Stats – Mandhana continues dominant 2024 as India record their second-biggest win

Renuka Singh Thakur also enjoyed a stellar outing as India took a 1-0 lead in the ODI series

Namooh Shah22-Dec-2024211 India’s victory margin was their second-biggest by runs in women’s ODIs, bettered only by their 249-run win over Ireland in Potchefstroom in 2017. It is their biggest win at home, as well as the biggest defeat by runs for West indies in women’s ODIs314 for 9 is India’s second-highest women’s ODI total at home, behind their 325 for 3 against South Africa in Bengaluru six months ago.Related

  • Renuka, Mandhana consign West Indies to record loss

1602 runs scored by Smriti Mandhana in 2024, the most by any player in a year in women’s international cricket, with Laura Wolvaardt in second place with 1593 runs, also in 2024.110 The partnership between Smriti Mandhana and debutant Pratika Rawal was the first century opening stand for India in women’s ODIs since the 174* between Smriti Mandhana and Shafali Verma against Sri Lanka in 2022, and their first at home since 2018.ESPNcricinfo Ltd4 Mandhana was dismissed in the 90s for the fourth time, the joint-most in women’s ODIs alongside West Indies’ Stafanie Taylor.4 Zaida James (5 for 45) and Renuka Thakur (5 for 29) took five-fors in the same match. It was the fourth time two bowlers had done this in women’s ODIs.7 Batters have shared century stands with Smriti Mandhana in women’s ODIs. Only Mithali Raj has bettered this among India players, having shared century stands with 15 different batters.2 Both Qiana Joseph and Hayley Matthews fell for ducks. It was the first time since 2019 that a team had lost both openers for ducks in a women’s ODI.

Phillies Land Jhoan Duran From Twins in Major Trade Deadline Deal

The Philadelphia Phillies landed arguably the biggest bullpen prize available at the 2025 MLB trade deadline.

On Wednesday afternoon, Philadelphia is finalizing a trade to land Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran in what will prove to be a major upgrade to the team's bullpen. ESPN's Jeff Passan had the report.

The 27-year-old righty, who’s ranked No. 4 on Sports Illustrated’s list of trade candidates, is 6–4 with a 2.01 ERA, 1.18 WHIP, and 53 strikeouts in 49 1/3 innings this season. He has 16 saves in 18 chances, and will be under team control through the 2027 season.

Phillies relievers currently rank 23rd in baseball with an ERA of 4.33, and their closer-by-committee approach has produced mixed results at best. That shouldn't be a problem moving forward.

In exchange for Duran, the Twins will be acquiring two prospects, Eduardo Tait and Mick Abel. Tait is the No. 4 prospect in Philly's system according to MLB Pipeline, and is an 18-year-old catcher who is already in High-A ball and has promising power. Abel, a 23-year-old right-handed starter, was the No. 15 pick in the 2020 MLB draft. He made his big league debut this season and in six starts is 2-2 with a 5.04 ERA, and a 1.36 WHIP.

Chelsea's grip on the WSL title is slipping – but are Man City strong enough to take advantage?

For a long time, it has felt like Chelsea's dominance of the Women's Super League would never end. Since the Blues were crowned champions of England for a third time back on June 5, 2020, they have yet to relinquish their crown, spending over 2000 days as the holders of the trophy thanks to six successive triumphs. This season, however, it looks like their incredible run could finally be stopped.

Heading into the final round of WSL games before the winter break, with this weekend's games to also mark the league's halfway stage, Chelsea are six points off the pace, with Manchester City leading the way in commanding fashion. The defending champions are their closest challengers, too, with Manchester United a further point behind the Blues and Arsenal another point behind the Red Devils.

All signs point towards City claiming just their second-ever WSL crown, ending what will be a 10-year wait for another league title. Not since 2016 have the club got their hands on this trophy, back when the likes of Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze, Jill Scott, Georgia Stanway and Keira Walsh were on the books. But, it must be said, we have been here before. Is City's charge real this time? Or will it turn out to be another false dawn, the kind of which could let Chelsea back in?

