There have been some iconic left-backs in previous generations – from AC Milan legend Paolo Maldini and free-kick specialist Roberto Carlos to Premier League greats like Ashley Cole.

Previously, a top left-back was a world-class defender who could also chip in with the odd goal going forward. Now, we have a new up-and-coming class of attacking left-backs who are crucial to their team’s build-up play, but who is the best in the world right now?

Ranking factors

To help rank the left-backs in order, we have considered the following criteria:

• Current form – how well a player has been performing
• Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their team
• Role – how unique their skillset is
• Reputation – what others are saying about them

Top 15 left-backs in the world
Rank	Player	Age	Club	Nation
1	Nuno Mendes	23	PSG	Portugal
2	Alejandro Balde	21	Barcelona	Spain
3	Federico Dimarco	27	Inter Milan	Italy
4	Alphonso Davies	24	Bayern Munich	Canada
5	Alejandro Grimaldo	30	Bayer Leverkusen	Spain
6	Riccardo Calafiori	23	Arsenal	Italy
7	Milos Kerkez	21	Liverpool	Hungary
8	Myles Lewis-Skelly	19	Arsenal	England
9	Alvaro Carreras	22	Real Madrid	Spain
10	Andrea Cambiaso	25	Juventus	Italy
11	Theo Hernandez	28	Al-Hilal	France
12	Ferland Mendy	30	Real Madrid	France
13	Destiny Udogie	22	Tottenham	Italy
14	Rayan Ait-Nouri	24	Man City	Algeria
15	Marc Cucurella	27	Chelsea	Spain

15

Marc Cucurella

Chelsea and Spain

The Premier League has plenty of impressive left-backs, and Marc Cucurella has been making his mark at Stamford Bridge over the last 12 months.

Now one of the first names on the teamsheet under Enzo Maresca, Cucurella has shown why Chelsea splashed the cash on him from Brighton back in 2022.

Maresca called Cucurella “very important” and even wants seven players like him in his Blues side.

Marc Cucurella: Major titles won
Trophy	Years won
European Championship	2024
Club World Cup	2025
Europa Conference League	2025
Copa del Rey	2018

14

Rayan Ait-Nouri

Man City and Algeria

New Man City signing Rayan Ait-Nouri is another who has been catching the eye at former employers Wolves in recent seasons.

The 24-year-old now holds a career-high €35m Transfermarkt valuation and hit double figures for Premier League goal contributions in what has been a struggling Wolves side.

13

Destiny Udogie

Tottenham and Italy

Spurs have seemingly struck gold after signing Destiny Udogie from Udinese, with the Italian’s market value more than doubling since moving to north London.

Once called “the most underrated player in the Premier League” by Paul Merson and a full-back who “has everything” by Luciano Spalletti, Udogie, who is still just 22, may only get better in the coming years.

12

Ferland Mendy

Real Madrid and France

Ferland Mendy has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, but when fully fit, is one of the best left-backs around in Europe.

The Frenchman has made more than 200 appearances for Real Madrid since signing from Lyon and was dubbed a “quiet force” by fellow teammate and countryman Kylian Mbappe. Carlo Ancelotti called him “the best in the world”, however, his lack of attacking output has him low down the list.

Ferland Mendy: Major titles won
Trophy	Years won
Champions League	2022, 2024
La Liga	2021
Nations League	2021
Copa del Rey	2023
UEFA Super Cup	2022, 2024
Spanish Super Cup	2020, 2022, 2024

11

Theo Hernandez

Al-Hilal and France

Since leaving Real Madrid for AC Milan in 2019, Theo Hernandez has gone from strength to strength and has earned the praise of legendary left-back Paolo Maldini, who hailed the Frenchman as “special”.

Hernandez, who sealed a move to Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal in 2025, also has the blistering pace required to get back from attacking phases and show his defensive qualities.

Theo Hernandez: Major titles won
Trophy	Years won
Champions League	2018
Serie A	2022
Nations League	2021
FIFA Club World Cup	2018
UEFA Super Cup	2017
Spanish Super Cup	2017
Italian Super Cup	2025

10

Andrea Cambiaso

Juventus and Italy

Arguably a player who has been going under the radar is Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso. Labelled as an attacking left-wing back with “world-class” vision and “elite passing ability”, the 25-year-old’s Transfermarkt valuation has rocketed to €35m.

