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Manchester United are keen to bolster their squad in a few key positions this month, with the striker role being the most talked about.

However, a centre-back is also a priority position to purchase, with the 2-2 draw against Spurs highlighting their vulnerability at the back at times.

In that game, Lisandro Martinez received a warm welcome back to the field, but Erik ten Hag still needs to scan the market to find the Argentine a partner.

Man Utd’s centre-back search

Sky Sports journalist Florian Plettenberg recently took to X to state that Man United could move for Matthijs de Ligt, as he is on Ten Hag’s wishlist.

The Dutch centre-half is reportedly unhappy at Bayern Munich, with Thomas Tuchel favouring others in his defence.

Any move is likely to occur in the summer rather than in January, especially considering United’s limited budget this winter.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

By
Luke Randall

Feb 1, 2024

How De Ligt fits into the Man Utd team

With Raphael Varane, Victor Lindelof, and Harry Maguire all dealing with injuries and failing to nail down the right centre-back role this season, that spot is open for a new defender to thrive.

In truth, the aforementioned trio aren’t the most reliable, yet a player that the boss can rely upon is De Ligt, who he knows extremely well from their time together at Ajax.

De Ligt's record under Ten Hag
Games	70
Goals	8
Assists	5
Yellow cards	7
Red cards	0
Minutes played	6,198
Clean sheets	30
Stats via Transfermarkt.

However, the 24-year-old has only played 12 matches across all competitions this campaign, yet five of those were only cameos off the bench.

Since bursting onto the scene at Ajax in 2017, his career hasn’t really progressed, but he has the chance to revive it at Old Trafford under Ten Hag, who knows how to get the best out of him.

The table below displays De Ligt’s statistics from the last year across the top European competitions and how they compare to his positional peers.

De Ligt's Stats
Metric	Stats (per 90)	Ranking in Europe
Aerials won	3.48	Top 7%
Touches	83.69	Top 11%
Passes completed	68.55	Top 9%
Pass completion %	91.3%	Top 8%
Passes into final third	6.01	Top 5%
Progressive passes	5.50	Top 8%
Stats via FBref

De Ligt is the very definition of a “monster,” as per football writer Ben Mattinson, with his 6 foot 2 frame allowing him to bully opposition attackers. He is a dominant defender who is particularly untouchable in the air, as shown by his ranking in the top seven % of defenders in Europe for aerials won, which would be important next to Martinez, who can be targeted due to his lack of height for a centre back.

That said, the Red Devils' number 6 excels with the ball at his feet, as displayed by his 3.92 passes into the final third per ninety, and the former Juventus rock also thrives in possession, with the above passing statistics all ranking in the top 10% for centre backs.

The above also certainly sounds like it could be used to describe Virgil Van Dijk, and even Nathan Ake alluded to the fact that De Ligt shares plenty of similarities with the Liverpool captain, saying: "

“He's quick, strong for his age, very good in the air and on the ball he is very good. He scores so many from set-pieces so he's got a lot of the same attributes as Van Dijk."

FBref supports the Man City player's claim, with the Bayern defender being classed as a similar player in their similar players model.

In short, De Ligt would elevate United to an entirely new level, and Old Trafford could be the perfect environment for the Netherlands star to thrive.

Leeds United can continue their rampant recent run by picking up a fourth straight win in all competitions at home to Preston North End on Sunday afternoon, with the Whites having romped to three successive 3-0 victories in January so far.

The Yorkshire side's most recent Championship encounter saw them breeze past Cardiff City in commanding fashion, with a resurgent Patrick Bamford getting himself on the scoresheet for the third game running to kick things off in the Welsh capital.

The positivity surrounding Daniel Farke and his charges has only been heightened even further this week amid the news that teenage sensation, Archie Gray has signed a new 'long-term' deal at Elland Road, a move that should hopefully ward off any circling suitors who are keeping tabs on the 17-year-old.

Following that recent contract extension, the versatile youngster is likely to keep his place in the starting XI at right-back for the visit of Ryan Lowe's side, with Farke unlikely to tweak his side too heavily for tomorrow's lunchtime kick-off…

1 GK – Illan Meslier

Illan Meslier will be hoping to avoid a repeat of his headloss during the defeat to Preston just a few weeks ago, with the promising Frenchman seeing red after lashing out at Milutin Osmajic.

Having subsequently served a three-game suspension, the 23-year-old made a smooth return to action at Cardiff last weekend, forced into making just a solitary save in that comfortable triumph, as per Sofascore.

2 RB – Archie Gray

The in-demand talent could cap off a fine week with another solid showing tomorrow, having firmly established himself as a key player under Farke after making 28 appearances in all competitions already this season.

