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It wouldn’t be hyperbolic to say that Tottenham Hotspur’s season is going off the rails, and fast.

Thomas Frank’s side look a million miles from the one that made a positive start back in August, and following their loss to Fulham on Saturday night, sit tenth in the Premier League.

The North Londoners have become utterly toothless in attack and porous at the back, and they are showing no signs of improving.

Fortunately, reports are now linking Spurs with a player who might be able to help improve the side in both halves of the pitch, someone who’d be a significant upgrade on the increasingly disappointing Rodrigo Bentancur.

Spurs target Bentancur upgrade

While he is far from the only one, Bentancur has been seriously disappointing for Spurs this season, and a million miles from the player fans were excited to watch every week a few years ago.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, in the club’s recent derbies against Chelsea and Arsenal, he looked completely off the pace.

For the first game, respected Spurs writer Alasdair Gold awarded him a rather generous 5/10 match rating. Then, for the latter, he awarded him a 3/10 rating for his inability to gain a foothold in the game.

In short, if it wasn’t already clear last year, this season has made it clear that the Lilywhites need a new midfielder who can help the defence, but also has the power to lend a hand to the attack at times.

Fortunately, it would appear that the club are well aware of this and are looking at a Premier League star who could do just that.

At least that is according to a recent report from Caught Offside, which claims Spurs are now interested in Carlos Baleba.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that the North Londoners have now entered the race for the Brighton & Hove Albion star, who is also a key target for Manchester United.

However, on top of the potential competition, the Cameroonian’s price tag could be a hurdle, with the report stating that the Seagulls still value him at €100m, which is about £88m.

Yet, even though this would be a costly and complicated transfer to get over the line, Baleba’s ability and potential make it one Spurs should pursue, especially as he’d be a huge upgrade on Bentancur.

How Baleba compares to Bentancur

Now, the first thing to say is that, yes, so far this season, Baleba’s form has dropped somewhat.

However, that could be due in part to the transfer saga he went through in the summer, the inconsistent form of Brighton overall, or the simple fact that he is still just 21 years old.

However, even so, the Cameroon international was sensational last season, and a slight dip in form does not take away from the fact that when he is on song, he is incredible to watch.

Moreover, when comparing his underlying numbers to Bentancur’s from last season, even though he is so much younger, he still comes out ahead in most metrics.

For example, when it comes to the attacking side of the game, the Douala-born gem does better in metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots, key passes, successful take-ons, carries into the final third and more, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.15

0.10

Shots

1.49

1.20

Shots on Target

0.37

0.27

Passing Accuracy

87.4%

87.9%

Key Passes

0.71

0.55

Passes into the Penalty Area

0.78

0.71

Goal-Creating Actions

0.14

0.16

Tackles Won

1.55

1.20

Blocks

1.59

1.37

Errors Leading to a Shot

0.03

0.05

Successful Take-Ons

1.11

0.49

Carries into the Final Third

1.52

1.31

Ball Recoveries

6.66

6.61

% of Aerial Duels Won

60.0%

54.5%

Impressively, despite tending to start a little deeper than the Uruguayan, the Seagulls star also ranked incredibly closely for goal-creating actions.

Unsurprisingly, he also blows the 28-year-old away when it comes to the defensive side of things, winning more tackles, making more blocks, recovering the ball more often and winning more of his aerial duels, despite being shorter.

With numbers such as these, it’s not hard to see why respected analyst Ben Mattinson described the former LOSC Lille star as “one of the best midfielders in the league” last year.

Finally, on top of clearly outperforming the Lilywhites midfielder when it comes to underlying numbers, another reason Baleba would be an excellent upgrade is that he’s happy playing in central or defensive midfield.

Therefore, he’d be a perfect option for a double pivot, as he could interchange with someone like Lucas Bergvall and, in turn, make life for opposition midfielders far harder.

Ultimately, while it would be an expensive transfer to get over the line, Spurs should do what they can to bring the Brighton ace to N17, as he’d be an excellent addition to the team and an instant upgrade on Bentancur.

New Soldado: Frank must bin Spurs flop who had fewer touches than Vicario

Tottenham Hotspur manager Thomas Frank must drop this flop who is becoming the new Roberto Soldado.

