Southampton are rock bottom of the Premier League currently and look to be sinking straight back to the Championship in a sorry fashion.

Indeed, the depressed Saints find themselves on just five points at the very foot of the difficult division with only one win next to their name and an alarming 12 defeats tallied up.

Looking back, Russell Martin must wonder if the transfer window in the summer could have been approached differently, with various new faces at St. Mary’s failing to settle.

Southampton's 2024 summer transfer window

Not every purchase can be written off as an outright failure, with the likes of Aaron Ramsdale and Taylor Harwood-Bellis standing out in defence for their side, even in spite of their lowly position in the league standings.

Ramsdale has been calm and collected when playing out from the back while Harwood-Bellis’ form has been rewarded with an England debut, a match he just so happened to score in too.

Moreover, the relegation-threatened Saints bringing in the likes of foreign imports Mateus Fernandes and Yukinari Sugawara as transfer gambles have worked somewhat too, with the promising Portuguese midfielder in particular standing out, who is now up to 14 first-team appearances in the Premier League.

Of course, other risks such as bringing in Ben Brereton-Diaz haven’t paid off at all, as the ex-Blackburn Rovers star continues to misfire up top in his new kit with zero goals registered from ten top-flight appearances.

There have also been buys that have underwhelmed to date, with Flynn Downes falling into his category after penning a permanent Saints deal in the summer.

The former West Ham United face was key in the centre of the park for Martin’s men during their unbelievable promotion journey – having been a silky operator with a stunning 93% pass accuracy averaged per Championship clash – but he hasn’t been as noticeably bright for his South Coast side as they battle against the drop.

It likely hasn’t helped the 25-year-old’s situation that he has lacked a consistent partner centrally, with Southampton now left to just curse the fact one ex-Saints star isn’t around to line up next to Downes to give the basement club a sterner figure in the middle.

Former Southampton star perfect for Downes

Southampton supporters would have been rightfully aggrieved when Oriel Romeu walked away from St. Mary’s in the summer of 2022, having been a loyal servant to the Saints for seven whole years after signing for £5m.

In that time, Romeu would notch up a mightily impressive 256 appearances in total, with eight goals and six assists coming his way, alongside praise from ex-Southampton boss Claude Puel in 2017 that boldly compared his game as a holding midfielder to that of Chelsea star N’Golo Kante.

Alongside always putting in above-average performances – much like the Frenchman was renowned for at Stamford Bridge – Romeu was also capable of firing home a stunning strike from nothing like the one below against West Bromwich Albion.

Southampton would grow to rely on their “fantastic” number 6, as he was once labelled by Ralph Hassenhuttl when he was manager on the South Coast, to deliver top displays week in week out, with his exit two years ago then understandably hurting.

Romeu during his final Saints season

Stat (* = per game)

Romeu

Games played

36

Goals scored

2

Assists

2

Big chances created

4

Touches*

58.6

Accurate passes*

38.1 (82%)

Total duels won*

5.5

Stats by Sofascore

Looking at the above table from his swansong season in England, it’s evident that Romeu would complement the likes of Downes well if he was still on the books, with the Spaniard equally as calm and composed on the ball as the ex-West Ham man whilst also offering more grit and bite with 5.5 duels won on average.

He hasn’t relented since leaving Southampton either, with Romeu going on to be a hit in his native country for Girona with 11 first-team appearances under his belt this season in La Liga, after also donning a Barcelona strip briefly.

Whilst Romeu gets to enjoy the glitz and glamour of the Champions League with his current employers, Downes will be hoping he can guide his team to safety somehow, with that task looking more and more tricky as defeats begin to stack up.

Related Archer axed for £25m signing in Southampton's dream XI after January

Southampton could well be busy this January transfer window as Russell Martin adds in a whole host of new players.

Posts ByKelan Sarson Nov 23, 2024

Manchester United and Sir Jim Ratcliffe are now willing to cash in on a player who the club feels has already developed under new boss Ruben Amorim, according to a new report.

Dan Ashworth leaves Man Utd

The big news of the month from Old Trafford has been the exit of sporting director Dan Ashworth, who only made the move to Man Utd in the summer from Newcastle United.

