Former Spain star Gaizka Mendieta believes that Martin Zubimendi is becoming just as important to Arsenal as Rodri has been for years at Manchester City. The Gunners completed a £52 million move for the Real Sociedad midfielder over the summer, despite stiff competition from Real Madrid. Now, only being at the club for a few months, he is already being hailed as a vital component to their success.

• Zubimendi explains Arsenal switch

  Zubimendi had the chance to join Liverpool last year but opted to stay at Real Sociedad just when it looked like he would be Arne Slot's first major signing. The 26-year-old bided his time, before sealing a switch to Emirates Stadium. So, why did he choose Mikel Arteta's team over other rival suitors? It appears that Arteta's conviction was the clincher. 

  He said: "When Mikel Arteta called me – well, if you’ve ever spoken to him you'll know that he can be very convincing. He's mad about football, crazy about having everything under control, trying to get something from every little detail. He's very clear on everything and the proposal he had was the best for me.

  "When any proposal comes, the first question has to be whether to stay at la Real. And it wasn't the right moment. I stayed and it was a hard season, but I learned a lot. I wanted to step forward, take that weight after others went. I've always tried to choose the right time and I'm happy with how it happened in the end."

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  Zubimendi compared to Rodri

  Former Valencia skipper Mendieta believes there are similarities between 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri and Spain team-mate Zubimendi. The former has helped City win a hatful of trophies over the years, including Premier League titles and the Champions League, and the latter could be on the path to doing that for Arsenal – as they seek to win the league for the first time since 2004.

  Mendieta told : "When I think of Martin Zubimendi at Arsenal, I think of Rodri at Manchester City. City can have other players that can play in that role like Nico Gonzalez but it's not the same. That's why Rodri has been one of the best players in the Premier League since he arrived. He's the kind of player that you might not see much because they're not always on the ball or not allowed on the ball.

  But his position, how they give freedom to team-mates, how he allows other players around him to do things is not always visible, but it's very important. You can't put your finger on why it's not happening when Rodri isn’t there, but it makes a difference whether they are on the pitch or not. They allow other players to do things that they can't do when they're not there, it’s a very similar situation for both."

• Rodri a fan of Zubimendi

  Mendieta is not the only fan of Zubimendi. Indeed, City talisman Rodri himself sang the praises of the Spaniard back in September.

  "He's a great player. He has the discipline and mentality that can lead him to become one of the best, if he isn't already. I spoke to him the other day and told him it was his time, that I was leaving him the keys to the [Spain] team," said the 29-year-old.

  And this week, Arsenal star Declan Rice talked up how integral Zubimendi has become for the Gunners in a short space of time. The England international described him as an "unbelievable player" who is a pleasure to play alongside.

  He told this week: "Yeah, it's been so easy to play with him. We only signed him in the summer and usually it takes a while to build a connection, but from the first moment we had together in pre-season, I could just tell that I was going to play some good football with him. I just really liked him as a person and as a player.

  "As the games have gone on, our understanding of each other has been outstanding. He's such a nice guy. He is the Spain No. 6 and we know what Spanish No. 6s are like. They are the best at first phase build up, turning on the ball and playing forward, playing into pockets and that is exactly what we've got with him. We all trust him with the ball. If there is a player on you, it is just easy to give him the ball and we all feel so confident with him. He has been so good for us – an unbelievable player."

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  Arsenal face huge test

  The past seven days have been pretty seismic for Arsenal. Firstly, they thumped rivals Tottenham 4-1 last Sunday, and on Wednesday, they outclassed an in-form Bayern Munich team in the Champions League. On Sunday, another big test takes them to second-placed Chelsea in a top-of-the-table Premier League clash. Zubimendi may need to be at his best for Arteta's side to come out on top in this one.

