In one of his final acts as chairman, Daniel Levy signed Mathys Tel in a cut-price £30 million deal for Tottenham, but it’s been far from plain sailing for the Frenchman thus far.

Initially, Spurs agreed a £45 million buy-option in the January loan deal which saw him join from Bayern Munich. However, Levy managed to re-negotiate a lesser fee to make Tel the Lilywhites’ first signing of the summer bar Kevin Danso.

The arrival of Bayern’s former prodigy brought plenty of excitement with it, especially after Julian Nagelsmann once tipped the 20-year-old to bag 40 goals a season one day.

Whilst Tel garnered a fearsome reputation as a hot commodity during his time in Bavaria, it’s been a mixed start to life in north London.

He grabbed back-to-back Premier League goals against Southampton and Wolves in April last season, and an assist against both West Ham and Brighton, but is yet to get off the mark since Thomas Frank took charge.

Tel also missed a penalty in the UEFA Super Cup shoot-out against PSG, with Frank ultimately sacrificing the forward for Europe by omitting him from Spurs’ 22-man Champions League squad alongside the likes of Yves Bissouma, Kota Takai, James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski.

Appearances

24

Goals

3

Assists

2

Bookings

3

Minutes played

1,366

via Transfermarkt

He therefore won’t be eligible to make a single Champions League appearance until after the league phase, if they even get that far, with pundit John Wenham suggesting that the north Londoners may be regretting the type of deal they’ve secured for Tel.

Tottenham could be regretting Mathys Tel deal as "frustrating" claim made

Speaking to Tottenham News, Wenham hints that Tottenham will be looking back on the permanent deal for Tel with hindsight, asking themselves whether they should’ve just gone for another loan.

Of course, there is still time for him to come good, and that is far more likely than not.

Why Mathys Tel could prove people wrong at Tottenham

Tel is still raw, but Frank has been very impressed by the attacker since his Champions League snub, not least for a hard-working display against West Ham.

The France Under-21 starlet’s main strengths lie in his athleticism and versatility. Comfortable through the middle or out wide, he gives Frank multiple options in attack. His pace allows him to stretch defences, while his ability to play with his back to goal offers a different profile to Spurs’ other forwards. That adaptability will be key in a side competing across several competitions this season.

His finishing, movement and composure are still maturing, but those are qualities that can sharpen with experience.

At the start of the calendar year, Celtic had Adam Idah, Johnny Kenny, Kyogo Furuhashi, and Daizen Maeda on their books as options in the number nine position.

Kyogo, of course, left to sign for Rennes in the January transfer window, and Kenny is still a young player who needs time to develop and improve before he is a frontline option.

Earlier this month, Brendan Rodgers said: “I think it’s very clear. We need to improve in the front end of the pitch. The attacking department has always, and always will be, the strengths of my teams. We’ve lost important players in that area, and we need to replace players in that area.”

The Celtic head coach is now set to lose another option in that centre-forward role, as Anthony Joseph reports that Idah is closing in on a permanent move to Swansea.

He is set to undergo a medical in Wales on Friday before putting the finishing touches on a move to the EFL Championship side before the end of the summer transfer window on Monday.

The Ireland international’s exit will leave Celtic with Kenny and Shin Yamada as their only natural striker options, whilst Maeda can, of course, play there.

Celtic have had a nightmare with Adam Idah

It is hard not to feel that the Scottish giants have had a nightmare with the Irish centre-forward, who they only signed from Norwich City on a permanent deal last summer.

The club reportedly paid an initial fee of £8.5m, which could have gone up to £9.5m, and Swansea have now agreed a deal that is worth up to £7m for the 6 foot 3 attacker.

This means that the Scottish Premiership champions have made a loss of at least £1.5m on Idah just 12 months on from signing him from the Canaries, which is hard to defend from a recruitment perspective.

The number nine had his moments in a Celtic shirt, as shown by the clip above, but he was nowhere near reliable enough as a starting option for Rodgers.

Adam Idah: The super sub
24/25 Premiership	Starts	Off the bench
Appearances	19	16
Minutes	1,352	357
Goals	6	7
Minutes per goal	225	51
Assists	0	1
Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Idah only scored six goals in 19 matches in the Premiership for the Scottish giants in his only full season at the club.

