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Everton are now stepping up their pursuit of a midfield “magician”, with manager David Moyes believed to be a big fan, according to a report.

Everton's summer transfer plans taking shape

The 2025-26 campaign will be the start of a new era for the Toffees, with Moyes’ side set to move to Bramley-Moore Dock, and the Friedkin Group are looking to make some statement signings to mark the move to the new stadium.

Manchester City’s John Stones is among the targets at centre-back, with the Blues open to bringing the Englishman back to Merseyside, while Ipswich Town star Liam Delap is an option, with Dominic Calvert-Lewin yet to commit to a new deal.

Not only that, but Moyes is keen to strengthen in the middle of the park, having requested the permanent signing of Carlos Alcaraz, who has been on loan from Flamengo since January, while the manager is also a big fan of a Ligue 1 midfielder.

Everton set to cut ties with "outstanding" 93 career-goal ace in summer exit

He’s been a valiant servant at Goodison Park…

By
Sean Markus Clifford

May 12, 2025

That is according to a report from GiveMeSport, which states Moyes is an admirer of Lille’s Angel Gomes, who is set to leave the French club on a free transfer this summer, and Everton are now making moves to secure his signature.

The Toffees are making a renewed attempt to win the race for Gomes, but they may have a huge battle on their hands, with the likes of Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa and West Ham United also expressing an interest in the midfielder.

The need to bring in a new central midfielder may also be exacerbated by the fact that Abdoulaye Doucoure, Idrissa Gueye and Orel Mangala are all currently set to exit Goodison Park upon the expiration of their contracts this summer.

"Magician" Gomes could be fantastic signing

The England international has found game time hard to come by in the second half of the season, having suffered some injury setbacks, but his previous exploits in Ligue 1 indicate that he could be a fantastic signing for Everton this summer.

After being called up to the Three Lions squad earlier this season, the 24-year-old received high praise from French football writer Julien Laurens, who said: “He’s one of the best players in Ligue 1, there’s no doubt.”

The maestro went on to catch the eye during his full debut against Finland, given his passing accuracy and eagerness to get the ball forward.

Nottingham Forest’s Jonathan Panzo has also lauded the Englishman in the past, saying: “He’s like a magician. He’s a small player, but his IQ is so smart and he just knows how to get around the pitch.”

It is little wonder that Everton are so keen on Gomes, but it could be difficult to secure the Lille star’s signature, given the level of interest.

The Premier League has been honoured by plenty of iconic midfielders since its creation back in 1992. Whether it be no-nonsense defensive midfielders, passing maestros who control the game or attacking midfielders who score as many goals as some strikers, plenty of legends have come and gone.

But who is the best midfielder in Premier League history? Ranking such an accomplished group of players is no easy task…

Ranking factors Honours Appearances Goals Assists Teams played for What others have said about them 20 best midfielders in Premier League history: in pictures 20 Gareth Barry Aston Villa, Man City, Everton, West Brom

Starting the countdown is the Premier League’s record appearance holder – Gareth Barry. Playing more than 650 top flight games, Barry was a reliable figure during his career and was known as a more defensive-minded midfielder who could also chip in with goals in the early stages of his career.

The Englishman earned a marquee move to Man City from Aston Villa in 2009 and would go on to win the top flight and the FA Cup at the Etihad Stadium.

Appearances

653

Goals

53

Assists

64

19 James Milner Leeds, Newcastle, Aston Villa, Man City, Liverpool, Brighton

Another long-lasting central midfielder who has been the engine for numerous sides he has played for is James Milner.

After bursting onto the scene at the age of 16 for Leeds United in 2002, Milner has gone on to have an extremely successful career, winning multiple honours with Man City and Liverpool.

At the age of 39, Milner, who has played in a variety of midfield roles throughout his career, is currently still going with Brighton and may have his eyes on breaking Barry’s record.

Appearances

643

Goals

56

Assists

89

18 Paul Ince Man Utd, Liverpool, Middlesbrough, Wolves

Paul Ince had the perfect blend of attacking and defensive qualities as a central midfielder, even managing to squeeze in a stint with Inter Milan between playing for Man Utd and Liverpool.

