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تحدث المدير الفني لفريق ليفربول، آرني سلوت، عن النجم المصري محمد صلاح، بعد خوضه مباراة اليوم ضد خصمه مانشستر يونايتد، في بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

واستضاف ملعب “الأنفيلد” مباراة ليفربول ومانشستر يونايتد في الجولة الثامنة من الدوري الإنجليزي، موسم 2025/26.

وتعرض ليفربول للهزيمة بهدفين لهدف في مباراة شارك بها النجم محمد صلاح كأساسي قبل استبداله في الدقيقة 85.

اقرأ أيضًا.. تروي ديني: لاعب ليفربول السبب وراء عدم إلغاء هدف مانشستر يونايتد الأول

وقال سلوت، في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي” العالمية فيما يتعلق باستبدال المصري: “أعتقد أنه من الطبيعي بعد مباريات كهذه أن يركز الناس على اللاعبين كأفراد، سبق وأن كان التركيز على التعاقدات بعدما خضنا 4/5 مباريات، والآن سنركز عليه (محمد صلاح)، ولكن لا أعتقد أن الوقت مناسب للحديث عن الأداء الفردي”.

وأضاف: “لدينا تغييرات كافية للفوز بالمباراة، أضاع محمد صلاح فرصة كبيرة، وأضاع آخرون فرصًا كبيرة، نحن لسنا معتادين على ذلك مع محمد صلاح”.

واسترسل في تصريحات أخرى نشرها موقع ليفربول: “كفريق نتوقع أكثر مما نحن عليه في الوقت الحالي، وكفريق لا أعتقد أننا معتادون على مثل هذ الأداء من ليفربول، خاصةً طالما أنا هنا، ولا أعتقد أن الأمر كان مختلفًا عندما كان كلوب هنا”.

واستكمل: “كما قلت، كانت لدى مو فرصة جيدة اليوم، وكذلك جاكبو، كانت لديه 4 أو 5 تسديدات ربما، كان إيكتيكي أيضًا قريبًا من التسجيل في بعض الأحيان، وإيزاك انفرد بالحارس في الشوط الأول، كانت لدينا 10 ركلات ركنية، هم لديهم 4 فقط، لم نسجل وهم سجلوا”.

وأفاد: “الكرات الثابتة جزء أساسي في كرة القدم، نحن الفريق الذي يبدع أكثر في اللعب المفتوح، ولكن تلك ليست هي الطريقة الوحيدة من أجل الفوز في المباريات، هذا ما أظهره يونايتد اليوم، وكذلك الفرق الأخرى ذلك الأسبوع”.

A £20m Arsenal player who Mikel Arteta called “exceptional” now “wants to leave”, and a move across Europe is “very likely”.

Arteta praises his side after victory at Old Trafford

The fixture list handed the Gunners a tricky start to the 2025-26 campaign, as travelling to Old Trafford is always a daunting task, but Arteta’s side got the job done courtesy of a first-half header from Riccardo Calafiori, and the manager was pleased with the performance.

The Spaniard was particularly impressed with his side’s “phenomenal” display from a defensive standpoint, while he also praised the way in which they were able to handle the occasion, given the raucous atmosphere at Old Trafford.

William Saliba and Gabriel were, of course, at the heart of the defence, as the centre-back duo usually are if they are both fit, which means the north Londoners’ back-up options only receive limited game time.

That may not be too much of an issue for younger players, such as new signing Cristhian Mosquera, but defenders in the prime of their career are unlikely to want to play second fiddle.

As such, there is a feeling that Jakub Kiwior could now be heading for the exit door this summer, with Włodarczyk recently taking to X to reveal the Polish defender “wants to leave”, amid interest from FC Porto.

In fact, a move to the Liga Portugal club is deemed “very likely”, as they “haven’t given up”, after submitting an official offer back in July.

The 25-year-old, who joined the Gunners for £20m back in 2023, was left out of the squad that travelled to Old Trafford, and talks over an exit are currently “ongoing”.

Losing "exceptional" Kiwior could be blow for Arteta

Given that Saliba and Gabriel are almost nailed on to start in the Premier League if they are available, it is always going to be a difficult task for the Poland international to force his way into the side, but he has impressed when given the opportunity.

