Tottenham Hotspur are in the market for another new forward this summer after sealing a permanent deal for Mathys Tel, with Thomas Frank reportedly eager to reinforce his brand-new squad ahead of the tactician’s debut campaign in the Champions League.

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It will be Frank’s first-ever season managing in Europe’s most illustrious competition, and far more eyes will be on the Dane in comparison to his successful stint at mid-table Brentford.

The pressure that comes with leading a ‘big six’ side will be very new to the 51-year-old, but it is something that Frank will need to take in his stride over the course of this three-year contract.

“Thomas Frank has done a brilliant job at Brentford, but this is a whole different kettle of fish,” said BBC Radio 5 Live pundit Chris Sutton.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

“Because of the expectation at Tottenham, Frank won’t get time to get his feet under the table. He will be under pressure from the off. Postecoglou has just won them their first major European trophy for 41 years and has gone. So already you have to wonder what does Frank need to do this season to keep his job?

“The aim for Frank will be to keep them in the Champions League, and whether that is by making the top four or five, that is not going to be easy. That is a big ask for this squad, to compete on both fronts. We know this Tottenham team is better than 17th place, because they finished fifth in Postecoglou’s first year, but other Premier League teams have improved since then.”

Above all, Frank will need backing in the transfer market, and their indefinite deal for Tel simply won’t be enough.

Son’s very possible move to Saudi Arabia, which would put an end to his legendary 10-year stay at N17, has exacerbated Frank’s need for another proven winger, with Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo among their key targets in that regard.

Tottenham make contact over signing Antoine Semenyo

Tottenham have already been tipped to make a £65 million bid for Semenyo, but that won’t be enough, as journalist Pete O’Rourke explains to Football Insider this week.

According to the reporter, Spurs have made contact over a deal for Semenyo, with the Cherries having placed a £70 million valuation on their star front man. However, if Frank’s side meet this price tag and make the Ghanaian their club-record signing, Bournemouth are confident they can sign a “swift” replacement and have a “contingency plan” in place.

O’Rourke adds that there is a “real possibility” that Bournemouth could lose Semenyo amid Spurs’ approach, and he could be their fourth high-profile exit of the window after Dean Huijsen, Milos Kerkez and potentially Illia Zabarnyi, who’s in advanced talks to join PSG.

The 25-year-old bagged 13 goals and seven assists in all competitions last season, playing a decent mixture of roles on the left and right-hand side.

Semenyo’s versatility and proven Premier League experience would be invaluable for Frank, but Daniel Levy will need to dig deep into his pockets.

India captain was all praise for Washington Sundar but he also said he sees Ashwin and Jadeja “playing a huge role in the rest of the series”

Alagappan Muthu05-Dec-20244:56

Rohit: ‘Rahul probably deserves the opening slot at this point in time’

Rohit Sharma, who has usually opened the batting for India in Test cricket since 2019, has confirmed that he will be moving down the order for the day-night Test match against Australia in Adelaide. His reasoning suggested it might be a temporary measure, but it is clear that KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal have done too well as an opening pair, adding 201 in the second innings of the Perth Test to set up India’s victory, to be separated immediately. That means even though Rohit is the captain of the side, he needs to make an adjustment and play out of position.”How I came to that decision of batting down the order is because we want results, we want success,” Rohit said on Thursday. “And those two guys at the top – just looking at this one Test match – they batted brilliantly. I was at home with my newborn in my arms and I was watching how KL batted. It was brilliant to watch, to be honest.”And I felt that there’s no need to change that now. Maybe in the future things will be different, I don’t know. So based on what has happened and what KL has shown outside of India, he probably deserves that place at this point.Related

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“It is something that has given us success in the first Test. To have that big partnership with Jaiswal on the other side probably won us the Test.”Rahul might not have got a century but he was excellent across both innings in Perth. Jaiswal did get a century, bouncing back from a duck in the first innings, and was feeling so good in the middle that he was happy to point out that Mitchell Starc was coming on too slowly and Nathan Lyon might be a legend but was getting old. India made 487 for 6 declared and won by 295 runs.”When you come to a place like Perth and you get 500-odd runs, it’s a massive tick in the box,” Rohit said. “What I saw from the outside looked brilliant and there was no need to change anything.”KL Rahul and Yashasvi Jaiswal put up 201 in the second innings in Perth•AFP/Getty Images

