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Almost every single player in the Tottenham Hotspur squad has had a role to play this season, with Ange Postecoglou putting trust in each individual to perform.

When looking at the current Spurs side, almost all of the players will stay with the Australian as the club begins their new era, which just shows how impressive their start to the rebuild has been.

All of the summer incomings have adapted instantly, while the seasoned squad members have also stepped up, helping the side be in a brilliant position to achieve Champions League football.

But there’s one player in particular who deserves a lot of credit for his start to life in England, with his performances causing his market value to explode.

What Spurs paid for Destiny Udogie

During the 2021/22 Serie A campaign, Destiny Udogie announced himself to Italy as one of the most talented prospects in the country.

Playing as a left-wing back with the freedom to express himself, the confident teenager starred in his first real campaign, showcasing his ability to affect the game in the final third with five goals and three assists in 35 matches.

After his breakthrough season, plenty of clubs across Europe were interested in signing the Italian, even Manchester City, but it was Spurs who eventually got the deal done, spending £15m on Udogie in the summer of 2022.

However, he didn’t join the Lilywhites instantly, instead returning to Udinese on a season-long loan, where he continued to impress, but he’s only gone to another level under Postecoglou this season.

Tottenham eyeing "brilliant" star with more assists than Udogie this season

He’s a wanted man.

By
Tom Cunningham

Mar 4, 2024

What Udogie is worth in 2024

Going into the campaign, the “quality” defender, as dubbed by scout Jacek Kulig, was always going to be the first-choice left back.

Udogie had proven to be more than capable of performing amongst the very best in Italy, and despite being just 21 years of age, he was definitely more than ready to be handed an opportunity to shine.

Luckily, the defender has taken it with both hands, becoming one of Spurs’ most reliable and consistent players across his 27 Premier League starts.

Over these matches, Udogie has impressed at both ends of the field, picking up five goal contributions and making 2.5 tackles per game, with his well-rounded profile making his value increase dramatically.

Udogie is now the joint-highest valued player in the entire Spurs squad alongside Dejan Kulusevski, with an estimated worth of £68m.

This also makes him the most valuable left back in the entire Premier League and the joint-highest valued across all of Europe’s top five leagues, as per CIES' Football Observatory.

Incredibly, his value is even greater than both James Maddison’s (£34m) and Heung-min Son’s (£26m) combined, who have 11 and 24 league goal contributions between them, respectively, this campaign, which just further highlights how special Udogie truly is.

Spurs certainly hit the jackpot by signing Udogie for such a cheap fee, but what’s arguably just as impressive is their management of the youngster, with last season’s loan at Udinese playing a vital role in his progress this season.

In a clash of two underperforming teams, New Zealand’s batting, and home conditions gives them a slight advantage over Pakistan

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan06-Jan-2011This one isn’t a top-of-the-table clash, but the two-Test series between New Zealand and Pakistan is a crucial one for the two teams, who have struggled in Test cricket over the last couple of years. Along with West Indies and Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand have been the poorest teams, with extremely high negative differences between their batting and bowling averages. While New Zealand’s batting average of 31.47 is much higher than Pakistan’s 26.40, their bowling average of 44.34 is only marginally better than that of West Indies and Bangladesh.Since the last series between Pakistan and New Zealand in 2009, the fortunes of both teams have gone downhill. That series was a close affair, with New Zealand winning by 32 runs in Dunedin and Pakistan fighting back to win by 141 runs in Wellington to level the series. Pakistan lost all three Tests in Australia and seven out of their next 11 Tests, with their two wins coming against Australia at Headingley and England at The Oval. They can, however, take heart from their much-improved batting display in the two drawn Tests against South Africa in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

New Zealand, on the other hand, went down 2-0 to Australia and later in 2010, lost the third Test against India to lose the series 1-0. Their solitary win in 2010 came at home against Bangladesh, but their fighting performance in the Tests in India was a positive sign.In head-to-head contests over the years, Pakistan have proved to be the superior team both home and away. While Pakistan have been extremely dominant at home, their record in Tests in New Zealand is also quite good. However, in matches in New Zealand since the start of 2000, the gap between the two teams is not too wide, with Pakistan winning three matches to New Zealand’s two.