So far this season, Marcus Stoinis has played nine games, faced 65 balls and bowled only 13.1 overs, but with some players leaving, he might have more to do in the IPL 2025 playoffs

Hemant Brar25-May-20251:18

Moody: Stoinis the icing on the cake for PBKS

The story of Punjab Kings’ (PBKS) success in IPL 2025 revolves around how their Indian batters have stood up. Before Saturday, five of them had over 250 runs at strike rates above 150. No other team in any IPL season has had such a record. What has made it even more impressive is that four of them are uncapped in international cricket.Their boom, and the composition of the side, has resulted in Marcus Stoinis batting largely at No. 7. This is a completely different role to the one he played for Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) last season, when he scored 258 runs in seven innings at a strike rate of 154.49 from No. 3. While Stoinis has played the finisher’s role for Australia, he has mostly batted at No. 5 there too. In fact, before this IPL season, he had batted at No. 7 or lower only ten times across 316 T20s.That said, Stoinis has lapped up his new role. Against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), he blitzed 34 not out off just 11 balls. Against LSG, he applied the finishing touches with 15 not out off five. Both times striking at 300 or more.Related

• PBKS bowling attack heading into IPL playoffs 'certainly worrying'

• Rizvi special helps DC sign off with a win

• IPL playoffs: Top-two spots still up for grabs

• Batting without brakes – PBKS make topping 200 a habit

On Saturday, playing against Delhi Capitals (DC) in Jaipur, he was at it again. He came out to bat in the 16th over with PBKS 144 for 5. They needed another impactful knock and Stoinis did not disappoint. Off the first four legal deliveries he faced, he crunched two sixes and a four and dented Mukesh Kumar’s figures. Having conceded only 24 in his first three overs, the seamer finished with 1 for 49.Stoinis was on 18 when Mohit Sharma dropped him at deep square-leg off Kuldeep Yadav. When Mohit came to bowl the 19th over, Stoinis rubbed it in by tonking two sixes and two fours. In all, he scored 44 not out off 16 balls and powered PBKS to 206 for 8.This was Stoinis’ first game after returning from Australia. During the break between innings, he was asked if he had nets sessions when the tournament was suspended for a week.2:33

Moody: Young Indian players thrive under Shreyas’ captaincy

“I actually didn’t,” he replied. “Unfortunately, I had a bout of Covid when I got back – it was a nice welcome home. So I rested up and came back here.”What has worked for Stoinis in this new role is his ability to take down fast bowlers. Since the start of 2023, he has a strike rate of 151.95 against pace. Against spin, it drops to 128.30. When he comes out at No. 7, typically, the fast bowlers are in operation.”It is always a bit different when you go out in the end and you go in that one mode,” he said. “But I think it was really good for me out there. I was surprised they didn’t bowl more slower balls when I was setting up… because I felt they were holding [in the pitch].”In a way, it was a familiar situation for Stoinis, who had played a similar innings for DC against PBKS (then Kings XI Punjab) in Dubai in 2020. Batting at No. 6, he had scored 53 off 21. Then bowling the final over of the chase, with Punjab needing 13 from six balls and then one from the last three, Stoinis pushed the match into the Super Over, where DC won.3:09

Should PBKS be concerned about their bowling?

On Saturday, too, he was tasked to bowl the 20th over. But DC took only three balls to score the required eight runs. Stoinis finished with 1.3-0-21-0. With Azmatullah Omarzai also going for 46 from his four wicketless overs, PBKS could not defend what their captain Shreyas Iyer later called an above-par score.But this is the bargain PBKS have made. By playing both Stoinis and Omarzai, they get Marco Jansen batting at No. 9 and Harpreet Brar at No. 10. While this weakens their bowling somewhat, it allows them to go as hard with the bat as they do, even when they are losing wickets. That’s how they have posted seven 200-plus totals in nine innings when batting first.Another factor in their loss against DC was Yuzvendra Chahal’s absence. According to head coach Sunil Joshi, Chahal was “rested” because of a “small niggle”. His replacement, Praveen Dubey, bowled only two overs, in which he went for 20. Had Chahal been fit, Omarzai and Stoinis might not have had to bowl six overs.So far this season, Stoinis has played nine games, faced 65 balls and bowled only 13.1 overs. But from here on, he may have to play a bigger role. Jansen will not be available anymore as he gets ready for the World Test Championship (WTC) final. If Josh Inglis also leaves – he is Australia’s reserve wicketkeeper for that final – Stoinis will have to shoulder more responsibility. The good news for PBKS is he seems to be primed for that challenge.

