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Manchester United have received a shock update on Gareth Southgate’s plans as Ruben Amorim continues to see questions asked of how much longer he will remain in charge at Old Trafford. Change is being mooted as the Red Devils struggle to establish any kind of momentum and consistency. It has been suggested that former England manager Southgate will be in contention if a prominent Premier League managerial post opens up.

Movement at Old Trafford: Amorim pressure & Southgate links

Southgate was linked with United during Erik ten Hag’s troubled reign in Manchester. With the Dutch tactician fighting to save his job in March 2024, there was plenty of speculation to be found regarding supposed interest in a man that remained in international football at that point. Southgate is said to have made it clear that he would not be leaving a role with England ahead of Euro 2024.

He did, however, sever ties with the Three Lions after guiding them to another European Championship final. Ten Hag remained in charge of United at that stage, having overseen FA Cup and Carabao Cup triumphs during his two full seasons at the helm, but he was ushered through the exits at Old Trafford in October 2024. Reins were then passed on to highly-rated Portuguese coach Amorim.

AdvertisementGettySouthgate's stance: Response to talk of managerial return

He has endured a tough time in English football, picking up just 18 wins from 49 games in charge of United. The Red Devils are without European action this season, while a humbling League Cup defeat was suffered early in the 2025-26 campaign at the hands of League Two side Grimsby. Sack calls are growing in intensity once more as United consider more movement in their dugout.

According to , “Southgate would reject an approach from Manchester United” if Amorim were to be relieved of his duties. It is said that Southgate is “not in any rush to return to football”. He is, however, “keeping his options open – both within the game and outside”. The 55-year-old, who is now a knight of the realm, has agreed to host a new show for the BBC while filling most of his time with speaking engagements and motivational work.

Man Utd given 'perfect' Southgate advice

Southgate continues to attend plenty of prominent football fixtures, particularly in the Premier League, so has an eye across what is going on. He is close friends with Dan Ashworth, who is said to have been keen to bring the former Three Lions boss in alongside him at Old Trafford before seeing a forgettable stint as United’s sporting director cut short after just five months.

The Red Devils are being urged to keep Southgate in mind, with Premier League title-winning ex-England star Joe Cole having said of the former Middlesbrough boss returning to club management: “He [Amorim] was the bright young spark, people were talking about him like he was the messiah coming into Manchester United and would sort everything out. That’s how high his stock was when he left Lisbon.

“So, he’s clearly a good manager as well, but the mix and the blend of the whole situation, I think it needs a culture change. I thought Gareth Southgate was the perfect man for the job at the state it was in terms of building culture, understanding the club, understanding the league, understanding the players, working with Jim Ratcliffe and people like that, and they went with Amorim, and it doesn’t look like it’s working.”

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GettySafe for now: Latest on Amorim's future

The latest reports claim that Amorim retains the full support of his board for now. His position is not considered to be under imminent threat, despite positive results proving hard to come by. It is, however, apparent that a reversal in fortune is required in order for United to build towards what they hope will be a brighter future.

Talk of direct contact being made with Southgate has been played down, with it revealed that sacking Amorim would cost United around £15 million ($20m), but debate regarding who could be next to fill the most demanding of roles in Manchester continues to rage.

Georgia Voll was given six lives during her half-century but a record New Zealand partnership almost flipped the script

