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أعلن محمد أسامة رئيس الجهاز الطبي بنادي الزمالك عن تفاصيل إصابة مصطفى الزناري ومحمد عاطف لاعبا الفريق خلال ودية البنك الأهلي التي أقيمت مساء اليوم الجمعة.

وتعادل الزمالك مع البنك الأهلي بنتيجة 3-3، في المواجهة الودية التي أقيمت بينهما باستاد بتروسبورت في إطار الاستعداد لاستئناف مسابقة الدوري المصري.

طالع | الزمالك يتعادل مع البنك الأهلي بثلاثية وديًا

وقال محمد أسامة في تصريحات عبر المركز الإعلامي للزمالك، إن مصطفى الزناري تعرّض للإصابة بإجهاد في العضلة الخلفية.

وتابع: “الجهاز الطبي فضل عدم المجازفة باللاعب وتم استبداله على الفور خلال مباراة اليوم أمام البنك الأهلي”.

وأضاف رئيس الجهاز الطبي أن محمد عاطف لاعب الفريق تعرض لإصابة بكدمة في الركبة خلال ودية اليوم وحالته مطمئنة.

Arsenal are thought to be interested in a move for Galatasaray defender Victor Nelsson, however, one journalist has stated he isn’t the only option for the Gunners.

Are Arsenal signing any more players?

Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar have been busy when it comes to new arrivals this summer, with Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, Jurrien Timber and David Raya all brought to north London.

The club have spent around £200m on new players but have brought in just £29m through player sales, something which those at the Emirates are looking to increase in the final days of the window.

According to The Daily Mail, Arsenal are looking to raise around £100m by moving players on, one of which appears to be forward Folarin Balogun. Another who has been linked with an exit and could still well depart is centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes, and if the Brazilian departs, a move for another defender could be on the cards due to the serious injury suffered by Timber on the opening weekend.

This is where Nelsson comes in, with journalist Rudy Galetti taking to X on Thursday to share what he knows about the defender’s future. The reporter claimed that Nelsson is one of four targets for the Gunners at the back, with the player having a €25m (£21m) release clause in his deal.

“After injury of Timber, Arsenal are looking for a new centre-back. In the AFC's list there are 4 options: one of them is Victor Nelsson. The Galatasaray player has a release clause of €25m.”

Another defender who has recently been linked with the Gunners is Crystal Palace’s Marc Guehi, whereas Torino’s Perr Schuurs has also been rumoured to be a target.

Who is Victor Nelsson?

Nelsson is 24 years of age and is primarily a centre-back who can also turn out as a holding midfielder when needed. The Denmark international appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €18m Transfermarkt valuation and began his career in his native country.

The centre-back came through the academy at FC Nordsjaelland and made 98 senior appearances for the club before joining FC Copenhagen, where he would go on to feature on 87 occasions.

Read The Latest Arsenal Transfer News HERE…

He then moved to Galatasaray in 2021 and has turned out 86 times for his current employers, seemingly catching the eye in England following links to Tottenham and Nottingham Forest earlier this summer.

Described as a “Danish lion” and a “great athlete” in the media, Nelsson could prove to be a shrewd signing for a relatively respectable £21m fee late in the window, should things fall into place.

Arsenal currently has William Saliba, Jakub Kiwior, Rob Holding, Gabriel and the injured Timber as centre-back options, whereas right-backs Ben White and Takehiro Tomiyasu can also feature in central roles, so you could argue that the Gunners are fairly well stocked even if Gabriel departs.

However, Arteta may well want to bolster his ranks even further, so a move for Nelsson could be one to keep an eye on in the final days of the window.

Last season, Arsenal commendably pushed Manchester City in the Premier League title race, but Pep Guardiola’s experienced squad eventually overpowered the Gunners.

Ultimately, a lack of squad depth contributed to their loss of form at the crucial latter stages of the campaign.

However, Mikel Arteta is set to formulate another title bid, with Declan Rice, Jurrien Timber, and Kai Havertz having been added to the team. The club is also on the verge of completing a deal for Brentford goalkeeper David Raya as Arsenal prepare to play Champions League football for the first time since 2017.

The North Londoners still have room to be active in the transfer market, with Mohammed Kudus linked to the Emirates Stadium.

What’s the latest on Mohammed Kudus to Arsenal?

