^ ^ Mexico boss speaks out on future of Arsenal and Liverpool linked Gilberto Mora

Gilberto Mora has attracted a lot of attention as a teenager (Picture: Getty Images)

Mexico boss Rafael Marquez believes Gilberto Mora is good enough to play for any team, ahead of an expected move to a European giant.

The 17-year-old sensation has already won 13 caps for Mexico and became the second-youngest player to start a World Cup game over the summer, behind only Pele.

The creative midfielder has sparkled in Liga MX with Tijuana, but unsurprisingly has been linked with a move away to a bigger club.

Mora turns 18 next week and ESPN report that a deal could be announced to take him to a ‘major European club’ on his birthday on October 14.

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Liverpool and Arsenal have been credited with an interest in the teenager, while Mora is a fan of Real Madrid and specifically admires Jude Bellingham.

Marquez, who won four La Liga titles and two Champions Leagues with Barcelona, can see the youngster fitting in at any big club, although warns that guidance will be key.

‘I think Gilberto is very talented and has a bright future ahead of him. He just needs the right guidance. I believe he could fit in with any team,’ the Mexico manager said.

Mora made his Tijuana debut at just 15 years old (Picture: Getty Images)

‘He has the ability and above all the mindset to succeed. So wherever he goes, I’m sure he’ll have plenty of opportunities and a great career.’

Mora started in Mexico’s 3-2 defeat to England at the World Cup, but shared a nice moment with Bellingham after the match as they swapped shirts and briefly spoke.

Explaining the moment between the two players, Mora said: ‘It was very nice. I’ve always really liked how he [Bellingham] plays, he’s an idol for me and being able to play against him was a dream.

‘We exchanged some words on the pitch which is normal and truthfully he is a very good, humble person and as a player he’s very good. So I’m very happy I could live that moment.’

Jude Bellingham consoled 17-year-old Gilberto Mora after Mexico were knocked out by England and asked to swap shirts with him 🥹❤️ pic.twitter.com/9FH8Ok6kyw

— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) July 6, 2026

After watching Mora play against England in the incredible atmosphere at the Azteca, former Three Lions midfielder predicted the teenager would move to Barcelona in the near future.

‘I tell you what, the young kid, the 17 year old, he’ll be at Barcelona in the next two years,’ Butt said on the latest episode of The Good, The Bad & The Football.

‘If you watch him, he’s just a complete and utter Barcelona player. Honestly, he was unbelievable.

‘Imagine that, 17 and playing in that atmosphere. They brought him off but he was brilliant.’

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^ ^ Arsenal’s Mikel Merino admits frustrations after latest Spain heroics

Mikel Merino produced another memorable performance off the bench (Picture: Getty Images)

Mikel Merino was Spain’s hero once again on Tuesday as he scored both goals in a 2-1 win over Croatia, but admits he is frustrated over how much he is playing.

Merino replaced Alex Baena at half-time in Split with Spain 1-0 down thanks to an early Ivan Perisic goal.

The Arsenal man scored twice, including an 88th minute winner, to make the difference again, having been crucial on Spain’s run to the World Cup over the summer.

The 30-year-old came off the bench to score in wins over Portugal and Belgium at the World Cup, but he still has to settle for a role as a substitute.

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In fact, he came on to score in the win over Czechia as well, proving incredibly reliable from the bench.

The versatile midfielder and forward is delighted to make such important contributions, but admits his lack of game time is frustrating.

‘I’m very happy to be able to help the team, another game in which it was my turn to score from the bench,’ Merino told TVE.

‘I’ll go out there with the best possible attitude even while frustrated about not being able to play more… but this team is a family and that always shows.’

Spain made it four wins from four matches over the international break (Picture: Getty Images)

The Spaniard faces a similar situation at Arsenal, having appeared in all five Premier League fixtures so far this season but always as a substitute.

He has started in the Champions League against Napoli and in the Carabao Cup against Ipswich, scoring in the win over the Tractor Boys.

Luis de la Fuente has always been hugely complimentary of Merino, even if he rarely makes his starting XI, and thinks he is underappreciated in Spain.

‘It’s an honour to coach a player like that,’ said the Spain manager.

‘He has made it absolutely clear why I would have carried him in my arms to the World Cup. In another country he would be more appreciated — I hope that changes.’

Merino has been a crucial player for Luis de la Fuente (Picture: Getty Images)

Last year after Merino scored a hat-trick for Spain against Turkey, De la Fuente described him as a’genius’ and ‘one of the best in the world’.

‘We have fantastic players, and he is another example of a footballer who does many things well,’ said De la Fuente of Merino.

‘He’s a genius and a world-class player who sometimes doesn’t get the recognition in Spain.

‘But he’s one of the best in the world in his position. What we have are good people, who are humble and want to continue growing.’

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^ ^ Micah Richards blown away by ‘unbelievable’ Arsenal star after England win

Former England defender Micah Richards (Picture: YouTube)

Micah Richards singled out ‘unbelievable’ Myles Lewis-Skelly for praise after England’s Nations League win over Czech Republic and said he is ‘too good’ to be on Arsenal’s bench.

