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Arsenal are well-stocked all over the pitch and boast one of the finest squad depths in England, yet they continue to be linked with high-profile transfers ahead of January.

Arsenal overcome Brentford to go five points clear

On the pitch, Mikel Arteta’s side maintained their commanding lead at the Premier League summit with a professional 2-0 victory over Brentford at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday.

The victory extended their unbeaten streak to an incredible 18 matches across all competitions, with Arteta seriously rotating his squad following a recent demanding triple-header against Tottenham, Bayern Munich and Chelsea.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Arsenal 1-0 Crystal Palace

Arsenal 2-0 Brighton

Burnley 0-2 Arsenal

Slavia Prague 0-3 Arsenal

Sunderland 2-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-1 Tottenham

Arsenal 3-1 Bayern Munich

Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Brentford

Bukayo Saka, Jurrien Timber and Eberechi Eze were all rested from the starting lineup, but the Gunners’ strength in depth showed with Ben White and Noni Madueke combining brilliantly down the right throughout.

The opener arrived early on when White delivered an inviting cross that found Mikel Merino, who powered a header past Caoimhin Kelleher for his fifth goal of the campaign.

The Spaniard, who Arteta never expected to be the proficient going forward, has now netted 21 times in 2025 for club and country, showcasing his remarkable goalscoring form.

Arsenal suffered a blow before the interval when Cristhian Mosquera limped off with an ankle injury, compounding their defensive concerns with both Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba already sidelined. Timber then replaced the injured defender as Arteta juggled his limited centre-back options.

Brentford manager Keith Andrews introduced Igor Thiago, Mikkel Damsgaard and Jordan Henderson from the bench after an hour, while Arteta countered by bringing on Saka and Eze.

Arsenal controlled proceedings but missed several opportunities to seal the contest earlier.

Arsenal hold new talks with Juventus star who Alonso has recommended to Real Madrid

The Gunners are ‘captivated’ by him.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 3, 2025

To add further injury worry after Mosquera, Arsenal’s arguable player of the season, Declan Rice, departed late with a calf problem, with Arteta now sweating over his fitness ahead of a hectic Christmas schedule and the clash with Aston Villa.

Saka finally made the points safe in stoppage time, latching onto Merino’s perfectly weighted pass before finishing past Kelleher despite the goalkeeper getting a hand to the effort.

Given Arsenal’s injury curse which has plagued them since last season, sporting director Andrea Berta will be attentive to any unmissable transfer market opportunities.

Enter Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who is reportedly up for sale this winter after playing a bit-part role under Xabi Alonso.

Rodrygo expresses wish to join Arsenal as agents open talks

Arsenal have already been linked with a move for the Brazil international heading into January, following exploratory talks over a deal last summer.

The 24-year-old has managed just three La Liga starts this term, making the vast majority of his appearances off the bench, with Rodrygo believed to be in the process of finding a new club.

That is according to TEAMtalk and reporter Graeme Bailey, who also state that Rodrygo has ‘expressed a wish’ to join Arsenal among four other Premier League sides he’s also interested in.

Crucially, though, the ex-Santos star’s agents have apparently reopened talks with Arteta’s side, who also ‘pushed hardest’ to sign him in the summer window.

However, Arsenal will need a minimum £70 million to strike a deal, with a loan appearing unlikely as things stand.

Berta and co, meanwhile, are believed to be monitoring his situation closely, which isn’t hard to see why given their bad luck with injuries, not to mention the uncertainty surrounding Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard.

The latter wingers are both out of contract in under two years, and with no sign of an extension for either, Arsenal need to think about long-term succession planning.

Rodrygo’s £282,000-per-week salary would put him in line with Arsenal’s highest earners, so it is an expensive transfer to pull off beyond just his club fee.

That being said, Rodrygo is also a player of proven quality, having racked up 68 goals and 53 assists in under 300 appearances for Los Blancos.

The Yankees have had a tumultuous start following the trade deadline where they reworked their bullpen and acquired Ryan McMahon to help address their need at third base.