Indeed, with Gabriel sidelined due to injury, the former Spezia man was given the nod against Paris Saint-Germain the Champions League semi-final last season, and he certainly caught Arteta’s eye with his performance.

The Arsenal boss said: “He deserves a lot of credit because he hasn’t played too much throughout many months, and suddenly he’s been thrown into the most difficult context, at the highest level, playing against the best opponents, when you haven’t had the physical rhythm or the confidence to do it, and I think he’s been exceptional.”

Dependable back-up options are hard to come by, so it would be disappointing to lose Kiwior this summer, although not the end of the world, given Mosquera’s arrival.

Sunderland have finally concluded a deal for Granit Xhaka, but they are far from done this summer with notable additions.

Up next, it looks as if Robin Roefs will join the building from NEC Nijmegen as the Black Cats’ brand new goalkeeper for the Premier League, having kept a promising ten clean sheets in Eredivisie action last season.

From that point on, it’s anybody’s guess as to who will be following the Dutchman in through the door, as the rumour mill continues to be active on Wearside.

Sunderland agree deal to sign new striker

Regis Le Bris and Co could well be diving straight back into the options at their disposal at Bayer Leverkusen, with Amine Adli a name that keeps popping up from the German giants.

Reports suggest that the Black Cats, West Ham United, and Wolverhampton Wanderers are all locked into a race to try and snap up the Moroccan winger, who is valued around the £26m price range.

Elsewhere, meanwhile, it was reported by Sky Sports’ Keith Downie that Sunderland had opened talks to snap up Chelsea hotshot Marc Guiu on a loan deal, having approached the 19-year-old who has previously been linked with Leeds United.

Fabrizio Romano has since followed that up by revealing that a deal has been agreed for the youngster, with Guiu set to join on a temporary move, with no option to buy for the Black Cats.

The Spanish teenager is yet to get up and running in the Premier League with the Blues, but it’s clear that he is seen as a gem for the future, with Danny Welbeck once viewed in the same light when he arrived to the Stadium of Light in 2010, only then to get his top-flight career off the ground on Wearside.

Why Guiu could be Sunderland's new Welbeck

Heading into his formative stint with the Black Cats, Welbeck only had three senior strikes to shout about, having been previously loaned out to Preston North End in the Championship away from parent side Manchester United.

Guiu can boast double that amount for Enzo Maresca’s men already, but it’s clear that he needs more consistent minutes in the top-flight, away from wreaking havoc in the much-maligned Conference League.

Sunderland could now be willing to give him that opportunity, much like when they extended their hand out to a far more raw Welbeck 15 years ago.

The now well-established 34-year-old would first make a name for himself donning Sunderland red and white, with the ex-Black Cats number 17 even getting in on the goalscoring act during his solitary season with the club, when downing Chelsea 3-0 in a surprise away win.

In total, Welbeck would bag a promising six strikes from 26 games before then going on to become a first-teamer at Old Trafford, with the Premier League veteran now up to 77 goals in the testing division when featuring for the likes of Arsenal, Watford, and Brighton and Hove Albion, away from the Red Devils and the Stadium of Light.

Welbeck’s heroics for Sunderland would help them to secure a comfortable tenth-place finish in the final top-flight standings, with Guiu hopeful he can be that same spark that makes survival a breeze, having already made quite an impression on the Stamford Bridge masses from limited starts.

Indeed, despite making just four starts overall for Maresca’s side, the ex-Barcelona youth product has a blistering six strikes next to his name, leading to Guiu being dubbed a “nightmare” to come up against by football talent scout Jacek Kulig.

Further showing off his ice-cold finishing ability on the international stage with Spain when powering home 11 goals for the U17s and U19s, on top of even having two senior Barca strikes next to his name, it’s no shock that one of his former youth coaches, Jose Lana, has stated that Guiu can “score goals from nowhere.”

It might be a tall order for Guiu to instantly break into the first-team fold, however.

But when he is unleashed into the action, the 19-year-old will surely be eager to make an impact, knowing full well that an electric loan stint on Wearside could finally kickstart his Premier League journey in style.

