WHEN clubs in Saudi Arabia spent more than £700million on signings last summer, few predicted Aleksandar Mitrovic would be the pick of the bunch.
Karim Benzema, Neymar and Riyad Mahrez were tipped to be stars, but Mitrovic has outshone them all by scoring 40 goals in a brilliant season.
The Serbia striker has taken the Saudi Pro League by storm after leaving Fulham for Al-Hilal and will be the biggest threat to England in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.
Those who have watched him up close in Saudi believe the 29-year-old is as dangerous as ever.
"He has been nothing sort of sensational," says journalist Matt Monaghan, a contributor to Arab News, an English-language daily newspaper in Saudi Arabia. "For me, he was the signing of the season. And, when you look at the players that were brought in last summer, that's some accolade.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
Andy vindicates bold call and fuels dream of a 'special' farewell
BEYOND the three Grand Slam titles, the two Olympic gold medals and the Davis Cup heroics, Andy Murray has built a career on making the improbable happen.
DALEY BACK IN MEDALS WITH SUPER SILVER
GAMES VETERAN AND WILLIAMS SECOND TO CHINA
After party at Ronaldo's in 2016, I hope Mbappe's around this time, says Clarke
THE last time Joe Clarke won Olympic gold, he ended up at a house party in former Brazil striker Ronaldo’s Rio de Janeiro home.
Happy tears after silver show Peaty has won his biggest fight
AS HE opened his eyes this morning, Adam Peaty fully expected the hangover to kick in.
Tesco sticking to £1bn share buyback as Goldman advises
TESCO today confirmed plans to continue with a £1 billion share buy back programme that should benefit investors.
Heineken takes hit on China brewer
GLOBAL brewer Heineken took a huge hit today from slowing Chinese markets and Europe’s washout summer, leaving its shares feeling the chill.
Firms tell Labour to block 'Beeching style' post cuts
A BUSINESS coalition representing more than 10,000 small and medium size firms today urged the Labour government to block “Beeching style” cuts to postal services.
Trad wifedom is a hoax, of course - but our obsession with it is deeply unedifying
THE obsession with trad wives goes on. Many yearnings meet in them but the principle one is misogyny, just not in the way you might think.
Edna O'Brien mastered the art of reinvention
THE opening sentence of Girl, Edna O’Brien’s last novel is, I think, unforgettable: “I was a girl once, but not any more...” And from there O’Brien, who died on Saturday, takes the reader into the unimaginable horror of the abduction and rape of the Chibok schoolgirls by the Islamist group, Boko Haram.
This ogre of a play needs to go to a land far, far away
SHREK just keeps on giving, doesn’t he? The DreamWorks ogre first appeared in 2001, with a fifth film in his franchise just announced — and don’t forget the Puss in Boots spin-offs.
