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Tottenham are continuing to reshape their squad ahead of Thomas Frank’s first full season in charge of the Lilywhites, and it could soon be a case of one in, one out as midfielder Yves Bissouma is told he’s free to go.

Related Player's camp in talks with Tottenham, Frank convinced he'd join Spurs

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Posts 2 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 18, 2025

Spurs could be forced to sell at least one overseas star this summer due to UEFA Champions League squad rules and their current abundance of non-locally trained players, according to a recent report from the Telegraph, and they have a few options to choose from.

Tottenham’s best-performing regulars in the Premier League – 2024/2025

Average match rating

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

Son Heung-min, Bryan Gil, Manor Solomon, Richarlison and Cristian Romero, alongside Bissouma, have all been linked with moves away from N17 this summer. A couple of them could realistically follow goalkeeper Josh Keeley out of the door, with the Irishman on the verge of a reported £1 million move to Luton Town (Alasdair Gold).

Romero has attracted serious interest from Atlético Madrid for months, even if we’ve seen reports of a move to La Liga die down recently, while both Bryan Gil and Manor Solomon appear to be prime candidates for the chopping block after spending 2024/2025 out on loan elsewhere.

Meanwhile, Richarlison is a wanted man in both Brazil and Saudi Arabia, with journalist Leonardo Lacenda recently reporting that Vasco de Gama president, Pedrinho, personally phoned the striker recently.

“It’s happening! President Pedrinho, accompanied by a member of the Vasco leadership, contacted Richarlison directly through a phone call,” said Lacerda, via Bolavip.

“The goal was to get a closer look at the striker’s situation, as he’s unlikely to remain at Tottenham next season. In addition to Vasco, the striker is attracting interest from Fluminense, Flamengo, and Palmeiras. Two Saudi Arabian clubs have also entered the fray—Al Ahli and Al Ittihad.”

Murmurs of a Son Heung-min exit, after links with a move to Saudi and Los Angeles FC, have gone fairly quiet – but the same cannot be said of Bissouma.

Last week, it was reported that a Fenerbahçe representative flew to London for talks with the midfielder (Yağız Sabuncuoğlu), with the Telegraph stating he’s a likely high-profile sale before deadline day on September 1.

Tottenham tell Yves Bissouma to leave with Joao Palhinha talks held

Now, journalist Graeme Bailey has shared more on the 28-year-old’s future in a piece for TBR Football.

It’s claimed that Bissouma is informed that he’s free to leave Spurs in the coming weeks, even if he’ll only do so for the right offer, but Tottenham are already moving for a potential replacement in the form of £166,000-per-week Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha.

The former Fulham star sealed his long-awaited move to the Allianz Arena last summer for an initial £43 million, but his switch has been far from plane sailing. The 30-year-old’s debut season at Bayern was marred by injury and a lack of playing time, with a return to the Premier League already on the cards.

Bailey reports that Tottenham have held new talks with Palhinha’s representatives in the last week, so the Portugal international is emerging as a serious option to succeed Bissouma after a few impressive years at Craven Cottage.

As Manchester United look to balance their books this summer amid early incomings, Al-Nassr could now reportedly offer INEOS their biggest payday of the window in pursuit of an attacking ace.

Man Utd readying summer clear-out

With Matheus Cunha already signed and Bryan Mbeumo reportedly likely to follow suit, Manchester United will have little choice but to clear some room in Ruben Amorim’s squad.

In what feels like a never-ending cycle, the Red Devils must rebuild once again and, in doing so, show the door to any unwanted stars in a ruthless summer plan.

Among those heading for the exit door is likely to be Rasmus Hojlund. The struggling striker has never truly made his mark at Old Trafford, despite costing an eye-watering £72m in 2023. Now, two years on, Inter Milan have reportedly come calling for his signature in a deal that could eventually cost around £38m.

Whether Hojlund, himself, accepts a summer departure may be another question, though. The young forward told Danish media when questioned about his Manchester United future this week: “I have a contract until 2030, so I expect to play for Manchester United. I’m looking forward to going on a summer vacation, and then I’m fully dedicated to the project that’s underway.

“I know I can’t get much out of reading things. I know what the facts are, and that is that I have a contract with Manchester United until 2030. I expect to play there, so I’m just getting ready for some summer vacation and then hopefully a good pre-season.”