Just as he was winding up his answer, Rohit offered a window into how the team wants to operate whether they win, lose or draw. They do not seem to bow to stature as much as they have previously been perceived to. Here, for example, the captain was giving up his spot to Rahul, who played only one of the three matches in their previous Test series.”It was actually pretty simple for me,” Rohit said. “Personally, not easy, but for the team, it made a lot of sense.”Team-first is the philosophy that fuelled India into picking the XI they played with in Perth because it meant leaving two men with a combined 800-plus Test wickets out.”It’s always hard to leave out experienced players like [Ravindra] Jadeja and [R] Ashwin. But I think the decision was made for whatever was best for the team at that particular time.”Rohit on R Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja: “I certainly see them playing a huge role in the rest of the series”•AFP/Getty Images

In Canberra, India’s assistant coach Abhishek Nayar spoke highly of the two spinners for taking the decision well. Ashwin made his way onto the field just as his replacement Washington Sundar was about to begin his spell and, having tended to his duties as 12th man, he made sure to go up to the bowler for a quick chat before leaving the field.It was 37°C on the eve of the match and the Adelaide pitch was kept under the covers to protect it from the heat. Chances of thundershowers that were forecast for the first day have also receded and the mercury is set to keep soaring, which could possibly bring spin into the picture even with the pink ball. Ashwin was seen working on his batting with head coach Gautam Gambhir sending him throwdowns.”I certainly see them playing a huge role in the rest of the series,” Rohit said about Ashwin and Jadeja, “because what they bring to the table can never be written off.” And about Washington, he said, “We have seen what he can do with the ball, with the bat. He’s got a solid technique to play anywhere in the world. And when such guys are in the team, you get confidence. And with Washy especially, now I just hope that he stays away from injury and doesn’t get injured. Because a player like him is always valuable to our squad. [He] gives us that balance, that depth that a team always requires. So with Washy, I can see his graph from here going up only.”Rohit talked up the young batters in his side too. He was asked to explain how Jaiswal, Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant have been able to find success overseas very early in their careers.”The youngsters nowadays are fearless. They don’t carry any baggage. Jaiswal, Gill, Pant – these are the cricketers of a different generation,” Rohit said. “When we had come to Australia for the first time, the only thing in our minds used to be how to score runs. We would put extra pressure on ourselves. But every generation is different. Today’s players are bold and fearless, and perhaps this is working in their favour.”Whenever I talk to them, they have only one thing in their mind: how to win the match. They don’t think of how I would score a hundred or a double-hundred. When you start thinking like that, the individual performances take care of themselves. Because if you have to win, you will have to perform – and that happens automatically. If your primary focus is how to win matches, series, tournaments, then the big runs these guys make that is secondary.”If they are not able to contribute with the bat, they think what they can do in fielding, or bowling. So the guys these days think like this, which is a very, very good thing. I don’t know if someone talks to them about it, tells them. But this is their natural mindset when they come for a tour – their mindset is how to win the match.”

The security assessment became necessary because of the political turmoil in Bangladesh in July-August

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Sep-2024South Africa’s two-Test series in Bangladesh will be played on schedule, with CSA okaying the tour following a security assessment by its experts. The first Test will be played from October 21-25 in Dhaka, and the second in Chattogram from October 29 to November 2.A CSA statement on Monday said that it had given the tour the go-ahead after “an in-loco inspection” on the part of the board’s operations manager, team security manager, safety and security consultant, and a representative of the South African Cricketers’ Association, who submitted their recommendations to the board after visiting Bangladesh last week.South Africa will reach Dhaka on October 16. The squad for the series is expected later on Monday.Bangladesh vs South Africa

Oct 21-25: 1st Test, Dhaka
Oct 29 to Nov 2: 2nd Test, Chattogram

South Africa’s concerns about the security situation in Bangladesh were because of the anti-government protests in the country in July-August, which led to the fall of Sheikh Hasina’s government, and, later, the women’s T20 World Cup moving out of the country to the UAE.CSA sources had told ESPNcricinfo earlier this month that they had been told the situation in Bangladesh had “settled”, but the tour wouldn’t go on if any risks were identified in the security assessments.South Africa only have six Test matches left in the ongoing World Test Championship cycle. They have already played six games, having won two, lost three, and drawn one. They are currently sixth on the points table, and need to win at least five of their remaining games to have a chance of qualifying for next year’s final at Lord’s. All six of their series in this cycle have been limited to two Tests, as CSA prioritised the launch of the SA20, their domestic T20 franchise competition, and cost-cutting.The last time South Africa and Bangladesh had faced each other in a Test series was in South Africa in March-April 2022. South Africa’s white-ball squads are currently in the UAE to take on Ireland.

تحدث أوليفر جلاسنر مدرب فريق كريستال بالاس، قبل مواجهة ليفربول المقرر خوضها غدًا الأربعاء في بطولة كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية.

