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Tottenham Hotspur's search for a new head coach is making no real progress, and their lack of a sporting director is actively harming the process, expert Julien Laurens has claimed.

What's going on with Spurs?

The Lilywhites are on their third manager of the season, as Antonio Conte's sacking was quickly followed up with the departure of Cristian Stellini, and acting interim manager Ryan Mason has a huge job on his hands.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici was dismissed from his role following the receipt of a global ban from football due to charges related to his spell at Juventus, and no replacement appears imminent.

Speaking on ESPN FC (6.40), Laurens claimed that a lack of guidance for chairman Daniel Levy in this managerial search is a recipe for disaster.

"It's a squad that is completely unbalanced right now, and there's no sporting director. The worst thing that could happen in this search for a new manager at Spurs is the fact that it's got nobody guiding it, apart from Daniel Levy, who's got another million things to sort out," he stated.

"The lack of sporting director is huge, because of how important the relationship between a sporting director and the manager is, and if they're not on the same page, it's going to fail. We've seen it so many times.

"So choosing a head coach or manager without having a sporting director already in place is an absolute nightmare because you will need to get them both right and both to get on and be on the same page and want the same thing in the same direction, to make it work.

"For that is much easier if you already have a good sporting director that you trust in, that can help you choose the right manager, with whom you will form a good partnership, which is not the case right now. So it's going to be very difficult for Spurs."

What should Spurs do now?

Spurs have now distanced themselves from former Bayern Munich manager Julian Nagelsmann, and do not appear confident in their search for a new manager next season.

The lack of sporting director means there is no plan for the type of manager they want, whether a short or long-term hire, and the mistakes of 2021 look set to be repeated.

Spurs were publicly rejected by a number of candidates before landing on Nuno Espirito Santo, and the club will be keen to avoid a similar scenario.

One option could be to stick with Ryan Mason until a sporting director or suitable managerial candidate is found. With reported targets Nagelsmann and Vincent Kompany off the table, another drawn-out saga could lay ahead for Levy and Spurs.

Journalist Charles Watts has claimed that he doesn't expect Arsenal winger Gabriel Martinelli to play again this season after he was spotted in a protective boot.

What's the latest Arsenal injury news?

The Gunners played host to Brighton on Sunday with the likes of William Saliba, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Takehiro Tomiyasu, and Mo Elneny already out injured.

And to make things worse, not long into that Premier League match at the Emirates, Martinelli hobbled off the pitch as a consequence of a foul from Moises Caicedo.

This was merely a precursor for the bad afternoon the north London side would have as they went on to lose the match 3-0 – all but putting an end to their title hopes.

Adding insult to injury, Watts has since noted that Martinelli was seen in a protective boot after the game and has claimed that the Brazilian won't play again this season.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, he said (13:40): “Mikel didn’t know [when he'll be back], said that he's going to go for a scan.

"I saw the club physio spoke to some fans afterwards as he was leaving the game in his car. And I think he said that he thinks he'll play again this season but I don't know.

"Having seen Martinelli yesterday walking around after the game in that protective boot. I'd be surprised if he does but we'll wait and see on that."

Is Martinelli out for the season?

The Brazilian was actually a tad lucky not to go off early when he avoided a red card for a nasty foul on Kaoru Mitoma.

This good fortune has since turned to back luck with manager Mikel Arteta not able to add too much clarity about it all.

He told football.london: "He was very uncomfortable, and he could not carry on playing. We need to scan him and see the extent of that injury."

Arsenal team doctor Gary O'Driscoll was spotted outside the Emirates stating: "He's a bit sore but he should be okay," before adding: "everyone's fighting to be back for the next game".

However, with the title now surely out of reach and with only two Premier League matches left to play for the Gunners, it doesn't make a whole lot of sense to rush the £180k-p/w winger back as it could risk aggravating the issue even more.

All in all, it sounds as though Arsenal fans may well have seen the last of Martinelli this season.

Tottenham Hotspur could well be set for something of a raid on Feyenoord this summer, amid the club's apparent interest in Mexican marksman, Santiago Gimenez.

What's the latest on Gimenez to Spurs?

While Arne Slot may well have rebuffed interest from Spurs in order to sign a new deal with his Eredivisie club, it seemingly won't stop the north Londoners from targeting his current crop of players.