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He won six Premier League titles at Manchester City.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 7, 2025

Whilst Hojlund is keen to stay put, however, the same can’t be said for another struggling Man United star, who could yet hand the Red Devils an impressive financial boost on his way out.

Al Nassr now eyeing Garnacho swoop

One player who has looked almost certain to be heading for the exit door ever since Amorim arrived is Alejandro Garnacho. In Amorim’s first Manchester derby, the Argentine found himself dropped alongside Marcus Rashford. The latter soon left on loan and went on to thrive at Aston Villa. Garnacho, however, stayed put but things have not become better in recent months.

Now, according to The Mirror, Al-Nassr could hand INEOS their biggest payday of the summer by signing Garnacho. The Saudi giants have been pursuing a move to sign Luis Diaz from Liverpool, but may turn towards the £50,000-a-week winger if the Premier League champions remain reluctant to sell their South American star.

If that does prove to be the case, Amorim may well be glad to see the back of the winger after Garnacho publicly disagreed with his decision to start Mason Mount in his place in the Europa League final.

Since then, Amorim has reportedly told the young winger to find a new club in front of the rest of his teammates in a public dressing down. Unless anything dramatic happens at this stage, Garnacho’s exit is one that would be best for all parties.

Chelsea are still on the hunt for another striker, despite already signing Liam Delap in time for the Club World Cup, but this is a transfer which may have to wait until further down the line this summer.

Chelsea tipped for second centre-forward signing after Liam Delap

Enzo Maresca’s forward line could look very different by the beginning of 2025/2026.

Related Alongside Sesko: Chelsea also step up pursuit of another striker wanted by Arsenal

The Blues have ramped up their interest in a “prolific” striker, who is also a target for Mikel Arteta.

Posts ByDominic Lund Jun 10, 2025

Despite scoring in the Conference League final against Real Betis, helping Chelsea win their first major trophy under Maresca in the process, it has been a tough 2025 for Nicolas Jackson.

The Senegalese has scored just one Premier League goal this calendar year and suffered a real downturn in form beyond the turn of the year, combined with injuries and suspensions.

While Chelsea aren’t pushing Jackson out of the door, it is believed that they will listen to suitable offers, with Manchester United, Aston Villa, Inter Milan, and Atletico Madrid all expressing an interest recently (Simon Phillips).

His departure could also prove key to Chelsea making room for another prolific centre-forward after Delap, which is something Stamford Bridge officials are apparently keen to do.

One name has dominated the headlines when it comes to BlueCo potentially bringing in another new number nine – Eintracht Frankfurt star Hugo Ekitike.

Chelsea have held talks with Eintracht over a deal for Ekitike, and even mooted the possibility of players going the other way in a part-exchange.

The Frenchman is also said to be very keen on a move to west London (Simon Phillips), but the sticking point throughout this saga has been Ekitike’s lofty £84 million asking price.

The 22-year-old is fresh off the back of an electric campaign, scoring 22 goals and assisting 12 others in all competitions, which has prompted his side to stand firm over a sky-high price in negotiations so far.

However, according to TEAMtalk, Chelsea may not have to go that high after all.

Chelsea believe £65 million Hugo Ekitike could rival Alexander Isak

As per their information, the club’s recruitment team hold a genuine belief that Ekitike will end up rivaling Newcastle United star Alexander Isak, with Chelsea making him a “high-priority” target as a result.

It is also believed that £65 million could even be enough for Chelsea to sign Ekitike this summer, and their public £84 million valuation is merely “posturing” in an attempt to look strong during negotiations.

The report adds that Chelsea have been in direct contact with the former PSG striker’s camp, echoing other media sources, but the complexity of this deal means this could be one that remains ongoing for a while yet.

In any case, he is clearly highly-rated within Cobham, not to mention the rest of the footballing world.

“I might say something really crazy, but I’ll say it anyway: I think he’s a mix between Neymar and [Kylian] Mbappé. I sincerely think so,” said former Netherlands star Wesley Sneijder.

“He has the grace of Neymar, but also the movements of Mbappé. To suddenly accelerate, that’s something that Mbappé also has. And he’s only 22 years old. There’s really a lot of potential in this boy.”

West Ham United could cash in on one of their key players this summer, in order to fund a major summer rebuild, according to a report.

Hammers now seven games without win after Brighton loss

Luckily for West Ham, last season’s three promoted Championship sides have found it very difficult to adapt to life in the Premier League, which means they are now mathematically safe, but it has been a season to forget.

