In search of a consistent goalscorer, Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly preparing a £40m+ offer to sign Georges Mikautadze from Villarreal in 2026.
The great weakness in Thomas Frank’s side this season has been their goalscoring struggles. With Dominic Solanke yet to return to full fitness, the likes of Richarlison and Randal Kolo Muani have struggled to truly take hold of the starting role – handing the Lilywhites a frustrating problem.
Kolo Muani has particularly struggled since arriving from Paris Saint-Germain and is still searching for his first Tottenham goal. With the North London derby against Arsenal up next, however, the forward has been passed fit and has the perfect opportunity to find the back of the net for the first time in the Premier League.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the Arsenal game, Frank revealed early team news which included an update on Kolo Muani’s unexpected return to action after suffering a jaw injury before the break.
If the PSG loanee continues his run without a goal, then many around North London will be asking big questions. Tottenham chiefs are already reportedly searching for a striker and the Frenchman’s struggles could accelerate their plan to welcome La Liga star Mikautadze in 2026.
Tottenham readying Mikautadze offer
According to reports in Spain, Tottenham are now preparing a €50m (£44m) offer to sign Mikautadze from Villarreal in 2026. A player who’s been compared to the great Diego Forlan by Spanish media, the 25-year-old has shown glimpses of his best form so far this season – scoring five goals in 14 games – and has entered Spurs’ radar as a result.
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ByEmilio Galantini Nov 21, 2025
After becoming a transfer flop at Ajax, the Georgian striker reinvented himself at FC Metz, before starring at Lyon to earn a summer switch to Villarreal. Now, he could be about to make the biggest move of his career courtesy of Tottenham.
Dubbed “superb” by scout Jacek Kulig, Mikautadze has only kicked on since then to attract the interest of the Premier League. As Tottenham’s forwards continue to struggle, the 25-year-old should be seen as a serious option to consider next year.
Tottenham eyeing 'dream' move for striker likened to Diego Costa after Frank request
Nick Browne, the Essex opener, has announced his retirement from the professional game.Browne, 34, was in his benefit season after more than a decade on the books at Essex but only made three One-Day Cup appearances. His last outing in the County Championship, the format which showcased the best of his ability, came in July 2024.Having made his county debut at the age of 22, Browne went on to become a mainstay at the top of the order, scoring 20 first-class hundreds – including four doubles, equalling the record of Graham Gooch for the club – and helping Essex to four-red-ball titles between 2016 and 2020.Related
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“The time has come to hang up the Gray-Nicolls boots and retire from professional cricket,” Browne said. “It has been my lifelong dream to play for Essex, starting with the club at the age of 8, the last 26 years of my life has been about Essex Cricket and I have loved every minute of it.”I want to say a massive thank you to all of the members and fans of Essex for your unwavering support throughout the years. I have played every ball, every session and every day like it is my last. I have tried to play with a smile on my face every day and hope I have given you some joy and happiness.”I am incredibly grateful to all my coaches who have thrown millions of balls at me over the years. They have supported me through so many great days and some average ones. To the boys who I have shared the dressing room with, thank you for everything. We have had so many great memories on and off the field from winning Championships to the late nights in the changing rooms.”To my parents, family, friends and my partner Alice, I have had the most amazing, unforgettable time playing cricket, I could not have done it without your love and support. You have always been there for me to celebrate me in the highs and the lows. I cannot thank you enough. I look forward to the next chapter.”Predominately a red-ball player, Browne passed 1000 runs for the season three summers in a row between 2015 and 2017. His runs helped secure the Division Two title in 2016, followed by Essex’s first County Championship in 25 years in 2017. He struggled to reach such heights again, but was part of another Championship-winning side in 2019, as well as the team that lifted the Bob Willis Trophy a year later.Having been almost an ever-present at the top of the order for a decade, he only played six times in the Championship last season and has not featured this term.Dan Feist, Essex’s chief executive officer, said: “Nick Browne is the epitome of dedication and professionalism. His contributions to Essex Cricket have been remarkable, and his commitment to the club is admired not just by those at Chelmsford but by players, officials and supporters throughout the county game.”Nick has been a true professional on and off the field, with a passion for the game and for Essex Cricket that stands out. We are grateful for his immense contributions and wish him every success in retirement and beyond.”
