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Manchester United have been reportedly relentlessly chasing the signing of Frenkie de Jong, and now a new update has emerged that will surely deflate new manager Erik ten Hag.

What’s the latest?

Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg has given an update on the ongoing situation between Man United and De Jong.

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Plettenberg tweeted: “Been told from close sources that MUFC is trying everything to get de Jong in summer. Ten Hag wants him! The club is verifying the financial package. Talks have taken place. But Xavi definitely won’t let him go!”

Ten Hag will be deflated

If Plettenberg’s report is accurate it is clear that the Barcelona midfielder is a huge target for Ten Hag but the new Man United boss will surely be deflated that Xavi is unwilling to consider letting him go.

The Red Devils have been in desperate need of a midfielder who can offer strong defensive attributes and improve the possession in the centre of the pitch, something De Jong is more than capable of offering at Old Trafford.

According to SofaScore, in La Liga this season the 25-year-old ace has won the majority of his ground and aerial duels (63%), has an impressive 95% pass accuracy in his own half and makes 1.1 tackles per game, but it’s not just his solid defensive performances that stand-out.

De Jong also offers phenomenal ball progression and creativity from his position, completing an overwhelming majority of his dribbles (88%), creating three big chances, making 1.4 key passes whilst scoring three goals and contributing three assists for his side this season. That proves that he is the complete midfielder and could offer a diverse set of skills to Man United.

When you consider these impressive statistics it is no wonder Ten Hag is desperate to seal the deal for the Barcelona player, as he would considerably improve the current midfield, especially with Paul Pogba set to leave this summer on a free transfer. Not only can the Dutch maestro replace his creativity but he can offer more in defensive transition.

Ultimately, it looks like the Dutch coach and the powers at Old Trafford will need to work hard to make Barcelona a hugely tempting offer to secure the signing and convince Xavi to let go of the player this summer.

AND in other news: David Ornstein: MUFC seriously keen on signing £51m “diamond”, ten Hag will adore him

Just when it looked like Imran Farhat’s century was going to take the game away from them, PIA’s Aizaz Cheema and Kamran Sajid sparked an HBL middle-order collapse that left the game finely poised at the end of the second day

ESPNcricinfo staff14-Jan-2011ScorecardImran Farhat laid a solid foundation for HBL with his 109•Getty Images

The tea break came to Pakistan International Airlines’ rescue on the second day at the National Stadium in Karachi. Just when it looked like Imran Farhat’s century was going to take the game away from them, left-arm seamer Aizaz Cheema and their captain Kamran Sajid sparked a middle-order collapse that saw Habib Bank Limited lose six wickets for 28 runs in the last session and left the game finely poised at the end of the day.HBL still managed build a lead of 52 thanks to a rearguard action by fast bowler Fahad Masood, but PIA will hope they can knock off the two remaining wickets tomorrow and then improve on their first-innings batting performance to set HBL a decent total.At the tea break, HBL were cruising. Farhat and his captain Hasan Raza had put together 104 for the third wicket and they were already within 14 runs of PIA’s total with eight wickets still remaining. It came down to Cheema, who has led PIA’s bowling attack almost single-handedly at times this season, having taken more than twice the number of wickets any of the other bowlers have, to make the breakthroughHe got one to nip back in sharply from outside off to Raza, in the first over after tea, and had him out lbw for 38. That suddenly opened the floodgates for HBL. Sajid, who had only bowled one three-over spell in each of the first two sessions, brought himself back in the attack and struck in his third over, bowling Aftab Alam for a duck with an inswinger. In his next over, he got the big one: Imran Farhat was struck in front of middle stump, swinging across the line, but he was unlucky as the ball had pitched well outside leg stump.PIA built on their luck, though. Cheema went on the rampage, bowling wicketkeeper Humayun Farhat with another late inswinger and then startling Danish Kaneria with a short ball that he could only fend to short leg. By the time Kaneria went, HBL were suddenly 242 for 8, only 14 ahead of PIA, when at tea they would have been dreaming of a lead of well over 100. PIA would be slightly disappointed they didn’t finish the job as tail-enders Masood and Mohammad Aslam saw off nine overs with the new ball at the end of the day.Before the dramatic collapse, Farhat had played a well-paced innings. Having come to the wicket in the fourth over after Kamran Hussain fell early, he started off slightly scratchily – three of his first four boundaries were thick edges to the third-man boundary – but settled in once the spinner Shoaib Malik came on to bowl, picking him for boundaries on either side of the wicket. He favoured the off side against the quicks, driving and cutting as HBL built a solid foundation for a big score.Unfortunately for Farhat, HBL’s scorecard looked very similar to PIA’s first-innings one: one batsman scoring big while the others struggled. For PIA it had been Sajid, and for HBL none of the middle-order players could build on Farhat’s start.

