Sussex have strengthened their middle order for the Vitality T20 Blast by securing New Zealand batsman Tom Bruce for the entire tournament
ESPNcricinfo staff06-Jun-2018
Tom Bruce pulls the ball away•AFP
Sussex have signed New Zealand international batsman Tom Bruce for the duration of their 2018 Vitality T20 Blast campaign.Bruce, a T20 specialist with 14 caps, will be available for all 14 of the team’s matches in the South Group, as well as the knockout stages should the Sharks progress.Sussex supporters will have a sneak preview of Bruce in a Sussex shirt on Friday when he forms part of the men’s side that takes on a touring Aboriginal XI at Hove.Sussex’s move for Bruce has come because of a knee injury for their South African batsman, Stiaan van Zyl, which is expected to rule him out of much of the tournament.Sussex head coach Jason Gillespie said: “The injury to Stiaan forced us to reassess our squad for the Vitality Blast and we’ve decided that we need to bring in a quality overseas batsman for the duration of the tournament.”Tom has experience on the biggest stage with New Zealand and is exactly the type of dynamic middle order strokemaker we’re looking for.”To have him available for the entirety of the competition will offer us continuity, which is very important in tournament cricket.”The extent of Van Zyl’s absence is not yet known but Sussex have suggested that he needs “an extended period of rest and rehabilitation”.Bruce’s most recent international appearance came during the tri-series between New Zealand, Australia and England earlier this year.He burst onto the New Zealand domestic T20 scene in the 2015-16 season when he finished that year’s competition as his side’s second leading run-scorer behind the Sri Lanka batsman Mahela Jayawardene.In his 41 career T20s so far, he has scored 958 runs at an average of 28.17. His career strike rate of 150.39 puts him in 26th place on the all-time list.Sussex begin their Vitality Blast campaign on July 4 against Essex at Chelmsford.
da bet nacional： Glasgow Rangers manager Philippe Clement will be looking to end 2023 on a high as the Ibrox side prepare to face another vital Premiership clash.
da marjack bet： They travel to the east end of Glasgow on Saturday to face Celtic and a win would do wonders for their title challenge as well as inflicting a psychological blow on their opponents in the process.
The 49-year-old coach has already delivered a blow to his Old Firm rivals as the Gers have secured a loan deal for Wolverhampton Wanderers forward Fabio Silva until the end of the campaign.
Rangers sign Fabio Silva
According to Football Insider a few days ago, both Old Firm clubs were chasing a deal for the striker as they aimed to bolster their attacking departments.
Having cost Wolves a staggering £35m just three years ago, a permanent move didn’t appear to be viable, yet securing him on a short-term loan deal could prove advantageous for either club as they chase glory during the second half of the season.
Rangers sign “unique” player with Clement “crucial” to transfer
Rangers are not messing around…
ByTom Cunningham Dec 28, 2023
The youngster chose the Ibrox side, and it could be a smart move, with the Portuguese forward already endearing himself to the supporters by praising the Light Blues, saying:
"When I was a kid and we spoke about Scotland, Rangers for me was the best team here. I want to play for the fans, with my teammates and to win titles. That's the most important thing."
Securing a move for Silva indicates that Clement means business and with several key players out injured for the foreseeable future, this won't be the first signing the manager makes over the next four weeks.
Fabio Silva
The Gers have been linked with a few defenders of late. Could the Belgian be close to making a swoop for a left-back in the coming weeks?
Rangers transfer news – Fredrik Oppegard
With Silva arriving through the door, thoughts now turn to further transfers and, according to the Daily Record, the Light Blues are now pursuing a move for a left-back during the January transfer window.
Philadelphia Union’s Kai Wagner and PSV Eindhoven’s Fredrik Oppegard have both been scouted by the club in recent weeks as Clement steps up his chase for more reinforcements.
Oppegard is the younger of the two players and this could perhaps be the player who the former AS Monaco coach will target, especially with his long-term potential.
Ridvan Yilmaz hasn’t quite had the required impact at Ibrox since his £5m move from Besiktas during the summer of 2022, while Borna Barisic is out of contract at the end of the current season and it remains to be seen whether he will be extended his stay in Glasgow.
