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O Corinthians estreou com o pé direito na segunda fase do Campeonato Paulista nas categorias sub-15 e sub-17. Na manhã desse sábado (25), os meninos do Timão bateram o Novorizontino, jogando na Fazendinha.

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+ Saiba quais os atletas da base que mais integram os profissionais do Corinthians com Vítor Pereira

SUB-15

Às 9h o time sub-15 entrou em campo e saiu perdendo, quando Isack abriu o marcado para a equipe do interior de São Paulo, aos 17 minutos do primeiro tempo.

O empate corintiano veio cinco minuto depois, com o atacante Guilherme. Já a virada aconteceu no segundo tempo, com dois gols de Kauã.

No final, o 3 a 1 dá a liderança do grupo 15 aos garotos do terrão quem mantém o 100% de aproveitamento, com nove vitórias em nove jogos.

SUB-17

O Corinthians foi a campo com duas baixas importantes, já que o meia Breno Bidon e o atacante Wesley estão concentrados com o elenco profissional corintiano que vai enfrentar o Santos, neste sábado (25), pelo Campeonato Brasileiro.

O primeiro tempo foi bastante equilibrado, com o Timão melhor, mas o Novorizontino buscando igualar as ações, tanto que o gol do jogo foi marcado em um contra-ataque puxado pela garotada do Alvinegro e contou com a conclusão certeira do meia Adryan, logo aos 10 minutos de partida.

No fim da etapa inicial, o mesmo Adryan teve a oportunidade de marcar o segundo, após o goleiro Danilo, do Novorizontino, cometer um pênalti. No entanto, o corintiano desperdiçou a cobrança, acertando a trave.

Mesmo na frente do placar, o Corinthians dominou o segundo tempo, tendo diversas chances de ampliar o marcador, a principal dela novamente com Adryan, que acertou a trave em uma cobrança de falta, perto do fim da partida.

De todo modo, com o triunfo, o Timão começou tomando a frente da segunda fase do Paulistão Sub-17 e manteve a ótima campanha, com oito vitórias e uma derrota, em nove partidas.

Tanto o time sub-15, quanto o sub-17 do Corinthians voltam a campo pelo Campeonato Paulista, no próximo sábado (2), ambos contra o Mirassol, no Estádio Municipal José Maria Campos Maia, na cidade do interior de São Paulo.

Assim como foi nesta manhã, garotos dp sub-15 entrarão em campo às 9h, enquanto o sub-17 atuará às 11h.

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Two-time defending champions ease to victory over South East Stars in eliminator

ECB Reporters Network21-Sep-2022Southern Vipers will play Northern Diamonds in the final of the Rachael Heyhoe Flint Trophy at Lord’s on Sunday, after they routed South East Stars by six wickets in Wednesday’s eliminator at Beckenham.The Vipers closed on 143 for 4 to win with 16 overs to spare, having earlier bowled out the Stars for 139, Tara Norris taking 3 for 29. Jemima Spence anchored the innings as the Stars recovered from 37 for 5, making her highest List A score of 45 not out, but the second-highest contribution was 28 extras and the hosts were all out after 42.2 overs.In a run chase devoid of tension, Ella McCaughan and Maia Bouchier put on 98 for the first wicket before the latter was bowled for 51, while the former fell for 47. The Vipers have now played the Stars five times in this competition and have won on each occasion.Beckenham may have a reputation as a batters’ paradise, but when play started at 10.30am conditions were overcast, damp and chilly. After winning a toss they would probably rather have lost the Stars chose to bat, only to lose three wickets in the first four overs. Chloe Hill stumped Kira Chatli off Charlotte Taylor for 1 in the second over and Bryony Smith made just 7 before she edged Tara Norris behind in the third.Norris then claimed her second victim in the fourth when Chloe Brewer was brilliantly caught in the slips by Bouchier.After a partial rebuild, debutant Mary Taylor struck twice in as many overs. Phoebe Franklin was bowled for 15 before Rhianna Southby was lbw for 1.Paige Scholfield struck in her first over, trapping Ryana MacDonald-Gay lbw for 8 and Finty Trussler was just seven balls into her spell when she bowled Freya Davies for 4.Norris bowled Alexa Stonehouse for 11 and when Georgia Adams ran out Eva Gray for 1, deflecting a straight drive from Spence on to the stumps, the Stars were 100 for 9. By that point, however, conditions were improving and Danielle Gregory joined Spence to put on the biggest partnership of the innings, contributing 13 from 34 balls before she was bowled by Trussler.The sun was shining by the time the Vipers began the chase and with the required rate under three-an-over there was little pressure on the openers. Neither Bouchier nor McCaughan offered the bowlers any encouragement as they cruised towards the target.Bouchier strolled past 50 with a single to mid off from Gregory before she tried to pull Davies and played on. McCaughan holed out to Smith and was caught by Davies at long on but by then the visitors only needed 30 to win.Franklin subsequently bowled Adams for one with a ball that nipped back, but Scholfield, having levelled the scores with a six over long on, was then bowled by Gregory’s next ball for 11, leaving Emily Windsor to drive the winning boundary through the covers and sending them through to their third consecutive final against the Diamonds.

