“I didn’t want this”. Those were the words of Erik ten Hag last year, reflecting on Manchester United’s decision to sell Scott McTominay to Napoli on a £30m deal in the summer of 2024.

The Scotland star was fresh off the back of a standout season at Old Trafford, having scored ten times in all competitions, yet with just a year remaining on his contract, the club hierarchy opted to cash in – the PSR profit from that academy sale likely the deciding factor.

While Manuel Ugarte – the less said about him, the better – was acquired as his replacement, McTominay has gone on to soar to unimaginable heights in Italy. Serie A champion. Ballon d’Or nominee. An icon in Naples.

For a player often derided for what he couldn’t do in Manchester, the 28-year-old has been worshipped for what he can do in his new home. The sight of an adoring crowd bellowing his name at last season’s Scudetto celebration was one to warm the heart.

A man without a defined role under Ten Hag, and those before him, McTominay was something of a 12th man at Old Trafford. A player who could prove so valuable, yet didn’t have a clear route to a starting berth. Is that now being repeated?

How McTominay compares to Man Utd's midfielders

With the new season still in its infancy, let’s take things back to 2024/25 – a campaign that many at United would likely wish to erase from their brain.

One takeaway – as we’ll come onto – was that Amorim’s side were crying out for reinforcement in the centre of the park, yet despite interest in Carlos Baleba this summer, no such move was made.

If a repeat of last term is to occur, that decision could certainly come back to bite those at boardroom level. There might be some shiny new toys in attack, but the engine room is stuttering and smoking.

That was evident in 2024/25, with Bruno Fernandes the only real shining light of the current crop, amid his haul of 38 goals and assists in all competitions – eclipsing McTominay’s own record of 19 goal involvements under Antonio Conte.

No other midfielder comes close to McTominay’s return, however, with an injury-hit season seeing Kobbie Mainoo register just two goals and one assist in 37 games.

Ugarte, meanwhile, scored twice and provided six assists in 45 outings, yet the Uruguayan didn’t even feature in the Europa League final to mark his diminishing status.

There was to be a mini-revival for Casemiro, particularly in Europe, although the Brazilian was again far from McTominay’s level, with just five goals and three assists in 42 appearances.

It also proved another miserable year for Mason Mount, excluding his three goals late on in the campaign under Amorim, with the Englishman now in danger of falling into McTominay territory.

Man Utd's new McTominay

For all the naysayers and doubters – with club legend Roy Keane once describing the infamous ‘McFred’ partnership as “not good enough” – McTominay retained the love of a succession of United managers.

Indeed, Jose Mourinho conjured up his own award to gift to the homegrown talent in 2018. Ole Gunnar Solskjaer described him as a “physical monster”. Ralf Rangnick suggested he was of future “captain” material. Ten Hag, meanwhile, was perhaps most effusive in his praise in 2023:

For all the plaudits, under Ten Hag, in particular, McTominay was more of an impact man than a regular fixture, starting just 43 of 85 games under the Dutchman in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

A player loved by managers, but not always by supporters, Mount also falls into that category.

This is a player who started Champions League and Europa League finals under Thomas Tuchel and Gareth Southgate in 2021. Even Keane was dishing out the plaudits at the time, stating in that same year that the Englishman is “like Paul Scholes” as he “plays like a kid on the street”.

Fast forward to the present day, however, and the £55m capture of the 26-year-old in 2023 is now teetering toward disaster territory. Into the start of his third season, the ex-Chelsea has suffered yet another injury setback.

The versatile playmaker had started the first three league games of the campaign, yet was forced off at the break in the 3-2 win over Burnley. His return date has yet to be specified.

In all, just four goals and two assists have come his way in 50 games for the club, with Transfermarkt noting that he has missed 52 games through injury since his arrival just over two years ago.

Much like McTominay before him, he retains the backing of his managers regardless. Upon joining United, Amorim singled the midfielder out as a “proper footballer”. Ten Hag also described him as a “high-class player”, ahead of the 2024 Community Shield.

The problem – aside from his inability to stay fit – is that it is difficult to see a space for Mount in United’s best XI, just like McTominay last term, if everyone is fit and available.

Indeed, he appears to be vying for a number ten berth with Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo, two players who look a shoo-in to start if available. Yes, as the early weeks of the season showcased, Cunha can be nudged into a number nine berth to accommodate Mount, yet with Sesko in the picture, that shouldn’t be a permanent fix.

