Essex Eagles claimed their third successive Vitality Blast victory after overcoming Middlesex by 16 runs in their heavily rain-affected South Group game at Lord’s.The visitors reached 129 for 4 after 12.4 overs, with Jordan Cox unbeaten on 31 from 19 balls when a heavy downpour enveloped the ground.Middlesex’s target was revised to 143 from 12 overs – and subsequently 80 from six after another rain stoppage, but that unlikely equation proved beyond their reach.Despite a valiant effort by Max Holden, who hammered an undefeated 41 from 24, the home side fell short on 63 for two.After an initial 25-minute delay due to earlier showers, Adam Rossington immediately set about Middlesex’s bowling in the powerplay with two sizzling cover boundaries off Tom Helm.Rossington bludgeoned his way to 20 before slicing Noah Cornwell into the hands of deep third and the young left-armer, who took 2 for 29, also castled Michael Pepper (23 from 12), swinging across the line.Dean Elgar (28 from 17) was next to depart, with Luke Hollman taking a skier off his own bowling, but Cox looked assured straight away, dispatching his first ball for four with a classy straight drive.Although Ryan Higgins bowled Walter around his legs, pinpoint placement brought Cox successive boundaries off Blake Cullen and he also launched Hollman into the grandstand before rain returned, resulting in a delay of more than an hour.When the pitch covers were eventually removed, Holden and Stephen Eskinazi had barely taken guard when another heavy shower descended and the players left the field without a ball being bowled.The equation morphed into 80 from six overs when the game’s final instalment began and Eskinazi did his best to sustain Middlesex’s pursuit, hitting successive Shane Snater balls for four and six.However, Walter effectively settled the contest by capturing the wickets of Eskinazi and Higgins during his first over, which went for just four runs – and, although Holden kept the battle going, it was not enough.
Sheffield United’s automatic promotion dream is now over with Burnley and Leeds United confirmed as Premier League-bound on a disappointing Easter Monday for the Blades.
Earlier in the day, before United’s pivotal showdown with the Clarets, Leeds resoundingly thumped Stoke City 6-0 in the Championship, with Daniel Farke and Co then needing Chris Wilder’s men to slip up and lose to seal a return to the top-flight.
Their wish would come true to the dismay of the away side at Turf Moor, with their pain only intensified when you consider the hosts also clinched a dramatic passage back up to the top-flight when beating the visitors 2-1.
Anel Ahmedhodzic suffered from a rare off-day in Lancashire, with his clumsiness right before the half-time whistle gifting Josh Brownhill the decisive spot-kick that sent the Clarets up a league.
Ahmedhodzic's off-day at Turf Moor
Ultimately, United’s dismal run of four losses from their last five Championship outings has cost them the glory of automatic promotion, but the Bosnian brute certainly didn’t help matters when putting in a rare bad performance.
The number 15 was definitely fired up for the crunch contest, but it resulted in his overall game looking rash and hot-headed rather than focused, culminating in him clattering into Hannibal Mejbri to gift the home side a golden penalty.
Brownhill would calmly tuck away the opportunity to juxtapose Ahmedhodzic’s reckless approach, with the out-of-sorts 26-year-old going on to commit four fouls in total, on top of uncharacteristically winning just 33% of his duels.
Wilder will need his usually reliable colossus to be more switched on ahead of some huge playoff clashes to come, but whilst Ahmedhodzic did cost his team dear, there was one underperformer for the Blades who was just as bad as the defender in offering very little throughout.
The Blades dud who was just as bad as Ahmedhodzic
It was always going to be a tough ask for the Blades to get the better of a dogged Burnley side, considering the stern hosts have only shipped 15 strikes all season long.
Tom Cannon did manage to break his goalscoring duck at Turf Moor to raise a smile, but it was the efforts of Ben Brereton Diaz down the right wing that would have worried away spectators, irrespective of the ex-Leicester City man managing to salvage some personal pride.
