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da winzada777： Thomas Frank’s appointment at Tottenham Hotspur has started a new era at the football club, looking to build on the progress made by Ange Postecoglou.

da imperador bet： The Aussie won the Europa League in his final game in charge, securing their place in the Champions League and handing the supporters a memorable night at the end of a dismal season.

Such a decision to sack him may have appeared harsh, but it now hands the former Brentford boss the opportunity to create new history for the club in North London.

With the summer transfer window once again open for sides to make new additions, the hierarchy have already wasted no time in targeting moves to hand him with the tools he desires.

Numerous areas of the pitch are in need of investment to help provide quality and depth in key areas, especially if they are to be competitive in the Premier League and Europe.

The latest in Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

After Frank’s arrival, winger Bryan Mbeumo has been largely touted with a move to follow his former manager across the capital to join Spurs this window.

However, if they are to land the 25-year-old’s signature, they will have to fend off interest from Manchester United, with the Red Devils seemingly in pole position at present.

Another name has entered the frame within the attacking department in recent days, with Rennes star Arnaud Kalimuendo firmly on their radar, according to French outlet L’Equipe.

Their report claims that the Lilywhites have been in talks with the Ligue 1 outfit over a deal for the 23-year-old, who’s scored 18 times across all competitions in 2024/25.

It also states that he’s valued at around the €25m (£21.3m) mark, but will face competition for his signature, with sides in Spain and Germany also wanting a move for the 23-year-old this summer.

Why Spurs’ latest target could be Frank’s next Wissa

As previously mentioned, Mbeumo was a key part of Frank’s success at Brentford, but striker Yoane Wissa also thrived under his guidance and reached levels never seen in his career before.

The DR Congo forward made 35 appearances in the league last time around, registering a total of 19 goals and four assists, forming an excellent partnership with the Cameroonian.

Like his current teammate, he’s been linked with a move to join Spurs this window, potentially following the manager in moving to the Tottenham Hotspur stadium.

However, they’re not alone in their hunt, with Nottingham Forest once again emerging in the race after having an offer rejected for him back in January.

If Frank is unable to land a reunion with Wissa, he should pursue a move for Kalimuendo, with the Frenchman having all the tools to be a threat in the Premier League.

The Rennes ace, who’s been labelled “one of the most prolific” stars by talent scout Jacek Kulig, has registered a higher shot-on-target accuracy rate, backing up the claim made about him.

He’s also completed more of the passes he’s attempted and registered a higher take-on success rate – handing Frank the all-round option he’ll need in North London.

Most goals scored by U23 STs in Europe’s top-five leagues (2024/25)

Player

Club

Games

Goals

Arnaud Kalimuendo

Stade Rennais

33

17

Hugo Ekitiké

Eintracht Frankfurt

33

15

Emanuel Emegha

Strasbourg

27

14

Benjamin Sesko

RB Leipzig

33

13

Mika Biereth

Monaco

16

13

Liam Delap

Ipswich Town

37

12

Thierno Barry

Villarreal

35

11

Joao Pedro

Brighton

27

10

Stats via Transfermarkt

Kalimuendo’s dominance doesn’t stop there, also registering more carries into the final third and more passes into the opposition area per 90, handing the attackers around him the chance to thrive too.

Whilst Wissa may appear to be a solid option given his time under the manager at the GTEC, a move for the Frenchman could allow the boss to land his next attacking star.

If he can transfer his skillset across to England, it would be a superb signing, having the potential to explode into an elite level talent given his tender age.

Related He's more exciting than Tel: Spurs now confident of signing £70m "monster"

The outrageously talented attacker will be incredible for Spurs.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 17, 2025

With the 2026 World Cup less than a year away, GOAL looks at the state of the shot-stoppers vying for a spot next summer

With the Gold Cup complete and the World Cup on the horizon, there are still more questions than answers at the U.S. men's national team's goalkeeper position. Traditionally a position of strength for the USMNT, goalkeeper remains a major talking point at the moment – one that was furthered, but not ended, by an interesting summer run.

At the Gold Cup, USMNT boss Mauricio Pochettino surprised many by sticking with one player, Matt Freese, throughout the tournament. Matt Turner, the incumbent, watched from the bench. As a result, the U.S. didn't eliminate contenders from the goalkeeper race but, instead, added them, making it even more complicated as they head into the home stretch of this World Cup cycle.

