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Tottenham Hotspur could be about to finally wrap up a deal to sign Djed Spence…

What’s the word?

That’s according to journalist Pete O’Rourke, who delivered a fresh update on the north Londoners’ attempts to sign the 21-year-old from Middlesbrough.

Speaking to Football FanCast this week, he said:

“Djed Spence wants to go to Tottenham.

“Tottenham are close to agreeing that fee for the defender as well, so I think this one will get wrapped up pretty quickly and then Middlesbrough will be looking to use the funds to strengthen their squad elsewhere.”

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Supporters will be buzzing

The England U21 international looks set to be Spurs’ sixth signing of the summer and that will surely leave supporters around N17 absolutely buzzing as the rebuild continues ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

Sporting director Fabio Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy have delivered something of an unprecedented transfer window thus far, backing their manager, Antonio Conte, with quality additions.

Their £60m swoop for Richarlison from Everton was certainly a signal of intent, whilst the likes of Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic and Clement Lenglet will all play an important role throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

Bolstering the Italian’s squad with strength in depth was vital as the Lilywhites will be competing in the Champions League, meaning the prospect of two games per week is soon on the horizon – and if Spurs are wanting to remain competitive, then Conte needs quality in even his backup players.

Spence would be another fine arrival in north London and one that plenty of fans will be delighted to see finally get over the line, having been linked with him for much of the off-season. Spurs even had two bids knocked back for him in January.

Therefore, O’Rourke’s suggestion that this deal could be finalised quickly is sure to leave many around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium thrilled.

AND in other news, “I’ve been told..”: Transfer insider drops late Spurs claim, supporters surely excited…

Everton have reportedly enquired about the possibility of signing Keane Lewis-Potter this summer.

The Lowdown: Standout season

Lewis-Potter enjoyed a standout season at Hull City, bagging himself a hat-trick of trophies at their 2021/22 Player of the Year awards.

He finished as the Tigers’ top scorer in the Championship with 12 goals, while he also made three assists and was given a team-high four man-of-the-match awards (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, the Englishman is seemingly ready to make the step up to the Premier League, having played every single minute of 46 second tier games last season.

The Latest: Everton enquiry

As per The Daily Mail, the Goodison Park outfit have enquired over signing Lewis-Potter alongside their interest in Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Harry Winks.

However, the former is also attracting interest from West Ham United.

The Verdict: Sign

Frank Lampard is known for giving young English players a chance, notably handing the likes of Reece James and Mason Mount their Premier League debuts while at Chelsea.

Thus, he is sure to be excited to potentially work with 21-year-old Lewis-Potter, who has been dubbed a ‘quick’ and ‘special talent’ by former Hull boss Grant McCann.

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Sheffield United journalist Richard Sutcliffe hailed him as a ‘smashing player‘ after an impressive performance against the Blades last term, so the ceiling looks sky-high for Lewis-Potter.

However, it looks like the Toffees may have to fight off the Hammers in order to bring him to Merseyside.

West Ham United are interested in signing Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca, according to Italian outlet Sport Mediaset (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown: Well-travelled career

Despite his relatively tender years, the 23-year-old has already developed somewhat of a journeyman status, having spent time at Lazio, AS Roma and PSV Eindhoven prior to making the switch to Sassuolo as a teenager.

Since then, the Rome native was also sent on loan to Cremonese, PEC Zwolle, Ascoli and Genoa, before finally making the breakthrough at his parent club last season.

Having now made the grade in Serie A, another move could already be on the cards for the powerful centre-forward…

The latest: West Ham interested

As per Sport Mediaset, translated by Sport Witness, West Ham are the club ‘above all’ others to have expressed an interest in Scamacca this summer.

It’s claimed that Paris Saint-Germain have also been ‘offered’ the chance to sign the seven-cap Italy international, with Sassuolo demanding €45m (£38m) for one of their prized assets.

