O São Paulo tem um novo líder no número de assistências do elenco. Trata-se do meia-atacante Vitor Bueno , que somou seu sétimo passe para gol na temporada e ultrapassou o lateral Reinaldo nessa estatística. Contra o Fortaleza, no Castelão, o camisa 12 do Tricolor deixou Luciano na cara do gol para marcar o segundo da equipe na vitória, por 3 a 2.
– Claro que a gente sempre fica muito feliz por ter números importantes e por poder ajudar o São Paulo de alguma forma, seja com gols ou assistências. Espero poder continuar contribuindo para que lá na frente esses números todos sejam revertidos em títulos. Independentemente de quem joga, de quem faz gol ou dá passe a gente vem fazendo coletivamente jogos muito bons e isso é o mais importante – afirmou o jogador, peça importante no elenco.
No último fim de semana, Vitor Bueno foi escalado como titular no meio de campo e auxiliou o sistema ofensivo da equipe. Além da assistência para Luciano no segundo tempo, o jogador desempenhou bem seu trabalho e ajudou o Tricolor a encostar nos líderes do Campeonato Brasileiro – mesmo com três jogos a menos que seus adversários pelo título nacional.
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Embora tenha se destacado no Castelão, Vitor Bueno não vem sendo o titular da posição. Com o bom momento de Igor Gomes e Gabriel Sara, o meia-atacante perdeu posição na equipe. Apesar disso, o jogador sabe de sua importância dentro do elenco e tem contribuído quando é acionado pelo técnico Fernando Diniz.
– O São Paulo hoje tem um grupo muito bom, tanto em qualidade quanto em ambiente. Ninguém tem vaidade aqui dentro, todos estão focados no mesmo objetivo que é brigar até o final pelo Brasileiro e pela Copa do Brasil. Eu sigo trabalhando forte, respeitando os companheiros que vêm jogando, mas tentando fazer algo diferente quando entro nos jogos e buscando novamente meu espaço entre os 11. Com o calendário que temos, ainda mais neste ano atípico, é preciso ter um elenco de qualidade, com boas peças e com todo mundo com bom ritmo de jogo. Diniz tem trabalhado bastante com a gente, principalmente na parte mental, do desgaste físico e emocional. Esperamos já na quarta no Morumbi dar mais um importante passo e chegar à semifinal – explicou o são-paulino.
Nesta quarta, às 21h30, o Tricolor mede forças com o Flamengo pelas quartas de final da Copa do Brasil. A partida será disputada no estádio do Morumbi e como o São Paulo venceu o jogo de ida, no Maracanã, por 2 a 1, tem a vantagem de jogar por qualquer empate para avançar às semis do torneio mata-mata. Importante ressaltar que o classificado do confronto entre paulistas e cariocas fatura uma premiação de R$ 7 milhões paga pela CBF.
The turbo-charged winger lit up the Under-17 World Cup with England, and his next challenge is to get a taste of first-team action with City
What do Cesc Fabregas, Toni Kroos, Phil Foden and Victor Osimhen all have in common? Before launching their spectacular careers and going on to win multiple club and international titles, they all made a name for themselves at the Under-17 World Cup. Fabregas, Kroos and Foden were all named Player of the Tournament, while Osimhen won the Golden Boot as top scorer.
The biggest and most prestigious youth tournament in the world has been the launchpad for many more spectacular careers, and Joel Ndala will be hoping he can now take the next step in his journey to the top after a sensational individual display last year in Indonesia.
Ndala did not leave the 2023 tournament with any medals or individual awards, and after England's early exit to Uzbekistan he released an Instagram post showing himself looking devastated beneath a one word message: "Disappointed".
But Ndala still left his mark on the tournament with three goals and two assists, leaving observers with a clear sense that they will be seeing plenty more of him in the future.
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Where it all began
Ndala did a lot of moving around as a child. He was born in Manchester, but soon after he arrived into the world, his family, who have heritage from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, moved to France. They returned to the UK when Ndala was seven, moving to Stoke, and he was picked up by Port Vale at the age of eight after a member of staff was given a tip off by Ndala's PE teacher.
"From the first moment you could tell he was something special,” Vale academy coach Callum Rollings told . “It doesn’t happen much – he was spotted playing in the playground and the teacher gave us a call. He just had this belief in his own ability, even though he was such a young lad. Joel’s the best I’ve ever seen at that age. It was always like he was still playing in the playground.
“He was just unbelievable – in his own age group he stood out like a sore thumb. We did try to hide him a little bit, but the main thing was that he wasn’t being tested, and that’s why he went up two years. There was always a lot of interest around him.”
Word soon spread, and Ndala was the subject of interest from Liverpool and Aston Villa. But City eventually agreed a deal with Port Vale to sign Ndala in 2017, paying a reported £300,000 ($383,000) for the then-11-year-old.
