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Tottenham are said to be very keen on bringing in a £60 million striker as chairman Daniel Levy and the recruitment team eye up Harry Kane successors.

Spurs sporadically linked with new centre-forward

While Richarlison is Spurs' current second top scorer in the league and has recently come into a rich vein of form, there is a real case to be made that the Brazilian isn't quite the long-term 20-plus-goal per-season striker which Ange Postecoglou could benefit from.

Tottenham readying bid for £43m player as Ange looks to tie up deals quick

They’re increasingly likely to make a move.

ByEmilio Galantini Mar 21, 2024

There are even suggestions that Tottenham could opt to sell Richarlison and upgrade if they receive a big enough offer for him this summer, which perhaps adds fuel to the fire that a striker signing could well be possible.

Alasdair Gold hinted that Spurs are in contention for Brentford striker Ivan Toney earlier this week, and the England international would be quite a stellar capture if they can beat other top suitors to his signature.

"I would love to see Tottenham nick him off of Brentford and get there before Arsenal do," said Teddy Sheringham on Toney potentially joining Spurs.

"Toney has got something about him. He carries himself well and can take on the mantle of being the main man at a club. Everyone is suggesting that he could be the icing on the cake for Arsenal, but I think he could be a big, big player for Tottenham at this moment in time."

There are other, cheaper and more attainable names mentioned regarding the centre-forward role, though, with Union St. Gillosie striker Mohamed Amoura having quite the season.

Son Heung-min

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Amoura has admirers at Spurs who've been running the rule over him in recent weeks, according to reports, and the Algeria sensation may well be one to watch when the transfer window reopens.

Another striker apparently attracting Postecoglou's attention is Bologna forward Joshua Zirkzee. The Dutchman is already into double figures with 10 Serie A goals this season, and his performances are said to be turning heads in north London.

Tottenham really want to sign Zirkzee as price tag revealed

According to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport, as translated by Sport Witness, Tottenham have a strong interest in signing Zirkzee but Bologna could demand up to £60m to part company with their talisman.

It is unclear whether this valuation is enough to deter Spurs, but they will have to pay close to a record fee amid the growing clamour for Zirkzee's services.

"It was an excellent goal from a player with extraordinary qualities," said manager Thiago Motta, after a strike away to Sassuolo earlier this campaign.

"He scored a similar goal in training. Joshua is very talented, but I want to emphasize that he also works very hard for it."

Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik half-centuries in vain for Peshawar

