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Many years later, English football will look back fondly at Ange Postecoglou. The Australian tactician ended Tottenham Hotspur’s agonising search for silverware, after all.

But Postecoglou’s tenure was anything but smooth sailing, and though Thomas Frank’s style of play has withdrawn some of the electric attacking play that ‘Ange-ball’ injected in north London, with the 7.4 xG (expected goals) total thus far showing plenty to be desired on that front.

Still, it’s hard to argue that the moves made in the transfer market weren’t positive. Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United for £55m is a fantastic piece of business, and he is proving his worth on the pitch.

Xavi Simons is probably the summer showpiece, even if he hasn’t quite clicked into gear yet. The Dutch playmaker is capable both centrally and out wide, with his right-footed preference lending itself to a place on the left flank when needed.

That left-hand side is an area Frank will hope to work on, having sold legendary skipper Heung-min Son to LAFC for £20m in August.

In spite of this, Spurs didn’t see fit to purchase Timo Werner on a permanent basis, with the German’s two-year loan at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ending rather meekly.

Timo Werner's time at Spurs

Tottenham signed former Chelsea striker Werner on loan from RB Leipzig in January 2024, with Postecoglou in need of an extra dimension in attack. It was a divisive move, but one which proved shrewd enough, Werner scoring twice and laying on four assists across ten Premier League starts in 2023/24.

Fleet-footed and slippery down the left channel, Werner did his job, creating 1.2 chances per game and earning praise from Sky Sports pundit Paul Merson for his “lightning-quick” pace.

The first phase of this Tottenham duology was a decent enough effort, but as with so many unnecessary sequels, Werner’s second season down N17 saw him flatter to deceive, anonymous throughout the second phase of the season after offering very little initially.

Savvy operators, Spurs initially had an option to buy Werner for £15m at the end of the 2023/24 season, but instead engineered an extension of that loan stay. Under the new agreement, an £8.5m purchase option was inserted.

Was this a good move? In hindsight, Tottenham fans would say that it was not. Last December, the 29-year-old was hauled off at half-time against Rangers in the Europa League, and Ange said post-match that the forward’s performance “wasn’t acceptable”, with his body language and application leaving much to be desired.

Wrapping up his time in north London with a return of three goals and seven assists across 41 matches in all competitions, it’s hard to brand Werner as anything other than a failure, having contributed little during the early stage of the European campaign, when he did actually earn some minutes.

Even with three assists from only four Premier League starts in 2024/25 (18 league appearances all told), Werner’s underlying performances did little to suggest he was up to scratch, with Sofascore recording he won just 1.2 ground duels per game, missing two big chances and taking a paucity of shots.

There are fears, even with all the good that is being done under Frank’s guidance this season, that Tottenham have repeated an unwanted trick and signed their next version of the German flop.

Spurs' new version of Werner

On transfer deadline day, when Tottenham beat off competition across the continent to sign Randal Kolo Muani from Paris Saint-Germain, it was regarded as a coup for a dynamic and dangerous forward.

The 26-year-old is contracted to the English outfit on a season-long loan deal with no option or obligation to buy.

Hailed as a “superstar” by German legend Lothar Matthaus, the £150k-per-week forward has hit highs and lows in recent years, but he impressed with Juventus last season and was the subject of interest from Spurs only in January, holding talks to sign him but ultimately missing out.

However, injuries have not been kind to the Les Bleus star across the opening months of the season, with the Champions League win over Villarreal the extent of his time on the field so far. Only 13 minutes of action is what he played.

His career has been somewhat up and down, but Kolo Muani undoubtedly has the talent and potential to succeed in the Premier League, though, aged 26, it’s important that he makes a convincing start to life at Tottenham when he does return from his current setback.

If not, the high-salary, injury-prone ace might find himself entering some conversations that liken him to Werner, whose Champions League triumph with Chelsea and prolific returns during his first spell with Leipzig led him to be regarded as an elite talent.

Kolo Muani, too, has enjoyed his most fruitful returns in Germany, hitting 23 goals and 17 assists across the 2022/23 campaign for Eintracht Frankfurt before earning a £73m transfer to the French capital, where the wheels stopped spinning.