وقال جلاسنر عن جاهزية فريقه في تصريحات نشرتها شبكة “بي بي سي”: “بكل صراحة، الوضع جيد جدًا، لدينا مشكلة واحدة فقط، كريس ريتشاردز يعاني من مشكلة بسيطة في ربلة الساق، لذا لن يسافر معنا إلى ليفربول غدًا”.

وأضاف مدرب كريستال بالاس: “جميع اللاعبين الآخرين بخير وتعافوا جيدًا، أظهر اللاعبون جاهزيتهم في المباراة الماضية أمام آرسنال، ويمكنهم محاولة إدراك التعادل حتى صافرة النهاية، لذا يبدو الوضع إيجابيًا”.

وأشار جلاسنر: “سيبدأ جايدي كانفوت ووالتر بينيتيز أساسيين، إنها ليست هبة، إنهما يستحقانها، جايدي، تحدثتُ إليه وقلتُ له إنني لا أهتم (بخطأه ضد لارنكا الأسبوع الماضي)، إنه جزء من كرة القدم”.

وواصل: “لقد فاز في العديد من المواجهات الثنائية، وهو يُبلي بلاءً حسنًا في التدريب، نحن نثق به، ولهذا السبب سيبدأ غدًا في الثلاثي الدفاعي، والتر كذلك، إنه يُبلي بلاءً حسنًا في التدريب، ويستحق الحصول على بعض الدقائق أيضًا”.

اقرأ أيضًا | بعد إصابة كارفاخال.. موقف أرنولد من مباراة ليفربول وريال مدريد

وتعليقًا على أداء النادي مؤخرًا، أفاد: “لقد حصدنا نقطة واحدة، هذا صحيح، لم يكن أداؤنا الأفضل، لكننا لم نتراجع في أدائنا مقارنةً بالمباريات السابقة، شاهدنا مباراة آرسنال سابقًا، ومنحناهم هدفين، وتسديدتين من اللعب المفتوح على مدار 100 دقيقة في ملعب الإمارات، نعم، كانوا أفضل منا في الكرات الثابتة، ولهذا السبب فازوا بالمباراة”.

وبخصوص أداء ليفربول الأخير، علّق: “هناك بعض علامات الاستفهام، لا نعرف من سيلعب، عادةً ما يُغيرون التشكيلة كثيرًا في كأس رابطة الأندية الإنجليزية المحترفة، لديهم بعض الشكوك بسبب الإصابات، لكن أسلوب لعبهم لن يتغير كثيرًا”.

Birmingham City’s summer spending has now officially kicked into gear.

A spree of new signings at St. Andrew’s has finally gone through after plenty of heated transfer conversation, with Demarai Gray and Bright Osayi-Samuel both joining on free transfers, alongside James Beadle and Tommy Doyle entering the building on loan.

The pick of the bunch, however, was reportedly splashing out £10m to land former Celtic star Kyogo Furuhashi from Rennes.

Still, there will be plenty of intrigue from Birmingham fans about the number of other signings made in quick succession away from just their new Japanese ace, with lots expected from Wolverhampton Wanderers loanee Doyle in particular, who has excelled near the top of the Championship previously.

Why Doyle is an exciting signing for Birmingham

Indeed, Doyle – whilst he has found the Premier League to be his more recent permanent home with Wolves – has lit up the second tier regularly when competing there.

Playing for both Cardiff City and Sheffield United on loan, Doyle would let loose with an impressive tally of five goals and seven assists coming his way from 57 Championship outings, which included a fine free-kick being floated home to help the Blades in their pursuit of promotion during the 2022/23 campaign.

His standout Bluebirds loan stint would even see scout Jacek Kulig brand the 23-year-old as “superb” as the ex-Manchester City youth product now looks to dust himself down after an up-and-down patch of his Old Gold career to try and get back to his second-tier peak with Davies and Co.

He might well be joined by some additional competition very soon if rumours are to be believed, as Birmingham’s busy summer activity shows no signs of relenting.

Birmingham could sign another "special" star

All competition for places will be seen as healthy next season, with Davies wanting the best possible squad he can to ruffle some Championship feathers.

Landing the services of Lewis O’Brien would be viewed as a statement in the middle of the park for sure, with journalist Darren Witcoop revealing, whilst writing for TEAMTalk last week, that the ambitious Blues still are keen on adding the wantaway Nottingham Forest man to their ranks, even with Doyle now at their disposal.

A deal would have to be won right from under Wrexham’s nose, with reports suggesting that the Red Dragons had agreed a £5m fee for the ex-Huddersfield Town man’s signature, only for wages to be an unfortunate stumbling block.