The Report by Danyal Rasool10-Mar-2020

Fakhar Zaman hits one through the off side•Getty Images

David Wiese! Remember the name? You perhaps don’t, unless you’re a Lahore Qalandars fan, since the South African delivered exactly this outcome in the final over of a game last year, smashing a six off the final ball then to power Lahore to victory against Multan. This time around, it was the penultimate ball, and this time, it was Peshawar Zalmi. He was facing Carlos Brathwaite, the undisputed king of final overs in T20 cricket, and it seemed like the West Indian’s grip on that crown would tighten even more after a fantastic first four balls that leaked just three runs.Lahore needed 5 off 2, and just as it appeared they would manage to let victory slip through their fingers once more, Wiese cleared his front leg, read the slower delivery and bludgeoned the ball over the head of a long-on fielder who could only watch the ball sail into an exultant Lahore crowd. It sealed a famous five wicket win, with this being just the second time Lahore have won three games on the bounce in the PSL.The craziness of that last over complemented what was one of the games of the season, with ebbs and flows of momentum that kept the outcome uncertain until Wiese launched that final delivery into the stands. Peshawar suffered a nightmarish start that may have proved the difference, slumping to 24 for 3 in the Powerplay thanks to Shaheen Afridi and Samit Patel’s excellent opening overs, before a 116-run stand from two players at extreme ends of the age spectrum, Haider Ali and Shoaib Malik, got Peshawar back on parity.But Shaheen returned at the death to restrict Peshawar to 187 on a brilliant pitch for batting, and with Fakhar Zaman firing and Sohail Akhtar playing his part, Lahore suffered no capitulation of the top order. Even when Akhtar was run out in a moment of characteristically sabotaging running, Chris Lynn stepped up, and ensured Lahore would always remain ahead of the rate in a partnership that put their side well on course to a reasonably straightforward win. Fakhar smashed a chanceless 46-ball 63, but Lahore almost gave it away when Zaman and Lynn fell within three balls of each other, and with Dunk and Hafeez falling cheaply and the asking rate soaring past 12, it appeared Lahore had tossed away their golden opportunity.But Rahat Ali’s shoddy 19th over that both Wiese and Patel capitalised on suddenly put them back into contention. Wiese put away a slower ball for six over midwicket and Patel caressed him for four in the gap at extra cover to turn what looked like an impossible scenario into one where they needed just eight off the final over. Wiese would do the rest.The Shaheen Afridi showPakistan, and indeed Lahore Qalandars, had best be careful not to take Shaheen Afridi for granted for the moment. In the last few months, the lanky left-arm pacer, barely put of his teenage years, has fast risen to become Pakistan’s only indispensable bowler across formats. At the PSL this year, he had only continued that irresistible form, and the first over of the opposition innings has become the stage upon which Shaheen Afridi repeatedly plays the lead role. Today, the contest was a mismatch in terms of current form, with the hapless Tom Banton the latest to fall victim to Afridi’s wiles. Off the second ball of the innings and the first he faced, he was hopelessly deceived by an off-cutter, and spooned the ball straight to extra cover.He showed he was just as adept at bowling at the death, and would return in the 17th over to see off the threat of Lewis Gregory, before delivering the ball of the evening to his fellow left-arm speedster Wahab Riaz. It saw off stump buckle at the base, and would have felled far more capable batsman than the Peshawar captain. Afridi is quickly showing how rapidly he continues to improve; he now ranks second on the wickets charts at this year’s PSL with an economy of 6.88. No one else in the top five can boast an economy rate under 7.40. In a game that went down to the last over, every slight edge he could provide his side was priceless.Star of the dayThere was much hand-wringing about the paucity of young Pakistan batsmen with the capability of stepping up in the PSL last year. Indeed, the highest scoring uncapped Pakistani at the PSL in 2019 was now-Lahore captain Sohail Akhtar, with 241 runs across the season. That total has nearly been matched already by 19-year old Haider Ali, who enriched his burgeoning reputation with a delightful innings today that takes him to 238 runs for the season already. Coming in with Peshawar crumbling at 24 for three, he struck up a 116-run partnership with Shoaib Malik, a man who had made his international debut before Haider was even born. And he wasn’t just playing second fiddle.Haider was the chief aggressor for much of that stand, picking up the tempo around the 12th over by smashing David Wiese and Haris Rauf for three fours and a six inside six balls, before bringing up his 50 in 31 balls. The power he generates when hitting towards the onside is particularly precocious for someone so young, and what was in evidence today may just be a preview for what to expect from Haider Ali in this format. He would see Peshawar through close to the end of the innings, continuing to push at the margins of what Peshawar would have deemed possible after losing their top three for 24, and by the time he fell in the 18th over for a 43-ball 69, he had left Peshawar in a far more dominant position than he’d found them.Where the teams standLahore have now won four games in eight, the first time the franchise has won more than three games in a season. They rise to third, while Peshawar Zalmi stay at nine points in second place.

