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Thomas Frank has a massive job on his hands at Tottenham Hotspur for the 25/26 campaign.

On top of having to navigate the Champions League, the Danish coach will be expected to lead the team to a far better finish in the Premier League, as well as making a proper dent in the domestic cup competitions.

To ensure the former Brentford boss has the best chance of making his first season at the club a successful one, Daniel Levy and Co need to do everything they can to bring in the right players this summer.

One of the names that has been in the news a lot lately is Antoine Semenyo, although, based on recent reports, Spurs could go after someone who’d be an even better signing.

Spurs moving after Premier League star

Semenyo has seemingly caught the attention of several Premier League sides this summer, from Manchester United to Arsenal, but the links to Spurs in recent weeks appear to be some of the strongest.

Transfer Focus

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

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It’s not hard to understand why so many teams would be interested in the Bournemouth star, as he’s proven himself in the league and managed to rack up a pretty impressive haul of 20 goal involvements in 42 appearances this season.

Yet, with reports suggesting he would cost the North Londoners upwards of £70m, the club has also been looking for other exciting options, such as players like Eberechi Eze.

At least that’s according to a recent report from journalist Sebastien Vidal, who has claimed that Spurs are “plotting a move for” the Crystal Palace star.

Vidal mentions that Semenyo and Bryan Mbeumo are also on the North Londoners’ shortlist, as Frank is “pushing for a top winger this summer.”

While a price isn’t mentioned in the story, it has been widely reported this year that the Englishman has a release clause worth around £68m in his contract with the Eagles.

It wouldn’t be a cheap transfer, but given Eze’s experience and ability, he’d be a better signing than Semenyo.

Why Eze would be a better signing than Semenyo

So then, the first reason, and it’s a big one, why Eze would be a better signing than Semenyo is down to his raw output.

For example, the Cherries star’s 20 goal involvements came in 42 appearances, totalling 3562 minutes, which means that he was able to maintain an average of a goal involvement every 2.1 games, or every 178.1 minutes.

In contrast, the Eagles “magician,” as dubbed by pundit Micah Richards, scored his 14 goals and provided his 11 assists in 43 appearances, totalling just 3303 minutes, which comes out to a far more impressive average of a goal involvement every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

Moreover, the Englishman has proven that he can cope in the most intense and pressurised moments, as he scored in the semi-final FA Cup against Aston Villa and then scored the winning goal against Manchester City in the final.

On top of that, while the 26-year-old primarily played in attacking midfield this season, he’s more than capable of playing out wide as well, which somewhat helps to minimise Semenmyo’s advantage in being able to play on both sides of the pitch.

Finally, comparing the pairs’ underlying numbers only further helps to highlight how much more impactful the former QPR star could be in North London.

While there are some metrics in which he comes out second best, there are far more in which the England international is clearly superior, including things like key passes, successful take-ons and shot-creating actions, which paints the picture of an all-action attack-focused player who’s just as capable starting attacks as he is finishing them.

Eze vs Semenyo

Statistics per 90

Eze

Semenyo

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.53

0.44

Non-Penalty G+As

0.68

0.46

Progressive Passes

3.37

3.06

Progressive Carries

2.40

3.93

Shots

3.25

3.49

Goals per Shot

0.12

0.09

Shots on Target

0.92

1.11

Goals per Shot on Target

0.41

0.27

Passing Accuracy

74.2%

73.4%

Key Passes

2.01

1.29

Passes into the Final Third

1.70

1.38

Passes into the Penalty Area

1.35

1.26

Shot-Creating Actions

4.69

3.71

Goal-Creating Actions

0.35

0.37

Successful Take-Ons

2.33

1.94

Ball Recoveries

5.07

4.44

Carries

29.2

27.5

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 Season

Ultimately, while Semenyo would be a good signing for Spurs, Eze would undoubtedly be an even better one, and for potentially £2m less, one that feels like a total no-brainer.

Related Their own Gyokeres: Spurs showing big interest in signing "incredible" CF

Tottenham Hotspur could be about to make a move for a player who’s starring at the Club World Cup.

Posts ByEthan Lamb Jun 23, 2025

After a very memorable trophy presentation day, Celtic’s summer plans are in full swing.

Saturday’s clash was essentially a dead-rubber for the Parkhead side, with the title having already been secured weeks ago, but those in attendance will never forget James Forrest’s 94th minute equaliser, a sweet strike that means the one club man has now scored in 16 successive seasons for Celtic; it was celebrated like the winner in a Champions League final.

