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Tottenham have been tipped to strike a ‘similar deal to Jack Grealish’ in January as Thomas Frank edges closer to his first winter window at Spurs.

Tottenham make January plans with a forward the priority

The Lilywhites are preparing to make attacking reinforcements their primary objective during the January window, with media sources confirming significant funds will be available for the right target as Frank seeks solutions to his struggling side’s creativity issues.

Co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange will be drawing up a list of potential options spanning both domestically and abroad, if they haven’t already.

Reports suggest Spurs are more likely to pursue a wide forward rather than a central striker when the window opens, with Dominic Solanke slowly coming back to full fitness and Randal Kolo Muani starting to find his feet.

Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo has emerged as a very strong candidate to join the north Londoners.

The Ghanaian winger has been sensational this season, bagging six goals and three assists in 13 Premier League appearances for the Cherries so far this term.

His ability to threaten from both flanks, combined with his blistering pace, makes him ideal. The possibility of Mohammed Kudus on one side and Semenyo is pretty tantalising in itself, as is the 25-year-old’s £65 million release clause, which will be active early next month.

If Spurs do opt to sign a centre-forward in January, all signs point towards FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa as their top target.

The 21-year-old Spanish international has seriously impressed in Portugal following his £15 million move from Atlético Madrid in 2024, scoring six goals across all competitions this season after his 27-goal haul last term.

Standing at a towering 6 foot 3, Aghehowa offers the physical presence and aerial threat Tottenham currently lack, though Porto president André Villas-Boas has publicly stated the forward is “not for sale at any price in winter,” with the club demanding at least £68 million for his services.

All that being said, the media remain adamant that a new attacker will arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next month, but a box-to-box midfielder also cannot be ruled out amid Yves Bissouma’s uncertain future.

The Mali international is yet to play a single competitive minute under Frank, largely due to injury, but it is worth noting that Spurs were open to offers for Bissouma in the summer.

Tottenham will entertain bids for the 29-year-old once again in January, but if they can’t find a suitor they’ll activate the one-year extension option in his contract to prevent a free transfer next year (The Mail).

If Bissouma does leave in the winter, Frank will need a replacement, and Atlético Madrid’s Conor Gallagher is available.

Tottenham tipped to strike Grealish-like deal for Conor Gallagher

Spurs did hold a serious interest in the England international before his switch to Atlético, with Diego Simeone’s side informing Gallagher that he can leave in January.

That is according to former Spurs scout Bryan King, who also believes that Tottenham could well sign Gallagher on loan in a ‘similar deal’ to Grealish at Everton.

King also thinks that the 25-year-old would ‘jump’ at the chance to move there, even despite his Chelsea connections.

Gallagher has made 70 appearances for Atlético since his 2024 move, scoring six goals and racking up another six assists.

He’s been in and out of Simeone’s eleven this season, and with the 2026 World Cup looming, he’ll be keen to battle his way back into Thomas Tuchel’s thinking.

The dynamic midfielder would offer a different option to the likes of Joao Palhinha and Rodrigo Bentancur in front of the back four, and he can play more offensively too.

Capable of pitching in going forward, signing Gallagher on loan would be a very astute bit of business.

The first update from 2025 MLB All-Star voting was revealed Monday, and it comes as no surprise that New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who is set to make his first pitching appearance of the season Monday evening, are leading the way as the top vote-getters.

This year's All-Star Game will be played at Atlanta's Truist Park on July 15, and fans were already given an early preview into what the team's uniforms will look like.

With about a month until the midsummer classic, Judge is leading all MLB players in the early voting update, having already racked up more than 1.5 million votes. Ohtani is second in baseball and first in the National League with just under 1.4 million.

We'll take a look at the top players at each position for both the AL and NL after the first update.

2025 MLB All-Star Voting First Update Results

American League

There are some close races atop various positions in the American League. Paul Goldschmidt is just narrowly ahead of Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in voting results, while Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals is in close apursuit of Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson. Additionally, Cleveland Guardians' Steven Kwan trails Mike Trout for the third outfield spot by less than 18,000 votes.

National League

The National League is largely dominated by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who are tracking to fill four of the nine starting positions. In fact, the Dodgers have a player who received the first or second most votes at every single position in the first update of All-Star voting.

Phase one of All-Star voting runs until June 26, after which the votes will be tallied and the top two players from each position will advance to phase two, which runs from June 30 to July 2. More on that can be found here.

