Tottenham Hotspur's recruitment team and chairman Daniel Levy have already been busy in January, but there's still a possibility of further signings.

Spurs could still sign a new midfielder

Manager Ange Postecoglou, speaking ahead of their clash with Man City in the FA Cup on Friday evening, said he is happy with Spurs' January business but also refused to rule out more incomings.

£34m star among favourites to join Spurs as Ange targets "elite" signing

He could come in to replace a big figure.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 25, 2024

The Australian declared that his side will look to take advantage of opportunities which present themselves, coming amid reports Spurs want to sign a new central midfielder.

"In terms of the rest of the transfer window, I was really pleased that the initial objectives we had in our head, which were someone in at centre-half and someone in the forward positions, that we ticked those off pretty early," said Postecoglou on the final days of January.

"And it’s not just been that we did them early, but they’re two guys who have really benefitted from having 10 days in the building with us, training, adjusting and all that. Both Timo and Radu are both in a really good place to help us going forward. As for what happens with the rest of it going forward, as I said last time, we’re always alert and doing work and if we can improve the squad we’ll look to do that. And if there are potentially any outgoings, we’re ready for that depending on what happens."

Spurs have been heavily linked with Chelsea star Conor Gallagher, but as we fast approach deadline day, the possibility of his arrival grows smaller and smaller given just the size of this deal.

While some in the game maintain a belief that Gallagher to Tottenham is still possible, Chelsea could demand as much as £60 million to part company with the 23-year-old.

Tottenham could make "cheap" move for Buck

Alternatives have been mentioned as a result, like Atalanta star Ederson or Blackburn's Adam Wharton. CBS reporter Ben Jacobs, speaking to The Last Word on Spurs podcast this week, suggests a bargain option could be New England Revolution ace Noel Buck.

Jacobs says Tottenham could sign Buck as a possibility this month and it is believed he'd cost a "cheap" fee in the region of £5-6 million.

“Kasey McAteer at Leicester, I have mentioned him before, that could grow legs," said Jacobs when discussing midfielders who could join Spurs.

"Noel Buck isn’t impossible. He’s currently at New England Revolution, Tottenham’s interest is historical. So if they are to reignite that they will have to move rather than continue anything ongoing, but the fee there is quite cheap, only £5-6m."

The MLS sensation has made 27 league appearances for New England over their latest campaign, scoring three goals and registering an assist, and their USA manager Gregg Berhalter has already called him a "really strong" player.

Buck has represented England at Under-19 level but would still potentially be eligible to play for the US national team, as he is a dual-national.

Manchester United have had numerous fantastic duos over the years, such as Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, Paul Scholes and Roy Keane, and of course Wayne Rooney and Robin van Persie.

However, one that stands out above all is Cristiano Ronaldo and Rooney, who developed a telepathic relationship as youngsters.

Erik ten Hag is attempting to reinstall the focus on developing youth and recreate that famous duo, with a handful of players becoming key to the Red Devils rebuild.

With that in mind, let's take a look at the dangerous pairing that could become Man United's next Rooney and Ronaldo.

The Rooney and Ronaldo dream duo

Sir Alex Ferguson's signing of Ronaldo and Rooney in consecutive summers during the early 2000's for a combined fee of £43m is arguably the best piece of business the club has completed in modern memory.

From 2006 to 2009 – when Ronaldo left for Real Madrid – Rooney, or the Portugal legend, was the top scorer across all competitions, with the 2007/08 season being the highlight of their time together. The number seven scored an insane 42 goals in 49 matches across all competitions, while Rooney registered 32 goal contributions in 43 games.

To sum up just how remarkable they were together, their combined goals over five seasons was 236 across all competitions, which is absolutely crazy.

With the two stars in the Red Devils attack, United notably won three Premier League titles and the Champions League, and Ten Hag will be hoping his new version of the duo can deliver similar success in the near future.

The new version of Rooney and Ronaldo

This season for United has been both frustrating yet somewhat promising, with the recent form of Kobbie Mainoo, Alejandro Garnacho, and Rasmus Hojlund bringing excitement back to the Red Devils faithful, and the latter two have shown signs of becoming the next deadly duo to become heroes for their club.

Their relationship has particularly blossomed since the turn of the year, with them both taking most of the attacking responsibility in the side, despite Hojlund being just 21 and Garnacho being 19.