Brendan Rodgers’ side will conclude the campaign with Saturday’s Scottish Cup Final, firm favourites to beat Aberdeen at Hampden, having already smashed the Dons on three occasions this season, 6-0 in November, 5-1 in February and then 5-1 again last mid-week up at Pittodrie.

Now, are the four-in-a-row Scottish Premiership champions about to get even stronger, as they seek to sign one of Europe’s most highly-rated young strikers?

Celtic's continued striker search

According to a report from the Daily Record, Celtic are still very much interested in signing long-term target Mathias Kvistgaarden, after the 23-year-old confirmed he is set to leave Brøndby this summer.

Transfer Focus

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

Speaking to the media in his homeland, the player noted: “I think I’m ready. I’ve made my mark at Brondby and in the Superliga, so I’m ready to take the next step.”

Back in January, Football Insider claimed that the Celts had an official bid rejected for Kvistgaarden, who is reportedly valued at £13.5m, with a report in Denmark noting that Bundesliga side Eintracht Frankfurt have also ‘intensified’ their interest.

Could Kvistgaarden be Celtic's new Larsson?

Kvistgaarden took his tally to 23 goals for the season against Midtjylland on Monday night, making him the second-highest goalscorer in the Danish Superligaen this season, with just one round of fixtures to go.

So, could we see him in a Celtic jersey come next season?

Well, Kyōgo Furuhashi departed Celtic in January, joining Stade Rennais for a reported fee of £10m in January and no direct replacement was signed.

Adam Idah, who joined permanently from Norwich last summer, did step up, scoring 20 goals in all competitions, while player of the season Daizen Maeda was often deployed down the middle too, netting 33 times in total and picking up all the individual awards.

Nevertheless, a Kyōgo replacement is needed given that, according to Graeme Macpherson of the Scotsman, the Japanese star is Celtic’s best striker since Henrik Larsson, so let’s assess that assertion.

Selected Celtic strikers (1997-present)
Players	Games	Goals	Old Firm goals	Mins per goal
Kyōgo	165	85	8	126
Édouard	179	87	7	140
Dembélé	94	51	7	121
Griffiths	261	123	3	118
Hooper	138	82	5	136
McDonald	121	59	4	159
Hartson	198	105	6	143
Sutton	196	84	6	198
Larsson	292	224	15	113
All statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt

The table underlines Kyōgo’s impressive statistics, even when compared to some of the greatest Celtic strikers of the modern era, most notably the king of kings himself, Larsson.

But how do the Japanese forward’s statistics compare to those of Kvistgaarden?

Kvistgaarden at Brøndby vs Kyōgo at Celtic
Statistics	Kvistgaarden	Kyōgo
Appearances	102	101
Minutes	6,323	10,741
Goals	43	85
Mins per goal	164	126
Assists	17	19
Shots on target %	48.8%	45.5%
Shots per 90	3.14	3.34
Shots on target per 90	1.53	1.52
Big chances missed	32	69
Note: Kvistgaarden’s statistics are 2022/23-present.
Statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt, FBref.com and SofaScore

As the table outlines, Kvistgaarden’s numbers do compare favourably, having taken his game to another level this season, underlined by his very impressive figure of a goal every 107 minutes.

Chris Beaumont of Total Football Analysis describes him as a ‘quick and agile striker’, with Scout António Mango asserting that he is “absolutely sensational”.

Meantime, Farzam Abolhosseini of Tipsbladet labels him “magical”, while Jacek Kulig of Football Talent Scout believes that the 23-year-old is “only getting better”.

Thus, it is clear that the young Dane would be an astonishingly excellent signing for Celtic, if they’re able to get the deal over the line of course, boasting the potential to be the Hoops’ best centre-forward since a certain fellow-Scandinavian striker.

Celtic can replace Jota by signing "one of the standout players in La Liga"

With Jota sidelined for the next nine months due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury, could Brendan Rodgers sign La Liga’s standout winger?

By
Ben Gray

May 16, 2025

It’s fair to say Chelsea are underperforming in Enzo Maresca’s system at the moment, but having reached the Conference League semi-finals while sitting inside the Premier League’s top qualification zone, it’s all to fight for over the business weeks of the campaign.

Finishing inside the top five should provide a route into next year’s Champions League, and with the Blues sat in seventh place, four points behind Manchester City, it’s crucial that Fulham are beaten at Craven Cottage this afternoon.