Oppegard could be a perfect replacement for the Croatian and securing a deal for him in January would allow the PSV starlet to settle in during the second half of the season.
Borna Barisic’s season in numbers
The 31-year-old has been with the Gers since joining under Steven Gerrard in 2018, and he has served the club well during the previous five and a half years.
At the time of writing, the defender has made 224 appearances for the club, chipping in with nine goals and registering 53 assists as he has been a constant attacking presence on the left-hand side throughout the years.
With victory in the League Cup final earlier this month, Barisic has now secured the full set of domestic honours, but he has missed a few games during the season due to some niggling injury issues and this term hasn’t exactly been his most productive.
For a player who is so effective at bombing up and down the left flank with ease, Barisic ranks in a lowly 16th spot for successful dribbles per game across the squad in the league (0.3), while he also ranks 12th for big chances created (one) and fourth for assists (two) and it looks as though his influence in the side is waning.
This will increase the need for Clement to sign a new left-back sooner rather than later and a deal for Oppegard could be a shrewd investment for the future.
Fredrik Oppegard’s career statistics
The 21-year-old started his career at PSV, making a total of 81 appearances with their youth sides, before making his debut for the senior side during the 2020/21 campaign.
The youngster enjoyed a loan spell at Eredivisie side Go Ahead Eagles for the second half of last season and, across 11 appearances in the Dutch top flight for both teams, the Norwegian showcased his attacking abilities.
Oppegard succeeded with 92% of his dribble attempts – at a rate of 1.1 per game – while also making 0.3 key passes per game. His defensive traits were also on show too, as the 21-year-old won an impressive 72% of his total duels per game along with being dribbled past on just 0.4 occasions, and while there is scope for improvement, the defender is showing some potential.
Domestic statistics during 2022/23
Borna Barisic
Fredrik Oppegard
Accurate passes per game
46.8
17.4
Key passes per game
2.3
0.3
Successful dribbles per game
0.3
1.1
Total duels won per game
3.8
3.8
Tackles per game
1.8
1.5
The 5 foot 8 gem has yet to make an appearance in the league for the club this season, being restricted to just one Champions League cameo against Arsenal earlier this month, and it looks as though he isn’t part of the first team plans under coach Peter Bosz.
With his contract expiring in just 18 months, January may be the perfect time to secure a deal for the Norway U21 international, especially with the situation surrounding the current left-backs in the Gers squad.
Oppegard has played in the Champions League and has experience in the Eredivisie. A move to Scotland could reinvigorate his career and give him plenty of opportunities to play on a regular basis.
Clement has plenty of time on his side, and it looks as though he is avoiding the mistakes of his predecessors by tying up his January transfer business with plenty of time to spare rather than chase last-minute deals which haven’t been thought through properly.
This strategy could certainly pay dividends over the second half of the 2023/24 campaign and with one trophy in the bag already, Clement will be confident he can add another two to the cabinet in the coming months.
da brwin： After Arsenal’s captivating late 4-3 win over Luton which aptly, was as mad as a Hatter, the great goalkeeping debate of 2023/24 will rage on.
da realsbet： Since David Raya entered the club as competition for Aaron Ramsdale, it has perhaps been the only huge concern surrounding the club this term, not that Mikel Arteta would like to admit it’s an issue.
The fact of the matter, however, is that it is a problem. Quite a large one.
Ramsdale had his moments last term – notably in both outings against Southampton but he was also capable of the extraordinary.
Remember that double stop to deny Mo Salah and Ibrahima Konate at Anfield? Yeah, he’s a pretty good shot-stopper.
Arsenal's £280k-p/w star dropped a "monster performance" vs Luton
Declan Rice stole the show with a late winning goal but another Arsenal star deserves equal praise.
ByMatt Dawson Dec 6, 2023
The England man didn’t do a huge amount wrong to lose his place but since the first international break of the campaign, the Spaniard has been the no.1 ‘keeper, whether we all agree with it or not.
