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Leeds United are tooling up for a return to the Premier League and could now be closer to making their first signing of the summer window, according to reports.

Leeds United look towards Premier League comeback

Following playoff heartbreak against Southampton, Daniel Farke finally led his side to the Championship title this time around and will now focus on navigating the challenges top-flight football has to offer.

The Whites could have a transfer budget of over £100 million to play with this summer, which may go a long way to securing the survival that the 48-year-old craves in charge at Elland Road.

Ipswich Town act as an example that capital spent doesn’t necessarily guarantee a sustained place among England’s footballing elite, but there are valuable lessons to learn from promoted sides’ ill-fortune over the past few years.

Looking to buck that trend, Leeds are eyeing a statement move for former star Kalvin Phillips and have held internal talks to hatch a plan that could tempt him back to Yorkshire from Manchester City.

Evan Ferguson is another potential Whites signing with Premier League credentials that could thrive in the correct surroundings. Admittedly, he has stalled since his injury troubles, though his age may work in his favour if a deal were to be agreed.

Big upgrade on Piroe: Leeds in the race to sign £34m "monster"

Leeds United would land themselves a Joel Piroe upgrade if they successfully signed this goalscoring monster.

1 ByKelan Sarson Jun 1, 2025

Callum Wilson and Jamie Vardy have been mentioned as free agent options to bolster Farke’s frontline. Again, any possibility of a swoop would depend on whether they would fit the wage bracket at Elland Road.

Focusing on the foil behind the main men, Leeds and the 49ers have now stepped up their pursuit of a talented attacking midfielder to support their pool of centre-forward options.

Leeds United hold talks over Emiliano Buendia move

According to TBR’s Graeme Bailey, Leeds have now held talks to sign Aston Villa’s Emiliano Buendia. Having spent the second half of the campaign on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, the former Norwich City man is “open” to a move to Yorkshire and is someone who Farke trusts as his side look to retain their Premier League status.

Five most similar players to Emiliano Buendia (FBRef)

Eliesse Ben Seghir

Monaco

Enzo Millot

Stuttgart

Facundo Buonanotte

Leicester City

Jude Bellingham

Real Madrid

Xavi Simons

RB Leipzig

Labelled “delightful” by Dean Smith, Buendia registered five goals in 34 appearances across all competitions at his parent club and in Germany, though it is clear he needs to find a platform to gain regular minutes after a series of injury troubles.

Now, it remains to be seen if Leeds can pull off what would be regarded as a bit of a coup should they come to an agreement on a deal with the 28-year-old.

Buendia was regarded as one of the Premier League’s most talented stars outside the ‘Big Six’ not too long ago, so there is every chance Farke could reignite the Mar del Plata-born man.

Earlier this week, the Whites were said to be preparing a £16.8 million offer for the man in question, indicating there could be something in the water.

The dust has barely settled on Leeds United’s jubilant promotion-winning campaign, but the transfer rumour mill is already going into overdrive at Elland Road.

The Whites have been linked with a whole host of varied names since regular Championship action halted, with the likes of Everton centre-forward Beto and Tottenham Hotspur attacker Richarlison being linked, but the Brazilian is not the only wanted figure playing for the North Londoners.

Of course, after playing a huge role in the Whites sealing a triumphant return to the Premier League on loan, Manor Solomon is now being eyed up by the West Yorkshire titans on a permanent basis, with Spurs perhaps willing to part ways with the 25-year-old.

The latest on Solomon joining permanently

There were plenty of risks attached to the Solomon deal last summer, considering the 5 foot 7 attacker was horrendously injury-prone at Ange Postecoglou’s men during the 2023/24 season.

But, despite missing 277 days of action last campaign in North London owing to injury, this season has been more of a smooth sailing experience for Solomon on the contrary, with this last-gasp strike below away at Plymouth Argyle on the final day handing Daniel Farke’s men the title.

That would be Solomon’s final goal of his loan stint, with the former Fulham man closing out his celebrated spell donning Leeds white by amassing ten goals and 13 assists from 41 total clashes.

Unsurprisingly, therefore, the Whites want Solomon back for good ahead of their daunting Premier League voyage, with reports seeming to suggest that Leeds’ wish could be granted if they’re willing to fork out £20m.

This would show Leeds mean business competing amongst the big boys once more, but an even more impressive coup could be on the horizon at Elland Road soon in the midfield areas.

The "exceptional" star who'd be a bigger coup than Solomon

After all, splashing out £20m isn’t too far off the record-breaking move for Georginio Rutter that Leeds sanctioned back in January of 2023, with the Frenchman costing a high £35.5m, but eventually proving he was worth every penny.