The report also states that ‘doors could be opened’ to clubs who are willing to meet the mooted asking price to sign the man labelled a ‘clinical finisher’, as well as being ‘creative and skilful’, by football talent scout Jacek Kulig during his time on loan at Genoa.

The verdict: Better options

Despite a phenomenal 2021/22 campaign during which Scamacca scored 16 times in 36 Serie A appearances, that was the first time the Italian has reached double figures in a league season, and more is required before the West Ham hierarchy can warrant such expenditure.

Holding a stylistic likeness to such renowned names as Leicester City speedster Jamie Vardy, highly rated Napoli centre-forward Victor Osimhen and Barcelona’s Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (FBRef), there is little doubting that the 6 foot 5 attacker can have a bright future at the elite level.

Capable of operating in wide areas as well as centrally, Scamacca – who has also been likened to Zlatan Ibrahimovic – has a tendency to run the channels and create space for team-mates along with strong ball retention ability, attributes which would certainly endear David Moyes to the prospect of the signing.

However, at the suggested price tag, the east Londoners would be best served to look elsewhere to find support for Michail Antonio, perhaps prioritising the reported swoop for Chelsea youngster Armando Broja, who has already proven capable of performing in the Premier League.

Leeds United could be set to see Kalvin Phillips wave goodbye to his boyhood club during the current summer transfer window.

What’s the news?

A recent report from The Athletic by Phil Hay, alongside Manchester City journalist Sam Lee, had this to say about the current situation regarding Phillips’ immediate future amid links to Pep Guardiola’s side.

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The report says: “Sources on both sides of the Pennines believe an offer for Phillips from City is coming.

“City visualise a closing agreement of between £45 million and £50 million and there is confidence in Manchester that Phillips would push to take up the opportunity to join them if it’s presented.”

“City would tick the right boxes. It’s a move Phillips would be open to, and a move Leeds would struggle to resist.”

Leeds fans will be gutted

Having only ever played for the Yorkshire club throughout his career, the 26-year-old has made 234 appearances for the Whites across all competitions.

In those appearances, the Englishman has scored 14 goals and delivered 13 assists along the way.

Taking into account just how much Phillips has done for the club and how he’s helped them get into the Premier League after a 16-year absence and helped them stay there over the past two seasons, it’ll surely be gutting for the Leeds fans to see him leave.

To highlight his importance to the team, particularly from a defensive point of view, in the 49 Premier League games he’s played, the 26-year-old has won 87 tackles, made 342 successful pressures, made 103 blocks, 83 interceptions and 89 clearances.

With that in mind, it’s safe to say that without Phillips in their ranks, Leeds could well have been back in the Championship by now.

If the England international were to make a move to the Etihad Stadium this summer, earning the chance to play alongside the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland, Leeds may have to then rely on reported incoming signing Marc Roca to step into Phillips’s shoes.

While some Leeds fans may be accepting of the prospect that their youth graduate will leave the club to potentially be successful at one of Europe’s top sides, there will undeniably be others that would be heartbroken to not see him donning a Leeds shirt.

In other news: Orta now eyeing Leeds move for “electrifying” £11m starlet, he’s their next Dan James

Leeds United director of football Victor Orta could repeat his Joe Gelhardt masterclass as the Yorkshire giants look to continue their investment in the club’s impressive academy set-up.

According to The Athletic’s Phil Hay earlier this week, the Whites are targeting a move for West Ham forward Sonny Perkins, who has been a standout for their development squad this season, earning a professional debut in the Europa League.

The 18-year-old was recently named April’s Premier League 2 ‘Player of the Month’ and he ended the 2021/22 campaign with back-to-back braces, taking his total to 14 goals and two assists for the Hammers’ youth sides.

Perkins is widely believed to be one of the hottest prospects coming through the system at the London Stadium, at least as per club insider ExWHUemployee.

“One thing to also pay attention to is a West Ham youngster called Sonny Perkins,” he revealed to his ‘The West Ham Way podcast. “This is someone I’ve spoken about on the podcast before as a talent, and he’s really beginning to stand out now at academy level, really getting rave reviews.”

