The New York Yankees are in the middle of a midseason snag, and are buying at the trade deadline as they look to pursue the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East.

The Yankees have already acquired former Colorado Rockies first baseman Ryan McMahon, as well as former Washington Nationals infielder Amed Rosario. Now New York is still seeking bullpen help, but is adding outfielders to the wish list with Aaron Judge on the IL with an elbow issue.

According to ESPN's Buster Olney, the outfield help could come by way of a reunion with Minnesota Twins centerfielder Harrison Bader, who last played for the Yankees in 2023. The Yankees are also interested in Chicago White Sox outfielder Austin Slater.

Bader is hitting .255 for the Twins this season with 12 home runs and 38 RBI, while Slater is batting .241 with five home runs and 11 RBI.

Despite outfield help now being classified as a need, the Yankees are expected to continue to be in the market for relief pitching before the deadline later this week.

نجح الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول في تحقيق فوز مهم على حساب وست هام يونايتد، ضمن منافسات الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز.

وواجه الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي ليفربول، نظيره وست هام يونايتد، اليوم الأحد، في إطار منافسات الجولة الثالثة عشر من بطولة الدوري الإنجليزي الممتاز، على ملعب “ويمبلي”.

ونجح الريدز في تحقيق فوز ثمين على حساب وست هام يونايتد، بنتيجة 2/0، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات البريميرليج.

واضطر وست هام إلى اللعب منقوصًا، منذ الدقيقة 83 بعدما طُرد اللاعب لوكاس باكيتا لحصوله على بطاقة حمراء، حيث كان الأمر في البداية مقتصرًا على بطاقة صفراء بسبب اعتراضه على الحكم نتيجة تدخل نيكلاس فولكروج على دومينيك سوبوسلاي.

اقرأ أيضًا | نونو سانتو: الخسارة أمام ليفربول ليست خطوة للوراء.. ويجب أن أتحدث مع باكيتا

وحاول لاعبو وست هام تهدئة باكيتا والذي استمر في معارضته للحكم، الذي أشهر البطاقة الصفراء الثانية ثم الحمراء، ثم صفق له اللاعب ساخرًا وهو يغادر الملعب.

وعلق محللو “سكاي سبورتس” على سلوك باكيتا ووصفوه بأنه “عنيف” وهو ما رفضه اللاعب البرازيلي، وكتب عبر حسابه على موقع التواصل الاجتماعي “إكس”: “من السخيف أن تتأثر حياتك ومسيرتك المهنية لمدة عامين دون أي دعم نفسي من الاتحاد”.

وأكمل: “ربما يكون هذا السلوك السخيف مجرد انعكاس لكل ما تحملته، ويبدو أنني مضطر للاستمرار في تحمله! أنا آسف إن لم أكن مثاليًا”.

وأضاف: “أتفهم أنني مضطر الآن لأداء دور الشرير، من الصعب عليّ التعايش مع كل ما حدث في حياتي وصحتي النفسية، سأواصل محاولة تجنب التأثر أكثر، هذا لا يبرر طردي وأعتذر للجماهير وزملائي في الفريق عن ذلك”.

وتلقى باكيتا 36 بطاقة صفراء وبطاقة حمراء واحدة في 133 مباراة خاضها منذ انضمامه إلى وست هام، كما سجل 22 هدفًا وقدم 14 تمريرة حاسمة.

Eu entendo que agora eu tenha q parecer o vilão, é difícil conviver com tudo oq foi causado na minha vida e no meu psicológico! Seguirei tentando com que eles não me afetem ainda mais
Isso não justifica a minha expulsão e por isso peço desculpas aos fans e meus companheiros! 🏝️🎉 https://t.co/12t071CxT1 — Lucas Paquetá (@LucasPaqueta97) November 30, 2025

There has been uproar over India getting to play Harshit Rana as a concussion sub for Shivam Dube

Sidharth Monga01-Feb-20253:48

Was Rana a like-for-like concussion sub for Dube?

