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West Ham United have work to do after losing their Premier League opener against Aston Villa. It wasn't the start that an incensed Julen Lopetegui would have wanted but the positives were there.

Having lost their European membership after missing out on top six last term, West Ham have repackaged their first team with several exciting signings, though there may be more still to come.

Minutes played

73'

Goals

0

Assists

0

Shots (on target)

2 (0)

Touches

21

Accurate passes

6/9 (67%)

Key passes

0

Dribble attempts

0/0

Total duels won

0/2

Against Villa, Michail Antonio flattered to deceive up, looking isolated and negligent of defensive duties. The burly Niclas Fullkrug has been signed from Borussia Dortmund in a £27m deal, but Lopetegui seems to want another striker to complete his frontline.

Well, despite a hefty summer outlay, West Ham might just have found the perfect player to strengthen Lopetegui's accord…

West Ham's search for a striker

As per Football Insider, Tammy Abraham is on West Ham's shortlist as the summer transfer window wheels into the final phase. Shooting for AS Roma, the Englishman has been transfer listed for €25m (£21m) following the signing of Artem Dovbyk from Girona.

Abraham, aged 26, spent the majority of the 2023/24 season out injured but boasts a proven goalscoring record throughout his career – with several European trophies to boot.

With efforts to sign Villa's Jhon Duran seemingly exhausted, this could be the perfect move for Lopetegui's outfit, which has its sights set on reclaiming a place on the continent.

What Tammy Abraham would bring to West Ham

Abraham has enjoyed a career laden with success, and while he has been blighted by recent misfortune, there is every chance that he would rekindle his finest form with a transfer back to the Premier League.

AS Roma

119 (86)

37

13

2x

Chelsea

82 (51)

30

10

1x

Bristol City

48 (42)

26

4

0x

Aston Villa

40 (40)

26

3

1x

Swansea City

39 (21)

8

4

0x

Like Fullkrug, the former Chelsea star is rangy and effective as a focal frontman, but he is more dynamic, with sharper and breezier mobility and a creative sheen besides – indeed, across his first two Serie A campaigns, Abraham averaged one key pass per game.

And let's not forget that his maiden year in the Italian capital saw 27 goals plundered en route to triumph in the Europa Conference League, with the player remarking that his manager at the time, Jose Mourinho, had turned him into a "monster".

Standing at 6 foot 3, the 11-cap England international is indeed a towering presence but he's nimble and slippery with an intelligence to dart between the lines and latch onto threaded passes.

Now, who might West Ham have to complement that particular skill…

Imagine him & Lucas Paqueta

Lucas Paqueta's long-term future is up in the air, with the FA continuing their investigation into the Brazilian's alleged spot-fixing, but he started the current campaign with a goal, scoring from the spot on Saturday but unable to prevent his team from falling to defeat.

An elite-level player, the 26-year-old could indeed form a deadly partnership with Abraham, providing him with support to ensure that he would hit the ground running upon returning to London.

Once hailed as a "goal machine" by former youth coach Stephen Elliott, Abraham would carry the nuts and bolts of the centre-forward game into the London Stadium and would find those natural-born properties enhanced considerably by a playmaker of Paqueta's distinction.

Paqueta – who was the subject of a £80m approach from Manchester City one year ago, before the aforementioned charges materialised – ranked among the top 12% of positional peers in the Premier League last season for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 8% for tackles and the top 9% for aerial battles won per 90, as per FBref.

Those lattermost metrics are particularly eye-catching. Sure, everyone knows of the £150k-per-week phenom's creative flair, but his tenacious defensive work rate is so important for West Ham too – perhaps more so, in a way.

Encompassing the scope of the midfield game, Paqueta would make Abraham virtually unplayable with his surgical passing, and he would also enable the Roma ace to cause damage in the final third by applying tough-tackling pressure from deep.

Last season, in the Premier League, the dynamo averaged 2.3 tackles, 6.3 ball recoveries and a whopping 7.6 successful duels per game, alternating between the centre of the field and out wide on the left but invariably performing with energy and commitment.

With players like Crysencio Summerville and Luis Guilherme signed to Lopetegui's team this summer, Paqueta will be expected to perform from a central position with regularity, thrusting forward to influence and dictate.

Fullkrug provides the steel and doggedness that can change a game, while Antonio's power and physique make him a constant threat, despite the fact that he is 34 years old.