The two Tests in the series will be played in Wellington and Hamilton, which have hosted the most Tests in New Zealand since 2000. However, in the last five years New Zealand’s records at these two venues have not been that good. They have won two and lost four Tests in Wellington while they’ve won and lost two Tests each in Hamilton. Wellington has been a better venue for bowlers over the last five years – the average runs per wicket here is 26.53, compared to 36.36 in Hamilton. While pace bowlers have picked up 183 wickets at an average of just over 28 at Wellington since January 2006, spinners have picked up 51 wickets at just over 30. Hamilton, though, has been less productive for both pace bowlers and spinners. They average 36.22 and 39.80 respectively.

Despite the 1-0 loss, New Zealand performed quite creditably in the recent three Test series in India. Jesse Ryder, who missed quite a few matches due to injuries, has been their most reliable batsman in the last two years. Brendon McCullum, who scored three centuries since November 2009 including a double-century against India, could be the key to New Zealand’s chances along with the aggressive Ross Taylor, who made an attacking 138 against Australia earlier in 2010.

Pakistan’s depleted squad will rely heavily on the batting of Umar Akmal, who made a superb century on debut against New Zealand at Dunedin in 2010. Azhar Ali, who made an unbeaten 92 in Pakistan’s solitary win over England, followed up the performance with three half centuries in the two Tests against South Africa. Misbah-ul-Haq, the captain, and Younis Khan, who returned to the Test side with a century against South Africa, will lend experience to an otherwise raw middle order.

Daniel Vettori, the highest wicket-taker for New Zealand since November 2009, and Chris Martin, who bowled superbly against India in the recent series, could be crucial for New Zealand in the upcoming contest. Brent Arnel and Tim Southee lack experience, but will look to produce improved performances against the fragile Pakistan batting line-up.Pakistan will miss the services of Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir, who together picked up 100 wickets since November 2009. Asif was superb in New Zealand, picking up 19 wickets in the three-match series. Amir on the other hand, was impressive in England, with 30 wickets in six Tests. Saeed Ajmal, the offspinner, is in the squad, but he too may miss the Test to attend his father’s funeral. In their absence, Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz will lead the attack. Pakistan, though can take confidence from the fact that they have picked up 117 wickets in 8 Tests in New Zealand since 2000, which is second only to Australia.

Premier League referees will clamp down on holding at set-pieces and simulation after receiving feedback from top-flight clubs.

• Referees to penalise holding
• Simulation crackdown also expected
• Decisions will still be checked by VAR

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to , Premier League referees will be more strict on holding at set-pieces after receiving feedback from top-flight clubs. Instances where players are caught grappling opponents with two arms, are focused more on their rivals than the ball and holding that affects an attacker's movement will result in fouls.

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  The changes come as clubs increasingly use set-pieces as scoring opportunities. Teams around the top flight have been hiring set-piece coaches to gain an extra advantage, with the likes of Arsenal, Crystal Palace and Aston Villa among the sides who scored often from corners, free-kicks and throw-ins last season.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Penalties will continue to be checked by video assistant referees, but the high threshold for interventions will stay unless a clear and obvious error has been made. Officials will also be boosted by the implementation of semi-automated offside technology, which is expected to cut the waiting times that have proved so frustrating for fans and pundits.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  The Premier League will hope the new rules changes are clear and followed by their referees, though teams are often able to find loopholes in the pursuit of success. Liverpool's clash with Bournemouth on Friday night could illustrate how referees intend to preside over set-pieces going forward.

Ardon Jashari's former team-mate, Christos Tzolis, heaped praise on the midfielder and believes he will achieve great things at his new club AC Milan.

• Jashari praised by ex-Brugge team-mate Tzolis
• Striker shared his thoughts on the transfer soap opera
• Believes the midfielder will make massive impact at Milan

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tzolis has absolutely no doubts that the "exceptional" midfielder will be a significant signing for the Serie A giants. The striker admitted that the Belgian outfit have "lost something" following Jashari's departure, but is happy that the 23-year-old fulfilled his dream of joining the San Siro side.

