Wolverhampton Wanderers are in a race to sign a versatile £6.7 million international who could be a replacement for Nélson Semedo, according to a recent report.
Wolves target new midfielder and new striker
Given the fact the Midlands side have already seen Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri leave the club in big-money deals, Wolves have a rather large back pocket full of money. Manager Vitor Pereira will be hoping the club chiefs allow him to spend that money in the transfer market, as they look to avoid another relegation battle.
Wolves make approach for "major talent" also wanted by seven other clubs
The Old Gold are in the market for reinforcements…
1 BySean Markus Clifford Jul 4, 2025
According to a report from Spain, one way the Premier League side want to spend some of their cash is by signing Conor Gallagher from Atlético Madrid. It is claimed that Wolves are among the teams wanting to sign the midfielder, and they would be willing to pay as much as £43 million to bring him back to England. The Spanish giants could be open to letting the England midfielder leave in this transfer window, as that would allow them to improve their squad in other areas.
As well as a new midfielder, Wolves also want to add more firepower to their team and have made an approach to sign El Bilal Toure from Atalanta. The striker, who scored three goals in all competitions last season, is very much a wanted man this summer, as teams from France, Turkey, and England are all queuing up with an interest.
Wolves in race to sign Tchatchoua to replace Semedo
As well as looking to strengthen their midfield and forward line, the Premier League side may be in the market for a new right-back, and according to Tuttomercatoweb, relayed by Molineux News, Wolves are interested in signing Jackson Tchatchoua from Hellas Verona.
Wolves are still working on a deal to keep Semedo at the club, as his contract expired at the end of June and he has been offered fresh terms. However, they are yet to receive an answer, and now the Premier League side are looking at possible replacements and therefore have turned their attention to Tchatchoua, who is also wanted by Everton, Marseille and Galatasaray.
The 23-year-old, who has earned 10 caps for Cameroon, joined Hellas Verona on loan for the 2023/24 season, and that move was made permanent last summer. He can operate as a right-back as well as a right midfielder, scoring two goals to go with three assists in 36 Serie A games last season.
Jackson Tchatchoua’s 24/25 league stats compared to Nelson Semedo
Tchatchoua
Semedo
Apps
36
34
Starts
36
32
Goals
2
0
Assists
3
4
Progressive carries
88
67
Progressive runs
163
119
Tackles (Won)
50 (31)
62 (36)
Blocks
21
32
Interceptions
14
23
Clearances
75
104
It has been previously reported that Hellas Verona value Tchatchoua at €8 million, or roughly £6.7 million, which could be an absolute bargain if Fosun can convince his agency, DWMA, to bring him to England. The group also represented Wesley Fofana in his £75m move from Leicester to Chelsea however, so may be looking to drive that price up.
Tottenham Hotspur have enjoyed revelling in the triumph of lifting the Europa League and restoring their place among Europe’s elite next term, but Daniel Levy’s decision to fire Ange Postecoglou highlights the hunger to sustain an even loftier level of success over the coming years.
With Thomas Frank snatched from Brentford to lead from the dugout, Spurs are in a good position to challenge at the top end of the Premier League once more, though summer signings will be needed to inject fresh quality within a tired squad, whose success has papered over what was a most difficult year indeed.
Antoine Semenyo’s name has been bandied about, but there’s one man above all others who Tottenham’s new manager would like to welcome to the fold.
Spurs make contact for statement signing
Earlier this week, Sky Sports revealed that Tottenham have been growing in confidence that they could sign Bryan Mbeumo this summer after initial discussions, having made contact with Brentford, despite the player’s preference to join Man United.
This is because the Londoners have appointed Frank, who has led Mbeumo to such impressive individual heights over the past couple of years.
Brentford's BryanMbeumoreacts
And now, as per transfer insider Graeme Bailey, the Lilywhites believe that Champions League football and the chance for the 25-year-old to stay in London could play into their favour.
Mbeumo won’t come cheap after his exceptional season, with the Bees looking to bank around £60m for the right-sided forward.
What Bryan Mbeumo would bring to Spurs
Mohamed Salah, Alexander Isak and Erling Haaland. Perhaps the Premier League’s three finest goalscorers. They were the only players to outscore Mbeumo last season, with Ipswich Town writer Alex Osborn hailing him as “one of the best wingers in the league.”
