Arsenal struck gold on "wizard" worth way more than Maddison & Son combined

Arsenal have endured an interesting start to their Premier League campaign this season.

Mikel Arteta's side beat Wolverhampton Wanderers at home, came away from Villa Park with all three points, and then looked on target to make it three from three against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday.

However, a second yellow for Declan Rice put the Gunners under immense pressure, and they were forced to settle for a single point, but with 35 games to go, there is plenty of time to recover.

Moreover, with the North London Derby the next game on the horizon, Arteta's side have the perfect opportunity to bounce back, and considering one of the club's most important players is worth more than James Maddison and Son Heung-min combined, it wouldn't be all that surprising to see them win a third match in a row at Spurs.

Maddison and Son's valuation in 2024

So, after spending a considerable amount of time in the Midlands playing for Leicester City, Maddison joined Spurs for £40m last summer, and it would be fair to say that he endured a mixed campaign in North London.

For example, in his first 11 league games for the club, he scored three goals and provided five assists, equating to a goal involvement once every 1.37 games, but after coming back from the ankle injury he sustained in that 11th match, he could only muster one goal and four assists in his final 17 league appearances, equating to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 3.4 games.

This middling season from a player expected to help take the North Londoners to the next level has understandably impacted his valuation, with Football Transfers now pricing him at around €28m, which is about £24m, or £16m less than he cost last summer.

rodrigo-bentancur-james-maddison-tottenham-opinion

On the other hand, Son had a barnstorming year for Postecoglou in 23/24 and proved that while he's getting older, he can still be just as effective in attack.

For example, in his 36 appearances for the Lilywhites, the South Korean superstar scored 17 goals and provided ten assists, meaning he managed to maintain an average of a goal involvement once every 1.33 games, which was also unsurprisingly enough to make him the club's most productive player.

Spurs striker Heung-min Son

However, while he was incredible, the fact he's 32 and has just a year remaining on his contract has clearly impacted his valuation, with Football Transfers pricing him at just €28m – £24m – as well, which means that even when combined with Maddison, the pair have a lower valuation than one of the Gunners' most important players.

Martin Odegaard's valuation in 2024

Yes, the Arsenal star in question is captain fantastic himself, Martin Odegaard.

The Norwegian wonderkid first joined the Gunners on a six-month loan spell in January 2021, and while he didn't blow anyone's socks off with his performances, he impressed Arteta and Edu, who brought him back in August of the same year for a fee that's sure to hit £34m with add-ons.

Since his move was made permanent, the former Real Madrid prospect has gone from strength to strength in N5, and while there was a discussion among the fanbase in 2021 about whether the club should sign him or Maddison, you'd be hard-pressed to find a fan who'd swap the 25-year-old for the Spurs ace today.

In all, the midfield "wizard", as dubbed by former footballer Babayele Sodade, has scored 35 goals and provided 25 assists in just 156 appearances for the Red side of North London, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 2.6 games.

However, he was particularly impressive last season, racking up 11 goals and 11 assists in 48 matches, meaning he maintained an even more impressive average of a goal involvement once every 2.18 games.

Price Signed for

£34m

£40m

£22m

Current Value

£62m

£24m

£24m

Value Change

+£28m

-£16m

+£2m

Age

25

27

32

So, with an impressive track record in England and a trajectory suggesting he's only going to keep getting better, it should come as no surprise to see his valuation has increased as well, with Football Transfers now pricing the Norwegian at around €74m, which converts to about £62m, or £14m more than Maddison and Son combined.

Ultimately, while there were a few question marks around Odegaard when he moved to Arsenal over three years ago, there can be no doubt that his transfer has been a roaring success and that he's now one of the first names on the teamsheet for Arteta.

Arteta must regret selling £37m Arsenal man who's now a Ballon d'Or nominee

The brilliant international has thrived away from North London.

3 ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 6, 2024

Everton handed boost regarding "outstanding" £100k-a-week hero’s future

Everton have been given a huge boost regarding the future of an "outstanding" player on the eve of their season opener against Brighton, according to a new update from journalist Graeme Bailey.