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ByKelan Sarson Jul 31, 2025

The new captain lauded his team’s brave approach and how they made the early running in both Tests

Deivarayan Muthu26-Oct-20241:51

How did Santner succeed when Jadeja struggled?

Before 2024, New Zealand visited India 12 times across 69 years from 1955 to play Test cricket, but they had never managed to win a series. On Saturday, in his first stint as full-time New Zealand captain, Tom Latham did an Edmund Hillary, leading New Zealand to their first-ever Test series win in India.Latham was part of the New Zealand team that won the inaugural World Test Championship after beating India in the final in Southampton in 2021. But beating India is a different challenge altogether and arguably the toughest challenge in world cricket right now. Latham was overwhelmed with emotion when he was asked to explain what the triumph in India meant to him, his team, and the New Zealand public.Related

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“I’m sort of lost for words,” Latham said. “It’s obviously an immensely proud moment for this group. I think coming off the back of a Sri Lankan series where we didn’t get the results that we wanted to come here and play the style of cricket that we played. We’re obviously immensely proud to be in the position of winning two Test matches here. A lot of New Zealand teams have come here over the past… I guess to be the first team to win a series over here is immensely special and, yeah, very proud of this group.”So what did Latham’s New Zealand do better than the other New Zealand teams of the past and this current India team?”I think we’ve been on the right side of a couple of tosses,” Latham said. “That obviously played a big part I think, especially in Bangalore. Just as I said, I think we’ve come here, and we’ve wanted to fire a shot. We’ve wanted to be the one that puts India under pressure, what that may look like from a batting point of view or a bowling point of view. I certainly think we’ve done that. I think the way we played in this game with the bat was really important. I think it was a wicket where time wasn’t necessarily an issue, it was runs.”Mitchell Santner was the hero with the ball•AFP/Getty ImagesIt’s incredibly rare for any overseas team to out-bat and out-bowl India in a Test match. This New Zealand team has managed to do that twice in contrasting conditions in Bengaluru and Pune.New Zealand’s bowlers had thrown the first punch in Benglauru in seaming conditions, where they skittled India for 46. New Zealand’s batters then threw the first punch in Pune on a turner, where they countered R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar with a variety of sweeps, including the reverse. Latham was pleased with his players buying into the attack-first approach.”We’ve come here, and we’ve wanted to compete, and we’ve wanted to fire a shot first up,” Latham said. “I certainly think we’ve done that in both games. Obviously with the ball in the first game but also with the bat here. Being able to put first innings runs on the board has been really important. Obviously the bowlers went to work over the last couple of days which has been very pleasing to see.”

In 47 innings prior to the Pune Test, Mitch Santner didn't have even a Test four-for to his name.

Now he has two five-fors, in one of New Zealand's greatest wins https://t.co/GUexHh5oRN | #INDvNZ pic.twitter.com/vfE5MkDs3N

— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) October 26, 2024

Latham hailed Mitchell Santner for wheeling away for 29 overs on the trot in the final innings despite a sore side. The left-arm fingerspinner came away with six wickets during that marathon spell and almost single-handedly spun New Zealand to victory. He finished with match figures of 13 for 157 – the third-best by any visiting bowler in India.”He did a fantastic job,” Latham said of Santner. “I think obviously the wickets that he got… But I think what will go unnoticed is the amount of overs he bowled back-to-back. I think Will [O’Rourke] bowled one over with the new ball from that end and Mitch bowled the rest. Someone like that to come and bowl that amount of overs, to keep in a threat for that amount of time.”I keep trying to take him off, but he keeps taking a wicket. So, I said ‘you can keep going’. Look, I can’t praise him enough in terms of what he’s done this game. He was simply fantastic.”

With the summer transfer window in full flow, Aston Villa have made just one signing so far – Yasin Ozcan.

The Turkish youngster might not be the most exciting of signings, but aged 19, he is certainly one for the future.

With Unai Emery keen on ending the club’s near 30-year wait for a major trophy next season, bringing in several high-profile players is a priority.

