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Last season Tottenham Hotspur may have won the Europa League but there is no hiding behind the fact that domestically, things were a complete write-off.

Former boss Ange Postecoglou proclaimed that things are always better in season three, but sadly for the craggy-faced Aussie, he didn’t see in his third campaign at the helm.

The writing had been on the wall for a while, really. Spurs were a mess at the back. It’s “who we are, mate” Ange also exclaimed when asked about his philosophy and high line. Yet, those who fail to adapt and change…ahem, Ruben Amorim, often fail.

The truth is that Postecoglou did not change his ways, leading to the concession of 65 Premier League goals, the fifth-worst record in the division last term.

With Thomas Frank now at the helm, he made an immediate attempt to improve the backline before anything else and that decision has been vindicated.

Spurs look like a different outfit now. They are more organised, more structured, and the numbers showcase that. They have kept five clean sheets already in 2025/26 across all competitions and have shipped just five goals. Only Arsenal (3) have let in fewer.

While Frank will take a lot of the plaudits, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero’s partnership has looked like one of the best in the division.

Why Van de Ven and Romero complement each other so well at Spurs

Since arriving in north London, Romero has attracted his fair share of criticism.

He’s too hot-headed, too rash, too ill-disciplined to ever be a competent defender. Those were the cries from certain sections of the media and fanbase. Alas, there is a reason that he is captaining the side and there is a reason that Real Madrid have reportedly courted him.

The Argentine is a typical South American defender. He’s brutish, has a never-say-die attitude and when faced with a striker, it’s not often they get the better of him.

Indeed, he’s only been dribbled past 0.3 times per match under Frank so far, winning 65% of his ground duels and another 65% of his aerial duels.

To put those numbers into context, he’s winning more aerial battles than Arsenal’s imperious Brazilian, Gabriel (60%) and a similar number of ground duels to William Saliba (66%).

Romero is the more aggressive of he and Van de Ven, but the Dutchman’s recovery speed and ability to sweep in behind his defensive colleague is why they work so well.

Last term, no player was quicker in the English top-flight than Spurs’ number 37.

Yet despite all of that, the club have a defender in their ranks who stands an excellent chance of disrupting this fine partnership. Step forward Spurs’ new Mousa Dembele.

Spurs have found the defensive version of Dembele

What a player Dembele was in his prime. Part of a very special Spurs team including the likes of Harry Kane, Dele Alli and Christian Eriksen, the Belgian was the glue that held everything together.

In the words of Kyle Walker, “Dembele was probably the best player I’ve ever seen play football” while Eric Dier, now of Monaco, stated that he was “a freak of nature”.

An all-action machine, it was nigh on impossible to get the ball off Dembele. He was a fine dribbler but he was also a duel monster.

From 2012 to 2019, no player in the Premier League had a better success rate for dribbles than Dembele’s tally of 77.9%. The next best during that time frame was Nemanja Matic on 73.1%.

As for winning duels, during the 2015/16 season, only three players, of which one was N’Golo Kante, won more tackles per match. Dembele won 3.6 while Kante topped the charts with 4.7.

Why is this all relevant now? Well, it looks like Spurs have found another duel machine, someone capable of dominating play in a similar manner, albeit from defensive phases of play.

That player is Luka Vuskovic. Spurs first reached an agreement to sign the centre-back in 2023 for £12m from Hajduk Split when he was only 16.

They had to wait until 2025 for the young Croatian to finally arrive but it was worth the wait. Vuskovic scored in pre-season against Reading and more than looks the part.

Now 18, the teenager has already made a habit of scoring regular goals. At KVC Westerlo in the Belgian top-flight last season, he scored seven goals in 36 outings.

Now on loan at Hamburg in Germany, he’s already showcasing why he’s so highly rated. The youngster has featured on four occasions, scoring once and breaking a little bit of history along the way.

During Hamburg’s clash against Union Berlin last weekend, he won a mind-blowing 18 aerial duels. To sum up just how incredible that statistic is, no player has won more aerial duels in a Bundesliga game across the last ten seasons and he is the first player to win 18 aerial duels in a single match in Europe’s top five leagues over the last five seasons.

While Dembele may not have been as menacing in the air as that, it demonstrates Vuskovic’s imperious duel-winning ability and his capability to overpower his opponents.

When asked what he thought of his teammate, Hamburg full-back Miro Muheim simply described him as a “monster” after the game. Rather apt if you ask us.

