Yorkshire have said there “must be no repercussions” for any witnesses giving evidence in the investigation of “institutional racism” at the club made by former captain, Azeem Rafiq.Responding to Rafiq’s call for witness anonymity on Thursday, the club released a statement on Friday stating that they “completely agree with Azeem”.And while the statement stops short of promising anonymity, it does accept the need for “impartially”.”We completely agree with Azeem that there must be no repercussions for any witnesses who give evidence to the investigation,” the statement sent to ESPNcricinfo reads. “We must address these allegations impartially and with urgency so we can understand how the club and cricket as a whole move forward.”The club has also announced the addition of two people to the investigation panel. Rehana Azib, a barrister and employment law specialist, and Helen Hyde, the former Personnel Director at Waitrose, will join a group chaired by Dr. Samir Pathak, who is a surgeon and was previously an England Universities wicketkeeper.Hanif Malik will no longer appear as part of that panel. As reported by ESPNcricinfo previously, Malik had been the subject of complaints from Rafiq, who claimed he had previously outlined his concerns to him but that no action had been taken.While no firm deadline has been given for the panel to report its conclusions, the expectation is they will do so before the end of the year.”The investigation is now underway and will address directly the specific complaints made by Azeem Rafiq,” the club said in a statement. “In addition, and at the request of the Board, the investigation will also conduct a review of the club’s internal policies and culture with regards to discriminatory conduct.”The Board of Yorkshire County Cricket Club has committed to sharing the findings of the investigation and the recommendations of the panel. The investigation has now begun and the Board have been clear that these matters are to be investigated thoroughly and with urgency. It is expected that the investigation will be completed within three months.”

Arsenal have yet to pounce during this summer's transfer window but there's no sense of concern at the Emirates. Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu are dedicated to bolstering the Premier League behemoths.

One of the staples of the Gunners' rise and rise in recent years has been the remarkable bouncebackability in the market, having navigated past various setbacks to create a balanced and elite-class squad.

Benjamin Sesko, last week, broke Premier League hearts as he announced he would be staying at RB Leipzig. Aged 21, the Slovenian striker probably made a prudent call, continuing to build on his exploits of last season, posting 18 goals from 42 matches.

Signing a centre-forward has plainly been a priority position for a while but given the emphatic form of Kai Havertz and a lack of top alternatives on the market, Arteta and Co may turn to other positions.

Arsenal eyeing talented winger

According to The Athletic's Pol Ballus, Arsenal have placed Spain's Euro 2024 star Nico Williams on their 'wish list', with the Athletic Bilbao winger earning quite the reputation as a fleet-footed, tricky customer.

A range of Premier League rivals – and Barcelona – admire the 21-year-old ace but Arteta will hope that his exciting project and emphatic success over recent seasons will hold sway.

Williams has a €58m (£49m) release clause in his contract and given that the Gunners have turned their transfer cannon away from the striker's position, this might be a feasible deal for the north London outfit.

Nico Williams' style of play

Born and raised in the Basque Country, Williams has enjoyed a dream start to his career, plying his trade alongside his brother, Inaki, and winning the Copa del Rey last season, ending a 40-year wait for a trophy.

Last season, he scored eight goals and notched a whopping 19 assists across 37 appearances in all competitions, utilising his pace and power to surge into dangerous openings and wreak chaos on his adversaries.

Evidencing such traits: as per FBref, the 5 foot 9 star ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 20% for shot-creating actions, the top 7% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90.

Such attributes have led FBref to place Gabriel Martinelli as a similar player to the Spaniard, with Arsenal's left-sided forward also direct and devastating on his day but struggling to perform last season, scoring eight goals across 44 matches and adding only five assists.

Martinelli, aged 23, has been described as "unplayable" by pundit Owen Hargreaves in the past but he left plenty to be desired last year, also creating, on average, 1.3 key passes and completing 1.1 dribbles per top-flight game. Williams, however, trumped him, averaging 1.5 key passes and 2.8 dribbles per match.

These statistics suggest that he would come to The Emirates as an upgrade on the Brazil international, due to his superior quality in the final third when it comes to creating quality chances for his teammates.

