‘Time for 26 to retire’ – Andy Robertson fuels Liverpool transfer talk amid Antonee Robinson & Milos Kerkez links as Scottish full-back endures Fulham nightmare

Social media has reacted after Andy Robertson endured a nightmare run of mistakes for Fulham's second goal against Liverpool at Craven Cottage.

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Robertson suffered Fulham nightmareMistakes lead to Cottagers goalLiverpool could sign left-back this summerFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Robertson's shanked cross-field pass straight to Alex Iwobi put his team in huge trouble with the teams level, before a misjudged defensive header presented the ball back to the Nigerian international, whose shot then took a nick off the Scot's body on its way into the net to make it 2-1 Fulham.

AdvertisementAFPWHAT THE FANS ARE SAYING

@rodrigolyra__ wrote on X: "Time for 26 to retire what the f*ck".

A different post from @Steve_Labile read: "Robo needs to learn Arabic fast".

Disgruntled Reds fan @ThiagoKop posted: "Robertson take your medal at the end of the season and pack your bags please".

@LALFCPANTERA wrote: "We need a LB, that's the truth. Thank you to Robbo & Kostas but it's time to go it's never been more OVER".

Another critical post from @swift119680 said: "Think its time to sell Robertson, has been a great player but this season he has shown he cant hack it anymore."

@Aidan_1874 posted: "Robertson is finished".

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Liverpool have been linked with left-backs from other Premier League clubs all season, with rumours suggesting they may aim to replace Robertson this summer. Milos Kerkez of Bournemouth and Fulham's Antonee Robinson are said to be two key targets.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR LIVERPOOL?

Liverpool are in action against West Ham next Sunday before they travel to Leicester the week after as they close in on a second Premier League title.

Talks progressing as club confident to sign £50k-p/w Fulham ace in January

Fulham are now getting closer to losing a member of Marco Silva’s squad this January, according to one report, as discussions progress over a potential sale.

Fulham flying high

Fulham are enjoying an excellent campaign under Silva, with the Cottagers going to start 2025 in the top half of the Premier League, and they could yet threaten the European places come the end of the campaign.

The west London side have recovered from losing both Joao Palhinha and Tosin in the summer transfer window, adding quality across the board to improve their squad despite such major players departing.

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He’s a man in demand…

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Silva had nothing but praise for his summer signings after the win over Chelsea, a result that made it 10 London derbies unbeaten for Fulham. “The players who have come in have settled really well and the help from the players that we already had was big for them”, the Portuguese coach explained.

“The progression has been really great from ourselves. The way we are responding.”

Now though, that good feeling around Craven Cottage could come crashing down midseason.

Fulham in danger of losing star creator

That comes as reports in Brazil, relayed by Sport Witness, claim that Palmeiras are progressing in talks over a move to sign Brazilian midfielder Andreas Pereira in the winter window.

The Fulham man has been long-linked with a move away, and quizzed on his future Silva refused to rule out a sale, though he stressed his importance to Fulham.

Andreas Pereira for Fulham.

“He’s very important for us, I won’t hide it. He’s a different player, a player who gives us other things”, he explained, before adding “this Palmeiras thing isn’t for a conversation between me and him.”

Indeed, Andreas is the key creator for Silva’s side, with no other player in the Cottagers squad, with only Alex Iwobi providing more shot creating actions than the Brazilian, while only Tom Cairney and Reiss Nelson average more per 90 minutes (having played more than one game).

Stat

Squad rank

Shot Creating Actions

71

2nd

Shot Creating Actions per 90

5.4

3rd

Key Passes per 90

2.83

1st

Progressive passes per 90

5.25

5th

It had been reported last week that Palmeiras had tabled a £16m bid for the midfielder, and that they were willing to increase that to almost £18m to get a deal done.

Now, the player who Silva has previously hailed as “outstanding” is reportedly closer than ever to an exit, with fresh reports claiming that “Palmeiras president Leila Pereira is ‘confident of the deal’” and that ‘negotiations [are] progressing’, albeit slowly.

It is added that there is no agreement yet between the two sides, but that Palmeiras are “optimistic of getting this operation over the line in the upcoming window”.

Any departure would come as a major blow to the Cottagers, who have a chance at European football next season on current form. However, given Pereira’s outspoken desire to leave in the future, combined with his current £50,000-a-week deal coming to an end in 2026 and Fulham’s recent history of replacing their key men and still growing, a sale may well be the best outcome for the long term future of the club.

