Man Utd and Ratcliffe eyeing £35m cut-price replacement for Raphaël Varane

With Raphael Varane set to leave Manchester United this summer, Sir Jim Ratcliffe has reportedly turned his attention to landing a replacement for the Frenchman in a cut-price deal.

Man Utd transfer news

Varane confirmed the news that he would be leaving Manchester United at the end of the season following two years at Old Trafford. The Frenchman at least ended on a high, having started in the Red Devils' shock FA Cup final victory over Manchester City. Running out 2-1 winners, Varane bowed out in the best way possible.

Now, however, those at Old Trafford have turned their attention towards finding a replacement for the former Real Madrid star, with the likes of Jarrad Branthwaite and Antonio Silva already mentioned. Branthwaite, in particular, would be an interesting option given the season that he has just enjoyed at Everton as a clear standout. As the Toffees look to ease financial concerns too, United could swoop in.

Alas, Everton aren't the only club in need of funds. According to Charlie Gordon of the Daily Express, Sporting CP in Portugal need to raise money and Manchester United are considering a move for Ousmane Diomande in a deal that could be worth as little as £35m. What's more, with interest reportedly cooling elsewhere in the Premier League, Ratcliffe should be perfectly placed to land his Varane replacement.

Still just 20 years old and coming off the back of an excellent season in Portugal, Diomande could quickly prove to be the bargain of the summer if United make their move.

"Elite" Diomande can fill Varane void

Whilst Varane's time at Manchester United may go down as what might have been at some points after injury troubles, replacing a World Cup and Champions League winner is still no easy task, but signing Diomande would do exactly that. Described as "elite" by Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig, the central defender can step into the Frenchman's role and more with a move to Old Trafford.

Starts

25

16

Progressive Carries

0.94

1.05

Progressive Passes

5.15

3.86

Tackles Won

1.02

0.72

Ball Recoveries

5.62

4.38

As Ratcliffe looks to finally transform Manchester United into a club capable of competing among the Premier League's very best, signings such as Diomande would go a long way.

The Sporting man ticks the box for his age, potential and current ability, which is particularly important when rebuilding Erik ten Hag's backline, given that Jonny Evans is 36 years old and Harry Maguire is 31. Only time will tell whether Diomande is the man that Ratcliffe turns toward, however, with a number of options linked with a summer move.

'We are in transition' – Bumrah defends India's bowling show

He says Siraj has a “little bit of a niggle” and praises his “fighter spirit that the team loves”

Alagappan Muthu16-Dec-20244:42

Bumrah: Our bowling unit is going through transition

Jasprit Bumrah has defended the rest of the Indian bowling attack who have come under some criticism for the way they have struggled to provide support to him over the course of this Border-Gavaskar Trophy.Australia have been able to mount two big first-innings totals – 337 in Adelaide, which gave them a lead of 157 , and 445 in Brisbane, where they could prise only 76 runs at 2.61 per over off Bumrah, and lost six wickets in the process. But they made up for it by taking Mohammed Siraj, Akash Deep and Nitish Kumar Reddy for 257 runs at the cost of four wickets and a run-rate of 3.88.”See, we don’t as a team point fingers at each other and we don’t want to get into that mindset where we are pointing fingers at each other [and say] that ‘you should do this, you should do that’.Related

