فوزي لقجع يكشف أسباب تفوق كرة القدم المغربية مؤخرًا.. ويصرح: أكاديمية محمد السادس "المشتل الحقيقي"

قال فوزي لقجع، رئيس الجامعة الملكية المغربية لكرة القدم، إن ما تحققه الكرة المغربية اليوم هو ثمرة رؤية ملكية حكيمة، جعلت من الرياضة عنصرًا أساسيًا في التنمية الوطنية، مؤكدا أن نجاح المغرب هو نجاح لكل العرب والأفارقة.

وخلال حواره مع قناة “سكاي نيوز عربية”، أوضح لقجع أن مسار تألق كرة القدم المغربية لم يكن وليد الصدفة، بل انطلق منذ سنة 2008 بفضل المناظرة الوطنية بالصخيرات، التي أرست أسس مشروع طموح لتطوير اللعبة على مختلف المستويات.

وأضاف رئيس الجامعة أن الخطوة الكبرى جاءت سنة 2009 مع إنشاء أكاديمية محمد السادس لكرة القدم، التي تحولت إلى مصنع للمواهب المغربية، مؤكدًا إن ثمار هذا المشروع ظهرت بوضوح في مونديال قطر، ثم في كأس العالم للشباب بالتشيلي 2025، حيث ضم المنتخب أكثر من ثمانية لاعبين من خريجي الأكاديمية.

وأكد لقجع أن الأكاديمية تمثل “المشتل الحقيقي” للكرة الوطنية، مشيرًا إلى أن أغلب لاعبي المنتخبات المغربية مرّوا من هناك، كما أن العديد من المدربين البارزين اليوم هم نتاج سياسة تكوين أطر وطنية اعتمدها المغرب بتوجيه ملكي واضح.

وتابع لقجع: “الرياضة في المغرب ليست نشاطًا منفصلًا، بل جزء من مشروع تنموي شامل يقوده الملك محمد السادس منذ أكثر من 26 سنة، يربط بين الاقتصاد والمجتمع والرياضة في انسجام تام، ويمنح الشباب فرصة للإدماج والتميز”.

وأوضح أن رؤية الملك كانت دائمًا قائمة على تكوين الإنسان قبل بناء النتائج، وهو ما انعكس في ظهور مدربين مغاربة مميزين مثل وليد الركراكي، طارق السكتيوي، محمد وهبي، نبيل باها، الحسين عموتة، جمال السلامي، وهشام الدكيك، الذين حملوا راية المغرب في مختلف المحافل الدولية.

طالع أيضًا | قائمة المرشحين لجائزة أفضل لاعب شاب في إفريقيا 2025.. تفوق مغربي

وأكد لقجع أن “العالم اليوم يتحدث عن الاستثناء المغربي”، مشيرًا إلى أن شعار المرحلة هو أن المستحيل ليس مغربيا، وأن ما تحقق إلى الآن يمثل فقط بداية مرحلة جديدة من الحضور القوي للمغرب ضمن كبار المنتخبات عالميًا.

وأضاف أن جميع المنتخبات الوطنية، بمختلف فئاتها، تعمل وفق خطة واحدة مستوحاة من الرؤية الملكية، تعتمد على الاستمرارية لا القطيعة، حيث يتم إدماج اللاعبين تدريجيًا بين المنتخبات لتكوين نواة قوية ومتجانسة للمنتخب الأول.

وفي استعراضه لأبرز إنجازات الكرة المغربية، أشار لقجع إلى أن المنتخبات الوطنية حققت نتائج غير مسبوقة خلال السنوات الأخيرة: برونزية أولمبياد باريس 2024، لقب كأس إفريقيا لأقل من 17 سنة، وصيف بطل إفريقيا لأقل من 20 سنة ثم التتويج بمونديال الشباب في التشيلي، إضافة إلى تتويج منتخب السيدات لكرة القدم داخل القاعة بلقب كأس إفريقيا.

كما كشف أن حصيلة الـ11 عامًا الماضية تؤكد ريادة المغرب قاريًا، إذ خاضت المنتخبات والأندية المغربية 29 نهائيًا وفازت بـ 25 لقبًا منها، وهو رقم يعكس قوة المنظومة الكروية الحالية.