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  Jashari and Milan were involved in a protracted transfer saga that dragged on for weeks. The initial bid submitted by Milan was worth €35 million (£30m/$38m), which was rejected by Club Brugge. Bob Madou, the CEO of the Belgian heavyweights, explained that they were not pleased by the bid tabled by Milan. Indeed, Brugge were eyeing a club-record offer for their star midfielder. Milan stalled and Jashari vowed not to play for Club Brugge amid his transfer stand-off. However, Brugge accepted another bid earlier this month to bring an end to the soap opera.

• WHAT CHRISTOS TZOLIS SAID

  Speaking in an interview with , Tzolis reflected on the Jashari transfer saga. He said: "The soap opera was just his… the team was trying to focus on itself. Ardon was definitely an important player for us, but he made the right choice by going to a big club. I wish him all the best! We're talking about a great person and an exceptional player who always made a difference in games, and without him we've lost something. But life goes on even without Ardon. The club has signed important players like Stankovic and Reis who are second to none. They will do well here."

  On whether Jashari will do well in Serie A, Tzolis added: “Let's hope so! I hope he stays healthy because he certainly has the qualities to shift the balance of power at the highest levels and I wish him the best of luck.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARDON JASHARI?

  Jashari is expected to be an important player for Massimiliano Allegri, with the Rossoneri overhauling their midfield with the arrivals of Luka Modric and Samuele Ricci. The Swiss international could make his competitive debut for his new side on Sunday, August 17, when Milan take on Bari in the first round of the Coppa Italia.

Allrounder hoping to become key cog at No. 5 as Australia build towards 2023

Andrew McGlashan12-Sep-2020There is often a perception that Mitchell Marsh is forever fighting to keep his spot in any Australia side he plays for. In his fluctuating Test career that is perhaps fair, except for the fine run he enjoyed in 2017-18, and his T20I career has been stop-start. However, in ODI cricket he has shown much more consistency than he is often credited for.Aaron Finch made specific mention of his numbers – which now stand at 35.82 with the bat and 36.02 with the ball – ahead of the series against England. For a direct comparison, albeit this allrounder is absent from the series, Ben Stokes’ numbers are 40.63 and 41.71 and he is considered among the very best. With the bat, which can be viewed as the primary role for both in one-day cricket, Marsh does not lose much.”This format has certainly been the one I’ve been most consistent in,” he said. “I take great confidence in that. I don’t look up my stats too much, but certainly love this format.”ALSO READ: Australia’s reminder to world champions – we’ll always be the benchmarkIn many ways, it was a combination of strange and unfortunate events that led to Marsh not being at the 2019 World Cup. At the start of 2018 he was in possession of a middle-order slot and had a consistent series against England with two half-centuries. They would be his last ODIs for two years.He missed the 2018 tour of England (shortly after sandpaper-gate) due to ankle surgery; he was left out of the South Africa series later that year to be “managed”, in the words of national selector Trevor Hohns; he came down will illness one the eve of the one-day series against India in early 2019, which was followed by a nasty blow in the box that required surgery. Then he was left out of the tours to India and the UAE (to play Pakistan) that preceded and ultimately shaped the World Cup.In the end he was called up as a standby when Marcus Stoinis suffered a side strain, but a few months later – after taking a five-wicket haul on his return to the Test side – had the bad idea of punching the dressing room wall early last summer, which disrupted the first half of his season until the Big Bash. He had to wait until February’s tour of South Africa for his ODI comeback, and was then named Man of the Match against New Zealand at the SCG in March, days before the sporting world stopped due to Covid-19.In the last few days he has not looked like a cricketer who hasn’t played for six months. He was Man of the Match again on his T20I return and was central to Australia’s victory in the first ODI at Old Trafford, along with Glenn Maxwell’s lively 77 and a world-class spell by Josh Hazlewood. There seems little reason, given a fair wind and no more punching of walls, that Marsh will not be in the middle order for a long run now as Australia build towards 2023.Mitchell Marsh dug deep for Australia•Getty Images