After several months of intense speculation, Mohamed Salah is staying at Liverpool after committing to a new contract at Anfield.

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• Iconic forward was heading towards free agency
• Extended stay at Anfield has been agreed
• Ready to chase down more major honours

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Egyptian superstar was set to see his previous deal expire in the summer of 2025. That led to regular rounds of rumours regarding his future. Free agency has been avoided, with the 32-year-old forward sticking around at Anfield.

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• WHAT MOHAMED SALAH SAID

  Salah told Liverpool’s : "Of course I’m very excited. We have a great team now. Before also we had a great team. But I signed because I think we have a chance to win other trophies and enjoy my football.

  "It’s great, I had my best years here. I played eight years, hopefully it’s going to be 10. Enjoying my life here, enjoying my football. I had the best years in my career.

  "I would like to say to [the fans], I am very, very happy to be here. I signed here because I believe we can win a lot of big trophies together. Keep supporting us and we’ll give it our best, and hopefully in the future we’re going to win more trophies."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Salah joined Liverpool from Roma in the summer of 2017. He has gone on to register 243 goals for the club through 394 appearances, breaking countless records along the way. He has helped the Reds to Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup glory.

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• WHAT NEXT?

  While Liverpool have merely stated that Salah’s new deal "will keep him with the club beyond the 2024-25 season", it is claimed that fresh terms are tying him down until 2027 – allowing a decade of loyal service to be completed.

Ange Postecoglou lashed out at VAR again after Tottenham's defeat at Chelsea was marred by 12 minutes of "clear and obvious" goal checks.

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• Spurs' crisis deepens after Chelsea loss
• Postecoglou furious with the role of VAR
• Believes AI could take over refereeing soon

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tottenham’s struggles in the Premier League continued on Thursday night as they slumped to a narrow 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge. Chelsea secured all three points thanks to a second-half strike from Enzo Fernandez, leaving Ange Postecoglou’s men languishing in 14th place in the table, with just ten wins in 30 matches.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The result, however, was quickly overshadowed by another contentious VAR intervention, which saw Tottenham’s potential equaliser ruled out after a lengthy review. The incident occurred in the 69th minute when Pape Sarr thought he had brought Spurs level, only for referee Craig Pawson to be summoned to the pitchside monitor. Following a painstaking six-minute delay, the goal was eventually disallowed for a foul in the buildup – a decision that left Postecoglou fuming.

• WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

  Speaking after the match, the Australian manager did not hold back his thoughts on the use of video technology, questioning the entire direction football is heading.

  "But see that's the problem, whether I think it's a foul or not, what does it matter? What matters is, VAR was called in for clear and obvious errors," he told reporters.

