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Well, that's that. Done and dusted. Not the most enthralling transfer window in memory by half, but Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed richer fruits than most and will be delighted with his side's activity.

At the start of a new era, heartened by the promise of an exciting ideology and judiciousness in the transfer market, Tottenham have enjoyed a pleasing introduction to life under their Australian manager and currently perch fourth in the Premier League table after 22 matches.

Injuries to key players laid waste to a stunning start to the season but the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, Micky van de Ven and James Maddison are now fit and firing once more and a top-four finish is something attainable, tangible, heading into the next stretch of action.

Of course, reinforcements were necessary and Daniel Levy has delivered, bolstering the backline with Radu Dragusin, augmenting the attack with the shrewd loan signing of Timo Werner, who has two assists from two league fixtures in Tottenham white.

To cap a rosy month off, Spurs showed Barcelona who's boss and hijacked the signing of prodigious talent Lucas Bergvall – it is, genuinely, a jaw-dropping coup for the London side.

Lucas Bergvall: A glittering gem

Hark back to Tuesday, on a cloudy afternoon in Catalonia, 17-year-old Bergvall had met with Barcelona bosses over lunch, canvassing a proposal expected to convince the midfielder to join the fold and realise his exciting potential at Camp Nou.

Two days later, Bergvall now turned 18, Spurs have completed the acquisition for €10m (£8m) plus add-ons, with the Swede linking up with his new teammates in the summer.

Said to be a "generational" talent by one scout, Bergvall has the making of a high-class, multi-functional midfielder and has drawn comparisons to Real Madrid phenomenon Jude Bellingham given this protean ability.

A fledgling ace, the teenager has only made 29 appearances for his homeland outfit Djurgårdens IF but has impressed during his time on the pitch and posted three goals and an assist to highlight a budding strength in attacking sequences.

How does this come about? Bergvall is an adept ball carrier and completed 88% of his passes and 68% of his dribbles in the Allsvenskan in 2023, as per Sofascore, highlighting strength and elegance on the ball that allows him to break lines single-handedly, arriving in circles of space to either strike on goal or place passes to breaking teammates.

Effectively, Bergvall is a roaming playmaker with notable intelligence and savvy decision-making; tall, strong and commanding, Tottenham have signed a player touted for stardom and the fact that he resisted the allure of La Blaugrana and opted to sign for Spurs bespeaks his prudence.

For now, Lilywhites supporters must shelve their excitement and focus on the current squad, with much to play for and Bergvall's immediate future to be spent honing his craft with Djurgårdens.

A wonderful talent, but maybe not Tottenham's biggest – not when Jamie Donley continues to make waves, pushing ever closer toward a regular spot in Postecoglou's first team.

Jamie Donley is Spurs' biggest talent

Donley has been highly regarded at Spurs for some time but is now starting to earn attention within wider circles, having made four senior appearances for the club after several years of precocious performances at youth level.

This season alone, the 19-year-old has plundered six goals and 12 assists from 12 matches, praised for his "perfect" creative support by correspondent Alasdair Gold as he thrives in a central offensive midfield role.

Jamie Donley: Youth Stats by Season
Season	Apps	Games	Assists
23/24	12	6	12
22/23	35	9	8
21/22	23	16	7
20/21	13	5	0
Source: Transfermarkt

An attacking midfielder with varied and devastating attacking abilities: Donley could be the perfect understudy to James Maddison over the coming years, the 27-year-old one of the Premier League's finest players this season after completing a £40m transfer from Leicester City last summer.

Podcaster Chris Miller has actually suggested that Donley is Tottenham's "closest thing to Maddison", and given the blistering success that he has found in the Premier League 2 and EFL Trophy this term, it might be wise to hand him increased responsibility sooner rather than later.

Of course, Tottenham are not playing in Europe this season and are out of both the FA Cup and Carabao Cup – frankly, this makes regular minutes for the club's up-and-comers hard to come by given the importance of qualifying for next term's Champions League.

Nonetheless, his regular inclusion in the matchday squad across recent months – absence due to injury notwithstanding – indicates that Postecoglou has a plan for this young gun, talented enough to wedge his way into the conversation.