According to the Daily Star, Arteta is still keen to bolster his midfield options, with Kudus on the shortlist.

Read the latest Arsenal transfer news HERE…

Last week, Brighton had reached an agreement in principle with Ajax to sign the 23-year-old for a fee in the region of €40m (£34.5m), which would be a club-record purchase, surpassing the £30m that was paid for Joao Pedro.

The article had stated that Kudus was ‘close’ to agreeing personal terms with the Seagulls, with Roberto De Zerbi viewing the playmaker as a ‘key target.’

Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how the Ghanaian will react if the high-flying Gunners initiate formal contact. His repertoire and adaptability would make him an esteemed addition to any side.

Would Mohammed Kudus be a good signing for Arsenal?

The 5 foot 9 livewire has been at Ajax since 2020, but last term he emphatically rose to European prominence in what was a stirring breakout season.

Described as “electric” by Football Talent Scout Jacek Kulig, Kudus recorded 25 goal involvements in 42 appearances. His rank within the best 3% outside of Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for non-penalty goals per 90, non-penalty xG per 90, and successful take-ons per 90 demonstrate that he is ready to elevate his career by moving to a competitive division.

Arguably his most attractive trait is his impressive versatility – as per The Athletic in their series of profiling 50 exciting players under the age of 25 – the attacker has accumulated 2,272 minutes since the start of the 2021/22 season, playing 22% of the time as a striker, 40% as a right-winger and 35% in midfield roles.

This type of player closely mirrors what Kai Havertz also supposedly offers Arsenal. The German moved to North London earlier in the window, after spending three seasons at Chelsea.

With the Blues, the German was most often deployed as a centre-forward, and despite netting the winning goal in the 2021 Champions League final, he failed to produce any notable or long-lasting consistency.

But, Arteta views the former Bayer Leverkusen prodigy as an advanced eight, who can drift into attacking phases of play from a deeper position with more freedom, instead of being rigidly cemented as a focal point.

Nevertheless, Havertz began the recent Community Shield match as the striker, which shows that Arteta will also consider fielding him up top if needs be.

Interestingly, the possible arrival of Kudus would also afford the Spanish coach this kind of luxury.

Therefore, the 24-cap international would be a tremendously exciting signing that could trump Havertz’s influence and proposed role.

Nottingham Forest are still on the search for new additions who can add much-needed quality to the squad this season, and now a fresh update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

Who do Nottingham Forest want to sign?

According to La Stampa (via TuttoJuve), Nottingham Forest are interested in signing star from Juventus this summer.

The player in question is Filip Kostic but Garibaldi chiefs are yet to make a concrete offer.

As per the report, the Serie A giants are willing to part ways with their player this summer to bolster funds and are commanding a €15m (£13m) fee to part ways with the Serbian.

What is Filip Kostic's play style?

The Juventus ace is an extremely versatile and dynamic left-sided player who can play as a left-back, left-winger or a flying left-wing back, with the latter being the most likely role he would be required to play at the City Ground.

Steve Cooper has a number of roles that he is looking to fill over the remaining weeks of the transfer window to ensure Forest can comfortably compete in the Premier League season and the pressure will be mounting after taking their first defeat of the campaign against Arsenal on Saturday.

As a result, the signing of Kostic would add huge quality and a wealth of experience to the team, providing Cooper with a strong creative outlet and dominant presence to work with this season.

The Serbia international – once hailed "extraordinary" by former Frankfurt sporting director Fredi Bobic – is one of the most underrated progressive and prolific wing-backs in the top five European leagues – ranking in the top 10% of positional peers for shots on goal, assists, shot-creating actions, progressive carries and progressive passes received.

As such, the Tricky Trees boss could even land his very own Ivan Perisic as the Tottenham Hotspur wing-back is named as one of the most comparable players to Kostic over the last 12 months, as per FBref.

When comparing Kostic's output to Perisic's last season, the Juve machine shared many similarities with the Spurs star including assists registered (8 v 8), shots on target rate (28.9% v 27.6%), pass completion (68.1% v 63.6%), shot-creating actions per 90 (3.21 v 3.20), goal-creating actions (0.41 v 0.47), successful take-ons (43.6% v 45%) and aerial duels won (50% v 50.8%).

It paints the picture that both are confident in possession with the ability to surge forward at will down the flanks.

