Leeds United ensured that all of the top three teams in the Championship were victorious on Easter Monday, helped by Crysencio Summerville and Daniel James coming to the rescue late on in a 3-1 win.

At one point, the game looked like it could be heading for a draw but the reliable Whites pair had other ideas in mind to steer Daniel Farke's men to their 26th win in the division to date.

Summerville and James coming up trumps spared the blushes of one underperformer for the West Yorkshire titans, who might well find his spot is taken up by a fresher body when the promotion chasers travel to Coventry City next.

On the contrary, both star wingers will find that their positions in Farke's starting eleven are even more set in stone after the enthralling win over the Tigers last night.

Crysencio Summerville and Dan James stepping up again

The dynamic duo took their combined season goal tally to an impressive 31 in all competitions with their respective strikes against Liam Rosenior's determined away side, a remarkable output from both the Dutchman and the Welshman.

Summerville would initially give the Whites the lead from the penalty spot, whilst James would make the win secure late on with an audacious strike which caught out Ryan Allsop who had ventured forward for a corner with the Tigers in last chance saloon.

Away from their crucial goals, the pair also shone as livewires throughout the entertaining contest.

Summerville, in particular, was a handful having won the spot-kick he converted as the clock ran down alongside registering six out of seven successful ground duels to constantly try and kickstart something for his promotion-seeking outfit.

James was also lively in patches against Hull, notching up two key passes and two efforts on goal with one of those securing all three points for Farke's men in dramatic fashion.

In stark contrast, Patrick Bamford struggled to find the back of the net from point-blank range for his West Yorkshire employers over a disappointing 72-minute run-out for the 30-year-old striker.

Patrick Bamford's performance vs Hull in numbers

Bamford would miss an absolute sitter for Leeds in the eventual 3-1 victory, put on a plate by James to fire home but the experienced attacker fluffed his lines and skied the opportunity well over Allsop's net.

It was a night to forget for the 6 foot 1 attacker in truth, who was handed out a 4/10 rating by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Graham Smyth post-match, who stated Bamford 'couldn't make the ball stick' at Elland Road.

The misfiring Whites number nine would only have that chance to show for his attacking play unfortunately, mustering up a meagre 19 touches of the ball as an anonymous lone centre-forward.

When Mateo Joseph was introduced into the game up top, Farke's men looked so much more lively going forward with the Spain U21 international hitting the post a matter of minutes after being substituted on in place of Bamford.

Bamford's numbers vs Hull

Minutes played

72

Touches

19

Accurate passes

7/11 (64%)

Big chances missed

1

Possession lost

6x

Stats by Sofascore

Farke will have to think long and hard about whether he should stick by an underperforming Bamford or utilise Joseph from the start instead as the business end of the season really comes into view.

Based on his dire showing against Hull, the smart call could be to drop the below-par Whites number nine for the trip to the Sky Blues and start a new striker alongside Summerville and James.

Kylian Mbappe's Caen side have completed their first signing since the Real Madrid superstar became majority owner.

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Caen sign Yann M'VilaMbappe took over in JulyM'Vila played for SunderlandWHAT HAPPENED?

Caen have announced the signing of M'Vila on a two-year deal, the first acquisition they have made since Mbappe's takeover. The Real Madrid superstar paid just under €20m (£17m/$22m) to buy 80% of Caen's shares and is now the club's majority owner.

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M'Vila is a seasoned campaigner who will bring some much-needed experience to the Ligue 2 club. He has played for Sunderland in the Premier League and also won 22 caps for France. The 34-year-old was most recently back in England with West Brom, joining the Baggies for the second half of 2023-24.

DID YOU KNOW?

