If England and West Indies win
That will leave three teams – England, West Indies and South Africa – on four points each. West Indies’ huge win against USA means they will finish with a higher net run rate than South Africa if they beat them by any margin on Sunday night. So West Indies will qualify for sure with a win, regardless of the England-USA result.For England to go past South Africa’s NRR, the sum of margins of the two results will have to be 10 runs (assuming first-innings totals of 160). That means, if England win by 10 runs, they will go ahead on run rate even if South Africa lose in the Super Over. If the margin of result is under 10, South Africa will stay ahead and qualify with four points.If USA and South Africa win
South Africa will top the table with six points, while the other three teams will finish on two points each. If England lose in the Super Over chasing 160, West Indies will have to lose by 43 or more runs for their NRR to drop below that of England. If England lose by a bigger margin, West Indies will have more leeway, which means in such a scenario South Africa and West Indies are the likely semi-finalists.Related

• Brook's near miss could yet be vital for England's hopes

• Shai Hope silences strike-rate critics, with bat and words

• South Africa hold nerve against England to continue unbeaten march

• Buttler: De Kock innings 'the difference' in narrow South Africa win

• How de Kock's local knowledge helped win the powerplay, and the match

USA’s poor run rate means they’ll need two huge results to stand any chance of finishing in the top two: they will first need to beat England by at least 56 runs (assuming a total of 160) to go past them on NRR, and then hope that West Indies lose by at least 91 runs for their run rate to drop below USA’s.If USA and West Indies win
In this case, West Indies and South Africa will qualify with four points, while England and USA will finish on two.If England and South Africa win
South Africa, with six points, and England, with four, will be the semi-finalists.

قرر أحد المرشحين على مقعد العضوية “فوق السن” في انتخابات مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي المقبلة، الاعتذار رسميًا عن عدم استكمال مشوار الترشح.

وأعلن مجلس إدارة الأهلي اتخاذ كافة الإجراءات التي تيسر على أعضاء الجمعية العمومية حضور اجتماع الجمعية، المقرر لها يومي 30 و31 أكتوبر الجاري لانتخاب مجلس الإدارة الجديد.

وقرر أحمد مجدي الحيوان الاعتذار وعدم استكمال مهمة ترشحه لانتخابات عضوية مجلس إدارة النادي الأهلي فوق السن.

طالع | بوجود قائمة الخطيب كاملة.. مجلس الأهلي يعتمد أوراق المرشحين في انتخابات النادي

وتقدم لانتخابات القلعة الحمراء 16 مرشحًا، من بينهم قائمة محمود الخطيب، فيما يخوض باقي المرشحين السباق كمستقلين، على أن تُعقد الجمعية العمومية لاختيار مجلس الإدارة الجديد يومي 30 و31 أكتوبر الجاري.

وكانت منار سعيد المرشحة على عضوية مجلس الإدارة فوق السن، قد أعلنت انسحابها رسميًا من الانتخابات دعمًا لقائمة الكابتن محمود الخطيب، رئيس النادي الحالي، مؤكدة أن مصلحة الأهلي واستقراره تأتي فوق أي اعتبارات شخصية أو انتخابية. المرشحون في انتخابات الأهلي المقبلة

محمود الخطيب “مقعد الرئيس”

ياسين منصور “مقعد النائب”

خالد مرتجي “مقعد أمانة الصندوق”

وللعضوية فوق السن: “طارق قنديل – محمد الغزاوي – محمد الدماطي – محمد الجارحي – سيد عبد الحفيظ – أحمد حسام عوض – حازم هلال – حسن طنطاوي – أحمد شريف”.

وللعضوية تحت السن: “إبراهيم العامري – رويدا هشام”.

The ex-USMNT player said Pochettino was hired for World Cup success, and that "he’s just going to be judged on next summer"

Pochettino hired after Berhalter strugglesBelieves big-name hire raised expectationsSays coach must leave program in better shapeGetty Images SportWHAT HAPPENED

With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, former USMNT star Alexi Lalas predicted that Mauricio Pochettino's tenure as national team coach will be brief. Lalas suggested Pochettino was brought in specifically as a high-profile replacement for Gregg Berhalter in a direct response to mounting pressure from fans for a more accomplished leader.