وختم لقجع حديثه بالتأكيد على أن تنظيم كأس إفريقيا المقبلة سيكون عرسًا كرويًا إفريقيًا راقيًا، يجسد الرؤية الملكية السامية ويعكس مسار التنمية الذي تعيشه المملكة، قائلًا: “المغرب لا ينتظر الأحداث الرياضية ليحقق التنمية، بل يجعل منها وسيلة لتحقيق مستقبل أفضل لكل أبنائه”.

A loss for CSK against PBKS will knock them out of the playoffs

Big picture: Fortress Chepauk has fallen

Once a fortress for Chennai Super Kings (CSK), Chepauk has been breached by four teams in IPL 2025. Should that trend continue and Punjab Kings (PBKS) enjoy success on Wednesday night, it will mean that CSK will officially be out of the playoffs race.A lot will depend on the openers once more. Prabhsimran Singh and Priyansh Arya bat with high intent and explosive power but there are vulnerabilities below them. Glenn Maxwell and Josh Inglis are yet to make a substantial score in this IPL, which has contributed to a situation where PBKS’ middle order has the second-lowest strike rate (130.75) and third-lowest average (24.17) among all ten teams in the competition.They tried to remedy this by bumping Marco Jansen up to No. 5 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), but it didn’t work with the allrounder labouring to 3 off 7 balls. While Inglis has enhanced his reputation as an excellent player of spin, PBKS might consider bringing back Marcus Stoinis, who hit a spectacular hundred the last time he played at Chepauk in IPL 2024.CSK’s batting is even more dire and after having lurched from one defeat to another, their coach Stephen Fleming has traced the struggles back to November’s mega auction.CSK have already used as many as 21 players this season and with their faint playoffs chances fading fast, they will see the remaining games as another opportunity to introduce other new players and perhaps lay the groundwork for the next auction. They’ve already taken steps towards the future by easing both Ayush Mhatre and Dewald Brevis into the team and putting the likes of Vansh Bedi and Ramakrishna Ghosh in match-simulation training at their High Performance Academy on the outskirts of the city.

Form guide

Chennai Super Kings: LLWLL (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Punjab Kings: LWWLW3:26

Ganga: New generation of Indian batters think about how to hit every ball for six

In the spotlight: Uncapped opening pairs

An IPL game is set to feature four uncapped Indians opening the batting for the first time in the league’s history.Ayush Mhatre and Shaik Rasheed have added some freshness to CSK’s stale batting approach. Mhatre, in particular, has bristled with attacking intent, regularly pumping the ball over the top in the powerplay. Two days after his India Under-19 opening partner Vaibhav Suryavanshi turned heads, Mhatre will look to put up a show of his own at Chepauk.Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh have scored at a run rate of 10.69 this season, just behind Travis Head and Abhishek Sharma’s 10.89, among opening pairs. The last time PBKS ran into CSK, Arya announced his arrival in the IPL with a 39-ball hundred. Is this now Prabhsimran’s turn to go big?

Team news and probable XIIs

CSK might consider giving uncapped wicketkeeper-batter Vansh Bedi a game in place of Deepak Hooda. R Ashwin might return if the Chepauk surface favours spin. The offspinner has rejoined CSK’s side after receiving his Padma Shri award in Delhi on Monday.Chennai Super Kings (probable): 1 Ayush Mhatre, 2 Shaik Rasheed, 3 Sam Curran 4 Dewald Brevis, 5 Shivam Dube, 6 Ravindra Jadeja, 7 Vansh Bedi/Deepak Hooda/Vijay Shankar, 8 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 9 Anshul Kamboj/R Ashwin, 10 Noor Ahmad, 11 Khaleel Ahmed, 12 Matheesha Pathirana.1:47

Finch: CSK needed a player like Brevis in middle order

PBKS will have to choose between Inglis and Stoinis. They will also have to make a choice between Azmatullah Omarzai and Xavier Bartlett on the bowling front.Punjab Kings (probable): 1 Prabhsimran Singh (wk), 2 Priyansh Arya, 3 Shreyas Iyer (capt), 4 Glenn Maxwell, 5 Josh Inglis/Marcus Stoinis, 6 Nehal Wadhera, 7 Shashank Singh, 8 Marco Jansen, 9 Azmatullah Omarzai, 10 Harpreet Brar, 11 Yuzvendra Chahal, 12 Arshdeep Singh

The big question

Maxwell has managed only 48 runs in six innings at a sub-100 strike rate this season, but his offspin will come in handy against CSK’s left-handers. He has a good IPL record against Dube, conceding just 26 runs off 27 balls while taking his wicket once in the IPL.

