Aston Villa have been a team inspired by the arrival of Unai Emery, with the Spaniard installing a new level of aspiration to the squad at Villa Park.

The former Arsenal manager took the reins from Steven Gerrard in October 2022, transforming the outlook in the Midlands by guiding the club from 16th to 7th in less than a year in charge.

The squad, the staff and the fans seem to have adapted as well as possible to the four-time Europa League winners’ style, with only Pep Guardiola as of the end of August winning more points in the Premier League this year than Emery.

Along with making vast improvements on the pitch, the Spaniard orchestrated a successful summer transfer window, securing the signatures of five new faces welcomed in order to bolster the squad.

Emery, joined by his former Sevilla colleague Monchi, broke the club’s transfer record fee to obtain Moussa Diaby, confirming the signing of their number one target in a deal worth £51.9m.

This summer, Villa were able to deliver their primary target, however, this hasn’t always been the case, with one of Dean Smith’s wanted men failing to make the move to Villa Park as hoped.

Looking back, the signing of Emile Smith Rowe could have been an integral addition to the squad as it is today, but Smith learned the hard way that things aren’t always possible in the transfer market.

Did Aston Villa nearly sign Emile Smith Rowe?

Rewind to the summer of 2021, and Arsenal starlet Smith-Rowe was the playmaker wanted at Villa Park when the team was led by Dean Smith.

It was reported at the time that the Midlands side had two bids rejected for the midfielder, who was a 20-year-old at the time, with the highest offer being in the region of £30m.

This summer, it was deja vu at Villa Park, with Emery speculated to be eyeing a reunion with SmithRowe, as talkSPORT claimed that Villa were back on the Englishman’s tail.

Why didn’t Aston Villa sign Smith Rowe?

As well as Villa, Chelsea were linked to the 23-year-old, however, the outcome has remained the same as it did in 2021, with the Hale End graduate remaining in north London.

Arsenal were adamant on both occasions that their number 10 was not for sale, with him being a favoured member of the squad having been at the club since the age of just 10 years old.

It wasn’t a case of the Gunners wanting more funds, but more the case that the attacker was not permitted to leave the club due to how highly he is regarded in north London.

What is Smith-Rowe doing now?

It was understandable why Smith was eyeing the Arsenal youngster in 2021, as the midfielder contributed to 14 goals in 37 appearances in all competitions in the 2020/21 campaign, scoring seven and assisting seven.

The interest in the Englishman seemed to inspire his place in the squad at the Emirates, as the season after, he became a regular squad member for his boyhood club.

In 33 Premier League appearances, the Londoner scored ten league goals, as well as registering two assists to showcase just the level he could operate at if given the chance.

The 2021/22 campaign marked a high point in his career, and unfortunately, the youngster has been unable to reach such levels since then due to a lack of game time and opportunity in the squad.

While it’s celebrated for those associated with Arsenal that Mikel Arteta has discovered his best XI, Smith Rowe is an outsider to the favoured line-up, having made just 15 appearances since his impressive 2021/22 season.

This term so far, the 23-year-old has been an unused substitute in all five of the Gunners’ Premier League games, making his unavailability in the transfer window all the more frustrating.

What is Smith-Rowe’s market value?

Villa bid £30m for the midfielder in 2021, which was a fair offer considering that the England U21 star had an expected transfer value (xTV) of €21m (£18m) and was in the process of signing a contract extension with his club, via Football Transfers.

The academy graduate’s value hit a high the following summer, as it soared to €39.8m (£34m), however with his game time restricted due to competition in the current squad, his expected value has decreased dramatically.

At present, Smith-Rowe is valued at just €13.6m (£11.7m), telling of how disused his services are in north London of late.

What are Emile Smith Rowe's best qualities?

The summer that Smith was pushing to sign Smith-Rowe, Villa replenished their creative talents and the loss of Jack Grealish with Emiliano Buendia instead, who posed as an alternative to the Englishman positionally.

While it was evident that Villa would’ve preferred to have equipped both players to their squad, the Argentine was the only player out of the two to be delivered to the Midlands, making the £38m move from Norwich.

In hindsight, signing the Englishman may have been the better choice with the knowledge of how the former Canaries ace’s Villa career has gone so far, with Smith Rowe having the capability to thrive to a higher level in the top-flight.

The season after the interest, Smith-Rowe had a hand in 12 goals for Arsenal, while Buendia contributed towards ten for Villa, scoring four to the Gunners star’s ten that campaign.

