Liverpool have now reportedly sent scouts to track RB Leipzig winger Yan Diomande, who is quickly becoming one of the most sought-after young talents around European football.

The Reds will be relieved to have an international break. It’s been a disastrous month or so for Arne Slot’s side, who have lost five of their last six Premier League games and were just humbled by a superior Manchester City side. In the space of 11 games in a fresh campaign, the champions’ crown hasn’t just slipped, it has crumbled.

After FSG spent over £400m to break Liverpool’s transfer record twice in the summer, Slot simply must turn things around. The Dutchman will be given time to do that – Liverpool have never been a side to make rash decisions – but the pressure is certainly growing on the Dutchman.

The solutions could yet come courtesy of even more spending in the January transfer window. There’s been something missing from the current squad so far this season and as the Premier League becomes more physical, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes could adjust their strategy.

Liverpool’s struggles have already sparked several rumours ahead of the winter window, too. The likes of Antoine Semenyo and Wilfried Singo have been among those mentioned as potential reinforcements, but it remains to be seen whether the Reds splash the cash once again.

Liverpool exploring Jarrod Bowen move as West Ham share sale conditions

The Reds have set their sights on another attacking reinforcement.

ByTom Cunningham Nov 14, 2025

Semenyo would certainly add another attacking spark to a frontline full of talented players who are currently struggling to find form. The addition of someone who needs no introduction to Anfield goals could go a long way towards solving Slot’s problems. Meanwhile, Edwards and Hughes also have one eye on the future and those who will make an impact in years to come.

Liverpool send scouts to track Yan Diomande

As reported by Bild in Germany, Liverpool scouts have now been spotted watching Diomande at RB Leipzig. The 19-year-old winger has impressed in the Bundesliga this season, scoring three goals and assisting another three in 10 league games, and has attracted the interest of PSG as well as those at Anfield as a result.

The teenager is not short on confidence or ambition, having compared himself to Real Madrid star Vinicius Junior when speaking to reporters about his current role models to Transfermarkt.

It’s not just the left-winger, himself, who believes in his ability though. Talent scout Jacek Kulig praised Diomande for the “brilliant” spell of form that he’s enjoyed in recent months to attract the likes of Liverpool and PSG.

FSG enter race to sign "world-class" £79m star for Liverpool

Premier League manager responds to talk of £60m move for Napoli star Scott McTominay after rumours surfaced that the Scotland star could head back to England soon after completing a move from Manchester United to the Italian side in the summer of 2024. McTominay enjoyed great success in his maiden season in Italy as he helped Napoli win the league title and was declared Serie A's Player of the Season.

• McTominay linked with a move back to England

  McTominay is in his second season in the Serie A and has enjoyed a purple patch ever since he set foot in Italy last year. The current Serie A Player of the Season had a shaky start to the new season but has now regained form. In the 2025-26 campaign, McTominay has featured in Antonio Conte's starting lineup in nine Serie A matches. He has scored two goals and provided one assist.

  Despite being a key member of Conte's side, he has been consistently linked with a move back to the Premier League, with recent reports emerging that Everton are keen on signing the midfielder.

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• AFP
  

  Moyes responds to McTominay links

  Toffees boss David Moyes, however, quashed the rumours, while questioning the price tag as he told reporters: "Well, I think the reality would be that I'd never talk about other players, but if you're using the word £60m and those sort of numbers, I don't know we're quite at that level yet. Hopefully, we're working towards it. We're trying to build ourselves back up. We've said many times about us trying to get on solid ground again. We've done that with the new owner's new stadium and staying up last year. So we have to try and make sure that we go steady."

  Moyes added: "I don't think we'll be shooting for the stars right away, but it might happen. But my gut feel would be to say, No, that wouldn't be where in the market we'd be in. We may do so (buy some big players) this window, but I think everybody mainly knows that January's never a great window. But hey, there's been some really good players bought in January and that helps clubs at different times."

• Man Utd want McTominay back at Old Trafford?

  Manchester United are reportedly eyeing a move for McTominay as they are ready to spend around £44 million ($58m) to bring back their academy product to Old Trafford. Ruben Amorim desperately wants to sign a new central midfielder in the January transfer window and the Scotland international could be that option.

  According to : “There is concrete interest in Scott McTominay. Manchester United would have him back, and keep an eye on Newcastle and Tottenham. Barcelona also view him as someone who could be a good fit for their midfield.”

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Will McTominay leave Napoli?

