصر خلال مباراته غداً أمام بوركينا فاسو، وذلك بعد الأزمة التي نشبت بشأن ذلك الأمر.

وبدأت الأزمة بعدما تمسك الجهاز الإداري لأصحاب الأرض بارتداء حارسهم للشورت الأسود والجورب الأسود، في الوقت الذي يرتدي فيه لاعبو المنتخب المصري بالكامل الشورت الأسود والجورب الأسود، لذلك أصر الجهاز الإداري للفراعنة على أرتداء لاعبيهم للشورت الأسود والجورب الأسود بداعي عدم امتلاك أي زي غيره.

وأسفر الاجتماع الفني، عن ارتداء منتخب مصر القميص الأحمر بينما يرتدي منتخب بوركينا فاسو القميص الأبيض.

وجاء بيان اتحاد الكرة حفاظاً على الألوان التي أقرها الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم بالنسبة لكل فريق سواء فيما يتعلق بالزي الأساسي أو الاحتياطي، وأقر الاتحاد الدولي صحة موقف المنتخب المصري في خطاب إلى مراقب مباراة الغد.

طالع أيضاً.. ترتيب مجموعة مصر في تصفيات كأس العالم بعد فوز غينيا بيساو على جيبوتي

ويحل منتخب مصر ضيفاً على بوركينا فاسو ضمن مواجهات الجولة الثامنة للمجموعة الأولى من التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة لنهائيات كأس العالم.

ويخوض منتحب مصر اللقاء متصدراً ترتيب المجموعة الأولى من تصفيات كأس العالم، برصيد 19 نقطة، بعد خوض 7 مواجهات، فاز في 6 وتعادل في لقاء.

على الجانب الآخر، يتواجد منتخب بوركينا فاسو في المركز الثاني “الوصافة” برصيد 14 نقطة، من 7 مواجهات حقق الفوز في 4 وتعادل في 2 وخسر مباراة وحيدة.

وتضم المجموعة الأولى من تصفيات كأس العالم، منتخبات مصر، بوركينا فاسو، غينيا بيساو، جيبوتي، إثيوبيا وسيراليون.

The transfer window has only been open for nine days, but Arsenal are already embroiled in something of a saga.

The Gunners have been heavily linked with RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko since last summer, and while he remains in Germany at the moment, things are begging to move.

Reports from late last week revealed that the Slovenian striker wants to move to the Emirates, but is he really the answer for Mikel Arteta’s side?

While that remains to be seen, the club are still on the lookout for alternatives, and now reports are linking them to someone who could be an upgrade on Sesko.

Arsenal's striker search

Before getting to the star in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other strikers linked with Arsenal in recent weeks, such as Jonathan David and Julian Alvarez.

Transfer Focus

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Due to his contract with LOSC Lille coming to an end this month, the former would be a free signing, and a great one at that, as in 49 appearances this season, he scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists.

Alvarez was equally effective this term, racking up a tally of 29 goals and seven assists in 54 appearances, but with a release clause reportedly worth £126m in his current deal, it seems unlikely that he’d be on the move this summer.

Fortunately, another striker has now entered the picture: Samuel Omorodion Aghehowa.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of several teams currently interested in the Porto star.

The report claims that alongside the Gunners, Chelsea, Manchester United, Aston Villa, and others are set to ‘battle it out’ for the 21-year-old goalscorer.

However, on top of dealing with the competition, the North Londoners will need to stump up a lot of cash, as the report has revealed that Porto want at least €75m – £63m – for their star striker and that they are in no rush to sell as he has a €100m – £84m – release clause in his current deal.

It could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Samu’s ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he could be an upgrade on Sesko.

How Samu compares to Sesko

So, if Arsenal’s reported interest in Samu continues to grow, and things get to a point at which they have to choose between him and Sesko, who’d be the better signing?

Well, if we are going to compare strikers, the first port of call is their raw output, as, ultimately, that is what matters most for players in their position.

Interestingly, it’s the young Spaniard who comes out on top here, as in just 42 appearances, totalling 3175 minutes, the “inevitable” 6 foot 4 goalscorer, as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, put the ball in the back of the net 25 times and provided three assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.5 games, or every 113.39 minutes.

In comparison, the Leipzig star scored 21 goals and provided six assists in 45 appearances, totalling 3258 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.66 games, or every 120.66 minutes.

Okay, what about their underlying numbers, then? Who comes out on top when we take a look under the hood?

Samu vs Sesko

Statistics per 90

Samu

Sesko

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.51

0.40

Non-Penalty G+As

0.72

0.61

Progressive Passes

1.12

1.74

Progressive Carries

0.92

1.78

Shots

3.10

2.50

Shots on Target

1.15

1.10

Passing Accuracy

77.8%

67.6%

Expected Assists

0.09

0.06

Key Passes

0.68

0.72

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.40

0.34

Shot-Creating Actions

1.75

1.93

Goal-Creating Actions

0.36

0.34

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season

Well, it’s more bad news for the Slovenian star, as while he does do better in some areas, such as shot-creating actions and progressive passes, he comes out second-best in the majority of relevant metrics.

For example, the Melilla-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by Mattinson, does far better when it comes to expected and actual non-penalty goals plus assists, shots and shots on target, goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, while both players look to be hugely promising strikers, Samu simply does better when we look at their raw output and underlying numbers, so Arsenal should probably do what they can to bring him to the Emirates this summer, as he seems to be an upgrade on Sesko.

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