“I certainly know I’m being given this opportunity again, batting at No. 5 is a role I’ve done for most of my career in one-day cricket and I certainly feel really confident I can play my role for the team there,” he said. “It’s certainly great to have public confidence from Finchy. I’ve got a great relationship with him and someone I’ve played a lot of cricket with.”It’s not about me going out there and playing every game to try and cement my spot. It’s about playing to the best of my ability to make sure I’m contributing to wins for Australia. If you do that, your position in the team takes care of itself.”Marsh came to the crease on Friday with Australia 80 for 3 in the 16th over, which would become 123 for 5 in the 24th with Adil Rashid threatening to cause havoc again. It was not a dissimilar position to the last time the teams played an ODI: in the World Cup semi-final at Edgbaston, Australia were 118 for 5 in the 28th. On that day it became 223 all out and game over, but this time a 126-run stand with Maxwell built a matchwinning total.”Yesterday I tried to take the situation out of it, the fact we’d lost a couple of wickets, and just try to take it as deep as possible,” he said. “Glenn’s innings was amazing and really took the pressure off at times, allowed me to just keep batting. It would have been nice to capitalise at the end and get a few more but was rapt with the partnership I had with Maxi to get us into a really good position.”In the opening match he was only required to send down five overs of his brisk medium pace, but it was with the ball that he earned the match award against New Zealand in March. On his day Marsh could deliver a full quota of 10 overs and is probably a notch up from direct competitor Stoinis. It means Australia have depth to both their batting and bowling.A lot can happen in three years, as Marsh knows only too well, but at 28 he should be coming into his peak to make him one of the key building blocks to Australia’s one-day side.

Arsenal were far from their scintillating best against Luton Town on Wednesday night, but that doesn't really matter, as, for a few hours at least, the north Londoners are back atop the Premier League table.

Mikel Arteta likely expected a slightly disjointed display from his team after he made sweeping changes to the lineup that drew away to Manchester City over the weekend, and while some fringe players made a strong case for their future involvement, a few certainly didn't.

If anything, the biggest winner from the night's action was a player who spent the whole match on the bench, watching Oleksandr Zinchenko make his case for him.

Oleksandr Zinchenko's performance vs Luton Town

Now, there is often a lot of hyperbole involved in discussions about Zinchenko, be that people decrying him as a defensive disaster or others celebrating him as the best-inverted full-back around, but last night, neither of those things was true.

The Ukrainian international started his first game for the club since the clash against Liverpool two months ago due to both injury problems and the impressive form of his replacements, so to say there was a lot of pressure on him would be fair.

Unfortunately, the fans were not treated to one of his best performances. Instead, they saw him play some nice passes here and there, lose the ball more often than he should've, and commit several defensive blunders, which luckily amounted to nothing.

It might sound harsh, but it's an opinion shared by football.london's chief Arsenal writer, Kaya Kaynak, who awarded the former Manchester City ace a 6/10 on the night.

The journalist wrote that he was responsible for 'a couple of risky giveaways' and that it was a performance that typified the 'classic risk and reward that the Ukrainian brings.'

Kaynak's summary is backed up by the 27-year-old's statistics from the night. In his 74 minutes of action, he won all five of his duels but lost possession 11 times, took 84 touches but maintained a passing accuracy of just 84%, and made one key pass but misplaced three of his four long balls.

In all, it wasn't a dreadful performance from the talented full-back, but it demonstrated quite clearly why his inclusion in future lineups would be a risk, and unfortunately for him, Arsenal are not in a position to take risks at the moment.

The biggest winner from Zinchenko's display

So, while Zinchenko struggled to make a solid case for his further involvement in the title race, Jakub Kiwior was happily resting on the bench, safe in the knowledge that when the whistle blows against Brighton and Hove Albion at 17:30 on Saturday afternoon, he'll almost certainly be in the starting lineup once again.

The Polish international was the man who came in to replace the Radomyshl-born full-back when he went off injured against Liverpool in February, and while most fans and pundits alike initially viewed him as temporary cover, he has since made the left-back position his own.

In the eight games he has started since, he has helped the team keep five clean sheets, including against City at the Etihad on Sunday. The 6 foot 2 "monster", as described by data analyst Ben Mattinson, might not have the same offensive abilities as the man he replaced – although with three assists and one goal, he's proven his attacking worth this year – he is comfortably the better defender.

