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Everton head coach David Moyes was heavily backed by the club throughout the summer transfer window with a host of new signings to bolster the squad.

Jack Grealish, who scored the winning goal against Crystal Palace last time out, has been a standout signing for the Toffees since his move to the club on loan from Manchester City.

The England international’s impressive start to life at Everton, with one goal and four assists in the Premier League, has meant that Iliman Ndiaye has had to play a new role this season.

Why Iliman Ndiaye has had to play a new role for Everton

The Senegal international played 32 of his 35 starts on the left flank for the Toffees in all competitions in the 2024/25 campaign, per Transfermarkt, scoring 11 goals.

However, Grealish’s preferred position is on the left wing, cutting inside on his right foot, and that is the role that he has nailed down since his move from The Etihad.

Because of the English forward’s form, Ndiaye has had to be moved out wide to the right wing. Per Transfermarkt, five of his seven starts have been on the right flank, with two of his three goals coming in that position.

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With Ndiaye having to play a new role on the right wing as a right-footed player, Moyes could make the attacking midfielder unplayable by starting Adam Aznou in a new role of his own at right-back.

How Adam Aznou could make Iliman Ndiaye unplayable

Everton signed the Morocco international from Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window, but his only appearance of the season so far came for the U21s at left-back against Doncaster in the EFL Trophy.

The 19-year-old left-back could make his breakthrough with the Toffees in a new role at right-back, though, to form an exciting partnership with Ndiaye down the right wing.

Aznou has played eight times as a right-back in his career, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he can play on that side, but it is not his usual position, which is left-back, and he has not played there for Everton yet.

Premier League Panel analyst Raj Chohan described Aznou as a “natural attacking threat” and claimed that Everton’s attack would improve if they played him as a ball-carrying right-back behind Ndiaye.

The Morocco international’s form in LaLiga on loan with Real Valladollid in the second half of last season suggests that Chohan’s theory has some weight behind it.

24/25 LaLiga

Adam Aznou per 90

Percentile rank vs LBs

Dribbles completed

1.96

Top 3%

Dribble success rate

55.9%

Top 24%

Touches in opposition box

1.54

Top 24%

Fouls won

1.75

Top 7%

Tackles won

2.88

Top 17%

Duels won

7.72

Top 5%

Ball recoveries

5.77

Top 6%

Stats via FotMob

As you can see in the table above, Aznou excelled among full-backs in the Spanish top-flight for taking players on and getting involved high up the pitch in the opposition’s box, whilst still being impressive in several defensive metrics.

These statistics suggest that the teenage talent has the defensive and technical attributes to play at right-back and support Ndiaye at the top end of the pitch, something that central defender Jake O’Brien is not a natural at in the right-back position.

This means that Ndiaye could have more space to work with in the inside right position because Aznou’s overlapping threat would force opposition defenders to pay attention to him, which would free up the Senegal international to move infield to join up with the other attackers without being marked out of the game.

At the moment, O’Brien does not carry that same threat down the right flank, which means that opposition teams can afford to put two players on the former Sheffield United star.

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Therefore, Moyes could help to make Ndiaye unplayable down the right wing by unleashing Aznou in a new role with the Toffees at right-back this season.

Things keep getting worse and worse for West Ham United.

Following sizable fan protests outside the London Stadium on Saturday, Graham Potter led his side out against Crystal Palace, desperate for a win.

Unfortunately, the Englishman oversaw yet another disappointing loss at home, and while the club may indicate a willingness to support him, it feels like a matter of when, not if, he is relieved of his duties.

One of the names touted to replace him over the last week has been Slaven Bilic, although another coach, someone appreciated by José Mourinho, is also reportedly in the picture, and would be a far better hire.

West Ham hunt for Potter replacements

Given the way West Ham have started the season, it’s hardly a surprise to see them linked with a host of potential Potter replacements.

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One such replacement who was heavily linked with the job a couple of weeks ago was Frank Lampard, although despite his decent start to the campaign with Coventry City in the Championship, we can’t imagine many fans would be too pleased with his appointment.