Virat Kohli dominated the Bengal bowlers but his dismissal for 173 gave Bengal the upper hand in a day of contrasts, with Delhi still trailing by 145 runs

The Bulletin by Sharda Ugra at the Feroz Shah Kotla03-Nov-2010
Scorecard
Virat Kohli’s dismissal was the turning point of the day•ESPNcricinfo LtdThe teams in the Durand Cup football semi-finals at the neighbouring Ambedkar Stadium would know exactly what Delhi and Bengal went through at the Ferozshah Kotla on Wednesday. Day three of their Ranji Trophy Super League match was a game of two halves. The first belonged to Virat Kohli and Delhi, the second to Bengal, who felt an immovable object suddenly shift an inch, and then didn’t stop pushing.At stumps, Delhi were 328 for 6, still trailing Bengal’s first innings total of 473 – and precious points – by 145 runs. They have two old school types at the wicket, Rajat Bhatia, who has played first-class cricket with the focus and enthusiasm of an Energiser bunny, and Sumit Narwal, the bowler who saved them much face yesterday. What Bengal have now is the belief that they can turn Delhi’s innate swagger into a fall.Kohli certainly swaggered in making 173, scoring more than half of Delhi’s runs in an innings stamped with the authority and superiority of a player who belongs to another, higher, class of cricket. His departure led to a middle order meltdown, four wickets falling for 34 runs, not only because he was the entertainment of the day, but also the centre piece of two top order century stands. For nearly four hours, Bengal laboured and absorbed the punches because they knew that Kohli’s wicket would turn the match into a far more even contest than he had allowed it to be.It took them a while, but they could have had him much sooner. Iresh Saxena grassed a simple chance at mid-wicket, to Ranadeb Bose’s utter misery, when Kohli was on 74. Given a reprieve, Kohli showed even more disdain. He mopped up the remaining 26 runs he needed for his hundred from 35 balls, leaping across the threshold with the help of three boundaries between 87 and 101. Bengal had tried to keep things tight and the runs down to a minimum. Given that their side had unravelled Bengal in the first session on Tuesday, Shikhar Dhawan and Kohli were happy to score at a reasonable trickle, and keep coach Manoj Prabhakar relaxed. Dhawan’s departure for 42 didn’t have much of an impact just before lunch, as the comfort of captain Mithun Manhas’ company ensured that Kohli was ready to move in to a higher gear.The moment arrived well into the afternoon, with the sudden surprise of a run-out. Always, an event of extremes, run-outs can either be street-corner slapstick or a thunderous demonstration of speed or athleticism. In this case, it needed a combination of anticipation and good fortune, and Bengal both deserved the luck, and rode it well. The run-rate had moved to just over four an over, and Manhas guided one past a wide second slip and gully. Kohli shot out for the single. It was a fair call, Kohli expecting the gully fielder to cut off the angle at best. Arindam Das, the fielder at second slip, suddenly streaked into the frame, snatched the ball as it bobbed up into his hand, and hurled it towards the stumps. Kohli had his head down and was sprinting for the finish, but before he crossed the line, the bails leapt in to the air.It was, as Bengal’s bowler of the day Ashok Dinda said, the moment his team had worked for, the one idea they had hung all their hats on: “We said if Virat goes, the rest would struggle. Even after the dropped the catch we said, ‘we just have to get Virat’ and we are in the game.” And so they were. Bose swung one into Gaurav Chabra’s toes just before tea, and convinced the umpire that it was good enough for a leg before. After the break, Manhas attempted a Kohli-esque slash at one so wide from Dinda that it asked for punishment, but received a wicket. Punit Bisht tried to extravagantly turn Dinda over square and Abhishek Chowdhary at short leg pulled off a reflex catch.Bhatia watched stone-faced at the other end and knew what had to be done because he’s done it dozens of time. Along with the sturdy Narwal, the Delhi innings limped along during the last hour of the day’s play. Bengal delayed taking the new ball in the hope that the old one, which was keeping low, would help them snake in another lbw, but all the twists were done for the day. They will now have a fairly new ball tomorrow and no prima donna of Kohli’s capabilities involved in the contest anymore. The last day’s play and the tussle for points promises to be a blinking contest between Bengal and the overnight batsmen. The day of two halves will melt into a session that will seal the deal.