David Raya's performance vs Luton
It's safe to say this was the Spaniard's worst outing in an Arsenal shirt yet.
Since signing on loan from Brentford in the summer, the gloveman has had a topsy-turvy but ultimately relatively impressive stint between the posts.
Indeed, prior to the clash with Wolves last weekend, the 28-year-old had been streets ahead of Ramsdale in multiple areas of the game, notably passing from the back and claiming crosses.
Ramsdale vs Raya
Stat (* = per 90)
Ramsdale
Raya
Goals Against*
1.23
0.83
Save Percentage*
68.5%
80.81%
Clean Sheet Percentage*
30%
41.7%
Passes Completed* (Launched)
2.63
7.92
Goals Prevented
-1.72
1.32
Pass Success rate
71%
77%
Crosses Stopped*
0.60
1.44
Crosses Stopped* %
6.4%
10.5%
Stats via Sofascore & FBref.
However, it was that ability to come for crosses that actually landed him in hot water on Tuesday night. Raya tried to come for a corner but got none of the ball as Elijah Adebayo was able to head home with ease.
It was his involvement in Ross Barkley's third goal, however, that proved most suspect. The former Chelsea man advanced beyond Ben White and then placed an effort goalbound that squeezed under Raya who ended up looking rather hapless.
It was unsurprising, therefore, to see the 'keeper jump immediately to thank Declan Rice for his astonishing last-gasp winner at Kenilworth Road when the full-time whistle blew.
That being said, Raya wasn't the only in Arsenal colours who underwhelmed vs Luton. A rare starter, Jakub Kiwior didn't have his finest night either.
Jakub Kiwior's game vs Luton in numbers
The Pole knows his role well. If an injury occurs to either Gabriel or William Saliba then he'll get a chance in the team. He's done that aptly since arriving last January for £20m, although out of position on Tuesday was far from his best.
With Takehiro Tomiyasu injured, the defender was trusted with playing at left-back ahead of Oleksandr Zinchenko who was rested on the bench.
This wasn't the first time Arteta has played Kiwior in that position but on this occasion, he found life tough, with the Poland international's limitations going forward a hindrance to build up play down Gabriel Martinelli's left-hand channel.
That was evident in the fact that Kiwior failed to make a single key pass before he was subbed off in the 64th minute for Zinchenko. To put that into context, Arsenal's opposite full-back in Ben White played two key passes, including the assist for Gabriel Jesus' headed first-half goal.
Writing about his performance after the game, Football.London reporter Kaya Kaynak gave the former Spezia man a 5/10 match rating, saying: "Not the best of nights for the Polish defender. His lack of offensive contribution was laid bare at times and he struggled to lock down his flank. Not awful, but not at the standard he's set for himself."
Not awful, but pretty standard is just about right when it comes to describing the player's performance. Defensively the numbers portray this was a solid game – winning 75% of his duels – but ultimately he offered little offensively and struggled against Andros Townsend and Issa Kabore.
On this evidence, it wouldn't be a surprise if we saw him back on the bench for the clash with Aston Villa this forthcoming weekend.
da bet7： Liverpool are heading back in the right direction after slipping out of the top four last season, with a lot of Jurgen Klopp’s side’s progression attributed to their successful summer of transfers.
da esoccer bet： It was a tedious transfer window for the Reds, as they completed the majority of their deals done early in welcoming Dominik Szoboszlai and Alexis Mac Allister at the start of the business period.
While the Reds had a quiet period in the market while other club’s seemed busy, Klopp recruited well in adding the two midfielders to the fold, with both already repaying their fees with a strong start to life at Anfield.
Business hasn’t always been so sharp in the red corner of Merseyside, as highlighted by one of the deals sanctioned to welcome a certain player back in 2017, who called time on his Liverpool career after six years this summer.
When did Liverpool sign Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?
In the summer of 2017, the Reds announced the signing of former Arsenal ace Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, who had spent six years in north London before making the move to Merseyside.
The then-24-year-old was signed for a fee of £35m, a price that was poised to rise to £40m based on appearance-related add-ons to the joy of the Gunners.
