Forget Merino: Arsenal star who's "like Wilshere" can fix Gyokeres blow

The atmosphere around Arsenal at the moment is extraordinary.

Mikel Arteta’s side are flying in the Premier League, League Cup and Champions League.

Moreover, they’re doing so amid an injury crisis which has left them with a threadbare attack and without summer signing Viktor Gyokeres.

Fortunately, even with all the injuries, there are several ways Arteta could address the Swede’s absence for the weekend’s game against Sunderland.

Arsenal's Gyokeres solutions

One way Arteta could solve the problem of Gyokeres being out is by moving Leandro Trossard from the wing to the centre.

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

The Belgian is in fine form at the moment, having produced seven goal involvements in 13 games, and as Ian Wright points out, is arguably the club’s “best finisher.”

However, in playing the 30-year-old up front, the left-hand side is weakened, especially with Gabriel Martinelli out and Eberechi Eze playing in the middle of the park.

Another solution, and a bold one at that, could be to hand Andre Harriman-Annous his first league start for the club, as while he did not start against Brighton, he impressed.

The 17-year-old was making dangerous runs, picking up pockets of space and demonstrating a higher technical level than many might have been expecting.

However, what is far more likely is for Arteta to start Mikel Merino in the nine.

After all, the Spaniard has shown an impressive finishing ability over the last year or so and popped up with two goals against Slavia Prague during the week.

However, there is another option, one that is a little bolder, but could be particularly effective against Sunderland.

Arteta's surprise solution to Gyokeres' injury

Now, there is a very strong chance that Arteta opts to start Merino on Saturday, but there are a few reasons he should consider handing a rare start up top to Ethan Nwaneri.

The Hale Ender is primarily an attacking midfielder who spent much of last season on the right, earning plenty of praise, including from Arteta, who stated that the teenager “has the ability to take the ball in tight areas and to escape a little bit like Jack Wilshere used to do.” Promising signs, indeed.

That said, he is no stranger to playing as a nine. During his time in the academy, he made eight appearances in the position, scoring nine goals and providing two assists.

Appearances

37

Minutes

1378′

Goals

9

Assists

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.29

Minutes per Goal Involvement

125.27′

Moreover, in a press conference last season, Arteta said that the youngster “can play as a right winger and there is another position I think he can develop into – No9.”

It’s not hard to see why the manager might think that, as last season saw the academy gem score nine goals and provide two assists in just 1378 minutes, which is the sort of return you would expect from a top centre-forward.

Finally, the reason the “phenomenal” game-changer, as dubbed by former professional Stephen Warnock, could be the perfect choice for this game is his on-the-ball ability.

Unlike Merino, the 18-year-old has shown himself to be a talented dribbler and someone who can beat a defender with the ball at his feet, and as the Black Cats are likely to sit back, that could be incredibly useful.

Ultimately, while the conventional approach would be to start Merino in place of the injured Gyokeres, Arteta might be wise to go with Nwaneri instead.

He's like Saka & Odegaard: Arsenal star is one of the "best in the world"

The incredible international is starting to perform like Saka & Odegaard for Arteta & Arsenal.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 5, 2025

Pete Crow-Armstrong Proved He Truly Believes He Can Rob Any Home Run vs. Brewers

The Cubs and Brewers met for Game 2 of the National League Division Series on Monday night. Each team hit a three-run home run in the first inning and Milwaukee added another home run in both the third and fourth to take a 7-3 lead.

In the fourth, Jackson Chourio hit an absolute bomb to centerfield that was measured at 419-feet. Considering the wall in center is 400, it stands to reason that it wasn't even close.

The eye test confirms that when you see Chicago centerfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong's incredibly futile attempt to rob this home run.

PCA has a penchant for making spectacular plays in center, but he was nowhere near this ball at any point. If he was 25-feet tall, he would have had a tough time getting a glove on this ball. When he reached the apex of his jump at the wall, the ball wasn't even on the screen yet.

Yes, this is the kind of effort that allows you hit inside-the-park home runs or steal home from second base, but at some point you've just got to let the hard-to-reach chips go. There's no reason for you to end up crumpled on the ground when a ball was hit to the second deck.

