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West Ham United have made an offer to sign a new defender ahead of the January transfer window and have already received a reply.

West Ham defence among worst in the Premier League

So far in the Premier League, the Hammers have had their fair share of defensive issues under both Graham Potter and now Nuno Espirito Santo.

In fact, the Irons are yet to keep a single clean sheet in their opening 11 top flight fixtures, having the second-worst defence in the division after conceding 23 goals.

West Ham’s results in the Premier League so far
Sunderland 3-0 West Ham
West Ham 1-5 Chelsea
Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham
West Ham 0-3 Tottenham
West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace
Everton 1-1 West Ham
Arsenal 2-0 West Ham
West Ham 0-2 Brentford
Leeds 2-1 West Ham
West Ham 3-1 Newcastle
West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Only bottom of the table Wolves have let in more (25), with Nuno selecting Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo at centre-back in recent weeks.

Goalkeeper Mads Hermansen was dropped by Potter early into his first season at the London Stadium, with Nuno continuing to use Alphonse Areola in goal.

£67m spent & no Wilson or Fullkrug: Nuno's dream West Ham XI after January

This is the dream West Ham starting line-up that Nuno could build in the January window.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 15, 2025

If the Irons are to avoid the drop, then clean sheets and defensive stability will need to be worked on over the coming months, with the January transfer window also giving the club the chance to bring in new faces.

Now, it looks as if those behind the scenes at West Ham have their eyes on a defensive gem and have already submitted a bid.

West Ham make £15m+ bid to sign Tiago Gabriel

According to reports in Italy, relayed by Sport Witness, West Ham have made an ‘official offer’ to sign Lecce central defender Tiago Gabriel.

The Hammers’ proposal is thought to be worth €18m (£15.8m), however, this has already been rejected by the Serie A side as they value their 6ft 4 defender at €25m (£22m).

Lecce’s valuation applies to next summer, so it looks as if there is no chance of a January move materialising.

The report adds the 20-year-old has ‘impressed with his on-ground defending and has also been very dominant aerially’, something which can be backed up by FBref as Gabriel ranks in the top 2% of defenders when it comes to aerials won.

Tiago Gabriel scouting report	Percentile
Tackles	93rd percentile
Aerials won	98th percentile
Blocks	85th percentile
Clearances	80th percentile
Tackles and interceptions	94th percentile
% of dribblers tackled	99th percentile
Long pass completion	93rd percentile

Also capable of turning out as a right-back if required, Gabriel is under contract at Lecce until 2027, however, both parties have the option to extend that until 2029.

He’s made 11 Serie A appearances in what is proving to be his breakthrough campaign, and by the looks of things, West Ham like what they see.

West Ham flop was compared to Pirlo, now he's "National League standard"

Ron Washington and Ray Montgomery will both not return as the Angels manager for the 2026 season, 's Sam Blum reported on Tuesday.

Washington stepped away from the team back in June because of health reasons. It was later revealed that he underwent quadruple bypass surgery to remove blockages from his heart valves, via MLB's Rhett Bollinger. He led the Angels starting in 2024. Montgomery took over as interim manager for the rest of the season. Los Angeles missed the MLB playoffs with a 72-90 record.

At 73 years old, it's very possible Washington's career as an MLB manager could be over, especially depending on his health issues. He is most known for his stint with the Rangers from 2007-14, during which he won two pennants. But, there isn't an official word on Washington's future in the league.

Washington did recently express his desire to return to the Angels manager role in 2026, via Blum. Since that isn't a possibility now, maybe another MLB team will pick him up.

Washington's two-year contract with the Angels ended after this season with a club option for the 2026 season. The Angels will not pick up his club option. Montgomery, who was serving as the team's bench coach since 2021, will be let go from the organization. He put up a 26-34 record as interim manager.