Mbappe almost joined Caen as a youngster but the deal fell through because the club were facing relegation to Ligue 2, where they are now playing. They have not been in Ligue 1 since 2019.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

Mbappe will be keeping a close eye on Caen's fixtures as the Ligue 2 season progresses. Of course, the star will mainly focus on Real Madrid, as he bids to finally win the Champions League trophy after joining the Spanish giants from Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

Some call it bullish, while others call it bullying. Mark Boucher had been labelled both during his playing career. On the field, he was the man up for a fight. Off it, he was one of the toughest fines’ masters around: if he ordered it, you drank it. He was the ultimate boytjie. And then came that day in July 2012.When Boucher’s career was ended by that freak eye injury, three Tests before he planned it would, he was forced to turn his focus inwards. Initially, it took him completely away from cricket and into nature conservation, and then it brought him back as a coach. At the Titans, Boucher was open to running his dressing room differently to the ones he had played in. He let go of the schoolboy-style ideas of hierarchy and embraced modern methods of man-management which are less dictatorial and more focused on individualism.Under Boucher, the Titans won five trophies, produced Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi and Heinrich Klaasen for the national side, gave Dean Elgar and Theunis de Bruyn a franchise to find and re-find form and harnessed the talents of players such as Farhaan Behardien and Junior Dala to form a competitive unit. Just read those names and you can see differences of culture, background and experience. That Boucher was able to impact them all speaks of the biggest lesson he has learnt as a coach, and presents a softer and more considered side to a man we all thought we knew as uncompromisingly hard.”My way is not always the right way,” Boucher said at the South African training camp in Pretoria. “There were times in my career where I used to go out there and be quite aggressive and try and impose myself on team-mates and this is what I have learnt about diversity within a set-up. Sometimes you won’t get the best out of the players if you are trying to get them to be like you. My biggest lesson is to let people be who they are and let them be natural. I played at my best when I was natural but my natural wasn’t the same as AB’s [de Villiers’] natural or JK’s [Jacques Kallis’] natural. That’s a big lesson I have learnt with regards to leading individuals.”Boucher’s observations about difference are essential at a time when the South African team risks appearing as if it is returning to the monotone days of the past. Although seven of the national side’s support staff were not part of the famed “clique”, as Herschelle Gibbs dubbed it, four most definitely were, and two of them are in the most influential positions. Graeme Smith is the acting director of cricket and Boucher is the head coach until 2023.In addition, Jacques Kallis is the batting consultant for this summer and Paul Harris’ role as spin consultant is ad-hoc but, considering Boucher was appointed above Enoch Nkwe, who is now his assistant, and taking into account the racial dynamics in South Africa, there are already accusations of a whitewash. While Gibbs has congratulated Boucher, he has also hinted that there is a concentration of power in certain peoples’ hands and so Boucher’s message of inclusivity and humility is even more important.”If you look at every team, they’ve got different characters and I want those different characters to come out because I think they add value to team unity,” Boucher said. “The other thing is understanding that we don’t know everything and there’s certain players in there that have played a lot of Test cricket. Sometimes you’ve just got to be a man manager to them. Other individuals coming in maybe need a little bit more coaching and knowledge passed on to them to try and speed up the learning process.”To apply that approach, not only does Boucher have to be perceptive enough to know which players need him more than others, he also has to able to get his own personality out of the way. And that already seems to have happened.”It’s important that you don’t have guys with egos,” Faf du Plessis, the captain, said. “That’s the most important thing when it comes to leadership groups, especially if there’s a few names thrown into the mix. For someone like Mark Boucher who has been coaching for the last three or four years with the Titans, seeing what it is like on the other side, because coaching and playing are two different roles, and you can see his development from a personality point of view.ALSO READ: Explainer: How and why Cricket South Africa’s crisis unfolded“He also understands that it’s give-and-take. He will come in sometimes and I’ll pull away and vice versa and I think that only comes when you are mature enough to understand what a leadership group looks like and are secure in your own position. If you are insecure, then you are going to feel like you need to talk all the time because there is another big voice in the team but I don’t feel like that at all.”Boucher still talks tough and is quick to remind anyone who asks that South Africa have recovered from tough times before, citing the 2-1 win in an ODI series against Australia after the Hansie Cronje scandal as his example. He needn’t go that far back, though. South Africa pulled themselves together after losing Boucher in the first warm-up match in 2012, which could have put their plans in disarray that summer, to beat England 2-0 and claim the ICC Test mace.So perhaps it’s only fitting that now, seven years later, with another crisis at their door, Boucher is back to try and fix things. But this time, it’s both the same and a different Boucher. It’s still a Boucher that is willing to roll his sleeves up and do the “dirty work” of preparation, and a Boucher that is willing to push others to their limits, but it also a Boucher that is content to sit back and watch what happens rather than bulldoze his way through.”Our role as coaches is about trying to create an environment for these guys to go out there and play their best cricket,” he said. “It’s been hard work on the coaches, we have thrown a lot and my shoulder is a bit sore but we want to get the dirty work done. And the dirty work is sometimes a bit uncomfortable for the players in the nets but we spoke about being adaptable and open to change and to try and break the ceiling a bit and see how far we can push ourselves as individuals and as a team.”