Around 20 punters watched England’s first evening net at the Gabba ahead of the day-night Ashes Test starting on Thursday.The outdoor facilities at this historic but ageing colosseum are the most amenable in the world for observers, offering a behind-the-batter view of what it’s like to face the fiercest bowlers going. There were plenty of eyes on the lane closest to Main Street, as Jofra Archer, Brydon Carse and Gus Atkinson steamed in with the pink Kookaburra ball.But it was the net furthest away that had the most immediate interest ahead of the second Test. Both Shoaib Bashir and Will Jacks were bowling their offspin to England captain Ben Stokes, duking it out for what seems, at this juncture, the last available spot in the XI.Related
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Mark Wood has been ruled out – England are optimistic his heavily strapped left knee will get adequate rest to ensure he is back in the mix for Adelaide – but the other 10 starters from the defeat in Perth are likely to be rolled out again.Josh Tongue is the most like-for-like replacement if the tourists want to repeat their all-pace attack from Perth. But they are understood to be trending more towards spin in their bid to come back from 1-0 down, with the expectation that the pink Kookaburra will soften earlier than the red one.The pair have had very different routes to these Ashes. Bashir has been the captain’s go-to spinner since a shock call-up to the India tour at the start of 2024, with 68 wickets in 19 caps to date. His traits – a high release-point, revs coming from over the top of the ball – were deemed better suited to Test pitches (particularly Australian ones) compared to traditional English, doorknob-turning finger spinners.Jacks, an allrounder, was the first conventional offspinner picked by Stokes, drafted on the tour of Pakistan in the winter of 2022 for his only two Test caps after developing as Surrey’s primary spin option. He took 6 for 161 in his first go on debut – the first Test at Rawalpindi – and showed his dexterity as a batter by slotting in at No. 3 in the second innings of the next Test in Multan to give Ollie Pope extra rest after keeping. That he is on this tour owes as much to his batting – destructive qualities, and comfort filling in any top six position – and his tall action and ambition with the ball.Bashir is understood to be the one in pole position, though it was Jacks who seemed to have the better of it on Monday night, before padding up. Nets can only tell you so much, of course. Stokes and the rest of England’s batters were focused on getting attuned to the shift from day to night, and then how the floodlights transformed the grass beneath their feet. They will have one more hit in similar conditions on Wednesday before they get going in their attempts to square the series.Visiting spinners have had very little success with the pink ball over here, collectively managing just 28 wickets at 64.03. Joe Root’s three in the Adelaide Test on the 2021-22 tour has him joint-second on that list (with Yasir Shah); Dawid Malan is joint-fourth with two picked up from that same game. R Ashwin sits top with six at 20.66.England would not be wrong to look at Nathan Lyon’s impressive record of 43 dismissals at 25.62 from his 13 day-night home Tests and surmise spin is a must. But they may take more meaningful notes from Kevin Sinclair’s cameo in Australia’s one and only pink ball defeat.That came here at the Gabba last year. Sinclair – also an offspinner – struck a vital 50 and then 14 not out, both from No. 7, in a tight eight-run win. He bowled just eight overs, all in Australia’s first innings which sandwiched his batting efforts, but was able to snare Usman Khawaja for 75. Replicating Sinclair’s impact rather than Lyon’s is a far easier task and would favour Jacks.It will be these cues from day-night affairs in Australia, and England’s own learnings from the seven they have played, that will continue to be disseminated among the group over the coming days. The entire top five played in England’s last pink-ball Test – against New Zealand at Mount Maunganui in 2023 – but Jamie Smith, for instance, will be playing his first of any kind.”We’ve spoken with the guys who have played some pink-ball games, and had a look at some of the pink-ball games that have been played in Australia in the past four or five years,” Carse said. His only day-night match happened to be in this country for England Lions against Australia A at Melbourne in January 2020.”On an evening, it does seem to do a little bit more, especially if you have a slightly newer ball, which I’m sure we’ll take into consideration throughout the game. It’s going to be exciting. I’m expecting a massive crowd, a hostile crowd. The guys are really looking forward to it.”I think looking back at a couple of highlights of previous games played in Australia, it’s certainly very admirable how their new-ball bowling goes. You know, they strike early and I think that’s going to be important, whether that’s certain lines we’ll be bowling or maybe bowling a touch fuller to let it swing. They’ve played some really good cricket with a pink ball. So, yeah, I’d like to say that we’ve had a look at some of the stuff that they’ve done over the previous years.”
