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Tottenham Hotspur’s injury problems just seem to keep mounting up…

What’s the latest?

Lilywhites defender Ben Davies is the latest name to be stuck on the treatment table after he was a surprise absentee for their UEFA Europa Conference League clash with Slovenian champions NS Mura on Thursday night.

It was a game that he would’ve undoubtedly featured in, having played the full 90 minutes in all of their three previous outings in Europe this campaign.

Nuno Santo has since revealed the reason behind his absence, via the club’s official website.

“Ben has a problem with inflammation on his appendix. He is being taken care of, had scans, but he was in pain. We wish that he recovers soon and can join us,” he said.

A surprise and cruel blow to the player and the squad.

Davies won’t be facing Aston Villa this afternoon, along with wing duo Steven Bergwijn and Ryan Sessegnon, who are also out through injury.

One after the other

The Portuguese head coach has had to contend with an array of issues since he joined the club.

Summer signing Cristian Romero arrived with a problem that he picked up during Copa America duty, Harry Kane wasn’t up to speed with his fitness, Eric Dier, Lucas Moura and Oliver Skipp have picked up knocks over the last few weeks.

It seems never-ending for Nuno right now.

On the face of it, not having Davies available in the Premier League isn’t too much of a big blow but if Sergio Reguilon gets injured – after being forced to play in midweek in the Welshman’s absence – then the Spurs boss is left in a tricky predicament.

Even more so with Sessegnon, the third-choice in the role, also ruled out.

It means that someone would have to play out of position to cover, should the Spaniard pick up any problems.

Davies can also be utilised at centre-back and after being capped 67 times by Wales, he is one of the more experienced members of this squad, so his presence on and off the pitch may well be very important at times.

Given their recent poor form in the top-flight, having lost three successive heavy defeats including the north London derby, Nuno will be fuming that these injuries problems are continuing to escalate in north London.

It’s reported that the Portuguese is under intense pressure to turn things around and further injury woes will not help his cause whatsoever.

AND in other news, Nuno could save Levy millions by unleashing Spurs’ “bright” 20 y/o prodigy this season…

Aston Villa shared specific ticket details ahead of their FA Cup clash with Manchester United in the New Year.

And, as to be expected, the update from Villa’s official support Twitter page had a number of fans talking.

Steven Gerrard will get his first taste as a manager at Old Trafford on Monday, January 10 after the two sides were paired together in the third round for the fifth time in the 21st century.

Home teams are supposed to offer away clubs 15% of their stadium capacity for FA Cup matches – meaning Villa could have got up to 10,000 tickets.

However, the club confirmed that the allocation would be just over 3,000, with adults tickets priced at £30. Those went on sale on Thursday evening, but plenty of supporters were quick to vent their frustration at the update.

Villa fans react

This is what these Villa fans had to say in reply to @AVFCSupport’s post, with many not happy and one labelling it as ‘embarrassing’.

Find all of their verdicts on the development down below:

“Absolute joke allocation”

Credit: @TomL7AVFC

“United being stingy with away tickets in the FA Cup like Tottenham it seems”

Credit: @GaryBolton91

“Embarrassing if it’s the clubs choice to only take 3k”

Credit: @htl_00

“Is this allocation a wind up? One of the few times a lot of people will get to watch villa at Old Trafford and you don’t take the allocation?”

Credit: @roberts_arron

“3000 tickets is pathetic”

Credit: @Anthony38696111

“3k? Are you having a laugh?”

Credit: @Finleysurrell1

In other news: ‘Incoming’, ‘What’s going on?’ – Many AVFC fans ‘love’ Gregg Evans transfer update

BBC journalist David Burns has now shared an interesting Tottenham Hotspur transfer update as their ‘scouting guru’ David Pleat is spotted on a Monday mission.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites eye Championship stars…

Over the last few months, there have been no shortage of links to some of the second tier’s most promising young stars.

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Indeed, the likes of Ronnie Edwards (Peterborough) and Nottingham Forest defender Djed Spence, currently on loan there from Middlesbrough, have been repeatedly mentioned as Spurs targets for the summer.

Lilywhites transfer chief Fabio Paratici and manager Antonio Conte are seemingly leaving no stone unturned as they scour the market for fresh additions at N17.

Keane Lewis-Potter, who was subject to a possible bid from Spurs in the January transfer window, is another head-turning young name on their radar.

Tottenham, and by extension Conte, are believed to still be eyeing the forward past their winter links (The Mail), with Burns now sharing another update on their interest.

The Latest: Burns shares Lewis-Potter update involving Pleat…

It appears that Tottenham are firmly keeping watch over Lewis-Potter with the BBC Radio Humberside reporter claiming their ‘scouting guru’ Pleat was running the rule over him on Monday as Hull faced off against Millwall.

