Newcastle United's start to the season went from bad to worse on Saturday evening as they fell to their third defeat in four Premier League matches.
After losing consecutive matches against Manchester City and Liverpool, Brighton supplied their next test, and it was one they failed dramatically as Evan Ferguson's superb hat-trick inflicted a 3-1 defeat.
While losing three matches on the bounce is far from ideal preparation ahead of their Champions League campaign, it's the manner of those defeats that will worry Eddie Howe the most.
Newcastle were one of the strongest defences in the league last season, ranking second for expected goals conceded (41.86) and joint-best for goals conceded with Man City (33).
During this season, however, the Magpies have come under scrutiny for their disorganization at the back and severe lack of communication which has seen them gift the opposition opportunities at will.
It was Nick Pope who set the tone for their wobbly display at the Amex as the goalkeeper made multiple errors for Brighton's first goal, spilling Billy Gilmour's shot before Ferguson clinically finished the rebound.
For their second, Ferguson was afforded time and space deep into Newcastle's half as the lack of closing down encouraged the Irishman to shoot, and he duly obliged by curling a shot into the bottom right corner from distance.
He completed his hat-trick five minutes later as his strike from outside the box took a wicked deflection off Fabian Schar, who made a half-hearted attempt to block the shot, inadvertently sending it past a hapless Pope.
Following a pretty dismal performance from Newcastle's defence, Pope, Kieran Trippier, Fabian Schar and Dan Burn were all criticised for their shortcomings defensively, but it was left-back Matt Targett who drew the brunt of that criticism as he put in a performance to forget.
How did Matt Targett perform against Brighton?
Signing from Aston Villa for an initial £15m last summer, Targett arrived with hopes of nailing down a starting spot at left-back, but he only managed 17 appearances in the Premier League last season as the instrumental Burn made that position his own.
With Targett forced into being a bit-part player for the club, it became apparent that he was out of favour under Howe as he preferred to start a natural centre-back, Burn, over a player brought in for big money to play that role.
In an interview with the Chronicle Live during the club's pre-season tour of the US, Howe commented on the left-back competition, stating: "I would not say he wasn't at the same level (as his first season) last season. I think the difficulty was Dan Burn got in the team and our defensive record was excellent and I didn't want to change it."
While Howe was unwilling to change a winning formula, injury to centre-back Sven Botman, who has been a revelation since signing for around £35m last summer, forced the Newcastle manager into a reshuffle and this was perhaps the catalyst to their defensive downfall.
Targett was a major culprit for that downfall as the 6-foot dud fell short in most of his defensive metrics, losing all of his aerial duels, making zero interceptions and only making one tackle, as per Sofascore.
The Chronicle's Lee Ryder summarised his afternoon to forget aptly: "Handed his chance but never made the most of it. A miserable night capped by late withdrawal." It it precisely for that reason that he deserves as much of the criticism as Pope received.
Struggling to live with live wire Solly March meant Targett was pinned back in his own half, rarely grasping the opportunity to maraud forward and provide quality in the final third, demonstrated by the fact he made zero accurate crosses, successful dribbles and big chances created.
On the basis of that abysmal performance, the 27-year-old has seen an opportunity to become a mainstay in Newcastle's team slip by, and Howe could now look to throw left-back 18-year-old Lewis Hall into the fold, ruthlessly ditching Targett in the process.
After securing an unexpected place in the Championship play-offs last season in their first campaign back in England's second division, much was expected of Sunderland in the opening weeks this time around. The Black Cats have been inconsistent so far, however.
Tony Mowbray's side got off to a fairly frustrating start, losing their opening two games against Ipswich Town and Preston North End, before finally getting off the mark against Rotherham, winning 2-1.
Since that first win of the season, Sunderland have gone unbeaten, drawing 0-0 with last season's play-off final losers Coventry City before shocking the rest of the league by smashing Southampton 5-0 at the Stadium of Light.
Their inconsistency has begged the question about Sunderland's need to add more reinforcements, potentially from the free agent market. And sporting director Kristjaan Speakman has given his verdict.
What did Kristjaan Speakman say?
With the likes of Tanguy Coulibaly and former Brighton & Hove Albion youth player George Cox currently available on the free agent market, Sunderland fans would be forgiven for wanting their club to assess their options, with plenty of available players linked since the deadline.
