Manchester City have entered the race to sign Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson, triggering what is expected to become a fierce three-way transfer battle with rivals Manchester United and Liverpool. The 23-year-old has rapidly evolved into one of England’s most complete young midfielders, and interest in him has escalated to the point where Forest now privately value him at £100 million ($132m).

• Premier League heavyweights prepare for bidding war

  According to City’s director of football Hugo Viana and manager Pep Guardiola are understood to be long-standing admirers of Anderson’s game intelligence. Club scouts have attended multiple Forest matches this season, keeping a close eye on the midfielder’s development as he cements himself in the England setup. Forest, for their part, have no intention of allowing him to leave in January. However, senior figures at the City Ground acknowledge that a substantial bid ahead of next summer’s World Cup could force their hand.

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  City’s midfield reshuffle & Anderson’s appeal

  City are targeting wide reinforcements for the January window, with Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo under serious consideration at around £65m ($86m). Yet internally, plans for a midfield signing next summer are well underway, and Anderson is at the top of their list. His ability to operate as a No.6, No.8, or even in an advanced midfield role has impressed Guardiola, who sees him as a long-term addition capable of integrating seamlessly into City’s possession-based system. The Englishman’s adaptability is viewed as a major asset, especially with Rodri’s workload increasing and with the club seeking a younger midfielder who can mould into Guardiola’s philosophy.

  Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton has been discussed, but insiders now believe Anderson offers a more complete package. Liverpool and United, meanwhile, have been tracking Anderson for months. Both clubs anticipate heavy midfield turnover in the coming windows and regard the Forest star as a cornerstone signing for the next generation.

• Tuchel's glowing praise on Anderson

  Anderson has grown into one of the most dynamic midfielders in the league, earning six England caps since September. Thomas Tuchel, his national team manager, offered glowing praise during the September break.

  "He’s just a very, very good football player," Tuchel said after the 2-0 qualifying win over Andorra. "He has the physicality, he’s very mobile at No 6. He has the body, he loves to defend, he loves to put his body inside to duels. He loves passing, he loves to break the lines, he’s very mobile in this game. It was a pleasure to see.

  "I think the team around him made it as easy as possible for him and he had a very strong performance. I think he showed today that he adapts to the situation. Can he show what he showed in training? Can he show what he showed with Nottingham and the under-21s? He played with a lot of freedom. He was very quickly in the flow. I think he has the physicality and he has the mindset to play in more difficult games."

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  Howe regrets Anderson sale

  For Newcastle fans, Anderson’s success elsewhere remains bittersweet. Eddie Howe has openly admitted that selling him was "a decision the club had no choice but to make," and still maintains hope that the midfielder could one day return.

  “I don’t know (if the move will happen), but certainly from my perspective I would love him to,” he said. “It is very regretful a player from the academy who had given so much, and the club had given so much to for him not to be utilised here is a real shame. We had no choice but to make the sale, but it was not one we wanted to do. It didn’t sit right with me then and doesn’t sit right with me today.”

  Speaking about his versatility, Howe added: "It is very difficult to define one position for him. There are not many players I can say that about. He has got unique strengths. He is very good deeper, but I can definitely see him playing higher up as an 8 or a 10, because he is very good in central areas.  But he's also good wide, like he was for us at wide left. He's a very talented technical player and can do anything he wants with the ball. Those players are very precious."

  Despite the noise, Anderson is keeping his head down. Speaking to , he outlined his goals for the season in typical understated fashion.

  "My biggest aim this season is to add some numbers [goals and assists] to my performances, that will probably take me to the next level," he said.  "I’m focusing on the next game and then the game after that, to try and make an impact. But obviously, all eyes are on the World Cup."

Pakistan’s head coach was left to bemoan a familiar flaw with the team’s performance, pointing to his side’s first-innings collapse as the turning point in the game. After the Test, which South Africa won by eight wickets, Azhar Mahmood said Pakistan had specifically discussed this at their training camps, and that it was “not acceptable” that this kept happening.”The first innings collapse was where it started,” he said at the post-match press conference. “We lost 5 for 17. We should have posted 400-425 there, which was the position we’d put ourselves in. Agha and Rizwan were building a partnership which we couldn’t utilise.”This is the fourth time in two Tests that we’ve lost wickets lower down the order cheaply. This is not acceptable, and we need to take responsibility. We spoke about this at our two camps. Whenever your top players score 270-300, the contribution from the lower order really matters.”Related