He will, however, need to improve upon his prior showing against Lowe's men, having lost the ball on 14 occasions and won just three of his 13 duels in that frustrating loss.

3 CB – Joe Rodon

They say not to fall in love with a loan player, yet Joe Rodon is certainly making it difficult for Leeds supporters, having been a rock-solid presence at the heart of the defence ever since his summer arrival from Tottenham Hotspur.

Part of a Welsh core in Farke's squad, the one-time Swansea City man has impressed to such an extent that the club are reportedly working on a deal to sign him permanently – a move that would certainly go down well at Elland Road.

4 CB – Liam Cooper

One possible tweak that Farke could make is to welcome back experienced skipper, Liam Cooper, into the fold, with the former Norwich City boss revealing that the Scotland international is likely to be available for selection once again, following a recent stint out with injury.

While there have been reports that the 32-year-old could join Luke Ayling in leaving the club in the near future, the £25k-per-week ace remains a real "rock" at the back – as per Ayling – and seemingly still has a role to play between now and the end of the season.

5 LB – Junior Firpo

The injury-prone full-back was forced off late on against the Bluebirds, although having merely suffered a dead leg, the expectation is that he will be fit to feature once again.

Having only recently provided two assists in the commanding win over Birmingham City, the former Barcelona man should well keep his place ahead of the returning Sam Byram.

6 CM – Ethan Ampadu

Amid the absence of Cooper and Pascal Struijk of late, Ethan Ampadu has been utilised in a centre-back role in recent games, even providing two goals and an assist from that defensive berth in the FA Cup win over Peterborough United.

That being said, there may be a desire to see the one-time Chelsea man reinstated in his usual midfield role, with the 23-year-old notably starring against Ipswich Town last month, leading BBC journalist Adam Pope to say of his performance: "I haven't seen a better defensive midfield display in the Championship this season."

Ampadu's return to the centre of the park would then spell bad news for Ilia Gruev, with the summer signing likely to be the man to give way despite his 8/10 performance against a hapless Cardiff side – as per LeedsLive journalist Beren Cross.

7 CM – Glen Kamara

Described as a 'wrecking ball' by Cross following the latest win, the former Rangers man is certainly growing into his role at Elland Road, having also been simply "imperious" last time out – according to the aforementioned Pope.

Signed for a fee of just £5m, the Finland ace is making that price tag look like more of a bargain with each passing week.

8 RM – Daniel James

Now a nailed-on starter in Farke's side, Daniel James netted his ninth goal of the season last weekend, tapping home into an empty net following a Crysencio Summerville cutback.

Leeds gem who had fewer touches than Meslier was "superb" vs Cardiff

The Whites strolled to a convincing win on the road to maintain their automatic promotion bid.

ByRobbie Walls Jan 13, 2024

With six assists also to his name in that right-wing berth, the 26-year-old appears to be loving life back in the second tier.

9 CAM – Georginio Rutter

Given the nod ahead of Joel Piroe once again in that number ten berth, the fleet-footed Frenchman was at the heart of everything last time out, providing two key passes, winning ten duels and rounding off the win with a composed finish late on.

Now with 14 goals and assists to his name this season, the former Hoffenheim man is beginning to repay his rather hefty £35.5m transfer fee.

10 LM – Crysencio Summerville

Despite the devastating brilliance of both James and Georginio Rutter, it is Summerville who continues to lead the charge for the Yorkshire giants, racking up 12 goals and seven assists in the league already this season.

While that sparkling form has unsurprisingly sparked Premier League interest – namely from Aston Villa – the dazzling Dutchman will hopefully stay put this month to help aid Leeds' push for automatic promotion.

West Brom have reportedly held talks with a player with "great personality", according to a fresh transfer rumour, but numerous other clubs are also interested.

West Brom's promotion chances

The Baggies find themselves strongly in the Championship promotion picture currently, especially after their hugely important 1-0 win at home to rivals Leeds United on Friday night. That was a result that outlined their credentials, and they sit fifth in the table heading into the New Year.

Granted, there is a 12-point gap between West Brom and second-place Ipswich Town, which is clearly a big deficit to make up between now and the end of the season, but given the level of performance from Carlos Corberan's side at the moment, it could be a surprise if they weren't in the playoff positions come the end of the season.

That has to be seen as the aim, and while there is strong competition around the top of the table, the Baggies feel well-equipped for a big second half of the campaign. One thing that could aid them greatly in their quest to return to the Premier League for the first time since 2020/21 is new signings, should Corberan want to bolster his squad between now and May. A fresh transfer story suggests that a move for an exciting young player could be on the cards.