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Getty
The big break
At the age of just 15, Ndala was promoted to City's U18s side, the youngest-ever player to do so. He held his own, too, scoring 10 goals in his first season, while also making his debut in the UEFA Youth League with the U19s. In July 2022, shortly after his 16th birthday, he signed a professional contract with the Cityzens.
Ndala produced a stunning cameo off the bench in a Youth League match against Borussia Dortmund, using his quick feet to win a penalty that was converted by current first-teamer Oscar Bobb. Ndala then proceeded to win the game, getting a feint touch to a ball over the top before following up on the rebound.
How it's going
Ndala featured regularly again in City's most recent Youth League campaign, where they reached the last-16, only to be knocked out by Mainz. And he has begun to make headlines at international level after lighting up the U17 World Cup.
He provided two assists in England's 10-0 hammering of New Caledonia, struck a last-minute winner to beat Iran 2-1, and scored a penalty in the defeat by Brazil. Ndala was also on the scoresheet in the shock 2-1 defeat by Uzbekistan, the one player to stand out in a desperately disappointing loss for the young Lions.
"In terms of his development, it’s really important that he has a bump in the road, and I’m sure that he will come back stronger,” Rollings said. “Joel was the one bright spark from England’s team at the World Cup who everyone wants to know about now. But I’m sure he will make an even bigger name for himself in the future."
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Biggest strengths
Ndala is a dribbling sensation. He weaves past defenders for fun with his ultra-quick feet, but is also adept at slowing the play down when he needs to and protecting the ball by the byline, before continuing down the wing or cutting inside. He also has frenetic pace, frequently leaving opponents behind him amid a trail of dust.
Ndala is also remarkably adept with both feet, meaning he can play off either wing and is an unpredictable force to defend against, as deadly with his right foot as he is with his left.
Farhad Moshiri's seven years as owner of Everton football club have been chaotic, to say the least.
Record-breaking transfers, relegation battles and a whole host of managerial sackings have all culminated in their demise towards the foot of the Premier League table and while moving into a state-of-the-art stadium in 2024 could transform their mood, it could have the opposite effect if the Toffees are a Championship club by that point.
The Toffees have survived relegation by the skin of their teeth in recent campaigns and unless Sean Dyche somehow performs some miracles, another battle against the drop is on the cards.
Unfortunately, the main reason for their downward spiral has been their constant lapses of misjudgement in the transfer market, paying the price for shelling obscene amounts of cash on disappointing talent.
The likes of Jean-Philippe Gbamin, Sandro Ramirez, Yannick Bolasie, Davy Klaasen and Cenk Tosun – a list that is by no means exhaustive – have all foregrounded the bitterly disappointing transfer strategy that has been carried out since Moshiri took to the helm.
Everton have ultimately fallen victim to throwing money down the drain on talent that promised to deliver so much and it was the arrivals of Bolasie and Morgan Schneiderlin in 2016/17 that kickstarted this trend.
The background behind Everton's signing of Morgan Schneiderlin
Everton captured the defensive midfielder for £24m from Manchester United in January 2017, reuniting him with former manager Ronald Koeman, who he spent a season under at Southampton.
The Frenchman originally left St Mary's for Old Trafford in 2015 for a similar fee but struggled to make inroads into the first team during Jose Mourinho's time in charge.
He only featured on 47 occasions for the club and struggled to hold down his place in the matchday squad, perhaps foreshadowing how the rest of his career would plan out.
Morgan Schneiderlin
Departing the club in acrimonious circumstances, Schneiderlin later revealed that he "lost himself as a player" at Man United due to a multitude of reasons, but it was the demands set by then manager Louis van Gaal that affected him the most.
He said: "It was not just the manager's fault, it was my fault, too. My role was not the one I had at Southampton. I felt restricted in my game. I felt they wanted to change things in me. I was not thinking as me, I was thinking about what pleased the coach.
"When you reach that point, every pass you make, everything you do, you don't play free. Something stopped me from being who I was. I wanted so much to do well and it is one of the most frustrating things ever."
Having lost himself at one of the biggest clubs in the world, the Frenchman struggled to recapture the form that saw him burst onto the scene at Southampton as a youngster, and pay back the original price tag with exceptional performances.
Morgan Schneiderlin's statistical record at Everton
Schneiderlin arrived at Everton when Ronald Koeman was spearheading their charge towards Europe and he would have expected the 27-year-old, at the time, to become the anchor of their ship.
A tough-tackling defensive midfielder with a sublime passing range, Schneiderlin boasted the desirable ingredients for a European charge in the Dutchman's possession-based style.
The 6 foot 1 anchorman had previously showcased an ability to recycle possession for his team, caress line-breaking passes through to his attackers and read the game superbly to sniff out danger.
Manchester United Michael Carrick
Those were all attributes that saw Rio Ferdinand earmark him as a replacement for Michael Carrick at Man United and Koeman partnered him next to the energetic and tenacious midfielder, Idrissa Gueye.
