Everything you need to know about Daniele Rugani's salary details playing for Ajax
Juventus defender Daniele Rugani moved to Dutch side Ajax on a season-long loan deal for the 2024-25 campaign. He has frequently been loaned out during his time with the Bianconeri, with his latest move taking him to the Eredivisie in the Netherlands.
So far, the Italian centre-back has not quite managed to live up to the high expectations, even if he has put in some solid performances for the Dutch side, showcasing his strong aerial presence at both ends of the pitch.
Under his current loan contract with Ajax, Rugani is rewarded handsomely and currently ranks as one of the highest earners across the league.
Exactly how much does the Italian earn, though?
GOAL delved into the numbers with Capology and found out!
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Daniele Rugani's wages at Ajax in numbers
Under his loan agreement with the Eredivisie team, Rugani receives a weekly salary of €75,385, making him the second highest-paid player at the club after Jordan Henderson and the third highest in the league. His annual salary is €3.9 million
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in Euros
Annual wages in Euros
Daniele Rugani
Italian
€75,385
€3,920,000
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTop earners at Ajax
Jordan Henderson is the highest-paid player at Ajax, with Daniele Rugani in second place.
Brian Brobbey and Steven Berghuis are third and fourth, while Josip Sutalo is fifth.
Player
Nationality
Weekly wages in Euros
Annual wages in Euros
Jordan Henderson
English
€90,000
€4,680,000
Daniele Rugani
Italian
€75,385
€3,920,000
Brian Brobbey
Dutch
€57,692
€3,000,000
Steven Berghuis
Dutch
€56,731
€2,950,000
Josip Sutalo
Croatian
€48,077
€2,500,000
Top earners in Eredivisie
Jordan Henderson is the highest-paid player at Ajax and in the Eredivisie, with Sergino Dest from PSV following. Daniele Rugani is third, while Brian Brobbey and Steven Berghuis are fourth and fifth.
Player
Club
Weekly wages in Euros
Annual wages in Euros
Jordan Henderson
Ajax
€90,000
€4,680,000
Sergino Dest
PSV
€75,385
€3,920,000
Daniele Rugani
Ajax
€75,385
€3,920,000
Brian Brobbey
Ajax
€57,692
€3,000,000
Steven Berghuis
Ajax
€56,731
€2,950,000
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AFPHighest paid players in the world
The salaries of Eredivisie players are significant but are lower compared to top global football players, with none making the top list.
The top five earners are all from the Saudi Pro League. Cristiano Ronaldo leads with the highest salary at Al Nassr.
Karim Benzema, his former Real Madrid teammate, is second. Riyad Mahrez, formerly of Manchester City and now with Al-Ahli, is third.
Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, both from Senegal, are in fourth and fifth positions, respectively.
أعلن عماد النحاس، المدير الفني للنادي الأهلي، تشكيل الفريق الرسمي لمواجهة البنك الأهلي، في المباراة التي تقام بينهما اليوم السبت، ضمن منافسات بطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
الأهلي يلاقي البنك الأهلي، في الجولة السابعة من عمر المرحلة النهائية لبطولة الدوري المصري، على ملعب استاد القاهرة الدولي.
ويشهد تشكيل الأهلي، عودة محمد هاني إلى مركز الظهير الأيمن بعد تعافيه من الإصابة التي لحقت به مؤخرًا، كما يدفع النحاس بثلاثي في خط الوسط، إمام عاشور مع أكرم توفيق ومروان عطية.
ويقوم الهجوم، الثلاثي، أشرف بن شرقي وطاهر محمد طاهر والسلوفيني نيجك جراديشار.
طالع | بدلاء الأهلي أمام البنك الأهلي في الدوري تشكيل الأهلي اليوم أمام البنك الأهلي في الدوري المصري
حراسة المرمي: محمد الشناوي.
خط الدفاع: محمد هاني، ياسر إبراهيم، مصطفى العش وأحمد نبيل كوكا.