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The only thing more reliable than Pakistan’s late-order collapses this series has been a senior player or coach criticising those collapses. Midway through the first Test, Mahmood was fiercely criticial of Pakistan’s first innings collapse which saw then lose their last 5 for 16, slumping from 362 for 5 to 378. Following the game, captain Shan Masood highlighted the issue once more after Pakistan lost their final six for 17 in the second innings.But forewarned has not proved forearmed. The second Test saw the same issues prop up in each innings. On Thursday, Pakistan began at 94 for 4, but soon crumbled to 105 for 8, losing their final six for 43 to set South Africa up for a straightforward chase.”You also have to give credit to opposition,” Mahmood said. “South Africa were much better than us in this department. We could have taken the lead but credit goes to Muthuswamy, the way he played; his shot selection was perfect. He put on 70 with Maharaj and 98 with Rabada. If you play with a quality team and you give them several chances in a brief period of time, they will punish you. That’s what happened and we allowed them extra runs.”You have to work on your game and know your scoring shots. You can learn from the opposition. Muthuswamy scored primarily from the sweep and reverse sweep. You should know your scoring options. When we went to bat, we started blocking early. If we had rotated the strike and put pressure on them, we could have pushed them off their lengths. The way they did – though of course a low target made it easier. You need mental toughness; international cricket is all about how you cope with pressure.”Shan Masood and Aiden Markram pose with the shared trophy after the series ended in a draw•AFP/Getty Images

It was that innings from Muthuswamy which turned the Test around from one Pakistan controlled to one South Africa ran away with. With South Africa reduced to 235 for 8, 98 shy of Pakistan’s first innings total, it looked like a repeat of the Lahore Test. But Muthuswamy, who finished unbeaten on 88, struck a 70-run stand with Keshav Maharaj, and another 98-run partnership with Kagiso Rabada to give South Africa a 71-run lead.It set Pakistan up for what has now become a familiar phenomenon – the third innings implosion. In several Tests last cycle, Pakistan’s third innings turned Tests which were relatively evenly poised to ones the opposition dominated by crumbling late on, leaving them with innings defeats or straightforward chases for the opposition. That was a feature in each of the three Tests Pakistan lost before their turn to spin wickets – two against Bangladesh and one against England – and it reared its head once more.Mahmood admitted that was a concern, though believed Pakistan’s calendar didn’t help. “It is a concern that we have a poor record in our third and fourth innings. But if you play four Tests in a year and the team only gets together every six months, you don’t have time to work on your game. We last played in January and our next Test is in March. These gaps are too long, and we’ll have to play regular Test matches to cope with these situations.”

Before the third game of the Subway Series between the New York Yankees and New York Mets, former teammates Aaron Judge and Juan Soto shared a moment on the field before the contest, an eventual 8-2 Yankees win on Sunday. Judge and Soto, who spent one season together in the Bronx in 2024, embraced and said a few words to each other before retreating to their respective sides for the game.

Judge later pulled the curtain back for fans as to what he had said to Soto in that conversation.

"Just said hello to him, I hadn't seen him all series," Judge told reporters after the game. "Just kind of wishing him the best, kind of said, 'Hey man, you're the best in the game. Things like this are gonna happen, just keep playing your game.' It was good to see him. But happy we were able to either walk him or not let him do any damage, especially in this series."

Soto, whom the Yankees acquired from the San Diego Padres in December of '24, did plenty of damage alongside Judge in the Bronx, as the two did their best impression of Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig en route to New York's first American League pennant since '09. And even though there were no promises that Soto, who was a pending free agent after the '24 season, would be remaining in pinstripes long-term, Yankees fans fell in love with the star slugger and dreamed of Soto batting behind Judge for years to come.

But it was not to be.

Soto became a free agent the moment the Los Angeles Dodgers popped champagne bottles at Yankee Stadium following their World Series win over the Yankees. And Soto cashed in, leaving the Yankees for the crosstown rival Mets on a historic, $765 million contract. And while Judge didn't speak to Soto during the free agency process, he did do his part to attempt to convince Soto to stay during the season, both with his play and the close relationship he developed with Soto.

This weekend's Subway Series represented Soto's return to the Bronx as a Met. Yankees fans rained boos and profane chants down on Soto, who went 1-for-10 with four walks and a pair of runs scored in the three games against his old team.

