Tottenham Hotspur are weighing a winter move for one "really fast" Premier League defender amid injury concerns surrounding Micky van de Ven.
Van de Ven's hamstring woes
Spurs' 4-1 defeat to Chelsea on Monday was the source of bitter disappointment, but not because of the result.
While manager Ange Postecoglou's early-season unbeaten streak came to an unceremonious end, star centre-back van de Ven handed the Australian his biggest worry by far after being forced off with a hamstring injury.
The Dutchman barely managed to limp off the field, needing assistance by Spurs medical staff in a real concern. Tottenham's summer signing has been imperious so far this season, forming a fantastic partnership with Cristian Romero at the heart of Postecoglou's defence.
Reports in the last two days have now suggested that van de Ven won't need surgery on the issue, which will come as a much-needed boost for Spurs, but it is still unclear exactly how long he'll be out for.
cristian-romero-micky-van-de-ven-spurs-opinion
We'll know more tomorrow when Postecoglou addresses the media before Tottenham's Premier League encounter against Wolves this weekend, but in the mean time, new sporting director Johan Lange has reportedly been considering solutions in the transfer market.
Tottenham considering Godfrey move
The Lilywhites are now looking at alternative options for January, with Bournemouth defender Lloyd Kelly and Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah among the names linked recently.
According to 90min, sharing a transfer update this week, Spurs could now move for Everton ace Ben Godfrey, who has found game time difficult to come by at Goodison Park.
The Englishman was once becoming a regular under Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate, even being included in England's provisional squad for Euro 2021.
Everton's Ben Godfrey
However, he has since fallen down the pecking order, and it is believed he wishes to reignite his faltering career. Everton, for their part, are open to doing business with interested sides as the January window looms.
Alongside Spurs, Newcastle and other Premier League sides are showing an interest in the 25-year-old, who has been revered for his speed by former teammates.
Godfrey's "rapid" speed can replace van de Ven
Jonjoe Kenny, who now plies his trade for Hertha Berlin in Germany, once called Godfrey a "really fast" and "rapid" player.
“Ben Godfrey catches pigeons, simple as," said the former Everton defender in 2021.
“But when Ben gets going he’s rapid so I don’t know if they have a race or would have a race but yeah, it’s close between them two. Dominic is really quick too but I’d say Ben.”
Alongside Kenny, Real Madrid boss Carlo Ancelotti has previously heralded Godfrey as a player, having called him "really good" in 2020 during the defender's Norwich City days.
“I said in the past that we are looking for a centre-back because we are short there," said Ancelotti on Godfrey to talkSPORT.
"He is a really good centre-back, but he is at this moment playing for Norwich, so I can’t say more."
Given Godfrey's pace, which is crucial for a centre-back in Postecoglou's high line, he could actually be an excellent candidate to come as a van de Ven alternative.
Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard has now hailed one of his Gunners teammates for "always" working hard behind-the-scenes.
Latest Arsenal news
Mikel Arteta's men have enjoyed a solid start to the new Premier League season and remain unbeaten following their latest triumph – a 1-0 win away to struggling Everton on Sunday.
Leandro Trossard's strike with just 20 minutes remaining ensures that Arteta and co keep pace with Pep Guardiola's imperious Man City at the top of the table.
Arsenal have tasted victory in four out of their opening five top flight matches, with Fulham being the only side to get a result against them so far. The north Londoners had to dig deep on Merseyside but yet again displayed real grit to come away with all three points.
Arteta, commenting after Arsenal ended their hoodoo of six years without an away win at Everton, praised his side's display.
“Six years without a win here is a long time, so we had to learn some lessons, we had to be better." said Arteta.
"I am delighted for the win but especially the way we won it, the way we played, how dominant we were, the presence that we showed on the pitch. We fully deserved to win the game.
“I think we had many other openings to put the ball in the last line and to put somebody in the box and finalise. Credit to Everton, they defended the box extremely well, and they had some big, big blocks when we opened them up. It’s great to have other ways to score goals, it gives you different resources and be more unpredictable."
In and around the contest, there were question marks as to why goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale was dropped in favour of summer signing David Raya.
The 25-year-old hadn't set a foot wrong before their trip up north, with Arteta even having to defend his decision to the media.
It appears the contest for Arsenal's number one spot is now hotting up, but club captain Odegaard has moved to defend Ramsdale.
aaron-ramsdale
Indeed, the Norway international insists he is a player of real quality and is "always" working behind-the-scenes.
"I think he will just keep working hard, like he is always doing," Odegaard said on Ramsdale (via The Standard).
"Today he was there supporting us, cheering for us, helping us. He is a great character and he showed a very good response today by backing the team. It was excellent from him.
"We have two good goalkeepers and big competition. They have different qualities. They are both so good on the ball and in goal as well. So, we are lucky to have two such good goalkeepers and we will see who plays."