Another name that has come up a lot lately is the aforementioned Bilic, whose last job saw him take charge of Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Fateh between July 2023 and August 2024.

However, there is a far better candidate currently being linked with the club, someone who could make a world of difference this season and beyond.

At least that is according to a recent report from the Telegraph, which claims West Ham are interested in Nuno Espírito Santo.

In fact, the report goes further, revealing that the East Londoners have already sounded out the former Nottingham Forest head coach about the job.

It could prove challenging to convince the Portuguese coach to take the role before the end of the season, but West Ham should do everything possible to persuade him, as he’d be a significant upgrade on Potter and Bilic.

Why Nuno would be an upgrade on Bilic

Now, there is every chance that Bilic would come in and do a good job for West Ham.

After all, while not widely successful, his first stint with the club was far better in terms of results and style of play than Potter is managing at the moment.

However, with that said, we still reckon Nuno would be the far better hire, and there are a couple of reasons why.

Al-Fateh

07/23

08/24

Watford

09/22

03/23

Beijing Guoan

01/21

01/22

West Brom

07/19

12/20

Al-Ittihad

10/18

02/19

Firstly, he has not had much joy in management over the last five years or so, getting fired from his job in the Saudi Pro League for underachieving, being fired by Watford before that and then, before that, he spent an underwhelming year managing Beijing Guoan.

In other words, it has been quite some time since he has succeeded in a job, much less one in a high-quality league.

Nuno, on the other hand, was appointed manager of Forest when they were staring down the barrel of relegation back to the Championship.

Yet, within a season and a half, the “incredible” manager, as dubbed by Sky Sports’ Sam Obaseki, had led the Tricky Trees into Europe.

The second reason the São Tomé-born tactician would be a better hire than Bilic is that he’s proven himself with two teams in the Premier League.

He may have struggled with Tottenham Hotspur, but the 51-year-old manager, who Mourinho described as “fantastic,” led Wolverhampton Wanderers up from the second-tier and into the Europa League within a relatively short space of time.

Therefore, while Bilic could work out, Nuno has a more impressive recent track record to fall back on, as well as evidence of him dramatically improving two teams in the Premier League.

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The duo came in place of Curran and Hooda, while RR went in unchanged

Deivarayan Muthu30-Mar-2025

Having suffered their biggest-ever defeat at Chepauk on Friday, Chennai Super Kings (CSK) have responded with two changes for their away game against Rajasthan Royals (RR). Jamie Overton replaced his compatriot Sam Curran and made his IPL debut while Vijay Shankar came in for Deepak Hooda.Overton lends more strength to the middle order and can also hit heavy lengths at speeds north of 140kph with the ball. As for Vijay, he’s an old face for CSK, having played for them in 2014 before moving to different franchises. He was carded at bat at No. 4 in CSK’s bowl-first XI, but it’s likely that Shivam Dube could slot in there as an Impact Player, with Vijay dropping down the order. There was no room for Devon Conway, though.As for RR, they were unchanged from the defeat against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) at the same venue. They might bring in an extra bowler as an Impact Player in place of Sanju Samson later in the evening. Samson is still recuperating from a finger injury and hasn’t been cleared yet to keep wicket or field.Playing XIsRajasthan Royals: 1 Yashasvi Jaiswal, 2 Sanju Samson, 3 Nitish Rana, 4 Riyan Parag (capt), 5 Dhruv Jurel (wk), 6 Shimron Hetmyer, 7 Wanindu Hasaranga, 8 Jofra Archer, 9 Maheesh Theekshana, 10 Sandeep Sharma, 11 Tushar DeshpandeImpact Subs: Kunal Singh Rathore, Shubham Dubey, Fazalhaq Farooqi, Kumar Kartikeya, Yudhvir SinghChennai Super Kings: 1 Rachin Ravindra, 2 Rahul Tripathi, 3 Ruturaj Gaikwad (capt), 4 Vijay Shankar, 5 Ravindra Jadeja, 6 MS Dhoni (wk), 7 Jamie Overton, 8 R Ashwin, 9 Noor Ahmad, 10 Matheesha Pathirana, 11 Khaleel AhmedImpact Subs: Shivam Dube, Mukesh Choudhary, Devon Conway, Shaik Rasheed, Sam Curran

