Celtic boss Brendan Rodgers has his side on course to win a domestic treble and they could be set to strengthen their hand by offering one of their stars a bumper new deal at Parkhead, per reports.

Celtic's main summer priorities begin to emerge

Everyone has an off-day, and it is fair to say Celtic endured one in their Scottish Premiership defeat to Rangers before the international break, albeit they had several key figures unavailable for selection.

However, it did serve as a valuable reminder not to rest on their laurels. As such, it appears Brendan Rodgers has started to make inroads on potential summer signings.

According to reports, Celtic are eyeing a surprise move for Liverpool outcast Wataru Endo, though the Japan international also has interest from Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Ipswich Town and AC Milan.

Continuing the theme of prospective additions, the Bhoys have Augsburg’s Elvis Rexhbecaj and former defender Kristoffer Ajer on their shortlist. The former has previously worked alongside Arne Engels in the engine room, which may throw up a compelling scenario as Rodgers aims to maximise the compatibility of his existing pool.

Celtic star who "raises the bar" has become the club's new Aiden McGeady

Celtic have found their new version of Aidan McGeady with their current Hoops wizard.

ByDan Emery Mar 27, 2025

From an internal standpoint, Celtic could have a fight on their hands to retain star assets. Reo Hatate and Nicolas Kuhn are bound to attract admirers, while Cameron Carter-Vickers and Alistair Johnston’s solidity within the backline is something the Bhoys will be reticent to lose before next season’s Champions League qualifiers.

Looking to protect the club from losing premium talent, Rodgers has now detailed discussions over a new deal for one of his most impressive performers this term.

Brendan Rodgers wants new Daizen Maeda contract at Celtic

Speaking in his pre-match press conference before the Bhoys took on Heart of Midlothian, Rodgers revealed that Celtic want to tie Daizen Maeda down to a new contract following his excellent run of form and he has spoken to Dermot Desmond about the potential scope for his renewal.

He stated: “Absolutely, if there is that possibility to do that. I’ve spoken with Dermot (Desmond) and the club and spoken with the player. Hopefully in the future that is something that can be done.

Celtic’s next fixtures in all competitions before Scottish Premiership split

St Johnstone (A)

Scottish Premiership

Kilmarnock (H)

Scottish Premiership

St Johnstone

Scottish Cup semi-final

“He’s been absolutely brilliant for us this season. Wherever he’s played, however he’s played, he’s had an amazing season. So of course you would love to tie up one of your best players.”

In the form of his life, Maeda has registered 30 goals and nine assists in 43 appearances this campaign. Considering that his career tally sits at the 112 mark, that goes some way to showing how prolific he has been in green and white of late.

Adam Idah has failed to break the Japan international’s hold on a starting slot through the middle, which is a testament to his work in the centre-forward role since Kyogo Furuhashi’s departure.

Taking proactive steps, Celtic will hope they can secure his future on a new long-term agreement to ward off advances from suitors once the window opens.

The Fulham striker dismissed the idea of a true football rivalry between El Tri and La Albiceleste.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Mexico and Argentina have met four times at the World Cup, with four wins for
• Mexico’s last victory over Argentina came in the 2004 Copa América
• In 32 total meetings, Argentina leads the series with 16 wins, 12 draws, and just 4 victories for Mexico

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Raúl Jiménez, striker for Fulham and a regular with the Mexican national team, weighed in on recent remarks made by Lionel Messi regarding the supposed football rivalry between Mexico and Argentina—and he didn’t disagree.

  Speaking in April on the podcast , Messi had dismissed the idea of a rivalry, saying he didn’t understand where it came from. He emphasized that, although he’s always felt respected by Mexican fans, the football gap between the two nations is too wide to call it a rivalry.

  "I honestly don’t know where this rivalry started. I've always felt very appreciated in Mexico and never disrespected anyone. But people there seem to have built a rivalry with us that doesn’t exist. There’s really no comparison between Argentina and Mexico," said Messi, who currently plays for Inter Miami.