At the time of his departure, the Englishman had just one year remaining on his contract with Arsenal, making the collection of £35m a strong deal for those at the Emirates for a player whose future was far from guaranteed in the favoured XI.
How many goals did Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain score?
Oxlade-Chamberlain left Arsene Wenger’s side having scored just 20 goals in 198 appearances, with only nine Premier League goals to his name in 132 league appearances, seeing him once branded as “awful” by journalist Miguel Delaney.
It was a confusing deal for a club as ‘on the up’ as Liverpool to agree to the expenditure of a versatile forward that didn’t have many goals to his name, however it quickly became apparent that Klopp saw the winger’s position further back.
For Liverpool, things seemed to click for the 5 foot 11 menace at first, as he was integrated into central midfield and given licence to roam.
The positional change seemed to work as Oxlade-Chamberlain had a hand in ten goals in his debut Premier League season at Anfield, scoring three and assisting seven in 32 appearances.
Fast-forward to the summer of 2023, and the Portsmouth-born whiz departed Liverpool having scored 18 goals in 146 appearances, a far from admirable tally but he had rounded the jaded edges of his game that had not been tamed at Arsenal.
How much did Liverpool spend on Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain?
The most pivotal factor of the misunderstood England international’s game was his inability to keep fit, seeing him missing almost 600 days of action at Liverpool, amounting to just under two years of availability over his six-year stay.
While the Englishman’s tally in front of goal marginally improved, his development was hugely hindered by his consistent battle with injury and subsequently, his slip down the pecking order.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain's career earnings
Club
Year
Weekly Wage
Arsenal
2013-2014
£52k
Arsenal
2014-2017
£55k
Liverpool
2017-2019
£80k
Liverpool
2019-2023
£120k
Besiktas
2023-2026
£48k
All stats via Capology
Despite his unfortunate injury woes not being any fault of his own, Liverpool were drained financially by the entire deal regarding the now 30-year-old’s stay at Anfield.
In total, the Reds spent roughly £68m to accommodate the midfielder’s tenure, due to his £35m price tag plus his colossus £33m picked up in wages over the six years he was employed by the club.
When he first arrived, the former Arsenal dud was earning £4.1m-per-year, which increased to £6.2m-per-year in 2019 when he penned a contract extension, amounting to a weekly wage of £120k, via Capology.
Did Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain deserve to earn so much?
Putting aside the fact that the midfielder, despite being frustrating at times, was a likeable figure on Merseyside, his presence and inability to secure consistent game time made his price tag and wage bill difficult to merit.
When dividing the £33m in wages that the Englishman received at Liverpool by the number of goals he scored in six years, the figure amounts to around £1.8m-per-goal-scored which is harrowing reading for the Reds.
This summer, the decision was made not to extend Oxlade-Chamberlain’s contract as he made nine appearances in the 2022/23 campaign, resulting in him leaving as a free agent at the expiration of his £120k-per-week deal.
Today, the 30-year-old is valued at €6.2m (£5.3m), conveying his decline over the years as he progresses in a new chapter of his story at Besiktas.
With one Champions League medal and a Premier League winners medal, the midfielder departed with silverware to add to his 18 goals scored, while Liverpool continue to weigh up the benefits of his expense.
How much do other Liverpool players earn?
While Oxlade-Chamberlain’s chapter has closed, the Reds continue to have some well-paid earners at the club, despite not pulling their weight on the pitch.
The Englishman was in the top-ten earners at Liverpool based on last season’s calculations of wage payments, with another questionable name in the lucrative list.
Similarly to Oxlade-Chamberlain, Thiago Alcantara has made a minimal impact at Anfield, despite being one of the squad’s top earners at present.
Liverpool midfielder Thiago.
The Spaniard picks up an eye-watering £200k-per-week on Merseyside, and after three years has made only 97 appearances in all competitions following his £25m arrival from Bayern Munich.
Last season, the 32-year-old recorded 18 Premier League appearances, just nine more than Oxlade-Chamberlain, yet continues to reside as Klopp’s third-highest earner on £10.4m-per-year.