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    Fantastic start

    City have been outstanding through the first 10 games of this WSL campaign. New head coach Andree Jeglertz has mixed things up well without causing too much disruption to the already-quality squad he inherited – and the results have been excellent. Since losing at Stamford Bridge to the defending champions on the opening day, City have won all nine of their games by an aggregate score of 25-7.

    No team in the league has scored more goals, with the 3-0 thumping of Manchester United in last month's derby one of their most impressive results yet. Only Chelsea have a better defensive record than the Cityzens, too, while the fact that their actual goals scored and conceded statistics are very close to their expected goals scored and conceded statistics suggests there is no crazy over-performance going on here that could suddenly revert to the mean.

    City are very much as good as their six-point lead at the top of the WSL table suggests, with there no reason to believe they should drop off.

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    Taking advantage

    That's especially the case because City are not in European competition this term. Last season's fourth-placed finish was not what the club wanted, with them making a quite stunning managerial change five days before March's League Cup final in order to try and secure a top-three finish. However, the silver lining of that disappointment is shining through this term, while United and Arsenal, in particular, are struggling to succeed on the continent and challenge for the WSL title.

    "We really must aim for first place," Yui Hasegawa, the excellent City midfielder, told GOAL before the season, noting the significance of not having to play Champions League football. "We can focus on the domestic league so I think the chances of winning the title are probably the highest."

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    Not the sturdiest title defence

    Chelsea haven't endured a dramatic drop-off this term, but they certainly don't look like the inevitable force that went an entire domestic campaign unbeaten last time around, winning the WSL, FA Cup and League Cup without losing a single game. It would be unfair to expect them to hit those levels again, really, but there will be internal, as well as external, frustrations at how the first half of the season has panned out.

    One of the main issues has been defensive stability. That was what Chelsea's treble-winning campaign was built upon, with only 16 goals conceded in 30 games in domestic competition last term. This season, however, head coach Sonia Bompastor wants her team to "take more risks".

    "Sometimes, depending on my starting XI, we have a lot of offensive players on the pitch and I think that's okay," Bompastor explained earlier in the campaign, asked about her team's defensive metrics not being quite as impressive as last year. "We want to be a team who want to dominate the opposition. We also want to have a team who take risks on the pitch going forward. So sometimes, depending on the games, in terms of balance, we focus more on in-possession [things] and how we can create and how we can move the ball forward on the pitch, rather than maybe trying to defend more.

    "That's okay for me. This is what we want to achieve as a team. I know going into every game, maybe the plan will change a little bit, so it's always important to find the right balance between in and out of possession. But, again, I think I'm someone who really likes to take the risks. We want to be offensive."

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    Lacking cutting edge

    If Chelsea were scoring at the rate they were last season, this probably wouldn't be as big of an issue. After all, while Bompastor's side are conceding significantly more shots, shots on target, key passes and shot-creating actions per 90 minutes this term, compared to last, they've still only conceded six times in their 10 WSL outings. That makes for the best defensive record in the league and one, to this point, that sees them letting in goals at only a slightly worse rate than last year.

    The other problem, which accentuates the impact of a slightly leakier defence, is that lack of cutting edge in the final third. Chelsea have only scored 16 goals in the WSL so far this season, a number that can be significantly bettered by all of Arsenal, United and City. That is despite the Blues having the second-highest number of expected goals in the WSL this season, at 20.7.

    Perhaps this will even itself out over the course of the campaign. Sunday's shock 1-0 defeat to Everton, for example, felt like the kind of game that, if played out 100 times, would end up in a Chelsea win 99 times, with the Blues absolutely peppering the Toffees' goal but finding numerous bodies, excellent goalkeeping or the woodwork in their way on the occasions when they didn’t fire off target. Either way, Chelsea's finishing absolutely has to improve and return to its clinical best if the Blues are to seriously challenge City in the second half of this campaign.

Liverpool join race to sign “aggressive” gem who’s been compared to Szoboszlai

Liverpool are now reportedly rivalling Newcastle United in the race to sign a young midfield star who’s been compared to Dominik Szoboszlai.