  "I’ve said this a few times already. We all sat on our couches last night and watched an incident where I reckon if I did a straw poll and asked: ‘After the first replay what did you think?’ How long did it take tonight? Six minutes. For a clear and obvious error."
  He added: "Who cares if it was a foul or not? There were so many incidents out there. What does it matter? What’s the point of having a referee then? Clear and obvious means you go to the screen, standing around for six minutes. Not me, because I’m very vocal about it, we all accept it. It’s going to be refereed by AI soon. Like I said, we might as well dispense with the players at some point when some genius comes up with a game with no participants at some point. Referees aren’t refereeing.

  "If anyone believes when VAR was brought in we would be sitting around for six minutes with a microscope. It’s irrelevant if it’s a foul. It’s totally irrelevant. Then they will say they came there with a decision. But that’s irrelevant. Jarrod Gillet was on VAR tonight but maybe if he had been on VAR last night maybe he would have come to a different outcome. I don’t like it, mate, I’ve never liked it, I don’t see how it’s benefitted our game."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM?

  Tottenham are set to face Southampton on Sunday, a match that will likely be seen as a must-win given the Saints are at the bottom of the standings. Following the domestic fixture, Spurs will turn their attention to European competition, hosting Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of their Europa League quarter-final next Thursday.

Commanding innings sets up comfortable victory in challenging conditions at Canterbury

David Hopps05-Jun-2022Before Joe Denly set his T20 season to rights in startling fashion at Canterbury, the nationwide batting averages in the Blast did not make attractive reading. Of the players who have made 100 runs or more in this season’s tournament, nobody had scored more slowly.If Kent’s defence of their T20 crown was going badly, with defeats in their first five matches, Denly was feeling the pain more than most. For a player with 44 England appearances across three formats, a strike rate of 93.60 per 100 balls was not the sort of outcome he was used to.He will be feeling a lot better now. His uninhibited 110 from 58 balls on a gripping, used surface, was totally divorced from the difficulties experienced by virtually every other batter in the match, a focused attempt to hit his way into form, and to carry the fight, which paid off handsomely. It swept Kent to the unlikely riches of 192 for 8 and an eventual 55-run win as Middlesex never remotely came to terms with an extremely exacting chase. It was their first win this season in any format.One win in six is no sort of start in a search for a top-four place, but Kent have too many attributes to be written off with the season not yet at its mid-point. They will want to follow this up against Essex Eagles in Chelmsford on Tuesday as they begin a run of fixtures away from Canterbury.When form is lost, and the years are creeping by, the wisdom of crowds is best avoided – certainly the sort of crowd that types questions into Google. Enter Denly’s name into the search engine and it offered: “People also ask: Is Joe Denly retired?” Ouch, not what you want to hear at 36 when your season has been disrupted with hamstring trouble, you still don’t have a run to your name in the Championship, and you are wondering whether you will ever get things on the road.He put that right by blazing the ball to leg with utter conviction as he registered his fifth Blast hundred. Eighty-nine of his runs flew over the leg-side, including all his six sixes and the majority of his nine fours. He was particularly harsh on the Sri Lanka-born spinner, Thilan Walallawita, and the debutant seamer, Toby Greatwood, who had won an opportunity after five wickets against Surrey 2nds earlier in the week. Luke Hollman was also seen off in a single over of mayhem.”It’s been long overdue – both some runs for myself and obviously that win,” Denly said. “It did feel really good. It was nice to go out there and try and play quite freely, try and stay as relaxed as I could. I got a couple out of the middle early on and just kept going. The other night we never really threw a punch against Surrey. Today was just about putting it on their bowlers.”Jordan Cox is another Kent batter who has been struggling for impetus, but he provided able support in a record Kent second-wicket stand of 157 in 14.3 overs, Daniel Bell-Drummond having fallen lbw to the third ball of the match. Any assumption that conditions were easy was scotched the minute that Denly departed, slog sweeping Chris Green to deep midwicket with 18 balls remaining, and Kent lost three more wickets to catches in the deep against Martin Andersson in the space of five balls. Even so, when Jack Leaning was run out for 6, chasing a second off the final ball of the innings, it would have been quite a pessimist who feared that Kent had thrown it away.As it happened, Kent’s spin bowlers proved vastly superior. The South African George Linde and Qais Ahmed, a young Afghan, bowled well enough to suggest they can be at the centre of a Kent challenge that can now gather force.Stephen Eskinazi briefly threatened before Qais caused him to play on for 30; Linde, who found marked turn at times, had Joe Cracknell caught at deep midwicket and then held a return catch in a deceptively relaxed manner when Andersson drove fiercely back to his right. There were three wickets, too, for Leaning, as Kent made good use of Sam Billings’ decision to take first use of a worn surface. Only one batter came to terms with it. As Richard Johnson, Middlesex’s coach remarked, it was Joe Denly’s day out.