Ratcliffe and INEOS fought hard to bring Ashworth to the club from St James’ Park and was part of a boardroom shake up which also saw Omar Berrada and Jason Wilcox arrive. However, Man Utd released a statement on Ashworth’s departure on Sunday morning, saying:

“Dan Ashworth will be leaving his role as Sporting Director of Manchester United by mutual agreement. We would like to thank Dan for his work and support during a transitional period for the club and wish him well for the future.”

The news and statement didn’t go down too well with former right-back and now pundit Gary Neville, who slammed the club’s “really poor” statement and believes that “something has happened” inside Old Trafford.

“I’m really shocked this morning that this has happened and it’s not a great look at all. It’s something that’s going to need a lot of explaining. I think the statement that the club have put out is really poor. Manchester United haven’t had a voice for 10 years. They’ve lost their authority, they’ve lost their boldness. I think they’ve been getting it back a little bit in the last 12 months. What’s really clear is that there is a fracture here. Something has happened.”

Man Utd and INEOS now agree £4m deal to sign new gem for Amorim after talks

United are closing in on the signing of a player who can help address their problem position.

ByBrett Worthington Dec 12, 2024

Now, attention is heading into the New Year, with Ratcliffe, INEOS and Amorim preparing for more potential changes, starting with the January transfer window.

In 2025, Christian Eriksen is expected to leave Man Utd when his Old Trafford contract expires in the summer, and another player linked with an exit has been Marcus Rashford.

Man Utd ready to accept £40m offer for Rashford

Earlier in the week, Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg revealed that Man Utd are open to selling Rashford in 2025, despite the club acknowledging his development under Amorim.

One of the reasons Rashford could be sold is due to Financial Fair Play, and a new update has now emerged. According to Chris Wheeler of The Daily Mail, Man Utd will consider offers in the region of £40m for Rashford in 2025.

That figure would have been £100m after his fine first campaign under Erik ten Hag, however, that has now dropped considerably for the £300,000-a-week star.

Wheeler does add that any offers arriving in January are unlikely, but it looks as if Rashford’s days at Old Trafford could be numbered.

MatériaMais Notícias

O lateral-direito Rafinha, do São Paulo, analisou o duelo das quartas de final do Campeonato Paulista. diante do São Bernardo, nesta terça-feira (22), às 20h30, no Morumbi. Para ele, será uma partida difícil, mas que o elenco está preparado para o confronto.

RelacionadasSão PauloTática e pênaltis: São Paulo fecha preparação para encarar o São BernardoSão Paulo21/03/2022São PauloAo L!, Micaelly fala de momento no São Paulo e expectativas para jogo contra o Inter no Brasileiro FemininoSão Paulo20/03/2022São PauloNikão ainda não jogou nenhuma partida completa com a camisa do São PauloSão Paulo20/03/2022

VEJA A TABELA DO CAMPEONATO PAULISTA 2022!

-Sei da responsabilidade de disputar, principalmente o Paulista, o principal do Brasil. Muito difícil, defendendo o São Paulo, atual campeão. Nos classificamos bem, a responsabilidade é grande. Estamos preparados. Agente sabe da qualidade do São Bernardo, mas pensamos em nosso trabalho, o que fizemos até agora. Jogamos em casa, temos uma equipe melhor a cada jogo, estamos preparados e tenho certeza que o Rogério vai nos preparar muito bem para essa classificação – disse o camisa 13.

Rafinha também comentou sobre a evolução do time de Rogério Ceni durante a competição. Após um começo conturbado, o São Paulo conseguiu dar a volta por cima e terminou com a terceira melhor campanha do estadual na primeira fase.

– Faz parte também de vários quesitos da nossa equipe que tá criando corpo. O coletivo deixa o time forte, todo mundo o peso que tem a camisa do São Paulo. O São Paulo tem tradição em decisões. Estamos nessa crescente, é importante fazer nosso trabalho. Temos que ficar com o pé no chão, vamos melhorar muito ainda – falou o jogador.

Rafinha deve ser titular para a partida decisiva diante do São Bernardo. Nesta temporada, o camisa 13 participou de nove partidas na temporada.

