Tottenham Hotspur could look to make more signings before transfer deadline day, much to the delight of their supporters…
What’s the word?
That’s according to Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, who claims that it’s not possible to rule out more business in north London heading into the final month of the summer transfer window.
“I don’t think you can rule Tottenham out of doing any more business,” he told GIVEMESPORT.
“Tottenham have surprised everyone, I think.
“If you’re a Tottenham fan, the ones I speak to, they just can’t believe how quickly they’ve done their business.”
Six and counting
The Lilywhites have already signed six new players to Antonio Conte’s squad for the upcoming Premier League season, with the most notable splash being a £60m swoop for Richarlison from Everton.
Conte will be looking to strike a balance in his side as Tottenham will be competing in both their domestic competitions, as well as the Champions League.
Yves Bissouma has also arrived in a £25m deal from Brighton and Hove Albion, and Djed Spence in a £15m swoop from Middlesbrough.
Meanwhile, Clement Lenglet has joined on loan from LaLiga giants Barcelona, with Ivan Perisic and Fraster Forster signing on free transfers from Inter Milan and Southampton respectively.
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However, it appears that sporting director Fabio Paratici and co aren’t done there, as Sheth cannot rule out Spurs making more additions in the coming weeks, and that surely leaves many supporters absolutely buzzing.
It’s an exciting time to be a Tottenham fan and the prospect of further signings may well raise expectations, especially considering the names who have been linked recently.
Leicester City playmaker James Maddison is one player that the club are thought to like, whilst Paratici has been in Italy discussing a potential move for Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo.
This would suggest that the Lilywhites are looking to bolster their attack once again, with a couple of no.10-type figures mooted.
Those around the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium are surely delighted to hear this claim from Sheth this week.
AND in other news, Paratici in talks to seal “Lampard-type” £43m gem, could be bye-bye “lazy” Spurs flop…
Everton have been linked with numerous players this summer but have only made one signing so far, although a reliable source has now made a big transfer claim on two potential targets for the Toffees.
What’s the latest?
News editor and former Everton communications director Alan Myers has been responding to supporters’ questions about the current transfer situation at Goodison Park.
He dropped a 10-word transfer claim on Twitter in response to a question about the rumours of a speculated move for Adama Traore this summer, saying: “Not sure about Traore, wouldn’t rule out MGW coming in”
Supporters will be buzzing
There is no doubt that Everton supporters will be buzzing that it looks likely that the club are still working on bringing in new additions, considering the disastrous season they had to endure last time around as the Toffees finished on their joint-lowest points tally ever.
Frank Lampard hasn’t had the easiest managerial career after being sacked from Chelsea, but one area in which he has excelled since swapping playing for management is the nurturing of young players.
It hasn’t been an easy ride for the Goodison Park faithful over the last few years, with a high turnover of managers; and despite their constant spending, they haven’t been able to build a team worthy of competing near the top, so the fans must be hoping that new additions this summer can make a genuinely positive impact.
Signing Morgan Gibbs-White could be the perfect opportunity for legendary Premier League midfielder Lampard to unlock the potential of the player, just like he did with Mason Mount, Armando Broja and Reece James at Chelsea, to name but a few of the talents that the 44-year-old had a hand in developing.
The 22-year-old Wolves gem scored 11 goals and delivered nine assists from his midfield role whilst on a season-long loan with Sheffield United last term, excelling in a position in which Lampard thrived during his playing days, so the Everton boss could really offer his experience and knowledge to the young talent to get the best out of him.
Farhad Moshiri must do his best to keep the Goodison Park faithful and the manager happy going into the new season and there is still plenty of work to be done to improve the team ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.
AND in other news – “In talks..”: Sky Sports journalist drops big Everton transfer claim that’ll delight Lampard
Fabrizio Romano has some exciting transfer news for Leeds United fans this week…
What’s the word?
The Italian transfer guru recently appeared on CBS Sports’ football podcast, ‘Que Golazo’, where he revealed that the Yorkshire giants were targeting a further three new signings.