On Friday, new Yankees relievers gave up nine runs in three innings which led to a devastating 13–12 loss to the Marlins on a dribbler that brought in the walk-off run. Then, on Saturday, they were shutout by the Marlins 2–0 where they saw unfortunate mistakes on the base paths.

Major League Baseball held the Speedway Classic Saturday which pitted the Cincinnati Reds and Atlanta Braves in the middle of the track at Bristol Motor Speedway. The first-ever MLB game in the state of Tennessee started in a rain delay which allowed the Fox broadcast crew plenty of time to discuss the happenings across the league as they waited out the weather. As part of the broadcast crew, Yankees legend and Hall of Famer Derek Jeter didn't hold back on the team's recent struggles.

"They make way too many mistakes. Way too many mistakes," Jeter said Saturday. "And you can't get away with making that number of mistakes against great teams, it just doesn't happen. They had a baserunning mistake today, we saw the guy get thrown out at home plate.

"You can't continue to do it. You have to clean it up. I mean, it's that simple, there's no excuses. You have to play better. If you don't play better, you're not going to go very far."

Unfortunately for the Yankees, their AL East rival Red Sox won Saturday which moved them ahead of New York in the division standings by half of a game and into the AL's top wild-card spot. With many new deadline additions, it will take some time. After winning the final three games of their four-game series with the Tampa Bay Rays during the week, the Yankees dropped the first two in Miami. They have a chance to avoid the sweep in a Sunday matinée at LoanDepot Park.

Brighton owner Tony Bloom says it is "entirely false" that he placed bets on his team's matches since he took over the club. Reports emerged that the British billionaire was the anonymous gambler behind winnings of £52 million ($70m), which allegedly included bets on the Seagulls. Now, in a statement on behalf of Bloom, the Premier League club has responded to these "misleading" claims.

'Secret £600m betting syndicate'

Earlier this week, Bloom was accused of running a 'secret £600 million ($800m) betting syndicate' and that some of the accounts used allegedly belonged to a former chief of staff of Reform UK MP Nigel Farage. Moreover, claimed that Bloom is the professional gambler known as "John Doe", who is referred to in a legal case in the United States where investigators are trying to unmask an anonymous gambler on a lucrative hot streak. The Football Association prevents club owners from placing bets on matches or competitions involving their own team. Despite that, Bloom is one of several owners allowed to continue gambling on other tournaments and games as he was included in a 2014 policy permitting such an act. Now, the 55-year-old, who is a professional gambler and runs a £600m-valued ($800m) London-based sports betting consultancy called Starlizard, has tried to set the record straight.

AdvertisementGetty Images Sport'Inaccurate and misleading report'

A statement issued by Brighton on Bloom's behalf states that he has never placed bets on the Seagulls since taking over the club in 2009. He described these allegations as "inaccurate and misleading" and said that lawyers have made contact with The Guardian about their story.

A statement on the club's website reads: "Following an inaccurate and misleading report in The Guardian earlier this evening, I can categorically assure our supporters that I have not placed bets on any Brighton & Hove Albion matches since becoming the owner of the club in 2009. In 2014, in addition to new rules on betting, The FA introduced a policy with quite onerous provisions for owners of football clubs with interests in betting. These provisions allow certain football club owners, including me, to continue to bet on football under strict conditions. In particular, the policy prevents me from betting on any match or competition that Brighton & Hove Albion is involved in. Since 2014, I have always fully complied with these conditions, and all of my bets on football are audited by one of the world’s leading accounting firms on an annual basis to ensure full compliance with The FA’s policy. Lawyers acting on my behalf have this evening directly contacted The Guardian to make my position on this entirely false allegation very clear. Separately, our club is in direct contact with both The Football Association and The Premier League regarding this matter."

