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The Champions League is the biggest competition in club football. It is a chance for the world’s best to prove their calibre against the finest leagues and teams in Europe for the ultimate prize of ‘Old Big Ears’ come May or June every year.

As is the case with any competition, it is a marathon rather than a sprint, and Cristiano Ronaldo holds the record for most Champions League goals, with 141 in 183 appearances.

However, the way a club starts can often foretell their chances of glory at the end. This came to pass in the first season of the brand new league phase in 2024/25, with three of the top four clubs reaching the semi-finals.

With this in mind, Football FanCast takes a look at the top 12 goalscorers in the Champions League group stage/league phase.

Stats correct as of 14th May 2025.

Rank

Player

Goals

Lionel Messi

Cristiano Ronaldo

Robert Lewandowski

Karim Benzema

Raul

Ruud van Nistelrooy

Thierry Henry

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

Mohamed Salah

Antoine Griezmann

Alessandro Del Piero

Erling Haaland

12 Erling Haaland 33 goals

The newest entrant to this list has wasted little time making a name for himself, with Erling Haaland racing into the record books thanks to his incredible knack for goals.

His first Champions League strikes came for RB Salzburg in the 2019/20 season, scoring a hat-trick on his group stage debut against Genk, before scoring five more in the four matches that followed.

Continuing his hot streak for Borussia Dortmund and Manchester City – with whom he won the competition in 2023 – Haaland has already become one of the competition’s best strikers, yet he’s barely 25. If there’s one challenger to the top scorers, it’s him.

11 Alessandro Del Piero 33 goals

Known as one of the great one-club legends, Alessandro Del Piero is another whose talent perhaps deserved more than the sole winners’ medal he earned in 1996. He always favoured loyalty over glory with Juventus, but his 33 goals in the group stages of the Champions League prove his devotion was bettered by his goal-getting instinct.

In the competition’s history, Del Piero is the highest-scoring Italian, with nine goals in the knockouts bringing his total to 42 on the continental stage.

10 Antoine Griezmann 34 goals

Antoine Griezmann may not have got his hands on the Champions League trophy, but his exploits for Atletico Madrid and Barcelona have ensured his place in the competition’s history.

The Frenchman came closest to the trophy in 2016, when his Atletico side were beaten on penalties by city rivals Real. Griezmann missed a penalty in normal time before Los Rojiblancos found an equaliser, though he made up for it somewhat by scoring in the shootout.

With a further nine goals outside of the group stage, he remains one of the best goalscorers that the Champions League has eluded in the modern era.

9 Mohamed Salah 35 goals

Mo Salah was pivotal to Liverpool’s sixth European triumph when his early penalty against Tottenham set Jurgen Klopp’s men on the way to victory in 2019.

On top of this, he has become the club’s top goalscorer in Europe, while across all UEFA club competitions, he holds the record for most goals scored for an English club, previously set by Thierry Henry in 2006.

In the Champions League, Salah has edged ahead of the likes of Sergio Aguero in the group stage, with his contributions for Basel, Roma and Liverpool making him a legend of the competition.

8 Zlatan Ibrahimovic 38 goals

Europe’s finest journeyman, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, is known on and off the pitch for his confidence and distinctive maverick personality.

In front of goal, he was a monster, and from 38 group stage goals for seven different clubs, there weren’t too many that weren’t absolutely 10/10 spectacular.

Whether it be with his head, left foot, right foot, or through a volley, rocket, or a swerving, curling strike, Zlatan could score any type of goal from any angle or range.

7 Thierry Henry 38 goals

Also on 38 goals, Thierry Henry had a long and successful time playing in the Champions League.

Before Kylian Mbappe tore up the record books, the Arsenal Invincible was the youngest Frenchman to reach the 40-goal mark, while he remains the competition’s all-time second-highest goalscorer from France with half a century – second only to the marvellous Karim Benzema.

Henry crowned his fruit-bearing European adventure in 2009 when he lifted the trophy with Barcelona after brushing Manchester United aside in the final.

6 Ruud van Nistelrooy 50 goals

50 goals in the Champions League group stage is quite the jump from 38, especially since there were only six such games each year. But perhaps even more surprising is the fact that Ruud van Nistelrooy is the only Dutchman to make the top 12.