ByDan Emery Nov 30, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly considering launching a 2026 bid to sign an impressive defender who just scored a Premier League brace.

Carragher name-drops Marco Silva as pressure grows on Frank

Thomas Frank should be pleased that his side showed some resilience to complete their comeback against Newcastle United late on in midweek, but it was ultimately another attacking performance to forget. The Lilywhites found themselves relying on Cristian Romero brace to salvage a point as their frontline once again struggled to create.

The pressure is certainly growing on Frank, who is quickly losing the backing of supporters thanks to his pragmatic style. It remains to be seen whether ENIC pull the plug so early into the manager’s tenure, but that didn’t stop Jamie Carragher from suggesting a manager that he’s always seen heading to Spurs.

The Sky Sports pundit and Liverpool legend said: “I actually think he was the one manager Everton should have stuck with. I’ve always seen Silva at Tottenham, I’m not saying Tottenham as in change Thomas Frank put Marco Silva in.

“The point I’m trying to make is not quite go from Fulham to like you know a Liverpool or Manchester City you think going to sort of compete for the league but sort of that sort of level just belong with it trying to get you know Champions League maybe, you know Aston Villa, that type of team that would almost be the next step for him in the Premier League.”

Of course, if Spurs are to make a decison then it should come before the January transfer window, when they could look to sign a defensive addition.

Tottenham eyeing Van Hecke bid

According to TeamTalk, Tottenham are now eyeing a bid to sign Jan Paul Van Hecke in 2026 following the defender’s impressive start to the campaign for Brighton. Like Romero in midweek, Van Hecke netted an unlikely brace for the Seagulls, highlighting his surprising goalscoring threat in a dramatic 4-3 defeat against Aston Villa.

That said, Van Hecke’s set-piece threat is unlikely to be the main reason for Tottenham’s interest. Instead, their focus will be on his defensive prowess – especially as Frank continues to experiment with an occasional back three.

In Romero, Micky van de Ven and Van Hecke, the Lilywhites would suddenly have a solid trio to choose from in a back three. That, in itself, would go a long way towards turning things around for Frank.

Brighton rarely make things easy for buying clubs, however, and the praise of manager Fabian Hurzeler suggests that the Seagulls will be keen to keep hold of their man.

Fabrizio Romano shares Thomas Frank update amid mounting Tottenham pressure

The reliable journalist has some information.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2025

The young manager told reporters last season: “I think it’s very important that we recognise he’s a very young player. He’s 23 and he plays an unbelievable season. He shows great character. I like his character because he’s very straight. He says his opinion, he always has good intentions.”

Tottenham in 'very advanced' talks with £88m Semenyo alternative over Spurs move

There is little to suggest that Liverpool are close to turning a corner and sustaining a respectable level of performance any time soon. What is most concerning is that the Reds and their boss, Arne Slot, have shown little sign of finding a solution to any of the many problems plaguing their campaign.

Liverpool’s Premier League title defence lies in tatters. There is a grudging acceptance across the red streets of Merseyside that Arsenal’s grip on top position is out of reach. Certainly, the gulf in quality between the two sides this season suggests that Liverpool will have to settle for a lesser prize on the league front.

Liverpool have been outclassed in successive top-flight fixtures, and change is surely needed now. Indeed, Liverpool languish in 11th place in the Premier League, having scored 18 goals and conceded 20.

Defensively, it’s been a mess, and the noise concerning Ibrahima Konate is only intensifying after the thrashing dealt by Nottingham Forest brought the French defender’s season to its lowest ebb.

Why Konate is becoming a huge problem for Liverpool

Konate, 26, was immense throughout the 2024/25 campaign, a powerful partner for Virgil van Dijk. He, of course, won the Premier League title, settling as a regular starter in Didier Deschamps’ France squad too.

Now, Konate is only offering the vestiges of that former level. What is most frustrating is that he has proven his quality before, but the loss of Trent Alexander-Arnold beside him as exposed Konate’s issues in establishing confident build-up patterns.

But these two versions of Konate are so staggeringly opposed that it is hard to accept this is the same player. Errors and baffling decision-making have been central parts of the £70k-per-week talent’s season, and you can’t help but question whether he is somewhat distracted by outside noise.