Players such as John McGinn and Morgan Rogers helped the club secure a place in the Europa League next season. Could Emery potentially sign someone who is a hybrid of the two this summer?

Aston Villa transfer news

Villa have been linked with their fair share of attacking players this summer. Indeed, the likes of Jack Grealish, Nicolas Jackson and even Malick Fofana have been targeted by Emery.

Transfer Focus

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

Much will depend on the funds Villa have to spend, especially as they seek to comply with Profit and Sustainability regulations throughout the summer.

According to reports in Brazil, however, the club have made contact regarding a move for Porto winger Pepe, with it said they have opened talks for the 28-year-old.

The Portuguese giants are willing to sell him this summer in order to sign other targets, and a price tag of €25m (£21m) has been set. A more than affordable figure by Emery’s standards.

Both McGinn and Rogers enjoyed plenty of success last season and by signing Pepe in the coming weeks, Villa could be landing a player who is similar to both.

Why Aston Villa must sign Pepe

Last season, McGinn registered ten goal contributions for Villa, while Rogers recorded 29 goal involvements in all competitions for the club.

This highlights how vital the pair were. Both players excel at dribbling and playing through balls during matches, supporting Ollie Watkins incredibly well.

With McGinn staring on the left at times, with Rogers operating in a more central role, will Emery manage to sign a player like them for the right flank ahead of next season?

Pepe certainly fits the mould. According to FBref, Rogers is the ninth-most comparable player to the Porto winger, while McGinn is the seventh-most comparable when taking into account their statistics from the Champions League last term.

In this competition, he ranked in the top 16% for assists per 90 (0.31), while also ranking in the top 14% for tackles (1.86) per 90.

Goals

3

Assists

2

Big chances created

5

Key passes per game

1

Successful dribbles per game

0.6

Shots per game

1

In comparison, McGinn recorded 0.25 assists and made 1.23 tackles per 90, while Rogers registered 0.18 assists and 0.79 tackles per 90 in the Champions League.

It is more the manner in which all three tend to have similar playing styles which could make a move for the winger an important one.

South American football expert Tim Vickery hailed the wideman a couple of years ago, saying: “I certainly remember him as a winger with Gremio, little mosquito kind of winger, who can do either flank.”

For the sort of fee Porto are demanding, bringing Pepe to the Midlands might be an interesting piece of business indeed.

An eye for goal while being able to create chances indicates that he could shine alongside players such as McGinn and Rogers next season.

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Will Chelsea make any more signings before the Club World Cup transfer window closes on 10 June?

On Wednesday, the Blues unveiled Liam Delap, who has arrived from Ipswich Town, after Chelsea activated his £30m release clause.

Now, the West London side have until Tuesday to make any more new signings if they’re to feature at the newly revamped Club World Cup, with the Blues’ tournament opener against Los Angeles FC taking place in Atlanta on Monday 16 June.

So, by the time that fixture comes around at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, could the Chelsea supporters in attendance have another big-money signing to admire?

Chelsea looking to sign Sancho replacement

Earlier this week, it was confirmed that Chelsea will not sign Jadon Sancho from Manchester United permanently, choosing to, as outlined by Nizaar Kinsella of BBC Sport, pay a £5m penalty fee, rather than exercising a £25m obligation to buy.

Sancho scored just five goals in 42 appearances for the Blues this season, most memorably bagging a stunning curler against Real Betis in the recent Conference League Final in Wrocław.

The England international took to Instagram to thank his Chelsea “teammates, staff and the fans”, going to say that he was “grateful for the experience” so, while his own personal future is now uncertain, the Blues are searching for an upgrade.

Well, according to a report by Kaveh Solhekol for Sky Sports, Chelsea have been ‘offered the chance to sign’ Mohammed Kudus, who they claim has an £85m release clause in his contract at West Ham United.

It’s reported that Chelsea have not said ‘no’ and are weighing up whether to add him to their list of options this summer. A further report from BBC Sport notes that discussions between the Hammers and Chelsea have already taken place.

The winger currently has an £85m release clause for Premier League clubs and a £120m exit clause for Saudi clubs which could complicate matters.