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“Obviously, we, as a team, are going through a transition where new players are coming here and it’s not the easiest place to play cricket. Over here, it’s a different atmosphere with this wicket being a different challenge. So yeah, we’re not looking at that.”Obviously, as a bowling unit, as I said, we are in transition, so it’s my job to help the others. I have played a little more than them, so I am trying to help them. But again, everyone will learn through it, will get better and eventually will find different ways. So this is the journey that you’ll have to go through.”India are 51 for 4 after two days’ play, trailing Australia by 394 runs. Bumrah picked up his second five-for of the series. He has 18 wickets across the three matches so far at an average of 11.72. His closest ally is Siraj, who has picked up 11 wickets at an average of 25, and been a target for the crowd since he gave Travis Head a send-off in the last Test.”We have had conversations but this was the conversation he had with me before we came [to Australia],” Bumrah said of Siraj. “I think when we came here in Perth, as well as the last game, he looked in very good spirits. He was bowling well and he has picked up a fair few of the wickets. In this game, I think I’ll give him credit that he had a little bit of a niggle but he still kept on bowling and still helped the team because he knew if he goes inside and he doesn’t bowl, then that team will go under pressure. So I think he has got a great attitude and he has got a fighter spirit that the team loves.”In terms of wickets and all, some days you will bowl well, the wickets will come as I spoke to him before and some days you will not bowl very well but the wickets will follow. So it is all money in the bank, that is the conversation that I have had with him.”You keep focusing on your stuff, things that you can control, keep running in, keep having a smile on his face. You wanted to play Test cricket, you are doing that. Your family is really proud of you.Jasprit Bumrah averages 11.72 in the series•Cricket Australia via Getty Images”You are doing something that not many have done before. So I think he is in a very good space, that is what I know of. I don’t know what else is happening but he has got a great attitude and that is a very big positive for us.”Australia has given Bumrah a lot of challenges to work on and he has thoroughly enjoyed that. “The Test match that we played in Perth, the wicket was different, Adelaide pink ball was different, the wicket behaved different, the ball behaved differently and here it is a little different because the wicket is at a level and the run up is low. So in India, we are not used to that. We are used to straight, level grounds. So it is an interesting challenge.”I always look forward to all of that and I always look to find answers. So that has always been my biggest happiness that if I come across a problem or if I come across a certain situation, I look at how do I solve it, what can I do in this scenario rather than whinging or complaining or looking at someone else or pointing fingers that I need this from this person. I don’t look at all of those things. I look at myself. I have been happy with the way the ball has been coming out and yeah, looking forward to contributing even more.”The one thing that continues to stump him and the rest of the Indian bowling attack though is Head. He has top-scored in three innings for Australia – two of which, the first innings in Adelaide and the first innings in Brisbane, were rescue acts that took a game in the balance to one of considerable strength for his team.”The Kookaburra ball, once the seam goes down and it becomes soft, it becomes relatively easier to bat when the wicket is not offering a lot,” Bumrah said. “So then you have to find solutions. How do you make run-scoring difficult? What fields do you want to have? What is an individual’s strength? So it may differ from people to people.”We’ve got someone like Rishabh Pant who does that as well. But all of those scenarios are very difficult for bowlers sometimes. Because you bowl a certain number of overs, the ball is not doing a lot. You can’t take an attacking option. So it’s a puzzle that sometimes you can solve. Sometimes, if somebody plays well, you have to take notice of it and you say, ‘well played’.”

Andy Balbirnie's 99* dents Gloucestershire run towards home quarter-final

Glamorgan seal only their third victory of campaign against Central Group leaders