“From what I’ve heard in the academy circles, he could be the next Declan Rice. So just keep your eye out for his progression within the next few years.”

Given the success the Whites have had in recent times, improving their academy with additions like Gelhardt and Sam Greenwood, it certainly makes sense for Orta and co to continue to make great strides for the long-term future.

Signed on the cheap from Wigan Athletic last summer, ‘Joffy’ has quickly emerged as a fan-favourite at Elland Road after he announced himself on the big stage with an assist from the bench against Wolves in just his second appearance before an eye-catching consolation goal against the then Champions of Europe, Chelsea.

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The 20-year-old then found the net a second time in Leeds’ crunch match with Norwich City, a goal that ultimately saw them over the line with safety.

Perkins, capped at England U18 level, could easily be the next to follow Gelhardt’s lead, should the Whites manage to prize him away from east London.

Whilst he would not be a signing for the immediate, he is certainly an exciting prospect and one that could play a part in the club’s long-term future.

Orta must look to repeat his recent success with youth signings by signing the 18-year-old prodigy this summer.

AND in other news, “On the agenda”: Phil Hay drops exciting Leeds transfer claim, supporters will love it…

The India fast bowler recalls an epic Test tour of England, and reflects on the challenges life has thrown his way

Shashank Kishore and Daya Sagar26-Aug-20254:33

Breaking down where Akash Deep can improve

In the weeks leading up to India’s recent tour of England, Akash Deep had one thought weighing on him: “How do I survive five Tests?”For over two months, Akash Deep had spent several nights in hospital, attending to his sister Jyoti who was undergoing cancer treatment. Diet and sleep had become luxuries. His training was haphazard. Cricket wasn’t the most important thing in his life at that time.It’s why Akash Deep spontaneously remembered Jyoti and dedicated his 10-wicket haul in his first Test of the series to her, after India made it 1-1 in Birmingham.”It was tough,” he says while in Bengaluru, where he is preparing for India’s home international season. “As such, a five-Test series is not easy. Especially if you’re a fast bowler. And at a time when I had to prepare, I was dealing with a lot of things.”Being in and out of hospital, your diet and sleep often go for a toss. I was actually wondering how do I survive five Tests because even during the IPL because of my sister’s treatment, my training was haywire for one, one-and-a-half months. Luckily, I got time in the lead-up to the series thanks to the India A tour, where I had 10-15 days of preparation. I used that time to prepare well.”It’s been three whirlwind weeks since Akash Deep’s return from England, where he played an important role in India drawing the series 2-2. After a dash home to see his family, he was away on a pilgrimage for ” (peace of mind),” and then visited his ‘AB Cricket Academy,’ which he had begun last year in his hometown Sasaram in Bihar.”When I was growing up, there was nothing here,” he says. “No ground, no practice facility. I didn’t even see a red ball until I was 17-18. My thinking was when I have some money and resources, I’ll try and help kids who aren’t from financially sound backgrounds. So that they don’t have to go too far away to train.”Not being financially strong should not come in the way of living your dreams of playing the game or getting opportunities. I’m glad I’ve been able to realise my dream [of building an academy]. I have a team that looks after most things, but I guide them and insist, if there are kids coming forward from disadvantaged backgrounds and have the talent, they should be prioritised.”Akash Deep took 13 wickets on the tour of England•Getty ImagesAkash Deep’s story is one of courage. Sharing a 150 square feet room with eight others in Kolkata, surviving on (lemon tea) to play club cricket, staying with his cousin in Durgapur in search of opportunities, losing his father and brother in the span of a couple of months, he has seen it all. It’s why he treasures every moment on the field. “If you find even a little happiness amid all your problems, it’s enough to bring a smile.”He wasn’t smiling on that tense final morning at The Oval when he dropped Gus Atkinson at long on and palmed the ball over the boundary for six. England needed 11 after that to win the series, India needed one wicket to draw it.”Maybe I could have tried to palm the ball in to save the six,” he says. “But I went to take the catch. Luckily in the next over (two overs later) we got the wicket [of Atkinson]. Immediately after I dropped the catch, there was really no time to dwell on it. Maybe if something else had happened I may have been thinking about it. Luckily I didn’t have to worry much.”I ran really quickly to Siraj [laughs] once we took the final wicket.”That was just one of several memorable moments involving Akash Deep on the tour. Earlier in the fifth Test, he had put his arm around England opener Ben Duckett and said a few friendly words after dismissing him in the first innings.”He had been out four-five times to me. Before coming out to bat in that innings, he said, ‘this time you won’t get me out’. I got him out and then said, ‘bro, now go and rest please’,” he says with a laugh.There’s a memory from Birmingham that stands out. He’s watched replays of that dream wicket on loop.”Joe Root,” Akash Deep says with a smile. “The way I got him (bowled). Set him up, and got him out exactly the way I wanted to.” For those who don’t remember, he pitched on a good length and angled the ball in, before getting it to nip away and beat the outside edge of Root’s defence to hit the top of off stump.0:42