Transfer Focus

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

The Ghanaian arrived in East London from Ajax for £38m two summers ago, making 80 appearances for the Hammers to date, scoring 19 goals and registering 13 assists.

So, with the Blues on the lookout for a winger, could a move across the capital be on the cards for Kudus?

Why Mohammed Kudus is a Jadon Sancho upgrade

Kudus’ performances at West Ham have earnt widespread praise, with teammate Aaron Cresswell labeling him a “top talent”, adding that he’s “so strong, so quick and so sharp”, while George Addo Jr of BBC Sport is in awe of his “magic feet”.

Meantime, Patrick Boyland of the Athletic outlines how Kudus is ‘versatile’, capable of playing on either flank or centrally, describing him as a ‘prolific and effective dribbler’.

Adam Scully of Total Football Analysis agrees with this, stating that, ‘undoubtedly’, the Ghanaian’s best attribute is his ‘excellent’ dribbling ability, while Ben Mattinson of Breaking the Lines believes he has ‘world-class potential’.

On that evidence, he’d certainly be a great replacement for Sancho, another versatile forward player. The following statistics certainly support these assertions too.

Attempted take-ons

208

1st

Successful take-ons

92

2nd

Given how dismal West Ham were throughout this season, winning just 11 matches and finishing 15th, it is certainly very impressive that Kudus managed to attempt the most take-ons, second only to Jérémy Doku for successful take-ons too.

Nevertheless, the question still remains: would he be an upgrade on Sancho?

Statistics

Kudus

Sancho

Appearances

32

31

Minutes

2,603

1,765

Goals

5

3

Assists

3

5

Note: All statistics below are on a per-90 basis.

Shots

2.61

1.22

Shot-creating actions

3.72

3.57

Attempted take-ons

7.22

4.95

Successful take-ons

3.19

2.30

Progressive carries

3.40

5.20

Touches

52.2

53.7

As the table outlines, Kudus’ statistics are broadly more impressive than those of Sancho, despite the fact the Ghanian endured an underwhelming season in a very uninspiring West Ham side.

While not quite on the same level for progressive carries, more of his take-ons are actually successful and he’s a constant threat, taking more shots.

As already established, Kudus is a top-class dribbler, so now he just needs the output in front of goal to match, and a move to a better team could be exactly what he needs to take his game to the next level.

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Chelsea were one of the clubs that were reportedly interested in a deal to sign Spain international Dean Huijsen from Premier League rivals Bournemouth in the upcoming summer transfer window.

The Blues have missed out on a swoop for the central defender, though, as Real Madrid have officially signed him from the Cherries for £50m, which was the value of his release clause.

Not all is lost for the Premier League giants, however, as they are reportedly eyeing up a swoop for an alternative to the soon-to-be Real Madrid star.

Chelsea eyeing deal for Dean Huijsen alternative

According to a report from Spain, Huijsen was the main target for Chelsea in the centre-back position, but they are now lining up a swoop for Lazio titan Mario Gila.

Transfer Focus

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

The outlet claims that the former Real Madrid academy graduate is emerging as the priority target for the Blues after they missed out on the Bournemouth star to the Spanish giants.

It reveals that Lazio are set to demand a fee of £25m for the 24-year-old central defender, which is said to not be an issue for Chelsea from a financial perspective.

With all of this in mind, the club must now act on their ‘priority’ target by swooping to sign the Spaniard from the Serie A outfit for a fee of £25m, because he could come in as a big upgrade on Tosin Adarabioyo this summer.

Why Chelsea should sign Mario Gila

Signed from Fulham on a free transfer last summer, the English defender has started 14 of his 21 appearances in the Premier League, but Chelsea could sign an even better centre-back by landing Gila.

The Lazio star has averaged 2.7 tackles and interceptions and 4.9 duels won per game in the Serie A this season, whilst Tosin has only averaged 1.3 tackles and interceptions and 3.2 duels won per match in the Premier League this term.

These statistics suggest that Gila could come in as a defensive upgrade on the current Chelsea centre-back due to his ability to win more tackles, interceptions, and duels per game to cut out opposition attacks.

