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For everything he has got wrong at Tottenham Hotspur, Ange Postecoglou has made plenty of brilliant signings.

For example, the likes of Micky van de Ven, Dominic Solanke and James Maddison all improve the starting lineup when fit, while Kevin Danso and Antonín Kinský look like more than adequate deputies.

Moreover, the Australian has also signed some sensationally talented youngsters like Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, who will surely be key members of the team for years to come.

However, not every signing has been perfect, and it would be fair to say that during his time at the club, Timo Werner has not been good enough, but in good news, another of the team’s youngsters will be the perfect replacement next season, and no, we aren’t talking about Mikey Moore.

Timo Werner's Spurs nightmare

Okay, calling Werner’s time in N17 a nightmare is likely overdoing it, but we don’t think we are all that far off if you look at his performance and impact since last January and consider the fact he’s making £165k-per-week.

At the end of last season, the former Chelsea flop had racked up a reasonable enough tally of five goal involvements in 14 games, and while that’s really not too bad, it certainly wasn’t good enough to warrant the club re-signing him for another season.

Unfortunately, Postecoglou’s gamble has not worked out in the slightest this year, as, despite being given more of a role, the Stuttgart-born forward has fared even worse.

Appearances

14

27

Goals

2

1

Assists

3

3

Goal Involvements per Match

0.35

0.14

For example, in 27 appearances across all competitions, the 29-year-old has scored just a single goal and provided three assists, which means he’s averaged a goal involvement every 6.75 games – talk about ineffective.

On top of lacking to contribute to the attack, the RB Leipzig loanee has also missed 11 games through injury, and while that is not his fault, it is a downside when he’s only at the club for a short spell, and based on reports from earlier in the season, it’s a spell that won’t be extended again.

Now, the good news is that when he leaves, the club will already have an up-and-coming talent who could step into his role as a squad player, and it’s not Moore.

Spurs' perfect Werner replacement

So, when we are talking about the perfect replacement for Werner next season, we are talking about a winger who will play the odd game here and there but ultimately act very much as the third or fourth choice, which is why we don’t consider this to be Moore.

The Hotspur Way gem has already shown in flashes this season that he’s going to be good enough to genuinely challenge the likes of Wilson Odobert and Son Heunng-min for more regular football next season.

So, where does that leave us? Even if they are not going to be playing loads and loads of football next year, Postecoglou and Co are still going to want their Werner replacement to be good enough to make an impact when called upon, and for our money, the perfect candidate for that is Yang Min-hyeok.

The South Korean winger joined the club from Gangwon FC last summer but remained with the K League side until the new year, as their seasons run from February to November.

Moreover, despite being so young, he was a seriously important player for them.

Appearances

38

Goals

12

Assists

6

Goal Involvements *

0.47

He managed to rack up an impressive tally of 12 goals and six assists in just 38 appearances, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.11 games.

When he arrived in England, the North Londoners made the wise decision to send the “underrated” teenager, per analyst Joel Kim, out on a short-term loan to Queens Park Rangers, where he has since provided one assist in eight appearances, four of which have been starts.

On top of being capable of scoring and assisting goals, the Gwangju-born phenom is blessed with “power and pace”, according to Kim, which makes him sound like the perfect player to bring off the bench toward the end of games.

Finally, while some might consider loaning him out again next season, there is a strong argument that with him still being quite young, a campaign in which he’s in the first team and making substitute appearances in the Premier League might be just as beneficial for his development.

Ultimately, Spurs will need someone to fill in for the departing Werner next season, and while he’s unproven in the top-flight, Yang Min-hyeok seems like the perfect candidate.

Imagine him & Gray: Spurs are brewing "Dembele-esque" star in teen gem

The Spurs prospect could be a real star in the future.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Mar 28, 2025

da supremo： Manchester United avoided defeat in all competitions through March. In fact, Ruben Amorim’s side are currently riding a seven-match unbeaten run.

da luck： There’s so much work to do. However, signs are appearing, sprouting like spring shoots. Maybe the Red Devils have a future under the wing of their Portuguese boss; maybe these interminable years of strife are going to be consigned to the history books, something to look back on with pride at leaps taken since INEOS and Sir Jim Ratcliffe arrived at Old Trafford.

Chances of seasonal success through the Premier League are negligible. 13th, United’s hopes of salvation lie on the continental front, with Athletic Bilbao awaiting next month in the Europa League quarter-finals.