As he showed off the bench against Athletic Club last term, following his stellar brace to book United’s place in the showpiece, Mount at his best can make an impact, particularly off the bench.

As his performance in the final itself displayed, however – in which he was replaced just after the hour mark – the £150k-per-week talent, as per Capology, is rarely as effective from the off.

Minutes

71

Touches

25

Pass accuracy

73%

Dribbles

1/1

Key passes

0

Ground duels

5/6

Aerial duels

0/1

Possession lost

6

Like McTominay, he is seemingly a manager’s dream, albeit with it difficult to see a regular starting role emerging for him. Amorim may wish to utilise him more regularly – as did Ten Hag likely planned to do with McTominay – but who gives way for that change is another matter altogether.

For the colloquially named ‘McSauce’, the major obstacle to his attacking midfield berth was Fernandes, with the same now arguably true for Mount.

Perhaps, as his ex-teammate has done, the Cobham graduate might have to depart for pastures new in order for his talents to truly be recognised.

No Dorgu, new role for Amad: How Amorim can save Man Utd job & keep 3-4-2-1

Ruben Amorim appears intent on sticking with his 3-4-2-1 formation at Man Utd, but could he at least change the personnel within it?

ByRobbie Walls Sep 17, 2025

Prasidh Krishna has extended his lead at the top of the Purple Cap table following his two-wicket haul in GT’s away win over KKR

ESPNcricinfo staff21-Apr-20252:07

Finch: Sai Sudharsan knows when to take the right options on

Orange Cap leaderboardAfter the first game of IPL 2025, Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) had the No. 1 spot for his 59 not out against KKR. In the second, Ishan Kishan slammed 106 not out for Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) against Rajasthan Royals (RR) and took the top spot. Then, in the fourth match, Nicholas Pooran of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) hit 75 vs Delhi Capitals (DC) and, while that didn’t dislodge Kishan, Pooran’s 70 against SRH in the seventh game did, putting him at the top of the pile.And there he stayed. Till Match No. 39. When GT’s B Sai Sudharsan, who had been second on the table almost this entire while, hit 52 in 36 balls to not only take the top spot, but also become the first batter in the competition to go past the 400-run mark.Pooran is now in the unfamiliar position of No. 2, and while Sai Sudharsan’s prolific form – he has 74, 63, 49, 5, 82, 56 and 36 now – has a lot to do with it, Pooran’s own lack of runs in his last two outings – 8 and 11 – is a contributing factor. He still has 368 runs, mind you, and plays the next game in the tournament, against DC at home in Lucknow on Tuesday. He will want to take that cap right back.Not to forget the new No. 3. It’s Jos Buttler. His 41 not out in 23 balls against KKR has taken his tally for the IPL to 345 runs. His captain, Shubman Gill, meanwhile, hit 90 in 55 balls against KKR, and that has made him zoom past a whole selection of batters to 305 runs, and the seventh spot on the table.Mumbai Indians’ (MI) Suryakumar Yadav, Sunday night’s No. 3, Kohli of RCB and RR’s Yashasvi Jaiswal are the others in the 300-plus club at the moment.Purple Cap leaderboardLess drama on the other table, but Prasidh Krishna, courtesy his 2 for 25, strengthened his position at the top of the table with 16 wickets against his name, that’s four clear of the next best.Not just him, two other GT bowlers, R Sai Kishore and Mohammed Siraj picked up a wicket apiece to take their respective tallies to 12 wickets, which put them level with Kuldeep Yadav (DC), Noor Ahmad of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), RCB’s Josh Hazlewood and Shardul Thakur of LSG.You can check other IPL 2025 stats here: Highest batting strike rates Best bowling economy rates Most sixes Best bowling figures in a match

Orange Cap table

B Sai Sudharsan, the Gujarat Titans (GT) opener, is back where he was before Suryakumar Yadav of Mumbai Indians (MI) toppled him and then Virat Kohli of Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) got past both of them on Sunday. Sai Sudharsan is back at No. 1, with 456 runs from nine innings, following his 30-ball 39 against RR. Not his best innings of the tournament, but enough to go 13 runs clear of Kohli (443) and 29 ahead of Suryakumar (427).By the end of RR vs GT, two other batters had firmed their positions in the top five too. RR opener Yashasvi Jaiswal is at No. 4 with 426 runs after scoring 70 not out in 40 balls, and Jos Buttler, the GT No. 3, is at No. 5 with 406 runs after scoring 50 not out in 26 balls.Nicholas Pooran of Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) is the only other batter to have crossed 400 runs this season so far.

