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Liverpool are much-improved this season after toiling last year, but still seek improvements over the next few years to return to the very top of the game.

Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch were all signed to combat the summer exodus, but this well-wrought midfield could be bolstered further.

Who are Liverpool interested in signing?

According to Sky Sport Germany's Florian Plettenberg, Schalke 04's teenage sensation Assan Ouédraogo is attracting Jurgen Klopp's attention after bursting onto the scene in prodigious fashion, with Brighton & Hove Albion and Everton also interested.

Any deal would not materialise until the end of the 2023/24 campaign, when the 17-year-old's €20m (£17m) release clause would no longer be dormant.

Plettenberg does also claim that AC Milan currently hold the most "concrete" interest in the youngster's services, with the Serie A side's officials set to meet Schalke bosses for negotiations this week.

Who is Assan Ouédraogo?

The versatile midfielder is playing with age-belying confidence and swagger in Bundesliga 2, very much integral in Die Knappen's travails.

Also pursued by Bayern Munich, the rising star is robust and positive in possession, completing 81% of his passes this season, succeeding with 61% of his dribbles and winning 55% of his ground duels, as per Sofascore.

Given that he also ranks among the top 6% of midfielders across similar divisions over the past year for goals, the top 14% for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive carries and the top 1% for successful take-ons per 90, as per FBref, his aptitude in surging forward and providing a creative threat is clear.

Such qualities could put him in good stead to become Liverpool's starring member of a burgeoning youth fold, surpassing even the talent of 18-year-old Spaniard Stefan Bajcetic, who was so important for the struggling Reds last season.

Having made 19 appearances last term, scoring against Aston Villa in the Premier League, the dynamic midfielder saw his season curtailed in March due to injury, though he is wedging his way back into the team at present and earned a start in the Europa League against LASK.

Described by journalist Zubin Daver as a "special" talent, Bajcetic is impressive but might see his ability surpassed by such a precocious talent as Ouédraogo, who is attracting the attention of some of Europe's goliaths.

He's even been touted as the next Xabi Alonso by the German Bundesliga's official website, with the former Liverpool star and current Bayer Leverkusen manager among the crispest, most refined midfielders of his generation.

Lauded as a "proper champion" by Steven Gerrard, who revealed that he misses playing alongside the Spanish maestro at Anfield, Alonso was renowned for his all-encompassing midfield game, elegance and defensive application, which are attributes both Bajcetica and Ouédraogo would do well to absorb.

It would be a fantastic prospect to see the second coming of one of the most beloved stars in Liverpool's modern history back in the centre.

Dubbed the "stand-out” by reporter Ben Bocsak, Ouédraogo is very young and remains in the embryonic stage of his development, but he boasts all of the skills to cement his stature as one of Europe's foremost prodigies and could do so over the coming years. Just hopefully at Liverpool.

Jordan Henderson admitted that he is hurt to see Liverpool finding success without him but has no regrets over leaving Anfield for Al-Ettifaq.

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Henderson chose to move to Saudi Arabia last summer Struggled to adapt and was forced to return to Europe Liverpool flourishing after his exit Getty ImagesWHAT HAPPENED?

After 12 years with Liverpool, Henderson bid farewell to the club in the summer transfer window to move to the Middle East. However, his days in Saudi Arabia were numbered as he eventually headed back to Europe to join Ajax in January.

Despite leaving Anfield, Henderson has been closely monitoring Liverpool's progress this season, as they vie for a quadruple. Reflecting on his departure, Henderson acknowledges the emotional difficulty of leaving a club he cherished but believes it was the right decision for both parties and wished Jurgen Klopp all the luck in his farewell season.

AdvertisementWHAT HENDERSON SAID

“It was the best thing for the club and the team, and you can see that in the performances and how they’ve done, as much as that hurts me," he told

“It’s football and you move on. I’m so happy it’s worked out for them so far and I’ve just got my fingers crossed it can be a fairytale end for Jürgen because he deserves it."

However, Henderson insisted that he has no regrets and added: "Looking back, I think it was the right time for me as a player [to leave] but also for them as a team and for them as a club, as much as that hurt at the time.

