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Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou's immediate attention will be on navigating through the tough winter period, but the Australian manager will be eagerly waiting to enact plans in the January transfer window.

To be honest, everything went a bit wrong last season and the woes were cherry-topped by Harry Kane's departure to Bayern Munich right in the build-up to the new campaign. but the cogs have combined and Spurs blitzed into early title contention in the Premier League.

But while Postecoglou is Tottenham's liberator from instability, he is not a miracle worker and his squad's frailty had been brutally exposed before the November international break, with injuries and suspensions heavily factoring into successive defeats against Chelsea and Wolverhampton Wanderers.

January reinforcements are paramount, with the fortification of the backline sure to be among the principal priorities for Postecoglou as he looks to sculpt a successful season down the N17.

Tottenham transfer news – Giorgio Scalvini

According to transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano – as relayed by football.london – Tottenham had held an interest in Atalanta centre-back Giorgio Scalvini in the summer.

Romano said: "The centre-back of Atalanta, a very talented player, we know him very well in Italy, not as known in Europe, but he is very good.

"He's on the radar of many clubs, for example, I heard, last summer, Tottenham were considering a move, he was one of the secret players that they had on the list at Tottenham, but they decided to go for something different because Atalanta were asking crazy money for Scalvini."

Spurs opted to sign Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg for £43m instead, and while the Dutchman has been a revelation, he picked up a hamstring injury during the Blues defeat and is out until the new year, prompting Postecoglou to strengthen.

Giorgio Scalvini's season in numbers

Scalvini is only 19-years-old but he has already established himself as one of the most talented young defenders on the Italian scene, with Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp interested in signing him for £34m one year ago.

Dubbed a "top talent" by Romano, the centre-half really came into his own last year and completed 34 matches across all competitions, starting 29 times in Serie A.

The turn of the season has been but a continuation of his stellar performance, and indeed a robust blooming that threatens to disrupt the likes of Josko Gvardiol for the spot as football's most prodigious young defender.

As per Sofascore, he has been solid in the league this term, starting ten times, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 2.2 tackles, 2.1 clearances, 1.8 interceptions and six ball recoveries per game and succeeding in 64% of his contested duels.

Such metrics underscore an energy and tenacity that will serve him well on the Premier League scene, and while he could perhaps brush up his distribution, he has completed 92% of the passes made in his own half – effectively highlighting his creativity and willingness to progress the play.

Indeed, as per FBref, the £9k-per-week prodigy is developing skills across the board, ranking among the top 20% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 14% for assists, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 12% for progressive passes, the top 20% for progressive carries, the top 16% for successful take-ons, the top 13% for tackles and the top 2% for interceptions per 90.

It is, frankly, a rather long list. But this is an illustration of a skill set so shiny that the vultures are circling and waiting to nosedive towards his signature.

A veritable giant at 6 foot 4, Scalvini – noted for his “eye-catching” showings by journalist Tom Maston – really does look the complete package and offers creativity and progression to merge into Postecoglou's possession-based, enterprising system.

Unlike Van de Ven, the seven-cap Italy international is not left-footed but this should not dissuade the Lilywhites from pouncing, given that the influential summer acquisition will be expected to dominate from that side of the backline for years to come.

Cristian Romero, imperious and aggressive, also comes into the picture, but then outfits with silver-heavy ambitions have seldom succeeded with sparsity in the defensive wall.

Giorgio Scalvini could surpass Van de Ven

Romero is actually absent alongside his Netherlands-native partner, though he will sit the next two matches out due to his red card against Chelsea.

Ange could sign Van de Ven 2.0 as 6 ft 3 colossus wows Spurs scouts

The central defender has been touted with a possible move to England in January.

ByDan Emery Nov 22, 2023

With Eric Dier and Ben Davies forming the defensive axis against Wolves, Tottenham were very much reminiscent of the recent dog days preceding their former Celtic manager's appointment, and while neither was objectively bad, it's clear that they are not dependable within the system.

Scalvini would be the perfect player to rally the ranks and blend authority and strength with flair and ingenuity, and while he remains on Atalanta's books, Postecoglou must now ensure that a winter swoop is made.

Strengths

Weaknesses

Interceptions

No significant weaknesses

Aerial duels

Tackling

Concentration

*Sourced via WhoScored

Given his youthful years, the titan could easily improve over the coming years to present himself as one of Europe's leading defenders, potentially even surpassing Van de Ven – which would be quite a thing if the 22-year-old's displays on English shores so far are anything to go by.