Tendulkar: Akash Deep to Root at Edgbaston was ‘ball of the series’

Apart from his 13 wickets in the series, he also made a vital contribution with the bat, scoring a half-century after coming in as a nightwatcher in India’s second innings in the fifth Test at The Oval. Akash Deep made 66 in his partnership of 107 with Yashasvi Jaiswal for the third wicket, helping India set a match-winning target of 374.”Everyone expects me to contribute with the bat, but I haven’t been able to do it to all the time,” he says. “That innings, I learnt a lot. It taught me to not take my batting casually. When the team needs me, that time I’m motivated.”He also recalls his innings in Brisbane in 2024, when he helped India save the follow-on, to explain what he needs to motivate himself at times. “I think I should put extra pressure on myself as a batter to contribute,” he says. “That’s what it (The Oval innings) taught me. I was just thinking of building a partnership with Yashasvi.”They [his team-mates] were happy because the batters used to taunt us in a friendly way, ‘kabhi toh kuch kardo (can you also contribute once in a while)’, ‘dus to bana do, bees to bana do (make 10 or 20 runs at least)’, so I felt they’ll keep quiet now for some time [laughs].”Akash Deep is now at the Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru, gearing up for the two-Test series against West Indies from October 2. For the first time in months, he has the mental space to breathe, train, and focus on his game. He doesn’t have to go to the hospital at present and he’s enjoying the luxury of being able to stay in the moment and do what he loves most.

In-built resilience to this India side separates it from their recent global-tournament predecessors

Karthik Krishnaswamy08-Oct-20231:58

Kumble: KL Rahul looks like he’s back to his original self

2 for 3. If you’re an India fan, you probably saw flashbacks of 6 for 2 and 5 for 3 when you watched Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood cut through your top order on Sunday.Not again, you may have pleaded, beseeching whichever force you believe shapes the day-to-day destiny of the universe. Please, not again.This wasn’t a Champions Trophy final or a World Cup semi-final. This was India’s opening match in a World Cup whose format allows teams to bounce back from early setbacks. But you had no desire to witness this, no desire to revisit the trauma of the not particularly distant past.This match, though, was not like those other matches in significant ways, and this became increasingly apparent as Virat Kohli – who survived a nervy early period that included a loose drive at a 13th-stump delivery and a dropped chance from a top-edged hook – and KL Rahul steered India out of trouble with a fourth-wicket stand of 165.Related

• Smith: 'We can learn a bit from this game'

• 'Play like it's Test cricket for some time' – What Kohli told Rahul when India fell to 2 for 3