This may be one of the reasons why the club decided to sanction a permanent transfer to Swansea after just one year, because he failed to prove that he could deliver consistently as a starter.

Ultimately, Rodgers could not trust him to start week-in-week-out and they may have expected more from a player they were willing to spend up to £9.5m in 2024.

Celtic prepare offer for new striker

According to Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph, Celtic are considering a last-gasp offer to sign Anderlecht centre-forward Kasper Dolberg in an attempt to replace Idah.

The journalist claims that the Denmark international is the club’s number one target to fill the soon-to-be vacant number nine shirt at Parkhead.

Transfer Focus

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

Joseph also reveals that the Hoops are in talks with Anderlecht over a move for the experienced marksman, as they look to bring him in before the deadline on Monday.

He adds that the Scottish giants were quoted a fee of around £10m for the forward earlier this summer, but it remains to be seen if that is still the case.

The journalist claims that Anderlecht are open to cashing in on the former Ajax and Nice star after they were knocked out of Europe by losing 3-1 to AEK on aggregate, which has presented Celtic with the opportunity to swoop in now that Idah is on his way out of the club.

Why Celtic should sign Kasper Dolberg

The board should be pushing to get a deal for the Pro League forward over the line before the deadline on Monday because he could arrive as a big upgrade on Idah in the number nine position.

As aforementioned, the £9.5m signing from Norwich simply did not do enough when given chances as a starting striker for Celtic to be relied upon as the main man for goals.

Dolberg, however, is a player who could be that main man as an experienced and top-quality number nine who can find the back of the net on a regular basis.

The Anderlecht marksman has already scored three goals in five games at the start of the current campaign, per Sofascore, but it was his form last season that shows how much of an upgrade he would be on Idah.

24/25 season	Dolberg (Pro League)	Idah (Premiership)
Appearances (starts)	31 (30)	35 (19)
xG	16.70	N/A
Goals	18	13
Conversion rate	22%	17%
Goals from outside the box	3	2
Assists	2	0
Duel success rate	50%	41%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Dolberg can score goals at an impressive rate whilst starting week-in-week-out for his side, which is something that Idah failed to do.

The Danish attacker, who was once hailed as an “extraordinary talent” by John Steen Olsen, also enjoyed a greater conversion rate in front of goal and won more of his physical duels with opposition defenders.

These statistics suggest that Dolberg could offer far more to the team as a regular starter than Idah did, certainly in the Premiership, as a lethal centre-forward who can finish chances efficiently, as shown by his goal return versus his xG.

At the age of 27, Celtic would also be signing a player who is in the prime years of his career and can be expected to hit the ground running as an instant and reliable performer, rather than coming in as a young and unproven talent who would need time to adjust and develop.

Better than Saracchi: Celtic in race to sign "technically gifted" £9m star

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1

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Therefore, Dolberg could be a fantastic addition to the squad as a big upgrade on Idah as a starter if they can get the deal over the line in the coming days.

While they didn’t exactly kick off their Premier League campaign in style, Chelsea got back on track with their thumping win away to West Ham United on Friday night.

The fans will be expecting Enzo Maresca’s side to do even better than last season this year, and rightly so, as the board have more than done their part over the last few months by significantly strengthening the side.

The likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap, Jamie Gittens, Jorrel Hato and more all look like great buys, and with a week to go until the window slams shut, the West Londoners seem intent on bringing in more talent.

One of the players who now seems almost sure to join the club is Alejandro Garnacho, although if reports are to be believed, the Blues could be set to sign another international ace who’d keep him out of the team.

Chelsea target Garnacho upgrade

Chelsea’s interest in Garnacho has been a longstanding one, with reports touting him for a move to the club back in the winter window.

Transfer Focus

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

Things have significantly progressed this summer, though, with the Manchester United ace reportedly rejecting other clubs to join the Blues, so long as a deal can be worked out between the two sides.

The Madrid-born gem would undoubtedly add dynamism and more of a goal threat to Maresca’s squad, but it now looks like the West Londoners are closing in on another attacker, someone who’d surely keep him out of the team.

At least that is according to a recent report from Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo, which has reaffirmed Chelsea’s interest in Xavi Simons.

More than that, though, the report has claimed that, on top of already having an agreement with the player, the player will try to secure his move to the Bridge before deadline day.

