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Clayton Kershaw will officially make his final MLB regular season start on Sunday when the Dodgers face the Mariners to close out the 2025 season. The three-time Cy Young award winner will retire after this season, but his retirement is delayed as the Dodgers clinched a playoff spot.

Los Angeles begins the wild-card series on Tuesday, Sept. 30 against either the Reds or the Mets, depending on who clinches that postseason spot on Sunday. But, will Kershaw compete for the Dodgers in this series?

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Sunday that Kershaw will not be on the wild-card roster for Los Angeles, via ' Jack Harris. However, there is still a chance the veteran pitcher will return to the roster if the Dodgers reach the NLDS.

This decision makes sense since Kershaw is starting on Sunday. He will rest this upcoming week during the wild card. But, will Sunday's start be the final appearance of Kershaw's MLB career? It all depends how the Dodgers do in the postseason.

It looked like it would be the week that would end Daniel Farke’s time at Leeds United. One that would all but condemn the Yorkshire giants to a swift return to the Championship. And yet.

While last weekend’s Etihad fight-back ultimately proved in vain, that second-half showing has sparked new life into the Elland Road side, having since claimed four valuable points at home to both Chelsea and Liverpool in recent days.

Unlike in midweek, however, the Whites were far from at their best this time around, with Hugo Ekitike surging the away side into what appeared to be an unassailable two-goal lead.

This is not the Liverpool side that claimed Premier League glory last term, though, nor is it the Leeds outfit which meekly fell to relegation two years ago – they’re made of sterner stuff.

Aided by the reckless Ibrahima Konate, Dominic Calvert-Lewin’s spot-kick sparked a frantic finale at Elland Road, with Anton Stach levelling things up just two minutes later.

Man of the moment Dominik Szoboszlai then looked to have popped the Leeds balloon, before Ao Tanaka came up trumps at the death – cue bedlam, delirium, and a queue of writers not quite sure what to make of it.

Tanaka the hero in stunning second-half fight-back

It was all going so wrong for Farke and co, with Joe Rodon gifting an opener to that man Ekitike, before the Frenchman netted a second almost within a minute to make it 2-0 on the 50-minute mark.

There looked to be no way back, with Leeds drifting toward defeat, before a trio of changes sparked the game into life.

Up stepped Wilfried Gnonto, Brenden Aaronson and the aforementioned Tanaka to alter proceedings, with the three late arrivals making an impact in all three goals for the home side.

Indeed, it was Gnonto’s direct run which drew the foul from Konate for Leeds’ first, while Aaronson laid on the assist for Stach, as Farke’s men levelled things up just two minutes later.

The headline-grabber, however, was Tanaka, with the Japanese midfielder – who had been replaced by Ilia Gruev in the starting lineup – pouncing at the backpost to snatch a point in the sixth minute of stoppage time.

That moment aside, the 2024 summer signing also notably won 100% of his duels after entering the fray, as per Sofascore, with the decision to start Gruev in his place seemingly backfiring as far as Farke is concerned.

Tanaka will surely be reinstated into the fold next time around, while fellow substitute Gnonto should also be in the mix for a regular starting berth again.

Why Leeds sub now needs to start every game

While Tanaka may have stolen the show in stoppage time, the game truly appeared to change due to the added dynamism of Gnonto in attack, with Leeds looking rather blunt prior to that.

Chalkboard

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

Noah Okafor, for instance, was hooked just after the hour mark, having made just five passes in all, while registering just 14 touches, with the Whites in need of a spark to ignite their limp forward line.

As ever, it was the diminutive Italian who proved to be just that, cleverly drawing the foul from Konate with his fleet of foot inside the area, representing one of two fouls he would win in that late cameo.

Direct and penetrating, the 22-year-old also notably recorded a stellar 100% pass accuracy even while seeking to make things happen for his side, having even recorded more touches (17) than Okafor despite his limited time on the field.

From Championship hero to peripheral Premier League figure, Gnonto has not had the game time he would’ve liked in 2025/26, with a calf injury limiting him to just seven top-flight outings thus far.