ECB Reporters Network18-Sep-2020Glamorgan 188 for 4 (Balbirnie 99*) beat Gloucestershire 171 for 6 (Dent 55, Wagg 3-34) by 17 runsIreland captain Andy Balbirnie fell agonisingly short of becoming Glamorgan’s sixth centurion in T20 cricket as he led his side to a well-earned victory over Central Group leaders Gloucestershire by 17 runs in the Vitality Blast in Cardiff.Balbirnie struck an explosive unbeaten 99, the highest individual T20 score by a Glamorgan batsman at Cardiff, to lay the foundations of a competitive 188 for 4, adding 61 for the second wicket with David Lloyd and 79 for the fourth with Chris Cooke.Defeat for the visitors means that they must now wait until their final match against Somerset on Sunday to discover whether they will have a home tie in the quarter-finals.Glamorgan made three changes to the side that lost heavily to Somerset at Cardiff two nights ago – top-scorer Owen Morgan, Callum Taylor and Marchant de Lange replaced by Kiran Carlson, Dan Douthwaite and Graham Wagg.Openers Lloyd and Nick Selman lofted the ball for a boundary apiece before the latter holed out to deep midwicket. However, Balbirnie continued the onslaught as Glamorgan reached 51 for 1 at the end of the Powerplay.Gloucestershire turned to the medium-pace of Benny Howell and Ryan Higgins, and then to the left-arm spin of Tom Smith – and it yielded success when Lloyd was bowled by Howell as he stepped away to the leg side, before Carlson drove Smith to Howell at cover.Balbirnie swept Taylor to the fine-leg boundary for his second six, bringing up his half-century, and continued to blast the Gloucestershire attack with Higgins conceding 17 in his second over. Balbirnie waited nervously for his century, as Cooke was run out attempting a quick single, before Douthwaite despatched consecutive boundaries, but the Irishman ultimately fell one run short.Chasing 189 to win, Gloucestershire made a slow start to their Powerplay, despite two fours and a six by Chris Dent in the fourth over, before Mile Hammond was caught at short third man in the fifth as the visitors reached 49 for 1.By the halfway stage, Dent, who was dropped by Salter before reaching his half-century from 32 deliveries, and Ian Cockbain, also dropped by Timm van der Gugten in the deep, had guided Gloucestershire to 86 for 1, still requiring 103 runs to win.Graham Wagg gave Glamorgan important breakthroughs in successive overs, when he struck the top of Cockbain’s leg stump before catching Dent at long-off off Prem Sisodiya. He struck again when the equation was 65 from the final five overs as John Bracey, dropped at long-on on 29, skied to point from a leading edge on 37 in the 18th over.Van der Gugten yorked Higgins from the final delivery of the penultimate over, and Wagg claimed a third wicket in the final over when Jack Taylor was caught at long-off as Balbirnie rounded off a memorable evening for the Dubliner.

"Important" Rangers star who Clement called a "leader" set to leave Ibrox

Rangers, after falling behind in the Scottish Premiership title race, are now reportedly set to lose one of Philippe Clement's most important Ibrox players.

Rangers transfer news

Ahead of Clement's first full season in charge, Rangers could be set to endure a number of changes with several players on course to leave upon the expiry of their current deals, including the likes of Ryan Jack and Borna Barisic. Those departures will at least free up room for fresh faces, however, which could see both Fabio Silva and Oscar Cortes arrive in permanent deals as reports suggest is a possibility.

Those at Ibrox have seen a preview of what Clement is capable of this season and his first full season may prove to be even better, perhaps finally resulting in another title win. Whatever happens though, the Rangers manager looks set to be without John Lundstram, despite initial reports suggesting that contract talks were still ongoing.

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He’s struggled this season.

ByTom Cunningham Apr 18, 2024

According to journalist Egzi Alp, relayed by Ibrox News, Ipswich Town are set to sign Lundstram on a free deal this summer in a move that could see the midfielder feature in the Premier League next season. It's quite the blow for Rangers, given how important the former Sheffield United man has been at Ibrox, but they could now be set to pay the price for their failure in negotiations over a new deal.

Clement may well be among those most frustrated too, having previously been so full of praise for Lundstram. The Rangers boss said: "He is important in many ways. He is someone who never hides. He always wants the ball. He understands the tactical study we want to do every game, he changes every game to try and find spaces.

"He is a leader in the dressing room and on the pitch. You need someone like that and I have several now. I am really happy about that."

Rangers must replace "leader" Lundstram

If Lundstram does depart as reports now suggest is on the cards, then Rangers simply cannot afford not to find a replacement this summer. It won't be an easy search, given that their budget will not be increased by the sale of the midfielder, but it is still something that Clement may need to get right in the summer window if he wants to take his side back above Celtic in the Scottish Premiership.

Rangers midfielder John Lundstram.

Reliability will be the trait that the Gers must find, given that Lundstram has started in all but three Scottish Premiership games under Clement this season. Finding a player who is readily available to step in every week with the experience and quality of Lundstram will undoubtedly be one of the keys to success in Clement's first full season in charge.

Of course, there's still time for contract negotiations to change once again in another twist, but with Ipswich closing in on a Premier League place, Lundstram may need plenty of convincing to stay put at Ibrox this summer. Should he depart, the midfielder will want to at least end his time at the club with a dramatic title win.