He registered 14 more assists in seven fewer appearances than Martinelli during the 2023/24 campaign and could provide Arsenal's forwards with more opportunities to find the back of the net next term.

He's not yet a high-level goalscorer but this isn't really at the front and centre of his style. Instead, Williams performs with a selfless, unshackled kind of gusto that allows him to pick out teammates and boost the overall attacking fluency of his team.

Such players can have quite an effect, as has been evidenced by Williams' performances with Spain at Euro 2024 thus far, notably enjoying a barnstorming display as his nation confidently defeated Italy 1-0 in their second group game, having already dispatched Croatia 3-0.

Minutes played

78'

Touches

60

Accurate passes

27/29

Shots taken

2

Hit woodwork

1x

Key passes

4

Dribble attempts

4/10

Duels won

6/21

Winning UEFA's Player of the Match in that one, the exciting young wide forward has the creative and combative style to make a real impact in the Premier League, and Arsenal must ensure they are the ones to secure his services.

Imagine Nico Williams & Bukayo Saka

Playing with electric style down the left flank, Williams could be the perfect partner for Bukayo Saka on the alternate. Saka needs no introduction, having bloomed into one of the most prodigious talents in English football over the past several years.

Like his Spanish counterpart, the Three Lions phenomenon was in imperious form last term, clinching 16 goals and nine assists from 35 Premier League matches, averaging 2.5 key passes, averaging 1.5 dribbles, averaging 5.9 successful duels.

His creative expertise and authoritative performances were crucial to the success of Arteta's side, and while many have called for a more prolific centre-forward, upgrading on the left flank to create a perfect sense of wide balance could be the key to success.

Think, for a moment, about the options that would present themselves to captain Odegaard, defence-splitting moments unfurling like a flower in spring bloom.

The Norwegian ranks among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for assists, the top 2% for progressive passes and the top 1% for shot-creating actions per 90. A master distributor, he would have a duality of overlapping quality to wrap opposing defences in on themselves, constraining and suffocating.

Arteta very close to first Arsenal summer signing in £42 million forward

It would be quite the coup.

5 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 21, 2024

The Gunners must now press ahead and secure a deal for the Spain international before the summer transfer window slams shut at the end of August, due to the quality he could add to Arteta's squad next term.

His statistics in LaLiga suggest that the ability is there for him to be an upgrade on Martinelli and a lethal partner for Saka at the top end of the pitch, which is why Williams could arrive in London as a fantastic and exciting signing for supporters to look forward to watching if they can get a deal over the line for him.

Arsenal are now ready to "bid hard" for a Euro 2024 forward and have held discussions with the player's entourage.

Edu and Arteta targeting new winger for Arsenal this summer

A lot of noise has centred around Arsenal ending their near-12-month-long search for a new striker, with many names linked in that time, as manager Mikel Arteta and sporting director Edu Gaspar seek to add a prolific forward.

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Emilio Galantini

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This remains the case, as Arsenal are widely tipped to be in the race to sign Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig. Scoring 18 goals in all competitions last season, the Slovenia international is also subject to a lot of rumoured interest from Premier League rivals Chelsea.

However, as well as a new striker, there are suggestions that the Gunners may well add a new winger to their ranks as well. Crystal Palace star Michael Olise continues to be mentioned as an Arsenal target, with club legend Ray Parlour even backing the move in an exclusive FootballFanCast interview on behalf of NetBetSports betting.

Arsenal's top scorers in all competitions last season	Goals
Bukayo Saka	20
Leandro Trossard	17
Kai Havertz	14
Martin Odegaard	11
Gabriel Jesus	8

"Olise is a top player. I’ve seen him many times and he is always looking to be on the ball and drive forward. He is a talented footballer and will get a big move soon," said Parlour to FFC.

"He is one all the top sides will be after and Palace will get a big fee for him. He would naturally fit into Arsenal’s side and benefit from the way Arsenal play and would light up the Emirates should he join, but Arsenal have Saka, Martinelli, Trossard as well so it’s going to be difficult to see where he could fit in, but for Olise, to work under Arteta can only benefit his game for sure and he would fit in well."

While Olise would be a top signing for the north Londoners, a real point of contention is his £60 million price tag, and whether Arsenal would be willing to fork out such an amount with all of their other transfer plans.

