Category Uncategorized

The 2025/26 campaign has been testing, to say the least, for Tottenham Hotspur.

After winning the Europa League under Ange Postecoglou, then relieving the Australian coach of his duties, fans were hopeful that a page had been turned, but on the edge of the Premier League season’s midpoint, Thomas Frank’s side are 11th, seven points off the top four.

Still, Crystal Palace were defeated at Selhurst Park on Sunday afternoon and that represented the turning of a corner. Spurs have more work to complete, but Frank was pleased with his side’s spirit and togetherness and initiative.

However, support is needed ahead of the January transfer window, with Frank’s midfield in particular need of investment.

Spurs' plans to sign a midfielder

Yves Bissouma has not played for Tottenham this season. Disciplinary reasons are behind it. The Malian is likely to leave in 2026, and a replacement must be found, with the partnership of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur leaving much to be desired.

It was Archie Gray who flicked home with his head to score his first senior goal, securing three points at Palace and continuing Tottenham’s impressive form on the road. Given that Spurs ranked 17th for away form in 2024/25, this is impressive, with more control and mettle on show.

But Gray is young, and Sofascore statistics reveal he has won only 28% of his duels in the Premier League this year. More experience and robustness is needed in the middle of the park.

And according to TEAMtalk’s Dean Jones, Tottenham have held talks with intermediaries over the potential signing of Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka, who is anticipated to leave the Allianz Arena in 2026.

The German, 30, is keen on a move to England after a career in his homeland, and his progressiveness on the ball could be perfect for a Lilywhites outfit who have struggled to create clear-cut chances with enough consistency.

Manchester United sniffed around last summer, and Bayern retorted with £34m transfer demands. Tottenham will be eyeing a lesser fee than that.

Why Goretzka is a Gray upgrade

Gray is a top talent, and Tottenham felt a rush of excitement when they hijacked Brentford’s bid for the Leeds United prospect and signed him for about £30m in 2024.

He has already featured 59 times for the seniors, and is touted as a future Three Lions mainstay. But Gray’s not there yet, and Goretzka would provide Tottenham with the elite experience they need.

Goretzka is into his third decade, but he’s still a force to be reckoned with, a crisp and intelligent distributor with a tenacity that underpins his technical quality.

Quite simply, Frank would open up new midfield dimensions with Goretzka added to the pack. Just look at how he compares with Gray, whose efforts over the past 12 months have left something to be desired in regard to forward passing metrics.

Goretzka vs Palhinha (past 12 months)

Stats (per 90)

Goretzka

Gray

Goals scored

0.11

0.04

Assists

0.04

0.00

Touches

83.47

58.39

Pass completion (%)

91.0

87.2

Progressive passes

7.96

2.31

Progressive carries

2.06

0.74

Shot-creating actions

2.25

0.86

Successful take-ons

0.34

0.39

Ball recoveries

4.88

3.37

Tackles + interceptions

2.74

2.04

Aerial duels won

1.80

0.55

Data via FBref

Gray’s statistics will have been somewhat skewed by his regular trips to defence last season, such was the severity of Spurs’ injury crisis, but it still emphasises his inferiority.

Subscribe to the newsletter for Spurs midfield insights Hungry for stats-backed Spurs transfer and midfield analysis? Subscribing to the newsletter gives detailed breakdowns of player comparisons, tactical implications and potential targets like Goretzka — essential context for fans following squad plans.

---

Subscribe By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

He is understandably weaker than the £218k-per-week Goretzka, who has been dubbed a midfield “machine” by Die Roten teammate Aleksandar Pavlović, and it is for this reason that Tottenham should leap at the chance to sign him.

This is a German international whose career has been replete with silverware, including the Champions League in 2019/20 and no less than six separate Bundesliga titles.

His versatility as a central midfielder allows him to play in more advanced roles or as an anchor in front of the backline. Both duties require skill on the ball, athleticism and dynamism, and he has all of that and more.

Gray’s time will come, and it’s not as if he isn’t being put to work by his north London employers. But Tottenham clearly need more in midfield if they are to hit their targets across Frank’s first year, and with Goretzka preparing to leave Bayern Munich after so many years, ENIC might want to pounce nice and early, bringing him over for the second half of the season.

Related 0 dribbles, 0 shots: £150k-p/w flop showed why Spurs needed to sign Semenyo

This Tottenham Hotspur flop just showed why the club needed to sign Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth.

