On the evidence of how they lined up at Arundel, Mulder will bat at No. 3, Stubbs at five and Bedingham six with de Zorzi likely to sit out

Firdose Moonda05-Jun-2025As steady drizzle and fierce wind gusts whipped through Arundel, South Africa made their way from Portsmouth in hopes of continuing their warm-up match against Zimbabwe only to see the best-laid plans go awry. Two of the three days have been lost to the weather and if any play is possible on the fourth, it will likely be used to get miles in the bowlers’ legs. That means the batters will have to make do with their work from day two and upcoming net sessions and for batting coach Ashwell Prince, that should be enough.”We trust the things that we’ve been doing. It’s not as if you’ve got an exam coming up and all of a sudden, you’ve got to cram all these things in, or cram in some new things that you might not have thought of before,” Prince told the media present at the venue. “We trust what we’ve done in the past. It’s worked for us. We’ve deserved the opportunity to have a crack at it in this final.”And this time, that statement applies as much to their batters as it does to their bowlers, who are often credited with being the match-winners. Across 12 Tests, South Africa scored 14 hundreds from nine different players. Of those, six scored a hundred for the first time in Tests. It’s a sign of a maturing line-up that can complement an attacking seam contingent and balance out a team that is sometimes seen as over-reliant on pace.Related

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Arundel rain leaves South Africa banking on pre-tour preparation ahead of WTC final

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Speaking to ESPNcricinfo ahead of the WTC final, former captain Graeme Smith, whose full interview will be published later this week, identified a more settled top six as one of the key reasons for South Africa’s qualification to the final. “The part that they got right in the recent run was finding some performance from the batters,” he said. “There’s always been options with the ball and now we’ve seen a little bit more consistency coming from the batting front. What you need to be successful in Tests is a top six that can perform consistently.”In this squad, South Africa have eight batting options which gives them a problem of plenty, as they debate two spots: No. 3 and one spot lower down – either No. 6 or 7. Head coach Shukri Conrad has confirmed that Aiden Markram will open with Ryan Rickelton which means one of Tony de Zorzi, Tristan Stubbs and Wiaan Mulder will bat at No. 3 while that same trio along with David Bedingham are in line for the No. 6 spot. On the evidence of how they lined up at Arundel, Mulder will bat at No. 3, Stubbs at five and Bedingham six with de Zorzi likely to sit out.Ryan Rickelton and Wiaan Mulder got some game-time during the warm-up•ICC via Getty ImagesOne concern with that set-up is that Mulder is also expected to have a job to do with the ball, especially when it’s swinging, and could end up with a substantial workload. That could prompt Conrad to move Mulder down the order, and shift Stubbs back up – as was initially the case last year – but not everyone thinks that’s a good idea. Zimbabwe, who bowled to South Africa for 79 overs on Wednesday, were particularly impressed by Stubbs’, who Sean Williams told ESPNcricinfo looks like he should stay at No. 5 as “he will score runs for them from there.”Prince would not be drawn into any confirmations. “At the moment, the best way to prepare for us as a squad is to keep all possibilities open,” he said. “We don’t know what the surface is going to look like when we get there. Should it be a case where he’s required to do that job, we want to make sure that he’s at least had some sort of preparation but we don’t know whether he’s going to be required to do that, because we haven’t had a look at the surface. We’ll only be able to tell when we get there.”Mulder is one of the players who has had scant game time in the lead-up to the final. He only played one match at the IPL for Sunrisers Hyderabad, where was used as an impact substitute and bowled one over. South Africa will be eager to see him bowl a few more if conditions allow for it on Friday. What they’ve seen from a batting perspective is his confidence in taking on the short ball early on, which Williams also identified as a strength, and solid defences. With Mulder high in the line-up and Marco Jansen lower down, South Africa will have two seam-bowling allrounders in the XI, a luxury they have long-wanted (especially after Jacques Kallis’ retirement) but seldom had.Both Mulder and Jansen are also players that South Africa have long-term investment in. They’re in their mid-20s, play all formats and will form part of the core of the squad in years to come along with Rickelton, Stubbs, Kyle Verreynne and – though not in this squad – Kwena Maphaka. It’s this younger contingent who have inspired a level of hope and positivity in South African cricket as they’ve emerged as what Smith called “new heroes.” His own sons, Smith said, admire the likes of Rickelton and Jansen because they bring a “feel good factor” to the sport.Prince has also been energised by the freshness of the squad, and hopes they can bask in the spotlight that’s been put on them and create their own legacy. “It’s a young group and a lot of them have had some fantastic success over the last 18 months to get themselves into this position. I think there’s a sense of everyone wanting the guy next to them to do well and enjoying each other’s success,” he said. “And it’s just been a fantastic journey to be a part of. Next week is going to be a special opportunity for these guys. Teams of the past have had successes but this is their moment. This is their opportunity to go out and do something special.”