Everton transfer news

The Blues get their new Premier League season up and running this weekend, with a home clash against Brighton coming their way on Saturday afternoon. It will be fascinating to see how the new signings fare at Goodison Park, following a summer that has seen the likes of Jake O'Brien, Jesper Lindstrom and Iliman Ndiaye come in.

There is still time for further reinforcements to arrive at Everton, with plenty of rumours doing the rounds in recent days. That includes Strasbourg midfielder Habib Diarra, who could help fill the void left by Amadou Onana, having joined Aston Villa earlier in the transfer window.

Habib Diarra in action for Strasbourg

The Blues are also believed to have made contact with Borussia Dortmund teenager Youssoufa Moukoko over a summer move after his proposed move to Marseille fell through. The 19-year-old scored five goals in the Bundesliga last season, despite only making four starts.

Another young player, Barcelona's Vitor Roque, has also emerged as a summer transfer target for Everton, with the La Liga giants seemingly happy to let him go despite only snapping him up recently. Now, a key update has emerged over the future of a current Goodison hero, too, in what could be a welcome boost for Sean Dyche.

Everton boosted over "outstanding" player

Speaking to Everton.News, Bailey claimed that Everton are "hopeful" that Dominic Calvert-Lewin will stay put this summer, despite interest from Newcastle.

"I still wouldn’t rule Newcastle out of this. There’s still two weeks to go. Newcastle like him a lot. He still hasn’t signed that contract. Nothing imminent, but I think over the last two weeks I wouldn’t rule anything out. I think there’s still interest there from a few teams.

"There’s been a few sniffs around him from what I’m hearing, but there’s not a lot Everton can do at this point. He’s got a year left, they want him to stay. From what I’m hearing they’re pretty hopeful."

Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Keeping hold of Calvert-Lewin would feel like a massive positive for Everton, even though injuries have plagued him down the years, preventing him from consistently finding the form that saw him score 29 Premier League goals in 2019/20 and 2020/21 combined.

When available, the 27-year-old remains a formidable striker who combines pace, power and strong finishing, with Dyche hailing him last season.

"I thought he was excellent. He's had a bit of illness. We're hopeful that has passed, he had it before the game, so I must commend him on that. His physical performance was outstanding, he's not quite over it but we hope it settles down a bit."

Everton tracking £45k-p/w Onana replacement with "insane athletic ability"

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Ben Browning

Aug 15, 2024

Newcastle could still potentially chance their arm, looking to make a late move for the £100,000-a-week-earning Calvert-Lewin, but if Everton can retain his services beyond this summer, it could end up feeling every bit as important as any new signing that comes in.

Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney turn Wrexham into a tourism hotspot with £179m spending boom driven by hit documentary

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney have helped to deliver a £179 million ($228m) tourism boom at Wrexham, thanks in part to a popular documentary show.

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Hollywood superstars completed takeover in 2021Overseen success on and off the pitchPromise of more to come at home and abroadFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱Getty/FXWHAT HAPPENED?

Upon their arrival in 2021, when a stunning takeover was completed, two Hollywood superstars decided to bring television cameras with them. Welcome to Wrexham has become an Emmy-award winning production, with the Red Dragons’ global fan base growing as a result.

AdvertisementTHE GOSSIP

Interest in Wrexham, not just their famous co-owners, is soaring. That is doing wonders for the travel trade in North Wales, with two million visitors passing through the city in the last 12 months. claims that they spent around £179m.

GettyDID YOU KNOW?

That figure stood at just £49m ($62m) in 2020, prior to Reynolds and McElhenney’s arrival. They have been enjoying a remarkable adventure on and off the field, with back-to-back promotions being complemented by the growth of businesses in the local area.

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WHAT COUNCIL MEMBER SAID

Joe Bickerton, Wrexham County Borough Council destination manager, has said of the impact made by Reynolds and McElhenney: “The Welcome to Wrexham documentary has acted as a catalyst for many – and the city has stepped up to embrace visitors. People might come because they’ve seen certain aspects on the documentary or they might now be interested to see what Wrexham is all about.”