West Brom have held talks with Dexter Lembikisa

According to TEAMtalk, West Brom have held talks with Wolves over youngster Dexter Lembikisa over a move to the Hawthorns, but aren't alone in showing an interest.

"Dexter Lembikisa is attracting a host of interest after an impressive loan spell with Rotherham United, TEAMtalk can reveal.

"After starting well properly in senior football – following a smattering of appearances for Wolves’ senior side – sources have informed TEAMtalk that his club are open to the prospect of recalling the 20-year-old and sending him higher up in the Championship. West Brom, Ipswich, Middlesbrough, Blackburn and Norwich are among those who have held talks over a prospective deal."

Lembikisa may be something of an unknown to some, but he is someone who could be a shrewd addition by West Brom in the January transfer window, providing more squad depth for Corberan.

Appearances

24

Starts

21

Tackles per game

2.3

Clearances per game

1.8

Interceptions per game

0.9

The 20-year-old right-back is currently on loan at Rotherham United, where he has started 21 matches in the Championship this season, and he has been hailed by Wolves Under-18s manager Steve Davis in the past, who said of him:

"What he does is that he listens, he picks up things well and he has a great belief in himself. He’s got a great temperament, a great personality and he does what you want him to do. That’s a big skill to have as a kid, to follow instruction."

These attributes are things that Corberan could feel are beneficial for his Baggies side, and given Lembikisa's age, it would be encouraging to see them take a punt on him for the second half of the season. Whether that happens in January remains to be seen,so it could be one to watch.

Eighteen-year-old wicketkeeper-batsman Smith shares unbroken 245-run stand with Pope in County Champion match

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Mar-2019Ollie Pope and 18-year-old debutant Jamie Smith scored unbeaten centuries to put Surrey in control against MCC on day two of their County Champion Match in Dubai.Pope was not out 183 and Smith, playing his maiden first-class match, was not out 123 with Surrey 389 for 4 at stumps on day two of the four-day match in reply to MCC’s first-innings total of 265.It was Pope’s sixth first-class century in 26 matches, while Smith became the ninth Surrey player to score a ton on first-class debut. It followed an impressive performance by Smith behind the stumps on the opening day after he completed a stumping to dismiss opener Will Rhodes (46), caught Dan Lawrence – who was MCC’s top scorer with 58 – and an excellent run out to dismiss Dom Bess for just four.Surrey resumed on 20 without loss as a sandstorm hit the ICC Academy ground and openers Rory Burns (12) and Mark Stoneman (21) were both caught in the slips by Lawrence off the bowling of Sam Cook.Scott Borthwick (16) was caught and bowled by MCC captain Stuart Broad for 16, while Will Jacks, who scored a spectacular 25-ball century in a pre-season T10 game against Lancashire last week, suffered the same fate at the hands of Peter Trego to be out for 20 in his latest knock.The 21-year-old Pope, who played two Tests for England against India last year, and Smith proceeded to put on an unbroken 245-run partnership for the fifth wicket, with Pope hitting 19 fours and two sixes en route to passing his previous first-class best of 158 not out. Smith brought up his century with consecutive fours off Bess – he hit 15 fours and two sixes in all.

It has been suggested an exchange of managers could be on the cards between two of of Europe's biggest clubs, which would make a lot of sense

Manchester United and Bayern Munich have quite a lot in common right now. The 2023-24 campaign has been a frustrating one for both clubs, not least because they are in the middle of transitional periods, and most of the blame has been laid at the door of their respective managers.

Erik ten Hag has used up all the credit he had in the bank after guiding United to Champions League qualification and the Carabao Cup in his first season at Old Trafford, with his muddled team now on course to record the club's worst-ever Premier League points tally, while Tuchel has become the first Bayern head coach to fail to deliver a customary Bundesliga title in 12 years.

Bayern have already decided to let Tuchel go in the summer, and have claimed that Ten Hag has been discussed as a potential replacement for the German. As is stands, Ten Hag still has the backing of United's minority owners INEOS, but that could change if the Red Devils miss out on European football and suffer another humiliating defeat at the hands of arch-rivals Manchester City in the FA Cup final.

Tuchel is said to be interested in the Old Trafford post, and it's fair to say most supporters would see him as an upgrade on Ten Hag. On the flip side of the coin, the Dutchman seems like a far better fit for Bayern than the former Chelsea boss. A summer swap could be ideal move for all parties concerned as two global footballing superpowers seek the quickest possible route back to the very top of the game…

GettyTuchel a no-brainer for United

Tuchel has been unable to live up to lofty expectations after his initial appointment at Bayern in March 2023. The German giants were on course for the treble when Julian Nagelsmann was ruthlessly sacked, and quickly went into decline under his successor, who oversaw a one-sided defeat to Manchester City in the Champions League quarter-finals and an upset against Freiburg at the same stage in the DFB-Pokal.

