Premier League

Tottenham Hotspur's upcoming schedule gives Omar Marmoush (£7.0m) the chance to make an immediate impact in 2026/27 Fantasy Premier League after his transfer from Manchester City.

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Spurs are one of only three sides – along with Bournemouth and Leeds United – who have three home matches in the next four Gameweeks.

As well as hosting Newcastle United this weekend, they also entertain Everton and Aston Villa.

This enticing run is reflected by the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), with all four of those matches scoring no more than three, with five being the hardest possible match and one being the easiest.

Spurs' next four matches

GW Opp FDR* 2 NEW (H) 2 3 NFO (A) 3 4 EVE (H) 3 5 AVL (H) 3

*1=easiest possible fixture, 5=hardest possible fixture

A delve into Marmoush's record at Man City shows he was far more productive when playing in home matches than he was away from home.

Indeed, the Egyptian forward scored all 10 of his Premier League goals for City - and supplied two of his four assists - at home.

Marmoush's record at Man City

Having featured prominently for Man City in pre-season, Marmoush will be up to full match fitness and could immediately be handed a start against Newcastle on Saturday evening.

After all, Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi handed Savio (£6.5m) a midweek debut this week just one day after his own move from Man City, against Charlton Athletic in the EFL Cup.

Savio immediately produced a goal and an assist, and Marmoush could now make a similarly quick impact.

With an ownership of only 1.0 per cent in Fantasy, the Egyptian's run of opponents can give him the chance to emerge as a strong differential to bring in alongside Erling Haaland (£15.5m) and Joao Pedro (£7.6m) in your forward line.

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Advice on starting quickly in Gameweek 2

Chelsea change tack to land all-action Lacroix

Chelsea’s signing of Maxence Lacroix from Crystal Palace heralds a shift in transfer policy from the Blues.

The France centre-back, who has signed a six-year contract at Stamford Bridge, is the first player aged 26 or older for whom Chelsea have paid a fee since the summer of 2022, their first under the ownership of the BlueCo consortium.

Watch: Lacroix's message to Chelsea fans

Since the arrival of Raheem Sterling, Kalidou Koulibaly and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang during that window, Chelsea have prioritised signing promising younger players.

But it’s clear to see why Chelsea turned to the more experienced Lacroix.

During the 2025/26 Premier League season, Lacroix was the only player to record at least 50 tackles (60), 200 duels won (204) and 250 clearances (252). He is also the fifth-fastest centre-back in the Premier League since joining Palace from Wolfsburg in 2024, recording a top speed of 35.81km/h (22.3mph).

Watch: Lacroix's Premier League highlights

His arrival gives new Chelsea boss Xabi Alonso some guaranteed Premier League know-how from a player who spent two seasons at Palace, making 55 appearances last campaign as they won the UEFA Conference League. He also served as a vice-captain.

Having proved himself able to play in both a three-man and four-man defence, Lacroix provides Alonso options, with the Spaniard having deployed both systems during his coaching career.

Lacroix becomes Chelsea’s fifth signing of the summer after Morgan Rogers from Aston Villa, Geovany Quenda from Sporting CP, Emmanuel Emegha from Strasbourg and Marco Palestra from Atalanta.

De Zerbi hoping for Spurs transfer 'bomba'

Tottenham Hotspur have been extremely active in the summer transfer window, but their work isn't done yet according to head coach Roberto De Zerbi.

“The transfer market, it’s not finished for sure,” De Zerbi said. “We have completed 60 per cent of our project in the transfer market. Now we have another 'bomba'.”

The term "bomba" has come to be used by fans on social media to describe a surprise signing.

“I hope, but it’s not finished, for sure,” he continued. “In the transfer market, when I want one player, I become like a shark. No chance to say no."

Could the "bomba" be an attacker? Well, De Zerbi has made it clear that improving the team's goalscoring threat is a priority this summer. Spurs ranked 12th for goals in the 2025/26 Premier League season, scoring 48 in 38 games.

"And we have to consider the number of goals," he stressed. "We have to increase the number of goals with the play, with the quality of the play, with the midfielders, the attackers, but we have to bring in players able to score goals. We have to think about the set-pieces, increase also the height."

Spurs have made six signings so far during De Zerbi’s first transfer window in charge in north London.

Jan Paul van Hecke, Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali have all joined, adding significant Premier League experience to De Zerbi's squad.

Spurs continue their pre-season tour of Australia and New Zealand with a friendly against Chelsea in Sydney on Saturday.

Arteta reveals plan to take Arsenal to ‘a different level’

Mikel Arteta has outlined Arsenal's aim to reach a "different level" by continuing to improve their Premier League title winning squad.

The Gunners have already signed Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge, free agent Illan Meslier and made Piero Hincapie’s loan switch from Bayer Leverkusen permanent, but Arteta hinted that further business could be done.

Arteta said: “A lot is happening. We all know the context of this transfer window. From ownership to the board, the sporting director and myself, we know that we want to take this club to a different level.

"That is going to require a better squad, better individuals. We have identified where we have opportunities to grow and to improve and to evolved our game and what is going to be needed to achieve that. Hopefully very soon we can start to put things in a very concrete way.”

Arsenal head into the 2026/27 Premier League campaign as defending champions for the first time since 2004 – and this group has the chance to make history. The Gunners have not claimed back-to-back top-flight titles since the 1930s.

Looking ahead to the new season, the Gunners manager said: “This has to be the start and this has to be the standard. Excellence has to be our standard and this has to drive to attack the future. The way we behave daily with more and more determination and ambition because we’ve shown that we’ve got it.

"Now we have to show that we belong to this level and we want to increase and take this football club to a different dimension.”

Arsenal continue their pre-season programme away to Spanish side Girona this Saturday.

Rashford issues Barcelona farewell ahead of Man Utd return

Marcus Rashford has officially bid farewell to Barcelona, returning to Manchester United after a successful loan spell in Spain last season.

Posting on Instagram, the England forward wrote: "I'm very grateful to everyone at the club [Barcelona] for making my time here such a positive and memorable experience. I've enjoyed every moment and will take many special memories with me.

"I wish the club and all its supporters the very best of luck and every success in the season ahead."

Scoring eight goals in the process, Rashford became only the sixth English player to win the LaLiga title after Laurie Cunningham, Steve McManaman, David Beckham, Jude Bellingham (all Real Madrid) and Kieran Trippier (Atletico Madrid).

