Tag Futebol

To Dare Is To Do. Tottenham Hotspur supporters are strict adherents to this way of football, and so they are at odds with Thomas Frank, given his pragmatic tactical identity.

Though it’s been another frustrating campaign for Spurs, it’s worth remembering that the 2024/25 campaign, for all the struggle, ended with a flourish after Manchester United were beaten in the Europa League final.

There has been something of a clamour for a new centre-forward, with all of Richarlison, Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke all struggling in different ways, but it is a dearth of creativity that is the true crux of Frank’s struggle, and ENIC Group are consequently prepared to invest in a playmaker this month.

Spurs lining up playmaker in January

Brennan Johnson’s sale to Crystal Palace had been in the works for a while, but Mohammed Kudus picked up a hamstring injury during Tottenham’s recent draw against Sunderland, thus putting a spanner in the works.

The Ghanaian winger has been one of the brighter sparks down N17 this season, having joined from West Ham United for £55m during the summer. His haul of five assists places him fifth in the Premier League playmaking charts.

But Kudus is not a natural ball-playing creative, and that’s why the Lilywhites have identified an exciting new attacking midfielder.

According to TEAMtalk, Spurs representatives have made checks on AS Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche, who has a price tag of £50m and is also being chased by Manchester City, Newcastle United and a host of further European suitors.

Tottenham scouts have been in attendance at some of Akliouche’s games of late, and club-to-club talks were held last summer, so the groundwork has been completed if the Londoners now want to push and get the deal done.

Why Akliouche would be perfect for Spurs

Akliouche, 23, has become an increasingly important presence for Monaco in recent years, scoring 19 goals and supplying 22 assists across 119 senior appearances since graduating from their famed youth academy.

This season, he has scored three goals and supplied five assists from 23 fixtures in all competitions, with his artistry on the ball leading talent scout Jacek Kulig to hail him as a “magician” who has a “left foot made of gold”.

He is not blessed with Kudus’ electric pace, but the five-cap Les Bleus star has showcased his technicality and athleticism in the Champions League this season, ranking among the top 10% of positional peers for progressive passes and the top 19% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref.

Moreover, he has created seven big chances from only 15 starts in Ligue 1 this season, thus underscoring a level of flair on the ball that could help lift Tottenham away from their playmaking rut.

Premier League 25/26 – Lowest xG Totals

Team

Goals Scored

xG

West Ham

21

20.5

Wolves

14

19.0

Tottenham

28

18.9

Burnley

20

17.6

Sunderland

21

16.8

Data via FBref

While Tottenham chiefs may want to sign a snappier winger after Johnson’s departure – and Kudus’ injury – this might be an opportunity that is too good to pass, with his particular skillset seemingly fit to dovetail into the system and instantly provide relief in the club’s attacking play.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Spurs transfer insight Unlock deeper Spurs transfer and scouting coverage — subscribe to our newsletter for data-driven breakdowns of playmaker targets like Akliouche, tactical context and scouting notes that clarify how signings could address Tottenham’s creativity.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Kudus is a fantastic player, almost one-of-a-kind in his ability to dart past opponents and wreak havoc in and around the danger area.

But he’s not a natural playmaker, and that’s why Akliouche could prove an upgrade on him down the right, given the glaring deficiencies down N17 right now.

Akliouche is still at the start of a promising career, and having established himself as a future superstar in his homeland, Tottenham should take a punt and add to Frank’s squad the kind of creative talent who could make a real, lasting difference.

Related Their new Dembele: £87m "monster" midfielder has become a target for Spurs

Tottenham are clearly struggling for control and creativity in midfield under Thomas Frank’s stewardship.

Posts 2 ByAngus Sinclair

India and Pakistan have been fined for a slow over-rate during the second ODI in Mohali on Thursday, the International Cricket Council said.ICC match referee Roshan Mahanama imposed the fines after the teams were ruled to be one over short of their targets when time allowances were taken into consideration. Captains Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Shoaib Malik were fined 10 percent of their match fees while the other players were fined five per cent each.

