فجر الصحفي البولندي سيباستيان ستاشيفسكي، الذي كتب السيرة الذاتية للمهاجم المخضرم روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، مفاجأة حول أحد لاعبي برشلونة الآخرين.

وقد سلط الضوء على أندرياس كريستنسن مدافع برشلونة وواقعة حدثت خلال مباراة إياب نصف نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، بين برشلونة وإنتر ميلان على ملعب جوزيبي مياتزا.

وكما ذكر الصحفي البولندي، فقد أراد هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة إجراء تغيير تكتيكي متأخر للحفاظ على تقدم البارسا الضئيل بينما ضغط إنتر بكل قوته.

وفكر فليك في إشراك كريستنسن بدلاً من فيران توريس لتعزيز خط دفاعه، لكن بحسب الصحفي البولندي فإن الدنماركي قد أبلغ الجهاز الفني بأنه يعاني من آلام في الظهر.

وأكد الكاتب البولندي أن هانز فليك واجه صعوبة في تقبل تفسير كريستنسن، قائلا: “لم يكن فليك مقتنعاً بأن الدنماركي مصاب حقاً لكن لم يكن لديه وقت للتفكير في الأمر، حيث كان إنتر يبذل قصارى جهده في القتال وكل ثانية لها أهميتها”.

أقرأ أيضاً.. أول تعليق من لابورتا على قضية تيباس بشأن مخالفات برشلونة

وسلط الصحفي البولندي الضوء على تصميم فليك على الحفاظ على هدوئه رغم الفوضى المحيطة به، وأوضح :”فليك وحده حافظ على هدوئه، ولأنه كان يعلم أن فريقه سيغرق بالعرضيات، قرر إشراك كريستنسن الذي يبلغ طوله 187 سنتيمتر، لكنه لم يستطع”.

وقد اختار هانز فليك الاعتماد على ليفاندوفسكي للمساعدة في التصدي للكرات الهوائية، لكن هذه الخطوة لم تنجح حيث سجل أتشيربي لاعب إنتر هدف التعادل في الدقيقة الأخيرة في الدقيقة 93.

وقد التزام المدافع الدنماركي الصمت لكن زوجته كسرت هذا بردها وفقاً لما نشرته صحيفة “سبورت” الإسبانية بعد الجدل الذي تم إثارته حول لاعب برشلونة وكتبت :”يا إلهي، الناس يكتبون أي شئ لجذب الانتباه”.

Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Abde Ezzalzouli, at Unai Emery’s request, and Real Betis’ asking price has been revealed.

Villa’s interest in signing a new forward comes amid doubts surrounding Harvey Elliott’s future, with widespread reports suggesting Liverpool could recall the attacking midfielder from his loan spell in the January transfer window.

Elliott has failed to establish himself as a first-team regular, featuring for just 97 minutes across four matches in the Premier League this season, and Fabrizio Romano has now provided an update on whether there is any way back for the Englishman.

The transfer expert said: “At the moment, it depends on his performances in training. The situation is still not changing and of course, Elliott is not happy.”

Should the 22-year-old exit Villa Park this winter, there may be room in the squad to bring in another attacker, and the Villans are now looking to sign a new winger…

Aston Villa join race to sign Abde Ezzalzouli at Unai Emery's request

According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa have now joined the race to sign Real Betis star Ezzalzouli, with the forward being monitored closely ahead of the January transfer window, although there could be competition for his signature from Crystal Palace.

The Betis board’s asking price is ‘significantly’ in excess of the Moroccan’s current value of €12m (£11m), with the Spanish club eager to retain one of their key players, and manager Manuel Pellegrini has made it clear he wants to keep hold of him.

The 23-year-old has been personally requested by Emery for January, with the manager setting out to sign a new winger in order to strengthen his side’s chances of winning the Europa League.

It is little wonder Pellegrini is keen to keep hold of the 25-time Morocco international, given that he has impressed at Real Betis for quite some time, with scout Ben Mattinson waxing lyrical about the left-winger during the 2024/25 campaign.

The former Osasuna man has also made a flying start to the season, chipping in with three goals and two assists in his opening eight games, which has helped propel his side to fifth in the La Liga table.

Emery strengthened his options at left-wing in the summer, signing Jadon Sancho, but the Manchester United loanee is yet to make an impact, failing to register a single goal or assist in his opening eight matches in all competitions.

As such, it would make sense to bring in a new winger in the January transfer window, and Ezzalzouli could be a fantastic long-term addition to the squad.