Pitch and conditions: Even Dhoni can’t crack Chepauk

The Chepauk conditions continue to be a mystery for even the home team. MS Dhoni has said that CSK haven’t quite come to grips with them since the pitch was relaid in 2010. “The groundstaff are trying their level best, but we are never sure this is how the wicket is,” Dhoni said on Friday. Dew hampered CSK’s bowlers in their previous fixture and it had also set in on Tuesday evening, so the team winning the toss will look to chase once again.

Stats and trivia: Chahal vs Jadeja

  • Yuzvendra Chahal has kept Ravindra Jadeja to 31 off 30 balls in the IPL while dismissing him twice. The wristspinner has also tied Dhoni down 102 off 80 balls, three dismissals.
  • Khaleel Ahmed has taken eight wickets in nine innings in the powerplay at an economy rate of 8.70. Nobody has more wickets than Khaleel during this phase in this IPL.
  • CSK have hit just five sixes in the powerplay this season, with their new recruit Mhatre claiming two of those. In comparison, PBKS have 27 sixes during this phase.
  • CSK have never lost more than four games at home in an IPL season before.

Quotes

“There’s a lot of motivation in the team and motivation could not be high for guys like Mhatre and Shaik Rasheed. They’re jumping out of their skins to play in the IPL.”
“I think it’s always dangerous playing teams that have nothing to lose but our focus has to be on the first ball tomorrow night. All the teams in this comp are so dangerous and they can beat anyone on their day.”

Premier League winner reveals real reason he walked out of Rangers medical

Whilst Rangers’ current transfer business has been fairly put under the microscope by fans and media alike, it wasn’t so long ago that a Premier League winner was walking out of an Ibrox medical.

Rangers' transfer window lacks experience

This time around, the Gers were incredibly busy. By the time that the deadline passed, they had welcomed as many as 14 fresh faces to officially get the era of the 49ers underway. But the jury is still out on those arrivals. Russell Martin is yet to win a game in the Scottish Premiership and his frontline has particularly struggled despite a number of attacking signings.

When the Scottish Premiership returns, the manager must simply hope for the 49ers’ investment to pay off and for the likes of Oliver Antman and deadline-day arrival Youssef Chermiti to prove their worth.

Elsewhere in the squad, midfield reinforcements such as Joe Rothwell and Thelo Aasgaard also arrived alongside defenders Nasser Djiga, Max Aarons and Derek Cornelius as Rangers overhauled the majority of their side.

Aarons has particularly struggled so far, though, and it was his red card in the second leg against Club Brugge which set Rangers on course for humiliation.

How many games Russell Martin has left at Rangers after new Ibrox sack update

It’s been a disastrous spell for the Gers boss.

1 ByTom Cunningham Sep 5, 2025

It’s not the first time that the Gers have signed from the Premier League and it’s unlikely to be the last, given Martin’s connections. That said, it wasn’t too long ago that they were attempting to welcome those who have not only played in England’s top flight, but came away with a winners’ medal.

Lescott reveals why Rangers move collapsed

The year was 2016, Mark Warburton was Rangers manager and Joleon Lescott had just left Aston Villa following their relegation from the Premier League. On paper, some saw an ageing, struggling defender, but Rangers saw the two-time Premier League winner who starred at Manchester City. And, as such, they attempted to secure his signature.

The move even got so far advanced that the defender was about to put pen to paper. Lescott looked destined to sign for the club, only to walk out of a medical with the Gers after their doctor found an injury problem following an initial scan.

Whether things would have worked out for Lescott in Scotland is a question that not even Rangers have an answer for, but they were soon proved right about their injury concern. Not long after his move to AEK Athens, the former Man City man was ruled out for the season after suffering a knee injury.

‘He’s not the fixtures secretary’ – Harry Kane stat-padding claims rubbished as England captain tries to join Lionel Messi & Cristiano Ronaldo in 100-goal club

Accusations of Harry Kane stat-padding for England by filling his boots against lesser opposition have been rubbished by former Three Lions striker Chris Sutton. Bayern Munich frontman Kane, who continues to captain his country, has taken his historic tally of international goals to 74. He will be looking to join Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in an exclusive club by reaching 100.

  • England GOAT: Appearance record in sight for Kane

    Few men have been able to pass that mark, with all-time greats Messi and Ronaldo achieving that feat with Argentina and Portugal respectively. When Kane made his England bow in 2015, nobody could have predicted what was to come. He now boasts entries in the history books with Tottenham and the Three Lions.