Justin Broad anchors Northants after collapse, but Hampshire romp thanks to 11-sixes extravaganza

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay13-Sep-2025

Chris Lynn hit the first century in a Vitality Blast Finals Day to power Hampshire Hawks to a six-wicket (DLS) win over Northamptonshire Steelbacks in the second semi-final at Edgbaston.Lynn smashed an unbeaten 108 from 51 balls with five fours and 11 sixes as the Hawks galloped to a DLS target of 155 in 18 overs with 14 balls to spare. It was a chase pulled off virtually single-handedly as no other batter passed 12.The Steelbacks’ rain-interrupted innings had been lifted to 158 for seven from 18 overs by Justin Broad’s sixth T20 half-century – 61 not out from 39 balls – which dragged the innings back from the ruins of 86 for six. But Lynn’s hitting masterclass turned the chase into a cruise to book the Hawks a place in this evening’s final against Somerset.Hampshire chose to bowl and immediately struck a huge blow when David Willey edged his first ball, from Chris Wood, to wicketkeeper Toby Albert. Two more big wickets soon fell and Wood was again involved in each, this time as fielder. He was at third to take the catch when Ricardo Vasconcelos sliced Scott Currie, then took a stinging catch at short third when quarter-final hero Ravi Bopara edged a big drive at Sonny Baker.Bjorn Fortuin, who had played for South Africa against England in Manchester less than 24 hours earlier, added a wicket with his fifth ball when he bowled Tim Robinson. The Steelbacks were in a pickle at 65 for five when Saif Zaib pulled a Benny Howell long hop to Ali Orr on the mid-wicket boundary. It was an acrobatic grab by the fielder but Zaib may reflect that the catch should have been taken by somebody in the Hollies Stand.Smart work from James Vince ran out Lewis McManus just before the rain break, after which Broad and Luke Procter (30, 20) delivered some sparkling improvisation to added 70 in 40 balls.After DLS had trimmed the Hawks’ target, Lynn was soon making heavy inroads into it. Toby Albert and James Vince son sent up catches off the spinners but the Aussie thundered to a 24-ball half-century including 16 from four balls by Procter.Ben Mayes top-edged a reverse-sweep at Zaib and fell to a brilliant catch by George Scrimshaw but Lynn lifted Ben Sanderson for successive sixes to send his side into the last five overs needing a manageable 41. Four successive sixes off Lloyd Pope took Lynn to a 49-ball century and left the Hawks needing eight from the last three overs. They made it.

أكد جراهام بوتر، المدير الفني لمنتخب السويد، أسوأ المخاوف لفريق ليفربول، فيما يتعلق باللاعب ألكسندر إيزاك، حسب التصريحات التي أدلى بها يوم السبت، في فترة التوقف الدولي الحالي.

وانتقل ألكسندر إيزاك إلى ليفربول من نيوكاسل يونايتد في آخر لحظات موسم الانتقالات الصيفي، ولكنه لم يقدم الأداء المتوقع من جانبه، خاصة أنه لم يحظ بفترة استعدادية للموسم.

وبدأ ألكسندر إيزاك 6 مباريات فقط لصالح ليفربول وسجل هدفًا واحدًا، ورغم مستواه الضعيف إلا إنه قد تم استدعائه لخوض مباراتي منتخب السويد في تصفيات قارة أوروبا المؤهلة إلى كأس العالم 2026.

اقرأ أيضًا.. دون هاتشيسون: كأس أمم إفريقيا فرصة لـ سلوت لتصحيح مسار ليفربول بدون محمد صلاح

وقال جراهام بوتر، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ميرور” الإنجليزية: “لقد أمضى أسبوعًا جيدًا، وهو متاح، لكن علينا أن نتعامل معه بذكاء لأنه غائب منذ فترة”.

وأضاف: “إيزاك ليس مستعدًا للعب مباراتين متتاليتين لمدة 90 دقيقة، علينا أن ننتظر ونرى حتى الغد”.

وسيمثل ذلك خبرًا سيئًا لـ ليفربول والمدرب آرني سلوت حيث يستعد الفريق لخوض سلسلة من المباريات في فترة قصيرة، وسيحتاج الهولندي إلى كل لاعبيه من أجل إعادتهم للمسار الصحيح.

عندما سُئل عما إذا كان إيزاك قد تحدث بصراحة عن أشهره الأولى الصعبة كلاعب في ليفربول، قال بوتر: “إنه مثل أي لاعب في منتخب السويد، يشعر بالإحباط من النتائج التي حققها”.

