He was the wrecker-in-chief with the big wickets of Marcus Stoinis, Tim David, Glenn Maxwell and Pat Cummins
ESPNcricinfo staff23-Jun-2024
Gulbadin Naib celebrates after having Marcus Stoinis caught behind•ICC/Getty Images
10.3 to MP Stoinis, top edge and Gurbaz calls for it with two more fielders congregating! Naib brings out his guns to celebrate and the short ball does the trick against Stoinis. Extra bounce, got big on Stoinis, and all it needed thereafter was the three Afghanistan fielders not colliding behind the batter.12.2 to TH David, trapped him in front? Umpire Ahsan Raza raises his finger late. David reviews after a chat. This was a back of a length ball on off that jagged into his pads while . David missed his flick, and he was hit on the knee-roll. No bat involved… and it’s clipping the outside of leg stump! The decision says and Australia are 85/514.4 to GJ Maxwell, BIG BIG WICKET! Noor Ahmad may not have bowled much, but he may have taken the most important catch of his life! Maxwell slices at this length ball outside off, and Noor at backward point dives diagonally forward to take a dipping catch!16.3 to PJ Cummins, slower ball deceives Cummins, that’s Naib’s four! Full ball on off and this doesn’t bunce much. Cummins tries to play across the line but misses. He’s bowled and Naib is off in celebration. However he then takes a tumble, has he hurt himself in glee?
Liverpool will surely need to make some sales this summer to balance the books for all their incomings.
The Reds have splashed the cash already this summer, signing Jeremie Frimpong and lining up some more expensive moves, including a deal to sign Florian Wirtz for what Fabrizio Romano reports as £128m.
To make room and raise funds for other signings, FSG may well have to sell a couple of key first-team players. One man who has recently been linked with a move is Cody Gakpo, who Sky Germany’s Florian Plettenberg said is on the list for Bayern Munich, a club looking for a new winger.
Liverpool's Cody Gakpo wins the Premier League
Selling someone like Gakpo could free up funds, and means they’d need to sign a new winger to replace him.
Liverpool's new left-winger target
It would be a huge move for the Reds if Gakpo departed Anfield. It certainly seems as though his potential move to the German champions is one to keep an eye on, although it is not a guarantee, as there are a few targets in their sights.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
However, if Arne Slot’s side are to lose Gakpo this summer, then it seems like they are already lining up his replacement.
According to a report from DaveOCKOP, Liverpool are ‘in active contact’ to sign Anthony Gordon this summer. He was a player they chased in 2024, but a move never materialised.
Anthony Gordon celebrates for Newcastle
Liverpool’s ‘interest in the England international has persisted’ this summer, and they could now spend the £80m fee to sign him. At least, that is how much TEAMtalk suggested he is worth back in May. It seems likely that is how much he would cost the Reds.
Why Gordon would be a good signing
If the Reds were to bring Gordon to the club this summer, he would be joining on the back of some fine form for Newcastle in 2024/25. He impressed last season, described as an “exceptional” player by football scout Antonio Mango.
Anthony Gordon
Last term for the Magpies, the England international played 42 games across all competitions, scoring nine goals and grabbing seven assists. In the Premier League, he bagged six goals and created the same amount, featuring in 34 games.
Who can forget his contributions for the Magpies in the Carabao Cup? Gordon assisted in the quarter final and scored in both legs of the semi-final against Arsenal to send Eddie Howe’s side to Wembley. That was a game they won, beating Liverpool 2-1, but the winger was suspended after picking up a red card in the Premier League.
It seems as though Gordon would be a direct replacement for Gakpo if he were to depart Anfield for the Allianz Arena this summer. He certainly impressed under Slot last term, helping Liverpool win their second Premier League title.
The Eindhoven-born winger, who joined the Reds from PSV, played 35 top-flight games and contributed ten goals and five assists in their title-winning season. Three of those goal involvements came at Anfield against Ipswich Town in a 4-1 win.
So, whilst Gakpo had a strong campaign in the 2024/25 season, there are stats, via FBref, to suggest that Gordon could be an upgrade on the Dutchman.
