All posts by n8rngtd.top

There were a few records set in the match, and it was the toss that played a huge role in the result

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan26-Feb-2011Pakistan’s 11-run victory was the fourth in their previous 11 matches against Sri Lanka, but more importantly they maintained their 100% record against Sri Lanka in World Cup matches. Pakistan’s fourth win in eight matches at the Premadasa Stadium puts them second on the list of visiting teams with the most wins against Sri Lanka at this venue.Sri Lanka hardly had any useful partnerships in their innings while Pakistan managed quite a few, including the century stand between Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq for the fourth wicket. Pakistan made the most of the first ten overs, during which they scored 65, and the batting Powerplay – 36 runs. Sri Lanka scored 42 runs in the first ten overs, and were not aided in their big chase by an extremely slow innings by Chamara Silva, who scored his first 11 runs off 41 balls, and was eventually dismissed for 57 off 78 balls.This was Sri Lanka’s first defeat in a home World Cup game. In 1996, Australia and West Indies forfeited their games against Sri Lanka because of security issues in the country and Sri Lanka defeated Kenya and Zimbabwe. In their opening match of the 2011 tournament, Sri Lanka had defeated Canada by 210 runs.Top ODI allrounder
Shahid Afridi produced yet another superb bowling display in the middle overs to give Pakistan the upper hand. He picked up the vital wickets of Tillakaratne Dilshan, Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews during his spell of 4 for 34. In the process, he took his 300th wicket in ODIs, becoming only the 11th bowler to do so.He also became the second player after Sanath Jayasuriya to reach the milestone of 6000 runs and 300 wickets in ODIs. Afridi has been superb in ODIs since 2008, picking up 89 wickets at an average just over 31.Another record for Muralitharan
Muttiah Muralitharan, currently the record holder for most wickets in ODIs, surpassed Wasim Akram’s tally of 55 wickets in World Cups becoming the second-highest wicket taker in the tournament. His tally is only behind Glenn McGrath’s record of 71 wickets. In his first two World Cups, Muralitharan took only 13 wickets, but added 40 in the next two. His wicket tally was instrumental in Sri Lanka making the semi-final in 2003 and the final in 2007.

Woes of chasing teams in Colombo
The bad luck for chasing teams continued at the Premadasa Stadium, where they have won only five of the 25 matches played since 2005. The record is worse when the match is played under lights: only two out of 19 matches have been won by teams chasing. Among grounds that have hosted at least eight matches since 2005, the win-loss ratio for chasing teams is the worst at the Premadasa.

Pep Guardiola has revealed that Rico Lewis has already told him he will stay at Manchester City, despite strong interest from Nottingham Forest. Nuno Espirito Santo's side are reportedly ready to double the 20-year-old’s wages in a bid to lure him away, but the Citizens remain determined to keep hold of one of their most exciting academy products.

• Forest ready to double Lewis' wages
• Guardiola says Lewis told him he will stay
• City determined to keep versatile academy graduate

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Guardiola has suggested that Lewis has informed him directly of his intention to stay at City, but he admitted that things can change quickly in football. The defender has grown in importance since breaking through and remains highly valued at the Etihad amid interest from Forest.

Advertisement

• Getty
  

  WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  When asked about Lewis' future, Guardiola told reporters: "I think he’s going to stay, I think. He told me that. But, I said, maybe tomorrow, after tomorrow, it’ll change.

  “The case from Phil [Foden], or from Rico, or from Nico O’Reilly, I have a special sympathy because they were 16 or 17 years old when [they] arrived here [in the first-team] and started to win Premier Leagues.

  "And his [Lewis’] role, when he plays his role, Rico is an extraordinary player. The only problem I have is he’s so small. If he was taller, I would say, 'Oh, what a player'. It’s that. Today, today, I think he’s going to stay, but I don’t know what’s going to happen."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Lewis has been linked with a move away from City throughout the summer transfer window. Nottingham Forest are pushing hard to sign him and are prepared to offer him double his current wages in to lure him away. City, meanwhile, continue to insist they want to keep the versatile academy graduate in their squad.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LEWIS?