Previously linked with Man City, Cambiaso, who actually doesn’t have a weak foot, could soon be the next star left-back to try his luck in the Premier League.

Andrea Cambiaso: Major titles won
Trophy	Years won
Coppa Italia	2024
Serie B	2021

9

Alvaro Carreras

Real Madrid and Spain

Part of Real Madrid’s youth set-up from 2017 to 2020 before joining Man Utd, Alvaro Carreras is now back at the Bernabeu after impressing for Benfica in recent seasons.

Madrid paid €50m and gave Carreras a six-year contract, and he has slotted straight into Xabi Alonso’s defence.

Alvaro Carreras: Major titles won
Trophy	Years won
Taca da Liga	2025

8

Myles Lewis-Skelly

Arsenal and England

Another impressive youngster starring on the big stage has been Myles Lewis-Skelly at Arsenal. The Englishman has even featured as a left-back under Thomas Tuchel with England, despite coming through the Gunners academy as a midfielder.

Mikel Arteta has used the 19-year-old as a left-back at the Emirates, and Jamie Carragher has even compared Lewis-Skelly’s “football arrogance” to Jude Bellingham and Wayne Rooney.

7

Milos Kerkez

Liverpool and Hungary

Milos Kerkez only cost Bournemouth £15m from AZ Alkmaar back in 2023, and the Cherries made a nice profit on the left-back who has joined Liverpool.

The Hungarian is already on his way to the top, so it’s no surprise to see the Reds come in for “one of the most talented left-backs in world football”.

6

Riccardo Calafiori

Arsenal and Italy

Riccardo Calafiori now appears to have taken over at Arsenal as Mikel Arteta’s first choice left-back, with the Italian also capable of filling in at centre-back if required.

Arteta hailed Calafiori’s unpredictability, saying his attacking edge can be “very difficult to control for the opponent”. His stunning first Gunners goal against Man City highlights that.

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers has dropped a nine-word injury update on a Hoops player with “absolutely everything”, adding to the concerns around Cameron Carter-Vickers.

Rodgers suffers Carter-Vickers blow in Celtic comeback

The Hoops secured an important victory in the Europa League on Thursday evening, winning 2-1 at home to Sturm Graz, bouncing back from last weekend’s 2-0 defeat at Dundee in the Scottish Premiership.

Speaking after the game, Rodgers seemed more positive than he has been for most of this season so far, hailing his Celtic side’s performance at Parkhead.

“I thought we were brilliant in the game. I mentioned beforehand that with pressure you can go two ways. You can either make progress or you can crumble, and the performance of the players showed that they progressed so much tonight. We really dominated a very good team in Sturm Graz. You can see the goals they’ve scored and the physicality they have.

“I’ve said before that there are always games in your season that can be the turning point and I think that tonight is an all-round performance against a good side. Now we have to recover because we have a big game on Sunday and we have to put that same energy and focused mentality in to that game.”

While Thursday’s victory was a welcome shot in the arm for Celtic, they were brought back down to Earth with the news that Carter-Vickers has suffered an achilles problem and could be out for several months.

Rodgers confirmed the blow ahead of the trip to Hearts on Sunday, revealing an exact timeline is not yet certain but “its not great news”, and it might not be the only concern…

Iheanacho injury "looks like a hamstring"

Speaking to the media, Rodgers also provided a worrying nine-word injury update regarding Celtic striker Kelechi Iheanacho: “It doesn’t look great. It looks like a hamstring.”

The Hoops manager added: “We’ll see where it is, but it looks like hamstrings, which isn’t great. I’m not worried about (squad depth). I’m really only worried about how we played tonight, and that’s our focus. We’ll see what it is in the morning, and if they’re not available…we just have to accept it if we have injuries.”

Celtic face a huge Scottish Premiership clash with Hearts on Sunday lunchtime, with the latter topping the table by five points ahead of the reigning champions.

Not having both their starting number nine and top centre-half available for such a key match is a massive blow for the Hoops, with Rodgers lauding the Nigeria star during their time together at Leicester City.

