Offspinner Todd Murphy will become the third Australian Test player to play for Gloucestershire this season after signing a four-game County Championship stint through June and July.Murphy, 24, will play under Cameron Bancroft, following on from Cameron Green’s successful five-game stint before the T20 Blast break. Murphy was set to play for Australia A in a series of 50-over and four-day matches against Sri Lanka A in July but has prioritised taking a county offer to play for Gloucestershire with the blessing of Australia’s selectors.Murphy has not played in the County Championship before but has earned two of his seven Tests in England. He was set to play for Durham in 2023 ahead of the Ashes that year but was unable to fulfill the deal. He featured in the Headingley and Oval Tests in the Ashes series but has only played one Test since, as one of three spinners in the first Test against Sri Lanka in Galle earlier this year.Australia’s incumbent offspinner Nathan Lyon has vowed to play through until the 2027 Ashes but will be 39 when that series starts. Murphy is one of a handful of candidates alongside left-arm orthodox spinner Matthew Kuhnemann and Western Australian offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli to succeed Lyon as Australia’s No.1 spinner long-term and a four-game stint in England will do his development no harm although the four matches he will play will be with the Kookaburra ball.”I am really pleased to have signed with Gloucestershire,” Murphy said. “I’ve always wanted to play county cricket in England, and I am thankful that Gloucestershire has given me this opportunity.”Gloucestershire coach Mark Alleyne was pleased to sign a Test spinner for a four-game stint.”I’m really excited for the arrival of Todd, who will be joining a group in fine Championship fettle,” he said. “He is a spin bowler with brilliant pedigree and experience on the international stage and will complement our bowling group really well over the next four Championship games.”These matches will be played with a Kookaburra ball which he is really familiar with, and the fans will enjoy his tenacious offering.”

A league official was hopeful MLC will be classified as a ‘major sporting event’ which would ease any concerns about the participation of the players

Matt Roller05-Jun-2025

Major League Cricket (MLC) officials hope that Afghanistan players including Rashid Khan and Noor Ahmad will be able to fulfil their contracts for the 2025 season after US president Donald Trump signed a travel ban which will come into effect next week.Trump’s proclamation will “fully restrict and limit the entry” into the United States of nationals of 12 countries: Afghanistan, Burma, Chad, Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, and Yemen. He said the ban is designed to “protect the national security and national interest of the United States and its people”.There are seven Afghanistan players under contract for MLC 2025: Rashid, Azmatullah Omarzai and Naveen-ul-Haq (all MI New York); Gulbadin Naib, Fazalhaq Farooqi and Waqar Salamkheil (all Seattle Orcas) and Noor (Texas Super Kings).Related

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The ban, which is effective from 12.01am Eastern Time on Monday, June 9 includes an exemption for “any athlete or member of an athletic team… traveling for the World Cup, Olympics, or other major sporting event as determined by the Secretary of State”.The order also states: “This proclamation shall apply only to foreign nationals of the designation countries who: (i) are outside the United States on the applicable effective date of this proclamation; and (ii) do not have a valid visa on the applicable effective date of this proclamation.”ESPNcricinfo understands that some relevant players have already reached the United States after receiving visas, while others are yet to apply or travel. A league official told ESPNcricinfo they were hopeful that MLC will be classified as a ‘major sporting event’ by Marco Rubio, the Secretary of State, which would ease any concerns about the participation of Afghan players.An official at one affected franchise told ESPNcricinfo that they would explore all options, including the possibility of flying affected players into the United States before the ban kicks in. The official added that they will lean on MLC and other relevant authorities for guidance.An MLC spokesperson said: “We’re continuing to monitor the situation and are working with the relevant authorities to minimize travel disruptions for overseas players ahead of the start of Major League Cricket next week. We continue to attract some of the best players from around the world to come over to the US to showcase their talent, along with the best cricketers from the USA, and we are set to have the most exciting tournament to date this summer.”The order specifically mentions the Olympics, which will take place in Los Angeles in 2028, as an event for which athletes will be granted exemptions. Afghanistan should, therefore, be eligible to compete in the men’s T20 cricket event at the Games if they qualify.MLC’s 2025 season starts on June 12, with a rematch of last year’s final between Washington Freedom and San Francisco at the Oakland Coliseum.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Volta Redonda recebe o Amazonas neste sábado (23), às 19h (de Brasília), no Estádio Raulino de Oliveira, em Volta Redonda (RJ). A partida é válida pela quarta rodada da segunda fase da Série C do Campeonato Brasileiro e terá transmissão do Nosso Futebol (pay-per-view) e do DAZN (streaming). As equipes se enfrentaram na última semana, com vitória do time de Manaus por 2 a 0, na Arena da Amazônia.