A storied rivalry takes centre stage at Chepauk on Friday

Alagappan Muthu27-Mar-20251:32

Pujara: Kohli should utilise powerplay to set the base for RCB

Whoever designed the schedule for IPL 2025 wasn’t even trying to be subtle. They made sure the two biggest games of the season would take place in its very first week. This is excess bordering on gluttony. An ice-cream sundae with not so much a cherry but another ice-cream sundae on top. Tickets for Chennai Super Kings (CSK) vs Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) vanished almost as soon as the window opened.For a lot of Indian cricket fans, seeing either one of Virat Kohli or MS Dhoni is up there as a bucket-list item. This game puts both of them on the same pitch. The fans come expecting runs, expecting sixes, expecting magic. And whether any of that happens or not, they still leave with a story to tell. Thousands of people explode into cheers when Dhoni or Kohli walk out to bat not for what they are about to do but for what they have already done. They have been common ground. They have been warmth. They have been sweet enduring memory.CSK vs RCB games also have a tendency to devolve into chaos. It’s as if putting them together allows the world to make less sense. Like how in IPL 2013, RP Singh ended up on the losing side even though he took a wicket with the final ball of the match because, as Dhoni tweeted, “When you give Sir Ravindra Jadeja one ball to get 2 runs he will win it with one ball to spare !!” The year before that, the team needing 43 runs in 12 deliveries walked home with the win, leading to a marked inverse of what usually happens in sport. A breathless superstar player raced up into the stands in search of a fan.Related

• Chepauk's Dhoni fixation can be 'quite daunting' for other players, says Rayudu

• 'He wanted to work on one more shot' – Karthik backs Kohli against spin-heavy CSK

• History and spin riches make CSK favourites at home against RCB

• In numbers – IPL 2025 gets off to turbo-charged start

By last season, it was clear this rivalry spills into the sidelines with even the players buying into it. Scott Styris made a bet with AB de Villiers and lost it. Now he had to come to work wearing the RCB jersey. Only seeing a former CSK player in red and blue upset the delicate balance of the universe. And it was RCB that had to pay for it. “I must thank @ABdeVilliers17 for making me wear this @RCBTweets shirt every game they play. #0-3 since he did,” Styris tweeted. De Villiers replied, “Please stop wearing that shirt immediately!!!!”Through the silliness and the schadenfreude, there is a theme that emerges. CSK have the wood over their crosstown rivals (22 to 11). In Chepauk, they haven’t been beaten since 2008. This is in no small part down to how one side has been able to make their home ground a fortress but the other has been left at the mercy of a venue whose only allegiance is to batters capable of hitting sixes.5:46

Rayudu on home fans rooting for CSK wickets: Only Dhoni can address it

That is why when Dhoni hit the first ball of Yash Dayal’s 20th over out of the Chinnaswamy in IPL 2024, there was a sinking feeling all around the ground. But once again, there were other forces at work. They always are at CSK-RCB games. A wet ball that was hard to grip could now be replaced by a dry one and this could grip in the pitch. Kohli sensed an opening. He went to Dayal and made sure he went for his slower ball. The lack of pace did for Dhoni. He was caught on the boundary. RCB defended 10 off 5. They made it to the knockouts. CSK didn’t. And Dinesh Karthik took the chance to be the first opposition player to ever say “MS Dhoni hitting a six was the best thing that happened to us.”In the aftermath of that finish, there was wildness. RCB fans, who had to content themselves by bringing up CSK’s two-year suspension from the IPL, now had better ammo. And they wasted no time in using it, which has heightened the feeling ahead of this match. Some people have already jumped on what Jitesh Sharma said in a travel diary put out on RCB’s socials. Those are meant to keep things light, and he was asked questions about beating the heat, so in an effort to be funny he said play short innings, “score 50 off ten or nine balls”. But since he is the enemy, those words were superimposed on videos of him getting out for a first-ball duck.There is so much that unites the supporters of these two great franchises – the faith that their players will come good, the anxiety when the game goes down to the wire, the pride of being home to two of India’s best – but that knowledge doesn’t exactly sweep you off your feet. Emotion does. The Us vs Them mentality does. The history between the states that these two teams represent does. We live in a world that encourages us to view people who are different from us with suspicion. So, a rivalry that was once about the good, the bad, and the silly, has a little bit of the ugly as well.

Arsenal may have dropped points away to Sunderland on the weekend, but there is a lot for fans to be happy about.

Firstly, Mikel Arteta’s side remain clear at the top of the Premier League table, and just as importantly, the team looked genuinely dangerous in the second half.

They might have been defensively suspect, but the Gunners looked excellent going forward, and Leandro Trossard continued his fine form with a sensational long-range effort.

However, while the Belgian is playing out of his skin at the moment, recent reports suggest his game time could be dramatically reduced by another international who’s been compared to the legendary Thierry Henry.

Arsenal target monster winger

While Arsenal are flying, there are still some weaker areas of the squad, and the left wing is undoubtedly one of them.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Granted, Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli have improved this season, and Eberechi Eze can fill in there.