Having welcomed an impressive total of 11 reinforcements in the summer transfer window, however, which included the arrival of Jobe Bellingham, the Black Cats may feel as though they've built a squad good enough to achieve a play-off place for a second consecutive campaign.
Speakman confirmed as much, too, delivering a pretty blunt verdict via the Sunderland Echo when asked about whether Sunderland will delve into the free agent market: "We always assess the market but it’s not something we’re looking at in terms of thinking, ‘can we get this one [position].’ 100% not, definitely not. We’re really, really comfortable with where we ended up on the back of those deals we got done at the end of the window."
Speaking on the squad at Mowbray's disposal, the sporting director was quick to assure that the Black Cats have enough depth, saying: "We want to try to ensure that players have got an opportunity to play, so we want a streamlined squad. We want to ensure we’ve got enough depth of course but not so much that players can’t see a route for them onto the pitch, because that’s not good for the team culture either.
"What inevitably happens is when you’ve got your squad structure, you might be perceived to be a little bit light in some areas but we feel we’ve got cover and we’re comfortable with the flexibility we have."
Do Sunderland need more reinforcements?
Sunderland manager Tony Mowbray.
When Sunderland started the season with two consecutive losses, it was easy to become worried about their chances of replicating last season's play-off position. The majority, if not all, of those worries went away as soon as Mowbray's side put five past title-hopefuls Southampton last time out, however.
That win proved once and for all that those at the Stadium of Light are more than capable of beating anyone in the Championship this season, and perhaps even go one better than the last campaign by securing promotion. As the season goes on, Sunderland will certainly be one to watch.
Match of the Day and BBC pundit Alan Shearer has suggested that a "different player" may now be unleashed at Tottenham Hotspur.
Latest Tottenham news
The Ange Postecoglou era is well and truly in free-flow at Spurs. Since the new manager's arrival from Scottish champions Celtic, the mood around north London has been completely transformed. His Lilywhites are showcasing a brand-new style of exciting, open and attack-minded football – with that translating into wins on the board.
Tottenham have tasted victory in four out of their opening five Premier League games so far; racking up 13 goals and standing out as the divison's third-highest scorers overall.
Only Brighton and Man City can boast a more potent attacking threat than Spurs right now, with their winner's mentality also shining through in a 2-1 victory at home to Sheffield United on Saturday.
Gustavo Hamer gifted the away side a shock opening lead against the run of play, and Postecoglou's men were forced to fight to the very last in an effort to protect their unbeaten start.
It was the late, late show at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the previously vilified Richarlison – who recently opened up about his mental health struggles – grabbing a deserved equaliser deep into added time.
Richarlison
Just minutes later, the Brazilian guided a sweet cut-back into the path of teammate Dejan Kulusevski – who fired a brilliant finish past Wes Foderingham to send the home crowd into raptures.
This precious win exemplified the promise of Postecoglou's start to life at Spurs, with the tactician even urging supporters not to temper their expectations.
"No, no, no, let them go, let them go and enjoy it," said Postecoglou after their victory over the Blades.
"My role is not to burst people's bubbles. Let them get excited, let them get ahead of themselves. That's the beauty of being a supporter.
"They go through enough pain mate, you want to let them enjoy it. If they think we're going to be world beaters then great, that's up to us to match that expectation. Our supporters deserve to have some happiness and enjoy it any way they want to."
Tottenham player ratings
Tottenham's undoubted hero of the afternoon was Richarlison, who has come under a lot of stick since joining from Everton in the summer of 2022.
The South American's haul of just five goals in 41 appearances across all competitions hardly justifies the £60 million paid for him last year, but BBC pundit Shearer has suggested he could now be unleashed as a "different player".
Heung-min Son and Richarlison
“Don’t be surprised if you see a different player now in that Tottenham shirt," said Shearer to The Rest is Football podcast (via TBR).
"We were saying about responsibility now that the main man has gone in Harry. Others have to step up and people were looking at him to step up.
"He came in on Saturday, he scored the goal, set up the winner, that will do his confidence the world of good. You’re probably going to see a different person and a different player going forward
"That one goal could free him all up and don’t be surprised if you see a few more now."