"I was very emotional. Looking back in that period of time, looking back now, it is easy to see that it was the right decision made by the manager and the club. It was the best decision to freshen things up. If you look at Virgil [van Dijk] becoming captain, Trent [Alexander-Arnold] becoming vice-captain, and how they’ve stepped up again this season, I think it has given them another lift."

THE BIGGER PICTURE

Despite his departure from elite level of football, Henderson remains focused on his international career with England. With Gareth Southgate travelling to watch his debut in the Netherlands, Henderson remains assured that the manager is keeping an eye on his performances. And boosted Southgate's gesture, the midfielder backs him to secure a spot in the squad for the upcoming European Championship.

“It was good for him to come and watch, to see that he’s keeping an eye on me,” Henderson said. “It is always a privilege to play for my country and I want to do that for as long as possible, but ultimately I’ve got to focus on my job here. If I’m doing that well and performing well, then that gives me the best possible opportunity to get in the England squad.

“I definitely feel I can offer something to the national team, but I have got to be playing and doing my job here. That is my main focus. But of course, I feel I can help the squad and the team going forward in the next camp and hopefully in the summer.”

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Looking ahead, Henderson is gearing up to face familiar opponents as Ajax takes on Aston Villa in the Europa Conference League round-of-16 tie on Thursday.

New Zealand wrapped up the series 4-0 against the visitors in Hamilton

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Mar-2018A disciplined bowling performance from New Zealand’s bowlers set up their seven-wicket win over West Indies with 3.4 overs to spare. The win helped New Zealand stay unbeaten and wrap up the series 4-0. Chasing 140, New Zealand lost openers Natalie Dodd and Sophie Devine, and Maddy Green inside the first three overs to slump to 27 for 3. Katey Martin and Amy Satterthwaite then put on an unbeaten 116-run partnership for the fourth wicket to take the hosts home. Martin finished with a 41-ball 54, while Satterthwaite finished a run-a-ball 43.West Indies had had a much better start after being put in to bat by New Zealand. Openers Hayley Matthews and captain StafanieTaylor put on 60 runs for the opening wicket in 7.2 overs before Leigh Kasperek struck to remove Matthews. Chedean Nation departed soon after when she was caught behind by Martin off Lea Tahuhu. Then, Taylor and Deandra Dottin added a 33-run stand before Taylor was removed by Devine. Dottin was the third-highest scorer for the team with a 31-ball 33, but even she couldn’t ensure an end-over acceleration.Thereafter, West Indies began their end-overs crawl as they managed only 35 runs in their last 33 balls despite losing only five wickets in all. Three of New Zealand’s bowlers finished with an economy rate of less than seven. Kasperek finished with 2 for 19 from her four overs, while Tahuhu claimed 2 for 27 in her quota. Devine picked up 1 for 23 from three overs.Seamer Shamilia Connell provided early hope for West Indies with three strikes, but that was the only high point for their bowlers as Martin and Satterthwaite took the game away from the visitors.

Manchester City could put their pursuit of West Ham United midfielder Lucas Paqueta on ice as they look to land an alternative target at the Etihad Stadium, according to a report.

Manchester City transfer updates…

With the January window approaching, Manchester City are likely to enter the market for reinforcements as Pep Guardiola continues to add to his well-oiled machine to make sure they are in a competitive position to battle for glory on both domestic and European fronts.

Largely, summer signings Jeremy Doku, Matheus Nunes, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic have complemented their new teammates in a fairly seamless fashion, leaving the Cityzens just a point off the top of the Premier League table with 13 games played.

Nevertheless, further arrivals are always likely on the blue half of Manchester and the Sky Blues are now embroiled in a battle with Manchester United, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid for the signature of Palmeiras wonderkid Estevao Willian, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk.

The youngster has a £47 million release clause inserted into his current deal at the Brazilian giants; however, it is unlikely that his interested suitors will have to activate the full amount to enter negotiations over a potentially life-changing move for the 16-year-old.

AC Milan attacker Rafael Leao is also reported target for Manchester City and they would be willing to pay a fee in the region of £129 million to tempt the Portugal international to the North West. If Leao were to join, questions would start to circulate regarding the future of Jack Grealish at the Etihad Stadium, though we will need to wait and see on that front.

In other news, the Blues could ditch their pursuit of another well-known target amid problems in negotiations, as per a fresh report.

