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Sydney and Canberra are firming as the venues for the white-ball matches to commence India’s looming tour of Australia, with an agreement between Cricket Australia and the New South Wales state government possibly only a matter of days away.Though CA continues to talk with authorities in both Queensland and South Australia about options around India’s tourists arriving for quarantine and training, New South Wales has swiftly taken over as favourites for the start of the tour and its first block of matches prior to the Test series.The state’s sports minister, Stuart Ayres, has confirmed receipt of a proposal from CA and its considerations by relevant authorities including police and health officials. After several weeks of gridlock between the governing body and Queensland Health, the combination of the New South Wales border to South Australia being opened on September 26, plus the obvious eagerness of the SCG Trust and also the ACT government, where Canberra’s Manuka Oval is located, for international cricket appears to have been the circuit-breaker required.”Cricket Australia has approached the New South Wales government about quarantining the Indian cricket team and returning Australian cricketers in Sydney,” Ayres said. “That proposal is currently being assessed by NSW authorities including health and police. Fixtures for the Indian tour will be determined by Cricket Australia and won’t impact our assessment of the quarantine proposal.”Should CA and the state government reach agreement, the revised plan would then be submitted to the BCCI for approval, with fixtures announced and the unveiling of Australia’s extended white-ball squad for the six games – three ODIs and three T20Is – to follow.Queensland Health’s prevarication alongside the state government, which is facing an election in a matter of days, is understood to have focused on objection to CA’s desire to allow the Indian squad to travel from the Brisbane city centre hotel they had booked in its entirety to training facilities at Allan Border Field. This disagreement had come as a surprise to CA and its government relations team, after initial airing of the plan had not met with any reservations.By contrast, New South Wales appears more likely to allow the combination of hotel quarantine and supervised training sessions that is the preferred option for the both the Indian touring party and the Australian cricketers also returning home from their stints in the IPL. From there, the two white-ball series would share fixtures between the SCG and Manuka Oval, most likely four fixtures in Sydney and two in Canberra.CA has already unveiled plans in collaboration with Cricket NSW and the state government to host the WBBL in Sydney in its entirety, and the tournament will require only minor tweaks should the India series begin in the same city. Neither the SCG or Manuka had been set down to play a role in the WBBL, apart from tentative plans to possibly use the SCG for the final in late November.

Sophia Dunkley and Katie George added to T20 World Cup squad

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Sep-2020Georgia Elwiss has been ruled out of England women’s five T20Is against West Indies due to a back injury, with Sophia Dunkley and Katie George included in a 16-strong squad for the series.Head coach Lisa Keightley has largely stuck with the squad knocked out of this year’s T20 World Cup thanks to a semi-final washout against India, with Elwiss the only member of that group not selected. Allrounder Bryony Smith and left-arm spinner Linsey Smith are both on standby.Some 24 women’s players had gone into the biosecure bubble at Derby ahead of the series, and the seven not selected will be available for the final round of Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy fixtures and the final (if their teams qualify). Those seven players are Lauren Bell, Alice Davidson-Richards, Kirstie Gordon, Emma Lamb, Bryony Smith, Linsey Smith and Issy Wong.West Indies arrived in the UK on August 31, and both teams have been playing intra-squad warm-up matches in Derby over the past two weeks. The series starts on September 21.”It’s been a challenging summer for everyone and we are privileged to be in a position to play an international series, and to get the chance to showcase the women’s game,” Keightley said.”We have worked hard since the group came back together in preparation for this series and we’re in a great place going in to the Vitality T20Is against West Indies.”England squad to play West Indies: Tammy Beaumont, Katherine Brunt, Kate Cross, Freya Davies, Sophia Dunkley, Sophie Ecclestone, Katie George, Sarah Glenn, Heather Knight (captain), Amy Jones, Nat Sciver, Anya Shrubsole, Mady Villiers, Fran Wilson, Lauren Winfield, Danni Wyatt.

The League One play-offs offer a chance to those who just missed out on automatic promotion, with four teams battling it out to see who can secure promotion to the Championship. With the winner getting the opportunity to gain more exposure and enjoy greater financial gains, as well as being just one step away from the bright lights of the Premier League, it's a prize well worth fighting for.

The regular League One season has now concluded, with the fight for the play-offs finally coming to an end. With Portsmouth and Derby going up, one from the remaining four sides will join them in the second tier.