    Kane has taken in 109 appearances for England, meaning that he could easily chase down Peter Shilton’s historic cap haul of 125. If he were to top that chart, then it becomes easier to support his claims to being the greatest player that the Three Lions have ever called upon – rising above the likes of Bobby Moore, Bobby Charlton and David Beckham.

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    Kane record: Impossible to argue with strike rate

    The odd question has been asked of whether he should, at 32 years of age, still be leading the line for England on such a regular basis. It is, however, impossible to argue against his strike rate and there are few proven alternatives for the Three Lions to select. With that in mind, Kane can expect to fill the No.9 jersey for some time to come.

    That will allow him to move ever closer to becoming a centurion on the goal front, with Sutton telling of a remarkable record at the very highest level: "If Harry Kane announced his retirement from international football today, we would instantly view the England team and their chances at next year's World Cup in a completely different light.

    “Kane may not have too long left with England, but who is the replacement? Who is anywhere near his level? No-one. That tells you all you need to know. As an all-rounder and ruthless goalscorer, England haven't had many better.

    “People say about scoring goals in qualifiers but he's not the fixtures secretary, is he? He can't help who he plays against. He's a goalscoring machine and has been all his career. When you are talking about all-time great England strikers, he has to be in that conversation. Just look at his numbers.”

  • Major tournament numbers: Kane deserves respect

    Kane has not only filled his boots in qualifiers, with 15 efforts recorded across 29 appearances at major tournaments. Only Cristiano Ronaldo, Miroslav Klose, Gerd Muller and Jurgen Klismann sit above him on the combined World Cup and European Championship goal chart.

    Sutton said of that contribution not receiving the recognition that it deserves: “Anybody who has played either with or against him, raves about him. If people do not give him the credit he deserves, it may be because he's been England's main man for so long. People are sometimes there to chop you down.

    “England players get judged on major tournaments and if they don't win it the criticism comes, with the high-profile captain usually first in that firing line. You can have rivalries, tribalism and social media, and there will be people who put the boot in, but you won't get anyone who has played the game to a reasonable level having any doubts about him. And I think most fair-minded supporters recognise what a player Harry Kane is.”

    Sutton added: “He has never been blessed with great pace but the way his brain works is fantastic. He's not just a phenomenal goalscorer. He has the ability to drop deep to influence games, showing wonderful awareness, weight of passing, vision.”

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    England fixtures: Next up for Kane & Three Lions

    Kane sat out England’s latest fixture, a 3-0 friendly victory over Wales, with a minor ankle injury. He will be hoping to figure in a World Cup qualifier against Latvia on Tuesday, with Thomas Tuchel guiding the Three Lions towards a global gathering that will take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

'Composure as a person' makes Shreyas Iyer the captain he is

“I have never, ever heard a negative word coming out of his mouth,” Nehal Wadhera says about head coach Ricky Ponting

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Apr-20253:36

Bishop: Shreyas the captain has always made teams better

Eighth over. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) have it all lined up. Yuzvendra Chahal strikes. Against the run of play. Ajinkya Rahane is lbw after a 55-run stand – in a 112 chase – and… a switch flicks. Chahal keeps getting wickets, and Shreyas Iyer keeps adding fielders around the bat.Last throw of the dice? Sniffing something others hadn’t? To Ian Bishop, it could be both or neither of those things, but Shreyas has “made teams better” wherever he has gone. On the night in Mullanpur, it meant a 16-run win for Punjab Kings (PBKS), their fourth win in IPL 2025.In that situation, with more than half the small target knocked off and many, many balls left, “I have seen captains sit back and probably say, ‘let’s take this as deep as we can’,” Bishop said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “I think Shreyas is a good captain. Wherever Shreyas has gone, and I keep saying it, since he took over from Gautam Gambhir halfway through at Delhi Capitals [then Daredevils] in 2018, he’s made teams better.”Related