Campeonato Brasileiro, Final de Roland Garros… Saiba onde assistir aos eventos esportivos de domingo

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da brwin: O domingo (13) será agitado por competições de diferentes modalidades esportivas ao longo do mundo. No futebol brasileiro, o São Paulo enfrenta o Atlético-MG, fora de casa, às 16h (de Brasília), pela 3ª rodada do Brasileirão.

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Quando o assunto é tênis, o dia marca a final de Roland Garros. Depois de vencer Rafael Nadal, o tenista sérvio Novak Djokovic, número 1 do mundo, enfrenta o grego Stefanos Tsitsipas na decisão, às 10h (horário de Brasília).

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Spurs barely speaking to club despite rumours of deal being all but agreed

Tottenham have hardly been in contact over a move for one of their summer targets in recent weeks, despite reports of a deal being broadly agreed.

Spurs aiming for late top-four push

Ange Postecoglou's first season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is looking likely to result in a return to Champions League football, with Spurs currently nine points clear of Manchester United and occupying what is likely to be a fifth Champions League spot for English teams come the end of the campaign.

A 1-1 draw with West Ham dented their hopes of leapfrogging Aston Villa into fourth, and despite knowing that they face the top three sides between now and the end of the season, Ange will be hoping a strong end to the Premier League campaign will see them take fourth spot.

The Run in for Tottenham

Matchday

Opponent (Home/Away)

31

Nottingham Forest (H)

32

Newcastle United (A)

33 – TBD

Man City (H)

34

Arsenal (H)

35

Liverpool (A)

36

Burnley (H)

37

Sheffield United (A)

38

Newcastle United (A)

No Spurs contact in recent weeks despite striker rumours

One man currently left in the dark over his future is loanee Timo Werner. The former Chelsea striker was signed on loan in January, in a deal that contains an option to sign the 28-year-old on a permanent deal for around 17m euros this summer.

However, that option has to be exercised before the beginning of EURO 2024 (June 14th), giving Tottenham a hard deadline before which to make a decision on the German.

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The north Londoners are hoping to beat Brighton at their own game.

ByBen Browning Apr 2, 2024

Werner has impressed since his arrival, and grabbed an assist against the Hammers, teeing up Brennan Johnson for the opening goal. Speaking on potentially signing the German permanently, Postecoglou was in no rush but sounded positive about the prospect.

"In terms of his future, like most players, the decisions will be made at the appropriate time," said the Tottenham boss. "I think he's been a great signing. He's been a really important part of our structure and I think he can also improve."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the divide, Marco Rose has also spoken on the prospect of the deal being done: "We are not in contact, but of course I am following his development. He starts scoring again, this is a result of being comfortable and feeling good. He should keep riding the wave. Basically, he is one of our players, but Tottenham obviously have the opportunity to sign him completely."

Despite this, Sport Witness claim that though the player 'definitely wants' the move to north London, there has been 'no contact’ between Spurs and Leipzig in recent weeks to communicate longer-term plans.

One theory that they put forward is that Spurs may be wanting a discount on the deal, something which seems unlikely given his renaissance in north London. Of course, it needs little more than a single call to activate the pre-agreed deal, so a lack of contact isn't something to be massively concerned about.

But with reports that Tottenham want to sign another striker and a winger this summer, could they be having second thoughts about making Werner's deal permanent?

Leeds’ “waste of money" has had a better resurgence than Bamford

Leeds United have managed to put the demons of their relegation campaign swiftly to one side this season, Daniel Farke's side picking up an unbelievable ten wins in all competitions so far in 2024.

The Leeds juggernaut constructed by the German manager in the Elland Road dug-out has resulted in the West Yorkshire giants leaping up to second spot in the Championship recently, capitalising on Southampton showing visible chinks in their armour with two losses in their last three.

It's been a remarkable turnaround of fortunes for many donning the Leeds strip this campaign, none more so than one Whites attacker who found himself loaned out just last season only to come back and emerge as a key first-teamer with Farke at the helm.

