Aston Villa have recently submitted an offer for Real Madrid’s Gonzalo Garcia, and the Spanish club’s stance on sanctioning a departure has now been revealed.
Villa have stepped up their pursuit of a new centre-forward with Ollie Watkins failing to reach his usual lofty standards in the Premier League this season, netting just one goal and receiving criticism from former Arsenal striker Ian Wright back in September.
Wright said: “As a player, I think that he should be doing more for what he’s capable of doing.
“He’s a channel runner, gets in the box, he gets on the end of things. I think he could be a lot sharper with his finishing, and I thought that’s what he’d be working on.”
Fortunately, the Villans have managed to find goals from other sources, which have propelled them up the table in recent weeks, rising to sixth after a dominant 4-0 rout of AFC Bournemouth in their final match before the international break.
That said, Watkins’ poor form is likely to still be a concern for Unai Emery, and the manager has seemingly decided to bring in another striker capable of challenging for the Englishman’s place in the starting XI.
Aston Villa submit offer for Gonzalo Garcia
According to a report from Spain, Aston Villa have offered €20m (£18m) offer for Real Madrid forward Garcia, and they are looking to finalise a deal as quickly as possible, given that the Spaniard’s value could plausibly rise as the season goes on.
Sunderland and Wolverhampton Wanderers have lodged bids of their own, so there will be competition for the 21-year-old’s signature, but a deal could be there to be done, as the Spanish club view cashing-in as an ‘attractive financial opportunity.’
As one of the first clubs to make contact with Madrid, Villa should be well-placed to get a deal done, not least because their main rivals seem to be newly-promoted Sunderland and a Wolves side at serious risk of relegation.
Hopefully, it will only be a matter of time before Watkins starts scoring again, but the 29-year-old having some healthy competition could kick him into gear, and there are signs the Real Madrid starlet could push for a starting spot.
Lauded as a “goal machine” in the media, the youngster performed remarkably well at youth level in the 2024-25 campaign, netting 26 goals in 37 games for RM Castilla, before going on to impress considerably at the Club World Cup, netting four goals for the senior side.
That said, it would be a risk to sign Garcia, given that he is yet to prove himself in the Madrid first team over a sustained period, and 21-year-old FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, who scored 19 league goals last season, could be an interesting alternative option.
Aston Villa fighting to sign Samu Aghehowa
Aston Villa fighting to sign Samu Aghehowa amid interest from Tottenham and Arsenal
Recent reports have indicated that Aston Villa would be keen on signing Porto forward Samu Aghehowa.
“My cricket is in my hands, and if I just keep doing my job, as and when the opportunity comes, I will do well for India.”
Srinidhi Ramanujam15-Jan-2025Arundhati Reddy wasn’t expecting to be left out of India’s white-ball squads for the home series against West Indies and Ireland, especially after taking a career-best four-wicket haul in her most recent ODI. But the fast bowler isn’t brooding over the snub; instead, she says she’s making sure she’s only focusing on what she can control: fine-tuning her skills to become the best cricketer she can be. Along the way, she says she has learned to let go of the fear of failure, and express herself whenever she’s on the field.Reddy and Shafali Verma were the high-profile absentees from India’s limited-overs squads for the West Indies and Ireland series. Reddy, who made her ODI debut against South Africa in June last year, has played five matches, the last of which was against Australia in Perth, where she picked up 4 for 26.Related
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Arundhati Reddy 2.0 – stronger, calmer, ready for all formats
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“I am not really sure what exactly happened [after the Australia tour],” Reddy said on the sidelines of the Senior Women’s One Day Challenger Trophy final in Chennai, where her side, Team A, lost to Team C. “But then again these things are not in my hands. At the end of the day, my cricket is in my hands, and if I just keep doing my job, as and when the opportunity comes, I will do well for India.”For me, all that matters is which team I am playing for and if I am doing well for them. And every time I take the field I want to win games for whichever team I play. And that has always been the way I play my cricket.”While Shafali, who was Reddy’s captain in the Challenger Trophy, finished the tournament as the highest run-getter with 414 runs in five matches at an average of 82.80, Reddy took seven wickets in five games at 24.14.”This [Challenger Trophy] was a good challenge personally for me,” she said. “Didn’t start off that well but again I think I like pressure. Every time I am put under pressure I seem to do well. So again probably a win would have been great. But it was a great final for us.”Arundhati Reddy picked up career-best figures of 4 for 26 in her most recent ODI, against Australia in Perth•Getty ImagesThat Reddy was also overlooked for the West Indies series T20Is in December also raised eyebrows. She made her T20I debut in 2018 and was dropped in 2021 before she returned to the side in 2024 on the back of an impressive WPL performance. Last year, she featured in seven T20Is and scalped ten wickets and returned an