Posts ByDan Emery

Australia wicketkeeper-batter Josh Inglis, who was picked by Lucknow Super Giants for INR 8.6 crore at the recent IPL mini-auction, has confirmed that he will not be fully available for the 2026 season. Inglis said he would be getting married in early April, with IPL 2026 set to run from March 26 to May 31.”Well, I sort of watched a lot of it [IPL auction] and I was pushed back in the pecking order,” Inglis told . “I don’t have full availability this year. I’m getting married in early April. So, I didn’t really expect to go, to be honest. So I sort of saw my name go by unsold… the first one I was like ‘alright stuff this, I’m going to bed’ and I need to switch on for tomorrow [Ashes] and then woke up to the news. I didn’t know until I’d seen a few messages this morning.”Though his former IPL coach at Punjab Kings, Ricky Ponting, had hinted at Inglis’ partial availability after the franchise had released him, Inglis triggered a bidding war at the auction after initially going unsold. LSG eventually outbid Sunrisers Hyderabad and reunited Inglis with coach Justin Langer – the pair has previously worked together at Perth Scorchers in the Big Bash League (BBL).Related

• IPL 2026 to be held between March 26 and May 31

• IPL 2026: How the ten teams stack up after the auction

• IPL 2026 auction: Green and greenhorns strike gold

PBKS co-owner Ness Wadia suggested that Inglis was among the players the franchise had been looking to keep for IPL 2026 until the player communicated his lack of full availability “45 minutes before the deadline.””We didn’t really let go of Josh. I mean, Josh unfortunately, sadly, only told us at the last minute, which was not very fair given that he had been with us for a while,” Wadia told . “I think everyone knew when the retention was coming, and we were informed by him 45 minutes before the deadline that he was getting married and needed time to relax and recuperate. He said he was going to be available only for a couple of weeks [three games].”We told him he should have informed us earlier. I don’t think it was very professional of him. I don’t think it is very professional of anyone if they know there is a deadline. You can’t call someone 45 minutes before and say, ‘Hey, I’m not coming,’ especially when he knew that we were retaining him.”But I wish him all the best. He is a good player and I am sure he will do well for Australia. And let’s see whether he plays in the IPL or not. I wish him all the best because he is a fellow human being. But, the manner in which he behaved was not very professional.”In his first IPL season, Inglis slotted in a disruptor in PBKS’ line-up, scoring 278 runs in 11 innings at an average of 30.88 and strike rate of 162.57. The tally included a match-winning 73 off 42 balls from No.3 against a Jasprit-Bumrah-led Mumbai Indians attack in Jaipur. Overall, Inglis has scored 3853 runs in 152 T20 innings at an average of 29.86 and strike rate of just under 150.

The success of Twenty20 cricket has prompted the Indian board to contemplate introducing the shortest version of the game in women’s domestic cricket. It is likely that women will play Twenty20 matches this season, though it is yet to be fitted into the schedule. The board will also discuss organising a women’s World Twenty20.”The BCCI is trying [to see] a Twenty20 World Cup for women cricket organised either before or after the women’s World Cup,” Niranjan Shah, the board secretary, told .The ICC has not discussed any firm proposals for arranging such tournament on a world scale. Any such development would have to go through the ICC women’s committee. The 50-over World Cup is scheduled to be played in Australia in 2009 though the venues within the country are yet to be approved by the ICC.The first-ever Twenty20 international was played by women when New Zealand beat England by nine runs in Hove in August 2004, six months before Australia and New Zealand played the first men’s international in Auckland.The Indian women also played their first and only Twenty20 before the men’s side, when they beat England by eight wickets in Derby in August 2006. Four months later the men’s side played their first Twenty20 when beat they South Africa by nine runs in Johannesburg.

