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New York Times
8 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Adam Aznou has long been on Everton's radar and arrives with a rich pedigree
It was during the 2023-24 season that Adam Aznou first appeared on Everton's radar. The former Barcelona youngster shone from full-back as Bayern Munich's B side reached the quarter-finals of the UEFA Youth League, beating Manchester United twice along the way. Everton have long monitored such tournaments. Advertisement Alongside full-time scouts based in France and Spain, the club's European senior scout, Phil Boardman, is known to be an active presence at games. The aim was to identify future talents before they hit the senior ranks. But until now, resources in this area have been limited. Almost two years on, Aznou, 19, is now an Everton player. Talks accelerated last week over an initial €9million (£7.8m/$10.4m) move, which contains add-ons. By the weekend, he had been granted permission by Bayern to miss the start of their pre-season to travel for a medical, which he underwent on Monday. Such is the regard he is held in at Bayern, the German champions have insisted on a sell-on clause as part of the deal. Offers came from France and Germany too, but Everton were always in the box-seat and seen as a logical next step in his career. Even at this age, Aznou's talent is in little doubt. Having already played three times for Morocco at senior level, the view in recruitment circles is that Everton have signed one of Europe's top full-back prospects. Aznou = Blue! 🔵 — Everton (@Everton) July 29, 2025 The problem for Aznou at Bayern was that the path to first-team minutes in his favoured left-back position was blocked by Alphonso Davies and Raphael Guerreiro, while the Bavarian club have Kingsley Coman and Serge Gnabry to call on further forward down that flank. It became obvious this summer that those situations were unlikely to change anytime soon. At least from Aznou's side, then, this move is about ensuring more game time. Having spent the second half of last season on loan at Spain's Real Valladolid, further opportunities are needed to turn his promise into something more tangible. Everton needed left-back cover. The departure of versatile veteran Ashley Young when his contract expired at the end of June left Ukraine international Vitalii Mykolenko as the senior squad's sole specialist on that side. That lack of depth was emphasised on Saturday in the 3-0 defeat to fellow Premier League side Bournemouth on tour in the United States, where injuries in central defence saw Mykolenko moved inside and Dwight McNeil filling in at wing-back. It proved an imperfect solution that brought inevitably poor results. Advertisement Aznou is expected to begin as cover for starter Mykolenko, but there is a feeling he can shoulder some of the burden if needed and develop into someone with a higher ceiling, particularly in attack. As the chart below shows, the teenager is flexible positionally, having featured in more advanced areas at Valladolid. In his time at Bayern, Aznou had stints at right-back — somewhere else Everton currently look light on quality. The hope at Everton is that they turn into a more attacking, front-foot side over time, one that pushes the full-backs on and can control games. It is believed players such as Aznou will be key in helping them achieve this. When he took over midway through last season, manager David Moyes pushed Mykolenko up the field with mixed results. While the 26-year-old produced the odd moment of quality into the box from the left flank, like the ball to set up Carlos Alcaraz's winner in the final-day victory over Newcastle United, he remains better known for his defensive work. In that sense, Aznou should be a useful counterbalance in the squad, bringing different elements to the table. Having been developed in the academy at hometown club Barcelona before joining Bayern in 2022, he is a prolific ball carrier, ranking in the top percentile for dribble volume (measured by dribbles attempted per 100 touches), among full-backs in Europe's top five leagues. With the exceptions of Alcaraz and Iliman Ndiaye, Moyes has lacked players who can progress the ball upfield through carrying or passing. In Aznou, he now has someone who can potentially do both. The teenager's statistics for front-footed defending point to him having an aggressive, proactive style out of possession. His low link-up and ball retention scores are notable, but probably a function of Valladolid's style. They were relegated after finishing bottom of La Liga, and had the fourth-lowest possession share in the 20-team division. Advertisement The other caveat here is that Aznou played just 876 minutes in Spain's top flight last season, and such a sample size is small enough to be prone to statistical variance. That said, those who have tracked his progress since his days in Bayern's youth ranks point to a player keen to express himself in the final third and get his side up the pitch. Much like 22-year-old fellow Everton newcomer Thierno Barry, Aznou has been signed as a talented young player who can contribute now, but whose best years are almost certainly ahead of him. He only turned 19 in early July, so patience will be required as he steps up a level in physicality and adapts to a new country and a different style of play. And there are no sure-fire bets in recruitment, and certainly not with teenagers still making their way in the game. That said, Aznou's arrival addresses a position of need in the Everton squad. And if those UEFA Youth League performances with Bayern — the ones that first piqued their interest — can become the norm in England's top flight too, then they have another exciting prospect on their hands.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mirror