“He’s a nightmare in training to be fair. He’s just a big strong lad who can put himself about, he’s fast, he’s got absolutely everything to be a top striker and he’s showing it now, which is great.”

Celtic star who Lennon dubbed "world-class" was even better than Nygren

This Nakamura-esque Celtic star was even better than Benjamin Nygren against Sturm Graz.

ByDan Emery Oct 24, 2025

With Iheanacho almost certainly out against Hearts, it is up to other Celtic attackers to step up to the plate, with the summer signing already scoring twice in three league starts this season.

Dimitar Berbatov has commented on the plight of Kobbie Mainoo, saying the English midfielder is in a "cruel situation" under Ruben Amorim's management. The ex-Manchester United forward spoke glowingly about the 20-year-old's talents, and questioned whether he should pursue a move away from Old Trafford to continue his development. Mainoo has started just one game in all competitions this season.

• Berbatov heralds Mainoo's talent

  Berbatov made the comments in an interview with . The Bulgarian striker was fan favourite at Old Trafford during his four-year spell at the club, with his beguiling touch and languid style demonstrating a level of confidence that bordered on arrogance. He sees many of those traits in Mainoo, whose talent he greatly admires. 

  The ex-Tottenham, Fulham and Bayer Leverkusen star also expressed sympathy towards a player who seemed to have the world at his feet just 15 months ago. Mainoo went from a young upstart, to a Manchester United regular and eventually a key cog in Gareth Southgate's England side that went to the finals of the European Championship over the course of the 2023-24 season. Amorim's apparent lack of trust in his ability to start games has been the first real roadblock in his ascent, but it has proven one to be almost impossible to traverse for the 20-year-old. 

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Mainoo in a 'very tough situation' at Man Utd

  Berbatov said: "It's a very tough situation, especially for a young player.

  "It shows you how football can be a really cruel game at times because Kobbie Mainoo was playing, he reached the England national team, he was going up, up, and up. All of a sudden he is not being picked.

  "Now the question is, does he stay positive, patient, and wait for his moment again? Or he needs to move to a different place to play regularly to get his confidence back and come back to United and start playing more regularly?

  "I'd like to see him play because the talent is there to see, that decision-making, that calmness and arrogance which you need with the ball at your feet is there, even at his age. I like that. But at the moment, the manager doesn't see something he can use from the first minute of the game."

• Mainoo's frustrating 2025-26 season so far

  Mainoo's fall from favour under Amorim has seen his time on the pitch cut dramatically. During his breakout season in 2023-24, the highly-rated youngster finished the season with 21 consecutive starts in the heart of Erik ten Hag's midfield, bagging the winning goal in the Red Devils' shock upset of Manchester City in the FA Cup final. 

  A calf injury sustained in February, derailed the midfielder's momentum somewhat, but he still started 19 league games last year, with many of those appearances coming under Amorim following Ten Hag's dismissal. 

  This term, Mainoo has started just one fixture: United's embarrassing League Cup defeat on penalties to League Two minnows Grimsby Town. He has logged just 138 minutes in the league, making seven appearances from the bench. He was a unused replacement in United's 2-2 draw away to Forest last weekend, and did not travel to London as part of Amorim's match day squad to face Tottenham due to a knock. 

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• AFP
  

  Will Mainoo push for a loan deal?

  The 20-year-old requested to leave on loan in the summer transfer window, but the move was blocked by Amorim. The Portuguese suggested that Mainoo is competing for a spot with club captain Bruno Fernandes, making any chance of him finding regular minutes in the manager's rigid 3-4-3 formation seem increasingly unlikely. Recent reports suggest West Ham are willing to test Amorim's resolve, and will table a loan move in the January transfer window with the player's representatives again expected to request a temporary move away from Old Trafford. 

  The push for a loan move suggests that the academy graduate wants to remain attached to his boyhood club, but for how long will he remain committed to United if he cannot continue to develop as a player? A loan move would seem to make the most sense for all parties, but the longer this drags on, the more likely it is that Mainoo's long-term future lays outside of Manchester. 