Since Boxing Day, the Argentine has scored four goals and provided two assists, while the Dane has become a record breaker, holding the status of the youngest-ever Premier League player to score in six consecutive games with an output of eight goals and two assists in his last eight.

Putting their team on their back, showing the courage to never let their head drop despite making mistakes, and continuously wanting to improve are admirable traits of the duo, and they’re very much like both Rooney and Ronaldo in that sense.

Starts

17

17

Goals

7

5

Assists

2

3

xG

6.48

5.30

Total shots per game

1.4

2.6

Former United player Michael Owen called Garnacho "incredible, – with the winger having also been dubbed a "young Cristiano" by Paul Scholes – while broadcaster Joe Thomlinson said that Hojlund is “ridiculous,” and in truth, they’re certainly living up to that reputation.

The future of Man United is extremely exciting, and for once, there is a sense of progress at the club. If the Red Devils are going to become the giant that they used to be on the field, then Garnacho and Hojlund will both be at the forefront of it.

Tottenham Hotspur returned to winning ways in the Premier League over the weekend as they beat Brighton & Hove Albion 2-1 at home on Saturday.

The Lilywhites bounced back from a 2-2 draw with Everton by securing a win over Roberto De Zerbi's side, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Brennan Johnson.

Heung-min Son, on his first appearance since returning from international duty, supplied the assist with a perfect cross to the back post for the former Nottingham Forest attacker to convert into an empty net.

It was a third Premier League goal of the season for the Wales international, whilst Timo Werner failed to register a goal or an assist on the opposite flank.

Both players arrived at Spurs this term, with the former in the summer and the latter in January, but some may wonder what could have been with one of the club's reported targets.

Tottenham's interest in Wolves star

During the January transfer window, it was reported that Tottenham and Liverpool both had an interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers star Hee-chan Hwang.

Football Insider claimed that both clubs were monitoring his performances as the South Korea international had been on fire in the Premier League for Gary O'Neil's side.

The outlet claimed that a move ahead of the second half of the 2023/24 campaign was unlikely but added that Wolves are fearful of a summer exit for their impressive attacker.

There was no mention at the time of how much it would have cost Spurs to sign him in January, or how much they are prepared to demand at the end of the season.

Ultimately, Tottenham did not decide to test Wolves' resolve with an offer to sign Hwang and missed out on acquiring his services last month.

Whilst they may revisit their interest in the summer, Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy could have landed an upgrade on Werner, who they signed on loan from RB Leipzig, if they had convinced their rivals to part way with Hwang, who has more goals and assists than Johnson this season.

Brennan Johnson's season in numbers

The Welsh whiz has made 21 appearances in the top-flight since his move from Nottingham Forest and has failed to provide consistent quality in the final third.

His finishing has left a lot to be desired as the 22-year-old winger has scored three goals from an xG of 4.80, which suggests that he has let his teammates down at times with wasteful finishing.

Whereas, his fellow attackers have more than made the most of the chances that Johnson has created for them, as the young gem has recorded four assists from an xA of 1.93.

In total, the Spurs forward has produced three goals and four assists in 24 matches in all competitions, with three appearances in the two domestic cups, which is a return of one goal or assist every 3.43 games on average.

It has been far from a perfect first season at Tottenham for Johnson but he has plenty of time left, at the age of 22, to develop and improve over the years to come.

Whereas, Werner, 27, was brought in to make an instant impact on loan and Hwang would have offered far more than him at the top end of the pitch.

Werner's struggles in front of goal

The Germany international joined the club from RB Leipzig last month and registered an assist on his debut against Manchester United at Old Trafford.

Werner is five appearances into his career in North London and is still on the search for his first goal for the club, although he did add another assist in the 3-2 win over Brentford at the end of January.

His lack of consistent quality in the final third should not come as any real surprise given his struggles with Leipzig during the first half of the season.

The 27-year-old winger scored two goals, from 2.36 xG, and failed to provide a single assist, from 0.10 xA, in eight Bundesliga outings for the German side. He also ended up with zero goals and zero assists in four Champions League matches for his parent club.

In total, Werner has two goals and three assists to his name in 19 appearances in all competitions for Spurs and Leipzig combined so far this season, which is just shy of one goal contribution every four games on average.

This shows that the former Chelsea attacker has not provided outstanding quality as either a scorer or a creator of goals for either side, as a striker or a winger.

