Find out when the tournament starts, what the format is, who the defending champions are, and more

Shashank Kishore16-Jan-2025Who won the inaugural edition?
India won the first edition in 2023 under Shafali Verma’s captaincy in South Africa when they halted England’s unbeaten run in the final.When does this edition begin?
The tournament starts January 18 with Australia, England, Pakistan, New Zealand, South Africa and Bangladesh all featuring on the opening day. We could also witness a special first on that day when Nigeria and Samoa play against each other – it’s the first women’s U-19 World Cup for both. The semi-finals will be played on January 31 and the final is slated for February 2.Related

• Women's Under-19 World Cup: five players to keep a close eye on

• U-19 Women's T20 World Cup: India grouped with WI, SL and Malaysia

• Tilly Corteen-Coleman named in England Under-19 World Cup squad

• Niki Prasad to lead India in Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup

How many teams are participating?
It’s a 16-team event, just like the previous edition. Apart from Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, it comprises all other ten Full Members, who qualified automatically based on their standings at the inaugural edition, along with Malaysia who secured a direct entry as hosts. The remaining five spots were filled through the regional qualifiers.Who are these five regional qualifiers?
Nepal (Asia), USA (Americas), Nigeria (Africa), Samoa (Asia Pacific) and Scotland (Europe). Among these teams, Samoa will be playing at their first-ever ICC tournament – men’s or women’s. Meanwhile, hosts Malaysia, Nepal, and Nigeria will be playing in their first women’s Under-19 World Cup.India U-19 are the defending champions of the tournament•ICC/Getty ImagesWhich teams played in 2023 but won’t be playing this time?
Rwanda, Zimbabwe, UAE and Indonesia haven’t qualified for this tournament. Rwanda had finished in the top eight in 2023, ahead of four Full Members including their African counterpart Zimbabwe, but had to re-qualify due to rankings criteria, which they failed to.What is the format of the tournament?
Unlike the men’s Under-19 World Cup, which is a 50-overs event, the women’s tournament will be played in a T20 format.The 16 teams are divided into four groups of four in a round-robin format. The top three from each group make it to the Super Six Stage comprising 12 teams.The teams that qualify for the Super Six will carry forward the points, wins and net run rate secured against fellow Super Six teams. Each team will play two matches at the Super Six stage, against the teams from the opposing group whose finishing positions were different from its own. The top two from each pool will then advance to the semi-finals.ESPNcricinfo LtdWas Malaysia always slated to host?
Initially, the tournament was to be jointly hosted by Malaysia and Thailand. However, the ICC had to move the entire tournament to Malaysia because Thailand’s venues weren’t deemed ready to host the tournament.Malaysia means games will be held at the Kinrara Oval, right?
You probably remember that for Sachin Tendulkar’s 141 not out from the DLF Cup in 2006 against West Indies? Or maybe from having watched Virat Kohli’s team lift the Under-19 World Cup in 2008? That ground, once Malaysia’s premier cricket venue, is no longer operational after Malaysia Cricket’s lease agreement with the land owners ended in 2022.How many venues will host games in this tournament?
Matches will be played at four venues: Bayuemas Oval and UKM YSD Oval in Selangor, the JCA Oval in Johor, and Borneo Cricket Ground in Sarawak.Who are some of the more famous alumni from the inaugural edition?
Shafali and Richa Ghosh were part of the inaugural edition as India’s captain and vice-captain, respectively. However, the tournament wasn’t a launchpad for them as they had already played a fair bit of international cricket by then.It was the same case for New Zealand’s Georgia Plimmer and Sri Lanka’s Vishmi Gunaratne, although they had much less international experience. Since then, Plimmer has been part of New Zealand’s T20 World Cup-winning side and Gunaratne of Sri Lanka’s Asia Cup-winning roster.West Indies’ spin-bowling allrounder Zaida James went on to play an important role in the team’s first semi-final appearance in the senior T20 World Cup since 2018.