Despite the Oranje boasting a successful bloodline of special footballers, it is the striking endeavours of the Eindhoven product turned Man United and Real Madrid superstar that stand at the very top.

The Ruud Devil, however, is another who never lifted the famous trophy. But in 2001/02, 2002/03 and 2004/05, he finished as the competition’s top goalscorer.

Remarkably, he only ever scored six goals in the knockouts, but everything adds up to an impressive overall tally of 60 Champions League goals.

5 Raúl González 53 goals

Raúl is the highest-ranking Spanish player to feature and is one of his nation’s most decorated footballers.

Raúl became the first player to score 50 Champions League goals when he scored in a 2-1 group stage win over Olympiacos in September 2005 and was also the first to make 100 appearances in the competition. He was also the first player to score in two Champions League finals since the competition’s rebrand, notching in the finals of 2000 and 2002.

It is no surprise, then, to learn that the Spaniard is the fifth-highest goalscorer in the competition’s history, while he is joint-fifth in terms of winning the famous trophy thanks to three triumphs with Real Madrid – the benchmark football club on the continent.

4 Karim Benzema 56 goals

Somewhat overshadowed by Cristiano Ronaldo, Karim Benzema, in his own right, is one of the greatest out-and-out strikers of all time.

He is France’s top goalscorer in European competition with 90 goals in 140 games, and he is the first in this ranking to have won both the Champions League (five times!) and the Ballon d’Or (2022).

3 Robert Lewandowski 71 goals

Robert Lewandowski’s entire career has been enmeshed in near-misses when it comes to silverware. He should have won the Ballon d’Or in 2020, robbed by a pandemic. Yet, his record proves he’s one of the greatest number 9s ever.

Nowadays, he aims for more glory with Barcelona, even in his mid-thirties. The Poland international will hope to add to his tally group stage goals in 2025/26.

Across all stages of the Champions League, Lewandowski has 105 goals – third in the overall ranking once more.

Mikel Arteta is set for a crucial summer as Arsenal manager in the coming months, needing to make all the right decisions in the market if he is to go one better in the Premier League.

He’s led the Gunners to back-to-back second-place finishes in England’s top-flight, looking likely to end the campaign in the same position once again with Liverpool needing a single point for the title.

If they are to challenge Arne Slot’s men for such a triumph in 2025/26, additions are needed in various areas of the pitch to hand the Spaniard the squad depth he needs.

Undoubtedly, a new striker is already high on the agenda given the injuries to the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Kai Havertz – offering the added firepower the side have craved in recent months.

However, numerous other stars have emerged on their shortlist as the summer edges ever closer, some of which could be set for a move to North London if recent reports are to be believed.

The latest on Arsenal’s hunt for new midfielders this summer

Over the last few days, huge noise has emerged over a potential deal to land Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad after previously wanting the Spaniard in January.

Reports over the last week or so have seen new sporting director Andrea Berta be extremely confident that the 26-year-old will be their first signing this summer.

The defensive midfielder would be a superb addition to the first-team potentially being joined by another LaLiga star at the Emirates ahead of the 2025/26 campaign.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Gunners are eyeing three Real Madrid stars to strengthen the squad during the upcoming window, including French star Eduardo Camavinga.

The report states that Arteta’s side are willing to make an offer to test Madrid’s resolve over a potential switch for the 22-year-old, who’s made 35 appearances this campaign.

The Arsenal target who would make Rice unstoppable

Declan Rice has cemented himself as a hero at Arsenal in the last few weeks, with his goal contributions against Real Madrid helping Arteta’s side reach the semi-final stage.

The £105m signing found the back of the net with two free-kicks in the first leg at the Emirates – with his efforts handing the Gunners a 3-0 lead going into the second leg at the Bernabeu.

He also played a key role in the second leg win, claiming the Man of the Match award in both meetings – highlighting his importance to the side in their attempts of securing European glory.

However, since his move in 2023, it’s unclear whether he’s better suited at the base of the side or as an eight and operating in a box-to-box role in North London.

Rice would be able to build on his recent success should Camavinga move to England this summer, having the tools to operate as the deepest of the three midfielders – subsequently allowing the Englishman to star further forward.