A member of the first squad to ever win the Premier League, Ince would win the trophy again in 1993/94, with his last Premier League appearance coming for Wolves in 2004.

Former teammate Christian Ziege once said of Ince: “He goes forward looking to score goals and goes backwards to defend his own goal with the same determination. Not a lot of players have that – good at defending and going forward.”

Appearances

306

Goals

42

Assists

29

Titles

2

17 Luka Modric Tottenham

Arguably one of the best signings Tottenham have ever made in the Premier League is Luka Modric, who would spend four years in north London before Real Madrid came calling in 2012.

The Croatia icon caught the eye with his exceptional passing and playmaking ability, and even though he didn’t win the league with Spurs, is still regarded as a great.

Modric went on to become a Ballon d’Or winner, which wouldn’t have surprised Harry Redknapp, who called the midfielder Tottenham’s one “world-class player” back in 2010.

Appearances

127

Goals

13

Assists

15

16 Xabi Alonso Liverpool

Another midfielder who could dictate the tempo of the game was Xabi Alonso, who signed for Liverpool in 2004 from Real Sociedad.

The Spaniard, who was Rafael Benitez’s first addition at Anfield, would go on to form a brilliant partnership with Steven Gerrard on Merseyside and help win the Champions League in 2005.

In the Premier League, Alonso may not have lifted the title, however, he was called “by some distance, the best central midfielder” Gerrard has played alongside.

Appearances

143

Goals

14

Assists

17

15 Claude Makelele Chelsea

Chelsea legend Claude Makelele was so good as a defensive midfielder during his career that it is now well known as the the “Makelele role”.

The Frenchman actually only moved to England and the Premier League at the age of 30, but during those five years at Stamford Bridge, won two titles under Jose Mourinho.

Recently, Mourinho named Makelele in his best XI of players he’s worked with, which just shows the impact he had on the iconic manager.

Appearances

144

Goals

2

Assists

4

Titles

2

14 Michael Carrick West Ham, Tottenham, Man Utd

Despite winning five Premier League titles with Man Utd, Michael Carrick is arguably a midfielder who went under the radar during his career.

After coming through at West Ham and joining Tottenham for two years, the Red Devils made their move in 2006, with Carrick spending 12 years at Old Trafford.

Known for his passing qualities and ability to control a game, Sir Alex Ferguson even called Carrick “the best English centre-midfield player” in 2014.

Appearances

481

Goals

24

Assists

40

Titles

5

13 Rodri Man City

One of the best defensive midfielders in the current modern-day era, Rodri has been Man City’s most important player since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2019.

Replacing Fernandinho at the heart of the City midfield, Rodri has even come up with some crucial goals, including netting the Champions League final winner to complete a treble for Pep Guardiola’s team in 2023.

A four-time Premier League winner, Rodri has also lifted the Ballon d’Or at the Etihad Stadium and has been called a “reference point for every aspiring midfielder in the game”.

Appearances

180

Goals

22

Assists

21

Titles

4

12 N’Golo Kante Leicester City, Chelsea

Arriving in England for just over £5m in 2015, N’Golo Kante would go on to star in his first Premier League season, helping Leicester City shock the world to win the title.

The Frenchman made more tackles and interceptions than any other player in 2015/16 and would move to Chelsea a year later, where he would lift the title again at Stamford Bridge.

Eden Hazard and Joe Cole even said that having Kante is like having “two” in his position due to his engine, and he has gone on to become a world-class midfielder.

Appearances

227

Goals

12

Assists

17

Titles

2

11 David Beckham Man Utd

One of the best set-piece takers in Premier League history, David Beckham was a quality right-midfielder at Man Utd in the top-flight between 1995-2003.

The Englishman won six league titles during that time and was named as the Ballon d’Or runner up in 1999, highlighting the impact he made at Old Trafford.

A global icon, Beckham was only 20 years of age when he became a regular under Sir Alex Ferguson, who called the right-midfielder “magnificent” before he left for Real Madrid.

Appearances

265

Goals

62

Assists

80

Titles

6

Chelsea have seen a huge improvement defensively in recent weeks, keeping five clean sheets in their last seven games, only conceding two goals and 16 shots on target across those seven games.

