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Tottenham Hotspur winger Steven Bergwijn could seek a move elsewhere because Antonio Conte is not playing him enough in a World Cup year, claims Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge.

The Lowdown: Latest links

The 24-year-old was at the centre of heavy transfer speculation during the January window after it was reported that Ajax were keen on signing the Netherlands international.

According to the Daily Mail, the Dutch giants submitted a £15m bid for the attacker, which Spurs quickly rejected. It was reported that they were holding out for a sum closer to the £27m they paid themselves two years prior. After further negotiations, a deal between the two clubs failed to materialise.

However, Italian media outlet La Gazzetta dello Sport have now reported that AC Milan are working on a deal ahead of a proposed move in the summer.

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The Latest: Bridge’s claim

Sky Sports man Bridge believes that Bergwijn would be interested in a move away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium due to his lack of playing time under the Spurs boss.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, he claimed: “I know AC Milan like him. He might look at it and think ‘I do enjoy it here, but I’m not playing enough. We’ve got the World Cup coming up in November, so I need to impress Louis van Gaal. I need to be banging some goals in’.

“There is Memphis Depay and Arnaut Danjuma is banging them in, so he needs to start scoring and playing.”

The Verdict: Should leave

Under Lilywhites boss Conte, Bergwijn has struggled to establish himself as a mainstay in the XI.

He has started just one Premier League game under the Italian, having been utilised as a last-minute substitute on 15 other occasions.

Therefore, if the 24-year-old hopes to showcase his “unique” talents to van Gaal ahead of World Cup selection, then a move away from Tottenham would be in Bergwijn’s best interests.

In other news: Tottenham Hotspur: Noel Whelan makes Joe Rodon exit claim

Sunderland’s first summer back in the Premier League was always going to be a test of ambition and planning.

After a decade away, the club made headlines with a remarkable £141.5m transfer outlay.

Their recruitment drive was both bold and targeted, bringing in Habib Diarra from Strasbourg, Simon Adingra from Brighton, Chemsdine Talbi from Club Brugge, Brian Brobbey from Ajax, and Nordi Mukiele from PSG.

The early signs suggest that Sunderland’s gamble is already paying off.

A 3-0 win against West Ham on opening day at a sold-out Stadium of Light was the dream start, even if reality soon bit with a 2-0 defeat away at Burnley.

A last-gasp Wilson Isidor winner against Brentford restored momentum, before a gritty goalless draw with Crystal Palace added another point.

With Aston Villa the next visitors, Sunderland are still finding their rhythm, but their blend of youth and experience has drawn comparisons with sides that built stability quickly after promotion.

At the centre of this are two midfielders at very different stages of their careers. One, a veteran leader who has seen it all across Europe.

The other, a 20-year-old whose performances are already hinting at a future transfer value more than double what Sunderland paid.

Granit Xhaka's importance to Sunderland

When Sunderland secured the signing of Granit Xhaka from Bayer Leverkusen for £17m, many questioned whether the 32-year-old would be the right fit for a newly promoted side.

But Xhaka’s pedigree speaks for itself.

Over seven seasons with Arsenal, he made 297 appearances, won two FA Cups, and established himself as one of the Premier League’s most combative midfielders.

His return to England comes after a remarkable spell in Germany.

Joining Xabi Alonso’s Leverkusen side in 2023, Xhaka played a pivotal role in guiding the club to their first ever Bundesliga title, going unbeaten in the process.

He was also part of the squad that came agonisingly close to an unbeaten treble, only to be stopped in the Europa League final by an Ademola Lookman hat-trick for Atalanta.

Statistically, Xhaka remains one of the most progressive passers in European football.

Matches Played

33

Goals

2

Assists

7

Progressive Passes

318

Progressive Carries

42

Source: FBref

Last season, he averaged 9.91 progressive passes per 90, ranking him among the best in his position.

His 50.2 carries per 90 also show how comfortably he advances play, while his aerial duel win rate of 61.2% underlines his utility in both boxes.