Take his efforts in the EFL Trophy, for example; excelling across three matches against League One & Two opposition, the teenager scored two goals and supplied three assists, averaged 3.3 key passes, 10 ball recoveries (an extraordinary rate by the way) and 2.7 tackles per game, completing 80% of his passes.

With Maddison clinching three goals and five assists across 12 Premier League matches this term, completing 86% of his passes and averaging 2.9 key passes and 1.5 tackles per match, it's clear to see that Donley has qualities that could emulate that of the England international.

Bergvall's acquisition is just another illustration of a new, lucrative direction that Tottenham are heading toward after a few seasons of uncertainty and strife.

The Scandinavian midfielder is undoubtedly one of the best talents in his age bracket, but it's difficult to say that he surpasses Donley's potential at this stage given the Northern Irish starlet's clinical start to life.

Is this a problem? Hardly. Tottenham are on the rise, buttressed by a robust crop of youth talent that will slot into the senior set-up like a dovetail joint.

Check out some of the best Scotland fan chants to sing at Hampden Park.

Scotland have produced some of the best footballers in the world and, in the Tartan Army, they have a fan base to match.

The likes of Kenny Dalglish, Graeme Souness, Andy Robertson and John McGinn have all felt the familiar roar of the Scottish fans at Hampden, while the travelling fans have inevitably brightened up cities abroad.

Here, GOAL brings you some of the best Scotland football chants to sing at Hampden Park and further afield.

Yes Sir, I Can Boogie

The 1977 disco hit Yes Sir, I Can Boogie became a Scottish football anthem in the lead-up to Euro 2020, when the team qualified for the tournament.

Naturally, the full song is played, but it is the chorus that is mostly heard around the grounds before and after Scotland games.

Read the full story behind the Yes Sir, I Can Boogie.

AdvertisementNo Scotland, No Party

Nick Morgan's catchy number 'No Scotland, No Party' became the unofficial anthem of Scotland in the lead-up to Euro 2024.

With lyrics that recall past failures and the inability to progress past the groups of a major tournament, it sounds an optimistic note while paying tribute to John McGinn and Andy Robertson.

Read the full story of 'No Scotland, No Party!'

Flower of Scotland

'Flower of Scotland' is synonymous with Scottish sport and it has been belted out with gust on the terraces of Hampden Park for years now.

Read all about Flower of Scotland here.

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Scott McTominay

Scotland fans adore Scott McTominay not just because of his exploits on the pitch, but because he also rejected the chance to play for their neighbouring rivals, England. Sung to the tune of 'I'll Stand By You' by The Pretenders, the fans profess their love for the midfielder.

It seemed for some time that Leicester City and Ipswich Town were destined to run away with the automatic promotion places in the Championship, only for the latter to enter their first rough patch of form. In doing so, the promotion hopefuls have opened the door to a Southampton side looking to make an instant return to the Premier League, having suffered the heartbreak of relegation last time out.

Russell Martin's side, who sit just three points adrift of Ipswich, could yet receive a major boost in their pursuit of promotion in the January transfer window. The Saints are reportedly keeping tabs on a striker who has more than double the amount of goals that Che Adams has managed so far this season.

Southampton transfer news

Given that automatic promotion is no longer a world away, Southampton would be wise to go all out to land vital reinforcements for Martin this month. The Saints are currently on an unbeaten run of 18 games and could take full advantage of Ipswich's change in fortunes, which has seen Kieran McKenna's side go five games without a victory.

To take advantage, Southampton may need to look towards the transfer window and one particular striker, however.

EFL Championship done deals: Every January 2024 transfer

As the January transfer window closes, FFC has you covered for every in and out involving your club in the EFL Championship.

By
Luke Randall

Feb 1, 2024

According to Graeme Bailey, Southampton are keeping tabs on Hearts forward Lawrence Shankland. They're not the only Championship side interested in the forward though, with Hull City and Middlesbrough also eyeing moves.

Meanwhile, the Hearts captain has also reportedly attracted the interest of Crystal Palace, Burnley, Celtic and Everton in what will be a busy race for his signature this month. A man in demand, it looks as though Shankland could have a crucial decision to make in the near future, with several clubs circling.

If it is Southampton who land the forward, should they step up their interest, Martin would be getting himself a potential game-changer in the race for promotion.