Scorecard
How they were out

Ashish Nehra: toiled away for 25 overs and managed just one wicket in return © Getty Images

A patient and polished century from S Badrinath ensured that Tamil Nadu did not suffer the fate of some other teams on the first day of the opening round of Ranji Trophy matches. After choosing to bat, they ended the day on 184 for 3, a healthy score on a slow pitch that might just be a tough one to bat on last.The day began well for Delhi. Ashish Nehra, feeling his way back from injury, played his first Ranji Trophy game at the Feroz Shah Kotla, his home ground, in six years, and bowled well with the new ball. But it was immediately obvious that Tamil Nadu’s last-minute decision to play the extra spinner in C Suresh in place of D Tamil Kumaran, the medium-pacer, would pay off.The going was tough for M Vijay, making Ranji debut, and S Vidyut. Ishant Sharma, the tall young Delhi fast bowler, struck an early blow, trapping Vidyut in front of the stumps in the fourth over. At 2 for 1 Tamil Nadu had gotten out off to a terrible start, and Hemang Badani was in the middle much earlier than he would have liked. He toiled with the industrious Vijay, and spent 40 minutes at the crease for 5 runs. Just as Nehra was flagging, having done all the hard work, Badani felt for one outside off and tickled an edge to the wicketkeeper. In the 13th over, the score was only 11 and Tamil Nadu had lost two wickets, including the vital one of Badani.Given the history of the Feroz Shah Kotla, where the ball inevitably does a bit in the first hour, it should have been Tamil Nadu’s aim to merely see the new ball off and then settle down for a long stint out in the middle. That the first boundary came as late as the 20th over, when Badrinath picked off Chaitanya Nanda’s legspin, indicated how difficult it was to bat.But Badrinath, who has been in a rich vein of form, and Vijay, having got over his early nerves, realised that there was little point playing on the back foot on a pitch that showed signs of low bounce as soon as the ball got a bit soft, and began to build a partnership. Although the runs did not flow freely at any stage in the day, Tamil Nadu were able to take control of the game.Nehra bowled a long first spell – 12 overs on the trot for 27 runs – and should have had a second wicket when Badri, on 17, slashed one to gully, only for Rajat Bhatia to drop a catch he would have taken nine times out of ten. It proved a costly drop as Badrinath and Vijay put on 127 for the third wicket. When Delhi finally broke the partnership, it was against the run of play, and much needed.Delhi had used Bhatia in a containing capacity and he’s capable of sticking to one line and toiling away, despite not quite having the pace to force batsmen out. And it was his perseverance, sticking to an off-side line that paid off. Vijay, who had spent 17 minutes less than five hours at the crease for 59, shouldered arms to one on the stumps and was out lbw.Fortunately for Tamil Nadu, Badrinath was nonplussed by the change of partners, and began to show his full range of strokes with R Sathish for company. He was superb when there was any width and drove superbly through the off side. When the bowler overcompensated and was too straight he efficiently whipped the ball off his pads through the leg side. He played the one big shot of the day, a clean hit off Sanghvi straight back over his head that thudded into the sightscreen next to the players’ dressing-rooms.When play was called off at 4.45pm because of bad light, Badrinath was on an even 100. Tamil Nadu would have liked to have had more than 184 on the board but given that they were 11 for 2, on a wicket where batsmen could not trust the bounce to commit early, they will be well pleased with their solid start. It remains to be seen if they can sustain it on the second day.

