Tottenham have completed the signing of winger Wilson Odobert from Burnley for an undisclosed fee, reportedly in the region of €31.5million.

Odobert joined Burnley from Troyes upon their promotion to the Premier League last year and was a bright spark in a disappointing campaign for the Clarets, who were relegated back to the Championship.

The France Under-21 international scored three goals in 29 Premier League appearances for Burnley, also contributing two assists.

Only Johann Gudmundsson (35) and Josh Brownhill (34) bettered his 31 chances created for Burnley in 2023-24, while he attempted (110) and completed (53) more dribbles than any of his team-mates.

Odobert also led all of his team-mates for shot-ending carries (20) and ranked joint-first for chances created following a carry, alongside Sander Berge (11).

Tottenham had been linked with several wingers ahead of the new season, including Pedro Neto, who left Wolves for Chelsea in a €60m (£51.4m) deal last week.

On Friday, Spurs announced Odobert as their fifth new signing ahead of Ange Postecoglou's second season at the helm, after Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Min-hyeok Yang.

The club confirmed Odobert has penned a five-year contract and will wear the number 28 shirt, with his debut potentially coming in their Premier League opener at Leicester City on Monday.

Odobert started Burnley's opening Championship fixture against Luton Town on Monday, scoring their second goal in a 4-1 victory. 

Mikel Arteta believes Arsenal must break records to have any chance of dethroning Premier League champions Manchester City in 2024-25.

Arsenal have finished second to City in each of the last two seasons, leading the table for long periods in both instances, only to fall narrowly short.

The Gunners were just two points away from ending their 20-year title drought in 2023-24, with City clinching an unprecedented fourth straight crown on the final day.

Arsenal have improved their points tally in each of their four full campaigns under Arteta to date, picking up 61 in 2020-21, 69 in 2021-22, 84 in 2022-23 and 89 last term.

The Gunners scored more goals (91) last season than in any other Premier League campaign, while their 29 goals conceded were their fewest since the Invincibles were crowned champions in 2003-04. 

Asked what Arsenal must do to get over the line in 2024-25, Arteta said: "To break more of those records again and win more points, that's for sure. 

"It won't be enough [last season's levels]. With the level we are competing with and every season getting harder, we are going to have to improve again for sure."

Arteta believes his players are highly motivated to go again, adding: "On the last day. I think we had a gathering together with all the club and the players said, 'we're going to do it, we want more'.

"Everyone was saying the same thing, that we're not going to stop here and we want much more. We know how we want to evolve and how the players can evolve."

As well as making David Raya's loan move permanent, Arsenal sanctioned a €45million (£38.4m) swoop for Italy centre-back Riccardo Calafiori this off-season, but he is the only new face to arrive at the Emirates Stadium ahead of 2024-25.

Arteta has refused to rule out further activity, saying: "After the season we had two objectives – the main and most important one was to make sure we are still in love with our players. 

"Then, okay, if there are still opportunities in the market we will look at them. The market is open and things can happen."

Arsenal begin their 2024-25 campaign against Wolves on Saturday, having won 16 of their 18 Premier League games so far in 2024 (one draw, one loss), with their 89% win rate comfortably their best in the competition in any calendar year.

While Arsenal have started their last two Premier League campaigns with a victory, beating Crystal Palace in 2022-23 and Nottingham Forest last year, Wolves have lost their opening match in each of the last three seasons. 

Kalvin Phillips has completed a season-long loan move to Ipswich Town from Manchester City, the Tractor Boys confirmed on Friday.

Phillips, who spent the second half of the 2023-24 campaign on loan with West Ham, could be available for the visit of Liverpool in their opening game of the season. 

The 28-year-old has struggled to regain the form shown at Leeds prior to his £42m move to City in 2022, making just 30 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side. 

He aimed to put himself in contention for England's Euro 2024 squad with a temporary switch to the Hammers, but that failed to transpire as he endured a difficult spell at the London Stadium.

Phillips started three times for West Ham, losing possession on 49 occasions in his 10 league games, including on his debut, which resulted in Dominic Solanke netting for Bournemouth. 

But the midfielder is relishing the opportunity of playing regular minutes in the Premier League, telling Ipswich's club website: “This is a day I’ve been waiting a number of weeks for now and I’m very happy to be here. 

“I’ve had some great conversations with players I know here and also with the manager, who I have heard a lot about, and I’m excited to be here and be part of his team. 