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O Voltaço somou quatro pontos em três partidas e está na segunda colocação do Grupo C. Já os visitantes estão em terceiro, com três pontos até o momento. Apenas os dois primeiros de cada grupo avançam para a Série B de 2024. Os líderes fazem a grande final da competição.

FICHA TÉCNICA
VOLTA REDONDA X AMAZONAS
SÉRIE C

Data e horário: 23 de setembro de 2023, às 19h
Local: Estádio Raulino de Oliveira, em Volta Redonda (RJ)
Árbitro: Rafael Rodrigo Klein (RS)
Assistentes: Jorge Eduardo Bernardi (RS) e Michel Stanislau (RS)
VAR: Jose Cláudio Rocha Filho (Fifa/SP)
Onde assistir: Nosso Futebol e DAZN

+ Condição especial para matrícula no curso Gestor de Futebol, aprovado por Dante, Petković, Léo Moura e outros craques. Saiba mais!

VOLTA REDONDA (Técnico: Rogério Correa)
Jean Carlos; Wellington Silva, Matheus Santos, Marcão, Ricardo Sena; Bruno Barra, Paulinho, Júlio Cesar, Douglas Skilo, Marquinhos; Ítalo.

AMAZONAS (Técnico: Luiz Henrique)
Edson Mardden; Patrick, Jackson, Thiago Spice, Renan Castro; Phillipe Guimarães, Ítalo, Rafael Tavares e Diego Torres; Douglas Santos e Sassá.

Mikel Arteta believes Eberechi Eze still has plenty more to bring to Arsenal’s attacking play after watching him score his first goal for the club in Wednesday’s 2-0 Carabao Cup win over Port Vale.

Eze struck just eight minutes into the match at Vale Park but, despite that early strike, Arsenal struggled to create clear opportunities against their League One hosts, not killing the game off until substitute Leandro Trossard struck in the 86th minute.

Arteta expecting more from Arsenal signing Eze

But Eze’s goal – his first since he returned to the club in a £60million move from Crystal Palace – already looked like being enough for Arsenal on a night when the 27-year-old was the brightest of Arsenal’s attacking players.

Eze, on £9.3m a year at the Emirates, started on the left of Arsenal’s attack for this match but has already lined up in a number of different positions for Arteta in his five appearances to date.

Arsenal spent the summer looking to add greater depth to the squad as they aim to compete on multiple fronts this term and that showed on the team sheet here as Arteta made nine changes from Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City but still fielded a strong side.

Kepa Arrizabalaga made his debut in goal, Christian Norgaard got a first start in midfield and Bukayo Saka clocked up an hour as he returns from a hamstring injury, with Arteta saying he now had a number of decisions to make ahead of Sunday’s trip to Newcastle.

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“What we need to do… is generate the performances that we want with the players that haven’t really played together, with a completely different midfield than they’ve played together before, with a front line that is different as well,” he said.

“Max [Dowman] came in as well and connect(ed) immediately with the team. It’s a lot of positives to take from the game. That’s exactly what we want, that they’re giving us and me those headaches because that means that they are so connected with the team, that they really want to help the team. Everybody will play a lot of minutes.”

While they are still in the relegation zone, things are starting to look up for West Ham United.

In his first game in the dugout, Nuno Espírito Santo oversaw a spirited fightback that saw the Hammers pick up a point away to Everton.

Moreover, while they lost against Arsenal, they were not blown away as they probably would’ve been under Graham Potter.

However, there is still more to come from the side, and while Jarrod Bowen continues to impress whenever he is on the pitch, another West Ham player could get back to his best and in the process become Nuno’s new Morgan Gibbs-White.

Changes Nuno can make for the next game

While it will take some time for Nuno’s tactical changes and philosophy to really sink into the side, there are a few changes he could make ahead of the next game that may lead to some instant results.

Chalkboard

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

For example, while at his best, he can be a fulcrum for the attack, it might be time for Niclas Füllkrug to be taken out of the team, as he offered no threat whatsoever in the last two games.

Moreover, against the Toffees, he managed to lose ten of his 14 aerial duels, so on top of not worrying opposition defences, he’s also not holding the ball up enough.