Newcastle United star Alexander Isak's journey as a footballer began at a 'Cold War nuclear bunker' in Sweden.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

• Isak's journey at AIK's youth setup revealed
• 'Made in a Cold War nuclear bunker'
• Striker could win Carabao Cup with Newcastle

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Isak, who joined the Magpies in 2022 from Real Sociedad, is among the finest strikers in the Premier League at the moment. His consistent performances over the last three seasons have seen him attract interest from several top European clubs, including the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool and Manchester United.

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• AFP
  

  WHAT HAS BEEN SAID

  The forward's journey as a footballer began at AIK's youth setup at Rasunda Idrottsplats, a district in Solna, Sweden. The academy's home was once a 'Cold War nuclear bunker'. Speaking to the, technical director of AIK’s academy Peter Wennberg told the story of a young Isak in the youth teams: "He had a look in his eye. Alex had noticed their goalkeeper too far from his line. Boom! It showed his belief, intelligence, ability. His courage. We all turned to each other, 'Oh my God!'"

  Alexander Snacke, who was a team-mate of Isak in AIK's youth setup and is now a Under-14s coach said: "He was not our best player. Then, at 16, something happened. It was like his body hit the right dimensions and all of the extra training he had done came out. It just clicked, like a switch, an explosion. I have never seen that happen to anyone, as a player or coach. It is usually gradual. He went through the roof. At 15, I remember Peter and the other coaches speaking to him. He needed to step it up. He listened and kept going. Then, we realised. I was a centre-back, so I knew before most."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Snacke added: "Horrible! Terrible! For 30 minutes he could do very little. Then, for two minutes, he was like, 'OK, now it’s fun to toy with you'. We played an U17 national semi-final, the biggest game of our lives. We won 3-0 and he assisted all the goals. We were a year younger, but he was by far the best player on the pitch. That was when we knew, 'OK, he’s too good for us now'. He played a few games for the U19s and then into the first team, aged 16."

  Isak left AIK for Borussia Dortmund in 2016 before then heading to Sociedad three years later.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR ALEXANDER ISAK?

  For now, the striker remains focused on Newcastle and will aim to win his first trophy with the club on Sunday as they take on Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final.

Series on the line in Gqeberha with the visitors desperate to set the record straight after their collapse in the first Test

Firdose Moonda07-Apr-2022Big pictureIt’s Gqeberha, with a hard click at the start and a guttural “gha” at the end, that’s the venue for the last dance of the South African summer. Where, you ask? The place with the oldest cricket ground in the country but the newest name.Formerly known as Port Elizabeth, the city was renamed last year, but not much else has changed. It’s still about life in the slow lane in this part of the country, with the whistling of a strong wind for company. It’s been blowing fiercely in the lead up to the match, almost enough to match the fury within the Bangladesh camp.The visitors are angry with everyone, from the umpires for the eight decisions that needed to be overturned in Durban to the hosts for what they called an unacceptable level of sledging throughout the tour. They’ve lodged an official complaint about both, but have since denied raising any issue about the verbals, which South Africa insist did not cross the line.Related

Elgar: Maharaj and Harmer helped us play a 'style of cricket we're not used to'

Mominul: 'Crime to give wickets to spinners on foreign soil'