Bolton Wanderers will take on Oxford United for a place in the final after winning their respective semi-final matchups.

Football FanCast has taken a look ahead at the details concerning the upcoming 2024 EFL League One play-offs.

How the League One play-offs work

Just like all the EFL play-offs, the League One play-offs consist of two semi-finals: the team that finishes in third play the team finishing in sixth; the team finishing in fourth plays the team who finished fifth.

One team advances from each semi-final tie, which is settled over two legs home and away, with the team leading on aggregate after 180 minutes of football (or more) advancing to the final. The team who finished lower will be at home for the first leg, whilst the team who finished higher will be at home for the deciding return leg.

In the event of a tie after 180 minutes of football, the match will be settled via extra-time and penalties if the score is still level following an additional 30 minutes.

Wembley Stadium is the stage for the League One play-off final, with the winner lifting the trophy and securing promotion to the Championship. As usual, extra-time and penalties are required if both teams are tied at the end of normal time, with the losing team spending another season in League One.

Final League One standings

Teams placed from third to sixth make it into the League One play-offs, with the top two going up automatically.

Derby did their bit on the final day to join Portsmouth in the Championship, while Oxford United sneaked into fifth place ahead of Lincoln City, who lost to Pompey on the final day.

Bolton had to settle for third place ahead of last-day opponents Peterborough United, who they could yet face again at Wembley, while Barnsley also assured themselves a shot at promotion after a draw against Northampton Town at home.

Final League One table

Pos

Team

P

W

D

L

GD

PTS

1st

Portsmouth

46

28

13

5

+37

97

2nd

Derby

46

28

8

10

+41

92

3rd

Bolton

46

25

12

9

+35

87

4th

Peterborough

46

25

9

12

+28

84

5th

Oxford

46

22

11

13

+23

77

6th

Barnsley

46

21

13

12

+18

76

7th

Lincoln

46

20

14

12

+26

74

8th

Blackpool

46

21

10

15

+17

73

2024 League One play-off dates

Date

Fixture

Friday, May 3rd

Barnsley 1-3 Bolton

Saturday, May 4th

Oxford 1-0 Peterborough

Tuesday, May 7th

Bolton 2-3 Barnsley

Wednesday, May 8th

Peterborough 1-1 Oxford

The 2024 League One play-off semi-finals took place in early May, with the final being held on Saturday 18th May 2024 at Wembley Stadium, with a 4.15pm kick-off.

League One play-off final 2024

Date

Saturday 18th May

Time

4.15pm

Venue

Wembley Stadium

Capacity

90,000

Where to watch the 2024 League One play-offs on UK TV and live-stream

Fans will be able to watch the League One playoffs live on Sky Sports, as well as Sky Go if you're looking for an online streaming platform.

If you're from over the pond in the US, League One play-off games are available to watch and stream live on ESPN+ and the ESPN network.

How and where to buy League One play-off final tickets Bolton Wanderers

The Trotters have been allocated 36,550 tickets for their trip to Wembley, in what is their first appearance at the national stadium since the 2011 FA Cup semi-finals. All tickets must be purchased online through this portal provided by the club.

Supporters can buy up to two tickets per client reference number, while a maximum of six tickets can be purchased in one transaction.

Tickets will be sold in phases, with full details shown on the club website. Buying in multiple phases is permitted for those that are eligible, but these seats won't be located together. A breakdown can be seen in the table below.

Bolton Wanderers: Play-off final ticket sales

Phase

Date

Time

Tickets open to

1

Thursday 9th May

12pm

2023/24 season ticket holders

2

Saturday 11th May

10am

2023/24 season ticket holders and official Club members

3

Monday 13th May

10am

General sale (supporters must have had a registered account as of 7th May)

Oxford United

Oxford's ticket allocation for Wembley have been on general sale since Monday 13th May, with a number still remaining ahead of their clash this coming weekend. 15,000 tickets were sold prior to the general sale period. All tickets are in digital form for this fixture.

More information can be found here.

How much the League One play-off final is worth

Of course, it may not be as glamorous as the potential £265m you can earn from securing promotion to the Premier League, but for a club advancing from League One to the Championship, a potential prize of £6-7m is still rather sweet.

Interestingly, clubs in the third tier receive around £1.4m, partly from a basic award and a solidarity payment. As a Championship club, there are plenty more riches to be had, with the same awards as a second-tier club totalling around £6-7m. That is due, in part, to the increased levels of TV revenue per live game as well as the money handed down from the Premier League to the EFL clubs.