Minutes played
60
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
16
Shots on target
0
Accurate passes
5/9 (56%)
Total duels won
0/4
The numbers from the table above do make for some dire reading, with the Chilean only managing a meagre 15 touches of the ball from his forgettable 60-minute stint.
On top of that, Brereton Diaz also failed to register a single on-target effort at James Trafford’s formidable goal, alongside only managing to muster up a weak five passes of the ball that found their intended target.
Whilst Ahmedhodzic was notably poor, he did manage to at least win three of his duels during the contest, with Brereton Diaz then unsurprisingly hooked off by Wilder for Jesurun Rak-Sakyi to gain a run-out.
After all, Rak-Sakyi had at least bagged in United’s last away contest before this miserable outing to Lancashire, with his late efforts at Turf Moor seeing him conjure up one successful dribble among other promising moments.
If the Blades are to bounce back from this agonising promotion near-miss, Wilder could now have to axe Brereton Diaz from his forthcoming lineups, knowing full well that lethal displays are needed in the lottery of the playoffs.
Sheffield United sold a star for £2m, now he's way better than Cannon
The former Sheffield United striker is now way better than Tom Cannon.
da marjack bet： Poucas horas depois do pedido de demissão do técnico Cuca ter sido anunciado, a diretoria do Corinthians já começou a trabalhar para anunciar o novo profissional o mais rápido possível. Eles não querem expor Fernando Lázaro, que se tornou auxiliar da comissão permanente, mas que até semana passada era o responsável por comandar o Timão.
A ideia é agir rapidamente no mercado, assim como foi quando anunciou Cuca poucas horas depois de remanejar a função de Lázaro. Por isso, um treinador que esteja livre no mercado tem mais chances de assumir o clube, neste momento. Até porque, o intuito é já tê-lo no banco de reservas neste sábado (29), quando o Time do Povo enfrenta o Palmeiras, no Allianz Parque, pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.
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da dobrowin： +Corinthians busca novo técnico: confira treinadores estrangeiros livres no mercado
Quando Cuca sinalizou que não permaneceria no comando corintiano, ainda na terça-feira (25), véspera do jogo decisivo pela terceira fase da Copa do Brasil, contra o Remo, a direção do clube alvinegro já havia se movimentado em busca de alguns nomes. Vanderlei Luxemburgo é o favorito no momento. A ideia é manter o perfil deixado pelo ex-treinador: um profissional com currículo, respeitado e que tenha o domínio do vestiário. Isso não significa que Luxa já foi escolhido. Muitos profissionais foram recomendados à direção corintiana nas últimas horas e todos eles estão sendo avaliados, principalmente pelo presidente Duílio Monteiro Alves e o gerente de futebol Alessandro Nunes.
Ainda assim, caso o Corinthians não feche com o seu novo treinador até o Dérbi, Fernando Lázaro pode dirigir a equipe. Treinador do sub-20, o ex-meia Danilo pode ser uma opção, mas, até o momento, ela é descartada pelas pessoas do clube.
Celtic provided the perfect response to their 3-2 defeat to their rivals before the international break with a 3-0 win over Hearts at Parkhead on Saturday.
The Hoops had allowed their lead at the top of the Scottish Premiership table to be cut down to 13 points by losing to Rangers, but immediately bounced back with a convincing win over the Jam Tarts.
Daizen Maeda took his tally for the season to 30 goals in all competitions for the Bhoys with his two strikes against Hearts, whilst Jota added another goal to his collection since his return to Parkhead in the January transfer window.
Whilst many will focus on the attacking talent that was on display, as Jota and Maeda stole the headlines with their goals, the presence of Callum McGregor in the middle of the park was equally as important.
Why Callum McGregor's performance was important for Celtic
The retired Scotland international missed the 3-2 defeat to Rangers before the break through injury and returned to show the Hoops what they missed with a sublime display in midfield.
Celtic’s captain lined up alongside Reo Hatate and Arne Engels in the midfield three against Hearts on Saturday and stood out as the star performer in that area of the pitch.