Appearances

20

7

Minutes

877′

385′

Goals

3

0

Assists

2

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.25

0.00

Minutes per Goal Involvement

175.4′

N/A

In place of the German, Callum Wilson could be given a start, or if the manager wants to be bold, he might go for an academy player like Callum Marshall or maybe even Josh Landers.

Another change that might be worth making is in the six position, as while Soungoutou Magassa is undoubtedly talented, he is clearly still adapting to the pace and power of the league.

The Frenchman only completed ten passes against the Gunners, lost Declan Rice for the opener, and lost three of four duels.

So, with a home game against Brentford after the international break coming up, it might be the perfect opportunity to hand Freddie Potts his first start for the club, as in his half an hour at the Emirates, he looked reasonably impressive.

However, while these changes might have a moderate impact in the short term, Nuno could see a more significant impact should one of West Ham’s best players rediscover his best form, someone who could become his new Gibbs-White.

The West Ham star who could be Nuno's new Gibbs-White

While Bowen will undoubtedly continue to be the superstar of this team, the player who could end up being a Gibbs-White style star for Nuno is Lucas Paqueta.

The former Lyon gem hasn’t been at his best in every game this season, but when he’s on track and things are going his way, it’s easy to see how he could have a similar impact on the team that the Englishman did at Nottingham Forest.

At his best under his former manager, the Tricky Trees’ talisman was a silky attacking midfielder who was as capable of scoring a sensational goal as he was of creating them for his teammates.

For example, in 38 games last season, totalling 3142 minutes, he racked up a tally of seven goals and ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.23 games, or every 184.82 minutes.

Now, while the Irons’ Brazilian “magician,” as dubbed by journalist Josh Bunting, hasn’t quite hit numbers like that since moving to East London, he has gotten reasonably close before.

For example, in 23/24, he chalked up an impressive tally of eight goals and seven assists in 43 games, totalling 3478 minutes.

That came out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.86 games, or every 231.86 minutes.

Now, if the 28-year-old was able to put up numbers like that in the past, there is no reason he can’t do so again, especially with Nuno in charge, who has a track record of getting more out of his attackers.

​​​​​​​

Finally, the last reason Paqueta could become West Ham’s own Gibbs-White is that, when confident, he is, as talent scout Jacke Kulig puts it, a “pure joy to watch,” and that is how many a Forest fan would likely describe their talismanic midfielder.

Ultimately, this could be a long season for West Ham as they look to get back to their best. However, if the manager can utilise his star midfielder in the same way as his last one, it might not be so bad.

Nuno can drop Fullkrug & Wilson for West Ham's 20-year-old "goalscorer"

The promising youngster could be Nuno’s answer to his Füllkrug & Wilson problem at West Ham.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 9, 2025

Manchester United’s transfer saga with Paul Pogba perfectly sums up the business they’ve conducted within the transfer market over the last couple of seasons.

The Frenchman spent time in the club’s academy before leaving for Juventus on a free transfer in order to try and further his career with valuable minutes elsewhere.

After impressing in Italy, the Red Devils forked out a club-record £89m for his signature back in the summer of 2016, with the midfielder amassing over 225 appearances in his second spell at Old Trafford.

However, his attitude and fitness levels were often brought into question during his six years back in Manchester, before leaving on a free transfer to join the Old Lady for a second time.

Before returning to the Premier League, Pogba won the Golden Boy award – but he’s not alone in achieving such a feat, with numerous other talents doing so while plying their trade at Old Trafford.

The former United players who have won the Golden Boy award

After joining United as a youngster, there’s no surprise that Wayne Rooney claimed the prestigious award, with the attacker reaching incredible levels as a Red Devil.

He still remains as the club’s all-time record goalscorer, but it was his performances in 2004 that saw him claim the award at the tender age of just 18.

The forward made himself a key member of the England international side during such a period after netting three goals in his first nine outings for his country.

The second player to claim the U21 award was Brazilian midfielder Anderson, with the former United star claiming the trophy back in 2008 after his first season in England.

After his switch from Porto, he made 38 appearances across all competitions and cemented himself at the heart of Sir Alex Ferguson’s star-studded side.

Completing the double of the Champions League and Premier League will have no doubt helped his cause – arguably enjoying the dream debut campaign, which was topped off with the Golden Boy award.

The third and final player to achieve such a feat was Anthony Martial, with the Frenchman’s incredible start to life in Manchester a key reason for his success.

