Category Uncategorized

It’s hard to predict how this season is going to go for Wolverhampton Wanderers.

On the one hand, Vitor Pereira proved himself to be a more than competent manager last year, and someone capable of getting more out of his players than you’d expect.

Yet on the other hand, the Old Gold have sold their two best players in Rayan Ait-Nouri and Matheus Cunha this summer, massively weakening both ends of the pitch.

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, as the club has made a couple of interesting signings themselves, and if reports are to be believed, they could be about to bring in a young phenom who could be the heir to Cunha.

Wolves target their new Cunha

While losing both Ait-Nouri and Cunha could be hugely detrimental to Wolves’ chances this season, the Old Gold have at least added a number of exciting talents to the squad who could be enough to keep them away from a relegation scrap.

Transfer Focus

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

Jhon Arias, for example, managed to rack up 17 goal involvements in 35 games last season, Fer Lopez racked up 11 in 37, and Jorgen Strand Larsen, whose loan has now been made permanent, scored 14 goals and provided five assists in 38 games during his debut campaign at Molineux.

Moreover, while some clubs would stop there, it appears as if the West Midlands outfit want to make at least one more signing before the window slams shut next month and bring in someone who could be the heir to Cunha.

At least that is according to a recent report from the Daily Mail, which claims Wolves are interested in Ben Doak.

In good news, the report has revealed that Liverpool are willing to sell the teenage sensation for a relatively reasonable fee of around £20m.

However, the less good news is that there could be quite a battle to land the Scotsman’s signature, with Leeds United, West Ham United, and Everton all credited with an interest.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given Doak’s ability and massive potential, one worth fighting for, especially as he could be an heir to Cunha at Wolves.

Why Doak could be Cunha's heir

Now, the first thing to say here is that we are not suggesting that Doak is anywhere near the level of Cunha at the moment, nor will he likely be there within the next season or two.

After all, the mercurial Brazilian managed to score 17 goals and provide six assists in just 36 appearances for the Old Gold last season, and was arguably one of the most dynamic players in the Premier League.

However, just because it’s unlikely that the young Scotsman would be able to replicate the new Manchester United star’s output from the word go, it does not mean he couldn’t still be his long-term heir at Molineux.

We say this because the 19-year-old has shown plenty of potential over the last year or so, and has got plenty of people in the know very excited about the player he could become.

For example, while on loan with Middlesbrough in the Championship last season, the “explosive” ace, as dubbed by Danny Murphy, was able to score three goals and provide seven assists in just 1789 minutes across 24 appearances.

That means the potentially “generational” talent, as dubbed by analyst John Walker, averaged a goal involvement every 2.4 games, or every 178.9 minutes, in what was his first full season of senior football.

It’s not like he just got lucky either, as his underlying numbers are utterly superb.

According to FBref, he sits in the top 1% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the next best 14 competitions for carries into the penalty area, the top 2% for progressive carries and touches in the opponent’s penalty area, the top 6% for non-penalty expected goals per shot and more, all per 90.

Progressive Passes Received

12.65

Top 1%

Carries into Penalty Area

4.05

Top 1%

Progressive Carries

6.78

Top 2%

Shots on Target %

51.9%

Top 2%

Touches (Att Pen)

6.12

Top 2%

Progressive Carrying Distance

160.46

Top 3%

Average Shot Distance

13.60

Top 4%

npxG/Shot

0.16

Top 6%

Touches (Att 3rd)

30.93

Top 7%

Assists

0.35

Top 8%

SCA (Live-ball Pass)

3.34

Top 11%

Penalty Kicks Won

0.05

Top 11%

Total Carrying Distance

246.56

Top 12%

GCA (Live-ball Pass)

0.46

Top 14%

Passes into Penalty Area

1.87

Top 17%

Carries into Final Third

2.58

Top 17%

Pass Completion %

79.1%

Top 18%

Goal-Creating Actions

0.56

Top 18%

Key Passes

2.23

Top 20%

Ultimately, while there is still some way to go in his development, it’s clear that Doak is an immensely talented player, and in time could become as crucial to Wolves as Cunha once was.

