Racking up frequent flyer miles no excuse for South Africa, captain Temba Bavuma says

Danyal Rasool04-Mar-20253:30

Bavuma: ‘A good show between the two bowling attacks on offer’

It begins with a bit of football. The players stand in a circle keeping the ball up, excitement building as the rally lengthens. Then, a slightly wayward tee-up from one of the players puts Tabraiz Shamsi in a tricky spot. The eye test suggests he’s one of the less technically gifted football players; the rally is destined to end there. Soon after, the group disbands, and the South Africans begin to get into position for a conventional cricket training session.With a quick turnaround and a flight back from Dubai, New Zealand did not put their bowlers through much of a workload, Mitchell Santner saying New Zealand just needed to make sure they were ready. South Africa captain Temba Bavuma sees the bowling battle between the two sides as pivotal.”New Zealand’s bowling is formidable. Quite a disciplined bowling attack,” Bavuma said. “Up front, the guys with the new ball don’t give you much to score from. You’ve got to be decisive as an opening batter. And then in the middle, you’ve got guys again who are able to squeeze the game and force you to make mistakes. We know as batters we’re going to have to work hard. We’re going to have to bat ourselves into a position where we can make the play against them.”Related

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Bavuma’s respect is borne out by the numbers. Aside from India, who played their games at the less scoring-friendly Dubai, no team has sent down more dot balls this tournament than New Zealand, and none of them boasts a tighter economy rate. For games played in Pakistan in the Champions Trophy, three of the top four bowlers to have produced dot balls are from New Zealand – Michael Bracewell, Will O’Rourke and Mitchell Santner.Bavuma, though, rates his own bowlers highly, too. “We’re also quite confident in our bowling. It’ll be a good show on offer between the two bowling attacks. I don’t think there’s a lot between them.”Unlike New Zealand’s bowlers, though, South Africa’s went through a full workload, training later than usual, between 7pm and 10pm on the eve of the game.1:41

Santner: Our bowling combination won’t change too much for semi-final

Marco Jansen and Wiaan Mulder went through extended periods of bowling. Kagiso Rabada’s workload was lighter as he largely confined himself to fielding drills and the odd spurt. South Africa, after all, flew from Karachi to Dubai on Sunday in case they needed to play the first semi-final, only to fly right back to Lahore on Monday when it emerged they would play the second semi-final.Bavuma said it couldn’t be an excuse for his side, though. “Logistically, things could have been more efficient,” he said. “Having said that, the boys did enjoy the time to gallivant in Dubai. Some of the boys played some golf, some went sightseeing. So it was a bit enjoyable, some of them used the time to recover. Guys made use of it as best as they could.”Three weeks ago, these two sides played a game in Lahore that could not be further removed in terms of importance. It was the second game of the tri-series, a day game starting on a cold February morning. It was a flat surface, with a second-string South Africa side posting 304 before an unbeaten century from Kane Williamson, who has “always been a thorn”, guided New Zealand to a comfortable win.2:26

Kumble: South Africa have a slight edge over New Zealand

Bavuma said the differing stakes and circumstances of that game did not mean there was nothing to pick up from it. “It gave us a look at that New Zealand team,” he said. “That team we played against – I don’t think it’ll be too far to what they’ll put out tomorrow. We have different members, obviously. I guess there’s a difference there. When we played, it was a good wicket, but the last game here, between Australia and Afghanistan, the ball swung quite a bit.”Rabada and Mulder stand for catching practice under the lights, sharing a joke and a laugh. Ryan Rickelton whips Jansen into the on side; he looks the best batter in the practice session, the sound of the middle of his bat hypnotically echoing into the void of the empty stadium.Dale Steyn, in Lahore as a broadcast commentator, briefly goes to the practice pitches and has a chat with a couple of players. It is, as Jansen says, “just another game”, and South Africa are trying their best to treat it as just another training session.These two sides, full of golden talents but achingly missing silverware, know better than most that yearning for glory does not guarantee it. So Rabada takes a sharp catch, Rickelton creams one back down the ground, and Jansen bowls at full pelt. And then they do it all over again. As South Africa and New Zealand always do.

