The Premier League has confirmed that the 2026/27 campaign will begin a week later than usual, marking the latest season start in the competition’s history. The decision, announced after a shareholders’ meeting on Friday morning, is designed to counter the growing strain on players created by an "increasingly congested global football calendar".

• A historic schedule shift to ease calendar chaos

  Next season will kick off on Saturday, August 22, 2026, rather than the traditional mid-August weekend. The final round of fixtures will take place on Sunday, May 30, 2027, six days later than this season’s planned finale. The move, officials say, ensures adequate rest following the expanded 48-team World Cup in Canada, Mexico and the United States. The global tournament, set to conclude in mid-July 2026, pushes many players to the brink of burnout. The Premier League’s solution is an 89-day gap from the end of this season and a 33-day buffer after the World Cup final.  

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  What did the Premier League say

  In a detailed announcement, the league outlined the reasoning behind its decision: "The Premier League Season 2026-27 dates have been confirmed, with the opening match round starting on Saturday 22 August 2026. The final match round will be played on Sunday, 30 May 2027, when all fixtures will kick off simultaneously as usual. With an increasingly congested global football calendar, player welfare remains a priority for the Premier League. As a result, the Premier League will start one week later next season. This will allow for 89 clear days from the end of the current season and 33 days from the FIFA World Cup 26 Final. The season will conclude one week prior to the UEFA Champions League Final, which will be played on Saturday, 5 June 2027.   

  "The 2026-27 Season will consist of 33 weekends and five midweek match rounds. The Premier League schedule will be designed to avoid domestic competition clashes with UEFA club competition dates, wherever possible. Over the Christmas and New Year period, no two match rounds will take place within 60 hours. This is in keeping with commitments made to clubs to address the congested Christmas and New Year schedule within the expanded international calendar."

  From next season, the September international break will stretch to three weeks, with four matches squeezed into that window. Meanwhile, the October international break will be scrapped entirely. European leagues have been vocal in recent years about FIFA and UEFA expanding competitions without providing adequate breathing room. The newly enlarged Club World Cup, expanded European Championship, extended Nations League matches, and a record-breaking World Cup all contribute to an unprecedented workload for top players. Privately, several clubs are understood to be pushing for further reforms in future seasons, including fewer midweek rounds and stronger coordination with FIFA.

• Guardiola sounds the alarm over PL title race

  Pep Guardiola admitted that Arsenal’s form could make them untouchable in this season’s title race, but the fight is far from over. City sit second in the table, four points behind Mikel Arteta’s side after 11 games. While the gap is manageable, Arsenal boast the division’s best defensive record, conceding just five goals so far. 

  Although Guardiola is well aware of the challenge, he warned that the season has just begun. He said: "We are in November, and in November in this league nothing is final. What happens in February or March, be careful. But the season starts now. The first start is when the transfer window is over in the summer. And now again, when the international breaks are over. Now until March, we see each other every three days. Now the real season starts. It is important to be there and to arrive at the end of the season with a chance to fight. Winning (in Newcastle) would be an important step for us."

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  Arsenal’s new reality: Playing with the target on their back

  Arsenal’s rise from title challengers to early-season pacesetters has transformed expectations. They have won four of their last five Premier League matches, but their challenge now is sustaining a title pace with several of their key players injured. Their defensive stalwart, Gabriel, is set to miss almost two months of action with a thigh injury, while skipper Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke and Gabriel Jesus are long-term absentees. Their next challenge is against fierce rivals Tottenham on Sunday, and they will be desperate to win the bragging rights of north London.     

Celtic are in the process of finding their long-term successor to former head coach Brendan Rodgers, who resigned from the role last month after a 3-1 loss to Hearts.

The Northern Irish manager returned to Parkhead in the summer of 2023, replacing Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, and won the Scottish Premiership title in both of his full seasons in charge.

Celtic are now looking for a manager to come in and build on that success in the months and seasons to come, and Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy appears to be closing in on the job.

The latest on Wilfried Nancy to Celtic

According to Sky Sports, the Premiership champions have been granted permission by Columbus Crew to hold discussions with the French tactician this weekend.

The report claims that Nancy is open to making the move from the MLS to Scotland to replace Rodgers in the dugout, after the 2025 MLS came to an end for his side this month.

It adds that the Hoops want to have a new manager in place for their league clash with St Mirren next weekend, and that they will need to discuss compensation with Columbus Crew if they agree terms with Nancy.

