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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…

West Brom are interested in signing Watford forward Andre Gray this summer, according to a recent report from Football Insider.

The lowdown

Gray has been with the Hornets since 2017, having arrived at Vicarage Road from Burnley.

The forward has found regular game time hard to come by in recent seasons though, making 30 appearances for Xisco Munoz’s side in the 2020/21 season.

Gray has one year remaining on his current deal with Watford, although it remains to be seen as to whether he’ll see out that contract with the Hornets, who are preparing for life back in the Premier League and may not seem him as up to the required standard.

The latest

The Baggies have reportedly registered their interest in signing Gray this summer, with Football Insider’s Hawthorns source claiming that Watford have given the ‘green light’ for the former Burnley striker to depart before the summer transfer window closes.

That report claims that West Brom are keen on either a loan or permanent deal to sign the 30-year-old.

The verdict

Gray could be worth a punt for West Brom this summer, as they look to find a striker who can fire them back into the Premier League this term.

Valerien Ismael already has some strong options available to him in Karlan Grant and Kenneth Zohore, but additional strength in depth could be ideal for the newly-appointed West Brom boss.

Gray has shown that he can score goals in the Championship in the past as well, having played for both Burnley and Brentford at that level, netting 25 goals in 44 appearances as the Clarets won promotion into the Premier League in the 2015/16 season.

Gray had previously been linked with a move to Leeds United, and in an interview with Football Insider discussing those links, pundit and former goalscorer Darren Bent felt as though Gray is a ‘perfect signing’ in the second tier with ‘proven pedigree’ at that level.

Manchester United will reportedly consider the appointment of Spain manager Luis Enrique after the departure of Ole Gunnar Solskjaer over the weekend.

What’s the story?

According to Sky Sports reporter Rob Dorsett, the Red Devils have identified a lengthy list of potential successors to Solskjaer, but the 51-year-old is the favourite candidate choice of Cristiano Ronaldo.

He tweeted: “Cristiano Ronaldo is keen for Luis Enrique to become the new #mufc manager, I’m told. The Spain boss likely to be considered for the role along with out-of-work Zinedine Zidane and Erik Ten Hag, the #ajax manager. Pochettino and Brendan Rodgers are long shots currently.”

Man Utd fans will be ecstatic

News that Enrique is set to be considered for the Old Trafford hot seat will leave large sections of the club’s supporters feeling elated, given his reputation and previous achievements in the game.

During a three-year spell in charge of Barcelona between 2014 and 2017, the Spaniard recorded a remarkable points per game total of 2.41.

As a result, Enrique guided the Catalan giants to one Champions League crown, two La Liga titles, three Copa del Reys, one FIFA Club World Cup and one UEFA Super Cup.

And his style of play would also satisfy the fanbase’s thirst for entertaining and attacking football.

At both Barca and Spain, Enrique has successfully implemented a possession-based side that demonstrates an understanding of positional play, attacks relatively directory and vertically and presses from the front.

His favoured 4-3-3 would also take little time for the United players to adapt to, and therefore, he could be an ideal candidate to come in and rescue the Red Devils’ campaign.

However, whether he would be keen to take on such a challenge remains to be seen. Enrique has just led his national team to the Qatar 2022 World Cup, and it’s likely that he would want to remain in charge for the tournament next winter.

It remains to be seen if United chiefs attempt to prize Enrique away from La Roja, yet his appointment is one that would surely be popular amongst the player and fans alike.

And, in other news…”New name” emerges in Man United manager hunt, he’s an ideal Rodgers alternative

Wolverhampton Wanderers have been dealt a major blow in their bid to bring Renato Sanches to Molineux this January.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by French publication Le10Sport, who claim that both Arsenal and AC Milan have now entered the race for the 24-year-old ahead of the winter transfer market, with the Serie A side even believed to have submitted an offer for the LOSC Lille midfielder.

Earlier this month, The Telegraph reported that Wolves had overtaken Liverpool regarding a deal for the Portugal international, who the Ligue 1 side are thought to be open to parting with in January, as long as an acceptable offer is lodged.