"Incredible" Shankland would be an upgrade on Adams

Despite Southampton's recent run of form, Che Adams' goal tally hasn't been a standout in the Championship with just six goals to his name. It begs the question of just where the Saints would be if they had a truly clinical striker.

And Shankland could be the man to answer that question. The Hearts forward has enjoyed an excellent season in the Scottish Premiership, more than earning the interest of English clubs. Shankland's stats paint the perfect picture, with the striker's 18 goals highlighting a player at the top of his game.

Shankland recently earned the praise of Hearts manager Steven Naismith, who said via Irish News: “I look at him and compare him and he’s completely different from (Celtic striker) Kyogo but he’s slightly like (former Rangers forward Alfredo) Morelos. Lawrence has more in his overall game and a better mentality.

"When Morelos was at his prime, it’s a tough one but I’m probably taking Lawrence 18 goals in all competitions, half-way through a season, is incredible numbers. It’s not just against us either, he’s scoring all types of different finishes against everyone.”

Inter Miami teenage star Diego Gomez has been linked with a shock transfer move to the Premier League.

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• Diego Gomez linked with Premier League move
• Teen is attacking star for Miami
• Will play with Paraguay in Olympics

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Versus.com, West Ham United are keen on securing the services of Gomez on a full transfer from Inter Miami this summer. The teenage star, currently sidelined with a minor injury, has four goals in 25 appearances for the Herons across all competitions.

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• Inter Miami
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Gomez's rise has been quick, and not surprising to many. When he joined Miami in 2023, he was touted for greatness, and has since flourished in the midfield. In CONMEBOL Olympic Games qualifying, he led La Albirroja to the top of the standings with five goals and two assists in seven appearances. He's set to star for them at the Paris Games this summer, and a Premier League transfer could follow.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Gomez could follow the likes of Miguel Almiron and Jhon Duran to England – both of whom left MLS for the Premier League. To surpass the transfer fee of either, the deal would have to worth in excess of $27m.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR MIAMI?

  Miami clash with Atlanta United Wednesday evening and St. Louis CITY SC Saturday night in MLS action. Both Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez are expected to take part in the matches before they depart for Copa America. Gomez, meanwhile, still remains sidelined with a knock but is expected to return in early June.

Arsenal have apparently made an offer to sign an in-form striker who Brentford wanted to replace Ivan Toney with.

Arsenal in need of new striker

For the past few months, widespread reports have claimed that Arsenal are keen on signing a new number nine to gift manager Mikel Arteta more attacking options and a goal-scoring outlet.

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The Gunners have just Gabriel Jesus, who's now returned to training after a minor knee injury, and Eddie Nketiah to select from as their natural options.

This was made evident in their 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool last weekend, with Arteta's side spurning a host of great chances that evening in what was a frustrating loss at the Emirates Stadium. Arsenal have been urged to sign a new striker in January by huge figures with ties to the club, like midfield legend and pundit Ray Parlour.

“Where they are going to be lacking is the striker position," said Parlour to TEAMtalk late last year.

"In teams I played in we had four top strikers so I think that is one area they need to improve. I know Jesus is out at the moment and Nketiah did brilliantly getting his hat-trick at the weekend but there is not a lot of options up front.

“I am sure Arteta, if there is someone available whether on loan or someone who is not playing on a regular basis but who he knows can do a decent job, will be looking for options. When you are chasing a goal you have got to change it up front and they do not have that at the moment."

One player they've been repeatedly linked with to strengthen their centre-forward ranks is Brentford star Toney, who is said to be keen on making the move to Arsenal.

However, Bees boss Thomas Frank recently poured cold water on the chances of Toney leaving for north London this window, unless they submitted an "unbelievable" offer.

Sporting director Edu and the recruitment team are also playing with a slightly more limited January budget after spending over £200 million last summer, so they may have to be clever.

Arsenal submit Borja Mayoral bid

Indeed, according to The Sun, it appears they're going for much cheaper alternatives to Toney, leading to their interest in Getafe striker Borja Mayoral.

Arsenal have apparently submitted a £22 million bid to sign Mayoral in January. Getafe, though, aren't keen to sell their star man unless they get around £39 million.

Interestingly, it is believed Brentford were tipped to be eyeing Mayoral as a possible replacement for Toney, as per the report.

The Spaniard has netted 12 goals in just 19 La Liga appearances this term, leaving little wonder his club are holding out for a larger fee. Mayoral does come as an interesting option, with members of the press calling him "top level" (Pedro Gonzalez).

Liverpool progressed through to the semi-finals of the League Cup with an emphatic 5-1 win over West Ham United at Anfield on Wednesday night.

It was a clinical display from the Reds as they dispatched the Hammers with relative ease to secure their clash with Fulham in the last four of the competition.

This was a much-needed result and performance after the disappointment that came from their 0-0 draw with Manchester United on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp's side had 34 shots and racked up 2.38 xG but failed to come away with all three points as their finishing, and shot selections, left a lot to be desired.

One change that the German boss made for the cup clash was to move Darwin Nunez out to the left flank, instead of through the middle as a centre-forward, and he thrived in that position.

Liverpool could now unleash the Uruguay international on the wing on a permanent basis by securing a deal for a player to lead the line.

Liverpool transfer news – Karim Adeyemi

It was reported during the summer transfer window that the Reds were looking at Borussia Dortmund forward Karim Adeyemi as a possible target to bolster their attack.

The outlet also named Federico Chiesa and Leroy Sane as targets if the club lost Mohamed Salah, who was being pursued by Al Ittihad at the time.

Calcio Mercato claimed that Klopp likes Adeyemi 'a lot' and that is why the Germany international was on the list of players to possibly replace the Egypt international.

However, Liverpool could reignite their interest in the £32m Dortmund attacker and look to revive his career as a centre-forward, rather than viewing him as a winger.

This would then provide Klopp with a number nine to spearhead his attack, which would then allow Nunez to be permanently moved to a wide role.

Nunez's performance against West Ham in numbers

The former Benfica star lined up on the left of the attack, with Cody Gakpo as the number nine, and caught the eye with a fantastic performance.

Nunez created an eye-catching four chances for his teammates and registered one assist as he teed up Curtis Jones for the second goal.

Klopp's "superb" Liverpool star looked as good as Curtis Jones vs West Ham

Anfield returned to winning ways with a sumptuous attacking performance to advance to the Carabao Cup semi-finals.

ByAngus Sinclair Dec 21, 2023

No player on the pitch produced more key passes than the Liverpool whiz, who also completed one of his two attempted dribbles in 90 minutes.

He was able to use his physicality and pace to be a constant threat to the Hammers defence to create chances for others, rather than being there to get on the end of passes from others, which is where the forward has struggled this season.

Nunez has been far too wasteful in front of goal as a centre-forward in the Premier League and moving him out wide to be a creative outlet could be a fantastic piece of management by Klopp.

Nunez's Premier League record in numbers

The 24-year-old dynamo joined the Reds from Benfica in the summer of 2022 and has failed to prove himself to be a reliable scorer in the top-flight.

During the 2022/23 campaign, the Uruguay international produced nine goals and three assists in 29 league appearances for Liverpool.

In that time, Nunez missed a staggering 20 'big chances' but was able to create 11 'big chances' for his teammates. This suggests that he did not make the most of the opportunities that came his way and the same could be said for the players he was setting up.

His finishing has not improved since the end of last season as the forward has produced four goals and spurned a whopping 15 'big chances' in just 16 Premier League outings this term.

He has, once again, been a solid creative outlet for the Reds, though, with five assists and six 'big chances' created in his ten league starts.

This means that Nunez has missed 35 'big chances' and created 17 of them for his teammates since the start of the 2022/23 campaign, which suggests that creating for others is a bigger strength of his than finishing off opportunities.

As you can see in the chart above, the Liverpool ace is an outstanding creator who can cause constant problems for opposition defences.

Therefore, a wide role could be perfect for the chaotic attacker as the team would rely on him to create for his fellow attackers rather than the other way round.

In order to make Nunez a winger on a permanent basis, Liverpool could need to sign a centre-forward in January and this is where Adeyemi comes in.

The statistics that show why Liverpool should sign Adeyemi

The German ace has spent the majority of his career at Dortmund so far playing as a winger and it has not brought the best out of him.

Adeyemi has produced 11 goals and eight assists in 50 appearances for the club since his move from Salzburg in 2022, with two of those outings coming as a number nine.

