Anantaajith Raghuraman

As revealed in today's Transfer DealSheet, Arsenal are exploring the addition of a more versatile attacking player, such as Noni Madueke, Eberechi Eze or Morgan Rogers.

What would Madueke, Eze or Rogers offer Arsenal?

📝 @thom-harris.bsky.social and @anantaajith.bsky.social

🔗 bit.ly/4kmYqEH

Rayan Cherki to Manchester City: Transfers TLDR The France forward's move to the Etihad Stadium from Lyon has been confirmed - this is everything you need to know...

In the latest Transfers TLDR, @stevemadeley78.bsky.social, @anantaajith.bsky.social and @cweatherspoon.bsky.social explain the deal that saw Rayan Cherki join Manchester City:

🔹 His backstory in 100 words
🔹 How he'll fit into Pep Guardiola's team
🔹 Financial details and PSR impact for both clubs

The Transfer DealSheet: Latest on Man Utd, Arsenal, Liverpool, Real Madrid and more Welcome to the first edition of The Athletic's Transfer DealSheet for the summer transfer window

Welcome to the first edition of The Transfer DealSheet for the 2025 summer window.

This is our weekly guide to the transfer market.

■ @david-ornstein.bsky.social's One To Watch
■ Arsenal exploring Leroy Sane option
■ Manchester City exploring Rayan Cherki deal

Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool – Transfers TLDR Liverpool have announced the signing of full-back Frimpong from Bayer Leverkusen - here's all you need to know about the move...

The second in @theathleticfc.bsky.social Transfers TLDR series went live today, with @caoimhesport.bsky.social @anantaajith.bsky.social and @cweatherspoon.bsky.social outlining all you need to know about Jeremie Frimpong to Liverpool.

Matheus Cunha to Manchester United – Transfers TLDR United have announced their first summer signing has been agreed - here's all you need to know about Matheus Cunha.

With the CWC-related transfer window opening yesterday, @cweatherspoon.bsky.social and @anantaajith.bsky.social kicked off @theathleticfc.bsky.social transfer coverage with our new Transfer TDLR series, looking at Matheus Cunha to Manchester United.

Adam Wharton’s passing playbook: Quick switches of play and a natural eye for progression The Crystal Palace midfielder takes risks with his passes, pushing incisively through pressure and propelling his team up the pitch

Adam Wharton's passing playbook: Quick switches of play and a natural eye for progression

The England international is the risk taker at the heart of the #CPFC midfield, and key to their approach

Analysis from @thom-harris.bsky.social and @anantaajith.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/athletic/635...

Absolutely delighted to have been able to write one of The Athletic's first cricket features - and no one better to write it about than the amazing Virat Kohli!

A phenomenal cricketer with a generational body of work in whites to renew global interest in Test cricket when it was ebbing away 💯

What Man United and Spurs’ three games this season tell us ahead of Europa League final Analysing every meeting between the teams in this campaign for any clues ahead of their showdown in Bilbao on May 21

Manchester United and Tottenham have played three times this season... and Tottenham have won all three.

Ahead of their fourth meeting in the Europa League final,
@anantaajith.bsky.social analyses what we can learn from those previous meetings — particularly why United keep losing.

Barcelona 3 Real Madrid 2 – Jules Kounde the unlikely hero in epic Copa del Rey final Kounde scored the decisive goal at the end of extra time to kick-start Barca's quest for a treble of trophies

Jules Kounde was the unlikely hero in an epic Copa del Rey final as Barcelona kick-started their treble quest.

The key points from a dramatic cup final...

📝 @dermotmcorrigan.bsky.social @anantaajith.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/athletic/630...

Breaking down the 11 minutes of chaos at the end of Manchester United’s 5-4 win over Lyon In a chaotic finale at Old Trafford, United threw caution to the wind and profited via Leny Yoro, Casemiro and Kobbie Mainoo's composure

This was originally meant to be a breakdown of what #MUFC did well in the first half
But by the time Maguire scored, that idea was long gone
So here's a breakdown of those final 11 mins of ET - another nudge to relive the glorious chaos

@theathleticfc.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/athletic/628...

At start of the season, The Athletic’s Opta-powered projections had Manchester City and Real Madrid as the most likely sides to win the Champions League.

But Arsenal's steady rise now means they are the tournament favourites, just ahead of Barcelona.

✍️ @anantaajith.bsky.social

🔗 bit.ly/4j7o1S1

Arsenal striker options: Gyokeres, Sesko, Isak, Watkins, Cunha compared Arteta needs a centre-forward this summer, but cost, style and age need to be taken into consideration. We weigh up five contenders.

A centre-forward tops Arsenal's priority list this summer — but how do those of interest compare?

Art de Roché and @anantaajith.bsky.social look at:

🇸🇪 Viktor Gyokeres
🇸🇮 Benjamin Sesko
🇸🇪 Alexander Isak
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 Ollie Watkins
🇧🇷 Matheus Cunha

Why Manchester United’s Andre Onana has started going long more often Personnel and problems when playing the ball out of the back are both factors for Onana's recent change in passing style

Why Andre Onana has been going long with his passes and goal kicks

It's not by accident, but a change led by Ruben Amorim and his coaching staff

w/ @anantaajith.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/622...

How Chelsea secured Geovany Quenda, Man Utd interest and his style of play Chelsea have reached an agreement to sign Geovany Quenda — this is what it means

Chelsea & their move for Geovany Quenda:

🔹 #CFC believe he's one of the top three under-23 wingers in the world
🔹 They want five wingers for the two wide roles
🔹 Left flank is where he'll most likely play

📝 @sjohnsonsport.bsky.social, @lauriewhitwell.bsky.social & @anantaajith.bsky.social

Manchester United needed a big performance — and they got one.

