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Aston Villa kicked off their Premier League season with a draw at home against Newcastle United.

Villa looked in trouble at half-time as they hadn’t had a single shot, whereas Newcastle had eight shots that were valued at 1.1 xG.

However, the second half was a better performance, and post-match Unai Emery praised his team’s efforts: “We didn’t concede a lot in the second half and created chances, but the red card completely changed the match. We have to feel happy and proud of our work. This is the level we are playing against, which is the highest in the Premier League and Europa League. Today was a very good test, and, in the end, it was a good result.”

In the second half, although Villa had less possession, they did more with it as they registered three shots on target. Newcastle again had eight shots, but they were of significantly lower quality as they only valued 0.33 xG.

With game one down and their attention back on the transfer market, Villa have agreed to move on a player who was excluded from yesterday’s squad due to ongoing transfer negotiations.

Bailey allowed to travel for medical ahead of Aston Villa exit

Leon Bailey has been granted permission to travel to Rome for a medical ahead of his loan move to Roma. The winger was not in Villa’s match-day one squad due to the negotiations, with looking to move Bailey on all summer since “Emery has not been happy with his progress since he signed his new deal in 2024” and has wanted him gone.

Sports Witness have cited reports that Aston Villa’s Director of Football, Monchi, has now agreed a deal with Roma for Bailey to join on loan with an option to buy. There was no indication as to how much of Bailey’s £6.24 million-a-year contract will be covered by Roma.

A deal is well and truly on the cards, pending a medical, between Roma and Aston Villa, with Bailey set to travel on Monday.

Where things went wrong for Bailey at Villa

When Bailey arrived at Villa, he was seen as a player with a lot of promise as he was coming off the back of a 25-goal involvement season at Bayer Leverkusen.

Midway through his stellar 23/24 season, Bailey was awarded a new contract that kept him at Villa until 2027, with the club having the option to extend by another year. During that season Bailey registered 27 goal involvements across all competitions, which made it for most prolific season in his career.

However, his form took a sharp turn downwards in the 2024/25 season when he only managed six goal involvements in all competitions. This has led to Emery being unhappy with his progress and wanting to move him on.

While it looks like the loan will only have an option to buy, and there is always the possibility that Bailey returns to Birmingham next summer, it might be best for all involved if this move is made permanent and Bailey gets a chance to rediscover his best form in a new environment.

The draw against Crystal Palace on Sunday afternoon might have put a slight dampener on things, but this season still feels like it could be a great one for Chelsea.

Enzo Maresca’s side are finally back in the Champions League and, based on what we saw over the summer, look like they could be one of the most dangerous teams in the Premier League.

Moreover, with the transfer window still open for just under two weeks, there is plenty of time for the Blues to get even stronger.

One of the players most heavily touted for a move to Stamford Bridge has been Xavi Simons, although the West Londoners are now being linked to someone who’d be a more critical signing, someone who is also being linked with cross-city rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Chelsea race Spurs for more important signing than Simons

While there have been sporadic reports linking Simons with a move to Chelsea for a few years now, they began to really pick up steam earlier this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Since then, there has been a steady stream of stories touting the RB Leipzig star for a move to Stamford Bridge, and while there have been moments when it seemed unlikely, it now appears to be just a matter of time.

However, even though the Dutchman is an extraordinarily talented attacker who amassed a tally of 19 goal involvements in 33 games last season, there is another international the Blues are now looking at who’d be a far more critical signing.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spain, which has claimed Chelsea are still very interested in Piero Hincapié.

However, the West Londoners are not the only ones interested in the imposing centre-back, as Tottenham Hotspur are also racing to secure his signature.

On top of beating the North Londoners, Chelsea will have to stump up a fee in excess of €45m, which is about £39m, and while that’s certainly a lot, it would be worth it, especially as Hincapié would be a more important addition to the squad than Simons.

