All posts by rastrear-estafeta.com

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has been handed a welcome injury boost, as one of his key players could return to full fitness earlier than anticipated.

Arsenal's full injury and absentee list

The north Londoners play host to newly promoted Leicester City in the Premier League this afternoon – their first home game this month – after a trio of challenging away games in the space of a single week.

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Emirates Stadium insiders have been blown away for a while.

ByEmilio Galantini Sep 28, 2024

Arteta’s side took the North London derby spoils with a 1-0 victory at Tottenham two weeks ago and secured their first Champions League point of the season away to Atalanta just a few days afterwards, largely thanks to David Raya’s heroic double-save in Bergamo to keep it 0-0.

Arsenal were then unlucky not to beat title rivals Man City at the Etihad Stadium, holding a 2-1 lead for the majority of the game despite having just 10 men after Leandro Trossard’s sending-off.

Leicester City (home)

September 28

Southampton (home)

October 5

Bournemouth (away)

October 19

Liverpool (home)

October 27

Newcastle United (away)

November 2

Riccardo Calafiori’s screamer and a header from Gabriel Magalhaes cancelled out Erling Haaland’s opener, but a late leveller from John Stones in added time ultimately broke Arsenal’s hearts.

On paper, Leicester shouldn’t pose as much of a threat on home turf at 3pm, but Arsenal won’t be able to call upon a few key players for the occasion. Club captain Martin Odegaard remains sidelined with ankle ligament damage, while Takehiro Tomiyasu’s knee injury means he is yet to appear this season and won’t be back for Leicester.

Oleksandr Zinchenko is out for weeks alongside Odegaard as well, and it is believed Kieran Tierney is still out after suffering a hamstring injury during the Euros with Scotland.

Goalkeeper David Raya is also a doubt for Leicester City, with the Spaniard facing a late fitness test to determine whether Arteta can call upon him this afternoon. Leandro Trossard is suspended for Arsenal’s clash with the Foxes.

Arteta handed Mikel Merino injury boost at Arsenal

The game also comes too soon for summer signing Mikel Merino, who is yet to make his debut for the club after fracturing his shoulder in training.

Initial reports claimed Merino would be out until mid-October at the earliest, and the Spain international would be forced to wait until after the international break next month to make his return to the fold.

However, in a boost for Arsenal, manager Arteta has confirmed that Merino could now return from injury as soon as next week.

“Tomorrow [against Leicester] is too soon. Next week we’ll see,” said Arteta.

“He had partial training today. He’s been working so hard. It’s looking good. It’s about the healing of the bone and how mature that is to expose him to contact basically. We are trying to keep him in the cage, because he has been pushing everybody – all the physios, all the doctors, everybody!

“He is ready to go and he really wants it. I think we are comfortable now to start exposing him with contact and he looked really good in training.”

Having the 28-year-old back as an option will be pivotal for the left side of Arsenal’s midfield, as it gives Arteta a fantastic option in defensive and offensive departments.

Merino bagged eight goals and five assists across 45 appearances in all competitions for Real Sociedad last term and won more duels than any other player in Europe’s top five leagues (OptaJoe).

Already looking to strengthen his attacking options in 2025, Ange Postecoglou now reportedly personally wants Tottenham Hotspur to sign one particular physical presence to partner Dominic Solanke up front.

Tottenham transfer news

The Lilywhites have started the season in inconsistent fashion on the results front, with one win, one draw and one loss summing up their difficulties. But the performances have been promising at times and the return of summer signing Solanke back from injury should at least provide Spurs with a welcome boost in North London.

Of course, up next is one of the biggest games of the Premier League calendar in the form of the North London derby. Spurs host an Arsenal side who enter proceedings with plenty of injury concerns, including club captain Martin Odegaard, in what is the perfect opportunity for the Lilywhites to bounce back from Newcastle United defeat in perfect fashion.

They’ve had injury concerns of their own, however. As mentioned, Solanke has been missing since the opening day and Spurs, as a result, have had their lack of attack depth exposed in a problem they’re already eyeing a solution for.