But, as the Athletic’s German Football correspondent, Seb Stafford-Bloor, outlines, the Croat is also “good with the ball at his feet”, emulating Dembele with that area of the game too.

Vuskovic has completed 85% of his passes in the Bundesliga so far and has also been successful with 100% of his dribble attempts, according to Sofascore.

Not just a beast physically, he’s technically brilliant, just as Dembele was from further forward. An exciting player no doubt, and one who could well make this Spurs backline even better.

You bet Frank can’t wait to get him back in the fold next season.

17-year-old Spurs prodigy is their most exciting academy star since Kane

Tottenham Hotspur have been on the look out for the next Harry Kane ever since he left for Bayern Munich.

By
Matt Dawson

Oct 1, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur has been the home to numerous top-level youth talents over the last couple of years, with attacker Mikey Moore one of the players on their constant conveyor belt.

The 18-year-old has spent the vast majority of his life as a Lilywhite, before making his debut in the first-team last campaign under Ange Postecoglou due to the injury crisis.

Despite his tender age, the youngster racked up a total of 19 senior appearances, ten of which came in the Premier League, with three of his outings coming from a starting role.

Moore even registered his first senior goal for his boyhood club in the Europa League, scoring in the victory over Elfsborg and helping the club end their 17-year wait for a piece of silverware.

However, after Thomas Frank’s appointment during the off-season, he’s been shipped out on loan to Scottish side Rangers in the hope of more consistent game time.

He’s not the only young talent on the books who has caught the eye, with one other youngster set for a huge future in North London during the years ahead.

Luka Vuskovic’s future as a Spurs star

Back in the summer of 2023, Spurs forked out a fee in the region of £12m for the signature of teenage centre-back Luka Vuskovic from Hajduk Split.

However, he’s spent a couple of years out on loan, with his spell on loan at Westerlo catching the eye – but for his attacking quality rather than his talent at the back.

The Croatian scored seven times and registered two assists in his 36 outings, a simply staggering feat for a young defender who is trying to establish himself at the top-level.

Such form led to the sensation being involved in the first-team’s squad pre-season plans, even registering a goal and an assist in the 2-0 victory over League One outfit, Reading.

Many fans were calling for the youngster to be included in the Dane’s Premier League squad for 2025/26, but it wasn’t meant to be, with Vuskovic sent on loan to Bundesliga side Hamburg this summer.

The prospect of top-flight German football to many youngsters may be a daunting one, but the 18-year-old has taken to the task like a duck to water – already netting his first goal despite making just three appearances.

However, his showing against Union Berlin on Sunday was his best to date, winning 18 aerial duels and making 12 clearances – helping his current side keep a needed clean sheet.

There’s no denying that he could be a huge player for Frank in the future, but the new manager already have another hugely promising talent on the books in North London.

The Spurs star who’s a bigger talent than Vuskovic

As previously seen by the aforementioned talents at Spurs, they do have a plethora of upcoming stars who could potentially catapult them to continued success in the years ahead.

Their recruitment strategy has certainly aided their ability to create a strong youth setup, with many taking the jump and already cementing themselves in Frank’s plans for 2025/26.

Lucas Bergvall may only be 19, but he’s already established himself as a regular starter, featuring in all six of the Lilywhites’ Premier League outings to date – even scoring once against West Ham United.

The Swede could be joined by youngster Luca Williams-Barnett for many years to come, with the 16-year-old already making huge waves across various levels despite his tender age.

The attacking midfielder has been starring way above his age group over the last few seasons, with the youngster featuring in the U18s for the majority of 2024/25.

He ended the year with a staggering 23 goals and nine assists in his 24 outings for the Lilywhites, resulting in a jump up once again – now becoming a key member of the U21 side.

Williams-Barnett has once again exceeded expectations, already notching eight goal contributions in his first six appearances of the new campaign.

The 16-year-old has let his age get in the way, subsequently starring five years above his age group – something which has caught the eye of first-team boss Frank in recent weeks.

He was handed his first senior appearance against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup last week, coming off the bench for three minutes – leading to analyst Ben Mattinson labelling him as a “superstar”.

Given his tender age, there’s no denying that the attacker needs more time in the academy system to develop before being able to make the jump into the first-team squad.

However, that’s not taking away from the fact that Williams-Barnett is a player with mammoth potential, with the club desperately needing to manage him in the right way.

