All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur’s start to life under Thomas Frank has been topsy-turvy to say the least, with the fanbase no doubt feeling mixed emotions during the opening months of his tenure.

The Dane has led the Lilywhites to incredible heights away from home in the Premier League, currently remaining as the only side yet to lose on their travels in 2025/26.

However, their form in North London has been a huge cause for concern, with their record of one win, two draws and three losses from their six games the second worst in England’s top-flight.

Frank’s men haven’t won on home soil since the 3-0 opening day triumph over Burnley, subsequently going 87 days without a home victory – a simply unacceptable statistic.

However, with January rapidly appearing on the horizon, it will no doubt present a fresh opportunity for the 52-year-old to further bolster the squad to end such a dismal record.

Spurs’ hunt for new attacking talent in the January window

Over the last couple of days, Spurs have been credited with an interest in landing numerous top-level attackers to help improve Frank’s options within the final third of the pitch.

The Lilywhites have been named as just one Premier League team in the race to sign Real Sociedad winger Takefusa Kubo, with the Japanese winger set for a winter exit from the LaLiga outfit.

A fee in the region of £52m has been mooted for the 25-year-old’s signature this winter, which has led to the player himself speaking of his desire to move to the Premier League.

However, he’s not the only player from Spain’s top-flight currently in their sights, with Real Madrid star Rodrygo another top-level talent the hierarchy are preparing a move for.

According to one Spanish outlet, the Lilywhites are set to make an €80m (£70m) offer for the 24-year-old in January, after the Brazilian fell down Xabi Alonso’s pecking order.

The report also states that the player himself is extremely keen on a move to the Premier League, which could led to a potential club-record deal for Frank’s men.

Why Spurs’ £70m target would be an upgrade on Kudus

Only a couple of months ago, Spurs did splash the cash on a new forward, subsequently spending a fee in the region of £55m on the signature of Mohammed Kudus.

The Ghanaian completed such a deal from rivals West Ham United, but the 25-year-old has already made himself a fan-favourite with the Lilywhites faithful in North London.

He’s featured ten times in England’s top-flight to date, already racking up one goal and four assists – with such a tally the highest tally of any player in the first-team squad.

Kudus’ only goal came in the triumph over Leeds United back in October, but he will have to wait to make a further impact after missing Saturday’s draw with Manchester United through injury.

His tally of 34 dribbles is the highest of any player in the Premier League, further highlighting the immediate impact he’s had since his big-money transfer this summer.

However, his minutes could prove to be limited from January onwards, especially if the hierarchy manage to complete a deal for Madrid star Rodrygo.

The £70m would be a huge statement of intent from the board, but it would also allow them to recruit an elite-level talent – as seen by his tally of 23 combined goals and assists in 2024/25.

When comparing his stats to those of Kudus from the ongoing campaign, the Brazilian has massively outperformed the Ghanaian in key areas – showcasing how much of an excellent addition he would be in January.

Rodrygo, who’s been dubbed “world-class” by Ben Mattinson, has achieved a better shot on target accuracy rate, subsequently showcasing his increased goal threat over Kudus.

Games played

10

10

Minutes played

261

875

Progressive carries

7.6

3.3

Progressive passes

4.1

2.2

Shot on target accuracy

50%

35%

Pass accuracy

83%

72%

Key passes

1.7

1.4

Passes into final third

3.8

1.3

Carries into final third

3.8

1.5

He’s also completed more progressive passes and carries per 90, highlighting his ability to get the ball into dangerous areas for those around him in attacking areas.

Other numbers, such as more key passes and more passes into the final third completed, also demonstrate his creativity, which could help bolster Frank’s side’s impressive figures in 2025/26.

There’s no doubt £70m would be a mammoth price tag, but it would be a deal that would help the manager’s quest to transform their current dismal record on home soil.

At just 24, Rodrygo has bags of time to improve further and potentially help the Lilywhites reach the next level after their Europa League triumph at the end of last season.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 11, 2025

Look closely and you’ll see the first shoots of success springing from the St. James’ Park turf. Newcastle United started the season poorly, but then the same happened last year.

How did the 2024/25 campaign turn out for Eddie Howe and his men?

Newcastle’s win over Brighton in the Premier League on Saturday was more than just three points. It signified tenacity and togetherness, with captain Bruno Guimaraes striking at the eleventh hour to lift his team toward the top half of the table.

With the signs of success also found out on the continent in the Champions League, there’s just cause for optimism, alright, with the physical and mental parts of the battle both favouring the Magpies as they start to find form.

Those two facets are both sides of the same coin, and it is something Nick Woltemade has embraced since joining from Stuttgart for a club-record £69m before deadline day. He’s been brilliant, but Howe and technical director Ross Wilson are already considering another striker.

Newcastle planning move for new striker

Newcastle didn’t just add Woltemade to their squad this summer. The saga linking Yoane Wissa to Tyneside was of a higher profile, raging throughout the summer and lacking clarity. Wissa wanted to go; Brentford wanted to keep him. It was balanced on a knife-edge.

Typical, then, that the DR Congo international has yet to feature or even get up to speed in full training, injured on international duty shortly after completing his deadline-day £55m move.

Wissa, 29, is recovering well, due to return in two or three weeks. He could feature before the November international break, but Howe has intimated a desire to give the goalscoring recruit a pre-season of his own, and so he could make his bow against Manchester City on November 22nd.