São Paulo x Palmeiras: onde assistir ao vivo, horário e escalações do jogo pelo Brasileirão

MatériaMais Notícias

O São Paulo recebe o Palmeiras nesta segunda-feira (29), pela quarta rodada do Campeonato Brasileiro. A bola rola a partir das 20h (de Brasília), no Morumbis, com transmissão do Premiere.

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Confira abaixo todas as informações que você precisa saber sobre o confronto (onde assistir, horário, escalações e local).

Placar exato! Coloque R$100 no Lance! Betting e fature R$470 no placar que mais se repetiu em São Paulo x Palmeiras

➡️ Tudo sobre o Verdão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Palmeiras

✅ FICHA TÉCNICA
São Paulo x Palmeiras – Campeonato Brasileiro
4ª rodada

🗓️Data e horário:segunda-feira, 29 de abril de 2024, às 20h (hora de Brasília)
📍Local:Morumbis, em São Paulo (SP)
📺Onde assistir:Premiere
🟨Arbitragem:Wilton Pereira Sampaio (árbitro); Bruno Raphael Pires e Luanderson Lima dos Santos (auxiliares); Wagner Reway (VAR).

➡️ Tudo sobre o Tricolor agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! São Paulo

⚽ PROVÁVEIS ESCALAÇÕES

SÃO PAULO
Rafael; Igor Vinicius, Arboleda, Alan Franco, Diego Costa e Welington; Bobadilla e Alisson; Calleri, Luciano e André Silva; Calleri. Técnico: Luis Zubeldía.

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PALMEIRAS
Weverton; Marcos Rocha, Gustavo Gómez, Murilo e Piquerez; Richard Ríos, Aníbal Moreno e Raphael Veiga; Endrick, Estêvão e Flaco López. Técnico: Abel Ferreira.

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoCorinthiansFutebol NacionalOnde assistirPalmeiras

Newcastle have "one of the best teen prospects" & he can surpass Woltemade

Newcastle United are masters at adapting and overcoming adversity. Hurdles have sprung up and sent Eddie Howe’s side tumbling in recent years, but each time the Magpies get themselves airborne once again.

They must prove this mentality remains intact, having struggled to make things click in the Premier League this season.

One ray of light through this up-and-down period has been Nick Woltemade, who has swerved a number of those hurdles to establish himself as one of the most exciting young forwards in Europe.

Could he be the Toon’s most talented player?

Why Nick Woltemade is thriving at Newcastle

Newcastle signed Woltemade from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m fee in August before Alexander Isak had completed his record-breaking move to Liverpool, signalling in all but confirmation the Swede’s looming departure.

With Yoane Wissa also brought in but sidelined before he could make his bow with a knee injury, Woltemade, 23, has assumed quite the heavy load.

But this hasn’t thwarted him.

The striker has scored six goals from his first 13 matches in black and white. Rangy and seemingly a throwback type of frontman, the German is endowed with much technical grace, with reporter Andy Sixsmith hailing him for “mesmerising” link-up ability.

Woltemade is surpassing expectations at number nine for Newcastle, and he is indeed playing like a man in a contest with Bruno Guimaraes and Sandro Tonali for the crown as the club’s best player.

But there’s an up-and-coming prospect who might be the cream of the crop, albeit one who requires work over the next few years.

Newcastle's bigger talent than Woltemade

Newcastle have transformed their first team in the four years under Howe’s wing, but PIF have quietly been assembling a youth force to be reckoned with down the line.

And, right at the top of this pack is Vakhtang Salia, who joined St. James’ Park from Dinamo Tbilisi this summer despite rival interest from European heavyweights such as Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.

Injury has kept the 18-year-old from featuring for the Toon yet, but he played 57 senior matches for his former Georgian side, scoring eight goals and supplying four assists.

Salia hasn’t quite worked out his best position at this nascent stage of his career, but that’s okay. He is fast and has the mark of a clinical player down the line, and in this, he could one day surpass Woltemade.

This is a bold claim to make, but the respective forwards are at wholly different points in their careers, and his “very high work-rate”, as has been said by Genk scout Mikha Gabechava, suggests he has the drive to match his talent with a tenacious approach.