  The Cityzens are expected to resist Forest’s advances, though a significant offer could still test their resolve as they have shown a willingness to cash in on their academy products in the past. Guardiola will hope Lewis continues his development within the squad, providing depth and flexibility. As the transfer window progresses, the young defender’s situation will be one to watch closely.

Manchester City made a huge blunder with Tijjani Reijnders' shirt which was noticed by fans as the new signing scored twice against Palermo in pre-season.

• Reijnders struck twice for City
• His name was misspelt on the back of his shirt
• Fans noticed embarrassing mistake by club

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Reijnders scored an impressive double for his new club against Palermo on Friday but the shine was taken off the day by a spelling mistake on the back of the Dutch midfielder's shirt – as his name was spelt 'Reijinders' with an extra letter 'i' – as spotted by eagle-eyed supporters.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Reijnders joined the Cityzens in a €55 million (£47.5m/$64m) move – which could reportedly rise to €70m (£60m/$81m) – from AC Milan in June and has shown glimpses of quality in the Club World Cup and in pre-season, none more so than in the 3-0 victory over Serie B side Palermo. The Netherlands international is expected to have a key role to play for his new club this season, though ideally with the correct name on his shirt next time.

• WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID

  Pep Guardiola said of Reijnders after the match: "We knew he was a special player who would arrive in the box […] He scored two goals and had a fantastic performance, like the rest of his teammates. He can play defensive midfield, but he loves getting into the box to help our attackers like Erling [Haaland] and Omar [Marmoush]. Really delighted!"

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• AFP
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR REIJNDERS AND MAN CITY?

  Reijnders looks set to make his Premier League debut when Manchester City visit Wolves on Saturday 16. After a disappointing campaign by their elevated standards last term, Guardiola and his side will hope to bounce back with new signings such as Rayan Ait-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Reijnders looking to make the difference for the eight-time Premier League winners.

He feels players who thrive on external motivation are “really going to struggle” in the IPL this year

ESPNcricinfo staff01-Sep-202011:38

Newsroom: Optimistic, introverted players likely to perform better

Mental conditioning coach Paddy Upton feels players who thrive on external motivation and pressure are “really going to struggle” in IPL 2020, while some of the “mid-range” players will outperform the big names. Upton also said there might be more cases similar to that of Suresh Raina, who withdrew from the IPL after reaching the UAE and returned to India on Saturday.The 13th edition of the IPL will be unprecedented as most matches are expected to be played behind closed doors, and players will be living in biosecure bubbles for nearly three months after most teams reached the UAE about four weeks before the start of the tournament. Living strictly in team bubbles, mostly without families and as many as 13 personnel testing positive for Covid-19 in the Chennai Super Kings camp are new factors players will have to deal with this time.According to Upton, who has coached multiple teams across the IPL, the BBL and the PSL, “funny things” could happen in this year’s IPL, and the teams who handle them well will do significantly better than others.”The big-match temperament players do well when the pressure is on, when there are a lot of people around,” Upton said on ESPNcricinfo Newsroom. “The fact that you are gonna have games in front of empty stadiums now, you are just not going to have that level of pressure. So the players who rely on big-match temperament to deliver results… Someone like Virat Kohli, will he still be as good when you take away that external stimulation and noise and pressure? You are gonna find players who normally fall over when the pressure gets high. They will be able to just carry on batting because there is not going to be the physical presence of spectators.”Athletes who are internally driven, who find the motivation from within themselves, they are going to be fine, they are going to do well. Your typical confidence players, who look for motivation, inspiration or validation from outside, they are really going to struggle. Your optimists are going to do a hell lot better. Your pessimists are gonna struggle. So it depends how many introverts, internally driven, optimists you have got in your team. The more you have got, the luckier you actually are.”Upton also said teams needed to take extra care of the players who relied on the external motivation so that they are in a better state of mind during matches.”[Teams need] to understand who are the extroverts, the confidence players, the externally motivated players, those who are risk-averse, the fear-based, the pessimists. Those are the players we really need to nurture to bring them up to a place where they can be comfortable in their own lives, comfortable by themselves in their hotel rooms without that external validation and stimulation and how can we get those players arriving on the ground and able to focus on the game and deliver in front of empty stadiums.”Sydney Thunder coach Paddy Upton hits a ball•Cricket Australia/Getty Images