Manchester City could now abandon Paqueta pursuit

According to FootballTransfers, Manchester City could pull out of their pursuit of West Ham United playmaker Lucas Paqueta and instead swoop for Bayern Munich star Serge Gnabry.

Serge Gnabry in 2023/24 – all competitions (Transfermarkt)

Appearances

10

Goals

1

Assists

0

Brazil international Paqueta is still a player whom the Sky Blues admire; however, they remain non-committal over a deal to bring him to the Etihad Stadium while gambling issues surrounding the 26-year-old remain unresolved. Gnabry has emerged as another serious candidate to add some extra verve in attack for Guardiola's men despite personal terms being agreed between Manchester City and the former.

Labelled "phenomenal" by Rio Ferdinand on BT Sport, cited via The Daily Mail in 2020, Gnabry, who earns around £247,000 per week at Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich, has offered plenty of innovation in attack this term for his current employers, averaging around 2.5 shots and 1.3 key passes per fixture in the German top-flight (Gnabry statistics – WhoScored).

Despite this, the Germany international may feel a new challenge is in the offing as he enters the prime of his career and Manchester City would be an exciting destination to prove his worth in England following previous spells in the Premier League with Arsenal and West Bromwich Albion.

Man City willing to submit £129m offer for "difference-maker" in January

The Blues are considering tabling a huge bid to bring the attacker to the Etihad.

ByChloe Chadwick Nov 29, 2023

The Carabao Cup was never going to be the main priority for Mikel Arteta and Arsenal this season.

Indeed, the Gunners have bigger fish to fry, namely the Premier League and, of course, their first entry into the Champions League for several years.

The north Londoners are currently unbeaten in league action but on the continental stage and now in the League Cup, they have been below par, excusing the thrashing of PSV.

In Lens, Arsenal dominated the ball in the early exchanges but conceded in front of a raucous home crowd, eventually losing the game after the going got tough. The same occurred at the London Stadium on Wednesday evening.

In the early phases of the game Arteta's side had over 60% of the ball but couldn't turn that into anything of note in the final third. An own goal from Ben White set the tone and from that moment onwards, Arsenal looked rather spooked. Apt on Halloween week.

A delightful second from Mohammed Kudus, coincidentally a man linked with Arsenal in the summer, put the tie out of reach before Jarrod Bowen's deflected effort sprawled past Aaron Ramsdale, a man visibly lacking confidence in east London.

A 3-1 defeat means Arsenal aren't in the hat for the quarter-finals and with it could go Ramsdale's career at the Emirates Stadium. Since David Raya displaced him between the sticks the EFL Cup is the only competition the England stopper has gained any minutes in.

Aaron Ramsdale's stats vs West Ham

This was a tremendous night for Ramsdale to prove himself to everyone. Arteta has clearly doubted his abilities, as too have several pundits. That said, the fans have stuck by a player who has provided the club with some memorable moments since signing.

There is a reason he was among the nominees for the best goalkeeper in the world at the recent Ballon d'Or awards. Think of that sprawling save to deny Mo Salah at Anfield last term, and then that point-blank stop to deny Ibrahima Konate from the resulting set-play. It was Ramsdale at his brilliant and mesmerising best.

That said, on the ball he leaves something to be desired, as does his ability to come and claim crosses. Both of those flaws were in evidence against the Hammers in midweek.

Saves

1

Accurate Passes

19/26 (73%)

Long Ball Success

1/8

Aerial Duels Won

100%

High Claims

0

Stats via Sofascore.

Ramsdale may well have won his one and only registered aerial battle in the game, but had he been stronger, the former Sheffield United no.1 may well have been able to do something about White's own goal.

That sounds harsh, however, particularly when you consider that had VAR been in play it may have been ruled out. Tomas Soucek had a hold of the Englishman's shirt which prevented him from getting to the near post to punch away.

Beyond that, he ended the game with a dismal long pass success, picking out just 1/8, a nice clipped ball into Kai Havertz. There is a feeling as well that Ramsdale may have done better for Bowen's strike.

A quick deflection off Jakub Kiwior didn't help the ex-Bournemouth star but his attempts to save the shot were bizarre to say the least.