Left winger

27

5

1

Centre-forward

12

2

1

Right winger

1

1

0

Attacking midfield

1

0

0

Because, after all, the Georgia U21 star has been described as “one of the best teenage prospects in the world” by journalist Graeme Bailey, and this without yet proving himself in a top division. The hype is very much real.

The sales of prospects like Yankuba Minteh and Elliot Anderson mark a cautionary tale for the Tynesiders as they look to go from strength to strength once again. Salia’s signature must be held onto, and he must be allowed to develop into a polished Premier League star.

With the right work over the coming years, he could even prove to be a bigger talent than Woltemade.

Newcastle star was set to be sold, now he's one of their "standout" players

This Newcastle star is still performing for Eddie Howe’s side.

ByAngus Sinclair Nov 7, 2025

Eugenio Suarez Trade Destinations: Best Landing Spots for Diamondbacks Slugger

Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez is one of the hottest names surrounding Major League Baseball's trade deadline on July 31.

Entering Wednesday, his 36 home runs on the year were tied for the National League lead until Shohei Ohtani mashed a homer for the fifth straight game. Still, Suárez is on a heater as one of the best power hitters in baseball. He trails only Cal Raleigh (39) and Ohtani (37) in home runs and leads the MLB in RBIs with 86.

The D-Backs are in a position to pick their favorite package in return from Suárez if they decide to deal him, which certainly isn't a given. At 50-53 and 5 1/2 games back of the final wild-card spot, it may behoove them to deal Suárez, 34, before he becomes a free agent after this season. Although they could acquire talent by dealing first baseman Josh Naylor or starting pitchers Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen, Suárez may just be the darling of this year's trade deadline. The thought of adding his bat for a postseason push could lead to some rival clubs offering shiny future-forward prospects to boost MLB's No. 22 ranked farm system.

Below are some of the best fits for Suárez as we approach the trade deadline.

New York Yankees

Of course the Yankees are in on the hottest bat available at the deadline. MLB insider Jon Heyman has long reported the Yankees have inquired with the D-Backs on the 34-year-old slugger. Suárez was asked about the possibility of a Yankees trade during All-Star weekend, to which he responded "it's a team that wants to win," seeming somewhat enticed about the potential of landing in the Bronx. The Yankees are in need of help at the hot corner down the stretch, seeing six different players play at least one game at third base this year: Oswald Peraza (47), Oswaldo Cabrera (33), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (29), Jorbit Vivas (12), Pablo Reyes (5) and J.C. Escarra (2).

Detroit Tigers

Suárez began his career in Detroit before he was quickly dealt to the Cincinnati Reds. Over a decade later, a return to where it all began may make sense. The Tigers won the race to 60 wins this season and had an incredible first half, but have been stuck in a slump, losing nine of their last 10 games. They need pitching support to help their ace Tarik Skubal, but adding a big bat should be a priority too. Plus, with Skubal only under team control through the end of the 2026 season and a massive contract looming, the Tigers could push their chips in and go for it all this year. If they are willing to give up one of their higher-tier prospects, the D-Backs could bite.

Seattle Mariners

Although they have MLB's home-run leader in Cal Raleigh, the Mariners are looking for an upgrade in the corner infield to strengthen their potential postseason push. Seattle traded Suárez to Arizona just two seasons ago, but a reunion may be in order. Rookie Ben Williamson has served as the primary third baseman for the Mariners this season, mainly supported by Miles Mastrobuoni. Both Williamson and Mastrobuoni have just one home run apiece this year. Suárez's bat brings an upgrade for any roster, but especially Seattle's. We'll see if they offer a package the D-Backs can't refuse, which would unite two of baseball's best home-run hitters on the same roster.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds haven't been rumored as a potential Suárez suitor for long. However, according to a recent report from 's C. Trent Rosecrans, there is mutual interest between the Reds and D-Backs in a deal that would return Suárez to Cincinnati, where he has spent the majority of his MLB career.