In the years ahead, he could have a huge part to play in the Lilywhites’ hunt for success, with the youngster having the chance to create new history for the club alongside centre-back Vuskovic.

Spurs may already have their new Luka Modric & it's not Palhinha

Tottenham Hotspur have found their next Luka Modric in North London, and it is not Joao Palhinha.

By
Dan Emery

Sep 30, 2025

He may have finally left the club, but former Tottenham Hotspur chairman Daniel Levy often came under huge fire during his tenure for his actions off the field in North London.

The 63-year-old spent over two decades in the role, but was constantly called into question for his lack of spending to help improve the first-team squad.

He was undoubtedly part of the reason for the Lilywhites’ failures on the pitch, with the club even going 17 long years without a piece of silverware during his tenure.

Levy often became known for offloading key talents on the books of the club, something which once again led to anger from the supporters – especially given his lack of funding after such departures.

One player in particular was sold without an immediate adequate replacement being signed in the same window, which undoubtedly contributed to his demise in the role.

Levy’s decision to sell Harry Kane from Spurs

No Spurs fan would’ve predicted the success Harry Kane would have had for the first-team in North London, after he made his first Premier League start back in 2012.

The Englishman was an unknown quantity to many despite rising through the youth ranks, but rapidly adhered himself to the supporters with his form in front of goal.

He rapidly became a first-team regular, with his first major taste of success coming in the 2014/15 campaign, scoring 31 times in his 51 outings for the Lilywhites across all competitions.

Such a year would be the fourth-best of his time in North London, with his highest goalscoring year seeing him net a total of 35 goals – subsequently winning the Premier League golden boot that year.

As a result of his tremendous goalscoring record, the 32-year-old remains their highest ever goalscorer, with his total of 280 goals breaking the record set by the late Jimmy Greaves.

However, he was sold in the summer of 2023, subsequently joining German side Bayern Munich for a fee in the region of £82m – the second highest in their history.

Whilst they received a mammoth fee for his signature, no new centre forward was brought into the club until 12 months later, with Dominic Solanke costing a club-record £65m from Bournemouth.

However, the former chairman also made a huge mistake in allowing one other former player to depart the club, with the 63-year-old unable to land the reinforcements after his move away.

Levy’s biggest mistake whilst at Spurs

After such dismal years on the pitch for a prolonged period of time, it was hardly a surprise to see numerous top-level talents moving away for pastures new.

Just like Kane, numerous players caught the eye for the Lilywhites, including Kieran Trippier who has to depart and join Atlético Madrid to fulfil his ambitions of winning trophies.

The right-back racked up over 100 appearances in North London, but failed to win a single trophy – subsequently claiming the LaLiga trophy in his second year in Madrid.

He wasn’t the only player to move to Spain to take his career to the next level, with Gareth Bale making the leap and joining Real Madrid in a £85m deal in the summer of 2013.

His move remains a club-record fee received for a player, but such a deal left a huge hole in the club’s forward line and understandably so given his record in North London.

The Welsh international, who was dubbed “world-class” by John Hartson, scored 73 goals for the club before his big-money transfer, with his final campaign in the Premier League by far and away his best.

He netted 26 times in his 44 appearances for the Lilywhites, further highlighting the task the hierarchy had in trying to replace such a top-level talent.

In an attempt to do just that, Levy decided to fork out around £60m on the signatures of Roberto Soldado and Erik Lamela, but both ultimately failed to produce the goods in England.

The pair only scored 53 goals combined during their respective seasons at the club, with such a tally miles below the one Bale managed to achieve on his own.

21/22

20

11

2

12/13

33

21

8

11/12

36

10

13

10/11

30

7

2

09/10

23

3

5

08/09

16

0

0

07/08

8

2

1

Given his tally of 15 major trophies in Madrid, the player himself certainly made the right call in leaving the club, but it’s safe to say owner Levy should have tried harder to keep hold of the winger.

After seeing the replacements brought in to the club, there’s no question that Levy made a huge mess of the transfer, with such a decision one of his worst at the club.

Spurs already have dream Son heir who's yet to play in the Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur could save themselves millions with a Heung-min Son replacement within their ranks.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 3, 2025

Leeds United youngster Harry Gray has attracted attention from supporters this season with his fantastic performances for the U21 side in recent weeks.

The 16-year-old fired in an impressive hat-trick against Scunthorpe earlier this month, which sparked some fans to call for him to get more game time in the first-team.