In fairness, any 'keeper would have struggled to keep out all three of the goals on Wednesday but on a night where Ramsdale simply needed an easy night and a confidence-boosting win, he was the biggest loser from the club's Carabao nightmare.

The stats that show why Raya is better than Ramsdale

Much has been made about just how good Raya is in comparison to Ramsdale. With the naked eye, it is perhaps difficult to tell where the differences lie.

After all, the Brentford loanee hasn't been error or incident-free since arriving through the doors in the summer.

It was the Spaniard's stray pass that led to Lens' equaliser in the Champions League. It was his nervy playing out from the back that nearly sparked Gary Neville to pass out on commentary during Arsenal's win over Manchester City, and it was Raya's peculiar punch that nearly landed in his own net in Seville a week prior.

Goals Conceded

4 (0.7 per game)

4 (1 per game)

Saves per game

1.3

1.3

Saves made

8

5

Successful run-outs

100%

100%

Goals prevented (xG)

1.30

-1.84

Pass Success

79%

77%

Accurate long balls

44%

33%

Clean sheets

4

1

Stats via Sofascore.

However, when you look at the numbers, it's clear why Arteta has been hellbent on picking the loanee ahead of Ramsdale.

Despite that rough opening 45 minutes against City, Raya has been superb with the ball at his feet, completing 79% of his passes and 93% of his passes inside Arsenal's half. His competition, meanwhile, has completed a worrying 60% of his passes throughout his two EFL Cup outings, and 90% of his passes inside their own half.

More stark has been the Spanish 'keeper's ability in the air, winning ten high claims and 100% of his aerial duels to Ramsdale's two in the Premier League.

This didn't particularly feel like a defining moment for the club's season, but it may well do for Ramsdale.

A move towards the exit door looms for the £24m man, whose chances of any minutes now are surely over. It's a sad end for one of the most likeable and bubbly personalities Arsenal have had in recent memory.

It is quite remarkable how quickly things can change in football, and those affiliated with Tottenham Hotspur will only be too happy to delineate the club's emphatic turnaround.

Manager Ange Postecoglou is the architect of the revolution, having transformed a suffering outfit that finished eighth in the Premier League last season but now look set for an exciting campaign fighting against the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the table.

Tottenham are perched in first-place in the English top flight after eight games, and while there is a very long road ahead, the signs of newfound, lasting positivity are there for all to see.

The results on the pitch have been emphatic but are simply a product of the astute transfer work plied over the summer, and while the likes of James Maddison and Micky van de Ven have captured the awe, prospects such as Alejo Veliz hold potential enough to cement a starring role on English shores in the near future.

How is Alejo Veliz getting on at Tottenham?

Signed from Argentinian side Rosario Central for around £13m in August, Veliz is a 20-year-old centre-forward with a natural inclination for aerial dominance.

Last year, the sharpshooter posted 11 goals and two assists from just 23 games, with talent scout Jacek Kulig touting him as the "complete" striker.

And while he has only made two fleeting substitute displays for the Lilywhites thus far,the youngster is acclimatising to life in Europe and will see a rise in importance as the season progresses.

His former coach, Adrian Dezotti, said this of his faculties: “Alejo is really intelligent but also very cunning, mischievous. He has a lot of tricks up his sleeve, a lot of street smarts. He’s a strategist, a quick thinker."

The 6 foot 1, physical forward offers a range of tools but has earned early acclaim for his "incredible" and "fearsome" prowess in the air, drifting above the clouds to latch onto balls out of reach for the lion's share – winning 4.95 aerial duels per game over the past year (FBref).

He is a distinctive, focal frontman, the kind of striker that gets the footballing traditionalists all starry-eyed and wobbly-kneed. A man of prodigious potential and a dream for creative peers.

He might not even be the biggest talent at Spurs' disposal though, with Jude Soonsup-Bell dazzling at youth level this season and looking to rival his South American counterpart for a place in his senior manager's plans.

Who is Jude Soonsup-Bell?

Despite impressing within the prestigious Cobham Academy, Soonsup-Bell joined Tottenham on a free transfer in January as he approached the culmination of his contract with Chelsea and had not been offered fresh terms.

