Tottenham Hotspur have produced some fantastic talents through their academy system over the years and have benefitted from that on the pitch in the Premier League.

The likes of Sol Campbell, Peter Crouch, Stephen Carr, and, of course, Harry Kane are just a few of the players who have broken through from the youth set-up at the club in the past.

Antonio Conte should now be on the lookout for the next star to rise through the ranks and one player who could be on his way to putting his name amongst the aforementioned gems is central midfielder Oliver Skipp.

The youngster first made his debut for the club in the 2018/19 campaign as he made 12 appearances in all competitions, including eight in the Premier League.

He was unable to kick on in the 2019/20 season as he played 11 matches in all competitions, eight in the top flight, but did make two outings in the Champions League.

Tottenham then decided to send him out on loan to speed up his development and opted to place him at Norwich under Daniel Farke in the Championship for 2020/21. At the time of the move, Transfermarkt valued him at £6.48m.

Skipp enjoyed a phenomenal campaign with the Canaries as he played 45 of their 46 league matches on the way to winning the title, averaging a SofaScore rating of 7.02. He made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game in midfield for the Yellows, whilst winning 56% of his individual duels.

Farke heaped praise on the England U21 international during his spell at Carrow Road, saying:

“Oliver is a perfect lad. So humble. He is a brilliant loan signing.

“A fantastic lad. He reminds me a little of Max Aarons in his first season, who also delivered with unbelievable consistency, with no mistakes, never injured, never ill. I actually said before Birmingham there was one or two areas he can still improve, like in terms of the attacking side, and then in the very next game he scores at Birmingham.”

The £40k-per-week technician then came back to Tottenham and was given the number four shirt in a show of faith by the club. That was before going on to play 18 Premier League games in the 2021/22 campaign, featuring in 28 matches in all competitions despite dealing with a pelvic injury during the second half of the season.

Skipp has returned from his knock to play in eight games so far this term, six in the top flight and twice in Europe’s elite competition, and has been trusted by Conte to start the last two matches in the league.

The midfielder’s Transfermarkt valuation is now sitting at £13.5m, which represents an impressive 108% increase on the £6.48m he was valued at prior to his move to Norwich in 2020.

This shows that Tottenham have undeniably unearthed a diamond in Skipp as his valuation has been soaring in recent years and he is beginning to establish himself as a regular in the senior side. Hopefully, he continues his upwards trend and can become a star for Conte and Spurs in the future.

Aston Villa midfielder Boubacar Kamara is ahead of schedule when it comes to his recovery from injury, according to David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: Knee ligament damage

Kamara, who arrived over the summer on a free transfer, suffered knee ligament damage towards the end of September during Villa’s 1-0 win over Southampton.

The 22-year-old was excepted to miss the World Cup with France as a result of his injury. However, it looks as if the central midfielder now has a chance of making the trip to Qatar, in an update that will benefit new manager Unai Emery.

The Latest: Ornstein’s post

Ornstein took to Twitter on Tuesday evening to provide an update regarding Kamara.

He revealed that the midfielder is ahead of schedule and could yet make the World Cup. The reliable journalist added that Kamara is expected to re-join Villa’s main group next week and could be available against Manchester United on November 6.

The Verdict: Boost for Emery

Kamara has been one of Villa’s best-performing midfielders this season, as per WhoScored, so knowing he could be back for Emery’s first game in charge is positive news.

He was a regular prior to his injury, starting every Premier League fixture in a holding role under former manager Steven Gerrard.

Emery favoured a 4-4-2 system at Villarreal but could alter that in the Midlands, but whatever formation he goes with, you’d expect that Kamara may well be key to his plans in the short and long run.

Alex McLeish’s time at Glasgow Rangers will forever be remembered for two dramatic league titles won on the final day of the season. Winning by just one goal in 2002/2003 and Helicopter Sunday in 2004/2005 are both immortalised in the Rangers annals.

McLeish wasn’t quite as consistent in the Ibrox hot seat, however, with two poor domestic campaigns following these incredible highs, and his dealings in the transfer market weren’t the greatest either.

One of his biggest disappointments, especially when it came to financial outlay, was on a talented Belgian who looked like he could take the Light Blues to another level…

McLeish had a nightmare on Buffel

Halfway through the 2004/2005 season, McLeish was aiming to strengthen his side ahead of what was shaping up to be a close battle for the league title.

Buffel was seen as an exciting talent who could improve in Scotland and he was duly signed for £2.2m in January 2005 from Dutch side Feyenoord.