  Asked about those comments in a recent interview, Jiménez echoed a similar sentiment. While acknowledging that some fans feel tension when the two sides meet, he admitted the results speak for themselves.

  “There’s no real rivalry between Mexico and Argentina, there’s a bit, but mostly from the Mexican side. The truth is, Argentina has beaten us more often, they have a richer football history, they've gone deeper in major tournaments, and they just won the last World Cup,” said Jiménez. “So, in a way, Messi's right. I want to see Mexico up there, competing at that level, but it’s hard to argue against what he said.”

  Jiménez also noted that social media tends to amplify these debates, turning them into confrontations between fan bases. “That’s just how social media works—everyone against everyone,” he added, choosing not to escalate the topic further.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mexico and Argentina have met four times on the World Cup stage – in 1930, 2006, 2010, and 2022 – and all four matches ended in victories for . For Mexican fans, those defeats – especially the knockout stage exits in 2006 and 2010 – still leave a painful mark.

  The 2006 Round of 16 clash remains one of the most heartbreaking. Despite a strong performance from , Argentina edged out the win thanks to an unforgettable extra-time goal by Maxi Rodríguez. That match saw Mexico go toe-to-toe with a squad featuring Lionel Messi, holding their own and arguably outplaying their South American rivals for long stretches.

  In South Africa 2010, the story repeated itself – Argentina again eliminated Mexico in the Round of 16, this time with a brace from Carlos Tévez and a goal by Gonzalo Higuaín. Javier 'Chicharito' Hernández found the net for Mexico, offering a glimmer of hope, but the team would ultimately lose 3-1.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Hernández remains Mexico's all-time leading scorer with 52 goals, followed by Jared Borgetti with 46, and Raúl Jiménez with 39 – though unofficially he has 40, as one goal has yet to be recognized by FIFA.

  This summer, has a real shot at closing the gap, especially with Mexico facing a packed schedule leading up to the 2026 World Cup, including several friendlies and the Gold Cup.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR MEXICO NATIONAL TEAM?

  Mexico will face Switzerland on Saturday in Utah, followed by a match against Turkey on June 10 in North Carolina. will then kick off their Gold Cup campaign on June 14 against the Dominican Republic at SoFi Stadium.

The opener is looking forward to the battle against Broad and Anderson, but will go to England with “low expectations”

AAP15-May-2023Usman Khawaja says he has learned plenty from his two underwhelming tours of England as he prepares for what he calls the toughest test for a top-order batter.The 36-year-old opener will be integral to Australia’s chances of retaining the Ashes when the first of five Tests begin in Birmingham on June 16, following the World Test Championship [WTC] final against India at The Oval.Khawaja toured England in 2013 and 2019 for a meagre return of 236 runs in six Tests at an average of 19.66. He was dropped midway through the 2019 Ashes and spent almost three years on the outer before a triumphant return to the Test side that has reaped 1608 runs in 16 Tests at an average of 69.91, including six centuries.Related

Bowling 'a bit of a challenge' for Stokes ahead of the Ashes

James Anderson groin strain raises England Ashes fears

Australia men set to host Pakistan and West Indies in packed home summer

“England is, in my opinion, the toughest place in the world to bat for top-three batsmen,” Khawaja said. “In 2013, I was quite young and it was a pretty s*** tour, if I am being honest. It was tough work. I learned a lot from that tour.””My last series there [in 2019] it was a tough series for batsmen. The whole tour will show you that, other than Steven Smith who was on another planet.”Khawaja said it was a “learning experience” with a couple of key takeaways.”If I’ve learned anything, it is work hard, train hard and [when] going to England, go with low expectations,” he grinned. “You are going to fail as a batsman, but when you do score you try to cash in as much as you can.”

