Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola believes Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool and Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are "almost unstoppable" amid tight title battle.
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Guardiola says title rivals "almost unstoppable"
Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City in three-way battle
Jurgen Klopp's side lead with two points covering top three
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WHAT HAPPENED?
As the title battle between Liverpool, Manchester City and Arsenal has started to slowly boil towards the end of the season, Guardiola has admitted that his side will have to strive hard to retain the title as both the Gunners and the Reds do not seem to be in the mood to drop points.
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WHAT GUARDIOLA SAID
Speaking to the media, Guardiola said: "How they [our opponents] are playing, even Aston Villa but especially, Arsenal and Liverpool. They are scoring three, four, five goals a day. So that means they are almost unstoppable."
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
So far in February, Arsenal have defeated West Ham by six goals, scored five against Burnley, and put three past both Newcastle and Liverpool. Meanwhile, Liverpool bagged three against Burnley, and put four past Brentford and Luton Town. Currently, Klopp's men lead the pack on 60 points with City one behind on 59 and Arsenal on 58 with 12 matchdays remaining.
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WHAT NEXT FOR THE TITLE RACE?
Liverpool will have the chance to extend their lead as they are the first of the title contenders to play on the next matchday. The Reds take on Nottingham Forest on Saturday, March 2, while Manchester City take on city rivals Manchester United on Sunday. Arsenal end the matchday with a Monday evening kickoff against Sheffield United.
A fresh report from Spain has shed light on Tottenham Hotspur and their chances of re-signing defender Clement Lenglet for the new campaign.
Who will Spurs sign?
Ange Postecoglou, during his most recent press conference ahead of Spurs' crunch Premier League clash with Man United this afternoon, continued to insist that the club may to trimp the squad down before bringing in new players – but did hint that new signings are a real possibility.
"The reality of it is we can't just keep acquiring players," said Postecoglou.
"We've got too big a squad as it is. It affects the training, the players themselves because they all want to play and be involved.
"It's not so much one has to happen for the other but our focus at the moment is trimming the squad down and seeing where that takes us in terms of reinforcements. We're assessing that on a daily basis. There's still two weeks to go in the window and I'm sure you'll see some movement."
Postecoglou has also previously expressed his desire to bring in another defender after they signed Micky van de Ven from Wolfsburg, especially to play aggressively and on the front foot.
Tottenham have been linked with a few names to shore up that area of the squad, most recently the likes of Torino defender Perr Schurrs and Lenglet – who spent the 2022/2023 season on loan at Spurs.
There have been reports that Spurs were in advanced talks for the Frenchman, with a new claim from Spain sharing the latest on their pursuit of Lenglet.
Indeed, newspaper La Vanguardia, as also translated by Sport Witness, claim that the 28-year-old is actually waiting to join the north London club and has prioritised a move there above all else.
Lenglet has offers from Saudi Arabia, but isn't keen on a move to the Middle East, having seemingly set his sights on a permanent move back to England with Spurs.
However, there's a problem, as it is believed the operation to sign Lenglet from Barca has now "cooled down a lot" – dealing a blow to Lenglet who hopes to leave Barca but continue in Europe.
The report hasn't explained whether the move is totally off, but it appears the Catalans and Tottenham still have plenty of work to do before an agreement is reached.
How good is Clement Lenglet?
The former Sevilla star made 26 league appearances for the Lilywhites last term, averaging a cool 87.5% passing accuracy out from the back, and could prove useful for Postecoglou in that respect (WhoScored).
Goalkeeper Hugo Lloris also heaped praise on the 28-year-old, calling him "very strong" and a "high level" player.
Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…
"He's a modern defender," said Lloris.
"Comfortable to be able to play from the back. He has a great left foot and can be very strong in one v one and he's strong in the air.
"Even if it's never easy when you arrive in the Premier League and he will have to adapt to the intensity of the games but he is a high level player, with experience."