Fans of the Magpies will have no doubt been left disappointed this season as Eddie Howe’s team has slipped further and further down the league table. However, now they have moved out of the bottom three and have had some decent recent results, are there any chances of surviving relegation realistic? Let’s take a look!

Current Position

The Magpies are currently 17th in the league table. They are currently in a safe position, with Norwich City, Watford, and Burnley below them. Many experts think that it is likely that Norwich City will be relegated, but there is always a chance that something else could happen in the relegation mix. The season still has many twists and turns to play out.

After all, anyone familiar with the latest football betting odds will know that they are not set in stone – they are merely a prediction of what is likely to happen. There are plenty of unexpected moments that could come to pass on the pitch, either from one of Newcastle’s upcoming games or from another team.

There are many matches to undertake before the end of the league, and with this comes every chance that Newcastle will be able to maintain their current position. Due to this, we need to assume that they will be able to do so, and that they are going to manage to stay up into the next season.

Can the Right Transfers Help Them Out?

January’s transfer window is the perfect opportunity for Howe to shake things up and maybe weed out some of the weaker members of the team. By securing new talent and bringing it onboard, Howe should be able to get together the talent he needs to keep his team from dropping down.

One player he has his eye on is forward Hugo Ekitike. It is hoped that he will be signed in time to play against Watford, but there is no denying that it takes time to first secure a player and then get him used to the team. If Newcastle is able to secure Ekitike, however, he will no doubt prove to be a major asset to the team.

In addition to him, Newcastle are also looking at Benoit Badiashile. However, West Ham is also interested in picking up the French defender. He is allegedly more tempted by Newcastle, so we shall have to wait to see if a good deal can be brought to the table and secured.

Taking on the Rest of the Season

It is a long road to the end of the season. If Newcastle is to avoid dropping down, they need to make sure that they take each game as it comes. Trying to go into the games with no major plan will only result in missed opportunities. It is necessary that Newcastle look at each game as it approaches and determine what tactics can be used to defeat their opponents.

Let’s take their match against Everton as an example here. Previous meetings between the two have usually resulted in wins for Newcastle. Is that any reason to be complacent though? Absolutely not. There is still every chance that Everton could come out on top, and this means that Newcastle needs to go in with tactics that would best suit.

Will Newcastle get knocked down? Probably not. However, they are in the danger zone and need to make sure that they do not slip further down in the rest of the season. It will take some careful tactics and strategy from Howe to ensure that this is the case if we wish to see them succeed in this endeavour by the end of the season.

Image Source: Pixabay

Ange Postecoglou’s Celtic side return to Premiership action this afternoon, with Dundee being the visitors to Parkhead in Sunday’s 15:00 kick-off.

However, with the Bhoys having been on the receiving end of a shock 3-1 defeat against Bodo/Glimt in the Europa Conference League on Thursday, the 56-year-old Hoops manager will undoubtedly already be hatching a plan as to how to give his side the best chance of overturning this two-goal deficit when Celtic make the trip to Norway next week.

And, with a rather fortunate home fixture against the bottom of the table Dark Blues up next for the Bhoys, perhaps Postecoglou could use the match to give a number of his peripheral squad members, as well as those returning from injury, some much-needed first-team minutes – in order to provide those players typically sitting on the Parkhead bench with a bit more match sharpness ahead of the European meeting on Thursday.

One such player who falls into this category is undoubtedly Karamoko Dembele, the 18-year-old winger who is yet to play a competitive fixture under the Greek-Australian coach after fracturing his ankle in pre-season.

Postecoglou must unleash Dembele

Having recently played 90 minutes for the Celtic B team, as well as being included in Postecoglou’s matchday squad for the home time against Bodo/Glimt, it would very much appear as if the teenager is extremely close to finally making a return to first-team action after a seven-month spell on the sidelines.

And, considering just how excited the Hoops manager appeared to be at the prospect of working with Dembele, it would certainly not be surprising to see the Greek-Australian coach involving the youngster in first-team football at the earliest possible opportunity.

Indeed, speaking about Dembele earlier this season, Postecoglou said: “He is obviously a hugely talented boy. He has been here for a while and I guess he gets an opportunity now. I think the way we play will suit him.

“He was positive [against Charlton Athletic], not just with the ball, he also worked hard without the ball. I thought he did well. I never worry too much about age, at either end of the spectrum. It is more about can they do what we want them to do.