While Van de Ven was said to be "flourishing" in Germany by journalist Ronan Murphy, he has transcended the Spurs backline (which conceded 63 Premier League goals last year) and has forged a fearsome partnership with Romero.

Described as a "fighter" and a "killer" by talent scout Ruben Jongkind, Van de Ven is blessed with electric pace and remarkable athleticism, ranking among the top 8% of centre-backs for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90 to evidence this.

The £50k-per-week star has been immense across his 11 outings in the English top-flight, completing 95% of his passes, making 1.6 tackles, 2.9 clearances and 5.4 recoveries per match and succeeding with 61% of his contested duels.

Scalvini has three years to catch up with him, and while Van de Ven is indeed thriving, the Italian ace looks the real deal and could nurture his innate creativity and power as a defensive force to rise to the forefront with Tottenham, who could soon boast a frightening array of talents in the rearguard to make Guglielmo Vicario's goal impregnable.

The fast bowler is yet to fully recover from his shoulder injury. Shadab Khan is out too, but Fakhar Zaman is fit to play

Danyal Rasool in Centurion24-Dec-2018Pakistan will have to fight for just their third Test match win in South Africa without the services of Mohammad Abbas. Sarfraz Ahmed confirmed at a press conference at Supersport Park that the Boxing Day Test came too soon for Abbas, with the shoulder injury that kept him out of the third Test against New Zealand ensuring he will play no part in the opening Test.”Abbas is not fit for the first Test, hopefully he will be fit for the second Test,” Sarfraz said. “Shadab Khan, too, will be back for the second Test, but Fakhar Zaman is fit.”Legspinner Shadab has been nursing a long-term groin injury which caused him to miss the home Tests against Australia and New Zealand, although he did take part in the limited-overs games against New Zealand. Opening batsman Fakhar, meanwhile, has not featured for Pakistan since November 11 thanks to a knee injury, but played in the tour game against a CSA Invitation XI last week.Abbas’s sensational performance in the two-Test series against Australia on the generally placid UAE tracks in October – he took 17 wickets in two Tests at 10.58 – meant he was considered Pakistan’s trump card for the seamer-friendly pitches in South Africa. After the shoulder niggle last month, he was initially thought to be ruled out for the entire South Africa tour, before it emerged that he could participate in the bulk of this series. He had at one point been believed likely to win the fitness race by Boxing Day, only for Sarfraz to confirm otherwise.Abbas’s absence means Pakistan are left with just three specialist seamers in Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali and Shaheen Afridi along with the allrounder Faheem Ashraf. That quartet is all set to feature in the Centurion Test now. Sarfraz also hoped the surface would allow the legspinner Yasir Shah some purchase in the later stages, effectively confirming the spinner’s involvement in Shadab’s absence.

Harry Kane believes he has “plenty of years to go”, with the Bayern Munich star determined to silence those delighting in his trophy struggles.

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England striker searching for first honourFrustration during debut campaign in GermanyStill in the hunt for Champions League crownWHAT HAPPENED?

The England captain severed career-long ties with Tottenham in the summer of 2023 after failing to get his hands on major silverware in north London. A big-money move to Germany was expected to deliver the tangible success he craves.

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Bayern have, however, endured a rare wobble in pursuit of major honours, with Bayer Leverkusen landing the Bundesliga title in historic fashion. Kane and Co have also suffered domestic cup heartache, leaving the Champions League as their only route to glory.

WHAT KANE SAID

They have reached the semi-finals of that competition, where they will face Real Madrid, but Kane has told why he is not overly concerned about potentially ending the 2023-24 campaign empty-handed: “I think the only one I have to prove anything to is to myself, you know. I always talk about improving and trying to get better day in, day out. Winning is a consequence of doing all the right things and preparing and doing all the stuff that people don’t see. Of course, you know, I know it’s been difficult not to have a trophy yet in my career. But I also know I’ve got plenty of years to go and, you know, I’m here at Bayern Munich to try and achieve that. We have an opportunity now in the Champions League to do something special. So that’s where my motivation is and that’s what I’ll continue to do.”

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR KANE?

Kane has hit 39 goals this season, doing his bit for the collective cause at Bayern, and is tied to a contract through to 2027. He has offered no indication that a spell at the Allianz Arena will be cut short, meaning that he still has many more trophy bids left in him.