In other words, the West Londoners are trying to bring the RB Leipzig star to Stamford Bridge this week, and while no price is mentioned in the story, reports from earlier this summer claim that an offer of £61m should be enough to seal the deal.

That is certainly a lot of money to spend on one player, but given Simons’ ability and potential, he’d be worth it, even if he’d keep Garnacho out of the team.

Why Simons would keep Garnacho out of the team

Unfortunately for Garnacho, while he is a versatile player who can thrive in attacking midfield and off the left, so can Simons.

In fact, the Flying Dutchman has shown himself to be even more versatile than the Argentine, as on top of playing in the middle and off the left, he has spent time off the right and up top.

In other words, the United ace would almost certainly be in competition for game time with the Leipzig star, and based on the last season or so, we’d pick the latter every time.

For example, when it comes down to their raw output, there is just no competition.

In his 33 appearances for the German outfit last year, totalling 2763 minutes, the unreal “game-changer,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, scored 11 goals and provided eight assists.

That means he was able to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 1.73 games, or every 145.42 minutes.

In contrast, the 21-year-old Red Devils ace scored 11 goals and provided ten assists in 58 appearances, totalling 3568 minutes, last term.

That comes out to a notably worse average of a goal involvement every 2.76 games, or every 169.90 minutes.

The comparison is just as, if not more, one-sided when we take a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers.

Non-Penalty Goals + Assists

0.67

0.33

Progressive Passes

5.86

2.30

Progressive Carries

3.56

5.78

Key Passes

2.13

1.52

Passes into the Final Third

3.31

0.90

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.51

1.02

Shot-Creating Actions

4.52

3.40

Goal-Creating Actions

0.50

0.25

Tackles Won

0.88

0.74

Blocks

0.79

0.78

Clearances

0.79

0.45

Successful Take-Ons

1.38

1.07

Here, the former Paris Saint-Germain gem comes out comfortably ahead in most relevant metrics, such as non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, from their output to their underlying numbers, there is nothing that suggests Garnacho is even on the same level as Simons.

Therefore, as they play in the same positions on the pitch, it seems almost certain that the latter will keep the former out of the Chelsea team this season.

He's their next Palmer: Chelsea ace has held talks over leaving the Bridge

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1 ByKelan Sarson Aug 25, 2025

Newcastle United’s summer of transfer activity once again underlined the scale of ambition since the PIF takeover.

Deals for Jacob Ramsay, Malick Thiaw, Aaron Ramsdale and Anthony Elanga have complemented headline-grabbing signings such as Nick Woltemade for £69m and Yoane Wissa for £55m.

Alexander Isak’s £125m move to Liverpool left a sour taste, but the overall picture was one of a club continuing to spend at the very top of the market.

That has not always been the case on Tyneside.

Before Saudi investment changed the landscape, Newcastle were known for trimming squads and selling talent to make a profit.

Promising youngsters would be moved on for financial reasons or simply slip through the cracks, only to thrive elsewhere.

This summer’s spending spree serves as a reminder of how much things have changed, but also how much has been lost.

The departure of Elliot Anderson last year remains a striking example.

Newcastle did not want to lose the academy graduate, but Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) forced their hand.

Nottingham Forest seized the opportunity, and now the Northeast club must watch a homegrown talent flourish elsewhere – much like another striker once forced to leave before truly being given a chance at St James’ Park.

Anderson's rise away from Tyneside

Anderson’s move to Forest in 2024, part of a deal that saw Odysseas Vlachodimos move the other way, was emblematic of Newcastle’s recent financial gymnastics.

The midfielder represented pure profit under PSR calculations, a valuable asset when books needed balancing.

Jankuba Minteh was sold to Brighton in the same scramble, and even the sales of Isak and Anthony Gordon were considered.

At the time, it looked like a sacrifice of potential for compliance.

Yet Anderson has proven exactly why the club were so reluctant to lose him.

Last season, the 22-year-old made 37 league appearances for Forest, scoring twice and providing six assists. His form earned him a first senior England call-up, and he started against Andorra, winning the Player of the Match award.

The numbers underline his growing influence.

Last season, Anderson ranked in the 88th percentile for assists per 90 (0.19) and 77th percentile for shot-creating actions (3.07).