Harshit Rana for Shivam Dube as a bowler has created a predictable furore but it should not end up diluting the need for a playing condition that has objectively been proven to be a necessary duty of care.Firstly let’s not assume that the match referee, who is the sole arbitrator on these substitutions, is partisan, incompetent or negligent. If we assume any of that, we cannot hope to understand or appreciate the process of officiating, which should be the first requirement to reasonably criticise a decision.We need to put ourselves in the shoes of Javagal Srinath and examine the rule and all the facts. The rule says: “The ICC Match Referee should ordinarily approve a Concussion Replacement Request if the replacement is a like-for-like player whose inclusion will not excessively advantage his/her team for the remainder of the match. In assessing whether the nominated Concussion Replacement should be considered a like-for-like player, the ICC Match Referee should consider the likely role the concussed player would have played during the remainder of the match, and the normal role that would be performed by the nominated Concussion Replacement.”The wording of the rule practically admits it is impossible to cover every eventuality with like-for-like replacements when you have only four or five extras in the squad. It stays silent on style and quality too: Yuzvendra Chahal has replaced Ravindra Jadeja in the past, and Matt Parkinson has taken Jack Leach’s place. Also the rule only focuses on the concussed player’s likely role in the “remainder of the match” so Rana’s batting ability is immaterial. The replacement shouldn’t, in the match referee’s assessment, offer excessive advantage to the side. Needless to say such an assessment can’t be made post facto; the three wickets Rana took should be immaterial here.2:11

Morkel: ‘Harshit was having dinner, had to get himself ready’

Now it is tempting to just look at Dube in the IPL, where the presence of the Impact Player rule eliminates any need to utilise the lesser discipline of bits-and-pieces players, and say Dube hardly bowls at all. In the most recent Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (SMAT), Dube bowled 19 overs in five matches. Twice he came on as the first change. In his most recent four T20Is, he bowled a total of eight overs. In the World Cup before that, he was called on to bowl just one over.You can argue either way based on that. What queers the pitch here for Srinath is that this was Dube’s first match in the series so he doesn’t quite have anything from this series to go by when assessing Dube’s likely role. In the XI, he replaced Washington Sundar, who bowled two overs in two matches.It is quite likely that Srinath merely went by what role Dube has been playing in the sides he has represented in the last six months. It is reasonable to argue that even despite this given record, India drew an excessive advantage, but it is also important to acknowledge that Srinath couldn’t have completely ignored Dube’s recent record and that he had nothing to go by in the current series to assess his likely role in the rest of the series.If it were Abhishek Sharma asking for someone like Ravi Bishnoi as a concussion substitute based on the fact that he bowled 21 overs in seven Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy matches, the match referee would have likely looked at his usage in this series and said Bishnoi is an excessive advantage.Then again, it is also reasonable to complain that India had in their squad a batting allrounder, Ramandeep Singh, who is much closer to the role that Dube plays. He bowled 3.2 overs in his last T20I, following it up with 10 overs in six matches in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy.0:53

Buttler: Rana for Dube wasn’t a like-for-like replacement

The match referee could have rejected Rana as a substitute, which would have forced India to come up with Ramandeep, but would it really? This is where the essence of the concussion rule comes in. It has been brought in to encourage teams to protect players who have been hit in the head, but if it results in a disadvantage, will these ultra-competitive teams in an ultra-competitive environment with the series on the line agree to substitute the player out? The playing condition is so liberal around this that it includes not just a concussion but a suspected concussion as a qualification for a substitution.This is a peculiarity in the rules that we will have to live with if we are to actively encourage teams to look after the player who has been hit in the head. If it results in a competitive disadvantage, teams will continue to risk the well-being of players hit in the head, which science tells us can be fatal even though it might not look as threatening in the moment.Of course, teams will look to use it cynically from time to time, which requires strict vigilance from the authorities. My considered opinion is that Rana provided India an excessive advantage. Dube was replaced by a taller, hit-the-deck bowler in a match where England’s bowlers with similar style drew assistance from the pitch doing just that. Also because players do tend to use SMAT as a laboratory in preparation for the IPL, the numbers there shouldn’t be seen as an absolute when assessing someone’s role in a higher competition.

If it results in a disadvantage, will these ultra-competitive teams in an ultra-competitive environment with the series on the line agree to substitute the player out?