“But let me say for Leeds that from what I’m told, they will invest on three players now,” Romano said.
“So they already signed three players and they want to sign three more players after selling Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips. They will reinvest [a] big part of the money they’re receiving.
“So I think it’s a very good and smart strategy. They want to restart with new talents. They already signed three and they’re going to continue in the coming days.”
Elland Road will be bouncing
Indeed, the Whites have already made some exciting moves in the transfer market, signing RB Salzburg duo Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen for a combined £35m, as well as bringing in Marc Roca from Bayern Munich.
Leeds manager Jesse Marsch is expected to lose two of his key stars in Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips, both of whom are seemingly set to join Premier League rivals in the coming weeks, if not days.
They will both need to be replaced, and some intriguing names have been linked as a result.
Club Brugge sensation Charles De Ketelaere is thought to be among the priorities, as per Belgian journalist Alexandre Braeckman, whilst PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo is being touted as a potential successor to the top-scoring Brazilian.
Meanwhile, the links to Marsch’s former club aren’t slowing up either, as RB Salzburg midfielder Mohamed Camara has emerged as another target according to the Daily Express’ Ryan Taylor, who also suggests that Leeds have been “in direct contact with his representatives”.
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All three players would be eye-catching additions at Elland Road, and given the fact that Romano believes the club will make at least another three signings, it’s certainly going to raise excitement and expectations around the club’s supporter base.
Whilst Raphinha and Phillips appear to be on their way out, Leeds’ hierarchy is doing all it can to bolster Marsch’s playing squad heading into the new season on August 6.
AND in other news, Leeds now leading race for “indispensable” £25m target, it’d be an “amazing signing”…
Reliable journalist Rob Dawson of ESPN has now shared a big Manchester City transfer update involving Barcelona star Frenkie de Jong.
The Lowdown: Sky Blues eye more signings…
City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, having watched the Blues retain their Premier League crown in such dramatic fashion, later confirmed that there will be even mores summer signings after Erling Haaland and Julian Alvarez.
Fernandinho’s glittering nine-year stay at Eastlands has now come to an end with the fan favourite set to leave, prompting manager Pep Guardiola to set his sights on a midfield heir to the Brazilian.
Leeds United star Kalvin Phillips and West Ham United midfielder Declan Rice have both been linked with moves to Eastlands as well as Barcelona sensation de Jong.
Sharing news on the latter man, Dawson has a big update.
The Latest: Dawson shares big de Jong update…
According to the ESPN reporter, a Man City correspondent, the marquee Catalans star has been ‘offered’ to Guardiola and co with Barcelona desperately trying to raise £70million for new arrivals.
However, despite Barca handing City a chance to sign de Jong, the La Liga giants have only received positive responses from Man United and Paris-Saint Germain.
The Verdict: Reconsider?
As the Netherlands international gets placed on the table, we believe City sporting director Txiki Begiristain and Guardiola should, at the very least, consider a move carefully.
De Jong has been a mainstay under Barca boss Xavi, playing the fourth-most league minutes over 2021/2022 behind veteran stars Sergio Busquets, Marc-Andre ter Stegen and Jordi Alba (WhoScored).
His impressive pass accuracy of 91.3% is also on par with crucial City stars like Rodri, Aymeric Laporte and Ruben Dias – backing how seamlessly de Jong would fit into Guardiola’s starting eleven (WhoScored).
Called a ‘phenomenal’ player by Spanish football expert and ex-Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell, the only red herring to this potential deal would be the 25-year-old’s lofty €85 million (£73m) price tag.
In other news: Journalist: Man City ‘offer’ on the cards to sign ‘unplayable’ star, Pep called him ‘incredible’…find out more here.
TalkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has now claimed a ‘beast’ of a player could now be open to joining David Moyes at West Ham United this summer.
The Lowdown: Hammers eye striker…
As per reliable reports, the Hammers are eyeing a new forward for manager Moyes after the club failed to seal the deal during what was a whirlwind January transfer window.