Andrew McGlashan26-Mar-2025Australia withstood a thrilling onslaught from Maddy Green to secure a 3-0 whitewash over T20I world champions New Zealand in Wellington with the home side left to rue a woeful fielding display in which they dropped Georgia Voll six times.When Sophie Devine fell in the ninth over, New Zealand were a long way adrift in their chase of 181 on 54 for 4 – which included Megan Schutt becoming the first women’s player to 150 T20I wickets – but Green turned the game on its head with a 29-ball fifty, her first in T20Is, and in all struck five sixes while adding a New Zealand-record 99 for the fifth wicket with Amelia Kerr.That brought the requirement down to 28 from 15 balls when Green fell to a brilliant piece of fielding by Georgia Wareham who produced a direct hit from deep midwicket the over after she had missed a return catch from Amelia Kerr on 55.Annabel Sutherland then claimed three wickets in four balls in the 19th over with Wareham again to the fore with an excellent catch to remove Jess Kerr and a simpler one to end Amelia Kerr’s innings. That all-but ensured Australia would get home with New Zealand needing 20 off the last and Brooke Halliday unable to bat due to an injury sustained in the field.The eventual narrow margin highlighted what could have been for New Zealand had they taken any of the chances offered by Voll as she made her second half-century of the series and she was honest enough to admit her fortune. “Think I’m going to head to the Lotto store and buy one after this game,” she told the broadcast at the change of innings.Brooke Halliday shells one of multiple chances New Zealand missed•Getty ImagesVoll added 64 for the first wicket with Beth Mooney and 54 for the second with Phoebe Litchfield. Australia’s innings was then given a strong finish by Ellyse Perry who made an unbeaten 32 off 19 deliveries and captain Tahlia McGrath with 14 from five balls. In all, 109 came from the second ten overs after Australia had been a steady if unspectacular 71 for 1 at the midway point.After the home side opted to bowl first, the tone for their horror catching display was set in the first over when Jess Kerr was unable to hold a firm return chance, high to her right, offered by Voll two balls after she had cleared deep square leg for six from the third ball of the contest.Two much simpler opportunities were shelled by Green at mid-on (when Voll was 13) and Rosemary Mair at long-off with the latter allowing Voll to bring up her fifty from 44 balls.Voll was never entirely fluent and at times appeared frustrated, particularly during the powerplay when Mair and Devine managed to build some pressure with dot balls. However, Mooney was able to keep the scoreboard moving as Australia finished the fielding restrictions on 43 without loss.Georgia Voll took advantage of numerous dropped catches•Getty ImagesAfter reaching fifty, Voll was starting to move through the gears, using the crease to good effect, while being given further lives on 62 and 63 before finally falling to Suzie Bates when she walked across her stumps.Amid all the dropped chances, Mair managed to cling onto a swirling chance to remove Sutherland but Australia produced a powerful finish with 15 off the last over when New Zealand were penalized for a slow over-rate and were forced to have an extra fielder inside the ring.New Zealand’s chase began in bizarre fashion when Schutt’s first delivery slipped out of her hand, bounced by her feet and bobbled up the pitch for a no-ball that brought some wry smiles. But it was soon normal service for Schutt when she removed Bates to join Tim Southee and Rashid Khan as the only players in the T20I 150-club.Schutt struck again in her second over to remove Georgia Plimmer and Bella James’ debut innings was ended with a spliced pull against Sutherland. Amelia Kerr started brightly but Devine couldn’t hit her stride and picked out deep midwicket against Wareham for 1 off 9 balls.At that point, New Zealand needed a daunting 127 off 71 balls. But Green cleared the rope for the first time from her 17th delivery, clubbing McGrath over the leg side, and then took four more sixes in the space of seven deliveries to suddenly give the home side belief before Australia, as so often, found a way to come out on top.

West Ham United chairman David Sullivan has held talks with a top candidate to replace Graham Potter, with the tactician seemingly making his demands crystal clear.

The managerial candidates to replace Graham Potter at West Ham

Potter has recorded the second-worst win percentage of any West Ham manager in Premier League history, behind only Avram Grant, with pressure mounting on the Englishman as he faces a stay of execution.

David Moyes, who guided West Ham to successive European campaigns and ended their 43-year wait for a major trophy during his time at the London Stadium, could even be the man to put one of the final nails in Potter’s coffin this weekend.

In a real piece of irony, Moyes’ Everton side, who are faring much better than West Ham right now, may have a big say in whether Sullivan, Karren Brady and the Hammers board elect to hand Potter a P45.

9. Sam Allardyce

30.7%

10. Julen Lopetegui

30%

11. Gianfranco Zola

27.8%

12 Graham Potter

26.1%

13. Avram Grant

18.9%

via StatMuse

It is hard to see Potter remaining in the West Ham hot seat if they suffer a humbling defeat at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, with club insider ExWHUemployee previously reporting that, if he does survive past that point, the ex-Chelsea boss is likely to be sacked after their trip to Arsenal.

West Ham are deep into their contingency plans to replace Potter, and there are a number of very interesting names under consideration.

Sullivan, as ever, is dipping into the free agent market.

Former West Ham midfielder Gary O’Neil is a favourite for the potential job, according to Miguel Delaney, with another ex-Hammer in Slaven Bilic — who was in charge between 2015 and 2017 — also in the frame.

Bilic is even said to be making plans for his West Ham backroom, in the event he is chosen as a short-term option until the end of the season, and Sullivan is believed to be personally in favour of bringing the Croatian back to East London (Pete O’Rourke).

Managers who are already in work haven’t been definitively ruled out, either. West Ham have internally discussed the possibility of appointing Scott Parker, following his rise to the Premier League with Burnley, but one man stands out above all the aforementioned names.

