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Club captain stands down for family reasons after struggling for form in two seasons

ESPNcricinfo staff22-May-2022

Peter Handscomb has helped guide Middlesex to the top of Division Two•Getty Images

Peter Handscomb, Middlesex’s club captain, is standing down from his role, and will not return to complete the 2022 season following his involvement with next month’s Australia A tour of Sri Lanka.A statement from the club confirmed that Handscomb would be returning to Australia after the Sri Lanka tour for family reasons, and that Tim Murtagh would be taking over as club captain in both the four-day and 50-over formats.”We would like to thank Pete for all he has contributed to the club throughout his time with us,” Alan Coleman, Middlesex’s head of men’s performance cricket. “He is a fabulous bloke to have around the dressing room and has led us with distinction this year on the field.”He is a natural leader and inspires those around him to perform, and many of the younger players within our squad have learned an enormous amount from him during the time he’s been at the club.”Despite leading Middlesex to the top of the LV= County Championship Division Two – a position that he helped to consolidate with an unbeaten 39 in their six-wicket win over Durham at Lord’s on Sunday – Handscomb’s own form has been intermittent, with a solitary half-century in five appearances this season, to go with his average of 17.46 in his seven matches in 2021.The news follows the confirmation that Shaheen Shah Afridi, Middlesex’s other overseas player, will not be returning to the club this season either, due to Pakistan’s busy international schedule. The club confirmed that they were in negotiations for a replacement top-order batter for the remainder of the season, and were hopeful of making an announcement in the near future.”I’ve really enjoyed my time here at Middlesex and it’s been a pleasure to have played with such a great bunch of blokes,” Handscomb said. “To have started the season in the manner we have is testament to the amount of hard work the playing group and coaches have put in, and I wish Middlesex every success for the remainder of the season and moving forwards.”It’s been an honour to have been able to call Lord’s my home, and my thanks go to everyone at the Club for their support in allowing me to head home to spend time with my family after my international commitments with Australia A.”

Tom Harrison has denied that he is “clinging on for grim death” amid a wave of post-Ashes sackings, and insists that he will walk away from his role as chief executive when the time is right, as the ECB grapples with a succession of crises, both on and off the field.Harrison, who has been in his role since 2015, was instrumental in securing the £1.1 billion rights deal with Sky and the BBC in 2017, and also oversaw the structures that enabled England’s white-ball team to become World Cup winners in 2019.He was credited, too, for keeping English cricket solvent during the Covid-19 outbreak in 2020, when the successful hosting of England men’s home-summer series against West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and Australia helped to mitigate the board’s multi-million pound losses.However, more recently, Harrison has come under intense pressure for his handling of the racism scandal that has engulfed English cricket since Azeem Rafiq’s revelations at Yorkshire, including a succession of unconvincing appearances before Parliament’s DCMS select committee.The fall-out from the Ashes has intensified the scrutiny as well, particularly in light of Harrison’s call for a “red-ball reset” in response to the declining standards of the Test team. As one of the primary advocates of the Hundred, the ECB’s new competition that took place in the prime summer months of July and August last summer while forcing the County Championship ever further into the margins of the season, many critics doubt whether he is the right man to oversee that change of priority.Other mis-steps include the ECB’s unilateral cancellation of England’s goodwill T20I tour of Pakistan in October – a trip that would have been England’s first to the country since 2005, and which was a factor in the subsequent resignation of Ian Watmore as chair – and the awarding of a £2.1 million bonus pool for the board senior executives off the back of the Hundred’s launch. The pay-out for that bonus scheme is anticipated in April, and comes in spite of the extensive round of redundancies that the ECB underwent last year in the wake of the pandemic.”I’d like not to be seen to be running away from the challenge of addressing the issues,” Harrison said in a press conference at Lord’s, as he and Andrew Strauss, the interim England director, addressed England’s preparations for this month’s tour of West Indies, which include the retention of Joe Root as captain, but the removal of Graham Thorpe as assistant coach – the third sacking in as many days following the departures of Ashley Giles and Chris Silverwood.”We’re in a particular moment, we’re looking for an interim coach, we have an interim chair, we’re looking for a full-time chair. We’ve got a lot of discussions underway,” Harrison said. “This is a moment where I think I have the support of the board and it is a very tough moment. And honestly, the toughest moment that I’ve experienced in my career, but I’m not running away.Related