Sri Lanka have left Lahiru Thirimanne out of their Test squad to play England, and Kusal Perera has been included in his place despite a finger injury leaving him doubtful for the first game of the two-match series.Wanindu Hasaranga was named as the 16th member of the squad, but with an addendum that his left hamstring injury would not allow him to take part in the series. A replacement is expected to be picked before the first Test.There are three specialist spinners already in the squad however – with offspinner Dilruwan Perera, left-arm spinner Lasith Embudleniya and left-arm wristspinner Lakshan Sandakan all in the 15. Dhananjaya de Silva is around to bowl some offspin as well. There are four specialist seam-bowlers: Suranga Lakmal, Lahiru Kumara, Kasun Rajitha and left-armer Vishwa Fernando.This surfeit of bowlers means there is only room for one spare batsman – Kusal Perera – in addition to the top seven that played Sri Lanka’s most-recent Test in Harare.ALSO READ: Injuries leave Perera, Hasaranga on the sidelinesThirimanne is the only omission from the squad that won 1-0 in Zimbabwe in January. He did not play any part in that series, and last played in the series against New Zealand in August 2019.Perera had been left out for the tour of Zimbabwe earlier this year. That completed a strange year for him in the format, after he had played one of the great Test innings of all time in Durban in February 2019, but totalled just 44 runs in three Tests after that, including bagging a pair in Colombo against New Zealand in August in what was his last Test appearance.He was in the squad for the December Test tour of Pakistan, but didn’t get a game, and chief selector Asantha de Mel confirmed while announcing the squad for Zimbabwe that Perera had been dropped after consultation with coach Mickey Arthur, who felt it was better for the wicketkeeper-batsman to remain in Sri Lanka and train for the white-ball series against West Indies, rather than tour Zimbabwe and not get a game.England play two Tests, the first starting in Galle on March 19. They had won each of the three Tests on their last tour of Sri Lanka, in late 2018.Squad: Dimuth Karunaratne (capt), Oshada Fernando, Kusal Mendis, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Kusal Perera, Dhananjaya De Silva, Niroshan Dickwella (wk), Dilruwan Perera, Lasith Embuldeniya, Lahiru Kumara, Vishwa Fernando, Kasun Rajitha, Lakshan Sandakan, Suranga Lakmal, Wanindu Hasaranga (injured, replacement to be named before first Test)

Nigeria’s 2026 FIFA World Cup dreams suffered a major blow as the Super Eagles laboured to a draw against South Africa, leaving fans furious and making 'embarrassing' comparisons to Manchester United’s recent struggles. The result leaves Nigeria precariously placed in their group, with only one win in eight matches.

• Nigeria slump in World Cup qualifying campaign
• Fans compare Super Eagles to struggling Man Utd
• South Africa move closer to 2026 finals

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Since their last World Cup appearance at Russia 2018, Nigeria have struggled to recapture their former dominance, and the current campaign suggests that qualifying for even a play-off spot could be out of reach. Tuesday's 1-1 draw saw former Watford defender William Troost-Ekong accidentally deflect the ball into his own net, giving South Africa an early lead. Calvin Bassey of Fulham restored parity with his first international goal, leaving the sides level.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Despite the equaliser, Nigeria now trail South Africa by six points with only two games remaining in the group. The qualification format means the top team advances directly, while the four best second-placed nations enter a play-off for a chance at the intercontinental qualifier. With a maximum of 17 points attainable, Nigeria must rely on other results to have any chance.

• WHAT ARE THE FANS SAYING

  The result sparked a wave of criticism from Nigerian fans, many of whom took to social media to vent frustration.

  @_ezeokolorie blasted: "48 team World Cup and Nigeria couldn't qualify. Embarassing. I'M DONE." 

  @iiamemry humorously compared the team to England’s Premier League flops: "Nigeria out here trynna qualify to the World Cup like Manchester United was tryna qualify for Champions League last season lol."

  @EbongDi highlighted the lack of quality on display, questioning if this was truly the best Nigeria could field: "If this is the best 11 players Nigeria can assemble, then we don't deserve to represent Africa at any World Cup."

  @Forlartimate admitted the double heartbreak of supporting both clubs and country: "Supporting Man Utd & Nigeria 🇳🇬 has affected my mental health a lot 🥺😩#MUFC."