economy rate of 6.50. This included the T20 World Cup in UAE, where she finished as India’s joint-highest wicket-taker with seven wickets in four matches.How does Reddy deal with uncertainty? She revealed that a discussion with her coach Arjun Dev at the NICE Academy in Bengaluru helped her stay focused on what’s ahead and not dwell on what could have been.”The only thing that he told me was that whether the [India] tag comes or not, or whichever team that you play for, all we wanted to focus on was being the best allrounder in the world, wherever you play,” Reddy said. “Be it a club game or an India game, the focus is to become the best allrounder. Again, it’s very hard to say whether you’ll play [for India] or won’t. It’s still difficult for you as a player because there is a lot of uncertainty that comes with it.”But what motivates me is just waking up every day and trying to be the best cricketer I can be. And that’s what I want to chase. That’s what keeps me going. And also, just having the clarity that whichever team you play for, you have to win games for that team. Doesn’t matter where it is.”But I think now I’ve become responsible enough to understand. And whichever team I play for, I’m also one of the senior players. Again, it helps me a lot. Seeing things that way. Helping the other girls. I think that also gets the best out of me. That’s what I just focus on. And genuinely, I just want to focus on helping people around me. Because that gets the best out of me. So, just the focus has been on that. Rather than thinking too much about where I should be, where I could be.”That Reddy was willing to take risks for better opportunities was evident when she quit Railways (after playing there from 2017-18 to 2022-23) to move to Kerala in the 2023-24 season. She has also worked on becoming stronger and calmer over the last few years, and she feels she now approaches every tournament with clarity.’You’ll be put under pressure. You’ll have batters that will challenge you. But there’s no fear’•BCCI”I’ve been playing domestic from the time I was 12 years old,” she said. “But it’s just the past one or two years, I have felt the best that I have ever played. Again a lot of things have changed in the past two years.”I had to take some tough decisions leading up to the season last year. I think that helped me. I just have clarity and I go into the tournament with a lot of freedom. Because I had a lot to gain, nothing to lose. That helped me a lot.”Also from the last year, I have focused more on just expressing myself. Obviously, there was a lot of fear of failure when I was young. But now it’s like I don’t care if I fail.”Reddy will next be in action for Delhi Capitals in the WPL 2025 in February. With a home ODI World Cup scheduled later this year, she has been working on becoming a more potent wicket-taker as she sets sights on another comeback.”One thing I really worked on last season was attacking the stumps all the time,” she said. “Because, obviously, only if you attack the stumps, you’re going to get wickets. So, that was the main plan. The length differs depending on the batter. But be it death [overs], initial stages or the middle overs, stumps is the way to go for me. That’s my strength. And I try to do that as much as I can. So, that’s what has been, like, because I used to not do that earlier.”It was more like fourth-stump, fifth-stump bowling and just looking good economically. But my main focus from the past two years was attacking the stumps and trying to pick a lot of wickets and not be scared of getting hit. That is one key thing which I’ve been taught, that you’ll be put under pressure. You’ll have batters that will challenge you. But there’s no fear.”You’re still going to think about the positive option. And if that means you have to take a risk, you take a risk. And, again, not having the fear of failure has really helped me a lot.”
There are four double-header days scheduled, with the league stage ending on December 28
ESPNcricinfo staff03-Sep-2025
Dubai Capitals are the reigning ILT20 champions•ILT20
The fourth season of the ILT20 is set to begin on December 2, 2025, with defending champions Dubai Capitals set to take on Desert Vipers in a rematch of last year’s final, in Dubai.There are four double-header days scheduled, with the league stage ending on December 28. The knockout stages will begin with Qualifier 1 on December 30, followed by the Eliminator on January 1. The winner of the Eliminator will have to play Qualifier 2 on the following day, after which there will be a day’s break before the final, on January 4, 2026, in Dubai.Sharjah Warriorz and Abu Dhabi Knight Riders will begin their respective campaigns against each other on December 3, while Gulf Giants will take on MI Emirates for their first game, on December 4.The matches will be played across the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, Sharjah Cricket Stadium and the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi, like previous seasons.Dubai Capitals, who have reached the last two finals, won the title in the previous season with a four-wicket win over Vipers.Before them, MI Emirates lifted the trophy in 2024 and Gulf Giants in the inaugural season in 2023.
Chelsea restored some of the pride they lost in their Champions League thumping at the hands of Barcelona last season with a creditable 1-1 draw with the Spanish giants. After a chastening 8-2 semi-final aggregate loss to Barca, the Blues had a point to prove and were on track to do that with Ellie Carpenter's piledriver. But Ewa Pajor's strike ensured the spoils were shared on Thursday.