Konate is playing out the final year of his contract at Anfield, and though FSG have offered him an extension, there has yet to be a breakthrough as speculation regarding Real Madrid’s interest continues to linger.

The season-ending injury suffered by Giovanni Leoni in his first game for the club after signing from Parma for £27m this summer was a cruel blow. A detrimental blow. The 18-year-old’s absence has been keenly felt, not least because a move for Marc Guehi fell through on deadline day.

With Slot insinuating that Liverpool’s focus this winter might be on areas further upfield (heavy speculation centres on Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo), it might be that the Reds opt to make do at the back.

If this is to be the case, Slot must surely hand one of the club’s most talented young defenders a chance to shine.

Liverpool's academy Konate solution

Slot has shown a willingness to give youth a chance since taking over at Liverpool before the start of last season. Amara Nallo, for example, has been handed a few opportunities at senior level, albeit with those outings on the major stage leaving the up-and-comer beleaguered after red cards in both matches.

However, Nallo isn’t the only teenage centre-back who is playing himself toward senior contention, with 19-year-old Wellity Lucky inching toward a breakthrough after commanding displays for Rob Page’s development side.

The Spain-born defender moved to England aged 11 before joining Liverpool’s academy scene, and he has gone from strength to strength in the years since joining, having now made 60 appearances for the club’s respective youth levels.

Earlier this season, the “highly-rated” defender, as he was described by Reds reporter Ben Bocsak, made his professional debut off the bench as Slot’s side were beaten 3-0 by Crystal Palace at Anfield in the Carabao Cup.

In the process, he was rewarded after being “outstanding this season” in the Premier League 2, as has been said by youth correspondent Jack Lusby.

A commanding and dominant defender with a promising ability to read and then snuff out opposition attacks, Lucky has shown that he can take his power and potential and transfer that over to contests against senior opponents. In the Football League Trophy this term, Lucky has impressed against the bustle of outfits like Crewe Alexandra and Chesterfield for the U21s.

Front-footed and fast, you could even say that he offers shades of a player like Konate, which could make adding him to the mix an attractive prospect from a stylistic standpoint.

Matches (starts)

2 (2)

Touches*

90.5

Accurate passes

61.5 (88%)

Key passes*

0.5

Dribbles*

1.5

Ball recoveries*

6.0

Tackles + interceptions*

3.0

Clearances*

5.5

Duels (won)*

5.0 (83%)

It might not have been against top-level opponents, but for Lucky to have won 83% of his duels across the two fixtures bespeaks his incisiveness in defensive phases. Moreover, his cameo against Palace last month saw him complete all 22 of his attempted passes while making a recovery too. Small factors, but promising nonetheless.

Slot continues to show a reluctance to give Joe Gomez a run of chances, and if Konate continues to flatter to deceive, it’s surely only a matter of time before things change there.

Could that open up an opportunity for a youngster such as Lucky? After all, he has earned Slot’s approval already this year, and Nallo’s struggles under the boss’s wing suggest that Lucky could be set for a promotion sooner rather than later.

To throw Lucky into the deep end would hardly be a propitious move, but if Slot can ease him into life among the big boys, this could add an exciting and fresh dimension to a defence crying out for support.

Read between the lines and you could surmise that Liverpool will prioritise a wide forward this summer. In this, the need for academy support at the rear is significant, and Lucky could be the shrewd solution to thread the connection between the club and the fanbase back together.

Forget Isak: Another Liverpool flop is quickly becoming the new Nunez

Alexander Isak has had a wretched first few months at Liverpool.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 23, 2025

West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta has made an admission about his future at the club amid repeated suggestions he could leave in January.

Paqueta’s time at West Ham has been intriguing to say the least, and fresh speculation has emerged recently about a potential winter exit from the London Stadium.

West Ham paid £51 million to secure his services in a club-record deal from Lyon three years ago, with the Brazilian quickly establishing himself as one of the Premier League’s most technically gifted playmakers in his debut season under David Moyes.

Paqueta helped the Hammers to a glorious Conference League triumph that year, their first major trophy since 1980 and first European trophy since 1965, but a spot-fixing scandal then began to overshadow his time at the London Stadium.