Having helped England to third place at the FIFA World Cup, Rashford is now poised to link up with the Man Utd squad for the remainder of pre-season.

The 28-year-old has scored 87 goals in 287 appearances for his boyhood club, with his last appearance coming in December 2024 before a loan stint at Aston Villa.

‘Impressive’ Satpaev’s instant impact

Dastan Satpaev has been making waves during Chelsea's pre-season tour, with the club's Instagram video post of his goal against Western Sydney Wanderers attracting nearly one million likes.

A star in his native Kazakhstan, the 17-year-old forward was granted permission by Kairat Almaty to link up with Xabi Alonso's squad this summer, ahead of his proposed move to Chelsea.

And he slotted his prospective new side in front after seven minutes in Tuesday’s thrilling 6-4 pre-season friendly win over the Wanderers in Australia.

Watch: Satpaev's goal v Western Sydney Wanderers

Already capped nine times at international level, Satpaev could become the first Kazakh player ever to feature in the Premier League – though Chelsea are still thinking about his development.

“We still have to take decisions,” manager Xabi Alonso said of the teenage sensation who has drawn comparisons with Premier League great Sergio Aguero – who scored 184 goals in the competition for Manchester City.

“He is a ball threat,” Alonso continued, “he attacks the inner channel well and is good as a striker coming from the outside.

“He is really strong, really quick and I have been really impressed with him.”

Klopp returns to management with Germany

Jurgen Klopp has been confirmed as Germany's new head coach on a deal which runs until the end of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, securing a return to management for the first time since leaving Liverpool in 2024.

Klopp won a Premier League, UEFA Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup, among other trophies, as Liverpool boss, but cited fatigue when he stepped away following nine years at the helm.

His new task is to restore a German side at one of its lowest points. Julian Nagelsmann resigned as head coach when Germany lost to Paraguay in the round of 32 last month. Klopp will now take charge through the next UEFA European Championship and FIFA World Cup.

His coaching team will include former Liverpool assistants Pep Lijnders and Peter Krawietz, while Per Mertesacker will become the German Football Federation (DFB)’s new sporting director in January. The former centre-back left his role running Arsenal’s academy at the end of the 2025/26 season.

“Over the last few days it was almost like a movie happening to myself," said Klopp, who had been Red Bull’s global head of soccer since late 2024.

“I have always surmised the job of Germany head coach is really big, but now it is really dawning on me what being the national team head coach is all about.

“For many, many years it was unimaginable for me to assume this position. As the years went by, it became more or less evident that sooner or later I would be asked to do this job. Now I think the time is right.”

Klopp’s first match in charge will be against the Netherlands, who are captained by his former Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk, in September.

Gabriel makes first senior United squad

Manchester United fans have been given a glimpse into the future after 15-year-old wonderkid JJ Gabriel was included in the club’s senior squad for the first time for Friday’s pre-season friendly against Rosenborg.

United face the Norwegian team in Trondheim, with Gabriel part of the 25-man travelling party. The forward was named Under-18 Premier League player of the season last campaign despite starting it aged just 14.

That meant he was prohibited from making a Premier League squad as academy players must have turned 15 before the end of August to feature in that season.

Instead, he excelled for the Under-18s, scoring 29 times in 32 appearances, and helping United reach the FA Youth Cup and Premier League Under-18 Cup finals.

A winger by trade, he spent much of last season deployed in a more central role. Although he could not be selected for the senior squad, he was a regular at first-team training.

The youngest player to feature in a competitive match for United remains David Gaskell, a goalkeeper who made his debut in 1956, aged 16 years and 19 days. Gabriel turns 16 in October.

“JJ’s a big talent,” said manager Michael Carrick last season. “It’s pretty obvious to know that. And he’s had a really good season for the Under-18s. We obviously think an awful lot of him, but patience is important in managing everything that comes with working with him.”

Bamba signing continues Newcastle youth recruitment drive

Newcastle United’s desire to recruit untapped talent shows no sign of slowing after they completed the signing of 20-year-old central midfielder Aladji Bamba, who only made his professional debut at Monaco last season.

Bamba’s capture takes the average age of Newcastle’s summer signings to 19.5, having already brought in goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen (20) from Reims, winger Bazoumana Toure (20) from Hoffenheim and central midfielder Sean Steur (18) from Ajax.

After seeing Sandro Tonali and Anthony Gordon depart for Tottenham Hotspur and Barcelona respectively during this window, Newcastle have focused on bringing in young talent.

Although he can play in a more advanced role, Bamba is naturally more defensive-minded an could be a long-term successor to Tonali.

Among Ligue 1 midfielders who played at least 500 minutes last season, he ranked in the top five for duels won (9.1 per game on average), tackles (3.6), successful take-ons (1.6) and aerial duels won (1.9).

Robertson leaves number 26 shirt in King’s honour

New Spurs signing Andy Robertson has opted against wearing his customary No 26 shirt out of respect for club legend Ledley King.

Robertson has worn 26 for most of his domestic career at Dundee United, Hull City and during a nine-year spell at Liverpool. He departed Anfield earlier in the summer and explained why he will wear 3 instead of 26 – a number that has not been worn by a Spurs player since former Spurs captain King’s retirement in 2012.

“From my point of view, I wanted to respect that,” said Robertson, of club ambassador King. “He was an unbelievable player and has done so many good things for this football club.

“Number 3 means a lot to me – that’s my national team number, I’ve had so many good memories as number 3 for Scotland so when I knew 3 was going to become available, it was a no-brainer for me."

Robertson should make his Spurs debut against Auckland, Sydney FC or Chelsea, all of whom they face on their pre-season tour to New Zealand and Australia.

See: Premier League clubs' 2026 pre-season fixtures and results

After revealing that his best friend in the squad is James Maddison, Robertson was ribbed by his new team-mate when Maddison posted a photo of the Scot looking glum on the flight to New Zealand, along with the words: “He better liven up if he’s my company for this 26 hour flight.”

Maddison did, at least, post an update 22 hours later, showing Robertson smiling.

With the Premier League fast approaching, meet the 20 managers who are set to lead their clubs in 2026/27.

Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)

Arteta is the longest-serving manager currently in the Premier League. After being appointed in December 2019, he restored Arsenal as title challengers and ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League trophy in the 2025/26 season, which led to Arteta also winning his first Barclays Manager of the Season award.

After playing for Everton and Arsenal, he retired in 2016 and became Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City for three-and-a-half years.

