Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta believes that Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang has taken his game to the next level and prefers this version of the striker.
After a poor campaign by his standards in 2020-21, Gunners captain Aubameyang is the club s top scorer in the Premier League with four goals from eight appearances, but his manager has been equally as impressed with the 32-year-old s improved all-round game.
The Gabon forward ranks second at the club for possession won in the final third in the Premier League (four) behind only Emile Smith Rowe (nine).
Aubameyang has also outperformed his expected goals (xG) value of 3.08, suggesting his finishing has been above the standard that would be expected from the chances he has been presented with.
He ranks fifth i…
Milan head coach Stefano Pioli insists Zlatan Ibrahimovic is certainly not a racist but thinks his clash with Romelu Lukaku could rekindle his best form.
Ibrahimovic was sent off having scored the opening goal in the Rossoneri s 2-1 Coppa Italia defeat to Inter this week.
The veteran striker earned his first of two yellow cards after a heated confrontation with former Manchester United team-mate Lukaku, in which he appeared to tell the Belgian forward: Go do your voodoo s***, you little donkey .
It was suggested Ibrahimovic was referring to comments made in 2018 by Everton majority shareholder Farhad Moshiri, who said Lukaku had declined a contract extension because a voodoo message told him to move to Chelsea a transfer that never transpired.
´Bryant has the most misses in NBA history´ – Klopp backs Salah and Mane response as pair share defi
Jurgen Klopp likened Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane s mindset to that of basketball legend Kobe Bryant as he assured his players will keep attempting to respond to adversity.
Salah netted against Newcastle United in December as he equalled Jamie Vardy s Premier League record of scoring and assisting in 15 consecutive games, but followed that up with blanks against Tottenham and Leicester City in the league.
Liverpool were held 2-2 by Antonio Conte s side before a 1-0 loss to Leicester, in which Salah missed his first penalty in 16 top-flight attempts and headed the subsequent rebound onto the crossbar with the goal gaping.
In the same game at the King Power Stadium, Mane wastefully blasted over a glorious chance with the scores still level, with that miss coming ba…
Arsenal are considering bringing Folarin Balogun back from his loan spell at Reims in the January transfer window, according to . Balogun moved to Ligue 1 outfit Reims on a season-long loan deal from Premier League club Arsenal in the summer of 2022, but due to the injury to Gabriel Jesus, the Gunners are exploring the option to recall the 21-year-old striker.
Jesus joined Arsenal from Manchester City in the summer of 2022 and is the number one striker at the Emirates Stadium at the moment. However, the striker suffered a knee injury while playing for Brazil at the ongoing 2022 Qatar World Cup and has undergone surgery. He could miss three months of action.
Balogun has made 12 starts and three substitute appearances in Ligue 1 for Reims so far this season, scoring eight…
Republic of Ireland manager Giovanni Trapattoni does not expect to be offered an extension when his contract expires next year.
The 74-year-old has been in the job since replacing Steve Staunton in 2008 and took the country to the UEFA European Championships last year after narrowly missing out on qualification for the 2010 FIFA World Cup.
But Ireland s hopes of reaching next year s World Cup in Brazil took a major blow when they were beaten 2-1 at home by Sweden in a crucial qualifying fixture last Friday.
The country now face a trips to Austria and Germany before their qualification programme ends with a home fixture against Kazakhstan in October, and Trapattoni believes he will leave his post after those games.
I don t expect, after this campaign, to go again …
Fabio has conceded his Manchester United career is hanging in the balance and would welcome a return to Fluminense.
The 23-year-old defender has returned to Old Trafford following a season-long loan at QPR to find himself still on the fringes of the first team, and has made just one appearance so far in 2013-14.
Fabio is pragmatic about the chances of his fortunes improving at United and is prepared to leave the Premier League champions in the pursuit of regular football.
I think the time has come and maybe in the next window or even next season, I think I might leave, he told ESPN Brasil.
There are good possibilities. I m looking for other clubs. There s nothing certain; we ll leave it for later.
I want to be happy. I want to play, I want to be with my fam…
Diego Simeone has been the driving force behind Atletico Madrid s resurgence in recent years, sporting director Jose Luis Caminero believes.
An Atletico legend after captaining the club to a famous La Liga and Copa del Rey double in 1995-96, Simeone s hero status at the Vicente Calderon has grown further thanks to his achievements since taking over as coach in December 2011.
The Argentinian has guided Atletico to Europa League and Copa glory, as well as the league title and Champions League final in 2013-14.
Simeone signed a new long-term contract with Atletico last year, but is consistently linked with managerial vacancies at major European clubs.
However, Caminero told Omnisport: Simeone has a contract with Atletico until 2020 and everybody at t…
Jay Spearing has completed his permanent transfer from Liverpool to Bolton Wanderers,.
The midfielder impressed during a season-long loan spell at the Reebok Stadium last season, scoring two goals in thirty-seven appearances before being named the clubs player of the season.
Fellow Championship side Blackburn Rovers had also been linked with a move for the 24 year old, but withdrew their interest after failing to agree personal terms with the player.
Spearing broke into the Liverpool first team in 2008, making his debut in the 3-1 Champions League group stage victory over PSV Eindhoven at the Philips Stadion.
He made fifty-five appearances in all competitions for the Merseyside club, having also spent the last part of the 2009/10 campaign on loan…
Two goals on his competitive Old Trafford debut was not quite the perfect start to life at Manchester United for Romelu Lukaku, who claims he wanted a hat-trick against West Ham on Sunday.
The Belgian striker netted a brace in a 4-0 victory as United opened their 2017-18 Premier League campaign in some style, giving cause for plenty of early season optimism among supporters of the Red Devils.
In centre-forward Lukaku, prised away from Everton for a reported initial fee of £75million, fans have a key reason to believe their team is capable of challenging for a first league title since 2012-13.
And it appears the Belgium international is not easily satisfied.
Asked by MUTV if he could have hoped for more, Lukaku replied with a wry smile: I wished to have…
West Ham have signed Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Havard Nordtveit on a free transfer.
The club have confirmed the 25-year-old has signed a five-year deal and will join from July 1 when his contract with the Bundesliga side expires.
Nordtveit is a Norway international who had a spell with Arsenal between 2007 and 2010 without making a first-team appearance.
After loan spells with Salamanca, Lillestrom and Nurnberg while with the Gunners, Nordtveit joined Gladbach in December 2010 and became a first-team regular, helping them to three top-four finishes, including this season.
The defensive midfielder, who has also featured in central defence, revealed that returning to the Premier League was always his ambition.
Nordtveit told West Ham s off…