Tag Futebol

Captain needed treatment on the field after apparently experiencing discomfort to his groin

Valkerie Baynes10-Jul-2025

Ben Stokes receives treatment from the physio•Getty Images

England face an anxious wait on the fitness of their captain, Ben Stokes, after he pulled up sore while batting on the first day of the third Test against India at Lord’s.Stokes was unbeaten on 39 at the close, having faced 102 balls on a slow day in which the hosts ended on 251 for 4 with Joe Root on 99 overnight.On 32, Stokes took a step forward before leaving a Nitish Kumar Reddy delivery outside off and immediately winced in pain, clutching at his right groin.Related

• For Crawley and Pope, the struggle gets real

• Bumrah and Root show their class on bizarre Bazwalling day

• Root holds the fort with 99* as India put brakes on Bazball

He called for the physio and after some on-field treatment returned to his crease. But he was still in visible discomfort, hobbling as he set off for a single and sitting on his haunches trying to loosen up between deliveries. Stokes was stretching again as the second new ball was brought out and Root eyed a century.Akash Deep and Jasprit Bumrah got the ball swinging again immediately – as it had at the start of the day, making the going tough.Root thought he could reach his milestone with a glance behind point on 98 but he only managed a single as Ravindra Jadeja swooped, then beckoned for Root to come back for a second as he held onto the ball, grinning. But there was no way he was risking it, especially with Stokes’ running a concern.Ollie Pope – who faced 104 balls for his 44 before falling to Jadeja on the first ball after tea – was hoping the as-yet-undiagnosed problem would improve overnight.”Fingers crossed he can do something magic and come back strong,” Pope said. “I’ve not seen him since, so fingers crossed there’s nothing too serious. But clearly we’ve got a big Test over the next four days and we’ve got a big two [at Old Trafford and The Oval] coming up as well, so it is important to try and manage him.”As vice-captain, Pope acknowledged he had a part to play in ensuring that Stokes didn’t push himself too hard in spite of the problem.”We’ll see how he pulls up tomorrow, but for me, that is partially one of my roles, to make sure that he doesn’t push himself to a ridiculous place with whatever he’s dealing with at the moment,” Pope said. “I’m sure the physios, the medics will work with him to lay out a plan and then I’ll help push him in the right direction.”2:23

Pope: We’re constantly trying to get batting balance right

Stokes was England’s most effective bowler when they won the opening Test at Headingley, having finally been able to increase his bowling workload after two bouts of surgery to repair tears in his right hamstring in the space of six months.He bowled 19 overs in India’s first innings at Edgbaston and seven at an economy rate of 3.71 in their second before the tourists won by a massive 336 runs, levelling the five-match series 1-1.Stokes’ resurgence as a bowler follows painstaking work after he underwent knee surgery in late 2023. That threw a spotlight on his penchant for exerting himself through any discomfort for the good of the team.With plenty more runs needed before any thoughts turn to his bowling in this match, England will be carefully weighing up what is good for both heading into the second day.

He also urged the middle order to show more fight after Bangladesh failed to bat out 50 overs in any of the three ODIs

Mohammad Isam08-Jul-2025Bangladesh ODI captain Mehidy Hasan Miraz rued the lack of big partnerships that could have sustained the visitors in their 286-run chase after they went down by 99 runs in the third ODI against Sri Lanka in Pallekele. With the loss, Bangladesh squandered the ODI series 2-1 after having lost the preceding Test series as well.Mehidy said that while Sri Lanka banked on a 124-run fourth-wicket stand between Kusal Mendis and captain Charith Asalanka after they were in a spot of bother, Bangladesh failed to stitch a similar stand.”When [Towhid] Hridoy and Jaker [Ali] were batting together, I still believed we could win the game,” Mehidy said. “We just couldn’t put together partnerships like Sri Lanka. They had a big partnership after they lost three wickets for 100 runs. Partnerships in the middle overs are crucial. We got a couple of 40s, but winning is hard without these partnerships in ODI cricket.”Related