1.
Mohamed Salah
38
29
2.
Alexander Isak
34
23
3.
Erling Haaland
31
22
4.
Chris Wood
36
20
5.
Bryan Mbeumo
38
20
Not only has Mbeumo dazzled in front of goal, but he’s performed well across underlying areas. As per Sofascore, the Cameroon international averaged 1.8 key passes, 1.4 dribbles, and 4.7 successful duels last term, underscoring a roundedness that most goalscorers don’t boast.
His prolific style surely makes him a better pick than Semenyo, who is a fantastic player but would cost Tottenham in excess of £50m and only scored 11 goals in the Premier League last year, also racking up six assists across his 37 appearances.
Antoine Semenyo for Bournemouth.
Make no mistake, Semenyo is a talented winger who would have a big effect on reorienting Tottenham’s domestic form and fluency, but can he compete with Mbeumo, who is objectively one of the classiest stars in front of goal?
The Bournemouth man ranked among the top 5% of attacking midfielders and wingers in the English top flight last year for shots taken, as per FBref, but only among the top 27% for goals scored per 90, with his efforts leading the data-driven site to draw up Mbeumo as one of his most comparable players.
If that is the case (and there are similarities: both players are physical and dynamic and potent across different positions), then surely the best track to go down would be to sign the more reliable and menacing player in front of goal.
Therefore, Mbeumo is surely the better pick to go for, especially when considering the kind of money that Bournemouth are looking to part with Semenyo.
Their next Werner: Spurs in battle to sign "special" £25m man for Frank
Spurs would be making a massive mistake signing this player.
Every year, there are thousands of players coming to the end of their current deals – some high-profile, others further down the footballing pyramid.
This opens up the opportunity for these players to move on in the summer, with a number of stars set to be available for free, whether they have been unable to agree on fresh terms or simply come to the end of their time at their current clubs.
Here, we look at some of the best players who could be looking for a new club for 2025/26.
High-profile Bosman moves
Player
Departed
Joined
Year
Gianluca Vialli
Juventus
Chelsea
1996
Steve McManaman
Liverpool
Real Madrid
1999
Sol Campbell
Tottenham
Arsenal
2001
Michael Ballack
Bayern Munich
Chelsea
2006
Raul
Real Madrid
Schalke
2010
Andrea Pirlo
Milan
Juventus
2011
Robert Lewandowski
Borussia Dortmund
Bayern Munich
2014
Zlatan Ibrahimović
PSG
Manchester United
2016
Sergio Agüero
Man City
Barcelona
2021
Lionel Messi
Barcelona
PSG
2021
1 Dominic Calvert-Lewin Everton
Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin
It looks as though Dominic Calvert-Lewin is heading towards the end of his Everton career, with several high-profile clubs expected to make an offer to secure his signature.
AS Monaco were one of those interested in the English striker back in January, but the Toffees stopped short of claiming a fee for Calvert-Lewin, leaving them open to a free sale.
There is speculation that Newcastle United are an interested club, with Calvert-Lewin set to call time on his stay on Merseyside.
2 Jonathan David Lille
Many feel that Lille have made a massive mistake by allowing the contract of star striker Jonathan David to run down, meaning they will likely lose out on a significant transfer fee.
There appears to be no shortage of offers for the forward. Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth claimed in January that two Serie A sides had made offers, while four Premier League teams were reportedly keen on striking a pre-contract agreement with David ahead of next season.
However, it feels like Serie A champions Napoli are close to securing an agreement with the Canadian, despite interest from rivals Juventus. Whoever manages to sign him will be securing one of the most coveted strikers in Europe.
3 Ben Davies Tottenham Hotspur
Fresh from winning the Europa League with Tottenham Hotspur, it appears as though Ben Davies will be leaving N17 in the near future.
The Welshman joined the Lilywhites from Swansea City in 2014, becoming one of the first to join under former manager Mauricio Pochettino.
Leeds United and Burnley were both linked to the full-back recently, so Davies may end up staying in the Premier League.
4 Kevin De Bruyne Manchester City
Manchester City's KevinDeBruyne
Kevin De Bruyne was so often at the heart of the success Manchester City achieved since he joined in the summer of 2015.