Why Hincapié would be a more important signing than Simons

Now, Simons would undoubtedly have a sizable impact on this Chelsea side, as over the last few seasons, he has more than proven his ability as a winger and number ten.

However, at this point in time and in the foreseeable future, we’d say that Hincapié would be far more of a game-changer for the Blues, and one of the main reasons why is down to the makeup of the squad.

For example, while they did look somewhat blunt against Palace on Sunday, the Conference League champions have an abundance of exciting and dynamic attacking talent in the squad.

Moreover, we still haven’t seen what the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens might be able to do with a run of Premier League appearances under Maresca.

In contrast, the Argentine’s defensive options are starting to look a little thin, especially with Levi Colwill out for potentially the season and Tosin Asarabioyo missing the match at the weekend.

Moreover, while the incredibly exciting Jorrel Hato might be the perfect solution in a few years from now, it would be unfair and unwise to throw him in at the deep end at just 19 years old and with no experience of playing in a top-five league.

The second reason the Leverkusen star would be such an essential addition to the team is that, on top of being defensively solid, he’s a great passer and carrier of the ball, which should help massively in build-up play.

According to FBref, he ranks in the top 1% of centre-backs in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty expected goals plus assists, the top 2% for crosses into the penalty area, the top 5% for progressive carries, the top 6% for key passes and more, all per 90.

Finally, with a Bundesliga title and DFB Pokal under his belt, the “Ecuadorian football legend in the making,” as talent scout Jacek Kulig dubbed him, would bring a real know-how and maturity to this Blues side, which could be crucial in a season where they should be challenging for silverware.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.18

Top 1%

Progressive Passes Received

2.35

Top 2%

xA: Expected Assists

0.10

Top 2%

Crosses into Penalty Area

0.26

Top 2%

Tackles (Att 3rd)

0.29

Top 2%

Touches (Att 3rd)

12.16

Top 2%

Crosses

1.23

Top 3%

Carries into Penalty Area

0.16

Top 3%

Fouls Drawn

1.26

Top 4%

Progressive Carries

1.65

Top 5%

SCA (Shot)

0.18

Top 5%

Carries into Final Third

1.41

Top 5%

Key Passes

0.52

Top 6%

Touches (Att Pen)

1.52

Top 7%

Passes into Penalty Area

0.52

Top 9%

Tackles Won

1.39

Top 9%

Ultimately, Simons will be a great addition to this Chelsea team, but for our money, Hincapié would be a far more important signing to make this summer.

Chelsea submit £43m bid for defender who's "as good as Van Dijk and Saliba"

The Blues have now received a response after submitting an offer for a highly-rated centre-back.

ByDominic Lund Aug 18, 2025

Manchester United are striving to finish the transfer window in strong fashion, though they may face a difficult question to answer regarding one of their finest academy graduates.

Manchester United miss chance to see off Fulham

Ruben Amorim will need to wait a little longer for his first victory of the Premier League season after Manchester United missed the chance to see off Fulham at Craven Cottage last Sunday.

Bruno Fernandes missed a penalty that would’ve put his side in the ascendancy before Emile Smith-Rowe cancelled out Leny Yoro’s opener to leave the Red Devils with a point from their first two top-flight matches.

In the face of an underwhelming start, Wayne Rooney has indicated that Amorim has pressure on his shoulders if he is to become a successful manager at Old Trafford, claiming results need to occur sooner rather than later.

He stated on the Wayne Rooney Show: “There are no excuses now for the manager this season. He’s got to start getting results and getting results quickly because once you start getting into October, November, if results don’t change drastically then that’s when pressure comes. United really needed to hit the ground running this season and one point from six is a worry.”

Senne Lammens could be on his way to Manchester United from Royal Antwerp to alleviate pressure on Andre Onana between the sticks. Meanwhile, Adam Wharton may swap Crystal Palace for the Red Devils to fill the vacant hole in their midfield.