After bravely opening up on his psychological battles, admitting he will seek help, Richarlison has been truly rewarded for his courage and quality when it mattered most.
Tottenham Hotspur boast an academy that could rival most in England, having produced some of England's finest over the years, and with a current crop certainly to be proud of.
Not only has the current football got fans enthralled with their new-look side, but Ange Postecoglou is in line to inherit one of the most talented group of youngsters in the club's history, from goalscoring dynamos to defensive stalwarts. However, they will all face a battle forcing their way into the first-team, given how blistering a start to the Premier League season they are enjoying.
Few could have possibly predicted that the former Celtic boss would hit the ground running with such pace, but his side now sits second in the table, unbeaten in the league and having battled for draws with Brentford and Arsenal, whilst beating Manchester United and Liverpool.
Not only are they claiming huge results against top opposition, but they are doing it in a way that has fans believing that they finally have their Spurs back.
The sky truly is the limit, and with a philosophy only set to continue evolving, who knows what the future holds for the Lilywhites, and how far they might go.
However, one thing is for sure: there will soon be a whole host of youngsters knocking on the senior door, should they all continue their sharp upward trajectory.
Whilst Jamie Donley, Alfie Devine, Dane Scarlett and Troy Parrott might be the frontrunners to perhaps be the next to burst through, perhaps young George Abbott could be a more likely option to soon emerge, given his tactical intelligence and positional flexibility that lends him to the modern game.
Who is George Abbott?
Despite predominantly operating as a defensive midfielder, the 18-year-old stalwart actually enjoyed his breakout term last year, starring at right-back.
His starring assets are best outlined by SuperHotspur, who first sought to outline a fine attitude that lends to his quality across numerous roles: "As a defensive-midfielder George Abbott does well in front of the Spurs defence, and he is strong in the challenge and a player who covers a lot of ground in the central areas of the pitch."
Having joined the club at the tender age of just seven, it is fair to say that Tottenham is all the teenage starlet has ever known. So, it must have been a dream come true for the midfielder to make his senior debut at the back end of last term, enjoying a brief cameo in their final-day demolition of Leeds United.
Aside from that, last season saw Abbott finally emerge into the U23s squad too, featuring nine times in the Premier League 2 whilst also making 12 appearances in the U18s Premier League. A busy and largely transformative year for a boy who enjoyed stints across four different positions throughout the season.
With how popular inverted full-backs are becoming nowadays, given how Pep Guardiola has perhaps most famously used them to win every honour available to him with Manchester City, imitation is always the sincerest form of flattery.
As such, even the Lilywhites' north London rivals Arsenal have started it, with Oleksandr Zinchenko having been employed from the Etihad to help instigate such a tactical shift.
Fortunately for Abbott, who clearly boasts the skillset to perform such a role, this is also an ideal that Posteoglou has flirted with in the past. Inverness boss Billy Dodds would speak after facing such a philosophy, outlining Celtic's version of the role: "I think you see the type of product that he [Postecoglou] brings. You see Jurgen Klopp at Liverpool when he plays those inverted full-backs.
“I had to handle them on Saturday. [Greg] Taylor at times was playing as a centre-forward. So was [Alistair] Johnston, maybe not as high as Taylor."
With a penchant for the most fashionable trend in football at the moment already, perhaps the 58-year-old could now seek to reinvent it in north London, with Abbott as his perfectly malleable star.
How good is Oleksandr Zinchenko?
Perhaps he could kickstart such a shift in philosophy straight from the academy rather than having to spend the £32m that Mikel Arteta did to bring in the Ukraine international, even if that has proven a shrewd signing.
After all, not only did his arrival offer someone already in tune with his tactical setup, but also he would bring a fierce winning mentality that very nearly spearheaded their unlikely title charge.
Last campaign saw the 26-year-old maintain a 6.93 average rating, buoyed by his consistent creative presence that partnered well with the solidity that his tenure as a full-back brings. As such, he would record an 88% pass accuracy with 0.7 key passes per game, yet also managed 1.5 tackles per game too, via Sofascore.
His importance to the Emirates outfit cannot be understated, with Arteta seeking to outline it just last year: "He is a player who gives us everything that we want in that position. He gives us versatility and he gets a lot of attention, as well, and fills other spaces that, for us, is very important.