Three-time Serie A winner Massimo Bonini waxed lyrical about Kostic in an interview, summarising his best qualities aptly:

“(Kostic) is a great player. He is good in one-v-ones. He creates a lot of assists, and is now also managing to score goals. He is always able to find the right time to cross the ball, despite the presence of defenders."

Meanwhile, former Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner revealed the Serbian's strongest quality:

"Filip has the outstanding ability to see the free man in the middle under the highest pressure. And the technical quality to find him."

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Forest to secure Kostic's signature this summer as he could be the huge game-changer needed in the attacking threat on Trentside and could be the difference in competing in the top-flight or suffering another relegation scrap this season.

Kenya’s win took them to fourth on the points table while Netherlands maintained first place

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2017
ICCCollins Obuya’s steady half-century shepherded Kenya to a two-wicket win against Netherlands in a chase that turned a bit shaky towards the end, courtesy Peter Borren’s two wickets late in the chase. The win moved Kenya to fourth on the tournament’s points table.A middling target of 225 was not the real challenge for Kenya as much as the regular wickets that fell in their chase. They began the last 10 overs needing 49 runs with five wickets in hand and the settled sixth-wicket pair of Obuya and Nelson Odhiambo, went about taking Kenya gradually closer. However, Netherlands had a glimmer when they dismissed Nelson and Gurdeep Singh in the space of a few overs. Obuya, however, thwarted those hopes with his second consecutive List A half-century against Netherlands. Obuya’s innings built on a stabilizing half-century from Dhiren Gondaria (69), who also made his second-successive List A fifty against Netherlands.Netherlands’ position at the top of the WCL Championship table was unaffected by the loss but they would rue the batting slump that prevented them from setting a higher target for Kenya. The openers, Stephan Myburgh and Wesley Barresi, had put together 120 runs in a little over 20 overs but Netherlands slumped once Barresi was out for a 74-ball 69: they went from 120 for 0 to 134 for 4 in a span of five overs, Shem Ngoche and Rakep Patel taking two each. Myburgh was also dismissed in that period for a 58-ball 50.Michael Rippon, who had a fifty in a win against Kenya two days back, fashioned a rescue act. His 75-ball 51 helped Netherlands eventually reach 224 for 9. Ngoche took his second List A five-for for returns of 4 for 33.The final matches of this round of the WCL Championship, between Hong Kong and Nepal, will be played on October 13 and 15 in Mong Kok.

West Brom have thrown their hat into the ring over a potential deal for Ao Tanaka, with reports suggesting that interest is mounting in the midfielder this summer.

Who is Ao Tanaka?

The 24-year-old currently plays for Dusseldorf in the second tier of German football, the 2.Bundesliga. Last season, he featured 22 times for the club as they finished fourth in the league, with the midfielder also managing one goal and one assist along the way in that division for his side. He originally joined them in the 2021/22 campaign and actually featured for them more in the league that year, with his game time dropping off slightly last time out.

Tanaka, who shares the same agency as Matt Phillips and Nathaniel Chalobah, began his career in his native Japan with Kawasaki Frontale, having been given his J1 League debut as a 19-year-old. He played only four times in that initial campaign but got his first taste of success as the club stormed to the league title.

He would go on to build on that trophy haul too, featuring much more prominently over the next four seasons as Frontale won a further two division titles. He eventually managed to rack up 79 league outings for them in total during his time there and produced eight goals and eight assists despite his position on the field.

These showings also led to Tanaka being called up to his national team of Japan. Having worked his way up through the youth ranks and played for their Under-16 and Under-23 sides, he was handed his debut back in 2019. The 24-year-old has since gone on to gather 19 caps on the international stage and has bagged three goals. The central player then, is both experienced with performing at the highest level with a club having won trophies in Japan and is experienced on the big stage in terms of playing for his country too.

Are West Brom signing Ao Tanaka?

Now, according to a report from Rheinische Post via West Brom News, there is interest in taking Tanaka to England this summer. West Brom are named as one of the clubs that are keeping a close eye on the midfielder, with Leicester another side that are weighing up a move to take him to the Championship.

No official bid has been made by any of these sides yet, but this report states that he could leave this transfer window as, whilst there is no move in the pipeline, things can change quickly. It does also add that interest is mounting, suggesting that perhaps there could be bids in the future.

