Tottenham manager Thomas Frank has been forced to deal with a plethora of injuries since taking over from Ange Postecoglou, with the club’s bad luck in that regard continuing into this season.

Ex-chairman Daniel Levy got so frustrated with Spurs’ key player absences in 24/25 that he overhauled their medical department for the second year running last summer. Key sports science chiefs Adam Brett and Nick Davies were both shown the door before the start of this season, with Nick Stubbings following Frank from Brentford to join as medical lead.

The Lilywhites were minus Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and Guglielmo Vicario for large portions of last campaign, alongside many other key men, which undoubtedly played a role in Spurs’ finishing a lowly 17th in the Premier League table.

This season, they haven’t fared much better.

Soon after Frank was appointed to succeed Postecoglou, Spurs lost playmaker James Maddison to an ACL injury which will keep him out for most of 2025/2026, with the England international on an extensive list of absentees.

Dejan Kulusevski

Knee

22/11/2025

James Maddison

ACL

01/06/2026

Radu Dragusin

Knee

22/11/2025

Ben Davies

Thigh

23/11/2025

Kota Takai

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Yves Bissouma

Ankle/Foot

23/11/2025

Lucas Bergvall

Concussion

23/11/2025

Dominic Solanke

Ankle

23/11/2025

Archie Gray

Calf/Shin/Heel

23/11/2025

via Premier Injuries

The likes of Romero, Wilson Odobert, Randal Kolo Muani and Destiny Udogie were also sidelined for periods recently until making their respective comebacks, so Frank will be desperate for this torrid luck to cease as he attempts to guide Tottenham to major silverware and a top four finish.

Luckily for Spurs, electrifying winger and star summer signing Mohammed Kudus is likely to return against Man United this weekend after the Ghanaian confirmed his knock is getting better.

Tottenham hit by injury blow as "promising" youngster Elijah Upson withdraws from England duty

Speaking to Tottenham News, pundit and academy expert John Wenham, who oversees the Lilywhites Rose account on X, says that Tottenham’s injury woes even stretch down to youth level.

Young defender Elijah Upson, who captains Spurs’ Under-18s, was forced to withdraw from the England Under-17s World Cup squad after suffering his own injury, which comes as a crying shame considering the club could have had five youth players representing them for the Three Lions.

The 17-year-old was recently handed a call-up to Tottenham’s Under-21 squad as well, playing the full 90 minutes and shutting out West Brom in a 1-0 win just over a month ago.

The injury comes as more of a blow to Upson’s personal development, with the versatile centre-back/right-back looking to make Johan Lange – who now oversees the academy as one of his many co-director responsibilities – stand up and take notice.

The U.S. booked their place in the knockout stage of the 2025 FIFA U17 World Cup after Cavan Sullivan’s calmly taken second-half penalty secured a 2-1 win over Tajikistan on Saturday in Qatar. The Union prodigy showed composure beyond his years with the spot kick, scoring with a panenka, capping a resilient display as the Americans overturned an early deficit to claim their second straight victory.

Incredible composure

Sullivan, widely regarded as one of American soccer's brightest young talents, showed remarkable confidence in the 61st minute when he stepped up to take a crucial penalty with the match hanging in the balance. After Charlotte FC's Nimfasha Berchimas was fouled in the box by Tajikistan's Ramazon Bakhtaliev, Sullivan approached the spot and executed a perfectly weighted panenka down the middle as goalkeeper Rahim Rahmonov dove helplessly.

AdvertisementWatch the goalAll-around excellence from Cavan

The Americans found themselves in early trouble when Muhammad Nazriev gave Tajikistan a 1-0 lead in just the third minute, intercepting a pass in the U.S. half before finishing powerfully past goalkeeper Aidan Stokes. For the next 25 minutes, the U.S. struggled to break through Tajikistan's compact defensive setup before Sullivan provided the equalizing assist in the 30th minute.

