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Marseille are not concerned by Mason Greenwood’s recent barren run, with goals drying up in France for the former Manchester United winger.

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• Completed £27m transfer from Red Devils
• Scored five times in opening three appearances
• Failed to register a goal or assist since

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 23-year-old forward enjoyed a dream start to his spell in Ligue 1, with the finding the target on five occasions through his opening three outings of the 2024-25 campaign. That earned him plenty of plaudits and the love of the passionate fanbase in Marseille, with the club welcoming a new hero.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Greenwood has, however, now gone four games without finding the back of the net. His last efforts came when bagging a brace against Toulouse at the end of August. Another international break has now been reached, with Marseille dropping points in their last two fixtures.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Roberto De Zerbi has said of seeing his side lose their spark: “Some of our decisive players are not in shape, like Mason Greenwood.” The one-cap England international has failed to score or provide an assist in four games, having previously been billed as “too good” for the French top flight – as he generated talk of interest from La Liga giants Barcelona.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  According to , Marseille remain unfazed by the dip in form for Greenwood – as he is far from being the only one to see impressive early-season standards slip. They fully expect the player they lured away from Old Trafford in a £27 million ($35m) transfer to play a crucial role for them over the remainder of the season.

كشف محمد أسامة طبيب فريق الكرة بـ الزمالك تفاصيل الحالة الصحية لـ محمد حمدي لاعب القلعة البيضاء بعد تعرضه للإصابة خلال مباراة ناديه أمام طلائع الجيش بالدوري المصري.

وتعرض حمدي للإصابة بعد احتكاك مع حارس مرمى طلائع الجيش في الربع ساعة الأخيرة من مباراة الزمالك وطلائع الجيش ليقرر الجهاز الفني استبداله.

وغادر محمد حمدي ملعب اللقاء بقرار من كريستيان جروس في الدقيقة 81 متأثرًا بإصابة ليشارك بدلًا منه مصطفى شلبي.

طالع.. فيديو | لاعب الزمالك يغادر مباراة طلائع الجيش مصابًا ونقله إلى المستشفى

وقال محمد أسامة في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة الزمالك: “إصابة محمد حمدي قوية، تعرض لشرخ في ضلعين وتكوين هواء في القفص الصدري والرئة”.

وأكمل: “الأطباء كانوا يفكرون في عمل تدخل طبي وعمل أنبوبة صدرية من أجل تفريغ الهواء، والرئة تعمل بشكل جيد، ولكن اللاعب خضع لفحوصات وقرروا حجزه في المستشفى ويظل تحت الملاحظة ولو نسبة الهواء زادت سيكون هناك تدخل، الوضع حاليًا أفضل”.

وأردف طبيب الزمالك: “نسبة الوعي عند محمد حمدي جيدة ولكن هذا الاصطدام الألم يكون فيه شديدًا جدًا، وكلنا متواجدين معه في المستشفى”.

واختتم: “خلال 24 أو 48 ساعة يجب أن نطمئن أن تجمع الهواء غير متواجد على الرئة، وشرخ الضلوع يحتاج إلى 3 أسابيع”.

It might not have ended in a trophy, but Arsenal enjoyed another brilliant season this year.

Mikel Arteta's side took the Premier League title race down to the final day and came agonizingly close to making it to the Champions League semi-finals for the first time in well over a decade.

It may not have happened this season, but it feels more like a matter of when rather than if this Arsenal team lifts a major trophy, and when they do, club captain Martin Odegaard will undoubtedly be at the heart of their triumph.

The Norwegian has more than proven himself to be a capable leader in N5, and the latest player touted for a move to the Emirates could help further unlock his attacking potential.

Arsenal transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Ben Jacobs via GIVEMESPORT, Arsenal are still interested in Real Sociedad's star midfielder, Martin Zubimendi, and may well "try again" to sign him.

This is despite Spanish reports late last month claiming the player was unsure about leaving his home country.