• Kusal 124 forms the centrepiece of Sri Lanka's series victory

Hridoy, who top-scored for Bangladesh with 51, had stands of 42 with Parvez Hossain Emon and 43 with Mehidy. However, none of the batters could carry on after getting starts.”We are getting out soon after getting set,” Mehidy said. “We can’t keep the momentum for too long. We have to work on it. When I was batting with Hridoy today, we nearly grabbed the momentum. Then I got out. Momentum is required for a partnership. Strike rotation is important in a partnership. We have to play more low-risk cricket, not the high-risk cricket we are playing.”Another area of concern, according to Mehidy, is Bangladesh’s failure to bat out the 50 overs in any of the three games. They were bowled out in 35.5 overs in the first ODI in Colombo, 48.5 overs in the second, and 39.4 overs in the third.Towhid Hridoy top-scored for Bangladesh with 51•AFP/Getty Images

The Bangladesh captain felt the middle order, including himself, needed to be more responsible. Mehidy, who now bats at No. 5, was guilty of throwing away his wicket in two of the three matches. On Tuesday, Mehidy, who struck four fours and a six in his 25-ball 28, holed out to long-on at a critical stage of the chase.”It is a concern for the team that we couldn’t bat 50 overs [in any of the matches],” he said. “It would have helped us if we had batted properly. Our middle-order batters need to take more responsibility. I couldn’t play a lot of balls, too. It would have been better [if I had done so]. We have a lot of room for improvement. We have a lot of cricket in front of us.”My dismissal put the team under pressure. I was trying to stay in touch with the run rate. I was looking for at least a boundary per over to meet the required run-rate. I didn’t want to put that pressure on Towhid Hridoy. I tried to take a calculated risk, but I couldn’t execute that shot properly. If I had, it would have gone for six.”Hridoy scored his second half-century of the series but failed to carry on. Mehidy said the other batters didn’t offer Hridoy enough support to enable him to accelerate when he was set at the crease. “I think he could have batted at a faster rate, but he couldn’t do it as we kept losing wickets,” Mehidy said. “Whenever he needed momentum, there was a setback. I won’t blame him for today’s defeat. If we could support him in a partnership, he could have batted at a faster rate. It is hard for a batter to bat in this type of situation.”Mehidy, however, said he would still back his batters playing their natural game, despite the setbacks in this series. “We could have hit more fours and picked up more singles,” he said. “It is also a matter of emotional control. Everyone likes to play cricket in certain ways. Our top order likes to play with a bit of risk. They like to find boundaries. I can’t stop them. It will make the situation difficult in the team. We are trying to back every player’s strength.”

Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer window has already seen two players walk through the door this summer in the form of Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha from West Ham and Bayern Munich respectively.

However, new boss Thomas Frank will evidently want further reinforcements to bolster his squad after the UEFA Super Cup final showing against PSG last night.

The Lilywhites stormed into a two-goal lead against the Champions League winners, but were unable to sustain their excellent early showing – highlighting the need for added quality and depth.

His side ultimately lost the game against the Parisians on penalties, with the board needing to back the 51-year-old to build on his side’s impressive first-half showing in Italy.

One area of the pitch is in desperate need of reinforcements before the September 1st deadline, with work currently being done behind the scenes to land one of their key targets.

Spurs working on deal to sign Eberechi Eze alternative

Over recent days, Spurs have been working on a deal to land Como star Nico Paz after his impressive breakout season in Italy for the Serie A outfit.

It’s been reported that the Lilywhites hierarchy are huge admirers of the 20-year-old, who registered 14 goal contributions last season, but any deal could cost them upwards of £60m this summer.

However, he’s not the only player the side are hunting for in such an area, with Barcelona star Dani Olmo another option for Frank’s side, according to one Spanish outlet.

They claim that Frank’s side are currently leading the race for the Spaniard’s signature at present, that’s despite interest from Saudi Arabia for the 27-year-old’s signature.

They also state the LaLiga giants are prepared to offload the attacking midfielder before the end of the window, but are current demanding a fee in the region of €60m (£52m).

Why Spurs’ latest target would be better than Eze

In their attempt to bolster the squad, Spurs have once again been in talks with Crystal Palace over a deal to land England international Eberechi Eze in the next couple of weeks.

He’s previously been on their radar during the current window, especially considering the £60m release clause that’s currently within his contract at Selhurst Park.

Frank’s side aren’t the only club currently in the race for his signature, with North London rivals Arsenal also battling the land the 27-year-old’s signature.

Given his record of 16 combined goals and assists in England’s top-flight last season, there’s no denying that he would be many of the supporters’ first choice for the number ten role.

However, given the interest in Eze from elsewhere, it’s no surprise to see other options being considered, with Olmo undoubtedly one of the best alternatives for the Lilywhites.

When comparing his stats to those of the Palace star from the recent campaign, the Spaniard managed to outperform him in key areas – potentially making him a better addition before the transfer deadline.

Olmo, who’s been labelled “world-class” by Transfermarkt’s Stefan Bienkowski, posted a better goal and assist per 90 rate, while also scoring more of his efforts placed on goal – subsequently providing a more consistent threat in the final third.

Games played

25

34

Goals & assists

13

16

Goals & assists per 90

0.97

0.56

Progressive carries

2.5

2.4

Progressive passes

6.1

3.3

Goals per shot on target

0.5

0.2

Pass accuracy

81%

74%

Passes into final third

3.6

1.7

Take-on success

51%

48%

Carries into final third

2.6

1.6

He also achieved higher tallies of progressive passes per 90 and passes made into the final third, offering a more creative presence in the number ten role within Frank’s side.

The former RB Leipzig star’s dominance over Eze is further highlighted by his better take-on success rate, able to single-handedly progress the ball into dangerous areas, before having the tools to finish off his runs – as seen by his aforementioned stats.

It would be another hefty investment from the board, but it’s clear that Spurs would be landing themselves the top-level talent they crave in such a department.

Eze would be an excellent Premier League-proven option for the side, but ultimately, if the club are to become consistent title contenders, they will need elite signings – with Olmo evidently providing just that this summer.

Big-money star proved Spurs have a bigger talent than Gibbs-White vs PSG

Tottenham Hotspur may have stumbled across a new star despite their defeat to PSG.

1 ByEthan Lamb Aug 14, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

da bet nacional： O Corinthians se aproximou da contratação de Igor Coronado, que está sem clube após rescindir com o Al-Ittihad, da Arábia Saudita. No entanto, o Timão ainda tem uma dificuldade a ser superada: os altos valores em luvas (“prêmio” pago pela assinatura do contrato) pedidos pelo jogador.

continua após a publicidade

da bet vitoria： ➡️ Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

A ideia da diretoria alvinegra é aquecer as conversas nesta semana e, se possível, solucionar as tratativas até sexta-feira (16), de acordo com apuração do Lance!.

Como o pedido de Igor Coronado pelas luvas é considerado alto, o Corinthians deve tentar reduzi-lo nas conversas. Outro plano é adiar o pagamento para depois da assinatura do contrato.

continua após a publicidade

DISPUTADO

Além do Timão, o meia chegou a despertar interesse do Flamengo. Matheus Bachi, filho de Tite e auxiliar técnico do Rubro-Negro, confirmou a procura pelo brasileiro.

+ Interesse do Flamengo em Coronado tem duas versões

– A gente acompanhou no ano passado diversos campeonatos no momento em que estava off. Deixou claro para a direção a nossa ideia de contratação, e a gente tem que estar aberto para oportunidades que a gente acredita que possam agregar ao elenco, que possam vir e competir. A gente tem noção que as Datas Fifas podem machucar a equipe. Nesse cenário, eu tive um contato com ele para saber a ideia dele, como estava a situação, depois tudo foi conversado com a direção.

continua após a publicidade

QUEM É ELE?

Na mira do Corinthians, Igor Coronado teve destaque no futebol da Arábia Saudita. Sua última equipe foi o Al-Ittihad e, em três temporadas, ele acumulou 75 jogos, 16 gols e 35 assistências.

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansFutebol Nacional

da dobrowin： Wolverhampton Wanderers have now made contact with the agent of a Champions League player who is “always dangerous”, according to a report from Sky Sports.

Wolves keen on new right-back following Semedo departure

da imperador bet： Nelson Semedo has penned an emotional farewell to Wolves, following the former captain’s decision to leave upon the expiration of his contract this summer, saying: “You made me grow so much as a athlete and as a person.

“I always tried my best every single day to represent this club in a way it deserves and I made sure that I always left the pitch with nothing else to give.”

The Portuguese defender made 34 appearances in the Premier League last term, providing four assists, but having now made the decision to leave Molineux, Vitor Pereira will be tasked with bringing in a replacement.

Related Approach made: Wolves now make enquiry to sign "unbelievable" £15m striker

The Old Gold have made contact over a deal for a centre-forward, with Vitor Pereira looking to bolster his attacking options.

Posts ByDominic Lund Jul 30, 2025

It appears as though the Old Gold may already be close to doing exactly that, having agreed a £14.8m deal to sign Sevilla’s Juanlu, however, they still need to convince the defender to make the move to the Premier League, amid rival interest from Napoli.

As such, an alternative option may be required, and Sky Sports Germany have now reported that Wolves have made contact with the agent of Borussia Dortmund’s Ryerson, who is also attracting interest from newly-promoted Sunderland.

Despite being content in the Bundesliga, the Dortmund defender dreams of a move to the Premier League, which suggests a deal could be possible, although the Old Gold are yet to enter concrete negotiations.

It is unclear what sort of fee the German side would be looking to receive, but they may be keen to make a profit on the €5m (£4m) they shelled out in 2022, given that the 27-year-old has emerged as an important player in recent times.

"Dangerous" Ryerson could be ideal Semedo heir

Semedo is capable of making a real impact on the front foot, as displayed by the fact he ranks in the 83rd percentile for successful take-ons over the past year, and there are indications the Dortmund ace could be a similar type of player.

Former Dortmund boss Edin Terzic has previously lauded the full-back for the impact he makes going forward, saying: “I took an early liking to him and his style of play. He plays with great intensity and is always dangerous when he’s on the offensive as well. That’s what sets him apart.”

The Norwegian has experience in the Champions League, making 12 appearances in the competition last season, while also finding the back of the net against Maccabi Haifa in the Conference League during his time with Union Berlin.

Following Semedo’s departure, Pereira may be keen to bring in a new right-back who is capable of posing a threat on the front foot, and Ryerson very much fits the bill.

Piero Hincapie has travelled to London as he looks to push through a move to Arsenal, despite Bayer Leverkusen not granting him full permission to undergo a medical. The 23-year-old defender has made clear his wish to leave the Bundesliga giants, with the Gunners closing in on a deal that includes a season-long loan and an option to buy next summer.

• Hincapie travels to London without permission
• Arsenal and Leverkusen agree loan with €52m option to buy
• Kiwior's Porto move hinges on replacement

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Arsenal and Bayer Leverkusen have agreed on a loan deal with an option to buy, worth a total of €52 million (£45m/$60.8m), including a sell-on clause. Hincapie has informed Leverkusen of his preference to join the Gunners, even though he extended his contract with them last December. Per , he has now travelled to London, although without his club's permission given details of the deal still need to be finalised.

Advertisement

• GOAL/Getty
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Arsenal’s pursuit of Hincapie has been linked with their plans to offload Jakub Kiwior to Porto. That move, worth up to €27 million (£23.7m/$31.5m), hinges on Arsenal successfully completing the Hincapie deal. The Ecuadorian’s arrival would strengthen Mikel Arteta’s backline as the Gunners push for a deeper squad ahead of what they hope will be a Premier League-winning campaign.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Hincapie is seen as one of South America’s most promising defenders, having played a key role in Bayer Leverkusen’s Bundesliga-winning campaign. He has also been a regular for Ecuador at the international level. Arsenal view him as a long-term solution, with a five-year deal ready for him next summer if the option to buy is triggered.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty/GOAL
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR HINCAPIE?

  Hincapie is expected to undergo a medical once Leverkusen grant approval. Arsenal must also confirm Kiwior’s switch to Porto before closing the signing. If all goes to plan, Hincapie will be unveiled before the end of the transfer window.

da betway： Tottenham Hotspur could soon be forced to find a replacement for club legend Son Heung-min, as talks progress with Los Angeles FC.

Related Tottenham advancing move for £24m defender after 'emerging' as favourites

Spurs have been told what it would take to get a deal done.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jul 23, 2025

da dobrowin： After a stunning 10-year stay at N17, and with just 12 months remaining on his contract, the South Korea star has a tough decision to make amid this serious interest from the USA.

According to GiveMeSport this week, LAFC are advancing in talks for Son and the winger is close to agreeing personal terms, but he’s yet to make a firm final call on whether he’s going to stay or go.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Any exit before the conclusion of Tottenham’s Asia pre-season tour would also result in the club losing millions in revenue due to contractual obligations (GiveMeSport), with Son, for obvious reasons, standing out as a key centrepiece for Spurs when it comes to their Far East appeal.

This is backed up by The Telegraph, so it’s unlikely that we’ll see the 33-year-old leave north London until later in the window.

Son is also poised for crucial talks with Thomas Frank once they return to the English capital (GiveMeSport), where both men are set to discuss his future.

While Son’s potential goodbye isn’t exactly a foregone conclusion just yet, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is forced to contemplate life without the talismanic club captain, who’s scored 173 goals and assisted 101 others since arriving from Bayer Leverkusen a decade ago.

Tottenham tipped to sign Alejandro Garnacho in late-window deal

Frank will need a replacement, and ex-Tottenham scout Mick Brown is convinced that Man United outcast Alejandro Garnacho could be that man.

The Argentine has displayed flashes of true brilliance during his time at Old Trafford, but he’s firmly on the ‘for sale’ list as United attempt to raise money. Their eagerness to offload is even forcing the Red Devils to slash their asking price from £70m to £40m (The Mirror), which presents Spurs with a real opportunity here.

Brown, who remains very well-connected in the beautiful game, has told Football Insider that Tottenham are “definitely” interested in Garnacho and tips Levy to make a late-window move for the 21-year-old.

“Alejandro Garnacho is certainly one of the names on Tottenham’s list,” he said.

“It looks like they might be losing Son, whether that’s to the MLS or the Saudi league, so they are already looking at options to replace him. Garnacho has been a very impressive player for Man United.

“He’s got loads of promise, and I’m surprised Amorim is so willing to let him go. I think he’d be an excellent addition for Tottenham, and he’s definitely one they are interested in.

“The only issue I have is what the price tag will be, because Man United publicly pushing him out has shown their hand, they need to get rid of him. They’re going to struggle to get big money for him, so they might have to drop the asking price.

“I think it’s one that will happen in the closing stages of the window, when United need to sell and Tottenham can take advantage of that situation. As I say, particularly if they lose Son, because he’s going to need replacing.”

Luis Díaz has described his transfer to Bayern Munich from Liverpool as a "big gamble". The Colombian winger, who joined the German champions in a £66 million (€75m/$89m) deal, has also revealed that he spoke to Florian Wirtz about the Bundesliga before sealing the move.

• Díaz admits Bayern switch risky
• Colombian reveals Wirtz advice 
• Scores debut goal in Supercup victory

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Behind the scenes, Liverpool fought hard to keep Diaz at Anfield. However, Diaz had reportedly expressed a desire to leave as early as the summer of 2024. The Merseyside club initially refused, but after protracted contract negotiations broke down, with both sides far apart on terms, the Reds finally agreed to sell.

Advertisement

• Getty Images
  

  WHAT DIAZ SAID

  Barcelona were interested in Diaz, but he eventually opted for a new challenge in Germany with Bayern. In an interview with Diaz admitted: "It was a big gamble and I'm very grateful to the management for reaching out to me and trusting me. It's always up to me to respond on the pitch and contribute with what I know how to do. To be at the disposal of the coaching staff. To start this way and be together with my team-mates is incredible."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Before packing his bags for Bavaria, Díaz sought out advice from Liverpool's new record signing Florian Wirtz, who knows German football inside out after coming through the ranks at Bayer Leverkusen.

  "I already had some knowledge of the Bundesliga," he said. "I love watching football and all the competitions. I had the opportunity to talk to Florian in Liverpool, and I know it's a physical league. I hope to have a great debut. I've been here at the club for about two weeks, and I need time to settle in."

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Any doubts about whether Díaz could handle the transition were silenced on Saturday. Making his competitive debut, the winger scored a decisive goal to hand Bayern a 2-1 Supercup victory over VfB Stuttgart.

  "I'm very happy and pleased with how this weekend went," the 28-year-old said. "It was my first official match, my first goal, and my first title. I dreamed of coming here to achieve great things and give my best. I try to enjoy football."

Captain Aaron FinchCoach Michael KlingerSquad Noor Ahmad (Afg), Cameron Boyce, Brody Couch, Zak Evans, Aaron Finch, Jake Fraser-McGurk, Sam Harper, Marcus Harris, Mackenzie Harvey, Peter Hatzoglou, Jon Holland, Benny Howell (Eng), Josh Lalor, Shaun Marsh, Mohammad Nabi (Afg), James Pattinson, Mitch Perry, Jack Prestwidge, Kane Richardson, Rilee Rossouw (SA), Will Sutherland, Imran Tahir (SA), Imad Wasim (Pak), Beau WebsterIn Noor Ahmad, Josh Lalor (Heat), James Pattinson (Heat), Mitch Perry, Jack Prestwidge (Heat), Rilee Rossouw, Imran Tahir, Imad Wasim
Out Dan Christian (Sixers), Tom Cooper (Strikers), Jack Wildermuth (Heat)Overseas player availability Noor Ahmad (available from Dec 18), Mohammad Nabi (available from Dec to Jan 9), Rilee Rossouw (all season), Imran Tahir (available from Jan 9), Imad Wasim (available from Dec 26)Last season: 8thThe Renegades had a horror defence of their title in BBL09. They lost their first eight games under new coach Michael Klinger and never recovered, managing just three wins for the tournament. Their attack, which was the key to their title in 2018-19, really struggled to contain opponents and they simply couldn’t score enough runs to overcome that. They have gone on a very specific recruiting drive to bolster the attack for this season.Bubble impactJames Pattinson will be the only local player affected by the Australia Test squad bubble but they should have full availability for the rest of the local players although Marcus Harris will miss the opening two games due to Australia A duty. Their five overseas players will be in and out at various times. Rilee Rossouw is available all season but his compatriot Imran Tahir won’t be available until January 9. Noor Ahmad and Mohammad Nabi will miss the first two games because of delayed starts to quarantine, but will be fine until January 9 when Nabi is heading to the UAE for international duty. Ahmad will remain with the Renegades. Imad Wasim is due to head over after Pakistan’s series in New Zealand.Player to watchWill Sutherland has already had an impact as a bowling allrounder in Sheffield Shield and one-day cricket for Victoria but that has not yet translated to the BBL for the Renegades. He is only 21, so expectations do need to be tempered in what can be the toughest form to master for young players. However, with the way the Renegades have set up their squad, and the performance of their bowlers last season, Sutherland becomes an extremely important piece for the balance of their XI. If he can have an impact with bat and ball, it will give the Renegades a lot more flexibility with their line-up, even with the new sub-rule coming into effect.Key stat (Gaurav Sundararaman)The Renegades won the 2018-19 BBL by virtue of being the best bowling team. However, in 2019 they were the worst bowling team conceding runs at 8.55 per over and and average of 32.59. They also took only 69 wickets compared to the finalists Stars who took 114 wickets. The addition of Noor Ahmed and Imran Tahir could help in solving the problem.

After a debut season that looks destined to end in top four failure, Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham Hotspur have turned their attention towards the summer transfer window, in which they could get one over on North London rivals Arsenal.

Tottenham transfer news

The Lilywhites haven't been afraid to back Postecoglou, with the likes of Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario and James Maddison among the players to have arrived last summer, whilst Harry Kane headed out the exit door in North London. But that backing, although resulting in some impressive glimpses, is yet to result in a Champions League return barring a late turnaround.

Tottenham now in talks to sign “remarkable player” for Ange

He could cost £30m.

ByBen Browning Apr 26, 2024

Their lack of depth has come at a cost in the current campaign, arguably making the summer transfer window a vital one in Postecoglou's reign, which has seen the rumour mill already get underway. The likes of Ivan Toney and Eberechi Eze have already been linked with moves from across London in deals that would go a long way in bridging the gap on the Premier League's top four, but it's outside of England where Spurs could land a key improvement.

According to Caught Offside via TeamTalk, Tottenham are eyeing a move to sign Javi Guerra ahead of Arsenal, Manchester United and Real Madrid this summer. The Valencia midfielder is a man in-demand and could leave the La Liga side for around €50-60m (£42-51m), despite his release clause sitting at a hefty €100million (£85m) this summer.

As Spurs look to bridge the gap on the Champions League places, splashing the cash to welcome a player of Guerra's calibre and potential would be the perfect way for Postecoglou and the Lilywhites to start their summer business. What's more, the 20-year-old would only help unlock Maddison even further to hand those in North London a boost elsewhere on the pitch.

"Intelligent" Guerra would unleash Maddison

As impressive as Maddison has been in his debut season at Spurs, he has lacked a midfield partner to truly unlock his best talents. It's a job that Yves Bissouma and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg have struggled to consistently perform, but one that Guerra could step into for years to come, improving along the way.

Without the lure of Champions League football, however, Spurs will be left in a difficult position to negotiate ahead of the likes of Arsenal this summer. Instead, Postecoglou must pitch the project that he is currently building – a project which we've seen promising glimpses of this season.

At just over £50m though, Guerra is a player that Spurs should do everything to chase this summer in a move that would replace the likely outgoing Hojbjerg, unlock Maddison and hand Postecogou a player who is expected to only get even better. The Valencia man is certainly one to watch in the coming months.