Last year's League One play-off final

Following the conclusion of the 2022/23 League One regular season, Peterborough United, Sheffield Wednesday, Barnsley and Bolton Wanderers all battled it out for a place in the Championship.

The Posh flew out the blocks and secured a 4-0 win over Sheffield Wednesday in the first leg, whilst Bolton and Barnsley played out a 1-1 draw.

Things really heated up in the second leg at Hillsborough, as the Owls did the impossible to overturn a four-goal deficit to win on penalties with the score standing at 5-1 in the match after extra time.

In the other semi-final, Barnsley made home advantage count as they booked their place in the final with a 1-0 win.

The final at Wembley was a rather nervy encounter for both sets of fans as the two sides couldn't be separated after 90 minutes. It took 123 minutes of football for there to be a winner crowned, as Josh Windass popped up with an injury-time goal to send Sheffield Wednesday fans into a frenzy as promotion to the Championship was secured.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has privately called one £40 million defender his ideal signing for that position, with the Gunners boss a real admirer.

Arsenal eyeing new full-back and centre-back this summer

Sporting director Edu has been tipped to potentially bring in a new centre-back and full-back, as Arteta seeks more depth for his backline.

Mikel Arteta could convince £100,000-per-week midfielder to join Arsenal

The Gunners boss will have a significant influence on the potential move.

ByEmilio Galantini May 18, 2024

Ben White has shone as an unnatural right back in Arsenal's system since the beginning of 2022/2023, and following the meteoric rise of William Saliba. The Englishman was rewarded with a new long-term contract, which he penned back in March, but White has admitted he isn't exactly perfect defensively.

"Some of the videos I have seen, maybe others don't see it, but if I lost the runner or if I don't do that, they will probably score. It comes back to doing anything to win," said White on his limitations at right-back.

Arsenal 5-0 Chelsea

9.43

Bournemouth 0-4 Arsenal

8.48

Sheffield United 0-6 Arsenal

8.13

Arsenal 2-1 Brentford

7.77

Arsenal 5-0 Crystal Palace

7.56

"I know I'm not going to stop everyone and I know I'm not the best one-v-one defender, but I know I can do things to help the team in game situations against their winger. Every game, normally the winger is the best player so it's always a challenge and I have to do my homework and try and stop him."

Arsenal are reported to be closing in on a deal to sign Ferdi Kadioglu as an alternative to White, with Edu also planning another centre-back signing. It will be interesting to see what the future holds for Jurrien Timber in that respect, with the Netherlands ace missing the entirety of 2023/2024 after his ACL injury last year.

If nothing comes to fruition regarding Kadioglu, then an alternative could be Girona defender Yan Couto. The Brazil international, who is currently on loan at Girona from sister club and Arsenal's Premier League title rivals Man City, has been linked this week.

It is believed Edu has been advised to consider a move for Couto by one of his close confidants at Arsenal, with another report by Tutto Juve sharing more news on their interest.

Arteta has privately called Couto his ideal Arsenal signing

According to their information, Arteta has privately called Couto the ideal signing to strengthen Arsenal's right-back position.

However, the north Londoners by no means have a clear run at the £40 million ace, with Juventus, Barcelona and Man United standing out as his other prestigious summer suitors.

It is contestable whether City would opt to sell Couto to United, their fierce cross-town rival, but Arsenal could find themselves in the same boat given both Arteta and Pep Guardiola are likely to lock horns again for next season's Premier League crown.

That being said, the Blues did green-light Cole Palmer's move to Chelsea last summer, and he had far greater potential to thrive at Eastlands than Couto.

Tottenham are the frontrunners to sign a Serie A centre-back heading into the 2024 summer transfer window.

Tottenham want a centre-back

Tottenham have been one of the more entertaining sides to watch in the Premier League this season. Their free-flowing attack has led to plenty of high-scoring games involving the Lilywhites, with their shaky backline often making their fixtures a great watch for neutrals.

While Tottenham's goalscoring ability no doubt pleases Ange Postecoglou, especially after the departure of Harry Kane, their defensive woes – six clean sheets in 35 games – have been a cause for concern this season. In turn, the Australian tactician spoke at length earlier in 2023/24 about his desire to sign a centre-back:

"If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at,” said Postecoglou on Spurs signing another centre-back. "With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club.

