All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

It’s the biggest day of Tottenham Hotspur’s season. Ange Postecoglou’s side are well-placed to make it to the Europa League final thanks to the two-goal advantage they’ll be taking into the second-leg of their semi-final clash with Bodo/Glimt.

Yet, as important as the game is, the North Londoners are set to be without club captain Son Heung-min, who hasn’t even travelled to Norway due to a foot injury that has kept him out of the team for a few weeks now.

The unfortunate thing is that while the South Korean is still more than capable of popping up with a goal or assists here and there, his ability to impact games has dramatically decreased, which is to be expected for a winger set to turn 33 in a couple of months.

For example, he’s only scored two goals in his last 15 league appearances, and according to FBref, he is in the bottom half of wingers and attacking midfielders in the competition for successful take-ons, which helps explain recent links to someone who could be the ideal long-term heir to the iconic Lilywhites star.

Tottenham transfer news

Before getting to the winger in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other exciting players touted for moves to N17 in recent weeks, such as Rayan Cherki and Jonathan David.

Transfer Focus

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

The latter is reportedly set to be available for around £30m, which could prove to be an incredible bargain, as the “future Ballon d’Or winner,” as dubbed by The Athletic’s Alex Barker, has already scored 12 goals and provided 19 assists in just 42 appearances.

Likewise, David would represent a sensational deal, as his contract is running out in the summer, and so far this year, he’s already scored 25 goals and provided 12 assists in 47 games for LOSC Lille.

However, to replace Son next year, the North Londoners are going to need a natural left-winger, which is where Jamie Gittens comes in.

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Spurs are one of several sides keen to sign the Borussia Dortmund star.

The report has revealed that the Lilywhites have maintained their interest in the Englishman since last summer, but to finally get their man, they’ll have to contend with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, Bayern Munich and possibly Liverpool.

Moreover, while Dortmund initially held out for a fee in the region of €100m, which is about £85m, they’ll now be willing to listen to offers of around €70m, which is about £59m.

It would be a complicated and costly transfer to get over the line, but given Gittens’ immense ability and potential, it’s one worth fighting for, especially as he’d be an ideal Son heir.

Why Gittens would be the perfect Son heir

So, the first thing to say is that Spurs should not expect Gittens to come in and immediately replicate the sort of performances that Son put in at his peak – he’s only 20, after all – but even then, he’ll be able to contribute in a big way.

For example, despite his age, the Reading-born dynamo, who Sky Sports’ Dougie Critchley boldly proclaimed “England’s best LW in 24/25,” has managed to score 12 goals and provide five assists in 46 appearances, totalling 2783 minutes.

That means the tremendously exciting attacker is already averaging a goal involvement every 2.70 games, or every 163.70 minutes, which is undeniably impressive.

Appearances

46

Starts

34

Minutes

2738′

Goals

12

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

0.36

Minutes per Goal Involvement

163.70′

On top of that, he is clearly not a player scared of the biggest stages, as he found the back of the net away to Real Madrid earlier this season.

Now, the reason his age is important in all of this is that, according to research carried out by The Athletic, wide players do not hit their peak until the age of 26, so if the Dortmund ace is already this good now, just think how unplayable he could be in five or six years’ time.

Finally, on top of his output, the former City prospect has some brilliant underlying numbers to his name.

For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe’s top five leagues for successful take-ons, the top 2% for take-ons attempted, the top 7% for carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Son is only going to become more and more of a peripheral figure at the club next season, so Spurs need to find his heir, and from output to potential, Gittens ticks every box.

Alongside Odobert: Ange must axe "future £100m" star from the Spurs lineup

It’s time for tough decisions ahead of Spurs’ biggest game of the season.

ByJack Salveson Holmes May 8, 2025

Leeds United secured their promotion back to the Premier League at the second time of asking after they hammered Stoke City 6-0 last time out at Elland Road.

The Whites ran riot in West Yorkshire, including a stunning four-goal haul from Joel Piroe in the first half, and then had their promotion sealed when Sheffield United lost to Burnley later that evening.

Daniel Farke would have been delighted with the quality and composure that his team showed on a day with so much pressure on it, as it gave them an incredibly enjoyable afternoon and evening.

It also provided the German head coach with the opportunity to hand 16-year-old forward Harry Gray a first-team debut, as he played eight minutes off the bench.

He will be looking to follow in his brother’s footsteps after Archie Gray played a whopping 52 first-team matches under Farke in the 2023/24 campaign, before his summer move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs reportedly agreed a fee of £30m to sign the England U21 international from Elland Road, and he has had an interesting first season at the top level.