“He has been in and around the first-team squad for a little while now. I think he wants to break through and be a first-team player so I see no reason why anybody needs to protect him from that.”

As such, with there not being a better fixture than a home tie against a side currently sitting rock bottom of the Premiership table to reintroduce Dembele to first-team action, Postecoglou simply must unleash the player John Kennedy dubbed a “superstar” against Dundee.

Indeed, should the £2k-per-week winger get through the match unscathed, he would not only appear to be a potentially game-changing option from the bench against Bodo/Glimt next week, but he could also go on to play a major role in Celtic’s bid to reclaim their Premiership crown over the remainder of the season.

In other news: Ange may have made a grave mistake on “immense” 21 y/o, it could cost Celtic big time

It might be premature to describe Yorkshire’s Championship challenge as faltering but their position at the top of the table going into this match disguises a run of results that rather undermines their case

Jon Culley at Headingley03-Aug-2010
ScorecardRyan Sidebottom impressed as Nottinghamshire took control on the top-of-the-table clash•PA PhotosIt might be premature to describe Yorkshire’s Championship challenge as faltering but their position at the top of the table going into this match disguises a run of results that rather undermines their case. A record of one win in six matches since May leaves them in need of renewed impetus.They may struggle to draw it from this contest after their poorest day so far, one which began with Adam Lyth out for a duck and ended with Samit Patel and David Hussey shaping up to put Nottinghamshire in control. Yorkshire’s lead at the start of this round is one point. Given Nottinghamshire’s game in hand, if this is not a must-win fixture, it is certainly one they would prefer not to lose.The morning belonged squarely to Nottinghamshire as Yorkshire stumbled to lunch at 89 for 5, prompting inevitable questions about Andrew Gale’s wisdom in deciding to bat first in overcast, humid conditions, particularly after swing had been such a factor in the Test match between Australia and Pakistan here.But the pitches here have generally played well this season. In each of four previous Championship matches in 2010, the captain winning the toss has opted to bat and the average first-innings score was 431, with Yorkshire winning both matches in which they batted first. To Gale, therefore, it was probably a straightforward decision. Ryan Sidebottom confirmed afterwards that Nottinghamshire would have batted, too, given the choice.Indeed, this pitch – blanched and dry – looks like one that will take spin and there is no one in better form to exploit that factor than leg-spinner Adil Rashid, who came into this match with 28 wickets in his last four four-day games. Gale has also turned to David Wainwright, the left-arm spinner, for his first Championship appearance since May.With a decent Yorkshire total to give them room to manoeuvre, Gale will have reasoned, those two bowlers in tandem could pose real problems for Nottinghamshire. All out for 178 – their lowest total for two years – was certainly not part of any plan.The ball ruled from the moment Lyth, the First Division’s leading run-scorer, edged the fifth ball of the day from Sidebottom into the gloves of skipper Chris Read behind the stumps. Under the watchful gaze of Geoff Miller, England’s chief selector, it was not a good moment for the Yorkshire left-hander to cop his third duck of the season.Sidebottom is back in the Nottinghamshire line-up after a knee injury sustained – in the modern cricket tradition – playing football, replacing Charlie Shreck from the side beaten heavily by in-form Somerset at Taunton last week. It was a second defeat in three matches for Read’s team, whose thrashing of relegation favourites Warwickshire in between came on the back of career-best figures of 8 for 52 by Stuart Broad, who will not figure again this season.Yet Nottinghamshire’s bowling resources are as deep as anyone’s, even if their batting can be suspect, and the attack on duty here subjected Yorkshire to their poorest opening day of the season.It didn’t help, though, that their second wicket was needlessly squandered when a misunderstanding between Anthony McGrath and Jacques Rudolph led the latter to be run out for one in the sixth over, Ali Brown doing the fielding after McGrath shaped to take a single to cover off Darren Pattinson but thought better of it with his colleague halfway down the pitch.Gale looked in good shape, helping himself to a couple of nicely-timed boundaries off Pattinson and a couple more off Sidebottom but when Paul Franks came on first change for Pattinson he struck with his second ball, one that umpire Rob Bailey judged would have hit the stumps as the Yorkshire captain went forward and across.Again Yorkshire looked capable of repairing the damage. Andre Adams conceded three boundaries in four balls to McGrath after replacing Sidebottom at the football stand end and was hit for two more by Jonathan Bairstow. But then McGrath nibbled at one from Adams to be caught behind and when Gerard Brophy was bowled by the same bowler, with a fine delivery that came back sharply, Yorkshire were in serious trouble at 89 for 5.That became 104 for 6 when Rashid was out leg before, beyond much argument, in the fourth over of the afternoon. Bairstow, who is becoming a dangerous opponent in the middle order, again went for his shots with confidence, hitting nine fours to reach 45, including three in consecutive balls off Pattinson. But he was undone by a beautiful ball from Sidebottom that bowled him after swinging late – “the kind you bowl once a season,” Sidebottom said – after which Ajmal Shahzad paid the price for stretching for one outside off stump from Pattinson and Yorkshire were 144 for 8.Wainwright proved his value with the bat by adding 20 runs to that, although with his fellow left-arm spinner, Patel, trapping both Steve Patterson and Oliver Hannon-Dalby leg before, the Yorkshire total grew by only 34.As if to even the score after Rudolph’s give-away, Nottinghamshire handed Yorkshire an early gift when Alex Hales, chasing a ball that might have been called wide, edged Steve Patterson obligingly to keeper BrophyMark Wagh was bowled by a peach from Hannon-Dalby, a late inswinger to which the batsman played back, but Matthew Wood gave his side something to build on with his second fifty in consecutive games before Patterson had him leg before.Wood, who has form in one-day cricket, has been given another chance in the four-day side as Nottinghamshire continue to seek elusive consistency in their batting. The openers are not the only problem area, however. Patel’s hundred in defeat against Somerset was his first in the Championship since September 2008 but he and Hussey had put on 50 together at stumps, with Nottinghamshire 31 behind and seven wickets in hand.