In Abraham, though, West Ham might just find that they gain the services of a striker who can perform with a multi-skilled ability, all the while inflicting damage with a sharp shooting quality.

For a player whose "currency is goals", as was said by one-time Aston Villa boss Dean Smith, bringing Abraham back to the English top flight feels like something of a no-brainer. Lopetegui boasts a healthy mix of attacking talent, but this could be the final piece to lift the Irons to new heights.

Approach made: West Ham want "complete midfielder" who plays like Odegaard

The Hammers are piecing together an exciting new team…

ByAngus Sinclair Aug 16, 2024

France defender Dayot Upamecano is not happy with the way international team-mate Kylian Mbappe is being treated.

Article continues below

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• Upamecano wishes for more support for Mbappe
• Forward left out of France squad by Deschamps
• Madrid ace facing continuous backlash

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  France centre-back Dayot Upamecano has urged everyone to show a bit more support to forward Kylian Mbappe following his expulsion by Didier Deschamps from the squad for this month's international games in the Nations League. The Bayern Munich defender's backing of Mbappe isn't the first of his kind, as several other players have recently shown support for the French superstar.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Mbappe found himself in the middle of controversy following Deschamps' decision to leave him out for France's games against Israel and Belgium last month, owing to fitness concerns. Furthermore, Deschamps admitted it would be "better like this", speaking with respect to his decision to snub him for this month's international fixtures for the second successive time.

  French media have been particularly harsh with the former PSG superstar, prompting Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate to publicly back the player, admitting that all the spotlight and media scrutiny can be tough to deal with on a constant basis.

  Upamecano echoed his defensive partner's sentiments while speaking to reporters on international duty with France.

• WHAT DAYOT UPAMECANO SAID

  "There is no concern, but we cannot forget what Kylian has done for this team and we miss a bit of support for him. We must not forget that he is our captain and I hope he will be back with us soon," Upamecano told reporters (h/t MARCA).

  "There are a lot of games and I said that at the start of the season. We are human beings and the mental aspect counts a lot for us. I'm not going to go into those details, but as I said before he is our captain and I hope he will be with us soon. He is very important for us.

  "He's a friend, a super player and I know what he's capable of. I hope he comes back and when he's here I hope he wears the armband."

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  WHAT NEXT FOR FRANCE?

  France will be facing Israel and Italy in their upcoming UEFA Nations League A Group 2 group stage fixtures with the aim of capturing top spot from the Azzurri, who have one more point after four games.

The IPL is mulling the possibility of conducting the entire league stage of the 2021 season in Mumbai before moving to Ahmedabad for the knockouts. This is according to Parth Jindal, co-owner of the Delhi Capitals, during a chat with ESPNcricinfo soon after Thursday’s auction in Chennai.”From what I’m hearing and seeing, if England can come and tour, if the ISL (Indian Super League) can happen all in Goa, if Vijay Hazare Trophy (domestic 50-over competition) and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (T20 competition) can happen across venues, I can’t fathom the IPL moving out of India,” Jindal said. “I do believe the IPL will happen in India.”I believe they’re contemplating whether to have the league phase at one venue (city) and playoffs at another venue. There’s a lot of chatter about Mumbai being possibly being one venue because it has three grounds (Wankhede Stadium, Brabourne Stadium, DY Patil Stadium) and enough practice facilities, and Motera (Ahmedabad) hosting the knockouts, but it’s all unverified, it’s all just what I am hearing.”Jindal further stated having the league phase in Mumbai, for example, could be advantageous to the Capitals, who have a number of players from the city in their mix. Although the possibility of playing in Mumbai could be slim given Maharashtra’s recent spike in Covid-19 cases which has prompted a new round of lockdowns.”If you look at our selection of Steven Smith, we felt the wickets in Mumbai will suit his style of batting.””The fact that we have so many Mumbai boys – Prithvi [Shaw], Jinks [Ajinkya Rahane], Shreyas [Iyer] helps. Mumbai has true bounce, the ball moves a bit because it’s on the coast, and all that played a role. The other option is being mulled right now is, why not open up all venues, go everywhere and show the world we’re ready for the T20 World Cup? They [BCCI[] are still unsure, I think it all depends on how the covid situation plays out in India over the next two weeks.”A few other key personnel from other franchises offered a straight bat. VVS Laxman, mentor of the Sunrisers Hyderabad, said “things were still uncertain regarding venues”, while Venky Mysore, chief executive of Kolkata Knight Riders, echoed Laxman. Anil Kumble, head coach of Punjab Kings, meanwhile, said they’d picked a composition of their squad keeping “all options” and conditions in mind.”We’re extremely delighted with what we could manage,” Kumble said. “We had the largest purse which meant people would chase us and keep upping the price, but the squad looks like what we wanted. We have all bases covered. If the tournament’s going to be in India, we have all options covered. If in case it moves out, we wanted to cover those options as well [at the auction].”Mysore, meanwhile, said: “Every team you can see has gone for that balance to adapt to whatever conditions we’re given. These are unusual times and we’re all very supportive of the BCCI. That the IPL was held itself was fantastic given the pandemic. If it happens in India, we’re supportive of working through that and if it’s elsewhere too. Most important the collective effort towards the tournament happening and in the most unimpeded way.”The ongoing England series is BCCI’s first full International series at home since the pandemic broke out in February last year. After hosting the first Test in Chennai behind closed doors, they opened up the venue for the remainder of the series with crowds up to 50% of the stadium’s capacity, despite the Indian government allowing outdoor sports events to have capacity crowds. England are scheduled to play five T20Is in Ahmedabad followed by three ODIs in Pune to wind off the tour on March 28.”This year is going to be big as well because of what it is,” BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had said earlier in the week, without divulging further details on the venue. However, over the past few months, he has been vocal about prioritising hosting the tournament in its entirety in India. “We’ll see whether we can get the crowd back into the IPL, it’s a decision we’ll have to take very shortly. But it’s going to be another great tournament.”