Shi will be fuming

Considering the fact that Wolves were extremely close to signing Renato Sanches this summer, coupled with just how impressive the 24-year-old has been for Lille in recent seasons, the news that both AC Milan and Arsenal are now in the race for the midfielder is sure to have left Jeff Shi fuming.

Indeed, over his six Ligue 1 appearances so far this term, the £27m-rated man has registered one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.5 key passes per game – the most of any Lille player.

Furthermore, the £51k-per-week midfielder has also made an average of 30.8 passes, 0.5 interceptions, 1.8 tackles and has won a whopping 5.7 duels per fixture, with these returns seeing him average a SofaScore match rating of 7.26 – ranking him as Lille’s best performer in the top flight of French football.

Indeed, the former Premier League centre-forward Kevin Campbell quite clearly believes that Renato Sanches would make an excellent addition to the Wolves midfield, stating: “The young man deserves a huge amount of credit for the way he has bounced back. It is incredible.

“He has had to reinvent himself a bit but he is a fantastic player. He is strong, powerful and is a great ball carrier. I think would add a different dynamic to that… midfield. Someone who can power past people. Players bounce off him when he is in the midfield.”

As such, it is clear for all to see that the 24-year-old would be an excellent signing for Shi to get over the line this winter, although, with both Arsenal and Milan now interested, a move for the midfielder looks to have become all the more difficult.

In other news: Shi must ruthlessly axe Wolves’ £43k-p/w “near miss”, he’s becoming a real liability

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could unearth his club’s new Sol Campbell in Eintracht Frankfurt powerhouse Evan N’Dicka.

What’s the story?

According to German publication SportBild (via Sport Witness), the Gunners are interested in signing the Frenchman this summer, with the defender’s advisors said to be looking for a potential move to England for their client.

The report added that the Bundesliga club would be looking for a fee in the region of €30m (£25m) to part ways with the centre-back.

Arsenal’s new Campbell

Campbell was part of the famous Arsenal side which went a whole season unbeaten en route to winning the Premier League in 2003/04, and it’s fair to say that the Gunners haven’t really had anyone since then match up to that level of quality and status.

There have been a number of pretenders to the throne, but in the 21-year-old N’Dicka, they could very well find the ideal man to do so.

A profile by Arsenal.com said of Campbell: “On the field, the east Londoner’s strength was his athleticism. His bludgeoning power and fearsome frame worked in tandem with fast-moving feet.

“And there was, strangely for a man of his build, serenity in the way he carried himself, too. He was never willing to throw in the towel and often appeared visibly hurt in defeat – characteristics that endeared him to his new fans.”

N’Dicka is in that similar mould of being extremely quick for a centre-back, but also having the physical power to deal with more rugged strikers too.

The 6 foot 4 beast is not only dominant in the air, winning 2.1 aerial duels per game last season in the Bundesliga, but is equally comfortable playing out from the back, averaging an 84.8% passing accuracy.

The centre-back has impressed his former manager Adi Hutter, who said: “I honestly have to say that I was surprised by his development. Evan has developed phenomenally. He’s very attentive in the analysis of his own game. He’s very modest and always takes a lot on board.”

Former Eintracht Frankfurt star Alexander Schur believes that N’Dicka “shows no nerves” and “plays with great authority” – a real indication of the kind of leadership he possesses, much like Campbell in his prime in the Highbury days.

The £25m-rated powerhouse could add some real quality to Arteta’s options at the back, and provide a real throwback to when Campbell was at the club.

Meanwhile, Arsenal could sign their new Patrick Vieira in this powerhouse…

Peterborough Director of Football Barry Fry believes that Tottenham are so hungry for success that incoming manager Paulo Fonseca could be sacked by January, with Football London’s Alasdair Gold claiming he is moving closer to being appointed.

The former Roma manager is on the verge of ending Spurs’ near two month wait to replace Jose Mourinho, who was sacked ahead of the Carabao Cup final back in April.

Having failed to appoint either Julian Nagelsmann or Antonio Conte, whilst Daniel Levy couldn’t convince Mauricio Pochettino to return, meaning Fonseca might be seen as an underwhelming appointment.