This unforeseen hurdle for Phil Parkinson’s men could see Birmingham come out on top for the seasoned Championship professional instead, with O’Brien even more of a well-versed presence than Doyle as to what it takes to become a top battler in such a difficult and taxing division.

Games

38

42

43

23

16

Goals

2

3

3

0

1

Assists

4

3

3

1

0

Touches*

50.6

58.0

56.7

54.8

56.6

Accurate passes*

24.4 (77%)

30.8 (77%)

29.5 (78%)

36.8 (87%)

30.1 (76%)

Big chances created

5

6

4

2

2

Tackles*

3.2

2.0

2.2

1.7

1.9

Total duels won*

6.1

5.8

7.5

4.0

6.1

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that the Forest outcast excels when plying his trade in the Championship as a well-rounded presence in the middle, with O’Brien desperate to get back to his Terriers best if he dons Birmingham blue shortly, as seen in him winning an imperious 7.5 duels on per Championship clash during Huddersfield’s promotion near-miss during the 2021/22 season.

Like Doyle, he has the goals and assists to back up his tenaciousness, with 20 goal contributions and counting next to his name at the daunting level. His midfield counterpart can only boast 12, on the contrary.

Once even hailed as a “special” player by his former Huddersfield boss in Carlos Corberan, this might well be the signing that makes those tipping Birmingham for greatness more secure in the fact they can challenge for those promotion spots, as Davies aims to deliver back-to-back promotions to please the St. Andrew’s masses even more.

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As the England midfielder leaves the Etihad Stadium for Everton, GOAL counts down the worst deals of the Manchester City coach's career

Jack Grealish and Pep Guardiola often felt like an odd couple, a strange alliance between the ultimate individual and a coach who insists on structure and rehearsed patterns of play. Now, four years after their unlikely relationship began with the player's Premier League record transfer from Aston Villa to Manchester City, it has come to a sad end. 

Grealish is set to join Everton on loan after effectively agreeing to leave City at the start of the summer when he was left out of the squad for the Club World Cup. The departure follows two bitterly disappointing seasons for the England international after the high of winning the treble in 2023. Guardiola desperately wanted to help Grealish return to those heady days, but back in January he effectively admitted he had given up on that aim, remarking: "Do I want the Jack that won the treble? Yeah, I want it, but I try to be honest with myself."

City have already moved on from Grealish, signing Jeremy Doku in 2023, Savinho in 2024 and Rayan Cherki this summer to compete with him, and the £100-million man's disappointing career at the Etihad Stadium underlines that Guardiola does not always get it right in the transfer market. 

So where does Grealish rank among the worst signings Guardiola has ever made? GOAL runs down the top 10:

Getty Images10Nolito (Man City, £14m)

Guardiola had known Nolito since the forward's days in Barcelona's reserve team and had watched his progress closely before bringing him to City from Celta Vigo during his first summer in charge of the Blues.

Nolito was a late bloomer, having only started to thrive in La Liga in his late 20s, and the move to City was simply to big of a step up for him. He scored twice against Stoke City in his second appearance, but could not build on his strong start and struggled to adapt to life in England, eventually making headlines by declaring that the lack of sunshine in Manchester had made his daughter's skin change colour and that she looked like she had been "living in a cave" as a doctor even advised him to give her vitamin D tablets.

Nolito lasted just one season at City, making only nine Premier League starts while scoring four times, before returning to his natural habitat by joining Sevilla.

AdvertisementGetty Images9Martin Caceres (Barcelona, £14m)

Martin Caceres was the first signing Guardiola ever made as a coach, but proved to be one of his worst. The centre-back joined Barca from Villarreal having spent the previous season on loan at Recreativo de Huelva, and despite arriving for what was a sizeable transfer fee at the time, Caceres barely got a look in as he quickly dropped down the pecking order to become fourth-choice centre-back.

He made just eight La Liga starts all season and Barca won just four of them, a miserable ratio considering they stormed to the title that season. His standing was so low that even when Dani Alves and Rafael Marquez were injured for the Champions League final, he still didn't get in the team, with Guardiola opting to play Yaya Toure at centre-back instead.

Caceres left for Juventus that summer, lasting just one season at Camp Nou.

Getty8Medhi Benatia (Bayern Munich, £22m)

Medhi Benatia had impressed as a goal-scoring centre-back for Roma, but suffered an acrimonious departure from Stadio Olimpico as he joined Bayern in the summer of 2015, ahead of Guardiola's second campaign in Munich. The coach, however, quickly lost trust in him, and over two seasons handed Benatia just 24 Bundesliga starts.