The 28-year-old was charged with four alleged breaches of FA rule E5.1 in May 2024, relating to matches involving West Ham, with allegations that he directly sought to influence matches by intentionally seeking to receive a card from the referee for influence of the betting market.

The investigation, which began in August 2023, cast a dark cloud over his future, with the FA once seeking a lifetime ban for him. Throughout the ordeal, West Ham stood firmly by their star man, and in July this year, he was finally cleared.

With that uncertain point of his career finally over, Paqueta got back to focusing on the pitch, and clubs also started taking an interest in the £150,000-per-week star.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
West Ham 0-2 Brentford
Leeds 2-1 West Ham
West Ham 3-1 Newcastle
West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Aston Villa tried to sign Paqueta in the summer, but he ultimately chose to stay put and show loyalty to a side who backed him off the field.

However, credible reports are indicating that his long-term future could be away from Rush Green. The Times recently reported that Paqueta is keen to leave West Ham as early as next month, with Fabrizio Romano also backing up that the ex-Ligue 1 star’s exit is a realistic possibility.

Lucas Paqueta makes West Ham transfer admission and expects move to happen

Now, the player himself has come out to make a revelation of his own.

Speaking to Brazilian outlet Globo, as translated by Standard Sport, Paqueta says that he had a desire to return to Flamengo in the most recent summer window, and he expects that transfer to happen eventually due to his close ties with the club.

Paqueta’s current deal expires in 2027, and while Nuno Espirito Santo won’t want to lose him in January, a summer transfer certainly appears on the cards next year.

Unfortunately for chairman David Sullivan, by that point, the Irons wouldn’t be in a position to demand big money for the player with just one year remaining on his contract.

Flamengo’s best opportunity to strike a reunion could be next year, if a more illustrious European or Premier League big-hitter don’t move to entice him first.

Like in 2022, Hazlewood is shining for RCB in the bowling attack. But this time with the new ball

Shashank Kishore09-Apr-2025Watching Josh Hazlewood train is like getting a lesson in simplicity. His sessions are short and sharp, focused on rhythm and precision – testing his full range while delivering a metronomic stream of balls.Four games in, these virtues have made Hazlewood one of the standout bowlers for Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB), whose absence they felt a great deal last year. A key performer in IPL 2022, with 20 wickets in RCB’s run to Qualifier 2 – their best finish since 2016 – injuries disrupted Hazlewood’s IPL 2023 campaign. RCB had planned to retain Hazlewood, if he was fit, for IPL 2024, but he opted out owing to the impending birth of his child. This meant having to rejig their bowling plans.Mohammed Siraj lacked impact, Yash Dayal was still settling in, Akash Deep and Reece Topley featured irregularly, and Lockie Ferguson proved expensive – all contributing to RCB ending with the joint-lowest powerplay wickets for pace bowlers.Related

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Cut to IPL 2025, and Hazlewood’s return has been a game-changer. Signed for INR 12.5 crore, he has helped RCB record a powerplay bowling average of 26.28, behind only Gujarat Titans (GT) and Delhi Capitals (DC).Along the way, Hazlewood has fed off Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s experience too. The pair has formed a potent opening combination, troubling batters with unerring accuracy and subtle movement.What makes Hazlewood so difficult to face is his high release point, which generates extra bounce regardless of the length he bowls. In each of RCB’s three wins, Hazlewood has had a profound impact in the powerplay. And much of his success has been down to how quickly he has adapted to the conditions. On surfaces where there have been bounce and carry, like at Eden Gardens and Chepauk, his hit-the-deck mastery has been unchallenged. His dot-ball percentage of 72.92 is the highest in the powerplay among those who have bowled multiple overs in that phase this season.Against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the opening game, he troubled Quinton de Kock with rising deliveries before having him top edge the pick-up shot that reared up a tad more than de Kock expected. Against Chennai Super Kings (CSK), his twin strikes of Rahul Tripathi and Ruturaj Gaikwad in the space of five deliveries, along with nine dots, laid the foundation for RCB being able to break a 17-year jinx at the venue.2:15

Is 2025 finally going to be RCB’s year?