With 422 appearances for the Etihad side, De Bruyne has been their talisman, never more so than during the 2022/23 season as they won the treble. Indeed, he registered 41 goal contributions for the club that year.
Napoli are the team most strongly linked with the Belgian, with Antonio Conte’s side intent on building on their Scudetto success.
5 Abdoulaye Doucoure Everton
Everton midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure
Abdoulaye Doucoure revealed he would be leaving Everton at the expiry of his contract in the summer. The midfielder bowed out after helping the Toffees to a final-day win over Newcastle in the Premier League, and will now be looking for a new club ahead of 2025/26.
A £20m signing from Watford in 2020, Doucoure scored one of the most important goals in the club’s history as they survived relegation at the end of the 2022/23 campaign.
It appears that a move to the Middle East is on the cards as it stands, with multiple Saudi Arabian clubs among the interested parties for the Malian’s services.
6 Angel Gomes Lille
Angel Gomes is another player set to leave Lille in the summer, alongside teammate Jonathan David. The midfielder, who made his England debut in September, joined the French outfit from Manchester United in 2020 on a free transfer and will again be on the move for nothing.
His old club are among the clubs interested in his signature, while Tottenham Hotspur will be hoping the promise of Champions League football will sway things in their favour.
7 Victor Lindelof Manchester United
With first-team opportunities turning into a premium in recent seasons, it is no surprise that Swedish defender Victor Lindelof allowed his deal at Manchester United to run down.
Lindelof struggled with injuries and started just six times in the league in 2024/25, with his role in the side further diminishing amid a number of centre-back arrivals in recent windows.
There are plenty of clubs lining up to sign him, including four Premier League clubs and former side Benfica.
8 Tyrick Mitchell Crystal Palace
Despite starring for the Eagles in the FA Cup final, Tyrick Mitchell is yet to publicly commit his future to Crystal Palace. That said, Mitchell may not be about to see his deal at Selhurst Park expire, with conflicting reports over the status of his contract.
Nevertheless, he continues to be linked away, with Milan among his potential suitors, though whether the Rossoneri would have to pay a fee remains to be seen.
9 Thomas Partey Arsenal
Thomas Partey’s contract at Arsenal is up in the summer, though his time in N5 may not be as close to ending as it may seem.
That’s because Mikel Arteta has previously stated his desire to keep the Ghana international at the club, so a new deal may be in the offing.
Partey has been linked away in previous windows, with interest coming from Italy and Saudi Arabia in the past. This time around, Juventus, Barcelona and former club Atletico Madrid have all been mentioned as potential destinations.
10 Leroy Sane Bayern Munich
It may have come as a surprise to many when Leroy Sané swapped Manchester City for Bayern Munich, especially with the Pep Guardiola era in full swing, but the German has been a crucial player for the Bavarians.
Indeed, he ended the 2024/25 season with 116 goal contributions – 61 goals and 55 assists – in 220 appearances since joining, a rate of one goal involvement every 1.9 matches, marking a spectacular record.
If a club can secure his signature for nothing in the summer, they would be signing a player still at the peak of his powers.
Nottingham Forest strengthened their case to secure a spot in the Champions League for next season by beating Tottenham Hotspur 2-1 on Monday night.
The Tricky Trees picked up all three points to move up to third in the division, above the likes of Chelsea and Manchester City, thanks to goals from Elliot Anderson and Chris Wood.
Whilst the usual stars were performing for Nuno Espirito Santo, including the two goalscorers, there was a surprise performance from the rarely-seen Harry Toffolo at left-back.
Harry Toffolo's surprise performance against Spurs
The English defender was named in the starting XI for the first time in the Premier League this season, having mainly been an unused substitute, and stepped up to produce a fantastic display in a huge match.
Harry Toffolo
Toffolo’s best moment of the game came in the second half when his mind-boggling clearance off the line prevented what looked like a certain goal for Dejan Kulusevski, which would have brought Spurs back in the game with plenty of time still to play.
The former Norwich full-back also made two blocks, three tackles, and one interception down the left flank to keep the home team at bay, and secure a big win for Forest.
He has seemingly revived his career at the City Ground, given his complete lack of starts prior to the game, and Nuno could repeat the blinder he just played with Toffolo by reviving Ramon Sosa’s career at the club.