The Morocco international also became notorious for producing high-profile errors, such as getting sent off against City in a Champions League group-stage game and making costly lapses in both legs of the semi-final tie against Barcelona, which Bayern lost 5-3 on aggregate.

He subsequently had a reduced role in his second season, Guardiola's last, and then left for Juventus.

Getty7Joao Cancelo (Man City, £60m)

Joao Cancelo can be filed alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the category of being a brilliant player but with a volcanic personality which ultimately ruined his relationship with Guardiola. The Portugal international had two fantastic seasons with City, but clashed too many times with the coach, and there was only ever going to be one winner.

It has been revealed that Cancelo got off to a rocky start just weeks after completing his £60m ($76m) move from Juventus and threatened to leave after losing his place in the line-up to Kyle Walker. Urged to change his ways by sporting director Txiki Begiristain, Cancelo reinvented himself as an inverted left-back and was instrumental to City's successive title wins in 2020-21 and 2021-22.

But he could not handle being dropped again after the 2022 World Cup and started disrespecting Guardiola, even wearing headphones during one of his team talks. The coach made it clear that Cancelo had to leave "for the good of the team" and was loaned out to Bayern Munich, where he also endured a disappointing spell.

He continued to underwhelm during a subsequent loan at Barcelona before he was eventually sold to Saudi side Al-Hilal in 2024.

da bet nacional： Liverpool have adopted the mantra that the best form of defence is attack. Certainly, this is true of their summer transfer window so far, having made sweeping changes after winning the Premier League.

da bet sport： Some expected Arne Slot to be relieved of his duties as helmsman before the end of the 2024/25 campaign, let alone win the title with such dispatch.

Always ahead of the rabble, the Reds will now look to defend their title and challenge for more silverware across tournament fronts, well-equipped to do so after signing Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, Milos Kerkez and goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Though Liverpool are definitely interested in bringing in a centre-back – having attempted to sign Dean Huijsen before he joined Real Madrid and now setting their sights on Marc Guehi – many fans would agree that a centre-forward is more desperately needed.

Wirtz’s world-class playmaking would raise the level of any striker, but it won’t be enough to salvage Darwin Nunez’s Anfield career.

Why Liverpool are selling Darwin Nunez

When Liverpool signed Nunez from Benfica three years ago, they thought they had secured a superstar in the making. Jurgen Klopp led the bid.

However, the Uruguay international, 25, has only scored 25 goals across his three terms in the Premier League, routinely criticised for his wayward finishing.

The pace and pressure that English football applies has foiled many a talented up-and-comer, and though Nunez has had his moments – that winner at the City Ground, that match-winning brace against Brentford – personal triumphs have been few and far between.

Under Slot’s guidance, he has scored seven times in 47 matches. Presenting that data differently, Nunez failed to score across 42 fixtures in 2024/25.

The marriage is over, but it’s an amiable divorce. Serie A champions Napoli are currently pushing to sign the striker, and it’s a move that will benefit all parties involved.

Nunez will enjoy the slower pace of the Italian division. Napoli, then, have the chance to rekindle this maverick, turn him into a chaotic weapon.

And Liverpool? Well, Liverpool will sign someone better.

Liverpool set sights on Nunez upgrade

According to German reporter Christian Falk, Liverpool are still interested in Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike. The sought-after star has been expected to leave Germany this summer, but his club are playing hardball.

Indeed, Liverpool have been joined by Chelsea and Manchester United in considering a deal, but Frankfurt seem set on sticking to their €100m (£85m) valuation, a figure no one will pay.

Falk believes Liverpool will not open contacts with Frankfurt until Nunez’s future has been sorted, and a resolution on that front appears to be imminent.

Why Liverpool should sign Hugo Ekitike

Time was when the ballpark of £85m would get you record-breaking players, those of the top brass. Now, such figures make for just another day for clubs looking to stay competitive at the highest level.

That’s not to discredit Ekitike’s skill set; the Frenchman has been called “one of the best strikers out there” by analyst Ben Mattinson, after all.

And he could reach some staggering standard, of course. Ekitike is tall and powerful and dynamic, endowed with pace and awareness to combine with a hunger to rattle shots off at goal.

You can only imagine the levels he could reach at Liverpool, combining with someone like Wirtz, whom Xabi Alonso had no qualms about labelling a “genius” of a playmaker for his vision and creative passing.

