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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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Posts ByKelan Sarson

Scorecard

Brendan Drew caused big problems for Queensland’s middle order © Getty Images

Brendan Drew led Tasmania’s destructive bowling effort as they opened the FR Cup with an 89-run thrashing of the reigning champions Queensland on the Duckworth/Lewis method. Tim Paine’s unbeaten 73 guided the Tigers to 7 for 226 and when heavy rain ended play in the 24th over of the chase the visitors had deflated the Bulls to 6 for 63.Queensland’s top order was expertly tied down by Brett Geeves and Adam Griffith, who restricted the Bulls to 2 for 33 after 15 overs. Clinton Perren had struggled to 16 from 47 balls when he succumbed to the mounting pressure, trying to cut a Drew delivery close to his body and edging to slip.The next ball the Bulls were 4 for 42 when Aaron Nye slashed Drew to third man and Tasmania’s debutant Mark Divin took a terrific catch sliding on his knees. Divin continued his impressive all-round entrance by enticing Craig Philipson to edge behind in his first over of medium pace shortly before the rain set in.Divin had already justified his selection with 41 from 39 balls – including three powerful sixes slogged over midwicket – as he and Paine resurrected Tasmania after a wobbly start. The pair scored the bulk of the 83 that the Tigers added in the final ten overs.They took advantage of a rule change this season that allows the batting side to nominate one of the two Powerplays; Tasmania started theirs in the 41st over and began the late push. The Bulls had opened their title defence well by sending Tasmania in and had them at 4 for 84 when Paine, normally a one-day opener, became a steadying influence at No. 6.Tasmania earned a double bonus point from the victory and Daniel Marsh, the captain, was thrilled. “We were a little bit disappointed with our score but we knew we had to attack to defend that and the bowlers were fantastic,” he said. “Six points at the start of the year is a real bonus.”

Malcolm Speed faces the media after his statement © AFP

Darrell Hair offered to resign as a member of the ICC’s Elite Umpires Panel in return for a payment of $500,000, Malcolm Speed, the ICC chief executive, told a press conference near Lord’s.Speed said Hair’s resignation offer was forwarded to Doug Cowie, the ICC’s umpire manager. A copy of that letter was also made available to the Pakistan Cricket Board.In the letter, Hair asked for “a one-off payment to compensate for the loss of future earnings and retainer payments over the next four years, which I believe would have been the best years I have to offer ICC and world umpiring.”Speed said that he was shocked and “thought it was a silly letter.” He continued: “This issue has been marked by a series of unfortunate and entirely avoidable overreactions,” adding that he believed that Hair did not have any malicious intent.”I am confident, as is David Richardson (the ICC’s general manager – cricket), who has been intimately involved in these matters, that Darrell had no dishonest, underhand or malicious intent. He was seeking to find a solution that was in the interests of the game.”Despite the revelations, Speed said that Hair had not been suspended and no action had so far been taken against him. But he did not rule out action.”I have said to him that he is not sacked, he is not suspended, and he has not been charged,” Speed said. “I also said to him that I didn’t guarantee that each of those three positions would be maintained indefinitely.”In a statement released later, Speed added: “We realise the disclosure of this correspondence makes Darrell’s situation extremely sensitive. We have made available to him a range of support services including security advice, counselling and media management to assist him at this time.”Speed admitted that he was surprised by Hair’s letter and consulted three lawyers independently before making the contents of the letter public. “When I received the letters I was extremely surprised by the content, as was David. I was concerned as to how I should deal with it and in part whether I was required to disclose the contents.”We received three separate and independent legal opinions. They offered the unanimous view that the ICC was required to disclose the correspondence as it was material or relevant to matters that might be raised in the Code of Conduct hearing of Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq.”Although we are certain they are not the product of dishonest, underhand or malicious intent and believe the contents played no part in Darrell’s decision-making during the fourth Test, they could be read as such and may well be interpreted that way if they had emerged in the future.Speed said he was distressed that the issue had created lot of speculation and misinformation in the media as well as allegations of racial bias. “This issue has created unprecedented media and public issue… There is a huge amount of misinformation, speculation and conjecture in different parts of the world. There have been accusations of racism.”It involves two separate issues. Did the Pakistan team change the ball in an illegal manner? Secondly, when Pakistan refused to take the field, did that bring the game into disrepute? They are cricket issues. The ICC Code of Conduct provides a mechanism to dispense justice on cricket issues and that’s the process we are trying to achieve here.”The letter, a copy of which was released to the media, quoted Hair as saying that he was willing to relinquish the umpire’s job from August 31. “I am prepared to retire/stand down/relinquish my position on the elite panel to take effect from August 31, 2006. This payment is to be the sum of $500,000, details of which must be kept confidential by both parties.”ICC may announce the retirement in anyway they wish but I would prefer a simple “lifestyle choice” as this was the very reason I moved from Australia to settle in the UK three years ago.”Percy Sonn, the ICC president, hoped the disclosure of the correspondence represented a point in time after which everyone could once again go forward and focus on playing matters rather than intrigue.”Ever since last Sunday this ongoing situation has been marked by a succession of unfortunate and entirely avoidable over-reactions,” he said.”What we need now is for everyone to try and switch their attention to on-field matters once more.The ICC executive board will meet in Dubai next week to discuss the situation and also to fix a date for the Code of Conduct hearing.