The Philadelphia Union midfielder delivered a precise in-swinging corner to the back post, where Berchimas rose highest to head home – becoming the only U.S. player to score in two different editions of the FIFA U17 World Cup.

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GettyKnockout round berth secured

Sullivan’s penalty marked his second goal in as many matches at the tournament, having also scored the winner in the Americans' opening 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso. The win gives the U.S. six points from their first two matches, guaranteeing their place in the Round of 32 with a game to spare.

Former New Zealand Women head coach Bob Carter will be stepping away from his role as the high-performance coach, New Zealand Cricket (NZC) announced on Friday. That will bring down curtains on a 21-year career in which he oversaw progress of New Zealand’s men’s and women’s teams.”I feel like I’ve lived the dream,” Carter said in an NZC release. “I’ve very much enjoyed offering support and contributing and, if that’s helped players or teams go on and achieve success, then that’s terrific – I’m delighted.”But I think what’s worked best at NZC has been the combinations, the teamwork, and the cooperation.”Born in Norfolk in east England, Carter played 60 first-class and 55 List-A matches for Northamptonshire and Canterbury before getting into coaching. He joined New Zealand men’s set-up in 2004 as an assistant coach to John Bracewell. After a five-year tenure, he was again appointed assistant coach to Mike Hesson from 2012 to 2014 before taking over from Haidee Tiffen as New Zealand Women’s head coach in 2019. He coached them in the 2020 T20 World Cup and the 2022 ODI World Cup that New Zealand hosted, before stepping down.”We’ve been able to create sides that have been greater than their sum of parts, and that’s a key ingredient in team sport,” Carter, who will work in cricket as an independent contractor, said. “Sure, the individual performance is important, but it’s the collective that has the greater potential. That’s where the magic is.”Bob Carter: ‘The reason the Black Caps have continued to produce great batters and bowlers is because we have a strong, underlying domestic system’•Kai Schwoerer/Getty Images

Carter, 65, said he was pleased to leave the role in Lincoln at a time New Zealand are doing well in international cricket. The women’s team won the T20 World Cup for the first time last year while the men whitewashed India in India in a Test series; no team had defeated India at home in a Test series since 2012, let alone returning a clean sweep.”It’s true that the game has evolved a great deal over the past twenty years,” he said. “But the flipside is that the basics and fundamentals of batting and bowling have never really changed.”Sure, the batters are playing shots we wouldn’t have dreamed of in the nineties, and the bowlers are producing options and change-ups with an incredible degree of difficulty. But within all that, the framework that allows the players to execute so successfully, is still the same as it was 50 years ago.”Our domestic cricket is very strong. I’m not sure that’s widely recognised. The reason the Black Caps have continued to produce great batters and bowlers is because we have a strong, underlying domestic system. The White Ferns have been in transition over the past couple of years, but the domestic competitions have brought new players through and invigorated the established ones.”The World Cup win last year was a great example of what that team is capable of.”Playing tribute to Carter, NZC chief high performance officer Daryl Gibson said, “Bob has been the voice of experience at Lincoln and has been involved in much of the success we’ve seen in the men’s and women’s games over the past decade or more. He’s part of a wider high-performance team that underpinned and supported one of New Zealand cricket’s golden periods – the legacy he leaves in terms of his contribution to NZC is enormous.”

West Ham are in dire need of a new striker to relieve the pressure on Nuno Espírito Santo.

Nuno Espírito Santo requests three signings for West Ham in January

Alongside a centre-forward, it is also believed that West Ham’s new boss has personally urged both chairman David Sullivan and vice-chair Karren Brady to bring a new defender and midfielder as soon as the next January window (GiveMeSport).

This is somewhat backed up by Sky Sports too, who reiterate that the Hammers are indeed targeting a defender, midfielder and attacker in January, with Nuno also getting “confirmation” he would have money to spend.

Going by this flurry of reports, West Ham could be set for one of their busiest January windows in recent memory, and it’s definitely needed.