Following recent reports which claimed that the Lilywhites are interested in playmaker, Orkun Kokcu, 90min are now reporting that the Premier League outfit are also among a host of English clubs who are keen on 22-year-old striker, Gimenez.

The piece notes that Daniel Levy and co are currently monitoring the ten-cap forward ahead of the summer transfer window, although the likes of Aston Villa, Brentford and Brighton and Hove Albion are also said to be in the running for his signature.

Who is Santiago Gimenez?

The highly-coveted starlet is currently enjoying a stunning debut season in the Netherlands, having been a vital part in helping Slot's side to secure title glory.

The former Cruz Azul ace – who made the move to Rotterdam last summer – has seemingly been "on fire" of late, according to talent scout Jacek Kulig, having scored 15 goals in 31 league games, as well as plundering a further five goals in just nine Europa League outings.

Valued at a reported fee of just £18m, the goalscoring machine could well follow the aforementioned Slot to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with there a potential for the 6-foot ace to be a dream heir to current Spurs talisman, Harry Kane.

With the latter man the subject of interest from Manchester United amid his expiring contract, there is likely to be a concern as to whether the England skipper will be at the club next season, having yet again led the line superbly this term with a standout tally of 28 league goals.

Trying to fill the void for a player who is now the leading scorer in the club's history is no small feat, although Levy were to turn to an inform marksman, like Gimenez, it could prove an astute move.

As the youngster's goalscoring heroics this season have showcased, he seemingly mirrors Kane in his ability to offer a clinical presence in attack, having also previously chipped in with 21 goals in 105 games during his time in Mexico.

Equally, even if Kane were to stay put it would not be the worst move to bring in a younger asset to act as a quality understudy, helping to ease the reliance on the Three Lions star in the process.

As such, even if Slot isn't the man to replace Antonio Conte in the dugout, Spurs should certainly consider trying to bring Gimenez in.

West Ham United capped off an unbelievable week after beating AZ Alkmaar with a dominant victory over Leeds United in the Premier League at the London Stadium.

The Irons began the encounter shakily and fell behind after Weston McKennie’s long throw-in was rifled into the back of the net by Rodrigo.

The quick start of the visitors and the seemingly sluggish nature of the Hammers left many Clarets fearing the worst, but the home side quickly regained their composure and eventually cantered to a 3-1 win.

A lot of the spotlight was on Declan Rice as he potentially appear in his last-ever game at the London Stadium in claret and blue colours but he wasn't the only player to steal the show.

One of the main protagonists for this turnaround was Jarrod Bowen, who was back to his effervescent, busy, and direct self.

How did Jarrod Bowen play against Leeds United?

Last season, the England winger was in sensational form as he recorded 22 goal contributions in 36 top-flight appearances and had the highest average rating in the squad (7.14), as per WhoScored.

This led Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp to label the £60k-per-week man as “unbelievable” as he developed a reputation as one of the club’s prize assets.

For the majority of this campaign, the former Hull City dynamo has been largely unable to replicate this series of outrageous displays, which earned him his national team debut in June 2022.

The 26-year-old attacker has scored just six times, and his average dribbles per game have decreased from 1.4 last year, to just 1.0 this time around to show his slight decline.

However, when Sam Allardyce’s side came to visit east London, Bowen recaptured what everyone has been missing.

In his 84 minutes showing, the four-cap international managed four key passes and four accurate crosses, as well as two shots on target, one big chance created and he even won three ground duels.

Within this imperious showing, the 5 foot 9 playmaker’s beautifully lofted ball set up Rice for the equaliser, giving the fanbase what they could have only dreamed of before kick-off, a goal and three points from their skipper.

The midfield machine, who has been endlessly linked with Arsenal and Manchester United ahead of the summer transfer window was equally impressive with five accurate long balls and two successful dribbles.

Bowen then became the goalscorer when his deft finish nestled in the bottom corner to set his side on the way to three points.

Both Rice and Bowen have the enviable chance of becoming immortalised in West Ham folklore when they take on Fiorentina in the final on 7 June.

As two of David Moyes' most popular and reliable figures, they will be pivotal if the east London outfit are to win their first European trophy since 1965.