Glasgow Rangers sporting director Kevin Thelwell was provided the funds to splash on a host of new signings for Russell Martin during the summer transfer window.

The former Everton surpremo was shaping the squad for the first time since his move to Ibrox in April, and there was plenty of movement in and out of the club.

As you can see in the graphic above, Thelwell was backed by the board when it came to incoming signings, as he splashed the cash on several significant additions.

The most expensive signing of the summer window was centre-forward Youssef Chermiti, who arrived from Everton in an £8m deal. So far, the Portugal U21 international has scored one goal for Rangers.

Bojan Miovski was also brought in for a reported fee of up to £4.2m to bolster the club’s attack. The former Aberdeen man has only scored two goals in all competitions, per Sofascore.

Another Thelwell signing who has been underwhelming since his move to Ibrox in a £3.5m deal from Luton Town has been attacking midfielder Thelo Aasgaard.

Where Thelo Aasgaard ranks among Thelwell's Rangers signings

Thelwell signed eight players on permanent deals in the summer, on top of the Oscar Cortes and Lyall Cameron deals that were agreed before his tenure, and the bulk of them failed to make much of an impact.

Djeidi Gassama has been the best addition to the squad out of those eight players. The French winger has scored six goals and provided two assists in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which is more than any other summer signing has managed.

Oliver Antman, who joined from Go Ahead Eagles for £3m, has the most assists in the squad of any summer signing, with three, per Transfermarkt, and still has plenty of time left to improve at the age of 24.

Chermiti ranks just above Miovski, despite the fee, because he is five years younger than the Macedonia international and has more time ahead to develop and reach his potential at Ibrox.

Ranking permanent Thelwell signings for Rangers
Rank	Player
1	Djeidi Gassama
2	Oliver Antman
3	Thelo Aasgaard
4	Youssef Chermiti
5	Bojan Miovski
6	Emmanuel Fernandez
7	Joe Rothwell

That is also why Emmanuel Fernandez, who has started two games, ranks above Joe Rothwell, who is 30 and did not even make the bench for the 3-0 win over Dundee at Dens Park.

That leaves Thelo Aasgaard in third place. That may sound like praise at face value, but it really paints a picture of how underwhelming Thelwell’s signings have been.

The Norway international has produced one goal and one assist in 16 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, and the assist was a short pass to Gassama before his wonder goal in the earlier clip.

Aasgaard was also sent off against Celtic in the semi-final of the League Cup at Hampden Park for Danny Rohl’s side, which means that he has as many red cards as goals for the club so far.

At the age of 23, the former Luton star has time ahead of him and may develop into a future star for the Gers, but his current performance level has been underwhelming, at best.

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That is why there may be some regrets over their decision to part ways with attacking midfielder Ianis Hagi, who was released by Thelwell at the end of his contract in the summer.

Why Rangers must regret releasing Ianis Hagi

The Light Blues chief may regret releasing the Romania international because he would walk into the starting line-up over Aasgaard based on his form for Rangers and his performances for his new club this season.

Hagi currently plays for Analyaspor in Turkey after moving on from Ibrox as a free agent in the summer, despite showing some impressive displays in the Scottish Premiership last term.

After working his way back into the squad under Philippe Clement after a contract issue, the 27-year-old attacking midfielder scored four goals, created six ‘big chances’, and registered five assists in 16 league starts for the Light Blues, per Sofascore.

These statistics show that the playmaker, who former Romanian international Ilie Dumitrescu dubbed “sensational” last term,provided a regular threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Scottish giants, whilst being utilised as a number ten or as a winger.

As aforementioned, Aasgaard has not shown consistency as either a scorer or as a creator since his £3.5m move from Luton, which is why the decision to release Hagi in the summer looks like a misjudged one.