The problem, of course, is that Chelsea haven’t won any of their past nine domestic matches on the road, with the Cottagers losing only four of their 16 matches at home in the top flight this term.

20/04/25

Fulham (A)

9th

04/05/25

Liverpool (H)

1st

11/05/25

Newcastle (A)

3rd

16/05/25

Man United (H)

14th

25/05/25

Nott’m Forest (H)

4th

Maresca fielded a surprisingly strong line-up against Legia Warsaw on Thursday, losing 2-1 on the evening but prevailing on aggregate.

It won’t be easy, but the Blues simply have to see themselves over the line in this one.

Chelsea team news

Maresca confirmed during his pre-match press conference that Romeo Lavia is available for selection after returning from injury and should be involved.

Wesley Fofana, Marc Guiu and Omari Kellyman remain long-term absentees, while Mykhaylo Mudryk is still unavailable.

Pedro Neto and Noni Madueke were benched for the quarter-final tie, but Jadon Sancho did pick up an assist for Marc Cucurella’s goal and may fancy another shot at the wide flank against a stable Fulham defence.

Enzo Fernandez and Moises Caicedo were both excluded from the matchday squad on Thursday ahead of this weekend’s fixture, and with both ready and raring, Maresca may want to make a bold move and drop Cole Palmer for the second time in four Premier League matches.

Why Maresca could drop Palmer

It’s been 15 matches across all competitions since Palmer last found the back of the net. Unquestionably, he’s one of Europe’s superlative attacking midfielders, but equally, he’s well below his best at the moment.

Last season, the 22-year-old was untouchable, matchless in his breezy, Midas touch style in front of goal. Now, he cuts a frustrated figure as chances go begging and fluency looks absent.

The sun will shine again on the England international, who Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher declared “the best player in the Premier League” back in October, having started the term with such panache. Still, he’s got 14 goals and nine assists across 31 appearances, hardly a tally to be sniffed at.

Palmer has maintained an impressive creative level in the Premier League, still showcasing those arresting attributes that have earned him such lofty acclaim.

As per Sofascore, the rangy midfielder averages 2.5 key passes per league game (more than last year’s 2.1 averages per game), winning 56% of his ground duels and creating 20 big chances besides.

However, there’s another playmaking gem who could be unleashed in a fresh role later today. With Lavia combining so well with Caicedo in the early knockings of the season, Maresca may well look to shake things up here.

How Maresca could replace Palmer

It could do Palmer some good to take a seat against Marco Silva’s Fulham, fuelling him to make a positive impact when introduced in the second half.

Chelsea don’t have an abundance of central attacking midfielders, and while Neto could play the role well off Jackson’s back, it’s Fernandez who should be allowed to shift forwards into Palmer’s realm.

Fernandez has been through the emotions since becoming English football’s most expensive player of all time in February 2023, leaving Benfica in a deal worth £107m. He was regarded as a “superstar” by journalist Roy Nemer, and is beginning to prove such praise despite his team’s struggles.

The 24-year-old has come on leaps and bounds with his timing and movement in the danger area, bounding into space and using his feet or head to fire home.

Principally from a deeper-lying role, this is quite impressive, especially when doubling that with the fact that he’s one of the Premier League’s most creative players right now.

To add context to this: during March, no player across England’s top division created more big chances than Fernandez’s eight, the Argentine thriving in his influential central berth.

As per FBref, the 5 foot 10 midfielder ranks among the top 14% of midfielders in the Premier League this season for goal involvements, the top 8% for shot-creating actions, the top 13% for passes attempted and the top 11% for progressive passes per 90.

Clearly, he has the properties to play a more advanced role, and Maresca’s not afraid to give him a shot. Four times already in 2024/25, Fernandez has featured as the number ten, scoring one goal and registering one assist.

He’s not one to shirk away from defensive responsibilities either, winning 4.4 duels and recovering 4.3 balls per game so far. Fielding him ahead of Caicedo and Lavia might compact Chelsea’s midfield while retaining the playmaking spark that Palmer provides with such aplomb, even when things aren’t going his way.

It bears testament to Chelsea’s strength in depth that such a scenario is even a possibility, and it might just be one that Maresca wants to enforce to keep his players on their toes and take Palmer out of the firing line.

Guehi upgrade: Chelsea in advanced talks to sign "world-class" PL talent

Chelsea can forget about Marc Guehi, with a move seemingly heading in the right direction for one star.