A cheaper and quality alternative, as per a report from Spanish news outlet AS, comes in the form of Ukraine international winger Viktor Tsygankov.

Arsenal ready to bid hard for Tsygankov as agent talks held

The 26-year-old, who commands a price tag of around £26 million, is set to star for Ukraine at the looming Euro 2024 championships.

Arsenal are apparently ready to "bid hard" for Tsygankov and have held talks with his entourage. The attacker has enjoyed a fine season at current club Girona, who were briefly in contention for an unlikely La Liga title before being usurped by Real Madrid.

Tsygankov bagged 15 goal contributions in all competitions for Girona last season, which comes in the form of eight goals and seven assists over 34 appearances.

MatériaMais Notícias

Rogério Caboclo amargou mais uma derrota no Superior Tribunal de Justiça Desportiva. O presidente do STJD, Otávio Noronha, indeferiu nesta quinta-feira (26) novo pedido de liminar feito pelo cartola para derrubar a suspensão imposta pela Comissão de Ética da CBF. Com isto, Caboclo não será reconduzido ao cargo de presidente da entidade que comanda o futebol brasileiro.

> Lembre os presidentes da CBF nos últimos dez anos!

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Em sua decisão, Noronha afirmou que a defesa do dirigente perdeu o prazo do recurso. A ação pedia que a prorrogação do afastamento de Rogério Caboclo fosse tornada nula, mas o presidente do STJD explicou que era preciso recorrer em relação ao primeiro afastamento e o período para isso ser feito já havia passado.

Rogério Caboclo entrou com um mandado de garantia contra a prorrogação da suspensão preventiva de 60 dias que recebeu. Este afastamento se juntou aos 30 dias iniciais aplicados em 3 de junho.

Noronhahavia recusado anteriormente outra solicitação do cartola para retornar imediatamente ao poder da entidadepelo mesmo motivo. O presidente do STJD afirmou que opedido de recurso deveria ser feito 20 dias após “a prática do ato, omissão ou decisão”.

Os advogados de Rogério Caboclo veem pedido ao STJD como caráter de urgência, que estava sem decisão há mais de um mês, o que contraria determinação do Código Brasileiro de Justiça Desportiva. A defesa argumenta que não há previsão legal para a decisão de afastá-lo da presidência da CBF quando as investigações ainda estavam acontecendo.

A SITUAÇÃO DE CABOCLO NA CBF

A Comissão de Ética estabeleceu pena de 15 meses de suspensão para Rogério Caboclo por “conduta inapropriada” em relação a uma funcionária que o acusou de assédio moral e sexual. Três meses já foram cumpridos. Caboclo nega as acusações.

Caso as 27 federações estaduais manifestem em uma assembleia que estão de acordo com a Comissão de Ética, ele voltará ao cargo em setembro de 2022. O Conselho de Administração da CBF designou Ednaldo Rodrigues para substituir Antônio Carlos Nunes como presidente interino da entidade.

Since signing for Tottenham Hotspur in January, Radu Dragusin has had to wait patiently for his opportunity to shine.

Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven are the two first-choice centre-backs for Ange Postecoglou, but the former Genoa ace could change that very soon.

The 22-year-old defender only made four Premier League starts for the Lilywhites last campaign, with his involvement towards the end of the season mainly due to the lack of options at left-back forcing Van de Ven out wide.

So, why could things change? Well, he's starring at Euro 2024.

Dragusin’s performance against Ukraine

This week, Dragusin became a hero for his nation, Romania, with a performance that could just make the Australian boss think twice about his selections next season.

Going into the game against Ukraine, Romania were considered a heavy underdog, but thanks to a resilient performance, they won 3-0.

Dragusin was at the heart of his nation’s triumph, starting at centre half and dominating La Liga’s top scorer, Artem Dovbyk.

The Spurs rock made an impressive ten clearances and won all of his three duels, putting his body on the line for his country.

Romania’s number three also brought composure to the backline even under intense pressure, giving the ball away just twice and boasting a pass accuracy of 89%.