Manchester City are now obsessed with signing a “generational” forward, joining the race for his signature alongside a number of the Premier League’s top clubs.
Man City kicking into gear ahead of Real Madrid clash
Man City were a little shaky at the start of the season, losing against Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton, but Bernardo Silva believes they are starting to kick into gear, ahead of the tough Champions League clash against 15-time champions Real Madrid tonight.
Silva said: “The team has been growing a lot since [the start of the season]. We’re improving day by day. It’s true that our teams have always been much better in the second part of the season than the first and hopefully it happens again this season.”
Pep Guardiola’s side have looked very potent on the front foot, having already scored 35 Premier League goals, seven more than any other side, with Phil Foden starting to get back to his best, regularly providing goals and assists.
Phil Foden’s attacking record
Appearances
Goal contributions
Premier League
13
8
Champions League
4
3
EFL Cup
2
2
However, Man City remain keen on making more additions to their forward line, according to a report from Spain, which states they now have an ‘obsession’ with signing RB Leipzig star Yan Diomande, who has emerged as one of the most exciting youngsters in Europe.
A plethora of top Premier League clubs are keen on Diomande, including Arsenal, Liverpool and Chelsea, but City are the ‘most persistent’, having conducted a number of scouting missions since October.
Leipzig have no desire to sanction a move, with the German club eager to tie him down to a new contract, and interested clubs will need to make offers in the region of €80m – €100m (£70m – £87m) to tempt them into a sale.
"Generational" Diomande likened to Haaland
Journalist Bence Bocsak is a huge admirer of the left-winger, recently saying: “Just catching up on RB Leipzig’s game tonight and oh my Yan Diomande is a special player. I actually think he’s one of those players you break all your recruitment models for.
Yes, the same size is small. But he’s a generational talent.”
Bocsak also likens the Ivorian to a current Man City star, saying: “Haaland was another level even to Diomande but the RB Leipzig winger is not far off.”
It is clear to see why the 19-year-old has received rave reviews, most recently making a real statement by scoring a hat-trick in RB Leipzig’s 6-0 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt.
The four-time Ivory Coast international has now amassed seven goals and four assists in 15 matches in all competitions, which is a very impressive tally, given that it is his first season in the Bundesliga.
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City have moved into pole position in the race for a new defender, with a bid now being prepared.
ByDominic Lund 3 days ago
City certainly aren’t struggling from an attacking point of view, but the opportunity to sign Diomande may be too good to pass up…
Celtic were saved by their captain yet again on Saturday night when they were heading for a drab 0-0 draw away at St Mirren before Callum McGregor stepped up with seconds remaining.
The Hoops skipper picked the ball up from range in the 95th minute and unleashed a screamer of a shot that nestled in the top corner to secure all three points for the visitors.
Up until that point, Martin O’Neill’s side had struggled to show much in the way of quality against St Mirren, despite holding 73% of the possession, per Sofascore, which is why the game was tied with seconds remaining.
The hosts even created a ‘big chance’ from one of their 13 shots on goal, but, thankfully, they were unable to convert any of the opportunities that they created on the night.
Celtic, meanwhile, did not create a single ‘big chance’ from their 16 efforts against St Mirren, per Sofascore, which is why they needed a long-range strike from their captain to win the match.
Whilst McGregor’s sensational strike from distance bailed the club out in general, the skipper also bailed out several of his underperforming teammates on the night.
Celtic's worst performers against St Mirren
It would be remiss of us to speak about the worst performers on the night without starting with the player who was withdrawn from the match after 45 minutes, Johnny Kenny.
The Ireland international, who scored four goals in four matches for Celtic before Saturday’s game, won just one duel and lost possession six times from 17 touches in the first half, per Sofascore, as he failed to provide a focal point up front.