“This is a guy that’s being paid what? $6 million a year” Lalas said on the MLS Moves’ podcast. “This is a guy who was brought in in a short-term capacity and he understands that. We understand that and everybody understands that after the summer of 2026, he’s gone. And he’s gonna probably have lots of opportunities. So, you need to get this done, all right?

“All of the anger over Greg Berhalter, and I think the excitement over hiring someone with the cache and the sexy name that is Pochettino, that comes with responsibility and heightened expectations. And I think he understands that better than anybody. So again, yeah I’m OK with you progressing and learning. But ultimately, let’s be honest, he’s just going to be judged on next summer."

Though Pochettino hasn't even been in the job a full year, Lalas says the coach will be one and done in terms of World Cups with the U.S.

"You better be ready next summer and there can be no excuses," he said. "You can’t say ‘Oh I didn’t have enough time’ or ‘Oh the American soccer system is screwed up’ or anything like that. No, that doesn’t work. You got to bring it next summer and you got to do things that we haven’t seen before. And again, in not just a World Cup, but a home World Cup. You’ve got to leave the situation in better shape than when you got it.”

AdvertisementWHAT LALAS SAID

Lalas said that his confidence in the USMNT has grown considerably following the team's performance in the Gold Cup. Pochettino's side won five straight matches before losing to Mexico in the final.

“I feel better than I did at the beginning of the Gold Cup,” Lalas said. “ I think the Gold Cup did help maybe assuage some of my concerns and worries when it comes to this team. There’s still plenty of them out there and I still worry that we’re not going to grab a hold of this incredible opportunity that is next summer. But I’m feeling a little bit more bullish. And that’s a good thing.

“Because we’ve talked about the ramp over the last, I don’t know, how many years since we got this World Cup. And the ramps getting shorter, and shorter and shorter. But it’s still a ramp and any type of ramp it’s about momentum. And we’ve had very little momentum before the Gold Cup. I think there’s more momentum now and if we can build on that momentum and get more and more positive, and get more and more excited going into next summer – that’s that what you need to do.

Lalas believes that the USMNT can advance to the round of 16 at the World Cup.

“Look I think that the US is going to get out of it’s group, I would even say win the group given the realities of a 48-team World Cup, being one of the first pot as a host,” Lalas said. “So I think we’re going to get a good group, a winnable group. And now you’re in the round of 32… and you’re gonna get, certainly, a winnable game, and then you’re right back where you started in that round of 16 game, where it’s going to be a team that’s going to be pretty even.”

“And so you’re going to have to find a way to conjure something up that hasn’t been kind of done before. And then you’re in kind of rarified air. But we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE

The USMNT have lost six of the 16 games that Pochettino has coached since replacing Berhalter last September.

AFPWHAT’S NEXT?

Pochettino will continue preparations for the World Cup in international friendlies, starting in September against South Korea and Japan.

Arsenal have been offered the chance to sign a cheaper alternative to Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko through a unique release clause, with the striker also in the form of his life after two impeccable seasons.

Arsenal identify Gyokeres and Sesko as top striker targets

While a plethora of reports over the last week have claimed that Arsenal are advancing in talks for Gyokeres, Sesko also isn’t completely out of the picture, one year after the latter rejected an offer to join the Gunners (Fabrizio Romano).

Arsenal now in "advanced" talks to sign £84m player ahead of Liverpool

The Gunners could exact revenge after missing out on this year’s Premier League title to Arne Slot’s side.

ByEmilio Galantini May 17, 2025

Portuguese and English media sources claim Arsenal are taking significant steps to agree a move for Gyokeres, with CaughtOffside reporting Andrea Berta is in advanced talks for the Swede, while A Bola state they’ve offered him a contract worth £135,000-per-week.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

However, reliable journalist Simon Phillips, after speaking with his Arsenal sources, is also under the impression that Mikel Arteta actually prefers Sesko as a potential signing, even if Berta personally wants Gyokeres.