Manchester United are now considering a move for a “sensational” midfielder who is also being chased by Newcastle manager Eddie Howe, having pulled out of the race for Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba.

Man Utd eyeing midfielder after EFL Cup disaster

Since the retirement of Sir Alex Ferguson, there have been some difficult moments for Man United, but being knocked out of the EFL Cup by Grimsby Town is without doubt a low point, with the League Two side progressing after winning on penalties.

In Ruben Amorim’s post-match interview, the manager made it clear that the best side won on the night, despite an improved second-half performance, with Bryan Mbeumo and Harry Maguire leading the fightback.

With Andre Onana making yet another error leading to a goal, following on from a key mistake from Altay Bayindir on the opening day against Arsenal, bringing in a new goalkeeper should undoubtedly be one of United’s key objectives in the final days of the transfer window.

However, Amorim has also been keen to bring in a new central midfielder throughout the summer, with Baleba previously emerging as a major target, before the interest was ended, in light of Brighton’s high asking price.

Now, Man United are in the race for another midfielder, according to a report from The Boot Room, which states they are considering a move for Atletico Madrid’s Conor Gallagher, after deciding against pursuing Baleba.

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A number of Premier League clubs are in the race for Gallagher, with Crystal Palace believed to be keen admirers, and it has been widely reported that Oliver Glasner’s side have already made contact, as have Newcastle United.

Newcastle were said to be leading the race for the midfielder earlier this summer, with Howe well-known to have wanted him for years, but there are indications that United could now be willing to hijack the move.

"Sensational" Gallagher could be solid signing for Man Utd

In truth, the 25-year-old, who Atletico paid £33m for last summer, wouldn’t be the flashiest of signings, but he has impressed Diego Simeone since arriving in Spain, with the manager saying: “He is a hard-working player who has quality and a good ability to arrive in the area from deep and who never fails to give everything in every ball.”

There are also indications the Atletico maestro could have the personality to succeed at Old Trafford, with reporter John Cross praising the central midfielder for his “sensational” attitude during his time with Chelsea.

That said, the former Crystal Palace man probably shouldn’t be brought in as a direct alternative to Baleba, given that he has predominantly featured in a central or attacking midfield role throughout his career, while the Brighton star has a more defensive mindset.

Not only that, but Man United’s number one priority before the transfer deadline should be to sign a new goalkeeper, after Onana made yet another blunder against Grimsby.

Nick Knight, Nasser Hussain want Buttler to come in earlier to maximise his impact

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-20253:17

Knight: ‘England’s best batter’ Buttler should bat up the order

Jos Buttler should promote himself in the batting order with his England captaincy on the line in Wednesday’s Champions Trophy game against Afghanistan, according to former England opener Nick Knight.Buttler walked out to bat in the 35th over in England’s five-wicket defeat to Australia on Saturday, hitting 23 off 21 balls from No. 6 before holing out to deep midwicket. He explained before the start of the Champions Trophy that he saw that position – where he has batted more than any other in ODIs – as his “super-strength”.But Knight, who played exactly 100 ODIs between 1996 and 2003, believes that England are not getting the best out of Buttler in his current role and must give him the chance to have a bigger impact on games. “I have really strong feelings about this,” Knight said on ESPNcricinfo’s Match Day show.Related

