All posts by n8rngtd.top

Man United boss Ruben Amorim has already shared Sporting CP starlet Geovany Quenda’s one major weakness, with Chelsea now putting pen to paper on a £42 million deal for the winger.

Chelsea reach agreement to sign Geovany Quenda for 2026

News broke early this morning that Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign Quenda from Sporting, but he is set to remain in the Primeira Liga next season before eventually making the switch to Stamford Bridge in 2026.

Enzo Fernandez stance on joining Real Madrid as Chelsea eye £67m replacement

The club captain is attracting Carlo Ancelotti’s serious interest.

By
Emilio Galantini

Mar 14, 2025

The Portuguese is also expected to sign a seven-year deal at Chelsea as BlueCo add yet another very promising youngster to their books (Kaveh Solhekol), and one who has even drawn comparisons with Arsenal superstar Bukayo Saka.

“Geo is so demanding with himself in the defensive moments,” said former Sporting academy coach, Fabio Roque, to Sky Sports.

“To close, to recover fast, to win the defensive duels for his teammates. It reminds me of Bukayo Saka at the beginning of his career when he played as a full-back.

“There is only one Geovany Quenda. He is different from any other player I trained. He can create a mark on football that is totally different. We are talking about, with Lamine Yamal and Estevao Willian, probably the best players in that generation born in 2007.”

This is high praise indeed for the 17-year-old, who’s been a mainstay for his side throughout 2024/2025 with an impressive 43 appearances in all competitions, despite being at such a young age.

In that time, Quenda’s racked up 10 goal contributions (two goals, eight assists), and he was given the starting nod in almost all of Sporting’s Champions League games before they were knocked out by Borussia Dortmund.

Chelsea also hijacked Man United’s expected deal for Quenda, with the Red Devils missing out on his signature to their English rivals.

What Ruben Amorim thinks about new Chelsea signing Quenda

However, he is by no means the finished product, and Amorim has already shared the one main weakness in Quenda’s game.

Speaking in an interview with O Jogo late last year, Sporting’s ex-head coach explained that the teenager really needs to work on his end product, as he has a very real tendency to shoot over the crossbar.

“I’ve already said everything I had to say about Quenda,” said Amorim. “He’s a very talented kid, very strong physically, very focused, with his feet firmly on the ground. That’s very important for a young player.

“I didn’t know he was the youngest ever to score. Congratulations. I think he has to improve a lot in his finishing. The amount of times he comes inside and shoots over the bar. He doesn’t put the ball in the goal well, that’s a detail he has to improve.

“He showed up well there. But that’s what I said at the beginning of the season. He had the opportunity and there was no chance to take him away, to have doubts, nothing. I think he’s going to be a great player, but let’s give it time.”

The Portugal Under-21 international can play on both wings and is seen by many as the “biggest wonderkid” in his country right now (Joao Paiva), but this bad habit of blazing the ball over will need to be worked on if he is to be successful in the Premier League.

Gabriel Magalhaes expressed his ambition to "win some trophies" with Arsenal after signing a new contract with the Gunners.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Gabriel penned a new deal until 2029
• His previous deal was due to end in 2027
• Is currently nursing a hamstring injury

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Brazilian defender has reaffirmed his commitment to Arsenal by putting pen to paper on a new contract that will keep him in north London until 2029. He had two years remaining on his previous deal, and the contract extension is being accompanied by a wage increase, with Gabriel now reportedly earning over £100,000 per week.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Following Gabriel’s renewal, Arsenal are actively working on new contracts for several other players. William Saliba, Gabriel’s central defensive partner, is a top priority. Although Real Madrid have shown interest in the Frenchman, Berta has already begun negotiations with Saliba’s representatives to keep him at the Emirates. Additionally, the club is aiming to secure the futures of promising academy prospects Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Both players are highly rated within the club, and Arsenal are eager to tie them down as part of their youth development strategy.

• WHAT GABRIEL SAID

  Reflecting on the new deal, Gabriel expressed immense pride and optimism about his future with the club.

  "I arrived here as a young player and after almost five years, I’m so happy and I’ve learned a lot," said Gabriel. "I’m so proud of myself, it’s an amazing journey, and I’m so happy to continue it. I hope I win some trophies with this club, because I love this club and my family loves the club, too.

  "Arsenal is an amazing club and I’m so proud to sign a new contract. I love this club, I love the supporters, my teammates, I love this stadium. I’m so proud and thank you for all the support. We continue together for the future."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• DID YOU KNOW?