It is not as simple as that, according to Daniel Farke, though, as the Whites head coach explained why patience is needed with Archie Gray’s brother.

Why Harry Gray is not being fast tracked into the Leeds XI

Prior to the 3-1 win over Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League, the German boss backed his own record with young players and claimed that the youngster needs to keep playing matches at U21 level.

Farke said: “I don’t want to sound arrogant, but I gave Harry his debut in the crunch time. If I were to back a manager to be brave enough to play a young player, to know what a young player needs, I’d pick me. Harry needs to train with the first team, experience physicality of the Premier League.

“He needs game time with the U21s to stay in his rhythm and not to lose his striker instinct. He needs time and peace to develop. You will see him once he is prepared for Premier League games.”

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Gray is not the only player who is knocking on the door of the first-team, though, as Connor Douglas is also a U21 star who should be unleashed by the former Norwich City head coach when the time is right.

Why Connor Douglas should get a chance in the first-team

Whilst Gray has caught the eye with his goals, including the hat-trick against Scunthorpe, Douglas provided a reminder of his quality with an assist against Crystal Palace’s U21s on Monday night in a 3-2 defeat for the young Whites.

The 19-year-old star is a right-sided attacker and that position in the first-team is still up for grabs, as Brenden Aaronson, Wilfried Gnonto, and Daniel James have combined for zero goals and zero assists in the Premier League this season.

Appearances

36

5

xG

3.86

0.19

Goals

1

0

xA

2.59

0.78

Assists

3

0

Dribbles completed per game

0.9

0.8

As you can see in the table above, Aaronson, who has started the last two games on the right flank, has struggled to make a consistent impact in the final third throughout his top-flight career at Elland Road.

These statistics suggest that the USA international is not the long-term answer to the club’s problem in the right wing position, because he has failed to prove himself to be a reliable option at that level. This opens the door for another player to step up.

Douglas, who was hailed as a “joy to watch” by PureFootball writer Trent Gaffney, has delivered two assists in four Premier League 2 matches so far this season, per Transfermarkt, and may be putting his case forward to make an emergence in the first-team.

The 19-year-old talent has scored five goals and provided six assists in 34 games for the U21s, after a return of six goals and three assists in 27 matches for the U18s, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has consistently chipped in with goal contributions throughout his academy career.

Leeds must rue ditching their own Paixao & Raphinha hybrid in £10m "weapon"

Leeds United must regret allowing this star to move on from Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

ByDan Emery Sep 19, 2025

The next step for the teenage sensation is to make his first-team bow. His form at the start of this season should put him in contention to make the step up, alongside Gray, which is why Farke should look to unleash him on the right flank if his other options continue to underperform in front of goal.

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O zagueiro Murillo, com uma inflamação na garganta, foi baixa no treino do Corinthians desta quinta-feira (15), no CT Joaquim Grava.

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O garoto da base não preocupa e deve voltar para o jogo-treino contra a Portuguesa, no sábado (17). Além do zagueiro, Cantillo e Renato Augusto, lesionados, também não participaram das atividades no campo.

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Por outro lado, Luxemburgo contou com o retorno de Róger Guedes, que sofreu com amigdalite nos últimos dias.

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O elenco alvinegro treinou em dois períodos nesta quinta-feira. Pela manhã, após o aquecimento, o preparador físico Daniel Félix dividiu os jogadores em quatro grupos e promoveu um exercício de passe. Durante a atividade, Daniel pediu alta intensidade e entrega aos jogadores.

Com nove pontos e uma posição acima do Z4, o Corinthians volta a campo na quarta-feira (21), às 20h, contra o Santos, na Vila Belmiro, pela 11ª rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro.

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Tottenham Hotspur are “pushing to sign” an “unbelievable finisher”, and an offer has now been made, reliable reporter Ben Jacobs has revealed.

Tottenham keen on new attacker despite dominant opening day victory

Tottenham kicked off their 2025-25 Premier League campaign in perfect fashion, securing a 3-0 victory at home against newly-promoted Burnley, and new signing Mohammed Kudus certainly caught the eye with his performance.

The Ghanaian winger chipped in with two assists on his league debut for Spurs, with Richarlison bagging a brace and Brennan Johnson also getting on the scoresheet, underlining the quality Thomas Frank has at his disposal in attacking areas.

However, given that Son Heung-min has now departed for LAFC, and James Maddison is set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to an ACL injury, it will be important for Frank to bolster his options in attack further ahead of the September 1st deadline.

