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Over the course of his time at Arsenal so far, Mikel Arteta has made some major moves in the transfer market. The Spaniard has brought in 29 players to the Emirates Stadium in the years he has been at the helm, and has even broken the club’s record signing with one of those deals.

Namely, the purchase of Declan Rice from Premier League rivals West Ham United for £105m last summer eclipsed the £72m deal the club made to sign Nicolas Pepe from Lille in 2019, making the former Hammers captain Arsenal’s most expensive player in their history.

Aside from the purchase of Rice, some of Arteta’s other major signings include Kai Havertz, who cost the club £65m last summer from Chelsea, and Benjamin White, whom Arsenal paid Brighton £50m to acquire.

However, as well as improving the quality of the squad by signing the likes of Rice, Havertz and White, to name but three, Arteta is also a ruthless manager. He is more than happy to move on some of the Gunners’ most high-profile players for the long-term gain of the club.

One of the best examples of this is Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who left the club in 2022 to join Barcelona on a free transfer. Now, with the summer window approaching again, it may be time for Arsenal to sell another big name, although it was a player they could have sold last summer, for much more money.

Thomas Partey’s transfer value at Arsenal in 2024

The player in question here is Gunners midfielder Thomas Partey. Arsenal signed the Ghanaian midfielder for £45m in 2020, activating the release clause in his Atlético Madrid contract. However, the Gunners could well look to cash in on the midfielder during the next summer window.

According to a report from Football Insider, Arsenal are willing to listen to offers between £20m and £25m for Partey next summer. They could well make a loss of up to £25m on what they spent on the 30-year-old in the first place.

However, according to CIES Football Observatory, Partey’s value is even lower than what Arsenal have set his asking price at. They value the midfielder at just £8.5m, lower than the likes of Eddie Nketiah, who is valued at £34m after penning a new deal last term.

That's rather staggering when you consider that the Gunners Academy product hasn't found the net in league action since last October.

Thomas Partey’s Arsenal career in numbers

Since moving to Arsenal, Partey has made 111 appearances for the north London club, scoring five times and registering four assists. However, just 12 of those appearances have come this season.

The midfielder has had a frustrating time of things in 2023/24 after struggling with injury issues. Partey has missed 26 games in total, as a result of a groin injury he picked up in September, and then a hamstring injury he got in November. Losing the Ghanaian for such a long time this season will surely be frustrating for Arteta, who has previously described the midfielder as "special".

With those injuries hampering his season, Partey’s transfer value has plummeted to a fraction of what Arsenal paid for him, hence their rough valuation of between £20m and £25m for the former Atleti man.

When Partey has featured, the Gunners have put in some impressive performances. Football.London’s chief Arsenal writer Kaya Kaynak acknowledged Partey’s impressive 8/10 showing against Chelsea on Tuesday night, in which the Gunners were 5-0 victors. Kaynak explained that Partey’s performance showed exactly what Arsenal have “missed with his injuries this season”.

Indeed, Arsenal are actually unbeaten this season when Partey has featured. The 12 games in which he has played in all competitions have yielded the Gunners three draws, eight wins and one penalty shootout win against Manchester City in the Community Shield.

With that being said, it could well be the case that Arsenal move Partey on to further strengthen the squad. Whilst Edu and Co will lose money on the original deal, the sale of Partey represents a forward-thinking refresh for Arteta’s squad, which could help them kick on and win major trophies next season.

Arsenal considering huge move for £86m star in possible Rice repeat

He is one of the Premier League’s best midfielders

ByJoe Nuttall Apr 25, 2024

Imagine if Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp had succumbed to the pressure last season.

His dynasty was in disarray after a staggering nosedive from the high-octane, swift-breaking brand of football that had lifted the club toward illustrious heights. Heights that had restored a city, etched his name into Liverpool folklore.

The German decided that this was not to be the narrative that would define his tenure, and the sweeping summer changes to a sapped and sighing midfield have proved significant, altering the pathway Liverpool were headed.

Klopp is now leaving but the Merseysiders have been revived and are competing for the Premier League and Europa League titles after clinching the Carabao Cup earlier in the term.

On Sunday, Manchester City host Arsenal in a clash against first and third; Liverpool will be keenly watching. But first, the Reds will host Brighton & Hove Albion in a must-win top-flight clash.