  While some players are renewing their commitments, others are heading for the exit. Arsenal have confirmed that midfielder Jorginho will leave the club when his contract expires at the end of June. The 33-year-old is expected to return to Brazil, with Flamengo preparing to welcome him on a free transfer. Kieran Tierney is also departing, with an agreement already in place for the Scottish left-back to rejoin Celtic after his contract concludes.

Things might be going wrong on the domestic front at the moment, but in the grand scheme of things, Mikel Arteta has transformed Arsenal during his tenure.

The former captain has taken a side that were ridiculed for being weak, easy to play through, and naive and has turned them into one of the toughest teams in the Premier League.

The North Londoners boasted the best defence in the competition last season and look likely to be the best in class again this year despite now being a distant second on points.

However, for all the improvements he’s made to the team, Arteta hasn’t been able to sign or develop a world-class centre-forward.

Worse yet, one of his former strikers is still going strong away from the Emirates and has even won comparisons to the sensational Alexander Isak.

Why Arsenal need a new nine

Now, the main reason Arsenal so desperately need a new number nine at this moment in time is the simple fact that, with Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus out injured, they don’t have a central striker.

However, the primary reason they’ll still need one when those two return is that neither one is prolific enough nor intimidating enough to lead the line of a title-challenging side.

For example, before his injury, Jesus had racked up a middling haul of seven goals and two assists in 27 games, and while Havertz had done far better with 15 goals and five assists in 34 games, that’s still not quite good enough.

Their main rival last season, Manchester City, have an inhuman bagsman leading the line in Erling Haaland, who, despite being accused of having an ‘off year’, has racked up 28 goals and four assists in 38 games this year.

Likewise, Mo Salah, who is Liverpool’s main goal threat, has put the ball in the back of the net 32 times in 41 games this season and provided 22 assists for good measure.

Even Newcastle United, who are fighting for a European place, have a superstar striker leading the line in Isak, who has a tally of 22 goals and five assists in 31 games.

With a record like that, it’s no surprise that the former Real Sociedad ace has been consistently touted for a move to Arsenal, but frustratingly, a forward who left the club under Arteta has now been compared to the Swede.

The ex-Arsenal star compared to Isak

So, when it comes down to a former Arsenal striker who left under Arteta and could feasibly be compared to Isak, it shouldn’t come as much of a surprise to find out the player in question is Pierre Emerick Aubameyang.

In his pomp, the Gabonese international, who Bukayo Saka once dubbed a “legend,” was a lean-mean-scoring machine for the Gunners, racking up a sensational haul of 92 goals and 20 assists in just 162 games and became the fastest player in the club’s history to reach 50 Premier League goals.

However, after losing form and falling out with the manager, he joined Barcelona for free in February 2022.

While he did reasonably well for six months, he joined Chelsea the following campaign, where he seriously struggled, and ended up joining Marseille just a year later.

Fortunately, he rediscovered his form in a big way on the French Riviera, and in just 51 appearances last season, he scored 30 goals and provided 11 assists, which earned him another move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Qadsiah, where he has racked up 13 goals and two assists in 23 games.

Over the last year or so, such an impressive revival has seen him likened to the unreal Isak.

The comparison stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Swedish star is the fifth most similar forward to the former Gunner across the last 365 days.

Now this is based primarily on last season, and the best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked closely, including, but not limited to, actual and expected non-penalty goals plus assists, shots on target, expected assists, passes into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, hindsight is a wonderful thing, and Aubameyang probably had to leave the club for Arteta to carry on his project to bring Arsenal back to the top.

Still, we can’t help imagining how much better this team would be with someone like him leading the line.

Arsenal can end Merino experiment by starting £46m star who's "like Henry"

Mikel Merino must be given time away from playing as a striker for Arsenal.

5

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 10, 2025

The French football legend has joined the chorus of voices celebrating the USWNT legend’s illustrious career during a tribute to her career

• Henry acknowledges Sauerbrunn's impact transcends beyond soccer field
• Arsenal icon praises defender's leadership qualities during two-decade career
• 39-year-old won two World Cups alongside countless other accolades

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED

  USWNT icon Becky Sauerbrunn received an unexpected tribute from French football legend Thierry Henry as part of a pre-match ceremony honoring her career before the USWNT's friendly against Jamaica. The 39-year-old had announced her retirement from football in December 2024 and Henry appeared in a surprise video message, where he praised Sauerbrunn's leadership, professionalism, and more. The emotional tribute was part of a larger ceremony celebrating Sauerbrunn's announced retirement from professional soccer.