The Blues have instated a sell-on clause but deemed the precocious hopeful unlikely to wedge his way into the first team with such congested youth ranks.

Now, however, the 19-year-old is comfortably ensconced in Tottenham's U21 team, having started the 2023/24 campaign in stunning form, very much knocking on Postecoglou's door should his early-season feats be sustained.

Spurs fought off competition from the likes of Manchester City to secure his services, and now look to be reaping the rewards, boasting a prodigy to partner someone of Veliz's ilk up front.

The pairing are not the only offensive aces with high ceilings but illustrate the incredible development across the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the outfit very much on the up and improving from the pitch to the training ground to the very air of the dressing room.

Season

Apps

Goals

Assists

23/24

6

6

2

22/23

21

4

2

21/22

36

8

5

20/21

27

19

0

19/20

1

0

0

It's worth noting that the teenage talent most prolific spell to date, during the 2020/21 season, was played at U18 level, with the subsequent campaigns underscoring the improvements made to date – indeed crescendoing in his thunderous present purple patch.

And while Tottenham boast one of the richest youth ranks across all of Europe, Soonsup-Bell's multi-faceted qualities put him right at the top of the pecking order, with a senior debut under Postecoglou surely not too far away.

What is Jude Soonsup-Bell's style of play?

Soonsup-Bell is a talented forward and one who has successfully been shifted across positions during the maiden phase of his career, and while this vortex of instability could derail the progress of some, he has used it to impressively develop different aspects of his game.

Such is corroborated by his older brother, who sang the rising phenom's praises in 2021, highlighting his best attributes that set him in such good stead for a starring role in the Premier League in the future.

He said: "Chelsea saw that he could score goals but contribute more to mould him quickly into a centre forward.

"He is athletic, as a No.9 should be, and he is quite tall and quick. But, for me, his best attribute is his intelligence both on and off the ball. He has the brain for the sport, with composure on the ball.

Chelsea's loss is Tottenham's gain, and while the Blues appear to have failed to learn from past mistakes – letting the likes of Kevin De Bruyne and Mohamed Salah depart as prospects before they bloomed – Postecoglou would love nothing more than to use Soonsup-Bell as a reminder of what could have been.

Salah, in particular, is a relevant case, with the Egpytian among the most clinical forwards in the world and boasting a technical prowess unrivalled aside from the select few in the pantheon of modern greats.

This season alone, the 31-year-old has already plundered six goals and four assists from ten outings, heralded as world-class" by pundit and colour commentator Gary Neville.

The Liverpool star's electric pace, adroit mobility and intellect in decisive passages blend to create a special threat, and one that Soonsup-Bell is showing signs of emulating.

This season, having scored six times and provided two assists, he's boasting the kind of balance that truly can entrap opponents, having fluctuated between a central striking role and a position on the right wing.

A real “handful” for defenders, as was said by football.london's Alasdair Gold, the Spurs starlet is not a carbon copy of Salah but definitely offers similar characteristics, and the evidence is there that he could be moulded into a phenom with a razor-sharp cutting edge.

If Veliz and Soonsup-Bell are provided with the license to build a strike partnership over the coming months and years, the Premier League might be in line for a new force to be reckoned.

With the Argentine's 'fearsome' aerial ability and the former Chelsea youngster's destructive, dynamic threat, the eager Spurs support could rest assured with the knowledge that the future is in safe hands – a future that will sustain this new position of strength.

Twenty20 is guaranteed its place in this money-obsessed age, but cricket can ill-afford to have Test cricket, the purest form, on the back burner