خط الوسط: مروان عطية، أكرم توفيق وإمام عاشور.
خط الهجوم: أشرف بن شرقي، طاهر محمد طاهر وجراديشار.
ويتصدر الأهلي ترتيب جدول الدوري المصري، برصيد 52 نقطة، بينما البنك الأهلي يتواجد في المركز الرابع بـ 37 نقطة.
Na Arena Castelão, o Fortaleza encarou o River Plate e o duelo terminou empatado por 1 a 1, resultado que ficou ruim para o Tricolor.
– VEJA A TABELA DA LIBERTADORES
Na coletiva de imprensa, o técnico Pablo Vojvoda destacou o bom desempenho dos jogadores diante de um adversário de alto nível.
‘Foi um jogo muito disputado. O adversário ia propor uma ideia similar a nossa. Jogo de mobilidade. Acho que o Fortaleza teria que estar em um nível muito alto como estivemos no jogo. Penso que o time vem crescendo, foi uma boa partida, bom primeiro tempo, o time cria situações de gol. A troca de jogadores rendeu bem para o time. Não somente nessa partida, mas há quatro, cinco partidas que o time vem evoluindo o seu comportamento’, afirmou.
Com a igualdade dentro de casa, o Fortaleza encerra a 4ª rodada da Libertadores na 3ª colocação da sua chave.
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Liverpool look to be coasting to the Premier League title at this moment in time, but Arne Slot’s Reds will want to guard against any complacency seeping in heading into what could be a sensational 2025.
Of course, it’s hard not to get carried away if you’re a fan of the Anfield giants currently, especially when you consider the Dutchman has steered his side to just one defeat all season long from 18 clashes to sit pretty at the top of the pile on a mammoth 45 points.
Still, January could see the ex-Feyenoord boss add some more numbers to his super-confident group in the hope some fresh blood can get his table-topping team further across the line to an unbelievable top-flight triumph.
Liverpool preparing move for "sensational" defender
As per reports from Spain, Liverpool are allegedly preparing a mega move for Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi this January to bolster their options at the back.
Unfortunately for the Reds, personnel in the centre-back positions isn’t plentiful at this moment in time, with Joe Gomez coming off injured versus West Ham United last time out, alongside Ibrahima Konate remaining sidelined.
Tino Livramento battles with Marc Guehi
Therefore, a big money move for the Eagles captain is now said to be in the offing, with a £65m offer reportedly heading Palace’s way shortly.
With the future of Virgil Van Dijk also up in the air owing to his contract running down, it is crucial that Liverpool start looking for more bodies in the heart of defence, with Guehi looking to be their desired man once more having been linked with a switch to Merseyside back in August.
Virgil van Dijk for Liverpool
He could be ready for this step up in quality, having once been labelled as “sensational” by Palace chairman Steve Parish, on top of his many similarities to Reds colossus Konate.
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What Guehi could offer Liverpool
England centre-back Guehi deserves all the praise that has come his way since making the switch to South London, with his appearance total at Palace now stretching to 133 games.
From those clashes, Guehi has shown off his ability to be a reliable goalscorer coming up from the back with seven goals next to his name, alongside also being a brute force in the air with 5.5 duels won on average this season in the Premier League.
The in-demand 24-year-old is just a very well-rounded presence with his composure on the ball another standout attribute from his repertoire, displayed in the clip above and in his 44.2 accurate passes averaged per top-flight game this campaign to date.
Konate is much the same for Slot’s men when he’s at the top of his game with the pair perhaps striking up an imposing partnership if a move for Guehi does take place in January.
Guehi’s over the last year vs Konate
Stat – per 90 mins
Guehi
Konate
Attempted passes
53.99
69.92
Pass completion %
83.9%
88.7%
Progressive passes
4.43
3.93
Progressive carries
0.56
0.67
Shot-creating actions
1.16
0.89
Tackles
1.58
1.48
Blocks
1.54
1.00
Clearances
4.43
3.82
Aerials won
2.38
3.30
Stats by FBref
Said to be similar players as per FBRef, it’s clear to see where the parallels lie but Guehi does actually come out on top in various different aspects of his game compared to the Frenchman, with more tackles and clearances registered over the last year on average, on top of being a competent passer out from the back.