Stephen Fleming: more match-fixing allegations© Getty Images

Aushim Khetrapal, an Indian sports promoter, has denied that he offered New Zealand’s captain Fleming £200,000 (approx US$370,000) to join a match-fixing syndicate during the 1999 World Cup.Fleming claims in his new book, Balance of Power, that he was approached by Khetrapal in the bar of a hotel in Leicester, and offered the chance to earn “real money” as part of an international betting syndicate. Fleming claims he was offered £200,000 straight away, and a further £100,000 in a year’s time, but refused the offer instantly.But, speaking to the BBC, Khetrapal has denied the claims, adding that he is considering legal action. “My passport shows that I was in England from July 30 until August 3, 1999,” he said, “whereas the World Cup was held in June the same year.”Khetrapal is alleged to be an associate of Sanjeev Chawla, the Indian bookmaker whose taped phone-calls with Hansie Cronje blew the lid off the match-fixing scandal in 2000. He does concede that he did meet Fleming, but at a different time, and under very different circumstances.”I did meet Fleming in a hotel in Leicester where he was playing a county match,” Khetrapal, who runs a sports management company in Mumbai, told the BBC. “He said he wanted agents in India and he was offered US$250,000 [£135,000] for modelling assignments. A contract was also signed by him regarding this.”

Scorecard

John Davison: allround efforts put Canada on top© Getty Images

Canada, somewhat surprisingly, held the upper hand after the opening day of the Intercontinental Cup match against the USA. This was in no small part due to an outstanding allround performance from their captain John Davison. Davison opened the batting, making 84, despite being forced to retire hurt. He then proceeded to devastate the American innings, taking six of the eight wickets to fall. At the close the USA were on 110 for 8, 121 behind Canada’s first-innings total.Canada won the toss and chose to bat in perfect conditions. Canada omitted Manzoor Chaudry and Kevin Sandher from their squad of 13, and the USA included Leon Romero as a last-minute replacement for Rohan Alexander. Davison opened with Desmond Chumney, and appeared to have made a good decision as Canada advanced to 57 without loss. This promising start soon stumbled, however, as Davison was forced to retire hurt, and the Canadian wickets tumbled against the American spinners. Zamin Amin and Javed Nasir each took two wickets as Canada struggled to 107 for 5 at lunch.Davison returned after the interval and built a good partnership with Hani Dhillon. Davison eventually fell for 84, just two short of his first-class best, and Dhillon for an excellent 69 on an impressive debut. Dhillon faced 148 balls and hit 6 fours and two sixes.The brand-new turf wicket – possibly to be used in the next World Cup – was low in bounce and clearly favoured spin bowling. Javed Nasir, the legspinner, excelled with 5 for 78, and Canada were dismissed for 221.The American reply got off to a disastrous start when Johnson was dismissed first ball in the first over lbw to Patel. Richard Staple, the captain, who scored 30, and Romero stabilised the innings. With Clayton Lambert, the former West Indies Test batsman, to come, the Americans were in a strong position, but that was before Davison got in on the act again. America had no answer to his offspin as he recorded his best first-class figures of 6 for 42. He was well supported by Sunil Dhaniram who kept the pressure on with tight, accurate bowling, and was rewarded with the wicket of Reid. Davison took the prized scalp of Clayton Lambert, caught by Billcliff for just 2.