  Whereas @prophetswitch said: "Why is Nigeria playing like amateurs? These are supposed to be professional footballers in top leagues across the world. What kind of embarrassing display is that, for crying out loud?"

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The parallels with Manchester United’s season only added insult to injury. The Red Devils have started the 2025-26 campaign poorly, with only one win from three Premier League games and a humiliating Carabao Cup exit to League Two side Grimsby Town to go with that.

Over the dominant home season, India’s coach Ravi Shastri talked about taking the pitch and the toss out of equation, which, while lofty, is something for dominant teams to aspire to. To a large extent, India did do that in home Tests, but in away conditions against good teams, tosses can play a big part. That was the first thing Virat Kohli mentioned in his post-match interview with Simon Doull after a ten-wicket loss as early as on the fourth morning in Wellington. However, he also spent some time talking about how the India batsmen and bowlers needed to be better despite getting the rough end of the toss.”Day one it was probably the toss that turned out to be very important,” Kohli said. “But at the same time, as a batting unit, we take a lot of pride in being competitive, and we were just not competitive enough. I don’t think we put their bowlers under enough pressure in the first innings. Anything over 220-230, then you are talking a different language. Even the deficit looks much lesser if you get that score on the board – and if you get the last three batsmen out cheaper, which wasn’t the case… But yeah, that first innings put us behind the game already, and that lead put us under pressure, which was hard to come back from.”India’s bowlers don’t usually come up against conditions where staying in good areas for long periods is not good enough to get you wickets. In New Zealand, the definition of good areas is different, and you have to vary your angles a lot to get something out of the slow surfaces that keep getting better as matches progress. India were generally shorter of those good areas, and didn’t quite use variations as well as New Zealand – no doubt, much more accustomed to bowling there – did.Not only that, the last three New Zealand wickets went on to add 123 runs, which broke the back of India’s resolve, which was built largely on Ishant Sharma’s five-for after he beat the odds to make this Test despite a grade-three ligament tear on his ankle in January.”I think as a bowling group they have taken a lot of pride in being competitive and bowling good channels for long enough,” Kohli said. “Till about seven wickets we were really good. Even when Ross [Taylor] and Kane [Williamson] had a partnership, we got stuck in. We thought, ‘Okay if we stop them under a lead of 100, it is a great effort from hereon’. Because the wicket did get better to bat on. But I think those last three wickets and 120-odd runs really hurt us and really pushed us out of the game.”I think overall we really did put in a good effort but we still could be a lot more disciplined. That’s something the bowlers have recognised themselves. That’s not something that needs to be pointed out to them anymore. They were not as happy with their bowling performance as they would have been otherwise. That can happen in this game at the international level, but it’s about how we learn from it and how we bounce back.”Kohli wasn’t about to be harsh on any particular batsman, but wanted a better show from the whole group. “You don’t want to be too hard on the guys because Prithvi [Shaw] has played only two innings away from home now, and he will figure it out. He will find ways of scoring runs. He is a natural stroke-maker, and he will find ways of scoring runs and putting up good starts for us more often than not.”I think Mayank [Agarwal] was outstanding in this game, first innings as well as second innings. Really applied himself well. And he is probably the only guy along with Jinks [Ajinkya Rahane] that got some kind of tempo and momentum going for us as far as batting is concerned. I think we have to stick to our template that has got us success and not think too much about where we are playing or what kind of pitch we are playing on. Our strength is to put enough runs on the board for our bowlers to get attacking. I think that is something as a batting unit that we need to take more responsibility.”Kohli also reaffirmed his faith in Shaw and his attacking qualities during his post-match press conference, when asked if there was any technical issue the young opener needed to sort out.”I think we can sit down and analyse maybe after 8 or 10 similar dismissals,” Kohli said. “I don’t think for a guy who is playing away from home, probably experiencing a different kind of bowling attack at the international level compared to playing at home – he will figure out, he will find ways to score runs because he is a natural strokeplayer and he scores runs. It’s not that he gets small runs, he gets big runs and knows how to get runs.”It’s just a matter of understanding the pace of the wicket and conditions as soon as possible. Again, when he is in a clear frame of mind, he is very, very destructive. I think overseas as you would have seen, whenever we have done well, the opening partnership has been with a lot of clarity and positivity, even clearing the in-field, taking bowlers on, so that you put them under pressure. He is that kind of a player.”Once he feels that he can do it, I think it will be a different ball game. The mindset can shift very quickly. I think as a batsman until you are committing the same mistake about seven or eight times, you can’t really sit down and worry about things too much. It’s just a matter of spending enough time and then things start to flow automatically. He obviously wants to perform and no doubt about it, every batsman wants to. We need to give him that time to get used to the conditions a little bit and once he starts scoring, he will feel more confident about it. I don’t think at this stage he needs to be sat down and be explained what’s going wrong because I don’t see anything wrong. It’s the execution of things which wasn’t there in this game which if it comes off, it’s a whole different language.”