Remarkably, he was sacked and recently replaced by Mourinho in the Italian capital having been unable to guide Roma back into the Champions League.

In fact, their seventh-place finish under Fonseca was their worst for nine seasons, although just like Tottenham, they managed to qualify for the inaugural UEFA Conference League late in their final game.

Fonseca hasn’t yet been officially unveiled as the new Tottenham manager, but Fry believes that he could come under pressure very quickly should he struggle for results early on.

He exclusively told Football FanCast:

“If they sell Harry Kane, that is a three, four, five-year job. Will they have the patience to give the job to somebody for three, four or five years.

“If he’s a failure in the first six months, he’ll be gone by January.”

The Birmingham Mail’s Ashley Preece has confirmed a huge Aston Villa boost ahead of their Premier League clash against Chelsea next week.

What’s the story?

The summer signing from Bayer Leverkusen has barely had any chance to show Villa fans what he is capable of following his move from the German club, with him missing the last two matches in the top flight due to a hamstring injury.

However, Preece has now delivered a huge boost to both Dean Smith and the club’s plans over Bailey’s condition ahead of the return of the Premier League in a week’s time.

Writing on Twitter, he said: “Some positive news to start Friday off – Leon Bailey in contention to start at Chelsea next weekend.”

Villa fans will be excited

After coming off the bench to great effect against Watford on the opening day – he marked his Premier League debut for the club by setting up John McGinn’s goal and almost sparking a late comeback – Bailey has seen his early Villa career stall somewhat due to injury.

Speaking before Villa officially confirmed the deal to sign the winger, Alan Hutton threw his backing behind a move for the Jamaica international.

He said: “I’m so excited to see this one. I’ve heard a lot about him over the past two or three seasons. He’s obviously still very young but he’s electric, he gets people off their seats. That’s what you want in a player.

“But what’s more impressive, 15 goals and 11 assists from wide areas in the German league. That’s unbelievable. It’s the kind of consistency you want from your wingers.”

Bailey has earned rave reviews for both his performances and abilities over the years, and it’s comments like those below which are sure to excite Villa fans now that he is in contention to play against Chelsea, as Preece has hinted.

Former Ajax youth coach Ronald de Boer once said of the Jamaican: “He’s so fast it’s not normal. His speed, combined with his technique, is very rare. Exceptional. He has no weak points.”

Leverkusen’s sporting director Rudi Voller added: “He’s got extraordinary pace, he’s very skilful with the ball, and he will give further impetus to our attacking department.”

Meanwhile, Aston Villa must give this starlet a chance…

Spurs return to action later this evening as they look to salvage their quest for glory in Europe this season.

Nuno Santo’s side need a victory against Primeira Liga outfit Pacos de Ferreira at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium if they are to qualify for the group stages of UEFA’s new competition, the Europa Conference League.

The Lilywhites have got off to the most perfect start in the Premier League, recording back-to-back wins having defeated defending champions Manchester City and Wolverhampton Wanderers but fell to defeat in the first leg of this encounter last week.

It means Spurs must overturn a one-goal deficit or risk missing out on a major European competition for the first time in over a decade.

And their chances of advancing would be aided if Nuno opts for a stronger starting XI than we saw in Porto seven days ago. It was a relatively young lineup and one full of those needing game time on the pitch.

For example, 17-year-old gem Dane Scarlett led the line instead of Spurs’ usual frontline options, whilst Bryan Gil, Pierluigi Gollini and Cristian Romero all made their full debuts.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs team and injury news, transfer rumours, gossip and much, much more!”]

One player that should be given a start is Harry Kane, who this week confirmed his intentions to remain at the club this summer amid interest in his signature from City.

He made his return to the pitch at Molineux on Sunday, replacing Heung-min Son in the 72nd minute for his first appearance of the season but it’s time for Nuno to unleash him from the off for the very first time since taking over.

The £108m-rated talisman is undoubtedly Spurs’ biggest source of goals and that’s what will be required against Pacos, considering the side failed to find the net last week.