Purple Cap table

A total of 421 runs were scored off 35.5 overs in Jaipur on Monday, so not much joy for the bowlers. But the one wicket Prasidh Krishna took – of wonderkid Vaibhav Suryavanshi after he had plundered 101 at a strike rate of over 260 – took him to 17, and just one behind RCB’s Josh Hazlewood, the leader at this stage.Related

• Arun Dhumal hints at expanded 94-match IPL in 2028 but without new teams

• Delhi Capitals look to regroup at home as KKR come calling

• A star is born (to bat): Echoes of Sachin 1989 in Vaibhav's record-shattering spectacle

• 'Carnage of an innings' – cricket world reacts to Vaibhav Suryavanshi

Noor Ahmad of Chennai Super Kings (CSK) is at No. 3 with 14 wickets, followed by Harshal Patel of Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH), RCB’s Krunal Pandya and MI’s Trent Boult, all with 13 wickets to their names.Meanwhile, here’s what the ESPNcricinfo MVP table looks like at this stage.And some other tables that might interest you.

• Highest batting strike rates
• Best bowling economy rates
• Most sixes
• Best bowling figures in a match

CSK captain was forthright in assessing his team’s performance after they were knocked out of the playoffs race

ESPNcricinfo staff30-Apr-202513:23

Ganga wonders when CSK will think about succession planning

The total of 190 was “slightly short of par” and his team needs “to take more catches” was how Chennai Super Kings (CSK) captain MS Dhoni summed up his team’s performance in the five-wicket loss to Punjab Kings (PBKS), which knocked CSK out of the IPL 2025 playoffs race.”I think the batting, yes, it was the first time when we had put enough runs on the board, but was it a par score? I feel [we were] slightly short,” Dhoni said on the broadcast. “I felt we could have got slightly more. That partnership between [Dewald] Brevis and Sam [Curran] was excellent. And I feel we need to take some catches because that really helps to take wickets, you can slow down the opposition. Other than that, I feel from the batting unit as a whole, I felt it was a good effort.”CSK were at one point well on course to post a 200-plus total when the partnership of 78 between Curran and Brevis shot their run rate past ten, placing the team at 126 for 3 after 14 overs. However, Brevis fell at the start of the next over and after Curran was dismissed for 88 off 47 in the 18th, CSK scored only 18 runs off the remaining 14 deliveries. CSK didn’t last all 20 overs, though; they were bowled out in 19.2 overs after Yuzvendra Chahal took four wickets – including a hat-trick – in the 19th over. They slipped from 172 for 4 to 190 all out, losing six wickets for just 18 runs.Related

'It's a feel thing for him' – Simons says Pathirana is close to being back at his best

Ponting: Shreyas 'understands game situations better than ever before'

Injured Maxwell in danger of missing rest of IPL; Ponting says 'stay tuned' for replacements

Dhoni said that losing those three wickets to Chahal and not playing out the entire innings made a difference to the outcome. “Not to forget, when it’s a high-scoring games, we didn’t play the last four deliveries, and the second last over we got four batsmen out, another three deliveries and in close games, seven deliveries means a lot.”CSK’s below-par batting performances have been a theme this season. They have the poorest run rate (8.23) so far in this IPL. They brought in changes at the top of the order by replacing senior players with youngsters like Shaik Rasheed (20) and Ayush Mhatre (17), and they lost their captain Ruturaj Gaikwad to a shoulder injury early in the season. Some of their batters like Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja and Rahul Tripathi didn’t fire the way they were expected to either.Dhoni, however, was pleased to see Curran coming good with the bat following three single-digit scores after finally getting the kind of pitch they wanted at home.”Whenever he turns up, he wants to contribute, whether it’s with the bat or with the ball,” Dhoni said. “So, unfortunately, so far, when we tried to give him a chance the wicket was on the slower side and he found it slightly difficult. But I felt today’s wicket was one of the best that we have got in the tournament when it comes to the home venue. So I feel the wicket was really good and that’s the reason I felt we needed another 15 runs.”

Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has no regrets after being sent off for his wild celebration following his side’s 2-1 victory over Liverpool, saying the emotion of the affair meant that his dismissal was “worth it”. The Blues boss was given his marching orders after running down the touchline to join in the euphoria at Stamford Bridge after Estevao Willian’s dramatic late winner.