He has not been a consistent performer as a scorer or a creator of goals whilst playing on the left or the right flank and has not been given a fair opportunity to prove his worth down the middle.

Whereas, the 21-year-old marksman was mainly deployed as a number nine throughout his time in Austria with Salzburg and it allowed him to thrive in the final third.

The £83k-per-week finisher racked up 32 goals and 19 assists in 67 competitive appearances as a striker for the club before his move to Dortmund.

During the 2021/22 campaign, Adeyemi, who was once dubbed a "nightmare" for defenders by talent scout Jacek Kulig, plundered 19 goals and only missed 14 'big chances' in 29 Bundesliga matches for Salzburg.

Appearances

29

Starts

11

Goals

Seven

Big chances missed

Five

Assists

Seven

These statistics suggest that the Germany international has the potential to be a prolific centre-forward for the Reds if they are able to get the best out of him, rather than being wasted out wide at Dortmund, due to his impressive finishing and goal record as a striker.

This would then free up Nunez, who is currently being wasted through the middle when his creativity could be harnessed out wide week-in-week-out, to play on the wing on a permanent basis.

We may have only just about gotten over that penalty miss against France in Qatar, but the world of football waits for no man, and we are now just seven months away from the 2024 edition of the European Championships, which will be hosted in Germany.

With that in mind, we here at Football FanCast have decided to take a look at the XI the Independent thought would win us the World Cup last year.

They may have made these picks a decade ago, and as we all know, prediction is a fool's game, but blimey, some of these picks are, well, let's just say, interesting.

So, let's take a look.

12 Goalkeeper – Jack Butland Rangers – Nine Caps

Okay, so as predictions go, we reckon this was a pretty smart one, and the Independent certainly weren't the only ones tipping a young Jack Butland to achieve great things for both club and country.

In 2013, the Bristol-born shot-stopper earned himself an exciting move to Stoke City after impressing for Birmingham City in the Championship. However, some dodgy loan spells at Barnsley, Leeds United and Derby County damaged his reputation, and after spending seven injury-ridden years with the Potters, he finally moved to Crystal Palace.

Unfortunately, he fared no better in the capital.

After three years that saw him make just ten Premier League appearances for the Eagles and spend six months on loan at Manchester United, he again moved on to find more playing time.

In June 2023, he joined Scottish giants Rangers, and while the team have struggled somewhat this season, Butland has been one of their stand-out performers and looks to have finally found a massive team in which he can excel.

In terms of his international career, he has earned nine senior England caps, the last of which came in 2018 against Switzerland, and we reckon that'll likely be his final cap for the Three Lions as well.

Not a bad prediction, just one hampered by injuries and what could have been.

11 Left-back – Luke Shaw Manchester United – 31 Caps

Now, while there are primarily misses on this list, including Luke Shaw, a decade ago is an unequivocal hit.

Not only has the full-back become England's starting left-back, he has also become one of the first names on the team sheet at Manchester United.

Shaw was still playing for Southampton at the time of this prediction and would spend another year down on the south coast, so this really was a great shout.

Shaw picked up his first senior cap for the Three Lions in May 2014 in a friendly against Denmark, and were it not for a litany of injuries in the intervening nine years, he would undoubtedly have many more today.

He might not have helped us win the World Cup last year, but he still could one day, right?

10 Centre-back – Nathaniel Chalobah West Bromwich Albion – One Cap

The first of our two centre-backs now, and while there was certainly some logic to picking Nathaniel Chalobah at the time, given his vast experience in the youth setup, it's still a pretty big miss.

At the time, the young defender was still at Chelsea, but with it almost impossible for him to break through then, he opted to leave in search of regular minutes.

He would go on several loans in the next few years, spending time at Burnley, Reading and even Napoli, before finally leaving on a permanent deal when he joined Watford in 2017.

Four years with the Hornets was followed by two with Fulham before he then signed for his current team, West Bromwich Albion.

He has only made one senior appearance for the Three Lions, and worse still, it was for just a single minute in a 2018 Nations League game against Spain.

9 Centre-back – Phil Jones Without a club – 27 Caps

This, again, wasn't the worst of calls; if anything, Phil Jones would likely have many more senior caps were he not so injury-prone.