Currently, there are options, both veteran and inexperienced, in this pool, and all of them will believe they have a chance at making it onto the World Cup roster. Three will be included, but only one will start, and the races are heating up for each of the spots heading into next summer.

Post-Gold Cup, GOAL is looking at the state of the USMNT, analyzing the positional battles that will ultimately define next summer's team. First up: goalkeepers.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The Starter: Matt Freese

  This, of course, is very much up for debate and could certainly change by the World Cup, if not sooner. At the moment, though, the edge goes to Freese, who proved capable throughout the Gold Cup.

  Handed his first start just before the tournament, Freese was generally solid during his run this summer, save for one botched clearance in the group stage. His penalty kick heroics against Costa Rica gave him a signature moment, too, as he stared down the legendary Keylor Navas and never came close to blinking.

  Instead, he went the correct way over and over again, making three crucial saves to send the U.S. to the semifinals.

  Freese's biggest assets are confidence and minutes, and he'll continue to build on both with New York City FC.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  The Backup: Matt Turner

  Throughout the summer, the message from USMNT camp centered on how helpful Turner was to Freese. Despite being the only experienced member of the goalkeeping pool, Turner didn't treat his Gold Cup backup status as a demotion. Instead, he treated it as an opportunity to help, going above and beyond to work with Freese.

  And while Turner was magnanimous in his backup role this summer, that doesn't mean he's settled on that outcome. He will, of course, be gunning for that starting spot, and he'll need to make a critical club move if he wants to land it.

  His proposed transfer to Lyon seems to still be on and, if he does head to the French club, he'll need to play not just consistently, but perform at a high level. He clearly has the talent and attitude, so it may all come down to the right fit at the right club – and the time is now to make that happen.

• Getty Images
  

  In The Mix: Patrick Schulte and Zack Steffen

  There's a butterfly effect at play here. If both Schulte and Steffen hadn't been injured, Freese may not have started six straight games at the Gold Cup – and as a result, may not have emerged as the potential starter coming out the tournament. Such is the impact injuries can have, but it's also a reminder of how quickly things can change.

  Steffen, thus far, has seemed the most likely contender, having impressed during January camp. Unfortunately, the Colorado Rapids goalkeeper has been unfortunate, with injuries keeping him out of the team at crucial junctures. Steffen has plenty of ability – but as they say, the best ability is availability, and he hasn't been healthy often enough since Pochettino took over.

  Schulte, too, was unavailable this summer after sustaining an injury just before camp. He looked poised for a breakthrough after starting against Canada last fall. There's still time for the Columbus Crew shot-stopper, though, as he looks to make his own case.

• AFP
  

  For The Future: Chris Brady, Diego Kochen, Gaga Slonina

  There are multiple interesting goalkeepers in the pipeline, all of whom have some level of USMNT experience on their resume.

  Brady had the most recent engagement, having served as the third goalkeeper at this summer's Gold Cup. Again, that opportunity fell his way due to injuries, but it was certainly worthwhile, as he got to spend a month competing and learning from Freese and Turner – as well as the USMNT's coaching staff. The Chicago Fire star will surely benefit from that experience as he looks to keep building in MLS.

  Slonina, a former Fire star, just won the Club World Cup with Chelsea, albeit as the club's third goalkeeper. He'll almost certainly be headed back out on loan this season after an injury cut his time at Barnsley short last season.

  And then there's Kochen, the rising Barcelona goalkeeper who could also use a spell away from his megaclub. Just 19, the Miami-born goalkeeper is one to watch as he looks to break through at the senior level.

Manchester City are getting through plenty of work at an early stage of the transfer window and could now pounce for one of Europe’s brightest attacking talents, according to a report.

Manchester City look to push Rayan Ait-Nouri deal over the line

While Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders look set to join Manchester City from Lyon and AC Milan, respectively, there may be more good news on the way for Citizens’ supporters if David Ornstein’s latest update on business at the Etihad Stadium is anything to go by.

With the Club World Cup approaching and the need for signings to help Pep Guardiola evident, Rayan Ait-Nouri is closing in on a move to the blue half of Manchester from Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Although a full agreement has yet to be reached between all parties, there is an expectation that the Algerian left-back will head to Manchester City shortly to compete with Josko Gvardiol and Nathan Ake on the left-hand side of defence.