Tottenham Hotspur's latest setback in their manager search is reminiscent of their failure two years ago, presenter Terry Flewers has claimed.

What's going on with Spurs' manager search?

It was reported on Thursday that one of the club's main targets, Feyenoord manager Arne Slot, was to sign an extension with the Dutch side following a breakdown in talks with Tottenham.

Spurs have now ruled out Julian Nagelsmann as well as Slot, and former coach Mauricio Pochettino is heading to rivals Chelsea.

Speaking on The Football Terrace, Flewers questioned the state of the club, claiming that the current mess reminds him of their drawn-out and ultimately disastrous manager search two years ago.

"Looking at Tottenham, Arne Slot, [it was] only a few days ago reported that him and Luis Enrique were the front runners, they moved on to Slot, it was close, it was advancing," he stated.

"It now appears he's going to sign a new deal at Feyenoord very soon. This agreement has been met during a meeting yesterday according to Fabrizio Romano.

"Slots decision won't change he will stay and won't join Tottenham, essentially he's rejected Tottenham Hotspur. So that's Pochettino, Nagelsmann, Slot, Enrique. What is going on at Tottenham?

"They're even being rejected, again, by the way, this reminds me of two summers ago, when they ended up with Nuno [Espirito Santo]. They're being rejected by managers that their fans don't even want."

"What is going on at Tottenham Hotspur? They've got the best stadium in the country, maybe the best stadium in Europe. Revenue now surpassing that of Arsenal.

"Why that's significant, is because the idea of increasing your revenues, growing your stadium, is so that money is invested into the team to make you really compete at the top end of the table, compete not just for Champions League positions, with the ability to win it, with the ability to win trophies, growing towards challenging for Premier League titles.

"That's the point supposedly, yet all this extra money can't attract a manager."

Who could Spurs move for now?

Ange Postecoglou of Celtic is now reportedly being eyed up by Daniel Levy at Spurs, and the 57-year-old would join having won back-to-back titles in Scotland.

Postecoglou has earned rave reviews for his style of play, which has seen Celtic score 109 league goals in 34 games this season, and his eye for talent, with some of his signings scouted from lesser-known leagues.

However, could his recruitment style be replicated at a side who have the ambition of competing regularly in the Champions League?

And given he has no experience of managing inside the top five European leagues or even England itself, would this be a potential appointment that would again fail to excite the Spurs faith?

It remains to be seen whether the Australian could handle the step-up to the Premier League, but whoever Spurs appoint needs to be given time and resources this summer to rebuild the squad.

Watch more of The Football Terrace on YouTube now!

Rangers are now keen on signing Chicago Fire midfielder Brian Gutierrez, who is attracting the interest of several top European clubs, according to a recent report from The Daily Mail.

Who is Brian Gutierrez?

Despite being just 19-years-old, Gutierrez already has a great deal of first-team experience under his belt, making a total of 71 MLS appearances over the past three seasons, cementing himself as a very important player for Chicago Fire.

Not only that, the young midfielder has also started to make a name for himself at international level, making a total of seven appearances for the USA U20 side, scoring two goals in the process.

Throughout his career so far, the starlet has featured on both wings, and in the centre of midfield, which could make him an ideal target for Rangers, who need to replace the likes of Ryan Kent, Scott Arfield and Steven Davis, with the trio out of contract.

The Daily Mail report the Light Blues are one of the clubs keen on signing the Chicago Fire ace, having been impressed with his performances, with Manchester United, and other unnamed Premier League sides also being named as potential suitors.

However, the British sides may struggle to secure a work permit for the American, and a number of other European sides are also keen to take him, including the likes of Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Girona.

Should Rangers sign Gutierrez?

Hailed as a "special player" by members of the media, the starlet has impressed both defensively and on the front foot over the course of the past year, ranking in the 86th percentile for blocks, and in the 80th for assists per 90 compared to his positional peers.

As previously highlighted, the 5 foot 10 midfielder is capable of playing in a number of different positions, however he has most commonly been utilised at left midfield, impressing Sun Times Sports reporter Brian Sandalow in the process.

Although Sandalow stresses that the Illinois-born ace needs a "smidge more polish", he also adds that he has "taken quite a step forward this season", indicating that he is ready to take the next step in his career.