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Last minute moves for the likes of Darwin Nunez (Benfica) and Duvan Zapata (Atalanta) fell through, leaving West Ham with just Michail Antonio as their only natural senior striking option for the remainder of the Premier League campaign.
For next season, club owners GSB and head of recruitment Rob Newman will be looking to change this as they reportedly set their sights on attacking targets.
One of them is Arsenal striker Eddie Nketiah with the Englishman set to leave north London as a free agent past 2021/2022.
The Irons are apparently in pole position for Mikel Arteta’s ace, according to The Mail, with Crook now also making an enticing claim.
The Latest: Crook makes claim…
Speaking to GiveMeSport, the talkSPORT reporter says Nketiah could be open to joining West Ham and a move ‘would appeal’.
He explained, when asked if the 22-year-old could eye a London Stadium move:
“Yeah, I do, because obviously he’d still be in London, still a big club, could go there and be the main man, play European football. I think that would appeal to him.
“How do you find a role for him and [Michail] Antonio in that team? I think because Antonio is not a natural centre-forward and his goals have dried up a bit since the turn of the year, I think that [bringing in Nketiah] would still work.”
The Verdict: Finalise it?
The forward, called a ‘beast’ in training by Arteta, may well be a decent option for West Ham at zero cost.
He’s still young, a hungry player and has finished this season in fine form – scoring four goals in his last six league matches as Arsenal hope to somehow usurp Tottenham in the hunt for Champions League qualification.
It’s quite a risk free move and one that surely must be considered by Moyes.
In other news: West Ham now believe they can sign phenomenal international with agents set for imminent club talks…find out more here.
Liverpool have bought out their sell-on clause from Kaide Gordon’s transfer from Derby County, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.
The Lowdown: Gordon impressing at Liverpool
The 17-year-old made the move from Pride Park to the Reds in February 2021, with the striker considered one of the most exciting prospects in the country.
Gordon’s first-team playing time at Liverpool has been understandably limited but he has still managed four appearances – including one in the Premier League – scoring once in that time.
A fresh update has now emerged regarding the youngster’s move to Anfield.
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The Latest: Liverpool buy out Gordon sell-on clause
Taking to Twitter on Monday, Romano confirmed that Liverpool have paid £500,000 to get rid of the 20% sell-on clause which originally existed in the deal. The journalist revealed:
“Excl. Liverpool have bought out the sell on clause from Kaide Gordon’s transfer from Derby County. #LFC Been told Liverpool & Derby County have agreed £500,000 for the removal of the 20% sell on clause which appeared in the original deal.”
The Verdict: Massive future ahead for Gordon
This is yet more shrewd work from Liverpool in the transfer market, ensuring that they don’t have to pay Derby a substantial amount should they eventually sell Gordon in the future.
However, the hope is that the teenager becomes a superstar at Anfield and that the Reds will never actively want to sell him, with Virgil van Dijk hailing him as a ‘great talent’.
The 17-year-old has looked the part whenever he has been given a chance, possessing a great left foot and an eye for goal, while a tally of seven goals and three assists in 10 appearances for Liverpool’s under-18s further outlines his potential.
In other news, one Liverpool player is likely to leave permanently this summer. Find out who it is here.