حصل نجم فريق ليفربول، محمد صلاح، على جائزة أفضل لاعب في النادي الإنجليزي عن شهر أكتوبر الماضي، حسب تصويت الجماهير.

وتمكن محمد صلاح من الفوز بتلك الجائزة، للمرة الثانية في الموسم الحالي، بعدما حصد أعلى نسبة تصويت في استطلاع رأي تم إجرائه مؤخرًا عبر الموقع الرسمي لنادي ليفربول.

حل إبراهيما كوناتي في المركز الثاني، بينما جاء ريان جرافنبرخ في المركز الثالث.

وقال صلاح، خلال تسلمه الجائزة في مركز تدريب أكسا اليوم: “إنه شعور رائع عندما يتفوق الفريق ويفوز بالمباريات، هذا هو الشيء الأكثر أهمية، لا أعتقد أنني سأكون سعيدًا إذا كنت ألعب جيدًا والفريق لا يفوز”.

أضاف: “لكن الشيء الأكثر أهمية هو الاستمرار على هذا النحو ونأمل الاستمرار في الفوز بالمباريات”.

ونجح محمد صلاح في تسجيل 3 أهداف وصناعة مثلها، في 6 مباريات لـ ليفربول خلال الشهر الماضي.

وعندما سُئل عن اللحظة المفضلة له في أكتوبر، قال صلاح: “أود أن أقول ربما أمام تشيلسي عندما سجل كورتيس جونز لأنني مررت له عرضية جيدة ونحن نتدرب على ذلك كثيرًا في التدريبات”.

واسترسل: “لذلك عندما تفعل هذا الأمر في مباراة، يكون لديك شعورًا رائعًا، خاصة لأنه كان الهدف الثاني، كنت سعيدًا من أجله وسعيدًا بتقديم تمريرة حاسمة وجعل الفريق يفوز بالمباراة”.

اقرأ أيضًا.. صحفي إنجليزي يداعب آمال جمهور ليفربول بشأن مستقبل محمد صلاح

وصعد محمد صلاح إلى المركز الثامن في قائمة هدافي الدوري الإنجليزي عبر مر العصور، بعدما سجل هدف فوز ليفربول على برايتون السبت الماضي.

وعن ذلك، قال: “لنكون منصفين هذا يعني الكثير، إنه شيء أعمل بجد حقًا من أجله، يكون الأمر أصعب خاصة عندما تلعب كجناح، إذا نظرت إلى الأسماء الأخرى، فكلهم مهاجمون، كجناح، من الصعب جدًا القيام بكلا الدورين، دفاعيًا وهجوميًا”.

وأكد: “لذلك أنا فخور جدًا بالأرقام التي أحققها، وأتمنى الاستمرار في التحرك إلى أعلى قليلًا”.

ويحتل ليفربول حاليًا صدارة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز ودوري أبطال أوروبا، كما تأهل إلى ربع نهائي كأس كاراباو.