‘There are a number of other players who are very much in the same boat as Raina’Upton also warned that we might witness more cases similar to that of Raina in coming days, and he hoped teams were preparing for those situations. The batsman decided to give the tournament a miss due to “personal reasons”, and it later emerged that apprehensions about living in a biosecure environment for the duration of the IPL, players and officials in his camp testing positive for Covid-19, and a personal tragedy were understood to be reasons behind his decision.”There are a number of other players who are very much in the same boat as Suresh Raina and I just hope that the teams are aware of that and are catering for that,” Upton said. “There are coaches who are gonna be struggling, there are support staff who are gonna be struggling in that three-month bio-bubble.”Arriving there already depleted, having navigated, being locked indoors, we are gonna find players who haven’t been exercising, we will see some strangely overweight players, we will see players out of nick. I know some players have been lucky to be able to get into the nets, so they are gonna go ahead.”We need to be predicting these strange things and not have a knee-jerk reaction. When all of a sudden Suresh Raina goes home, we have this knee-jerk reaction and strange comments in the media. Funny things are gonna happen. Smart teams will predict them, put things in place and have that cushion of support system to be able to support players. The teams that do that best are gonna go so far ahead of the other teams that really don’t do that well and they [who don’t do that] are just gonna fall over, unfortunately, in this IPL.”Upton said a factor like money might not have been a “strong consideration” in Raina’s exit and added that his decision needs to be respected.”There are very few players who when cross the rope are motivated by money,” Upton said. “Yes, it’s part of the motivation but I don’t think that’s a strong consideration for Suresh. Whatever he is going home for is more significant than the large amount of money he is not going to be making. So it’s probably not ideal to be drawing that analogy and saying. ‘look, how much money he is missing’. He knows that he has made a decision and we need to really respect that.”

Manchester United are eyeing up a shock move for a Premier League star this summer as his current side look to battle financial fair play concerns, it has emerged.

Ten Hag's defensive crisis continues

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag saw his defensive woes continue against Chelsea as he lost another two to injury. Already without Victor Lindelof and Lisandro Martinez for the next month through injuries picked up in the 1-1 draw to Brentford, the Red Devils have also lost Tyrell Malacia and Luke Shaw to long term injuries, meaning that Diogo Dalot has often been deployed at left-back this season, to mixed results.

Man Utd ready to make £100m+ offer to sign "high quality" Real Madrid star

The Red Devils are in desperate need of reinforcements before the new season.

By
Ben Browning

Apr 5, 2024

At half time against Chelsea, they lost Raphael Varane through an injury that he had been battling for much of the first half at Stamford Bridge, where he was replaced by Jonny Evans, himself only just back from injury. The veteran defender lasted little more than 20 minutes though. Another injury saw him replaced by youngster Willy Kambwala, and sees Manchester United's defence stretched beyond bare bones, with no recognised left back and just Harry Maguire as a senior option at centre back ahead of a clash with Liverpool.

That results have suffered is not entirely surprising, though the performances have been far more concerning for Ten Hag and the new owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe, with his side conceding the most shots in the Premier League in 2024. Clearly then, improvements are needed at the back, and the Red Devils could be about to land one if Ratcliffe gets his way.

Villa defender on United's wishlist

Now, a report from Football Transfers claims that United could once more make a move for Ezri Konsa this summer amid impending financial fair play concerns for Aston Villa. The defender, who can play as a right back or centre-back, has been a shining light for Unai Emery's side this season and made his England debut over the March international break.

The report claims that United are looking to target "younger, homegrown talents", and have Konsa on their wishlist after interest in him last summer. The Englishman penned a new contract at Villa Park at the time, with the club more than doubling his £30,000 per week wages to keep him in the Midlands amid interest from Old Trafford.

If given the choice, Villa would obviously prefer to keep their star, whose game has improved significantly this season. Sky Sports journalist Dan Bardell labelled him a "complete" defender that can do "everything" after his impressive start to the season.