Therefore, while it’s going to be a tough transfer to get over the line, the Old Gold should be doing everything they can to bring the young Scotsman to the West Midlands this month.

Wolves make formal approach for £45 million pair in potential double deal

The Old Gold could look to initiate two deals to bolster the ranks.

BySean Markus Clifford Aug 11, 2025

Wolverhampton Wanderers haven’t enjoyed the best of starts to the new Premier League campaign, having been thrashed by Manchester City before losing at Bournemouth by a one-goal margin, under the cosh for much of the contest.

Panic stations? Hardly. Wolves showed their quality and spirit when overcoming West Ham United in the midweek Carabao Cup clash, and have the chance to get their league season up and running when welcoming Everton to Molineux on Saturday.

One of the potential sticking points in mounting fluency and consistency over the coming months is the thought of losing goalscoring talisman Jørgen Strand Larsen, who is the subject of a flurry of bids from Newcastle United as the window winds down.

Strand Larsen's Wolves future

Wolves chairman Jeff Shi is adamant that Strand Larsen is going nowhere this summer, but the centre-forward has politely requested to join Newcastle United, who have seen three quick-succession bids – the latest of which worth £60m – rejected for the 25-year-old.

Having seen his loan spell made permanent this summer, you can understand the hierarchy’s stance, but every eventuality must be accounted for.

Wolves need to sign another striker, not least because Vitor Pereira lost Matheus Cunha to Manchester United a few months ago.

Well, according to Fabrizio Romano, Wolves have opened talks with Belgian club Genk for striker Tolu Arokodare, insinuating that pace is gathering on the Strand Larsen front, even if the Old Gold are maintaining their stance that the Norwegian is not for sale.

Valued at £25m, Fulham have also registered their interest in the Nigerian number nine this summer, but Wolves appear to hold the lead in the race at his late stage.

What Tolu Arokodare would bring to Wolves

Strand Larsen has played an important part for Wolves since joining from Celta Vigo last summer, scoring 14 goals as Pereira’s side staved off the threat of relegation that served as a backdrop to the campaign.

If he does end up leaving for St. James’ Park, Wolves would need an adequate replacement, and Arokodare has the skills to thrive in his stead, having scored 17 goals in 2024/25 to stand proud as the Juliper Pro League top scorer.

Genk manager Thorsten Fink was full of praise when discussing his marksman, hailing him as a “top striker” and drawing attention to his pace, power, height and two-footedness.

In that regard, the 24-year-old would appear a natural successor to Wolves’ current frontman, whose mobility and presence on the ball have allowed him to dovetail into Premier League life.

Hitherto a loanee in Germany and France, Arokodare has settled in Belgium, going from strength to strength. Across his 113 matches with Genk, who have won two of the past three league titles, the towering ace has scored 41 goals and has supplied 12 assists.

For sure, there’s more still to come. He’s not the most clinical, missing a slew of big chances across the recent season, but his thirst for success in the final third lends itself to a constant stream of goals.

With such a robust and focused style, he could easily replace Strand Larsen at Molineux, should push come to shove, having proven himself to be even more prolific than Wolves’ current marksman, across the last 365 days.

Strand Larsen vs Arokodare (past 365 days)

Stats (per 90)

Strand Larsen

Arokodare

Goals

0.45

0.62

Assists

0.14

0.22

Shots taken

1.96

4.98

Touches (att pen)

3.78

8.73

Shot-creating actions

1.43

3.40

Pass completion

65.1%

74.9%

Progressive passes

1.01

1.32

Progressive carries

0.56

1.15

Successful take-ons

0.24

0.88

Aerial duels

2.41

4.41

Data via FBref

Arokodare’s prowess as Genk’s striker comes with the caveat that he has, of course, been plying his trade at a different level than the Premier League, whereas Strand Larsen has leapt right into the ostensibly toughest division out there.

But still. There’s no denying that the rising goalscorer shares some interesting properties with Strand Larsen, and that Wolves could strike gold by sealing his signature in the coming days and turning a hefty profit on their current number nine.