The rise of Tony Bloom

To many, Bloom is best known as Brighton's owner, along with being a minority shareholder in Belgian top-flight team Union SG. He is also a minority owner of the Australian team Melbourne Victory and Scottish Premiership side Hearts. For those less accustomed to the Brighton-born businessman, Bloom started out at an accountancy firm, before becoming an options trader, and then he got into gambling professionally. Nicknamed 'The Lizard' for his poker-playing prowess, Bloom launched Starlizard in 2006, with their modus operandi focusing on using data to analyse and predict the outcome of sporting events. The success of that enterprise has allowed him to venture into racehorse ownership and charitable foundations, as well as taking Brighton from League One to the Premier League. This comes a matter of decades after the club nearly went out of existence in the late 1990s. Since then, they have played in the Europa League as well for the first time in their history.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Bloom's Brighton?

Aside from off-field matters such as this, Bloom, who is a boyhood Brighton fan, will be keeping a watchful eye on his team's Premier League clash with West Ham on Sunday. The Seagulls sit tenth in the table whereas the Hammers are third from bottom. A win could see the Albion jump into the top five if results go their way.

The visitors have a cushion of 522 runs to pick up the eight wickets they need on the final day of the Guwahati Test

Sidharth Monga25-Nov-20252:10

Philander: ‘South Africa playing mind games with India’

South Africa ensured their first series win in India in 25 years by building on their lead for nearly five hours. While the declaration, setting India more than they have ever been set at home, seemed a touch conservative, the visitors went to stumps needing eight wickets on the final day to take away all 12 WTC points from this Test and consign India to their second whitewash at home in 12 months after 12 years of spotless series record.As it often happens in such match situations, the same pitch that South Africa batted on, looking untroubled for 70.3 overs, began to look unplayable in the 15.5 India got to play. Marco Jansen didn’t even bother with swing and seam, and began to bounce Yashasvi Jaiswal before getting him out on the cut shot. Simon Harmer, who has out-bowled the home spinners, continued his dream series with a dream offbreak to bowl KL Rahul through the gate, and came desperately close to getting B Sai Sudharsan out lbw.The day began with curiosity around how much South Africa valued the 12 full points from this match vis-a-vis ensuring they give India no chance to threaten their series lead. Turns out they were in no mood for adventure. Especially as the ball started to turn more consistently in the first session of the fourth day than it had done at any point before. Ravindra Jadeja and Washington Sundar got long spells in. Jadeja got Ryan Rickelton caught at extra cover, but then India did what they have struggled to do all Test: get wickets on defensive shots. Jadeja beat Aiden Markram’s outside edge and hit the off stump, Washington got one to bite at Temba Bavuma’s glove and settle in the hands of backward short leg.As three wickets fell for 18 runs, South Africa remained slightly cautious. Tristan Stubbs and Tony de Zorzi, though, managed to keep the threat of spin out with their sweeps and reverse sweeps. After Rishabh Pant missed a stumping off Stubbs, the No. 3 batter limited his options to just the sweeps whenever he wanted to force the pace.3:49

Can India’s youngsters grind out a draw?

Stubbs and de Zorzi added 101 for the fourth wicket, 41 of those in sweeps and reverse sweeps. Like Stubbs in the first innings, de Zorzi fell one short of a fifty, beaten on the sweep for a change. It was mid-afternoon and South Africa led by 466, but they still continued to bat at normal pace.Related

Harmer flips Test cricket in India upside down

India suffer 68 balls from hell in a hellish year at home

Jansen reaches great heights and carries South Africa with him

Live: Harmer six-for seals whitewash, India's heaviest defeat

Only after the lunch break did Stubbs get a move-on to try to complete a Test hundred, but even this charge was not frenetic. The team management gave him all the time as he scored 32 from the last 19 balls he faced, taking the lead past the 542 that Australia attained in Nagpur in 2004. He slog-swept Jadeja to go from 88 to 94, but Jadeja slowed the ball down to beat a repeat attempt. Stubbs still was the highest run-getter in the series (163), and would need a big effort from someone in the final innings to be eclipsed.That effort wasn’t coming from the openers. India have done this to many a visiting side – just when everybody thought they had been too conservative with the declaration, the pitch would magically change its nature and wickets would start falling.Something similar happened when Jansen ran in and started bowling short. In the first over itself, he had Jaiswal fending uncomfortably. One didn’t pop up, the other landed just short of second slip. While Jaiswal managed to ramp him once, he fell to his favourite cut shot again. Since Jaiswal’s debut, nobody has scored more Test runs with the cut off fast bowlers than his 291, but no one has got out as often as his seven times. Nobody has played as many false shots as he has on the cut to the fast bowler: 68. He averages 41.57 on the cut against fast bowlers, but has fallen to this shot four times in his last eight innings.3:19