He left Man City to take his first managerial job at Arsenal, midway through the 2019/20 campaign. That season, they won the FA Cup and qualified for the UEFA Europa League.

Arteta subsequently went toe-to-toe with his former mentor Guardiola in several seasons, before finally beating Man City to the title. The Gunners also reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2025/26, losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.

Unai Emery (Aston Villa)

Emery took his second job as head coach in the Premier League when he took over at Aston Villa in October 2022. Previously, he spent 18 months as manager of Arsenal.

Emery built his reputation as a manager taking Lorca Deportiva into the second tier, before spells at Valencia, Spartak Moscow and Sevilla, where he won three successive Europa League trophies.

Emery won the French Ligue 1 title at Paris Saint-Germain before replacing Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. When he left the Gunners he joined Villarreal, winning the Europa League for a fourth time.

Aston Villa were 16th in the Premier League table when he was appointed and he has delivered a period of sustained success. They have qualified for the Champions League in two out of three seasons and he won a record fifth Europa League in 2025/26.

Marco Rose (AFC Bournemouth)

Rose joined Bournemouth ahead of the 2026/27 season, replacing Andoni Iraola.

As a defender, Rose spent the majority of his career at Mainz 05, playing under former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

It was also where he made a breakthrough as coach, taking Mainz’s second team as player/assistant coach in 2010/11, before his first managerial role at Lokomotive Leipzig.

Three years later, he became Under-16s head coach at RB Salzburg in Austria, before being named head coach of the first team in 2017. Rose won back-to-back league titles and did not lose a home match during his two-year tenure.

When he returned to Germany, with Borussia Monchengladbach, he guided them into the Champions League before being offered the Borussia Dortmund job. He led them to second in the Bundesliga in 2021/22, then joined RB Leipzig and won the DFB-Pokal in 2023.

Keith Andrews (Brentford)

Andrews was promoted internally by Brentford to become their head coach in June 2025.

Following his retirement from playing in 2015, he held roles as an assistant at MK Dons and with the Republic of Ireland’s senior and Under-21 teams, before joining Brentford as a set-piece coach in the summer of 2024.

After his promotion to head coach a year later, Andrews helped the Bees equal their highest-ever Premier League finish when they came ninth in 2025/26, narrowly missing out on qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history.

Fabian Hurzeler (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Hurzeler was appointed by Brighton in June 2024, becoming the youngest-ever head coach to take charge in the Premier League at the age of 31.

He moved into coaching at 23, starting off as a player-manager at FC Pipinsried. In 2020, Hurzeler was named as assistant coach at St Pauli before taking the manager’s job and becoming the second-youngest head coach in German football's second tier.

Hurzeler won his first 10 league matches, steering St Pauli away from the relegation places to a fifth-place finish in 2022/23.

They were unbeaten in their opening 20 Bundesliga 2 matches in 2023/24 and won promotion to the Bundesliga as champions.

After replacing Roberto De Zerbi as Brighton boss, Hurzeler guided the Seagulls to an eighth-place finish in 2024/25 with 61 points, just one shy of their all-time Premier League best of 62 in 2022/23.

He led Brighton to eighth again, but this time it was enough to qualify for the UEFA Conference League, just the second time the club have reached Europe in their history.

Xabi Alonso (Chelsea)

Alonso started as Chelsea manager in July 2026.

He is best known in the Premier League for his five years as a player at Liverpool, where he won the Champions League and lifted the FA Cup.

He went on to win league titles and domestic trophies at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. In Spain, he won a second Champions League with Real.

He also won two UEFA European Championships and the FIFA World Cup with Spain from 2008 to 2012. Alonso began his coaching journey with Real Madrid’s Under-14s before taking charge of Real Sociedad B in 2019, achieving their first promotion to the Spanish second tier in 59 years.

In his first senior managerial role, he masterminded an unprecedented, unbeaten domestic double at Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023/24 season. It was the club’s first Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal.

He next took charge at former club Real Madrid, in the summer of 2025, but departed less than eight months later. After a short break, he agreed to move to Chelsea.

Frank Lampard (Coventry City)

After being appointed Coventry head coach in November 2024, Lampard guided them to Premier League promotion in his first full season in charge.

Lampard began his career as a central midfielder at West Ham United, before moving to Chelsea in 2001. In 13 years, he won three Premier League titles, four FA Cup trophies and the Champions League, becoming the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 211 goals in all competitions.

Lampard's managerial career began in 2018 at Derby County, leading them to the Championship playoff final, which they lost to Aston Villa.

He was appointed Chelsea head coach in 2019, securing a top-four finish and an FA Cup final appearance in his debut season.

A spell at Everton followed, where he successfully kept them in the top flight, before a brief return to Chelsea as caretaker manager in 2023.

Pierre Sage (Crystal Palace)

Sage was appointed as Crystal Palace head coach in June 2026.

Sage did not play professional football but worked at Lyon in a senior academy leadership role before being promoted to academy director in June 2023.

He got his break when he was made interim manager of the first team and guided them to Europa League qualification, earning him the job on a permanent basis.

After leaving the club in January 2025, he was appointed at RC Lens that summer. In his only season in charge, he led them to their first Coupe de France trophy and secured qualification for the Champions League.

Such success caught the attention of Palace, who hired Sage following the departure of Oliver Glasner at the end of the 2025/26 season.

David Moyes (Everton)

Moyes was appointed for his second spell in charge of Everton in January 2025.

First making a name for himself in coaching at Preston North End, he became Everton manager for the first time in March 2002.

In 11 years in charge, he established Everton as a regulars in Europe and qualified for the Champions League with a fourth-place finish in 2005 – their highest in the Premier League era.

He was appointed as manager to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013/14, but departed before the end of the campaign. He had spells at Real Sociedad and Sunderland before two at West Ham.

He guided them to safety in his first, then in his second led the Hammers to a famous victory in the Conference League final against Fiorentina in June 2023, ending the club’s 43-year wait for a major trophy.

After leaving West Ham again after a successful five-year stint, he was back in the Premier League in January 2025, taking over at Everton.

Alvaro Arbeloa (Fulham)

Nine years after he last played in the Premier League, Arbeloa returned as a manager as Fulham’s head coach in July 2026.

After coming through Real Madrid’s academy, he moved to Deportivo La Coruna before signing for Liverpool in January 2007. A few months after his move, Arbeloa helped the Reds reach the Champions League final.

