Tottenham have a potentially golden opportunity to sign another player after sealing a marquee deal for Mohammed Kudus, and amid the drama surrounding their Morgan Gibbs-White move, with chairman Daniel Levy thought to be prioritising a couple of more areas to reinforce.

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Spurs announced the signing of Kudus in a £55 million deal from West Ham late last night, ending the 14-year-long wait for a transfer between the clubs, and the Ghanaian cannot wait to get started.

“It feels great to be here, I’m very happy and can’t wait to start,” he said in an interview with the club’s official channels.

“I’m a very direct winger, strong, very good in taking players on and creating chances, so there is a lot of flair in my game.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

“I like to entertain the fans as well. That’s what football is about – it’s putting a memory in the heads of the fans that they have when they go back home, and after the money they’ve spent to buy a ticket. Although there is also a lot of seriousness and competitiveness in the game, I still think it’s a sport I try to enjoy as much as I can and give the fans something to enjoy too. I hope fans are going to really enjoy what I’m going to bring to the team here.”

Kudus was set to be followed by Gibbs-White, following a round of quick-fire talks which accelerated in absolutely rapid fashion.

Surprise reports emerged on Thursday that the Lilywhites were suddenly in advanced negotiations for the England international right after Kudus, and it didn’t take long for Levy to make significant progress, with Spurs prepared to pay his £60 million release clause.

Tottenham were thought to be closing in on a sensational double deal worth £115 million after developments in the last 24 hours, with Levy making a serious statement whilst backing new manager Thomas Frank to the hilt.

However, after a stunning twist, Nottingham Forest are now ready to take legal action against Tottenham after alleged illegal conduct over the England international’s transfer – with the deal considered to be off, at least for now.

Forest are likely unable to put a complete halt to the signing (Rob Dorsett), but it’s now been significantly delayed.

Elsewhere, Spurs are planning to strengthen other areas of midfield, and they have their eyes on an intriguing option.

Douglas Luiz "very keen" to join Tottenham as Juventus green-light exit

According to journalist Graeme Bailey and TBR Football, £138,000-per-week Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz is being actively targeted by Spurs, following the Old Lady’s decision to green-light his exit this summer.

The Brazil international has found life difficult in Turin since his switch from Aston Villa last year, and he’s believed to be eyeing a return to the Premier League already, specifically to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Luiz is apparently “very keen” to join Tottenham and his representatives are pushing to get him that desired move, coming after Spurs allegedly held talks with them recently.

However, the former Man City man is just one of a few midfield targets being considered, as Levy apparently wants to sign a holding midfielder and new number six after their ambitious deals for Kudus and Gibbs-White.

The 27-year-old suffered from both injury problems and a subsequent lack of game time under Thiago Motta and Igor Tudor last term, but his final season at Villa Park demonstrates that he’s capable of seriously strengthening Frank’s options.

Luiz bagged 10 goals and 10 assists in 53 total appearances for Unai Emery’s side across 2023/2024, with the South American potentially coming as a dynamic replacement for Yves Bissouma in midfield, who’s attracting reported interest from Fenerbahce.

Arsenal are about to wrap up some key summer transfer deals, but Mikel Arteta could also see a host of players go the other way.

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Sporting CP striker Viktor Gyokeres is about to become an Arsenal player after a month of intense talks with the Primeira Liga champions, finally culminating in Fabrizio Romano dropping his famous ‘here we go’ tagline to the move earlier this week.

19/20 – winter

£0

20/21 – summer

£81.5m

20/21 – winter

£900k

21/22 – summer

£156.8m

21/22 – winter

£1.8m

22/23 – summer

£121.5m

22/23 – winter

£59m

23/24 – summer

£208m

23/24 – winter

£0

24/25 – summer

£101.5m

24/25 – winter

£0

25/26 – summer

£140m

Plans are in place for Gyokeres to undergo his medical in Singapore and link-up with Arteta’s squad for their pre-season tour of Asia (The Independent), after Arsenal agreed a potential £64 million fee for the forward, including add-ons.

Gyokeres and defender Cristhian Mosquera – Arsenal’s two most recent arrivals – could be joined by a central attacking midfielder, which is seen as their next priority.

