2019 is a poignant year for Tottenham. It’s the year they reached the Champions League final and rather shockingly, the same year Mauricio Pochettino was given the boot.

For all of the outstanding work Pochettino did in north London, turning the likes of Dele Alli and Harry Kane into genuine stars, he left the Lilywhites behind having not won a trophy.

So, what did Levy do? He went and hired one of the most successful managers of the 21st century; Jose Mourinho.

The self-proclaimed Special One has been there and got the t-shirt as far as English football is concerned. He’s a multiple Premier League winner, and a multiple FA Cup winner. He’s even won the Champions League.

Surely he was going to help Spurs earn the trophy they were craving? Think again. It all ended in tears.

Mourinho lasted just 86 games with a points-per-match record of 1.77, the third worst of his career. That rather said it all.

Mourinho's first transfers at Spurs

Entering in November of 2019, it wasn’t until January 2020 that the great Portuguese coach got the chance to welcome his own players to the capital.

It wasn’t the most rip-roaring start to proceedings, bringing Giovani Lo Celso and Steven Bergwijn to the club. The duo only just left Spurs in the summer but did so having not played very much football.

The summer of 2020 was a tad more promising though. Despite a world ravaged by the global pandemic, he welcomed two faces to the club from Real Madrid.

Mourinho was the one to entice Gareth Bale back to English football, welcoming the Welshman back on a loan deal. Bale was rather forced out of Madrid despite several years of wonderful service, scoring in a Champions League final and winning three LaLiga crowns.

He wasn’t the only player arriving from the Spanish capital, however. Left-back Sergio Reguilon joined and initially started very well in Spurs colours.

Indeed, analyst Raj Chohan admitted that the Spaniard was “unstoppable” at points, notably after a first-class assist for Bale’s goal against Brighton in a 2-1 win.

Remarkably, via loan spells at Atletico Madrid, Manchester United and Brentford, he is still on the books at Tottenham.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Why it's time for Reguilon to go

It’s now been four years, some might say arduous years since Reguilon first arrived under the tutelage of Mourinho.

In that first campaign, he proved to be an excellent acquisition, supplying five assists in all competitions from the left-hand side of defence.

Reguilon’s Spurs career by season
Season	Games	Goals	Assists
2020/21	27	0	3
2021/22	31	2	3
2022/23	0	0	0
2023/24	0	0	0
2024/25	0	0	0
Stats via Transfermarkt.

In 2021/22, he still impressed in the final third, scoring twice and assisting three goals but he ultimately wasn’t fancied by a ruthless and no-nonsense Antonio Conte who shipped out on loan in 2022/23. Since then, the 27-year-old has struggled to ever really catch the eye.

United only signed him on loan because of a lack of fit left-backs and that deal was cancelled in January 2024. Brentford did come calling and he featured regularly but it wasn’t enough to force himself into Ange Postecoglou’s plans.

Reguilon – who earns £53k-per-week – is still on the books at Spurs but is simply stealing a living at this point.

He’s not played a single minute all season and for the good of everyone, he surely has to leave in the January transfer window. Although he is named in the club’s 25-man Premier League squad, he was omitted from their Europa League squad list.

The Spaniard has gone from being an unstoppable asset during the days of Mourinho to someone with no chance of ever earning minutes again at Spurs. The only good thing for the Londoners is that he is actually out of contract next summer. An end, it would seem, is finally in sight.

Time's up: Spurs can finally axe Dragusin by signing "immense" £68m star

The exceptional star would be incredible for Spurs as a Radu Dragusin replacement.

2

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 11, 2024

Tottenham Hotspur have an unseen teenage sensation who’s “just like” young forward Mikey Moore, which bodes well for manager Ange Postecoglou considering just how impressive the latter has been when given an opportunity.

Mikey Moore praised for Tottenham displays this season

It’s been a landmark season for Moore so far, who has been handed a fair few chances to impress by Postecoglou over the early stages of 2024/2025.

Levy sets price as sources close to Tottenham star await Man United bid

The Red Devils are apparently pretty keen.

3 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 21, 2024

The 17-year-old was handed a Premier League start in Spurs’ 1-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park, alongside cameos off the bench against Brentford, Man United and Brighton, but the Europa League is where Moore has turned the most heads.

His very impressive displays against Ferencvaros and Dutch giants AZ Alkmaar, where he started both encounters, earned Moore plenty of praise – with teammate James Maddison even comparing the teenager to Neymar.

Man City vs Tottenham

November 23

Tottenham vs Fulham

December 1

Bournemouth vs Tottenham

December 5

Tottenham vs Chelsea

December 8

Southampton vs Tottenham

December 15

“From minute 45 to 65 I thought we had Neymar on the left wing. He was brilliant. Just demanding the ball and fearless,” said Maddison on Moore to TNT Sports, after his performance against AZ.

“[He has] that young, fearless mentality and you never want to take that away from him. He’s a young kid, a brilliant lad, a lovely boy. He takes in information, and he’s got bags of ability, so I’ll be there as an older player, hopefully with some wise words to help along the way.

Statistics

Tally

Minutes played

88

Touches

54

Passes completed

29/36 (81%)

Shots taken

3

Dribbles attempted

4

Aerials won

1/1 (100%)

Touches in opposition box

6

“He’s got all the ability. It’s just about knuckling down and working hard, which he does to be fair to him.”