واسترسل: “هذا واضح كما ذكرت، لكن كل ما وجدته هنا هو مجموعة من اللاعبين الذين يرغبون بقوة في تقديم أداء أفضل، ويشعرون بالإحباط من نتائجهم الحالية، إنهم يتطلعون لتقديم أداء جيد لبلدهم، وهناك شعور حقيقي بذلك”.

Mitchell Starc strikes back with an early inroad before stumps in his 100th Test

Andrew McGlashan12-Jul-2025Australia suffered a dramatic collapse of 7 for 68 under the new Sabina Park floodlights as West Indies’ quicks enjoyed the conditions with Jayden Seales, Shamar Joseph and Justin Greaves sharing all ten before Mitchell Starc struck back with an early inroad in his 100th Test.Starc, who had earlier collected a duck, went close on numerous occasions before removing debutant Kevlon Anderson, who inside-edged onto the stumps attempting a drive. West Indies had been forced into a makeshift opening pair of Anderson and Brandon King after Mikyle Louis, who had been recalled in place of the struggling Kraigg Brathwaite the match after he reached 100 Tests, and John Campbell picked up injuries in the field.Losing just one wicket in 45 minutes against this Australia attack with a pink ball under lights could be considered a success with King and Roston Chase doing well to see out the day. As has been the case in the first two Tests, the value of Australia’s total will only really be clear once West Indies’ innings develops.Related

Pink-ball theatre: Unplayable deliveries, unbelievable catches and T20 batting in Test cricket

Australia were handily placed on 129 for 2 shortly before the dinner break with Cameron Green and Steven Smith well set, but Green fell to a wonderful delivery from Seales shortly before the break and then things started to happen quickly in the final session. Shamar Joseph removed Smith and Beau Webster while Travis Head fell to a stunning catch by substitute Anderson Phillip.Seales, Shamar Joseph and Greaves carried West Indies’ bowling after Alzarri Joseph was forced to leave the field due to back problems and was sent for scans. Meanwhile, Louis injured his knee when it was jarred in the outfield and Campbell took a blow in the chest at short leg.Substitute Anderson Phillip pulled off a stunning catch to dismiss Travis Head•Associated PressThe day had significant intrigue before a ball was bowled when it was confirmed that Australia had omitted Nathan Lyon for the first time where he was available for a Test since 2013 as they went with an all-pace attack. West Indies, meanwhile, thought conditions warranted recalling their specialist spinner Jomel Warrican. There was purchase for both West Indies’ spinners but considerable assistance for quicks throughout on a well-grassed surface, with life very difficult as day turned to night.The tempo of the early exchanges belied what would come later. Sam Konstas, who was dropped on 1, and Usman Khawaja battled through the first hour for 21 runs and went on to compile the longest opening stand of the series. By lunch, Australia were 50 for 1, having struck just four boundaries, although a sluggish outfield was partly to blame for that.Konstas was given a life when debutant Anderson spilled a chance at third slip in the fifth over and was skittish in his running early on, twice being at risk of being dismissed had there been direct hits. Having done some hard work against the new ball, he was trapped lbw by Greaves to leave him one innings in the series to make a mark.West Indies thought they had Green before the interval when Seales won an appeal lbw, but Green reviewed with a second to spare and the ball was sliding past leg stump. Aside from that moment, Green built on the positive work of the second innings in Grenada and, after tea, unfurled a couple of crisp drives.Khawaja had absorbed a lot of pressure and good deliveries before falling to a stunning catch by Shai Hope as he edged Shamar Joseph from around the wicket.Australia left out a fit Nathan Lyon for the first time since 2013•Associated PressSmith was quickly out of the blocks, pulling his first boundary powerfully through midwicket, and took three more in a row off Greaves before being given a life on 24 when Warrican couldn’t cling on to a stinging return catch. With Alzarri Joseph off the field, Chase had to juggle his pace bowlers and resorted to twin spin of himself and Warrican for a period in the middle session.Shortly before dinner, Seales, who has been outstanding through the series, produced a wonderful delivery which straightened to Green to clip the top of the bails – replays showed that if the ball hadn’t deviated, it would have hit the middle of the bat.When Smith and Head resumed under the glare of the floodlights, it was clear that batting would be tough and that the batters weren’t going to hang around. Smith was beaten by the first ball of the session and then edged wide of the slips before being distracted by the clock at the Courtney Walsh End, which needed covering with a black cloth.Smith slashed an edge over the cordon against Shamar Joseph before a repeat was well caught by King at first slip. There was no repair act from Webster this time as he edged behind.Head hadn’t hit top gear as he initially tried to repel the bowling, but then attempted to launch Greaves over the off side and was spectacularly held by Phillips, running to his right of mid-off and flying horizontally to hold the catch.Bat-throwing time had clearly been declared. Alex Carey had already lofted a six over mid-off against Greaves and then edged behind. Pat Cummins launched three sixes as he flung the bat at nearly everything before picking out long-on. Shamar Joseph took his series tally to 17 wickets when he removed Josh Hazlewood.

