Connect with us

Premier League

Raúl Jiménez Equals Premier League Penalty Record and Reinforces His Legacy

Raúl Jiménez matched Yaya Touré with 11 of 11 Premier League penalties and firmed his legacy. Season

Published

on

Raúl Jiménez this week converted his 11th penalty in as many Premier League attempts, drawing level with Yaya Touré as the competition’s most efficient spot-kick taker. Jiménez’s run of 11 successful penalties from 11 attempts is the mark that now places him alongside Touré at the top of Opta’s list.

Cole Palmer previously opened his Premier League penalty account with 12 consecutive successes but saw that streak end with a miss against Leeds United in March. The Opta table also shows other high conversion rates, with Matthew Le Tissier, Danny Murphy and Callum Wilson among the names close behind.

Jiménez’s penalty form has been a significant component of a broader Premier League record. His 62 Premier League goals place him as the eighth highest-scoring Latin American in the competition, one goal shy of Alexis Sánchez. He also surpassed Javier “Chicharito” Hernández to become the most prolific Mexican scorer in Premier League history.

Across seven-plus seasons in England, Jiménez became Wolverhampton Wanderers’ all-time leading Premier League goalscorer with 40 goals. He later added more than 20 Premier League goals during his time at Craven Cottage. A Club América academy graduate, he has cemented a reputation as the leading Mexican player to have featured in the Premier League.

Advertisement

Jiménez has scored 42 of 44 career penalties for club and country, a conversion rate quoted in the original data as over 95 percent. He has missed twice: once when Fernando Muslera saved a second-half penalty in a friendly between Mexico and Uruguay in September 2018, and once in the 2019–20 UEFA Europa League quarterfinal against Sevilla. His career has also featured high-pressure conversions, including in the Liga MX Clausura 2013 final and the 2025 Concacaf Nations League final.

All penalty statistics referenced are via Opta.

Liverpool

Salah Reportedly Set for Trabzonspor Move After Liverpool Chapter Ends

Salah is reportedly heading to Trabzonspor after nine Liverpool seasons and a confirmed Turkish move.

Published

on

Mohamed Salah’s Liverpool spell appears to be drawing to a close, with reports in Türkiye claiming the forward is set for Trabzonspor.

According to Fabrizio Romano, Salah has signed a two-year contract with the Turkish side. If the move is completed, he would link up with former Premier League players André Onana and Stefan Savić under Fatih Tekke.

Trabzonspor have also issued a statement confirming that transfer talks are under way. The club said: “Professional footballer Mohamed Salah, with whom we have begun transfer negotiations, will be at Istanbul Atatürk Airport General Aviation Terminal at 12:00 on Wednesday, Aug. 5.

“The player is scheduled to arrive in Trabzon on the same day in the evening hours. The time and other details regarding the welcome program in Trabzon will be shared with the public through our club’s official communication channels during the day.”

Advertisement

The reported destination marks a significant change for one of the Premier League’s modern greats. Salah signed a contract extension in April 2025 that kept him at Anfield through the 2026-27 campaign, and he had initially expected to still be a Liverpool player next season before confirming in March that he would not see out the deal.

His numbers at Liverpool underline the scale of the move. Salah made 442 appearances and scored 257 goals in red, achievements that now appear set to be followed outside Europe’s top five leagues.

Trabzonspor also offer a very different stage from Liverpool. They finished third last season, which means Salah would not be competing in the Champions League, a tournament he won with Liverpool in 2018-19.

There is, however, still European football on the table. Trabzonspor have qualified for the Europa League, giving Salah the chance to compete for continental silverware rather than stepping away from Europe altogether.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Crystal Palace

Crystal Palace Move Closer to Deal for Zavier Gozo

Crystal Palace are advancing on a deal for Zavier Gozo after the winger’s strong season for Real Salt Lake.

Published

on

Crystal Palace are said to be moving towards the signing of Zavier Gozo, with talks over the Real Salt Lake winger described as advanced. The 19-year-old American is expected to cost in the region of $15 million, or £11.1 million, as the Premier League club look to secure one of the more sought-after young attackers linked with Europe this summer.

According to the report, Aston Villa and Atlético Madrid were also among the clubs to show interest, but Palace have emerged as the leading contenders for his signature. Gozo’s rise has accelerated quickly since his breakthrough 2025 campaign, when he established himself as a regular starter for Real Salt Lake and finished the season with 31 appearances and seven goal contributions.

He has carried that form into the current season, producing six goals and four assists in only 16 appearances. That output earned him a place in the 2026 MLS All-Star selection and has strengthened the sense that a move away could now be imminent.

If the transfer is completed, Gozo would arrive at a club already familiar with USMNT centre-back Chris Richards. The defender was central to Palace’s Conference League-winning run, though he missed the final through injury, and would offer a useful reference point as Gozo adjusts to English football.

Advertisement

The winger would also be entering a Premier League environment that already includes several Americans, among them Antonee Robinson at Fulham, Tyler Adams at Bournemouth and Brenden Aaronson at Leeds United. The draft also notes that Richards, Robinson and Adams have become permanent fixtures in Pochettino’s XI and featured for the USMNT on home soil this summer.

Palace finished 15th last season and saw Oliver Glasner leave at the end of the campaign. Under Pierre Sage, and with Europa League football ahead in 2026-27, the club are aiming for a stronger year. Gozo, who last represented the U-23 side during the November international break, has not yet made his senior USMNT debut but will be hoping to push into Pochettino’s plans for September and October, when Peru, Chile, Mexico and Canada are next on the schedule.

Continue Reading

Liverpool

Liverpool weigh midfield options as Jones talks continue

Liverpool are weighing midfield solutions as Curtis Jones nears a possible move to Inter Milan.

Published

on

Liverpool are still waiting to add to the squad after Andoni Iraola said the club “needs more players” last month, and the uncertainty around Curtis Jones has only sharpened that need.

Even after a major outlay last summer, the roster still looks in need of significant work. The 4-2 defeat to Leeds United in Chicago exposed a lack of defensive cover, while the prospect of Jones joining Inter Milan would leave the midfield looking even thinner.

Inter are still pursuing a deal for the Scouse midfielder, who made 34 Premier League appearances last season. Most supporters may not see his departure as a crisis, but without him Iraola’s options in the centre of the pitch would become rather limited.

That leaves Liverpool with room to consider alternatives before the window closes. Several names have been linked as possible solutions, with Alex Scott among the most intriguing. Liverpool are believed to be interested in the English midfielder after he turned down a contract extension on the south coast, although Bournemouth insist he is not for sale. Scott has already enjoyed a breakout season and combines carrying power with strong work out of possession. He also worked under Iraola at the Vitality Stadium, which would give the move a familiar edge.

Advertisement

Kaishū Sano offers a different profile. The Mainz midfielder impressed at the World Cup, where he played three times for Japan and scored against Brazil, and he has since built a reputation as a tireless holding midfielder. Liverpool already have Wataru Endō on the books, but Sano’s positional discipline and pressing intensity would suit Iraola’s system.

Chema Andrés is another option. The 21-year-old left Real Madrid for Stuttgart and made 39 appearances across all competitions last season. Standing at 6’3”, he has the physical presence and control in possession that could make him a long-term fit in midfield.

Manu Koné also remains in the conversation. The Roma midfielder impressed for France this summer and has shown composure, passing quality and defensive intelligence. Injury concerns may explain the quieter transfer buzz, but Liverpool could still move if Jones departs.

If no deal materialises, Liverpool may simply promote from within. Ryan Gravenberch and Dominik Szoboszlai look the likeliest opening-day starters, with Trey Nyoni climbing the depth chart.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending