Following reports of an ankle ligament injury for midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur, it's now believed another Tottenham star is set to be out till 2024.

Spurs injury list growing and growing

As many as ten Spurs players are currently unavailable, with one suspended and a seismic eight on the treatment table. Cristian Romero is serving a match ban, but the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Richarlison, Ryan Sessegnon, Manor Solomon, Ashley Phillips, Pape Matar Sarr and, now, Bentancur are all sidelined through injury.

At the start of November, Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou was enjoying a 10-game unbeaten run after winning consecutive Manager of the Month awards. Now, the Australian is fresh off the back of three losses in a row, and a plethora of his squad members are unavailable for selection.

Bentancur's ankle problem will come as an especially sore one to take for supporters and Postecoglou, as the Uruguay midfielder had only just returned from a nine-month injury absence sustained last season.

"It wasn't a great tackle," said Postecoglou on Bentancur after Tottenham's loss to Villa.

"I thought he started the game so well and I think it was the reason we got a real good foothold on the game. He's such a creative player. It's the last thing we needed, another injury. So disappointed to lose him but we're yet to see the extent of it."

The South American could've provided some real steal in the Spurs midfield for looming encounters against league champions Man City and London rivals West Ham, not to mention Champions League qualification rivals Newcastle United.

Solomon now out until 2024

This week, Spurs appeared to be slowly approaching the return of winger Solomon at one point, but now the Isreali will join Bentancur as a sidelined star till 2024. The Standard previously estimated a December return for Tottenham's summer signing, but the same outlet and journalist Nizaar Kinsella have some bad news on that front.

Indeed, they claim Solomon is now expected to miss the rest of 2023 and won't return until the new year. The former Fulham winger has provided two assists over his limited appearances in a Spurs shirt and would've been a wonderful option to call upon in the festive period.

Alas, Postecoglou will have to cope without Solomon's presence for a while longer yet, as the Tottenham boss also ponders how to get the very best out of his limited squad.

The 24-year-old has been praised as a "special" player by former Chelsea boss Avram Grant, but he'll be forced to watch on from the Spurs sidelines until next year.

Being called "among the best" for his one-v-one ability, Postecoglou really could've done with him.

“Manor is a special player; he was excellent at Fulham,” said Grant to Ynet. “I spoke with him, and he’s thrilled to be at Tottenham; he has improved his killer instinct. What sets him apart is his amazing one-on-one ability; he’s among the best. He is a Premier League player in every sense."

A Premier League match being played in the summer feels like a bizarre complex now but June 20th 2020 is a poignant moment for many at Arsenal.

On a sunny day at the Amex Stadium, Neal Maupay clashes with Bernd Leno, injuring him in the process and provoking one of the strangest domino effects we've seen in football.

The German goalkeeper's injury was a nasty one sustained to the knee as he was ruled out for the rest of that ill-fated season during the pandemic.

His replacement is now a household name in Emiliano Martinez. His career has changed astronomically since Leno's injury over three years ago, grasping his opportunity between the sticks with aplomb.

That term, the Argentine stopper was key to Mikel Arteta claiming his first silverware as Arsenal manager; an FA Cup.

However, Martinez was quickly out the door, joining Aston Villa in search of first-team football with Leno remaining as number 1 at the Emirates. The former's resurgence since has been remarkable. He's won the World Cup with his country and is now officially the best goalkeeper in the world, being crowned as such at the recent Ballon d'Or awards.

Leno couldn't cling onto his jersey, however, leading to Aaron Ramsdale's arrival in the summer of 2021.

Aaron Ramsdale's downfall at Arsenal

When the goalkeeper arrived from relegated Sheffield United for a fee of £24m, eyebrows were raised for all the wrong reasons.

Ramsdale's CV counted back-to-back relegations, something that for understandable reasons didn't sit right with supporters.

However, the former Chesterfield loanee quickly displaced Leno and would become the number 1 stopper for the next two years. His radiant personality, ability to wind up the opposition and make jaw-dropping saves saw him become a cult hero incredibly swiftly.

It looked as though Arsenal had a goalkeeper at their disposal who would sit there competently for the next ten years. Whether it was that ridiculous save to deny a James Maddison free-kick at Leicester or his double stop in the dying embers to keep out Mo Salah and Ibrahima Konate at Anfield last term, the 25-year-old has been immense for the Gunners.

Sadly, his ability has now been called into question. It started last term with a series of mistakes – notably playing out from the back. Both happened to come against Southampton. In the away fixture he was seemingly distracted by a pigeon at his near post, leading to poor positioning. The second, in a pivotal home match that was drawn 3-3, he passed the ball straight to a Saints player which led to a goal.

This term, too, he has been questionable when given an opportunity. In the Carabao Cup defeat to West Ham, the England international looked all at sea and then versus Brentford in the Premier League last weekend was dismal.

He had Declan Rice to thank for a goal-saving block after Bryan Mbeumo robbed him of the ball inside the area and then moments later threw the ball straight to a Brentford attacker after it slipped from his hands. Bizarre indeed.

It's for moments like that which loan signing David Raya has been preferred. He is more assured at coming for crosses and indeed, is more composed at inviting the press from close to his goal.

However, there is now another former loanee who happens to be outperforming Ramsdale in a number of important areas. That happens to be the forgotten Mat Ryan.

Why Arsenal needed to sign Mat Ryan

In the January window of 2021, with Leno out injured, Arsenal required goalkeeper cover. They turned to a surprising face in the shape of Ryan, who had fallen behind Robert Sanchez in the pecking order at Brighton.

It was a shrewd move, luring a boyhood Arsenal fan to north London at low cost on loan. Ryan did little wrong either, although he did play just three times before moving on again later that year. That was when Ramsdale entered the chat.

Since then, the Australian has hopped about to various reaches, leaving Brighton for Real Sociedad, before joining Copenhagen. He now plays his football for AZ Alkmaar who are currently third in the Dutch top-flight.

How Mat Ryan compares to Aaron Ramsdale

Let's get this straight, Ramsdale is undeniably the better goalkeeper. He encompasses the modern style of 'keeping, sweeping out for through balls and is relatively competent with the ball at his feet. The Sheffield-born stopper's ceiling is also a great deal higher.

However, at this moment in time, it's the Aussie who trumps Arsenal's no.1 in some of the areas that Ramsdale has been most criticised for, notably for keeping the ball out of the net and coming for crosses.

1.23

0.83

1.03

68.5%

80.81%

70.7%

30%

41.7%

37.5%

2.63

7.92

5.25

-1.72

1.32

3.19

71%

77%

82%

0.60

1.44

1.18

6.4%

10.5%

10.2%

Of course, there is more to football than a series of numbers but the stats on this occasion do not make for great reading on Ramsdale's behalf.

Raya is evidently the best goalkeeper of the lot in 2023/24, with his save percentage, ability to claim crosses and launch the ball forward with accuracy eclipsing his colleague at London Colney and Ryan.

However, what is equally as damning for Ramsdale is that their former loanee significantly outperforms him in some areas.

Ryan has been particularly impressive at AZ, preventing a whopping 3.19 goals courtesy of his excellent shot-stopping ability while his 82% pass accuracy suggests this is a man who knows how to play out from the back.

It only feels like a matter of time before the former Bournemouth man is moved on. January seemingly cannot come soon enough for a figure who looks more and more dejected each time he's seen.

Manchester United’s UEFA Champions League dream looks all but over, after being held to a 3-3 draw in Istanbul. It was a must-win game for Erik ten Hag and he will be scratching his head as to how his team didn’t walk away with a vital three points.

The Red Devils took a two-goal lead twice in the game, but as shown already this season in Europe, if they concede one, the floodgates open, players seem to panic, and the basics of the game are discarded.

To score three goals in all three of their European away games this season and only collect one point is ridiculous, which could lead to Ten Hag re-thinking which personnel deserves their spot in the starting XI.

Victor Lindelof’s stats vs Galatasaray

The player under the spotlight for the wrong reasons is Sweden’s Victor Lindelof. The defender’s performance on Wednesday evening earned him a 6/10 rating by the Manchester Evening News, with the occasion and hostile atmosphere swallowing him up.

According to Sofascore, Lindelof alarmingly had ten fewer touches than Andre Onana, with the goalkeeper used more in the build-up than the centre half. He gave the ball away eight times, despite playing mainly safe passes throughout the ninety minutes.

Furthermore, the defender was dribbled past in the first half which led to a goal-scoring opportunity for the hosts. A positive for the Sweden international is that he won all five of his aerial duels, although Mauro Icardi and Dries Mertens didn’t contest with much urgency.

Although impossible to display by statistics, Lindelof’s lack of physicality, athleticism and aggressiveness makes him far too easy to play against.

Andre Onana drew attention away from how poor 6/10 Man Utd man was v Gala

This 6/10 man let Manchester United down alongside Andre Onana in the side’s 3-3 draw with Galatasaray.

ByAdam Scully Nov 30, 2023

He is often caught out of position by entering ground duels that he is not going to win, which leaves gaps in dangerous areas for the opponent to exploit as he lacks recovery speed to retreat in time. This was clear to see against Galatasaray, with the number two having a 0% ground duel win rate.

The player who could replace Victor Lindelof

When on the field, Raphael Varane is typically extremely reliable, however, his availability has been a huge issue, with the French defender prone to injuries. Since joining United in 2021, Varane has endured eight different injuries, with the latest occurring towards the end of August.

Ten Hag looks to be carefully managing the fitness of the 30-year-old, yet he may be forced into starting him more frequently than he would probably like to at this stage.

2023/24

Unknown

27 days

2022/23

Foot

24 days

2022/23

Leg

23 days

2022/23

Ankle sprain

5 days

2021/22

Muscular problems

18 days

2021/22

Covid

8 days

2021/22

Abdominal problems

4 days

2021/22

Hamstring

50 days

2021/22

Groin

15 days

Data via Transfermarkt.

Unfortunately, Varane hasn’t played enough minutes in the Premier League to have a scout report on FBref this season, but we can still compare his Champions League report to Lindelof’s.

It is instantly obvious that Varane is a much more dominant defender, losing 0% of his challenges and making 1.41 tackles per game, whereas the 29-year-old is yet to make a successful tackle in four appearances. The former Real Madrid player is also superior at reading the game and being proactive out of possession, making 1.06 interceptions per game, compared to Lindelof’s 0.3.

Furthermore, from an in-possession perspective, there isn’t a massive upside to starting Lindelof over Varane either, with the Swede boasting sub-par statistics in touches and carries according to FBref.

Manchester United legend, Rio Ferdinand, has also previously labelled Varane a ‘calming influence’ and his experience of playing in enormous matches may just have got United over the line yesterday. Lindelof, on the other hand, had been labelled a "liability" on too many occasions.

Overall, if it wasn’t for Varane’s lack of reliability he would be starting, but this piece further highlights the need for centre-back reinforcement in the transfer window.

It is fair to say that Tottenham Hotspur have performed admirably despite losing talisman Harry Kane over the summer, with new skipper Heung-min Son leading the charge at the top end of the pitch as the club's leading scorer this season.

While the South Korean sensation has looked at home in his new, unorthodox number nine role, the question remains as to whether he is a long-term fit through the middle, with teammate Richarlison also still dividing opinion after scoring just five league goals for the club to date.

With Ange Postecoglou likely still hoping to fill the void that was left behind by the club's all-time top scorer – Kane – following his departure to Bayern Munich, it is then no surprise that the Lilywhites have been touted to make a high-profile swoop in January.

Spurs could sign Son a "terrifying" £75m partner who loves Harry Kane

Postecoglou will look to add a true striker to his side.

ByTom Lever Dec 13, 2023

One striking target who has been mooted of late is none other than Brentford star, Ivan Toney, with the 27-year-old likely to spark something of a transfer battle, either in the new year or next summer.

Spurs transfer targets – Ivan Toney

As per a recent report from the Mirror, Spurs are said to be 'in the running' for Toney's signature ahead of the upcoming transfer window, with London rivals Arsenal and Chelsea also believed to be plotting a move for the one-time Newcastle United man.

The indication is that Postecoglou is 'optimistic' of securing a new centre-forward next month, albeit the jury is out on whether the England international will be that man, with the Bees likely keen to keep hold of their prize asset until the summer.

Equally, any deal for the former Peterborough marksman – who is currently sidelined due to a betting ban – is likely to cost an arm and a leg, with a fee as high as £100m having been suggested.

For a player currently valued at just €20m (£17m), according to CIES Football Observatory, that may appear rather steep, yet Toney's prior Premier League success should make him a worthwhile investment.

The stats to show why Spurs should sign Ivan Toney

Still seeking to replace the 30 league goals that Kane plundered last term, Postecoglou could well forget all about the England captain by turning to Toney in 2024, with the latter man proving his top-flight credentials with 32 league goals since Brentford's promotion in 2021.

While the £20k-per-week hitman – who fired Thomas Frank's side out of the Championship with 33 goals in 2020/21 – has been out of action this season, there should not be too many fears over his ability to hit the ground running once he can return to the pitch.

If a deal is agreed for the "proven goalscorer" – as described by pundit Jermaine Pennant – then Spurs could find their answer to a certain Ian Wright, with the beloved pundit memorably trading Crystal Palace for another north London outfit, Arsenal, back in 1991.

That is the view of Pennant, at least, who recently described Toney as like a "modern era Ian Wright" amid reports of a possible move to the Emirates, albeit with the hope being that the in-demand ace choose the Lilywhites over the Gunners in the near future.

In the case of Wright, the prolific striker made the step up from Palace to the Gunners just prior to entering his peak years at the age of 28 – similar to Toney – joining for a then-club record fee of £2.5m.

Such a deal was a huge success for Arsenal as he went on to bag 185 goals in just 288 appearances in all competitions over the next seven years, cementing his status as an undisputed Gunners legend.

3

1

0

5

0

1

3

0

1

5

1

2

2

2

0

3

1

0

Much like Wright – who was a relatively late starter in professional football – Toney has not had a smooth ride to the top amid various stints in the EFL after leaving St James' Park, yet now could be his chance to really blossom at a truly elite club.

As far as Postecoglou is concerned, the hope will be that the Northampton native, unlike Wright, goes on to perform heroics in Lilywhite, rather than the colours of their rivals.

West Ham United are enduring a mixed season so far this year. They aren't in danger of getting relegated, but they don't look likely to challenge for a Champions League place either.

An impressive win away to Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League last week was followed up by a 5-0 thrashing away to Fulham on Sunday, which only goes to demonstrate the topsy-turvey nature of the Hammers' form.

However, while they are stuck in ninth place in the league, they are joint top of their Europa League group and are once again flying on the continent. However, with only Manchester United scoring fewer goals than them in the top half of the league, David Moyes' men will need to start finding the back of the net more regularly to move up the table.

West Ham transfer update on Dominic Solanke from Fabrizio Romano

The Bournemouth striker has been a long-term target at the London Stadium.

ByChloe Chadwick Dec 11, 2023

So recent links to Chelsea's Armando Broja should excite the West Ham faithful, although it should no doubt worry Michail Antonio.

West Ham United transfer news – Armando Broja

According to Steve Kay of Football Transfers, Chelsea striker Armando Broja is a January transfer target for several Premier League clubs, including West Ham United who are 'leading the way.'

The publication claims that the Albanian international has an estimated transfer value of €20.5m, which works out to around £18m, which, for a player who has Premier League experience, sounds like a reasonable enough fee.

The "complete forward", as described by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has struggled for game time in recent seasons, and while that has been primarily down to an unfortunate run of long-term injuries, his inconsistent form hasn't helped his cause.

However, during his loan spell at Southampton in the 2021/22 season, he showed the league glimpses of what he could do were he given the chance to lead the line for a topflight team, scoring six goals in 21 starts for the Saints.

One player who might not be so enthused about this link is Antonio, as the Jamaican striker would likely be the man to make way for the 22-year-old.

Armando Broja would take Michail Antonio's place

Antonio has been a reliable, if not spectacular, servant to the Irons for eight years, signing from Nottingham Forest in 2015 for a fee of £7m.

In the years since, he has played as a winger, a full-back and a striker for the club and has even claimed the title of West Ham's all-time leading Premier League goalscorer.

However, he scored just five goals in 33 league appearances last season and has found the back of the net only twice in 12 matches this season, which just isn't enough if the Hammers want to progress as a club.

When comparing Broja's underlying numbers to his potential new teammate, it becomes clear that he would be the better option up top for the Eastenders.

Broja

Antonio

0.27

0.20

1.92

2.78

0.77

1.11

2.31

1.00

87.5%

59.2%

1.92

1.89

3.08

3.78

0.77

1.44

While he doesn't necessarily blow Antonio away in the areas where he comes out on top and actually comes out second best for progressive carries and passes, the fact that he is 11 years his junior and so highly thought of makes the choice a no-brainer.

With a run of games in a settled team, the "devastating" forward, as described by former Juventus defender Sergio Porrini, is sure to come good and start banging in the goals.

One Celtic player is starting to become a target overseas ahead of the New Year, with another club making an offer for his services.

Celtic transfer update

The Hoops were busy over the summer following Brendan Rodgers’ return to Parkhead, with a number of additions being made in multiple areas of the pitch.

Celtic summer window signings

Fee

Gustaf Lagerbielke (IF Elfsborg)

£3m

Odin Thiago Holm (Valerenga)

£2.5m

Marco Tilio (Melbourne City)

£2m

Hyun-Jun Yang (Gangwon)

£2m

Hyeokkyu Kwon (Busan I-Park)

£1m

Maik Nawrocki (Legia Warsaw)

£4.3m

Tomoki Iwata (Yokohama F. Marinos)

Undisc.

All fees according to Sky Sports

Alongside all the arrivals, there were also some departees, and the club actually made a profit in the summer, mainly due to Jota’s big-money exit to Saudi Pro League side Al Ittihad. As well as Jota, Celtic also received fees for Carl Starfelt, Albian Ajeti and Conor Hazard, and by the looks of things, the club could soon bring in cash for another player in 2024.

Celtic outcast Yosuke Ideguchi made the move back to Japan earlier this year, joining Avispa Fukuoka back in February. Since then, reports have claimed that the J1 League want to secure his services on a permanent deal.

However, in a new Celtic transfer update from Japan, relayed by The Glasgow Times, the Hoops have already received an offer from Avispa Fukuoka and now fellow Japanese side Vissel Kobe are also said to have made a "formal offer" for the midfielder.

Yosuke Ideguchi's career at Celtic

Ideguchi arrived in Glasgow back in January 2022 and is under contract until 2026, however, things haven’t worked out for the Japan international. He has missed a number of games through injury since putting pen to paper in Scotland and has made just six senior appearances in green and white. His injury issues have continued while on loan at Avispa Fukuoka.

Yosuke Ideguchi injury history

Injury

Games missed

Season

Broken ankle

17

2022/23

Fitness

12

2022/23

Knee

7

2021/22

Unknown

10

2020/21

Former Greuther Furth boss Damir Buric previously heaped praise on the player, though, saying:

“In regards to Yosuke, I can only speak the best. He is an outstanding person with great character. First of all I was very impressed with the way he came back from that serious injury. What impressed me most was the way he was working during his time out with the injury.

“It was just unbelievable, almost like soldier. He showed such a great attitude and positive approach. He was extremely disciplined, took in every additional training session of physical rehabilitation and invested all of his time in getting back as soon as he possibly could.”

He appears to be a player with quality when fully fit, however, unfortunately, Celtic haven’t seen that version of the player enough, so a permanent exit could make sense for all involved in 2024, whether that be with Avispa Fukuoka or Vissel Kobe, making this one to watch.

Leeds United will hope 2024 is the year the Whites return to the Premier League at the first time of asking, triumphantly re-entering the top flight under the expert guidance of Daniel Farke after a disastrous relegation had killed the feel-good mood around Elland Road.

Farke could well need to add positive reinforcements to his squad this transfer window to aid this promotion push, adding in fresh blood to complement the likes of Crysencio Summerville and Daniel James already firing on all cylinders in West Yorkshire.

Farke could even boldly go back in for this failed summer buy this month, with former Leeds target Nadiem Amiri itching for a move away from Bayer Leverkusen now.

Leeds transfer latest – Amiri pursuit

Leeds felt sick to their stomach when Amiri refused to join the Whites late on in the summer transfer window, the deal all but done before the German attacking midfielder spectacularly pulled the plug last second.

The Championship promotion hopefuls could well go back in for the Leverkusen man this month despite this humiliating rejection however, TEAMtalk reporting in November that a deal could be back on with Amiri pushing for a move away from his current Bundesliga club after limited game time this season.

Leeds wouldn't be alone in their pursuit however, with German football website BILD further adding fuel to the fire by stating that French clubs Olympique Marseille and Olympique Lyon are also interested in signing the unsettled midfielder in an article last month.

The Whites will hope that potentially signing Amiri – who they could land at a bargain £5m price-tag – can supercharge Georginio Rutter's goal numbers, the Frenchman taking a back-seat with his assist output for the new 5 foot 11 arrival to shine instead.

Amiri's style of play

Frozen out of Xabi Alonso's plans this season – the ex-Liverpool player turned successful Leverkusen boss starting the 27-year-old in zero games this season in the league – Farke could well see something in Amiri that he can reignite on his arrival to Elland Road.

In his prime for the current top-flight leaders in Germany, Amiri was a dangerous attacking midfield prospect to contain – notching up 15 assists across his first two seasons at the BayArena, before experiencing a dip in form.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig even described the nimble midfielder as "superb" when Amiri starred for the German U21s back in 2019, further praising the now 27-year-old's "versatility" with Amiri capable of playing as a more traditional central midfielder too if needed.

Skilful and silky at his best for the German giants, the fringe figure of Amiri now did manage to pick up an assist in DFB-Pokal action recently when given a rare start – helping Leverkusen convincingly beat SV Sandhausen 5-2 at the start of November.

Amiri could well give Joel Piroe healthy competition if the 27-year-old did finally put pen to paper on a Championship move, the former Swansea star fading in and out of games in the last few weeks with zero successful dribble attempts managed away at West Brom to close out 2023 for Leeds.

Whereas, his slick counterpart excels in carrying the ball forward with intricate deftness – Amiri completing 2.78 progressive carries per 90 minutes over the last year according to FBRef, with 1.71 successful take-ons another stellar statistic sticking out.

Amiri could well be the creative maverick Leeds need in that attacking midfield spot to begin catching teams out more regularly, instead of settling for goal-shy performances seen in back-to-back 1-0 defeats on the road before a big win against Birmingham City was secured.

Rutter could also explode into life in front of goal and begin to add more strikes to his slim season tally of four goals as a direct consequence of this move, knowing he doesn't have to do the heavy lifting anymore and constantly be a focal point to create openings for other teammates.

Tottenham Hotspur may end up waving goodbye to another fan-favourite star before the summer transfer window slams shut at the start of September.

At the start of June, The Telegraph reported that club captain Heung-min Son could move on from London after leading the team to the Europa League trophy this season.

The outlet claimed that the South Korea international could be sold by Spurs in order to generate funds to bolster the squad ahead of their return to the Champions League, amid interest from teams in the Saudi Pro League.

Son has racked up an eye-catching haul of 173 goals and 101 assists in 454 appearances in all competitions for the club since signing from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015.

The experienced forward’s departure this summer would mean that all three of Mauricio Pochettino’s iconic attacking line-up will have moved on, following Dele Alli and Harry Kane’s exits from the club in recent years.

All three stars were key players for the former Spurs head coach at the top end of the pitch, and Alli’s contributions should not be overlooked.

Why Dele Alli was a star for Spurs

The London-based club reportedly splashed out a fee of £5m to sign the attacking midfielder from League One outfit MK Dons in 2015, and Pochettino brought him into the first-team squad for the 2015/16 campaign.

Alli hit the ground running in the Premier League, bypassing the Championship, with a return of ten goals and eight assists in 33 top-flight games in his first season with Spurs.

The England international went on to plunder 67 goals and 59 assists in 269 appearances in all competitions for Tottenham before his move away from the club in 2022.

These statistics show that the former MK Dons talent provided plenty of quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals for Spurs during his time in London, whilst he also offered Pochettino a lot of flexibility in the way that he could be deployed within the starting line-up.

Attacking midfield

158

42

40

Central midfield

48

9

5

Left midfield

36

14

8

Centre-forward

8

2

1

Defensive midfield

2

0

2

As you can see in the table above, Alli was deployed in several different positions for Tottenham, mainly playing as a central or attacking midfielder, or off the left flank.

The 29-year-old midfielder, who now plays for Como in Italy, was a star for Spurs due to both the quality he provided at the top end of the pitch and the versatility he offered the manager.

Spurs may now be about to unearth their next version of Alli, who was a key member of the attack that included Son and Kane under Pochettino, as they are expected to sign a Premier League star.

Spurs expected to sign Premier League midfielder

West Ham United outlet HammersNews reports that the Premier League side expect Aston Villa attacking midfielder Jacob Ramsey to sign for Tottenham this summer.

The Hammers are interested in a deal to sign the former England U21 international to bolster their own squad this summer, but the club believe that the 24-year-old talent is on his way to another team in London.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking to HammersNews, the ‘top spokesman’ for the West Ham owners said: “I think the player (Ramsey) is going to Spurs.”

Spurs were recently linked with an interest in the Villans starlet, who could be on his way out of Villa Park this summer, and this latest update suggests that they are set to win the race for his signature.

Earlier this year, The Boot Room reported that Manchester City are also interested in the attacking midfielder, who is valued at a fee of around £50m by Aston Villa.

However, it remains to be seen exactly how much Spurs will end up paying for the English talent if they do end up signing him, as West Ham expect.

Why Spurs should sign Jacob Ramsey

The Lilywhites should push ahead with a deal to sign the 24-year-old star in the coming weeks because he could arrive at the club as Thomas Frank’s own version of Dele Alli.

Ramsey may not seem like an obvious signing for Spurs, given that he has only scored two Premier League goals since the start of the 2023/24 campaign, but his form in the past for Villa suggests that there is a quality player who could be unearthed.

The Villans maestro’s performances in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 campaigns suggest that he has the potential to develop into a top performer for Tottenham if Frank can get the best out of him.

Ramsey, who was once dubbed “sensational” by Seb Stafford-Bloor, plundered 12 goals and eight assists in those two seasons, and was particularly impressive in front of goal in the 2022/23 campaign, with six goals and seven assists to his name that term.

Non-penalty xG

0.20

Top 16%

Non-penalty xG

0.17

Top 14%

xAG

0.17

Top 14%

Assists

0.24

Top 6%

Shot-creating actions

2.77

Top 40%

Progressive carries

3.21

Top 9%

As you can see in the table above, the English star caught the eye as both a scorer and a creator of goals for the Villans, ranking highly among midfielders in the Premier League in several key attacking metrics.

Like Alli, Ramsey’s top three most played positions are central midfield, attacking midfield, and left midfield, which means that he can offer Frank the same positional flexibility that the former Spurs star did for Pochettino, as a playmaker who can play centrally or come in off the left.

His form in the 2022/23 season also suggests that he has the potential to provide an impressive threat as both a scorer and a creator of goals from those three positions, which is exactly what Alli did throughout his time in North London.

Therefore, Frank could unearth his own version of the former England international by securing a deal for Ramsey, before helping him to get back to the kind of form he displayed at the start of his Villa career.

A bigger talent than Eze: Spurs make enquiry for "sensational" £40m star

Tottenham Hotspur appear to be making a move for another Premier League talent.

1 ByEthan Lamb Jun 28, 2025

The Premier League has staged a plethora of talented strikers over its 31-year history, though only 11 have scored 150 goals or more.

With that in mind, Football FanCast has decided to take a look at the top all-time Premier League goalscorers.

Without further ado, here is the list…

Rank

Player

Scored for

Goals

Alan Shearer

Blackburn, Newcastle

Harry Kane

Tottenham

Wayne Rooney

Everton, Man Utd

Andrew Cole

6 clubs

Mohamed Salah

Chelsea, Liverpool

Sergio Aguero

Man City

Frank Lampard

West Ham, Chelsea, Man City

Thierry Henry

Arsenal

Robbie Fowler

Liverpool, Leeds, Man City

Jermain Defoe

5 clubs

10 Jermain Defoe 162 goals

Jermain Defoe has enjoyed a marvellous career at a number of different clubs. The Londoner scored 162 goals across 496 appearances in the Premier League, which is a phenomenal total when you consider the fact he never featured for a title-challenging side.

The former England international produced his most prolific top-flight season in 2009/10, scoring 18 goals for Tottenham Hotspur, helping the Lilywhites achieve a fourth-placed finish.

The 41-year-old returned to the North London club in 2022 as part of the Academy coaching staff and as a Club Ambassador.

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

England

57

20

6

Tottenham Hotspur

361

140

31

West Ham United

104

40

3

Sunderland

100

37

4

Rangers

74

32

10

Bournemouth

64

23

2

Portsmouth

36

18

5

Toronto

21

12

3

9 Robbie Fowler 163 goals

Robbie Fowler was a wonderfully gifted footballer and had a deadly left foot, striking 163 Premier League goals in 379 appearances for three different clubs.

Despite a prolific goal return, the Liverpool-born forward only amassed 26 caps for England, which he admitted was ‘nowhere near enough’.

“I only got 26 caps, which was nowhere near enough, and I always felt I was only there to make up the numbers, not be offered a real chance to play,” Fowler said.

Perhaps England undervalued his abilities but his hometown club certainly didn’t. Liverpool fans consider him one of the greatest-ever players to pull on the famous red shirt.

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

England

26

7

3

Liverpool

369

183

49

Manchester City

92

27

5

Leeds United

32

14

1

Perth Glory

28

9

0

Northern Fury

26

9

4

Cardiff City

16

6

1

Blackburn Rovers

6

0

1

Muangthong United

2

0

0

8 Thierry Henry 175 goals

Thierry Henry is often namechecked in conversations regarding the greatest Premier League players of all time, which evinces just how ridiculously good he was.

The former Arsenal forward won a whopping four golden boots in England’s top flight and was a part of the infamous Invincibles team.

Jamie Carragher on Henry: “There is only one winner (greatest striker in Premier League history). It amazes me anyone would ever debate it. It is not even close. Thierry Henry is not only the greatest Premier League striker, he is the greatest Premier League player.”

The Frenchman has the second-best Premier League goal-to-game ratio (0.68) since 2000, a feat only bettered by Manchester City’s Erling Haaland.

Trophy

Year(s)

Supporters’ Shield

2013

UEFA Super Cup

2010

Supercopa de España

2010

Copa del Rey

2009

FIFA Club World Cup

2009, 2010

Champions League

2009

LaLiga

2009, 2010

Confederations Cup

2003

Community Shield

2002, 2004

FA Cup

2002, 2003, 2005

Premier League

2002, 2004

UEFA EURO

2000

World Cup

1998

Ligue 1

1997

7 Frank Lampard 177 goals

Frank Lampard is the only midfielder in the top 10, having netted 177 Premier League goals in 611 appearances.

The former Chelsea skipper had an uncanny knack for arriving late into the penalty area and slotting home, a trait that very few players possessed.

The three-time Premier League champion was one of the best players in the world during his pomp and came second in the 2005 Ballon d’Or rankings to Barcelona’s Ronaldinho.

The 106-cap England international is generally considered the best player to ever play for Chelsea.

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

England

106

29

12

Chelsea

648

211

145

West Ham United

179

33

18

Manchester City

38

8

4

New York City FC

31

15

4

6 Sergio Agüero 184 goals

Sergio Agüero, who is synonymous with THAT goal against Queens Park Rangers, was a prolific marksman during his 10-year spell at Manchester City.

Quite remarkably, the Argentine forward only won one Golden Boot award, despite surpassing the 20-goal mark in six separate seasons.

Agüero left the Citizens in 2021 and Pep Guardiola was visibly upset when speaking to Sky Sports, admitting that he cannot be replaced.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

33

26

8

Champions League

7

6

1

FA Cup

1

0

0

League Cup

1

0

0

5 Mohamed Salah 185 goals

There is little doubt that Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah is one of the true PL greats. Approaching 200 goals after steering the Reds to another Premier League title in 2024/25, there seems to be no stopping the Egyptian, who is also set for another Golden Boot.

Only three players have reached a double century, so Salah’s recent contract extension at Liverpool will surely provide the goal machine enough time to get amongst the other heroes of Premier League history.

Salah also leads the way for African Premier League goalscorers by some margin, with former Reds teammate Sadio Mane his closest challenger in that regard, as the Senegalese trails by some 74 goals (and counting).

Season

Club

Appearances

Goals

2013/14

Chelsea

10

2

2014/15

Chelsea

3

0

2017/18

Liverpool

36

32

2018/19

Liverpool

38

22

2019/20

Liverpool

34

19

2020/21

Liverpool

37

22

2021/22

Liverpool

35

23

2022/23

Liverpool

38

19

2023/24

Liverpool

32

18

2024/25

Liverpool

36

28

4 Andrew Cole 187 goals

Andrew Cole held the record for the most goals scored in a 42-game Premier League season, netting a colossal 34 goals for Newcastle United during the 1993/94 campaign.

Another deadly period in front of goal ensued the following season before Manchester United acquired his services for a British transfer record fee worth £6.25m in January 1995.

Cole went on to enjoy a trophy-laden seven-year spell with United and formed a deadly partnership with Dwight Yorke. The duo amassed 53 goals between them during the treble-winning 1998/99 campaign.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Premier League

40

34

13

FA Cup

3

1

0

League Cup

2

6

1

3 Wayne Rooney 208 goals

Some will tell you Wayne Rooney underachieved in his career, which is extraordinary considering he became Manchester United and England’s record top goalscorer.

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The Birmingham City boss emerged as England’s golden boy as a 16-year-old and was thrust into first-team action thereafter – which was perhaps a contributing factor to his early decline.

And quite unfairly, people forget just how good he was because of that, though, his astonishing 208 Premier League goal tally speaks for itself.

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

England

120

53

21

Manchester United

559

253

145

Everton

117

28

8

D.C. United

52

25

14

Derby

35

7

3

2 Harry Kane 213 goals

Harry Kane is the only active player on this list and was tipped to become the all-time leading Premier League goalscorer before he completed an £86.4m move to Bundesliga Champions Bayern Munich in the summer, so that feat may not be achieved now.

The 30-year-old has started life at Bayern in electrifying form, scoring 21 goals whilst laying on seven assists in just 16 appearances.

Such form could see him acclaim the Ballon d’Or next year, though, he’ll likely have to triumph with England at the Euro’s.

Tottenham Hotspur do have a buyback option, so it will be fascinating to see if Kane does return to the North Londoners before the close of his career.

Competition

Appearances

Goals

Assists

Bundesliga

13

18

5

Champions League

6

4

3

DFL-Supercup

1

0

0

1 Alan Shearer 260 goals

Alan Shearer tops the Premier League’s all-time leading goalscorer charts with a total of 260 goals, putting him 47 clear of second-placed Kane.

The Newcastle native collected three Golden Boot awards and fired home 34 goals in a single league season with Blackburn Rovers, helping the Lancashire club acclaim their first and only Premier League title.

Shearer remained loyal to his hometown club and famously turned down two offers from Sir Alex Ferguson’s Manchester United, which ultimately came at the expense of silverware.

But he cemented himself as a Newcastle United legend and now has a statue outside St James’ Park, evincing his heroic status at the Tyneside club.

Former Magpies boss Graeme Souness on Shearer: “In my opinion, Alan Shearer is the greatest English centre-forward there has ever been without a shadow of a doubt; he’s a very, very special player. He makes average balls into great balls.”

Team

Appearances

Goals

Assists

England

63

30

11

Newcastle United

405

206

58

Blackburn Rovers

162

123

30

Southampton

132

32

2

Manchester United boardroom figures "really like" a "future icon" ahead of a potential move for him this month, according to a key update from journalist Dean Jones.

Man Utd January transfer rumours

The Red Devils' woes have been evident throughout this season, with an incredible nine defeats coming their way in their first 20 Premier League games, and 14 losses in all competitions. It has highlighted the importance of the club conducting some business in the January transfer window, with a lack of quality on show throughout the squad.

Thankfully for United supporters, there have been plenty of rumours linking them with new signings in various areas of the pitch, including Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio, who continues to be backed to complete a move to Old Trafford. In-form VfB Stuttgart striker Serhou Guirassy is seen as an interesting attacking target, given Erik ten Hag's goalscoring issues in the final third, and highly-rated Nice defensive ace Jean-Clair Todibo is someone who has been seen as a potential option, too.

Serhou Guirassy

19th December

Nico Williams

19th December

Donyell Malen

8th December

Max Moerstedt

7th December

Timo Werner

1st December

Man United keen on signing Benjamin Sesko

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones claimed that Manchester United are interested in signing Benjamin Sesko, revealing there are people high up within the club who are big fans of the RB Leipzig striker.

"Sesko is a bit of a different candidate to sign compared to the other names that have suddenly come into the frame because he is somebody that has been profiled so heavily by the club. There are people within the structure that still really like Sesko, and his availability would definitely turn a few heads around Old Trafford, so I can see that one being a little bit more tempting.

"But it does throw up the question of what it means for Hojlund, so it will be interesting to see whether Manchester United will go there again. My hunch is that they probably won't but, seeing as they were so hot on him before and thought they might come in for him again in a year or two, it might be interesting."

Sesko could be a wonderful signing by United, and while Rasmus Hojlund is already an exciting young talent leading the line, strong competition for places is essential moving forward, and the Leipzig star could be a big upgrade on the soon-to-be-departing (and never available anyway) Anthony Martial.

The 20-year-old has already made a big impression in his career despite his tender years, with Sesko's stats reaching 29 goals in 79 appearances for former club RB Salzburg, as well as netting ten times in 25 caps for Slovenia at international level. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has lauded him in the past, describing him as a "future icon" and "outstanding".

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It doesn't appear as though a move is necessarily close right now, but snapping him up could be great business if they can get it done, providing Ten Hag with two hugely exciting young strikers in his squad.