Florian Wirtz – Past Five Bundesliga Seasons

Season

Apps

Goals

Assists

24/25

31 (25)

10

13

23/24

32 (26)

11

12

22/23

17 (11)

1

6

21/22

24 (22)

7

10

20/21

29 (25)

5

6

Data via Transfermarkt

Wirtz’s ability to score and to assist with regularity would suit a modern-tailored striker like Ekitike to a tee, for he scored 22 goals and assisted 12 more across all competitions in 2024/25, going from strength to strength after arriving in Germany as a loanee in January 2024, scoring four times across the latter half of that Bundesliga season before wrapping the deal up by the end for €35m (£30m).

A lofty figure for a relatively unproven prospect at the time, but who can argue that Frankfurt haven’t got bang for their buck now? Ekitike will be sold for a mammoth figure, even if it doesn’t quite reach the ballpark that Die Adler are hoping for.

While some might have reservations over Ekitike’s age, and indeed his rawness, you can only imagine the heights he could reach in front of Liverpool’s new record signing, and that’s without even considering the magic of Mohamed Salah being sprinkled in from the right too.

Of course, Wirtz will certainly be helped by Ekitike’s instinctiveness, the forward’s sharp movements and clever flicks apt to cause mayhem for opposing defences when collecting one of Wirtz’s surgical passes, his angled crosses, his deft layoffs.

And, furthermore, the rangy talent boasts an underlying skill set to behold, bearing all the dynamism and roundedness that Liverpool typically like from their frontmen.

As per FBref, he finished the Bundesliga campaign ranked among the top 8% of strikers for pass completion, the top 16% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90.

No doubt, he’d be a dream for Liverpool’s new German superstar, actually praised for his “incredible” style of play by teammate Rasmus Kristensen.

Of course, Liverpool would get a more refined and established nine in Alexander Isak, who has demonstrable experience in the Premier League and Champions League, also scoring as Newcastle United beat Slot to the Carabao Cup in March.

However, Ekitike is more affordable and has the potential to grow into a bona fide sensation. Partnered with Wirtz over the coming years, whose elegant and intelligent performances would serve chances to the France talent on gleaming platters, Slot might just hit the jackpot.

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Tottenham Hotspur salvaged their season in the most glorious fashion last month, beating Manchester United in the Europa League final to end 17 agonising years of searching for silverware.

However, it wasn’t enough to save Ange Postecoglou, who Daniel Levy dismissed at the start of the month following a wretched Premier League season that concluded with Spurs completing a miserable 17th-place finish.

But with Thomas Frank brought in to replace the Aussie, there’s hope yet that Tottenham can use the past year as a springboard for future success, having already targeted Bryan Mbeumo, who is expected to leave Brentford this summer and has expressed a preference to go to Old Trafford, although Spurs’ new manager could tempt him to change direction.

It’s the kind of signing that simply wouldn’t have been possible had Tottenham failed to clinch the Europa League. But now, the door is very much open for what would be a marquee move.

Why Spurs want Bryan Mbeumo

Mbeumo has truly established himself as one of the most threatening forwards in the Premier League, vital for Frank’s side’s success over the past several years.

His shooting marks the most salient part of his skill set, for sure, but Spurs would also be getting their hands on a dynamic and layered player who, as per Sofascore, created 17 big chances in the league, and averaged 1.3 tackles and 4.7 successful duels per game.

Brennan Johnson holds down the fort on the Tottenham right wing, but for all the Welshman’s potency in the final third, he’s shown to drift in and out of games, his influence waning all too often.

As such, a player like Mbeumo would prove a marked improvement, someone refined and talismanic who could serve as a leader and an example to follow.

However, while Tottenham will be buoyed by Mbeumo’s supposed change of stance in considering their offer now that Frank is at the helm, it would be foolish to put all their eggs in one basket after he previously made it clear that he wants to move to Old Trafford.

Premier League 24/25 – Top Scorers
#	Player	Apps	Goals
1.	Mohamed Salah	38	29
2.	Alexander Isak	34	23
3.	Erling Haaland	31	22
4.	Chris Wood	36	20
5.	Bryan Mbeumo	38	20
Data via Premier League

The Cameroonian has proved himself to be one of the most prolific forwards on English shores, but if he does opt to become a Red Devil, the Lilywhites may have found the perfect alternative.

Spurs lining up another Premier League forward

As per Caught Offside, Tottenham have been scouting Bournemouth star Justin Kluivert, with the report stating that the Londoners are currently weighing up an official offer.

Curiously, Man United are also interested in signing the Netherlands international, clearly following a similar train of thought as Spurs. Arsenal and Liverpool are also in the mix.

Bournemouth don’t want to sell their dynamic attacker but would, of course, for the right price, with that tag seemingly set at around €55m (£47m), although it remains to be seen whether or not Spurs would be willing to meet their demands.