Intriguingly, Guardiola has admitted he wants to run with a small squad to ensure he is able to allocate minutes appropriately rather than harbouring fringe stars with no realistic prospect of first-team football.

“I said to the club I don’t want that (a large squad). I don’t want to leave five or six players in the freezer. I don’t want that. I will quit. Make a shorter squad, I will stay.”

Hugo Viana makes £40m+ Man City offer to sign Brazilian ahead of Man Utd

The Citizens are looking to steal a march on their rivals…

BySean Markus Clifford May 30, 2025

His comments indicate that a quality over quantity approach may be the method of action taken to streamline his group after a trophyless season. Putting emphasis on the ‘quality’ he craves, Guardiola could now move for one of Europe’s most explosive young talents to provide a fresh injection on the flanks.

Manchester City line up swoop for Bradley Barcola

According to CaughtOffside, Manchester City have extensively scouted Paris Saint-Germain star Bradley Barcola during his excellent campaign for the French giants.

The outlet claim the 22-year-old could be a long-term replacement for Jack Grealish at the Etihad, though the Champions League holders are said to value the winger at around £101 million.

Bradley Barcola’s superb campaign for PSG – Ligue 1 (Fotmob)

Completed dribbles

34

Successful crosses

7

Shots on target

39

Chances created

50

Expected goals

13.58

Touches in opposition box

228

Becoming a force on the flank, Barcola registered 21 goals and 19 assists in 58 appearances across all competitions for PSG, which has also seen Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur coming to the table for his signature.

Nevertheless, Luis Enrique isn’t keen to lose one of his star men and is set to offer the Lyon-born star a contract that would see him remain at the Parc des Princes until 2030.

Manchester City are on the lookout for talent to shape the next few years of silverware they hope to achieve and Barcola would be someone who could thrive under Guardiola’s tutelage if he were to pitch up on English shores.

Elgar, Browne half-centuries set platform for visitors on opening day in Canterbury

ECB Reporters Network24-May-2024Essex recovered from an early evening wobble to reach 287 for four at stumps on day one of their Vitality County Championship derby with Kent at Canterbury.Openers Dean Elgar and Nick Browne scored 77 and 65 respectively, putting on 146 for the first wicket.Joey Evison took two for 38 for a Kent attack weakened by injuries, but after reducing Essex to 224 for four, they were unable to shift either Jordan Cox or Michael Pepper, who were unbeaten on 51 and 35 at the close.When Essex won the toss and chose to bat a collective groan was uttered by the Spitfire Ground die-hards, who came in hope rather than expectation.A healthy first day crowd of 1,200 watched a one-sided first session unfold as an undercooked attack toiled.Browne was on nought when he drove at Stewart and Evison couldn’t cling on to a tough chance at mid-on, but that was about as close as Kent came during a sterile opening session.The hosts’ morning was summed up when Elgar reached 60 after a misfield from Zak Crawley, who sprinted 50 yards and clawed the ball back from the boundary, only for it to ricochet off his trailing arm and go back over the rope for four.An already injury-hit bowling attack was weakened further when Wes Agar injured his shoulder while fielding just before lunch, at which point it was 102 for nought.Browne reached 50 with two off Evison, but Matt Parkinson finally broke through in the 46th over, when Elgar charged down the wicket and was stumped by Harry Finch.Evison then produced a beauty that swing back in and bowled Browne middle-stump, which meant it was time for Cox to walk out at the St. Lawrence for the first time since his cross-Thames flit last year.He was given diplomatic applause, took ten balls to get off the mark and then hit Parkinson back over his head for six. At that point Cox looked like he was going to “go hard or go home”, but he reined himself in the face of some miserly Kent bowling and it was 185 for two at tea.Tom Westley flashed at Arafat Bhuiyan and was caught at first slip by Crawley for 21, but Grant Stewart couldn’t hold on to a violent return catch offered by Cox when he was on 15.Matt Critchley survived a strong lbw shot from Evison, only to be trapped in front by the same bowler in his next over for 13, but Kent opted not to take the new ball due to Agar’s ongoing absence.Cox continued to play watchfully while Pepper injected some aggression to tilt the contest back in Essex’s favour. They made an unbroken stand of 63 during the day’s final hour and Cox brought up his half-century with successive fours off Parkinson in the final over.