If the French boss does take over the job in the coming days, one player who could benefit from his arrival at Parkhead is central midfielder Arne Engels.

Why Arne Engels could explode under Wilfried Nancy

Just as Matt O’Riley did when Rodgers took over from Postecoglou, Engels could explode with the change in manager from Rodgers to Nancy this season.

Chalkboard

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

The Belgian star could be O’Riley 2.0 with the potential that he has to be an exciting attacking force as one of the two number 10s behind the striker in his 3-4-2-1 system.

O’Riley – Premiership	22/23 – under Ange	23/24 – under Rodgers
Appearances	38	37
Goals	3	18
Minutes per goal	843	181
Big chances created	16	14
Key passes per game	2.2	2.5
Assists	12	13
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international, who now plays for Marseille, scored 15 more goals and provided one more assist in the league under Rodgers than he did under Postecoglou.

Engels could benefit in a similar way with this change in manager, as he has mainly played as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3 system for Rodgers, but he could play further forward under Nancy.

The Belgium international, whose set-piece delivery was hailed as “world-class” by Rodgers, produced nine goals and six assists in the Scottish Premiership last season, but has only managed one goal and one assist in ten games this term, with both of those goal contributions coming against Kilmarnock for Martin O’Neill.

Engels has created four ‘big chances’ in four appearances in the Europa League this season, being rewarded with one assist, per Sofascore, which is a testament to his technical and creative quality.

The midfield star is valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, over a year on from his £11m move from Augsburg, which suggests that the Hoops need to find a way to get more out of him, to ensure that their £11m investment does not turn out to be a poor one.

Playing further up the pitch, as a number ten, as part of Nancy’s preferred tactical set-up would put him in more positions to show off his brilliant technical ability, rather than often being too far from goal as a central midfielder or as a number six under Rodgers.

Celtic now "granted permission" to take biggest step yet in push to hire Wilfried Nancy

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Tom Cunningham

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Therefore, the Columbus Crew tactician could help Engels to explode and follow in O’Riley’s footsteps if Celtic hire him and he goes through with the 3-4-2-1 system used in the MLS.

The BCB has appointed Salma Khatun as the country’s first woman selector. The former Bangladesh captain will join Sazzad Ahmed in the women’s selection panel. Bangladesh are in the last stage of preparation ahead of the Women’s World Cup next month.Salma was Bangladesh’s first captain in international cricket. She went on to lead the country in 65 WT20Is and 18 WODIs. At the time of her last WT20I, she was Bangladesh’s most-capped women’s T20I cricketer, having played 95 matches. She has also played 46 WODIs.Salma was also the ICC’s No 1 bowler in WT20Is in 2014 and 2015. She took 84 T20I wickets with her offspin at an average of 18.57, with best figures of 4-6 against Sri Lanka.”I think this is a revolutionary decision by our [BCB] president [Aminul Islam], as having someone like Salma involved will provide great support for women’s cricket,” Iftekhar Rahman, the BCB’s media committee chairman, said. “This is the first time such an appointment has been made in Bangladesh.”The board has also promoted Hasibul Hossain to the senior men’s selection panel. He will join chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain and Abdur Razzak. The third position had been vacant since Hannan Sarkar left the role in February this year.Hasibul, the former fast bowler, played five Tests and 32 ODIs. He played in Bangladesh’s inaugural Test match against India in 2000, and was involved in the famous leg-bye that won Bangladesh the ICC Trophy final in 1997.Hasibul had been a junior selector in the BCB since July 2016, having worked closely with the Bangladesh Under-19 side that lifted the World Cup in 2020.

Leeds United are looking like they will have a huge fight on their hands to avoid relegation this season. Their first campaign back in the Premier League is not going to plan, with Daniel Farke’s side just one point clear of the drop zone at the moment.

The underlying numbers do not make for good reading if you are a Leeds fan, either. The West Yorkshire outfit have massively underachieved according to their expected points, which is 15.49xPTS, over four more than they actually have.

In attack, they’ve only scored ten goals, although Farke has continued to pick a similar front three across the season. That means Brenden Aaronson has kept his place in the side.

Aaronson’s disappointing form this season

As an attacking unit, Farke’s Leeds side have certainly left a lot to be desired. The Whites’ lack of form in front of goal has been an issue, as has the fact that they are struggling to create a substantial number of chances.

Aaronson is certainly someone who has underperformed. The USA international only has one goal and one assist this season, but has been one of Farke’s most trusted lieutenants.