However, the attacking prowess does seem to have tailed off, with the Blues only scoring nine in their last seven games, with four of those goals coming against bottom of the Premier League, Southampton.

Enzo Maresca will be keen to add some extra firepower to his forward line this summer, with a new striker high on the wish list, alongside a new winger who suits the Italian’s system.

Chelsea battling for £64m "cheat code"

The Blues have been linked with a number of forwards over recent months, from Newcastle superstar Alexander Isak to Ipswich forward Liam Delap.

However, they’re not just casting their net across the Premier League but across European football, too.

Indeed, according to reports from TBR Football, Chelsea are interested in signing AC Milan’s £150m-rated winger, Rafael Leao. The player’s camp are currently assessing the player’s options ahead of the summer.

Transfer Focus

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

That being said, the Blues could face competition from London rivals Arsenal, who are also now emerging as an option for the Portuguese winger.

Both Chelsea and Arsenal are keen to add a right-footed left-winger who offers a direct goal threat, speed in transition and creative qualities to unlock a game through their individual brilliance.

Leao has made 43 appearances for the Italian outfit this season, scoring ten goals, providing nine assists and totaling 2,997 minutes.

Chelsea are also reportedly in the race to sign Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens, so just how do the pair compare?

How Leao compares to Gittens this season

Dortmund’s Gittens is another target emerging for Maresca’s side and it’s easy to see why.

The 20-year-old sensation – who is seen as the future of English football – has made 42 appearances for the German outfit this season, netting 12 goals and providing four assists.

He notably shone in the Champions League, scoring against Real Madrid, and would be a superb signing. Still, he’s not quite as good as Leao.

Both players fit the bill of a Maresca winger, looking to get into plenty of 1v1 isolations with the opposition fullback, capable of going both inside and outside and having the directness to drive towards the box themselves.

One factor that could be slightly more worrying surrounding Leao compared to Gittens is work rate, with Maresca often asking his wide players to work hard defensively.

Goals

0.28

0.43

Assists

0.26

0.11

xG

0.28

0.20

xAG

0.27

0.13

Progressive Carries

4.86

5.74

Progressive Passes

3.67

2.08

Shots Total

2.30

2.59

Key Passes

2.09

1.09

Shot-Creating Actions

4.37

3.77

Successful Take-Ons

2.99

3.81

Whilst Gittens has a slightly higher shot volume, manages more progressive carries and successful take-ons, Leao offers more through creative passing, with more key passes, more shot-creating actions and higher assist numbers.

Described as one of football’s “cheat codes” by analyst Raj Chohan, Milan’s Portuguese star has blistering pace, the persistence to be direct and attack the opposition full-backs. He always forces them into uncomfortable scenarios and has the ability to create something out of nothing in a split second.

Both players would be excellent signings for Chelsea, but with the Blues already having such a young and inexperienced side, an addition like Leao could provide more of an instant boost, with a big-name signing to raise morale and ready to play a significant part in a title challenge.

By the numbers: all the highlights from the fourth day of the Bengaluru Test

Sampath Bandarupalli19-Oct-20244 India batters, who in the second innings, outscored their team’s first-innings total of 46: Rohit Sharma (52), Virat Kohli (70), Sarfaraz Khan (150) and Rishabh Pant (99). Only one team had more batters outscoring their first-innings total in a Men’s Test – five by South Africa against England in 1924 in Birmingham.416 The difference in runs between India’s two totals in Bengaluru is the second-highest for any team after being bowled out for a sub-100 first-innings score. The highest is also by India, who scored 422 runs more in the second innings (505 for 3) than the 83 all-out in the first innings against New Zealand in Mohali in 1999.Related

• O'Rourke: 'I've been pretty streaky, pretty hot and cold with the ball'

