The longest serving player at Premier League Big 6 club

Some surprise names and some surprise tenures! Here are the longest serving players for each Premier League club right now.

Players currently out on loan not included, data according to iSports API.

Arsenal: Emiliano Martinez



The Argentine goalkeeper, currently on international duty for the first time in eight years, has never been closer to the number one slot at Arsenal.

Having made his debut for the club way back in 2012, Martinez has since gone on six different loan spells. Now, at 27, he’s the Gunners’ cup keeper for the season.

Chelsea: Cesar Azpilicueta


Mister Reliable himself. Azpilicueta is a rare long-serving player at Stamford Bridge.

The club captain has won two Premier League titles and two Europa League titles since his arrival from Marseille in 2012.

Liverpool: Jordan Henderson


Signed in the summer of 2011 when Kenny Dalglish was in charge of the club, Henderson came with a big price tag and lofty expectations.

The midfielder has gone on to replace Steven Gerrard as captain and lifted the Champions League trophy in June – not bad!

Manchester City: David Silva


An absolute magician with four Premier League titles to his name.

Now in his final season with the club, Silva is a bonafide legend not just for Manchester City but in Premier League football.

Manchester United: Phil Jones



Yep, Phil Jones, who joined from Blackburn in 2011 and has a contract at Old Trafford until 2023.

Doesn’t that just sum up the malaise at Manchester United?

Tottenham: Danny Rose

Signed by Martin Jol in 2007 – yes, 2007! – Rose had to wait a while to make his mark at Spurs.

He made it, though, and did so in style, scoring a screamer against Arsenal on his debut in 2010. The left-back has been a regular under Mauricio Pochettino.

For more details, please visit iSportsAPI.com

Miralem Pjanić has been Europe's best player so far this season

There hasn’t been a better player in Europe this season than Miralem Pjanić.

That’s according to the well-respected football data provider iSports API, who have crunched the numbers and reveal just who has been performing the best across the continent’s top five leagues.

Pjanić comes out on top, just ahead of Inter’s Stefano Sensi and Atalanta forward Papu Gómez.

The Juventus playmaker has played nine times in all competitions so far for Maurizio Sarri’s men, scoring twice and assisting a further two more,as per iSports API data.

There’s no Premier League representation on the list, but there is a place for two Real Madrid players and two more from Paris Saint-Germain.

Olivier Giroud must seize his chance with France given his limited minutes at Chelsea

When Olivier Giroud arrived on Monday to the France national team's headquarters at Clairefontaine, an hour south of Paris, it wouldn't be surprising if he took a deep breath of fresh air.

He was back in familiar territory, a place he knows so well and feels at home.

He was also welcoming a break from his daily routine at Chelsea, which has been rough so far this season. Last weekend, he was not in the Blues' matchday squad in their win at Southampton. Chelsea manager Frank Lampard only wanted one striker on the bench with Tammy Abraham in the starting lineup, going with Michy Batshuayi and leaving Giroud back in London.

That's not to say that Giroud is unhappy at Chelsea. He likes the club, the fans and the vibe in the dressing room, but he also wants to play. He needs to play. And so far, he has not played enough: only three games in the Premier League (one start) for a total of a mere 101 minutes, according to iSports API football data. Add that to his 17 minutes in Champions League group stage play so far, and you get the picture.

France striker Olivier Giroud is struggling for time at Chelsea. If Giroud is to factor for France at the 2020 Euros, he'll need more game time at the club, and as you'd expect, he is ready to fight for it. He had a discussion with Lampard recently, who assured him that he was counting on Giroud and that he would have his chance.

When Giroud did play earlier in the season, he made the most of it. He started and scored in the UEFA Super Cup loss against Liverpool in August. He also had convincing performances in the first 45 minutes against Leicester before being subbed off. He was also solid off the bench against Norwich. Now he's waiting for another opportunity to impress his club manager.

A few days ago, he celebrated his 33rd birthday, and as he is getting older, he is also getting wiser. He doesn't want to panic yet, there is no need for it. But ahead of France's upcoming Euro qualifying matches against Iceland and Turkey, manager Didier Deschamps has expressed his concern over Giroud's situation.

"I am worried. I don't take away what Olivier has achieved with us. His recent performances were very good. He is the third-best scorer with the national team. But I wish his situation would change. Above his efficiency, it is also about his rhythm. He already had times before where he was not playing much. But at the moment, it is not enough, fitness-wise. He cannot be at his best," Deschamps said on Monday.

But Deschamps knows Giroud inside-out. He knows he can rely on him and that he will not give up.

It is reminiscent of what happened at the start of the 2017-18 campaign when Giroud was still at Arsenal. Behind Alexandre Lacazette and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, he was third choice and he had to leave in January. He went across town in search for more playing time to ensure his spot on the 2018 World Cup squad.