Kane directly contributed towards 54.4% of all of their league goals last season, whilst he’s hit 19 or more in every season since 2014/15.

The England skipper, who has been capped 61 times, has been lauded as a “monster” by his teammate Son in the past, whilst City boss Pep Guardiola described him as “exceptional” and “extraordinary” when asked about his interest in signing the striker.

It could be a game-changing decision to start Kane tonight. He’s a level above Pacos de Ferreira and his presence should ultimately see Spurs into the group stages.

AND in other news, Paratici could replace Ndombele in bargain Spurs swoop for £26m-rated “huge talent”…

Rangers centre-back Nikola Katic was recently spotted hard at work in training as he continues his recovery from injury and the Croatian could have a huge role to play at Ibrox next season, as Steven Gerrard’s side look to secure title number 56.

The centre-back was unfortunately ruled out for the entirety of the 2020/21 season after picking up a cruciate ligament injury in July 2020 but the Gers were able to perform superbly in his absence, with their impressive defensive record one of the key factors in their title win this season.

Since signing from Slaven Belupo in 2018 the powerful centre-back has gone on to make 59 appearances for the Gers, in which he has contributed six goals and three assists.

Gerrard has a number of excellent centre-back options in his Rangers squad ahead of next season, with the likes of Connor Goldson, Filip Helander and Leon Balogun all playing a huge part in their success this season, whilst youngsters Jack Simpson and George Edmundson have also shown that they can fill in when needed.

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Therefore Katic faces a real battle if he is going to re-establish himself as a starting centre-back at Ibrox next season but if he can rediscover the sort of form that made him a fan and manager favourite before his injury, he will surely prove to be vital next season, when Rangers will be confident of retaining the Premiership title given the distance between themselves and their Old Firm rivals Celtic this year.

After his goal against Celtic back in 2019, in a game where Katic also gave away a penalty, Gerrard was full of praise for him after the game, saying:

“The kid is a winner and a warrior. We know what he gives. Anyone his age, after giving the penalty away, might have gone into their shell. It might have affected their performance.

“But if you knock Niko Katic down, he’s gonna get back up and come again. That’s the man, that’s the player.”

[freshpress-quiz id=“593776″]

Whilst it will be some time before the 24-year-old is fit enough to feature in a competitive match for Rangers, the fact that he is working hard in training will surely delight Gerrard, as his defender will definitely have a part to play next season.

And, in other news… Rangers dealt huge transfer blow with “brilliant” 9-goal gem, Gers fans will be gutted

Newcastle United all but ensured safety in the Premier League for another season with a 1-0 win at home to Crystal Palace on Wednesday night.

A fine goal from Miguel Almiron in the first half sealed the points at St. James’ Park, but it was not always plain-sailing for Eddie Howe’s team, who gave up the majority of the possession to the visitors, and also faced ten shots at their goal (SofaScore) as the hosts retreated in the second half.

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The Transfer Tavern have used statistical experts SofaScore to now analyse who the three worst performers (to have played at least 45 minutes) were for the hosts on the night, perhaps now looking over their shoulders regarding their long-term futures in Howe’s first choice XI…

Jonjo Shelvey

Given a 6.7 overall rating, Shelvey ranked as the North East club’s third-worst player.

The central midfielder lost out on two of his duels, and also failed to record a single shot on goal, dribble, clearance, interception or key pass, making one foul and giving the ball away nine times in total.

Joelinton

Admittedly tied with Chris Wood in terms of rating (6.5), Joelinton ranks in second here having helped keep the clean sheet as a midfielder.

However, the Brazilian lost a total of six individual duels, and was off target with all three of his shots, while he also never managed a tackle, committed two fouls and lost possession on nine separate occasions.

Chris Wood

With a 6.5 rating, Wood ranked as the Tyneside outfit’s worst performer.

The striker was unsuccessful in seven duels, and never managed a shot, successful dribble or key pass, amassing just 34 touches of the ball in total and giving it away with 15 of those.

He also missed a huge chance in the first-half only to be spared by the offside flag.

In other news, find out which ‘outstanding’ target NUFC are now set to ‘miss out’ on here!