This defensive solidity shouldn't be a surprise, though, as, similarly to Ben White, the 24-year-old had spent most of his career as a centre-back before Arteta moved him out wide.

Arsenal's "unstoppable" 7/10 titan was even better than Smith Rowe vs Luton

The brilliant ace won nine duels on the night.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Apr 4, 2024

Ultimately, Arsenal are in a lucky position to choose between the two defenders, but when it comes to the must-win games, Kiwior now looks like a shoo-in to start, so the £58k-per-week star has to be the biggest winner from last night's match.

After a solid campaign in both the Premier League and Europe, West Ham United look set to turn their attention towards the summer transfer window, in which they could land an upgrade on Michail Antonio.

West Ham transfer news

The Hammers have enjoyed a solid season, reaching the last eight of the Europa League and sitting as high as seventh in the Premier League. Yet, their first task this summer looks set to be replacing David Moyes, whose contract runs out at the end of the current campaign. With a new deal yet to be sealed, the London club look set to begin their search for a new manager in the dugout.

Uh oh: Report shares worrying news on Mavropanos out of West Ham yesterday

The West Ham defender has been immense for David Moyes this season.

By
Ben Browning

Apr 3, 2024

Among those linked so far has been Steve Cooper, who was sacked by Nottingham Forest earlier this season, and former Chelsea boss Graham Potter. Both options would have quite the shoes to fill, despite what some may have to say about Moyes' tenure at the London Stadium. Whoever comes in will have the pressure of achieving European football again, which will be a possibility if West Ham's summer plans come to fruition in the coming months.

According to Sky Sports, via Claret and Hugh, West Ham are keen on signing Vangelis Pavlidis from AZ Alkmaar this summer. The forward is reportedly valued at €18m (£15m) and has also attracted interest from the Bundesliga and fellow Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

Given that West Ham's director of football, Tim Steidten, holds Pavlidis in high regard and Hammers defender Konstantinos Mavropanos has a close friendship with the Alkmaar man, those in London may have an advantage in pursuit of a deal.

Looking to upgrade on Antonio in the coming months, Pavlidis would be an ideal option after an incredibly impressive campaign in the Eredivisie full of goals.

Record-breaking Pavlidis is better than Antonio

After the season he's had, there's no doubt that Pavlidis would be an upgrade on Antonio, who has struggled in the current campaign. At 25-years-old, the Greek international is in the prime of his career and the numbers reflect that, with Pavlidis' stats significantly better than Antonio's so far this season.

For just £15m, Pavlidis also represents one of the few remaining bargains in the transfer market, especially when it comes to a 24-goal forward. After breaking the Dutch record for most goals scored in consecutive league games with nine in a row, Pavlidis was always going to attract interest this summer and West Ham are among those to come calling.

Whether it's Moyes or another manager in charge next season, the priority should be the Greek forward, who would be the perfect partner to Jarrod Bowen as Antonio continues to struggle for consistency.

It's a busy race for Pavlidis' signature, however, with West Ham hoping to be in a position to use European football to tempt the forward into a summer switch, which would see him join good friend Mavropanos.

Newcastle striker Alexander Isak appears to have taken a drastic step in his bid to leave the club and force a transfer to Liverpool this summer.

• Isak adamant he's leaving Newcastle
• Wants to head to Anfield 
• Moves out of home in the North East

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Sweden international has moved out of the home he has lived in for three years in the North East and put the property on the rental market, according to . The house was listed for rent just 24 hours after Isak was excluded from the club's family day by manager Eddie Howe. The owner of Isak's former home is now looking for new tenants.

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  The striker is adamant his Newcastle career is over and that he will not play for the club again. Isak is hoping to secure a blockbuster transfer to Liverpool and does not expect to feature for the Magpies even if he fails to join the Reds. Liverpool have seen an offer of £110 million ($148m) for Isak rejected by Newcastle but are yet to return with an improved bid.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Isak's home was also put up for rent when he jetted out to Spain to train at former club Real Sociedad. It was taken off the market when he came back to Newcastle but is now available again to the tune of £6,950 a month.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR NEWCASTLE?