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

West Ham limped to an uninspired 2-0 defeat to Brentford in their last game, which was Nuno’s first home match since taking charge as manager, with the east Londoners completely failing to lay a glove on Keith Andrews’ side who strutted to victory with ease.

The scoreline could’ve been even worse for West Ham, on a night marred by large protests from the Hammers faithful against their club’s ownership. Brentford attempted a whopping 17 shots on goal and found it far too easy on enemy turf, with this performance highlighting exactly why reinforcements are badly needed.

Even though West Ham look soft as butter defensively, almost every supporter is desperate to see Sullivan and Brady go into the market and sign an exciting striker who can provide that needed injection of quality going forward.

Callum Wilson, who has a torrid injury record, and the inexperienced Callum Marshall are Nuno’s only natural options right now, forcing the West Ham boss to play Lucas Paqueta as a false nine against Brentford on Monday.

This experiment failed, with Paqueta failing to make an impact and losing possession a whopping 23 times.

Niclas Füllkrug, adding to his extensive list of missed games already for West Ham, is set to be “out for a while” after tearing a muscle bundle in his thigh, so the German cannot be relied upon yet again.

Luckily for Nuno, media sources suggest that West Ham are actively trying to solve their striker conundrum, and a key target emerging for the Irons is £53 million Real Madrid sensation Endrick on loan.

Some reports claim that West Ham are even holding talks with Real over a temporary deal for Endrick already, coming after Fabrizio Romano confirmed that the Brazil international is expected to leave on a dry loan.

Given Endrick’s desperation for game time, a temporary stint at West Ham could be perfect for all parties involved, with the 19-year-old still classed as one of Brazil’s most exciting up-and-coming talents.

West Ham in pole position to sign Endrick from Real Madrid

Endrick, thanks in part to fitness issues, hasn’t managed to work his way into the Real starting eleven on a consistent basis, but did score five Copa del Rey goals en route to the final last season, before Los Blancos lost to rivals Barcelona.

The Premier League could be beckoning for a player who’s looking to battle his way into Carlo Ancelotti’s squad for the World Cup, and West Ham are looking to take advantage.

According to reports from Spain, West Ham are “leading the race” to secure Endrick on loan, ahead of both Newcastle and Aston Villa.

Nuno’s side have expressed serious interest in bringing the teenage striker to England, and Endrick himself sees a temporary move away as critical for his development.

However, while it is reported by some that discussions have been held, a temporary move to another La Liga side is also factored in as a serious option, so West Ham won’t have a free run at his signature.

Starting in 2027, Major League Soccer will transition from its current calendar-year schedule to a summer-to-spring format, aligning with top international leagues. The move has caused much discussion, but United States national team boss Mauricio Pochettino has thrown his full support behind the move, saying it's a great step forward for the game in America.

• MLS making switch to align with Europe

  The new 2027-28 regular season will kick off in mid-to-late July 2027 and conclude with the MLS Cup in late May 2028, with a lengthy mid-winter break from mid-December until early February. Before the full switch, a transitional mini-season will run from February to May 2027, featuring 14 games to determine qualification for other tournaments, including the US Open Cup and Leagues Cup. This historic shift aims to improve global competitiveness, enhance transfer market opportunities, and ensure the MLS Cup Playoffs do not compete with the NFL and college football seasons. The decision was approved by the league's Board of Governors. While owners and fans anticipate the benefits, the league is also addressing potential challenges, such as winter weather, for northern teams. 

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• AFP
  

  Pochettino expresses support

  Pochettino said: "For sure this is a great step forward for MLS to be on par with the top leagues in the world. Having managed club teams and now the US National Team, the ability to align with the international calendar will have a huge positive impact for the players, coaches and clubs. This also extends beyond the senior national teams; it will allow us to have access to the youth national team players during critical periods of international competition, further advancing their development."