For example, the Magpies’ star averaged 1.89 key passes and 4.48 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared to 1.77 key passes and 2.74 progressive carries each game from Gakpo.
Gordon and Gakpo key stats compared
Stat (per 90)
Gordon
Gakpo
Key passes
1.89
1.77
Progressive passes
3.63
2.42
Goal-creating actions
0.44
0.37
Progressive carries
4.48
2.74
Ball recoveries
3.59
3.58
Stats from FBref
Those numbers suggest that Gordon will add much more of a creative influence than the Liverpool number 18, and more dynamism and forward thinking when carrying the ball. He will add a whole new dynamic to an already deadly attack.
The £80m fee is an expensive one, but the Reds would need a replacement for Gakpo if he departs. Thus, signing Gordon could be the perfect move, a huge upgrade in many ways.
He'd be elite alongside Wirtz: £130m star is now Liverpool's no.1 target
Liverpool may not be done with their big spending yet
Tottenham Hotspur may end up waving goodbye to another fan-favourite star before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.
At the start of June, The Telegraph reported that club captain Heung-min Son could move on from London after leading the team to the Europa League trophy this season.
Tottenham Hotspur'sSonHeung-minreacts
The outlet claimed that the South Korea international could be sold by Spurs in order to generate funds to bolster the squad ahead of their return to the Champions League, amid interest from teams in the Saudi Pro League.
Son has racked up an eye-catching haul of 173 goals and 101 assists in 454 appearances in all competitions for the club since signing from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015.
The experienced forward’s departure this summer would mean that all three of Mauricio Pochettino’s iconic attacking line-up will have moved on, following Dele Alli and Harry Kane’s exits from the club in recent years.
All three stars were key players for the former Spurs head coach at the top end of the pitch, and Alli’s contributions should not be overlooked.
Why Dele Alli was a star for Spurs
The London-based club reportedly splashed out a fee of £5m to sign the attacking midfielder from League One outfit MK Dons in 2015, and Pochettino brought him into the first-team squad for the 2015/16 campaign.
Alli hit the ground running in the Premier League, bypassing the Championship, with a return of ten goals and eight assists in 33 top-flight games in his first season with Spurs.
The England international went on to plunder 67 goals and 59 assists in 269 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham before his move away from the club in 2022.
These statistics show that the former MK Dons talent provided plenty of quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Spurs during his time in London, whilst he also offered Pochettino a lot of flexibility in the way that he could be deployed within the starting line-up.
Dele Alli’s positional flexibility for Spurs
Position
Appearances
Goals
Assists
Attacking midfield
158
42
40
Central midfield
48
9
5
Left midfield
36
14
8
Centre-forward
8
2
1
Defensive midfield
2
0
2
Stats via Transfermarkt
As you can see in the table above, Alli was deployed in several different positions for Tottenham, mainly playing as a central or attacking midfielder, or off the left flank.
The 29-year-old midfielder, who now plays for Como in Italy, was a star for Spurs due to both the quality he provided at the top end of the pitch and the versatility he offered the manager.
Spurs may now be about to unearth their next version of Alli, who was a key member of the attack that included Son and Kane under Pochettino, as they are expected to sign a Premier League star.
Spurs expected to sign Premier League midfielder
West Ham United outlet HammersNews reports that the Premier League side expect Aston Villa attacking midfielder Jacob Ramsey to sign for Tottenham this summer.
The Hammers are interested in a deal to sign the former England U21 international to bolster their own squad this summer, but the club believe that the 24-year-old talent is on his way to another team in London.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
Speaking to HammersNews, the ‘top spokesman’ for the West Ham owners said: “I think the player (Ramsey) is going to Spurs.”
Spurs were recently linked with an interest in the Villans starlet, who could be on his way out of Villa Park this summer, and this latest update suggests that they are set to win the race for his signature.
Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey
Earlier this year, The Boot Room reported that Manchester City are also interested in the attacking midfielder, who is valued at a fee of around £50m by Aston Villa.