  "I just wanted to congratulate you on your career," Henry said. "What else to say? Two hundred-plus caps for the national team. Captain of the national team. Winning two World Cups….It's just outstanding…You've been a role model, and an example."

  Henry also praised the center back for her love of

  And you're an Arsenal fan, what's not to like," Henry said with a smile. "From one Gooner to another, well done."

Advertisement

• WHAT THIERRY HENRY SAID

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Sauerbrunn's retirement in December 2024 marked the end of an era for the USWNT, as she represented one of the last active players from the team's 2015 World Cup championship. Her international career spans 219 caps, two World Cup titles (2015, 2019), an Olympic gold medal (2012), and countless club achievements with FC Kansas City, Utah Royals, and the Portland Thorns.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT’S NEXT?

  The USWNT will continue their international friendly schedule as they prepare for upcoming tournaments under Emma Hayes' leadership. For Sauerbrunn, retirement opens new chapters potentially including coaching, broadcasting, or continued advocacy work within soccer.

Earlier this month, it was announced that Andrea Berta had agreed to become Arsenal’s new Sporting Director, and while he’ll be joining a team who have fought for the Premier League title three seasons on the bounce now, he’ll have a lot of work to do.

Mikel Arteta’s side are undoubtedly one of the very best in the country, but this season has proven that attacking reinforcements are desperately needed.

One of the stars most heavily linked with the club in recent months has been Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak, although, with reports claiming he could cost up to £150m, it’d be a Herculean deal to get over the line.

That said, with several players set to leave this summer, a significant amount of the wage bill should be freed up, which could help the ownership secure the Swede’s services.

However, there is another star player who almost certainly won’t be leaving this year but should be one of the players Berta looks to move on as soon as possible, as they make more than twice as much as Isak.

Arsenal's decreasing wage bill

So, before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at how much Arsenal’s wage bill could decrease by this summer, with certain players’ contracts expiring and others potentially being sold.

Starting with those who are in the former group, it seems almost guaranteed now that Thomas Partey, who makes £200k-per-week, and Jorginho, on £110k-per-week, will be leaving the club at the end of June alongside Celtic-bound Kieran Tierney, who also makes £110k-per-week.

Raheem Sterling, who has been earning around £110k-per-week and Neto, who makes £50k-per-week, will also come off the wage bill when their loan spells end in the summer.

Finally, while there is a chance the club will fail to sell any of their fringe players in the transfer window, it feels increasingly likely that Oleksandr Zinchenko, who earns £150k-per-week, will finally be moved on, as he’ll have just a year left on his contract if not.

So, when you add together the wages of those who are out of contract, those on loan and Zinchenko, it doesn’t seem too far-fetched that Arsenal could reduce their wage bill by an astounding £730k-per-week before making any signings in the summer, which comes out to a massive figure of £37.96m per year.

Such an incredible sum of money being saved could help Berta and Co raise the finances needed to complete their summer transfer plans, although there is still another big earner in the club who needs to be moved on as soon as possible.

The Arsenal star Berta needs to sell

With a lot of Arsenal’s big earners either making good on their wage packets or mentioned above, it will likely come as no surprise that the player we are talking about is Gabriel Jesus.

The Brazilian forward joined the Gunners for around £45m in the summer of 2022, and while he was truly sensational for the first half of that season, he has not been the same player since suffering a serious knee injury at the Qatar 2022 World Cup.

Since then, it would be hard to argue that the former Manchester City star has been deserving of his enormous £265k-per-week wage when potentially world-class strikers like Isak are earning less than half of that, coming in at around £120k-per-week.

For example, while the Sao Paulo-born nine wasn’t bad last season, he was, as pundit Micah Richards put it, “frustrating,” as for all the silky footwork and innate skill he has, he was only able to muster up a tally of eight goals and eight assists in 36 appearances, which wasn’t enough to stop Kai Havertz eventually replacing him as Arteta’s go-to striker.

In contrast, the Toon star, who has endured his own injury problems, was able to amass a haul of 25 goals and two assists in 40 appearances and looks set to do even better this year, already hitting 23 goals and five assists in just 33 games.

For his efforts, the Gunners’ forward was only able to score seven goals and provide two assists in his 27 appearances before his ACL injury this season, which is what will keep him at the Emirates this summer.