Archie Gray's struggles at Spurs this season

The 19-year-old talent has had plenty of exposure to first-team football under Ange Postecoglou, playing 41 times and racking up the best part of 3,000 minutes in all competitions.

From that perspective, it has been an excellent season for the teenage gem because he now has plenty of experience at the top level, in the Premier League and the Europa League, and that could be useful for his development moving forward.

However, Gray has yet to produce consistent quality on the pitch when selected, and that is the next step that he has to take before Spurs can deem the £30m they spent on his services to be worthwhile.

The former Leeds starlet will not want to fall into the trap of being known as a utility player who can play in a multitude of roles without being particularly impressive in any one position.

Appearances

23

Goals

0

Big chances created

0

Assists

0

Tackles + interceptions per game

0.9

Error led to shot

1

Error led to goal

1

Duel success rate

47%

As you can see in the table above, Gray has not excelled in or out of possession in the Premier League this season, offering very little at the top end of the pitch and struggling with the physicality of the league off the ball.

These statistics show that he has rarely made defensive interventions to keep teams out, and that he has created more goals for the opposition (one) through an error than he has directly created for his own team (zero).

This is not to say that, however, Gray is a flop for Spurs or that he will not go on to become a top player, because there is plenty of time left for him to develop and improve. Hopefully, his experiences and struggles this season will help him to kick on and deliver improved displays in the 2025/26 campaign and beyond, proving his worth in the process.

At this moment in time, though, the £30m Leeds raked in for the versatile star looks like good business. Whereas, there is another former Thorp Arch academy graduate whom the Whites seemingly undersold in Leif Davis.

Why Leeds United messed up with Leif Davis

The English defender, who joined the academy from Morecambe at U18 level, reportedly joined Ipswich Town on a permanent deal for a fee of at least £1m in the summer of 2022.

That came after he had only played 14 first-team matches for Leeds, as well as 15 games on loan at Bournemouth in the 2021/22 campaign, after coming up through the youth set-up, initially under Marcelo Bielsa.

Scott Parker described Davis as an “animal” during the defender’s loan spell at the Vitality Stadium, but his form for the Cherries was not good enough to prevent the Whites from selling him to Ipswich that summer.

That decision to move him to Portman Road for a fee of £1m has turned out to be a big blunder by Leeds because he has thrived in Suffolk, and is currently even better than Archie Gray.

Davis, now 25, has just been relegated back down to the Championship with Ipswich, but he did show plenty of promise with his performances in the Premier League and may have an eye on an instant return to the top-flight.

The English left-back provided 21 assists in 43 second-tier matches in the 2023/24 campaign, which showed that he was far too good to be playing at that level from a creative perspective.

Appearances

31

Goals

1

Big chances created

12

xA

4.18

Assists

2

Key passes per game

1.7

As you can see in the table above, Davis has been incredibly unfortunate in the Premier League this season because his teammates have only scored two goals from the 12 ‘big chances’ that he has created for them.

Unlike Gray, the former Leeds gem has excelled in an area of the game in the top-flight this term, as his statistics show that he has been an excellent creative outlet for the Tractor Boys and a shining light in possession in a dim campaign for them.

Whilst his defensive work is questionable, with one red card, three errors leading to shots, and two penalties committed, Davis has shown that he has the technical ability to play in the Premier League.

This is why Leeds messed up when they sold him for just £1m, because they lost an exciting talent who has shown enough potential to be a useful asset in the Premier League, even more so than Gray, who they sold for £30m, has in the current campaign.

Farke is brewing a Piroe upgrade in Leeds teen with "masses of potential"

Leeds United could have a top star for the future in this highly rated youngster.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 27, 2025

Davis has proven that Leeds messed up by cashing in on him before he had the chance to show what he could do with regular game time at Elland Road, and it is a shame that he left before Farke had a chance to work with his creative talent, certainly at Championship level.

Nottingham Forest have now joined the race for an “excellent” AC Milan player, who is set to leave the Italian club in the summer transfer window, according to a report.

Forest stepping up summer transfer plans

Forest should be well-positioned to bring in some top-quality players this summer, given that they have a very good chance of qualifying for the Champions League, and Nuno is keen to bolster his options in a number of different areas.

The goalscoring burden has largely been on Chris Wood this season, and the Tricky Trees are eager to bring in a new striker to provide competition for the New Zealander, with Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Matheus Cunha and Everton’s Dominic Calvert-Lewin among the targets.

There appears to be a heavy focus on strengthening in attacking areas, with Marseille winger Luis Henrique also of interest, alongside Sporting CP star Viktor Gyokeres, and there have been suggestions Jota Silva could be used as a makeweight in a deal for the Sweden international.