• Rahul, Kohli guide India home after early scare on tricky track

At a fundamental level, two things about this India side are different to those of 2017 and 2019.One, India had the perfect attack for the conditions. This certainly wasn’t the case during the 2017 Champions Trophy, where they lacked outright wicket-taking ability in the middle overs. It cost them when they played on flatter pitches: Sri Lanka chased down 322 against them in the group stage, and Pakistan, sent in to bat in the final, cruised to 338 for 4.The bowling was less of an issue in 2019, but in that semi-final at Old Trafford, their pace attack perhaps suffered in comparison to New Zealand’s since they lacked a fourth fast bowler in overcast, seaming conditions.Now, on a sharp turner in Chennai, India had three seamers – with Hardik Pandya a significantly better bowler than he was four years ago – and three spinners of entirely different styles who combine stifling accuracy with the ability to give the ball a rip. This was a turning pitch that rewarded Test-match virtues, and R Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja and Kuldeep Yadav are all accomplished Test spinners; most other spin attacks at this World Cup are made up of white-ball specialists. Australia have a major headache given they only have two frontline spinners in their squad, and that’s if you consider Glenn Maxwell to be one; Adam Zampa’s lack of control in this match was a key reason why India won so comfortably in the end.The control Ashwin, Jadeja and Kuldeep exerted on Australia stifled their scoring long before they collapsed from 110 for 2 to 119 for 5. David Warner, Steven Smith and Marnus Labuschagne added a combined 105 for the second and third wickets, but took 24.5 overs to do so. This was the kind of pitch where it was fraught with risk to hit good-length balls against the turn, and India’s spinners hardly ever veered from a good length while constantly keeping the stumps in play.The quality and experience of this attack ensured that India kept Australia down to well below what might have been a testing total. Even at 2 for 3, India knew two good partnerships would put them back on track.KL Rahul has occupied No. 5 consistently in the build-up to the tournament•Associated PressWhich brings us to the second major difference between this India and the India of 2017 and 2019. In 2017, the early loss of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli brought an ageing and well-past-his-best Yuvraj Singh to the crease. The batters to follow were MS Dhoni, who was beginning to show signs of slowing down, Kedar Jadhav, who had only batted 12 previous times in ODIs, and Hardik Pandya, who had only batted seven times.By 2019, Dhoni was two years older and playing what turned out to be his final ODI. Their middle order also included Rishabh Pant – who hadn’t been part of their original squad and was their fourth No. 4 of the tournament – and Dinesh Karthik – a reserve keeper who came into the side as a specialist batter after sitting out the bulk of the league phase. Their line-up in the semi-final looked nothing like the line-up they began the tournament with.On Sunday at Chepauk, India had Rahul at No. 5 – a position he’s occupied consistently in the build-up to the tournament, and where he averaged 50.43 coming into this World Cup – a Hardik who has vastly improved his innings-building skills over the last few years at No. 6, and Jadeja and Ashwin at Nos. 7 and 8. This may not be the most power-packed middle and lower-middle order at this World Cup, but it’s certainly one with quality and experience and batters playing roles they’re comfortable in.India could still have lost Sunday’s game, of course. Any team can lose from 2 for 3. But the India of 2023 are better set up to recover from that sort of situation. Their bowling, particularly on turning pitches, probably won’t concede too much more than par; and their batting has far fewer holes. This is why they’re favourites to win this World Cup.That, of course, is no guarantee of actually doing it. India could still get to the semi-finals or final and lose to a quality opponent. But that opponent might need to play at the very limits of their ability to make that happen, because there’s an in-built resilience to this India side, born of the quality and experience running through it, that separates it from their recent global-tournament predecessors.