There would be a worry in the air that Solomon would struggle with his recurring injury demons back up a level, but away from potentially offering the 25-year-old a permanent deal, snapping up the services of former £45m sale Kalvin Phillips would be way more of a coup if he can recapture his finest Leeds form again.

Indeed, journalist Graeme Bailey has added to the rampant speculation recently by revealing that a reunion could finally be on the cards, stating that £13m-rated Phillips is ready for a move back to home soil this summer with Leeds considering a move.

Leeds would, no doubt, welcome their former homegrown gem back with open arms, especially with the hole that’s going to be left behind centrally by loanee Joe Rothwell returning back to AFC Bournemouth, alongside Phillips’ wealth of Premier League experience being a much-needed bonus.

Games played

29

20

Games started

28

18

Goals scored

1

0

Assists

2

1

Touches*

65.0

62.1

Accurate passes*

41.0 (85%)

38.9 (82%)

Big chances missed

0

1

Big chances created

5

1

Total duels won*

5.3

4.9

Phillips has wobbled at Manchester City and blown hot and cold on loan at West Ham United and Ipswich Town, but it’s been quickly forgotten about how well-rounded of a midfielder the Leeds-born star looked whilst still at Elland Road.

Keen to get stuck into a duel whilst also picking up four goal contributions across 49 appearances in the top-flight for Leeds, the “exceptional” star – as he was once lauded by football talent scout Antonio Mango – would be a welcome addition to the ranks if he can get back to the top of his game, away from impressively tasting action in the relentless league a total of 92 times.

To add context, Solomon has just 24 appearances next to his name. Therefore, if Leeds could win back the services of their much-loved ex-number 23 for a cut-price, he would surely go down as a more luxurious coup than the loan talent.

Even better than Dan James: Farke lining up Leeds move to sign "fast" star

Leeds United are reportedly eyeing up a new winger who could be even better than Dan James.

ByDan Emery May 9, 2025

Chelsea and chairman Todd Boehly will be looking to find a new club for one player who’s attracted criticism for his “horrendous” attitude behind-the-scenes, according to a new report this week.

Chelsea set for mass summer sale in transfer overhaul

Enzo Maresca will have many key decisions to make when the transfer window reopens for business, as a host of players are set to return spells out on loan and face uncertain futures at Stamford Bridge.

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Posts ByEmilio Galantini Apr 2, 2025

Kepa Arrizabalaga, Alfie Gilchrist, Armando Broja, Raheem Sterling, David Datro Fofana, Renato Veiga, Carney Chukwuemeka, Ben Chilwell and Axel Disasi all appear very likely to leave Chelsea this summer, either on loan again or permanently, while Trevoh Chalobah is also expected to depart, regardless of the Blues activating their recall clause for him in January.

Chelsea’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Tottenham (home)

Today

Brentford (away)

April 6th

Ipswich Town (home)

April 13th

Fulham (away)

April 20th

Everton (home)

April 26th

Mykhailo Mudryk has been linked with a move to Sevilla after his failed drugs test as well, and versatile forward Christopher Nkunku actually agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich in the winter, only for his Bundesliga move to fall through.

In-form goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic, amid Chelsea’s links with Liverpool shot-stopper Caoimhin Kelleher, has also refused to rule out remaining at sister club Strasbourg beyond this season.

“We’ll see after what could happen this summer. It could be a very good option to stay here if Strasbourg qualify for the UEFA Champions League,” said Petrovic on his Chelsea future.

“I always had confidence in my ability to improve. I have progressed more than I thought (at Strasbourg), but I can still improve more between now and the end of the season.”

It is set to be a big summer of transfers again at Chelsea, and they’ll be getting busy early. The Premier League confirmed that the window will be open from June 1st to June 10th, allowing BlueCo to conduct business before the Club World Cup, and there is every reason to believe that outgoings could occur in this period.

Joao Felix attitude slammed as Chelsea look to sell

AC Milan loanee Joao Felix is another who’s set to return to London after his temporary stint in Serie A, which really hasn’t gone according to plan.

Despite a promising start, the Portugal international’s form has seriously tailed off in recent months, and Fabrizio Romano confirms that Milan have no intention of signing Felix on a permanent deal.

Now, reliable journalist Simon Phillips has shared what sources have told him about Felix’s “horrendous” attitude behind-the-scenes – which could be the reason why his career has stunted since a mega-money move to Atlético from Benfica a few years ago.

He adds that Chelsea are looking to sell the attacking midfielder again this summer, with Felix even separately linked to a surprising Galatasaray transfer.

“An SPTC source has been speaking with some Atlético Madrid staff members as well as some current Portuguese internationals, and we have heard that Felix’s talent as a youngster was the best they’d seen at that level from a Portuguese player but according to the source, it is his attitude and arrogance that let’s him down and is ‘horrendous’,” wrote Phillips, via his Substack.