Nevertheless, sales will be needed to sanction more incomings, and Amorim now faces an intriguing question involving a member of his first-team squad who could now be set for the exit door.

Kobbie Mainoo could leave Manchester United

According to talkSPORT, Kobbie Mainoo would consider a Manchester United exit before the window shuts after being an unused substitute in their first two Premier League matches against Arsenal and Fulham, having previously wanted to sign a new deal.

The England international has been told to fight for his place by Amorim, who stated in his post-match press conference: “He’s fighting for the position now with Bruno. I let Mason Mount (play) there because we want to score a goal, and when I changed, I felt the team needed to return to one holding midfielder near Bruno.”

Perfect for Cunha & Mbeumo: Man Utd lead race to sign £69m English star

Manchester United could be about to make a move for another big-money signing this summer.

ByEthan Lamb Aug 24, 2025

Beaten to the 2024 Golden Boy award by Lamine Yamal, they both enjoyed breakthrough campaigns at last summer’s European Championships and Mainoo found himself in the top-five ranking for best teenagers in world football via the CIES Football Observatory, alongside the Spain international.

Last season, Mainoo scored twice and claimed an assist in 37 appearances across all competitions, albeit he did struggle to replicate his exploits in 2023/24, where he struck on five occasions.

Amorim doesn’t seem to have the Carrington graduate at the forefront of his mind, though it remains to be seen what interest could arise for his services in the final stretch of the window.

Ipswich Town have had a torrid start to life in the Championship following last season’s Premier League relegation. Kieran McKenna’s side currently sit 18th in the Championship and were knocked out of the first round of the League Cup following the loss of a number of star players.

Omari Hutchinson and Liam Delap both secured their Premier League futures with moves to Nottingham Forest and Chelsea, respectively. So far this window, Ipswich have actually made a profit of over £50 million.

They have brought in some players such as Kasey McAteer and Azor Matusiwa on permanent deals, Ashley Young on a free transfer and Chuba Akpom on loan. However, these signings are yet to bring McKenna’s side a win.

While there is still time left in the transfer window, Ipswich are pushing to bring in another signing to help reinforce them defensively.

Ipswich close to finalising Furlong

Ipswich Town are close to signing a deal with West Bromwich Albion for Darnell Furlong. The deal for the defender will initially cost the Tractor Boys £3.5 million.

The agreement also includes a unique clause that means Ipswich will be required to pay West Brom a further £500,000 if they secure promotion. However, given their start to the season, this clause currently looks unlikely to be achieved. West Brom are set to make an impressive profit on Furlong as he only cost them just over £1.4 million when he joined from QPR back in 2019.

Ipswich have recently worked with Furlongs agency, New Era Global Sports Management Limited, as they represent Corbin Mthunzi, who joined their academy from Brighton in April.

"One of the best full-backs of the Championship"

With Furlong, Ipswich will have a capable defender on their hands who ranked highly among his peers in the second tier last season. In the 2024/25 campaign, Furlong ranked in the top 3% of players for both aerial duels and ground duels won.

A unique area in which Furlong shines is winning fouls. Furlong won 72 free kicks last season, putting him in the top 3% of similar players. These fouls were often won in his own defensive third and are the result of his nous when dealing with pressing opposition players.

These achievements are part of the reason that Furlong has left positive impressions on coaches he’s worked with in the past. Valencia boss Carlos Corberen, who managed Furlong for two years as West Brom boss, was full of praise for the full-back when he was his manager:

Based on these defensive stats and his former manager’s praise for him, Ipswich might be about to recruit the catalyst that can kick-start their season and get them climbing up the table.

It was a mixed transfer window at West Ham United in the end, but things could have been so much different had they signed the attacking target that they set their sights on.

West Ham's transfer window in review

To say it was a slow start for the Hammers would be an understatement. It looked as though they were going to stand still entirely at one stage, opting to welcome just Callum Wilson and El Hadji Malick Diouf, until they finally returned to the transfer market late on and signed the likes of Mateus Fernandes.