Why Hwang would be an upgrade on Werner

Meanwhile, Hwang's performances for Wolves this season suggest that Spurs could have brought in a better player than Werner – an upgrade – if they had secured his services in January.

The 28-year-old dynamo has proven his quality in the Premier League with a string of impressive displays for the Old Gold since O'Neil's arrival in the dugout last summer.

He has produced ten goals, three assists, and four 'big chances' created in 20 top-flight appearances, which includes 17 starts, and scored one goal in one EFL Cup match.

This means that Hwang has racked up 11 goals and three assists in 21 outings in all competitions for Wolves, which is a return of one goal or assist every 1.5 games, and that is seven more goal contributions than the aforementioned Johnson has managed.

Appearances

12

20

xG

2.93

5.96

Goals

Two

Ten

xA

1.07

2.34

Assists

Two

Three

Big chances created

One

Four

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the Old Gold star, who was recently hailed as "fantastic" by O'Neil, has offered more at the top end of the pitch than Werner throughout the 2023/24 campaign.

Whilst the German attacker has underperformed his xG with wasteful finishing, Hwang has been lethal in front of goal with roughly four more goals than expected.

The £70k-per-week whiz currently ranks within the top 6% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers for non-penalty goals (0.56) per 90, which illustrates how impressive his scoring has been in the top-flight.

Therefore, Spurs missed out on a big Werner upgrade, who has also outperformed Johnson, by opting against a swoop to sign the Wolves dynamo in January.

MatériaMais Notícias

A tarde de Arrascaeta foi histórica por dois três motivos: fez um belo gol, foi campeão da Supercopa do Brasil e, de quebra, levou um carroavaliado em cerca de R$ 200 mil (Kia Sportage), já que foi eleito o melhor jogador em campo, em votação popular – via Twitter.Neste domingo, o título do Flamengo veio com vitória sobre o Palmeiras por 6 a 5 no pênaltis, após empate em 2 a 2 no tempo regulamentar, no Mané Garrincha.

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Ainda sobre o Arrascaeta: o uruguaio marcou o terceiro gol em três jogos que realizou nesta temporada. Com o carro ainda no gramado, o camisa 14 reuniu o elenco e fez uma farra, com direito a “buzinaço” e cantoria. Veja:

SI NOS ORGANIZAMOS…

COMEMORAÇÃO NO CARRO DO ARRAXCA! ESQUECE! #SuperBiCampeão #EsseÉONossoLugar pic.twitter.com/ofYBYsJt0Z

— Flamengo (@Flamengo) April 11, 2021

Autor do primeiro gol do Fla, Arrascaeta também avaliou a histórica final:

– Jogo muito difícil. Palmeiras é um time muito qualificado, mas temos um grande goleiro, que mostrou isso mais uma vez. Saímos muito felizes – disse Arrascaeta, ao canal “SporTV”, emendando a respeito do brilho de Diego Alves:

– Acreditamos muito nele. Grande pegador de pênalti. Tinha ficado um pouquinho difícil, mas ele mostrou mais uma vez que é um dos melhores.

Diego Alves, cabe destacar, foi o protagonista na disputa da marca da cal: defendeu três cobranças.

Com o título, além do carro cedido a Arrascaeta,o Flamengo leva ainda R$ 5 milhões de premiação, paga pela Confederação Brasileira de Futebol (CBF).

+ Veja a tabela e o regulamento do Cariocão 2021

Agora, o Flamengo de Arrascaeta e Diego Alves volta o foco para o Carioca. O próximo jogo não valerá troféu, mas sempre é encarado como uma decisão. Nesta quarta, às 21h, o time de Rogério Ceni enfrenta o Vasco, em clássico válido pela 9ª rodada da Taça Guanabara, no Maracanã.

Glasgow Rangers were active throughout the January transfer window and completed their final signing on deadline day as they brought in Oscar Cortes on loan from RC Lens.

Mohammed Diomande and Fabio Silva had also been added to the squad on loan prior to the arrival of the young winger as Philippe Clement looked to bolster his squad.

The latter caught the eye as the Light Blues swatted Livingston aside at Ibrox with a comfortable 3-0 win in the Scottish Premiership on Saturday.

Fabio Silva	Vs Livingstone (via Sofascore)
Sofascore rating	7.6
Shots	Four
Goals	One
Big chances missed	One
Chances created	Two

As you can see in the table above, the Wolves loanee chipped in with a goal, which was an instinctive finish from close range after a scramble from a corner, and created opportunities for his teammates.