Now captain of Sunderland and still wearing the armband for Switzerland, he has spoken about embracing “solidarity and suffering” as part of his new challenge.

For Sunderland, his presence provides stability when it is crucial.

Noah Sadiki is Sunderland’s jackpot signing

If Xhaka represents Sunderland’s steadying hand, Noah Sadiki embodies the excitement of the club’s new era.

Signed from Royale Union Saint-Gilloise for £15m, the 20-year-old Congolese midfielder is already proving to be one of the bargains of the summer.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, his value has soared to as high as €36m (£31m) after just a handful of games in the Premier League, exceeding the fee splashed out on Xhaka.

Sadiki had already built an impressive reputation in Belgium before his move, with The Athletic’s Seb Stafford-Bloor describing him as a “properly complete midfielder”.

Since arriving at Union SG from Anderlecht in 2023, he made over 100 appearances and helped the club win the Belgian Pro League title.

Similar to Chelsea’s Moises Caicedo, according to analyst Ben Mattinson, and capable of playing both in midfield and defence, his playing profile is one of his strongest assets.

At Sunderland, however, he has been used predominantly in midfield, where his blend of energy and intelligence has stood out.

Last season, he averaged 1.75 progressive carries per 90, slightly higher than Xhaka, while also posting stronger defensive metrics such as 1.78 tackles and 1.34 blocks per 90.

Despite his youth, he has shown composure on the ball, registering a 30% shot accuracy rate and 0.75 shots on target per 90 – higher than Xhaka’s 0.64.

These contributions have helped him quickly adapt to the physicality and pace of English football.

While Xhaka brings control, leadership, and passing range, Sadiki offers drive, athleticism, and the potential for game-changing contributions.

One thrives on experience and authority, the other on potential and versatility.

Together, they represent a midfield balance that could define Sunderland’s survival and growth in the Premier League.

Market Movers

Football FanCast’s Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club’s star player or biggest flop worth today?

Sunderland’s summer was a gamble, but the early evidence suggests they may have struck the right balance between established leaders and rising stars.

In Xhaka and Sadiki, they have captured the two poles of football development – a captain who has experienced everything and a 20-year-old who could yet become one of Europe’s most sought-after talents.

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ByKelan Sarson Sep 15, 2025

Everton take on Manchester United this weekend as they look to end their four-game winless run which stretches back to the middle of October.

The Toffees occupy 15th place in the Premier League table, just a couple of points off the drop zone, but they face a massive challenge at Old Trafford today.

Indeed, Ruben Amorim secured his first win in charge of United during the Europa League clash in midweek, and he will be keen to keep up the momentum.

One player who Everton must watch out for is Bruno Fernandes, who can cause all sorts of problems for their backline.

Why Bruno Fernandes will be a danger

Across 12 Premier League games this season, Fernandes has scored twice and registered three assists while creating eight big chances. Under Amorim, the Portuguese gem should be able to take his game to new heights, both domestically and in Europe.

Against Bodo/Glimt, the midfielder tended to drift to the left wing during the game, where he made one key pass, had five shots in total and took 95 touches. He may not have got on the scoresheet, but there was no denying how impressive his performance was.

The Everton defence will need to be at their very best to combat him this afternoon. If they can, the club could secure a positive result.

At the other end of the pitch, Sean Dyche might just have his own version of Fernandes in Dwight McNeil, who has operated as a number ten to great effect this season.

Everton's answer to Bruno Fernandes

Dyche decision to utilise McNeil as an attacking midfielder has been rewarded with some excellent performances, with the former Burnley man single-handedly keeping Everton above the drop zone.

Three goals and three assists have been registered in the top flight, while the Englishman has also created eight big chances and averaged 2.7 key passes per game, which is more than Fernandes, who averages 2.1 key passes each match.

Metric

Fernandes

McNeil

Goals

2

3

Assists

3

3

Key passes per game

2.1

2.7

Big chances created

8

8

Successful dribbles per game

0.8

1.6

Total shots per game

3.1

1.9

In terms of dribbles, McNeil also leads the way over the United sensation, averaging 1.6 dribbles per game to just 0.8 for Fernandes, signifying just how good he has been in the Premier League this season.