• Maresca hugged his players after Estevao sent Stamford Bridge into raptures

  Facing the possibility of going four Premier League games without a victory, teenager Estevao popped up with a crucial winner in Chelsea’s last-gasp triumph over Liverpool on Saturday, 4 October. The Brazil international scored his first league goal for the club as he prodded home at the back post in the fifth minute of added time. And the goal sparked incredible scenes of jubilation in west London with manager Maresca getting caught up in the moment as he hugged his players near the corner flag.

Advertisement

• AFP
  

  Italian received his marching orders for a second bookable offence

  And as a result of sprinting down the touchline to celebrate with his players in front of the delighted Chelsea faithful, Maresca was sent off by referee Anthony Taylor for his second bookable offence of the evening. And now the Italian will serve a suspension when Chelsea travel to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, 18 October, following the resumption of the Premier League after the international break.

• Maresca does not regret letting his emotions get the better of him

  But when speaking at the Trento Sports Festival, Maresca refused to be self-critical for letting his emotions get the better of him, insisting his celebration was an “instinctive” reaction to Chelsea securing a rare, late victory under his stewardship.

  In quotes carried by Maresca told the festival: “It was a huge emotion (against Liverpool). It's my second season at Chelsea and it was the first time we won at home in the last minute. The sending-off? (I’ve said) many times, football is passion, instinct. I probably didn't have time to think. It was an instinctive reaction, but I think it was worth it.”

ENJOYED THIS STORY?

Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reporting

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Coach keen to follow in footsteps of other Italian managers at Chelsea

  Maresca also opened up about the pressure of managing Chelsea, a club who won every major honour available to them under Roman Abramovich before Todd Boehly reshaped the club after his takeover in 2022. Following in the footsteps of compatriots Carlo Ancelotti, Antonio Conte, Roberto Di Matteo, Gianluca Vialli, Claudio Ranieri and Maurizio Sarri, Maresca says it was a huge relief to not become the only Italian to fail to lead Chelsea to silverware by lifting both the Conference League and the Club World Cup last season.

  “It's one of the most important clubs in the world,” Maresca continued. “In the last three or four years, for various reasons, it (Chelsea) has struggled. Having brought the club back to a great level is a great satisfaction. When I signed for Chelsea, I felt a bit of pressure of being the only Italian not to win here, but fortunately, that hasn't been the case.”

It’s been a woeful start to life at Glasgow Rangers for Russell Martin and his Ibrox tenure could be coming to an end sooner than first thought following the latest update on his future.

Martin: I've got "more support ever" at Rangers

Out of the Champions League and yet to win a game in the Scottish Premiership, it can’t get much worse for Martin at Rangers. The former Southampton manager was backed all throughout the summer transfer window by the 49ers, but has not been able to turn that investment into much-needed results.

The international break no doubt comes at a good time for all involved, but Martin is not worried about losing his job. The manager revealed that he has “more support than ever” by those in charge at Ibrox after a 0-0 draw against Celtic in the Old Firm derby.

Although he chose to remain positive, however, reports have suggested that any support for Martin could be coming to an end sooner rather than later in Scotland with a number of replacements already mooted.

How many games Martin has left at Rangers

According to Football Insider reporter Wayne Veysey, Rangers are preparing to sack Martin this month, and, therefore, he has just four games to potentially save his job.

The report claims that only a dramatic turnaround would prevent any quick decision, with a ‘growing expectation within the club that Martin will be gone by the end of September’.

Rangers vs Hearts

September 13

Rangers vs Hibernian

September 20

Rangers vs Genk

September 25

Livingston vs Rangers

September 28

The report comes just one day after Thelwell – Rangers’ sporting director – publicly hailed Martin as “one of the best” in a clear backing of the manager that he handpicked to join the club in the summer.

A lot can, of course, change in football at any given moment, but there’s no denying that Martin has given himself an uphill climb. His current record in the Scottish Premiership has been a particular disappointment, whilst a 9-1 thrashing accross two legs at the hands of Club Brugge in the Champions League hardly did wonders when it came to getting fans onside.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Chelsea, da Inglaterra, fez uma oferta milionária para tirar do Santos o centroavante Deivid Washington. O gigante inglês estaria disposto a oferecer 20 milhões de euros ( em torno R$ 107 milhões) pela jovem promessa.