The “world-class” French star, as labelled by one analyst, has managed to win 2.2 tackles per 90 at a success rate of 62% in LaLiga to date – having the ball-winning capabilities to thrive in Arteta’s system.

He’s also won a staggering 8.9 duels per 90, 1.8 of which have been aerially, offering a real all-round presence without the ball to help bolster the midfield department.

Games played

19

Goals & assists

3

Pass accuracy

89%

Tackles won

2.2

Tackle success rate

62%

Duels won

8.9

Aerials won

1.8

Successful dribbles

1.2

However, in possession, the 22-year-old has been just as impressive, completing 89% of the passes he’s attempted, whilst also completing 1.2 successful dribbles, showcasing his impressive nature at both ends of the pitch.

Whilst it’s unclear how much the Spanish giants would demand to part ways with the young star, there’s no denying that any move for Camavinga would massively improve the options at the manager’s disposal.

He could certainly make the deep-lying role his very own, freeing up Rice to allow him to have a similar impact as he did in both of the games against Madrid on a more consistent basis.

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ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 25, 2025

There is no denying it: this season has been a disaster for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou can end it spectacularly by winning the Europa League, but when it comes to the Premier League, things could not have gone much worse.

In fact, had it not been for some genuinely terrible form from the newly promoted sides, there might have been a real discussion around possible relegation at points, as so far, the North Londoners have lost a staggering 19 games in the league.

It’s been so poor that it seems as if Postecoglou will be on the way out regardless of what happens in Europe next, which has, in turn, seen a plethora of names linked with the job, including old boss Mauricio Pochettino and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola.

However, another name has also been linked with the job, someone who could make the board forget about the rest.

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Why Spurs would want Poch or Iraola

So, before getting to the manager in question, it’s worth looking at why the North Londoners might want to hire Pochettino or Iraola.

When it comes to the former, there are several reasons at play, but they all come back to one thing: familiarity.

Since leaving the club, it would be fair to say that the Argentine has not enhanced his reputation.

First came an unspectacular stint at Paris Saint-Germain, then a dire season with Chelsea and, as things stand, a disappointing spell in charge of the USMNT.

However, during his time in N17, he helped build a squad almost from the ground up, turned them into serious Premier League and Champions League contenders, and, just as importantly, formed a genuine connection with the fans.

Daniel Levy and Co would want to bring him back because they know that Pochettino can deliver at the club because he has done it before.

Iraola, on the other hand, does not have that familiarity with the club or fans, but he has the wind in his sails and is arguably one of the most exciting up-and-coming managers in the league.

For example, he took charge of a Cherries side that looked destined for relegation last year and has turned them into European hopefuls this season, all while losing their talismanic striker to the Lilywhites in the summer.

Games (All Comps)

83

Wins

33

Draws

20

Losses

30

Points per Game

1.43

Moreover, he helped to transform Rayo Vallecano in Spain before coming to England, so he has proven himself in more than one dugout.

With all that said, another manager hasn’t been talked about as much, but could be just the man Tottenham needs.

The Manager to make Spurs forget Poch & Iraola

According to reports from Germany earlier this month, as relayed by GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham have inquired about Borussia Dortmund’s Niko Kovač.

The Croatian coach may not be all that familiar to fans of English football, but for fans of the Bundesliga, he’s a well-known and well-respected quantity.

For example, over the last seven years, he has managed Eintracht Frankfurt, VfL Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich and most currently Dortmund – while spending a year and a half with AS Monaco.

Dortmund

17

1,76

Wolfsburg

66

1.30

Monaco

74

1.95

Bayern

65

2.26

Frankfurt

91

1.54

Described as “one of the best coaches in Europe” by football writer Sebastien C, the 53-year-old is generally regarded as a coach who likes his teams to play vertically, getting the ball forward quickly when possible, but also something of a pragmatist who likes his sides to be defensively sound.

This could see him win over the Tottenham faithful early on, as he wouldn’t be as gung-ho as Postecoglou, but he wouldn’t want to shut up shop as much as Antonio Conte, for example.

Moreover, he’s shown a willingness to switch up his formation to suit his players in the past and is currently employing a 4-2-3-1 at Signal Iduna Park.

This is a set-up that could work wonders in North London as well, with extra cover in front of the club’s frequently shaky backline.