Slot: Liverpool don't have "Jacob Murphy profile" to unlock Isak

It’s been a tumultuous time for Liverpool and record signing Alexander Isak. The Reds are yet to unlock the Swede’s best form, despite splashing out £125m to break a British record and welcome their next star man from Newcastle in the summer.

Arne Slot, however, is remaining patient and recently pinpointed exactly why Isak is yet to replicate his Newcastle form at Anfield. The Dutchman told reporters: “With Jeremie Frimpong being injured and Conor Bradley being out it is not like we have so many options on the right-hand side, and it is a bit similar on the left.

UCL club now ready to launch offer to sign £21m-a-year Liverpool star

The Reds could lose one of their star men.

By
Tom Cunningham

Dec 5, 2025

“Alex could benefit maybe from a Conor or a Jeremie type of player who goes outside, instead of both wingers we have who come inside and full-backs who can come in with crosses.

“But the main difference for him is that we are facing a low block many times. It is not that it never happened at Newcastle but not as much, I think. This season the league has changed, we see so many more low blocks than last season.

“But I see this not only against us, I see this in many games. It makes it harder for him compared to his time at Newcastle but I think it is also him adjusting to his teammates and his teammates adjusting to him. But it is obvious and clear that we have not the profile of [Newcastle’s] Jacob Murphy, for example, available at this moment at this time.”

Whether Liverpool find their own version of Murphy in the January transfer window is now the big question. They’ve already been linked with Antoine Semenyo, who’d certainly offer the same quality, but he may not be the only one on his way.

Liverpool join race to sign Alex Toth

As reported by Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Liverpool have now joined the race to sign Alex Toth from Ferencvaros in 2026. The 20-year-old midfielder has been watched closely by scouts across the Premier League, including both those at Anfield and at St James’ Park and now seems destined for a big move.

Dubbed an “aggressive presser” by Hungarian journalist Bence Bocsak, it’s clear to see where the Szoboszlai comparisons have come from.

Liverpool’s press is certainly something that needs addressing in midfield too, which makes Toth a viable option when 2026 arrives. The Reds have got one over on Newcastle before and could yet do so yet again next year.

Not Isak: £45m star is now Liverpool's most frustrating player since Nunez

Reds Make Roster Decision on Jeimer Candelario After Return From IL

The Cincinnati Reds announced Monday that the team had designated veteran infielder Jeimer Candelario for assignment after reinstating him from the injured list.

Candelario had been on the 10-day IL since late April while dealing with a lumbar spine strain. In his absence, the Reds have used a variation of different players at third base, including the likes of Gavin Lux, Santiago Espinal and Christian Encarnacion-Strand.

Prior to the back injury, Candelario had been struggling through his first 22 games of the season. He had a .113 batting average with two home runs, 10 RBIs and an abysmal 11 OPS+.

Candelairo signed with the Reds after a strong 2023 season in which he hit a career-high 23 home runs while spending time with the Washington Nationals and Chicago Cubs. He joined the team on a three-year, $45 million deal but hasn't lived up to expectations in Cincinnati. He posted a .707 OPS in his first year with the team, with 20 home runs and 56 RBIs in 112 games and had a -0.7 bWAR.

With Candelario out of the picture, third base will remain a platoon for the time being, but could potentially be open for Noelvi Marte to take over at the position when he returns from his oblique injury.

'Very angry' – Roberto De Zerbi rages at 'insufficient' Mason Greenwood and Marseille stars after defeat to Lille

Angry Roberto De Zerbi raged at Mason Greenwood and his Marseille team-mates after the French giants' defeat against Lille on Friday in a Ligue 1 clash. Marseille suffered their fourth league defeat of the 2025-26 campaign as their four-game unbeaten run across all formats finally ended. Former Manchester United star Greenwood had a rare off day on the pitch which did not go unnoticed by his manager.

  • Greenwood and Co's nightmare outing

    After enjoying a fine debut campaign in Ligue 1 in the 2024-25 season, where he scored 21 league goals in 34 matches, Greenwood has picked up from where he left off in the current campaign. The forward has already scored 10 Ligue 1 goals in 14 appearances and provided three assists.