“I will especially highlight his mentality and what he brought. He has a real desire to make something special with this team and [the] experience that he has had in the past is very helpful to do that."
In fact, when compared to other full-backs across Europe, the £150k-per-week maestro actually ranks in the top 2% for pass completion per 90, and the 1% for progressive passes per 90, via FBref. Without his presence, it could be argued that much of what makes the Gunners successful would be lost.
Whilst Abbott will not offer that invaluable experience, perhaps given the elite honours that Postecoglou will soon hope to be challenging for, all he will need is to simply be around a side actually capable of competing at the apex of English football.
It took some time before their north London rivals had crafted a side capable of matching their lofty ambitions, and although they have enjoyed a fine start, the same will likely be endured with Spurs. However, with the fine foundation laid, there is no better time for a youngster to emerge into their feel-good atmosphere that seems to have no limits of late.
Newcastle United are keeping close tabs on an exciting young player from Spain, but a fresh report has revealed that it won't be cheap to bring him to the Premier League.
Who has just signed for Newcastle United?
Over the summer, the northeast outfit, owned by PIF, recruited five fresh faces in the form of Sandro Tonali, Harvey Barnes, Tino Livramento and Yankuba Minteh on a permanent basis, alongside Lewis Hall who joined on a season-long loan from Chelsea.
The Magpies may have completed all the business they can when it comes to the previous window, but Eddie Howe and the rest of the hierarchy are already looking ahead to the next one opening in the new year having been linked with Juventus central midfielder Adrien Rabiot and Bayer Leverkusen centre-back Piero Hincapie.
Beside those, Valencia’s Javi Guerra is a new name to have entered the fold because despite having another four years remaining on his contract, his performances have caught the eye of chiefs having established himself as Ruben Baraja’s overall second-best-performing player so far this season with a WhoScored match rating of 7.14.
Are Newcastle signing Javi Guerra?
According to Spanish outlet Marca (via Sport Witness), Newcastle are "one of the clubs" that have been monitoring the progress of Guerra.
The St. James' Park side have been watching the central midfielder "very close", and PIF are believed to view him as a "top player" which is why they have been keeping tabs on him during "every game" this season.
Valencia's 20-year-old does have a €100m (£87m) release clause included in his deal so it may not come cheap to prise him away from his homeland, and it's because of this high price tag that his club feel completely relaxed about his situation at the Mestalla Stadium.
Valencia midfielder Javi Guerra.
How good is Javi Guerra?
According to football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Guerra is an “orchestrator” in the middle of the park and there’s no doubt that he’s much stronger in the offensive aspect of his game when you look at the excellent start he’s made to the current campaign in La Liga.
Spain’s youth international, who is sponsored by Adidas, has clocked up four involvements (three goals and one assist) in the opening six games of the term, but even if the ball doesn’t always hit the back of the net, he poses a constant threat to an opposition’s defence.
The Gilet native ranks in the 97th percentile for successful take-ons so loves to use his athletic pace to dribble past his marker and take aim where he’s also recorded seven shots so far, which is the third-highest total throughout his squad, via FBRef.
Whilst Guerra is naturally a central player, he even has the ability to operate slightly deeper in defensive midfield, so for an individual who has the versatility to protect the backline alongside having a positive impact in the final third, he could be a wonderful signing for Howe and more importantly the long-term future of Newcastle should he put pen to paper, making this one to watch ahead of 2024.
West Bromwich Albion have been handed a blow after learning that one of their first-team stars is facing a spell on the sidelines, following a fresh update.
West Brom's injuries: Dike, Maja, Reach, Kelly, Sarmiento
At the Hawthorns, Carlos Corberan has Daryl Dike and Josh Maja both out of action with longer-term injuries and the duo are yet to make any kind of significant progress, but there has been some more positive news emerging surrounding another pair.
An injury update on Adam Reach revealed he is on track to return to training in November with the aim being for him to be ready to stage his comeback to competitive action in December, whilst Martin Kelly is making good progress in his recovery according to Carlos Corberan.
Jeremy Sarmiento meanwhile was absent from the 1-0 Championship victory over Sheffield Wednesday on Tuesday night, which caused concern among supporters having had no previous suggestion that he wasn’t going to participate in the game.