Mike King 14-Oct-2008
Twenty20 is guaranteed its place in this money-obsessed age, but cricket can ill-afford to have Test cricket, the purest form, on the back burner © Sportcel / Pierre Karadia
Twenty20 cricket, with its huge financial enticement, is coming to the West Indies in a few weeks’ time.The date is set for November 1 and the location for the drives and pulls is Antigua. But who are going to be the real stars for this blockbuster cricket match which is offering a prize purse of US$20 million? What is this Stanford 20/20 winner-take-all bonanza really about?There can be no player development in a three-hour exhibition match. This is really about entertainment, enlarging the bank balance of a few players and promoting the image of the sponsor.Sir Allen Stanford, the imposing Texan billionaire with a truckload of spare cash to invest in cricket, thinks the shorter format, and not the Test version, will help popularise and increase revenues for the game. He believes Twenty20 can generate revenue through television in a way that will allow cricketers to be rewarded as well as other professionals.He has got one thing right. Cricket needs more people coming through the turnstiles and Twenty20 has brought out the fans in droves.However, Sir Allen, first and foremost, is a businessman whose priority is promoting himself and his companies. The traditionalists among us know fully well that Test cricket is still the greatest form of the game, and the plan should be to make it more attractive to the public through having more sporting pitches and evenly-matched teams.The truth is, some Test cricket is boring and lacking in genuine quality. We can bite the bullet and introduce innovations such as day-night Tests. There is nothing new in the concept of floodlit Tests – Kerry Packer tried them out with limited success during his World Series Cricket revolution – but could it bring another dimension to the game where it seems only the Ashes series is still afforded five matches?At the end of the day, though, the game needs quality and bonafide stars more so than experiments.Twenty20 is guaranteed its place in this money-obsessed age, but cricket can ill-afford to have Test cricket, the purest form, on the back burner.Whether we refer to them as the Stanford Superstars or the West Indies, if they win next month’s millionaire stakes, all we will have when the script is written is a cast of cricketers with deep pockets and large egos but still short in quality and still ranked eighth in the world. No amount of millions will change that overnight.

Tottenham have now reached a full exit agreement right after their signing of Radu Dragusin, with news breaking on Thursday morning.

Spurs getting business done early

The north Londoners are getting most of their business done nice and early, just as manager Ange Postecoglou intended, with the club signing both Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin already.

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Werner joins on a six-month loan deal with the option to make it permanent in the summer, while Dragusin signs for around £26 million with right-back Djed Spence going the other way temporarily.

Strengthening both attack in defence in one quick swoop, Postecoglou will be thrilled with his side's haste so early in the transfer window – something he said would be imperative.

"If you can bring them in early, even if they don't play you can bed them into training and our style of football because it's not like we're going to sign somebody and they'll hit the ground running. Maybe they could," said Postecoglou on Spurs transfers last month.

20

13

6

1

45

25

20

13

3

4

42

16

19

12

4

3

40

24

20

12

4

4

40

17

"Whereas if you leave it towards the end of January, it's potentially not until mid to end of February when they get up to speed, depending where they're coming from, the league they're coming from. So there's a whole lot of moving parts. So yes, I'd love to do something early in the window but even me saying that puts a challenge on us – because other clubs know we want to do something early."

Outgoings will be just as important when it comes to balancing the books and trimming unwanted members off Postecoglou's squad, and it appears some real headway has been made when it comes to out-of-favour defender Eric Dier.

Tottenham reach agreement to sell Dier

The 29-year-old doesn't feature in Postecoglou's plans at all, made evident by the fact Spurs would rather play a makeshift pairing of Emerson Royal and Ben Davies when Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero aren't available.

Dier has been linked with a move to Bayern Munich, where his former teammate Harry Kane is currently flying. Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, sharing breaking news on Thursday morning, says Dier to Bayern Munich is now a "done deal".

It appears the Englishman's long stay at Spurs is coming to an end, and while the latter part of his stay was one to forget, he will be remembered as a faithful N17 servant.

Patience is the key word when it comes to Chelsea so far this season. They’ve shown glimpses under Mauricio Pochettino, but only glimpses as they saw any building momentum gained from victories over Fulham and Burnley, before a dramatic draw against Arsenal, come to a crashing halt in a 2-0 defeat at the hands of Brentford.

Things don’t get any easier for the Blues, either, who travel to an unbeaten Tottenham Hotspur side in the hope of placing the first dent in their London rivals’ Premier League title chances. As ever, whilst results are inconsistent on the pitch, Todd Boehly reportedly already has an eye on the transfer market and one particular summer target.

Chelsea transfer news

Chelsea once again stole the headlines in the summer transfer window as Boehly gave Pochettino’s new squad a major rebuild. The likes of Kai Havertz, Mateo Kovacic and Mason Mount were all shown the exit door as Cole Palmer, Moises Caicedo and Nicolas Jackson, alongside many others came through the door at Stamford Bridge.

