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Tottenham Hotspur’s academy has come to the fore in recent weeks, as one of their graduates recently became the greatest goalscorer in the club’s history.

Harry Kane’s 267th goal, overtaking Jimmy Greaves’ previous record, consigned defending Premier League champions Manchester City to defeat, something which has become a habit for Spurs on their home patch.

However, one of the underlying facets of that result was that it marked yet another game without a goal for Heung-min Son.

The South Korean’s poor form continued as he was limited to just one shot and 21 touches before being dragged off with six minutes to go.

He has been shown blind faith throughout the season in the hopes that he might recapture his form of 2021/22, when he scored 23 goals and set up another nine in the Premier League.

Antonio Conte could now consider looking to Tottenham’s academy once more in an attempt to revitalise the struggling 30-year-old, who drew another blank in Saturday’s 4-1 drubbing by Leicester.

Who can replace Son at Spurs?

The natural choice would be Spaniard Yago Santiago, who has been starring for the U23s for some time now since his move during the 2019/20 season.

He is surely due his senior debut soon, as he is yet to make a senior appearance despite training with the first team.

Upon earning that call-up, Spurs insider John Wenham expressed his delight to see the youngster making strides, saying: “He was picked up three seasons ago from Celta Vigo and he’s cooked up some nice numbers in the Under 18s and 23s.

“He is a very consistent starter and I hope he is given the opportunity to show what he’s got. They are brilliant young players and I’m delighted for them.”

This season has seen the 19-year-old thrive in a number of positions across the front three for Spurs at underage level, with his versatility likely to impress Conte. He has backed that up with four goals and one assist in 15 Premier League 2 games, matching Son’s goal tally in 21 appearances in current top-flight campaign.

What will further endear Santiago to Lilywhites fans was the role he played in the U21s’ recent 2-1 north London derby win over their Arsenal counterparts. His assist for Nile John’s winning goal helped to complete a turnaround from 1-0 down, outlining a happy knack to come good when it very much matters.

With Son’s form declining and his age increasing, now could be the perfect time for Conte to start embedding Santiago into the first-team squad with a view to ultimately replacing the South Korean cult hero.

Newcastle United enjoyed yet another smooth transfer window under PIF in January, with the Magpies having again taken the wise approach not to splash the cash erratically, despite finding themselves in the mix for Champions League qualification.

Amid all the hope of short-term success, the Tynesiders do appear to have a firm focus on the long-term project that is underway under the new ownership. That desire to build for the future is evident with the signings of youthful duo Anthony Gordon and Harrison Ashby from Everton and West Ham United respectively, as well as teenage Australia international Garang Kuol.

However, the Magpies may be left to regret their failure to add to those new arrivals with further signings last month, having been unable to strike a deal late in the day for Flamengo starlet Matheus Franca.

The teenager was not the only Brazilian target that PIF and Eddie Howe appeared to have missed out upon, with the top-four hopefuls also seeing Vasco de Gama sensation Andrey Santos join Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Reports in December had suggested that the St James’ Park outfit were readying a move for the 18-year-old midfielder in the January transfer window, while The Athletic named the emerging wonderkid as one of the assets on whom Howe and co were keeping tabs.

While the Rio de Janeiro native is yet to feature for Chelsea following his £18m transfer, he does appear to be a talent who can blossom for Graham Potter’s side in the future, leaving those back on Tyneside to lick their wounds.

The 5 foot 11 playmaker is currently in “unstoppable” form for his country at youth level, according to Goal’s Tom Maston, having scored five goals and provided one assist in just six games in recent weeks in the U20 South American Championship.

The belief is that such standout showings may well ensure that the eye-catching youngster is able to obtain a work permit to feature in the Premier League, with it not beyond the realms of possibility that he takes to the field at Stamford Bridge before the end of the current campaign.

Such prolific form has followed Santos’ standout displays in his homeland prior to sealing the move to west London, as he racked up eight goals in 37 appearances for his former employers at senior level.

To make that sort of impact in the first team at such a young age is a testament to the midfield maestro’s quality, having also earned notable praise from compatriot Juninho Pernambucano.

The former Lyon dynamo stated last year: “Physically, he is a monster. Without the ball, his participation in the game is total. I wanted to see his GPS, because he doesn’t stop! And technically, he’s way above the others.

“He’s not going to be better than me, he’s going to be much better than me. He is a much more complete player. At 18, I didn’t play half as much as he does, I’m not ashamed to say that.”