The Blaugrana are top of La Liga but their game in hand has been scheduled for Thursday, meaning they'll have to play four times in nine days

Barcelona were reportedly in the middle of a training session when Hansi Flick heard the news. The club's Liga clash with Osasuna had been rescheduled by the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) for Thursday, March 27.

Flick was furious. The new date meant that he would probably be unable to call upon regulars Raphinha and Ronald Araujo for the must-win meeting with Osasuna as the pair will have only just returned from international duty with their respective nations in South America.

There was also the fact that the rearrangement meant that Barca were suddenly facing the daunting prospect of playing four times in nine days at a crucial and already congested stage of the season.

Flick felt the fixture list was unfair. He immediately feared fatigue might end up taking a heavy toll on a team still competing on three fronts and ultimately undermine Barca's Spanish title bid in particular. And, in fairness, one can easily understand why…

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  Barca 'must be better prepared physically'

  During the build-up to Barca's first meeting with Osasuna this season, Flick felt compelled to freshen things up. His Blaugrana side had made a stunning start to their Liga campaign, winning their first seven matches, and scoring 23 times in the process.

  However, Flick knew that one of Barca's biggest problems under his predecessor, Xavi Hernandez, had been their costly propensity for fading during the final quarter of games.

  Club president Joan Laporta had even stated last summer, "Flick knows that the players need to be prepared better physically."

  Rotation, then, was always going to be essential, especially due to the demanding nature of the German's tactical game-plan, which relies heavily on intensive pressing.

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• 'Rest was required'

  So, after spotting the first signs of fatigue in a laboured 1-0 victory over Getafe on September 25, Flick decided to drop some of his regular starters to the bench for the game away to Osasuna three days later.

  Unfortunately, Barca were outplayed in Pamplona, losing 4-2 despite the second-half introductions of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha – but Flick felt he'd been left with no other option.

  "We made a lot of mistakes, we made a lot of rotations to the team and maybe that's one reason why, but they were necessary, as there are a lot of games and a lot of minutes already accumulated," the German coach explained to reporters.

  "I told the team that I am responsible. It's my responsibility to take care of the players, and some of them had played too many minutes. Their rest was required."

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  Barca's reliance on Raphinha

  In that context, 's claim that Flick is fuming right now seems perfectly plausible.

  Raphinha has been Barca's player of the season so far, with the Brazil international's 27 goals and 18 assists having put him in pole position to win this year's Ballon d'Or.

  The versatile winger has also started more games than any of his team-mates (41) and has emerged as one of the Blaugrana's most influential figures on and off the field, particularly in the injury-enforced absence of club captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

  Consequently, Raphinha missing his first game of the entire campaign would represent a major blow for Barca.

  Araujo's possible absence would be less keenly felt as Barca coped brilliantly without the Uruguay defender while he was sidelined with hamstring trouble – thanks in no small part to Pau Cubarsi and Inigo Martinez.