Contact made: Nottingham Forest make enquiry for £40m "one-man machine"

The Tricky Trees have now made a move for a midfielder, who is attracting widespread interest from across Europe.

ByDominic Lund Apr 16, 2025

Bringing in attacking reinforcements may be of key significance to Nuno, but the manager could also look to strengthen at the opposite end of the pitch, with a report from Italy revealing Nottingham Forest have now joined the race for AC Milan defender Malick Thiaw.

Thiaw will be allowed to leave Milan this summer, and the Serie A side are set to hold out for around €25m to €30m (£22m – £26m), amid widespread interest in his signature, with Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Arsenal also keen.

The asking price shouldn’t be a problem for any of the Premier League clubs, but Bayer Leverkusen’s interest could pose an issue, with the German club already making an approach for the 23-year-old.

"Excellent" Thiaw could be success at the City Ground

The German centre-back remained on the substitutes’ bench at the beginning of the campaign, but he has since gone on to establish himself as an important player for Milan, getting on the scoresheet in a 3-1 Champions League victory against Real Madrid.

That was not the first time the 6 foot 4 colossus put in an impressive performance in the Champions League, having previously received high praise from former AC Milan boss Arrigo Sacchi for a top display against Tottenham Hotspur in February 2023.

Sacchi said: “He played an excellent game. He often found himself in one-on-one situations and did not give up an inch to the opponent.”

It has not been the best of campaigns for Milan, with the Italian side sat ninth in the Serie A, but Thiaw’s exploits in Europe indicate he could be a fantastic signing for Forest, and a fee of £22m – £26m is very reasonable for a defender of his quality.

Manchester United have now joined the race to sign an “excellent” goalkeeper, who could be brought in as a replacement for Andre Onana this summer, according to a report.

Major concern over Onana's Man Utd performances

Onana was the subject of heavy criticism prior to Man United’s recent Europa League clash against Lyon, with Nemanja Matic launching a scathing attack on the goalkeeper.

Unfortunately, the 29-year-old didn’t exactly manage to silence the critics at the Groupama Stadium, making a late blunder to gift Rayan Cherki an equalising goal, which means there is everything still to play for at Old Trafford on Thursday night.

After the poor display against Lyon, Onana was dropped from the squad for the trip to St. James’ Park, but Altay Bayindir didn’t exactly stake a claim for a regular starting spot, with the Red Devils succumbing to a 4-1 defeat against Newcastle United.

Man Utd and INEOS now looking to hijack Newcastle deal for £25m wide player

Man Utd have now joined their Premier League rivals in the race to sign an exciting attacker.

ByBrett Worthington Apr 14, 2025

As such, Ruben Amorim is now looking to bring in a new goalkeeper this summer, and Man Utd have joined the race for Anders goalkeeper Yahia Fofana, according to a report from The Boot Room.

Fofana’s performances this season have attracted the attention of a number of Premier League clubs, with Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City, Newcastle, Brentford and Nottingham Forest also making checks in recent weeks.

Previous reports have detailed that the Angers shot-stopper could be available for just £15m this summer, so Amorim may not have to break the bank if he chooses to pursue a deal.

"Excellent" Fofana could be Onana upgrade

It is clear Amorim is losing faith with Onana, and it is little wonder, given that the Cameroonian’s latest blunder could be costly in United’s Europa League campaign, while Bayindir also failed to impress against Newcastle.

Fofana’s performances this season indicate he could be an upgrade for United between the sticks, having been lauded as “excellent” by members of the media after putting in a solid display against Paris Saint-Germain earlier this month.

Freelance scout Ben Mattinson has also praised the Ivorian, and believes the £15m fee Angers are set to hold out for “could be a bargain”.

The 24-year-old is yet to prove himself at the highest level, but his performances this season indicate he could be capable of making the step-up to a top club, and his availability for a low fee is an added bonus for United.

Manchester City are preparing to travel across the city to face their bitter rivals Manchester United at Old Trafford in the Premier League on Sunday.

The Cityzens are currently fifth in the table and are fighting to secure a place in the Champions League for next season, to ensure that they do not drop down to the Europa League spots.

This clash with Ruben Amorim’s side is not only important within the context of the Premier League, though, as it will also be the final Manchester derby for Kevin de Bruyne.

The long-serving Belgian superstar announced on Friday that this will be his final season at The Etihad and he will be moving on from the club when his current contract expires in the summer.

De Bruyne will leave Manchester City a couple of months short of ten years since his £55m transfer to the club from Wolfsburg back in the summer of 2015.