Aston Villa targeting Ansu Fati alongside Abde Ezzalzouli

Aston Villa prepared to make Ansu Fati offer but face complicated roadblock

The Villans are willing to make a bid for a new forward, after Emery’s plea to the board.

By
Dominic Lund

Nov 4, 2025

Eyebrows were raised by many across the Premier League in the summer of 2023, after Arsenal forked out an English record £105m for the signature of midfielder Declan Rice.

The 26-year-old now appears to be somewhat of a bargain two years on, with the Englishman now cementing himself as one of the world’s best in his position.

He’s already racked up 118 appearances for Mikel Arteta’s side, scoring 18 times and registering 22 assists – often being the provider for the Gunners’ remarkable set pieces.

Rice netted his latest goal for the club in Saturday’s win over Burnley at Turf Moor, once again playing an influential role in their ambitions of claiming title glory in 2025/26.

His efforts have no doubt been bolstered by the addition of one player who’s made an immediate impact during the opening months of his time at the Emirates.

The impact of Viktor Gyokeres on Declan Rice

Whilst Arsenal have made huge strides over the last few years under Arteta’s reign, they have often fallen at the final hurdle in their pursuit of Premier League glory.

Three second-place finishes in a row were enough for the board to back the Spaniard in the transfer window, splashing a fee in the region of £65m on the signature of Viktor Gyokeres.

The Swede arrived with huge expectations after netting 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting CP – with the centre forward already making an immediate impact in North London.

He’s netted four times in the Premier League to date, joining Rice on the scoresheet on Saturday afternoon and securing an eighth win of the league season.

The majority of his efforts have all been within the opposition’s six-yard box, showcasing the poacher instincts he possesses – something which the Gunners have greatly lacked. What that means is that it’s given the former West Ham man another player to aim for in the box from set-plays.

That was in evidence on Saturday when Rice’s inswinging delivery found Gabriel at the back post who then laid it on a plate for the Swedish striker. The same recipe was served up a matter of weeks ago too in the 4-0 win over Atletico Madrid.

It’s still early days for Gyokeres, but the signs are all positive for the talisman, potentially playing a role alongside Rice and another star if the club are to end their wait for a league title.

The impact of Martin Zubimendi on Rice

Upon his move to Arsenal, many questioned which role Rice would fill at the Emirates – the number six in front of the backline, or the number eight as a box-to-box option.

It’s transpired in recent months that the Englishman is best suited as a box-to-box option, often able to produce a moment of magic from range or make darting runs into the box.

Such a role has no doubt allowed the 26-year-old to achieve his impressive goalscoring tally, with Arteta getting it spot on by not utilising him in a deeper role.

However, it did leave a huge hole at the base of the three-man midfield, a role that has been excellently filled by Martin Zubimendi over the first few months of 2025/26.

In a saga that felt never-ending, the Gunners clinched the Spaniard’s signature from Real Sociedad during the summer, subsequently paying £55m for his services.

Like Rice, he already looks like a phenomenal addition, with the 26-year-old nailing down his place as a deep-lying option – which has allowed his teammate to reach unthinkable heights.

In the Premier League this season, he’s completed 89% of the passes he’s attempted, whilst registering an average of 59 passes per 90 – ranking him in the top 7% of all players in the league.

Games played

10

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

89%

Passes completed per 90

59

Tackles won

1.9

Aerials won

62%

Interceptions made

1.2

Dribble success rate

50%

Out of possession, he’s been just as impressive, winning 1.9 tackles per 90 and coming out on top in 62% of the aerials he’s entered – subsequently offering the ball-winning presence the side has lacked.

Other tallies, such as 1.2 interceptions per 90 and a 50% dribble success rate, have seen one analyst label the midfielder as Arsenal’s “signing of the summer”.

His responsibility at the heart of the side has allowed Rice to operate in more threatening areas and achieve his impressive goal contributions – which has certainly bolstered his standing in the Premier League.

The pair have formed an excellent partnership, with the duo likely to have a huge bearing on the club’s potential title glory come the end of the season in May.

Forget Gabriel: Arsenal "monster" is now the best player in the league

Gabriel put in another titanic performance as Arsenal defeated Burnley 2-0.