Yet, compared to the options of Bukayo Saka or Noni Madueke on the right, and then the three players who can start up top when fit, it’s clear the left-hand side could do with a genuine superstar option.

This appears to be an opinion shared by the club, as recent reports from Spain indicate that they are interested in Rafael Leão.

The report claims that Arsenal are set to make a serious move in the winter window for attacking reinforcement and are prepared to make an offer of around €80m for the AC Milan star, which is about £71m.

The North Londoners reportedly view the Portuguese international as a perfect fit, and Arteta is said to be a big fan, although with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester City, and several French teams also said to be interested, this won’t be an easy transfer to get over the line.

With that said, given Leão’s ability and the fact he’s been compared to Henry, this is a deal worth going all out for, even if it could spell the end of Trossard’s Arsenal career.

How Leão compares to Trossard

Given Arsenal’s need to add more goals to their frontline, the first thing to look at when comparing Leao and Trossard should be their output from last season.

Unfortunately for the Belgian, this is where he comes out second best.

For example, in 56 appearances, totalling 3455 minutes, he scored two goals and provided ten assists, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 2.8 games, or every 172.75 minutes.

In contrast, the Milan star racked up a tally of 12 goals and 13 assists in 50 appearances, totalling 3499 minutes, which is an average of a goal involvement every other game, or every 139.96 minutes.

It’s a little closer this year, but once again, it’s the Portuguese dynamo who comes out on top.

In eight appearances, totalling 470 minutes, he’s produced six goal involvements, which is an average of one every 1.33 games, or every 78.33 minutes.

Leao vs Trossard
24/25	Leao	Trossard
Appearances	50	56
Minutes	3499′	3455′
Goals	12	10
Assists	13	10
25/26	Leao	Trossard
Appearances	8	14
Minutes	470′	832′
Goals	5	4
Assists	1	4
All Stats via Transfermarkt

In contrast, the former Brighton & Hove Albion star has produced eight goal involvements in 14 appearances, totalling 832 minutes, which is an average of one every 1.75 games, or every 104 minutes.

However, while their output is ultimately what matters most, especially for a team gunning for the title, there is also the matter of how they play the game and how fun they are to watch.

Unfortunately for the 30-year-old, this is another area in which he is bested, as while his technical trickery can be a joy to behold, he’s nowhere near as powerful or dynamic as the former LOSC Lille star.

Moreover, the 26-year-old’s ability to pick up the ball in his own half, take on opposition defenders and then slide the ball into the far corner is why former Milan coach Stefano Pioli said, “Leao reminds me a lot of the early Thierry Henry.”

Just imagine a player capable of doing that once again donning the club’s red and white and helping them end their two-decade title drought.

Ultimately, Trossard is an excellent player and is in good form, but if Arsenal can sign Leao in the winter, they should do so.

After Dowman: Hale End has given Arsenal a future star who's "like Vieira"

The incredible prospect could be another Max Dowman-style star for Arsenal.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Nov 12, 2025

Wayne Rooney has compared Harry Kane’s “incredible evolution” into England’s GOAT with the development that Cristiano Ronaldo once enjoyed at Manchester United. Kane is already his country’s all-time leading goalscorer and appears set to smash records on the appearance front as well. If he could win an international trophy, then it would be difficult to argue against him being the greatest.

• England's GOAT: Will Kane pass Moore, Charlton & Beckham?

  At 32 years of age, the former Tottenham striker is showing no sign of slowing down. Remarkable numbers are being posted at Bayern Munich, with the target being found there on 108 occasions through 113 appearances. He has also broken his trophy duck by becoming a Bundesliga title winner.

  On the international stage, Kane remains the talismanic captain of England. He is rarely rested, with few alternative No.9 options breathing down his neck, and has helped the Three Lions secure qualification for the 2026 World Cup.

  He has reached 78 goals for his nation and boasts 112 caps. Kane needs to reach 126 in order to pass legendary former goalkeeper Peter Shilton. Another shot at major glory will be taken in next summer – having suffered defeat in back-to-back European Championship finals – with the plan being to emulate Bobby Moore when it comes to claiming the most prestigious of prizes.

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• Getty
  

  Rooney explains why Kane is England's greatest

  Explaining why Kane will pass Moore, Bobby Charlton, Kevin Keegan, Bryan Robson, Paul Gascoigne, David Beckham, Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer on the GOAT front, ex-England captain Rooney told : “Just the goals he has scored and his performances. He will go on and get the caps record as well, you would imagine – the caps he is on.