Nuno Espírito Santo's demand after holding West Ham talks with Sullivan

Former Tottenham, Wolves and Nottingham Forest boss, Nuno Espírito Santo, is believed to be the favourite to succeed Potter as things stand.

As per the reliable ExWHUemployee, Nuno has already held talks with Sullivan over a potential move to West Ham if Potter leaves, and the Portuguese’s stock is at an all-time high after making history at Forest last season.

However, according to Sports Boom, West Ham face another roadblock in pursuit of Nuno, following some reports that ‘legal issues’ are delaying his arrival too (Pete O’Rourke).

The outlet reports that Nuno’s big wage demands are a hindrance to West Ham and could prove to be a real obstacle, with Bilic ready to join the Irons as an alternative.

Why West Ham must not give up on Nuno

Nuno guided Forest back to Europe for the first time since 1995, and if it wasn’t for a public fallout with Evangelos Marinakis, he’d still be at the City Ground now.

The appeal for West Ham is obvious. Nuno steered Forest away from the drop zone in his first season, transforming them into a robust, hard-to-break-down outfit with a clear counter-attacking identity.

He also helped to fix Forest’s glaring set-piece weakness, something which has really plagued West Ham this season, having conceded 7 of their 13 Premier League goals so far directly from corners.

Managing to get the best out of his players, Forest ended up being last season’s major surprise package thanks to Nuno’s work, and the 51-year-old’s availability as a free agent makes this potential appointment an arguable no-brainer.

Shanto hopes hosts can remedy their recent record at home, while Ervine looks forward to Zimbabwe bumper year in Test cricket

Mohammad Isam19-Apr-2025While Bangladesh are gearing up for their first Test in 2025 and preparing for life without most of their stalwarts, Zimbabwe will be playing a rare series in the subcontinent. The first Test in Sylhet from Sunday will mark a fresh start for both teams.Bangladesh ended their 2023-2025World Test Championship (WTC) cycle with four wins, including beating West Indies in a thrilling finish in Kingston in December 2024. Their captain Najmul Hossain Shanto is hoping to build on that success.”As a captain, I think that we need to play every match to win,” Shanto said. “We don’t have that intention to play selfish cricket. As I said, we would start something new and that would start from tomorrow. I also hope that the management will also help us in this regard too. I think our Test cricket has become stagnant for the last 20-22 years. So, we need to change something. We are thinking about that. I hope this will work in our favour.”Related

As good as it gets: A perfect first day for Zimbabwe

In-transition Bangladesh face Zimbabwe test in rainy Sylhet

Bangladesh hire James Pamment as new fielding coach

Williams, Ervine return to Zimbabwe squad for Bangladesh Tests

Williamson backs international windows and WTC 'tweaks'

It’s a unique time to be a Zimbabwe cricketer. They are scheduled to play eleven Tests this year, the most since 2001. They haven’t played as many in the last four years combined. Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine is looking forward to see how his team fares in different conditions. After the Test series in Bangladesh, Zimbabwe will face England at Trent Bridge in May before returning home to play South Africa and New Zealand later this year.”We want to bring a no-fear attitude,” Ervine said. “The guys are not familiar with Bangladesh conditions, but long preparations give you the confidence to go out and express yourself. I understand we haven’t had a great run in Test cricket. I think this is the first year in which we have a lot of Test cricket lined up for us.”The type of opponents in the next few months is really exciting too. We don’t have a lot of experience in Bangladesh, but I think the young group needs to play in different conditions to mature as cricketers.”Sean Williams and Craig Ervine will continue to lead Zimbabwe’s batting line-up•Zimbabwe CricketAmong Zimbabwe’s batters, only Ervine and Sean Williams have Test experience in the subcontinent. The likes of Ben Curran, Wessly Madhevere and Brian Bennett have shown promise, and have been picking the brains of the seniors.”They are trying to find out the little key pointers to play in the subcontinent,” Ervine said. “Sean Williams has done very well in Bangladesh. They are picking those brains. [They are asking] what have you done, what works for you – preparation wise and mental wise. So that they can put that into practice. Our process started with the week preparation back home. When we got here, it is a continuation of that, and slight adjustment to the conditions.”Bangladesh are hoping to become a more consistent team and there is considerable focus on their captain’s shaky form and their cricketing culture. Shanto has scored just one fifty in his last ten Test innings and his last hundred was back in November 2023.”It is disappointing to talk about our Test culture despite being in the arena for more than two decades,” Shanto said. “We had a good 2024, winning four Tests against good oppositions.”We have been talking about building a team culture, figuring out how we want to play. The new coach [Phil Simmons] has also shared his philosophy about how he wants to take the team forward. We are supposed to play five or six Tests this year so I am hopeful that we can show something new in 2025.”Shanto’s domestic form is more encouraging. He scored back-to-back fifties for Abhani Ltd in the Dhaka Premier League earlier this month. His Test form is part of Bangladesh’s wider top-order problem: their openers haven’t scored a Test ton in two-and-a-half years.”Obviously everyone needs to be consistent,” Shanto said. “If I’m talking about myself, in the last year, in many innings I got out after getting set like scoring 30-40 runs. This is not acceptable in this format, because I was getting out after going through the tough periods. I have worked on that. I will try more.”Of course, the top order isn’t performing. But they are trying. And I think with the resources we have got, we have to give them enough chances to be ready. As you said, we don’t face that challenge in domestic cricket. So, if we give them opportunities in international cricket, they will start to perform.”Shanto has another challenge to deal with. Bangladesh have lost their last five home Tests, including Sri Lanka trampling them in Sylhet last year.”We didn’t play well at home last year,” Shanto said. “We couldn’t execute the plans we had. I think it will be important to bring the results at home. Getting the results away is difficult. As we were able to do that, I would hope that we would do better at home too.”