ByEthan Lamb Apr 19, 2025

Fulham are still outside contenders for European qualification with Marco Silva leading them to an impressive season overall, but certain clubs may be looking to poach their outstanding players as a result.

Fulham face Liverpool in crucial Premier League clash

It’s been a bad week for the west Londoners, having crashed out of the FA Cup following a 3-0 loss to Crystal Palace at Craven Cottage and followed that up with defeat to Arsenal.

Fulham now make contact to sign £8m ace who may replace Timothy Castagne

Fulham are among the teams interested in signing a new defender.

ByBrett Worthington Mar 26, 2025

Now, an equally tough test awaits Silva in the form of Premier League title favourites Liverpool, who are looking to cement their status as champions of England. Fulham could make a real statement by thwarting Liverpool and gaining much-needed points in the race for Europe, with Silva about to lead his side into a season-defining next few matches.

After Arne Slot’s side visit the English capital, Fulham take on fellow European contenders Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium, with a west London derby then on the horizon against Chelsea.

Liverpool (home)

April 6th

Bournemouth (away)

April 14th

Chelsea (home)

April 20th

Southampton (away)

April 26th

Aston Villa (away)

May 3rd

Fulham have one eye on next season already, making summer transfer plans and targeting a move for Celtic defender Alistair Johnston, among others (David Ornstein), but for now, it is strictly business on the field.

Silva will need all of his crop fit and firing, as the Whites eye their first European campaign since 2011/2012 – when they qualified for the Europa League via England’s Fair Play berth.

Fulham fans have fond memories of their 2009/2010 season in the Europa, when Roy Hodgson guided them to an unprecedented place in the final against eventual winners Atlético Madrid.

It still isn’t beyond the realms of possibility that they could replicate those heroics next season, but they’ll need to keep hold of their key men. Silva is attracting interest from Tottenham as a potential replacement for Ange Postecoglou, and winger Andreas Pereira is a wanted man in Brazil.

Flamengo plotting unique offer for Fulham star Andreas Pereira

The former Man United gem boasts two goals and seven assists from 31 appearances in all competitions this term, but Pereira’s contract expires next year, leading to clubs from his homeland taking a real interest in poaching him.

Palmeiras are rumoured to have already made an offer, while Flamengo are believed to be plotting a unique bid for Pereira, according to journalist Bruno Lemos.

“About Andreas Pereira. Flamengo is moving forward to have Andreas Pereira for the FIFA Super World Cup,” said Lemos on X.

“After a successful conversation with the midfielder’s agent, Giuliano Bertolucci, the red-black board of directors may use an important asset to open negotiations with Fulham: 20% of the rights to striker Rodrigo Muniz, sold to the English club in 2021, and may include the percentage it still holds of the athlete to offset a possible request from the British.

“Recently, Palmeiras offered 20 million euros for the player, but Fla does not intend to reach that amount, counting on Andreas’ desire to return to Ninho do Urubu and the ability of his agent to facilitate the transfer, in addition to the contribution of 15 million dollars for participating in the World Cup and 16 million pounds from the sale of Argentine Alcaraz to Everton, also from England, part of which will be used to qualify the squad and obtain reinforcements, including a player to serve as an alternative to Uruguayan Arrascaeta, who has again presented physical problems.”

The 29-year-old could be tempted by this opportunity to make a return home as he slowly enters the twilight phase of his career, but Fulham’s boss may be keen to avoid this scenario as Silva has described Pereira as a “very important” player.

It was well past midnight on Monday in Dubai when Suryakumar Yadav walked into the press conference room. It had been a night mired in chaos and confusion. Who would present India the Asia Cup trophy? Would India accept it if it came from ACC chairman Mohsin Naqvi? Would Pakistan even turn up for their press conference, amid rumours that their team bus had already left? We got the answers by and by.Suryakumar had endured a poor tournament, and the non-cricketing issues may or may not have taken a toll on his form.There was the unbeaten 47 in India’s second game of the tournament, against Pakistan, but he had scores of 0, 5, 12 and 1 to end the Asia Cup with. On Sunday, his dismissal attempting to loft Shaheen Shah Afridi on the up left India precariously placed at 10 for 2 in their chase of 147.Related