As well as the 21-year-old, Burns suspects that Tigers centre-back Jacob Greaves was also being monitored by Pleat and Spurs.

“Very interested to see David Pleat, Spurs scouting guru, coming into the ground,” he explained (via Twitter).

“He’s watching KLP and I suspect Greaves.”

The Verdict: Take it further?

Reportedly worth around £20 million, Lewis-Potter could require significant investment on part of Paratici and chairman Daniel Levy.

However, still very young and homegrown, the Englishman has also been a real mainstay under head coach Shota Arveladze over 2021/2022 – even notching the most goals and assists (9G, 3A) combined for Hull in the Championship (WhoScored).

Averaging more shots at goal per 90 than any Tigers ace in that time (2.2), it’s clear Lewis-Potter is a proven threat, with his rapid progress in a tough division elevating the starlet’s value.

As Paratici and co reportedly eye around five major signings for Conte in the summer, it will be interesting to see whether Tottenham take more concrete action over the winger who former manager Grant McCann called ‘special’.

In other news: Conte personally approves ‘monster’ player move as Tottenham take pre-summer action, find out more here.

Wolves remain interested in signing towering Lille centre-back Sven Botman in the January transfer window, according to a fresh report.

The Lowdown: Botman a past Wolves target

Wanderers have been linked with the Dutchman in the recent past as Bruno Lage eyes up January and summer reinforcements. The 21-year-old may still be a very young player but he is already a hugely important figure for Lille, making 12 starts in Ligue 1 so far this season.

It looks as though Botman could still be on the move next month, though, with an encouraging update provided from a Wolves perspective.

The Latest: Interest in defender remains

According to Tuttomercatoweb, Wanderers and Roma are both interested in acquiring Botman’s signature and they continue to track the 21-year-old, with AC Milan and Newcastle also now joining the race for his services.

However, the Lille defender’s current deal with the reigning French champions doesn’t expire until the summer of 2025, so a hefty free may be required to prise him away.

The Verdict: Fantastic potential signing

While centre-backs Max Kilman, Conor Coady and Romain Saiss have all impressed for Wolves this season, the opportunity to sign Botman should not be dismissed. The monstrous defender has averaged 2.3 successful headers and 4.6 clearances per game in the league in 2021/22, with only Saiss (2.6) averaging more aerial duels won among those in Lage’s squad.

The Moroccan is also the only Wanderers player to outdo Botman in terms of clearances (5.2), highlighting how good a signing the Dutchman could be in making competition for places even stronger at Molineux.

In other news, some Wolves fans have fumed over a transfer update. Read more here.

Sky Sports News’ Dharmesh Sheth says that Aston Villa are negotiating with West Ham United over a potential deal for goalkeeper Darren Randolph. 

The lowdown

The Athletic’s Gregg Evans reported on Friday, following confirmation that a loan deal had been agreed for Barcelona’s Philippe Coutinho, that Villa also wanted to sign a goalkeeper in January.

Randolph,  who is currently third choice at West Ham behind Lukasz Fabianski and Alphonse Areola, appears to be a primary target. The 34-year-old has 18 months left on his £42,000-per-week contract and is valued at £900,000 by Transfermarkt.

A move to Villa Park would see him provide further competition and cover for incumbent first-choice Emiliano Martinez, the club’s Player of the Season for 2020/21.

The latest

Speaking live on The Transfer Show on Sky Sports [via Football Daily], Sheth revealed that discussions were underway between the two clubs. He added that the prospective signing of Randolph could trigger the departure of current Villa deputy Jed Steer.

The journalist outlined: “We’re told they’re in talks to sign the West Ham United goalkeeper Darren Randolph. If a deal can be struck between Aston Villa and West Ham United, then Villa could allow their second choice keeper Jed Steer to move on loan so that he can get more regular first team football.”

The verdict

Randolph may be well down the pecking order at West Ham, but he is a solid goalkeeper with plenty of experience, including 34 Premier League games to Steer’s three. He also enjoyed a lengthy stint as Republic of Ireland’s number one, a post he held during Euro 2016, and he has racked up half a century of caps overall (via Transfermarkt).

He’d arrive with the endorsement of former Villa and Ireland boss Martin O’Neill, who called him a ‘very fine’ goalkeeper after an ‘excellent’ performance in a 2017 World Cup play-off clash against Denmark.

Furthermore, Ryan Shotton, a team-mate of Randolph’s at Middlesbrough, dubbed him ‘unbelievable’ and capable of making ‘ridiculous’ saves’.

As backups to Martinez go, Villa would do an awful lot worse than bringing in the Irish veteran from West Ham.