His ability to progress play was matched by tenacity in midfield.

He sat in the 88th percentile for tackles per 90 (3.07) and 87th percentile for clearances (2.40).

Analysts like Max Scott have even gone so far as to describe Anderson as having “a bit of Roy Keane, Paul Scholes and Zinedine Zidane” in his game.

It is difficult to see how he would have found the same opportunities had he remained at Newcastle.

Competing with Bruno Guimarães, Sandro Tonali and Joelinton for minutes, he might have stagnated.

Instead, Forest have given him the platform to grow, and Newcastle are left to reflect on a talent that got away, not for the first time either.

Newcastle's homegrown striker regret

Anderson’s story draws inevitable comparisons to Ivan Toney, another player who slipped through Newcastle’s net.

Signed from Northampton Town in 2015 for around half a million, Toney struggled for first-team opportunities and was farmed out on loan before leaving permanently for Peterborough United in 2018.

From there, his career trajectory exploded. Toney scored 72 goals and provided 23 assists in 141 appearances for Brentford, firing them to Premier League promotion with a goal in the 2021 play-off final.

His 20-goal return in the 2022/23 season made him one of the division’s most reliable strikers, hailed as such by Thomas Frank who described him as a “monster”.

Recognition followed on the international stage. Toney made his England debut in 2023 and was part of the Euro 2024 squad, holding his nerve to score in the penalty shoot-out against Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

The numbers again tell the story of a rounded, top-level forward.

During the 2022/23 season, Toney ranked in the 72nd percentile among centre-forwards in Europe’s top five leagues for non-penalty goals (0.43 per 90), 70th percentile for progressive passes (2.41), and was outstanding aerially, sitting in the 91st percentile for aerials won (3.32 per 90).

His defensive contribution was underrated too, with strong numbers for interceptions and clearances.

Matches Played

33

Goals

20

Assists

4

Progressive Carries

14

Progressive Passes

79

In 2024, Toney completed a £40m move to Al-Ahli, where he scored 23 goals and registered four assists in the Saudi Pro League last season.

At 29, he remains a high-level striker whose career arc must leave Newcastle wondering what might have been.

The parallels between Anderson and Toney are plain to see.

Both left St James’ Park for very different reasons, but both have gone on to prove themselves at a high level.

Each departure highlights the fine margins between financial management and footballing vision.

Newcastle’s current owners are now spending freely, with marquee signings transforming the squad.

Yet history shows that some of the biggest success stories can be those who slipped away. In Anderson, Newcastle may once again have let a future England regular leave too soon.

PIF have already signed Newcastle's new Elliot Anderson and he's "terrific"

Eddie Howe will hope he has his own Elliot Anderson now at Newcastle United in this terrific talent.

ByKelan Sarson Sep 8, 2025

The full cost of replacing the Man Utd managers and their coaching teams since the departure of Sir Alex has been revealed and it could leap up by a mammoth amount if the club decide to dispense of current incumbent Amorim. The merry-go-round of managers in the 12 years since the Scot left includes some of the biggest names in the game, but none of them have come close to filling his boots.

Counting the cost of United's sackings

David Moyes was handpicked by Ferguson to take over from him in 2013, but his tenure lasted only 10 months after United finished a disappointing 7th in the Premier League and failed to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in nearly two decades. Then came Louis van Gaal, whose reign brought an FA Cup in 2016, making him the first manager since Fergie to land silverware for the club, but the Dutchman was brutally sacked just two days later. Jose Mourinho arrived soon after and delivered three trophies in his first season: the Europa League, League Cup, and Community Shield, becoming the first manager in the club's history to win two major trophies in his first season. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led United to a second-place finish in the Premier League and the Europa League final, but ultimately failed to win any trophies and was removed after three years in charge. Ralf Rangnick took over for a brief period before Erik ten Hag brought United their first competitive trophy in nearly six years by winning the League Cup in 2023 and followed that by winning the FA Cup in 2024. Despite winning two trophies in two seasons Ten Hag was sacked after a poor start to the 2024-2025 season. And the heat is now firmly on Amorim, whose side finished 15th last season and sit a lowly 14th after six league games this term.