Pass accuracy
89%
81%
99%
Passes completed
59
34
66
Key passes
1
0
2
Big chances created
0
0
1
Tackles + interceptions
0
1
2
Dribbled past
1x
0x
0x
As you can see in the table above, McGregor outperformed his positional peers in the match with his exceptional use of the ball and his reliability defensively.
This illustrates why his display was so important for Brendan Rodgers against Hearts because it highlights the quality he brings in and out of possession.
The left-footed star provides a metronomic presence at the base of the midfield for Celtic with his ability to complete passes efficiently under pressure, completing 94% of his passes overall in the division this season.
McGregor, who completes 73 passes per game on average, can control games for the Hoops by dictating the tempo of matches with his passing quality, whilst also frustrating opposition teams because of his press resistance on the ball, forcing them to drop back deeper.
This is part of the reason why Celtic struggled without their captain when they faced Rangers at Parkhead before the break, as Engels is not best suited to that role as the number six.
Why Arne Engels struggled against Rangers
The former Augsburg star started at the base of the midfield, with Luke McCowan and Hatate in the number eight positions, and struggled against the Gers.
Engels is usually tasked with playing as one of the more advanced midfielders, looking to score and create goals, but had to step up in a deeper role against Rangers because of his captain’s injury.
Pass accuracy
88%
94%
Touches
76
89.1
Passes
51
73.2
Ground duel success rate
20%
59%
Possession lost
14x
7.2x
Tackles + interceptions
0
1.7
As you can see in the table above, the Belgium international failed to live up to the standards that the skipper has set for that position in or out of possession, losing the ball far too frequently and offering little protection to the back four.
The 21-year-old starlet should not be expected to be as effective in that role, though, because he is an attack-minded player who has a future as a number eight for Celtic, rather than as a deep-lying conductor of play.
Engels has racked up ten goals and 12 assists in all competitions for the Scottish giants this term, which shows that he has excelled at his natural game – scoring and creating goals.
The former Bundesliga whiz is not the long-term successor to McGregor, because that is not his natural game, and that is why he struggled in the game against Rangers before the break.
In The Pipeline
Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.
Rodgers, though, may have already unearthed his next version of the Celtic captain by bringing 19-year-old academy starlet Jude Bonnar into the first-team group.
Why Jude Bonnar could be the next Callum McGregor
The teenage dynamo has been in the matchday squad on five occasions in all competitions since the start of February, and got ten minutes off the bench in a 5-1 win over Aberdeen in the Premiership.
That ten-minute cameo, in which the Scotland U21 international completed all four of his attempted passes, was his first-team debut for the Hoops and the manager spoke to his suitability for the team after the match.
Rodgers told the Daily Record: “He’s got a good profile and fits how we want to play. So that is a nice little taster for him.”
This suggests that the Northern Irish boss sees potential in Bonnar and believes that the teenage talent has the technical skills and know-how to suit the way that his team lines up, with a number six and two eights in a midfield three.
Brendan Rodgers
The B team star, whose ability was described as “unbelievable” by former coach Alan McGrillen, spoke to Celtic TV after the game and admitted that he looks up to McGregor as a role model, because of how he acts on and off the pitch every day.
Bonnar has already shown a tiny glimpse of his metronomic qualities, completing 100% of his passes in his cameo against Aberdeen, and Rodgers could look to help him develop and refine that ability to mould him into the new version of McGregor in the future.
The Scottish youngster has also shown the potential to offer a goal threat, as the captain has with eight goals in 28 league matches this term, with a return of ten goals in 46 B team games.
Celtic gem was "the next Van Dijk" but Postecoglou sold him for just £1m
The former Celtic star was described as “the next Van Dijk” by his former manager.
ByDan Emery Apr 3, 2025
This is only the start of the road for Bonnar, though, and there is plenty more time left for him to progress as a player and forge his own way in the game, hopefully at Celtic.
