India open their campaign against Pakistan on December 15
Shashank Kishore12-Dec-2024G Trisha, Shabnam Shakil and Sonam Yadav, members of India’s Under-19 World Cup winning team in January 2023, are all part of India’s squad for the women’s Under-19 Asia Cup that will be held in Malaysia later this month.Their presence in the squad, a majority of which will also play in the second edition of the women’s Under-19 World Cup in Malaysia in February, confirms a key internal decision by the BCCI to not have a cap on Under-19 World Cup appearances for women players, as part of their development.This is a ruling that was particularly in focus in 2016 when Rahul Dravid, the former India captain, announced during his tenure as head of the BCCI’s National Cricket Academy (NCA) that eligible players can participate in only one men’s Under-19 World Cup to ensure they don’t stagnate, while also allowing a fresh crop of players come through every two years.The squad is led by Niki Prasad, who captained India B to a title win in the tri-series against South Africa Under-19s and India A in Pune on Thursday. Prasad polished off a chase of 143 with an unbeaten 49 after it was set up by batter G Kamalini, who top-scored with an unbeaten 79.Kamalini, who plays for Tamil Nadu, is also part of the India Under-19 squad and is expected to open the batting. Kamalini is part of the long list of 120 players who will come up for bidding at the WPL auction.India are placed in Group A along with Pakistan and Nepal. Group B comprises of Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and hosts Malaysia. India open their campaign against Pakistan on December 15, before playing Nepal on December 17. They will potentially play five games should they make the final, which will be held on December 22.Squad: Niki Prasad (Captain), Sanika Chalke (Vice-captain), G Trisha, Kamalini G (WK), Bhavika Ahire (WK), Ishawari Awasare, Mithila Vinod, Joshitha VJ, Sonam Yadav, Parunika Sisodiya, Kesari Drithi, Aayushi Shukla, Anandita Kishor, MD Shabnam, Nandhana SStand-by: Hurley Gala, Happy Kumari, G Kavya Sree, Gayatri Survase
Thomas Frank has confirmed that Randal Kolo Muani could make his Tottenham debut against Villarreal in the Champions League on Tuesday. The forward joined the club on loan from Juventus on deadline day and is currently awaiting his debut. Now, Frank has confirmed that the France international is fit, although he has questioned his ability to play with intensity.
Kolo Muani debut incoming?
Spurs signed the France international on deadline day, with the forward on loan from Paris Saint-Germain. The attacker scored 11 goals in 54 games for the Ligue 1 club, and will now be aiming to hit the back of the net with regularity in north London.
AdvertisementGetty ImagesSpurs kicking off CL season
Spurs are preparing for a return to European football's top table after winning the Europa League last season. However, Dominic Solanke has failed to train before the game, meaning Richarlison is the only other centre-forward option, given Mathys Tel has not been registered in the squad for Europe.
Can Kolo Muani cope?
Kolo Muani's fitness has somewhat been questioned by Frank, who told reporters:"If we needed him to play, he could play 90 minutes, but can he play at the intensity and the level that we want? But he's ready and he'll be involved tomorrow, so that's the most important thing."
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AFPWho do Spurs have next?
After playing Villarreal to kick off their Champions League campaign, Spurs head to Brighton in the Premier League. They have won three of their first four games in the league.
Arne Slot has spoken to the media ahead of Liverpool’s curtain-raising Community Shield clash against Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon, and he has confirmed that he cannot rule out further summer signings.
The Anfield side won the Premier League at a canter last season, but who can claim that they have since rested on their laurels? Liverpool are intent on defending their throne and widening the scope of the Slot era, with further prizes certainly eyed.
Alexander Isak’s name has stolen the headlines for some time now, and understandably so. But there’s little question that the prow of the ship isn’t the only area in need of investment before the end of the transfer window.
Namely, Liverpool need a central defender, having shown their hand on that front way back in May, when they pushed to sign Bournemouth prodigy Dean Huijsen before the 20-year-old joined Real Madrid once his £50m release clause was activated.
Why Liverpool want a centre-back
Last month, Jarell Quansah was sold to Bayer Leverkusen in a deal worth £35m. The English talent is highly regarded, but it didn’t quite work out under Slot’s wing last season, and cashing in (with a buyback clause inserted) was probably a prudent move.