  “I just think how he has evolved as a player is incredible. He reminds me of Cristiano when we were at United and he was younger. Sometimes he’s at a mad angle and he’s shooting and you’re like ‘what are you doing shooting?’ You might say ‘pass it’ but it doesn’t bother him, he’ll try it again and keep going – right and left foot. I think he’s, for me, the best England player. The numbers he is getting are incredible.”

• Kane or Shearer? Carragher sees only one winner

  Liverpool legend Jamie Carragher agreed with that assessment, suggesting that Kane still does not get the recognition that his stunning exploits deserve. The former England defender said: “I absolutely love him. I think he is a little bit underrated. There was always that thing about trophies.

  “Shearer was always the centre-forward of the Premier League when it started – for six or seven years, Shearer was the guy and he was England’s guy, most goals in the Premier League. I think if you asked most people up and down the country: Shearer of Kane? I think the majority would go with Shearer.

  “I’ve always been Kane. Shearer was amazing but I don’t know what you can say against Kane. He has gone to Bayern Munich and he is like Ronaldo and Messi level. He’s going to get more goals and caps than Lineker, Shearer, Jimmy Greaves, Rooney. What hasn’t the lad done? What can you throw at him?”

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• Getty
  

  World Cup win: Kane looking to lead England to glory

  One-time England striker Jermain Defoe, who also graced the books at Spurs, has previously told GOAL when asked if Kane will go down as England’s greatest: “I think if he wins something, you have to put him in the conversation. Of course there have been others that are iconic figures and legends in terms of caps – Beckham, Ashley Cole, all the great players. But to be England’s leading goalscorer, that’s a special achievement. If you go on to win a major tournament and have the most caps, of course you have to put him in the conversation.”

  Kane has spoken of his admiration for Rooney, with inspiration being taken from the Manchester United great and fellow frontman that he took England’s all-time goal record from. Rooney was unable to win anything during the Three Lions’ so-called ‘Golden Generation’, but Kane has an opportunity to grab himself a gold medal before hanging up his boots.

Since Breetzke is available for the second ODI, no replacement has been named

Firdose Moonda03-Sep-2025Tony de Zorzi has been ruled out of South Africa’s ODI series against England after sustaining a hamstring injury in the first match in Leeds.De Zorzi was fielding on the boundary when he dived to stop a Jos Buttler shot from going for four. While he was successful in reeling the ball in, he hurt his left hamstring in the process. He left the field for treatment and it was quickly confirmed that he would not return and would only bat if required. South Africa were chasing a modest target of 132 and did not need de Zorzi. He will now return home to undergo scans and determine the extent of the injury.No replacement batter has been named as de Zorzi was the reserve and played in place of Matthew Breetzke, who himself had a left hamstring tweak and missed the last ODI in Australia and the first in England. Breetzke has since recovered and is available for selection for the second match on Thursday. He is likely to slot straight back into the No. 4 spot.There is no further update on the availability of South Africa’s pace spearhead Kagiso Rabada, who missed the ODIs in Australia with ankle inflammation and did not play at Headingley. Codi Yusuf, who has been playing for Durham, was brought into the South African squad, which suggests Rabada may not make an appearance until the T20Is.South Africa’s other concern is captain Temba Bavuma, who is still under a workload-management protocol after hurting his hamstring in the World Test Championship final in June. Bavuma played in two of the three ODIs in Australia and the first match of the England series but is expected to be rested for one of the remaining two.South Africa lead the three-match series 1-0.

There might be just one day left in this seesawing series with everything left to play for

Andrew McGlashan04-Jan-20251:18

Manjrekar: Webster ‘very organised’ with his batting

If anyone says they know how this Border-Gavaskar series is going to end, they are lying. After it all started with a 17-wicket day in Perth, the second day at the SCG brought 15, which means there might be just one more to go.When Australia were 39 for 4 it looked like they could be in for a repeat of the first innings at Optus Stadium; as Steven Smith approached 10,000 runs you could imagine them getting a foothold; when Beau Webster and Alex Carey started to forge a stand, with Jasprit Bumrah off the field, a small but crucial lead was on the horizon; when India went through the lower order it was all square.Related

• India find other heroes with Bumrah forced to the back seat

• Great Scott Boland, the supersub calling the shots for Australia

• Rohit says he 'stood down' for SCG Test: 'It is not a retirement decision'