After the 3-2 defeat against Brighton & Hove Albion at the weekend, the Hammers are now seven games without a win, and they are sitting 17th in the table with just four games left to play, which indicates a major revamp of the squad could be needed.

In light of the poor results, questions are now being asked about manager Graham Potter, who admitted he was in “pain” after his side capitulated against the Seagulls, conceding two late goals to lose the game 3-2.

It remains to be seen whether Potter is given time to turn the situation around, but there could be a major rebuild regardless of which manager is in the dugout next season, although the Irons may have to cash-in on a star player to fund it.

That is according to a report from The Express, which states West Ham are now considering the sale of Lucas Paqueta to fund the overhaul of their squad this summer.

Mohammed Kudus’ departure could also be sanctioned, amid interest from Saudi Pro League side Al-Nassr, who will have the opportunity to sign the Ghanaian for £85m.

As such, Paqueta and Kudus’ futures at the London Stadium appear to be up in the air, but one player who the Hammers are unwilling to sell is Jarrod Bowen, with the England international deemed to be untouchable.

West Ham positioned to sign £44m Bayern star they've "come knocking" for

The Hammers have made a move for a midfielder, and there is a good chance they can tempt him to the Premier League.

ByDominic Lund Apr 21, 2025 "Incredible" Paqueta underperforming this season

The Brazilian has been a key player for the Hammers this season, making 30 appearances in the Premier League, but he has largely been ineffective, picking up just four goals and failing to record an assist.

The attacking midfielder is without a goal contribution in his last ten outings, and he is clearly finding it difficult to rediscover his best form, having previously been lauded as “incredible” in a West Ham shirt.

That said, the whole team has fallen way short of expectations this season, and the 27-year-old may flourish in a better side, should the Irons make the correct additions to their squad this summer.

It may be a little early to cash-in on the £150k-a-week maestro, and his sale is unlikely to raise a great deal of money regardless, with recent reports suggesting Paqueta could be sold for just £20m.

With Real Madrid’s season in danger of completely derailing, the powers that be at the club could opt to rip everything up and fire Carlo Ancelotti.

Los Blancos are about to head into their crunch second leg against Arsenal in the Champions League requiring a three-goal win, while their La Liga title challenge is no longer in their hands at this late stage, trailing Barcelona by four points.

As a result, reports in Spain have suggested that former Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp could be considered by the Madrid hierarchy to replace the Italian.

Pundit Simon Jordan has had his say on the rumours, with the businessman backing the German to control the likes of Kylian Mbappe at the Bernabeu.

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The Gunners have been warned…

ByStephan Georgiou Apr 15, 2025 What did Simon Jordan say about Klopp?

Following reports from Spanish outlet Sport that Klopp could emerge as an option for Los Blancos, Jordan backed the Premier League and Champions League winner to be a success in the Real dugout.

He told TalkSport: “I think it would be a perfect fit. He’s the perfect character to manage a club like Real Madrid in the style of football he plays, the character that he brings, how he embraces the culture of the club he moves into.

Could Klopp take over at Real Madrid?

Klopp has only recently taken over at Red Bull as their Head of Global Football. While there is thought to be a clause that would allow him to take the Germany job, there doesn’t appear to be a clear path to a huge club like Real Madrid.

Klopp had also previously stated that he was finished as a coach, having run out of energy at the end of his time at Liverpool.

Therefore, a return to the dugout so soon after beginning his new role in the new year would be a surprise, though clubs don’t come much bigger than Real Madrid, so could he be tempted?

Rather than the pace of Jofra Archer, it was Chris Woakes with the keeper up to the stumps that did for India’s captain

Matt Roller11-Jul-20251:23

Manjrekar: Can’t find fault with Gill for his dismissal

“He’s out,” read the banner headline in the London evening newspaper , such was the sense of relief in England when Don Bradman was finally dismissed for 230 at The Oval in the final Test of the 1930 Ashes. In the absence of a modern equivalent, it was Chris Woakes’ face that evoked the same sentiment when he had Shubman Gill caught behind at Lord’s.Gill arrived in England averaging 35 and with plenty to prove away from home but his name has been mentioned in the same breath as Bradman’s ever since his 430-run match at Edgbaston. With 585 runs in the first two Tests of this tour, Gill could put Bradman’s record tally for a five-match series – 974 – under genuine threat before he heads home in August.While Gill was out in both innings in Birmingham, his dismissals hardly felt repeatable: his tired pull to square leg on 269, and skying a caught-and-bowled to Shoaib Bashir on 161 were simply the results of mental and physical exhaustion. Ben Stokes would not be drawn on England’s plans for the Lord’s Test, beyond saying: “We’ve got plans for all the Indian batters.”Related