25/26 season	Aasgaard (Premiership)	Hagi (Super Lig)
Appearances	9	8
Goals	1	2
Conversion rate	7%	13%
Key passes	7	17
Big chances created	0	2
Assists	1	1
Fouls won per game	1.4	2.5
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Hagi’s form in the Turkish top-flight is also vastly superior to the Norwegian midfielder’s for Rangers, as he has scored ten more chances and scored twice as many goals in fewer appearances.

These statistics show that the Romania international has taken the threat that he provided on the pitch for Rangers last season and carried it into his form in Turkey for his new club.

Hagi only turned 27 in October and is not a player who is heading into the final years of his career or is regressing as a player, as evidenced by his form this season, which makes it all the more surprising that the Gers allowed him to leave for nothing.

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Their respective statistics suggest that the Romanian star would walk into the current Rangers team over Aasgaard, and that says it all about Thelwell’s recruitment in the summer, as it stands.

Manchester United have now reportedly made contact to sign 18-year-old Salvador Blopa from Sporting CP in an attempt to jump ahead of Real Madrid in the race for his signature.

Those at Old Trafford have kept an eye on the transfer market ever since the summer window slammed shut and with things looking up on the pitch, they could be well-placed to welcome a number of upgrades in 2026.

Ruben Amorim’s side entered the November international break without a defeat in five games, having drawn twice and won three to move up to seventh in the Premier League.

Whilst their wait for five wins in a row is ongoing, there’s no doubt that the Red Devils have taken a significant step. Whether that continues after the international break is the big question.

Man United will play host to Everton in what should be seen as a winnable game at Old Trafford against former manager David Moyes. They then face struggling sides West Ham United and Wolverhampton Wanderers in two of their next five games in a run that should see them push on even further.

Amorim’s not getting ahead of himself, however. After rescuing a late draw against Tottenham last time out, he told reporters that his side still have plenty of problems to solve.

It’s a sign of the high standards that the Man United boss holds and INEOS could yet help him to meet those standards by turning to the transfer market once again in 2026.

Man Utd have 'held conversations' to sign Blopa

As relayed by TeamTalk, Man United have now ‘held conversations’ to sign Blopa from Sporting CP and jump ahead of Real Madrid in the transfer race in the process. The 18-year-old can play right midfield, right-back and left midfield as one of the most versatile players that Sporting have to offer.

Out of all those positions, he’d likely solve Amorim’s right wing-back problem. As things stand, it’s Amad Diallo or Noussair Mazraoui in the role, but Blopa’s emergence could quickly cause United a much-welcomed selection headache down that side.

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The interest from Real Madrid and those at Old Trafford in Blopa should also come as little surprise. The teenager scored twice on his Sporting debut and earned praise from current manager Rui Borges, who told reporters: “Tactically he gave us what we wanted.

“In the B team he sometimes plays on the right and other times on the left, sometimes higher and sometimes lower. He’s a kid with very unique characteristics, athletic, and physically he’s going to grow immensely more.”

The Red Devils have built a reputation of turning Sporting’s stars into world stars and the versatile defender could be next.

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Manchester United drew 2-2 away to Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime. It took a late Matthijs de Ligt goal to secure a point, after being 1-0 up at half-time. Not only did United let the three points slip out of their grasp, but striker Benjamin Sesko picked up an injury.

The Slovenian didn’t start the game in North London, coming on in the second half. He suffered a knee problem late in the clash after a tackle by Mickey van de Ven prevented him from getting a shot off.

Ruben Amorim said after the game that he is “concerned” about the striker’s issue.

It is currently unclear how long the 22-year-old will be out injured for, but Amorim has three different options to replace him.

1 The logical option

There is only one other number 9 in the United squad: Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman is a superb technical player who is brilliant at bringing his teammates into the game with holdup play and silky footwork.

He ended his debut campaign at United strongly, with ten goals and assists, including a crucial header in the Europa League away from home against Lyon. However, he’s fallen out of favour under the Portuguese manager this term.