Medium-pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji claimed five wickets to propel Tamil Nadu to a convincing 132-run win over hosts Delhi in the Ranji Trophy Elite Group semi-final that ended at the Feroz Shah Kotla on Tuesday. Tamil Nadu now take on Mumbai in the Ranji final to be played at Mumbai from May 4.It did not take long for the outcome of the match to be settled after play resumed on Tuesday. In Balaji’s third over, he castled Virender Sehwag (98 not out overnight) with an excellent off-cutter. Sehwag was stranded on 99.With their star batsman back in the pavilion, Delhi’s challenge quickly fizzled out. The remaining four batsmen lasted just 13 more overs as the hosts folded up after the addition of just 41 runs to their overnight total.Tamil Nadu captain S Suresh expressed his happiness with his team’s performance in his post-match interview with the Press Trust of India.”We played really well and everybody contributed in the win. It was indeed a fine show by the players as it is not easy to beat Delhi on their home soil, ” Suresh said.”Balaji again proved that he is a class bowler. He has bowled beautifully throughout the season and no doubt his performance in the semi-final played a significant role in our victory,” he added, while thanking his main strike bowler for his match-winning display.

England are aiming to look to the future rather than the past when the fourth test against Australia gets under way at Headingley tomorrow.With the country inundated by articles, features and television specials about the exploits of Ian Botham and Bob Willis on this ground 20 years ago, thepresent England team are aiming to stop Australia’s momentum and claim a consolation prize from this one-sided Ashes series.With the Ashes already gone beyond recall, the back-to-back Tests at Headingleyand The Oval are seen more as a chance to evaluate form and availability as the selectors look towards the tour of India later this year.That squad will be announced on August 28th, together with the one-day party tovisit Zimbabwe for five one-day internationals in September, if the politicalclimate there allows it.”We can’t afford to keep losing – we’ve got to put a performance in again andstart the ball rolling once again,” stressed the England captain Nasser Hussain, back after missing two Tests with a broken finger.”Everyone tends to look back to the glory days, but we have to be careful wedon’t do that. We are looking to the future and not backwards, which even goesfor this side – there’s no point going on about the last 18 months when we’vebeen successful if we rock up and keep losing.”English cricket has to carry on. We’ve competed against everyone else butnot this Australian side, but we have important tours coming up and we have tothink about the future.”Hussain and the Chairman of the England selectors, David Graveney, will have further discussions with England’s two senior players, Alec Stewart and Michael Atherton, before England finalise their tour parties.Hussain said: “They have two important weeks making up their own minds becausewith the tour selections coming up soon after the Oval we would hope both ofthem and anyone else would have made their minds up by then.”I have great respect for those two, they have both played over 120 Testmatches, both average around 40, Stewie does little wrong behind the stumps andAthers is still catching well and still gutsy – for me there is no doubt whatAlec Stewart and Michael Atherton have done for this country cricket wise.”If players wanted to miss part of the winter we would have to review it witheach individual. I’ve been in that situation before with Graham Thorpe knockingon my door asking for the winter off and I know the coach has strong opinions onthat.”Hussain faces a motivational task to lift a side already 3-0 down in the series and facing the prospect of a 5-0 whitewash.”We have to get better – it’s as simple as that,” he insisted. “We’ve shown signs of recovery and competed against every other side in the world but we just haven’t done it against Australia.”The road doesn’t just end because the Ashes are gone, we’ve got to carry onand try and continue to get better.”Hussain admits he is badly short of match practice. “I don’t feel I’ve had a summer yet. We’ve got 10 very important days coming up which are no more or lessimportant to me than what has just gone.”In an ideal world I’d have played a couple of championship games for Essexbefore I came back but they were not there and with Australia over here and backto back Test matches coming up, I as captain have to come back and get stuckin.”Hussain is undecided about selection, with spinner Robert Croft retained in the 13-man party. If they decide to choose an all-seam attack, the final place alongside Alex Tudor, Darren Gough and Andrew Caddick will presumably rest between Richard Johnson and Alan Mullally.