“I’ve been dropped seven times in Test cricket and I’ve come back, and there’s a reason for that…because I’ve always scored runs consistently in first-class cricket and fought my way back”Usman Khawaja

It is the challenge against the England pace duo of James Anderson and Stuart Broad that has Khawaja enthused.”Anderson and Broad…they are unbelievable bowlers and tough work at the start,” he said. “That’s what makes it so awesome when you do score runs and you contribute to a winning team, which hopefully I’ll do and others will do over there.”When you do it against guys like Broad and Anderson in England, it’s just that much more satisfying.”Khawaja believed that Australia had been too “reactive” in dropping players in the past, including himself, after the odd failure.”I’ve always been big on just picking your best players and sticking with them because they’ll score you the most runs consistently, and I think over the years in selection for Australian cricket, we have chased our tail a little bit trying to pick players in form,” he said.”Form is temporary. Class is not. I think the new selectors, with [coach] Andrew McDonald up the top, understand that part of the game and hence there has been a lot more stability in selecting and picking players and sticking with them.””I’ve been dropped seven times in Test cricket and I’ve come back, and there’s a reason for that…because I’ve always scored runs consistently in first-class cricket and fought my way back.”

Former captain weighs in on Australia’s attack for Edgbaston, and Pat Cummins’ no-ball issues at the WTC final

Andrew McGlashan09-Jun-20230:51

Smith: ‘Intrigued to see how Bazball goes against us’

Ricky Ponting believes that Josh Hazlewood will start the opening Ashes Test at Edgbaston ahead of Scott Boland if he is fully fit.Hazlewood was withdrawn from Australia’s World Test Championship (WTC) squad after it was decided he was not quite ready following his truncated IPL, from which he returned home with some side soreness although he was later cleared of any injury.He was said to be “very close” to being available and is on track for the first Test against England, but Boland has continued to make a strong case to be selected as one of Australia’s three specialist quicks.He was the pick of the bowlers in the first innings of the WTC final against India with 2 for 59 from 20 overs, removing Shubman Gill with one that nipped back on the second evening then spearing a delivery through KS Bharat with the second ball of the third day.”Nothing changes for me,” Ponting said. “If Hazlewood is fit and they are 100% convinced that he can get through the game, then I think he’ll start, but if he doesn’t you have a pretty good back-up.”Hazlewood has only played four Tests in this WTC cycle through a combination of injury and the balance of the side on the subcontinent. He made an impressive return against South Africa at the SCG in January but picked up an Achillies injury due to the soft run-ups.Over the last 18 months, Boland has made a remarkable start to his Test career, bursting onto the scene with 6 for 7 at the MCG in the previous Ashes, and appears to be a bowler with all the attributes to be successful with the Dukes ball in England.”Scotty is very impressive,” Ponting said. “The thing the selectors might be thinking about is Josh’s injury record over the last few years. When you look at it, with Scotty bowling the way he is, it’s a pretty compelling argument to say is he in their starting XI for the first Test.”Looking ahead, though, with five Test matches in six weeks, don’t think we can expect either bowling group to get through [fully], both teams will probably have to rest a quick or two here and there through the series.”However, Ponting added that he thinks Pat Cummins’ stated ambition to play all six Tests in the condensed schedule is possible because of the presence of Cameron Green in Australia’s line-up.”In series gone by, where there hasn’t’ been that world-class allrounder to throw the ball to for 15 overs an innings, then it would have been less likely,” he said. “But I think if Pat manages himself well enough, with Green there to help out, I think the captain can get through.”Cummins took three wickets in India’s first innings but cost himself three due to no-balls. On the second day he would have removed both Ravindra Jadeja and Ajinkya Rahane lbw, then on the third he pinned Shardul Thakur in front but was marginally over again.In all Cummins was called for six no-balls, the most he has sent down in an international innings, and Ponting said it was a symptom of his lengthy layoff from the game having not played competitively since the end of February when he left the tour of India early for personal reasons. However, there is evidence that he has been called more frequently since the automated front-foot technology was introduced.”Simple, he’s lacking rhythm, he hasn’t played for three months,” Ponting said. “He’s bowled six no-balls in this innings, two [three] of them have cost him wickets…but he’s never been someone that I can remember that’s been plagued by any kind of no-ball issue.”I just think it’s because he’s not back into full game mode, and not back into his full rhythm. As today went on, I did think he looked better and I think he’ll be better in the second innings as well.”

