Tag Futebol

“This is not an election, and this doesn’t suit cricket in any way”

Mohammad Isam01-Oct-2025

Tamim Iqbal is one of 16 candidates to withdraw from participating in the BCB elections. The board’s election commission announced on Wednesday that following the withdrawals, there will be 27 candidates who will contest for the 17 remaining director posts.The BCB elections is for the board of directors, 23 of whom are chosen by vote while two will be government representatives. These 25 directors elect a board president. With Tamim out of the race, the path for Aminul Islam, the incumbent BCB president, is clear to continue in the role after October 6.Already, six directors have automatically become board directors due to no contest in their sub-categories. These include Barishal (Shakhawat Hossain), Sylhet (Rahat Shams), Chattogram (Ahsan Iqbal Chowdhury and Asif Akbar) and Khulna (Abdur Razzak and Julfikar Ali Khan).Three contestants each remain in the Dhaka, Rangpur and Rajshahi regions, to determine who becomes board directors. There will also be a contest for the third category, which includes educational institutes and former cricketers, among others. One director between former captain Khaled Mashud and Debabrata Paul, representing Jahangirnagar University, will be elected. Mashud is one of ten former cricketers who were selected by the BCB to vote in this category.Tamim is the representative of Old DOHS which is among the 76 clubs who participate in the Category 2 elections. After submitting his withdrawal papers on Wednesday, Tamim repeated his accusations from the September 21 press conference, with allegations of interference in the way the election is being conducted.”At least 14 or 15 of us have withdrawn our nominations today,” Tamim said on Wednesday. “The reason for this withdrawal is very clear. From the very beginning, I have been saying one thing, and you are all clear about it now–about which direction this election is going or how it is being conducted. Whatever seems right at any moment, whatever they want to do, is being done. This is not really an election. This is not an election, and this doesn’t suit cricket in any way.”A lot has been said at different times, but at the end of the day, I feel that we cannot be a part of this. I always say one thing: cricket, Bangladesh cricket does not deserve this, and the cricket fans of Bangladesh do not deserve this either.”Tamim was left frustrated after the deadlines for the submission of nomination papers were extended a number of times, with BCB president Aminul Islam himself signing one of the extension letters, although it is the norm for the BCB’s chief executive officer to send such letters to the board’s election commission.”(Match) fixing is often talked about quite loudly, but it is the election fixing that needs to be stopped first. I think it is crystal clear to everyone who was involved, at what time, what kind of involvement they had, what kind of interference occurred, and how the rules were changed at will for convenience. I will end my speech by saying that this election has become a black mark for the Bangladesh Cricket Board.”

Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti has told Chelsea that they are 'lucky' to have a player like Estevao Willian after the teenager dazzled with a goal in the Selecao's 2-0 win over Senegal in an international friendly on Saturday. The Blues wonderkid and Manchester United midfielder Casemiro were on target as the five-time world champions secured the victory.

Estevao stars in Brazil victory

Brazil handed Senegal their first defeat in over two years as they beat the African giants 2-0 at Emirates Stadium on Saturday, courtesy of goals from Estevao and Casemiro. United's star forward Matheus Cunha hit the woodwork twice before Estevao broke the deadlock around the half-hour mark.

Casemiro then doubled his team's lead minutes later as he finished off a free-kick from Rodrygo. It was a stellar performance from the five-time world champions, who have now won four out of the six games they played under Ancelotti. The match also witnessed some heated moments as Arsenal's Gabriel and Tottenham's Pape Matar Sarr were forced off with injuries ahead of next week's north London derby. 

AdvertisementGettyAncelotti sends message to Chelsea fans

After the game, Selecao boss Ancelotti lavished praise on Estevao for yet another impressive outing with the national team as he told reporters: "Estevao has incredible amount of talent. It’s a surprise this level at his age. He’s good at finishing, has a lot of magic… and he works very hard. I can say this: with Estevao, Brazil have a guaranteed future."

The Italian coach added: "He’s a very talented player. He is able to show every game, in Chelsea too, and he doesn’t need a lot of minutes to show his quality. He can play five minutes and he can show his quality. I think the Brazil national team is really lucky to have him, and also Chelsea."

Ancelotti apologises to Arsenal

Following Gabriel's injury, which came as a major blow for Arsenal, Ancelotti apologised to the club's fans as he said of the issue: "Bad? I don't know, he had a problem on his adductor, the medical staff have to check tomorrow. We are really sorry for this, really disappointed. When players have an injury, I hope they can recover well and soon." 