Since securing promotion back to the Premier League in 2019, Aston Villa have spent millions in order to maintain their status as a top-flight team.

Under Unai Emery, this spending has taken on new heights, and with it, potentially bigger rewards. During the summer transfer window, the Spaniard splashed out £51.9m to sign Moussa Diaby from Bayer Leverkusen, while another £31.5m was spent in order to secure the services of defender Pau Torres from Villarreal.

With the Midlands side currently in touching distance of the top four in the Premier League table, while also through to the last 16 of the Europa Conference League, it's safe to say that the money has been well spent.

Might some of their recent success be down to a player who was bought before Emery joined the club, however, as John McGinn has emerged as one of their prized assets during their recent ascent up the league table.

The Scot has seen his value rise steadily over the years, and he is now worth more than some of his more esteemed teammates, with Leon Bailey being a notable example.

Leon Bailey’s market value

The Jamaican winger joined from Leverkusen in the summer of 2021, yet this has been his most productive season as a Villa player, and he could owe this success to Emery, who has given him plenty of freedom to express his attacking qualities.

Indeed, since the start of the campaign, Bailey has scored ten goals and registered nine assists in all competitions and has established himself as Emery’s first choice on the right side of the midfield, despite the presence of Diaby.

The Frenchman has often been pushed further forward into a more advanced role to make way for Bailey, such is his impressive form of late.

While his displays have been excellent, Bailey is valued at just €16.5m (£14m) according to Football Transfers.

Market Movers

Football FanCast's Market Movers series explores the changing landscape of the modern transfer market. How much is your club's star player or biggest flop worth today?

Of course, this could certainly increase should he maintain his current form in front of goal, but at this moment in time, McGinn is worth a lot more than his 26-year-old teammate.

John McGinn’s market value at Hibs

The Scot began his career with St Mirren before sealing a move to Hibernian in the summer of 2015, and he became an immediate hit by helping the Easter Road outfit win the Scottish Cup for the first time since 1902 with a 3-2 win over Rangers in 2016.

Just before he left Edinburgh to move to the Midlands, his market value was a modest €2.7m (£2.3m) according to Football Transfers, and Villa managed to sign him for just under this, spending only £2m to bring him to the club in the summer of 2018.

Following two years in the Championship, Steve Bruce needed someone to help bolster Villa’s chances of making a return to the top flight, and McGinn proved to be the catalyst as they defeated Derby County in the 2019 Play-off final to reach the promised land after a three-year absence.

Bruce even went as far as lauding him as one of his finest ever signings, saying: "A club like Villa – we didn't have £2m, but in the end we got him.

"How we got him out of Celtic I don't know because his grandfather was the chairman. It took a couple of games of golf at the Belfry with his dad until we could muster the money together!

"I am delighted for the kid because he is a smashing lad. He has to be one of my best ever signings because he has a determination to do well.”

John McGinn’s market value at Aston Villa

The 29-year-old thrived during his first few years in the Premier League as Villa maintained their status, but his displays since Emery arrived have hit a new level and this has seen his value skyrocket recently.