Former Manchester United star Michael Carrick has been sacked by Middlesbrough, the club have confirmed.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Ex-United star relieved of his duties Boro failed to reach play-offsAxed after 10th-placed finishFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Middlesbrough have confirmed that Carrick has been sacked, after a 10th-placed finish in the Championship. The ex-United midfielder was appointed in 2022 but has overseen two consecutive seasons in which the Riverside club have failed to make the play-offs. In 2023-24, they finished eighth, four points behind the final play-off place, and in 2024-25, they were again four points off the pace.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE

Carrick guided Boro to just one win in their final six games. In his first campaign, the club finished fourth, but they lost to Coventry City in the play-off semi-finals. Along with the ex-England midfielder, Jonathan Woodgate, the former Tottenham and Real Madrid defender, has also left the club, having worked as his assistant.

WHAT MIDDLESBROUGH SAID

Middlesbrough's statement read: "Middlesbrough Football Club has today parted company with head coach Michael Carrick.

"Michael's assistants Jonathan Woodgate and Graeme Carrick have also departed the club. We'd like to thank Michael, Jonathan, and Graeme for all their hard work and unwavering commitment. We wish them all the very best for the future. The club will be making no further comment at this stage."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Reports suggest that Middlesbrough could now move for former Luton Town boss Rob Edwards to replace Carrick.

Aston Villa are seriously interested in a move for a “world-class” player this summer, and he is now set to be available for half the original asking price, according to a report.

Villa targeting big-name signings

Villa have started to reestablish themselves as one of Europe’s top clubs, having progressed to the Champions League quarter-finals, which means they should be in a strong position to attract some big-name signings from across the continent this summer.

Atalanta’s Ademola Lookman, who scored a hat-trick in last season’s Europa League final, has now emerged as a target, with the Villans keen on signing the £54m-rated forward, while they are also pushing to sign Barcelona’s Ferran Torres.

It seems as though strengthening in attack may be one of Unai Emery’s priorities this summer, amid other links to Chelsea’s Joao Felix, who is currently on loan at AC Milan, and Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Related Aston Villa now pushing to beat Leeds in race to sign £20m+ Rangers star

Aston Villa are in a fierce race to sign a midfielder who has been impressing this season.

Posts 2 ByBrett Worthington Mar 27, 2025

While bringing in new attacking options is of key significance, with Marco Asensio and Marcus Rashford also in line for potential permanent moves to Villa Park, a new report suggests Emery is also keen on bolstering his options at the opposite end of the pitch.

According to TEAMtalk, Aston Villa are now strongly considering a move for AC Milan’s Mike Maignan this summer, with the goalkeeper set to be available for 50% of the original asking price.

Maignan was valued at around £67m last summer, but if he is unwilling to sign a new contract, he is set to be on the market for roughly half that figure, around £34m.

The Serie A side may be forced to cash-in on some key players if they fail to qualify for the Champions League, and the 29-year-old could be in line for a move to Villa Park, but there may be competition for his signature from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Maignan ranked among "world's best" keepers

Just under two years ago, the Frenchman was lauded as the “world’s best” goalkeeper by football writer Carlo Garganese, and he has a plethora of experience at the top level, having made 32 appearances in the Champions League.

That said, there are doubts over whether the Cayenne-born goalkeeper would be a necessary addition for Villa, given that he is less than three years younger than Emiliano Martínez, who has also proven himself to be a top goalkeeper.

Moreover, while the “world-class” France international remains his country’s first-choice goalkeeper, mistakes have started to creep into his game this season, which be a major concern for Emery.