Games

43

Starts

26

Goals

9

Assists

6

Big chances missed

6

Big chances created

10

Key passes*

1.1

Pass accuracy*

81%

Successful dribbles*

1.0

On the evidence of Saturday night, however, he should well be a regular fixture moving forward, now that he is fit and firing again, with Leeds simply looking a different team with the speedy forward spearheading the attack.

As noted by Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth, who awarded him an 8/10 match rating, Gnonto was ‘bright, lively, tricky’, having fearlessly taken the hosts forward time and again.

With a trip to Brentford now next on the agenda next weekend, the former Zurich starlet should surely be deserving of a recall to the starting XI.

Farke must unleash "wonderkid" who'd be perfect for Nmecha's new Leeds role

Daniel Farke must unleash this promising youngster who could be perfect for Lukas Nmecha’s new role at Leeds.

ByDan Emery Dec 6, 2025

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani has not pitched since his second UCL procedure in 2023. The two-way player has been confined to just designated hitting since signing with the Dodgers, but his return to the mound appears to be getting closer.

Ohtani is set to pitch to major league hitters tomorrow in live batting practice at Citi Field ahead of Los Angeles' game against the New York Mets, manager Dave Roberts told reporters on Friday. This comes a week removed from Ohtani throwing 50 pitches in a bullpen session which was described as "up-and-down" by Bill Plunkett of the

If Ohtani can return to the mound with his prior form, the Dodgers will have a significant addition to their starting rotation. Ohtani boasts a career 3.01 ERA across 86 starts with 608 strikeouts to 173 walks.

Franco Mastantuono has admitted that Lamine Yamal is currently winning the battle of the Clasico teenagers, but warns he is still developing following his arrival from River Plate in the summer. The Argentine has now spoken openly about his struggles with the pubalgia injury that has disrupted him in recent weeks and has also been troubling Barcelona’s Yamal.

• Mastantuono’s promising start halted by early-season injury

  The Argentine arrived at Real Madrid this summer in a €45 million ($53m/£39m) move from River Plate. At just 18, he was seen as one of the most promising South American talents of his generation. Madrid moved quickly for him, convinced his profile and style fit perfectly with manager Xabi Alonso's structure. He made his debut on the opening weekend of the season against Osasuna and settled in quicker than expected. While he has contributed only one goal and one assist in his 12 appearances so far, the Madrid boss was more impressed with his overall play and his ability to find spaces, which made him a regular starter in the absence of Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga.

  However, Mastantuono has struggled with discomfort as Real Madrid confirmed signs of pubalgia, a groin and lower abdominal injury known for being unpredictable. 

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mastantuono reveals the issue began before his Madrid move

  Speaking on , Mastantuono opened up about the injury and how the pain developed. He said the issue didn’t appear overnight but grew slowly until it reached a point he couldn’t ignore.

  "I'm working hard to recover and be back on the pitch, which is the best part. I'm feeling much better now," the Argentine said. "It was a pain I'd been dealing with for a while. It was time to slow down and recover properly so I could be at 100%. This club demands it. I'll be back playing soon."

  He revealed the pain actually began while he was still at River Plate. "It started in the second game of the Club World Cup with River and it bothered me more and more until I had to stop because of the pain."

• Mastantuono opens up on growing Yamal rivalry

  The young winger also opened up about his comparison with Yamal, and how their rivalry could possibly define the next decade of El Clasico. The 18-year-old said he does not enjoy direct comparisons, but he understands why the discussion exists. "I don't like comparisons, but it's always nice to have rivals of Lamine's caliber, from Barcelona, from Spain. It motivates you to be even better. I hope it can stay this way for a long time, until the end of my career." 