“I guess this could explain a lot and why he floats from club to club trying to find a new home.”

Questions will now really be asked of Boehly and why Chelsea elected to re-sign him on a permanent deal just last summer.

This weekend might be the first one in a long time that West Ham United fans are actually looking forward to.

The East Londoners have been subjected to some terrible football and even worse results over the last year or so, but finally, the London Stadium was treated to an impressive win over Newcastle United last week.

It was Nuno Espírito Santo’s first win in charge, but he’s not got an altogether different challenge to face in Scott Parker’s Burnley.

The Clarets’ manager is still a firm fan favourite among West Ham fans, and it could be argued that one of their current players is now emulating him – and no, it’s not Freddie Potts.

West Ham's record against Burnley

West Ham’s game against Burnley this afternoon will be the 97th competitive meeting in all competitions.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The two claret and blue sides first met back in November 1923, in a league game that the Hammers sadly lost 5-1.

However, while their first meeting didn’t end well for the East Londoners, they have won 40 games, drawn 21 and lost 35.

Moreover, the last five meetings between the two teams have been more fruitful for the Irons, with them winning twice and sharing the spoils three times.

Their last meeting was a Premier League match on March 10th, 2024.

The game ended 2-2 courtesy of goals from Lucas Paqueta, Danny Ings, David Datro Fofana, and an own goal from Dinos Mavropanos.

While another draw wouldn’t be the end of the world, Nuno and Co. will be looking to make the most of last weekend’s win and go on something of a run.

While the whole team will have to play their part to make that happen, much of the goalscoring burden will fall on the player who’s something of a modern-day Parker for West Ham.

West Ham's modern-day Parker

Parker joined West Ham from the Toon in the summer of 2007, and while he had to deal with a number of injuries early on, he established himself as one of the team’s most important players.

In fact, he was so crucial that he was named Hammer of the Year for three consecutive seasons and was even named England’s Player of the Year in 2011.

Unfortunately, when the Irons were relegated at the end of the 11/12 season, he moved to Tottenham Hotspur to keep his place in the national side.

Now, when it comes to a modern player who could be talked about in a similar way, there is only one who comes to mind: Jarrod Bowen.

Yes, he plays in an entirely different position, but over the last few years, he has been just as, if not more, important to the club.

For example, in 249 appearances, totalling 19881 minutes, the incredible “game changer,” as dubbed by journalist Roshane Thomas, has scored 77 goals and provided 53 assists.

That comes out to a staggering average of a goal involvement every 1.91 games, or every 152.93 minutes, over a period of more than five years.

On top of that, he has also taken the responsibility of the captaincy, which, as things stand, must be a particularly heavy burden.

Finally, not only has he been a constant source of goals and assists for the club, but he is also the scorer of the goal that secured them their first European trophy.

Appearances

249

Minutes

19881′

Goals

77

Assists

53

Goal Involvements per Match

0.52

Minutes per Goal Involvement

152.93

Ultimately, while someone like Potts might come to resemble Parker’s style of play more, Bowen embodies his spirit and truly is the current Mr West Ham.

West Ham's "supreme" star is going to be their biggest talent since Kudus

The incredible talent will become more important to West Ham than Kudus ever was.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 7, 2025

Manchester United’s impressive start to the 2025/26 campaign has no doubt been aided by their hierarchy’s £200m backing in the market during the summer transfer window.

Bryan Mbeumo has certainly made the biggest impact of the new arrivals, with the Cameroonian international already scoring four times in his ten Premier League outings.

The 26-year-old’s best display came against Brighton and Hove Albion, as the forward netted a double in the 4-2 triumph, helping Ruben Amorim’s side to rise up the league table.

Matheus Cunha has also partnered Mbeumo within the final third over recent months, also catching the eye with his first goal in the same victory over the Seagulls.

The Brazilian’s £62.5m transfer is now looking like an excellent piece of business, with the aforementioned duo both handing the fanbase the chance to get off their seats at Old Trafford.

However, despite the recent flurry of new additions at the Theatre of Dreams, the hierarchy could be set to make additional reinforcements in the upcoming January window.

United’s hunt for new additions in the January window

Over the last couple of weeks, United have been hugely touted with a winter transfer to land Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson after his recent rise in 2025/26.

The 23-year-old has been a regular starter this campaign, impressing at the City Ground, which has led to the youngster becoming an England international regular.

The Red Devils have since been touted with a potential £70m deal to land the youngster, but Sean Dyche’s side may be reluctant to offload their star man during the winter window.

However, he’s not the only player currently in their sights, with Palmeiras striker Vitor Roque another star they’re hunting, according to Spanish outlet SPORT.