  The former Spurs and Chelsea boss added: "My reaction is: well done. Congratulations, fantastic, I think great decision. What we can do from my personal view and the (US soccer) federation is to show our support. It’s a great decision. I think it’s going to be good for MLS, good for soccer in the US and I agree with the decision. I’m happy because, with me here or not, I think it’s a good decision for soccer. The feeling is going to be like were competing here in the U.S. like we are in Europe, that is always the reference. We are in a process to evolve and develop. The best way to grow in the sport is to see the principal leagues [in the world], how they act and how they are doing things."

• MLS chief explains switch

  MLS Commissioner Don Garber hailed it as a landmark moment for MLS, saying: "The calendar shift is one of the most important decisions in our history. Aligning our schedule with the world’s top leagues will strengthen our clubs’ global competitiveness, create better opportunities in the transfer market, and ensure our Audi MLS Cup Playoffs take centre stage without interruption. It marks the start of a new era for our league and for soccer in North America."

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Potential pitfalls of switching calendar

  Switching to a summer-to-spring calendar creates significant problems for MLS, primarily in dealing with frigid weather and managing player relationships. Teams in northern markets will face lower attendance and tougher conditions for games and training during the winter months, despite the planned break. This move also risks disputes with the MLS Players Association over the length of the off-season and changes to existing player contracts. While the switch aligns with the global transfer market, it presents logistical challenges for a league covering a vast and climatically diverse area.

MatériaMais Notícias

Erick é o primeiro reforço do São Paulo para 2024. O Tricolor anunciou, neste domingo (10), a contratação do atacante que estava no Ceará. O ponta de 26 anos assinou contrato até 31 de dezembro de 2026.

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➡️ Siga o Lance! no WhatsApp e acompanhe em tempo real as principais notícias do esporte

– Estou muito feliz com a oportunidade de estar aqui. Tenho certeza que 2024 será um grande ano e o clube conquistará os objetivos. Estou motivado com a chance de disputar a Libertadores pelo São Paulo – afirmou o atacante.

Erick já tinha pré-contrato assinado com o São Paulo desde a metade da temporada pois seu vínculo com o Ceará se encerrava em 31 de dezembro de 2023. Assim, o Tricolor não precisou pagar nenhuma compensação financeira ao Vozão, e irá apenas arcar com os salários e luvas do atleta.

– A contratação dele é um sonho antigo da diretoria, já que estávamos monitorando o Erick há muito tempo. É um jogador que trará muitas alegrias para o nosso torcedor. Ele é versátil, será uma boa opção tecnicamente e tenho certeza de que performará bem – comentou o presidente Julio Casares.

Erick foi um pedido do próprio Dorival Júnior, que trabalhou com o jogador no Ceará em 2022. Na visão da comissão técnica, o jogador seria a opção ideal para suprir a ausência de um atacante de velocidade, capaz de quebrar linhas de marcação com o drible.

+ Veja como ficou a tabela do Brasileirão após a última rodada

– Vislumbramos com esta contratação do Erick a opção de ter um jogador agudo pelas pontas, e tenho certeza de que ele nos ajudará muito pelas características que temos no elenco. É um jogador que traz velocidade pelos lados de campo, se destacou com gols e assistências pelo Ceará e que seja assim também pelo São Paulo – disse Carlos Belmonte, diretor de futebol do São Paulo.

Erick disputou 52 jogos pelo Ceará em 2023, marcando 18 gols e contribuindo com 13 assistências.