However, it remains to be seen exactly how much Spurs will end up paying for the English talent if they do end up signing him, as West Ham expect.
Why Spurs should sign Jacob Ramsey
The Lilywhites should push ahead with a deal to sign the 24-year-old star in the coming weeks because he could arrive at the club as Thomas Frank’s own version of Dele Alli.
Ramsey may not seem like an obvious signing for Spurs, given that he has only scored two Premier League goals since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, but his form in the past for Villa suggests that there is a quality player who could be unearthed.
The Villans maestro’s performances in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns suggest that he has the potential to develop into a top performer for Tottenham if Frank can get the best out of him.
Ramsey, who was once dubbed “sensational” by Seb Stafford-Bloor, plundered 12 goals and eight assists in those two seasons, and was particularly impressive in front of goal in the 2022/23 campaign, with six goals and seven assists to his name that term.
22/23 Premier League
Jacob Ramsey per 90
Percentile rank vs midfielders
Non-penalty xG
0.20
Top 16%
Non-penalty xG
0.17
Top 14%
xAG
0.17
Top 14%
Assists
0.24
Top 6%
Shot-creating actions
2.77
Top 40%
Progressive carries
3.21
Top 9%
Stats via FBref
As you can see in the table above, the English star caught the eye as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Villans, ranking highly among midfielders in the Premier League in several key attacking metrics.
Like Alli, Ramsey’s top three most played positions are central midfield, attacking midfield, and left midfield, which means that he can offer Frank the same positional flexibility that the former Spurs star did for Pochettino, as a playmaker who can play centrally or come in off the left.
Jacob Ramsey in Premier League action for Aston Villa.
His form in the 2022/23 season also suggests that he has the potential to provide an impressive threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from those three positions, which is exactly what Alli did throughout his time in North London.
Therefore, Frank could unearth his own version of the former England international by securing a deal for Ramsey, before helping him to get back to the kind of form he displayed at the start of his Villa career.
A bigger talent than Eze: Spurs make enquiry for "sensational" £40m star
Tottenham Hotspur appear to be making a move for another Premier League talent.
The India quick says the bowlers had to be smart to prevent “the wind to come into play” in St Lucia
ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-20241:20
Arshdeep: We are now used to windy conditions
If Rohit Sharma, the Player of the Match for his 41-ball 92 in India’s 24-run win over Australia in T20 World Cup 2024, had to “open up all sides of the field” to counter the breeze in Gros Islet, Arshdeep Singh said the bowlers had to prevent “the wind to come into play” to not let the Australia batters take advantage of it. Arshdeep finished with 3 for 37, removing David Warner in the first over and then getting the wickets of big-hitters Tim David and Matthew Wade in the death overs.”As a player and as a team, our motto is to adapt as well as we can to the conditions,” Arshdeep said after the match. “As for the wind factor, when we bowled from the end opposite to the pavilion, we got a lot of swing. From the other end, bowling against the wind… the batters were going to use the wind since the ball was travelling. So we had to look for defensive options there and not allow the wind to come into play.”Josh Hazlewood, the most economical bowler of the day with 1 for 14 from four overs, said that 180 or thereabouts would have been a par score in those conditions; India ended with 25 more than that. Rohit was the main reason for that, but Suryakumar Yadav (31 off 16 balls) and later Hardik Pandya (27* off 17) contributed to the cause too.Related
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“From one end, it was very hard for the bowlers to even pitch the ball, and the ball was flying to the boundary,” Arshdeep said. “So having the cushion of extra 15-20 runs always helps, gives you the extra freedom of going for wickets.”With his three wickets, Arshdeep reached the top of the pile for the tournament, joint with Afghanistan’s Fazalhaq Farooqi. But he was quick to accept that a lot of his success was down to Jasprit Bumrah being Jasprit Bumrah at the other end, who dismissed Head in the 17th over to put India ahead.”I guess a lot of credit goes to Jassi because he puts a lot of pressure on the batters – he gives, what, three or four runs in an over – so batters are coming hard against me, and I just have to try and bowl my best ball and there are a lot of chances of getting wickets there,” Arshdeep said. “On the other end they see the runs are not coming and the asking rate is going high, so they take more risks against me. [There’s a] chance always of getting a wicket there. So a lot of credit for my wickets goes to Jassi .”Head took the lead in Australia’a chase by slamming 76 in 43 balls, with a spot in the semi-finals at stake. At the start of the 14th over, when Australia were 128 for 2, Kuldeep Yadav got rid of Glenn Maxwell, and Axar Patel removed Marcus Stoinis in the next over, and Australia were suddenly 135 for 4 with 71 to get in just under six overs.”The thought [process] was clear. Our batters also batted on the same wicket, and early on it was easy to score runs, the ball was coming on nicely. But afterwards, it became tough to hit boundaries,” Arshdeep said. “We knew if we took a couple of wickets, it will be tough for the new batters coming in to hit boundaries at will. That was the plan. A couple of nice overs from the spinners in the middle overs helped us.”