    The clash against Lille, however, proved to be a rare off day for the ex-United winger. Marseille players hardly turned up in the match and looked scrappy as Ethan Mbappe's 10th-minute goal was enough to secure three points for Lille. Marseille wasted an opportunity to go above reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain as they now sit third in the Ligue 1 table behind Lens and PSG.

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    De Zerbi slammed Greenwood and Marseille stars

    De Zerbi was understandably furious with his team's lacklustre performance as he told reporters after the match: "We played badly and we deserved to lose. We didn't string three passes together. We lost every second ball. Even with dribbling, we couldn't beat anyone. Defensively, we were never as aggressive as we usually are. We were passive from the first minute to the last. One shot on target for a player like Greenwood isn't enough for him. Shooting so infrequently isn't sufficient."

    He added: "Yes, it's true, I'm very angry, I didn't expect us to play like that. Bad, bad. I take it personally, but everyone has to take it personally. When you play for OM, you can't play like that. I have no other explanation."

  • Greenwood credited De Zerbi for his form revival

    Greenwood, who was banished from United in 2023, has thrived in France with Marseille and established himself as a key piece for De Zerbi.

    The 24-year-old recently credited his manager De Zerbi for hepling him shine in France, as he told Telefoot: "I’m in a really good place thanks to the coach and my teammates. I feel good and I hope to improve, to win more awards this season. Roberto De Zerbi? He’s the brains of the team, the architect of our game. He helps me understand football much better, he helps me improve every day."

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    Can Greenwood make England comeback?

    After reviving his career in Ligue 1, Greenwood is reportedly considering a return to the England national team, despite being blacklisted by the FA and manager Tuchel, according to . 

    Former Watford forward Troy Deeney has also backed the ex-Red Devils star to make his return to the Three Lions side as he wrote in : "Football cannot be a place where people are written off after mistakes, alleged or not, in their younger years. This is not to dismiss the seriousness of those allegations. Greenwood will live with them forever. In truth, he does not owe an explanation to football supporters. It is his friends and family he must prove himself to. But, if he wants an England return, he must address it in public – prove he is worthy of wearing the England shirt, show he can be trusted. Rebuilding trust is the only way this can ever happen and it is an incredibly hard thing to achieve. It would be taxing on Greenwood himself having to face such justified scrutiny. If Greenwood can face that and come through it. He deserves a second chance with England. If there were to be no way back whatsoever, the game is setting a dangerous precedent. Sending a message that any mistake in your personal life rules you out for good."

Rohl has a "boy wonder" who could end Antman's Rangers career

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl took on an unenviable task when he decided to join the club to replace Russell Martin, who had won just five of his matches in charge.

The German head coach has had to take over a side that was incredibly low on confidence and turn things around without any signings, which he did with four straight Scottish Premiership wins.

However, the Gers were unable to make it five after they were held to a 0-0 draw by Falkirk at Ibrox on Sunday, and the manager made it clear that underperforming players will face consequences.

One of the team’s underperforming flops who will not make the starting line-up for the clash with Dundee United on Wednesday is Oliver Antman, who has been ruled out for two months through injury.

Why Danny Rohl must replace Oliver Antman

Even without the injury, the Finland international should have been dropped by Danny Rohl because he failed to deliver a quality performance for his side from the start against Falkirk.

Antman ended the 2024/25 campaign with a return of seven goals and 17 assists in all competitions for Go Ahead Eagles, per Sofascore, yet his time at Ibrox has been barren in comparison.

In 20 appearances for Rangers, per Transfermarkt, the Finnish forward has failed to provide a goal or an assist in 18 different games, providing three assists in the other two outings.

The 24-year-old flop played 57 minutes against Falkirk on Sunday without registering a shot on target or creating a ‘big chance’ for his teammates, per Sofascore, and his absence through injury will now provide others with an opportunity to nail down that position.