He went on to add: “Last year we were the best-performing local authority in Wales for visitor growth. We see 21% as an anomaly, we usually see growth of 5 or 6 per cent.”

Sunrisers Hyderabad's Wriddhiman Saha tests positive for Covid-19

He trained with the Sunrisers on May 1, the same day he reported a fever

ESPNcricinfo staff04-May-2021

Wriddhiman Saha has played two games so far this IPL•BCCI/IPL

Wriddhiman Saha has tested positive for Covid-19, meaning the Sunrisers Hyderabad became the third franchise to register positive cases at IPL 2021. The team was due to play the Mumbai Indians in Delhi on Tuesday but the IPL has been postponed following the surfacing of Covid-19 cases at least three franchises over the last few days.ESPNcricinfo understands that Saha reported symptoms, including a fever, on May 1, the day before the Sunrisers played against the Rajasthan Royals in Delhi, an afternoon match. Saha had trained with the rest of the Sunrisers squad on the afternoon of May 1. Following that training session, Saha felt he might have got a heat stroke and had even got tested for Covid-19 on the same day. The result of that test was negative, but he still reported a fever.Related

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Saha was isolated immediately by the franchise. He underwent two further tests, on Sunday and Monday. It is understood that he tested positive for Covid-19 in the the third round of testing.Saha had scored eight runs in two games and taken three catches this season before he was excluded from the playing XI.Two players from the Kolkata Knight Riders – spinner Varun Chakravarthy and seam bowler Sandeep Warrier – and two members of the Chennai Super Kings contingent – bowling coach L Balaji and a member of the maintenance staff – had also tested positive over the past two days. Subsequently, yesterday’s game between the Knight Riders and the Royal Challengers Bangalore was put off, before the announcement of the postponement today.

Brighton owner Tony Bloom’s statement on £25m ex-Celtic star Matt O’Riley

Former Celtic star Matt O'Riley's new employer, Brighton owner and chairman Tony Bloom, has provided an update on his injury after sustaining a horror challenge just moments into his debut last week.

The Hoops were very busy over the course of the summer, as manager Brendan Rodgers was keen to keep his side at full strength, as he eyes another campaign of winning everything that is on offer in Scotland, but lost O'Riley late in the day to the South coast club.

Kris Boyd reveals the difference between Rangers and Celtic after Old Firm

Is the former Gers striker spot on?

1 ByHenry Jackson Sep 2, 2024 Celtic’s transfer window

Celtic added eight players to their squad during the summer transfer window, with their biggest capture being midfielder Arne Engels from Bundesliga side FC Augsburg, while they also allowed ten players to leave.

Celtic summer signings

Arne Engels

FC Augsburg

Adam Idah

Norwich City

Auston Trusty

Sheff Utd

Paulo Bernardo

Benfica

Luke McCowan

Dundee FC

Viljami Sinisalo

Aston Villa

Kasper Schmeichel

RSC Anderlecht

Alex Valle (Loan)

Barcelona

The Scottish champions allowed Mikey Johnston to leave and re-join West Brom on a permanent basis after his impressive loan spell last season. Other departures saw Hyeon-gyu Oh leave, as well as Sead Haksabanovic, Tomoki Iwata, and of course O’Riley.

It could have been worse for Celtic, as star man Kyogo Furuhashi was also being linked with a move away from Celtic Park. The 29-year-old emerged as a potential target for Manchester City as they looked at options to replace Julian Alvarez.

Pep Guardiola is said to be a “huge” fan of the forward and was left impressed by his performances in pre-season, especially when he played against the Blues in the USA. Kyogo was at it again on Sunday, as he played a big role in the club’s win over Rangers.

One of Celtic’s departures from this summer has already suffered a setback at his new club, and they have now provided an update on the player’s injury.