Queensland left-arm seamer makes use of UK passport to sign as a local player

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Mar-2025Northamptonshire have signed Queensland left-arm seamer Liam Guthrie on a three-year contract. Guthrie, 27, holds a UK passport and will be registered as a local player.His arrival follows that of new head coach, Darren Lehmann, who described Guthrie as a “genuine pace” option who can swing the ball. The pair worked together previously during Lehmann’s time coaching Queensland and Brisbane Heat.”I’m truly excited about the opportunity to play for Northamptonshire.” Guthrie said. “Competing in the UK has always been a goal of mine, and I am eager to embark on this new chapter.Related

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“I’m looking forward to reconnecting with Darren Lehmann, whose influence on my cricket has been significant since our time working together in Queensland.”Guthrie, 27, made his first-class debut for Western Australia in 2018 but struggled for regular opportunities. He made his Big Bash League debut for Brisbane Heat in 2021, subsequently winning a state contract with Queensland.In 18 first-class matches, he has taken 50 wickets at 37.82, to go with 27 at 27.62 in List A cricket and six at 34.00 in T20s.Lehmann said: “We’re really excited about Liam joining us as a local player for the next three years. He brings left arm swing, genuine pace and having worked with him at Brisbane Heat and Queensland, his attitude is excellent and he has real wicket-taking abilities.”He’ll fit right in with the group who I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with so far.”

Jamie Carragher is one of the best-known Premier League pundits today, and during his playing career, was one of the best top-flight defenders around.

After progressing through Liverpool’s academy, Carragher would spend his entire career at Anfield, making 737 appearances for the Reds between 1996-2013.

Despite never winning the Premier League, the centre-back would lift two FA Cups, two League Cups, the Champions League and the UEFA Cup.

Carragher was once asked to name his best Premier League XI of all-time, however, he was excluded from naming Liverpool players, meaning the likes of Steven Gerrard, Mohamed Salah and Virgil van Dijk were banned from his team.

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Jamie Carragher’s best Premier League XI without Liverpool stars

11

Peter Schmeichel

Man Utd, Aston Villa, Man City

Instead of going with Chelsea’s Petr Cech or Arsenal’s David Seaman, Carragher selected Peter Schmeichel.

Arguably the best the Premier League has ever seen in between the sticks, Schmeichel won all five of his English titles at Old Trafford, but did represent Aston Villa and Manchester City later on in his career.

10

Gary Neville

Man Utd

Carragher’s partner in crime as a pundit is Gary Neville, but the two battled it out on the pitch during their playing days.

A Manchester United legend, Neville and Carragher regularly butted heads at Old Trafford or Anfield, however, the Red Devils man is the most successful right-back of all time, winning eight Premier League titles.

9

Vincent Kompany

Man City

Arguably one of Manchester City’s best value for money signings came in 2008 when Vincent Kompany joined for just £6m.

The Belgian played a key role in the Citizens’ recent dominance, captaining City to numerous titles. His leadership and world-class defensive ability was perfect for a number of superstar midfielders and attackers in front of him.

8

John Terry

Chelsea

An iconic centre-back Carragher partnered with on occasions for England was Chelsea star John Terry.

The former Blues and Three Lions captain has gone down as one of the best central defenders the Premier League has ever seen, winning five titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups and a Champions League.

7

Denis Irwin

Man Utd, Wolves

In a selection that might surprise some, Carragher decided to pick Denis Irwin over Ashley Cole at left-back.

A brilliant and arguably underrated full-back, Irwin went under the radar at Old Trafford, winning seven Premier League titles, capable of playing on either side under Sir Alex Ferguson.