It would come as little surprise if it was the London giants dominating next summer’s window as well, given their financial power and consistent need for reinforcements following poor results. According to reports in Spain, Chelsea are already eyeing a move for Jamie Bynoe-Gittens in the summer. The Blues reportedly consider the Borussia Dortmund player to be someone with exceptional potential and could make their move.

If Chelsea are to sign the English teenager, however, they’ll reportedly have to win the battle for his signature against both Newcastle United and Arsenal in a deal that could reportedly be worth €40m (£35m) in the summer. The winger will certainly have a lot to think about regarding his future, having initially left Manchester City in the Premier League in favour of a move to Dortmund.

Chelsea interested in Bynoe-Gittens

Chelsea’s reported interest in Bynoe-Gittens comes as little surprise. After all, this is a 19-year-old player who has already featured at one of Europe’s top clubs in the form of Borussia Dortmund, making 30 appearances in all competitions. Ticking the homegrown box, too, this is simply a deal that could make perfect sense from a Chelsea perspective. (Jamie Bynoe-Gittens stats – Transfermarkt)

Of course, those at Stamford Bridge will have their current focus on fixing issues within their squad, but they can then turn their attention back towards the future and potentially landing Bynoe-Gittens in 2024. The winger has already been at the centre of praise throughout his Dortmund career, including from teammate Karim Adeyemi who said: "He has no fear. For me, he is one of the best players one-against-one I have ever seen, to be honest. He will be a really good player."

Chelsea may well be hoping to be in a strong enough position to convince Bynoe-Gittens when next summer arrives. As of right now, they do not look on course to qualify for the Champions League, something that Dortmund can consistently offer. The Englishman has also seen just how badly a return to the Premier League from the Bundesliga can go, courtesy of Jadon Sancho, so it could be a tricky transfer.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared some Tottenham Hotspur transfer news as Spurs cast their eyes on an "interesting" £39m star

Spurs striker targets

The departure of star forward and club-record goalscorer Harry Kane has scarcely been noticed so far. Instead of suffering without their former talisman, Spurs have reinvented themselves as a more fluid attacking team, with new captain Son Heung-min thriving in a more central role. Tottenham, after their latest 2-1 win on Friday night, have extended their unbeaten run to 10 games; winning eight of them in a real statement to the rest of the Premier League.

New manager Ange Postecoglou is seemingly transforming the club, and things haven't looked better than this for quite a long time. However, despite thriving without a traditional number nine of Kane's ilk, there have been suggestions that Spurs chairman Daniel Levy and incoming new transfer chief Johan Lange could still sign a new striker next year.

Tottenham are interested in Brentford's Ivan Toney, for instance, who looks set to become one of the hottest commodities in English football once he returns from his ban for alleged gambling breaches. Spurs are eyeing Feyenoord forward Santiago Gimenez as well, according to recent reports, with one agent even saying this week that Spurs are among the "closest" sides to getting him.

Gimenez really "interesting" Tottenham

Now, a very reliable transfer source in Romano has shared his own update on the matter. While he confirms that Gimenez is being watched by Spurs, things don't appear as advanced as previously suggested. Speaking on his YouTube channel, the journalis backs that he's a player really "interesting" Postecoglou's side. Romano also says that Gimenez could leave for just £39 million.

“We know very well that many top clubs around Europe are keeping an eye on the boy,” said Romano.

“From what I’m hearing, something around €45million (£39million) could be the right fee to make it happen. Let’s see if (it’s) in the January window or in the summer window it depends on Feyenoord, more than on the player. The interest of many clubs is there. I think we saw Tottenham linked, because from what I’m told, Tottenham scouts have been following the player already last year.

“While they were following the manager (Slot) they saw that Santi Gimenez is absolutely a very good striker. So Santi Gimenez for sure is a player interesting for Tottenham, but also for many other clubs around Europe, and this is why decisions will be made in the next months. But at the moment, no statement from people close to the player and the only person (handling his transfer business) is the father.”

The 22-year-old has stood out as one of Europe's most in-form strikers this season. Scoring 13 goals and notching a further three assists, his tender age and pedigree could make his reported £39 million valuation a price really worth paying. Gimenez's departure from the Netherlands is surely one to watch as we head into 2024.