Brighton provide O'Riley injury update

Celtic’s biggest departure during the summer was midfielder Matt O’Riley, as he joined Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion in a deal believed to be worth an initial £25m and up to £30m. The 23-year-old made his debut for the Seagulls in last week’s Carabao Cup tie against Crawley Town, but he was forced off after six minutes with ankle ligament damage.

Now, Brighton have released a statement on the player’s injury, with chairman Bloom hoping to have the midfielder back later this season after his successful ankle surgery.

Celtic'sMattO'Riley

Bloom told the Albion Podcast on the club’s website, via Sussex World: “We are hugely disappointed with that horror challenge on Matt O’Riley. He had his operation today (Monday), and that has been successful.

"We are all really looking forward to seeing him back at the later part of the year. It's really important to bring the right players with the right personality. From what I have seen and from what I have heard, everyone is fitting in well.”

O’Riley left Celtic Park this summer having joined the club in January 2022 from MK Dons. He played 124 times in Glasgow, scoring 27 goals and chipping in with an impressive 35 assists. The midfielder, who has also established himself now as a senior Denmark international, played a pivotal role in Celtic winning league and cup titles, and Hoops fans will certainly wish him well in his recovery.

Contra o América-MG, Douglas Costa e Ferreira devem ser as novidades no Grêmio

MatériaMais Notícias

Apesar da vitória na última rodada frente ao Fluminense pelo Brasileirão, o ataque do Grêmio, pensando no compromisso do próximo sábado (13) diante do América-MG, no Independência, deve vir bastante modificado por conta do retorno de duas peças a lista de opções do técnico Vagner Mancini.

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>Aplicativo de resultados do LANCE! está disponível na versão iOS

Tanto Douglas Costa como Ferreira estiveram suspensos pelo terceiro amarelo no jogo da última segunda-feira (8), podendo atuar normalmente no fim de semana em substituições naturais onde Alisson e Elias Manoel iriam para o banco de reservas.

Outro jogador que também teve por um bom tempo o caráter de titular e que volta de suspensão é o meio-campista Thiago Santos. Todavia, em seu caso específico, a ocupação do posto em linha mais recuada onde atuaram Matheus Sarará e Lucas Silva no último confronto não é tão certa.

Fato é que a ideia de Mancini, até pensando na questão do ganho de confiança e maior captação do estilo de jogo, é não fazer modificações drásticas da última escalação. Algo que faria o 11 inicial do Grêmio vir comBrenno; Vanderson, Geromel, Kannemann e Diogo Barbosa; Matheus Sarará, Lucas Silva e Campaz; Douglas Costa, Ferreira e Diego Souza.

Man City fans get chance to design 2026-27 kit: PUMA & Premier League giants team up for unique opportunity using AI technology

Manchester City fans are being given an opportunity to design the club’s official third kit for 2026-27 courtesy of PUMA and an innovative AI tool.

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  • Supporters encouraged to draw up designs
  • Public vote will determine the winner
  • Kit will be produced & worn by superstars
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The creator software in question, which is powered by DEEPOBJECTS, is presenting supporters with a chance to make the most of “text prompting, customisation tools and intuitive sliders” to piece together their “dream” kits – which will be produced for City’s men and women’s teams.

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  • THE BIGGER PICTURE

    The project is considered to be “a first-of-its-kind”, with City followers being encouraged to “create bold patterns and unique kit designs”. The winning concept will be donned by Blues stars in a “ground-breaking first for a professional football club”.

  • PUMA

    DID YOU KNOW?

    After signing signing up, fans will get 15 free Design Credits and two entries, with the competition open until December 20 – when fan ratings, alongside input from kit experts at PUMA and City, will shortlist the top 10 designs and throw the final vote open to the public.

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  • WHAT MAN CITY & PUMA SAID

    Nuria Tarre, chief marketing and fan experience officer for City Football Group, has said of the project: “Through the power of AI, we are delighted to offer fans this special opportunity to be a part of Manchester City history and design a kit that could one day be worn by their heroes on the pitch. Each City kit plays a fundamental role in connecting fans around the world to our club and we’re excited to see how they engage with this truly unique initiative. Our enthusiasm for creating innovative and unique fan experiences is shared by PUMA, who continue to work with us to create memorable kits that represent our City, our club and our fans.”