Liverpool’s class of 2025 have earned an unfavourable comparison to the Paris Saint-Germain team that once boasted Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. The Reds have assembled a star-studded cast of their own at Anfield, splashing out £240 million ($320m) on deals for Alexander Isak and Florian Wirtz, but are still waiting for their fearsome attacking unit to click.

• Getty/GOAL
  

  End product: Salah also struggling for a spark

  Mohamed Salah also falls into that category, with the Egyptian superstar seeing his remarkable standards dip at the start of the current campaign – leading to him being dropped to the bench by Arne Slot for important Champions League fixtures on the road.

  Swedish striker Isak has just one Carabao Cup goal to his name, while German playmaker Wirtz is still waiting to open his account. Dutch forward Cody Gakpo has also missed some glaring chances, with Liverpool having relied on late goals early in the season to paper over the cracks that were beginning to form on Merseyside.

  Time is still on their side when it comes to unlocking full potential, with Isak and Wirtz too talented not to come good, but questions are being asked of whether Slot has assembled a cohesive squad or a collection of individualist superstars – much like PSG once did.

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• Liverpool likened to PSG of Messi, Neymar & Mbappe

  Former Premier League title winner Jeremie Aliadiere – who formed part of Arsenal’s fabled ‘Invincibles’ squad in 2003-04 – has told of the issues that Slot is facing: “I compare this Liverpool side to Paris Saint-Germain when they had Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe. You buy all of these superstars which excite the fans, but does that mean they’re going to gel and work well together?

  “The signings are also going to upset Salah. He’s the main guy at Liverpool and they’ve done everything they can to keep him. He’s broken various records and has been the best winger in the league for some time. Bringing in all these new players who want to score goals won’t align with what Salah wants. It was the same at PSG. The team sheet looked great, but it didn’t work. At the moment, whatever Liverpool are doing isn’t working and they’re struggling.

  “Intelligent players and great players can work together and it’ll take time, but it’s time they don’t have right now. Arsenal and Manchester City are going to keep winning games and if Liverpool can’t get back on track, they’ll be out of the title race within the next five weeks. Slot must find a way to fix things and keep everyone happy.”

• GOAL
  

  Should Ekitike be starting every game for Liverpool?

  Aliadiere believes that one of his fellow Frenchmen should be shown more trust at Anfield, with Hugo Ekitike having outperformed the likes of Isak and Salah when netting six goals through 12 appearances.

  Aliadiere, who also graced the English top-flight with West Ham and Middlesbrough in his playing days, added: “I feel for Arne Slot having two expensive strikers to keep happy up front, but at the end of the day, Hugo Ekitike deserves to start. He began the season so well, and then they went and spent £130m on Isak. Where does he fit? Isak has to get match fit so he has to get some gametime, he’s not going to just sit on the bench all season.

  “Let’s not forget that aside from those two players, you’ve got the best player in the league from last season, Mohamed Salah. Slot can’t just start to play in a 4-4-2 formation and tell Salah he needs to play more defensive just to accommodate the two strikers. It’s a tough job to manage that.

  “If I were Ekitike, who was the main guy at the start of the season with plenty of goals and contributions, I’d understand Isak needs some gametime, but I’d be annoyed to be stuck on the bench. He was winning them games early in the season. It’s hard to get the balance right, particularly with two big players like Ekitike and Isak. Slot must manage their egos as well.”

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• Liverpool fixtures: Premier League return after Champions League win

  Liverpool, on the back of four successive defeats, returned to winning ways last time out when recovering from going a goal down to crush Eintracht Frankfurt 5-1 in Champions League competition. Ekitike was on target in that contest, while Wirtz registered two assists.

  The Reds, who captured the Premier League title last season, will be back in action on Saturday when taking in a trip to Brentford. Slot faces plenty of big selection calls heading into that fixture at the Gtech Community Stadium.

Liverpool have lost three games in a row. It’s a marker of how high Anfield has risen over the past decades that this has been met with hysteria across England and dejection across the red halves of Merseyside streets.

By one point Liverpool trail Premier League pace-setters Arsenal, who have already been defeated by Arne Slot’s side this term. Liverpool have broken records with their spending across the summer transfer window, and they won the top-flight title at a canter last year.

But we can’t ignore the tactical imbalances and issues in bedding new players in. Teething problems have lingered far longer than anyone would have anticipated.

Many games have been entertaining, but Liverpool have lost the control and confidence they oozed throughout the 2024/25 campaign. Will Slot rekindle that flame? So many late goals across the past two months, flying both directions, is evidence that improvements are needed.