Amorim must make do with the resources available for the remainder of the campaign, but the wider picture portrays the need for drastic action. A host of players needed to be shipped on, but Rasmus Hojlund is surely one of the most pressing cases.

Rasmus Hojlund's nightmare season

Manchester United have been put through the wringer this season, but there’s surely only one way the club can go henceforth. It really has been the nadir for the prestigious outfit, one of the biggest on the globe.

INEOS must be ruthless, and while he’s still young, Hojlund isn’t cutting it and should be sold this summer to make room for a new and exciting number nine.

Reports suggest that the Denmark international is among the most likely names to depart this summer, with Italian side Napoli named. United might have paid Atalanta £72m for this raw centre-forward, but losses need to be cut.

Hojlund finally broke his duck in the Premier League before the international break, slotting home against Leicester City, but that’s only his third league goal of the term – and across 24 matches at that.

Rasmus Hojlund in the Premier League

Stats (* per game)

23/24

24/25

Matches (starts)

30 (25)

24 (17)

Goals

10

3

Assists

2

0

Touches*

22.8

17.5

Shots (on target)*

1.3 (0.7)

0.8 (0.4)

Big chances missed

13

3

Pass completion

77%

79%

Key passes*

0.9

0.5

Dribbles*

0.6

0.3

Ball recoveries*

2.0

1.1

Duels won*

2.8 (38%)

2.1 (29%)

Data via Sofascore

Profligacy is one thing, but Hojlund’s dearth of missed chances actually underpins the deeper fissures splitting United’s core. He’s bereft of service, unable to fashion openings for himself, incapable of leading confidently at the bow of Amorim’s ship.

In fairness, the likes of Erling Haaland would have struggled to meet expectations in United’s team this season, but Hojlund still hasn’t pulled his weight. Journalist Sam Pilger branded him “anonymous,” stating his “confidence is on the floor.”

United want to replace him this summer.

Man United lining up Hojlund upgrade

According to Manchester United’s former chief scout Mick Brown – speaking to Football Insider – INEOS are prepared to launch a statement move for Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres this summer and are even considered favourites to complete a deal.

That’s in spite of interest from rival suitors such as Arsenal and Liverpool, chiefly because Amorim turned the Sweden striker into a free-scoring machine before moving to England and is the driving force behind the potential deal.

Gyokeres wouldn’t come cheap, but the Devils wouldn’t need to fork out for his full £83m release clause, with the Liga Portugal champions fielding enquiries worth £63m.

Were Hojlund to be sold this summer, things could come together at the Theatre of Dreams.

What Viktor Gyokeres would bring to Man Utd

There’s a reason why Gyokeres is one of the most coveted players in world football. In fact, journalist Mark Ogden has described the 26-year-old as “the hottest striker in Europe.”

Born in Sweden, reared at Brighton, but made under the watchful wing of Amorim. Coventry City’s goalscorer came close (but not close enough) to securing qualification to the Premier League in 2022/23, earning a £20m move to Lisbon.

Scorer of 83 goals, placer of 25 assists, winner of the 23/24 Liga Portugal title – all across 91 appearances. Not bad at all for a Seagulls reject. Is it any wonder he’s been hailed as a “powerhouse” in front of goal by analyst Ben Mattinson?

He’s not restricted his output to any one front this term, notably firing a hat-trick past Manchester City in the Champions League several months back – with Amorim still at the helm.

As per FBref, Gyokeres ranks among the top 4% of strikers across Europe’s top-five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 6% for pass completion and shot-creating actions and the top 4% for progressive carries per 90.

He does, after all, boast 40 goals from 41 matches this season. It seems inconceivable that he wouldn’t prove to be an upgrade on Hojlund, whose lack of presence at number nine, his reduced ball-carrying output and ball-striking quality, does make a telling comment on where he should fit into INEOS’s market strategy this summer.

Hojlund might not be the most wasteful forward in front of goal when observing the statistical analysis, but Gyokeres is far more predatory, combining movement, pace and potency to supercharge Sporting’s project.

He takes 4.2 shots per Liga Portugal match this season, missing just 17 big chances despite having scored 28 goals. Gyokeres is everything that Man United need up top and more.

Amorim knows him, loves him. Gyokeres hailed the gaffer back in November, saying: “We’ve done amazing things together.” Why not some more?