RCB return home aiming to avoid a hat-trick of defeats

Chahal back in his element, in the game, in typical style

Stats – PBKS pull off lowest successful defence in IPL history

Ponting: That might be the best win I've ever had as coach in IPL

To Ambati Rayudu, it was a case of things falling in place for PBKS, but Shreyas did something “the best of captains” might not have.”I have known the best of captains who wouldn’t have taken this score [111] seriously. Trust me,” Rayudu said. “But this guy did. [Coach Ricky] Ponting does. Ponting would never give up. That’s a great combination that they have going. But only if they don’t change the players as often as they do. And keep it constant. I think they’ll get a lot of success in the IPL.”He [Shreyas] has that composure as a person and as a captain, and that is why I feel… sir [Bishop] here has said he is a good captain, and that’s because he has that composure.”Back in IPL 2018, the season Bishop referred to, Ponting was the Delhi coach and Gambhir the captain. Gambhir was in poor form with the bat, and Delhi had won only one of their first six matches of the season when he stepped down, and Shreyas took over. They still finished bottom of the table, but with five wins from their eight remaining games. Shreyas then led Delhi to a third-place finish in IPL 2019 and the final the following year. His next captaincy stint came with KKR, and he led them to the title in 2024.Now with PBKS, Shreyas has led the team to four wins in six games and is also their top run-getter. Are PBKS looking set to make the playoffs at this stage then?6:18

Pressure or complacency – why did KKR collapse?

“They are more eager, they are more hungry. They are on their way,” Rayudu said, while Bishop pointed out that, compared to some of the teams, PBKS were only playing their sixth game on Tuesday, and “had they gone the other way and lost this, it wouldn’t have been detrimental, but they have given themselves a bonus”.It’s not only about Shreyas, though. Ponting has played his part in the backroom, and said the KKR result “might just be about the best win that I’ve ever had [as a coach]”. Nehal Wadhera, the PBKS middle-order batter, provided a glimpse of the “positivity” in the camp with Ponting and Shreyas working in tandem.”I have never, ever heard a negative word coming out of his mouth,” Wadhera said of Ponting at the post-match press conference. “When your coach is such a character, the way he inspires everyone, and even when we got back [after the batting innings], he just said, ‘okay, today our bowlers need to get the job done, I need some really fiery spells today’; automatically when players listen to such things from the coach, the confidence boosts up. It really showed on the field. It’s all because of his pep talks.”Also Shreyas Iyer. They way he charges up everyone… he’s one of the finest captains I have ever played under and he’s really great at what he does, with the bat and the way he captains, and the way he is leading the team is really great.”

'Man Utd is a virus' – Fans react as Rasmus Hojlund continues prolific form and 'turns into prime Ronaldo' with another goal for Denmark

Manchester United were mocked over social media as Rasmus Hojlund continued his fine goalscoring form since leaving the club in the summer. The striker found the back of the net once again in Denmark’s World Cup-qualifying clash with Greece on Sunday evening, having also made a brilliant start to life with Serie A champions Napoli following his departure from Old Trafford in September.

Hojlund temporarily ended United struggles by joining Napoli on loan

Hojlund endured a difficult time at United after arriving from Atalanta in 2023, scoring just 14 goals in 62 Premier League appearances for the Red Devils. And despite initially saying he wanted to stay and fight for his place under manager Ruben Amorim, he eventually joined Napoli on transfer deadline day on an initial season-long loan, with the deal becoming permanent if Antonio Conte’s men qualify for next season’s Champions League.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportDenmark striker has been in excellent form since departing Old Trafford

And Hojlund has been in excellent form since switching to Napoli, reuniting with former United team-mate Scott McTominay to score four goals in six games in all competitions so far in 2025-26. The 22-year-old has also been prolific for Denmark, netting his fourth goal in as many World Cup-qualifying games against Greece at the Parken Stadium in Copenhagen.

Social media pokes fun at United following Hojlund's heroics in front of goal

And following his latest goal for Brian Riemer's side, football fans across social media were quick to poke fun at United, with Hojlund threatening to follow in the footsteps of McTominay, Antony, Marcus Rashford and Dean Henderson by becoming the latest player to thrive upon leaving the club.

Writing on X, UMEH said: “At this point it is safe to say Manchester United is a virus that destroys everything it touches.”

In an image which sees Hojlund’s head photoshopped onto the body of Brazil legend Ronaldo, Premier League Out of Context added: “Rasmus Hojlund since leaving Man Utd."

Also likening Hojlund to R9, lavida_nk said: "Hojlund is turning into prime R9."

One Red Devils supporter was much more positive, however, with United Faithfuls saying: “Rasmus Hojlund with another goal for Denmark. That's 7 G/As in his last 4 games for club and country. Excited for him. We're surely getting that €50m bag from Napoli.”

However, Clint was quick to add: “Rasmus Hojlund is actually very good, the problem was Manchester United players.”