Bayern only ended up retaining the Bundesliga in 2022-23 because of a final-day collapse from Borussia Dortmund, and Tuchel has been fighting a losing battle to win over supporters since then. Xabi Alonso's Bayer Leverkusen have emerged as the new top dogs in Germany while Bayern have lost their identity amid reports of a dressing room split.

Tuchel was told his contract would be ripped up one year early as early as February, which wasn't a big surprise, especially given the fact he had also been risking the wrath of the Bayern board by complaining about transfers and expressing an interest in working in La Liga. He even admitted publicly he'd been "unhappy for quite some time" after the announcement, which suggests he has never felt completely settled in Munich.

But there is still no doubt that Tuchel remains one of the best coaches in the business. He's proved it again by steering Bayern through to the semi-finals of the Champions League, seeing off Arsenal along the way, and United would be wise to make an early swoop for his services.

According toTuchel is under consideration to fill Ten Hag's seat in the Old Trafford dugout if INEOS ultimately decide to make a change at the end of the season, but it should already be a no-brainer. Tuchel has already earned his Premier League stripes at Chelsea, who have plummeted down the table since his departure, and best of all, United wouldn't have to fork out any compensation fee to bring him on board.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALEverything Ten Hag isn't

Tuchel earned a standing as a cult hero among the Chelsea faithful during his 20-month tenure at Stamford Bridge. He masterminded the Blues' run to their second Champions League crown after inheriting a confidence-stricken squad from Frank Lampard, and turned them back into genuine Premier League title contenders.

Chelsea also won the Club World Cup and UEFA Super Cup on Tuchel's watch, and Todd Boehly was far too quick to cut ties with him after helming the Clearlake Capital Group's takeover of the club in May 2022. Tuchel overachieved in west London, after outlining a clear philosophy that all of the players bought into, while endearing himself to fans with his no-nonsense approach.

He demanded maximum energy from the first minute to the last, but was also very flexible tactically, which made Chelsea a match for anyone. To put it more simply, Tuchel was everything Ten Hag hasn't been for United this season.

Ten Hag's baffling system has been the main reason for the Red Devils rapid decline, as he's insisted on implementing a high press with a deep defensive block, opening up huge gaps in midfield in the process. The former Ajax manager has also consistently defended underperforming players like Antony, Marcus Rashford and Casemiro, enabling a culture of mediocrity that has dragged United down to previously unimaginable new depths.

Tuchel doesn't make excuses and he doesn't accept anything less than 100 percent effort from his entire squad. That's why he was also statistically the best manager Paris Saint-Germain have ever had – not to mention the only one who successfully handled big egos like Neymar and Kylian Mbappe – and why he punched above his weight in his earlier spells at Dortmund and Mainz.

There have been plenty of occasions when Tuchel has got himself into hot water by being too outspoken, but a strong personality is exactly what United need. Taking a calculated gamble on Tuchel would be a far better move than granting Ten Hag a stay of execution, if INEOS chairman Sir Jim Ratcliffe is serious about "knocking Manchester City off their perch" within the next three years.

Getty ImagesChance for redemption

That's not to say that Ten Hag is beyond redemption, far from it. He was just never cut out for the top job at Old Trafford.

He built one of the most exciting Ajax teams in recent memory, but wasn't ready for the step up to United, where the levels of scrutiny are far more extreme and there is no hiding place when things go wrong. Ten Hag clearly underestimated just how much work would be needed to revive the club's fortunes, and has paid the price for his naivety, with poor recruitment decisions also coming back to bite him.

It would be a completely different story at Bayern, though. Ten Hag will be stronger for his experience in Manchester, and wouldn't be going into an alien environment, having served as the Bundesliga club's reserve-team boss between 2013 and 2015.

claims that Ten Hag is still very high regarded by Bayern officials, and they have already touched base with his agent over a summer reunion. The German giants also feel he has been held back by a "litany of off-field issues and a poor operational set-up" at United.

Ten Hag would have the chance to work with a far better crop of players who are capable of executing his preferred style of play if he retraced his steps, with Bayern currently set up for success in a similar way to how Ajax were when he initially moved to Amsterdam in 2017. There is a structure in place to not only claim back the Bundesliga title, but to dominate German football again for another prolonged period, and he'd have the chance to rebuild his damaged reputation in the Champions League.