“I want to play as many games as possible, enjoy playing football again and help the team win as many games as possible in the Premier League.”  

Guardiola had earlier confirmed that it was the midfielder's decision to go on loan to the Tractor Boys, insisting the door is still open for a return to the City starting line-up. 

"Kalvin has gone to Ipswich. I think it's already done, you never know until it's happened. He decided to go there," Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference.

"You have to have minutes and recover. Play, play, play. Maybe there is a chance to come back here in the future."

Enzo Maresca says Conor Gallagher is training at Chelsea but will not be involved against Manchester City as he looks to "find a solution with the club".

Gallagher had flown to Spain last week to finalise a move to Atletico Madrid, but the transfer has stalled due to the collapse of an agreement over Samu Omorodion going the other way.

The England international, who has made 95 appearances for Chelsea in all competitions, netting 10 goals and registering 10 assists, has since returned to London while negotiations continue.

Maresca confirmed that while Gallagher has returned, he is training separately while talks between the clubs are still ongoing.

"Gallagher is back and he is training. He is doing some medical tests and training separately, so he won't be involved in this game," Maresca said in a press conference.

"He is also trying to find a solution with the club, so we will see what happens.

"Unfortunately, these things happen every summer. All clubs have problems but, hopefully, for him, this situation will finish where the player, club and manager will be happy."

Chelsea have already bought nine additions in the transfer window, meaning Maresca has 43 players to work with in his squad, and reports suggest more could be coming, with Joao Felix and Victor Osimhen being linked to the club.

Having stepped in to replace Mauricio Pochettino, who only spent one year with the Blues before departing, the Italian has asked for patience as he tries to find the right balance.

"Some clubs work with a manager for eight years, so with time we will close the gap and hopefully that can happen soon," Maresca added.

"Sometimes it sounds like an excuse from managers, and I know timing in football is difficult, but in our case, with the process and ideas, we will close the gap.

"We need their [fans'] support because when you are on the pitch, and you can hear the fans behind the team, it is like 12 players. If they support us and be patient, then we will pay them back with performance and results."

The inaugural staging of the First Half Only 45 Schoolboy football Extravaganza, is expected to ignite the Montego Bay Sports Complex in Catherine Hall on Saturday, as six Manning and daCosta Cup schools will vie for cash prize and a title to boost their confidence ahead of the upcoming ISSA schoolboy football season.

This groundbreaking tournament, set to take place under the patronage of Mayor of Montego Bay, Richard Vernon, promises an exhilarating day of competition and community spirit, beginning with an exciting “kickoff” ceremony led by the Mayor.

The evening's highlight features electrifying matches between St. Catherine High, Rusea's High, William Knibb High, Cornwall College, Manchester High, and Irwin High Schools. Each team is prepared to showcase their best in this specially curated tournament, with the winning school set to pocket a grand prize of JMD$500,000.

Dr. Dean Weatherly, Head coach of Irwin High School, welcomed the initiative, which aims to revitalize interest in schoolboy football across Jamaica, broaden its fan base, and attract investment from football governing bodies and corporate entities into grassroots football development.

“The 45 Minutes tournament is a great concept and is one where we can see the other talents that exist in Western Jamaica as well as to see where we are in our training sessions. As far as the tournament goes, it is one that people need to come out and watch as they’ll be seeing some great young minds at work and talent on the field,” Weatherly declared.

St. Catherine High’s Anthony Patrick echoed similar sentiments.

“It's a welcomed opportunity, one we are looking forward to, and one that will benefit our players immensely, especially the youngsters we want to showcase this schoolboy season, ones who will be graduating this year. The 45-minute format is crucial—winning in the first half is always crucial so this concept encourages a different type of sportsmanship, we'll be putting our best foot forward to make an impact and allow the young talent to shine,” Patrick shared.

For Mayor of Montego Bay, Richard Vernon, the sport presents limitless opportunities for community and individual development in Jamaica, particularly in the Western part of the island.

“The sport has experienced a significant decline in Western Jamaica in recent years, evidenced by the success of teams at the national and schoolboy levels. Therefore, all support is needed to revitalize the discipline and provide an outlet for youngsters to be meaningfully engaged,” the Mayor said.

“It also provides unique advantages for sports tourism in western Jamaica, with Montego Bay being among the top destinations globally. As such, I'm vested to reimagine and rebuild Western football by playing a key role,” he added.

Meanwhile, Erin Mitchell of sponsors Wisynco, pointed out that lending support to the initiative was a no-brainer.