In other news, Villa are also in talks over this potential signing

[ad_pod ]Tottenham Hotspur confirmed that left winger Georges-Kevin N’Koudou had joined AS Monaco on loan for the remainder of the season on Thursday, via a tweet from their official account.

What’s the word?

N’Koudou has struggled for minutes since joining Spurs in 2016Âand spent a portion of last season on loan at Burnley.

Despite being given a chance by Mauricio Pochettino in recent weeks – N’Koudou played against Fulham and Crystal Palace, as well as against West Ham United in October of last year – the Frenchman will now head back to Ligue 1.

Pl>ymaker FC’s Matchday with Max caught up with Jamaica’s women’s team. See what happened when he met the history makers in the video below…

Spurs signed the 23-year-old from Marseille, as per the BBC, but he has struggled to stamp his authority on the left flank and remains behind Son Heung-Min in the pecking order.

He will now spend the second half of this season in France, with Monaco looking to turn around a season that has threatened to implode; the club are currently second-from-bottom in Ligue 1.

Son set for burnout?

Spurs now have a very weak looking left-hand side.

Son Heung-Min has returned from the Asian Cup but he cannot do it all on his own.

Christian Eriksen has the ability to play on the left flank but it seems as though Pochettino is betting on The South Korea international remaining fit for the remainder of the season.

It is a bold strategy, given some of the injury issues Pochettino has had to deal with already this term.

An update has emerged on Leeds United winger Raphinha, regarding his injury following the draw with Wolves.

What’s the latest?

The Brazilian forward has posted an update to Instagram, which has been relayed by Leeds’ official Twitter account, which provides a positive outlook on his situation after he hobbled off on Saturday.

He was substituted in the 54th minute after a crunching challenge from Wolves defender Romain Saiss, with Leeds going on to draw the game 1-1 thanks to a last-minute penalty from Rodrigo.

As part of his post, Raphinha wrote: “I’m fine. It was nothing serious, so I’m back soon”

Cloud nine

Leeds fans will be left on cloud nine following this update from the player after the game. They could have been very concerned after the injury was sustained during the match as it appeared to be a major blow for the Brazilian.

At the time of the initial problem, Sky Sports pundit Michael Dawson appeared concerned for the winger due to the nature of the challenge. He said: “In slow motion, it looks horrendous.”

However, it appears to be a case of it looking worse than it actually was. Raphinha’s post suggests that it is not a serious blow and that means that he may not miss any matches, which would be a huge boost for Leeds ahead of a massive clash with Norwich next weekend.

The Whites travel to Carrow Road in desperate need of a win as they sit 17th in the Premier League table. Norwich are without a win and have lost seven of their nine matches, yet a win for the Canaries would see them move within two points of Marcelo Bielsa’s side.

Therefore, having the winger available will be crucial for Leeds as he has proven himself to be a terrific forward at this level. He has three goals this term and managed six goals and nine assists last season, which suggests that he has the potential to be the match-winner in Norfolk on Sunday.

This is why Leeds fans will be on cloud nine after Raphinha’s post as it suggests that he will be available for selection despite his injury. With Kalvin Phillips and Patrick Bamford already sidelined, Bielsa will surely be delighted not to lose another of his star players for a significant period of time.

AND in other news, 100% duels lost: Leeds lightweight with 0% dribble success let Bielsa down badly…

As per Mundo Deportivo, there has been an update on Tottenham Hotspur’s pursuit of Barcelona forward Ousmane Dembele.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Dembele move…

After Spurs recorded pre-tax losses of around £80.2m for the last financial year, taking their overall debt to £706m (The Guardian), it’s little surprise to see transfer chief Fabio Paratici and manager Antonio Conte targeting free agents.

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The likes of Franck Kessie and Lorenzo Insigne are just two other names who have recently been linked with Spurs and could leave their clubs on a pre-contract in 2022.

Another player who’s been linked, and perhaps one of the biggest names to be mentioned, is France international Dembele, whose current deal also expires at the end of this season.

90min first claimed that Tottenham had joined the race for his services, with Mundo Deportivo now providing an update.

The Latest: Spurs have ‘offer’ of signing-on bonus…

As per their information, Spurs are one of three clubs to have the ‘offer’ of a signing-on bonus at the ready should Dembele decide to leave Catalonia.

Manchester United and Newcastle are the other two contenders who can gift the 24-year-old this incentive as both the player and his agent run out of time to make a decision.

It is said that the ‘ultimatum’ Barcelona gave Dembele ‘reaches it’s last days’, with the winger now expected to respond to their proposal of an extension.

The Verdict: Interesting times ahead…

The £210,000-per-week forward would be an eyebrow-raising addition for Conte in more ways than one.