However, once he is back to full fitness at some point in 2026, Berta and Co need to move him on as soon as they can, as not only is he no longer at the level required to push the team forward, but his bumper contract expires in June 2027, meaning the window to get a decent fee for him will be slight.

Ultimately, Jesus is an undeniably talented footballer, but his inefficiency in front of goal, poor injury record and monster wages mean that he has to be sold by Arsenal as soon as they get the chance.

Arsenal have a future England superstar & it's not Nwaneri or Lewis-Skelly

The incredible prospect could be a game-changer for Arsenal and England.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Mar 25, 2025

Bournemouth forward Justin Kluivert has emerged as a candidate to fill the void left by Florian Wirtz at Bayer Leverkusen.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Leverkusen could raid Premier League
• Kluivert an option to replace Wirtz
• Bournemouth may be open to selling

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Leverkusen are not expected to go for a big name as they seek to move on from Wirtz, with his £116 million (£157m) transfer to Liverpool moving towards completion. Instead, reports that Justin Kluivert has been the subject of an enquiry made to Bournemouth. Another option, according to , is PSV Eindhoven winger Johan Bakayoko.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Kluivert has been around the block since a breakthough at Ajax almost a decade ago, but the 26-year-old enjoyed the best season of his career for Bournemouth in 2024-25. It is claimed by that Ten Hag, known for his influence over recruitment at Manchester United, is "driving the potential move" due to his belief that Kluivert is the "perfect profile" to replace Wirtz.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Bournemouth consider Kluivert not for sale, but are not expected to stand in the way of a transfer if the right price is offered. There is no release clause, unlike the case for Dean Huijsen when he joined Real Madrid recently, so a fee between Leverkusen and Bournemouth would need to be negotiated.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT?

  Bournemouth's squad could look very different next season. Huijsen has already gone, Milos Kerkez could soon too if Liverpool follow through with longstanding transfer interest, while the Cherries could also let PSG-linked Illia Zabarnyi and versatile forward Antonine Semenyo leave if offers come in. Manager Andoni Iraola looks set to stay, however, after Tottenham poached Thomas Frank from Brentford instead.

Bayern Munich are interested in signing Chelsea defender Malo Gusto and have made an enquiry about the Frenchman's availability.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Bayern in for Chelsea defender
• Blues may be open to a sale
• Germans eye winger first

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to the German side have been scouting the full-back lately, having even shown interest in him before he moved from Lyon to Chelsea in January 2023.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  To date, Gusto has played a total of 80 competitive matches for Chelsea, providing 11 assists. Last season, the French international alternated between the bench and the starting line-up. According to reports, Chelsea would be willing to sell him. Captain Reece James is back after a long injury lay-off and 19-year-old Josh Acheampong is considered a promising prospect for the future.

• TELL ME MORE

  Currently, though, Bayern's search for a new left winger is a top priority. It is proving difficult, however, with top target Athletic Club's Nico Williams appearing set to join Barcelona and Bradley Barcola unlikely to leave Paris Saint-Germain. Other targets such as Rafael Leao of AC Milan, Jamie Gittens of Borussia Dortmund, Arsenal's Gabriel Martinelli and Gusto's Chelsea team-mate Christopher Nkunku are also being discussed.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT'S NEXT?

  Before Munich can make a serious bid for Gusto, they would also have to sell a right-back. The versatile Josip Stanisic and Konrad Laimer are part of the plans. Sacha Boey, who only joined from Galatasaray at the beginning of 2024, could leave the club.

Liverpool are on the verge of a historic Premier League title and with Jurgen Klopp gone, that is quite the sentence.

When the German announced his departure, it caused mass panic among the Anfield faithful. The Reds were fearing a seismic drop-off, potentially years away from challenging for a league again.

However, Arne Slot has – to excuse the pun – slotted right in and made Anfield cheer his name almost as loudly as Klopp’s.

Liverpool may have exited the Champions League and lost the Carabao Cup final but that will not matter when they lift the Premier League aloft in six weeks or so.

So, it’s time to capitalise on this triumph. With Trent Alexander-Arnold and Mohamed Salah potentially set to exit, they will need to strengthen.

Liverpool summer transfer plans

Alexander-Arnold will be boarding a plane to Madrid imminently, so signing a new right-back must be a priority. Reports suggest Bayer Leverkusen’s Jeremie Frimpong is an option.

They will also need a new forward. Darwin Nunez is regularly linked with the exit door and just cannot build up any consistency in front of goal, scoring a dismal seven goals across 40 outings in all competitions this term.