Legspinning allrounder takes 2 for 14 then belts 45 not out against abject Originals

ECB Media19-Aug-2025David Willey and Rehan Ahmed spearheaded a superb display from Trent Rockets as they made short work of Manchester Originals and moved level on points with Oval Invincibles at the top of the table.Willey, the Rockets’ captain, was in inspired form at Trent Bridge, bowling 20 of the first 30 deliveries in the Originals’ innings and returning figures of 3 for 11, his best in the Hundred, as the visitors made just 98 for 8 from their 100 balls.Ben McKinney was Willey’s first victim, trapped lbw for a duck, before dangerman Jos Buttler and Rachin Ravindra nicked behind to consecutive deliveries from the left-armer as the Originals slipped to 26 for 3.Rehan claimed the key wicket of Heinrich Klaasen when the South African holed out to Sam Hain at long-on for 9 and two stunning catches in the space of two deliveries reduced the visitors to 51 for 6: Joe Root taking a screamer off Sam Cook to send Matty Hurst on his way and Rehan picked up his second when George Linde judged a boundary catch to perfection to dismiss captain Phil Salt for 19.David Willey celebrates trapping Ben McKinney lbw•Nathan Stirk/ECB via Getty ImagesIt took a late-order cameo from Lewis Gregory, who struck two sixes in his unbeaten 33 from 21 against his old side, to give the total some kind of respectability but it never looked like being enough against a Rockets outfit that is firing on all cylinders.Sonny Baker, called up to England’s white-ball squads on Friday, made an early breakthrough when he had Root caught behind, and Ravindra trapped Tom Banton lbw on the reverse-sweep to leave the Rockets 22 for 2 but Rehan showed off his silky strokeplay in making an unbeaten 45 from 35.Max Holden fell to Josh Tongue via a one-handed grab from Salt but Rehan and Tom Moores (22 not out) ensured a comprehensive win, the hosts reaching their target with 26 balls to spare to register a fourth win in five and leave them behind the Invincibles on net run-rate. Those two teams play against one another on Thursday night at The Oval.”We talked about intent a lot at the start of the competition and Rehan epitomises that,” Willey said. “He’s a tricky one to bowl at. You’re not quite sure what he’s going to do. When it comes off like it did tonight he can take the game away from the opposition.”

Tottenham Hotspur produced one of their best performances of the 2025/26 campaign on Tuesday night when they smashed Copenhagen 4-0 in the Champions League.

Thomas Frank’s side strolled to a comfortable victory in North London, despite Brennan Johnson’s second-half red card, and could have had a fifth when Richarlison missed a penalty late on.

The pick of the goals on the night was, undoubtably, the unbelievable solo run from central defender Micky van de Ven, which will

surely be in contention for the Goal of the Season award next year.

In terms of performances, Dutch attacking midfielder Xavi Simons will be pleased with his personal contribution after an impressive outing.

How Xavi Simons may have kickstarted his season

The £52m summer signing from RB Leipzig ended a run of 11 matches without a goal contribution in all competitions for Spurs with his assist for Johnson’s opening goal.

Xavi played a brilliant pass through to the Wales international, which allowed him to slot into an empty net after rounding the goalkeeper, and that was his second assist of the season.

The Netherlands international created three ‘big chances’ for the team in total, per Sofascore, and was the first Spurs player to create three chances in a Champions League half since the 2016/17 campaign.

Xavi, now, needs to use this impressive performance as a platform to kick on and provide consistency on a regular basis for the Lilywhites.

The Dutchman was not the only star player who could use Tuesday night’s match as a platform, though, as Wilson Odobert had his best night for the club.

Why Copenhagen was Wilson Odobert's best performance for Spurs

Since his move to Spurs from Burnley in the summer of 2024, Odobert has only managed two goals and no assists in the Premier League and the Champions League, with the second of those two goals coming against Copenhagen.

The French winger, who earned the same player rating (8/10) as Xavi from GOAL, remained incredibly composed to finish his chance, as shown in the clip above, when it would have been easy to snatch at it or try to smash it towards goal.

On top of scoring, the former Burnley man also completed three dribbles and created one chance, per Sofascore, which speaks to how direct and effective he was with the ball at his feet.

The Athletic’s Jay Harris suggested it was his “best performance in a Spurs shirt”, and that is hard to argue with, when compared to the only other game in the Premier League or Champions League that he has contributed to a goal in.