It was a promising start for the Belgian – who went on to win 35 caps for his country – as he scored four goals and helped the club win a 51st league crown.

The following two seasons would see Buffel score nine goals and register 11 assists, which appears on the surface to be a solid return, but once McLeish left the club, he struggled for game time under both Paul Le Guen and a returning Walter Smith.

Just two appearances in the 2007/2008 campaign ensured Smith was ready to get him off the wage bill and he joined Cercle Brugge on a free transfer in the summer of 2008, ending his stint in Scotland.

Arriving with a barrel load of talent and promise, he should have been the heart of a Rangers midfield for several years, unfortunately, it just didn’t work out at Ibrox.

The stats show that his goal contributions were decent, yet it might have been so much better, especially if both Le Guen and Smith showed a bit more faith in the player.

Everton have been handed a big injury boost as the World Cup approaches, as manager Frank Lampard detailed yesterday…

What’s the latest?

Speaking at his press conference prefacing the game against Leicester City, the 44-year-old noted a potential return for Yerry Mina. He said:

“Yerry Mina is at that last stage as well, he’s trained a few days together this week consecutively so, he’s very close to being able to play. We’re at a decent position with that.”

This marks a big boost after the Colombian was struck down in their opening-day defeat to Chelsea, having been unavailable since.

It’s huge for Lampard

Whilst it may not seem like huge news given the success of James Tarkowski and Conor Coady, it might allow Lampard some more tactical freedom with his return.

Although he seems settled in his 4-3-3 formation, there is a widespread belief that the English coach’s favoured formation is a 3-4-3.

When he first came into Goodison Park he opted for it, and the start of the season saw him try it once again before deciding that it was perhaps lacking the personnel.

Now that Mina seems poised to return, it could be the perfect combination to allow the current defence that has the third-best record in the Premier League to merge with the man who not too long ago bolstered the win percentage from 19% to 36%.

He has been an impressive defender for the Toffees, as shown by his record under ex-manager Carlo Ancelotti, where the 28-year-old managed to feature 24 times in the league.

The 6 foot 3 goliath averaged a 7.07 SofaScore rating, making 4.5 clearances per game. That actually outperforms Conor Coady’s current form, which is rated at 6.97.

Although Lampard has found success with the 4-3-3, at the very least Mina’s return gives the option for added flexibility across the park to potentially alter the tactical makeup of the team depending on the opposition.

The game against the Foxes may be a step too early for him, but hopefully, Evertonians can expect to see a cameo before the World Cup, where he can then really kick into his rehabilitation during the break.

Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva ‘will not sign’ a new contract as a result of wanting to play for Barcelona, according to BBC radio pundit Kevin Campbell.

The Lowdown: New deal being prepared

The Portuguese ace’s current contract isn’t set to expire until 2025, but in recent transfer windows, he has been heavily linked with a move to Camp Nou.

The Premier League champions are therefore eager to keep him at the Etihad Stadium, with reports claiming that the Sky Blues are set to offer him a fresh bumper deal worth approximately £46m, which would mark a notable increase from his current £150,000-per-week wage.

The Latest: Campbell’s assessment

Asked by Football Insider for his thoughts on where Silva’s future might lie, Campbell said: “At the end of the day, players want a change of lifestyle sometimes. Barcelona is a lovely place and it would be a lovely place to play your football.

“I am not surprised that Man City want to extend his contract. For the last two windows there has been speculation.

“If he wants to go Spain and play in La Liga, he will not be signing a new deal. Man City is a great place to be but sometimes players want a change. He will not sign if he wants to go.

“It is all going to come out in the wash. Bernardo is that good a player he can almost choose wherever he wants.”

The Verdict: Keep hold of him

Silva has been described as City’s ‘heartbeat’ in midfield by Josh Bunting, and Pep Guardiola’s team would be far worse without him, which is why the manager needs to do everything that he can to convince the Portugal star to stay put.

The Lisbon native has made 106 goal contributions in 270 appearances for his current club, with seven of those coming in just 12 league outings this season.

The 28-year-old is a vital cog in the middle of the park for City, ranking as their fifth-best performer last season according to WhoScored, and it would be a massive coup if he were to put pen to paper and extend his stay at the Etihad.

Leeds United will be hoping to build on their sensational 2-1 win at Anfield against Liverpool as they host Bournemouth at Elland Road this afternoon.

The Whites host the Cherries and could move four points clear of the relegation zone in the Premier League with a win, after the three points they picked up last weekend kept them out of the bottom three.