West Ham now want to sign £120k-p/w defender ahead of Newcastle in January

West Ham United have now joined the race to sign a cut-price defender in the January transfer window as they look to bolster Julen Lopetegui’s ranks, it has been reported, though they will face competition from Newcastle United.

West Ham splash the cash

It was an expensive summer for the Hammers, with the club spending lavishly in a bid to rejuvenate their squad following the departure of David Moyes. Lopetegui was given command of the side, and the club added nine new faces to their squad in a major overhaul of the side, spending around £132m in the process, the fifth most in the Premier League.

West Ham’s signings summer 2024

Player

Club signed from

Fee (via Transfermarkt)

Max Kilman

Wolves

€47.5m

Crysencio Summerville

Leeds United

€29.3m

Niclas Fullkrug

Borussia Dortmund

€27m

Luis Guilherme

Palmeiras

€23m

Aaron Wan-Bissaka

Manchester United

€17.6m

Jean-Clair Todibo

OGC Nice

Loan (with option to buy)

Carlos Soler

PSG

Loan

Guido Rodriguez

No club

Free

Wes Foderingham

Sheffield United

Free

However, early form has seen those hopes of potential European football tempered, and there is an expectation that the club will continue to be active in January no matter who is in the managerial hotseat amid reported pressure on Lopetegui.

One position that they will need to strengthen is at striker, with Michail Antonio having been involved in a horror car crash and likely to miss the remainder of the campaign, while summer addition Fullkrug has managed just four Premier League appearances to date, scoring just once. Now, they could also look to strengthen elsewhere.

West Ham want to sign Manchester United defender

That comes with the Hammers reportedly eyeing up a bargain deal to sign Manchester United defender Victor Lindelof. The east London side have previously been interested in teammate Harry Maguire, but never managed to get a deal over the line for the England international.

Instead, they now appear to have pivoted to his teammate, a player who Maguire himself dubbed “technically brilliant” and a “great footballer”.

The Swedish defender is heading into the final six months of his £120,000 a week deal at Old Trafford, but has played just a single minute of football since the arrival of Ruben Amorim at the club and is likely to depart in the coming months.

As per Caught Offside, West Ham are among the sides showing interest in a cut-price deal to sign him in January, with the Red Devils reportedly ready to let him leave for around £6m rather than lose him for free at the end of the season.

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The vice-chair has a candidate firmly in mind.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Dec 14, 2024

They claim that “Newcastle, West Ham and Everton” are all “among his suitors”, alongside sides across Europe. Though West Ham splashed out on two new centre-backs in the most recent transfer window, they have looked anything but assured at the back and have only Konstantinos Mavropanos as a recognised alternative to their first choice pairing as things stand, which could explain why they are eyeing up a potential bargain deal to sign Lindelof.

With plenty of Premier League experience under his belt, he could be a very shrewd signing in the short-term for the east London side.

Bayern Munich rocked as PSG offer key man Joshua Kimmich blockbuster contract ahead of Champions League last-16 clash

Paris Saint-Germain have made Joshua Kimmich a contract offer just hours ahead of Bayern Munich's crunch Champions League clash with Bayer Leverkusen.

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  • Kimmich heading towards free agency
  • PSG offer four-year contract
  • Both teams preparing for huge UCL fixtures
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    Kimmich's future is in the spotlight at present as the Germany international is into the last few months of his existing deal at Bayern and yet to agree an extension. PSG have now firmed up their interest by making an official approach for Kimmich and are willing to offer him a "top contract" in the French capital until 2029, according to Sky Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg. Kimmich is yet to respond to the offer, with the 30-year-old currently preparing for a crunch Champions League tie.

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    Kimmich will be in demand this summer if he decides to leave Bayern on a free transfer. Arsenal have already held talks with the versatile star about a potential summer move to the Premier League. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich had been keen to keep hold of Kimmich but have recently withdrawn their offer of an extension after becoming frustrated by the lack of a response from the German star.

  • WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

    Bayern board member for Sport Max Eberl has called on Kimmich to make up his mind about whether he will stay at the club or not. Ahead of the Champions League tie, he toldAs has often been said and confirmed, the talks have been respectful and appreciative. But everyone is of the opinion that a decision should be made as soon as possible."

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    DID YOU KNOW?

    Kimmich has made more key passes (30) and created more big chances (9) than any other player in the Champions League so far this season.