Wilson Odobert

Vs West Ham (04/05/25)

Vs Copenhagen (04/11/25)

Minutes

90

80

xG

0.47

0.21

Goals

1

1

Pass accuracy

70%

88%

Key passes

0

1

Dribbles completed

1/1

3/6

Duels won

2/6

6/9

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Odobert was better in duels, as a dribbler, as a creator, and as a passer against Copenhagen than he was against West Ham when he scored his first league goal for the club.

These statistics suggest that the French sensation, who was as effective as Xavi on Tuesday night, did play his best match for the Lilywhites against the Danish outfit.

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Like the Dutchman, Odobert should look to use this performance as a platform to build from for the rest of the season to kick on and become a star for Tottenham.

One of the biggest troubles for Leeds United this season is how poorly they have performed in front of goal. Daniel Farke’s side find themselves in a relegation battle, which many people expected would be the case. ESPN journalist Bill Connelly said they need “random bursts of quality attacking” to help them stay up.

Well, things haven’t worked out that way so far for the Whites. They’ve found the back of the net just nine times, better than just two sides, including bottom of the league Wolverhampton Wanderers. Leeds’ expected goals tally is just 12.94xG, the 12th best in the top flight.

One man who has struggled for his best goalscoring form is Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Calvert-Lewin’s struggles in front of goal

Leeds secured the signing of Calvert-Lewin in the summer on a free transfer, after his contract at Everton expired. He was brought in with the aim of bolstering their Premier League goalscoring stocks, although it hasn’t really worked out that well so far.

The experienced 28-year-old, who has 11 caps and four goals for England, has not quite hit the ground running in a Leeds shirt.

In nine games for the club so far, Calvert-Lewin has only found the back of the net once, against fellow strugglers Wolves.

It was a good finish, too, from the new Leeds number nine. He got on the end of a loopy cross from Jayden Bogle, finding space between the Wolves defenders and heading home. That is the kind of striking instinct Leeds fans may have expected.

However, it hasn’t really worked out for Calvert-Lewin, aside from that goal. His underlying numbers are surprisingly low, averaging just 2.8 shots per 90 minutes, with an expected goals per game of 0.33xG. That places him in the 25th percentile for Premier League strikers.

With a huge game against Nottingham Forest next up, Farke may decide to rotate the striker out of the side in favour of a man who knows where the back of the net is.

Leeds’ Calvert-Lewin alternative

Ultimately, Leeds need to start finding the back of the net more consistently soon. Goals win you football matches, and right now, they could do with a few victories to help propel them up the table.

Chalkboard

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

Well, Farke could well make the decision to axe Calvert-Lewin against Forest this weekend, and bring in Joel Piroe.

The Dutchman is someone who knows where the back of the net is, and Farke even called him the “best finisher” he’s ever seen as a manager.

With strikes like this one against Bristol City in the Championship last season, it is easy to see where the Whites’ boss is coming from.

Piroe bagged from quite a tight angle outside of the area, which takes some doing.

Indeed, he has put up some impressive numbers in a Leeds shirt so far. In 102 games for the club, the striker has 33 goals and ten assists. Last term in the Championship, Piroe was the main man up front and bagged 19 goals with seven assists in 46 games.

His underlying stats showcase how deadly he can be, too. During the league-winning 2024/25 season, the Dutch striker averaged 0.56 goals per 90 minutes, with an expected goals tally of 0.49xG. Both of those stats placed him in the top 5% of Championship strikers.

Goals

0.56

95th

Shots on target

1.14

89th

Expected goals

0.49xG

95th

Shot-creating actions

2.43

84th

Goal-creating actions

0.38

91st

Bringing Piroe into the side for the trip to the City Ground could be a stroke of genius from Farke. He has a point to prove, having fallen out of favour this season. He’s only played 164 top-flight minutes, but would surely love to get more regular game time.