Defensively and in midfield, Slot’s side have left plenty to be desired. But they are also being let down up top, with the 33-year-old Mohamed Salah’s struggles telling of the need for a new right-sided forward.

Why Liverpool need to sign a Salah heir

Salah has entered his ninth campaign as a Liverpool player, but he has been part of the problem engulfing Slot’s side so far, scoring three goals and supplying three assists across all competitions but drifting through games and lacking even a small measure of his trademark vim and vigour.

Salah has seldom gone through dry spells in front of goal in the Premier League, but his last-minute penalty at Burnley is his only strike since the opening day win over Bournemouth.

Still, he’s one of the greatest forwards in the competition’s history, and the veteran will retain full confidence in his ability to return to form. He practically led Liverpool to the title last year, after all.

Alan Shearer

441

260

Harry Kane

320

213

Wayne Rooney

491

208

Mohamed Salah

308

188

Andy Cole

414

187

It’s painful to consider, but there is also the possibility that Liverpool have extended Salah’s contract by two years so that they can receive a payment from suitors in 2026. There’s a sizeable chance Saudi Arabian outfits will return for the Egyptian King at the end of the season, tempting him with a glinting late-career pay packet.

Should Salah leave, Liverpool will need a high-level replacement, and the English giants appear to have focused their sights on Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.

Well, if Spanish sources are correct, Liverpool have been informed by Bayern Munich that a bid worth €150m (£131m) could be enough to sign the 23-year-old next year. The Anfield side would rather pay closer to €100m (£86m) for Olise’s signature.

Olise was widely regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in the Premier League when at Selhurst Park, and he has only improved since moving to the Bundesliga.

Though Bayern are looking to bank a pretty penny for the France international’s sale, FSG and Reds sporting director Richard Hughes has shown they are willing to break the bank for the right signing.

What Michael Olise would bring to Liverpool

Olise, crucially, is a proven Premier League star. He left Crystal Palace and signed for Bayern Munich during the summer of 2024 for about £50m, and that looks a real coup for the German giants.

Pundit Micah Richard remarked while Olise was an Eagle that he “is going to be a superstar”. Richards was right. Awe and adoration in south London has been transported and developed over in Germany, with Olise having hit 54 goal involvements from 65 matches with Die Roten, including five goals and six assists from just ten fixtures in 2025/26.

He doesn’t boast the same devastating goalscoring ability as Salah, but Liverpool’s summer investments in Isak and Hugo Ekitike tell of a goalscoring shift back to the centre. In other words, this is the perfect profile to replace the ageing winger at Liverpool, whose underlying metrics are not at the same level as Olise.

Goals scored

0.65

0.39

Assists

0.43

0.50

Shots taken

2.98

3.47

Shot-creating actions

3.85

6.56

Touches (att pen)

8.43

6.32

Pass completion (%)

70.2

80.7

Progressive passes

3.80

7.50

Progressive carries

4.00

5.02

Successful take-ons

1.15

2.48

Ball recoveries

3.00

3.81

Salah has not been at the races this season, but scaling it back across 12 months, the depth of Olise’s top form in Germany is emphasised.

Across all competitions, Liverpool’s star forward scored 34 goals and assisted 23 more, after all.

Olise hasn’t cracked the same clinical heights, but he is “one of the best talents in the world”, in the eyes of Palace manager Oliver Glasner, who helped take the ace’s game to the next level.

With Salah having completed only 13% of his dribbles in the Premier League this season, as per Sofascore, averaging a measly 0.9 successful ground duels per match too, there’s been little to write home about, and Slot’s hesitance to deploy Federico Chiesa or Jeremie Frimpong on the right during Liverpool’s big matches makes a telling comment on his thoughts about a big-money signing in the shape of Olise.

Might it be that Liverpool part with their club legend at the end of the season? The news that Hughes is already sounding out a move for an elite talent such as Olise highlights the desire to sign such a player.

And given that he knows the Premier League well, with 36 direct contributions in the competition, the young and ever-improving Olise may well be the perfect addition to ease the fateful day when Salah hangs up his Liverpool boots.

Klopp sold Liverpool star for £9.5m, now he's outperforming Salah & Wirtz

Liverpool must rue selling a star who is outplaying Florian Wirtz and playing like Mo Salah.

ByDan Emery Oct 6, 2025

Question marks over recruitment have littered the Glazer era at Manchester United, with a handful of summer windows, in particular, looking like defining moments in hindsight.

Take 2009, for instance, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez replaced with Gabriel Obertan, Antonio Valencia and Michael Owen. Take 2013, a summer that began with new boss David Moyes chasing the likes of Gareth Bale and Cesc Fabregas, albeit with the deadline day arrival of Marouane Fellaini proving to be the only senior addition.