He returned to Real Madrid in 2009, winning LaLiga, two Copa del Rey trophies and the Champions League twice.

Arbeloa was also part of the Spain squad that lifted the 2010 World Cup and back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

After retiring in 2017, following a brief stint at West Ham, he took charge of Real Madrid’s Under-19s then their B team, becoming interim head coach of the seniors in January 2026.

They reached the Champions League quarter-finals and finished second in LaLiga, but he stepped down at the end of the season.

Sergej Jakirovic (Hull City)

Jakirovic became Hull City head coach in summer 2025 and won promotion to the Premier League in his first season.

After hanging up his boots in 2017 following a 20-year career spanning five countries, he moved into management, starting out at Sesvete and then Gorica in Croatia, before a short stint at Maribor in Slovenia.

He led Zrinjski Mostar to the Bosnian Premier League title in 2021/22, then moved to Rijeka in Croatia’s top flight, before becoming boss of Dinamo Zagreb, winning a league and cup double.

Jakirovic’s next assignment came in Turkey with Kayserispor, before he moved to England with Hull. He led them to promotion via the playoffs.

Gary O’Neil (Ipswich Town)

O’Neil became Ipswich manager in June 2026 after Kieran McKenna stepped down shortly after steering them back into the Premier League.

After making more than 214 Premier League appearances across spells with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, West Ham and Norwich City, O’Neil retired in 2019 and took charge of Liverpool’s Under-23s.

He joined Bournemouth as a first-team coach in 2021 before taking over when Scott Parker left at the start of the 2022/23 season.

He steered Bournemouth to Premier League safety with a 15th-place finish, before he moved on to Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2023, guiding them to 14th in 2023/24.

O’Neil left Molineux in December 2024, then was appointed by Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, who he took to the semi-finals of the Conference League.

Daniel Farke (Leeds United)

Farke became Leeds United manager in July 2023.

The German spent his playing career as a forward in the lower divisions of his homeland then, after retiring aged 31, became a sporting director at club SV Lippstadt 08.

He was Borussia Dortmund’s reserve team head coach before Norwich appointed him manager in May 2017, winning promotion as Championship winners twice, in 2018/19 and 2020/21, suffering relegation in between.

Departing Norwich, he returned to Germany as boss of Borussia Monchengladbach before joining Leeds. He guided them into the Premier League, winning the Championship title with 100 points then kept them up in the first season back.

Andoni Iraola (Liverpool)

Iraola replaced Arne Slot as Liverpool head coach in June 2026, after three successful years at Bournemouth.

As a player, he made over 500 appearances for Athletic Bilbao, helping them reach the Copa del Rey final twice, as well as the Europa League final in 2012, before ending his career at New York City FC.

Before joining Bournemouth, he had spells at Cypriot side AEK Larnaca and Spain’s Mirandes, developing a reputation as giant killers.

In August 2020, Iraola took charge of Rayo Vallecano and guided them back to LaLiga in his first season.

He was appointed at Bournemouth in summer 2023 and a hugely successful spell culminated in the club qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history.

Enzo Maresca (Manchester City)

Maresca succeeded Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

After a playing career that took him from AC Milan to West Bromwich Albion, Juventus and Sevilla, among several clubs, he started coaching in charge of Man City’s Elite Development Squad, winning the Premier League 2 title.

He then had a spell in charge of Parma before returning to Man City in June 2022 as one of Guardiola’s assistants.

Taking over at Leicester City, he led them back to the top flight before being appointed as Chelsea head coach in summer 2024.

They won the Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, and qualified for the Champions League, before he stepped away midway through the following season.

Michael Carrick (Manchester United)

Carrick has been head coach of Manchester United since 13 January 2026.

Considered a leading midfielder of his generation, he started at West Ham before joining Spurs then Man Utd. In 12 seasons he made 464 appearances, winning five Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup, among a glittering array of silverware.

After retiring in 2018, he became a first-team coach under Jose Mourinho then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He took interim charge in November 2021.

His first managerial role came at Middlesbrough, reaching the 2022/23 playoffs and the EFL Cup semi-finals the following year. He left in June 2025 and was reappointed Man Utd head coach after Ruben Amorim left.

After a successful spell, guiding the club to third in 2025/26, he was handed the role permanently.

Eddie Howe (Newcastle United)

Following a 15-month break from football after making his name at Bournemouth, Howe took over at Newcastle in November 2021.

In an astonishing period, he guided Bournemouth from the fourth tier to the Premier League, managing them in the top flight from 2015 to 2020, before succumbing to relegation.

He left the club before returning to football with Newcastle, turning them into a regular Champions League side and winning the EFL Cup to secure the club’s first major domestic trophy in 70 years.

Oliver Glasner (Nottingham Forest)

Glasner joined Nottingham Forest as head coach in July 2026.

Having played 19 years as a defender at Austrian club Ried, he built his reputation as manager at Wolfsburg, qualifying for the Champions League and Eintracht Frankfurt, where he won the Europa League.

Glasner took charge at Crystal Palace in February 2024 then delivered trophies in back-to-back seasons, winning the FA Cup – the club’s first ever major trophy – followed by the Conference League.

Regis Le Bris (Sunderland)

Le Bris has been Sunderland head coach since June 2024.

Turning to coaching aged 27, he quickly excelled winning the French equivalent of the FA Youth Cup and Under-18 title at Rennes.

Le Bris was handed the opportunity as manager of the senior side in 2022 and a run of eight wins in his first 10 games helped towards a 10th-place finish.

Le Bris then led the Black Cats back to the Premier League in his debut season with a dramatic 2-1 turnaround win against Sheffield United in the 2024/25 Championship playoff final at Wembley.

In his first season in the top flight he guided them to a shock seventh-place finish and the club’s first European qualification in 53 years.

Roberto De Zerbi (Tottenham Hotspur)

De Zerbi took over at Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the 2025/26 season.

He spent most of his playing career in Italy’s lower divisions, before winning promotion with Napoli and claiming two domestic titles and the Romanian Cup with CFR Cluj before hanging up his boots.

In management, he honed his reputation across clubs in Italy before his first major success winning the Ukrainian Super Cup at Shakhtar Donetsk.

In September 2022, he was appointed Brighton head coach and led the Seagulls to their best-ever Premier League finish of sixth in 2022/23, securing European football for the first time in the club’s history.

After leading them to 11th the following season, he moved to Marseille, leaving after a second-place finish in Ligue 1.