It certainly hasn’t been easy for the Dutchman in 2025/26. He’s only made five appearances across all competitions, playing 90 minutes in total and not starting a game. He hasn’t even had a chance to prove himself this term.

However, with his ability to link play together and facilitate the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, the 24-year-old could be a game-changer for United. He’s their only other senior number striker and has shown great promise when given a chance.

2 The wildcard option

The suggested wildcard shout is, ironically, something Amorim has done more often this season than the logical option. That consists of bringing Mason Mount into the starting lineup and playing a flexible front three consisting of the Englishman, Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha.

Although he has been struck down with injury a lot for United, the 26-year-old clearly has an abundance of quality. When fit, he has been a trusted lieutenant under Amorim, playing 29 games for the Red Devils boss, scoring four times and assisting one.

In fact, those strikes certainly highlight the quality the number seven brings to United’s side. Look at his finish against Athletic Club in the Europa League last season, taking the ball on the half turn and curling his effort home. That is classic Mount.

This solution would offer Amorim lots of energy up front, with all three players excellent pressers. United fans would also witness fluid rotations in possession, although the lack of a natural number 9 might make them less of a threat in the box.

3 The academy option

Using players from the academy has always been a huge part of the DNA at Old Trafford. Well, in light of Sesko’s injury, Amorim could turn to 17-year-old Chido Obi to help fill the void left at centre-forward.

The former Arsenal youngster has played first-team football in the red of United since his move to Manchester last summer. He’s featured eight times under Amorim, even starting away to Brentford in the Premier League.

It is at academy level that the former Gunners star has made a real impression. Obi has scored six goals for United’s U21 side and has bagged 12 times in ten games for the U18s. It is no surprise that Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta previously described him as a “massive goal threat.” Gunners podcaster Will Balsam once even described the prodigy as a “homegrown Osimhen”.

Obi has played against senior sides in the EFL Trophy this season and has made a real impression, grabbing three goal involvements in as many games. Against Barnsley, he got a goal and an assist, having two shots on target, creating one chance and winning three duels.

Touches

20

Shots

3

Shots on target

2

Ground duels won

3

Key passes

1

Goals

1

Assists

1

Picking the Denmark U20 striker to replace Sesko could be seen as a risk from Amorim. Yet, the Red Devils boss clearly trusts and rates the striker, having given him regular minutes in the top flight last season.

There are a few options for the United boss, and it will be fascinating to see which route he takes if Sesko is sidelined for a long period.

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امتدح الألماني هانز فليك مدرب برشلونة، لاعبه رافينها، عقب الفوز أمام أتلتيكو مدريد في الدوري الإسباني، وأكد أن أداء الفريق كان مذهلاً وأن هذه المواجهة ستكون نقطة تحول.

وتغلب برشلونة على أتلتيكو مدريد بنتيجة 3-1، على ملعب “سبوتيفاي كامب نو” في إطار مواجهات الليجا (الدوري الإسباني) لموسم 2025-2026.

وقال فليك في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ماركا” الإسبانية: “أعتقد أن أداءنا كان على مستوى آخر، لعبنا ضد فريق رائع، كافحنا معًا، وهذا ما رأيته اليوم، كان رائعًا، بل مذهلًا”.

وأضاف: “أنا راضٍ جدًا، من المهم جدًا استعادة اللاعبين، هناك بعض اللاعبين ليسوا في كامل لياقتهم، لذلك اضطررنا لإجراء تغييرات، سيطرنا على المباراة بشكل أكبر، وخلقنا مساحات أكبر، كان الأمر إيجابيًا للغاية”.

وشدد: “رافينها لاعب مهم جدًا لنا، عودته رائعة للفريق، رأيناه اليوم، ورأيناه أيضًا في المباراة الأخيرة، عندما يكون في الملعب، يزيد من ديناميكية الفريق وكثافته، وهذا واضحٌ على أرض الملعب، لقد منحنا الكثير من الإيجابيات، أنا سعيد جدًا بالنتيجة وبالثلاث نقاط”.