Against Mumbai Indians (MI) on Monday night, Hazlewood followed an early wicket of Ryan Rickelton with a succession of six dot balls to Suryakumar Yadav to help build powerplay pressure in a big chase. On surfaces where there is springy bounce, like at Wankhede, this can be a double-edged sword, like he found out later in the game when Hardik Pandya sent the ball into different pockets of the ground in the death overs.Hazlewood conceded 22 runs in that 14th over, but he responded by using the crease and angles to cramp Hardik for room and dismissing him off the first ball of his final over, the 19th, that went for just nine to land the knockout blow on MI.Hazlewood’s biggest challenge is yet to come. He has only played one game at home, in conditions where even the best fast bowlers have travelled. During his best season with RCB, in 2022, he didn’t play at home since the tournament was held entirely in Mumbai because of post-Covid restrictions. But the Chinnaswamy deck hasn’t been the usual, where batters have tended to enjoy a free-for-all buffet like last year.2:00

Bishop: Hazlewood has an important role to play

Hazlewood delivered an excellent first spell against GT in RCB’s first home game – conceding just one boundary off his first nine deliveries before Sai Sudharsan threw him off his lengths by bringing out the ramp shot, instead of trying to take him on in front of square.Jos Buttler then made it an unending nightmare by treating him with disdain, reverse-ramping him for six and setting himself up to wallop a length ball over deep midwicket. By the time Sherfane Rutherford flicked him to the leg-side boundary to seal victory, Hazlewood had run out of gas.It was an expensive spell for Hazlewood – 3.5-0-43-1 – but it was also one that he’ll take back plenty from. On Thursday, he’ll return to the Chinnaswamy Stadium against DC, fueled by confidence and adrenaline from a strong start to the season, hoping to help RCB seize momentum at home, just as he has done on the road.

It wasn’t the perfect performance, but Chelsea are now through to the quarter-finals of the League Cup.

At one point in their clash away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Enzo Maresca’s men looked like they were going to run away with it.

Unfortunately, some really sloppy play and defending in the second half let the Old Gold right back into it.

With that said, Chelsea managed to get out of there with the win, and one player in particular showed why he could be another Cole Palmer, and no, it wasn’t Estevao.

Chelsea's standout stars vs Wolves

One Chelsea starter who did his chances of playing more minutes well on Wednesday night was Andrey Santos.

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Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

The Brazilian ace started in the middle of the park and made an instant impact, scoring the opening goal just five minutes in.

It was a well-taken shot from just outside the area, but that wasn’t all he did, as he ended the game with 100% of his tackles won, ten ball recoveries and seven of eight ground duels won.

In short, it was an excellent all-action display from the 21-year-old and just the sort of showing fans were hoping to see from him this season.

One of his teammates who wasn’t quite as impactful, but is still worthy of praise, is Estevao.

The Brazilian wonderkid didn’t make any key passes or complete more than two crosses, but he did score a sensational chip to make it 3-0 in the 41st minute.

Finally, while he didn’t get a goal involvement like his midfield partner, Romeo Lavia, helped to keep things ticking over in the middle of the park for the Blues.

Minutes

61′

Key Passes

1

Touches

67

Accurate Passes

54/59 (92%)

Fouls Won

2

Interceptions

1

Clearances

1

Recoveries

7

Ground Duels (Won)

5 (4)

Aerial Duels (Won)

1 (1)

In his 61 minutes of action, the young Belgian completed 54 of 59 passes, played one key pass, took 67 touches, made seven ball recoveries and won five of six duels.

Perhaps the best thing you can say about the former Southampton gem’s performance is that Wolves scored two of their three goals when he was off the pitch.

With all that said, there was another Chelsea player who stood out above all the others and showed just why he could be another Palmer-type star.

Chelsea's new Palmer-type star

When it comes down to the player who impressed most on Wednesday night, it’s impossible to look past Jamie Gittens, and it’s the summer signing who could be the club’s new Palmer-type star.

Now, it’s important to caveat that this doesn’t mean he will become as good a player as the Blues’ number ten – few players ever will be – but there are some similarities.

For example, both of them have come from Manchester City’s academies, both can play out wide, the former Borussia Dortmund gem is almost certainly going to be involved in the senior England setup at some point, and, crucially, Gittens is capable of the incredible.