The abundance of exciting and eye-catching content around Premier League clubs nowadays is unprecedented, and it makes being a fan much more accessible than ever before. That said, while you can find out anything you want about your club, it can also be somewhat overwhelming at times.
Arsenal are no exception to this, and if anything, the sheer size and success of the club only means that there are even more options to choose from – maybe too many.
So here at Football Fancast, we have put together a cheat sheet of who to follow for all your red and white needs.
Arsenal News Now
If you are looking for the best place to find top-notch journalism about any club, let alone the Gunners, News Now should probably be your first port of call. The website collects headlines from around the world on a vast array of topics and provides you links to all the latest news.
It will even give you a short selection of the most popular stories at any given moment. So you'll know what is worth reading and what isn't, along with always staying in the loop when it comes to Arsenal.
While traditional sports media and recognised journalists are invaluable when it comes to keeping abreast of the latest goings-on at all of our favourite clubs, they can sometimes be a bit sterile and stiff, which is precisely where fan content comes into the equation.
Fan-led YouTube channels, Twitter accounts and podcasts have exploded in recent years, and many of them have Arsenal Fan TV to thank for paving the way. There is no fan channel with more reach or more well-known than AFTV, and no fan creator more respected than Robbie Lyle, AKA Don Robbie.
AFTV has been around for well over a decade, and while the cast of characters has changed over the years, Robbie has remained – as has their place as the number one destination for Arsenal fans on the internet.
With more shows that we can count and several appearances on major broadcasters, if you want to find out what fellow Gooners are talking about at the moment, head to AFTV.
Arsenal Vision Podcast
saka-martinelli-arsenal
AFTV might be the best-known destination for fan-based arsenal content, but they aren't the only one. The Arsenal Vision Podcast is one of the most popular Arsenal-based podcasts going.
Described as 'sometimes funny, sometimes serious, occasionally ridiculous and hopefully always enjoyable' by the hosts themselves, it's a great listen for any Gooner looking for more Arsenal content to consume.
John Cross
Back to traditional media once more, and John Cross is one of the best journalists to follow for Arsenal fans – even if he has, at times, clashed with AFTV. Cross is the Chief Football Writer for the Mirror, and while he might not solely focus on the Gunners in his day-to-day work, he still frequently covers them – especially on his Twitter account.
He also wrote a book about the great Arsene Wenger called Arsene Wenger: The Inside Story of Arsenal Under Wenger – which is good enough for us.
Charles Watts
Sticking with recognised journalists, and Charles Watts is perhaps one of the journalists most associated with Arsenal, and for good reason.
Previously a writer for GOAL and football.london, Watts would focus on the club for these publications and even wrote a book on Mikel Arteta's time with the club called 'Revolution – The Rise of Arteta's Arsenal.'
He now has his own website that focuses specifically on Arsenal, a Twitter account with over 500k followers and a YouTube account with 90k subscribers.
If you're an Arsenal fan, you simply have to follow Watts.
James McNicholas
James McNicholas is one of the most respected journalists in the industry, with more than a decade of experience writing for ESPN, Four Four Two, and Bleacher Report. Oh, and he's also a huge Arsenal fan.
Now primarily writing for The Athletic, McNicholas is one of their Arsenal correspondents, and alongside his work for them, he co-hosts the Arsecast podcast.
He can also be found on Twitter and is well worth a follow.
David Ornstein
Rounding off our list of sports journalists is probably the most famous of all, David Ornstein.
Ornstein has grown in prominence in the footballing world over the last few years, and that's certainly true among Arsenal fans. He has been one of The Athletic's most prominent writers since he joined the company in 2019 after spending over a decade with the BBC and has since gained quite a reputation as a reliable reporter of transfer news, with fans often pitting his reports up against those of transfers expert Fabrizio Romano.
Outside The Athletic, fans can find him on Twitter, and he's well worth a follow for everything from news, insider scoops and transfer updates.
He doesn't just Tweet about Arsenal, but when he does, it's usually worth taking note.
Afcstuff
As football content continues to be more and more fan-driven, it only makes sense for websites like Twitter – or X if you like – to become even more central to the popular discourse around the game, and Arsenal are no exception.
There are 1000s of Arsenal dedicated Twitter pages on the site, but only some are worth following, and afcstuff chief among them.
After AFTV, afcstuff is the site's most significant fan-run Arsenal page and is a must-follow for Arsenal supporters.
In their own words, you can find the 'latest updates, stats, quotes, team news & transfer news about Arsenal FC' on their page.
Sticking to Twitter for a moment, and another account well worth following if you are after more of the Gunners in your life is Arsenal Buzz.
The page posts constant updates about the team, with quotes from players, managers and pundits.
It's also a great page to follow if you want to stay up to date with the players on international duty, as they post pictures and updates about that as well.
As many are in the industry nowadays, Harry Symeou does a little bit of everything. A broadcaster, commentator, content creator, podcast host and radio contributor, he does it all – and it all links back to Arsenal.