Arsenal are still reportedly planning to accelerate a move for Eberechi Eze after sealing Gyokeres (Pete O’Rourke), but they may have to start thinking more about outgoings too, in an attempt to balance the books and err on the side of caution with PSR.

Leandro Trossard has emerged as a recent target for Bayern Munich amid their struggles to land Liverpool forward Luis Diaz, according to Bundesliga insider Christian Falk, and sporting director Andrea Berta could be forced to consider a bid given the Belgian’s contract expires next year.

Meanwhile, Fulham are in talks over another loan deal for Reiss Nelson (Dharmesh Sheth), so there are a couple of opportunities for Arteta to trim the squad before deadline day on September 1.

However, one of the few stars they won’t be prepared to sell is mainstay defender William Saliba.

Agent offers William Saliba to Real Madrid with Arsenal unhappy

The France international has been a pivotal member of Arteta’s defence since the beginning of 2022/2023, forming an unbreakable partnership with Gabriel, and this has attracted interest from Real Madrid.

The La Liga heavyweights are continuously linked with a move for Saliba, and they’re believed to view the ex-Saint-Etienne star as a “game-changer” (Fabrizio Romano).

Only an offer of around £100 million would get Arteta’s side thinking, according to Sky Switzerland’s Sacha Tavolieri, but the Gunners are currently in advancing talks to extend Saliba’s deal.

As per a report from Football Transfers this week, Arsenal are close to agreeing a new long-term contract with Saliba, which comes as very good news for Arteta. However, they’re unhappy with the conduct of his agent, who offered the 24-year-old to Xabi Alonso’s side via a phone call.

Saliba’s representative, Djibril Niang, is said to have fuelled rumours of a departure by contacting Real, and they faced similar situations with him when Edu was sporting director.

Heated exchanges between Edu and Niang apparently nearly resulted in the defender’s exit during his loan spell at Marseille, but luckily for Arsenal, Saliba’s potential extension will quash any possibility of a Real move for the summer.

Worcestershire sealed their highest position in the Vitality County Championship since it was split into two divisions in 2000 after drawing with relegated Lancashire at Visit Worcestershire New Road.They secured sixth spot in Division One after recovering for the second time in the game from a precarious position with the bat thanks to the efforts of Matthew Waite, Adam Hose and Logan Van Beek.It enabled them to surpass their previous best performance of finishing seventh in Division One in 2011.Worcestershire have defied the pre-season predictions of being favourites to make an instant return to Division Two after last summer’s promotion campaign.A run of three successive wins against Durham, Kent and Essex effectively made sure of top-flight cricket in 2025.It was a fitting way for long-serving all-rounder Joe Leach to end his career after being Worcestershire’s leader of the attack for the past decade and a haul of 467 first-class wickets for the County.He received a standing ovation when he came out to bat for the second time in the game and signed off with 30 not outWorcestershire can be proud of their efforts after the well-documented challenges on and off the field that have confronted them during the past 12 months.They have shown a tremendous team spirit and an abundance in skill but also their determination in adversity when recovering from challenging positions in games.Worcestershire triumphed away to Durham after being bowled out for 112 in the first innings and then recovered from 10 for 4 on the first morning to defeat Essex at Chelmsford.Relegated Lancashire’s fate had been sealed on Saturday after their failure to secure a single batting bonus point for the ninth time in 14 games this season.But there was the encouraging sign of a return to form of pace bowler Tom Bailey.He had picked up just 16 wickets in his first 10 Championship appearances of the summer but was back to his best against Somerset and Worcestershire with a haul of 11 scalps.West Indian paceman Anderson Phillip also impressed during his short spell at the club and ended this game with nine wickets.Phillip struck with his first ball of the day as Jake Libby played too early at the delivery and offered a gentle return catch.Phillip struck again when Kashif Ali, Worcestershire’s leading run-scorer in the Championship this summer, went for a flashing drive and edged through to keeper Matty Hurst.Gareth Roderick completed 2,000 first class runs for Worcestershire when he reached nine but added only five more before he was run out.Rob Jones turned Phillip towards cover and he and Roderick set off for a single but the keeper-batter was unable to make his ground before Will Williams direct hit at the non-striker’s end.Jones (17) was lbw after aiming to drive Tom Bailey and Club Captain Brett D’Oliveira lost his middle stump to the same player.Ethan Brookes was lbw to a delivery angled in by Williams at 78 for 6.But for the second time in the game Waite led a counter-attack, this time in partnership with Adam Hose.He pulled Phillip for six and a similar shot off the same bowler brought another boundary.Hose provided excellent support, mixing solid defence with a series of fine strokes, on driving George Balderson and straight driving Williams to the ropes.Waite raced onto 37 from 27 balls before he aimed another pull at Phillips but this time picked out Harry Singh at deep square leg.The seventh wicket pair added 55 in just nine overs.Hose’s determined knock of 41 off 109 balls came to an end when he was lbw to give Bailey his third wicket.Van Beek advanced to 44 before he holed out to deep mid-wicket off Phillip but then Leach had time to end with a flourish in making 30 not out before bad light halted play at 3,30pm with 41 overs remaining.