The move worked well for him and for Les Bleus. Even though he didn't score in Russia, Giroud featured in seven matches as France secured their second World Cup trophy.

Could the same happen in January 2020? It is a possibility, but there is still a long way to go before the transfer window opens anew. For now, Giroud wants to show Lampard that he deserves to play more, that he can score goals for Chelsea and bring something different to the team. All of Giroud's career has been defined by such adversity and the need to prove people wrong. This is nothing new to him. It is just a new chapter and he's used to it.

On Friday in Reykjavik, Giroud will start up front alongside Barcelona's Antoine Griezmann. As per iSports API football data, it will be his 94th cap for Les Bleus and he will be looking for his 36th international goal. It will do him a lot of good to play a big part of the game. There is also a very strong chance that he will then start again against Turkey next week at the Stade de France. Starting two games in a row has been so rare this season that it would be great for him to shine at this point in time.

The international break can be tiring for some players, but for Giroud, it represents a breath of fresh air. Hopefully, it'll give him a lot more confidence and momentum before going back to the grind at Chelsea and fighting for his place.

All football data collected from iSports API.

Do You Know What is The longest unbeaten runs in Premier League history?

Liverpool’s current run of form is up there with the longest unbeaten runs in the Premier League era.

Following their late winner against Leicester City on Saturday, Liverpool continued their club-record unbeaten streak under Jurgen Klopp. Goals from Sadio Mane and 95th minute penalty from James Milner at Anfield stretched the run to 25 games, not only the Reds’ longest run without defeat in the Premier League era, but also the sixth-longest of any top-flight club in that period.

The Merseyside outfit are quickly catching up on records set by some of the greatest English teams of all-time, and if they were to climb further up the list it would cement their place among the best teams we’ve seen in recent history. The kicker here is that every team on this list won the league in the same campaign they embarked on their unbeaten streaks – except for Liverpool.

Is this the season they change that particular unwanted statistic?

The 3 longest unbeaten runs in the Premier League era, according to iSports API.

3. Man City – 30, Streak: April 8, 2017 – January 2, 2018

The side that everyone thought would emulate the Invincibles lost for the first time 22 matches into the 2017/18 campaign. The 4-3 defeat to Liverpool did nothing to derail their title charge however, as they enjoyed a procession on their way to becoming the first team to reach 100 Premier League points in a single season.

The result did reveal some chinks in the seemingly flawless Man City armour and foreshadowed the challenge the Reds would pose to Pep Guardiola’s team in the coming years.

2. Chelsea – 40, Streak: 16 October 2004 – 6 November 2005

1. Arsenal – 49, Streak: 7 May 2003 – 24 October 2004

And way out in front, it’s none other than The Invincibles, who became just the second team in the history of English football to go an entire league season undefeated, Preston North End in 1888/89 being the other.

Arsenal‘s run went beyond just a season though, refusing to lose for a whopping 49 games. Arsene Wenger’s side were stopped just short of the half-century however, by none other than their arch-nemesis, Man United.

That 2004 fixture was the scene of the infamous Battle of the Buffet, in which Alex Ferguson was splattered with a slice of pizza by Cesc Fabregas. The defeat had deeper repercussions for the Gunners though, who could never quite reach the same heights thereafter.

All football data collected from iSports API. For more information, please visit iSportsAPI.com

Barcelona confirm fresh muscular injury for Ousmane Dembélé

No sooner had Ousmane Dembélé returned to the Barcelona first team picture and he has been sidelined again. The Frenchman has played in just 2 LaLiga fixtures this season, one of many attackers at the club to have been plagued by injury, as per iSports.

But he appeared to be in line for his comeback after being included in the matchday squad for Saturday afternoon’s trip to Getafe.

Barcelona won 2-0 but did so without Dembélé and the club have now confirmed that he has sustained yet another thigh injury.

Tests on the player on Saturday night confirmed an issue with his left thigh and the club did not offer a timetable for his return.

The 22-year-old seems all but certain to miss the Blaugrana’s midweek Champions League clash with Inter.

Although he joined Barça just two years ago from Borussia Dortmund, it is already the 7th different injury since that move, according to iSports API data. 6 of those have been muscle-related for the frustrating France international, who faces a familiar spell on the sidelines.

It's 15 years since Wayne Rooney's jaw-dropping Man United debut

It's exactly 15 years since an 18-year-old Wayne Rooney made his extraordinary Manchester United debut.

After breaking through as a 16-year-old at Everton, Sir Alex Ferguson decided to pay a then-record amount for a teenager of £25m, according to iSports API data.

Many deemed it far too much for a player so young – it took Rooney all of 54 minutes to make it look like pocket change.