For so many years, winning the Premier League was the great white whale for Liverpool, elusive and unattainable, always falling short in the race for England’s biggest prize.
Then Jurgen Klopp came along, and everything changed. The German restored Anfield to its former standing as a global superpower. Now he’s gone, and Liverpool are champions once again.
Jurgen Klopp lifts the Champions League
Arne Slot has proved the perfect successor, and he did it all without any proper first-team investment. That owes largely to Klopp’s midfield rebuild, and indeed his work with Michael Edwards and co over so many years, piecing together lasting stars who will continue to shine through the 2025/26 campaign.
But now, the signings are flowing through in cascades, with a deal wrapped up for Bayer Leverkusen right-sider Jeremie Frimpong and an agreement finally reached for his teammate, Florian Wirtz, who will become the most expensive player in British history.
It’s a lot of money for a 22-year-old playmaker, so how exactly is Wirtz going to improve Liverpool?
Why Liverpool have signed Wirtz
Liverpool have broken the bank to sign Wirtz, but sometimes, securing such a marquee deal is worth it. Having won the Premier League last season, the Reds are now consolidating their position at the top.
And Wirtz, having conquered his homeland, is ready to make the move to English football, where he could take Kevin De Bruyne’s vacated spot as the country’s foremost number ten.
Florian Wirtz
As per FBref, the playmaker ranked among the top 2% of positional peers in the Bundesliga last year for assists, the top 6% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for passes attempted and the top 5% for both progressive passes and progressive carries per 90.
Where Dominik Szoboszlai is industrious, Wirtz is incisive and influential to a different degree. Former Werkself striker Patrick Helmes has even gone as far as to say he’s “probably the best midfielder in the world.”
With Trent Alexander-Arnold gone, Liverpool will need to find new ways to maintain their peerless creativity; sparking chance after chance has been the foundation of their success in the Premier League across these recent successful years.
Premier League – Most Big Chances Created
Season
Team
BCC
24/25
Liverpool
112
23/24
Liverpool
102
22/23
Liverpool & Man City
103
21/22
Liverpool
97
20/21
Liverpool
82
Data via Premier League
Curious that Trent created fewer big chances (15) than across any of Liverpool’s past four top-flight campaigns. Wirtz will fix all that, and if FSG secure a talented new striker, Liverpool may just reach a whole ‘nother level.
Liverpool interested in signing LaLiga striker
As per Diego Simeone, Liverpool are among the clubs interested in signing Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez this summer.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The renowned manager was responding to a journalist’s comments on Atletico’s striker being one of the hottest commodities on the market, and Simeone said he was flattered, name-checking Arsenal, Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain too.
Simeone stated: “Every club wants to sign Julián Álvarez. It’s logical. I can’t imagine it any other way. Of course every top club wants him—Barcelona, PSG, Arsenal, Liverpool… all of them. And for us, for Atlético fans, it should be a point of pride that everyone wants him. Why? Because he’s ours. And since he’s ours, we need to protect him. We have to make sure he feels happy. And how will he feel happy? By winning. And to get there, we all need to give 110%.”
Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez
The 25-year-old Alvarez has only been in the Spanish capital for a year, but he’s enjoyed a world-class campaign and boasts dynamic attacking properties that suggest he’d be tailor-made for Slot’s system.
However, Los Colchoneros would reportedly be seeking a figure as high as €170m (£142m) to part with their star man.
What Julian Alvarez would bring to Liverpool
Alvarez enjoyed his time at Manchester City, posting 55 goal contributions across 103 matches before earning Simeone’s attention. Atletico would then sign the silky forward for £81.5m.
This sparked derision from some, but Alvarez has since proved the doubters wrong, scoring 29 goals and supplying seven assists across 54 matches in all competitions.
He’s settled into his throne as the free-scoring frontman, but he’s far more than just a goalscorer, ranked among the top 4% of strikers across Europe last season for passes attempted, shot-creating actions and progressive carries, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90, according to FBref.
You can only imagine how he would perform in Slot’s Liverpool system, with Wirtz pulling the strings behind him. Journalist Roy Nemer actually hailed Alvarez as “the best striker in the world” for his performances across the past year, not just striking true but working hard to outfox defenders and create space for teammates.
Moreover, he’s demonstrated a propensity to do it on the biggest stage, scoring a stunning goal against Real Madrid in Atletico’s controversial Champions League quarter-final defeat in March.
Considering Alvarez has a wealth of trophy-laden Premier League experience in Pep Guardiola’s system, Liverpool might just find themselves hitting even loftier targets next year,
As per Sofascore, the Argentina superstar only missed seven big chances across the 2024/25 La Liga campaign, converting 17 strikes. Given that he created 11 big chances and averaged 34.9 touches per game too (which is high for a centre-forward), Alvarez’s dynamic approach has been underscored.
Truly, he’s one of the deadliest and most multi-faceted forwards on the market, with exceptional off-the-ball movement that Slot could use to an emphatic effect, with Wirtz and Mohamed Salah making things happen around him.
Liverpool’s new playmaker created 17 big chances in the Bundesliga last season after winning the division’s Player of the Season award one year prior. Clearly, he’s got the world at his feet, and Alvarez would be the grateful recipient of his production if signed by Liverpool this summer.
Whether Liverpool have the financial means to bring Alvarez back to England remains to be seen. Certainly, FSG won’t green-light a deal in the ballpark of £142m.
However, if something more agreeable can be found, Liverpool have got to pounce on this one, for he would be the perfect fit for Slot’s set-up.
A right-footed Salah: £80m winger is now Liverpool's top target after Wirtz
Liverpool will need to sign a new left-sided forward should Luis Diaz be sold.
Newcastle United enjoyed another fantastic campaign under Eddie Howe and could now use their leverage of being a Champions League side in their pursuit of an exciting attacker, according to a report.
Newcastle United look to streamline forward areas
Despite a nervy final afternoon of the campaign against Everton, Newcastle United will return to Europe’s top table and now hold a key advantage over many of their competitors in the transfer market.
Making an early start, Antonio Cordero has completed his move to the North East from Malaga on a free transfer and departing sporting director Paul Mitchell confirmed the Magpies saw off a plethora of rival interest to land their man.
Paul Mitchell at Newcastle United.
Hoping to continue that trend, the Magpies have set their sights on Fulham star Rodrigo Muniz and met with his camp last month to explore different avenues towards a potential deal to bring the Brazilian striker to the North East, even if he may cost around £50 million.
He's like Dean Huijsen: Newcastle to intensify talks for £30m "monster"
Newcastle boss Eddie Howe may want to sign a new centre-back this summer.
2 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 6, 2025
Alexander Isak appears likely to stick around at Newcastle. Meanwhile, Callum Wilson’s future is in limbo, and it remains to be seen whether he renews his terms or leaves on a free transfer.
Nevertheless, the front four positions appear to have taken precedence at an early stage in the window and Newcastle have made contact over a potential deal for a thriving Premier League star.
Sky Sports: Newcastle make contact over Anthony Elanga
According to Sky Sports, Newcastle have made contact with Nottingham Forest over Anthony Elanga by way of an initial enquiry after their previous attempts to land the Sweden international last summer.