He played for the Reds from 2015 to '21 before he was traded to the Seattle Mariners and dealt to Arizona two seasons later. With Suárez slated to become a free agent after this year and Arizona in need of pitching, Rosecrans reported the D-Backs are "at least interested in kicking the tires" on young and promising righthander Chase Petty. The Reds are in striking distance of a wild-card spot and they could push to bring in a familiar face to help down the stretch.

Chants for Bob Uecker Echo Throughout Ballpark to Celebrate Brewers' NLCS Berth

The late, great Bob Uecker remains the heart and soul of the Milwaukee Brewers.

Ten months after his death in January at the age of 90, the Hall of Fame broadcaster was on everybody's mind at American Family Field following the Brewers' 3-1 series-clinching win over the rival Cubs in Game 5 of the NLDS.

While the Brewers celebrated on the field, a photo of Uecker with the text "For Ueck" was displayed on the jumbotron. Those among the sellout crowd of nearly 43,000 fans who stuck around to celebrate began to chant, "Ueeeeck."

"We love it for Ueck," Murphy said to reporter Lauren Jbara on the TNT broadcast after the game. "He's meant so much to this organization—the way he affected these players, especially last year. To win this for him is really, really special."

The players honored Uecker, too. While taking the celebratory team photo on the field, Brewers players laid out a blue flag featuring Uecker's signature in gold. It was placed on the grass, right in the middle of the photo.

Uecker's legacy lives on. And the Brewers are hoping there's a bit more Uecker magic left in the tank for their upcoming best-of-seven series against the Dodgers in the NLCS.

The next Raphinha: Leeds to move for £17m star with a "magical left foot"

As far back as September, concern was raised that Leeds United simply lack any sort of potent threat going forward. The Whites are seemingly going to end up in the relegation scrap, with just 11 points in as many games and ten goals scored.

Daniel Farke’s side have been lacking in the final third since the off and that hasn’t changed much in the last two months or so, as the number of goals scored this season shows. Only bottom-place Wolverhampton Wanderers have bagged fewer.

With that in mind, it is surely no surprise that Leeds are targeting a new attacker to help enhance their final third quality.

Leeds’ latest attacking target

Reports have already begun to break about some of Leeds’ January transfer targets. One of those could see them make an ambitious move for Chelsea star Raheem Sterling, who has been frozen out at Stamford Bridge this season.

In recent days, they have also been linked to Brazilian attacking midfielder Gabriel Sara.

According to a report from Turkish news outlet Takvim, the Whites are strongly considering ‘making a move’ to sign the 26-year-old from Galatasaray.

The former Norwich City star is said to be unhappy with his playing time for the Turkish giants, perhaps coinciding with the signing of Ilkay Gundogan.

He could ask to leave the club, which is where Leeds could swoop in with an offer of £17m, thought to be enough for Galatasaray to sell him.

Why Leeds could be targeting their next Raphinha

It has perhaps not been the season Sara might have expected in 2025/26. The Brazilian has played 16 times this term, but has only racked up one goal and two assists in that time.

His form last season was far better, scoring and assisting 12 times in 45 games.

Of course, Sara has already experienced English football, plying his trade for the Canaries. His best campaign for the East Anglian club came in 2023/24, when his 13 goals and 12 assists in the Championship helped them reach the play-offs, where, ironically, they lost to Leeds.

Goals like this were a real feature of his impressive form that season.

His underlying stats from that campaign highlight why Leeds want him to add a creative influence in midfield.

For example, Sara averaged 2.61 key passes and an expected assist tally of 0.26xA per 90 minutes, which placed him in the top 4% and 3% for Championship midfielders that season.

Key passes

2.61

96th

Progressive passes

6.67

91st

Expected assists

0.26xA

97th

Shot-creating actions

4.96

95th

Goal-creating actions

0.61

97th

Analyst Ben Mattinson is someone who has spoken highly of Sara in the past, praising him for boasting a “magical left foot.”

He wouldn’t be the first Brazilian Leeds player who fits that description, with Raphinha also falling into the category.

The Elland Road faithful will look back fondly on Raphinha’s time at the club. He was sensational in that famous White shirt, bagging 17 goals and assisting 12 in just 67 games.

Strikes like this one against Everton were the sort of class he provided on a game-by-game basis.