Related Their new Dawson: Wolves in talks to sign "dominant" £30m star

Wolves could sign a Premier League defender.

Posts ByWill Miller Aug 25, 2025

Crystal Palace could now “make a move” for an attacking midfielder who is Arsenal’s own alternative to Eagles star Eberechi Eze, journalist Sacha Tavolieri has revealed on X.

Palace vying to sign new attackers amid Eze uncertainty

Losing Eze would undoubtedly be a major blow for Palace, given that the attacking midfielder is clearly held in very high regard by Oliver Glasner, who praised the England international throughout their triumphant FA Cup campaign.

Speaking after the quarter-final victory over Fulham, Glasner said: “The goal against Latvia and his first for England means a lot for him. He always has the confidence, we know he’s an amazing finisher to cut inside on his right foot with an amazing finish.

“We need this quality, he helped us today massively.”

However, the 27-year-old’s future remains very much up in the air, with a number of big Premier League clubs recently being named as potential suitors, such as Arsenal, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City.

The Gunners are thought to be in the driving seat, however, and a bid is currently in the works, but he is not their only target in that area of the pitch, with Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss being identified as an alternative option.

El Khannouss has a release clause of just £22.5m in his Leicester contract, and he is attracting widespread interest from the Premier League, with Tavolieri recently taking to X to reveal that Crystal Palace could also “make a move”.

"Excellent" £20m forward now open to joining Crystal Palace with talks held

There has been a development in Palace’s pursuit of an attacker…

ByDominic Lund Aug 7, 2025

An approach from the Eagles is dependent upon departures in the next week, amid uncertainty surrounding Eze’s future, but there could be competition for the Moroccan’s signature, with Leeds United scheduling a meeting to discuss a potential deal.

Europa Conference League being on offer at Selhurst Park should be an attractive proposition, but the prospect of playing in Europe is not thought to be a “decisive factor” in the Leicester ace’s decision-making.

"Magician" El Khannouss could be fantastic Eze replacement

Leicester, of course, endured a very disappointing 2024-25 campaign, but the 21-year-old managed to catch the eye at times, with Pep Guardiola even being left by his performance against Manchester City back in December.

Scout Jacek Kulig has also lavished the starlet with praise in the past, despite suggesting he still needs to be more clinical.

The Belgium-born maestro scored just two Premier League goals last season, but it was always going to be difficult for a young player to stand out in such a poor side, in what was his debut campaign in England.

As such, a move to Palace, who have developed a reputation for developing young players, could be ideal for El Khannouss, and if he fulfills his potential, the attacking midfielder could be a fantastic heir to Eze.

Tottenham Hotspur could make a “marquee signing” of a £68m Arsenal target as an alternative to Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White, it has been revealed.

Spurs' Gibbs-White pursuit hits snag

Tottenham had been expected to complete a deal for Gibbs-White, after triggering the £60m release clause in the attacking midfielder’s Nottingham Forest contract, but his current employers are holding up the move.

Forest are adamant that an illegal approach was made for the England international, consequently reporting Spurs’ alleged wrongdoing to the Premier League, meaning little progress has been made over the past few days.

Alasdair Gold has suggested the Tricky Trees may be powerless to stop the move going through, however, saying: “It’s difficult to predict right now with complete certainty as it’s an unusual situation, and that’s reflected in media coverage across the board, but the feeling among many at this early stage seems to be that Forest are more likely to hold up the deal than prevent it.”

Tottenham may hijack Nottingham Forest bid for "unbelievable" £50m forward

Spurs are in the race for a major Nottingham Forest target…

ByDominic Lund Jul 13, 2025

Regardless, it is still worth planning for the worst-case scenario, and Tottenham News have revealed that Spurs could revive their interest in Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze, who is also a firm target for north London rivals Arsenal.

The outlet also spoke to iconic commentator Ian Darke, who said: “There are a lot of mentions with Spurs and Eberechi Eze, whose release clause I am told is somewhere around £60-68million, that would be a marquee signing for whoever got him.

“I think he is a wonderful player to watch and looks to be moving on a level. It would be a marvellous signing if they could get him.