He was brought in by Spurs initially to save them from relegation and guided them to safety on the final day.

With the Premier League fast approaching, meet the 20 managers who are set to lead their clubs in 2026/27.

Mikel Arteta (Arsenal)

Arteta is the longest-serving manager currently in the Premier League. After being appointed in December 2019, he restored Arsenal as title challengers and ended a 22-year wait for the Premier League trophy in the 2025/26 season, which led to Arteta also winning his first Barclays Manager of the Season award.

After playing for Everton and Arsenal, he retired in 2016 and became Pep Guardiola’s assistant at Manchester City for three-and-a-half years.

He left Man City to take his first managerial job at Arsenal, midway through the 2019/20 campaign. That season, they won the FA Cup and qualified for the UEFA Europa League.

Arteta subsequently went toe-to-toe with his former mentor Guardiola in several seasons, before finally beating Man City to the title. The Gunners also reached the UEFA Champions League final in 2025/26, losing on penalties to Paris Saint-Germain.

Unai Emery (Aston Villa)

Emery took his second job as head coach in the Premier League when he took over at Aston Villa in October 2022. Previously, he spent 18 months as manager of Arsenal.

Emery built his reputation as a manager taking Lorca Deportiva into the second tier, before spells at Valencia, Spartak Moscow and Sevilla, where he won three successive Europa League trophies.

Emery won the French Ligue 1 title at Paris Saint-Germain before replacing Arsene Wenger at Arsenal. When he left the Gunners he joined Villarreal, winning the Europa League for a fourth time.

Aston Villa were 16th in the Premier League table when he was appointed and he has delivered a period of sustained success. They have qualified for the Champions League in two out of three seasons and he won a record fifth Europa League in 2025/26.

Marco Rose (AFC Bournemouth)

Rose joined Bournemouth ahead of the 2025/26 season, replacing Andoni Iraola.

As a defender, Rose spent the majority of his career at Mainz 05, playing under former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp.

It was also where he made a breakthrough as coach, taking Mainz’s second team as player/assistant coach in 2010/11, before his first managerial role at Lokomotive Leipzig.

Three years later, he became Under-16s head coach at RB Salzburg in Austria, before being named head coach of the first team in 2017. Rose won back-to-back league titles and did not lose a home match during his two-year tenure.

When he returned to Germany, with Borussia Monchengladbach, he guided them into the Champions League before being offered the Borussia Dortmund job. He led them to second in the Bundesliga in 2021/22, then joined RB Leipzig and won the DFB-Pokal in 2023.

Keith Andrews (Brentford)

Andrews was promoted internally by Brentford to become their head coach in June 2025.

Following his retirement from playing in 2015, he held roles as an assistant at MK Dons and with the Republic of Ireland’s senior and Under-21 teams, before joining Brentford as a set-piece coach in the summer of 2024.

After his promotion to head coach a year later, Andrews helped the Bees equal their highest-ever Premier League finish when they came ninth in 2025/26, narrowly missing out on qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history.

Fabian Hurzeler (Brighton & Hove Albion)

Hurzeler was appointed by Brighton in June 2024, becoming the youngest-ever head coach to take charge in the Premier League at the age of 31.

He moved into coaching at 23, starting off as a player-manager at FC Pipinsried. In 2020, Hurzeler was named as assistant coach at St Pauli before taking the manager’s job and becoming the second-youngest head coach in German football's second tier.

Hurzeler won his first 10 league matches, steering St Pauli away from the relegation places to a fifth-place finish in 2022/23.

They were unbeaten in their opening 20 Bundesliga 2 matches in 2023/24 and won promotion to the Bundesliga as champions.

After replacing Roberto De Zerbi as Brighton boss, Hurzeler guided the Seagulls to an eighth-place finish in 2024/25 with 61 points, just one shy of their all-time Premier League best of 62 in 2022/23.

He led Brighton to eighth again, but this time it was enough to qualify for the UEFA Conference League, just the second time the club have reached Europe in their history.

Xabi Alonso (Chelsea)

Alonso started as Chelsea manager in July 2026.

He is best known in the Premier League for his five years as a player at Liverpool, where he won the Champions League and lifted the FA Cup.

He went on to win league titles and domestic trophies at Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. In Spain, he won a second Champions League with Real.

He also won two UEFA European Championships and the FIFA World Cup with Spain from 2008 to 2012. Alonso began his coaching journey with Real Madrid’s Under-14s before taking charge of Real Sociedad B in 2019, achieving their first promotion to the Spanish second tier in 59 years.

In his first senior managerial role, he masterminded an unprecedented, unbeaten domestic double at Bayer Leverkusen in the 2023/24 season. It was the club’s first Bundesliga title and DFB-Pokal.

He next took charge at former club Real Madrid, in the summer of 2025, but departed less than eight months later. After a short break, he agreed to move to Chelsea.

Frank Lampard (Coventry City)

After being appointed Coventry head coach in November 2024, Lampard guided them to Premier League promotion in his first full season in charge.

Lampard began his career as a central midfielder at West Ham United, before moving to Chelsea in 2001. In 13 years, he won three Premier League titles, four FA Cup trophies and the Champions League, becoming the club’s all-time leading goalscorer, with 211 goals in all competitions.

Lampard's managerial career began in 2018 at Derby County, leading them to the Championship playoff final, which they lost to Aston Villa.

He was appointed Chelsea head coach in 2019, securing a top-four finish and an FA Cup final appearance in his debut season.

A spell at Everton followed, where he successfully kept them in the top flight, before a brief return to Chelsea as caretaker manager in 2023.

Pierre Sage (Crystal Palace)

Sage was appointed as Crystal Palace head coach in June 2026.

Sage did not play professional football but worked at Lyon in a senior academy leadership role before being promoted to academy director in June 2023.

He got his break when he was made interim manager of the first team and guided them to Europa League qualification, earning him the job on a permanent basis.

After leaving the club in January 2025, he was appointed at RC Lens that summer. In his only season in charge, he led them to their first Coupe de France trophy and secured qualification for the Champions League.

Such success caught the attention of Palace, who hired Sage following the departure of Oliver Glasner at the end of the 2025/26 season.

David Moyes (Everton)

Moyes was appointed for his second spell in charge of Everton in January 2025.

First making a name for himself in coaching at Preston North End, he became Everton manager for the first time in March 2002.

In 11 years in charge, he established Everton as a regulars in Europe and qualified for the Champions League with a fourth-place finish in 2005 – their highest in the Premier League era.