Then again, the match referee obviously disagreed with that view. He had enough grounds to not believe he was allowing India an excessive advantage. Or, he possibly felt he didn’t have enough justification to disallow the request. On another day, the same match referee might disallow Rajasthan Royals’ request to substitute R Ashwin with Dhruv Jurel despite Ashwin’s role as an opening batter in the TNPL.If we are to encourage teams to protect a player who has been hit in the head, we will have to live with the case-to-case discretion and the occasional disagreement with the assessment of the match referee. If we don’t trust that an experienced match referee has acted in good faith and reasonable mindfulness, we will trust very little in life.That doesn’t mean the rule shouldn’t evolve. It needs to remain vigilant to any loopholes. As of now, the match referee can limit the nature of involvement of a player. If an allrounder replaces a specialist bowler with four overs left in their batting innings, the match referee can stipulate that he will be allowed to only bowl and not bat. The ICC will surely review it now and question if the match referees can go a step further and limit the number of overs a bowler can bowl. Or when they can bowl it. Or a specific point of entry before which a batting replacement can’t bat.This rule is a work in progress. The reaction to this instance will test the ICC’s commitment to player safety.

Florentino Perez has moved to reshape Real Madrid’s financial future, preparing to sell a 10% stake through a newly created commercial company after already securing €360 million from Bernabeu-related profits. The president outlined the plan to club members, insisting it will “protect us as an institution” and allow Madrid to raise funds without becoming a public limited sports company.

• Perez prepares second ‘lever’ to raise €500m-€1bn

  According to , Madrid president Perez has initiated one of the massive corporate changes in club’s modern history, laying out plans to sell approximately 10% of a newly formed commercial entity in order to generate fresh investment. The move follows the club’s earlier deal in which they sold 20% of future Santiago Bernabeu profits to Sixth Street and Legends for €360 million (£317m/$417m), a financial manoeuvre widely framed as Madrid’s first “lever”.

  Perez detailed the new proposal to Real Madrid’s members, stressing the need to modernise the club’s organisational structure while maintaining the traditional member-owned model. As he told members directly: "Our club must have an organisational structure that protects us as an institution and also protects all of us as owners of Real Madrid. To this end, I confirm that we will bring to this Assembly a proposal for the club's corporate reorganisation that secures our future, protects us from the threats we face, and, above all, guarantees that the members are true owners of our club and its financial assets.”

  Those words underline the president’s attempt to balance the necessity of new investment with the fiercely guarded identity of the club as a non-SAD (Sociedad Anonima Deportiva, a special type of public limited company related to sports) sporting entity. Perez has long admired versions of Germany’s 50+1 structure, but Spanish law presents stiff barriers to adopting that model. With no legal path to transform Real Madrid into a Bayern Munich-style hybrid, the club is instead exploring a framework of subsidiaries that would enable investment without relinquishing sporting control.

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• Perez leans on advisors

  Los Blancos' financial advisors, including Anas Laghrari, Key Capital Partners and Clifford Chance, have reportedly pushed towards a strategy that mirrors what Madrid previously set up with Real Madrid Estadio SL in 2021, the company that currently manages several stadium-related operations. Perez is now expected to replicate this model through the creation of an instrumental commercial entity that investors can buy into, without any influence over the club’s governing bodies.

  This approach protects Real Madrid from ever becoming a public limited sports company, a transformation that would dilute the members’ historic power. Instead of a direct sale of the club, shareholders would be purchasing equity in a business that manages commercial activities such as sponsorships, stadium operations, events and marketing rights. The sporting side, first team, academy, coaching structure, sporting decisions, would remain 100% owned by the members.

  Perez’s insistence on the club’s member-driven identity was underlined again in his internal assembly message. With expenses on the revamped Bernabeu now reaching €1.347 billion, up from the original €575m plan, the club requires a new injection of liquidity simply to stabilise its financial trajectory, as per the report.

• Rising stadium debt pushes Madrid toward controlled investment

  Madrid’s financial situation has become more demanding with each construction revision. As of June 30, 2025, the outstanding loan debt for the stadium stood at €1.132bn. Inflation, the war in Ukraine, the retractable pitch (€225m) and improved acoustic systems for concerts have all contributed to the ballooning cost, which now totals €1.347bn. Despite the immense commercial potential of the modernised Bernabeu, the short-term strain is massive.

  This new model also mirrors, in a more controlled way, the “levers” used by Barcelona to avoid bankruptcy. Barca created entities such as Barca Studios, Barca Licensing Merchandising, and the Barca Innovation Hub. Perez will follow a similar path but with stronger safeguards, any shares created in the new company will be distributed automatically and free of charge to existing club members, functioning more as membership rights than tradeable financial instruments.