• Eccentric, electric, entertaining – it's the Sarfaraz & Pant show

• India flex batting muscle before collapsing to set New Zealand 107

• Bengaluru weatherwatch: spells of rain and thunderstorms forecast for last day

10.04 The ratio between India’s totals in Bengaluru – 462 all-out and 46 all-out. It is the second-highest ratio between a team’s totals in a Test match, behind South Africa’s 13.00 – 30 all-out and 390 all-out against England in 1924.462 India’s second-innings total against New Zealand is the second-lowest all-out total in Tests, where the top five batters aggregated 400-plus runs. The lowest is 433 by Australia against England in 1970 at Brisbane.Zero to hero – Scoring ducks and 150+ runs in the same Test among Indians•ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 Indian batters with a duck and a 150-plus score in a Test match, including Sarfaraz. Madhav Apte followed up his first-innings duck with an unbeaten 163 against West Indies in 1953 at Port of Spain, while Nayan Mongia bagged a duck after scoring 152 in the first innings against Australia in 1996 in Delhi.Sarfaraz is now only the 13th batter to follow up his first-innings duck with a 150-plus score in a Test match. The last of the previous 12 was Dimuth Karunaratne against New Zealand in 2014 in Christchurch.59 Runs Sarfaraz scored behind the wicket on either side during his 150-run knock. These are the third-most runs scored by an India batter behind the wicket on either side in a men’s Test innings since 2002, according to ESPNcricinfo’s ball-by-ball data logs.Rahul Dravid scored 61 runs behind the wicket on either side against Pakistan in 2004 during his 270 in Rawalpindi, while Kohli scored 60 against South Africa in 2019 during his 254* in Pune.7 Dismissals in the nineties for Rishabh Pant in Test cricket. No batter other than Pant has been dismissed more than three times in the nineties since his debut in August 2018. He is also the only batter with more nineties than centuries scored (among players with five or more hundreds in Test cricket)Pant also became the first Indian batter to be dismissed on 99 in Tests since Murali Vijay against Australia in 2014 at the Adelaide Oval.7 for 62 India’s total in the 19.3 overs after the second new ball was taken by New Zealand. They managed only 29 runs for the loss of six wickets in the 11.3 overs after William O’Rourke was introduced in the 89th over.42 Runs added by India after the fall of their fifth wicket across both innings in Bengaluru. These are the second-fewest runs by India for their last five partnerships across both innings in a Men’s Test, behind the 28 against Australia in 2017 in Pune.7 Indian batters to have bagged a duck in Bengaluru, the joint-most for them in a Test match. Seven Indian batters bagged ducks also against England in 1952 in Leeds.

The superstar from the T20 league circuit is all but certain to play the three T20Is against India next week

Andrew McGlashan17-Sep-2022There has been a lot of talk about what Tim David be able to do in an Australia shirt. Next week we will get the first chance to see what he do.It was always likely these three games in India would provide David the chance to make a debut for his second international team – he has played 14 T20Is for Singapore – but the injuries to Mitchell Marsh and Marcus Stoinis have made it all but certain.Related

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By the time the World Cup comes around in a month’s time, David could have eight matches for Australia under his belt with series against West Indies and England to follow.But David’s is a strange entry into Australian colours because he’s been up in lights on the big stage for some time already, yet apart from his two-month stint in the BBL, he is outside of the Australian cricket system. The way the sport’s landscape is rapidly changing, he is unlikely to be the last to take this path. Some of his new team-mates are still to be introduced.”I look forward to meeting him,” said Mitchell Starc, who will now have to wait until next month having sat out the India trip. “He’s obviously plied his trade around the world in different leagues. He’s got his opportunity now in the World Cup squad.”Think we’ll see more and more players [emerge] in that fashion. Certainly the next generation I’m sure we’ll see it more and more with more opportunities in different leagues, that’s just the way cricket seems to be heading at the minute.”I’m much the same as [the public], I’ve seen him on TV. Obviously that power and what he brings to the table to any team he plays for and now he has a chance to do that on the international stage.”David’s body of work produced during his globe-trotting cannot be doubted. Of teams he has played more than two games for since December 2020 (when his T20 league career started to take off with Hobart Hurricanes) his lowest strike-rate is 143.92 with St Lucia Kings in the CPL. His strike-rate of 216.27 for Mumbai Indians in the last IPL made a mockery of him being left out during that competition.That latter figure also suggests he should not have too many concerns adapting to the conditions over the next week in India. The quality of the bowling may be a different challenge given that there is rarely a weaker link that is sometimes the case in franchise cricket, but he has a good grounding.”One of the rare things he has which there isn’t a whole lot of in Australia is just raw power,” Glenn Maxwell said. “He’s able to muscle the ball, much in the same way Stoinis and Mitch Marsh do it. He’s probably developed his game a little bit over the last two years where he’s got a bit more off-side [shots] so he’s not a one-dimensional hitter, he’s able to clear the boundary in different areas. He does it against spin and quicks which is something that’s really impressive and something that impressed me during the IPL as well watching him go about his business.”However, in terms of David’s position in the team, it’s what comes after India that is most interesting. Assuming that Marsh and Stoinis are both fit come the World Cup there remains a decision to be made as to how he fits into the final XI.4:48