They had lost four games in succession prior to beating Jurgen Klopp’s team and Jesse Marsch will surely want to head into the World Cup break, with one league match left after this weekend, on a high.

The Leeds boss will go into this game without summer signing Luis Sinisterra, though, as the manager has confirmed that the winger is set for a spell on the sidelines, saying:

“Luis has a foot injury that turns out to be more than what we originally thought it was.”He wasn’t making the progress that we were hoping him to make over the past ten days and so they did another scan and had the specialists look at it and they have started to worry about it being a rare injury that controls the movement of the metatarsals and when that is ruptured, it can be a long recovery.”We don’t believe it is ruptured, but partially torn, which puts him in a little bit of a grey area, but probably puts him out until after the World Cup break.”Marsch must now forget about Sinisterra and, instead, unleash teenage sensation Wilfried Gnonto against Bournemouth this afternoon, having signed the exciting talent for just £3.8m.The 18-year-old, who talent scout Jacek Kulig once dubbed “powerful” and “electric”, made an impact off the bench against Liverpool and could have played his way into starting against the Cherries.In just 18 minutes at a daunting stadium like Anfield, the forward completed 100% (1/1) of his attempted dribbles and won 100% (3/3) of his ground duels, whilst making two tackles and two clearances – as per SofaScore.It was his Premier League debut for the Whites and Marsch should now reward his impressive cameo with a place in the starting line-up. He is a versatile forward who can play on either flank or through the middle, which means that he could start on the wing or in a central position.The gem, who has scored 42 goals at club and international level combined, showcased his attacking quality for FC Zurich in the 2021/22 campaign as he scored 10 goals and provided five assists in 36 appearances – including eight goals in nine starts in the Super League.Gnonto has the potential to be a match-winner, given his impressive statistics in Switzerland, and Marsch must now offer him the opportunity to show what he can do from the start, rather than restricting him to a cameo off the bench.Brenden Aaronson and Jack Harrison were Leeds’ two-worst performers against Liverpool, recording SofaScore ratings of 6.4 and 6.0 respectively, and the Italian teenager could come in to replace one of them against Bournemouth.Aaronson missed a ‘big chance’ and hit the woodwork in the win at Anfield and his lack of composure in the final third could cost him his place, with Gnonto ready to grasp his chance.

Newcastle United will make the long trip to the south coast for their Premier League clash with Southampton at St Mary’s this weekend, and Eddie Howe will be hoping his team can keep up their unbeaten run.

The Magpies have not lost a game in their last eight outings and as a result have climbed into the top four alongside Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur which is an extremely impressive achievement for the manager who took over just 12 months ago when the side were rock bottom in the league table.

Howe will surely be hoping that his side can retain their top-four status when club football breaks for the World Cup in a few weeks, putting them in a strong position to compete for a chance to play European football next season when they return to action after Christmas.

As a result, the former Bournemouth boss must deploy his best team and best-attacking players over their last two league fixtures to secure all six points from the clashes.

Newcastle have been given a fantastic boost ahead of their trip to Southampton on Sunday as Allan Saint-Maximin returned to the matchday squad last weekend in the 4-0 victory over Aston Villa, coming onto the pitch for a short eight-minute appearance in the 86th minute.

Yesterday, the talented winger was pictured in full team training and looked like he was getting stuck into preparations for the weekend, so there is no doubt that Howe must unleash Saint-Maximin against Saints.

Before sustaining a hamstring injury in late August, the £93k-per-week ace – who was hailed “absolutely phenomenal” by Shay Given – scored a stunning equaliser against Wolverhampton Wanderers, so he will be desperate to pick up where he left off against Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side this weekend.

Over six Premier League appearances this season, Saint-Maximin has scored one goal, delivered two assists and created two big chances, as well as averaging 1.2 key passes, 2.7 dribbles and winning possession of the ball 1.2 times per game.

The left winger’s most notable performance of the season came from his performance in the 3-3 draw with Manchester City where he displayed some of his best football.

Saint-Maximin registered two assists, made four key passes, won eight duels and completed five out of his six dribble attempts to split the points with Pep Guardiola’s side over the high-intensity clash.

With that being said, there is no doubt that Howe should start Saint-Maximin this weekend as he could terrify Southampton and play a huge part in securing another win for the Magpies. Just imagine the thought of him and in the in-form Miguel Almiron on each winger; it’s a mouth-watering thought for the Toon Army.