Away from goal contributions, the England U21 international put in some more assured performances on the pitch compared to Buendia, as highlighted by his averages that campaign.

As per FBref, Smith-Rowe registered a pass completion rate of 82.9% per 90 as well as recording an average of 3.05 progressive carries per 90 for his boyhood club, showcasing his strengths in ball carrying and distribution.

Such traits saw him lauded and notably compared to a former Villan. Indeed, talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino said in 2021 that the Gunners starlet has "got that Jack Grealish about him."

Buendia happened to fall short in both decimals during his debut season at Villa Park, maintaining a pass completion rate of only 78.8% and making an average of 1.90 progressive carries per 90; hardly a talent worthy of replacing Grealish.

Lauded as “incredibly prolific” by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his scoring rate of 0.47 non-penalty goals per 90 in the 2021/22 campaign, Smith Rowe showed Villa just what they were missing, with the Villans’ new arrival averaging just 0.19 per 90.

Following his four goals in his debut season, Buendia has only added five more to his tally in the Premier League, with his level of performance in the Championship not yet translated to the top flight.

Smith was unfortunate not to have obtained Smith Rowe, who was simply not for sale at the time of his interest, however, with hindsight in mind, the Midlands side will look back wishing that the situation had been different at the time.

Frida Maanum also caught the eye with a world-class goal as Jonas Eidevall's side eased to victory, with Man City or Chelsea to come in the final

Arsenal will face Manchester City or Chelsea in the Continental Cup final later this month after cruising past Aston Villa in an emphatic 4-0 semi-final win on Wednesday night. Stina Blackstenius stole the show with a first-half hat-trick but Frida Maanum also put her name up in lights with a gorgeous strike from range to ensure the reigning champions were four goals to the good at the break.

As is so often the case with these first-half blowouts, that's how it stayed. Aston Villa shored things up at the back, Arsenal relaxed a little and the game petered out. Maanum did look to have made it five shortly after half-time when she tapped in Steph Catley's cross from close range, but there were no complaints from the Norwegian when the flag was raised for offside.

The Gunners will have a shot at retaining their Conti Cup crown at the end of the month, then, with the final to be played at Wolves' Molineux Stadium on March 31. As for who their opponents will be? That will be decided tomorrow in what is sure to be a bumper clash between Man City and Chelsea.

GOAL rates Arsenal's players from Meadow Park…

GettyGoalkeeper & Defence

Manuela Zinsberger (6/10):

Only had a couple of crosses to deal with and she did that without a problem.

Katie McCabe (7/10):

Played the role of an inverted full-back perfectly to allow Mead to cause problems down the right. Only denied a fantastic goal by the crossbar.

Lotte Wubben-Moy (7/10):

Perfect cross as she kept the ball alive to tee up Blackstenius for her hat-trick. Did her defensive work well when called upon.

Leah Williamson (6/10):

A little sloppy in possession despite Arsenal's dominance. Perhaps to be expected so early into her return. Improved as the game went on, though.

Steph Catley (7/10):

Almost like a second left-winger with how much she supported the attack.

AdvertisementGettyMidfield

Lia Walti (7/10):

Dictated play well to allow Arsenal to dominate and keep the pressure on.

Kyra Cooney-Cross (6/10):

Pressed well and supported the attack but seemed to almost lack the confidence to demand the ball when she took up good positions.

Frida Maanum (8/10):

Lovely weight of pass to tee up Blackstenius for her first goal and then got on the scoresheet herself with a gorgeous curling strike.

GettyAttack

Beth Mead (7/10):

A really lively game in which she was a constant threat. Got an assist for Maanum's worldie.

Stina Blackstenius (9/10):

First goal was a superb finish and her second was just great awareness and anticipation. Held the ball up well and was a fantastic focal point, deserving her hat-trick.

Alessia Russo (6/10):

Extra attention needed on her in a wide role stretched the Villa defence and created more space for Blackstenius.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

GettySubs & Manager

Laia Codina (6/10):

Came on just after the hour and settled into defence just fine. Solid in possession.

Caitlin Foord (7/10):

Had around half an hour to make her mark and she did well to create a few chances despite the game lacking a bit of energy once she'd come on.

Kim Little (N/A):

Only on for the final stages.

Victoria Pelova (N/A):

Like Little, just on to see the game out.

Vivienne Lia (N/A):

Got a few minutes in stoppage time.