It should also be noted that Tuchel's volatile nature has left him at odds with the Bayern board, which wouldn't be a concern if Ten Hag was in charge. The 54-year-old is better equipped to navigate the political side of life at Allianz Arena because he is far more diplomatic and calm in his approach.

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GettyKane's wish

Things might have panned out differently for Ten Hag in 2023-24 had he managed to land his No.1 transfer-target last summer: England captain and Tottenham's all-time record goal-scorer Harry Kane. United ended up signing Danish striker Rasmus Hojlund instead after striking a £72 million ($91m) deal with Atalanta, while Kane finally left Spurs for Bayern in a transfer that could end up being worth over £100m ($126m) when factoring in performance-related add-ons.

Hojlund has had a mixed debut season at Old Trafford, managing only 14 goals in 38 appearances, and has missed a large number of games through injury. "You know Harry Kane will get you 30 goals. I think Rasmus will get there, but he needs time," Ten Hag said after admitting Kane was originally top of his wishlist in an interview with last week. "It's not fair to assess him the same as Harry Kane."

Kane has actually already surpassed the 40-goal mark in his first year at Bayern, breaking numerous records along the way, and so it's easy to understand Ten Hag's frustration. United would certainly be better off right now if they'd won the race for the 30-year-old goal machine.

Ten Hag will still hope to work with a man he has described as a "great player and great personality". No one could possibly say that Tuchel hasn't been able to get the best out of Kane, but if Ten Hag were to take over at Bayern, he would build the team around the former Spurs talisman.

Kane swapped between No.9 and No.10 roles at Tottenham as he often shouldered both the creative and goal-scoring burden for the north London side, but has resisted his natural urge to drop deeper at Bayern. With Jamal Musiala pulling the strings in the middle of the park, Kane has had to evolve into more of a predator – the kind Ten Hag has been craving at United.

Ten Hag is a more attack-minded coach than Tuchel, and frighteningly, his direct style could push Kane to reach even greater heights if he were to be drafted into the Bayern dugout. It seems like a match made in heaven on paper, with Ten Hag well placed to help ensure Kane's longevity at the highest level for years to come.

Tottenham Hotspur have been put clean out of countenance over the past several weeks, stunned by a three-match skid in the Premier League that is an unfortunate by-product of injuries and suspensions, ravaging the squad.

Injuries and suspensions have hectored the Lilywhites away from pole position in the English top flight, with manager Ange Postecoglou now forced to contend with a threadbare set of players ahead of the winter period.

Nonetheless, it's important to remain optimistic in the face of adversity and the confidence and cohesion that Postecoglou had instilled over the early weeks of the campaign highlights the potential – Spurs won eight and drew two of the opening Premier League matches of the campaign.

Only last year, Spurs languished well below the expected standard and finished eighth in the league after a second-half-of-season deterioration, resulting in Antonio Conte's dismissal and Harry Kane's sale to Bayern Munich in the summer.

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Spurs have an amazing goal machine lying in wait for a senior opportunity.

ByMatt Dawson Nov 13, 2023

Postecoglou's appointment has worked wonders, with the Australian manager restoring stars such as Heung-min Son, who has now been handed the captain's armband and is leading by clinical example on the pitch.

Heung-min Son's season in numbers

The South Korean menace, aged 31, has been a stalwart for Spurs since signing from Bayer Leverkusen for £22m in 2015, having completed 386 appearances, scored 153 goals and provided 81 assists across all competitions.

In Kane's wake, Postecoglou opted not to sign a first-class centre-forward in the summer and instead spread his transfer work across the pitch, shifting Son, who is principally a left winger, into the focal role.

And what a start to life as the talisman, with the £190k-per-week phenom plundering eight goals and an assist from ten matches up front in the Premier League, backing up past praise from Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, who named him a "world-class player."

He's not the only cog in the machine though, with Dejan Kulusevski one of the other most instrumental members of the squad, having now established himself as one of the most financially important too.

How much Tottenham paid for Dejan Kulusevski

In January 2022, a Conte-led Tottenham raided Juventus and procured midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur and winger Kulusevski, with the esteemed Italian seeking to shape the side for years to come.

Joining on an 18-month loan, Kulusevski spent the latter half of the 2022/23 – his first foray into English football – in fine fettle for his London side, posting five goals and eight assists across 18 fixtures in the Premier League, leading pundit Chris Sutton to dub him a "special player".

Fast track to the summer of 2023 and Spurs chairman Daniel Levy agreed on a £25m fee with the Old Lady to secure Kulusevski's signature for good, despite the 6 foot 1 whiz enduring a testing term.

He didn't really perform that well and only scored two goals over 37 appearances across all competitions as Tottenham toiled, leading pundit Glenn Murray to remark on how the winger had been "blowing hot and cold" for a while.