Why Santo should unleash Ramon Sosa
The forward played one minute off the bench against Spurs in his 16th cameo of the season, coming off the bench in 16 of his 17 appearances in the division.
Sosa, who Ross Wilson described as a “coveted” player last summer, could make a surprise impact in the final few games of the season, reviving his career at the club in the process, if the manager is willing to hit the jackpot by unleashing from the start in the Premier League.
The 25-year-old attacker joined from Talleres last year after a run of impressive performances in the Copa de la Liga Profesional during the first half of 2024.
2024 Copa de la Liga
Ramon Sosa
Appearances (starts)
12 (12)
Goals
4
Big chances created
6
Key passes per game
2.3
Assists
4
Completed dribbles per game
3.1
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Sosa displayed his quality at the top end of the pitch with goals, assists, ‘big chances’ created, and by constantly dribbling past opposition players.
That quality was also on display in a rare start in the FA Cup against Luton, when the forward scored and produced an assist, creating one ‘big chance’, in a 2-1 win back in January, which shows that he does have the potential to translate his form over to English football.
It is now down to Nuno to provide Sosa with enough opportunities on the pitch in the coming weeks to make him his secret weapon in the push for the Champions League places, reviving the attacker’s career at the City Ground and hitting gold in the process.
Nottingham Forest star who "defied physics" was even better than Elanga
The Nottingham Forest star who was even better than Anthony Elanga and Morgan Gibbs-White.
They haven’t yet fired as a combination, and with the USA leg over and conditions getting better for batting, India may need more from them
Sidharth Monga21-Jun-20241:21
Kumble: India unlikely to change Kohli-Rohit partnership against Bangladesh
At this T20 World Cup 2024, India have made it clear they want to be flexible with their batting order – with one caveat.”Besides the openers, none of the guys’ positions are fixed as such,” Rohit Sharma said ahead of their game against Pakistan in New York. “We want to be very flexible in that and the message has been given to them very clearly about it, that only the openers will stay stagnant unless it’s a Super Over or it’s a five-over game. But otherwise, the openers will stay the same.”Related
Struggling Bangladesh in fight for survival against Bumrah & Co
Rohit and Virat Kohli have been India’s constants at the top of the order, and so far they’ve put on stands of 22, 12, 1 and 11. This wasn’t a matter of concern to the team management in the first round, because the openers were getting out early, looking to play aggressively, and those losses weren’t a dampener on the rest of the batting order, with the challenging surfaces of the USA not calling for power-hitting.Now, though, with pitches in the Super Eight stage getting better to bat on, with conditions calling for a little more inventiveness and power, there might be a bit more concern around Rohit and Kohli.India have some breathing space, having opened the Super Eight with a win, but two familiar scenarios played themselves out in that match against Afghanistan. Rohit scored six off nine deliveries from the left-arm quick Fazalhaq Farooqi and got out to him. Since 2022, he has struck at just 120.12 against left-arm pace, a variety of bowling he will likely face in India’s remaining matches. Bangladesh, their next opponents in their Super Eight group, have Mustafizur Rahman, and Australia Mitchell Starc.Then the offspinner Mohammad Nabi rocked up and bowled through the powerplay without conceding a boundary to either Rohit or Kohli, both right-hand batters, conceding nine off 12 balls to the pair. Eventually, it was the left-hand batter at No. 3, Rishabh Pant, who innovated against Nabi and salvaged the powerplay for India.Kohli looked in better touch than Rohit, and batter for longer, but that is not necessarily a good thing in T20s. An opener batting into the ninth over and going at a run a ball on a pitch that isn’t treacherous can be counterproductive. You could even make the argument that an opener getting out for a single-digit score having faced single-digit balls is better than a run-a-ball 24.Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli have put on 22, 12, 1 and 11 in India’s four matches so far•ICC via Getty ImagesThen, in case you feel out of form, how do you play yourself into form in a tournament with such a short turnaround between matches? Perhaps that’s why both Rohit and Kohli turned up for optional nets in the one-day gap India had between the Afghanistan and Bangladesh matches, this after having travelled from Barbados to Antigua on the evening of the Afghanistan match.Batting coach Vikram Rathour was asked whether he was happy India were winning even without any major contribution from Kohli so far. Rathour said he wasn’t. “I’m not happy. I would love if he gets going and scores more runs,” he said. “But yeah, it is good that when you are challenged at times and you know the guys who are not getting too much of batting in India sometimes, they are the ones who put up scores. Our middle order came to play. So it was good to see.”Bangladesh can test India with left-arm pace and spin so it will be a challenge for the openers again. “They’re a good unit. They have