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“Jos Buttler, for me, is not taking enough part in the construction of an innings,” Knight said. “He’s one of the best in the world, simple as that, let alone one of the best in the team. He’s the best player. With your best player, you want them to play as much of a role within the outcome of the innings as possible.”I thought England made an error in the last game when they had that partnership broken between [Joe] Root and [Ben] Duckett and they brought in Harry Brook. Harry Brook is a very fine player but is a little bit out of touch at the moment. I personally would have just sent Buttler in. As soon as it ticks over to 20-25 overs, Buttler’s in next… Be flexible with your batting line-up, get your best player in.”Buttler struggled in the 2023 50-over World Cup and averages 26.16 in ODIs in Asia, but Knight played down the relevance of those stats. “I’ve seen him destroy attacks in the IPL – very good, high-quality attacks,” he said. “He can play in Asia, don’t worry about that. He’s scored hundreds galore in one-day cricket in those conditions. Really, it’s just about finding the best balance for him.”When you look at the best of Jos Buttler, he gives himself five, ten, 15 balls to get in… He’s one of England’s finest players of all time. He’s one of the world’s greatest in this format. Of course, he will have areas where he might get a little exposed from time to time but get him out there. Let’s give him that chance to really shine.”Buttler and Brendon McCullum share a joke in Lahore•Matthew Lewis-ICC/ICC via Getty ImagesNasser Hussain, Knight’s England captain at the 2003 World Cup, also believes that Buttler was wasted down the order against Australia, with England posting 351 for 8 having been 200 for 2 after 30 overs. “The damage that Buttler could do [higher up] compared to what he can do at the end, I think I would have him up the order,” Hussain said on the Sky Sports cricket podcast.”If he bats at No. 3 or 4… he could get out for ten or 20, but if he gets in, Jos Buttler at his best – one of England’s, if not England’s, greatest batter – on that surface, could go on and get 150 because he’s so talented. If, on a pitch like that, England’s best white-ball player of all time is sitting and watching 40 overs of cricket from the pavilion, as an opposition captain, I’m thinking, ‘That’s good, I’m enjoying that’.”And also, this is a defining tournament now for Buttler. If they don’t get through the qualification here, the group stages, he could well lose his job. For that reason, if I’m Jos Buttler, I’m thinking, ‘My job is hanging on the line here, I have to have a massive impact on this game and on this tournament right now’. As opposed to, at the end of the tournament, wishing, ‘Why didn’t I promote myself and give it a go?’ They see it differently. They see him as the finisher.”Buttler is expected to continue batting at No. 6 when England face Afghanistan in Lahore on Wednesday. He conceded on Tuesday that he was “absolutely” under pressure. “Any time as an England captain you want to perform, you want to perform well, and you want to lead your team to winning games of cricket. We haven’t been doing that enough in the recent past.”

Tottenham Hotspur supporters have been voicing their displeasure over the last couple of days, and understandably so, given the failure to complete a deal for Eberechi Eze.

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After James Maddison’s ACL injury during pre-season, the Lilywhites entered talks with Crystal Palace over a deal for the England international, leading to a £60m price tag being mooted.

The move appeared to be at an advanced stage, leading to the player himself approving of a switch to join Thomas Frank’s side ahead of the September 1st deadline.

However, a deal has since evaporated, with North London rivals Arsenal taking advantage of their inability to close the deal, with the 27-year-old set to be announced as a Gunner in the coming days.

Missing out on the Englishman’s signature has been a huge blow to Frank’s plans for the ongoing Premier League campaign, which must see the board go back into the market and land an alternative option.

Spurs targeting moves for Eze alternatives

Como star Nico Paz has been one name mentioned with a potential move to join Spurs this summer, but any deal could be an expensive one for Daniel Levy.

The Serie A side are currently demanding a fee in the region of £60m for the 20-year-old’s signature this summer, with Real Madrid due a hefty sell-on in any transfer.

However, he’s not the only player currently in their sights, with Chelsea star Christopher Nkunku a player they’re also considering, according to TEAMtalk.

Their report claims that the Blues are desperately wanting to offload the Frenchman, who cost £52m back in the summer of 2023 – with the Lilywhites one of the sides interested in a move for his signature.

It also states that Frank’s side are firmly in the race to land the 27-year-old, but it’s unclear whether the player would be open to a move across London before the end of the window.

Why Spurs’ latest target is just like Rodrygo

In previous months, Spurs have been hugely linked with a move for Real Madrid star Rodrygo, in an attempt to replace Heung-min Son after his departure to join LAFC.

The Brazilian has also been on the radar of the likes of Manchester City and Liverpool this summer, after it was confirmed he was free to depart the LaLiga giants during the current window.

However, any deal would cost a fee in the region of €100m (£86m) – a figure that could prove to be slightly out of the Lilywhites’ price range, given the money spent elsewhere this summer.