Although it would be obviously disheartening to lose Van Dijk, Liverpool fans would certainly feel less aggrieved about their superstar defender departing if a statement move for Guehi materialised.
Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi
This move would cost Slot’s men a bumper amount, but it might well prove to be a worthwhile investment in further strengthening Liverpool’s defensive options ahead of a nervy title run-in.
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Following last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Fulham, Arsenal failed to close the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool, remaining six points behind, having played a game more.
William Saliba’s equaliser at Craven Cottage came via the Gunners’ favourite method, a set-piece, with much of the post-match discussion concerning Arsenal’s lack of open-play creativity, with James Benge succinctly noting that Arsenal rank 13th in the Premier League for open-play xG.
So, could Mikel Arteta look to the transfer market to bolster his forward options to increase his team’s attacking output?
Latest Arsenal transfer news
According to a report by Mark Brus for Caught Offside, Arsenal, as well as Manchester City and Liverpool, will attempt to sign Florian Wirtz next year, with the German international “expected to leave” Bayer Leverkusen in the summer.
Bayer Leverkusen's Florian Wirtz
Christian Falk and Axel Hesse in Sport Bild believe Wirtz is valued at €150m (around £125m) by Leverkusen, having signed a new contract in June 2022, keeping him at die Werkself until 2027.
Nevertheless, the reigning Bundesliga champions are accustomed to selling key assets, with current Arsenal striker Kai Havertz’s £72m move to Chelsea their record sale, so could Wirtz be the latest superstar player to depart die Schwarzroten for London?
Arsenal's next Mesut Ozil
Back in October, Bayer manager Xabi Alonso described Wirtz as a “genius” and compared him to Italian great Roberto Baggio as well as former Arsenal hero Mesut Özil, having stated that he’s “a little like Baggio and Ozil”.
That comparison to Ozil, in particular, will bring a smile to the faces of many Gooners, but how do the two Germans compare?
Statistic
Wirtz 23/24 & 24/25
Özil 15/16 & 16/17
Appearances
87
105
Minutes
6,078
9,073
Goals
34
22
Goals per 90
0.50
0.22
Assists
27
38
Assists per 90
0.40
0.38
Shots
183
78
Shots on target %
47%
47.4%
As outlined in the table above, Wirtz’s attacking output since the start of last season exceeds what Özil produced at Arsenal.
2015/16 and 2016/17 was chosen because this is when Özil was at the peak of his powers, statistically speaking, but the playmaker, commonly known as the Assist King, actually averaged fewer assists than Wirtz, on a per-90 basis, during the sample sizes chosen.
This underlines Wirtz’s outstanding talent, suggesting it might be wise for Arsenal to break the bank to secure his services.
How Florian Wirtz compares to Arsenal's other attackers
As recorded by Transfermarkt, 132 of Wirtz’s 175 appearances for Leverkusen have come as an attacking midfielder, but he’s also been deployed as a centre-forward, out-wide on both flanks and even as part of a midfield trio.
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So far this season, he’s almost exclusively been deployed centrally, but should Wirtz move to Arsenal, he may fit more naturally wide-left, with supporters frustrated by Gabriel Martinelli’s lack of end-product, calling for an upgrade.
So how does Wirtz compare to Arsenal’s current, first-choice attacking quartet: Martinelli, Bukayo Saka, Martin Ødegaard and Kai Havertz?