The attacker scored on his debut against Liverpool, whilst netting a double on his first start – helping him claim the Premier League’s Player of the Month award for September 2015.

However, no player for the Red Devils has since managed to win the top U21 award, but one player within the ranks looked set to be a contender, given his rise through the ranks.

The Man Utd star who’s becoming the next Pogba

Midfielder Kobbie Mainoo once looked like the future of United, but it’s safe to say his progression has stagnated since the arrival of Ruben Amorim back in November last November.

The Englishman endured a phenomenal rise in 2023/24, becoming a key member of the first-team squad and even being named in the England squad for Euro 2024.

However, he’s failed to start a single one of the club’s Premier League games in 2025/26, with the manager preferring the likes of Casemiro and Manuel Ugarte ahead of him.

Mainoo even requested a loan move away from Old Trafford during the closing stages of the summer window in order to gain valuable game time to aid his progression.

The same can’t be said for centre-back Leny Yoro, with the young French star rapidly becoming one of the club’s most important players during Amorim’s tenure.

He joined the club for a reported £52m in the summer of 2024 – a huge fee for a teenager – but he’s already lived up to expectations, whilst still having a huge future to improve.

Yoro has featured in every single league game of the new season, highlighting his importance to the side, with his underlying stats highlighting his current positive impact.

The centre-back, who’s been labelled “generational” by Statman Dave, has completed 86% of the passes he’s attempted – highlighting his incredible ball-playing ability.

He’s also made an average of 1.4 tackles per 90, whilst winning 75% of the aerial battles he’s entered – arguably being the perfect all-round option at the back despite his tender age.

Games played

7

Minutes played

453

Pass accuracy

86%

Tackles won

1.4

Aerials won

75%

Long ball accuracy

45%

Recoveries made

3.8

Interceptions made

1.8

To further indicate his phenomenal rise at Old Trafford, Yoro was even named as a nominee for the latest Golden Boy award – matching compatriot Pogba in each aspect.

Should he continue on his current trajectory, there’s no reason why the defender can’t help lead United to new heights and lead them back to their glory days.

The sky truly is the limit for the youngster, with Yoro having the world at his feet, which could allow him to achieve anything he wants in his professional career.

Man Utd's "£100m + footballer" is becoming the new Hojlund & it's not Sesko

Manchester United simply must manage one player to prevent a Rasmus Hojlund repeat.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 17, 2025

Aston Villa fans will be glad the football is back doing the main talking again when it comes to their beloved side.

After a turbulent summer saw PSR-related issues trouble their transfer activity, a slow start out of the blocks in the Premier League further piled on the misery.

Thankfully, after a winless six-game stretch of form in both August and early September, Unai Emery’s men have now bounced back with four straight victories collected in all competitions.

Still, after this season is over and done with, Villa will likely have to come to terms with some disastrous casualties, alongside also getting rid of some personnel that won’t irk fans that much at Villa Park.

How Aston Villa can solve their PSR headache

While they haven’t been at their terrifying best so far this season, it goes without saying that keeping both Ollie Watkins and Morgan Rogers at the West Midlands giants this summer was a big relief to the Villans.

After all, even if they have only accumulated three goal contributions between them this campaign so far, losing both star assets would have been disastrous, with a crazy 42 goal contributions picked up in league action between them across the 2024/25 campaign.

Villa will surely have their resolve tested again in the summer when it comes to their standout duo, with Chelsea once touted to be considering a colossal £100m bid for the services of Rogers, a move that would no doubt ease any existing PSR worries.

Meanwhile, Manchester United have also consistently been tipped to make a statement move for the 29-year-old striker, but in the back end of his prime is unlikely to fetch a similar sum.

Not every potential sale will be seen as a demoralising development, however, with Emiliano Buendia perhaps finally getting the move away he desires.

Recent reports suggest that the rejuvenated South American – who recently scored in the Europa League for Emery’s men against Feyenoord – might well be offloaded still to smooth out PSR-related difficulties.

While the ex-Norwich City attacker has managed to turn his up-and-down Villans career around in recent times, there is one figure in Emery’s camp who is seriously on borrowed time as his contract begins to wind down.

Not just Buendia: Emery signing is on borrowed time at Aston Villa

Buendia has miraculously fought back from some very serious injury issues to return to the Spaniard’s first team picture, having been sidelined for a mammoth 56 games courtesy of a cruciate ligament tear.