They claim that Amorim’s side are currently in pole position for the 20-year-old’s signature, despite keen interest from fellow Premier League outfit Chelsea.

It also states that the Brazilian could be available for a fee in the region of £42m this winter, but it remains unclear if the United board would pay such a figure in the months ahead.

Why United’s £42m target would be an upgrade on Sesko

As part of the club’s summer spending spree, the United board forked out a deal in the region of £74m for the signature of striker Benjamin Sesko from German side RB Leipzig.

Such a fee generated huge excitement amongst the fanbase, with huge expectations on the 22-year-old to transform the club’s fortunes within the final third of the pitch.

However, it’s not all been plain sailing for the Slovenian international, with the centre-forward only scoring twice in his ten Premier League appearances to date.

After scoring two games in a row, Sesko is now three matches without a goal, even registering just 21 touches of the ball in the recent clash with Forest – the lowest of any player out of both sides.

There’s no denying that the fanbase have seen glimpses of his quality, but they would have certainly been expecting more given the nature of the transfer fee.

Any deal for Roque could see the supporters handed the number nine they’ve craved, especially if the youngster can replicate his goalscoring numbers from his homeland.

In his 28 league appearances this season, the 20-year-old has netted 13 goals, massively outscoring the Slovenian – with his underlying figures also highlighting why he’s better than the United talisman.

How Roque & Sesko compare in 2025/26

Statistics (per 90)

Roque

Sesko

Games played

28

10

Goals scored

13

2

Shot on target accuracy

48%

38%

Pass accuracy

72%

63%

Key passes

1.6

1.1

Take-on success

40%

25%

Progressive carries

2.5

0.6

Carries into 18-yard box

1.2

0.4

Fouls drawn

3.5

0.3

Stats via FBref

Roque, who’s been dubbed a “future superstar” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has achieved a better shot on target accuracy rate – further showcasing his edge over Sesko in terms of his goalscoring ability.

Other figures, such as a higher pass completion rate and more key passes completed per 90 showcase the Brazilian’s creativity, which could hand the likes of Mbeumo and Cunha the chance to improve their own tallies.

Roque’s all-round dominance over the United talisman is further highlighted in his higher tally of take-ons completed and more carries into the final third per 90.

Such figures demonstrate the youngster’s ability to create his own chances and often being able to muster an opportunity out of nothing – something which Sesko has so far been unable to do.

£42m would be another huge statement of intent from the ownership group, reaffirming their backing in Amorim to transform the squad and take them to the next level.

Such a move may be harsh on Sesko, but such a transfer could provide the striker with the added competition he needs to match the expectations placed on him after his own mammoth transfer.

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They will look to expose India’s middle and lower orders, even as Shaheen Afridi will hope for a better outing

Danyal Rasool27-Sep-20251:49

Wahab: Additional pressure on India in the final

A former Pakistan captain, Mohammad Rizwan, once famously said about his team that they “either win or learn”. While there is an inherent truth to that, the quote has taken on a life of its own, weaponised by critics of the national side both within Pakistan and outside it, to lampoon the team when it is undergoing a period of sustained failure.In this Asia Cup, Pakistan have won every game bar the two they played against India. With the sides set to meet for the first time in an Asia Cup final on Sunday, India’s two comprehensive victories over Pakistan mean the best Salman Ali Agha’s team can hope for is focus on the few things they have learned from their defeats.

No room to consolidate

Pakistan have had it drilled into them that the powerplay is a time of maximum aggression. They didn’t lack in intent during the fielding restrictions in either game against India, but invariably, India found a way to tip the Pakistan innings into quicksand. On the first Sunday, it came immediately following the powerplay, with the next four overs producing just seven runs as Pakistan shrank in the face of India’s accurate spinners.Related

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• Plan C (Chaos) does it for Pakistan, not for the first time

On the following Sunday, Pakistan avoided getting sucked into that void, going after the spinners and scoring 36 runs, including four sixes, in the four overs after the field spread out. However, the wicket of Saim Ayub, followed by some curious decisions in the batting order, resulted in a slowdown following the halfway mark. In the seven overs after drinks, Pakistan scored just 38, the fewest by any side this tournament in that phase. It resulted in what appeared to be a 190-200 total petering out at 171, and India chasing comfortably once more.The final will carry its own pressure, but that does not detract from Pakistan’s goal; if they are setting a target, they will have to go all out all the time. It is what makes their task so unenviably hard, but as the previous two games have shown, no other path leads to victory.