Liverpool have been hit with a catalogue of injuries but there is golden light at the end of that storm, with key members of the squad filtering back through.

Liverpool team news

Andy Robertson has avoided serious injury after hurting his ankle on international duty with Scotland, though it's likely that the 30-year-old left-back will be sidelined against the Seagulls.

Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip remain long-term absentees, while Alisson Becker, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Diogo Jota and Stefan Bajcetic will not be involved but edge closer to a return.

More positively, Ibrahima Konate is fit once again after missing the past few fixtures, while Curtis Jones could make his first appearance since the start of February.

A variety of senior options in the centre of the park is something Klopp has not quite had at his disposal over recent months, and he might now be tempted to make a tweak, with Dominik Szoboszlai, for all his quality, possibly moving to the bench against Roberto De Zerbi's men.

Why Dominik Szoboszlai could be benched vs Brighton

Szoboszlai hit the ground running and then some on Merseyside after joining from RB Leipzig last summer, Liverpool meeting the Hungarian's £60m release clause.

His power, skill and high-energy approach have been a perfect fit under Klopp's wing and this is reflected through his metrics, ranking among the top 7% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 3% for shot-creating actions, the top 19% for progressive passes, the top 4% for progressive carries, the top 17% for successful take-ons and the top 5% for blocks per 90, as per FBref.

Across 33 appearances for Liverpool, the 23-year-old has scored seven goals and added five assists, with his dynamic performances in the engine room leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to describe him as a "magician."

These skilful, influential efforts have indeed been key to Liverpool's success but he's not the only star in that department and given that Wataru Endo and Alexis Mac Allister have been in such fine and fluid form across recent matches, Szoboszlai might find that he enters after the break against Brighton.

Especially when fellow summer signing Ryan Gravenberch is pushing for a starting berth after recovering from a setback before the international break.

Ryan Gravenberch's season in numbers

Of the four midfielders welcomed to Anfield last summer, Gravenberch has probably made the least significant impact so far, though at 21 years old the Netherlands international has showcased the innate ability that may yet see him flower into a leading midfielder.

Completing a £34m transfer from Bayern Munich last summer, Gravenberch's stock had taken a hit after a year in Germany offered little promise, with just three Bundesliga starts all season and criticism regarding his work rate off the ball and defensive deficiencies.

Still, Klopp saw the promise within this multi-functional player's skill set and while he has ebbed and flowed during his maiden campaign in England, there has been plenty to get excited about.

And this has been reflected through his showings thus far, grabbing three goals and two assists across 31 appearances, starting nine games in the Premier League.

Why Ryan Gravenberch should start vs Brighton

As per FBref, Gravenberch ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for progressive passes, the top 6% for progressive carries, the top 5% for successful take-ons and the top 6% for blocks per 90.

Ryan Gravenberch: Most Similar Players
#	Player	Club
1.	Joelinton	Newcastle United
2.	Conor Gallagher	Chelsea
3.	Dominik Szoboszlai	Liverpool
4.	Leonardo Bittencourt	Werder Bremen
5.	Khephren Thuram	OGC Nice
Stats via FBref

Given his stylistic similarities with Szoboszlai, added to the defensive security provided by Endo and Mac Allister, this might be the perfect opportunity to hand the Dutchman a starting role, especially with Liverpool hosting Sheffield United on Thursday evening before travelling to Old Trafford on Sunday.

Gravenberch, on his day, has been described as a "Rolls-Royce" of a midfielder by journalist Declan Carr, and while his displays in the Premier League have left much to be desired, Gravenberch need only take the soil of his efforts in the Europa League and cultivate a sustained level of performance on the domestic front.

As per Sofascore, Gravenberch has clinched three goal contributions from five games in Europe this term, averaging 2.2 key passes, 1.8 tackles, 5.0 ball recoveries and 4.6 successful duels per match.

Such an all-encompassing array of abilities is part of the natural ability that Klopp knows, as does Gravenberch himself, no doubt, is yet to be harnessed to its full, latent but waiting for a breakthrough.

This crucial late stage of the campaign will call for rotation as Liverpool fight across two fronts, and while Szoboszlai is unquestionably one of the finest players on Liverpool's books, the 6 foot 2 Gravenberch must now take this opportunity to make his mark.