Noise over a potential move to North London for the 24-year-old has lessened in recent weeks as a result of his asking price, which has seen the hierarchy move on to other targets.

Nkunku is just one of the names mentioned as a result, with the former RB Leipzig star able to operate in a number ten, centre forward or wide left role.

There’s no doubt the links to the Chelsea star may appear underwhelming given his lack of impact at Stamford Bridge – but his underlying figures showcase he still possesses a lot of quality.

He’s been labelled as a similar player to Rodrygo by FBref, even managing to match or better the Brazilian in key areas when comparing their respective figures from 2024/25.

Nkunku, who’s been labelled “unstoppable” by one writer, matched the Madrid star for goals and assists per 90, whilst also achieving a better shot on target accuracy rate – offering Frank’s side a more clinical option in the final third.

He also completed more of the passes he attempted, whilst also registering more key passes per 90 – handing the Lilywhites the creative presence they will lack after Maddison’s injury setback.

The Chelsea star further impressed last campaign, winning more aerial battles whilst also providing needed versatility to the frontline in an attempt to build on their Europa League triumph.

Nkunku may not be high up on the club’s list this summer, but he could offer a cost-effective option in an attempt to improve the options currently at Frank’s disposal.

If he can replicate such numbers in North London next campaign, it would be a shrewd piece of business, offering a cheaper alternative to Brazilian superstar Rodrygo.

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Shashank, coming in at No. 7, also contributed an unbeaten 52 off 36 balls, while Jansen struck 34* off 19

Deivarayan Muthu08-Apr-2025

Priyansh Arya, 24, smashed a 39-ball half-century, the joint fourth-fastest in the IPL, to lead Punjab Kings (PBKS) to 219 for 6 in Mullanpur against Chennai Super Kings (CSK).While Arya finished with 103 off 42 balls, the rest of the top six had a combined 32 off 25 balls in a bizarre scorecard. Shashank Singh, then coming in at No. 7, contributed an unbeaten 52 off 36 balls to power PBKS past 200.Arya had triggered a bidding war at the IPL 2025 auction after hitting six sixes in an over in the inaugural Delhi Premier League (DPL). Brad Haddin, PBKS’ assistant coach, said that the team management was convinced of Arya’s potential after just one practice session. Arya translated that potential into a sensational performance on Tuesday.Arya is a bit like a left-handed version of Virender Sehwag. He sees the ball, he whacks the ball. He also has the gift of timing. When Matheesha Pathirana marginally missed a wide yorker and bowled a full-toss – it was still a hard-to-hit full-toss – Arya carved it over point for six. He sent the next three balls off Pathirana for 6,6,4 to charge to a 39-ball hundred. Only Chris Gayle (30), Yusuf Pathan (37) and David Miller (38) have scored faster hundreds (in terms of balls) in the IPL, while Travis Head also has a 39-ball ton.After bringing up his ton in the 13th over, Arya holed out in the next over, dragging a wrong’un from left-arm wristspinner Noor Ahmad to long-on. Arya could’ve been dismissed in the very first over had Khaleel Ahmed held onto a fairly straightforward return catch. Arya was on 6 at that point, having scythed the first ball over point for six.Arya then got another life on 35 when Vijay Shankar dropped a more difficult catch at midwicket. He moved to his half-century, off 19 balls, when he backed away and cracked R Ashwin over mid-off in the last over of the powerplay. In all, he took Ashwin for 28 off ten balls.After Arya fell, Shashank struck up an unbroken 65-run seventh-wicket stand off 38 balls with Marco Jansen to deflate CSK even further. Ravindra Jadeja was the only CSK bowler to concede at under ten an over.

Arsenal’s Hale End academy has been on a brilliant run of producing top-quality talent over the last few years.

When Mikel Arteta first took over, it was Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe who were the new youngsters taking the first team by storm.

Last season, it was Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly who burst into the senior side, and this year, it looks like Max Dowman is going to be the most talked-about youngster in the league.

However, despite producing numerous elite wingers and midfielders, the club has yet to develop a striker of the same calibre, selling those that have come through the ranks, including one who is now winning comparisons to Alexander Isak.