Kenny’s withdrawal meant that Daizen Maeda moved into the centre-forward role, after starting out wide. However, he ended the 90 minutes with two out of seven duels won, no key passes, and no shots on target, per Sofascore, which illustrates his ineffectiveness in the final third.
Celtic’s starting wingers vs St Mirren
Stats
Sebastian Tounekti
Daizen Maeda
Minutes
67
90
Shots on target
0
0
Key passes
1
0
Big chances created
0
0
Dribbles completed
2/6
1/2
Duels won
3/11
2/7
Possession lost
14x
12x
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Sebastian Tounekti and Maeda both struggled out wide, and the latter up front in the second 45, throughout the game against St Mirren.
These statistics show that all three of the forwards who started on Saturday night failed to do enough to suggest that O’Neill should keep them in place for the club’s trip to play Feyenoord in the Europa League on Thursday evening.
Tounekti, Maeda, and Kenny were not the only underperforming Celtic players who failed to provide enough quality on the pitch against the Saints, though, as one Hoops flop is now looking like the new Luis Palma.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
Supporters will likely remember Palma, who is currently on loan at Lech Poznan, as a player who made a fast start to life in Glasgow before falling off and eventually being deemed surplus to requirements.
The Honduras international produced seven goals and nine assists, with 14 ‘big chances’ created, in 28 Scottish Premiership games during the 2023/24 campaign for the club, per Sofascore.
Unfortunately, though, the winger followed that up with a return of zero goals and zero assists in eight league matches the following season before being sent out on loan to Olympiacos for the second half of the campaign.
Whilst his fall-off this term may not be quite as drastic as Palma’s was, Celtic central midfielder Reo Hatate appears to be heading in the same direction.
Why Reo Hatate should be dropped by Celtic
The Japan international was a sensation in the middle of the park for the Scottish giants in the 2024/25 campaign with a return of nine goals and 14 ‘big chances’ created in 37 outings in the Premiership, per Sofascore.
Hatate provided regular quality at the top end of the pitch with his ability to make a difference as both a scorer and a creator of goals, as evidenced by his statistics, and that made him a vital player for Brendan Rodgers.
This season, however, the 28-year-old star has failed to deliver consistent quality in midfield for Celtic, with the clash against St Mirren being his latest underwhelming performance, which is why he should be ruthlessly dropped by O’Neill.
The Japanese midfielder, who was described as “sloppy” by ex-Hoops boss Neil Lennon during the game against Sturm Graz in the Europa League, ended the night with no shots on target, no ‘big chances’ created, and a duel success rate of 20% (1/5), per Sofascore.
This shows that his performance was lacking in both quality and physicality, as he lost 80% of his physical tussles without providing any moments of genuine quality on the ball, and that has not been a rare occurrence for him this season.
Reo Hatate – Premiership
24/25
25/26
Appearances
37
10
Goals
9
1
Minutes per goal
241
708
Conversion rate
14%
10%
Big chances created
14
2
Assists
4
1
Dribble success rate
70%
57%
Stats via Sofascore
As you can see in the table above, Hatate’s performances have dropped off since the end of last season, as he is scoring and creating goals far less frequently for the Premiership champions.
The Japan international’s last league goal for the club came against Aberdeen on the 10th August, and he has only produced two goals – including one penalty – and one assist in 18 appearances in all competitions this term, per Transfermarkt.
His concerning drop-off in form this season suggests that he may be on the road to becoming the next Palma, as a once supreme talent who now looks too inconsistent to be reliable to the Celtic manager.
Therefore, O’Neill should ruthlessly drop the central midfielder from the starting line-up to face Feyenoord away from home, as the Hoops may need quality and physicality to beat their Dutch opponents, and Hatate did not show either against St Mirren.
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Celtic’s potential new manager could forget about Daizen Maeda by signing this reported transfer target.