  When asked who is better right now, he was straightforward. "Today, Lamine. He's showing an incredible level, but I've just arrived at Real Madrid, I'm in an adaptation process that I hope will be quick so I can get up to speed in Europe and at Real Madrid. I hope it's a long story to tell, with many matches like the last one we played, which was incredible."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  The rise of pubalgia issues in young players

  Pubalgia, often called a sports hernia, is one of the toughest injuries for players who depend on agility and explosive movement. It affects the connection between the abdominal and adductor muscles, and recovery can vary from week to week. Wingers and attacking players who twist and sprint repeatedly are especially vulnerable.

  It is also an injury that cannot be rushed. If a player returns too soon, the pain usually comes back even stronger. Yamal is dealing with the same issue at Barcelona and has been in and out of the squad this season due to the injury. Athletic Club's Nico Williams has managed it recently, and Chelsea’s Cole Palmer has also faced similar problems this season.

  Mastantuono's progress has been steady, but Los Blancos are taking a cautious approach and have not yet set a timeline for his return. According to reports, there is quite optimism he could return towards the end of December. Still, the club won't rush him. Alonso wants him fully fit for a demanding January schedule, where Madrid will need depth on the wings.

Her 26-ball 51 gives stellar Originals bowling attack something to defend in low-scoring game

ECB Media17-Aug-2025Manchester Originals 117 for 5 (Dottin 51) beat Northern Superchargers 112 for 7 (Litchfield 31, Kerr 2-20, Ecclestone 2-21, Bryce 2-26) by five runsAn inspired performance in the field from Manchester Originals held off the Superchargers in one of the games of the tournament.In front of a bumper crowd of 11,952 – a record for the women’s competition at Emirates Old Trafford – the home side held their nerve and took their catches to clinch a potentially season-defining victory.Defeat here to the high-flying Superchargers would have put the Originals’ campaign in jeopardy; yet they finished the day on level points with their opponents, in joint second, and with the table wide open.The catching was spectacular. The hinge point of the run-chase came from the 61st ball of the innings, when the in-form Australian southpaw Phoebe Litchfield, having just unfurled a stunning switch-hit for six, climbed into a conventional sweep against Kathryn Bryce. She got a lot of it, but Fi Morris, running full tilt not far from the boundary rope, leapt to pluck it out of the skies.Morris then took another good tumbling catch to remove Annabel Sutherland, before Deandra Dottin flung herself full stretch at cover to grab a fingertip-catch and remove Bess Heath with just seven balls remaining. That gave Sophie Ecclestone her second wicket.Left-arm spinner Ecclestone – working in tandem with the brilliant wrist-spinner Amelia Kerr, who also claimed two wickets – applied a further clamp to the Superchargers’ momentum which had began with an excellent new-ball spell from Mahika Gaur, who conceded just 10 runs from her 15 deliveries.After Ecclestone, the final set of five was coolly delivered by Lauren Filer to spark huge celebrations.Beth Mooney, Originals captain, later acknowledged that her team’s depth of bowling was crucial to the outcome.”It’s a huge result,” she said. “We’ve got to win these scrappy games and sometimes it looks a little bit ugly, as it did at times today for us, but it puts you in good stead at the back end of tournaments like this. I’ve got six international bowlers that I’m working with and they’re great at executing their skills. To have Sophie Ecclestone and Amelia Kerr, two of the best spinners in the world, in our team, certainly makes my life easy.”The Meerkat Match Hero award went to Dottin, who registered just the second fifty of the Originals’ tournament. It was her intervention, coming to the crease with just 42 balls left in the innings after the openers Mooney and Bryce had both fallen for single-figure scores, that changed the course of the match and perhaps the Originals’ season.Her unbeaten 51 was vintage Dottin, especially lethal on the pull to anything short, and clumping three sixes in her 26-ball stay. The momentum generated from Dottin’s knock carried over to the second innings, keeping the Originals very much alive in the tournament.”It was a really good game,” said Dottin. “So exciting and we’re just so pleased to get over the line. After the feedback and the info from the players who’d already been in the middle, the main thing for me was to see what it was actually doing and then taking it as deep as possible. It’s a big win but we’re not too overconfident.”

