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There has been talk of Wayne Rooney facing the sack at Plymouth, but the Pilgrims’ owner has revealed that club’s actual stance during a testing time.

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• Ex-England captain appointed in the summer
• Future in question after just 20 games
• Club intend to back him inside of wield axe

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Devon-based outfit have slipped to 21st in the Championship, with only one win secured through their last nine fixtures – with heavy defeats to Norwich (6-1) and Bristol City (4-0) leading to uncomfortable questions being asked of Plymouth’s coaching team and board.

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  It has been suggested that Rooney faces two make-or-break home games against Oxford and Swansea, with positive results required there in order to keep his head off the chopping block. Chairman Simon Hallett has, however, explained the club’s immediate plans.

• WHAT PLYMOUTH CHAIRMAN SAID

  Hallett told a fans’ forum staged by the Plymouth Argyle Cornish Supporters’ Association: “Clearly, we are all under pressure. We are not playing well, we are not doing on the pitch what we wanted us to do. So we are all feeling the pressure. Fans are feeling the pressure, the board is feeling the pressure and Wayne is feeling the pressure. What we are going to do is not think about getting rid of him and changing him. We are thinking about how we can support him. So there are no conversations going on about replacing Wayne but there are conversations going on about how we can support him to help him become the great coach we think is in there.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Plymouth’s director of football Neil Dewsnip added on the Rooney exit rumours: “He's incredibly motivated to get Argyle to safety and then onwards and upwards from there. He's desperate to help Argyle to be successful. Success is staying in the league, doing a little bit better than that if we can. He talks about being safe four games from the end of the season. There's a thought. That's his own personal goal. When we have all our players back (from injury), I believe very positively that Wayne will be exactly the right head coach for us so we just have to give him the best chance.”

Police have reportedly ruled out 'drink and drugs' as potential causes for West Ham star Michail Antonio's car crash.

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• Antonio crashed Ferrari FF on Saturday
• West Ham star has undergone surgery
• 'Drink and drugs' ruled out as causes

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Sun claim 'drink and drugs' weren't involved in Antonio's horror car crash that left the West Ham striker with a lower limb fracture. Police are also operating under the impression that a third party wasn't involved in the moments before Antonio's Ferrari FF struck a tree in Essex on Saturday.

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  Antonio was trapped in his car for nearly an hour before being airlifted to hospital. He's since undergone surgery and is expected to be out for at least a year, with a decision awaiting West Ham over his future at the club. Meanwhile, police are still trying to find out what led to the crash, with there being no suggestion of excessive speeding either.

• WHAT A SOURCE SAID

  “Drink and drugs have already been ruled out, and officers are not currently looking for anyone else," a source told .

  “There is no smoking gun as far as cops are concerned right now – but they have to investigate because the smash was so serious and caused such extensive injuries.

  “Just because cops are involved doesn’t mean a crime has been committed.”

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Tributes have poured in for the 34-year-old, with West Ham keeping fans updated on his progress on social media. The Hammers squad have also shown their public support for Antonio, wearing shirts with his name and number on the back in the warm-up before their 2-1 Premier League win over Wolves on Monday night.

Crystal Palace could be facing one of their toughest seasons in recent years, purely down to the amount of outgoings expected this summer.

Having already lost Michael Olise, other names who could be on their way out are Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze, which would mean three of their best players leaving the club in the same summer.

This would leave Oliver Glasner in a tricky situation, having to find replacements for his most important players, whilst also trying to improve other areas of the squad, all with the Premier League set to kick off in less than a weeks' time.

Luckily, Palace have already managed to replace Olise with the signing of Ismaila Sarr, but there will be a lot of pressure for him to replicate what Olise did last season, scoring ten goals and providing six assists in only 19 games.

Crystal Palace transfer news

According to Fabrizio Romano, Crystal Palace are set to miss out on re-signing Wilfried Zaha, who looks set to join Leicester, as opposed to re-signing with the Eagles.