Indeed, the midfielder is now currently worth €39.5m (£33.7m) as per Football Transfers and this is over double that of what Bailey is worth, showing how vital he is to the club.

There is no doubt this value could continue to rise if he leads the club to the Champions League group stages next season, or even helps them win the Europa Conference League.

Steven Gerrard even made him captain in the summer of 2022 and this is a role he continues to hold under Emery, signifying just how impressive a job he is doing.

Why John McGinn is valued so high

Hailed as a “relentless creature” by journalist Mat Kendrick during his first season at the club, McGinn has embodied those qualities during the 2023/24 campaign.

In the Premier League this season, McGinn has recovered 4.7 balls per game while winning 5.3 total duels per game as he continues to show dogged resilience in one-on-one battles.

€51.3m (£43.8m)

€48.2m (£41.1m)

€47.4m (£40.4m)

€45m (£38.4m)

€39.5m (£33.7m)

It is his attacking qualities which are shining through, however, and in the Villa squad, the 5 foot 10 gem currently ranks fourth for goals and assists in the top flight (eight), while also ranking third for shots on target per game (0.7), third for big chances created (eight) and fourth for key passes per game (1.4), certainly showcasing his talents going forward.

With eight goals and four assists in all competitions, his desire to find a way into the opposition penalty area on a regular basis has been an added bonus for Emery, and it proves he is one of his most important players.

Having cost the club just £2m nearly six years ago, McGinn has certainly repaid this fee many times over and Villa have hit the jackpot on the Scotland sensation, who could still get even better.

While the likes of Diaby, Douglas Luiz and even Ollie Watkins are perhaps more established names, no one can underestimate just how crucial the former Hibs talent is to the club and their future ambitions.

The next few months could see the Midlands side qualify for the Champions League and secure a first major trophy in 28 years, and McGinn could be the captain to lead them to such important achievements.

Speaking to Football FanCast on behalf of NetBet Online Casino, Arsenal legend Ray Parlour has shared his thoughts on the club's January transfer window, and says sporting director Edu could look to seal a loan striker signing rather than spend big money.

Arteta linked with Jesus and Nketiah alternative

Since far before the winter window even opened for business, there have been widespread reports that manager Mikel Arteta wishes to bring in a new centre-forward.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024

The Spaniard is attempting to guide Arsenal to their first Premier League title in nearly 20 years, but has just Eddie Nketiah and Gabriel Jesus to choose from as his natural number nine options. Jesus has sporadically succumbed to injury at points this campaign, while Nketiah has been linked with a move away from Arsenal.

Arsenal have been struggling in front of goal over the last few games as well, with Arteta's side wasting a host of glorious chances during their 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium earlier this month.

The Gunners' issues going forward could go some way to being solved through the signing of a proven, goalscoring striker. Arsenal are reported admirers of Brentford star Ivan Toney, but Bees boss Thomas Frank has already stated that it would take an "unbelievable" price to tempt him away before February 1.

Edu has other rumoured options, though, like Getafe striker Borja Mayoral among others. Reports suggest Arsenal made a rejected £22 million bid for Mayoral in the last fortnight, with the north Londoners seemingly looking at cheaper Toney alternatives.

Ivan Toney

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After spending north of £200 million in the summer transfer window, Arsenal appear to have a slightly more limited January budget and may have to be careful when it comes to FFP regulations.

Parlour backs Arsenal to sign striker on loan

We sat down with ex-Gunners fan favourite Parlour to discuss Arsenal's window and whether they could indeed bring in a new striker, despite the roadblocks facing Edu.

Parlour says Arsenal could sign a striker on loan as the solution to this, and he thinks the likes of Toney will be too far out of reach this month.

"It will be very difficult for Arsenal to sign the striker they want in January as Toney could well be the number 1 target, but he will likely cost £80 million which I don’t believe Arsenal can spend right now," Parlour told FFC, in partnership with NetBet Online Casino.