The trial of Mark Vermeulen, the former Zimbabwe Test player charged with arson attacks on the Zimbabwe cricket association’s boardroom and training academy, has been adjourned after the prosecution failed to produce vital video evidence.Vermeulen, 27, who played the last of his eight Test matches in 2004, is charged with two counts of arson and if convicted faces 25 years in prison. He is accused of first trying to torch the association’s boardroom at the Harare Sports Club in late October and then burning down the pavilion at the training academy the following day.His trial is now set for February 7 after his defence lawyer, David Dhumbura, outlined the problems in a letter to the court. He wrote: “To date we still have not received a copy of the video footage on indications made by [the] client.”He went onto say that the delay had meant they had been unable to prepare the defence case in time for the December 6 hearing. “This is a serious and sensitive matter, we cannot afford ill-preparation. The liberty of our client is at immense risk.”Dhumbura said Vermeulen required expert medical examination and added: “We will be seeking a medical report from Australia which will describe the effects of a serious skull fracture which our client sustained in January 2004 [during the VB series].”Vermeulen was also examined by a local psychiatrist and a psycho-analyst who had both indicated they would only be able to provide comprehensive reports after December 8.Dhumbura applied for Vermeulen to be allowed to play cricket at any venue other than Harare Sports Club or Country club. The Magistrate William Bhila deferred the trial to next year and relaxed Vermeulen’s bail conditions from reporting daily to the police to once a week.

Sourav Ganguly: will there be a repeat of Lord’s 1996? © Getty Images

Sourav Ganguly, the deposed Indian captain, says he will treat his comeback to the Indian squad for the first Test against Sri Lanka, at Chennai on December 2, as if it was his first Test match.”If I get a chance against Sri Lanka, I will give my best as I did in my first Test, and try to do well,” Ganguly told a TV channell in what was his first reaction to being selected. “One is always happy at representing the country, be it your first Test, the 50th or 100th, as it is a great honour.”Ganguly also added that he was expecting to be named in the squad as he “had a good tour of Zimbabwe”. Admitting that his experience would be valuable while making a comeback, Ganguly, however, said one learns something new every day. “Even someone playing his 100th Test would say that he could still improve. We have new experiences every day and new results and situations confront us while batting and bowling.”Ganguly even admitted that playing domestic cricket had benefitted him. “Obviously, the more cricket one plays, the better one gets.”

Andrew Leipus: ‘It’s a pity that I won’t be around for Sachin’s 35th hundred’© AFP

With a bowler, you can ask how many wickets, with a batsman, how many runs. With a coach you can ponder the win-loss record. But, how do you judge a physio? Injuries come and go, striking even fittest of cricketers in the freakiest circumstances. It’s never easy to judge how well a physio is doing his job. Yet, if the players he trains, and the coach he works with, have a decent comfort level, that’s always a good sign. With Andrew Leipus, who is leaving the Indian team at the end of the Bangladesh tour after five years on the job, there’s no doubt how the team feels.”Andrew [Leipus] has been outstanding,” says John Wright, fulsome in his praise. “He is a thorough professional but I think the biggest thing about him is his work ethic. He is going to be very hard to replace; you don’t find too many Andrews around. You try and put good people around you and he is definitely one of those people.”Leipus, though pleased to hear Wright’s comments, is modest. “I’m flattered he says that, we have grown to become a bit of a family. Obviously you spend so much time with people that you develop relationships and get good understanding of how each of us operate. We know the little quirks, when to back off and when to approach each other. It will be tough when someone else takes over, but it’s life, no one is irreplaceable, ultimately.”When Leipus first began, in late 1999, he was able to quickly adjust to India and her people because he had already visited the country before, as a backpacker, with his girlfriend. “I think it really helped me to be honest; I knew the culture, I knew the country and I knew what to expect. It wasn’t a huge culture shock; it’s not like I got out of the plane and then have a central shock,” he says. “I had seen India from the trains, buses, tuk-tuks and stayed in guest lodges so I experienced it from the ground level. Obviously at the other end of the spectrum I am standing with heroes and superstars of Indian society so I have seen probably both ends of the spectrum.”But what was harder to get used to was the media attention his job received. Every injury fuelled speculations and rumours. “I never expected that much attention when I first got here,” he reflects. “Nowhere else in the world does the physio get that much attention from the media. You get periods when you get a bit of injury or something happens and you rest a player then the media sort of jumps on the story; it’s a story and I know you are doing your job.”We are trying to keep the injury sort of quiet for whatever reason from the gamesmanship point of view that becomes a bit of problem. I get a bit of annoyed when there is too much going behind the scenes. Those are tough times; obviously when you are under the pump and there are a few injuries and the media is jumping on, asking ‘is Leipus doing his job?’ that’s tough but generally, I have had a decent relationship with the media. I respect you guys for your job; it’s a very tough job to do. You’ve a harder job than me, I think.”But if doing the job as Indian physio was hard, deciding to give it up was harder. “It wasn’t easy, it was probably a tough decision to make; chuck the best job in the world and try and do something different,” he says. “From that point of view, it’s probably been the hardest decision in my life. But it wasn’t an over and out thing, it was growing for a while.”Looking back at his tenure, Leipus could not pin-point one moment as an obvious high. “There are so many of them, really. Every tour you have your highs and disappointments. The World Cup was great, beating Australia (in India in 2001) was great; beating Australia in Adelaide was great.” That was a special match for him, Liepus emphasises, because Adelaide is his hometown.Then he singles out the personal milestones that the players achieved during his tenure, Tendulkar’s 34th Test hundred, Sehwag’s 309 and Laxman’s innings in Kolkata, “They are all personal milestones that you feel proud of. It’s a pity that I won’t be around for Sachin’s 35th hundred. It would have been nice to been a part of that. I am a bit disappointed about it.”But not half as disappointed as the team, who would have lost a good man.