Instead, he looks as though he's on his way to Premier League rivals Leicester City. That's according to the ever-reliable John Percy.

Zaha would join Issahaku Fatawu, Caleb Okoli, Michael Golding and Bobby De Cordova-Reid, becoming Leicester's fifth signing this summer, after losing their manager, Enzo Maresca, and POTY, Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall this summer to Chelsea.

Zaha made 42 appearances for Galatasaray in all competitions last season, scoring ten goals, providing five assists, and totalling 2,110 minutes played.

Zaha vs Sarr comparison

Since losing Olise, Palace have, of course, made the signing of Sarr from Marseille, looking to replace the output of Olise.

However, to replace such a huge hole in the squad, it may need multiple players in order to do so.

Zaha seems he could have been an option to return to Palace, can play off both wings, and even through the middle if needed. This firstly could've strengthened the depth of the Palace attack, but also prepared them for another likely exit, of Eze.

Described as "sensational" by Graeme Souness back in 2018, the ex-Palace man ranks closer to Olise in five of the nine metrics used above, whilst Sarr ranks higher in three metrics, and they are joint for assists per 90.

This instantly shows what each signing could've brought to the squad, in an attempt to replace Olise's output.

Zaha brings that 1v1 threat, completing more successful take-ons per 90, getting a higher volume of shots off, and scoring more goals through this. Whilst Sarr brings a slightly more progressive profile, adding extra progressive carries + passes per 90.

A combination of the two could have brought that creative flair back to the side, whilst also adding the much-needed G/A output, however, it seems Leicester could be gaining that from Zaha now instead.

Forget Sarr: Crystal Palace already have a 'remarkable' Olise replacement

Palace could already have Olise replacement right under their noses

By
Connor Holden

Aug 11, 2024

Paul Pogba did not visit Manchester City's training ground despite rumours circulating that he could sign for the club in January.

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• Speculation about City move
• Training ground visit rumours debunked
• Options remain open

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Fabrizio Romano has debunked speculation surrounding a visit to the Etihad Campus from the former Manchester United midfielder, who has been linked with his old club's arch rivals in recent days after the news broke that his doping ban will be lifted in March.

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• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  The World Cup winner hasn't played a professional game since September 2023, when he was still at Juventus. Tthe club terminated his contract in November, and the Frenchman has reportedly been training in Miami ahead of a hotly-anticipated return to the game, with numerous clubs interested in landing his signature. Both United and City have been linked with Pogba in recent weeks but apparently no concrete talks have taken place with either club.

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  WHAT FABRIZIO ROMANO SAID

  Romano said on X: "Paul Pogba didn't visit Manchester City training ground despite reports and he's not in concrete talks with City despite recent reports. Pogba remains open to several options as he's free agent, ready to train with new club from January 1 and play pro games from March 1st."

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• WHAT NEXT FOR POGBA?

  Until we hear an official announcement about Pogba's future the speculation will continue, with fans desperate to see whether the 31-year-old is capable of re-establishing himself as one of Europe's best footballers. An initial four-year doping ban seemed to spell the end for Pogba's time at the top, but its reduction to 18 months means he still has time to rebuild his career from 2025.

It has been a busy summer so far for Aston Villa. The Midlands club have a big season ahead in 2024/25, as they return to the Champions League and will play in the competition for the very first time since its rebrand.

Indeed, they have so far made eight summer signings, although Cameron Archer has since left the club, and Samuel Iling Junior is set to depart on loan. However, Unai Emery has still brought in six main additions to his squad, notably signing Amadou Onana from Everton in a deal worth £50m. The Belgian got the dream start to his Villa career, with a debut goal against West Ham United.

There have also been some major outgoings at Villa Park. Two key men have left the club, with French winger Moussa Diaby joining Saudi side Al-Ittihad and midfielder Douglas Luiz making the move to Italian giants Juventus.

With the transfer window set to shut on Friday, the Villans might yet look to add to their squad ahead of their huge season amongst Europe’s elite. They have recently been linked with one player who could add quality and European pedigree to their side.