Statistic
Wirtz
Martinelli
Saka
Ødegaard
Havertz
Appearances
87
69
86
72
86
Minutes
6,078
4,064
6,882
5,978
6,588
Goals
34
13
34
13
30
Goals per 90
0.50
0.29
0.44
0.20
0.41
Assists
27
7
28
15
11
Assists per 90
0.40
0.16
0.37
0.23
0.15
Goal-creating actions
41
17
55
35
26
Goal-creating actions per 90
0.76
0.40
0.86
0.68
0.42
As you can see, Saka is, by some distance, Arsenal’s most productive attacker, taking his tally to both nine goals and 12 assists for the season already during the Gunners’ 3-0 Champions League victory over Monaco on Wednesday, scoring twice before teeing up Havertz for the late third.
However, since the start of last season, Wirtz’s numbers are largely on par with Saka, scoring the same number of goals and providing just one fewer assist during this time frame, despite having played 804 fewer minutes.
Thus, if it wasn’t clear already, the addition of Wirtz would certainly take Arsenal to the next level, albeit the Gunners would surely have to smash their current transfer record, the £105m paid to West Ham for Declan Rice, to land the German’s signature.
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Vinicius Junior's battle to fight incidents of racism in Spain has hit a roadblock, following a decision made by the Public Prosecutor's Office.
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La Liga filed report of racial abuse aimed at Vini
Brazilian fighting ongoing battle against racism
Public Prosecutor's Office's decision not in Madrid star's favour
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Since Vinicius Junior arrived in Madrid from Brazil at the age of 18 in 2018, he has frequently been subjected to racism both on and off the pitch. The Brazil international has been at the forefront of a long-standing battle against racism and discrimination, although a recent decision by the Public Prosecutor's Office is likely to feel like a significant setback for the 24-year-old winger.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
In October 2023, during the El Clasico between Real Madrid and Barcelona, Vinicius was allegedly racially abused, with reports claiming he was called a “f*cking monkey". La Liga reported the incident to authorities, leading to a legal case. However, the Public Prosecutor's Office has now requested to close the case, citing insufficient evidence to confirm that the offensive comments were a crime of incitement to hatred, according to EFE (via Mundo Deportivo).
DID YOU KNOW?
Despite requesting to close the case, the Public Prosecutor's Office has recommended that the investigating judge forward the matter to the Office of Equal Treatment and Non-Discrimination, per the report. This is to determine whether a sanctioning process should be initiated against those involved, should it be deemed appropriate.
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WHAT NEXT FOR VINICIUS?
Having already scored a game-winning goal for Brazil against Colombia last week, the 2024 Ballon d'Or runner-up will be hoping to help the Selecao register back-to-back wins to strengthen their 2026 World Cup qualifying chances when they face arch-rivals Argentina on Wednesday, March 26.
When the result of this Test series will be read about years later, it will say South Africa 2, Bangladesh 0. Many would take it as a usual occurrence since Bangladesh have usually been below-par in Tests in South Africa. However, this time around, the hosts were without their frontline bowling attack, and had lost the preceding ODI series to Bangladesh for the first time at home. Keshav Maharaj, though, made sure the IPL stars were not missed as he helped South Africa demolish the visitors by 332 runs in the second Test in Gqeberha and complete a clean sweep.
Khaled fined for flinging ball at Verreynne
Khaled Ahmed has been fined 15% of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC’s code of conduct during the second day of the Gqeberha Test, when, in the 95th over of South Africa’s first innings, Kyle Verreynne hit the ball back towards Ahmed, the bowler, and he flung it towards the batter in “an inappropriate and dangerous manner, hitting him on the right glove”. In addition to the fine, one demerit point has been added to Ahmed’s disciplinary record. It was his first offence in a 24-month period.