The very early signs, however, are that the potential is there for him to develop into McGregor 2.0 for Rodgers as a composed and controlling midfield star who can also provide a goal threat.
Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan, fast bowler Hasan Mahmud and left-arm spinner Hasan Murad were left out
Mohammad Isam18-Mar-2024Bangladesh have called up pace sensation Nahid Rana for the first Test against Sri Lanka in Sylhet. Rana is among three changes in the squad that also includes uncapped fast bowler Musfik Hasan and Litton Das, who returns to the Test squad after skipping the previous series against New Zealand.The 21-year old Rana has only been around for three seasons in domestic cricket, but already he has taken 63 wickets at 21.92 bowling average in first-class cricket. It includes three five-wicket hauls.The selectors have also included Musfik, who earned a call-up against Afghanistan last year. Musfik has 55 first-class wickets at 21.16. It will also be a chance for Litton to get back in the runs after having a horrid time in the white-ball formats against Sri Lanka recently.Related
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Wicketkeeper Nurul Hasan, fast bowler Hasan Mahmud and left-arm spinner Hasan Murad were left out from the squad that played against New Zealand in November.The first Test starts in Sylhet on March 22.Bangladesh squad for first Test against Sri Lanka: Najmul Hossain Shanto (Captain), Zakir Hasan, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Shadman Islam, Litton Kumer Das, Mominul Haque Showrab, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shahadat Hossain Dipu, Mehidy Hassan Miraz, Nayeem Hasan, Taijul Islam, Shoriful Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Mushfik Hasan, Nahid Rana
Alisha Lehmann has delivered another nod towards critics of her supposedly showbiz lifestyle by saying that she could play for another 10 years.
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Serie A title winner in Italy
Preparing for 2025 Euros
Fully committed to football
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WHAT HAPPENED?
The Switzerland international is currently on the books of Italian giants Juventus. Her debut season with the Bianconeri delivered Serie A title glory, with the decision to leave WSL side Aston Villa in 2024 being vindicated.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Lehmann has continued to face questions of whether she is as committed to her chosen profession as she could be, with off-field endorsements flooding in after becoming one of the most recognisable figures in the women’s game.
WHAT ALISHA LEHMANN SAID
The 26-year-old forward has always sought to silence any doubters, with the Swiss star adamant that football is her life. She has told : “I love it. I could literally play every day.
“So when I have some holidays, I just go to the beach and play football. And this makes me the happiest. When you play a sport or you do something you love, you enjoy it so much that you don’t need anything else.”
@alishalehmann7 Instagram
DID YOU KNOW?
Quizzed on whether she could spend another decade in the professional game, taking her well into her 30s, Lehmann added: “Maybe, yeah, I don’t know. I mean, that’s a long time. Football is something that I will always do. I want to play as long as I can.”
Can the one-time champions of the tournament find success in its revamped format?
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When Chelsea lifted the FIFA Club World Cup trophy in 2021, they briefly stood atop the world. But since then, the English giants have failed to add another continental or intercontinental title to their collection. This summer in the United States, they’ll aim to change that.
Under new manager Enzo Maresca and the leadership of captain Reece James, the Blues are eyeing a strong run through Group D and into the knockout rounds. Chelsea have a long history of contending for trophies, and the revamped Club World Cup will be no exception. The Blues will be expected to make their presence felt as one of the tournament's favorites.
Domestically, the club has hovered in and out of the Premier League’s top four and is battling to secure a return to the UEFA Champions League for the 2025-26 season. They’re also juggling a deep UEFA Conference League campaign, with a quarterfinal berth already secured.
This summer, backed by a star-studded squad featuring EURO 2024 champion Marc Cucurella among others, Chelsea will look to reclaim their place at the summit of world football.
Chelsea will open against in the group stage against LAFC, which replaced Club Leon – expelled from the tournament because of multi-club ownership rules – after stunning Club America, 2-1, in extra time in a special play-in match.