West Ham's "unbelievable" star was their OG Fernandes, then Moyes sold him

The dynamic ace was a brilliant player for West Ham.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 6, 2025

It could be that late flurry that sparks a much-needed turnaround under Graham Potter. Before their 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest before the international break, the Hammers had lost all three of their first games, and had conceded 11 goals in the process. Pressure, as a result, was increasing on Potter.

The former Brighton manager would have breathed a greater sight of relief than anyone else involved at the City Ground, but West Ham must now kick on when they return to action.

Only time will tell whether late deals for Fernandes, Igor Julio and Soungoutou Magassa are enough to turn things around permanently at West Ham and save their transfer window, but Potter can no longer say that he wasn’t backed.

Up next for the Hammers after the international break is the visit of Tottenham Hotspur in a London derby. The Lilywhites have looked much-improved under Thomas Frank, although West Ham are no strangers to defeating their rivals and will be hoping to pick up where they left off against Forest.

It is, of course, the type of game that Aleksandar Mitrovic would have thrived in, but West Ham can thank one reason why he’s not lining up for Potter’s side after the summer transfer window.

West Ham made late Mitrovic offer

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, West Ham made a late offer to sign Mitrovic after he was granted an exit from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. Alongside Leeds United, the Hammers were pushing to welcome the forward back to the Premier League to solve their attacking problems.

Ultimately, however, he opted against returning to English football as he didn’t want to tarnish the relationship that he has with Fulham, having spent five years at the West London club.

Once dubbed “outstanding” by Fulham boss Marco Silva, there’s no doubt that Mitrovic would have been an instant upgrade on West Ham’s current options.

The amount of talent Manchester United have produced from their academy over the years has been astronomical. Of course, you can go as far back as the days of the Busby Babes, the start of the Premier League era, where the Class of ‘92 burst onto the scene, or more recently, when Paul Pogba and Marcus Rashford flew the flag for the academy.

Nowadays, Kobbie Mainoo is the only academy graduate to have truly established himself in the first team. That, in many ways, is a sad reflection of the current state of the club, which once prided itself on homegrown stars.

Yet, a few academy players are on the fringes of the first-team squad, with one of the most prominent ones being Chido Obi.

Chido Obi’s Man United career so far

When the Red Devils secured the signing of Obi last summer following his departure from Arsenal, it was a move that piqued the interest of many. The 17-year-old joined United with a huge reputation in academy football.

His record at youth level is phenomenal. For United’s under-18s, he has 12 goals in 10 games, and for the under-21s, five goals in eight. During his time at Arsenal, the Denmark youth international bagged 32 goals in just 21 matches for the Gunners’ under-18s side.

With that record in mind, it was probably not a surprise that Obi made his first-team debut for United last season. Although he’s yet to play this season, the 17-year-old has already notched up eight appearances. He also scored twice for the first-team on their post-season tour at the end of 2024/25.

One man who knows a thing or two about being a top-level striker is Alan Shearer. The Premier League’s all-time top goalscorer was impressed with the youngster after his FA Cup efforts against Fulham last season. Shearer said, “I like what I see from Obi”, and described him as a “handful” for defenders.

Obi is certainly an exciting talent and another graduate of United’s academy. However, he is not the only top attacker coming through the ranks at Carrington.

Man Utd may have their next Wayne Rooney

Although under Ruben Amorim, the number of academy graduates involved in the first team has greatly decreased, there is still a pathway available. Obi’s rise through the ranks has certainly proved that.

Well, perhaps next on that path could be 17-year-old forward Amir Ibragimov. The versatile attacker can operate in midfield as a number eight, a number 10, and play on both flanks. He’s certainly left a big impression after his performances for the academy.

Ibragimov has an impressive record of 11 goals and nine assists in 33 games in the under-18s Premier League. The 2024/25 season was his first full campaign in the competition, and he chalked up 14 goals and assists in 22 games.