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According to reports in Spain, Postecoglou now personally wants to sign Dominic Calvert-Lewin as a physical presence next to Solanke in his starting Spurs side. Calvert-Lewin – standing at 6 foot 2 and scoring another header on Saturday against Aston Villa – would certainly provide exactly that alongside crucial Premier League experience.

What’s more, the fact that the Everton forward will be out of contract next summer makes the deal one that Spurs would be wise to pursue, should they be given the opportunity. Even if the Englishman hasn’t been at his best in the last two seasons at Goodison Park, just having such a different option to partner and back Solanke up may well prove to make all the difference for Postecoglou and his side.

"Outstanding" Calvert-Lewin can partner Solanke

If Spurs sign Calvert-Lewin and get him back to his best then they’ll suddenly have two Premier League strikers capable of scoring double figures in goals a season. And in pursuit of a top four place, that would quickly prove to be crucial for Postecoglou.

Sean Dyche will be frustrated to see his forward leave if he does depart, however, having been full of praise for Calvert-Lewin last season, telling BBC Sport “I thought he was excellent. His physical performance was outstanding.

“I said to him after the match, ‘That is the sort of performance that gets you back around the England squad’. It is too early yet and I am not making any bold statement because Gareth Southgate has a lot of players to choose from, but certainly with that kind of performance he should be recognised as a top centre forward.”

The fact that it would likely be a free deal too, means that Spurs would not be running a great risk by signing Calvert-Lewin. All signs point towards a deal that the Lilywhites would be wise to pursue next summer, especially if Postecoglou does want a physical presence to partner big-money signing Solanke in North London.

Aston Villa had a superb campaign in 2023/24. They finished fourth in the Premier League, their second-highest finish since the competition was rebranded from the First Divison in 1992 when Ron Atkinson was the manager.

Their fourth-place finish saw them qualify for the Champions League, returning to European football’s most prestigious competition for the first time since it was called the European Cup in 1982/83. In that campaign, the Villans were defending champions, winning the trophy in the 1981/82 season.

It was certainly a team effort from Unai Emery’s squad to reach Europe's premier competition again, but one of their players was a standout performer. That man was Ollie Watkins.

Ollie Watkins 2023/24 campaign in numbers

It was a quite remarkable campaign for England international Watkins, and he was one of the best players in the Premier League. The 28-year-old was a key reason as to why the Villans were able to qualify for Europe again.

The England striker, who scored in the Euro 2024 semi-final against the Netherlands, played 37 times in the top flight of English football, scoring 19 times and registering 13 assists. In all competitions, he played 53 times, with 27 goals and 13 assists in total.

His performances last season were superb, and Watkins was equal second for the most combined goals and assists in the Premier League.

Chelsea’s Cole Palmer led the way with 33, and Watkins, alongside Erling Haaland, came in second, with 32 each. They were the only three players in the English top flight who scored and assisted 30 or more goals.

Not only did the former Brentford striker score and assist the second-highest number of goals, but his 13 assists were the best in the top flight. He was recognised for such an achievement, winning the Premier League’s playmaker award.

It was undoubtedly the best season of the striker’s career so far. The 28-year-old performed better than ever and helped the Villans return to the heights of the continent's top competition.

However, for all his goals last term, there has been a former Villa striker who has somewhat outdone him over the last year.

Christian Benteke’s stats after leaving in 2024

The player in question here is former Villa talisman Christian Benteke.

The 33-year-old now plies his trade in the United States of America for Wayne Rooney’s former club, DC United. It is fair to say the Belgian has had a successful time of things of late.

He has scored 17 goals in 23 MLS games so far in 2024, and two goals in three appearances in the MSL Cup. Impressively, the Belgian is currently leading the MLS Golden Boot race, ahead of the likes of Luis Suarez (16) and Lionel Messi (12).

His record speaks for itself, and he statistically scored more regularly Watkins when looking at his 2023/24 Premier League tally.