  Crucially, the commercial company created under this model is expected to stay fully majority-owned by Real Madrid, ensuring that members remain the ultimate decision-makers.

  Reports earlier also indicate that the club is also studying a partial demerger between its sporting and commercial operations, an approach that could serve as a precursor to a more structured hybrid governance model. Investors would hold minority stakes in the commercial arm, but the sporting entity would remain untouched, safeguarding the philosophy Perez has championed for over two decades.

  This structure is intended not only to raise capital but also to protect Real Madrid from political, legal, or market-driven vulnerabilities in the future.

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  Legal checks & long-term investment roadmap

  The immediate next step is the extraordinary assembly, where socios will vote on Perez’s restructuring proposal. Advisors are currently preparing the legal and tax framework to ensure compliance with Spanish sports law, which requires that all commercial income be reinvested for sporting use and prohibits the distribution of profits.

  If approved, Bernebeu will establish the new subsidiary, define which commercial assets it controls, and begin negotiations with investors already expressing willingness to inject capital. The club is expected to prioritise strategic partners with long-term interest in global sports ventures, rather than short-term financial firms.

  In the wider picture, this move represents Madrid’s attempt to future-proof its financial model as football’s economic landscape becomes increasingly dominated by state-backed clubs and global investment groups.

Newcastle United are nothing if not persistent. And it is this perseverance that will see Eddie Howe’s side reclaim their finest, most fluent form in the Premier League.

In the Champions League and the Carabao Cup, the Magpies are flying high, well worth their money on each account. But, sitting 13th in the league standings and with three away defeats in a row, it’s clear that improvements are needed.

The forwards need to pull it together because, at the moment, it’s all feeling a bit Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron-esque.

Newcastle sold Almiron with the view toward reshaping the frontline and making it sharper, after all.

How Howe reshaped Newcastle's frontline

When Howe arrived at Newcastle, he found a frontline led by Dwight Gayle and Callum Wilson, flanks operated by St. Maximin and Almiron.

All have been moved on now, and Almiron marks an interesting case of the ruthlessness the manager has shown since taking the hot seat in 2021.

The Paraguayan was a tenacious and dynamic attacking option for Newcastle on the right wing, but he was frustratingly inconsistent, and this was hampering the club in their fight to sustain a place at the top of the English ladder.

Of course, it was Almiron’s remarkable purple patch in 2022/23 that helped the Toon in their bid to qualify for the Champions League. This they achieved, and Almiron played his part.

Reporter Jordan Cronin perhaps summed it up best, saying as the winger prepared to return to Atlanta United in January that “you can question his ability, but never his heart.”

Miguel Almiron in the Premier League

Season

Apps

Goals (assists)

24/25

9

0 (0)

23/24

33

3 (1)

22/23

34

11 (2)

21/22

30

1 (0)

20/21

34

4 (1)

19/20

36

4 (2)

18/19

10

0 (0)

Stats via Transfermarkt

It was clear that he needed to leave when he did, but United needed to get it right when landing a successor. But have they potentially landed themselves a repeat of the South American star?

Newcastle's new version of Almiron

Almiron endeared himself to the Newcastle fanbase from the off and played a crucial role in transitioning from the bleak Mike Ashley era to the brighter fortunes of today.

But Howe knew his team needed more quality on the attacking flanks, and so Anthony Elanga was signed from Nottingham Forest this summer for a £55m fee.

The 23-year-old is a fleet-footed and creative winger, but he’s blanked across 16 matches in all competitions for Newcastle this season, and that price tag is starting to look rather steep.

Analyst Raj Chohan thought as much from the outset, commenting that Elanga was a “massive overpay” on the Tyneside outfit’s part.

However, there’s no question that there is a player in there, dangerous on the counter and effective in his playmaking.

As per data-driven platform FBref, the Sweden international actually ranks among the top 8% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year for assists per 90. Clearly, given that none of his assists have come since the summer, there is a player in there.

But, with Anthony Gordon also yet to score or assist in the Premier League this season, it’s not difficult to highlight the cracks in Newcastle’s attacking arsenal.