The Blues, however, are a ball-dominant team that also need centre-backs who are good enough on the ball to build attacks for Enzo Maresca, which the Lazio colossus certainly is.

Last 365 days per 90	Tosin Adarabioyo	Mario Gila
Pass accuracy	91%	91%
Progressive passes	2.66	4.70
Progressive carries	0.34	1.46
Successful take-ons	0.27	0.20
Shot-creating actions	0.96	1.16
Stats via FBref

As you can see in the table above, Gila is more progressive, as a passer and a carrier, from a central defensive position than Tosin is, with far more progressive passes and carries per 90 over the last 365 days.

Therefore, the £25m-rated defender could come in as a big upgrade on the former Fulham man because he could offer more to the team as an out-and-out defender and as a progressive option in possession.

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This is why the Blues should swoop to sign him as an alternative to Huijsen, as the 24-year-old star could improve Maresca’s side with his qualities on and off the ball.

The role of a goalkeeper has changed drastically since the Premier League got underway in 1992, with the majority of keepers in today’s game needing to be as good in possession as they are shot-stoppers.

Nowadays, sides build their attacks from their No.1s, but when all is said and done, who is the greatest goalkeeper in Premier League history?

Ranking factors Appearances Longevity Clean sheets Personal honours What others have said about them 20 best goalkeepers in Premier League history: in pictures 20 Ben Foster Man Utd, Watford, Birmingham, West Brom

Starting the countdown is Ben Foster – the goalkeeper who has made the most saves in Premier League history with 1,248.

The Englishman never lifted a Premier League title after coming through the academy at Man Utd but was a key player for the likes of Watford, Birmingham and West Brom between 2006-2022.

Games

390

Clean sheets

92

Penalties saved

9

Saves

1,248

19 Kasper Schmeichel Man City, Leicester

Part of the historic Leicester City title-winning team in 2015/16 was Kasper Schmeichel, who was key under Claudio Ranieri at the King Power Stadium.

After coming through Man City’s academy, Schmeichel made a name for himself with the Foxes and has turned out 284 times in the Premier League. A Leicester legend, Gary Neville has hailed Schmeichel as a goalkeeper with a “huge personality”.

Games

284

Clean sheets

82

Penalties saved

7

Saves

814

Titles

1

18 Hugo Lloris Tottenham

Hugo Lloris made more than 360 top flight appearances for Tottenham between 2012-2024, becoming a Spurs legend during that time.

Called “one of the best goalkeepers in the world” alongside the likes of Manuel Neuer back in 2014 by former manager Mauricio Pochettino, Lloris was a brilliant shot-stopper and captain and was hailed as a “fantastic leader” by Harry Kane.

Games

361

Clean sheets

127

Penalties saved

5

Saves

986

17 Jens Lehmann Arsenal

Jens Lehmann made quite the impact in the Premier League with Arsenal after joining from Borussia Dortmund, playing every league game of the 2003/04 season where the Gunners went unbeaten.

He did make numerous mistakes in north London which resulted in the German being alternated with Manuel Almunia, however, he is the only shot-stopper who can say he has gone unbeaten in a whole top-flight campaign.

Games

148

Clean sheets

54

Saves

106

Titles

1

16 Thibaut Courtois Chelsea

Thibaut Courtois would only spend four seasons in the Premier League with Chelsea, but he certainly made an impact at Stamford Bridge, which led to a move to Real Madrid in 2018.

The towering Belgian won two top-flight titles with the Blues as well as the FA Cup and League Cup, while also collecting the Premier League’s Golden Glove award in 2016/17.

Still regarded as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, Courtois was hailed as “different class” by iconic centre-back John Terry while at Chelsea.

Games

126

Clean sheets

48

Saves

285

Penalties saved

1

Titles

2

15 Nigel Martyn Crystal Palace, Leeds, Everton

Nigel Martyn, the first £1m transferred goalkeeper, was one of the early Premier League greats in goal, starring for Crystal Palace, Leeds and Everton between 1992-2006.

He was dubbed outstanding at Elland Road with Leeds, where more than 200 of his Premier League appearances came, and would have earned a lot more caps for England if it wasn’t for another goalkeeper on this list.

