New England Women’s head coach sees opener add unbeaten 130 to her three wickets as Lancashire crush The Blaze

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay23-Apr-2025England allrounder Emma Lamb delivered a match-winning performance as Lancashire opened the new era of women’s county cricket with an emphatic eight-wicket win over The Blaze in the Metro Bank One-Day Cup at Trent Bridge.Watched by the national team’s newly-appointed head coach, Charlotte Edwards, opening batter Lamb took three for 42 with her off-breaks as The Blaze were restricted to 234 from 50 overs after opting to bat first, before making an unbeaten 130 with the bat as Lancashire chased down their target with five overs to spare.Scotland captain Kathryn Bryce almost inevitably top-scored with 70 for the home side, Georgia Elwiss making 49 on debut. Left-arm spinner Hannah Jones also took three wickets, with England seamer Mahika Gaur picking up two.Related

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All out to the last ball of their allocated 50 overs, The Blaze total always looked under par even on a used pitch, with too many batters out to self-inflicted errors.With the ball, they could not muster the same discipline as their opponents and critically dropped centurion Lamb three times, the opener going on to hit 15 boundaries.England duo Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones – another Blaze debutant – who opened the innings, were both out to loose shots, Jones when looking well set on 30. The same malaise afflicted their middle order while even Bryce, well though she played, might consider her dismissal was avoidable.On the other hand, Lancashire’s bowlers deserved credit for creating pressure through the middle of the innings. England seamer Kate Cross sent down 39 dot balls and was unlucky to finish wicketless, two catches going down off her bowling.Beaumont – captaining in place of the injured Kirstie Gordon – was the first casualty, caught at short third chasing a wide delivery from Gaur. Bryce and Jones built nicely, but after the second-wicket pair had added 47 the England wicketkeeper perished tamely, hitting Sophie Morris’s left-arm spin straight to long-off.There seemed to be no shifting the irrepressible Bryce, who was beginning her domestic season only five days after concluding Scotland’s ICC World Cup qualifying tournament in Lahore with an unbeaten 131 in the thriller against Ireland. The all-rounder, whose half-century here came in 53 balls, has amassed a remarkable 1,786 runs in all formats since the start of 2024.With Elwiss – the former Loughborough Lightning skipper who is back in the East Midlands after a highly successful stint with Southern Vipers – she put on 82 for the third wicket before Elwiss, who had looked impressive, was bowled by a clever delivery from Hannah Jones.Nonetheless, The Blaze looked to have a platform for a big score at 146 for 3 from 32 overs but probably wasted the opportunity. Bryce, already with a boundary in the over, was caught at mid-off, Orla Prendergast at extra cover, Ella Claridge at deep mid-wicket and Georgie Boyce at midwicket, the last three seeing 191 for 4 become 197 for 7 in the space of 11 balls.Josie Groves plundered 21 after being dropped on one, but 234 looked a tricky total to defend.Needing to build pressure on their opponents from the start, The Blaze did not help themselves, with new-ball bowlers Grace Ballinger and new signing Charley Phillips, formerly with Sunrisers, each conceding wides and boundaries in their opening spells.Bryce the bowler made a breakthrough with her first delivery, inducing a return catch via a leading edge to remove ex-Central Sparks skipper Eve Jones on her Lancashire debut, but Lamb and overseas signing Katie Mack took charge, Lamb making The Blaze pay as Elwiss dropped her on 17 at midwicket and Groves on 26 at backward point – Ballinger the unlucky bowler on both occasions – by completing a 65-ball half-century with her ninth four.It took until the 31st over for the second-wicket pair to be separated, England leg-spinner Sarah Glenn bowling Australia’s Mack middle stump for 44 to end a stand worth 114.Lamb had another escape on 92, albeit to a tough caught-and-bowled chance spilled by Glenn, but kept her nerve and completed her fifth List A hundred from 114 balls, having hit 12 boundaries, then seeing her side over the line in an unbroken 86-run partnership with Seren Smale (38 not out).

Italian giants Juventus and AC Milan are reportedly interested in Manchester City midfielder Bernardo Silva, who is set to become a free agent in 2026. While neither club has entered formal negotiations, both have held exploratory talks with Silva’s agent, Jorge Mendes. The Portuguese midfielder is also attracting lucrative offers from Saudi Arabian clubs, as well as interest from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain.