He’s played all 11 games in the top flight this season, and has started all of the last eight.

In terms of output for the 54-cap American international, he’s only managed one goal and one assist so far this term.

Perhaps that is because he is playing on the right wing despite being a number ten by trade, but Leeds fans must surely be expecting better numbers.

As far back as last season, there have been question marks surrounding Aaronson’s ability.

Former Leeds defender Jon Newsome said, “I don’t think he’s at the level in my honest opinion,” implying the Whites could do better in that area of the pitch.

They might have the perfect Aaronson replacement already at the club, in a player who is thriving out on loan.

The on-loan Leeds star who could break into the first team

Perhaps Leeds can make better use of their talent in and around the first team squad, if not this season, then in years to come. Farke has shown trust in up-and-coming youngsters in the past, with Archie Gray a prime example a few seasons ago.

Another player who could fit that bill next season, when he returns to the club, is on-loan star Joe Gelhardt. The 23-year-old attacker is excelling in the Championship for Leeds’ Yorkshire rivals Hull City this term.

The versatile attacker, who can play on the right, as a number ten or at centre-forward, has seven goals and two assists in the second tier for the Tigers this season.

His form in recent weeks has been particularly impressive, with Gelhardt racking up seven goal involvements in just six games.

The Liverpool-born forward has certainly received lots of praise for his excellent form in a Hull shirt this season. Their boss, Sergej Jakirovic, described him as a “special” footballer and said that “he can reach the Premier League” one day.

It is easy to see how he could end Aaronson’s Leeds career next season, if he is given the chance to shine in a Leeds shirt. His underlying numbers this term are superior to the American’s. For example, he averages 0.8 goals and assists per 90 minutes compared to just 0.4 for Aaronson.

Goals and assists

0.8

0.4

Chances created

1.1

1.4

Take-ons completed

1.7

1.2

Ground duel success rate

54.55%

52.08%

Ball recoveries

5

4.6

Gelhardt – previously lauded as a “human wrecking ball” by Marcelo Bielsa – has never really been given a consistent chance at first-team level for the Whites. He’s only played 57 games across five seasons, with ten goals and assists in that time.

However, his performances this season will surely make Farke sit up and take notice.

Aaronson simply has not cut it in the Premier League, and with a talent like Gelhardt on their books, perhaps it is time Leeds give the 23-year-old a chance to shine next season.

Worse than Perri: Leeds dud is one of their worst signings in PL history

Leeds United have dropped some transfer clangers when looking back at their summer business.

ByKelan Sarson Nov 11, 2025

The three players will start with their new state by playing in the Uttarakhand Premier League

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Sep-2025Left-arm spinner J Suchith, opener Prashant Chopra and batter Bhupen Lalwani have moved to Uttarakhand ahead of the domestic season in 2025-26. The three players will start with their new state by playing in the Uttarakhand Premier League.Suchith, who represented Karnataka before playing for Nagaland, first played domestic cricket in April 2014 in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy before going on to make his List A and first-class debuts in the coming seasons. He played for Nagaland only for one season, in 2024-25, where picked up 43 wickets in six first-class matches and was the highest wicket-taker in the Plate group.Chopra, meanwhile, made his debut for Himachal Pradesh as an 18-year-old in the Vijay Hazare Trophy in February 2011, and has represented them in his entire domestic career so far. Last season, he made 386 runs in seven first-class matches, which included 171 against Uttarakhand. Overall, he has played 81 first-class matches and scored 5093 runs and hit 14 hundreds. He has also notched up 4012 runs in 103 List A games at an average of 41.79, and 2035 runs in 70 T20s at a strike rate of 114.58.Lalwani has represented Mumbai and Chhattisgarh in a short domestic career so far that started in January 2020. He switched to Chhattisgarh ahead of the 2024-25 season, where he played just two first-class matches for them. Overall, he has played 16 first-class matches and three List A games.The change of teams continue a bunch of transfers ahead of the upcoming domestic season, the most notable among them being Karun Nair returning to Karnataka, Harshal Patel switching back to Gujarat from Haryana, and Jalaj Saxena moving from Kerala to Maharashtra.

وجه داني أولمو لاعب خط وسط برشلونة، رسالة لجماهير الفريق، بعد أن قدم أداءً رائعًا خلال الفوز ضد أتلتيكو مدريد، بثلاثية لهدف، في الدوري الإسباني لكرة القدم.