Looking across the past 12 months, though, there’s little question that Kolo Muani has the talent to bring it all together. However, much more is needed. And the need at Tottenham for him to do just that is becoming quite significant as Richarlison and Dominic Solanke toil.

Goals scored

0.50

Top 33%

Assists

0.13

Top 48%

Shots taken

2.26

Top 58%

Touches (att pen)

6.10

Top 16%

Shot-creating actions

2.26

Top 45%

Pass completion (%)

69.7

Top 58%

Progressive passes

1.45

Top 61%

Progressive carries

1.57

Top 31%

Successful take-ons

1.32

Top 12%

Ball recoveries

2.20

Top 54%

Tackles + interceptions

1.01

Top 33%

Final judgement will, of course, be reserved until the Frenchman has ample Premier League experience under his belt, but there’s little question that he has started off on the wrong footing.

His only saving grace is that Frank’s frontline have struggled for quality so far this season, and if he can rekindle the fitness and form that saw him hit such heights on loan with Juventus last term, Kolo Muani may be able to avoid falling toward a reputation as Tottenham’s next version of Werner.

Spurs star who "gives absolutely zero" is now on borrowed time under Frank

Tottenham’s attacking play has found wanting across the opening months of the season.

ByAngus Sinclair Oct 14, 2025

As the IPL 2025 playoffs draw near, Punjab Kings (PBKS) find themselves with a potential Achilles’ heel – their bowling. Even as the power-packed batting line-up has consistently put up 200-plus scores, the bowlers have struggled to deliver under pressure, with PBKS relying heavily on Arshdeep Singh, Marco Jansen and Yuzvendra Chahal. On Saturday, PBKS failed to defend 206 against Delhi Capitals (DC), which dented their chances of finishing in the top two. Their former head coach Anil Kumble feels “it’s certainly worrying”.”Yes [PBKS should be concerned about their bowling],” Kumble said on ESPNcricinfo’s Time Out show. “We have seen that on display. Other than Arshdeep and without [Harpreet] Brar to an extent… we don’t know what happened to Chahal [who missed the game]. It’s certainly worrying. And with Marco Jansen not being there for the playoffs, this is a worry.”PBKS’ spin-bowling coach Sunil Joshi clarified after the game that Chahal had been rested because of a niggle. While Brar stepped up in Chahal’s absence as the lead spinner to return 2 for 41, it wasn’t enough as PBKS failed to control the chase and DC scored 114 runs from the last 57 balls.Related

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Arshdeep has been their best bowler with 16 wickets at an economy rate of 8.70 in 13 matches, while Chahal and Jansen – who will be unavailable for the playoffs owing to South Africa duties – have 14 wickets each. Left-arm spinner Brar has played only six games but has stood out, picking up nine wickets at an economy rate of 8.50. Allrounder Azmatullah Omarzai’s recent performances – five wickets in five innings at an economy rate of 10.60 – hasn’t been spectacular either, while Marcus Stoinis hasn’t had an enormous amount to do.After the six-wicket defeat to DC, PBKS captain Shreyas Iyer said that they “went a bit overboard” in trying bouncers and failed to execute plans.”I felt that it was a fantastic score, to be honest, on this wicket because it was helping the seamer,” Iyer said on the broadcast. “There was some odd bounce, variable bounce, and, yeah, the ball wasn’t coming at the same pace, so I felt that that was overpowering.”I think we weren’t disciplined enough in terms of our execution. Once we read the wicket in the first innings, we had planned that we would be bowling hard lengths as much as possible. Right in the stumps. I think we went a bit overboard in terms of bowling bouncers and tried to take wickets. Couldn’t execute that, but a great learning for the boys.”With just one game left in the league phase for PBKS, Kumble and Tom Moody warned that the loss could derail the team’s momentum, and that they shouldn’t start doubting themselves at the business end of the tournament.”Yeah, momentum’s a funny thing,” Moody said, “because when you’ve got it, you feel like when you go into a contest without bowling a ball, you feel like you’re ahead of the game already, even though the contest is starting on an even-playing field.Arshdeep Singh has been PBKS’ best bowler this season•Getty Images

“But when you don’t have momentum, you feel like you’re behind the game and you’re having to catch up to get even to start the game.”Iyer, however, sounded a positive note, and didn’t want to “dwell too much” on the defeat.”It [the IPL] is bigger than a [English] Premier League, I feel, because every team is equally poised in this tournament,” he said. “You never know when anything can happen, but you’ve got to stay positive and stay calm as much as possible, because there’s always a sunrise you’ve got to see tomorrow. You come in with a fresh mindset and also see to it that you’re sticking to the present and not dwell too much about what has happened today.”We’ve got to go back to the drawing board and see where we went wrong and definitely come in with a strong set of plans so that we’ll be able to execute pretty well in the next game.”