A positive mentality helped Malcolm Waller play freely in the first T20I against Bangladesh. Waller smashed a 20-ball fifty, the fastest by a Zimbabwean in international cricket, during his 68 off 31 balls; it was also his first fifty-plus score in international cricket after more than two years, the last being a 70 against Pakistan in a Test in Harare.”I just tried to go out there, and back my game, free myself up,” Waller said. “I was in a similar situations in the one-day games [where] I sort of got a bit knuckled down and I felt the pressure. Today I told myself that we lost four wickets, back your game and play your shots.”Waller set to work, peppering the straight boundaries with sixes and went on to strike six of them, to add to the four fours in his 31-ball 68. His method was as simple as watching the ball closely and depositing it to his favoured zones. “I just tried to watch the ball,” Waller said. “I don’t just look at one area. I see where the ball is, and I got a couple of areas where I like to hit.

‘I thought of Jubair as my main bowler’ – Mashrafe

Mashrafe Mortaza played down the pressure of playing Jubair Hossain, which was the legspinner’s first-ever T20 at any level. “We didn’t pick him in the 14-man squad thinking that he never played T20s,” Mashrafe said. “I thought of him as my main bowler, and not someone who would put me under pressure. I wanted him to bowl more than one over however he does. We had options but Jubair was part of my five-man bowling attack.”
Malcolm Waller, who took 17 runs off Jubair’s first over, said he targeted the bowler: “It was his first game in the series so it was very important to put him under pressure. I felt he was the right bowler to target at that time.”

“If it happens to land there, I back myself to hit them. I like to go both offside and when they come a lot straighter, I try to open up the legside.”Waller also said that the Zimbabwe batsmen were more positive but eventually their 131 wasn’t enough to challenge a buoyant Bangladesh side, fresh from the 3-0 ODI series win. “I think the guys had nothing to lose in their thinking today,” Waller said. They went out there really positively, we put the one-day series behind us and we focused on a new game today.”I think the total wasn’t big enough,” he said. “We had to go out there and get a couple of wickets early. We managed to get them. They were four down and we needed to just build on that.”Waller also said that his job was to bat till the end, instead of targeting a hundred, after Craig Ervine and Luke Jongwe had got out. When Waller was finally dismissed in the 18th over, the Mirpur crowd found its voice again, an indication of the impact of Waller’s record fifty.

The former West Indies and Kent cricketer, Hartley Alleyne, an acclaimed coach at St Edmund’s School in Canterbury, faces deportation within 28 days after being refused a work permit by the Home Office.Alleyne, who completed an NVQ in sports coaching to satisfy immigration officials, is being backed in his bid to stay in the country by Canterbury’s MP, Julian Brazier, who has branded the decision “appalling”. Brazier is demanding for an urgent meeting with Immigration Minister, Liam Byrne.”It is utter madness,” Brazier told The Kentish Gazette. “Here is a man who has given a great deal to this country and particularly young people and is unique in the experience he provides.”How can we turn down his application for a work permit when the Government is letting foreign criminals stay in this country and handing out permits to thousands of others who shouldn’t be here?”The decision can be overturned by Mr Byrne and I hope to persuade him to do the right thing.”The school has stood by Mr Alleyne during his appeal, and its staff and pupils are said to be devastated by his impending deportation. He has lived in the UK for 29 years and has an English wife and three children.”To me England is my home,” he told the website, “and Barbados is a place that I return to every now and again for a holiday. I have given so much of myself to this country and have helped to teach kids cricket and help them make a good start in life.”