It has been clear that Tottenham have wanted an attacking midfielder for quite some time, having missed out on Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White earlier this summer, but they now appear to be closing in on a deal to sign a different England international.

Indeed, according to an update from Jacobs on X, Tottenham have now made an offer in the region of £55m – £60m for Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze, who could complete a move to north London as soon as next week.

The structure of the deal is still under discussion, but it is now looking increasingly likely Eze will move across the capital, given that Spurs are “pushing to sign” the Palace star, and he “wants to join”.

Eze is expected to start for Palace against Chelsea on Sunday afternoon, though.

"Unbelievable" Eze could be statement signing for Spurs

Tottenham will have been very frustrated to have missed out on Gibbs-White earlier this summer, but the Palace star would arguably be an even better signing, having outperformed his England teammate in terms of attacking contributions last season.

Player

Appearances (all comps)

Combined G/A

Eberechi Eze

43

25

Morgan Gibbs-White

38

17

Oliver Glasner was also left impressed by his talisman’s performances in the 2024-25 campaign, saying: “He’s always dangerous because he has the quality and ability at 1-1, he’s such an unbelievable finisher, in some situations he can improve, he’s a guy who can always score and he’s someone who everyone likes.”

Frank identifies third £60m top Tottenham target with Eze and Savinho

The Spurs boss personally wants him.

ByEmilio Galantini Aug 17, 2025

With Maddison set to miss the majority of the campaign due to injury, it is imperative that Tottenham bring in at least one more attacking midfielder this summer, and having already proven himself in the Premier League, Eze would be the ideal addition to Frank’s squad.

Tom O’Connell walked out later after the allocated three minutes were up and was given out as a result

Mohammad Isam01-Jan-2025Chittagong Kings captain Mohammad Mithun praised his opposite number Mehidy Hasan Miraz after the latter called back Tom O’Connell, who had been dismissed timed out during their BPL match against Khulna Tigers in Dhaka on Tuesday.O’Connell, the Australian legspinner, walked out to bat after the allocated three minutes were up during Chittagong’s chase of 204. Mehidy, the fielding captain, went to the umpire along with several of his team-mates to ask about the delay.The umpires, Raveendra Wimalasiri and Tanvir Ahmed, adjudged O’Connell to be out. As O’Connell started to trudge back to the dugout, Mehidy called him back.Related

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Mithun accepted that the dismissal was legitimate, and said that O’Connell had been taken by surprise as the wickets fell quickly, and he didn’t have enough time to get ready despite batting at No. 7.”I personally feel Miraz did a fantastic job,” Mithun said. “He showed that he has a big heart. It is within the rules for the fielding side to appeal. Credit to Miraz for letting [O’Connell] return to the crease.”The batter shouldn’t be late to the crease, particularly in a T20. He was a little late in getting ready. Probably he was a little relaxed when he was getting ready, maybe he didn’t realise that we would lose wickets so quickly. That’s what made him late. Nothing else.”O’Connell’s turn to bat came when Pakistani batter Haider Ali fell for a second-ball duck. Chittagong were 56 for 5 in the seventh over at that stage. After the timed-out drama, however, O’Connell himself fell for a golden duck, caught at short midwicket where Mehidy took the simple catch off Mohammad Nawaz’s bowling.Khulna went on to beat Chittagong by 37 runs.

Arsenal are swiftly moving on to their next targets after striking a long-awaited deal for Viktor Gyokeres, who officially joined the Gunners from Sporting CP on Saturday in a deal worth up to £64 million.

Saka will love him: Arsenal reach agreement in principle to sign £68m star

Arsenal are ready to supply Viktor Gyokeres with an exciting new wideman.

ByAngus Sinclair Jul 29, 2025

Gyokeres’ arrival comes as a major boost for Mikel Arteta as he seeks to end the club’s two-decade-long wait for a Premier League title.

Arsenal drew more games than any other side in the top 10 last season, and their struggle for goals was a key reason for this. Arteta’s side managed just 69 in the league by the end of 2024/2025, paling in comparison to their tallies of 88 and 91 in the previous two seasons.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£208m

A prolific frontman of Gyokeres’ ilk will certainly help Arteta’s side return to their clinical best, and Arsenal’s manager is thrilled to welcome a centre-forward who’s just bagged 54 goals in all competitions.

