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Tottenham Hotspur’s N17 draw against Sunderland to kick off 2026 was imperfect, but it did suggest that Thomas Frank has been receptive to the criticism that has come his way.

It was an improvement on the drab goalless draw at Brentford days before, though admittedly, it would have been a feat to have produced a more lifeless and uninspiring display than that one.

Premier League 25/26 – Lowest xG Totals

Team

Goals Scored

xG

West Ham

21

20.5

Wolves

14

19.0

Tottenham

28

18.9

Burnley

20

17.6

Sunderland

21

16.8

Data via FBref

Tottenham need more impetus and verve in the centre of the park, and the right acquisition could have a transformative effect on the wider

system.

One of the most exciting young midfielders in the Premier League has been earmarked.

Spurs lining up Premier League midfielder

Tottenham’s usual midfield duo consists of Rodrigo Bentancur and Joao Palhinha. Both stars lack the multi-dimensionality to charge Tottenham’s midfield and provide playmaking support to sit alongside their natural defensive strengths.

Tottenham are searching for energy and inspiration. The current crop are too tentative and inanimate in the middle of the park.

Brighton talent Carlos Baleba could be the answer to the Londoners’ problems. According to Caught Offside, Spurs are in the mix for the 22-year-old, ready to challenge long-term suitors Manchester United.

Valued at around £87m, he wouldn’t come cheap, but it’s tacitly accepted at the AMEX that his dip in performances and the abiding interest in his signature point toward a departure in 2026.

Despite a poor season on the south coast, the Cameroon international has the potential to become one of the best in the world, perhaps even growing into Spurs’ new version of Mousa Dembele.

Why Baleba could be Spurs' new Dembele

Baleba was immense for Brighton last season, with his performances leading analyst Ben Mattinson to describe him as “one of the best midfielders in the league” last year.

After an intense Man United-centred transfer saga last year, Baleba has struggled for form this season, but with such potential and a proven ability to perform in the Premier League, he could bring the spark that has been lacking.

This complete midfielder might even establish himself as the next Dembele, especially given that he would join from a divisional rival.

Carlos Baleba’s Premier League Form

Stats (* per game)

24/25

25/26

Matches (starts)

34 (31)

16 (14)

Goals

3

0

Assists

1

0

Touches*

54.0

32.3

Accurate passes*

33.6 (88%)

19.9 (86%)

Chances created*

0.6

0.2

Succ. dribbles*

1.0 (62%)

0.4 (58%)

Ball recoveries*

5.8

3.2

Tackles + interceptions*

3.7

2.0

Duels (won)*

5.9 (55%)

3.1 (46%)

Data via Sofascore

Baleba hasn’t been at the races for a while, but he’s still a physical and athletic force. As per FBref, he ranks among the top 21% of midfielders across Europe for successful take-ons and the top 13% for ball recoveries per 90, as well as the top 15% for aerial duel success rate.

Dembele, too, knew something of the art of progression. The retired Belgian midfielder has secured cult status in north London, playing across seven campaigns and drawing praise from many around him, with countryman Kevin De Bruyne even claiming he was “the best in the world” during his prime.

So silky on the ball and industrious when against the run of play, Dembele made it tick in the middle, so intelligent and aware of his surroundings.

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Baleba isn’t there yet, but he’s shown that he can develop into a Premier League superstar. Indeed, the young Cameroonian has been described as a “monster” of a midfielder by football scout Antonio Mango.

Given that Dembele took a while to get himself up to speed after joining the club from Fulham over a decade ago, it’s clear that Baleba could be a consummate success if signed.

Sure, he’s not at his peak, and he’s inconsistent, but there is such talent there, and he would add not one but a range of dimensions to a static Spurs midfield.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair

Leeds United look set to be dealt a big blow ahead of their upcoming matches as supporters wait to hear exactly how long Joe Rodon will be out injured for.

After the Wales international went off with an ankle injury in the first half against Sunderland, Daniel Farke has since confirmed that the centre-back will be out of action for around three weeks with ligament damage.

Rodon, as outlined in the post above, is set to miss a league game after 104 consecutive starts, which is some achievement from the former Tottenham Hotspur defender.

This means that Leeds will have to adjust to defending without the Welsh titan in the backline for the first time in a long time, whilst having to defend against Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz.

Leeds eyeing move for Premier League defender

The Whites already have one eye on how they may replace Rodon in the short-term, as they are looking at signing another central defender.

Transfer Focus

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

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According to Football Insider, Leeds United are plotting a move to sign Chelsea centre-back Axel Disasi in the upcoming January transfer window.

The report claims that the West Yorkshire outfit have set their sights on signing the French central defender to bolster Farke’s options at the back as a result of Rodon’s ankle injury.