Ben Stokes, England’s captain, admitted he had taken himself to some “dark places” with his bowling workloads but said “nothing was stopping” him as he embarked on two lengthy spells to help drag his side to a 22-run victory over India on the final day at Lord’s.Stokes was named Player of the Match after taking five wickets across 44 overs – the third-most he has bowled in a Test, and the most since 2019 – to go with innings of 44 and 33 with the bat, as well as the crucial run-out of Rishabh Pant in India’s first innings.On the third evening, he received an instruction from England’s head coach, Brendon McCullum, to call it quits after a seven-over spell, with the team management still wary about protecting Stokes’ fitness after hamstring surgery over the winter.Related

• Jofra Archer: 'I will do everything in my power to be on plane to Australia'

• Stats – England clinch the narrowest Lord's win

• Six years on from World Cup glory, Stokes and Archer light up Lord's again

• Bashir ruled out of last two England vs India Tests

• Stokes' magic is spread thin by responsibility, and yet it endures

But he again pushed his body to the limit on Monday, resuming his over from the previous evening and bowling a further 9.2 overs during the morning, which included the wicket of India opener KL Rahul. He followed up with a ten-over spell after lunch, eventually dislodging Jasprit Bumrah after a dogged 35-run stand with Ravindra Jadeja for the ninth wicket, as England sought to confirm victory and a 2-1 lead in the series.The Lord’s Test was also the second of back-to-back matches, with just a three-day turnaround from India’s win at Edgbaston, where Stokes bowled 26 overs. In the first Test, at Headingley, he sent down 35 overs and spoke afterwards about how hard it was to recover.”I have taken myself to some pretty dark places before. Today was… but look, bowling to win a Test match, if that doesn’t get you excited, I don’t know what does,” he said, speaking to Sky Sports at the post-match presentation.”With what today was, what was on the line. Yesterday [Saturday] was a bit different. You know, there was still more cricket to be played. And, you know, pulled myself off there. I mean, to be honest, I was absolutely cooked [on day three] as well. But again, today, you know, game was on the line. Nothing was stopping me [carrying on].”Ben Stokes appeals for KL Rahul’s wicket•Getty Images

Although Stokes hinted at a return to form with the bat, Lord’s extended his run without a Test fifty to ten innings. He is now averaging 29.18 in 20 Tests since his last hundred, at Lord’s during the 2023 Ashes, but said that his ability to impact games with the ball meant he had little time to dwell on his batting returns.”I’m an allrounder. I get four opportunities in a Test match to be able to influence the game. And one of the great things about being an allrounder is that if one thing doesn’t quite click, you’ve got an opportunity with the other. And that’s how I look at it.”Obviously, I would like to be scoring more runs at the moment, but as soon as I’ve got my whites on out there on the field, all my thoughts flip over to bowling. And that’s the great thing about being an allrounder, that you don’t really have a chance to sort of worry about anything. And everyone knows, I’ll always put in as much as I possibly can.”Jofra Archer took two crucial wickets in his opening spell•Getty Images

Stokes offered particular praise for Jofra Archer, playing in his first Test since 2021. Archer claimed match figures of 5 for 105 in a display of sustained hostility that regularly pushed the speed gun above 90mph/145kph. On day five, six years on from his heroics in the ODI World Cup final, he made the first breakthrough with the key wicket of Pant, and Stokes said he had backed Archer to do something special.”Yeah, part of the reason I went with Jof this morning, six years ago now to the day. He played a major role and I had a feeling he’d do something special and crack the game open. A bit of discussion, Brydon [Carse] had an amazing spell [last night], but I had a gut feeling that Jof’s going to do something in his first game back.”Speaking afterwards to Sky, Archer said that the long periods he experienced in rehab due to back and elbow problems between 2021 and 2024 were made all the more worthwhile by the taste of victory at Lord’s.As well as his involvement in the World Cup final, when he bowled the Super Over as England’s men lifted the trophy for the first time, Archer made his Test debut on the ground during the 2019 Ashes. However, he had not played a Test since February 2021 before his comeback against India, enduring a four-year absence from red-ball cricket while road-testing his body in the limited-overs formats.0:55