Manchester United’s hopes of signing Antonio Silva hinge on one key factor, according to an update from Old Trafford insiders.

Man Utd eyeing new centre-backs

There have been plenty of problems for Erik ten Hag to contend with this season, whether it be a lack of quality from his new signings, or key players struggling for form, such as Casemiro and Marcus Rashford.

Injuries have also been cruel to United, though, and their defence has been struck down with constant fitness issues, with the likes of Luke Shaw, Lisandro Martinez, Raphael Varane and Aaron Wan-Bissaka among those who have missed big chunks of action for the Red Devils.

With the January transfer window edging closer, it looks as though Ten Hag could look to bring in a new centre-back, even though the form of Harry Maguire and Victor Lindelof has been improved of late in the absence of the influential Martinez.

A host of defensive names have been linked with moves to Old Trafford, with Sporting CP's sought-after youngster Goncalo Inacio a player who continues to be tipped to join United. Meanwhile, Benfica's Silva is another highly-rated prospect who is seen as a target for the Red Devils.

It would be a surprise if no defensive reinforcements came in next month, considering how failure to address the situation could hamper their top-four hopes in the Premier League, and a key update has now emerged over United's pursuit of one individual.

Antonio Silva to Man Utd update

According to a new report from TEAMtalk, Manchester United's chances of signing Antonio Silva are likely to be determined by who they manage to sell in the near future, with their insiders providing an update this week.

"A Manchester United deal for Antonio Silva could hinge on the departure of several key players over the next year. Manchester United‘s interest in pursuing Benfica defender Antonio Silva is clear but insiders believe the value of such a deal is going to raise complications. United are desperate to reinforce their back line in 2024 as they seek to find a solution to defensive problems that continue to haunt them.

"But Silva’s arrival could be dependant on who departs – and there is also a feeling that United might end up needing more than one new centre-half over the course of next year."

Silva really does look like a footballer of enormous potential, so he is someone who United should be willing to break the bank to sign in January, immediately improving both their current squad depth and long-term prospects in the process.

Man Utd make contact to sign "insane" new forward

He’s been in fine form.

ByCharlie Smith Dec 2, 2023

While still only 20 years of age, Red Devils transfer target Silva has already made 62 appearances for Benfica, scoring six goals in that time, and former Tottenham centre-back Jan Vertonghen has tipped him to become "a legend" eventually, further highlighting his ceiling.

Maguire and Lindelof aren't the long-term solutions at United, and Varane is now 30 years of age and injury-prone, so Silva could be viewed as Martinez's first-choice defensive partner at Old Trafford for years to come.

Will Still continues to be rumoured as the frontrunner for the Sunderland vacancy, a bold step in a new direction for the Tyne and Wear side after axing previous manager Tony Mowbray surprisingly.

Still has garnered a reputation as being an exciting and unorthodox manager out in France with Stade De Reims, the Belgian manager only 31 years of age but a hero in Reims quarters – helping the Ligue 1 club finish in 11th spot in the French top flight last season, now in the driver's seat for the Sunderland job as a result.

The left-field manager would begin to leave his mark on the Sunderland lineup straight away after landing at the Stadium of Light, with Patrick Roberts' position potentially up for grabs under Still…

Here's what his dream XI could look like after January…

1 GK – Anthony Patterson

Still wouldn't dramatically get rid of Anthony Patterson in goal for the Black Cats, Sunderland's number one shot-stopper is yet to miss a game this season and wouldn't be at threat of being dropped under the potential new manager either.

2 RB – Trai Hume

In an ideal world, Sunderland will retain Trai Hume this January even with speculation linking their star man with a move away from the Stadium of Light.

Still would enjoy having Hume around too, the Reims boss usually sets his side up in Ligue 1 to be expansive with the likes of right-back Thomas Foket allowed to roam and venture forward – the Belgian Reims defender receiving 6.20 progressive passes per 90 minutes over the last year according to FBRef.

3 CB – Daniel Ballard

Hume's fellow Northern Ireland compatriot and Sunderland teammate Daniel Ballard will also remain in the lineup as a key centre-back under Still.

Ballard has averaged a 7.22 Sofascore rating overall for this season, crucial in shutting out Leeds United last game – making four clearances in total in the narrow 1-0 win.

4 CB – Jenson Seelt

Still's preference for young talent – which saw his team average an age of 24.0 last season according to Transfermarkt – could mean Luke O'Nien is sacrificed at the heart of defence for Jenson Seelt.