“Schoolboy Football is a crucial pillar for many of our brands, and we are proud to support this initiative in the west, reinforcing our commitment to schoolboy football in Jamaica,” Mitchell noted.

Pre-sold tickets are $1,000 and $2,500 for Bleachers and Grandstand, while tickets at the gate, are $1,500 and $3,000. Pre-sold tickets are available at Western Sports,

Julen Lopetegui insisted that he will not "put limits on our dreams" ahead of West Ham's opening game of the Premier League season against Aston Villa. 

Lopetegui, who is taking charge of his second team in England's top flight, has overseen several new arrivals at the London Stadium in the past few weeks. 

Aaron Wan-Bissaka, Crysencio Summerville and Niclas Fullkrug have all put pen to paper on deals with the Hammers, but the Spaniard knows that it will take more than just new faces to achieve their end goal. 

"I don't put limits on our dreams. The only way you can achieve dreams is by working," Lopetegui said. 

"We can talk about ambitions, but the most important thing is to work hard every day, especially on the bad days.

"We need to work with good energy and progress step by step."

Meanwhile, Aston Villa are gearing up for the new season along with their first Champions League campaign since 1983 following a fourth-placed finish last season.

They have also made additions, with Unai Emery welcoming eight new arrivals to bolster their squad after seeing injuries threaten to derail their campaign last year. 

However, manager Unai Emery insisted that the Premier League remained a priority, calling for consistency as they aim to navigate a hectic fixture schedule. 

"The first objective is 38 Premier League matches. Then, to play in the Champions League is really the way we want to be competitive," Emery said.

"To win a title through the Champions League, we could, but it would be very difficult.

"We’re not refusing this option, but we have to be competitive and consistent in the Premier League."

PLAYERS TO WATCH

West Ham – Crysencio Summerville

Last season's Championship Player of the Year, Summerville, will be hoping to hit the ground running in what will be his third crack at the Premier League. 

The Dutchman was involved in 28 goals last season for Leeds (19 goals and nine assists excluding the play-offs), with only Southampton’s Adam Armstrong (34) and Blackburn’s Sammie Szmodics (31) involved in more.

Aston Villa – Ollie Watkins

Off the back of his most prolific scoring season with Villa and a semi-final strike for England at Euro 2024, Ollie Watkins has been tipped to challenge for the Golden Boot this time around. 

Watkins joined the Villans from Brentford, but has enjoyed a return to the capital since, scoring more times (13) in games played in London than any other Villa player. 

He has 59 overall in the Premier League, behind only Gabriel Abgonlahor (74) and Dwight Yorke (60) for the West Midlands club. 

MATCH PREDICTION: WEST HAM WIN

West Ham just edge Opta's data-led simulations, handed a win percentage of 41.1% compared to Villa's 32.2%, with a draw given a 26.7% chance of happening. 

But both sides have struggled on the opening day in recent years. The Hammers have lost on five of the six occasions they’ve begun a Premier League campaign against a side who finished in the previous season’s top four. 

They have also won their opening Premier League match in just one of the last eight seasons (D1 L6), beating Newcastle 4-2 in 2021-22. Indeed, the Hammers have lost their opening game in the Premier League more often than any other side (15).

But they have fared better against Saturday's opponents in the head-to-head record. The Hammers have lost just one of their last 12 Premier League games against Aston Villa (W6 D5), which came in a 4-1 loss at Villa Park last season.

Aston Villa have lost their opening Premier League match in each of the last three seasons, conceding 10 goals in those games. They also lost the last time they faced West Ham in their first game, falling to a 1-0 defeat at Upton Park in 2012-13.

Emery's side failed to win any of their last four Premier League games in 2023-24 (D2 L2), their longest run without a win under the Spaniard. The 52-year-old last had a longer run without a league win between May and September 2021 with Villarreal (D4 L1).

OPTA WIN PROBABILITY

West Ham – 41.1%

Draw – 26.7%

Aston Villa – 32.2%

Waterhouse Football Club is pleased to announce the transfer of Revaldo Mitchell to Macedonian club FK Rabotnicki AD - Skopje for an undisclosed fee.

Revaldo Mitchell, a talented midfielder known for his exceptional skills and dedication on the field, has been a pivotal player for Waterhouse FC. Since joining the club, Mitchell has demonstrated remarkable growth and has been instrumental in our recent successes.