The Brazilian centre-back has displayed stellar form for the Gunners in the 2025-26 campaign, scoring two goals in all competitions. Such is the former Lille defender’s importance to the Gunners that he has featured in all 17 of their games this season, helping Mikel Arteta’s side rise to the Premier League summit in addition to being joint-leaders in the Champions League standings.

Arteta would hope that Gabriel's injury is not too serious and he recovers in the remaining few days of the international break and returns to action by November 23 when the Gunners face Spurs in the north London derby. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportHow is it going for Estevao?

Estevao has appeared in 16 matches across all competitions for the Blues, although his game time has been limited as Enzo Maresca remains sceptical of giving the teenager too much exposure. The Chelsea coach, however, has always been full of praise for the youngster, as he said earlier this season: "It’s exciting to see him. The good thing about Estevao, sometimes with young players we are worried, because they have one good game and they think they are already [at the] top. Estavao, he’s playing well but he’s polite, he’s humble, he wants to learn. I think his family are also doing a big job there, so we are very happy not only with the way he’s performing. But he’s a nice boy, a good boy.

"In the Premier League he needs a little bit more time. I think he’s more [of a] winger, but he’s going to finish playing inside the pitch, in the pockets. For me, it’s very, very similar to Cole [Palmer]. I had Cole at the same age as Estevao at [Manchester] City Under-23 and they are very similar. Cole started playing wide because he needed a bit [more] physicality; now he’s playing inside. And Estevao, they are quite similar, now he’s playing wide but in the future I think he’s more of an inside player."

Tonda Eckert has been asked if he is hoping to become the next permanent manager of Southampton after guiding the club to a win over QPR on Wednesday evening.

It has hardly been the season that Southampton would have expected. In the 2024/25 campaign, they became the first team to be relegated from the Premier League with as many as seven games left to play. Even still, they were expected to be in contention for a swift return to the top flight.

Having established himself as a promising young coach in Ligue 1 with Reims and Lens, Will Still was appointed as Southampton’s new manager in May. Despite an influx of summer signings, however, Still struggled to have the impact he would have wanted at St Mary’s.

After just two wins in 13 Championship games, Still was dismissed following a loss to Preston, which was Southampton’s third successive defeat. In his place, Eckert was named interim boss as the club continue their search for a new manager.

Eckert answers questions about Saints future

Eckert’s first game in charge of the Saints was an away clash against Queens Park Rangers. The 32-year-old, picked out personally by sporting director Johannes Spors in the summer to take charge of their under-21s, guided Southampton to a 2-1 win at Loftus Road.

As reported by The Daily Echo, the young coach was then asked about his desire for the permanent job.

Evidently, Eckert is focused solely on guiding Southampton through their immediate future, with the club set to host Sheffield Wednesday in their next league game. Should they win, it would be the first time this season that they have won consecutive matches in the Championship.

Given their current position in the league, though, it would be a massive gamble for the Saints to hire a young and inexperienced manager, regardless of how much potential they may have.

Saints could turn to veteran to fill managerial vacancy

Suryavanshi scored a 15-ball 38 in chase but the middle order failed to fire before an unlikely lifeline took the game to a Super Over

Shashank Kishore21-Nov-2025
Bangladesh A won the Super OverIn a thriller that nearly went into a second Super Over, Bangladesh A seamer Ripon Mondol knocked India A out in the semi-final of the Rising Stars Asia Cup in Doha, Qatar on Friday.Mondol delivered a superb 19th over, giving away just five runs and removing the well-set Ramandeep Singh to leave India A needing 16 off the final over; a target Bangladesh A nearly didn’t defend.With eight needed off the last three balls, Jishan Alam dropped a sitter at long-off to reprieve Ashutosh Sharma off left-arm spinner Rakibul Hasan. Even worse, he parried it to the boundary for four. Ashutosh couldn’t capitalise, though, and was bowled next ball to leave India A needing four off the final delivery.Yet, India A found an unlikely lifeline thanks to a misjudged underarm throw from Bangladesh A captain Akbar Ali. As Harsh Dubey dug out a full delivery to long-on, he’d nearly given up but somehow willed himself to run a second.Akbar collected the return and had enough time to run to the stumps to seal the game, but instead flicked an underarm throw that missed. With no one backing up, India A stole a third run to force a Super Over.India A then perhaps misfired tactically, not unleashing the tournament’s highest six-hitter, Vaibhav Suryavanshi, to open. Instead, Mondol bowled a pinpoint yorker to castle a frazzled Jitesh Sharma, who premeditated too early and got into a tangle attempting to paddle. Ashutosh toe-ended a yorker straight to extra cover as India A ran out of gas, leaving Bangladesh A a mere one run for victory.There appeared to be another twist when Suyash Sharma struck off the first delivery to remove Yasir Ali to a sharp catch by Ramandeep at the long-on fence. Akbar then took a strike with an opportunity to undo some of his earlier damage. Fortunately for him, Suyash’s misdirected googly ended up being a wide and Bangladesh A sealed victory in dramatic circumstances.Habibur Rahman Sohan led Bangladesh A’s charge•Asian Cricket Council