Moore has been called a £200 million sensation in the making, and while Postecoglou was quick to shoot down comparisons with Neymar, it is safe to say that the England Under-19 international could have a pretty big future ahead of him.

Pundit hails Tottenham teenager Luca Williams-Barnett who's "just like" Moore

However, according to academy expert and pundit John Wenham, another youngster who supporters should watch out for is Luca Williams-Barnett.

The 16-year-old is on fire for Spurs’ Under-18s right now, bagging nine goals and four assists in eight league outings so far this season, and Wenham has told Tottenham News that Williams-Barnett is “just like” Moore. Not only that, but Wenham also states that Williams-Barnett is becoming a “bit of a cheat code”.

“Williams-Barnett’s goal contributions are incredibly similar to what Moore was doing,” Wenham said.

“A lot of supporters would say that having Moore was like having a cheat code when the forward was playing with the Under-18s.

“And I’d say that just like Moore, Williams-Barnett is also becoming a bit of a cheat code.”

Ruben Amorim has made an unbeaten start to life at Manchester United, yet the Portuguese’s toughest test lies in store this evening, with the Red Devils travelling to north London to face a resurgent Arsenal side.

In truth, the Emirates has not been a happy hunting ground for the Old Trafford outfit in recent times, having last tasted victory at the stadium back in January 2019, following a 3-1 win in the FA Cup. Their last Premier League victory at the Emirates came even further back, in December 2017, under a certain Jose Mourinho.

It is still early days in the Amorim tenure, but a win away against the Gunners could well be a season-defining one. The Manchester side had come agonisingly close to beating Mikel Arteta’s men last season, only for Alejandro Garnacho to be deemed narrowly offside.

While it may have been a VAR call at the London Stadium which proved the ultimate undoing for Erik ten Hag, the Dutchman – as he so often did – perhaps looks back to that offside call as a pivotal turning point in his reign. What might have been.

Alas, in the here and now, United need to get points on the board to bolster their charge for the top four, although Amorim – like Ten Hag before him – may find his task has become far tougher due to notable absentees.

Man Utd team news vs Arsenal

The Red Devils suffered two significant setbacks during the convincing win over Everton last time out, with both Kobbie Mainoo and Lisandro Martinez picking up yellow cards to ensure they will miss the trip to the capital due to suspension.

Man Utd starting XI – last trip to Emirates

03/09/2023 – Arsenal 3-1 Man Utd

GK – Andre Onana

RB – Aaron Wan-Bissaka

CB – Victor Lindelof

CB – Lisandro Martinez

LB – Diogo Dalot

CM – Casemiro

CM – Christian Eriksen

RW – Antony

CAM – Bruno Fernandes

LW – Marcus Rashford

ST – Anthony Martial

In the case of Martinez, Amorim seemingly had a ready-made replacement in the form of the returning Luke Shaw, although after three successive substitute appearances for the Englishman, he has once again broken down with injury.

The 29-year-old revealed he was ‘devastated’ to once again be absent, although patience is perhaps wearing thin with the long-serving asset, having last started a game for the club back in February.

On a positive note, Leny Yoro is included in the matchday squad for the first time since sustaining a metatarsal injury against the Gunners, ironically, during pre-season, although there is concern over the availability of the club’s Player of the Month, Noussair Mazraoui.

As per the Manchester Evening News, the Moroccan sensation ‘wasn’t spotted travelling down to London’, ensuring that doubt has been cast over his involvement.

That potential scare – alongside the confirmed absence of Shaw and Martinez – has left Amorim with a problem to be solved at the heart of the defence.

Man Utd's defensive set-up vs Arsenal

Up against a side who have scored 13 goals in just their last three games in all competitions, it is far from ideal for United to have to deploy what looks set to be something of a makeshift or untested backline. The loss of Mazraoui – who has been a “10/10 every game” of late – would be devastating.

Chalkboard

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

Expand Collapse

While the aforementioned Yoro is now back in the squad, it would be a surprise to see the Frenchman – who arrived from Lille over the summer – thrust straight into the starting lineup, with the teenager’s return needing to be carefully managed.

In truth, the only guaranteed starter is likely to be fellow new arrival, Matthijs de Ligt, although there is a chance that Harry Maguire could well join him in the back three, following the England star’s own injury return against the Toffees.

With an ageing Jonny Evans also not seemingly involved and with Amorim’s former Benfica teammate, Victor Lindelof, still likely to be sidelined, senior options are slim.

A back three involving Maguire and De Ligt may have supporters wincing, although there is an outside chance that the new boss could spring a surprise, with 16-year-old Godwill Kukonki having been included in the travelling matchday squad for the first time.

Throwing the 6 foot 5 sensation into the fray would be a brave call, yet with options limited, it could be a chance for the academy starlet to shine, having evidently impressed his manager in first-team training.

There are alternative options, such as throwing Manuel Ugarte and Casemiro into the backline, but with Mainoo sidelined – and Christian Eriksen not even making the bench at the weekend – that pairing will likely be needed to start in central midfield.