Jones and Bajcetic are both returning from injury layoffs and there is no better time for Gravenberch to prove that he has what it takes to make his mark and aid his outfit in the fight for silverware.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Harry Kane. A Tottenham Hotspur legend, a Premier League icon, and the best striker to have ever worn the badge.

It’s just a shame that Ange Postecoglou never got the chance to work with the former Spurs gem and unleash him in his attack, with the forward moving to Bayern Munich in the summer.

Prior to his exit, the England captain scored an incredible 280 goals, which makes him the club’s all-time leading goalscorer. He’s truly an irreplaceable figure.

Although the Spurs faithful still wish he never left, they are in the market for a new number nine this summer, with one particular target having the potential to become the Lilywhites’ best striker since Kane.

Tottenham want to sign a new centre-forward

According to a report from CaughtOffside, Tottenham are “prioritising” a move for centre forward Santiago Gimenez.

The Lilywhites have already been in contact with his club, Feyenoord, over the last few months, as they plan ahead for a busy transfer window.

The Mexican is without doubt the first-choice target for Postecoglou, but they do already have a backup in place, Albert Gudmundsson, in case they do not secure Gimenez.

No fee is mentioned in the report; however, Transfermarkt have estimated his worth to be £39m.

Santiago Gimenez to Spurs: Where Tottenham's last 11 Eredivisie signings are now

Tottenham have signed some notable duds from Dutch shores over the last 20 years.

ByMatt Dawson Dec 18, 2023 Gimenez’s 23/24 statistics

In truth, it’s no surprise to see that Spurs are interested in signing Gimenez, with the 22-year-old having the potential to develop even further.

However, the Feyenoord ace is simply outstanding right now, taking the Eredivisie by storm, scoring an incredible 21 goals and providing five assists in just 28 matches.

The Dutch top flight has proved to not be the most competitive league in the past, but the former Cruz Azul star has also been tearing up teams from across Europe, netting two goals in four games in the Champions League.

Gimenez is the definition of a true finisher who thrives when playing as the lone striker with two creative wingers, which would make him a perfect fit for Postecoglou’s 4-2-3-1.

The table below displaying Gimenez’s statistics against Ajax earlier this season shows exactly what the youngster can bring to the table.

Goals

3

Assists

1

Shots

4

Key passes

3

Successful dribbles

3

Duels won

9

The number 29 is simply a traditional number nine, a goal poacher who, on his day, can simply be “unstoppable,” as per Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig.

All three of his goals during that game came inside the penalty area, and with the likes of Heung-min Son and Brennan Johnson, who love to fire balls across the goalmouth, Gimenez would thrive.

Despite being left-footed, he’s also not afraid to strike the ball with his weaker side if the opportunity presents itself, which makes him far less predictable in the box.

As well as having the ability to bring his attacking teammates into the game, as shown by his three key passes, the Mexico international is also full of energy, and he’s always a handful to play against due to his relentless approach, which suits Spurs down to a tee.

Richarlison has performed admirably in Kane's stead, scoring 11 goals this term, but he has never been a true out-and-out goalscorer.

On the flip side, Gimenez – who ranks in the top 3% and best 1% for goals and xG among strikers similar to the Eredivisie – is the exact profile that the club should be looking to sign. Simply put, the centre forward knows exactly where the back of the net is, just like a certain Kane.

أخطر الاتحاد الإفريقي لكرة القدم “كاف”، نادي الزمالك، بموعد مباراته الأولى في دور المجموعات لبطولة كأس الكونفدرالية الإفريقية موسم 2024-2025.

ويستهل الزمالك مواجهاته في دور المجموعات بمباراة بلاك بولز الموزمبيقي، في اللقاء الذي يقام على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.

الزمالك يتواجد في المجموعة الرابعة لـ كأس الكونفدرالية، بجانب كل من المصري البورسعيدي وبلاك بولز من موزمبيق وإنيمبا من نيجيريا.

الزمالك الذي كان قد تأهل إلى دور المجموعات من بطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، بعد تخطي الشرطة الكيني بنتيجة 3-1 في مجموع المباراتين بدور الـ32.