Arsenal's Hale End strikers

When talking about recent Hale End strikers, it’s impossible to ignore Eddie Nketiah.

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The Englishman joined Arsenal at 14 years old, made his debut for the first team in September 2017, and for a time looked like he was going to be a star for the club.

After all, he was given a new £100,000-per-week contract and the legendary number 14 in the summer of 2022, following his scoring of 10 goals and providing one assist in 27 appearances at the end of the 2021/22 season.

Unfortunately, while he was a useful squad player, that was as much as he was ever going to be at the Emirates, and so when Crystal Palace offered £30m for him last summer, the club couldn’t say no.

While that was an excellent deal for the Gunners, you’d have to say the £4m they got for Mika Biereth in the same window was anything but.

In the second half of last season, the Danish poacher racked up an impressive haul of 14 goals and provided five assists in 25 appearances for Sturm Graz, which was enough to convince AS Monaco to sign him in January for just over £10m.

Since joining the Ligue 1 side, the 22-year-old has scored 13 goals and provided three assists in just 22 appearances, which is precisely the sort of forward Arteta could use in the squad today.

However, perhaps the most regretful sale is of another player plying his trade on the French Riviera, a striker who has been compared to the record-breaking Isak.

The former Arsenal ace compared to Isak

Beyond the pair already mentioned, Arsenal have not sold a great deal of strikers in recent years, so it probably won’t come as a surprise that the player in question is none other than Florian Balogun.

The American international joined the Gunners at the age of eight and worked his way up through the academy, making a name for himself as a prolific number nine.

In fact, he was so prolific that he remains the club’s all-time leading goalscorer for the U21 side with 37 in just 62 games.

However, it wasn’t until his loan move to Stade Reims for the 22/23 season that he began to translate his form at the junior level to the senior game, as in just 39 appearances for the Ligue 1 outfit, he scored 22 goals and provided three assists.

Such a rate of return gave Arteta and Co. a decision to make when he returned: play him or sell him? They opted for the latter when Monaco offered to pay a whopping £34m for the then 22-year-old.

It’s been mixed for the New York-born poacher since then, as injuries have been a problem, but he’s still managed to rack up a tally of 21 goal involvements in 50 appearances, totalling just 2829 minutes.

Moreover, FBref has come to the conclusion that Liverpool’s new record-breaking number nine, Isak, has been the sixth most similar forward to the American over the last 365 days, which is quite the flattering comparison.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.82

0.70

Shots on Target

1.46

1.34

Goals per Shot on Target

0.40

0.46

Live Passes

17.4

19.8

Tackles Won

0.15

0.16

Carries

21.0

20.1

We can get a better understanding of how this conclusion was reached by looking at some of the underlying numbers that the pair rank closely in.

These include metrics such as non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots on target, goals shot on target, carries, live passes and more.

These statistics suggest that, with the right coaching and the right system, the “special” Hale End gem, as dubbed by Arteta, could potentially perform similarly to the Swedish marksman, at least in terms of his ability to carry the ball and get into dangerous areas.

Ultimately, given the money they were offered at the time, Arsenal probably did the right thing selling Balogun, but we can’t help wondering how he would have fared had Arteta opted to keep him.

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يستعد فريق برشلونة، بقيادة المدرب هانز فليك، لخوض مباراة مساء يوم الثلاثاء في إطار منافسات بطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا وذلك ضد خصمه فريق أولمبياكوس.

ويستضيف ملعب “مونتجويك” مباراة فريقي برشلونة وأولمبياكوس، في الجولة الثالثة من دوري أبطال أوروبا، مرحلة الدوري، موسم 2025/26.

ويمتلك برشلونة 3 نقاط بعدما فاز على نيوكاسل يونايتد بهدفين لهدف، ثم تعرض لهزيمة بنفس النتيجة ضد باريس سان جيرمان.

في حين أن أولمبياكوس لديه نقطة واحدة فقط بعدما تعادل مع بافوس سلبيًا، وسقط أمام آرسنال في الجولة الثانية بهدفين دون رد.