6

Patrick Vieira

Arsenal, Man City

Patrick Vieira was a no-nonsense midfielder who could do it all for Arsenal and captained the Gunners under Arsene Wenger.

The Frenchman’s box-to-box nature saw him become one of the most powerful midfielders the Premier League has seen, with Carragher knowing just how hard Vieira was to face.

5

Roy Keane

Nottingham Forest, Man Utd

Now a partner of Carragher’s on The Stick to Football podcast, Roy Keane was a regular rival of Carragher’s during their playing days.

Known best for captaining a hugely successful Manchester United side, Keane’s leadership helped the Red Devils win seven titles in his 12 years at Old Trafford.

4

David Silva

Man City

Finishing off the midfield is David Silva, with the Spaniard lifting four Premier League titles with Manchester City.

Silva’s world-class dribbling ability saw him contribute to more than 200 goals in 436 City games.

3

Thierry Henry

Arsenal

Carragher knows just how good Thierry Henry was during his time in England with Arsenal, with the Frenchman scoring nine goals in 18 games against the Reds and Carragher. Now, the pair work together on CBS Sports alongside Micah Richards.

Henry was a huge part of the Gunners’ ‘Invincible’ side and scored 175 league goals in the Premier League in 258 appearances, lifting the title twice.

2

Alan Shearer

Blackburn, Newcastle

The most prolific goalscorer in Premier League history is Alan Shearer, who won the title with Blackburn Rovers before going on to become Newcastle United’s record scorer over a 10-year period.

Shearer also won the Golden Boot in the 1994-95, 1995-96, and 1996-97 seasons, coming up against Carragher at Anfield in the latter years of his career.

Manchester United have now made an official approach to sign an “unbelievable” Premier League player, who could join alongside Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba, according to a report.

Man Utd stepping up Baleba pursuit

Despite shelling out £74m to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig last week, Man United still remain active in the transfer market, and they have now set their sights on Brighton’s Baleba to bolster their midfield options.

Taking to X, Fabrizio Romano has recently revealed the 21-year-old would be eager to make a move to Old Trafford, meaning contract terms could be a formality, although it could still be tricky to get a deal over the line.

Ruben Amorim’s side have focused on bringing in new signings with Premier League experience this summer, having already added Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha to their ranks, and they are now looking to sign a defender from one of their top-flight rivals.

That is according to a report from Football Transfers, which states Man United have now made an official approach to sign Crystal Palace centre-back Marc Guehi, in order to assess whether he would be willing to make a move to Old Trafford.

United are eager to finalise a deal for the defender, who has now entered the final year of his Palace contract, but there could be competition for his signature, with rivals Liverpool also named as potential suitors.

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Given that Guehi is in the last year of his deal, there have been suggestions that a deal could be possible for around £40m, with Steve Parish reluctant to lose him on a free next summer.

Guehi could be "unbelievable" addition to Amorim's backline

It could be difficult for Man United to compete for the Englishman’s signature, with reigning Premier League champions Liverpool also in the race, while Chelsea are also well-known to be admirers of their former player.

It may also not be viewed as a priority to sign a new centre-back after Baleba, given that goalkeeper is arguably a bigger problem area, with Andre Onana subjected to widespread criticism last season.

However, the Palace captain could undoubtedly compete for a starting spot with the likes of Matthijs de Ligt and Lisandro Martinez, and there are signs he could be an upgrade on the former, having outperformed the Dutchman across some key metrics over the past year.

Statistic per 90

Marc Guehi

Matthijs de Ligt

Blocks

1.62

1.16

Tackles

1.79

1.23

Clearances

4.8

3.88

Lauded as “unbelievable” by England teammate Anthony Gordon, Guehi is well-placed to be a success at Old Trafford, but signing a new midfielder should remain the priority, given that Casemiro is now arguably past his best.

Although West Ham United haven’t done lots of transfer business this summer, there have been a couple of significant moves in and out of the club. In terms of the major outgoing, Mohammed Kudus departed the club, joining London rivals Tottenham Hotspur. The Hammers sold him for £55m, and made a healthy profit.