“He’s actually unlocked new things in his game that we hadn’t really seen before as well, in terms of his ball progression in bringing the ball out from the defence", he explained.

“He didn’t play it safe before, but these weren’t really things that you saw from him and he’s kind of developed alongside Emery now as this complete centre-back. If you’re looking to tick things off that a modern-day centre-back can do, Konsa can do everything".

However, Villa posted losses of almost £120m last year, and there is concern that sales may be necessary to continue their upward progression. Should that prove the case, United may well look to take advantage.

Jack Wilshere has reportedly turned down an opportunity to return to Arsenal in favour of chasing his ambition of pursuing senior football management. The former England international had been one of the names in contention for the club’s vacant Under-21 head coach position, but after careful thought, he has opted to remove himself from the running.

• Wilshere rejects Under-21 role
• Eyes move into senior management
• Leaves the door open for future return

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to Arsenal’s hierarchy had approached Wilshere earlier this month to gauge his interest in taking over the Under-21 side, a role left open following Mehmet Ali’s departure to join Brentford’s coaching setup. The position was designed not only to put Wilshere in charge of the club’s top academy squad but also to give him a wider influence on player development strategies across the youth system.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  While a return to the Emirates dugout could have been a sentimental and strategic step for the 32-year-old, Wilshere is said to have informed Arsenal that his current focus lies on breaking into senior first-team management. The discussions were understood to be cordial, with no tension between either party. The decision was reportedly met with mutual respect and understanding, with Arsenal leaving the door open for a possible reunion in the future.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Gunners’ plan was reportedly to hand Wilshere control of the Under-21s, a crucial bridge between academy football and the first team. The job would have seen him working closely with Mikel Arteta and Arsenal’s backroom staff to prepare young talent for Premier League readiness. However, it seems that the former midfielder has set his heart on something grander. 

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR WILSHERE?

  Wilshere’s coaching career took its latest turn last season when he left Arsenal’s U18s to join Norwich City as first-team coach under Johannes Thorup. When Thorup departed in April, Wilshere was promoted to interim head coach, giving him a taste of life in the senior dugout. Although he left Carrow Road in the summer following the arrival of new boss Liam Manning, that brief spell as a head coach seems to have intensified his appetite for full-time management at the senior level.

The fast bowler knows the success of the current attack will make it tough to earn a chance

Andrew McGlashan31-Aug-2020Josh Hazlewood is not expecting a starting place in Australia’s T20I side against England but retains the ambition to be a three-format player at international level.Hazlewood only has seven T20I caps to his name, the last of those when Australia were knocked out of the 2016 T20 World Cup by India, but with two back-to-back World Cups coming up, there is plenty of incentive.He showed his effectiveness when he returned to the Sydney Sixers colours in the latter stages of last season’s Big Bash League, claiming five wickets in five matches with an economy rate of 6.22 as the Sixers secured the title, in what was his first T20 cricket since that World Cup almost four years before. There is also an IPL with the Chennai Super Kings on the horizon.”That’s always the goal, to play every game of cricket you can for Australia,” he said. “It’s probably just through opportunity that I haven’t, guess scheduling as well plays a part. But the T20 team has been going really well and as you expect it’s stayed pretty much the same XI, they’ve been winning most of their games and it’s a tough side to get into.”I’ll keep pushing and take the opportunities as I did for the Sixers and hopefully for Chennai and hopefully keep knocking on the door.”Australia have won nine of their last 11 T20Is and in the annual update of the ICC rankings earlier this year went to No. 1 for the first time. Mitchell Starc, Pat Cummins and Kane Richardson have been the frontline pace attack for much of that success playing seven of those 11 matches together and between them have 35 wickets.Josh Hazlewood runs in during Australia’s warm-up match•Getty Images