Manjrekar: Stokes always makes things happen

“I only played one other Test at Lord’s, but you know, the last one was just as special as this one,” Archer said. “A lot of rehab, a lot of training, but it’s moments like this that make everything worth it.”I feel the hardest part is playing cricket for the last year-and-a-half and then still having training, talking about workloads, and ‘bowl today, don’t bowl tomorrow’, stuff like that. That would probably be the hardest part, because some days you think that you’re ready, but you never know if you’re ready or not until you do it. But the safer way is the best way. So I’m not too fussed. This surely, surely is worth it.”On day two, Archer struck with his third ball on returning to the Test side, having India opener Yashasvi Jaiswal caught at second slip, and celebrated by sprinting away to square leg, where he was enveloped by his team-mates.”Guess I was a little bit emotional,” he said. “It was a long journey. I can’t tell you the amount of keyboard warriors that I had to put up with for the last three to four years as well. I told myself that I was going to try my best not to be [emotional] and when [Jaiswal] nicked it, and it went to Brooky [Harry Brook], I think all of that just went through the window. The joy, the whole crowd, the Long Room yesterday, I’ve never seen it like that ever in my life. So it’s just moments like this that made the rehab all so much worth it.”Archer also revealed what was behind his send-off for Pant on the final day, having removed the batter’s off stump from the ground. “It wasn’t a proud moment,” he said. “I just told him to charge that. Honestly, this morning, I was struggling a little bit, the ball just kept coming out full. One of the full ones, he just charged, and it p****d me off a bit. When the [wicket] ball nipped down the slope, honestly I was so grateful for that.”

Jamie Vardy rolled back the years with a superb solo goal for Cremonese against Juventus – something that sent the home fans in the Stadio Giovanni Zini into a 'frenzy'. The 38-year-old scored his second goal in three Serie A games, but it wasn't enough to prevent his team from falling to a 2-1 defeat. However, the veteran still showed he can deliver at the highest level with his clinical effort.

Vardy thriving in Serie A

The former England international ended a 13-year spell at Leicester City over the summer, before moving to newly-promoted Cremonese on a free transfer in a switch that surprised many. After a couple of substitute outings for the Italian team, Vardy bagged his first goal for his new club in a 1-1 draw against Atalanta last month, and on Saturday, he scored again, this time at home to Juventus. The arch poacher showed he is still a handful on his day when he shrugged off Juve centre-back Federico Gatti, before holding off the recovering defender and slotting past goalkeeper Michele Di Gregorio in the 83rd minute. Cremonese came away with nothing, however, as goals from Filip Kostic and Andrea Cambiaso secured all three points for the Old Lady. But Vardy's display shows he has more to give in the game.

AdvertisementWatch the clipVardy an 'agent of chaos'

The striker, who was watched by his wife Rebekah and his four children, received mixed reviews from the Italian press following his goal against Juve. gave him a 6.5/10 but stressed that he is still very capable of producing moments of magic.

They wrote, "Encouraged by his small tribe (wife Becky and four children), squeezed by the Juventus vice, fails to make an impact. Then, with seven minutes to go, he burns Gatti and sends the stadium into a frenzy."

Meanwhile, hailed him as his side's best player.

"The experienced English forward picks up his second goal of the season, with a fine finish after a counterattack to give the hosts a glimmer of hope late on. Worked hard tonight and showed the hunger to pick up his goal," they wrote.

Meanwhile, talked up his evergreen capabilities. 

The fanzine wrote, "Jamie Vardy scoring against Juventus in the year 2025? Really now? But Vardy is Vardy and will forever be Vardy as long as he’s playing. He’s scored so many damn goals like the one he did against Juventus during his time in England. He’s out here counting how many seconds Michele Di Gregorio had the ball in his hands while also standing right next to him and barely giving him any room to actually kick the ball upfield. That’s just Vardy being Vardy, folks. He is an agent of chaos if there ever was one in this game."

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Vardy?

Vardy, who turns 39 in January, will hope to continue his good form when Cremonese travel to relegation-contenders Pisa in a battle between 17th and ninth respectively in Serie A on Friday. If results go their way in the next round of league fixtures, Vardy's side could jump into the European football qualification spots.