The 20-year-old Dutchman performed admirably on the big occasion against Leeds last time out, winning five duels in total in a brave display.

5 LB – Niall Huggins

Niall Huggins will also be a player Still will fancy playing from the get-go, Huggins naturally a winger and offers Sunderland pace down the flanks from defence.

Averaging 4.7 ball recoveries per game this campaign, he will be a key first-teamer under Still's tenure if he does join.

6 CM – Luke O'Nien

O'Nien could be pushed further forward back into a midfield slot under Still, especially if Sunderland end up losing Pierre Ekwah this January owing to significant transfer interest reported by TEAMTalk.

O'Nien has starred in midfield before for Sunderland, a tireless and energetic presence hounding opposition players down which Still will want in his midfield on his arrival.

7 CM – Alex Pritchard

Alex Pritchard could also be a player that takes Still's fancy at the Stadium of Light, the current Reims boss potentially a distant onlooker to what Pritchard has managed to pull off under interim manager Mike Dodds to date.

The former Huddersfield Town man has been crucial in both recent wins against West Brom and Leeds United, assisting Jobe Bellingham's winner versus the Whites after a wayward header found Sunderland's star-boy fortuitously.

If Still goes with a 4-3-3 formation – the Belgian boss setting his side up in this formation seven times this campaign – Pritchard would be a perfect attacking creator in this set-up.

8 CM – Adil Aouchiche

Still could want even more creativity from his midfield ranks in the form of Adil Aouchiche, the ex-Paris St. Germain midfielder a hit with the Black Cats masses when he's played.

The 31-year-old Reims manager does love a goalscorer from the centre of the park, with 30-year-old Teddy Tuema amassing four goals for the Ligue 1 club this season in the centre of the pitch to be the club's top scorer.

Still could stick with first-team stalwart Dan Neil over Aouchiche, but with the French midfielder's previous Ligue 1 connections, the current Reims boss could be prepared to unsettle the status quo.

Aouchiche only has one strike to his name for Sunderland to date, but his attacking game could be enhanced under the guidance of Still.

9 RW – Kwame Poku

Still could add fresh blood to his Sunderland lineup if he joins, with the transfer window luckily opening right around the corner for the 31-year-old if he does relocate and fancies adding in new faces.

Kwame Poku could well be the sort of player Still wants to add to his group, axing Patrick Roberts in favour of playing the current Peterborough United star.

The exciting Poku has seven goals and seven assists in a Posh side firing on all cylinders in League One, whilst Roberts continues to be largely ineffective for the Championship club.

Rumours circulated by TEAMTalk last month suggested that the Black Cats were keen on signing the standout third-tier performer, could Still make this deal become a reality on his arrival?

10 ST – Ali Al-Hamadi

Still could shop even further down the EFL pyramid to add a potent striker to the Black Cats ranks in January, Ali Al-Hamadi a fully-fledged Iraq international now off the back of his goalscoring exploits at AFC Wimbledon.

The 31-year-old boss could be tempted to give the likes of Eliezer Mayenda and Mason Burstow a go – Still renowned for enhancing young strikers and turning them into machines as seen with Folarin Balogun – but he wouldn't be able to turn down the opportunity of signing Al-Hamadi regardless.

Still could unearth his next Balogun by getting "talented" Sunderland gem firing

Will Still’s potential appointment as Sunderland’s next manager could see this misfiring striker at the Stadium of Light come out of his shell.

ByKelan Sarson Dec 13, 2023

Al-Hamadi has managed to amass ten goals and five assists for the Dons in League Two this campaign, waiting for a team higher up the EFL to take a chance on his services.

Sunderland have also been linked with the Dons star-man in the past, TEAMtalk reporting last month about Sunderland's interest.

Kylian Mbappe was reportedly left behind by the Paris Saint-Germain team bus after their Champions League defeat to Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

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Mbappe drew blank in PSG's defeat to BVBFrench star left behind at Signal Iduna ParkRejoined his teammates at the airportWHAT HAPPENED?

The first leg of the semifinal clash saw PSG falter against Dortmund, with Niclas Fullkrug's first-half goal securing a vital win for the German side. Despite the Parisians' concerted efforts in the second half, they failed to break through Dortmund's resilient defence, leaving Mbappe and his teammates frustrated on the pitch.

