Spurs were rinsed by Poch’s "deadwood" who earned more than Van de Ven

The wheels may be coming off ever so slightly for Tottenham Hotspur at the moment, with four defeats on the bounce, but the overall feeling around the club is far more positive than it was just a year ago, thanks to Ange Postecoglou's progressive management.

The Australian manager has harkened back to the aesthetically pleasing style of football played under Mauricio Pochettino in N17 but pushed his players to be even more forward-thinking on the pitch.

The results haven't necessarily come, but considering how negative the team were under Antonio Conte just last season, it's impressive to see how much the 58-year-old has already changed them.

Ange Postecoglou.

That said, the transition to a more dynamic style of football was made easier thanks to the club finally getting rid of several players, such as Davinson Sanchez, who had clearly been around too long.

Davinson Sánchez's time at Spurs

Sanchez joined Pochettino's Lilywhites in the summer of 2017 after an impressive year playing for Dutch giants Ajax, where he made 47 appearances, scored seven goals, provided two assists and made it to the Europa League final.

Upon arriving in the capital, there was an understandable level of excitement considering his previous displays in Amsterdam, so he made his full debut for the club in just the fourth Premier League game of the season – a 3-0 away win against Everton.

In his first year at the club, the Caloto-born centre-back would make 41 appearances across all competitions, but unlike his time in the Netherlands, he failed to score a goal or provide an assist.

Tottenham Hotspur's Davinson Sanchez

Unfortunately for all involved, the following five seasons would get progressively worse for the 58-capped international as the club would go from genuinely challenging for major honours to languishing in midtable and conceding a whopping 63 goals in his final campaign.

While it certainly wasn't all Sanchez's fault, he received a lot of criticism for his less-than-stellar performances. At the start of last season, pundit and former professional Jamie O'Hara labelled him "one of the worst players I've ever seen", and by the end of the campaign, he was describing him as "deadwood" – tell us how you really feel, Jamie.

Appearances

207

Goals

5

Assists

1

Goal Involvements per Match

0.02

Overall, it was a move that failed on all accounts, and after making 207 appearances for the club, in which he scored five goals and provided one assist, he was finally sold to Galatasaray last summer after draining Spurs of millions of pounds.

The finances of Sanchez's Tottenham career

Due to his impressive displays for Ajax and the hype building around him at the time, Tottenham paid a staggering £42m to bring him to North London in 2017, making him the club's new record signing. To make matters worse, the then-21-year-old was handed a rather sizable wage of £65k-per-week.

clement-lenglet-davinson-sanchez-tottenham-opinion

What makes it all the more remarkable is the fact that recent centre-back signing Micky van de Ven, who has been winning plaudits all over thanks to his breakneck speed and defensive acumen, is currently earning £50k-per-week, or £15k less than the Colombian did, despite clearly being the better defender.

So, when adding his wages and transfer fee together, Sanchez ended up costing Spurs a whopping £62.4m, which breaks down to around £301k-per-appaearance, £12.4m-per-goal, or £62.4m-per-assist.

Transfer Fee

£42m

Wages (Total)

£65k (£20.4m)

Appearances

207

Cost per Appearance

£301k

Goals

5

Cost per Goal

£12.4m

Assists

1

Cost per Assist

£62.4m

Goal Involvements

6

Cost per Goal Involvement

£10.4m

At the end of the day, while he isn't the worst player to have played for Tottenham in recent years, Sanchez has to be considered among some of the worst transfers in the club's history due to the sheer amount of money that went to waste.

Ange must ruthlessly ditch Spurs ace who earns more than Kulu & Van de Ven

Tottenham need to use the summer transfer window wisely to overcome present difficulties.

ByAngus Sinclair May 3, 2024

Americans Abroad: Christian Pulisic shows sensational skills, but Weston McKennie benched (again)

With a new coach in place, GOAL analyzes the biggest developments for the biggest USMNT players in European leagues

It was a busy week for Mauricio Pochettino and, right now, American soccer's eyes are squarely focused on the U.S. men's national team's new head coach. There are just many reasons to be excited, and just as many mysteries. He hasn't coached a game yet, and, until he does, everyone will be wondering what he thinks of it all.