Jacobs does not mention how much the deal might cost the North Londoners, but a report from journalist Graeme Bailey last month claimed the Spaniard has a €60m release clause inserted into his contract, which converts to around £51m.

It wouldn't be a cheap deal to get done, and his reservations about leaving Spain are indeed a problem, but Edu Gaspar and Co should be doing all they can to bring the player to North London, as he could help get even more out of Odegaard going forward.

How Zubimendi could unlock Odegaard

The main reason why adding Zubimendi to the team would help get more out of Odegaard is that the Spaniard is an out-and-out defensive midfielder who, alongside Declan Rice, would be able to make Arsenal's already impressive defensive record that much more remarkable.

The "extraordinary" six-capped international, as dubbed by Xavi, would start at six with the Englishman in the left-eight role, thus creating an incredibly solid wall. This would allow the Gunners' mercurial captain to focus more on influencing proceedings at the sharp end of the pitch.

The former West Ham United captain may have told the BBC that his "best position" is at the base of midfield, but he also revealed that he was "excited to get up the pitch, score goals and drive with the ball."

With 19 starts in central midfield this season, he's proven himself more than capable of playing just in front of a recognised six.

Moreover, when comparing the pair's defensive midfield-relevant underlying numbers, the Spaniard comes out slightly ahead, registering more blocks, interceptions, clearances and ball recoveries while winning more aerial duels per 90.

Tackles

1.66

2.32

Tackles Won

0.92

1.42

Blocks

1.12

1.03

Interceptions

1.25

1.23

Clearances

1.83

1.45

Ball Recoveries

5.73

4.97

Aerial Duels Won

1.49

1.09

This extra solidity behind him would allow the former Real Madrid wonderkid to focus most of his attention ahead of him, as at present, he's putting more effort into the defensive side of the game than many might realise.

This can be seen best when comparing his heat map to the heat map of Kevin De Bruyne, the main attacking midfielder in Arsenal's primary title rival.

When looking at these two maps, it's evident that the Norwegian's attacking output is at least somewhat hampered by the amount of time he spends in his own half, a problem that could be alleviated by this signing.

Ultimately, this could be a challenging transfer to get over the line, and Odegaard is always going to need to do some defensive work, but if Arteta could set up a midfield three with Zubimendi and Rice as the two defensively minded ball-winning titans in it, he might finally be able to end the club's two-decade title drought.

Arsenal can forget about Sesko by signing "incredible" £85m "powerhouse"

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After a difficult debut season, Manchester United are reportedly already eyeing a move to replace Andre Onana, setting their sights towards La Liga and a new shot-stopper for Erik ten Hag.

Man Utd transfer news

When Onana arrived fresh from a standout performance for Inter against Manchester City in the Champions League final, it looked as though Manchester United had completed a wise piece of business. It's been a season of struggle ever since, however, with David de Gea's name mentioned often enough to conclude that Onana hasn't been a success.

It seems as though Sir Jim Ratcliffe may be in a ruthless mood ahead of the summer transfer window too, with Ten Hag's future still in doubt amid previous links to Gareth Southgate and Graham Potter. And if Ten Hag's job isn't safe, then neither is Onana's role as United's number one, especially after recent reports.

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According to outlets in Spain, Manchester United are eyeing a move to sign Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili to replace Onana this summer, but will have to beat Bayern Munich and Atletico Madrid to land the 6 foot 6 giant's signature in the coming months.

At just 23 years old, the Valencia man has shown plenty of potential in Spain to more than earn links to the likes of United, Bayern and Atletico Madrid. The ball is now in Valencia's and Mamardashvili's court regarding a summer switch. Manchester United will simply be hoping to put together a convincing enough pitch to win the busy race for his signature.

Without Champions League football, that will prove to be more difficult, but Ratcliffe will be looking to pitch the long-term project rather than the current set-up at Old Trafford.