Hodge: Australia shouldn’t look back from this point when it comes to Tim David

Despite being able to shed his tag of “Mr Fix It”, Steven Smith would appear the most vulnerable (setting aside, for a moment, the ramifications of Aaron Finch’s poor form extending through the next few weeks).”I feel like when I’m playing good T20 cricket, I’m in that team for sure,” Smith said during the recent one-day series against Zimbabwe. “The role that I’ve been given the last couple of years is the ‘Mr Fix It’ role and that tag’s been taken away from me now. I can just take the game on and if I want to smack someone for six first ball, then I’m able to do that freely.”Whether that is really his game, though, is the question. While not a completely fair comparison given their roles, in 200 T20 innings Smith has hit 130 sixes and in 119 innings David has already struck 165.There remains a feeling that Australia like having Smith in their line-up. So if they keep him and swap David for a more like-for-like player, the only option would be Stoinis, who helped win the World Cup semi-final against Pakistan last year and has since struck at 162.50 in T20Is. He can also provide some overs if needed.A lean return in these three matches against India should not dampen David’s chances of playing the World Cup, either. But if he replicates the type of innings he has already shown around the globe, then he will be even harder to leave out than it already looks.

Also watch out for Sandeep vs Kohli, and how big an impact the toss will have

Nagraj Gollapudi and Gaurav Sundararaman05-Nov-2020Remove the obstacle called PadikkalThe Sunrisers’ attention will no doubt be on Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers whose batting fortunes continue to dictate the success for the Royal Challengers. However, one man who has played a big role in the seven wins for the Royal Challengers this IPL is Devdutt Padikkal, who has made the most runs in a season by a debutant in the history of the tournament.Padikkal, an attractive left-hand batsman, has scored 298 runs at a strike rate of 125.20 in the seven wins while making 174 runs at nearly 129 in the seven defeats. To counter Padikkal, the Sunrisers have Sandeep Sharma, one of the best bowlers in the powerplay this IPL.Sharma has picked nine wickets in the first six overs this season, with four of them of left-hand batsmen, conceding just 57 runs in 54 deliveries to them. The away swing and the slower ball will remain his attacking options and will challenge both Royal Challengers openers – Padikkal and one of the two Australians: Josh Philippe or Aaron Finch.Padikkal’s weak point has been the short delivery; he has scored just 46 runs off 48 short balls while getting out twice. Jason Holder, who is likely to bowl with the new ball, has the pace and height to trouble Padikkal with short-pitched deliveries.Attack Sandeep earlySharma’s modus operandi has been to bowl three out of his four overs in the powerplay. So far he has bowled seven overs in the middle phase at an economy rate of 6.85 and nine overs at the death where he has leaked runs at 10.44 per over. If the Royals Challengers top order can attack Sharma early on, it can disrupt the Sunrisers’ bowling plans. The openers could charge at Sharma to try and negate his swing, and unsettle him by making him bowl to their strengths rather than letting him to dominate.Can Kohli break the Sandeep jinx?Seven times Sharma has got the Royal Challengers captain in the IPL, the most by any bowler. If Sharma pitches the ball a bit too full or short, Kohli picks him for runs. But it’s the good-length deliveries from Sharma that have troubled Kohli the most, dismissing him as many as five times in the IPL, while conceding only 17 runs off 23 balls.Should Kohli just wait for the loose deliveries or walk to the other end and exercise patience? With Kohli having tough match-ups against Rashid Khan and Sharma, he needs to maximise against the other three or four Sunrisers bowlers.ESPNcricinfo LtdRashid v Kohli and de Villiers – the heavyweight title in the middle oversThe pressure will be on both batsmen, who bat in the middle overs, the phase where Khan prowls like a proud lion. Kohli has often been a suspect against the googly in the IPL, which is one of Khan’s stealth weapons. Kohli has managed only 18 runs off 