• Juventus' and Milan's interest in Silva

  According to , Silva currently earns a net salary of €10 million (£9m/$11m), a figure that would be difficult for Italian clubs to match. With his contract with City set to expire in 2026, both Juventus and AC Milan have held exploratory talks with his agent to gauge the possibility of a move. Barcelona and PSG had previously made offers for Silva but are no longer pursuing the player.

  However, as reported by Fabrizio Romano, Silva has received lucrative offers from Saudi Arabian clubs and could be tempted by a move there, having hinted he will not extend his contract with City and could leave England.

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  Silva's stellar City career

  City signed the Portugal international from Monaco in 2017. A versatile player capable of operating both in midfield and the forward line, Silva has made 416 appearances for City, scoring 72 goals and providing 74 assists. During his time at the club, he has won six Premier League titles and played a pivotal role in City’s 2023 Champions League triumph. Now in his ninth season with the club, Silva was named captain following Kevin De Bruyne’s departure to Napoli.

• Return to Benfica or contract extension

  Portuguese club Benfica are reportedly interested in bringing Silva back, as he is a product of their academy before moving to Monaco. He was recently appointed City captain, however, sparking suggestions he could continue under Pep Guardiola beyond this season.

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  Silva's challenge at City

  Silva is likely to aim to finish his career at City on a high, targeting silverware before evaluating his options at the end of the season. Milan and Juventus will hope to secure his services, as he could bring a wealth of experience and quality to their squads.

أوضح لاعب مانشستر يونايتد السابق روي كين، محلل قنوات “سكاي سبورتس”، المشكلة الرئيسية التي يعاني منها ليفربول هذا الموسم.

وواجه ليفربول نظيره فرانكفورت الألماني مساء أمس، الأربعاء، في المباراة التي جمعتهما ضمن منافسات الجولة الثالثة من مرحلة الدوري لبطولة دوري أبطال أوروبا.

وحقق ليفربول فوزًا مهمًا على نظيره الألماني بخماسية مقابل هدف جعلته يستعيد ثقته مرة أخرى بعد عدم الفوز في 4 مباريات متتالية.

وكان آرني سلوت قد اتخذ قرارًا بجلوس محمد صلاح على دكة البدلاء أمام آينتراخت فرانكفورت للمباراة الثانية على التوالي بدوري أبطال أوروبا، بعد جلوسه أمام جالطة سراي في المباراة السابقة.

مكث الريدز 4 مباريات متتالية في جميع المسابقات لا يعرف طعم الفوز وخسرها جميعًا، أمام كريستال بالاس وتشيلسي ومانشستر يونايتد وجالطة سراي.

اقرأ أيضًا | بعد تألقه أمام فرانكفورت.. هل أصبح محمد صلاح مُهددًا بسبب فيرتز؟

وقال روي كين، في تصريحات نقلتها صحيفة “ليفربول إيكو”: “أعتقد أن أكبر مشكلة يواجهها ليفربول هي طريقة دفاعه، في الهجوم لا يزال هناك تهديد على المرمى، فهم يمتلكون الجودة لكن دفاعيًا يعانون كثيرًا”.

وأكمل: “لقد قلنا في بداية الموسم بالعودة إلى مباراة الدرع الخيرية، أنهم كانوا يستقبلون العديد من الفرص ولكنهم كانوا لا يزالون يسجلون”.

وأتم”الآن ما زالوا يستقبلون الكثير من الفرص والكثير من الأهداف، هذه هي المشكلة الأكبر، على سبيل المثال آرسنال يهاجم ويدافع كفريق واحد لكن ليفربول غير مترابط أبدًا”.

Wicketkeeper-batter Litton Das has been formally announced as Bangladesh’s T20I captain, while offspinner Mahedi Hasan has been named his deputy for the seven away T20Is against UAE and Pakistan in May-June.Litton replaces Najmul Hossain Shanto in the role after the 26-year-old quit as Bangladesh’s T20I captain earlier this year. Litton had also led Bangladesh in a three-match T20I series in the West Indies last December, with Shanto unavailable due to a hamstring injury. Bangladesh had clean-swept the hosts 3-0.Litton has led Bangladesh in one Test, seven ODIs and four T20Is, but this is the first time that he has been named full-time captain in any format. The 30-year-old was recently ruled out of PSL 2025, where he was part of Karachi Kings, after he sustained a finger injury during training. He has since recovered.Related

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Shanto, meanwhile, is one of five players who have returned to Bangladesh’s T20I squad. Apart from him, the national selectors have also included Towhid Hridoy, Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman and Shoriful Islam in the 16-member squad. Hridoy had also missed the West Indies series due to an injury, while Mustafizur was attending to a personal issue at the time.There was, however, no place for Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan Miraz, Ripon Mondol and Taskin Ahmed. Taskin is recovering from an ankle injury, while Mehidy’s exclusion is mildly surprising given he has been part of Bangladesh’s leadership group in recent months.Bangladesh will first play two T20Is against UAE in Sharjah on May 17 and 19. They will then leave for Pakistan to play a five-match T20I series, which begins on May 25. The series will conclude on June 3.