You can find him in several different places on the internet. He's very active on his personal Twitter account, on his podcast's account – The Chronicles of a Gooner – and even on TalkSport, fighting Arsenal's corner.
Following Arsenal Buzz, afcstuff, and Harry Symeou on Twitter should have you covered on fan accounts on the website.
Arseblog
Another site created by fans, but Arseblog is the real deal. Their website has something for everyone, from news articles, tactical breakdowns, features, and opinions- and then there's the podcast.
The Arsecast – the one co-hosted by James McNicholas – is one of the most popular Arsenal-centric podcasts going, with over 550 episodes in the bank and likely many, many more to come.
The podcast crew also put on special live recordings of the podcast that fans can attend, with their last one including a surprise appearance from club legend Ian Wright – what's not to love?
Outside of their own website, you can also find them through their Twitter account.
Love it or hate it, there is simply no getting away from the all-conquering juggernaut that is The Athletic when it comes to sports journalism these days. That said, their coverage of Arsenal is excellent, as are their writers.
While it may lack the charm of a local or even some fan-created outlets, it's hard to knock the quality of the work they produce.
And as one of the country's biggest sides, Arsenal get even more coverage compared to some others in the Premier League.
Football London – Arsenal
One of Reach PLC's many titles football.london could've ended up feeling like a detached and somewhat sterile corporate attempt at covering the clubs local to the capital, but through hiring the right people and focusing on the right things, they have become one of the best websites going when it comes to the London clubs.
Their coverage of Arsenal is no different, with interesting interviews, match reactions, deep dives and features all focused on the North London club.
It would be a bit odd if we didn't end the article with at least a small shoutout to the work we do on the Gunners here at Football Fancast.
Our team of writers cover everything about the club, whether that be transfers, news, match reaction, analysis, features and more.
Keep your eyes on the site to find out the latest The Arsenal.
And there you have it, a list of everyone and every site you should be following to keep up to date with The Arsenal. From traditional journalists to fan channels and even the blending of the two, there is certainly a lot of content out there to get stuck into.
Manchester United’s record in the transfer market in the ten years since Sir Alex Ferguson retired has been rather underwhelming, with the expensive flops far outweighing any decent signing they have made in that time period.
Spending vast sums on players such as Paul Pogba (£93.2m), Romelu Lukaku (£75m) and Ángel Di María (£59.7m) who ended up turning into expensive duds, didn’t exactly help the cause of either Jose Mourinho and Louis Van Gaal as they looked to return the club to the summit of English football.
Even Erik ten Hag has been guilty of perhaps overspending on several players, with Antony costing the Red Devils a staggering £86m and it remains to be seen whether he will turn into a player who can deliver consistent performances that justify his massive transfer fee.
It hasn’t just been the players they have signed which has counted towards their lacklustre efforts in the transfer market, it is also who they have missed out on. This hasn’t just been a problem for the managers following Ferguson’s retirement, with the great man also failing to sign a few world-class players who would have certainly improved his team.
Alan Shearer is probably the biggest name who he failed to lure to Manchester, with the Englishman preferring to join Newcastle United, his hometown side, in the summer of 1996.
Another one who slipped through Fergie’s grasp may have altered the course of European football of the previous two decades, as Brazilian superstar Ronaldinho was close to moving to England and linking up with the Red Devils.
Did Manchester United nearly sign Ronaldinho?
David Beckham was on the move during the summer of 2003, eventually joining Real Madrid, despite Barcelona showing some interest and this meant Fergie needed to sign another midfielder for his team.
Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho was the man earmarked as a new arrival and despite agreeing personal terms, the move didn’t materialise, yet the player himself has stated it came extremely close to going through.
He said: “It almost happened with United. It was a matter of 48 hours, but Rosell had told me way before I got the offer: 'If I become Barca president, will you come?' I said yes.
"It was only a matter of details with United when Rosell called to say he was going to win the election there. And I had promised to him that I’d play for Barca.”
Fine margins indeed and Old Trafford could have been his playground as opposed to the Camp Nou and this may have allowed the Red Devils to continue their dominance of domestic football in the country rather than Arsenal or Chelsea emerging as threats to their crown.
Signing Ronaldinho would have given the wily Scot a chance to rejuvenate his squad and add another wonderful attacking talent to his already stacked squad, and could he perhaps have been better than Ryan Giggs?
What happened to Ronaldinho?
Giggs had proven to be one of the finest wingers in Europe throughout the previous decade, adding an extra goalscoring option for Ferguson, yet from the 2003/04 season, his numbers would start to decline.
Indeed, he scored just seven league goals during that campaign and over the course of the following four seasons – the time Ronaldinho spent at Barcelona – Giggs netted only 22 times.
In comparison, the former PSG starlet revitalised a Barcelona side who had failed to win the league title since 1999 and although they finished the 2003/04 season trophyless, the second half of the campaign saw the club secure a wonderful second place finish.