Playing Fenebahçe in the Champions League, the young forward started alongside Ruud van Nistelrooy and netted an incredible hat-trick in a 6-2 victory.

The top ten flying starts by summer signings across Europe

With summer signings now having had some time to adapt to their new surroundings we pick out the ten to have started strongest for their new clubs in Europe's top five leagues. A minimum of four league starts has been set as a requirement, all data as per iSports API.

10. Joan Jordan (Sevilla)

Already proving to be a shrewd acquisition for LaLiga rivals Eibar, Jordan's all action displays have already won over the Sevilla fans. The 25-year-old midfielder has scored twice in his first five league appearances, completed 89.4 per cent of his passes, nine dribbles and created nine chances.

9. Enock Kwateng (Bordeaux)

Signed on a free transfer from Ligue 1 counterparts Nantes, Kwateng has impressed from a defensive standpoint and registered an assist on his debut at Dijon. The right-back has won four tackles per 90 minutes while winning 15 of 18 aerial duels.

8. Nabil Fekir (Real Betis)

Long on the radar of some of England's top clubs, when Betis snared Fekir over the summer for a modest fee there were plenty of eyebrows raised. He's made a strong start to life in Spain, scoring twice in five appearances while completing the most dribbles (21) and drawing the most fouls (23) in that time.

7. Martin Odegaard (Real Sociedad)

Another move considered something of a coup over the summer, while Sociedad may have only signed Odegaard on loan from Real Madrid they are already reaping the benefits. The young Norwegian is second in the dribbles chart in Spain to Fekir (16), has scored twice and created 11 chances in five appearances.

6. Sebastien Haller (West Ham)

Already having displayed all the attributes for which he became renowned in the Bundesliga at Eintracht Frankfurt, Haller has been an instant hit with Hammers fans. The club's record signing has scored three league goals in five appearances and held up play, winning the second most aerial duels per game (6.8) in the Premier League.

5. Zack Steffen

While some may have viewed Manchester City's move for Zack Steffen as a marketing opportunity, the US international has excelled since leaving for Duesseldorf on loan. Were it not for the 24-year-old the Bundesliga outfit would have shipped far more goals than the nine that they have in five appearances, with the American having produced 14 more saves (33) than any other keeper in Germany's top-flight.

4. Stefano Sensi (Inter)

While Sensi's quality had been evident at Sassuolo, earning the midfielder international recognition, the blistering start he has made at Inter has been alarming. Under the guidance of Antonio Conte he has been given more freedom in attack and rewarded his new coach with two goals and an assist already for Serie A's league leaders.

3. Victor Osimhen (Lille)

Speaking of blistering starts, few could have predicted the immediacy of the impact that 20-year-old Osimhen would have at Lille. With the club desperately needing to replace the goals lost following Nicolas Pepe's departure, the youn Nigerian has stepped up and led the line superbly. He has six goals to his name in seven league appearances - all of which have come at home - and has won the second most aerial duels (37) in France.

2. Rodri (Manchester City)

They may have had to break their club record transfer fee to sign the Spaniard but Rodri has taken to the Premier League with the ease most expected. The 23-year-old has a fine goal to his name already, has won 3.4 tackles per 90 minutes, 18 of 21 aerial duels and completed 92.3 per cent of his passes.

1. Islam Slimani (Monaco)

With three goals and and assist in just four Ligue 1 appearances, Slimani has put frustrating spells at Leicester, Newcastle and Fenerbahce behind him. Attempting to rebuild his career and reputation with Monaco, the Algerian has been a huge threat in every sense in France, firing off 18 shots, creating nine chances and winning 20 aerial duels.

Sandro Tonali: Pirlo's heir ready for Europe's elite

The only downside to great footballers is the gap they leave when they retire.

Andrea Pirlo said goodbye to the beautiful game last year, though his international career ended in 2015. Since then, Italy have struggled in his absence, desperately seeking his replacement.

While Jorginho’s methodical passing skills are helping to fill the void, Sandro Tonali has emerged as the natural long-term successor.

At just 18 years of age, he has established himself as a key player in Italy’s second tier with Brescia. Ironically, that’s exactly how Pirlo’s career took off.

The likenesses don’t end there, which is why many of Europe’s top teams – including Chelsea, Liverpool, Juventus, Inter and Roma – are reportedly monitoring the promising creator’s progress.

What with the global scouting networks and never-ending resources today’s super-clubs enjoy, it’s a wonder how Tonali has stayed under the radar for so long.

However, with the January transfer window open, there is a high chance his talents will no longer be visible only to those hardened calcio fans who follow Serie B.
Who is Sandro Tonali?