2022/23

5

1

2023/24

2

1

2024/25

22

14

2025/26

4

4

One of the biggest compliments paid to Ibragimov came from Mail journalists Nathan Salt and Isaan Khan. They compared the United youngster to one of their all-time greats, Wayne Rooney, due to “his vision and his ability to pick a pass in attack”, which is high praise indeed.

Of course, replicating what Rooney did in that famous Red shirt will not be easy. Yet, the 17-year-old has “dangerous” attacking ability, according to Antonio Mango, and can make a real impact in the final third, as his numbers show.

There could be a long way to go before we might see Ibragimov show similarities to Rooney in the first-team. But the way he has performed for the Red Devils’ academy certainly bodes well for the future.

Perhaps he can soon follow in Obi’s path and break into the senior side. If he is half as successful as Rooney was for United, Ibragimov will have had an impressive career.

Man Utd let “little Iniesta or Xavi” go for £0, now he looks like Carrick

Man Utd may regret letting this star go back in 2023

ByJoe Nuttall Sep 25, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur were the subject of serious takeover interest from a 12-man US consortium led by tech entrepreneur, Brooklyn Earick, earlier this week — who made a record-breaking £4.5 billion offer to buy the club.

ENIC responds to Earick's £4.5 billion Tottenham takeover bid

The news was first reported by chief sports correspondent Martin Lipton, with former DJ Earick registering his firm interest in acquiring Tottenham’s majority shares currently held by ENIC.

This development comes as the latest Spurs ownership twist following the major news that ex-chair Daniel Levy stepped down from his post after nearly 25 years, with the Lewis family ushering in a new era beyond the Lilywhites’ divisive former chief.

CEO Vinai Vinkatesham and members of the Lewis family have taken a more prominent role in the running of Tottenham since Levy’s exit, but outside investors have seen this board reshuffle as an opportunity to upset the applecart.

ENIC, following two previous takeover approaches from Amanda Staveley’s PCP International Finance Limited and Firehawk Holdings Limited, made clear that they had no interest in selling Tottenham on September 8 (BBC).

Real Madrid

£1.2 billion

Man City

£727 million

PSG

£700 million

Man United

£668 million

Bayern Munich

£664 million

FC Barcelona

£659.5 million

Arsenal

£621.5 million

Liverpool

£620 million

Tottenham Hotspur

£533 million

Chelsea

£474 million

via Deloitte Money League

Now, following the approach from Earick, ENIC have moved to “reconfirm” that the club is indeed not for sale.

Despite the alleged money on offer from Earick, reliable reports suggest that ENIC have big plans for Tottenham, and could pump more money into the club.

This cash may well be reinvested in transfers or bringing Spurs in line with the Premier League’s best wage-payers (Kaveh Solhekol), with a report from TEAMtalk now revealing their recruitment strategy for the winter amid Thomas Frank’s exceptional start to 2025/2026.

Tottenham expected to seal two January signings for Thomas Frank

According to the outlet and journalist Dean Jones, Tottenham are expected to seal two signings in January.

The defensive area will likely be reinforced, specifically centre-back, with Radu Dragusin still recovering from a lengthy injury lay-off. Injuries to Micky van de Ven or Cristian Romero, who have both been a key part of Frank’s brilliant tenure so far, would be disastrous.

Kevin Danso was brought in as a back-up option, but there is a case to be made they need another body in that area. This was made all the more prevalent by Joao Palhinha playing at centre-back against Doncaster Rovers in midweek, with Tottenham making a summer approach for Manuel Akanji that ultimately didn’t go anywhere.

Spurs also had two bids rejected for Savinho, who is closing in on a new deal with Man City, so a move for the Brazilian now appears off for the foreseeable future.

In any case, Frank’s side are tipped to go back into the winger market mid-season, and supporters are waiting for ENIC’s first transfer window post-Levy with serious anticipation.