Liverpool defender Jarell Quansah
Having said that, Joe Gomez has since sustained a minor Achilles injury; the blow won’t sideline the 28-year-old for an extended period, but it does highlight the fragility of Virgil van Dijk’s defensive line.
Van Dijk extended his Liverpool contract by two years before the end of last season, but the captain has now turned 34, and the inevitability of an athletic decline will begin to take a seat in Slot and sporting director Richard Hughes’ mind.
Liverpool's VirgilvanDijkapplauds fans before the match
Then there’s Ibrahima Konate, who marks a pressure point himself. The France defender is into the final year of his £70k-per-week contract at Anfield, and with Real Madrid lurking, there is a growing sense of dread that he will follow Trent Alexander-Arnold’s footsteps and join the European nemeses on a Bosman.
In any case, Liverpool need to sign a centre-back this month.
Liverpool lining up new defender
According to Football Insider, Liverpool have learned that a bid in the region of £40m should be enough to convince Crystal Palace to sell Marc Guehi this summer.
Crystal Palace'sMarcGuehilooks dejected after Newcastle United's Harvey Barnes scores their third goal
Liverpool believe Guehi would be a fantastic addition to a backline looking rather thin, but since the 25-year-old has entered the final year of his contract, Hughes is unwilling to pay over the odds.
However, with Newcastle United and Tottenham Hotspur both interested too, the Reds might want to bite the bullet and lodge a first formal offer, lest Guehi end up elsewhere.
Why Liverpool want Marc Guehi
Guehi has been a pillar of strength and solidity for Crystal Palace over the past four years, joining the club from Chelsea for an £18m fee after graduating from their famed academy, though failing to get his foot through the first-team door.
Crystal Palace's MarcGuehireacts
He’s a “monster in defence”, as has been noted by Eagles reporter Bobby Manzi, but Guehi is also a fiercely underrated technician, with the passing game to make a real difference for Liverpool over the coming years.
As per FBref, he ranked among the top 9% of centre-halves across Europe’s top five leagues last term for goal contributions, the top 12% for shot-creating actions, the top 2% for through balls, and the top 20% for successful take-ons per 90.
His completeness even suggests that he would be the perfect partner for Van Dijk over the next few years, bringing energy and mobility to the backline, and a forward-thinking approach besides.
Matches (starts)
34 (34)
37 (37)
31 (30)
Goals
3
3
1
Assists
2
1
2
Clean sheets
11
14
11
Touches*
64.9
90.4
71.6
Pass completion
84%
92%
90%
Key passes*
0.5
0.3
0.3
Ball recoveries*
4.3
3.1
3.2
Dribbles*
0.4
0.1
0.1
Tackles + interceptions*
2.6
2.5
1.7
Clearances*
4.6
5.1
4.0
Duels (won)*
4.9 (59%)
4.7 (69%)
4.4 (66%)
Errors made
2
4
3
As you can see from the table, Guehi hardly looks out of place when his data is ranked alongside Van Dijk and Konate’s efforts last season, and that’s having starred for Crystal Palace, instead of title-winning Liverpool.
Curiously, the Three Lions star made fewer mistakes than both of his world-class positional peers, something that Slot and Liverpool’s data analysts have no doubt picked up.
It’s hardly surprising that journalist and scout Ben Mattinson had hailed Guehi as “England’s best player” following their EURO 2024 campaign, so commanding in defence and cultured on the ball.
England's Harry Kane celebrates scoring their first goal withMarcGuehi
Though Van Dijk is more precise in the duel (Konate is too), Guehi has the kind of multi-faceted defensive skill set that is so important for top-challenging teams in the modern age.
He captained Oliver Glasner’s side toward the FA Cup title last season, beating Manchester City in the final at Wembley, did he not?
By adding this profile to the mix, Slot would rest assured that Van Dijk has the perfect partner to continue plying his craft so superlatively, leading the team and organising, timing crunching challenges and steely headers when the situation demands it.
In an ideal world, Konate renews his contract and Liverpool attack the upcoming campaign with three of the Premier League’s finest centre-backs in their ranks.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
The club’s Netherlands superstar remains the cream of the crop, but he’s not a spring chicken anymore, and bringing in another athletic and dynamic profile could prove the perfect recipe for Slot to achieve his lofty ambitions.