The board also introduced Mymensingh as the latest first-class team. It will replace Dhaka Metropolis
Mohammad Isam10-Aug-2025The BCB has brought in Alex Marshall, Julian Wood and Tony Hemming as the three new appointments after its meeting in Dhaka on Saturday. Wood will come in as a specialist batting coach for three months. He is a power-hitting specialist who recently worked with Sri Lanka Cricket.Marshall has been appointed as a consultant for the board’s anti-corruption department, for one year. Marshall was the ICC’s anti-corruption unit general manager until September last year. BCB’s media committee chair Iftekhar Rahman said they want Marshall to “enhance” the board’s anti-corruption unit.Rahman also said that the BCB has appointed the ICC’s integrity unit to oversee the BPL’s anti-corruption operations.The BCB’s anti-corruption unit is currently investigating corruption allegations from the BPL and Dhaka Premier League of the 2024-25 season.The BCB has also brought back Hemming, who recently resigned as the PCB’s head curator. Hemming had taken up the Pakistan role after being BCB’s curator from July 2023 to July 2024. Hemming’s appointment brought the question of whether Gamini Silva, the Shere Bangla National Stadium curator, will continue in his role. Rahman said that Gamini was given a one-year extension.”Tony Hemming has been appointed head of turf management for two years,” Rahman said. “All our international venues and curators will be under him. He will also undertake the process of training Bangladeshi curators. All the board directors had a lot of interest in bringing him back.”Hemming is one of the best curators in the world. Maybe he had a good experience with the BCB in the previous occasion, that’s why he agreed to come back. The turf management will run as Hemming will want. Time will tell if Gamini will stay or not. He has been given a 12-month extension.”Meanwhile, the BCB introduced Mymensingh as the latest first-class team. It will replace Dhaka Metropolis, which was introduced in 2011 to make it an even number of teams in the first-class competition.”Mymensingh is one of the country’s newest divisions,” Rahman said. “They will play in the NCL first-class tournament from the coming season. They will replace Dhaka Metropolis. Mymensingh will play all divisional tournaments though we can’t accommodate them in the upcoming NCL T20s as the schedule has been made. Mymensingh will play in the T20 tournament from the next edition.”
Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl may still be wondering how his side were unable to see the game out for all three points after they found themselves 1-0 up against ten-man Braga on Thursday night.
The Light Blues are yet to win a match in the Europa League this season and they may not have a better opportunity than the one they had at Ibrox earlier this week.
Whilst Mohamed Diomande was sent off later in the match, the Gers allowed the Portuguese side to equalise whilst they had a man advantage, as Nasser Djiga’s wayward header caught James Tavernier out and allowed Gabriel Martinez to pounce.
The German head coach will be scratching his head and wondering what he could do to turn things around in Europe, as the Light Blues have lost four of their five matches, with two of those losses coming in his three games in the competition.
Attention, for now, will turn back to the Scottish Premiership as Rangers play host to Falkirk at Ibrox, after the reverse game at their stadium led to Russell Martin’s dismissal.
Rohl has won all four of his league games in charge of the club so far, but these league matches present an opportunity to try things out ahead of European games. For example, unleashing Oliver Antman in a new role.
Why Oliver Antman should be unleashed in a new role
You could hardly blame any supporters for getting a bit excited by the signing of the Finland international after he registered 17 assists in all competitions for Go Ahead Eagles in the 2024/25 campaign, per Sofascore.
On top of that, Antman delivered two assists on his debut for the Gers against Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League, crossing for Djeidi Gassama and winning a penalty for Cyriel Dessers to score.
Since that impressive debut, though, the Finnish forward has produced no goals and one assist in 18 appearances in all competitions, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has failed to deliver consistent quality in the final third.
Per Transfermarkt, all 11 of his starts have been on the right flank. With this in mind, it may be time for Rohl to unleash the 24-year-old attacker in a new role in his Rangers career.
RW
69
9 + 13
CM
22
1 + 0
LW
21
5 + 3
CF
18
5 + 0
AM
8
0 + 0
RM
8
1 + 5
As you can see in the table above, Antman has played in other positions throughout his career, on the left and through the middle, which means that the Light Blues can, realistically, use him in other areas of the pitch.
With this in mind, Rohl should unleash the Finland international in a flexible number ten position, which would allow him to drift out to the left or the right when the situation demands.
This would allow him to provide creativity on both flanks and centrally, which could help to support the two wingers whilst also providing the centre-forward, in theory, with more creativity.
In order to make this positional change for Antman against Falkirk, though, the German head coach will have to ditch one of his starters from the 1-1 draw with Braga on Thursday night.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
With this in mind, Rohl should ruthlessly ditch Youssef Chermiti from the starting line-up after his dismal showing against Braga, which would allow Danilo or Bojan Miovski to lead the line up front, with the Finnish whiz in behind them in the number ten role.