Pundit Tam McManus claims that Callum Wilson being picked in the England squad for the FIFA World Cup in Qatar would be ‘huge’ for Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: In 55-man list

As per The Athletic, Wilson is on Gareth Southgate’s 55-man longlist for the upcoming tournament, which has to be cut down to 26 before it starts.

His last appearance for the Three Lions came in 2019, but his exceptional form this season, which has seen him score six goals and make two assists in nine games in the Premier League (Transfermarkt), means that he is in the conversation for a place on the plane.

The Latest: ‘Huge deal’

Speaking to Football Insider, McManus has claimed that it would be ‘massive’ for Wilson if he made the squad, and the 41-year-old added that it would also be a ‘huge deal’ for the Magpies:

“He should absolutely go to Qatar.

“He is in fantastic form, and he must have convinced Southgate with that performance against Villa. As a striker, what more can you do to convince a manager?

“I think Newcastle will want him to go. There is the risk he gets an injury and misses some of the second half of the season but Newcastle have other options. Isak is still coming back.

“The club will be supporting Callum, I’m sure of that. Just think what it would do for his confidence if he went to the World Cup and scored.

“It would be massive. If he goes, it’s not the end of the world for Newcastle. It would be a huge deal for the club on and off the pitch.”

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The Verdict: Deserved

Wilson deserves a place in the squad given his form so far this campaign and the fact that he has managed to keep himself largely constant injury problems throughout his career at St. James’ Park.

Only Harry Kane and Ivan Toney have scored more goals than him in the league in terms of English forwards, and only Kane is averaging more goals per 90 minutes.

His team-mates Nick Pope and Kieran Trippier will also be hoping to be on the plane alongside Wilson, which would be big for Eddie Howe’s side to have three representatives at the tournament.

Nonetheless, with Kane a certainty to go as England captain, there is a space left for his depute, and Wilson looks to be one of the strongest candidates to take that spot at the moment.

Sheffield Wednesday are thought to be eyeing up a move for Hibernian defender Ryan Porteous.

The Lowdown: Porteous profiled

Hailed as ‘excellent’ by Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon, the 23-year-old and is an out-and-out centre-back. He has progressed through Hibs’ academy and has made 150 first-team appearances in Edinburgh, scoring 12 times and registering eight assists.

The defender is also a Scotland international, making his debut against Ukraine in September.

The Latest: Wednesday keen on Porteous

The Daily Record’s Scott Burns shared a story on Thursday night regarding Porteous and Sheffield Wednesday.

He revealed that the Owls are one of four EFL clubs who are keen on the centre-back’s services, with his  current Hibs deal set to expire at the end of the season.

The Verdict: One to watch?

You’d expect that Wednesday are looking at a potential pre-contract agreement, which could see Porteous moving to Hillsborough for free ahead of the 2023/24 season.

Darren Moore’s side will be hopeful that they will be playing in the Championship next season, and securing Porteous’ services in the New Year could be a real coup.

He has a plethora of first-team experience and is still relatively young, so you’d like to think that he would only improve even further with time, making this one to watch heading into the New Year.

Journalist Steve Madeley was critical of Wolves striker Goncalo Guedes for walking straight down the tunnel after the 2-0 defeat at home to Arsenal.

The Lowdown: Wolves beaten by Gunners

The final game before the Julen Lopetegui era at Molineux proved to be a disappointing one for Wolves, as they suffered a loss in the Premier League.

Martin Odegaard scored twice for the league leaders to secure victory on the night, meaning Wolves sit bottom of the table going into Christmas.

Guedes tried his best in attack, having three shots in total, according to Sofascore, but one thing he did left a bad taste.

The Latest: Madeley criticises Guedes

Taking to Twitter after the game, Madeley criticised the striker’s decision not to applaud the fans, walking down the tunnel instead:

“Wonder whether Goncalo Guedes would be going to Qatar if he’d found this form a couple of weeks earlier. Finally looking like a player. Shame to see him dart straight down the tunnel again while his team-mates connected with fans post-match, but a very good night for him.”

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The Verdict: Not good enough

Every player is disappointed to lose a game, but it is a shame to see Guedes act differently to his teammates and not acknowledge the supporters, especially in the last game before the World Cup.

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It is the kind of behaviour that can immediately lose admirers, and while it isn’t necessarily the worst thing a player can do, it is something that the 25-year-old needs to change.

Guedes’ performances have also left plenty to be desired overall, having scored just once in 12 league appearances, and the hope is that he returns a more rounded player after Christmas.