Nesta oferta, a equipe londrina pagaria 15 milhões de euros (aproximadamente R$ 80 milhões na cotação atual) mais objetivos adicionais que poderiam alcançar mais cinco milhões de euros (cerca de R$ 26 milhões). A informação foi publicada inicialmente pelo ge e confirmada pelo Lance!.

+ Já atualizou sua camisa de 2023? Confira os novos uniformes do Peixe!

O Santos analisa, mas ainda não respondeu a oferta do Chelsea. A família e o estafe de Deivid Washington examinam a proposta da equipe inglesa.

Enquanto isso, o promissor centroavante não participa da discussão da oferta, pois está concentrado com o resto do elenco para a partida contra o Athletico, pelo Brasileirão

!UM DOS PRINCIPAIS ATIVOS DO CLUBE!

Com ascensão meteórica no profissional, o atacante, de 18 anos, disputou 16 partidas e marcou dois gols pelo clube. Visto como mais uma joia da Vila Belmiro, Deivid atraiu o interesse de equipes do Velho Continente, como por exemplo o Monaco.

BRIGA PELA POSIÇÃO

Apesar de ser qualificado como um atleta com um ótimo futuro, Deivid não costuma ser titular pelo Alvinegro Praiano, pois o Peixe tem na posição Marcos Leonardo, que é artilheiro da equipe. Além dele, o Alvinegro conta com Bruno Mezenga e o recém-contratado Julio Furch.

Newcastle United will have to wait for Yoane Wissa to send St. James’ Park into a loud cheer with the first of surely many goals in black and white.

The DR Congo international signed for the Magpies in a £55m deal this summer, leaving Brentford after prolific returns across a number of seasons. He is the Bees’ all-time top scorer in the Premier League, and against some stern competition at that. He is sidelined for several weeks, having picked up a knee injury on international duty earlier this month.

1

Yoane Wissa

45

2

Bryan Mbeumo

42

3

Ivan Toney

36

4

Kevin Schade

13

5

Christian Norgaard

11

It’s not ideal, but Nick Woltemade took to the Premier League like a duck to water at the weekend, and his arrival and performance suggest the bitter sale of Alexander Isak to Liverpool may well be overcome.

Why Newcastle signed Woltemade

Newcastle paid a club-record £69m fee to bring Woltemade over from Stuttgart in Germany. The 23-year-old boasts a unique attacking profile and scored 12 goals in the Bundesliga last season, starting only 17 times.

Whether he will match Isak’s prolificness in the years to come is anyone’s guess, but he started off strongly with a headed goal against Wolves on Saturday, sealing Newcastle’s first win of the year.

Hailed as an “entertainer” by Bundesliga reporter Archie Rhind-Tutt, the 6 foot 6 striker showed more than his command of the skies, with Sofascore recording that he won five ground duels, made three tackles and completed eight of nine passes against the Old Gold.

Now, it’s all about consistency, and Howe will know that internal pressure, applied carefully, will help him rise to the fore. The German has shown he can lead the line, but he needs competition.

But with Wissa out for the foreseeable, there’s an interesting chance for a new star to step up and challenge Woltemade for a starting berth.

Newcastle talent is ready to challenge Woltemade

Up until Newcastle met Liverpool in the Premier League last month, William Osula had done very little on the senior stage to suggest he had the minerals to star as the club’s number nine.

But the 22-year-old impressed when introduced on that highly-charged evening, darting through the Reds line and bundling in, leading Howe to remark on his “outstanding” progress on Tyneside.

Rangy, powerful and instinctive, he was once described by former teammate Curtis Davies as being like “a poor man’s Haaland”, and there is certainly some form of similarity to the Manchester City machine, easily the most clinical footballer competing today.

He’s certainly got the personality and charisma to match a superstar like Haaland, and if Howe can unlock a degree of consistency, it might not only be Wissa knocking on Woltemade’s door this season.

Clearly having come on leaps and bounds since leaving Sheffield United and signing for the Toon in August 2024, Osula is the real deal, with a skillset that demands regular Premier League football, should he continue to make the same progress of recent months.

Having only made 23 senior appearances for Newcastle, the Frenchman has scored three goals and supplied two assists. He’s off the mark in the Premier League.

The signs are promising, and Howe seems to think there is a player in there who might come knocking at Woltemade’s door sooner rather than later.

Not just Ekitike: Newcastle lost one of the best teens in Europe to Liverpool

Newcastle have lifted their season from the floorboard after the closure of the summer transfer window.