وتعرض داني أولمو نجم لايبزيج السابق، لإصابة جديدة ستبعده عن الملاعب لمدة شهر على الأقل، ليتلقى برشلونة ضربة موجعة بشأن اللاعب الذي عانى من سلسلة من الإصابات المتكررة.

ولم يظهر داني أولمو استسلامه بعد، حيث وجه رسالة لجماهير فريقه وزملائه عبر مواقع التواصل الاجتماعي.

ووجه أولمو رسالة شكر لجماهيره، حيث أكد أن الإصابة لن تمنعه من مواصلة الكفاح والقتال من أجل الفريق.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ضربة موجعة | برشلونة يعلن تشخيص إصابة أولمو أمام أتلتيكو مدريد.. ومدة الغياب

وكتب داني أولمو عبر صفحته الرسمية: “لن يوقفني شيئًا، شكرًا لدعمكم، ما تعرضت له سيزيدني قوة، الرغبة والحماس لا يزالان قائمين، نواصل معًا في هذه المرحلة الأخيرة من العام”.

ومن المقرر أن يغيب أولمو عن عدد من المباريات الحاسمة لبرشلونة ومن ضمنها لقاء آينتراخت فرانكفورت على ملعب الكامب نو.

MatériaMais Notícias

Jonathan Calleri viveu emoções distintas durante a vitória do São Paulo sobre o Cobresal, nesta quarta-feira (8), por 3 a 1. Isso porque, após anotar o terceiro gol tricolor no Chile, ele precisou ser substituído por sentir lesão e ficou muito chateado.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo

➡️ Faça as suas apostas na Libertadores 2024: quem será o campeão? Vem pro Lance! Betting

– Muito frustrado. Não consigo ter uma sequência grande. Senti minha panturrilha. Tenho que ver da porta para dentro (do CT) o que estou fazendo mal para machucar menos. No Brasil é uma loucura a quantidade de jogos que a gente tem. Faz 15 dias que estamos viajando. Meus companheiros estão bem, e eu vou ter que melhorar da porta para dentro – disse, à “Globo”.

Aos 32 minutos do segundo tempo, Erick ajeitou para o argentino, que finalizou no travessão após tocar de cobertura. A bola voltou para o camisa 9, que cabeceou para o fundo das redes.

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Poucos minutos depois, Calleri foi conversar com a comissão técnica de Luis Zubeldía, na lateral do campo. Ele ergueu a camisa até o rosto e demonstrou semblante de preocupação.

Substituído por Rodriguinho, o centroavante sentiu dores na panturrilha e, no banco de reservas do Tricolor, recebeu atendimento médico. Pelas reações, Calleri aparentou estar muito chateado com a situação. Ele foi consolado pelos companheiros quando já estava fora de campo.

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➡️ Confira a classificação e os próximos jogos da Libertadores!

Autor de um dos gols do São Paulo, na vitória que classificou a equipe para as oitavas da Libertadores, Calleri balançou as redes sete vezes em 19 partidas disputadas nesta temporada. Ele é titular absoluto e um dos líderes do elenco tricolor.

Tudo sobre

CalleriSão Paulo

The last seven days could not have gone better for Arsenal fans.

Sunday saw them utterly dominate Tottenham Hotspur in the North London Derby, extending their lead at the top of the Premier League table.

Then, if that wasn’t enough, the Gunners took on and, in the second half anyway, quite comfortably beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League.

Things do not get any easier this weekend, though, as Arsenal travel to second-placed Chelsea, and if Mikel Arteta wants to ensure his side collects all three points, he should make one ruthless change to the lineup.

Arsenal's record against Chelsea

Sunday’s game will be the 212th competitive meeting between Arsenal and Chelsea, with the first being a Division One game in November 1907, which the Blues hosted and won 2-1.

Chalkboard

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

However, since then, it’s the Gunners who have generally had the better luck in this fixture, winning 85 games, drawing 60 and losing 66.

Moreover, since taking the job in December 2019, Arteta has had a sensational record against the West Londoners.

Of the 13 competitive games he’s managed against them, the Spaniard has masterminded a victory eight times – including in the 2020 FA Cup Final – settled for a draw three times and lost just twice, the last time being in August 2021.

The last game between the sides was in March of this year at the Emirates, and it would be fair to say it’s not one that has lived long in the memory, as the hosts ran out 1-0 winners thanks to a Mikel Merino header.

In all then, while this Sunday will be a tough test for Arsenal, Arteta and Co shouldn’t be too worried as they have an exceptional record against Chelsea.