Why Rangers should drop Youssef Chermiti
Rangers parted company with sporting director Kevin Thelwell at the start of the week, after just one transfer window at Ibrox, and his lasting legacy may be the signing of the Portuguese striker.
The former Gers chief sanctioned an £8m deal to sign the forward from Everton, which made Chermiti the club’s most expensive signing in 25 years, since Tore Andre Flo’s £12m move to Glasgow.
That staggering outlay was made in spite of the fact that the 21-year-old striker failed to score in two seasons at Everton after Thelwell signed him for the Toffees from Sporting.
So far, Chermiti has delivered one goal and one assist in 14 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants this season, per Transfermarkt, which shows that he has not lived up to his price tag yet.
The former Everton attacker’s performance against Braga was the latest in an unfortunately long line of underwhelming displays from the £8m summer signing.
Minutes
89
Sofascore
5.9
Shots
3
Shots on target
0
Pass accuracy
52%
Key passes
0
Duels won
6/15
As you can see in the table above, the Portuguese centre-forward failed to offer quality on the ball, as he was particularly poor with his passes, and also lost the majority of his physical duels.
After the match, reporter Jonny McFarlane posted that Chermiti is “mind-blowingly bad” and that the striker “offers nothing”, whilst describing him as a “galling signing”.
As harsh as that is, it is hard to disagree with the sentiment because of how poor the £8m attacker’s performances have been for the Light Blues, with one goal in 14 matches far from enough for the money spent on him.
Of course, Chermiti is not at fault for the transfer fee that Thelwell agreed to pay for him. He is a young player who is clearly trying his best and competing for the Gers, as evidenced by his 15 duels on Thursday night, but the quality is not there, on current evidence.
That is why Rohl must ruthlessly ditch him from the starting line-up for this clash with Falkirk at Ibrox, because he has not shown enough on the pitch to suggest that he should be playing week-in-week-out as the main number nine.
Dropping Chermiti will then provide the manager with an opportunity to unleash Antman in this new role, because Danilo can move into a number nine position or also be dropped for Miovski to start.
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Jose Mourinho has revealed what was said during his post-match chat with Scott McTominay, with the Benfica boss getting one over on his former Manchester United charge in a Champions League clash with Napoli. Scotland international McTominay is now starring in Italy, with his old boss at Old Trafford using the 29-year-old as an example to the teenage hopefuls he is helping to bring through in Lisbon.
Friends reunited: Mourinho worked with McTominay at Old Trafford
Back in 2017, it was Mourinho who handed McTominay his senior bow for the Premier League heavyweights. He was introduced off the bench in a meeting with Arsenal in May of that year, before starting a final-day showdown with Crystal Palace.
At just 20 years of age, McTominay became a regular in the 2017-18 campaign – taking in 23 appearances and becoming a full international. There were plenty of occasions in which the versatile midfielder was favoured over World Cup winner Paul Pogba – who had been signed by the Red Devils for a world-record £89 million ($119m) transfer fee in 2016.
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High praise & a gift: What Mourinho said to McTominay
Mourinho was reunited with McTominay when seeing Benfica take on Napoli in elite European competition. They exchanged words afterwards, with the ‘Special One’ revealing that he was also handed a special gift.
At his press conference, Mourinho told reporters when asked about the accessories that he had with him: “The bag is mine. It’s McTominay’s shirt. I gave him his debut. I benched Pogba and let him play. The least he could do was give me the shirt!”
Mourinho went on to say of his chat with McTominay, which saw the Scot lauded for all that he has achieved since stepping out of a fabled youth system in Manchester: “I told him that the kids I put in today in the final minutes are my 'Next McTominay'. I've given many of them their debuts at Roma too. [Jose] Neto is 17, and I had to be the first to play him because he'll make history, trust me.”
While Mourinho was feeling upbeat after seeing goals from Richard Rios and Leandro Barreiro earn Benfica an impressive 2-0 victory over Napoli, he added on McTominay’s mood: “He was sad because he lost. That’s Scott, that’s the nature of winning players. He chatted with me for five minutes, but he lost, and he was sad.