Pochettino will have plenty of studying to do over the next few weeks but, over this weekend, he got his first real glimpse at USMNT stars with their clubs as this new era begins.

That will be good news for several players, who stepped up with the types of performances that will excite the new USMNT boss. Others, though, were underwhelming. There are still a few weeks to impress the coach before the U.S. convenes for Pochettino's first camp, but there's nothing more important than a first impression, is there?

That process has started. Which players made their mark, and which will need to step up in the weeks to come? GOAL takes a look at the weekend that was for Americans Abroad.

GettyThe prolific Pulisic

This isn't hyperbole. This isn't exaggeration or bias. It's statistically true. For the last year or so, Christian Pulisic has been one of the most prolific attackers in the world.

On Saturday, Pulisic scored one and assisted one in a 4-0 win over Venezia, continuing his hot start to the season. He already has two goals and two assists in four Serie A matches. The campaign is just beginning, but Pulisic has wasted no time in getting going.

This isn't just a hot start, though; it's been a hot year. Since the beginning of last season, Pulisic is one of only 12 players with double-digit goals and assists in a top-five European league. There's only one other in Serie A: teammate Rafael Leao. Pulisic has been sensational, doing everything Milan could have possibly dreamed of when they signed him from Chelsea.

Another compelling stat: with his goal on Saturday, Pulisic is now 10-for-10 on penalty kicks for club and country. He's reliable as can be, whether that's from open play or from the spot.

Pulisic is one of very few USMNT players really playing at an elite level in a top, top league. Antonee Robinson may be the only other one. If only the rest of his USMNT teammates could play to this level.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWhat's up with Weston?

Pochettino is now in charge, and he'll be keeping a close eye on what everyone's doing on the club level. Right now, that isn't great news for Weston McKennie.

McKennie was left on the bench once again this past weekend as he failed to appear in Juventus' 0-0 draw with Empoli. There was some good news in the form of Tim Weah's return, but the real story, at least from a USMNT perspective, is McKennie.

The midfielder has played at total of just 23 minutes since the start of the season. Despite re-signing with the club, McKennie has barely earned a glance from Thiago Motta, who seemingly doesn't know what to do with him.

Under Gregg Berhalter, that may not have concerned McKennie much. He'd proven himself under the previous USMNT boss. The resume was built and the performances were there. Berhalter would bet on McKennie to figure it out.

Will Pochettino make a similar bet? We'll find out but, right now, McKennie might just be on shaky ground with the USMNT as the new boss comes in.

Getty Images SportLuca Koleosho watch continues

OK, so he isn't a USMNT player just yet, and, to be fair, he may never be, but American fans can dream, right?

That aspiration will only become more intense after Luca Koleosho's stunning goal for Burnley over the weekend, one that shows exactly why several countries are chasing him. The run, the composure, the finish – Koleosho flexed it all with that finish in the 1-0 win over Leeds.

As things stand, it seems the USMNT is losing the race for Koleosho's international allegiance. The Connecticut-born star most recently played for Italy's U21s, and it seems the Azzurri have the inside track at the moment. The USMNT isn't even the only other team chasing him, as the 20-year-old winger is also eligible to play for Canada and Nigeria, too.

All four countries are on high alert, but the USMNT does have a new wrinkle that could change things. Don't underestimate the power of Pochettino, who is clearly has the stature of a coach that could influence this type of player chase.

For now, though, Koleosho will keep chugging along with Burnley and, if he keeps scoring goals like this, the interest will only intensify.

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Getty Images SportSargent is back?

It really was disappointing to see Josh Sargent miss out on minutes during this international break. He's earned them, to put it lightly. Sargent has dominated the Championship but has been unable to bring that form to the USMNT.

That's because of injury issues. An ankle ailment kept him out against New Zealand. Sargent, though, was healthy enough to start for Norwich this weekend.

Sargent's start is obviously good news. It's encouraging that his ankle injury wasn't serious. It's great to see him playing a key role for a club with legitimate Premier League ambitions. Sargent is one of the few players in the USMNT who is legitimately key to how his team plays. Any time he shows that, it's a real positive.