Touches

33

Pass accuracy

89%

Possession lost

2

Clearances

10

Blocks

2

Duels won

3/3

Dribbled past

0

If he continues to perform in such a manner, his involvement will increase massively next term, but that can’t be said for one of his Tottenham teammates who's also out in Germany this summer.

Why Tottenham must sell Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

Ever since his move to the Lilywhites almost four years ago under Jose Mourinho, Denmark international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has been an ever-present figure in the middle of the park.

However, that wasn’t the case under Postecoglou, who preferred a midfield pairing of Yves Bissouma and Pape Matar Sarr for the majority of the campaign.

This means that the Dane had to settle for a substitute role, and although he played 36 times in the Premier League, the 28-year-old made just eight starts.

The lack of defensive security or technical class he brought to the team proved to be his downfall, making less than one tackle per game on average and only having a pass accuracy of 89%. But what exactly does Hojbjerg earn at Spurs?

1. Heung-min Son

£190k

2. James Maddison

£170k

3. Timo Werner, Cristian Romero

£165k

4. Dejan Kulusevski

£110k

5. Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg

£100k

According to Capology, Hojbjerg is one of the highest-earning players in the entire Spurs squad, with only five players having a higher salary.

The former Southampton player earns £100k per week, which equates to £5.2m per season, a total take home that is higher than Dragusin’s £85k per week and £4.42m per year.

The number five also earns more than the likes of Pedro Porro, Van de Ven, and Destiny Udogie, who are all much more important to the boss’ style of play and approach.

Furthermore, he’s the second-highest-paid midfielder at the club, only behind James Maddison, and he’s also the second-highest-earning Dane in the league, only with a lower salary than Christian Eriksen.

Given his wage and lack of involvement recently, it’s no surprise to see that the “irresponsible” Hojbjerg, as dubbed by journalist Arlo White, is all but confirmed to be leaving Spurs this summer.

Overall, it’s quite clear that the only solution is for Hojbjerg to leave this summer, and therefore, Spurs must look to sell their defensive midfielder this summer as a priority.

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MatériaMais Notícias

Sensação de alívio. Assim a vitória por 1 a 0 sobre o Coritiba, nesta sexta-feira, pode ser definida para o Botafogo. O Alvinegro colocou a primeira derrota do Coxa fora de casa na Série B do Brasileirão e isto foi valorizado pelos jogadores.

Desde o apito final, ainda no gramado do Couto Pereira, palco da partida, os jogadores já comemoram demais o resultado, demorando mais do que o normal para ir aos vestiários por se juntarem para comemorar.

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ÔÔÔ! VAMOS, VAMOS, FOOOOGOOOOOO 🎵🎵🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/naG6oAnkfS

— Botafogo F.R. (@Botafogo) August 28, 2021

Nos vestiários, a festa apenas aumentou. O clube divulgou, nas redes sociais, um vídeo dos jogadores comemorando no Couto Pereira, o que prova o quanto a vitória foi valorizada pelo plantel.

Com 35 pontos conquistados, o Botafogo dorme no G4. Para terminar a rodada na zona de classificação à Série A, precisa torcer para o Náutico não vencer o Vitória, neste sábado.

Glasgow Rangers will have a number of big decisions to make throughout the summer transfer window, with players coming in and out of Ibrox.

Head of recruitment Nils Koppen has already been hard at work on the former, with deals for Oscar Cortes, Jefte, and Clinton Nsiala already agreed.

FAR Rabat attacker Hamza Igamane is also reportedly closing in on a permanent move to the Scottish giants to bolster Philippe Clement's attacking options.

Meanwhile, John Lundstram, Borna Barisic, Jon McLaughlin, Ryan Jack, and Kemar Roofe have left the club to become free agents, after their contracts expired at the end of last month.

There may, however, be further exits from Glasgow as the Light Blues could look to cash in on some of their contracted players to generate funds for more new signings to improve the team before the window slams shut at the end of August.

One current first-team star who could be moved on to make way for a replacement in his position is experienced central defender Connor Goldson, amid links to an addition in that area of the park.

Rangers' interest in £4m colossus

It was recently reported by Austrian media, via The Scotsman, that the Gers are one of the sides interested in a swoop to sign Salernitana defender Flavius Daniliuc this summer.