Barcelona have created a detailed recovery plan to ensure Lamine Yamal is fully fit for the upcoming Clasico against Real Madrid. The 18-year-old winger has been battling a groin injury but continues to train individually under strict supervision. The club aim to gradually reintroduce him to the team by limiting his playing time in the build up to the showdown against Madrid.

Barcelona design recovery plan to have Yamal ready for El Clasico

According to , Yamal is working relentlessly at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper as Barcelona aim to get him back to full fitness in time for the Clasico against Madrid on October 26. The teenager suffered an injury relapse during the Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain, but early signs of recovery have been very positive. The club’s medical team have created a progressive training plan that focuses on gradual workload increases and specific strengthening exercises. 

Yamal is training five consecutive days this week, and if everything goes according to plan, the winger will feature against Girona later this month for 30–45 minutes, followed by a potential start against Olympiacos in the Champions League all with one goal in mind: to be fully ready for the Clasico at the Santiago Bernabeu.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALFlick’s trust and Yamal’s determination drive Barcelona’s push

Hansi Flick has made it clear that the youngster’s availability for the Clasico is non-negotiable, as the Catalan giants prepare for a fixture that could have a major impact on their La Liga title chase. Despite his youth, Yamal’s maturity has impressed the coaching staff. He has fully committed to the club’s plan, resisting the temptation to rush his recovery. Both the player and medical department remain optimistic that he’ll be 100% fit by the time they face Los Blancos.

Spain and Barcelona clash over injury management

The winger's situation has also sparked tension between Barcelona and Spain’s national team. La Roja coach Luis de la Fuente responded to Flick’s earlier criticism about how the national team managed Yamal’s fitness, saying he was “surprised” by the lack of empathy from a former coach. While De la Fuente defended Spain’s approach, Barca remain cautious about the winger’s workload, especially given his importance to both club and country.

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Getty Images SportBarca hope for key returns before Girona clash

Barcelona are not only focused on Yamal’s recovery the club are also expecting positive updates on Fermin Lopez and Raphinha. Both players are close to returning from muscle injuries and could be included in the squad against Girona to regain match rhythm. After disappointing results against PSG and Sevilla, Flick hopes the return of key attacking options will help the team rediscover form ahead of a crucial run of fixtures. The upcoming games could define their momentum heading into one of the most anticipated Clasicos in recent memory.

Former national team player Alexi Lalas raised concerns about USMNT coach Mauricio Pochettino’s experimentation with the team's roster, acknowledging the coach’s right to try options, but saying he's surprised there is not yet a settled starting XI ahead of the 2026 World Cup. Pochettino's side drew Ecuador and beat Australia over the last week.

Getty Images SportExperimentation versus clarity

Lalas pointed out that that Pochettino's current approach differs from the clarity he initially suggested he would provide.

“I've given up,” Lalas said on his State of the Union podcast. “I have, you know, resigned myself to the fact that Mauricio Pochettino is going to continue to experiment, leading all the way up to the World Cup. And again, that in and of itself isn't necessarily wrong or a bad thing. It's just the way that he intimated about what he was going to do. This is just very, very different.