  After reinventing himself at Napoli, McTominay has attracted interest from several top clubs in Europe, including Barcelona, Tottenham and Newcastle, potentially leading to a summer 2026 exit. Reports have also claimed that McTominay is considering a Premier League return due to feeling 'suffocated' by the intense fan attention in Naples. However, sources and McTominay's camp have since denied this and Napoli are planning to offer him a contract extension to secure his future. 

  The midfielder himself has also claimed to be content with his life in Serie A, as he told Sky Sport Italia: "I’m really happy in Naples." And a source close to the player has added: "Scott loves the city, the club and the fans. He feels really good here."

  Conte's men will be back in action after the international break on Saturday as they take on Atalanta in an important Serie A clash at home.

أعلنت لجنة الانضباط بالاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا”، العقوبة الموقعة على كريستيانو رونالدو، لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي النصر السعودي والمنتخب البرتغالي.

كان منتخب البرتغال قد حل ضيفًا على نظيره أيرلندا، في الجولة قبل الأخيرة، من تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026 الصيف المقبل.

وتحصل كريستيانو رونالدو على بطاقة حمراء مباشرة، في الدقيقة 61، بعدما اعتدى على أحد لاعبي منتخب أيرلندا بـ”الكوع” دون كرة، حيث تدخلت تقنية الفيديو في الموقف قبل اتخاذ القرار النهائي من جانب الحكم.

وبطبيعة الحال، غاب كريستيانو رونالدو عن المباراة التي تلتها والتي كانت أمام أرمينيا وانتهت بفوز رفاق رونالدو بنتيجة 9/1.

اقرأ أيضًا | ذو قيمة ثمينة.. سبورت توضح الهدية التي تلقاها رونالدو من ترامب في البيت الأبيض

وفرضت لجنة الانضباط التابعة للاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” عقوبة الإيقاف عن اللعب لمباراة واحدة على كريستيانو رونالدو والتي قضاها بالفعل ضد أرمينيا ومباراتين أخريتين لكن بشرط تحسن سلوكه.

لذلك، سيشارك كريستيانو رونالدو في المباراة الأولى لكأس العالم 2026 بشرط ألا يرتكب أي مخالفة تأديبية أخرى.

وبعد البطاقة الحمراء التي تلقاها رونالدو ضد أيرلندا في دبلن بتاريخ 13 نوفمبر، لم يسبق لصاحب الـ 40 عامًا أن تم طرده مباشرة في 226 مباراة خاضها مع المنتخب الوطني.

Southampton have been granted permission following a managerial application ahead of Championship action returning, it has been revealed.

Southampton fan pundit calls for “experienced” manager

The Saints and Sport Republic have taken their time in regards to appointing Will Still’s permanent successor after sacking him at the beginning of the month.

A number of bosses have been linked with the St Mary’s vacancy, but it is interim manager Tonda Eckert who has been catching the eye after back-to-back wins against QPR and Sheffield Wednesday prior to the international break.

There have been suggestions the 32-year-old is in line to receive the permanent Southampton manager job, however, the pressure is on Sport Republic after a number of failures in recent times. Southampton fan pundit Ray Hunt even stated that supporters “want to see an experienced manager” come in.

“Sport Republic have appointed five permanent mangers in their three full seasons in charge. During that period, they have overseen two relegations from the Premier League, and one promotion with their only success, Russell Martin, but failed to give him the tools needed to succeed in the top flight.

“Moving forward, fans will want to see an experienced manager, who’s widely respected with a clear structure. We cannot repeat mistakes from the past. It is a huge task they simply have to get right. Take your time, give Tonda time in that interim, but ultimately make the right decision. The fans won’t tolerate another failure.”

Meanwhile, it has been added that Eckert is set to get the next three Championship fixtures to increase his chances of landing the role.

Now, it has been revealed the lengths the Saints have had to go to for Eckert to be in the dugout over the coming weeks despite already being employed as U23 coach.

Southampton apply for new visa to keep Eckert in charge

According to Sport 1, ‘Southampton applied for a work visa for Eckert for the upcoming matches so they could continue working with him’. It is claimed that the Saints ‘already received this visa for the next few games – meaning Eckert can continue’.