They might not have a trophy to show for it just yet, but over the last few years, Arsenal have improved dramatically under Mikel Arteta.

Just a couple of years ago, they were left licking their wounds following a 3-0 defeat in the North London derby that saw them miss out on Champions League football, whereas just a couple of months ago, they were two points from winning the Premier League.

From top to bottom, it feels like the Gunners have been transformed from the butt of people's jokes to a serious threat in every competition they take part in, although the one area of the pitch that feels like it could do with an upgrade is centre-forward.

Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus have done admirable jobs there, but no striker has been as prolific as ex-captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was in his pomp, but based on recent reports, Edu Gaspar and Co could be about to land the player to solve that problem.

Arsenal's strikers search

According to a recent report from Portuguese publication Correio da Manha, Arsenal have reignited their interest in Sporting CP's star striker, Viktor Gyokeres.

The report claims that following the Swede's seemingly rapid recovery from his recent knee surgery, the Gunners are again interested in the prolific number nine and will send scouts to watch him play in preseason to see how he gets on.

If the former Coventry City ace appears unaffected by the short layoff, then the story has revealed that a proposal from the North Londoners may arrive in Lisbon in early August, which could see them pay the player's €100m release clause – £84m.

This transfer would represent a massive investment from Arsenal, but given Gyokeres' incredible form, it is well worth making, especially as he could be the club's best striker since Auba.

Why Gyokeres would be Arsenal's best striker in years

It's been just over two and a half years since Aubameyang left Arsenal under a cloud of controversy and general disappointment. While his lacklustre final year and a half with the club can't be ignored, neither can the years of his incredible performances.

In all, the Gabonese superstar scored 92 goals and provided 21 assists in just 163 appearances for the North Londoners, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.44 games – a seriously impressive feat.

In his immediate absence, Alexandre Lacazette took up the role as the club's main striker, but just a few months later, Jesus arrived from Manchester City for £45m and, while his tally of 19 goals and 15 assists in 69 games for the club is impressive, it has nothing on the Gabonese star.

The most recent player to be given the chance to start as the club's main number nine has been Havertz, and while he's looked good in patches, his overall haul of 14 goals and seven assists in 51 games is again incomparable to the former captain's record.

So, that brings us to the Sporting CP "powerhouse", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, who played like a man possessed last season, racking up 43 goals and 15 assists in 50 appearances, equating to an outrageous average of a goal involvement every 0.86 games.

Appearances

50

51

36

Goals

43

14

8

Assists

15

7

8

Goal Involvements per Match

1.16

0.41

0.44

This incredible output dwarfs the efforts of Arteta's current crop of strikers, and while it's impossible to be sure how well his form would translate to the Premier League, he's currently outperforming Auba at his peak.