He was appointed as manager to replace Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United in 2013/14, but departed before the end of the campaign. He had spells at Real Sociedad and Sunderland before two at West Ham.

He guided them to safety in his first, then in his second led the Hammers to a famous victory in the Conference League final against Fiorentina in June 2023, ending the club’s 43-year wait for a major trophy.

After leaving West Ham again after a successful five-year stint, he was back in the Premier League in January 2025, taking over at Everton.

Alvaro Arbeloa (Fulham)

Nine years after he last played in the Premier League, Arbeloa returned as a manager as Fulham’s head coach in July 2026.

After coming through Real Madrid’s academy, he moved to Deportivo La Coruna before signing for Liverpool in January 2007. A few months after his move, Arbeloa helped the Reds reach the Champions League final.

He returned to Real Madrid in 2009, winning LaLiga, two Copa del Rey trophies and the Champions League twice.

Arbeloa was also part of the Spain squad that lifted the 2010 World Cup and back-to-back European Championships in 2008 and 2012.

After retiring in 2017, following a brief stint at West Ham, he took charge of Real Madrid’s Under-19s then their B team, becoming interim head coach of the seniors in January 2026.

They reached the Champions League quarter-finals and finished second in LaLiga, but he stepped down at the end of the season.

Sergej Jakirovic (Hull City)

Jakirovic became Hull City head coach in summer 2025 and won promotion to the Premier League in his first season.

After hanging up his boots in 2017 following a 20-year career spanning five countries, he moved into management, starting out at Sesvete and then Gorica in Croatia, before a short stint at Maribor in Slovenia.

He led Zrinjski Mostar to the Bosnian Premier League title in 2021/22, then moved to Rijeka in Croatia’s top flight, before becoming boss of Dinamo Zagreb, winning a league and cup double.

Jakirovic’s next assignment came in Turkey with Kayserispor, before he moved to England with Hull. He led them to promotion via the playoffs.

Gary O’Neil (Ipswich Town)

O’Neil became Ipswich manager in June 2026 after Kieran McKenna stepped down shortly after steering them back into the Premier League.

After making more than 214 Premier League appearances across spells with Portsmouth, Middlesbrough, West Ham and Norwich City, O’Neil retired in 2019 and took charge of Liverpool’s Under-23s.

He joined Bournemouth as a first-team coach in 2021 before taking over when Scott Parker left at the start of the 2022/23 season.

He steered Bournemouth to Premier League safety with a 15th-place finish, before he moved on to Wolverhampton Wanderers in August 2023, guiding them to 14th in 2023/24.

O’Neil left Molineux in December 2024, then was appointed by Ligue 1 side Strasbourg, who he took to the semi-finals of the Conference League.

Daniel Farke (Leeds United)

Farke became Leeds United manager in July 2023.

The German spent his playing career as a forward in the lower divisions of his homeland then, after retiring aged 31, became a sporting director at club SV Lippstadt 08.

He was Borussia Dortmund’s reserve team head coach before Norwich appointed him manager in May 2017, winning promotion as Championship winners twice, in 2018/19 and 2020/21, suffering relegation in between.

Departing Norwich, he returned to Germany as boss of Borussia Monchengladbach before joining Leeds. He guided them into the Premier League, winning the Championship title with 100 points then kept them up in the first season back.

Andoni Iraola (Liverpool)

Iraola replaced Arne Slot as Liverpool head coach in June 2026, after three successful years at Bournemouth.

As a player, he made over 500 appearances for Athletic Bilbao, helping them reach the Copa del Rey final twice, as well as the Europa League final in 2012, before ending his career at New York City FC.

Before joining Bournemouth, he had spells at Cypriot side AEK Larnaca and Spain’s Mirandes, developing a reputation as giant killers.

In August 2020, Iraola took charge of Rayo Vallecano and guided them back to LaLiga in his first season.

He was appointed at Bournemouth in summer 2023 and a hugely successful spell culminated in the club qualifying for Europe for the first time in their history.

Enzo Maresca (Manchester City)

Maresca succeeded Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

After a playing career that took him from AC Milan to West Bromwich Albion, Juventus and Sevilla, among several clubs, he started coaching in charge of Man City’s Elite Development Squad, winning the Premier League 2 title.

He then had a spell in charge of Parma before returning to Man City in June 2022 as one of Guardiola’s assistants.

Taking over at Leicester City, he led them back to the top flight before being appointed as Chelsea head coach in summer 2024.

They won the Conference League and FIFA Club World Cup, and qualified for the Champions League, before he stepped away midway through the following season.

Michael Carrick (Manchester United)

Carrick has been head coach of Manchester United since 13 January 2026.

Considered a leading midfielder of his generation, he started at West Ham before joining Spurs then Man Utd. In 12 seasons he made 464 appearances, winning five Premier League titles, the Champions League and the FA Cup, among a glittering array of silverware.

After retiring in 2018, he became a first-team coach under Jose Mourinho then Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. He took interim charge in November 2021.

His first managerial role came at Middlesbrough, reaching the 2022/23 playoffs and the EFL Cup semi-finals the following year. He left in June 2025 and was reappointed Man Utd head coach after Ruben Amorim left.

After a successful spell, guiding the club to third in 2025/26, he was handed the role permanently.

Eddie Howe (Newcastle United)

Following a 15-month break from football after making his name at Bournemouth, Howe took over at Newcastle in November 2021.

In an astonishing period, he guided Bournemouth from the fourth tier to the Premier League, managing them in the top flight from 2015 to 2020, before succumbing to relegation.

He left the club before returning to football with Newcastle, turning them into a regular Champions League side and winning the EFL Cup to secure the club’s first major domestic trophy in 70 years.

Oliver Glasner (Nottingham Forest)

Glasner joined Nottingham Forest as head coach in July 2026.

Having played 19 years as a defender at Austrian club Ried, he built his reputation as manager at Wolfsburg, qualifying for the Champions League and Eintracht Frankfurt, where he won the Europa League.

Glasner took charge at Crystal Palace in February 2024 then delivered trophies in back-to-back seasons, winning the FA Cup – the club’s first ever major trophy – followed by the Conference League.

Regis Le Bris (Sunderland)

Le Bris has been Sunderland head coach since June 2024.

Turning to coaching aged 27, he quickly excelled winning the French equivalent of the FA Youth Cup and Under-18 title at Rennes.