Max Dowman: Arsenal's 'special' wonderkid who has wowed Declan Rice and Mikel Arteta
Arsenal supporters have been wowed by the performances of 15-year-old attacking midfielder Max Dowman against AC Milan and Newcastle during their pre-season tour The hype around Max Dowman is nothing new, but that doesn't make it any less exciting for Arsenal fans. The 15-year-old attacking midfielder has been on the radar for over a year, having broken records during his rapid ascent through the club's academy. But now he's coming good on that potential in pre-season with Mikel Arteta 's squad. First he caught the eye as the Gunners defeated AC Milan 1-0 in their opening pre-season friendly. Then he took things to another level against Newcastle as they came through 3-2 against their Premier League opponents. Dowman is still extremely young and inexperienced, but the raw talent he possesses means that Arteta could hand him more opportunities in the upcoming 2025/26 season. So here Mirror Football tells you all you need to know about the youngster. Wilshere prodigy Dowman has been turning heads at Arsenal's Hale End youth training ground for some time, having set a new record as the youngest player to score in the UEFA Youth League, at 14 years, eight months and 19 days, back in September. In the age of readily available highlights clips, the excitement has been there for some time. Dowman had the perfect coach and mentor for some of his time in the youth set-up in the form of Jack Wilshere. The former Arsenal and England midfielder was a coach in the Arsenal academy until October, when he left for Norwich. Having made his own Arsenal debut at the age of 16 years and 256 days – making him the club's youngest-ever league debutant at the time – Wilshere has a unique perspective on the subject. 'There's always a concern when fielding such a young player in these matches, but if you're good enough, you're old enough,' he said last year. "He can be more consistent but he's only 14 and hasn't even started his GCSEs yet. We need to find a balance of letting him play and enjoy because of his age but also trying to get as much work into him as we can.' That process has gone pretty well so far. Under Rice's wing While they have been wary with Dowman, Arsenal have not been shy in testing him at higher levels. The left-footed attacking midfielder became the youngest ever Premier League 2 player in December and has also played for the England under-17s as a 14-year-old. He was invited to Arsenal's warm-weather training camp in Dubai in the winter where Declan Rice took him under his wing, in the hope he can replicate the success of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri. 'I have had so many texts about Max recently,' Rice told BBC Radio 5 Live in March. 'At 15, there is such a long way to go. You can be the best 15-year-old in the country, but it doesn't necessarily mean you are going to be at 18. 'So, you need to be hungry, keep working and keep pushing. I speak to Max a lot and he has got such a good family around him. He is unreal.' Speaking about Arsenal's young trio of Lewis-Skelly, Nwaneri and Dowman, Rice added: 'I have a great relationship with all three of them, because Max gets to train with us quite a lot. I have kind of taken these three under my wing, because I have been in that position before and I had older players help me out. I get on well with all of them and they are really comfortable around me, which is all part of having a good relationship.' 'Very fast steps' With Dowman not turning 16 until New Year 's Eve, Arsenal have a duty of care with Dowman and Arteta has been clear that they won't rush his development. 'Very impressive at his age,' he said earlier this year. ''He's a player with a huge talent that we have a lot belief that we can develop him into becoming one of our own and he's doing very well so far. 'At the moment with all the legislation there are a lot of restrictions, something that in other countries you don't even mention. We will have to wait and see. He's taking very fast steps because every time you give him a different challenge or put him at a different level he overcomes that quickly which is great. We are on it.' Arteta's delight Dowman scored a penalty in the shoot-out after the Milan win after he came off the bench for Bukayo Saka. He played on the right wing, showing no signs of nerves against the Italian giants and was even better against Newcastle. It was his run down the right wing that drew a foul from Joelinton for Arsenal's late penalty. And it is clear that Arteta wouldn't hesitate to throw him into competitive matches now. "It is special,' Arteta said after the Newcastle game. 'What he's done today against this team in the time that he had on the pitch, it is something certainly not common to witness for a 15-year-old. We are extremely happy to have him. "The environment that is around him, his family, the people at the club and academy are super helpful because they put him in this position so early in his journey, having a real chance and a real presence when he plays for the first team." Referring to Dowman, Marli Salmon and Josh Nichols, he added after the Milan win: 'I think they are able to play at that level at 15 years old in my opinion because of the environment and culture that is within the team. 'When somebody makes you feel so comfortable and so confident straightaway you can go and do it. At least it gives you the best chance and then you have to have the qualities this kid has to deliver against opposition like this. 'There is a lot of work in our academy of the coaches, people involved and it is a moment to give opportunities and reward them. They certainly took their chance today in difficult circumstances against a very big team. Incredible how at 15 years old they can perform at that level.'