After a bright start from the visitors, a determined Chelsea took the lead in the 16th minute when Carpenter emphatically smashed the ball into the top corner from the edge of the box. Barcelona's Pajor nearly hit back straight away when she slotted past Livia Peng, only for her effort to be ruled out for offside, but the Polish striker wouldn't be denied in the 24th minute when she fired through a crowd of bodies after the Blues failed to clear a corner.
Barca stopper Cata Coll did well to keep out Wieke Kaptein's lofted shot following a defence-splitting pass from Erin Cuthbert and then the Netherlands international rattled the post after a neat layoff from Alyssa Thompson. Just as the hosts' grip on the contest – which was delayed for a while due to a power cut – started to loosen in the second half, substitute Catarina Macario expertly headed in a free-kick, only for her effort to be ruled out for just straying offside by the narrowest of margins.
Chelsea should have been 2-1 with 10 minutes to go when a brilliant move ended in Carpenter smacking the ball wide when it seemed easier to score from eight yards out. The result saw Barcelona go top of the tournament's league table, whereas Chelsea are sixth after four matches. While this may appear to be a good result, this was a missed opportunity for Sonia Bompastor's side.
GOAL rates Chelsea's players from Stamford Bridge…
AFPGoalkeeper & Defence
Livia Peng (6/10):
The summer signing is in for the injured Hannah Hampton and was competent enough in between the sticks for Chelsea.
Lucy Bronze (7/10):
The veteran pulled off a number of important clearances, along with the odd powerful surge into the opposition's half.
Nathalie Bjorn (6/10):
Was solid if unspectacular in Chelsea's backline. If Millie Bright is to return to the starting XI, her place in the team may be under threat if Naomi Girma continues to excel in defence.
Naomi Girma (8/10):
Made a brilliant, last-ditch tackle to keep the scores level early on and some of her recoveries at the back were very impressive. Started ahead of Bright, and it seemed to have been the right call.
Sandy Baltimore (9/10):
Was solid and smart at the back and was a right nuisance going forward. She linked up well with Thompson down Chelsea's left and was arguably their best player.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportMidfield
Keira Walsh (7/10):
The former Barcelona ace plugged some gaps in Chelsea's midfield and linked up well with her team-mates.
Wieke Kaptein (7/10):
Was so close to grabbing a brace but a mixture of the Barcelona keeper and some bad luck kept her at bay.
Erin Cuthbert (8/10):
The captain led by example with a typically industrious and committed performance. She also threaded some nice through balls to her team-mates in the final third.
AFPAttack
Ellie Carpenter (7/10):
Scored a quite brilliant goal in the first half but was guilty of being a bit sloppy in possession and some of her passing was errant. Plus, she missed a glorious opportunity late on to win it.
Aggie Beever-Jones (7/10):
Held the ball up well and brought others into play. She is working her way back to fitness but got an assist for Chelsea's goal and did herself proud.
Alyssa Thompson (8/10):
Her pace and trickery kept Barcelona's backline honest, both on the left and right wing. Sometimes she takes a touch too many when there are better options available but she is a big talent.
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Catarina Macario (8/10):
It looked like she scored with her very first touch with a sublime header but VAR ruled it out. Was very impressive off the bench.
Sonia Bompastor (7/10):
After last season's drubbing in this competition, the Frenchwoman's team gave a much better account of themselves, particularly in defence. They also created clearer-cut chances and were well organised.