• Tilak seals thriller to give India ninth Asia Cup title

• India refuse to accept Asia Cup trophy from Mohsin Naqvi

• The night Tilak and Dube went from promise to performance

“I feel I am not out of form, I feel I am out of runs,” Suryakumar said. “I believe more in what I am doing in the nets and my preparation. So in matches, things are on autopilot.”His record as captain, though, has been impeccable. Since becoming full-time T20I captain, he has racked up series wins over Sri Lanka, South Africa and England and now at the Asia Cup, where India won seven games in a row to win their ninth title.Having answered the question on his form, Suryakumar directed the mic jovially the other way, egging journalists on to direct some of the questions towards Abhishek Sharma, the Player of the Tournament who sat alongside him. “I’ve felt personally that when you are not scoring runs, it is difficult to take the team along. But Surya is the same irrespective of whether he has scored runs or not,” Abhishek said, throwing his weight behind his captain.Suryakumar had to contend with more than just cricket at the Asia Cup. It began with a handshake with Asian Cricket Council and PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi during the captains’ press conference – a routine gesture that quickly turned contentious and set the tone for what followed.Days later, at the toss on September 14, Suryakumar’s refusal to shake hands with Pakistan captain Salman Agha added fresh spark to the issue. Next came a series of gestures and confrontations from both sides, eventually forcing the match referee to step in for disciplinary hearings.”I feel it was not that difficult [to deal with],” Suryakumar said. “The boys took it in their stride. Since day one, I was just telling them to focus on cricket and enjoy the game. The boys took it in a positive way. We were very focused in every game.”Suryakumar stressed that despite everything that went on, there was a bigger sense of satisfaction around where India were at in the runway to the T20 World Cup early next year, where they are defending champions.Suryakumar Yadav pretends to carry a trophy he refused to receive•AFP/Getty Images

“What we wanted to achieve in this tournament, we have achieved,” he said. “There are a lot of things which you don’t get to achieve in a bilateral tournament. This was like a knockout tournament.”As soon as we entered the Super Four, I told the boys that let’s approach it like a quarter-final, semi-final and final. So we played a semi-final type of game against Sri Lanka, and then it was a perfect final. There are nerves, responsibility and pressure, and it was a perfect final.”When asked about half-centurion and Player of the Match Tilak Varma, the only name barely touched upon in an unusually long press conference, Suryakumar chose to throw the spotlight on the entire team.”I wouldn’t want to point out one player,” he said. “From the first game to the final, a lot of players came in and stepped up at crucial moments. Tilak played an unbelievable knock in the final. We’ve seen him do that before. Kuldeep [Yadav] and Varun [Chakravarthy] came back with the ball. This is just not about the final. Throughout the journey in the tournament, we’ve stepped up and seized small moments. This was a collective effort.”

Just when you think Liverpool have turned a corner, Arne Slot’s Reds ended up falling apart on their Premier League travels to Manchester City.

In the build-up to this showdown between two top-flight heavyweights, Liverpool had managed to collect two wins from their last two games in all competitions to ease concerns of a crisis occurring at Anfield.

However, football is a fickle old game, with the alarm bells ringing once more now, as City strolled to a 3-0 victory on their own patch.

Unfortunately, that demoralising defeat means Liverpool are already eight points behind Arsenal at the summit, as the likes of Mohamed Salah and Hugo Ekitike continue to underwhelm in attack.

The former Eintracht Frankfurt marksman was branded an “anonymous” figure by Statman Dave after failing to fire a single effort on the City goal.

Still, it’s not as if Alexander Isak is banging down the door to replace the misfiring attacker…

Inside Isak's disappointing start at Liverpool

Isak remain rooted to the substitutes bench throughout the 3-0 defeat, with the Swede hoping he can get his Liverpool career up and running after the international break.

So far, the £125m summer recruit has been sparingly used, owing to a lack of pre-season being handed to him at former employers Newcastle United, with the expensive striker yet to break his Premier League duck for Slot and Co.

It’s way too early in his Anfield career to dismiss him as an extortionate flop, though, with Isak undoubtedly a Premier League goal machine when playing at his razor-sharp best, as seen when watching his 54-goal tally for the Toon.

But, he will need to start living up to his previous billing of being the “best striker in the Premier League”, a tag handed to him by ex-Liverpool great Jamie Carragher, particularly if Ekitike continues to also fail to recapture his own goal-scoring groove.

Slot does have other options up his sleeve in this frustrating lone striker spot if needs be, with an emerging 17-year-old talent at Anfield potentially in line to be the number 9 of the future.