Rangers let vital star leave for £0, now he’s worth more than Barron

Glasgow Rangers confirmed that Nils Koppen has been appointed as the club’s new technical director on Tuesday, following his time as the head of recruitment throughout 2024 up to that point.

The Belgian chief brought in a host of new players for Philippe Clement to work with during the summer transfer window and will now have extra responsibilities to deal with moving forward.

His work in the summer cannot be fully judged yet, as a number of the signings were young players with potential to improve, but one signing that already looks to have been a shrewd move is Connor Barron.

The Scotland U21 international joined the Light Blues after his contract with Aberdeen expired at the end of the 2023/24 campaign, and he has been a fantastic addition to the squad.

Connor Barron's current market value

At the time of writing (20/11/2024), Transfermarkt currently has his market value at just €2m (£1.7m) but there is plenty of time left for that to rise.

The 22-year-old star is a young talent with time on his hands to grow and develop throughout his time at Ibrox. However, he has not taken long to settle into life in Glasgow, as the youngster has already emerged as a regular starter for the Gers.

24/25 Premiership

Connor Barron

Appearances

11

Starts

10

Pass accuracy

90%

Tackles + interceptions per game

2.9

Ball recoveries per game

3.7

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Barron has started ten of the club’s 11 matches in the Scottish Premiership and provided an energetic presence in the middle of the park, making over six tackles, interceptions, and recoveries per game on average.

In the summer, however, Rangers did release a central midfielder who is currently worth even more than the promising Scottish talent – John Lundstram.

John Lundstram's current market value

The English battler is currently valued at €4m (£3.3m) by Transfermarkt and this means that he is worth just shy of double Barron’s current value.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

After 153 appearances in all competitions during a three-year spell at Rangers, having joined on a free transfer from Sheffield United in 2021, the club opted to let him go at the end of his contract in the summer.

The 30-year-old midfielder, who was described as the “cornerstone” of the team by Maurice Ross, decided to join Turkish side Trabzonspor on a free transfer, alongside former Gers teammate Borna Barisic, and his performances this season suggest that Rangers made the right decision.

24/25 season

Lundstram (Super Lig)

Barron (Premiership)

Appearances

11

11

Key passes per game

0.5

1.0

Pass accuracy

88%

90%

Tackles + interceptions per game

1.7

2.9

Ball recoveries per game

3.4

3.7

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Barron has outperformed Lundstram in a host of key metrics at league level, offering more creativity on the ball and more defensive strength out of possession.

The Scottish prospect being an upgrade on Lundstram on the pitch whilst being worth less on Transfermarkt sums up the new approach to developing young talent at Rangers.

If Tavernier is sold: Rangers already have 3 perfect future Ibrox captains

The Glasgow Rangers captain has been linked with an exit from Ibrox.

ByDan Emery Nov 17, 2024

They are looking to bring in undervalued talent that they can improve and then sell on for profit in the future. The English midfielder is declining and in his 30s, which is why letting him go for nothing and replacing him with Barron – who has the potential to soar in value – was the right choice.

عبد الحميد بسيوني بعد الفوز على الأهلي: نقاتل لحصد لقب كأس الرابطة

أكد عبد الحميد بسيوني، المدير الفني لنادي طلائع الجيش، أنه يسعى مع فريقه للوصول إلي أبعد مدى في بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية، خاصة بعد الفوز على الأهلي مساء الإثنين.

وفاز طلائع الجيش على الأهلي، بنتيجة 3-1، ذلك ضمن مواجهات الجولة الثانية للمجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس الرابطة.

وقال بسيوني خلال تصريحات عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “3 نقاط مهمة كنا نحتاجهم، أهنئ طلائع الجيش وحظ أوفر للأهلي، أي لاعب يحمل قميص الأهلي فهو شيء كبير”.

وأضاف: “كنا نحتاج النقاط الثلاث، ودفعنا بتغييرات هجومية من أجل الفوز بالمباراة”.

طالع | محمد فضل يشيد بلاعب واحد فقط من الأهلي أمام طلائع الجيش.. وينتقد قرار كولر

وأكمل: “الصعوبة موجودة في كل مباراة، الموسم الماضي كنا في النهائي، ندافع عن حظوظنا لأن بطولة الكأس كل الفرق لها نفس الرصيد من المكسب، نحن نقاتل في كل مباراة وإن شاء الله تكون لنا حظوظ في البطولة”.