Although the Englishman has scored more goals, he has fewer goals per game than the former Liverpool striker as per FBref. Benteke averages 0.79 goals per game in the current MLS season, with Watkins’ average from last term just 0.53 each game, according to FBref.

Reflecting back on Benteke’s time in the Premier League, he was one of the league’s deadliest strikers for a period of time.

In 280 games, he scored 86 times across spells for Villa, Liverpool, who paid the Villans £32.5m in 2015, and Crystal Palace.

He was a formidable centre-forward and enjoyed a successful personal career in the top flight of England as the stats below reflect.

2012/13

34

19

4

2013/14

26

10

2

2014/15

29

13

2

2015/16

29

9

3

2016/17

36

15

2

2017/18

31

3

5

2018/19

16

1

1

2019/20

24

2

1

2020/21

30

10

1

2021/22

25

4

1

Even though he has not played for Villa for a number of years, he was a "beast" in the Midlands, as football scout Antonio Mango described him.

For Villa fans, it might be enjoyable to see a former player still has his shooting boots on and is consistently finding the back of the net towards the end of his career.

Aston Villa hit gold on amazing £0 signing who's now worth more than Rogers

Having not signed for a single penny, the player has shone for Unai Emery since joining.

1 ByJoe Nuttall Sep 9, 2024

Over the last few years, Arsenal have been transformed from a bit of a joke into serious and consistent title challengers.

Much of this dramatic change is due to Mikel Arteta's management and somewhat unorthodox leadership style, although another reason the club have become a real force again has been the players signed by the Spaniard and Sporting Director Edu Gaspar.

For example, the pair welcomed stars like Ben White, Gabriel, Declan Rice, and even club captain Martin Odegaard, who are now essential members of the first team.

However, there is another star that Arteta signed in recent years who is worth even more than the mercurial Norwegian.

Odegaard's Arsenal career

Arsenal first signed Odegaard on a six-month loan in January 2021, and while he certainly showed glimpses of quality during his time at the club, a return of two goals and two assists in 20 appearances wasn't mind-blowing, and perhaps masked his real quality somewhat.

Nevertheless, Arteta and Co had clearly seen enough during this period and opted to sign him on a permanent deal from Real Madrid that August for a fee in the region of £30m with £4m worth of add-ons, which, based on his performances since, may well have been activated.

In his first full campaign with the club, the then-22-year-old upped his game, ending the season with seven goals and five assists in 40 appearances. The next couple of years would see the Drammen-born dynamo show the world just how talented he really is.

Appearances

156

Goals

35

Assists

25

Goal Involvements per Match

0.38

For example, in 22/23, the 59-capped international scored a remarkable 15 goals from midfield in 45 appearances and provided seven assists, while last season, he scored 11 goals and provided 11 assists in 48 games for the club.

It would be fair to say that, given his output and the fact that he's now the club's captain, the fee paid by Arsenal just over three years ago was a bargain, especially as Odegaard is now worth around €74m, according to Football Transfers, which is about £62m.

However, even at this new price, the Norwegian international is worth considerably less than another one of Arteta's recent signings.

Kai Havertz's valuation in 2024

Yes, the signing in question is none other than Kai Havertz, who cost Arsenal £65m to get out of Chelsea last summer.

Now, the move itself was something of a surprise, as in the campaign prior, the German international had flattered to deceive in West London, ending the season with just nine goals and one assist in 47 appearances for the Blues, but while others were confused by the transfer, Arteta clearly saw something in the then 24-year-old, and after his first year in North London, the Spaniard was spot on.

However, to be completely honest, the former Bayer Leverkusen ace endured a campaign of two halves last season, one which saw him struggle in midfield and another that saw him thrive up top.

For example, in the 32 appearances he made in midfield, the German international scored just six goals, equating to an underwhelming average of a goal involvement once every 5.33 games.

However, in the 18 appearances he made as a centre-forward, the "sensational" talent, as dubbed by Arteta, scored eight goals and provided seven assists, meaning he maintained a seriously impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.20 games.