وشدد: “أقول دائمًا أن ناديًا مثل ليفربول، والجماهير، يستحقون القتال دائمًا من أجل اللقب، أعتقد أن لدينا فرصة جيدة للفوز بالدوري الإنجليزي ودوري أبطال أوروبا، على الأقل للقتال من أجل ذلك حتى اللحظة الأخيرة”.

واختتم: “بالنظر إلى نادي مثل ليفربول، والمدينة، والجماهير، واللاعبين الذين لدينا، والمدرب، نحتاج فقط إلى الاستمرار في القتال، نأمل أن نفوز بشيء جيد وكبير في النهاية”.

Five members of Bangladesh’s coaching staff will not be going to the first leg of Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan later this month

Mohammad Isam17-Jan-2020Five members of Bangladesh’s coaching staff will not be going to the first leg of Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan later this month. According to BCB’s cricket operations chairman Akram Khan, Neil McKenzie, the white-ball batting coach, is among those who have withdrawn alongside fielding coach Ryan Cook.The BCB preferred not to use Daniel Vettori, who is contracted to them as spin consultant, for such a short series. They didn’t consider team analyst Shrinivaas Chandrasekaran either on account of his being an Indian citizen. The BCB didn’t apply for visas for the two women’s team coaches during their tour last year because they were Indian citizens as well, although, during the recently concluded series between Sri Lanka and Pakistan, several Indian nationals were part of the TV production that brought live pictures from the games in Lahore and Karachi.”[Strength and conditioning coach] Mario [Villavarayan] broke his hand recently while team analyst [Chandrasekaran] will be working with the team over Skype. McKenzie and fielding coach [Cook] will also not be going, while we haven’t yet confirmed on our new bowling coach,” Akram said.Russell Domingo will therefore only have physio Julian Calefato among the regular staff while Sohel Islam (fielding coach) and Tushar Kanti Howlader (strength and conditioning coach) will act as support.The BCB is in the middle of discussions with Ottis Gibson but if they cannot get him on board as bowling coach ahead of the Pakistan tour, they are likely to send Champaka Ramanayake who is already working for the BCB’s development programmes.

What a time it is to be associated with Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta's side still marching on in the hope of landing a first Premier League crown in 20 years, having also booked their place in the last eight of the Champions League after narrowly edging past a stubborn Porto side.

After years of frustration in the late Wenger years and under Unai Emery – as well as in Arteta's early stint in charge – the Gunners are now reaping the rewards of their patient approach, as well as their improved record in the transfer market under the watchful eye of Edu Gaspar.

The £105m addition of Declan Rice, for instance, has swiftly paid off with the Englishman arguably the 'signing of the season' – as per pundit Danny Murphy – while even the oft-maligned Kai Havertz has begun to catch fire, boasting nine goals and three assists in all competitions to date.

With those two high-profile deals looking like undoubted success stories so far, perhaps the Emirates outfit may be keen to spend big again this summer to take yet another step toward achieving domestic and European dominance…

Arsenal's plans for the summer

According to a latest report from Spanish outlet, Sport – via Sport Witness – the north Londoners are said to be plotting a move for Real Madrid sensation, Rodrygo, with both the Gunners and title rivals Liverpool said to have made contact with Los Blancos regarding a potential summer swoop.

The piece suggests it may prove a tricky task trying to prise the Brazilian – whose current deal expires in 2028 – from the Bernabeu any time soon, with any prospective deal likely to cost in the region of €100m (£86m).

That being said, all may not be lost for Edu and co as the 23-year-old is said to be aware that his game time could be hampered in the Spanish capital next term if Kylian Mbappe is to arrive as expected, with his young compatriot Endrick also set to be added to the mix.

With competition for places set to be rife, perhaps Arsenal can entice the former Santos to make the move to England…

Rodrygo's season in numbers

It would certainly be a real statement if the Gunners were to snap up the £86m man ahead of next season, particularly due to the fact that the South American star typically operates on the right flank – the same role that Bukayo Saka occupies in the capital.