a lot of guys who can [challenge us with] spin bowling and they are good in certain conditions,” Rathour said, but he wasn’t speaking in the context of India’s openers. “And these conditions do suit them a little as a team because the wickets seem to have a bit of help for the spinners and they do have spinners in their team. But again, in this format I think every team is a tough team.”I don’t believe there is any contest in T20 cricket which is an easy contest. It might look like [it] in the end, I mean today [against Afghanistan] we won by almost 50 runs, so it looks easy but I’m sure when the game was on it felt pretty tight.”That last bit tells you a lot about how the contest felt in the first half of India’s innings. Kohli and Rohit are among the greatest batters India has produced. They take pride in continuing to earn their places in the side, and set an example with their work ethic. This is surely not the time to second-guess the combination India have gone with. And they have the batting depth and the bowling attack to make up for any shortcomings at the top of the order.Still, the openers will want to be at their best by the time they face bigger opponents. They don’t want Rohit’s proclamation about their being the only constants turn into famous last words.
West Indies batters produce fire and fight to capitalise on absence of Anderson and Broad
Cameron Ponsonby09-Mar-2022When Kraigg Brathwaite bats, he does so for a long time and not for a good time. Normally.But on day two in Antigua, he broke character to score a brisk 55 off 70 balls and made clear the West Indies strategy when faced with an England opening attack absent of either James Anderson or Stuart Broad. Whack it.Ahead of the series, both Brathwaite and West Indies head coach Phil Simmons had refused to be drawn on whether they considered it an advantage that neither Broad nor Anderson were lining up against them. That to do so would be “complacent”. We’re focusing on us, not them etc.Related
Simmons: Batters 'need to give bowlers something to work with'
Holder rues missed chances as West Indies target new ball
Bonner, Holder stand firm in West Indies rebuild
But there is a difference between saying and doing. Because West Indies came with a plan. Faced with two opening bowlers burdened with the unknown pressure of leading the attack for the first time in Chris Woakes, and opening the bowling in Tests for the first time in Craig Overton, they put their foot down.”It was pretty much just playing as it came,” Brathwaite said at the close, maintaining the party line. “I obviously got into some good positions and it paid off and we got some early runs, but I wouldn’t say it was a change. It’s a good pitch.””Some of the guys aren’t as experienced as Anderson and stuff but I thought they were decent and we’ve just got to buckle down and fight. Do not underestimate, that’s the key for us.”The first ten overs brought 45 runs and CricViz stats aplenty. Only twice in the last two years have England conceded more. Woakes’ first 20 balls brought 27 runs, the most he’d ever conceded by that stage in an innings (admittedly a small sample size). The 50 arrived in the 11th over, the fourth fastest during Joe Root’s captaincy. It was, by whichever metric you choose, right up among least-threatening new-ball spells England had bowled in the last decade. It was not good.But it would be unfair to say that England’s failings were all of their own doing. Missteps still need to be capitalised on and neither Brathwaite nor his opening partner John Campbell missed a beat in doing so. Brathwaite drove and Campbell slashed, and just when England thought they’d put a lid on proceedings as Jack Leach tied together a maiden or two, Brathwaite launched him for six.You can have all the strategies, spreadsheets, nutritionists and data scientists you want, but when it comes down to it, nothing beats hitting the ball really far as your Plan A.Brathwaite is a man riding high on batting adrenaline. For all the talk of how out-of-character this innings was in terms of his career, it wasn’t in terms of his month. In the lead up to this series, Brathwaite scored a career-best 276 for Barbados against Jamaica, an innings which came at a strike-rate of 67.81.It is a stark change for a man who has often suffered from the same criticism levelled at players such as Dom Sibley and Cheteshwar Pujara, that his slow batting adversely affects his team by putting undue pressure on the batter at the other end. But here, Brathwaite went to a run-a-ball 20, 30 and 40 before bringing up his fastest Test half-century off 62 balls.If Brathwaite set the tone with his fire, his team followed suit with their fight. A collapse from 83 for 0 to 127 for 4 threatened to derail the excellent start West Indies had made, and with the ball beginning to reverse-swing, had either Nkrumah Bonner or former captain Jason Holder fallen and exposed a fragile tail, the day could’ve comfortably belonged to England. As it happened, Bonner and Holder shared a crucial, unbroken 75-run partnership to steer West Indies to 202 for 4 at the close with the game evenly poised.”Holder and Bonner put on a really good partnership,” Brathwaite said. “The England bowlers were in a good spell and you saw the maturity fighting through, especially a period of eight overs where the ball was doing a bit. He’s [Holder] leading from the front and we just have to follow.”