Saba Karim: Spinners need long spell to set up batters

Rahul was more traditional in the route he took to fight for a draw. He scored just 6 off 30 balls, but the 30th was a bewitching dipping, drifting delivery, which had him playing well away from where he thought it would originally pitch. In panic, he turned his drive into a flick, but it wasn’t enough to plug the gap created between his body and his bat. Harmer was again level with Jansen for most wickets in the series: 12.Harmer came extremely close to taking the lead when he appealed for lbw against Sai Sudharsan. In all likelihood, the on-field call for not-out was down to an inside edge, but the replay showed the ball had hit the pad first. However, the ball tracking returned an umpire’s call on impact, saving Sudharsan to fight another day.India somehow survived the rest of the day but it looked like a wicket could fall anytime. South Africa now have six hours to take eight wickets because the light has consistently dipped by 4pm, not allowing any extra play.

Arsenal have now joined the race for a £88m forward who recently entered “very advanced” talks over a move to Tottenham Hotspur…

Gunners ramping up pursuit of forward amid Eze criticism

The Gunners’ lead at the top of the Premier League table was reduced to just two points on Saturday, with Aston Villa securing a 2-1 win at Villa Park, and Shaka Hislop was particularly unimpressed with Eberechi Eze’s performance.

Hislop said: “He could have been taken off after 30 minutes, I’ll be honest.

“Now I am as willing as anybody to sing Eze’s praises, but everything from Arsenal came down the right in that first half.

“Everything came through Bukayo Saka, so the change had to be made at half-time because Eze was non-existent.”

In fairness, Eze has made a very promising start to life at the Emirates Stadium, with the England international amassing nine goal contributions in his opening 22 matches across all competitions.

However, the 27-year-old’s best performance arguably came in the 4-1 victory against Tottenham, during which he played through the middle, so there may be room to bring in another left-winger this winter, and Arsenal are now ramping up their pursuit.

It was recently revealed that a strong move is being made for Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola, but the Frenchman is not the only target, with a report from Caught Offside revealing Arsenal have now joined the race for RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande.

The Gunners have been monitoring Diomande’s progress over the past few weeks, alongside a number of Europe’s top clubs, while Spurs are also keen, with Sky Sports reporter Sacha Tavolieri recently stating they are in “very advanced” talks with the left-winger.

A deal could be on the expensive side, however, with it being suggested RB Leipzig could look to hold out for around €80m – €100m (£70m – £88m).

Arsenal to "directly contact" £88m forward about joining after talks with his reps

Arteta apparently wants to sign him in January.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 5, 2025 Diomande making "sensational" impact in Germany

The Ivorian only made the move to Germany during the summer, but he has already started to make a major impact, being singled out for high praise by scout Jacek Kulig.

Most recently, the 19-year-old put in a remarkable performance in his side’s 6-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt, scoring a hat-trick and completing more dribbles than any other player.

Yan Diomande’s key statistics vs Frankfurt

Number completed

Dribbles (successful)

8 (4)

Key passes

1

Duels (won)

13 (6)

Goals

3

Considering Diomande is still a teenager, the level of his performances in the Bundesliga this season have been remarkable, and he may be ready to join one of Europe’s biggest clubs soon, so it would be fantastic if Arsenal were able to beat Tottenham to his signature.

The New York Mets staked starting pitcher Kodai Senga a 3-0 lead against the Washington Nationals on Thursday afternoon.

Pitching with two outs and the bases empty in the bottom of the second, Senga decided it was the perfect opportunity to explore the space with a 2-2 eephus pitch to José Tena. It didn't go as expected, as the righthanded hurler tentatively sailed a 50 MPH lollipop several feet above the intended strike zone.