India’s soft underbelly

Pakistan didn’t get to go too deep into India’s batting order in either of the games, as almost all the damage India did to Pakistan occurred at the top. This has been a recurring theme in almost all of India’s matches, which means No. 6 and lower have had limited exposure in this Asia Cup.More intriguingly, what little time the lower order spent at the crease hasn’t been nearly as explosive as their upper-order counterparts. In the Super Fours, India slowed down in each of the three games once the top order was gone. Against Bangladesh, the last nine overs produced 56 runs, with just one player outside the openers registering a strike rate over 100. The fall of the third wicket, that of Abhishek Sharma against Pakistan, caused India to slow down in pursuit of 174, with the next 28 balls producing just 30 runs.An off day for India’s openers could pose a problem for them•AFP/Getty ImagesSpanning out across all teams, India’s batters from Nos. 6-11 have faced the fewest deliveries among the five Full Member teams this tournament. Notably, they have also been the slowest scorers among those five sides, with a strike rate of 110.58.Pakistan, meanwhile, are the second-fastest at 142.48. Their last six batters have also, by far, faced the most deliveries – nearly three times India’s number. While that is down at least partially to misfiring openers, Pakistan will draw hope from a belief that an off day for India’s openers represents a much bigger problem for them than a similar failure for Pakistan’s own openers.

Shaheen Afridi vs India

Afridi has grown into this tournament. He took three wickets in each of the last two games, both must-win matches for Pakistan. Agha kept Afridi on for three overs in the powerplay in those two games, and he took that once customary first-over wicket both times. Afridi is now the joint second-highest wicket-taker in this Asia Cup.None of his nine wickets, though, have come against India, who have smashed 63 runs off his 5.5 overs across two games. In fact, since that famous Player-of-the-Match performance in Pakistan’s ten-wicket victory over India at the 2021 T20 World Cup, Afridi against India has been cannon fodder, with just one wicket in nearly 14 overs across four matches.In T20Is against India, Shaheen Afridi has just four wickets at 39.25•Getty ImagesEven including his performance in that famous victory in Dubai, where he took 3 for 31 – that featured the early wickets of Rohit Sharma and KL Rahul – Afridi’s T20I figures against India make for grim reading, with four wickets at 39.25. Afridi has a worse strike rate and average against India than against any other side he has played at least twice, and his economy rate of 8.80 is the second worst – just behind the 9.06 he has against Australia.These numbers from their frontline fast bowler are not conducive to Pakistan’s chances of an upset in the Asia Cup final. This is particularly true due to India’s reliance on their openers, and their tendency to fly to fast starts. In the two games this tournament, Abhishek hit Afridi for a four and a six off his first two balls in the group game, and a first-ball six in the Super Fours. Whether Afridi can keep his streak of first-over wickets alive might prove crucial to Pakistan’s hopes.

The pressure isn’t on Pakistan

This is perhaps the most vital thing those two matches should teach Pakistan. India have been curiously eager to take the pressure off Pakistan, with captain Suryakumar Yadav suggesting that recent results meant India vs Pakistan wasn’t even a rivalry anymore. On some level, this is obviously not true; an India-Pakistan rivalry has never been contingent on specific merits or weaknesses of their on-field ability, with each side enjoying extended dominance across history without diminishing the game’s status. But on another, India have demonstrated that if they bring their best, there is little Pakistan can do to live with them.6:02

How did Pakistan go from being pioneers to falling behind in T20 cricket?

Perhaps the second game showcased this more than the first. Pakistan played close to the kind of game they were hoping to play. India were sloppy in the field, dropping several catches. Jasprit Bumrah went for more runs in the powerplay than he ever has, and the spinners copped punishment immediately after. And still India won with relative comfort.Pakistan are searching for an upset, not looking to complete a journey they have inexorably been riding to. Some parallels with the 2017 Champions Trophy have been brought up, where an obviously superior India side was blown away by a perfect Pakistan on the day. The five tournaments featuring more than five teams where these sides have met in the final may give Pakistan a 3-2 edge, but the Champions Trophy is an aberration. It is the only one where the result of an earlier meeting in the same competition has not repeated in the final.Pakistan will, as Rizwan might put it, be Asia Cup champions on Sunday. Or they will learn they are the second-best team in the continent. If it turns out to be the latter, then from the T20 lows they have found themselves in over the last two years, it will not be the worst position to be in.

Monaco midfielder Paul Pogba gave a passionate speech to the home fans after his side earned a narrow 1-0 win over reigning Ligue 1 champions Paris Saint-Germain. The former Manchester United and Juventus star finally made his return to competitive football this month, having joined Monaco on a free transfer in the summer. Now back in the action, Pogba is already displaying what he can bring to his new club.

• Pogba makes rallying call

  Monaco took all three points against PSG on Saturday to blow the Ligue 1 title race wide open. The hosts edged out a narrow victory, despite playing with ten men for the closing stages of the game, thanks to Takumi Minamino's winner. The Japanese international fired Aleksandr Golovin's cross into the bottom corner from just inside the penalty area to put Monaco in the lead with just 22 minutes of normal time remaining.