As for Judge and Soto, Yankees fans—and perhaps Soto himself to a certain extent—will always be left wondering what could have been in the Bronx. But if this weekend's series was any indication, New York baseball fans are in for a real treat watching the Soto-led Mets and Judge-led Yankees duke it out for years to come.

After an 11-year Major League career that included two Gold Gloves, longtime St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong is retiring.

The Cardinals announced Wong's career decision on social media on Monday.

The 34-year-old Wong played eight of his 11 Major League seasons with the Cardinals. He also played two seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers, and spent the 2023 season with both the Seattle Mariners and Los Angeles Dodgers. He did not play a season ago.

Wong won two Gold Gloves as a second baseman in St. Louis, one in 2019, and another in '20.

He finishes his career with a .256 batting average and 86 home runs, 405 RBI and 120 stolen bases.

They have received plenty of criticism for it, but Chelsea have signed some extraordinary young talents in recent seasons.

For example, despite still being just 18 years old, Estevao has been a revelation for Enzo Maresca’s side this season.

The young Brazilian has already scored five goals and provided one assist in just 843 minutes, and looks like he could be something truly special.

So, fans should be ecstatic that Chelsea have now signed another highly rated wonderkid who’s been compared not only to Estevao but also to Moises Caicedo.

How Chelsea are repeating their Estevao success

As if Estevao’s doing what he’s doing this season wasn’t already enough, Chelsea fans will have a few more wonderkids making their way to the club in the summer.

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Perhaps the pick of the bunch, and the one who feels most ready to have an impact akin to the Brazilians, is Geovany Quenda.

The Blues paid a whopping £44m for the Portuguese gem back in March, and while that’s a lot of money to spend on someone who is still just 18, he already looks value for money.

For example, in 22 first-team appearances this season, totalling 1273 minutes, the dynamic winger has scored five goals and provided eight assists.

In other words, the “relentless” teenage sensation, as dubbed by Mattinson, is averaging a goal involvement every 1.69 games, or every 97.92 minutes.

Quenda’s 25/26

Appearances

22

Starts

12

Minutes

1273′

Goals

5

Assists

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.59

Minutes per Goal Involvement

97.92′

Points per Game

2.32

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Another wonderkid who’ll be making their way back to Stamford Bridge in the summer alongside Quenda is Kendry Páez.

The Ecuadorian midfielder is currently on loan with RC Strasbourg in Ligue 1 and, despite being just 18 years old, is making quite an impression.

In all, he has made 17 first-team appearances for the French outfit and was named young player of the month for September.

Perhaps even more impressive than his club record, the teenage star has also already won 23 caps for Ecuador and will undoubtedly play a role for them at the upcoming World Cup.

The conveyor belt of young talent is going to stop next year though, as BlueCo have now got their hands on another incredible prospect who has been compared to Estevao and Caicedo.

Chelsea's next wonderkid

It was announced on Wednesday that the consortium that owns Chelsea and Strasbourg, BlueCo, had agreed to sign Burkina Faso youngster Mohamed Zongo.

The 16-year-old will join the French club once he is 18, and according to the report, so long as he performs well, he will likely then move to the Blues at a later date.

While this isn’t a story that is going to get the fans all that excited, it is another example of the West Londoners’ owners being proactive and seeking out the best young talent in the world, which is a category Zongo most definitely belongs in.

For example, respected scout Jacek Kulig has dubbed him “one of the most exciting U17 talents in Africa.”

On top of that, U23 scout Antonio Mango has described him as a “magic” talent who has “incredible vision” and “ability to open up the game from all angles and areas.”

Something else that should excite the Stamford Bridge faithful is that he appears to be reasonably versatile, playing as both an attacking midfielder and a right-winger.

Interestingly, journalist and Chelsea writer Lloyd Canfield made a bold statement that the youngster “plays like a unique mix of Estevao and Moises Caicedo.”

The comparison to the Brazilian feels rather straightforward given the 16-year-old’s position and skillset.

However, when it comes to the Ecuadorian, Canfield argues that it’s his ability to shoot from range and control possession in the middle of the park that makes the comparison reasonable.

Ultimately, it’s going to be a while before fans can get a proper look at him, but if what those in the know say is true, BlueCo and, potentially, Chelsea have a real star on their hands.