The report claimed that both Old Firm sides – Rangers and Celtic – are eyeing up the 23-year-old colossus, who was signed from Nice for £4m in 2022, to bolster their defensive options ahead of the 2024/25 campaign.

It stated that both of them are in the market to add new centre-backs to their ranks as they look to protect their respective goalkeepers more next term.

Daniliuc spent the 2022/23 season on loan with RB Salzburg in his home country but it has been reported that they have decided not to take up their option to sign him on a permanent basis, although they may look to agree another deal for him later in the window.

Meanwhile, Football Insider have reported that Steven Gerrard is pushing to snap up Goldson from Rangers to improve his Al-Ettifaq squad in Saudi Arabia.

The outlet stated that the Gers do not want to lose the veteran defender but could be forced to cash in on him if a 'big' offer arrives on their desk from the Pro League side.

Football Insider added that Nsiala's arrival would help to replace Goldson but that a more experienced option would be required, and that is where Daniluic could come in and allow Clement to brutally ditch the Englishman.

Why Rangers should cash in on Connor Goldson

The 31-year-old central defender enjoyed a solid season at the back for the Gers in the Scottish Premiership but this could be the ideal time to cash in on him.

At the age of 31, the English battler is heading into the final throes of his playing career and may not have much development, if any, left in him, which means that his value may not be any higher than it is now.

With two years left on his contract, the Light Blues would also be in an uncomfortable position next summer as he would only have one year left and they would risk losing him for nothing the following year if they did not sell him for a cut-price in 2025.

Therefore, this summer could be the optimal time to sell the former Brighton & Hove Albion man, particularly amid interest from Al-Ettifaq and Gerrard, as the Pro League side could offer them a chance to rake in some cash that they can then reinvest before the end of the window.

Starts

30

Tackles per game

1.5

Interceptions per game

0.3

Ball recoveries per game

5.5

Ground duel success rate

73%

Aerial duel success rate

67%

As you can see in the table above, Goldson was an important player for Rangers in the Premiership this season as he started 30 of their 38 league games.

The right-footed titan showcased his physical dominance by winning the majority of his contests on the deck and in the air against opposition players.

However, Clement can now brutally ditch the experienced star by signing Daniliuc to replace him, which would allow the Scottish giants to cash in on him amid the interest from Gerrard's team.

Why Rangers should sign Flavius Daniliuc

Firstly, the 23-year-old is eight years younger than Goldson and would arrive at Ibrox as a player with the potential to be a key defender for many, many, more years to come.

If he can adapt to Scottish football and establish himself as an important piece in Clement's system, Rangers could have a starting centre-back for a very long time unless they opt to sell him on at a later date.

His form in the Austrian Bundesliga during the second half of the season and the Serie A during the first half of the campaign suggest that the potential is there for him to be a strong addition to the squad.

Passes attempted

53.86

49.72

Progressive passes

3.43

4.48

Progressive carries

0.14

0.97

Successful take-ons

0.00

0.12

Shot-creating actions

1.14

1.21

As you can see in the table above, Daniliuc could come in and offer more in build-up play than Goldson, as he has averaged more progressive passes, shot-creating actions, and progressive carries per 90 over the last year, despite attempting fewer passes.

This suggests that Clement could improve how frequently his team can build attacks by progressing the ball out from the back by signing the Salernitana ace to bolster his backline.

The Austria international also won 52% of his duels in the Bundesliga and 57% of his aerial battles in the Serie A, which shows that he can win the majority of his battles on the pitch, albeit not as efficiently as the current Gers titan.

Back in 2021, U23 scout Antonio Mango hailed him as a "generational" talent and "Rolls Royce" for Nice, before his move to Salernitana, and the Light Blues could hope to unlock that potential at Ibrox.

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The 23-year-old's statistics suggest that the quality is there for him to hit the ground running as an excellent replacement for Goldson, particularly with his use of the ball, whilst the young defender could also grow and improve under Clement over the years to come.