  Monaco then had to stay strong and show remarkable character to cling on to a precious victory over PSG when Thilo Kehrer was given his marching orders with ten minutes left on the clock. The German was shown a straight red card for a poor challenge on Ibrahim Mbaye.

  Pogba was brought on in the 86th minute, adding an old head to a side desperate to see off a barrage of PSG attacks. The Frenchman helped close the game out and, having made his home debut for the side, made a speech to the fans after the game.

  He said: “Today is an important day. Today we won, but the next match is what matters. We are already working to achieve that. We keep moving forward together. We never give up. Thank you.”

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• Ligue 1 title race opens up

  The victory for Monaco ensured that the top six sides in the French top division are separated by just eight points. Pogba’s team moved to sixth in the table on 23 points, trailing Stade Rennais by just one point in the spot above them.

  The story is far more interesting higher up in the table though, with RC Lens becoming the new leaders following their 2-1 victory over Angers on Sunday. Lens are one point above PSG, who have 30 points from 14 games.

  Marseille are chasing the top two clubs and Roberto De Zerbi’s men will be gutted to have blown a chance to go top on Saturday. Despite goals from Igor Paixao and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg putting the Italian coach’s team ahead against Toulouse, the visitors scored a 92nd-minute equaliser to steal a point away from their southern France neighbours.

  Lille sit amongst the rest in fourth, three points clear of Monaco, but five points off the top. They earned a late, narrow 1-0 victory away to Le Havre on Sunday, even with ten men after Ayyoub Bouaddi’s red card.

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  Pogba influence to grow

  Pogba could have a chance to make his first start for his new club next Friday. Monaco travel to Stade Brestois looking to keep applying pressure to those above them in Ligue 1.

Over the years, Tottenham Hotspur fans have often voiced their displeasure over the lack of money spent by the hierarchy, which has no doubt restricted them in the Premier League.

However, when money has been splashed on new additions, it has not always been spent in the best way, as seen by their first-team dealings in the summer of 2013.

Gareth Bale’s £85m move to Real Madrid generated huge funds to splash on potential replacements, which led to the arrivals of Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela.

Both cost a reported £60m combined, but neither managed to fill the void left by the Welshman, with the club growing frustrated by the lack of quality additions made in the market.

Such a feeling has become evident once again in recent years, with one member of Thomas Frank’s squad struggling to match the expectations of the supporters.

The stats behind Rodrigo Bentancur’s decline in 2025/26

Back in January 2022, Spurs paid a reported £22m for the signature of midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur from Italian side Juventus – a deal that was seen as a potential bargain at the time.

The Uruguayan managed to rack up a total of 113 first-team appearances before the start of the 205/26 campaign, but his 18 outings this season have been littered with errors.

He’s so far struggled to meet the demands of the Dane’s various systems in North London, but he’s certainly not been aided by the manager’s selection of partnering alongside Joao Palhinha.

Both are predominantly better out of possession than with the ball at their feet, as seen by their combined tally of just one pass into the final third against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

However, even before the North London Derby, Bentancur has struggled for the Lilywhites, with his underlying figures in 2025/26 showcasing his lack of success to date.

He has only created 0.6 chances per 90 this season, which ranks him in the bottom 25% of all players in the division – backing up his lack of quality in possession.

Without the ball, he’s been just as ineffective, as Bentancur has also struggled under Frank, only making 0.5 interceptions per 90, which also places him in the lower quarter of all midfielders in England’s top-flight.

The midfielder has also been dribbled past more than 75% of other players in the league, further highlighting his all-round failures in the Premier League this campaign.

The Spurs star who’s become worse than Bentancur

The midfield department at Spurs has been one that has been questioned over recent months, especially given Frank’s continuation of utilising Bentancur and Palhinha together at the base of the side.

The club is home to a plethora of young talents who have previously showcased their talents, but ultimately, they’ve been unable to do so on a consistent basis since the Dane’s arrival.

Lucas Bergvall, Pape Sarr and Archie Gray all started the opening day victory over Burnley in North London, with the trio at one stage looking like the players to take the side forward.

However, it’s the only time they have all operated alongside one another in 2025/26 – a decision that has no doubt taken many of the supporters by surprise.

All of the aforementioned stars racked up over 40 appearances across all competitions under Ange Postecoglou last season, but it remains to be seen if they will reach such numbers under Frank.

New additions have also struggled to make their mark in North London, with attacking midfielder Xavi Simons yet to set the world alight after his £52m switch from RB Leipzig this summer.

The Dutchman arrived with huge expectations, no doubt aided by the transfer fee, but it’s safe to say his move to the Lilywhites has been nothing short of a disaster to date.