Abandoned Sri Lanka will probably be the happier team to get a point out of their washout against world champions Australia in Colombo on Saturday. The conditions didn’t look as bad a day before the game and even on Saturday when the two teams had walked out before toss time to assess the ground. But the rain picked up quickly, and even though the entire ground was covered, the match had to be abandoned about two and a half hours after the scheduled start time.The two teams came into this match with contrasting results in their opening games – Australia had beaten New Zealand by 89 runs in Indore and Sri Lanka had lost to India by 59 runs (via the DLS method) in Guwahati.Australia continue to top the table with three points and Sri Lanka have jumped to fifth place, but with a negative net run rate of -1.255. Australia were the favourites for this game – like they are in the tournament – as Sri Lanka have never beaten them in international cricket across 11 ODIs and eight T20Is.This also means Sri Lanka head into their next fixture – against England on October 11 – after what is now a gap of 10 days, having played India in the World Cup opener on September 30. Australia had flown into Colombo on Thursday from Indore and will continue to stay in Colombo to play Pakistan on October 8 before flying to Visakhapatnam to face India on October 9.Colombo is also set to host the India vs Pakistan match on Sunday, and the weather forecast doesn’t look too optimistic for that either.

Manchester United are plotting signings and now look to be on the verge of announcing their latest arrival at Old Trafford, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Man Utd prepare to take on Crystal Palace

The dust has settled on a disappointing defeat for Manchester United against Everton on Monday night, which will have left Ruben Amorim with plenty to stew over after being denied by a rigid block that refused to budge at Old Trafford.

Arguably, a change of shape or style would’ve heightened the chances of the Red Devils scoring. Still, some excellent saves from Jordan Pickford ended their five-match unbeaten run in the Premier League, and they will now need to reset against Crystal Palace on Sunday.

South London has proved to be one of the toughest destinations in the top-flight this campaign for clubs keen on points, albeit Manchester United will have no choice but to try and defy recent norms in their pursuit of continental qualification.

Come the January window, Amorim will hope to call upon the backing of INEOS in the hunt for new additions, and Wolverhampton Wanderers pair Joao Gomes and Andre are wanted at Old Trafford.

Casemiro could be on his way out at Manchester United, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that he may only be kept on under reduced salary conditions, as he said: “So now the desire is from Man Utd obviously to continue with Casemiro, but on different conditions.

“So the salary he has right now is a salary Manchester United don’t want to pay in the future. Not because of unhappiness with the player, but because they want to change the salary structure.”

With that in mind, the Red Devils could now be set to imminently sign a younger midfielder who shares similar traits with the Brazil international.

Man Utd set to sign Cristian Orozco

According to Romano on X, Manchester United are now close to signing Fortaleza midfielder Cristian Orozco for a fee in the region of £756,800 and he will arrive in England over the coming days to seal his move.

Despite never playing senior club football, scouts have compared him to the likes of Moises Caicedo and believe he could be the “next Casemiro” due to his “physically imposing” displays in the engine room.

Capped 13 times at Under-17 level by Colombia, he looks to be the latest in a long line of additions Manchester United have made over recent times with an eye for the future, similar to the likes of Chido Obi-Martin, Ayden Heaven and Diego Leon.

Man Utd plotting "bargain" deal to sign "imposing" Ligue 1 defender who scouts love

He could complete Amorim’s back three.

By
Tom Cunningham

Nov 27, 2025

With Casemiro soon to be into the final few months of his contract, the Red Devils may have now done the groundwork to land his long-term replacement.