Appearances

51

18

Goals

14

8

Assists

7

7

Goal Involvements per Match

0.41

0.83

Moreover, in the three matches he has played this season, the 25-year-old has already scored two goals and provided one assist, suggesting that his great form in the number nine position last season was no fluke.

This incredible turnaround, combined with his relatively young age and lengthy contract, has seen his valuation soar, with Football Transfers now pricing the Arsenal ace at around €94m, which is about £79m, or £17m more than his captain.

Ultimately, the Gunners are lucky to have both Odegaard and Havertz in their team at the moment, and while both are incredibly important to Arteta's vision, the latter is currently more of a goal threat, and his new valuation reflects that.

Arsenal hit gold on "fantastic" ace who's worth more than Sterling in 2024

The incredible talent was a joy to watch at times.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Sep 4, 2024

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale has made a host of early moves in the summer transfer window in an attempt to bolster his playing squad at Ibrox.

The Light Blues failed to win a single trophy during the 2022/23 campaign and the English head coach has reacted to that by bringing in five new signings so far.

Dujon Sterling, Jack Butland, Abdallah Sima, Kieran Dowell and Sam Lammers have all come through the door, whilst Cyriel Dessers is poised to become the sixth after the club reportedly agreed a deal with Serie B side Cremonese last week.

Lammers is one of the more interesting additions so far as the Dutch centre-forward has only scored five league goals since the start of the 2020/21 season, throughout spells in the Serie A and Bundesliga.

His recent struggles in front of goal are a cause for concern but Beale could unlock the former PSV starlet by bringing Malik Tillman back to Glasgow.

What's the latest on Malik Tillman's future?

It was reported last month that Bayern Munich are open to sending the American out on loan again next term and that the Light Blues are still in the race for his signature, although they could face competition from Premier League sides.

Securing a deal to sign the 21-year-old for a second spell at Ibrox would be a fantastic piece of business as Rangers would be snapping up an excellent player who could make a huge impact on his own, whilst also being able to help Lammers find his feet in the final third.

Tillman averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.09 across 28 Scottish Premiership appearances last season, which placed him eighth in the squad, and chipped in with ten goals to go along with four assists.

He also created an outstanding 12 'big chances' for his teammates, more than Todd Cantwell (five), Ryan Kent (nine), Rabbi Matondo (four), and Fashion Sakala (one) managed from wide positions.

This suggests that Tillman, who journalist Jonny McFarlane claimed has "telescopic limbs", possesses the ability to be Beale's main creative threat from midfield, meaning he could be perfect for Lammers, who has previously showcased his ability to be a lethal scorer.

The Dutch marksman averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.24 as he plundered 16 goals in 30 Eredivisie starts during the 2018/19 campaign, whilst the new Gers signing also scored 30 goals in 63 matches for PSV at U21 level.

No Rangers forward scored more than 14 Premiership goals last term and these statistics suggest that the potential is there for Lammers to be a prolific number nine for the club.

As such, Tillman's return could play a crucial role in his revival as the £13k-per-week talent has the creative ability to provide the striker with the chances he needs to find the back of the net on a regular basis again.

Burnley are leaving no stone unturned in their quest to retain their Premier League status in their first season back in the top flight.

The Clarets earned promotion in style last season, going up with triple digits in terms of points, but impressive head coach Vincent Kompany is not resting on his laurels.

Kompany's side have been linked with new players in every position since the Championship campaign came to a close last month, including in the heart of defence.

Indeed, French outlet L'Equipe reports that Burnley are in advanced talks to bring in teenage centre-back Soumaila Coulibaly from Borussia Dortmund.

Who is Soumaila Coulibaly?

The 19-year-old came through Paris Saint-Germain's academy before making the move to Dortmund, where he spent a year in the reserve side prior to making his first-team debut last season.

Coulibaly made two appearances for BVB, both from the bench, including an 18-minute cameo in a Champions League group draw away at Copenhagen.

Despite being highly regarded at the Westfalenstadion, it is reported that Dortmund are happy to let the France U17 international find his feet elsewhere on an initial loan basis.