While context might be missing in this T20I series – especially for Pakistan, who have a Champions Trophy to worry about – we could be in for some intrigue
Danyal Rasool30-Nov-2024The T20 World Cup is about as far away as it can get. Zimbabwe still have to qualify for it, while ODIs remain Pakistan’s main focus ahead of the Champions Trophy next year, for which they are the official hosts. As such, the ODI series, which they wrapped up 2-1, will carry far greater significance for Pakistan than anything that happens in this T20I series in Bulawayo.Zimbabwe are looking to follow up their T20I dominance in the subregional qualifier with a higher-profile result this time, buoyed by their upset of Pakistan in the first ODI. They did start their five-match T20I series against India with a win earlier this year, and against a similarly experimental Pakistan side, they will fancy their chances of a win or two.Sikandar Raza leads the side in the absence of the experience of Sean Williams and Craig Ervine, while Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza and Ryan Burl return to the squad after their absence from the 50-over format. While the men’s side took on Pakistan in the ODI series, Madhevere scored a third-innings hundred for Eagles against Rhinos in the Logan Cup. None of the squad has had any T20 exposure since that subregional qualifier, but few will forget what happened in the sides’ most recent – and perhaps most famous – T20I encounter.Pakistan are unsure about their T20I side at present, as indicated by a late announcement on Friday that they were adding three players – Saim Ayub, Aamer Jamal and Abrar Ahmed – from the ODI squad into the T20I series following impressive showings over the past week.Zimbabwe’s batters have had a tough time in T20Is of late•Associated PressAfter Pakistan rested Babar Azam, Naseem Shah and Shaheen Afridi from the tour, white-ball captain Mohammad Rizwan is also out for the T20Is, with Salman Agha taking his place as captain. Ayub, who Pakistan initially called into the international set-up owing to his T20 prowess, has gradually become more useful to Pakistan in the longer formats, though his recall – he will start the first game – potentially puts him on the pathway to being Pakistan’s all-format opener.Balance, though, remains an intractable problem for Pakistan. The three-match T20I series against Australia saw them swept aside 3-0, being bowled out in both of the last two matches, after losing nine wickets in a seven-over contest in Brisbane. With Pakistan opting against playing an allrounder in the first game, that issue does persist, with a long tail in a side that features Irfan Khan at No. 7. He has managed just 79 runs across six innings on Pakistan’s tours of Australia and Zimbabwe so far, and Zimbabwe may sense Pakistan’s lower-middle order can be ran through.For Zimbabwe to give themselves the best chance, though, they have significant improvements to make with the bat. They finished with below-par totals in all three ODIs, and the bowlers had to bail them out in the first. No batter has looked in the kind of touch that threatened to control an innings, and wickets in clumps was a regular feature of the ODI series. The bowling they face will be a step-up from anything they have dealt with in the Logan Cup or the regional qualifier last month, and by now, Pakistan understand this is the most obvious vulnerability to exploit.Like the ODI series, though, both sides will ultimately move on from these three games fairly quickly once they are over. But as the Bulawayo crowd demonstrated over the previous three games, Queens Sports Club could be a very enjoyable place to be over the next week or so.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 2023 IPL auction
Deivarayan Muthu22-Dec-2022When is the IPL auction 2023 taking place, and where?
It’s in Kochi on December 23 from 2.30pm IST. It’s a regular auction this time, as opposed to the mega version last held ahead of the 2022 season, when the ten franchises had to rebuild their squads virtually from scratch.Okay, who has the most money to spend this time? And who has the least?
Sunrisers Hyderabad, who released as many as ten players ahead of the auction, have the largest purse – INR 42.25 crore. Kolkata Knight Riders also made wholesale changes to their squad by letting go of ten players, but they were active during the trading window. Having traded in Shardul Thakur from Delhi Capitals, and Lockie Ferguson and Rahmanullah Gurbaz from Gujarat Titans, Knight Riders now have the smallest purse to spend – only INR 7.05 crore.
Follow the 2023 IPL auction LIVE
You can watch the auction live in India on Star Sports, and follow live analysis with Tom Moody, Ian Bishop, Wasim Jaffer and Stuart Binny right here on ESPNcricinfo.
How many players are in the auction?
The longlist originally included 991 players, the final list has 405: 273 from India and 132 from overseas, including four from Associate nations. A maximum of 87 players, of which 30 can be from overseas, can be bought at the auction because of the limited slots available.IPL 2023 auction – key numbers before the action begins•ESPNcricinfo LtdTell me about player availability.
The Australian and English players will be available for the entire IPL season, despite the Ashes scheduled to begin in mid-June. West Indies and New Zealand players will also be available for the entire season. However, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka players will likely miss a chunk of the tournament because of international commitments.There is plenty of buzz around Sam Curran. What are the chances of him fetching the highest bid in IPL auction history?