It adds that the Whites want to sign the former Monaco man on loan for the second-half of the 2025/26 campaign, to compete with Pascal Struijk, Jaka Bijol, and Rodon, when he is available.

Football Insider also reveals that Chelsea are keen to offload the £80k-per-week defender in January, but they are unable to send him out on an international loan as they have already filled all of their spots, handing Leeds a boost in the race for his signature.

Why Disasi is a perfect Rodon replacement

Leeds should sign Disasi because he has the potential to be the perfect replacement for the Welshman in the next three weeks and if he is out for any further time.

Even when the Wales international returns to action, the French defender would still be a brilliant replacement for him as a rotation option, or as competition for Bijol and Struijk.

It has not worked out for Disasi at Stamford Bridge, with zero minutes in all competitions this season, but his Premier League form for Chelsea in his debut season and on loan at Aston Villa last term suggest that he can be a good option for Leeds.

Flopping for a team competing for the top four and winning trophies, as Disasi has, does not mean that he is not good enough to be a key player for a side looking to avoid relegation, as Leeds are.

Rodon is the perfect example of that. He only played 24 times for Tottenham, per Transfermarkt, before his move to Leeds, and he has started every Premier League game so far this season for the Whites, although that streak looks set to end this week.

Axel Disasi (Premier League)

23/24

24/25

Appearances

31

13

Goals

2

1

Pass accuracy

91%

90%

Ground duel success rate

62%

52%

Aerial duel success rate

69%

62%

Error led to goal

0

1

Clean sheets

5

2

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Disasi has only made one error that led to a goal in 44 Premier League games so far, and has been incredibly dominant in the air.

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Rodon, meanwhile, has made one error that led to a goal and won 69% of his ground duels and 54% of his aerial duels in 18 Premier League appearances this season, per Sofascore.

This suggests that Disasi, who was described as a “complete” and “dominant” defender by talent scout Jacek Kulig, may even offer more quality to Leeds as an aerial presence, winning a higher percentage of his contests in the air, whilst both players rarely make catastrophic mistakes.

The chart above, comparing Disasi’s first season at Chelsea with Rodon’s form this season, suggests that they both excel in similar areas, which means that the Frenchman could be a perfect replacement for the Welsh star.

The 27-year-old star has the Premier League experience and proven quality to hit the ground running, as he did at Villa last term, as a fantastic short-term loan option for Leeds, offering them instant quality as an aerially dominant defender to take Rodon’s place in the next few weeks.

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Match facts

Saturday, July 11, 2015
Start time 1000 local (0430 GMT)A young Sri Lanka side will be boosted by the presence of Lasith Malinga and Tillakaratne Dilshan•Getty Images

Big picture

Pakistan have recently been whitewashed in Bangladesh. Sri Lanka’s last ODI outing was that traumatic Sydney World Cup quarterfinal against South Africa. Both teams have lost key men. Misbah-ul-Haq and Shahid Afridi have stepped off the one-day planet. Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene have disappeared over the horizon. These teams are not so much waging high-octane battle in the five-ODI series, as conducting experiments. Is Kusal Perera a viable long-term opener, for example? Or can Sarfraz Ahmed learn to transplant his knack of playing vital Test innings, into his ODI game, and where should he bat? What is each team’s top attack? Which batsmen will take the middle order into the future.The stakes are much higher for Pakistan, though. Presently ninth in the ODI rankings, they must defeat Sri Lanka to displace West Indies, and move up a spot. A proposed ODI triangular in Zimbabwe has added uncertainty to Champions Trophy qualifications, but a healthy margin of victory in this series would put a small buffer between them and the next team.The hosts are coming off a dispiriting Test series, but have often rebounded in the limited-overs formats. Lest we forget, Tillakaratne Dilshan still plays one-dayers, and Lasith Malinga leads the attack. Along with Angelo Mathews, they are capable of rallying a young team to at least present a challenge to transitional Pakistan.

Form guide

(last five completed matches, most recent first)Sri Lanka: LWLWWPakistan: WWLLL

In the spotlight

With Rangana Herath omitted from the squad, Mathews said Sachithra Senanayake was Sri Lanka’s premier limited-overs spinner. Senanayake appeared to have returned successfully following the remodeling of his action, in the series against England at home last year. His returns in Australia and New Zealand, however, were less encouraging. With Nuwan Kulasekara’s experience also overlooked for this squad, pressure mounts on Senanayake to prove he remains a high-quality one-day bowler.Who else but Yasir Shah? They tried to attack him in the Tests, and Yasir took wickets. They tried to block him in the Tests, and Yasir still took wickets. They tried a mix of both, Yasir’s wickets still came. In the end, Sri Lanka only succeeded by tiring him out, at Pallekele. They will not be able to do that in an ODI. Even the batsmen who made big scores in the Test series didn’t have him worked out. He is the hosts’ top threat.