Where would Soumaila Coulibaly fit in at Burnley?

Coulibaly hails from Ile de France, which is the same region that Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba originate. Coulibaly may play in a different position to those two, but he will hope to rise to the very top in the same way as those global superstars.

Mbappe made his senior debut with Monaco at 16 years and 347 days, whereas Coulibaly has just a couple of appearances under his belt for Dortmund at the age of 19.

But that is not to say the Frenchman cannot make a name for himself, with this proposed move to Burnley providing a chance to do just that in the Premier League.

The £23k-per-week youngster may be young but you would not know that by looking at him, measuring as he does at 6 foot 2. Indeed, his stature and ability on the ball has earned him comparisons with Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano.

The youngster previously revealed he looks up to Presnel Kimpembe, whom he worked with at PSG, given they are both left-footed centre-backs. For that reason, Coulibaly would be a perfect replacement for Taylor Harwood-Bellis at Burnley.

Harwood-Bellis started 31 of Burnley's 46 Championship matches last season, but he has now returned to parent club Manchester City. Jordan Beyer's loan from Borussia Monchengladbach has been made permanent, however, making him a natural partner for Coulibaly in a back four.

Coulibaly may only have played a couple of games at senior level, but it is clear to see he is a defender who has an eye for a pass. Indeed, his 12.9 progressive passes per 90 minutes last season – completed passes of at least ten yards, as per FBref – is more than any Burnley player managed.

For comparison, Harwood-Bellis registered 5.77 per 90 minutes last term. Coulibaly also completed 96.7% of his passes, which was better than that of Harwood-Bellis' 85% success rate.

It must be factored in that Coulibaly's figures are over a far smaller sample period, and it remains to be seen if he can have the same impact as Harwood-Bellis – let alone a career even half as special as compatriot Mbappe.

But the initial signs are promising, and Kompany has shown during his time as Burnley boss that he knows a talent when he sees one.

Liverpool are reportedly "firm favourites" to complete the signing of Celta Vigo prodigy Gabri Veiga this summer despite heavy interest from several other top European outfits.

That's following a recent report from the Northern Echo, which claims that while Newcastle United remain interested in the Spaniard, Liverpool have the edge and could look to complete a swoop this summer following a lacklustre campaign that has underscored the need for fresh faces.

James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all depart the club this month upon the expiry of their contracts, and while Alexis Mac Allister has been landed from Brighton & Hove Albion for £35m, Fabrizio Romano has confirmed that Reds boss Jurgen Klopp is scouring the market for two further additions.

The aforementioned report states that while Veiga is contracted to his LaLiga outfit until 2026, he holds a €40m (£34m) release clause, and with Chelsea and Real Madrid among the lucrative pool of suitors, Liverpool could secure one of the most coveted prospects in European football by procuring his signature.

How would Gabri Veiga perform at Liverpool?

Anfield would only benefit from signing a precocious talent in Veiga who plundered 11 goals and four assists from just 28 starts across his first full season in top-flight football, described as "dangerous" by journalist Euan McTear for his exploits.

The Sky Blues talent already ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals, the top 20% for rate of assists, the top 12% for progressive carries and the top 12% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, and has been hailed as a "gem" by Romano.

He has been heralded for his aptitude at driving the ball up the field in order to wreak havoc from just behind the frontline, which is evidenced through his previously stated metrics, and he could blossom into a world-class star under Klopp's tutelage on Merseyside, boosted by a burgeoning strike-force that could play to his strengths.

Namely, he could meld seamlessly with Cody Gakpo's skill set, with the dynamic Dutch forward demonstrating his prowess since signing from PSV for an initial £35m in January despite entering the outfit at a time of much strife, plundering ten direct goal contributions from 26 matches and earning acclaim for his "stunning" feats by Alan Shearer.

With the £120k-per-week ace tipped to flourish "in the [Roberto] Firmino role" by Richard Jolly, forward-thinking midfielders such as Veiga would see their game enhanced by such a vibrant and all-encompassing talisman.