Finally, he’d join the club as a proven winner, having picked up the German Cup with Frankfurt and then winning the Cup and League double with Bayern a year later, in 2019.

Ultimately, Kovac might not be the first name that comes to fans’ minds when thinking of Spurs’ next manager, but thanks to his moderate pragmatism and historical successes in the dugout, he should be.

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ByDominic Lund Apr 28, 2025

Everton could be an appealing destination for players on the move this summer and they could now be close to one of their first signings at Bramley Moore Dock following recent developments.

Everton making inroads ahead of exciting summer window

The Toffees are in a secure place under David Moyes and optimism is beginning to grow ahead of next campaign, with several arrivals mooted to be on the way.

Financially, Everton are expected to have a healthy budget to play with in comparison with recent years, even if they will need to bare PSR regulations in mind like most of their other Premier League competitors.

With that said, Moyes has told the Toffees’ hierarchy to sign Evan Ferguson alongside Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap as part of a two-pronged striker solution to firm up his pool of offensive options.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is set to become a free agent, so it is anticipated by many that he could be the first domino to fall in a long line of Everton stars that could exit during the off-season.

Everton’s long list of potential departures

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Contract expiry

Seamus Coleman

Contract expiry

Ashley Young

Contract expiry

Abdoulaye Doucoure

Contract expiry

Idrissa Gana Gueye

Contract expiry

Joao Virginia

Contract expiry

Asmir Begovic

Contract expiry

Michael Keane

Contract expiry

Orel Mangala

Loan expiry

Jesper Lindstrom

Loan expiry – option to buy

Armando Broja

Loan expiry – option to buy

Jack Harrison

Loan expiry

Carlos Alcaraz

Loan expiry – obligation to buy

Ultimately, change is in the water on the blue half of the Mersey. Moyes has taken his side to a comfortable footing in the league standings, but their habit of dicing with the bottom three in recent years is something supporters want to become a thing of the past.

Savvy additions are needed to combat that scenario, and Everton could now be closing in on a smart summer addition following recent reports.

Everton confident they can sign Tom Fellows from West Bromwich Albion

According to TBR, Everton are confident they can sign Tom Fellows from West Bromwich Albion and have received a boost in their pursuit due to the fact the 21-year-old wants to move to Bramley Moore Dock.

After running out of time to sign him in January for £12 million, it is anticipated that a fee of £15 million plus add-ons would be enough to lure the playmaker away from the Hawthorns this summer.

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BySean Markus Clifford Apr 18, 2025

Labelled “wonderful” by Tony Mowbray, Fellows has registered two goals and 13 assists in 42 appearances this campaign as his side remain with an outside chance of sneaking into the EFL Championship playoff slots.

Logically, stepping up to the Premier League would be the next step for the winger/playmaker, and Everton may be a match made in heaven due to their similar upward trajectories.

All parties appear to share a determination to get a deal done, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Fellows arrive on Merseyside over the next few months.

Arsenal have now held positive talks over a deal for a £61m striker, with discussions set to continue over the next few weeks, according to a report.

Gunners' striker pursuit heating up

The Gunners proved they have what it takes to compete without an out-and-out striker against Real Madrid last week, chalking up an extraordinary 3-0 victory against the reigning European champions, but it is clear Mikel Arteta wants to bring in a new option this summer.

Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres is one of the names on the shortlist, with a £87m offer for the Swedish forward in the works, while a stunning £129m bid for Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez is also being prepared, as the Argentine is now considered a top target.

Other strikers who have received widespread links to the Emirates Stadium include Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, and the latter was said to be very keen on moving to north London during the January transfer window.

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There has now been a positive development in Arsenal’s pursuit of Sesko, with a report from TEAMtalk revealing they have now cleared an important obstacle in their pursuit of the striker by holding positive talks with his entourage.

The Gunners have been in direct talks with the Slovenian’s representatives, and the outcome was positive, which indicates he could be keen on a summer move to the Emirates Stadium, but he will not come cheap.

The 21-year-old is protected by a £61m release clause in his RB Leipzig contract, which could increase slightly based on how he performs for the German side.

Regardless, the north Londoners are seriously keen on the young striker, and discussions are set to continue over the next few weeks.