19 deliveries against Khan in the IPL, with one dismissal. The Sunrisers strike bowler has also got de Villiers twice in the IPL, allowing only 25 runs off as many balls.Clearly then both batsmen will remain watchful against Khan who has delivered three of his most economical spells in the IPL this edition. The challenge, though, for both Kohli and de Villiers will be to provide a push in the middle phase where the Royal Challengers’ run rate is the worst. In overs seven through 16, the Royal Challengers have the weakest scoring rate of 7.28, which has contributed heavily in their batting failures.ESPNcricinfo LtdALSO READ: Royal Challengers Bangalore ‘could be more brave with the bat’ – KohliIf the Royal Challengers have to raise a big target or chase one successfully, both Kohli and de Villiers will need to bat deep. That is why it is important their openers take the gamble and attack the Sunrisers’ new-ball unit of Sharma, Holder and T Natarajan.Beware of Warner-Saha partnership The Sunrisers’ run rate of 9.50 in the powerplay in the last seven matches of the league phase is the best this IPL. David Warner has regained his ruthless touch in this period and in their wins in the last three matches, Wriddhiman Saha has played a massive hand with two quickfire half-centuries while opening. Both batsmen have also been key performers in IPL playoffs in the past, so the Royal Challengers bowlers would want to be at their absolute best in order to keep them in check.ESPNcricinfo LtdHow to stop Warner?Bowl Washington Sundar in the powerplay. In the last contest between these two teams, Warner paid for his greed. Having hit Sundar for a six on the first delivery the offspinner bowled in the match, Warner went for another big hit and was caught promptly at midwicket. It was the first time Warner had lost his wicket inside the powerplay to a spinner, since 2016 against Sunil Narine.The importance of removing the prized wicket of the best batsman early on cannot be overstated. In the 22 instances Warner has been out inside the powerplay, the Sunrisers have lost 12 times in the IPL.ESPNcricinfo LtdSundar has strong numbers in the powerplay: 115 runs off 120 deliveries at an economy rate of 5.75, which is second only to Jofra Archer so far this tournament. Sundar has kept Warner in check so far during their one-on-one contests too. On the three occasions he has bowled against Warner so far, Sundar has given away just 28 runs off 24 deliveries, including 11 dot balls while picking his wicket once. So this will be one of the most important match-ups in the contest.Win toss – say ‘chase’!The last five matches played in Abu Dhabi have been won by teams chasing. It’s a no-brainer then that both Kohli and Warner will want to field after winning the toss. Overall, too, teams chasing have won 12 out of 20 matches at this venue, which has seen a lot of dew in recent games.Kohli will also hope that his luck at the toss changes: he got the toss in his favour six out of the 14 matches in the league phase. Warner, meanwhile, has had a better record of winning 10 out of his 14 tosses.The Royal Challengers have also lost two of their four matches in Abu Dhabi and both those defeats happened in the last week, including their last league match, against the Delhi Capitals. The Sunrisers have played three matches at the venue, winning just once. One of their two defeats came in the Super Over against the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Tottenham Hotspur sporting director Fabio Paratici is now planning to spearhead a move for a “world-class” £100m forward, having recently returned to N17 after a FIFA ban.

Spurs looking to strengthen attacking options

Thomas Frank is off to a solid start as Tottenham manager, despite being left a little light on attacking options at times, with Dominic Solanke, James Maddison, Randal Kolo Muani and Dejan Kulusevski all spending time on the sidelines.

In the week, Frank stressed just how important Kulusevski is to his side, and appeared to hint that the Sweden international may be back sooner rather than later, saying: “He’s a key, key player for us. Instead of putting an exact month on [his return]. I just want him back as quick as possible. I know the medical team and Dejan are working very hard on that. It’s not tomorrow, hopefully not too far away.”