طالع | لاعب الزمالك خارج حسابات منتخب مصر في مباراتي الرأس الأخضر وبوتسوانا

ويعد نادي الزمالك هو البطل الأخير لبطولة كأس الكونفدرالية، حيث حصد اللقب في الموسم الماضي بالفوز على نهضة بركان المغربي في المباراة النهائية. موعد مباراة الزمالك وبلاك بولز في كأس الكونفدرالية

وتقرر إقامة مباراة الزمالك وبلاك بولز، يوم الأربعاء الموافق 27 نوفمبر الجاري في التاسعة مساءً باستاد القاهرة الدولي.

ومن جانب آخر، يستعد فريق الزمالك لخوض مواجهة الجولة الثانية من بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، عندما يلاقي سموحة مساء اليوم الجمعة، على ملعب الجيش ببرج العرب.

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has not been afraid to dip into the academy to utilise the young talent within his squad so far this season.

Teenage midfielder Archie Gray has featured in 35 Championship matches, and started 32, for the Whites, with the majority of his appearances coming out of position at right-back.

20-year-old centre-forward Mateo Joseph has also emerged as a first-team option for the German head coach, having had his breakthrough performance against Chelsea recently in the FA Cup.

The former Norwich City tactician has unearthed a new Whites star with the academy graduate, whose value has soared since his move to the club in 2022.

Mateo Joseph's market value in 2022

Leeds swooped to sign the Spanish-born marksman from Espanyol in January 2022. Football Transfers gave him his first Expected Transfer Value (xTV) in December of that year – placing it at just €300k (£256k).

That came after Joseph scored just two goals in 11 appearances for the club at U18 and U21 level combined during the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, which shows that he had a slow start to life in England.

The talented number nine then burst onto the scene with a staggering return of 15 goals in 21 Premier League 2 matches for the U21s last season.

His outstanding form at youth level earned him first-team recognition, with six outings for the senior side – including three in the Premier League – without registering a goal or an assist.

Mateo Joseph's current market value

At the time of writing (11/03/2024), Football Transfers has Joseph's xTV at €2m (£1.7m) and that is a staggering 567% increase on the €300k he was valued at in 2022.

His soaring market value could be down to Farke's continued use of him in the first-team set-up at Elland Road throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

The England U20 international, who U23 scout Antonio Mango hailed as "dynamite" inside the box, has made 16 appearances for the senior team, with 12 of those matches coming in the Championship as he competes with Patrick Bamford for a starting role.

Minutes played

90

Shots

Three

Goals

Two

Key passes

Two

Pass accuracy

81%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Joseph recently enjoyed his breakthrough performance for the first-team with two goals at Stamford Bridge against Premier League side Chelsea, with a goal in each half, as Leeds were beaten 3-2 in the FA Cup.

They were his first goals for Leeds, with many more, hopefully, to come, and showed that he has the quality to make an impact against top-quality opposition.

The next milestone for the 20-year-old whiz is to score his first goal for the club in the league, which is a target between now and the end of the current season as the Whites fight for automatic promotion back up to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Farke has unearthed a 'dynamite' new Leeds gem in Joseph, who he has put faith in as a first-team regular, and it will be interesting to see how he develops in Yorkshire over the weeks, months, and years to come.

Despite horror Ashes series, Warner has done enough in captain’s eyes to ink his name on team sheet for first Test in November

Andrew McGlashan30-Sep-2019Australia’s Test captain, Tim Paine, has given a strong indication that David Warner is inked in to open the batting against Pakistan at the Gabba in November despite his horror Ashes series where he reached double figures just twice and bagged three consecutive ducks.Warner made 95 runs in 10 innings, with 61 of those coming in the first innings at Headingley, as he was dominated by Stuart Broad who removed him seven times in the series. It was Warner’s first Test series after his one-year ban and while his World Cup return had been profitable he found it much harder against the red ball.However, in an Ashes where Warner was not the only opener to struggle, his past Test record of 21 centuries and a formidable return on home soil – where he averages 59.64 – looks set to count for a lot, although Paine does not have an official voice in selection.”I think he is,” Paine told when asked if Warner is assured of his spot for the start of the Test season in late November. “I think he’s got enough credits in the bank.”We know how good a player he is. Opening the batting in England can be really difficult, particularly if you’re a left-hander and Stuart Broad’s bowling at you.”That was a difficult period for David [but] the way he was around our group as a senior player was outstanding. It’s easy to do that when you’re going well but to have him still upbeat and still pushing others to get better when he was going through a rough patch himself was great to see.”Warner could play in three of the four rounds of Sheffield Shield matches for New South Wales before the opening Test against Pakistan – the other takes place at the same time as the T20Is which Warner is likely to be part of – and while a return to form would quieten any debate, a series of low scores could leave the selectors a tricky decision.Neither Marcus Harris nor Cameron Bancroft secured their spots during the Ashes but they do not have the weighty Test record to fall back on that Warner does. Joe Burns was considered very unlucky not to make the Ashes squad having scored 180 in his most recent outing, against Sri Lanka in February, before suffering post-viral fatigue syndrome which curtailed a spell with Lancashire that could have primed him for the Ashes.There are probably two batting spots up for grabs ahead of the first Test of the summer with one middle-order vacancy to fill presuming that Matthew Wade retains his spot after making two centuries in the Ashes. Usman Khawaja and Travis Head were both dropped in England and will need strong starts to the season while the likes of Kurtis Patterson, Will Pucovski, Peter Handscomb and Mitchell Marsh, who impressed with the ball in the final Ashes Test, will be aiming to stake a claim.