SA sealed their fifth successive win while Pakistan became the second team to be knocked out after Bangladesh

Shashank Kishore21-Oct-20253:27

Review: Wolvaardt sets it up for South Africa

At 35, Marizanne Kapp shows no signs of slowing down. Her unbeaten 68 off 43 balls, which helped power South Africa’s highest World Cup total, was just the appetiser to the main course – a menacing opening burst that brought her 3 for 20 to knock Pakistan out of the Women’s World Cup. This set up a dominant 150 run-win (via DLS) on a rainy Colombo night, where the groundstaff miraculously delivered a result that didn’t seem possible at different stages of the night.South Africa sealed their fifth win in a row that propelled them to the top of the points table, with one game still to play against Australia in Indore. It marked a sensational turnaround from an inauspicious start against England in Guwahati, three weeks ago, where they were shot out for 69 in a ten-wicket pounding.With semi-final match-ups determined by group-stage standings, South Africa – who had already confirmed their spot – would’ve felt frustrated about sharing points had the game been washed out. Such a result would’ve left them third on the table, behind Australia and England due to an inferior net run-rate. Eventually, they managed to get in 20 overs in the second innings to constitute a game.Sent in to bat, South Africa posted a mammoth 312 for 9 after the match was reduced to 40-overs-a-side with 140 minutes lost to the wet weather in the first innings. Chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 306, Pakistan were undone by Kapp’s incredible new-ball burst that left their feeble top order in tatters at 35 for 4 in 10 overs before the rain returned. When play eventually resumed, Pakistan’s target was merely academic; 234 off 20 overs. South Africa’s spinners tucked into the wickets; Pakistan finished with 83 for 7.Much of the drama from the second innings came before the lengthy rain interval in Pakistan’s chase. After Muneeba Ali toe-ended a slog to mid-on off Ayabonga Khaka, Kapp made a statement with the ball. Omaima Sohail was pinned plumb in front by a nip-backer, while Sidra Amin and Aliya Riyaz were out nicking to devious out swingers. Kapp’s figures read 5-0-20-3 at that point to go with her unbeaten half-century, one of three in the South African innings.Laura Wolvaardt, the captain, had top scored with 90. Her 118-run second-wicket stand off 92 balls with Sune Luus set the game up, before Kapp and Nadine de Klerk applied the finishing touches against an attack that looked nowhere near as threatening on a sticky Colombo pitch.De Klerk came in to bat with four overs remaining, and muscled 41 off 16 balls from No. 8 as South Africa walloped 72 off the last five overs. South Africa hit 11 sixes in all, the most a team has hit in a single innings in all World Cups; de Klerk and Kapp alone muscled seven between them.After Tazmin Brits bagged a third straight duck, Wolvaardt seemed in fine nick from get-go, negating any early movement the seamers may have got by stepping out to take the attack to the bowlers. Luus was a bit rusty, playing out 11 dots before getting off the mark with a slog sweep for six off left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal.That helped trigger an onslaught as Luus raised her fifty – her 17th in ODIs – with a reverse sweep off Iqbal. While she fell soon after, Wolvaardt continued to pile on the runs, bringing up her own half-century off just 42 balls in the 18th over.She went inside out over extra cover when the spinners looked to attack the stumps by going leg-side of the ball. And when they attempted to bowl outside leg, she was able to pepper the gaps between long-on and deep midwicket.Pakistan briefly found some respite, when they had Annerie Dercksen run out hot on the heels of Luus’ dismissal. However, that brought more misery for them, as Kapp joined forces with Wolvaardt and raised a 64-run stand at better than a run-a-ball.Wolvaardt was in sight of a hundred, when she ran past a sharp-turning ball from Sandhu to be stumped, in what was a double-wicket over that left South Africa 212 for 5 in 32 overs. Kapp then shifted gears in de Klerk’s company to inflict carnage on a hapless Pakistan attack.