As such, there is little reason to risk upsetting the apple cart by bringing in Maignan to replace Martinez this summer, and Villa would be better off investing the money into other areas of the squad, such as striker, with a replacement needed for Jhon Duran.

تحصل فريق بوروسيا دورتموند على بطاقة التأهل إلى منافسات ربع نهائي بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، نسخة 2025، بعد فوزه المثير ضد نظيره فريق مونتيري فجر يوم الأربعاء.

وتلاقى الفريقان في خضم منافسات دور الـ16 من بطولة كأس العالم للأندية، التي تستضيفها أمريكا في الوقت الحالي حتى 13 يوليو الجاري.

وحقق بوروسيا دورتموند الألماني فوزًا على مونتيري المكسيكي، بهدفين لهدف، في آخر لقاءات دور الـ16 من البطولة. أهداف مباراة بوروسيا دورتموند ومونتيري في كأس العالم للأندية

كان سيرهو جيراسي قد سجل هدف بوروسيا دورتموند الأول في شباك مونتيري، في الدقيقة 14 من عمر الشوط الأول.

وفي الدقيقة 24 من عمر الشوط نفسه، عاد جيراسي لزيارة شباك مونتيري بعدما سجل الهدف الثاني له ولكتيبة بوروسيا دورتموند.

وتحصل جوب بيلينجهام، لاعب بوروسيا دورتموند، على بطاقة صفراء في الدقيقة 28، مما يعني غيابه مواجهة شقيقه جود بيلينجهام رفقة ريال مدريد، نتيجة تراكم البطاقات.

ورفض مونتيري الاستسلام حيث قلص النتيجة بعدما سجل الهدف الأول في شباك بوروسيا دورتموند، في الدقيقة 48، عن طريق اللاعب جيرمان بيرترامي.

وحاول مونتيري أكثر من مرة للوصول إلى شباك بوروسيا دورتموند، ولكن الحظ لم يحالفهم، لينتهي اللقاء لصالح الفريق الألماني.

بهذه النتيجة، يتأهل بوروسيا دورتموند إلى ربع نهائي كأس العالم للأندية حيث سيواجه ريال مدريد في مباراة ساخنة للغاية.

Leeds United fans will be experiencing a serious case of deja vu at the moment as their side begin to wobble towards the back end of the Championship promotion race.

Indeed, last campaign, Daniel Farke’s Whites had to make do with a playoff spot and lost the resulting final at Wembley, meaning another collapse at this stage with Leeds occupying an automatic promotion position would be an almighty kick in the teeth.

Therefore, everything will be crossed in West Yorkshire that they can get over the line, rewriting the narrative that the club often bottles the big occasion.

Whether promotion is sealed or not, the manager occupying the Elland Road dug-out will continue to select a whole host of exciting youngsters when they’re deemed first-team-ready, with the Whites boasting a fantastic track record concerning their homegrown gems.

The best young stars to come through at Thorp Arch

Farke has been unafraid to chuck promising starlets into the first team picture, with the German boss kickstarting Archie Gray’s insane rise in the Whites senior set-up.

All 52 of Gray’s first team appearances in West Yorkshire fell under the ex-Norwich City manager’s guidance, leading to Leeds cashing in on their versatile 19-year-old when playoff heartbreak then followed which gifted the promotion nearly men a bumper £30m.

Away from losing Gray’s services, Farke also has the likes of Mateo Joseph at his disposal up top, with the academy product bagging three goals from 11 Championship starts this season.

But, of course, discussions surrounding the cream of the crop to have come through the Thorp Arch ranks wouldn’t be complete without Kalvin Phillips’ name, with the Leeds-born midfielder notching up 14 goals and 13 assists from 234 games before an adventure out to Manchester City occurred.

Whilst that big switch hasn’t worked out, the Whites are now being linked with a reunion deal for the 29-year-old.

But, the promotion chasers might well have the next best thing away from Phillips in another up-and-coming youngster.