Young allrounder Cooper Connolly’s 79 pushed WA, even as Test aspirant Matt Renshaw fell cheaply

Tristan Lavalette09-Oct-2024

Marnus Labuschagne scored 77•Getty Images

Test aspirant Matt Renshaw fell cheaply, but captain Marnus Labuschagne led Queensland’s recovery with a half-century against Western Australia at the WACA. Labuschagne was in superb touch, as he hit 77 off 96 balls and looked in total command until falling lbw to offspinner Corey Rocchiccioli late on day two. It was a major blow in Queensland’s rally, but No. 4 Jack Clayton held firm and finished unbeaten on 52.After toiling in the field for 124.2 overs, openers Renshaw and Usman Khawaja were challenged by accurate new-ball bowling from quicks Matt Kelly and Cameron Gannon. The pitch flattened considerably amid sunny conditions, and represented a golden opportunity for Renshaw, who might be in the frame for a Test recall given the uncertainty over Cameron Green’s back injury.Renshaw started with a gorgeous drive down the ground off Kelly in the first over, but was worked over by Gannon, and edged to third slip. He made just 6 off 24 balls.Labuschagne, with his father watching on in the terraces, was cautious early, before counterattacking Rocchiccioli with quick footwork down the pitch. He combined well with Khawaja, who also pounced on an unusually ragged effort from Rocchiccioli.Gannon, playing against his former team, was the standout of WA’s shorthanded attack missing speedsters Lance Morris and Jhye Richardson, with allrounder Mitchell Marsh playing as a specialist batter. Having starred in WA’s Shield triumph against Tasmania last season, Gannon was relentless, and knocked over Khawaja, who on 31, played a short ball on to his stumps.WA debutant Brody Couch, recruited from Victoria and who has played in Major League Cricket, impressed and bowled a lively first spell before tea. He was the fastest out of WA’s trio of quicks, reaching speeds of 140kph while also bowling the occasional fiery short-pitched delivery. Couch tired late in the day, but did deliver a stinging delivery that hit Labuschagne in the stomach and had him on his haunches.Queensland still have considerable work ahead to close in on WA’s massive first-innings total of 465. WA’s recovery continued on day two when allrounder Cooper Connolly and Gannon batted for almost the entire first session. Connolly powered to his half-century off 64 balls, and was matched by Gannon, a useful middle-order batter for his local club team. Labuschagne reverted to funky fields for Queensland, but to no avail, as Gannon notched his second half-century in first-class cricket.After making his international debut during Australia’s tour of the UK, Connolly has been earmarked for a big summer, and might be a smokey for the Test tour of Sri Lanka early next year.Justifying his selection ahead of veteran Ashton Turner, Connolly unleashed powerful strokes to reach lunch on 79 not out. Having made 90 in his first-class debut in last season’s Shield final, Connolly’s bid for a maiden ton was cut short when he holed out to Renshaw in the first over after the interval.After a standout performance on day one, fringe Test quick Michael Neser only bowled three overs on day two. He finished with 5 for 68 from 25 overs, and completed a stunning athletic catch on the boundary to wrap WA’s innings up. Part-timers Labuschagne and Renshaw claimed two wickets apiece before having contrasting fortunes with the bat.

Sunderland are pushing ahead with even more exciting signings ahead of the brand-new Premier League season getting underway.