The 25-year-old was a shining light in a Spurs side that underperformed in the Premier League last season, while also playing his part in the Europa League triumph, chipping in with four goal contributions during the run to the final.

Competition	Appearances	Goal contributions
Premier League	32	11
Europa League	11	4
FA Cup	2	2
EFL Cup	5	4

As such, the winger’s return will be a welcome boost for Frank, but Tottenham have set their sights on bringing in a new forward, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states they are among the clubs chasing AFC Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo.

Having enjoyed a fantastic start to the season, Semenyo is being chased by a number of top Premier League clubs, but a deal could be very expensive, with the Cherries planning to hold out for a fee of around £80m – £100m.

Paratici has given the green light to lead the pursuit of the 25-year-old, with the Lilywhites expressing a strong interest in getting a deal done, which pre-dates the Italian’s return to north London.

Tottenham open agent talks to sign £35m Brazilian who's "deadly in the box"

Spurs have entered discussions over a deal for a new forward, who is being targeted by a number of top clubs.

By
Dominic Lund

Oct 19, 2025

"World-class" Semenyo would be statement signing for Tottenham

In his fourth season as a Premier League player, the Ghanaian appears to be entering his prime, having chipped in with six goals and three assists in eight matches, winning Bournemouth’s Goal of the Month award courtesy of a stunning strike against Liverpool in August.

Journalist Liam Canning was left particularly impressed by the forward’s performance in the Cherries’ 3-1 victory over Fulham earlier this month, singling him out for high praise on X after the match.

Even at £80m, the Bournemouth star would be by far Tottenham’s most expensive signing of all-time, but if the board want to make a real statement of intent in the post-Daniel Levy era, signing Semenyo would show they truly mean business.

Former Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle has tipped a ‘world-class’ member of Thomas Frank’s squad to snub new contract talks amid interest from world football’s elite sides.

Tottenham enjoy mini Thomas Frank revival after two consecutive wins

Frank’s Tottenham tenure was heading towards crisis territory just days ago, but consecutive victories over Brentford and Slavia Prague have injected fresh optimism into a campaign that threatened to derail completely.

Saturday’s 2-0 triumph against Brentford represented far more than three precious points — it also went a long way to vindicating Frank’s approach after mounting pressure following a dismal five-match winless streak.

The victory, sealed through first-half strikes from Richarlison and Xavi Simons, ended Tottenham’s agonizing wait for a home Premier League win since their opening-day demolition of Burnley.

Frank described the performance as “very complete,” highlighting his side’s dynamism, unpredictability and defensive discipline that restricted Brentford to just four attempts throughout the match.

Owen Hargreaves says "exceptional" Tottenham star outshone Simons against Prague

It was a great night for Spurs in Europe.

ByEmilio Galantini 5 days ago

Simons, who has attracted criticism since his £52 million arrival from RB Leipzig, put in a Player of the Match display.

The Netherlands international orchestrated both goals, curving his run brilliantly to deliver Richarlison’s tap-in before producing a sensational solo effort, driving from halfway into Brentford’s penalty area to slide past Caoimhin Kelleher.

Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague continued the momentum, extending Tottenham’s remarkable home European record to 23 consecutive matches without defeat.

An own goal from David Zima, and penalties from Mohammed Kudus and Simons, elevated Spurs into the top eight of the Champions League standings with 11 points from six games.

Kudus was Tottenham’s ‘best player by far’ on the night as he continues to justify his £55 million transfer from West Ham in the summer, but Micky van de Ven once again proved himself indispensable too.

According to recent reports, Spurs are ready to offer van de Ven a ‘double your money’ contract in an attempt to ward off the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea, who’ve shown interest in the Dutchman.

Van de Ven is an indispensable member of the Lilywhites backline and scored what was perhaps their goal of the season against FC Copenhagen recently, mimicking Son Heung-min’s famous Puskas winner with a mazy run from deep inside his own half.

Interest in the 24-year-old is inevitable, with Hoddle now commenting on the defender’s long-term future.

Glenn Hoddle tips van de Ven to snub Tottenham contract offer

Amid claims that Spurs are eager to tie down their superstar centre-back, Hoddle has now told Capital Football that he expects van de Ven to snub Tottenham’s advances over a new deal.