“But he’s very happy in Naples. Winning the award for best foreign player is absolutely fantastic, it qualifies Scotland for the World Cup after so many years. He’s having a really, really good time. He gave Manchester United a real boost, and there’s a connection with him. When he’s 70, he’ll still remember me.”
Notable scalp: Mourinho proud of Benfica's performance
McTominay was recently named the Serie A Player of the Year for 2025, becoming the first Scot to win that prize. He savoured title glory with Napoli last season, posting a career-best return of 13 goals across all competitions.
McTominay and Co are back in the hunt for another domestic crown this term, sitting level on points with AC Milan at the top of the table, and Mourinho said of seeing Benfica claim a notable scalp on home soil: “We deserved it, we played an extraordinary match. Some will say that Napoli weren't the team we know, but I disagree. Benfica did an extraordinary job, controlling the game at all times. For us, beating Napoli like this and still being alive in this competition is a great thing.”
He went on to say: “We have six points. Benfica lost at home to Qarabag early on, otherwise we'd have nine and be one step away from qualifying. The schedule is incredibly tough, but losing that match put us on the edge right away. It was important to win today, otherwise the story would have ended.”
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Mourinho is a two-time Champions League winner
Benfica remain in contention for a Champions League play-off spot, which would extend their European adventure into the spring of 2026. Mourinho will be hoping to guide them down that path, having previously claimed the most prestigious of continental honours during his time with Porto and Inter.
She added that “reaching a couple of semi-finals in the [recent] past just gives us more confidence”
S Sudarshanan24-Oct-20252:11
The big question – Is Healy fit for South Africa clash?
South Africa were the second team to qualify for the semi-final of the Women’s World Cup 2025, and did so with two league games still to play. They have been on a remarkable run in ICC tournaments in recent years – reaching the semi-finals of the ODI World Cup in 2017 and 2022, and of the T20 World Cup in 2020 and 2023. They were also runners-up at the T20 World Cup last year.Batter Anneke Bosch felt that the recent experience of making the knockouts puts South Africa in good stead to make their maiden ODI World Cup final. They will play their last league game of the competition against Australia at the Holkar Stadium on Saturday. The winner will head to Navi Mumbai for the semi-final against India, while the losing team will face England in Guwahati in the first semi-final.”We’ve been really good at being consistent in big tournaments, and different players doing well at different stages of the tournament,” Bosch said. “It’s just something that works for us when we get to tournaments like these and motivates us to do well. Reaching a couple of semi-finals in the [recent] past just gives us more confidence.Related
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“But now obviously we want to take it one step further because in the ODI World Cup, we haven’t [reached the final] before. So, it would mean a lot to us – and that’s what you compete for and what you’re here for – to make it to the final and, hopefully, lift the trophy. The fact that we have participated in a couple of semifinals now just helps us to deal with that pressure.”What has helped South Africa continue to perform well is a settled core. Twelve players in the current World Cup squad have been part of the T20 World Cup squads in 2023 and 2024. Bowlers Ayabonga Khaka, Masabata Klaas, Tumi Sekhukhune and Nonkululeko Mlaba have been consistent fixtures in the national side since the 2022 ODI World Cup.And it’s not just the senior women who have enjoyed success at World Cups. The men’s team reached the final of the T20 World Cup last year and the semi-final of the Champions Trophy earlier this year. The Under-19 women’s side were runners-up at their T20 World Cup earlier this year, while the men’s Under-19 team made the semi-finals in 2024.”It’s a combination of a lot of things,” Bosch said of the winning culture. “We are a massive sporting nation and we love to play for the country, and make the country and the people back at home proud. [A key factor is] our resilience and the way we come together as a country in big tournaments like these. We play for each other and we play for people back at home.”South Africa’s road to a first Women’s ODI World Cup title starts with a tough assignment against Australia in their final group-stage match. They have beaten Australia just once in 18 ODI meetings. With a solid core and the belief to go where they never have before, they’ll be aiming for a second ODI win against the defending champions.
Thomas Frank’s start to life at Tottenham Hotspur has certainly been an impressive one, as seen by his side’s current Premier League standing in 2025/26.