This would indicate a disagreement over Arsenal’s transfer plans between the pair, but Arteta insisted in a press conference on Friday that both the Spaniard and Berta are on the same page when it comes to the club’s recruitment drive.

“On what we have to do, yes [we are fully aligned],” said Arteta. “On what we can do, I don’t know. I think sometimes from the plan that we had, and actually what we’re able to execute, we’ve never been able to replicate it exactly.

“This is football. It happens to every football club, that’s why we plan certain ways, and okay, if we cannot do it, we do something else. I think the aim is clear but then you have to just do it slowly, thing by thing and start to achieve it.”

What has been made crystal clear, though, is that both Sesko and Gyokeres are top Arsenal targets. The former’s deal includes a release clause set at around £62 million, while it is believed the latter will be allowed to leave Sporting for around £63 million.

The striker duo have both enjoyed record-breaking seasons at their respective clubs, making either a standout upgrade to Arteta’s current options, but Arsenal now have a chance to seal an even cheaper alternative.

Arsenal can sign Borussia Dortmund star Serhou Guirassy for £59m

According to German newspaper Bild, that man is Borussia Dortmund star Serhou Guirassy. The Guinea international, after signing for Dortmund last summer, has proved he’s no one season wonder following a breakout campaign at VfB Stuttgart last year.

Guirassy’s built upon that stellar 2023/2024 in his debut season at Dortmund, bagging 33 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions, and he’s second only behind Harry Kane in the Bundesliga scoring charts.

It is now believed Arsenal can sign Guirassy for just £59 million as well, thanks to a unique release clause in his deal, which permits only a handful of elite sides to strike a deal for that amount.

Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United, Manchester City, Real Madrid and Barcelona can also activate this option, but it could be a fruitful avenue for Berta to go down if he cannot get Sesko or Gyokeres over the line.

Called “world-class” by Dortmund boss Niko Kovac, the 29-year-old is continuing to make waves in Germany.

Pakistan’s cool kids may take the limelight but an innocuous-looking 30-year-old was their star seamer