Indeed, Gakpo ranks among the top 10% of forwards for rate of assists, the top 17% for shot-creating actions, the top 8% for progressive passes and the top 15% for successful take-ons per 90, which illustrates the selfless work that allows teammates to receive and increase of opportunity in attacking transition.

And with Veiga proclaimed to be "baby Kaka" by football content creator Rimedi, it's clear that the fleet-footed and adroit pair could weave between each other in intricate, sinuous patterns, with the balance and elegance of ballroom dancers and the nimble-limbed precision of a renowned sculptor.

It may well be a match made in heaven, and one that Liverpool's technical director, Jorg Schmadtke, must work tirelessly to achieve; it could be the inception of an illustrious new era on Merseyside.

Arsenal have the "upper hand" over all of their rivals in the race to sign West Ham United star Declan Rice, even despite Pep Guardiola personally speaking to the player.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

The north Londoners are being lead by sporting director Edu and co in their hunt for midfield upgrades, with Arsenal eyeing many different names to shore up the position.

Reports suggest they could even make multiple signings there, leading to serious interest in Rice, Brighton's Moises Caicedo and Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan.

Southampton's Romeo Lavia and Wolves star Ruben Neves have also been mentioned in parts, though Rice appears to be one of manager Mikel Arteta's top transfer targets.

As well as the midfield era, Arsenal want to sign new full-backs, with City's Joao Cancelo, Real Valladolid starlet Ivan Fresneda and Galatasary's Sacha Boey all being linked.

Going back to midfield and Rice in particular, The Guardian and journalist Jacob Steinberg have an update on Arsenal's pursuit of the 24-year-old.

The England international, who could win his first ever major trophy tonight as West Ham take on Fiorentina in the Europa Conference League final, has suitors up and down the country.

However, the "smart money" is on Arsenal, who have the "upper hand" over the rivals when it comes to signing Rice. City boss Pep Guardiola has apparently even spoken to the midfielder personally, but the Premier League champions aren't seeking to replace Rodri.

Who is Declan Rice?

The Hammers captain and has been indispensable for David Moyes – standing out as their best-performing player in the top flight last season.

Rice made more interceptions per 90 than any other West Ham player in that time (WhoScored), with former England captain Stuart Pearce (talkSPORT via football.london) raving over his ability to drive past players.

"You see him pick the ball up and someone shuts him down and he drives past them as though they are not there," Pearce said.

"And these are Premier League players he is up against and he drives past them, you see people going to shut him down and that five yards of explosion it is as though those players don't get set and they are not ready for it, he moves that quickly over the ground."

Called "underrated" by sections of the media also, he would be a stellar addition for Arsenal, and it looks like they're certainly the clear favourites.

Tottenham Hotspur can now look forward to the start of a new regime under newly-appointed boss, Ange Postecoglou, with the 57-year-old set to be tasked with reviving the fortunes of the club following what proved a rather dour, 2022/23 campaign.

One prominent issue that will be on the agenda for the former Celtic boss will be to secure a resolution regarding the future of talisman, Harry Kane, with the England captain having been linked with moves to both Manchester United and Real Madrid amid his expiring contract.

If the 29-year-old does opt to leave the Lilywhites this summer in search of a new challenge, Postecoglou will no doubt need to find a suitable replacement for the club's leading scorer ahead of the start of next season, with £60m addition, Richarlison, hardly looking like the man to fill the void after scoring just one league this season.

Amid the potential need to acquire a new centre-forward, recent reports in Spain suggested that Aston Villa marksman, Ollie Watkins has emerged as a possible target for the north London outfit, with the 27-year-old having enjoyed an impressive campaign with the Midlands side after bagging 15 top-flight goals.

The former Brentford ace – who has been valued at around £70m – has proven himself something of a "machine" in front of goal of late, according to iNews journalist, Daniel Storey, as he now boasts 40 league goals since the start of the 2020/21 season.

Interestingly, as far as Spurs supporters are concerned, the Englishman has been likened to a previously prolific striker who shone at White Hart Lane, in the form of Jermain Defoe, with pundit Trevor Sinclair stating back in 2020 that Watkins "reminds [him] of Defoe in and around the 18 yard box".