Jonas Eidevall (8/10):

Decision to hand rare starts to Blackstenius and Maanum paid dividends. A surprise not to see the youngsters on the bench given some minutes though, especially given the half-time score.

Tom Banton will lead England Under-19s in their international series against South Africa, which starts in Scarborough on Sunday, after his Somerset team-mate Tom Lammonby was ruled out with injury.Lammonby, who missed the Under-19 World Cup in New Zealand earlier this year after suffering a hand injury in practice, was diagnosed with a stress fracture in his heel after making 45 in the warm-up match against the Minor Counties Unicorns on Tuesday, and has returned to Somerset for treatment.Banton, a hard-hitting batsman who is one of only five members of this England squad who played in the World Cup, made two T20 appearances for Somerset last season, and has also made seven List A appearances.Two more players from the 14-man squad originally selected for the two unofficial Tests against the South Africans have withdrawn because of injury: Ethan Bamber, the Middlesex seamer who impressed in the World Cup campaign, has an abdominal strain; and Greg Willows has returned to Gloucestershire after being diagnosed with a stress fracture in his back.In addition Jamie Smith, the 17-year-old Surrey batsman who had been due to play for an Invitational XI against the South Africans in Loughborough this week, was not considered after being included in Surrey’s senior squad for the opening stages of the Vitality Blast – and making his debut against Middlesex at Lord’s on Thursday night.He joins several other eligible players who are either injured or have been left to play for their counties, including Yorkshire’s Harry Brook, Warwickshire’s Henry Brookes, Worcestershire’s Dillon Pennington, Surrey’s Will Jacks and Durham’s Matt Potts.Four players have been added to the England squad to travel to Scarborough on Friday: Ben Charlesworth, a left-hander from Gloucestershire who scored a century for an Invitational XI against the South Africans in Loughborough this week; George Lavelle, a wicketkeeper-batsman from Lancashire who also impressed in that game; Sam Conners, a Derbyshire seamer who was a late call-up for the Invitational XI; and Nick Kimber, another seamer from the Nottinghamshire Academy who was drafted into the England Under-19s team for their preparation match against the Unicorns after impressing in practice.England U-19s will play two four-day Tests against South Africa, before three unofficial ODIs towards the end of July.England Under-19s squad Tom Banton (capt), Liam Banks, Ben Charlesworth, Sam Conners, Jack Davies, Adam Finch, Alfie Gleadall, Jack Haynes, Luke Hollman, Nick Kimber, George Lavelle, Jack Plom, Hamidullah Qadri, Ollie Robinson, Harrison Ward

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou's arrival has been a revelation, having now picked up his second Manager of the Month award eight games into the Premier League season, but appears to already have his eye on the winter transfer window.

Indeed, despite making a wealth of changes this summer, having sold Harry Kane to Bayern Munich in August, there is certainly a new look to Spurs but still, excitingly, room for improvement.

With that in mind, perhaps there is substance to current rumours linking the London club to a creative rising star, who would certainly offer a new dimension to the attack.

What are the latest Tottenham transfer rumours?

According to reports in Turkey earlier this week – as relayed by The Sun – Tottenham are interested in signing 24-year-old winger Kerem Akturkoglu, who won the Turkish Super Lig with Galatasaray last season.

Rated at £15m, Akturkoglu – who is nicknamed 'Harry Potter' – is a fleet-footed and dynamic player who primarily features on the left wing.

Journalist Haldun Domac claims that West Ham United have also registered an interest, while Liverpool are long-term admirers of his qualities.

Who is Kerem Akturkoglu?

Old Trafford. October 3rd. Galatasaray have just secured a historic 3-2 victory over Manchester United to move four points clear of Erik ten Hag's side in the Champions League. Akturkoglu scored the leveller after 71 minutes, having been "very impressive" on the night – according to journalist Samuel Luckhurst.

The 23-cap Turkey international has, in total, posted five goals and seven assists across all competitions this season, with his creativity earning him the nickname of "assist king".

He would bring a different kind of threat to Tottenham's offensive left channel, with Richarlison quite direct in his craft, albeit scoring two goals and assists apiece this season.

Akturkoglu has already demonstrated his aptitude against top Premier League sides, and especially with Manor Solomon ruled out indefinitely after undergoing surgery on a knee injury, it might be a prudent move.

The Galatasaray star is actually outperforming his Brazilian counterpart across a number of key metrics, which could prompt Postecoglou to issue a transfer offer and enhance his team's prospects of achieving their lofty seasonal ambitions.