Leeds United supporters have not been accustomed to goal-filled matches involving their beloved side since promotion to the Premier League.

Indeed, Daniel Farke’s Whites are yet to score a goal from open play in league action, with their only strike to date being Lukas Nmecha’s penalty, which won a tight affair versus Everton.

Since then, it’s been many a spurned opportunity from the West Yorkshire outfit, with the free transfer addition of Dominic Calvert-Lewin not even boosting their early-season output.

Leeds might not be so frustrated in this department right now if they had managed to win a deal for Harry Wilson on deadline day, with the Welshman never arriving at Elland Road in the end from Fulham, despite serious efforts to bring him in at the final hour.

Why Leeds failed to sign Harry Wilson

Ultimately, the top-flight newcomers left themselves with too much to do as the clock ticked down, with Fulham deciding last-minute to keep their entertaining attacker around.

Why? Well, the story is a source of frustration as far as Leeds are concerned. They initially met Fulham’s quoted asking price a few days before deadline, but with the Cottagers focused on incomings, the Londoners ended up wanting to re-negotiate a move on the final day of the window.

The Whites did return with an improved offer and while that bid was accepted, resulting in a deal sheet being submitted to get the move signed off, Fulham ultimately decided that they did not want to sell the player, communicating to the hierarchy at Elland Road that a deal was off just minutes before the 7pm deadline.

It was a bitter blow for the Yorkshire side, but it’s understandable that Marco Silva’s men wanted to keep him, knowing full well what he’s capable of at the peak of his powers.

Indeed, the “incredible” number eight – as he was once lauded by Jurgen Klopp – is capable of stunning moments like the one above, culminating in Wilson tallying up 26 goal contributions in total for Fulham in the Premier League.

With a further 30 goal contributions coming his way in the Championship for Silva’s men, Leeds might well have thought they’d struck gold by tempting Wilson to Elland Road, with the Wrexham-born forward also offering depth down either the left or right wing for Farke, amid some gaps in the German’s squad.

However, it just wasn’t to be, as Farke now has to rely on the likes of Wilfried Gnonto and Daniel James until January.

Leeds did once have a tantalising winger in a similar mould to Wilson, though.

Leeds struck gold with their original Harry Wilson

Farke should hopefully have enough at his disposal to get the goals eventually flowing, with Calvert-Lewin boasting 57 Premier League goals at Everton when performing at full capacity.

He would love to have Crysencio Summerville back for selection if he could; however, notably having managed to get the very best out of the electric Dutchman during his first up-and-down season at the helm.

Arguably, his previous dynamite output in the Championship for Leeds puts him on the same pedestal Wilson once found himself on at Fulham in the second tier.

A bumper 28-goal contributions fell into his lap come the end of a breakout 2023/24 season, which somehow saw the Whites slip up in their bid to return to the Premier League in a jittery playoff final.

Still, Summerville would find his own avenue up to the top-flight with West Ham United, as Leeds were powerless to a £25m bid coming their way, in the wake of promotion failing to be secured.

Games played

89

Goals scored

25

Assists

13

Original fee

£1.3m

Fee sold for

£25m

Percentage increase

1823%

Leeds could let themselves be eaten up with regret here, considering Summerville is now strutting his stuff in London – not too far away from Wilson’s Fulham – with two assists next to his name already this campaign.

But, the table above reinforces the idea that Leeds struck gold on the Feyenoord-born attacker when they did, with Summerville purchased for just £1.3m four years ago.

Taking into account the £25m he was sold for, that is a wild 1823% increase between the two prices, with Leeds then putting their riches to good use to construct a promotion-winning team.

While they may be stunted in the here and now with no Summerville-style figure, with the Dutchman also adaptable like Wilson to play down either flank, time is still on Leeds’ side to beat the drop.