Bangladesh squad for T20Is in UAE and Pakistan

Litton Das (capt), Tanzid Hasan, Parvez Hossain, Soumya Sarkar, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Towhid Hridoy, Shamim Hossain, Jaker Ali, Rishad Hossain, Mahedi Hasan (vice-capt), Tanvir Islam, Mustafizur Rahman, Hasan Mahmud, Tanzim Hasan Sakib, Nahid Rana and Shoriful Islam

Whilst Spain did manage to return to their European throne last summer and are among the favourites to win the 2026 World Cup, it’ll take some doing to match the dominance that they enjoyed in the 2000s.

As Barcelona and Real Madrid battled it out for the club throne, it was Spain who benefitted on the international stage. Stars such as Sergio Ramos and Gerard Pique put their rivalries aside to put the very best to the sword and leave several countries in their wake. It was the era of the El Clasico at its best from September to May, but collective Spanish dominance from then onwards.

With Vincente Del Bosque in charge, the Spaniards defeated the Netherlands in last-gasp fashion to win the World Cup in the 2010 World Cup. They then thrashed Italy two years later to win Euro 2012 in their second-consecutive European Championship win after victory in 2008. And it was in that 2012 game that Xavi particularly starred.

The Barcelona legend was often at the centre of the beauty that was Spain’s side at their peak. He was their controller – the conductor of a side so capable of ending summers with the perfect crescendo – and without him, there may have been no World Cup and there may have been no European Championships. He was that influential.

Yet, even one of the best midfielders of all time had no choice but to admit that another star man is the most talented player in Spain’s history. Simply put, as good as Xavi was, another star stands tall as the best that the country has ever seen.

Xavi: Iniesta is Spain's "most talented" player ever

From Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi to Gerard Pique and Carles Puyol, Barcelona enjoyed some incredible combinations during their best years, but perhaps none as perfect as Xavi and Andres Iniesta. The Spanish duo were untouchable when together with Sergio Busquets and all three took that invincibility to the international stage.

As good as all three were, however, Xavi only had one answer when selecting Spain’s “most talented” player in history – claiming that Iniesta is the country’s true standout.

Whether the likes of Lamine Yamal eventually overtake Iniesta’s legacy is a debate for another time. Of course, if he does intend to do so, then he’ll need to find a way to beat the former midfielder’s iconic winning goal against the Netherlands in 2010. Over to you, Lamine.

ESPNcricinfo understands that the RCB quick is expected to return to India after a period of rehab on a shoulder niggle back in Australia

Andrew McGlashan23-May-2025

Josh Hazlewood is firming to make a return to the IPL 2025 for the playoffs with Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) after coming through a period of rehab on a shoulder niggle back in Australia.Hazlewood, who missed RCB’s last match before the IPL was suspended, returned home during the hiatus and has since been training in Brisbane as part of Australia’s preparations ahead of the World Test Championship final.ESPNcricinfo understands that he has emerged from those sessions well and is expected to return to India although it has yet to be confirmed. Hazlewood has had an outstanding tournament with 18 wickets at 17.27 from ten matches.Related

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RCB are assured of progressing and have two matches remaining in the league phase – against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) on Friday and Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) on May 27 – which will determine their route through the playoffs.The IPL was Hazlewood’s return to action after an injury-hit home summer where he did not feature again after suffering a calf strain in the third Test against India, which followed a side problem that kept him out of the second Test in Adelaide. He subsequently missed the tour of Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy.He is expected to return to the side for the WTC final against South Africa, edging Scott Boland out of the XI, having narrowly missed out on the 2023 decider against India amid recovery from Achilles and side injuries.The Australia players and staff who have remained at home will leave for the UK on May 29 with those at the rescheduled IPL joining as their tournaments conclude. Only Hazlewood and Josh Inglis (Punjab Kings) will be involved in the playoffs from those in the Test squad. The IPL final takes place on June 3, leaving just under a week to prepare for South Africa should either remain at the tournament until the end.Captain Pat Cummins and Travis Head will finish their season with Sunrisers Hyderabad on May 25. Mitchell Starc opted not to return to the tournament with Delhi Capitals.Marnus Labuschagne, Cameron Green, Beau Webster and travelling reserve Brendan Doggett are currently playing county cricket.