• Bumrah leaves SCG for scans after experiencing back spasms

• Boland four-for, Pant fireworks keep SCG Test in balance

As Scott Boland did his thing again, including claiming Virat Kohli for a fifth (and likely final) time in Tests, you wondered if he would blow India away; while Rishabh Pant unleashed an extraordinary display the lead was growing rapidly, but Pat Cummins got him for the fourth time in the series; in the dying moments of the day, Smith dived in front of Usman Khawaja and spilled a chance to give Ravindra Jadeja a life.It was that sort of day. At the end of it, India stood with a lead of 145, with four wickets in hand. The fate of the game, and the series, could well lie in the fitness of Bumrah, whose exit from the ground early in the afternoon, escorted by an ambulance for scans on a back spasm, became as crucial a moment as any.Beau Webster walked in at 39 for 4 and scored a debut half-century•Getty ImagesThe reason for such a helter-skelter day, and guessing game as to what happens next, has been the pitch – unlike any seen at the SCG for many years. It’s the first time they have used a new variety of grass, called Tahoma 31, for a Test strip here, having experimented with it on Sheffield Shield surfaces last year. On one such pitch, Tasmania were bowled out for 68 chasing 143 as cracks widened and batting became impossible.It’s not quite impossible on this surface, but it’s very difficult and one where luck plays as much of a part as technique and skill. Brilliant to watch, but probably not to experience if you are a batter.”The groundstaff have done an incredible job in terms of creating a wicket with something in it,” Australia coach Andrew McDonald said. “Traditionally here it’s quite benign and we’ve had a lot of draws, a lot of people have been talking about the draws, so you are damned if you do, damned if you don’t. This game’s sped up.”He’s trying to produce an even contest between bat and ball. Has it favoured bowlers a little bit more than what we expected, and the groundstaff expected? There’s no doubt about that. It’s made for interesting cricket… low-scoring games like this just heighten the pressure in it.”There were a host of different ways batters attempted to find a way. When play began, all eyes were on the resumption of Bumrah vs Sam Konstas. It did not take long for the 19-year-old to lay down his marker, using his feet to smoke a straight drive. From the start of the day, India had a deep third in reaction to Konstas’ reverse-scoops at the MCG. But for the beginning of Bumrah’s fourth over of the morning they brought him up to third slip. Konstas immediately scooped to deep third. The fielder went straight back. Konstas again wanted to play the role of disruptor.Ultimately it wasn’t Bumrah who got him but Mohammed Siraj, when Konstas edged a booming drive to gully. “There’s aggression and aggression, but then there’s also playing your percentages,” Justin Langer said on . “Here, with the ball swinging away, that’s a very dangerous shot, to be driving the outswinging ball.”Even Smith, coming off back-to-back hundreds, was hostage to the conditions. Prasidh Krishna’s first delivery jumped off a length and climbed towards his chest. When he took Prasidh for six and four off consecutive deliveries, followed by back-to-back boundaries off Nitish Kumar Reddy, it looked like his class would shine through. The summit of 10,000 runs was a mere five runs away when he edged Prasidh to slip.By this point, Webster had settled into a mightily impressive maiden Test innings having been greeted by an innings threatening to unravel. He was proactive rather than reckless. It was how straight he played that stood out, and he used his big stride to good effect. After his solid role with the ball – he later claimed Shubman Gill as a maiden Test wicket – and safe catching it had become a very handy start to a career. Like Boland’s rise to the Test side, it’s also reward for perseverance at domestic level.Steven Smith was dismissed five runs short of the 10,000 mark in Test cricket•Getty Images”I’m defending the stumps and trying to score where I can,” Webster told . “And luckily, I’ve got a few away today. It was pretty dicey there for a bit, but I felt like once I was into my innings and the nerves settled, it was business as usual.”Webster’s was the first half-century of the Test; the second could hardly have been a greater contrast. Pant went from his first innings 40 off 98 balls to a thrill-a-minute 61 off 33 which started with a first-ball straight six off Boland when India had been 78 for 4. Twice in consecutive deliveries he swung Mitchell Starc over the leg side before top-edging against Cummins. “He can turn the game just like that. So we were happy to see the back of him,” Webster said.”We were a little bit surprised in the first innings the way he went about his work,” McDonald added. “He’s got an incredible ability to put pressure back onto bowlers. We are planned for that, though. We bounced in and out of a few plans there and [he] clearly kept taking on the boundary riders, was getting away with it, and it was an innings you’d say was right for that time.”The right innings, at the right time. The decisive one in this Test match may not yet have been played.