Liverpool are brewing a mini Alexander Isak

The number 9 jersey at Liverpool is a shirt steeped in significant history, with Ian Rush becoming synonymous with that number when scoring an all-time best on Merseyside of 346 goals.

Moreover, in more recent times, Fernando Torres took on the weighty shirt and thrived, bagging 81 strikes from 142 games.

Unfortunately, Isak is going down the route of being remembered more as a Darwin Nunez-style figure now donning the number nine, who mustered up a weak 40 goals in total in England.

Who will be the next legendary 9? Well, a teenager by the name of Will Wright – a young individual being heralded as the “next Michael Owen” in some circles – will be praying it could be him.

Liverpool #9s – selected players
Player	Games	Goals
Ian Rush	654	346
Robbie Fowler	369	183
Ian St. John	424	118
Fernando Torres	142	81
Darwin Nunez	143	40
Sourced by Transfermarkt

Indeed, the young striker sensation has already been branded as a “great finisher” by Reds journalist Bence Boscak when plying his trade for League Two outfit Salford City while Total Football Analysis have suggested that he has ‘many of the characteristics to be a top-level centre-forward’.

In the academy ranks last season at the Ammies, Wright fired home a stunning 40 goals, which certainly shows off a striker capable of one day reaching Isak’s Newcastle heights in the senior set-up. It’s for that reason that the aforementioned Bocask believes he is a “brilliant signing.”

He even featured in pre-season under Slot when Athletic Club travelled to Anfield, with one big chance spurned when thrust into the thick of the action.

Arsenal reportedly had their eyes on the clinical youngster before Wright decided to move to Merseyside over North London, with the hope that he could live up to his early promise and become Liverpool’s next free-flowing number nine.

Injuries have curtailed his U21 minutes as of late, with the 17-year-old now out of action until December with a knee problem.

But, when he’s back, don’t write off a sudden rise into the first team scene that’s similar to Rio Ngumoha’s explosion, with the misfiring duo of Ekitike and Isak, also kept on their toes by some fresh blood.

Liverpool and Arsenal scouting new right-back who pocketed Gakpo

The Reds have set their sights on a new right-back.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 12, 2025

A new Southampton manager update has been shared from St Mary’s regarding a full-time move for interim boss Tonda Eckert.

Eckert responds to permanent Southampton job rumours

The Saints made the perfect start to life without Will Still in the week, defeating Queens Park Rangers 2-1 at Loftus Road.

Eckert was the man in charge of Southampton following Still’s exit, with second half goals from Jay Robinson and Leo Scienza lifting them above rivals Portsmouth.

The 3-4-2-1 caretaker is once again set to be on the touchline this weekend prior to the international break as St Mary’s play host to bottom side Sheffield Wednesday. Talking ahead of the game, Eckert was asked if he fancied the Southampton job on a permanent basis, to which he said:

“Look, the answer is very easy on this one. My job is to prepare the game today in the best way possible. My job is to prepare the game on Saturday (8th November) in the best way possible. That’s what all my focus is on. It’s going to be three very important days until Saturday. Then we can all take a breath.

“I think the only thing I can do is give energy and give a structure, and prepare them in the best way possible. We’re going to do the same thing for Saturday and hopefully confirm [the improvement] and then we’ll go into a break and go again.”

Now, a new update has emerged regarding Southampton’s position over Eckert.

How Southampton feel about full-time Tonda Eckert move

According to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, Southampton now “consider Eckert a potential candidate for the full-time job” following his winning start in temporary charge.

The 32-year-old’s coaching career has mainly been as an assistant, helping some iconic names such as Patrick Vieira at Genoa and Miroslav Klose at Bayern Munich’s U17 side.

His experience in England came during 18 months as an assistant at Barnsley, with Eckert taking charge of Southampton’s U21s in the summer.

1.FC Koln U17

Assistant manager

2013-2016

RB Salzburg YL

Assistant manager

2016-2017

RB Leipzig YL

Assistant manager

2017-2019

FC Bayern U17

Assistant manager

2019-2020

Barnsley

Assistant manager

2020-2022

Genoa

Assistant manager

2022-2025

Saints gem Moses Sesay has been impressed under Eckert, saying he is an “experienced” coach who “demands a lot” in training and is “big on detail”.

“I’ve enjoyed working with him. I took some time to get a good connection with him, because he was new, but I really like him. He’s a good coach. He’s very experienced. He demands a lot from us in training, but I like that as a player. He knows what he wants, which is good.