Born in Lodi, Tonali spent time with Piacenza before joining Brescia’s youth system. Originally a second striker, he was moved deeper by his academy coaches. Yet, in spite of the Pirlo-esque positional adjustment, he continued to score goals at a remarkable rate, bagging 11 in 24 outings at under-17 level in 2016/17, as per iSports API data.

Eventually making his senior bow for the club in August 2017 against Avellino, he went on to become a regular member of the first team last season, making 19 appearances. Along the way, he set up and scored two goals apiece, operating predominantly in defensive midfield.



After a breakout campaign at club level, Tonali played a vital role in Italy’s run to the final of the 2018 European Under-19 Championship in Finland.

Having helped his national side, which also featured Moise Kean and Nicolo Zaniolo, beyond the host nation and France, the only defeat ultimately came in the final to Portugal. For his efforts, the midfield prospect was named in the team of the tournament.

The good form has been carried into this season, where he has played in every single one of Brescia’s nine league games, assisting three goals in the process.

And, in further good news, his development has been aided by the club’s managerial appointment of Eugenio Corini, himself a gifted playmaker in his playing days.

What are Tonali’s strengths?

As well as the Brescia link and the career-changing alteration of position, Tonali reminds many of Pirlo for his physical resemblance. As well as his long, black hair, he is a slow mover with a calm exterior who rarely looks troubled even when under direct pressure.

But beyond these rather trivial similarities, he also has similar tactical and technical qualities to the former Milan and Juventus legend, the most obvious of which is the range and accuracy of his passing.

As a creative No.6, he is able to identify and find teammates in almost any area of the pitch with impressive vision and consistent execution. This ability translates well to set pieces, where he can be found curling right-footed crosses into the penalty box from corner and free kick situations.

Tonali isn’t just a showman, however. While he can perform the spectacular stuff, he is also a noticeably intelligent player for his age.

Not only does he roam to find space, but he is comfortable receiving with his back to goal and combining with centre-backs to enhance build-up. On top of that, he is able to provoke and resist pressure, utilising immaculate control to hold off defenders.

What are Tonali’s weaknesses?

It could be argued that Tonali’s specificity is a weakness. Brescia’s possession game is essentially built around him being allowed to pull the strings from the base of midfield, which partly explains his appearance in Serie B’s top 25 players for long passes per 90 minutes. Not all sides, particularly at the highest level, could afford to deploy him in such a role.

His lack of real pace and physicality may also be a concern should opponents target him through man marking or attentive pressing, though this could also free up teammates. Pirlo suffered from similar targeting during his career but it didn’t stop his ascendancy to the highest echelons of the Italian game.

Perhaps the most important aspect for Tonali to work on is his decision-making. The 7.94 long balls per 90 he attempts is a numerical indication of something visible to the naked eye when watching him – sometimes he tries too hard to force the line-breaking or game-changing pass,  according to iSports API.

To prevent unnecessary giveaways in a sport increasingly dominated by decisive transitions, he may need to keep it simple more often.
Will a move happen?

After one-and-a-half seasons building a portfolio of wonderful passes in Serie B, January 2019 may be the time for Tonali to make the step up.

Brescia have been out of Italy’s top flight for many years and have shown a willingness to sell their best talent in recent times, so long as the right deal is in place.

The youngster’s agent, Roberto La Florio, spoke fairly openly about his client’s prospects in an interview with Calciomercato. “I expect and hope to see him in Serie A, I think youngsters should be sold at the right time because you never know what will happen in football,” he said.

“I’m convinced that even at a top club he could adapt in a few months, but you need to find the right moment… I’d say it’d take €15-17m, maybe up to €20m to budge (Brescia president Massimo) Cellino.”

There is no rush for a transfer to take place considering Tonali is under contract to Brescia until 2021. But if Europe’s best do come in for him with a serious offer, it would be hard for them to turn it down. And, if and when such a move transpires, expect the Pirlo comparisons to ramp up.

Ed Woodward reveals Jose Mourinho received £19.6m after being sacked by Manchester United

Ed Woodward has confirmed that Jose Mourinho and his management team received a severance package totaling £19.6m after the 56-year-old was dismissed in December of last year.

The Portuguese manager was removed from his position following two and a half years in charge, with a particularly meek 3-1 defeat at Anfield serving as the final straw, accoding to iSports API data.

Since then, Mourinho has been out of work and is heavily tipped to take the Real Madrid job should the club remove Zinedine Zidane – which makes you wonder if, following six years of being in the wilderness, United might also turn back to the “Special One” in an act of manic desperation.

Speaking at an annual conference, where the big man revealed record revenues of £627.1m, Woodward also noted that almost £20m was spent on removing the Mourinho regime last year.