As a result, India A bowed out following an underwhelming campaign, where they were also beaten by Pakistan A in the group stages, while also being pushed by Oman.As chaotic as the finish was, India A would reflect on a poor finish with the ball as one of the major turning points. They conceded 50 off the last two overs alone, as left-hander SM Meherob made an unbeaten 48 off 18 balls. This included four stunning sixes in a 28-run penultimate over by Naman Dhir.Meherob’s cameo was the perfect sequel to Habibur Rahman’s 46-ball 65 up top that helped set up the game for Bangladesh A, before the middle-order briefly wobbled.India A brought up their fifty off just 19 balls as Vaibhav Suryavanshi went big, hitting two fours and four sixes in his 38 off 15 before he toe-ended a slog to long-on. Dhir struggled for timing – he was on 3 off 10 at one stage – and fell soon after.The chase was revived by Priyansh Arya and Jitesh Sharma, who made 44 and 33, respectively, to ensure India A were up with the asking rate for most parts. When Jitesh fell to leave India A 150 for 4 in 15 overs, the chase was upon Ramandeep and Nehal Wadhera, who appeared to have it under control before India A’s chase combusted in dramatic circumstances.

Rain has followed New Zealand from Colombo to Navi Mumbai, compounding their problems, while India, after three successive defeats, are running out of opportunities as well

Sruthi Ravindranath22-Oct-20254:02

Preview: A knockout game for New Zealand

Big picture – Time and chances running outThe pressure on India is higher than ever. Three successive losses in matches they could have won, mounting criticism, and five games in, they are still tinkering with combinations. But they now return to Navi Mumbai, a venue many in the squad know well through T20Is and the WPL, needing just a win against New Zealand to reach the semi-finals.New Zealand haven’t had it easy either. Their last two matches were washed out, and qualification now requires them to win both remaining games, against India and England. It’s a tougher ask, but not beyond a side that just celebrated the first anniversary of their T20 World Cup win, where they beat India in the opening match. They have won 34 out of the 57 ODIs against India, including six of their last nine encounters since 2022.Related

Rosemary Mair is fast, relentless, and coming for your stumps

'Thanks for not saying I'm old' – Devine utterly chill ahead of make-it-or-break-it game against India

Muzumdar: Dropping Rodrigues against England 'one of the toughest decisions'

The biggest hurdle for India at the Women's World Cup

India's cracks threaten to bring down their whole World Cup

Their campaign this time started with heavy defeats to Australia and South Africa, before they bounced back against Bangladesh. But they remain over-reliant on Sophie Devine with the bat, and their thin spin attack – with just Amelia Kerr and Eden Carson – has had limited impact on slower pitches.India, on the other hand, have had different contributors in every game but haven’t settled on a clear first-choice XI. After four matches with five bowlers, they dropped Jemimah Rodrigues to play an extra bowler against England. The move did seem to work as England were kept to 288 for 8 after a strong start, but India’s batting faltered under pressure in the chase, which has been a familiar story. They will want to address that.The weather could, however, have a say. Devine called the washouts in Colombo “frustrating”, and the forecast for Thursday isn’t encouraging either. Rain hit Navi Mumbai for over two hours in the evening two days before the match, cancelling India’s training session. A washout, however, would favour India, considering New Zealand have a tougher opponent in England to face in their last game, and just haven’t been able to get any sort of momentum going.More than anything else, Sophie Devine will want New Zealand to get a full game to show what they have got•ICC/Getty Images