While perhaps not quite as infamous as both of those, the 2023 summer window also requires significant critique in retrospect, with United failing to capitalise on what had largely been a positive first season for Erik ten Hag, culminating in a third-place Premier League finish and Carabao Cup glory.

Talk was rife regarding the Dutchman’s interest in the likes of Harry Kane and Declan Rice, although the Red Devils ultimately turned to Rasmus Hojlund and Mason Mount instead, with Inter’s Andre Onana completing that trio of major marquee additions.

At a time when United could well have kicked on under the ex-Ajax boss, all three of those deals backfired to differing degrees.

While now a firm favourite of Ruben Amorim, Mount has scored just five times in 53 games across an injury-hit two years at Old Trafford. Onana, meanwhile, has been shipped out on loan to Turkey, having made as many as five errors leading to a goal in the Europa League and top-flight alone last term, as per Sofascore.

As for Hojlund, the 22-year-old is now the new golden boy of Napoli, albeit after scoring just 26 goals in 95 games in Manchester. Just imagine if Kane had arrived instead…

Why United signed Hojlund over Kane

There was a feeling that had it been during the golden days of Sir Alex Ferguson, Kane would have almost certainly been snapped up by the legendary Scotsman, having repeatedly raided the top-flight for the likes of Dimitar Berbatov, Wayne Rooney and Andy Cole.

Almost a guarantee of goals, having become the all-time top scorer for both Tottenham Hotspur and England, the playmaking striker had reportedly emerged as Ten Hag’s top target ahead of that 2023 window, with a new number nine a necessity at Old Trafford.

With just a year left on his contract, Kane – who had angled for a move to Manchester City two years earlier – appeared to be gettable, albeit with reports indicating that United were wary of doing business with the typically stubborn Daniel Levy.

There were reports which also claimed that Levy was unwilling to sell his prized possession to a top-flight rival, with then-United first-team coach Benni McCarthy since revealing that the club were hesitant to fork out £100m for a player in his 30s.

Frustratingly, Kane ultimately moved on to Bayern Munich for a fee of around £86m, while United turned to a player ten years his junior, splashing out an initial £64m on a 20-year-old Hojlund from Atalanta.

At the time, the promising Dane had scored just 27 club career goals at senior level, as per Transfermarkt, having since only added a further 30, across his time in Manchester and now in Naples.

For comparison, since departing for Munich, Kane has already reached 103 goals for the Bundesliga side in just 106 games, becoming the quickest player this century to reach triple figures for a club in Europe’s top five leagues.

A mistake, as is clear, was made that summer. The problem is, the Red Devils have since repeated it.

Man Utd's 'new Kane' is now another Hojlund

In defence of the United hierarchy at the time, the club had witnessed a string of short-term, veteran strikers come and go in the years prior, namely Cristiano Ronaldo, Edinson Cavani and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, with a more long-term solution perhaps needed.

Hojlund (Serie A) vs Kane (Bundesliga) – 25/26
Stat (*per game)	Hojlund	Kane
Games	4	6
Goals	2	11
Mins per goal	153	45
Big chances missed	1	3
Goal conversion	50%	52%
Assists	0	3
Big chances created	0	5
Key passes*	0.5	2.2
Total duels won*	54%	57%
Stats via Sofascore

That said, the argument – which McCarthy also puts forward – would be that a more canny operator would have parachuted in a player like Hojlund in order to serve as a deputy or successor to an experienced striker like Kane, rather than heaping unnecessary pressure on the youngster to solely carry the goalscoring burden.

In a way, the club did try to rectify that move by snapping up Joshua Zirkzee from Bologna a year later, with the Dutchman joining on a £36.5m deal, having been named Serie A’s Young Player of the Year the previous season.

At the time, analyst Ben Mattinson had suggested that Zirkzee could be a “natural successor” to Kane at Bayern, amid reports that the 6 foot 4 striker was in line to return to Munich.

Also described as “so similar” to the England skipper, United’s new man looked like an ideal alternative to Hojlund, operating as a self-described ‘nine and a half’ rather than an out-and-out centre-forward.

The problem was, however, that Zirkzee evidently didn’t possess the clinical quality of Kane in front of goal, having actually only scored 11 Serie A goals in 2023/24 – only two more than Hojlund achieved at Atalanta the year prior.

Unsurprisingly, much like the Dane, a player with no track record for scoring at a prolific rate has, well, not scored at anywhere near a prolific rate for United, ending his debut campaign with just seven goals in all competitions – just three of which came in the league.

There is something of a cult hero vibe to the fleet-footed forward, having impressively fought his way back from being jeered off against Newcastle United, although on current evidence, he is heading the same way as his former colleague.

Seemingly getting the Kobbie Mainoo treatment under Amorim, following an injury-hit summer, the 24-year-old has featured for just 82 minutes so far in 2025/26, failing to even start a single Premier League game.