Tanguy Ndombele’s future at Tottenham Hotspur is by no means certain.

The 25-year-old midfielder, who cost a club-record £55m two-and-a-half years ago, has not featured for the club since being withdrawn early during their FA Cup third-round victory over Morecambe.

He slowly trudged off to a chorus of boos and jeers with his side down by a goal at the time. Since then, it has emerged that the club are trying to move him on and that he has reportedly been training alone at Hotspur Way.

“Tottenham are looking for a solution to sell or loan out Tanguy Ndombele in January,” revealed Italian transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.

It’s hard to put up a case for Spurs keeping hold of their big-money signing as he’s been nothing short of a flop – as per Transfermarkt, he has delivered only ten goals and nine assists across 91 appearances.

If they are to move him on, however, manager Antonio Conte will be in need of a new central midfielder but perhaps he already has the answer at the club, somewhat.

Sarr solution?

During the summer, sporting director Fabio Paratici sealed the signature of promising Ligue 1 gem Pape Matar Sarr, who has remained on loan at Metz, for around €17m (£15m).

The 19-year-old midfielder has played in pretty much every role in the engine room for the French outfit this season, where he has made 19 appearances across all competitions.

Now valued at £18m by Transfermarkt, the Senegal international has struggled for consistency, averaging a rating of just 6.43, though there have been signs of encouragement and he is a player with undoubted potential.

“I am told this guy is really more than an interesting talent. He has real potential, [he’s a] fantastic talent,” claimed Romano to his YouTube channel in September.

“One of my sources told me he could become one style of [Paul] Pogba player. He has style, he has potential, he has skills, so we will see what happens with this guy.”

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A Pogba-like midfielder? That should be right up Conte’s street considering he managed the France superstar across 78 matches at Juventus before he rejoined Manchester United.

Sarr is certainly looking to contribute at both ends of the pitch, having averaged 2.2 dribbles, 1.7 successful tackles, one shot and 0.9 key passes per 90 minutes in the French top-flight, via WhoScored.

“Pape Matar Sarr is elegance in the midfield, it’s talent, it’s making others play.” once claimed Metz coach Frederic Antonetti.

So come the summer, Conte may not need to look far to find Ndombele’s replacement, thanks to Paratici’s decision in the summer. He seems primed for a shot in Spurs’ first team, especially under the stewardship of the Italian, who has already worked wonders with players like Oliver Skipp and Sergio Reguilon.

As such, he could also save the clubs millions as Sarr seems like the perfect replacement for the struggling flop.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops exciting Hugo Lloris claim at Spurs…

يستقبل ملعب “سانتياجو برنابيو” اليوم الأحد، مواجهة الكلاسيكو المرتقبة بين فريقي ريال مدريد وبرشلونة في الدوري الإسباني.

ويلتقي الفريقان في مباراة تمنح الصدارة للفائز، ضمن مباريات الجوة التاسعة لليجا.

