Category Uncategorized

Tottenham’s January transfer window has intensified following the disappointing news surrounding their pursuit of Santos left-back Souza.

Thomas Frank’s side made an initial approach worth around £8.5 million for the Brazilian, but Santos swiftly rejected the proposal, reportedly demanding around double that figure to part with one of their prized academy graduates.

The north London club have not been deterred by the setback, though.

Media sources confirm Tottenham are continuing talks with Santos and have been trying hard to force a breakthrough on the deal over the past week.

The teenager represents exactly the profile Frank wants to strengthen the left side of defense, offering both defensive solidity and the attacking thrust necessary to complement Spurs’ system.

Chelsea, through their BlueCo ownership, Manchester City via City Group, and Newcastle United are also rumoured to be showing varying degrees of interest in Souza too.

Each organisation is monitoring the situation closely and potentially prepared to match Tottenham if negotiations drag on much longer.

Related Tottenham ready double-your-money offer for player who's keen to join Frank

Spurs are preparing a bid.

Posts 1 ByEmilio Galantini

That being said, reports this afternoon state that Spurs are awaiting an answer to their second bid for Souza, which is worth around £13 million this time.

The 19-year-old is also keen to join Frank’s side, giving the Dane further encouragement that a deal is indeed possible.

Frank faces mounting pressure to add defensive reinforcements quickly.

Destiny Udogie’s hamstring injury has exposed the squad’s lack of depth at left-back, forcing the manager to rely on veteran Ben Davies and converted right-back Djed Spence to cover the position.

With Spurs languishing in mid-table after 20 Premier League matches, the Lilywhites need inspiration from somewhere, and Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge says they’re also prioritising a forward.

They’re expected to be pretty busy when it comes to recruitment over the next few weeks, and journalist Graeme Bailey reports that they’ve now been offered the chance to sign another Brazilian rising star.

Tottenham offered Roma star Wesley Franca amid Souza talks

According to Bailey and TEAMtalk, Tottenham and Man City have now been alerted to Wesley as an alternative possibility for January.

The two Premier League clubs have been presented with an opportunity to seal a move for the Brazil international who has lit up Serie A since his arrival from Flamengo last summer.

It is believed that intermediaries have told his English suitors, including Spurs and City, that a deal could be possible should they show any desire to sign the 22-year-old this month.

Wesley joined Roma from Flamengo for around £22 million and has impressed manager Gian Piero Gasperini with his attacking output from the wing-back positions.

He operates comfortably on both flanks and possesses exactly the kind of versatility that appeals to modern Premier League managers.

Wesley combines pace, confidence on the ball and an ability to push high up the pitch, making him ideally suited to the demands of English football.

Subscribe to our newsletter for transfer window insight Gain deeper transfer insight when you subscribe to the newsletter: focused coverage of Tottenham’s pursuit of Souza and Wesley, with grounded analysis of negotiation dynamics and squad implications.

---

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.

His performances for Roma have seen him force his way into the Brazil national team setup, earning three senior caps since joining Gasperini’s side as he pushes for a place in Carlo Ancelotti’s star-studded World Cup squad.

Roma remain extremely satisfied with Wesley’s contributions and have no pressing need to sell. However, Bailey suggests that Gasperini’s desire to strengthen other areas of the squad, particularly in attack, could potentially open the door to an unexpected departure.

The Italian giants would only consider offers that meet their valuation, which may need to be substantial given Wesley’s importance to Roma.

Everton have also been watching Wesley closely through their sister club relationship with Roma under the Friedkin Group ownership. The Toffees would struggle to match Tottenham and City from a financial perspective, though, making them outsiders in any potential bidding war.

For Tottenham, Wesley represents an intriguing alternative to Souza.

His Serie A experience means he has already proven himself in one of Europe’s tougher leagues, removing some of the risk associated with signing directly from South America.

Related Tottenham make enquiry for £63m Brennan Johnson replacement

Spurs are overhauling their attack…

Posts ByBen Goodwin

Could this be Arsenal’s year? How many times have those words been whispered in recent times, with Mikel Arteta having restored the north London club to a position of power at the height of domestic and European football?