On top of his lucrative salary demands, Dembele’s history of severe hamstring problems doesn’t exactly bode well for any club interested in signing the attacker.

His obvious ability is undeniable, with former Barcelona boss Ronald Koeman recently calling him ‘fantastic’ following a return to form, but it’s arguable that the finances involved and his unreliable fitness record make this a risky move for Tottenham.

Pundit Carlton Palmer certainly agrees, telling This is Futbol: “The way that recruitment of players is done now and the in-depth analysis of players and their game time and their injuries and the type of money that Dembele would be commanding, I think it would be a crazy signing.”

We wholeheartedly agree with the former England international and suggest that Spurs avoid this one.

In other news: Talks ongoing: Spurs in contact to sign ‘incredible’ £29.9m, club open to temporary deal, find out more here.

Southampton have joined a clutch of Premier League teams in the race to sign FC Koln defender Timo Hubers this summer.

The Lowdown: Hubers’ career so far

In 2015, the 25-year-old left the Hannover 96 under-19s to join FC Koln II, before returning to Hannover the following year. The 6 foot 2 defender played five seasons for Die Roten before rejoining Koln, but this time for the latter’s first team.

Hubers has made 15 appearances in the Bundesliga this season and has left a great impression on Steffen Baumgart’s defence. As a result, WhoScored have ranked him as Koln’s best player this season, having averaged a 7.13 rating.

However, at the end of the season, Hubers will enter into the final 12 months of his current contract.

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The Latest: Saints interested in Hubers

According to the Daily Mail, Newcastle, Leeds and Crystal Palace are all understood to be closely tracking the 25-year-old centre-back, whilst West Ham, Southampton and Championship promotion favourites Fulham are also monitoring his situation.

It is said that the Hammers and the Saints are likely to prioritise bringing in a centre-back during the summer transfer window, with Hubers set to command a £6m fee.

The Verdict: Good for rotation…or maybe more

The central defenders currently at Ralph Hasenhuttl’s disposal are Mohammed Salisu, Jan Bednarek, Jack Stephens and Lyanco. Furthermore, the Saints also have Dynel Simeu, who joined from Chelsea last summer, and his loan deal with Carlisle United is set to expire at the end of May.

However, with Lyanco and Stephens only featuring sporadically this season and with another loan deal potentially in the offing for Simeu, Southampton may well be looking to reshuffle their options at the back in search of more first-team quality.

Therefore, the addition of Hubers could provide Hasenhuttl with a stronger option for rotation – or possibly an immediate first-team starter, with the 25-year-old reportedly tailor-made for the Saints manager’s preference for playing the ball out from the back.

In other news: Dan Sheldon has criticised one Saints player during the 1-1 draw at Leeds

West Brom have been pretty active in the transfer market in the past, having splashed out significant sums of money on players like Karlan Grant, Jay Rodriguez and Nacer Chadli among others.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing but one figure the club will now be wishing they had made a move to sign is Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk.

According to an article from the Express & Star, the Dutchman “came on the Baggies’ radar – along with a host of other clubs – while he was at Celtic.”

The article also adds that the former Hoops man “was extensively scouted and recommended to Tony Pulis,” but the club didn’t make a move to bring him to the Hawthorns before he eventually moved to Southampton in 2015.Former Baggies midfielder Darren Fletcher also revealed that he had recommended the Midlands club to sign Van Dijk, but they weren’t too keen to pay the money that was being touted for the defender at the time.During his time with the Saints, the centre-back scored seven goals in 80 appearances across all competitions following a £13m move. That was before making his mega-money journey to Liverpool in the 2018 January transfer window for a fee of £75m.Since becoming a Reds player, the 30-year-old has been a revelation for Jurgen Klopp’s side, making 168 appearances in which he’s found the back of the net 16 times as well as winning the Premier League and Champions League.To further highlight the defender’s rise to football’s upper echelons, he won the 2018/19 UEFA Men’s Player of the Year award, beating the likes of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo. With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that Roy Keane dubbed him a “beast of a man” back in 2020.Labelled as a player that has “got everything” in his game by Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha, the £49.5m-rated defender has once again shown what a formidable defensive unit he is for the Merseyside club by making more clearances (119) than any other player in Liverpool’s squad as well as winning an impressive 88.9% of the tackles he’s made.According to Salary Sport, the 6 foot 4 defensive titan is currently picking up a weekly wage of £240k-per-week, making him the highest earner at Liverpool, which is understandable given what he’s done for the team since his arrival.From a West Brom point of view, it’s hard to see this being anything other than a howler from Pulis by not making the most of the recommendations that were sent his way about Van Dijk, leaving the Midlands club to have nothing but nightmares about what could have been.In other news: WBA heading for disaster over “powerful” 30-goal “diamond”, supporters will be fuming