MatériaMais Notícias

Na quarta-feira (11), o jornal inglês “The Guardian” divulgou uma lista com 60 novas promessas do futebol mundial. Entre elas estão três jogadores do Palmeiras: Endrick e Luis Guilherme, consolidados na equipe profissional, e Vitor Reis, que ainda segue transitando entre o sub-17 e sub-20. Embora ainda não esteja no principal, o zagueiro é uma das grandes apostas do clube e vem fazendo seu nome não apenas no Verdão, mas também na Seleção Brasileira. Por isso, vamos contar um pouco quem é esse garoto que ganhou destaque no mundo nesta semana.

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+ Veja tabela e classificação do Brasileirão-2023 clicando aqui

Desde 2016 no Palmeiras, Vitor Reis nasceu em São José do Campos-SP, interior de São Paulo, onde era membro de uma escolinha da de futebol. Quem o descobriu foi um dos olheiros palmeirenses, que trabalham Brasil afora em busca de talentos que possam integrar a base.

+ Você quer trabalhar no seu clube do coração? Matricule-se no curso Gestor de Futebol e entenda como!

Com apenas dez anos em sua chegada ao Alviverde, ele foi colocado no sub-10 e no ano seguinte, em 2017, já foi campeão paulista da categoria. Naquele time, Vitor era companheiro de Endrick e Luis Guilherme, ou seja, o trio praticamente cresce junto na base, e só acabou se separando quando os dois atacante, muito acima da média, logo pularam para o profissional.

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+ Com três joias do Palmeiras, jornal inglês lista as maiores promessas do futebol mundial

Dali em diante, a lista de títulos não parou de aumentar: Paulista sub-15 (2021), Campeonato Brasileiro sub-17 (2022), Paulista sub-17 (2022), Copa do Brasil Sub-17 (2022 e 2023). Mas suas conquistas não se limitaram ao Palmeiras.

Em abril de 2023, Vitor conquistou o Sul-Americano sub-17 com a Seleção Brasileira. Detalhe: ele é o capitão da Amarelinha na categoria e levantou essa taça no Equador. Além do título, o Brasil garantiu uma vaga no Mundial da Indonésia, que tem início em 10 de novembro. O zagueiro está convocado para ajudar a trazer essa façanha para o país.

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Diante de seu talento e aposta no futuro, o Palmeiras assinou o primeiro contrato profissional com Vitor no fim de novembro de 2022 e tem duração até o fim de 2025. A multa rescisória estipulada é de 100 milhões de euros (R$ 530,9 milhões na cotação atual).

+ VÍDEO: Dudu coloca o pé no chão e mostra evolução em recuperação no Palmeiras

Neste domingo (15), às 18h, Vitor disputa o segundo jogo da semifinal do Brasileirão sub-17, contra o Corinthians, na Arena Barueri. No primeiro jogo, com mando do rival, vitória por 3 a 2 do Verdão, que pode até empatar em casa para para garantir vaga na final da competição

Tudo sobre

Palmeiras

أعلن النادي الأهلي موافقته على سفر أحد لاعبي الفريق الأول لكرة القدم إلى البرتغال فجر اليوم، لخوض فترة معايشة مع نادي فاماليكاو، الذي يحتل المركز الخامس في جدول ترتيب الدوري البرتغالي.

وأوضح الأهلي عبر موقعه الرسمي، أنه وافق على سفر اللاعب الشاب أحمد عابدين، موضحًا أن هذه الخطوة تأتي في إطار دعم النادي للاعبيه ومنحهم فرصة لاكتساب خبرات أوروبية جديدة، وذلك في ضوء التعاون المستمر بين القلعة الحمراء وعدد من الأندية الأوروبية التي تتابع المواهب الصاعدة داخل صفوف الفريق.

وسيخضع أحمد عابدين خلال فترة تواجده في البرتغال لبرنامج تدريبي متكامل بإشراف الجهاز الفني لفاماليكاو، يتضمن المشاركة في تدريبات الفريق وبعض المباريات الودية لتقييم مستواه الفني والبدني تمهيدًا لاتخاذ القرار بشأن إمكانية ضمه رسميًا خلال الفترة المقبلة.

طالع أيضًا | بركات: زيزو سبب تتويج الأهلي بالسوبر.. وتوروب عكس ريبيرو

وكان مسؤولو النادي البرتغالي قد تابعوا اللاعب خلال مشاركته الأخيرة في بطولة كأس العالم للشباب التي أُقيمت في تشيلي، حيث قدّم أداءً مميزًا جذب أنظار كشافي الأندية الأوروبية لما يتمتع به من مهارة وسرعة وانضباط تكتيكي.