Sir Alex’s coaching team – £2.4m
David Moyes (2013/14) – £5.2m
Louis van Gaal (2014/16) – £8.4m
Jose Mourinho (2016/18) – £19.6m
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer (2018/21) – £9.1m
Ralf Rangnick (2021/22) – £14.7m
Erik ten Hag (2022/24) – £10.4m

TOTAL: £69.8 million ($93.8m)

AdvertisementAFPFergie's incredible record at Old Trafford

Fergie's tenure as manager of Manchester United from 1986 to 2013 was the most successful period in the club's history, transforming them into a dominant force in English and European football. He took over a club that hadn't won a league title in 19 years and led them to unprecedented heights. Under Ferguson's leadership, Man United won a remarkable 38 trophies, including; 13 Premier League titles, two UEFA Champions League titles, five FA Cups, four League Cups. Fergie’s success was built on a foundation of tactical brilliance, fierce leadership, and an unparalleled ability to rebuild teams. He nurtured young talents like the "Class of '92", which produced club legends including Ryan Giggs, David Beckham, and Paul Scholes, and integrated world-class players like Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Wayne Rooney into his squads. His ability to adapt his strategies and maintain a relentless winning mentality kept United at the pinnacle of football for over two decades.

Will United stick or twist with Amorim?

United have struggled with inconsistency, failing to win consecutive games in any competition under Amorim. Their poor form has led to significant concern among fans and pundits, with some questioning Amorim's long-term future at the club. Despite this, minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe is reportedly still backing the manager. And the cost of sacking him would be an eye-watering £12 million ($16.1m) if they decide to pull the plug on the Portuguese boss. 

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Getty Images SportTough tests coming for United

United’s next match is against Sunderland at Old Trafford on October 4th, followed by a challenging away game against Liverpool at Anfield on October 19th. There follows matches against Brighton, Nottingham Forest and Tottenham. More defeats and poor performances could cost Amorim his job… and cost United another £12 million.

MatériaMais Notícias

A luta do Botafogo para se manter firme no Brasileirão passa por revigorar seu fôlego até mesmo diante dos percalços. Mesmo diante da grave lesão que tirará Rafael dos gramados por um prazo de seis meses, a equipe alvinegra deve voltar suas atenções para substitutos jovens.

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O Glorioso recorre a duas opções das categorias inferiores para acirrarem a concorrência com Di Plácido. O desafio é fazer com que ambos mostrem suas qualidades gradualmente e consigam progredir em campo.

Um deles esteve na atividade comandada pelo interino Cláudio Caçapa, no CT Lonier, terça-feira (4). Atualmente na equipe sub-23, Walisson está com 21 anos mas chama atenção por sua vivência. O jovem foi cedido pelo RB Bragantino e ainda passou pela base do Athletic, de Minas Gerais, antes de desembarcar no Rio de Janeiro. Após ter um início promissor sob o comando de Lúcio Flávio, lidou com uma fratura em um de seus braços, mas se recuperou após ser submetido a uma cirurgia.

Ryan, de 20 anos, também vem ganhando chance de mostrar seu valor nos treinos após ter desembarcado no Alvinegro no ano passado. O jovem, que foi contratado junto à Chapecoense, tem no currículo duas partidas como profissional na equipe catarinense. Porém, a ideia ao chegar no Botafogo era de que ele fosse lapidado.

Como a diretoria alvinegra só conta inicialmente com Di Plácido para o setor (Daniel Borges foi cedido do América-MG), o caminho do Glorioso deve passar também pela renovação no setor. Em um momento que exige cada vez mais pique para o líder do Brasileirão, cabe à equipe não titubear.

يلتقي منتخب المغرب تحت 20 عامًا نظيره الأرجنتين في نهائي بطولة كأس العالم للشباب 2025، والتي تقام في دولة تشيلي، وذلك في الساعات الأولى من صباح يوم الإثنين.

وتأهل “أشبال الأطلس” إلى نهائي بطولة كأس العالم للشباب، بعد الفوز على فرنسا بركلات الترجيح في دور نصف النهائي.

فيما تأهل منتخب الأرجنتين إلى النهائي بعد الفوز على كولومبيا بهدف دون رد، ضمن منافسات نصف النهائي.

منتخب المغرب كان قد تأهل إلى دور ربع النهائي، بعدما تصدر مجموعته برصيد 6 نقاط متفوقًا بذلك على البرازيل وإسبانيا والمكسيك.