“We’re absolutely delighted to welcome Viktor Gyökeres to the club. The consistency he has shown in his performances and availability have been outstanding, and his goal contributions speak for themselves,” said Arteta in an official statement.

“Viktor has so many qualities. He is a quick and powerful presence up front, with incredible goalscoring numbers at club and international levels. He brings a clinical edge with a high conversion rate of chances into goals, with his intelligent movement in the box making him a constant threat.

“We’re excited about what Viktor brings to our squad and are looking forward to start working with him. We welcome Viktor and his family to Arsenal.”

After Gyokeres, it is reliably reported that sporting director Andrea Berta is turning his attention towards Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze.

The England international is at the centre of Arsenal’s rumoured interest in signing a new creative number 10, and he reportedly has a £60 million release clause in his contract that could rise to £68m through bonuses (Sky Sports).

Crystal Palace identify Eberechi Eze replacement as Arsenal advance

According to multiple recent reports, there are suggestions that Eze has loosely agreed personal terms with Arsenal already, with Sports Zone even claiming that the 27-year-old has reached a “full agreement” over a proposed contract at the Emirates.

A north London switch for the player appears to be gaining serious traction, and according to Sky Switzerland reporter Sacha Tavolieri, Palace are moving to try and sign a replacement – providing a further indication that Arsenal could be closing in on Eze shortly.

Tavolieri, via X, claims Palace have identified Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss as a potential heir to Eze, but face competition from RB Leipzig.

Eze was released by Arsenal as a teenage academy prospect, but it appears the playmaker who bagged 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions last season could be facing his final summer at Selhurst Park.

Next season feels like it’s set to be a massive one for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side will be going into it as Conference League and World Champions, and while they won’t be the favourites to win the Premier League, there will undoubtedly be an expectation that they will challenge for the title.

Fortunately, the board are properly backing the team so far this summer, with exciting signings like Jamie Gittens and Joao Pedro.

Moreover, the Blues have even been linked with Eberechi Eze, although, based on reports, it now appears they’re turning their attention to someone who’d be a far better signing.

Chelsea target big Eze upgrade

It’s been a busy summer of business for Chelsea so far, and one of the players who has been linked with a move to Stamford Bridge has been Eze.

Transfer Focus

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

The Crystal Palace star has also been heavily touted for a move to London rivals Arsenal, but reports from earlier this month revealed that the Blues have been in contact with the player’s representatives.

The England international has a release clause worth £68m in his current deal and would undoubtedly bring some real quality and flair to Maresca’s squad, but it now looks like BlueCo are rapidly advancing towards a deal for another attacker, who’d be an even better signing.

At least that’s according to a recent report from Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, who claims that Chelsea are incredibly keen on signing Xavi Simons.

In fact, Plettenberg has revealed that personal terms are not an issue as the player is “open to the Chelsea project” and that “very good talks also took place with RB Leipzig yesterday.”

The German journalist claims that the Bundesliga side are now just “waiting for an offer” for the player they value at around £52m, per other reports.

While that’s still a lot of money to spend on one player, Simons has proven he’d be worth it over the last couple of seasons, and a better signing than Eze to boot.

Why Simons would be a better signing than Eze

So, while both players are brilliant, there are several reasons why Simons would be the better signing for Chelsea this summer, and the first is their output in the league, which is ultimately their bread and butter.

Appearances

25

34

Minutes

2157′

2603′

Goals

10

8

Assists

7

8

Goal Involvements per Match

0.68

0.47

Minutes per Goal Involvement

126.88′

162.68′

In his 25 Bundesliga appearances last season, totalling 2157 minutes, the former Paris Saint-Germain gem scored ten goals and provided seven assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.47 league games, or every 126.88 minutes.

In contrast, the Eagles star scored eight goals and provided as many assists in 34 Premier League appearances last season, totalling 2603 minutes, which comes out to a lacklustre average of a goal involvement every 2.12 games, or every 162.68 minutes.

In addition to performing better in the league, the Flying Dutchman also shares some statistical similarities with the incredible Cole Palmer, which can only be a good thing.

For example, Squawka ranks them very closely for key metrics such as goals, assists, chances created, take-ons completed and more, all per 90.

These numbers help convey that the Amsterdam-born “game-changer,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, is someone capable of impacting the game in more ways than just goals and assists, as evident in some of his highlight reels.