Ross Barkley might well have been looking at the Argentine midfielder for some inspiration, having had various injury issues of his own to contend with, but he doesn’t look as if he’s capable of a similar resurrection story to the rejuvenated 28-year-old, as he continues to stare his Villa Park exit in the face.

It’s been a sad decline for the former Everton playmaker, with Barkley actually once cutting a refreshed figure pulling on a Villa strip.

He initially joined on loan five years ago and tallied up three league strikes across his debut season in the West Midlands, which included a fierce effort which helped Villa pick up all three points against Leicester City in 2020.

He eventually return for good in the summer of 2024, with an alleged £5m forked out to obtain his services from Luton Town.

At the Hatters, Barkley rediscovered the swagger and vigour that made him such an exciting commodity back in the day at Everton.

Teammate at the time, Andros Townsend, said he was “outstanding”, while Paul Merson claimed that “Barkley is not far off player of the season” when lighting up Kenilworth Road for one season.

Five goals and seven assists came his way but he has struggled to pin down a starting spot since his return to the claret and blue half of Birmingham, as his exit now looks to be on the horizon.

Worryingly, only six minutes of Premier League action has been handed to the ex-England international in 2025/26, with the decision to leave him out of Villa’s Europa League squad entirely only further reinforcing his precarious status in the camp.

Barkley’s numbers at Aston Villa

Stat

Barkley

Games played

54

Goals scored

7

Assists

2

Games missed through injury

33

Wage per week

£60k-per-week

Contract expiry date

June 2026

Sourced by Transfermarkt/Capology

With his contract also expiring next June, and his wage coming in at a high £60k-per-week despite being a reserve presence, it does feel as if it’s a foregone conclusion that Barkley will depart Villa very soon, with his promising first spell at the club now feeling like a lifetime ago.

Related Blow for Emery as £130,000-a-week Aston Villa star's injury worse than first claimed

The Villa star faces a race against time to be fit to play against Spurs.

Posts ByBen Goodwin Oct 13, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur failed to return from the international break in style as they were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa in North London in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Lilywhites did, though, make the perfect start to the match when central midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur fired in the opener in the fifth minute.

Unfortunately, stunning strikes from both Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia, who both fired the ball into the back of the net from the edge of the box, meant that the away side travelled away from London with all three points.

Thomas Frank will be disappointed with the time and space that both players had to get their shots away on the edge of the box, as Spurs players failed to close them down on both occasions from range.

However, the former Brentford head coach should also be disappointed with how his side played in possession, as they failed to pose a consistent threat at the top end of the pitch.

One of the players who failed to produce an impressive performance for the Lilywhites in the final third was former Burnley attacker Wilson Odobert on the left wing.

What Wilson Odobert needs to do to kickstart his Spurs career

The £40k-per-week starlet has so many interesting qualities that suggest that he has the potential to be a star. He’s dynamic, he has great speed, he can take players on in one-on-one situations, he has a terrific first touch.

However, and this is the crucial bit, the end product is not quite there for him yet. Per Sofasore, Odobert completed three of his four attempted dribbles, which is great, but he only created one chance in 79 minutes on the pitch.

The France U21 international was unable to turn his completed dribbles into dangerous situations for Spurs in the final third, as evidenced by his statistics.

As you can see in the table above, Odobert missed the only ‘big chance’ that came his way and only created one chance for this team, which shows that the forward did not do enough with the opportunities that he created for himself by dribbling past defenders.

The next step for him, therefore, to kickstart his Spurs career is to improve his consistency in his end product when he gets into good positions around the opposition’s box to ensure that when he does get into those areas, he makes the right decision, whether that is to shoot, pass, or cross.

Given the lack of natural quality out wide within the Spurs squad, for the left flank, it may make sense to stick with Odobert and be patient with him to hope that the experience of playing week-in-week-out helps him to build consistency in his play.

However, one of the other attackers in the starting XI was even worse than Odobert and should be brutally dropped from the team by Frank, Mathys Tel.

Why Mathys Tel should be dropped

The France U21 international was selected to lead the line ahead of Richarlison for this match, which seemed like a fair call given his recent form. Tel scored in the 2-1 win over Leeds United before the international break, whilst he also scored two goals and registered one assist in two matches for France’s U21s.

There is no doubt that he has quality. He has shown it in flashes, in that win over Leeds and for France, but he is still a young player who is learning and developing, which means that there will also be low moments for him.