Donald says Bangladesh can exploit Gqeberha conditions

Bangladesh lost 14 wickets to spin on a surface that should have reminded them of home and were bowled out for their second-lowest total in Test cricket. This despite being so competitive for four full days of the match. After coups like their win in New Zealand and their ODI series victory here, Bangladesh know they are better than 53 all out and will want to use the second Test to show that.They could ask for no better place to play it than the home of their head coach, Russell Domingo, who successfully coached the Warriors franchise, based at St George’s Park, and never lost a Test here in his time with South Africa. It hasn’t hosted a Test match since January 2020, but it will return with all the usual bells and whistles. The brass band is back after their Covid-19 hiatus and a capacity of 7,500 is allowed. Although attendance is not usually that high, for South Africans who have been deprived of live sport for the last two years, it’s the perfect opportunity to see the national team up close before they head on away assignments over the winter.Bangladesh weren’t very pleased with the umpiring that was on show in Durban•AFP/Getty ImagesSouth Africa can probably already call this Test season a success after a home series win against India and a drawn series in New Zealand but will not want to slip up after seizing the advantage in Durban. Speaking of, they’ve already had one accident this week. Dean Elgar fell when getting out of the shower a few days ago and hit his head badly enough to require stitches. The cut is above his right eye, roughly where his helmet might sit, but he batted on the eve of the match and “seems to be okay”, to lead the side.Even with an under-strength squad – five first-choice South Africa players are at the IPL – Elgar has managed to establish his style of play. “Ruthless,” was how he described it in Durban and he will want nothing less than to seal a series sweep.Form guideSouth Africa WWLWW (last five completed matches, most recent first)
Bangladesh LLWLLIn the spotlightSimon Harmer surged back onto the international scene with a four-for in his first Test innings and showed the progress he has made as an attacking bowler since last playing Tests in 2015. He was humble in his success and said the return did not necessarily prove his worth but after finishing the match with seven wickets may have adjusted that opinion. Still, Harmer remains a support act to Keshav Maharaj, especially as South Africa seldom play two spinners in a Test XI and a big performance on his former home ground could go a long way to ensuring he is part of the squad that tours England this winter, and maybe even stakes a claim for the lone spinner spot, on occasion.Since he last played in South Africa in 2017 where he impressed with a score of 70 in Bloemfontein, Litton Das has become one of Bangladesh’s most dependable batters. He was the leading run-scorer for Bangladesh in 2021, with 594 from seven Tests at an average of 49.50 and is the top batter in 2022 so far, with 239 runs from three innings. His 41 at Kingsmead was a good mix of conservative batting and counter-attack and he shared in their most profitable partnership of the match, 82, with Mahmudul Hasan Joy, but will want to push on to bigger things in Gqerberha.Litton Das has been one of Bangladesh’s most dependable players recently•Getty ImagesTeam newsSouth Africa are unlikely to make any changes to the batting line-up but may look at one in the bowling department. Despite being the most experienced member of the pace pack, Duanne Olivier has failed to set the stage alight and could be benched for Lutho Sipamla, who is from this city and played his early years of domestic cricket here.South Africa (probable): 1 Dean Elgar (capt), 2 Sarel Erwee, 3 Keegan Petersen, 4 Ryan Rickleton, 5 Temba Bavuma, 6 Kyle Verreynne (wk), 7 Wiaan Mulder 8 Keshav Maharaj, 9 Simon Harmer, 10 Lizaad Williams 11 Lutho SipamlaTamim Iqbal has recovered from the stomach ailment that kept him out of the first Test and is expected to replace Shadman Islam at the top of the other. With both Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam out of the series with injury, either Abu Jayed or Shohidul Islam will play.Bangladesh (probable): 1 Tamim Iqbal, 2 Mahmudul Hasan Joy, 3 Najmul Hossain Shanto, 4 Mominul Haque (capt), 5 Mushfiqur Rahim, 6 Yasir Ali, 7 Litton Das (wk), 8 Mehidy Hasan Miraz, 9 Abu Jayed/Shohidul Islam, 10 Khaled Hossain, 11 Ebadot HossainPitch and conditionsNever mind the surface – which had a healthy grass covering two days before the Test match but will get a trim before the first ball – it’s the air that’s a major factor in Gqeberha. Westerly Winds of around 50kph have been blowing in the lead-up to the match. That’s the drying wind, which usually means it will be good for batting, but the direction will change from the first day of the match, bringing moisture but, with autumn temperatures hovering in the low 20 C, there’s unlikely to be the humidity for swing. Rain is forecast for the first three days, with the third day the most likely to be severely affected. There’s an 80% chance of showers on Sunday but by early next week, conditions are expected to clear so this Test could go the distance.Stats and trivia Mushfiqur Rahim needs 127 runs to reach 5,000 Test runs, while Tamim Iqbal needs 212. South Africa have lost their last two matches at St George’s Park, to England and Sri Lanka.Quotes”The wind plays a massive factor here at St George’s. If the wind is coming over the scoreboard, they call it the swing wind. And it might assist the bowlers. If the wind comes through the gap between the change room and the stand, it’s a swirling wind, which plays a massive part with the ball when it goes up in the air and with catching. The wind is also a factor with batters because it tends to blow you a bit over your front foot and gets you to go across the ball a little bit.”