While the lack of a centre-forward has seen Rodrygo move centrally this season – where has netted 13 times and registered eight assists – it is on the right where he has normally been utilised in Madrid, ensuring that Saka may be left looking nervously over his shoulder.

Just a year older than the Englishman, the in-demand ace has already plundered 18 goals and 11 assists in just 47 Champions League games to date, proving just what an effective and reliable presence he is at the top level.

Lauded for being "terrifyingly good" with regard to his "finishing levels" by journalist Sam Tighe, Rodrygo's case is enhanced even further by his apparent likeness to the man who may replace him in Spain, Mbappe, with the pair said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities, as per FBref.

The pair are particularly alike with regard to their ability to breeze past and bamboozle defenders with ease, with Rodrygo ranking in the top 1% among his fellow forwards in Europe's top five leagues for progressive carries (5.78), as well as in the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90 (2.60) – Mbappe, meanwhile, ranks in the top 2% for both of those metrics.

Rodrygo's LaLiga record
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2019/20	19	2	0
2020/21	22	1	6
2021/22	33	4	5
2022/23	34	9	9
2023/24	29	8	5
Stats via Transfermarkt

What also sets the duo apart from the rest is just how effective they are at retaining possession despite their willingness to create in the final third, with Rodrygo ranking in the top 1% for pass completion (88%) while Mbappe ranks in the top 2% in that regard.

For comparison, Saka ranks in just the bottom 45% for pass completion (74.7%) among his fellow attacking midfielders/wingers, and while he does rank in the top 15% for progressive carries (5.10) , his record at actually beating his man is rather inferior, as he ranks in just the bottom 46% for successful take-ons (1.63).

Arsenal may live to rue losing "dazzling" youngster with "Saka flair"

Arsenal lost a “dazzling” youngster to their rivals and may be living to regret that now.

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Zak Anderton

Mar 2, 2024

Of course, this record can be easily overlooked when considering the Hale End graduate's 29 goals and assists this term in all competitions, although it does indicate that he may have a fight on his hands for a regular role if Rodrygo is to arrive in the near future…

Liverpool's new CEO of Football, Michael Edwards, is reportedly plotting to dispose of a "world-class" Reds player this summer, and is already eyeing up three targets to replace him with.

Liverpool transfer & contract news

The Reds did superbly to rebuild their midfield last summer, getting rid of the likes of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson, not to mention not offering Naby Keita, James Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain extensions. Jurgen Klopp masterminded the changes in the middle of the park, signing Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, and it has ensured that Liverpool have mounted an impressive Premier League title challenge.

While the Merseysiders now have plenty of excellent midfield options to choose from, other areas of the pitch must now be focused on in the upcoming summer transfer window. Bayer Leverkusen wing-back Jeremie Frimpong has emerged as a target, for example, following a strong season for the runaway Bundesliga leaders, bagging eight goals and seven assists in the league.

A new manager will also be in place by the time next season gets underway, with Sporting CP boss Ruben Amorim standing out as the front-runner currently.

Whoever comes in will be desperate to retain the services of some of the most important players at Liverpool, and there is still nothing in place with regards to extensions for Trent Alexander-Arnold, Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah. All three are out of contract next summer, so tying them down appears to be primary business moving forward.

Joel Matip and Thiago will see their respective deals expire at the end of this season, and it seems unlikely that either will stay on, leaving on free transfers instead.

Michael Edwards ready to make brutal Liverpool decision

According to a new update from HITC, Edwards is "ready" to sell Salah in the summer window, in what would be a massive decision by him. He is willing to allow him to move on "if as expected, the former Chelsea player makes it clear he is ready to make the move to the Middle East".

Nico Williams, Pedro Neto and Florian Wirtz, of Athletic Bilbao, Wolves and Leverkusen respectively, are mentioned as candidates who could come in if the 31-year-old leaves, with all three representing exciting younger wide options.