In 2021, South Africa allrounder Chris Morris became the most expensive player when Rajasthan Royals snapped him up for INR 16.25 crore. The chances of Curran breaking that record are fairly high.The left-hander can bat anywhere in the XI and is capable of pulling off those super-specialist roles, like disrupting a spinner’s work in the middle overs or even finishing an innings. With the ball, Curran fronts up during the tough overs in the powerplay and at the death. After having recovered from a stress fracture, Curran has transformed himself, becoming England’s designated death bowler at the 2022 T20 World Cup. He did such a good job that he won the Player-of-the-Tournament award.Fellow England allrounder Ben Stokes and Australia’s Cameron Green are also part of the high-profile Set 2 at this auction, but expect Curran to be in greater demand because he is only 24, can perform any role, and is more likely to pay off as a long-term investment.Amit Mishra is 40, had gone unsold at the last auction, but remains the fourth-highest wicket-taker in IPL history•Delhi CapitalsAny less-known Indian names I must keep an eye out for?
Well, quite a few. Punjab allrounder Sanvir Singh could be in demand, given his ability to smash big sixes and bowl handy medium-pace. Sanvir is also a good player of spin, thanks largely to his stints in Chennai’s first division league. With many franchises on the lookout for an Indian wicketkeeper-batter, Tamil Nadu’s N Jagadeesan, who reeled off a record five successive hundreds in the 50-over Vijay Hazare Trophy, could also cause a stir.Vidarbha fast bowler Yash Thakur, Himachal Pradesh finisher Akash Vasisht, and his team-mate Vaibhav Arora, who can swing the ball both ways, are the others you should watch out for. Then there are a bunch of young quicks from Jammu & Kashmir, including Sharukh Dar and Mujtaba Yousuf.Who are the major attractions from outside the top-tier cricket-playing countries?
Well, there’s Ireland left-arm quick Josh Little, who claimed a hat-trick against New Zealand in the recent T20 World Cup. He has already had a small taste of the IPL, having been a net bowler with Chennai Super Kings during their camp in Surat in 2022. Has he done enough for Super Kings to bring him into their main squad?UAE legspinner Karthik Meiyappan, who had also bagged a hat-trick during the T20 World Cup and was more recently picked by Sharjah Warriors for the inaugural ILT20, could pique the interest of franchises. Karthik is a modern wristspinner and has the experience of having been a net bowler for CSK and Royal Challengers Bangalore.Who are the youngest and oldest players at this auction?
Fifteen-year-old Afghanistan mystery spinner Allah Mohammad Ghazanfar is the youngest. Ghazanfar has played three T20s so far but has impressed the franchise scouts so much that he has made it to the IPL auction shortlist. Ghazanfar was also part of Australia’s BBL draft but didn’t find any takers there.Former India legspinner Amit Mishra, who turned 40 last month, is the oldest player in this auction. He was unsold at the 2022 auction, but considering the recent dearth of Indian wristspinners, he might work his way back into the IPL.Any prominent players that aren’t part of this auction?
IPL stalwarts Dwayne Bravo and Kieron Pollard have retired from the league to become coaches at CSK and Mumbai Indians respectively. England allrounder Chris Woakes has pulled out of the IPL for a crack at the Ashes through county cricket. The Australian trio of Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc and Steven Smith have decided to skip the auction as well, as has Sam Billings who withdrew from his deal with Knight Riders. West Indies opening batter Evin Lewis, who was part of Lucknow Super Giants last season, and Tim Seifert, the New Zealand and Trinbago Knight Riders wicketkeeper-batter, are also missing from the IPL auction.Some major international players have opted out of the auction•Getty ImagesWill there be any left-field picks from the SA20 player pool?
It can’t be ruled out as franchises are looking to maximise their global presence and grow players within their set-up. Titans’ wicketkeeper-batter Donovan Ferreira, who was picked up by Johannesburg Super Kings, and Dolphins’ yorker specialist Ottniel Baartman, who was among Sunrisers Eastern Cape’s first signings, might be on the wishlist of their IPL teams as well.Tell me about the accelerated process of bidding at the auction
After the first 86 names have been presented for bidding, the “accelerated process” will enable franchises to nominate a set number of players from the remaining ones. Players from the unsold list can also enter the accelerated round, subject to the franchises’ request.Will the introduction of the Impact Player impact the auction?