SA sealed their fifth successive win while Pakistan became the second team to be knocked out after Bangladesh

Shashank Kishore21-Oct-20253:27

Review: Wolvaardt sets it up for South Africa

At 35, Marizanne Kapp shows no signs of slowing down. Her unbeaten 68 off 43 balls, which helped power South Africa’s highest World Cup total, was just the appetiser to the main course – a menacing opening burst that brought her 3 for 20 to knock Pakistan out of the Women’s World Cup. This set up a dominant 150 run-win (via DLS) on a rainy Colombo night, where the groundstaff miraculously delivered a result that didn’t seem possible at different stages of the night.South Africa sealed their fifth win in a row that propelled them to the top of the points table, with one game still to play against Australia in Indore. It marked a sensational turnaround from an inauspicious start against England in Guwahati, three weeks ago, where they were shot out for 69 in a ten-wicket pounding.With semi-final match-ups determined by group-stage standings, South Africa – who had already confirmed their spot – would’ve felt frustrated about sharing points had the game been washed out. Such a result would’ve left them third on the table, behind Australia and England due to an inferior net run-rate. Eventually, they managed to get in 20 overs in the second innings to constitute a game.Sent in to bat, South Africa posted a mammoth 312 for 9 after the match was reduced to 40-overs-a-side with 140 minutes lost to the wet weather in the first innings. Chasing a DLS-adjusted target of 306, Pakistan were undone by Kapp’s incredible new-ball burst that left their feeble top order in tatters at 35 for 4 in 10 overs before the rain returned. When play eventually resumed, Pakistan’s target was merely academic; 234 off 20 overs. South Africa’s spinners tucked into the wickets; Pakistan finished with 83 for 7.

Much of the drama from the second innings came before the lengthy rain interval in Pakistan’s chase. After Muneeba Ali toe-ended a slog to mid-on off Ayabonga Khaka, Kapp made a statement with the ball. Omaima Sohail was pinned plumb in front by a nip-backer, while Sidra Amin and Aliya Riyaz were out nicking to devious out swingers. Kapp’s figures read 5-0-20-3 at that point to go with her unbeaten half-century, one of three in the South African innings.Laura Wolvaardt, the captain, had top scored with 90. Her 118-run second-wicket stand off 92 balls with Sune Luus set the game up, before Kapp and Nadine de Klerk applied the finishing touches against an attack that looked nowhere near as threatening on a sticky Colombo pitch.De Klerk came in to bat with four overs remaining, and muscled 41 off 16 balls from No. 8 as South Africa walloped 72 off the last five overs. South Africa hit 11 sixes in all, the most a team has hit in a single innings in all World Cups; de Klerk and Kapp alone muscled seven between them.After Tazmin Brits bagged a third straight duck, Wolvaardt seemed in fine nick from get-go, negating any early movement the seamers may have got by stepping out to take the attack to the bowlers. Luus was a bit rusty, playing out 11 dots before getting off the mark with a slog sweep for six off left-arm spinner Sadia Iqbal.That helped trigger an onslaught as Luus raised her fifty – her 17th in ODIs – with a reverse sweep off Iqbal. While she fell soon after, Wolvaardt continued to pile on the runs, bringing up her own half-century off just 42 balls in the 18th over.She went inside out over extra cover when the spinners looked to attack the stumps by going leg-side of the ball. And when they attempted to bowl outside leg, she was able to pepper the gaps between long-on and deep midwicket.

Pakistan briefly found some respite, when they had Annerie Dercksen run out hot on the heels of Luus’ dismissal. However, that brought more misery for them, as Kapp joined forces with Wolvaardt and raised a 64-run stand at better than a run-a-ball.Wolvaardt was in sight of a hundred, when she ran past a sharp-turning ball from Sandhu to be stumped, in what was a double-wicket over that left South Africa 212 for 5 in 32 overs. Kapp then shifted gears in de Klerk’s company to inflict carnage on a hapless Pakistan attack.