Daniel Sams, the Sydney Thunder left-armer, and Hobart Hurricanes fast bowler Riley Meredith have also been included in the 21-man squad on the strength of their Big Bash returns.”I’m pretty aware of where I sit,” Hazlewood said. “The team keep winning and the guys are going well, especially the bowling unit.”Hazlewood is much more likely to feature in the ODIs having returned to that side during the one-day series in India in January after injury forced him to miss the 2019 World Cup. He felt he bowled “pretty well” in the intersquad 50-over match on Sunday as he continued to shake off the rust from five months of downtime.While Australia’s T20I side has enjoyed a strong run of results, Hazlewood knows they will have to overcome England’s enviable depth in white-ball cricket across both formats on the tour.”England are flying, [they have a] couple of new faces we’ve got to look at,” he said. “Tom Banton, I know I’ve seen [Dawid] Malan but he’s in the runs again. Eoin Morgan just runs a really steady ship and everyone knows their roles. They come in and their confidence is always high.”They have all bases covered in white-ball cricket, probably seen a bit more depth from them this year with having to have different players in the squads. They know their roles and the white-ball team is as good as ever.”The T20I series begins on September 4 with all three matches in Southampton followed by the three ODIs in Manchester.

Newcastle United have failed to build on the progress they showed last season as they currently remain way off the top four in the Premier League table.

It's safe to say that injuries have played their part throughout the 2023/24 campaign, with Eddie Howe rueing the fact his squad has been disrupted, which has prevented them from taking the next step – with Jamaal Lascelles the latest to be struck down.

Unless results drastically change, the Magpies may find themselves missing out on European football altogether next season, which could potentially have ramifications with regard to the transfer market.

Will players want to join the club if they are not in continental competition? As Howe looks to strengthen his first team squad over the summer.

Newcastle United transfer news

Since being taken over by the Saudi Public Investment Fund in October 2021, the club have managed to attract players such as Alexander Isak and Anthony Gordan, with plenty more in the pipeline if Howe has his way.

According to Fabrizio Romano (via Transfer News 24/7), the Magpies are showing interest in OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo ahead of the summer window opening in a few months.

Manchester United, Chelsea and Liverpool are also keen on luring the player from France this summer, with the North East appearing to be way down in the pecking order considering their league status at present.

Nice have set an asking price of around £40m if any club wishes to sign him, and this is certainly within Newcastle’s budget.

The club have enjoyed plenty of success by signing players from France previously, especially with one current first-team player emerging as one of the finest midfielders in the Premier League – Bruno Guimaraes.

Bruno Guimaraes' statistics at Newcastle United

The Brazilian joined the Magpies in January 2020 – just months after their takeover – from Lyon for a transfer fee in the region of £40m.

This move signalled a big statement of intent by the club that they were ready to challenge the elite and begin to move towards the top six.

Five goals and one assist during his first six months at Newcastle proved that he was going to be an excellent signing, before taking his game to the next level last term.

The club finished fourth in the top flight, with Guimaraes scoring four times and grabbing five assists. Not only that, but the 26-year-old also ranked first for accurate passes per game (43.1) among his teammates in the Premier League, along with ranking second for key passes per game (1.3), fourth for successful dribbles per game (1.4) and first for tackles per game (2.4), clearly showcasing his talents across a wide range of metrics.

He has continued this form in the current team, adding eight goal contributions in the league from the heart of the midfield, and much of Newcastle's success depends on whether the former Lyon gem remains at his peak.

It is clear Howe struck gold by signing Guimaraes two years ago. Could he repeat this coup by securing Todibo’s signature during the summer transfer window?

Jean-Clair Todibo’s statistics this season for Nice

The 24-year-old has missed only four Ligue 1 matches for his club this term, showing a solid level of consistency which suggests he could become a mainstay in the Newcastle starting XI should he make the move.

Todibo’s performances have been impressive this term, showcasing his passing and defensive abilities on a regular basis. Across his 22 league matches, the defender has completed an impressive 90% of his passes per game while averaging 98.4 touches, showing that he is willing to get involved at all times.

Todibo has also won 58% of his total duels per game while making two tackles, 1.3 interceptions and 3.5 clearances per game, showing plenty of evidence that his defensive skills are something Howe desperately needs.

The Frenchman was hailed as a “Rolls Royce” of a defender by talent scout Antonio Mango and with the player standing at 6 foot 3, his physical presence could be another main bonus for Howe.