The Belgium international’s exit will leave a big hole in Pep Guardiola’s squad because he has been a key player for the Premier League champions for so many years.

Why Kevin de Bruyne is a Manchester City legend

Since joining from Wolfsburg, De Bruyne has cultivated a reputation for being one of the most feared creators in the history of the English top-flight.

At the time of writing, the 33-year-old magician has racked up 118 assists in the Premier League – a tally that comes second only to Ryan Giggs (162) in the history of the league.

The experienced wizard has scored 106 goals and provided 174 assists in 413 appearances in all competitions for Manchester City to date, which shows that he has consistently contributed as both a scorer and a creator of goals from a central midfield position.

De Bruyne will leave the club having won six Premier League titles in ten seasons at The Etihad, heavily contributing to those successes with his immense quality at the top end of the pitch.

24/25

20

2

6

23/24

18

4

10

22/23

32

7

16

21/22

30

15

8

20/21

25

6

12

19/20

35

13

20

18/19

19

2

2

17/18

37

8

16

16/17

36

6

18

15/16

25

7

9

As you can see in the table above, the former Chelsea man has delivered a consistent stream of goals and assists when fit for the majority of his career at the club in the Premier League.

All of this contributes to why de Bruyne is a Manchester City legend, as he has been a top-class performer for a decade, but his powers are waning, as shown by his goal tally this season, and his value has plummeted as a result.

Kevin de Bruyne's current market value

At the time of writing (05/04/2025), the Belgian sensation’s current Transfermarkt valuation stands at just £23m, whilst he is also set to leave the club for £0 when his contract expires this summer.

His market value peaked at a whopping £128m in the summer of 2018 and has steadily declined in recent years, as the Premier League legend heads toward the end of his playing career.

His current market valuation of £23m places him 19th in the current Manchester City squad on value, behind the likes of Rico Lewis, Matheus Nunes, and Vitor Reis.

This illustrates his natural decline, as his performances and value have regressed with age, and that is why it feels like the right time for him to move on when his contract expires at the end of the season.

He is still fairly highly valued, at £23m, though, and there is one former Manchester City starlet – at the other end of his career – whose value has soared past the Belgian’s.

Morgan Rogers came up through the City academy, after being signed from West Brom in 2019, before being sold to Middlesbrough for a reported fee of £1.5m in the summer of 2023.

Morgan Rogers' soaring market value

Since leaving The Etihad on a permanent deal almost two years ago, the England international’s career has skyrocketed and he is now worth even more than de Bruyne.

After just six months at Boro, Aston Villa swooped in to sign the forward in a deal that could be worth up to £16m in the January window at the start of last year.

Rogers has since established himself as a big star for Unai Emery at Villa Park and earned recognition on the international stage, with three caps for England to date.

The 22-year-old talent has racked up 15 goals and 12 assists in 59 appearances in all competitions for the Villans, including three goals and three assists in ten outings in the Champions League.

Rogers, as illustrated above, has achieved a lot in a short time at Aston Villa, which is also backed up by his statistics as he has provided a consistent stream of goals and assists from an attacking midfield position.

The English star, who pundit Jamie Carragher previously described as “unstoppable”, has proven that he can perform in the Premier League and the Champions League, which suggests that he could have developed into a star at Manchester City if he had been given more opportunities to shine.

Unfortunately, the Cityzens decided to cash in on him for just £1.5m before he had the chance to showcase his quality at the top level, and his rise since then proves that they messed up with that call.

At the time of writing, Rogers is valued at a whopping £42.5m by Transfermarkt. This means that his value has soared by a staggering 2,733% from the £1.5m that City raked in for his services from Middlesbrough less than two years ago.

Forget Foden: Pep already has the perfect De Bruyne replacement at Man City

Manchester City will lose Kevin de Bruyne this summer, handing Pep Guardiola a task to replace him.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 4, 2025

This proves that Manchester City messed up when they decided to sell him because he is now worth £41m more and worth even more than de Bruyne, whilst delivering quality performances in the Premier League and the Champions League.

Leeds United are in a dire situation. The Whites continue to lose games in the Premier League consistently, with their most recent defeat coming away to Manchester City, 3-2 at the Etihad Stadium.

Indeed, bagging two goals away to Pep Guardiola’s side was impressive, and the performance going forward was slightly better.

The Whites managed nine shots at Gianluigi Donnarumma’s goal, with four of those finding the target. They were more clinical, too, scoring two out of the three big chances they created.

Yet, with another loss, the pressure continues to mount on Daniel Farke, and the underlying numbers are evidence as to why.