Form guideIndia LLLWW
New Zealand WLLWWIn the spotlight – Kranti Gaud and New Zealand’s openersAfter a promising start to the tournament, India’s young pacer Kranti Gaud has hit a bit of a bump. Her early spells, full of discipline and pinpoint yorkers, have been impressive, but her death bowling has come under the scanner. Against South Africa, she opened with a tidy 1 for 19 in five overs, only to concede 40 off her final four. She went wicketless in the last two games, conceding 73 runs off nine overs against Australia and 46 off eight against England. On a Navi Mumbai surface expected to be more batter-friendly, Gaud will need to recalibrate quickly if India are to keep New Zealand quiet.New Zealand are still waiting for their openers to turn up. Suzie Bates and Georgia Plimmer have endured a poor run – their partnership average of 10.66 is the second-worst among all teams this tournament. Bates followed two ducks with a 29 (run out) against Bangladesh, while Plimmer has managed just 35 runs across three games, struggling for fluency throughout. A more batting-friendly pitch probably awaits them at the DY Patil Stadium, where they will hope to give their side a strong start.Renuka Singh did well against England, but will she have to make way for Jemimah Rodrigues?•Getty Images

Team newsWill India revert to five bowlers for the crucial fixture? While their bowlers pulled things back well in the last ten overs against England, India might think they need the experience of Rodrigues at No. 5.India (possible): 1 Smriti Mandhana, 2 Pratika Rawal, 3 Harleen Deol, 4 Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), 5 Richa Ghosh (wk), 6 Amanjot Kaur, 7 Sneh Rana, 8 Deepti Sharma, 9 Renuka Singh/Jemimah Rodrigues, 10 Kranti Gaud, 11 Shree CharaniNew Zealand had kept their senior pacer Lea Tahuhu out tactically in the match against Sri Lanka, but brought her back in for the Pakistan game. They are likely to stay with the same XI.New Zealand (possible): 1 Suzie Bates, 2 Georgia Plimmer, 3 Amelia Kerr, 4 Sophie Devine (capt), 5 Brooke Halliday, 6 Maddy Green, 7 Isabella Gaze (wk), 8 Jess Kerr, 9 Rosemary Mair, 10 Eden Carson, 11 Lea TahuhuPitch and conditionsWhile the Navi Mumbai pitch didn’t seem to offer much for bowlers in the last match, Sri Lanka could post only 202 after opting to bat against Bangladesh. Chamari Athapaththu had said that there was some dew in the second half. There has been some unseasonal rain in Mumbai, and an interruption is likely on Thursday too. It’s expected to be hazy in the afternoon, with a chance of rain in the evening.Stats and trivia India have their poorest win-loss ratio for any team in ODI World Cups against New Zealand Bates is 67 runs away from becoming the second-leading run-scorer in ODIs. She needs 75 runs to complete 6000 runs in the format. Tahuhu will be playing her 200th international match. India have played eight T20Is at the DY Patil Stadium, winning four including one in a Super Over against Australia.

At 34, Pierre could make his Test debut in India and he is willing to give 110% as always

ESPNcricinfo staff29-Sep-20251:53

Khary Pierre: ‘Can’t put in words how I feel’

Khary Pierre is on the verge of turning his dream of playing a Test for West Indies into reality. He just needed to wait 34 years. Pierre was picked in West Indies’ squad as the second spinner for their tour to India, which starts this week, and he was over the moon when he found out.”I was actually playing CPL, with St Lucia Kings when I first got the news,” Pierre said. “It’s a great honour, privilege to represent the West Indies, something that I dreamt of when I was young; watching the West Indies play, the likes of Brian Lara and these guys, just watching Test cricket. I was really happy, I couldn’t put together words [to describe] the feeling at that moment.”A part of the youth-cricket system in Trinidad, Pierre had to wait till he was 25 to make his first-class debut. It’s taken him nine years to graduate from that level up to Test cricket but through it all he never lost hope. The left-arm spinner has played 35 red-ball matches and taken 111 wickets at an average of 22.81. He also has a first-class century to his name.Related