"Fantastic" Mamardashvili can replace Onana

Even if it's not an immediate change, the long-term goal should be for a player of Mamardashvili's potential to replace Onana at Manchester United. The former Ajax man is five years the Valencia goalkeeper's senior and may only continue to struggle at Old Trafford, paving the way for the younger Mamardashvili. Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig is certainly a fan too, describing the goalkeeper as "fantastic" on X.

It would represent just how much Onana has struggled if he found himself dropped after just one season in Manchester, but welcoming a player who has the potential of Mamardashvili is a necessary step towards a return to the top for the Red Devils.

League stats 23/24 (via FBref)	Giorgi Mamardashvili	Andre Onana
Save percentage	74.6%	75.4%
Clean Sheets	12	8
Goals Conceded	35	51

When the summer arrives, the £25,000-a-week Valencia number one will be a player to keep an eye on, especially if United step up their interest in the coming months.

Everton have been in a state of ebb and flow for quite some time now, and while Sean Dyche's tenure has been far from seamless, there is a sense that the squad could enter the ascendency if cards are played right.

Of course, the plane of uncertainty that lies ahead for Everton is beyond the control of Dyche and the players, who have navigated through a tumultuous year to perch in 15th place in the Premier League with two fixtures still ahead, 11 points above the dreaded dotted line.

Having been stripped of eight points due to breaching Premier League Profit and Sustainability rules on separate occasions, the Toffees are in troubled waters, with the conundrum compounded by prospective buyers 777 Partners, a Miami-based investment firm, facing a lawsuit in the USA, facing allegations of fraud, facing the prospect of ruination.

But the unflappable fight from the Evertonian squad has instilled a sanguine sense of hope that this club could rise again. After all, points deduction aside, Everton would be just three points away from the top half of the division.

Only the top three teams have conceded fewer goals than Dyche's Blues, with the defensive axis of James Tarkowski and Jarrad Branthwaite working wonders.

Branthwaite's emergence, in particular, has come at the perfect time following Yerry Mina's departure on a free transfer last summer, ravaged by injuries that stopped his chances of succeeding at Goodison Park. It all could have been so different.

Yerry Mina's Everton career

Picture this: it's 2018, Marco Silva's Everton have just completed the £27m transfer of centre-back Mina from none other than Barcelona following the Colombian's terrific performances at the 2018 World Cup.

Everton had recorded successive top-eight finishes under Ronald Koeman and Sam Allardyce and would finish eighth again in Silva's only full term at the helm – Mina's first, in 2018/19 – but everything unravelled soon after, Everton started to sink toward the lower levels of the English top-flight, where they fight at present to free themselves from.

Yerry Mina: Everton Career by Season

Season

Apps

Starts

Goals

22/23

7

7

2

21/22

13

11

0

20/21

24

23

2

19/20

29

25

2

18/19

13

10

1

Stats via WhoScored

Unfortunately, the Colombia international managed to play only an intermittent role in the Toffees' campaign, starting just ten Premier League matches as he battled against foot and hamstring issues.

He enjoyed more frequent roles across his second and third campaigns on English shores, with Carlo Ancelotti at the helm since the 2019/20 term's midpoint.

But his niggling problems precluded him from ever finding a prolonged run of form to live up to the £27m price tag, with his wages rather hefty too.

Everton Payroll: 2022/23

#

Player

Salary

1.

Jordan Pickford

£125k-per-week

2.

Yerry Mina

£120k-per-week

3.

Abdoulaye Doucoure

£120k-per-week

4.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

£100k-per-week

4.

Amadou Onana

£100k-per-week

4.

James Tarkowski

£100k-per-week

Sourced via Capology

The fact that he earned more than Dominic Calvert-Lewin highlights just how influential Mina was supposed to have been for the Merseysiders.