  Howe has already admitted he does not expect Isak to feature in Newcastle's opening Premier League game of the new season against Aston Villa. The Sweden international must now wait and see if a transfer can be secured before the window closes, with the Magpies thought to be unwilling to sell unless a replacement can be found.

“I watched him play for the Sydney Sixers. He takes the new ball on, he is a very talented player”

Shashank Kishore16-Sep-2020Adam Gilchrist believes Josh Philippe is capable of being Australia’s “catalyst for change”. Steven Smith sees “no reason why Philippe can’t play all formats”. Now, the 23-year old Western Australian wicketkeeper has another admirer in AB de Villiers, with whom he’ll share a dressing room at Royal Challengers Bangalore in IPL 2020.”We are going to have some world-beaters,” de Villiers told RCB TV. “We will have (Aaron) Finch, Moeen Ali, Adam Zampa and Josh Philippe. I am looking forward to connecting with Josh. I see a lot of similarities between the way he plays when I was younger.”A batsman firmly in the Gilchrist mould, Philippe will be a first-timer at the IPL after he was bought at the December auction. At the time, Mike Hesson, Royal Challengers’ Director of Cricket, admitted to being surprised at having signed him up at base price (US$ 280,000 approx). Philippe himself admitted to being “shocked” that he was picked.Philippe has played just 13 List A games, but has enhanced his reputation following a stellar BBL season, where he helped Sydney Sixers clinch the title. He was the third highest run-getter in the season – his 487 runs in 16 innings at the top of the order came at a strike rate of 130.The icing on the cake was his match-winning 29-ball 52 in a rain-reduced 12-overs shootout in the final against Melbourne Stars. It earned him the Player of the Match award. He finished the season strongly with three half-centuries in his last four outings after a mid-season slump.In all, he hit five half-centuries and de Villiers had a ringside view of one of those knocks, a well-paced unbeaten 43-ball 52 in a fairly regulation chase against Brisbane Heat. “I am excited about Josh,” he said. “I watched him play for the Sydney Sixers. He takes the new ball on, he is a very talented player, I have heard Gilchrist say really some good things about him.”Philippe will be heading into the IPL on the back of a maiden stint with the Australian limited-overs squad in England. His only outings on tour were a bunch of warm-up games in the lead-up to both the T20I and ODI series.In an interview to last week, Philippe said he was most looking forward to learning a few tricks from Virat Kohli and de Villiers. “It’s surreal,” he said of the prospect of playing with two modern-day stars. “AB and Virat are two of the best in the world so it’ll be great to see how they train, play, and go about their business. It’s an amazing opportunity to rub shoulders with those guys and see how the best in the world operate.”

Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney are not finished in a record-breaking transfer window for Wrexham, with a "number of deals" being worked on.

• Records broken during elaborate spending spree
• Promise of more deals before summer deadline
• Welsh outfit preparing for life in the second tier

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  It has been another busy summer at SToK Racecourse, with the Red Dragons piecing together a squad that they hope will be competitive in the Championship. There have been several comings and goings, with club legend Paul Mullin among those to depart on loan.

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  The likes of Ryan Hardie, Danny Ward, Lewis O’Brien, Conor Coady and Kieffer Moore have passed through the arrivals lounge, with Wales internationals Lewis Koumas and Nathan Broadhead said to still be on Wrexham’s wanted list – along with Ajax midfielder Sivert Mannsverk.

• WHAT PARKINSON SAID

  Quizzed on a record-shattering deal for Broadhead, which could be worth over £7 million ($9m), Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson told reporters: "I honestly don't know anything today, whether there's been any developments. He's Ipswich Town's player. Until I'm told different, that's the way it'll stay. There's a number of deals we're looking into at the moment."

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  With Hollywood co-owners helping to make more funds available, expectation is building again in North Wales. Parkinson added on the prospect of overseeing a fourth successive promotion and a step up into the Premier League: "The three in a row is history, people are inevitably going to mention that. But we don't get carried away with ourselves, we never have.

  "Other people on the outside may well talk about that but we're just focused on what we've got to do, remaining grounded as a group and knowing there's a lot of hard work ahead of us. But it's equally very exciting as well. There's an air of anticipation in and around the town and the club."