Matthews has had a patchy season with the bat, but found her form in a 133-run stand with Sciver-Brunt
Sruthi Ravindranath14-Mar-2025Bat in the top three, bowl four overs, and do all of it consistently well. That’s a dream player for any T20 side. Mumbai Indians (MI) have not just one, but two of them.Nat Sciver-Brunt has been in an extended purple patch with the bat. Coming into the WPL Eliminator against Gujarat Giants (GG), she had been averaging close to 70 after eight innings with a strike rate of over 150. So GG’s plans might have centred on how they were going to attack Sciver-Brunt.But there was also Hayley Matthews. For most parts this season, she had looked scratchy with the bat. Her strike rate was around 119, and she had two fifties, but she was getting off to slow starts. She started similarly on Thursday. She also got a life when on 5 off nine balls in the second over. GG would have wanted to quickly make up for that.Related
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Harmanpreet adds more aggression to her game
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Sciver-Brunt, Matthews power Mumbai Indians into second WPL final
But then a bit of that purple from one rubbed off on the other, and GG’s plans just fell through.It started as soon as Sciver-Brunt came to the crease. A few fours had been hit till then, but MI had made only 31 off their first five overs. Only two runs had come off Tanuja Kanwar’s first five balls in the sixth over, but when she dished out a tossed-up delivery on length, Sciver-Brunt shuffled across and swatted the ball behind square. It was a shot that showed she had got her eye in.It was Danielle Gibson’s turn to bowl next. Gibson and Sciver-Brunt have played together for England. She probably knew how well Sciver-Brunt plays the short ball and that she wouldn’t let a freebie go unpunished. She bowled it anyway, and was pulled solidly between square leg and fine leg, while the slot ball was lofted over mid-on.Sciver-Brunt has always been a reliable player, but she’s also been getting off to stronger starts this season. She has mostly gone out to bat earlier than usual given the opening pair hasn’t clicked for MI this season. Before the Eliminator, she was striking the ball at 145 in the powerplay as compared to the 2023 season where her strike rate in this phase was 130. In this match, despite the openers – Yastika Bhatia was the other – scoring a few boundaries, MI were 37 for 1 in the powerplay but Sciver-Brunt took them to 89 for 1 at the end of ten overs along with Matthews.Matthews was on 17 off 22 balls at the end of seventh over. The two convened for a chat in the middle after that over and fist bumps were exchanged. And the first three balls of the next over off Priya Mishra were dispatched to different parts of the ground for fours with ease by Matthews.”Apart from this tournament, I haven’t really batted with Hayley, but we seem to click pretty well from the first year,” Sciver-Brunt said after the match. “So today she probably wanted to get off to a bit of a quicker start, but it was good that she stayed there and didn’t give her wicket away because we know how powerful she is. We had the time-out and then she probably did time it a little bit better after that. So [I was] just reassuring her that she only needed to time it, [there was] no need to absolutely whack it.”Nat Sciver-Brunt was quick out of the blocks•BCCIBefore this game, Matthews had also lost her wicket to spinners five times in eight innings this WPL; Priya Mishra and Kanwar had dismissed her cheaply the last two times these teams met. But Matthews looked better against spin on the day, having hit both Ashleigh Gardner and Kanwar for boundaries upfront. Gardner also didn’t bring herself on to bowl after her first two, despite her lesser experienced spinners being taken to the cleaners.Mishra was once again at the receiving end of Matthews’ brutal hitting, being taken for 6, 6 and 4 in the 16th over, just two balls after the batter was dropped a second time.Power and timing aside, Matthews also showed off her excellent footwork frequently to access all parts of the ground. It was only fitting that she deposited a short ball from Kanwar over deep midwicket to complete her fifty. The two came together to bump their fists once again, this time with big grins on their faces.Sciver-Brunt said after the match that the pitch was not as batting-friendly as it had looked, and that the pair had relied on their power to work around it.”I could see that it [the ball] probably wasn’t coming on as well because we played the other day and it came on a bit nicer,” she said. “But I felt like it was a bit stoppy. So I guess that played into our hands with the back-foot shots, that are both mine and Hayley’s strengths, I guess. As soon as we worked that out, it probably unlocked us a little bit more. Yeah, working together to get to that point was important.”Hayley Matthews contributed with bat and ball•BCCIIn between those overs, Sciver-Brunt had settled in comfortably and GG’s bowlers were only making her life easier. The pull is one of Sciver-Brunt’s go-to shots and they gave her several chances to play it. This season in the WPL, she’s scored 123 out of her 493 runs playing the shot. Since January 2023, she has averaged 125.75 playing the pull in T20s and has been dismissed playing it just four times in those 65 games. It was Gibson who was punished again, when she bowled two consecutive short balls to her which were dispatched for sixes, the first of which also gave Sciver-Brunt her fifth fifty of the season. Before the match against RCB the day before, Sciver-Brunt had hit 61 fours and no sixes. Her four sixes this season have come in the last two games.”I’ve stuck to my strengths quite a lot and played what’s in front of me,” Sciver-Brunt said. “The quick outfields have helped, and they are nice wickets to bat on as well. I’m really happy that I’m taking advantage of those conditions. Because form goes up and down, that feeling when you’re not so confident isn’t that nice. So taking advantage of it when you are is good.”To top it off, Matthews also picked up three wickets to take her tournament tally to 17, the most for any bowler in a season of the WPL. She dismissed the dangerous Gardner in the powerplay, the big-hitting Bharti Fulmali in the 16th over, and ended GG’s innings getting Meghna Singh out in the 20th over – effective in all phases of the games.”I think I tried to just control one side of the field really well and vary my pace, which is something that I’ve been working on a lot,” Matthews said at the presentation ceremony. “I think the last time we played GG, we were bowling in their hit zone quite a bit and they punished us for it. Definitely a lot of learnings from that. Glad I was able to execute better today.”MI had perhaps been over-dependent on one star allrounder through the season, but they had yet another of them step up on the day, and they have one more in their ranks – Amelia Kerr – who is yet to have her best season with the bat. They will have to prep for the final in less than 48 hours, and will hope that some of that purple off on Kerr too.