With rumours rife over a swift January exit, and with Benjamin Sesko now the go-to man, Zirkzee looks set to follow Hojlund in not lasting any longer than two seasons at Old Trafford.

Like the new Napoli star, United’s number 11 has been unable to translate his Serie A form into English football, with those prior Kane comparisons now somewhat forgotten amid his goal-shy tendencies.

There is a talent in there, but as was the case with Hojlund, Amorim and co simply don’t have the time to wait around for such potential to be realised.

Man Utd already sold Hojlund 2.0 who's "one of the best ST's in the world"

Selling a striker who’s now flourishing in Serie A? Manchester United know all about that…

By
Robbie Walls

Oct 15, 2025

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank has pleaded with supporters to roar the team on when they face Chelsea on Saturday. The Blues make the short trip across the capital to take on their rivals as Spurs look to build upon their fine start to the season. The north London side have a dire home record, having won just three of their last 18 league games at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Getty Images SportSpurs looking to build upon fine start

And Frank has called on the fans to get behind the team when Spurs kick off against Chelsea on Saturday evening. The Dane replaced Ange Postecoglou at the Tottenham helm over the summer after the Australian had guided the north London side to a first European trophy since 1984. 

However, the league form was dire as Spurs finished 17th, losing 22 matches and finishing on 38 points. Frank, though, has made a steady start to life at the Europa League champions, as Spurs head into the weekend third in the table with 17 points from the opening nine games. 

While some supporters have been critical of the performances, Spurs have scored the joint-most goals in the Premier League this season, while conceding the joint-second fewest. And on the eve of their huge welcome of Chelsea, the former Brentford boss and issued a rallying call for fans.   

Advertisement'It's a fantastic occasion'

When asked whether Tottenham's welcome of Chelsea is one of the many reasons Frank agreed to succeed Postecoglou, he said: "Yeah, I think you put it quite right. A game against Chelsea, especially a home game against Chelsea, under the floodlights, is going to be unique and special.  

"I can't wait for it. The players are really looking forward to it. It's a fantastic occasion. We need the fans behind us. I know they do everything they can to try to create even more noise, make it this very difficult place to play and as I said before, it's between us and the fans – the best clubs, the best teams, they're united, they're together in good times and bad times.

"We need to perform. We need to create energy. Can we get energy off the fans? Then it's like some positive reinforcement and that’s what we need to create tomorrow. We're really looking forward to it."  

Getty Images Sport'I'm very, very positive about us coming out and performing very well tomorrow.'

Frank added that he's excited about Saturday's London derby, stating: "Very excited, really looking forward to it, a London derby between two big rivals. There's so much on it against a very good Chelsea team. It will be a very, very competitive, even game, under the floodlights, it's got everything to be a top game where you will be on the edge of your seat, hopefully, if you're a fan or a part of it.

"Hopefully, that's the case. We need to come flying out and get the fans with us. I'm very, very positive about us coming out and performing very well tomorrow."  

Spurs don't have a great home record against Chelsea having won only one of their last eight matches against the Blues in front of their fans. Spurs have lost their last two home meetings with Enzo Maresca's side, conceded eight goals in respective 4-1 and 4-3 losses.

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'You need to have a good home'

Frank addressed the club's poor home form in the build-up to the Chelsea game as he was asked whether they need to make the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium a fortress. They have won only three of their last 18 home league matches, beating Manchester United, Southampton and Burnley in that run, and have one of the worst home records in the division this season, picking up just four points from the opening four home games.   

"It’s clear. I think if you want to achieve something big, you need to have a good home form and a good away form," Frank said.

"Our away form is very good. Our home form, I'm quite convinced that we've seen at the end of the season that we would have had a good home form. Right now, three games home in the Premier League is a very small sample, but it's up to us to change it around, which I'm convinced we'll have a very good chance to do tomorrow." 

Tottenham Hotspur have seen a shift in their recruitment strategy over the last few years – something which Fabio Paratici no doubt was at the centre of.

The Italian spent two years at the club between 2021 and 2023, subsequently turning the hierarchy’s attention to investing in younger talents for the immediate and long-term future.

In the summer of 2022 alone, the 53-year-old completed deals for full-backs Destiny Udogie and Djed Spence – that’s despite the latter being unwanted by then-boss Antonio Conte.

However, in the present day, both players have become key members of Thomas Frank’s first-team squad, showcasing the impressive work done in the transfer market.

The aforementioned duo will be hoping they achieve more sustained success than one player who demonstrated glimpses of quality during the early days of his career in North London.

The real reason behind Dele’s decline at Spurs

Back in the summer of 2015, Spurs forked out a reported £5m for the signature of attacking midfielder Dele – with many supporters unaware of the youngster.