Tonda Eckert’s coaching career

Role

Years

1.FC Koln U17

Assistant manager

2013-2016

RB Salzburg YL

Assistant manager

2016-2017

RB Leipzig YL

Assistant manager

2017-2019

FC Bayern U17

Assistant manager

2019-2020

Barnsley

Assistant manager

2020-2022

Genoa

Assistant manager

2022-2025

Southampton U23

Manager

2025

Southampton

Interim manager

2025 – present

Eckert had a different visa as U23 coach, with the situation labelled ‘complex’ as ‘England’s employment law is extremely complicated, especially in football’, with clubs needing to ‘provide detailed justifications to the authorities as to why they prefer a foreign coach to an English candidate’.

Should Eckert get another positive result at The Valley this weekend and then again at home to Leicetser City and away to Millwall, then the speculation surrounding him landing the job on a long-term basis will only increase.

Southampton told to appoint new manager over Eckert who "ticks every box"

Warwickshire 258 (Mousley 74, Barnard 48, Young 48, Hutton 4-46, Abbas 3-33) vs Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire are within 300 runs of securing the Rothesay County Championship crown after bowling out Warwickshire for 258 on day one at Trent Bridge.Needing to secure a maximum of 10 points from the final round of matches to lift the title for the first time since 2010 after their victory over holders Surrey last week, Nottinghamshire fulfilled their first requirement by taking all three bowling bonus points, led by Brett Hutton’s four for 46 and Mohammad Abbas’s three for 33.And Surrey’s failure to take any of the five batting bonus points potentially up for grabs in their match against Hampshire at Southampton, means they require just two more in this match to be certain of becoming champions.Put simply, if they can muster anything above 300 with the bat within 110 overs in their first innings, the title will be theirs even were they to lose this match and Surrey win theirs.They might have been on the field in pursuit of those runs already if Dan Mousley had not defied difficult batting conditions by scoring 74 after driving Warwickshire recovery from 127 for five.Mousley shared a 117-run sixth-wicket partnership with Ed Barnard, who exactly matched Will Young earlier in making 48 from 104 deliveries. Warwickshire, who began the day in fourth place, are keen at least to overtake Somerset and finish third.After choosing not to bat first, Nottinghamshire presumably would have hoped to send Warwickshire to lunch in a more precarious position than 70 for one. As it was, in an opening session limited to 25 overs after a wholly unforecast stoppage for rain, the visitors lost only Alex Davies, who was leg before to the 10th ball of the match as Hutton found some early movement through the air.Not that it was for want of trying by the Nottinghamshire attack. Abbas, returning from a minor back issue, bowled seven overs that on another day might have generated two or three wickets. Young and Rob Yates played and missed several times and edged other deliveries past the slips. Both executed some good shots, to be fair to them.More rain delayed the afternoon session by 50 minutes. It began with another early wicket, Yates well held at second slip by Freddie McCann in Abbas’s second over.Abbas has taken the place vacated by Josh Tongue, ordered to rest up by England after his match-winning performance against Surrey last week, which illustrates the depth of Nottinghamshire’s bowling resources. Their other centrally-contracted fast bowler, Olly Stone, though he missed the first tranche of matches through injury, will complete the season having not appeared in the Championship side.Though the sky cleared, batting remained a challenge, although patience and some nifty footwork appeared to be paying off for Young. Having saved himself on 35, managing to kick the ball away a delivery from Dillon Pennington squirmed under his bat towards the stumps, he was nearing a half-century against his former county.But then he unexpectedly wafted at a ball from Hutton outside off stump and paid the price. With Surrey already dismissed by Hampshire for just 147, a first bowling point for Nottinghamshire was enthusiastically applauded by the home crowd, fully aware that the requirement to take the title was already down to just four more points.Two more wickets before tea reduced Warwickshire to 127 for five. Sam Hain, pushing forward, and Zen Malik were caught behind in consecutive overs, the latter off a ball from Lyndon James that moved late to find the edge of his defensive bat.The middle session thus belonged to Nottinghamshire, yet Mousley and Barnard resisted and then fought back in the final session, Mousley becoming more confident and aggressive as the partnership grew, accelerating to a half-century from 62 balls, which he celebrated by going down the pitch to hit James back over his head for six.In the final half-hour, though, the pendulum swung back to Nottinghamshire, left-arm spinner Liam Patterson-White claiming the second bowling point with a caught-and-bowled to remove Barnard before Abbas, bowling fast and straight with second new ball in hand, dismissed Michael Booth and Ethan Bamber in consecutive deliveries.Hutton wrapped things up by bowling Tazeem Ali before Mousley holed out to long off, leaving Nottinghamshire within touching distance of the prize.