S Vidyut lbw b Sharma 2 (1 for 2)
Hemang Badani c Dahiya b Nehra 5 (11 for 2)
M Vijay lbw b Bhatia 59 (138 for 3)

ScorecardKaru Jain struck a brilliant maiden one-day century as India completed a 4-1 series win over England with a convincing 38-run victory at Kolkata. Jain’s 103 formed the backbone of India’s impressive 243 for 4 – the highest total of the series – and although England made a valiant attempt they fell well short.After being put into bat, Jain and Jaya Sharman launched the Indian innings with a stand of 139 in 28 overs. Jenny Gunn was the only bowler to escape the punishment as her ten overs cost just 23. Arran Brindle eventually broke the stand but Jain marched on. She was run out by Brindle after facing 147 balls and striking 15 boundaries.Anjum Chopra provide some late impetus to the innings with 26 off 21 balls, while the England attack will have disappointed with the 16 wides they gave away.In the fourth match of the series England were dismissed for just 50, and a repeat was on the cards when they sank to 26 for 4 in the 13th over of the chase. Jhulan Goswami, who took 5 for 16 in the last match, was again outstanding with the new ball. Her ten overs cost a miserly 11 runs, putting England well behind the required rate.However, Brindle and Lydia Greenway showed some impressive fight by adding 89 in 19 overs. Brindle stroked seven boundaries in her 52, while Greenway hit three in her 57-ball 40. But they couldn’t overcome such a poor start and the tail was left with too much to do.

Wasim Akram continues to hit hard even after retiring from cricket© Getty Images

Wasim Akram, the former Pakistan captain, has slammed the ICC for their policy in dealing with bowlers’ illegal actions. “The ICC has just gone mad,” he was quoted as saying in , a Kolkata based daily. “They are just there and come out and create problems for cricketers. They are more concerned with identifying the angles of chucking.”While on the offensive Akram had a go at the ICC’s Anti Corruption Unit as well. “They [ACU] get a quarter of a million pounds every year and just sit there and send two guys all over the world who just attend matches everywhere. No reports, nothing.”Akram, who was speaking to reporters in Dubai during a promotional event, also bagged Shoaib Akhtar for his recent performances. “He [Shoaib] is just not a matchwinner anymore,” said Akram. “He just comes and talks and plays one game, and then gets injured. He just thinks he is too good.””He’s the only one who praises himself all the time, which means there is something seriously wrong with him,” said Akram. “He should let the ball talk. He talks before and then doesn’t perform.”

Clive Lloyd has voiced his concern at the fixure overload facing England’s cricketers next summer. Only two weeks separate the end of their tour of the Caribbean and the first of seven summer Tests, against New Zealand at Lord’s.”There could be a happy medium made with sponsors and television to allow everything to fit in,” said Lloyd, a veteran of 110 Tests in an 18-year career, and currently an ICC match referee. “You need enough space in between to cope with injuries and so on. It should not be as cluttered a schedule as they have had in the last few years. I think it should allow two months off between tours so when you come back you are refreshed, you have had a rest and are ready to go.”Weather permitting, England could be on the field for 45 days out of 106, should they reach the final of the ten-match triangular NatWest Series as well. The schedule-squeezing was necessary to enable England to host the ICC Champions Trophy, which will take place in mid-to-late September.Three sets of back-to-back Tests will be particularly hard on the players, and Lloyd pointed to the case this summer of Steve Harmison, who withdrew from the fourth Test at Headingley with a calf injury. “Harmison might have been able to play with more rest and made a difference because he would have extracted a little bit more bounce than the other bowlers,” he said. “Really and truly England could have won that Test match if they had him.”You might lose vital players because a niggling injury needs five days’ recovery time instead of three,” Lloyd added. “And teams can’t risk an individual because the opposition can refuse a substitute in such circumstances.”The problem is not limited to England: South Africa will have had just eight days at home if their tour of Pakistan gets underway as planned. “It is a bit of a ridiculous schedule,” said Graeme Smith. “But you’re wearing the country’s badge on your chest and you have to pick yourself up mentally and physically.”