Ultimately, Arsenal are in a great position at the moment and have a team full of incredible talents, and should they sign Gyokeres, they'll have a striker to match.

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It wasn't the smoothest of debut campaigns for Ange Postecoglou last season, but considering the injuries he had to deal with and the departure of Harry Kane before a ball was kicked, qualifying for the Europa League has to be seen as a success.

However, the Australian will be looking to guide a club the size of Tottenham Hotspur further up the Premier League table than fifth next year, and with the right transfers, he might just be able to.

Daniel Levy and Co have already secured the signature of Leeds United's wonderkid Archie Gray for just £30m, but the latest start touted for a move to N17 plays at the sharp end of the pitch and may well be an upgrade on Dejan Kulusevski.

Spurs looking at Premier League forward

According to a recent report from insider Paul O'Keefe, Tottenham have reignited their interest in Wolverhampton Wanderers ace Pedro Neto in the last few days.

O'Keefe does not mention a potential price, but another report from Football Transfers last week revealed that the Old Gold have reduced the winger's asking price to just £43m and that the Lilywhites North London rivals Arsenal were potentially interested in the 24-year-old as well.

While the transfer could prove complicated due to the Gunners' interest, if Levy and Co can land a player as talented as Neto for the reported price, then it's certainly worth pursuing – even at the detriment of Kulusevski.

How Neto compares to Kulusevski

So, if Neto does end up signing on the dotted line and moving to the white side of North London, the fact he favours playing off the right of a front three will inevitably put him up against Kulusevski for a starting role. So how do they compare?

Well, from a pure output perspective, it's a comprehensive win for the Portuguese international. In 24 appearances last season, he scored three goals and provided 11 assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.74 games.

In comparison, the Swedish international scored eight goals and provided three assists in 39 appearances, which equates to a goal involvement every 3.54 games.

What about what's going on under the hood then? Is it another comfortable victory for the Old Gold's star winger when we compare their underlying numbers?

Unfortunately for the former Juventus ace, it is. For example, while he makes fewer progressive passes, maintains a lower passing accuracy and takes fewer shots on target, the 24-year-old "monster", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, comes out ahead in most other metrics, including non-penalty expected goals and assists, progressive passes, shots, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons, ball recoveries, key passes and aerial duels won, all per 90.

Non-Penalty Expected Goals + Assists

0.47

0.40

Progressive Passes

3.21

4.69

Progressive Carries

5.83

4.92

Shots

1.98

1.81

Shots on Target

0.68

0.69

Passing Accuracy

74.5

77.2

Key Passes

2.26

2.15

Shot-Creating Actions

4.45

4.14

Goal-Creating Actions

0.83

0.26

Successful Take-Ons

2.20

1.76

Ball Recoveries

4.70

4.33

Aerial Duels Won

0.24

0.23

Overall, it starts to look like the Wolves ace is the better option here, but the major concern with the talented winger is his injury record, which has seen him miss 46 games for club and country in the last two campaigns.

However, this could allow Postecoglou to play him and Kulusevski regularly throughout the season, ensuring they get adequate game time and rest time.

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Ultimately, it's practically impossible to find the perfect transfer, and while his injuries are undoubtedly a concern, Neto is too good a player to pass up on, especially at this lower price.

Eberechi Eze is a name that’s been circulating in the Tottenham Hotspur fanbase over the last few weeks.

The reason for this is due to the Crystal Palace star being linked with a move to Spurs recently, and given his quality, it’s no surprise the Lilywhites faithful are excited.

Palace’s number ten was absolutely instrumental in the Premier League, scoring 11 goals and providing four assists.

A big price tag may well be needed to prise him away from Selhurst Park, although it's not more than one of their current star men.

What Spurs paid for Cristian Romero

Prior to the start of the 2021/22 campaign, Tottenham reinforced their backline with Cristian Romero from Atalanta.

The Argentine moved to Spurs off the back of an impressive Champions League and Serie A campaign in Bergamo, picking up three goals and five assists in 42 appearances across all competitions.

Romero originally joined on a season-long loan, starting 22 league games in his debut Premier League season and becoming an important player.

Therefore, upon the expiration of his loan, Spurs triggered his option to buy for £41m without hesitation, with Daniel Levy viewing him as a player who could develop into a world-class defender at Tottenham.