Manchester United are in the market for January reinforcements and may now be about to grant Ruben Amorim one of his key wishes at Old Trafford.

Generating momentum has been a struggle for the Red Devils in recent years. However, they have gone five matches unbeaten in the Premier League, showing a renewed sense of resolve at the club.

Standing firm behind their manager, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS will feel vindicated after refusing to succumb to pressure surrounding Amorim. Long-term planning at Manchester United is key, and Fabrizio Romano believes there will definitely be a midfield arrival at the club in 2026.

He said: “Conor Gallagher could be an opportunity, but Atletico Madrid didn’t want to let him go in August. So let’s see what happens in the January window. Angelo Stiller is also a player they appreciate from Stuttgart, but I don’t see a German club selling one of the stars in the January window at all.

“So January is not going to be easy. It’s going to be about opportunities in the summer could be different. And for sure, Manchester United in 2026 will add again, at least one midfielder.”

Romano is right, January is hardly an easy month to do business, and it remains to be seen how much the Red Devils have to spend after a summer of new arrivals, though trying to keep pace with their Premier League rivals may require some form of expenditure.

Midfield is a key area where reinforcements could happen and Hertha Berlin youngster Kennet Eichhorn could be a capture with the long-term in mind.

Casemiro is also coming to the end of his contract, and Manchester United have now shortlisted a successor who has recently been in the headlines.

Man Utd place Bournemouth star Alex Scott on shortlist

According to United In Focus in conversation with Graeme Bailey, Manchester United have placed Bournemouth midfielder Alex Scott on their shortlist as a potential heir to Casemiro if he leaves Old Trafford on a free transfer next summer.

The Guernsey-born midfielder earned plenty of adulation last week due to earning a maiden England call-up, and is certainly deserving of the praise he is getting, having bounced back from major knee injuries both at Bristol City and Bournemouth. He is now on the radar of the Red Devils due to his ‘dominant’ displays as Amorim looks to bring fresh energy into his engine room.

Bailey stated: “Alex Scott is emerging as a real name now and United are well aware of his talents. I am told they watched him and liked him during his Bristol City days, but now he is maturing into a dominant player.

“We know all the big names linked to United heading into the New Year and ahead of next summer, but keep an eye on Scott – he is a possibility for a number of clubs and that includes United.”

Man Utd could land a heavy discount on an alternative midfielder

Featuring predominantly in a double pivot at Bournemouth, it is likely Amorim would instruct him to perform the same function at Old Trafford, and it appears he could be someone who fills the deeper-lying role at the Red Devils for years to come.

Emma Jones, Alice Davidson-Richards shine with centuries before rain hits

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay10-Sep-2025Surrey 313 for 5 (Jones 141, Davidson-Richards 107) vs Essex match abandonedRain denied Surrey the chance of securing a semi-final spot in the Metro Bank Women’s One-Day Cup, after centuries from Emma Jones and Alice Davidson-Richards had put them in a commanding position over Essex.With Somerset washed out away to Hampshire, a bonus-point victory for Surrey would have been enough to secure fourth place ahead of their final match away to Durham on Saturday.Instead, the rain, which arrived at the innings break and didn’t stop, means the match at Chester-le-Street now turns into an effective quarter-final, with Durham in fifth place and only three points behind Surrey.Surrey had made two changes to their team that lost to Lancashire at the weekend, one of which was Jones coming in at No.3 in place of Alice Capsey.Jones had played just one fifty-over match for Surrey this year, and while showing glimpses with the bat across the T20 season, no-one predicted that her inclusion would bring such dramatic results, as she compiled a chanceless 141 off only 117 balls to record her first century for Surrey.Jones entered this season without a half-century to her name in List A cricket, but has now scored two massive centuries in the format, after making 147 not out off 101 balls earlier this year while on loan at Glamorgan.After rain early in the day, Surrey’s innings had been reduced to 45 overs, although they still managed to finish on 313 for 5 on what was a difficult day in the field for Essex, who with just two wins from 13 matches, remain bottom of the table.”Jonesy was hitting them wonderfully,” said Davidson-Richards, who made 107.”I was just enjoying helping her along and watching her smash fours at the other end. I think sometimes it’s really simple and you just realise how the other person is ticking. It was a really nice partnership.”