ويفتقد برشلونة خدمات العديد من اللاعبين للإصابة، على رأسهم خوان جارسيا، داني أولمو، روبرت ليفاندوفسكي ورافينها. تشكيل برشلونة المتوقع أمام أولمبياكوس اليوم في دوري أبطال أوروبا

حراسة المرمى: فويتشيك تشيزني.

خط الدفاع: جول كوندي، أراوخو، كوبارسي، جيرارد مارتين.

خط الوسط: فرينكي دي يونج، إريك جارسيا.

خط الوسط الهجومي: كاسادو، لامين يامال، فيرمين لوبيز.

خط الهجوم: ماركوس راشفورد. 

ويمكنكم متابعة مباريات اليوم لحظة بلحظة على مركز المباريات من هنا.

Pep Guardiola has delivered an injury update on Rodri after seeing the Spaniard forced out of Manchester City’s Premier League clash with Brentford. The Ballon d’Or winner has been handled with care this season, but he limped away from the clash in west London and is facing another spell on the sidelines – although the man himself remains upbeat.

• ACL injury has seen Rodri's game time limited

  City saw Rodri suffer knee ligament damage in September 2024, with that issue ruling him out of 53 games for club and country. After 236 days out of action, the Spain international returned to the field late in the 2024-25 campaign. He went on to represent Guardiola’s side at the FIFA Club World, but suffered another fitness setback there.

  Rodri has made just 15 appearances since the start of last season, with a serious ACL problem meaning that his game time must be limited. Guardiola had hoped that a key part of his plans was over the worst of his injury issues, but keeping the 29-year-old fit is proving to be difficult.

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  Guardiola update on Rodri's latest injury

  Guardiola told Sky Sports of Rodri after facing questions about why the Golden Ball winner was withdrawn an hour into City’s 2-2 Champions League draw with Monaco: “I was right, no? You asked me why I don't play him 90 minutes all the time. The journalists always ask me why I substitute him. This is why we tried to be gentle and play [him] for 60-65 minutes.”

  Guardiola added when asked about the nature of Rodri’s latest setback: "It's muscular. Of course I don't want to lose him [at all] because he is such an important player. We tried to take care of him, but it is what it is.”

• Return date: When Rodri hopes to play again

  Rodri hobbled out of City’s 1-0 victory over Brentford inside the opening 20 minutes. He was forced to take a seat on the turf early in the first half after it became clear that he was in no position to continue. He looked crestfallen when inviting medical staff onto the pitch. Rodri was able to walk off unaided, but was in some discomfort after clutching at the back of his leg. The fact that further knee problems appear to have been avoided does offer a crumb of comfort to Rodri and City.

  The man himself told when asked why he had been forced to leave the action and when he could be seen again: “I'm good. I felt a little bit in the hamstring but it seems like it's not that much. The important thing was the victory. I stretched the leg a little bit, a bit like in the Euros final. I stretched a little bit but it's part of the process.

  “I don't feel that I feel tired muscle wise, I feel fresh but the most important thing is it's not that big. It's part of the process. The good thing about this is you get out, you don't let the muscle stretch now. The good thing is the break so it will be even better in this sense to recover these days and hopefully I can be in the next game.”

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  Rodri crucial to Guardiola's plans at Man City

  Rodri will not link up with the Spain squad for their 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria. He will remain in Manchester for treatment, with City set to return to action against Everton on October 18.

  Guardiola has previously said of getting Rodri back up to full speed: “Rodri is an outstanding player, everyone knows it, maybe he struggled to understand it's not about six months or 12, the World Cup will be the best Rodri and next season will be the best Rodri, this year is how to handle it. One year he has been out. The body changes, the rhythm changes, it's a question of time, if he's healthy he will be back.”

Tottenham Hotspur has been the home to numerous top-level talents over recent years, with the hierarchy nailing the club’s recruitment strategy.

Big money has undoubtedly been splashed to improve their squad as of late, but many of their additions have been worthwhile and have improved the options already in North London.

Eyebrows were raised when Brennan Johnson joined the Lilywhites, with the board forking out £47.5m to secure his services from fellow Premier League side Nottingham Forest.