Finally, Bayo wrote: “This Hojlund guy, how does Man United manage to make players look so mid?”

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Getty Images SportDenmark boss Riemer aimed dig at United in build up to the Greece game

The reaction to Hojlund’s rich vein of goalscoring form comes after Denmark boss Riemer also aimed a dig at United following his side’s 6-0 victory over Belarus on Thursday. In quotes carried by the 47-year-old said: "I think Rasmus has the quality for both leagues (Premier League and Serie A), without discussion.

"Does he fit in Italian football? Yes. There was no doubt about that, because he had already proven that. But that doesn’t mean he doesn’t fit in English football. On the contrary, I would almost say.

"The fact that he is now on a well-functioning team and has players around him who take pride in doing good for others helps to make the outcome for a striker like Rasmus, who needs to be serviced. It is more important than which league you play in."

Meanwhile, when asked what has been the key to his fine performances for Denmark and Napoli, Hojlund – who scored a brace against Belarus – added: "Not much has happened other than me getting into a good football team.

"I’ve played a lot and it’s been going really well. I’ve felt fit and sharp. I’ve made sure I was ready and I did a lot of things off the pitch in my summer break to be ready for the upcoming season.

"It’s of course great to be in such a period. In my position, I’m basically there to score goals. That’s my job. When I go onto the pitch, I have extra faith in things, and I’m of course happy about that."

Newcastle now make early approach to sign £40m+ Real Madrid player on loan

One of the biggest stories of the summer was around Newcastle United’s striker situation, as it looked inevitable that their talisman, Alexander Isak, was going to complete a British transfer record move to Premier League champions Liverpool.

The deal’s biggest sticking point was finding a replacement for Isak, and Eddie Howe’s side eventually found two with Stuttgart’s Nick Woltemade and Brentford’s Yoane Wissa. Between them, it looked like they could make up Isak’s goals, but it hasn’t been the smoothest start to life in the North East for the new strikers.

Wissa picked up a knee injury during the international break and is yet to make his debut. The DR Congo player has been ruled out for at least Newcastle’s next matches, and his debut may come after the next international break.

When asked why Woltemade received less than 30 minutes of game time against Barcelona, Howe cited it as being the result of Wissa’s injury, alongside Anthony Gordon’s suspension from the Liverpool game. The lack of options has meant that Woltemade has been handled delicately to ensure they aren’t left without any attackers.

While the two new attackers had previously looked sufficient to replace Isak, the opening weeks of the season have demonstrated how quickly Newcastle could be left shorthanded. Due to this, the club are already looking ahead to January to deepen their attacking roster.

Newcastle's Endrick loan plan

Newcastle are looking at bringing in Brazilian striker Endrick on loan from Real Madrid as a solution to their attacking frailties. The 19-year-old is yet to play a minute of football this season under Xabi Alonso and Madrid, alongside Endrick’s party, are concerned that a lack of minutes may hamper his development.

Reports from Spain indicate that this could be the perfect match that provides all parties with what they need. Newcastle are reportedly looking for “a young, dynamic offensive reinforcement hungry for success”, and Endrick is looking to gain more experience and can do so against the notoriously strong defences of the Premier League. In fact, the Magpies are one of the ‘among the first to inquire about his availability’, making an approach to Madrid in the process.

Endrick cost Madrid around £41.4 million, but at this stage, there is no indication that anyone involved wants to make the move permanent, and it is just a good fit for the back half of the season.

From Madrid’s perspective, they can keep Endrick on their books and allow him to develop without taking minutes away from their other forwards like Kylian Mbappe.

Endrick plays like a young Wissa

While there is currently no reason to suspect that Wissa’s knee injury will keep him out longer than his current predicted return date at the end of October, there is always the chance of it re-occurring or taking time to get back to full fitness.

If this does happen, then in the loan signing of Endrick, they will receive a similar style striker. While the Brazilian is young and hasn’t had the opportunities to fully develop his game yet, he looks to be becoming a very similar profile striker to Wissa.

While Wissa is the more experienced and more prolific goalscorer, the pair share lots of similar stats in terms of passing and build-up play, registering similar amounts of passes and a similar success rate, as well as being close in terms of xA.

From Endrick’s perspective, playing with Wissa could give him an insight into the type of player he could become, and Howe will be able to rotate the two players when necessary without having to make other tactical changes due to their similar styles of play.