This time around, it looks as if the Black Cats have won the coveted signature of Armand Lauriente for a fee around the £17m ballpark, after the 26-year-old attacker amassed a blistering 18 strikes for Sassuolo in Serie B last season. Can he shine now in a similarly frightening manner in the English top-flight?

That remains to be seen, with the Black Cats now targeting some defensive reinforcements after splashing more cash on the forward areas, with one notable Premier League-experienced centre-back on Regis Le Bris and Co.’s agenda.

Sunderland submit offer for £10m star

Every new day brings about a fresh rumour involving Sunderland, with multiple centre-back targets on the ever-expanding shopping list.

Indeed, Lille powerhouse Bafodé Diakité is reportedly on the Black Cats’ radar, but a hefty £35m price tag above the promising Frenchman’s head might well put the newly promoted side off, regardless of their lavish spending to date.

Instead, they might well travel down the cheaper route to bolster at the back, with Turkish outlet Takvim reporting that Sunderland, alongside Burnley and Leeds United, have made bids to pick up former Aston Villa titan Diego Carlos.

The outlet claims that all three sides have ‘knocked’ on Fenerbahce’s door with offers to sign the central defender on loan for the 2024/25 campaign.

It is reported that his current side are open to allowing the 32-year-old defender to leave Turkey this summer, with initial offers coming in on a loan basis. However, the Super Lig giants will only entertain an offer if a mandatory buy option is also included, having forked out £10m for Carlos just this January.

Whilst he might not be a first-team regular in Turkey, Carlos should be able to come into the growing Sunderland group and offer lots of experience and quality to their maiden Premier League voyage, making him a better potential signing than Lauriente in the process.

Why Carlos could be a better signing than Lauriente

After all, there is no guarantee, despite his 18-goal heroics in Serie B last season, that Lauriente instantly makes an impact in Le Bris’ first team on his arrival in England.

When glancing at the Frenchman’s options up top, he already has the likes of Simon Adingra to choose from down the left wing, who could well get the first team nod over Lauriente, owing to his eight strikes in the Premier League with Brighton and Hove Albion.

Moreover, there is also Enzo Le Fee on the left channel, who dazzled Championship defences last season, alongside Romaine Mundle, who will be eager to succeed in the Premier League, having once been discarded by Tottenham Hotspur, meaning the 26-year-old winger will have his work cut out for him to come in and suddenly leave a mark.

On the contrary, Carlos – with his 40 top-flight experiences in the top division with the Villans – will feel he has more of a chance right away at pushing into Le Bris’ XI, with his career numbers in the tough league previously showing him to be a nice mixture of both Daniel Ballard’s calmness on the ball, alongside possessing Luke O’Nien’s well-known grit.

Carlos’ PL numbers for Villa

Stat

Carlos

Games played

40

Goals scored

0

Assists

0

Passes completed

2078 (88%)

Duels won

83

Clean sheets

6

Stats by the Premier League

Looking at the table above, it’s clear that the Brazilian prides himself on being a smooth operator from the back, with 2078 accurate passes managed across his Villa stint, which left him with an 88% accurate pass completion percentage overall. Last season in the EFL, Ballard finished his season with the exact same percentage.

Therefore, the pair together could well be an intimidating duo for Premier League attackers to come to terms with, with his 83 duels won overall also gaining him a reputation for being “imposing”, as he was labelled by football journalist Mat Kendrick when still situated at Villa Park.

With his time at Sevilla also seeing him compete in the Champions League, alongside claims from football journalist David Ornstein that he was “the best defender in Spain”, this does feel like it could be a steal at around the £10m price mark.

On the contrary, with Lauriente only notching up 12 more career strikes for Sassuolo away from his breakout 24/25 offering, there will be a worry he’s an expensive misfire, as opposed to a gamble that works out.

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Chelsea have a number of players they wish to get off the books before deadline day on September 1, with Blues boss Enzo Maresca set for a few key decisions surrounding high-profile first-team stars.

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Raheem Sterling, Ben Chilwell, Renato Veiga, Axel Disasi, Carney Chukwuemeka, Lesley Ugochukwu, Armando Broja, Tosin Adarabioyo, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Nicolas Jackson, João Félix and Alfie Gilchrist have all been linked with the Chelsea exit door in recent weeks.