A £70 million player would be “extremely” keen and tempted to green-light a move to Chelsea if they move for him, and the man in question could be in luck as Enzo Maresca’s side consider an offer to sign him.

Chelsea host Aston Villa in the Premier League this Sunday

The west Londoners are preparing to host Premier League top four rivals Aston Villa on Sunday, right after their challenging 2-0 victory at Heidenheim in the Europa Conference League.

"Integral" Chelsea player could now miss next 10 games after injury setback

It’s a blow for Maresca.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 29, 2024

Chelsea are looking to make it three wins on the bounce in all competitions, after also beating Maresca’s former side Leicester City last weekend, and many will fancy the Blues after a very promising season so far under their new manager.

They’ve even been tipped by some to contend for this year’s league title, but Maresca has been quick to quash any talk of a domestic crown this campaign, highlighting how there are still significant areas of improvement to be had.

“We can improve a lot. The other day against Leicester, we can learn that in football, what is in one way can change in a second,” said Maresca on Chelsea’s current form.

Aston Villa (home)

December 1

Southampton (away)

December 4

Tottenham (home)

December 8

Brentford (home)

December 15

Everton (away)

December 22

“The first half we scored, had a goal disallowed, had three or four more chances, and in that point we have to be clinical and make it 0-2 or 0-3, and make sure the game is finished. But we concede something and the game was still alive, so even after that game, we can improve things and we’re going to try.

“It’s nice to see the team improving, that is important; it is nice, a good feeling.

“At the same time, you need to be realistic and you can see the difference between us and the rest at the moment. This doesn’t mean we are not going to win games and not compete until the end, but the main focus has to be the feeling we are improving game after game.”

Off the field, Chelsea are planning to strengthen Maresca’s squad with new additions, and reports in the last few weeks have linked them with a new centre-half.

Crystal Palace defender and ex-player Marc Guehi is rumoured to be on their radar now, following a very productive year where he even shone for England at Euro 2024.

Chelsea weighing up a bid for Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi

Palace were demanding £70 million for the “sensational talent” last summer, with Newcastle submitting multiple offers but failing to tempt Eagles chairman Steve Parish into a deal.

The defender’s contract expires in 2026, though, meaning he could be available for less than £70m next year.

TEAMtalk write that Chelsea are weighing up a bid for Guehi, and it is believed that the Three Lions star would be “extremely tempted” and keen on a return to Stamford Bridge if they move for him.

The fact he is now an England regular means he may still come at a premium, and Chelsea are not his only suitors, with Newcastle still firmly in the race for his services.

أحرز لاعب الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي بوروسيا دورتموند، سيرهو جيراسي، الهدف الأول في شباك برشلونة، خلال اللقاء الذي يجمعهما بمنافسات دوري أبطال أوروبا.

ويواجه برشلونة نظيره بوروسيا دورتموند، في منافسات إياب ربع نهائي دوري أبطال أوروبا، على ملعب “سيجنال إيدونا بارك”.

وانتهت مواجهة الذهاب بين الفريقين بفوز برشلونة برباعية نظيفة في اللقاء الذي أقيم على ملعب “مونتجويك الأولمبي”.

اقرأ أيضاً.. تشكيل برشلونة أمام بوروسيا دورتموند في دوري أبطال أوروبا

ونجح لاعب بوروسيا دورتموند، سيرهو جيراسي، في تسجيل الهدف الأول لفريقه في اللقاء عند الدقيقة 11 من عمر الشوط الأول.

هدف أصحاب الأرض جاء من خلال تنفيذ ركلة جزاء عن طريق جيراسي، بعد أن تسبب بها حارس برشلونة تشيزني من أمام لاعب بوروسيا دورتموند باسكال جروس. هدف بوروسيا دورتموند الأول أمام برشلونة بـ دوري أبطال أوروبا

🥅🟡⚫️ غيراسي يفتتح التسجيل لبوروسيا دورتموند من علامة الجزاء#دوري_أبطال_أوروبا #دورتموند_برشلونة#UCL #BVBBarca pic.twitter.com/Z5HCwv6iN4 — beIN SPORTS (@beINSPORTS) April 15, 2025