Related Man Utd gem who left for £0 would be even better than Dorgu under Amorim

Man Utd might wish they had this player at their disposal

Posts ByJoe Nuttall Mar 23, 2025

There are signs that Ruben Amorim’s Manchester United project may yet take off.

The summer transfer window will be crucial. How the Red Devils navigate the market months will no doubt hold sway when it comes to the narrative in 2025/26. Will United turn a corner, or loop back to weary road’s already travelled?

Let’s dig into the most noticeable potential departure. Rasmus Hojlund has had a tough time this season, but there’s evidence that he should indeed be sold.

Man United's biggest winner from the international break

Hojlund scored the only goal as Denmark beat Portugal in the opening leg of their Nations League quarter-final tie in Copenhagen on Thursday night.

His reaction fanned the flames of social media discourse, having copied Cristiano Ronaldo’s iconic ‘siu’ celebration.

CR7 got the last laugh, as he so often has throughout his incredible career. Portugal defeated the Danes 5-2 (5-3 on aggregate) to advance to the penultimate stage, with 40-year-old Ronaldo notching his 135th goal for his nation.

It served as a reality check for Hojlund, 22, who was well-marshalled after scoring on Thursday. Indeed, he managed to strike on goal once but lost five of eight contested duels, as per Sofascore, failed with both his dribble attempts and failed to impose himself on the game.

Such has been the story of his season. Manchester United’s striker, who joined from Atalanta in a deal worth £72m in 2023, has regressed hugely this term, scoring just three goals across 24 Premier League matches.

Fabrizio Romano has already confirmed there appears to be tentative interest from Italian clubs and that the expectation is the number nine will be sold.

However, he’s not the only one, with another United member flattering to deceive on the same pitch as Hojlund on Sunday evening. He needs to be sold.

Man United's biggest loser from the international break

No, we’re not talking about Bruno Fernandes; the Portugal star is the linchpin of Amorim’s project, posting 12 goals and eight assists across 27 matches.

We are, however, drawing attention to Diogo Dalot, who wasn’t great against Denmark in both legs and may well follow Hojlund out the door this summer.

Journalist Alex Crook commented earlier this month that Dalot, 26, has “regressed” this season, lacking the completeness that United need at right wing-back. With just 22 goal involvements across 202 Man United appearances, he doesn’t have the attacking consistency Amorim would expect either.

Minutes played

66′

81′

Touches

46

48

Accurate passes

25/33 (76%)

26/30 (87%)

Key passes

2

0

Possession lost

10x

11x

Dribbles

0/1

0/2

Tackles + interceptions

2

4

Clearances

1

1

Duels won

1/4

3/8

Errors

0

1

Pencilling down their post-match thoughts after Monday’s win, Portuguese outlet Portugoal handed Dalot a rather flat 5/10 rating, writing: ‘Dalot is not a game-breaker – no shots, no key passes, no completed dribbles, and no surprise if and when Cancelo returns to the starting XI in June.’

Indeed, one careless throw-in after the interval nearly led to a damaging Denmark goal, something which may well have swung the pendulum away from the Iberian nation.

It typifies Dalot’s issues. He’s not sharp enough on the ball, creating little despite squandering possession regularly.

Further, the 26-year-old isn’t strong enough in the duel and doesn’t carry the ball as well as he could.

Man United need to strive for greatness, and selling Dalot will be part of the slow but steady solution.