When compared to his positional peers, Todibo currently ranks in the top 8% for progressive passes per 90 (5.52), the top 4% for successful take-ons per 90 (0.69) and the top 17% for progressive carries per 90 (1.04), demonstrating his forward-thinking capabilities and ability to bring the ball out from the back with ease.

Newcastle have conceded 48 top flight goals this term – the ninth-worst total in the division – which is a clear indicator that Howe must improve his defensive options ahead of next season.

Sven Botman could be an ideal partner for Todibo next season, although he is out injured having suffered another ACL injury which will require surgery.

How Todibo could fit in at Newcastle

Like the Frenchman, Botman also has a wonderful passing ability, evidenced by the fact he currently has a 91% pass success rate in the Premier League this season, along with winning 62% of his total duels per game, losing possession just 6.2 times per game and making 1.2 tackles each match.

These statistics prove that he could form a formidable duo with Todibo at the heart of the Newcastle defence, with the pair extremely suited to each other considering their attributes.

Howe will miss the 24-year-old during the final few weeks of this season and the opening months of 2024/25, thus heightening the need for another centre-back during the summer transfer window.

If the former Bournemouth manager can fight off the likes of Liverpool and Man United for Todibo’s signature, he will be significantly improving his starting XI.

Once Botman returns to the field, the pair could be the defensive duo that Howe has wanted, and they could return Newcastle to the top four once again, securing qualification for the Champions League.

As previously mentioned, this could depend on how the club ends the season. With ties against Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Everton to come over the coming weeks, they will need to be at their very best to finish in as high a position as possible.

Newcastle eyeing £42m dream Isak partner who's "difficult to defend"

He’s also subject to interest from another Premier League side.

By
Ethan Lamb

Mar 28, 2024

The new Liga MX season is averaging 501,000 viewers to date across TelevisaUnivision networks

• Apertura 2025 resumes this weekend
• Spanish networks drew 60 percent of viewership
• Women’s EURO final up 22 percent on Univision/TUDN

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The new Liga MX season is off to a strong start on U.S. airwaves, averaging 501,000 viewers per match across TelevisaUnivision networks, keeping it firmly positioned as the most-watched soccer league in the country, according to Sports Business Journal.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  These numbers continue a momentum-filled summer for Spanish-language broadcasters, who captured over 60 percent of all soccer viewership in the U.S. – regardless of language – throughout the summer months. That dominance extended across competitions, formats, and time slots.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  DID YOU KNOW?

  One of the standout moments came during the UEFA Women’s EURO final between England and Spain, which drew 396,000 viewers on Univision and TUDN. That figure marked a 22 percent increase compared to the 2022 final between Germany and England, highlighting continued growth and interest in the women’s game among Spanish-speaking audiences.

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  WHAT NEXT FOR LIGA MX TEAMS?

  As the Leagues Cup winds down for many, attention turns back to the Apertura 2025, which resumes this weekend.

  América will host Querétaro on Saturday and Chivas travel to face Santos Laguna on Sunday. On Monday, Monterrey visit León in a star-studded clash between Sergio Ramos and James Rodríguez, while Cruz Azul will be on the road against Atlético San Luis.

Tottenham Hotspur supporters will generally be satisfied with their team's progress this season, fifth-placed in the Premier League with ten matches left to play.

The ongoing international break allows clubs to pause and recalibrate, and this will likely have been welcomed by Ange Postecoglou given the chastening 3-0 defeat away to Fulham last time out.

Postecoglou said that qualifying for next season's Champions League group phase is not the be-all and end-all for his squad, instead prioritising growth and collective development.

This is an admirable and prudent approach, but a spot in Europe's elite club competition would certainly be a lift and a mark of progress for supporters and players, also improving the chances of landing the best talent in the summer transfer window.

Spurs' summer transfer targets

According to prominent German outlet BILD – via Sport Witness – Tottenham are set to wage transfer battle with London rivals Chelsea for the transfer of Bayer Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah, having already made an approach prior to the winter window.

Both Premier League clubs 'knocked' for the 28-year-old back in December but there was nothing doing, however, Tah is understood to be intrigued by the possibility of a move to England, should a suitor offer Champions League football.