  However, both centre-backs have had their own fitness issues and there's no guarantee that either man will be in optimal condition for the Osasuna game, which is far from ideal in the circumstances.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  A tight title race

  Barca may be top of La Liga with a game in hand over second-placed Real Madrid but the two great rivals are only separated by goal difference.

  Any slip-up, against Osasuna on Thursday, Girona on Sunday or Betis on Saturday week could prove very costly and eradicate the advantage the Catalans currently hold over the second-placed Blancos, who don't return to Liga action until Saturday night, when they host Leganes at the Santiago Bernabeu.

  Depressingly, that has led to utterly unfounded and incredibly distasteful accusations within Catalunya that the allegedly pro-Madrid footballing authorities were effectively taking advantage of the tragic death of team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia, which necessitated the postponement of the original Osasuna fixture on March 7, to impose an even more gruelling schedule upon Barca.

Virgil van Dijk has reportedly received a huge offer from Saudi Pro League team Al-Hilal amid the uncertainty over his Liverpool future.

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Van Dijk in last months of Liverpool dealReceives €20m offer from Al-HilalCentre-back faces uncertain futureFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?

Less than a day after Liverpool's Champions League exit to Paris Saint-Germain, reports Van Dijk, who is out of contract this summer, is mulling over the €20 million (£16.8m/$21.7) offer but is yet to give a response as he is focusing on the final stretch of this season with the Reds.

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The 33-year-old shocked many when he said there has been no progress over Liverpool contract talks and anyone who said an extension was close is "lying". Losing the towering centre-back, who has been in superb form this term, would be a huge blow for Arne Slot's men for next season and beyond.

DID YOU KNOW?

The report adds that Al-Hilal also put forward a proposal to Barcelona captain Raphinha to bring him to the Saudi Pro League, but the 28-year-old – who is in red-hot form himself – turned it down.

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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT?

Aside from Van Dijk's future, the Dutch international will hope to secure Liverpool another Carabao Cup triumph when they take on Newcastle United at Wembley on Sunday.

We are only 11 games into the Premier League season, but Manchester United fans have already been through a campaign’s worth of upheaval.

Following another dreadful start, Erik ten Hag was finally given the boot, and while Ruud van Nistelrooy has been able to stabilise the ship somewhat, all eyes are now on Ruben Amorim to see if he can lead the Red Devils back into the top four this season.

However, for that to happen, the 39-year-old will need his players to rediscover their best form, and while the likes of Bruno Fernandes and Andre Onana seem to be doing just that, some are still struggling.

Marcus Rashford, for example, has four goals and three assists in 18 games so far but only one goal and one assist in 11 league games, which might explain recent reports linking the club with a Ballon d’Or nominee who could replace him, a nominee compared to Vinícius Júnior.

Manchester United transfer news

According to a recent report from Spain, Manchester United are one of several sides intensely interested in Atalanta star Ademola Lookman.

In fact, the report claims that both United and Paris Saint-Germain have already made offers close to €100m for the Nigerian, which is about £84m.

Despite the sensational attacker’s undeniable importance to his team, the Bergamo side are supposedly willing to part ways with him for the fees being reported.

In all, signing Lookman would require a massive investment from United, but given his ability, it could prove worth it, especially as he could be an ideal Rashford upgrade, not to mention his comparisons to Vinícius Júnior.

How Lookman compares to Vinícius and Rashford

Okay, so before we look at Lookman’s recent record and how it stacks up to Rashford’s, let’s first examine this comparison to Ballon d’Or runner-up Vinícius Júnior.

The comparison itself stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one, and in this instance, has concluded that the Brazilian is the number one most similar forward to the Nigerian star.