Middlesex 319 for 1 (Holden 137*, Williamson 88*, Robson 57) vs NorthamptonshireMiddlesex’s Max Holden plundered an unbeaten century as he and New Zealand star Kane Williamson piled up runs on the opening day of their Rothesay County Championship clash against Northamptonshire.Holden, opening to accommodate Williamson’s red-ball debut for the county at number three, batted right through the day for 137, his third ton of the season, with the pair adding an uninterrupted 197 to reach 319 for one at Merchant Taylors’ School.Sam Robson (57) shared a stand of 122 with Holden before Williamson – sampling his first taste of Championship cricket since he featured for Yorkshire in 2018 – weighed in with an unbeaten 88.It was a testing day for Northamptonshire, with Ben Sanderson their only successful bowler after they inserted the hosts in overcast conditions, while Rob Keogh sustained a serious-looking finger injury attempting to catch Williamson’s ferocious drive.With Northamptonshire skipper Luke Procter absent for personal reasons, Lewis McManus took the reins for the first time in red-ball cricket and fulfilled his first duty by winning the toss.However, his bowlers went through the morning session wicketless, despite a tricky opening spell by Sanderson – with Holden taking his time to settle, facing 20 deliveries before he got off the mark with a single.First change Dom Leech struggled for consistency and Robson took advantage to steer him for successive fours as Middlesex picked up the pace, with Holden also unfurling a couple of classy straight drives to the boundary.Leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal entered the attack as early as the 15th over, extracting turn as he began with two maidens, but Holden danced down the wicket to take him on, driving and sweeping with confidence.Having reached lunch with 90 on the board, the Middlesex pair advanced their partnership into three figures and Robson won the race to his half-century, pulling Liam Guthrie for two boundaries in an over.But the opener departed in the next, caught behind leg-glancing Sanderson and that slowed the batting side’s progress, although Williamson opened his account with a sweetly-driven cover boundary off Liam Guthrie.Holden moved on to 50 with a swiped hook that flew to the rope, but soon afterwards the left-hander survived a sharp chance to short leg off Chahal – now operating in an all-spin attack alongside Keogh.Displaying exquisite timing and placement, especially on the off side, Williamson mastered the bowling and progressed to his half-century just three balls ahead of Holden’s hundred, courtesy of a back-foot punch for four off Chahal.The Indian spinner returned for another spell earlier than expected after tea, with Keogh forced from the field after making a valiant but unsuccessful attempt to catch Williamson’s rocket drive off his own bowling.Holden pummelled Leech for another four to lift the partnership beyond 150 and, following the last of the day’s three brief rain stoppages, he and Williamson resumed the Middlesex offensive.Williamson cut Saif Zaib to the fence and then lifted his next ball effortlessly over the top for six but, with the new ball due and the light continuing to worsen, the umpires called a halt to proceedings.

NFL icon and Birmingham City minority owner Tom Brady has claimed that his dog, Junie, is a genetic clone of family pet Lua, who died in 2023. According to the former quarterback, the cloning was carried out by Colossal Biosciences, a Dallas-based biotechnology firm in which Brady is an investor. The news was announced in a statement by Colossal as they look to lead the industry in the technology.

Brady drops bombshell cloning news

Colossal's statement on Brady's dog took the internet by surprise. The company also confirmed its purchase of another cloning company, Viagen Pets and Equine. The two firms are set to combine their research and technology to expand cloning services for both domestic animals and conservation purposes, with the hope of expanding worldwide. Brady said: "I love my animals, they mean everything to me and my family. A few years ago, Colossal used a non-invasive method to collect a small blood sample from our older dog before she passed away. That allowed them to create Junie, who’s a clone of Lua." 

Brady described the experience as a "second chance" for his family, saying he was encouraged by how the technology could "bring comfort to families who lose their pets while also supporting efforts to protect endangered species".