The Brazilian was a sensation, registering 33 goal contributions – 22 goals and 11 assists – and he wouldn’t let up over the next few seasons either, spurning the club on to winning two La Liga titles and a Champions League crown.
From his second season until the 2007/08 campaign, he recorded a staggering 72 goals and 59 assists and these displays meant he was a worthy winner of the FIFA World Player of the Year Award, winning the prestigious award twice.
He was without a shadow of a doubt, the finest player in the world between 2003 and 2006, and Ferguson certainly missed a trick by failing to lure him to England.
Giggs was a consistent performer, but he didn’t quite have the same creativity as the Brazilian, nor his thirst for goals, and United may have added to their Premier League tally between 2003 and 2006 had the latter been playing in red.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic, his former teammate at AC Milan, showered Ronaldinho with praise when discussing his ability, saying: "Ronaldinho was phenomenal. He made his opponents look like children.”
He wasn’t the only icon to laud him either, with Zinedine Zidane also praising his fellow rival, saying: "Ronaldinho is total class – a very, very great player. He is quick, powerful, and has extraordinary technical qualities," he said. "He is a dribbler but is also a player who can make the play for his teammates."
“He’s not really a no.10, a true organiser. He’s more a second attacker who can score goals and has the vision to make them.”
Imagine him starring in a team alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, Wayne Rooney, and Roy Keane? He would have been an unstoppable force in the Premier League had he turned down the advances of Barcelona and accepted Fergie’s offer.
It certainly remains a massive case of what if and although United eventually returned to prominence as Ferguson built his third great side at the Red Devils, and they eventually went to on win more league titles and another European crown.
Having Ronaldinho dazzle the Old Trafford crowd would have been something different however and could have given the team a totally different attacking threat while being an upgrade on Giggs on the process.
It proves that the great man also had his fair share of transfer howlers, yet he went and made up for them by going on to sign someone else who would have a positive impact at the club, and that is perhaps what separates him from the series of managers which have tried to emulate him over the previous decade.
Across Sir Alex Ferguson's 26-year Manchester United career, the 13-time Premier League winner has tutored a plethora of talented players and coaches.
Many of his former players have become managers themselves, like Wayne Rooney for example, who was appointed Birmingham City boss this week.
So today at Football FanCast, we've decided to list and rank 15 of Sir Alex's pupils who became managers.
They'll be ordered by win percentage…
15 Paul Scholes – 27%
Kicking off the list is 11-time Premier League winner Paul Scholes, whose managerial record has been far less fruitful than his playing career.
However, in fairness, it must be noted that he has only taken charge of 11 games throughout his brief managerial career, winning three of those.
The legendary United midfielder got his first gig in the dugout with Oldham at the beginning of 2019 but resigned after seven games due to 'interference' from the chairman.
Scholes' second role came in October 2020, when he took over as caretaker manager at Salford City – the club he part-owns. His record at the Ammies was pretty decent, winning two of his four games in charge and only conceding defeat once.
14 Wayne Rooney – 28%
United's all-time top goalscorer, Wayne Rooney, has opted against the popular route of a career in the media – post-retirement – and instead has chosen a life in the dugout.
Rooney has certainly not had it easy during his fledgling managerial career, having first received his breakthrough with Derby County, who were in dire straights on and off the pitch.
The Rams entered administration during his 19-month reign and were handed points deductions, leaving the Liverpool-born head coach with a mammoth task of avoiding relegation from the Championship.
Unfortunately, despite a valiant effort, Derby suffered relegation to the third tier in May 2022, and Rooney departed for D.C United that summer.
Having managed in the MLS for 15 months, the former Everton forward is now back in England with Birmingham City, where he'll be hoping to improve his pretty underwhelming 28% win rate.
13 Mark Hughes – 38%
Mark Hughes was part of Sir Alex's first title-winning side in 1993 and was a fabulous servant for the Scotsman.
Having been inspired by the former United boss, the Welshman decided to try his hand at management following his retirement in 2002 and he's gone on to take charge of a whopping 690 matches.
Though, across his eight different jobs, the 59-year-old's win rate doesn't exactly make for good reading. He was recently sacked by League Two outfit Bradford City, leaving the club in 18th after a run of three wins from 11 games.
Perhaps his most notable role was with Stoke, where he managed 200 games, guiding the club to three consecutive ninth-placed Premier League finishes.
12 Roy Keane – 38%
The former United skipper began his managerial career with Sunderland, helping the club return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
Keane's second season saw his side retain their top-flight status, finishing 15th, three points clear of the drop zone. However, he opted to resign mid-way through his third campaign after a poor run of results, leaving the North East club in 18th.
A job at Ipswich beckoned for the Irishman shortly after departing the Black Cats, and after 20 months in charge, having won 29 of his 81 matches, he was sacked by Town.
Since Keane's Portman Road exit in January 2011, he hasn't returned to management, though speaking on the 'Stick to Football' podcast, he admitted a desire to get back in the dugout.