The two-time Champions League winner and seven-time Bundesliga winner will earn a total of £41.6m in wages alone as he plays out his fourth and final year of his contract with the Reds, making the total expenditure around the sum of £66m including his transfer fee.
Still, Thiago has cost Liverpool a lower amount than Oxlade-Chamberlain did during his time at the club, identifying two of the most frustrating, draining deals in the recent Anfield squad.
By leaving England, the 30-year-old closed his chapter in his homeland after representing Southampton, Arsenal and Liverpool, in a 13-year professional spell that amounted to 48 goals and £50.8m generated in wages alone.
All in all, the Portsmouth-born midfielder failed to make an adequate impact at either club, departing Anfield having rinsed the Reds for millions with little in return.
Thanks to the Impact Player rule, CSK could be tempted to have him on field for 20 overs, and use him as a batter when his impact can be maximum
ESPNcricinfo staff21-Mar-20244:52
Is this the right time for Gaikwad the captain?
MS Dhoni has done it again. Yet again, he has stepped away from a role without an announcement, forget fanfare. Right from his Test retirement back on December 30, 2014, Dhoni has once again caught everyone by surprise. Nobody outside Chennai Super Kings (CSK) seemed to have an inkling until Ruturaj Gaikwad turned up for the captains’ photoshoot a day before the first match of this edition of IPL: CSK against Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB).Minutes later, the CSK management confirmed the development with a cursory one-line press release, which chose to omit Dhoni’s role as a player now that he is not captain. Given nothing has been said, it is safe to assume Dhoni will continue playing as a wicketkeeper and occasional batter.It is possibly the Impact Player rule that allows Dhoni to step down from captaincy while still letting him shepherd the new captain into his role. It opens up interesting possibilities for CSK to have him on the field for the whole 20 overs but use him as a batter when his impact can be maximum.It is no secret Dhoni preferred to bat only a few number of deliveries and certain match-ups last year, which happened to be the introductory year for the Impact Player. Now he can almost formalise that arrangement.If CSK bat first, they can start off without Dhoni in the XI. If wickets fall and match-ups allow for it, Dhoni can be substituted in while the batting innings is on. If he is not required at all, he can substitute a batter and keep through the defence.If CSK are chasing, Dhoni can keep through the fielding innings and make way for a batter during the chase. Of course Dhoni could be used as a batter in some games where the match-ups suit him and CSK fancy bringing in an extra bowler for a specialist batter.Whichever way it turns out, Dhoni has opened up a lot of talking points and tactical possibilities right on the eve of what was proving to be an uneventful start to the IPL. And he has done so without warning.
Mitchell Johnson and Doug Bollinger are starting to form a particularly useful bowling combination
Brydon Coverdale at the MCG28-Dec-2009While families all around Australia continue to enjoy their Christmas leftovers, the country’s cricket team is filling up on left-arm overs. For most of the past two decades, Australia have relied heavily on right-arm fast men but Doug Bollinger and Mitchell Johnson, who combined for six wickets in the first innings at the MCG, are starting to form a particularly useful left-arm combination.Johnson is the leading Test wicket-taker in 2009 and, as Australia’s spearhead, he continues to tally up victims with speed and unpredictability. Bollinger is a new man in the Australian team but has rapidly bowled himself into a position from which the selectors will find it hard to drop him.Bollinger’s 13 wickets in two Tests against West Indies, and then 3 for 50 at the MCG, means he might not be the one to make way once Ben Hilfenhaus recovers from his knee problem. Today, he was again the catalyst for a run of wickets after the nightwatchman Mohammad Aamer, a promising left-armer himself, frustrated the Australians for more than two hours.When the new ball arrived, a well-rested, fired-up Bollinger found the outside edge from Aamer. Such was the pace and bounce that Marcus North at first slip did well to snare the chance in front of his face, which was a surprising result given the general deadness of the pitch had caused several edges to fall short of the cordon.All of a sudden Pakistan lost 4 for 17 including two more for Bollinger, as his angle across the right-handers drew edges that were taken behind the wicket. Having earlier had the dangerous Umar Akmal caught at slip, Johnson then finished the task by coming round the wicket and rattling the off stump of the No. 11 Saeed Ajmal.Before Johnson and Bollinger came together for the first time in Sydney last summer, Australia had not played two left-arm fast men in a Test for more than 20 years, since Bruce Reid and Chris Matthews joined forces in 1986-87. Other countries haven’t had the same predilection for right-armers and various combinations of Zaheer Khan, RP Singh, Irfan Pathan and Ashish Nehra have worked well together for India, while Sri Lanka have regularly used Chaminda