Solace will be taken from all parties in that patience is needed when signing up-and-coming talents. And Newcastle are nothing if not patient, of course, having enjoyed the highs and battled through the lows of Howe’s successful and progressive reign.

What needs to happen now is for Elanga to make headway and shake off any concerns relating to his efficiency in front of goal, or indeed supplying the scorer.

As per Sofascore, he hasn’t yet created a big chance in the top flight this term, averaging just 0.4 shots and 0.2 dribbles per game. On top of this, Elanga has lost 63% of his duels, and so it’s clear that he’s not yet even matching Almiron’s unalterable attitude and commitment on the flank.

Elanga in the Premier League for Forest

Stats (* per game)

23/24

24/25

Matches (starts)

36 (25)

38 (31)

Goals

5

6

Assists

9

11

Shots (on target)*

1.5 (0.6)

1.1 (0.6)

Pass completion

75%

78%

Key passes*

0.9

1.3

Big chances created

14

9

Dribbles*

0.8

0.7

Tackles + interceptions*

1.1

0.7

Duels (won)*

2.9 (44%)

3.0 (45%)

Data via Sofascore

As you can see, these are two successful Premier League campaigns from the talent, who has yet to find his feet after joining Newcastle this summer for a big fee and with a £100k-per-week salary.

He’s fast, and at times, ferocious, yet Elanga runs the risk of crumbling away under Howe’s wing, and while he’s a committed and hard-working player, if he cannot find a measure of form in the final third, comparisons concerning Almiron will only rise in volume and intensity.

Scoring goals is not Elanga’s forte, not in bucketloads. But there’s no denying his performances have been below the expected quality so far this season, and his two terms at the City Ground underline a creative quality that, while proven in the English top flight, has not yet surfaced at St. James’ Park.

Newcastle know they have a talented winger in their mix, and with a bit more work, he might just provide the club with the creative support they desire over the coming years.

However, Elanga has yet to show he can maintain clinical levels in black and white, and until that duck is broken, fears that PIF have replaced Almiron with Almiron will persist.

Related Newcastle star was set to be sold, now he's one of their "standout" players

This Newcastle star is still performing for Eddie Howe’s side.

Posts ByAngus Sinclair Nov 7, 2025

A proud part of Arsenal’s DNA has long been their development and promotion of young academy talents.

This has been especially true over the last few years, with the emergence of players like Ethan Nwaneri, Myles Lewis-Skelly and, of course, Bukayo Saka.

The latest player who seems ready to make the leap from the youth sides to regular senior football is Max Dowman.

However, the talented 15-year-old certainly won’t be the last, and there is already one youngster making waves in the academy who could soon find himself in the first team.

Dowman's rapid rise to stardom at Arsenal

Even before this season, Arsenal fans have been at least somewhat aware of Dowman.

After all, respected talent scout Jacek Kulig boldly proclaimed him as the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

That might sound absurd, but over the course of last season, the youngster ended up scoring 19 times and providing five assists in just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, for the youth sides.

Appearances

23

Minutes

1945′

Goals

19

Assists

5

Goal Involvements per Match

1.04

Minutes per Goal Involvement

81.04′

That comes out to a sensational average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes, made all the more astonishing by the fact he was playing for the u18s and even the u21s.

With performances like that in age groups well above his own, it wasn’t much of a surprise to see the Chelmsford-born dynamo included in the first team’s pre-season tour.

The 15-year-old made his debut against Newcastle United, and in the words of analyst Ben Mattinson, spent his short cameo “humiliating Premier League players.”

His competitive debut came at home to Leeds United in the Premier League, and then he became the youngest player to ever start a game for the club against Brighton & Hove Albion in the League Cup.

The superstar in the making then broke another record in the Champions League a week later, and was described as “a miracle player” by Slavia Prague defender David Zima.

In all, it certainly seems like Dowman is destined to reach the top of the game with Arsenal, although he might be joined by another academy gem this season.

Hale End's next superstar

It’s been a good season for Hale End this year, as on top of Dowman, Andre Harriman-Annous has also been given his full competitive debut by Mikel Arteta.

It could get even better, though, as there is another youngster in the system, who, like the record-breaker, could find himself becoming more involved with the senior side as the campaign goes on: Ife Ibrahim.