At just 19, many anticipated the Englishman to join the youth setup in North London, but he would make himself an immediate fan-favourite as a result of his tremendous displays.

For the first three years of his stint at the Lilywhites, he was a regular starter – racking up 146 appearances, scoring on 46 occasions and laying on 35 assists for his teammates.

Such form saw Dele claim the PFA Young Player of the Year two years in a row, becoming just one of five players to achieve such a feat in the history of the Premier League.

However, in a remarkable interview with Gary Neville back in the summer of 2023, the former Lilywhites star opened up on his trauma from his younger years, which no doubt had an effect on his footballing career.

He was often called into question by José Mourinho for his attitude and laziness, also suffering numerous injuries, which plagued his progress in North London.

Dele suffered 11 separate injury setbacks in his seven-year period in North London, with such issues preventing his progress and seeing him miss 44 first-team matches.

His time with the Lilywhites came to a disappointing end back in January 2022, subsequently joining Everton on a free transfer – an unthinkable ending given his previous form.

The Spurs star who’s their best teenage star since Dele

Many supporters questioned Dele’s attitude during his time with Spurs, but after his courage to speak out about his mental health struggles, it’s safe to say many fans empathise with the midfielder.

Such issues have taken a huge toll on his professional career, with the former Lilywhites star now without a club at the age of 29 after leaving Como this summer.

However, there’s no denying he will forever be remembered by the fans for his countless moments of magic that gave everyone involved with the football club memories to last a lifetime.

From Goal of the Season strikes against Crystal Palace, to his memorable double against Chelsea that ended the Blues’ unbeaten 2016/17 record at White Hart Lane.

Such levels are rarely seen from such a young talent, but there’s current generation of supporters has their next remarkable youngster in the form of Lucas Bergvall.

Like Dele, he joined the Lilywhites for less than £10m, arriving as an unknown quantity to the majority of supporters after previously plying his trade for Djurgarden.

However, the Swedish youngster has rapidly developed into one of the club’s best players, a simply remarkable feat given he’s still just 19 years of age.

Despite his tender age, the midfielder has already racked up 56 appearances for the first-team and has subsequently featured in all but one game since Frank took the reins.

Bergvall even netted his first Premier League goal in the win over West Ham United last month, leading to head of scouting Rob Mackenzie labelling him as “a genuine generational talent”.

His underlying stats from 2025/26 highlight that the praise is certainly warranted, with the teenager completing 70% of the dribbles he’s attempted to date, whilst also ranking in the top 12% of all players in the league for assists registered.

However, out of possession, the Swede has been just as impressive, winning 2.6 tackles per 90 and coming out on top in a total of 5.5 duels per 90 – stats which make him the perfect box-to-box option.

Games played

7

Goals & assists

2

Pass accuracy

84%

Dribble success

70%

Tackles won

2.6

Duels won

5.5

Recoveries made

3.8

Shots taken

1.2

Frank and Co will desperately be hoping Bergvall can continue on his current trajectory in North London, with the youngster having all the tools to be a key member of the squad in their hunt for added silverware.

There’s little doubt that he’s the best teenage star they’ve had on their hands since Dele’s emergence, but everyone will be hoping that the end to his story with the Lilywhites is a happier one.

Not Simons: Spurs flop is becoming their biggest waste since Ndombele

One Tottenham Hotspur player is rapidly struggling to match the fee paid for his signature in recent times.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 21, 2025

Birmingham City haven’t quite blown away the Championship when assessing the Blues’ recent form in the difficult division.

Pre-season expectations would have focused on Chris Davies’ men being in line for the unbelievable feat of back-to-back promotions, but after nine hit-and-miss games in the second tier, the West Midlands giants currently occupy an unsatisfactory 16th spot.

While Davies and Co. attempt to get their early-season back on track, former Birmingham star Jordan James is now strutting his stuff for a side further up the division in Leicester City, with some regret surely on the end of the second-tier newcomers for letting him go when they did.

James' fantastic start at Leicester

James is arguably a forgotten star at St. Andrew’s, having suddenly become a bright spark for the Blues when relegation was served up last year.

Indeed, despite his boyhood club falling to League One in depressing fashion, James would go on to bag eight goals during his swansong season, with a move to Rennes in France then opening up for the breakout Welshman.

He has since shown off a similar Midas touch in front of goal on the books of Marti Cifuentes’ Foxes, who he moved to this summer initially on loan, with a £4.3m fee in play if they want to make the switch a permanent one.

Off the back of this stunner, finding the back of the net away at Swansea City last time out, on top of him collecting a further goal and assist from five other Championship appearances, James has certainly lived up to his billing of being a “Rolls-Royce” performer that was once handed to him by content creator Jordan Webber.