“And I think that that makes it fair to criticize. And I kind of want to see him kind of lay it down and say, 'I am going to use this next window or these games as if the World Cup is happening. And I'm going to bring everybody that I can possibly bring in. And then I'm going to start who I think for that game is the best possible XI. And there's not going to be excuses.'”

Advertisement'Flicking a switch' strategy

Lalas noted that the USMNT have limited competitive matches left before the World Cup, which could jeopardize the team’s readiness.

“There's a risk because, you know, people see a Christian Pulisic and yeah, we can put him in bubble wrap and mothballs until next summer and he doesn't ever touch the field lest he get hurt. But that's not realistic," he said. "It's not realistic for him or any big-time player. You got to be smart, of course. But again, we don't have qualifying. We don't have a lot of games. And so I worry about just flicking a switch or putting on the tap and expecting the power of the water to be there.

“I hope it is. But it seems that's ultimately what is going to happen. Now, it would be a much more informed decision or flicking of the switch, if you will, because of all the information that Pochettino has.”

The challenge facing Pochettino

With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, the USMNT faces the task of balancing experimentation with the need for a settled, confident lineup. Pochettino must decide when to stop testing and begin solidifying his best starting eleven to build cohesion and tactical understanding.

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Following their 1-1 draw with Ecuador and 2-1 win over Australia, the USMNT ended the October international break unbeaten and will regroup in November. They’ll face Paraguay and Uruguay on Nov. 15 and Nov. 18, respectively. 

West Indies posted their second-highest ODI total, 385 for 7, before bundling out Ireland for 165

Abhimanyu Bose25-May-2025Keacy Carty’s career-best 170 and supporting acts from Shai Hope and Justin Greaves helped West Indies hammer Ireland by 197 runs via the DLS method in the third ODI to draw the three-match series 1-1.Carty hit his second hundred in as many games while Hope and Greaves scored half-centuries to power West Indies to their second-highest ODI total before a fiery opening spell from Jayden Seales all but sealed the win for West Indies in the first eight overs of Ireland’s chase, which was shortened to 46 overs due to rain delays, with the target reset to 363.Barry McCarthy was once again the star with the new ball for Ireland as he removed both openers by the fifth over. But Carty and Hope, for the second match in a row, stood firm for West Indies. Carty began with a flurry of confident cover drives and flicks, in contrast to his nervous start a couple of days ago.Once the first ten overs were done, Carty was happy to slip into a support role, with Hope the aggressor in their 137-run partnership for the third wicket. Hope and Carty brought up half-centuries in consecutive overs, picking regular boundaries off debutant seamer Jordan Neill, before rain stopped play.Neill, meanwhile, injured his shoulder while trying to make a diving stop at the boundary a couple of overs before the rain break, cutting his debut short.When play resumed after a short rain delay, Harry Tector was brought into the attack and Hope welcomed him with a six over square leg.Liam McCarthy created a few chances with his extra bounce. Carty’s cut off him went low to Tector at backward point but he was slow to react. Two balls later, Hope got an outside edge through the vacant slips cordon.Hope kept the tempo up during his run-a-ball 75 before he tried to pull one that wasn’t short enough from McBrine and substitute fielder Thomas Mayes took a good catch diving in front from long-on.Shai Hope made a run-a-ball 75•Seb Daly/Sportsfile via Getty ImagesThere was a period of pressure from Ireland that saw them give away just 18 runs in five overs. But Amir Jangoo, who was stuck on 7 off 23 till then, lofted Liam McCarthy over his head for a six to release some pressure before Carty top-edged a pull for a six that took him into the 90s.A cover drive off Tector in the next over took him to 97 before he edged a cut to bring up his hundred in the 38th over.Carty kept going and milked Barry McCarthy for two boundaries in the next over. But Jangoo’s struggles came to an end as he tried to take on an arm ball from George Dockrell and holed out to long-off.There was another rain delay with eight overs left. When play resumed, Carty dispatched Dockrell back over his head for a six first ball and lofted the next ball over long-on to reach his highest ODI score.McBrine nearly had Greaves caught at deep midwicket, but Dockrell lost his balance and went over the boundary rope as he grabbed the catch. A sliced boundary over short third rubbed salt in the wound for McBrine.A pulled four from Greaves took West Indies to 300 with five overs to go. Carty reached 150 off the first ball of the 46th over as Greaves kept attacking from the other end with two more boundaries off Liam McCarthy.Carty smashed sixes off three consecutive legal deliveries off Barry McCarthy after Greaves hit one of his own in a 28-run 47th over. The last of those, by Carty, injured a cameraman at long-off, forcing another break in play.When play resumed, Carty tried to go big again but picked out the deep-midwicket fielder, giving Liam McCarthy a much-deserved wicket.Matthew Forde and Jayden Seales celebrate Andy Balbirnie’s wicket•Sportsfile/Getty ImagesGreaves continued to attack, reaching his half-century off 22 balls but chipped one to cover next ball to give Barry McCarthy his third wicket. While Barry McCarthy finished the series as the leading wicket-taker, he became the first Ireland bowler to concede 100 runs in a men’s ODI.From there, Matthew Forde, Gudakesh Motie and Roston Chase delivered a few more blows to take West Indies to a mammoth total. West Indies scored 132 runs in the last eight overs, the third-most by any team in a men’s ODI, where ball-by-ball data is available.More rain delayed the restart, but once the chase did begin with a revised target, Seales made immediate impact. With movement on offer, he got an inswinger to sneak in the gap between Andy Balbirnie’s bat and pad to crash into the stumps.Paul Stirling continued to attack, hitting Forde for two sixes in the fifth over amid a flurry of boundaries, reaching 6000 ODI runs in the process.Two overs later, however, Seales drew a top edge off an attempted cut to end Stirling’s cameo before getting the ball to seam in from well outside off as Harry Tector looked to leave, only to hear the death rattle. The double-wicket maiden all but ended any hopes of a fightback from Ireland.Cade Carmichael and Lorcan Tucker put on a 72-run stand, with the former impressing in his second ODI innings, and he looked especially good pulling away the short balls, but Alzarri Joseph and Greaves sent them both back in the space of ten balls. From there on, it was just a formality for West Indies as they avoided back-to-back series defeats against Ireland, who were also two batters short with Neill and Little injured during the first innings.