The likes of Noah Okafor, who did end up through the door this summer, could well turn into Leeds’ new, impactful Summerville-like presence down the line, with all hope not lost just yet at Elland Road.

Leeds already preparing January offer to sign £40m Calvert-Lewin upgrade

Leeds United are already preparing a formal offer to sign a star who would replace Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

1 ByDan Emery Sep 8, 2025

Tottenham have thrusted themselves back into the market for a new playmaker, aiming to put their Eberechi Eze disaster behind them.

Spurs’ transfer plans were dealt a brutal blow after losing out on Eze in midweek, with Arsenal swooping in to hijack their deal on Wednesday night.

Daniel Levy earmarked the Crystal Palace star as their next marquee summer signing, a creative spark to soften the loss of Son Heung-min and cover for James Maddison’s devastating ACL injury. But just when it seemed they were in pole position, Arsenal made their move.

The Gunners opened talks with Palace and quickly accelerated negotiations. Eze, who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season, agreed to the switch despite also shaking hands on personal terms with Thomas Frank’s side.

For Tottenham, it’s a gut punch. The club had identified Eze as the player to carry the creative burden, particularly after Maddison’s long-term setback left a gaping hole in the number 10 role.

Losing out on him to their north London rivals only rubs more salt in the wound, especially after weeks of groundwork laid behind the scenes.

Spurs are now left scrambling for alternatives, but there’s no hiding the frustration. Eze ticked every box: proven Premier League quality, versatility across the front line, and the confidence to deliver in big moments. His numbers at Palace speak volumes, but it’s his ability to glide past defenders and unlock stubborn backlines that Frank will miss most.

Whoever comes in Eze’s stead will be crucial, and there is someone who the Tottenham recruitment team seriously want to sign.

Tottenham think Morgan Rogers is the "perfect" Eberechi Eze alternative

Speaking on his YouTube channel after Eze’s move to Arsenal broke, Fabrizio Romano shared that their dream number 10 alternative is Aston Villa star Morgan Rogers.

The England winger, valued at around £80 million, bagged a sensational 14 goals and 16 assists in all competitions last term as Unai Emery’s key attacking star, and he has real admirers inside Spurs.

Romano says Tottenham view Rogers as the “perfect” candidate for their attacking midfield role, but as things stand, it’s an almost impossible deal to pull off.

He mentions other candidates in his video, like Southampton’s Tyler Dibling, but the prospect of an ambitious late move for Rogers is very tantalising, albeit unlikely.

The opener picked up a quad injury in the field and is unlikely to recover in time for Australia’s next match

Andrew McGlashan01-Mar-20251:23

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Australia are likely to have to alter their top order for the Champions Trophy semi-final after Matthew Short picked up a quad injury against Afghanistan which is expected to rule him out.Short suffered the injury late in Afghanistan’s innings and though he did open the batting alongside Travis Head, laboured between the wickets and was largely restricted to trying to hit boundaries.He managed to club his way to 20 off 15 balls in what became a useful opening stand of 44 in 4.3 overs before being caught at mid-on but captain Steven Smith admitted time wasn’t on Short’s side.”I think he’ll be struggling,” Smith said at the post-match presentation. “I think we saw tonight he wasn’t moving very well. I think it’s probably going to be too quick between games for him to recover.”Related