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Rogério Ceni deve ser anunciado como técnico do Bahia nas próximas horas. O treinador estava sem clube desde que deixou o São Paulo, em abril deste ano. O ex-goleiro e ídolo do Tricolor vai assumir o lugar deixado por Renato Paiva, que pediu demissão após muitas críticas pelo desempenho ruim no Brasileirão.

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Ceni assume o Bahia na 16ª posição do Campeonato Brasileiro, logo acima da zona de rebaixamento. O time briga diretamente com Vasco e Santos na luta contra a degola. A informação sobre o acerto de Ceni com o time baiano foi divulgada inicialmente pelo jornalista Yuri Santana, no X, antigo Twitter.

+ Tem promoção exclusiva de boas-vindas pra você! Aposte a partir de R$10 e receba até R$200 de bônus na Lance! Betting

Em sua carreira como treinador, Ceni tem um título do Campeonato Brasileiro no currículo pelo Flamengo. O treinador também teve sucesso no Fortaleza, onde fez ótima campanha e se destacou no cenário nacional. Enquanto Ceni não chega, Rogério Ferreira, auxiliar técnico, segue treinando a equipe.

+ Confira a classificação atualizada do Brasileirão e veja os próximos jogos

Newcastle United’s season has been a tale of mixed fortunes.

There had been questions over their attack in the opening weeks, with the team struggling to find fluency in front of goal.

They entered Sunday’s home fixture with one of the lowest expected goals tallies in the Premier League, a worrying sign for a side competing on multiple fronts this campaign.

Yet there have been positive signs of improvement. A 4-0 win against Belgian champions Union Saint-Gilloise in midweek and a 2-0 victory over Nottingham Forest at the weekend offered encouragement.

Across those two games, Newcastle scored six and conceded none, showcasing both attacking progress and defensive resilience.

Their defensive record, in particular, has been outstanding.

The clean sheet against Forest was their sixth of the season, built on the formidable partnership of Malick Thiaw and Sven Botman.

Botman, finally free from the injuries that plagued him over the last 18 months, looks back to his dominant best.

With such a strong foundation at the back, Eddie Howe’s side have not had to rely on prolific attacking displays to keep pace in the league and Europe.

But injuries have caused problems. Both starting full-backs, Tino Livramento and Lewis Hall, are set for extended layoffs, and that has forced Howe into reshuffling his defence.

Dan Burn, a natural centre-back, has been deputising at left-back, and while his height and physicality bring certain advantages, the role exposes his weaknesses.

How Newcastle defeated Nottingham Forest

Newcastle’s 2-0 win over Nottingham Forest was convincing in the scoreline, but the performance showed areas that still need work.

Offensively, Howe’s men created plenty. They registered an xG of 3.28 – their highest in a single Premier League game this season – and fashioned six big chances, firing 18 shots.

Possession

51%

Big Chances

6

Shots

18

Corners

8

Passes

464

Bruno Guimarães was exceptional, dictating the game and earning a 9.4 match rating, via Sofascore.

His curling strike in the 58th minute opened the scoring while he then won a penalty after being fouled. Man of the moment, new mega-money striker, Nick Woltemade confidently dispatched the resulting spot kick to seal all three points.

Defensively, Newcastle looked solid throughout. Forest mustered only five shots, four on target, but none that truly tested Nick Pope.

The only real scare came from former Magpies Chris Wood in the second half, though it was ruled offside.

For a side that has kept six clean sheets already, this was another example of their defensive discipline shining through.

Yet it wasn’t all perfect. While the centre-backs were imperious and Guimarães orchestrated midfield, the flanks were less convincing.

Anthony Gordon and Anthony Elanga both struggled to stamp their authority in wide areas, and Burn’s positioning at left-back behind Gordon became a notable concern.

Dan Burn's struggles against Nottingham Forest

Dan Burn has been described by one content creator as “the stuff of nightmares” at left-back.

Against Forest, that description rang true again.

Despite Newcastle controlling much of the game, Burn’s vulnerability in one-on-one situations was visible and will surely be noted by future opponents.

Statistically, Burn’s outing summed up the dilemma.