His early days were tricky to say the least, leading to abuse from sections of the fanbase, but he’s endured a magnificent rise that saw him end last season as the club’s top-scorer, even netting the winner in the Europa League final.

At just 24, he has bags of time to build on his impressive start to life in North London, potentially following in the footsteps of one of his compatriots at the club.

Gareth Bale’s time at Tottenham Hotspur

Winger Gareth Bale will go down as one of Spurs’ best-ever players after his impact during his time in the first team, starring for the Lilywhites on two separate occasions.

The Welsh international originally featured at left-back, before his hat-trick against Inter Milan in the Champions League catapulted him into a forward role – one that would change his career trajectory massively.

He registered 71 goals during his two stints in North London, with 26 of his efforts coming in the 2012/13 season, leading to his eventual £85m move to European giants Real Madrid.

However, he returned in the 2020/21 campaign on loan from the LaLiga side, scoring 16 times in his 34 appearances – being one of three players to register double figures that campaign.

The Welshman became renowned for his ability to cut inside onto his stronger left foot, often creating a moment of magic that allowed supporters to get off their seats.

Current boss Thomas Frank must wish he had a player of his quality currently at his disposal, potentially having just that had former chairman Daniel Levy kept hold of one talent.

The former Spurs player who could’ve been Frank’s own Bale

As previously mentioned, Spurs have shifted their attention to recruiting younger talents in recent months – a strategy that allows the club to have players to make an immediate and long-term impact in North London.

Ahead of the 2025/26 campaign, the Lilywhites first-team squad currently has an average age of 25.1 – the fourth youngest in the division – with Frank able to develop the players into the side he desires.

Their starting eleven against Bournemouth last weekend contained just one player over the age of 29, which hugely highlights the current recruitment operation in North London.

Such a focus has been evident in the past, when the hierarchy decided to fork out £25m for the signature of 18-year-old Ryan Sessegnon from Fulham back in 2019.

Despite his tender age, he racked up over 100 appearances for the Cottagers, scoring 25 times, leading to his big-money move to North London – similar to that of Bale from Southampton in 2007.

Both possessed a similar style of play, subsequently able to operate in any position down the left-hand side or even able to feature in any attacking position on the opposite flank.

Such a move generated huge excitement within the fanbase, but it’s safe to say that the move was slightly unsuccessful, with injuries massively plaguing his time at the club.

Games played

16

Goals & assists

6

Pass accuracy

82%

Chances created

1.9

Cross success

31%

Successful dribbles

1.3

Tackles won

2.1

Duels won

7.3

Sessegnon, who was labelled an “incredible” talent by Jacek Kulig, only made 57 appearances over a five-year spell at the Lilywhites, with numerous hamstring issues preventing him from making an impact.

The 25-year-old racked up three goals during such a time period, but was let go at the end of his contract in 2024, rejoining former side Fulham on a free transfer last summer.

Whilst there’s no denying he didn’t possess the same talent as Bale, his playstyle was similar to that of the Lilywhites legend – but ultimately struggled to demonstrate that on a regular basis.

It’s a shame such a move failed to work out, but Frank missed out on the opportunity to try and work with the Englishman, with Sessegnon forever remaining a case of what could’ve been in North London.

Sold for £28m: Levy hit gold axing Spurs flop now worth less than Bissouma

Tottenham Hotspur made the right call by allowing one player to leave the club in recent years.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 5, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

A arrastada novela da criação da liga brasileira ganhou oficialmente mais uma vertente. Na noite desta quinta-feira (6), Botafogo, Coritiba, Cruzeiro e  Vasco sacramentaram acordo e formaram um bloco unificado que faça um contrato separado com as empresas Serenguetti e LCP. 

O grupo atribuiu a criação do novo grupo a uma forma “na qual podemos escrever e discutir as regras da nossa nova liga e definir o produto que devemos apresentar ao mundo”. Além disso, o objetivo é “combinar os benefícios econômicos oferecidos pelos financiadores da LFF com as iniciativas de governança que antes pareciam possíveis com a LIBRA”. Entre as propostas, estão o rebaixamento e promoção de de três clubes por divisão, deixar a governança da liga nas mãos dos clubes, implementação de fair play financeiro “com modelos testados na Europa” e criação de propriedades comerciais controladas pelos clubes.