As for the incoming, that has come in the form of highly rated Senegalese left-back El Hadji Malick Diouf. The 20-year-old joined the club from Czech outfit Slavia Prague, in a deal worth a reported £19m. It is an important addition for the Hammers, with stalwart Aaron Cresswell recently departing the club.

The Hammers will not stop at the signing of Diouf, it seems. They are strongly linked with someone at the other end of the pitch.

West Ham’s next transfer move

Graham Potter’s side have certainly had a busy start to the 2025 summer transfer window, and the money is now there to spend from the Kudus sale. After successfully bringing Diouf to the club, the next target is now firmly in their sights.

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According to a recent report from The Standard, West Ham ‘are interested in signing’ Sassuolo centre-forward Andrea Pinamonti. They are one of the sides said to have ‘enquired’ about his availability, although ‘talks are at an early stage’ at this point.

However, the Hammers may not be the only London club making a move for the 26-year-old. Brentford, who have gone through a transitional summer after losing Thomas Frank, are also considering a deal for the striker.

No fee has yet been reported, but Football Transfers value him at around £13m, which could be a bargain.

Why Pinamonti would be a good signing

Once a highly rated youngster and something of a journeyman in Italian football, Pinamonti has played for Serie A giants Inter. After spending the last couple of seasons at Sassuolo, he spent the 2024/25 campaign on loan at Genoa, where he impressed.

The 26-year-old, who was once a Scudetto winner with Inter, made 37 appearances during his most recent season as a Genoa player. In that time, he bagged 11 goals and grabbed one assist, with all but one of those contributions coming in the Italian top flight.

Going back to the previously used word journeyman, Pinamonti certainly comes under that category. He has played for five different Italian top-flight clubs, and has exactly 50 goals to his name in 212 appearances. That included this stunning effort for Genoa this season.

Perhaps this deal has shades of the one West Ham made a couple of years ago to sign Gianluca Scamacca, given he is an Italian striker joining from a Serie A side.

The 26-year-old was only a Hammers player for one season, scoring eight times in 27 games.

Things didn’t really work out for the Italian international at the London Stadium, although it seemed like a case of right player, wrong time.

West Ham striker Michail Antonio confirmed this theory on the Filthy Fellas podcast, explaining that he is a “quality player” but he could “not play the way the manager wants to play”, referring to David Moyes.

It has not been an easy time for the striker after leaving East London, either. He flourished in his first season with Atalanta, scoring 19 goals and grabbing eight assists in 44 games. However, he missed the entirety of 2024/25 with an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Perhaps Pinamonti could be the second coming of Scamacca. The stats from this season compared to the former Hammers star in his final campaign before joining the club are fairly similar.

According to Squawka, the 2024/25 Genoa loanee scored 0.4 goals and won 2.8 aerial duels per 90 minutes. In comparison, Scamacca bagged 0.7 goals and won 2.2 aerial duels each game in the season before he moved to London.

Goals

0.4

0.7

Conversion rate

16.95%

24.62%

Lay-offs completed

2

1.5

Aerial duels won

2.8

2.2

Fouls won

1.4

0.9

The 26-year-old Sassuolo star is a “complete forward”, according to football talent scout Jacek Kulig. He has been around the block and knows where the back of the net is. If he brings as much talent as Scamacca did and gels with the squad, this could be a genius move.

As Antonio said, Scamacca was not a bad player, far from it. Should the move for Pinamonti go through, he could be the second coming of the former Hammers striker, but he will hope to surpass his goal tally.

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Following on from signing Joe Rothwell and Emmanuel Fernandez, Glasgow Rangers are now reportedly closing in on an agreement to sign a 6’2 defender for Russell Martin.