Rangers' pursuit of another striker

His impressive performance came after the Gers failed in their pursuit of another striker, as it was reported that the club wanted to bring in another number nine to compete with Silva and Cyriel Dessers.

Football Insider reported at the end of December that Rangers were keeping tabs on Hearts captain Lawrence Shankland as a possible target.

However, they added at the time that the Gers would be priced out of a swoop for the Scotland international in January as they were looking for a fee of at least £3m for their star striker.

It stated that the Ibrox giants would need to raise funds through player sales to afford the prolific marksman and they were unable to do that, which is highlighted by all three of their signings – Cortes, Silva, and Diomande – initially arriving on loan deals from their respective clubs.

Football Insider now claim that Rangers are 'eyeing' a summer swoop for the Scotland international, alongside a permanent deal for current loanee Abdallah Sima from Brighton & Hove Albion, to finally land a goalscorer.

The report states that qualification for the Champions League next season would significantly boost their chances of being able to strike deals for both players. Winning the Premiership would secure automatic qualification for the Gers should they best Celtic in the title race this season.

They add that Hearts have offered Shankland two 'record-breaking' offers to extend his current contract with the Jam Tarts, which is due to expire at the end of next term, but he is yet to put pen to paper.

This means that his future is up in the air and the door could be open for Rangers to swoop for the £3m-rated striker in the summer, when he will only have 12 months left to run on his deal.

It would represent Hearts' last opportunity to guarantee a fee for his services before a possible exit on a free in 2025, which the Gers could take advantage of with a move to add him to their squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

Clement could now avenge the club's deadline day howler of failing to sign a striker to bolster their side by signing Shankland, who would be a big upgrade on Dessers, in the summer.

Cyriel Dessers' struggles this season

The Nigerian centre-forward was snapped up from Italian side Cremonese ahead of the 2023/24 campaign and has endured a mixed bag in front of goal this season.

He arrived at Ibrox off the back of a fairly underwhelming season for his former club as they were relegated from the Serie A and the marksman only scored six goals from 7.15 xG in 26 league appearances.

His underperformance in the final third in Italy has carried over to Scotland as the experienced striker has been wasteful with the opportunities that have come his way for Rangers.

Dessers has scored eight goals and missed a staggering 13 'big chances' in 20 Premiership appearances for the Scottish giants so far this season.

Cyriel Dessers	Vs Livingston (via Sofascore)
Minutes played	14
Touches	Six
Duel success rate	0%
Pass success rate	0%
Big chances missed	One
Goals + assists	Zero

As you can see in the table above, the 29-year-old attacker struggled badly off the bench on Saturday as he spurned a good opening and left a lot to be desired with his passing and lack of strength, which has been an issue throughout the campaign with a ground duel success rate of 29%.

The stats that show why Shankland would be a big upgrade on Dessers

Rangers could land a big upgrade on Dessers and avenge their deadline day howler of not adding a terrific marksman to the group by signing Shankland in the summer.

He is a proven Premiership performer who has been lethal in front of goals for Hearts since the start of last season. The £3m-rated ace knows the division and knows how to find the back of the net.

Journalist Euan Robertson once hailed Shankland as being "clinical" and that is still very much the case based on his form over the last 18 months.

His quality was on full display for Hearts in the Premiership on Saturday as he was directly involved in all three of their goals in a 3-2 win over Dundee, as you can see in the table below.

Lawrence Shankland	Vs Dundee (via Sofascore)
Sofascore rating	9.6
Shots on target	Two
Goals	Two
Big chances missed	Zero
Big chances created	One
Assists	One

The 28-year-old ace is now up to 16 goals in 24 top-flight appearances for the Jam Tarts this season, and he has racked up that total with only seven 'big chances' missed.

His incredible form this term has come off the back of a return of 24 goals and 16 'big chances' missed in 37 league games during the 2022/23 campaign.

This means that Shankland has produced 40 goals and 23 'big chances' missed in 61 Premiership clashes for Hearts since the start of last season.

That is a phenomenal return in front of goal over a significant period of time and proves that he has the quality to be clinical when chances come his way, whereas Dessers has missed five more big chances than he has managed goals this term.

Therefore, the Scotland international has the ability to be a sensational signing for Rangers as a proven Premiership upgrade on the Nigerian forward, with more goals and fewer big chances missed, which is why his arrival in the summer would avenge their deadline day blunder of not signing a striker.