West Ham United’s “dream target” for the summer transfer window is Bayern Munich star Leon Goretzka, according to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg.
Who is Leon Goretzka?
Goretzka is primarily a central midfielder who has played his football at the Allianz Arena since 2018 having moved there on a free transfer from FC Schalke, and during his five years at the club, he’s become a regular first team feature, clocking up 179 appearances to date, which has alerted clubs in the Premier League.
The Germany international still has another three years to run on his contract with Thomas Tuchel’s side, but there’s a strong possibility that he’ll be on the move before the end of the ongoing window after being put up for sale by his manager. Plettenberg previously said:
“Leon Goretzka is definitely a candidate whose situation is being watched very closely by the English, because they didn’t miss the fact that Goretzka was allowed to leave Bayern. Bayern is currently considering a fee of €40m [£34m] to €50m [£43m]. Tuchel would definitely let him go because Tuchel wants to create space in the squad.”
Read The Latest West Ham Transfer News HERE…
Sky Sports in his homeland soon after reported that the Irons were preparing an offer for the 28-year-old, and whilst a significant development of that sort is yet to come to fruition, David Moyes doesn’t seem to have forgotten about the talisman in the Bundesliga.
Are West Ham signing Leon Goretzka?
Taking to Twitter, Plettenberg revealed that West Ham have held a strong, long-standing interest in Goretzka, but admitted that at this stage, any move being completed could be more of a pipe dream. He wrote:
“Man Utd never lost their focus on Leon #Goretzka! Understand the 28 y/o is still on the list of the club. #MUFC. Goretzka wanted to stay 100% – but the last ten days have clearly shown that he won’t be a starter under Tuchel for now. Tuchel is planning with Kimmich/Laimer and wants a new holding six on top. Difficult situation. ManUtd & Goretzka, situation to watch! Still a dream target for West Ham.”
Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka.
West Ham have been heavily linked with a move for Southampton captain James Ward-Prowse this summer, but having seen a £20m, followed by an increased £30m offer rejected, they may need to start looking for central midfield alternatives. Having been dubbed “top-class” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Goretzka could be the perfect candidate.
The Bochum native is naturally stronger in the offensive aspect of his game following his 12 goal contributions (six goals and the same number of assists) across all competitions last season, but he’s also capable of putting in a shift defensively having averaged 1.7 aerial wins and 1.6 tackles per league game, via WhoScored.
Goretzka, who pockets £296k-per-week, furthermore knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having secured 14 pieces of silverware for club and country throughout his career, so should he put pen to paper, he would be able to instil a much-needed winning mentality into the squad at the London Stadium.
Chelsea are "ahead" in the race to sign Ajax forward Mohammed Kudus this summer as they enter pole position for his signing, according to reports.
Who will Chelsea sign?
Mauricio Pochettino is in full preparation for his first full campaign as Chelsea boss, which will mark the beginning of an interesting era after they swayed Tottenham's former fan favourite into joining.
The west Londoners will be eager to past last campaign behind them, as the club went through a trio of managers in Thomas Tuchel, Graham Potter and Frank Lampard without even mustering a top half finish.
Chelsea also lacked serious firepower in the final third, with relegated duo Leicester City and Leeds United among the many sides to have scored more goals than them by the end of 2022/2023.
It is imperative for Todd Boehly and co to strengthen Chelsea's ranks ahead of Pochettino's debut season, and they've done that in parts, having sealed deals for attacking pair Christopher Nkunku and Nicolas Jackson.
Chelsea have also trimmed the squad of unwanted players, with N'Golo Kante, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy, Christian Pulisic, Ethan Ampadu and Cesar Azpilicueta moving elsewhere.
Earlier this month, Pochettino appeared to promise more signings this summer window – complimenting his "unbelievable" squad as they search for more stars to strengthen it further.
"If we are all together, we are going to be very strong," said Pochettino.