Magpies boss Howe is said to be a long-term admirer of the former Manchester United star, who has registered six goals and 12 assists in 43 appearances across all competitions this season, and he is one of four ‘top winger targets’.
Anthony Elanga’s excellent Premier League campaign in numbers
Shot-creating actions
102
Goal-creating actions
18
Progressive carries per 90 mins
3.67
Assist frequency per 90 mins
0.40
Touches in attacking penalty area per 90 mins
3.96
Labelled “special” by Nuno Espirito Santo, Elanga still has three years left on his Nottingham Forest contract, and it remains to be seen whether Newcastle would be able to move forward in their pursuit in light of the 23-year-old’s importance at the City Ground.
Either way, strength in depth is needed if the Geordies have designs on progressing in the Champions League, a competition which may hold the key to attracting premium talent to the North East this summer.
With speculation beginning to intensify, it remains to be seen whether Newcastle can push a deal over the line for Elanga’s signature.
West Ham United have now “come knocking” to sign a £44m midfielder, and they stand a good chance of tempting him into a move to the Premier League, according to journalist Christian Falk.
West Ham in need of summer rebuild
The three promoted Championship teams have been way off the pace in the Premier League, which means West Ham are in no danger of relegation, but performances this season indicate a big rebuild could be needed in the summer.
The latest poor display came against already-relegated Southampton on Saturday afternoon, with Niclas Füllkrug launching a scathing attack on his teammates in the wake of the 1-1 draw, and Graham Potter has since admitted he sympathises with the striker.
It remains to be seen whether Potter is given a chance to turn things around next season, but the manager may need to oversee some major changes in the summer transfer window, if his side are going to be competitive.
One area in which the Hammers are looking to strengthen is central midfield, according to BILD reporter Falk, who has recently revealed that Joao Palhinha is of interest, amid doubts over the Portugal international’s Bayern Munich future.
Bayern Munich's JoaoPalhinhalooks dejected as he walks off after receiving a red card
Falk said: “Fulham are among the interested parties. They know what they have, but according to our information, West Ham has also come knocking.
“He (Palhinha) says he’s giving his all for the club, but he doesn’t know what will happen. And, uh, if Bayern say he won’t have better playing time next season, I think he would consider, if an offer comes in, whether it makes sense for him to perhaps return to the British Isles.”
"Iron man" Palhinha could be statement signing
Since arriving at the Allianz Arena for a fee of £44m, the former Fulham man hasn’t exactly set the world alight, having often been benched or utilised as a late substitute, but his previous exploits in the Premier League indicate he could be a top signing for West Ham.
During his time with the Cottagers, the 6 foot 3 maestro was extremely impressive in the defensive side of the game, as underlined by his tackling and intercepting ability.
The Lisbon-born midfielder has always been solid defensively, having been hailed as an “Iron Man who never turned his back on a fight” by former youth coach Luis Nunes, and he ranks in the 97th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year.
The move to Bayern may not have worked out, but Palhinha is clearly a top defensive midfielder, and it is exciting news that West Ham could lure him back to the Premier League this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur have made contact with a former manager, as chairman Daniel Levy and co begin to hatch a new transfer plan for this summer window.
Tottenham 1-1 Eintracht Frankfurt with Europa League tie level
Thanks to the heroics of goalkeeper Kaua Santos, who made a series of excellent saves on Thursday night, Ange Postecoglou is set to tackle their Europa League second leg against Eintracht Frankfurt with the aggregate score all level.
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Hugo Ekitike opened the scoring for Eintracht with their first attack of the game on Thursday night, adding to his impressive 24/25 tally of 20 goals in all competitions this season, before right-back Pedro Porro grabbed Spurs their deserved equaliser with an improvised back-heeled finish.
Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures
Date
Wolves (away)
April 13th
Nottingham Forest (home)
April 21st
Liverpool (away)
April 27th
West Ham (away)
May 3rd
Crystal Palace (home)
May 10th
Both Lucas Bergvall and Rodrigo Bentancur smashed the crossbar, with Santos pulling off a series of impressive saves in the Eintracht net, so the Lilywhites can feel slightly hard done by the result.