He's like Gerrard: Liverpool preparing formal offer for £120k-p/w "wizard"
Liverpool are looking to close several more transfer deals this summer.
Liverpool won the Premier League last season, and quite remarkably at that.
Over the past decade, the Reds have gone from bad to good to great to incredible, and it’s through the defining presumption of their brilliance under Jurgen Klopp that they have been expected to compete for the biggest honours each year.
But that changed when Arne Slot arrived last summer. This relative unknown had stepped into big old boots and was expected to drift away like flotsam. He couldn’t replace Klopp: didn’t Liverpool want Xabi Alonso, anyway?
Liverpool manager ArneSlotcelebrates after winning the Premier League
Doubt is one of the first conditions any manager is forced to deal with in the Premier League, both from outside and within, but Slot knuckled down and thrived across his maiden year as the Anfield head coach, not just winning the top-flight title but blowing the competition out of the water.
And he did it with minimal transfer investment, which is quite a thing. However, that’s all changed this summer, and FSG are still keen on bolstering Slot’s squad before the market deadline in under two weeks.
Why Liverpool need a left winger
Should Liverpool complete a statement deal for Isak this summer, the impressive Hugo Ekitike would have a tough time starting invariably from number nine.
Both strikers are men of mobility, and some would say Ekitike’s pace and dynamism lend themselves to a role on the wing. But that is not his natural berth.
In this respect, Liverpool could do with some more depth to even out any wrinkles in Slot’s title-winning team; it’s a new season, and now Liverpool are title challengers just like the rest.
Slot must not ride the coattails of his own previous success, and must instead propose to FSG a plan to complete the Merseyside frontline, even with Federico Chiesa and the Reds in harmony over a role at Anfield across the year for the Italian.
Isak’s stature and track record within the European game demand his signature being a priority, but Liverpool need a left winger all the same, with Cody Gakpo the only senior option operating naturally from the berth.
Liverpool's Cody Gakpo wins the Premier League
Rio Ngumoha looks like a fantastic talent, but overburdening him this year could run counter to the hopes of him reaching his ceiling. If the stars align, sporting director Richard Hughes must sign an alternative.
Liverpool ready late bid for new winger
According to Anfield Watch, Liverpool remain interested in signing Lyon winger Malick Fofana this summer, having opened a line of communication with the French club when selling Tyler Morton to them at the start of August.
Lyon's Malick Fofana
In fact, it’s felt that FSG’s desire to sign a left winger is separate from the bid for Isak, and that Liverpool are ‘ready’ to strike a late deal for Fofana, having scouted him across the transfer window.
Valued at around £43m, Fofana’s signature would be attainable following the sales of forwards like Diaz and Darwin Nunez, and he would arrive primed to rival Gakpo for a starting spot on the left flank.
Transfer Focus
Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.
What Malick Fofana would bring to Liverpool
Gakpo proved on Friday evening that he’s more than just a goalscorer. Not that he needed to prove anything following a year of meteoric progress in Slot’s Liverpool system.
Cody Gakpo vs Bournemouth
But the Dutchman has his detractors, with some clamouring for a new winger like Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, whose future is up in the air and who has been linked with a move to Liverpool across the summer.
However, Rodrygo would cost something in the region of £86m, and he’d expect to start every week. In a rising prospect like Fofana, Slot would not find that problem at his desk, but rather, would be able to work with an exciting talent who could operate in flux with Gakpo.
Belgium'sMalickFofanain action with Italy's Giovanni Di Lorenzo
Fofana, 20, has enjoyed a rip-roaring start to life in French football, joining Lyon from Genk when he was only 18. Last season, he scored 11 goals and supplied six more assists across 41 matches in all competitions, of which only 23 were starts.
Hailed for his “explosive” style of play by analyst Ben Mattinson, Fofana ranks among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe over the past year for goals scored and the top 3% for progressive carries per 90, with such data presented by FBref.
Looking at this data, we can see in Fofana a talented player looking to blend his high-speed running with a natural eye for goal, and in this way, he shares some of Gakpo’s strengths but could actually end up outstripping the Netherlands star.