An average of 1.5 dribbles per game this season ranks Gutierrez second in the Chicago Fire squad, further demonstrating his attacking threat, and he could be a very exciting signing for Rangers, if they are able to secure a work permit.

Arsenal have been linked to a La Liga star ahead of the transfer window, as Mikel Arteta aims to strengthen his squad this summer.

The Gunners have followed Spanish teen Ivan Fresneda since January, however, there may be a pending breakthrough in their pursuit of the starlet

What’s the latest on Ivan Fresneda to Arsenal?

As reported by one Spanish publication, the Real Valladolid defender will be available for half the price than expected, following the club’s relegation from La Liga.

Prior to their demotion to the second division, the 18-year-old’s release clause has halved from €40m (£34m) to just €20m (£17m).

The report claims that Arsenal are joined by Newcastle United and Borussia Dortmund in maintaining long-standing interest in the youngster.

What could Ivan Fresneda bring to Arsenal?

At just 18, the Spaniard made 22 appearances in La Liga this campaign, and was lauded as being one of the ‘revelations of the season’ by Matt Clark of La Liga Lowdown.

The La Liga expert described the youngster as ‘remarkably complete’ with a strong ‘technical ability’, which suggests he could be a strong fit for Arsenal, particularly when considering right-backs that have graced the Emirates prior.

Former Arsenal right-back and fellow Spaniard Hector Bellerin could see the glory days of his stint in north London emulated by the Madrid-born teen, should he opt to trade Valladolid for Islington.

Bellerin burst onto the scene in 2014, making his debut aged 19 after spending some time in Arsenal’s academy from Barcelona.

Following his debut, the youngster rarely slipped out of the surroundings at the Emirates, and was hailed by Arsene Wenger as being a player that was “dangerous going forward” as well as committing to defensive duties.

Similar praise has been placed upon Fresneda, with Clark saying in full: “He is a remarkably complete right-back despite his young age, balancing his defensive duties with the odd attack too.”

Approval from viewers of the duo’s talents isn’t as far as the comparisons go, with their numbers from various campaigns supporting claims of their similarities.

In Bellerin’s dominant 2017/18 season at Arsenal in the Premier League, the defender showcased his attributes going forward and defensively, highlighted by statistics via Sofascore.

The Spanish speedster created eight big chances, while maintaining an average pass accuracy of 85% per game and unleashing 54% successful dribbles per match, showcasing his strength going forward.

As per Sofascore, similar numbers were recorded by the teenager in La Liga this campaign, carving out three big chances, an 81% passing accuracy and a 44% rate of successful dribbles per game.

While his numbers are expectedly lower than Bellerin’s in his prime compared to this term being his breakthrough, the pattern is there to portray the similarities between the two and the impact he could replicate at Arsenal.

Defensively, the 18-year-old mirrors Bellerin’s 0.7 interceptions per game, and exceeds the former Premier League ace’s rate of tackles per game, recording an impressive 2.2 to the former Arsenal defender's 1.6 in the 2017/18 term.

Arteta could secure the signing of a young right-back that could give fans glimpses of the highs that Bellerin gave to the Emirates in the past, and at such a young age, could develop into a formidable force in the Spaniard’s future defence.

Fans online have been left stunned after Manchester United ace Marcus Rashford pulled off a brilliant bit of skill for England in their most recent match.

What was the score in England v Malta?

On Friday night, the Three Lions travelled away from home to Malta looking to maintain their spot at the top of their Euro 2024 qualifying group.

And Gareth Southgate’s men we able to make it three wins from three as they cruised to a 4-0 victory thanks to a midfield masterclass from new No 10 Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Indeed, the Liverpool defender played a beautiful through-ball to open up the defence for England’s opener from an own goal before rifling in a fine effort to make it 2-0. Harry Kane won and scored a penalty to make it 3-0 before half-time, while Callum Wilson also scored from the spot later on in the match.

Rashford didn’t start the game, but did come on for Jordan Henderson on the hour mark and was able to make a positive contribution with one fine moment in particular.

Indeed, as shared in this footage on Twitter, he picked the ball up on the left flank and did a couple of sharp stepovers before leaving his man for dead with an elastico.

After seeing the replay of the 25-year-old, it’s safe to say a number of fans were left rather impressed and they soon flocked to social media to express their thoughts.

