Category: Sports

Ex-Arsenal defender Bacary Sagna has been impressed with the form of young midfielder Emile Smith-Rowe this season. Newly capped England international Smith-Rowe has been one of the best attacking players in the Arsenal team this season.

Bacary Sagna talked about the quality that Smith-Rowe has shown this season in a chat with freebets. According to the Frenchman, he had a big doubt about the young player when he demanded for the number 10 shirt previously worn by prominent football figures such as Dennis Bergkamp, Robin Van Persie, Mesut Ozil and Jack Wilshere.

Smith-Rowe asked for the said jersey number when he penned a long-term deal with the Gunners in the summer thereby committing his future to the club. Bacary Sagna admitted that he was wrong about Smith-Rowe and that the England player has been able to handle the pressure of the jersey number well to emerge as the joint topscorer for Arsenal in the Premier League.

Arsenal midfielder Smith-Rowe was recently given his international bow after England manager Gareth Southgate promoted him from the Under-21s. Smith-Rowe joined up with the senior team after players like Jack Grealish, Mason Mount, Marcus Rashford and James Ward-Prowse withdrew from the senior team for various reasons.

Smith-Rowe made his debut during the Albania game at home in the World Cup 2022 qualifiers coming in as a substitute for Manchester City star Raheem Sterling in the second half. He made his full debut in the next World Cup qualifier at San Marino and the young Arsenal star was able to score a goal and provide an assist during the game.

Arsenal midfielder Smith-Rowe is the second highest goalscorer at the club this season with five goals behind club skipper Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang who has seven goals in all competitions. Aubameyang and Smith-Rowe are the joint topscorer in the league with four goals.

European champions Chelsea are said to have agreed a deal to sign Fenerbahce defender Attila Szalai as they attempt to boost their options in that area of the team with the long-term futures of defenders Antonio Rudiger, Thiago Silva and Andreas Christensen at the club in serious doubt.

CNN Turk confirmed that Chelsea have reached an agreement over the transfer of Szalai from Turkish Super League giants Fenerbahce.  According to the Turkish media portal, the Blues have agreed a deal worth €23.4m for Hungarian centre back Szalai.

It was also revealed that 23-year-old Fenerbahce defender Szalai has agreed a contract with Chelsea ahead of moving to Stamford Bridge in January. The Hungarian international has agreed a six-year deal with the European champions and he will receive a salary worth €4m on a yearly basis.

Chelsea had always wanted to sign a centre back this season. They were close to signing French international Jules Kounde from Spanish La Liga side Sevilla in the summer, but they were priced out of a move for the player. The West Londoners even tried to offer players in exchange to make it work. Compatriot Kurt Zouma was offered as a part exchange in the quest to sign Kounde, but their bid was unsuccessful. In the end, Kounde stayed at Sevilla, while French defender Zouma sealed a big money move from Chelsea to fellow London team West Ham United. Zouma has been able to push the Hammers to third place on the Premier League log and within three points of leaders Chelsea with his impressive outings.

German international Rudiger, Danish player Christensen and veteran Brazilian star Thiago Silva are all defenders who could leave Chelsea at the end of this season. They all have less than a year left on their respective existing contracts at the club.