He’s featured in nine Premier League matches to date, failing to register his first goal for the club and only providing one assist for his teammates – with such an effort coming on his debut.

One of his darkest moments no doubt came against Chelsea at the start of the month, with the 22-year-old coming off the bench to replace Bergvall, but was later substituted himself amid his lack of impact.

To top off his recent struggles, former transfer target Eberechi Eze netted a hat-trick against the Lilywhites on Sunday, whilst Simons was brought off the bench at the break and only registered 36 touches in total.

His underlying figures from the whole campaign showcase his recent struggles, with the youngster so far being a massive waste of the hierarchy’s money.

xG

0.06

Bottom 12%

Shots taken

0.9

Bottom 21%

Goals

0

Bottom 3%

Chances created

0.9

Bottom 12%

Cross accuracy

16%

Bottom 22%

Assists

1

Bottom 40%

Touches in opposition box

1.5

Bottom 15%

Simons, who’s been “miles off it” according to Jamie O’Hara, has achieved an xG of just 0.06 in the Premier League – a tally that ranks him within the bottom 12% of all players in the division.

He’s also created just 0.9 chances per 90 and registered just 1.7 touches in the opposition box per 90, with both tallies ranking him in the bottom 15% of attackers in the league.

Other figures, such as 0.9 shots taken and a 16% cross accuracy, further indicate his struggles, with many fans undoubtedly wishing a deal was completed for Eze instead.

There’s little denying that at his tender age, he has bags of time to resurrect his career in North London, but it’s safe to say he already has a huge number of supporters on his back.

At present, his £52m transfer fee looks to be a massive waste, with such a deal having the potential to go down as one of the club’s worst-ever signings.

Frank can fix creativity woes with Spurs star who's "impossible to defend"

Tottenham Hotspur have massively struggled within the attacking third under Thomas Frank as of late.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 25, 2025

Between breakout performances and returning stars making noise, the U.S. leave November camp with momentum – and something close to genuine belief. GOAL’s writers unpack the key storylines that emerged.

Right, then – we’ve got some results. And they’re good ones, too. The USMNT have taken plenty of heat – and rightly so – for leaning too much on the good-vibes narrative. The message has long been that winning doesn’t matter all that much. That may or may not be true, but this is America, and American fans like it when their teams win.

And how about two of them? Including one emphatic battering of a top-tier team? The U.S. played two, won two, scored seven, and conceded two. They brought some old faces back into the fray and got some real promise out of new ones, too. And perhaps most importantly, there's real hope where there was once total apathy. Suddenly, we're all allowed to be excited, and that's a good thing.

But zoom out for a second, and what are the takeaways here? Sure, Gio Reyna impressed, but what does that actually mean? Is Alex Freeman good enough to, you know, be any good long term? And, on the slightly negative side, who showed that they might not be good enough for the big time? GOAL U.S. writers break it all down in another edition of… . 

GettyBiggest takeaway from the thrashing of Uruguay?

Tom Hindle: That Sebastian Berhalter can BALL. There will be a lot of chat about the depth of the player pool – and rightfully so. But the center midfield options are plentiful here, and Berhalter turned in a fine audition for a spot.   

Ryan Tolmich: The player pool is deeper than many would think. After the game, Pochettino was upset by the idea of “regular” players, and he’s right; this team is much more than a few names now. There are now so many players who will believe that they won’t just make the World Cup, but make a difference once there, and that’s a pretty damn good thing considering where this team was just a few months ago.

AdvertisementImagnIs this Mauricio Pochettino's best result?

TH: By a country mile, with the minute caveat that Uruguay were really rather bad on the day. 

RT: Certainly, and not just because of the scoreline. This was a team playing in perfect harmony with fight, energy and intention. Despite making wholesale changes, the standards didn’t drop at all. It’s a testament to the work the staff has put in to get everyone humming and on the same page.

GettyWho stood out over the course of the camp?

TH: Gio Reyna. Cooked from the start against Paraguay, balled in the second half against Uruguay. A proper player.

RT: Alex Freeman is the easy answer, and he’s also the right answer. He’s become so much more confident over the last few months, and that confidence resulted in two goals. That won’t be the norm, but it shows how dangerous he is as an attacking weapon. He's gotten much better defensively, too, so the sky seems to be the limit.

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AFPWho missed their shot to impress?

TH: Brenden Aaronson. He's clearly a talented footballer, and could really do with showing a bit more when he puts his national team kit on. This was another near miss. 

RT: No one really? If you’re nitpicking, you could say that Ricardo Pepi will really wish he buried that shot against Paraguay to put some pressure on Balogun, but at the moment, he just isn’t fully fit. Generally, though, everyone performed well enough to keep themselves in the mix.