Calvert-Lewin has hardly been injury-free himself while on the Everton books but he has scored 68 goals and supplied 17 assists across 245 appearances, having been praised as a "monster" by talent scout Jacek Kulig for his success as the focal frontman.

In fairness, Mina has earned an effusive remark or two throughout his career too, with The Athletic's Patrick Boyland hailing the "absolute colossus" for one excellent Everton display.

At least the 6 foot 5 titan managed to play a pivotal part in Everton's closing stage last season, starting the final four Premier League fixtures and scoring an all-important, last-gasp equaliser in the campaign's penultimate fixture against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

He salvaged a draw, he might just have salvaged top-flight status, with the team then fuelled to beat Bournemouth on the final day – a game, by the way, that saw a Herculean defensive effort form Mina toward the 1-0 victory, playing the full 90 minutes and winning a whopping eight duels.

It's unfortunate that Mina has suffered such a tough time on the fitness front, with Silva speaking on his "unlucky" record back in 2019 – unaware of the mounds of problems yet to materialise, like a dark, infiltrating stain on his career.

But it can't be looked past, Mina failed to live up to the price tag at Everton and it's ultimately a move of bitter regret, with the funds probably better placed elsewhere back when he signed – had the powers that be got it right, the rot might just have been stopped before it spread.

Yerry Mina's transfer value in 2024

Oh to drift back to the halcyon days of 2018. Mina must certainly look back on this stage of his career with wistful longing, having now fallen by the wayside with damage that threatens to be irreparable.

The ball-playing defender has all the skills to be a high-level defender; his erstwhile stint with Barcelona proves his natural ability. But injuries have ravaged his chances of building a career of true prosperity, with his current market value a gloomy reflection of such issues.

According to Football Transfers' Player Valuation model, the South American is marked with a £1.7m worth in 2024, with his inability to put his time on Merseyside to bed after transferring to Fiorentina sending his career into more of a detrimental spin.

After ending his career with Everton last summer, the rangy defender's move to Florence was supposed to be beneficial, with the ostensibly slower pace of Italian football better suited to his athletic fragilities.

But after featuring just four times – all from the bench – in the opening half of the current Serie A campaign, La Viola's newly-promoted divisional rivals Cagliari canvassed a proposal and welcomed the injury-riddled giant to their ranks in January.

Admittedly, he has found a small measure of success over these past few months, starting 11 of 13 league fixtures since his cross-state switch, scoring in each of his past two matches and winning 69% of his duels, as per Sofascore.

Given that Jarrad Branthwait has won 67% of his duels in the Premier League this season, it's clear that a different tale would have been painted were Mina's injuries not so… incessant.

A talented defender, a wonderful player, a commanding leader. Mina's move to Everton can only go down as a failure but given the nature of his troubles, the Evertonian faithful would be all smiles if he could sustain a positive run of form over the coming campaigns.

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Leeds United believe one Championship star would be a "valuable" addition to Daniel Farke's squad this summer, whether they're promoted or not.

Leeds' summer transfer plans as Farke chases promotion

The Elland Road side are firmly in the thick of an extremely exciting automatic promotion race, with Leeds, Leicester City and Ipswich Town all neck-and-neck as we approach the final few games of this second-tier season.

"I'm told" – Leeds United target open to joining on promotion condition

Daniel Farke’s side have further incentive for promotion.

By
Ben Browning

Mar 11, 2024

All three sides have been near-unstoppable over 2023/24, and whoever misses out on that immediate climb back to the top flight will feel very hard done by.

Leeds are among the firm favourites to secure a place back in the Premier League at the first time of asking, though, and boast the division's best defensive record out of any team on paper.

Leeds United's final Championship games	Date
Middlesbrough (away)	April 22nd
QPR (home)	April 26th
Southampton (home)	May 4th

Somebody out of Leeds, Ipswich and Leicester has to settle for third and a place in the Championship play-offs, with Farke desperately hoping to avoid that scenario.