Maharaj took 7 for 40 in the fourth innings to skittle Bangladesh for a meagre 80, thus becoming the first bowler in Test history to take seven-wicket hauls in consecutive fourth innings. He had returned figures of 7 for 32 when Bangladesh were rolled over for 53 in the fourth innings of the first Test, in Durban. In the process, Maharaj also completed 150 wickets in Test cricket. Simon Harmer took three wickets in this innings, as he did in the fourth innings of the previous Test, as South Africa once again embarrassed Bangladesh by just using two bowlers.Chasing 413, Bangladesh started the fourth morning on 27 for 3 and they would have hoped that there would not be a repeat of the Durban collapse. But the Bangladesh batters wilted under pressure.Related
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Mushfiqur Rahim was the first to depart, edging Maharaj to Dean Elgar at slips in the second over of the day. Mominul Haque followed in Maharaj’s next over, top-edging a sweep that he couldn’t quite reach, with Ryan Rickelton completing an easy catch at square leg. Yasir Ali then top-edged Harmer in his attempted slog sweep, giving Lizaad Williams, the only fielder on the leg-side boundary, an easy catch. By the fifth over of the morning, Bangladesh had slipped to 44 for 6.Litton Das struck five fours in his 27 off 33 balls before Maharaj lured him out of the crease. Litton missed the ball by a foot and Kyle Verreynne completed an easy stumping. Maharaj then had Mehidy Hasan Miraz caught behind and Khaled Ahmed lbw, before Harmer ended Bangladesh’s misery.The day had started with South Africa making international cricket’s first two Covid substitutions after Sarel Erwee and Wiaan Mulder tested positive and were replaced by Khaya Zondo, who got a Test debut, and Glenton Stuurman.
Some goal celebrations are good. Take, for example, the classic knee slide, or ripping your shirt off. They aren’t anything special, perhaps even a bit overdone, but they get the job done.
Some, like the Griddy or sucking your thumb like a baby, are bad – no explanation needed.
Others are boring, like Alan Shearer’s trademark arm in the air, while some, like Indian footballer Peter Biaksangzuala’s failed somersault, are even fatal.
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Some celebrations, however, are simply iconic. We’ve listed some of them below, complete with the story behind them.
1 Facundo Sava Argentinian striker-turned-masked crusader
Former Fulham striker Facundo Sava might not be best remembered for his goalscoring abilities – he managed just seven goals in 43 appearances for the Cottagers.
What he is remembered for, however, is how he celebrated those seven goals. After finding the net, the Argentinian striker would pull out a Zorro-like mask from his sock.
Apparently, it came from his time at Gimnasia, where fans would throw masks onto the pitch every time the team scored.
2 Jimmy Bullard Midfielder pays homage to half-time rollicking
On Boxing Day in 2008, Hull City were trailing Manchester City 4-0 at half-time when Tigers manager Phil Brown decided to keep his players out on the pitch at the break, sit them in a circle, and reprimand them in front of the crowd.
The following year, Hull travelled back to the Etihad Stadium, and when midfielder Jimmy Bullard scored a late equaliser for Brown’s side from the penalty spot, he decided to emulate his coach, sitting his teammates down in a circle around him and wagging his finger at them.
“He took it well,” Bullard said of Brown after the match.
3 Roger Milla Dancing at the corner flag
At the 1990 World Cup in Italy, Cameroon surprised everyone by making it to the quarter-finals, where they were eventually beaten by England.
The star of the tournament for the Indomitable Lions was striker Roger Milla, and not just because he scored four goals. After each of his strikes, the veteran forward, who was 38 at the time, ran to the corner flag and performed a little dance in front of the fans.
His celebration appears to be nothing more than an outpouring of joy, but it is clear that it helped him become a global superstar.
4 Mario Balotelli Italian unveils "Why Always Me?" message
During his first spell in England with Manchester City between 2010 and 2013, Mario Balotelli often made headlines, more often than not for the wrong reasons.
Among other things, he crashed his car, drove into a women’s prison in Italy to ‘have a look around’, and even threw a dart at a City youth player.
In response to those stories, after scoring against Manchester United in October 2011, Balotelli lifted his shirt to reveal an undershirt that simply read: “Why Always Me?”
The Italian striker’s critics at the time saw it as a boast, but Balotelli later told Time Magazine it was his way of saying: “Just leave me alone.”
5 Cristiano Ronaldo The "siuuu"
Cristiano Ronaldo’s “SIUUU” celebration has arguably become the most iconic in football history.