Spurs are well in contention to achieve just that, and given that Chelsea are currently 11th in the league table heading into the business end, 14 points behind Tottenham, Daniel Levy will be confident of winning any race for Tah's signature.

Tah is out of contract in 2025 and, as such, Leverkusen will welcome cheap bids for the player's signature, with Kicker revealing earlier in the campaign that a bid approaching €18m (£15m) might do the trick.

Jonathan Tah's season in numbers

Tah has been an integral member of a Bayer Leverkusen side working absolute wonders under the tutelage of Xabi Alonso this season, undefeated in all competitions, top of the German Bundesliga, into the semi-finals of the DFB Pokal and awaiting West Ham United in the Europa League last-eight.

As per Sofascore, the £46k-per-week titan has started 23 Bundesliga matches this season, keeping nine clean sheets, scoring four goals, completing 97% of his passes, averaging 5.5 ball recoveries and 3.3 clearances per game and succeeding with 70% of his aerial battles.

Considered to be a monstrous physical presence and a confident player with the ball at his feet, the 6 foot 4 star has been described as a "physically strong and very quick" centre-half by former Germany Men's manager Joachim Löw, with this supreme athleticism speaking of shades of Micky van de Ven, who also made the move from Germany to the Premier League last season.

Tah typically plays in a back-three for Die Werkself but is a proven player in a more traditional defence, highlighting the versatility that could be tailor-made for a place in Postecoglou's interchangeable, multi-functioning Lilywhites system.

He'd be perfect for Tottenham, augmenting a defensive group consisting of star defensive axis Van de Ven and Cristian Romero but also nurturing £27m January acquisition Radu Dragusin, aged 21.

With a return to continental competition on the cards next term and a desire to wade deep into the domestic cup competitions, depth is paramount and Tah would be the perfect fit.

Why Jonathan Tah would be perfect for Spurs

Tah has the highest passing accuracy from open play of any athlete in the German top-flight this term at 97%, placing him above even Van de Ven in the Premier League, with the Dutchman completing 95% of his balls for Postecoglou's side.

As per FBref, Tah ranks among the top 10% of centre-backs across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals scored, the top 13% for passes attempted per 90 and the top 1% for pass completion, with his elite technical control and natural knack for goalscoring tools that would be well-wielded within Postecoglou's tactical set-up.

Moreover, Liverpool skipper Virgil van Dijk is considered Tah's most comparable Premier League player, as per Football Transfers, with such a skill set hardly unlikely to succeed down the N17.

Van Dijk has been near indomitable at times this season for Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool, thriving at the heart of a resurgent, title-chasing side and restoring a backline that welcomed no transfer additions last summer despite a dismal 2022/23 campaign, also contending with injuries to Andy Robertson, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joel Matip and shot-stopper Alisson Becker this season.

As per Sofascore, the 32-year-old colossus has been breathtaking in the league, completing 91% of his passes, scoring two goals and supplying two assists, averaging 5.1 ball recoveries and 4.3 clearances per game and coming out on top in a staggering 84% of his aerial battles.

He also ranks among the top 8% of positional peers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 4% for shot-creating actions, the top 4% for passes attempted, the top 10% for pass completion, the top 17% for progressive passes and the top 2% for aerial wins per 90.

Quite simply, Van Dijk is one of the best in the business, and while Klopp and Postecoglou implement different styles of play, both are reliant on innate understanding, progression and fluency.

This is evidenced by the turnaround in fortunes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this season since Van de Ven arrived and settled the equilibrium next to Romero.

Spurs struck gold selling "piano" who'd be worth more than Maddison in 2024

This star cut his teeth with Spurs way back when and would have been sold for a pretty penny today.

By
Angus Sinclair

Mar 23, 2024

However, both stars have been sidelined at different intervals this term and this has laid the Lilywhites' fragility bare. This cannot be allowed to resurface and pull the squad back in regression after such promise throughout Postecoglou's maiden campaign.

Once described as a "defensive battleship" by former teammate Christoph Kramer, Tah must be signed, joining the fold and offering his skill set in what would add another layer to the building Spurs machine.