Thomas Tuchel has revealed that he plans to phone 60 unselected England players as the Three Lions boss has a blueprint set for the 2026 World Cup squad. Fresh from completing a flawless Euro 2024 qualifying campaign, with eight wins and no goals conceded, the German coach has revealed his next task is not tactical, but conversational. Tuchel is known for his meticulous planning and almost forensic attention to detail, and now he will personally contact over 50 England players in the coming months to explain their status and outline what they must do to force their way into contention.

Tuchel opens communication drive

Tuchel’s openness has given hope to a significant group of players who find themselves hovering on the fringes. Luke Shaw, Jack Grealish, Harry Maguire, Kyle Walker, and Alexander-Arnold, all seasoned tournament figures, are among those expecting a call. Even Danny Welbeck, whose last England appearance came in 2018, is making a fresh push to return, helped by a campaign of revived domestic form. 

"First of all, it's my job now to make contact with everyone, players like Trent," Tuchel said when asked about Alexander-Arnold. 

The reference to Alexander-Arnold was no accident. The Real Madrid defender did not feature in Albania, with former Liverpool teammate Jarell Quansah handed a full debut at right-back. It was a decision Tuchel justified by praising the youngster’s athleticism, build-up quality and consistency since the Under-21 Euros.  

"Of course I have a lot of trust in Jarell," he said. "I see his talent, but I see the package. He is tall, he is fast, he is strong in build-up. He is strong in the air. I saw him playing very strong for Liverpool in this position [right-back], so I always wanted to try. And he plays every minute for Leverkusen since the Under-21 Euros, so he is at the moment a tiny bit ahead."

AdvertisementGetty/GOALVeterans waiting by the phone

Tuchel laughs at the length of his "to-call" list, but insists it is necessary. 

"Players that are on our long list, 55, 60 players, to reach out to them, be in touch with them, explain to them why they were not here," he said. "Explain to them what they have to do, where they can improve. Can they even do something or is it just a choice, so this is my job in the next weeks and months."

However, the manager is not a fan of making calls and added: "Yeah, and I hate phone calls. Better on FaceTime. Then I see the expression, at least, and get a feeling for the person. Or I need to visit them, visit training, training grounds. We can do group visits. We can do Jude [Bellingham] and Trent. And visit the clubs. And some of them we will call. Let's see. Listen, we've just finished this camp and I think it's important that I reach out to everyone, even to the guys we didn't pick so regularly to tell them where they are and give them honest feedback."

England’s camp leaves Tuchel emotional

The England manager appeared almost wistful as he reflected on the end of their final camp of the year, describing how deeply he has connected with the squad.

"It hurts me honestly," he said after sending the squad off on Sunday. "I told the players, 'I have to say Merry Christmas and Happy New Year now, I cannot believe it and in my heart, everything in me wants to be with you guys in Wednesday again on the sidelines and fight on Saturday again' and they sucked me into all of this. This is just amazing. It will be very, very tough for me to not have a match until March."   

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GettyBellingham’s world cup role still taking shape

Bellingham’s place in Tuchel’s long-term plans is not in question. The issue is not inclusion, but impact. The Real Madrid playmaker, making his first England start since rejoining the squad under Tuchel, was seen waving his arms in frustration after being substituted for Morgan Rogers against Albania. Tuchel has an abundance of creators, from Phil Foden to Cole Palmer to Bukayo Saka, and determining who starts in a major tournament knockout match is a decision he is happy to delay. The next four months and the next England camp will help clarify that picture. For now, Tuchel is focused on communication and accountability. 

Crystal Palace have joined the race to sign Real Betis forward Abde Ezzalzouli in the January transfer window, and their chances of getting a deal over the line have now been revealed.

Palace have predominantly been linked with new defenders in recent weeks, amid Marc Guehi’s uncertain future, but they are also looking to upgrade their options in attacking areas, having recently failed to craft many decent opportunities against Brighton & Hove Albion.

Indeed, the Eagles recorded an xG of just 0.75 against their rivals, with Jean-Philippe Mateta receiving little service, although that has been a rarity, with the Frenchman currently joint-third in the Premier League’s goalscoring charts.

Premier League top goalscorers

Club

Goals

Erling Haaland

Manchester City

14

Igor Thiago

Brentford

8

Antoine Semenyo

AFC Bournemouth

6

Danny Welbeck

Brighton

6

Jean-Philippe Mateta

Crystal Palace

6

Yeremy Pino was one of Oliver Glasner’s statement signings during the summer, but the Spaniard’s Premier League career is yet to truly take off, having been unable to register a goal or assist in his opening nine matches.