Pant points to 'gaps' created by injuries after LSG's playoff hopes end

Injuries to key personnel created to “lot of gaps” that played a part in LSG’s underwhelming IPL 2025. That was the captain Rishabh Pant’s assessment soon after his team was officially knocked out of the playoffs race by Sunrisers Hyderabad in Lucknow on Monday.Put in to bat, LSG made 205 on the back of half-centuries from openers Mitchell Marsh and Aiden Markram, but saw that total – “at least 10 short”, according to Pant – being razed down by SRH with 10 balls to spare courtesy Abhishek Sharma’s six-laden 20-ball 59.”It couldn’t be the best season for us,” Pant said. “Getting into the tournament we knew a lot of gaps were there because of injuries. We decided we won’t talk about that, but it became difficult to close out those gaps.”Pant was seemingly referring to the prolonged absence of several core players. Left-arm pacer Mohsin Khan missed the entire season, while express quick Mayank Yadav, one of LSG’s prized retentions, spent most of the tournament on the sidelines. Mayank briefly returned but looked undercooked and was ruled out again with another back injury. Other big-money signings Avesh Khan and Akash Deep also struggled with fitness issues and joined the playing XI only midway through the season.”The way we planned the auction, if we had the same bowling [attack], the story would be different,” Pant said. “At the same time, this is cricket, things can happen. Sometimes they go your way, sometimes they don’t. Need to take pride in the way we’re playing. Need to look at the positives other than discussing more on the negative side.”When asked about the silver linings from LSG’s campaign, Pant said, “there’s enough firepower in the batting,” he said. “That’s the biggest positive. Even the bowlers, they were bowling in good areas but they were patchy, a little bit. We were trying to make the best of it.”We’ve been playing well in patches. In the first half of the season, the players did well, we tried to cover up all problems, but in the second half it became tougher and tougher to catch up against the teams doing well.”One bright spark for LSG was rookie legspinner Digvesh Rathi. The 25-year-old from Delhi impressed in his debut season of the IPL, picking up 14 wickets in 12 matches at a respectable economy rate of 8.08. On Monday, he returned figures of 2 for 37 and was LSG’s standout bowler.”Definitely the bowler Rathi has come up nicely for us this season,” Pant said. “The way he has bowled was really good to see. Rathi is one of the positives. There are many areas as a team we need to keep improving on to find ourselves getting better and better.”

Move over Zubimendi: Arsenal have their new Fabregas in £26m "monster"

While his time at the club didn’t end in the way many hoped it would, it’s impossible to overstate the impact Arsène Wenger had at Arsenal.

The Professor, as he was often referred to, helped turn the club into an international powerhouse during his 22 years at the helm, winning three Premier League titles, seven FA Cups, and seven Community Shields.

He also brought some of the best international players the league had ever seen to North London, including Thierry Henry, Robert Pirès, and Cesc Fàbregas.

The young Spaniard was sensational during his time at the club, and it looks like Mikel Arteta could have found his own version, and we aren’t talking about Martin Zubimendi.

Fàbregas' early Arsenal career

Arsenal agreed to pay Barcelona around £2m to sign Fàbregas in the summer of 2003, and while that now looks like a bargain, you have to remember he was still just 16 years old at the time.

He made his full first-team debut just a few months later, starting a League Cup game against Rotherham United in October, although he would finish that season with just three appearances and a goal to his name.

The following campaign would be very different indeed, though, as he would go on to make 46 appearances for the side, with 33 coming in the league.

Moreover, despite not even being 20 years old, the tremendously exciting Spaniard played a key role in the Gunners’ FA Cup triumph that year, making six appearances, five of which were starts and playing 86 minutes of the final against Manchester United.

By this point, it was crystal clear that the North Londoners had got their hands on a truly world-class player, and talent scout Jacke Kulig would later put it, he was “one of the best U21s in Premier League history.”

The following season saw him help the club reach their first Champions League final, and while they lost 2-1 to his former club, the Arenys de Mar-born ace played 74 minutes, even though he was still just 19.

In recognition of his ability and importance to the team, the mercurial midfielder was named captain in November 2008.

Appearances

303

Starts

266

Minutes

23847′

Goals

57

Assists

95

Goal Involvements per Match

0.50

Minutes per Goal Involvement

156.88

Points per Game

1.99

However, much to the disappointment of the Emirates faithful, he would eventually push for a move back to Barça in the summer of 2011, with a tally of 57 goals and 95 assists in 303 games for the club.