The 17-year-old has been with the club since May 2016, and while he started out as a striker, he has since moved back down the pitch, into defensive midfield.

However, he’s not limited to just one position, as the highly rated youngster has also played at right-back, in central midfield, and even as a centre-back.

It’s no surprise that he has been used in the defence before, as even though he’s still so young, the versatile prospect is huge and towers above some of the first team in pictures taken of the time he trained with them. It is no wonder that analyst Harvey Diamonds said that he has a “languid frame like [Patrick] Vieira and [Abou] Diaby.”

Don’t let his size and physicality fool you, though; the Hale Ender is no slouch on the ball.

In fact, academy expert Will Balsam described him as someone who makes everything look so “effortless.” Moreover, this and his height mean “he eats up space, recovers the ball, and glides past players with ease.”

He has also made an impression on U23 scout Antonio Mango, who has described him as “composed, technically talented in possession and calculated out of possession.”

Overall, while he plays in a totally different position to Dowman, Ibrahim sounds like the sort of Hale End product who could come in and have a serious impact on the first team soon enough.

Zubimendi upgrade: Arsenal chasing "the best CM in the world" for £114m

The incredible international could already be a significant upgrade on Zubimendi for Arsenal.

1 ByJack Salveson Holmes Nov 11, 2025

Toss Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl against Hong Kong in Dubai as the defending champions look to make it two wins in two in the Asia Cup.Sri Lanka made one change to the side that registered a comprehensive win over Bangladesh, bringing in spinner Maheesh Theekshana for fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, opting for just two frontline quicks in Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara.Hong Kong also made one change, with Shahid Wasif coming in as a like-for-like replacement in the middle order for Kalhan Challu.This is the first time these two teams are facing each other in international cricket.Hong Kong XI: Zeeshan Ali (wk), Anshy Rath, Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Shahid Wasif, Kinchit Shah, Yasim Murtaza (capt), Aizaz Khan, Ayush Shukla, Ateeq Iqbal, Ehsan KhanSri Lanka XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (capt), Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara

Tottenham Hotspur head coach Thomas Frank needs to find a way for his team to create more chances on a consistent basis after some struggles in the Premier League of late.

The Lilywhites created a staggering eight ‘big chances’ against Copenhagen in the Champions League last week, per Sofascore, but they have been unable to showcase that level of creativity on the domestic stage.

Spurs created 0.92 xG in their 2-2 draw with Manchester United in the Premier League on Saturday, per Sofascore, after creating 0.10 xG in their defeat to Chelsea at home in their previous top-flight clash.

Per FBref, Tottenham rank 14th in the Premier League for xG, with 11.0 in 11 matches, which shows that they are far away from being one of the most creative teams in the division.

The former Brentford head coach, therefore, needs to adjust his system or work harder with the players on the training pitch to ensure that they start creating more chances.

One team selection move that Frank could make to add more creativity to the team in the short-term could be to unleash Wilson Odobert from the start after his excellent cameo on Saturday.

Why Wilson Odobert should start for Spurs

The former Burnley forward came off the bench to make a significant impact against Manchester United, as he provided the assist for Richarlison’s goal with a shot that turned into a cross.

Irrespective of whether it was intended as a shot or a cross, Odobert set himself brilliantly with a perfect first touch and struck the ball superbly, with an effort that may have gone in even if Richarlison had not made contact with the ball.

The France U21 international came on at half-time for Randal Kolo Muani and added directness and excitement to the Tottenham attack with his willingness to take players on with the ball at his feet.

Minutes played

45

Shots

1

Key passes

3

Big chances created

2

Dribbles completed

2/2

Pass accuracy

100%

Duels won

4/4

As you can see in the table above, Odobert created two ‘big chances’ in 45 minutes of action, whilst being incredibly efficient as a dribbler, as a passer, and in his duels.

That impressive cameo against the Red Devils came after he started and scored in the 4-0 win over Copenhagen, which means that the forward has registered goal contributions in successive matches for the first time in his Tottenham career.

This shows that the French youngster is finally finding his feet in North London and is building positive momentum with his performances, which is why Frank should reward him with a start against Arsenal on the other side of the international break.

His direct play and invention with the ball at his feet could improve Tottenham’s creativity and go some way to solving some of the issues that they have had, creatively, in the Premier League this season.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

Of course, a player will have to be dropped from the starting line-up in order to facilitate Odobert’s return to the XI, and that unfortunate man could be summer signing Xavi Simons.