ويحتل فريق طلائع الجيش المركز الثاني في ترتيب المجموعة الثالثة من بطولة كأس الرابطة المصرية، برصيد 4 نقاط من فوز وتعادل.

‘A verdict and a sentence’ – Pep Guardiola confirms when Man City are expecting a ruling on 115-charge FFP case and vows to give his honest opinion on saga

Pep Guardiola has revealed Manchester City expect a ruling on its 115 alleged breaches of Premier League financial regulations within the next month.

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  • City have been charged with 115 FFP offences
  • Spent £180m in the winter transfer window
  • Guardiola revealed they are expecting a verdict soon
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  • WHAT HAPPENED?

    The Premier League formally charged Manchester City with breaching financial rules over an extended period, with allegations dating back several seasons. Guardiola, who signed a contract extension earlier this season keeping him at the Etihad until 2027, previously defended the club, stating that critics wanted City "wiped from the face of the Earth." While there has been no official announcement on when a verdict will be reached, it has long been expected to arrive in the first quarter of 2025.

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    City’s £180 million winter transfer window was the second-largest January spending by a Premier League club, only behind Chelsea’s £275 million outlay in 2023. As part of their squad reinforcements, City secured the long-term future of star striker Erling Haaland with a new 10-year contract while also adding Nico Gonzalez, Abdukodir Khusanov, Omar Marmoush, and Vitor Reis to their ranks.

  • WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

    When questioned about whether City’s record £180 million spending spree in the January transfer window was influenced by a potential transfer ban, Guardiola hinted that the club would soon know its fate.

    "In one month, I think there will be a verdict and a sentence," Guardiola told reporters. "After that, we will see my opinion of what happened so far."

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  • DID YOU KNOW?

    Guardiola also pushed back against critics who claim that City’s success is purely "just about the money." He emphasized that when looking at net spending over the past five years, City have been outspent by their rivals.

    "My words will not convince people," he said. "I know with this club it is always 'just about the money'.

    "But in the past five years, we are the last among the top six for net spend. Even after what we have spent in this transfer window, we are away from Chelsea, (Manchester) United, Arsenal, Tottenham. Even from Liverpool. The only reason why is we sell a lot in the last seasons."

VVS Laxman frontrunner to replace Rahul Dravid as NCA director

If he takes up the job, Laxman will have to give up the role of Sunrisers Hyderabad mentor, as well as that of commentator and analyst

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Nov-2021The BCCI is looking at VVS Laxman as its favoured candidate to head the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore, following Rahul Dravid’s elevation as head coach of the national men’s team.Related

KL Rahul: Rahul Dravid will bring culture of 'putting team ahead of personal goals'

Laxman to Rohit: 'Focus on leaving deliveries outside off'

As coach, Dravid will have to deal with many delicate situations

ESPNcricinfo understands that Laxman, who is currently in the UAE working as a commentator and analyst for the T20 World Cup for the host broadcaster, is awaiting clarity on his role and other details from the board before deciding on the move.Dravid resigned from his position as the NCA director last month following a two-year term, in which he put in place processes for injury management, player rehabilitation, coaching programmes and preparing roadmaps for age-group and women’s cricket.The NCA head will have to be based in Bengaluru. The academy is headquartered in the city – presently at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium premises – and the BCCI has begun construction of a new, state-of-the-art facility on the outskirts of the city, the approvals for which were obtained late last year. If Laxman does take over, it will mean moving base from Hyderabad, his hometown.Laxman is currently mentor of IPL team Sunrisers Hyderabad, apart from being a commentator and cricket analyst. Till earlier this year, Laxman also served as batting consultant to the Cricket Association of Bengal. He held the position for six years, after being brought on by Sourav Ganguly – his former India team-mate and captain, and the then Cricket Association of Bengal joint secretary – for the association’s ambitious Vision 2020 project that aimed at making Bengal a force in domestic cricket again.If Laxman does take up the NCA role, he would have to give up all of those positions to avoid any conflict-of-interest issues – a former player/official is barred from holding more than one position within the BCCI framework simultaneously.The National Cricket Academy has for long been housed at the M Chinnasway Stadium premises, but is expected to have a new home soon•Alfred Raton GomesEarlier this month, it was confirmed that Dravid would succeed Ravi Shastri as the head coach of the men’s team after the ongoing T20 World Cup in the UAE. Dravid’s two-year term will begin with the upcoming home series against New Zealand, starting November 17.Dravid’s appointment – made official by the cricket advisory committee comprising Sulakshana Naik and RP Singh – was always on the cards after he sent in a formal application for the position. This was after Ganguly, now the BCCI president, convinced his former colleague to do so.”Rahul’s effort at the NCA has nurtured several young cricketing talents who have gone on to represent the country at the international stage,” Ganguly said at the time. “I am hopeful that his new stint will take Indian cricket to new heights. Rahul has had an illustrious playing career and is one of the greats of the game. He has also served Indian cricket as Head of National Cricket Academy (NCA) with distinction.”Dravid had taken charge as director of the NCA following four years as coach of India A and India Under-19. Under him, India reached two Under-19 World Cup finals, losing one (to West Indies in 2016) and winning one (against Australia in 2018).