In the 2023 season, the IPL will introduce a tactical sub – the Impact Player – which it says will add a new dimension to tactics. Details of how the new rule will work were made public only on December 21. It’s all very new, and it remains to be seen whether franchises factor the Impact Player into their auction strategies.Is there a stipulation on squad strength?
Each franchise can have a minimum of 18 players and a maximum of 25. The number of overseas players in the squads has been capped at eight.
Young left-arm spinner aiming to build on impressive debut during Covid-wrecked 2020 summer
Andrew Miller25-Mar-2021In society at large, you’d be hard pressed to pick many silver linings out of a year of Covid-induced lockdown. But on the very local level of English domestic cricket, there have been more than a few upbeat tales – most notably, a glut of young players up and down the land, who were handed unexpected opportunities in 2020 due to the rejigged season, and who seized them with an alacrity that has fast-tracked their development.One such player is Middlesex’s Sri Lanka-born left-arm spinner, Thilan Walallawita – an ever-present member of last year’s Bob Willis Trophy campaign, and a captain’s delight according to his club skipper, Stevie Eskinazi. With just six first-class wickets at 40.83 in five games – and three more in a richly promising T20 Blast debut at the Ageas Bowl – it would be easy to overlook his impact to date, but few who have witnessed him doubt his potential. Not only for Middlesex, but maybe even for England too.”I was talking to my friends about how the pandemic helped me a lot,” Walallawita tells ESPNcricinfo. “It opened a few doors for me to play in the first team. Last year was a good start, and I was surprised how quickly it happened, but if you have a lot of confidence in life, and believe in yourself, it doesn’t have to be a massive jump.”Walallawita’s tale is extraordinary on several levels – not least because it could so easily have been over before it had begun. On Boxing Day 2004, aged five, he and his family were travelling back from a Buddhist temple in Galle when they encountered the full force of the devastating tsunami that struck Sri Lanka’s coastline, killing more than 30,000 people.”I have clear memories of that day,” he says. “That’s the kind of memory that will never go away.”We were coming back from the temple and decided to stop for a coffee. All of a sudden, we could hear some weird noises. My dad went outside to check, and he rushed back to tell us the waves were going back and building up, and getting higher and higher.”We jumped in the car, and tried to cross a bridge to escape, but as soon as we got to it, it collapsed. So we parked our car in the front garden of a nearby house, and started running up the nearest hill. I can remember I was trying to be brave, but the same time I couldn’t hold my tears back.”My parents went back the next morning to check where the car was. There were dead bodies and cars everywhere, it was horrible.”They found the car inside a house, and there was another car inside that house too. But the funny thing is, that car is still up and running to this day. We spent a lot of money to repair it, but it’s still working.”