The £25k-per-week star is vital to how Everton play and Dyche must continue to unleash him just behind the main striker, especially with the destruction he can cause.

Journalist Joe Thomas previously hailed McNeil as “magic” in 2022 when Frank Lampard was in charge of the Merseyside outfit. Under Dyche, however, McNeil has taken his game to new heights this season.

Without him, the Toffees would certainly be lower than where they currently find themselves and if McNeil is on form against the Red Devils, Amorim’s first league match at Old Trafford might just be a difficult one to negotiate.

£80k-p/w Everton star could now leave for free in 2025 with Calvert-Lewin

Is it the right time to let him leave?

1 ByHenry Jackson Nov 30, 2024

West Ham United have a proud history of promoting youth players.

The likes of Frank Lampard, Rio Ferdinand, Joe Cole and Mark Noble have all made their way through the Hammers’ legendary academy.

In more recent times, Declan Rice is probably the best player to come out of the club, and while he did go on to join a London rival, he did so after 245 appearances.

Since he left, the club have struggled to replace him, but that may soon be about to change with someone Jarrod Bowen rates highly.

West Ham's most exciting academy stars

The good news for West Ham fans is that, while the first team might be somewhat lacking in quality, there are plenty of promising youngsters in the academy at the moment.

In The Pipeline

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For example, they might just have a homegrown version of El Hadji Malick Diouf soon in Emeka Adiele.

The 18-year-old left-back has been in fine form this season, and as things stand, has amassed an impressive tally of one goal and six assists in just eight appearances for the U21 side.

Described as someone “full of confidence and tenacity” by one analyst, it might not be too long until fans get to see him in first-team action.

The same could be said for one of the academy’s best goalscorers: Josh Landers.

The 18-year-old Scotsman joined the Hammers from Hibernian in February of this year and, as one analyst puts it, as one analyst puts it, has “hit the ground running.”

So far this season, the Innerleithen-born gem has already scored five goals in five appearances, totalling 269 minutes for the U21s, which is a goal every 53.8 minutes.

Appearances

12

8

Goals

9

5

Assists

0

0

Goal Involvements per Match

0.75

0.62

Finally, although he is a bit older and has now played in the first team, Callum Marshall is still someone worth keeping an eye on, having been named Huddersfield Player of the Year while on loan there last season.

West Ham's future Rice

So, while it’s clear that West Ham have a number of exciting attackers and even the odd full-back coming through, who is the youngster that might one day emulate Rice? That huge task falls to the hugely promising Preston Fearon, but what makes him similar to the Hammers’ former captain?

Well, firstly, like the England international, the 18-year-old gem joined the East Londoners from Chelsea.

More crucially than that, though, he’s someone who can play a few different positions but is primarily a midfielder. More specifically, he thrives as a six and an eight.

Central Midfield

14

0

5

Defensive Midfield

9

0

2

Attacking Midfield

2

0

0

Right Winger

1

0

0

Right Midfield

1

2

0

Centre-Back

1

1

0

For example, since joining the Irons’ academy set-up, the youngster has made 39 appearances across the U18s and U21s, of which 14 have been in central midfield and nine in defensive midfield.

Moreover, on top of his defensive sensibilities, the exciting prospect is capable of chipping in with goal involvements as well, with him scoring three and providing seven assists in his career so far.

Finally, he is also seen as a player who could genuinely make it into the first team, and not just be a part of the squad, but really thrive.

For example, on top of featuring in pre-season, he has also received praise from Bowen, who described him as a “special player” and went on to tell the club’s website that he’s “never seen someone nutmeg so many people in training.”

West Ham ace who's "pure joy to watch" could become Nuno's new Gibbs-White

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2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 10, 2025

Ultimately, it’s hard to predict how a youngster will develop in football, but it does seem as if Fearon has it all, and therefore, he could end up becoming West Ham’s new Rice.

After suffering a rather baffling 2-1 defeat at the hands of Ipswich, perhaps this international break came at exactly the right time for Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham side.