Still, Sargent's start only reinforces how unlucky he's been with the USMNT. He's played less than 30 minutes since the World Cup, which is nowhere near enough for a player at his ability level. Hopefully, he'll be back in the mix in October, but seeing him out there this weekend only reinforced how much of a missed opportunity this September window was for him.

'No longer scary' – Kylian Mbappe told he's no longer 'as explosive or decisive' by France legend Bixente Lizarazu

France legend Bixente Lizarazu has taken shots at Kylian Mbappe and claimed that the forward is not the threat that he used to be.

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  • Mbappe criticized by Lizarazu
  • Told that he is 'no longer scary'
  • Not impressed with France captain's comments
  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Mbappe made the long-awaited move to Real Madrid this summer as a free agent following his departure from Paris Saint-Germain. However, the Frenchman has endured a slow start to life with Los Blancos. The issues have not just been with Real Madrid but a lack of form and threat has also been apparent with the French national team as Mbappe struggled to help Les Bleus in the Euros. Lizarazu has now hit out at the 25-year-old by claiming that the French captain is no longer as threatening as before as he also talked about his comments towards supporters' dissatisfaction with Les Bleus.

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    WHAT LIZARAZU SAID

    In his column in L'Equipe, Lizarazu wrote: "You can't be insensitive to the feelings of the French team's supporters, to the frustrations they may have, to the questions they may have. You have to try to answer them, give them hope, it's part of the job and the emotional connection you have to have with your fans.

    "Perhaps he is less serene than usual, more tense because he is slow to find the best footballing version of himself. Mbappe is no longer as explosive or decisive as he was. He remains a very good scorer, a very good player of course, but he is no longer scary as before."

  • AFP

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    Mbappe scored just once during France's journey the semi-final of the Euros in Germany, and that was a penalty in the group stage against Poland. The same lack of form has followed him at Santiago Bernabeu as he has struggled to fit into Carlo Ancelotti's team as well as had been expected. However, before the start of the September international break, Mbappe broke his league duck with a brace against Real Betis.

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  • WHAT NEXT FOR MBAPPE?

    The 25-year-old will be hopeful that he can do the same during France's second and last game of the September international break when Les Bleus take on Belgium on Monday evening.

Stuart Broad working with England psychologist to beat closed-door concerns

Seamer plans to embrace inner child after advice from mum

Matt Roller28-Jun-2020England seamer Stuart Broad has admitted to concerns that international cricket will offer “more of a mental test” than usual this summer due to the absence of fans from grounds.All six of England’s Test matches this summer will be played behind closed doors, with the ECB confirming on Friday that the three Tests and three T20Is in Pakistan’s tour will be staged without supporters present in addition to July’s series against West Indies.In a virtual press conference from England’s bubble at the Ageas Bowl, Broad revealed that he has been working closely with team psychologist David Young to find a way to “train his brain” into thinking he is in a normal Test-match scenario come July 8, and that has he taken on board his mother’s advice to replicating “the mindset of a 12-year-old”.ALSO READ: England will pick strongest XI for first WI Test despite rotation plans”I think the games will feel a bit different with no crowds,” Broad said. “International cricket certainly will be more of a mental test to make sure each player is right up for the battle, and I’m very aware of that. I’ve already spoken to our sports psychologist about creating a bit of a mindset around making sure I can get my emotions up to where they need to be for me to be at my best.”If you put me in an Ashes game or a pre-season friendly, I know which one I’ll perform better in. So I’ve got to make sure my emotions are where they need to be for an international Test match, and that’s something I started working on in early June.”It’s a worry for me, because I know that I perform at my best as a player under pressure, when the game is at its most exciting and when the game needs changing. And I know that there are certain scenarios that bring the worst out of me as a cricketer, and that is when I feel the game is just floating along and there is nothing [riding] on the game.”The absence of fans may be felt especially keenly by Broad, who throughout his career has developed a reputation for bowling his best spells when feeding off the crowd’s energy.In particular, Broad said that he hoped that by absorbing himself in battles against individual batsmen, he would be able to create “a bubble” around himself and bowl at his usual level of intensity.”It might involve doing even more research into the opposition batsmen’s strengths and weaknesses so I’m very focused on getting in a competitive battle with the batsman instead of sometimes relying on the crowd to get your emotions going to be able to bowl at your best.”I know that I do thrive off the energy of something happening in the game or a bit of excitement going on, or with a big battle going on. Maybe I’ll have to pick more of a battle with the opposition and bring my dad [Chris, the match referee] into it a bit more.”Broad bowls in training at an empty Trent Bridge•Getty Images