Sussex fight back after being bowled out for 122 but face stiff chase in fourth innings

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay09-Sep-2025

Hampshire took a firm grip of their Championship match against Sussex on the second day at Hove. In a low-scoring game they took a first innings lead of 104 after Sussex were bowled out for 122, losing their last seven wickets for 79.Hampshire then recovered from 89 for 7 to 173 in their second knock, with James Fuller top-scoring with 49. That set Sussex 278 and at the close they had reached 37 for the loss of Daniel Hughes. Eighteen wickets fell in the day, after 13 had gone down in the first. The losing team here will take just three points, and could be dragged into the relegation argument, but rain is forecast for the second half of the match.Sussex resumed on a precarious 42 for 3 and were almost immediately in deeper trouble. With the third ball of the morning nightwatch Sean Hunt was trapped in front of his stumps by Kyle Abbott.It was 60 for 5 six overs later when Hughes, only half-forward to a delivery from Abbott which nipped back off the seam, was also lbw. Hughes had spent 87 balls compiling 21, as if to prove that even determined application was not enough to overcome the challenging pitch. Abbott’s opening spell was 5-2-4-2. Hampshire supporters are delighted that the 38-year-old has signed a one-year extension to his contract.Tom Alsop and captain John Simpson added 31 for the sixth wicket in nine overs, slowly building hope in the Sussex supporters that their side could get somewhere near the Hampshire total.But at 91 Simpson got an edge to one down the leg side from the slow left-armer Bjorn Fortuin and Ben Brown, moving alertly to his right, took a smart catch. Jack Carson brought up the hundred in the 44th over when he swung Fortuin to leg for four. But he was bowled through the gate by a sharp nip-backer from Abbott; 104 for 7.It didn’t get any better. It was 115 for 8 when Fynn Hudson-Prentice, playing back when he should have been forward, was bowled by Fortuin for 7. Robinson made a premeditated slog-sweep to his first delivery and was lbw and the last wicket fell two overs later when Alsop, hitting out, was caught at deep midwicket for 39. So former Hampshire player Alsop had top-scored for Sussex just as former Sussex player Brown had made Hampshire’s best score the day before.When Hampshire batted again Fletcha Middleton had his off stump plucked out by Jaydev Unadkat in the second over and two balls later Nick Gubbins, trying to avoid a delivery from the same bowler, only succeeded in playing on. Robinson switched to the sea end and immediately uprooted Ali Orr’s off stump; 31 for three in the 12th.James Coles came on and after five overs the spinner’s figures read 5-1-15-4. Toby Albert was lbw, Tom Prest saw one turn past his bat and knock back his off-stump, Fortuin was caught down the leg side and Brown, after another vital innings of 30, scooped his attempted sweep up into the air. But the tail, led by Fuller, wagged to put Hampshire on top.

Brad Lord's path to MLB has not been anything but standard.

The former 18th round pick in the 2022 MLB Amateur Draft made the Washington Nationals' Opening Day roster on Wednesday, according to reports, just a few months after he spent the winter working at his local Home Depot.

Lord, who, according to Jeff Passan of ESPN, worked for Home Depot moving mulch and Christmas trees this past winter, is set to feature in Washington's bullpen to start the 2025 MLB season after an impressive season in the minors in 2024.

In order to make some money during baseball offseasons, Lord has worked some pretty standard, non-baseball related jobs. In addition to Home Depot, he spent the previous winter working at Publix, all the while continuing to hone his craft on the mound.

Last year, playing at A+, Double-A and Triple-A, Lord made 25 starts and recorded a 2.78 ERA with 135 strikeouts across 129 2/3 innings. This spring, he struggled to the tune of a 6.08 ERA in nine relief appearances, but it wasn't enough to dissuade the Nationals from carrying him on the roster to start the season.

Now, the Talahassee, Fla. native is officially a big-leaguer at the age of 25, less than three years after he was selected with the No. 531 pick in the 2022 draft out of the University of South Florida.

The Cleveland Guardians beat the Kansas City Royals in extra innings on Opening Day, 7-4. The game might not have made it to the 10th if it hadn't been for two truly bizarre base running decisions made by the home team in the bottom of the 8th.

Not to mention they both happened on the same play.

Trailing 4-3 in the bottom of the 8th, the Royals first two batters got on base. Jonathan India then came up to the plate with two runners on and no outs to face Hunter Gaddis. Facing a 2-2 count, India hit a ball on the ground to third baseman Jose Ramirez. Ramirez fielded the ball and threw home to Bo Naylor who chased pinch runner Dairon Blanco back to third. Naylor tossed it back to Ramirez who was able to tag Blanco.