Opener hits 158 off 167 balls as hosts edge closer to mathematical safety
ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay25-Sep-2025Essex 295 for 2 (Walter 158, Elgar 111*) trail Somerset 433 (Goldsworthy 100, Overton 60, Porter 3-66, Bennett 3-73) by 138 runsPaul Walter exerted total mastery over Somerset’s flagging bowlers as his highest first-class score of 158 eased Essex closer to safety in Division One of the Rothesay County Championship.The left-hander was barely troubled as he combined perfect timing with seeing everything clearly and early while spraying the ball around Chelmsford with an air of supreme confidence. For much of his 167-ball innings he outscored his opening partner, the former South Africa captain Dean Elgar, two to one as the first-wicket pair compiled a stand of 277 in 61 overs. At the close Essex were 295 for 2.Elgar, too, reached a second century of the season but was content to play second fiddle while Walter pulled, drove and flicked with nonchalant ease 21 fours and three sixes. Elgar contributed 16 fours and a six in his unbeaten 212-ball 111.Somerset’s first-innings 433 had looked formidable until Essex made mincemeat of it in an emphatic response. That Somerset had achieved as many as they did was latterly down to Lewis Goldsworthy’s four-hour and 21-minute century that took 193 balls. He was last man out, a third wicket on debut for seamer Charlie Bennett, who finished with 3 for 73.When it was their turn, Somerset struggled to get any response out of a docile pitch and had tried seven bowlers to no avail by the 29th over. They spent two sessions literally chasing shadows on a sunny autumn day.Essex survived two overs before lunch and immediately afterwards Elgar punched back-to-back drives past mid-off for fours off Craig Overton. It set the tone for the rest of the day as they rattled along at above four-and-a-half runs an over.Walter was the most aggressive from the start, at one point lofting Archie Vaughan straight down the ground for four and cutting Lewis Gregory for another to reach a 54-ball fifty. An off-drive for his 13th boundary took Essex to three-figures in only 21 overs.Walter motored along at more than double the rate of his fellow left-hander. His dominance was summed up when he launched Jack Leach for six over long-off and next ball rocked on to his back foot to drive the spinner through the covers for four.When Walter reached his century from exactly 100 balls just before tea, having plundered 16 fours, Elgar was stuck on 49 from 10 balls more. It took Elgar a further dozen balls after tea to reach his fifty, courtesy of an angled shot backward of square off Kasey Aldridge and celebrated by lofting Vaughan straight back over the bowler’s head for six. Walter could not resist following suit and bounced down the wicket in the same over for another maximum.Walter’s third six, pulling Leach over square leg, took him past his previous highest score. His 150 took 154 balls, while Elgar’s 54th first-class century was reached in 184 balls.Walter eventually departed seven overs from stumps to a stupendous tumbling catch at midwicket by Goldsworthy off Overton, who also accounted for nightwatchman Simon Harmer before the close.To emphasis the unresponsiveness of the hybrid wicket, it took Essex an hour and three-quarters to winkle out the last four Somerset wickets while conceding a further 94 runs. Overton recorded a second successive fifty, and a third of the season, from the 54th ball he faced. But he fell to a ball in Harmer’s first over of the day that spun past his outstretched leg and bowled him between bat and pad after a partnership with Goldsworthy worth 98 in 20 overs.Another bowling change prefaced another wicket when Leach nibbled at one from Bennett to provide substitute wicketkeeper Simon Fernandes with a fourth catch. Gregory swept Harmer for six during a brief appearance but attempted a repeat next ball and top-edged to short fine leg.Goldsworthy made it to three-figures just in time, pushing a quick single off Harmer, but departed two balls later when he swung Bennett to deep square leg.
After finishing 17th in the Premier League last season, it was vital that Tottenham Hotspur bounced back and rose up the table in the ongoing campaign.
Thomas Frank was handed the responsibility of leading the charge, after Ange Postecoglou was handed his marching orders despite winning the Europa League.
The Dane was appointed on a three-year deal in North London, but it was crucial that the supporters gave him time to make the changes he desired to the first-team squad.
He’s now 11 games into the 2025/26 campaign, with the Lilywhites currently occupying fifth place going into the third international break of the current season.
However, there are still improvements to be made across the squad, that’s despite Frank massively changing the fortunes of the squad in one area during his opening months at the helm.
Spurs’ biggest improvement since the 2024/25 campaign
During the 2024/25 Premier League campaign under Postecoglou, Spurs certainly had a year to forget, as they finished just one place above the relegation zone.