وتعتبر هذه هي المرة الأولى التي يتأهل فيها المنتخب المغربي للشباب إلى نهائي كأس العالم في التاريخ.

اقرأ أيضًا | القنوات الناقلة لمباراة المغرب والأرجنتين اليوم في نهائي كأس العالم للشباب

ويسعى منتخب المغرب إلى تحقيق إنجاز تاريخي بالفوز على الأرجنتين وتحقيق لقب بطولة كأس العالم للشباب تحت 20 عامًا. موعد مباراة المغرب والأرجنتين اليوم في كأس العالم للشباب

وتقام مباراة المغرب والأرجنتين فجر الإثنين، 20 أكتوبر الجاري، في تمام الساعة الثانية صباحًا بتوقيت مصر والسعودية، والثانية عشر بتوقيت المغرب.

ويمكنكم مطالعة مواعيد ونتائج جميع المباريات لحظة بلحظة عبر مركز المباريات من هنا.

It was a mixed transfer window at West Ham United in the end, but things could have been so much different had they signed the attacking target that they set their sights on.

West Ham's transfer window in review

To say it was a slow start for the Hammers would be an understatement. It looked as though they were going to stand still entirely at one stage, opting to welcome just Callum Wilson and El Hadji Malick Diouf, until they finally returned to the transfer market late on and signed the likes of Mateus Fernandes.

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It could be that late flurry that sparks a much-needed turnaround under Graham Potter. Before their 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest before the international break, the Hammers had lost all three of their first games, and had conceded 11 goals in the process. Pressure, as a result, was increasing on Potter.

The former Brighton manager would have breathed a greater sight of relief than anyone else involved at the City Ground, but West Ham must now kick on when they return to action.

Only time will tell whether late deals for Fernandes, Igor Julio and Soungoutou Magassa are enough to turn things around permanently at West Ham and save their transfer window, but Potter can no longer say that he wasn’t backed.

Up next for the Hammers after the international break is the visit of Tottenham Hotspur in a London derby. The Lilywhites have looked much-improved under Thomas Frank, although West Ham are no strangers to defeating their rivals and will be hoping to pick up where they left off against Forest.

It is, of course, the type of game that Aleksandar Mitrovic would have thrived in, but West Ham can thank one reason why he’s not lining up for Potter’s side after the summer transfer window.

West Ham made late Mitrovic offer

As reported by The Boot Room’s Graeme Bailey, West Ham made a late offer to sign Mitrovic after he was granted an exit from Saudi Pro League side Al-Hilal. Alongside Leeds United, the Hammers were pushing to welcome the forward back to the Premier League to solve their attacking problems.

Ultimately, however, he opted against returning to English football as he didn’t want to tarnish the relationship that he has with Fulham, having spent five years at the West London club.

Once dubbed “outstanding” by Fulham boss Marco Silva, there’s no doubt that Mitrovic would have been an instant upgrade on West Ham’s current options.

Pat Cummins called it right at the toss and Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) opted to bat first in the day game against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Vishakhapatnam. It was the first time in IPL 2025 that the captain winning the toss chose to bat.KL Rahul will be playing his first match in IPL 2025 after he missed DC’s opening encounter for the birth of his daughter. Sameer Rizvi made way for Rahul’s return in what was the only change for the home team.Cummins backed his batters to continue with their trend from last season – bat first, put up a big score and defend it successfully. With the sun baking down and expected to slow the pitch as the game goes on, SRH opted to bring in an extra spinner for a fast bowler. As a result, legspinner Zeeshan Ansari, who plays for Uttar Pradesh in the domestic circuit, came in for fast bowler Simarjeet Singh.Axar Patel said that he would also have batted first, given “ball does more in the second innings”. He backed his bowlers to be brave and resort to death bowling right from the start if need be.The square boundaries were 66m and 60m in Vishakhapatnam, with the straight hit being 73m. WV Raman, at the pitch report, said that spin could come into play as the game goes on because of the sun baking down.Sunrisers Hyderabad XI: 1 Travis Head, 2 Abhishek Sharma, 3 Ishan Kishan, 4 Nitish Kumar Reddy, 5 Heinrich Klaasen (wk), 6 Aniket Verma, 7 Abhinav Manohar, 8 Pat Cummins (capt), 9 Harshal Patel, 10 Mohammed Shami, 11 Zeeshan Ansari
Impact Player options: Sachin Baby, Eshan Malinga, Simarjeet Singh, Adam Zampa, Wiaan MulderDelhi Capitals XI: 1 Faf du Plessis, 2 Jake Fraser-McGurk, 3 Abishek Porel, 4 KL Rahul (wk), 5 Axar Patel (capt), 6 Tristan Stubbs, 7 Vipraj Nigam, 8 Mitchell Starc, 9 Kuldeep Yadav, 10 Mohit Sharma, 11 Mukesh KumarImpact Player options: Karun Nair, Ashutosh Sharma, Sameer Rizvi, Donovan Ferreira, Tripurna Vijay