Then Ramirez turned and caught Kyle Isbel in between second and third. Ramirez fired a strike to Gabriel Arias a second. Isbel headed towards third, but shortstop Brayan Rocchio had already hustled over to cover the empty base. Rocchio ran down Isbel to complete the double play.

If you're scoring at home that's a 5-2-5-4-6 double play thanks to two textbook rundowns by the Guardians infielders on the same play. It is the kind of thing coaches absolutely love to see.

The Royals on the other hand ended up with one less runner on base than they started the at-bat with and had zero runs to show for it. Bobby Witt Jr. ended the inning with a strikeout four pitches later and the Royals dropped their home opener.

Southampton interim manager Tonda Eckert will be in the dugout for the next three Championship matches before a decision is made on his future at the club.

Sky Sports journalist Lyall Thomas added that the German tactician is bidding to land the role on a full-time basis, which makes these next three games an important audition for him.

He has already won his first two games in charge of the club, beating QPR 2-1 and Sheffield Wednesday 3-1, after stepping in because of Will Still’s departure.

Why Southampton need an upgrade on Will Still

The Saints need to find a manager who can be an upgrade on their previous head coach, as obvious as it sounds, because his track record before coming to St. Mary’s did not suggest that he was an obvious candidate.

Of course, finishing in midtable with two different Ligue 1 clubs as a 33-year-old head coach is impressive, given that it is one of the best leagues in Europe, but each manager has different skills that suit certain environments.

Southampton, from the outside looking in, appeared to need a leader who could galvanise the club after such a dismal relegation from the Premier League, whilst also having the coaching outlook required to mount a promotion push.

25/26 (Championship)

13

12 (21st)

24/25 (Ligue 1)

34

52 (8th)

23/24 (Ligue 1)

31

40 (11th)

22/23 (Ligue 1)

28

43 (11th)

20/21 (Pro League)

13

17 (9th)

17/18 (Challenger Pro League)

9

22 (3rd)

As you can see in the table above, Still, aside from nine games as an interim years before his first major job, had never been in an environment where he was expected to win consistently and be at the top of the table.

That lack of alignment between coaching and expectation may have been a contributing factor to Southampton ending up in 21st place in the table, with the benefit of hindsight.

Now, in what may be a controversial suggestion, Sport Republic could replace Eckert and find an upgrade on Still by returning to Russell Martin to hire him as their next manager.

Why Southampton should hire Russell Martin

It was reported earlier this month that the former Rangers boss still has admirers in the boardroom at St. Mary’s and it has been claimed that some first-team players and staff are open to his return, suggesting that he could be an option in their managerial search.

Like him or loathe him, Martin is a good communicator and can lead a group when there is buy-in and potential for positive momentum with results, which may not have worked out at Premier League level, or at Rangers.

The 39-year-old tactician’s style of play was described as “successful” and a “joy to watch” by Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta. Whilst they may have been untrue in the Premier League, it was certainly the case in the Championship, which is where Southampton are now.

Pass accuracy

87.7%

1st

Passes into the penalty area

594

1st

Progressive passes

2556

1st

Shot-creating actions

1255

1st

xG

79.8

2nd

Points per game

1.89

4th

When the Saints were promoted under Martin in the 2023/24 campaign, his team were incredible offensively, as shown in the table, above, as they went on to win the play-offs.

This shows that the ex-Swansea boss has the relevant experience required to take on the job at hand, as Southampton look to get promoted back to the top-flight, because he has been there and done it, which was not the case for Still in the summer.

There are major question marks over his Premier League capabability, due to one win in 16 matches last season in the division, which is why it would be interesting to see if he would consider a deal until the end of the season.

Bringing Martin in on a short-term deal until the end of this season to see if he can spark a reaction out of the players and use his experience to guide the team towards the play-offs, before a longer-term appointment is made with the Premier League in mind, could be a shrewd way to go about it.

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ByCharlie Smith Nov 21, 2025

Arsenal have made a blistering start to this season, and the theme of their success continues to be squad depth.

On Wednesday night, it was substitutes that made all the difference, as the Gunners beat Bayern Munich 3-1 in the Champions League.

Riccardo Calafiori set up Noni Madueke to score the go-ahead goal, before Gabriel Martinelli raced around Manuel Neuer to stroke home the clincher soon after, all three doing so off the bench.

In recent seasons, most notably last year, Arsenal’s title hopes have been derailed by injuries, simply not possession-requisite deputies, in terms of quality, quantity and sometimes both, to cope with key absentees.