Broad said that he had spoken to his mum, Carole, before leaving for the Ageas Bowl this week, who had told him to try to remember how it felt to play cricket as a child.”My mum said something to me before I left. She said: ‘take yourself back to being a 12-year-old kid when all you wanted to do was to play cricket anywhere you could’. I have a coffee in the morning overlooking a Test match ground: if you’d have offered me that as a 12-year-old – probably not a coffee back then – I’d have been buzzing. I’d have been so excited.”[It’s about] trying to get that mindset of, yes, we’re playing a Test match for England, but when you were a 12-year-old kid, you’d have done anything to play cricket. Do you remember opening the curtains when there was a bit of rain on a Saturday? It was like heartbreak. It’s trying to have that mindset of it being exciting just to have the opportunity to play and have some fun. It actually gives you a bit of energy when you think like that.”While Broad said that he felt “incredibly safe” and had no concerns about his physical health in the team’s bio-secure environment at the Ageas Bowl, he admitted to concerns about players’ mental health if things go wrong for them on the pitch.”We’ve got to look after each other as players in this environment,” he said. “It is different being away from family and friends in the UK. If players go through tricky times while in this bio-secure environment – have a bad spell, have a bad day, have a bad week – you can’t escape the cricket at all mentally. If you nick off first ball, you’re then eating dinner overlooking the pitch that you’ve just nicked off on.”If we get this wrong in these six, seven weeks then we could lose these series against two very good teams. We know the danger of both these teams. It’s probably the strongest West Indies side that I would have played against, certainly the bowling attack.”We’ve got to make sure we get our bubble right to be able to perform at Test match level because mentally if you switch off at all at this level, it gets you, and we’ve got to adjust to the conditions we’re living in to be able to perform at our best.”

IPL 2020, tweaked domestic schedule high on agenda as BCCI Apex Council meets

Conducting a delayed season of the IPL, possibly in September-October, and other domestic tournaments, likely to be fewer than usual, will be topmost on the BCCI Apex Council’s agenda when the members meet via video conference on Friday to discuss the immediate future despite rising Covid-19 cases in the country. That aside, there will be discussions on the senior men’s team’s calendar, with three series – away white-ball tours of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, and a home series against England – already deferred.
Items on the agenda

  • IPL – the way forward
  • Domestic cricket schedule
  • FTP – rescheduling of the England home series for February, 2021
  • Tax exemption certificates, which are mandatory for hosting the T20 World Cup in India
  • The NCA facility in Bengaluru
  • Extension of contracts for BCCI and IPL digital platforms
  • The administration of the Bihar Cricket Association
  • Appointment of new BCCI staff
  • Procedure to appoint new CEO after Rahul Johri’s resignation
  • Payments to the north-eastern states
  • Discussion on tender for apparel partnership

“Obviously, all options need to be explored (when it comes to the IPL),” an unnamed BCCI official told PTI. “First option is India but you don’t know how the situation will be. Obviously, there is UAE and Sri Lanka but taking out the IPL will increase the overheads. I think the president also recently said that.”I don’t think we are still in a position to fix venues in a situation which is so fluid. But the plans and the tentative window needs to be ready so that once ICC makes a formal announcement of T20 World Cup (scheduled for October-November) cancellation next week, we can proceed.”The thorny issue of getting a tax-exemption certificate from the government in order to host the 2021 men’s T20 World Cup in India is also high on the agenda. As such, the BCCI has been given time until December to get the necessary clearances from the central government. Meanwhile, a final decision on the 2020 edition of the tournament, scheduled to be held in Australia, is pending, and might emerge from the ICC Board meeting, slotted for next Monday.As far as India men’s FTP is concerned, the white-ball series against England in September could be rescheduled to February, following the Test series. In case the BCCI wants to squeeze in the white-ball games, it could mean curtailing the five-Test series to include six white-ball games (three in each format). The postponed white-ball tours of Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe also need to be rescheduled.Coming to the domestic season, which includes tournaments for senior men, senior women, men’s Under-23s, Under-19s and Under-16s, women’s Under-23s and Under-19s, a lot of tweaking could be on the cards.”Obviously, the Ranji Trophy schedule needs to be tweaked,” the official said. “We need to discuss whether we can have Vijay Hazare, Duleep Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali in one go. Maybe we have to let go (of) one of the tournaments as considerable time would be lost. We have to fit in the junior domestic events (too).”As for the apparel sponsorship, with the deal with Nike having come to an end, the BCCI is expected to follow the process of inviting tenders from potential bidders.