Team news

With Tillakaratne Dilshan back at the top, Upul Tharanga and Lahiru Thirimanne are likely to slot in at No. 3 and 4.Sri Lanka (probable): 1 Kusal Perera, 2 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 3 Upul Tharanga, 4 Lahiru Thirimanne, 5 Dinesh Chandimal (wk), 6 Angelo Mathews (capt.), 7 Thisara Perera, 8 Seekkuge Prasanna, 9 Sachithra Senanayake, 10 Lasith Malinga, 11 Suranga LakmalAsad Shafiq suffered a groin strain in the third Test, but has now recovered. He will likely face off with Babar Azam for his middle-order spot however.Pakistan (likely): 1 Ahmed Shehzad, 2 Azhar Ali (capt.), 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Mukhtar Ahmed, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Babar Azam/Asad Shafiq, 7 Sarfraz Ahmed (wk), 8 Yasir Shah, 9 Anwar Ali, 10 Mohammad Irfan, 11 Rahat Ali

Pitch and conditions

With a little bit of rain around all across the island, there is likely to be a little seam movement at Dambulla. This doesn’t mean the spinners are out of it either. The weather is expected to be fine.

Stats and trivia

• Sarfraz Ahmed’s average as opener is 43. This is roughly twice his average in the middle order.
• Pakistan were blasted out for 102 the last time they played in Dambulla, in August last year.
• Angelo Mathews averages 53.69 from 42 innings at no. 5. This is again much higher than his average in other positions.

Peter Drinnen: officially will carry on with the Under-23s and A team © Getty Images

Peter Drinnen has stood down as Scotland’s coach, ending a fortnight of speculation over his job. Cricinfo understands that Andy Tennant and Pete Steindl will be in charge until the end of the season.On June 27 it emerged that Drinnen’s position was under threat following a whispering campaign by senior players. “I always try to deal with people in an open, honest and respectful manner,” he said. “It appears that some of my players – and I stress it is only a few – haven’t been able to pay me the same courtesy.”He then called for the backing of Cricket Scotland, but today it was announced that the board had decided to appoint caretaker coaches for the national team until the end of the Twenty20 World Championship in September 2007. Officially, Drinnen will continue to work with the A team and Under-23s.News of his departure had been circulating for a few days with one insider saying that the delay in making the announcement had been caused by the two parties having to thrash out contractual details.Roddy Smith, chief executive of Cricket Scotland, said that “given Peter’s wider remit, it is felt that a change of personnel is required with the national team”.Smith is likely to face awkward questions in the coming days as Drinnen is the second coach seemingly forced out by player power. In January 2006 Andy Moles quit in similar circumstances and he too failed to get backing from the board.

Sachin Tendulkar – a coup for Lashings © Getty Images

Sachin Tendulkar will make his much-awaited return to cricket through a series of charity matches in England beginning this week. He has been sidelined since March after undergoing shoulder surgery, but will appear for Lashings against Cambridge University Cricket Club at Fenners on Wednesday.Tendulkar, 33, will then face Reigate CC on Sunday, June 25, before taking on Middleton CC in West Sussex the next weekend. He will conclude his stint with Lashings against Sutton Valence School in Kent on July 6.”This is a great opportunity for me to get back into cricket, to get some batting practice, and to play matches that will help raise money for charity,” he told BBC Sport. “I get the chance to play alongside international players, but not in games where every run counts.”His last international appearance was the third and final Test against England at his home ground of Wankhede in March. He made himself unavailable for the one-day series against England and the entire tour of the West Indies but now he hopes to be fit for a tri-series in Sri Lanka in August.