A thrilling win over Real Sociedad featured three penalties and a red card - but United also needed a slice of luck at Old Trafford.

🔗 www.nytimes.com/athletic/619...

Benfica 0 Barcelona 1 – Raphinha’s flexibility? Impressive De Jong? Star Szczesny? Barcelona managed a 1-0 win over Benfica despite going down to 10 men as they triumphed in the Champions League round of 16 first leg

Snap piece with @anantaajith.bsky.social on really impressive win for Barca - with De Jong and Szczesny both showing why Flick has shown such faith in them www.nytimes.com/athletic/617...

When Liam Delap dominates, people notice – no wonder big clubs are keeping tabs on him One of the breakout stars of the season in the Premier League, the 22-year-old striker looks certain to be hot property next summer

Been my favourite centre forward in the Premier League this season. Will do great for England and is key to keeping #ITFC up. Rarely do struggling sides have a striker like him. Great insight here from @dansheldon.bsky.social and @anantaajith.bsky.social

📍Brighton covering #BHACHE for @theathleticfc.bsky.social

Real Madrid 1 Atletico Madrid 1 – Controversial penalty, Mbappe hits back, where does it leave title race? Madrid and Atletico played out a 1-1 draw at the Bernabeu with plenty of controversy

Snap piece from Bernabeu with @anantaajith.bsky.social on derbi which had more incident than quality and where Madrid misses mean three-way La Liga title race looks on

www.nytimes.com/athletic/611...

How Bournemouth became the Premier League’s best team to watch – and worst to play against How the division's smallest club took a risk, backed their talented head coach, recruited smartly and refined their style

Bournemouth under Andoni Iraola: pressing machine, transition monsters and a direct approach on the ball.

Analysing their incredible performances this season with @liamtharme.bsky.social

#AFCB

www.nytimes.com/athletic/609...

Yamal, Raphinha, Lewandowski: What makes Barcelona’s front three so deadly? Second only to Liverpool's front three in terms of their productivity, Barca's frontline are rightly receiving plenty of praise

Raphinha, Lewandowski and Yamal have become one of Europe's best attacking trios this season. A deep dive into how they work so well together for @theathleticfc.bsky.social:

www.nytimes.com/athletic/609...

The first $1m female footballer will be a defender and that feels just right Naomi Girma's impending move to Chelsea is indicative of a trend in the women's game where defensive players are among the most treasured

Very interesting that the new world record fee in the women's game will be for a defender. That hasn't been the case in the men's game since Sunderland paid £5,500 to South Shields for Warneford Cresswell in 1922. Here's why it makes more sense in women's football.
www.nytimes.com/athletic/608...

Eddie’s choice: Should Newcastle stick with Martin Dubravka or bring back Nick Pope? Analysis of both goalkeepers' pros and cons

⚫ Why different to last season 📈
⚪ Stats compared 🔎
⚫ Has Dubravka contributed to or benefitted from defensive improvements? 🤔
⚪ Pope shotstopping 🧤
⚫ Dubravka distribution dimension ⚽

⚖️ Howe's #NUFC GK call: stick w/ Dubravka or restore Pope?
www.nytimes.com/athletic/608...

United's players seemed conflicted on whether to follow Amorim's instructions to the T or counter the situation against Brighton using their instincts. Full breakdown of the final period of United-Brighton @theathleticfc.bsky.social ⏬

That Pedri pass was ridiculous. 🫡

#GetafeBarça

Erling Haaland signs new nine-and-a-half-year Manchester City contract Erling Haaland has committed the vast majority of his career to Manchester City by signing an extraordinary new contract that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2034. Haaland’s pr...

𝗘𝘅𝗰𝗹𝘂𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲: Erling Haaland has committed the vast majority of his career to Manchester City by signing an extraordinary new contract that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until the summer of 2034.

Full story from @david-ornstein.bsky.social ⤵️

bit.ly/4gUkINd

Arsenal may be the best out-of-possession team in the world Arsenal's title bid relies on them maintaining their performance without the ball while finding a more clinical edge when they have it

Piece on Arsenal’s pressing in the first half against Tottenham, which I thought was brilliant.

www.nytimes.com/athletic/606...

Arsenal 2 Tottenham 1 – Does win help title hopes? Should corner have been given? Arsenal beat Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on Wednesday to move within four points of the top of the Premier League

Full breakdown of the NLD is up on @theathleticfc.bsky.social now featuring Arsenal's title chances, shaky Kinsky and a dodgy corner...

With @jackpittbrooke.bsky.social Art de Roche and @anantaajith.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/athletic/606...

Aston Villa agree Donyell Malen transfer fee with Borussia Dortmund Aston Villa have agreed a €23million (£19.4m, $23.5m) plus €3m in add-ons deal with Borussia Dortmund to sign forward Donyell Malen. The Athletic reported earlier this month that Villa had opened talk...

Aston Villa have agreed a deal to sign Donyell Malen from Borussia Dortmund. Fee worth €23million+£3million in add-ons. #AVFC wanted a versatile forward and Malen had been a target for over a year. Story @theathleticfc.bsky.social

www.nytimes.com/athletic/603...

You keep thinking that online football fandom has hit a low it can’t possibly dig deeper than. And then you see some of the most diabolical messages sent to the partners of those who happen to have had a bad game.