Off the field, Leeds are also plotting ways to strengthen their ranks this summer. As widely reported, Farke is keen to keep Joe Rodon for next campaign following a successful season on loan from Tottenham.

Leeds are said to be determined to keep Rodon as we approach the summer window, but it is also believed that they could reinforce their attacking options as well.

Indeed, one player who is said to be attracting their interest is Southampton star Che Adams, who could even have a major say on their promotion push considering he is set to face Leeds on the final day.

Leeds eyeing "bargain" Adams move they think could be "valuable"

The Scotland international has been in fine form for Russell Martin's side overall, and TEAMtalk claims Leeds are eyeing a "bargain" summer move for Adams as his contract ticks down towards expiry.

Called a "phenomenon" by Ralph Hasenhuttl previously, it's added that Leeds think Adams would be a "valuable" signing when the window reopens, as the cost of a deal would be non-existent when he's available as a free agent. And this is regardless of whether or not they go up.

Interestingly, Leeds have been told to sign the striker for quite some time.

"I tell you what everybody, how to strip a rival's asset. We saw that with Newcastle last year when they stripped Chris Wood away from Burnley," said YouTuber Conor McGilligan.

"How incredible would it be if Leeds were to go to Southampton with an offer that they can't refuse and Leeds go and get Che Adams and strip them of an asset?

"I think that'd be a really good tactic. I can't ever see Leeds doing that because we're not bullish in the market at all, I don't feel. But listen, I think Che Adams would be a really good addition for that No 9."

Chelsea have unsurprisingly switched their attention back towards the transfer window in what could be Todd Boehly's most important summer yet, with an upgrade on Ben Chilwell now on the agenda.

Chelsea transfer news

It's a rare day when the Blues aren't stealing the headlines for their transfer activity, particularly under Boehly's ownership. Unfortunately for them, the headlines are rarely positive these days with several big-money buys struggling to adjust at Stamford Bridge to create another season of struggle and mid-table mediocrity in the Premier League.

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That mediocrity could have further consequences yet too, with reports indicating that Chelsea are walking a fine line when it comes to the Financial Fair Play rules following large losses. A point deduction would sum up a disastrous spell for Boehly since arriving at Stamford Bridge. But even that has not put an end to rumours over potential incomings.

The London giants have already been linked to the likes of Victor Osimhen in what would be a big-money move this summer, but while the Napoli man would solve Mauricio Pochettino's striker problem, it remains to be seen whether a deal is feasible.

The same can be said for Ferland Mendy. According to Mundo Deportivo via Sport Witness, Chelsea are now eyeing a move to sign Mendy this summer, with the French left-back's Real Madrid place at risk due to the likely arrival of Alphonso Davies. The report claims that "trouble is brewing" at the Bernabeu and that Davies' arrival would "surely mean" the end of Mendy's time in Madrid, with their squad planning scattered due to indecision around Mendy and Fran García's positions in the pecking order.

With Chelsea looking to take advantage of the situation, the Blues could land a perfect upgrade on Ben Chilwell this summer. The fact that Mendy is in the final 18 months of his contract may also help any deal get over the line for a cheaper price in the coming months.

"Important" Mendy would be an upgrade on Chilwell

Among those who have struggled to find their best form at Stamford Bridge this season is Chilwell. The left-back, who has captained the side in Reece James' absence this season, will be in real trouble of losing his place in Pochettino's side if Mendy arrives, with or without the captain's armband next season. Mendy's stats this season show just how much of an upgrade he'd be on the England international, particularly in a defensive sense.

Progressive Carries

18

22

Progressive Passes

73

24

Interceptions

13

4

Ball Recoveries

83

31

Ancelotti won't want to see his left-back leave even if he does welcome Davies though, having said as much last season, via Sports Mole: "I want him to continue, obviously. He has been very important. Last year he showed a high level of defensive solidity. Ferland is recovering well from his injury, hopefully he will be important."