Tottenham Hotspur have come on leaps and bounds over the last couple of years, as seen by some of the achievements on the field under various managers.

Ange Postecoglou may have been handed his marching orders over the summer window, but he managed to achieve something which various managers have failed to do in North London.

The Aussie claimed the Europa League title with a victory over fellow Premier League side Manchester United in Bilbao, subsequently ending the 17-year trophy drought.

However, it wasn’t enough to keep his job, with the 60-year-old replaced by Thomas Frank, with the Dane tasked with the responsibility of taking the Lilywhites to the next level.

Their ability to win the Europa League has allowed the club to feature in the Champions League, whilst also recruiting some top-level talent in the process.

How Spurs struck gold in Daniel Levy's final window

During the recent summer window, Frank made a beeline to improve his forward line, subsequently making a move to land Mohammed Kudus from rivals West Ham United.

The Ghanaian cost a reported £55m during the off-season, but he’s already shown glimpses of being a shrewd addition for the Lilywhites in 2025/26 and beyond.

He’s registered five assists in his first ten outings in North London, as per Transfermarkt, with the forward also getting off the mark during the recent 2-1 win over Leeds United, lashing home from just outside the box.

Kudus wasn’t the only big-money addition during the off-season, with the hierarchy also forking out £52m for the signature of attacking midfielder Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig.

A new number ten was on the agenda all summer long, subsequently landing the Dutchman after missing out on the likes of Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White prior to his arrival.

The 22-year-old has so far made seven outings across all competitions, but unlike Kudus, he’s failed to find the net and has also only registered one assist in the process.

Despite the aforementioned additions, one other player in the first-team is rapidly becoming a better signing than the pair after establishing himself in Frank’s plans.

The Spurs star who’s becoming a better signing than Kudus & Simons

Over the last couple of years, Spurs haven’t been afraid to splash the cash to help them achieve their goals on the pitch, with the hierarchy spending well over £400m in the last three years.

Numerous areas of the pitch have been subject to investment, as seen by the additions within the final third, but the defensive unit has also been bolstered in recent years.

The partnership of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero at the heart of the backline has already contributed to Frank’s side keeping five clean sheets in 2025/26 to date.

However, the middle of the park is arguably one of the most important, with Lucas Bergvall already making huge strides after the Dane took the reins during the off-season.

The Swede was an unknown quantity to many a little over 12 months ago, when the hierarchy forked out a fee in the region of £8.5m for his services from Djurgarden.

Yet, swiftly said to possess “a first touch like Modric” by the Athletic’s JJ Bull, at the age of just 18 when he moved to England, the midfielder made an immediate impact during his debut campaign – racking up 45 appearances across all competitions.