Hoddle adds that he is the club’s ‘only’ world-class player, and could ply his trade at basically any team in the world.

The former Wolfsburg star was also a vital member of Ange Postecoglou’s team and key to the Australian’s high line. Whenever van de Ven was absent through injury, you noticed, and he’d be an equally hard player to replace for Frank.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is the only Spurs star to play more Premier League minutes this season than van de Ven, highlighting just how pivotal he is for Tottenham’s new boss.

Replacing him would be a near-impossible task, but luckily for the club, he’s already contracted until 2029.

West Ham United are keen on a January swoop for an “unbelievable” striker, who now wants a move to the Premier League.

West Ham looking to provide Jarrod Bowen with support in attack

West Ham have become more difficult to beat since the arrival of Nuno, having lost just one of their last six Premier League games, but they will be disappointed they were unable to hold on against Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.

The Hammers were in the lead until stoppage time, before Georginio Rutter netted a controversial late equaliser, which Nuno believes should’ve been ruled out, saying: “It was a handball, wasn’t it, and a high foot. No need to speak with the referee. I think it was the main factor.”

Picking up three points against an in-form Brighton side would’ve been an impressive result, but it wasn’t to be, despite Jarrod Bowen putting in an impressive performance, netting his fourth Premier League goal of the season after starting in a central role.

Callum Wilson came off the bench to assist Bowen’s goal, with the former Newcastle United man now up to five goal contributions this season, but with his contract due to expire in the summer, the Irons are looking to provide their captain with some additional support in attack.

That is according to a report from Hammers News, which has provided a new update on West Ham’s Ivan Toney pursuit, stating Nuno’s side are keen on signing the striker in the January transfer window.

The Hammers have already explored a deal for Toney, having been impressed by his performances in England for Brentford, and the centre-forward now wants to make a return to the Premier League ahead of the 2026 World Cup.

However, it is unlikely the east Londoners will be able to get a deal over the line, given the Al-Ahli star’s huge wage demands, which could be a major obstacle.

West Ham now lining up concrete January move for £80k-a-week Chelsea player

The Hammers are looking to sign a “leader” in the upcoming transfer window.

ByDominic Lund Dec 7, 2025 "Unbelievable" Toney could help fire West Ham to safety

Despite West Ham being difficult to beat in recent weeks, they are still in real trouble, currently sitting two points from safety and inside the relegation zone.

The former Brentford striker has proven he has what it takes to help fire the Hammers to safety, maintaining a fantastic attacking record across his three seasons in the Premier League with the Bees.

Season

Premier League appearances

Goal contributions

2021-22

33

17

2022-23

33

24

2023-24

17

6

Former manager Thomas Frank also waxed lyrical about the Englishman upon his departure, saying: “It’s been a pleasure to work with Ivan over the last four years. He has averaged more than one goal every two games, which is an unbelievable number.”

With West Ham at real risk of relegation, they definitely need to make some new additions in the January window, and Toney is exactly the calibre of signing they should be looking to make.

Benches cleared during Wednesday night’s game between the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles after O’s outfielder Heston Kjerstad took exception with Yankees second baseman Pablo Reyes as he slid into second.

As Kjerstad stole second, Reyes jumped to bring down the throw down from catcher Austin Wells and Reyes came down awkwardly on Kjerstad's head. Words were exchanged and benches quickly cleared between both sides. The Orioles' bullpen sprinted in from center field and the Yankees' relievers followed slowly behind.

The dust up amounted to a whole lot of nothing, with players quickly separating and play resuming shortly after.

Yankees broadcaster Michael Kay couldn't fathom why the bullpens cleared as well, as the incident settled before they could even get to second base from behind the center-field wall.

"I'm telling you, the run from the bullpen is one of the most ridiculous things," Kay said on the broadcast via Prime Video and . "No one's thrown a punch. No one's said a curse word. But they all had to run from the 410-foot mark."

You can't help but wonder why the bullpens even bothered. But, hey, they did what they could do get there as soon as possible, I guess.

The Orioles (12-18) beat the Yankees (18-13) by a score of 5-4 to take the rubber match of the three-game series between the American League East rivals.