The 2025 FIFA Club World Cup will be played in 12 stadiums in 11 U.S. cities, from the opener on June 14 until the final on July 13. In the U.S., fans can stream or watch matches on DAZN or TNT. Leading up to kickoff, GOAL will provide scouting reports on each of the 32 participating teams in the expanded field.
Next up is Chelsea, with a look at key players to watch, and expectations for the Premier League giants ahead of this summer's tournament.
GettyThe Basics
DOMESTIC LEAGUE: English Premier League
CLUB WORLD CUP HISTORY: 2021 Champions
GROUP: D (Esperance de Tunis, Flamengo & TBD)
OPENING MATCH:LAFC – June 16, 3 p.m. ET, Atlanta
AdvertisementHow they got here
Chelsea qualified by winning the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League title.
Getty Images SportThe player to watch
Chelsea's talisman Cole Palmer will undoubtedly be one of the players to watch this summer. The England international is a star in the final third of the pitch, and has a wand of a left foot that – if given space – will guarantee you a threatening chance near the net. During their 2024-25 campaign so far, he's led the club in goal contributions in the Premier League, and in the Summer 2024, was a member of England's EURO team that made it to the finals of the competition.
Ahead of him is Senegal international Nicolas Jackson, who, on his best day, is one of the Premier League's fiercest strikers. The 23-year-old can also play off of the left side of the pitch and excels in hold-up play and on the counterattack. His most dangerous asset, however, might be his brute physicality. Jackson is not afraid of engaging in physical contact on the pitch or going up for 50-50 challenges.
Getty Images SportRealistic expectation
should be looking at the tournament as a semifinal appearance or bust. They are a club with high ambitions, and expectations to be competing for a trophy this summer in the U.S. – and anything else will be deemed not good enough for Maresca and his men.
With the likes of Palmer and Jackson, along with a midfield pairing of Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo, the Blues will look to storm the field as they compete with the world's finest throughout the competition. Realistically, they should top Group D by a wide margin, and proceed to be viewed as one of the most likely teams to compete for the trophy itself come the knockout rounds.
The Premier League side have already claimed the tournament trophy once, and they'll look to do it again this summer.
da leao： Arsenal sporting director Andrea Berta has his eyes on both Newcastle United star Bruno Guimaraes and Real Sociedad ace Martin Zubimendi, according to reports, but he could also look to bring in another highly-rated player with the duo.
Berta targeting Bruno Guimaraes and Martin Zubimendi for Arsenal
da supremo： Earlier this week, journalist Eduardo Burgos broke news that Berta personally wants both Guimaraes and Zubimendi, not either or, to come in and bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield ahead of next season.
Berta blow as £327k-per-week star rejects Arsenal offer and signs new deal
His final decision has been made.
ByEmilio Galantini Mar 13, 2025
While Arsenal are struggling to finalise a deal for Zubimendi right now, with advanced talks stalling (CaughtOffside), they haven’t completely given up the chase either, and it is believed that the Gunners could strike a deal for Guimaraes for around £59 million if Newcastle fail to qualify for the Champions League.
News of Berta plotting moves for both midfielders was then backed up by reports closer to home, with GiveMeSport’s Ben Jacobs sharing that Guimaraes has been put forward by Arsenal’s new transfer chief as a serious option.
Arsenal’s interest in the Brazil international with Zubimendi appears pretty concrete at this stage, which comes as good news considering Thomas Partey and Jorginho are set to leave when their contracts expire this summer.
Arsenal’s next five Premier League games
Date
Chelsea (home)
March 16th
Fulham (home)
April 1st
Everton (away)
April 5th
Brentford (home)
April 12th
Ipswich Town (away)
April 20th
Jacobs, sharing a further update on the club’s plans for what could be a record-breaking summer under Berta, says another Newcastle United star Alexander Isak remains firmly on their radar.