11 Mark Robins – 40%
The current Coventry City boss, Mark Robins, is adored by the Sky Blue faithful. Across his six-and-a-half-year second spell at the club, the former United forward has overseen two promotions and stabilised the club during unsettling times off the field.
Coventry reached the Championship play-off final last term before suffering a heartbreaking defeat to Luton Town but his side appears well-placed to once again challenge for a spot in the Premier League this season.
Robins is widely considered as one of the best managers in the second tier and is certainly the best pupil of Sir Alex's up to this point.
10 Paul Ince – 40%
Paul Ince hasn't exactly inspired many with his managerial abilities.
His win rate of 40% could be a lot worse though, and his first spell as MK Dons manager was probably his most successful role, winning an impressive 35 of his 55 matches in charge, prompting Premier League side Blackburn to appoint him as manager.
Ince only lasted 21 matches in post at Rovers, having won just six of his 21 games before receiving the sack.
9 Gordon Strachan – 41%
Gordon Strachan has taken charge of just shy of 600 games throughout his 27-year career as a manager, with his first role coming at Coventry City.
A trophy-laden spell in Glasgow saw him win three Scottish Premiership titles with Celtic whilst collecting three domestic cup trophies.
Following his departure from The Hoops in 2009, the former United and Leeds midfielder managed Middlesbrough and Scotland.
Strachan now operates as a technical director for Dundee F.C.
8 Darren Ferguson – 43%
Whilst Darren Ferguson didn't play under Sir Alex, he of course received an extensive amount of tutelage from the former United boss by being his son.
Darren hasn't reached the heights his father did, but he has enjoyed a successful career in the lower leagues of English football, most notably with Peterborough United.
He's managed an astounding 483 games for the Posh across four different spells and is currently in post with the League One outfit.
The 51-year-old's side currently sit fifth after winning six of their opening 12 matches this season.
7 Steve McClaren – 45%
Steve McClaren was Sir Alex's assistant for 149 games and was on the touchline at the Nou Camp when the Red Devils beat Bayern Munich in the 1999 Champions League final to complete the treble.
McClaren has managed a whole host of clubs and was even in charge of England at one point, though that tenure was short-lived after his side failed to qualify for EURO 2008.
The veteran coach now serves as an assistant to Erik ten Hag and has been in the post since the Dutchman's arrival last summer.
6 Ryan Giggs – 50%
Now we get into the impressive win rate territory of 50% and beyond.
The Ex-United winger, Ryan Giggs, took caretaker charge at Old Trafford following David Moyes' sacking in April 2014. The Welshman managed the remaining four games of the season, winning two, drawing one and losing one.
His first permanent role came with the Wales national team in 2018, managing a total of 24 games and winning 12, before stepping down due to a court trial, which has since been dropped.
Giggs' return to management is close, according to reports.
In a move that would see David Moyes get one over on his former club, Everton are now reportedly racing to sign a Premier League talent ahead of rival interest from West Ham United this summer.
Picking up where they left off after welcoming Thierno Barry, Everton have also now signed Mark Travers from Bournemouth. The goalkeeper will instantly replace Asmir Begovic and Joao Virginia to become Moyes’ No.2 behind Jordan Pickford, as the Toffees aim to add quality in depth to their side this summer.
Starts
22
38
Clean Sheets
5
12
Saves P90
3.82
3.08
Save Percentage
76.9%
73%
Whilst Travers is unlikely to take Pickford’s place, such is the England international’s importance in Merseyside, he will provide Everton with an impressive backup.
On loan at Middlesbrough last season, the Irishman enjoyed an impressive campaign and even earned the praise of former manager Michael Carrick, who told reporters after watching Travers keep a clean sheet against Luton Town: “He’s got a really good character. He’s a good goalkeeper and he’s had to make some good saves for us.
“That’s what we obviously brought him in for and hope for. We don’t want him to have to make saves, but, when needed, and especially today to contribute to a clean sheet, is a big one for us.
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“Mark made some big saves when we needed him, but he came for some crosses as well, and had a really good presence in the box from set plays and corners, and we needed that. It was a shared contribution and he had to make saves for us which were important.”
As solid as their business has been so far this summer, though, Everton are reportedly not done there. Reports are now suggesting that they’ve joined the race to sign a Premier League rival.
Everton racing to sign Jacob Ramsey
According to The Telegraph, Everton have now joined the race to sign Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa this summer and have been joined by Nottingham Forest and West Ham in pursuit of his signature.
The Villans are reportedly willing to accept just £30m to sell their academy graduate this summer as they look to solve any further PSR problems at long last.
At that price – plus the fact he’s represented by the same agent as Dwight McNeil which could smooth personal negotiations – Everton should not hesitate to make their move ahead of West Ham and Forest. Ramsey is still very much a player full of potential, especially if he moves past his injury troubles.