Aston Villa target Premier League defender

The player in question here is Chelsea’s English centre-back Trevoh Chalobah. The 25-year-old has been made into something of an outcast under new Blues boss Enzo Maresca and it seems likely that he will depart the club before the deadline at the end of the week.

Now, according to a report from Ben Jacobs, in conversation with GIVEMESPORT, the Villans are one club that could swoop in and look to sign the Chelsea academy graduate. Jacobs reports that Emery’s side are one of the ‘more viable destinations’ for the 25-year-old to end up at this summer.

However, they will not be alone in their quest to sign him. Jacobs also names Crystal Palace as another option for Chalobah, which could see him link up with a fellow Cobham graduate Marc Guehi. However, whether he ends up at Villa Park, Selhurst Park or elsewhere, Jacobs does confirm he will likely stay in the Premier League.

In terms of a price, the 25-year-old is believed to be valued at around £35m, according to a report earlier in the window. However, with a sale needing to happen fast, the Blues could well drop their price to ensure he definitely leaves the club this summer.

Why Chalobah would be a good signing

Since breaking into the first team at Stamford Bridge in 2021/22, the 25-year-old has made 80 appearances for his boyhood club, although last term he featured for the Blues just 13 times in the Premier League.

Frustratingly, this is due to a long-term injury, which kept Chalobah out between the start of August and the 10th of January. He missed a total of 192 days and 32 games with that injury, although it is the only long-term injury of his career, and should not be too much of a concern to Villa.

The Villans would also be adding European pedigree into their squad, ahead of their exciting European venture next term. The 25-year-old, who has had three loans including one at Ipswich Town, has won the UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup with the Blues.

Although he was not part of the squad that won the Champions League in 2020/21, Chalobah has still been involved in a squad with the majority of those players and likely will have picked up invaluable nuggets of experience which could be helpful in claret and blue. He has played in Europe’s premier competition, featuring nine times and getting on the scoresheet once.

Should the former England youth international make the switch from Stamford Bridge to Villa Park, it could be a repeat of Villa’s recent signing Ian Maatsen. Like a proposed move for Chalobah, the Dutchman was bought from the West London outfit, having also come through the esteemed Cobham academy. He cost £37.5m from Chelsea.

Not only that, but he also has Champions League experience, like the English defender. During a loan to Borussia Dortmund last term, he was part of the side that reached the final at Wembley before they fell to defeat at the hands of Real Madrid.

Not only would there be similarities between the signing of Chalobah to that of Maatasen, but he could also be a perfect partner for Ezri Konsa. The England international has become a key player under Emery and has featured 78 times under the tutelage of the Spaniard.

Why Chalobah would be perfect alongside Konsa

The pair are very similar when it comes to their stats via FBRef, with both defenders excellent on the ball and good defensively, too. For example, last season, the Chelsea defender averaged 4.34 ball recoveries per 90 minutes, with Villa’s number four averaging slightly less at 4.16.

They are also neck and neck when looking at the tackles and interception stats from the 2023/24 campaign. The Cobham graduate averaged 2.26 per game, although the Villa defender averaged slightly more, at 2.4.

In terms of their numbers on the ball, Chalobah averaged 2.92 progressive passes last term, which is far fewer than Konsa, who averaged an impressive 3.99 each game. Aside from being progressive on the ball, the pair look after the ball well, with the Chelsea defender averaging an 89.4% pass accuracy, and the Villa defender a 91.1% pass accuracy.

It certainly seems as those they would be two complementary defenders in Emery’s Villa system, which requires his centre-backs to be good on the ball and progress play forwards. They could become a dream pairing for the Spaniard.

Chalobah was described as a “seriously talented” defender by football scout Antonio Mango and given the Champions League pedigree he would bring, combined with the fact it would replicate the Maatsen move, which has already shown to be a good value-for-money signing, this could be a shrewd addition for from Villa.