He registered a 6.9 match rating according to Sofascore, produced one assist, and made two clearances, one interception, and one tackle. But he was also dribbled past twice, highlighting his discomfort against quicker, more agile opponents.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

While his aerial dominance and strength are assets, at full-back, he is often exposed for pace and movement in behind.

This isn’t an isolated issue. In midweek, Union Saint-Gilloise repeatedly targeted Burn’s side in the Champions League, recognising it as a potential weakness.

More dangerous Premier League opponents than Forest are likely to do the same.

Newcastle’s next fixture away at Brighton could prove especially difficult, with Yankuba Minteh expected to test Burn’s defensive ability down the wing.

Burn’s situation is complicated by his England call-up, where he will likely feature as a centre-back.

While that suits his natural game, it denies him the opportunity to gain more rhythm at left-back, a role Newcastle increasingly need him to adapt to.

The positional adjustment could even influence the way Howe sets his team up, as Burn’s lack of mobility on the flank can alter Newcastle’s pressing and transition play.

The debate is already growing among fans about whether Newcastle should look into the free-agent market for a temporary left-back solution until Hall returns.

Burn has been a dependable servant and remains a strong squad option, but in this role, he is certainly on borrowed time in the starting lineup.

As Howe looks ahead to a congested autumn schedule, managing this weakness could be as important as Newcastle’s improving attacking play.

While the defence remains one of the most reliable in the league, the left-back situation is one clear that rivals will aim to exploit.

90-touch Newcastle ace is now as undroppable as Bruno Guimaraes & Woltemade

Newcastle United secured a vital 2-0 win against Nottingham Forest this afternoon.

ByEthan Lamb Oct 5, 2025

Arsenal came back with a bang this weekend

Mikel Arteta’s side appeared to have put their defeat to Liverpool well and truly behind them as they comfortably beat Ange Postecoglou’s Nottingham Forest 3-0.

There were brilliant performances across the pitch for the home side, with Noni Madueke continuing his form from the international break, Martin Zubimendi scoring a brace, and Viktor Gyokeres netting his third goal of the Premier League season.

While Eberechi Eze also impressed on his first start for the club, he did endure a slightly more unproductive night in the Champions League against Athletic Club.

Therefore, a slight tweak to Arteta’s side could get the best out of him.

Eze's superb showing against Forest

He may have made his official debut for Arsenal against Liverpool prior to the international break, but it was over the weekend that Arteta handed Eze his first start for the club, and boy did he repay him.

The England international was signed to bring an air of unpredictability and flair to the Gunners’ attack, and it took him all of five minutes to do just that, beating a defender and getting the crowd on their feet.

It was much of the same from that point on, as while he did not win every duel nor complete every dribble, the former Crystal Palace star was a constant threat on the left-hand side and ensured Forest couldn’t get a moment’s rest.

The Greenwich-born “magician,” as dubbed by Micah Richards, received his reward just a minute after the restart, drilling a ball across the penalty area for Gyokeres to smash into the net.

It was a truly brilliant performance from the Englishman, one that saw the Standard’s Sam Tabuteau award him an 8/10 match rating at full-time, which, based on his statistics, felt more than justified.

For example, in 79 minutes of action, he amassed a combined expected goals and assists figure of 0.50, provided one assist, completed three dribbles, took 43 touches, played one key pass, was accurate in 100% of his long balls, created one big chance, won two fouls and won 100% of his aerial duels.

It was the kind of showing that more than justifies the money Arsenal spent on him, although if Arteta wants to get even more out of him in the future after a subdued display in Europe on Tuesday, one change could be made.

The Arsenal star who can make Eze even better

The truly exciting thing for Arsenal fans is that after their summer of business, they have so many talented players in the squad who all deserve to start.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

However, Arteta could make Eze even more unplayable by dropping the in-form Riccardo Calafiori, “Arsenal’s Player of the Season so far” in the words of one content creator. Instead, Arteta must look at unleashing new signing Piero Hincapié.

The £65k-per-week international completed his loan move with an option to buy at £45m to the club on deadline day and hasn’t been able to play from the start for them yet, but as his performances in the international break showed, he’s more than match fit.

Moreover, there is one part of his game that could make him the perfect partner for Eze on that left-hand side: his ability to overlap.

The Ecuadorian “beast,” as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, might not be as gung-ho as a Jeremie Frimpong, but he is undoubtedly excellent at bombing up and down the byline, so much so in fact that respected analyst Ben Mattinson described him as “a left-sided Ben White.”