Hamstring injury
2024/25
9
Muscle injury
2024/25
1
Toe injury
2023/24
17
Hamstring injury
2023/24
2
Foot injury
2023/24
8
Metatarsal fracture
2023/24
9
Missing 46 games across the last two seasons, Everton and other suitors have every right to be concerned about Ramsey’s injury history. At 24 years old, however, he is still worth taking a gamble on.
A player who Steven Gerrard believed would become “terrific”, Everton should now swoop in and help Ramsey realise his impressive potential.
Intermediaries are set to open talks with Chelsea and ask them about the possibility of signing a “top, top” player in January, coming amid the uncertain futures surrounding members of Enzo Maresca’s squad.
Chelsea face Aston Villa with refreshed squad after Conference League rotation
Maresca’s B-team faced off against Bundesliga side Heidenheim in the Conference League on Thursday, beating the German minnows 2-0 and leaving Chelsea’s first team refreshed ahead of their bout with Aston Villa on Sunday.
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Both sides are competing for a place in the Premier League’s top four by the end of this campaign and all the riches that come with qualification for the Champions League.
Unai Emery’s side haven’t won a single game in all competitions since late October, with Chelsea going into their clash at Stamford Bridge in much more favourable form, alongside the added bonus of selecting fresher stars who’ve had a full week’s rest.
Aston Villa (home)
December 1
Southampton (away)
December 4
Tottenham (home)
December 8
Brentford (home)
December 15
Everton (away)
December 22
The only Chelsea player to start against Heidenheim, days after their 2-1 win over Leicester City last weekend, was Benoit Badiashile. Apart from the Frenchman, the entirety of their XI against the Foxes got a chance to recuperate ahead of Villa tomorrow.
However, Maresca appeared to suggest in his pre-match press conference that it is not an advantage by any means.
“It depends. You can also say they play yesterday [Wednesday] and we play tonight [Thursday]. We arrive [home] very late and it is already Friday,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s ability to rotate.
“For sure, we change players but hopefully we can do this all season because imagine if we didn’t have the chance to change players. You arrive late, it’s not easy and especially the strange thing, sometimes you play tomorrow on Friday and then play Thursday and on Sunday. Southampton, they don’t play any European competition.
“This is not something normal. We have two days after Sunday’s game and they have almost a week, six days – this is something not normal. But we are going to try and prepare the game in the best way and try to win.”
£195,000-per-week forward Christopher Nkunku has featured predominantly in the Conference League, with his goal against Heidenheim adding to the 10 strikes he’d accumulated in all competitions this season.
Agents preparing to open talks with Chelsea over signing Nkunku
In the build-up to their clash with Heidenheim, Maresca ruled out selling Nkunku in January, despite reports linking the France international with a winter move away amid his lack of chances in the Premier League.
The 26-year-old, called a “top, top striker”, has scored 11 in total this campaign but finds himself behind Nicolas Jackson in the pecking order.
Regardless of their firm ‘not for sale’ stance in the winter, GiveMeSport reported this week that agents are preparing to ask Chelsea about signing Nkunku as the west Londoners become braced for enquiries.
Following on from Maresca’s public admission, Nkunku apparently won’t be pushing for an exit behind the scenes, nor will Chelsea entertain any such bid for his services, but that won’t stop clubs from trying to test their resolve in an effort to lure him away from the Bridge.
Tottenham Hotspur insiders are refusing to rule out the sale of an “important” star in Ange Postecoglou’s squad – and there is little doubt his departure would be seen as pretty disappointing by supporters.
Players who could be sold or let go by Tottenham in 2025
As they near the ends of their contracts at Spurs, a quartet of bit-part or surplus players in Sergio Reguilon, Ben Davies, Fraser Forster and Alfie Whiteman appear set to leave N17 next summer.
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6 ByEmilio Galantini Nov 1, 2024
Reguilon, who spent last season on loan spells at Manchester United and Brentford, is currently training with the senior team, but is yet to make a single appearance in all competitions and has taken just one spot in a matchday squad.
The former Real Madrid starlet is now attracting interest from La Liga as a result, with Getafe interested in snapping up Reguilon on a free transfer next summer. Meanwhile, Davies appears set to bring the curtain down on his 10-year stay at Tottenham, and it is currently unclear what the future holds for him.
Appearances
335
Goals
9
Assists
23
Bookings
43
Red cards
0
Minutes played
25,802
Elsewhere, Tottenham are leaning towards letting Timo Werner leave when his loan deal expires rather than trigger his £8.5 million option-to-buy clause, while reports also claim Archie Gray could be loaned out by Spurs in the January window.
Meanwhile, Bayern Munich are believed to be keeping tabs on Cristian Romero, as the Argentinian is yet to pen a new contract, with Real Madrid and Serie A champions Inter also watching closely.
It is imperative that Postecoglou manages to retain Romero, who has formed an exceptional partnership with Micky van de Ven at the heart of Tottenham’s defence, with pundit Paul Robinson praising rumours of a potential new deal for the ex-Atalanta star.