Vaas in concert with Nuwan Zoysa and Thilan Thushara.Part of the attraction towards Johnson and Bollinger lies in their contrast. Both men are very quick but that’s where the similarity ends. Bollinger is all aggression, loud and brash, and sprints in like he’s racing against Usain Bolt. He has control over his swing and enjoys reverse when the ball gets older, but equally loves to dig in short ones.Johnson is quiet and sensitive, ambles in off a short run-up and generates his pace with his slingy action. He too can swing the ball but just as often the seam is scrambled, angling across right-handers and in towards left-handers. His unpredictability is one of his biggest weapons, because occasionally he’ll unexpectedly curve a delivery in to a right-hander or bang in a nasty bouncer lethal enough to injure or dismiss.He has taken 60 wickets at 28.03 this calendar year and was named the ICC’s Cricketer of the Year, and is already the third-most successful Australian left-arm fast bowler in Test history. But then, with the exception of Alan Davidson, Bill Johnston and the injury-prone Bruce Reid, the team has rarely had a quality left-armer on a permanent basis. They might now have two for the foreseeable future.
Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan have watched West Indies sink to awful depths in recent years, but now they can help claw the team back towards respectability
Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan have watched West Indies sink to awful depths in recent years, but now they can help claw the team back towards respectability. They have shared many batting partnerships together and if their unbeaten stand of 142 is transformed into something even more substantial, maybe the Caribbean public will start believing again.Sarwan is back in the ranks these days having lost the captaincy in 2007 and giving up the vice-captaincy for “personal reasons” last year. He went through a lean run on the recent tour of New Zealand and has begun this home season with a few mutterings over his form. Those mutterings could have turned louder if he hadn’t been reprieved on 5 when Tony Hill reversed his lbw decision on the basis of advice from the TV umpire, Daryl Harper.”I did say a couple of days ago that I needed a bit of luck on my side and today I was fortunate enough to get that,” he said with a grin. “I’m not a big fan of it [the system], we played with it in New Zealand and it was a bit confusing, but today I’ll take it.”It was 50-50 to be honest, I felt the pain in my knee and that is why I asked Chris about it, how it looked, and he said it was a bit close. I thought I would try [to refer it] because in my mind it was a bit high.”Gayle took over the captaincy from Sarwan during the last tour of England in 2007, after Daren Ganga’s brief inter-regnum. Sarwan was injured during a record innings-and-283-run hammering at Headingley – arguably the lowest of West Indian lows – but since then fortunes have begun to improve.While most people involved with the England team were losing their heads during the Stanford week in Antigua, Gayle was exuding calmness and composure. It was a trait that won his team the jackpot of US$20 million. He admitted after the Stanford final that he’d actually been a bag of nerves with so much money at stake, but the key was he kept all that hidden and on the outside appeared in complete control. England have not yet been beaten in the same way at Sabina Park – they have three days to turn their fortunes around – but Gayle’s performance over the opening two days has set a perfect tone for West Indies.He was quick in the field to spot a slow pitch and introduce his spinners into the attack and then he was even quicker to take the initiative with the bat, driving Andrew Flintoff’s second ball back over his head for a breathtaking six. Two more maximums followed in what was a curious innings of extremes, ranging from mighty blows to studious defence. But it was the fact that he married the two successfully which was the noticeable factor, because control at the crease has not always been Gayle’s forte.The captaincy, though, has brought out a new, mature side to Gayle, which was on show during the Stanford tournament and has brought a sense of stability back to the team. And if he can bring the best out of his team-mates his job will be made that much easier. An in-form Sarwan would be a major step.”Since I came back from injury I’ve had two series, one against Sri Lanka and one against Australia and I thought I did pretty well,” said Sarwan. “Unfortunately, I didn’t keep up the pace and I thought it was a bit of a backward step. I’ve had two weeks to reflect on my game after coming back from New Zealand. I tried to put in a bit of work although I couldn’t do much because of the rain. I just wanted to start the series really well and hopefully carry on the same sort of form I’ve started with here.”Sarwan, though, did sound a cautionary note that will ring true with many West Indies fans. “I think we are in a pretty good position but we have seen before that we have collapsed. It is important that myself and Chris go on and get big scores and also important that whoever follows try to form partnerships. That is going to be the key for the rest of the innings.” A success-starved region watches in anticipation.