However, Romero’s signature wasn’t exactly cheap, as they also had to meet his salary demands, and he eventually signed a £165k per week deal until 2027.

Romero’s transfer value in 2024

His first season as a permanent Spurs player featured plenty of ups and downs, including picking up two red cards.

However, under Ange Postecoglou, the World Cup winner has progressed brilliantly, starting 33 times in the Premier League last season.

The centre-back ended the campaign as Spurs’ fourth-highest goalscorer with five, while also boasting the most passes completed, interceptions, and clearances in the squad.

Tottenham’s “perfect” defender, as dubbed by football scout Jacek Kulig, has truly become irreplaceable, acting as a true leader at the heart of the backline, but what is he exactly worth today?

Premier League's Most Valuable CB's

Player

Value

William Saliba

£68m

Ruben Dias

£68m

Gabriel Magalhaes

£59m

Cristian Romero

£51m

Micky van de Ven

£47m

Via Transfermarkt

Well, as you can see from the table above, Romero is now estimated to be worth an incredible £51m, as per Transfermarkt.

This makes the 26-year-old the fourth-most valuable centre-back in the entire Premier League, only behind the Arsenal duo and Ruben Dias, which just proves how important he truly is.

On top of that, he’s currently the second-highest valued player in the entire Spurs squad, only behind James Maddison, who’s worth £59m.

Interestingly, despite the season that Eze just had, Romero is also worth more than the attacking midfielder, who’s currently valued at £47m. The Palace sensation was a true hit last term and would be a fantastic signing for Tottenham.

Fans may even get a look at him in action at Euro 2024 with the winger earning a well-deserved call-up to Gareth Southgate's England squad for the tournament.

Nevertheless, as impressive as Eze has been, it’s also quite clear that Romero is one of the finest in England, with his £51m market value reflecting that perfectly.

Despite costing £41m originally, Spurs have truly hit the jackpot on the number 17, and if he continues to perform as he did last season, he’ll only be viewed as an even bigger bargain.

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Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 9, 2024

MatériaMais Notícias

O Palmeiras derrotou o Athletico-PR neste sábado (28) por 2 a 1 pelo Brasileirão. Rony, que não marcava há seis meses foi o responsável por garantir a vitória ao Verdão com o segundo gol do time na partida. Após o duelo, Abel Ferreira celebrou o feito do atacante, em especial, por ter sido com a perna canhota.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasPalmeirasRony celebra fim de jejum, destaca vitória do Palmeiras e diz que vai secar o Atlético-MGPalmeiras28/08/2021PalmeirasTony Ramos interpreta palmeirense no filme ’45 do Segundo Tempo’Palmeiras27/08/2021PalmeirasCampeões olímpicos, Weverton e Santos se reencontram em Palmeiras x Athletico-PRPalmeiras27/08/2021

O treinador revelou que a lesão sofrida no adutor da coxa esquerda o impediu de finalizar com a esquerda durante um bom período nos treinos. Além disso comparou o camisa 7, em tom de brincadeira, ao saci, personagem folclórico brasileiro, por utilizar uma perna apenas.

– O Rony teve uma ruptura do tendão do adutor quase que total. Fico feliz por ter feito gol com a esquerda. Lembra do saci? Ele, no treino, fazia o saci. Não chutava com a esquerda. Estava com medo. Ficamos felizes por ter usado o pé esquerdo – afirmou.

Em sequência, Abel apontou que Rony tem passado por um ano difícil, assim como Luiz Adriano, depois da última temporada de destaque.

– O Rony, tal qual o Luiz Adriano, tem passado por uma temporada difícil e atípica. São jogadores que nos ajudam e vão continuar ajudando. Eles se ligam bem, mas tiveram os dois alguns problemas – declarou.

Ao final, ele também esclareceu as três substituições realizadas no início da segunda etapa, que mudaram a maneira de atacar do time na partida.

– Substitui o Veiga pelo Rony para dar mais velocidade. Breno a mesma coisa. O Veron tinha um determinado tempo para jogar e quem entrou, entrou bem. Parabéns pela equipe que manteve a calma após o gol sofrido. Calma e foco nas tarefas – concluiu.

Em decorrência do adiamento da partida contra o Ceará, o Palmeiras volta a campo apenas contra o Flamengo, pelo início do returno da competição. A partida está marcada para o dia 11 no Allianz Parque.

continua após a publicidade

Good news off the pitch is hard to come by at Everton these days, but those at Goodison Park could be set to finally receive some positive headlines, given that the Toffees have reportedly opened contract talks with one of Sean Dyche's star men.