During the Padres' game against the Red Sox on Saturday, the broadcast captured a glimpse of a Red Sox coach using two side-by-side pictures to denote the difference between Padres closer Robert Suarez's fastball and changeup setups.
The Padres led 4-3 until Suarez, a two-time All-Star closer and the current MLB leader in saves, came in during the 9th inning and gave up a run. Though the Padres went on to win the game in extra innings, Suarez was credited with a blown save and concerns emerged from the outside that Suarez tipping pitches allowed Boston to tie things up.
It's unclear if the Red Sox were actually able to take advantage of Suarez's cues, but the Padres still got the win and are not overly concerned.
“I think it’s overblown," Padres manager Mike Shildt said, via Dennis Lin of "You can look at it and slow it down, and you can take a picture of it. Go do it in front of 40,000 people in real time and with an athlete that’s moving and see how successful you are. I do think there’s people and there’s teams and players that are good at it, but I also think that even if it’s slightly there, it’s really hard to pick up in live competition.”
The Padres were also aware of the possibility of Suarez tipping pitches before Saturday's game, and had already worked on adjusting his tendencies throughout the season.
“The whole year,” Padres pitching coach Ruben Niebla said, via Lin. “That’s one of our things in spring training where we’re like, ‘Hey, this is what you do to tip pitches.’ And … through the course of the year, when you’re working through battles or however you want to put it, some tendencies start showing back up. And we’re always cross-checking, cross-checking, cross-checking.
“In the heat of the battle, sometimes that’s the last thing (pitchers) might be thinking about," Niebla added. "You know, it might show up. But overall, I think we’ve been really good as a team.”
Mohammed Shami, Mayank Markande, Nitish Rana, Donovan Ferreira and Arjun Tendulkar will also play for new teams in IPL 2026
ESPNcricinfo staff15-Nov-2025
Sanju Samson captained Rajasthan Royals for the last five seasons•Associated Press
Rajasthan Royals (RR) and Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have finalised the player trade that will see Sanju Samson headed to CSK in exchange for allrounders Ravindra Jadeja and Sam Curran, the IPL confirmed on Saturday morning.It is one of the most high-profile player trades in IPL history. Samson, who led RR from 2021 until the previous season, had been retained for INR 18 crore ahead of IPL 2025. CSK had also retained Jadeja for the same amount, while they had acquired Curran in the auction for INR 2.4 crore. Samson will go to CSK for the same fee, but Jadeja’s fee has been revised to INR 14 crore. Curran’s fee remains the same.”Rajasthan Royals gave me my first platform and my first taste of victory,” Jadeja said in a RR statement. “Coming back feels special – it’s not just a team for me, it’s home. Rajasthan Royals is where I won my first IPL, and I hope to win more with this current group of players.”Samson spent 11 years at RR, but had indicated after IPL 2025 that he was looking for a change and wanted to be released by RR.For Jadeja, it is a return to the franchise with whom he started his IPL career, in the inaugural season in 2008. Jadeja had been with CSK since 2012 barring the 2016 and 2017 seasons when the franchise was suspended, and was even appointed captain in 2022 but handed the captaincy back to MS Dhoni after a poor start to the season.For Curran, it will be a third IPL franchise, having shuttled between CSK and Punjab Kings between 2019 and 2025.”Jadeja coming back to the Royals is incredibly special for all of us. He understands the franchise and the fans, having been part of RR’s IPL-winning campaign,” Kumar Sangakkara, RR’s director of cricket, said. “Over the years he has grown into a player who can influence the game in every department. His experience, composure, and competitive edge will add immense value to our group.”Sam brings a different but equally important dimension. He’s fearless, adaptable, and thrives in pressure situations with both bat and ball. Together, Jadeja and Sam give us balance, leadership, and the kind of match-winning depth we want as we build for the future.”Letting go of Jadeja and Curran was done after consultations with the players, CSK managing director Kasi Viswanathan said. “The decision was taken with mutual understanding with both Jadeja and Curran. We are deeply grateful for Jadeja’s extraordinary contributions and the legacy he leaves behind. We wish both Jadeja and Curran the best for the future. We also welcome Sanju Samson, whose skill-set and achievements complement our ambitions. This decision has been made with great thought, respect, and a long-term vision.”Nitish Rana will now turn out for Delhi Capitals•BCCI