Well, if Sara could have close to that level of impact on the club, he’d be a huge success. It is easy to see the comparison, both flair attackers who hail from Brazil, with a tricky left foot and lots of final third productivity.

Since Raphinha left Elland Road, he hasn’t really been replaced, and Farke certainly has not had his own version. Well, Sara, a player described as “technically gifted” by Mattinson, could be the guy they’ve been looking for.

Raphinha had so much quality on the ball, and Sara possesses that in abundance, as the stats show. He could be Farke’s own Raphinha, and the man to add a creative spark to Leeds’ attack.

Viduka 2.0: Leeds plotting move for £21m star who's "built like a brick"

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a star who could be Mark Viduka 2.0 for the club.

ByDan Emery Nov 22, 2025

'Haven't achieved much at all' – Harris' message as South Australia defend twin titles

Head coach Ryan Harris says South Australia have talked about still hunting ahead of the domestic season after last summer’s memorable scenes

Andrew McGlashan16-Sep-2025Having waited 13 years for a one-day title and 29 for the Sheffield Shield, somewhat like London buses they came along at once for South Australia last season during an incredible few weeks for a state that, especially in four-day cricket, had for so long propped up the table.So now they head into the 2025-26 season as double defending champions; their One-Day Cup campaign starts on September 20 against New South Wales and the Sheffield Shield on October 4 against Victoria.The message from head coach Ryan Harris during pre-season has been a simple one: that was great, but we need to do it again.Related

  • Sheffield Shield preview: Ashes selection race adds intrigue

  • Doggett 'definitely ready' if Ashes reinforcements needed

  • South Australia still soaking in 'unreal' Sheffield Shield scenes

“We spoke about what lies ahead of us,” Harris told ESPNcricinfo. “We want to make sure that we don’t get comfortable in what we’ve done because, although we’ve had a great achievement last year, we haven’t achieved much at all yet.”We have mentioned that we don’t want to be the hunted. Obviously, when you win, people want to beat you, no doubt. Our terminology is we are still hunting. We’ve had one year of great achievements, [but] we haven’t really achieved anything yet. If we sit here in three or four years’ time and we’ve won a few more, then we’ve been a pretty good team.”[The players] like the feeling of winning. Obviously, we haven’t had a lot of it for a while. The boys really enjoyed it. They knew it was hard work. We had a little bit of luck go away last year, but we hadn’t always had a lot of luck go away in the past. You need a little bit of luck to win. They’ve trained as if they’re preparing to win again.”The scenes at Karen Rolton Oval on March 29 when the winning runs were scored went viral around the world as thousands swarmed onto the ground. South Australia had hoped to host the final at Adelaide Oval – where they will begin their Shield defence in October – but couldn’t reach an agreement with the Australian Football League (AFL).Fans mobbed Jason Sangha after he hit the winning runs last season•Getty Images