It would still be a shock if Salah decided to move to the Saudi Pro League this summer, considering he is still a player who is close to the peak of his powers. Granted, he hasn't set the world alight since returning from injury last month, only scoring once in the league from open play, but he remains a "world-class" footballer, as Klopp has called him recently.

Mohamed Salah

23

Darwin Nunez

18

Diogo Jota

14

Cody Gakpo

14

Luis Diaz

13

At 31, there should still be a number of years left in Salah, especially given the way he looks after himself, but if Edwards believes that this summer could be the right time to cash in on him, his record with transfers in the past suggests he should be trusted, with former Liverpool CEO Peter Moore describing him as a "genius" in the market. It would be a monumental decision, though, and one that could look foolish over time.

The former LA Galaxy striker, now an AC Milan board advisor, revealed his optimism on the state of US soccer after the Copa America.

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• Praised the impact of Messi in MLS
• Admitted that the World Cup in 2026 will play a big role
• Striker played for LA Galaxy from 2018-2019

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Ibrahimovic expressed his excitement on the growth of soccer in the U.S. as Milan embark on a pre-season tour of America. The striker, who is now a senior advisor to the American-owned Serie A club, asserted that the league is "growing every single day."

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• WHAT IBRAHIMOVIC SAID

  Ibrahimovic spoke extensively on the state of American soccer in a press conference: "When I left, you got another big store which is Messi, who everybody knows. I think he holds up the quality and the attention in the league. The purpose is to grow, and how fast it's growing, or how slow it does will make the difference. You have the World Cup coming in 2026, I think that will have a big impact. We just had Copa America now also here, which gives also an impact."

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  MLS reached record attendance and viewing numbers when Messi moved to Inter Miami just over a year ago. With a new expansion franchise due to arrive in San Diego next season, and fanbases around the league growing, there is certainly a buzz around the sport in the US ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR IBRAHIMOVIC?

  After retiring in 2023, the legendary striker has taken on an advisory role at Milan. He will play a key part in squad building and off-pitch matters as the Serie A club look to hunt down reigning title holders Inter this season.

Rangers have been hit with a significant injury blow with the news that a "fantastic" player has suffered a fitness issue on international duty.

Rangers transfer & injury news

The Gers are in the middle of a tense season, sitting one point off the top of the Scottish Premiership table, but having one game in hand on their Old Firm rivals. While so much focus is rightly on the title race as Philippe Clement looks to seal a great achievement in his first season as manager, the Scottish giants also continue to be linked with potential new signings.

One player who could be Rangers' first signing of the summer is Fluminense defender Jefte, with the left-back a target during the January transfer window. A verbal agreement is reportedly in place, meaning a deal could be agreed at the end of the season.

There also seems to be plenty of focus on improving the Gers' attack this summer, with a new striker being eyed up, regardless of what happens to Abdallah Sima and Fabio Silva. The pair are both only on loan currently, but their moves could be made permanent depending on Champions League qualification and whether Rangers meet the price tag demands of Brighton and Wolves respectively.

Away from the transfer situation, Rangers also have injury problems to contend with at the moment, which is proving to be a headache that Clement could do without in the title race. Danilo, Kieran Dowell and Sima are among those who are currently missing, and now another big concern has emerged.

Rangers suffer injury blow to "fantastic" ace

According to Turkish outlet Ajansspor [via Sport Witness], Rangers left-back Ridvan Yilmaz has suffered an injury of "great misfortune" on international duty with Turkey during their friendly meeting with Hungary on Friday evening.

It is believed that the 22-year-old hurt his foot, and having attempted to play on, eventually went down again, being replaced in the 27th minute. The severity of the injury isn't yet known, and it remains to be seen if he will be fit for his country's clash with Austria next Tuesday.

This update will be a major worry for Clement and anyone associated with Rangers, considering Yilmaz has featured regularly this season, starting 15 matches in the league and making 22 appearances in the competition in total.

Suddenly not having him available ahead of some crucial fixtures is something that the manager could badly do without, at a time when rotation is going to be needed, not least after last weekend's postponement against Dundee has caused even more of a pile-up for the Gers.