Le Bris was handed the opportunity as manager of the senior side in 2022 and a run of eight wins in his first 10 games helped towards a 10th-place finish.

Le Bris then led the Black Cats back to the Premier League in his debut season with a dramatic 2-1 turnaround win against Sheffield United in the 2024/25 Championship playoff final at Wembley.

In his first season in the top flight he guided them to a shock seventh-place finish and the club’s first European qualification in 53 years.

Roberto De Zerbi (Tottenham Hotspur)

De Zerbi took over at Tottenham Hotspur at the end of the 2025/26 season.

He spent most of his playing career in Italy’s lower divisions, before winning promotion with Napoli and claiming two domestic titles and the Romanian Cup with CFR Cluj before hanging up his boots.

In management, he honed his reputation across clubs in Italy before his first major success winning the Ukrainian Super Cup at Shakhtar Donetsk.

In September 2022, he was appointed Brighton head coach and led the Seagulls to their best-ever Premier League finish of sixth in 2022/23, securing European football for the first time in the club’s history.

After leading them to 11th the following season, he moved to Marseille, leaving after a second-place finish in Ligue 1.

He was brought in by Spurs initially to save them from relegation and guided them to safety on the final day.

As two of the greatest strikers in Premier League history Harry Kane and Erling Haaland share a lot in common, namely their goal records and defining influence in their respective eras.

But as No 9s the two are stylistic opposites.

Haaland is a ruthless machine in front of goal, a hoarder of individual and team accolades. He is cutthroat-sharp, streetwise, cold; a lurking presence who comes to life inside the penalty area.

Kane is a creator, an orchestrator, and a scorer of a wide range of goals. He wore the number 10 shirt at Tottenham Hotspur to reflect how he sees himself: the beating heart of the team, not just its razor edge.

Both have achieved incredible things in the Premier League, and although it has so far been a rivalry in parallel - Kane and Haaland shared just a single year in England, 2022/23 – there are chapters still to be written.

Haaland hopes to catch up to Kane’s Premier League tally and Kane – who knows? – still has time to return to England in search of the all-time goalscoring record with only Alan Shearer and his 260 goals ahead of him.

But before all that, Kane and Haaland go head-to-head on Saturday when England take on Norway in the 2026 FIFA World Cup quarter-final.

Ahead of their showdown, we dive into the numbers to decide who is the better player. Using our player comparison tool, you can also compare Kane and Haaland's exceptional Premier League records across a broad range of stats, including goal involvements, penalties and xG.

Haaland’s goalscoring rate is unique, but Kane is ahead overall… for now

The headline numbers show both are among the most impressive players the Premier League has ever seen.

Haaland v Kane: Premier League goal records compared

Goals (all-time rank) Goals per 90 (all-time rank) Haaland* 112 (25th) 0.91 (1st) Kane 213 (2nd) 0.71 (4th)

*Haaland's PL stats correct as of July 2026

Kane is only 47 goals behind Shearer's all-time record – meaning he would likely only need another 18 months in the Premier League, at his 25-goal a season rate, to reach number one – and he has scored almost double the number of Premier League goals as Haaland.

However, Kane had nine Premier League seasons as a first-team regular at Spurs, whereas Haaland has only had four.

At Haaland’s rate of 0.91 goals per 90 – the best in Premier League history – he needs 113 more games (four campaigns, at his current rate of 33 matches per season) to get the 102 goals needed to usurp Kane into second in the all-time list.

Watch: How Haaland’s ‘Viking’ mindset made him a star

Haaland has eight years remaining on his current contract. He needs only half of those to overtake Kane – and then another 52 matches to score the remaining 47 needed to climb above Shearer.

In other words, give it time and Haaland will emerge as the greatest goalscorer in the competition’s history.

Watch: Haaland and Kane scoring EVERY type of goal

Evenly split on records and awards – but Haaland’s teams have won more

Kane’s entry to the Premier League was a slow burn - he was 21 during his explosive breakthrough season under Mauricio Pochettino in 2014/15 - whereas Haaland burst onto the scene, smashing the single-season goals record with 36 in his debut year in English football.

Watch: The unstoppable rise of Haaland

That season, 2022/23, was Kane’s last at Spurs and the England captain scored an impressive 30 goals, the second time he reached that figure in the Premier League.

Indeed, with Haaland topping out at 27 in any single year since that remarkable 36-goal haul, Kane has more entries in the single-season top five between the two.

Haaland v Kane: Top five Premier League scoring seasons

Top five seasons Player Goals (season) 1 Haaland 36 (22/23) 2 Kane 30 (22/23) 3 Kane 30 (17/18) 4 Kane 29 (16/17) 5 Haaland 27 (25/26)

Of course, it’s important to once again caveat any Kane "victory" in this comparison by pointing out that Haaland just hasn’t had the same amount of time in the division.

Despite that fact, Haaland and Kane are pretty similar on awards and records won.

Haaland holds the record for fastest player to 100 goals, most goals in a single season, and best per-90 ratio ever. Kane has the most goals for a single club (213) and the most goals in London derbies (51).

Watch: Kane's best Premier League moments

In terms of personal awards, not much separates the players, which, again, is a mark in favour of Haaland given that he is seven years younger and therefore likely to accelerate away:

Individual accolades Haaland Kane Golden Boots 5 (3x PL, 2x UCL) 9 (3x PL, 3x Bundesliga, 1x UCL, 1x World Cup, 1x Euros) Player of the Year 3 (1x PL, 1x Bundesliga, 1x UEFA) 1 (Bundesliga) European Golden Shoe 1 2

Of course, football is a team sport, therefore arguably what matters most are the trophies won, with Halaand out in front:

Team honours Haaland Kane League titles 3 (2x PL, 1x Austrian Bundesliga) 2 (Bundesliga) European titles 1 (UCL) 0 Domestic cup wins 5 (2x FA Cup, 1x EFL Cup, 1x DFB-Pokal, 1x Austrian Cup) 1 (DFB-Pokal)

Others, however, would argue that Kane’s extended time spent outside the title-winning level makes his goals record all the more impressive.

Bundesliga record – and a remarkable 2025/26 – give Kane the edge

Indeed, the extraordinary figures Kane is hitting at Bayern Munich suggest he could be streets ahead of Shearer if his Premier League career had been at Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City.

Kane has scored an absurd 98 goals in 94 Bundesliga matches. Those are Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo numbers.