Aston Villa could land dream signing for Rogers in move for £50k-p/w PL ace

The Villans have been touted with an interest in the impressive centre-forward this summer.

By
Dan Emery

Aug 26, 2024

Liverpool have offered a massive contract extension to Trent Alexander-Arnold as they attempt to ward off Real Madrid.

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• TAA's current contract ends in the summer
• Liverpool have tabled a £78m mega-deal
• Similar terms have been offered by Real

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to the the Reds have put forth a staggering contract extension to retain their star full-back amid intensifying interest from Real Madrid. The deal, reported worth £300,000 per week, is aimed at securing the 26-year-old’s long-term future at Anfield. However, the competition is fierce, as Madrid are ready to match Liverpool's terms while also including a significant signing bonus if Alexander-Arnold joins them as a free agent in the summer.

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  The enticing offers have left Alexander-Arnold facing a tough decision. On one side is Liverpool, his hometown club, where he has blossomed into a global footballing icon and remains a fan favourite. Staying would provide him the opportunity to cement his legacy as a Kop legend, while also earning £78 million ($97m) over the course of the new deal on offer. On the other side is Real Madrid, one of the most prestigious clubs in the world, offering the allure of becoming a "Galactico" and a chance to play alongside his close friend Jude Bellingham.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Liverpool’s management believes they have done everything within their power to persuade Alexander-Arnold to stay. The proposed deal represents the club's commitment to keeping him through the prime years of his career. Although no official demands for the captaincy have been made, Alexander-Arnold is seen as the natural successor to Virgil van Dijk, a testament to his leadership qualities and his value to the team.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ALEXANDER-ARNOLD?

  Madrid, eager to bring the England international to the Bernabeu, have reportedly prepared a £20m ($25m) bid to secure his services in January, despite the fact that he would hit free agency in the summer. Nonetheless, the defender is reportedly against making a mid-season move and is reluctant to disrupt Liverpool’s momentum in what could be a title-winning campaign for Arne Slot's side.

Manchester United have been offered the chance to sign a player who is currently without a club, according to a new report.

The Red Devils had a very busy transfer window, as they added five new players and also oversaw 13 departures. But the change in personnel hasn’t had the desired effect as yet, as the club has won just one of their three league games.

Their own Rabiot: Man Utd fans should be excited about 17 y/o academy star

The incredible youngster could have a bright future at the Theatre of Dreams.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 5, 2024

Christian Eriksen’s Man United future in doubt

As stated, Manchester United saw 13 faces leave the club over the course of the summer, with players such as Scott McTominay, Aaron Wan-Bissaka, and Jadon Sancho all departing. However, one player who didn’t leave Old Trafford and might have been expected to was midfielder Christian Eriksen.

The 32-year-old, who joined the club on a free transfer in the summer of 2022, is now in the final year of his contract, and there was an expectation that he would be moved on. However, that didn’t happen in the transfer window, but there has been talk it could still occur as some transfer windows around Europe remain open.

It was claimed earlier this week that Anderlecht are interested in signing the Denmark international, as the club’s chief executive, Jesper Fredberg, is a “long-term admirer” of the player.

However, the Belgian side is running out of time to get a deal completed, as their transfer window shuts on the 6th of September. There could also be a stumbling block, as the midfielder’s £150,000 wages may prove a sticking point. As Eriksen’s future at Old Trafford continues to be uncertain, the Red Devils have now been offered the chance to replace him.

Man United offered the chance to sign experienced free agent

According to HITC, Manchester United are one of a number of clubs to be offered the chance to sign Yusuf Yazici on a free transfer. The 45-cap Turkey international had been with French side Lille since 2019, but he now finds himself without a club after they decided not to renew his contract.

This report states that Turkish giants Galatasaray are leading the race for the attacking midfielder, but they also face competition from AC Milan, Lazio, and a host of Premier League clubs, including Man United. It goes on to add that Manchester United would only be able to add Yazici, who was once described as being “incredible” by former Arsenal player Mesut Özil, to their squad if they moved Eriksen on.