"Brentford need him to ensure they don’t get relegated, so it’s an issue here regarding the transfer fee. Osimhen from Napoli signed a new deal, so he will be too expensive as could Calvert Lewin who Arsenal were rumoured to be interested in.

"I do think Arsenal need to strengthen up front as we had four top strikers in my day with Bergkamp, Henry, Wiltord, Kanu and also Jeffers would pop up with a few goals. Arsenal have two main recognised strikers in Jesus and Nketiah. It’s very tough in January to get the striker you want, so I trust Edu and Mikel to get it right and maybe a loan could happen."

Archer sustained the injury midway through the tournament and needed constant painkillers to make it through the rest of the competition

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Jul-2019Jofra Archer has revealed he was in “excruciating” pain as he battled a side injury during the second half of the World Cup. The tournament finished with him bowling the dramatic tied Super Over that enabled England to win the title on boundary countback.Archer sustained the injury against Afghanistan, England’s fifth match of the tournament, and needed constant painkillers to make it through the rest of the competition. The management may have had an eye on resting him at some stage during the group matches, but England’s mid-tournament wobble, where they lost consecutive matches against Sri Lanka and Australia, left them in virtually a must-win scenario against India and New Zealand.Archer then managed to produce one of his most impressive performances in the semi-final against Australia, trapping Aaron Finch lbw with his first ball to set the tone for a dominant victory, before his scarcely believable role in the final. He finished with 20 wickets in the tournament, a record for an England bowler in World Cups.”It was pretty excruciating,” he told about the side injury. “I’m fortunate it’s settled quickly. It was pretty bad. I couldn’t do it without painkillers, which was from the Afghanistan game onwards. I couldn’t get a week’s rest in during the tournament because of how close the games were. I only ever needed a week to 10 days.”Archer was given time off after the World Cup to recover physically and mentally from a dramatic start to his international career which only began in May. He didn’t take part in England’s pre-Test training camp and was allowed to head back home to Barbados for a holiday. He returned to action for Sussex in the T20 Blast on Friday evening and took 2 for 21 in another tied match ahead of England naming their squad on Saturday for the first Test against Australia.After the World Cup there had been a suggestion he may be held back until the second Ashes Test at Lord’s and given the strength of England’s pace-bowling resources that could remain an option but Archer, who has 131 first-class wickets at 23.44, is desperate to get his hands on the red ball.”I’m just ready to go out there and show the guys what I can do with a red ball,” he said. “I think my red-ball record is better than my white-ball record, so I just can’t wait to get the opportunity.”Stuart Broad and Chris Woakes combined to bowl England to victory against Ireland at Lord’s, demolishing the visitors’ second innings for 38, while Sam Curran and debutant Olly Stone took three wickets apiece in the first innings. James Anderson missed the match as he recovers from a calf strain but there is confidence he will be available for Edgbaston.

The grey clouds that have been hanging over West Ham United this year might just be starting to shift.

It’s still very early on in Nuno Espírito Santo’s tenure, but in the draw away to Everton and, more crucially, the win over Newcastle United, he’s shown enough to excite the fans.

More importantly, though, the win over the Toon suggests that the Portuguese coach might just be able to keep the Hammers in the Premier League.

Another huge positive to come out of that game was the display of Freddie Potts, and it’s already looking like the academy is brewing another talent like him.

Why Freddie Potts is such an exciting talent

Potts had made a few fleeting appearances for West Ham before Sunday’s game, but that was his first competitive start for the club.

However, he’s no inexperienced youngster, as he spent last season on loan with Portsmouth in the Championship, where he made 38 appearances, and the season before that with Wycombe Wanderers, where he made 43 appearances.

That experience clearly paid off against the Toon, as despite them being a Champions League side, the Barking-born ace looked completely unfazed.