West Ham and Tottenham have held discussions over signing former Brentford striker Ivan Toney ahead of the looming January transfer window, and he’s now given a response to both sides.

Ivan Toney attracts Premier League interest after Saudi displays

Toney’s excellent since moving to Al-Ahli has reportedly prompted several Premier League clubs to consider bringing him back to English football, with his exceptional goalscoring record defying initial skepticism about his £40 million transfer.

The 29-year-old has silenced doubters emphatically, scoring 42 goals across just 62 appearances in all competitions since arriving in the Gulf state.

His output has spearheaded Al-Ahli to success, including their maiden AFC Champions League triumph and victory in the Saudi Super Cup after a penalty shootout victory over Cristiano Ronaldo’s Al Nassr.

Toney’s memorable hat-trick against 2024 champions Al-Hilal marked Al-Ahli’s first victory over their rivals in eight league games, with the striker going on to net 12 goals across just seven matches during one extraordinary purple patch.

Sunderland 3-0 West Ham

West Ham 1-5 Chelsea

Nottingham Forest 0-3 West Ham

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

West Ham 1-2 Crystal Palace

Everton 1-1 West Ham

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

West Ham 0-2 Brentford

Leeds 2-1 West Ham

West Ham 3-1 Newcastle

West Ham 3-2 Burnley

Bournemouth 2-2 West Ham

His performances even briefly earned the Englishman a spot back in Thomas Tuchel’s England setup earlier this year, but Toney has struggled to fire his way back into contention since then.

With the 2026 World Cup looming, reports have suggested that Toney could return to the Premier League in a bid to battle his way into Tuchel’s thinking ahead of the tournament next year.

West Ham now in pole position to sign "monster" striker after already making contact

The Hammers are after a new centre-forward.

ByEmilio Galantini Nov 27, 2025

Of all the teams linked with a move for Toney, West Ham and Spurs stand chief among them as the two London clubs allegedly scour for striking options.

Tottenham are said to have held preliminary talks over a deal for Toney already, while West Ham have allegedly sounded out the striker as they look to replace the exit-bound Niclas Füllkrug.

Now, a report by talkSPORT has shed light on the situation, with Nuno Espirito Santo handed a key update.

West Ham and Tottenham get Ivan Toney response after discussions

West Ham and Tottenham have discussed January moves for Toney, but the England striker has made clear his intention to remain in Saudi Arabia, effectively ending hopes of an immediate Premier League return.

Sources close to the situation confirm Toney’s camp has communicated directly to interested Premier League clubs that the striker remains settled, content and unwilling to push for a transfer.

Al-Ahli sporting director Rui Pedro Braz reinforced this stance publicly, insisting speculation surrounding January departures holds no basis in reality and declaring the club counts on Toney moving forward.

Additionally, Toney must remain abroad until April 2026 to maintain his non-UK tax residency status. Returning prematurely would trigger significant tax liabilities estimated at around £14 million.

Al-Ahli would also demand more than the £40 million they paid for a permanent transfer.

The SPL club would only consider sanctioning Toney’s departure if they secured an elite-level replacement, something which could be very difficult to do in January’s limited window.

Right now, the odds are stacked against an exit for the ‘remarkable’ striker, so West Ham and Spurs may need to look elsewhere.

According to other reports, West Ham have already made contact over a deal for USG striker Promise David, who could be available for a generous £17.5 million.

Tottenham Hotspur have been something of a mixed bag this season, but at least the Londoners are well set for a prolonged period of success, having recruited a range of exciting young talents over the past few years.

While there are many teenage talents waiting in the wings, Thomas Frank and Ange Postecoglou before him have succeeded in integrating youth, with the average age of Tottenham’s starting 11 in the Premier League this season 25.2, as opposed to a 27-year-old average during the 2022/23 campaign.