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Stokes and England would not admit as much, but the timing of Jofra Archer’s comeback seemed like a direct response to Gill’s dominance. There remains a suspicion that Gill’s main vulnerability is genuine, express pace; within four balls of his first Test spell in four-and-a-half years, Archer had bowled the fastest delivery of this series.As soon as Gill walked in at No. 4, Archer returned for a second spell. His first ball to him was right on the money, at 88mph/141kph, and he had Gill flinching and dropping his hands to avoid his short deliveries. Archer has an excellent record against Gill – two dismissals in 28 balls in Tests, three in 19 in the IPL – and was desperate to extend it.With the ball becoming gradually softer, Stokes turned to his familiar short-ball ploy and set an extraordinary six-three leg-side field for Archer: long leg, backward square leg, deep square leg, square leg, forward square leg and midwicket. Gill was untroubled, even shimmying outside leg stump to forehand-swat a short ball into the covers.But Stokes had another plan up his sleeve. As soon as Gill walked in, a helmet came out so that Jamie Smith could stand up to the stumps with Woakes bowling. When Gill whipped his first ball from Woakes into the leg side for one, Smith took it straight back off and stood back when KL Rahul took strike.

“On a wicket where you’re working with a slope, if you can put someone further back in the crease, there’s more time for the ball to deviate one way or the other. You feel like you’re bringing more modes of dismissal into the game”Joe Root on the shubman Gill dismissal

Gill batted well out of his crease at both Headingley and Edgbaston, where he made Woakes look like a medium pacer: their head-to-head for the series read 153 balls, 102 runs, zero dismissals. But Smith’s proximity forced Gill back, giving the ball a greater chance to move off-straight – his average interception point against Woakes was half-a-metre deeper than it had been at Edgbaston.Woakes drew a false shot three balls into the plan, Gill pressing forward and edging him through past second slip for four. He looked comfortable enough when pushing a half-volley down the ground with a pristine straight drive, but when Woakes went a fraction wider on the crease, he caught the outside edge and Smith gleefully gobbled up a tough chance.England’s celebrations told the story of a plan coming together even if, at 80mph, the wicket ball was significantly slower than one Stokes might have imagined when calling on Archer. Woakes beamed as he ran away with arms outstretched, aeroplane-style. “I’ve seen a lot of him bat already – as we all have – so it was nice to take that wicket,” Joe Root said later, with a relieved grin.2:19

Manjrekar: Day two a learning curve for Gill

The long-term implications of England’s attack leader bowling with the keeper up were less than ideal, but with the series level and the match in the balance, it was the here and now that mattered. “It was a good bit of bowling – clever, as well,” Root added. “Sometimes as a bowler, you’ve got to take your ego out of it, and I think it was smart.”On a wicket where you’re working with a slope, if you can put someone further back in the crease, there’s more time for the ball to deviate one way or the other. You feel like you’re bringing more modes of dismissal into the game, and it stops them batting out of the crease and cuts the angles down… It was good thinking, good skill to be able to execute it as well.”Root seemed to have finished his answer when he realised that he should mention Smith’s “unbelievable catch” too, and this was an important moment for England’s wicketkeeper. Smith may not be as natural with the gloves as his predecessor and Surrey team-mate Ben Foakes, but this dismissal would not have been possible without his ability to stand up to a seamer. Added to another counterattacking half-century, Smith’s catch completed a fine day for him.It left Gill trudging off having scored 16, only his second failure of a sparkling maiden series as captain. If he can add another 373 runs in his five remaining innings of the tour to go clear of Bradman’s benchmark, then England will be buoyed that after a week of chasing leather in Birmingham, a ploy to get him out finally worked.