This conference is nicely timed, playing out amid a backdrop of universal anger and alienation among the club’s fanbase, the supporters aware that the hole United find themselves in on the pitch is a massive one – something which will take years to properly emerge from.

But, you know, record revenues, eh? That’s good, isn’t it? Isn’t it? At a time when the planet is dying and far-right forces are infiltrating western politics, at least we can all smile at another year of Resounding Financial Success.

Messi collects record 6th FIFA player of the year

Lionel Messi beat Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk and Juventus forward Cristiano Ronaldo to claim a record sixth FIFA's The Best award, which is given to the top men's player, on Monday.

The award was handed to the Barcelona and Argentina captain at a ceremony in Milan.

Messi, 32, led Barcelona to a fourth La Liga title in the past five seasons, scoring 36 goals and providing 15 assists in 35 league matches last campaign. He posted 51 goals and 22 assists in all competitions, as per iSports API data.

Croatia and Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric won the award last year, breaking up a years-long duel between Messi and Ronaldo for the prize. But Messi regained the honour for a record sixth time, having previously won FIFA's top award in 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2015.

Before Modric's victory, Ronaldo and Messi had won every FIFA World Player of the Year award, which was renamed the FIFA Ballon d'Or in 2010 and The Best in 2016, since 2007, when Kaka was victorious.

Messi's win is somewhat of a surprise with Van Dijk, a centre-back who transformed Liverpool's defence on the way to the Champions League crown, having won the European best player award.

In the final voting, Messi finished with 46 points, while Van Dijk (38 points) and Ronaldo (36) finished second and third respectively. The rest of the top 10 was rounded out by Liverpool forwards Mohamed Salah (26) and Sadio Mane (23), Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe (17), former Ajax midfielder Frenkie de Jong (16), ex-Chelsea forward Eden Hazard (16), ex-Ajax defender Matthijs de Ligt (9), and Tottenham striker Harry Kane (5).

All data collected from www.iSportsapi.com.

Pochettino may veto Tottenham star new deal after poor beginning performance

Mauricio Pochettino is unconvinced Jan Vertonghen should be handed a new contract by Tottenham after a downturn in his performances this season, Football Insider has learned.

There are fears that the 116-times Belgium international (as per iSports API FOOTBALL DATA) maybe on the downhill slide following a glittering top-level career for club and country.

The Belgium international has been a nailed-on starter almost throughout the Argentine’s 6-season reign but there are growing signs he is not as effective as he once was.

A Tottenham source has told Football Insider that Pochettino and his coaching lieutenants are concerned about the drop in Vertonghen’s performance levels and aren’t ready to sanction an extension to his current deal, which expires next summer.

This comes after Football Insider revealed earlier this month that the centre-back, 32, is eager to extend his 7-year spell at the club with another extension, according to iSports API data.

Vertonghen has re-established himself in the Tottenham team after being omitted for the first three matches of the season, when Davinson Sanchez partnered Toby Alderweireld in central defence.

Sanchez has moved to right-back for two of the last four games to accommodate Vertonghen, but neither player have looked especially comfortable and Spurs’ defence has been notably sloppy this season.

They lost 2-1 at Leicester City on Saturday after failing to hold on to a lead for the second time in four days, following the midweek 2-2 draw at Olympiakos.

Tottenham’s decision-makers want to see a marked improvement in Vertonghen’s performances before handing him a new contract.

In other Tottenham news, it can be REVEALED that the club are lining up a sensational £60million offer.

Marco Silva admits Theo Walcott is currently unhappy at Everton

A lot was expected out of Theo Walcott heading into the Premier League season but, at the moment, the 30-year-old has only come off the bench three times for a total of 48 minutes， according to iSports API football data.

Though Walcott is currently livid with his current role at the club, manager Marco Silva knows that the England international has what it takes to turn it around and continue acting in a professional manner.

“Theo is unhappy, he has to be unhappy, like Tom Davies or whoever. Theo has to be unhappy but after that you have different ways to react.

“Of course, he was not happy but what I can tell you is that when the chance comes to him again he will be ready because of the way he works. He is an example for some of the others to look at.”

Everton will be back in action on Saturday, when they’ll host Sheffield United at Goodison Park.

Lewandowski happy after scoring 200th Bayern Munich goal

Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski revelled in scoring his 200th competitive goal for the Bundesliga champions.

Lewandowski celebrated a milestone as Bayern opened their Champions League campaign with a 3-0 victory over Red Star Belgrade in Munich on Wednesday.

The 31-year-old striker, who moved onto 199 competitive goals for Bayern in their draw at Bundesliga rivals RB Leipzig last week, poked home the team's second goal with 10 minutes remaining against Red Star.

"We always had the game under control and played well, we upped the pace and created a lot of chances," Lewandowski said as he reflected on the Group B clash.