Who could be a better purveyor of this new focus than Micky van de Ven? The 24-year-old has increasingly become a talismanic force for the Lilywhites.

How Van de Ven is becoming the main man at Spurs

Van de Ven isn’t quite a spring chicken, having racked up 51 Premier League appearances, but he’s still well before his prime as a centre-back, and he’s still emerging as a superstar for Tottenham.

The Dutch defender has been described as “world-class” by journalist Sonny Snelling, with his remarkable blend of athletic power and position-bending pace making him a force to be reckoned with.

It is crucial that Tottenham keep him in their ranks over the coming years, with few players more influential than him in the Premier League. It would be difficult for Spurs to sign an even better star to strengthen their backline, after all. Certainly, it would be difficult to find someone capable of mimicking the former Wolfsburg player’s dynamic skills.

Of course, Tottenham’s prudence and promotion of their academy talent has seen them land such a player already.

Spurs have signed a bigger talent than Van de Ven

Van de Ven is a unique profile, but then Tottenham have also signed a singular talent in Luka Vuskovic, with the 18-year-old bearing the skillset to become one of the Premier League’s finest.

Hailed as a “freak talent” and a “freak athlete” for his physical profile by analyst Ben Mattinson, Vuskovic is currently plying his trade out on loan in Germany with Hamburger SV, with Spurs having wrapped up a deal for the youngster in 2023, yet to integrate him into the senior set-up.

While there is much work still to be done, the Croatian prospect has only increased the hype across his first few months in the Bundesliga, having established himself as a core part of Hamburg’s defence, who are 13th after ten matches.

Looking at how the teenager compares with Van de Ven this season, it’s easy to see why there is so much chatter around his name. You might even say Van de Ven is being outperformed by the younger man.

Translation from the Bundesliga to the Premier League can prove a hard task, but Vuskovic certainly has what it takes, and his physical attributes are only going to develop further over the coming years.

Matches (starts)

11 (11)

8 (8)

Goals

3

1

Assists

0

0

Clean sheets

3

2

Touches*

69.9

82.5

Accurate passes*

54.6 (92%)

53.0 (86%)

Chances created*

0.2

0.8

Dribbles*

0.3

0.3

Recoveries*

3.7

4.4

Tackles + interceptions*

2.3

1.6

Clearances*

3.4

9.8

Duels (won)*

3.1 (53%)

8.9 (72%)

With this in mind, we might consider the 6 foot 4 teenager to have what it takes to become Tottenham’s leader at the rear, ahead of Van de Ven, ahead of Cristian Romero.

In fact, WhoScored believe that Vuskovic’s performances have been so impressive that he gets into the European Team of the Season so far, higher-rated, in fact, than Arsenal’s Gabriel Magalhaes beside him.

Not just a warrior at the back, in the words of U23 scout Antonio Mango, much like Van de Ven, he is “turning into a goal machine” having netted seven goals on loan at Belgian side KVC Westerlo in 2024/25.

Though Vuskovic still has some developing to do, there’s no question that he’s a potential superstar, and if he does come to partner the Dutchman down the line, he might even outstrip him.

Spurs have their new Parrott in academy star who's been "compared to Kane"

This Tottenham Hotspur youngster could be a future star in North London despite his struggles this season.

ByDan Emery Nov 20, 2025

Sophie Devine made a fifty and Amelia Kerr made 40 off 67 for the White Ferns in Bengaluru

ESPNcricinfo staff27-Sep-2025India chased down 237 to beat New Zealand by four wickets in their second Women’s World Cup warm-up match in Bengaluru after a heavy loss to England in their first match.After a solid start, where they reached 54 for 0 in the eighth over, India lost Pratika Rawal and Uma Chetry to leave the score at 71 for 2. Harleen Deol (74) and Harmanpreet Kaur (69) then put on a 132-run third-wicket partnership, guiding India towards the target. Despite a late collapse from 203 for 2 to 230 for 6, India held on to win with ten balls to spare.Earlier, after a rain delay, New Zealand won the toss and chose to bat. India struck early, reducing them to 38 for 2 by the eighth over. Sophie Devine’s 54 and Amelia Kerr’s 40 steadied the innings, taking New Zealand to 132 for 3. They finished on 232 for 8 in a 42-overs-a-side contest.For India, N Shree Charani claimed three wickets, while pacers Kranti Goud and Arundhati Reddy – back in action after suffering a blow to her leg in the previous match – each took two.