Well, this time round, numerous key figures have been or are currently still sidelined, and this has not hampered the Gunners one bit, so do Mikel Arteta and Andrea Berta now have their eyes set on further new recruits in January?

Arsenal target a new attacker

Those who thought Mikel Merino up front had been confined to the past were very much mistaken, the Spaniard forced back into the emergency centre-forward role because, well, in recent weeks there haven’t been any other options.

Kai Havertz, Gabriel Jesus and Viktor Gyökeres remain sidelined, Martin Ødegaard, Madueke and Martinelli have all made their returns this week, but Leandro Trossard is a doubt for Sunday’s trip to Stamford Bridge after suffering a knock against Bayern, the severity of which is not yet known.

So, could Arteta request the arrival of a new attacker in January?

Well, according to reports in Spain, Arsenal are interested in signing Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund, with Manchester United also in the race to secure his signature.

They add that die Schwarzgelben value the German international at £75m, but could be under pressure to sell, considering that his contract expires in 2027, hence why there is ‘intensifying’ interest from the two Premier League giants.

So, could he become the 13th German to feature for Arsenal, following in the footsteps of Jens Lehmann, Per Mertesacker, Mesut Özil, Bernd Leno, Lukas Podolski and others?

What Karim Adeyemi​​​​​​​ would bring to Arsenal

After beginning his senior career at RB Salzburg, Adeyemi joined Dortmund in the summer of 2022 for €38m (around £33m), scoring 31 goals and registering 22 assists for the club to date.

Analyst Ben Mattinson praises his “electric pace” and labels him a “transitional monster”, which is possibly best demonstrated by this goal he scored in the Champions League against Graham Potter’s Chelsea at the Westfalenstadion​​​​​​​.

Meantime, according to the Bundesliga, he is one of the fastest players in the division’s history, reaching a top speed of 22.77 miles per hour, which would result in an £80 fine if he ran that fast up Holloway Road parallel to the Emirates.

He is very much a key player at Dortmund, as the table below documents.

The table underlines Adeyemi’s importance to Dortmund.

Only Serhou Guirassy has scored more goals, with wing-back Julian Ryerson the only player boasting better creative numbers, but Adeyemi is currently combining the two.

The attacker also leads the way at die Schwarzgelben for all the dribbling statistics as well as top speed, registering the most touches of any Dortmund player in the opposition penalty area.

This emphasises how he is currently able to combine all the things that make both Madueke and Bukayo Saka elite – the two players noted as among the five most stylistically and statistically similar players to Adeyemi among those in their position across Europe’s top five leagues, as per FBref.

Madueke is a direct dribbler who is a major goal-threat, underlined by the fact that he ranked third in the Premier League last season for progressive carries and fifth when it came to touches in the attacking penalty box.

Saka meantime is the creator in chief, registering more shot-creating actions and big chances created than any other Arsenal player so far this season, despite a spell on the sidelines due to injury.

Well, right now, Adeyemi is able to combine all of these qualities into one, seemingly fulfilling his full potential at the age of 23, suggesting he would be an excellent addition to Arteta’s team and could be the man to fire them to that elusive first Premier League title since 2002.

Shades of Declan Rice: Arsenal expected to move for £80m "superstar"

Arsenal are ready to add the final flourishes on their high-flying squad.

By
Angus Sinclair

Nov 29, 2025

Chelsea are now the favourites to sign a Brazilian ace who’s also wanted by Barcelona and Bayern Munich, and a deal could be possible for a low fee.

Blues targeting another exciting Brazilian amid Estevao success

Estevao is enjoying an impressive debut campaign at Stamford Bridge, having established himself as an important player for the Blues, with the 18-year-old recently netting the second goal in the 3-0 Champions League rout of Barcelona.

It is clear to see the youngster has left an impression on Enzo Maresca too, with the manager saying: “I feel very lucky to be his coach because it’s exciting, you can enjoy. I’ve said many times that I think the fans pay for their tickets to see players like Cole [Palmer], like Estevao, this kind of player.”

The forward is an example of BlueCo’s recruitment policy of signing younger players paying off, and they are now looking to bring in another up-and-coming Brazilian ace, who has impressed the west Londoners’ sporting directors.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Chelsea are now the favourites to sign Santos defender Souza, despite rival interest from both Bayern Munich and Barcelona, with both European heavyweights already making contact over a potential deal.

The signing of the 19-year-old certainly wouldn’t break the bank at around just €15m (£13m), with the Blues looking to get the move over the line before his value increases considerably.