This has been a topsy-turvy campaign, to say the least, with the Aussie battling against all sorts of demons on the domestic and continental stage.

It was classic Spurs, really. They had enjoyed a thrilling week where they beat Manchester City and Aston Villa only to lose their next two, against Galatasaray in the Europa League and then to relegation-threatened Ipswich just a few days later.

Postecoglou will have had plenty of time to get things right over the last week and a half, therefore, but it doesn’t get much easier with Manchester City to come on Saturday evening. Fortunately, some of his star players enjoyed a cracking time of it with their international sides.

Spurs' star players during the international break

This wasn’t the busiest of breaks for those who don Spurs colours with plenty of stars actually not called up. Yet, those who did get the call-up certainly caught the eye.

Club captain Heung-min Son scored twice for South Korea, once against Kuwait and another against Palestine.

There was also good fortune for Dejan Kulusevski who has only gone from strength to strength this season. He featured in Sweden’s 2-1 win over Slovakia last week before truly dazzling against Azerbaijan in a 6-0 win for the Swedes on Tuesday evening.

Man in demand Viktor Gyokeres helped himself to four goals while the other two came from the boot of Kulusevski who enjoyed an excellent night for his country.

Seemingly rejuvenated by playing in a more central role, he flourished as a no.10 behind the aforementioned Gyokeres and Newcastle striker Alexander Isak.

Not only did Kulusevski score twice but he supplied an assist and managed a total of six shots on the night, also boasting 113 touches, the most of anyone by a margin of 30.

Minutes played

90

Touches

113

Goals

2

Assists

1

Passes completed

56/68 (82%)

Dribbles completed

4/4

Key passes

8

Fouls won

4

Duels won

9

That said, he wasn’t the only Spurs star to catch the eye over the last few days. Wales’ Brennan Johnson also delivered an impressive performance on Tuesday night.

Brennan Johnson's performance in numbers

This has been a real breakthrough campaign for Johnson so far, notably scoring seven goals for Spurs with six of them memorably coming in six consecutive matches.

Not just a livewire at club level, the former Nottingham Forest winger has also shone on the international stage, scoring for Wales against Iceland during October’s international break.

He was in fine form again in the latest set of fixtures, scoring for Craig Bellamy’s side against the Icelandics again on Tuesday during a 4-1 victory. Not just content with finding the net, Johnson also registered an assist for a goal scored by Liam Cullen.

It was a phenomenal display from the 23-year-old who was awarded a 9/10 match rating courtesy of Sofascore and his overall stats summed up why.

Minutes played

89

Goals

1

Assists

1

Touches

49

Accurate passes

24/27 (89%)

Key passes

2

Accurate crosses

1/3

Shots on target

2

Successful dribbles

2/2

Duels won

8/9

Fouls won

3

Tackles

3

During the contest, Johnson impressively completed 89% of his passes and created two chances. Completing 100% of his dribbles and winning eight of his nine duels, the Icelandic defence never stood a chance of containing him.

No player on the pitch won more ground duels while no player in the Welsh attack left the field boasting more touches of the ball (49).

Hopefully, Postecoglou will get a similar tune out of the wide man against City this forthcoming weekend.

Johnson axed for "special" £50m signing in dream Spurs XI after January

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2 ByAngus Sinclair Nov 17, 2024

Wilfried Gnonto only joined Leeds from Swiss outfit FC Zurich in the summer of 2022, but his future has been uncertain since the Whites were relegated from the Premier League at the end of last season.

Everton, who edged out Leeds in the fight for survival, made three bids to sign him, the last of which was worth £25.7m, but Daniel Farke's side held firm in their £30m valuation and the Toffees refused to meet it. While all of this was going on, Gnonto submitted a transfer request and withdrew himself from contention, but after he was denied a move, he rebuilt the bridge by apologising to Farke.

The Italian has had to be content with a bit-part role at Elland Road this season, starting only a quarter of Leeds' 28 Championship games up to this point. Heading into the New Year, then, there seemed to be a strong chance that he would push for a move again.