Over the summer, Ecuador’s attacking midfielder put pen to paper on a season long loan from Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion, and has impressed during his ten appearances to date, but unfortunately for the manager, the 21-year-old will have to wait to make his next one.
How long is Jeremy Sarmiento out for?
Delivering an injury update to West Brom’s official website, Corberan confirmed that Sarmiento will be out of action for at least the next month having had a quadricep injury established by medical professionals over the weekend. He said:
"He had some pain in the quadriceps. He was playing some minutes at the end of the Preston game and he felt pain in the muscle, in the left quadricep. With this pain, he was receiving treatment on Sunday and when the doctors checked – when the pain was there and didn't disappear, they made a scan – yesterday, it showed an injury. It is going to keep him apart from the group for four weeks.
"It's difficult. It's something that I have been very, very conscious about, when I've given minutes to him. He had some history of injuries, plus no habit to play games. It's difficult, because when I heard yesterday that he would be injured for four weeks, it's going to affect you. It doesn't mean we don't have solutions, but I never want to lose any player."
Brighton and Hove Albion forward Jeremy Sarmiento.
Jeremy Sarmiento: West Brom's "exciting" gem
When Sarmiento first joined West Brom, journalist Josh Bunting described him as an “exciting” addition, and there’s no doubt that he’s already shown glimpses of what he’s capable of, so it will be a blow to Corberan to not have him at his disposal for a few weeks.
Sarmiento has a salary of £20k-per-week, and has already scored once following his arrival at the Hawthorns. He was averaging 1.2 dribbles per second-tier game prior to his absence (WhoScored – Sarmiento statistics), highlighting his desire to take on his marker and create chances in the final third.
In addition, Sarmiento is a versatile operator having been deployed in five various positions over the pitch since first bursting onto the professional scene, including three roles in the midfield and out wide on both the left and right wings, so considering what he can bring to the side, the sooner he returns to action, the better.
We all love a good transfer saga. We might pretend that we don't, but there is something about the drama of it all that is too entertaining to ignore. And when it comes to transfer sagas, few players have been involved in more than Kylian Mbappé.
The Paris Saint-Germain forward was at the centre of a transfer storm in 2022 when he opted to sign a new mega deal at the club instead of joining Real Madrid, and then he found himself in another this summer when he told the club he would be leaving next year for free.
The ensuing weeks of back and forth between the two sides led to a mountain of clubs being linked to the star.
Still, he ultimately remained at the club, with reports suggesting that he has signed, or will sign, a one-year extension, meaning that if he is to leave next summer, clubs will likely have to pay close to the £259m offered by Al-Hilal in the summer.
With that in mind, Football FanCast has created a list of nine teams linked to the Frenchman in the last year or so and ranked them out of ten for plausibility and fit.
9 Tottenham Hotspur
Right, so kicking off our list is Tottenham Hotspur, and we'll admit that this does feel like a bit of a pipe dream – and that's being generous – but the idea of Mbappé donning the white of Spurs already seems less farcical now than it did just a few months ago.
That said, we haven't just plucked this one out of thin air, as during the summer, in the midst of the Harry Kane debacle, there were, in fact, reports suggesting that Daniel Levy and co had an interest in signing the French supremo.
We have to admit that the idea of Mbappé playing under the ever-entertaining Ange Postecoglou and thriving in his uber-attacking style of football is pleasing.
Ultimately, are the Lilywhites going to offer PSG the money required to sign their superstar? No. And is Mbappé likely to accept a team that can't guarantee Champions League football? Also, no, but it's an entertaining thought nonetheless.
Chances: 1/10
8 Manchester United
Moving onto our second Premier League team on this list, and unlike Spurs, a transfer to Manchester United now seems infinitely less likely than it did in the summer.
The Red Devils were coming off of a relatively successful campaign that saw them lift the League Cup and finish in third place, all in Erik ten Hag's first season in charge, so why wouldn't Mbappé want to join?
They are Manchester United, after all.
The same Spanish reports that revealed Spurs' interest in the Frenchman also mentioned United as an interested party in the summer, and with the way the three-time European champions spend money, why couldn't they sign him?
Well, a disastrous start to their campaign this season and an increasingly hostile atmosphere around the club has made a deal such as this seem practically impossible. That said, a front three of Marcus Rashford, Rasmus Hojlund, and Kylian Mbappé would be a goals-fest.