Wolves eyeing 6 ft 6 colossus to replace O’Neil favourite

Wolverhampton Wanderers must forget about their poor finish to the 2023/24 Premier League season and think ahead to the summer transfer window.

If Gary O’Neil can raise funds by selling a few players while making a handful of smart signings, the Old Gold can certainly target a top-half finish next season.

He might be forced to sell a few players who have been his favourites this season, most notably Jose Sa.

Wolves transfer news

According to journalist Alan Nixon via his Patreon, Wolves are one of the clubs showing interest in Burnley goalkeeper Aro Muric ahead of the summer transfer window.

He could cost the Molineux side around £10m if they decide to make a concrete move for the former Manchester City starlet, meaning O’Neil may have to raise funds somehow.

Sa has been linked with a move to Saudi Arabia, according to the Sun last month. The Portuguese ‘keeper will be 32 halfway through the 2024/25 campaign, indicating that this summer might be the best chance to cash in on the player.

If so, they could make a move to bring Muric to the club as his replacement.

Why Aro Muric should replace Jose Sa

Muric began his senior career at City, making a total of five appearances for the first team under Pep Guardiola, who praised him following an EFL Cup clash against Leicester City back in 2018.

"Aro is so big and the pressure for the opponents is not easy because his reactions are so quick," said the Spaniard about his display, yet he failed to establish himself in Manchester, going on loan spells to Turkey, the Netherlands and Spain before settling down at Burnley.

This season, the Kosovan has made ten appearances in the Premier League, sharing duties between the posts with James Trafford.

The 25-year-old has impressed in these matches, however, and after game week 33 in April, Muric was leading the way in terms of save percentage, conceding five goals from 26 shots faced – a success rate of 83.9% – as he began to showcase his talents in the top flight.

Muric’s distribution was also excellent during his ten league matches, succeeding with 88% of his passes inside his own half while averaging 68.8 touches per game, showing how comfortable he is on the ball, along with his ability to build play from the back.

In comparison, Sa averaged only 38.3 touches of the ball per game during the 2023/24 campaign, while also holding an 88% pass success rate in his own half.

His presence between the posts would be missed should O’Neil cash in on him during the summer, but if a big money offer arrives, he may have no choice but to accept it, especially considering the financial implications if Wolves spend without bringing some money in.

At £10m, the 6 foot 6 Muric could be a sensible replacement for the Old Gold. He now has experience in the top flight while arguably not even hitting his peak years yet.

Wolves struck gold on "underrated" star who's worth £20m more than Adams

Wolves are advancing in talks to secure Che Adams on a free transfer

ByRoss Kilvington May 18, 2024

Regional red-ball competition in prospect as counties vote on season formats

Some splits over 50-over competition remain but ECB ask for simple majority in secret ballot