"Monster" Sesko impressing for Leipzig

The Slovenia international has established himself as a very important player for Leipzig this season, making 40 appearances in all competitions, during which he has amassed 19 goals, including four in the Champions League.

Such is the starlet’s ability, he has been lauded as a “monster” by freelance scout Ben Mattinson, while reporter Sam Dean believes he could be a good fit for the Gunners, given that he possesses qualities very few of Arteta’s players have.

Sesko’s eye for goal could make him a fantastic addition to Arteta’s squad, having vastly outperformed his non-penalty xG over the past year, so it is exciting news that the move is now advancing.

West Ham United have now submitted an offer of around £20m for a “natural goalscorer”, with Nuno personally a big fan.

West Ham targeting new striker with Fullkrug heading for exit

It has recently been revealed that Niclas Fullkrug is heading for the exit door this winter, having struggled to find the back of the net consistently since arriving from Borussia Dortmund, scoring just three goals in 28 appearances for West Ham.

Callum Wilson has been the man leading the line as of late, and the Englishman has impressed, bagging a brace in the 2-2 draw against AFC Bournemouth, but there are also question marks over his long-term future at the London Stadium.

Given that Wilson is set to turn 34 in February, and his contract expires at the end of the season, it would be a shrewd move to bring in a younger striker, and the Hammers are desperate to sign at least one new centre-forward in the upcoming window.

That is according to a report from Hammers News, which states West Ham have failed with an opening bid of £20m for Al-Hilal striker Marcos Leonardo, with the Saudi Pro League side adamant they won’t sanction a departure.

However, the Irons may return to the negotiating table with another offer, such is their determination to get a deal done, with Nuno personally a big fan of the Brazilian, who was linked with a move to Nottingham Forest during the manager’s time in charge there.

Nuno has made bringing in a new striker the number one priority for the January transfer window, and if the Hammers were able to get a deal for the 22-year-old done, they would be signing a player in red-hot form.

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The Al-Ahli striker is fielding enquiries ahead of January.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2025 "Natural goalscorer" Leonardo on fire in Saudi Arabia

Indeed, the Al-Hilal star has been fantastic since the Club World Cup in the summer, scoring four goals in five matches in the new-look competition, and he has since impressed considerably domestically too.

Marcos Leonardo’s goalscoring record

Appearances

Goals

Saudi Pro League

6

6

AFC Champions League

5

3

King’s Cup

3

2

The former Santos man also earned high praise from scout Jacek Kulig courtesy of very impressive attacking numbers during his time in Brazil.

With Fullkrug heading for the exit door, West Ham undoubtedly need to bring in a new striker this winter, and Leonardo could be capable of leading the line for Nuno’s side for years to come.

Aston Villa centre-forward Ollie Watkins recently ended his goal draught with an impressive brace in the 4-3 win over Brighton in the Premier League earlier this month.

The England international had gone 11 matches without a goal, per Sofascore, and only had one goal to his name in the top-flight before those two strikes against the Seagulls.

After blanking against Arsenal on Saturday, though, Watkins is now on three goals, from 4.49 xG (Sofascore), in 15 appearances in the Premier League this season, which is far from an ideal return for the Villans striker.

The former Brentford marksman’s underwhelming form on the pitch this season may force Unai Emery to consider adding to his squad to bolster his firepower in the final third.

Aston Villa eyeing deal for Ligue 1 striker

The Villans are reportedly looking at a potential striker signing who could come in and be an upgrade on Watkins for the second half of the 2025/26 campaign.

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According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are one of a number of clubs interested in a deal to sign Strasbourg centre-forward Joaquin Panichelli in the January transfer window.

The report claims that the Villans, West Ham United, and Chelsea are all keeping close tabs on the Argentine marksman, ahead of a possible swoop for his services.

It adds that it could be difficult for any of those clubs to get a deal done for the 23-year-old star in January, as Strasbourg want a ‘big profit’ on the forward they paid £14m to sign from Alaves in the summer.

However, it is not impossible and Aston Villa should push to get a deal done ahead of West Ham and Chelsea because he could improve their squad in the centre-forward position.

Why Aston Villa should sign Panichelli

The Villans could land an upgrade on Watkins, who has struggled this season, by signing the Strasbourg star, because his form in Ligue 1 has been hugely impressive.