اقرأ أيضًا | سيميوني بعد هزيمة أتلتيكو مدريد: لا أعرف كيف لم يفز لاعب برشلونة بالكرة الذهبية

وأوضح فليك حالة لاعبيه: “بيدري بخير، إنه متعب قليلًا، أولمو يعاني من مشكلة في الكتف، سنرى حالته غدًا”.

وعن بيدري، أشار: “إنه لاعب استثنائي، أنا سعيد لأنه لم يحتج إلى وقت ليستعيد مستواه السابق، لقد رأينا ذلك أمام ألافيس واليوم، لقد أتقن الربط بين الدفاع والهجوم بشكل رائع”.

وأردف المدرب الألماني: “من الجيد دائمًا اكتساب الثقة ضد فريق مثل أتلتيكو مدريد، سنرى إن كانت هذه نقطة تحول، أعتقد أنها كانت واحدة من أفضل مبارياتنا؛ لقد أعجبني حقًا ما شاهدته طوال التسعين دقيقة، نستحق النقاط الثلاث”.

وواصل: “كانت هذه هي الخطوة التي كنت أتطلع إليها، لعبنا بشكل رائع اليوم، وتحسن أداؤنا بشكل كبير في جميع الجوانب، سيطر أتلتيكو على أول ثلاث أو أربع أو خمس دقائق، ثم سيطرنا على مجريات اللعب، كان بإمكاننا تسجيل ركلة جزاء أيضًا، لكننا لم نستسلم، أنا فخور بما شاهدته”.

وأكد فليك: “لقد تقدمنا ​​خطوة للأمام، والآن علينا أن نلعب ضد بيتيس، وهو فريق رائع، علينا أن نسعى للفوز”.

Victor Robles has apologized for the weekend incident where he threw a bat at a minor league pitcher after he was hit by another pitch while on a rehab assignment with the Seattle Mariners' Triple A Tacoma Rainiers. Robles returned from the IL last week after missing four months because of a dislocated shoulder suffered while crashing into the fence making a catch back in April.

Robles was hit twice in his first game back and again in his second game. By the time a pitch came up and in during the sixth game of the series against the Las Vegas Aviators on Sunday, Robles had had enough.

Late last night he posted an apology on Instagram.

Robles was released by the Washington Nationals in June 2024 and signed with the Mariners and appeared in 77 games for Seattle last season. He had started the first 10 games of the season for Seattle this year before he was injured.

Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. left his team's game Monday against the Pirates after he made an incredible stretch to get an out at first base.

Shortstop Bo Bichette made an off-balanced throw to first on a ground ball that forced Guerrero to stretch as far as he could to capture the ball before Pirates shortstop Jared Triolo could touch the bag. Guerrero did the splits as he caught the ball and kept his back foot on the base to record a miraculous final out to the third inning:

He may have gotten slightly injured on the play, however, as the Blue Jays pinch hit Ty France for Guerrero in the fifth inning, removing the star first baseman from the game. The team provided an official update that he was removed from the game with left hamstring tightness. He did come up a bit gingerly after the acrobatic play, but ran back to the dugout following the out. Hopefully it's nothing serious.

Guerrero leads the Blue Jays with 21 home runs this season. He's slashing .300/.398/.500 and has added 68 RBIs in his seventh season with the team. He made a similar play last week to get an out.

MatériaMais Notícias

Criciúma e Juventude se enfrentam neste sábado (13) primeira rodada do Brasileirão 2024. A bola rola a partir das 18h30 (de Brasília), no Estádio Heriberto Hülse, com transmissão do Premiere (pay-per-view). Ambas equipes retornam à primeira divisão do Campeonato Brasileiro após conseguirem o acesso no ano passado.