Danyal Rasool06-Aug-2020It’s just a fact of life it is harder to get excited about Mohammad Abbas than it is Shaheen Afridi or Naseem Shah. Abbas is 30, but alongside the 20-year old Afridi and 17-year old Naseem, looks positively middle-aged. His somewhat-bored frown and world-weary countenance, combined with a gait that’s more shuffle than stride, could make you mistake him for one of those desi uncles you actively avoid trying to sit next to at stuffy dinner parties you never wanted to be at.Put the cricket whites on him, though, a brand new red ball in his hand and wave the sun away, and this apparently unremarkable man undergoes a metamorphosis that would be Kafkaesque if it wasn’t free of any existential despair. Abbas the bowler doesn’t sulk about being overlooked. He’s well aware he isn’t able to compete with the cool kids for social media traction or YouTube clips. He doesn’t exist to enthrall, but to be appreciated.For there are no bells and whistles to Mohamad Abbas. He can’t bat to save his life, as it took Jofra Archer one ball to demonstrate. He’s not a gun fielder like Shadab Khan is, for example, and he isn’t the most engaging at press conferences. He won’t head too many marketing campaigns, you won’t find his face plastered across billboards in Pakistan, and if you ever spot him having a late night drink anywhere, it’s probably nothing stronger than a hot chocolate.ALSO READ: Masood 156 sets stage before Pakistan seamers tear things upBut as the curtain began to fall on Pakistan’s innings, the stars began to align for Afridi and Naseem’s sidekick. Quietly, imperceptibly, the sun, which had peered out from behind the clouds, almost as a reward for Shan Masood’s epic resilience, disappeared back behind, and as the skies above Old Trafford turned grey, Abbas felt the transformation happening. Never mind everybody still thought Afridi was the one to watch out for – and if you were Rory Burns, he certainly was – but the first over from Abbas was an unassumingly devastating reminder why this ostensibly harmless dibbly-dobbler opened the bowling ahead of the most explosive teenage fast bowler in world cricket.He spent an entire over getting the ball to hold its line outside off stump to Dom Sibley; if anything, the occasional one seamed away. Half an over in, the young English batsman wondered what all the fuss was about, and worked him dismissively behind square for two. Two balls later, he got one past the slip cordon, and even if he wasn’t entirely in control, he had taken six off this supposedly metronomically accurate bowler’s first over. Result.First ball next over, Abbas pulled his line back. You can’t afford to do that at his pace, and Sibley clipped him to midwicket for another two. But then Abbas sprung the trap, pitching it up, and bringing it back off the seam so sharply the bat may well have been at the other Old Trafford, so wide was the gap when the ball clattered into the pads. That first over didn’t look so innocuous after all.If that left you salivating, you were in luck, because this was just the appetiser. Ben Stokes thought he had spotted the mistake the inexperienced Sibley was making, and made a point to stand half a metre outside his crease, almost finishing his shots in the danger area. That approach has troubled Abbas in the past, especially in Australia, where, forced to pull his lengths back, he struggled.Mohammad Abbas produced a jaffa to bowl Ben Stokes for a duck•Getty ImagesAbbas isn’t half the bowler when the stumps are out of the equation: 41 of his 77 Test wickets have involved trapping the batsman in front or knocking back his stumps. Unless Mohammad Rizwan was willing to keep up to the stumps in what was only the fourth over of the innings, it appeared Abbas wouldn’t be the man to threaten Stokes, especially with the Englishman coming into this series in the batting form of his career.Abbas had decided, though, he wouldn’t back down. Of the six balls he bowled to Stokes, just one was pitched back of a length; the others were all fuller as he probed for a weakness. It was the most absorbing ten minutes of the entire Test, as a world-renowned World Cup-winning superstar tried to stand his ground against an understated medium-fast bowler. Rizwan wasn’t coming up. It was all down to Abbas.He didn’t need anyone else. As Stokes charged at him again, Abbas banged the ball in on a length, his exquisite control over the seam allowing it to shape ever so slightly away. As Stokes drove instinctively, the bat hit fresh air. The ball had gone past, and the next thing you saw was the bails flying out from behind. Abbas had found a gap Stokes didn’t believe existed. Joe Root’s face, a picture of admiring disbelief, was perhaps the only compliment worthy of the delivery.Half an hour later, the attention had drifted away from Abbas once again. Everyone began to get restless, eager to catch a glimpse of the much-hyped Naseem Shah. Abbas would bowl a few more overs from his end while the world paid attention to the other one. You barely noticed him dropping out of the attack as Yasir Shah came in.Abbas took his cap from the umpire, and went off to field somewhere on the boundary. The sun had come back out, and the cool kids had stolen the limelight once more.

Veteran pair of Patel and Madsen do hard work in chase as Leicestershire come up short

ECB Reporters Network01-Jun-2024Derbyshire Falcons opened their Vitality Blast account for the season with a tense four-wicket victory over Leicestershire Foxes at Edgbaston.Foxes chose to bat but stuttered to 97 for 6 as Zak Chappell, Pat Brown and Samit Patel took two wickets apiece before an unbroken stand of 79 in 45 balls by Peter Handscomb, who made 75 off 51, and Rehan Ahmed (36 off 22) lifted them to 176 for 6.Falcons replied with 178 for 6 in 19.1 overs thanks principally to a high-class partnership of 102 in 58 balls from 40-year-old Wayne Madsen and 39-year-old Patel. Patel smashed 64 from 32 in a scintillating knock while Madsen made a composed 43 off 35.Their quality left Falcons needing 18 from the last 12 balls and Brooke Guest lifted the first and sixth of those balls over the rope to bring Foxes down to earth after their opening-game victory over Yorkshire Vikings last night.The Leicestershire innings received an early jolt when Sol Budinger received a reminder of what a great leveller cricket can be. The opener slapped Chappell to backward point to follow Friday’s dazzling half-century with a golden duck.Rishi Patel feathered Brown to wicketkeeper Brooke Guest and Louis Kimber’s vigorous start ended when he skied Chappell to mid-off where Madsen judged a difficult catch perfectly.Handscomb continued to watch partners come and go. Wiaan Mulder lifted Brown to deep cover and Ben Cox and Ben Mike holed out to Patel to give the spinner his 343rd and 344th T20 wickets.That left Foxes on an uneasy 97 for 6 in the 13th over but Handscomb played a true captain’s innings. He worked the ball around adroitly in an accomplished half-century – surprisingly only his eighth time past 50 in 124 T20s – and Rehan offered valuable support, hitting three sixes, to lift the total to somewhere around par.Falcons paid a high price for over-aggression in the opening overs. Luis Reece charged and missed at Kimber. David Lloyd, having hit his first ball for six, was bowled by his sixth, a gorgeous, swinging yorker from Mike. Harry Came, having socked Ian Holland over mid-off for four, needlessly tried the same next ball and was caught at mid-off.At 31 for 3, Falcons’ foundations were rocky but Madsen and Patel counterattacked with selectivity and skill. Former England allrounder Patel showed his immense powers have not dimmed in a glorious knock which included four fours and five sixes before he was caught by Mike right on the square leg rope off Rehan.Madsen then lifted Mike to mid-off at which point Falcons needed 28 from 21 balls. Ross Whiteley skied Scott Currie to long-on but Guest smote Mike for mighty sixes over long-off and straight in the penultimate over to leave just two required from the last.