Akturkoglu vs Richarlison – 23/24 Stats Comparison (FBref)

Statistic (per 90)

Akturkoglu

Richarlison

Goals

0.43

0.23

Assists

0.57

0.45

Shots

2.71

4.09

Shots on target

1.43

1.59

Tackles won

0.43

0.45

As the table delineates, Akturkoglu is performing at a much more incisive level than Richarlison, outscoring him while taking far fewer shooting opportunities, as evidenced by claims that Spurs' mercurial forward has been a "joke" by talkSPORT pundit Tony Cascarino.

Richarlison is definitely making improvements to his game after struggling last year, having joined Tottenham from Everton in a £60m transfer and scoring just one Premier League goal all season, but he's by no means cemented an unwavering starting berth.

Akturkoglu would provide an altogether different approach, with his creative flair perhaps working a treat for Heung-min Son, who is serving as the club's centre-forward and doing so with aplomb, having scored six goals from his last five outings in the top-flight.

And while Richarlison will be confident of restoring his past vigour this term, moving for Galatasaray's glittering gem would be a big statement of ambition for a Tottenham team on the cusp of newfound heights.

Glasgow Rangers return to action at Ibrox this evening as Michael Beale's side host Livingston in the quarter-finals of the Scottish League Cup.

The Light Blues have the opportunity to make it to the last four of the competition and are coming into the game off the back of a 1-0 win over Motherwell in the Scottish Premiership over the weekend.

Cyriel Dessers scored the only goal of the game as the Gers claimed all three points to stay within four points of the top of the table.

What's the latest Rangers team news?

It has been confirmed that Wales international Rabbi Matondo will be unavailable for selection as he is set to be on the sidelines for around six weeks due to injury.

He was forced off the pitch during the first-half of the win over Motherwell with a knock and it has now been revealed that he has a knee issue that will see him out of action for almost two months.

This means that Beale will be forced to replace the ex-Manchester City prospect in the starting XI for this clash with Livingston and this injury could open the door for B team star Zak Lovelace to impress.

How has Matondo performed this season?

The talented winger has enjoyed a strong start to the campaign with two goals and two assists in all competitions for the Light Blues from out wide.

He has averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.22 across five Scottish Premiership appearances so far this term, which is the 11th-best score within the squad as it stands, and contributed with one goal and two assists.

Matondo, who has created 1.2 chances per league match, has showcased his ability to make an impact at the top end of the pitch from a wide position and Lovelace is a player who has the potential to do the same if he can make the step up to the first-team.

How many goals has Lovelace scored for Rangers?

The 17-year-old whiz, who joined the club from Millwall in 2022, has racked up an eye-catching 19 goals for Rangers at B team and U19 level combined since the start of last season.

Lovelace, who was an unused substitute against Motherwell last weekend, produced 16 goals and six assists in 26 Lowland League matches throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

He also impressed on the European stage with two goals and four assists in six UEFA Youth League outings for the U19 side last term.

Former Rangers sporting director Ross Wilson described the English youngster as an "exciting" player and his statistics for the Gers back up that claim as he has proven himself to be a prolific provider of assists and goals at youth level.

Lovelace has only played 16 minutes of first-team football for the Scottish giants to date and has not been offered the chance to showcase his talent over the course of a full game, or at least 60 minutes.

This cup clash, coupled with Matondo's injury, could be the perfect opportunity for Beale to place some trust in the talented youngster to see if he can thrive in a senior setting and replicate his youth team form at a higher level.

Therefore, the head coach must finally unleash the teen dynamo who can be deployed through the middle as a centre-forward or off the left flank as a winger.

MatériaMais NotíciasRelacionadasPalmeirasZagueiro Alan Empereur chega ao Palmeiras por empréstimoPalmeiras09/11/2020PalmeirasEscalação do Palmeiras: Luiz Adriano tem sobrecarga na coxa e é dúvida contra CearáPalmeiras09/11/2020PalmeirasFelipe Melo tem fratura no tornozelo esquerdo e passará por cirurgiaPalmeiras09/11/2020

West Ham United boss David Moyes may opt to rest one of his key men against SC Freiburg on Thursday after he sustained a knock in the Hammers' victory over Sheffield United last weekend, according to reports.

What's the latest news involving West Ham United?

Hammers full-back Vladimir Coufal has backed his teammates Jarrod Bowen and James Ward-Prowse to be selected for England duty by Gareth Southgate for matches against Italy and Australia in light of their early season form, as per The Evening Standard.