Games

372

Clean sheets

137

Assists

2

14 Tim Howard Man Utd, Everton

After playing second fiddle during the majority of his Man Utd career, Tim Howard would go on to become a Premier League star with Everton between 2006-2016. The USA icon even found the back of the net against Bolton in 2012, becoming the fourth goalkeeper to score in the Premier League.

It was his reliable shot-stopping ability that made him a top-flight great, though, with Roberto Martinez even calling Howard “faultless”.

Games

399

Clean sheets

132

Saves

992

Penalties saved

7

Goals

1

13 Mark Schwarzer Middlesbrough, Fulham, Chelsea, Leicester

Another extremely solid goalkeeper was Mark Schwarzer, who is the only player from outside the UK to play 500 or more Premier League games.

The Australian also managed to pick up back-to-back Premier League winners medals with different clubs, something that has never been done before. Schwarzer served as second or even third choice with Leicester and Chelsea and was 43 when the Blues won the title in 2017.

In his prime, with Middlesbrough and Fulham, Schwarzer was one of the best shot-stoppers around.

Games

514

Clean sheets

152

Assists

1

Titles

2

12 Brad Friedel Liverpool, Blackburn, Aston Villa, Tottenham

Continuing the trend of ‘Barclaysmen’ is Brad Friedel, who is arguably one of the first underrated goalkeepers you think of in the Premier League between 2001-2016.

Best known for his time at Blackburn and Aston Villa, Friedel is actually the current holder of the Premier League record for most consecutive appearances with 310 over an eight-year period and is also another keeper who has scored.

Games

450

Clean sheets

132

Saves

771

Penalties saved

6

Goals

1

11 Shay Given Blackburn, Newcastle, Man City, Aston Villa, Stoke

Shay Given played for five different Premier League clubs, but it was at St James’ Park with Newcastle where he became a top-flight legend, being named in the Premier League PFA Team of the Year twice.

Some have said that Given will go down as Newcastle’s greatest ever goalkeeper, with the Irishman making more than 350 league appearances for the Magpies.

Games

450

Clean sheets

113

Assists

2

Cole Palmer was sensational for Chelsea over the weekend in their 3-1 win over Liverpool.

Not only did he manage to find the back of the net to end a long goal drought, but he was a chance-creation machine, playing four key passes.

He also completed three dribbles out of three that he attempted, dazzling against the newly-crowned Premier League champions in a statement performance. At the end of the game, Roy Keane said the attacker is “one of these players you’d pay to come and watch, he’s that good”.

Enzo Maresca’s side are not short of top attacking quality, and they could add to the likes of Palmer in the summer by signing another left-footed attacking star.

Chelsea target new attacker

If recent reports are to be believed, one of the players the Blues are going to go all out to sign this summer is Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo.

Transfer Focus

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

The Cameroonian attacker has been sensational this season, which has caught the eye of Chelsea.

According to a report from one Spanish news outlet, Mbeumo has ‘caught the attention of the Stamford Bridge club’s directors’.

As a result, they could now make a move to sign him this summer. It seems to be quite a concrete move, too, with his ‘next destination seems to be increasingly close’ to being Chelsea.

However, the Brentford forward won’t come cheap. The Blues are thought to be ‘preparing an offer that could convince Brentford to let him go’, this summer. The Bees could demand a fee as high as £51m if they are to sell their star attacker to their West London rivals.

Why Mbeumo would be a good signing for Chelsea

Mbeumo’s quality this season has been clear for all to see. He has played a huge role in the success of Thomas Frank’s side in 2024/25, helping them to reach ninth in the table and be within touching distance of a European spot.

Mbeumo, who was once described as a “deadly” attacker by Statman Dave, has been on fire in the Premier League. In 35 appearances, he has found the back of the net 18 times and registered a further seven assists.

One of the standout things about Mbeumo’s game is his consistency. The longest goal involvement drought the 25-year-old has had this season is three games, showing just how regularly he can contribute. Perhaps his standout performance came at home to Brighton and Hove Albion in a 4-2 win, when he scored twice and assisted another.