Although he promised to deliver those sought-after attributes for the Toffees, instead the Frenchman, quite simply, didn't endear himself well to the Goodison Park faithful and this was embodied by his lack of discipline on and off the field. In 88 appearances for the club, he was shown 14 yellow cards and three red cards, channelling his aggression in the wrong way.
Given his subpar performances, Schneiderlin's exit was mooted for a while, but it didn't happen till the summer of 2020 as OGC Nice paid £2m to lure him back to France.
The total cost of Schneiderlin's time at Everton
During his three-and-a-half-year stint at the club, he earned a whopping £22.8m in wages, as per Capology.
Indeed, when adding his initial transfer fee of £24m to that total, Schneiderlin drained Everton of a staggering £46.8m, as the club's finances took a monumental hit without significant returns on the pitch.
£120k
£90k
£75k
£70k
£70k
Remarkably, the Frenchman's wage of £120k per week saw him become the club's highest earner after signing in the 2016/17 campaign. He was on more money than several key players in the squad, including Romelu Lukaku, Idrissa Gueye and Ross Barkley.
Schneiderlin unfortunately symbolises Everton's habit of draining the club's resources on woeful talent.
Schneiderlin's career path since leaving Everton
Since leaving Goodison Park in 2020, the 33-year-old has become a journeyman, plying his trade in three different countries.
Having made 59 appearances for Ligue 1 giants OGC Nice, he moved to the other side of the world to sign for Western Sydney Wanderers, but only made 11 appearances in the A-League before packing his bags once more and relocating to Greek Super League side, A.E Kifisias.
While his career has taken a downward spiral, much like Everton's fortunes, Schneiderlin admitted in a recent interview during his brief time in Australia that he could still be at Manchester United if he played to his full potential, as per the Daily Mail.
Morgan Schneiderlin
He said: "I know if I played to my full potential, with freedom, I would not be in Australia right now.
"Maybe I would still be at Manchester United. When I signed, I wanted to be a legend there. That is why I am mad with myself and it will be hard until the end of my life.
"My friends ask, 'Why are you saying this?' But I know myself and what I can bring. I know this time at Manchester United affected me for the longest period in my career. I was so frustrated I couldn't give what I wanted."
The Frenchman failed to recapture the form that saw him become one of several big-money departures out of Southampton and ultimately, never recovered from his damaging spell at Man United, nor his disastrous time at Everton.
كشفت تقارير صحفية أن حارس مرمى فريق تشيلسي، كيبا أريزابالاجا، يجري محادثات بشأن خطوة انتقال محتملة إلى الدوري السعودي.
كان الحارس الإسباني قد قضى الموسم الماضي على سبيل الإعارة في صفوف ريال مدريد.
اقرأ أيضًا.. كوكوريلا يوضح موقفه من مغادرة تشيلسي بعد يورو 2024
ولكن صاحب الـ29 عامًا لم يشارك كأساسي إلا في مباراة واحدة فقط مع ريال مدريد بعد يناير الماضي، بسبب الاعتماد على زميله أندريه لونين.
وانتهت فترة إعارة كيبا مع ريال مدريد في 30 يونيو الماضي، حيث عاد من جديد إلى تشيلسي، وسط غموض مستقبله ما بين إمكانية العودة إلى النادي الإسباني أو البقاء في “ستامفورد بريدج”.
ويرتبط كيبا بعقد ساري مع تشيلسي حتى عام 2025، ولكنه لا يزال من غير الواضح ما إذا كان لا يزال لديه الرغبة في القتال على مكان في تشيلسي، أو الرحيل إلى نادِ آخر.
ووفقًا لشبكة “ذا أثلتيك” العالمية، فإن كيبا يحظى باهتمام من قِبل الدوري السعودي للمحترفين، خاصة أن الحارس لم يحسم مستقبله بعد حتى الآن.
وأوضحت أن نادي الاتحاد السعودي في محادثات بالفعل مع كيبا حول إمكانية الظفر بخدماته هذا الصيف.
وليس من المعروف حتى الآن موقف الحارس نفسه من خطوة الرحيل إلى الدوري السعودي، في موسم الانتقالات الصيفي الحالي.
Manchester United will hope the international break has given Erik ten Hag time to gather his thoughts and regroup ahead of a hectic few weeks.
United had snatched a last-gasp win against Brentford a couple of weeks ago, yet this has only papered over the cracks since the start of the season.
They have won only five matches this term, claiming victory in just four of their opening eight Premier League fixtures and whilst the win over the Bees has given the Dutchman some breathing space, form like this ensures the club is never far from a crisis.
What looked like a summer of rejuvenation failed to materialise and several of his new signings have been unable to really hit the ground running, in particular – Mason Mount.
How has Mason Mount performed this season?
The Englishman joined the Red Devils in a deal worth up to £60m during the summer transfer window and considering his contract was set to expire at Chelsea in 2024, it certainly looked as though Ten Hag had overpaid.
Three months into the current season, this is a fair statement, especially considering he has unperformed at Old Trafford.
The midfielder has played in just six of their 11 games this term, registering one assist, and he will need to vastly improve over the coming months if he is to endear himself to the United faithful.
Across his four Premier League appearances, Mount currently ranks in a lowly eighth position among his teammates for key passes per game (one), while ranking 15th for accurate passes (23.8) and eighth for successful dribbles (0.8) per game, clearly indicating he hasn’t exactly had the biggest impact for the club during his first few months.
The Dutchman could perhaps turn to the transfer market to find a player who can live up to the expectations at United, amid reported interest in Bayer Leverkusen youngster Florian Wirtz.
Are Man Utd interested in Florian Wirtz?
According to Sport (via Sport Witness), the Red Devils are ‘in the mix’ to sign Wirtz from the German side, although they face some stiff competition from Manchester City and Newcastle United in order to secure his signature.
Barcelona are also interested in Wirtz, yet their financial situation could scupper any potential move, and it is claimed that Xabi Alonso is demanding a fee in the region of €85m (£74m) – an eyewatering amount for a player so young.
With the January transfer window fast approaching, the Dutchman may look to make a concrete offer for the German starlet in a bid to improve his attacking options at the club.
With Mount struggling to get going so far at Old Trafford and Bruno Fernandes nearing 30, Wirtz could arrive at precisely the right time to continue his development while emerging as an heir to the Portuguese maestro.
How good is Florian Wirtz?
Remarkably, Wirtz is still just 20, yet he has already amassed 12 full caps for Germany while making over 100 appearances for Leverkusen since the start of the 2019/20 campaign, scoring 26 goals and grabbing 34 assists in that time period.
His resilience has also been tested, as the youngster suffered a cruciate ligament tear in March 2022 which kept him out for nine months and this could have seriously damaged his career, yet he has returned to the sparkling form he showcased before his injury.
So far this term, Wirtz has scored three times while registering four assists, and he could be a key figure under Alonso as the former Liverpool star aims to take the club to places they have never reached before.
Such is his talents, the youngster is shining when compared to his positional peers in Europe's top five leagues, ranking in the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90 (3.6) while even ranking in the top 2% for both shot-creating actions (5.9) and assists (0.45) per 90, indicating how good he has been over the previous 12 months.
Florian Wirtz's career so far
Games
Goals
2023/24
10
3
2022/23
25
4
2021/22
31
10
2020/21
38
8
2019/20
9
1
Stats via Transfermarkt
Talent scout Jacek Kulig had only positive things to say about the starlet following his performances in the Europa League last term, saying: “19 years of age. Superb in the Bundesliga, superb in Europe. Elite talent.”
There is no doubt he is ready for the step-up and United could be the perfect destination for him.
Could Florian Wirtz replace Bruno Fernandes?
According to WhoScored, both Fernandes and Wirtz excel at key passes and through balls while they both tend to play the ball off the ground often and these similarities could ensure the talented German is a success in Manchester.
Fernandes has been United’s key creative outlet yet again this season. For his league displays, the 29-year-old currently ranks first across the whole squad for big chances created (five), while also ranking second for key passes per game (2.9) and first for shots on target per game (1.4), demonstrating that he is integral to Ten Hag for his attacking qualities.
Bruno Fernandes
Wirtz has also shone domestically this term for Leverkusen, ranking second across the squad for big chances created (six) along with sitting in second for key passes per game (three) and third for shots on target per game (1.1) and the statistics certainly show that the youngster has even outperformed Fernandes on a couple of metrics.
There is no doubt that Wirtz is a generational talent, and it is hardly surprising that some of the biggest clubs on the continent are chasing him ahead of making a potential move.
If Ten Hag wishes to build United into this behemoth that he so desires, then signing talents such as Wirtz is the only way he is going to be able to achieve his goals.
Letting rivals such as City swoop in and sign him would be yet another blow for the Dutchman, and he has simply got to make a wonderful offer for the German, even if it means bad news for Mount.
His performances already during his short career have been sensational and if there is anyone who could displace Mount and eventually become a heir to Fernandes, then Wirtz is the player.
If he moved to United and continued with his recent form, it could arguably be the catalyst which spurs the club on to greater things.
Kai Rooney, son of Wayne Rooney, showcased his talent with a hat-trick and two assists in Manchester United U-14's 6-4 win over Everton.
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Kai emulating his superstar dadIn fine form for United's youth teamRevealed his dream of winning the Premier League and the World CupGetty WHAT HAPPENED?
Following in the footsteps of his illustrious father, who enjoyed a distinguished career at Manchester United, Kai joined the club in 2020. And with each passing game, Kai continues to impress, further solidifying his position as a rising star within the club's youth ranks.