The next top youngster at Leeds

Casting an eye at the current talent in the U21 age bracket at Leeds, there should be plenty of faces ready to make the leap up to the first team very soon.

One of those wide-eyed starlets with a very bright future at the Championship side is 18-year-old Rhys Chadwick, who will fancy his chances at being the next Phillips when glancing at his classy midfield ability.

Capable of playing further forward as a number ten or as a more defensive option centrally, Chadwick is now up to 70 appearances for both the U21s and U18s, with goals and assists coming like clockwork for him this campaign.

This season alone, the teenage sensation boasts six goals and six assists from 18 total clashes, with his aforementioned versatility also drawing some similarities to the recently departed Gray, as Chadwick aims to potentially replicate the 19-year-old’s whirlwind story very soon.

Looking at the table above, much like Gray who had to fill in at right-back under Farke, the 18-year-old can do a job wherever necessary, with two of his appearances this season in Premier League 2 coming up top.

But, Farke would likely want to utilise Chadwick in a more central role, particularly with the fact Joe Rothwell could be off at the end of the campaign when his loan deal expires.

Bumping the teenager up to the senior fold would also mean Leeds don’t have to risk splashing the cash on Phillips to come good, with a further likelihood that Chadwick could find himself on this list of record sales if everything goes to plan, becoming another £30m talent in the process.

Worth more than Phillips: Leeds have hit the jackpot with "monster" star

Leeds United are certainly reaping the rewards of their hard work in the market given one player’s rise.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 16, 2025

Arsenal’s Hale End academy is quickly becoming recognised as one of the best youth systems in the country.

It’s an academy set-up to have produced Jack Wilshere, to have brought through Emile Smith Rowe and to have nurtured Bukayo Saka.

The stable of talent they have coming through isn’t slowing down either with Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly both becoming huge parts of Mikel Arteta’s first-team this season.

15-year-old Max Dowman is also making a huge impression for the U18s this term and has already become a household name among Arsenal supporters despite not making his senior debut yet.

Nwaneri – who made his bow at the same age – has understandably been collecting most of the hype this season. Only Wayne Rooney and Michael Owen scored more goals for a Premier League club in all competitions before turning 18 than the talented Arsenal gem.

He’s not the only one to have replicated their feats this term.

Myles Lewis-Skelly's England debut in numbers

When Thomas Tuchel announced his first England squad a little over a week ago, there were some notable surprises.

Jordan Henderson, now of Ajax, was back in the squad. There was a place for Marcus Rashford too. Yet, Lewis-Skelly’s inclusion wasn’t that much of a shock.

After all, his performances since making his first-team debut last September have been nothing short of incredible.

A midfielder by trade, the 18-year-old has played as a left-back, inverting into central pockets of space and driving forward with the ball. He’s been here, there and everywhere, something symbolised by his only club goal to date, a gorgeous curling effort against Manchester City. We all remember the celebration.

Well, if he needed to make another statement to the doubters over his qualities, he did so on his England debut, a 2-0 win over Albania on Friday night.

Lewis-Skelly started at left-back and scored the first goal of the Tuchel era, racing in behind to get on the end of a quite delicious ball from Jude Bellingham, before nutmegging the goalkeeper. Only the aforementioned Owen and Rooney have been younger when scoring England goals.

His interview with clubmate Declan Rice after the game was lovely, with the Arsenal midfielder hailing him as a “fearless” talent.

The goal wasn’t the only impressive part of the teenager’s game, as the numbers below suggest.

It’s been quite the rise for the Arsenal teen this season. He’s featured on 26 occasions for the first team in 2024/25 and as Rice says, this is only the beginning.

Minutes played

89

Touches

87

Accurate passes

69/74 (93%)

Key passes

0

Duels won

3/3

Possession lost

7x

Fouled

2x

Successful dribbles

1/1

Arsenal will just hope his career doesn’t go in the same direction as another of Hale End’s best talents.

What happened to Arsenal's original Myles Lewis-Skelly

Through every academy there are thousands of players who never quite made the grade, eventually falling out of football.