Why Spurs want Justin Kluivert

Kluivert has proven himself across two seasons as being worthy Premier League material, instrumental for Bournemouth across their impressive campaign under Andoni Iraola’s wing.

Tenacious and technically talented, Kluivert, 26, brings a dribble-centric game that has been refined to establish him as one of the most impressive goalscorers in English football, scoring 12 times in the division last season.

The exciting part is that he is clinical with his chances, thus proving he could be the perfect Mbeumo alternative, with Frank labelling his star Brentford forward as being “unplayable” at times.

Justin Kluivert – Premier League Stats
Stats (* per game)	23/24	24/25
Matches (starts)*	32 (26)	34 (29)
Goals	7	12
Assists	1	6
Shots (on target)*	1.8 (0.6)	1.9 (0.9)
Big chances missed	7	6
Pass completion	72%	81%
Key passes*	0.7	1.4
Ball recoveries*	2.8	2.3
Dribbles*	0.8	1.1
Duels won*	2.9	2.9
Data via Sofascore

There’s no question that the Dutchman has gone up a gear over the past year, and who’s to say that he wouldn’t raise his game once again under Frank’s wing down N17?

Kluivert has truly become one of the most dangerous shooters in the Premier League, so economical and precise with his finishing, capable of drifting into space from close or indeed firing from range.

As per FBref, Kluivert actually finished the 2024/25 Premier League campaign ranked among the top 6% of attacking midfielders and wingers for goals and assists per 90 (0.69), which even led to him being considered a player of statistical likeness to Mbeumo.

Though Mbeumo is a right-sided forward, and Kluivert tends to operate in a central attacking midfield berth, the Cherries man has been singled out for his pace and energy in the past and indeed has a wealth of experience on the flanks, scoring 55 goals and providing 47 assists across 221 career appearances out wide.

Moreover, he’s been hailed for his “incredible” finishing this season by writer Ifreke Inyang, scoring Premier League hat-tricks against Wolverhampton Wanderers and Newcastle United.

If Frank can get the likes of Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison performing at the top of their respective playmaking games, Kluivert could find himself reaching even loftier tallies than he has so far achieved.

The versatile forward’s vibrant, physical style suggests he could be the perfect Mbeumo alternative, still providing Tottenham with exciting new qualities while playing in such a way that could see Frank turn him into his new version of Mbeumo.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.Override

It’s the kind of shrewd signing that might just see Tottenham go from strength to strength.

Their next Werner: Spurs in battle to sign "special" £25m man for Frank

Spurs would be making a massive mistake signing this player.

1

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Jun 13, 2025

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Berta to offer "emerging star" in Arsenal swap deal for near-£70m signing

The Italian really wants to bring him to N5.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 9, 2025

Arsenal confirmed the arrivals of Kepa Arrizabalaga and Martin Zubimendi recently, with the Spaniards poised to be joined by Premier League stalwart Christian Norgaard, who completed his medical earlier this week (David Ornstein).

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£65m

Zubimendi’s capture, in particular, was the result of a serious back and forth between Real Sociedad and Arsenal, which seemed to go on for several months, but Mikel Arteta at long last secured his new midfield star last Sunday.

“Martin is a player who will bring a huge amount of quality and football intelligence to our team. He will fit in really well and he has all the attributes to be a key player for us,” said Arteta about Zubimendi’s arrival, in official statement.

“The standard he has consistently performed at over the last few seasons for both club and country is exactly why we are so excited to have him with us. We all welcome Martin and his family to the club.”

After Zubimendi and Norgaard, it appears the players most likely to join Arsenal next are currently Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres or Chelsea’s Noni Madueke.

Arsenal are now in club-to-club talks with Chelsea over Madueke after agreeing personal terms (Fabrizio Romano), but supporters are clamoring for Berta to end the club’s search for a new number nine.

The Sweden international, according to various reports, is in advanced talks to join Arteta’s side after also agreeing personal terms, like Madueke, and if Berta has his way, the 27-year-old will be the man to end Arsenal’s pursuit of a prolific goalscorer.

Gyokeres’ 97 goals in 102 appearances for Sporting over the last two years is a massive draw for Arsenal, not least because of their trouble finding the net last season in comparison to their previous two campaigns.

Arsenal "will" sign Viktor Gyokeres after "positive" Berta talks

Understandably, updates on the 27-year-old’s potential move to north London are coming by the hour.

Football Transfers have chipped in with information of their own, sharing the timeline Arsenal supporters can expect when it comes to finalising a deal for the ex-Coventry City star.