Not ideal then for a game such as this, with an already tough task for Amorim having been made even tougher. This really will be a test of just what this United side is made of…

Related Amorim must unleash "unbelievable" Man Utd star who's their very own Saka

Manchester United are looking to maintian their unbeaten run under new boss Ruben Amorim.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Dec 4, 2024

Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke is hoping to continue his trend of never going more than two seasons without earning a promotion from the Championship.

In three seasons in the second tier with Norwich City earlier in his career, the German boss won two league titles to secure multiple promotions up to the Premier League.

The former Borussia Monchengladbach boss failed to achieve his goal in his first year at Elland Road, losing to Southampton in the play-off final, but can keep up his 50% rate by getting the team up this time.

Leeds are currently third in the Championship table and a win against Swansea on Saturday could send them to first place if results go their way, as they are only two points behind Sunderland and Sheffield United in the automatic promotion spots.

Farke still has his team competing at the top end of the table despite losing several of his key players in the summer transfer window earlier this year.

Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Glen Kamara, and Archie Gray all moved on permanently, joining West Ham, Brighton, Rennes, and Tottenham respectively.

Crysencio Summerville's Championship form for Leeds

The Leeds winger was the best player in the Championship during the 2023/24 campaign and played a huge role in the team’s run to the play-off final.

He won the Championship Player of the Season and the PFA Championship Player of the Year awards for his efforts last term, which shows that pundits and players alike deemed him to be the best of the best.

Summerville earned those awards after a phenomenal return of 19 goals and nine assists in 43 appearances in the regular season in the second tier, which shows that he made a big impact as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the West Yorkshire outfit.

The 23-year-old star created 17 ‘big chances’ for his teammates and finished the regular season with an xA tally of 12.53. This suggests that his teammates let him down with their wasteful finishing in front of goal, as he was only rewarded with nine assists for his terrific creativity.

Goals

19

1st

Big chances created

17

2nd

Assists

9

2nd

Key passes per game

2.6

1st

Dribbles completed

101

2nd

As you can see in the table above, he was incredibly important to Farke’s attack with his contributions as a dribbler, a scorer, and a creator from a left wing position.

After Leeds failed to earn promotion back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, West Ham United swooped in to sign Summerville from the Whites for a reported fee of £25m plus add-ons.

Summerville was far from the first electric left winger the club has had on their books, though, as former starlet Jack Clarke could have been their original version of the Dutch sensation, had he stayed at Elland Road.

How much Leeds sold Jack Clarke for

The English forward came up through the ranks at Thorp Arch and scored two goals in 22 Championship matches for Marcelo Bielsa in his breakthrough year at senior level in the 2018/19 campaign.

Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur then snapped him up for a reported fee of £10m in the summer of 2019 before sending him back to Leeds on loan, which ended after one Championship appearance in the first half of the season.

After spells on loan with QPR, Stoke, and Sunderland, Clarke eventually signed for the Black Cats on a permanent deal in the summer of 2022 and thrived on Wearside.

In his two full seasons in the Championship with Sunderland, in the 2022/23 and 2023/24 campaigns, the English wizard showcased his ability to make things happen on a regular basis at the top end of the pitch.

Appearances

45

40

Goals

9

15

Assists

11

4

Big chances created

7

12

Dribbles completed per game

2.0

3.7

As you can see in the table above, Clarke, who was hailed as “unplayable” by pundit Adrian Clarke, produced goals and assists at an impressive rate.

These statistics show that the winger went on to become an electric right-footed left winger at Championship level, cutting in on from the left with devastating effect for Sunderland, just as Summerville did at Elland Road.

Therefore, Clarke – if Victor Orta had not cashed in on him in the summer of 2019 – could have developed into the club’s original Summerville, before they had even signed the young whiz from Feyenoord.

How much Jack Clarke is worth now

His form for Sunderland in the second tier attracted interest from top-flight clubs and Ipswich Town swooped in to secure a £20m deal for the speedster earlier this year.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast's Where Are They Now series.

This means that his value doubled from the time Leeds decided to cash in on him to the recent summer transfer window, which suggests that the Whites had a howler by moving him on when they did.

Clarke and Summerville have now both moved on from Championship football and have both found life slightly difficult since making the jump up to the Premier League, with Ipswich and West Ham respectively.

Appearances

9

10

Starts

3

3

Goals

0

1

Assists

1

0

Big chances created

1

1

As you can see in the table above, the pair have combined for two direct goal contributions in 19 appearances and six starts in the top-flight for their respective clubs.

They have not been able to translate their stunning form from the Championship over to the Premier League as of yet, but they are both 23 and still have plenty of time left to develop and improve to prove themselves at that level.

Meanwhile, Leeds will be hoping that Largie Ramazani, who has scored three goals in six league starts this season, can emerge as the club’s next electric forward after his move from Almeria in the summer.

Including Bamford: The three Leeds players Farke must cash in on in January

The Leeds United head coach must consider cashing in all three of these players.

ByDan Emery Nov 16, 2024

رفض نادي أوساسونا رفع راية الاستسلام فيما يخص الشكوى التي تقدم بها ضد نظيره برشلونة فيما يخص مشاركة اللاعب إينيجو مارتينيز، في مباراتهما نهاية شهر مارس الماضي.

وتلاقى الفريقان في مباراة مؤجلة على ملعب “مونتجويك” في بطولة الدوري الإسباني، حيث فاز برشلونة بثلاثة أهداف دون رد.

