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Metro
3 days ago
- Business
- Metro
Mikel Arteta told Arsenal have already made huge transfer mistake
Mikel Arteta has been warned Arsenal have already made their first transfer mistake of the summer. The summer transfer window officially opened on June 1 to allow clubs competing in the upcoming Club World Cup to sign players before the tournament begins. It will shut again on June 10 before reopening on June 16 through to September 1 for Premier League clubs. Arteta and Arsenal face a crucial transfer window after going a fifth successive season without a trophy. The Gunners were unable to keep pace with Premier League champions Liverpool, finishing second for the third season in a row, while they were knocked out of the Champions League in the semi-finals by eventual winners PSG. Wake up to find news on your club in your inbox every morning with Metro's Football Newsletter. Sign up to our newsletter and then select your team in the link we'll send you so we can get football news tailored to you. Arteta wants to sign several players this summer to take his team to the next level, starting with a new striker and central midfielder. Martin Zubimendi looks set to arrive at the Emirates Stadium in a £51m deal from Real Sociedad but Arsenal's striker search is still ongoing. Talks have been held over deals for Viktor Gyokeres and Benjamin Sesko, while Arsenal were linked with Liam Delap before the Ipswich Town forward agreed to join Chelsea. Due to a reasonable release clause, Chelsea will pay just £30m to welcome Delap to Stamford Bridge and Arsenal have been told they made a major mistake not beating their London rivals to a deal. 'I don't understand how Arsenal didn't snap him up,' ex-EFL striker Adebayo Akinfenwa told talkSPORT. 'I don't understand how, when you need a striker and you're looking at the transfer market, £30m is chump change in today's market. 'So when you've got somebody who, you're talking about potential, they're talking about being a Harry Kane replacement for England, about a proper No.9, I don't understand how Arsenal didn't buy. 'As soon as Ipswich got relegated, they should have been in there. I think it's a no-brainer. 'I think he's going to do well. I really do. I remember speaking to him when he was on loan at Stoke from Man City, and even back then, his whole demeanour, his aura, he was self-assured, confident, good stature. 'He's got that old-school element where you know you're in for a game when you're up against Delap. So I think he's going to do well. 'I think he's got that Diego Costa sort of vibe about him, in regards to you're going to know he's there. So I think it's very, very good business. I think £30m for Delap is very good business.' Liam Delap, the son of former Stoke City defender Rory, scored 12 goals in the Premier League last season for an Ipswich side that won just four games. The 22-year-old, who was sold by Manchester City last summer, will compete with current Chelsea first-choice striker Nicolas Jackson. 'People talk about him being signed to be part of the squad, but I think he's bigger than that,' Akinfenwa added. More Trending 'I think he'll be thinking in his head, 'I'm going to be the guy, I'm going to go and play'. He's going to be the main man. 'When you look at it with how many games Chelsea are going to play, he knows he's going to get a lot of game time and it is for him to take his opportunity. 'And then when you've got the calibre of players Chelsea have, he scored goals at Ipswich but how many more goals is he going to score when he's playing with the likes of Cole Palmer and Reece James is putting balls into the box? He and Palmer played together in the youth team at City as well. 'I think it's a good signing. I just don't understand how, and I'll say Arsenal because they're the ones who are front runners for a striker, I don't understand how they weren't pushing for him.' For more stories like this, check our sport page. Follow Metro Sport for the latest news on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. MORE: Antonio Conte tells Napoli to sign £58m Man Utd and Arsenal transfer target MORE: Manchester United respond to Barcelona transfer plan for Marcus Rashford MORE: Alejandro Garnacho sends transfer message to Chelsea as Manchester United set asking price
Scottish Sun
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Maidstone fan wipes out goading Boreham Wood rival with ‘tackle of the season' after play-off final defeat