Os clubes disseram que acreditam “na unificação do futebol profissional brasileiro, reunindo todos os clubes da Série A e da Série B em uma parceria comum para impulsionar o Brasil como líder global no futebol mundial”. Segundo ela, “um diálogo e entendimento aprimorados entre os clubes participantes podem abrir caminho para alcançar nossa visão de unificação e colaboração sus­tentável”.

O bloco afirmou que houve uma “luta incansável para conciliar as divergências entre a Libra e a Liga Forte Futebol” e atribuíram a falta de acerto a “dois obstáculos fundamentais e difíceis de ultrapassar”.

Os quatro clubes esclareceram que convidaram “todos os clubes a deixarem de lado as divergências históricas e trazerem suas melhores ideias para o centro conosco, em apoio aos princípios de evolução do futebol brasileiro”.

VEJA A NOTA NA ÍNTEGRA

Acreditamos na unificação do futebol profissional brasileiro, reunindo todos os clubes da Série A e da Série B em uma parceria comum para impulsionar o Brasil como líder global no futebol mundial. Em nossa perspectiva, um diálogo e entendimento aprimorados entre os clubes participantes podem abrir caminho para alcançar nossa visão de unificação e colaboração sus­tentável.

Nos últimos meses, na luta incansável para conciliar as divergências entre a LIBRA e a Liga Forte Futebol, nos deparamos com dois obstáculos fundamentais e difíceis de ultrapassar. O primeiro foi o desejo de manter o status quo na indústria. A outra foi a disputa entre diferentes atores que estão mais preocupados com suas próprias agendas do que com o futuro do futebol no país.

Decidimos nos posicionar de forma independente e respeitosa no centro. É com muita alegria que anunciamos que Botafogo, Coritiba, Cruzeiro e Vasco da Gama formam agora um grupo unificado para firmar um contrato separado com Serenguetti e LCP.

Com a formação do nosso grupo, buscamos combinar os benefícios econômicos oferecidos pelos financiadores da LFF com as iniciativas de governança que antes pareciam possíveis com a LIBRA. No final, descobrimos que se tornou muito mais fácil para nós formar um novo grupo, com uma folha em branco na qual podemos escrever e discutir as regras da nossa nova liga e definir o produto que devemos apresentar ao mundo.

Convidamos todos os clubes a deixarem de lado as divergências históricas e trazerem suas melhores ideias para o centro conosco, em apoio aos princípios de evolução do futebol brasileiro.

Aqui estão nossos princípios para a formação da futura nova liga brasileira:

– A Governança da Liga será exclusivamente responsabilidade dos Clubes, com representação de cada Clube no Conselho de Administração.

– A liderança da Media Co será uma colaboração separada entre a Liga e o Parceiro Financeiro Estratégico.

– Implementação do Fair Play Financeiro, com ajustes para suprir deficiências dos mecanismos amplamente testados na Europa.

– Estabelecimento de padrões mínimos para instalações e superfícies de jogo, visando atingir a paridade com os mais altos padrões do futebol mundial

– Gestão direta de oficiais de jogo e árbitros, em colaboração com a CBF, incluindo padrões de educação e responsabilidade.

– Rebaixamento e promoção de apenas 3 clubes por divisão, seguindo o padrão mundial e proporcionando maior estabilidade ao produto brasileiro no mercado.

– Busca e desenvolvimento de tecnologias avançadas para posicionar o Brasil como líder mundial em qualidade da experiência televisiva e eficiência na dis­tribuição global de conteúdo.

– Criação de propriedades comerciais controladas pelos Clubes, a serem explora­das individualmente por cada clube, seguindo o padrão europeu.

– Venda de direitos comerciais e de mídia com valuation apropriado.

Por fim, valorizando nossas conversas com bons amigos de ambos os lados, continuaremos trabalhando incansavelmente para criar uma liga unificada por meio de um diálogo aberto com todos os clubes.