The Lilywhites currently sit third in England’s top-flight, after losing just two of the first nine outings – even keeping four clean sheets during such a period.
His men have been just as impressive at the opposite end of the field, as seen by their tally of 17 goals in the first nine matches, with Mohammed Kudus having a huge bearing on such a record.
The Ghanaian has made an immediate impact after his £55m switch from West Ham United, subsequently registering one goal and four assists in the league to date.
However, despite his impressive start to life in North London, he may have a long way to go until he makes the list of the Lilywhites’ best additions within the last decade.
Spurs’ best additions over the last decade
Over the last few years, Spurs have made numerous high-profile additions to help the first-team squad mount a challenge for a Premier League title challenge.
Cristian Romero was brought into the club on loan in the summer of 2021, but would move to North London on a permanent basis 12 months later for a reported £42.5m.
TottenhamHotspur's CristianRomeroreacts
Such a deal may have seemed to be an expensive one, but three years on, it could go down as one of the Lilywhites’ best over the last few years, given his impact in North London.
The Argentine has brought a needed steel to the club’s backline, racking up a total of 133 appearances across all competitions – even being named as part of the current leadership group.
However, Heung-min Son will no doubt take top spot for Spurs’ best addition in the last decade, with the South Korean exceeding all expectations during his spell in the Premier League.
The hierarchy paid £22m for his signature from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015, an absolute bargain given his total of 454 appearances in North London.
He would score on 173 occasions during his decade-long spell with the Lilywhites, with such a tally putting him fourth in the club’s all-time goalscoring charts.
From solo goals against Burnley and incredible long-range strikes against North London rivals Arsenal, he was capable of the spectacular and handing the fanbase moments to last a lifetime.
Son was even a part of the club’s Europa League-winning campaign in 2024/25, with such an achievement undoubtedly cementing his place as a Lilywhites icon.
The player who could be Frank’s answer to Son
After such success in Europe, Son decided to call time on his Spurs career, leaving in the recent transfer window to join MLS outfit LAFC in a deal worth a total of £20m.
The South Korean international left for a net loss of just £2m from the fee forked out for his signature – further highlighting the incredible business done by the Lilywhites hierarchy.
The decision meant that current boss Frank was unable to have the opportunity to work with the iconic forward, which has often left him without a settled left-winger.
Wilson Odobert, Brennan Johnson and Xavi Simons have all operated in such a position over the last few weeks – but none have managed to clinch the faith of the boss in the role.
However, that could change in the years ahead, with the club already having a superb young talent within their ranks in the form of teenager Hyeok-min Yang.
The 19-year-old joined the Lilywhites from Gangwon FC back in January, undoubtedly being brought into the club for the future years rather than the present.
It’s evident he already possesses bags of talent, with the youngster scoring 12 times in his 38 appearances for his homeland club, prior to his switch to England earlier this year.
However, in order to gain familiarity with the demands of English football, he’s been sent on various loans in the Championship – currently spending the 2025/26 campaign with Portsmouth.
Yang may only have featured in seven league outings to date, but he’s already made an immediate impact with Pompey, registering two goals and one assist in England’s second tier.
Hyeok-min Yang – Portsmouth stats (25/26)
Statistics (per 90)
Tally
Games played
7
Goals & assists
3
Pass accuracy
79%
Touches in opposition box
4.7
Fouls won
1.8
Recoveries made
5.3
Shots on target
1.1
Chances created
1.4
Stats via FotMob
His impressive form on the South Coast has led to Korean analyst Jason Lee stating that the teenager is just “like Son Heung-min” – huge praise indeed given his compatriot’s achievements in North London.
Yang’s underlying stats at Fratton Park further indicate how impressive he’s been in 2025/26, with the winger ranking in the top 18% of players for goals per 90.
Other tallies such as 1.8 fouls won and 4.7 touches in the opposition per 90, showcase the danger he poses to the backlines in the Championship, even despite being just 19.
There’s no denying that he has a long road ahead of him before he makes an impact in North London, but there’s no disputing that he could be a real asset to the club in years to come.
Should he get anywhere near the levels produced by his compatriot in the Premier League, Yang will be a force to be reckoned with and potentially help catapult Frank’s men to yet more silverware in the near future.
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