The fine form of Woltemade across the opening weeks of the term eases the need for rapid integration. Woltemade, 23, has already scored six times for United, so elegant and intelligent. Newcastle have got bang for their buck (despite what some envious rivals might think).

Still, with the uncertainty around Wissa and the struggles for attacking fluidity, as a whole, this year, Wilson has reportedly registered Newcastle’s interest in Porto striker Samu Aghehowa, who faces an uncertain future in Portugal.

According to Spanish sources, the 21-year-old is attracting interest from Newcastle, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur after his prolific start to life with Porto, with the Iberian outfit for a little over a year.

The report suggests that while the Magpies’ ability to invest may be limited in January, they ‘aren’t ruling out entering the bidding’ for the in-demand striker, should the opportunity arise.

Valued at €100m (about £88m), Samu clearly wouldn’t come cheap, but he’d be worth the investment, one of the most potent young strikers in Europe.

What Samu would bring to Newcastle

Samu might be young, but he was coveted by Chelsea in 2024 before that move fell through, and he wound up at Porto. He is well regarded as one of the most exciting attacking talents out there, and his track record in the final third suggests he could provide Newcastle with an even greater goal threat than Woltemade is offering.

This year, the Spain international has posted nine goals from 11 matches. This after a 27-goal campaign in his maiden year away from home soil.

Woltemade, too, knows something of hitting the ground running in a strange land, but for all the German’s exquisite link-up play, he might not quite have the same prowess and hunger in front of goal as the 6 foot 4 Samu, who has been described as an “absolute powerhouse” by analyst Ben Mattinson.

Porto

56

36 (3)

Recre Granada

36

18 (0)

Alaves

35

8 (1)

Granada

1

1 (0)

Wherever he goes, goals are scored. Though Samu may be a touch more one-track-minded than Woltemade in his attacking approach, there’s little question that he is an expansive striker, with elements to his game. After all, you cannot be laden with holes and described as having “everything it takes to be one of the best strikers in Europe” by journalist Zach Lowy.

This is further corroborated by Samu’s underrated passing game. Data from FBref reveals that, while he is among the most prolific goalscorers in Europe, he also ranks among the top 10% of positional peers for pass completion, the top 14% for through balls, the top 8% for switches and the top 13% for goal-creating actions per 90.

Like Woltemade at Newcastle, the Spaniard is a jack of many trades, and there’s a sense when watching him in action that he might actually be the superior goalscorer besides.

Sofascore show the incremental progress that may have been made in this regard. Samu scored 19 times in the Liga Portugal last term, and he missed 18 big chances across the year. We may be early into the new campaign, but he has bagged himself six goals in 2025/26 while fumbling only two golden opportunities in the final third.

Woltemade is a brilliant up-and-coming striker, but four converted and missed big chances apiece in the Premier League this year show where he needs to sharpen his game.

Howe could actually strike a wonderful balance with both Woltemade and Samu in the Toon mix, the contrasting elements of each man piecing together a new synergised quality at number nine in Newcastle.

What’s not to like? Newcastle plan to attack the many forks in a season’s road time and time again over the coming years. Both have their strengths.

But in terms of goals, Samu might just prove an upgrade on Woltemade, maybe even rivalling the very best across Europe.

Newcastle's “outstanding” talent can help Woltemade reach Shearer levels

Eddie Howe has an outstanding star at his disposal at Newcastle United who can help Nick Woltemade reach Alan Shearer levels.

ByKelan Sarson Oct 28, 2025

With the pressure growing on Arne Slot, Xabi Alonso has reportedly made his mind up on taking the Liverpool job if it becomes available at the same time that he potentially leaves Real Madrid.

For the first time in Slot’s Liverpool career, serious questions are being asked about his tenure. Last season’s Premier League title win has provided him with plenty of credit but, as Jamie Carragher pointed out on Monday Night Football, not everyone is still convinced that he’s still the man for the job.

After eight defeats in 11 games, the Dutchman simply has to turn things around. The Reds backed him by breaking their transfer record twice in the summer and spending over £400m, but are yet to see that investment pay off.

The most concerning aspect of Liverpool’s recent run is that nothing has changed. Slot has persisted with the same system, which only provided false dawns against Real Madrid and Aston Villa.

Now, with Alonso also under pressure at Madrid, Liverpool could be presented with a tempting opportunity to make a sensational change.

Xabi Alonso makes Liverpool decision

According to Football365, Alonso is now ready to take the Liverpool job if Real Madrid decide to sack him. The Spaniard has been put under increasing pressure by reports that Vinicius Junior has decided against signing a new deal whilst the manager is in charge.

As Real Madrid are forced to decide between their star man and their new manager, it’s Liverpool who could take full advantage.

For many, the big question has centred around who would replace Slot if Liverpool decided to sack the Dutchman. In Alonso, they’d have the perfect answer.

The Reds were interested in a reunion with the Spaniard before they hired Slot and could now get what they initially wanted over a year later.

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ByAngus Sinclair Nov 24, 2025

Although a lot of pieces will need to fall into place, there’s little doubt that Alonso would be welcomed with open arms at Anfield.

"I'm told" – Romano shares what Slot thinks about his own Liverpool future