All that is missing is silverware, though Arteta did secure the FA Cup during that first half-season in charge. But with Aston Villa swept aside at the end of 2025, Arsenal have underscored their credentials at the top of the Premier League, five points clear of Manchester City (whose game in hand comes at Sunderland on New Year’s Day).

Everyone is playing their part, but this means some within the Gunners squad could find themselves struggling for starts, week in and week out, Viktor Gyokeres being chief among them.

Why Arteta must drop Viktor Gyokeres

There was a weight of expectation and excitement when Arsenal announced the signing of Swedish striker Gyokeres for £64m in July, ending an interminable wait for a clinical number nine.

The 27-year-old has scored five goals from 15 Premier League appearances (12 starts) this season, and his general play has left something to be desired.

This was clear, once again, during the win over Villa. Hooked for the goalscoring Gabriel Jesus after 77 minutes, Gyokeres only completed three passes, failing with both of his attempted dribbles and winning only one of seven duels, as per Sofascore. That’s without acknowledging the blunder which saw him lose possession in his own half, nearly gifting Ollie Watkins a goal.

Gyokeres was billed as an unstoppable powerhouse, but he has been caught against the tide in the Premier League, perhaps struggling to adapt to the intensity and physicality and technicality.

With Jesus back in action and impressing, Arsenal’s new attacking recruit may find minutes hard to come by, though he’s not the only one, with a well-liked member of Arteta’s brood struggling against Unai Emery’s side, and now in danger of drifting away from a starting berth entirely.

Arsenal star may now lose his place

It is a testament to Arsenal’s diligent squad planning over the past several years that they have so many talented options across the park. The Gunners probably have the strongest squad in the Premier League, perhaps Europe.

Mikel Merino embodies this, having been a crucial part of the project since joining from Real Sociedad in 2024.

A clutch player whose instinctiveness in the final third lends itself to moonlit roles as a stand-in striker, Merino, 29, has been a revelation, but with Declan Rice sidelined on Tuesday evening, Merino struggled to match the Three Lions superstar’s brilliance, and it’s clear that Arteta needs him back in the starting line-up pronto.

Merino was withdrawn after 73 minutes, having worked hard but struggled to match the fluency of his midfield peers, Martin Odegaard and Martin Zubimendi, who were praised for having “dominated the match” by journalist Sam Dean.

Mikel Merino – Arsenal Stats by Position

Positions

Apps

Goals + Assists

Central midfield

46

4 + 2

Centre-forward

23

10 + 6

Attacking midfield

2

0 + 0

Data via Transfermarkt

Despite playing most of the contest, Merino took fewer touches than Villan goalkeeper Emi Martinez. The versatile Spaniard completed 90% of his passes and created three chances, also winning five of 11 contested duels. However, he conceded three fouls and was probably fortunate to have avoided a red card after a challenge on Morgan Rogers while on a yellow.

Subscribe to the Newsletter for Deeper Arsenal Insight Crave more than a match recap? Subscribe to the newsletter for in-depth Arsenal analysis: tactical breakdowns, lineup scrutiny, squad role assessments and transfer context that expand on the topic and sharpen your understanding.

---

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.

This, and the fact he drifted on the edges of the flow of the game, led football.london to brand him with a 5/10 match rating.

As Arsenal head into the new year, they know what they want: titles.

Whether Arsenal win the Premier League remains to be seen, but it’s clear that, as this team gathers full strength, Merino might be better deployed off the bench, for he was a black sheep among silky stars against Aston Villa.

Merino is an integral part of Arsenal’s squad. When options are short at number nine – and they have been – his prowess as a makeshift striker has paid dividends –

Related Modern day Vieira: Arteta's 9/10 lieutenant is driving Arsenal to the title

Arsenal secured a title-defining victory over Aston Villa in the Premier League.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair

The speculation finally ends… Inzamam-ul-Haq will retire after the Lahore Test © AFP