Sheffield Wednesday now want new contract for £7,300-a-week Owls "animal"

Sheffield Wednesday are “looking to hand a new contract” to an Owls “animal” who has become a key player under Danny Rohl, according to an update from reliable journalist Joe Crann.

Sheffield Wednesday overcome poor run

The Owls felt on top of the world when they thumped Plymouth Argyle 4-0 at Hillsborough on the opening weekend of the Championship season, suggesting that a potentially glorious campaign lay ahead after surviving by the skin of their teeth last term.

However, Rohl’s side suffered a huge reality check in the weeks that followed, consistently losing matches and finding themselves down towards the bottom of the table. There were even some doubts creeping in about the manager, who had shone so much until that point, but Wednesday have now got through their dip in form.

The Owls have picked up seven points from their last three Championship outings, starting with a thrilling 3-2 victory at home to West Brom, with the Baggies top of the table going into that match.

A solid goalless draw away to Bristol City was followed up by a last-gasp 2-1 triumph at Coventry City last time around, as Wednesday jumped to 15th place in the table. It remains to be seen how high they can finish this season, but the top half should be the aim, rather than worrying about another relegation battle.

Sheffield Wednesday want new deal for "animal"

According to the reliable on Crann on X, Sheffield Wednesday want to give Akin Famewo a new contract at Hillsborough, with his current deal expiring at the end of this season:

This is a no-brainer for the Owls, with the £7,300-a-week Famewo becoming an integral member of the defence, starting five Championship matches so far this season.

He has averaged 3.6 clearances and 3.2 interceptions per game in the competition in that time, which is a higher tally than any of his teammates, and former Wednesday manager Xisco Munoz once said of him:

“I don’t really see him as a left-back or not, but he is an animal. He was our best player in the duels. He is strong, he plays forward, he understands the situations, and he is one of the guys who is closest to what the Championship demands.”

At 25, Famewo is at a great point in his career, picking up plenty of experience but still likely having his peak years ahead of him, and the hope is that he sees his future with the Owls, rather than wanting to move elsewhere on a free transfer in 2025.

Championship Table: Latest standings for the 2024/25 season

Latest English Football League Championship standings 2024/25.

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 22, 2025

Seeing the centre-back sign an extension would be a massive boost for Rohl, tying down one of his most important defenders for the foreseeable future.

Mikey Moore axed in 4 changes: Spurs predicted lineup vs Brighton

Ange Postecoglou will know that his Tottenham Hotspur side must defeat Brighton & Hove Albion on the south coast for a chance to enter the October international break in the Premier League’s top four.

It’s not going to be easy given other results would need to go their way, while the Seagulls have started well under new boss Fabian Hürzeler, who earned the division’s Manager of the Month award for August, albeit having failed to win in any of his past four games, drawing three.

Fabian Hurzeler for Brighton.

Spurs skipper Son Heung-min is still sidelined having missed his side’s past two matches with a hamstring injury, while Destiny Udogie is a fitness doubt at left-back.

After defeating Ferencváros in the Europa League on Thursday evening, Postecoglou is expected to ring the changes, with as many as seven anticipated.

GK – Guglielmo Vicario

Having yet to miss a minute in the Premier League after moving to Tottenham in an initial £17m deal, Guglielmo Vicario should start between the sticks once again this afternoon.