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• Tom Harrison defends Hundred disruption, believes reluctant fans 'will find a place' for it

• Sports Minister warns ECB of government intervention as pressure mounts on Tom Harrison

• Tom Harrison believes 'earthquake' can accelerate change as ECB unveil plan to tackle racism

• When faultlines are too exposed, there's no easy way to rebuild after an earthquake

“I just feel that I have to keep going. I want to take English cricket back to a place where there’s some stability, there’s some calmness, frankly, and a sense that we are heading in the right direction.”England’s 4-0 Ashes loss was the culmination of a terrible 12 months for England’s Test team, which has now lost 10 of its last 14 matches with a solitary win over India at Headingley. But Harrison was insistent that English cricket’s achievements in 2021 – including record crowds for domestic women’s matches during the first season of the Hundred – were still worth celebrating.”I know we had a terrible Test summer and no one’s trying to disguise that, but the incredible growth in the women’s game, the impact of the Hundred, going back on free-to-air television and 16 million people seeing a tournament and viewing figures being the best they’ve ever had for Test cricket and for white-ball cricket … there is an awful lot to be building on.”I know that’s not something to be talking about in the wake of an Ashes defeat and we do have to reflect hard on what happened. But I’m not clinging on for grim death, that is not what I’m doing.”I’m doing this because I think it’s the right thing for English cricket right now. And as soon as that is not the case, you will not have to push me.”

An "unbelievable" Newcastle United player has a "willingness" to come to an agreement over a new contract at St James' Park, in a deal that would be worth more than £3.1m per year.

Newcastle eyeing future signings

The Magpies continue to be linked with new signings in the future, following a summer transfer window that many supporters weren't overly enamoured with. There is a feeling that Eddie Howe's squad wasn't strengthened sufficiently enough, with the manager himself even hinting at his own frustration surrounding the situation.

One report has claimed that Adam Wharton is being looked at as a potential target for Newcastle ahead of next summer, with the Crystal Palace midfielder impressing so much last season that he received a call-up to England's squad for Euro 2024. Liverpool and Manchester City are also keen on snapping him up, though.

Rumours linking the Magpies with a move for Barcelona winger Raphinha are also refusing to go away, with a fresh update stating that the Premier League side are happy to match the La Liga giants' £52m valuation of him. The Brazilian could be an ideal improvement on Miguel Almiron and his impressive spell at Leeds United showed that he is capable of thriving in English football.

While new faces are vital for Newcastle moving forward, retaining the services of the most important players at St James' Park is just as key. Now, a fresh update has emerged regarding the future of one such figure.

Newcastle plan contract talks with "unbelievable" ace

According to a fresh update from Football Insider, Newcastle are planning talks with Antony Gordon over a contract extension at St James' Park, which would earn him more than his current £3.1m-a-year wages.

The report states that "despite links with a move to Liverpool in the summer, Gordon remains focused" on playing for the Magpies currently, adding that "there is a willingness to reach an agreement over a new contract".

Tieing Gordon down to an extension would feel significant for Newcastle, following strong reported interest from his boyhood club Liverpool during the summer window. Even if he does decide he wants to leave soon, it would also put the Magpies in a strong bargaining position, in terms of demanding huge money for him.

The hope is that the 23-year-old now sees his long-term future at St James', however, having become a popular player in a short space of time, not least with Bruno Guimaraes: "He has been unbelievable, always scoring and giving some assists.

"He is a lovely guy as well, I am very happy for him and hope he can get some minutes for England. For me to play against him will be massive for both of us and the club as well."

Newcastle make first approach to sign "magical" new £15m star for Howe

The Magpies could already have their first signing of 2025 lined up.