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➡️ A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

Confira abaixo todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto entre Criciúma e Juventude (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

✅FICHA TÉCNICA
Criciúma x Juventude
1ª rodada – Brasileirão

Data e horário: sábado, 13 de abril de 2024, às 18h30 (de Brasília)
Local: Estádio Heriberto Hülse, em Criciúma (SC)
Onde assistir: Premiere
Árbitro: Bruno Pereira Vasconcelos (BA)
Assistentes: Luanderson Lima dos Santos (BA) e Paulo de Tarso Bregalda Gussen (BA)

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⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

CRICIÚMA (Técnico: Cláudio Tencati)
Alisson; Claudinho, Rodrigo, Walisson Maia e Marcelo Hermes (Trauco); Barreto, Meritão, Marquinhos Gabriel e Fellipe Mateus; Eder e Renato Kayzer.

JUVENTUDE (Técnico: Artur Jorge)
Gabriel, João Lucas, Danilo Boza, Zé Marcos, Gabriel Inocêncio; Jadson (Mandaca), Caíque, Jean Carlos, Lucas Barbosa, Gilberto, Edson Carioca (Erick Farias)

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Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCampeonato BrasileiroCriciúmaJuventudeOnde assistir

Wicketkeeper-batter had returned to action with match-winning 90 for India A against South Africa A last week

ESPNcricinfo staff05-Nov-2025

Rishabh Pant led India A in the first four-day game against South Africa A•PTI

Wicketkeeper-batter Rishabh Pant has returned to India’s Test squad for the two-match series against South Africa beginning on November 14 in Kolkata.Pant replaced N Jagadeesan while Akash Deep took Prasidh Krishna’s spot in the squad that beat West Indies 2-0 in October. Pant had missed that series as he was recovering from the foot fracture he suffered during the fourth Test against England in Manchester in July. Akash Deep was recovering from a back injury that had kept him out of the Duleep Trophy after his return from England; he has since played two rounds of the Ranji Trophy for Bengal. Mohammed Shami, who has played the first three rounds of the Ranji Trophy for Bengal and taken 15 wickets, was not picked.Pant proved his match fitness by captaining India A to victory in the first four-day game against South Africa A at the BCCI Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru last week. Pant made 90 in the second innings as India A chased down a target of 275.India’s Test captain Shubman Gill, Jasprit Bumrah, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Axar Patel and Washington Sundar are currently playing the T20I series in Australia, and will join the Test squad after the five-match series ends on November 8. Kuldeep Yadav was released from the T20I squad after the third match in Hobart so that he could prepare for the Test series by playing India A’s second four-day game against South Africa A starting on November 6.India play two Tests against South Africa from November 14 in Kolkata, and then from November 22 in Guwahati, a city that will be hosting Test cricket for the first time. India are currently third in the World Test Championship table with 61.90% points; South Africa, meanwhile, are fifth with 50% points, having most recently drawn a series 1-1 in Pakistan.India’s Test squad for South Africa seriesShubman Gill (capt), Rishabh Pant (vc & wk), Yashasvi Jaiswal, KL Rahul, Sai Sudharsan, Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel, Ravindra Jadeja, Washington Sundar, Jasprit Bumrah, Axar Patel, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Mohammed Siraj, Kuldeep Yadav, Akash DeepIndia’s selectors also picked the A squad, led by Tilak Varma with Ruturaj Gaikwad his deputy, for the one-day series against South Africa A. The three matches are on November 13, 16 and 19 in Rajkot.India A’s squad for one-dayers vs South Africa ATilak Varma (capt), Ruturaj Gaikwad (vc), Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Ishan Kishan (wk), Ayush Badoni, Nishant Sindhu, Vipraj Nigam, Manav Suthar, Harshit Rana, Arshdeep Singh, Prasidh Krishna, Khaleel Ahmed, Prabhsimran Singh (wk)

Arsenal have been utterly sensational so far this season.