In all, Fàbregas remains one of the most exciting young players to have ever played for Arsenal, but there is someone in the current squad who could also be in line for similar praise a few years from now, and we aren’t talking about fellow Spaniard Zubimendi.

Arsenal's new Fàbregas

Now, there is certainly an argument to be made that Zubimendi could be looked upon as the ‘new’ Fàbregas due to his technical skill and the fact that he’s a midfielder.

Chalkboard

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

However, in this instance, the player is a little more left-field: Cristhian Mosquera.

Yes, we know that he plays in a totally different position and, therefore, style to the former Arsenal star, but there remain a few key similarities between the pair.

First and foremost, like the Gunners’ former midfield maestro, the impressive centre-back has moved to the North Londoners at a very young age.

Granted, at 19, he is three years older than Cesc was, but as centre-backs tend to hit their peak two years later than midfielders, they are at a fairly similar point development-wise.

Moreover, even though he’s made the move while still being just a teenager, the former Valencia ace already looks utterly at ease in the Premier League and Champions League.

For example, he didn’t look remotely out of place when he came on for the injured William Saliba at Anfield.

Then, in the games against Nottingham Forest and Athletic Bilbao, he helped to keep two clean sheets while completing a staggering 75 passes in both games.

In fact, the 6 foot 3 “monster,” as dubbed by one analyst, has adapted to life in North London so well that one Arsenal content creator has gone as far as labelling him the “signing of the summer.”

In other words, we expect the Alicante-born titan to become a key member of the squad very quickly despite his age, much in the same way that Fàbregas did when he joined over 20 years ago.

Then, there are also the other, more surface-level similarities, such as both being Spanish and making the move to England from La Liga sides.

Ultimately, Arsenal look like they have hit the jackpot with Mosquera, and we would not be surprised to see him develop into a player as important to the club as Fàbregas once was.

Arsenal fans gave £60m ace the Madueke treatment all summer, now he's set to star

The Arsenal star could be in for a career revival this season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 19, 2025

Man Utd receive response from Premier League club in race to sign England international

Manchester United have now reportedly received an early response in the battle to sign a Premier League rival for Ruben Amorim in 2026.

Amorim: "It's more excitement than fear" at Man Utd

There’s still plenty of work for Amorim to do at Man United. The Red Devils invested well in the summer, but were brought back down to earth in the opening weeks of the season.

Carabao Cup defeat against Grimsby Town followed by a 3-0 thrashing in the Manchester derby even led to uncomfortable questions about the manager’s future, but he’s claimed that there is an “excitement” within United this season.

Just how long that excitement lasts is the big question. What is clear is that INEOS will back their man away from the pitch. Sir Jim Ratcliffe and co. spent around £200m in the summer transfer window and recent reports suggest that more spending is on the way.

The likes of Dusan Vlahovic and Adam Wharton have both been linked with moves to Old Trafford in recent weeks and there’s no doubt that they’d make significant impacts under Amorim.

Vlahovic is far from a bad option, either. The Juventus striker is fighting for his place in Turin and arguably winning what was once a losing battle, scoring four goals in his first five games this season.

Wharton is particularly one to watch, however. The Crystal Palace star is the latest Eagle to rise at Selhurst Park and interest from the very top always seemed inevitable. If United are looking to upgrade on Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte then he is their man alongside another England international.

Man Utd receive early response in race for Anderson

According to The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Nottingham Forest have issued a hands-off warning to Man United about Elliot Anderson. The Midlands club are keen to keep hold of the impressive Englishman, with both Liverpool and the Red Devils plotting 2026 moves to secure his signature.

Bailey told TBR: “Anderson has been top class for Forest, and they are aware of the interest is emerging. But I am told that Forest have no intention of entertaining any interest in him, and with Ange Postecoglou arriving – they want him to be a cornerstone to his team going forward.”

Ahead of Mainoo: Man Utd ace was heir to #18 shirt, then he left for £857k

Man Utd may wish they’d kept hold of this midfield star.

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 26, 2025

The 22-year-old has been a standout at the City Ground all season and that was no different in midweek when Forest travelled to face Real Betis. Anderson was at the centre of everything positive that Ange Postecoglou’s side did and has done no harm to his hopes of securing a World Cup place next summer in recent weeks.

Dubbed “phenomenal” by England teammate and Chelsea star Reece James in the September international break, Anderson is the type of player that Man United should do everything to sign next summer.

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