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Former Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy played a major role in stopping one ex-Spurs star from sealing what was a dream switch to Chelsea, with the player making a candid admission.

Tottenham post-Daniel Levy as problems remain at N17

It’s been three months since the Lewis family decided to force Levy into resigning as Lilywhites chairman, following a topsy-turvy 25-year stint in the role.

Levy was barely ever away from the headlines and attracted plenty of criticism, particularly towards the end of his tenure, when fans turned out in droves to protest both his and ENIC’s stewardship of the club.

His exit marked the end of the longest chairmanship in Premier League history, a tenure defined by extraordinary infrastructure development yet marred by agonising near-misses.

His business acumen transformed Tottenham into a financial powerhouse, culminating in the £1.2 billion Tottenham Hotspur Stadium which opened in 2019 and revolutionised the club’s commercial capabilities.

World Football’s highest revenue-generating clubs — 2025	Value
Real Madrid	£1.2 billion
Man City	£727 million
PSG	£700 million
Man United	£668 million
Bayern Munich	£664 million
FC Barcelona	£659.5 million
Arsenal	£621.5 million
Liverpool	£620 million
Tottenham Hotspur	£533 million
Chelsea	£474 million
via Deloitte Money League

Under his stewardship, Spurs competed in Europe over in 18 of the past 20 seasons, establishing themselves among England’s elite despite chronic underinvestment in recruitment compared to their rivals.

The club’s net spend during Mauricio Pochettino’s first four years totalled just £29 million, while Tottenham infamously became the first Premier League side to complete an entire summer window without a single signing in 2018.

That cautious transfer approach became Levy’s defining characteristic, and it drew fierce criticism, alongside their barren trophy haul.

Tottenham reached the Champions League final under Pochettino in 2019, only to dismiss the Argentine four months later despite Spurs’ constant transfer budget restrictions.

Levy’s final season proved very turbulent, with Ange Postecoglou sacked shortly after delivering Europa League glory. Fans had grown tired of the constant managerial churn without meaningful silverware, despite Levy’s long list of appointments including serial winners José Mourinho and Antonio Conte.

Tottenham could prove 'irresistible' to manager who Levy was urged to hire before Frank

He’s on the verge of leaving his current club.

1

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Emilio Galantini

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Levy’s departure triggered a major restructuring, with former Arsenal CEO Vinai Venkatesham arriving and Thomas Frank replacing Postecoglou.

Peter Charrington assumed the newly-created non-executive chairman role to jump into Levy’s stead, though in a far less involved capacity, with co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange making up the new leadership team.

Levy, despite his unpopularity among much of the fanbase, undoubtedly left a mark on Spurs which will be remembered for decades to come.

Now, ex-Tottenham favourite Luka Modrić has revealed how the former chairman stopped him from joining London rivals Chelsea.

Luka Modrić reveals Daniel Levy blocked Tottenham transfer to Chelsea

Speaking on the Neuspjeh prvaka show, via ESPN, the now-AC Milan midfielder says that he was eager to join the west Londoners, but Levy told him there was ‘no chance’ that Modric would be allowed to go.

The Croatia legend, who went to enjoy a fantastic season at Tottenham right afterwards, then admitted that it eventually worked out for the best.

Modric is now the most decorated player in his country’s history after a glittering career at Real, with Levy eventually green-lighting his exit to the Bernabeu for £30 million in 2012.

The 40-year-old, who is incredibly still playing at an elite level, made over 150 appearances for Spurs, scoring 17 goals, and comes as one of the best signings of Levy’s tenure for just £16.5 million from Dinamo Zagreb.

Newcastle United were unable to make it three Premier League wins in a row last night, as Eddie Howe’s men secured a 2-2 draw with Tottenham Hotspur.

After a drab first half with little to shout about for both sides, Bruno Guimaraes’ second-half strike put the Magpies ahead with just under 20 minutes remaining.

Anthony Gordon’s penalty with just a handful of minutes remaining put the hosts ahead once again, but for the second time in the contest, Cristian Romero managed to find a leveller.

The point takes Howe’s men up a place to 13th in the Premier League, but it could have been a whole lot better had his side managed to hold on for all three points.

Despite numerous positive showings, a handful of the players selected to start the game failed to impress, which could lead to numerous changes ahead of the weekend.