"But we didn't score enough goals. We always tried to get forward. Sometimes we might have made wrong decisions, but these are little things. In the end it was only three goals, but it could have been five or six.

"You need games like today to help with a good analysis, to see what you can do better. After the second goal, it got easier. I'm glad I scored again."

Lewandowski – the highest-scoring foreigner for Bayern – is fourth on the club's all-time list, behind Rainer Ohlhauser (215), Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (218) and Gerd Muller (564), according to iSports API data.

The Poland international has flourished since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in 2014, winning five successive Bundesliga titles.

Lewandowski – who has also won two DFB-Pokal trophies and three DFL-Supercups – has topped the Bundesliga scoring charts for the past two seasons and four of the past six.

Hat-trick hero Haaland: This is the craziest thing I've ever done in my life

Salzburg sensation Erling Haaland described his stunning Champions League hat-trick as the "craziest thing I've ever done in my life".

Haaland – the son of ex-Manchester City and Leeds United defender Alf Inge – enjoyed a memorable Champions League debut, scoring three first-half goals to inspire a 6-2 rout of Genk on Tuesday.

The 19-year-old became the first teenager to score more than once on his Champions League bow since Wayne Rooney's hat-trick for Manchester United against Fenerbahce in 2004, according to iSports API.

Haaland's treble also saw him become only the eighth player to score three times on debut in Europe's elite competition.

"This is the craziest thing I've ever done in my life," Haaland – who scored 11 league goals heading into the match（as per iSports API data） – said after the Group E opener at Stadio Salzburg.

"The fans today, oh my god. I had goosebumps as soon as I stepped onto the field and I still have. This feeling in my body I never had before."

After crushing Belgian visitors Genk, Haaland does not believe it is impossible for Salzburg to follow in the footsteps of Dutch champions Ajax, who reached the semi-finals last season.

"Everything is possible. We all saw Ajax last year, it would be nice to be the new Ajax," he told UEFA.com. "But we know there are lot of good teams. It's hard, but everything is possible."

Salzburg head coach Jesse Marsch led the praise for Haaland – who scored nine goals for Norway's Under-20 side in a 12-0 demolition of Honduras in May – post-match

Asked to describe Haaland in three words, Marsch replied: "Positive. Energetic. Electric. Or maybe electrifying!"

"Haaland is a great player, but even more for me is that he's a great young man. He shows up every day, he works hard and takes nothing for granted. He gives to his team-mates every day smiling. We're really lucky to have him here and if we can keep him fit, he's only going to get better."

Salzburg team-mates Maximilian Wober and Zlatko Junuzovic also hailed Haaland.
Wober said: "He is phenomenal. With his height, to be so nimble and have such command of the ball. It's really hard to play against him in training, you just have to foul him. Once again, he proved why he's definitely going to become one of the best strikers in the world."

Junuzovic added: "His goalscoring run is incredible. I'm so happy he scored three today. People said: 'okay he's scoring for fun in the league, but wait until he comes to the big stage'. Then he goes and scores another hat-trick!"

Martin Ødegaard didn't think returning to Real Madrid was a good move

Despite bagging 11 goals and dishing out a further 12 assists in 39 matches at Vitesse Arnhem last season(as per iSports API data), once-heralded Martin Ødegaard knew that first-team football at Real Madrid simply wouldn’t be a realistic option this season.

“At the end of last season, I felt it would not be good for me to return to Madrid. In Madrid, there are many good player and the competition is huge. It was obvious that the best for me was to ask for another loan, and I assumed the club would also accept that. Because of that, we decided very early where I would land.”

While signing a two-year extension to keep him at Real Madrid until 2023, the Norway international headed off to fellow LaLiga side Real Sociedad on a season-long loan.

According to iSports API database, Ødegaard has got off to a flying start this season, scoring twice in his first four appearances, including the opener in Saturday’s 2-0 victory over Atlético Madrid. Almost as importantly, he has the full backing of manager Imanol, going the full 90 minutes in each match.

However, the 20-year-old still has his eye on becoming a regular at the Bernabeu. "My objective is still the same, to play for Real Madrid. That’s why I signed with them, because I want to play there one day. I feel that I have improved a lot in the last two years. I think I am a better player and more mature, I am also bigger and stronger. I feel like I am better now than when I first arrived in Spain. Of course, age also helps.”

This Chelsea Defender is the top performing across Europe’s top 5 leagues in 19/20 season

According to statistical results by iSports API, Chelsea player Emerson Palmieri is the top performing left back across Europe’s top 5 leagues so far this season.

He is the only Chelsea representative in the starting 11, that also features Raheem Sterling, Teemu Pukki, and Jadon Sancho to name a few.