Leeds' underlying numbers this season

Many people expected the West Yorkshire side to be in a relegation fight by the end of the season, including ESPN pundit Bill Connelly, who predicted them to finish 18th. Well, they are now in that exact position in the Premier League, with 11 points to their name.

Goalscoring has been a real issue for the Whites this term. Farke’s side have only bagged 13 goals. That is better than one side, bottom-place Wolverhampton Wanderers, who have only scored seven times.

Leeds are drastically underachieving on their expected goals, too, a metric which currently stands at 16.96 xG. That is almost four goals more than what they have managed, the third biggest underachievement in the Premier League this season.

The spread of goals in their squad is perhaps concerning, too. Summer signing Lukas Nmecha is their top scorer in the Premier League with four, and only three players have found the back of the net multiple times. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is one of those, after he scored his second of the season against City at the weekend.

Looking at those numbers, it might not be a surprise that Leeds are struggling as much as they are. It is why Farke’s job is under pressure, although an alternative could have been identified.

Leeds' Farke alternative

A recent report from talkSPORT suggests that the Whites are ‘admirers’ of former Nottingham Forest and Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou.

Of course, he hasn’t long been out of the game, having left the East Midlands a few months ago, but could already return to the Premier League if Leeds approach.

His first season in North London showed exactly how good he can be. Described as a “highly entertaining” manager by former Spurs star Graham Roberts, Postecoglou played high-octane football, which helped the Lilywhites qualify for the Europa League.

That is a style the Elland Road faithful might be used to. Marcelo Bielsa, one of their best managers in recent years, was famed for his energetic brand of football, a style Anthony Hudson said is “a really positive approach.”

In fact, former Chelsea and Arsenal defender William Gallas has even said that “demands remind me a little bit of Bielsa” because of how “physically exhausting” it can be. Remember Bielsa’s famed murder ball? Well, that could be back at Thorp Arch before too long.

In Postecoglou’s first campaign in the hot seat at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, the Australian won 21 games in 41 that he coached. His side were fluid going forward, bagging 79 times across all competitions.

It is interesting to look at a comparison between the numbers that Postecoglou’s Spurs put up in their first 13 games in the Premier League, compared to Farke’s side from this season. Indeed, they stack up well and hint at the attacking football he could bring to Elland Road.

For example, Spurs had scored 25 goals in those opening 13 matches in 2023/24. They were overachieving slightly when it came to expected goals, too. The Lilywhites racked up 23.83 xG, a steady pace along with their actual total.

Points

26

11

Expected points

20.66xPTS

17.88xPTS

Goals

25

13

Expected goals

23.83xG

16.96xG

Goals conceded

17

25

Expected goals conceced

21.28xGA

18.52xGA

It is easy to see how Postecoglou could be an upgrade on Farke. The Australian manager might play risky football with a high line, but it has proven to be entertaining and a good source of goals.

The numbers highlighted show what fans can expect to see if the Whites execute Postecoglou’s game plan well. He could certainly bring an exciting brand of football to Elland Road and would ultimately be an upgrade on Farke.

Fewer touches than Perri: Farke must bin Leeds star who lost the ball 14x

Daniel Farke must drop one player after Saturday’s defeat to Manchester City at the Etihad.

ByEthan Lamb Nov 30, 2025

Liverpool have now joined the race to sign a defensive reinforcement alongside interest from rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.

Slot shaping Liverpool future without Salah?

Arne Slot simply had to make a big call last weekend. PSV Eindhoven’s 4-1 thrashing took Liverpool’s form from a blip into a full-blown crisis and something had to give. Unfortunately, that something against West Ham United was Mohamed Salah.

Liverpool’s Egyptian King was forced to watch on from the bench as the Reds finally put in a more controlled performance and Alexander Isak netted his first Premier League goal for the club. But as much as that victory came as a relief, it also raised a serious question about Salah’s place in Slot’s best side.

Ahead of Liverpool’s crucial clash against Sunderland on Wednesday evening, Slot revealed Salah’s reaction to being dropped – telling reporters: “It’s a normal reaction from a player that is good enough to play for us.

“He wasn’t the only who wasn’t happy he wasn’t starting. The way he behaved is the way you would expect of a professional. He handled himself really well. A top professional.”

Whether we’ll see Liverpool’s star make a return to action in midweek remains to be seen. After returning to winning ways, Slot may be asking himself whether he can afford to change things up.

He's like Arteta: Liverpool line up "best coach in the PL" to replace Slot

Arne Slot is under intense pressure at Liverpool after a shocking run of form.

2 ByAngus Sinclair Dec 2, 2025

Of course, it’s worth noting that a large part of the Dutchman’s backline simply can’t be changed. Whilst Conor Bradley is back in training, he won’t be ready to face Sunderland, which leaves Joe Gomez as the only other more recognisable right-back unless Dominik Szoboszlai drops in again.