• The weight of the maroon cap: West Indies face test of identity in India

• Sammy confident pace attack will help West Indies pull a New Zealand on India

• Unfamiliar five – Warrican, Pierre among players who can challenge India

• Alzarri Joseph ruled out of India Test series with lower-back injury

“There’s the youth level,” Pierre said, “Going up from under-15, under-17, under-19, and I was in all these things. I made my debut for Trinidad. It was tough, but I never gave up, just putting in the extra work. I always tend to want to do more. Even after practice, [I want to] bowl more balls, hit more balls. As I always say, ‘hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard.’ I always take that and put it towards my game.”Earlier this year, with 41 wickets in seven games at an average of 13.56, Pierre topped the bowling charts in the West Indies Championship, the regional first-class competition. He attributed this success to his “trademark” quality built around not sparing effort.”I was just trying to enjoy my cricket. I think that was the key to my success this season in the Championship. I was taking the outcome out of it and [focusing on] giving a 110%. I’m a cricketer that will always give 110% when I enter the cricket field, I leave everything in the cricket field – blood, sweat, tears – and that was my trademark this season and it paid off. So, I’m really happy.”When asked about his strengths, Pierre’s response echoed what CWI’s senior talent manager Jamal Smith said about him last week.”I would say control, consistency, just trying to stay full at the batsman as much as possible. Variations, using the crease, just trying to outfox the batsman – I think that is the aim of any spinner – use angles and stuff like that.”

Arsenal have an "AI dossier" which is reportedly powering Mikel Arteta's Premier League title pursuit, with the manager being assisted with input on transfers, tactics and even injuries. This quiet revolution is an attempt to build the most technologically advanced operation in English football. They have computer models humming with millions of data points to predict problems before they happen.

• AI takes over Arsenal HQ

  According to the the Gunners have rapidly expanded their data science department, investing heavily in artificial intelligence infrastructure. Competing with Europe’s elite clubs is no mean task, and Arsenal’s leadership have made it clear that they believe staying competitive requires not just talent on the pitch, but intelligence behind the scenes. A well-timed rotation could stop a key player from breaking down. One scouting insight could produce a bargain where others see no value. Arteta has already hinted, albeit cautiously, that the club’s adoption of AI is already underway.

  "It’s in use already for many things and many processes that can help not just a team but an organisation as well," he said. "It will improve and it will give us good insight, or things at least to think about. I’m not an expert but it’s a valuable tool. We have developed certain things that in our opinion can help us to understand ourselves better and evaluate what we do and what we can improve."

Advertisement

• (C)Getty Images
  

  Gunners have in-house performance models

  The biggest breakthroughs at the club's London Colney base come through their tailor-made performance models, which are AI-driven programs designed internally by Arsenal's data scientists. Every day, enormous volumes of information are collected, including GPS sprint maps, recovery times, energy outputs, bio-mechanical readings, match actions, and even micro-movements during training drills. Unlike traditional analysis, which often relies on video clips and subjective assessments, these systems digest tens of thousands of data points from each session. The models then learn patterns about fatigue signals, mechanical inefficiencies, and subtle warning signs with a level of granularity no human eye could catch. The shift is profound as Arsenal are now preparing for what is about to happen, and not reacting to what has just happened.

• Profiling every player: A live, evolving human data map

  One major branch of Arsenal’s AI system is individual profiling. Every player, right from academy prospects to first-team starters, has a dynamic profile that logs sprint mechanics, joint stress patterns, muscle fatigue responses and changes under load. This gives Arsenal the ability to personalise training. No two players respond to stress in the same way, and machine learning allows coaches to tailor workloads to match bodies rather than the other way around. These profiles also highlight areas for improvement. Weaknesses can be addressed before they impact performance, which will allow players to train smarter, not harder. 

  The most critical area of Arsenal’s AI application is injury prevention. William Saliba’s back problem derailed Arsenal’s 2022-23 title charge, while last season Kai Havertz’s hamstring injury forced Mikel Merino into an improvised striker role. The models identify clues such as tiny drops in acceleration, altered stride patterns, and minor imbalances that can signal impending muscle injuries. Before a congested fixture, run the system flags players with elevated fatigue risk, which helps Arteta to make an informed decision.

  Arsenal’s analytics tools also parse opposition patterns frame by frame. Machine learning evaluates how full-backs behave under pressure, how midfield shapes morph in transitions, and where passing lanes appear during pressing triggers. This gives Arteta’s staff the opportunity to build game plans not on hunches, but on probability maps.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty
  

  Recruitment rebuilt: Finding players who fit Arteta's blueprint

  AI is also reshaping Arsenal’s transfer strategy. Beyond traditional metrics like goals or tackles, Arsenal’s models study adaptability across roles, physical intensity benchmarks, tactical compatibility with Arteta’s system, and log behavioural data from hundreds of match scenarios. Every role now has a detailed blueprint, such as what the physical output should look like, how quickly a player must transition, how he presses, and how he receives the ball under pressure. This tech-driven approach allows Arsenal to find undervalued players who might not shine in traditional stats but are ideal fits for Arteta’s structure. Arsenal’s technological leap is bold, advanced and path-breaking. However, whether it can end their 22-year wait for a Premier League title remains to be seen.