    Ivan Dashkov, head of emerging marketing tech at PUMA, added: “PUMA AI Creator is one of the ways we see emerging technology bringing fans closer to the game they love. As Manchester City continues to be one of the most successful football clubs globally, both on and off the pitch, and they have been the perfect partner for PUMA to work with to introduce this groundbreaking AI platform. Together, we are intentionally creating innovative and inclusive ways to engage with fans. PUMA AI Creator is a creative outlet that anyone can use – regardless of their past design experience, location, or background – to make a huge cultural impact, in this case designing the official 2026-27 Third kit for Manchester City.”

Derby could sign "incredible" free agent who’s a dream for Mendez-Laing

Derby County finally announced themselves to the Championship on their return to the second tier versus Bristol City, as Paul Warne's Rams emphatically put Bristol City to the sword 3-0 last time out.

The only other victory this season Derby had collected in the league was a slender 1-0 win when Warne's men faced off against Michael Carrick's tricky Middlesbrough outfit, but this more recent three points in front of the home masses at Pride Park was way more of a breeze.

Derby will hope they can pick up more stylish victories when the international break is over and done with, knowing that Nathaniel Mendez-Laing has a lot more to give the newly promoted outfit.

Mendez-Laing this season so far

The former Cardiff City man was instrumental last season in Derby winning promotion back up to the Championship via the top two, with the experienced head setting League One alight with his sublime performances.

The 32-year-old attacker would amass a ridiculous nine goals and 16 assists in league action, with his importance to the cause only heightened moving up a league, when you consider his previous nous at the tricky level.

He already has two assists next to his name from Derby's opening four league clashes, but both of those goal contributions came on the opening night away at Blackburn Rovers, with nothing falling his way since.

That isn't to say Mendez-Laing didn't bust a gut for his side in the convincing 3-0 success over the Robins, with the skilful Rams number 11 even hitting the woodwork from his bright 74 minutes on the Pride Park turf, but the goals and assists just haven't been as free flowing as his standout season in League One.

Derby County manager Paul Warne.

Warne could be tempted to explore the free agent market to try and give Mendez-Laing a new exciting partner down the left, even with recent developments suggesting that the Derby boss would have to ditch a member of his 25-man squad to accommodate a new acquisition.

With Craig Forsyth now 35 years of age and very much in the twilight stages of his career, a new left-back might well be on the former Rotherham United manager's mind regardless, gifting the Rams another face to compete with Callum Elder who could get even more out of their 32-year-old star-man.

Why Derby should consider Brandon Williams

Brandon Williams could well be the man Derby desire to bolster their numbers in the left-back spot, away from over-relying on their current Australian first-teamer.

The ex-Manchester United youth product is still on the hunt for a new club after being released by the Red Devils this summer, which might well be seen as a surprise when you take into account his memorable loan stint with Ipswich last season.

Games played

15

Games started

8

Goals scored

2

Goal conversion

67%

Assists

0

Touches

44.5

Accurate passes*

23.1 (82%)

Tackles*

1.9

Ball recoveries*

4.5

Total duels won*

4.7

Williams' whirlwind spell at Portman Road would see him score two goals from just 15 appearances as a livewire option down the left – which included the outrageous solo strike above versus Preston North End – with his willingness to launch into duels also a major plus, winning 4.7 of them on average per match.

Kieran McKenna, who also had Williams under his wing when he was a coach at Man United before taking on the Tractor Boys job, would describe the 24-year-old's moment of magic against Preston as "incredible", whilst also applauding his drive and determination away from the outrageous goal.

He could be utilised as an impact subsitute option, therefore, when teams in the second tier are flagging and Derby want to expose that, with only eight starts handed to him in Suffolk despite McKenna's glowing words.

Capable of also playing at the right-back spot if needed, Williams' constant energy and bite could get more out of Mendez-Laing, who will want to continue to see out his playing days in Derbyshire with a bang.