Arsenal may sign Alexander Isak with Guimaraes and Zubimendi
The £120,000-per-week striker has dazzled as one of the English top flight’s standout forwards this season, and despite the potential cost involved in their mooted double-swoop for Zubimendi and Guimaraes, it is believed Berta may also try to sign Isak for Arsenal alongside the pair.
“So Zubimendi is very much the Edu target, but Berta is going to be looking at Bruno Guimaraes,” said Jacobs to GiveMeSport.
“And my understanding is that Arsenal may try for both Zubimendi and Guimaraes, plus Isak or [Benjamin] Sesko.”
The Swede has scored 22 goals in just 32 appearances across all competitions, so Arsenal are well aware of his quality, but a deal for him could be too much to ask. Newcastle value their man at around £150 million, so the Gunners would need to smash their transfer record to even hope of prising Isak away from St. James’ Park.
Arteta personally wants Isak, according to other reports, but Sesko may be a much more realistic target considering the release clause in his contract.
The contracts of Mike Hesson and Sanjay Bangar, director of cricket operations and head coach respectively, have not been renewed
Shashank Kishore04-Aug-2023Andy Flower has been appointed head coach of Royal Challengers Bangalore as the franchise looks to overturn a disappointing IPL 2023, where they failed to make the playoffs for the first time in four seasons. Flower has come on board on a three-year term to begin with.The decision follows a “comprehensive three-year performance review” following IPL 2023, where the team finished sixth and missed the playoffs narrowly. At RCB, Flower will reunite with Faf du Plessis, the captain, who he worked with earlier during his time as head coach of St Lucia Kings in the CPL.Flower replaced Sanjay Bangar, the former India allrounder, in the job after having also been in talks with Rajasthan Royals for a similar position under Kumar Sangakkara. The franchise is set to appoint a new director of cricket operations who will replace Mike Hesson. This could happen “over the next couple of months,” RCB vice-president Rajesh Menon said.The new director is expected to appoint the specialist coaches, which also puts a question mark over the future of the incumbents: Adam Griffith (bowling coach), S Sriram (assistant coach) and Malolan Rangarajan (lead scout and fielding coach).
We are beyond thrilled to welcome and winning coach as the of RCB Men’s team.
Andy’s experience of coaching IPL & T20 teams around the world, and leading his teams to titles… pic.twitter.com/WsMYGCkcYT
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) August 4, 2023
“I recognise the work put in by Mike Hesson and Sanjay Bangar, who are two coaches I respect,” Flower said in an RCB statement. “I’m particularly excited to be reunited with Faf. We have worked very well together in the past I look forward to forging our partnership and relationship into something bigger and better.”Till the end of IPL 2023, Flower was head coach of Lucknow Super Giants. Under him, they made back-to-back playoffs in their first two years in the competition. In July, he was replaced by Justin Langer, the former Australia coach. Prior to his stint with LSG, Flower had been associated with Punjab Kings in the IPL.Flower comes on board with a decorated CV. A T20 World Cup-winning coach with England in 2010, the former Zimbabwe captain has also coached teams to titles at the PSL (Multan Sultans), ILT20 (Gulf Giants), and the men’s Hundred (Trent Rockets). With Flower in charge, St Lucia Kings reached the CPL final twice. Most recently, he worked with Australia as a consultant during the men’s Ashes.
We thank and for their commendable work during the stints as and of RCB. #PlayBold #ನಮ್ಮRCB @CoachHesson pic.twitter.com/Np2fLuRdC0
— Royal Challengers Bangalore (@RCBTweets) August 4, 2023
Hesson had stepped into the role in similar circumstances as Flower in 2019, after RCB chose not to renew their contracts with Gary Kirsten, Ashish Nehra and Vikram Solanki following a last-place finish that season.Overall, Hesson led the team to three successive playoffs before the team fell away in their final must-win league game this year against Gujarat Titans. Bangar came on board in 2022, after Simon Katich’s exit as head coach, upon Virat Kohli’s recommendation.As reported earlier, the RCB management was deliberating changes to its coaching staff with the contracts usually up for renewal around September. The franchise is believed to have been keen to give Flower enough space and time leading into the auction.Menon also confirmed that the RCB women’s team will have a new head coach in place soon – Hesson performed the role in the first season of the Women’s Premier League. However, the management of the women’s team is “not likely” to come under the purview of the new director of cricket. “We wanted to have just the head coach and captain drive that ship.” RCB women finished fifth among six teams during the inaugural season.Three-time IPL finalists, RCB have never won the tournament. They last had a shot at the title in 2016, where they were pipped by Sunrisers Hyderabad in a close finish.