With that said, on top of the enforced changes in attack, the manager should ruthlessly drop another of his starters from Wednesday to ensure it’s another win in the books.

The Arsenal star Arteta should drop

While the performance against Bayern on Wednesday was one of Arsenal’s best in a long time, there was one player who struggled somewhat: Myles Lewis-Skelly.

The Hale Ender, who is valued at £39m by Transfermarkt, started just his fifth game of the season, and it was really quite clear that he wasn’t as sharp as some of his teammates.

For example, while he wasn’t the only one at fault, he could have dealt with the pass that led to the visitors’ goal, and as the match went on, Michael Olise gave him more and more trouble.

Equally, as per Sofacore, his woes were evident as he lost the ball nine times from just 25 touches, or once every 2.7 touches.

However, even though he struggled, there can be no doubting his immense ability, potential and attitude, and so, while it’s a long way away, club insider Hand of Arsenal’s claim that he’s a “future captain” does not sound all that far-fetched.

With all that said, for the good of the team and to ensure they have an easier time collecting all three points at the Bridge, Arteta should replace the youngster with Ricardo Calafiori.

The Italian international has been nothing short of sublime this season.

Whether it’s in defence or going forward, the 23-year-old seems able to do it all with ease, and not only that, but he does it with a certain style as well.

Described as a “wild horse” of a full-back by the Telegraph’s Sam Dean and “the most electrifying man in sports entertainment” by journalist James Benge, the former Bologna man pops up all over the pitch and causes nightmares for opposition defenders.

Moreover, on top of the four goal involvements he’s produced this term, the Rome-born monster has some unreal underlying numbers to his name.

npxG: Non-Penalty xG

0.16

Top 2%

Shots Total

1.58

Top 2%

Goals + Assists

0.41

Top 4%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.46

Top 4%

Aerials Won

1.89

Top 5%

Goals

0.15

Top 7%

Shots on Target

0.41

Top 8%

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 2% of full-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty expected goals and total shots, the top 4% for goal-creating actions, the top 5% for assists and aerial duels one, and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, with Sunday’s game being hugely crucial for Arsenal, it would make sense for Arteta to bring Calafiori back into the team in place of Lewis-Skelly.

The best since Henry & Vieira: Arsenal star is "the best in the world"

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 28, 2025

West Ham have emerged as favourites to sign a highly-rated striker in January as manager Nuno Espírito Santo scours the market for more firepower.

West Ham begin striker search ahead of January

The east Londoners, according to widespread reports, are intensifying their search for attacking reinforcements ahead of the winter transfer window, with Niclas Fullkrug’s impending departure forcing Nuno to prioritize forward additions during the crucial mid-season period.

The German international has made his intentions clear, informing the club he wishes to leave when the window reopens in a bid to revive his career, not to mention boost his chances of making Germany’s 2026 World Cup squad.

Fullkrug’s disastrous spell at the London Stadium has yielded zero goals this season across seven appearances, with persistent injury problems severely limiting his availability ever since his £27 million move from Borussia Dortmund last year.

In terms of the 32-year-old’s possible replacements, a few intriguing targets have been mooted already.

AC Milan striker Santiago Gimenez has emerged as a reported target for West Ham, with Nuno learning the Mexican international would cost approximately £30 million.

Manchester United’s Joshua Zirkzee represents another option being explored by the Hammers. The Dutchman has reportedly grown frustrated with his limited playing time under Ruben Amorim, and is seeking regular minutes to maintain his own international prospects ahead of the World Cup.

West Ham 'sound out' £30m striker with Fullkrug 'determined' to leave in January

The Irons are making plans to replace him.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 6, 2025

Real Madrid youngster Endrick has also been mentioned as a possible loan target, but the Brazilian now looks set to join Lyon instead.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
West Ham 0-2 Brentford
Leeds 2-1 West Ham
West Ham 3-1 Newcastle
West Ham 3-2 Burnley
Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

Meanwhile, former Brentford striker Ivan Toney could be tempted to return to England from Saudi Arabia’s Al Ahli on a temporary basis, with West Ham said to be in the mix for his signature.

They’ve also been linked with Juventus’ Jonathan David, FC Midtjylland forward Franculino Dju and even former Tottenham striker Troy Parrott recently, as chairman David Sullivan casts his net far and wide in pursuit of solutions.

West Ham now in pole position to sign Promise David

Now, as per TEAMtalk, West Ham are emerging in pole position to sign Union Saint-Gilloise forward Promise David after already making contact.