Waterhouse FC President, Donovan White, expressed his gratitude towards Mitchell for his contributions to the team. "Revaldo has been an outstanding player for Waterhouse FC, and while we are sad to see him go, we are also incredibly proud of his achievements and excited for his future. This transfer is a testament to his hard work and dedication."

Revaldo Mitchell shared his excitement about the move, stating, "I am grateful for my time at Waterhouse FC and the support I have received from the fans, teammates, and coaching staff. I am looking forward to this new chapter with FK Rabotnicki AD - Skopje and am eager to contribute to my new team."

This transfer marks a significant milestone for Waterhouse FC, highlighting the club's commitment to developing talent and providing opportunities for players to progress in their careers. We are confident that Revaldo will continue to excel and make a significant impact in Macedonia.

We wish Revaldo Mitchell all the best in his future endeavours and thank him for his invaluable contributions to Waterhouse FC.

Kalvin Phillips has completed a season-long loan move to Ipswich from Manchester City, the Tractor Boys confirmed on Friday.

Phillips, who spent the second half of the 2023-24 campaign on loan with West Ham, could be available for the visit of Liverpool in their opening game of the season. 

The 28-year-old has struggled to regain the form shown at Leeds prior to his £42m move to City in 2022, making just 30 appearances for Pep Guardiola's side. 

His move to the Hammers aimed to put him in contention for England's Euro 2024 squad, but that failed to transpire as he endured a difficult spell at the London Stadium.

Phillips started three times for West Ham, losing possession 49 times in his 10 league games, including on his debut, which resulted in Dominic Solanke netting for Bournemouth. 

But the midfielder is relishing the opportunity of playing regular minutes in the Premier League, telling Ipswich's club website: “This is a day I’ve been waiting a number of weeks for now and I’m very happy to be here. 

“I’ve had some great conversations with players I know here and also with the manager, who I have heard a lot about, and I’m excited to be here and be part of his team. 

“I want to play as many games as possible, enjoy playing football again and help the team win as many games as possible in the Premier League.”  

Guardiola had earlier confirmed that it was the midfielder's decision to go on loan to the Tractor Boys, insisting the door is still open for a return to the City starting line-up. 

"Kalvin has gone to Ipswich. I think it's already done, you never know until it's happened. He decided to go there," Guardiola said in his pre-match press conference.

"You have to have minutes and recover. Play, play, play. Maybe there is a chance to come back here in the future."

Manchester City forward Oscar Bobb will be sidelined for "three or four months" after fracturing a bone in his leg, Pep Guardiola has confirmed. 

It was reported on Wednesday that Bobb had suffered a leg injury in training and would undergo medical tests to discover the full extent of the problem.

He started all five of City's pre-season friendlies as well as their Community Shield victory over Manchester United, and was expected to keep his place for Sunday's Premier League opener at Chelsea.

However, Guardiola confirmed during Friday's pre-match press conference that the Norwegian will miss the first few months of the season, with City hopeful he will return before the turn of the year.

"It was in the training session. Unfortunately, he had a big impact and got injured. He is having surgery this afternoon," Guardiola said.

"Hopefully, it will go well and he will be back in three or four months. 

"We are so sad for him, not because of his incredible pre-season, that doesn't matter, but because we are any time there is a long injury. We are looking forward to seeing him again soon."

Bobb made 26 appearances for City totalling 819 minutes in all competitions last season, with seven of those being starts.

He scored two goals and added one assist, netting a memorable stoppage-time winner in a thrilling 3-2 Premier League win at Newcastle United in January. 

After City sold Julian Alvarez to Atletico Madrid for a club-record €95million (£81.5m) earlier this week, Guardiola was asked whether Bobb's injury left them short and needing to dip into the transfer market.

"Maybe or maybe not, we will see. I'm really pleased with the squad I have, we will see," he said. 

"I'm set. We will see what happens in the market. We can continue to January in that way or maybe we will add some players."

Ipswich have confirmed the arrival of last year's Championship top scorer Sammie Szmodics from Blackburn Rovers for a reported £10m fee. 

Szmodics, who scored 33 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions for Rovers last season, put pen to paper on a four-year deal with the Tractor Boys. 

The 28-year-old continued his scoring form into the 2024-25 campaign, netting three times in his first two games in the league and Carabao Cup. 

Last season, only Adam Armstrong (37) registered more goals and assists in the Championship than Szmodics (31), while he also created 49 chances, more than any of his Blackburn team-mates.