After a return of 21 goals in 44 matches on loan at Mirandes in LaLiga 2 in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore, it was unclear whether or not the Argentine striker would be able to handle the step up to playing in one of Europe’s major leagues.

It is fair to say that he has made the step up with ease after his £14m transfer to Strasbourg, since his form so far this season has attracted interest from Villa, Chelsea, and West Ham.

U23 scout Antonio Mango described him as “one of the most in form Strikers in Europe” at the end of October, and that statement still rings true in December.

Panichelli has scored nine goals from 8.58 xG in 15 appearances in Ligue 1, compared to Watkins’ three goals from 4.49 xG in the Premier League, and only five striker in the top five leagues in Europe have outscored him.

Harry Kane

17

Kylian Mbappe

16

Erling Haaland

15

Ferran Torres

11

Igor Thiago

11

Joaquin Panichelli

9

Esteban Lepaul

8

Robert Lewandowski

8

Jonathan Burkardt

8

Vedat Muriqi

8

The Strasbourg centre-forward, as shown in the table above, has been one of the most prolific number nines in Europe at league level this season, which illustrates the level of quality that Villa could bring to the club.

On top of his domestic form, Panichelli has scored one goal from 0.23 xG in two Conference League outings, per Sofascore, whilst Watkins has no goals from 1.63 xG in five Europa League appearances for the Villans.

These statistics suggest that the Argentine striker could be the ruthless finisher that Emery’s team have lacked this season, due to Watkins’ dismal form in front of goal as a finisher.

Panichelli has been one of the most prolific scorers in Europe, whilst also doing so efficiently against his xG. This suggests that his goalscoring is sustainable if chances continue to be created for him.

Therefore, given that Watkins has had chances created for him that he has failed to make the most of, the Strasbourg star could arrive at Villa Park as an upgrade in the centre-forward position if they beat Chelsea and West Ham to his signature.

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The Villans are now outside title challengers.

ByEmilio Galantini 6 days ago

It is now down to the board to ensure that they put enough money on the table to convince the Ligue 1 side to part ways with the impressive striker in the January transfer window.

On Thanksgiving Thursday in the United States, Celtic supporters across the world are thankful that their side has finally won an away European match.

In the Europa League’s early kick off, despite falling behind inside 11 minutes, Martin O’Neill’s side fought back to beat Feyenoord 3-1; Yang Hyun-jun and then Reo Hatate on target in double-quick time, before substitute Benjamin Nygren lashed home a clinching third late on

Before this, the Hoops had failed to win any of their previous 16 European away matches, dating back to a 3-2 victory over Ferencváros in Budapest in November 2021; Kyōgo Furuhashi, Jota and Liel Abada the scorers for Ange Postecoglou’s side back then.

In the context of this campaign, it takes Celts’ points tally up to seven from five Europa League games, boosting their knockout phase hopes, with fixtures against Roma, Bologna and Utrecht still to come on their schedule.

By the time the current Serie A leaders visit Glasgow in a fortnight, there could well be a new face in the home dugout, so which forgotten figure staked a claim in Rotterdam to be a key figure under Wilfried Nancy?

Reo Hatate's magical night

Plenty of Celtic players deserve praise following a famous win in Rotterdam, but Hatate was the star of the show.

The Japanese midfield maestro spectacularly set up the equaliser, before cooly slotted home the vital go-ahead goal, gently passing the ball into the net having been gifted possession by goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther, after some excellent, trademark closing down by Daizen Maeda.

Since arriving in January 2022, Hatate has been one of Celtic’s best and most beloved players throughout; scoring twice in a thumping Old Firm victory mere weeks after joining helps!

However, his position in the starting lineup has come under scrutiny, given the Celts’ do have other good central midfield options, namely Nygren, Arne Engels, Luke McCowan and Paulo Bernardo.

However, Hatate’s mercurial talent and exquisite ability makes him a dream for any manager and, based on how his Columbus Crew team like to play, Nancy will surely make the Japanese international a central figure in his team, once he does arrive.

Meanwhile, which usually less heralded figure will also surely have impressed the incoming manager with his display at De Kuip?