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Following the match, Mbappe found himself stranded at the Signal Iduna Park with the rest of his teammates leaving for the airport. According to the forward appeared for a random drug test which delayed his departure from the stadium. However, he later got reunited with his teammates at the airport for the return journey to Paris.

DID YOU KNOW?

Mbappe got several opportunities against Dortmund but was denied by the post which added to his disappointment. However, his manager remains upbeat that his troops can turn around the tie with the decisive leg set to be played in Paris next week.

"In the last two rounds, they had the home game as their second game, whereas it was the other way round for us," he said. "Now it's a different and new scenario, we'll have the crowd on our side in the second leg. I would have liked to create the chances we have created, but you have to be effective to score. We'll see what version we show in Paris."

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(C)Getty ImagesWHAT NEXT?

With tensions running high and the pressure mounting, PSG's ability to bounce back from adversity will be put to test next Tuesday by a resurgent Dortmund team who knocked out Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals. Enrique has the full week to prepare his men for the clash as they have no domestic commitments over the weekend.

Allrounder James Neesham has been drafted in as his replacement

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Feb-2019New Zealand opener Martin Guptill, who had missed the fifth ODI against India in Wellington, has also been sidelined from the upcoming three-match T20I series, which begins at the same venue on Wednesday.Seam-bowling allrounder James Neesham, who had been initially left out of the T20I squad, has now been drafted in as Guptill’s replacement.Guptill reportedly sustained the injury while throwing a ball during fielding practice on the eve of the Wellington ODI. He will return home to Auckland and rest ahead of three-match ODI series against Bangladesh, which begins on February 13 in Napier.”Unfortunately Martin hasn’t recovered in time for this T20 series – which is very condensed with three games over five days,” coach Gary Stead said. “It’s a shame as he’s obviously a big part of our white-ball sides, but we’ve got to look at the big picture and ensure he gets the injury right.”Neesham marked his return to international cricket after a gap with an unbeaten 47 off 13 balls, including five sixes in a Thisara Perera over, in the first ODI against Sri Lanka in January. He, however, sustained a hamstring strain soon after and missed the one-off T20I against Sri Lanka. However, after proving his fitness in the domestic Super Smash T20 tournament, he returned for the final two ODIs against India. He was particularly impressive in the fifth ODI at Westpac Stadium, where he took 1 for 33 and made 44 off 32 balls before being run-out by MS Dhoni.”It’s great to have Jimmy coming into the side after some encouraging ODI performances,” Stead noted.Henry Nicholls isn’t part of the T20I squad, which means either Kane Williamson or wicketkeeper-batsman Tim Seifert will open with Colin Munro. In the absence of both Guptill and Nicholls, New Zealand will have their fourth different opening combination in four limited-overs games.Squad: Kane Williamson (capt), Doug Bracewell, Colin de Grandhomme, Lockie Ferguson (games 1 and 2), James Neesham, Scott Kuggeleijn, Daryl Mitchell, Colin Munro, Mitchell Santner, Tim Seifert (wk), Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Ross Taylor, Blair Tickner (game 3)

Akram irked by conduct of an unidentified individual in the Qalandars’ hospitality box, leading to an off-field spat

Umar Farooq in Dubai25-Feb-2019Lahore Qalandars have lodged an official complaint against Karachi Kings president Wasim Akram and their players Mohammad Amir and Imad Wasim after an off-field spat following the PSL game between the two sides on February 16.The PCB is yet to arbitrate on the issue, but Lahore insist that the incident was a “clear violation of code of conduct”.Akram was seen having a heated argument with the family members of Fawad Rana, the owner of the Lahore franchise, after Karachi’s loss by 22 runs. Imad, the captain, and fast bowler Amir were also part of the argument, which allegedly included inappropriate gestures.Moments later, Akram stormed off and made his way to the post-match presentation while Imad and Amir were dragged into the dressing room by the Karachi manager. Usman Wahla, a PCB official, is also believed to have been involved in the incident. Two dignitaries from Lahore’s hospitality box were briefly taken into custody too, but were released shortly after.ESPNcricinfo understands that an unidentified fan in Lahore’s hospitality box had seemingly angered Akram, which resulted in an argument. Lahore then sent a written complaint to Roshan Mahanama, the match referee, the next day, but he distanced himself from the issue. The PCB and the PSL’s technical committee are now looking into it.Lahore want the PCB to retrieve CCTV footage and take action before they face Karachi again on February 28. Karachi, meanwhile, haven’t offered an explanation yet, with a spokesman confirming that the PCB hasn’t engaged with them on the matter as of Tuesday evening.