Arsenal want to get Gyokeres over the line in time for their pre-season tour of Asia, with Arteta’s side set to take on AC Milan in Singapore on July 23. Berta has just arrived back in England after jetting out to Portugal for “positive talks” with Sporting, and FT move to reassure fans that Arsenal “will” get a deal done for Gyokeres, even if there is some light work to do on the final fee.

They’ve offered an initial £56 million, plus £4 million in add-ons, for the centre-forward – but Sporting want the £60 million to be a paid as an unconditional fixed fee.

Therefore, just £5 million separates the two sides right now, and there is an expectation that they will eventually reach a compromise, as Arsenal look to seal this deal within the next fortnight.

Throughout the years, Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been truly blessed with the chance to watch numerous elite-level attackers feature for the club.

Players such as Heung-min Son, Teddy Sheringham and Harry Kane all managed to make themselves club-legends in North London, with the latter breaking nearly every record in sight.

The 32-year-old currently sits at the top of the Lilywhites’ all-time scoring charts on 280, which saw 208 of his efforts come in the Premier League – with only Alan Shearer scoring more.

However, Spurs’ lack of success on the pitch ultimately led to his departure in 2023, which has left boss Thomas Frank unable to have the chance to work alongside the talisman.

He will no doubt want his own elite-level talent within the final third, potentially landing a player of that calibre during the upcoming January transfer window.

Spurs’ hunt for new attackers in January

Over the last couple of months, Spurs have been just one Premier League side linked with a potential deal for Porto star Sami Aghehowa in the winter window.

The Spaniard has been in tremendous goalscoring form during the early stages of 2025/26, as seen by his remarkable tally of 13 goals in his first 22 appearances across all competitions.

However, the Portuguese outfit don’t want to lose their star man anytime soon, subsequently slapping an €80m (£70m) asking price onto the 21-year-old’s head.

He’s not the only centre-forward in their sights ahead of the upcoming window, with Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta another player being considered by Fabio Paratici.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Lilywhites are seriously considering tabling a bid for the Frenchman in January, as his contract talks at Selhurst Park look to have stalled in recent weeks.

It also states that the Eagles may be forced to offload the 28-year-old in the near future to avoid losing him for nothing, with his current deal set to expire in June 2027.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be Frank’s next Mbeumo

During Frank’s time in charge at Brentford before taking the Spurs job, he often had numerous top-level attackers at his disposal, which helped make the Bees an established top-flight club.

The Dane mainly relied on forward Bryan Mbeumo during the latter years of his spell at the GTEC, with the Cameroonian international providing a constant source of goals in the Premier League.

During the 2024/25 season, the 26-year-old netted a career-best 20 league goals, ending the campaign as just one of five players to achieve the feat in the division.

He no doubt thrived under the 52-year-old across the capital, so much so that the manager made a fierce attempt to land his signature after taking the reins in North London.

However, a reunion just wasn’t meant to be, as Mbeumo opted for a move to join Manchester United during the summer, subsequently leading Frank to hunt for a new talisman.

The likes of Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison have often provided the goods in attacking areas for Spurs this campaign, but Frank could get his new star forward with a move for Mateta this winter.

The Palace star has registered 30 goals in the last two full seasons in England’s top-flight, whilst already making huge waves during the first 15 games of the new campaign.

Mateta already has seven goals in 2025/26, but it’s his underlying stats from his outings at Selhurst Park that would make him Frank’s next star attacker in the capital.

The French international, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by one analyst, has registered 1.6 shots on target per 90 this season, which such a tally ranking him in the top 7% of all players in the league.

Games played

15

Goals scored

7

Shots on target

1.6

Dribbles completed

53%

Crosses completed

75%

Aerials won

2.5

Touches in opposition box

4.1

Recoveries made

3.5

Such a figure showcases his relentless nature in front of goal, handing the Spurs side the constant nuisance and goal threat they have lacked since Kane’s departure.

He’s also completed 53% of his attempted dribbles to date, whilst achieving a 75% cross completion rate – highlighting his all-round nature within the final third.

His biggest asset is his hold-up play, which could allow the Lilywhites to have the needed focal point they’ve craved, with the striker winning 2.5 aerials per 90 so far this season.

It could hand Frank the aerial presence needed to dominate in the 18-yard box, but also an option to help link the play and create intricate moves off a direct ball into the striker.

Whilst he operates in a different role to Mbeumo, the pair have both demonstrated their goalscoring prowess in recent times, with clinical goalscorers often hard to come by in the modern game.

Mateta could provide Frank with exactly what he wants in the January window, with such a move handing the Dane the perfect attacking option to kickstart his career in charge of the Lilywhites.

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