Celtic's "world class" talent stars vs Feyenoord

There were many heroes bedecked in green and white hoops during Thursday’s victory over Feyenoord.

Teenaged full-back Colby Donovan was immense, Luke McCowan was excellent out of position, despite his inexplicable early miss, while Daizen Maeda worked his socks off as always.

Meantime, one of the surprise starters when the team sheets dropped was Yang, chosen over Sebastian Tounekti, Nygren and Michel-Ange Balikwisha by O’Neill, but the Korea Republic international certainly repaid the manager’s

Yang lashed home Celtic’s equaliser on the half-hour mark, connecting with Hatate’s looping cross, the ball squirming in between Wellenreuther and the post.

This was only Yang’s second goal of the season, also on target against Partick Thistle in the League Cup in September beforehand, but this one was rather more important.

Overall, he was a constant threat at De Kuip.

Goals

1

1st

Attempted dribbles

3

2nd

Completed passes

25

16th

Duels contested

6

15th

Touches

43

15th

SofaScore rating

7.3

4th

Since arriving from Gangwon FC in July 2023 under Brendan Rodgers, Yang has flattered to deceive, showing glimpses of quality but only doing so on a very irregular basis.

Upon making the move, Gangwon’s then-club president Kim Byung-ji stated that he had “world class” potential, backing him to become as good as the national team’s all-time leading scorer Son Heung-min.

Speaking during commentary for TNT Sports, Joe Hart, a former teammate of Yang, said that “there’s an excellent player in there”, but that he just has to show it on a regular basis, while manager O’Neill stated that he needs to now replicate his form in training in matches.

Thus, with Nancy seemingly poised to arrive, every member of the Celtic squad will have a clean slate, which will surely be good news for Yang, looking to become a key figure under the new manager, hoping to force his way into Hong Myung-bo’s South Korea squad ahead of next summer’s World Cup.

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If you didn’t believe that Manchester City were bona fide title contenders, well, you surely do now.

On Sunday, the serial champions crushed the reigning champions 3-0 at the Etihad, doing so with plenty to spare.

Despite the fact Erling Haaland saw an early penalty saved by Giorgi Mamardashvili, this merely momentarily delayed the Sky Blues onslaught.

Haaland headed home the opener soon after, before Nico González’s deflected shot deservedly doubled the Citizens’ advantage in first-half injury time, with Jérémy Doku curling home a clinching third; more on the brilliant Belgian in a bit.

The match marked Pep Guardiola’s 1,000th match in management and took his tally to 716 wins, which isn’t bad.

Now eyeing a seventh Premier League title, Manchester City are just four points adrift leaders Arsenal, after Mikel Arteta’s team were denied victory at the Stadium of Light on Saturday night by Brian Brobbey’s last-gasp equaliser for Sunderland.

if Man City are going to become champions of the land once again, they’ll need two of their stars from Sunday to continue to perform.

Jérémy Doku's performance against Liverpool

As noted by Opta, Jérémy Doku won 11 duels, completed seven dribbles, created three chances and registered three shots on target against Liverpool.

If you think that sounds impressive, well, that’s because it is. He is the first player to rack up such an impressive figure in a single Premier League game since Eden Hazard against West Ham in April 2019.

Doku’s thunderous strike capped off the victory as well as his own sublime display, with Gary Neville, speaking during commentary for Sky Sports, saying never before had he awarded the player of the match after 62 minutes, until today.

David Hytner of the Guardian asserted that the winger was ‘unplayable’, praising his ‘blur of tricks and direct running’, with Doku tormenting Liverpool right-back Conor Bradley, the Northern Irishman having pocketed Vinícius Júnior just a few days before.

This was Doku’s 100th appearance in sky blue, scoring just his 17th goal for the club, previously netting against Napoli and Swansea this season, his previous Premier League goal coming at Portman Road against Ipswich in mid-January.

Now though, perhaps the 23-year-old is showing signs of realising his full potential so, while he was the obvious star of the show, an under-the-radar Man City player also deserves to be heralded for their display.

Pep Guardiola's unsung Man City hero

12 months ago, when Manchester City were in complete free fall, all the talk was about how this team cannot win without Rodri.