“If you’re going to give a player a pay rise, you can’t do that without extending their contract, which is good news for Tottenham,” said Robinson to Football Insider.
“He and Micky van de Ven have been key. He brings grit and determination, and that little bit of bite they might not have otherwise. I think he’s a leader on the pitch, though not vocally. To tie him down to a longer-term contract is only good news.”
While Spurs appear very keen to keep Romero out of the clutches of Europe’s elite, they are more willing to do a deal over star right-back Pedro Porro.
Tottenham refuse to rule out selling Pedro Porro
According to GiveMeSport, Tottenham are refusing to rule out the possibility of selling the Spaniard in the event of a sizeable offer amid awareness that his market value may have significantly increased.
Joining from Sporting CP last year, Pedro Porro has since gone on to become imperative in Postecoglou’s system as an attack-minded wing-back alongside Destiny Udogie.
Both men are indispensable to the Australian, with pundit Stephen Warnock calling Porro and Udogie their “most important” stars. Tottenham have slapped an £80 million price tag on the defender’s head as a result, per GMS, amid interest from both Man City and Real.
Carlos Corberan steered West Bromwich Albion to their first win in nine away at Hull City on Sunday, as a quickfire Baggies double in the first half secured a 2-1 victory.
It wasn’t the most vintage display from the visitors – who only mustered up five shots all game to the hosts’ superior 13 – but it was a win nonetheless. That would have been a relief for Corberan who was starting to feel the weight of pressure in the dug-out.
West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberan.
Thankfully for the Spaniard, and the travelling contingent who made the journey to the MKM Stadium, a clinical first-half showing ensured a rare win was forthcoming, as Josh Maja and Karlan Grant delivered the goods.
Maja & Grant's important goals
Maja will hope another purple patch in front of goal is coming his way after another goal on the road versus the Tigers, after he also instinctively flicked home his side’s only strike away at Luton Town recently.
The former Sunderland striker scored his team’s second of the day, powering home a header that was put on a plate for him by defender Darnell Furlong, taking his Championship goal tally for the campaign up to nine strikes as a result.
Grant also celebrated a goal of his own on Humberside, with a deflection helping his powerful effort beat Ivor Pandur in the Hull net, before the Baggies number 9 delivered another sucker punch shortly after.
Both players didn’t last the full 90 minutes, but the attacking duo would be well aware come full-time that their efforts were key in a much-needed victory coming home to the Hawthorns.
However, it wasn’t exactly the most jaw-dropping display from the Baggies, who struggled in attacking areas as much as they excelled, with Tom Fellows out-of-sorts throughout.
Fellows' performance in numbers
Fellows started this second-tier campaign like a runaway train, with his performances inevitably going to tail off at some point.
Picking up three assists during his side’s opening four games in the league, only two more have come Fellows’ way since, with the West Brom academy prodigy in no danger of adding to his assist collection away at Hull.
Minutes played
54
Goals scored
0
Assists
0
Touches
17
Accurate passes
6/8 (75%)
Key passes
0
Shots
0
Successful dribbles
0/1
Total duels won
3/7
It was a sorry outing for the youngster at the weekend, managing to accumulate just 17 touches of the ball and six accurate passes before Corberan substituted him early into the second half, for Everton loanee Lewis Dobbin to gain a run-out.
Also failing to complete a single successful dribble, or even test Pandur with a shot, the England U21 international might well find he’s out of his manager’s first-team plans for West Brom’s next league encounter with Norwich City after the lengthy break.
Tom Fellows celebrates for West Brom.
There isn’t an overwhelming abundance of options at Corberan’s disposal down the right flank, however, with Dobbin notably underwhelming in Fellows’ place with just one accurate pass registered from his 38 minutes on the pitch. Thus, the ex-Huddersfield Town manager will be left scrambling over who he could pick here.
He could unleash Grady Diangana down the wing again, who is capable of playing down either channel, or he could also give Jed Wallace more minutes, as the ex-Millwall man is equally versatile enough across the midfield to slot in here on request.
Whatever he does decide to do with this area of the pitch, Corberan will just hope more wins are notched up moving forward away from falling victim to another poor run of form, with the Spaniard celebrating his 100th game in charge of the Baggies in a victorious manner at Hull.
West Brom wasted £10.6m on Hawthorns flop who earned more than Maja
West Bromwich Albion fans won’t look back on this flop’s time at the club with much fondness.
Celtic head into the international break at the top of the Scottish Premiership table after their convincing 3-1 win over St. Johnstone at Parkhead on Saturday.
Their rivals Rangers had their clash with Dundee postponed due to a waterlogged pitch on Sunday, which meant that the Hoops ended the weekend one point clear – having played one more game than the team in second.
The Hoops still have the chance to secure two trophies before the end of the season as they remain in the Premiership title race and are set to play Aberdeen in the semi-finals of the SFA Cup last month.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers watches on.