Shami, Nitish Rana, Ferreira, Tendulkar tradedAs reported by ESPNcricinfo on Friday, Mohammed Shami will turn out for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) in IPL 2026 after being traded by Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). Shami, the second-most expensive acquisition for SRH ahead of the IPL 2025 season at INR 10 crore, will move to LSG at his existing fee.Some of the other updates on the day were those involving Mayank Markande, Arjun Tendulkar, Nitish Rana and Donovan Ferreira.Rana, who has featured in over 100 IPL games and has even led Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), moves from RR to Delhi Capitals (DC), and will continue at his existing fee of INR 4.2 crore.For Markande, it’s a return home of sorts, as he returns to his original team Mumbai Indians (MI) from KKR. He will also be at his existing fee of INR 30 lakh.Ferreira, the South African allrounder, returns to his first team, RR, after being traded out by DC, that too with a salary hike. His fee has been revised from INR 75 lakh to INR 1 crore.Tendulkar, meanwhile, travels from MI to LSG at his existing fee of INR 30 lakh.
Tottenham Hotspur were left reeling after being thumped by north London neighbours Arsenal last weekend. It was a sobering afternoon for Thomas Frank, who did take solace days later in his side’s spirited 5-3 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain.
Much of the frustration around Spurs’ start to the season has centred around attacking struggles. To be sure, Ange Postecoglou’s unshackled offensive system is no longer discernible down N17, though Frank has undeniably instilled a more stable base.
(1) Chelsea
2nd
22.1
(2) Man City
3rd
21.8
(3) Arsenal
1st
20.7
(4) Crystal Palace
5th
20.2
(5) Man Utd
10th
19.9
(17) Tottenham
9th
11.1
However, while there is work to be made on the creative front – and remember, injured playmakers James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski have not kicked a ball this season – nine goals shipped in the last week underlines the wider problems.
It’s for this reason that the new hierarchy is considering a winter move for a centre-back.
Spurs' search for a defender
In Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero, Tottenham have one of the most robust defensive partnerships in the Premier League. However, the balance isn’t there at the back.
The Lilywhites have been sold short in key areas. You could make a top starting 11 in a fully-fit Spurs stadium, but the wider squad leave plenty to be desired, Kevin Danso and Ben Davies applicable in regard to central defence.
That’s why Spanish sources have confirmed that Tottenham are planning a winter move for Juventus centre-half Gleison Bremer, who could be available for a cut-price €40m (£35m)
The report suggests that Spurs ‘would be willing to negotiate’ and offer an ‘attractive financial package’ in order to tempt the Old Lady into a sale.
What Bremer would bring to Spurs
Two months ago, Bremer suffered a meniscus injury to his left knee. This week, he returned to full team training. Considered one of the best defenders in Europe for his defensive security and “world-class” performances, as said by CBS commentator Matteo Bonetti, against elite forwards.
Juventus defender Bremer.
In truth, he hasn’t played much football over the past year, but Bremer is returning to full fitness now and started the Serie A season off strongly, Sofascore recording that he won 63% of his ground duels across the first four fixtures of the term, averaging 5.5 clearances and 4.5 recoveries per game. He set up two goals, underscoring the ball-playing quality that Frank needs to help establish build-up patterns down N17.
Van de Ven, of course, would provide Bremer with stiff competition in front of Guglielmo Vicario’s goal, but there’s a case to be made that the Brazilian is a stronger defender than his Dutch counterpart, who has only won 52% of his duels in the Premier League this season, ranking among the bottom 36% of positional peers for tackles won per 90 (0.36).