This isn’t the first time that United have been linked with a move for Yazici, as in 2019 the Red Devils were looking to sign him from Trabzonspor, and they were ready to bid €27m plus €4m in add-ons (a total of £26m) to add him to Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s squad. However, they missed out on his signing, and he instead joined Lille.

Arsenal players paid tribute to injured team-mate Gabriel Jesus by wearing shirts with his name on the back before their crunch clash with Tottenham.

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• Jesus suffers ACL injury against Man Utd
• Arsenal team pay tribute to injured team-mate
• Wear shirts with his name on before Spurs game

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Brazilian was stretchered off during Arsenal's FA Cup loss to Manchester United at the weekend, with it later being confirmed that the forward had suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury. Before the north London derby on Wednesday, the Arsenal players wore special commemorative shirts – having been ridiculed for planning to do so – for the 27-year-old.

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  At times, Arsenal have been struggling for goals in attack this season, particularly after losing Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard for parts of the campaign. If Jesus is out for the rest of 2024-25, their chances of winning trophies this term will have taken a huge blow.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Mikel Arteta's side wore shirts with the name "G. Jesus" and his number nine squad number. The top also featured a message that read: "Stay strong Gabby".

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  WHAT NEXT?

  It remains to be seen how long Jesus will be out injured for. After the Tottenham game, Arsenal host Aston Villa in the Premier League on Saturday.

Newcastle's players have been starring on international duty as several of them came in for high praise in the past week, with one being singled out as particularly impressive ahead of the Premier League return.

Hall among Newcastle players starring on international duty

Headlining Newcastle's international break was Anthony Gordon, who finally got a chance to impress for England in their Nations League opener against Ireland and seized it with both hands. The winger was a constant threat behind the Irish defence and saw plenty of praise across the media in the aftermath, handed an 8/10 rating by the Independent.

"Very lively, providing much needed pace and genuine width to the left wing – both of which were missing during the Euros – while also popping up in other dangerous areas. Should have scored shortly before Rice’s opener, but the diagonal run unlocked Ireland’s defence."

Another excellent performance lay in wait for his Newcastle teammate Alexander Isak, who has formed a formidable partnership with Viktor Gyokeres at international level. The Newcastle man grabbed two goals against Azerbaijan, before following it up with another clinical effort against Estonia.

There were also outings on the international stage for Miguel Almiron and Bruno Guimaraes, whose Paraguay and Brazil face off on Wednesday in the final round of international break fixtures.

And at youth level Newcastle stars impressed too; Lewis Hall caught the eye playing at left back for England's U21 side, with the former Chelsea man picking up two assists in a 4-1 thrashing of Austria on Tuesday evening.

Midfielder stars in both games for his country

That comes with Newcastle's returning midfielder Sandro Tonali scooping widespread praise for his pair of performances for the Azzurri over the international break.

Club think they'll agree deal for Newcastle's "unbelievable" star this week

He has been a superb player for Eddie Howe.

By
Henry Jackson

Sep 10, 2024

Still a youngster himself at 24 years of age, he has barely featured since penning his £120,000 a week deal on Tyneside 12 months ago courtesy of a gambling ban, but made his return to widespread acclaim against Tottenham just before the international break.

Called up Luciano Spalletti, he grabbed an assist against France before being asked to start his second game in a week against Israel. Though he did not contribute to either of his side's goals in their 2-1 win in Budapest, he came away having impressed plenty, and the Italian media were full of praise for his performance.

Sports Keeda handed him a 7.5/10, the joint-highest rating for anyone in an Italian shirt that evening, while others had similarly high praise.

“Not only does he create, but he shows an overflowing physical condition despite coming from a year of suspension. There is no way around it: with him in the construction phase, Italy is a different team and his value soars”, Eurosport Italy wrote.

Leggo handed him a 7/10, saying: “He covers a lot of kilometres and also puts in a lot of quality. A modern midfielder, capable of doing everything with great naturalness. He even comes close to scoring. He never stops. Inexhaustible.”