The Brazilian has gotten off to a flying start for Chelsea under Frank Lampard, and has been a real menace to The Blues attacks, providing that extra threat on the left.

He’s been strong defensively as well and has improved vastly from last season. So much so that Marcos Alonso isn’t even getting a look in these days.

iSports API football data look at a large amount of stats defensively and offensively, and they scored Emerson a high rating so far. This rating would be much higher should his team not be leaking goals.

The way he is going so far, Chelsea might actually have finally found an Ashley Cole replacement, all these years later.

For more details, please click iSports API.

Bayer Leverkusen’s Kai Havertz is one of Europe’s most prodigious talents

At the tender age of 20, Kai Havertz has already been dubbed as one of the next big stars in football – a future Ballon d’Or winner, a player to stand above the rest.

This is something similar we’ve been hearing about some other youngsters as well, namely Kylian Mbappe, who’s received identical treatment from the media and other stars alike ever since breaking onto the scene.

And similarly to the young World Cup winner, Havertz’s claims seem very much warranted despite his tender. After all, not many can boast the accolade of being crowned Bayer Leverkusen’s player of the season at such a young age, nor can they boast netting an incredible 20 goals and tallying seven assists in just 42 games across all competitions in 2018/19，as per iSports API.

This in itself is already an incredible achievement but what exactly makes Havertz so special and who is this 20-year-old who’s seemingly setting the world alight? Let’s start at the beginning.

Havertz joined the Leverkusen youth in 2010 and has quickly progressed through the ranks, reaching the senior team in 2016. Since then, his estimated value has skyrocketed and now he’s worth £81m, per iSports API.

He’s the second most valuable player in the Bundesliga, only behind Borussia Dortmund’s Jadon Sancho.

The attacking midfielder’s talent is undeniable. Despite not being the finished product just yet, he is already a lethal finisher, exceptionally technical with great vision and versatility while also being physically powerful enough and dominant in the air.

From the looks of it, Havertz truly is the whole package just waiting to be delivered to the doorstep of an elite club. Let’s analyse his traits in more detail.

His technical side can immediately be seen from his passing and dribbling abilities. Last season, according to Wyscout, he boasted 89.6% passing accuracy in Bundesliga with 2.25 long balls per game. Similarly, he attempted 3.76 dribbles per game in 2018/19 with a success rate of 59.1%, accoding to iSports API.

It seems that if they can’t stop him fairly the opponents resort to dropping him to the ground, with Whoscored noting Havertz was fouled 1.5 times per game.

But despite only managing one key pass per game, his assist tally tells a different story. Seven assists throughout all competitions last season is an impressive figure and those usually arrive by virtue of his deadly passes.

We can see the proof of his outstanding vision and passing prowess in his game. Havertz receives the ball in a slightly deeper position and as soon as his spots his teammate’s run, he reacts with a beautiful pass over the defence and into the free pocket of space behind the opposition.

As we’ve seen in the stats above, this is almost a regular occurrence for the young midfielder. His 6ft 2 frame enabled him to win 1.6 aerial duels per Bundesliga game in 2018/19 and that also makes the youngster a real threat in the box in crossing situations. But his talents don’t stop just there.

According to iSports API, Havertz has played in a multitude of positions throughout his career, ranging from central midfield, to number ten, to winger. This versatility makes him an outstanding asset to any team and it offers flexibility when the manager wishes to tinker with his system.

And judging by his heatmap above, Havertz is pretty much active on the whole right side of the pitch, regardless of his delegated position on the teamsheet.

Bayer Leverkusen have a player that offers a variety of different skills including passing, vision, technique, physicality and, most importantly, a finishing prowess that netted him 20 goals across all competitions last season.

But there’s also one final aspect worth discussing and that’s the fact that Havertz is already a clutch player at just 20 years of age.

Bayer Leverkusen played eight games in the Europa League in 2018/19 and he scored three goals and assisted a further three, a remarkable return given the prestige of the competition.

Needless to say, he played a big role in both the Bundesliga and Europa League campaigns for his team and very much deserved the Player of the Season award that was presented to him.

All that remains for us now is to wait and see how high this prodigious talent can rise in the game.

If the story so far is anything to go by, the sky is the limit for Havertz.

Neymar Is The Best Choice For Bacelona To Increase Strength

Barcelona are confident of bringing Neymar back to the club after talks on Tuesday with Paris Saint-Germain.

According to Goal, Barca CEO Oscar Grau travelled to the French capital with a delegation and reportedly offered the Ligue 1 champions €160 million (£144 million) plus additions for the Brazil superstar.

However, PSG want Portugal international Nelson Semedo as part of any deal and would accept €100 million (£90 million) plus the Barca defender. The Spanish champions are reportedly reluctant to let any of their squad depart Catalonia.