“Comparing Calum McFarlane (former under-21s boss) with Tonda, I think Cal was maybe a little bit more technical, but there hasn’t been much of a difference.

“Tonda is big on detail. He’s a very good coach. We’ve had good results since he came in and went a few games unbeaten. It’s been good under him.”

Positive words indeed, and if Eckert makes it two from two on Saturday, his stock could continue to rise.

Their own Lampard: "Very intelligent" coach now wants the Southampton job

Leeds United picked up a crucial win on Wednesday night, as they beat Chelsea 3-1 to go outside of the relegation zone. With 14 points to their name in as many games, it has certainly been a struggle for Daniel Farke’s side this season.

However, they are in good form. Of course, they beat the Blues this week at Elland Road, and last Saturday were unlucky to drop points away to Manchester City.

Only a goal in the 92nd minute from Phil Foden could sink Farke’s team, who were close to the ideal week in their relegation fight.

Indeed, there have been some standout players over the past few days for the West Yorkshire side.

Leeds’ best players in their last two games

It is hard to pinpoint just a couple of players who have excelled for Farke’s side against two of the Premier League’s title challengers, with the whole squad impressing. However, one player who shone was defender Jayden Bogle.

Against City, he played as a right-back, and won 100% of his tackles and three ground duels coming up against Jeremy Doku. On Wednesday, he had more of an advanced role and made great use of it.

Operating as a wing-back on the right flank, Bogle assisted Ao Tanaka, who made it 2-0 to Leeds on the stroke of half-time.

Another standout from the impressive performances this week was summer signing Lukas Nmecha. The German striker has been in good form this term and added to his goal tally at the Etihad Stadium last weekend. He’s now bagged four times in the top flight this season.

Whilst he didn’t find the back of the net against the Blues, Nmecha still made a real nuisance of himself for the Chelsea backline.

The German was not the only Leeds attacker who stood out in the last week.

From "Bang average" to undroppable

The Whites are not short of attacking options after a busy summer. They already had the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Joel Piroe and Wilfried Gnoto, three of the players at Farke’s disposal, who all played a big role in their promotion.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Nmecha was brought in to add to that depth, as was Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

The former Everton star made the move to West Yorkshire upon the expiry of his contract on Merseyside. It was a tough start to life at Leeds, though.

The 28-year-old did not exactly set the world alight with his start in a Leeds shirt. He’d only managed one goal in his first ten Premier League games, and that was away to bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers.

It meant the England international had to face some criticism for the lack of form in front of goal.

Earlier in the campaign, defender-turned-pundit Michael Dawson said on Sky Sports’ Soccer Saturday he was looking “bang average”, following the defeat to Fulham.

However, that form has recently taken a huge upturn. In what have arguably been his side’s two toughest games so far this season, Calvert-Lewin got himself on the scoresheet against both City and Chelsea.

It wasn’t just his goals that made these performances impressive, but the manner in which he played. He was a handful off the ball, winning 15 duels on Wednesday night, and six at the weekend.

He won three fouls in each game, too, making an impact despite having minimal touches.

Touches

15

35

Shots

1

3

Duels won

6

15

Fouls won

3 (1 penalty)

3

Goals

1

1

His performances were enough to earn him a pair of 9/10 ratings from journalist Graham Smyth. Against the Citizens, he praised Calvert-Lewin for the fact that he ‘gave Leeds much more presence’ and said he ‘brought others into play’ superbly against the West Londoners.

With two goals in as many games and some good centre-forward performances outside of that, it is easy to see why Calvert-Lewin could be considered undroppable for Leeds. After a tough start, it seems like he has finally begun to show his best form.

It does seem unlikely that Farke will omit the striker from his starting XI ahead of the game against Liverpool on Saturday. Instead, he will be hoping he provide further troubles for Virgil van Dijk and the rest of the Reds’ defenders.

If Calvert-Lewin can replicate such a performance again, it will go a long way to helping Leeds achieve their goal of Premier League survival.

Best signing since Raphinha: Leeds star is one of "the best" players in PL

Leeds look to have struck gold with one of Farke’s summer signings.