Although this is Mbeumo’s best season in the Premier League to date in terms of goals and assists, the Bees’ number 19 didn’t take long to adapt to the top flight of English football. In all four seasons of Premier League football so far, he has managed ten or more goal involvements.

2021/22

35

2916

4

7

265

2022/23

38

2928

9

8

172

2023/24

25

1961

9

7

122

2024/25

35

3147

18

7

125

If there is one former Chelsea star Mbeumo might hope to replicate, it is legendary winger Arjen Robben.

The Dutchman played for some of the biggest clubs in the world, including Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, but really made a name for himself at Stamford Bridge.

The Dutchman played 106 times for the Blues, scoring 19 goals and grabbing 23 assists in that time. His trademark skill saw him cut inside on his left foot from the right wing, drive at defenders before unleashing a wicked effort.

This is similar to Mbeumo, as his second goal against Brighton a few weeks ago highlighted. He picked the ball up just inside the penalty box, at the right-hand corner, set himself and fired a shot home. There was certainly a bit of Robben about that effort.

Should the Blues bring Mbeumo into the club, he could add consistency and a genuine goal threat off the right-hand side. He already has more goals than Robben did in the Premier League.

If he can continue on the current trajectory, perhaps the Brentford star can become even better in a Chelsea shirt than Robben was.

He's their new Drinkwater: Maresca must axe £30m Chelsea flop this summer

Chelsea have certainly signed plenty of players in recent transfer windows, but one player is very reminiscent of the Blues’ worst-ever signing.

ByBen Gray May 6, 2025

Arsenal are now willing to sell a player for around £26m this summer, and AC Milan are interested in his signature, according to a report.

Arteta's summer transfer plans taking shape

There have been widespread suggestions that Arsenal are in a healthy position PSR-wise, which could mean they have the funds for a big signing this summer, and Mikel Arteta is particularly keen on getting a new striker through the door.

The Gunners were recently handed a boost in their pursuit of Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, with it being revealed the Swedish forward is keen on a move to north London, while they also hold an interest in the likes of Alexander Isak and Benjamin Sesko.

Striker is not the only position in which Arteta is eager to strengthen, however, with the manager identifying the need for greater depth in wide areas, and Deportivo de La Coruna’s Yeremay Hernandez is a potential target, alongside Athletic Bilbao’s Nico Williams.

Offer ready: Arsenal keen to bid £30m for "special" Premier League forward

The Gunners are set to move for an attacking midfielder, who plays for one of their Premier League rivals.

By
Dominic Lund

Apr 6, 2025

With a new central midfielder clearly also of interest, given the widespread links to Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi, it could make sense for Arteta to offload some rotation players this summer, regardless of the healthy financial position the club find themselves in.

According to a report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are now willing to cash-in on Jakub Kiwior this summer, in order to fund their own transfer business, and they would be looking to receive a fee of around €25m – €30m (£21m – £26m).

There is no shortage of interest in Kiwior, with a whole host of European clubs being named as potential suitors, including both AC Milan and Inter Milan.

The 25-year-old wants to join a new club this summer, given that his development has been stifled by a lack of playing time for the Gunners, and it now looks like he may be given the opportunity to do so.

Arsenal’s upcoming fixtures	Date
Real Madrid (h)	April 8th
Brentford (h)	April 12th
Real Madrid (a)	April 16th
Ipswich Town (a)	April 20th
Crystal Palace (h)	April 23rd

Kiwior exit could be suitable for all parties

With Arteta planning to bolster his options in multiple positions this summer, it would make sense to generate as much money as possible by cashing-in on out-of-favour players, and the Poland international has made just 10 Premier League appearances this season.

At 25, the defender is at an age where he needs to be playing regularly, so it is understandable that he wants to move on this summer, despite putting in some impressive performances during his time in north London.

The former Spezia man has previously been lauded as a “monster” by reporter Sam Dean, and he put in a solid display against Everton last time out, making five defensive actions and creating one big chance.

Kiwior originally arrived at Arsenal for £20m, and given that he has remained a sporadic option for Arteta throughout his time at the club, it could be a shrewd piece of business if the Gunners are able to sell the centre-back for a profit.