يبدو أن الأمر قد حسم بالفعل من قبل الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” بشأن أزمة اللاعب، آرون بوبيندزا، بين ناديي الزمالك ورابيد بوخارست الروماني.

وكانت هناك شكوى قد تم رفعها من قبل الزمالك ضد اللاعب أمام فيفا في الأيام القليلة الماضية أوقفت رابيد عن تسجيل الجابوني الذي لم يشارك في الدوري الروماني حتى الآن.

عدم تسجيل الجابوني أجل أيضًا حصول اللاعب على تصريح العمل في رومانيا كما ينص القانون هناك، وبالتالي، كان من الصعب أن يعتمد عليه المدرب، ماريوس شوموديكا.

وكان الزمالك قد أعلن ضم الصفقة وكان مسئولوه يؤكدون صحة موقفهم من ضم اللاعب طوال الفترة الماضية.

ولكن منذ قليل، أعلن رابيد الروماني عن موافقة فيفا لقيدهم بوبيندزا ضمن قائمتهم اليوم رسميًا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. خاص | جوميز يحسم موقفه النهائي من تعاقد الزمالك مع إيجاريا

وتواصل “btolat.com” مع المدرب شوموديكا لمعرفة ماذا حدث، وقال: “الأمر انتهى، فيفا حسم كل شيء وبوبيندزا أصبح لاعب رابيد”.

واستمر: “كنت أثق في موقف اللاعب والنادي، لا أخطئ أبدًا وعلى الزمالك السكوت الآن، ولا أعرف مدى صحة البطاقة الدولية التي ظهرت منهم”.

وتابع: “اللاعب سيكون متاحًا للمشاركة في المباراة المقبلة مع رابيد”.

وأتم: “البطاقة التي حصلنا عليها دائمة من فيفا وليست مؤقتة، لا يهمني تصريحات مسئولي الزمالك لأنهم قالوا من قبل أن اللاعب من حقنا وفي النهاية الفيفا حسم الأمر لصالحنا بشكل نهائي”.

Napoli star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia helped to fire his country to their first-ever major tournament, and they will be aiming high in Germany

No international tournament is complete without an underdog story, and at Euro 2024 it will be Georgia who are looking to tear up the script and make yet more history. With the odds stacked against them and by following an unconventional, winding route, the Caucasus nation has reached its first-ever major tournament.

There is a familiar name in the dugout and a superstar in the starting line up, charged with keeping the minnow's dreams alive in Germany; back in familiar surroundings, Bayern Munich legend Willy Sagnol will be calling the shots from the touchline, while he will be relying on Napoli star and Georgian talisman Khvicha Kvaratskhelia to provide moments of inspiration on the pitch.

Sagnol certainly has no plans for his side to simply make up the numbers. "Now they [the players] have qualified, they want to try to progress in the group and maybe to reach the last 16 or quarter-finals," he told "We will go with this ambition. We know it’s going to be very, very, very difficult. But they dreamed so long about getting to a big competition, it would be a pity to go there and not do everything we can to compete."

But how did Georgia reach a historic first-ever major tournament and who are the key figures behind their success? GOAL has you covered…

• Getty
  

  Unconventional qualifying campaign

  For avoidance of doubt, Georgia did not cruise to Euro 2024 by finishing in the top two of their qualifying group – far from it, in fact, as they instead took advantage of the opportunity provided to them by their outstanding performance in 2022-23 Nations League.