ByJoe Nuttall Dec 4, 2025

After India A posted 413, they dismissed Australia A for 242 in 33.1 overs

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Oct-2025
Hundreds from opener Priyansh Arya and captain Shreyas Iyer set up India A’s demolition of Australia A in the first unofficial ODI in Kanpur on Wednesday. After rain allowed no play on Tuesday, the weather cleared for the series to get underway on the reserve day.After being asked to bat, India A posted 413 for 6 on the back of Arya’s 101 and Iyer’s 110. In response, Australia A were dismissed for 242 in 33.1 overs.Each of India’s top six had a strike rate of over 100, and five of their top six scored at least 50. Arya and Prabhsimran Singh, who had combined powerfully for Punjab Kings (PBKS) in IPL 2025, were reunited at the top for India A, putting on 135 for the opening stand in 20.3 overs. Iyer then took charge of the innings, hitting 12 fours and four sixes in his first List A match since the Champions Trophy in March earlier this year.Related

• Iyer to lead India A in one-dayers against Australia A

• BCCI okays Shreyas Iyer's request for six-month break from red-ball cricket

• After years in Chennai heat, Gurjapneet Singh is now in India A spotlight

Rajat Patidar was originally named captain for the 50-over series against Australia A but Iyer replaced him, with Patidar taking charge of the Rest of India side in the ongoing Irani Cup in Nagpur. Iyer is on a break from red-ball cricket due to concerns about his back, but continues to be available for white-ball cricket.Riyan Parag (67) and Ayush Badoni (50) also hit half-centuries to propel India A to a mammoth total. Iyer’s dismissal in the 47th over left India A at 380 for 4, but Badoni and allrounder Nishant Sindhu took them past 400.Australia A used seven bowlers, with only Liam Scott going at less than seven an over.Chasing 414, Australia A had a good start: they were 116 for 1 in the 13th over, but Cooper Connolly’s wicket triggered a slide. They lost their last nine wickets for 126 and left almost 17 overs unused in their chase.Opener McKenzie Harvey top-scored for the visitors with 68 off 62 balls while captain Sutherland made 50 off 33 balls. Spinners Sindhu, Bishnoi and Badoni shared seven wickets among them.Gurjapneet Singh, who was making his List A debut, having been fast-tracked into the India A side, came away with 1 for 40 in five overs.India A will be bolstered by the arrival of Asia Cup hero Tilak Varma for the remaining two one-dayers.

Como and Switzerland star Alisha Lehmann named a Chelsea star as the toughest-ever opponent she has contested against, while also revealing whether she would rather win the World Cup with the Switzerland national team or the Ballon d'Or. Lehmann left Aston Villa for Italy to join Juventus in the summer of 2024 after spending six years in England and joined Como in the summer.

• Lehmann's journey in the WSL and Serie A

  Lehmann came to England at the age of 19 after making her professional debut at Swiss club BSC YB Frauen. In the WSL, the then-teenager signed for West Ham United and spent three seasons at the club. In between, she was briefly sent out on loan to Everton in 2021. With the Hammers, Lehmann finished as a runner-up in the Women's FA Cup in the 2018-19 campaign

  The Swiss forward then signed for Aston Villa and spent the next three seasons before finally moving away from England and heading to Italy. While personally Lehmann did not have a great season and remained sidelined for quite some time with injuries, as a team, Juventus won the league title – marking the first major trophy of her career. After spending only a season with the Italian giants, the 26-year-old signed for Como on a three-year deal 

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  Lehmann picks her favourite opponent

  In a chat with Dillon Deluxe, Lehmann was asked to pick the toughest opponent she has ever faced, to which she said: "I think Millie Bright". She then picked former Aston Villa team-mate and ex-England star Rachel Daly as the best player she has played with.

  Finally, when asked whether she would prefer to win the World Cup with the Switzerland national team or bag the Ballon d'Or, Lehmann said: "World Cup, 100%".

• Lehmann's house in Italy burgled

  Lehmann recently shared a video on Instagram where she captured the state of her bedroom after seeing intruders rifle through her belongings, with the contents of wardrobes and cabinets being flung everywhere. The Switzerland international was not at home at the time of the incident.

  Despite the burglary, Lehmann tried to stay upbeat, as she posted the video with a sarcastic message: "Next time people rob my house, can you please clean up after, cause I’ve got OCD. As someone that likes organisation and cleanliness, the Swiss now faces confusion and mess."

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  When will Lehmann play next for Como?

  Lehmann recently featured in Como's 1-0 loss against Roma in a Serie A clash on Sunday. She will be back in action for the club on December 7, when they take on Parma. In between her playing commitments, Lehmann frequently visits England after linking up with Love Island presenter and partner of Manchester City defender Ruben Dias, Maya Jama, to become the coach of MVPs United in the UK version of Baller League.