Middlesex took a stranglehold on their LV= Insurance County Championship match against Glamorgan in Cardiff as the home side finished 104 for 6 in their second innings, still 110 runs behind.An undefeated John Simpson hundred and a fifty from Toby Roland-Jones meant that Middlesex made 336 all out to give them a 214-run lead on first innings.James Harris finished with the best bowling figures for Glamorgan, claiming 4 for 68 against his former county.When it was Glamorgan’s turn to bat things unfolded much as they had in their first innings with the top order failing once again in the face of some excellent Middlesex bowling.Simpson batted brilliantly with the tail as Middlesex added 226 runs for their last four wickets. The pitch had looked very lively on day one of this match but had flattened out some as day two wore on. The Glamorgan bowlers struggled to keep things tight as Simpson and the tailenders took the game away from them.Roland-Jones reached his fifty from 62 balls as he continued to attack the Glamorgan bowlers at the start of day two. When he was dismissed by Harris for 62 his partnership with Simpson was worth 103.The punishment didn’t end for Glamorgan when Roland-Jones departed as first Tom Helm and then Shaheen Shah Afridi continued to plunder runs. Afridi made a career-best 29 in what is becoming a Middlesex debut to remember.To sum up how badly things went for Glamorgan with the ball, the three highest partnerships of this match so far have been for the seventh, eighth and ninth Middlesex wickets. The Glamorgan seamers toiled away fruitlessly and it was left to Marnus Labuschagne to finish off the Middlesex innings, claiming the last two wickets with his leg breaks.Glamorgan started brightly enough with David Lloyd looking to be positive but when both he and Andrew Salter were bowled in quick succession it had a very similar feel to the home side’s disappointing first innings.Labuschagne was driving brilliantly as he caressed five balls to the boundary, but as in the first innings it was Afridi who had his measure, a fuller ball trapping the Australian lbw for 23.Kiran Carson, Chris Cooke and Callum Taylor all went in the space of nine runs to leave Glamorgan 78 for 6 and in danger of losing the game inside two days. A partnership worth 26 between Sam Northeast and Michael Neser took Glamorgan passt three figures and the game into a third day, but there is a lot of work to do on Saturday to try and prevent anything other than a heavy defeat.While there have been some poor shots, credit must be given to the Middlesex bowlers who were once again consistent and incisive, they and Simpson have put their side in a brilliant position.

Arsenal have now reportedly held talks to sign a new defender next summer as they look to rejig their defence under Mikel Arteta.

Arsenal's defence set for change

The Gunners continue to look to upgrade in defence as they look for a first Premier League title under Mikel Arteta. Injuries to Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu have seen Arsenal struggle at right-back so far this season, with Thomas Partey being asked to fill in there at times alongside Jurrien Timber.

At centre-back, there remains concern over Jakub Kiwior, with the Polish defender having been strongly linked with a return to Serie A several times since his arrival at the club just two years ago.

Arsenal could offer Kiwior in swap deal for £17 million Saka replacement

It could be an ideal exchange.

ByEmilio Galantini Dec 28, 2024

The Gunners are also yet to find adequate cover for William Saliba, whose injury derailed their title charge two seasons ago, while there is set to be significant change at left-back too.

The arrival of Oleksandr Zinchenko from Manchester City ousted Kieran Tierney, before the Ukrainian himself was sidelined by the arrivals of first Timber and then Riccardo Calafiori, both of whom can play across the backline.

Now, it has emerged that Kieran Tierney looks set to leave the club on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season and has been linked with a return to Celtic. Zinchenko could also follow him out of the door with the left-back having started just two Premier League games this season.

As a result, the Gunners could be on the hunt for a new left-back and may have found a low-cost option to bolster their ranks.

Arsenal open talks over free left-back signing

That comes according to CaughtOffside, who report that Arsenal have held talks with Crystal Palace’s Tyrick Mitchell over a potential move across London to the Emirates Stadium.

The left-back, who content creator and Palace fan HLTCO dubbed “magnificent”, is hot property this season after a strong start to the season at Selhurst Park, having been an ever-present in Oliver Glasner’s side.