His England debut came in a European qualifier against Montenegro in 2011, and in the following seven years, he would pick up 26 more, with his final two coming in the 2018 World Cup.

Jones was playing for Manchester United at the time of the prediction and was still seen as someone with sky-high potential, so we'll let them off with this pick.

8 Right-back – Chris Smalling Roma – 31 Caps

We are onto their last defensive prediction here, and you know what? It's another that doesn't look as bad as it could have in retrospect.

That said, at right-back? Not sure about that.

At the time, Chris Smalling had only been at Manchester United for two seasons, and while he wasn't playing every minute of Premier League action, he certainly looked good.

Ultimately, though, he would never fulfil his potential at Old Trafford, and the last few years of his time there were rather bleak. Had we looked back at this prediction then, we might have been a little harsher.

However, a loan move to Roma in summer 2020 revitalised the former Fulham man, and following a stellar season, he moved there on a permanent deal the following year and has looked class ever since.

His first England cap came in 2011 against Bulgaria, and his last in 2017 against Scotland.

7 Left midfield – Wilfried Zaha Galatasaray – Two Caps

Okay then, here we are, the first objective, undeniable stinker on this list, and it's only made all the funnier by the fact that the player is a regular international now, just for the wrong country.

Is there a way to be more off the mark than that?

Now, to be fair to them, Wilfried Zaha was and is an incredibly talented footballer, and we can't fault the Independent for predicting a bright international future for him at the time, but come on, the fact that they were correct, just for the wrong country is very amusing.

Zaha is currently plying his trade for Turkish giants Galatasaray, and after a slow start, he is tearing it up for them both domestically and in the Champions League.

His only two caps for Three Lions came in 2012 and 2013, totalling a massive 20 minutes of game time – we can see why he chose the Ivory Coast, to be fair.

6 Central midfielder – Jack Wilshere Retired – 34 Caps

Okay, so we are back to pretty reasonable predictions now. There was a general expectation that Jack Wilshere would be at the heart of England's midfield for the foreseeable future back in 2013, as by that point, he was firmly established as one of Arsenal's best players.

He was a fantastically gifted footballer, but one that was seemingly made of glass.

The tenacious midfielder was blighted with injuries throughout his short career and missed a shocking 315 competitive games between 2009 and 2020, averaging out at around 28 a season, per Transfermarkt.

Jack Wilshere will always be one of the quintessential 'what if' players.

Oh, and he's been retired for over a year, which would make his inclusion in an England team somewhat challenging.

5 Central midfielder – Ross Barkley Luton Town – 33 Caps

Oh dear, we are firmly back in miss territory again with the inclusion of former Everton and Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley.

We have to be somewhat fair and grant that back in 2013, Barkley was looking like one of the best up-and-coming midfielders in the Premier League, but following his move to Chelsea in January 2018, he seemed to regress into half the player he was for the Toffees.

He would make just 100 appearances across all competitions for the Blues in the four-and-a-half years before joining OGC Nice last September. Unfortunately for the 29-year-old, that move also failed, and he joined Luton Town on a one-year deal this summer.

We reckon his most recent cap against Bulgaria in 2019 might be his last.

4 Right midfield – Jordan Ibe Ebbsfleet United FC – Four Caps

The misses keep coming, and this might be the biggest yet, former Liverpool and Bournemouth winger Jordan Ibe.

While we can see where they were coming from for a lot of these picks, we really can't wrap our heads around this one. At the time of publishing their article, Ibe had made just a single senior appearance for the Reds, and while he was highly thought of, there were other more obvious choices.

Since then, Ibe moved to the Cherries for four years before cycling through several clubs, including Derby County, Turkish second division side Adanaspor, and his current side, National League outfit Ebbsfleet United.

We hope he can rediscover his form of old and fight his way back up the pyramid, but another England cap might just be a step too far.

3 Striker – Daniel Sturridge Unattached – 26 Caps

This is another choice we can't really fault them for making at the time, as the 2013/14 season was probably Daniel Sturridge's peak as a player, and to give him credit, it was an impressive one.

In 29 Premier League appearances, he scored 22 goals and provided nine assists as he formed a deadly partnership with Luis Suárez that almost won Liverpool the league.