ويُذكر أن اللاعب أحمد عابدين، أحد أبرز العناصر الواعدة داخل صفوف الأهلي، والذي يراه الجهاز الفني أحد الركائز الأساسية لمستقبل الفريق، سواء استمر داخل القلعة الحمراء أو بدأ تجربة احترافية ناجحة في أوروبا خلال الفترة المقبلة.

Newcastle United are now reportedly keeping close tabs on a “generational” star who could be ready to complete a big move to the Premier League in 2026.

Howe heaps praise on "relentless" Newcastle in Fulham victory

Following a routine victory over Benfica in the Champions League, Newcastle were once again made to work for a result in the Premier League.

The Magpies, who had won just twice in eight league games in the build-up, desperately needed to find a way past Fulham on Saturday and did just that courtesy of Bruno Guimaraes’ last-gasp winner.

Having his say on the much-needed win, Eddie Howe told reporters: “It was end-to-end. I thought it was a really attacking performance from both teams; both teams were going for the win. We’re delighted to get it ourselves.

“I thought it was a really good last 20 minutes from us; we were relentless in our pursuit to try and win. Eventually, one of those chances fell for us. Those points are so precious, but you also carry forward the belief that you can win in any situation, even when it doesn’t look like you will.”

That said, celebrations from the weekend can’t last very long. Newcastle’s focus must instantly turn towards facing Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup on Wednesday night. In search of defending their crown, the Magpies must find a way past an in-form side searching for more silverware, themselves.

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Given how important the Carabao Cup was to Newcastle’s season last time out, it will be interesting to see whether Howe chooses to rest players or field his strongest side in the competition. There’s no doubt that, with European football to balance with domestic duties, he must get things right.

Of course, adding another piece of silverware after last season would be no bad thing and it would certainly go a long way towards attracting the next generation of stars.

Newcastle keeping tabs on "generational" Monga

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, Newcastle are now keeping tabs on Jeremy Monga as the Leicester City star continues to enjoy an impressive rise.

Still just 16 years old, Monga has already made more first-team appearances than Arsenal’s Max Dowman and Rio Ngumoha and is one of the most sought-after young players in English football.

It would represent a major coup if Newcastle managed to sign Monga ahead of Manchester City and they could even land a bargain deal for what would, in many ways, be their own version of Arsenal’s Dowman.

Leicester are unable to tie their teenage sensation down to a senior contract until he turns 17 next June, which means he could leave for a compensation fee rather than what would be a hefty transfer fee.

Paul Skenes found his most devastating pitch by accident.

On Wednesday, the Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star righty revealed to that his "splinker" was actually discovered accidentally.

In college, Skenes was working on developing his sinker in college, but it never really became the pitch he wanted it to be. Then one day in spring training he was messing around with it while playing catch and it came off his index finger instead of his middle finger. He noticed it felt and moved differently.

It's pretty incredible that a key pitch in one of Major League Baseball's most devastating arsenals was developed by accident. Despite all the technology analyzing spin rates, pitch shapes and biometrics, Skenes found out because it came off his finger differently on one throw.

The 22-year-old has lived up to his billing as the top pitcher from the 2023 MLB draft and one of the best pitching prospects of all-time. So far in his rookie season, he is 10-2 with a 2.10 ERA, a 0.99 WHIP and 151 strikeouts in 120 innings.

Yes, he has a 100-plus mph fastball and a devastating slider, but his 95 mph "splinker" might be his best pitch. And it all happened by accident.

Leeds United are set to be without winger Dan James for their clash with Tottenham Hotspur in the last Premier League match before the international break on Saturday.

The Wales international has suffered an ankle injury and is now set to be out of action for “weeks”, per reporter Graham Smyth, which is a blow for Daniel Farke.

James has yet to deliver a goal or an assist in the Premier League in four appearances so far this season, but he was a key player for the Whites in the Championship.

The 27-year-old speedster ended the 2024/25 campaign with an eye-catching return of 12 goals and nine assists in 36 appearances in the second tier, as Leeds racked up 100 points to win the title, per Sofascore.