Szmodics struck 27 times in the league last year, outperforming his expected goals (xG) by 4.64 from his 145 shots across the 46-game campaign. 

His arrival further bolsters Kieran McKenna's front-line, which scored 92 goals last season, a total only bettered by Stockport County and Manchester City (both 96) in England’s top four tiers. 

Szmodics becomes the seventh signing for Ipswich after the arrivals of Omari Hutchinson, Jacob Greaves, Liam Delap, Arijanet Muric, Conor Townsend and Ben Johnson. 

“I am delighted to be here as an Ipswich Town player," Szmodics told Ipswich's club website. 

“There’s always been interest since I was a kid, but it just felt right this time with the challenge of the Premier League.

“After speaking to a couple of the lads, including Lewis Travis who was here last season, they just pushed me and said that I need to come and work under this manager, which is something I can’t wait to do. 

“It’s every boy’s dream to play in the Premier League and I’ve always said to my friends, family and agents that I’ll get to the top one day.  

“There’s nothing more I want than to score at Portman Road for Ipswich Town. I am over the moon to be here and looking forward to the season ahead.” 

Szmodics was registered in time to be available for their opening game of the Premier League season against Liverpool at Portman Road on Saturday. 

England interim head coach Lee Carsley has said he is looking to put "his own stamp" on the England squad as he prepares for his first game in charge. 

Carsley, who was previously the England's U21 manager, was confirmed as the Three Lion's interim boss for their upcoming UEFA Nations League fixtures. 

The 50-year-old replaced Gareth Southgate who stepped down from his position following England's 2-1 defeat to Spain in the final of Euro 2024. 

England face the Republic of Ireland on September 7 before returning to Wembley to take on Finland as they aim to make a winning started in Group 2.  

Speaking to the Football Association's in-house media channel, Carsley is relishing the opportunity of taking charge of the squad, but acknowledged the importance of finding a blend of competitiveness and balance. 

"It's a very prestigious job following Gareth and [assistant manager] Steve [Holland] and the great job that they have done," Carsley said. 

"First and foremost, it's getting the squad together and picking the right players while trying to get a balance between making sure it's fresh and competitive but understanding that there are games that we need to do well in and win, so that's what I'll be looking to do.

"It's important that we put our own stamp on the squad and make some adjustments, but also to realise that a lot of the players have done really well in the past and we have to acknowledge that."

Carsley has been within the England coaching set-up since 2020, first being appointed as head coach of England's U20 side in which he won one of his two matches. 

A year later, he replaced Aidy Boothroyd as the manager of the U21's and would go on to lift a major honour during his three years at the helm. 

Carsley helped his team win the European Under-21 Championship - their first title in the competition since 1984 - beating Spain 1-0 in Georgia. 

Cole Palmer scored the decisive goal that day, with Anthony Gordon also starting the game, both of whom were involved at Euro 2024. 

"I've got a relationship with those players and have known them quite a few years," Carsley said.

"There's players that I don't know as well, but I'm very much aware of them and I think we've got some outstanding players in the senior team.

"In the pathway, the level of players over the years has really improved and you can see that by the way we've done in major tournaments. The next step is winning, and that's got to be the objective."

Willian confirmed he has left Fulham following the expiry of his contract at Craven Cottage, the Brazilian announced in an Instagram post on Friday. 

Willian, who made 67 appearances across two years in all competitions for Fulham, scored five goals for Marco Silva's side last season. 

The Brazilian played 317 times for three different sides in the Premier League, first arriving in England after joining Chelsea from Anzhi Makhachkala in 2013. 

He spent a year with Arsenal before joining Corinthians, returning to London in 2022 with Fulham on an initial one-year contract, extending it by a further year last July.

"I would like to thank Fulham for a wonderful two years," Willian wrote. "It was special to return to the Premier League and be part of this historic club and the amazing fans. 

"I have had incredible moments and this club will always be in my heart.

"A very special thank you to our coach Marco Silva who showed me a lot of belief and gave me the confidence throughout the time we were together.

"I wish Fulham the best of luck in their upcoming challenges and hope I will get a chance to support the team live in the future."

Tottenham have completed the signing of winger Wilson Odobert from Burnley for an undisclosed fee, reportedly in the region of €37million (£31.5m).

Odobert joined Burnley from Troyes upon their promotion to the Premier League last year and was a bright spark in a disappointing campaign for the Clarets, who were relegated back to the Championship.