Meanwhile, Slot still has just two centre-backs available in Virgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate, which is a problem that the Reds could solve by signing Castello Lukeba in January.

Liverpool join January race to sign Lukeba

As reported by Caught Offside, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Lukaba alongside Man United, Chelsea and Newcastle United in the January transfer window.

The RB Leipzig defender no longer has a release clause worth €90m (£79m) and will be available for just €60m (£52m) in the winter window. As concerns continue to grow that Liverpool could still miss out on Marc Guehi, Lukeba has suddenly emerged as an ideal option.

Compared to Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol by the Bundesliga’s official website, the Frenchman could yet make a similar impact on England’s top flight next year, ranking in the 99th percentile against other centre-backs in the top five leagues for successful take-ons.

Minutes

990

789

Progressive Passes

46

55

Tackles Won

6

8

Ball Recoveries

63

28

It’s easy to see where the comparisons with Gvardiol have come from. Lukeba is an excellent central defender who’s great on the ball, capable of carrying or passing it forward and destined for a big move.

Dubbed “unique” by Como scout Ben Mattinson last year, the Leipzig star is also still just 22 years old and yet to reach the peak of his powers. Even if Konate does sign a new contract at Anfield, Lukeba could arrive and take his place in Liverpool’s strongest side in 2026.

Better move than Semenyo: Liverpool set to table bid to sign £53m "machine"

Are Tottenham Hotspur finding their feet under Thomas Frank’s stewardship?

Certainly, we have seen green shoots in recent matches. After that dismal home defeat to Fulham at the end of November, Spurs battled to a 2-2 draw at St. James’ Park before beating Brentford in the Premier League and Slavia Prague in the Champions League.

Two clean sheets from two games, but Tottenham still could do with reinforcements in the rearguard. Namely, ENIC Group are planning to help Frank piece together a lasting project with a new left-back.

Destiny Udogie picked up a hamstring injury against Newcastle United and will be out until the New Year. But the Italian defender has been out of sorts this season anyway, and Tottenham are ready to take action.

Spurs' search for a left-back

Udogie quickly established himself as one of the most dangerous up-and-coming full-backs in Europe after joining Tottenham from Hellas Verona. Better known for his time on loan with Udinese across multiple years, the Italian was hailed as “the best left-back” in the country by Clinton Morrison on BBC Sport a few months into his arrival under Ange Postecoglou’s wing.

However, Udogie’s persistent injury issues have stunted his growth, and the 23-year-old has been told he “needs to wake up” by one coach this term, lacking awareness and dynamism. With Ben Davies getting on – and rarely getting off the bench – competition is needed, especially with the Lilywhites making headway in the Champions League.

That’s why Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange are circling in on Eintracht Frankfurt star Nathaniel Brown, with TEAMtalk revealing that the 22-year-old German international is on Tottenham’s wishlist ahead of the winter window.

A versatile wideman with no qualms about playing further upfield, Brown would add depth and new dimensions to Frank’s team, though this is a sentiment shared with rivals, Arsenal and Manchester United also among the suitors named.

He would cost upwards of £50m, but Brown has the potential to become one of the best in the business, and he would slot right into Frank’s set-up.

What Brown would bring to Spurs

Brown, a German-born player with American heritage, boasts blistering pace and a desire to progress play whenever he can. However, he is also defensively sound, mixing between duties seamlessly.

As per FBref, Brown ranks among the top 9% of full-backs across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists and the top 3% for tackles per 90, underlining his dynamism and ability to mix defence with attack.

In this, he has something of a likeness to Udogie, the finest iteration of the Italy star, and while Spurs’ talented wide defender has fallen by the wayside of late, his profile remains tailor-made for a starring role in one of Europe’s top outfits.

Brown, moreover, is on an upward trajectory, with analyst Spencer Mossman claiming earlier in 2025 that he is “one-two years away from being the most coveted left back” in the world. Already, several of the Premier League’s biggest sides want to bring him over, suggesting that he is indeed ahead of that prediction already.

Frankfurt has a rather porous defence this season, and that is a concern, but Brown is one of the standouts, showcasing an impressive mix of qualities. Furthermore, he rode the crest of a wave into the current campaign, having played so well in the Bundesliga last year.