They were knocked out of Europe in the group stages of the Champions League, and were dumped from the League Cup by Kilmarnock, during the first half of the campaign.
The Scottish giants may look to make changes to their playing squad to fare better across all competitions and in Europe next season, and there is one position that will need looking at as Joe Hart is set to retire.
Latest Celtic transfer news
Celtic will need to find a player to take the former England international's place between the sticks and Brendan Rodgers may have already found the dream replacement for him.
According to Dutch paper Algemeen Dagblad (17/03/2024), via SoccerNews, the Hoops have identified RKC Waalwijk goalkeeper Etienne Vaessen as a target ahead of the summer transfer window.
The report claims that the Glasgow-based side have already placed an offer on the table to sign the talented shot-stopper to bolster their squad.
His current contract with Waalwijk is due to expire at the end of the season and this has allowed Celtic to make him an offer to sign a pre-contract agreement.
Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers looks on.
However, the outlet states that Vaessen is in no rush to make a decision on his future. The 28-year-old star has his full focus on helping his current club to avoid relegation from the Eredivisie before deciding his next move.
Algemeen Dagblad reports that Dutch giants PSV are also interested in a possible swoop to sign the experienced shot-stopper, and that the interest from both clubs has not left him 'unmoved', which suggests that he could decide to make the switch to Scotland or across the Netherlands in the summer.
Celtic, if they win the race for his signature, have already found the dream replacement for Hart between the sticks as the Dutch giant has been in sublime form and could, possibly, arrive as an upgrade on the veteran Englishman.
Joe Hart's Celtic stats this season
The 36-year-old titan, who turns 37 next month, has kept ten clean sheets in 29 appearances for the Scottish giants in the Premiership so far this season.
Celtic won the league title in both of his first two years at the club, having joined from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2021, and he will be hoping for a perfect treble before his retirement later this year.
Hart's performances in the league this season have improved in comparison to his displays under Ange Postecoglou during the 2022/23 campaign, which suggests that he is going out on a high this summer.
Appearances
37
29
Goals conceded per game
0.8
0.8
Save success rate
65%
69%
Saves per game
1.5
1.7
Aerial duel success rate
86%
100%
As you can see in the table above, the experienced stopper's save success rate, saves per game, and aerial duel success rate have all improved, whilst he has conceded the same number of goals per match on average.
This suggests that the Hoops defence has allowed more shots against his goal this time around, but he has stepped up to ensure that their mistakes have not impacted the team.
Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart.
However, Hart did leave a bit to be desired with his underwhelming performances in the Champions League as he conceded 1.7 more goals than expected based on the post-shot xG value of the efforts against him in six appearances, which was also the case during the 2022/23 campaign.
In total, the ex-Manchester City star let in 6.5 more goals than expected in 19 European matches for Celtic over the last three seasons combined, which shows that the goalkeeper struggled with the quality of finishes in Europe.
Why Etienne Vaessen could be a dream Joe Hart replacement
The Hoops could now land a dream replacement for Hart by beating PSV to Vaessen's signature this summer, as the Dutch colossus has been in fantastic form this season.
Despite his side battling against relegation, the Celtic target has caught the eye with 4.0 saves per game and a Sofascore rating of 7.31 across 22 appearances in the Eredivisie.
He has prevented a staggering 4.67 more goals than expected based on the xG of the shots against him this season, which suggests that the 28-year-old star has consistently made high-quality saves against high-quality efforts.
Post-shot xG minus goals conceded
-0.28
+0.15
Percentage of crosses stopped
1.2%
7.9%
Defensive actions outside the penalty area
0.17
1.54
Average distance of defensive actions
5.9 yards
15.2 yards
Save success rate
60.5%
72.3%
As you can see in the table above, Vaessen has outperformed Hart in a number of key goalkeeping metrics throughout the 2023/24 campaign so far.
Not only has the potential free agent significantly outperformed the Englishman as a shot-stopper, the Waalwijk hero has also been terrific at sweeping up behind his defence and at commanding his box to relieve the pressure on his backline.
Vaessen has the quality to consistently come off his line to either clear the ball from danger outside of his box or to collect a cross to prevent the opposition from getting a shot away.
Whereas, Hart ranks within the bottom 1% of goalkeepers in the Champions League this season for defensive actions outside the penalty area per 90 and the percentage of crosses into the box stopped.
These statistics suggest that the Dutch ace, who is eight years younger than the former England international, would arrive as a significant upgrade on the current Celtic number one, should he translate his performances over to Glasgow.
Celtic's 2023 target to replace Joe Hart is now starring for CL giants
The Hoops were reportedly interested in a deal to sign the Real Madrid starlet.
ByDan Emery Feb 23, 2024
Therefore, Rodgers may have already found his dream replacement for Hart with this offer on the table to land Vaessen at the end of the season, and it is now down to the Eredivisie star to make a final decision on his future.