Inzamam-ul-Haq, the former captain of the Pakistan team, has announced he will retire from international cricket after the second Test against South Africa at Lahore. Inzamam will be hoping to end his career by breaking Javed Miandad’s Pakistan record of 8832 Test runs. Inzamam currently has 8813 runs, still needing 20 runs to become the highest run-getter for Pakistan in Tests.Inzamam made this announcement at the National Stadium in Karachi where Pakistan are currently playing the first Test against South Africa. A few hours later, the board named Inzamam in a 16-man squad for the second Test. In recent days speculation has mounted over Inzamam’s future, with him declaring himself unavailable for the first Test against South Africa. He is also one of three Pakistani players to sign with the Indian Cricket League.”I spoke to the board and selectors and the first Test was originally offered to me but I wasn’t mentally ready to come back to Test cricket then. It was my idea to play in Lahore and then say ‘Thank you very much’.” he wrote in Bigstarcricket.com. “I am really grateful to the board for their gesture as nobody else has been able to leave the game like this. Not Wasim Akram, Waqar Younis, Saeed Anwar or Javed Miandad, it has not been the tradition. No previous board chairman has shown the kind of respect that Nasim Ashraf is showing to me by allowing me to leave the game in this way.”Inzamam hoped he could end on a high, finishing atop the Pakistani batting mountain. “I need a century against South Africa to have a set of Test hundreds against every country I have played against,” he said, “so it would be a good thing to make a century and beat Javed Miandad’s record but more importantly it would be good for Pakistan to win the game and draw the series.”Apart from Inzamam’s inclusion, the selectors have decided to stick to thesame 15 that were announced for the ongoing Test in Karachi. While Inzamamis almost certain to play, the match could also feature a return ofMohammad Yousuf who opted out ofthe first Test due to lack of match fitness. Thus a brief reunion ofPakistan’s strong middle-order comprising Inzamam, Yousuf and Younis Khanis very much on the cards.Pakistan squad:
Shoaib Malik (capt), Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Younis Khan,Salman Butt, Taufeeq Umar, Yasir Hameed, Faisal Iqbal, Kamran Akmal (wk),Mohammad Hafeez, Danish Kaneria, Abdur Rehman, Mohammad Asif, Umar Gul,Misbah-ul-Haq, Iftikhar Anjum

Monty Panesar has already felt the force of the Australian crowd © Getty Images

Richard Caborn, the UK sports minister, has called on ICC to stamp out racial taunts from spectators. He was reacting after Monty Panesar and Kevin Pietersen claimed they were subjected to abuse from the boundary while fielding during England’s warm-up matches in Australia.”No part of sport can accept racism,” Caborn, who is in India leading a British sport business delegation, told . “The sport’s governing body has to get involved and take appropriate action. Authorities have to be at war on this. I’m going to be talking to my counterpart in Australia, we’ve got a little difficulty down there.”However, James Sutherland, the Cricket Australia chief executive, said on Friday that he did not think Panesar being called a “stupid Indian” was racist. Panesar was allegedly taunted by a spectator during the three-day match against New South Wales at the SCG. “I don’t think there’s too much racist about that,” Sutherland said while launching a tourism initiative at the MCG.Caborn believes the impetus to eradicate racism should come from within cricket and that the authorities should learn from football’s example. “It’s an issue for the ICC to deal with, just like FIFA’s done in football,” he added. “In football we’ve been reasonably successful. We’ve tackled it in the United Kingdom through a big campaign that implores people to show a red card to racism.”ICC have toughened their anti-racism code over the past year after South African and Sri Lanka players complained at being targeted during tours to Australia. The England team have not made an official complaint but the ECB acknowledged the incidents.Under the toughened ICC anti-racism code, adopted two months ago, spectators who abuse players risk life bans from matches, while stadiums risk losing their international status. Caborn added winning the anti-racism campaign would depend on “self-policing.””It’s a matter of education . . . dealing with it systematically and educating people at various levels. We had a problem in soccer, but took effective steps to take it out of the game.”

A rampaging Sanath Jayasuriya is the last thing India will want to encounter © Getty Images