Now, to get a better idea of how this conclusion was reached, we can examine the underlying metrics in which the pair rank most closely, metrics including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes, passing accuracy, passes and carries into the final third, crosses into the penalty area and carries, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.86

0.72

Progressive Passes

3.79

3.76

Passing Accuracy

74.4%

74.9%

Passes into the Final Third

1.82

1.93

Crosses into the Penalty Area

0.30

0.28

Carries

36.2

37.8

Carries into the Final Third

3.64

3.64

So, with that comparison to one of the game’s leading wingers out of the way, how does the former Everton ace stack up against United’s homegrown talent when it comes to output?

Unfortunately for the Manchester-born ace, it’s hardly a competition at all, as, since the start of last season, he has scored just 12 goals and provided nine assists in 61 games, which equates to an average of a goal involvement once every 2.90 games.

In comparison, Atalanta’s “unbelievable” dynamo, as dubbed by former Arsenal player Sead Kolasinac, has found the back of the net on 25 occasions and provided 15 assists in 59 appearances over the same period, which results in a far more impressive average of a goal involvement once every 1.47 games.

On top of being far more dangerous at the moment, the 27-year-old is also incredibly versatile, and while he’s played more games at left-wing than anywhere else, he has plenty of experience playing off the right, at centre-forward and even in attacking midfield, so he’d also allow Amorim far more tactical flexibility when on the pitch.

Ultimately, Rashford could still come good for United, but based on the last season and a bit, it’s crystal clear that Lookman is the far more dangerous attacker of the pair, and therefore, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and Co should be doing what they can to sign him in 2025.

Man Utd must regret selling "monster" who is outscoring Hojlund & Zirkzee

The impressive international is loving life away from Man Utd.

2 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 15, 2024

Manchester United are considering the sale of a £300,000-a-week star as new manager Ruben Amorim begins to assess his new squad despite not taking the reins until next week.

The Red Devils are currently under the guidance of Ruud van Nistelrooy, who took over from Erik ten Hag last week on an interim basis. The Dutchman has overseen two games so far, a win against Leicester City in the Carabao Cup and a 1-1 draw with Chelsea on Sunday.

Ruben Amorim pushing Man Utd to sign £30m gem who is similar to Dumfries

United are continuing to identify targets as they look to address a long-term problem in their team.

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Brett Worthington

Nov 4, 2024

Man Utd news and updates

It will of course be down to Amorim what he wants to do with his coaching staff, but the United players are keen for van Nistelrooy to remain at the club. There is big support from the players for the 48-year-old to remain a part of the team, as they see him as the “connector,” appreciating the way he has communicated with them. The Dutchman has impressed the United hierarchy in terms of the way he carries himself, and the love he has from the supporters has never changed.

That will be a decision that is made once Amorim arrives at the club and holds talks with van Nistelrooy. Away from that, United already have their eye on a player who could be perfect under Amorim, as they are interested in signing Patrick Dorgu. The 20-year-old’s ability to play as a left-back and left-winger means he fits the perfect criteria for what Amorim wants in a left-wing back.

But while they may have their eye on a player arriving at the club, Amorim could be willing to see one of United’s biggest earners leave in the coming months.

Man Utd ready to cash in on Marcus Rashford

According to Football Insider, Manchester United are considering the sale of Marcus Rashford as they still remain concerned about his performances. The 27-year-old came through the ranks at Old Trafford, emerging in the first team during the 2015/16 season under Louis van Gaal.

Since then, Rashford has been a key fixture under several bosses. The Englishman has had two impressive campaigns in the Premier League, scoring 17 goals in both the 2019/20 campaign and the 2022/23 season, when he scored 30 goals in all competitions.

However, since that campaign, Rashford has struggled for form, netting eight times in all competitions last season in what was a very poor campaign for the striker. Rashford, who has been described as “clinical” by Statman Dave, could now be on his way out of Old Trafford.

This report states that Amorim will now be responsible for a “last-gasp assessment”, but an improvement in his performances will be needed if he is going to stay. Rashford, who earns £300,000 a week at United, could finally be moving onto pastures new.