Chances: 3/10
7 Al-Hilal
So this is the first of the really dull options on the list, and the team we – along with most fans – really hope he doesn't end up joining, Al Hilal.
In the midst of his stand-off with PSG in the summer, when it looked as if he would be spending this season sat in the stands, Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal decided that they would blow the lid off of the transfer market and offer an eye-watering transfer fee of £259m to sign the Frenchman.
If the fee wasn't obscene enough, the club also offered the forward about €700m (£604m) to play in Saudi Arabia for just one year, a deal that would have truly signalled the departure of sense and reason from the sport.
Luckily, Mbappé refused the offer and opted to stay in Europe, but who's to say the Saudis won't come back with an even more earth-shattering offer next summer, one that Mbappé finds too good to turn down.
Chances: 4/10
6 Barcelona
Yes, for all of the links to fellow La Liga side Real Madrid over the last however many years, staunch rivals Barcelona made a play to sign the World Cup winner this summer when it looked like his future would be anywhere other than Paris.
According to FootMercato, the Blaugrana made an offer to the Parisian side that included three players alongside a cash offer. TalkSport has claimed that the players included were Gavi, Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha.
We aren't surprised that this deal failed, and with Barca's well-documented financial fragilities, a deal for the number one player in Europe seems like an impossibility, especially as they were unable to re-sign their greatest ever player in Lionel Messi when he left PSG this summer.
That said, we would have loved to have seen the crowd reaction at the Santiago Bernabéu were he to turn up donning the blue and garnet of Barcelona.
Chances: 4/10
5 Arsenal
Back to these shores now, and alongside their north London rivals and Manchester United, Arsenal found themselves linked to Mbappé in the summer, somewhat surprisingly, it must be said.
The Gunners spent over £200m on their summer revamp, and so spending another £250m plus on the Frenchman was never really on the cards. Still, once it had been reported that the forward had said he would join the Premier League runners-up should he come and play in England, the rumour mill went into overdrive.
Now, that is it in terms of links to the club, but we can't help but imagine how utterly brilliant a front three of Gabriel Martinelli, Mbappé and Bukayo Saka would be.
That said, for as great a fit as this would be from an entertainment perspective, we really don't think this is a genuine possibility.
Chances: 4/10
4 Chelsea
We're staying in London for this one but moving from the north over to the west, as alongside the other English teams in this list, Chelsea were also rumoured to be interested in the 24-year-old this summer.
Now, we know we just said that the player himself has reportedly said he would join the Gunners were to come to England, but unfortunately, in this game, money talks, and while Arsenal aren't afraid to spend, the Blues take it to a whole other level.
Since Todd Boehly's takeover alone, Chelsea have spent close to £915m, so what's an extra £259m for the best player in the world?
Now, just as with every other Premier League team, this deal is unlikely – especially following Chelsea's start to the season – but if there is any club in European football that is happier to part with their cash, we don't know them.
Chances: 5/10
3 Liverpool
From west London to the northwest of England, and Liverpool are the next on our list of clubs linked with Mbappé.
Where the other English sides have only been rumoured to be after the player in the last year or so, the Red's potential interest goes back several years at this point.
In 2020, rumours suggesting that the Frenchman was on his way to Anfield were everywhere, but in the years since, those links have seemingly all but vanished.
However, amid the standoff between club and player this summer, the Mirror reported that the Reds could step in and offer the superstar the option of a one-year loan spell to help resolve things.
We know now that this report ultimately led to nothing, but that didn't stop the fans from dreaming and us from imagining just how good a three of Mohamed Salah, Mbappé, and Luis Diaz would've been.
While this deal seems a bit farfetched at the moment, the fact that Liverpool seem to have rediscovered their mojo this season can only help fuel the rumour mill.
They couldn't, could they?
Chances: 5/10
2 Paris Saint-Germain
Paris Saint-Germain striker Kylian Mbappe.
Here we are at the second-worst option on the list, and one we really hope he doesn't choose next summer: staying at Paris Saint-Germain for another year.
Now, this might seem like an unlikely option for Mbappé given his actions over the summer, but if the reports suggesting that a new deal is in the works are accurate, then we can't rule out him opting to run down that contract as well.