ويملك برشلونة وريال مدريد 22 نقطة، لكن الفريق الكتالوني يتصدر بفارق الأهداف عن النادي الملكي. معلق مباراة ريال مدريد وبرشلونة اليوم

يعلق على المباراة، عصام الشوالي، عبر قناة beIN sports HD1.

يمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة من مركز المباريات من هنا.

As per The Telegraph, an encouraging West Ham United transfer update has come to light involving West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye Johnstone…

Despite signing Alphonse Areola on a season-long loan deal from Paris-Saint Germain, with the option to make his move permanent (whufc.com), West Ham are continuing to be linked with a move for the Baggies ace.

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The Hammers actually did attempt to sign Johnstone in the summer window, with The Athletic claiming that they had a bid rejected for his services before opting for Areola as an alternative.

West Brom’s number one, as it stands, could leave as a free agent at the end of this season with his contract looking to set to expire in 2022. Now, an update has surfaced on West Ham’s involvement, and it could be encouraging.

The Latest: West Ham in pole position…

As per The Telegraph and reliable reporter Mike McGrath, the Hammers are ‘at the front of the queue’ to sign Johnstone as they enter pole position.

Indeed, he is expected to be among the most in-demand free transfer signings of next year as manager David Moyes personally weighs the player as competition for his number one Lukasz Fabianski.

The Verdict: Priority?

Given the presence of Areola and just how much the Frenchman has been solid when given the opportunity, we believe a swoop for Johnstone arguably shouldn’t come as a necessity.

Moyes could seal a capable heir to Fabianski by triggering the buy-option for Areola, saving a lot of time in attempting to beat other clubs in the race for West Brom’s star man.

Even on a free deal, West Ham are far better prioritising a new striker signing if they haven’t already signed one by next summer, especially given the lack of a natural alternative to Michail Antonio.

Despite being lauded as a ‘world class’ shot-stopper by former Wolves favourite Steve Bull, head of recruitment Rob Newman must surely have other positions in mind.

In other news: ‘Can’t wait’, ‘Best news today’…ExWHUemployee’s ‘amazing’ update has many West Ham fans buzzing, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to ramp up their pursuit of Antonio Rudiger in the coming days, according to an inside source…

What’s the word?

As revealed by Football Insider this week, the north London outfit are in the race to sign the £100k-per-week Germany international after he rejected a new Chelsea contract, meaning he is currently free to leave Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, it is thought that Spurs have planned discussions behind-the-scenes in an effort to persuade the 28-year-old to swap the Blues for their capital city rivals in 2022.

Lilywhites sporting director Fabio Paratici is said to be pushing hard to get an early agreement in place but they will face a battle to secure him as foreign teams can seal him on a pre-contract agreement as early as January, something that Spurs do not have the luxury of.

Statement signing

This would be quite an outlandish move from Spurs, considering their west London rivals won the Champions League last summer and are quite some way ahead of them on and off the pitch.

However, the fact that Antonio Conte is in charge boosts their chances of landing the 6 foot 3 colossus as the pair worked together when the Italian was at the helm.

45 of his 172 appearances for the Blues came under Conte as they won the 2017/18 FA Cup together, leading to the German describing the 52-year-old as a “very good coach” to reporters.

Rudiger has been one of Chelsea’s standout performers under Thomas Tuchel over the past 12 months, with BT Sport pundit and Premier League legend Rio Ferdinand a big fan.

“Look at Rudiger, he’s arguably, since Tuchel has been there [at Chelsea], been the best defender in the Premier League,” he told his podcast (via the Metro). “Him or [Ruben] Dias in that time. He’s been unbelievable, he’s like an animal.”

Indeed, the German is just one of two players to have played every minute of every Premier League outing for the Blues this term, where he has averaged a second-most 2.2 aerial duels won, 1.1 tackles and an 86.9% passing accuracy when managing over 70 attempts per game, as per WhoScored.

Evidently, Rudiger is an efficient ball-playing defender and one that would instantly improve Spurs’ backline, not just because of his trophy record at Stamford Bridge.

The vastly-experienced defender would be quite the signing to make next year and it would certainly reveal the ambitions of the club under Conte. As such, many around N17 must be absolutely excited by this latest development.

Spurs fans would surely love Rudiger at the club, so this update should provide some huge encouragement heading into January.

AND in other news, Paratici eyes Spurs bargain after “courting” £18m-rated maestro, Conte would love him…