That would explain links to strikers such as Newcastle’s Alexander Isak but the Toon’s reluctance to sell means it’s unlikely he’ll be going anywhere soon.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

So, how about Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez? The Argentine only left Manchester City last summer but reports in Spain suggest he could be on the move again.

One publication on the continent is reporting that Liverpool are now willing to lodge a truly ridiculous €170m (£142m) bid to bring him to Anfield this summer.

It’s indicated that a deal could be done if Salah leaves with Slot and Co very much on the lookout for alternatives in the worst-case scenario.

If a deal was done at that price, it would make it one of the biggest moves in the history of the sport and the biggest in Premier League history.

How Julian Alvarez compares to Alexander Isak

So, Isak is clearly the number one target for a lot of clubs this summer and it’s hardly a surprise given his haul of 23 goals in 33 outings. There aren’t many better strikers out there.

However, since leaving City, Alvarez has also been on fire and in the words of Argentine journalist Roy Nemer, the World Cup winner has been the “best forward in the world” this season.

Do the numbers support that? Well, he’s found the net on 23 occasions, the same number as Isak, although he has played 12 more games.

Isak is an out and out centre-forward and although Alvarez can do that job tremendously, he can also play in a number 10 role, making him rather similar to Bobby Firmino.

Firmino wasn’t a direct striker either, notably deployed as a false 9 by Klopp on plenty of occasions. As a result, the Brazilian used his selfless creativity to pick out runners in behind. Alvarez could be used in a similar manner.

Analysing the numbers above, it’s clear that Newcastle’s Swedish sensation is more prolific but in other areas they are pretty closely matched, demonstrating a similar level of creativity and carrying this season.

However, if we analyse more historical data, Alvarez is usually the more creative of the duo, supplying 1.66 key passes per 90 to Isak’s 1.22 per 90 since 2022. There’s that Firmino-esque attribute shining through once more.

We know that Slot likes a multi-faceted and versatile forward so perhaps there is sense in chasing the Argentine instead. Aged 25, he’s yet to even reach his prime either.

This would be an exceptional signing for the Reds.

The dream XI FSG could build at Liverpool: £150m star signs & no Trent

Liverpool are expected to make a raft of changes in the transfer market this summer.

1

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 21, 2025

With the spending power among the elite clubs now greater than ever, there is likely to be a host of eye-watering deals in the coming weeks

Florian Wirtz became only the 17th player in history to command a transfer fee of €100m (£84m/$113m) or more when he joined Liverpool from Bayer Leverkusen in a British record €136m (£116m/$156m) deal earlier this month. However, there will likely be at least one more entrant in that exclusive club this summer.

Ever since Neymar's €222 million (£198m/$247m) move from Barcelona to Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, the fees exchanged between top European sides have skyrocketed to previously unimaginable levels, and there has been no sign of the bubble bursting anytime soon. In fact, inflated transfer fees have become commonplace, partly due to the rise of the Saudi Pro League, and also because there now appears to be a surplus of game-changing talents in the Pep Guardiola era of strict tactical systems.

The truly world-class performers, particularly those who operate at the top end of the pitch, are now valued more highly than ever before as all the top clubs scramble to make the marginal gains necessary to win major silverware. The question is: who will be the next €100m (£85m/$117m) superstar?

GOAL has ranked the top ten contenders below, starting with an English teenager who has already experienced the highs and lows of life in the Premier League…

• Getty Images
  

  9Tyler Dibling (Southampton)

  In the winter transfer window, Tottenham reportedly contacted Southampton over a potential deal for Tyler Dibling, and were told the midfielder would not be sold for anything less than £100m ($137m). How much truth there was in that claim only the two clubs will know, but the mere notion of Dibling being worth a nine-figure fee at this stage of his career is, quite frankly, ridiculous.

  That's not to say that the 19-year-old isn't a brilliant prospect. Dibling was perhaps the only bright spark in Southampton's miserable 2024-25 campaign, which ended in relegation, standing out most in a draw with Brighton and home and away defeats to Manchester United – who have also been strongly linked with the England U21 international.