Coufal stated: "I was really surprised they weren’t there last time. I hope for both of them. They absolutely deserve it. The manager sees it but obviously reaching the squad is very difficult because of the number of players with amazing ability. But these two deserve to be there."

West Ham saw off a stiff test against Sheffield United at the London Stadium last weekend in the Premier League, running out 2-0 winners courtesy of strikes from England international Bowen and midfielder Tomas Soucek.

Speaking after the match, West Ham playmaker Ward-Prowse expressed his delight at the Hammers' ability to secure victory against the Blades, saying: "We’re really pleased with the performance. It was a tough game on Saturday – every game in the Premier League is tough – but especially coming up against a team who had a difficult week last week."

He then added: "We knew it was going to be a tough game, but the two early goals helped us and I think we’re a little bit disappointed that we couldn’t build on that [with more goals] in the second half."

Irons starlet Dan Rigge is also set to sign a new long-term deal at the London Stadium despite interest from elsewhere in England and from La Liga.

Is Jarrod Bowen now injured?

According to popular West Ham reporter Sean Whetstone, Bowen is carrying a slight injury after being substituted late on in their victory against Sheffield United.

Taking to social media platform X, Whetstone issued an update on the permutations of Bowen's injury, stating: "Hammer Jarrod Bowen was carrying a slight limp as he was subbed on the 93rd minute at the weekend. His slight knock is not expected to be a problem, but he could be rested for the Europa League to be fresh for the London Stadium game against Newcastle United."

The chances are that Bowen may have been rested for the tie regardless of his match fitness, though Hammers fans will be relieved to hear that the 26-year-old will only be temporarily unavailable.

In 2023/24, Bowen has made an excellent start to life in the Premier League, registering five goals and one assist in his opening seven appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

As cited by FBRef, the former Hull City attacker, who was labelled "unbelievable" by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp last year, has also been able to fashion plenty of chances for his teammates this term, successfully carrying out 20 shot-creating actions in the English top-flight.

Despite Moyes encountering an injury concern regarding Bowen, it looks as though he will be it and firing by the time Newcastle United make the long trip down to London this weekend.

Women cricketers will be included in revenue-sharing for the first time, and will also have retirement and medical benefits

Firdose Moonda18-Jul-2018Women cricketers will be the biggest beneficiaries of the new Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Cricket South Africa (CSA) and the South African Cricketers’ Association (SACA), which is due to be signed imminently following a delay of more than two-and-a-half months. The agreement, which regulates the relationship between the game’s governing body and its player union, is set to be the most detailed one of its kind and includes the women’s contracted players in the revenue-sharing model for the first time. The MoU will be signed in the coming days and will remain in place for the next four years.Women cricketers will also enjoy the same benefits as their male counterparts, including retirement and medical cover, as CSA takes steps towards gender pay parity. “We have increased women’s salaries, we’ve increased the number of contracted players in the squad [and] we have given them a permanent assistant coach. They have a manager. We are looking at giving the manager an administrator, so it lessens the workload. They travel in business-class, something they have never done before. They have single rooms; they used to share. There’s a lot that’s changed in the last eight months for these ladies,” Thabang Moroe, CSA’s new permanent CEO, said.The South African Cricketers’ Association’s CEO Tony Irish confirmed the developments, and said the MoU will include “significantly improved benefits,” for women’s cricketers and that the agreement is finally nearing completion. “The process has experienced significant delays but the key negotiations are completed and we are in the final phase of drafting. The key agreements, which are substantial, have been agreed upon,” Irish told ESPNcricinfo.Cricket South Africa and SACA’s MoU expired at the end of April, by which time CSA and SACA had only begun negotiations. They agreed to extend the existing agreement for two months, with a goal to finalise a new MoU at the end of June. Since then, more than two weeks have passed and the deal is yet to be signed. Moroe said it is “99% percent” complete and he expects to sign it in the next few days.Moroe also dispelled the notion that CSA’s relationship with its players had suffered as a result of the comments he made in December last year which suggested the revenue-sharing model could be scrapped.”There was never a divide between us and the players,” Moroe said. “Players that were confused called me to find out what was meant by the quotes that were written in the media. I cleared things out. I had the players’ support. Some players came to the office to visit me. Faf [du Plessis] gave me a call. I went to Mumbai and met him before the opening match of the IPL. He reiterated the support I had. It was a matter of making sure there is clarity and that the relationship between us and the union is as professional as it needed to be.”ESPNcricinfo has learnt that CSA initially intended to sideline SACA but the players stood firm in not allowing that to happen. Still, Moroe said CSA have ensured the players understand the hierarchy of how cricket is run in the country, which puts CSA on top. “We wanted to reaffirm our position as the employer. The players’ first point of call is us. From then on, should we not reach consensus, the players can go to SACA. Should we not reach consensus with SACA, we have a process put in place for dispute resolution,” Moroe said.Insiders have told ESPNcricinfo that this is not necessarily the case and the players’ loss of confidence in CSA after the December statements has yet to be completely resolved.