With that said the Spanish giants would likely be forcing Mendy's hand if they signed Davies, given that the Bayern Munich left-back would take his place in Ancelotti's starting side. And that will give Chelsea the perfect opportunity to take full advantage this summer.

Legspinner back for third season at Chelmsford as Blast winners look to defend their title

ESPNcricinfo staff23-Dec-2019Vitality Blast champions Essex have re-signed Australia legspinner Adam Zampa for their 2020 campaign. Zampa will return for his third consecutive season at Chelmsford.Although Zampa missed 2019 Finals Day, having already gone back to Australia for the start of the domestic season, he was Essex’s leading wicket-taker during the group stage, taking 12 wickets in as many games with an economy of 8.06. Essex hope to have him available for the duration of their defence, should they progress to the knockout rounds.”I’m really looking forward to getting back to Chelmsford and playing in front of that great crowd again,” Zampa said. “I’ve played there for the last two years now and Essex is a great club to play for. I get on really well with all the lads in the changing room and I feel at home there.”Last year was amazing. We didn’t start too well but once we got on a roll we were unstoppable. Not many people would have had us down to win it, but we knew what we were capable of, and hopefully we can repeat that in 2020.”Zampa has been a regular in white-ball cricket for Australia over recent seasons, and next summer will likely form part of his build-up towards the T20 World Cup. He is currently playing for Melbourne Stars in the Big Bash League, and has also featured at the IPL and the Caribbean Premier League.Essex’s head coach, Anthony McGrath, said: “We all know just how talented Adam is as we’ve seen it the last two summers. He’s one of the best legspinners around at the moment.”He’s been excellent for us the last couple of seasons and he’s a great guy to have around the dressing room, so I’m delighted he’s going to be back with us.”

Perhaps the biggest triumph of Ange Postecoglou's tenure at Tottenham Hotspur so far is implementing the entertaining football that was nowhere to be seen last term.

Harry Kane might have scored 30 Premier League goals as he leapfrogged Wayne Rooney into second in the all-time scoring charts, but it was a one-man show for much of the campaign and Antonio Conte's dismissal in March – Daniel Levy's fourth managerial sacking in as many years – spoke of the decline that threatened everything.

To put things into context, while there have been grumblings that Spurs are marred by inconsistency (they are) and Aston Villa's fine form could prove to be too much for Tottenham in their top four (maybe, maybe not) there is evidence of progress after last year's eighth-placed finish.

In time, Postecoglou's project will hopefully soar to new heights, and while nothing in football is certain the Australian manager has implemented a discernable, attractive identity that has married into a shrewd, thought-out recruitment strategy.

While this hasn't always been the case, certainly not in recent memory, Tottenham have welcomed the likes of James Maddison, Micky van de Ven, Guglielmo Vicario and Brennan Johnson – and more – since the summer to form a new-look promising side.

Moreover, the club arguably boasts the finest youth institution in the country right now, with the U21s top of the Premier League 2 and so much quality flooding in.

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For all that talent, it would be quite the feat if someone were to surpass a player of Dele Alli's calibre, but that might just be the case given some of the prospects' performances.

Dele Alli's Spurs beginnings

Dele is unquestionably one of the finest youngsters to make their mark in the Premier League. Ever. Signing for Tottenham from MK Dons for around £5m back in 2015, opting for the north London club over suitors such as Liverpool and Newcastle United, the 27-year-old played a key role in a formidable Tottenham attack under Mauricio Pochettino's leadership.

The starting XI on Dele Alli's first start
Sunderland 0-1 Spurs (September 2015)
GK – Hugo Lloris
RB – Kyle Walker
CB – Toby Alderweireld
CB – Jan Vertonghen
LB – Ben Davies
CM – Eric Dier
CM – Ryan Mason
CAM – Dele Alli
RW – Heung-min Son
LW – Nacer Chadli
ST – Harry Kane

Clinical, confident and creative, Dele thrived in the shadow of centre-forward Kane, playing off his Three Lions teammate to combine for some sumptuous play, praising the "perfect deliveries" he received during the balmy days of Pochettino's tenure.