The 24-year-old is an athletic phenomenon, and no mistake.
Micky van de Ven
Tottenham
37.38
Kyle Walker
Man City
37.31
Jackson Tchatchoua
Wolves
37.30
Micky van de Ven
Tottenham
37.23
Micky van de Ven
Tottenham
37.12
But he’s hardly flawless. Van de Ven has made two direct mistakes in the Premier League this year (Bremer has yet to blunder), and he needs to continue to develop his positioning and tactical alliance with those around him.
Maybe Van de Ven feels overburdened by the weight of responsibility at times. He has a lot of ground to cover, after all, especially with Romero in and out of the team due to injuries.
Hailed as a “monster” by analyst Ben Mattinson for his physicality and power, Bremer might just be the solution for a Tottenham side desperate to make headway after an up-and-down start.
This ferocious defender would offer a different flavour, and maybe that’s what Frank’s rearguard need to stabilise and create a more fluent overarching system.
Juventus legend Sergi Brio described Bremer as the “best defender in Serie A” two years ago, and though his match action has been limited thereafter, there’s no question that this is a star who could make a marked difference at Frank’s Tottenham, providing a counterpoint at the back while deepening the squad as they look to kick on.
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Tottenham have reached out to the representatives of an Arsenal transfer target as Spurs boss Thomas Frank scours the market for creativity, according to a new report.
Tottenham looking at signing attackers in January
Frank is under growing pressure at N17, and one of the key points of concern has been their lack of attacking fluidity.
Spurs were recently booed off after a tepid 1-0 defeat at home to Chelsea in the London derby, where they managed just one shot on target all game, and it was a similar story away to Arsenal last weekend.
David Raya barely had anything to do and was rarely troubled in the Gunners net, barring Richarlison’s incredible goal of the season contender from the halfway line, and the statistics paint a pretty grim picture of their attacking prowess overall.
According to FBref, the Lilywhites have attempted the second-fewest shots in the Premier League so far this campaign, and rank 17th in the division for xG (expected goals), so this quite simply has to change.
xG
11.0
17th
Non-penalty xG
11.0
16th
Progressive passes
413
12th
Shots
110
19th
Shots on target
40
15th
Average shot distance
15.6 yards
17th
As a result, it is believed that the north Londoners could look to sign a striker and winger when the winter transfer window opens.
Spurs are reportedly in the mix for Bournemouth star Antoine Semenyo as one option, following news of the Ghanaian’s £65 million release clause, which will be active during the early period of January.
Meanwhile, in terms of a new striker, FC Porto’s Samu Aghehowa has been repeatedly linked with a move to Tottenham, with co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange apparently prepared to shell out his release clause.
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Time will tell whether these reports come to fruition, but they will face stiff competition from some of Europe’s big hitters for both men.
On top of Semenyo and Aghehowa, Spurs are now also taking an interest in Elche sensation Rodrigo Mendoza, according to TEAMtalk.
Tottenham hold talks with Rodrigo Mendoza and want his 'progressive passing'
As per their information, Tottenham have registered their interest in Mendoza by contacting his agents, joining Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City in pursuit of the highly-rated 20-year-old who could be available for just £17.5 million in January.
Frank views the Spanish youth international as a potential solution to Spurs’ midfield needs, and the club apparently ‘crave his progressive passing’ to provide creativity from deeper positions.
Sources close to the representatives of Mendoza are quoted in the report confirming contact from all four Premier League clubs, and Mendoza’s modest release clause makes him an attractive proposition.
The Elche academy graduate has impressed during nine La Liga appearances this season, scoring once and demonstrating qualities that have drawn comparisons to both Sergio Busquets and Pedri.
His ability to carry the ball forward ranks him in the 93rd percentile among La Liga midfielders for successful dribbles per 90 minutes, with Mendoza playing a key role in helping Elche win promotion back to the Spanish top flight last term.
However, Elche recognize that financial difficulties could force them into a sale, with the cash-strapped club anticipating interest from bigger sides.
January could see multiple Premier League suitors test their resolve, including Tottenham, who are now firmly in the mix.
It will be interesting to see where he could fit into a Spurs midfield that already includes exciting talents Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray, who operate in a similar roles, but Mendoza may even perhaps prove to be an adept replacement for the exit-bound Yves Bissouma.