Also tipped to be a “great player” by former team-mate Nene, it looks as if young Santos will go on to become a regular fixture at elite level for both club and country in the years to come, with Newcastle likely to be left to rue that transfer blunder.

West Ham United are still interested in signing Terem Moffi, and they remain in contact with his agent, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Missed out in January

West Ham were linked with a move for Moffi throughout the January transfer window, at one stage having an offer on the table for over a week, however they did not manage to get the deal over the line.

The striker agreed to join Nice on an initial loan with an obligation to buy deal, with the Hammers instead bringing in Danny Ings, however the Englishman injured his knee on his debut, and faces several weeks out.

The Latest: Interest remains…

As per a report from Football Insider, the Irons will remain in contact with the Nigerian’s agent in the coming months, despite the fact he is due to sign permanently for Nice in the summer.

It is detailed that West Ham were in pole position to sign the forward at one stage back in January, and it now appears as though they could get another opportunity to do so at the end of the season.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

It’s bizarre that the 23-year-old continues to be linked with a move to the London Stadium, considering he has already put pen to paper on a deal with a different club, but if he is available come the summer, then it is a move West Ham should definitely pursue.

The Calabar-born marksman has 12 goals in 20 Ligue 1 games this season, managing to score against the likes of Paris Saint-Germain and AS Monaco, highlighting that he would be able to perform against some of the top teams in the Premier League.

Hailed as ‘explosive’ by members of the media, Moffi is at the right age to be a long-term success at the London Stadium, as opposed to Ings, who is now 30-years-old, and David Moyes should continue to monitor his availability for the rest of the season.

Celtic midfielder Aaron Mooy will hopefully be fit to face Rangers in the Scottish League Cup final this weekend, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

The Lowdown: Huge game for Celtic

The first silverware of the 2022/23 season is on offer for the Hoops on Sunday afternoon, as they lock horns with their biggest rivals at Hampden Park.

It is a massive occasion for both Celtic and Rangers, with Ange Postecoglou once again looking to get one over on Michael Beale, as well as winning his third trophy as Hoops manager.

Mooy has been out of action since the 5-1 win over St Mirren earlier this month, however, leading to doubts over his involvement in Sunday’s game.

The Latest: Mooy hopefully fit

Speaking to Give Me Sport, O’Rourke talked up the 32-year-old’s chances of being fit for the match:

“Yeah, well, for a final you want all your best players available and Aaron Mooy, I think in recent weeks, has been instrumental in that Celtic midfield as well.

“So yeah, I’m sure Ange Postecoglou will be hoping to have his fellow Australian available for selection for that game because he’ll be hoping to put out his strongest team against Rangers and try to pick up that first piece of silverware of the season right now as well.

“Obviously, Celtic have got a lot of cover as well in that squad to try and fill in but yeah, for a final, any manager will want his best players available and that’s why Mooy will definitely be one that Postecoglou will hope will return to fitness in time.”

The Verdict: Would be a huge boost

Mooy being available would be an almighty boost for Celtic, considering the experience he has as a footballer, racking up a total of 57 caps for Australia.

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The midfielder’s poise and quality in the middle of the park could be so key – he has enjoyed an 86% pass completion rate in the Scottish Premiership this season – with his ability to dictate play so important.

It could be that Mooy is only deemed fit enough for the substitutes’ bench, considering a potential lack of match fitness, but his game management could be vital during the second half, not to mention the fact that he has four goals and six assists in the league.

The Australian has been lauded as ‘unbelievable’ by teammate Greg Taylor and having him back in the fold for such a huge game would be an immediate psychological boost.

Tottenham Hotspur have endured a tumultuous season, but one which remains very much alive as they vie for a top-four finish and are still in both the FA Cup and the Champions League.

It has been a campaign marred by a lack of consistency, and it has been further thrown into question of late as Antonio Conte remains out of action as he continues to recover from surgery.

One ongoing frustration from the current campaign is Heung-min Son’s lack of potency up front, with the 30-year-old having netted just four league goals so far. His strike against West Ham United last Sunday was his first in six matches in the Premier League.

This decline in performance from the division’s joint-top scorer last season could perhaps draw parallels with players who have seen similar declines at the club in recent years, with Dele Alli a prime example.

Now playing his football in Turkey, few players took English football by storm in the way that he did as a youngster before his output declined considerably and he faced accusations of laziness from Jose Mourinho.

Fortunately for Spurs and Conte, they could be set to unearth their next iteration of the 26-year-old who once promised so much.