“Forest are upset about how Spurs have gone about it, so it looks like they will play hardball even though the release clause has been met, Eze would be a brilliant substitute deal but they will hope to revive this one because Gibbs-White would be an exciting statement signing.”

"Unbelievable" Eze could be ideal Gibbs-White alternative

The Crystal Palace star is available for a similar price as Gibbs-White, while he also flourished in an attacking midfield role for the Eagles last season, amassing 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions.

Most famously, the England international scored the only goal of the game in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, securing Palace their first ever major trophy in the process.

Palace boss Oliver Glasner has also been left very impressed by the forward in the past, saying: “He’s always dangerous because he has the quality and ability at 1-1, he’s such an unbelievable finisher, in some situations he can improve, he’s a guy who can always score and he’s someone who everyone likes.”

That said, the rival interest from Arsenal could pose a major problem for Tottenham, with the 27-year-old keen to move to the Emirates Stadium, so their number one priority should be to get a deal for Gibbs-White over the line.

Tottenham are working on other targets amid the ongoing transfer saga surrounding Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White.

Thomas Frank will be hoping for a conclusion to the drama fairly soon, given the England international was scheduled to undergo a Hotspur Way medical eight days ago before Forest ultimately blocked the transfer.

Related Player's camp in talks with Tottenham, Frank convinced he'd join Spurs

The Dane is personally confident they can secure his signature.

Posts 2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 18, 2025

They’ve written a letter to both Spurs and the player’s agent threatening legal action, following what they deem to be an unlawful approach for the 25-year-old, and this has put an unceremonious halt to Gibbs-White’s north London switch (Sky Sports).

Nevertheless, Tottenham remain hopeful they’ll eventually get the green-light to make Gibbs-White their fourth signing of the summer after Mathys Tel, Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus (Fabrizio Romano), even if Forest insist he’s not going anywhere (Sky Sports).

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Chairman Daniel Levy was ready to trigger Gibbs-White’s ‘confidential’ £60 million release clause before Forest stepped in, and they’re not looking for a ‘quick resolution’.

“It’s going to be interesting to see how it plays out from here,” said BBC Radio Nottingham’s Colin Fray.

“Most thought it would be ironed out and the transfer go through. Not many were expecting him back at training and here he is. That is another twist in the story.

“Forest have set their stall out that they aren’t looking for a quick resolution. They want to keep him.”

Amid this messy situation, the Lilywhites do have other plans they’re looking to see through before deadline day on September 1.

Tottenham reportedly want a new holding midfielder and number six. Talks have reportedly been held with Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha’s representatives, according to journalist Graeme Bailey, and it is believed by some that Juventus ace Douglas Luiz is keen on a move to Spurs – just one year after his switch to Turin from Aston Villa.

As well as this, a new centre-back is on the agenda, and Ukraine international Illia Zabarnyi is re-emerging as a top target.

Tottenham ready to pay £60m-plus for Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi

As per Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio, via his official website, Tottenham are actively trying for Zabarnyi, despite his eagerness to join European champions PSG.

Di Marzio also reports that Tottenham are ready to pay north of £60 million for Zabarnyi, the amount “requested” by Bournemouth, if they’re given encouragement that the 22-year-old will forego a switch to France in favour of N17.

PSG have seen multiple bids rejected for Zabarnyi, worth up to £52 million, and they’re yet to return with an improved offer. Given Spurs are prepared to go higher and meet Zabarnyi’s asking price, this could open the door for Frank’s side, but it will hinge on the player’s own decision.

The defender has been a rock at the heart of Bournemouth’s defence and played a key role in their chase for European football last season.

“He is probably the most underrated player,” said pundit Jamie Redknapp.

“I also spoke with Ukrainian legend Andriy Shevchenko, and he mentioned that Illia has everything it takes to reach the next level. Everyone is talking about Dean Huijsen. Yes, he is a fantastic young player, but Zabarnyi plays very aggressively in defense as well. I was genuinely impressed by him. He shows remarkable calmness on the pitch.”