Why Spurs should drop Xavi Simons

The Netherlands international created three ‘big chances’ and registered an assist in the 4-0 win over Copenhagen in the Champions League last week, delivering a brilliant through ball for Brennan Johnson to score.

Football FanCast published an article after that match suggesting that it was the kind of performance that could kickstart his season, as it was a reminder of the kind of quality that he can provide at his best.

Unfortunately, the Dutchman, who was signed from RB Leipzig for £52m in the summer transfer window, played 79 minutes against Manchester United on Saturday without creating a single chance for his teammates, per Sofascore.

Unlike Odobert, Xavi was unable to build on his Champions League performance by following it up with productivity in the Premier League, which has been an issue for him throughout the 2025/26 campaign.

After the 2-2 draw with United, content creator Ronaldo Brown claimed “Xavi Simons is the master of taking “one touch too many” which has gotten him swallowed in the Prem”, and it is hard to disagree with that assessment.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder has no goals and one assist, which was a corner for Pape Matar Sarr to score, in eight appearances in the Premier League so far this season, since his move from the Bundesliga.

xG

0.31

Bottom 22%

Shots on target

1

Bottom 11%

Goals

0

Bottom 3%

Chances created

6

Bottom 46%

xA

0.64

Top 47%

Assists

1

Top 49%

Touches in opposition’s box

9

Bottom 18%

As you can see in the table, Xavi ranks among the worst attacking midfielders in the Premier League in a host of key metrics, aside from his one assist, which was from a set-piece.

The Dutch playmaker is yet to show the kind of quality that saw him deliver 21 goals and 21 assists in two seasons with RB Leipzig in Germany, per Sofascore, which is why Frank should ruthlessly ditch him from the starting line-up for now.

Unfortunately, Xavi is not delivering enough quality at the top end of the pitch when given chances by Frank, whilst Odobert showed on Saturday that he can impact games in the Premier League at this stage in his development.

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Therefore, the Spurs head coach should ditch the Netherlands international from the XI to play Odobert in a central position, where he can drive forwards and make things happen for the Lilywhites.

Martin O’Neill has now confirmed that he will “step aside” when Celtic find their next manager and revealed that there has not been any talks with the club about taking a permanent role.

O’Neill insists he has no idea whether he will remain at the helm for Celtic’s next match against St Mirren amid reports that the Hoops have stepped up their search for a new permanent manager.

The 73-year-old has been in caretaker charge of the Scottish champions for the last four games since Brendan Rodgers resigned two and a half weeks ago.

It has been reported this week that the Celtic board have been interviewing candidates, with Columbus Crew head coach Wilfried Nancy emerging as the new bookmakers’ favourite.

Other names mentioned includes Kieran McKenna at Ipswich Town and Kjetil Knutsen. Whether the Hoops can lure either of those names away from their current positions at Portmand Road and Bodo/Glimt is the question that everyone’s asking.

Reports have claimed that Knutsen wants to at least complete his side’s Champions League campaign, which could end in January in the earliest scenario. Meanwhile, there have been no signs that McKenna will be leaving Ipswich anytime soon.

As Celtic’s search goes on, O’Neill has continued to roll back the years. In his four matches, the 73-year-old – assisted by Shaun Maloney and Mark Fotheringham – has overseen two Scottish Premiership victories, a Europa League defeat by Midtjylland and an extra-time win over 10-man Rangers in the Premier Sports Cup semi-final.

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The final against St Mirren takes place on December 14 and there are some who would like to see the veteran remain in charge for the Hampden showdown in order to add to his trophy haul from his glittering first spell in charge in the early Noughties.

O'Neill insists no talks with Celtic board

To no surprise, O’Neill has been questioned a number of times about the Celtic job, but his answer remains the same. He will “step aside” as soon as the club no longer need him and, despite rumours, there have been no talks about the permanent job.

The 4-2-3-1 tactician has done a solid job so far and may yet get the chance to continue that job after the international break, but admitted that he’s not bothered whether he’s in charge for the Scottish Cup final in December, saying: “I am a romantic and have been a romantic all my life. I know the history of football and all of those particular things but that doesn’t bother me one jot.”

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