AdvertisementGetty Images SportCloning technology advancing

Viagen, now owned by Colossal, is known for cloning pets for high-profile clients, including Barbra Streisand and Paris Hilton. The company operates under technology licenses from the Roslin Institute in Edinburgh, which created the famous Dolly the Sheep in 1996. After being founded in 2021, Colossal has gained global attention for its ambitious "de-extinction" research projects, including attempts to revive species such as the woolly mammoth and the dodo. The company recently claimed to have cloned three dire wolf pups. Financial details of Colossal’s acquisition of Viagen have not been disclosed, but reports suggest Viagen’s dog cloning services are typically priced between $50,000 and $85,000.

Cloning pets has been a controversial topic in popular culture, often featuring in discussions about the ethics of recreating animals. Brady, now a broadcaster for Fox Sports, a seven-time Super Bowl winner, and minority owner of Championship club Birmingham, said he doesn’t see Junie as a scientific experiment but simply as "part of our family".

Brady balancing hectic work schedule

Brady has been very busy since retiring from the NFL in 2023. Alongside his broadcasting duties, the 48-year-old has a stake in Birmingham City, who play in England's second division, as well as the Las Vegas Raiders Stateside. He has often been spotted in the stands at Birmingham games, and has even gone so far as to speak with potential new signings for the Midlands club, as they look to compete with Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's Wrexham.

Summer signing Marvin Ducksch revealed that he spoke with Brady in the process of signing for the Blues, and it convinced him how dedicated the NFL legend is to his football passion. He said: "When I arrived for the medical and the contract signing, they handed me the phone, and I was allowed to speak with Tom Brady. That inspired me even more to speak with the GOAT in person. That was when I finally knew I had made the right decision."

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Getty ImagesWhat comes next?

Brady's animal experiments are just another investment to be added to his portfolio in retirement. In the world of sports, he will be delighted to see the progress of Birmingham since claiming a stake in the club. They currently sit ninth in the Championship table, having won six of their 14 games so far this season. Brady will also take pleasure in seeing that his side are above Wrexham, who currently reside in 16th, four points below the Blues – although the two did play out a 1-1 draw at the start of October. Next up for Brady's men is a trip to Middlesbrough, a team vying for the automatic promotion spots this season.

تخلف المدرب البلجيكي يانيك فيريرا، المدير الفني لنادي الزمالك، عن حضور المؤتمر الصحفي الذي كان مقررًا له بعد مباراة البنك الأهلي، مساء أمس الخميس.

وكان الزمالك التقي مع البنك الأهلي، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي، ضمن مواجهات الجولة الـ 12 لبطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

وانتهي اللقاء بين الفريقين، بنتيجة التعادل الإيجابي 1-1، ليسقط نادي الزمالك في التعادل الرابع له في بطولة الدوري هذا الموسم.

طالع | ترتيب الدوري المصري بعد تعادل الزمالك مع البنك الأهلي

ومن المنتظر بعد تخلف يانيك فيريرا عن حضور المؤتمر الصحفي، أن توقع عليه عقوبة وفقًا للائحة الدوري المصري للموسم الحالي.

ووفقا للائحة فإن عقوبة المدرب يانيك فيريرا، ستكون توجيه إنذار لعدم تكرار هذا الأمر، مع توقيع عقوبة مالية 20 ألف جنيه، وتتضاعف إذا تكرر الأمر من جديد.

ويحتل نادي الزمالك المركز الرابع في جدول ترتيب بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز، برصيد 19 نقطة، بعدما خاض 11 لقاء حتى الآن.

“I think the wicket was a whole lot better than 157, where a lot of batsmen made starts [but didn’t] go on to make those big scores,” Ricky Ponting says

Shashank Kishore20-Apr-20252:20

Finch: PBKS are leaving some runs on the table

Shreyas Iyer thinks Punjab Kings (PBKS) are suffering from a middle-order muddle in IPL 2025, especially at home in New Chandigarh – where they have played their final game of the season – with surfaces having thrown up a number of questions at their batters.On Sunday against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), PBKS scored 157 for 6 in their 20 overs; the last five overs produced just 38 as Josh Hazlewood and Bhuvneshwar Kumar put on a superb exhibition of death bowling. Even a feared finisher like Shashank Singh couldn’t quite find his hitting gears – he didn’t hit a single boundary in the last five overs.Their innings wasn’t as much of a struggle like it was in their previous game at the venue, where they successfully defended 110 against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), but it wasn’t one they would look back on fondly either.Related