What the media first said about Dan James when joining Leeds

Daniel James was arguably a controversial signing at Leeds from the get-go, with the Whites failing to land the Welshman once before in an ill-fated move before finally getting this deal over the line in the summer of 2021.

First Impressions

What did pundits and fans alike think about their new star signing when they arrived? Football FanCast's 'First Impressions' series has everything you need.

Moreover, with his Manchester United connections, the Whites masses were never going to be overly keen on a signing joining from their arch-rivals.

The inflated £25m price-tag above his head didn't help things either, considering James blew hot and cold at Old Trafford throughout his forgettable time with the Red Devils.

Dan James

James would manage nine goals and nine assists from 74 appearances for the Manchester outfit, with his beginnings at Leeds also following a similar underwhelming trajectory.

During his first season at Elland Road, talkSPORT pundit Simon Jordan would blast James' performances by labelling the Leeds number 20 as a "waste of money" – his poor first season in South Yorkshire coming to a head with a red card against Chelsea towards the back-end of the 2021/22 campaign, which resulted in Jordan's angry outburst.

The 5 foot 7 trickster would amass four goals and five assists during his first full campaign with Leeds, shipped out on loan to Fulham the season after owing to his game-time being significantly cut.

This past insecurity over his Leeds future is a far cry from the role he currently possesses in Farke's promotion-chasing side, however, now key to the Whites taking the second tier by storm.

Dan James' season so far with Leeds

The one-time Swansea City man is only two goal contributions this season with Leeds away from eclipsing his entire Red Devils total of goals and assists, accumulating ten goals and six assists from just 29 appearances to date.

Before picking up a recent injury, James was terrorising Championship defences week in, and week out, with the Welshman scoring in three Championship games on the spin in January as Leeds picked up comfortable victories over Birmingham City, Cardiff City and Preston North End.

Described as being "electric" earlier this season by football journalist Sanny Rudravajhala when Leeds beat Plymouth Argyle 2-1 back in November, courtesy of a James strike, it's been a remarkable change of fortunes for the Welsh winger in such a short span of time.

Arguably, it's been an even better redemption story than the one Patrick Bamford has managed to pull off this season – the ageing Leeds striker bagging five goals in quick succession this campaign after being frozen out of the first-team picture.

But, Bamford was a hero for so many seasons at Elland Road before dropping off in form. Whereas, James, on the eve of this campaign, had so much more to prove to the disgruntled Whites masses.

Leeds forward Dan James.

James will aim to battle back from his recently sustained injury and return to the starting lineup very soon, hoping his continued heroics end up in Leeds winning promotion back up to the Premier League come May.

Leeds already have their next Dallas in "unbelievable" star who Farke loves

da fezbet: Everyone at Leeds United would have felt gutted when Stuart Dallas announced his retirement from football this week, the 32-year-old Whites icon bowing out of the game after an extensive two-year period out with a now career-ending knee injury.

da supremo: The Northern Irishman was once a key part of the Marcelo Bielsa machine at Elland Road, hanging up his boots having helped himself to 28 goals and 18 assists from 267 Leeds games.

The time for sentimentality is obviously now, with an outpouring of love coming his way from fans and ex-players alike after the tragic news was revealed.

Yet, in the long-term, Leeds will hope that this bright young star – who has already taken the first team by storm this campaign – can become the next Dallas with time.

The next Stuart Dallas

Dallas might well now pass the baton on for Archie Gray to star for Leeds in a similar fashion, with the departing number 15 adept at playing both in midfield and at the back which Gray has also shown he's capable of doing this season.

Gray has been an absolute revelation for the West Yorkshire titans in the second tier, having accumulated 45 appearances this season with 40 of those coming in the Championship at just 18 years of age.

He hasn't looked like a deer in the headlights when he's been thrown into the thick of the action either, Farke trusting Gray to be his starting right-back for the majority of the season despite a midfield role being his preferred position from his youth days.

28 of those appearances Gray has made this campaign have come from this now familiar right-back role, with Dallas equally as adaptable when called upon to play at both full-back positions if a midfield spot wasn't needing to be plugged.

The Northern Irish star would line up in the back four 101 times for Leeds throughout his celebrated stay at Elland Road, with the Whites now hoping Gray can go down as a club legend in the same vein.