ByAngus Sinclair Sep 15, 2025

That total was built on the back of a blazing opening stand, while the rest of the batters ensured MI maintained their momentum through the innings

Karthik Krishnaswamy30-May-2025Mumbai Indians have a 17-0 record while defending 200-plus totals in the IPL. They have set Gujarat Titans a target of 229 in the Eliminator, after posting the second-highest total in any IPL playoff game.That total was built on the back of a blazing stand of 84 between a new opening pair. Jonny Bairstow, replacing Ryan Rickelton who has left on international duty, smashed a 22-ball 47 on his debut for his third IPL team. Rohit Sharma, dropped twice in the first three overs of the match, went on to score 81 off 50 balls.The middle order built on these efforts with panache, with Suryakumar Yadav, Tilak Varma and Hardik Pandya hitting three sixes each to ensure MI maintained their momentum right through the innings. They hit 17 sixes in all, the joint third-most in any innings in IPL 2025.Related

Mumbai Indians' turnaround decoded: death overs tamed, middle overs mastered

No more second chances for Mumbai Indians and Gujarat Titans

MI chose to bat a day after Punjab Kings, sent in, had been bowled out for 101 at the same venue. This was a different pitch, however, with even bounce and none of the seam movement of Qualifier 1.GT, however, could have had MI in trouble early, only for Gerald Coetzee and Kusal Mendis to put Rohit down on 3 and 12. Within minutes GT were firmly on the back foot, with Bairstow tonking Prasidh Krishna for 26 runs – though two of his boundaries came off the edge – in the fourth over.Bairstow fell in the eighth over, but MI kept punching. Rohit’s use of the sweep against GT’s spinners was particularly noteworthy, bringing him 27 runs – the most he’s scored with variants of the sweep against spin in any IPL innings for which shot data is available – off just six balls.He slowed down after reaching his half-century, only scoring 31 off his last 22 balls, but the rest of MI’s batters ensured there would be no let up in the scoring rate, and Hardik finished things off with three sixes off Coetzee in the final over.

West Ham United have made an offer for an “outstanding” midfielder, who is now keen on a move to a new Premier League club.

West Ham's midfield criticised amid slow start

There was some respite before the international break, with West Ham picking up a 3-0 victory against Nottingham Forest at The City Ground, but the 3-0 defeat at home against Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday underlined the fact that many problems still remain.

One of the Hammers’ main issues is their midfield, as pointed out by journalist and fan writer James Jones, who said: “It has been painfully clear that Potter’s side lacks pace, creativity and physicality in the middle of the park. A combination of James Ward-Prowse, Tomas Soucek and Guido Rodriguez does not equal a top quality midfield at this level.”

West Ham can forget Lampard & Potter by hiring "incredible" UCL finalist

The promising manager could be just the person to improve things at West Ham.

By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Sep 12, 2025

Soucek, in particular, struggled in the thrashing at home against Tottenham, being shown a straight red card early in the second half, which arguably emphasised the importance of Graham Potter bringing in a new central midfielder during the January transfer window.

According to a report from Africa Foot, there could be an opportunity to do exactly that, with it being revealed West Ham have made an offer for Tottenham midfielder Yves Bissouma, who has now expressed his desire to remain in the Premier League.

Having suffered a knee injury, Bissouma has been ruled out until October and is set to remain in north London until the January transfer window, and there is no shortage of interest in the midfielder’s signature, with the likes of Newcastle United, Crystal Palace and Chelsea also making proposals.

Spurs are open to cashing-in on the central midfielder, who has previously been valued at £14m, but the north Londoners would prefer to sell him to a foreign club, with Chicago Fire, Galatasaray Spor Kulübü, Beşiktaş, Fenerbahçe and Lyon keen.

"Outstanding" Bissouma could be upgrade on Soucek defensively

There is no denying that Soucek has had a difficult start to the campaign, being dismissed against Spurs last time out, while also recording a 6.1 SofaScore match rating against Chelsea, the second-lowest figure of any outfield player.

As such, it could be worth bringing in an upgrade on the Czechia international, and there are signs the Tottenham ace could be exactly that, at least from a defensive point of view, given his ball-winning and passing abilities.

The Mali international is also vastly experienced at Premier League level, having been lauded as “outstanding” by Statman Dave during his time with Brighton & Hove Albion.

There may be some concerns over the signing of Bissouma, having fallen out of favour under Thomas Frank, but he clearly has the talent to be a success at the London Stadium if his attitude is right.