Tottenham Hotspur are a side that have fallen below the expectations set for them in the Premier League in recent years, as seen by their standings last campaign.
The Lilywhites ended the year in a measly 17th position, only one place above the relegation zone and becoming the first side to survive in the division after losing 22 matches.
As a result, Ange Postecoglou lost his job, with Thomas Frank the man tasked with building on their European triumph and transforming their league form.
The Dane has already wasted no time in the role in North London, targeting countless players who could help improve the current situation at the club.
Whilst no first team additions have yet been agreed, work has been conducted behind the scenes, in an attempt to catapult the side to added success in 2025/26.
The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer
Mohammed Kudus has been a player firmly on their radar in recent days, even making a £50m offer for the West Ham United star, but the offer was swiftly rejected.
The Ghanaian was said to be wanting a move to join Frank’s men this window and The Athletic’s David Ornstein has since revealed that a £55m total agreement has now been struck for the 24-year-old.
However, despite the interest in the former Ajax star, moves have been made elsewhere, with Southampton star Tyler Dibling once again in their sights, according to Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg.
He claims that the Lilywhites have made an approach for the 19-year-old star, despite suffering relegation back to the Championship with the Saints last season.
He also claims that Nottingham Forest and West Ham are other teams keeping tabs on the teenage star, who could be available for around £55m this summer.
Why Spurs’ £55m target could be a bigger talent than Kudus
Over the last couple of months, Spurs have showcased the attacking threat they possess, registering 64 goals in their 38 league outings last season.
Brennan Johnson ended the year as the club’s top scorer, notching 18 goals across all competitions, including in the Europa League final, subsequently ending the club’s 17-year drought.
Other players such as Dominic Solanke and James Maddison also managed to achieve double figures, highlighting the strength in depth currently at Frank’s disposal.
However, such depth clearly isn’t enough, especially considering the rumours around moves for Kudus and Dibling over the last couple of weeks.
Both would represent impressive options for the Dane, but given the nature of the fees touted for each player’s signature, it is crucial they land the right one during the off-season.
When comparing their respective stats from the Premier League last time out, the Saints’ youngster managed to outperform him in numerous key areas, despite the relegation – highlighting why he’d be a better addition.
Dibling, who’s been labelled “incredible” by former boss Ivan Juric, managed to register a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, whilst matching the Hammers star for goals per shot on target – showcasing the clinical edge he possesses.
Games played
33
32
Goals & assists
2
8
Shot on target accuracy
32%
28%
Goal per shot on target
0.2
0.2
Progressive passes
3.1
2.7
Passes into final third
1.9
1.6
Carries into final third
2.4
2
Fouls won
2.4
2.2
He also managed to register more progressive passes per 90, and more passes into the final third, subsequently having the tools to provide some of the aforementioned talents with added opportunities in front of goal.
The teenager’s dominance doesn’t end there, producing a higher tally of carries into the final third, whilst also drawing more fouls – showcasing the threat he poses to the opposition at any given time.
Whilst £55m may appear to be a huge risk for such a young talent, he’s already showcased he can thrive despite featuring for a side who fell well below the expectations set in 2024/25.
