Latest news with #goalscoring
Daily Mail
5 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Mail
Man City signing Tijjani Reijnders looking to follow in the footsteps of Ilkay Gundogan and bring goals from midfield ahead of debut at the Club World Cup
Tijjani Reijnders has vowed to solve Manchester City 's goalscoring problems from midfield with the same impact as Ilkay Gundogan did in his pomp. Reijnders, who signed from AC Milan for an initial £46million earlier this month, is in line to make his debut in the Club World Cup against Wydad AC on Wednesday. The Holland international has leant on the likes of compatriot Nathan Ake while settling into Pep Guardiola 's squad but is bullish about the qualities he can offer to a side looking to bounce back from last season's disappointment. Mateo Kovacic and Phil Foden were the only players away from Erling Haaland and Omar Marmoush to net more than five Premier League goals as City managed to finish third despite their troubles. Gundogan was renowned for scoring big goals during his first spell at the club, netting twice in the dramatic final day victory over Aston Villa in 2022 and then a double over Manchester United in the FA Cup final a year later. Reijnders, who scored 15 in all competitions for a struggling Milan team last term, believes he can chip in to lighten the load on Guardiola's attackers. 'I've watched the clips of Kevin (De Bruyne) a lot but Gundogan is someone I can learn a lot from,' he said. 'It's nice to see him nearby and the way he does it. 'That is what I did last season with Milan, being more on the scoresheet. It's very important to score goals as a midfielder and it's what I'm looking for, that and assists. 'When I was younger I always looked to Andres Iniesta, how he read the game, how he played the game, his technical ability.' Reijnders – whose dad Martin, a former Eredivisie striker, handled the negotiations – had only notched four times in his first campaign at the San Siro following a move from AZ Alkmaar. And the Serie A midfielder of the season insists he can hit the ground running. 'The first season at Milan I wasn't calm in my head when I had opportunities and it was something I was thinking about in the summer after,' he added. 'I watched clips back of myself when I got into those situations and tried to adapt to those kind of things in the second season, to be calmer in front of goal. 'I'm a box-to-box player who likes to carry the ball but also to be in the build-up part and eventually to connect to the attacking part and try to find assists and goals. And that's what I want to bring here. 'It's the No 8 position and that is why they got me. Now I have to fill the No 8 position and do my best to show that I should play.
CBC
04-06-2025
- Business
- CBC
Canada's Promise David attracting attention with Belgian soccer champs before transfer window
Soccer has already taken Promise David to Croatia, the United States, Malta, Estonia and Belgium. And the 23-year-old forward from Brampton, Ont., could be on the move again during the summer transfer window. There have been bumps along the way for David, who usually goes by Tobi (his full name is Promise Oluwatobi Emmanuel David Akinpelu). "I call it a journey through hell," David said with a smile. "I'm just trying to better myself as a football player and reach higher levels. But, yeah, from each place, I took a piece of football and added it to myself. And I think that's created the Tobi that's here today." For the time being, he is happy to be with Union Saint-Gilloise, which won its first Belgian league title in 90 years last month. "Best football I've ever played in my life," David said of Belgium. "I really take in every moment, because it might not last." While David is under contract to Union Saint-Gilloise, his goal-scoring exploits have attracted attention ahead of the June 15 opening of the transfer window. He recorded 24 goals in all competitions this season with eight of those coming in the 10-game championship round (the top six Belgian sides meet in a mini-league to decide the title). David is currently with Canada in Halifax preparing for the inaugural four-team Canadian Shield Tournament in Toronto. The 30th-ranked Canadians open Saturday against No. 25 Ukraine before facing No. 41 Ivory Coast on Tuesday. David expects a large contingent of friends and family at BMO Field, noting they haven't seen him play live since high school. "I think I bought tickets for the entire stadium," he said. 