Yet, despite James already impressing in his new location, Birmingham arguably sold an even bigger talent than their former academy sensation when letting another star go for just £3m back in 2023.

Birmingham already sold a bigger talent than James

At least with James, Birmingham managed to get the very best out of him, even if it was for a short but sweet period of time.

In the case of Jobe Bellingham, however, the Blues prematurely gave up their former number 27 before he could blossom into the world beater he is today.

Amazingly, Bellingham would never go on to pick up a goal or assist in the senior picture at St. Andrew’s from 26 appearances, despite scoring five goals in the Blues U18s set-up previously.

It’s even more staggering to think of Bellingham somewhat struggling to adjust to the men’s game when you consider what has since followed, with the 20-year-old going on to be an overwhelming success story with Sunderland, unlike James, who struggled to kick on away from his boyhood side, before then returning to the EFL after a mixed stint in France.

With hindsight on side, Sunderland very much won themselves an unreal bargain by picking up Bellingham just for £3m, with his first full season on Wearside seeing him pick up a standout seven strikes, even as the Black Cats finished in a lowly 16th spot.

It was the following season, with Regis Le Bris at the helm, that Bellingham would mature even more into the superstar we know today, with a further seven goal contributions coming his way to seal Sunderland’s long-awaited return to the big time.

If Birmingham had exercised more patience and batted away onlookers, it is staggering to think what they could have got out of one of their own, instead of cashing in when they did, with Dan Neil even going as far as to brand his ex-teammate as a “freak of nature” for how effortlessly he became a Sunderland first-team presence.

James’ sale would have been stomached far more easily, considering he was sold on for £1m more at the £4m mark, with midfield talents such as Tomoki Iwata also being purchased that same summer, making it very straightforward for Davies’ side to sweep his move to Ligue 1 under the carpet.

On the contrary, losing Bellingham for £3m is a major mishap looking back, with the brand-new Borussia Dortmund number seven moving to Germany this summer just gone for a whopping £27.8m.

While there will be regrets in the air about both homegrown products upping and leaving, Birmingham will not want to bathe in the past for too long, as they attempt to turn around their poor form when the international break is over.

Wagner set to attend Wrexham v Birmingham City as Davies sack timeline shared

The Pressure is increasing…

1 ByTom Cunningham Oct 3, 2025

Celtic have encountered their latest injury problem under Brendan Rodgers and will now be tasked with replacing one of their most influential figures ahead of a key stretch of matches.

Brendan Rodgers confirms Cameron Carter-Vickers out of Celtic contention

On Thursday night, the Bhoys’ 2-1 victory over Sturm Graz came as a morale-boosting result that sparked their Europa League campaign into life. However, it appears the positive outcome came at a cost after Alistair Johnston and Kelechi Iheanacho were hauled off injured.

Speaking ahead of Celtic’s trip to face Heart of Midlothian on Sunday in a crunch Scottish Premiership encounter, Rodgers confirmed that Cameron Carter-Vickers will be sidelined for between three to five months after his noticable discomfort after the final whistle due to an achilles problem.

He told Sky Sports: “One that is obviously not mentioned is Cameron Carter-Vickers. He looks like he’s done his Achilles, which could be anywhere between three and five months. We just await confirmation of that, but it’s not great news. We’ll see where that one goes.”

Later, he added: “Cam’s been a very important member of the squad, of course, he’s been a great centre-half for the club, but what I always think it does is it opens the door for someone else. That opportunity came to Liam Scales and he’s been brilliant during my time here and you seen his performance last night, he was so good, and it’ll open the door for someone else to come in and look to perform.”

Brendan Rodgers' ready-made Celtic replacement for Carter-Vickers

Undoubtedly, there will be panic after losing a defender of Carter-Vickers’ calibre, especially given his excellent contribution to Celtic’s success over the last few years. This news further compounds their injury worries amid Daizen Maeda’s absence.

However, there may already be evidence on who Rodgers could turn to in the face of his rearguard options dwindling. Earning his first-team breakthrough under the Irishman, Dane Murray could be the man drafted in to answer the call as opposed to the likes of Auston Trusty, Jahmai Simpson-Pusey or Hayato Inamura.

Standing at 6 foot 4, the Scotland Under-21 international has scored once in four appearances this campaign, coming against Falkirk, and Rodgers has previously lavished praise on his ball-playing abilities, claiming they stack up against the top players from what he has witnessed.

He said: “It’s great for him because he’s a great boy. He’s got a lot of potential. And I think over the next 12 to 18 months, he’s going to really grow. His ceiling is so high.

“There are areas of the game he needs to clearly work on. But he’s 6ft 4in, he’s quick, he can take the ball. He has a comfort with the ball which aligns with top players. Just, concentration is something that’s key for defenders. But I really, really like him and that’s the reason we’ve tied him down – and I think he’s got a great future.”