George Dobell06-Jul-2020The outline for the county season will be decided on Tuesday following a vote by the chairs of the first-class counties.With all clubs agreed that the T20 Blast should feature, the choice facing the counties is whether to start the season with a first-class or List A competition.As things stand, it seems the first-class competition will narrowly win the vote. That will mean the counties splitting into three regional groups of six and playing five games. The top two would qualify for a Lord’s final to be played over five days. The competition will not be referred to as the County Championship and will have no bearing on promotion and relegation.It is a secret ballot, however, and not every club has been prepared to confirm which way they intend to vote.Those favouring the List A competition argue that it would be cheaper and safer to run as it minimises the necessity for hotel stays. At least one club reports concerns expressed by players – particularly those with pregnant partners or young families – about staying in hotels. The PCA have previously stated that players will be required to opt-in to be considered for selection but, with more than 130 players out of contract at the end of the season, some are understandably anxious not to put themselves at a disadvantageAnother club argues that players coming off furlough will require more time to prepare to regain the level of fitness required for first-class cricket. As a consequence, that club says it favours the List A option.Under normal circumstances, such votes have to be decided with a two-thirds majority. On this occasion, however, the ECB have asked the counties to agree to a simple majority. Even that has not been accepted by all the counties with some red-ball proponents adamant that, even if they lose the vote, they will arrange first-class friendlies against like-minded teams.Counties remain confident they will be able to welcome some spectators back into their grounds at some stage during what remains of the season. With pubs and restaurants now reopened, the counties hope that pushing the T20 Blast into September, when the bulk of its matches will be played, gives them the best chance to recoup some revenue from the season in ticket sales.Counties thought to favour a first-class competition:
Nottinghamshire, Lancashire, Derbyshire, Sussex, Yorkshire, Middlesex, Surrey, Somerset, Warwickshire, Kent, Durham and Worcestershire.Counties thought to favour a 50-over competition:
Essex, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Leicestershire, Glamorgan, Northants.

England take series 1-0 after James Anderson reaches 600

Overnight rain pushed the start back to 4.15pm, eating away any chance of England pushing for victory

The Report by Matt Roller25-Aug-2020James Anderson became the first seamer to take 600 Test wickets as England’s third and final Test against Pakistan petered out into a rain-affected draw at the Ageas Bowl.Anderson had Pakistan’s captain and first-innings centurion Azhar Ali caught by Joe Root at slip in his third over of the final day after overnight rain and standing water had pushed back the start until 4.15pm. He was the second-fastest man to the landmark, six balls behind Muttiah Muralitharan, and the first Englishman.Despite Anderson’s early breakthrough, England never looked likely to bowl Pakistan out as they followed on on a flat pitch that offered little for bowlers throughout the Test match, particularly with the old ball. Root had Asad Shafiq caught at bat-pad three balls before the second new ball was due, but four overs later he had bumped fists with Azhar.After heavy overnight rain across the UK, it had initially looked unlikely that there would be any play at all on the final day. The Ageas Bowl ground staff faced a long clean-up operation, with a vast amount of standing water on the covers and several problem areas in the outfield. Following several inspections, the umpires decided that the ground would fit for play from 4.15pm, with up to 42 overs possible.All eyes were immediately on Anderson, who shared the bowling with Jofra Archer from the outset, as Azhar and Babar Azam successfully negotiated his first two overs with several fielders catching in front of the wicket and Joe Root positioning himself as the solitary slip.James Anderson celebrates taking his 600th Test wicket•Getty ImagesThe moment arrived at 4.37pm, from the second ball of Anderson’s third over. The ball pitched slightly short of a length in the off-stump channel, nipping away with a hint of extra bounce as it took the shoulder of Azhar’s bat. England’s slip catching has caused them problems throughout the summer, but this chance could hardly have been simpler for Root, who clung on to take Anderson to the 600 mark.He immediately burst into a broad grin, high-fiving substitute fielder James Bracey, embracing Root, shaking hands with Jos Buttler and Stuart Broad and then being congratulated in turn by each of his team-mates. He acknowledged the handful of backroom and venue staff in the ground by holding the ball aloft to them, beaming from ear to ear.That left England with seven wickets to get, and despite Anderson nipping one past Asad Shafiq’s outside edge, he was soon taken out of the attack. Babar and Shafiq ticked over towards the new ball, with Dom Bess and Root operating in tandem, while Dom Sibley’s part-time legspin was given a first outing in Test cricket.Babar raced towards fifty with a flurry of boundaries off Bess, reaching his second half-century of an underwhelming series by nudging Root through the leg side with the new ball almost due, but Shafiq fell the very next ball, prodding him to Bracey under the lid at short leg.Anderson took the new ball and found sharp movement in his first over, but not long after Root decided that he had seen enough and the captains bumped fists for the draw at 6.05pm.That meant a 1-0 England win – their first series victory against Pakistan since 2010 – with Anderson taking the headlines. Both of the Ageas Bowl Tests in this series were marred by inclement weather, but this one will undoubtedly be remembered – for Zak Crawley’s epic 267 as well as Anderson’s milestone.