For those that have been living under a rock for the last decade, the celebration involves Ronaldo running to the sidelines, jumping in the air, and landing with his hands down by his sides as he screams “SIUUU”.
But what does it actually mean? According to Ronaldo himself, who first performed the celebration in 2013 during his time at Real Madrid, the noise derives from sí, the Spanish word for yes.
“I was in the USA and we played against Chelsea and I don’t know where this is coming from, the celebration,” he once explained in an interview. “I just scored the goal, and it just came out. It was just natural, to be honest. Since that, I started to do it more often.”
6 Wayne Rooney Dealing a knockout blow
Wayne Rooney never had a trademark celebration like his former Manchester United teammate Ronaldo.
Over the years, however, he did perform his fair share of memorable one-offs, including a cartwheel after netting for England against Scotland, and standing with his arms wide as he was mobbed by his United teammates after scoring perhaps the greatest overhead kick in Premier League history.
One of his most famous celebrations came in 2015, when after scoring for United in a 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur, he ran to the corner flag and showed off his shadow-boxing skills – a reference to a video that had recently emerged of Rooney getting knocked out by former United teammate Phil Bardsley during a friendly sparring session.
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ByAlex Caple Dec 24, 2023 7 Cole Palmer "Cold" Palmer lives up to his name
Chelsea star Cole Palmer
A new addition to the iconic celebrations club, Cole Palmer has celebrated most of his impressive 32 goals for Chelsea since moving to Stamford Bridge last summer by rubbing his arms as if he’s cold.
The celebration is a nod to Palmer’s nickname among his Chelsea teammates – “Cold” Palmer – which was given to him because of his cool demeanour on the pitch.
He wasn’t the first to do the celebration, however. It was former Manchester City academy teammate Morgan Rogers who first did so after scoring in a game for Middlesbrough last year.
8 Diego Maradona Delirium overshadows star at World Cup
Diego Maradona’s goal celebration after scoring for Argentina against Greece at the 1994 World Cup is iconic for the wrong reasons.
After netting the third of his side’s four goals, Maradona ran to the side of the pitch and screamed into a television camera with his eyes bulging wide. The celebration raised suspicion that the forward, who had previously been banned from football for taking cocaine, was again under the influence.
Those suspicions proved to be true, as just days later, a drug test revealed he had been taking illegal stimulant ephedrine. He was subsequently kicked out of the World Cup and never played for Argentina again.
9 Peter Crouch The robot
Peter Crouch excelled at two things during his playing days: towering above defenders to score goals with his head, and dancing like an awkward, lanky robot when he did.
The former Liverpool and Stoke City star first busted out the celebration, which he claimed was invented during a party at David Beckham’s house, during England’s 6-0 friendly win over Jamaica ahead of the 2006 World Cup.
It was so loved, that he continued to do it for the rest of his career, including after he netted his 100th Premier League goal against Everton in February 2017.
10 Robbie Keane Somersaults and guns
When former Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United striker Robbie Keane used to find the net – something he did almost 400 times in his career – he’d celebrate in an extremely unique way, performing a cartwheel followed by a forward roll and some gun fingers.
Explaining the origins of the celebration during an appearance on Monday Night Football a couple of years back, the Republic of Ireland legend said it came from his childhood.
“The celebration was something I used to do as a kid,” Keane said. “Then when it came to playing football one of my mates said, ‘you have to do that if you ever make it,’ so that’s where that came from.”
Newcastle United haven’t ramped up to full gear yet this season, though perhaps that proves that there is plenty to look forward to on Tyneside over the coming months.
Every club has its problems but Newcastle had too many to overcome last year, injuries putting an insurmountable barrier in front of a top-four finish, though things are starting to look up now.
Newcastle manager Eddie Howe
Eddie Howe still needs another player to complete his frontline though, and is eager to sign a Premier League star this winter.
Newcastle want to sign Premier League forward
As per a report relayed by the Daily Mail, Newcastle are set to tussle with Liverpool for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, with Magpies boss Eddie Howe deemed to view the Cameroonian star as a top target for January.