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Jake Fraser-McGurk, himself a replacement for the injured Mitchell Marsh, is the spare batter in the squad and would be a like-for-like swap for Short at the top of the order. However, there are other options Australia could consider with allrounder Aaron Hardie a possibility if someone else is moved up to open.”We’ve got a few guys there to come in and we’ll be able to fill a job,” Smith said.Cooper Connolly, the left-handed batter and left-arm spinner, is a travelling reserve and could come into the squad if Short was officially ruled out for the rest of the tournament.Matt Short injured himself in the field•AFP/Getty ImagesShort’s absence would also remove a spin-bowling option from the attack. He did an excellent job against Afghanistan with his seven overs costing just 21. However, Australia do have a number of batters who can bowl spin with Head and Marnus Labuschagne, who took two wickets against England, not used on Friday.Australia suffered a number of injuries leading into the tournament with Marsh (back), Pat Cummins (ankle), Josh Hazlewood (hip) and Mitchell Starc (ankle) all missing while Marcus Stoinis announced his retirement.A complicating factor for both the teams who qualify from Group B – South Africa are favourites to join Australia – is that they won’t know whether they are playing the semi-final in Dubai or Lahore until the conclusion of the India-New Zealand game on Sunday night.Group B finishing positions will be known after South Africa play England on Saturday but while India (Dubai) and New Zealand (Lahore) are locked into their venues for the semi-finals their final group position will determine who they face.If South Africa beat England and top the group, Australia will play the winner of New Zealand-India; if England win, Australia will face the loser of that game.Both qualified teams will fly to Dubai early, to give whoever plays the first semi-final an extra day to prepare, but one side will then have to return to Pakistan*. Conditions in Dubai, where India play all their matches, have provided some assistance for the spinners. Australia do have legspinner Tanveer Sangha as another frontline option in their squad.Playing in Lahore would provide more familiar conditions for Australia with two of their group matches having taken place there including the one victory when they chased 352 against England. But there would still be a chance of them needing to travel to Dubai with the final hosted in the UAE should India qualify, otherwise it will be played in Lahore.10.30am GMT: This story was updated after confirmation of travel schedules

Leeds United are now leading the race for an “incredible” attacker, and they are ready to trigger his release clause, according to a report.

Leeds looking to sign another attacker after Calvert-Lewin

Leeds are closing in on the signing of former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with David Ornstein revealing the Englishman is now set to undergo a medical before completing a move to Elland Road.

However, Gary Lineker is not entirely convinced the 28-year-old has what it takes to be a success in Daniel Farke’s side, saying: “I suppose if you look back at his career there’s been a decent season or two. He’s got all the attributes [but], he’s not a clean finisher and that for a striker is an issue.

“He’s never going to be a 20/25 goals a season player even in a side that’s really attacking and has got creative players. I think in the end in football, you find your level.”

While Lineker doesn’t believe Calvert-Lewin is cut out to be a top striker even with a playmaker behind him, Leeds are now planning to add a new attacking midfielder to their ranks, and they have moved into pole position in the race for his signature…

Offer made: Leeds tabled near club-record £34.5m bid to sign "revelation"

The Whites have now tabled a big offer for a forward.

1 ByDominic Lund Aug 13, 2025

According to a report from Caught Offside, the Whites are now leading the race for Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss, having taken the most concrete steps to secure a deal, amid rival interest from the likes of Newcastle United, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund.

Having already held talks with El Khannouss’ representatives and offered the attacking midfielder a £50k-a-week salary, the Premier League newcomers are now ready to trigger the £24.5m release clause in his Leicester contract.

"Incredible" El Khannouss could flourish at Elland Road

While the 21-year-old struggled to find his rhythm in a very poor Leicester side last season, picking up just five Premier League goal contributions, there are indications the youngster could be a success at Elland Road.

At times in the 2024-25 campaign, the Morocco-born playmaker did manage to impress, being lauded as “incredible” by talkSPORT writer Jack Johnson after impressing in his side’s 2-0 defeat against Manchester City.

The starlet also managed to make a good impression on Pep Guardiola, having confirmed the Man City boss complimented his performance after the match, saying: “He (Guardiola) said he was impressed by my play today. I am not. I know myself and this is the player I can be. I have to show that every week now.”

El Khannouss deserves another chance in the Premier League, and Leeds should look to finalise a deal before Newcastle or Dortmund step up their interest.

Three Premier League teams are reportedly eyeing a January transfer move for Crystal Palace star Jean-Philippe Mateta.

Eze leaves Palace for ArsenalGuehi nearly joins LiverpoolTeams eye Mateta transferFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

According to Caught Offside, Aston Villa, Leeds United, and Newcastle United have all made Mateta a top target for the winter transfer window. However, Palace will demand £40 million ($54m) for the striker.

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If Palace were to lose Mateta, that would be a huge blow for the FA Cup holders. Arsenal signed talisman Eberechi Eze last month, and while Marc Guehi stayed put at the Eagles, despite interest from Liverpool, the defender is likely to leave on a free next summer. Moreover, manager Oliver Glasner has been tipped to depart, which could put Palace in a state of disarray.