This has led to many waxing lyrical about Gray and how far he could go in the game, described as being "unbelievable" by Not the Top 20 podcast Ali Maxwell earlier this campaign, having also been dubbed "outstanding" by that man Farke.

The 18-year-old could well have his head turned by the likes of Liverpool swooping for his services again potentially this summer, but the Championship promotion hopefuls will attempt to bat away any clubs circling for their homegrown talent in a bid to make him an eventual hall-of-famer.

Transfer interest in Gray

Wild rumours coming out of West Yorkshire indicate that interested parties for Gray now also include Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, with a sizeable price tag of £50m now being slapped above his head.

This shows you how much Leeds want to keep a firm grip on their breakout teenage sensation, already rating him as being worth more than the £45m they sold Kalvin Phillips for at the peak of his Whites career.

With Leeds running in Gray's blood – the 18-year-old being the great nephew of Whites icon Eddie Gray – there will be a temptation on the flexible number 22's mind to stay put at Elland Road and insert himself into the history books like Dallas managed before an abrupt injury stopped it all.

There's no doubt a very real tinge of sadness about how Dallas' decorated time with the Whites has ended, but with emerging talents such as Gray attempting to lead Leeds back to the Premier League where the club legend managed to excel in the past, the future looks bright regardless of this bleak development.

Leeds were bled dry by Bielsa signing who earned 2x James' wage

Leeds United will still be having nightmares about how much this deal cost them.

ByKelan Sarson Apr 11, 2024

Spurs already have a "top-class" Lo Celso replacement out on loan

Tottenham Hotspur has been one of the busiest Premier League clubs transfer-wise since Daniel Levy decided to appoint Ange Postecoglou last summer.

Regardless of the club's league finish this season there is bound to be plenty more activity after the campaign finishes. Spurs finished eighth last term and have hence been limited to domestic action, falling early in both the Carabao Cup and FA Cup nonetheless.

But there's a bigger picture here, and the lion's share of Tottenham supporters are enjoying the gains made under Postecoglou's leadership so far, with last weekend's emphatic victory at Villa Park narrowing Aston Villa's lead in the top four to just two points.

Ange Postecoglou

Spurs, who are fifth, have a game in hand. They also have a revived sense of fluency and two wins on the bounce. In short: Postecoglou has done stellar work bringing this squad's quality back to the fore.

Fully fit, Tottenham boast a line-up worthy of challenging for the title; this much was evident after the blistering start to the term, eight wins, two draws, top spot in the Premier League.

Injuries to influential summer signings Micky van de Ven and James Maddison back in November sent this remarkable resurgence into a spiral and the latter, amazing in his playmaking after signing from Leicester City last summer, was a gut-wrenching blow.

Maddison won the Premier League's Player of the Month award for August; the England international operates with intellect from No. 10. That can't be replaced, not readily.

Giovani Lo Celso stepped up, and a pat on the back to him, but his time in N17 may have entered its final few months and he must be sold during the off-season.

Why Giovani Lo Celso must leave Spurs this summer

Do the pros outweigh the cons? Likely not. Lo Celso joined Tottenham from Real Betis in a permanent £27m transfer back in January 2020 after spending six months in the English capital on loan, with Levy having already granted a £15m outlay for his services.

£43m, give or take. That's more than the £40m figure that Tottenham parted with to land Maddison last year. And after 98 appearances the Argentina international has ten goals, eight assists and 14 bookings for his labour, spending a sizeable chunk of his Tottenham career out on loan in Spain with Villarreal.

(GK) – Paulo Gazzaniga

(RB) – Serge Aurier

(CB) – Eric Dier

(CB) – Davinson Sanchez

(LB) – Ben Davies

(CM) – Dele Alli

(CM) – Moussa Sissoko

(RW) – Giovani Lo Celso

(AM) – Tanguy Ndombele

(LW) – Heung-min Son

(CF) – Harry Kane

He's an elegant and creative player and in fairness stepped up in Maddison's absence before Christmas, scoring two goals and providing two assists in the Premier League over November and December.