If he decided to stay until summer 2025, he wouldn't leave Ligue 1 until he was 26 years old. While the French top-flight is entertaining, it isn't as competitive as the Premier League or La Liga.
Fans want to see the supposed best player in the world actually challenge himself every week.
Hopefully, this doesn't happen, and the new deal is just to help the club earn a significant fee, but based on his past behaviour, we have a sneaking suspicion he could stay in Paris for another two years.
Chances: 6/10
1 Real Madrid
Here we are, the club we think Kylian Mbappé is most likely to end up at next year and come on, who else was it going to be?
Real Madrid are the clear favourite when it comes to landing Mbappé's signature next year, and it is pretty clear that Los Blancos are the only team that the Frenchman has any desire to join once he leaves Paris; he even said as much.
There is no denying that his behaviour over the last few years has seriously annoyed the Real Madrid hierarchy, especially Florentino Perez, who did not hide how he felt following the player's decision to stay in Paris in summer 2022.
That said, football is a fickle business. Whatever Real officials and fans might say, they will still be working on a way to sign Mbappé next summer and with their need for a striker more acute now than it has been in years, we don't see a world in which the Frenchman isn't wearing the white of Real at some point in the next couple of years.
Tottenham Hotspur have apparently set their sights on one club's "vital" Champions League star for manager Ange Postecoglou, and he's been likened to Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham.
Spurs form this season
On the field, Spurs are currently enjoying an unprecedented start to this new Premier League season. Their latest league win, a 2-1 away to Crystal Palace, makes it eight victories out of a possible 10 in the top flight alone. Postecoglou's side are still yet to taste defeat over what has been their most promising first few games since they won a double in 1961.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou.
"Top of the table is great and the results are great but it's more in the manner we're doing it," said Postecoglou on Spurs' form this season.
"Pretty much from the first game we've had all sorts of different challenges we've had to overcome. Every time there has been a real focus and clear-headedness about the group collectively to deal with that. That has been a really pleasing thing and because they're getting rewards from that then that gives us opportunity to accelerate the growth of giving them more tools out there to help them for whatever we need to overcome."
Despite their incredible run of form, though, it is still believed the Lilywhites could strengthen in January. The winter transfer window represents an opportunity to sign a centre-back alternative to both Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven. There is a serious lack of cover behind the star defensive duo, so Tottenham are interested in Chelsea's Trevoh Chalobah among other options.
An injury to Manor Solomon also leaves Postecoglou short of players who can challenge Dejan Kulusevski out wide, so it has been rumoured that Spurs are keen on Al-Ittihad winger Jota. New names are emerging through sections of the press on a regular basis, and now Real Sociedad midfielder Brais Mendez is a name attracting Tottenham's attention.
Mendez emerges as "main target" for Spurs
Indeed, according to a report out of Spain this week, Mendez is a "main target" for Tottenham as Postecoglou and the club's chiefs plot to sign "high level" players mid-season.
Real Sociedad midfielder Brais Mendez
The attacking midfielder, who's been called a "vital asset" for Sociedad by this update, has enjoyed an exceptional start to the campaign and his Champions League performances have sparked interest from many top sides – including Tottenham.
Mendez has scored three goals already in Europe's most prestigious competition, making him a coveted player heading into January. Spurs apparently want to back Postecoglou with his signing, and it is believed he will cost around £26 million. While England may be a tempting destination for the 26-year-old, Sociedad will apparently fight tooth and nail to keep one of their star players from leaving so soon.
Key passes
Through balls
Taking set-pieces
Concentration
Mendez has been called a "bargain Bellingham" by journalist Tom Weber, who also wrote this about the Spaniard for Football Transfers:
"While the San Sebastian outfit have become one of Europe's most interesting and exciting teams since Imanol Alguacil was given the head coaching job, Mendez has quietly become the side's heartbeat – and he should be looked at by some of Europe's elite teams."
Glasgow Rangers head coach Philippe Clement will be hoping to secure his first Europa League win for the club with a clash against Sparta Prague to come at Ibrox this evening.
A win for the Light Blues would ensure that they are either first or second in the group ahead of the final two matchdays, with the two teams currently level on points (four).
The Gers held the Czech outfit to a 0-0 draw away from home in their last group stage clash, which was the Belgian manager's first match in charge of the club in the competition.