Despite sustaining a freak injury, Sanath Jayasuriya is set to play the opening match of the one-day series against India but may not be able to bowl. Sri Lanka arrive in India on October 20, and their tour begins with a one-day practice match against the Bombay Cricket Association President’s XI at the Wankhede Stadium on Oct 22. The seven-match one-day series kicks off at Nagpur on Oct 25.Jayasuriya was recovering well from a dislocated shoulder incurred during a one-day game in August against India, when earlier this week during a game of waterpolo CJ Smith, the team physio, accidentally rammed into his right shoulder causing a slight dislocation. It prevented him from playing in Tuesday’s practice match at the R Premadasa Stadium.Ashoka Pathirana, Sri Lanka Cricket spokesman, was confident that Jayasuriya would be able to take the field. “I can confirm such an accident has happened, but Sanath will be fit to play against India,” he was quoted as saying by , a South African publication.Marvan Atapattu, the Sri Lankan captain, said,”We had a day out of cricket on Monday. Because it was raining we thought we will do something different to cricket. We had some water sports in Bentota and this accident happened unfortunately.”He can bat but it makes our job so much easy if he can bowl because he takes the role of a full bowler. It is an unfortunate situation to go back to square one.”Atapattu is eager to play a full-strength side and assess the team’s capabilities away from home. “We haven’t been really tested for a long period of time and we haven’t played seven one-dayers [on a trot] for a long time,” he said to . “We know we have done well in Sri Lanka but it is different when you face the Indians at home. We are all geared up for the tour.”

Scorecard

Matthew Phelps helps New South Wales into the driver’s seat at the SCG© Getty Images

New South Wales suffered a middle-order hiccup but were on the verge of first-innings points thanks to half-centuries from Matthew Phelps and Dominic Thornely against Tasmania at the SCG. The pair combined for a 127-run partnership after the Blues were in bother at 3 for 61, and they were heading for a big total until Michael Bevan’s rare left-arm wrist spin broke through twice.Bevan took his first wicket in Australia for four years when he bowled Phelps and then picked up Jason Krejza, who was caught at point by David Dawson. Thornely was also dismissed, bowled by Xavier Doherty, as New South Wales lost 3 for 21, but Brad Haddin and Matthew Nicholson steadied the chase before stumps.New South Wales quickly wrapped up Tasmania’s first innings this morning, Nathan Bracken picking up two wickets and Stuart MacGill one as Tasmania added 10 runs.

Muttiah Muralitharan: remains a threat for England’s batsmen © Wisden Cricinfo

John Dyson, the new coach of the Sri Lankan team, has suggested that England can expect a much tougher challenge from the Sri Lankans than they did on their recent tour of Bangladesh. England, who comfortably won two Tests and three one-day internationals in Bangladesh, will commence the Sri Lankan tour with the three-match ODI series, which starts on November 18.”England are a very good side, a very professional unit. They’ve improved remarkably in the last six months. But I think they will get much harder cricket here in Sri Lanka,” said Dyson. “Michael Vaughan said a couple of weeks ago that it’s been a good warm up for them in Bangladesh, but he expects more difficult cricket in Sri Lanka. I am confident that’s what they’ll get.”Dyson said that Sri Lanka had been preparing for this series for a very long time. “After a long break from cricket the team is physically fit and looking very good. They finished the West Indies tour in June and they’ve prepared very hard for this series. They are physically, skill-wise and mentally ready for it. They are ready to go out and test everything they’ve prepared themselves for. Now’s the time to get on the park and play the game.”Dyson also commented that the Premier Trophy tournament – Sri Lanka’s domestic three-day competition in which all the top players played – had been the ideal preparation before a tough series. “I think the Premier trophy tournament has given the players the competition they need to play against England. The tournament’s got some very good cricket in it. There are possibly things which Sri Lanka Cricket can look at in relation to the tournament, but I am pleased with what the guys have done. Their attitude, the way they have approached their cricket and, the way they have approached their practice, they have been very professional.”I think we have all departments covered. We have good players in all departments and great players in a few. Given that they take their form into the middle, I am very confident that we are going to perform very well.”Dyson made special mention of the threat Muttiah Muralitharan would hold for England’s batsmen. “If a team’s got a player like Murali, probably the best ever, everybody knows that in tight situations you’ve got a world-class player like him to look up to. That situation hasn’t changed. Just because England played him well the last time, it doesn’t mean they are going to play him well this time. We’ve got to see what sort of form they are in and, take it from there.”Dyson was also keen to ensure that sporting pitches were prepared for the series. “The wicket needs to provide everybody within the team with a chance if they play well enough to get good results. I have been fortunate enough to meet all the curators and tell them exactly what I’ve just said.”