"So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit into what we’re trying to build here. I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment."

However, despite the wishes of Postecoglou, Tottenham have primarily been tipped to make moves for players further up the pitch this summer, with the likes of Ivan Toney and Eberechi Eze linked with moves from across London.

Now, however, the Lilywhites finally appear to have nailed down a target who can help plug their leaky defence.

Tottenham frontrunners for £34m star

As per Italian outlet Calciomercato, Tottenham are "above all" in the race to sign the Torino defender Alessandro Buongiorno. The report adds that the defender is valued at €40m, or around £34m.

The 24-year-old is a product of Torino's academy and has notched 107 appearances for their senior side, including 29 this season.

His impressive club form over the last year also earned him his first call-up to the Italian national team in 2023. He was then singled out for praise on his Italy debut by Roberto Mancini in June 2023. Buongiorno became the 78th Torino player to represent the Azzurri, starting the 3-2 victory over the Netherlands in Enschede that allowed them to take third place in the Nations League.

“It was not easy, especially as he is not used to this style of football, but Buongiorno was excellent and really applied himself well," Mancini said.

After his debut for Italy, Buongiorno spoke of his ability to play in a three or four-man backline, something Tottenham would no doubt find useful: “I can fit into a three-man defence or four, but my teammates were also very helpful with their advice. I thank them and am very happy.”

Wolverhampton Wanderers are flying high in the Premier League at the moment, but thoughts will soon begin to turn towards the summer transfer window.

Gary O’Neil has enjoyed a solid debut campaign managing the Old Gold and if they secure a top half finish in the top flight, he could attract some talented players.

Wolves transfer news

O’Neil will have to wait until the end of the season to see just how much money he will have to spend during the summer, but he may have to move on a few players in order to raise some funds.

Bolstering his defence could be one of his main priorities. Will this lead him to perhaps reignite a move for a Brazilian defender?

According to Fabrizio Romano, Fabricio Bruno is reportedly open to a move to Europe this summer, with Flamengo valuing the centre-back at as much as €15m (£13m) following some solid performances.

Romano goes on to state that Wolves, along with Atalanta and Nottingham Forest all approached him in 2023 regarding a potential move, but nothing ever materialised.

Wolves have the ninth-best defensive record in the top flight, conceding 44 goals so far, but improvement can always be made. Craig Dawson also does not have long left at the top, suggesting that Bruno could be an ideal replacement.

Fabricio Bruno’s statistics for Flamengo

Dawson has started 25 league matches this season, emerging as a key member of O’Neil’s side, but his contract is due to expire in 2025, and it is clear some new blood is required at the heart of the defence.

Throughout 2023, Bruno played a staggering 64 matches for Flamengo, scoring three goals and grabbing two assists, proving to be a reliable member of the first-team squad.

Fabricio Bruno's league stats in 2023 for Flamengo
Accurate passes per game	58.7
Total duels won per game	3.4
Tackles per game	1.4
Interceptions per game	0.7
Clearances per game	4.2
Via Sofascore

In the Brazilian top flight, Bruno ranked third among his teammates with regard to overall Sofascore rating (7.12), along with ranking first for accurate passes per game (58.7) and accurate long balls per game (4.2), demonstrating his wonderful passing ability.

His ability to bring the ball out from the defence could also be key for O’Neil going forward. When compared to his positional peers, Bruno ranks in the top 5% for progressive passes per 90 (5.91) in the men’s next 14 competitions, suggesting he is a forward-thinking defender with an eye for a pass.

Dawson, on the other hand, currently ranks in the bottom 19% for progressive passes per 90 (2.35) when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues, and it clearly shows he is more of an old-school centre-back, preferring to use his physical strength rather than play the ball forward on a regular basis.

There are merits for both a combative defender and one who plays out from the back and thinks of advancing the ball, but with O’Neil looking to push his side to the next level, making a move for the 6 foot 3 Brazilian this summer could be a wise one.

Dawson may have another year left in him, but there is no doubt Bruno – who has been dubbed a "colossus" by insider All Things Brazil – could be a wonderful replacement for the Englishman.

Wolves leading the race to sign dream Hwang rival in “clinical” star

The 27-year-old striker would be a brilliant addition to the Wolves squad.