The Rangers talent who could end Antman's Ibrox career

The Light Blues head coach could end Antman’s Ibrox career by finally unleashing academy graduate Findlay Curtis as a starter on the flank, as the Scottish youngster could nail down that position and leave the ex-Eredivisie star starved of minutes.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Rohl must give the 19-year-old star his first senior start in the Premiership this season on Wednesday night because his output this year suggests that he deserves more minutes on the pitch for the Gers.

Vs Falkirk

Findlay Curtis

Minutes

15

Crosses attempted

1

Fouls won

2

Pass accuracy

100%

Clearances

3

Tackles won

1/1

Ground duels won

3/4

Aerial duels won

1/2

Stats via Sofascore

Curtis, as shown in the table above, showed that he has the physicality to compete at first-team level in his cameo off the bench on Sunday, winning four of his six duels and winning two fouls.

The teenager starlet, who was dubbed a “Boy Wonder” on Premier Sports against Panathinaikos in July, has also shown glimpses of his exciting quality at the top end of the pitch this term, with three goals in 259 minutes of action.

Curtis, who scored off the bench against St Mirren in the Premiership in August, has not started a game for the first-team since he started both of the games against Panathinaikos in July, despite scoring two goals since then.

His lack of minutes, as a starter or off the bench, has been fairly surprising, particularly given Antman and the team’s general form, which is why now is the time for Rohl to finally unleash him from the start.

If the Scotland U21 international can get a run in the side and provide goal contributions on a regular basis for the Light Blues, the underperforming Antman would surely struggle to get back into the team given his lack of form this season.

Therefore, Curtis, who delivered four goals and three assists in eight B team matches at academy level, could be the player who ends the Finland international’s career at Ibrox, as the winger, who can play either flank, could snatch his place in the squad away from him.

A "spell on the sidelines" is needed for the "best player" at Rangers

This Glasgow Rangers star who was called the team’s best player should be dropped from the starting line-up.

By
Dan Emery

Dec 2, 2025

However, it is, firstly, down to the Rangers manager to provide the academy graduate with the platform that he needs to kick on and end Antman’s career at the club, starting with the league clash with Dundee United on Wednesday night because of Antman’s injury.

Dodgers Veteran Clayton Kershaw to Make Season Debut This Weekend

Three-time Cy Young winner and former National League MVP Clayton Kershaw is set to make his 2025 debut this Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said on Tuesday.

Kershaw is set to be activated from the 60-day injured list to make his first start of the season after missing most of the 2024 World Series campaign due to left knee and left toe injuries—both of which required surgery.

The 37-year-old made his fifth and final rehab start for Triple A Oklahoma City on Sunday. He threw 57 pitches across four innings and allowed two runs on two hits. He also walked two and struck out two.

Kershaw is preparing to embark on his 18th Major League season. He owns a 212-94 record and a career 2.50 ERA. He sits just 32 strikeouts away from 3,000 in his career, and would become the 20th player in MLB history to reach that mark.

Dream Raskin replacement: 49ers line up Rangers move for £4m top target

Glasgow Rangers went into Sunday’s clash already at Ibrox knowing that the result was more or less immaterial as their second-placed finish has already been confirmed.

Since their city rivals won the Scottish Premiership title at the end of last month, Rangers have known that they cannot finish as low as third and they cannot win the division, leaving the Light Blues stuck in second place with little to play for in the remaining games of the season.

The Light Blues should already be focused on what they need to do in the upcoming summer transfer window in order to turn the tide and compete for the title in the 2025/26 campaign.

A new first-team head coach will be a big part of their plans because Barry Ferguson is currently in interim charge until the end of the season, having come in to steady the ship after Philippe Clement was dismissed earlier this year.

However, the Scottish giants will also know that they will have some difficulties on their hands when it comes to dealing with interest in their stars from elsewhere.

For example, Premier League sides Aston Villa and Leeds United are reportedly lining up moves for Nicolas Raskin, who is valued at £20m by the Gers, ahead of the summer window.

Why losing Nicolas Raskin would be a big blow for Rangers

If Leeds or Villa are able to complete a deal for the former Standard Liege star, losing the Belgium international would be a big blow for Rangers and the next manager to walk through the doors at Ibrox.