In fairness, it often takes foreign players some time to adapt to life in England, and it is still very early days for Pino, but Glasner has now set out to sign another new forward.

Crystal Palace join race to sign Abde Ezzalzouli

According to a report from Spain, Crystal Palace have now joined the race to sign Real Betis star Ezzalzouli, who is being closely monitored ahead of the January transfer window, but there may be competition from fellow Premier League side Aston Villa.

Real Betis are reluctant to sanction a departure, but may be forced to listen to an ‘irresistible’ offer, with the Spanish side’s board clear that any deal must amount to significantly more than the Moroccan’s €12m (£11m) valuation.

As such, a deal could be there to be done for Palace, with Glasner looking to bring in another winger to form a top-level forward line, alongside Mateta, Pino and Ismaila Sarr.

Once lauded as “extraordinary” by Barcelona legend Xavi Hernandez, the 23-year-old has made an impressive start to the season for Betis, amassing eight goals and assists in his opening 13 matches across all competitions.

Not only has the Morocco international impressed Xavi in the past, but scout Ben Mattinson has also compared him to Paris Saint-Germain star Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, in light of the winger’s “explosive” dribbling ability.

The Betis forward’s ability to drive at opposition defences has been on display regularly over the past year, placing in the 84th percentile for progressive carries per 90, when compared to his positional peers, having averaged 4.82.

As such, Ezzalzouli could be a brilliant acquisition for Crystal Palace, and they should try and get a deal done in the January transfer window to bolster their chances of winning the UEFA Conference League.

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1 ByDominic Lund Oct 29, 2025

A proud part of Arsenal’s DNA has long been their development and promotion of young academy talents.

This has been especially true over the last few years, with the emergence of players like Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and, of course, Bukayo Saka.

The latest player who seems ready to make the leap from the youth sides to regular senior football is Max Dowman.

However, the talented 15-year-old certainly won’t be the last, and there is already one youngster making waves in the academy who could soon find himself in the first team.

Dowman's rapid rise to stardom at Arsenal

Even before this season, Arsenal fans have been at least somewhat aware of Dowman.

After all, respected talent scout Jacek Kulig boldly proclaimed him as the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

That might sound absurd, but over the course of last season, the youngster ended up scoring 19 times and providing five assists in just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, for the youth sides.

Dowman in 24/25

Appearances

23

Minutes

1945′

Goals

19

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.04

Minutes per Goal Involvement

81.04′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

That comes out to a sensational average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes, made all the more astonishing by the fact he was playing for the u18s and even the u21s.

With performances like that in age groups well above his own, it wasn’t much of a surprise to see the Chelmsford-born dynamo included in the first team’s pre-season tour.

The 15-year-old made his debut against Newcastle United, and in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, spent his short cameo “humiliating Premier League players.”

His competitive debut came at home to Leeds United in the Premier League, and then he became the youngest player to ever start a game for the club against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup.

The superstar in the making then broke another record in the Champions League a week later, and was described as “a miracle player” by Slavia Prague defender David Zima.

In all, it certainly seems like Dowman is destined to reach the top of the game with Arsenal, although he might be joined by another academy gem this season.

Hale End's next superstar

It’s been a good season for Hale End this year, as on top of Dowman, Andre Harriman-Annous has also been given his full competitive debut by Mikel Arteta.

It could get even better, though, as there is another youngster in the system, who, like the record-breaker, could find himself becoming more involved with the senior side as the campaign goes on: Ife Ibrahim.

The 17-year-old has been with the club since May 2016, and while he started out as a striker, he has since moved back down the pitch, into defensive midfield.

However, he’s not limited to just one position, as the highly rated youngster has also played at right-back, in central midfield, and even as a centre-back.

It’s no surprise that he has been used in the defence before, as even though he’s still so young, the versatile prospect is huge and towers above some of the first team in pictures taken of the time he trained with them. It is no wonder that analyst Harvey Diamonds said that he has a “languid frame like [Patrick] Vieira and [Abou] Diaby.”

Don’t let his size and physicality fool you, though; the Hale Ender is no slouch on the ball.

In fact, academy expert Will Balsam described him as someone who makes everything look so “effortless.” Moreover, this and his height mean “he eats up space, recovers the ball, and glides past players with ease.”

He has also made an impression on U23 scout Antonio Mango, who has described him as “composed, technically talented in possession and calculated out of possession.”

Overall, while he plays in a totally different position to Dowman, Ibrahim sounds like the sort of Hale End product who could come in and have a serious impact on the first team soon enough.

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