Pakistan today announced their squad for the opening Test against South Africa, which starts at Lahore on Friday (Oct 14). Yousuf Youhana takes over the captaincy from the injured Inzamam-ul-Haq, but the major surprise was the recall of the former captain Moin Khan.Moin, 32, has not played international cricket since March 2001, when he was replaced as captain after a string of poor results, culminating in the series defeat by England in December 2000. He led the side in the following series in New Zealand, but was forced out of the team with a knee injury, was replaced by Waqar Younis as captain, and then cast into the wilderness. However, with Rashid Latif refusing to play in this series after his sudden resignation, Moin has another chance.Also recalled were Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat and Misbah-ul-Haq, but there was no place for Younis Khan or Abdul Razzaq. Mushtaq Ahmed’s inclusion was subject to his recovery from a stomach-muscle injury, while Umar Gul is on standby. The 16-man squad included just one uncapped player in Asim Kamal, a middle-order batsman.”The team has been selected on the availability of players, current performance and form,” said Aamer Sohail, the chairman of selectors. “We understand that there are some injury concerns and that did make our task difficult. However, the squad has been picked with the consent of the team management.”Meanwhile, Inzamam is expected to be fit for next week’s second Test at Faisalabad. He pulled a hamstring during the second ODI last week, and although he played in Sunday’s series decider he was clearly incapacitated. “Tauseef Razzak [Pakistan’s team doctor] examined Inzamam,” explained Haroon Rashid, the Pakistan manager, “and has confirmed he needs at least a week’s rest to recover from his hamstring strain.”Squad
Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Yasir Hameed, Yousuf Youhana (capt), Misbah-ul-Haq, Faisal Iqbal, Asim Kamal, Shoaib Malik, Moin Khan (wk), Shoaib Akhtar, Mohammad Sami, Mushtaq Ahmed, Danish Kaneria, Shabbir Ahmed, Salman Butt, Kamran Akmal (wk).

ScorecardVictoria virtually ensured their hold on the Pura Cup, as Queensland ended the fourth day of the final on 2 for 56, needing a further 520 on the last day. Earlier, Victoria declared their second innings at 1 for 140, after bowling out Queensland for 275 in their first innings.Full report follows …

Australia v Zimbabwe:Adam Gilchrist (AUS) needs 134 runs to complete 5000 ODI runs
Andy Symonds (AUS) needs 95 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs
Grant Flower (ZIM) needs 90 runs to complete 6000 ODI runs
Heath Streak (ZIM) needs 14 runs to complete 2000 ODI runsGrand Flower (ZIM) needs 3 wicket to join the 100 ODI-wicket clubMichael Bevan (AUS) needs 111 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs
Adam Gilchrist (AUS) needs 227 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs
Grand Flower (ZIM) need 64 runs to complete 500 World Cup runsHeath Streak (ZIM) needs 7 wickets to join the 25 World Cup wicket-clubSri Lanka v Kenya:Sanath Jayasuriya (SL) needs 171 runs to complete 9000 ODI runs
Thomas Odoyo (KEN) needs 76 runs to complete 1000 ODI runs
Ravindu Shah (KEN) needs 52 runs to complete 1000 ODI runsAravinda De Silva (SL) needs 2 wickets to join the 100 ODI-wicket clubAravinda De Silva (SL) needs 191 runs to complete 1000 World Cup runs
Hashan Tillakaratne (SL) needs 211 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs
Steve Tikolo (KEN) needs 92 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs
Maurice Odumbe (KEN) needs 217 runs to complete 500 World Cup runs
Ravindu Shah (KEN) needs 225 runs to complete 500 World Cup runsMuttiah Muralitharan (SL) needs 6 wickets to join the 25 World Cup wicket-club
Chaminda Vaas (SL) needs 3 wickets to join the 25 World Cup wicket-club

Goa Cricket Association (GCA) president Dayanand Narvekar and threeother GCA officials were arrested and subsequently released by Margaopolice last evening, police sources said in Panaji on Tuesday.Narvekar, GCA secretary Vinod Phadke, former treasurer Rama Shankardasand a member Vivek Pednekar were arrested under section 336 of IndianPenal Code (IPC) on charges of endangering human lives during theIndia-Australia ODI on April 6, they said. They were subsequentlyreleased on bail bond of Rs 10,000 each, sources said.Narvekar, a former deputy chief minister, Phadke and Shankardas are onbail in another case connected with the fake ticket scam. Achargesheet in the case was likely to be filed by the police thisweek, they said.According to police, around 15,000 ticket holders had to be deniedentry fearing a stampede on the day of the ODI as the stadium waspacked to capacity. It had to then resort to a lathi charge todisperse the crowd.

The former Gloucestershire wicketkeeper, international umpire and professional footballer Barrie Meyer has died in Durban aged 83.Meyer stood in 26 Tests and 23 ODIs, including the 1979 and 1983 World Cup finals, following a career where he played 406 first-class matches and 44 List A games. He stood in the famous 1981 Ashes Test at Headingley where Ian Botham and Bob Willis turned the match on its head.He was an all-round sportsman having played football for Bristol Rovers, Plymouth, Newport County and Bristol City. For Bristol Rovers he scored 60 goals in 139 league matches and scored against Manchester United in the 4-0 FA Cup victory in 1951.Meyer umpired his first international in 1977, an ODI against Australia at Old Trafford, and his final match was also against Australia, a Test at The Oval, in 1993.