No one was more amused by the misfire than Senga, who could only laugh as he got the return thrown from his catcher. He was able to get the third out of the inning on the very next pitch, which was clocked as a 95 MPH fastball.

The lesson? Try new things. Even if they don't work out it can provide a chance to make your friends chuckle. And yourself.

Now opposing teams are going to have to put this weapon in their scouting reports. Not because it appears to be particularly effective, but so they don't step on the punchline.

Not since David and Victoria Beckham began their relationship in the late 1990s had there been a football couple as high profile as Gerard Pique and Shakira when they got together in 2010. Defender Pique was a key cog in Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Barcelona side of the late noughties and early 2010s, while Shakira had been a global pop sensation since the release of hit single 'Hips Don't Lie' in 2005. This was the kind of story the tabloids thrive off – and even more so when it goes badly wrong.

After crossing paths on a music video shoot ahead of the 2010 World Cup, their relationship would span more than a decade. Despite both living their lives in the intense glare of the spotlight and the added scrutiny of being a celebrity couple, the pair seemed to be the picture of happiness – welcoming two sons in 2013 and 2015, regularly appearing together at events and making some very public displays of affection.

However, things would go seriously awry in the summer of 2022 as they suddenly split against the backdrop of cheating allegations levelled against the now-former footballer, in what became an increasingly messy separation.

From football's modern-day power couple to 'betrayal', diss tracks and social media point scoring, this is the story of the breakdown of Pique and Shakira's picture-book relationship…

AFPMusical meeting

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Pique and Shakira's respective careers were the reason for their paths crossing in 2010, as they met on the set of a music video shoot. Rather bizarrely, Shakira – who is Colombian – had been chosen to co-write and sing the official song of the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, 'Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)'.

Pique was among a clutch of prominent players to feature in the music video, and he met Shakira on set in June 2010 shortly before the tournament began. The footballer happens to be 10 years the singer's junior to the day, with both born on February 2.

"I wasn't a soccer fan, so I didn't know who he was," Shakira told in a 2020 interview. "When I saw the video, I was like, 'Hmm, that one's kind of cute'. And then someone decided to introduce us." From there, their relationship blossomed.

AdvertisementShakira FacebookSecretive beginnings

The couple did not initially make their relationship public, but that changed in March 2011 when both Pique and Shakira posted a photo of themselves embracing on Twitter (now X) and Facebook, alongside the caption "I present to you my sun".

It was reported that they had gone public at the request of legendary former Barcelona boss Guardiola, as the manager was growing concerned about the media scrutiny that his player's secretive encounters with the singer was generating and even believed the defender's on-pitch form had been affected.

Pique had paparazzi camped outside his home and they would follow him to the club's training ground, with tabloids and gossip magazines offering up a price of €150,000 for photos of the pair together.

Twitter @3gerardpiqueBuilding a family

Pique and Shakira would be seen in public with each other increasingly often, and he even joined her on stage during the Barcelona leg of her 'The Sun Comes Out' world tour in May 2011. The couple shared a kiss to send the crowd into frenzy.

Shakira would attend the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony with Pique in early 2012, and later that year the couple announced that they were expecting their first child together, with Milan Pique born in January 2013. They then confirmed their latest pregnancy in August 2014 and the couple's second son would follow in January 2015 when Sasha was born, seven days after his brother's birthday.

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Getty/GOAL'Marriage scares the sh*t out of me'

In 2020, Shakira explained why she didn't want to marry Pique, despite them seemingly being very happy together. "To tell you the truth, marriage scares the sh*t out of me," she said in her interview with . "I don't want him to see me as the wife. I'd rather him see me as his girlfriend. His lover, his girlfriend. It's like a little forbidden fruit, you know?

"I wanna keep him on his toes. I want him to think that anything's possible depending on behaviour."