Unfortunately, his performance against Aston Villa was one of those low moments, as the former Bayern Munich forward failed to make a positive impact in his hour on the pitch in North London.

He was even worse than Odobert as part of the front three that started the match, as he was unable to even create a chance for his side, whilst his compatriot at least created one ‘big chance’.

As you can see in the table above, the Frenchman was completely ineffective in and out of possession throughout the match, with no shots on target or chances created, and seven of his eight duels lost.

Tel did not provide a threat at the top end of the pitch, as either a scorer or a creator, and he was far too easy to play against for the likes of Ezri Konsa and Pau Torres, who marked him out of the game with relative ease.

The one chance that the 20-year-old star did have to run at the Villa defence, he turned down several opportunities to set up Mohammed Kudus or Rodrigo Bentancur to his right to take Konsa on and was easily stopped by the England international. He had plenty of time to make up his mind and play a pass across, but took too long and did not provide quality in his one-on-one duel with the defender.

Given that Richarlison is Tottenham’s top scorer in the Premier League this season, with three goals to his name, it feels like the right time to drop Tel from the starting line-up after an underwhelming display against the Villans.

Tel, as aforementioned, has quality and can be impactful at his best, but Frank’s job is to ensure that he can provide that quality consistently for Spurs, as that is not the case at the moment.

Unfortunately for Tel, though, Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani are both waiting in the wings to take the number nine position, which means that he cannot afford to have poor performances like this one, hence why the manager must ruthlessly ditch him from the team.

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2

By
Ethan Lamb

Oct 17, 2025

Whereas, with Odobert, there is not a natural and top-quality left-wing option who can be dropped into the side next time out, which is why he may keep his place for now.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain has returned to Arsenal after eight years and has been spotted training with the club's Under-21 side. Oxlade-Chamberlain left the Gunners in 2017 to join Premier League rivals Liverpool, where he spent six years before heading to Besiktas in Turkey. This summer, the versatile midfielder mutually terminated his contract to become a free agent.

Rise to fame at Arsenal

After graduating from Southampton's youth academy, Oxlade-Chamberlain represented the Saints' senior side for a season before catching the eye of legendary former Gunners boss Arsene Wenger, who signed the wide player in 2011. At Arsenal, the now-32-year-old won three FA Cup titles and as many Community Shields during his six-year-long stint at Emirates Stadium. 

The journey came to an end when he was picked up by Jurgen Klopp ahead of the 2017-18 season as the Reds were rebuilding their squad. Oxlade-Chamberlain was among a host of stars, including Mohamed Salah and Andy Robertson, who joined the Merseyside club in that campaign. 

AdvertisementWhy did oxlade-Chamberlain return to Arsenal?

report that Oxlade-Chamberlain has returned to Arsenal after a gap of eight years, as he was spotted in a training session with the Gunners' U21 side on Monday. Oxlade-Chamberlain is currently a free agent after his Besiktas contract was mutually terminated in the summer. Ahead of finding a new home, the experienced operator returned to his former club to continue training and keep himself fit and ready for a fresh challenge.

Why did Oxlade-Chamberlain leave Liverpool?

The England international won five trophies during his time at Anfield, including the Champions League in 2019 and the Premier League in 2020, with his most productive season being the 2019-20 campaign, where he made 43 appearances and scored eight goals.

In an interview with this summer, Oxlade-Chamberlain revealed why he parted ways with the Reds two years ago. He said: "It was never said. I obviously got the picture. I got told before they released the statement: 'Just so you know, we're putting this out about you, Milly, Bobby and Naby leaving'. And I was like, 'Oh, OK. Thanks'. But there was nothing official at any point before. It was just… the silence was enough to know what the situation was. I want to be the best person to everyone around me and a good person to have around the lads, the staff, stuff like that.

"You just expect certain things to be told – whether it's good, bad, whatever, that's how the game goes. The lack of communication was a bit surprising. [He and Klopp] had a good relationship. There was never any falling-out or anything like that. I understand as a manager it's not easy to navigate every player's needs, but when I was playing, I definitely enjoyed him a lot more than when I wasn't even on the bench! But that's how it goes."

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Getty Images SportWhere will Oxlade-Chamberlain head to?

Oxlade-Chamberlain departed Besiktas this summer after just two years in Turkey. The Englishman played under former Manchester United boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, but struggled to make too much of a lasting impact at the club due to constant injury problems.