Openers overturn the deficit as Nottinghamshire set themselves for final-day push

ECB Reporters Network25-Jun-2024

Haseeb Hameed hits down the ground•Getty Images

Nottinghamshire 360 and 177 for 1 (Hameed 91, Slater 70*) lead Somerset 470 (Abell 111, Pretorius 95*, Pennington 5-96) by 67 runsSouth African all-rounder Migael Pretorius added an unbeaten 95 to his four first-innings wickets to help Somerset carve out a 110-run first innings lead on day three at Trent Bridge – yet with Nottinghamshire 177 for one in their second innings at the close, Craig Overton’s team have a lot to do if they are to take home a third Vitality County Championship win of the season.Pretorius, who spent part of last season with Durham, hammered six sixes and eight fours in a 71-ball assault to ensure that the efforts of Tom Abell and Tom Lammonby on day two were not wasted.Somerset had suffered a mid-innings stumble from 315 for four to 356 for eight and were still in arrears until Pretorius and Jack Leach (37) put on 79 in rapid time, the 29-year-old Pretorius missing out on a second career hundred only because he ran out of partners.Nottinghamshire fast bowler Dillon Pennington took five for 96, raising his tally for the season to 29 with his first five-wicket haul since moving from Worcester to Trent Bridge in the winter. Leg spinner Calvin Harrison’s reward for bowling 39 overs in the heat was figures of three for 173.Yet the wicket of Haseeb Hameed, bowled by captain Overton for 91, is Somerset’s only second-innings success so far from 58 overs of toil after the Nottinghamshire skipper had shared a 172-run opening partnership with Ben Slater, who finished on 70 not out in the company of nightwatchman Olly Stone.Earlier in the day, Abell could add only six to his unbeaten 105 on Monday before he misread a ball from Harrison that trapped him leg before. A glancing blow on the helmet facing fast bowler Stone had hardly helped his cause.His dismissal sparked a flurry of wickets. New batter Kasey Aldridge lasted only seven deliveries before being brilliantly caught at second slip by Harrison off Pennington, who found some extra bounce in his next over to frustrate James Rew, caught behind for 49.At 325 for seven in the 99th over, the sides were level on points, yet the next 11 overs saw Somerset surge ahead thanks largely to Pretorious, whose aggressive hitting brought him a 32-ball half-century.Pretorius hammered six over midwicket off Pennington and cleared the rope three times off Harrison, who was hit down the ground for another maximum by Leach. Back-to-back fours off Pennington from the England man raised the 400-mark in the 107th over.Pennington had Overton (20 from 13 balls) leg before and Harrison dismissed Leach via an edge behind soon after lunch, but Nottinghamshire missed out on a third bowling point. Not only that, they were powerless to stem the flow of runs from Pretorious.He launched one enormous slog-sweep off Harrison that achieved the not inconsiderable feat of clearing the Smith-Cooper Stand before driving Pennington for his sixth six – and could count himself mightily unfortunate to be left stranded when last man Jake Ball, who faced just five balls and contributed not a single run to a 35-run partnership, was leg before to give Pennington his five-for.Somerset were in a commanding position, in theory at least. Yet they would almost certainly have to bowl Nottinghamshire out for a second time if that position were to become a platform for a win, which looked potentially to be a tall order on an increasingly docile pitch.Thereafter, little happened to challenge that assessment. Dusty footmarks offered something for Leach to work with bowling from the Radcliffe Road End. The left-arm spinner was in action as early as the eighth over as openers Hameed and Slater set about negotiating the 26 overs up to tea but fashioned only one real chance in that period, the left-hander Slater put down by Overton at slip on 27.It allowed the pair to reach the interval with 72 runs knocked off the deficit, a platform from which their partnership became the biggest opening stand of the season for Nottinghamshire when it passed 81. Both completed half-centuries soon afterwards, the captain from 101 balls, Slater from 107.The final session similarly brought no rewards until the last 20 minutes of the day when Overton, bringing himself back for one last burst of pace, with Rew standing up to the stumps, bowled Hameed nine short of a century to break the partnership on 172.