Perhaps, in the end, it was the ideal outcome: a boutique venue packed out in late summer sunshine as Jason Sangha played the innings of his life and Alex Carey produced one of the finest hours to rebuild a chase of 270 from 28 for 3.”I remember ushering the boys to the corner of the first level of Karen Rolton,” Harris recalled. “And when they came around the corner and saw the field and how many people were out there, I think it took them a little bit by surprise.”They always knew how important this was to win but, obviously with a few guys that are out-of-towners, that are not necessarily born in South Australia, I think it was that moment that they actually realised big it was. They knew it was big, but they didn’t realise it was big.”Sangha has recently spoken about how that day is still talked about around Adelaide, and Harris is happy for his players to delve back into the special memories if it helps them prepare to go again.”I’ve got no problem drawing on the feeling that they had, the success, and obviously the confidence that they have in their own games,” Harris said. “If they need to think back to a game or two or a final to realise where they are and what their gains are, then I’ve got no problem with that.”Again, it’s not about we’ve done it, we’re going to relax and just let it happen again. It’s the hard work that counts, and I can guarantee that they’ve worked hard again. If someone or all of them need to draw on that feeling and that memory of all those people and how popular it was down here, they can do it as long and as much as they want, but they know obviously going forward that that is a moment in time and now it’s time to do it all again.”A lot needs to go right to win titles in any sport, and backing up success is tough. Four-day cricket tests squad strength, injuries are inevitable, and Australia call-ups have to be factored in. Carey is keen to play as much as possible ahead of the Ashes, but it’s yet to be confirmed what South Australia will see of Travis Head.Captain Nathan McSweeney is with Australia A for the four-day leg of their India tour but will be back for the start of the Shield, however allrounder Liam Scott is in both squads. Jake Fraser-McGurk, who faces a crucial season, is in the one-day squad for that tour but was unlikely to find a place in the Shield XI to start the season.Injury-wise, the list isn’t too long for Harris. Left-arm quick Spencer Johnson is out until at least the New Year – “[he’s] not in a great way at the moment,” Harris said – while spin-bowling allrounder Ben Manenti is recovering from a foot niggle and seamer Nathan McAndrew returned from the UK with an inner infection so may miss the start of the one-day competition.”We didn’t have too many bad injuries [last season],” Harris said. “If a bowler missed out, then we had another bowler to come in and take his spot and we’re hoping that we can have that this year. We’ve been challenged in a good way in terms of Australia A selection. That’s obviously a great thing [for them], but we’ll definitely miss those guys.”Last season McSweeney vaulted into Test contention and ended up opening against India while Sangha is back on the radar of the selectors after averaging 78.22 in the title success and has since made a career-best double century for Australia A. At this stage, neither are expected to feature at the start of the Ashes, but Harris knows things can change and as a domestic coach there is the dual challenge of producing international cricketers, who will then be called away, and also wanting to win competitions.”Jason’s been told he just needs to go and do what he did last year, the same [with] Nathan, just find that form that got him in the Test set up,” he said. “That’s one of those things we’ve spoken about, but we don’t talk a lot about because we know that George [Bailey] can ring me and say, no, we’re not looking at you right now. Then [the player] goes out and makes two or three hundreds in the first two or three games, then all of a sudden someone else has failed and he’s in. I’d rather lose them to [a Test call] than injury.”

Spurs may have Simons upgrade in the "most underrated talent" in England

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank will be delighted with where the team is currently at, after moving up to third in the Premier League table on Sunday.

The former Brentford boss inherited a team that finished 17th in the division under Ange Postecoglou last season, despite winning the Europa League, which makes their current form all the more impressive.

Spurs travelled to Merseyside to take on Everton at the Hill Dickinson stadium on Sunday in the Premier League, and came away from that match with a 3-0 win.

Central midfielder Micky van de Ven took his tally for the season to five goals with two strikes in the first half, before Pape Matar Sarr added a third late on by heading in from close-range after Richarlison nodded the ball back across goal.

You would often be hard-pressed to find many negatives from a 3-0 win away from home in the Premier League, but there were some for the Lilywhites on Sunday.

For example, there was another fairly underwhelming performance from summer signing Xavi Simons in the middle of the park, and he needs to step up for Spurs in the coming weeks and months.

Why Xavi Simons needs to step up for Spurs

The Europa League champions splashed out £52m to sign the Netherlands international from RB Leipzig, possibly with the intention of him replacing James Maddison, who suffered an ACL injury in pre-season.

It is easy to see why they were willing to splash the cash on the former Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona youngster, as he produced consistent quality in the Bundesliga in the last two seasons.

Appearances

32

25

xG

8.26

5.11

Goals

8

10

Big chances created

14

12

Key passes per game

2.5

2.0

Assists

11

7

As you can see in the table above, Simons racked up 18 goals and 26 ‘big chances’ created as an attacking midfielder or winger, proving that he can make a big impact in the final third.

However, the Dutchman has no goals and one assist, which came from a corner, in ten appearances in all competitions for Tottenham since his move to the club in the summer window.

Simons, as of yet, has been unable to translate his influence in the Bundesliga over to the Premier League. Whether that will come with more time and experience in England, it remains to be seen.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder played 62 minutes against Everton on Sunday, per Sofascore, and came off the pitch without any shots on goal or any chances created to show for his efforts for the Lilywhites, which shows that it was an ineffective performances in the final third.