The man poised to emulate the England international is Alfie Devine, with the 18-year-old boasting all the quality and goalscoring know-how of a young Alli.

Who is Alfie Devine?

The teenage sensation has been a mainstay in Spurs’ youth system, having featured heavily for both the U18s and U21s.

It was quickly understood that he was at a level above the former category, as he notched 16 goal contributions in 42 games at the latter level to earn his promotion to the fringes of the senior ranks. He has since featured twice for the first-team, even scoring once. 

The current campaign has seen him excel once more at an age group way above his station, and the 18-year-old boasts three goals in just four UEFA Youth League matches to truly outline his clinical nature. Indeed, Gallows drummer and long-time Spurs season ticket holder Lee Barratt called for increased game-time for the “baller” last year.

At the peak of his powers, Alli was famed for his decisive ability in front of goal. During the 2016/17 Premier League season, he scored 18 goals and set up a further nine, and he consistently reached double figures for goal contributions in the subsequent three campaigns.

However, his drop-off was dramatic and disappointing as he departed in 2022 on an initial free transfer, with Everton then shipping him out to Besiktas, where he has been jeered by his own club’s supporters.

In Devine, all the attributes are in place for a similar succession to a young Alli. The teenager is part of a “bright” crop of youth talent currently Tottenham, as labelled by journalist Alasdair Gold.

Upon his return to the dugout, Conte could perhaps reintegrate this goalscoring midfielder to his senior ranks and offer him vital first-team minutes to allow him to develop into the club’s next Alli.

Cristian Stellini certainly seems to expect a continued presence for Devine in the senior ranks, with injuries in the squad contriving to prompt Conte’s assistant to declare that the youngster is now “part of the squad completely 100 per cent”.

West Ham could look at a move for Rafael Benitez to possibly replace David Moyes, according to The Daily Express.

The Lowdown: Moyes chants

The Hammers lost 4-0 at Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday afternoon, with the travelling supporters chanting ‘you don’t know what you’re doing’ and ‘you’re getting sacked in the morning’ at Moyes in either half.

West Ham continue to flirt with the bottom three following their 14th league defeat and potential replacements for the Scot are being mooted in the media, although Roshane Thomas has stated that Moyes still has support from the board.

The Latest: Benitez claim

Jack McEachen of The Daily Express shared a story on Saturday evening following the 4-0 defeat to Brighton, looking at five possible options to replace Moyes with the pressure mounting.

One of those was Benitez, with the reporter saying that the Spaniard is after a ‘project’ in his next job, something which the Hammers would represent.

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The Verdict: Needed?

A change appears needed at the London Stadium in what has been a hugely frustrating campaign, and Benitez could be the man to turn things around.

He has actually defeated Moyes 11 times during his career and has plenty of experience in England with Liverpool, Newcastle and Everton.

The 4-2-3-1 manager also has experience of managing a side in the latter stages of a European competition, and with West Ham still in the Europa Conference League, bringing in Benitez could be a wise move, both in the short and long run, especially with the available 62-year-old seemingly looking for a long-term role.

football.london reporter Aaron Catterson-Reid was left hailing the performance of Oleksandr Zinchenko as Arsenal beat Everton 4-0 on Wednesday night.

The Lowdown: Comfortable victory

It was a comfortable win for Arsenal in the end as Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli grabbed two quick-fire goals before half-time, before Martin Odegaard added a third and Martinelli his second and Arsenal’s fourth in the second half.

The win puts them five points clear at the top of the Premier League table, having now played the same number of games as second-placed Manchester City.

The Latest: Zinchenko hailed

Taking to Twitter, Catterson-Reid was blown away by Zinchenko’s performance in particular, calling him an ‘Arsene-Wenger’ type of midfielder, and the ‘metronome’ of the team:

“Alex Zinchenko. What a player. Metronome of the team, creates openings and he’s just so delicate with the way he passes the ball. Reminds me so much of an Arsene-Wenger type of midfielder.”

The Verdict: Unsung hero

The forward players will grab all the headlines after scoring the goals, but Zinchenko was an unsung hero and the catalyst for getting the Gunners into gear.

The Ukraine international set the tone by playing a precise ball through to Saka for the opener, as the hosts struggled to break Everton down for the first 40 minutes of the game.

Aside from his assist, Zinchenko recorded three key passes and two successful dribbles, more than any other Gunners player, and his mammoth 110 touches was only matched by William Saliba, who played the whole game in contrast (SofaScore).

His two interceptions were only matched by Gabriel, while he also made one clearance, one tackle and four accurate long balls in a truly outstanding performance.