After helping Sunrisers Hyderabad amass 287 for 3 with a 39-ball century and break the IPL record for highest total for the second time this season, opener Travis Head said his side would fancy targeting 300 as their next challenge. He also credited the captain Pat Cummins and head coach Daniel Vettori for pushing the openers to keep being aggressive in the first six overs.”[Our total] needs a three in front of it, does it now?” Head joked, when asked between innings about the benchmarks Sunrisers are setting for themselves, after the first innings against Royal Challengers Bengaluru on Monday. “It’s proper batting. We’ve wanted to be exciting the whole time, and we’ve wanted to take the game on, and Pat and then Dan have put pressure on the batting line-up to make sure we try and maximise the powerplay and then keep going.”We’ve got guys like [Heinrich] Klaasen, [Abdul] Samad and Nitish [Kumar Reddy, who] didn’t even get a hit today. We’ve got some power through the middle, and we want to keep just putting the foot down as much as we can. We know that’s not always guaranteed, but at the moment I think we’re setting it up really well in each game and getting to the score that we need.”Related

• Maxwell takes a break to refresh after asking to be rested by RCB

• Shock and awe all around at Head's hair-raising hundred

• Du Plessis: 'When the confidence is low, there's nowhere to hide'

• Stats – Sunrisers Hyderabad break their own record for highest-ever IPL total

• Head, Klaasen play decisive hands in Chinnaswamy big bash

Sunrisers smashed 22 sixes, the most in IPL history, and Head hit nine of them. Along with Abhishek Sharma, Head helped Sunrisers race away to 76 for 0 in the powerplay while also getting to his fifty. After the game, Head said he was enjoying batting with Abhishek. “We complement each other really well. He’s a young player and pretty fearless. There was a little bit of spin in the powerplay and he was so dominant against them. I’m loving it.”Head was eventually out in the 13th over for a 41-ball 102. His wicket brought zero respite though, as Klaasen pumped a 31-ball 67 from No. 3. Klaasen too was full of praise for his team-mate for setting up the match and making his job easier. “Unbelievable start there from Heady. It’s a special knock that. Puts the bowler under a lot of pressure,” Klaasen told the broadcaster after the game. “[I] came in and wanted to be very sensible and knock it around and make sure he faces majority of the balls. It is difficult to out-hit players like that so when it’s his night, make sure I’m on the other side and wait for a couple of bad balls. And then I should take over when he gets out.”It was nice batting out there, the wicket was nice and good but the tempo was set there upfront. Its nice to have bowlers under pressure when you come in.”

The left-arm spinner is relishing his role in the Titans attack, and the prospect of batters playing out Rashid Khan and coming after him

Shashank Kishore25-Mar-20241:18

McClenaghan: ‘Mohit’s experience really shone through’

As a spinner, dew can be your biggest nightmare. And when the opponents are cruising at 107 for 2, needing 62 off 48, the challenges are that much greater.R Sai Kishore had bowled three wicketless overs for 19 up until this point. Rohit Sharma was set on 43, and another few overs of him would have all but closed the door on the Gujarat Titans. It’s at this point that Sai Kishore made his mark.”I was actually expecting dew to play a major role,” he said later. “The ball was wet, but for some strange reason, the ball was still holding on the wicket. Usually it slides on, but I was surprised by the amount of purchase I was getting. So I tried to go into the wicket and mix my pace, and go slower through the air.”Related