Bhui, Padikkal and Bharat also scored fifties as India D ended the opening day on 306 for 5

ESPNcricinfo staff19-Sep-2024

File photo: Sanju Samson hit form with an unbeaten 89•Sportsfile via Getty Images

Shreyas Iyer bagged his second duck in as many Duleep Trophy games but half-centuries from Sanju Samson, Devdutt Padikkal, KS Bharat and Ricky Bhui helped India D gain the upper hand against India B in Anantapur.Samson stayed unbeaten on 89 off 83 balls at stumps, taking India D to 306 for 5 in 77 overs. He had Saransh Jain for company on 26.After India B had elected to bowl, their bowlers were in for an early toil with Padikkal and Bharat stitching a 105-run stand for the opening wicket in 31.1 overs. Padikkal having scored fifties in both Duleep Trophy games so far added a third during a knock in which he hit eight fours. Bharat, who was promoted up the order, also cashed in stroking 52 off 105 balls with nine fours.Padikkal was the first to depart edging Navdeep Saini through to the wicketkeeper. Bharat followed suit soon after, caught behind off Mukesh Kumar. Nishant Sindhu and Ricky Bhui then added a 53-run stand for the third wicket but when Rahul Chahar struck twice in quick succession, India D found themselves in a spot of bother.The legspinner first had Sindhu caught in the 47th over. In his very next over then, he sent back Iyer for a five-ball duck as India D slipped to 175 for 4.Bhui, fresh from a fourth-innings 113 in the previous match, continued his good form to become the third half-centurion of the innings. But like his other team-mates, he also fell in the fifties with Chahar grabbing his third wicket of the day. Bhui departed for 56 off 87 balls with nine fours.Samson, however, made sure to carry on. He struck ten fours and three sixes in his quick half-century, dominating an unbroken 90-run stand off 109 balls with Jain.For India B, Chahar was the most successful bowler picking up 3 for 60 in 13 overs while Mukesh and Saini chipped with a wicket apiece.

Liverpool have postponed the return of players for pre-season training following the tragic death of Diogo Jota in a car crash. The 28-year-old forward, along with his brother Andre Silva, died in Spain early on Thursday morning after a burst tyre caused their vehicle to veer off the highway. The Premier League champions continue to mourn the loss of a cherished team-mate and beloved figure.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Liverpool delay training return after Jota's death
• Forward and brother killed in Spain ahead of pre-season
• Club opens condolence book as fans pay tribute at Anfield