Along with his struggles in the Premier League, Simons also has no goals, one key pass, and no ‘big chances’ created in three appearances in the Championship for Tottenham this term.

This shows that he has been struggling domestically and on the continent stage, which will be a concern for supporters and Frank at this stage, as the Dutch star is clearly capable of much better than he is showing, given his output for Leipzig in his two full seasons in Germany.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

With the £52m signing’s struggles at the top end of the pitch, though, it could be the right time for the Danish head coach to provide a young player with an opportunity to step up.

Luca Williams-Barnett made his first-team debut for the club in the League Cup in a 3-0 win against Doncaster Rovers, and he could emerge as a surprise upgrade on Simons.

Spurs travel to Tyneside to take on Newcastle United in the League Cup on Wednesday night, which could be the perfect opportunity to offer the teenage starlet a chance to shine.

Why Luca Williams-Barnett could be a Xavi Simons upgrade

The 17-year-old star’s form for the club at academy level this season suggests that he has the potential to be an exciting player for the first-team if he can make the step up.

As aforementioned, Simons has not stepped up to deliver goals and assists since his big-money move from Leipzig, with a goal contribution every ten matches on average so far.

Williams-Barnett, meanwhile, has scored eight goals and provided seven assists in 12 appearances in all competitions this season, including a three-minute cameo for the first-team, per Transfermarkt.

On top of his exceptional form in front of goal in the current campaign for Tottenham’s youth teams, the England U18 international also scored 20 goals in all competitions last season.

Appearances

23

12

Minutes

1857

894

Goals

20

8

Minutes per goal

93

112

Assists

12

7

Minutes per assist

155

128

Minutes per goal contribution

58

60

As you can see in the table above, Williams-Barnett has provided goals and assists on a consistent basis since the start of last season, averaging a goal or an assist every hour or so over the past 18 months.

U23 scout Antonio Mango went as far as to call him the “most underrated talent in English Academies”, which speaks to how impressed he has been with the Spurs youngster’s performances.

His talent has been recognised this season, though, as he won the Premier League 2 Player of the Month award for his displays at U21 level in September.

With all of this in mind, and the fact that his main position is as an attacking midfielder, it could be the right time for Frank to provide him with another chance to impress at first-team level after his debut against Doncaster last month.

Spurs have unearthed their new Vertonghen & it's not Van de Ven

Tottenham Hotspur may have found their next Jan Vertonghen, and it is not Micky van de Ven.

ByDan Emery Oct 27, 2025

He has shown unbelievable form and consistency for the academy team for more than a year, and his numbers at youth level suggest that he does have the potential to be an upgrade on the currently underperforming Xavi Simons, if he can make the step up.

Fim de uma era! Cavani anuncia aposentadoria da seleção do Uruguai

MatériaMais Notícias

Aos 37 anos, Edinson Cavani anunciou que está se aposentando da Seleção do Uruguai. Desde que o técnico Marcelo Bielsa assumiu o comando da Celeste, o atacante do Boca Juniors e ex-PSG deixou de ser convocado passou a ser ausência nas listas para representar seu país.

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➡️ Vai dar Brasil? Aposte no Lance! Betting e fature com a Copa América

– Minha querida Celeste: só quero agradecer por cada ensinamento que me fizeram viver neste processo. Não quero me prolongar. Hoje são poucas palavras, mas de sentimentos profundos. Obrigado a cada uma das pessoas que fizeram parte deste caminho durante tantos anos. Decidi dar um passo ao lado, mas vou segui-los sempre com o coração quente, como quando tinha de subir ao campo com esta linda camisa – publicou Cavani em suas redes sociais.

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O último jogo de Cavani pelo Uruguai foi na Copa do Mundo do Catar, na vitória por 2 a 0 contra Gana, na última rodada da fase de grupos. O atacante do Boca Juniors não foi con

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Com 136 jogos, Cavani é o terceiro jogador com mais partidas pela seleção de Uruguai, apenas atrás de Luis Suárez (138) e Diego Godín (161). Ele anotou 58 gols pela Celeste.

➡️ Veja tabela com datas e horários de todos os jogos do Brasileirão

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