But since the summer, the £110k-per-week gem has been a mainstay in Postecoglou's system and has actually started every one of Spurs' Premier League fixtures so far, scoring three times.

As per Sofascore, he has complemented his direct return with 1.9 shots, 2.1 key passes, 1.5 tackles and 4.1 ball recoveries per game, also completing 81% of his passes.

Player

Club

Bukayo Saka

Arsenal

Ousmane Dembele

Paris Saint-Germain

Hirving Lozano

PSV

Sadio Mane

Al-Nassr

*Sourced via Football Transfers

Not just an offensive outlet, Kulusevski's tenacity and application across the pitch have seemingly won his 58-year-old gaffer over, with this evidenced by his ranking among the top 19% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for tackles and the top 20% for interceptions per 90, as per FBref.

One of the most talented players in London, the 35-cap Sweden star has remained ever-present for his manager throughout this turbulent period of the campaign, very much cementing his stature as one of the most valuable components.

Dejan Kuluevski's current market value

Kulusevski is still only 23-years-old and could continue to make incremental progress to propel his craft to new heights, establishing him as one of the division's very best.

While his prolific threat is perhaps lacking somewhat, the nuts and bolts are very much there and his market value in comparison to his Tottenham teammates underscores the potential that, perhaps excitingly, has yet to be channelled.

#

Player

Market Value

1

Dejan Kulusevski

£46m

2

Brennan Johnson

£41m

3

James Maddison

£39m

4

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

£36m

5

Rodrigo Bentancur

£36m

6

Heung-min Son

£34m

*Sourced via Football Transfers

As Football Transfers' valuation model above portrays, Kulusevski is actually Postecoglou's most valuable player right now, and while an updated tally would probably raise the price of thriving stars such as James Maddison, it remains an impressive fact that the Swedish marauder is considered so lucrative an asset.

On surface value, three goals and zero assists from 13 matches in the Premier League this season is nothing to write home about, but Kulusevski's value is so much more, providing energy and exuberance in abundance and proving to be a constant thorn as he darts up and down the right channel.

Only in April this year, Football Transfers had provided the one-time Juventus player with a £62m price tag, and while this value has depreciated over recent months, his performances on the pitch have underscored his immense quality and as Spurs rise under Postecoglou, so too will their Swedish maverick.

Age is on his side and this will certainly factor into his higher valuation than Son, but while the forward is proving to be a real star as the spearhead, his exploits would not be possible without Kulusevski's constancy down to the right.

Spurs have taken a hit in recent weeks, but it's hardly detrimental in the long run, not with the likes of Kulusevski's only set to improve and develop within a squad that could finally reach illustrious heights after many interminable years of yearning.

لا يزال ميركاتو برشلونة لم ينته مثله مثل بقية الأندية في الدوريات الأوروبية سواء من حيث الراحلين أو الصفقات الجديدة التي ستأتي لتدعيم الفريق الأول لكرة القدم.

نتيجة موناكو في بطولة كأس خوان جامبر كانت مقلقة للكثير حيث سقط برشلونة بثلاثية نظيفة في ملعبه ووسط جماهيره مساء الإثنين الماضي.

ولم ينجح برشلونة سوى في التعاقد مع صفقة وحيدة وهي داني أولمو القادم من صفوف لايبزيج، ولكن الفريق يحتاج للمزيد من الصفقات للمنافسة على البطولات المختلفة.

اقرأ أيضًا | فليك يشرح أسباب خسارة برشلونة أمام موناكو.. ويؤكد: علينا رعاية لاعبينا

وبحسب شبكة “سكاي إيطاليا” أن هناك عرض إيطالي جاء لنادي برشلونة من أجل التعاقد مع المدافع الشاب، ميكا فاي.

وأفادت الصحيفة أن النادي الإيطالي هو إنتر ميلان الذي قدم عرضًا لصالح برشلونة مقابل 15 مليون يورو، واللاعب ليس ضمن خطط المدرب هانز فليك لوجود عدد من المدافعين ولا يراه مناسبًا لمركز الظهير الأيسر.

يحتاج إنتر ميلان إلى قلب دفاع جديد ولديه العديد من الخيارات ولكن يرغبون في ضم فاي، لأنهم كانوا يتابعون بالفعل، في المقابل يريد برشلونة الاستفادة المادية من بيع اللاعب مثلما فعل مع، جوليان أراوخو، الذي انتقل إلى بورنموث.