South Africa got onto the points table while New Zealand slumped to their second straight loss in Indore

Shashank Kishore06-Oct-2025

Tazmin Brits walked back to a rousing ovation in Indore•ICC/Getty Images

Tazmin Brits is having a year like no other. Her fifth hundred in 2025 – the most-ever by a woman in a calendar year – studded South Africa’s dominance as they got onto the points table with a crushing six-wicket win over New Zealand, who slumped to their second straight loss in Indore.Four nights after being bundled out for the second-lowest score in World Cups, South Africa showed authority and intent in chasing down 232 in 40.5 overs. This somewhat helped cover up for a massive net run rate dent from their embarrassing loss to England in Guwahati.That South Africa had only these many to chase was largely thanks to left-arm spinner Nonkululeko Mlaba, whose 4 for 40 triggered an alarming slide after Sophie Devine and Brook Halliday threatened a jailbreak. After the pair had added a quickfire 86 for the fourth-wicket, New Zealand were coasting at 187 for 3 in 38 overs when Mlaba made big dents.Related

From 69 all out to statement win – South Africa restore World Cup credentials

Bates: 'After the game Sophie and I will reminisce on how far we've come'

Halliday contributed 45 off 37 in a terrific exhibition of sweeps and reverse-sweeps, before falling to one hit too many when she top-edged a slog-sweep off Mlaba at the start of the 39th. During her stay, she briefly gave South Africa the shivers, like she had in last year’s T20 World Cup final in Dubai.South Africa hit back quickly after Halliday’s dismissal, with Mlaba next sending back Maddy Green to an ill-advised reverse sweep as she picked out backward point. Amid the collapse, Devine held out hope for New Zealand, like she’d done in hitting a valiant 112 against Australia in their opener.Nonkululeko Mlaba opened the floodgates with Brooke Halliday’s wicket•Getty ImagesDevine helped shift gears after Georgia Plimmer struggled to hit the ball off the square in a painstaking 31 off 68 balls. Devine was largely measured, taking 66 deliveries to bring up a half-century, her 17th in ODIs, before shifting gears, as she fed off Halliday’s form and enterprise.Halliday and Devine raised their half-century stand off just 41 deliveries, and New Zealand looked set for a lift-off. But Devine’s dismissal for 85, attempting to work a full delivery into the leg side, had a deflating effect. Ayabonga Khaka then cleaned up the lower order, as New Zealand lost 7 for 44 to be bowled out for 231, leaving 13 deliveries unused.All told, it was an innings of contrasting fortunes. New Zealand played themselves into a hole, consuming as many as 72 dots in the first 15 overs to leave the middle order with too much to do, after Suzie Bates fell for a second straight duck off the first ball of the match and Melie Kerr for 22. Then Devine and Halliday bailed them out, but in having a terrible back 10, New Zealand undid all the good work through the middle overs.To make a fist of the target, New Zealand needed early wickets, and they had one when Laura Wolvaardt, who plucked a stunner to end New Zealand’s innings, was out lbw playing around her front pad to Jess Kerr. But that was as much joy as they were to derive over the next two hours as Brits put on an exhibition, with Sune Luus for company.Tazmin Brits and Sune Luus left New Zealand without hope in the chase•Getty ImagesBrits’ was a high-tempo innings full of stunning shots, and it included a thrilling takedown of Melie Kerr early in the innings to offset any threat South Africa had. Having begun the innings steadily, Brits went into overdrive after the 10-over mark, at one point hitting five boundaries in nine deliveries, en route to a 44-ball half-century, her fastest in ODIs.Brits equally punished Eden Carson, the offspinner, muscling a six to bring up the 100 partnership off 111 deliveries. Brits’ use of her feet to negate any turn and bludgeon spinners repeatedly down the ground made for thrilling viewing. And while she was flying, Luus was fighting for survival.Unlike Brits, Luus struggled for timing, but the reward for all that tenacity for a fight was a half-century that she raised off 76 balls. Brits’ counter-attack gave her the rare luxury of finding her feet as the ball spun and jumped, merely underlining how ridiculously easy Brits had made batting look.Brits fell soon after getting to her century, bowled attempting to pull a skiddy length ball off Lea Tahuhu to leave South Africa briefly wobbly, as they lost two more wickets in an attempt to raze down the runs. But even through that, the result was a foregone conclusion.Luus raised the winning runs with a lofted hit over extra cover, finishing unbeaten on 81 to ensure South Africa ride a wave of confidence when they meet hosts and table-toppers India come Thursday in Vizag. New Zealand will hope for a change of luck when they travel to Guwahati to play Bangladesh the following day.