Leeds, for their part, have been hopeful of tying him down to a new contract if the player is receptive, and there's now been some positive movement on that front.

Leeds close to Gnonto breakthrough

According to The Athletic's Phil Hay, Gnonto could now sign a new deal at Elland Road. Leeds are "looking to finalise" an agreement with the forward after some productive negotiations, even though his previous contract still has three and a half years to run.

In an attached story for The Athletic, Hay adds that a deal is close, and so one of the big success stories of the January window could be an in-house breakthrough rather than an external transfer.

Leeds right to show patience with Golden Boy nominee Gnonto

This should be seen as a big boost for Leeds, because Gnonto remains a top long-term prospect. Indeed, we shouldn't forget, in the midst of the recent drama, that he's only 20 years old. Gnonto showed flashed of huge promise during his first season at Elland Road, scoring four goals and providing four assists. Most notably, he opened the scoring in a 2-2 draw at Manchester United within the first minute, becoming the youngest overseas player to score a Premier League goal at Old Trafford.

While his tally of one goal and one assist looks underwhelming, it's hard to be too critical of him given the distractions he's faced as a young player, his shortage of gametime and the consequent lack of rhythm.

Gnonto has also underlined his potential at the international level by not only scoring five in five for Italy's under-21s, but also amassing 13 caps for the senior side and becoming their youngest-ever goalscorer in a defeat to Germany in 2022.

His exploits that year, where he also scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 36 games for Zurich, earned him a place in the final 20 for the Golden Boy award, given to the best under-21 in top-flight European football. That shortlist also featured the likes of Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala and Pedri.

Gnonto, then, could still prove to be a huge bargain at just £3.8m as he prepares to commit his long-term future to Leeds.

Tottenham could hijack a club's £32 million forward signing late in the January window, amid claims they also want Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke.

Spurs linked with late forward signing

In the last two weeks, Spurs have been sporadically linked with signing another forward after completing a deal to bring in Timo Werner on loan from RB Leipzig.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

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ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

Indeed, media reports have refused to rule out the possibility of Tottenham bringing in yet another attacking option for manager Ange Postecoglou. Journalist Graeme Bailey, for example, suggested recently that Spurs could still be interested in signing Jota from Al-Ittihad, amid claims West Ham are pushing for the Portuguese.

Timo Werner

Arrival (RB Leipzig, loan)

Radu Dragusin

Arrival (Genoa, permanent)

Djed Spence

Departure (loan, Genoa)

Japhet Tanganga

Departure (loan, Millwall)

Ashley Phillips

Departure (loan, Plymouth)

Sergio Reguilon

Departure (loan, Brentford)

Ivan Perisic

Departure (loan, Hajduk Split)

Eric Dier

Departure (loan, Bayern Munich)

Meanwhile, some surprise news emerged this week that Tottenham are weighing up a late move for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke.

The Englishman is apparently now a target for chairman Daniel Levy and the Lilywhites recruitment team, coming amid his incredible campaign at the Vitality Stadium. Solanke has netted 12 goals in 20 Premier League appearances so far this season, enticing Tottenham's interest as they consider heirs to club-record goalscorer Harry Kane.

There is also the small matter of the Club Brugge sensation Antonio Nusa and his ongoing transfer saga, with Brentford previously ousting Spurs talks to sign the 18-year-old and agreeing a deal.

The north Londoners had been in negotations to bring in Nusa on a buy-to-loan-back deal, similar to how they first signed the likes of Destiny Udogie and Pape Matar Sarr, who have since gone on to become first team stars.

In some better news for Spurs, though, Nusa is widely rumoured to have failed his medical with the Bees – which has now re-opened the door for Levy and co to ressurrect a move.

Now, a report from Het Laatste Nieuws (via Sport Witness) has shared a further glimmer of hope for Postecoglou.

Tottenham could hijack Brentford's £32m Nusa deal

Indeed, the news outlet claims Tottenham could make late hijack attempt for Nusa and "really want him" still.