PCB chairman Ehsan Mani went so far as to say there was “nothing that happens in Pakistan cricket that this committee cannot look at”

Danyal Rasool26-Oct-2018

Misbah-ul-Haq and Wasim Akram at the draft•AFP

A new cricketing committee will be given wide-ranging powers to oversee the state of all aspects of Pakistan cricket. It will be chaired by Mohsin Khan, and includes among its members Wasim Akram, Misbah-ul-Haq and Urooj Mumtaz. Three other former cricketers – Mudassar Nazar, Zakir Khan and Haroon Rasheed – will provide functional and administrative assistance to the committee as it carries out its work.The committee, while not allocated any decision-making power, has been handed a wide remit and will meet thrice in a year. PCB chairman Ehsan Mani went so far as to say there was “nothing that happens in Pakistan cricket that this committee cannot look at”. Subhan Ahmed, the board’s chief operating officer, said the committee will evaluate and make recommendations on the state of pitches and balls used in domestic cricket. Further duties include overseeing grade-level and women’s cricket and meeting with the head coach at least three times a year to “assess their performance and understand what their plans and goals are and guide the PCB in these aspects”. It will also oversee the performance of the national selectors and national coaches.A key power invested in the committee will be the authority to appoint members to the selection committee, but Ahmed insisted it wouldn’t be allowed to interfere in day-to-day selection matters. “The selection committee will continue to function independently from this cricket committee. They have separate roles to perform. The cricket committee has been given a remit to independently oversee various aspects.”Mohsin promised that the committee would function “without any favouritism”. “I would like to thank chairman Mani for the opportunity,” he said. “The chairman told me he wanted to form a committee that included some of the best cricketers in Pakistan’s history, and you can see that in the presence of Wasim, Misbah and Urooj Mumtaz. We will all work together on issues ranging from domestic cricket to international cricket, be it about selection, captain or coaches. We will make all our decisions on merit, without any favouritism. That is my goal, and I’m glad the chairman has given me such a fine team to work with.”Wasim Akram also thanked Mani, and said the main idea was to find the best way to help Pakistan cricket. “People have often asked me why I haven’t got involved in coaching, especially with my experience of the past 8-10 years. But it’s about finding the best way to improve Pakistan cricket, which involves improving the first-class structure. It won’t happen overnight, but with the experience of all of us, we can make a difference.”Urooj Mumtaz, the only female cricketer on the panel, said she was honoured Mani had “considered her worthy” of the appointment. “I can easily say I’ve been there from the inception of women’s cricket in Pakistan,” she said. “I feel I have a lot to offer, with how much women’s cricket I’ve played and watched. I’ve been the captain and a selector for the team at various times. We can make significant improvements to women’s cricket because there’s a great scope for improvement in that department. We want to become a force to be reckoned with, and the upcoming women’s World T20 – the first standalone women’s World T20 – signifies it’s time for us to leave our mark on the game.”The most recently retired player to be part of the committee, Misbah-ul-Haq, who is still active in the domestic circuit, said he felt he understood the problems facing domestic cricket. “It’s a good opportunity for all of us to share our ideas and make suggestions to the board. There’s a great need for improvement.”Misbah had shared video footage of squalid dressing rooms at the LCCA ground in Lahore during the first round of the Quaid-e-Azam trophy this year, sparking nation-wide criticism. It triggered a wider conversation about the need to invest in the first-class game, for which Misbah has been an ardent spokesman for several years.”The first-class cricketers are the only ones we have that will go on to represent Pakistan at international level. So we need to provide them with the requisite facilities and make domestic cricket competitive, otherwise you can never improve the standard of cricket in your country.”That I am still playing enables me to get a first-hand account of the current problems facing first-class cricketers. This speeds up the implementation process, because you don’t need to ask anyone else about the realities on the ground. We want to have a significantly improveddomestic system by the time the next Quaid-e-Azam trophy season rolls around.”It was telling most of the talk about the functioning of the committee concerned first-class cricket, the plight of which has begun to receive increasing attention over the past few years. It may be suggestive of the area most of the committee’s attention will be devoted to. The problems range anywhere from substandard pitches and the wrong types of balls used to poorly thought-out schedules that see the Quaid-e-Azam trophy pushed to the margins of the cricketing season in Pakistan. This year, the tournament began on September 1 in searing heat, the earliest it has begun since 1969.As ever with Pakistan cricket, there are motifs of a power struggle in the background. Exactly what the committee will discuss with the head coach – who they must meet at least three times a year – is not yet clear, but what is obvious is some bridges will have to be built if those discussions are to be productive. Just last week, the committee’s chair Mohsin Khan was contemptuously withering in his assessment of head coach Mickey Arthur, calling him a “stupid donkey”. Whether he can offer more constructive advice than that, or indeed whether Arthur and his coaches are willing to take it on board, will be fascinating subplots to watch out for over the coming months.