Everton transfer news

With their takeover not any closer to completion and more doubts than ever about 777 Partners' ability to even reach that stage, Everton could be in for a long summer transfer window. Without those funds, the Toffees will likely be forced to sell at least one star player to fund further incomings and avoid even more FFP sanctions.

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This could see the likes of Amadou Onana depart, with Everton reportedly more willing to sacrifice the Belgian than young defender Jarrad Branthwaite in the coming months. Tottenham Hotspur and Bayern Munich are both among the clubs to have been linked with a move for the midfielder this summer, as Everton look to cash in.

The hope will be that Onana's departure injects enough funds into Everton's budget to avoid a similar sale when it comes to Branthwaite. But it's not just the star defender that the Toffees reportedly want to keep hold of.

According to The Athletic, Everton have opened talks with Dominic Calvert-Lewin over a new contract at the club. The forward's current deal expires next summer and with Newcastle United reportedly interested in landing a deal in the coming months, those at Goodison Park have acted to ease any exit fears.

Whilst their ability to welcome fresh faces remains in doubt, keeping hold of players such as Calvert-Lewin should be the priority at Everton. The England international showed enough form at the back end of the season to suggest that he's well on his way to rediscovering his most clinical form in the Premier League too.

"Excellent" Calvert-Lewin is still a key player at Everton

After several injury issues and a struggle to find his best form, Calvert-Lewin finally came to life at the end of the season just when the Toffees needed him most. After scoring just four goals in the first 30 games of the Premier League season, Calvert-Lewin managed four in the final eight games, including one in a 2-0 victory over Merseyside rivals Liverpool.

By the end of the campaign, the forward managed eight goals and three assists with those final eight games representing the type of form that Dyche will be desperate to see at the start of next season.

The Everton boss was full of praise for Calvert-Lewin after defeating Liverpool, saying via BBC Sport: "I thought he was excellent. His physical performance was outstanding. This season has not been too bad on the injury front.

"But it shows it does take time mentally and physically to clear your mind of that and start to play freely again. I said to him after the match, 'That is the sort of performance that gets you back around the England squad'."

With contract talks underway and Calvert-Lewin far closer to his best form, Everton could finally have a solution for their goalscoring problems next season

Whilst Ange Postecoglou and his team prepare Tottenham Hotspur's players to take on Arsenal in the Premier League this weekend, work is going on behind the scenes ahead of the summer transfer window.

The focus of the coaching staff and first-team stars should be on the action on the pitch in their bid to secure Champions League qualification by finishing in the top four ahead of Aston Villa.

However, Daniel Levy and the Spurs chiefs behind the scenes are already laying the groundwork to manage the squad ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

They are now reportedly pushing to ensure that one player – Giovani Lo Celso – remains part of Postecoglou's playing group moving forward.

Tottenham want to keep frustrated star

Earlier this year, it was reported that Lo Celso was pushing for an exit from north London as he was frustrated, and seemingly annoyed, with his current situation at the club given the lack of minutes the manager has provided him with.

Now, in a twist to the story, Spurs want to keep hold of the Argentina international and offer him a new contract, according to Tutto Mercato Web, as relayed by Sport Witness.

The report claims that Tottenham are hoping to extend his current deal, which is due to expire in the summer of 2025, by another two seasons to preserve his future in England.

It states that they are looking to adjust his wages to ensure that Lo Celso is happy and willing to remain with the club beyond the summer window.

Spanish giants Barcelona are said to be admirers of the central midfielder, along with fellow La Liga outfit Real Betis, and Spurs are now attempting to scare away potential suitors by pinning him down to a contract extension.

Why Spurs may want to keep Giovani Lo Celso

The Lilywhites may want to keep hold of the World Cup winner as he has shown glimpses of promise in his limited time on the pitch this season.

Lo Celso has seemingly been frustrated, per the earlier report this year, that Postecoglou has barely used him in the Premier League, and his statistics in the few games he has played suggest that the midfield star has reason to feel aggrieved.

2023/24 Premier League	Giovanni Lo Celso
Appearances	17
Starts	4
Goals	2
Assists	2
Duel success rate	63%
Pass accuracy	91%
Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 28-year-old whiz has provided quality in and out of possession, with four direct goal contributions in 17 appearances despite only starting four times.