Calvert-Lewin has been out of form this season. With someone who Farke himself has admitted is a deadly finisher waiting in the wings, he could be the difference in helping find the back of the net more often.

Farke can get DCL firing by ditching Aaronson for "unstoppable" Leeds star

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ByKelan Sarson Nov 6, 2025

One of the most intriguing young players in Manchester United’s academy at the moment is 17-year-old Chido Obi.

The former Arsenal player has a superb record at academy level. He scored 32 goals in 21 official games for Arsenal’s U18s and once bagged ten goals in a 14-3 win over Liverpool U16s. It’s safe to say he knows where the net is.

The Denmark U20s striker featured eight times for the Red Devils at senior level last term, and is a graduate of their academy, having made his first-team debut for the club. Although he’s yet to score, he has certainly impressed in his few short cameos.

In the long run, perhaps he could make the perfect replacement for Rasmus Hojlund, who is now thriving at Napoli on loan.

Hojlund's 2025/26 season in numbers

Since leaving United on loan in the summer, Hojlund has enjoyed great success for his new club Napoli and his international side, Denmark. In his last ten appearances for both club and country, he’s scored and assisted nine times.

That includes a fantastic run of form in the past four games.

Hojlund, who wears the number 19 in Naples, has found the back of the net on six occasions in that time, chipping in with one assist, too. That record stretches across the ongoing international break too.

Although he showed flashes of his best form in that famous Red shirt, the 22-year-old struggled for consistency.

He only managed to bag 26 times in 95 games, yet strikes like this one against Viktoria Plzen showed the type of quality he possesses.

The Dane’s current form is certainly a hot streak, who never really managed to find his feet at Old Trafford. There is a chance he could join Napoli permanently next summer, with the Scudetto winners having a buy option in the deal.

If that is the case, and he departs Old Trafford, United might already have his replacement brewing and it’s not Obi or the in-form Benjamin Sesko.

Man United's in-house Hojlund replacement

At the moment, all signs point to the fact that Hojlund will leave the club next summer, given that he has a buy clause and is playing so well.

Of course, in the long run, Obi could be the man to replace him, although there is an even bigger talent than the Dane.

Without doubt, one of the most exciting talents in English football at the moment is JJ Gabriel. At just 15 years of age, he is comfortably one of the best players in the U18s Premier League, against players three or four years his senior.

Academy Scoop, who covers the Red Devils youth sides over on X, described Gabriel as the “talisman” of Darren Fletcher’s side, while as the MEN outline, some academy followers believe he is “the best talent United’s academy has ever seen.”

That is huge praise, especially when you factor in the fact that he is playing three age groups up.

The numbers behind Gabriel’s form this season show just how much of a talent he is. He’s found the back of the net seven times in six appearances, with all of those goals coming from centre-forward.

He can also operate on the left wing, but Fletcher moved him centrally, and he’s since been thriving.

Everton (a)

0-1

0

Middlesbrough (h)

5-0

2 goals

Derby (a)

0-4

3 goals

Burnley (h)

1-0

0

Wolves (a)

0-4

1 goal, 1 assist

Man City (h)

2-4

1 goal

It is easy to see why he was hailed as “one of the most exciting talents in the world” by the Manchester Evening News’ Steven Railston. He is a technically superb attacker, with his strike against Manchester City at the end of September showing how quickly he can change direction, before firing home a well-struck effort.

It is certainly interesting to see Gabriel operate as a striker for the Red Devils’ academy sides. He clearly has bags of technical quality, and playing in this advanced role has shown that he has an eye for goal, too.

It will be fascinating to see when Gabriel makes his debut for the first team, with reports suggesting he will train with Amorim’s side this term.

He’s already shown great ability in the academy, and Amorim may well decide to unleash him this season, as Mikel Arteta did with Max Dowman.

He would certainly be an upgrade on Hojlund in the long run if he adapts to senior football as quickly as he did to the U18s.

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