One of the most notable players in Leeds United’s history over the past 25 years or so is certainly Rio Ferdinand. The former England centre-back only spent two seasons at Elland Road, between 2000 and 2002, but certainly left a huge impact on the club.

Ferdinand, who has gone into punditry and presenting since his retirement, played 73 times in West Yorkshire and was a key figure in the heart of the defence. He skippered the club on numerous occasions, including during their famous Champions League run of 2000/01, where he helped them reach the semi-final.

Since Ferdinand’s days at the club, there have been a couple of other notable English talents ply their trade at Elland Road.

Leeds’ notable English talents since Ferdinand

It is certainly hard to find a player as good as Ferdinand was, yet, through their academy, the Whites produced a couple of big names. One of those was Kalvin Phillips, who was lovingly dubbed the “Yorkshire Pirlo” for his ability to control the game at the heart of midfield.

Now 29 years of age, Phillips played 234 games for his boyhood club after graduating from their academy. He was pivotal to their success in returning to the Premier League under Marcelo Bielsa and England’s run to the final of Euro 2020.

Eventually, he earned a big move to Manchester City, although his career has stalled since.

Another player who could be considered one of Leeds’ most talented since Ferdinand is Archie Gray. The 19-year-old now plays for Tottenham Hotspur and helped them win the Europa League last season.

Like Phillips, Gray is an academy graduate and only had one full season at Elland Road before the Lilywhites snapped him up. He played 52 games for his boyhood club before departing for North London, a huge £30m move which highlighted his talent.

As good as Phillips and Gray are, there is someone in the Leeds academy who could be considered their best talent since Ferdinand.

Leeds’ most talented player since Ferdinand

It is always a proud moment when you bring a player through the academy and into the first team, like Phillips and Gray. Ferdinand, of course, came through West Ham United’s academy before his move to Leeds.

Well, the man who could be their biggest talent since the centre-back is Harry Gray, the younger brother of Archie. At just 17 years of age, Gray has already made his debut for the club and has shone at youth level.

The England under-17 striker made his debut for the first team last season, with Daniel Farke giving him a four-minute cameo in the 6-0 win over Stoke City. He was also on the bench for the 3-1 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers this season.

The Whites academy graduate has proven why he is “the real deal,” as football analyst Ben Mattinson put it, for the youth sides. Gray has 15 goals and two assists in just 24 appearances for the under-18s and under-21s side combined.

Gray – Leeds academy record

Stat

under-18s

under-21s

Games

11

13

Minutes

819

998

Goals

8

7

Assists

0

2

Misn per G/A

102

110

Stats from Transfermarkt

One of the standout moments from Gray’s campaign so far is the hat-trick he scored against Scunthorpe United.

Donning the number nine shirt, you can see from this one game that the striker possesses pace, a real instinct in the box and the ability to score a range of goals.

It is easy to see why you might consider the 17-year-old to be Leeds’ best talent since Ferdinand was at the club. In a separate post on X, Mattinson described him as “one of England’s best prospects in his generation”, while evoking a certain Harry Redknapp when suggesting that he’s “going to the very top”.

With the numbers he puts up and the skillset he possesses, it feels like only a matter of time before Gray breaks into the first-team for his boyhood side and makes a real name for himself.

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Posts ByKelan Sarson Oct 15, 2025

Graham Potter has been unveiled as Sweden’s new head coach on a short-term five-month deal – less than a month after being sacked by West Ham. The 50-year-old will oversee the team’s final World Cup qualifiers in November, with his contract extending if Sweden reach the playoffs or the tournament itself. The former Chelsea and Brighton boss has revealed that he was ‘humbled’ by Sweden opting to sign him.