Overseas players from seven countries will feature in the upcoming Women’s T20 Challenge, scheduled to be held in the UAE from November 4-9. However, Australian players will not be a part of the tournament, understandably, as it clashes with the Women’s Big Bash League that begins in Sydney on October 25.Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur and Mithali Raj will once again lead the three teams – Supernovas, Trailblazers and Velocity – at the week-long tournament consisting of three round robin matches and a final.Sophie Ecclestone, the No. 1-ranked T20I bowler, and Danni Wyatt who both appeared in the 2019 edition, are the two England representations, while other big names include West Indies allrounder Deandra Dottin, Sri Lanka’s current captain Chamari Atapattu and former captain Shashikala Siriwardene.Thailand, who are among the fastest emerging teams in the women’s circuit, also have a representation in the form of batter Natakkan Chantam. The 24-year-old impressed with her quality stroke-making during Thailand’s maiden T20 World Cup appearance in Australia earlier this year.All the three squads will be put up at one hotel, most likely in Dubai, and will be part of a biosecure bubble. No venue has been announced yet, although ESPNcricinfo understands all four games are likely to be played in Sharjah.The Indian players are likely to arrive in Mumbai early on October 13 to complete a nine-day quarantine before flying out to the UAE. This will be the first time the group assembles together since their appearance at the T20 World Cup final in March earlier this year.Just like the eight IPL franchises, the women’s contingent will undergo a mandatory six-day quarantine at the team hotel during which tests will be carried out on days one, three and five. Each of the three sides will take part in at least four training sessions before the start of the tournament, which will run alongside the IPL playoffs. Squads:
Supernovas: Harmanpreet Kaur (capt), Jemimah Rodrigues (vice-captain), Chamari Atapattu, Priya Punia, Anuja Patil, Radha Yadav, Taniya Bhatia (wk), Shashikala Siriwardene, Poonam Yadav, Shakera Selman, Arundhati Reddy, Pooja Vastrakar, Ayushi Soni, Ayabonga Khaka, Muskan Malik Trailblazers: Smriti Mandhana (capt), Deepti Sharma (vice-captain), Punam Raut, Richa Ghosh, D. Hemalatha, Nuzhat Parween (wk), Rajeshwari Gayakwad, Harleen Deol, Jhulan Goswami, Simaran Dil Bahadur, Salma Khatun, Sophie Ecclestone, Natthakan Chantham, Deandra Dottin, Kashvee Gautam Velocity: Mithali Raj (capt), Veda Krishnamurthy (vc), Shafali Verma, Sushma Verma (wk), Ekta Bisht, Mansi Joshi, Shikha Pandey, Devika Vaidya, Sushree Dibyadarshini, Manali Dakshini, Leigh Kasperek, Danielle Wyatt, Sune Luus, Jahanara Alam, M Anagha

The summer transfer window officially opened for business on Friday and Celtic look set to dip into the market to bolster their squad ahead of next season.

Brendan Rodgers has already been linked with a move for Euros star Dominik Livakovic to replace Joe Hart and Dundee dynamo Luke McCowan this month.

It has also been reported that the Hoops are keen to secure a deal to bring Arsenal left-back Kieran Tierney back for a second spell at Parkhead.

Arsenal and Scotland defender Kieran Tierney

The Scotland international is said to be eager to return to Glasgow but the financials around the deal, whether it is a permanent or a loan, make it unlikely at this moment in time.

Why Kieran Tierney would be a good signing

The left-footed whiz knows the club and has already proven himself in the Scottish Premiership, which suggests that he could hit the ground running at Paradise.

Tierney came up through the academy system in Glasgow and worked his way into the first-team set up before completing his move to the Gunners in 2019.

Before his transfer to England, the Scottish talent racked up eight goals and 37 assists in 170 appearances for the Hoops in all competitions.

He is reportedly on roughly £108k-per-week at The Emirates, however, and no current Celtic player earns more than £37k-per-week, which suggests that it could be incredibly difficult for the Bhoys to land him unless Arsenal are willing to cover a large percentage of his wages as part of a loan move.

Rodgers could, however, save the club millions by unearthing Tierney 2.0 from the academy to compete with Greg Taylor for a starting spot, rather than spending money on a new signing to bolster that area of the pitch.

Why Matthew Anderson must be given a chance

20-year-old left-back Matthew Anderson spent the 2023/24 campaign on loan at Admira Wacker in the second tier in Austria as part of a link-up between the two teams.