واعترض أوساسونا على مشاركة إينيجو مارتينيز في تلك المباراة رفقة برشلونة، بحجة عدم المدة القانونية الموضوعة من جانب الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم.

وتم استبعاد إينيجو مارتينيز من معسكر منتخب إسبانيا، في شهر مارس الماضي خلال فترة التوقف الدولي، بسبب الإصابة.

وتشير إحدى قوانين فيفا إلى ضرورة مرور 5 أيام على آخر مباراة في التوقف الدولي، قبل مشاركة اللاعب المصاب رفقة ناديه.

ولم يطبق برشلونة تلك المادة على إينيجو مارتينيز، حسب رؤية أوساسونا، مما استوجب تقدمهم بشكوى، تم رفضها بشكل رسمي اليوم.

ورأت لجنة المسابقات في الاتحاد الملكي الإسباني لكرة القدم أنه لم يكن هناك أي مخالفة من جانب برشلونة، حيث تم تنفيذ عملية انسحاب اللاعب بشكل صحيح ووفقًا للوائح.

اقرأ أيضًا.. فليك يترك الباب مواربًا بشأن مستقبله مع برشلونة ويتجاهل التركيز على ريال مدريد

ولكن نادي أوساسونا أبدى غضبه الشديد في بيان جديد، اليوم الجمعة، حيث قال: “تلقينا صباح اليوم إخطارًا من جانب لجنة المسابقات بقرار رفض الطعن المقدم بشأن مشاركة إينيجو مارتينيز لاعب برشلونة في مباراتنا يوم 17 مارس، وفي ضوء قرار لجنة المسابقات، نبدي الملاحظات التالية:

1- تنص المادة 5 من الملحق 1 من لوائح فيفا على ما يلي: “لا يحق للاعب الذي يستدعيه اتحاده لأحد فرقه، ما لم يوافق الاتحاد المعني على خلاف ذلك، اللعب للنادي الذي ينتمي إليه خلال فترة إجازته أو التي من المفترض أن تستمر، وفقًا لأحكام هذا الملحق، بالإضافة إلى فترة خمسة أيام إضافية”.

ومن المؤكد أن هذه الأيام الخمسة لم تكن قد انقضت وقت مشاركة إينيجو مارتينيز في المباراة مع برشلونة، وبناءً على ذلك استندت لجنة المسابقات في قرارها إلى عبارة “ما لم يوافق الاتحاد المعني على خلاف ذلك”.

مع ذلك، فإن البلاغ الصادر عن الاتحاد الملكي الإسباني لكرة القدم بتاريخ 17 مارس بشأن انسحاب إينيجو مارتينيز من المنتخب الإسباني يقتصر على إجازة طبية، ويتضمن معلومات طبية تمثل سبب الانسحاب ومبرره.

لذلك، نرى أن الانسحاب لا يستند إلى “اتفاق” مع الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم، بل إلى مجرد إجازة طبية للاعب.

2- ينص قرار لجنة المسابقات على أنه “في هذه الحالة، يوافق الاتحاد على مغادرة اللاعبين معسكر التدريب دون أي قيود، وإصداره شهادة الانسحاب لاحقًا، ومن ثم عدم تطبيق هذه القاعدة المُحظورة، مع العلم أنه بإمكانهم اللعب لناديهم”.

لا نوافق على أن الإعلان المذكور سلفًا يتضمن “إشعارًا ضمنيًا بنية الاتحاد الإسباني عدم تطبيق القاعدة”.

ومن ثم، فإن الأمر الواضح والموضوعي والملموس هو البلاغ الصريح، الذي لم يتضمن أي إشارة إلى “السماح للاعبين بمغادرة معسكر التدريب دون فرض أي نوع من القيود”.

ولم تتم الإشارة إلى ذلك لا في البيان العام المنشور على موقع الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم، ولا في المراسلات التي تلقاها ناديا أوساسونا وبرشلونة في 17 مارس الماضي بشأن غياب لاعبيهما برايان سرقسطة وإينيجو مارتينيز لأسباب طبية.

3- يؤكد قرار لجنة المسابقات ببساطة أن الخدمات الطبية للمنتخب الوطني قد صدقت على المعلومات الطبية التي قدمها برشلونة، دون تقديم أي تفاصيل إضافية.

ونرى أن الظروف الطبية المحيطة بهذه القضية ذات أهمية خاصة، نظرًا لأن غياب اللاعب عن الفريق لأسباب طبية وتعافيه السريع هو ما يستلزم مشاركته في مباراة الدوري.

ولذلك، نرى أنه من المناسب تناول هذه المسألة بمزيد من التفصيل أكثر من قرار لجنة المسابقات.

ووفقًا للملف الذي اطلعنا عليه، وافقت الخدمات الطبية للمنتخب الوطني على أن إينيجو مارتينيز لن يحضر إلى المقر في لاس روزاس للخضوع للفحص الطبي الإلزامي، حيث أكد برشلونة أنه سيجري اختبارات على اللاعب عند وصوله إلى النادي بعد مباراة أتلتيكو مدريد في الليجا.