Derby hit gold on amazing star who's worth more than Cashin & Mendez-Laing

Derby County fans will see this former star in action next season against the Rams.

ByKelan Sarson Jul 23, 2024

Joe Root: England's challenge in 2021 is to peak for Australia 'pinnacle'

Joe Root says that the challenge of taking on New Zealand, followed by five home Tests against India and an away Ashes campaign, makes 2021 the sort of year that “you play the game for”.However, Root also admitted that England’s new-look selection panel – now led by the head coach Chris Silverwood – faces a tricky balancing act to ensure the entire squad is fit and firing ahead of the Australia tour, which he conceded was the year’s “pinnacle”.The squad for England’s first Test of the summer, against New Zealand at Lord’s, is expected to be announced on Tuesday, and may provide an opportunity for some of England’s uncapped squad members – notably Gloucestershire’s James Bracey and Sussex’s Ollie Robinson – to test their mettle on the big stage after long periods on the sidelines during the team’s recent bio-secure campaigns.However, Root admitted the importance of striking the right balance between opportunities for fringe candidates and sufficient game-time for the first-choice players, especially given the continued uncertainty about how long the Covid-safe environments will have to be kept in place.”It’s very difficult at the minute, the circumstances make it very tricky,” Root told Sky Sports during Yorkshire’s ongoing County Championship clash with Glamorgan in Cardiff. “You’ve got to factor in so many different things and the welfare of the players is obviously paramount.”But this is what you play for, years like this one. You want to pit yourself against the best, you want to be successful against the best, and this is the opportunity to do it.”The New Zealand series will be an early test of the ECB’s new selection arrangements. Ed Smith’s removal as national selector last month means that Silverwood holds an unprecedented influence within the England camp, but Root believes his new role will add clarity to the process, given the bond that already exists between captain and coach.”More than anything, it just means that that relationship between the two of us has to be as strong as ever,” he said. “We get on very well and we’ve got a good understanding of each other. We know what we want, and so hopefully, that process becomes a little bit easier.”It’s always a tricky balance,” he said of the prospect of blooding some new faces against New Zealand. “What you’re trying to do is create that environment where you’ve got a strong squad of players that have been together for a good period of time, but no-one going in cold.”You can’t plan everything perfectly, especially at the minute with Covid. There might be natural opportunities where things arise, there might not be, but the most important thing is that we remain very open-minded about how we want to move going forward.”We’ve got some really important cricket coming up. And we’ve got to prioritise that. So when we sit down, we’ll factor in everything as best we can, and make sure that we’ve got a real clear idea of how we want to go, how we want the year to look, and how we’re going to peak for that tour of Australia.”England overtook Australia as the No.3-ranked Test team this week, behind New Zealand and India, who face off in next month’s World Test Championship final at the Ageas Bowl, and after impressing for the first half of their recent tour of Sri Lanka and India, Root is confident their Test plans are on track.Related

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“We’ve made good strides over the last couple of years as a Test team,” he said. “It’s not been plain sailing, we’ve not had it all our own way, but we still improved.”I truly believe we are making good strides in the right direction, and now we’ve got an opportunity to keep improving, keep getting better and peak for Australia, which is the pinnacle for us.”SInce returning from India, Root has been a fixture in Yorkshire’s County Championship line-up. Although he’s made just the one hundred in four completed fixtures, against Kent at Canterbury last month, he is comfortable with where his game is at, not least after surviving a torrid examination from Glamorgan’s seamers in Cardiff, to reach 34 not out overnight in the ongoing fixture.”I felt pretty good yesterday,” he said. “I was moving quite nicely. I’ve been working on trying to play the ball a little bit later and felt I was lining it up quite straight.”Rhythm has been a big part of my batting for a few years now,” he added. “More than anything that’s what you’re trying to find when you practice, to make sure that I feel in control of all the shots I want to play, and playing the ball nice and close to me. It’s a nice place to be, but it doesn’t guarantee you anything when you start again this morning.”On a personal note, Root was privy to a moment of family pride on Friday, when his brother Billy was presented with his county cap by Glamorgan before the start of play.”It was a brilliant moment,” he said. “It’s nice to be able to walk past that special moment for him and for the club. I’m really proud of what he’s achieved here at Glamorgan and hopefully he can continue moving forward.”Billy Root enjoyed a moment of one-upmanship at Headingley in their last encounter, when he brought up his hundred off his brother’s bowling. But asked if there was any sledging between the brothers, Root senior replied: “He tries, but he’s not brave enough to properly go hard at me. Let’s see what today brings.”