The three-day match at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium has given the Indian and English selectors a lot to think about. For the five Indian selectors who were in Hyderabad throughout the recently concluded three-dayer, it must have been heartening to see Murali Kartik, Sarandeep Singh, Sridharan Sriram and Sanjay Bangar press their claims for a place in the national squad. In contrast the English think tank will be a worried lot; except for Mark Ramprakash and Martyn Ball, no one from the visiting side did anything of note.England coach Duncan Fletcher had to watch his batsmen fail in the second innings against the Board President’s XI in Hyderabad on Saturday. The most worrying aspect for the coach would be the fact that of the nine English wickets that fell in the second innings, seven went to medium-pacers. A clear lack of application could be attributed to the batting collapse.Talking to the media after the game, Fletcher said, “It has undoubtedly been a learning experience. But how much the players have acquired will be visible only after they play against India ‘A’.”The English coach was more critical of his bowlers, “Our bowlers did not bowl that well. They should be more disciplined on tracks like this and bowl a consistent line and length as Sanjay Bangar did today. We have a very inexperienced attack and the boys are learning.”The failure of Michael Vaughan as an opener in the game has meanwhile meant that Fletcher has no other options but to rely on the specialist openers he has in the side. “Our normal opening pair is Butcher and Trescothick. Butcher has struggled with the lack of pace on the wicket and hopefully will get used to that in the next game. He has shown that he is a quality opener.”Martyn Ball, on his first tour with the English side, bowled well on Saturday to claim three wickets. He has impressed the most important man, Duncan Fletcher, who said, “He has bowled well in this match and he is in the learning process, so is Richard Dawson. We are going to have a look at the them in the Jaipur match.”Ashley Giles is reputed to be the best spinner in his country. Fletcher reckons that Giles’ chances of playing the next match are 50-50, “I don’t want to be too positive, he has progressed much better than we expected to. At this stage there is a consideration that he might play (in Jaipur), but we are not going to say whether he will or he will not.”

Graham Napier, the Essex allrounder, has announced he will retire at the end of the 2016 English season to take up a position running his cricket academy.Napier, 36, made his Essex debut in 1997 and is widely considered a player unlucky not to have earned an England cap in white-ball cricket. The closest he came was when he was named in the 2009 World T20 squad but did not feature in the starting XI during the tournament.It was in T20 where he has produced the most stunning performance of his career when in 2008 he struck 152 off 58 balls against Sussex with a then world-record 16 sixes. His career-best first-class score of 196 off 130 balls in 2011 was also an extraordinary display of hitting against Surrey, at Whitgift School, when he equalled Andrew Symonds’ first-class record of 16 sixes in an innings, a mark which has subsequently been overtaken by Colin Munro’s 23 for Auckland.With the ball, Napier can be quick when conditions – and his body – allows and has developed into a fine death bowler in one-day cricket. In 2013 he took four wickets in four balls during a Yorkshire Bank 40 match against Surrey, where he finished with a career-best 7 for 32. His first-class record, which includes batting and bowling figures around the 30 mark, highlights his versatility as a cricketer.Napier is retiring to take up the role of Director of the Graham Napier Cricket Academy at Royal Hospital School in Suffolk which is due to open in September.”The opportunity at RHS is one that I could not turn down,” Napier said. “I feel the time is right to move on, and give back to the game that has given me so much. I have loved every second of playing for Essex, and will be doing my best to make sure I retire with a bang at the end of the season.”Ronnie Irani, Essex’s cricket committee chairman, said: “Graham has had a fabulous career in all three formats of the game for us, and has been the very definition of loyalty over the past 19 years which is what Essex and its supporters are all about. We naturally wish Graham all the best with his next career move and he will be sorely missed.”

Speaking to Football Insider, Tottenham Hotspur ‘insider’ John Wenham, who break news on his Lilywhites Rose social media channels, has shared what he’s been ‘told’ about transfer target Toby Savin.

The Lowdown: Spurs set sights on lower league talent…

Tottenham chief Fabio Paratici is allegedly leaving no stone unturned in his search for top talent, not excluding England’s lower leagues.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-copy/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Peterborough United wing-back Benjamin Mensah and Middlesbrough starlet Djed Spence are two players who have been linked with a north London move recently and Savin, currently of Accrington Stanley, is another.

The young goalkeeper has impressed under John Coleman in recent seasons, allegedly attracting the interest of Spurs, with Wenham now sharing what he knows.