The Lilywhites conceded a staggering 65 goals in their 38 league outings, an average of 1.7 per 90, subsequently resulting in a total of 22 league defeats.
TottenhamHotspur managerAngePostecoglu applauds fans after the match
Such a tally was the highest of any side who have survived in England’s top-flight, with the club lucky not to have dropped into the Championship under Postecoglou.
However, Frank’s arrival has stemmed the flow of goals at the back, with his men only conceding 10 goals in the first 11 outings – the fourth best record of any side in the division.
They have also kept a total of four clean sheets in the process, with the likes of Micky van de Ven certainly deserving credit for his part in the defensive solidity.
The Dutch international has started every league game to date, registering a total of 1.2 tackles won per 90, along with 1.1 interceptions per 90 – with the latter ranking him in the top 20% of all players in the league.
He’s also thrived in playing out from the back, as seen by his tally of 92% passes completed, arguably being one of the best centre-backs in the division at present.
Van de Ven has been joined at the heart of the backline by Cristian Romero, with the Argentine international striking up an excellent partnership with the Dutchman.
The pair have operated together in eight of the 11 outings – but have only suffered defeat once in that time, with the loss coming against Bournemouth back in August.
The 27-year-old has ranked in the top 4% of all players in England’s top-flight for tackles won, whilst also placing in the top 15% for duels won per 90.
TottenhamHotspur's CristianRomeroreacts
Given their partnership together, they are undoubtedly one of the best duos in Europe’s top-five leagues, with the defensive improvement under Frank certainly down to their performances.
The Spurs player who’s now becoming one of the best in the world
Alongside Van de Ven and Romero, Spurs have had numerous players who have managed to catch the eye and contribute to their impressive start to 2025/26.
Central midfielder Lucas Bergvall has shown qualities way beyond his tender teenage years, even cementing his place at the heart of Frank’s side in recent months.
The Swedish international has featured in nine league outings this season, even registering his first Premier League goal in the 3-0 victory over West Ham United.
He’s ranked in the 97th percentile for successful dribbles to date, whilst also winning 2.8 tackles per 90 – showcasing his ability to operate in a box-to-box role in North London.
However, he’s not the only player to have cemented his place within the starting eleven, with full-back Djed Spence resurrecting his career with the Lilywhites.
He joined the club in a £20m deal from Middlesbrough back in the summer of 2022, but had to massively bide his time in making an impact in the first team.
The 25-year-old endured three unsuccessful loan spells at Leeds United, Rennes and Genoa, with many supporters undoubtedly expecting a cut-price transfer away from North London last summer.
However, the injury crisis within the squad last campaign handed the Englishman a rare opportunity to stake his claim for a regular spot in the first-team ranks.
He racked up a total of 35 appearances across all competitions in 2024/25, even scoring his first Premier League goal against Ipswich Town – ending the year on a total of five goal contributions.
A little over a year on, it’s evident that Spence has taken full advantage of the chance pushed in his direction, with the full-back now one of Frank’s most important players.
He’s featured in all but one league outing in 2025/26, with his underlying stats highlighting how pivotal he’s been to the Lilywhites’ impressive defensive numbers.
Djed Spence – PL stats (25/26)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
10
Minutes played
761
Pass accuracy
82%
Tackles made
1.5
Duels won
3.8
Aerials won
47%
Recoveries made
3.4
Dribbles completed
1.8
Stats via FotMob
Spence has made an average of 1.5 tackles per 90 this season, whilst also coming out on top of 3.8 duels per 90 – often posing as a real solid defensive full-back.
The 25-year-old has also come out on top in 47% of the aerial battles he’s entered, whilst also making 3.4 recoveries per 90 – with his pace allowing him to get back and prevent the opposition from creating clear-cut opportunities.
In possession, the defender has been just as impressive, subsequently ranking in the top 20% of all defenders for dribbles completed – with one analyst labelling him as one of the “best in the world”.
As a result, he’s now a full England international, with Thomas Tuchel trusting him to be a key member of the squad ahead of the World Cup in the USA next summer.
His rise in North London over the last 12 months has been nothing short of remarkable, with the player deserving huge credit for his ability to get himself off the canvas.
Alongside Van de Ven and Romero, he certainly is part of one of the division’s best back fours, with the fans needing to enjoy every moment the trio spend together in North London.
Forget Simons: Spurs have an academy sensation who could be Dele 2.0
Tottenham Hotspur already have a sensation who could replace Xavi Simons in North London.
The Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) elections will be held on October 6, the board’s election commission announced on Sunday. The general members body, known as the councillors, will elect 23 of the 25 board directors, and the BCB president will be elected from that pool of 25 to serve a four-year term.The announcement was made less than an hour after former Bangladesh captain Tamim Iqbal accused BCB president Aminul Islam of “interference” in the election process.Tamim, who recently announced he was standing for election, held a press conference in Dhaka along with several other aspirants and former BCB directors. He said Aminul’s signed letter, dated September 18, instructing the country’s sports secretary that he has extended the deadline for nomination submission, was a unilateral decision taken by the board president.”The election commission is in charge since their appointment, which in this case was from September 6,” Tamim said. “The BCB president extended the deadline for nomination submission twice. The deadlines for submitting nominations were first set for September 17. He extended it to September 19, and then September 22. The second extension was signed off by the president himself, which is highly irregular. The BCB’s chief executive is supposed to send out these letters, but he didn’t issue the letter for the second extension. The president signed off the letter.”Tamim alleged the BCB’s constitution was violated when the board representatives from the country’s eight divisions and 64 districts were nominated by an ad-hoc committee, rather than seasoned sports organisers being nominated. “Typically, in districts and divisions, those involved in sports can nominate councillors through the district administration. This has been the practice for many years. But this time, an ad-hoc committee was formed and only its approval would be valid for nominations.”It isn’t mentioned in the BCB’s constitution. Moreover, we have seen people being removed from or added to the ad-hoc committee at will. If elections are conducted this way, it is no longer an election but a selection. Elections should be open and fair for everyone.”Tamim urged the authorities to respect the original councillors’ list. “I hope that those declared as councillors on September 17 remain unchanged. There should be no modifications. Cricket must remain for everyone – not for a specific person or group. I hope the election is impartial and free from interference.”According to the election schedule, the draft voter list will be published on September 22, followed by the final list on September 25.The election will have three categories. In the first, ten directors will be elected from the divisions and districts in the country. In the second category, 12 directors will be elected from the representatives of the Dhaka clubs. In the third category, one director will be elected from a pool of former cricketers, national captains, security forces, and councillors nominated by the National Sports Council. The Bangladesh government will also select two directors to sit on the board.
Celtic are in the process of finding their long-term successor to former head coach Brendan Rodgers, who resigned from the role last month after a 3-1 loss to Hearts.
The Northern Irish manager returned to Parkhead in the summer of 2023, replacing Ange Postecoglou in the dugout, and won the Scottish Premiership title in both of his full seasons in charge.
Celtic are now looking for a manager to come in and build on that success in the months and seasons to come, and Columbus Crew boss Wilfried Nancy appears to be closing in on the job.
The latest on Wilfried Nancy to Celtic
According to Sky Sports, the Premiership champions have been granted permission by Columbus Crew to hold discussions with the French tactician this weekend.
The report claims that Nancy is open to making the move from the MLS to Scotland to replace Rodgers in the dugout, after the 2025 MLS came to an end for his side this month.
It adds that the Hoops want to have a new manager in place for their league clash with St Mirren next weekend, and that they will need to discuss compensation with Columbus Crew if they agree terms with Nancy.
If the French boss does take over the job in the coming days, one player who could benefit from his arrival at Parkhead is central midfielder Arne Engels.
Why Arne Engels could explode under Wilfried Nancy
Just as Matt O’Riley did when Rodgers took over from Postecoglou, Engels could explode with the change in manager from Rodgers to Nancy this season.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
The Belgian star could be O’Riley 2.0 with the potential that he has to be an exciting attacking force as one of the two number 10s behind the striker in his 3-4-2-1 system.
Appearances
38
37
Goals
3
18
Minutes per goal
843
181
Big chances created
16
14
Key passes per game
2.2
2.5
Assists
12
13
As you can see in the table above, the Denmark international, who now plays for Marseille, scored 15 more goals and provided one more assist in the league under Rodgers than he did under Postecoglou.
Engels could benefit in a similar way with this change in manager, as he has mainly played as a central midfielder in a 4-3-3 system for Rodgers, but he could play further forward under Nancy.
The Belgium international, whose set-piece delivery was hailed as “world-class” by Rodgers, produced nine goals and six assists in the Scottish Premiership last season, but has only managed one goal and one assist in ten games this term, with both of those goal contributions coming against Kilmarnock for Martin O’Neill.
Engels has created four ‘big chances’ in four appearances in the Europa League this season, being rewarded with one assist, per Sofascore, which is a testament to his technical and creative quality.
The midfield star is valued at £9m by Transfermarkt, over a year on from his £11m move from Augsburg, which suggests that the Hoops need to find a way to get more out of him, to ensure that their £11m investment does not turn out to be a poor one.
Playing further up the pitch, as a number ten, as part of Nancy’s preferred tactical set-up would put him in more positions to show off his brilliant technical ability, rather than often being too far from goal as a central midfielder or as a number six under Rodgers.