Appearances

23

Goals

0

Assists

3

Yellow Cards

2

Though there is some confusion over his contract status, it is reported by both Transfermarkt and Capology that he is in the final six months of his current £40,000-a-week deal with the Eagles, which means that he could be free to leave for nothing in six months’ time.

He can enter into talks with interested parties around Europe from January 1st, though Premier League clubs cannot formally approach him until the end of the season.

Despite this, it is claimed that the Englishman is “attracting the attention of Europe’s leading clubs” including the Gunners, Tottenham and Barcelona. For their part, Arsenal “have held talks with him” over a potential move to north London, as they look to find a more defensively sound fullback for Mikel Arteta.

The Gunners already have both Calafiori and Timber as options at left-back, but with both proving versatile they could add another fullback and still have enough game time to keep all three happy. A low-cost opportunity, a move for the vastly experienced Mitchell could prove too good to turn down for the north London side.

A club are preparing to push hard for one member of Ange Postecoglou’s squad in January, as the player looks for a way out of Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs face Bournemouth after disappointing 1-1 draw to Fulham

The Lilywhites take on Bournemouth at the Vitality Stadium tonight, and it is quite uncertain which version of Spurs we’ll see.

Tottenham dealt new Cristian Romero to Real Madrid worry after fresh update

He’s seen as crucial by Ange.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Dec 4, 2024

Postecoglou’s side thumped Premier League champions Man City 4-0, thrashed London rivals West Ham in a London derby, beat top-four rivals Aston Villa by three goals and dominated Man United at Old Trafford, but they also handed both Ipswich Town and Crystal Palace their first wins of the season.

Bournemouth vs Tottenham

December 5

Tottenham vs Chelsea

December 8

Southampton vs Tottenham

December 15

Tottenham vs Liverpool

December 22

Nottingham Forest vs Tottenham

December 26

Tottenham’s inconsistency has been a real chink in their armour so far, and it could seriously endanger their prospects of clinching a first piece of silverware since 2008 and a place in the top four at the end 2024/2025.

It will be interesting to see how Spurs decide to show up on the south coast this evening, but they also are not helped by the plethora of absentees in their squad right now.

Postecoglou is without his number one keeper Guglielmo Vicario for the foreseeable future after surgery on an ankle fracture, while he’s also missing his star central defensive duo Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

Wilson Odobert, Richarlison, Mikey Moore and Rodrigo Bentancur are also set to miss tonight’s trip, while doubts surround summer signing Dominic Solanke, which has left Spurs very short on the field.

“Everyone from the weekend got through OK, Archie [Gray] obviously got a knock, but he’s recovered well,” said Postecoglou on Tottenham team news before Bournemouth.

“Dom’s due to train today, he’s still not 100 per cent, but he’s definitely improved from the weekend, so we’ll see how he goes through training today. The other injured guys are inching closer but not available.”

Due to the severe shortage of options, Postecoglou has even suggested that they could turn to £120,000-per-week outcast Sergio Reguilon, who is yet to make a first-team appearance and this season and was included on the bench for the first time in months against Fulham.

“He is ready. He is training every day so part of the squad and we’re down in numbers, but there is also a reason why Reggy is in the last year of his contract with us,” said Postecoglou on Reguilon.

“We’ll see how that all transpires but nothing wrong with his attitude. He is training every day and we literally have schoolboys on the bench, so we’re low down on numbers and he’ll probably be involved again tomorrow.”

Getafe prepared to open talks for Tottenham defender Sergio Reguilon

As a result of his exclusion from the team, Reguilon is attracting interest from La Liga, as he reportedly looks for a way out of N17.

There have even been reports that Reguilon wants to terminate his Spurs contract, with SuperDeporte now providing an update on the former Real Madrid defender’s future heading into January.

The Spanish news outlet writes that Getafe are prepared to “negotiate hard” to sign Reguilon from Tottenham, as they look to take advantage of this situation and shore up their left-back department.

“Frustration” is emerging from Reguilon and his camp over the lack of game time, with Getafe apparently ready to offer him a route out of north London. Reguilon is accomplished at the top level, spending last season on loan spells at Man United and Brentford, so he could be a very astute option on loan mid-season.

According to SuperDeporte, Tottenham will demand around £10 million to sell him outright in January, despite his contract expiring at the end of this campaign.