There’s no denying that Kudus would also represent an excellent pickup, but ultimately, Dibling has already outperformed him and has the tools to rapidly develop further, given his tender age.
Spurs eyeing "immense" £40m Kudus alternative who'd be their own Rodrygo
West Bromwich Albion are struggling for consistency during this gruelling winter period. The side's narrow 1-0 win at home to Norwich City on Boxing Day was just their second in five Championship matches, having also lost twice and drawn once.
Additionally, the only goal of the game came through Brandon Thomas-Asante, who found the net for the eighth time this campaign and is leading the Baggies' goalscoring charts.
West Brom could sign £1m-rated "huge talent" to improve Thomas-Asante's fortunes
West Brom could get the best out of Thomas-Asante this winter by signing this £1m-rated “huge talent”.
ByAdam Scully Dec 20, 2023
The Midlands club have been quite reliant on the former Salford City man's goals this season but with the January transfer window quickly approaching, head coach Carlos Corberan could look to sign one player that West Brom have been previously linked with to bolster his side's attacking department.
West Bromwich Albion transfer news – Ben Brereton Diaz
One player that West Brom have been linked to in recent months is Ben Brereton Diaz, with TEAMtalk reporting that the Baggies are keeping tabs on his situation at Villarreal. The outlet are claiming that both Leicester City and Southampton are also eyeing up the Chile international ahead of the January transfer window.
Villarreal forward Ben Brereton Diaz.
Brereton Diaz spent the last few seasons at Ewood Park with Blackburn Rovers, scoring 47 goals and registering 16 assists in all competitions for the Lancashire club. However, 38 of these goals came in his final two campaigns with the Riversiders, with journalist Alan Nixon describing him as a "goal machine".
During the summer, the attacker moved to La Liga side Villarreal on a free transfer but has struggled for game-time since joining The Yellow Submarine on a £29k-per-week deal.
The Chilean has seen just 544 minutes of action for the Spanish outfit since the beginning of the campaign which has been spread across 19 appearances in total and he has failed to bag a single goal or assist in his time at the club. Now, a move back to England looks to be on the cards and West Brom should try to shove themselves to the front of the queue for his signature.
How Ben Brereton Diaz compares to Romelu Lukaku
West Brom have been starved of a consistent goalscorer for some time now. In fact, last season, Thomas Asante finished level with Daryl Dike on seven goals in the Championship as the duo shared the club's top goalscorer award.
This term, Thomas Asante is leading West Brom's charts once more for the club and has already beaten his tally from his debut season. However, Corberan's second-most prolific player has been midfielder John Swift.
West Brom's last prolific goalscorer, in truth, was Romelu Lukaku.
The Belgian titan found the net 17 times in 35 appearances on a season-long loan at the Hawthorns during the 2012/13 campaign before eventually returning to Chelsea, having had a great career since. Nonetheless, Brereton Diaz's most potent season in English football was even better than Lukaku's record with West Brom, having converted 22 times from 37 league appearances throughout the 2021/22 campaign.
Additionally, that season, the ex-Nottingham Forest attacker massively outperformed Thomas Asante's numbers from this current term.
Goals
0.61
0.38
Expected Goals
0.36
0.59
Assists
0.11
0.08
Expected Assists
0.07
0.04
Shots
2.91
2.30
Shots On Target
1.25
1.04
Goals Per Shot
0.14
0.17
Progressive Passes Received
5.81
4.30
Key Passes
0.67
0.45
Stats via FBref
Corberan could also play the pair together. In his career, Brereton Diaz has been deployed all along the frontline, including from the flanks. In a wide position, he has bagged 27 goals and registered 13 assists in 122 appearances. The Spanish coach can potentially use Brereton Diaz off the left in the absence of Matt Phillips, who is out until near the end of the season, while keeping Thomas Asante up top.
This is a move that could revolutionise West Brom's forward line ahead of what will be a gruelling second half of the campaign and should certainly be considered by the coaching and recruitment staff.
Having been without a reliable presence through the middle over an extended period – stretching back to the days of Lukaku – snapping up the former Rovers man could prove a real statement signing for those at the Hawthorns.