في الواقع، أرسلنا برايان سرقسطة إلى لاس روزاس يوم الإثنين 17 مارس، لأنه لم يتمكن من ضمان إجراء هذه الاختبارات الإضافية في بامبلونا في الوقت المناسب، لذلك من المدهش أن التقرير الطبي لـ برشلونة، المدرج في الملف والمصدق عليه من قِبل الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم، مؤرخ في 16 مارس، وهو التاريخ الذي انتهت فيه مباراته ضد أتلتيكو مدريد في نفس اليوم، الساعة 11:00 مساءً، وأنه أُرسل عبر البريد الإلكتروني إلى الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم الساعة 2:33 صباحًا يوم 17 مارس، دون أي ذكر للفحوصات الإضافية، والتي لم تُدرج أيضًا في الملف.

ولا يوجد حتى أي ذكر في الملف أو في قرار المسابقة لإجراء مثل هذه الفحوصات، التي طلبها رئيس الخدمات الطبية في الاتحاد الإسباني لكرة القدم، كما أن التقرير الطبي لا يتضمن أي تفاصيل.

وأخيرًا، نعرب عن تعجبنا من تعليق نادي برشلونة القائل بأنه “من غير اللائق بناديٍ بتاريخ نادي أوساسونا إثارة شكوكٍ حول احتمالية الاحتيال”، في حين أنه من المنطقي تمامًا إثارة شكوكٍ جدية في ضوء الحقائق المذكورة.

ومن المثير للدهشة أن هذا التعليق، على الرغم من سخريته وخلوه من المضمون، يصدر عن أشخاصٍ يفترض بهم مراجعة تصرفاتهم خلال الفترة الأخيرة من تاريخ نادي برشلونة.

وبالنظر إلى رفضنا القرار المعلن عنه اليوم، سنتقدم باستئناف لدى لدى لجنة الاستئناف التابعة للاتحاد الملكي الإسباني لكرة القدم، وهي جهة مشاركة بوضوح في القضية المذكورة.

Everything you need to know about Sadio Mane's salary playing for Saudi side Al Nassr

Ever since his move from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, Sadio Mane has become an important player at the Saudi Pro League club Al Nassr.

The former Liverpool star has developed a lethal partnership playing alongside Real Madrid and Manchester United icon Cristiano Ronaldo and just like the Portuguese attacker, Mane is on incredible wages playing in Saudi.

But exactly how much does the Senegalese earn playing for Al Nassr? Let's find out!

GOAL delved into the numbers from Capology and found out!

*

Sadio Mane's salary in numbers

Under the terms of his contract at Al Nassr, Mane earns about £644,987 ($833,033), per week while his annual salary scales over £33 million ($43m).

This makes the Sengelase the second top earner at the club after a certain Portuguese.

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual wages USD

Sadio Mane

Senegalese

£644,987

$833,033

£33,539,324

$43,331,736

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTop earners at Al Nassr

As it stands, Cristiano Ronaldo sits undisputedly at the top of the Al Nassr wage bill with an astronomical salary, followed by Mane who has also been an important player for the Saudi side.

At number three comes in former Manchester City centre-back Aymeric Laporte, while Croatian midfielder Marcelo Brozovic and recent signing Jhon Duran acquire the fourth and fifth spot in the list.

Top 5 highest paid players at Al Nassr

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual wages USD

Crisitiano Ronaldo

Portuguese

£3,224,935

$4,166,513

£164,696,622

$216,658,680

Sadio Mane

Senegalese

£644,987

$833,303

£33,539,324

$43,331,736

Aymeric Laporte

Spanish

£395,055

$510,398

£20,542,836

$26,540,688

Marcelo Brozovic

Croatian

£390,217

$504,398

£20,291,291

$26,215,700

Jhon Duran

Colombian

£329,105

$504,148

£17,113,440

$22,110,018

Top earners in Saudi Pro League

Just like the Al Nassr wage bill, Ronaldo maintains his position at the top even when it comes to the overall wage bill across the league.

Following him is his former Real Madrid team-mate Karim Benzema.

At third comes Al Ahli's Riyad Mahrez, while Senegal internationals Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly acquire the final two spots respectively.

Top 5 highest paid players in the Saudi Pro League

Player

Club

Weekly wages GBP

Weekly wages USD

Annual wages GBP

Annual wages USD

Cristiano Ronaldo

Al Nassr

£3,224,935

$4,166,513

£167,696,622

$216,658,460

Karim Benzema

Al Ittihad

£1,612,468

$2,083,57

£83,848,311

$108,329,340

Riyad Mahrez

Al Ahli

£841,708

$1,087,460

£43,768,818

$56,547,915

Sadio Mane

Al Nassr

£644,987

$833,303

£433,539,324

$43,331,736

Kalidou Koulibaly

Al Hilal

£559,526

$722,890

£25,095,364

$37,590,281

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Al-NassrHighest paid players in the world

The top earners in Saudi defenitely earn insane sums of money in the league, but how do they fare in the highest-paid players across the world? Well, it turns out that the top five of the Saudi Pro League are also the top earners across the footballing world, even leaving behind some of the best and oldest clubs from Europe.