USG are apparently ready to entertain offers of around £17.5 million for the Canadian international, and West Ham are fully aware of this.

The towering 24-year-old has captured attention following his impressive performances in Belgium, where he netted 24 goals in his debut campaign last season to help USG end a remarkable 90-year wait for a Jupiler Pro League title.

Standing at 6 ft 4, David offers the physical presence and aerial threat that West Ham desperately require up front, with Nuno potentially targeting his own version of Chris Wood in east London.

Nuno helped to transform the colossal Wood into a clinical marksman at Nottingham Forest, and while that is an obvious comparison to make with David, there are gaping similarities.

However, West Ham face competition from fellow relegation battlers Leeds and Wolves, who both recognize David’s potential value as well.

The striker’s Champions League experience adds further appeal, having recently scored a winner against Galatasaray to announce himself on Europe’s biggest stage — ending the Turkish champions’ 33-game unbeaten run in the process.

For just under £18m, he could be a fine candidate to strengthen West Ham’s forward line, especially considering how teammates have described him as “the monster”.

Things just keep getting better and better for Arsenal this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side remain undefeated in the Champions League going into their game against Bayern Munich on Wednesday and, following their 4-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday, are six points clear atop the Premier League table.

The star of their derby win was unquestionably hat-trick hero Eberechi Eze, but there was also another stellar performance from Leandro Trossard, who scored and assisted a goal.

The Belgian has been in sensational form so far this year, but based on recent reports, his long-term place at Arsenal could be in danger.

Arsenal target Trossard upgrade

Towards the end of last season, it felt like there was a strong chance that Trossard would be one of the players sold by Arsenal in the summer.

A move away seemed even more likely when reports touting him to sides in Turkey and Germany started to pop up in July.

However, the club opted to keep him and hand him a pay rise instead, which, following his return of ten goal involvements in 15 appearances, is a decision that has been more than justified.

With that said, it now looks like the Gunners are looking to sign an upgrade on the former Brighton & Hove Albion gem.

At least that is according to a report from Spain, which claims Arsenal have reignited their intense interest in Rodrygo.

The report has revealed that the North Londoners have held internal talks over the potential move and, according to other sources, are preparing a proposal of €80m, including add-ons, which comes to around £70m.

The good news is that Real Madrid would consider selling the Brazilian international, though the bad news is that Liverpool are also said to be keen.

Therefore, it could be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Rodrugo’s ability, one worth pursuing, especially as he could be an upgrade on Trossard.

How Rodrygo compares to Trossard

Now, it would be fair to say that so far this year, Trossard has been unreal and is arguably performing at a level Arsenal fans have not seen from him before.

At the same time, Rodrygo is struggling for game time and to make any sort of impact at all at Real Madrid.

Therefore, it should come as no surprise that the Belgian is massively outperforming the Brazilian so far this season.

However, that does not mean the former Brighton star is a better player than the multiple Champions League winner, as when looking back over the last few years, it becomes apparent that the opposite is true.

For example, in 54 appearances across all competitions last season, the former Santos gem produced 25 goal involvements, which comes out to an average of one every 2.16 games.

In contrast, the Gunners’ number 11 produced 20 goal involvements in 56 appearances, which comes out to a less impressive average of a goal involvement every 2.8 games.

It was the same story the year before as well.

For example, the Real Madrid star produced 26 goal involvements in 51 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.96 games.

Rodrygo vs Trossard

24/25

Rodrygo

Trossard

Games

54

56

Goals

14

10

Assists

11

10

23/24

Rodrygo

Trossard

Games

51

46

Goals

17

17

Assists

9

3

All Stats via Transfermarkt

The Waterschei-born gem, on the other hand, produced 20 goal involvements in 46 appearances, which again came out to a less impressive average of one every 2.3 games.

In other words, Los Blancos’ dynamic attacker, whom analyst Spencer Mossman has dubbed “one of the best wingers in the world,” is generally far more of a goal threat than the North Londoners’ £27m man.

Moreover, the 37-capped international also has far more experience in Europe’s top competition, the Champions League, and has played a pivotal role in the Spanish giants winning it twice in recent years.

For example, in 67 games in the competition, he has scored 25 goals and provided 16 assists, and eight of those goals have come in the knockout rounds.

Ultimately, while he’s not in the best of form at the moment, Rodrygo is an undeniably sensational footballer, and if Arsenal have the chance to sign him, they should do so, even if it would be bad news for Trossard’s place in the side.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 25, 2025