Mikel Arteta’s side are flying in the Champions League, and look near enough unstoppable when it comes to the Premier League.

More impressively, the Gunners tore Tottenham Hotspur to shreds on Sunday afternoon without the man many would consider to have been their best player so far this year: Gabriel Magalhães.

The Brazilian has been sensational in defence and attack, and so fans should be excited about reports linking Arsenal with a star who could be looked at as another version of him.

Arsenal target another Gabriel

With the transfer window just over a month away from opening, it’s not been a surprise to see reports starting to link Arsenal with some brilliant players in recent weeks.

Transfer Focus

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For example, while the Gunners are fairly well-stacked in the position, Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson has been touted for a £120m switch to the Emirates.

Likewise, despite Leandro Trossard’s impressive form this year, Kenan Yıldız continues to be linked with a move to the Premier League title challengers.

However, while incredibly talented, neither of these players can really be compared to Gabriel, unlike Murillo.

Yes, according to a recent report from Caught Offside, Arsenal are one of a few clubs interested in the Brazilian defender.

Alongside the Gunners, the report has revealed that Chelsea and Barcelona are keen to sign the talented centre-back, who Forest value at up to €90m, which is about £79m.

Therefore, it could be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given his ability and similarities to Gabriel, one Arsenal should be pursuing.

Why Murillo would be another Gabriel

So to start with, there are the more superficial similarities between the pair, such as both being Brazilian centre-backs.

On top of that, there is the fact that when Arsenal signed Gabriel from LOSC Lille in the summer of 2020, he was 22 years old, and if they sign Murillo in the winter window, he’ll be just 23.

However, the comparison goes deeper than that, as, in addition to playing in the same position, the two defenders tend to play in a similar style as well.

For example, while he’s not quite as tall as the Gunners star, the “monstrous” Forest man, as dubbed by journalist Ryan Taylor, is someone who makes the most of his physicality.

Whether it’s in the air or on the ground, the former Corinthians gem is more than happy to go in for a full-throated challenge, which, more often than not, he comes out better off from.

However, don’t let that fool you into thinking the Sao Paulo-born titan is just an old-fashioned defender who can’t compete when it comes to the technical side of the game, as that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Like his compatriot, the 23-year-old is far more accomplished on the ball than most who don’t watch him on a weekly basis would expect.

For example, FBref ranks him in the top 5% of centre-backs in the league for successful take-ons, the top 9% for shot-creating actions, the top 11% for through balls and shot-creating actions from live-ball passes, the top 13% for progressive passes and more, all per 90.

% of Dribblers Tackled

100.0%

Top 2%

Blocks

1.83

Top 3%

Shots from Free Kicks

0.12

Top 5%

Interceptions

2.07

Top 5%

Successful Take-Ons

0.49

Top 5%

SCA (Defensive Action)

0.12

Top 7%

Passes Blocked

0.85

Top 7%

Ball Recoveries

4.87

Top 7%

Shot-Creating Actions

1.46

Top 9%

Tkl+Int

3.65

Top 9%

Goals/Shot

0.25

Top 11%

Goals – xG

+0.09

Top 11%

Non-Penalty Goals – npxG

+0.09

Top 11%

Passes Attempted (Long)

9.99

Top 11%

Through Balls

0.24

Top 11%

SCA (Live-ball Pass)

1.10

Top 11%

SCA (Dead-ball Pass)

0.12

Top 11%

Progressive Passes

4.87

Top 13%

SCA (Shot)

0.12

Top 13%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.24

Top 13%

Goals

0.12

Top 15%

When you consider those technical qualities alongside the fact that he helped Forest produce one of the defensive record in the country last season, it’s easy to see why one analyst made the bold claim that he’s “one of the best defenders in the Premier League.”

Ultimately, while he might not be on the exact same level as Gabriel – few defenders are – Murillo is clearly an exceptional player. Therefore, Arsenal would be wise to sign him before one of their rivals gets there first.

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