The Sydney Grade Cricket Competition’s Round 2 was completed yesterday, Monday 6 October. Bankstown, Randwick Petersham and Northern District recorded wins, but the rest of the competition had to settle for draws after rain intervened. Former NSW paceman Trent Johnston took a tremendous hat-trick for Mosman, while two little-known Sutherland third-graders broke an historic tenth-wicket partnership record.Mark Waugh recorded his first win as Bankstown’s captain, as his side crept past St George’s total of 212 for the loss of eight wickets at Bankstown Oval. Waugh could only manage 3 in difficult conditions, while Gian Scuglia (66) top-scored in his side’s important win.Northern District needed only one day to demolish a new-look Eastern Suburbs outfit at Waitara Oval. Brad Haddin made an unsuccessful return to his old club ground, scoring just 5 as the Dolphins managed only 91. Opening bowlers Rob Eddy (4/28) and Cameron Eve (3/22) did most of the damage for District. Graham Hanlon (69) and man-of-the-match Cameron Eve (60) then helped the home side cruise to victory, eventually scoring 262.Simon Katich (62) continued his fine early-season form at Petersham Oval, as Randwick Petersham hauled in Campbelltown-Camden’s 279, only six wickets down. Jarred Burke (103) and John McKell (82) gave the Ghosts a great opportunity on, but the classy Randy Petes batting line-up was too strong, with Joseph Hill (81) top-scoring.At Village Green, former NSW paceman Trent Johnston recorded a brilliant hat-trick against University of NSW. Michael Slater was the second of his three victims, as the Bumblebees stumbled to 4/8. However, Johnston (5/38) could not prevent the home side posting 311, to which Mosman replied with 1/125.In Third Grade, a remarkable record was established at Sutherland Oval. After being sent in to bat, Sutherland was reeling at 9/97, when Daniel Marandola joined Aaron Phillips at the crease. In 69 previous matches, Marandola’s highest score had been only 18. Phillips was eventually out for 154, with the score on 292- a 195-run partnership. Marandola remained undefeated on 61. The partnership is the highest-ever tenth-wicket partnership in any Grade.Other First Grade matches- Manly-Warringah 294 drew with Blacktown 1/23 at Joe McAleer; Penrith 237 drew with Fairfield-Liverpool 5/103 at Howell; Gordon 96 drew with Parramatta 0/56 at Killara; North Sydney 171 drew with UTS-Balmain 2/58 at Drummoyne; Western Suburbs 202 drew with Sutherland 0/20 at Pratten; Hawkesbury 152 drew with Sydney University 0/66 at Owen Earle.

Uttar Pradesh won their Ranji Trophy one-day match against Vidarbhy bythree wickets at Udaipur on Saturday.Opting to bat first, Vidarbha put 230 runs on the board. The runs weremade largely by Ulhas Gandhe and Harshal Shitoot, two batsmen who havedisplayed remarkable consistency lower down the order for Vidarbha.Gandhe made 46 off 71, with one four and one six, while Shitoot scored57 off 47, with seven fours.Needing 231 to win, Uttar Pradesh were never pressed for run-rate,with Mohammad Kaif hitting 65 off 61 balls and a number of otherbatsmen made quick runs. Kaif fell at 183/6, however, giving Vidarbhaa sniff at victory. The seventh wicket fell at 207, but ParvinderSingh (27 off 38) steered his side to a win by three wickets.