The France Under-21 international scored three goals in 29 Premier League appearances for Burnley, also contributing two assists.

Only Johann Gudmundsson (35) and Josh Brownhill (34) bettered his 31 chances created for Burnley in 2023-24, while he attempted (110) and completed (53) more dribbles than any of his team-mates.

Odobert also led all of his team-mates for shot-ending carries (20) and ranked joint-first for chances created following a carry, alongside Sander Berge (11).

Tottenham had been linked with several wingers ahead of the new season, including Pedro Neto, who left Wolves for Chelsea in a €60m (£51.4m) deal last week.

On Friday, Spurs announced Odobert as their fifth new signing ahead of Ange Postecoglou's second season at the helm, after Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Min-hyeok Yang.

The club confirmed Odobert has penned a five-year contract and will wear the number 28 shirt, with his debut potentially coming in their Premier League opener at Leicester City on Monday.

Odobert started Burnley's opening Championship fixture against Luton Town on Monday, scoring their second goal in a 4-1 victory. 

Arne Slot insists he is happy with his Liverpool squad ahead of their Premier League opener against Ipswich, despite missing out on midfielder Martin Zubimendi. 

Slot takes charge of his first competitive game for the Reds at Portman Road on Saturday, but is in charge of the only side yet to sign a player this transfer window.

Liverpool had shown their interest in Real Sociedad's Zubimendi following his performances for Spain at Euro 2024, appearing poised to trigger his £51m release clause. 

However, he rejected the move to Anfield, preferring to remain with La Real for the upcoming season after his impressive showings for club and country last year.

Zubimendi completed 1318 successful passes in La Liga last season, a total only bettered by Igor Zubeldia (1475) and Robin Le Normand (1562) in the Sociedad squad.

When compared to Liverpool's current midfield options, only Alexis Mac Allister (1692) completed more than the Spaniard last campaign. 

And despite the lack of transfer activity on Merseyside, Slot remained confident that the squad assembled under Jurgen Klopp's tenure will deliver.

"I've said many times already that our squad is really strong and it's not so easy to find players who can help us or improve the squad," Slot said. 

"Zubimendi was one of them to be fair, but he decided not to come. We go forward with the ones we have. 

"Endo did well in pre-season. We're in a good place. Richard is trying to strengthen the squad. Zubimendi decided not to come, we did every effort.

"If a player decides not to come then it's obvious he's not coming."

Another topic of conversation was the position that Trent Alexander-Arnold will play under Slot this season, having been tried in midfield for England at Euro 2024. 

Alexander-Arnold started in the Three Lions' two Group C games at the European Championships, but was substituted in both of those encounters. 

His performance in the 1-1 draw against Denmark saw him create more chances (three) and play more line-breaking passes in the final third (five) than any other player, despite leaving the field in the 54th minute. 

The full-back often drifted into midfield during Klopp's time at Anfield, and Slot is confident he can be an asset for the Reds, no matter what position he plays.

"A position for a player is always related to the team. The first aim is to bring the best out of the team. Trent is known for playing as a right full-back," Slot added. 

"When he was younger he played in midfield and he did it in the Euros.

"I think he can play both positions really well and it's up to me where I think he could help the team the most."

Gabriel Misehouy rescued a point for Girona on his debut as they salvaged a 1-1 draw at Real Betis in LaLiga, but coach Michel has warned the teenager must remain grounded.

The 19-year-old Dutch midfielder came off the bench for his debut in Girona's league opener at Betis, having joined from Ajax on a free transfer in July.

He found the equaliser from a counterattack he initiated and was a constant menace to Betis' backline, almost scoring the winner with some brilliant play late on.

Michel was not surprised by Misehouy's impact but told DAZN he has much to learn, saying: "Gabriel is a brutally talented player, but as of today he still lacks the collective mentality to be a great player.

"He has a lot of room for improvement. He still doesn't speak Spanish but I hope he listens to me...

"Maybe the goal won't do any good for him, I don't want it to be... He has a lot of talent, but we have to focus on him so that he can work for the group."

Missing several players due to illness, Michel was satisfied to leave Seville with a point to start a season in which Girona are under the spotlight, having finished third to reach the Champions League last term.

Even if they have lost the element of surprise, Michel is confident the club will continue their upward trajectory.

"I think the team had the personality to play with our idea, knowing that the connections are not yet there," he said. 

"I am very happy with the performance, knowing the problems we had."