They need control and consistency while bowling long spells

Aakash Chopra01-Feb-2021Pitches in the subcontinent are believed to be tailor-made for spinners, which is why it’s natural for overseas spinners to get excited whenever they travel to this part of the world to play. It presents them a rare opportunity to play the lead role in their bowling attack – as against mostly being defensive or restrictive while playing at home.While this observation might broadly be correct, it rarely plays out so well for overseas spinners while playing India in India. Given the spin-friendly pitches (read, very little assistance for the faster bowlers in terms of bounce and lateral movement off the surface) the workload of visiting spinners increases manifold, but most, including some of the more competent ones, realise that their hard work isn’t always rewarded as much as they might expect. Indian pitches encourage spinners to try and bowl magic wicket-taking balls every time they roll their arm over but most spinners end up being either too expensive or ineffective.The key reasons for this are how slow the surfaces are, and how well Indian batsmen are able to counter spin. The lack of pace off the surface allows the batsmen to play the length, and since the typical Indian batsman grows up on a healthy diet of spin, they are able to strike the right balance between attack and defence.Related

• What will it be like to take on Kohli and Co on their own patch?

• Jack Leach wants to 'cherish' every moment on first tour of India

• BCCI gives informal nod for spectators at second Chennai Test

• England's XI for Chennai Test: Can James Anderson and Stuart Broad both slot in?

• India's XI for Chennai Test: Four bowlers or five? Who will replace Ravindra Jadeja?

So how should Dom Bess and Jack Leach bowl against the Indians? In my opinion, that’s where the series will be decided – how the English spinners bowl to the Indian batsmen. If they complement their fast-bowling attack, England will compete, but if they fall apart, like many other spinners in the past, India will bulldoze their way to another Test series victory at home.While Bess and Leach found success in the recently concluded series in Sri Lanka, it’s probably safe to say they will be countering a more organised and competent attack from the Indian batsmen.Let’s start with Bess, a right-arm offspinner who bowls a little flat in the air and prefers to bowl the line outside off. His game plan is to go roundarm every now and then to bowl the arm ball that slides, instead of turning, after pitching. Inducing the outside edge is his key wicket-taking tactic and that seems to work fine in England, where the pitches aren’t spin-friendly, by and large. The fact that he rarely bows long spells, and that batsmen tend to go on the offensive the moment they see a spinner in those conditions, make the away-going delivery potent there.But that’s not a tactic that works as well in India because of the slow pitches. The arm ball doesn’t skid as much after pitching, and Indian batsmen typically use those deliveries to open up the off-side field for scoring. The one thing that you simply must not do as a spinner in India is allow the batsman to score on both sides of the pitch. When that starts to happen, it’s almost impossible to seize control back, which in turn will mean Joe Root will need to ask the fast bowlers to bowl a lot more than they should in these conditions.The pace at which Bess bowls is ideal for Indian surfaces, but he doesn’t have the kind of control that, say, Graeme Swann used to have, and that’s why it might be better for him to be more pragmatic about the role he is likely to play and reconsider his line of attack. It wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to bowl everything within the stumps and have an in-out field throughout. Going by how he bowled in Sri Lanka, there will be a few loose balls on offer, and if all those deliveries are dispatched for boundaries, the Indian batsmen will run away with the game quickly.On the other hand, Leach’s stock ball pitches and finishes within the stumps. He tends to go to the edge of the crease often to create the angle that makes batsmen play against the spin, but trust the Indian batsmen to not be fooled by that tactic too much. The key to his effectiveness will be consistency of length, for anything too full or marginally short will be taken for runs. Indian batsmen are quick to convert a slightly short-of-length delivery into a ball that can be cut or pulled – that will be Leach’s biggest challenge to counter.While the Indian batsmen will be quick to use their feet to come down the track and also to go deep in the crease, most, barring the likes of Rohit Sharma, are unlikely to sweep a left-arm spinner. So that’s the length Leach must bowl steadily for long durations to stay in the contest. And it wouldn’t be a bad idea for him to bowl over the stumps and into the rough with a packed leg-side field later in the games.The English spinners have their job cut out, for it’s not easy to make changes to basic skill sets and tactics for an extended period, especially when you don’t see tangible returns in the form of wickets – and it’s more or less certain that Indian wickets aren’t going to fall in heaps to the spin of Bess and Leach.

The most valuable player on a pitch is a striker, and nowadays, being a world-class centre-forward is more than just scoring goals.