UEFA has agreed to deliberate on a bigger 26-man squad size instead of the current 23 for the upcoming European Championship in Germany.

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Managers want bigger squads at EurosUEFA ready to listen to their concernsCoaches will be voice thoughts in AprilGetty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

During previous major tournaments, such as Euro 2020 and the 2022 World Cup, UEFA and FIFA allowed for expanded 26-man squads due to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic. This measure ensured that replacements were readily available in the event of players being isolated for health reasons.

Despite UEFA's decision last year to opt for 23-player squads for Euro 2024, the organisation remains open to reconsidering this stance based on feedback from coaches. UEFA plans to host a workshop with coaches and officials from all 24 participating teams in Dusseldorf, Germany, where they will listen to coaches' views on squad sizes.

AdvertisementWHAT UEFA SAID

"A workshop with the participating teams will be held on April 8 and on that occasion, UEFA will listen to the views of the coaches," the governing body said. "Any idea in this respect will then be considered and assessed."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman happens to be a strong advocate for a 26-man squad due to the ever-increasing number of injuries in modern football and the need to adapt to current challenges.

"It is about the load carrying ability of the players," Koeman told reporters after the 2-1 loss to Germany on Tuesday.

England's Gareth Southgate has also acknowledged discussions among their counterparts regarding the potential benefits of larger squads.

"We've been able to give people time. But with 23 that's definitely more difficult," said Southgate.

However, Southgate admitted that he would not implore UEFA to make the rule change.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

While the exact number of coaches in favour of larger squads remains uncertain, UEFA's receptiveness to considering an increase reflects a commitment to addressing the evolving needs of the sport. The quadrennial event is set to kick off on June 14 with the title decider set to be held a month later on July 14.

Tottenham Hotspur have been heavily linked with a move for Al-Ittihad forward Jota, and a transfer insider has now shared the chances of him completing a loan move to the Premier League in January.

What happened to Jota in Saudi?

Over the summer, Jota completed his big switch from Celtic to Al-Ittihad, but he’s so far failed to make any kind of positive impression at his new club having started zero games and made just five substitute appearances in the Saudi Pro League (WhoScored – Jota statistics).

The Portugal international reportedly had a fallout with some of his teammates early on, which has resulted in his exclusion from the team, and the fact that he’s fallen out of favour has alerted Ange Postecoglou, who is looking to create a reunion with the left-winger.

Indeed, Spurs have been linked wirh a deal for Jota and he would apparently love to join, and with Rudy Galetti further since suggesting that the boss would be happy to replace Ivan Perisic and Manor Solomon to make room for his former star, this is definitely one to keep an eye on.

Jota to Spurs transfer update

Speaking to GiveMeSport to deliver a transfer update on Jota, Dean Jones claimed that Spurs have a good chance at wrapping up a deal for the attacker, even if it is only on a temporary basis.

"If it is possible on a loan deal, I think it's got more potential for Spurs because it really does feel like a no-brainer for Postecoglou, who has worked with him before and wants more players of that type around his frontline.

"I would put Tottenham more into that bracket of what Arsenal were last season, when they were title pretenders rather than contenders. There's nothing wrong with that. You can be pretenders at a time when nobody expected you to even be in the conversation, that's fine. It's the season after that actually matters.

"I think that Tottenham are about a year behind Arsenal here in terms of their growth. They can stay in that top four battle without going and splashing on a striker and not being sure that it's exactly the right player that they need for right now.

"Bringing in Jota on loan and then weighing up the purchases longer-term seems like something which probably makes more sense to me."

How many goals has Jota scored?

During his time at Celtic, Jota racked up 54 involvements, 28 goals and 26 assists, in 83 appearances (Transfermarkt – Jota statistics), so Postecoglou clearly knows how to utilise him to the best of his ability in the final third, therefore, it would be a massive coup if he could do the same at Tottenham.

The Lisbon native, who pockets £195k-per-week (Al-Ittihad salaries), also knows what it takes to compete and be successful having secured seven club trophies since the start of his career.

Benfica – 2018/19

Portuguese Champion

Benfica – 2020

Portuguese Super Cup

Celtic – 2021/22 & 2022/23

Scottish Champion X2

Celtic – 2021/22 & 2022/23

Scottish League Cup X2

Celtic – 2022/23

Scottish Cup

Celtic’s former “idol”, as hailed by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, is even a versatile operator having been deployed in six various positions over the pitch since the start of his career, including everywhere across the frontline and two roles in the midfield, so he really could make a huge difference in N17.