Yes, the 21-year-old has indeed underwhelmed so far this season, but against Wolves, he showed that he has it in him to utterly dominate an opposition and drag his side to victory.

For example, he provided the assist for Santos to open the scoring, and then, just ten minutes later, he did even better, setting up Tyrique George with a tap-in he simply couldn’t miss.

Then, if that wasn’t enough, the Reading-born monster made sure his side didn’t throw the game away by scoring an absolute screamer to make it 4-2 in the 90th minute.

It was the sort of goal you’d expect a player of Palmer’s calibre to score, and perhaps an indication that the Blues might have another superstar on their hands.

Overall, it really was, as one content creator put it, a “masterclass” of a performance from Gittens, and one that should see him remain in the team for the next few games.

Not Caicedo: Chelsea's "joke of a footballer" is now looking like Lampard

The international monster is beginning to embody Frank Lampard’s greatness for Chelsea.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Oct 29, 2025

Manchester United are reportedly battling Arsenal and Real Madrid to complete the signing of a quick Bundesliga defender.

The left-back situation at Old Trafford is one that Ruben Amorim will be keeping an eye on, with his preferred 3-4-2-1 formation requiring a player who can excel in a left wing-back role.

Luke Shaw has been used more as one of the three centre-backs for United this season, with age and injuries arguably making it harder for him to be the marauding force that he used to be down the left flank.

Meanwhile, Patrick Dorgu is a good player with plenty of promise at wing-back, providing power and quality, and Diogo Dalot’s versatility allows him to do a job on both the left and the right.

United could need to look at more depth moving forward, however, especially with Shaw never too far away from an injury absence, and it looks as though Nathaniel Brown has emerged as a strong option in that area of the pitch.

Man Utd keen on signing £56m-rated Brown

According to a fresh update from Bild [via Sport Witness], Manchester United are in the mix to sign Brown from Frankfurt, but Arsenal and Madrid are providing stiff competition.

He is said to be “on their radar” as they eye up fresh faces in 2026, with the German left-back a new target for the Red Devils who is valued at £56m.

Brown stands out as an exciting target for United, with Frankfurt sporting director Markus Krosche heaping praise on his many qualities as a player.

“Yes! Because he has three exceptional abilities that you can’t learn. He’s smart and tactically astute, has fantastic technique, and is very fast. And all of that is necessary to have a great career ahead of him. Now is the wrong time to think about who might leave us and when. They’re both young and should stay with us a while longer.

“Can (Uzun) has developed tremendously compared to last year. It’s a shame he’s injured now. And Nene (Brown) is simply exceptional. He’s made outstanding progress, especially when it comes to defending at a high level. Just look at how he plays against top opponents in the Champions League.”

At 22, Brown would be a long-term addition for United, challenging Dorgu for minutes, and he will surely add to his one solitary cap for Germany at senior international level as the years pass.

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Andrea Berta could secure a bargain next year.

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He has averaged five tackles per game in the Champions League this season, highlighting his tenacity off the ball, while three assists in all competitions shows he can also create in the attacking third.

"Explosive" Dorgu star can take new Man Utd role when Amad & Mbeumo go to AFCON

Arsenal have now joined the race for a £88m forward who recently entered “very advanced” talks over a move to Tottenham Hotspur…

Gunners ramping up pursuit of forward amid Eze criticism

The Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League table was reduced to just two points on Saturday, with Aston Villa securing a 2-1 win at Villa Park, and Shaka Hislop was particularly unimpressed with Eberechi Eze’s performance.

Hislop said: “He could have been taken off after 30 minutes, I’ll be honest.

“Now I am as willing as anybody to sing Eze’s praises, but everything from Arsenal came down the right in that first half.

“Everything came through Bukayo Saka, so the change had to be made at half-time because Eze was non-existent.”

In fairness, Eze has made a very promising start to life at the Emirates Stadium, with the England international amassing nine goal contributions in his opening 22 matches across all competitions.

However, the 27-year-old’s best performance arguably came in the 4-1 victory against Tottenham, during which he played through the middle, so there may be room to bring in another left-winger this winter, and Arsenal are now ramping up their pursuit.