You can see some elements of his desire and ability to maraud up the pitch in his underlying numbers, with FBref ranking in the top 2% of full-backs in Europe’s top-five leagues for progressive passing distance, the top 4% for progressive carrying distance and overall carries, the top 8% for passes into the final third, and more, all per 90.

With all that said, you may wonder why having an overlapping full-back would help maximise Eze’s potential.

Well, simply put, while the former Palace star can play at left-wing and looked great there on Saturday, he is someone who very much prefers to move into more central areas when he gets closer to goal, which we can see from his heat map last season.

Therefore, if Hincapié starts at left-back and is the one to provide width through his overlapping runs, Eze can move closer to the middle of the pitch and do what he does best.

Ultimately, we’ve not seen it yet, but this pairing could be the one that helps Arsenal’s left-hand side become as much of a threat as their right has been in years past.

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By
Matt Dawson

Sep 16, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur have entered a new phase in recent months after Thomas Frank took the reins following Ange Postecoglou’s dismissal at the end of the 2024/25 campaign.

The Aussie ended his spell in North London on a high after winning the Europa League, but it was their lowly Premier League finish which brought his time at the club to an end.

Such a responsibility now falls to the Dane, with the 51-year-old tasked with building on their recent European success and making the side a force to be reckoned with.

The board handed the new boss over £100m to make the additions he craved during the summer, subsequently strengthening various areas of his first-team squad.

However, one summer signing in the form of Mathys Tel could also be heading for the exit door – after the latest development coming out of the Lilywhites camp.

Mathys Tel’s current situation at Spurs

After spending the second half of last season on loan at Spurs, the hierarchy decided to make Tel’s transfer permanent – costing around £30m from Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich.

At just 20 years of age, the Frenchman was undoubtedly brought in as an immediate and long-term option for Frank in the club’s attempt for future success.

However, it’s unclear how much of a part he will play during the 51-year-old’s tenure after the winger was left out of the club’s 25-man squad for this season’s Champions League.

Upon his move to join the Lilywhites, not many people would’ve anticipated that he would be left out of the squad – especially considering his record of two goals in such a competition for Bayern.

The likes of Wilson Odobert, Brennan Johnson and new addition Mohammed Kudus were all selected ahead of him – prompting questions to be asked around his long-term future under Frank.

Tel himself spoke to the media in recent days, subsequently downplaying a move away, but there is no doubt he there will be a strong sense of disappointment felt by the youngster in the months ahead.

However, he may not be the only player to leave North London in the near future, with another first-team member also failing to make the desired impact since Frank’s appointment.

The Spurs player who could be finished alongside Tel

During the first three Premier League outings of the Frank reign, it’s clear to see the manager is capable of switching up his system – either able to use a back four or back five when needed.

The Lilywhites have won two of their first three outings, beating Burnley and Manchester City, before suffering a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on home soil before the international break.

His appointment has allowed Richarlison to flourish, with the Brazilian netting two goals and an assist in his three starts – resurrecting his career at the club after falling down Postecoglou’s pecking order during the Aussie’s two years at the helm.

The same can’t be said for centre-back Ben Davies, with the Welshman being an unused substitute in all the league games to date, along with the Super Cup final defeat to Champions League winners PSG.

The 32-year-old made 28 appearances across all competitions throughout 2024/25, but it’s clear that minutes will be harder to come by in the near future.

Cristian Romero is already ahead of the former Swansea City star in the pecking order, forming an excellent partnership with Micky van de Ven at the heart of the backline.

The former of the duo was also named as the club’s new captain, further reducing the amount of game time Davies may receive during Frank’s spell at the club.

Games played

17

Minutes played

1330

Pass accuracy

91%

Duels won

5.2

Aerials duels won

3.6

Recoveries

2.8

Dribbled past

0.4

Tackles won

65%

When called upon in recent times, his performances have also left a lot to be desired, leading to John Wenham labelling the centre-back as “terrible” in the defeat against Wolves a couple of years ago.

Given his age, he’s certainly ending the back end of his professional career, handing another reason for the hierarchy to cut loose and allow young talents to stake their claim.

Davies also earns a pretty penny, currently pocketing a steep £80k-per-week in North London – potentially saving a whopping £4.2m a year if he were to depart the Lilywhites.

There’s no denying the Welshman has been a tremendous servant, making over 350 appearances for the club after joining from Swansea back in the summer of 2014.

It may be a harsh decision to move Davies on, but ultimately, if Frank is to make the side into serial winners, brutal decisions will need to be made to enable further progression on the pitch.

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