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank opted to go with what seemed like a rather defensive team selection when the line-up was revealed before kick-off against Arsenal.

The Lilywhites lined up with five defenders and two defensive midfielders, along with a front three of Mohammed Kudus, Wilson Odobert, and Richarlison against the Gunners.

Possession

57%

43%

Big chances

3

0

Shots

17

3

Shots on target

8

2

xG

1.93

0.07

Passes

448

330

As you can see in the table above, it was an approach from the Danish manager that did not pay off for Spurs, as they were heavily beaten by their local rivals on Sunday.

Tottenham only registered three efforts on goal in their loss to Arsenal, with one of them being the 45-yard lob from Richarlison, as they struggled badly in possession.

Struggling in possession has been a theme of the Premier League season for the Lilywhites, as they currently rank 17th in the division for xG created (11.1) across 12 matches, per FBref.

Some of that will be down to Frank’s system and tactics, as his selection against Arsenal seemed negative on paper, but there have also been some underperforming attacking players this season.

Ranking Tottenham's attackers this season

When looking at how the team’s attackers have performed in the 2025/26 campaign so far, it is hard to look past Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison as the two standout performers.

The Brazil international has delivered five goals and two assists in all competitions for the Lilywhites, whilst the £55m summer signing from West Ham has produced one goal and five assists.

On the other end of the scales, the £52m signing from RB Leipzig, Xavi Simons, has failed to deliver much in the way of quality, with no goals and two assists in 15 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt.

The Dutch playmaker, who started the season on the left wing after Heung-min Son’s depature, was left out of the starting line-up against Arsenal, and he has to rank near the bottom of the list because of the fee paid versus the output given so far.

1

Mohammed Kudus

2

Richarlison

3

Brennan Johnson

4

Mathys Tel

5

Wilson Odobert

6

Randal Kolo Muani

7

Xavi Simons

8

Dominic Solanke

9

Dane Scarlett

As you can see in the table above, Dane Scarlett and Dominic Solanke are the only two players who rank lower than Xavi, and that is because they have played 59 minutes of football between them, which makes it difficult to place them any higher.

Unfortunately, Spurs are still looking for the true heir to Heung-min Son’s throne after the South Korea international moved on from North London in the summer, as their big-money addition from Leipzig is yet to pay off, and they are now keen on a star who could finally fill that vacancy.

Spurs make big-money bid to sign new winger

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham Hotspur are one of the clubs interested in doing a deal to sign Athletic Bilbao forward Nico Williams in the upcoming January transfer window.

The outlet claims that Spurs and Chelsea have both submitted bids worth around £62m in an attempt to land the Spain international to bolster their respective attacking units.

Transfer Focus

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

It also reveals that both of those clubs are working on contract offers that would see Williams triple his current wages, which the report does not disclose, in order to convince him to leave his club.

However, it remains to be seen whether or not the Spanish whiz would be willing to move to England, or if the £62m offers are enough to tempt Athletic Bilbao into cashing in on their prized asset.

If Spurs can get a big-money deal for the left-sided attacker over the line, though, he could be Frank’s own version of Heung-min Son on the wing in the second half of the season.

Why Nico Williams would be Tottenham's new Heung-min Son

Williams, who was described as a “level-raiser” by Como scout Ben Mattinson, has all the attributes that the Lilywhites should be looking for in a replacement for the legendary South Korean star.

Like Son, the Spain international is a rapid forward who can use his speed to get in behind defences, as evidenced by Mattinson stating that he has an “electric burst of pace”, which is what served the former Spurs attacker so well for so long.