Top 5 highest paid players in the world

Player

Nationality

Weekly wages in GBP

Weekly wages in USD

Annual wages in GBP

Annual wages in USD

Cristiano Ronaldo

Portuguese

£3,224,935

$4,166,513

£167,696,622

$216,658,680

Karim Benzema

French

£1,612,468

$2,083,257

£83,848,311

$108,329,340

Riyadh Mahrez

Algerian

£841,708

$1,087,460

43,768,818

$56,547,915

Sadio Mane

Senegalese

£644,987

$833,303

£33,539,324

$43,331,736

Kalidou Koulibaly

Senegalese

£559,526

$722,890

£29,095,364

$37,590,281

Leeds United closed the gap on leaders Sunderland to just two points at the top of the Championship table, following Saturday’s deserved 2-0 victory over a struggling Queen’s Park Rangers side at Elland Road.

It wasn’t all plain-sailing for Daniel Farke’s men – with it taking until the 95th minute for the victory to truly be sealed – yet the Yorkshire side’s quality simply shone through in the end, having bounced back impressively following the midweek defeat to Millwall.

Goals from Jayden Bogle and Joel Piroe proved the difference in the end, with the Whites heading into the international break in a strong position in their desperate pursuit of automatic promotion.

With a two-week break now on the cards, Farke can reflect on this latest showing, with a number of performances – both good and bad – having given the German plenty of food for thought moving forward.

Leeds' best performers vs QPR

A word must, of course, be said for the man who opened the scoring, with Bogle firing home off the crossbar following a chaotic, penalty box scramble after just 19 minutes.

That early strike set the tone for who was a standout, all-round display for the former Sheffield United man, as he provided a real outlet in his advanced, right-back berth, having also provided three key passes and completed five of his seven attempted dribbles, while winning eight ground duels to boot, as per Sofascore.

Elsewhere, it proved another fine day in the midfield ranks for the pairing of Ao Tanaka and Joe Rothwell, with the duo both taking over 90 touches of the ball as they sought to dictate proceedings, while also enjoying a 94% and 93% pass accuracy rate, respectively.

Key stats – Leeds vs QPR
Stat	Highest ranking
Most touches	Struijk (109)
Highest pass accuracy	Rothwell & Solomon (94%)
Most key passes	Bogle & Aaronson (3)
Ground duels won	Bogle (8)
Aerial duels won	Sam Field (4)
Most tackles	Jimmy Dunne (6)
Successful dribbles	Bogle (5)
Shots on target	Bogle (2)
Possession lost	Byram & Nardi (19x)
Stats via Sofascore

While things didn’t quite click into gear ahead of those two new arrivals, the aforementioned Piroe did make the most of his late cameo after producing a delightful, poked finish past the onrushing Paul Nardi – the Dutchman taking his tally to six for the season in the second tier.

For all those positives, however, one player who deserves to come under the microscope is Manor Solomon, with the on-loan winger again flattering to deceive down the left.

Leeds' worst performer vs QPR

Aside from a brief spell at Fulham in which he once scored in five successive games for the Cottagers while on loan from Shakhtar Donetsk, life in English football hasn’t been particularly kind to the Israeli international so far.

After a season wrecked by injury at Tottenham Hotspur in 2023/24 – in which he was restricted to just six appearances under Ange Postecoglou – the 25-year-old has since endured a mixed beginning in Yorkshire, with just one assist to show for his efforts.

Again, a hamstring injury earlier in the campaign may have been a factor in his lowly return, yet as CBS’ Jake Winderman stated, the diminutive talent simply “does not look sharp”, whether he is carrying an injury or not.

Perhaps, Farke and co will be questioning the wisdom of bringing in the winger on a temporary basis from Spurs, with it having been yet another ineffectual attacking display, as he failed to provide a single key pass, while also failing to successfully complete a single dribble.

The struggling star did enjoy a 94% pass accuracy prior to being replaced by Daniel James in the closing stages, although he also lost the ball on nine occasions from his 45 touches, with Leeds Live’s Beren Cross – who awarded him a 5/10 match rating – writing that he ‘did not do a huge amount to hurt QPR’.

There was, of course, his well-taken strike that was ultimately disallowed for offside, yet Solomon seemingly did not do enough to warrant keeping his starting berth ahead of that man James.

In truth, his performance may be somewhat overshadowed by the eventual scoreline and heroics of Bogle and Piroe, but that’s not to say he shouldn’t still find himself out of the starting lineup for the trip to Swansea City on 24 November.

Journalist shares what he's heard out of Leeds on Manor Solomon's future

He’s yet to score for the club…

1

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 8, 2024

What are some of the contests that could decide the outcome of the Test series?

Andrew McGlashan02-Mar-2022Shaheen Shah Afridi vs everyoneHasan Ali has an injury. Haris Rauf has Covid. Shaheen Shah Afridi was vital to Pakistan’s chances anyway, but that has only increased in recent days. It is remarkable to think he is still only 21. He was the leading quick bowler in Test cricket during 2021 with 47 wickets at 17.06. Australia had a brief taste of his rapid, late swing during the T20 World Cup – albeit with the white ball – when a stunning opening over removed Aaron Finch and very nearly Mitchell Marsh although they, and more specifically, Matthew Wade had the final say. In these Tests, his early duels with David Warner could be key: Afridi averages 18.34 against left handers. Warner has a phenomenal record against Pakistan (he averages 108.40) and was savage on them during the 2019-2020 series in Australia but Afridi has grown over those intervening two years. The issue for Pakistan will be that it can’t be all on Afridi’s shoulders.Related