England finished the elongated autumn international break with an impressive 3-0 victory over Czech Republic at Wembley.

West Ham defender Vladimir Coufal scored an own goal midway through the first half before Harry Kane doubled England’s lead before half-time.

Kane, who was celebrating a record-equalling 125th England cap, scored again early into the second half as England ran out easy winners.

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Ex-England defender Richards reserved special praise for Lewis-Skelly after the game and revealed the Arsenal star is now one of his ‘favourite players’.

Despite being one of the most highly-rated young players in Europe, Lewis-Skelly was linked with a move away from Arsenal over the summer given the extreme level of competition in Mikel Arteta’s squad.

Lewis-Skelly is behind Riccardo Calafiori in the left-back position and faces midfield competition from the likes of Declan Rice, Martin Odegaard, Bruno Guimaraes and Mikel Merino.

Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly in action for England (Picture: Shutterstock)

But Richards insists the 20-year-old is ‘too good’ to only be a squad player for Arsenal and is one of the best players he has seen at his young age.

‘Myles Lewis-Skelly is one of my favourite players,’ Richards said on The Rest is Football podcast after England’s Nations League win.

‘Technically he’s very good, he’s strong and fast, he has football intelligence and he’s still so young as well.

England beat Czech Republic in the Nations League (Picture: Getty)

‘I remember his performance against Real Madrid a couple of seasons ago [in the quarter-finals of the Champions League] and I hadn’t seen anything quite like it from someone that young.

‘Obviously Riccardo Calafiori has been playing left-back for Arsenal and they’ve brought in Bruno Guimaraes to the midfield on top of Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard.

‘But Lewis-Skelly is too good to be on the bench. He’s one of the best young players I’ve seen at his age and that’s not an exaggeration. He’s unbelievable, such a delight.’

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England legend Gary Lineker also praised Lewis-Skelly, saying: ‘He was very, very good again. He can play, that kid.’

Meanwhile, Three Lions boss Thomas Tuchel hailed Kane as a ‘legend of the English game’ after the Bayern Munich striker took his international tally to 91 goals.

‘He delivers all the time, it makes no difference,’ Tuchel said. ‘It’s of course special that he did it today when he equals the record with Peter Shilton.

‘If it needed any proof, it doesn’t of course, he shows it again and again. He has again a very good performance.

‘He played all four matches for us, he was eager to play and start all four matches. Top captain and hopefully next camp he gets the next two camps.’

Asked whether Kane is England’s greatest ever striker, Tuchel added ‘I don’t know about the best and stuff like that but he is a legend of the English game. Hopefully he stays fit and gets the record for himself.

‘He will inspire loads and loads of young people to play football and encourage people to have a career like him and try their luck. He’s a fantastic role model and he deserves the praise.’

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^ ^ ‘Plays like a child’ – Teddy Sheringham claims Arsenal star ‘doesn’t understand’ his position

Former Tottenham striker Teddy Sheringham (Picture: Getty)

Teddy Sheringham has criticised Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres, suggesting the striker ‘plays like a child’ and does not understand his role as a centre forward.

Gyokeres arrived at the Emirates last summer, joining Mikel Arteta’s side from Sporting CP after scoring 97 goals in 102 appearances for the Portuguese side.

The Swedish striker amassed a respectable 22 goals in all competitions over the course of his debut season in English football but failed to fully win over large swathes of the fanbase.

And Kai Havertz’s return to form and fitness has seen him firmly usurp Gyokeres as Arteta’s go-to centre forward at the start of the current campaign.

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Gyokeres is yet to start a Premier League match this season, but Sheringham believes there is good reason for this as he claimed the 28-year-old still has plenty of areas in his game that need improvement.

‘It shocks me that he’s still playing like a kid,’ Sheringham told Hajper.

‘I don’t think he has understood what it means to be an attacking player and what he has to do.

Viktor Gyokeres has struggled for minutes so far this season (Picture: Shutterstock)

‘There are different ways to play striker, but he needs to be told to hold onto the ball when it comes to him.

‘He does some things well, but constantly gives the ball away and when you are 28 years old, you should have learned this a long time ago.’

In the wake of such criticism, Gyokeres has delivered a timely reminder of his capabilities over the international break, scoring four goals in four games for Graham Potter’s Sweden.

Gyokeres joined Mikel Arteta’s side last summer from Sporting CP (Picture: Getty)

Asked about what the Arsenal striker brings to his side, Potter recently said: ‘The way he leads, how he gets all the players involved, how he gives us a completely different dimension to our game.

‘That he’s scoring again, he’s in fantastic form.’

Gyokeres will hope his goalscoring form for Sweden could see him back in the starting lineup when Arsenal host Leeds United on Saturday.

But regardless, the striker has admitted that he is keen to play more regular minutes after his slow start to the club season.

‘I haven’t played a lot, but I’ve had a few games,’ he said.

It’s felt okay then, but it’s clear that I want to play football and as much as possible. Hopefully that will come, too.  You always want to be on the field as a football player.

‘Of course you expect more playing time, but we have an extremely good squad with a lot of good players and have been doing well here at the start.

‘I’m just trying to focus on what I can control and do my best to play more.’

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