At least domestically, the rest of this campaign for Tottenham Hotspur has to be focused on getting the team to the best place possible for the start of next season.
Ange Postecoglou’s side have been blindsided by an enormous number of injuries this year, and while that has had a serious impact on their results, there is at least one positive.
The lack of options has seen the manager turn to the club’s tremendously exciting youngsters far more than fans would have predicted in the summer.
Moreover, they haven’t just made up the numbers but have helped improve the side, with one prospect doing so well that his valuation has more than doubled.
Spurs' most exciting youngsters
So, when it comes to the club’s young talent this season, there is one player who has probably received the most attention: Archie Gray.
The former Leeds United gem joined the club in the summer for around £30m, so there were some hefty expectations placed upon him, but so far, it would be fair to say he’s more than met them.
For example, even though he is still 18 years old and primarily a central midfielder, the Durham-born dynamo has had to deputise across the backline this term, excelling at full-back and centre-back.
So far, the tremendously promising phenom has made 18 appearances at centre-back, seven at right-back, five at left-back, and two in defensive midfield, and it looks like he could eventually fulfil analyst Ben Mattinson’s claim that he’s a “future £100m” star.
Centre-Back
18
Right-Back
7
Left-Back
5
Defensive Midfield
2
Amazingly, there is an even younger player who has caught the eye for the North Londoners this season: Mikey Moore.
The academy product has been limited to just 16 first-team appearances this term, but he’s already scored one goal, picked up two assists and left a serious impression on his senior teammates.
For example, following his eye-catching display against AZ Alkmaar in the Europa League, James Maddison described the 17-year-old as “fearless” and like “Neymar on the left wing” – high praise indeed.
There is another teenage sensation within the first team, though, someone who is already worth more than double what he cost the club a year ago.
The Spurs youngster whose value has soared
While arguments could be made about including the likes of Wilson Odobert and Pape Matar Sarr in discussions about the club’s youngsters, we are talking specifically about those who aren’t even 20 yet, like Lucas Bergvall.
The 19-year-old Swede signed for Tottenham for around £8.5m last winter but did not officially join the squad until the summer.
However, while he’s still incredibly new to English football, the former Djurgårdens ace has taken to it like a duck to water and is already a key member of the first team.
In fact, the “uber-complete” talent, as dubbed by Mattinson, has been so impressive for the Lilywhites that, according to Football Transfers, he is now worth up to €21.7m, which comes out to about £18m.
That means the Stockholm-born dynamo is already worth 111% more than Daniel Levy and Co paid for him, which, based on his growing importance to the club, seems about right.
Appearances
34
Starts
17
Minutes
1611′
Goals
1
Assists
3
Goal Involvements per Match
0.11
Minutes per Goal Involvement
402.75′
For example, he has already made 34 appearances under Postecoglou this season, scoring one goal and providing three assists.
On top of that, FBref have placed him in the top 3% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for tackles in the attacking third, the top 6% for long pass completion and successful take-ons and the top 8% for tackles and interceptions, all per 90.
Ultimately, in Bergvall, Spurs have struck gold, as he is way ahead of where you’d expect a 19-year-old midfielder to be, and his skyrocketing valuation is just more confirmation of his incredible talent.
Spurs wasted £36m on "special" Poch signing who earned more than Spence
The promising prospect failed to live up to the hype at Spurs.