Padikkal: 'The Chinnaswamy deserves some wins as well'

Kohli explains RCB's success – 'We got the team that we wanted'

Kohli, Padikkal fifties fire RCB to fifth away win

“If you see, a majority of our batters like to go [for it] from ball one,” Shreyas said after PBKS went down by seven wickets to RCB. “We’re finding it difficult to assess the wicket if we’re batting first. That has been the scenario from match one.”Otherwise, we’ve not been able to capitalise on the starts we’ve been getting. It’s just that the wickets have been getting slower and slower, [this] being an afternoon game, we weren’t able to set a total we could defend. Even in the middle phase when we thought we could take on the bowlers, we couldn’t capitalise.”PBKS head coach Ricky Ponting’s thoughts were along the same lines.”We didn’t bat well enough. That’s the bottomline in this game. I think the wicket was a whole lot better than 157, where a lot of batsmen made starts [but didn’t] go on to make those big scores,” he said at the press conference after the game. “That’s crucial in T20 cricket, especially the guys at the top of the order. And that’s the difference.”Virat [Kohli] bats through tonight, sees his team home, and we weren’t good enough to capitalise on a good start. At the end of the powerplay we were 1 for 62 – pretty much where you want the game to be. Straightaway you’re looking at a score of 180-plus, even pushing on to 200 if the middle order bats well. But we lost wickets in clumps again tonight, which is not the first time in the tournament.”I thought their spinners bowled well, and their death bowling was exceptional. Bhuvi [Bhuvneshwar Kumar] and [Josh] Hazlewood, the four overs they bowled at the end… At the second time out, we still thought we’d get to near 180. But their death bowling was too good and we struggled to 157. Unlike the last game here, where we dragged a win out of nowhere, we weren’t good enough to do that tonight.”Shreyas counted that “great start” with the bat as one of their positives. Priyansh Arya and Prabhsimran Singh put on 42 in just 4.2 overs. But their dismissals as they looked to pick boundaries led to that problem in the middle overs, where they kept losing wickets on the face of some excellent bowling from Suyash Sharma and Krunal Pandya.Since his century against CSK, Arya has laid down the marker in each of the four innings – 22, 16, 22, 36 – but hasn’t been able to kick on. The story is similar for Prabhsimran, who has scores of 33, 13, 30 and 42.When asked if the openers should tone down their approach, Shreyas cautioned against anyone curbing their instincts, stressing the need for some of the middle-order batters to take the “bull by the horns.””We keep talking about adapting to the wicket, but once the ball tends to get old it doesn’t skid off the wicket that well,” Shreyas said. “Both of them are great stroke players, it’s difficult to stop their instincts. Once you say they’ve got to play according to situation, it kind of becomes hard for them to comprehend as well.”If you see other games, they’ve been giving us absolutely brilliant starts. A few of the middle-order batters, we need to step up and take bull by the horns.”Shreyas has found himself in an unusual trend of either going all-in or being dismissed early. He has been out for single-digit scores in his last three outings, two of those against RCB. On Friday, he was out looking to slash Hazlewood after being cramped for room. On Sunday, Shreyas was caught looking to clear the long-on boundary.2:57

Pujara: ‘Calm’ Shreyas does not feel captaincy pressure

“I’m in a great mind space,” he said. “I just need to cross ten runs and after that I can take on the charge. I don’t want to give reasons that I played in a particulate way. I need to be freeflowing as well and not think about what we’ve been doing in the past. Just stay in the present as much as possible and capitalise on the starts we’ve been getting.”PBKS have a six-day break after two days of frenetic travel as they played RCB back-to-back. And the time off – before they play KKR at Eden Gardens – couldn’t have come at a better time for the team.”It’s important that we go back to the drawing board, more importantly rejuvenate and refresh, because we’ve been constantly travelling since the last couple of days,” Iyer said. “It’s important to assess our body as well and see to it we’re in the best shape possible before the next game.”That game is against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at Eden Gardens on Saturday evening.”We’ve got a nice, little break, about a six-day break now,” Ponting said. “On the back of three games in about five days, the boys need a bit of a freshen-up, time to get away, forget about this result, and make sure we focus on our next challenge, which is KKR down there [in Kolkata], which we know will be a big game for us.”