Matches (starts)
29 (16)
35 (23)
Goals
5
10
Assists
4
4
Shots (on target)*
1.1 (0.5)
1.6 (0.7)
Big chances missed
4
6
Pass completion
84%
84%
Big chances created
6
11
Key passes*
0.9
1.1
Dribbles*
0.8
0.9
Tackles*
1.1
0.8
Duels won*
2.9
3.1
Though Gakpo is currently more clinical and more effective, it’s promising to note that the fleet-footed Fofana has already shown signs of prolific shooting and that he is equally crisp and effective on the ball.
Given the need for depth at Liverpool this season and beyond, should Slot hope to not just defend his Premier League title but claim further silverware too, adding a player like Fofana for a shrewd figure could be a fantastic move.
He would arrive on Merseyside without the weight of expectation that certain other transfer targets would bring, but the Lyon winger could still add much to the Redmen cause, and might even nail down a starting berth on the left wing in the coming years.
Wirtz will love him: Liverpool chasing "world-class" £86m Isak alternative
Liverpool have earmarked this European superstar as a potential signing before the end of the window.
Deal is set to make London-based club the most valuable in the Hundred
Matt Roller and Nagraj Gollapudi31-Jan-2025English cricket has landed a multi-million pound windfall after a Silicon Valley tech consortium won a bidding war with the Sanjiv Goenka-owned RPSG Group for a 49% stake in London Spirit, the Hundred team based at Lord’s.The winning bid made by the consortium, headed by Nikesh Arora of Palo Alto Networks, valued the Spirit at £295 million, more than twice the price paid by Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) for Oval Invincibles on Thursday. It means they will pay £144.55m for a 49% stake in the Spirit, with MCC intending to retain its position as majority shareholder.The price is more than double the floor valuation set for London Spirit based on investors’ indicative bids and represents a significant injection of funds into English cricket. The revenue raised in the sales process will be split between the 18 first-class counties, MCC and the recreational game and is designed to “future-proof” county cricket for the next 20 years. RPSG Group is understood to have quit the race at the £292 million mark.The consortium – under the name Cricket Investor Holdings Limited – includes Sundar Pichai, Satya Nadella, Shantanu Narayen and Egon Durban, the CEOs of Google, Microsoft, Adobe and Silver Lake Management respectively, as well as Arora and Satyan Gajwani, who is one of the co-founders of the US-based Major League Cricket and vice-chairman of Times Internet, the Indian digital giant.It is understood that the consortium’s bid was spearheaded by Arora and Gajwani, after they were among the last investors to enter the race. ESPNcricinfo understands that there are 11 individuals involved in the consortium in total, five of whom are yet to be named publicly.Related
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Mark Nicholas, MCC’s chairman, told members on Friday evening: “We are delighted to have found partners who share our values and understand the power and mystique of Lord’s. We look forward to building on the happy relationship we have already established over the past few weeks.”Nicholas said that there had been “remarkable interest” from investors, and wrote: “Today’s announcement shows what we as Members have always known: our Club is special. It’s why people want to be involved with us. I hope that all Members are as proud as I am and excited at the opportunities that lie ahead.”Goenka, whose company RPSG Group run Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL, was considered the favourite to buy a stake in the Spirit but was beaten in a three-hour bidding war on Friday afternoon, which lasted so long that the start time for the same process at Welsh Fire – which was later won by the owner of Washington Freedom – was delayed by an hour.Sanjiv Goenka’s RPSG Group pulled out of the race at a £292m valuation•SportzpicsAvram Glazer, the co-owner of Manchester United, and Cain International, who are run by Chelsea director Jonathan Goldstein, were also involved in the auction process on Friday afternoon but pulled out early on. It is thought that what one source described as “the Lord’s factor” played a significant role in the unexpectedly high price for the Spirit.The consortium will now enter into a period of exclusive negotiations with Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), the host venue’s owner, and complete an agreement in the eight-week window set by ECB from the completion of the final round of the bidding process. MCC has maintained throughout that it intends to retain its 51% share in the franchise.The Spirit are defending champions in the women’s Hundred, with England captain Heather Knight leading them to their inaugural title last year and India’s Deepti Sharma hitting the winning runs in the final. Their men’s team, by contrast, have only won three games in the last two Hundred seasons, and finished bottom in 2024.RPSG Group are now expected to refocus their attention to Manchester Originals next week, having held detailed meetings with Lancashire over the past nine months. RIL were also understood to be on the shortlist for the Originals but are out of the running after buying a stake in Oval Invincibles.