Brentford and Brugge have agreed on the sum of £32 million, plus 12.5 per cent of any future profit and a loan back till the end of 2023/2024 – so Spurs will also need to green-light those terms.

Tottenham are apparently "lurking" in the background for Nusa, though one major thing not in their favour is the 18-year-old's desire to join Brentford.

Called "fantastic" by Arsenal star Martin Odegaard, the tricky winger has a growing reputation, and it will be interesting to see just how much Spurs do in fact wish to sign him.

Arsenal are believed to be weighing up a January move for a “top” Premier League forward, with their top flight rivals prepared to entertain a potential sale next month.

Arsenal targeting new attacking additions for Mikel Arteta

Much has been made of Arsenal’s struggles to score goals from open play right now.

Arsenal preparing to bid for £60m forward who Guardiola wants at Man City

Arteta could go head-to-head with his former coaching partner.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 17, 2024

Domestically, Mikel Arteta’s side have relied on set pieces to break through resolute defences lately, with Arsenal failing to score a single league goal from open play in the Premier League since their 5-2 away to West Ham in late November.

They did give Monaco a real drubbing in the Champions League, beating the Ligue 1 title contenders 3-0 this time last week, but they followed that up with a disappointing 0-0 stalemate at home to Everton – failing to capitalise on Liverpool dropping points against Fulham at Anfield.

Crystal Palace (away)

December 21

Ipswich Town (home)

December 27

Brentford (away)

January 1

Brighton (away)

January 4

Tottenham (home)

January 15

Arteta has called their attacking struggles “frustrating”, especially considering all the “incredible” things Arsenal do in the build-up, only to fail with a breakthrough.

“The problem is in these really tight games, when teams are sitting deep against them, they can struggle to unlock them,” wrote journalist Charles Watts in a column for CaughtOffside last week.

“They really do lack that mercurial X-Factor type player who can do something out of nothing and win a game on his own. That’s why I really wanted them to go for Michael Olise in the summer. I think he would have been perfect for this Arsenal team and was the exact type of player that they were missing. Nothing that he has done since moving to Germany has changed my mind.”

Arsenal’s need for an “X-Factor type player” has prompted reports they could go out and get one through the door in January, with Barcelona forward Raphinha being targeted by Arteta, among other rumoured options.

West Ham United forward Mohammed Kudus is another highly-rated attacking player on Arsenal’s radar, and it is believed they’re considering a swoop for the Ghanaian as early as next month.

Arsenal considering January move for West Ham star

According to broadcast giant talkSPORT, Arsenal are weighing up a January move for Kudus, and Julen Lopetegui’s side are prepared to sell in the event of a “big-money” bid.

The 24-year-old’s contract has an £85 million release clause, but it isn’t active until the summer window, so any interested side who wish to acquire him in the winter may have to stump up a fee either matching or surpassing that figure.

Other reports, like one from West Ham insider Sean Whetstone of Claret & Hugh, have relayed that Hammers sources are actually expecting around £100 million to consider parting ways with Kudus in January.

“He’s a top, top talent and I think we haven’t seen the best of him yet,” said West Ham left-back Aaron Cresswell on Kudus.

“I won’t go near him in training because I know if I’m going to try to knock him off the ball I had better make sure he’s not looking and doesn’t see me coming. You just can’t get near him. He’s so strong, so quick, so sharp.”

It is the start of a crucial period for Tottenham Hotspur, so can they continue their impressive start to the campaign?

Having accumulated 14 points so far, Spurs begin the weekend third in the Premier League table, following a 2-1 victory over Leeds United before the international break; Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus the scorers.

Next up, Sunday’s visit from Aston Villa commences a very tough looking fixture list for Thomas Frank’s team, who will take on Everton (A), Chelsea (H), Manchester United (H) and then Arsenal (A) in their subsequent four league fixtures.

If the Lilywhites are going to collect a respectable number of points from these matches, Frank must make one key star, reminiscent of Dele Alli, a central figure, both literally and figuratively.