Whilst he’s primarily a deep-lying option, he managed to net his first goal for the club in the Carabao Cup semi-final over Liverpool – but it was unable to catapult the side to the final.

The 2025/26 campaign has seen the youngster go from strength to strength, already featuring in ten outings under Frank and leading to Squawka describing him as “incredible”.

Bergvall has already added to his goalscoring tally, netting his first English top-flight effort in the recent 3-0 triumph over West Ham at the London Stadium.

Games played

6

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

84%

Dribble success

70%

Tackles won

2.2

Duels won

5.2

Recoveries made

3.9

Shots taken

1.5

His underlying stats this season are just as impressive, making 2.2 tackles per 90 and winning 5.2 duels per 90 – subsequently showcasing his excellent ability to regain possession for the side, before transferring the ball into attacking areas for the likes of Kudus and Simons.

The Swede has also achieved an 84% pass completion rate, whilst also completing 70% of the dribbles he’s attempted – arguably being the perfect box-to-box option at the heart of the team.

At just 19, it’s scary to think about how impressive Bergvall can become in the years ahead, especially if he continues on the trajectory he’s put himself on in recent months.

There’s no disputing that Kudus and Simons will be excellent additions in the near future, but the move for Bergvall was a bargain and one that could go down as one of the best in their history if he reaches his full potential.

It's not Kudus: Spurs talent could now steal the #10 shirt from Maddison

Tottenham Hotspur have a star who looks set for a huge future at the club in the years ahead.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 3, 2025

Liverpool have been warned that Florian Wirtz could leave in January, as Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is keeping tabs on his former Bayer Leverkusen apprentice. The German arrived at Anfield amid huge fanfare this summer for a staggering £116 million ($153m). The 22-year-old was supposed to be the creative spark to define Arne Slot’s new era. But ten games into his English journey, the German wonderkid is already under the microscope for his ordinary performances, and the pressure is mounting fast.

From Bundesliga glory to Merseyside misery

Wirtz is facing the toughest test of his young career, with warnings coming thick and fast that his Premier League adventure could be cut short and a stunning reunion with Alonso at Real Madrid may be on the horizon. When the Spanish manager took over Bayer Leverkusen in 2022, Wirtz was still recovering from a serious cruciate ligament injury. Under the Spaniard’s guidance, he transformed into one of Europe’s most electrifying midfielders who could turn any game on its head. His numbers spoke volumes: 18 goals in his first full season under Alonso, followed by another 16 in the next, driving Leverkusen to a historic Bundesliga title and halting Bayern Munich’s dominance. 

But since landing in Merseyside, things haven’t clicked. Despite flashes of his magic, including two dazzling assists in Liverpool’s 5-1 Champions League demolition of Eintracht Frankfurt, Wirtz has struggled for rhythm in the unforgiving world of English football. Saturday’s 3-2 defeat to Brentford summed up his situation as he was hauled off late in the game after another ordinary performance. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportHamann warns Real Madrid may come calling

Former Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann has now issued a startling warning suggesting that Wirtz could find himself loaned out to Real Madrid as early as January to rediscover his confidence.

Speaking in an interview withhe said: "Top players didn't get loaned in the past. A loan was for players who didn't get a game, but the top players didn't get loaned. It probably started with Philippe Coutinho a few years ago, when he went for 140 million or something to Barcelona. And a year later he was loaned out to Bayern Munich.

"I wouldn't rule anything out in today's world, especially in football. It's been reported that Xabi Alonso has asked Real Madrid to keep an eye on Florian Wirtz’ performances and what he does at Liverpool, I reckon it could be true. Because we know how fondly he talks of him. He was the reason they won the league, they won the cup. He was the heartbeat of the Bayer Leverkusen team with Granit Xhaka, and yeah, they keep an eye on him. He's too good to fail at Liverpool, but it's been about 10 games now. You can never rule anything out."

Taking cue from examples from his time as a player, Hamann added, "In my time, Juan Sebastian Veron came to Manchester United as potentially the best midfielder at the time. He lasted one season. So you can never rule anything out. It'll depend on what happens in the next few weeks. But as I said, at the moment I wouldn't rule anything out, and if Real Madrid are keeping an eye on him, it could happen."

Hamann lauds Wirtz's courage for choosing Liverpool over Bayern

Hamann also reflected on the choices that brought Wirtz to Liverpool, suggesting that a more straightforward route to glory might have been available if he had signed for Bayern Munich.