It was recently revealed that a strong move is being made for Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola, but the Frenchman is not the only target, with a report from Caught Offside revealing Arsenal have now joined the race for RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande.

The Gunners have been monitoring Diomande’s progress over the past few weeks, alongside a number of Europe’s top clubs, while Spurs are also keen, with Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri recently stating they are in “very advanced” talks with the left-winger.

A deal could be on the expensive side, however, with it being suggested RB Leipzig could look to hold out for around €80m – €100m (£70m – £88m).

Arsenal to "directly contact" £88m forward about joining after talks with his reps

Arteta apparently wants to sign him in January.

ByEmilio Galantini 7 days ago Diomande making "sensational" impact in Germany

The Ivorian only made the move to Germany during the summer, but he has already started to make a major impact, being singled out for high praise by scout Jacek Kulig.

Most recently, the 19-year-old put in a remarkable performance in his side’s 6-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring a hat-trick and completing more dribbles than any other player.

Yan Diomande’s key statistics vs Frankfurt

Number completed

Dribbles (successful)

8 (4)

Key passes

1

Duels (won)

13 (6)

Goals

3

Considering Diomande is still a teenager, the level of his performances in the Bundesliga this season have been remarkable, and he may be ready to join one of Europe’s biggest clubs soon, so it would be fantastic if Arsenal were able to beat Tottenham to his signature.

The hosts had victory within reach but their tournament now stands on the edge with two huge games ahead

S Sudarshanan20-Oct-20253:15

Review: How did India lose this game?

A bizarre thing happens at the Holkar Stadium in Indore every time it hosts an international match. A small part of the wall between the adjoining basketball court and the stadium is demolished to facilitate entrance to the north stand that houses the press box. Once the game (or series) is over, the wall is rebuilt. It is not a makeshift entrance as there is a permanent grill gate, which becomes operational once the wall is broken down.This can be loosely used as an analogy to explain India’s situation at the Women’s World Cup 2025 – the more the things have changed, the more they have remained the same.Against South Africa, India’s top and middle order failed and the lower order got them to a decent score but the bowlers couldn’t defend it. Against Australia, the top- and middle-order gave them the platform but the lower order didn’t contribute and their bowlers crumbled under the pressure.Related

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England in semi-finals after India unravel in tense finish

Knight and Smith stay cool in the heat of the battle

Now chasing 289 against England, India had seven wickets in hand, a set batter in, 57 runs needed off 57 balls – comfortable, right? Nine times out of ten, the chasing team would be backed to win in such a scenario. Sunday was the tenth occasion. India slipped from there to a third straight defeat at this World Cup.It was Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur’s calculated assault that helped set the chase up after India were 42 for 2 in ten overs. Mandhana started off scratchily, faced only 18 deliveries in the first 12 overs and scored her first four off the 23rd ball, courtesy of an outside edge. Harmanpreet played her most fluent innings this tournament as India’s senior duo chose their battles carefully. All this after India’s bowlers led by Deepti Sharma helped drag England back after they seemed on course for a 320-plus total.England had two left-arm spinners, a bowling style that has been India’s undoing in recent times. But they were kept wicketless until the 42nd over. Whenever England bowled anything wide outside off, both Mandhana and Harmanpreet used the loft over extra cover to release the pressure. Their 125-run stand came off only 122 balls. Before Sunday, England were the most economical bowling unit (3.31 runs per over) in overs 11 to 30; India went at 6.05 runs per over in this phase in Indore.Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana walk off after India’s defeat•Getty ImagesIndia had dropped a batter (Jemimah Rodrigues) and brought in an extra bowler (Renuka Singh). So it was imperative for one of Mandhana and Harmanpreet to see the chase through. Mandhana took the onus upon herself by being patient and, as she later said, avoiding aerial shots. Till the rush of blood in the 42nd over.Linsey Smith chose the around-the-wicket angle with square leg, midwicket, long-on and long-off in the deep. Extra cover was clear and Mandhana was tempted to explore that region to get India’s ask under six an over. But Smith got the ball to drift away a little, which meant Mandhana lost control of her stroke and holed out to long-off.”Smriti’s wicket was a turning point for us, but we still had many batters,” Harmanpreet said after the game. Those other batters were Deepti, Richa Ghosh, Amanjot Kaur and Sneh Rana – all of whom have contributed with the bat in this tournament.England were unrelenting thereon. They pressed both Smith and Sophie Ecclestone into service, and India could score only 31 for 2 in the six left-arm spin overs in the third powerplay. The squeeze was truly on. Case in point being Deepti’s progress: she faced only 14 dots off her first 39 balls and scored 36 before Mandhana’s fall, and 10 dots in the 18 balls since then.Deepti Sharma started briskly but couldn’t keep up the temp•ICC/Getty Images”I don’t know how things went the other way,” Harmanpreet said. “It is a bad feeling, when you put so much hard work and take the game to the end. But the last five-six overs didn’t go to plan. I am at a loss of words but [it is] definitely a heartbreaking game.”Smith and Ecclestone used the Jess Jonassen model of stifling batters by denying them the bat-swing. They bowled from over the wicket to right-handers with three fielders deep on the leg side and cramped the batters for room. India did not collapse; they just could not break loose out of England’s stranglehold.It is not all doom and gloom for India. Their campaign is far from being over. They have two more games – against New Zealand and Bangladesh – at DY Patil, a venue they have recently played a lot at. They needn’t look beyond their latest victors for inspiration: England had lost each of their first three games at the 2022 World Cup and still qualified for the semi-final and finished runners-up.They might have a relook at their team combination again. Do they need that sixth proper bowler? Or can they do with the extra batter and squeeze some overs from the part-timers? Can they hold their nerves in a tense finish after three such outings?There are cracks in the wall. India need to ensure they fix it before it all crashes down on yet another home World Cup.