“I couldn’t ask for anything more from them,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham’s performance against Eintracht.
“We hit the crossbar three times, their keeper made some amazing saves. We had a couple of other good opportunities as well. On any other night we would have a comfortable victory. If we can perform like that over there, and there is no reason why we can’t, then we still give ourselves a good chance.
Tottenham Hotspur manager AngePostecogloureacts
“I think the guys coming on today made a difference and injected some energy. It could be tight next week, it could go into extra time, and we are going to need everyone ready to go and the beauty of things at the moment is we have a squad ready to go and that will be important next week.”
A good run in the Europa League has been described as crucial when it comes to Postecoglou keeping his job (Fabrizio Romano), amid mounting pressure and reports of Tottenham contact made with Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner this week.
Tottenham contact Jose Mourinho over signing Fenerbache defender Yusuf Akcicek
Now, it has been reported that Tottenham have contacted former boss Jose Mourinho, but not to offer him Postecoglou’s job.
Indeed, Turkish news outlet A Spor (via Sport Witness) claim that Spurs reached out to the Portuguese to ask for information about 19-year-old defender Yusuf Akcicek, with Levy and co apparently planning to make a move for him at the end of the season.
This follows a glowing report on the teenager from Lilywhites scouts, but Fenerbache aren’t expected to let him go on the cheap. Spurs also face stiff competition from the likes of Manchester United and Lille, though it appears Postecoglou’s side are laying the most groundwork as things stand.
The 6 foot 3 starlet has started six Europa League games for the Turks, performing impressively and even getting on the scoresheet, with Mourinho also beginning to hand him more chances in the Süper Lig this year.
His displays also earned Akcicek a first-ever senior international cap for Turkey against Hungary last month.
Looking at the promotion-chasing Leeds United side at the moment, it could be argued that the defensive unit will prove vital if the club are to return to the Premier League.
Of course, the only goalscorer during the Whites’ recent 1-0 triumph over Middlesbrough was 56-time Wales international Daniel James, yet the imperious centre-back duo on the night, consisting of both Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu, helped to keep the 22nd clean sheet of the season.
Whilst Daniel Farke will be glad a shut-out and a victory was secured at the Riverside Stadium courtesy of those named, he will be worried about the injury status of Pascal Struijk all the same, with the Leeds captain out again with another serious knock.
Struijk's importance at Leeds
After all, the 25-year-old centre-back just seems to be cursed with constant setbacks in this department.
Last season, Struijk was only fit enough for 25 clashes in all competitions owing to a recurring groin concern, with a new development now revealing that the reliable number five could miss the rest of this season with a potential foot fracture.
This would be a demoralising blow for Farke and Co, considering Struijk has popped up with five crucial goals this campaign from 35 Championship contests, including bagging a double against Sunderland in February to clinch a late win.
Moreover, the injury-prone defender has been dogged at the back away from these goalscoring heroics by collecting a hefty 14 clean sheets.
Whilst Ampadu is a sterling option in the short-term, Leeds aren’t exactly blessed with numbers in the centre-back spots with Struijk sidelined, making the decision to let this rising defensive star leave last summer for just £4m look more bemusing by the minute.
Leeds may have sold a £50m star in the making
Looking more long-term too, there had been rumours in the not-so-distant past that Struijk could leave Elland Road behind, with Serie A side Torino keen admirers.
Therefore, having more bodies at the back in the here and now would be extremely handy in preparing for this possible outcome, with Charlie Cresswell an ideal face to have around to shore up the promotion candidates even more defensively.
Charlie Cresswell for Leeds United.
The former Whites number five would never quite make the grade at a senior level for his boyhood employers, despite having an “excellent” loan spell at fellow second tier side Millwall during the 2022/23 campaign – as it was labelled by Lions boss at the time Gary Rowell – which bumped up his experience of the testing division.