ريكو لويس يحذر ريال مدريد ويصرّح: جوارديولا لم يكن مجنونًا معنا.. والجميع يريدون خسارتنا

علّق لاعب فريق مانشستر سيتي، ريكو لويس، على فوزهم الصعب ضد ليتون أورينت ظهر اليوم السبت، في إطار منافسات بطولة كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي.

وتلاقى الفريقان في خضم لقاءات دور الـ32 من كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي، حيث فاز مانشستر سيتي بهدفين لهدف.

كان مانشستر سيتي متأخرًا في النتيجة في الشوط الأول، بهدف دون رد، قبل أن يعود بهدفين في الثاني.

وقال ريكو لويس، عندما سُئل عما قاله بيب جوارديولا بين الشوطين: “لم يكن الأمر جنونيًا كما تعتقد، لم يكن مجنونًا أو أي شيء من هذا القبيل، أخبرنا أننا سنحصل على الفرص، لقد صنعنا الكثير بالفعل، نحتاج فقط إلى الاستمرار”.

وأضاف في تصريحات لشبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية: “في هذا النوع من الظروف، من السهل جدًا السماح للضغط بالوصول إلى جميع اللاعبين ووقوع المزيد من الأخطاء، لكننا قلنا فقط أن نحافظ على هدوئنا، ستأتي الفرص ونستغلها”.

وواصل: “ليتون يستحق الإشادة، جعلوا اللعب بالنسبة لنا أمرًا صعبًا، من السهل القول إنها أصعب مما تعتقد، لكننا جميعًا نعلم أنهم أقوياء، الجمهور على استعداد لذلك”.

واسترسل: “في النهاية هذا هو مانشستر سيتي، المتطلبات عالية للغاية، هناك ما يكفي من القيادة في هذا الفريق، الانتقال من الهجوم إلى الدفاع أمر صعب، هناك الكثير من المساحات التي يجب تغطيتها، الأمر كله يتعلق بالثقة”.

اقرأ أيضًا | جوارديولا يوجه رسالة لـ عمر مرموش ولاعبيه الجدد.. ويرد على هتاف “ستقال في الصباح”

وشدد: “لم يسر الموسم كما أردناه، يمكن أن يكون موسمًا رائعًا لنا إذا فزنا في كل مباراة من الآن فصاعدًا، لدينا كأس الاتحاد الإنجليزي ودوري أبطال أوروبا، والعديد من المباريات التي سنلعبها للاستمتاع بها أولاً وقبل كل شيء، ولكن أيضًا لنصبح فريقًا أفضل”.

وأردف: “الجميع يريدون منا أن نخسر، باستثناء جماهير مانشستر سيتي بالطبع، إنه ضغط على أكتافنا”.

وفيما يخص مباراة ريال مدريد يوم الثلاثاء المقبل، في ذهاب ملحق دور الـ16 من دوري أبطال أوروبا، قال: “إنها مباراة ضخمة، الاسم نفسه يخبرك بالقصة، لكن اللاعبين في غرفة ملابس مانشستر سيتي لعبوا ضدهم مرات عديدة”.

واختتم: “أصبحت هذه المباراة أكثر من مجرد مباراة ستشاهدها كل عام، في ربع النهائي ونصف النهائي، وهذا العام في وقت مبكر جدًا، إنها مباراة كبيرة وبداية جديدة لنا ونريد أن نستمر فيها والفوز اليوم سيساعدنا في ذلك”.

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