“Whenever I go in with a target, I just do very badly. So let’s not keep any target this season,” Ishan Kishan says after rescuing Jharkhand against Tamil Nadu with an uncharacteristic century

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Oct-2025Ishan Kishan is focused on the present, and wants to enjoy every opportunity he gets, irrespective of the level he is playing in.He’s currently captaining Jharkhand in the 2025-26 Ranji Trophy, and began with a back-to-the-wall century, his ninth in first-class cricket, to rescue his side after the top order wobbled against Tamil Nadu on a greenish surface in Coimbatore.Kishan ended the opening day unbeaten on 125, having faced 183 deliveries. This helped Jharkhand end strongly on 307 for 6, with the pair of Kishan and Sahil Raj having added an unbroken 150-run stand for the seventh wicket.Related

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“At this stage, I need to be very smart,” he said after the day’s play to . “You need to understand the importance of the Ranji Trophy. You need to understand the importance of these matches when you play against big teams.”Kishan walked out to bat at No. 5, with Jharkhand in trouble at 79 for 3 just after lunch. He buckled down for a better part of the next two sessions, shelving the big hits for a large part. That he hit only two sixes in his innings is some indication of the restraint he showed.”You make so many mistakes initially in your career and then later you realise the real meaning of experience,” he said. “You have to be in the middle and only then you can change the game.”I was checking the wind when the left-arm spinner was bowling. I really wanted to go hard against him. But looking at the scoreboard, six wickets down did not feel right for me. I did it [bat with caution] once in the Irani Cup and here in the Ranji Trophy, where I’m the experienced and the only India player in the team, my job was to ensure we were batting at stumps.”I was actually wanting to go for sixes. But the situation demanded otherwise. This comes with experience. When you play enough matches, you understand sometimes that singles are more important than sixes and over a period of time, your mindset changes. A partnership was important to make their bowlers tired.”Kishan has had a decent build-up to the season. After a short county stint with Nottinghamshire, where he hit 77 and 87 in two innings, he was in line to be recalled to the India squad for the fifth Test against England at The Oval as a cover after Rishabh Pant’s injury.However, Kishan suffered bruises from an e-bike accident in the UK around the same time. Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan was eventually picked as cover, with Dhruv Jurel as the first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in Pant’s absence. Upon his full recovery, Kishan featured for Rest of India in the Irani Cup earlier this month, prior to the start of the Ranji season.”Whenever I go in with a target, I just do very badly,” Kishan said. “I just do something which is not important. So let’s not keep any target this season. Just keep on batting. If you are in the middle, you will get as many runs as you want. That’s the only goal for me.”