Arsenal
Arsenal Target Omar Abdulrahman – Scout Report
It is has been a quiet summer at Arsenal, even by Arsene Wenger’s patient standards, the sole signing of French youth international Yaya Sanogo has been an extremely sedate approach to this season’s transfer market. It hasn’t been enough to placate the fans who were expecting a spending spree as the long-awaited sponsorship money trickled in, and after the Gunners only just scraped Champions League football last season, the need to address the squad was clear.
The requirement for signings has intensified with the departures of Gervinho, Andrei Arshavin, Johann Djorou, Andre Santos and Sebastien Squillaci for differing reasons. But with just under a month until the transfer market shuts, Wenger, who will surely be hoping to avoid another frantic dash for players at the end of the transfer window, remains inactive. However, there has been some action this week as Arsenal were said to be taking United Arab Emirates starlet Omar Abdulrahman on trial. Not heard of him? It’s okay, we have all the bases covered;
Background
Abdulrahman was born to a working class family in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, in 1991 and he began playing football on the streets from an early age. A local scout noticed him playing in the neighbourhood and invited him to join Al-Hilal, one of the most established clubs in Saudi Arabia.
After progressing at Al-Hilal, the club attempted to get him to sign permanently by offering him permanent Saudi citizenship as he did not hold valid nationality. But, as the offer was only made to him and not his family, the player rejected it, drawing the attentions of Sami Al Jaber, the former Saudi striker, acting as a scout for Al Ain of the UAE. Al Ain were keen on Omar and his brothers Khalid and Mohammed, and so offered the entire family citizenship. The winger joined the club in 2007.
After a year in the Al Ain youth set-up, Abdulrahman broke into the first team under the guidance of German coach Wilfried Schafer. Despite emerging into the first team and making the odd appearance for them, he mostly remained in the reserve team and it wasn’t until Schafer watched him in the International Under-17 Football Tournament in 2009.
From there, Abdulrahman has gone from strength to strength, totalling 25 goals and 29 assists for his club in three years, winning two domestic league titles and four domestic cups in the process. He has also won a trophy cabinet full of individual awards, including 2 UAE Young Player of the Year medals and a clean sweep last season, including EPL Emirati, EPL Fans’ and Emirati Player of the Year gongs. He is indeed the hottest talent in Asian football.
The UAE international, having progressed into the full squad after playing for the under-20s and the under-23s, managed to showcase his talents to a worldwide audience last summer at the London Olympics, impressing many onlookers with his skills and talents although his team crashed out in the group stages. Then, in January at the 2013 Gulf Cup of Nations, Abdulrahman became man of the match in the final and Player of the Tournament as the UAE were crowned champions.
Strengths, Style and Weaknesses
Playing mostly as a winger and an attacking midfielder, Abdulrahman mostly relies on his superb sense of balance and nimble sub-6ft physique to glide past defenders into attacking areas. His vision and ability to pick out a pass to moving team-mates is excellent and the main reason why the 21 year old has managed to register so many assists in recent years.
Despite his productive quality on the ball however, it is said that Abdulrahman is predominantly left-footed and rarely uses his right, giving defenders a huge advantage when marking him as they can simply show him onto his less comfortable right. There is also an argument that Abdulrahman is currently operating in the sub-standard UAE league and may struggle with the pace of English football should he make the move to the Premier League. Even though something special usually arises from Abdulrahman’s left-foot when he receives the ball, the Premier League would necessitate a speed up in thinking given the drastic rise in quality.
He has drawn comparisons to Manchester City‘s David Silva given the way he drifts into pockets of space to link-up play with clever flicks and intelligent touches. He also possess impressive strength to hold up play and shrug off defenders, whilst his elusive movement also allows him to find his way into the box to chip in with his fair share of goals.
Transfer Situation
His attraction to the Premier League began with the Qatari-owned Manchester City who took the UAE international on trial last year and were impressed with what they saw, though they faced problems with his work permit. Though City academy chief Brian Marwood saw enough to revive his interest a few weeks later, saying “we enjoyed having him with us… he is a very talented young player. We will continue to monitor him and we are aware of how he’s developing”, the move again broke down, just as it did when Abdulrahman was on the brink of joining Espanyol as a 17 year old.
Spanish club Valencia have reportedly sent scouts to watch the Emirati winger, whilst Benfica have had an approach rejected. From Barcelona, to Hamburg, Schalke and Arsenal, media outlets have linked many clubs to Abdulrahman.
Though it is now Arsenal who seem interested in signing him, exploring the option of a trial which hasn’t seemed to have gone down well with the player. Sheikh Abdullah Bin Mohammed, the chairman of Al Ain, was unequivocal in his refusal to let his player go on trail, saying Abdulrahman was “above having to go and prove his talents” and that his club would only entertain serious transfer offers.
Whether Arsene Wenger and Arsenal will rise from their summer slumber to submit a bid for the promising youngster remains to be seen, but there is little doubt that Abdulrahman would be worth it as the Gunners seek attacking reinforcements. The player would require improvement and there will be an issue of the potential culture shock that comes with moving from an obscure league, but Abdulrahman, as he has shown in glimpses, has the ability to overcome all of that.
Arsenal host Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in what could prove decisive for the Gunners’ Premier League title ambitions. Arsenal sit top of the table with 61 points from 28 matches, five points clear of Manchester City, who still have a game in hand, while Chelsea occupy 7th with 45 points after being held to a frustrating 1-1 draw by Burnley at Stamford Bridge last weekend.