While Spurs are viewed by outside investors as a club that is “purchasable” (BBC), the Lewis family appear to be serious about their long-term stay in N17.

Although Arsenal went top of the Premier League with victory over West Ham United, it was another afternoon to forget for Martin Odegaard as his injury woes continued.

Arteta admits Odegaard injury "not positive"

It was a season of injury woes for Arsenal as a whole last season. So much so that much of their summer spending centred around adding quality in depth to Mikel Arteta’s squad. But whilst that has helped put an end to several concerns, Mikel Arteta still has one major Odegaard concern after the Norwegian left the pitch injured for a third-consecutive game on Saturday afternoon.

It looked as though Arsenal’s summer spending was all coming together against West Ham. Odegaard, Eberechi Eze, Bukayo Saka and Viktor Gyokeres all shared the stage and any concerns that Arteta hadn’t let go of the handbrake seemed destined to end before Odegaard’s injury spoiled the party.

Arteta, as frustrated as anyone, provided an update on the midfielder in his post-match reaction – saying: “With Martin it was a clash, knee to knee. It’s not looking very positive at the moment. Immediately he was uncomfortable. I just spoke to him, he’s not positive about it, he’s got a brace on, we’ll have to wait and see from the doctors.”

Jack Wilshere says £90k-a-week star is the "key" for Arsenal's title hopes

The former Arsenal star has had his say.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 5, 2025

Arsenal shared an update on Odegaard on Sunday, revealing he has sustained ‘a medial collateral ligament injury to his left knee’ and has withdrew from international duty with Norway.

The big question will be just how long Odegaard misses. He’s already been forced to sit out of three games in all competitions and an injury expert has now revealed the worst-case scenario for the Arsenal captain following another setback.

Injury expert reveals worst-case Odegaard scenario

Reacting to the injury, injury expert Physio Scout took to X to reveal Odegaard could miss up to six weeks of action with a Grade 2 MCL injury, believing a Grade 3 is unlikely.

Should Odegaard miss six weeks of action, he would miss seven games up until the next November international break, including Champions League fixtures against Atletico Madrid.

Fulham vs Arsenal

October 18

Arsenal vs Atletico Madrid

October 21

Arsenal vs Crystal Palace

October 26

Arsenal vs Brighton

October 29

Burnley vs Arsenal

November 1

Slavia Praha vs Arsenal

November 4

Sunderland vs Arsenal

November 8

Not an ideal situation, but Arteta and Arsenal have shown they have the squad to cope.

As Nuno Espirito Santo looks to solve their goalscoring problem, one striker has reportedly “definitely” emerged as a January transfer target for West Ham United.

West Ham's striker problem

It’s a problem that Michail Antonio covered for a number of years and one that Jarrod Bowen is desperately attempting to do without his former teammate, but one that is simply not going away. West Ham simply lack goals. Take away their captain’s output and the Hammers have scored just three goals in seven Premier League games, despite welcoming new striker Callum Wilson in the summer.

On Nuno’s list of priorities, a new striker must sit at the absolute top. Neither Niclas Fullkrug or Wilson are likely to take the role as talisman in years to come, given that they’re both in their 30s, and that should ring alarm bells about the summer transfer window that West Ham just endured.

As much as Graham Potter struggled, it’s clear that the Hammers should have signed a striker at the peak of their powers when they had the chance in the summer.

Bowen

3

Fullkrug

0

Wilson

1

Just who arrives is the question. The likes of Joshua Zirkzee have already been linked with shock moves to the London Stadium in 2026 and there’s no doubt that he could return to his best away from Manchester United. Like Wilson and Fullkrug, however, Zirkzee has not shown the type of form in front of goal that the Hammers need.

Nuno was bought in to solve West Ham’s current problems, but he must be backed with an attacking addition when the winter window swings open. To do that, the Hammers could use the upcoming World Cup and one player’s desire to make Thomas Tuchel’s England squad to their full advantage.