Rangers pushing on after Rothwell and Fernandez

The Rangers overhaul is officially underway following the arrivals of Max Aarons, Fernandez, Lyall Cameron and Rothwell, but even after four fresh faces the 49ers are not done. Martin is seemingly set to be backed with further signings before the Scottish Premiership gets underway as he looks to cause a shock in his first season at Ibrox.

Just who else comes through the door remains the question around Glasgow. Already, the Gers have completed some impressive business but the likes of Conor Coady and David Brooks may still be on their way in what would make it four Premier League signings this summer.

Joining Aarons and Rothwell, Coady and Brooks would round off an excellent few weeks on the transfer front. And Martin has already been full of praise for all of his new arrivals, including Rothwell.

The manager told the club’s official website after the midfielder put pen to paper: “He is a player who we thoroughly enjoyed working with during my time at Southampton.

“His leadership, professionalism and quality were a huge asset. He is joining on the back of two promotions so helps bring a real winning mentality to the group. We are excited for Joe to join up the squad, get to know his teammates, and help make the group stronger.”

Even with Coady and Brooks already on their radar and with Rothwell arriving alongside Aarons, however, reports are now suggesting that Rangers could be about to sign an alternative Premier League defender this summer.

Rangers closing in on Djiga agreement

According to Sky Sports’ Anthony Joseph, Rangers are now closing in on an agreement to sign Nasser Djiga on loan from Wolverhampton Wanderers and hoping that he undergoes a medical in the “coming days”.

After joining Wolves in the January transfer window, the 6’2 defender looks set to arrive at Ibrox in search of much-needed playing time before returning to the Midlands.

At 22 years old, the centre-back is certainly a player full of potential even if he has struggled to show it in full at Wolves. Dubbed “quick” and “aggressive” by former Wolves sporting director Matt Hobbs after signing for the club in January, Djiga could now finally show his best form in Scotland.

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By signing the defender alongside Leicester City’s Coady, Martin would instantly have an upgraded backline to work with at Ibrox.

Celtic are chipping away in their mission to land new signings and could turn their attention to the Premier League in their bid to strengthen the ranks.

Celtic close in on several summer deals

Kieran Tierney has already returned to Parkhead after leaving Arsenal on a free transfer, signalling the first domino of Celtic’s window falling ahead of what is expected to be a busy period for Brendan Rodgers.

Swiftly moving on to new targets, the Bhoys are working on a deal to sign Albirex Niigita defender Hayato Inamura in what would be a return to the Asian market after success stories such as Daizen Maeda, Reo Hatate, and Kyogo Furuhashi.

Nordsjaelland winger Benjamin Nygren is expected to sign for Celtic as the club close in on a £2 million capture for the Swedish international, albeit he isn’t expected to be the sole answer in the forward areas.

Despite rumours linking Daizen Maeda with a move away from Glasgow’s east end, the Japan international appears to have put any notion of an exit to bed after his exceptional 33-goal campaign last term.

He stated: “I really enjoyed playing in the Champions League this season because there were so many games and it gave us a lot of different challenges.

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“I think the new format has been great and I am excited to try it again this upcoming season. It helped me improve.”

Looking to build on another excellent campaign, Rodgers could now move to strengthen his midfield with a familiar face who shot to prominence in the Premier League last season, per recent developments.

Celtic set to step up move for Andy Irving

According to Football Insider, Celtic are set to step up their efforts to land West Ham United midfielder Andy Irving following his maiden cap for Scotland against Liechtenstein.

After keeping tabs on his situation, the former Hearts man is said to be open to a move to Glasgow and will be allowed to leave the London Stadium amid his bit-part role under Graham Potter.

Andy Irving’s Premier League statistics in 2024/25 (Fotmob)

Pass accuracy

90%

Long ball accuracy

87.5%

Duels won

10

Recoveries

10

Cross accuracy

50%

Labelled someone with “great passing ability” by Robbie Neilson, Irving made 11 appearances across all competitions for the Hammers last season, though could now be on the move despite his capacity to operate in a deeper-lying role or as a number eight.