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Sai Kishore hadn’t featured for Titans all of last season due to team-combination considerations. Even his five appearances prior to that, in 2022, had been staggered. He needed to conjure something special to keep Titans alive, and he did, by simply pulling his length back a touch, and getting the ball to dip.Rohit fell over attempting a sweep and was trapped plumb in front. Sai Kishore had brought the game back on an even keel. His figures of 1 for 24 played a key part in Mumbai’s slowdown, particularly in the second half of their chase, where Titans varied their lengths and bowled into the pitch to deny the batters.”Because the wicket was two-paced, we tried to go into the wicket a lot more, trust our length a lot more than directly going for yorkers,” Sai Kishore said. “That resulted in getting a lot of wickets. It was attacking bowling even if the situation was otherwise.”At Titans, Sai Kishore has had to adapt to being the second spinner to Rashid Khan. In the TNPL or for Tamil Nadu, he’s used as a trump card in the Powerplay. This change of role can be tough, but for someone longing for opportunities, it was the opening he needed.”In the other teams where play I usually do the lead role. To do the second role makes it even more exciting,” Sai Kishore said. “Most people are going to play off Rashid and come after me. That makes the challenge more exciting.”That sync [with Rashid] is there, we discuss the game very well. One of the strengths of this team is everyone sticks together. Jayant [Yadav, the offspinner] also used to come in [as a reserve player] and say ‘do this, do that, it’s going good.’ The communication is always there, which is superb.”Sai Kishore picked up the all-important wicket of Rohit Sharma•BCCISai Kishore felt Titans were at least 10 short of where they’d hoped to be with the bat. The plan all along was to remain in the game for as long as they could and then seize key moments, like they did in the death overs with Mohit Sharma and Rashid building on Sai Kishore’s work.”We felt we were 10 short, but the thing about this whole team and how it has been run over the last two years is we give a lot of emphasis to competing. Whether we win or lose, we’re proud of the way we play. We competed really well. That was the talk given by [head coach] Ashish Nehra as well.”All credit to the culture he has set up over the last two years. People are not thinking about the result [alone], they’re focusing about competing and staying in the game.”Sai Kishore is coming off a sensational Ranji Trophy season, which he finished as the highest wicket-taker. He left his imprint as a captain too, backing young players who thrived because of role clarity.At Titans, Sai Kishore is relishing any opportunity he gets to play, prepared to do the tough job without fearing the consequences. “When you bowl four overs on the trot, it’s like a one-day game, you can be in rhythm a lot easier.”With the Impact Player rule, we’re playing six bowlers. I’m getting the role where I’m bowling four overs on the trot in the middle. I’m open to bowling one-over spells. In [the Syed] Mushtaq Ali [Trophy] or TNPL, that’s how I use my overs but with the quality of bowlers we have, am getting to bowl four overs which I’m enjoying.”

GOAL runs through the players who have announced themselves at the top level in the first week of the global tournament

"I think the players are loving it, it’s something new. It’s something special," FIFA president Gianni Infantino said when asked to assess the first week of the expanded Club World Cup at the Fanatics Fest in New York at the weekend. "It’s a real World Cup with the best teams and the best players."

That final statement may be a stretch given the absence of Premier League and La Liga champions Liverpool and Barcelona among a host of other elite teams. But Infantino is not wrong about the general mood among the players who are starring in the United States this summer.

There was much debate about potential burnout heading into the tournament, but all the big names have been playing with huge smiles on their faces. Lionel Messi and Sergio Ramos have rolled back the years for Inter Miami and Monterrey, respectively, while Jude Bellingham has led by example at Real Madrid, and Phil Foden has rediscovered his best form with Manchester City.

Meanwhile, Bayern Munich duo Michael Olise and Jamal Musiala have stormed to the top of the scoring chart with three goals apiece, and former Arsenal midfielder Jorginho helped Flamengo become the first team to reach the knockout phase. But the more seasoned performers have also had to share the headlines with hungry newcomers determined to leave a lasting impression on the elite stage.

GOAL takes a look at the top 10 breakout stars of the 2025 Club World Cup so far, starting with a Brazilian striker bound for the Premier League…

Igor Jesus (Botafogo)

Described as the "Didier Drogba of modern times" by South American football expert Tim Vickery, Igor Jesus has enjoyed a meteoric rise since joining Botafogo from Shabab Al Ahli in July 2024. The physically imposing frontman, ironically nicknamed 'The Little Frog', helped Botafogo clinch a league and Copa Libertadores double last season while also breaking into the Brazil national team, which prompted Nottingham Forest to swoop for his services.

Forest reportedly agreed a £17 million ($23m) deal for Jesus the week before the Club World Cup kicked off, which looks like a snip based on how he has performed in Botafogo's group games. The 24-year-old scored the winner in the Brazilian club's opener against the Seattle Sounders, busting out a passionate 'Kamehameha' celebration inspired by the iconic anime show Dragon Ball Z, and then repeated the trick against Champions League holders Paris Saint-Germain after nutmegging Willian Pacho.

But Jesus will bring so much more to Forest than just goals. Botafogo ceded almost 75 percent of the possession to PSG, but always posed a threat on the counter because of Jesus' superb hold-up play. He's a relentless ball winner with an incredible spring that more than makes up for his 5'10 stature, and his presence alone makes Botafogo dark horses for the Club World Cup crown.

