Another action-packed weekend of football saw Europe’s best strikers shine.
This Monday marks the twenty-sixth update of the season for the European top scorers’ rankings. It features the strikers who found the net in Germany, England, Austria, Belgium, Scotland, Spain, France, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Russia, Switzerland and Turkey. Crowned German champion following his 4-2 victory over Stuttgart in a Bayern Munich shirt, Harry Kane has now scored 32 goals in 27 matches with another strike.
Although he failed to score yesterday in Sporting CP’s 2-1 defeat to Benfica, Luis Suárez nevertheless finds himself in second place. The Colombian striker has thus scored 24 goals in 27 matches. The podium is completed by French striker Kylian Mbappé. Not playing this weekend due to the Copa del Rey final, he will only play tomorrow against Deportivo Alavés. In the meantime, he remains on 23 goals in 26 matches.
Erling Haaland is back in the running
Ayase Ueda, meanwhile, just misses out on a podium finish. The Japanese Feyenoord striker remains on 23 goals in 28 matches, as his team did not play this weekend. After scoring the winning goal for Manchester City against Arsenal (2-1), Erling Haaland moves up to fifth place. The Nigerian has 23 goals in 31 matches. Paul Onuachu follows in sixth place. The Trabzonspor player has 22 goals in 26 matches, but failed to score yesterday against Istanbul Basaksehir.
Seventh-placed Vangelis Pavlidis follows with 21 goals in 30 matches. The Greek Benfica striker did not score in his team’s 2-1 victory over Sporting CP. In eighth place, Vedat Muriqi keeps pace with 21 goals in 30 matches. Like the other La Liga players, he did not score this weekend. After Fulham drew 0-0 with Brentford, Igor Thiago sits in ninth place with 21 goals in 33 matches. Finally, Yanis Begraoui brings up the rear with 19 goals in 29 matches. The Moroccan, who plays for Estoril, faces Moreirense tonight.
Deniz Undav (VfB Stuttgart) and Eldor Shomurodov (Istanbul Basaksehir) just miss out on the top 10 with 18 goals. Esteban Lepaul (Stade Rennais), Ayoub El Kaabi and Tawanda Maswanhise (Motherwell) are further down the table with 17 goals. Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan), Joaquín Panichelli (Strasbourg), Talisca (Fenerbahçe), Luka Jovic (AEK Athens), Chris Bédia (Young Boys Bern) and Ante Budimir (Osasuna) follow with 16 goals.
OGC Nice unveils its major plans for the summer transfer window
Amid sporting uncertainties and financial constraints, Maurice Cohen has provided a comprehensive overview of OGC Nice, addressing the pressing issues of the transfer window, the future of several key players and the conditions needed to stabilise the club.
Back at the helm of OGC Nice since last December in an attempt to steer the club out of crisis, Maurice Cohen has provided a comprehensive update on several pressing issues facing the Côte d’Azur club. From the future of the players and the coaching staff to the transfer strategy, the club’s director has not shied away from any topic, even as the club sits just four points above the relegation play-off spot and will need to rethink its plans. But for now, the Aiglons’ management has ideas in mind, and the first pressing issue is that of Elye Wahi, who is on loan only until the end of the season.
OGC Nice unsure about Elye Wahi
And the director was clear: no buy-option is included in his loan from Eintracht Frankfurt. “We’d love to keep Elye Wahi. In football, anything is possible. He’s a very likeable lad. We haven’t had any discussions with Frankfurt yet, and we can’t have any until we know whether we’ll be in Ligue 1 next season. We’d like to extend his loan…”, he told ICI Azur, although no talks can move forward until the club’s sporting situation has been clarified.
There is similar uncertainty surrounding Claude Puel, who also arrived on a short-term contract running until the end of the season. Maurice Cohen has made it clear he wants to keep him on, but has made any decision conditional on the club staying in Ligue 1 and maintaining stability: “Personally, I want Claude Puel to stay at OGC Nice. He is an excellent manager and coach. We haven’t yet begun substantive discussions, but we have spoken about it. Nothing has been decided. It will also depend on whether we stay up or not; that’s the objective for now,” he added, addressing the issues of the sporting director and the transfer window.
A summer transfer window that promises to be eventful
Whilst Florian Maurice remains in post, the name of Grégory Lorenzi is doing the rounds. Maurice Cohen does not confirm the departure of the current sporting director, but explains that Lorenzi “is a good sporting director; he did well at Brest”, without confirming or denying any contact. He indicates that things are moving forward, before giving an overall update on the coming summer. There will be no major spending of €30-35 million, but the club will make “smart transfers” and potentially explore less-tapped markets, such as Latin America or Eastern Europe.
Finally, regarding individual cases, he acknowledges that the club will need to sell players in order to generate significant revenue to address the structural deficit. On Hicham Boudaoui and Sofiane Diop (whose contracts expire in 2027), Cohen simply explains that “the market will dictate” and that the players’ wishes will also be taken into account, before confirming the future of Jérémie Boga and Terem Moffi: “they will not be returning to OGC Nice, whether their options are exercised or not,” he concluded, adding that the club will need to find players capable of bringing a “real added value”.
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