Shaun Wright-Phillips has urged Chelsea to break the bank for Newcastle United defender Malick Thiaw in the upcoming January transfer window. Thiaw, who cost Newcastle just £30 million ($40m) when he arrived from AC Milan in August, has been one of Eddie Howe’s standout performers this season. And now, the former Chelsea star wants the Blues to go all-in for the defender to bolster their backline.

Exciting rise of Thiaw

Thiaw earned a £5.8m (€5m) transfer to Milan from German outfit Schalke in 2022. He established himself as a regular with the Serie A giants, playing 85 times in three years, and lifted the Supercoppa Italiana during the 2024-25 campaign. His consistency attracted interest from Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, but the Magpies emerged triumphant in the transfer race. Now, after just a few months in England, he has become an automatic starter for Howe and is seen as a potential long-term defensive lynchpin. Wright-Phillips admits prising him away from St James’ Park would be "almost impossible" given his status and contract length, but insists Chelsea should at least try. 

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWright-Phillips wants Thiaw at Chelsea

Speaking to , Wright-Phillips did not hesitate when asked which player Chelsea should prioritise: "It would be almost impossible, but if I could have anyone now, it would be Malick Thiaw from Newcastle. I know he only joined from Milan in the summer, but if anyone has been watching him since his arrival, they’d know he hasn’t had a bad game yet. 

"He does everything right. He reads the game well. When low crosses come into the box, he always seems to be in the right position. I hadn’t heard too much about him before he arrived, but since he’s arrived, he’s established himself as one of the first names on the teamsheet for Eddie Howe. Obviously, it’s a bit cruel of me to say Chelsea need to go and buy him already, but in terms of his ability, he’s exactly what that backline needs."

White tipped for stunning cross-London switch

Wright-Phillips also floated another eye-catching potential target in Ben White, who has struggled for minutes at Arsenal since last season. The 28-year-old has made only one Premier League appearance this term, losing his place to Jurrien Timber at right-back. He has been a key figure for Arsenal since his £50m ($66.23m) move from Brighton in 2021, but injuries and fierce competition have pushed him to the fringes.

Wright-Phillips believes a fresh start could be on the horizon: "I could see a move for Ben White to Chelsea take place next summer. It makes sense, it’s possible. I feel quite sorry for Ben because he had an injury, and he was playing so well for Arsenal. He was unbelievable. Then he came back and he’d lost his place to Jurrien Timber, who’s the best right-back in the Premier League. It’s going to take something special to unseat him now."

A January transfer, however, appears out of the question. With Arsenal chasing the Premier League title and pushing deep into the Champions League, Mikel Arteta has no intention of weakening his squad mid-season.

"I don’t think Arsenal would be willing to sell him in the winter window, though, because that squad depth is one of Arsenal’s biggest advantages," he said. "If Timber is injured, White is the man to come in. So selling him would force Arsenal back in the market, and I don’t think that’s something they would want to do while they are challenging for the title, and maybe the Champions League."

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AFPArsenal clash looms as Chelsea eye momentum from European high

Chelsea now turn their attention to one of the biggest league fixtures of their season on Sunday, a top-of-the-table clash with Arsenal at Stamford Bridge. Fresh off a superb 3-0 Champions League win over Barcelona, Maresca’s side appear to be gathering momentum at the perfect time. The victory over the Catalans has been a major morale-booster, and while Chelsea remain six points behind Arsenal, Sunday provides a rare six-point swing opportunity.