The Argentine manager, now in the Chelsea dugout, was only too happy to provide Dele with a platform, gushing over his lofty potential: "If he is not the best young player in Europe, he’s one of the best. Look at his age and his statistics, the potential is massive."

Alas, the table below depicts a sombre tale, one of a bleak decline that is a by-product of mental health issues and a turbulent upbringing that the player himself revealed to Gary Neville on The Overlap in a heartbreaking and candid interview in 2023.

Dele Alli: Premier League Stats per Season
Season	Apps	Goals	Assists
23/24	0	0	0
22/23	2	0	0
21/22	10	1	0
20/21	15	0	1
19/20	25	8	4
18/19	25	5	3
17/18	36	9	11
16/17	37	18	9
15/16	33	10	9
Sourced via Transfermarkt

While the past few years have been torrid, Dele will forever be remembered for his unbelievable introduction to life in the Premier League, leaving defenders eating dust and defying the odds with the constancy of his output.

Jaw-dropping strikes, expertly-timed headers, innate movement into dangerous positions, Dele had it all and while Tottenham are currently nurturing a collective crop of youngsters beyond anything the club has seen in a long time, it would take some player to overtake the now-Everton player.

Well, that ace might just materialise in the form of Lucas Bergvall, who will join the fold during the summer.

Why Lucas Bergvall is Spurs' biggest talent

Interestingly, Tottenham purchased Bergvall from Djurgårdens IF in the January transfer window and loaned him back to his current club for the remainder of the campaign, much the same as when Dele made the move from League One.

Hijacking Barcelona's deal for the Sweden international, 18 years old at the time, Levy engineered a real statement of intent in completing the transfer for a fee approaching £8.5m, with Bergvall endowed with the talent to succeed at the highest level for many years to come.

Described as a "generational" talent by one scout, Bergvall is a rangy centre-midfielder with natural press resistance, impressive strength and vision that will leave Spurs' forwards salivating.

His former coach, Andreas Engelmark, has waxed lyrical over his potential and believes the all-action skill set sets him in good stead to succeed: "In terms of his skillset, he’s good with the ball. He’s a good passer, he can drive with the ball. He’s pretty complete in that way. He has the physicality to be a good ball-winner as well but I think that’s something he needs to be more consistent with to take his game to the next level.

“I think his best position is as a No 8 and we will see in the next few years if he sticks with that position or is going to become more of a 6.”

It's a risky game to anoint a talented teenager as a prodigy before they've even stepped foot on a Premier League pitch but there's an understanding and belief that Bergvall, guided aptly, could have the making of a leading figure in Postecoglou's first-team.

Why Bergvall is a dream for Richarlison

The fact that Bergvall is still malleable enough, in a positive sense, to be shaped and wrought into a star fit for purpose at the heart of Postecoglou's engine room is only a good thing, and his intelligence and determination to succeed suggests that he will absorb the Australian's style as he works to make an impression.

As per Sofascore, he has completed 88% of his passes in the Allsvenskan this season while succeeding with 68% of his dribbles, scoring two goals and supplying one assist from 11 starting appearances.

His gliding gait and precision in driving into the danger area make for the perfect player to play off Richarlison, much like Dele behind Kane way back when, and given that the Brazilian frontman has been in scintillating form for Tottenham recently, scoring nine goals from his past ten Premier League fixtures, Bergvall could indeed be the player to maintain this efficiency.

Of course, Richarlison, aged 26, is hardly suffering from a lack of playmakers in midfield, with the elite Maddison flanked by Dejan Kulusevski and Heung-min Son, but Bergvall is a unique player with a singular identity on the field – there's a reason that Barcelona held such a vested interest in securing his services.