Mark Wood is flying home early from England’s tour of the UAE to see a specialist about the left ankle problem that forced him to sit out the third Test against Pakistan. He will miss the ODI and T20 legs of the tour, which begin in Abu Dhabi next week, with his place in the squad being taken by Liam Plunkett.Wood, whose energetic delivery stride has caused discomfort in his ankle joint for several months, has previously admitted that he may require surgery to rectify the issue. He required a cortisone injection to get through last summer’s Ashes win over Australia, and missed the third Test at Edgbaston before returning for the final two matches.He received a second injection during the Pakistan series, having claimed six wickets in 62.5 overs across the first two Tests, including his best Test figures of 3 for 39 in the first innings in Dubai. However, the England management opted not to risk him for the series decider, with Samit Patel instead earning a recall to complete a three-spinner attack.”Mark Wood’s ankle condition is well known and while we have managed his workloads over the summer and during the Test series against Pakistan it has been decided that the sensible course of action is to seek further advice from a specialist,” said James Whitaker, the national selector. “We will then be able to consider how to ensure Mark is able to perform at his very best in an England shirt going forward.”Liam Plunkett will replace Wood in both squads and, having featured in the ODI side last summer, his inclusion provides Eoin Morgan and Trevor Bayliss with an experienced pace bowling option in the squad.”With the Test tour of South Africa looming next month, England now have concerns over three of the seamers who played a role in last summer’s Ashes win. Steven Finn is currently recovering from a stress-related foot injury while Ben Stokes batted with some discomfort but did not bowl or field in the second innings in Sharjah after damaging his collarbone.England begin their preparations for the one-day leg of the UAE tour with a 50-over match against Hong Kong in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, while the four match ODI series against Pakistan starts on Wednesday.

Victor Orta’s record at Leeds United has always divided opinion, especially in recent windows where recruitment has been lacklustre, to say the least.

Despite an injury-ravaged season, the Yorkshire giants failed to bolster Marcelo Bielsa’s playing squad with any additions in January and one damaging theme can be seen in the fact that they haven’t signed a central midfielder for eight successive windows now.

If your ambition is to remain competitive in the Premier League, then that sort of activity is far from good enough.

However, there is plenty to like about what he has done in recent years.

Raphinha is one shining example – having cost only £17m from Stade Rennes in 2020, he has emerged as a standout in the final third, particularly without the injured Patrick Bamford.

His worth is now thought to be in the region of £36m, so Leeds will make a substantial profit on him in the coming years.

And the Spanish supremo hasn’t only hit the jackpot with incomings as he has often made a shrewd decision when it comes to player sales, too, with Jack Clarke the perfect reminder.

Orta played quite the transfer masterclass there, albeit in hindsight.

In July 2019, the young winger joined Premier League outfit Tottenham Hotspur for around £10m plus add-ons, as per the BBC, and as part of the deal he remained at Elland Road on loan for the 2019/20 campaign.

By December, though, that temporary return was cut short due to a lack of game time. He was then sent out to then-Championship rivals Queens Park Rangers, where he also failed to make his mark.

His fortunes took a turn for the worse during another loan stint, this time at Stoke City. His season was ended abruptly due to an Achilles injury, whilst this season, he’s ended up in League One with northeast giants Sunderland.

In five appearances so far, two of which being starts, he has failed to deliver a single goal contribution, as per Transfermarkt, who now value him at a lowly £4.5m – a decrease in value of 55% since Orta sanctioned his departure nearly three years ago.

“He has got a great ability to glide past players. I don’t think I’ve seen a winger really as talented as that, where it looks effortless, just to take somebody on and he really does get you on the edge of your seat, he’s one of those exciting players,” once claimed Whites legend Noel Whelan back when Clarke came through the academy system at Thorp Arch.

FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast. Subscribe FootballFanCast General Stay ahead in the world of football analysis, commentary, and fan insights with FootballFancast.

---

Subscribe

By subscribing, you agree to receive newsletter and marketing emails, and accept Valnet’s Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You can unsubscribe anytime.

Meanwhile, former Leeds assistant Carlos Corberan – now in charge of Huddersfield Town – once deemed the 21-year-old to be a “huge talent.”

His fall from grace as a one-time promising talent is certainly disappointing to see but from a business and financial standpoint, it was an absolute masterstroke from Orta and co.

For all of his failings at Elland Road, it’s moves like this that should keep the fans onside, that’s for sure.

AND in other news, Orta could make “huge statement” at Leeds by hiring 37 y/o “leader” to replace Bielsa…