كشف مصدر بـ النادي الأهلي، آخر التطورات الخاصة بمصير مشاركة أحمد سيد زيزو لاعب فريق الكرة من التواجد بمباراة القمة أمام الزمالك، في الدوري المصري.

وكان أحمد سيد زيزو قد تعرض للإصابة أمام إنبي، مما اضطر إلى استبداله خلال الشوط الأول من اللقاء الذي انتهى بالتعادل الإيجابي 1-1.

طالع.. رسميًا | لاعب الأهلي يرحل إلى الدوري التشيكي

وتعادل النادي الأهلي مع إنبي، إيجابيًا بنتيجة هدف لمثله، سجل للمارد الأحمر محمود حسن تريزيجيه بضربة رأس من داخل منطقة الجزاء، وأحزر التعادل لـ إنبي أحمد العجوز من ركلة جزاء.

وعلم بطولات، أن أحمد سيد زيزو يخضع لبرنامج تأهيلي مُكثف على فترتين يوميًا، لمحاولة اللحاق بمباراة الزمالك في بطولة الدوري.

ومن المُقرر أن يلتقي الأهلي مع الزمالك يوم 29 من سبتمبر الجاري، ضمن مواجهات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.

ويحتل الأهلي المركز الخامس عشر في جدول الترتيب برصيد 6 نقاط فقط، جمعها من فوز وحيد، وثلاثة تعادلات، وهزيمة أمام بيراميدز، في واحدة من أسوأ بداياته في تاريخ المسابقة.

Arsenal’s summer transfer window appears set to undergo many twists and turns before Andrea Berta’s wishlist is fulfilled, with a surprise update now coming to light on one of the club’s top targets.

Arsenal laying groundwork for key summer transfer deals

Berta’s arrival at the Emirates Stadium back in March prompted much excitement, and he’s widely reported to have already laid serious groundwork on key summer deals for Arsenal.

BBC journalist shares "information" about Gyokeres or Sesko joining Arsenal

There’s been a significant update on the Gunners’ striker search.

ByEmilio Galantini Jun 4, 2025

Arsenal are working on deals for both Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, before deciding which striker to formally make a move for (Sami Mokbel), and they’re believed to be firm contenders for Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi.

The north Londoners were believed to have sealed a deal for the latter, with Fabrizio Romano giving his famous ‘here we go’ and the BBC claiming a medical had been scheduled, but Zubimendi himself has now come out to deny reports that he’s set to become Berta’s first signing of the summer.

“My future? It will be a long summer. I don’t know how it will end,” said Zubimendi to Radio Nacional, via Madrid Zone.

“If Xabi Alonso calls me to join Real Madrid? I’ve always said Xabi is my idol, and it was a privilege to have him as my coach at La Real B. If he called me now? I don’t want to talk about that hypothesis, I’d rather talk about the present. It would be disrespectful to talk about that while I’m on national team duty. I posted pics on a Spanish beach while rumors said I’m in London doing medical exams for Arsenal? Yes, I did that to make it clear those rumors were not true.”

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

According to reliable media sources, Berta has also met with the representatives of Athletic Bilbao starlet Nico Williams, but his exit is far from certain as well.

The Spain international rejected a move last summer in favour of remaining in Bilbao (The Athletic), and despite many reports to the contrary, he could end up doing the same this year.

Nico Williams could reject Arsenal and sign new contract

According to GiveMeSport, Williams could now snub a move to Arsenal and sign a new contract instead, with Mikel Arteta dealt a significant blow in his pursuit of the winger, who’s privately refused to rule out remaining in La Liga.

Bilbao have apparently engaged in “fresh” talks with Williams over an extension, and Ernesto Valverde’s side are apparently aiming to keep him for a longer period whilst also raising the £50 million release clause in his contract.

Given Arsenal have long been tipped as serious suitors for the 22-year-old, with Berta personally holding talks, this comes as a real surprise considering Williams was thought to be closing in on an almost-certain exit from the Estadio de San Mames in 2025.

Chelsea held talks with Williams’ camp last week as well, according to journalist Simon Phillips, but the Gunners’ London rivals could also be facing a serious setback after this update.