  Georgia actually came fourth in their Euros qualifying group behind Spain, Scotland and Norway as they picked up just eight points and were thumped 7-1 by the Spaniards along the way, but their near-flawless Nations League campaign in 2022, where they dropped just two points in six games as they won Group Four of League C, earned them a European Championship qualifying play-off place – a safety net after they fell short in the standard qualification chase.

  It was confirmed that they would need to take the play-off route with two games still to play in the race to reach Germany, as Scotland secured second spot behind leaders Spain in Group A. The League C path contained the three Nations League C group winners – Georgia, Greece and Kazakhstan – as well as the League C group runner-up, Luxembourg.

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• Getty
  

  Party time in Tbilisi

  Georgia were automatically drawn against Luxembourg in the semi-final and eased to victory in the absence of their talisman Kvaratskhelia, who was suspended. Instead it was Karlsruher striker Budu Zivzivadze who emerged as the hero on the night, bagging a brace to send his country to the final.

  Sagnol's men were then pitted against Greece in a meeting of two nations looking for a way out of the footballing wilderness, with the Euro 2004 winners expected to progress to the tournament proper despite Georgia having home advantage in Tbilisi in front of 55,000 raucous fans. However, it was the hosts who would heroically triumph in a fiery affair.

  After a scrappy, fraught and goalless 120 minutes of action, and with Kvaratskhelia once again helpless after being injured in normal time, Georgia would triumph 4-2 on penalties. Giorgi Mamardashvili saved Greece's first spot-kick and striker Giorgos Giakoumakis later missed to allow Georgia substitute Nika Kvekveskiri to step up to make himself the hero.

  His converted effort sparked wild scenes as the home supporters poured onto the pitch to celebrate a first-ever major tournament qualification. Georgia were going to the Euros.

• Getty Images
  

  Undoubted talisman

  Despite being unable to make a key contribution in the decisive play-off campaign, Kvaratskhelia is undoubtedly the talisman of this history-forging Georgian side; out of relative obscurity, the tricky 23-year-old has emerged as one of the finest wingers on the planet in Serie A – although he plays in a roaming free role for his country.

  While his sublime domestic season hogged the headlines in 2022-23 as Napoli marched to a remarkable Scudetto, Kvaratskhelia performances for his country were equally eye-catching and ultimately led to Georgia securing their play-off place.

  'Kvaradona' scored five times in six Nations League games between June and September 2022, laying on three more goals for his team-mates as Georgia comfortably topped their group ahead of Bulgaria, North Macedonia and Gibraltar. He didn't catch fire until the latter stages of Euro 2024 qualifying, though, scoring three times in the final four games as a centre-forward.

  "Some did not believe in us, but now they will believe it," Kvaratskhelia told after Georgia sealed a historic Euro 2024 place. "We are happy. I have never had such an emotion in my life."

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• (C)Getty Images
  

  Secret weapons

  It's not about 'Kvarardona', though. Albeit their defence is untested at the highest level, Georgia have something of a core of key players in their 5-3-2 shape; goalkeeper Mamardashvili is just 23 and considered to be a potential world-class talent, captain Guram Kashia is an experienced leader at centre-back, then they have the aforementioned Kvaratskhelia and French-born Metz striker Georges Mikautadze up front – a potential breakout star at the tournament.

  Marmadashvili and Mikautadze in particular have the ability to make an impact. The former has proven himself to be an astute shot-stopper with Valencia in La Liga, which is handy given he is likely to be very busy in Germany. In 2023-24, his post-shot xG minus goals allowed (the most reliable metric for measuring shot-stopping ability) was a remarkable +10.2 – in the 97th percentile.

  Meanwhile, Mikautadze comes into the tournament in searing-hot form having finished the campaign by scoring eight times in just seven games in Ligue 1. Sold Metz to Ajax in the summer after an excellent 2022-23 season in Ligue 2, he was loaned back to the French side in January having struggled in Amsterdam and rediscovered his goal-scoring touch back in familiar surroundings.

Crisis, what crisis?

Arsenal revived their title hopes with a brutal 5-0 victory over Crystal Palace this afternoon, the Gunners ending their four-game winless run in all competitions in fine fashion to move just two points behind leaders Liverpool.