Leeds United have been dealt a "massive problem" after it emerged that their "technically gifted" star will miss the upcoming clash with current Championship leaders Leicester City after picking up yet another injury.

Leeds chasing down promotion

Relegated from the Premier League last season, Leeds are eyeing an immediate return to the top flight, but are being pushed all the way in what is one of the highest quality chasing packs in second tier history.

Daniel Farke's side have lost just six times all season and boast the best joint-best defensive record in the competition, but remain in a close-fought battle to ensure that they manage to occupy an automatic promotion spot come May, and now face a Leicester City side that have swept all before them so far this season.

In second place, Leeds are likely to be looking down rather than up as it stands. They sit nine points behind Friday's opponents with 13 games of the season left to play, but sit level with Ipswich (3rd) and just two points ahead of Southampton (4th) in what is shaping up to be a tightly-fought end to the season.

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A win over Leicester would allow them some breathing room, but defeat could see them slip out of the automatic promotion spots over the weekend, and could leave them looking at the prospect of the play-off lottery, with one of the four leading sides in England's second tier guaranteed to still be in it come the beginning of next season.

Team

Wins

Losses

Goals scored per game

Goals conceded per game

Points

Leicester City

25

5

2.09

0.79

78

Leeds United

21

6

1.85

0.79

69

Ipswich Town

20

4

1.97

1.33

69

Southampton

20

6

1.94

1.21

67

Bamford out of Leicester clash

The Elland Road outfit have seen their preparation for the top-of-the-table clash with the Foxes disrupted through injury, and it star man Patrick Bamford who is set to be forced to sit out the home match against the league leaders.

Bamford was once considered one of the shining talents of English football, but has seen his recent career ruined by injury. The 30-year-old has managed just six Championship starts so far this season, and only made his first on New Year's Day.

In the games since though, he has found form with four goals and an assist to help Leeds in their long winning run, leading to rumours Bamford is one of several Leeds stars in line for a new contract.

Now former Rangers and Tottenham defender Alan Hutton has had his say, with the BBC pundit backing Bamford to come back stronger despite yet another setback but ruing his seemingly injury-prone nature.

“It’s been a massive problem for him,” Hutton told Football Insider.

“Injuries have been a huge issue for Bamford through the years and it’s not ideal for him considering his form. But there’s nothing he can do about it. He can’t tell when he’s going to get injured and it’s just a real shame for him. We all know he can be an outstanding football player and has been recently."

“He’s technically gifted and I think he will come back as strong. But as soon as he hits form, he seems to get injured."

It is not all bad news for Bamford, and fortunately the injury doesn't seem too serious this time around, with Leeds boss Farke revealing that the striker will 'definitely' be fit for the FA Cup fifth-round clash with Chelsea in a week.

Richarlison is back at Tottenham for pre-season and is already working hard on his goal celebrations in the gym.

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• Brazilian star Richarlison back in the gym
• Shares epic celebration on social media
• Tottenham heading to Asia for pre-season

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tottenham's Brazilian star has been showing off his prowess on social media after returning to the club ahead of the 2024-25 Premier League season. The forward stripped down to his shorts and then hit an epic Cristiano Ronaldo-style goal celebration, much to the delight of team-mate Yves Bissouma.

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• WATCH THE CLIP

  Richarlison posted a video of his epic celebration on Instagram with the words: "Siiiiiiiii pombo is back."

• (C)Getty Images
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tottenham fans will certainly be hoping Richarlison's celebrations gets plenty of use next season for Angel Postecoglou's side. Richarlison scored 11 goals and bagged four assists for Spurs last campaign but struggled with injury at times, which also saw him left out of Brazil's squad for the Copa America.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TOTTENHAM

  Tottenham and Richarlison are due to jet off to South Korea and Japan for a pre-season tour of Asia in July and August. The team's first Premier League game of the season is against newly-promoted Leicester City on August 18.

Sadio Mane is reportedly “not comfortable” alongside Cristiano Ronaldo at Al-Nassr, with a shock switch to their Saudi rivals being speculated on.

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Senegalese moved to Middle East in 2023Hit 19 goals alongside Portuguese superstarCould now link up with Benzema at Al-IttihadWHAT HAPPENED?