"We have an unbelievable squad and for sure are going to bring players with commitment who want to be part of it also. With the fans and everyone, we can find again the way to be successful.”
Of the players who could come in, Chelsea are still locked in talks to sign Moises Caicedo from Brighton, but after having their latest marquee bid rejected, they're finding a deal increasingly difficult.
Kudus, who starred for Ajax in the Eredivisie last season, is a player attracting their serious interest as well.
According to The Independent and journalist Miguel Delaney, Chelsea are "leading the race" to sign him as they enter pole position ahead of Arsenal for the Ghana international.
This is because the Blues have managed to put together a more convincing financial package than Mikel Arteta's side, and there is a feeling Chelsea can price them out of a deal for Kudus.
Arsenal need to sell before they can formally move, while Chelsea have already trimmed a bloated squad, meaning Pochettino can realistically add both Kudus and Caicedo to Pochettino's squad.
How good is Mohammed Kudus?
The 22-year-old racked up 11 goals and three assists in 30 Dutch top flight outings last campaign, all the while completing more successful take-ons than any current Ajax player (WhoScored).
Kudus also dazzled for Ghana at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, with former Black Stars midfielder Derek Boateng telling Sky Sports just how much the forward is revered in his homeland.
"Kudus is massive here," said Boateng.
"Every time he is playing, it does not matter whether it is the Champions League or a friendly match, you will see all the kids get up and watch Kudus. Just Kudus.
“They just want him to score. When he scores, everyone is all over the place.”
Crystal Palace are now considering a shock move for Aymeric Laporte, with the defender unsettled at Manchester City after falling down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium, according to a report from The Daily Star.
What's the latest Crystal Palace transfer news?
Palace may need to bring in a couple of new centre-backs this summer, amid the uncertainty surrounding the futures of Joachim Andersen and Marc Guehi, and journalist Dean Jones thinks they would do well to keep hold of the duo, recently saying:
"At this moment in time, keeping those two together would probably be Palace's biggest statement in terms of signings over this summer because they've done a brilliant job. I mean, Guehi, they're trying to price out the market and Andersen, they're just hoping he decides to stay with them."
It appears as though the plan is to keep hold of the two centre-backs, but if they are forces into sales, they could make a move for Torino defender Perr Schuurs, with it recently being reported they are in advanced talks over a deal for the 23-year-old.
The Daily Star now report that Laporte is also being eyed by Roy Hodgson, in what would be a shock summer transfer, with Pep Guardiola's side ready to accept a loss and sell the centre-back for a fee of around £35m.
The defender cost Man City £58m back in January 2018, however he has recently become unsettled at the Etihad Stadium, given that he has fallen down the pecking order considerably in recent times, potentially opening the door for a move to Selhurst Park.
Hodgson wants to strengthen the centre-back area ahead of the new season, and the manager is focussing on bringing in players who are assured in possession, and also possess top-flight experience.
At the moment, the Eagles are reluctant to match City's asking price, and they would prefer to launch a bid later in the transfer window.
How good is Aymeric Laporte?
The Man City ace certainly ticks plenty of boxes for Palace, given that he has made 120 appearances in the Premier League, and he is very assured in possession of the ball.
Although his game time was heavy limited last season, making just 24 appearances across all competitions, the Spaniard impressed with his passing ability whenever he got the chance.
Over the past year, the France-born centre-back has averaged a pass-completion rate of 92.7% per 90, which places him in the 97th percentile compared to his positional peers, while he also ranks in the 99th percentile for number of passes attempted.
The 29-year-old has been lauded as "fantastic" by journalist Simon Bajkowski, who has also praised him for his ability to set up opportunities for his teammates, previously saying: "Aymeric Laporte showing again why he is the best defender City have got for creating chances from the back."
It is certainly ambitious for Palace to be considering a move for Laporte, however he has proven he could be an excellent replacement for Guehi and Andersen.