Finally, and this is especially important when it comes to the Blues, the former PSV Eindhoven monster is still just 22 years old, and therefore, he’d be able to develop and continue improving alongside the likes of Palmer, Moises Caicedo, and Joao Pedro and then hit his peak around the same time as them.

Ultimately, while Eze would be a good signing for Chelsea, Simons would simply be the smarter one with more upside a few years from now, and therefore, they should do all they can to get him to West London this summer.

Chelsea star says yes to joining Madrid; his exit can fund Simons & Rodrygo

Losing the international star would be far from ideal for Chelsea.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jul 23, 2025

Foxes bowled out for 98 on 18-wicket day after Ben Cox rescues them from 15 for 7

ECB Reporters Network09-Sep-2024

Skipper Jonny Tattersall’s fine, unbeaten 90 enabled promotion-chasing Yorkshire to close on 263 for 8 for a lead of 165 after 18 wickets fell on day one of their Vitality County Championship match against Leicestershire.It came after Leicestershire’s decision to prepare a pitch as green as the outfield had threatened to backfire on them historically as they were reduced to 15 for 7 inside the first hour after Yorkshire won the toss.They recovered somewhat thanks to an unbeaten 51 by Ben Cox, but in the last of this Championship season’s four rounds using the Kookaburra ball were bowled out for 98 nonetheless. Pace bowler Ben Coad took 5 for 15 and his Surrey-bound strike partner Matthew Fisher returned from injury with 3 for 38 in his first appearance since May.Yorkshire stumbled to 30 for 3 at the start of their reply. Yet as batting became easier, Tattersall’s assured performance, with support from James Wharton (41), Dom Bess (33) and Fisher (28 not out), gave them the upper hand – albeit with only one batting bonus point in 71 overs after Tom Scriven took 4 for 69.Relegated in 2022 in the wake of the Azeem Rafiq affair, Yorkshire began the day a point behind second-placed Middlesex in the Division Two table, with three matches remaining.Leicestershire, outsiders but still in the hunt for promotion, had not bargained on being all out for less than 100 before lunch. The absence of top scorer Peter Handscomb, who has returned home for the Australian domestic season, was hardly an excuse.Yet it could have been much worse. As Coad and Fisher laid waste to their top and middle order, it seemed quite possible that Leicestershire would be shot out for the lowest total in their history, not even matching the 25 for which Kent dismissed their forebears at Aylestone Road in 1912.After Rishi Patel edged Coad to third slip with no runs on the board, the next three wickets fell with the total on three. Lewis Hill nicked Fisher to second slip, Coad brought one back to bowl Ian Holland leg stump and then had Rehan Ahmed caught at second slip.Two more wickets fell on 11. Louis Kimber swung and missed to be leg before to Coad as the fourth duck in the top six, then Fisher nipped one back to trap Ajinkya Rahane. Liam Trevaskis perished in the same over, also leg before, making it 15 for 7.It took Cox and Tom Scriven to disrupt the pattern by going on the attack. The first of Scriven’s three boundaries ensured that the 1912 record would stand before Cox damaged Coad’s figures with a top-edge for six. The pair added 37 in 26 balls before Scriven was caught behind swinging as Coad completed his five-wicket haul – his second with the Kookaburra after taking 5 for 33 against Worcestershire last season.Cox reached 51 from 31 balls by hammering Fisher for his second six. Jordan Thompson had Scott Currie leg before but the last wicket added another 39 before Chris Wright was bowled by George Hill.Leicestershire should have had a wicket first ball as Yorkshire’s first innings began immediately after lunch, Wright dropping a return catch offered by Lyth. The visitors found themselves 30 for 3 in the 18th over nonetheless. Finlay Bean was caught at gully, Lyth caught behind off a wafer-thin edge and Will Luxton, driving, fell to a brilliant one-handed grab by Currie at third slip.Jonny Bairstow followed his attacking instincts but after four boundaries he departed to a catch at first slip, at 56 for 4, which would have become 63 for 5 had first-slip Patel not dropped Wharton on 14 off Scriven.The error cost 46 runs, Wharton raising his boundary count to eight before his eyes lit up when presented with a long-hop by Rehan Ahmed and was caught at long-on.From 109 for five, Tattersall played with calm assurance to head off the threat of another crash of wickets. George Hill was bowled by Wright for 12 but Dom Bess played some attractive strokes as he and Tattersall added 42.Scriven got one through Bess’s defences for his third success and had Thompson caught off a top-edged pull. Tattersall and Fisher added 53 before the close.