If the Baggies were able to land Tanaka, then it could turn out to be a very good move. Carlos Corberan is trying to build a squad that is capable of pushing on and mounting at least a play-off push this season and Tanaka has the know-how of competing and winning titles.

Whilst he is obviously unproven in England having never played there previously, his level of experience in playing with his country and winning trophies could prove to be invaluable as West Brom aim to try and gain promotion from the Championship in 2023/24.

Glasgow Rangers have been active throughout the summer transfer window so far as Michael Beale has made seven additions to his playing squad.

Who have Rangers signed this summer?

The Light Blues head coach has been able to sign Kieran Dowell, Sam Lammers, Leon Balogun, Dujon Sterling, Cyriel Dessers, and Jack Butland on permanent deals, whilst Abdallah Sima has joined on loan from Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion.

There is still more than a month to run before the deadline passes, though, and the Scottish giants are still in the market to land another number nine, as they are reportedly pursuing a deal for Feyenoord ace Danilo.

The Daily Record recently reported that the Gers have had an offer of around £5.2m rejected by the Dutch club, who are holding out for a fee of more than £6m for their second-choice striker.

Jordan Campbell, of The Athletic, has claimed that the 24-year-old marksman is being eyed as a 'hybrid' forward to start alongside Dessers in the attack.

Beale could, however, find a dream alternative for that role by swooping for Montenegro international Nikola Krstovic, who was reportedly priced out of a move to Ibrox earlier this year.

How much would Nikola Krstovic cost Rangers?

Football Insider claimed that Dunajska Streda valued that prolific machine at up to £5m in order to ward off interest from the Light Blues.

Yet, the club's £5.2m offer for Danilo suggests that they are now willing to shell out that kind of fee for a striker, which could open the door for them to go back in for the 23-year-old dynamo.

Krstovic could be perfectly suited to a hybrid role alongside another attacker as the Streda hotshot has played out wide earlier in his career and has showcased his ability to score goals as well as create them.

He produced an outstanding 26 goals and four assists across 35 appearances in all competitions for his current club last season, which included 18 goals in 27 league matches – two more strikes than any Rangers player managed in the Scottish Premiership in that time.

His 1.3 key passes per game across three European Championship qualifiers for Montenegro earlier this year is also more than any Gers striker produced in the league last term, which shows that the talented youngster could suit playing alongside another striker due to his potential creative spark.

Danilo, on the other hand, scored 14 goals and provided four assists in 48 games for Feyenoord throughout the 2022/23 campaign and only created 0.6 Eredivisie chances per clash.

This came after he managed 15 goals and five assists across 26 matches for Ajax's first-team and U21 side combined the previous year.

These statistics suggest that the potential is there for Krstovic, who was once described as a "clinical" forward by journalist Josh Bunting, to be a dream alternative to the Brazilian target due to his superior return in front of goal.

Whilst there is no guarantee that the Montenegro international will be able to translate his form over to Scottish football, Feyenoord's stubborn approach to negotiations for Danilo could force the Light Blues to look elsewhere and the £5m fee for the Streda marksman could represent a worthwhile gamble based on his impressive form last term.

Leeds United could finally be set to begin their summer spending on the first team, with defensive additions an unsurprising priority…

Who are Leeds United signing?

With Daniel Farke now installed as manager, there should be little standing in the way of the Whites' impending revolution.

The hope will be that their new German boss can make the necessary changes to turn them into a force capable of dominating the Championship at the first time of asking, having just been relegated from the top flight.

Putting aside the addition of Lewis Pirie as one for the future, a report from German outlet Bild now suggest that the Yorkshire outfit are set to battle for the signature of Bayern Munich goalkeeper Alexander Nubel as their first big acquisition of this new regime.

With the 26-year-old having seen little game time for the Bavarian giants, it seems he is now set to take his career into his own hands and stake his claim as a number one elsewhere. Football Transfers value the German at just €13m (£11m).

Who is Alexander Nubel?

As a product of the SC Paderborn academy, eventually making his mark at Schalke 04, Bayern were willing recipients of the shot-stopper who joined them on a free transfer in 2020.

However, since moving he has seen his career stagnate somewhat, having been moved into a supplementary role behind the legendary Manuel Neuer, and since forced out on loan. He has played just four times for the club, and most recently spent a two-year loan at AS Monaco.