For plenty, they stay in football but end up in the football league. Then, you have the elite, the players who do make the grade, graduating out of the academy and thriving at the top level.

For Ainsley Maitland-Niles, that story is certainly true. A midfielder by trade – like Lewis-Skelly – he made his debut for the senior side on 9th December 2014.

It was a Champions League tie with Galatasaray where Arsene Wenger introduced the teenager into the action as a substitute for Aaron Ramsey.

He was just 17 years and 102 days old, making him the second youngest player to have represented the club in the Champions League, behind Jack Wilshere. His future looked bright.

Right midfield

95

Right-back

79

Central midfield

52

Defensive midfield

30

Left-back

26

Left midfield

22

Centre-back

3

Attacking midfield

2

However, with a number of top midfielders in his way, the spritely academy graduate ended up playing more as a wing-back or full-back. You can see where we’re heading here with the Lewis-Skelly comparisons.

He even made his England debut at left-back, appearing in that position due to injuries elsewhere.

However, while Maitland-Niles looked like he had huge potential, he was never hugely keen on establishing himself as a full-back and wanted to play in midfield.

Indeed, upon heading on loan to West Brom in 2021, Sam Allardyce noted: “The problem with Ainsley is his position. His only position that he wants to play is centre midfield. The reason he came to West Brom – which he forced through – Edu and Arteta didn’t want him to come, was because I said he’d play in midfield.”

Well, with that in mind, his future was never going to be at Arsenal under the current manager. In the summer of 2023, his contract expired and he left on a free transfer. Lyon came calling where, coincidentally, he’s still playing as a full-back.

During his debut campaign in France, he made 29 appearances, catching the eye with two goals and four assists while this term, the 27-year-old has played 34 times, scoring one and supplying five assists.

His numbers and overall performances in Ligue 1 have actually seen calls for an England inclusion, with French football expert Matt Spiro commenting in December: “Ainsley Maitland-Niles should now be in the conversation [for England]. He’s playing the best football of his career with Lyon.”

So, while things didn’t pan out as he would have hoped at the Emirates, it’s nice to see Arsenal’s original Lewis-Skelly thriving elsewhere.

Arsenal starlet was ahead of Nwaneri & Lewis-Skelly, then he left for £1m

Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are two of the finest talents to emerge from the Arsenal academy.

ByMatt Dawson Mar 23, 2025

Thomas Partey has provided a cryptic update on his Arsenal future with the Gunners continuing talks to extend the Ghanaian's contract.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Partey's contract set to run out his summer
• Ghanaian in contact with Arsenal over extension
• Partey opens up on his future amid rumours

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Partey's Arsenal contract is set to run out, and the Ghanaian midfielder had been expected to leave the Emirates this summer. However, the North London side are also continuing talks with Partey over an extension as they may be open to keeping him at the club.

Advertisement

• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Partey has been linked with a number of clubs over a potential free transfer, with the likes of Barcelona and Atletico Madrid said to be interested. However, Partey has now opened up on his future while claiming that he himself "can't decide" as he wants to take into account the happiness of his family.

• WHAT PARTEY SAID

  Speaking to 3Sports, Partey said: “I think the first thing is where are you happy and where do you feel at home. At the end of the day you’ve been in football, you’ve been in different teams.

  “Then it’s about what is your next objective what do you want to achieve next. You still have to look at all this and at the end of the day we all have a family that needs money, this is our mind.

  “We are not getting younger. There are a lot of things where you have to look now with a family, where you want them to be happy. When you are young you just play anywhere.

  “I’m an Arsenal fan, I can’t decide anything and just have to leave it to my agent and the club. Me, I just want to enjoy football.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR PARTEY?

  The Ghanaian has been a part of Arsenal's first team since 2020, however, the Gunners have been attempting to reinvigorate their squad this summer. With Martin Zubimendi expected to sign with Mikel Arteta's side, Partey may not be required in the squad moving forward.