The United States saw their FIFA U17 World Cup run end in the Round of 32 after a dramatic 1-1 draw and a 4-3 penalty shootout defeat to Morocco. Jude Terry’s early strike had the Americans in control for much of the match, but Abdellah Ouazane’s 90th-minute equalizer forced the shootout that ultimately sealed their exit.

• Getty
  

  Early advantage squandered by late Moroccan equalizer

  The United States appeared to be in control after Jude Terry's well-taken goal in the 21st minute gave them a deserved lead. The Philadelphia Union academy product finished clinically after connecting with a precise pass from Cavan Sullivan, continuing his impressive tournament form. The Americans maintained their advantage through most of the match, creating several opportunities to extend their lead while limiting Morocco's attacking threats.

  The match took a dramatic turn in the 74th minute when the United States was awarded a penalty kick that could have sealed their advancement. Mathis Albert, who had been effective throughout the tournament, stepped up to take the spot kick but saw his effort saved.

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• Penalty shootout heartbreak

  In the ensuing penalty shootout, both teams displayed nerves under the intense pressure. Morocco's Ahmed Mouhoub missed his attempt, briefly giving the Americans an advantage. However, the United States couldn't capitalize as both Maximo Carrizo and Cooper Sanchez failed to convert their spot kicks, allowing Morocco to claim a 4-3 shootout victory and advance to the Round of 16.

• Another defeat to Morocco…

  The defeat represents a significant disappointment for coach Gonzalo Segares and his team, who had shown tremendous potential throughout the competition. The U.S. squad, featuring talented prospects like Sullivan, Terry, and Nimfasha Berchimas, had impressed observers with their tactical discipline and attacking flair during the group stage, where they conceded just one goal while scoring four.

  This also represents the third-straight youth tournament elimination for the U.S. at the hands of Morocco. The U.S. previously lost in the Olympics to the les Lions de l'Atlas in 2024 and then lost again to the Morocco U20s in the U20 World Cup earlier this year. 

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• Morocco advance to face Japan

  With the victory, Morocco advances to face Japan in the Round of 16, continuing their remarkable turnaround after a difficult group stage. They had finished third in Group B behind Japan and Portugal, qualifying for the knockout rounds as one of the best third-placed teams despite losing two of their three group matches.

Tottenham Hotspur have submitted an official bid for Ferran Torres, with Barcelona chiefs now in a debate over whether to sell the forward.

Spurs’ interest in a new forward may stem from the fact they have struggled in front of goal at times this season, perhaps partially due to Dominic Solanke’s absence, recording an xG of just 0.10 across the entire match in the 1-0 defeat against Chelsea earlier this month.

Not only that, but it would be fair to say some of the summer signings haven’t hit the ground running, with Randal Kolo Muani failing to find the back of the net in his opening eight matches across all competitions.

Pundit Johan Derksen has also been very critical of Xavi Simons, saying: “That Simons, he is physically incompetent. In England, they are all skilled on the ball and can all play football, but you also need physical strength.

“Tijjani Reijnders has that, and so do the guys at Liverpool, but Simons is getting lost in the onslaught. Simply because he is physically incompetent.”

Although it is still early days for Simons and Kolo Muani, it is no surprise Thomas Frank & co want to bring in a new forward this January, and they have now made an official approach for a La Liga star.

Tottenham submit offer for Ferran Torres

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham have now submitted an official offer for Barcelona star Torres, with club chiefs now debating whether to cash-in, given that they could do with generating funds, in light of their financial situation.

Spurs’ proposal amounts to €65m (£57m), which is tempting, but there are hints that the north Londoners may even be willing to offer more, as they are ‘determined’ to get a deal done, even if the La Liga club reject the opening offer.

Barca are yet to make a decision about the Spaniard’s future, but if they do end up being willing to sanction a departure, the 25-year-old could be a statement signing for Frank’s side.

Having initially struggled to make an impact at the Camp Nou, the former Manchester City man has developed year-on-year to become an important player, chipping in with seven goals in all competitions already this season.