Matches (starts)

10 (6_

6 (6)

Goals

0

1

Assists

1

2

Touches*

47.5

47.8

Accurate passes*

26.8 (85%)

25.7 (84%)

Chances created*

0.7

1.0

Succ. dribbles*

0.3 (27%)

0.5 (38%)

Recoveries*

3.8

3.4

Tackles + interceptions*

1.5

3.1

Clearances*

1.1

1.2

Duels (won)*

2.9 (46%)

3.8 (51%)

As we can see from the respective left-backs’ Champions League campaigns, Brown is enjoying greater success, with his staggering duel success rate something to note.

Last season, talent scout Jacek Kulig said Brown is “moving to another level”, so perhaps it is the right time for him to take the leap of faith over the channel and down N17 to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

What Tottenham decide to do remains to be seen, but Frank needs a few more instruments in his tactical toolbox, and Brown could mark his crowning signing as improvements start to reveal themselves.

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Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca seems to have pulled a major U-turn over one of his axed stars as a photo from Cobham training reveals his surprise change of heart.

The Blues are back to winning ways after suffering a shock 2-1 home defeat to newly-promoted Sunderland in October, with Chelsea winning three out of their last four in all competitions and briefly climbing to second in the Premier League table.

Moises Caicedo

7.30

Joao Pedro

7.21

Trevoh Chalobah

7.16

Pedro Neto

7.08

Marc Cucurella

7.00

via WhoScored

The in-form Joao Pedro scored Chelsea’s only goal of the game to seal a dominant 1-0 victory over London rivals Tottenham, maintaining Chelsea’s impressive derby record, and followed that up with a comprehensive 3-0 triumph over bottom-side Wolves in their last match before the international break.

The victory came despite Maresca making eight changes from their midweek 2-2 draw with Qarabağ in the Champions League, continuing his rotation policy that has seen a grand total of 93 starting eleven changes in all competitions so far this season — the most of any Premier League side.

Their plethora of injury problems throughout the campaign, which has seen Levi Colwill, Cole Palmer, Benoit Badiashile, Enzo Fernández, Pedro Neto, Dario Essugo, Liam Delap, Reece James, Wesley Fofana, Tosin Adarabioyo, Andrey Santos and Josh Acheampong all sidelined at various points, has forced Maresca’s hand in this regard.

Chelsea also have 25 players in their squad who’ve been given at least 45 minutes of playing time this term, with only Nottingham Forest and West Ham (24) coming anywhere close to that number.

Two of the only Chelsea players who’ve not seen a single minute thus far are ‘bomb squad’ outcasts Raheem Sterling and Axel Disasi.

Both men, after failing to secure moves away in the summer, are training in isolation, with Sterling causing quite a stir when he posted an image of him training alone and very late at night in what looked like a barren training complex.

This social media post even prompted the PFA to intervene and ensure that Chelsea weren’t treating the duo unfairly, coming after Maresca previously stated there was no way back for either man and they’d continue training away from the group.

When asked if they could play their way back into the first team, Maresca’s reply was brief, and it was a resounding ‘no’ (The Mail).

Sterling, who spent last term on a failed loan spell at Arsenal, has been linked with a move to Celtic ahead of the January window. Disasi, meanwhile, was surprisingly spotted training with the first team this week — despite Maresca previously saying there was no way.

Enzo Maresca pulls U-turn over axed Axel Disasi as Cobham photo reveals surprise call

In a twist, The Mail have shared a photo from Cobham of Disasi tussling with Liam Delap in an international break session, with Maresca now going back on his word and allowing the Frenchman to compete with his squad after all.

While there was still no sign of Sterling, Disasi’s recall to first-team training makes for an intriguing development, and one which will make on-lookers wonder whether he’s done enough to earn back Maresca’s favour.

After playing only 18 per cent of available Premier League minutes under Maresca last term, Disasi failed to establish himself as a regular starter domestically, despite captaining them in the Conference League and largely playing as an emergency right-back.

Aston Villa sealed his loan signing for the remainder of 2024/2025 last January, coming after Disasi reportedly rejected a loan to Tottenham, insisting on competing with Unai Emery’s side in the Champions League instead.

Disasi’s brief flashes ultimately failed to convince Villa to make the move permanent, and when the summer transfer window opened, Disasi found himself back in Chelsea’s notorious bomb squad alongside Sterling.

Having rejected moves to Crystal Palace and West Ham among others, and despite rumoured interest from clubs in Turkey and Saudi Arabia, Disasi snubbed multiple opportunities, leaving him stranded at Stamford Bridge.

With the January window looming, Maresca could well be planning to hand the 27-year-old some minutes as a way to drive up interest from suitors, but we’re purely speculating here.

Tottenham Hotspur’s defeat against Chelsea, their fifth in a row against the Blues, was undoubtedly the bleakest and most concerning result of Thomas Frank’s reign so far.