Australia, depleted Pakistan prepare for dive into the unknown

A chance for Pakistan cricket to make the most powerful off-field statement

'It's about ticking off facing pace bowling' – Steven Smith prepares for recovery from concussion

Haris Rauf ruled out of first Test against Australia after testing positive for Covid-19

Cameron Green's international education gets first overseas test

Can the short ball work to Smith?The last time Australia played overseas during the 2019 Ashes, Steven Smith produced one of the finest series of all time with 774 runs at 110.57. Since then, however, he has averaged 36.86 from 14 Tests with just a single century against India. Some of that has been attributed to the sickening blow he took from Jofra Archer at Lord’s, although he made a double century on his return from concussion. There has certainly been a concerted approach to bowl short at the body since then – a tactic well-executed by Neil Wagner in 2019-2020 – which has also kept his scoring rate down. Since October 1, 2019, Smith has fallen 10 times to deliveries logged as short-of-a-good-length or short in ESPNcricinfo’s data. However, there have been other plans that have worked well, too, including R Ashwin’s approach and a heavy leg-side field set by India. Afridi has the pace to potentially trouble Smith with the short delivery, but Pakistan will have to be wary of bowling him into the ground and the likelihood of playing three quicks (more on the balance of the side below) may also limit being able to have operate in lengthy short-ball spells.Mohammad Rizwan could be important against Nathan Lyon•Getty Images/AFPBabar Azam vs Josh HazlewoodBabar Azam is a wonderful batter, but few have troubled him like Josh Hazlewood who has claimed him six times (the next most is three dismissals to the same bowler). It does need noting that four of those came early in Babar’s career on the 2016-17 tour of Australia and on the previous tour in 2019-2020 he left a mark with a century in Brisbane and 97 in Adelaide although Hazlewood removed him twice. Australia always target the opposition captain and if Hazlewood can keep a hold over Babar it could be a major factor in the series. Although Babar has remained a consistent run-scorer in recent times, it is 11 Tests since he has scored a century. Hazlewood is not actually an incumbent in the side after missing most of the Ashes with a side strain but it would be a huge surprise if he did not return.The approach against Nathan LyonOne of the big decisions Australia need to make is around the balance of their attack. It would seem likely that Nathan Lyon will be lone the specialist spinner for the first Test at least and how Pakistan go about playing him could be a key feature. Although Australia now have the benefit of a five-strong attack with Cameron Green, there will likely be occasions when Pat Cummins will want to lock Lyon in from one end. Two important figures in Pakistan’s batting order in this regard will be Fawad Alam and Mohammad Rizwan who are both excellent players of spin. Fawad’s Test career is remarkable in many ways with an 11-year gap shortly after a century on debut and now he has five hundreds in just 15 matches. Rizwan, meanwhile, has only been dismissed once by a spinner in Test cricket.Australia’s all-round advantageThe injury to Faheem Ashraf removes one of the key match-ups, at least for the first Test, with Green and leaves Australia with a much stronger all-round option to balance their side. Pakistan have called up Iftikhar Ahmed, who has played three Tests, and the uncapped Mohammad Wasim jnr, but neither have the pedigree of Ashraf who averages 35.11 with the bat and can both chip in with wickets and take pressure off the specialist bowlers. This is Green’s first international series overseas but he comes off an Ashes where his bowling came to the fore and then he found form with the bat in the latter stages.

Australia managed just one wicket on the opening day of the series

Tristan Lavalette04-Mar-2022

Imam-ul-Haq leaps in celebration on reaching his hundred•AFP/Getty Images

Recalled opener Imam-ul-Haq justified his selection in style with a brilliant maiden Test century to lead a disciplined Pakistan into early control of the series opener, as Australia’s pace-heavy attack toiled in batting-friendly conditions in Rawalpindi.Getting the nod over Shan Masood in a seemingly borderline call, Imam made a statement and signified a calculated Pakistan batting effort after the hosts won a crucial toss and elected to bat on a flat pitch. An indefatigable Imam, nephew of Pakistan great Inzamam-ul-Haq, batted through the opening day and finished with 132 off 271 balls while veteran Azhar Ali was unbeaten on 64 from 165 balls.Imam started cautiously with just seven runs off his first 41 balls but crucially blunted a full-strength Australian attack featuring star quick Josh Hazlewood in place of cult favourite Scott Boland, who could consider himself unlucky after snaring 18 wickets at just 9.55 in his first three Tests.Imam showcased a stout defence but he mixed stonewalling with spurts of counterattacking, highlighted by terrific use of the feet to superbly hit spinner Nathan Lyon down the ground on several occasions.Related

Mature Imam-ul-Haq steps out of nepotism shadow and steps toward personal growth

A chance for Pakistan cricket to make the most powerful off-field statement

'The excitement is very telling' – cricket boards, ICC and ACA rally behind Australia's historic tour of Pakistan