It is this stint in France that has put him in the shop window though, given his strong performances that have unsurprisingly garnered interest.

Most recently, Nubel would maintain a 6.93 average rating in Ligue 1, which was a figure buoyed by the staggering 3.7 saves he would make per game, keeping nine clean sheets in the process, via Sofascore. Despite a lack of play time before this loan, he has shown little signs of rust.

European football expert Kevin Hatchard sought to detail exactly what made the keeper such a unique asset back in 2019, which is sure to have only improved with this experience. He told talkSPORT: "He is the captain of Schalke and a goalkeeper in his early 20s. He is a very good goalkeeper with a [Manuel] Neuer vibe about him. He’s good with his feet, commanding, and he’s got a bit of arrogance about him which I don’t think is a terrible thing."

To pair this erratic but ultimately solid star with Leeds' sole defensive shining light in Wober, Farke could immediately form the foundations of a new-look backline that could put aside their defensive frailties of recent years.

Last campaign in the Premier League saw the Whites ship 78 goals, the most in the division.

However, having joined the club in January, the Austria international proved himself to be more than capable of holding his own at this level.

He maintained a 6.84 average Sofascore rating in the league, with his defensive statistics feeding into such an admirable figure for a side that fell to the drop. He would record 1.7 interceptions, 1.6 tackles and four clearances per game, with his rating actually making him the third-best performer within the squad, of those who featured more than five times, via Sofascore.

His solidity would complement well with the unpredictable nature of Nubel, whilst it is this instinctive play style that likely caught the eye of Bayern, and has allowed him to impress in Monaco.

He could answer Farke's prayers towards finally shoring up Leeds' notoriously leaky defence.

As Football FanCast previews the opening weekend to the 2023/24 Premier League season, we’ve taken a look at Newcastle United vs Aston Villa in a game between two sides who unexpectedly impressed in the last campaign.

When is the match and is it on UK TV?

Newcastle vs Aston Villa plays host to the season’s first Saturday Night Football installment on Sky Sports on Saturday, August 12, 5:30pm BST.

The fixture kicks off Unai Emery’s first full season in charge at Aston Villa after a stellar stint in charge so far, which saw the Villains go from relegation contenders to qualifying for the Europa Conference League by the end of the season.

Eddie Howe, meanwhile, will be hoping for a repeat from his side, as they look to make it back-to-back top-four finishes.

Every Opening day premier League fixture in full

Who is Newcastle United's key player?

When thinking of Newcastle United’s key players, it’s hard to look past Callum Wilson.

The England international had a season to remember last time out, scoring a total of 18 Premier League goals.

With that confidence, Wilson should only enjoy a repeat in the forthcoming campaign, too, as should Newcastle, as a whole.

As Alexander Isak continues to offer plenty of competition, Wilson may well step things up another gear or two, resulting in even more goals for the Magpies.

Who is Aston Villa's key player?

Just like Newcastle, Aston Vila’s key player comes from within their frontline, with Ollie Watkins the dangerman.

Under Steven Gerrard, some may have been worried about the direction in which Watkins was heading. Since the arrival of Emery, however, the former Brentford striker has been a man transformed, ending the season on 15 Premier League goals.

Watkins’ battle against fellow England striker Wilson will certainly be an interesting one on the opening day.

How will Newcastle United line-up?

With a long summer ahead, Newcastle may well introduce some fresh faces on the opening night of the Premier League season.

The biggest move that the Magpies have been linked with so far is for Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella.

According to Luke Edwards, Mike McGrath and Matt Law of The Times, Newcastle are closing in on a move for the midfielder this summer, in what could be one of the deals of the transfer window.

With that said, here’s how Newcastle could line up against Aston Villa: Nick Pope; Kieran Trippier; Sven Botman; Fabian Schar; Dan Burn; Nicolo Barella; Joelinton, Bruno Guimaraes; Miguel Almiron, Alexander Isak, Callum Wilson

How will Aston Villa line-up?

Having already signed Youri Tielemans on a free deal this summer, Emery has the option to throw the former Leicester City midfielder straight into his Aston Villa side to face Newcastle on the opening day.

The Frenchman will also be boosted by the return of a fully fit Diego Carlos, who missed the majority of last season through injury after signing for the club last summer.