ByTom Cunningham Sep 6, 2024

Gordon hasn't yet found his top form this season – he is still waiting for his first assist of the campaign – but he is a massive player for Newcastle and should only get better as his prime approaches.

da bet vitoria： Leeds United have reached an agreement to sign a young player very early in the post-transfer window period, according to a new report.

da prosport bet： The West Yorkshire side were very busy during the recent window in terms of incomings and outgoings, but that uncertainty hasn’t affected them on the pitch, as they have made a steady start to the new season.

Related Forget Solomon & Gnonto: 8/10 star could be Leeds’ next Summerville

Leeds United have a new hero they can rely on in attack.

Posts 1 ByKelan Sarson Sep 1, 2024 Leeds United missed out on key signings

Leeds added eight new players to their squad over the course of the summer, with those additions including Joe Rodon returning to the club on a permanent basis. They also added Jayden Bogle, Largie Ramazani and Isaac Schmidt to their squad.

Leeds United's summer signings

Joe Rodon

Tottenham

Largie Ramazani

UD Almeria

Jayden Bogle

Sheff Utd

Ao Tanaka

F. Düsseldorf

Isaac Schmidt

FC St. Gallen

Alex Cairns

Salford City

Manor Solomon (Loan)

Tottenham

Joe Rothwell (Loan)

Bournemouth

However, the Whites also lost some big players over the last few months, as Georginio Rutter, Archie Gray and Crysencio Summerville all left the club to join teams in the Premier League.

Therefore, heading into the final day of the window, Leeds were still looking to do business, and one player they were looking to sign was Sheffield United midfielder Gustavo Hamer.

The Whites made an offer that included a fee plus Joel Piroe going the other way, but the Blades rejected this offer as the club’s coaching staff wasn’t interested in a deal that involved Piroe, who wouldn’t fit into what they were looking for. This wasn’t the only bid the club made for Hamer, as they also saw an offer before this one was turned down by their Yorkshire rivals.

As well as looking at a late move for Hamer, Leeds had also reportedly agreed a deal worth £25 million to sign Martin Baturina from Croatian side Dinamo Zagreb. However, the deal didn’t materialise, as the midfielder refused to move to Elland Road, which meant Daniel Farke was unable to get one of his targets through the door. It is thought that the 21-year-old was not ready to swap his homeland for football in the English Championship, with him believing "it was not the best place for his football development".

But while these deals didn’t work out for Leeds, it appears they have all but got their hands on a new signing even though the transfer window has shut.

Leeds United agree early out-of-window deal

According to journalist Alan Nixon, relayed by Inside Futbol, Leeds United have agreed a pre-contract agreement with 16-year-old defender Leonard Ngenge. Leeds added to their defensive ranks towards the end of the transfer window by adding Schmidt, and the club have now secured another defensive signing – this time, a player for the future.

Ngenge has already been at the club, having had a trial with the Championship side, where he clearly caught the eye and impressed. The left-back has done enough to earn himself a contract, but he can’t join Leeds until he is 18 due to FIFA rules.

Leeds have successfully tied Ngenge to a contract at Elland Road, and once he turns 18, he will join the club’s youth team. The defender was also of interest to Swedish side Hammarby, but they also faced the same rules as Leeds.

Inter Miami are said to be determined to sign Manchester City star Kevin De Bruyne next summer when his current contract expires.

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• Inter Miami want De Bruyne
• Belgian midfielder's City contract up in 2025
• Possible link-up with Messi in MLS

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to the , David Beckham-owned Inter Miami have made De Bruyne their top transfer target. The Belgian midfielder is in the final year of his contract at Etihad Stadium and unless he pens a fresh deal by the end of December, he will be free to negotiate deals with foreign clubs for his next move.

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  There was speculation regarding the City star's future at the Premier League champions over the summer as he was strongly linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League. Former Saudi champions Al-Ittihad tried to lure the ace midfielder with a lucrative deal, but he eventually decided to stay as he did not want to uproot his family from England at that point.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The 33-year-old has struggled with his fitness since the start of the 2024-25 campaign. If he decides to move to Inter Miami next season, he could meet City in the inaugural expanded Club World Cup if the two teams progress to the knockout stages from their respective groups.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR DE BRUYNE?

  recently reported that City are prepared to offer the Belgian to one of their sister clubs next year. The transfer would provide De Bruyne the opportunity to join another side owned by the City Football Group, such as Inter Miami's MLS rivals New York City.