There is a belief the youngster could go on to become a top full-back or even left-winger, given that he is a very well-rounded player, who is also capable of contributing on the front foot.

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ByDominic Lund Nov 30, 2025 Souza emerging as key player for Santos

The teenager has already made 36 appearances for Santos at senior level, having established himself as an important player, and he has regularly impressed from an attacking point of view, chipping in with one goal and four assists.

Most recently, the starlet helped his side keep a clean sheet as they recorded a routine 3-0 victory over Sport Club do Recife, receiving a 7.7 SofaScore match rating courtesy of making a number of important defensive contributions.

Souza’s key statistics

Number completed

Duels (won)

9 (6)

Key passes

2

Clearances

3

Interceptions

2

With Souza yet to prove himself outside his native Brazil, he would very much be one for the future, and the aforementioned report makes it clear BlueCo are planning to loan the left-back to sister club Strasbourg initially.

During the January transfer window, it may be a better idea to focus on signing players capable of making an immediate impact, with a title race potentially on the cards, and amid Liam Delap’s slow start to life at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea have now joined the race to sign “one of the best strikers in Europe”.

Arsenal have been head and shoulders above the rest of ’em this season, but Mikel Arteta knows that the season is still young, and there are many gruelling months ahead before the Gunners might end their two-decade-long wait for the Premier League title.

Runners-up for three successive years, Arsenal have worked toward dynamising and strengthening across the park, with the likes of Martin Zubimendi, Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze all adding flavour to an outfit already refined and complete.

It’s just silverware that is missing. And while the Emirates side have all the tools to go the distance this term, they will need someone of Gabriel Magalhaes’ character and quality to have avoided a long-term injury while away on international duty with Brazil.

The latest on Gabriel's muscle injury

Gabriel has played every minute of Arsenal’s Premier League campaign this season, but with a north London clash against Tottenham Hotspur looming on the horizon, a muscular injury sustained out with his nation could put a spanner in the works there.

Gabriel pulled up mid-sprint during Brazil’s recent win over Senegal. It has since been revealed by The Athletic’s David Ornstein that there is a worry that he faces an extended spell on the sidelines, more than a month and thus out of action until the new year.

It cannot be understated how integral Gabriel has become. As per FBref, the £150k-per-week talent ranks among the top 5% of positional peers for goal involvements and the top 15% for shot-creating actions per 90. That aside, he has incredibly won 78% of his ground duels, keeping clean sheets in seven separate matches.

In Gabriel and William Saliba, Arsenal have two defenders looking to take their place among the pantheon of great Premier League centre-back partnerships, and if Arteta does lift that elusive trophy at the end of the season, he and his wider squad will be indebted to the composed and flawlessly organised duo at the back.

The likes of Piero Hincapie and Cristhian Mosquera are able replacements, but this could be a big blow, and it’s got us thinking about the 27-year-old’s long-term successor in north London.

There is one Hale End star who might just have what it takes to complete that step up in the future.

The Hale Ender who could replace Gabriel

Under Arteta’s guidance, Arsenal have a feared outfit once again. This is a team capable of tackling and overcoming any opponent across the globe, as last season’s spectacular two-legged win over Real Madrid will tell you.

But this also needs to be a lasting project, and it’s clear that there is an emphasis on this, with Bukayo Saka the talisman and exciting prospects such as Ethan Nwaneri and Max Dowman filtering through to the first team.

And on the other side of the field, Callan Hamill could find himself succeeding Gabriel when the time comes, with the 16-year-old having made quite the impression at Hale End since joining from St. Johnstone in Scotland this summer.

The Scotland U19 international has swiftly established himself as the captain of Arsenal’s U18 squad, racking up 11 appearances and scoring one goal.

With such impressive performances, he has even been handed a string of outings with the U21s, and during his sole effort in the Premier League 2, Hamill kept a clean sheet across 90 minutes of action.

Analyst Ben Mattinson has remarked that the teenager has “all the tools to become a quality backline leader for club and country”, and while he’s not there yet, Arteta’s decision to throw the youngster into first-team training and guide him toward the fore suggests that it’s only a matter of time before this star emulates the better-known names in front of him and cements a place under Arteta’s wing.

Who knows, given his leadership skills, strong reading of the game and dynamism, Hamill might even have what it takes to succeed Gabriel, when the fateful day of the Brazilian’s departure comes.

A new Saka: Arsenal chasing "one of the best wingers in the world" for £88m

The game-changing winger could be a Saka-like addition to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal side.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 18, 2025