The Latest: Wenham shares what he’s been told…

As per his sources, speaking to FI, Tottenham are ‘very keen’ on Savin and the insider expects Paratici to make a move ‘as soon as the window opens’.

“I’m always happy for Tottenham to be signing up young, English talent from the lower leagues,”  he explained.

“From what I’m told, Tottenham are massively interested in him and we have had scouts watching him extensively.

“I do expect we will make a move for him as soon as the summer window opens.

“What I think could then happen is he could be loaned back to Accrington for the 2022/23 season.

“He might even be loaned to a team in the league above, I’m not sure.

“But from what I was told, Tottenham are very. very keen on him.”

The Verdict: Get it done…

Also drawing attention from the likes of Man United, Savin has arguably stood out as one of the most promising keepers in the Football League in recent seasons.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Coleman has already lavished praise on the ‘outstanding’ homegrown youngster and we believe he has the potential to be a future heir for Hugo Lloris should he continue his rise.

The colossal 6 foot 4 ace could well be one to keep an eye on.

In other news: Conte eyeing major priority as Spurs make pre-summer move for ‘fantastic’ player likened to Bale, find out more here.

Andy Caddick demonstrated how much class he has developed as an international front-line bowler on his old stamping ground at Hagley Oval for England in their tour match with Canterbury today.Taking five wickets for 69, his 54th five wicket bag in his first-class career, he bowled England into a dominating position, although for the third innings by local teams in a row, the England attack could not clean up.Canterbury declared at 212/8 after a day of hard graft on a grassy pitch. England were 28 without loss in the nine overs bowled before stumps.But Caddick’s delight must be tempered by growing concern about the lack of incisiveness of this England attack for the forthcoming Test series.Even after Caddick had knocked the top off the Canterbury batting with three wickets for 27, the after-guard could not complete the job and it was only when Caddick returned that more wickets followed. On a seamer-friendly track that has to be of concern.However, it was Caddick’s day out. He finished the innings with 796 first-class wickets, a long way from the 17 through to 19-year-old who used to dream of greater things with the Riccarton Club whose wicket adjoins the main match block at Hagley Oval.”There were good games, good drinking and good nights,” he said.As for today, he was pleased with the way he bowled.”It was coming out all right, but it was difficult because the wind was so blustery.”It was a flat wicket, as the ball got a little older.”I got better as the day went along. I hit my rhythm a little earlier than in Queenstown,” he said.While acknowledging that he, as the experienced bowler in the side, has a lot of responsibility, it was a duty he did not shirk, especially in the absence of Darren Gough.”The onus is on everybody to perform,” he said.”I like being the leader. I do have some weight on my shoulders but there is also weight on the others,” he said.Some of the bowlers were still adjusting out of the One-Day International mode they had been in but he was confident that by the time the first Test started next Wednesday, everybody would be keen to step up for the cause.But for Caddick at least there was evidence of growing readiness for the series, especially after the four and three-wicket bags he took in Queenstown against Otago.He also acknowledged that the Canterbury side which met England today were a good unit, if not quite at full strength.But they did appreciate why a player like Chris Harris has fashioned such an outstanding record at first-class level in New Zealand.Harris was easily the best performed of the Canterbury batsmen, sharing a 106-run fifth wicket stand with Robbie Frew that resurrected the Canterbury innings from 39/4.Frew opened the innings and battled outstandingly in a support role while Harris started slowly and built well before launching into the bowling in the latter stages of his innings.He brought up his 50 off 92 balls which included eight boundaries and when dismissed for 82 he had faced 154 balls and hit 12 fours. He went to an edge from Andrew Flintoff’s bowling which flew to Ashley Giles at second slip.Earlier, Frew’s innings was ended when he too, was caught in the slips, by Flintoff from Caddick for 44.There was a chance for lower order batsmen Paul Wiseman and Warren Wisneski to flail away with Wiseman hitting a lovely six on the hook from Flintoff before a run out mix-up saw Wisneski depart just as the declaration was made.Michael Vaughan and Mark Butcher safely negotiated their way to stumps with no real problems.