He is the third Sixers player ruled out of the finals alongside Jack and Mickey Edwards

ESPNcricinfo staff26-Jan-2022Sydney Sixers have been dealt a huge blow with Josh Philippe ruled out of their home BBL Challenger against Adelaide Strikers on Wednesday night after returning a positive Covid test and they are set to have an assistant coach behind the stumps.Philippe returned the positive test on Wednesday morning and has been forced into isolation for seven days, meaning he has been ruled out of the Challenger and will be unavailable for Friday night’s final against Perth Scorchers in Melbourne if the Sixers progress.Philippe becomes the third Sixers player to test positive in the last week after Jack Edwards and Mickey Edwards both tested positive on the eve of the Qualifier against Scorchers in Melbourne.Former Sydney Thunder wicketkeeper Jay Lenton, who has been part of Sixers’ coaching staff, has been called into the squad as a local replacement player. Lenton had to be formally added to the BBL’s local replacement player pool on Wednesday before he could be added to the Sixers squad as there were no available wicketkeepers in the original pool of players.Sixers were still not able to call in Steven Smith despite being available and keen to play after the BBL ruled him ineligible having not been originally contracted by the Sixers and not been placed on the local replacement list which would have made him available to all clubs.Daniel Hughes has been named in Sixers’ 14-man squad but will need to pass a fitness test to play after he missed the Qualifier against Scorchers when he twisted his ankle standing on the boundary rope while taking outfield catches in the warm-up.

An Arsenal player is keen to play under one Premier League boss in particular, and his exit from the Emirates Stadium appears to be a sure-fire possibility before deadline day.

Players who could be sold by Arsenal as window nears closure

Clubs have just over a week to wrap up their summer deals and concentrate solely on the season ahead, with a few Arsenal players still up for grabs.

Fabrizio Romano says £26m player has agreed to join Arsenal with Merino

He’s eyeing a move to the Emirates.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 21, 2024

Striker Eddie Nketiah has been subject to late window interest from both Bournemouth, who eventually settled on the signing of Brazilian forward Evanilson, and Nottingham Forest.

The Englishman is unlikely to feature often ahead of a star-studded Arsenal attacking line, so it is believed Forest are attempting to take advantage of the situation, with both Nuno Espirito Santo's side and the Gunners confident of finalising his transfer.

Meanwhile, Leicester City have held talks over a deal for Reiss Nelson, so Nketiah may not be the only Arsenal forward departing in the next nine days. Meanwhile, there is also the ongoing matter of goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale, who lost his number one spot between the sticks to David Raya last season.

The £120,000-per-week ace has been described as destined to leave by reliable journalists all summer, but time is running out for Ramsdale to find a new home and a place to feature far more often.

“But I do think both things will happen. It’s a matter of when Ramsdale leaves, not if," said reporter Charles Watts, all the way back in May.

Bukayo Saka

7.67

Declan Rice

7.38

Martin Odegaard

7.37

Kai Havertz

7.16

Gabriel Magalhaes

6.99

“The key thing for Arsenal is getting value for money. I saw an initial fee of £15 million mentioned in reports last week and that is quite frankly ridiculous. Arsenal signed Ramsdale for nearly £30m two years ago and he has developed into a far better keeper since then.

“He’s still young, he’s homegrown, an established England international and has a long-term contract. Yes, interested clubs will know that Arsenal’s stance in any negotiations will be weakened somewhat given he is now clearly behind David Raya in the pecking order, but that shouldn’t mean the club should basically give him away. Ramsdale is a top class keeper and he’s shown that at Arsenal. When you look at what other keepers have moved for in the last couple of seasons, a bid of £15m shouldn’t even be one that Arsenal entertain.”

Ramsdale keen to play for Gary O'Neil at Wolves

According to GiveMeSport, following a widely reported approach from Wolves, the Englishman's stance on a move to Molineux has emerged.

The outlet claims that Ramsdale is keen to play under Gary O'Neil at Wolves if he does end up leaving Arsenal in the days ahead, as they seek a competitor for current number one Josa Sa between the sticks.