AdvertisementJhon Arias (Fluminense)

Colombia international Jhon Arias has emerged as a surprise early contender for Player of the Tournament. The 27-year-old dazzled with his pace and trickery in Fluminense's 0-0 draw with Borussia Dortmund on matchday one, earning the Player of the Match award in the process, and was very unlucky not to get on the scoresheet after a fascinating battle with BVB goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.

Arias did get his goal in Fluminense's subsequent 4-2 triumph against South Korean outfit Ulsan, though, and it was well worth the wait. He curled an unstoppable, 25-yard free-kick into the top right corner of the net to give his team the lead, which was the cherry on top of another MVP performance as he also assisted Juan Freitas' goal.

Crystal Palace were strongly linked with Arias in the winter transfer window, and they may well reignite their interest if he keeps delivering the goods for Fluminense. The former Santa Fe attacker has spent his entire career so far in Latin America, but is now showing that he deserves a chance to test himself in one of Europe's major leagues.

Watch every game of the FIFA Club World Cup live on DAZNStream nowGettyEstevao Willian (Palmeiras)

Estevao Willian claimed back-to-back Player of the Match awards with Palmeiras at the Club World Cup, further whetting the appetite of Chelsea fans anticipating the 18-year-old's arrival at Stamford Bridge ahead of the 2025-26 season. Chelsea's £56m ($71m) investment in Estevao is already looking like a shrewd one, with the youngster having tormented the Porto backline in a 0-0 draw before also shining in Palmeiras' comfortable 2-0 win against Al Ahly.

There is still plenty of room for improvement when it comes to Estevao's end product, but his explosive, fearless style of play has been a joy to behold. The supremely gifted Brazil international, nicknamed 'Messinho', possesses the acceleration, footwork, and balance to dance around defenders with ease, while he has a penchant for identifying and exploiting space in the final third.

It also bodes well for Chelsea that Estevao is more than holding his own physically in the United States. The teenager could go straight into Enzo Maresca's line up based on his group-stage displays, and there is potential for him to form a fearsome partnership with the Blues' current leading man, Cole Palmer.

Kenan Yildiz (Juventus)

Juventus have had big hopes for Kenan Yildiz ever since beating Barcelona to the former Bayern Munich academy star's signature in 2022. His development has not always run smoothly, though, with consistency proving elusive after his breakthrough into the senior squad, and a reported clash with ex-Juve coach Thiago Motta only worsened matters.

But Yildiz is reminding the world of his unique talent at the Club World Cup. The 20-year-old was among the scorers in Juve's 5-0 demolition of Al Ain, finding the bottom corner from long range despite being surrounded by defenders, and he was simply sensational in their 4-1 win over Wydad Casablanca on matchday two.

Yildiz forced the own goal that broke the deadlock after just six minutes before scoring what may end up being the goal of the tournament. The Turkey international almost burst the net with a thunderous half-volley from the edge of the box that whistled past the Wydad 'keeper in the blink of an eye, and he doubled his account in the second half for good measure.

"Kenan has huge potential, but it's his mentality that will take him far," Juve boss Igor Tudor said after the game. It may also take the Bianconeri to their first Club World Cup crown.

Newcastle United are on a high after claiming the Carabao Cup and will look to build on their success this summer as Eddie Howe builds a legacy on Tyneside.

Newcastle look to secure Champions League slot ahead of summer window

While the dust has barely settled on a whirlwind cup win for Eddie Howe, the Magpies know they will be in the Europa Conference League at the very least next season after a famous Wembley triumph over Liverpool before the international break.

Enjoying a free weekend, Newcastle return to action against Brentford next Wednesday as their pursuit of a top four Premier League finish continues. Five English teams are likely to earn admittance to next season’s Champions League based on current trends, which may open up further leeway for a return to Europe’s premier competition in the North East.

In turn, the opportunity to compete against the best is bound to attract prospective recruits. According to reports, Fiorentina’s Moise Kean is on the Geordies’ wishlist as speculation over Alexander Isak’s future dominates headlines.

Callum Wilson could leave on a free transfer and may be joined by several experienced first-team stars to make way for new blood at St James’ Park.