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Kai's exceptional performance against Everton comes on the heels of his previous standout display, where he netted twice and provided two assists in a commanding 6-0 win against Leeds United two months earlier. The 14-year-old revealed that he takes valuable advice from his dad and attributed much of his success to Rooney's mentorship.
WHAT KAI ROONEY SAID
When asked if his dad shares some tips with him, Kai told reporters: "It's a lot about scoring goals because he was pretty good at scoring goals. So it's mainly tips about that. He is preparing me to get into professional football with the right mentality. He's helping me a lot. He watched the last game and he's been looking at the fixtures. He says he's pleased with them all. My dreams are to win the Premier League, and the World Cup."
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GettyWHAT NEXT?
While Rooney is still looking for a fresh managerial challenge, after being shown the door by Birmingham City, Kai can make the most of his free time at home learning a trick or two from the legend before he again gets busy with a new coaching job.
Everton’s recruitment over the past decade, ever since David Moyes stepped down from his position to take over at Premier League champions Manchester United, has been undefined, to say the least.
The Toffees signed a large number of players for hefty transfer fees under a variety of different head coaches, parting ways with half a billion pounds in cash from 2016 to 2022 alone.
Nevertheless, the Merseyside club did make some of the money back over the last ten years by selling some key players for relatively handsome sums, including Romelu Lukaku, Richarlison, John Stones, and Anthony Gordon.
However, the club’s fifth-highest transfer sale since 2013 has recently become a free agent this past week and even managed to outscore every Everton player in 2023.
The transfer fees Marouane Fellaini accumulated
In 2008, Moyes smashed Everton’s club record by signing a young Belgian midfielder named Marouane Fellaini from Standard Liege for £15m. The midfielder became a fan-favourite at Goodison Park, scoring 33 goals and registering 26 assists in five years while also picking up 45 yellow cards in 177 appearances in all competitions, according to Transfermarkt.
In 2013, Moyes was announced as the new manager of Manchester United following Sir Alex Ferguson’s retirement, taking Fellaini with him in his first transfer window. In fact, Fellaini was the first major signing of the post-Sir Alex era at Old Trafford, having completed his switch to the English giants for a reported £27.5m.
Romelu Lukaku
£73m
Richarlison
£50m
John Stones
£47m
Anthony Gordon
£40m
Wayne Rooney
£32m
Marouane Fellaini
£27.5m
All fees via Transfermarkt.
Fellaini was one of the most expensive signings in Man United’s history at the time when he moved to the club a little over ten years ago and became a figure of ridicule at times, with former captain Roy Keane even claiming that the Belgium international became a “scapegoat” at the Theatre of Dreams for the team’s failures on the pitch.
Fellaini was eventually moved on from United once Ole Gunnar Solskjaer took charge at the end of 2018 after playing merely three minutes in the league under the Norwegian coach. The Belgian signed for Chinese Super League club Shandong Luneng Taishan for £10.5m.
The 6 foot 4 midfielder may not have felt the love from supporters during his time with the Red Devils but certainly did throughout his five-year stint in China. So much so that transfer expert Fabrizio Romano called Fellaini a “legend of the club” when announcing that the 35-year-old had become a free agent on Saturday morning after his contract expired.
Fellaini’s stats in 2023
There are very few players in their prime that would have suited Sean Dyche’s direct tactical style more than Fellaini, had he stayed in Merseyside.
Having been converted to a centre-forward in the CSL, Fellaini scored 12 goals in 29 appearances, including 11 in the league this calendar year. The only Everton player that comes close to these numbers in 2023 is midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, who found the net eight times over the past calendar year, with three coming this season alone.
Eight of Fellaini’s 11 league goals in 2023 came from his head, a tool he utilised expertly in English football to latch onto the end of crosses inside the penalty area. Furthermore, the colossal Belgian averaged a goal every 181 minutes in the CSL, all of which came inside the box, bettering his tally of converting once every 232 minutes in the previous campaign, as per FotMob.
In contrast, Doucoure has scored one goal every 316 minutes in the Premier League this season, with all three coming inside the penalty area, although the Frenchman is yet to score a header under Dyche in the 2023/24 campaign. Only Dominic Calvert-Lewin has a better goals-per-minute ratio than Fellaini and Doucoure and is currently averaging one every 167 minutes this season despite scoring just three times in the top flight.
Fellaini shared a similar role at Everton to Doucoure, albeit under different managers but the former is still far more of a goal threat than any other player at Goodison Park in a team that have bagged merely 11 goals in 11 league games.
It will be interesting to see whether Fellaini decides to hang up his boots once and for all or continue playing, but there is certainly a useful player still in there for a club to snap up on a free.