Scottish Sun
2 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Scott Brown raids Celtic to land starlet tipped as a future Hoops captain to aid promotion push
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SCOTT BROWN enjoyed a whirlwind first full season at Ayr United last year. And now he's snapped up a starlet who his old boss tipped as a 'future Celtic captain' to help with his latest promotion push. Sign up for the Celtic newsletter Sign up 4 Scott Brown is looking for promotion in his second full season in charge of Ayr United Credit: Alamy 4 The former Celtic skipper has signed a player once tipped as a 'future captain' of his old side Credit: Alamy 4 He's named the new boy in the squad for today's Premier Sports Cup match against St Mirren Credit: Alamy Brown joined Ayr as boss last January, steering the Somerset Park men to seventh in the Championship. They looked a much more serious threat at the start of last campaign though, seeming to be Falkirk's biggest challengers for the title. Brown's men fell away though and eventually finished third, before being dramatically knocked out of the play-offs by Partick Thistle. The former Celtic captain will be looking to go the extra mile and seal the Honest Men's return to the top flight after 47 years away, and will hope a signing from his old team's youth setup will put them closer. That's as Ayr have signed Kyle Ure from Celts on a season-long loan, with Brown naming him on the bench already for today's Premier Sports Cup clash with St Mirren. Ure is yet to feature competitively for the Celtic first team, but captained the under-18s to a famous 6-5 win over Rangers in the 2023 Scottish Youth Cup final. 4 Kyle Ure was named on the bench for Ayr against St Mirren Credit: Alamy He's since been promoted to the B team and earned a new two-year deal at Parkhead back in February. And he earned rave reviews for his display in the Hoops' friendly victory over Queen's Park last month, even being mistaken by some supporters for club captain Callum McGregor. The 19-year-old is well-regarded by Celts, and by Brown's former manager and now divisional rival Neil Lennon. The Dunfermline boss said back when Ure penned his deal: "Kyle Ure has played really well in the UEFA Youth League and it's great to see him signing an extension with Celtic, he is very highly thought of. Shock scenes as Celtic and Ajax fans clash during Como Cup friendly tournament in Italy "There will no doubt be suitors looking on, but it's great that he has pledged his future to the club because there are some great role models in the building including Callum McGregor who he can look up to. "Everyone at Celtic is delighted to have him on board and now is the time to develop him into a first team player where he can really mature. "I think the club can get the best out of him and with his leadership qualities, why can't he even be a future captain." Keep up to date with ALL the latest news and transfers at the Scottish Sun football page
Edinburgh Reporter
4 days ago
- Sport
- Edinburgh Reporter
Hibs youngster Oscar MacIntyre joins Inverness Caledonian Thistle on a permanent transfer
Hibs youngster Oscar MacIntyre has joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle on a permanent transfer. The Academy graduate made his senior First Team debut in May 2022 against St Johnstone as a second half substitute. MacIntyre also played every minute of Hibs Under-19s' 2022/23 UEFA Youth League campaign, performing against Molde FK, FC Nantes and Borussia Dortmund, while playing two more times for the First Team that same season. He went on to spend the 2023/24 season out on loan with Queen of the South and Annan Athletic, before rejoining the former on loan for the 2024/25 campaign. On MacIntyre's departure, Hibs Sporting Director Malky Mackay commented: 'First of all, I would like to wish Oscar all the best in his future career. He is a great kid, with an excellent attitude and is a credit to his family. 'This move will give Oscar the chance to kick-on with the rest of his career and to challenge himself at a competitive level with a good club. 'Everyone at Hibernian FC wishes Oscar all the best.' Like this: Like Related
Scotsman
4 days ago
- Sport
- Scotsman
Malky Mackay provides Hibs transfer exit verdict as player leaves club
The Hibs sporting director has sent a parting message to the player as he leaves Easter Road. Sign up to our Hibs football newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Malky Mackay has praised one departing Hibs talent as he prepares for life up north after ending time at Easter Road. Oscar MacIntyre is a product of the club's youth academy and has had loan spells with Annan Athletic plus Queen of the South in time at Hibs. The left back has built up plenty of senior experience with 60 games at League One level and with chances of edging either Nicky Cadden or Jordan Obita out of senior contention unlikely, he is going back to the third tier permanently. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Inverness CT have made their move on a one year deal. Sporting director Mackay had high praise for the departing 20-year-old who is now being challenged to forge a senior career for himself elsewhere. Malky Mackay verdict on departing Hibs player He said: 'First of all, I would like to wish Oscar all the best in his future career. He is a great kid, with an excellent attitude and is a credit to his family. This move will give Oscar the chance to kick-on with the rest of his career and to challenge himself at a competitive level with a good club. Everyone at Hibernian FC wishes Oscar all the best.' A Hibs statement reads: 'We can confirm that Oscar MacIntyre has joined Inverness Caledonian Thistle on a permanent transfer. The Academy graduate made his senior First Team debut in May 2022 against St Johnstone as a second half substitute. MacIntyre also played every minute of Hibs Under-19s' 2022/23 UEFA Youth League campaign, performing against Molde FK, FC Nantes and Borussia Dortmund, while playing two more times for the First Team that same season. He went on to spend the 2023/24 season out on loan with Queen of the South and Annan Athletic, before rejoining the former on loan for the 2024/25 campaign.' Hibs transfer exit confirmed An Inverness statement adds: 'Inverness Caledonian Thistle FC are delighted to announce the permanent transfer of defender Oscar MacIntyre from Hibernian FC, on an initial 1-year deal subject to SFA clearance. Oscar, 20 years-old, predominately a left back but can also play right back. He signed for the Hibernian Academy in 2019 from fellow Edinburgh side The Spartans. He signed his first professional contract with the Hibees in 2021 and he made his first team debut in May 2022. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'While at Hibs, Oscar had two loan spells with League One side Queen of the South both last season and previously for the first half of season 2023-24. He spent the second half of 2023-24 on loan at Annan Athletic. The club would like to place on record our thanks to Hibernian FC for their assistance with this transfer. Welcome to Inverness, Oscar!'