As per FBref, Richarlison ranks among the top 6% of centre-forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for touches in the attacking penalty area for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90, and that's despite alternating between the left wing and the striking role.

Bergvall will drive, surge, penetrate. He will pull defenders from their sentinels in the rearguard like a sprinting lightbulb attracting moths, allowing the ever-present-in-the-box Richarlison to find space and unleash, and score.

Postecoglou is cooking something at Tottenham, and the parties barely started; Bergvall is the elite talent who could elevate the squad to new heights. Finally.

After a lacklustre group-stage performance, defending co-champions Scotland showed they still had enough in the tank after a two-day gap to see off the tournament hosts with George Munsey’s second half-century of the event laying the platform for a lopsided 90-run win over UAE. The result clinched Scotland’s second straight trip to the T20 World Cup and fourth appearance overall.Netherlands had executed a brilliant plan to negate Munsey’s bread-and-butter scoring option, the reverse sweep, in Scotland’s last group match on Sunday. But UAE had no answers to the shot on Wednesday as Munsey cracked a pair of sixes with the shot off Sultan Ahmed to get his innings going in the third over, and he never looked back.Along with captain Kyle Coetzer, Munsey added 87 for the opening stand in 11.2 overs, scoring just as efficiently against pace as he did against spin. Munsey flicked Waheed Ahmed’s medium pace over square leg and midwicket for two more sixes in the tenth over to go to 49 before a single in the next over raised a 33-ball half-century. The stand ended when Coetzer swatted Junaid Siddique’s medium pace to Muhammad Usman at long-off for 34. Munsey fell in the 14th over off a candidate for catch of the tournament, Rameez Shahzad plucking a lofted drive one-handed leaping at long-off.Rameez Shahzad takes a leaping one-handed stunner on the boundary at long-off•Peter Della Penna

But the faintest glimmer of hope UAE had of clawing back into the match was quickly washed away with the arrival of Richie Berrington at No. 4. The Scotland vice-captain only failed to score off the first and last balls he faced. In between were 16 balls of fury as he commenced a merciless assault at the death.Waheed’s medium pace was slog-swept for six before a slower ball was hammered back over his head for another six in the 16th over. There was no respite when he fell in the 18th over to Rohan Mustafa either, as Calum MacLeod finished the innings with three fours in the final over before being run out off the last ball as Scotland finished two shy of reaching 200 for the second time in the tournament.Considering how UAE’s line-up had fared against the Netherlands pace attack a day earlier, their chances of chasing down Scotland’s total were remote and so it proved in the Powerplay. Chirag Suri skied the third ball off Safyaan Sharif and was taken at short fine-leg by Matthew Cross. Mustafa’s wild charge to Josh Davey two overs later resulted in a toe edge behind to make it 12 for 2. Darius D’Silva retired hurt at the end of the Powerplay to leave UAE further in a hole, at 35 for 2, and the chasm only grew wider when their best batsman Rameez drove a catch to Munsey on the off-side boundary off Mark Watt’s left-arm spin in the ninth over to make it 55 for 3.The slide accelerated a few overs later when UAE’s middle order lost four wickets in eight balls to effectively end the match. Waheed was bounced out by Berrington with a slower ball flicked to short fine-leg. Muhammad Usman skied a drive to long-on where Michael Leask charged in for a fantastic sliding catch. Two balls later, Sultan Ahmed played inside the line of a stock delivery from Watt to be bowled for a golden duck before MacLeod’s part-time offspin resulted in a pull to deep square-leg by Mohammad Boota to make it 84 for 7.D’Silva eventually returned to the crease but Sharif wound up cleaning up the tail. A miscued slog was skied back to Sharif for the final wicket and UAE were bowled out with nine balls unused.Scotland now move into the fifth-place playoff for T20 World Cup seeding purposes against Oman, who beat Hong Kong.