By
Tom Lever

Mar 27, 2024

Julian Alvarez has insisted he did not say "anything bad" after Pep Guardiola's blunt response on the Manchester City forward's future.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Alvarez suggested he'd consider Man City future
• Guardiola gave blunt response to those remarks
• Argentine insists he didn't say "anything bad"

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The striker, who has been linked with a City exit this summer, said he needed to reflect on his future after admitting it wasn't "pleasant" to be left out of some "important games" last season. That led manager Guardiola to give a somewhat cutting response, with the Spaniard saying, "Think about it". Now, the 24-year-old has responded while he is representing Argentina at the Paris Olympics.

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• Getty Images
  

  WHAT JULIAN ALVAREZ SAID

  He told : "I heard what Guardiola said. I don't have much to say about it. I never said anything bad. I just said that I was going to think about it like I do every season to make an analysis of what happened last season, a projection of what may come. I always say that I am comfortable and happy at City, which is a great club. So I didn't say anything bad."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Alvarez joined City in January 2022 for a fee in the region of £14 million ($18m) and while he has scored 36 goals in 103 games, the former River Plate star has had to play second fiddle to Erling Haaland in attack. Incidentally, whenever a player has crossed Guardiola in his managerial career, they tend to head for the exit. It remains to be seen what will happen to the forward, who reportedly has a price tag of £77m ($98.8m).

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Alvarez has helped his Argentina side reach the quarter-finals of the Olympics, where they will face hosts France on August 2. It is not yet certain if he will be a City player when the new season begins in just over two weeks.

Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou has apparently told an 18-year-old he'll be given a chance to prove himself at Spurs, on one condition.

Postecoglou pleads for Spurs academy improvement as he sets ambitious goal

The Lilywhites head coach has spoken about the importance of N17's production line, and how he wants the academy to greatly improve.

Ex-Tottenham employee says 18-goal forward could be tempted to join Ange

He’s been called his division’s standout player.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 9, 2024

Tottenham have produced some standout talents over the years, not least the likes of Harry Kane, who went on to become the club's all-time record goalscorer before he departed for Bayern Munich last year.

More recently, Alfie Dorrington, Jamie Donley and Mikey Moore have all been tipped for potentially big futures, but Postecoglou has been adamant that Spurs have a lot of work to do when it comes to nurturing young stars for the future.

"I think we've got a lot of work to do in our academy and Simon Davies is certainly one that is putting a lot of emphasis and priority there," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's production line.

Newcastle (away)

April 13th

Arsenal (home)

April 28th

Chelsea (away)

May 2nd

Liverpool (away)

May 5th

Burnley (home)

May 11th

"I don't think we have the production line other top clubs have, certainly not. Even currently that’s why we’re investing in some younger players, even for the first team. For us as a football club that's definitely the way forward.

"My brief at the moment is still very much around the first team and building a first team and you can do that while giving opportunities to young players. If anything I think for sustainable success it's the best way to go because the team grows together when it's guys of similar ages as long as you've got good experience around them."

Postecoglou also wants Tottenham to become a hot spot for young talent, and they've made real headway in that regard recently. Spurs beat Barcelona in the race to sign Swedish sensation Lucas Bergvall in January, and the 18-year-old will link up with them this summer after a loan spell at Djurgardens IF.

Postecoglou makes Bergvall a game-time promise at Tottenham

Now, Djurgardens official Peter Kisfaludy has shared some details as to why Bergvall chose north London over the Camp Nou.

He refutes claims that it was down to money and interestingly lifts the lid on a conversation between Postecoglou and the teenager. Indeed, Kisfaludy says Postecoglou has promised Bergvall game time at Spurs, on the condition he works hard.

“He has taken everything very well," said Kisfaludy to Aftonbladet (via Sport Witness).

"There has been so much rubbish on social media that he would have chosen Tottenham for the money. The contracts with Barcelona and Tottenham were fully negotiated. Both for his own part and between the clubs, so that he could choose.”

“He got a better feeling and that is not so strange. When the coach Ange Postecoglou sits down with him and says that he loves young players and that he will get the chance there if he works hard. Compare that to Barcelona, where you didn’t even know who was going to coach the team.”