Tottenham Hotspur are thought to be eyeing up a move to sign a new in-form forward in 2024, according to a report.

Spurs depending on Son and Richarlison for goals

Ange Postecoglou’s arrival in the summer was one of the main positives in north London, with the biggest negative arguably being Harry Kane’s departure to Bayern Munich. The England captain left for Germany in a big-money deal and has starred in Munich, already scoring 21 goals and providing five assists. (Harry Kane stats – Bundesliga)

Tottenham did add to their attacking ranks by bringing in Brennan Johnson from Nottingham Forest late in the summer window, with Manor Solomon also arriving and youngster Alejo Veliz also making the move to north London.

Dejan Kulusevski (Juventus) – loan to permanent

£25.6m

James Maddison (Leicester City)

£40m

Guglielmo Vicario (Empoli)

£17.2m

Manor Solomon (Shakhtar Donetsk)

Free

Pedro Porro (Sporting CP)

£39m

Micky van de Ven (Wolfsburg)

£43m

Ashley Phillips (Blackburn)

Undisclosed

Alejo Veliz (Rosario Central)

Undisclosed

Brennan Johnson (Nottingham Forest)

£47.5m

All transfer fees via Sky Sports

The trio haven’t exactly replaced Kane, though, leaving Postecoglou with Heung-min Son, Richarlison and Veliz as his centre-forward options. As a result, a new striker appears to be on the agenda next year, with a new target now emerging.

According to The Sun, Tottenham are monitoring Bournemouth forward Dominic Solanke and are “closely watching” the Englishman ahead of a potential summer transfer. One source told the outlet:

“Spurs want to sign a striker in the Summer. The club hasn't replaced Harry Kane so recruiting a new forward is a big priority and Solanke is someone they are closely monitoring. They’ve sent scouts to watch him already several times this season, and they will continue to track him into the New Year.

“He ticks a lot of boxes for Spurs, and Bournemouth know if he carries on showing the kind of form he is then they will struggle to stop other clubs from sniffing around him. They are bracing themselves for bids.

“Tottenham want a focal point striker who has scored 11 goals in the Premier League, and Solanke has shown this season that he has the potential to play at a higher level.”

Dominic Solanke in red-hot form this season

Solanke has been on fire for the Cherries in recent months, scoring 12 goals in 18 Premier League games this season. The 26-year-old has already recorded career-best figures in the top flight and has 69 goals for the club in 195 appearances.

He also starred at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium earlier this year by scoring and providing two assists in a dramatic 3-2 victory for the visitors. Due to his fine form, the striker has received praise from manager Andoni Iraola, who said:

“I think he’s really complete. He helps us without the ball, on the ball he can go, he’s good technically too. He can play well with his feet, he uses his body well, and if they leave him space at the back he can also exploit it.”

It looks like a deal to keep an eye on in 2024, but with rivals Arsenal also heavily linked with interest in the Englishman, Spurs could find themselves in a battle for his services.

James McClean is among the Wrexham aces paying the price for accepting another Las Vegas promotion party invite from Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney.

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Red Dragons heading into League OneHollywood co-owners reward successBack to reality after trip to the StatesGetty/InstagramWHAT HAPPENED?

The Red Dragons are on their way to League One after bouncing straight through the fourth tier of English football. Hollywood co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney rewarded a National League title triumph in 2023 with an all-expenses-paid trip to Nevada, and have repeated that trick 12 months on.

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Phil Parkinson’s squad have been enjoying VIP treatment in Sin City, spending wild nights clubbing while also taking the opportunity to watch Mexican boxing sensation Canelo Alvarez in action. The good times cannot last forever, though, and many Wrexham stars are now back in the United Kingdom.

WHAT MCCLEAN SAID

Versatile Irishman McClean is among those still getting to grips with the shift in time zones. With the 35-year-old finding it difficult to sleep, as his body adjusts to the switch from North America to North Wales, he has taken to late-night running – posting on Instagram: “How’s the jet lag? Sound, aye!”

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WHAT NEXT FOR WREXHAM?

Getting some early fitness work in may be no bad thing, with Parkinson counting down the days until his players return for pre-season training. Fresh faces are expected to join the ranks during the summer transfer window, while a return to the States will be made for a series of friendly dates.