Celtic have long been on the lookout for a competitor for Callum McGregor, and the West Ham man could also help to satisfy homegrown quota legislation if they end up in the Champions League or Europa League league phase.

While it remains to be seen how much he would cost, landing a Scotland international on a relatively cheap deal would be smart business as the Bhoys look to continue their domestic dominance.

It’s been a roller-coaster few days for the Tottenham Hotspur faithful.

On Friday afternoon, the club announced that they had sacked Ange Postecoglou, thanking him for ending their 17-year trophy drought but highlighting the team’s dire Premier League form as the reason he was let go.

Thomas Frank appeared to be the frontrunner to replace the Australian over the weekend, and then yesterday, Fabrizio Romano gave his move the ‘here we go’ treatment.

And now, reports have suggested the club could go out and sign the Danish manager, a Premier League attacker who has won comparisons to Bryan Mbeumo.

Tottenham transfer news

Given their horrific league form this season, it’s hardly been surprising to see Spurs linked with a host of talented attacking players, such as Eberechi Eze and even the man himself, Mbeumo.

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The former reportedly has a release clause worth an astounding £68m, although even at that price, the Crystal Palace ace would be more than worth it, as in 43 appearances this term, he managed to score 14 goals and provide 11 assists, all while helping the team win the FA Cup.

The Brentford star, on the other hand, has been linked with a £60m switch to North London, but with his preference clearly being Manchester United, it feels like Frank won’t be able to bring the Cameroon international with him this summer.

However, that might not be such a problem, as the Lilywhites have now been linked with another Premier League star who has won comparisons to the Bees star: Antoine Semenyo.

According to a recent report from talkSPORT, Spurs are incredibly interested in the Bournemouth star.

The good news is that the report claims Daniel Levy has already personally met with the player’s camp concerning a move but a problem could be the Cherries’ asking price.

Indeed, the 25-year-old could cost Spurs a club-record £70m, and while that is a lot of money, it’s a deal worth pursuing, especially as he’s so similar to Mbeumo.

How Semenyo compares to Mbeumo

Now, before we look at some of the other reasons Spurs could and should sign Semenyo this summer, it’s important to examine this comparison to Mbeumo and where it has come from.

In this instance, it stems from FBref, which looked at players in similar positions in the Premier League this season and then created a list of the ten most comparable players.

By doing this, it has been concluded that the Brentford star is the eighth most similar attacking midfielder or winger to the Bournemouth ace this year.

Semenyo & Mbeumo

Statistic per 90

Semenyo

Mbeumo

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.44

0.42

Progressive Carries

3.93

3.43

Passes into the Final Third

1.38

1.66

Live Passes

29.5

30.7

Shot-Creating Actions

3.71

3.80

Interceptions

0.31

0.37

Carries into the Penalty Area

1.88

1.98

All Stats via FBref for the 24/25 League Season

The best way to see how this is worked out is by taking a look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including but not limited to expected non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, passes into the final third, carries into the penalty area and more, all per 90.

Now, while being compared to a player who scored for fun in the league this season is already a positive sign, the fact he’s so similar to the former Troyes gem is also a good sign for his potential game time at Tottenham next season, as Mbeumo was Frank’s second most used player during his time at Brentford.

With all that said, what are some of the other reasons the North Londoners should be splashing the cash on the Cherries star this summer?

Well, first and foremost, he is a dangerous outlet. In 42 appearances, totalling 3562 minutes this season, the often “unplayable” attacker, as dubbed by journalist Ed Aarons, scored 13 goals and provided seven assists, which works out to a goal involvement every 2.1 games, or every 178.1 minutes.

Finally, the 27-capped international would also provide Frank with plenty of tactical options, as he can play off the right just as easily as the left and has even played centrally at points as well.

Ultimately, while he won’t be cheap, Spurs should do all they can to sign Semenyo, as not only is he a superb attacker in his own right, but he also shares some of Mbeumo’s best traits.

Related Mega Johnson upgrade: Frank has told Spurs to sign "unplayable" £60m star

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 9, 2025