The 26-year-old is delaying a final decision over his future, though, as he weighs up the best possible next step for his career.

He’s also keen to lead Australia at 2023 50-over World Cup despite revealing his surgically repaired knee flared up again in the recent tournament

Alex Malcolm18-Nov-20212:28

Aaron Finch: Back against the wall brings best out of David Warner

Aaron Finch has declared he wants to lead Australia’s T20 World Cup title defence at home next summer and at the 2023 50-over World Cup despite revealing he had rushed his return from knee surgery to lead his nation to the recent T20 World Cup title in the UAE.Finch, Glenn Maxwell, Matthew Wade and Marcus Stoinis gathered at the MCG on Thursday to celebrate with the trophy having flown home separately from those in Australia’s Ashes squad to avoid 14-days hotel quarantine due to different restrictions in Victoria compared to Queensland.The captain revealed he had struggled in the field with his surgically repaired knee throughout the tournament and could be in doubt for the start of the BBL with Melbourne Renegades’ first game set for December 7.But Finch is adamant he wants to continue leading Australia for the next two World Cup campaigns over the next two years.”If I can get there, absolutely,” Finch said. “I probably need a little bit of extra time to get my knee right now. I pushed the rehab really hard and probably paid the price for it a little bit throughout the tournament. So yeah, maybe a little bit more time off at the moment to just make sure I get that right.”I’ll wait and see over the next couple of weeks and not sure when our first game is for the Renegades [against] Adelaide but we’ll wait and see to see if I’m right.”Finch has stood down from captaining Melbourne Renegades with new recruit Nic Maddinson taking over for the upcoming BBL season with Finch to play a senior mentoring role.But there has been no formal plan of a similar type of handover with Australia’s limited-overs captaincy but Finch revealed he has had informal discussions with chairman of selectors George Bailey.”I’ve spoken a Bails about that over the last probably six months that,” Finch said. “There’s going to be a period over the next two or three years definitely but that was all. That wasn’t an in-depth conversation. [It was] was just more to put on the to-do list over the next couple of months.”Finch did note that his vice-captain Pat Cummins provided a key moment of leadership after the England loss during the World Cup that helped solidify Australia’s intent for the rest of the tournament.”I think Patty Cummins was the one who spoke about it after the England game,” Finch said. “Just about the intent to be to be really aggressive and make sure that you’re putting as much pressure on the opposition as you can.”I was really proud. That the commitment that we made to keep being really aggressive as a team was the most important thing. And especially after the England game, we felt as though we were a little bit timid and got outplayed. And once we were on the back foot we never transferred the pressure back to England at any point. So the fact that we committed to playing our way and being as aggressive as we could be, I think played a really big part in that.”Marcus Stoinis, Matthew Wade, Aaron Finch and Glenn Maxwell pose with the T20 World Cup trophy at the MCG•Getty Images

The players were frustrated that their World Cup celebrations were spoilt by the fact that the Test squad had to depart at 8am the next morning while the rest of the group travelled home separately. But the squad tried to make a pact of sorts to stick together and defend their title at home next year.”There was a call made to George Bailey, between the stadium and the hotel, and a real push from everyone to name the squad for the next World Cup now,” Finch said. “So that was quite funny.”Finch also praised coach Justin Langer for helping create a great atmosphere within the group after he had entered the tournament under some pressure following a turbulent lead-up after a disastrous tour of Bangladesh.”It was a great feel amongst the coaching group and the playing group for the whole World Cup,” Finch said. “I think JL took all the advice on board from the players and no doubt it was really tough. It was confronting and that goes both ways. You have some really honest conversations which aren’t always the easiest ones to have. But he took that all on board and probably handed the reins over a little bit more to the playing group and his assistant coaches in their various areas. Andrew McDonald with the with the assistant coaching in this sort of strategy side of it with and the fast bowling, Michael Di Venuto batting, Jeff Vaughan fielding and [Sridharan] Sriram as the spin coach to allow them to work a little bit closer probably one on one with players a little bit more. So it was a great tour.”