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Despite Mateta still having two years left on his Selhurst Park deal, the report adds that the 28-year-old's future is 'far from settled'. Negotiations over a possible contract extension have stalled and have been described as 'unproductive'.

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Transfer speculation aside, former Mainz ace Mateta, who has hit double figures for goals in his last two seasons for Palace, will set his sights on continuing his bright start to the campaign after scoring three goals in six games.

After two rainy, non-cricket days at Green Park, Kanpur sprung to life on sunny Monday with a speedy India breaking a few Test records. Rohit Sharma extended his white-ball cricket template that has given him immense success in the last couple of years to red-ball cricket, as he cracked 23 off 11 balls, with rest of the India line-up following suit. That approach saw them register the fastest team 50, 100, 150, 200 and 250 in men’s Tests, and declare their first innings on 285 for 9 in just 34.4 overs after Bangladesh were bowled out for 233.By stumps, R Ashwin managed to trap Zakir Hasan lbw and bowled nightwatcher Hasan Mahmud, while Shadman Islam survived a dropped chance on 3, as Bangladesh ended the day at 26 for 2 in the second innings, trailing India by a further 26.This was after Yashasvi Jaiswal and KL Rahul scored quickfire fifties for India, striking at 141.17 and 158.13, respectively, to give Indian bowlers another shot at Bangladesh’s batters in the dying hours of the penultimate day of the Test. Mehidy Hasan Miraz and Shakib Al Hasan picked up four wickets apiece on a surface that showed enough signs of spin.With the sun finally beating down after successive days of overcast conditions and rain, the pitch showed signs of better carry in the first session. But the inherent nature of the black-soil surface meant a few deliveries did keep a tad low.None of that mattered for Jaiswal, who kickstarted India’s response with a hat-trick of fours off Mahmud, who had picked up a five-for in Chennai. At the other end, Rohit thumped the first two balls he faced for sixes, first jumping down the track to fast bowler Khaled Ahmed to deposit him over long-on, before pulling one into the deep-square leg stands. The pair hit two fours and two sixes more to bring up India’s fifty in just three overs.Shakib Al Hasan picked four wickets in India’s first innings•Getty Images

In a bid to slow India down, Bangladesh brought Mehidy on, and though he was greeted with a four clubbed through midwicket, he almost struck fourth ball when Rohit was ruled out lbw. But Rohit reviewed and survived, with the ball hitting him outside the line of leg. On the next ball, though, Mehidy had the last laugh, getting one flighted delivery to keep low and spin back in sharply through Rohit’s defence.That did not deter Jaiswal, who went on a rampage against spin. India managed to hit at least one four in each of overs six to 12. In the process, Jaiswal brought up a 31-ball fifty and India got to 100 in just 10.1 overs. He used his reach well to put the spinners off their lengths, the highlight being a biggie he smoked over long-on off Mehidy, who also got the ball to dip in on a fullish length. However, the low bounce of the surface came into play when Mahmud’s length ball stayed a bit low to clatter into Jaiswal’s stumps.Shubman Gill and Rishabh Pant also attacked from the get-go, with the former plonking Mehidy over deep midwicket after dancing down the track. But they perished off Shakib after tea, with India in ultra-attack mode. Yet, there was no slowing India down. Their attacking game had pushed Bangladesh back, and for most part, they had at least five fielders at the boundary.Kohli and Rahul used this to rotate strike and bat freely. Kohli was unafraid to use his feet, and switched his ODI mode on. This was after a mix-up with Pant should have sent Kohli back, but Khaled underarmed the throw at the striker’s end and missed despite getting to the stumps. Kohli was stranded out of the crease and had given up.He rubbed salt into Khaled and Bangladesh’s wounds by hitting him for back-to-back fours, the second off which was a loft over extra cover. He also used his feet against spin, thumping Taijul Islam straight over long-off. In a bid to slog Shakib over midwicket, though, he was bowled after one skidded through.Rahul, however, used the sweep and reverse sweep aplenty, and never for once stalled. He looked at ease against the lowish pace on the surface and managed to encash on any width. He put on a masterclass of playing against spin, and scored his fastest Test fifty, off 33 balls. But India went from 269 for 5 to 284 for 9 just before the declaration.Ravindra Jadeja got his 300th Test wicket•Associated Press