Cruz Azul extended their unbeaten run in the Apertura 2025 with a 3-2 win over Juárez on Matchday 9, climbing into first place with 23 points from nine games. Manager Nicolás Larcamón, who joined at the start of the season, credited the team’s collective strength and fierce internal competition as driving forces behind their impressive form.
Getty Images SportAn unstoppable Cruz Azul
Cruz Azul are one of the hottest teams in Liga MX as the only unbeaten side in the league after nine rounds. With a record of seven wins and two draws, are shaping up as one of the top favorites to win the title. They boast the best attack in the tournament and one of the strongest defenses, a balance that reflects how well Larcamón has adapted since taking over in June.
His arrival was initially met with heavy criticism, especially after suffering a 7-0 defeat to the Seattle Sounders in the Leagues Cup, but the team’s current dominance shows just how quickly the coach has turned things around.
AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'The confidence it brings'
Larcamón emphasized that finishing first is more than just a morale boost – it’s part of the team’s larger ambition.
“This is a match we must face with great responsibility. We aim for first place, and if we can achieve it this week, fantastic. The big objective is to be in first, not just for what it means on paper but for the confidence it brings. We are working to make that happen," he said.
The Argentine manager highlighted the value of a competitive locker room, where multiple players are pushing for a starting role. He praised the impact of Ángel Sepúlveda and Gabriel Fernández, calling them key figures in the team’s attack and essential to their playoff aspirations:
“It’s very positive to have attackers with confidence and quality for the type of football we want. I firmly believe that competition in every area of the field keeps players from relaxing. Both Ángel and Gabriel show great humility and give us excellent coverage in the position. I take my hat off to them," he said.
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Getty Images SportGood times to continue?
Cruz Azul will host 17th-placed Querétaro next Wednesday in Week 10 of the Apertura 2025, setting up a strong possibility for the team to extend its winning streak.
Sears felt pain in his left hamstring at New Zealand’s training session in Karachi on Wednesday
ESPNcricinfo staff14-Feb-2025Ben Sears has been ruled out of the Champions Trophy with a hamstring injury. Sears, who was also part of New Zealand’s squad for the tri-series in Pakistan, felt pain in his left hamstring at the team’s training session in Karachi on Wednesday.A subsequent scan revealed a minor tear that would require at least two weeks’ rehabilitation, New Zealand Cricket said in a statement. That meant Sears would have been available only from the team’s final group match onwards, against India in Dubai on March 2, the decision was made to rule him out.Sears played both of New Zealand’s league-stage games in the tri-series, but went wicketless after 16 overs, conceding 104 runs in them.Related
Latham, Mitchell fifties take NZ to tri-series title after bowlers restrict Pakistan
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Jacob Duffy, who is also part of the tri-series squad, has replaced Sears for the Champions Trophy.”We’re all really feeling for Ben,” New Zealand head coach Gary Stead said. “It’s always tough being ruled out of a major event at such a late stage, and it’s especially tough in Ben’s case given it would have been his first major ICC event.”The timeframes for Ben to be fit to play again meant he would likely miss the majority of the group stage, and given the short nature of the tournament, we felt it was appropriate to bring in a player who is fully fit and ready to go.”Ben is a player with huge potential and given the short rehabilitation timeframe, we’re sure he’ll be fit and raring to go for the home series against Pakistan back in New Zealand.”
“Jacob showed with his performances in the recent home series against Sri Lanka that he is more than capable at international level”Gary Stead
Duffy has played ten ODIs, in which he has picked up 18 wickets. In the home ODI series against Sri Lanka earlier this year, he took four wickets in two games.”Jacob showed with his performances in the recent home series against Sri Lanka that he is more than capable at international level,” Stead said. “He’s been part of the squad for the ODI tri-series so he’s fully acclimatised and he’s got plenty of experience in these conditions and is fit and ready to go.”He’s another player who will be experiencing his first senior ICC event, so it will be an exciting few weeks ahead for him.”New Zealand will face Pakistan in the tri-series final in Karachi on Friday. Their first match of the Champions Trophy is also against Pakistan, at the same venue, on Wednesday.