Four wickets in nine balls for Sam Curran leaves Surrey needing victory in their final game and condemns Gloucestershire to a bottom-place finish
Vithushan Ehantharajah17-Aug-2017Sam Curran has given Surrey a potential route to the quarters•Getty Images
Fittingly, in a T20 Blast campaign that has seen Surrey stutter with every strut, a messy win has left them in control of their own destiny going into their final group match. Victory by two wickets over Gloucestershire, achieved with all the conviction of two dogs in a long coat applying for a mortgage, owed much to a bit of pluck as well as Gloucestershire’s own incompetence.Boy wonder Sam Curran gave Surrey the potential for a clear passage through to the last eight with one of the spells of the season, taking four wickets for no runs in the space of nine balls, which included three in his second over.Dangerman Michael Klinger was caught at mid off, before yorkers to Phil Mustard and Cameron Bancroft in successive balls, then Iain Cockbain chipping to mid on ripped the heart and soul out of Gloucestershire’s middle order.Late graft saw Gloucestershire post 130 for 9 and Surrey knew that a quick polishing off of the target would improve their net run rate, with a number of sides expect to finish on equal points when the South Group culiminates tomorrow. Aaron Finch hit the first ball of the innings for six and so the assault began.But Gloucestershire dug deep to reduce Surrey to 69 for 4 after 12 overs. Australian Moises Henriques, appreciating that a quick fix was out of the question, ran all bar 16 of his 45 runs before he was run out smartly by Cockbain, attempting to regain the strike. Rikki Clarke’s cool head found 13 from the 17th over against David Payne, which included a flicked six over midwicket, leaving 20 needed from the final 18 balls.Naturally, Surrey had a few more duff ups left. Clarke ran himself out on the second ball of the 18th over and then Sam Curran was bowled four balls later, attempting to ramp over the keeper. With the equation now 15 off 12, David Payne conceded seven from the first three balls, removed Stuart Meaker and then overstepped with the very next delivery. The free hit brought just two, the extra ball one and so three were needed off the final over. A couple of leg byes and a clip of Gareth Batty’s toes saw the hosts home, finally, with four balls to spare.South London nights have been good to Surrey and they owe it to the atmosphere they have cultivated at the Oval to be a serious player in T20 cricket.They have seen an increase of between five and 10% on last year’s ticket sales for the T20 Blast. Three games at the Oval have been sell-outs, while their match against Glamorgan last week was as good as. Across both their Sunday fixtures – the trickiest day to sell, with a very different clientelle more in tune with Fraggle Rock than the Fratellis – they welcomed more than 30,000 through their gates.They used this final home match of the group stage to try out a new Family Area up on the OCS balcony. Families are usually situated in the Peter May Stand, but feedback to the club has highlighted that rowdiness often spills over causing those with families a degree of discomfort. Surrey have been accused in the past for allowing raucousness in the stands to go too far, so this is very much a step in the right direction.But as much as T20 cricket is about drawing in crowds, and few do it better than Surrey, the club need something tangible on the field beyond the catwalk of big names that drop in and out as per their schedule. Victory over Kent on Friday will secure passage to the quarter-finals.Defeat in this manner sums up a Gloucestershire season that will see them claim bottom-place with a day still to go in the South Group. For a side so well-equipped at white ball cricket on paper, and with results in previous seasons to prove it, it marks the end of a sorry season in all three formats.Throughout this period, Michael Klinger has been their stand-out leader when it comes to runs, but his 281 this season represents his lowest return in English domestic T20 cricket, with 0, 9, 0 and today’s 11 making up his last four knocks. Unfortunately for the county, no one was able to pick up his slack: he finishes as Gloucestershire’s leading run scorer and the only player to make a score over 60 (101 in defeat to Hampshire).Benny Howell excelled once more. Possibly one of the most underrated bowler all-rounders in the country, his T20 season ended with a 2 for 18 from four overs that helped invoke panic in Surrey’s ranks. His 16 wickets this year have been achieved with an economy rate of less than six. None of the top 19 wicket-takers in the country match his frugality.