However, as with Wilshere, injuries got the best of him, and he never reached the same heights again. He was last playing for Australian side Perth Glory but had his contract terminated after six games that brought no goals, again in part due to injury.

His 26th cap, which came against Lithuania in 2017, will likely be his last as he is still without a club.

Tottenham Hotspur return to Premier League action with a mouthwatering match-up against an in-form Aston Villa side on Sunday, with the two clubs currently separated by just a point in what is likely to be an intense top-four battle this season.

The Lilywhites go into tomorrow's clash at N17 having lost each of their last two league outings, however, notably suffering a shock late collapse away to Wolverhampton Wanderers, prior to the recent international break.

In need of a positive result to help stop the rot, Ange Postecoglou's task has not been made any easier as a result of the mounting injuries and absences that have impacted his squad, with options rather thin on the ground all across the park.

With that in mind, the Greek-Aussie could make three changes from the side that lost at Molineux, ahead of the visit of Unai Emery's men…

1 GK – Guglielmo Vicario

A lesser-known quantity before his arrival in north London, Guglielmo Vicario has been an "absolute revelation" since his £17.2m move from Empoli – as per Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher – and is a certainty to start once again this time around.

2 RB – Pedro Porro

Having started every game this season since the opening-day draw with Brentford, Pedro Porro – who has racked up two assists thus far – will keep his place at right-back.

3 CB – Eric Dier

With Cristian Romero still suspended – while Micky van de Ven remains out with injury – Eric Dier will have to keep his place at centre-back, despite having been tipped for an exit in January.

4 CB – Ben Davies

Alongside the long-serving Dier will be fellow stalwart, Ben Davies, with any thought of shaking up the backline having been hampered by the further loss of 18-year-old, Ashley Phillips, due to injury.

5 LB – Destiny Udogie

One of the few positives for Postecoglou will be the likely return of Destiny Udogie at left-back, with the Italy international having served his one-game suspension against Gary O'Neil's men last time out.

6 CM – Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Previously touted for an exit over the summer, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could once again be able to establish himself as a key figure in the side, with Yves Bissouma set to miss out tomorrow after already picking up five yellow cards this season.

With James Maddison also out until the New Year and with doubts persisting over Pape Matar Sarr's fitness, Hojbjerg will likely retain his place in midfield.

7 CM – Rodrigo Bentancur

Alongside Udogie, the second alteration could well be the inclusion of Rodrigo Bentancur, the Uruguayan international seemingly nearing full fitness after featuring for his country during the international break.

Having been sidelined for much of 2023 with an ACL issue, the £75k-per-week "unsung hero" – as dubbed by Jamie Redknapp on the Sky Sports Football Podcast – may be in contention for his first start of the campaign.

8 CAM – Jamie Donley

In the absence of Maddison, a new creative spark will need to be found in Spurs' playmaking berth.

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ByAdam Scully Nov 8, 2023

After registering 11 assists already this season in the youth ranks, 19-year-old Jamie Donley could be deserving of his first senior bow as the final alteration from the side that lost at Wolves – with football.london's Rob Guest suggesting that the teenager is now 'impossible to ignore'.

9 RW – Dejan Kulusevski

In truth, the lack of attacking options – amid Richarlison's injury woes – will ensure that the frontline essentially picks itself, with Dejan Kulusevski lining up on the right flank to continue his run of starting every game in the top flight in 2023/24.

10 ST – Heung-min Son

Fresh from scoring three goals on international duty for South Korea, Spurs' top scorer and captain will lead the line once again, having found a neat new home for himself through the middle.

After successfully qualifying for the Champions League last season, Newcastle United have once again flexed their new-found muscles in the current campaign, even defeating Paris Saint-Germain 4-1 on the European stage at St James' Park. Eddie Howe's side sit sixth and six points adrift of Liverpool in fourth as a result of their start, but will be hoping to bridge that gap in the coming weeks.

Howe will also be hoping to end the Magpies' wait for silverware, which could come in the Carabao Cup. His side recently reached the last eight of the competition in style as they thrashed a struggling Manchester United side 3-0 at Old Trafford. They will now meet Chelsea in the next round, where they will already have to cope without one particular player following recent news.