The former Liverpool star made his way to the Middle East in 2023 when severing ties with Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich after just one season in Germany. He signed a three-year deal with Al-Nassr, but may see another agreement cut short after only 12 months.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

According to , Mane is already mulling over his options. He took in 50 appearances for Al-Nassr in the 2023-24 campaign, contributing 19 goals to the collective cause. The 32-year-old forward is, however, said to be feeling unsettled.

DID YOU KNOW?

He is not looking for a way out of the Saudi Pro League, having embraced the riches on offer there, but would welcome another change of scenery. Having spent time working alongside Ronaldo, it is being suggested that Mane could link up with former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema at Al-Ittihad.

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GettyWHAT NEXT?

A loan switch is being mooted, with Al-Nassr reluctant to write Mane off completely. It may be that he rediscovers his spark elsewhere and returns to their squad to see out the final year of his contract. Ronaldo – who hit 50 goals last season – could have moved on by then as his record-breaking deal is due to expire in the summer of 2025.

Tottenham Hotspur are enjoying success under Ange Postecoglou and there is every possibility that the club will return to the Champions League next season after failing to qualify for European football at all last year.

It's also quite clear that Postecoglou is building something set to last in north London, shrewdly signing talented players and encouraging the quality of the existing crop back into the limelight.

Tottenham were made mincemeat of on too many occasions last season and Postecoglou's appointment was crucial to prevent further woes, a plummet into the abyss of midtable.

Last weekend, victory over Brighton & Hove Albion pushed Spurs back into fourth place and Aston Villa's home defeat against Manchester United the next day confirmed the position – with just 14 matches left to play in the Premier League, there is hope indeed.

While this senior success is at the forefront of the club's current endeavours, the formative fold are actually surpassing Postecoglou's men and top the Premier League 2 table with a perfect record after 11 matches.

Much has been made of Spurs' lack of squad depth over the duration of the campaign and indeed the likes of Jamie Donley and Alfie Dorrington have found regular places in the matchday plans since November to combat these issues, now alleviated after chairman Daniel Levy welcomed Radu Dragusin and Timo Werner in the winter transfer market.

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Donley and Dorrington are exciting prospects but they are not the only teenage talents capable of wedging their way into the first-team, with left-back Charlie Sayers pushing for more after some excellent displays this season.

Charlie Sayers' season in numbers

Sayers, aged 19, joined Tottenham from Southend United in December 2021 and has since gone from strength to strength within the youth fold, at present a standout member of England's finest-performing U21 squad.

Having amassed 38 appearances for Tottenham's respective development outfits, Sayers is indeed now knocking on Postecoglou's doorstep and will be among the most likely options to wedge their way into the senior set-up going forward.

Of course, the fact that Spurs have been knocked out of both domestic cups and failed to qualify for Europe last season means that if Sayers is to grace the pitch with the first team before the summer it will come in the Premier League, and with everything on the line the Australian manager will be more circumspect than he might like when handing out debuts to the formative players.

Regardless, Sayers is proving himself and will be sure to take the next step in his development sooner rather than later, having completed nine appearances in all competitions this term and started five times for his table-topping team in the Premier League 2.

In the EFL Trophy, as per Sofascore, he has exhibited his elite athleticism and energy down the left channel by averaging 1.3 key passes, two tackles and 7.3 ball recoveries per match across three fixtures, also completing 85% of his passes.

Charlie Sayers' style of play

Club insider Superhotspur has described Sayers as a tall defender capable of performing both centrally and out wide, boasting a wide range of passing and with good pace to keep things ticking down the flank.

The report goes on to denote a preference to play the ball out and maintain fluency in possession, two points that certainly work in his favour when considering the system that Postecoglou implements and the style that he expects his players to bring to the table.

Eric Dier, Spurs stalwart to a degree, was ostracised from the first-team action and sold to Bayern Munich last month after clearly not offering the skill set that Tottenham now require.

Radu Dragusn was brought in as a replacement but there is definitely room for a new left-sided defender to bolster the ranks – the likes of which Tottenham perhaps haven't seen since a certain former club captain, Jan Vertonghen, who was equally as supreme in possession in the two positions Sayers is capable of playing in. As a result, the teenager – who has been hailed for his "outstanding" qualities by former Southend manager Phil Brown in the past – seems to fit the Belgian's void perfectly.

There has been much talk about the likes of Donley as the Lilywhites' standout prospect and indeed the playmaker has been in scintillating form this season with six goals and 12 assists from 16 matches, but Sayers has demonstrated that he has the making of a star and could make the left-back role his own in the years to come.