The summer transfer window marked a poignant moment for those at Tottenham Hotspur, as the curtain came down on Harry Kane's stellar stint at N17 – the England skipper sealing a move to Bundesliga powerhouse Bayern Munich having had just a year to run on his contract in north London.
That high-profile departure had come just under ten years on from Spurs losing another sparkling talisman to a historic, European giant following Gareth Bale's £85m switch to Real Madrid, with chairman Daniel Levy sanctioning that sale on deadline day in 2013.
While it was not long after the Welshman's exit that things began to click under Mauricio Pochettino – as that man Kane emerged onto the scene in 2014/15 – there will be Lilywhites supporters pondering whether 'success' could have been achieved earlier had the now-retired speedster not been allowed to move to the Bernabeu a decade ago.
Could Andre Villas-Boas have remained in the job for a longer stint? Could the north Londoners have begun to challenge the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea at the summit?
Off the back of a 2012/13 season that saw Bale register 40 goals and assists in all competitions, it is easy to contemplate whether the former Southampton could have kicked on even further in English football and helped to end the club's lengthy wait for silverware.
One possible certainty had the Cardiff native stayed put that summer is that Levy is unlikely to have sanctioned a £105m spend on seven new faces in that same window, prior to Bale's exit, with those additions potentially having been signed in the knowledge that the forward was to depart.
With that in mind, here's a look at how Villas-Boas' side could have lined up in 2013/14, had Bale remained in place and the majority of that infamous 'magnificent seven' not been signed…
1 Goalkeeper – Hugo Lloris
Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.
The only player from this starting XI that remains on the books under Ange Postecoglou – albeit as a forgotten figure – Hugo Lloris had been snapped up the year prior to Bale's departure, joining on a £13m deal from Ligue 1 side, Lyon.
While the veteran Frenchman has since been cast aside in the present day after initially outlining his desire for a move earlier this year, on the whole, it has been a stunning, lengthy stay in England for the ex-skipper, having racked up 444 appearances in all competitions.
A World Cup winner at international level, in his pomp the 36-year-old was a truly "exceptional" talent – as hailed by ex-teammate Brad Friedel – with a figure of such quality likely having been deserving of a more trophy-laden spell in the Premier League.
Perhaps, with longer time spent watching Bale work his magic higher up the pitch, that goal could have been realised.
2 Right-back – Kyle Walker
The undisputed first-choice option at right-back prior to his £50m move to Manchester City in 2017, Kyle Walker had truly begun to click into gear during the 2012/13 season, with the former Sheffield United ace having provided five assists in 36 league games under Villas-Boas' watch.
That was an early example of the potent attacking threat that the Englishman can offer down the right flank, with it likely to have been exciting to witness the full-back on one side, with Bale on the other wing for a lengthier period of time – a duo that could wreak havoc on opposition defences.
While perhaps not at his peak in Lilywhite, the 33-year-old has since won trophies galore after blossoming into the "best right-back in the world" at the Etihad, as hailed by City's director of football, Txiki Begiristain, having been part of the club's remarkable treble success last term.
3 Centre-back – Michael Dawson
Michael Dawson
Before the days of Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, or even Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, it was Michael Dawson who was holding the fort at the heart of the defence alongside the latter man in 2013, with the former Nottingham Forest ace leading the side as captain at the time.
Having made 27 league outings in 2012/13, Dawson would ultimately go on to make a further 32 appearances in the top flight the following season, prior to joining Hull City in the summer of 2014.
A solid, but unglamorous performer at centre-back, the now-retired titan was perhaps the type of player that Spurs needed to upgrade on at the time, although even if this list were to include the club's infamous seven signings of 2013, eventual flop Vlad Chiriches was the only defensive addition of the lot.
The Belgian colossus would ultimately develop into "one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League and in Europe" – in the words of Pochettino – having been a true "warrior" in the backline after signing from Ajax in 2012.
The classy, left-footer had helped to fill the void of former cult hero, Ledley King following the Englishman's retirement that summer, with Levy and co having found a new figure to build their defence around.
Part of the side that remarkably reached the Champions League final in 2019, Vertonghen eventually departed for Benfica a year later, with the 36-year-old now plying his trade in his homeland for Anderlecht.
The man who could have linked up with Bale down that left channel, Danny Rose had returned to White Hart Lane in the summer of 2013, having spent the previous campaign on loan at Sunderland in the top-tier.
Having struggled to force his way into the first-team set-up in north London despite his stunning debut goal against rivals Arsenal in 2008, it was in 2013/14 that the one-time Leeds man began to make a strong, consistent impression, registering one goal and four assists in 22 league games.
While the 33-year-old would endure a sour end to his time at the club after being cast aside by Jose Mourinho, he still contributed 38 goals and assists in 219 games across all fronts, ensuring he could have been the perfect attacking foil for Bale.