Raskin recently won the Player of the Year and the Players’ Player of the Year at the club’s awards night, which speaks to how highly the supporters and his own teammates value his performances this season.

The central midfielder has combined impressive play on the ball, scoring two goals and providing nine assists, with dominant defensive work out of possession, making 3.6 tackles and interceptions per game and winning 58% of his duels, across 31 appearances in the Premiership.

Raskin also caught the eye with his fantastic performances for the Light Blues in the Europa League before the club were knocked out by Athletic Club in the quarter-finals.

24/25 Europa League

Nicolas Raskin

Appearances

12

Tackles per game

3.7

Interceptions per game

1.3

Ball recoveries per game

7.4

Ground duel success rate

50%

Aerial duel success rate

55%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 24-year-old dynamo excelled at winning the ball back for his side, with a whopping five tackles and interceptions per game on average, and more than held his own in physical battles.

Raskin

These statistics reinforce how much of a blow it would be to lose the midfielder to Villa or Leeds this summer because of how impactful he can be in both the Premiership and the Europa League.

However, a fresh report has emerged on the club’s interest in a new central midfielder who could come in as a dream replacement for Raskin.

Rangers lining up move for £4m star

According to The Scottish Sun, the 49ers have Basel loanee Metinho at the top of their list of targets ahead of the summer transfer window, once their takeover is finalised.

The report claims that the Light Blues are lining up a move for the central midfielder ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, and that he is valued at £4m at this moment in time.

Metinho is currently on loan at Basel from Troyes, having spent the first half of the year at Sparta Rotterdam, and the Gers are hoping to reach an agreement with the French side in the coming weeks.

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The Scottish Sun adds that there is also interest from several teams in the English Championship and that the 49ers want to fast-track a deal for the young star, which could mean that they bring him in before they even appoint a new manager.

Why Rangers should sign Metinho

Rangers must push to sign Metinho ahead of those teams in England because he could come in as the dream replacement for Raskin in the upcoming summer transfer window.

Signing the 22-year-old star from Troyes could soften the blow of losing the Belgium international, should he move on from Ibrox in the coming months.

Nicolas Raskin

The Brazilian midfielder struggled for game time with Sparta Rotterdam in the first half of the season, starting two of his 12 appearances in the Eredivisie, before a loan move to Basel sparked his campaign into life.

Since joining the Swiss giants, the £4m-rated star has been a key figure in the middle of the park, starting eight of his ten appearances in the Super League, and has caught the eye with his defensive work.

24/25 Super League

Metinho

Appearances

10

Pass accuracy

86%

Tackles per game

3.1

Interceptions per game

1.1

Ball recoveries per game

4.7

Ground duel success rate

69%

Aerial duel success rate

45%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Metinho has averaged 4.2 tackles and interceptions per game, which is more than the 3.6 that Raskin has averaged in the Premiership for Rangers this term, and won an eye-catching 69% of his ground duels.

Clearly, the Troyes starlet still has areas for improvement, including his success in aerial contests in the middle of the park, but he appears to have the raw defensive materials to be an excellent signing for the Scottish giants.

Metinho could be the dream replacement for Raskin by arriving at Ibrox to provide a similar level of defensive quality in midfield by breaking up attacks with tackles, interceptions, and ball recoveries at a similar rate.

In possession, the Brazilian star also ranks within the top 2% of midfielders in the Men’s Next 14 competitions over the last 365 days for progressive carries (3.49) and successful take-ons (1.83) per 90, which shows that he can provide quality as a progressive midfield player as well as being an excellent defender.

He'd be Gerrard 2.0: 49ers could hire "special" manager for Rangers

The 49ers could find their own Steven Gerrard for Rangers by hiring “pretty special” manager.

By
Dan Emery

May 9, 2025

At the age of 22, he is also two years younger than the Belgian star and still has time left on his side to develop and improve further, which is another reason why the youngster could be a fantastic signing for the 49ers to make, irrespective of who the next manager is going to be.