The highly-rated forward bagged 19 assists in all competitions across 2023/2024, playing a key role in Spain’s triumph at Euro 2024, and showcasing his talent often during the second half of last season with some dazzling performances.

Sunderland and Regis Le Bris are thought to be plotting a move to sign a new defender who once “surprised” Jurgen Klopp, ahead of rival interest from Leeds United.

Sunderland transfer latest after Le Fee deal announced

The Black Cats are still riding the wave following their dramatic Championship playoff final victory over Sheffield United last month.

With Premier League football now on offer at the Stadium of Light, Sunderland are expected to be busy in the transfer window and have already made Enzo Le Fee’s loan move permanent. Talking after penning a four-year contract on Wearside, Le Fee shared his delight.

Alongside Le Fee, Sunderland aren’t planning to stop there, with Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie even claiming the club could break their transfer record again after Le Fee.

Dream Sunderland XI after promotion: Henderson & £40m sensation return

Sunderland’s starting XI could soon have a new look as they embark on their Premier League adventure.

ByKelan Sarson Jun 6, 2025

Le Bris and co will also be looking to get value for money in the summer market, potentially looking to take some Championship stars with them to the top flight. Now, a fresh report has stated that Burnley, Leeds and Sunderland all have their eyes on a second-tier player.

Sunderland plotting Japhet Tanganga move with release clause shared

According to GiveMeSport, Sunderland are plotting a move to sign Millwall defender Japhet Tanganga alongside the Clarets and the Whites.

It is claimed that Tanganga has a release clause in his current contract to leave for just under £2m, a figure which could represent great value for money considering the Lions have previously wanted £12m for their star centre-back.

The 26-year-old has impressed for Millwall after making his loan move permanent at The Den in 2024, and he has previous Premier League experience after coming through the Tottenham academy.

Games

61

Goals

4

Yellow cards

10

Red cards

1

Minutes played

5,370

He made 27 appearances for Spurs in the top flight, with Jose Mourinho hailing Tangana for a display against Liverpool back in 2020.

“Can we say Tanganga is a new player? Can we say that? He never played a match for Tottenham in the Premier League. Today he played and today he proved that he can play for us. It’s a pity that he’s not a striker, it’s a pity that he’s not a midfield player, but he’s one more player that we have. So I think Mane and Salah, they know who Tanganga is.”

Meanwhile, Klopp was also caught off guard by Tanganga, saying: “I didn’t know about him, I was obviously surprised when he came up. He was good, impressive for sure.”

Barcelona vs Real Madrid is La Liga’s showpiece fixture. Over the years, plenty of star players have made their mark for the Catalans or Los Blancos – or both. And for some, they thrived under the pressure of appearing in El Clásico without being asked twice.

Here, we have taken a look back through the history books and found the last 15 players to score on their league El Clásico debut.

Related The Top 11 El Clásico Goalscorers This Century

Who has scored the most often in El Clásico since 2000?

Posts 1 ByBarney Lane May 10, 2025 1 Jude Bellingham (2023/24) 28th October 2023: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid

Jude Bellingham announced himself as a Real Madrid hero when his brace defeated Barcelona in Catalonia thanks to a last-minute winner.

Bellingham was appearing in his first El Clásico clash following his move from Borussia Dortmund, with the English midfielder scoring goals for fun in his early Madrid career.

His double against Barca was not only his first Clasico goals, but also saw him reach 10 La Liga goals in 11 matches. He ended with 23 in all competitions, winning the league and the Champions League.

2 Ilkay Gundogan (2023/24) 28th October 2023: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid

In that same game in late 2023, Ilkay Gundogan briefly threatened to overshadow Bellingham’s big day when he netted six minutes into his first El Clásico matchup.

Gundogan had joined after leaving Manchester City in the preceding summer, having just led the Citizens to their historic treble.

While the move didn’t work out for the former Germany international, he did briefly have his name up in lights before Bellingham stole his thunder.