Newcastle’s poor performers against Spurs

For the third game in a row, Joelinton was handed a start at the heart of the Newcastle side, this time partnering Lewis Miley and Sandi Tonali, with the latter coming into the starting eleven.

However, the Brazilian was unable to repay the faith shown in him by the manager, with such a showing one to forget for the Magpies’ number seven on Tyneside.

He featured for the entirety of the contest, but only managed to come out on top in just 27% of the duels he entered, whilst being dribbled past on three occasions.

Joelinton wasn’t alone in struggling to deliver at St James’, with winger Jacob Murphy also struggling to provide his usual impact off the right-hand side of the attack.

The Englishman was largely unable to deliver in the final third, as seen by his measly tally of just three crosses completed, doing so at an accuracy rate of just 30%.

He also only managed to complete 50% of his attempted dribbles and completed just 16 passes before being substituted for Anthony Elanga with just over 20 minutes remaining.

The Newcastle star who needs to be dropped after Spurs

Home games against Spurs have often been a formality for Newcastle, as seen by the club’s recent record against the Lilywhites over the past couple of seasons.

Howe’s men had won four in a row against the North London outfit at St James’, but his men were unable to add to such a record during their lacklustre showing last night.

The inability to secure all three points was no doubt down to the disappointing showings from numerous players, with the aforementioned duo just two of the stars who failed to deliver.

However, they weren’t alone in struggling to match the expectations of the supporters, with winger Harvey Barnes unable to replicate his recent showings in the Premier League.

The 27-year-old has now started four league games in a row, with his two-goal game against Manchester City undoubtedly keeping his place in the starting eleven.

He’s now failed to score in each of the last two outings, including against Spurs, with winger Gordon now deserving of a start after his goal off the bench.

However, Barnes’ performance before his teammate’s arrival onto the pitch was certainly below par, which will no doubt contribute to the manager’s thinking.

The winger featured for 66 minutes on Tyneside last night, but could only muster 30 touches of the ball and made just ten passes, six fewer than Aaron Ramsdale, as he struggled to make the desired impact on proceedings.

He also only managed to complete one of his attempted dribbles and one of his crosses, which further highlights his struggles within the final third of the pitch.

Minutes played

66

Touches

30

Shots taken

2

Dribbles completed

1

Crosses completed

1

Possession lost

12x

Duels lost

75%

Passes into final third

2

Barnes massively struggled to find any of his teammates during the draw, as seen by his tally of 12 times possession lost – ultimately being wasteful when in possession.

The attacker was just as poor without the ball, often being dominated by the opposition, subsequently losing 75% of the ground duels he entered against Thomas Frank’s side.

As a result of his performance, Barnes was handed a measly 6/10 match rating by The Express journalist Lee Ryder – further showcasing his struggles against Spurs.

After such a showing, Howe will no doubt want to shuffle his pack on Saturday against Burnley to attempt to get their recent winning run in the Premier League back on track.

Gordon will no doubt be chomping at the bit after his goal, which could result in his compatriot being dropped after his recent flurry of starts in the North East.

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West Ham have held loose talks to sign a striker who’s allegedly spoken with Thomas Frank about joining Tottenham, according to a report this week.

West Ham identify striker targets ahead of January

West Ham are accelerating their pursuit of centre-forwards ahead of the January transfer window, with Nuno Espírito Santo making the signing of a number nine one of his absolute priorities.

The Hammers currently languish in the relegation zone with just 13 points from 15 Premier League games, having scored a meagre 17 goals all season, even if they’ve enjoyed a recent mini-revival under Nuno.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Liverpool

Man United 1-1 West Ham

Brighton 1-1 West Ham

Niclas Füllkrug’s potentially imminent departure has intensified the need for another option upfront, with the German flop expected to complete a return to the Bundesliga after managing just three goals in 29 appearances since his £27 million arrival from Dortmund last year.

Man United’s Joshua Zirkzee is one option under consideration by West Ham.

The Dutch forward has struggled for opportunities under Ruben Amorim and was previously labeled a “future West Ham player” last year, and you can make a case that Zirkzee’s versatilitywould suit Nuno’s system far better than Fullkrug.

West Ham are also monitoring Midtjylland sensation Franculino Dju, who has scored a pretty incredible 21 goals in 30 total appearances this season.