Ferran Torres’ goal record by season	La Liga appearances	Goals
2021-22	18	4
2022-23	33	4
2023-24	29	7
2024-25	27	10
2025-26	11	5

Should he continue scoring at the current rate, the Spain international, who has been lauded as “world-class” by Xavi, is on course to have his best season yet, so it is understandable that Barcelona are hesitant about cashing-in.

However, should Tottenham be able to get a deal done, Torres could be the ideal addition to Frank’s squad, not least because the manager’s current options are struggling, with Mathys Tel on just two goals in all competitions this term.

Update on Tottenham's pursuit of Antoine Semenyo

Tottenham given Semenyo update with sources convinced forward 'will be through the door'

The Lilywhites could sign an attacker in January.

By
Emilio Galantini

Nov 13, 2025

Hong Kong gave Sri Lanka a scare, but a slew of dropped chances meant they could not pull off the upset

Andrew Fidel Fernando15-Sep-20252:54

Maharoof: ‘Theekshana needs to become a wicket-taking option’

A Pathum Nissanka fifty at the top of the innings, and a Wanindu Hasaranga cameo at the end saw Sri Lanka survive a scare from the group’s lowest-ranked team, Hong Kong.In two disciplines, Hong Kong were valiant. Anshy Rath batted with determination to score 48, and Nizakat Khan with verve to make 52 not out off 38, the pair driving Hong Kong to a total of 149 for 4.The bowlers then created chances right through the innings. They never allowed Sri Lanka to truly dominate a phase, then took three quick wickets, Yasim Murtaza and Ehsan Khan striking to have Sri Lanka at 127 for 6, needing more than a run-a-ball to win.But their catching was poor. Nissanka was dropped no fewer than three times – twice by Ehsan, who couldn’t hold sharp return chances. Kusal Perera was also dropped twice in the same Ayush Shukla over, though one of those chances was exceedingly difficult. Had some of those stuck, though, Hong Kong could truly have made Sri Lanka sweat.In the end, Hong Kong’s bowlers made too many mistakes at the death, and Sri Lanka had the depth to capitalise, Hasaranga making his presence felt from No. 8. He made 20 not out off eight balls. Nissanka had struck 68 off 44.

Nissanka sets Sri Lanka up again

Nissanka was dropped on 43, 63, and 68, but outside of those errors played another efficient innings, finding boundaries before the pressure really built on him, and ensuring that Sri Lanka kept ticking even as Kusal Mendis and Kamil Mishara soaked up balls early. He was especially good at the lap-scoop, targeting that area behind short fine leg when Hong Kong strayed into his pads. This was his third T20I fifty in five innings, in what continues to be a rich year across formats.2:13

Maharoof: Sri Lanka played with a ‘fear of failure’ mentality

Three wickets in eight balls

Although it hadn’t been the boundary-fest Sri Lanka would have wanted, owing to some disciplined Hong Kong bowling, they were still traveling swiftly to a comfortable win at the end of the 15th over, when they were two down and needed 32 from 30.Then came a horror sequence. Nissanka was run out at the non-striker’s end, having hesitated on a dodgy second run. Not even a big dive could get him close to the crease. Perera was out lbw having missed a turning delivery from Murtaza next ball. Then second ball of the following over, offspinner Ehsan had Charith Asalanka slicing one to short third.When Kamindu Mendis holed out against Murtaza first ball of the 18th over, Sri Lanka had lost four wickets for nine runs, off 13 deliveries. And they still needed 23 off 17 to win.

Enter Hasaranga…

Hasaranga got a freebie second ball. Murtaza had overstepped the previous delivery, and the batters had taken a single. So Hasaranga had the licence to go big, and he duly pounded the free hit into the sightscreen behind the bowler. Next over he crashed a four through cover – a favourite area – and finished by drilling another boundary down the ground. Hasaranga has played decent innings for Sri Lanka before, but this one came under some pressure.Nizakat Khan became the second Hong Kong batter to score a T20I fifty in the Asia Cup•Sajjad Hussain/AFP/Getty Images

Nizakat and Rath help put up a defendable score

Long before that late drama, however, Rath and Nizakat had helped Hong Kong make a creditable impression in their last showing of the tournament. Rath played a measured innings, rarely going much faster than a run-a-ball. But it was also an interesting one – only four of his 48 runs came behind the wicket.Nizakat, however, was much more aggressive, using strong wrists to whip the ball to leg, and slice it through the offside. He was dropped twice, but was responsible for Hong Kong’s quicker progress through the final overs. This was his first T20I half cenutry against a full member nation.