6 Centre-midfield – Mousa Dembele
Mousa Dembele
Lauded as a "genius" by Pochettino, Mousa Dembele blossomed into a real world-beater following the appointment of the Argentine coach in 2014, with the current Chelsea boss having turned him into a 'special player' – as journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke wrote at the time.
There is perhaps a world, however, in which Pochettino may never have ended up at N17, with the continued presence of Bale potentially set to have kept Villas-Boas in a job for far longer, as the Portuguese tactician was eventually sacked in December 2013 – just months after the Welshman's sale.
In the event of that scenario, would Dembele have become the beloved and influential figure that he developed into under Pochettino's watch?
7 Centre-midfield – Gylfi Sigurdsson
Gylfi Sigurdsson
Options in the middle of midfield were particularly thin on the ground at Spurs in 2013, with that summer having seen the likes of Tom Huddlestone and Scott Parker move onto pastures new, leaving Villas-Boas with little depth in that department.
In the event of Bale staying, the likes of Christian Eriksen (£11.5m) and Etienne Capoue (£9m) may never have ended up in north London, leaving Gylfi Sigurdsson as one of few options for the club to work with in that area of the squad.
The Icelandic playmaker, in reality, spent just two years with the Lilywhites prior to leaving for Swansea City in 2014, while he now plies his trade for Danish side Lyngby, after leaving Everton.
8 Centre-midfield – Paulinho
With Bale's sale recouping around £85m – and with Levy ultimately spending £105m – that difference of around £20m could have been what the typically frugal Levy would have been willing to spend had the wing wizard stayed put, ensuring that at least one of the 'magnificent seven' can feature in this lineup.
As the first signing of that summer on a £17m deal from Corinthians, it makes sense for Paulinho to be the sole inclusion in the side, particularly with the centre of the park one of the areas that desperately needed bolstering at the time.
Quite whether Bale staying could have altered the Brazilian's dour stint is difficult to predict, with the 6 foot enigma ultimately lasting just two seasons before departing for China, with eight goals and six assists under his belt in 64 games.
Unsurprisingly, it was the attacking ranks which saw the most change following the exit of Bale, with the likes of Erik Lamela, Roberto Soldado and Nacer Chadli having all been recruited in order to help pep up the front line.
Lamela, in particular, was meant to be the man to try and fill the shoes of the departing hero, although, in his absence, diminutive speedster Aaron Lennon would likely have remained the leading option in that role, having recorded four goals and eight assists in the league in 2012/13.
Just 18 months later, the 21-cap England international was moved on to Everton after falling by the wayside under the Pochettino regime, with things initially tumbling for the club after Bale's move to Madrid.
10 Centre-forward – Emmanuel Adebayor
Emmanuel Adebayor
The second-most expensive signing of that window was Roberto Soldado on a £26m deal, yet had the Spaniard not made the move from his homeland, the onus would have been placed on Emmanuel Adebayor to lead the line heading into 2013/14.
The former Arsenal and Manchester City man wouldn't have exactly been the most inspiring figurehead in attack, however, as he had scored just five league goals in 2012/13, despite previously recording 28 goal involvements in 33 league games the season prior.
Something of a polarising enigma, Adebayor did eventually go on to outscore Soldado – who was the "flop of the season" according to journalist Sam Tighe – with 11 league goals in 13/14, with the summer signing, by contrast, scoring just six top-flight goals as the goalscoring impact of Bale was not adequately filled.
Fabrizio Romano has been giving his thoughts on one player who Manchester United are reportedly considering a move for.
Man Utd transfer update; new defender
The Red Devils have struggled for clean sheets and defensive options so far this season, with the likes of Raphael Varane and Lisandro Martinez currently injured. In total, Erik ten Hag’s side have conceded 19 goals in 11 games, with a makeshift back four of Diogo Dalot, Harry Maguire, Jonny Evans and Victor Lindelof starting against Brentford in the Premier League prior to the international break.
However, with the January transfer window around the corner, the club appear to be looking at possible signings at the back, with Goncalo Inacio, Antonio Silva, Jean-Clair Todibo and Edmond Tapsoba named as potential Man Utd targets.
Talking in his CaughOffside column, Fabrizio Romano has now provided a transfer update on Inacio. The transfer expert said he is on the list of United and Liverpool, although negotiations are yet to start with either club. Romano then gave his verdict on the player, suggesting he would ‘be an amazing option for any club’, saying the left-footed centre-backs at his level ‘are very rare’.
“Goncalo Inacio continues to impress as one of the top young defenders in Europe, showing huge potential with Sporting Lisbon and recently working his way onto Manchester United’s potential list of targets. But there is also Liverpool – the Reds have always been in the stands to scout and follow Inacio, but at the same time they never sent official bids or started negotiations.
“There’s nothing new so far, as he signed a new deal at Sporting in August as there was nothing concrete happening with UK clubs. Still, I think he’d be an amazing option for any club, Liverpool or United in particular; left footed players at that level are very rare to find.”
Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio.
How good is Goncalo Inacio?
Inacio has gained plenty of first-team experience after coming through the Sporting CP academy, turning out on 132 occasions in all competitions, including 10 times during the current campaign. (Goncalo Inacio stats)
Still only 22 years of age, Inacio’s transfer value has increased to a career-high €30m by Transfermarkt, although recent Man Utd transfer reports have claimed that the Red Devils may need to pay closer to €60m if they want their man.
During the 2023/24 season, Inacio has impressed when compared to the likes of Varane, Martinez and Lindelof, as can be seen below. (FBref stats per 90 mins 2023/24)
Player
% of dribbles tackled
Blocks
Interceptions
Carries
Goncalo Inacio
58.3%
1.13
1
69
Raphael Varane
33.3%
1.11
0.28
57.8
Lisandro Martinez
36.4%
0.95
0.48
49
Victor Lindelof
28.6%
1.05
0.53
50.5
Therefore, a move for Inacio in 2024 by Man United could prove to be a shred piece of business by those at Old Trafford, with the left-footed centre-back seemingly a star already, and you’d like to think he’ll only get better with age.
Trinbago Knight Riders continued to uphold their role in the three-horse race for the regular season CPL crown, rejoining Jamaica Tallawahs and Guyana Amazon Warriors at the top of the table with a 46-run win over St Kitts & Nevis Patriots at Warner Park.Colin Munro’s consistency propelled the Knight Riders to another win as the New Zealander notched his fourth fifty in seven matches before Dwayne Bravo raided the Patriots attack with a whirlwind knock that included five successive sixes off Alzarri Joseph in the 19th over to put the target well out of reach for the Patriots.Attila the MunSunil Narine’s lean run of form in CPL 2018 continued when he was out slogging to long-on in the second over for 6. But Narine’s lack of runs – 56 in seven innings – has been covered by Munro’s ruthless run-making. Entering at No. 3, Munro ensured the innings didn’t skip a beat, striking an unbeaten 76 off 50 balls. Munro took 41 balls to reach his half-century, the slowest of his four fifties this season, but his innings was the perfect platform to give Dwayne a freewheeling license at the death. In the process, he reclaimed the CPL 2018 runs lead from Kieron Pollard with 346 at an average of 57.66.Zero to 30Dwayne entered with 20 balls left in the innings following the dismissal of Darren Bravo in the 17th, splicing Sheldon Cottrell to mid-off for 18. Dwayne came on strike for the start of the 19th over facing Joseph, who up until that point had been brilliant with figures of 3-0-13-2. Joseph had bowled both Chris Lynn and Brendon McCullum by beating them with sheer pace, but guile was needed to displace Dwayne from the crease and the ‘Champion’ dancer’s experience showed up the 21-year-old in the sequence that won the match.After a dot ball to start the over, Dwayne proceeded to smash five consecutive sixes. The first two were driven over mid-on and mid-off respectively before the third was flicked over deep square leg. The creme de la creme was the fourth maximum in the sequence. After three straight full balls had gone over the rope, Joseph tried a wide bouncer but Bravo stayed in his crease and used his wrists to uppercut it with enough oomph to clear the point boundary. When Joseph went full once more off the final ball, Dwayne drove him sweetly over wide mid-on.Munro took back the reins for the final over, driving a four and six over mid-off as part of an 18-run 20th off Cottrell to take TKR to 199. Munro’s strike rate was modest before the final burst, but he was efficient in only absorbing 12 dot balls, scoring off 76% of his deliveries in the end. He wasn’t particularly fluent during a 78-run third-wicket partnership with McCullum and played a back-seat role in the unbroken 66-run stand with Dwayne, but provided the spine that was central to another TKR win.Dr. PhilBehind Ali Khan and Dwayne, TKR has struggled to settle on a third pace-bowling option this season. Javon Searles, Shannon Gabriel and Kevon Cooper had all shuffled through the role with not much success. Searching for a solution, TKR called 22-year-old Anderson Phillip into the XI for his season debut and his performance was just what the doctor ordered for their success in the field.Anderson came on in the fifth over and had Chris Gayle edging a cut behind three balls later for the first wicket of the chase. Only an edged yorker through through fine leg by new batsman Rassie van der Dussen denied Phillip a wicket maiden. Patriots were 78 for 2 in 10 with Evin Lewis 49 off 34 balls, in a decent position for a major launch as has been the case for chasing teams in CPL 2018, but Phillip scuttled that plan by trapping Lewis two overs later for 53, beating him for pace with a full ball after Lewis shuffled too far across his stumps.Phillip came back in the 19th to mathematically clinch the match with the wicket of Brandon King, getting him caught off the leading edge. His figures were spoiled by a cosmetic four and six by Carlos Brathwaite later in the over but by then Phillip had provided a much-needed fillip that TKR had been missing from their third seam option.