Yilmaz has been hailed as "fantastic" by This Is Ibrox podcast in the past year, and while not necessarily the first name on Clement's teamsheet, there is no question that he will be seen as an important figure between now and the end of the campaign.

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The hope is that his injury isn't a bad one, and that he was substituted as more of a precaution, but there is every reason to fear a layoff after the international break.

It's been another brilliant season for Arsenal so far this year, and with just seven games to go, they are in with a real chance of ending their two-decade title drought.

However, while the Gunners' Premier League campaign is going swimmingly, their Champions League charge is in danger of coming unstuck following their 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich on Tuesday night.

Mikel Arteta's defence looked uncharacteristically sloppy against the German behemoths, and the attack did not look much better, with the returning Gabriel Martinelli looking particularly poor.

The Brazilian winger is an incredibly talented player, but based on recent reports, his time in the starting lineup could be coming to an end.

Arsenal's interest in Serie A sensation

According to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are interested in AC Milan's electric winger Rafael Leão ahead of the summer transfer window.

Unfortunately for the Gunners, they are not the only Premier League side keen on adding the Portuguese star to their ranks this year, as Manchester United are also named in the report.

However, while the involvement of the Red Devils certainly complicates things for the North Londoners, the most significant obstacle to this deal being completed is the price, with the report revealing that it could cost up to €150m to get done, which converts to a cool £128m.

It would represent another serious investment into the team from Stan Kroenke, but it might be one worth making, although Martinelli might be thinking otherwise.

How Rafael Leão compares to Gabriel Martinelli

The first thing to clarify is that while the former LOSC Lille ace can play as a central striker, his preferred position is out on the left, which is where he has spent all of this season. So, if he were to come to N5, it would likely be Martinelli who would be most at risk of losing a spot in the XI.

That said, how do the pair compare to one another? Well, from a pure output perspective, the former Ituano gem has no chance against the Milan magician.

In his 39 appearances for the Rossoneri this season, the "unstoppable" winger, as dubbed by journalist Zach Lowy, has scored 12 goals and provided 12 assists, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.6 games for the Italian giants.

Leão vs Martinelli in 23/24

Player

Leão

Martinelli

Appearances

39

36

Goals

12

8

Assists

12

5

Goal involvements per match

0.61

0.36

All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, Arsenal's 22-year-old live wire has had a disappointing goalscoring season. He's found the back of the net eight times and provided five assists in 36 games, meaning he is currently averaging a goal involvement every 2.7 games.

So, there is no competition regarding their output this year, but what about their underlying numbers? Is it a more even contest there?

Leão vs Martinelli

Stats per 90

Leão

Martinelli

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.66

0.59

Non-Penalty Goals

0.56

0.48

Assists

0.30

0.16

Progressive Carries

5.06

4.00

Progressive Passes

4.54

3.03

Shots on Target

1.08

0.97

Goals per Shot on Target

0.52

0.50

Passing Accuracy

70.4%

75.2%

Shot-Creating Actions

4.57

4.10

Goal-Creating Actions

0.67

0.55

Tackles Won

0.26

0.58

Successful Take-Ons

2.86

1.90

All Stats via FBref for the 23/24 League Season

Unfortunately for the Guarulhos-born ace, it's just as one-sided under the hood and this shows that the Portuguese sensation would be a dream upgrade on the Brazilian at the top end of the pitch.

According to FBref, Milan's "difference-maker," as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, produces a higher non-penalty expected goal and assists figure, scores more non-penalty goals, provides more assists, produces more progressive passes and carries, takes more shots on target, completes far more successful take-ons, and produces more shot and goal-creating actions, all per 90.

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Ultimately, while it would certainly be an expensive deal to complete, Arsenal should be doing all they can to bring Leão to the Emirates in the summer, even if it means a seriously reduced role for Martinelli, as he would seemingly be a big upgrade on their current starter on the left flank.