There is no doubt that, at the moment, Tottenham Hotspur are the Premier League’s great entertainers.

Ange Postecoglou’s side might still be suffering from the same problems that saw them eventually finish in fifth last season, but for every lacklustre performance they put it, you can be sure they’ll look like one of the best attacking sides in Europe the following game.

With that said, the Spurs faithful want to see their side do more than entertain and to ensure Postecoglou can maintain his record of winning a trophy with every team he manages, Daniel Levy and Co must provide him with more sensational talents in the coming transfer windows.

1

Tottenham

23

16 (10th)

2

Manchester City

22

23 (2nd)

2

Brentford

22

16 (11th)

3

Liverpool

21

28 (1st)

3

Chelsea

21

19 (3rd)

4

Brighton

19

19 (6th)

5

Arsenal

18

19 (4th)

Fortunately, recent reports have revealed that the North Londoners have now identified one of their targets for 2025, a player with a trophy cabinet full to the brim and someone constantly compared to former Lilywhites great Paul Gascoigne.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham have identified Jack Grealish as a key transfer target for next year.

The report claims that Postecoglou is ‘keen to bolster his attacking options’ and that the dynamic England international ‘fits the bill’ as a ‘creative winger’ who can slow down games when needed, create out wide and draw countless fouls to help his side progress up the pitch.

A price is not mentioned in the story, but given the fact that there will be just two years remaining on his £300k-per-week contract come the end of this season, it seems incredibly unlikely that the Premier League champions will demand anything close to the £100m they paid for him three years ago, especially as sites like Transfermarkt now value him at around €55m, which is about £46m.

Now, signing Grealish will likely still cost Spurs a significant sum of money, but given his undeniable ability, spectacular record of winning things and comparisons to a certain Paul Gascoigne, he would be worth every penny.

Grealish's comparisons to Gascoigne

Over the last decade or so, there have been several talented English players who have been compared to the mercurial Gascoigne, from Phil Foden at City to Jack Wilshere at Arsenal and even Ross Barkley when he was breaking through at Everton.

However, none of them have seen the tag stick to them for quite as long as Grealish, and while there are some differences between the two players, it’s not hard to see why.

For example, when he was really making a name for himself among the wider footballing public at Aston Villa during the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons, in which he racked up a combined tally of 35 goals and assists in 68 appearances, former Watford captain Troy Deeney called him “the closest thing to Gascoigne” in the modern game.

Appearances

39

213

135

Goals

5

32

14

Assists

7

41

20

Goals + Assists per Match

0.30

0.34

0.25

The former professional’s rationale was that, like the Newcastle-born maestro, the Villa ace was “absolutely fearless” and that, regardless of the opposition, he was a “maverick” on the ball and could “turn a game on its head” all by himself.

It wasn’t just Deeney who thought this way, though, as former City star Shaun Wright-Phillips also dubbed the Birmingham-born entertainer “the closest thing you’re going to get to Paul Gascoigne”, arguing that “you can have two players on him but he’ll find the way through to create that chance,” akin to the former Spurs star’s immense technical ability.

Now, it would be fair to say that some of that explosiveness and unpredictability has disappeared under Pep Guardiola’s management.

However, under a manager such as Postecoglou, who wants his players to take on opposition defenders as often as possible and play a high-octane brand of football, there is no reason why the 29-year-old “magician”, as dubbed by Rio Ferdinand, couldn’t get back to his Gascoigne-esque best in N17.

Ultimately, while there is an element of risk in signing Grealish due to his lack of game time this season, his previous performances for Villa, and even during City’s treble-winning campaign, in which he racked up 16 goals and assists in 50 games, show that at his best he can be unpredictable and incredibly dangerous, just like the former Tottenham icon.

Spurs struck gold with "monster" ace who's a £100m star in the making

The sensational talent could net Spurs a massive payday in the future.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 13, 2024