Much like his 6 foot 3 counterpart, Cresswell showed on loan at the Den that he had an eye for goal with five strikes tallied up from 30 appearances, meaning he could have been the perfect long-term successor to Struijk.
But, regardless of this standout spell in the English capital, the Preston-born titan would never make it at Elland Road, unfortunately, with only 14 senior chances handed to him before a bold £4m move to French outfit Toulouse came to fruition.
This left-field switch to Ligue 1 has worked in Cresswell’s favour, however, when glancing at his impressive FBref numbers below, with direct comparisons to be made between the 22-year-old’s improving game in France and Dean Huijsen’s current breakout season at AFC Bournemouth – the Cherries star noted among the most similar defenders to the Preston native across Europe’s top five leagues.
Cresswell’s FBref numbers over the last year vs Huijsen’s + Struijk’s
Stat – per 90 mins
Cresswell
Huijsen
Struijk
Attempted passes
54.58
59.81
85.57
Pass completion %
82.5%
84.1%
90.1%
Progressive passes
2.40
4.49
6.15
Progressive carries
0.34
1.45
1.18
Shot-creating actions
0.88
1.64
1.34
Tackles
1.39
1.54
1.05
Interceptions
1.01
2.10
0.89
Blocks
1.64
1.50
0.80
Clearances
6.76
6.78
4.49
Aerials won
3.57
2.71
3.60
Stats by FBref
Looking at the table above, Cresswell – who was dubbed “amazing” by Jesse Marsch in the past – isn’t a million miles off matching the £50m-rated Huijsen in various aspects of his defensive game, on top of also managing to better Strujjk in some defensive basics.
Therefore, if Leeds had just exercised more patience and didn’t offload the 22-year-old for £4m, they would already have a ready-made Struijk replacement to further boost their depth ahead of the edgy promotion run-in.
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One Manchester City star has now held positive talks to join a shock club, according to a new transfer update.
Players who could leave Man City this summer
After a busy January transfer window that saw five new players brought in, Pep Guardiola looks set to shake things up again over the summer as he continues his Etihad rebuild.
A plethora of players are out of contract at the end of the 2024/25 season, and there have been claims on a number of Man City stars being sold.
Man City players out of contract in 2025
Kevin De Bruyne
Ilkay Gunogan
Scott Carson
Jack Grealish, who scored against Leicester City in midweek, may well be one who the club decide to cash in on, whereas Bernardo Silva has been linked with a move to PSG.
As we know, Kevin De Bruyne is one of three who can leave and the Belgian has now announced his departure this summer. Releasing a statement on Friday De Bruyne said: “Dear Manchester. These will be my final months as a Manchester City player. Nothing about this is easy to write but as football players we all know this day eventually comes. That day is here – and you deserve to hear it from me first.
“This city. This club. These people … gave me EVERYTHING. I had no choice but to give EVERYTHING back! And guess what – we won EVERYTHING. Whether we like it or not, it’s time to say goodbye … Every story comes to an end but this has definitely been the best chapter. Let’s enjoy these last moments together.”
It looked as if De Bruyne was on course to move to the MLS with San Diego FC, however, now, it looks as if he could be heading elsewhere.
Kevin De Bruyne holds positive talks to move to Saudi Arabia
Previously, De Bruyne claimed he’d be open to the possibility of moving to Saudi Arabia to earn an “incredible” amount of money.
“At my age, you have to be open to everything. We are talking about incredible sums of money for what could be the end of my career. Sometimes, you have to think about it.”
Already on more than £20m per season with Man City, De Bruyne has now held positive talks with Neom SC, a club who play in the Saudi second division. Described as a powerful and extremely wealthy team by Foot Mercato, Neom SC are serious about signing De Bruyne, who also has interest from River Plate, Galatasaray, and Fenerbahce.
After moving to Man City in 2015, De Bruyne looks likely to leave the Etihad after 10 successful years where he has made more than 400 appearances and scored over 100 goals.
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He’s picked up 18 honours in Sky Blue and will be hoping to add another FA Cup title to his name before potentially heading to Saudi Arabia.