Bigger star than Bergvall & Moore: Spurs have struck gold on "monster" gem

Over the last couple of years, Tottenham Hotspur have shifted their attention towards recruiting younger talents to provide quality down the line in North London.

Whilst such a decision has often been unpopular with the supporters, it is the right path to take to finally catapult the club towards Premier League glory in the coming years.

The lack of experience within the side could be partly to blame for their lowly league standing in 2024/25, leading to questions being asked around Ange Postecoglou’s future at the club.

However, the injury crisis has given numerous players the opportunity to thrive within the first-team squad, showcasing to the manager and supporters what they are capable of.

Two players in particular have excelled beyond all imagination in recent months, undoubtedly cementing their place within the senior setup beyond the end of the ongoing campaign.

Bergvall & Moore’s stats for Spurs in 2024/25

Midfielder Lucas Bergvall joined Spurs last summer from Swedish outfit Djurgarden, with many not knowing what to expect from the teenager – but it’s safe to say he’s impressed more than any supporter could’ve imagined.

The now 19-year-old has racked up 42 appearances across all competitions, registering four goal contributions along the way, with his only goal coming against Liverpool in the Carabao Cup.

His rise is evident by the supporters’ decision to boo manager Postecoglou after substituting the youngster in the second half of their defeat against London rivals Chelsea earlier this month.

As for attacker Mikey Moore, he’s endured a stop-start season with his own injury issues, restricting him to just 16 appearances throughout the ongoing season.

However, in his outings, he’s still managed to make a positive impact, registering his first professional goal in the Europa League triumph over Elsborg back in January.

With the pair being just 19 and 17 respectively, they both have bags of time on their side to develop further, subsequently being joined in North London by a star who could be a bigger wonderkid than the duo.

The Spurs star who could be a bigger wonderkid than Bergvall & Moore

As a result of their investment in the next generation, there is a plethora of youth stars who could make the step-up to Ange’s side throughout 2025/26.

South Korean winger Min-Hyeok Yang is just one of the youngsters brought into the club over the last couple of years, moving to North London from Gangwon FC.

The teenager is currently spending the season on loan at Championship side Queens Park Rangers, notching two goals and one assist in his 12 league outings.

However, centre-back Luca Vuskovic is a player with huge potential to explode onto the scene upon his arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

The 18-year-old agreed to move to Spurs back in September 2023 for a reported £12m from Hajduk Split before two loan spells at Radomiak Radom and Westerlo.

Tottenham Hotspur manager AngePostecogloubefore the match

He’s currently spending 2024/25 on loan from Split at the latter, starring in Belgium despite his tender age, but not just defensively, with his tally of goals truly sensational.

Vuskovic, who’s been labelled a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson, has notched seven goals in the Belgian Pro League – sitting as the club’s second-highest goalscorer.

The Lilywhites have been starved of success within the defensive third this campaign, with the young Croatian able to provide that next season, based upon the figures he’s achieved of late.

He’s won 65% of the tackles he’s entered, whilst also winning 4.1 aerial duels per 90, offering the presence in the air that Ange’s side have desperately lacked in recent months.

Luca Vuskovic’s stats on loan Westerlo in 2024/25

Statistics (per 90)

Tally

Games played

30

Goals & assists

8

Pass accuracy

85%

Dribble success

68%

Tackles won

65%

Aerials won

4.1

Recoveries made

5.7

Interceptions made

1

Stats via FotMob

Vuskovic’s success doesn’t stop there, making 5.7 recoveries per 90, whilst also making one interception per game, having the tools to slot straight into the club’s backline in 2025/26.

After such a successful spell ahead of his move to North London, it would be a huge mistake not to utilise him in the first team next year, saving the hierarchy millions in the process.

The prospect of the Croatian starring alongside Bergvall and Moore in the side over the next decade is certainly a scary one, with the club certainly setting themselves up for long-term success.

Their best LW since Son: Spurs plotting £70m move for "world-class" star

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be making moves ahead of the summer transfer window.

By
Ethan Lamb

Apr 16, 2025

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