Dele Alli's rise and fall at Tottenham

Last month, Dele Alli was released by Como, having made just one appearance for the Lariani, this a nine minute cameo against AC Milan at San Siro in March, cut short as he was sent off.

That was his first, and so far only, appearance for anyone for 748 days, back in the footballing wilderness at the age of just 29.

In his pomp though, Dele was one of the best midfielders in the world, earning 37 England caps, starting against Colombia, Sweden and Croatia as the Three Lions reached a first World Cup semi-final in 28 years back in 2018.

For Tottenham too, as the graphic below demonstrates, he made 269 appearances for Tottenham, directly involved in 126 goals, a key figure in Mauricio Pochettino’s incredibly strong side.

During this period, Pochettino labelled him “one of the most talented players in England”, while teammate Harry Kane stated “Dele has everything. He scores goals, makes runs, creates chances. He’s an unbelievable player”.

That ability to both create chances as a midfielder but also score goals like a centre-forward is what made prime Dele unique, so which member of the current Spurs squad could replicate this?

Tottenham's new Dele Alli

During a pre-season friendly against Newcastle in Seoul, James Maddison ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament, ruling him out for, probably, the entirety of this season.

Thus, Tottenham acted fast, knowing that they needed to add some creativity, so, after failing in the attempt to sign Eberechi Eze, acquired Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig for £52m, who isn’t a bad alternative.

The Dutch international has been highly-rated for many years now, making his senior debut for Paris Saint-Germain, before really announcing himself on loan at PSV Eindhoven, scoring 22 goals and registering 11 assists during the 2022/23.

More recently, he has been at RB Leipzig, certainly impressing during his two seasons in Saxony, with Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout labelling him a “game changer”, while his market value has now soared to as much as £97m, as per CIES.

The Dutch international has featured in each of Tottenham’s last four Premier League matches, starting three of them, but is yet to score for Spurs, his sole assist coming on debut against West Ham.

So, let’s take a look at his statistics so far.

Shots

9

5th

Shots per 90

1.94

4th

Shot-creating actions

9

5th

Attempted take-ons

18

3rd

Progressive carries

16

5th

Carries into final 3rd

12

3rd

As the table notes, Simons has pretty impressive attacking statistics at Tottenham so far this season, despite the lack of tangible end product.

However, the majority of his minutes have come as a left-winger, which is very much not his best position, significantly more likely to thrive in a number ten role.

Well, against Leeds a fortnight ago, he was finally deployed through the middle, flanked by Mohammed Kudus and Wilson Odobert, with Mathys Tel leading the line.

This has to be the set-up Frank uses going forward, especially in matches where Tottenham are going to be dominating territory and possession.

The recent 1-1 home draw with bottom of the table Wolves the prime example of this, with Simons shunted out to the left flank, with João Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur both starting at the base of midfield, which felt unnecessarily cautious.

Simons scored ten Bundesliga goals last season, the second-most of any midfielder, behind only Jamal Musiala, showing that he can be a goal-scoring threat when utilised correctly.

In his prime at Spurs, Dele was unplayable as a goal-scoring number ten, and Simons has shown similar attacking instincts at previous clubs, so he needs to be given attacking freedom in a similar way.

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Leeds United had just been relegated from the Premier League in the summer of 2023 and they were on the lookout for a manager to get them back to the big time.

They ended up going for out-of-contract head coach Daniel Farke, who had been with Borussia Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga, and it appeared to be a terrific appointment on paper.

The German tactician came in with a fantastic record at Championship level during his time with Norwich City, winning the title in two of his three second tier seasons at Carrow Road.

He also arrived with a strong reputation for giving young players a chance and helping them to develop as players with his coaching and style of play.

During his spell with the Canaries, Farke helped to develop the likes of Max Aarons, Ben Godfrey, James Maddison, Emi Buendia – who was wanted by Leeds in the summer – and Jamal Lewis, who were sold for around £95.5m combined – per Transfermarkt – with Aarons and Lewis coming through the academy system.