Tottenham intent on signing £100,000-per-week Man City target after Werner

Tottenham Hotspur are said to be "intent" on trying to bring in a £100,000-per-week Man City target after sealing a loan extension for Timo Werner.

Spurs still looking to bolster forward options after Werner deal

On Tuesday evening, Spurs officially announced their first deal of the summer transfer window before it even opened, as the Lilywhites reached an agreement to extend Werner's loan deal from RB Leipzig by a further year.

Pundit thrilled by £85 million Richarlison replacement Tottenham could sign

The Brazilian has been tipped to leave this summer.

ByEmilio Galantini May 28, 2024

The 28-year-old originally joined on a half-season temporary deal from Leipzig in January, which included the option to make it permanent for around £15 million, but the new terms allow Tottenham to keep Werner for an additional full season for just the cost of paying his full £165,000-per-week wages.

The renewed agreement also hands Spurs chairman Daniel Levy a discount on Werner if he wishes to sign him permanently. Indeed, Tottenham now have an option to buy Werner at around £8.5 million next summer – a considerable drop on the previous fee.

Tottenham 3-1 Crystal Palace

7.68

Tottenham 3-2 Brentford

7.36

Aston Villa 0-4 Tottenham

7.00

West Ham 1-1 Tottenham

6.95

Tottenham 2-1 Brighton

6.91

While concerns surround the former Chelsea star's wasteful finishing at times, Werner got off to a great start at Spurs with two goals and three assists in just a handful of his first top flight games in north London.

His burst of pace and tendency to threaten in the attacking areas would undoubtedly have been a significant factor in manager Ange Postecoglou's decision to stick with Werner. Even though Tottenham have tied him down for another campaign, reliable media sources claim supporters are likely to see other attacking signings arrive this summer.

Spurs have registered a reported interest in Wolves winger Pedro Neto, among other big Premier League names, to upgrade Postecoglou's wide options. Both Manor Solomon and Bryan Gil are expected to depart Tottenham this summer, so technical director Johan Lange will need to source replacements if they do leave.

Tottenham intent on signing Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze

As per GiveMeSport, another player attracting interest from N17 is Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. The Englishman, who scored 11 goals and bagged four assists in the Premier League for Oliver Glasner's side last term, is also wanted by Man City and Chelsea.

Pep Guardiola is believed to be personally targeting the winger, but Tottenham are intent on signing Eze this summer and ready to battle for his signature. On a reported £100,000-per-week at Selhurst Park, Palace apparently value him at around £60 million for any interested sides.

Are Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney tough negotiators? Report reveals how agents feel about dealing with Wrexham in the transfer market after Hollywood co-owners' investment

What's it like dealing with Wrexham in the transfer market? A report reveals how agents feel about negotiating with the League One side.

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Reynolds & McElhenney completed takeover in 2021Have inspired club to back-to-back promotionsRed Dragons currently top League One tableFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

A report in the Daily Mail claims Wrexham have been praised for their professionalism in the transfer market. Agents and sporting directors have reportedly commended the Red Dragons for their professionalism when it comes to negotiations and transfers.

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Wrexham have been exceptionally busy in the transfer windows since Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney's investment in 2021, making a string of high-profile signings that have steered the club from the National League to League One thanks to back-to-back promotions. And, with the Premier League in the owners' sights, significantly more spending can be expected in the coming years.

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McElhenney was in attendance for the high-profile League One clash against Birmingham on Monday, which ended in a 3-1 defeat for Wrexham. The Hollywood star was humble in defeat, describing the Blues as "one hell of a side".

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

The Welsh side are back on home soil this weekend as Crawley Town cross the border from England for a stern test against the League One table-toppers. But it's been a long road for Wrexham to get there. Manager Phil Parkinson recently revealed that the most difficult task he's faced at the club was getting out of the National League and into League Two – but gaining promotion to England's second tier will surely be up there with his greatest achievements.

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