'Had a nose for goal' Born in Brampton to Nigerian parents, David made his debut for the Nigerian under-23 side in October 2022. But in February, after talks with Canada coach Jesse Marsch, his request to switch allegiance was approved by FIFA. David started at the Toronto FC pre-academy, spending two or three years there before he was let go at 14. He found a new home with Vaughan SC where he excelled despite still growing into an imposing body that now measures six-foot-four and 209 pounds. "He almost looked clumsy when he ran. But he had a nose for goal," said Anthony Vadori, Vaughan's director of men's high performance. "He always found himself in front of goal with an opportunity to shoot." He also played with a smile on his face. "You could tell he loved to play; he wanted to learn so much, which was nice." said Vadori. After high school, David elected to go pro rather than the U.S. college route -- he only got one partial scholarship offer, from Appalachian State -- after negotiating a deadline with his parents to make it in soccer. "I asked for six months. And then six months turned into a year and a half. And that year and a half turned into two years. Two years turned in three. And then after three, I think they kind of realized I don't want to go to school." Dealt with racism as teen in Croatia After attending a tryout camp held by a Croatian second-division team in suburban Oakville in 2019, he found himself in Croatia two weeks later. That led to a move to third-division NK Trnje Zagreb where he played in the under-19 league against youth sides from top teams. "I was just exploring and discovering the world of football and other cultures," he said. It was not all fun, dealing with the language barrier and some racism. In 2021, he returned to North America to join FC Tulsa of the USL Championship where he played against older, more experienced players. "It forced me to grow, forced me to hit the gym. Forced me to understand how my body works and how to run at people, how to hit people, how to take hits," he said. The next year he went to Malta where he was initially assigned to the under-19 team at Valetta FC but was quickly promoted to the senior side. After the team survived relegation, he switched clubs and hit a roadblock at Sirens FC, where he didn't play. "It was horrible. But that's football," he said. In early 2023, he joined Estonia's Kalju FC where It took a coaching chance for him to get his chance with the senior side. He started scoring, which triggered the move to Belgium last July. Loves Union fans, teammates and coach For David, ignorance is bliss right now when it comes to a possible transfer. "Anything's possible," he said. "I just hope they don't tell me anything until it's ready to sign." "You can crack your brain thinking about it," he added. He could stay where he is. European cup football awaits, and David has grown to love Union's fans as well as his teammates and coach. He is an avid Chelsea fan, and devotee of club legend Didier Drogba. "It wasn't really the goal-scoring that got me, it was the playmaking ability and just the sheer strength and the problems [he presented] for defenders," he said. While going to a Chelsea game has long been on his bucket list, there is a caveat. "I kind of told myself I would not go to Chelsea unless I get to play there first, like against them," he said. "I told myself that a couple of years ago."
National Post
04-06-2025
- Business
- National Post
Canada's Promise David scoring goals and attracting attention with Belgian champions
Soccer has already taken Promise David to Croatia, the United States, Malta, Estonia and Belgium. And the 23-year-old forward from Brampton, Ont., could be on the move again during the summer transfer window. Article content There have been bumps along the way for David, who usually goes by Tobi (his full name is Promise Oluwatobi Emmanuel David Akinpelu). Article content 'I call it a journey though hell,' David said with a smile. 'I'm just trying to better myself as a football player and reach higher levels. But, yeah, from each place, I took a piece of football and added it to myself. And I think that's created the Tobi that's here today.' Article content For the time being, he is happy to be with Union Saint-Gilloise, which won its first Belgian league title in 90 years last month. Article content 'Best football I've ever played in my life,' David said of Belgium. 'I really take in every moment, because it might not last.' Article content While David is under contract to Union Saint-Gilloise, his goal-scoring exploits have attracted attention ahead of the June 15 opening of the transfer window. He recorded 24 goals in all competitions this season with eight of those coming in the 10-game championship round (the top six Belgian sides meet in a mini-league to decide the title). Article content David is currently with Canada in Halifax, preparing for the inaugural four-team Canadian Shield Tournament in Toronto. The 30th-ranked Canadians open Saturday against No. 25 Ukraine before facing No. 41 Ivory Coast on Tuesday. Article content David expects a large contingent of friends and family at BMO Field, noting they haven't seen him play live since high school Article content 'I think I bought tickets for the entire stadium,' he said. Article content Article content Born in Brampton to Nigerian parents, David made his debut for the Nigerian under-23 side in October 2022. But in February, after talks with Canada coach Jesse Marsch, his request to switch allegiance was approved by FIFA. Article content David started at the Toronto FC pre-academy, spending two or three years there before he was let go at 14. He found a new home with Vaughan SC where he excelled despite still growing into an imposing body that now measures six foot four and 209 pounds. Article content 'He almost looked clumsy when he ran. But he had a nose for goal,' said Anthony Vadori, Vaughan's director of men's high performance. 'He always found himself in front of goal with an opportunity to shoot.'