"Wirtz could’ve had success at Bayern, but I liked that he didn't choose the easy way; he could have gone to Bayern, won the league, and perhaps played a decent role in the Champions League," he said. "If he had gone to Munich, I think it would have given them a better chance to be successful in the Champions League, even though they are doing well at the moment. He's a tough kid, and as I said, one or two games can make all the difference. I still haven't given up."

While Hamann’s assessment was laced with caution, another former star, Dimitar Berbatov, offered a very different view. Speaking on Presents, the ex-Manchester United striker, who also made the jump from Leverkusen to England in 2006, urged patience and faith in the young midfielder.

"I love him. He’s a fantastic player," he said. "He will be unbelievable, trust me. Hopefully, he will be patient. Hopefully, he’ll have good people around him, agent, family, whatever. Hopefully, the coach sees his quality like everybody sees him. I’m sure that everybody sees his quality, and they’ll give him that time that he needs to fit into the team. And I guarantee you, he’s going to be a success."

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Getty Images SportCan Wirtz turn it around?

For Slot, patience is wearing thin. After a flying start to the campaign, where they picked up seven straight wins that had fans dreaming of another title push, Liverpool’s form has nose-dived. The Liverpool boss knows that restoring confidence in Wirtz could hold the key to turning the season around. After being dumped out of the Carabao Cup, the Reds face a testing Premier League clash against Aston Villa, followed by a blockbuster Champions League showdown with Real Madrid, the very club that could soon come calling for their faltering star.

Manchester City are not what they were, but they are still good enough to challenge for the Premier League title this season.

No side have scored more goals in the top flight so far than Pep Guardiola’s lot (15), and they sit just three points behind leaders Arsenal.

This is a young and developing side, but City have one of the strongest spines in Europe, with Erling Haaland well beyond scoring goals for fun and Gianluigi Donnarumma bringing a new brand of shot-stopping between the sticks.

However, the linchpin in the middle, Rodri, has suffered injury complications this year after missing the bulk of the 2024/25 campaign due to injury

The latest on Rodri's fitness

Rodri is one of the best footballers in the world, and he has been the glue at the heart of Guardiola’s genius for so many years.

It was no coincidence that the wheels came off with the Spanish star sidelined last year, and Guardiola grudgingly confirmed he would be unavailable this weekend, City hosting Everton in the Premier League, and perhaps for a while longer.

The 29-year-old confirmed he felt something in his hamstring during the narrow win at Brentford before the international break, lasting only 22 minutes at the Gtech.

With Nico Gonzalez yet to click into gear after joining the Citizens from Porto for £50m in February, Guardiola will need to come up with a solution.

He will, of course, but this frustrating fitness saga draws us back to a time when the club parted with a young holding midfielder who could have been the perfect understudy.

Pep already sold Man City's Rodri replacement

Manchester City have one of the most efficient and respected youth academies in the world, with so many young prospects spending time cutting their teeth with the Elite Squad.

And among those to have parted with the Mancunians before earning a shot in Guardiola’s senior set-up was Douglas Luiz, who joined Aston Villa for £15m in 2019. The Brazil international was a monstrous presence in the Midlands, instrumental in Villa’s rise to European competition.

Now 27, Luiz left the Premier League for Juventus and returned after two years this summer, signing for Nottingham Forest.

Impressive on the ball, combative and a leader of men, the robust midfielder has the complete package, and that’s something that has set Rodri apart over the years.

Luiz has struggled for form and indeed minutes at the City Ground this season, but he has proven his ability to stand out in the Premier League before, and was certainly playing at a level suitable for a squad like City.

It’s within his ability, with the Brazilian even being described as being “better” than Declan Rice during those final days with Aston Villa by former Liverpool star Jermaine Pennant.

This might seem somewhat ridiculous now, but Luiz really has hit the highest level of performance in the Premier League before, and that’s without having been inculcated into Guardiola’s tactical sphere.

Goals

0.15

0.31

Assists

0.05

0.15

Shots

1.39

1.70

Pass Success

91%

85%

Key Passes

0.77

1.49

Progressive Passes

9.48

5.67

Shot-creating Actions

2.06

3.81

Tackles Won

1.24

1.29

Successful take-ons

0.67

0.77

Progressive Carries

1.96

1.96

Aerial duel win %

39%

57%

Just imagine the partnership that could have been forged.

Of course, Rodri’s brilliance has eased any need for an elite number six across most of the Ballon d’Or-winning Spaniard’s career in England, but now, with the world-class superstar struggling, a player like Luiz could have been a difference-maker over the past 12 months.

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