The one-goal affair felt wholly different to Spurs’ recent losses against their nemesis when led by Ange Postecoglou, but gone was any form of entertainment value this time, and the post-match reaction from fans and players underscored the issues that Frank contends with just a few months into his tenure.

Still, things aren’t all that bad. Tottenham are fifth in the Premier League, just two points away from second-place Manchester City. Furthermore, they are unbeaten across three Champions League fixtures.

We were always going to see a bedding-in period, and Tottenham have put last season’s lowly league form behind them, but there’s much more to be desired all the same.

And in the case of Xavi Simons, it’s probably fair to say that more would have been expected from the diminutive playmaker by this stage.

Xavi Simons' slow start at Spurs

When Tottenham signed Simons from RB Leipzig for £52m in August, they knew they had sealed a coup. After all, the Netherlands international had been courted by Chelsea all summer, with analyst Ben Mattinson claiming he is “destined for greatness”.

But it’s been a tough start to life in England, alright, and the 22-year-old has been one of the most saliently poor Spurs stars this season, with his performance against Enzo Maresca’s side drawing plenty of backlash.

It’s a collectively shared opinion within the Lilywhites fanbase that Simons has lacked composure and presence in his creative midfield berth this season. The Chelsea match was a defeat in isolation, but Sofascore record that Simons is averaging only 0.9 key passes per Premier League game this term, having featured seven times and started five of those games.

Having replaced the concussed Lucas Bergvall after only seven minutes at the weekend, Frank saw it fit to hook his summer recruit just over an hour later.

With Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison both sidelined with injuries and still not expected back for the foreseeable future, Simons has been tasked with serving as Spurs’ chief creator, but he’s fallen by the wayside in this regard.

He’s young enough and talented enough to kick on after this early blip, but there’s little question that more is needed – and quickly.

Tottenham have further players who have struggled to impress this season, though, and there’s another midfielder with a wealth more experience in the English game who may well be playing himself into a corner in Frank’s system.

Frank must axe Spurs' "lucky boy"

Frank is far more pragmatic in his tactical set-up than his predecessor at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but the general disgruntlement around the club at the moment emphasises the need for greater balance between the thirds.

The midfielders are the connective tissue, though, and while Joao Palhinha has been lauded as a shrewd summer signing, on loan from Bayern Munich, there’s not enough impetus and dynamism in midfield, and Rodrigo Bentancur is becoming a problem in that regard.

Bentancur, 28, has racked up 128 appearances since joining Tottenham from Juventus in January 2022 (initially on loan), but injuries have kept him at an ebb and flow in north London, never quite reaching the full fluency that his talent and athleticism could lead him toward.

25/26

9

648′

24/25

26

1,653′

23/24

23

1,007′

22/23

18

1,506′

21/22

17

1,365′

His consistent unavailability might have been stretched this season but for a fortuitous VAR call that kept him on the field after a studs-up challenge on Chelsea’s Reece James at the weekend. Tottenham presenter Hollie Agombar called him “a lucky boy” after the game.

The £120k-per-week ace signed a new long-term contract only last month, which does stand as a marker of his standing under Frank’s wing, but his connection with Palhinha in the middle of the park has not made him undroppable by any stretch, and there are bound to be concerns relating to the stodginess of Spurs’ general play in the centre.

Of course, he’s not without his uses. The South American ranks among the top 6% of Premier League midfielders this season for ball recoveries, the top 13% for clearances and the top 11% for blocks per 90, data via FBref, but this isn’t enough to secure his long-term place in Frank’s engine room, especially since he is not progressive enough on the ball and thus part of the wider creative problem.

Whereas Simons has time on his side, Bentancur is a seasoned Tottenham star who is supposedly in the prime of his career. This was clearly the view of the powers that be down N17, having rebuffed summer interest from Atletico Madrid and indeed rewarded the midfielder with improved terms.

But he is not proving his worth at this moment in time, and Frank will expect that to improve swiftly, especially with the likes of Pape Matar Sarr and Bergvall gunning for more prominent roles.

Against Chelsea, Bentancur did himself few favours, even if he did manage to avoid a red card for that stamp on James. Writing of his performance in the derby, the Evening Standard criticised the hosts’ midfield controller for being unable to provide protection from Chelsea counters, with his caution on the ball directly hindering Spurs’ fight for quality in attack. He was hit with a lowly 4/10 match rating.

Much for Frank to chew on. However, it might be that Bentancur is beginning to demonstrate that he does not get into Tottenham’s brightest 11, and that’s a topic that will only intensify when the injured playmakers return. With that in mind, maybe he should be axed down the line.

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