Here are some of the best Twitter reactions…

Supporters were seriously impressed.

Manchester United are keen to sign at least two new players early this summer, regardless of any potential club takeovers that may be on the horizon, according to Ben Jacobs.

The Red Devils enjoyed a strong first season under Erik ten Hag, but have clear plans to make several major moves this summer, and while there are reports of a possible takeover being in the club's near future, they aren't willing to wait and want to get straight to business, eyeing two potential early signings.

United are back in the Champions League next season, after finishing third in the league this campaign, and want to bolster the side ready for their foray into Europe's greatest tournament.

What is the latest Manchester United transfer news?

United have been linked to several major stars already this summer. Premier League midfielders Mason Mount and Declan Rice are just a couple of the impressive names that the Red Devils have declared an interest in.

Napoli defender Kim Min-jae is another name that is reportedly on United's summer wishlist with the South Korean holding a release clause in his Napoli contract.

With Harry Maguire and Anthony Martial just two of eight United players linked with moves away from the Red Devils, Ten Hag's side will have plenty of work to do in the summer, and it seems they're in quite a hurry to get the ball rolling.

What has Ben Jacobs said about Manchester United?

The biggest news surrounding United right now is the potential takeover of the club, with several different suitors fighting to buy them.

While it would be reasonable to expect the Red Devils to hold off until after any potential sale, before getting to work in the transfer window, Jacobs believes they actually intend to get a couple of players through the door early, regardless of any possible takeover.

Speaking on The Football Terrace's Done Deal Show, he said: "Manchester United, as I understand it, would like to bring two in early in the window, regardless of the ownership situation."

Not only that, but he believes United will have around £100m to spend on the two potential signings, before looking at big names like Harry Kane to fill the striker role they're targeting later in the summer.

"If they're to bring in two others away from that traditional number nine role, where a big outlay is required for one player, then they want to keep that spend around the £100m mark."

The news should be welcomed by United fans, with the club seemingly set to spend big as Ten Hag looks to build on his successful first season with the club.

Glasgow Rangers have had to resort to finding some bargains from south of the border over the last few years in order to limit lavish spending, and there have been a few gems unearthed by Steven Gerrard and Michael Beale.

In January, Todd Cantwell was signed for just £1.5m having struggled at Norwich City during the early stages of last season, yet he sparked into life upon joining the Ibrox side, registering 11 goal contributions in just 20 matches.

His rise to prominence in the SPFL is reminiscent of Calvin Bassey, who arrived in Glasgow for a compensation fee of just £230k in 2020, and having amassed 65 appearances in his two seasons at the club, he was sold for a remarkable £23m to Ajax last summer, turning out to be an excellent signing in terms of profitability.

Could Beale perhaps repeat that masterclass by making a move for Leeds United defender Charlie Cresswell during the summer transfer window?

According to Football League World, the Gers recently had a bid rejected for Cresswell, yet this shouldn’t stop Beale from pursuing the youngster.

Could Rangers sign Charlie Cresswell?

The Ibrox side have a plethora of central defensive options, with Connor Goldson, John Souttar, Ben Davies and Leon King in the first-team squad, although there has been some interest shown in Davies from the English Championship, and if he did move on, Beale will require another defender in his squad.

Cresswell could certainly follow in Bassey’s footsteps should he make the move to the Premiership, as he has the ability to shine in Scotland and potentially secure the Light Blues a decent profit should he depart after a few years.

The 20-year-old enjoyed an excellent campaign at Millwall during 2022/23 while on loan from Leeds, averaging a Sofascore rating of 7.13/10 for his 28 appearances while adding four goals, suggesting he could be a goal threat.

Across the whole season, he ranked second in the Millwall side for overall rating, accurate passes per game (28.1) and clearances per game (3.1), while also finishing in the top three for interceptions per game (1.3), implying that he could have the maturity to shine in the senior ranks at such a young age – and by moving to a club like Rangers, not only will he challenge for honours, but he may also have the opportunity to play in the Champions League.

The £2k-per-week starlet was lauded as a player who has “amazing attributes” by Gary Rowett, and with Bassey making the move from Leicester City to Rangers and grabbing his opportunity with both hands, Cresswell could soon represent another stroke of genius by the Ibrox side.