England head coach candidate switches focus to leading Welsh Fire in the Hundred

George Dobell21-Oct-2019Gary Kirsten has confirmed he would “love to get back into international cricket” despite missing out on the role of England head coach.While Kirsten said he was “not bothered” by having failed to win the England role, he insisted he was prepared to endure the months on the road that are inherent with international coaching and said he would have accepted the job had it been offered.Kirsten was seen as favourite for the England job once Alec Stewart pulled out of the reckoning. He has enjoyed successful spells as coach of India and South Africa and, having initially said he would only consider the position in one format of the game (either red- or white-ball coach, but not both), then reconsidered and made himself available for the entire role.But he is believed to have underwhelmed in his interview. As well as demonstrating comparatively little knowledge of England’s current team, he seems to have expressed some trepidation towards the side’s relentless schedule. And while he is adamant he was keen on the job, he admitted he was apprehensive about the time he would have been required to spend away from home.Former South African opening batsman Gary Kirsten is named as head coach of Welsh Fire for the Hundred•Getty Images

“I wouldn’t have flown across the world if my heart wasn’t in the job,” Kirsten told ESPNcricinfo. “It would have been a great opportunity. I’ve always wanted to be involved in English cricket. But it is hectic, without a doubt. It means you are probably away from home for 250 days a year.”My kids are little and I placed a huge importance on being able to see them as regularly as I could. But I discussed it with my wife, we’ve done it before with India so we know the space, and we said ‘we’ll make it work if we can’. They [the ECB] said they were going to create [some space for time off in the schedule].”I’m not bothered by the decision. Everyone makes the call they need to. It’s great to be part of the Hundred, actually. I was going to lose that if I got the England job. This will be exciting.”Despite his enthusiasm for the Hundred, where he will coach Welsh Fire, Kirsten hinted he may pursue more international coaching roles in the future.”I’d love to get back into international cricket,” he said. “I’ve been out of international cricket for six years. I only came over to England because I was excited by the opportunity. I would have accepted the job.”

Having enjoyed a solid, if not consistent, first season in charge, Ange Postecoglou could make his mark at Tottenham Hotspur once again this summer to welcome a La Liga star who has received plenty of attention.

Tottenham transfer news

The Lilywhites have already reportedly turned their attention towards summer reinforcements, with the likes of Pedro Neto and Kevin Denkey among those currently stealing the headline. Neto has starred for Wolverhampton Wanderers this season and the fact that he's already Premier League proven instantly makes him an ideal option for all those in North London.

Tottenham now building towards move to sign new "leader" for Ange

The Lilywhites have already scouted the midfielder.

ByTom Cunningham Mar 2, 2024

Denkey, meanwhile, would finally fill the goalscoring void left behind by Harry Kane, who left to join Bayern Munich last summer. The Cercle Brugge forward has enjoyed an outstanding campaign, making interest from Spurs little surprise. That said, however, it's not just his attacking options that Postecoglou is looking to improve.

Having already welcomed Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario and Radu Dragusin to boost their backline in the last year, Spurs have now been tipped to pursue a La Liga star who has already attracted plenty of interest ahead of a potential summer move. The Lilywhites will simply hope to stand out amongst the crowd.

That star, of course, is Miguel Gutierrez. According to reports in Spain, Spurs are eyeing a move to sign Gutierrez after his excellent season for surprise title challengers Girona. As mentioned, the Lilywhites aren't the only club interested, however. If they want to sign the 22-year-old, then they will reportedly have to fend off interest from Real Madrid, Manchester United and even North London rivals Arsenal.

Daniel Levy hasn't been afraid to back Postecoglou since the Australian's arrival last summer and could once again splash the cash in the next transfer window to finally put Spurs back on course to finish inside the Premier League's top four.

"Brilliant" Gutierrez could compete with Udogie

As good as Destiny Udogie has been this season, Spurs would be getting direct competition in Gutierrez if they managed to secure a deal for the left-back this summer. Gutierrez's stats show just how good he's been for Girona in the current campaign.

Goals

1

2

Assists

4

3

Progressive Carries

102

116

Progressive Passes

55

64

Interceptions

17

28

The Athletic's Thom Harris will certainly be keeping a close eye on Gutierrez this summer, whoever secures his signature, having sung the left-back's praises earlier this season. Harris posted on X:

Looking to get one over on Arsenal off the pitch, Spurs could land an impressive addition to Postecoglou's squad. As the summer transfer window arrives, Gutierrez will be one to watch out for, whether he stays at Girona or, indeed, chooses a move to the Premier League.