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Therefore, the Columbus Crew tactician could help Engels to explode and follow in O’Riley’s footsteps if Celtic hire him and he goes through with the 3-4-2-1 system used in the MLS.
Danny Rohl’s start to life in charge of Glasgow Rangers on the European stage has not gone to plan so far, as he has lost both of his Europa League games without his side scoring a goal.
The former Sheffield Wednesday head coach, though, has inherited a team that struggled badly under Russell Martin, and will not have any of his own signings until the January transfer window.
Rohl took over from Martin after the Scottish manager only won five of his 17 games and one of his Scottish Premiership outings in the dugout for the Ibrox giants.
The German tactician has had an instant impact on the side in the Premiership. Rangers have won all three of their league games since his arrival at the club, and kept back-to-back clean sheets away from home.
A 3-0 win at Dens Park on Sunday means that the Light Blues can head into the final international break on a high, after goals from Nicolas Raskin, Mikey Moore, and Djeidi Gassama.
However, there are still some individuals within the squad who have been unable to step up. Bojan Miovski, for example, was hooked off at half-time against Dundee.
Why Rangers should be worried about Bojan Miovski
The Light Blus should be concerned by the Macedonia international’s dismal start to life at Ibrox, because he has yet to show any signs of replicating his form with Aberdeen.
Miovski was signed from Girona during the summer transfer window to bolster Martin’s options at the top end of the pitch, possibly because of his proven track record in Scottish football.
The left-footed forward’s return of 32 goals in 78 games in the Premiership for the Dons suggested that he was a safe and sensible signing to add goals to the Gers attack, but it has not played out that way.
Miovski has scored one goal in eight appearances in the top-flight for Rangers, against Falkirk, from an xG of 1.84, per FotMob, which suggests that he has underperformed as a finisher.
The Rangers centre-forward was given the nod to lead the line against Dundee at Dens Park, after coming off the bench against Roma last week, but he was unable to prove to Rohl that he deserves more starts on the other side of the international break.
Minutes
45
Touches
14
Dribbles completed
0/0
Shots
0
Key passes
1
Big chances created
0
Duels won
2/8
As you can see in the table above, Miovski failed to register a single shot on goal in 45 minutes of action before being taken off at half-time. Whilst you could point to a lack of creativity behind him, his struggles in duels meant that he was unable to fashion chances for himself.
The Scottish giants, therefore, should be worried about the former Aberdeen marksman, because he has been at the club for several months now and is no closer to showing the kind of quality that earned him a good reputation in the Premiership in the past.
Miovski, though, was not the only Rangers player who failed to deliver an impressive performance in spite of the 3-0 victory against Dundee last time out.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Rohl must ruthlessly drop central midfielder Mohamed Diomande from the starting line-up when the Gers return to action on the other side of the international break, as he was just as bad as Miovski at Dens Park.
Why Rangers should drop Mohamed Diomande
The Ivorian midfielder was taken off by the German head coach at half-time, just as Miovski was, and was replaced by Scotland international Connor Barron.
Per Sofascore, Diomande lost 75% (3/4) of his duels in the opening 45 minutes of the game at Dens Park, which shows that he was too much of a lightweight in the middle of the park. That may have been why Rohl decided to take him off for Barron, who won 100% (2/2) of his duels in the second half.
The Rangers midfielder also failed to take any shots on goal, did not create any chances for his teammates, and did not attempt a single dribble, per Sofascore, which shows that he offered very little in midfield and was just as bad as Miovski, who was as ineffective in and out of possession.
Diomande, who was sent off against Genk in the Europa League in September, has endured a frustrating 2025/26 campaign after catching the eye with his impressive performances last term.
The left-footed star scored four goals and provided seven assists in 36 outings in the Premiership last season, but his form in and out of possession has dropped off a cliff this year.
Appearances
36
8
Sofascore rating
7.19
6.45
Goals
4
0
Key passes per game
1.2
0.5
Assists
7
0
Duels won per game
4.4
2.9
Ground duel success rate
57%
46%
Aerial duel success rate
48%
25%
As you can see in the table above, his defensive and offensive numbers are down across the board in the Premiership for the Gers, which shows that he has been unable to carry last season’s success over to the current one.
His underwhelming performance against Dundee on Sunday was simply the latest in a long line of disappointing performances from the central midfielder for the Light Blues in the 2025/26 campaign, as he has struggled in and out of possession throughout the season.
Given that Barron came on and showed great energy and desire to win 100% of his duels off the bench in the second half, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Diomande from the starting XI for the clash with Livingston at Ibrox on the other side of the international break.
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Miovski and Diomande both failed to offer enough quality on the pitch in the first half against Dundee, hence why they were hauled off at the break, and they should both lose their place in the starting line-up as a result of that.