In his relatively short time with Leeds so far, the German boss has already showcased his ability to help young players thrive and improve on the pitch, with Archie Gray perhaps the best example from last season.

Daniel Farke's Archie Gray masterclass

The English youngster had not made a single first-team appearance prior to the 2023/24 campaign and Farke brought him into the senior group for pre-season.

Gray had played all of his matches for the club at U21 level as a central or attacking midfield player, but the Leeds head coach saw his potential as a right-back in his 4-2-3-1 system.

The teenage starlet went on to play a whopping 52 times for the first-team last season and 30 of those outings came at right-back, which allowed the England U21 international to hone his skills in several positions.

As you can see in the table below, Gray featured in 44 of the club’s 46 regular season matches in the Championship and held his own out of possession, winning the majority of his battles.

The 18-year-old’s impressive form at such a young age for a team challenging for promotion to the Premier League, naturally, attracted interest from elsewhere, after Leeds lost 1-0 to Southampton in the play-off final at Wembley.

Appearances

44

Pass accuracy

84%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.8

Dribbled past per game

0.7x

Duel success rate

55%

Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur swooped in to sign the versatile star, whose natural position is in the middle of the park, for a reported fee of £30m, with Joe Rodon heading the other way.

Farke, therefore, played a masterclass with the youngster by spotting his talent in training and finding a way to platform him at Championship level at such a young age, albeit by moving him away from his natural role to play at right-back mainly.

The German head coach could unearth his next teenage sensation at Elland Road by going down a different route and swooping to sign another team’s starlet next month.

Leeds United's interest in £5m starlet

The Boot Room reported last month that Leeds United are one of a number of clubs in the running to sign Lennon Miller from Motherwell when the January transfer window opens for business.

It was claimed that a host of teams across Scotland, England, and Italy are keeping tabs on the 18-year-old central midfielder ahead of next month, as they look to bolster their respective squads for the second half of the 2024/25 campaign.

Whilst Scottish giants Rangers and Celtic are keen to keep him in the Scottish Premiership, Serie A teams Atalanta and Bologna would like to tempt him to make the move across Europe.

Meanwhile, Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester United, West Ham United, Newcastle United, and Tottenham Hotspur are said to be among the Premier League sides interested in signing the Scotland U21 international.

Leeds are the only Championship named among his potential suitors and the report claimed that the 49ers have sent scouts to watch the talented Scottish whiz in action in the Premiership this season.

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The Boot Room added that Motherwell are looking for a fee of at least £5m for the teenage sensation and the West Yorkshire outfit should attempt to win the race for his signature, as Miller could be Gray 2.0 for Farke.

Why Leeds should sign Lennon Miller

Firstly, a fee of £5m is not a significant fee to pay for a player who has attracted attention from some of the biggest clubs in the Premier League and teams from the Serie A.

This means that the Whites could land a bargain for the Scottish talent as they could bring him in to develop and increase in value during his time at Elland Road.

Farke helped a teenage midfielder, albeit whilst using him at right-back primarily, to turn into a £30m-rated player last season with Gray and could repeat that trick with Miller in Yorkshire.

The Motherwell star’s performances in the Premiership this season also suggest that the potential is there for him to come in and have an instant impact on the pitch for the Whites.

Miller, who was lauded as a “ridiculous” talent by pundit James McFadden, is a central midfielder with the ability to make things happen on a regular basis in the final third.

Appearances

15

19

16

Goals

2

0

0

Big chances created

7

2

0

Key passes per game

2.0

1.5

0.8

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.9

1.1

3.4

Duel success rate

53%

51%

56%

As you can see in the table above, the Motherwell ace has outperformed Farke’s current first-choice central midfield players as an attacking threat, with more goals and ‘big chances’ created in fewer league appearances.

He also holds himself well defensively and has similar numbers to Ao Tanaka out of possession, whilst winning far more tackles and interceptions per game than Joe Rothwell.

Therefore, Farke could unearth his next Archie Gray for Leeds by bringing in another 18-year-old with the quality to play regular football at Elland Road, whilst having the scope to improve and develop into a high-value asset in the future.

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