Championship captain resists temptation to become T20 specialist, but could miss early fixtures if selected in IPL auction

Matt Roller13-Nov-2025Jonny Bairstow has signed a new three-year contract that will see him continue as Yorkshire’s captain in the County Championship but possibly miss the first two months of next season to play in the IPL.Bairstow’s two-year central contract only expired at the end of the 2025 season, more than a year after his most recent England appearance, and he has committed his long-term future to his boyhood club. At 36, he has resisted the temptation to become a T20 specialist and instead will continue to lead Yorkshire in the Championship after his appointment as captain this year.However, Bairstow could miss the first block of fixtures next year if selected in the IPL auction. Under the league’s regulations, he is not available for retention by Mumbai Indians after scores of 47 and 38 in his two appearances as a late replacement this year, but ESPNcricinfo has learned that he plans to enter the auction for 2026, which is expected to be held next month.Yorkshire finished seventh in Division One of the Championship last year and second-bottom of the North Group in the T20 Blast, though did reach the semi-finals of the Metro Bank Cup with a young side.Gavin Hamilton, their director of cricket, said he was “absolutely delighted” that Bairstow had committed to a long-term contract. “Jonny remains one of the best batters in the English game, capable of changing a game single-handedly, and we are very lucky to have him in our side,” he said.Bairstow has been at Headingley this week for pre-season fitness testing but will spend much of his winter playing overseas, with contracts lined up with MI Emirates in the ILT20 and Sunrisers Eastern Cape in the SA20.”I’m delighted to have signed a contract extension and am looking forward to playing my part in what is a hugely exciting period for Yorkshire,” Bairstow said. “Having come through the age-groups and spent all of my career here, it was the only real choice for me, and I’ll continue to wear the White Rose with pride over the next three years.”Leading the side in the Championship this year was a real honour, and I can’t wait to get back out there in 2026. The performances we put in, particularly in the second half of the campaign, were very encouraging and I am confident that we have got a group of players that can challenge the very best teams over the next few years.”

After yet another international break, the Premier League returns this weekend, and Arsenal can continue their title charge.

Mikel Arteta’s side sit four points clear atop the table and will be desperate to make up for dropping points away to Sunderland last time out.

The Gunners weren’t necessarily poor at the Stadium of Light, but aside from a few players, they certainly weren’t at their best.

With that said, one of the starters who played well was Leandro Trossard, although if reports are to be believed, Arsenal might be set to sign someone who could be an upgrade on him.

Arsenal target Trossard upgrade

If you were to ask Arsenal fans who their best players have been this season, you would likely get a lot of the usual suspects, like Declan Rice, Gabriel Magalhães and Jurrien Timber.

Transfer Focus

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

However, one player who has at least entered that conversation as of late is Trossard, who, unlike last year, is starting to influence games on a more regular basis.

For example, if he didn’t score that thunderbolt against the Black Cats, there is every chance the Gunners might’ve gone into the international break on the back of a defeat.

However, even though the Belgian has been a key contributor in the last month or so, the club appear keen on signing someone to compete with, or possibly replace him.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which claims Arsenal have maintained their interest in Antoine Semenyo.

The report has revealed that, alongside the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City and Liverpool, the Gunners are vying for the Bournemouth star.

While the competition is far from ideal, the good news is that, according to another story from The Athletic, the Cherries star has a £65m release clause in his new contract, which will be active for part of January.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Semenyo’s immense talent, one worth fighting for, especially as he could be an upgrade on Trossard.

How Semenyo compares to Trossard

As they still produced the best defence in the league last season, Arsenal’s biggest problem, at least domestically, was their diminished goal threat.

Therefore, the first thing to compare between Trossard and Semenyo should be their output, as that is ultimately what a winger is judged on these days.

For his efforts so far this year, the Bournemouth star has scored six goals and provided three assists in 12 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.33 games, and helps to justify Chris Waddle’s claim that he’s currently “the best winger in the country.”