Now back from his ban, the Italian will undoubtedly be a massive bonus for Howe this season, with the Newcastle boss having previously singled him out for praise.

"He was magnificent. The goal, sometimes these things are just meant to happen, and he's arrived in the box and it’s a great finish", the Newcastle boss revealed after Tonali scored on his Toon debut last season. Should he be in the starting XI against Wolves?

It hasn't been the start to the Premier League season that fans of Tottenham Hotspur would have been hoping for over the summer.

Ange Postecoglou's side have played some brilliant football in their three games thus far, but a lack of clinical finishing has seen them draw away to Leicester City, win at home to Everton and then lose away to Newcastle United.

The Australian coach will need his attacking players to find their shooting boots ahead of this weekend's North London Derby, and while the team's defence was quite porous last season, there is undeniable quality there.

The main starters across the backline are some of the club's most valuable players, especially one of them who has seen his valuation soar in the last year or so.

Spurs' defensive stars

Okay, so the first thing to point out is that yes, Spurs did concede 61 times last season, and while that would suggest that their defence is subpar, most fans will tell you that's not the case.

Instead, the North Londoners' tendency to concede is more down to the ultra-attacking style of football employed by Postecoglou and his determination to play a high-line as well, and while that's caused issues at the back, it has also made Tottenham one of the most entertaining sides to watch in the country.

So, let's look at the value of some of the club's primary defenders, starting with Pedro Porro, who, after joining the club for around £40m in January 2023, has established himself as one of the best attacking fullbacks in the league.

In his 57 matches for the club, he has already racked up eight goals and ten assists, equating to a seriously impressive average – for a fullback – of a goal involvement once every 3.16 games.

Moving onto the Lilywhites' starting centre-back pairing, while Radu Dragusin is a talented player, he's firmly behind Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero.

The former cost Daniel Levy and Co a cool £43m just last summer, and while he has suffered from a worrying number of injuries in his career, his rapid pace makes him an essential component to Postecoglou's ultra-aggressive style of play.

Romero, on the other hand, cost Spurs just a fraction less at £42m, and made the move from Serie A side Atalanta in August 2021. While the World Cup winner isn't quite as fast as his defensive partner, he is the team's leader at the back and is co-vice captain alongside James Maddison.

Moreover, with Lionel Messi describing the Córdoba-born titan as the "best defender in the world", it would be fair to say that he might just be the most crucial member of Tottenham's back four.

However, the last player in this group is currently worth considerably more than the club paid for any of his defensive teammates, and it's not even close.

Destiny Udogie's valuation in 2024

Yes, the final key member of Tottenham's talented back four is, of course, Destiny Udogie, who was signed from Serie A outfit Udinese by Antonio Conte's Spurs in the summer of 2022 for just £15m plus add-ons.

The Verona-born star then remained in his home country for another season on loan before joining the North Londoners just as Postecoglou was doing the same.

The Australian took a liking to the 21-year-old's fearless style of play and attacking attributes and, even though he was a relative unknown to most football fans in England at the time, opted to make him his first-choice left-back – and what a decision that was.

In all, Conte's "masterclass signing," as talent scout Jacek Kulig described him, made 30 appearances last season. In those appearances, he scored two goals, provided three assists, and became Tottenham's first player ever to be nominated for the Premier League's Young Player of the Season Award.

Unsurprisingly, such a rapid development from an obscure name to one of the best full-backs in the league has seen his valuation soar. According to the CIES Football Observatory, he is now worth up to €83m, which converts to about £70m, or a 366% increase on the fee paid by the club two years ago.

Ultimately, Spurs are blessed with a seriously talented back four, and while they are all worth a considerable sum of money, the explosion in Udogie's value is a testament to his importance to the club.

Spurs flop who Poch sold for just £8m is now outscoring Richarlison

The international striker has rediscovered his goalscoring touch away from North London.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 10, 2024