Potts’ game vs Newcastle
Minutes	90′
Key Passes	2
Crosses	2
Passes	33/39
Touches	57
Tackles (Won)	3 (2)
Interceptions	1
Clearances	6
Recoveries	1
Ground Duels (Won)	4 (3)
All Stats via Sofascore

In fact, he thrived, and from the first minute to the last, he was practically faultless, putting in a perfect all-action midfield performance.

One analyst claimed he had a “similar aura to Rice” and was particularly impressed with his “confidence and ability to create time and space on the ball.”

He was so good, in fact, that he got special attention on Match of the Day, and it feels like it won’t be the only time that happens this season.

In all, while it is still early on in his career, it looks like West Ham have an unreal midfield talent in Potts.

So, fans should be excited that the academy appears to be producing another prospect who could be a lot like him.

West Ham's next Potts in the making

The good news for West Ham and the fans is that there are currently several genuinely exciting players in the academy.

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By
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For example, Preston Fearon appears to have the potential to become a midfield destroyer one day, Emeka Adiele has been providing assists with ease at left-back, and Josh Landers seems to be a natural centre-forward.

However, another youngster, less well-known but with the potential to be a future Potts-esque star, is Isaac Thomas.

The 16-year-old Welshman made his debut for the club’s U18S over the weekend, and to say he impressed would be an understatement.

The young Hammers beat Ipswich Town 8-2 away from home, and instead of scoring one, a brace or even a hat-trick, the exciting prospect ended up with four goals to his name.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

Amazingly, three of his goals were headers, with the fourth coming off his foot in the dying embers of the match. However, what makes the whole thing even more remarkable is that he was playing at centre-back.

Perhaps a little unsurprisingly, Thomas is not a natural defender, but stepped in to play there for the team regardless.

It’s this ability to be something of a utility player so young that makes him feel similar to Potts, as he, too, played at the back for the U21s and U18s on occasion.

Furthermore, if the “brilliant” teen, as dubbed by his coach, Lauris Coggin, possesses both the tactical awareness to play in defence and the technical ability to score four goals in a game, there is no reason he couldn’t eventually thrive in the middle of the park.

Ultimately, it is still so early in his career, but in Thomas, West Ham look to have another hugely promising talent, much like Potts.

Leeds United correspondent Phil Hay has admitted that the club are hoping to sign Aberdeen right-back Calvin Ramsay this summer.

The Lowdown: Aberdeen green-light sale

The Whites are on the verge of relegation with just two games remaining but appear to be making a head start when it comes to potential summer signings.

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One of those could be Ramsay, with reports at the end of April claiming Leeds have been granted permission to talk with the Scot as they plot a ‘multi-million pound’ move.

Aberdeen are ready to cash in on the 18-year-old and have green-lighted a possible move to Elland Road to bring in some much-needed funds.

Liverpool have also been name-checked with an interest in the ‘unbelievable’ (Ryan Taylor, Daily Express journalist) full-back, who has made 33 appearances for The Dons this season.

The Latest: Hay’s post

Hay took to Twitter on Friday morning to share a story on The Athletic regarding Ramsay. He said:

“This got a bit lost yesterday but Calvin Ramsay at Aberdeen is one of the players Leeds United hope to sign in the next window.

“Liverpool want the 18-year-old too and he’s getting close to make-your-mind-up time.”

The Verdict: End of Ayling?

Should Leeds end up back in the Championship next season, you’d expect that they would have to offer Ramsay regular first-team football for him to choose Elland Road over Anfield.

Therefore, Luke Ayling’s future could be in serious doubt ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge. He’ll turn 31 in August and will be into the final 12 months of his Leeds deal.

Cody Drameh would also be an option for Marsch following his impressive loan spell at Cardiff City, and it looks unlikely he’ll leave if the Whites find themselves in the second-tier next season, meaning Ayling may have to make way for the next generation in Ramsay and Drameh.

In other news: Leeds and Orta now planning for the Championship as contact made to sign £5k-p/w flop – opinion.