Starting the press without the ball and linking up play are also two important attributes, but more often than not, a striker is judged by their goal to game ratio.

Currently, Manchester City’s Erling Haaland and Bayern Munich’s Harry Kane are viewed as some of the best strikers in world football.

The Best 15 Strikers in World Football Ranked (2025)

Who is the best number nine right now?

ByCharlie Smith Nov 20, 2025

Here is a list of 20 of the most iconic centre-forwards football has ever seen, factoring in longevity and consistency at the highest level, while also looking at their personal accolades and honours they have won.

20 Hristo Stoichkov

An all-rounded forward and the greatest Bulgarian player in history, Hristo Stoichkov kicks off the countdown.

The powerful left-footed striker was famously signed by Johan Cruyff at Barcelona when he was at the top of his game and made the Catalan giants even better.

Stoichkov won five La Liga titles at the Nou Camp and collected the Ballon d’Or in 1994 after picking up the 1994 World Cup Golden Boot.

19 Kenny Dalglish

Arguably Liverpool’s greatest ever player, Kenny Dalglish wasn’t just a goalscorer and could run games of a football as a centre-forward.

‘King Kenny’ starred in the 1970s and 1980s, scoring more than 200 goals and winning 24 trophies during an iconic career.

18 Gabriel Batistuta

Argentine powerhouse Gabriel Batistuta was a goalscoring machine in the 1990s for Fiorentina, outscoring every other Serie A player in that decade.

Named by Pele in the FIFA 100 list in 2004, Batistuta was known for his aerial ability and physical presence, but when he had the ball at his feet, he was an excellent dribbler and clinical in front of goal and had an unbelievable World Cup record.

17 Harry Kane

Harry Kane is one of the most clinical strikers around, and he’s been finding the back of the net on a regular basis for Tottenham, Bayern Munich and England since 2014.

In fact, Kane has scored 17 or more league goals in 12 successive seasons, and his goalscoring record is remarkable. Now England’s all-time top scorer, Kane may not have the trophies to match his individual brilliance, but he is more than just a goalscorer with an incredible passing range.

16 Karim Benzema

One of the most underrated strikers in recent times, Karim Benzema often hasn’t got the plaudits he’s deserved after starring at Real Madrid for 14 years.

Finally lifting the Ballon d’Or in 2022, Benzema has won 33 honours during his career and scored more than 350 goals during his time at the Bernabeu.

Whether it be in the air or with the ball at his feet, the Frenchman was a nuisance for centre-backs and was often overshadowed by a certain Cristiano Ronaldo.

15 Jimmy Greaves

Part of the England side that won the 1966 World Cup, Jimmy Greaves was nominated for the Ballon d’Or on six occasions in the 1960s and starred for Chelsea and Tottenham during his career.

A Spurs legend with two FA Cup triumphs, Greaves also won Serie A with AC Milan. He finished his career as the highest scorer in England’s first tier of football with 357 goals, highlighting how much of a prolific goalscorer he was.

14 Alan Shearer

The Premier League has been regarded as the best league in the world over time, so Alan Shearer, the divisions all-time top scorer, had to be in the list.

The Englishman netted 260 times in the English top flight for Southampton, Blackburn Rovers and Newcastle United, winning the title once.

Long range strikes, in the air or from the spot, Shearer could score any type of goal and came third in the 1996 Ballon d’Or.

13 Luis Suarez

Despite plenty of controversies during his career, Luis Suarez’s footballing ability at his peak for Ajax, Liverpool and Barcelona was incredible.

The Uruguayan has scored goals on a consistent basis for 20 years now and was named the IFFHS World’s Best Goalscorer in 2010, 2014 and 2016.

Suarez has proven he can score all across the world and his 2013/2014 season with Liverpool is arguably one of the best individual seasons the Premier League has ever seen.