Rangers now come into this game off the back of a 3-1 win over Hearts in the semi-final of the League Cup to secure their place in the final, thanks to goals from Scott Wright and James Tavernier (two).
One change that Clement, who provided the latest team news in his press conference above, must make is to finally unleash Jose Cifuentes from the start in place of Ryan Jack in midfield next to John Lundstram.
Ryan Jack's performances this season
The Scotland international, who started in the middle of the park against Hearts, is a metronomic passer who does not provide a great deal of attacking quality at the top end of the pitch.
Philippe Clement
Jack has made seven appearances in the Scottish Premiership so far this season and has contributed with one goal and zero assists, along with 0.6 key passes and 0.3 dribbles per match.
This comes after his return of one goal and two assists in 26 top-flight games for the Light Blues throughout the 2022/23 campaign, which shows that the midfield maestro rarely contributes in the final third.
Whereas, Cifuentes could come in and provide an extra edge in attack, particularly after they failed to score against Sparta in their last meeting.
The statistics that show why Cifuentes should start
The Ecuador international, who started Clement's reign with an injury, is yet to start for the Belgian boss and this game could be the perfect opportunity to bring him in for the first time.
Cifuentes has yet to score, and has only provided one assist, since his £1.2m move from LAFC but his form in the MLS last year suggests that the potential is there for him to carry an excellent attacking threat.
Rangers midfielder Jose Cifuentes
The 24-year-old ace, who general manager John Thorrington claimed has "absolutely everything" to succeed, produced seven goals and six assists, along with 1.3 key passes and 1.5 dribbles per game, across 28 MLS starts in 2022.
He has not been able to showcase the best of these abilities at Ibrox, as of yet, but his performance against Real Betis in the Europa League earlier this season showed glimpses of his talent.
Cifuentes created one chance and completed 100% (2/2) of his attempted dribbles in the 1-0 win over the Spanish side, as he displayed his progressive quality in possession.
Clement must now unleash the midfield machine from the start tonight in an attempt to unlock his full potential as an attacking presence on the pitch for the Light Blues, as he could end up offering far more than the reserved Jack – who does not provide progression or goal involvements on a regular basis.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe is eyeing up a "huge" change at Manchester United as he looks to seal deals that could benefit the Red Devils.
Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s plans at Man Utd
Ratcliffe appears to be closing in on a 25 per cent stake of the club worth more than £1.25bn and is seemingly putting plans in place ahead of what could be a phased takeover from the Glazers. The 71-year-old is looking to take immediate control of sporting decisions and has recently held extensive talks with Joel Glazer. Personnel changes could soon be on the agenda, with the futures of chief executive Richard Arnold and football director John Murtough at risk.
Erik ten Hag’s position as manager may also be under threat over the coming months, should things not improve, with claims that Ratcliffe is looking to sack Ten Hag and bring in Brighton & Hove Albion boss Roberto De Zerbi. On top of the £1.25bn investment, Ratcliffe is also looking to invest £245m to improve Man Utd’s physical infrastructure, money which could be handed over by the end of the year.
That's not all, though, with a new update sharing another development on what Ratcliffe is planning in the coming years.
Ratcliffe eyeing two new deals
According to Football Insider, Ratcliffe is eyeing two new deals after he completes his investment in the Red Devils. Ratcliffe and Ineos currently own French club OGC Nice and Swiss side Lausanne, and it is believed that they are planning to add two more clubs to his network within 12-24 months. The report describes it as a game-changing plan and adds:
“Ratcliffe is willing to commit to big spending on football operations but hopes to make the club more self-sufficient by bringing through young talent more effectively in what would be a “huge” change to how they currently operate.”
As of now, Man Utd are unable to sign international U18 players due to work permit rules being changed, with some at Old Trafford feeling they are working with “one hand tied behind their back”. Therefore, if Ratcliffe is able to invest in, or take over two more clubs in the coming years, the Red Devils could benefit, whether that be sending some youngsters out on loan or bringing through potential stars of the future abroad before moving to Old Trafford.
It appears as if Ratcliffe has plenty of work to do in Manchester both on and off the pitch, but it is good to see that he seemingly has big plans for the club, and hopefully, an announcement will be made soon in regards to his investment to bring an end to the takeover saga, for now.