West Ham "definitely" targeting Toney

According to former Premier League scout Mick Brown, West Ham are “definitely” targeting Ivan Toney, who could leave Al-Ahli on loan in the hope of winning a World Cup place in January.

West Ham join race for "insane" £105k-a-week striker who "loves a Cruyff turn"

The Hammers are looking to sign a Premier League centre-forward, who is keen to leave his current club.

ByDominic Lund Oct 13, 2025

A loan deal would certainly suit West Ham too. It would likely mean a discount on the forward’s hefty £22m-a-year wages in Saudi Arabia and there’s no doubt that the 29-year-old is still capable of finding the back of the net in the Premier League.

After scoring eight goals in 10 games in all competitions this season, Toney would be an excellent addition for West Ham as they look to finally solve their striker problem. Whether the forward is granted a January exit remains to be seen, however.

Tottenham have been criticised as of late for a perceived lack of creativity, with it being clear they’re far from the finished article.

Tottenham travel to Everton after lacklustre Monaco draw

Thomas Frank’s side travel to Everton on Sunday with the aim of getting back to winning ways after two uninspired performances.

Their 2-1 loss at home to Aston Villa last weekend heightened concerns around Spurs’ inability to dominate matches or create openings on a consistent enough basis, as critics call for Frank to shake things up.

Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur have been in fantastic form individually, particularly the former, but questions surround whether they should be the north Londoners’ starting pair in central midfield every game.

Frank’s men are struggling to connect defence with attack, and this was on full display during their stalemate in France.

Goalkeeper Gugilelmo Vicario was by far their player of the match against Monaco, saving Spurs time and time again with a string of excellent stops — thwarting ex-Arsenal striker Folarin Balogun three times in the first 45 alone.

21

Shots

10

9

Shots on target

4

50%

Possession

50%

399

Passes

328

91%

Pass accuracy

89%

13

Fouls

12

0

Yellow cards

1

0

Red cards

0

1

Offsides

1

5

Corners

4

In terms of their attacking players, some believed winger Wilson Odobert had his “best game in a Spurs shirt” at the Stade Louis II, but the Frenchman was forced off through injury in the second-half and couldn’t make a further impact.

Even though Vicario has attracted criticism for his handling of crosses into the box this term, based off their 0-0 at Monaco, Frank’s goalkeeping department looks like one of the areas least in need of strengthening come January.

However, journalist Graeme Bailey reports that co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange now have the chance to bring in a pretty big name for that position.

Tottenham offered Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen on loan

According to Bailey, speaking to TBR Football, Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen has been offered out to Spurs, with the 33-year-old told that he can leave in January.

Ter Stegen, who’s made just nine appearances in all competitions since the beginning of last season due to injury, has watched summer signing Joan Garcia take his number one spot.

The German, who is still captain of Barça regardless of his unavailability over the last 12 months, is close to returning from a back problem, but the La Liga champions have told his camp to find him a new club when the winter window opens.

Tottenham have been approached by intermediaries over signing ter Stegen as a result, with the Lilywhites handed an opportunity to strike a temporary deal.

A six-time Spanish champion with Barça and Champions League winner, ter Stegen’s proven top-level experience could be invaluable to a largely young Spurs dressing room.

However, his fitness issues, combined with a pretty lofty £280,000-per-week pay packet, makes this potential move a fairly risky one, even on loan.

Vicario’s heroics against Monaco prove that Frank already has that base pretty covered, and the club should really be prioritising new additions further forward.

Dominic Solanke’s fitness issues and concerns around Richarlison’s form have prompted reports that Tottenham are targeting a new striker in 2026, with ex-Brentford star Ivan Toney among the names linked as Frank looks to bolster his attack.

Paratici and Lange, after Tottenham failed to sign Savinho in the summer, could also look to target a new winger in the winter.