That comparison bodes well for the impact that the Villa man could make in the capital, with Defoe having been a truly clinical attacking weapon across his two spells at the club.

How good was Defoe at Tottenham?

Having begun life on the books at London rivals West Ham United – where he also scored 19 goals in 30 appearances while on loan at Bournemouth in 2000/01 – the now-retired ace was snapped up by Tottenham on a £7m deal in February 2004, before quickly endearing himself to Spurs supporters after bagging seven goals in just 15 league appearances in the second half of that season.

The 5 foot 7 menace would go on to score 36 league goals across the next three-and-a-half seasons before joining Portsmouth on an initial loan deal in 2008, albeit while then making a swift return to north London in the summer of 2009.

That return paid instant dividends as the ace scored 18 goals during the 2009/10 campaign, helping to secure an overall tally for the club of 143 goals in 363 games in all competitions, prior to joining MLS side, Toronto in 2014.

An undoubtedly "prolific striker" – according to former boss Andre Villas-Boas – a key feature of Defoe's game was his ability to stretch a defence, with his former Rangers boss Steven Gerrard describing the Englishman's movement as "fantastic", while also stating that "he’s a dream for a midfielder because his movement tells you where to play the ball."

That quality is seemingly shared by his compatriot Watkins – as Sinclair alluded to – with journalist Josh Bunting having heaped praise on the one-time Exeter City man for his intelligence when leading the line:

"His movement opens up the centre-backs and it allows him to make those direct runs in between."

That likeness between the pair, due to their movement and finishing prowess, would seemingly suggest that Watkins could prove to be Tottenham's next Defoe, if Postecoglou does push for a move for the £75k-per-week speedster this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur are ready to make a move for Celtic striker Kyogo Furuhashi, who could follow Ange Postecoglou to north London, according to a recent report.

Which strikers could Tottenham sign?

Harry Kane's future at Tottenham remains very much up in the air, with talkSPORT reporting Real Madrid have identified the 29-year-old as a target to replace the outgoing Karim Benzema, while Manchester United are also interested.

As such, Spurs may be tasked with finding a suitable replacement for the England captain, and they have been linked with a move for AS Roma's Tammy Abraham, although the likes of Chelsea, Man United and Liverpool are also in the mix.

Competition for Abraham's signature will be fierce, so the Lilywhites could look at signing Lille's Jonathan David, having previously been linked with a move for the Canadian, or even Brighton & Hove Albion's Evan Ferguson.

Furuhashi is now emerging as a potential option from north of the border, with The Sun reporting that manager-elect Postecoglou is ready to raid Celtic for the striker, who Tottenham view as a possible long-term replacement for Kane.

Spurs are eager for the Australian to bring the forward with him, and they are prepared to pay as much as £25m-£30m to secure his signature, although other Premier League clubs also have him in their sights. If Postecoglou, who is waiting to talk to Spurs, agrees to take over in north London, it would vastly increase their chances of winning the race for the Japanese marksman.

Who is Kyogo Furuhashi?

The 28-year-old started his professional career with Japanese side FC Gifu, registering 35 goal contributions in 71 appearances for the club, but he has really started to make a name for himself with Scottish Premiership champions Celtic.

With 27 goals to his name, the Japan international was the top scorer in the Scottish top flight this season, averaging 1.04 goals per 90, and playing a major role for The Hoops en-route to their second league title on the spin.

While he has performed very well north of the border, success in Scotland does not always guarantee a player will hit the ground running in the Premier League, and there are question marks over whether he would be an adequate replacement for Kane.

Of course, whoever Tottenham sign is unlikely to hit the heights the Englishman did last season, scoring 30 league goals, however, they could be better off signing a player who is proven in a major European league.

As a back-up option, Furuhashi may well be an astute signing for Spurs, having been hailed as "incredible" by members of the media, but he should not be brought in as an out-and-out replacement for Kane.