Chelsea’s best performers in the Premier League last season	Average match rating
Cole Palmer	7.33
Moises Caicedo	7.02
Enzo Fernández	6.95
Nicolas Jackson	6.88
Noni Madueke	6.82
via WhoScored

Benoit Badiashile has also hinted that he could leave Chelsea this summer, with The Athletic’s Simon Johnson reporting they’ll consider offers for Trevoh Chalobah too, despite his heroics during the second half of 2024/2025, so Maresca could oversee a major reshuffle of his defence.

Chelsea have already sold Kepa Arrizabalaga, Basir Humphreys, Noni Madueke, Marcus Bettinelli, Djordje Petrovic and Mathis Amougou for an estimated total fee of around £100 million, but they remain under pressure from UEFA to balance out their squad.

Failure to do so could even result in Maresca not being able to register new players for their Champions League campaign next season (Kaveh Solhekol), even if Chelsea are currently making a profit after also winning the Club World Cup and taking home £87.5 million.

Financially, Chelsea are in a very good position to carry on signing players, and that is certainly their intent towards the latter stages of this transfer window (Simon Phillips), but they’ll need to seal more departures.

Unofficial swap deals could be a key method that Chelsea utilise to both bring in upgrades and trim their bloated squad (Simon Phillips), with £195,000-per-week forward Christopher Nkunku a potential sacrifice in this regard.

Reports earlier in the window suggested that Chelsea and Man United have explored an exchange involving Nkunku and Alejandro Garnacho, and journalist Simon Phillips has now shared an update on the Frenchman’s future.

Chelsea looking to replace Christopher Nkunku as Newcastle eye "surprise" move

Writing via his Substack, the reporter claims that Chelsea are actively looking to replace Nkunku, and Newcastle have emerged as “surprise” suitors for him.

Eddie Howe’s side have expressed an interest, and even though it hasn’t advanced further than that right now, the Magpies are believed to be considering a swoop for the former RB Leipzig sensation.

This follows other audacious claims from Spain that Chelsea offered Nkunku to Real Madrid as part of a two-player swap deal for Rodrygo, but it is unclear whether the west Londoners would propose the versatile attacker for any Newcastle player.

Nkunku, despite not being a firm fixture in Maresca’s starting elevens, still managed double digits in terms of goals scored in all competitions last season, and most recently put in some impressive displays at the CWC.

“Yeah, he’s a top player, we all know his quality, how he is as a player,” teammate Felix told the media about Nkunku last campaign.

“We already saw him doing amazing things at Leipzig. And yeah, I like to play with him. I think we think the game kind of like the same way. So I think he already know what I’m going to do, and I know what he’s going to do. I think it’s pretty easy to play with him. I think we connect very well.”

Crystal Palace are stepping up their level of intent in the summer transfer window and could now be set to enter the box seat to sign a talented Champions League finalist, according to reports.

Oliver Glasner sends honest Crystal Palace transfer message

The Eagles have endured a slow start to the transfer window, which has seen only Borna Sosa and Walter Benitez arrive in South London, prompting Oliver Glasner to share his frustration over club dealings that have left the former Eintracht Frankfurt boss with a slim squad to work with.

He stated: “Even though all the players are still here, we haven’t made the most of the transfer window so far. I was promised that we would be more active and bring in the new players earlier this year.

“As of now, I have 17 outfield players! I hope we don’t lose any more. If that happens and we get four new ones on deadline day like last year, another false start is possible.”

Inevitable speculation over Crystal Palace hero Eberechi Eze’s future hasn’t helped matters, with Arsenal showing strong interest in bringing the England international to North London.

In terms of incoming, the Eagles are fighting to sign Tosin Adarabioyo from Chelsea. However, they will need to bat aside AC Milan, Newcastle United and Napoli to secure his signature.

Girona star Viktor Tsygankov is also on the radar of Crystal Palace, potentially offering an alternative creative outlet for Glasner to utilise if Eze moves on following a stellar few years at Selhurst Park.