3 Ferran Torres (2021/22) 20th March 2022: Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona

Having joined Barca from Manchester City in January 2022, the £55m signing was just two months into his career at Camp Nou.

At the time of the 2021/22 season’s first Clasico, Madrid were flying high at the top of the table, whilst Xavi’s Barcelona were languishing some way behind in third – meaning the hosts were certainly heading into the affair as the favourites.

But nobody could’ve predicted what ensued. The subsequent title winners were thumped 4-0 on their own patch, and Ferran Torres netted the third for his first strike in this fixture.

The fleet-footed wide player drifted in from the left and thundered home Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s audacious cut-back to score on his El Clásico debut.

4 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (2021/22) 20th March 2022: Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang netted a brace on his El Clásico debut in the aforementioned thumping Barca dealt Real in early 2022.

Like Torres, the Gabonese forward left the Premier League in favour of a move to the Catalan club and was signed during the winter transfer window that year.

Following a goal-littered four-year stint with Arsenal, Aubameyang opted to begin a new chapter in Spain and found the net 13 times in 24 outings for Barca.

5 Sergio Agüero (2021/22) 24th October 2021: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid

Following his departure from Manchester City in the summer of 2021, Sergio Agüero was assigned as Barca’s new centre-forward.

After an injury-stricken start to life back in Spain, the Argentina international was making only his second appearance of the season, coming on as a second-half substitute for his El Clásico debut.

With the hosts 2-0 down, Agüero pulled one back after stroking home Sergiño Dest’s cross in the seventh minute of stoppage time, though it ultimately came too late.

6 David Alaba (2021/22) 24th October 2021: Barcelona 1-2 Real Madrid

Prior to Aguero’s consolation, David Alaba opened the scoring quite brilliantly after powering home a well-struck left-footed effort into the far corner, leaving Marc-André ter Stegen helpless.

It was the Austrian’s first goal for Los Blancos following his arrival from Bayern Munich, which ended a trophy-laden 13-year spell with the Bundesliga giants.

Alaba and his side went on to win La Liga, the Champions League and the Spanish Super Cup that year, so it was not a bad first season in Madrid.

7 Óscar Mingueza (2020/21) 10th April 2021: Real Madrid 2-1 Barcelona

With the visitors 2-0 down 30 minutes from time, La Masia academy graduate Óscar Mingueza pulled one back for Barcelona with a neat finish to give his side a lifeline in this La Liga clash.

Barca midfielder Ilaix Moriba came inches away from completing a remarkable turnaround as his effort struck the woodwork in stoppage time.

Victory for the hosts moved them to the summit of the league table, whilst Ronald Koeman’s team dropped to third, a point behind their bitter rivals.

Mingueza went on to make 66 appearances for his boyhood club before departing for Celta Vigo in 2022.

8 Arturo Vidal (2018/19) 28th October 2018: Barcelona 5-1 Real Madrid

Barcelona completed a demolition job against Real, who were struggling under the stewardship of former Spain boss Julen Lopetegui in the opening stages of the 2018/19 season.

Lopetegui received the sack a day later as Los Blancos languished in 9th, seven points adrift of league leaders Barca.

Former Liverpool duo Philippe Coutinho and Luis Suárez netted to put their side 2-0 up heading into the break, before the Uruguayan forward added a third and fourth in the second half to complete his hat-trick.

And with three minutes of normal time remaining, El Clásico debutant Arturo Vidal headed home a fifth to make matters worse for the visitors.

9 Jesé (2013/14) 26th October 2013: Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid

Barcelona summer arrival Neymar broke the deadlock in the 19th minute of the first Clasico of the 2013/14 season before Alexis Sánchez netted an exquisite chip 12 minutes from time to extend his side’s lead.

Real Madrid’s Jesé, then 20 years old, scored a stoppage-time consolation goal assisted by Cristiano Ronaldo. Regardless of the result, it will likely remain a joyous memory for the Spaniard, who was playing in his first clash against Barca.

Premier League fans may be familiar with the former Real winger’s brief time with Stoke City, though his sole season with the Potters wasn’t particularly inspiring, scoring just once in 13 outings.