His absence in the coming weeks means that Farke will need to find solutions in the right-wing position to make sure that Noah Okafor and Dominic Calvert-Lewin have enough support at the top end of the pitch.

Brenden Aaronson has shown some promising signs this season as a right winger, but it is now time for the USA international to step up and prove his worth.

Why Brenden Aaronson needs to step up for Leeds

The American attacking midfielder has started the club’s last three matches in the Premier League on the right flank, and is yet to deliver a goal or an assist in the division this season.

Aaronson’s lack of quality in the final third is a cause for concern for the West Yorkshire outfit, because it was a big problem for him and Leeds in the 2022/23 Premier League campaign.

The Whites were relegated from the division that season after Jesse Marsch brought the American in from RB Salzburg, and his struggles in front of goal played a role in that failure.

xG

3.87

Top 37%

Goals

1

Bottom 21%

Assists

3

Top 36%

Dribble success rate

41.5%

Bottom 23%

Duel success rate

39.8%

Bottom 33%

Aerial duel success rate

17%

Bottom 12%

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson underperformed in front of goal as a finisher, scoring between two and three fewer than expected, whilst he was also a liability out of possession.

The 24-year-old lightweight, who has lost 67% of his aerial duels this season (Sofascore), needs to show that he can be relied upon physically and technically, because his Premier League career to date has been underwhelming.

Aaronson, who failed to provide a single goal contribution against the top six in the Championship last season, has created three ‘big chances’ in the top-flight this term, but he needs to add a greater goal threat and more reliability physically to his game.

With James out for weeks with an ankle injury, the USMNT star may get a few more opportunities to prove his worth from the start in the Premier League.

Chalkboard

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

Whilst Aaronson is looking to change his reputation at Elland Road, there is another player in the squad who is on the opposite path and is in danger of becoming the next version of the American.

Ao Tanaka was a certified star for Leeds in the Championship last season as part of Farke’s dominant possession-based side that stormed the league. The step up to the Premier League, however, has come as a bit of a culture shock to the central midfielder.

Why Ao Tanaka might become the new Brenden Aaronson

The Japan international won the Players’ Player of the Year award for Leeds in the 2024/25 campaign, which shows what his teammates thought of his exceptional performances in the second tier.

Tanaka, who was described as a “tiger” by Farke, won 55% of his duels across 43 appearances in the Championship. He was dominant in his physical battles, per Sofascore, whilst also providing quality at the top end of the pitch.

The 27-year-old midfield maestro scored five goals and provided two assists in the division for the Whites, to go along with his tigerish play out of possession.

However, the step up in physicality in the top-flight has left Tanaka struggling to break his way back into the team ahead of Sean Longstaff, Ethan Ampadu, and Anton Stach.

Journalist Graham Smyth recently raised concerns over the midfielder, saying: “My concern with Tanaka was physicality in the Premier League. He got run over a few times towards the end of the last season. I worried a little bit, against the most elite athletes in the Premier League.”

The central midfielder has played four times in the Premier League so far this season, per Sofascore, and he has struggled to deal with the ‘most elite athletes’ that he is now up against in the top-flight.

Tackles

1

Bottom 5%

Duels won

3

Bottom 3%

Duel success rate

16.7%

Bottom 3%

Ball recoveries

8

Bottom 28%

Dribbled past

6x

Bottom 5%

Fouls committed

2

Bottom 25%

As you can see in the table above, Tanaka ranks incredibly poorly among his positional peers in a host of defensive and physical metrics, which illustrates how difficult the adaptation to the league has been for him, winning just 17% of his duels.

Per Sofascore, the midfield star has not won a single aerial duel in 169 minutes of action in the Premier League, whilst he has also lost 80% of his duels on the ground in that time.

Tanaka lost four of his five duels in a ten-minute cameo against Bournemouth on Saturday, per Sofascore, which led Smyth to express his concerns over the midfielder’s struggles with the physicality of the Premier League.

Of course, he has only played four matches in the division, and there is still plenty of time left for him to adapt to the physical nature of the league, but his performances so far have been concerning.

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Therefore, Tanaka is in danger of becoming the next Aaronson at Elland Road, as the American lightweight has struggled with the physicality of the division throughout his career in West Yorkshire.