Tottenham Hotspur kick-started their Champions League 2025/26 campaign with a narrow 1-0 victory over LaLiga outfit Villarreal in North London last night.

It wasn’t a vintage performance from Thomas Frank’s men, but it was a performance that got the job done and secured all three points in their opening encounter.

The Lilywhites will need to produce better displays going forward if they are to secure automatic qualification to the knockout stages of the competition.

There’s no doubt the Dane will ensure the side don’t replicate such a display, especially when the side travel to face Bodo Glimt in their next European outing at the end of the month.

However, if the side is to produce a better display in Norway, the manager will need to drop one player after his dismal showing against Marcelino Garcia’s men.

Why Richarlison needs to be dropped by Frank

While Richarlison has been a live wire for Spurs this campaign, netting two goals to date, his showing against Villarreal was arguably one of his worst in the new season.

The Brazilian was handed the responsibility of leading the line once again, but failed to produce a performance highlighting the trust put into him by boss Frank.

He only registered 23 touches during his 77-minute performance, completing just three passes in the process – subsequently failing to maintain possession for the Lilywhites.

The 28-year-old also failed to complete any of his attempted dribbles and failed to register a single effort on goal, further showcasing his lack of positive impact in the final third.

Richarlison’s dismal outing didn’t stop there, even picking up a yellow card for a late challenge on Juan Foyth – showing glimpses of his rash past, which has led to questions previously being asked about his attitude.

There’s no denying that the manager should drop him from his next starting eleven, but he shouldn’t be alone in being excluded after his recent showing in the Champions League.

The Spurs star who should be dropped alongside Richarlison

The start to the Frank reign at Spurs has been a positive one, with his side winning four of the first five competitive games he’s taken charge of in 2024/25.

Wins against Manchester City, Burnley and West Ham United were certainly more convincing, but the same can’t be said for the showing against the Spanish outfit last night.

The three points will be the most important aspect, but the manager will no doubt be concerned about his team’s lack of talent during the 1-0 triumph on home soil.

Richarlison was just one player who failed to deliver, but Djed Spence also fell into such a category despite his own recent rise to stardom in North London.

The full-back has started every game of Frank’s tenure, subsequently leading to the 25-year-old claiming his maiden England call-up during the recent international break.

However, his recent success is credit to the player, but his outing against Villarreal showed glimpses of arrogance – resulting in a debut Champions League performance to forget.

Spence featured for 69 minutes against the Spanish outfit, winning just one tackle and failing to make a single interception – falling way below the standards he’s set for himself.

Minutes played

69

Touches

52

Tackles won

1

Interceptions made

0

Possession lost

9x

Misplaced passes

6

Recoveries made

0

Match rating

5/10

He also lost possession nine times, misplacing six of his attempted passes, even registering just 52 touches of the ball – a tally fewer than that of goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who managed 55.

As a result of his showing, Spence was handed a measly 5/10 match rating by Football London journalist Alasdair Gold – further highlighting his struggles in Europe’s biggest competition.

Such a showing will cast doubt over his position in the first-team squad, which could see Destiny Udogie handed a rare start in the Premier League this weekend.

The Englishman and Richarlison certainly endured evenings to forget last night, with Frank needing to try alternative solutions if he is to maintain the excellent start to life in the role.

He'll be Frank's own Bale: Spurs have hit gold on "phenomenal" £20m star

Tottenham Hotspur have unearthed themselves a new gem over the last couple of months.

ByEthan Lamb Sep 12, 2025