His story is one that will warm the hearts of cricket lovers across the country, but more than that, he’s an incredible bowler, with a mature head on very young shouldersMiddlesex captain Stevie Eskinazi
Six years later, the family emigrated to North London, where Thilan’s father Ajith had been a long-standing club professional for Potters Bar CC. “He always wanted to come to England, and build our life here,” he says. “We came for the education, and the better standard of life, and it’s been extraordinarily good for us.”Now, at the age of 22, and after a period of stacking shelves in Sainsbury’s in between sessions at Middlesex’s academy, Walallawita stands on the verge of securing his British passport, and beginning the qualification process that might one day see him returning to his native Sri Lanka as an England Test cricketer.”One hundred percent, I definitely want to play for England,” he says. “That’s been one of my dreams since I moved here as a young kid, and hopefully if I have a few good seasons in the next few years, there will be a chance of me playing in the English team. That’s the goal and the dream.”It’s been a long process to get my British citizenship, but it should happen by the end of next month, and that will be a huge weight off my shoulders.”Related
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Dane Paterson joins Notts as overseas signing for 2021
Will Young heads to Durham for early Championship games
The lot of the young English spinner has been much discussed in recent times – Walallawita is just a year younger than England’s Dom Bess, who recently endured a rough tour of India. But despite the huge challenges faced by his ilk, Walallawita’s impact to date is best expressed by his impressive economy rate of 2.77, a testament to the control that his game already possesses.”We have high hopes for Thilan, he’s a wonderful young man,” Stuart Law, Middlesex’s head coach, says. “He’s still very much on the development phase, but the way he bowls, he can control a run rate, he’s got good skill, he’s very repetitive in his action, and can land the ball wherever he wants, which is probably the key being a finger-spinner.”The red ball doesn’t really spin a great deal in this country until later in the summer, but he is persistent with lines, lengths, and changes in pace. He’s working out how to get batsmen out, so he’s a fast learner.”Walallawita has a high-calibre idol on whom to model his game. His hero growing up was Sri Lanka’s legendary left-arm spinner Rangana Herath, and though he has not yet had the chance to pick his brains, it is surely only a matter of time – Bess, after all, was among the beneficiaries of Herath’s wisdom on an ECB spin camp in India last year.”He played Test cricket for 19 years so the amount of experience he had is just unbelievable,” Walallawita says. “The main thing I’d want to pick his brains for is his tactical side. It would be a great opportunity for me to meet up with him if I go back to Sri Lanka.”And as Eskinazi points out, any such opportunity would not go to waste. “Thilan’s basically a sponge,” he says. “He is honestly one of the nicest people I’ve ever met. No one’s ever got a bad word to say about him.”His story is one that will warm the hearts of cricket lovers across the country, but more than that, he’s an incredible bowler, with a mature head on very young shoulders. Accurate finger-spinners who can put the pressure on the batters, like he did last year in August and September, are worth their weight in gold in the UK, both to give the big boys a bit of a break, but also to make a big impact.”Walallawita proved that aspect of his game on debut against Surrey at The Oval last summer, and in each of his appearances thereafter. Only days after being registered with the ECB as an “unqualified” player, he picked off a Test cricketer in each innings – Mark Stoneman and Scott Borthwick – for match figures of 2 for 109 in 29 overs in Middlesex’s 190-run victory over their London rivals.Thilan Walallawita made a positive impression in his debut season•PA Images via Getty Images”The Oval was probably one of the best grounds I could have asked to play at,” he says. “All my team-mates were very welcoming, and I felt more confident than nervous playing there.”When I was playing in the second team, I always got the ball early doors and tended to bowl about 15 to 20 overs a day. The first team is a completely different story. When the captain needs me I need to be ready.”Last year I got some opportunities. I’ve got to bowl 17 overs straight at Hampshire which I loved, and I’ve been working on getting my shorter format game-plans ready. As soon as my coaches gave me the opportunity, I said I will never let you down.”Walallawita’s opportunities in 2021 may have to wait a while yet – partly because spin bowlers rarely get a chance for a starring role in early-season England, but also because he is currently Middlesex’s one injured player, after sustaining a hamstring problem in pre-season.”His injury’s come at a bad time because he wanted to get out and play cricket, but he’s got to learn that that’s part of professional sport as well,” Law says. “These injuries do happen, but he’ll be all right, and on the table for selection soon, I’m sure.”There is, however, one aspect of Walallawita’s game that may require some extra attention if he wants to ensure he remains in contention when conditions are not in his favour. As his Middlesex predecessor Ollie Rayner once admitted, the key advice he would give to any aspiring English spin bowler is “learn to bat”.A fallibility in that department has held back many talented spinners in the past, notably Monty Panesar and more recently, the Surrey prospect Amar Virdi, and it’s an issue that Law is already keen to address.”We’re trying to turn him into a hitter down the order,” he says. “His best defensive shots are cover drives and pull shots, which admittedly is not a bad defence to have.””I couldn’t agree more with Ollie Rayner,” Walallawita adds. “But I’m very confident that my batting is coming along nicely this year. Every day is a learning curve for me, but yes, I like to play my shots, and entertain the crowd a bit!”With a fair wind, and fairer weather this summer, perhaps he’ll have both a crowd to entertain in the first place, and a chance to do it with the skills that have marked him out as such a richly promising talent.