Another Frenchman could lift the Ballon d'Or by following the Ousmane Dembele blueprint. Indeed, according to Bayern Munich legend Lothar Matthaus, Michael Olise has the potential to become the first Ballon d'Or winner from Die Roten after 45 years. The 23-year-old has been exceptional since arriving from Crystal Palace in 2024 and is reportedly set to be offered a new deal.
Olise, Bayern's new hero in town
Bayern legend Mathhaus has no qualms that Olise can emulate Dembele by winning the Ballon d'Or next year. Since arriving from Palace in a move worth £52 million (€60m/$70m), Olise has been among the best attackers in the world. He was nominated in the top 30 for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, where he deserved to finish much higher than 30th position.
His numbers for the Bavarian giants have been staggering. Including the Club World Cup, the Frenchman has seven goals and five assists in twelve competitive matches. Overall, he has already been involved in 50 goals in 62 matches for Bayern (24 goals, 26 assists).
AdvertisementAFPMatthaus wants Olise to take a leaf out of Dembele's book
Matthaus spoke highly of Olise in an interview with . "He has everything an outstanding footballer needs. I see no limits for him. And the example of Ousmane Dembele shows that a winger can become a world-class footballer," said the 64-year-old. "It always depends on the success of the team, especially in the Champions League – but yes, I believe Olise can [win the Ballon d'Or]."
Premier League waiting for Olise's return?
At the end of August, speculation arose about Olise's long-term future. The 23-year-old is said to have an exit clause in his contract that could allow him to return to the Premier League as early as next summer, preferably to Liverpool as Mohamed Salah's successor. Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain have been linked, too.
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Getty Images SportBayern set to reward Olise with new deal
That is why Die Roten are keen to secure an early contract extension with Olise in the near future. He is currently under contract with the club until 2029. According to information from , there is already internal discussion at Munich about keeping Olise beyond that date. It is even conceivable that talks about this could begin during the course of this season. However, no contact has yet been made with Olise and his agent.
With the summer transfer window now closed, Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank now knows the players he will be reliant upon for the next stage of the 2025/26 campaign.
The Dane has been handed a little over £100m to splash on new additions, in an attempt to bolster various areas of his first-team squad during his maiden campaign in the role.
Mohammed Kudus was the most expensive addition made by the hierarchy, costing around £55m from Premier League rivals West Ham United – with the player already making an immediate impact in North London.
The Ghanaian international has registered two assists in his first three league outings for the Lilywhites, helping Frank’s side sit fourth going into the international break.
However, the 25-year-old could be aided in his attempts at the club in the coming months, especially after the late business conducted by the hierarchy in the market.
Xavi Simons’ move to join Spurs this summer
Throughout the summer transfer window, Spurs made signing a new attacking midfielder a priority – especially after the long-term injury suffered by James Maddison.
Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze were the two main targets, but the Lilywhites failed to complete deals for the pair – with the latter joining arch rivals, Arsenal.
However, the club managed to complete a £52m deal for the signature of Xavi Simons from Bundesliga side RB Leipzig – securing the player’s services until the summer of 2030 with a two-year option to extend.
Such a move has undoubtedly generated excitement among the fan base and understandably so, given his tally of 11 goals and eight assists in Germany’s top-flight last campaign.
At just 22 years of age, the Dutchman has bags of time to try and build on the impressive start to his career, potentially being Frank’s key man in such a role for the foreseeable future.
The Spurs player who’s worth more than Simons
Despite Spurs’ measly 17th-placed finish in the Premier League, the club’s frontline managed to impress throughout 2024/25 – racking up 64 goals in their 38 outings.
Dominic Solanke celebrates for Tottenham
Such a record saw the Lilywhites average 1.7 goals scored per 90, with their tally of goals the seventh highest of all sides within England’s top-flight throughout last campaign.
Winger Brennan Johnson finished the season as their top scorer, netting 11 times in the league, even scoring the winner in the Europa League final against fellow English side Manchester United.
After the recent summer window, the addition of Kudus and Simons has added further depth and quality to the attacking department – helping the likes of Dejan Kulusevski reach the next level.