The 21-year-old represents a younger, longer-term investment compared to more experienced alternatives, while Union Saint-Gilloise’s Promise David continues to attract West Ham interest after his impressive performances for the Belgian champions.

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A bigger name option who’s been repeatedly linked comes in the form of ex-Brentford star Ivan Toney.

The Al-Ahli striker, who’s been on fire in Saudi Arabia with 50 goal contributions (42 goals, eight assists) in 62 appearances, is reportedly under catching West Ham’s eye prior to January.

Toney has only managed to make one England squad since moving to the Middle East last year, and with the World Cup looming, reports suggest he could be tempted to move back to the Premier League.

West Ham hold 'informal' talks to sign Ivan Toney

According to some media sources, Toney has even spoken to Frank directly about a potential move to Tottenham next month.

However, as per journalist Graeme Bailey, both Spurs and the Irons could be set for disappointment.

Writing for TEAMtalk, Bailey says that West Ham have held ‘informal’ talks to sign Toney, but a move back to England for the 29-year-old hinges on Thomas Tuchel.

The Three Lions boss wasn’t impressed by Toney the last time he was called up in the summer, so the prospect of him playing his way into the World Cup squad is already slim at best.

Because of this, the forward and his camp aren’t anticipating a call-up, regardless of where he moves from now until the squad selection.

This lack of hope threatens to quash any hope of West Ham, or indeed Spurs, signing Toney, with a potentially huge financial bill also coming as a major roadblock.

If Toney returns to England under two years after his Saudi move, the attacker would be forced to pay massive taxes, but if he waits until the summer, the fees would be more kind in that regard.

It therefore makes more sense for the player to wait until later in 2026 to consider a move back to the UK, by which point Spurs or West Ham may have already signed their desired new target man.

Taking this into account, a potential move to the London Stadium for Toney is seen as a long shot.

Striker greenlights January exit with West Ham bid expected ahead of immediate move

He wants to leave.

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اتخذ نادي برشلونة الإسباني لكرة القدم قرارًا صادمًا يتعلق بنجم فريق أتلتيكو مدريد، جوليان ألفاريز، بعدما تواجد على رادار الفريق الكتالوني في الفترة الأخيرة من أجل تعزيز صفوف الفريق.

وارتبط جوليان ألفاريز بإمكانية مغادرة صفوف أتلتيكو مدريد والانتقال إلى صفوف برشلونة العام المقبل، في ظل اهتمام بطل الدوري الإسباني بضمه، رغم الصعوبة المالية المتعلقة بتلك الصفقة.

ولكن صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية ذكرت أن إدارة برشلونة قررت صرف النظر عن صفقة جوليان ألفاريز، حيث تراجع النادي عن قرار اهتمامه بضم الأرجنتيني في الساعات الأخيرة.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فليك: مباراة أتلتيكو أعادتني للموسم الماضي.. ولاعب برشلونة يستحق تجديد عقده

وأوضحت أن السبب وراء ذلك يعود إلى كون أداء ألفاريز يوم الثلاثاء الماضي، في مباراة برشلونة وأتلتيكو مدريد، لم يُقنع إدارة البارسا، حيث وصل إلى اللقاء باعتباره صفقة أحلام الرئيس خوان لابورتا، ولكن أدائه لم يكن على مستوى التوقعات.

وأفادت أنه حتى اليوم لا يُعد جوليان ألفاريز الهدف الرئيسي لـ برشلونة، إذ يعتبره النادي باهظًا، حيث يمتلك شرطًا جزائيًا بقيمة 500 مليون يورو، ويرتبط بعقد مع أتلتيكو مدريد حتى عام 2030، لذلك، لم يعد اسمه يُذكر في مكاتب النادي.

وأشارت إلى إنه بخلاف ذلك، يبحث النادي عن لاعبين يُظهرون رغبتهم في اللعب بقميص برشلونة إلى جانب لاعبين كبار مثل بيدري ولامين يامال.

وشددت من جديد على توقف قصة جوليان ألفاريز مع برشلونة، بشكل مؤقت على الأقل، حيث لم يعد من أولويات النادي في الوقت الحالي، ولن تُقدم الإدارة على أي خطوة للتعاقد معه حاليًا.

On Saturday lunchtime, Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had a big decision to make. Play Martin Odegaard or Eberechi Eze in the number 10 position?

Well, the Spaniard chose his club captain Odegaard. It was a successive start for the Norwegian who is now back from injury and ready to make an impact.