Liverpool are expected to make an offer for highly-rated Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, according to an update from talkSPORT.
Who is signing Romeo Lavia?
The future of the 19-year-old has been a big talking point of late, with an exit from Saints widely expected after their relegation from the Premier League to the Championship.
Lavia has been constantly linked with a move to Liverpool, as the Reds look to do major surgery to their midfield, having already acquired the services of Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai, now seeking their next addition.
The Merseysiders are far from alone from expressing an interest in signing the young Belgium international however, with fellow Premier League powerhouses such as Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea all thought to be eyeing him up.
It looks as though Liverpool could be in pole position to sign Lavia, though, following a positive update that emerged on Monday morning.
According to talkSPORT, Liverpool are now ready to table an offer for the Southampton starlet, as they look to snap him up during the summer transfer window:
"Liverpool are preparing an opening offer for Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia, talkSPORT understands. The Reds have moved ahead of Chelsea in the race to sign Lavia, whom Saints have valued at £50million.
"Chelsea’s co-director of recruitment Joe Shields has recommended Lavia to new manager Mauricio Pochettino. But the Blues are thought to be exploring alternative targets for now."
This is a hugely exciting update for Liverpool, with Lavia such a talented footballer who could develop into one of the best defensive midfielders in the world over time, proving to be the perfect long-term replacement for Fabinho.
He is already a senior Belgium international, winning one cap for his country, as well as making 29 Premier League appearances. Not only has he not looked out of his depth, but he has even stood out as possibly Saints' best player over the past 12 months or so, being lauded as "ridiculous" by Southampton reporter Jacob Tanswell for his courage to take the ball from deep and beat the opposition press.
Alongside Mac Allister and Szoboszlai, Lavia could complete a major rebuild of Liverpool's midfield that last well into the future – bringing in Nice star Khephren Thuram would arguably make it a perfect summer at Anfield – and beating big six rivals to his signature would also feel significant.
Assuming he avoids serious injury, the sky is the limit for the Belgian, and the hope is that he would jump at the opportunity to working under Jurgen Klopp.
An update has emerged on Arsenal and their interest in a swoop to sign Southampton ace Romeo Lavia ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.
What's the latest on Romeo Lavia to Arsenal?
According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Gunners are progressing in their pursuit of a deal to sign the central midfielder this summer.
The reporter tweeted: "Understand Arsenal are advancing in talks to sign Roméo Lavia. Negotiations ongoing with Southampton and player’s camp, still no official bid. Southampton hope for their record fee for U21 player. Man Utd interested but priority is Mount; Chelsea, keeping close eye."
He then added that Premier League champions Manchester City have a buy-back clause that would enable them to snap the Belgian talent up for £40m before the summer of 2024, although it remains to be seen if they are willing to activate it.
Southampton's current club-record U21 sale came in 2014 when they sold Luke Shaw, who was 18 at the time, to Manchester United for a fee of £27m, that could rise to £31m, which means that £40m would meet their requirements for a deal.
This comes alongside a report from Sky Sports that has claimed the club are set to make a £90m bid to snap up West Ham United captain Declan Rice, with Romano confirming that the club's interest in the pair is not related. Indeed, it seems Mikel Arteta and the club are progressing on more deals in the background of the heavily reported Rice saga.
How did Romeo Lavia perform last season?
Southampton signed Lavia from Manchester City in a £14m package ahead of the 2022/23 campaign and the teenager enjoyed a strong first season in senior football in spite of his team's relegation to the Championship.
Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia.
The Belgium international, who was hailed as a “monster” by journalist Benjy Nurick, had just two first-team appearances to his name prior to moving to the south coast and still only has 32 total games in senior football after 26 Premier League starts for the Saints.