12 Wayne Rooney

One of four English strikers on the list, Wayne Rooney is Man Utd’s all-time leading goalscorer and had every attribute an iconic centre-forward required. From physicality to pace and world-class technical ability, Rooney scored 253 times for the Red Devils and netted 53 times for England.

Dropping deeper in midfield throughout his career, Rooney was unstoppable in his prime as a striker, winning 16 major honours.

11 Josef Bican

Josef Bican represented both Austria and Czechoslovakia on the international stage and was one of the most prolific forwards during the 1930s, 1940s and 1950s.

Capable with finishing with ease with either foot, Bican scored more than 800 goals during his career despite making just over 600 appearances.

A ridiculous goal to game ratio, Bican has rightly gone down as a Slavia Prague legend.

This week, Tottenham Hotspur fans will get to see Heung-min Son again. On Tuesday, he will be there, down N17, beaming and emotional as he waves goodbye to the club he devoted the prime years of his iconic career.

Poetry has a funny way of weaving its way into so many narratives in football, and there was certainly something romantic about the South Korean legend sealing silverware on his final game for Spurs, ending the endless drought.

Tottenham haven’t really replaced their former captain, just as someone on a level with Harry Kane at number nine has not been signed either.

That may change in 2026.

Spurs lining up new forwards

In October, Tottenham announced a £100m equity injection. What this pertains to could go on interminably, but it effectively means Frank’s first-team squad will be seeing some improvements in the near future. Investment is imminent.

And it’s clear that additions are needed up top, with the potency Son provided – even on the decline, the 32-year-old scored 24 goals and assisted 19 more across his final two Premier League campaigns – yet to be matched.

Should the Lilywhites win the race for RB Leipzig prospect Yan Diomande, with their interest confirmed by Caught Offside, Frank might just land the talisman he is looking for.

The report claims Spurs are among the myriad of top clubs to have sent scouts to watch the 19-year-old winger this season, and such competitive intrigue indicates a market value or around €80m (equating to £68m).

The news comes just days after it was revealed by separate sources that Spurs were in ‘very advanced talks’ with the player’s agents last week to sign the player.

Why Spurs should sign Yan Diomande

Diomande might be in the hatchling stage of his career, but already, he is proving that he can throw down with the heavyweights, having made an electric start to his career in Germany with Leipzig, scoring seven goals and supplying four assists across 15 matches this term, having joined from

The Ivorian winger’s technical skills stand out, and a slippery dribbling style makes him a force to be reckoned with. Coach Harry Brook believes he will “be worth £100m plus” in the not-too-distant future, and so it’s worth Tottenham snapping him up promptly.

Already, we can observe startling progress across a range of areas for Diomande. He is physical and he is fast, and he is also fostering a natural-born clinical edge in front of goal, with his defensive work-rate not leaving much to be desired either.

Remind you of anyone? This could be the new Son, especially since he hails from the Bundesliga, with Tottenham signing their departed hero from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015.

Goals scored

0.36

0.31

Assists

0.21

0.31

Shots taken

2.08

2.75

Shot-creating actions

5.23

4.51

Touches (att pen)

7.16

5.55

Pass completion (%)

81.2

76.4

Progressive passes

3.44

4.25

Progressive carries

6.66

4.30

Successful take-ons

4.01

1.61

Ball recoveries

6.01

3.16

Tackles + interceptions

2.72

0.83

Diomande is showing signs of elite balance in output. He’s got an eye for goal, but that doesn’t detract from his playmaking, and nor does it mean he shirks away from defensive duties, from using his speed to cover plenty of ground and influence in different areas.

Son, in many ways is irreplaceable, and perhaps that’s why the board opted against trying to find a carbon copy, as they did with Kane.

But now, real quality, bona fide quality, is needed up top, else Tottenham will find themselves struggling to match the might of rivals at the top of the Premier League.

Diomande has talent in spades, and he might just find himself developing into a winger of a similar level with Son, following that Korean legend’s footsteps from Germany over to English shores.

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1 ByDan Emery Dec 8, 2025