ECB warns that tour rests on selection of squad “befitting a series of this significance”

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Oct-2021

James Anderson and Chris Woakes during the Adelaide Test in 2017-18•Getty Images

The ECB board is set to meet later this week to determine whether this winter’s Ashes can take place, after appearing to concede that several of the team’s leading players remain unwilling to submit to Australia’s stringent Covid-19 protocols.In a statement issued on Monday morning, the ECB said that it had been in discussions with England men’s players and management – some of whom will be departing for the UAE later the same day ahead of this month’s T20 World Cup.And while the statement insisted that the board’s dialogue with Cricket Australia remained “regular and positive”, it also appeared to express public doubt about whether the conditions that have been put in place will “enable the selection of a squad befitting a series of this significance”.Related

England players set to agree to Ashes tour after further talks

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ECB chairman admits prospect of Ashes is a 'complicated picture'

“Over the weekend we have been talking to England men’s players and management to provide them with the latest information about the proposed arrangements for this winter’s scheduled Ashes tour,” the statement read.”We remain in regular and positive dialogue with Cricket Australia over these arrangements as the picture is constantly evolving. With health and wellbeing at the forefront, our focus is to ensure the tour can go ahead with conditions for players and management to perform at their best.”We will continue talking to our players this week to share the latest information and seek feedback.”Later this week the ECB board will meet to decide whether the conditions in place are sufficient for the tour to go ahead and enable the selection of a squad befitting a series of this significance.”Australia’s government has outlined plans to ease entry and quarantine restrictions to fully-vaccinated citizens in November, but this provision isn’t expected to be extended to overseas travellers until a later date.Last week, England’s captain Joe Root expressed his own doubts about the series, stating that he was “desperate” for the tour to go ahead, but that he could not yet commit to leading the team.Writing on Instagram prior to the white-ball squad’s departure for the UAE, Paul Collingwood, the team’s assistant coach, summed up the dilemma being faced by many of the players, particularly those with young families.”I love my job and I’m so excited for the winter of cricket ahead but saying goodbye to your daughters for potentially 3 months is not easy, no matter how tough you feel you are,” he wrote. “We all make sacrifices in life. Looking forward to meeting up with the team tomorrow because I know we will try to help each other like a family.”In response, Cricket Australia issued a statement of its own, reiterating the “regular and positive” discussions of the past six months, and stressing that the “health and wellbeing of both squads … is a priority.””We especially thank our government partners for all their support in this regard,” the statement continued. “We are also buoyed by rising vaccination rates and an evolving approach to the pandemic in Australia.”The anticipated conditions for the tour, including quarantine arrangements have now been communicated to the ECB and directly to the England players and staff.”

Former Arsenal star Tony Adams has backed his old club to win a Premier League and Champions League double this season while aiming a dig at Spurs.

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• Arsenal fighting on multiple trophy fronts
• Adams confident they can conquer Europe & the PL
• Can't resist swipe at arch-rivals

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Gunners icon believes Mikel Arteta has enough firepower at his disposal to deliver domestic and European silverware at Emirates Stadium in the 2024-25 campaign. Adams also took a dig at arch-rivals Tottenham while explaining why winning their maiden Champions League title should not be too difficult for the Gunners.

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  After providing a tough challenge to Manchester City in the Premier League title race in the last two seasons, Arteta's men are hoping to finally cross the line this time. They are off to an impressive start in the current campaign, having suffered just one defeat thus far. They are currently third in the league table, four points behind leaders Liverpool.

• WHAT TONY ADAMS SAID

  Speaking to the Mirror, Adams said: "You need a great squad to win the Champions League because sometimes you can lose focus on one competition when you're going for the other. In 2005 Liverpool won it when they were nowhere near the title and Tottenham of course, got to the final in 2019. Listen, if Tottenham can get to the final – anybody can.

  "You need a little bit of luck, I don't want to be flippant but back in my day, I was out of Europe for five years. Nowadays, you are getting more and more chances to win it and it's not beyond the realms of possibility that Arsenal might actually win the Champions League and the Premier League."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  After a setback in the Premier League against Bournemouth last weekend, the north London club will be back in action in the Champions League on Tuesday as they take on Shakhtar Donetsk.