Mendis, Karunaratne, Mathews, Chandimal and de Silva refused to buckle, and that’s not happened often

Andrew Fidel Fernando09-Mar-2023Sometimes you need only describe the scene at a cricket ground to know what is about to happen.The skies monochrome and heavy like a wet blanket that is about to be applied to the series at the first opportunity. The pitch so flush with vegetation, woodland creatures have taken residence. The outfield damp, as a cold drizzle descends occasionally on biting winds. And while the local bowlers – all tall and strapping – are lithe and powerful in their warm-up overs on the practice pitches, Sri Lanka batters swaddled in woollen sweaters face throwdowns, bearing the air of soon-to-be human sacrifices on an altar of seam bowling.Win the toss. Put Sri Lanka in. Watch the ball leap gleefully off bat edges into a pair of hands in the slip cordon, batter after batter clunking off like marionettes, the scoreboard showing 45 for 3, then 67 for 5, tail-end swipes pushing the total just beyond 100. Here are the familiar beats of a day one story for Sri Lanka at a ground such as Hagley Oval.Related

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Mendis 87 leads Sri Lanka's batting charge on day one

Last time they were here, they didn’t have to bat first, but were nevertheless 104 all out. The previous time, they had the likes of Kumar Sangakkara in the XI, and were blitzed for 138. Barring second-innings near-miracles, which Sri Lanka do occasionally produce, these are match-defining mires. (And then New Zealand will go out to bat and put on half a million for six, wearing polite smiles that serve only to underscore the incompetence that had preceded.)And then, this. Four years after they had last played a Test in New Zealand (megaspanked by 423 runs, at this very venue), here was a day of astoundingly non-trash batting. Of gloriously semi-decent defensive play, of gobsmackingly okayish technique. Had Sri Lanka’s batters done the work to figure out the whereabouts of their off stump they started a Test on foreign soil? The mere thought should bring a tear of pure pride to the eyes of any Sri Lanka fan.Kusal Mendis, perhaps the form man in the XI, led the way. Key to his 87 off 83 was his judgment of length on a somewhat bouncy surface. When it was on a good length, he defended close to his body, almost always with soft hands, so that on the occasions the ball seamed and took the edge, the ball bounced short of the slips. Mostly, though, he defended inside the line, using his bat largely as an obstacle to deliveries that might pin him in front of the stumps, or sneak through to the wickets.When New Zealand’s bowlers bowled fuller, pressing hard for that catchable edge, Mendis committed fully to his front-foot strokes, sometimes driving imperiously, other times sending it squirting off the face of the bat through backward point, otherwise flicking deliciously off his pads.Angelo Mathews scored 38 of his 47 runs through the leg side, but looked gorgeous when driving down the ground•Getty ImagesHe hit 50 off 40 balls, as New Zealand’s bowlers had a modest morning themselves – 44 of those runs coming in boundaries. He and Dimuth Karunaratne, who was equally compact, but less aggressive against the hittable deliveries, put on a 137-run second-wicket partnership that formed the bedrock of Sri Lanka’s day-one progress. They would get out in successive overs, but their departure was unusually followed by further batting competence.Angelo Mathews waited for the shorter deliveries, scoring 38 of his 47 runs through the leg side, having also clipped a couple of boundaries off his pads. Dinesh Chandimal preferred the off side, hitting each of his six boundaries in that direction. Dhananjaya de Silva manufactured boundaries wherever he could, as he batted in the company of Kasun Rajitha towards the end of the day.Their scoring areas were diverse, but almost all of Sri Lanka’s top-seven batters covered the stumps, declined to lunge at balls until they were set, were unperturbed by the deliveries that beat their bats, and did not follow seaming balls outside their stumps. Collectively, they refused to collapse even in the face of probing bowling (mostly from Tim Southee and Matt Henry), as they often have in seaming conditions.Given the long tail, and the lack of experience in Sri Lanka’s attack (which New Zealand are very capable of exploiting), 305 for 6 is not an outstanding first-day score. New Zealand may well go on to dominate the match. But under the circumstances, Sri Lanka were passable. And you do not often say that of a Sri Lanka side on day one in New Zealand.

Sam Curran and Jonny Bairstow have delivered impactful performances while Eoin Morgan hasn’t found his best yet