Moreover, the 27-year-old ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 11% for shot-creating actions, the top 1% for pass completion and progressive passes and the top 3% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.

But he must leave. Lo Celso is clearly unfavoured by Postecoglou and has only really been handed roles from the outset when his manager had no other option. He's also on £70k-per-week and is out of contract in 2025, so he's not exactly earning a pittance and will continue to clog up valuable space and resources if not cashed in, when that is still possible this summer.

Spurs player Giovani Lo Celso

There have been rumours of late that Lo Celso is preparing to leave the club this summer and given the importance of catching up with those at the forefront, it may well be worth shipping him on.

Especially given the rise of Alfie Devine, who is currently competing out on loan with Plymouth Argyle in the Championship but could be ready for a role in Spurs' squad next year.

Why fans should be excited about Alfie Devine

Described as an "exquisite technician" by U23 scout Antonio Mango, Devine is a versatile midfielder with skill on the ball and intelligence without it.

He's scored 20 goals and added 12 assists over 80 outings for Tottenham's various youth sides and scored in the FA Cup for the senior side when he was just 16 years old, etching his name into the record books.

After that prodigious beginning to life on the major stage, Devine spent the next few seasons honing his craft with the development squad, moving out on loan to Port Vale earlier in the 2023/24 campaign and returning in January to move up a notch to the Championship, signing a short-term deal with Plymouth.

Alfie Devine's season in numbers

Devine was fantastic across the opening half of the season with Port Vale in League One. Still, Spurs exercised their option to recall him with the view that his skill set would be better served within the second tier of English football. While Argyle are struggling against relegation, he has offered plenty of promise.

As per Sofascore, the dynamic midfielder has chipped in with two assists across six starts for the Pilgrims, winning 57% of his ground duels and averaging 3.1 ball recoveries per game.

Tottenham teenager Alfie Devine.

Once lauded as a "top-class" prospect by outspoken pundit Jamie Carragher, Devine has showcased his versatility across his separate loan spells this season while chalking up three goals and six assists in the process,

“Alfie’s performances have been very good, with and without the ball,” says Plymouth manager Ian Foster after his side's 2-0 defeat against promotion-chasing Leeds United.

“He has got a really good tactical brain, a really clear understanding of what we are asking him to do. He applies himself brilliantly.”

Postecoglou likes clever, he loves intuition and understanding. Devine is enjoying a season of growth and he must continue to ply his trade with conviction, as he has been doing, in order to bloom into the kind of player who can really make an impact for Spurs.

With Lo Celso headed for the exit, there's every chance that a prospect of his quality will be handed an opportunity next season.

European competition will be on the cards and Tottenham will hope to wade deeper in the domestic cup competitions.

Rising stars of Devine's ilk will be necessary, and he might just prove to be the perfect homegrown replacement to the likely leaving Lo Celso.

Flamengo domina ranking da América Latina sobre engajamento de clubes nas redes sociais

MatériaMais Notícias

da luck: O levantamento feito pelas marcasSports Value e Zeeng, especializadas em marketing esportivo, apontou os clubes sul-americanos mais relevantes nas redes sociais. O estudo colocou o Flamengo no topo do ranking. Após o título do Campeonato Brasileiro, o rubro-negro teve 81 milhões de interações.
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da leao: Entre clubes sul-americanos, nos últimos 12 meses, o clube da Gávea apresentou um total de 670 milhões de interações em suas mídias sociais, números que o colocam na liderança do ranking, com uma diferença de 431 milhões pro segundo colocado, o River Plate.

Em terceiro lugar, o Palmeiras volta a garantir a vaga de um brasileiro entre os três mais dominantes nas redes. Impulsionados pela conquista da Libertadores, o alviverde obteve 189 milhões de engajamentos.

Todavia, em comparação com os grandes centros europeus, a relevância dos sul-americanos não é tão significativa. Enquanto Barcelona, Manchester United e Liverpool dominam o levantamento global, o Flamengo aparece somente em 9°. River e Palmeiras se reapresentam respectivamente em 18° e 19°.

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