However, he made 3.6 tackles plus interceptions per game and completed 86% of his attempted passes in the division, and his qualities in and out of possession are what made him so highly rated during his time at The Etihad.
Lavia particularly excelled at putting his body on the line for Southampton last term as the 19-year-old enforcer currently ranks in the top 4% of players in his position in the Men's Big Five Leagues and European competitions for blocks made per 90 (1.90).
Talent scout Jacek Kulig previously claimed that the teenage maestro had the ability to break into City's senior squad. He wrote:
"It is very clear why Pep Guardiola wants Romeo Lavia to be part of the Manchester City first team. He is an intelligent and aggressive presser of the ball in defense, a comfortable dribbler, adept passer of the ball, and physically strong. These traits are enormously important in the Pep Guardiola system, and Romeo Lavia possesses all the talent to break into Manchester City’s first team one day."
This suggests that the potential is there for him to make it at the top level and his experience at St. Mary's could be an important step on his way to success as the exciting youngster now has a good amount of Premier League matches under his belt.
USA coach Pubudu Dassanayake has said that revamping the team’s middle-order batting is a key area of focus in the squad’s preparation for ICC World Cricket League Division Three, which begins May 23 in Uganda
Peter Della Penna23-Mar-20171:25
‘Very confident we’ll get through Division Three’ – Dassanayake
USA coach Pubudu Dassanayake has said that revamping the team’s middle-order batting is a key area of focus in the squad’s preparation for ICC World Cricket League Division Three, which begins May 23 in Uganda. Dassanayake indicated that several former first-class players who came into the team’s recent four-day camp in Houston, Texas – Ibrahim Khaleel, Camilus Alexander and Roy Silva – have strong chances of filling those roles.”We need to get the middle-order batting right,” Dassanayake told ESPNcricinfo. “We struggled in Division Four and that cannot go on. Batting 50 overs, it’s a different art.”These players are used to playing T20 cricket a lot and struggle sometimes to spend time in the longer version. There are lots of good new faces in the last four days and I’m pretty sure a few of these new players will cover those spots.”We’re confident how we are going to go about in Division Three. Some of the gaps that I had to fill, I think it’s kind of a clear thing we’re going to get some good players to cover those spots. We had three experienced players here – Camilus Alexander, Roy Silva and Ibrahim Khaleel. All three of them are top-class players who have played a lot of cricket. Still we haven’t decided anything but I think that experience, we need it to build our middle order.”One other player who stood out during the camp in Texas was Nosthush Kenjige. The left-arm spinner was the leading wicket-taker in the camp with eight in three trial matches. Among his victims were USA captain Steven Taylor twice, Khaleel, Silva, and USA batsmen Nicholas Standford and Akeem Dodson, who was recently taken by Barbados Tridents in the Caribbean Premier League draft.Kenjige, 26, was born in Alabama but his family moved to India in his youth. He played most of his developmental cricket in the Karnataka system but returned to the USA in 2015, settling in New York. He was ineligible to play for USA at WCL Division Four last year, despite being an American citizen, due to additional residency criteria the ICC mandates for WCL tournaments. Kenjige has since fulfilled the criteria.In preparation for Division Three, Kenjige travelled to South Africa earlier this year to spend a month training with the Knights first-class franchise and playing club cricket on the weekends. During his time there he was able to work with coach Nicky Boje to sharpen his skills and Dassanayake says he is expecting the spinner to play a significant role for USA going forward.”When I speak about Nosh, I’m very happy about him because he’s one of the guys who has really put work under him in the last three months,” Dassanayake said. “He was one of the guys who followed the fitness programme really well and he has been tremendous improvement in fitness in the last three months, so that has helped him get his fielding right. Skill-wise, he has been going around the world and playing cricket and I see a lot of improvement in his bowling as well.”Overall if I had to analyse the whole team and where the USA team wants to go, I’m looking to build the cricketing culture, a good unit playing together knowing their roles and working hard to improve every day and I would say Nosh is one of the guys who is going to help that system. He’s a different character, really committed to the team and his game. It was very impressive what he has done in the last four days and I think there is so much room for him to improve as well. I’m 100% sure the way he’s going forward and looking at his work ethic, he’s going to be a big asset in the future.”Another squad camp is planned to be held in Houston from April 6 to 9 with the squad trimmed from the 45 players who attended the most recent camp down to 18 before the final 14 are selected to tour South Africa and Uganda in May.Dassanayake said he will focus considerable time on improving the team’s fitness, which was one area that some members of the squad fell behind in during the camp.”Mainly, from Division Four, I was looking to build up the middle order and also the fielding and fitness,” Dassananyake said. “The fitness part, actually the whole group was working for the last three months and I saw lots of improvements with everybody. Fielding, unfortunately some of these players don’t have that opportunity to field on faster outfields on quality grounds, but all the top players have got the idea of the level we are thinking of playing.”There are lots of improvements and also a lot of weak areas. We have two and a half months to work on those things to get ready for Division Three.