The 32-year-old midfielder, who is currently without a club, had emerged as a target for a number of English clubs in the summer, including Tom Brady-backed Birmingham City and newly-promoted Premier League club Leeds United, but none of the moves materialised. 

pundits further claimed that the ex-Gunners star could link up with his former colleague Jack Wilshere at Luton Town. Wilshere is in charge of the Hatters, who are currently placed 10th in the League One table with 19 points from 13 matches. The experienced Englishman could be a key addition to Wilshere's squad on a free transfer, as the club aim to finish as high as possible in the third tier this year.

Tottenham Hotspur crashed out of the fourth round of the Carabao Cup last night, losing 2-0 against Eddie Howe’s Newcastle United side at St James’ Park.

Thomas Frank’s men were sunk after two goals from Fabian Schar and Nick Woltemade, subsequently offering very little in return at the opposite end of the pitch.

The Dane will no doubt be disappointed with the defeat, but the nature of it too, especially after being unable to find the back of the net with any of their six shots on target.

Such a defeat crosses off the first opportunity for the new manager to get his hands on a piece of silverware after taking the reins during the off-season.

However, regardless of the result, the performance will be the most infuriating aspect for the boss, with numerous players struggling to take advantage of the start handed their way.

Spurs’ poor performers against Newcastle

Richarlison started the 2025/26 season in excellent fashion, scoring twice on the opening day, but the Brazilian has massively failed to deliver over the last few months.

The 28-year-old started the clash against the Magpies last night, but once again struggled, as seen by his tally of just nine passes completed and one big chance missed.

The centre-forward also failed to complete any of the dribbles, crosses or long balls he attempted – ultimately being hugely wasteful in all aspects of his game.

Richarlison wasn’t alone in failing to deliver, with midfielder Pape Sarr unable to stake his claim for a regular role once again in his first start since the end of September.

The Senegalese international was restricted in his double pivot role with Rodrigo Bentancur, subsequently losing possession on ten separate occasions on Tyneside.

The 23-year-old likes to operate with freedom to allow him to create chaos, something which he was unable to do, as seen by his tally of zero dribbles completed.

Despite the showings from the aforementioned duo, one other Lilywhites star massively struggled against Howe’s side, with Frank needing to drop him from his starting eleven.

The Spurs star who needs to be dropped after Newcastle

Last night’s defeat against Newcastle was just the third competitive defeat of the Frank era at Spurs, but it will no doubt highlight the areas of improvement for the manager.

After replacing Ange Postecoglou in the summer, the 51-year-old was handed over £100m worth of funds to make the changes he required to the first team squad.

Mohammed Kudus was his biggest addition at a staggering £55m, but the Ghanaian was dropped to the substitutes bench and only brought on with 25 minutes remaining.

His tally of one goal and four assists in the Premier League highlights his immediate impact in North London, subsequently nailing down the right-wing position as his own.

As a result, Brennan Johnson has often been limited to minutes off the bench himself, but given Kudus’ rest, the Welshman was handed the chance to start from the off.

It was the 24-year-old’s second start in a row after featuring against Everton on Sunday, but once again, he failed to repay the manager for the faith shown in him.

The winger featured for just 65 minutes against the Magpies before being replaced, subsequently showcasing his lack of positive impact on the pitch.

Minutes played

65

Touches

28

Passes completed

11

Crosses completed

0

Shots on target

0

Ground duels lost

100%

Possession lost

14x

Fouls committed

1

He only achieved a total of 28 touches during the defeat – a tally fewer than goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky, who managed 50 – whilst also completing just 11 passes.

Johnson also attempted four crosses on Tyneside, but none of which were able to find a teammate – but he also struggled to have an individual impact as he failed to register a single shot on target.

Other tallies, such as 100% ground duels lost and 14 times possession lost, further indicate his struggles, with Frank desperately needing to drop him from his starting eleven.

To top off his dismal night, Johnson was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by The Standard’s Matt Verri – further showcasing how disappointing he was during his 65-minute showing.

The manager will no doubt be hugely disappointed with the Welshman’s inability to impress, with the Dane certainly needing to drop him against Chelsea on Saturday.

Kudus has certainly cemented such a position within the Lilywhites squad, with Johnson now needing to get used to limited minutes off the bench.

Forget Kudus: Spurs star is rapidly becoming one of the "best in the world"

Tottenham Hotspur now have a world-class talent on their books under Thomas Frank.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 29, 2025