10 Neymar (2013/14) 26th October 2013: Barcelona 2-1 Real Madrid

Unsurprisingly, Neymar, the player who went on to become the world’s most expensive footballer, scored in his first El Clásico.

Having signed following a mega-money transfer from Brazilian outfit Santos, expectations were high upon the forward’s arrival.

He was already a global superstar after lighting up Brazil’s top flight, with many of his skilful montages going viral, so fans waited in anticipation to see how he’d fare against one of the continent’s most feared sides.

In spite of the pressure, Neymar took centre stage and opened the scoring for the Catalan club, striking a low effort into the bottom-right corner.

Neymar went on to score 15 goals that year, laying on as many assists.

Manchester City backed up a comeback victory over AFC Bournemouth in the FA Cup with a straightforward 2-0 win over relegation-doomed Leicester City in the Premier League on Wednesday evening.

Pep Guardiola’s men weren’t hindered one bit by the absence of Erling Haaland through injury with the Foxes only managing two shots all night to try and snatch an unlikely result at the Etihad.

Instead, January signing Omar Marmoush stood out once more for the Citizens as their main marksman, but it was the exploits of Jack Grealish in the number ten role behind the Egyptian that stole many of the plaudits come the full-time whistle.

Jack Grealish's performance in numbers

Even as Marmoush collected another strike to add to his ever-growing City back-catalogue, Grealish would dominate most of the conversation post-match for his stylish showing as a central attacking midfielder.

After all, the ex-Aston Villa man got his team up and running with the opening strike just minutes into the one-sided clash, with the Birmingham-born ace stroking the ball into the back of Mads Hermansen’s net to amazingly collect his first Premier League goal for a long 16 months.

The 29-year-old will hope this standout performance pushes him on to more positive showings in the near future, with the up-and-down number ten finishing off the contest with two key passes next to his name from 50 accurate passes overall.

It could be argued that – in the short-term – Grealish could take over the reins from Kevin De Bruyne well, therefore, with there being a growing likelihood that the Belgian great will depart the Citizens very soon.

But, there is another unlikely candidate away from the 29-year-old who could be Guardiola’s next creative force similar to De Bruyne.

Guardiola's next creative superstar

Whilst there will be smiles aplenty that Grealish opened the scoring in the 2-0 victory, the ex-Villa midfielder is also known to be inconsistent and fleeting with his moments of magic, alongside the fact the 5 foot 11 presence is also nearing 30 years of age.

Therefore, Guardiola could be seeking out fresher blood when searching for his side’s next version of the electric number 17, with Savinho ticking all the boxes on Wednesday night when constantly finding openings.

Minutes played

85

Goals scored

0

Assists

1

Touches

61

Accurate passes

38/41 (93%)

Key passes

5

Shots on goal

2

Successful dribbles

2/4

Total duels won

6/11

Stats by Sofascore

Far from the finished article when it comes to slotting home chances – with two shots on goal not finding the back of the net – the Brazilian does excel when carving out opportunities for his thankful teammates, leading to one burst forward early on being gobbled by an expectant Grealish.

Finishing his exciting 85-minute spell on the pitch with five key passes next to his name, alongside two successful dribbles being amassed, the 20-year-old would have been pleased with his efforts, knowing there’s plenty more in his tank to come as he matures in Manchester.

After all, the gung-ho number 26 was an assist king with former employer Girona when tallying up 11 goals and ten assists from 41 appearances, with his assist total at City already up to a sizeable 12 from two fewer games. That makes him the most creative player in the squad this season, four clear of Matheus Nunes and five clear of that man De Bruyne.

Therefore, the Brazilian could well be the man Pep looks to in terms of creating chances when the Belgian departs, with the long-standing Citizens servant up to a jaw-dropping 174 assists himself.

Savinho is some way off that total, obviously, but the baton is likely to be handed over soon when the 33-year-old icon exits the building, with the tricky winger ready to become the club’s next creative superstar.

Move over Nunes: Man City begin work on signing the new Joao Cancelo

Manchester City could land their next Joao Cancelo in this attack-oriented defender.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 2, 2025