Admittedly, Murray may find the jump from claiming occasional minutes to becoming a first-team regular difficult. However, his natural right-sided nature and considerable stature make him a serious candidate for the position, especially given Trusty has recently recovered from plantar fasciitis and Simpson-Pusey is yet to play a single minute in green and white.

With a trip to Tynecastle followed by Falkirk in midweek before next Sunday’s Glasgow Derby semi-final in the Premier Sports Cup, there is growing suspicions that the Lennoxtown graduate may finally land his big break.

تحدث خالد الغندور، نجم الزمالك السابق، عن فوز الأهلي ببطولة كأس السوبر المصري بعد الانتصار على الأبيض بهدفين نظيفين.

وقال خالد الغندور، عبر قناة “دبي” الرياضية: “مبروك للأهلاوية والنادي الأهلي، فاز من استحق، الأهلي كان الأفضل في المباراة بالكامل، وهو الذي أحرز الأهداف وتحكم في اللقاء”.

طالع.. موعد مباراة الزمالك القادمة بعد الخسارة أمام الأهلي في السوبر المصري

وأكمل: “الزمالك لديه مشاكل تكتيكية داخل الملعب وغياب بعض اللاعبين بسبب الإصابة، في النهاية الأهلي قدم مباراة كبيرة، ولاعبوه كانوا لديهم رغبة أكبر في الفوز والانتصار، ومعظم لاعبي الأهلي كانوا متألقين، والشناوي لم يقدم مباراة سيئة”.

واستطرد: “الحكم كان محقًا في إلغاء هدف سيف الدين الجزيري بسبب لمسة اليد، النادي الأهلي هو الذي كان يستحق المكسب”.

وأتم: “الزمالك يمر بظروف مالية صعبة جدًا، ويأتي نجم الفريق وينضم للأهلي، ورغم ذلك ما زال الزمالك ينافس فريقًا يمتلك مليار دولار، بينما يمتلك هو 100 مليون فقط، أن تنافس ناديًا بهذه الإمكانيات فهذا شيء جيد، مشكلة الزمالك مالية، وأن تنافس الأهلي أمر يُحسب للزمالك لا عليه”.

Manchester City “will be interested” in a title-winning manager to replace Pep Guardiola when the time comes for him to move on.

Guardiola assesses Man City's title chances

City make the trip to Aston Villa in the Premier League this weekend, looking to stay in touch with Arsenal and continue their good recent form, especially Erling Haaland.

When asked about the state of the title race on Friday, Guardiola gave a rather sarcastic response, but also feels positive about where his team are at currently.

“Our mentality and our body language are in the right spo,t and it will make us stable but (we need to) play better during 95 minutes. In the first two games, three games, for sure we are out and Liverpool is already done, and now it looks like Liverpool is done, and I tell you that they will be back.

“I said many times, I know all the pundits, all the specialists, former players, they know everything that is going to happen after five games. I’m not able to do that. I always wait 10, 15 games to know exactly what is going on but I think obviously Liverpool, Arsenal are there, someone else will be there, and hopefully we can be there.”

It remains to be seen how long Guardiola will stay in charge of City, but he will need to be replaced eventually, and an interesting name has been mentioned as an option to come in.

Title-winning manager backed to succeed Guardiola

Writing for Sky Germany, relayed by Sport Witness, Didi Hamann revealed Vincent Kompany could replace Guardiola at Manchester City one day, and Bayern’s recent contract extension may well have been designed to ward off the interest from the Etihad.

“FC Bayern extended Kompany’s contract until 2029, even though he still had 20 months left on his contract. I mean, the extension wasn’t a must, but I understand why they did it.

“Bayern probably have in mind that Manchester City will be interested in Kompany at some point when Pep Guardiola retires. It would be interesting to know if Kompany has a clause in his contract. Christoph Freund didn’t reveal anything about that on Wednesday evening, but he didn’t completely deny it either.”

Kompany’s status as a playing legend at City, and the fact that he is now a Bundesliga champions in charge of Bayern Munich, does make him a fairly obvious contender to be Guardiola’s successor at the Etihad.

At 39, he is an exciting manager who is growing all the time, with Bayern youngster’s Tom Bischof recent comments highlighting the effect he is having at Bayern, who are off to their best start to a season in their storied history.

Man City have Fernandinho 2.0 who's "one of the best players in the world"

Pep Guardiola may have found his new Fernandinho at Manchester City…

ByJoe Nuttall Oct 24, 2025

City fans will hope that Guardiola is still around for years to come, with the Spaniard showing few signs of wanting to move on, but Kompany should be kept an eye on as a leading option, assuming he continues to impress at Bayern.