RB – Pedro Porro

Pedro Porro has been tremendous for Tottenham, with his all-encompassing approach to his duties on the right flank suggesting that he has what it takes to become one of Europe’s foremost full-backs – if he is not already creeping into that conversation…

Pedro Porro: Premier League Stats (2024/25)

Match Stats

#

Matches (starts)

6 (6)

Goals

1

Shots on target per game

1.8 (0.5)

Touches per game

81.2

Pass success rate

79%

Key passes per game

2.0

Dribbles per game

0.3

Ball recoveries per game

4.2

Tackles & interceptions per game

3.8

Total duels won per game

4.2 (50%)

Stats via Sofascore

He’ll be pitted against the hosts’ electric-paced winger Kaoru Mitoma, so will need to call upon his defensive game at the Amex this afternoon.

CB – Cristian Romero

Having started against Ferencváros, Cristian Romero played an important role and will be more than ready to take on Brighton on the south coast.

The tough-tackling titan won 11 duels in a dominant display, as per Sofascore, and will be the key to quelling the Seagulls’ threat today.

CB – Radu Dragusin

Back in the starting line-up? Radu Dragusin has not enjoyed a fine start to the campaign, having been defeated at Newcastle United in his sole Premier League start, while he was sent off against Qarabag after just seven minutes in Tottenham’s Europa League opener.

Still, Tottenham completed the signing from Genoa in a deal worth £27m in January, and he might be called upon in central defence as a personnel shift takes place at left-back…

LB – Micky van de Ven

Micky van de Ven might have to return to his occasional role at left-back, should Destiny Udogie indeed be ruled out due to injury. The hulking and athletic Dutchman has been excellent when moonlighting at left-back for Tottenham in the past and could be too much for Brighton to contain.

His loping pitch-long run against Manchester United handed him one of the finest assists you’ll see this season, and he’s just pretty brilliant, all told.

DM – Rodrigo Bentancur

Rodrigo Bentancur will be hoping to start once again in the English top flight, having started each of Tottenham’s past three Premier League encounters.

Though Yves Bissouma is an excellent ball-winner, he’s arguably not as rounded nor dynamic as his Uruguayan teammate, who has completed 93% of his passes this season and is vital for the system’s fluency.

CM – Dejan Kulusevski

Pape Matar Sarr is making waves on the continent this year, but Dejan Kulusevski might just be Spurs’ player of the season thus far, having been expertly refashioned into a central engine-like role.

Delighted with the Swede’s progress, Postecoglou said: “He has an unbelievable capacity to run on and off the ball, his physical numbers are ridiculous and he has the quality to hurt teams with that.”

CM – James Maddison

James Maddison ebbed and flowed during his maiden campaign as a Lilywhite, largely due to injury, but has been in fine fettle this season, posting one goal and three assists while performing with verve and intent.

He could be the key to unlocking a Brighton backline that’s there for the taking. As per FBref, the 27-year-old ranks among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for passes attempted and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90.

RW – Brennan Johnson

Tottenham winger Brennan Johnson

What a turnaround. Things looked rather dour for Brennan Johnson following a poor start to the season that had led to some negativity spread across social media, but the winger has since silenced the critics with a haul of five goals from five matches.

The Wales international scored a stoppage-time winner against Brighton back in February, and he’ll be desperate to step up and dominate at the AMEX this afternoon.

LW – Timo Werner

Fans might be clamouring for Mikey Moore, the 17-year-old wonderkid, to be unleashed from the outset against Brighton, but Timo Werner may be more likely to reprise his starting role in the Premier League.

The German has done very little since the summer, failing to score or assist across his four top-flight matches (only one start, to be fair) while taking just two shots, failing to create a big chance and completing 38% of his dribbles. He needs to step it up.

CF – Dominic Solanke

Justifiably recalled to the Three Lions squad for the forthcoming run of fixtures, Dominic Solanke has made a steady start to his Spurs career, scoring three goals and placing one assist from seven matches.

He might have joined in a club-record £65m deal, but the towering striker is proving that he has what it takes to impress in Ange’s side this season – and he’ll relish the chance to serve as the star man in Son’s continuing absence.

Predicted Spurs line-up in full: (GK) Guglielmo Vicario; (RB) Pedro Porro, (CB) Cristian Romero, (CB) Radu Dragusin, (LB) Micky van de Ven; (DM) Rodrigo Bentancur, (CM) Dejan Kulusevski, (CM) James Maddison; (RW) Brennan Johnson, (LW) Timo Werner; (CF) Dominic Solanke

Forget Moore: Spurs may have unearthed their own Bukayo Saka

He has certainly caught the eye early on this season.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 4, 2024

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