The Swedish international joined the club originally on loan for an 18-month spell in 2022-2023, racking up 57 appearances in all competitions – before subsequently completing a permanent transfer.
The hierarchy forked out a fee in the region of £29m for the 25-year-old’s signature – a fee that now appears to be a bargain given his form over the last couple of years.
He’s racked up 89 appearances across the last two seasons in all competitions – with last year being his best to date, notching 10 goals and 11 assists under Ange Postecoglou’s reign.
1. James Maddison
16
= Heung-min Son
16
2. Brennan Johnson
14
3. Dominic Solanke
12
4. Dejan Kulusevski
11
5. Pedro Porro
8
6. Pape Sarr
5
= Richarlison
5
Kulusevski, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by Rio Ferdinand, managed a run of five games in a row in which he scored – which has certainly bolstered his price tag in recent months.
As a result of his performances in North London, the Swedish star is now valued at £58.6m by FootballTransfers – a figure that is £6.6m higher than the fee paid for Simons.
Both players have showcased their talents over recent months, potentially having a huge part to play in any of the success endured during the Frank era in North London.
If the duo can operate alongside one another, it’s a prospect for the fanbase to be excited about, with their versatility and consistent quality potentially able to help the side build on their recent European triumph.
Sold for £6.7m: Spurs must regret selling star who's outscoring Kolo Muani
After Tottenham signed Randal Kolo Muani on deadline day for a €5m loan fee, should Spurs regret selling a striker who has outscored the Frenchman?
Marseille boss Roberto De Zerbi has lavished praise on his players after they hammered Ajax 4-0 in the Champions League clash at the Orange Velodrome. Mason Greenwood was on the scoresheet once again and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang provided a couple of assists and bagged a goal himself, but Igor Paixao grabbed the headlines with a quick-fire first-half double to get the ball rolling for the French giants. After the match, former Brighton manager De Zerbi described his team's performance as "perfect".
AFPMarseille magic as Ajax are thumped
Marseille secured a dominant 4-0 victory over Ajax in their Champions League first phase clash, with Paixao the star of the show, scoring his first two goals for the club in the sixth and 12th minutes, with the first coming via an assist from Aubameyang. Greenwood added a third in the 26th minute, also set up by Aubameyang. And Aubameyang completed the scoring in the 52nd minute, netting the fourth from a counter-attack, with an assist from Paixao. The victory handed Marseille their first points of the Champions League campaign after a 2-1 defeat by Real Madrid in the first matchday, while the Dutch side slumped to their second defeat in Europe, having lost 2-0 to Inter Milan in their opening fixture. Ajax were poor on the night, registering only two shots on target throughout the match, and were thoroughly outplayed by De Zerbi's side.
AdvertisementAFPThe 'perfect' performance from Marseille
Following the match, De Zerbi heaped praise on his side. He said: "We played an incredible match, the team was truly extraordinary. The team was very young, but competent, they can cause problems for any team and we played well in attack. The first half was perfect, almost perfect. Like against PSG in the second half, there was more tiredness, they failed to maintain the same mentality for 90 minutes. We've only conceded one goal in the last three matches."
Steady start for De Zerbi's men in 2025-26
Marseille have had a mixed start to the season, they sit third in Ligue 1 with 12 points after six games. They have won four and lost two of their league matches so far, with the highlight coming in a 1-0 victory over rivals PSG last month. Performances in Ligue 1 have been characterised by strong attacking displays at home, but they have struggled on the road. The impressive win against Ajax suggests potential for a successful European campaign, but their inconsistent domestic form, marked by a struggle for goals in away games, is a key area for De Zerbi to focus on as the season progresses, and maintaining consistency will be key to challenging for the title. There have also been key injuries to Geoffrey Kondogbia (calf strain) and Hamed Traoré (thigh injury), which haven’t helped, but both are expected to return this month.
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AFPGreenwood leading the charge again
Greenwood has started the season in fine form, building on his impressive debut year with the club. He was the joint top scorer in Ligue 1 last season alongside Ousmane Dembele, notching 21 goals. He is also being tipped to switch international allegiance from England to Jamaica, which follows a period of significant change for the player after criminal charges against him were dropped in February 2023, leading to his departure from Manchester United and subsequent move to France.