Newcastle United contracts expiring in 2025

Callum Wilson

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Fabian Schar

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Jamaal Lascelles

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Jamal Lewis

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Mark Gillespie

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John Ruddy

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Defensively, Liverpool’s Jarell Quansah is a target to replenish Newcastle’s backline and may be available in the summer to the tune of £30 million plus add-ons.

Refreshing a squad with several players coming to the end of their cycle is the priority for Howe, who now has a financially advantegeous deal in his sights ahead of the window opening for business.

Newcastle make contact over deal for Lille forward Jonathan David

Joining the pursuit of one of the hottest properties on the market, Newcastle have made contact with Lille star Jonathan David’s representatives over the possibility of a free transfer to St James’ Park this summer.

Liverpool, Manchester United, West Ham United, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are also in the mix for his signature, competing against suitors such as Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Juventus and Inter Milan from further afield.

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Labelled “unique” by Canada boss Jesse Marsch, David has registered 23 goals and ten assists in 41 appearances across all competitions this campaign. PIF have spent a considerable amount since taking over in the North East, but will hope they can pull off a masterstroke by landing a prolific soon-to-be free agent at no cost to bolster the ranks.

Showcasing his capacity to fit the brief of a modern centre-forward, the Brooklyn-born man has laid on 27 chances for his teammates in Ligue 1 – he is far more than just a goalscorer.

Like any high-profile star at a career crossroads, on-field minutes are likely to determine where he becomes most enthusiastic about heading to in the coming months. Now, the onus is on Newcastle to convince David he can become a regular under Howe.

Ange Postecoglou insists he should not be facing any doubts over his future after guiding Tottenham to Europa League glory.

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• Spurs lost 4-1 to Brighton on Sunday
• Won the Europa League on Wednesday
• Postecoglou fumes at speculation

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• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Postecoglou oversaw Tottenham's 4-1 defeat to Brighton on Sunday, but the loss – their 22nd of the league season as they finished 17th – came after three consecutive days of celebration after winning the Europa League in Bilbao on Wednesday. In doing so, Postecoglou played his part in ending a 17-year trophy drought, and won Spurs' first European title in 41 years.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  There remains uncertainty, however, over whether the Australian will lead Spurs into the 2025-26 season. He was once again asked the question on the back of the Brighton defeat, and he bristled at the suggestion his future is in doubt. He drew attention to the club's trophy parade, in which over 200,000 Spurs fans lined the streets to get a glimpse of their heroes, with many of them chanting his name.

• WHAT ANGE POSTECOGLOU SAID

  After full-time, Postecoglou said:  "I will be honest, I have been finding it really weird talking about my future when we have done something unprecedented. I have had to answer the questions because no one else at the club is in the position to do so, I guess. But I can’t answer that question about me and my future. Like I said, part of me is thinking, ‘why am I even being asked that question?’ But it is what it is. I have got no doubt, though, that this could be a real defining moment for this club because wherever I have been I have made an impact where I have brought success to a club that hasn’t had it for a while. You just have to look at those clubs' trajectory even after I left, they are still competing for things. I really think this is a moment in time where this club could push on and be a real contender for honours on a yearly basis."

  He added: “You know my gut feeling? My gut feeling is I feel right now that I’ve done something that no one believed I could. And I shouldn’t be sitting here talking about it [my future]. That’s my feeling, but it is what it is. Seeing those scenes Friday [at the club's trophy parade] and people have reached out and talked to me about how it has affected them, what has happened over the last couple of days. It’s a beautiful thing and I just want to enjoy that. To be honest, the rest of it? You know I don’t even want to be talking about it. I just think it is unnecessary. You’re right to ask the question but you’re asking the person who can’t give you that answer. And I guess, even for you guys [the media], you wouldn’t be asking it if there wasn’t a doubt, right? But I can’t answer it. There is nothing I can say that will answer that question. Other people can, so from my perspective, it doesn’t diminish the achievement."

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  WHAT NEXT?

  Reports suggest Spurs chairman Daniel Levy remains undecided over Postecoglou's future. It remains to be seen if he will return from his holidays to plan Spurs' summer business, or if he will have to begin searching for a new job. His CV, either way, has undoubtedly been bolstered by Spurs' glorious night in Bilbao.