After all, it's potentially easier to break in as a full-back than in the forward areas of the pitch; just ask Bukayo Saka at Arsenal who began his career as a left-sided defender.

Of course, Destiny Udogie is the first-choice left-back at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and that doesn't look like it will change any time soon, but Sayers could be an excellent understudy to add some depth and dynamism over the coming years.

How Charlie Sayers compares to Destiny Udogie

Udogie signed for Tottenham from Udinese in a £15m deal back in 2022 but spent the 2022/23 campaign back on loan with the Serie A side, honing his craft and doing so rather impressively, praised as an "incredible talent" by journalist Josh Bunting.

He's taken to life in English football, under Postecoglou's stewardship, seamlessly, the 21-year-old posting two goals and three assists across 21 league outings, with his efforts leading footballJOE's Hunter Godson to remark that he "gets into nearly every team in the world already."

As per FBref, he ranks among the top 20% of full-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 15% for pass completion, the top 12% for tackles and interceptions and the top 11% for progressive carries and successful take-ons per 90.

On the note of ball-carrying, he also averages 6.1 ball recoveries per match in the Premier League this season so Sayers would be able to slot right into that role as the understudy. The Italian defender is also similarly crisp in his passing with an 86% success rate this term.

Sayers still has a bit of a way to go until he establishes himself as a senior at Spurs but he definitely has the tools to do so and might just find himself attracting attention in the years to come as he bids to emulate both Vertonghen and Udogie.

The visitors looked in trouble after Amar Virdi’s three wickets reduced them to 175 for 5 shortly before tea, still 37 away from an innings defeat

ECB Reporters Network21-Aug-2019

Ollie Pope drives through the off side•Getty Images

Liam Dawson’s fourth half-century of the season steered Hampshire to the safety of a draw on the final day of their County Championship fixture with Surrey at The Oval.The visitors looked in trouble after Amar Virdi’s three wickets reduced them to 175 for 5 shortly before tea, still 37 away from an innings defeat.But Dawson, who was 65 not out having scored a century against Surrey in the Royal London Cup earlier in the season, proved their nemesis again, batting for two hours to take Hampshire to 253 for 5 in company with debutant Harry Came, who remained not out 23 as they avoided defeat.Earlier, Ollie Pope had completed a maiden County Championship double century to set up the hosts’ morning declaration before hot-footing it to Headingly as England cover should Jason Roy be ruled out of the third Test with possible concussion.Surrey began the day 123 ahead and in need of quick runs. Skipper Ben Foakes was bowled through the gate before the go button could be pressed, but Pope continued serenely onto his double hundred from 323 balls with 19 fours.Rikki Clarke hoisted Dawson for a huge straight six to provide the necessary acceleration before being adjudged lbw to Fidel Edwards, who claimed 5 for 125, though replays suggested the ball would have missed leg-stump.The declaration came soon afterwards at 579 for 7 with Pope 221 not out, which left Hampshire 212 in arrears and with 40 minutes to negotiate before lunch.The hosts spurned a chance when Ryan Patel dropped Felix Organ at third slip after he was on eight, but they made the breakthrough with the last ball before the interval, Virdi having Ian Holland caught down the leg side by Foakes.There was more encouragement soon after the resumption when Clarke pinned England hopeful James Vince in front for just a single to leave Hampshire 39 for 2.It was clear the visitors’ intent was to play positively in a bid to wipe out their arrears and get in front. However, Sam Northeast took that intention to extreme lengths with a string of streaky shots down through third man and ultimately it proved his undoing when he slashed one from Morne Morkel to Scott Borthwick at slip.Organ meanwhile, was making the most of his earlier reprieve, racing to 50 in 55 balls with a six and eight fours, ending up with 77. He looked increasingly confident, but with a second century in as many matches beckoning he, like Northeast, contributed to his own downfall, giving Virdi the charge and missing the ball to be stumped by Foakes.The same combination would account for Rilee Rossouw before the end of the session, though the South African should probably reflect on why he was playing a needless sweep shot so close to an interval.Hampshire were wobbling but Dawson dug in, finding an ally in Came, who showed great composure for a man making his first appearance six days shy of his 21st birthday as a concussion replacement for Aneurin Donald, who was injured in the field on day three.Dawson’s 50 came in 63 balls to wipe out the arrears and the pair shared a half-century stand in the game’s dying embers.