• Sweden officially sign Potter on short contract

  Sweden have turned to Potter in a desperate bid to salvage their 2026 World Cup hopes. The English coach has signed an initial five-month contract, taking charge for November’s final qualifiers against Switzerland and Slovenia. Should the team progress to the playoffs, Potter’s deal will automatically extend to cover both the playoff campaign in March and, potentially, the World Cup next summer in North America.

  Potter replaces Jon Dahl Tomasson, who was dismissed following a disastrous run that left Sweden bottom of Group B with just one point from four matches. A 1-0 defeat to Kosovo earlier this month proved the final straw, ending Tomasson’s brief and turbulent tenure as the national team’s first foreign head coach. Sweden’s only saving grace lies in their Nations League group finish, which could yet secure them a playoff spot despite their dismal qualifying record.

  The appointment marks a surprise return to management for Potter, who only last month was relieved of his duties at West Ham after a poor start to the Premier League season. The Hammers suffered five defeats in their opening six games, leaving them in the relegation zone and prompting the club to part ways with the former Brighton and Chelsea boss. For Potter, the Sweden job represents a chance to rebuild his reputation in a country where he once thrived.

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• AFP
  

  Potter 'humbled' by Sweden assignment

  “I am very humbled by the assignment, but also incredibly inspired,” said Potter after being confirmed as Sweden’s new manager. “Sweden has fantastic players who deliver in the world’s best leagues during the weeks. My job will be to create the conditions so that we as a team deliver at the highest level to take Sweden to the World Cup next summer.”

  The chairman of the Swedish Football Association, Simon Astrom, praised Potter’s appointment and the quick turnaround in finding a replacement for Tomasson. “It is still our goal to get to the World Cup next summer,” he explained. “Our hope is to play the playoffs in March, and all the decisions we have made now have been based on optimizing the conditions to reach our goal. With Graham Potter, we get a strong and experienced leadership that has been tested at the absolute highest level.”

  Kim Kallstrom, the Director of Football of the Swedish Football Association (SvFF), echoed that optimism. “It feels very good that Graham is coming in as the national team captain for the men’s national team,” Kallstrom said. “We are all aware of the situation we are in, and believe that with his leadership skills, he will bring the team together in a good way. He is tactically skilled at creating conditions to win matches and has an ability to identify players’ strengths and how they interact in the best way.”

• Potter returns to Sweden after seven years

  Potter’s appointment brings his managerial journey full circle, returning to the country where his career first took off. From 2011 to 2018, he led Ostersund from Sweden’s fourth division to the Allsvenskan, delivering three promotions in four years and even a domestic cup triumph in 2017. Under Potter, Ostersund earned a Europa League spot and famously defeated Arsenal 2-1 at the Emirates in 2018.

  His success in Sweden propelled him into English football, where he impressed at Swansea City and Brighton before being handed the Chelsea job in 2022. However, his seven-month stint at Stamford Bridge was turbulent, as inconsistent performances and poor results led to his dismissal. He then took over at West Ham in January 2025, but a difficult start to the new Premier League campaign saw the Hammers lose five of six matches, ending his tenure after just eight months.

  Despite those setbacks, Potter’s coaching credentials remain highly regarded, particularly his ability to build cohesive, intelligent teams. With a squad boasting elite-level players like Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres, Potter has the tools to engineer a turnaround if he can quickly instil belief and structure in the Swedish national team.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Potter’s first Sweden clash against Switzerland

  Potter’s immediate challenge will be restoring confidence in a disjointed Swedish side that has struggled for consistency and creativity in recent months. With two crucial fixtures ahead – away to Switzerland on November 15 and at home to Slovenia three days later – his task is to secure results that keep their playoff dream alive. A minimum of four points could be enough to clinch a Nations League-based route to qualification, depending on other results.

  Should Sweden reach the playoffs, Potter’s contract will automatically extend, offering a chance to guide the team into next summer’s World Cup and potentially secure a longer-term deal. For now, though, his focus remains firmly on two defining games that will shape both his comeback and Sweden’s fate. After a turbulent year in English football, Potter has found a new challenge – one that could rewrite his managerial story and revive Sweden’s fading World Cup dream.

Toss Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) captain Rajat Patidar called correctly and opted to bowl in the afternoon game against Punjab Kings (PBKS) in Mullanpur.RCB brought in allrounder Romario Shepherd in place of Liam Livingstone, who has struggled this season.”The wicket looks decent and it will not change much. Batting second will give more clarity,” Patidar said at the toss. “It is an afternoon game and we will try and stop them as early as possible.”Related