Tottenham Hotspur face Monaco in the Champions League tonight, looking to return to winning ways after the defeat to Aston Villa on home soil over the weekend.
Thomas Frank’s side will have huge expectations placed upon them in Europe this season, understandably so given their successes in the Europa League last campaign.
The Dane has already made an impressive start to life in Europe’s biggest club competition, winning one and drawing the other of their first two outings in 2025/26.
However, the meeting against the Ligue 1 outfit will present a tricky challenge, with Sebastien Pocognoli’s side holding Manchester City to a 2-2 draw at the start of the month.
If Frank is to claim another European victory as the Lilywhites boss, he will likely need one of his current first-team members to be on top form in the South of France.
Xavi Simons’ disappointing start to life at Spurs
During the summer transfer window, the Spurs hierarchy made it clear they wanted to improve the options available to them within the attacking midfield positions.
After numerous failed attempts during the window, they decided to fork out a fee in the region of £52m for the signature of Dutch international Xavi Simons from RB Leipzig.
His tally of 19 combined goals and assists across all competitions generated huge excitement, but it’s safe to say his period in North London has failed to take off to date.
The 22-year-old has only registered one assist in his first eight outings for the Lilywhites, with his transfer now starting to be called into question by numerous pundits.
Simons has only created 1.3 chances per 90 and completed just 40% of his attempted dribbles – with the latter of his two stats ranking him within the 44th percentile of all players in the Premier League.
He’s also demonstrated a lack of physicality in England’s top-flight, only being on the winning side of 38% of his duels – with only 27% of players in the division winning fewer.
He desperately needs to find his form to justify his staggering transfer fee, but Frank can aid him against Monaco by starting one other first-team member tonight.
The Spurs player who can finally get Simons firing
Throughout the first few weeks of his time in North London, Simons has operated in a variety of different roles – with most of his playing time coming in an unnatural left-wing position.
Such a situation would likely have contributed to his recent lack of impact in attacking areas, with the manager needing to utilise him in his natural number ten position.
He created nearly double the amount of chances per 90 at Leipzig last campaign, further showcasing the levels he can produce when featuring behind the striker.
The centre-forward department has also been brought into question as of late, with Richarlison failing to back the faith shown in him by the new manager.
Dominic Solanke will certainly have been the number one option for Frank, but the Englishman’s constant setbacks with ankle injuries have prevented him from consistent first-team action.
Such scenarios should see the manager hand loanee Randal Kolo Muani his first start for the Lilywhites in the clash with Monaco later on this evening.
The Frenchman has only made 24 minutes of action for the club after joining from PSG on deadline day, but a European night under the lights could present an excellent chance to stake his claim for a starting role.
Kolo Muani, who’s been labelled “phenomenal” by former boss Christian Gourcuff, scored 10 goals in just 22 appearances at Juventus last season – highlighting his clinical ability in the final third.
Such talent within attacking areas could hugely benefit Simons, with the Dutchman having the opportunity to boost his assist tally alongside the Frenchman.
After all, this is a player who, in the words of the Bundesliga website, has the “hallmarks of Thierry Henry’s game”. We’re yet to see that since his move but there is no time like the present.
Games played
26
Goals & assists
12
Shot on target accuracy
48%
Goals per shot on target
0.4
Key passes made
1.4
Take-ons completed
1.5
Carries into opposition box
1.2
Aerials won
1.2
The big-money addition has completed 1.1 crosses per 90, too, with such numbers playing perfectly into the hands of the loanee who scored three headers last campaign.
Both players have ultimately struggled to match the expectations they arrived with in North London, but that could all change tonight if Frank hands them the chance to start together.
Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani
The pair could help the side maintain their unbeaten record in Europe this campaign and bolster their chances of claiming another European title.
Their best CF since Kane: Paratici wants Spurs to sign £87m "freak of nature"
Tottenham Hotspur could try and land a new talisman for Thomas Frank in the months ahead.