Amazing incident goes viral after crowd surge onto pitch at sell-out decider BORE OFF Maidstone fan wipes out goading Boreham Wood rival with 'tackle of the season' after play-off final defeat A GOADING fan was wiped out by "the tackle of the season" from a rival supporter at a sell-out play-off final. And when the clip went viral, viewers made it clear where their sympathies lay. Advertisement 2 This flying challenge took the man and his beer by surprise 2 There was a brief flare-up afterwards but the floored man looked dazed Boreham Wood were celebrating beating visitors Maidstone United 1-0 to earn a place in the National League. And as fans streamed onto the pitch afterwards, one beer-swilling Wood follower out on the turf decided to taunt away supporters in a stand. The man, who was wearing jeans and a hoodie, danced around pointing upwards as he tormented opposition fans. But from 30 yards away on the other half of the pitch, a supporter came hurtling towards him - without him realising it. Advertisement READ MORE IN FOOTBALL TIME TO GO England star Angel Gomes confirms Lille exit as Premier League sides circle And the sprinting offender finished his surge with a two-footed slide that sent the man and his beer crashing to the ground - in opposite directions. The floored victim got up and jumped back as if startled. Meanwhile, another man in a hoodie tried to confront the tackler - only to slip up and be guided away by a third fan. Supporters in the stand could be heard roaring their approval at the lunging 'challenge' on the Wood fan Advertisement BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK And although it was an aggressive move - to say the least - the tackler also appeared to win the backing of viewers. One said: "Maidstone fan with tackle of the season on a Boreham Wood fan." Non-league rising teenage talent at centre of transfer tussle and branded 'next Jeremy Doku' shows off skills Another posted: "Great tackle, a little late but a phenomenal challenge." Advertisement A third wrote: Totally deserved and good on him, grown men goading the oppo after a huge final win." A fourth claimed: "He didn't expect a Maidstone fan to do this in retaliation." And a fifth observer reckoned the victim paid the price for mocking away followers as one of them "took matters into his own hands". It followed yet another incredibly tight season in National League South. Advertisement Truo were the only side to go up automatically -- as champions on goal difference from Torquay. But only three points separated second place from Dorking in sixth. Maidstone finished seven points adrift in seventh place - the last play-off spot. And in the final Charles Clayden's brilliant 47th-minute winner sent Wood back to the National League at the first attempt in front of a 3,500 crowd at Meadow Park. Advertisement Scunthorpe beat fellow ex-EFL club Chester 2-1 after extra time in the National League North play-off final.
The Irish Sun
19-05-2025
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Maidstone fan wipes out goading Boreham Wood rival with ‘tackle of the season' after play-off final defeat
A GOADING fan was wiped out by "the tackle of the season" from a rival supporter at a sell-out play-off final. And when the clip went viral, viewers made it clear where their sympathies lay. 2 This flying challenge took the man and his beer by surprise 2 There was a brief flare-up afterwards but the floored man looked dazed And as fans streamed onto the pitch afterwards, one beer-swilling Wood follower out on the turf decided to taunt away supporters in a stand. The man, who was wearing jeans and a hoodie, danced around pointing upwards as he tormented opposition fans. But from 30 yards away on the other half of the pitch, a supporter came hurtling towards him - without him realising it. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL And the sprinting offender finished his surge with a two-footed slide that sent the man and his beer crashing to the ground - in opposite directions. The floored victim got up and jumped back as if startled. Meanwhile, another man in a hoodie tried to confront the tackler - only to slip up and be guided away by a third fan. Supporters in the stand could be heard roaring their approval at the lunging 'challenge' on the Wood fan Most read in Sport BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK And although it was an aggressive move - to say the least - the tackler also appeared to win the backing of viewers. One said: "Maidstone fan with tackle of the season on a Boreham Wood fan." Non-league rising teenage talent at centre of transfer tussle and branded 'next Jeremy Doku' shows off skills Another posted: "Great tackle, a little late but a phenomenal challenge." A third wrote: Totally deserved and good on him, grown men goading the oppo after a huge final win." A fourth claimed: "He didn't expect a Maidstone fan to do this in retaliation." And a fifth observer reckoned the victim paid the price for mocking away followers as one of them "took matters into his own hands". It followed yet another incredibly tight season in National League South. Truo were the only side to go up automatically -- as champions on goal difference from Torquay. But only three points separated second place from Dorking in sixth. Maidstone finished seven points adrift in seventh place - the last play-off spot. And in the final Charles Clayden's brilliant 47th-minute winner sent Wood back to the National League at the first attempt in front of a 3,500 crowd at Meadow Park. Scunthorpe beat fellow ex-EFL club Chester 2-1 after extra time in the National League North play-off final.