Zimbabwe end their tri-series campaign with no wins in four games with serious questions around their batting depth

Firdose Moonda24-Jul-2025

Tim Seifert brought his fifty up in 33 balls•Zimbabwe Cricket

New Zealand smashed the highest score of the tri-series and any hope of Zimbabwe earning a consolation win as they laid down a marker ahead of Saturday’s final against South Africa.After choosing to bat first – despite captains in this tri-series usually bowling – a second-wicket stand of 108 between Tim Seifert and Rachin Ravindra set New Zealand up well. Both went on to score half-centuries before a Michael Bracewell cameo of 26 of 16 balls pushed New Zealand to 190. They bowled Zimbabwe out in 19 overs, as only three Zimbabwean batters got into double figures.As dominant as New Zealand were, Zimbabwe will be particularly unhappy with their lapses in the field. They put down three catches – Tim Robinson on 0, Seifert on 13 and Bracewell on four – and bowled seven wides and a no-ball in a messy display which left them needing to complete their second-highest successful chase to win.Any chance of that happening was blown away when Zimbabwe were reduced to 44 for 5 in the eighth over. Ish Sodhi took three of those wickets, bowling in the powerplay, and proved too much to handle for Zimbabwe’s top-order. A sixth-wicket stand of 51 between Tony Munyonga and Tashinga Musekiwa leant the innings some respectability Sodhi’s career-best 4 for 12 scripted a simple win for New Zealand. With 150 T20I wickets, he also climbed to third on the all-time wicket-takers’ list in the format.Zimbabwe will be spectators on Saturday and have no more fixtures scheduled before they host the Africa Region T20 World Cup Qualifiers in September.Ngarava among the wickets again Richard Ngarava has been Zimbabwe’s most successful bowler of the series and almost struck with his second ball when Robinson chased a delivery that angled away and got a thick outside edge. Ryan Burl at wide slip could not hold on. There was not too much damage done from that miss as Ngarava had Robinson caught at deep third off the second ball of his next over. Ngarava was brought back at the death and though he was hit for three successive by Seifert, he eventually foxed him with a slower ball that he feathered through to Clive Madande. Two balls later Bevon Jacobs tried to hit a short, wide ball out of the ground but was done for pace and sliced it to backward point.Ngarava’s change-ups worked again when he had Mitchell Santner caught behind off a slower ball in an over that lasted 10 balls. His next challenge is to enhance his wicket-taking skills with a bit more discipline in order to truly lead Zimbabwe’s attack.Ish Sodhi (150*) moved past Shakib Al Hasan (149) to take the No. 3 spot on the T20I wicket-takers’ list•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Seifert sees another opportunity to cash inDon’t drop Seifert. He was put down on 0 by South Africa in the previous match and went on to score 66* in a clinical run-chase. In this match, he was on 13 and had already hit two fours when Munyonga, at deep backward square, put him down off Tino Maposa and Seifert didn’t need a second invitation.Two overs later, he smacked Dion Myers into the leg side for his third four and the runs kept coming. Wellington Masakadza was sent through extra cover, Myers through the slip area and Sikandar Raza past short fine. Seifert brought up his 12th T20I fifty off 33 balls and went on to score his first six when he deposited Raza over long-on. He was especially good in a wide ‘v’ down the ground with 50 of his runs coming between extra cover and mid-wicket before he eventually fell to Ngarava for 75.Myers might be an opening option In search of a solid start, Zimbabwe asked Myers to open the batting, ahead of Wessly Madhevere, for the first time in his T20I career and he was off to a flier. He drove and cut Matt Henry for back to back boundaries to give Zimbabwe a blazing start and then showed off his pull shot to end the first over on 14 without loss. Myers was less in control against Zakary Foulkes, who he inside-edged over the keeper but showed intent against legspinner Sodhi, albeit without success.He walked across his stumps off the second ball he faced from Sodhi and tried to flick him fine but gave himself too much room and was bowled. A score of 22 from 18 balls is not much to write home about but given how poorly Zimbabwe have batted through this series, it could be an option worth exploring in future.Henry gets Raza and Zimbabwe unravel Zimbabwe were 28 for 3 after five overs thanks largely to a Sodhi double-strike and New Zealand clearly in control despite Henry’s expensive opening. He switched ends to complete the powerplay, started with a wide and then went short to Sikandar Raza, who met with him aggression. Raza swiped Henry to the leg side three times, and the third was well enough to get four before Henry adjusted his length and caught Raza in the crease. Raza was given out lbw and indicated he was not happy with the decision which left Zimbabwe 37 for 4 and in danger of their lowest score against New Zealand which sits at 84.They got to 130 but were never in the hunt to chase down the target and have serious questions about their batting depth.