  "I heard rumours of Manchester United being ready to submit a £21m ($29m) bid for Tyler Dibling," former Saints boss Russell Martin said in December. "I’m not sure they’d get his left foot for that." Martin uttered those words with a completely straight face, but Southampton have since lost that kind of bargaining power. Dibling offers could flood in when the summer window reopens, and the club would be wise to significantly drop their valuation if they want a much-needed financial boost in the Championship.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  8Vangelis Pavlidis (Benfica)

  Chelsea and Newcastle have both reportedly shown an interest in signing Benfica striker Vangelis Pavlidis, who enjoyed a dream debut campaign at the Estadio da Luz. Signed for just €18m (£15m/$21m) from AZ Alkmaar, the Greece international scored 29 goals in 53 appearances across all competitions in 2024-25, with seven of those coming in the Champions League as Benfica enjoyed a run through to the round of 16.

  Pavlidis is also impressing at the Club World Cup, and the 26-year-old's stock will go through the roof if he inspires Benfica to victory over Chelsea in the first knockout stage. The problem is, any suitors will have to trigger Pavlidis' €100m release clause to prise him away from the Portuguese club, who have made it clear they are not open to negotiating a cut-price deal.

  There is no question that Pavlidis is a natural goalscorer and an impressive link-man, but he's yet to play in one of Europe's major leagues, and it remains to be seen if any of the elite clubs are willing to take such a big gamble on the Greek ace.

• Getty Images
  

  7Rodrigo Mora (Porto)

  Last season was a breakout one for Porto's Rodrigo Mora: the 18-year-old attacking midfielder who has been mooted as a potential target for PSG, Man Utd and Arsenal. Mora signed a new contract at the Estadio Do Dragao in May, which reportedly includes a €100m release clause, but unlike in the case of Pavlidis, that is unlikely to put off interested parties.

  The Portuguese playmaker has already nailed down a starting role at Porto, and still has so much potential to unlock. "He sees the game like no one I’ve ever coached," former Porto U15s coach, Nuno Pimentel, told when assessing Mora's rapid development. "He’s always one step ahead. Then, he combines it all with a very high level of technical skill."

  That much was evident in Porto's final nine league games, as Mora plundered seven goals, including a brace in a 2-1 victory over Familicao. The teenager is equally as capable of deciding games himself as he is of dictating them, and now may be the best time for Europe's big boys to swoop, because his value is only going to increase if he stays on his current trajectory.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• Getty Images
  

  6Bradley Barcola (PSG)

  According to , Arsenal are also interested in PSG winger Bradley Barcola, but face stiff competition from Chelsea and Bayern Munich. PSG are eager to tie Barcola down to fresh terms, but his head could be turned amid fierce competition for places in attack alongside Desire Doue and January signing Khvicha Kvaratskhelia.

  Barcola played a key role in PSG's treble success last term with 40 goal involvements across all competitions, but found himself in and out of Luis Enrique's starting XI towards the end of the campaign. As such, it has been suggested that a bid in the region of €100m could persuade PSG to facilitate the 22-year-old's departure.

  It won't be a surprise if such an offer does come in, because Barcola's versatility makes him a very unique asset. The France international can play anywhere across the frontline without any dip in end product, and it would be a huge waste of his abilities if he is reduced to just a backup player at the Parc des Princes next term.

Paris Saint-Germain star Joao Neves was full of praise for head coach Luis Enrique after the European champions progressed to the Club World Cup round of 16.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• PSG through with two wins out of three
• European champions among favourites
• Midfielder full of praise for his coach

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  PSG booked their ticket into the round of 16 of the ongoing Club World Cup after an easy 2-0 victory over Seattle Sounders. After the game, young midfielder Neves reserved praise for his gaffer Luis Enrique and explained why he has been such a difference-maker as the brain behind the team's unprecedented success since the turn of the year.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  PSG headed into this tournament as one of the favourites to lift the first edition of the revamped Club World Cup. They only staked their claim further after a 4-0 battering of Atletico Madrid in their opening game. However, they slumped to a shock 1-0 defeat Botafogo in their second game, prompting Enrique to hail the Brazilian side as the best team his side had faced all season. The Spanish coach has also shared that he is "very ambitious" to ensure that Les Parisiens continue being the most dominant force, not just in Europe but also globally.

• WHAT JOAO NEVES SAID

  Speaking to the media after the game, Neves said: "It was tough. It's hot. They're a good team with the ball. We did everything we could to win. We won well. I'm very happy. Our coach is incredible. He gives us everything we need to do our best. He gives us confidence. He wants us to play with the ball and make the other team run. And when we don't have the ball, we have to get it back very quickly. No matter the team, it's always the same. We work like that."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

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

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR PSG?

  The French and European champions will reunite with Lionel Messi when they take on Inter Miami in the round of 16 on Sunday, June 29.