Man Utd gem who left for £0 would be even better than Dorgu under Amorim

Man Utd might wish they had this player at their disposal

ByJoe Nuttall Mar 23, 2025

Fifteen wickets fall on opening day as Hampshire blink first at Ageas Bowl

ECB Reporters Network25-Jul-2023Jamie Porter claimed a five-wicket haul as Essex rolled title rivals Hampshire out for 120 in the LV=Insurance County Championship.Fast bowler Porter took 5 for 37 on a bowler-friendly Ageas Bowl pitch, with Simon Harmer assisting with 3 for 26.Essex replied by reaching 145 for 6 before close, to take a 25-run lead into day two, with two wickets apiece for Kyle Abbott and John Turner kept the visitors in check.Essex won the toss and Tom Westley gleefully put his hosts into bat first on a pitch on which appeared to have been prepared to promote a positive result.That outcome is needed for both sides, placed second and third coming into this round of fixtures, in their quests to chase down runaway leaders Surrey – who led Essex and Hampshire by 14 and 29 points with four matches to go.Hampshire are 50 years without a Championship title and is the only trophy Rod Bransgrove hasn’t won in his 23 years as chairman – this will be his last chance after announcing his decision to step down at the end of the season before play.Hampshire openers Ian Holland and Fletcha Middleton were both snared out by Porter before seven overs had been completed.But Essex’s early joy was tainted by Shane Snater – who had replaced the ill Doug Bracewell – limping off after five balls, having pulled out of a delivery just before reaching his stride.The loss of a main bowler mattered little as Paul Walter stepped up and angled across James Vince, and with Hampshire eventually bowled out inside 39 overs it meant fewer miles in the legs.Ben Brown was well caught at first slip by Simon Harmer, Nick Gubbins was loose on the drive off Porter and Liam Dawson top-edged a sweep to fine leg to leave Hampshire 79 for six at lunch.Porter is back to his destructive best this season after a series of lean seasons, by his high standards.Having put himself on the England radar with Championship wicket tallies of at least 48 between 2015 and 2019, Porter claimed 34 scalps in 2021 and only 19 wickets last season, with Sam Cook rising to lead the attack.His five at the Ageas Bowl took him to 42 wickets for the season – only spinning team-mate Harmer and Nottinghamshire’s Brett Hutton have more.Porter was rewarded for his potent accuracy with his second five-for of the season by spearing into Felix Organ’s back pad, before James Fuller advanced and slapped the next ball he bowled to deep cover.Harmer wrapped up the tail with Turner edging to slip and Mohammad Abbas slogged to long on as Hampshire were bowled out for 120.In reply, Nick Browne was bowled by Abbas in the fifth over. as the pitch remained unmoved in its bowling friendliness.Abbott picked up Alastair Cook and Paul Walter in a double wicket maiden to see Essex to 16 for three and in danger of copying Hampshire’s low score.But Essex did something Hampshire couldn’t do; form partnerships.Only Gubbins and Vince’s 39-run stand had topped 20, while Tom Westley and Matt Critchley added 41 before Critchley and Michael Pepper scored 36 together before Pepper and Adam Rossington joined forces for 25.Vince, who managed to negotiate his way to three replacement balls, only called on Vitality Blast hero Turner in the 34th over.The wait had Turner raring to go as he bounded in to crash into Critchley’s pads first ball before later finding Pepper’s outside edge.Essex edged into a first-innings lead with Rossington and Harmer reaching the end of the day with a platform to secure an important first-innings lead.

Stuart Broad was “amazed that not one senior player” in the Australian team “questioned what they had done” during or after the hotly-debated dismissal of Jonny Bairstow in the Lord’s Test.Writing in his column for the two days after a heated fifth day at Lord’s, where England lost to go 2-0 down in the Ashes, Broad brought up the cultural review Australia had gone through in the aftermath of ball-tampering scandal involving sandpaper in Cape Town in 2018.”What amazed me, and what I told the Australians I could not believe as we left the field at lunch, was that not one senior player among them — and I very much understand in the emotion of the game that the bowler and wicketkeeper would have thought ‘that’s out’ — questioned what they had done.”Especially given what their team has been through over recent years, with all their cultural change. Not one of them said: ‘Hang on, lads. I’m not really sure about this.’ Not one of them thought: ‘He’s gaining no advantage. He’s not trying to get a run. It’s the end of the over. It’s a bit of a random dismissal. We should cancel that appeal.'”Ultimately, Pat Cummins is a really great guy and I would be amazed, once the emotion settles, if he does not sit back and think, ‘I got that one wrong’, even though his bottom line at the time was winning a Test match.”Related

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The incident occurred when England were five down and needed a further 178 runs to win: Bairstow ducked underneath a short ball from Cameron Green, scratched the crease with his boot and walked down the pitch towards his partner Ben Stokes at the non-striker’s end. Before Bairstow had begun to leave his ground, wicketkeeper Alex Carey had gathered the ball on the bounce and, in one motion, under-armed a throw at stumps at the striker’s end. The on-field umpires, Ahsan Raza and Chris Gaffaney, referred the decision to TV umpire Marais Erasmus who gave the batter out – and the dismissal was recorded as stumped. Bairstow glared at the Australian huddle as he walked off and boos rang out around Lord’s. The crowd – who have been largely subdued throughout the first four days of this Test – then chanted repeatedly: “Same old Aussies, always cheating.”Broad said, for him, the crux of the matter was whether Bairstow was “looking to gain an advantage” and dismissed comparisons to previous incidents where England were the team trying to effect the dismissal.