The Belgian, on the other hand, has racked up four goals and four assists in 14 appearances, which works out to a less impressive tally of a goal involvement every 1.75 games.

Unfortunately for the former Brighton & Hove Albion star, he still comes out as a distant second best when looking at their output last season.

For example, he produced 20 goal involvements in 56 games for a far better team, while the Cherries star produced as many goal involvements in just 42 games.

Okay, what about when you take a look under the hood, which winger has the better underlying numbers?

Expected G+As

0.46

0.36

Non-Penalty G+As

0.73

0.56

Progressive Passes

3.55

3.38

Progressive Carries

3.18

2.82

Shots on Target

1.09

0.56

Shot-Creating Actions

3.28

2.94

Goal-Creating Actions

0.64

0.28

Tackles Won

1.00

0.42

Successful Take-Ons

1.91

0.99

Unsurprisingly, it’s the Ghanaian international who once again emerges victorious, coming out on top in key metrics like expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, successful take-ons, shot and goal-creating actions and more, all per 90.

Finally, there is also the simple fact that, at 25, the Bournemouth star has a lot more to offer compared to the 30-year-old, and would therefore be the smarter long-term option.

Ultimately, Trossard has been far better this season than last, but even so, it’s clear that Semenyo would be an upgrade on him, and therefore, Arsenal should go all out to sign the Cherries star in January.

Arsenal can forget Eze by unleashing the "biggest talent in England"

The sensational gem could be a huge star for England and Arsenal as he replaces Eze.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 18, 2025

Bowlers, faster ones and spinners alike, held sway right through the second four-day match between Australia Under-19s and India Under-19s in Mackay, which ended inside two days with the visiting side running out convincing victors.The Australian batting unit didn’t give a particularly strong account of its abilities in familiar conditions in Brisbane in the first game, scoring 243 and 127 to go down by an innings and 58 runs, but there were pockets of resistance. In Mackay, that was never really in evidence. It was only Alex Lee Young, the wicketkeeper, who showed his batting chops, but there was little to nothing around him.He scored the only half-century of the match, 66 in the first innings where Australia put up 135, while the second dig was even more abject, Australia folding for 116. That left India, who had taken a 36-run first-innings lead – handy in a low-scoring contest – with just 81 to knock off, which they did for the loss of three wickets.The second – and as it turned out, last – day began with India at 144 for 7 in their first innings after having bowled Australia out in 43.3 overs. Henil Patel and Deepesh Devendran, the overnight batters, were separated quickly in the morning when Henil fell, becoming Kasey Barton’s fourth wicket of the innings. But Devendran added 22 to his overnight 6 to take India to 171. For Australia, Charles Lachmund, Will Byrom and Julian Osbourne picked up two wickets apiece to go with Barton’s four.Alex Lee Young was the best batter across the two teams•Getty Images

Australia batted again, and were 9 for 3 inside seven overs, Henil picking up two of the wickets to fall and Udhav Mohan one. It never really got better for Australia, the 32-run stand for the sixth wicket between Jayden Draper (15) and Young (again the top-scorer with 38) their best as they lasted just 40.1 overs. Henil and Naman Pushpak picked up three wickets each, while Mohan got two as only four Australians got into double-digits.The chase to the finish wasn’t a big one, but with conditions giving the bowlers confidence, there was still a job to do. Vaibhav Suryavanshi couldn’t, falling for a first-ball duck to Lachmund in the first over. Ayush Mhatre, the captain, also didn’t last long, bowled by Barton for 13 off just six balls, including three boundaries. But Vihaan Malhotra and Vedant Trivedi, who have both had such a good series across formats on the tour, stitched together a 39-run stand in just over six overs, scoring quickly and not allowing the bowlers to get any kind of grip on the game.Malhotra fell to Barton with India still 29 away from victory, having scored a-run-a-ball 21 with five fours, but Trivedi (33 not out in 35 balls) and Rahul Kumar (13 not out in 14) took India home in just 12.2 overs, and to a 2-0 series sweep after India had swept the preceding one-day series 3-0 too.While Barton was the most impressive of the Australian bowlers, picking up six wickets with his right-arm medium, for India, quick bowlers Henil (six wickets) and Mohan (four) were on target, as were spinners Khilan Patel, the left-arm orthodox, and Pushpak, the legspinner, who picked up seven wickets between them and had a three-for apiece.