It remains to be seen who else Villa will welcome this summer, but here’s how they could line up against Newcastle: Emiliano Martinez; Matty Cash; Tyrone Mings; Diego Carlos; Lucas Digne; Douglas Luiz, Youri Tielemans; Emi Buendia; John McGinn; Jacob Ramsey; Ollie Watkins

What were the last five meetings between the two teams?

In the last five meetings between these two sides, both Newcastle and Aston Villa have two wins apiece with one solitary draw.

The last time they squared off, of course, saw Villa shock Howe’s side by brushing them aside to comfortably win 3-0 at Villa Park.

There’s no doubt that Newcastle will be looking for revenge after an afternoon to forget last time out.

A positive for the Magpies is the fact that Villa’s last trip to St James’ Park ended in a 4-0 victory.

With that said, here are the last five results:

April 2023: Aston Villa 3-0 Newcastle United October 2022: Newcastle United 4-0 Aston Villa February 2022: Newcastle United 1-0 Aston Villa August 2021: Aston Villa 2-0 Newcastle United March 2021: Newcastle United 1-1 Aston Villa Who is going to win?

No doubt a tight affair, given how impressive both sides were last season, we could be in for a blockbuster opening to the 2023/24 Premier League campaign.

As both sides look to pick up where they left off, we can’t see past an entertaining draw between two of the most exciting teams in the league when they are in their best form.

FFC predicts: Draw

Tottenham Hotspur have instigated "conversations" with Bundesliga side Bayer Leverkusen over the services of the centre-half Edmond Tapsoba, claims transfer insider Dean Jones.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news – What's the latest on Edmond Tapsoba?

It's been a busy start to the transfer window for the Lilywhites, with the club confirming the signing of Italian international keeper Guglielmo Vicario from Serie A side Empoli earlier this week for a fee of £17m.

Not to be outdone by their free-spending neighbours, Tottenham went big themselves and announced the marque signing of England international James Maddison from the relegated Leicester City this week for a fee of £40m.

For as good as those signings are, the area of the team in desperate need of attention is defence.

With the side shipping a disastrous 63 goals in the Premier League last season and the departure of Clement Lenglet, who has returned to Barcelona, it's an area of the team that could cost them next season if not addressed as soon as possible.

However, Daniel Levy and Co. seem to be well aware of this and have identified 24-year-old Burkina Faso international Tapsoba as one of a few potential targets for the heart of the defence, per football.london.

A deal to sign the Leverkusen star could also be cheaper than one might first expect, with the Express reporting that Ange Postecoglou could land his man for as little as £25m this summer.

There have been two other defensive names linked to Spurs this window, the first being Wolfsburg's Micky van de Ven, and the other Fulham's want-away Tosin Adarabioyo.

What has Dean Jones said about Tapsoba?

Jones revealed that whilst there have been links to van de Ven and Adarabioyo, Tapsoba was still the most likely of the three players to join the Lilywhites' defence this summer.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, he said: "Tapsoba is the one I've heard the most about in terms of the three of those."

The respected journalist also revealed that conversations between the sides have commenced, adding: "Conversations are open now, so it'll be interesting to see how those progress and whether Tottenham become convinced that he is the player that they want to go ahead and sign."

Would Tapsoba be a good signing for Tottenham Hotspur?

The 24-year-old has excelled during his time in Germany, playing 137 times for the Die Schwarzroten since joining just three years ago.

Last season was another great year for the 6 foot 4 "monster" – as once described by journalist Antonio Mango. According to WhoScored, across his 33 Bundesliga games, he averaged a good match rating of 6.64.

It was even better in European competitions, as in his eight games in the Europa League, he averaged a seriously impressive match rating of 7.28.

His underlying numbers are equally brilliant.

According to FBref, who comp[are players in a similar position across Europe's top five leagues, Tapsoba sits in the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 6% for successful take-ons, the top 8% for progressive carries, the top 10% attempted passes, and the top 15% for shot-creating actions, all per 90.

Those numbers highlight that alongside his defensive nouse, the defensive gem could also thrive in a more attacking set-up, something that would pair perfectly with Ange Postecoglou's footballing philosophy, one rooted in entertaining football.

If Spurs can get this deal over the line, it could prove excellent business for years to come.