Andrew Miller26-Apr-2021Moeen AliAfter their blip in 2020, the Chennai Super Kings are back on their familiar perch: at the top of the IPL standings and threatening to canter towards the playoffs for the 11th time in 12 seasons. Few players have made a more selfless contribution to that resurgence than Moeen Ali.His second week of the tournament served up more of the same languid excellence, as he injected two more CSK innings with six-laden cameos – 26 from 20 balls against the Rajasthan Royals and 25 from 12 against the Kolkata Knight Riders. Against the Royals, he also pitched in with the small matter of 3 for 7 in three overs. The only disappointment for Moeen was that he was not able to take his rightful place for Sunday’s encounter with his old franchise, the Royal Challengers Bangalore, after picking up a niggle.Sam Curran The highlights in Sam Curran’s hair seem to be getting more blond each time he takes the field, or maybe that’s just the glow of burgeoning stardom radiating from his elfin features. Either way, this was another week of quietly formidable match-winning from a remarkable player. His only innings in three games was short but sweet – a straight-to-the-point 13 from 6 balls against the Royals, including a beautifully-timed six over the point boundary from a slower-ball bouncer.According to ESPNcricinfo’s Smart Stats, his impact on that victory was even higher than Moeen’s, thanks to his three key overs in the powerplay, which included the wicket of Sanju Samson. He took a bit of tap in a high-scoring victory over Kolkata (but still dismissed a violently well-set Andre Russell). He then did for Virat Kohli in the powerplay against the Royal Challengers. He makes things happen, as you may have noticed.Jonny Bairstow Batting during the Chennai leg of this tournament has been an arduous business, with some of the most unfettered hitters in the business coming unstuck in spin-friendly conditions. But Bairstow has been a consistent source of forward momentum for the Sunrisers Hyderabad – even if his departure has consistently led to them adopting a reverse gear. As if to prove the point, their one victory to date came in the contest where Bairstow batted all the way through, as his unbeaten 63 from 56 balls anchored a nine-wicket win over the Punjab Kings.His experience against the Delhi Capitals was familiarly traumatic – none of his team-mates came close to matching his fluency as he launched their chase with 38 from 18, not even Kane Williamson, whose 66 not out dragged his side to a Super Over. But then, for some unfathomable reason, Bairstow was overlooked for the Super Over, and the Sunrisers paid the price.Jos Buttler Not much to write home about this week for the Royals’ last remaining Englishman. He made his top score of the season to date with a fluent 49 from 35 against the Super Kings, but his dismissal precipitated a shuddering collapse of 5 for 8 in 3.3 overs.Jos Buttler hasn’t quite found his fluent best during this year’s IPL so far•BCCIWith several of the franchise’s overseas players unavailable – Andrew Tye being the latest to join the exodus – the onus on Buttler is even greater. A run-a-ball 8 against the Royal Challengers and 5 from 7 against the Knight Riders haven’t exactly met the needs of the hour, even if the Royals escaped with a win in that latter game, thanks once again to their million-dollar man, Chris Morris.Eoin Morgan The Knight Riders’ captain has reached double figures just once in five attempts so far. Against the Royals, he didn’t even reach the striker’s end of the pitch – he was run-out without facing a ball after deflecting Rahul Tripathi’s straight drive into the path of Morris in his follow-through. His wry smile said it all. Morgan’s authority really could do with being backed up by a score of note. There are other issues stacking up in the absence of his own runs, not least the roles of Shakib Al Hasan and Russell, who seems a bit removed from the action at the moment.And the non-combatants … Chris Woakes was one of the outstanding performers of the first week but hasn’t got a look-in since the action shifted to Chennai, where the Capitals have opted to play an extra spinner in Amit Mishra, with Shimron Hetmyer taking over his overseas slot. At least he’s used to the feeling, after similar treatment by England following his Player-of-the-Year exploits in the 2020 home summer.Tom Curran hasn’t been seen for the Capitals since a bruising first week, while the Royals won’t be seeing anything more of Ben Stokes (broken finger), Liam Livingstone (bubble fatigue) or Jofra Archer, who was pulled out of the tournament by the ECB last week as they manage his recovery from finger surgery and a long-term elbow problem.Jason Roy (Sunrisers Hyderabad), Dawid Malan (Punjab Kings), Chris Jordan (Punjab Kings) and Sam Billings (Delhi Capitals) are still awaiting their first outings of the tournament.

David Moyes knows his stuff. This was a well-known fact across the blue streets of Merseyside and merely underscored upon the Scots’ return to Everton in January.

He lifted Everton away from the relegation zone, up and up to the security of a mid-table Premier League finish. Positivity was restored as Goodison Park said farewell to the Toffees’ men’s team, and the summer that has since passed has welcomed exciting signings capable of lifting the club higher still.

Would a challenge for some form of European football be too ambitious? Certainly not. The Blues are playing with confidence and quality, even if the focal strikers are leaving plenty to be desired.