Either way, movement needs to occur sooner rather than later, and supporters could be in for a treat if recent developments are to accelerate. Crystal Palace preparing offer for Inter Milan's Yann Bisseck

According to Gazetta dello Sport, Crystal Palace are preparing a €32m (£27.5m) bid to sign Inter Milan’s Yann Bisseck, which will be the highest that any club has offered to sign the Germany international.

Playing a part in the Nerazzurri’s run to the Champions League final last term, the Eagles are now said to be in the ‘front row’ to tempt him away from San Siro amid his current employers’ openness to selling him if a suitable offer comes along.

Yann Bisseck’s key Serie A statistics in 2024/25 (Fotmob)

Tackles won

70.6%

Recoveries

66

Pass accuracy

92.4%

Aerial duels won

48

Duels won

76

Labelled “consistent” by scout Jacek Kulig, Bisseck made 46 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25, registering three goals and three assists in total. West Ham United have also previously shown interest in the 24-year-old. However, Crystal Palace now look to be ahead on that front amid uncertainty over Marc Guehi’s future.

With the England man holding off on signing a new contract amid interest from Liverpool, Bisseck could emerge as a natural replacement should movement start to take place on the former’s situation in the coming weeks.

Reinforcements are necessary as Crystal Palace tread the line between being caught short heading into the new season, and a statement addition would undoubtedly lift the mood after a summer that hasn’t gone to plan so far.

With Liverpool approaching their return to competitive action under unprecedented circumstances, Arne Slot will take pride in what his side has managed to do in the transfer window up until this point.

Florian Wirtz, Jeremie Frimpong, and Milos Kerkez, among others, will add considerable strength on top of a squad that managed to claim Premier League glory in his debut campaign.

Nevertheless, there is more to come at Anfield, and Newcastle United striker Alexander Isak is the dream target for Liverpool, even if they are more likely to turn their attention towards Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Ekitike due to financial demands relating to the former.

Speaking of Ekitike, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed the France Under-21 international wants to come to England in light of interest from the Reds, albeit there are also clubs around Europe and in Saudi Arabia circling.

He stated: “There is movement on Hugo Ekitike, with interest from Saudi, but the priority of the player remains England. And with Newcastle interested in Hugo Ekitike, there is still interest also from more clubs. Because clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea have been calling for the player for weeks, since June, for example, being informed on the situation of Hugo Ekitike.”

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Moving away from the search for attacking prowess, Liverpool could also move for Barcelona’s Fermin Lopez, solidifying the thought that they could look to strengthen the engine room.

Recent developments could point them in that direction, but not in the way supporters would expect, given previous events this window.

Liverpool could be offered Arda Guler in exchange for Alexis Mac Allister

According to reports in Spain, Liverpool could be offered Real Madrid star Arda Guler as the La Liga giants look to sign Alexis Mac Allister, and it is claimed the Argentina international may be tempted by the prospect of working with former Reds midfielder Xabi Alonso.

However, the 26-year-old hasn’t shown any major signs of wanting to change clubs and is said to be ‘happy’ in England, though Los Blancos may throw Turkish sensation Guler into the mix to try and bring down the cost of any potential deal with the Reds valuing their star at £86m.

Alexis Mac Allister in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

49

Goals

7

Assists

6

Arda Guler in 2024/25 – all competitions

Appearances

49

Goals

6

Assists

11

Intriguingly, Guler, who has previously been labelled “tremendous” by Carlo Ancelotti, has outperformed £150,000 per week earner Mac Allister in the field of goal contributions, certifying that he would be able to replicate his creative influence at Anfield.

However, the latter is someone who Arne Slot believes holds a unique standing in the football world, so it is hard to envisage the Dutchman entertaining any notion of a sale under any circumstances.

Angel Di Maria has suggested that Lionel Messi will play on beyond the 2026 World Cup, claiming that no “farewell” has been bid with Argentina.

Last qualifier taken in on Argentine soilDoubts cast over World Cup involvementClose friend expects career to continueFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Messi’s latest outing for his country, which came in a qualifying clash with Venezuela, saw an emotional evening taken in at Estadio Monumental. He believes said fixture will mark his last competitive appearance on home soil.

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The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has also cast doubt over his involvement at next summer’s World Cup, with the 38-year-old unable to guarantee that he will form part of a global title defence in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

DID YOU KNOW?