Mbeumo, valued at £50m, has been one of the most prolific players in the Premier League this term, and with a principally right-flanking role, seems like the perfect fit to sit on the alternate wing to Anthony Gordon at St. James’ Park.
Just imagine the impact this could have on Alexander Isak.
Imagine Bryan Mbeumo & Alexander Isak
Analyst Ben Mattinson has remarked that “Gordon, Isak and Mbeumo would be one of the best attacks in the league.”
Isak is one of the most exciting and potent goalscorers in Europe, whereas Gordon’s movements and dynamism make him a tough adversary for any top-performing defender.
Mbeumo would just inject that last bit of deadliness into what is a formidable and well-coached attack. After all, only Erling Haaland boasts more goals than him in the English top flight this season.
1.
Erling Haaland
11
12
2.
Mohamed Salah
11
8
2=
Bryan Mbeumo
11
8
2=
Chris Wood
11
8
5.
Yoane Wissa
8
7
5.
Cole Palmer
11
7
Gordon is the most creative member of this prospective attacking trio, but Isak is not just a sharpshooter at number nine, ranking among the top 18% of forwards across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for pass completion and progressive passes and the top 9% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.
This would play right into Mbeumo’s strength as a traditional force, driving into the final third and arcing inwards to find space from where he can unleash his fine strikes. Isak has pace for days and is capable of starting from deep himself, as evidenced by his progressive passing.
Mbeumo needs only to build an understanding with the Swede to translate his form into Newcastle colours. It really could be the start of something special.
Described as an “output machine” by football producer Michael Johnston, Mbeumo has what it takes to become a major player on Tyneside, perhaps blending with Isak to ensure that Howe’s team ascend to the next level and step into Europe’s elite club competition once again.
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Sunderland prepare for trip to QPR
The Blacks Cat head into another weekend of domestic action sitting top of the league by five points, having enjoyed a fantastic start to life under new manager Regis Le Bris.
On Saturday afternoon, Sunderland head to a QPR side currently 23rd in the table, having only once in the Championship in 2024/25. For that reason, another victory is to be expected for Le Bris’ men, but they must not take their opponents lightly.
While things are going extremely well under Le Bris currently, that’s not to say that everything is going their way, with a number of important players absent at different times during the campaign.
They include the likes of goalkeeper Anthony Patterson, centre-back Dan Ballard and forward Eliezer Mayenda have all struggled with injuries recently, so it is even more impressive that Sunderland are winning as relentlessly as they are. Now, a key fitness update has emerged ahead of their trip to west London on Saturday.
Sunderland dealt injury blow before QPR
Taking to X, Sky Sports reporter Keith Downie confirmed that Sunderland goalkeeper Patterson is still “missing” for the trip to QPR as he has yet to train this week, though there is hope he could play in the next fixture against Preston.
Patterson is such an important player for the Black Cats, so once again having him unavailable for their latest Championship assignment is far from ideal. The 24-year-old had started all 11 of Sunderland’s league games this season until he was absent for the 2-0 win at home to Oxford United last Saturday, with Simon Moore coming in and keeping a clean sheet.
Patterson’s return will hopefully not be far away, however, considering how key he is to his side’s promotion hopes this season, with Tony Mowbray once saying of him: “The goalkeeper…listen, he’s a top goalkeeper. I’ve been in football more than 40 years and this kid is a very talented boy who has an amazing temperament.
“Nothing fazes him, he’s very calm about everything, he’s not bouncing all over the place and losing the plot. He’s a very calm goalie who makes great saves.”
With or without Patterson in the team, though, Sunderland should be expected to be too strong for QPR this weekend, considering there are 22 places between them in the table, with the Black Cats playing with such a huge amount of confidence right now.
Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season
Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.
ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025
These are the games they have to win if they are to have genuine automatic promotion aspirations in the coming months, as they look to put more pressure on the surrounding teams.