The day began with Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah bowling four maidens in the first five overs of Bangladesh’s first innings. The only run in that phase came via Mushfiqur Rahim’s inside edge, with both bowlers hitting the area around good length for varying degrees of lift-off. Bumrah then got an in-ducker to bounce more and take Mushfiqur’s inside edge for four, but knocked him over next ball after he shouldered arms. The boundary ball had landed on a good length outside off and deviated 2cms into the batter, as per broadcast; the wicket ball deviated about 6cms from the same landing spot, and led to Mushfiqur’s misjudgment.Rohit was unafraid to set attacking fields, and the sight of three slips and two gullies was a familiar one for a better part of the first session. That allowed enough gaps for the Bangladesh batters to hit fours, as Litton Das did three times in an over off Bumrah. But India’s disciplined bowling created enough pressure, and Litton fell in a bid to break the shackles, aided by a brilliant piece of fielding. He charged at a length ball from Mohammed Siraj, and slapped it aerially towards wide mid-off, where Rohit timed his jump perfectly to pluck a one-hander.Shakib’s stay in the middle then lasted only 17 balls, his attempt to use his feet against Ashwin proving to be his undoing. He could have got away with it, if not for Siraj backtracking from mid-off and holding on to a one-handed catch while falling backwards.Mominul Haque was the only Bangladesh batter who showed resistance, scoring his 13th Test century, and only his second away from home. He used the sweep to good effect against spin, and did not allow Ravindra Jadeja to settle. He also used his feet well, and got into the 90s by lofting him straight over. Mominul got a couple of lives when Pant failed to hold on to an under-edge feather on 93, and then on 95 when Kohli grassed him after diving to his left from wide first slip.After lunch, Mehidy hit Bumrah for three fours in seven balls, but the latter extracted revenge by getting him to edge a back-of-a-length ball that angled in and seamed away. Jadeja then caught and bowled Khaled to pick up his 300th Test wicket as Bangladesh lost their last seven wickets for 121 runs.

From Tony Adams to Ashley Cole, from Cesc Fabregas to Jack Wilshere, and from Bukayo Saka to Ethan Nwaneri, it’s safe to say Arsenal have spawned some of the best young talent in world football over the last three decades.

The Hale End academy is revered around Europe and they’re not slowing down.

The start of Mikel Arteta’s reign was dominated by that man, Saka, and now, a few years into his tenure, it appears as though Nwaneri is beginning to make a name for himself too, starring in the offensive line.

With 15-year-old Max Dowman also causing a stir at youth level, the Gunners certainly look like they’re set up for a bright future.

From the above list, we’ve missed off a few names, perhaps most notably Myles Lewis-Skelly. Sadly for him, Andrea Berta and Co could be about to sign some competition.

Arsenal targeting one of the finest young talents in Europe

A lot of the talk so far this window has been dominated by the elusive striker. Will Benjamin Sesko or Viktor Gyokeres arrive? Only time will tell.

Transfer Focus

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

That said, it’s important that Berta doesn’t neglect other areas of the pitch, and probably to the dismay of Arsenal fans aplenty, the defence could be bolstered again.

Reports from the Athletic this week suggest that they are looking to sign someone who can play second fiddle to William Saliba and Gabriel with Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi earmarked. We’ve also seen less concrete reports suggesting that Arsenal are looking at former Manchester City centre-back, Aymeric Laporte, who now plays in Saudi Arabia.

However, there’s a player who’s a great deal more exciting than both of them; Jorrel Hato.

Arsenal have a long-standing interest in the Ajax star and this summer, he could finally be on the move with a host of clubs interested in prising him away from Amsterdam.

The young Dutchman is attracting the interest of Chelsea, but recent reports from journalist Graeme Bailey this week suggest their London rivals have also held talks regarding a move.

Bailey revealed that Arsenal considered a move for £40m-rated defender last summer and are now considering making a formal bid following ‘successful talks’ with Ajax.

How Hato could replicate Arsenal's great young talents

It’s safe to say that when things have been tough for Arteta at Arsenal, the younger players at his disposal have come up trumps.