The expectation is that he will grace said event, as he remains a talismanic captain of the Albiceleste, with long-time team-mate Di Maria – who retired from international duty after winning the 2024 Copa America – of the opinion that Argentina’s GOAT has more football left in him.

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GettyWHAT DI MARIA SAID

Di Maria told : “Leo hasn’t retired yet. It will be the last qualifying match, but he still has a World Cup and will surely have another match after. For me, it’s not a farewell. That’s why I didn’t go. I spoke with him. I’m happy that he’s still around.”

Tottenham Hotspur are entering a new era under Thomas Frank this summer, with the Dane the latest manager to try and catapult the side to sustained levels of success.

The 51-year-old signed a three-year deal after joining from fellow Premier League side Brentford, subsequently wanting to take his managerial career to the next level in North London.

However, if he wants to achieve both of his goals, he will require serious investment from the hierarchy to provide him with the tools for success at the Lilywhites.

He’s already added Mohammed Kudus to his ranks, but despite the Ghanaian’s move to the club, other additions will be needed in key areas of the pitch.

Countless players still remain in their sights during the current market, opening the door to further big-money signings to improve the options at Frank’s disposal.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

James McAtee is the latest player currently on their radar, potentially softening the blow after missing out on Nottingham Forest star Morgan Gibbs-White.

It’s been reported that Spurs could be about to jump ahead of Nuno Espírito Santo’s side in the race for his signature, after the Reds had a £25m bid rejected for the Manchester City youngster.

However, he’s not the only Premier League player on their radar, with Fulham centre-forward Rodrigo
Muniz also a player they’re considering, according to TBR Football.

They claim that talks have already been held with the 24-year-old’s representatives this window, opening the door to a move to North London for the Brazilian forward.

It also states that the player has yet to receive a suitable offer to renew his contract, potentially leading to a departure, with Leeds United also circling for his signature.

Why Spurs’ latest target could be Frank’s next Wissa

During Frank’s stint as Brentford boss, he managed to unearth multiple gems that allowed him to turn the Bees into an established top-flight outfit.

Yoane Wissa is just one player he managed to transform into a top-level talent, with the DR Congo star managing to torment countless backlines in the division.

The 28-year-old made 35 appearances in the league last time around, registering a total of 19 goals and four assists, forming an excellent partnership with Cameroonian international Bryan Mbeumo.

Given his tremendous form in recent times, he’s also been linked with a move to join Spurs this window, potentially following the manager in moving to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

However, Newcastle United and Forest are also interested in a deal for his signature, making any move for his services somewhat tricky, leading to other options being considered.

That’s where a move for Muniz comes in this summer, with the Fulham star being the next key talisman to try and make a name for himself under Frank’s guidance.

He’s been labelled as a similar player to the Bees star by FBref, also managing to outperform the DR Congo international in numerous key areas throughout last campaign.

How Muniz & Wissa compare in the PL (2024/25)

Statistics (per 90)

Muniz

Wissa

Games played

31

35

Goals & assists

9

23

Goals & assists (per 90)

0.84

0.71

Shot on target accuracy

49%

45%

Take-on success

33%

30%

Fouls won

2.9

1.5

Aerials won

6.3

0.9

Aerial success rate

52%

45%

Stats via FBref

Muniz, who’s been labelled “one of the best strikers in the Premier League” by teammate Willian, posted a better goal and assist rate per 90, whilst notching a higher shot on target accuracy rate – having the added ability to thrive in the final third.

He also managed to complete more of the take-ons he attempted last campaign, possessing a more all-round ability to thrive and create carnage to the opposition’s backline.

The Brazilian’s talents are further reflected in his ability in the air, winning a higher percentage of his aerial duels, offering Frank a needed focal point, which the Spurs side are currently lacking ahead of 2025/26.

Whilst it’s unclear how much Marco Silva’s side are demanding for his signature, it’s evident that the youngster has all the tools needed to be a fan favourite with the Lilywhites faithful.

If he can transform his game and match the goals produced by Wissa under Frank’s guidance, he would be a superb signing that would massively bolster the club’s chances of success next year.

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Posts ByEthan Lamb Jul 31, 2025