This represents a huge opportunity for Mikel Arteta’s side to put further distance between themselves and the chasing pack before facing Brighton away on Wednesday. Chelsea arrive at the Emirates in patchy form under Liam Rosenior, who has won just two of his eight league matches since replacing Enzo Maresca in January despite an encouraging start to his tenure.
Kick-off: 4:30 GMT, Sunday, March 1, 2026
Venue: Emirates Stadium
TV: Sky Sports
Kai Havertz Returns to Haunt Former Club
Mikel Arteta confirmed on Friday that Kai Havertz will train on Saturday ahead of the Chelsea clash, giving the German a chance to feature against his former employers. Havertz has been sidelined with a hamstring injury since early February, but scored the winner in Arsenal’s 1-0 Carabao Cup semi final victory over Chelsea earlier this month.
The 26 year old has endured a nightmare campaign with injuries limiting him to just 158 Premier League minutes this season, though he has still managed two goals and two assists when available. Viktor Gyokeres has flourished in Havertz’s absence, scoring twice in the 4-1 North London Derby demolition of Tottenham last weekend.
Rosenior Yet to Face Top Six Opposition
Liam Rosenior faces his first test against a top six side in the league since taking charge of Chelsea, having only faced teams sitting 7th or lower during his opening eight matches. His winning run needs proper context, given the quality of opposition, with recent dropped points against Leeds and Burnley at Stamford Bridge exposing serious vulnerabilities.
Arteta has beaten Rosenior twice already this season in the two legged Carabao Cup semi final, and the Spanish manager will fancy his chances of completing a treble over the Chelsea boss. Bukayo Saka should be fit despite limping off late against Spurs, while Ben White remains doubtful with a niggle.
Predicted Lineups: Arsenal (4-3-3): Raya; White, Saliba, Gabriel, Timber; Rice, Zubimendi, Odegaard; Saka, Gyokeres, Eze
Chelsea (4-2-3-1): Sanchez; James, Disasi, Colwill, Cucurella; Fernandez, Caicedo; Madueke, Palmer, Mudryk; Jackson
Also read: Kai Havertz Injury Update: Real Timeline and Medical Details Revealed!
Arsenal Dragon
Update Given Following Arsenal Injury Scare as Olivia Smith Discharged From Hospital After Being Stretchered Off During FA Cup Win Over Bristol City
Arsenal star Olivia Smith has been discharged from hospital after being stretchered off the field during their Women’s FA Cup game against Bristol City. The forward, who joined the Gunners in the summer, played just under an hour before being forced off with pictures showing a neck brace around the 21 year old at Meadow Park.
This was a worrying moment for Arsenal supporters watching on Sunday afternoon. The Canadian international went down, receiving lengthy treatment before being taken off on a stretcher as a precaution. Thankfully, the injury appears to be far less serious than initially feared.
Left Hospital Yesterday Evening
According to Arsenal reporter Tim Stillman, Olivia Smith left the hospital yesterday evening after tests were run and will return to be assessed this week ahead of the March international break. This is brilliant news for Arsenal, who cannot afford to lose Smith for any length of time, given her importance to the team.
It is believed that her involvement with Canada is still up in the air, with the Canucks facing a triple header of friendlies against Colombia, Argentina, and the United States over the coming two weeks. Arsenal’s next match sees them face London City Lionesses in mid March.
Big Boost for Champions League Hopes
With no video available for Arsenal’s cup game against Bristol City, there was huge concern surrounding Smith’s condition for those unable to attend the game at Meadow Park. Thankfully, what seemed initially to be a severe injury has turned out to be a fairly minor incident.
While Stina Blackstenius and Alessia Russo are both more than capable options to lead the line, it has been Smith who has been Renee Slegers’ favoured choice and proven to be a brilliant signing since her arrival from Liverpool. Having Smith likely available for both legs of the Chelsea Champions League quarter final is a massive boost for Arsenal’s hopes of retaining their European crown.
Arsenal
Arsenal Star Named WSL Player of the Month for January as Midfielder Continues Outstanding Form Following 400th Appearance Milestone
Kim Little has been named January’s Barclays Women’s Super League Player of the Month, recognition that follows her 400th appearance for Arsenal. The captain has made an outstanding start to 2026, completing every minute in the WSL and helping secure two clean sheets and four points from fixtures against Manchester United and Chelsea.
Little drove the midfield against United in the 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium and was again pivotal in the disciplined defensive display at Stamford Bridge that delivered that historic 2-0 win over the Blues. This is absolutely deserved recognition for one of Arsenal’s most influential players, who continues to perform at the highest level despite being 35 years old.
400th Appearance Came in Belgium
Little’s landmark 400th appearance came in Belgium as Arsenal won 4-0 at OH Leuven to close in on a Champions League London derby with Chelsea. The Scottish playmaker came on as a second half substitute in the 82nd minute, replacing Olivia Smith, to reach 400 appearances.
This achievement is even more notable given the time she spent playing in the USA and Australia during her career. Little has become one of the defining figures of the modern Arsenal era, establishing herself as an absolute legend at the club.
Chelsea Awaits in Champions League Quarterfinals
Provided nothing dramatic unfolds at Meadow Park next week, Chelsea awaits in the quarterfinals of the UEFA Women’s Champions League. Arsenal hold a commanding 4-0 advantage from the first leg and are overwhelming favorites to progress to a mouth watering London derby in the last eight.
Little will be central to Arsenal’s hopes of defending their Champions League crown, with the midfielder’s experience and leadership qualities proving invaluable during the knockout stages of major competitions. Her consistent performances continue to set the standard for everyone around her.
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