What Everton could do with is an academy star to emerge and contribute effectively over the coming months. Moyes has welcomed his share of top talents, and the production line has remained strong in the many years between the 63-year-old’s two tenures.

Everton's best academy talents

The staple of Everton’s modern academy success would, of course, be that man Wayne Rooney, who dazzled when breaking through under Moyes’ wing in 2002, scoring a sumptuous strike against Arsenal and playing with true quality before earning a record-breaking £27m move to Manchester United, aged 18.

He might be the Finch Farm showpiece, but Everton continued to strike gold at academy level after Rooney and then, years later, Moyes left the club, both headed toward Old Trafford.

Ross Barkley was actually forced to downplay “natural” Rooney comparisons as he emerged over a decade later, a powerful and commanding attacking midfielder whose start to life at his boyhood club was a truly remarkable thing.

But Barkley tapered off when completing a £15m move to Chelsea, and now it’s Anthony Gordon who has proved the top youth talent to have surfaced from Everton in recent years.

Gordon completed 78 first-team appearances for Everton before forcing his way out and joining Newcastle for £45m in January 2023. Worth more now, Farhad Moshiri likely felt he had received bang for his buck, given the prospect had only scored seven times.

He’s gone from strength to strength at Newcastle and now stands as a fully-fledged England international and the first-choice option for Thomas Tuchel, it would appear, as we edge ever closer to the 2026 World Cup.

But he could have been so much more on Merseyside, and would have been brilliant under Moyes’ wing. Instead, every mishap suffered when facing his former club is celebrated by the supporters.

The new conditions Moyes and the Friedkin Group have created at the Hill Dickinson Stadium suggest up-and-coming hopefuls may think twice about jumping ship.

And it’s a good thing too, for Everton might actually have an even bigger talent than Gordon on their hands.

Everton may have a bigger talent than Gordon

Gordon is a testament to tenacity and a focus on ironing out the creases in a player’s game. Now he is one of the most prominent English forwards in the country.

Likewise, if Braiden Graham maintains his impressive start to life in Liverpool, he could soon be knocking on Michael O’Neill’s door as he looks to wedge his way into the Northern Ireland set-up.

Graham, 17, might just be the cream of Everton’s academy crop, having been hailed by U21 boss Paul Tait for being a “cool finisher” with all the attributes needed to succeed at the highest level in the Premier League.

Joining Everton from Linfield, based in south Belfast, in 2024, the teenage forward has been an absolute credit thus far, featuring 31 times for the respective Toffees development teams and posting 15 goals and five assists.

With the mark of a natural goalscorer, it’s surely only a matter of time before the teenager, yet to even turn 18, starts knocking on Moyes’ door. While many tests lie ahead regarding the young striker’s technical and physical growth, the progress made already has told of his potential. Indeed, Graham has already made his senior bow, featuring 14 times for Linfield’s men’s team and scoring twice.

Yet to discover his best position, the Northern Irishman has been shuffled across the park, but he’s scored twice from six appearances in the Premier League 2 this term despite featuring in four different positions. His pace and potency in the final third lend themselves to a future as a frontman or an inswinging left winger.

The right-footed talent might even prove to be a bigger talent than Gordon, who was 18 years and ten months old when Carlo Ancelotti handed him his senior debut in the Premier League against West Ham United in January 2020.

It would not appear out of the question that Graham might be handed his senior bow at some stage in the next 12 months, especially if Everton land a favourable opponent in the FA Cup third round.

Graham’s movement is what sets him apart from those of a similar age bracket, and his multi-positionality is something Gordon has embraced within his own game at Newcastle, often deployed as a stand-in central striker by Eddie Howe.

Graham’s link-up play and intelligence marry up with a natural ease on the ball and an eye for goal, and there’s every chance that, within a new era at Everton, he might earn a promotion and decide to stay and foster his skills under Moyes’ wing, becoming not just a debutant for Everton but a mainstay down the line for a team that continues to show signs of getting better and better.

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Hale End. Arsenal’s famed academy is certainly one of the best in the country right now at producing first-team-ready players.

Bukayo Saka and Emile Smith Rowe both made their name during the early stages of the Mikel Arteta era and in the present day, plenty more are coming through.

Last season, it was all about the magnificent Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly. Nwaneri broke through first as a 15-year-old a few years ago but it’s arguably Lewis-Skelly who’s made the best transition. He’s now a regular with England.

This season it’s all been about Max Dowman. He’s the youngest debutant in Champions League history. Put it simply, he’s a generational talent.