Well, despite enjoying a brief cameo off the bench against Bournemouth last weekend, the Ballon d’Or winner was not even in the matchday squad against Borussia Dortmund nor Liverpool subsequently, which was one of the major talking points prior to kick off on Sunday.

Nevertheless, Guardiola once described Nico González as like a “mini-Rodri”, and the midfielder helped ensure his compatriot was not missed.

Nico scored the second goal, a hammer blow for Arne Slot’s team coming on the cusp of half-time, and put in a generally imperious performance, as the numbers support.

Goals

1

1st

Accurate passes

51

3rd

Passing accuracy %

88%

5th*

Defensive actions

8

3rd

Tackles won

3

2nd

Duels won

6

4th

Ground duels won

5

3rd

Touches

72

2nd

SofaScore rating

8.3

2nd

*minimum 30 passes completed.

As the table highlights, the midfielder ranked in the top four when it came to a wide variety of statistics, registering more touches than any other player in sky blue, winning five of the six ground duels he contested as well as completing 51 of 58 passes. Truth be told, this was probably his best display in blue, dominating one of the best sides in the division.

The Manchester Evening News awarded him an 8/10 for his performance, noting that the Spaniard took ‘charge of the game’.

This, in truth, should not be overly surprising.

The midfielder joined from Porto back in January for around £50m and did so with a big reputation, given that he is a La Masia graduate, breaking into the Barcelona team with fellow mononymously known midfielders Pedri and Gavi, rated as highly as both when they were teenagers.

Nevertheless, it is still invaluable for Man City that Nico is able to take a step forward in his development and has the quality to operate as a one-man midfield, allowing their attacking stars, namely Doku, Haaland and others, to shine.

With Rodri and his obvious back-up Mateo Kovačić both struggling due to ongoing injury issues, while Tijjani Reijnders appears ill-suited to the role, Nico has been thrown in at the deep end in the number 6 position, but is gracefully swimming like a swan, rather than sinking like a heavy stone, to continue that analogy.

When Manchester City return to action after the international break, they’ll do so with a tricky trip to St James’ Park, but victory over Newcastle would cut the gap at the top to just one point, ahead of the North London derby the following day.

For the here and now, on the occasion of Guardiola’s 1,000 match as a manager, it was probably fitting that a diminutive Spanish defensive midfield shone.

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Arsenal are now ready to submit an offer for Valencia star Javi Guerra, with it emerging the midfielder could be available for a bargain fee.

The Gunners bolstered their options in the middle of the park considerably during the summer transfer window, bringing in Martin Zubimendi and Oliver Norgaard, and they now have two midfielders ranked among the best 15 in the world.

Declan Rice, who has been likened to a modern-day Patrick Vieira, has also continued to impress, with Micah Richards saying: “He’s taken his game to the next level now where you’re taking about one of the best in world football.

“It is so good to see and if Arsenal do win the Premier League this season it will be because players like him. I said at the start that it’s a team game but he’s just exceeding all expectations.”

Despite Mikel Arteta being blessed with a number of top-quality options, however, the north Londoners remain keen on bringing in another central midfielder…

Arsenal ready to submit offer for Javi Guerra

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Arsenal are now ready to submit an offer for Guerra, with it being revealed Valencia could be willing to listen to bids in the region of just €20m (£18m), despite the €100m (£88m) release clause in his contract, meaning the Gunners could get a £70m discount.

Atletico Madrid have also emerged as one of the strongest contenders to sign the midfielder, with the Spanish club preparing a move, alongside the Gunners, who have been closely monitoring his performances.

Valencia have tied the 22-year-old down to a contract which lasts until 2029, which should put them in a strong negotiating position in theory, but Arteta’s side could get a bargain deal over the line if they move quickly.

The Spanish maestro has been impressing in his home country for quite some time, catching scout Ben Mattinson’s eye courtesy of a solid display against Real Madrid during the 2023-24 campaign.

The Valencia-born star has remained an important player this season, setting up two goals in 11 La Liga outings, and he places in the 83rd percentile for assists per 90 over the past year, when compared to other midfielders, having averaged 0.17.

With the likes of Zubimendi, Rice and Norgaard on the books already, Guerra may not be a necessary signing, but a deal would not break the bank at around just £17m, and he would be a fantastic back-up option for Arteta in midfield.

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