The left-handed Imam shared in a century opening stand with Abdullah Shafique, who lost his composure on the stroke of lunch and holed out tamely off Lyon on 44. It was the first opening century stand against Australia since Imam and Mohammed Hafeez combined for 205 in Dubai in 2018.But Imam then found support over the next two sessions through Azhar as Pakistan aimed to wear down Australia, who have had no warm-up matches on their first Test tour since the Ashes in 2019.Eight bowlers rolled their arm over for Australia but no one could pierce the defences of Imam, who entered the final session on 92. He started slowly after tea and became mired in the 90s as Australia sensed an opening. He didn’t necessarily look nervous, however, as a composed Imam resisted tempting wider deliveries from quick Mitchell Starc until flashing and missing at a loose ball on 97.But on the very next delivery, he punched through the off-side for a boundary to trigger memorable celebrations, as he jumped for joy and punched the air amid jubilation in the terraces. Enduring a barren run over 11 previous Tests stretching four years, Imam notched his ton off 200 balls and showed no let up after that as Pakistan eyed a huge first innings score.In their first Test in Pakistan in almost 24 years, Australia tried hard but appeared in need of a second specialist spinner having stuck with their usual balance of three quicks alongside allrounder Cameron Green and sole spinner Lyon.Imam-ul-Haq and Abdullah Shafique provided a century opening stand•AFP/Getty Images

Pat Cummins, in his toughest day as Test captain after a near flawless Ashes, rotated his quicks in short bursts and tried different tactics to no avail. The pacemen started day one bowling a disciplined line and length before reverting later in the morning session to a short ball barrage, which continued after lunch.Surprisingly not used in the first session, Green was finally called upon in the 45th over but could not continue his knack of being a partnership breaker as he demonstrated in the Ashes.With the ball showing signs of reverse swing before tea, Starc tried to conjure his famed full-length firecrackers only for Imam to pounce on overpitched deliveries. He had another late crack with the second new ball, but Australia’s star-studded quicks finished wicketless.Lyon did the heavy lifting to finish with 1 for 87 from 31 overs but he couldn’t produce the same rampant spin as the day wore on. Having not been needed to bowl on the grassy Bellerive Oval in the Ashes finale, Lyon came on in the eighth over and immediately caused trouble to Imam with sharp turn and wicked bounce.Without overlooked legspinner Mitchell Swepson or left-arm orthodox Ashton Agar, Cummins resorted to part-time offspinner Travis Head, who came into the attack in the 17th over but was ineffective in his three-over spell.Late in the day, as the second new ball approached, Cummins utilised legspinners Marnus Labuschagne and Steven Smith but the set batters played sensibly to leave Australia’s skipper out of options and with plenty to ponder overnight as the brains trust may rue not selecting either Swepson or Agar.After rain dented their final chance to acclimatise on Thursday, Australia were thankful they at least toiled in mild conditions around 20 degrees in a far cry from oppressive conditions that often confronts them in Asia.Friday prayers led to a sparse crowd at the start of the historic contest before spectators filled the terraces to near capacity later in the day and a dominant Pakistan gave them plenty to cheer about.

As Manchester City look to use the January transfer window to reinforce a struggling squad, Juventus chief Cristiano Giantoli reportedly met with the Premier League champions to discuss two players.

Man City transfer news

Six games without victory in all competitions, injuries piling up and fresh from conceding a 3-0 lead and drawing 3-3 against Feyenoord in the Champions League, Manchester City’s blip is quickly turning into a crisis. For the first time in his managerial career, Pep Guardiola looks out of solutions, out of energy and perhaps heading towards the ultimate afternoon to forget against runaway Premier League leaders Liverpool on Sunday.

Whether the blame lies with injuries, the tactical set-up or individual performances, for the first time in what feels like a long time, Manchester City are in desperate need of reinforcements. At the very least, they must find a replacement for the injured Rodri in the January transfer window – something they’ve seemingly discussed.

According to Gazzetta dello Sport, via Sport Witness, Juventus director Giuntoli has held talks with Manchester City over potential deals to send Nicolo Fagioli and Douglas Luiz to the Etihad in permanent deals in the January transfer window.

Pep Guardiola now demands Man City to sign £183,000-a-week trio in January

It comes after another shock result at the Etihad Stadium.

ByBen Browning Nov 28, 2024

The Italian giants reportedly value Fagioli at between €20-25m (£17-21m), whilst valuing Luiz at a hefty €50m (£41m) ahead of the winter window. Two midfielders, City could certainly do with signing such a duo, but it remains to be seen whether those at the Etihad will splash the cash in January or wait until the summer.

Luiz, of course, would be a fitting option, given that he’d be seeking Manchester City redemption after failing to break into Guardiola’s side as a young player. Breaking into the spotlight ever since, Luiz worked his way back to the top at Aston Villa only to now face familiar struggles at Juventus. Possibly in need of a fresh start, the Brazilian could go back to where it first began in England.

"Clever" Luiz could make perfect sense

If Manchester City have the opportunity to reunite with a familiar face to solve their midfield problem, then they should take it with both hands. Luiz previously starred in the Premier League – just last season, in fact – and has already worked under Guardiola. And whilst his Juventus spell hasn’t quite gone to plan, a return to a league he excelled in should only result in a return to form.

Guardiola, himself, was full of praise for the former Aston Villa man back in 2021, telling reporters as relayed by The Boot Room: “He’s a guy who plays all of the minutes. He’s an important player for Aston Villa. A guy who’s clever with the ball, so physically strong. He’s a lovely, lovely guy.”

City will have to splash out to secure his signature, but in the current climate, the Premier League champions may be left with no choice as their crown continues to slip.