After the chaos of their pre-season, which ended with the departure of Julen Lopetegui just before the Premier League season got underway, Wolverhampton Wanderers were left in no-man's land. The arrival of Gary O'Neil quickly added some stability at Molinuex, however, and the Midlands club have since shown plenty of signs that their top flight status will remain intact in the current campaign.

O'Neil, fresh from what some may believe was an unfair dismissal at Bournemouth, has bounced back at Wolves, with his side's victory over Premier League champions Manchester City one of the highlights of the season for fans and neutrals alike. Now, with the chaos settling into calm at the club, Wolves reportedly have their eye on the January transfer window, and could make a move for a target they tried for in the summer.

What's the latest Wolves transfer news?

O'Neil didn't really get the chance to make his mark on his new side during the summer transfer window, having arrived days before his side's Premier League season kicked off against Manchester United. Nonetheless, the Wolves transfers already in place to welcome the likes of Matheus Cunha on a permanent basis have more than helped the former Bournemouth boss to get off to a solid start.

Player

Price

Matheus Cunha

€50m (£43m)

Jean-Ricner Bellegarde

€15m (£13m)

Santiago Bueno

€12m (£10m)

Boubacar Traore

€11m (£9m)

Enso Gonzalez

€6m (£5m)

Matt Doherty

Free

Tommy Doyle

Loan

Tom King

Free

Now, the latest Che Adams transfer news suggests that the Midlands club could make a move for the forward in January. Steve Madeley of The Athletic wrote in the Wolves mailbag, when asked whether Wolves would go back in for Adams in January:

"I wouldn’t rule it out entirely but I don’t believe he will be the first-choice option. Missing out on Adams in the summer was a blow for Wolves but the positive is that it gave the recruitment team more time to research alternatives, and I suspect they will have a bigger list to choose from in January, hopefully with some more exciting and cost-effective options on it."

How has Che Adams performed this season?

Like Southampton as a whole, Adams got off to the perfect start in the Championship, scoring three goals in his first three games. Since then, however, he has failed to find the back of the net in six starts, as the Saints' struggles continue to pile up under Russell Martin. In a difficult run of form, Adams may well have his eye on a January move, especially after a summer departure failed to come into fruition for the Scotland international.

At his best, the forward has earned plenty of praise at Southampton, including from Martin Keown, who told Match of the Day last season, via HampshireLive: "I thought he was outstanding when he came on. Brendan [Rodgers] said that his team stopped playing when they scored but they started playing, Southampton, when Che Adams came off the bench.

"He really did look powerful target man, holding the ball up really well. Suddenly they could get their wing-backs forward and they started to pepper a nervous Leicester."

Kylian Mbappe is reportedly set to take the No.9 shirt at Real Madrid, once his move to Spain is completed, with Vinicius Jr already filling No.7.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• World Cup winner running down deal at PSG
• Expected to head for Spain as a free agent
• Ready to take on prominent role at Bernabeu

• Getty/GOAL
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The World Cup-winning France international is expected to head for Santiago Bernabeu this summer once his contract at Paris Saint-Germain comes to a close. A deal is said to already be in place that will see Mbappe become another ‘Galactico’ in Madrid.

Advertisement

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  As things stand, the 25-year-old superstar has made the No.7 spot his own at PSG. That number holds a special place in football folklore – due in no small part to the likes of David Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo – but Mbappe will be unable to take it on at Real.

• Getty
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  With Brazilian star Vinicius a talismanic presence in his own right for the Blancos, Mbappe will have to fill another jersey. According to , he is being lined up to inherit the No.9 shirt that has been vacant since Karim Benzema departed in 2023 and was initially taken by Ronaldo following his move to Madrid in 2009.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• WHAT NEXT?

  There is still a chance that Mbappe will take No.10, the jersey that he often dons for France, with questions being asked of whether Croatian playmaker Luka Modric will depart as a free agent at the end of the 2023-24 campaign.