Newcastle United's Carabao Cup run

The Magpies have enjoyed an impressive cup run this season, defeating Manchester City in the third round, before travelling to complete the Manchester double by easing past last season's Carabao Cup winners. Their victory at Old Trafford was a particular statement, given that it was United who prevented Newcastle from winning the trophy at Wembley last season.

Hoping for a different outcome this season, Howe's side must overcome Chelsea now without Lewis Hall. According to Craig Hope of the Daily Mail, parent club Chelsea will not allow Hall to play for Newcastle in their last eight tie later this month. Following Matt Targett's injury, Newcastle must now either turn to regular choice Dan Burn at left-back or seek options from elsewhere in their squad.

It's a shame for Hall, who did so well to play his part in knocking Manchester United out in the last round. The Chelsea loanee volleyed home a superb effort to double Newcastle's lead just before the break.

"Talented" Lewis Hall's absence a blow for Newcastle

Whilst it's understandable why Chelsea are set to deny Hall a place for Newcastle in the last eight of the Carabao Cup, the left-back could have had the perfect opportunity to pick up where he left off at Old Trafford. With Burn securing Howe's starting left-back spot, Hall's opportunities may be limited outside of the domestic cups, making the Blues' decision all the more frustrating.

The 19-year-old will just be hoping that those who do play can get the job done, providing him with the perfect chance to continue his cup form in the final four of the competition. Howe was full of praise for Hall after his goal and performance against United, saying via Sports Mole: "He's a talented player. He can play various positions for us, which in our current position we are going to need. Lewis has been training well.

"He's been adapting to quite a big change in his life so for such a young player to move from London and settle in here, I think he's done it well. The best of him is yet to come, without a doubt. When you get an opportunity you have to take it, and Lewis has done that. His performance against Manchester City was very good, he's a player we really like."

Leeds United have enjoyed a strong start to the current Championship campaign as they sit in third place and chasing an automatic promotion spot.

Daniel Farke's side beat Huddersfield Town 4-1 on Saturday and have now racked up 25 points and 24 goals scored in their 14 league matches so far.

The form of the talented Georgino Rutter has played a significant role in the club's success on the pitch as the former Hoffenheim man has taken the division by storm this term.

Georginio Rutter's statistics this season

Farke hailed the talented gem as "unplayable" at times after the victory over the Terriers as the French attacker registered his fifth assist of the season.

The 21-year-old whiz has now created a staggering 14 'big chances' for his teammates in 12 starts and has showcased his ability to carve open the opposition's defence on a regular basis.

However, one criticism that could be levelled at the terrific maestro is that he does not offer a significant goal threat on his own. Rutter has only scored two Championship goals and has had the opportunities to add to that tally with five 'big chances' missed so far.

Meanwhile, the player whose spot in the side he has taken up through the middle of the pitch – Rodrigo – has outscored him at league level this season.

Rodrigo's goal record for Al-Rayyan

The Spain international, who was once dubbed "brilliant" by pundit Micah Richards, reportedly had a release clause of £3m that allowed Al-Rayyan to swoop in to secure his services ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Since moving on from Elland Road, Rodrigo has racked up three goals and three assists in six Stars League appearances for the Qatar-based outfit.

The 32-year-old marksman has also scored two goals in two Stars Cup clashes for Al-Rayyan and this means that the excellent attacker has five goals and three assists in eight games in total for the club.

Whereas, Rutter has only scored two goals in 27 appearances for Leeds in all competitions since the start of the year, which is a less-than-impressive return for a player who looks to make an impact in the final third.

Marcelo Bielsa splashed out a club-record fee of £26m to sign Rodrigo from Valencia in the summer of 2020 and he went on to score 28 goals in 97 clashes for the English side in total.

The Spanish ace scored 13 goals in 23 Premier League starts last season and only missed four 'big chances', which is a tally of misses that Rutter has already surpassed after 12 Championship starts.

Leeds' current forward sensation is not able to offer the same level of threat in front of goal as Bielsa's former brilliant dynamo in terms of his finishing ability, as shown by their respective statistics.

However, Rutter has been a consistent creative menace for his side and is contributing on a regular basis in ways outside of just scoring goals.

Hopefully, the French phenom will be able to find his goalscoring touch and add a Rodrigo-esque goal threat to his arsenal over the coming weeks and months to become a complete forward.