The 27-year-old left the Blaugrana for Les Parisiens for a world-record fee of £222 million (£200 million) during 2017's summer transfer window, as per isports API.

However, just two years on, it appears the forward could soon be lining up once again with Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez to form their revered attacking trident. It was felt Neymar wanted to escape the shadow of Messi by leaving Barca, but his two years in the French capital have not brought success in the UEFA Champions League to the Parc des Princes.

The Spanish team have allowed Philippe Coutinho to leave for Bayern Munich on loan with a view to a permanent transfer, and the full-time exit of Neymar's compatriot would open the door for a dramatic return for the PSG talisman.

Barca have continued to dominate in La Liga, but Neymar would be expected to help Ernesto Valverde take the club back to the top of European competition.

Football data collected from iSports API.

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EARLY IMPRESSIONS ON PREMIER LEAGUE BY iSports API

The English Premier League is considered to be the most entertaining competition in the world. Liverpool hosted Norwich in the opening game of the season. The derby between Manchester United and Chelsea was the final showpiece of the weekend. 

After the first two games of each club, iSports API would like to share what impressed us the most. Our focus will be on the top six clubs. 

Manchester City

It is hard to believe that City seem to be even more frightening team this year. The reigning champions have a real strength in depth. They trashed West Ham in their visit to the London Stadium without selecting two of the most important players from last season in their starting line-up. Sergio Aguero was a second-half substitute while Bernardo Silva stayed on the bench for 90 minutes.

However, the Citizens’ performance was not affected by their absence. Raheem Sterling was the man of the match with his hat-trick but Riyad Mahrez (two assists) and Gabriel Jesus (1 goal) also delivered. As Jose Mourinho said, Manchester City B team can be a real title challenger. 

LIVERPOOL

Liverpool enjoyed a successful start of the season beating Norwich comfortably at Anfield. Sadio Mane started on the bench but their attack was firing at full cylinders. Klopp’s men had a 4-0 lead in the 42nd minute. However, that results doesn’t tell the whole story. Liverpool were frustrated by the high press of Norwich. It led to some defensive errors and the Canaries had few good opportunities to score the first goal.

Another setback was the injury of Allison who may be sidelined for some time. The Reds had the best defence in the league last year, so such worries at the back came as a surprise. Klopp needs to find the defensive stability asap as it will be crucial for their title battle.

TOTTENHAM

Spurs strengthened their squad significantly during the summer with the signings of Tanguy Ndombele, Ryan Sessegnon and Giovani Lo Celso. The Frenchman even scored his first goal against Aston Villa. Despite those transfers, Tottenham struggled to break their opponents until late in the game.

The key moment was when Pochettino brought on Christian Eriksen in search of an equaliser. The future of the Danish international is still unclear but his current employers have to make anything possible to keep him at their disposal. Eriksen’s vision and great passing range are vital for Tottenham’s system.

One of the players who usually bear the fruits from his distribution is Harry Kane. Spurs’ talisman had struggled to find form early in the previous seasons but scored twice on Sunday. Tottenham need him to hit the ground running in order to keep pace with the league leaders.

CHELSEA

Frank Lampard had a debut to forget at the helm of Chelsea. His side was beaten 4-0 at Old Trafford but some positives can still be taken from that game. Chelsea were on the front foot from the start and United had no answer to their intensive press early on.

The Blues conceded against the run of play but still hit the woodwork twice in the first half. The second part of the game was a different story and Chelsea’s defence was badly exposed by United’s counter-attacks. Lampard relied on the younger players but he still has to find the right balance. Some of the more experienced team members are about to return from injuries which would help his cause. 

ARSENAL

Unai Emery raised a few eyebrows with his starting line-up against Newcastle. The Gunners signed a couple of players for the first team but none of them started the game. Arsenal fought hard for the three points and Aubameyang showed his poacher instinct again.

Dani Ceballos, Gabriel Martinelli and Nicolas Pepe made their debuts and their fluid integration in the team may not be a bad idea after all. Emery has to find the right formula to win games until that happens.

MANCHESTER UNITED
All debutants performed well in their first outing for the club. Harry Maguire dominated the aerial duels, intercepted a lot of passes and was calm with the ball in his feet. Aaron Wan Bissaka kept making a tackle after tackle and his aggression is a great addition to the team.

Daniel James managed to find the net in his first appearance for the club. Besides the new signings, there were some other positives. Martial and Rashford scored as both will be trusted to replace Lukaku in the attack.

Pogba made two great assists but the speculations about his future are still ongoing. United’s midfield relies on him heavily and the Red Devils were struggling to keep the ball in the first half until he started to perform after the break. His potential department would be a great setback for the team.

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