His 63% duel success rate also shows that the left-footed maestro has held his own in physical battles to either retain possession or win the ball back for his side, whilst his pass accuracy suggests that the talented ace rarely gives it away.

These attributes make him an attractive player for a team that wants to dominate possession, as he has the quality to provide goals and assists as a box-crashing midfielder whilst being solid off the ball and a reliable passer.

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However, it now remains to be seen whether or not Lo Celso is willing to put pen to paper on an extension amid his frustration at the lack of minutes given to him by the boss.

However, he believes he has a lot to offer the new captain Quinton de Kock

Firdose Moonda04-May-2020Faf du Plessis stepped down as South Africa’s captain after “one of the toughest seasons” of his career to concentrate on developing future leaders, an area he believes his country needs to work on. In his first media engagement since the end of the 2019-20 home summer, du Plessis explained that while he remains committed to playing in all formats, after the 1-3 Test series defeat to England, he thought the time was right for someone else to take over.Du Plessis stood down this February, after Quinton de Kock had been named ODI captain and filled in during the T20s against England as well while du Plessis was rested. Although he had indicated his intention to take South Africa to the World Cup later this year, du Plessis gave up both the T20 and Test captaincy, having averaged just 18.87 in eight innings in the Tests against England.”The season gone by is probably one of the toughest of my career because it had a lot of elements to it that wasn’t just cricket,” du Plessis said. “The team didn’t do well again and then the pressure really started pointing towards me and a lot of energy was pushed towards me. I just felt at the time that I had been fighting the good fight for the Proteas and I gave it absolutely my everything. On reflection after the Test series, I went away and that was when I thought it was the right time [to step down].”Du Plessis opted not to retire, or sign a deal to play abroad, because he believed he still had plenty to offer his successor. “I felt that with a new coaching staff they could start with someone new, but also that I have a lot of value to add to that. I thought the time is right now to fast track that process [of blooding a new captain], which is why I took the decision to step away.”Quinton de Kock took to the treble role of captaining, opening the batting and keeping wicket with relative ease•BCCIDu Plessis ended up playing only one of the four series that de Kock led the team – a T20 rubber against Australia – but remains available for selection and intends to continue assisting both de Kock and the-yet-to-be-named Test captain. Du Plessis’ rationale is that South Africa do not have a history of mentoring leadership candidates and end up throwing new captains in at the deep end.ALSO READ: David Miller Interview: ‘I don’t have to be captain to take on a leadership role for South Africa’That is what had happened with current director of cricket Graeme Smith, who was 22 when he was appointed. Smith has indicated he may take a similar chance on the next Test captain, who may not necessarily need to have a wealth of experience to take over. Du Plessis would like that person to feel supported and have someone like himself to turn to for advice if needed.

I’ve captained in all formats since the age of 13 and I’ve always looked at myself as a leader before a player. I enjoy that more than anything else so I will always miss it

“Something that’s very much part of our culture is that we don’t ask for help too often. We want to act like we’ve got it all figured out. This is a real opportunity for us to look at that and say, ‘Ok guys, how can we grow the group?'” du Plessis said.”There are a lot of guys that are in a similar boat. They’ve maybe played a bit of cricket but are relatively young in terms of leadership in their own roles and not a lot of guys have captained a lot of games. It’s a great opportunity for three, four, five or six guys to come together and to start building themselves and each other to create a leadership group within the Proteas that will drive the culture for the next three or four years. There’s a huge opportunity there and I would like to be part of it.”At the same time, du Plessis has given up the role he enjoys most but hopes to be able to use the skills he gained as a captain to teach others. “Do I miss captaining? Of course I do. I love captaincy. It’s a part of who I am,” he said. “I’ve captained in all formats since the age of 13 and I’ve always looked at myself as a leader before a player. I enjoy that more than anything else so I will always miss it but I do think the time is right for me to move on to what will be a position of growing other leaders. This is something I have looked at as my real purpose in the next year for the Proteas – to really get stuck in and grow guys and share my experience [that] I have gained.”All that means that du Plessis intends to remain in the South African system, and the enforced break from the game as a result of the coronavirus pandemic has helped him rediscover his passion for playing. “This time away from the game has for me shown the hunger is still there. That’s a big thing for players – to really still love what they do and I do love playing for the Proteas. That’s a good positive.”