Tottenham Hotspur are now looking forward to a new era under incoming boss, Ange Postecoglou, with the 57-year-old set to take charge at N17 after catching the eye following his impressive work at Old Firm giants, Celtic in recent seasons.
Having won five trophies during a glittering two-year spell at Parkhead, the experienced coach has been tasked with the job of trying to revive the fortunes of the north London outfit next term and beyond, with the Lilywhites still reeling from a disappointing 2022/23 campaign that ended with a dismal, eighth-place finish.
Amid that search for improvement in his new home, recent reports have suggested that Postecoglou could be ready to spark something of a mass clearout at the club over the coming weeks, with the veteran duo of Ivan Perisic and Hugo Lloris leading the list of those who could depart.
Among those who may also be shown the door is long-serving defender, Ben Davies, with the Wales international – who signed from Swansea City back in 2014 – potentially set to be moved on if bids are to arrive this summer.
This follows a recent report that suggested Daniel Levy and co were willing to sanction the 30-year-old's exit for a fee of around £15m, with the 77-cap dud having formed part of a backline that shipped 63 Premier League goals this season – the sixth-worst record in the division.
As pundit Gabby Agbonlahor suggested, a departure for Davies could well be in the best interests of the club, with the versatile full-back having been "struggling to put in top performances", as he simply "just isn’t good enough any more."
With Postecoglou likely to need to find an "upgrade" – as per Agbonlahor – or a more youthful replacement for the £80k-per-week man, then the Greek-Aussie should look no further than reported target, Thierry Small.
Who is Thierry Small?
According to Football Insider, Spurs are set to make a fresh approach for the Southampton teenager ahead of next season, having previously seen an offer of around £800k rejected by the Saints back in January.
The piece adds that the newly-relegated side had been looking for closer to £1.2m at the time, with Levy and co now seemingly ready to make a 'new offer' in order to prise the 18-year-old from St Mary's.
The signing of the England youth international could well be the long-term solution at left-back that Spurs are in need of, with the "quality" gem – as previously hailed by ex-Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti – able to take Davies' place moving forward.
Ange Postecoglou
The former Toffees ace – who made the move to the south coast back in 2021 – showed his defensive prowess while on loan at St Mirren in the second half of the campaign after averaging 1.3 tackles per game, with that a superior record to what Davies averaged in the Premier League (0.9).
Equally, it is young Small who also appears to offer more in attack, with the 5 foot 10 starlet having averaged one key pass per game as a marker of his creative talent, while Davies averaged just 0.6 key passes in that time.
That would suggest that despite his inexperience, the youngster has the makings to be a real star of the future in the game, hence just why it would be wise for Postecoglou to push for a move.
As such, after 311 games for the club, it could be time for Davies to seek out pastures new…