A goal scored by Williams against Real Oviedo in LaLiga earlier this month was an excellent demonstration of his speed, quality, and comfort on both feet, which Son was also renowned for during his time in North London.

The 23-year-old forward has registered two goals and two assists in nine matches in LaLiga this term, per Transfermarkt, after a haul of 11 goals and seven assists in 45 outings last season.

His most impressive campaign in an Athletic Bilbao shirt, though, came in the 2023/24 season when he delivered an eye-catching eight goals and 18 assists in 37 matches, per Transfermarkt.

These statistics show that the winger does have the potential to provide quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals from the flank, as Son did with his 173 goals and 101 assists for Spurs before his move to the MLS in the summer.

Non-penalty xG + xAG

0.38

0.54

Shot-creating actions

4.99

4.51

Progressive passes

3.25

4.09

Progressive carries

5.24

4.27

Successful take-ons

3.33

1.58

Progressive passes received

10.83

10.92

Key passes

1.91

1.86

As you can see in the table above, Williams is also similar to Son in a host of underlying statistics away from purely goals and assists, which suggests that he can provide a similar outlet on the left wing.

Like the ex-Spurs captain, the Spain international is an exceptional ball-carrier who can drive the team up the pitch to make things happen as a creative force, which they badly need at the moment, as evidenced by their dismal attacking display against Arsenal.

Having a counter-attacking weapon like Williams could allow Tottenham to defend deeper in matches, as Frank tried to do on Sunday, because they would have him to explode on the break when they win the ball back, instead of attacks stagnating and allowing the opposition to keep the pressure on.

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Therefore, the £62m-rated star could be a phenomenal addition to the squad with the quality that he could bring to the team on the left wing as their true heir to Heung-min Son.

Tottenham Hotspur have now joined the race for an “amazing” Premier League midfielder, but there could be fierce competition for his signature from some of Europe’s top clubs, according to a report.

Spurs' summer transfer plans

The 1-0 victory at Eintracht Frankfurt last week has provided Totttenham with a real chance to make a success out of this season, with Ange Postecoglou’s side now just a two-legged tie against Bodo/Glimt away from reaching the Europa League final.

However, having fallen way below expectations in the Premier League, Spurs have set out to make serious improvements to their squad this summer, with targets being identified in multiple positions, including attacking midfield.

Como maestro Nico Paz has recently been named as a potential target for the Lilywhites, having enjoyed an impressive debut campaign in the Serie A, while they have also set their sights on Athletic Bilbao’s Oihan Sancet.

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According to a report from The Boot Room, Tottenham are also considering options from within the Premier League, and they have now joined the race for Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, who is attracting the attention of some of Europe’s top clubs.

Having enjoyed a breakthrough season with Man City, the likes of Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Paris Saint-Germain have now expressed an interest in O’Reilly, while Chelsea and Newcastle United headline the interest from the Premier League.

The 20-year-old is an attacking midfielder by trade, but he has showcased his versatility by starring at left-back since breaking into the City starting XI, and Pep Guardiola is eager to keep hold of him.

In fact, such is City’s determination to retain the services of the youngster, who has previously been valued at £40m, they are in talks over a new contract, which could make it very difficult for Spurs to lure him to north London.

"Amazing" O'Reilly starring for Man City

It is little wonder some of Europe’s top clubs are now queuing up for the starlet, given the level of his performances since breaking into the Man City side, scoring twice in his last two Premier League outings, including what could be a very important effort against Everton last time out.

Football talent scout Jacek Kulig has clearly been impressed by the City academy graduate’s recent displays, lauding him as “amazing” earlier this month, while also describing him as a “versatile and quality player”, given the job he has done at left-back.

That said, it seems unlikely that Tottenham will be able to sign the England U20 international this summer, considering he is now closing in on a contract extension at the Etihad Stadium, which means they may have to move on to other attacking midfield targets, of which there is no shortage.

Target

Current club

Potential cost

Nico Paz

Como

£8m

Oihan Sancet

Athletic Bilbao

£69m

Jobe Bellingham

Sunderland

£20m

Eberechi Eze

Crystal Palace

£50m