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Jota died in a car crash alongside his 25-year-old brother while returning to Liverpool for pre-season. The 28-year-old had undergone minor surgery and was advised not to fly, opting instead to travel back to England by car and ferry before his fatal clash. Liverpool players were scheduled to return for pre-season medical at the AXA Training Centre on Friday, July 4, but will now report on Monday, July 7.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The news has shaken the Liverpool community, with the club postponing activities and providing full support to Jota’s grieving family. Head coach Arne Slot emphasised the deep emotional toll the tragedy has taken on the squad. Liverpool’s facilities remain closed, and tributes have flooded in from fans and clubs across the world.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  A physical book of condolence has been set up at Anfield, while fans have turned the stadium into a shrine with shirts, scarves, and messages. Meanwhile, Wolves fans also gathered outside Molineux to honour their former player. Mourners also assembled at a wake in Portugal on Friday morning to pay tribute to the brothers.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

  The Reds will resume pre-season preparations on Monday, beginning with physical testing at the AXA Training Centre. The club will continue to support Jota’s family and honour his legacy in the weeks ahead. Slot’s side are set to play Preston North End on July 13 in their first pre-season friendly.

Xabi Alonso has admitted that Real Madrid face a major challenge to reach the level of Paris Saint-Germain after a humbling 4-0 defeat in the Club World Cup semi-final. The new Los Blancos boss described the loss as 'painful' and a clear wake-up call, vowing that the team must now begin a new era with 'fresh minds' and stronger unity ahead of next season.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Alonso calls 4-0 Club World Cup loss 'painful'
• PSG’s unity exposes Madrid’s tactical flaws
• Real Madrid to 'start a new age' next season

Follow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Real Madrid were thoroughly outclassed by Paris Saint-Germain in a 4-0 Club World Cup semi-final defeat. Alonso’s decision to abandon the back-five in the absence of Dean Huijsen and Trent Alexander-Arnold backfired as Madrid conceded twice in the first nine minutes. The 15-time European champions never recovered from the early hits and made little impact even after tactical changes.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The clash against Paris Saint-Germain was Real Madrid’s first major test under Alonso, who only took charge weeks ago, and the result exposed the gap between his side and Luis Enrique's well-oiled European champions. Les Parisiens looked sharper, more cohesive, and far more clinical. Alonso acknowledged that Los Blancos must now rebuild with a renewed focus on collective play and cohesion.

  Watch every FIFA Club World Cup game free on DAZNStream now

• WHAT ALONSO SAID

  Speaking to the media, Alonso said: "We were two goals down and we couldn't find our footing. It was a painful defeat, we must admit that we were not up to standard today. We had some shortcomings at some points and sometimes it's good to see our mistakes, and you can draw lessons for the future.

  "We start a new age after a break, with fresh minds," he said. "We want to build a team that plays as a unit, with everyone playing together… We were one match away, and it's painful, and let's see what happens now."

  When asked if PSG were the best team in the world, the Spaniard added: "I would say that, they have been playing together for years and play at a top, top level. They play together as a team and it is tough to play against them. For sure, this is a challenge for us to improve."

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR REAL MADRID?

  Alonso has promised a 'new age' at Real Madrid starting next season as Los Blancos look to steady themselves after a trophyless season under Carlo Ancelotti. He stressed the need to learn from the defeat and build a team that functions well together. They will now shift their focus to preparing for the 2025/26 season, with a long-term plan under their new manager.

da betobet： Arsenal finished second in the Premier League for the third season running, but you’d be blind not to see the progress that Mikel Arteta has driven across the years of his tenure.

da bet vitoria： Injuries, contentious officiating and plain bad luck all played their part in the Gunners’ setbacks in front of goal this term, but there’s also been a yawning hole at the front of the ship which has impeded Arteta’s pursuit of silverware.

To be sure, Arsenal will be frustrated with having failed to secure a new number nine across the past several transfer windows, but there’s so much to like about this team, balanced, dynamic and youthful.

However, to emerge from the looming market without a brand-new centre-forward would be a travesty. Luckily, Arteta, Andrea Berta and co are on the case.

Why Arsenal need a striker

The fact Mikel Merino has been forced into 12 matches as a makeshift striker this season emphasises the injury crisis and need for more firepower at the Emirates Stadium.

Saying that, the fact Merino scored six goals and laid on three assists across those fixtures underscores his quality and Arteta’s tactical expertise.

Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz have missed much of 2025 with respective injuries, and Arsenal are ready to sign a new marksman.

Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres is one of the principal targets, with The Athletic’s David Ornstein revealing two months ago that the Gunners have been developing strong interest in the Sweden international. Sporting director Berta, in particular, is felt to be championing the potential addition.

However, Arteta feels Arsenal’s future is best served in a different direction. Indeed, there’s another name on the list. You know who it is.

Arsenal reach agreement for new ST

As per Arsenal sources, an agreement on personal terms has been reached for RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, with Arsenal no doubt buoyed by the revelation that exorbitant claims of a £93m price tag are wide of the mark.

Talks are also ongoing between Arsenal and the Bundesliga club, who want a swift resolution after giving Sesko a gentleman’s agreement he could leave in a year when the Premier League outfit came knocking last summer.

With a €80m (£67m) release clause in his contract, as per Sky Germany, Arsenal will need to wrap this one up swiftly, especially with rivals Chelsea and Liverpool both registering their interest too.

What Benjamin Sesko would bring to Arsenal

Arsenal have been searching for a prolific goalscorer for several years now. You’d have to date back to Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to find the last time a Gunner surpassed 20 goals in a single Premier League season.

Arsenal – Premier League Top Scorers by Season

Season

Player

Goals

24/25

Kai Havertz

9

23/24

Bukayo Saka

16

22/23

Martin Odegaard

15

21/22

Bukayo Saka

11

20/21

Alexandre Lacazette

13

19/20

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

22

Stats via Transfermarkt

Aubameyang might not be too fondly remembered in north London after joining Barcelona on a free transfer in February 2022, having been stripped of his captaincy due to a disciplinary issue, but who could argue against the Gabon forward’s prowess?

He scored 92 goals and provided 21 assists across just 163 appearances for Arsenal, worth the club-record £60m outlay that was paid to Borussia Dortmund for his four years of service.

To have such a prolific star back in the mix would be a brilliant move for the development of Arteta’s project, and Sesko might just be the man for the job.

While Sesko, 22, has yet to reach his peak, the signs of greatness are there. This season alone for Leipzig, he has scored 21 goals and added six assists from 45 appearances, 40 starts.

There’s a reason the 6 foot 5 striker has been dubbed “the next Erling Haaland” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, with his rangy profile, sinewy strength and electric pace all combining to make him the prototypical modern striker for a top outfit worth their salt.

Benjamin Sesko – Senior Career Goals so Far

Club

Season

Apps

Goals

RB Leipzig

24/25

45

21

RB Leipzig

23/24

42

18

RB Salzburg

22/23

41

18

RB Salzburg

20/21

37

11

RB Salzburg

20/21

1

0

FC Liefering

20/21

29

21

FC Liefering

19/20

15

1

Data via Transfermarkt

He’s raw, full potential as yet untapped, and thus there would be an element of risk in Arsenal sealing a deal. However, Sesko is one of the most exciting young forwards on the map, hailed as a ball-striking “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

But the potential is indeed staggering, and there’s every chance he could become the club’s best striker since the days of Aubameyang, who was one of the most prolific players in Europe during his finest days in an Arsenal shirt.

Perhaps he could even eclipse the former talisman. The Slovenia international has missed 18 big chances across his two campaigns in the German top flight, but he’s also put away 27 goals, as per Sofascore.

Moreover, this term he has averaged 4.1 successful duels per game, indicating an energy and combativeness that will serve him well in the harsh environs of the Premier League.

That and his brutish power. Frankly, the ingredients are all there for a superstar, and if Sesko is already serving prolifically in the Bundesliga, backed up by impressive underlying data, there’s every reason for Arsenal fans to start getting optimistic about a deal being completed.

With the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard and Bukayo Saka all serving chances for him on a silver platter, this might be a move that is lauded across years to come, should Arteta get his man and provide his side with their finest centre-forward since Aubameyang.

Related Better than Sane: Arsenal in talks to sign £50m star alongside Sesko

Arsenal could be about to make multiple key signings within the attacking department ahead of 2025/26.

Posts 2 ByEthan Lamb May 30, 2025