Newcastle United fans have reacted online with much excitement after learning that their club is linked with a big summer transfer move for Dusan Vlahovic.

What’s the latest on Dusan Vlahovic to Newcastle?

Due to the Premier League club’s wealthy owners, the Magpies can now attract some of Europe’s top talents, as proven by recent deals for Alexander Isak, Bruno Guimaraes and Sven Botman.

And so, when this season ends and the summer window opens, you can expect Eddie Howe and co to spend big and add some real quality to the Newcastle United ranks.

One name already being touted as an option is Juventus striker Vlahovic. Indeed, as per reports in Catalan media, the Toon are willing to pay €75m (£66.7m) for the player in the next transfer market.

Seeing as the Serbia international turned down the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham to join Juve for £66.6m in January 2022, it would be a bit of a shock to see him end up at Newcastle just 18 months later.

But with 19 goals in 45 games, he’s been impressive but not necessarily brilliant and with the Serie A giants caught in plenty of off-field controversies, perhaps a sale could suit both teams.

Either way, amid these links, the Newcastle faithful seem excited. Here ate some of the best reactions…

Wolverhampton Wanderers journalist Liam Keen has blasted the ‘awful’ use of VAR during the Premier League game vs Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Defeat at St. James’ Park

The Old Gold were the visitors at St. James’ Park on Sunday afternoon, where Julen Lopetegui and his side suffered a 2-1 defeat despite Hwang Hee-Chan getting on the scoresheet just moments after coming on.

VAR was once again at the heart of a decisive moment, when the Midlands outfit were denied a penalty in the opening stages after Nick Pope took out Raul Jimenez inside the area, which caused an outrage on social media.

The Latest: Keen’s reaction

Taking to Twitter, Keen couldn’t believe that Wolves weren’t awarded a spot-kick for the foul on Jimenez. He wrote:

“VAR shambles once again. Have seen a few replays and still think it’s a penalty.

“Getting tweets from TV viewers saying VAR was checked, but nothing was made clear in the stadium. Just awful use of the technology.”

The Verdict: Wrong decision

Wolves will understandably feel hard done by with this VAR decision going against them, and the game could have had a different outcome should the visitors have netted the opener.

The Molineux outfit are now just three points above the relegation zone thanks to the results of other teams around them so need to start picking up victories should they want to avoid the drop.

Wanderers still have reverse fixtures to play against several of their bottom of the table rivals, including Leeds United and Everton, so these meetings could prove decisive in the hunt to maintain their top-flight status.

Podcaster and football columnist Steven Clifford has claimed that Rangers genuinely did turn down the chance to sign Khvicha Kvaratskhelia amid recent reports.

What's the latest on Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Rangers?

While speaking on the Go Radio Football Show (via Daily Record), former player Craig Moore recently stated that he tried to talk the |brox outfit into signing the winger before he ended up at Napoli this summer.

He explained that he initially tried to get the Georgian a move to the Premier League with Southampton, but when they couldn't sort a deal, he alerted Rangers about a possible loan that could then be made into a permanent transfer.

It seems like quite a remarkable story, but according to Clifford, the story is true and the Scottish Premiership side really did fail to make the most of what turned out to be an incredible opportunity.

Indeed, while speaking on The Rangers Review, he said: "So I know Craig Moore, he's a good lad. And I know this story, unfortunately…

"So this isn't something that he's magically made up just for the sake of being on the radio. I've actually seen things that prove it. So, undoubtedly, Craig Moore offered Rangers the opportunity.

"Were they interested, it would have been a loan to buy. Rangers could have got him for a year-to-18-months loan, then went from there. I think all parties were kind of keen.

"He was set to go to Southampton, that didn't work and it was a wee bit up in the air. So that's what Craig Moore does. He's an agent, obviously, but he brokers things and he walks in between the lines for clubs."

Why is everyone talking about Kvaratskhelia?

Seeing as Kvaratskhelia has since established himself as one of Europe's top players, it's certainly a blow for Rangers to learn how close they were to landing what would have been a brilliant transfer.

After all, he has scored 13 goals and provided 15 assists in 29 games this season as Napoli look set to win Serie A as well as going deep into the Champions League as they next face AC Milan in the quarter-finals.

In fact, such is the quality of the player, he is now tipped to be worth £80-90m by Moore even though he moved to Italy for just £10m in the summer.

It remains unclear as to who exactly turned down the deal at Ibrox, but the individual who made that final call will no doubt be feeling rather silly right now.