It was Saka and Emile Smith Rowe who combined so successfully during the Spaniard’s first year at Arsenal and with injuries decimating the squad in 2024/25, it was Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly who stood up.

The former ended up playing 37 matches in all competitions, scoring nine goals, most notably bagging against Manchester City in Arsenal’s remarkable 5-1 win at the Emirates.

Also on the scoresheet that day was Lewis-Skelly whose meteoric rise has been staggering. He hadn’t made his debut for the club before this season but ended the campaign having dominated Real Madrid, shone against PSG and even scored on his England debut.

Well, Hato, aged just 19, is very much cut from the same cloth as his fellow teenage stars.

Like Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly, he made his senior debut as a boy. While Nwaneri was only 15 at the time of his Premier League debut, making him the youngest player in the competition’s history, Hato was only 16 when Ajax gave him his Eredivisie debut.

Since then, the defender – who can play at left-back and centre-back – has risen up the ranks remarkably swiftly.

He’s already played 111 times for the Dutch giants – making him the youngest member of Ajax’s 100 club, and has been described as “one of the most talented CBs of his generation in Europe” by scout Jacek Kulig.

Also labelled as an “elite talent” by data analyst Ben Mattinson, Hato evidently has the world at his feet. He’s making a stir just as Nwaneri and Lewis-Skelly have. He’s got the confidence and swagger they both have too.

Incredibly, he’s already got amazing leadership skills despite his tender age. He’s captained his boyhood club on several occasions, which is just one of many boxes Hato seems to tick.

Versatile? Check. Leadership skills? Check. Experience in Europe? Check. This would be an amazing deal if Arteta and Co can get it over the line.

He's a lot like Isak: Arsenal in talks to sign amazing upgrade on Sesko

Arsenal are turning their attention to a striker they tried to sign in the winter.

1

By
Matt Dawson

Jun 17, 2025

Leeds United have now made contact with the representatives of a “clinical” striker who has 88 Premier League goals to his name, according to a report.

Leeds stepping up pursuit of new striker

Joel Piroe was the top scorer in the Championship in the 2024-25 season, netting 19 goals, while also showcasing his creative talents by picking up seven assists, but there are doubts over whether the Dutchman should be selected to lead the line in the Premier League.

Piroe has no experience in the top flight, having spent the majority of his career in the second tier, and the Whites are now stepping up their pursuit of a new striker, identifying several potential options from across Europe.

Contact has been made over a deal for Hamburg striker Davie Selke, while Daniel Farke’s side are also in the race for AC Milan striker Tammy Abraham, who, of course, has experience in the Premier League from his time with Chelsea.

According to a report from Leeds Live, however, Leeds have now made an approach for a striker with a more recent track record of success in the top flight, namely Newcastle United’s Callum Wilson, having made contact to discuss a deal with the Englishman’s representatives.

The Whites are said to hold a genuine interest in Wilson, who joined Newcastle from AFC Bournemouth for a fee of £20m, but is now in line to leave on a free transfer when his contract expires this summer.

The Newcastle marksman isn’t the only option on the shortlist, however, with Farke’s side exploring a number of different options, as the manager looks to rebuild his squad ahead of their return to the Premier League next season.

A better signing than Phillips: Leeds eye move for "phenomenal" £10m star

Leeds United should prioritise this phenomenal signing over attempting to bring back Kalvin Phillips to Elland Road.

2

By
Kelan Sarson

Jun 3, 2025

"Clinical" Wilson has solid track record in the Premier League

Prior to Alexander Isak’s arrival at St. James’ Park, the former Bournemouth man was the main man for Newcastle in attack, and he netted 18 Premier League goals during the 2022-23 campaign, during which Isak struggled with injury setbacks.

The Coventry-born striker has 88 top-flight goals to his name and 143 total for club and country, so his vast experience could be of great use to a Leeds side whose primary goal will undoubtedly be avoiding relegation next season.

Such is the 33-year-old’s attacking prowess, he was once lauded as “clinical” by The Athletic’s Chris Waugh, and if he is able to rediscover his previous form, he could be an excellent addition to Farke’s squad this summer.

That said, there will be concerns over the fact that Wilson has struggled with injuries in recent times, being sidelined for 29 games during the 2024-25 campaign, which meant he managed to score just one goal in all competitions across the entire season.