Fine bowling by paceman Fazle Akbar (4-17) and an unbeaten46 by Shoaib Malik powered Pakistan ‘A’ to a convincing sixwicket win over Pakistan Seniors in the firstpractice matchat Gaddafi Stadium Tuesday.The encounter was the part of the two-match practiceseriesbetween two teams aimed at to provide the Senior outfitpractice before touring Bangladesh from Jan 2.Fazle Akbar who was not included in the Bangladesh-boundteamdespiteperforming outstandingly in the domesticcompetition, sent down nine overs, three of them weremaiden, toclaim four wickets as Pakistan Seniors were shotout for a paltry 127 in36.5 overs. Promising pace bowlersAbdur Rauf and Rana Naveed-ul-Hasan also bowled well takingtwo wickets eachfor 34 and 38 runs.Inzamam-ul-Haq, who led the Pakistan Seniors,won the tossand elected to bat first but his decision backfired as FazleAkbar removed Shadab Kabir, Naved Latif, Abdur Razzaq andRashid Latif.Pakistan ‘A’, thanks to a breezy unbeaten 46 by ShoaibMalik, reached the target in 30.5 overs.The second match will be played at Murdike Thursday.

Uttar Pradesh’s women cricketers maintained their unbeaten record inSri Lanka with an exciting five run victory over a Young Women’s XI atthe Colts Club in Colombo on Thursday.In scorching heat, the Young Women XI made the surprise decision tofield first after winning the toss. They may well have thought thatthey had made the correct decision at the half way stage, afterbowling out UP for just 116. However the tourists had defended a lowtotal on Tuesday and they repeated the trick again, by bowling outtheir opponents for just 111 in 45 overs.Having been put into bat, the mainstays of the Uttar Pradesh inningswere the opener, Priyanka Shally, with a breezy 22 off 34 balls (Shewas the top scorer in the last match with a fine 34), and Rahul Singhwith a not out 26. Apart from these contributions none of the batsmengot to grips with the bowling and wickets fell at regular intervalsthroughout the innings. Wasanthi and Janakanthi were the pick of thebowlers for the Sri Lankans, both picking up three wickets.In reply, the Sri lankan openers made a positive reply, putting on 26for the first wicket. When the second wicket partnership took thescore to 48, the visitors must have feared the worst. However this UPside appears to never give up. Once again it was the mid-inningsbowlers that did the damage, Rahul Singh following her fine battingwith a match winning 4-24 off her allotted 10 overs.When the ninth wicket fell with the score on 99, UP believed that theywere home and dry. However a nail biting last wicket stand edged theSri Lankans towards their target before Preethi Dimri took the lastwicket and UP had squeezed home again.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke believes that Aston Villa’s swoop for Philippe Coutinho is bad news for Emiliano Buendia, as per GiveMeSport.

The Lowdown: Villa back to their best…

Steven Gerrard has guided Villa to consecutive wins after a poor run of form, with the most recent victory coming against Southampton on Saturday.

Club-record signing Buendia was once again left on the bench in that game, only coming in for the final nine minutes, with January arrival Coutinho starting in a front three alongside Danny Ings and Ollie Watkins.

That trio all got on the scoresheet, and with attention now turning to the trip to Leeds United on Thursday, O’Rourke has made a claim regarding Buendia.

The Latest: O’Rourke’s comments on Buendia

Talking to GiveMeSport, the journalist believes that Coutinho’s arrival in the Midlands has been ‘bad news’ for the Argentine, with the pair very similar stylistically. He said:

“With Coutinho there on loan, it’s likely that he will play and start most games, and that’s probably bad news for Buendia, who is very similar to Coutinho.

“And although they did start off together, playing as two number 10’s, I don’t think we’ll see that too often going forward.”

The Verdict: Buendia not in Gerrard’s best XI?

Gerrard selected Buendia from the off in seven straight games over recent months, with Villa winning just one of those. However, with the playmaker now out of the team, the Villans have recorded successive victories for the first time since November.

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.

In Gerrard’s 4-3-3 system, perhaps there is only room for one of Buendia or Coutinho in the starting XI, and if Villa exercise their option to make the Brazilian’s loan permanent over the summer, it could indeed spell trouble for the Argentine, who was brought to the club by former manager Dean Smith.

In other news: Reliable journalist reveals Villa and Lange have now struck out-of-window agreement for this signing