The Scotland U21 international described it as being the "perfect" level for him as a first loan move away from Parkhead and his fantastic performances could earn him a chance to impress Rodgers in pre-season.

He placed within the top 10% of his positional peers in the 2. Liga with 0.63 key passes per 90 and 3.97 dribbles per 90 respectively, which shows how forward-thinking and progressive the former B team star is.

23/24 2.Liga

Matthew Anderson

Appearances

21

Minutes played

1,646

Assists

6

Goals

1

Games per G/A

3

Games per assist

3.5

Stats via Transfermarkt

As you can see in the table above, Anderson provided a regular threat from a left-back position with an excellent tally of seven direct goal contributions in 21 appearances.

Tierney's 37 assists in 170 games for Celtic averaged out as an assist every 4.95 matches, 1.45 games more on average than it took the Admira Wacker loanee to register assists this term.

The Hoops starlet was also named in the 2.Liga Team of the Season last month, which further illustrates how impressive the young defender was in Austria.

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Therefore, Rodgers could save millions by bringing Anderson into the first-team fold and providing him with a chance to prove that he can be the next Tierney to come through the ranks as an attacking left-back who can consistently provide assists.

It will then, of course, be down to the 20-year-old to take his opportunity and step up to the Premiership, but his performances out on loan suggest that the potential is there for him to do just that, which would prevent the club from needing to splash millions on a new left-back.

Tottenham have now opened talks with a Euro 2024 star, via his reps, and could hijack a major European club's move for him as a result.

Spurs targeting new defender after Postecoglou's admission

The north Londoners also completed a deal for Romania international Radu Dragusin for around £25 million in January, but there is a real belief that Ange Postecoglou remains on the hunt for new centre-backs.

£113,000-per-week World Cup winner holds talks to join Ange at Tottenham

He’s a pretty big name.

2 ByEmilio Galantini Jun 18, 2024

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero were indomitable at times over 2023/2024, forming a crucial partnership at the heart of Postecoglou's backline, and the former's searing pace is a crucial component of the Australian's high line.

However, when either of the defenders are absent or injured, Spurs can seriously struggle. Dragusin's arrival worked wonders to provide Postecoglou with an alternative option, with the 22-year-old's presence even allowing van de Ven to cover for Destiny Udogie at left-back towards the end of last season.

Pedro Porro

7.04

Cristian Romero

7.03

Micky van de Ven

6.79

Destiny Udogie

6.71

Ben Davies

6.62

Despite the signing of Dragusin, though, it is believed Tottenham are still looking at bringing in another centre-half this summer. The Lilywhites head coach, speaking back in March, even admitted that it is one of their transfer aims.

“If you’re saying, ‘Is it an area we can strengthen?’, yes it’s an area we will probably look at”, said Postecoglou on signing another centre-back.

“With all these things, it’s about trying to strengthen the group as much as anything else. If you think about when I first arrived, we had maybe six or seven centre-backs at the club. So it’s not just numbers. It’s more about the ability of those players to play the football we want and to fit in to what we’re trying to build here.

“I think it is an area of the park we will look to strengthen, but I think we’ll look to strengthen all areas of the park come the end of the season. That is planning that’s already underway, and other people are in charge of it at the moment.”

Tottenham have displayed a keen interest in Bologna defender Riccardo Calafiori as one potential target, with DAZN (via Il Bianconero) sharing an update on their pursuit of the Euro 2024 ace.

Tottenham open talks for Calafiori and could hijack Juventus

The broadcaster claims Tottenham have spoken with Calafiori's reps and contact has been made with Bologna, as they look to beat Juventus in the race for his signature.

The Italy international, who was praised for his performance against Albania in their opening group game of the tournament, is rumoured to command a price tag as high as £42 million following his excellent Serie A campaign.

It looks as if Calafiori could be at the centre of a tug-of-war between Juve and Spurs, especially if he continues to impress at the Euros.

“He played an extraordinary game, like the whole team in the first 60 minutes," said Italian World Cup winner Gianluca Zambrotta on Calafiori's outing against Albania.

"He played with personality, without fear, perhaps the only flaw was on the long ball where we took a risk with Donnarumma’s exit. But he showed some beautiful things yesterday.”