Let’s not forget young Marli Salmon either. Not since the days of Tony Adams and Martin Keown has Arsenal’s youth system produced a defender who’s fit to play at senior level.

Between then and now, it’s safe to say there have been few to slip through the cracks of Hale End. Here are their stories…

The ones that got away for Arsenal

The Gunners have always had a habit of producing some fine young players, not just in the present day but over the last two to three decades.

Some may remember that Manchester United legend, Andy Cole, came through Arsenal’s academy. As did Ashley Cole. The less said about his exit the better.

He’s arguably the finest talent to ever come through the club’s youth system but he is now a legend on the blue side of London at Chelsea instead. That departure still stings to this day.

In more recent times, more notable examples include German superstar Serge Gnabry. He wasn’t good enough in the eyes of Tony Pulis during a loan spell with West Brom. He was for Arsenal but Arsene Wenger and Co struggled to tie him down.

He’s now won the whole lot at Bayern Munich, featuring on 304 occasions for the German giants, scoring 98 goals and supplying 67 assists.

Another winger at Bayern by the name of Michael Olise was also on the Arsenal books as a youngster. His story isn’t too well-known but he ended up taking the same route as Cole, joining Chelsea before heading to Manchester City and then eventually making his name at Reading.

Former Chelsea coach Sean Conlon recalled Olise’s story in 2022, saying: “Michael was also training with Arsenal at the time because before you move into the U9s, you’re allowed to train with multiple teams. But he probably lived closer to Chelsea and they obviously have a great academy so he ended up signing for them.”

Yet, there’s another name at Bayern who used to call Arsenal home, and his story is certainly a famous one.

Arsenal's biggest regret at Hale End

As Arsenal struggled to beat lowly Wolves on Saturday night, they needed a ruthless centre-forward, someone capable of getting on the end of the chances Saka was creating.

In days gone by they’ve been able to rely on the likes of Thierry Henry, Robin van Persie and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. Yet, since the Gabonese forward’s departure from north London, they’ve not had a prolific striker in their armoury.

It was thought that Viktor Gyokeres would be that man. He won the Gerd Muller Trophy for being the best striker in Europe last season, fending off competition from the likes of Erling Haaland and Harry Kane. He looked like a good signing on paper.

However, six goals in 19 games for the Gunners tells a different story. He’s now some way behind Haaland and indeed Kane, a forward who is famously a boyhood Gooner.

There’s that incredible picture of Kane as a boy donning Arsenal red and white but now he’s more associated with Tottenham Hotspur instead. In those parts, he’s a legend, he’s their all-time record goalscorer, he’s England’s record goalscorer too.

He’s Arsenal’s biggest what-if. As a child, he was part of Arsenal’s youth setup but it didn’t work out, largely due to his frame. It’s a remarkable tale, one that former academy manager Roy Massey recalls.

He once told talkSPORT: “Harry was a lovely young player. He was quiet, shy, didn’t have what we thought it would take to become a professional footballer and so we were totally mistaken.”

Massey continued: “Although I’ve got to say that when Harry was released when he was 11 or 12 years of age, he did go to play for his Sunday league club for the next three years so no other club’s picked him up in that age group. It was only when he was 15 he went to Tottenham and obviously he’s had great success.”

Liam Brady further detailed the events that led to Kane leaving Arsenal, saying: “He was a bit chubby, he wasn’t very athletic but we made a mistake.”

As Brady says, they did indeed make a massive mistake. Son Heung-min labelled his former teammate as “the best player in the world” back in 2018 and seven years on, that is now certainly true.

Aged 32, Kane is “the best striker in the world” in the words of Stuttgart striker Deniz Undav. That praise came after yet another hat-trick on the 6th December. The Standard’s Dom Smith, meanwhile, insists that he is “one of the five best players” that the game has to offer. Kylian Mbappe, Haaland? Who else can better him? Very few, if any. No one has scored more in Europe’s top five leagues than him this season.

In total, England’s captain has found the net on 113 occasions in 119 matches for Bayern after his mega £86 move. This season alone, he has scored 28 in 23, firmly making him one of the favourites to win the 2026 Ballon d’Or award. Should Bayern win the Champions League and/or England win the World Cup, he will likely be the favourite.

This story is without a doubt one of football’s biggest what-if moments. Just imagine if he’d been donning Arsenal red instead of Spurs white.

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