What that meant was that the Gunners’ November Player of the Month was selected on the left flank.

It wasn’t a decision that went well for Eze. The scorer of that famous hat-trick in the north London derby just a few weeks ago, his influence from the left, rather than in a central area, was severely lacking.

It was Eze who switched off at the back post for Matty Cash’s opener and despite having a goal ruled out for offside, he was anonymous in the final third.

The summer signing was subsequently withdrawn at the half time interval having registered just 13 touches of the ball and amassed just seven passes.

Why Arsenal must pick Eze over Odegaard in the number 10 role

Before Emiliano Buendia’s late winner at Villa Park on Saturday, TNT Sports’ Martin Keown had named Martin Odegaard as the player of the match.

The club captain drifted in and out of the game, but left the field with three key passes and three shots to his name. He also ensured Bukayo Saka looked like a constant threat in the game. Indeed, in the words of the Telegraph’s Sam Dean, he noted that “it can’t be a coincidence that Saka has been so dangerous today, on the day he is reunited with Odegaard,” suggesting that as a pairing, they remain one of Arsenal’s “great weapons.”

That they may well be, but the skipper arguably held Arteta’s team back. While Eze has looked like such a big goal threat over the last few weeks, a dynamic and silky player who can produce a moment of magic out of nowhere, Odegaard was sluggish and timid in possession.

His biggest problem is that unlike Eze, he takes too many touches and he’s slow in possession. The 26-year-old is one of the best midfielders in the world on his day. He’s supremely creative but Arsenal’s summer recruit from Crystal Palace has taken them to the next level in recent weeks.

Mins played

90

45

Touches

80

13

Key passes

3

0

Shots

3

0

Successful dribbles

1/4

1/1

Duels won

3/10

2/5

Possession lost

15x

3x

It was surely no coincidence that two of their finest wins of 2025, the victories against Spurs and Bayern, came with Eze in the team over Odegaard.

It feels incredibly unlikely that Arteta will drop the latter but he must explore what this team could be like without their captain.

That said, Eze isn’t the only threat to Odegaard’s long-term future at the Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal's next Odegaard and Eze

Eze’s arrival has coincided with a lack of game time for Ethan Nwaneri. Last season he was compared to Lionel Messi by Joe Cole and described as “the most exciting footballer in England.” How times change.

While the 18-year-old is still up there as one of the finest young talents in the country, scoring nine goals last term, regular senior football has eluded him in 2025/26. He has played just 165 minutes of Premier League football this term and only 20 minutes since the start of November.

Nwaneri will no doubt come good but he will also have to rival the great Max Dowman for a place in the team over the forthcoming years. Odegaard, beware.

The two exciting teenagers are not the only threats to Odegaard’s long-term future, however. Enter Holger Quintero.

At the end of last week, Arsenal announced the signings of a set of twins, Holger and Edwin Quintero from Ecuadorian side Independiente del Valle.

They have become one of the finest exponents of young talent in world football in recent years. Part of their alumni include Moises Caicedo, Piero Hincapie and PSG’s brute of a central defender William Pacho.

Well, the Quintero twins look like the next cabs of the rank and while they will not be seen in Arsenal colours until they turn 18, the 16-year-old’s have signed an agreement to join the club, something that was announced last Thursday.

Edwin is a left-footed right winger and, alongside Dowman, has been labelled as a “10/10 talent” by scout Jacek Kulig. As for his brother, Holger, he is an attacking midfielder by trade and an exciting one at that.

Described as a “top talent” by Como scout Felix Johnston, he possesses a glittering array of skills, outlined by Kulig.

The scout notes that he has “superb close control, flair and creativity” while hailing the youngster’s “low centre of gravity and excellent agility, acceleration and coordination.”

Close control and creativity are two areas in which Odegaard also thrives in but it’s arguably that lack of acceleration and ability to carry the ball forward with pace that holds him back. That’s where Quintero could trump him in the years to come.

Further described as a young kid with “elite dribbling skills with futsal-like ball control”, there is a reason Arsenal have decided to invest in these two young attacking sensations.

To predict they could become world beaters might be a stretch at this stage, but there is huge excitement about them both. As Kulig put it, Holger is “one of the most exciting U17s in South America.”

Watch out, Odegaard, it might not only be Dowman coming for your place.

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