Now that we have some distance from the disappointing loss to Liverpool, there is plenty to be optimistic about for Arsenal this season.

For example, Mikel Arteta was backed in a big way in the summer, with players like Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke.

Moreover, in addition to these new players, Hale End looks to have produced another superstar in the making for the club in the unreal Max Dowman.

The teenager already looks more than comfortable in the senior game and like he has a bright future ahead of him, although there was another academy superstar who was once predicted to do big things and is now worth less than £1m.

Max Dowman's rapid rise

It would be fair to say that, aside from the Champions League run, last season was one of the least enjoyable campaigns Arsenal fans have had for some time, as it felt like everything was going wrong.

Where Are They Now

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

However, the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly was a real bright spot, and yet, even as they broke into the first team, there was talk of an even more exciting prospect in the academy – a 14-year-old who was playing well beyond his years.

This was, of course, Dowman, and when you take a look at his statistics from last season, it becomes easier to understand why those in the know, like Jacek Kulig, were going as far as proclaiming him to be the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

For example, in just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, he put the ball in the back of the net 19 goals and provided five assists for good measure, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Numbers like these forced Arteta and Co to bring the youngster on the pre-season tour this year, and for the first time, fans were able to see why so many are so excited about him, as he came off the bench against Newcastle United and won a penalty in short time.

However, the most significant indication of just how highly the club rate the teenager is the fact he’s now a regular part of the first-team squad, and that not only did he make his Premier League debut against Leeds United, but that the manager felt comfortable subbing him on at Anfield when the team needed a goal.

In all, while it is still so early, the hype around Dowman is starting to feel justified, which unfortunately was never the case with a former Hale Ender who is now plying his trade in Europe.

Arsenal's original Dowman

Every year, there is a new set of exciting academy talents that fans get excited about, but sometimes, there is more than that; there is an expectation, and while Dowman looks like he might fulfil the expectations fans have of him, Charlie Patino was unable to live up to the expectations people had of him.

While it seems a long time ago now, the youngster was expected by many to be the next big thing to emerge from Hale End.

For example, back in October 2021, former Gunners’ wonderkid Jack Wilshere told the press that the youngster was “going to make a name for himself in the future” and that he was “one who everyone at the training ground is talking about.”

As if that wasn’t enough, Arsenal scout Brian Stappleton claimed that Sean O’Connor, the scout who discovered Wilshere, told him Patino was “the best player who has ever walked through the doors at Hale End.”

The hype was only further fueled when the “golden” youngster, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, came off the bench to make his competitive debut for the club in a League Cup match against Sunderland in 2021 and scored.

With regular first-team football the next step, Arsenal sent their exciting wonderkid on a number of loan spells, first to Blackpool and then Swansea City.

However, while he did okay during this time, a total tally of seven goals and eight assists in 72 games didn’t suggest he was quite ready to play under Arteta, and so when the player’s camp made it clear he wanted to leave, the Gunners were forced into accepting a low £1m off from Deportivo La Coruna due to the lack of interest from other sides.

Team

Blackpool

Swansea

Appearances

37

35

Goals

3

4

Assists

4

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.18

0.22

Unfortunately, things have not worked out for the 21-year-old, as he’s made just 12 appearances over the last year, in which he’s failed to score or assist a single goal.

Unsurprisingly, this has seen his valuation tank, and according to Transfermarkt, the former next big thing is now worth €600k, which is just £518k.

Ultimately, while there is still plenty of time for Patino to forge a great career for himself, it’s probably safe to say the hype and pressure placed on his shoulders were not justified.

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