For all the talk surrounding the need for a new striker this month, it was a defender who popped up to make his mark on proceedings, with Gabriel Magalhaes nodding home early on past a helpless Dean Henderson to put any early nerves to bed.

The Brazilian then played a crucial role in the home side adding a second of the day with the ball ricocheting in off the sprawling Palace 'keeper, with the points then well and truly wrapped after the break courtesy of a brace from Gabriel Martinelli and a fourth Premier League goal of the season for Leandro Trossard.

Much of the plaudits will go the way of Man of the Match, Gabriel for his early involvement, although the former Lille man wasn't alone in having dazzled against the Eagles…

Gabriel's performance in numbers vs Palace

There will be concerns among Mikel Arteta and his staff after the towering centre-back was forced off late on with a potential injury issue, although prior to that the 26-year-old "aerial monster" – as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson – was at his brilliant best.

Not only involved heavily in the opening two goals, the £100k-per-week titan also helped to keep the visitors at bay with a dominant defensive performance at the other end of the pitch, winning eight duels in total as Jean-Philippe Mateta and co hardly had a sniff in attack.

The 6 foot 3 powerhouse also made five clearances and earned three fouls for his side as a marker of his all-round display, while also enjoying a pass accuracy rate of 88% as he offered a typically composed presence at the heart of the backline.

As football.london's Kaya Kaynak noted, the Sao Paulo native 'continues to be such a threat from set pieces [while] being a colossus at the back', having proven that isn't just teammate William Saliba who is worthy of the plaudits.

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Of course, special mention should also be reserved for Martinelli following his remarkable cameo off the bench, although it was summer signing, David Raya who particularly caught the eye in the sticks.

David Raya's statistics vs Palace

There have been times when many might have questioned the decision to usurp Aaron Ramsdale by bringing in the Spaniard on loan from Brentford, with club icon Ray Parlour even telling Football FanCast that Raya isn't an "upgrade" on the England international.

With a handful of shaky showings thus far – including his two glaring errors in the narrow win over Luton Town – the 28-year-old hasn't always looked the most convincing, yet arguably produced 'one of his best performances in an Arsenal shirt', according to the Standard's Simon Collings, if not the best of his spell at the Emirates so far.

Despite a nervy moment early on in which the one-time Blackburn Rovers man squandered possession, his distribution was particularly "superb" – as per Arsenal content creator James B – notably playing a key role in the game's third goal after picking out Gabriel Jesus with an expert throw.

What made that display all the more impressive was the fact that the Barcelona-born shot-stopper – who earned an 8/10 match rating from Collings – also looked almost impenetrable in his own net, making five saves in total en route to a well-deserved clean sheet.

The 6 foot star notably kept out a fierce late free-kick from one-time Gunners youth asset, Eberechi Eze to truly squash any hope of a late fight-back from the away side, with such a performance providing the foundation for those ahead of him to build on.

On a day in which Arteta's side as a whole potentially answered some critics, Raya, in particular, seemingly quietened the doubters by showcasing exactly what he was brought in to do.

أكد مصدر مقرب من البرازيلي روجيرو ميكالي، عن تمسكه بمدرب حراس مرمى أجنبي في جهازه الفني لمنتخب مصر مواليد 2005.

وأعلن اتحاد الكرة المصري برئاسة جمال علام، عن تولى روجيرو ميكالي رسمياً مهمة تدريب منتخب مصر للشباب..

وقال المصدر في تصريحات لبطولات: “ميكالي المدير الفني السابق لمنتخب مصر الأولمبي، والذي تولى رسميًا قيادة منتخب 2005 تحدث مع مسؤولي الجبلاية في جلسة اليوم عن جهازه الفني”.

طالع أيضاً.. رسمياً | أون تايم سبورتس تعلن نقل مباريات بطولة أندية العالم لكرة اليد

وأضاف: “يتمسك ميكالي بتواجد مدرب حراس مرمى أجنبي معه في الجهاز الذي يتشكل حاليًا لقيادة منتخب مصر”.

وأتم: “يرى ميكالي بأنه يحتاج لمدرب حراس مرمى بقدرات مختلفة عن سيد السويركي، الذي قام بدوره على أتم وجه؛ ولكن من الأفضل أن يكون هناك مدرب حراس مرمى أجنبي “هذا من وجهة نظر ميكالي”.