Haaland fights back, though, when it comes to international football, where he can make a similar argument about hitting elite numbers in a non-elite setting: 62 goals from 54 caps and scoring in each of his last 14 internationals is astonishing, especially playing for Norway, and a far better ratio than Kane’s (also brilliant, also record-breaking) 85 in 119 for England.

Haaland v Kane, international goal scoring record

Caps Goals Goals per 90 Haaland 54 62 1.26 Kane 119 85 0.83

Where does that leave us? Relatively even, with Kane leading on many metrics only because he has been in the game longer and Haaland winning more trophies only because he has had a greater opportunity to do so.

But as of July 2026, Kane comes out on top for one simple reason: in the year just gone Kane scored the most goals in Europe in all competitions – and considerably more than Haaland:

Rank in 2025/26 Player Goals in all club comps 1 Kane 61 2 Mbappe 42 3 Haaland 38

Right now, Kane is the best striker in the world. Haaland has a chance to prove otherwise on Saturday.

The Scout picks out clubs and players who can be paired together effectively in opening squads for 2026/27 Fantasy Premier League and give FPL managers a great run of early fixtures.

Fulham and Spurs

Owning a defender from both Fulham and Tottenham Hotspur can help you immediately profit from a great run of home matches over the first five Gameweeks.

That occurs in Gameweek 5, when Spurs entertain Aston Villa.

This kind run is also backed up by the Fixture Difficulty Ratings (FDR), with each of those matches scoring only three.

Fulham and Spurs rotation, GW1-5

GW Club Opp. FDR* 1 FUL CHE (H) 3 2 TOT NEW (H) 3 3 FUL CRY (H) 3 4 TOT EVE (H) 3 5 TOT AVL (H) 3

*Scroll across on mobile to see full table. 1 = easiest possible fixture, 5 = hardest possible fixture

Who will be the best budget defenders?

Joachim Andersen's dominance of defensive contributions (DC) looks certain to ensure he will be the highest-priced Fulham asset at the back in 2026/27 Fantasy.

The centre-back (who is suspended for the Cottagers' Gameweek 1 home match against Chelsea) amassed 40 DC points last season, at least 26 more than any team-mate.

Andersen's price will ultimately determine whether managers in Fantasy will have any budget options among the Fulham defence.

For example, if he's priced at £5.0m, then you might expect the full-backs to be £0.5m cheaper.

It's uncertain at present who will be Fulham's first-choice full-backs this season, though, after Alvaro Arbeloa replaced Marco Silva as head coach.

Ryan Sessegnon looks very likely to be reclassified from a midfielder to a defender in Fantasy this season after featuring as a left-back in the previous campaign.

Antonee Robinson is his main competition for the left-back berth, while Kenny Tete and Timothy Castagne are positional rivals on the right.

For Spurs, their two new centre-backs, Marcos Senesi and Jan Paul van Hecke, are likely to cost more than £5.0m after their strong displays for AFC Bournemouth and Brighton & Hove Albion in 2025/26.

And the same can be said for right-back Pedro Porro, who offers far too much potential at both ends of the pitch.

But it could be at left-back where the value is here, if one of Andrew Robertson, Destiny Udogie or Djed Spence can secure regular starts in Spurs' first full season under Roberto De Zerbi.

There's even an argument that Spurs' first-choice goalkeeper - whether it's Antonin Kinsky or Guglielmo Vicario - could merit a move into the budget bracket due to the club's recent defensive record.

In 2024/25, Spurs conceded 65 goals - the fifth-most in the league - while their total of 57 against last season was better only than the three relegated clubs.

Next: Bournemouth and Everton

Also in this series

Still no stopping Haaland as Man City star tees up England showdown

Erling Haaland’s explosive first FIFA World Cup continued as he bagged his third brace of the tournament to fire Norway to a memorable 2-1 win over Brazil in the last 16, setting up a mouthwatering quarter-final clash against England.

The Manchester City striker is firmly in contention to win the World Cup Golden Boot at the first time of asking, leading that race with seven goals alongside Kylian Mbappe (of France) and Lionel Messi (Argentina) as things stand.

Sunday’s game was Haaland in a nutshell – four shots, three on target, two goals – as he became the first European player since Italy great Christian Vieri in 1998 to score in their first four World Cup appearances.

He’s already racked up more goals in the competition than numerous greats – among them Premier League icons Dennis Bergkamp, Thierry Henry and Robin van Persie.

Man City’s goal machine will be playing against familiar opposition in the quarter-finals as Norway take on England – who used nine Premier League-based players during Sunday night’s epic 3-2 victory over Mexico.

Haaland could also come up against current and former club team-mates in Marc Guehi, the recently signed Elliot Anderson, Nico O’Reilly and John Stones – the latter of whom has just left Man City after the expiry of his contract.

Worryingly for the Three Lions, Haaland has scored in each of his last 14 international outings – and not only that, but he’s averaged just shy of two goals a game during that run.

De Zerbi hails ‘special’ Tonali after midfielder completes Spurs move

Sandro Tonali’s move from Newcastle United to Tottenham Hotspur represents a reunion of sorts, as the Italy midfielder links up with compatriot Roberto De Zerbi.

But the connection is much more concrete than just their nationality: Tonali came through the youth system at his new head coach’s hometown club, Brescia, making almost 100 appearances before joining AC Milan.

Watch: Sandro Tonali's STANDOUT Premier League moments

De Zerbi told the Spurs website: “I have followed him for a long time, as he came through the youth system at my hometown club, Brescia, and I'm so happy to be working with him now.

“Given his qualities, there was a lot of interest in Sandro this summer. However, he was very clear in his desire to join Tottenham, and I know our fans will love what he brings to the team.”

Tonali added: “I spoke to the head coach for close to two hours about the club, the fans, the stadium and our football. It was like magic because I knew immediately that I had to sign for Tottenham.”

The 26-year-old arrives at Spurs after making 110 Premier League appearances in three seasons with Newcastle, where he established himself as one of the top flight’s most well-rounded midfielders – something which won’t have come as a surprise to De Zerbi.

Tonali could link up alongside Mateus Fernandes in De Zerbi's engine room after Spurs signed the Portuguese midfielder from West Ham United last Thursday.

Premier League legend wins World Cup epic for England – but loses voice

England recorded one of their most famous World Cup triumphs by overcoming Mexico’s formidable record at the iconic Estadio Azteca to inflict just the co-hosts’ third competitive defeat there in 90 games – and it was a Premier League legend who notched what proved to be the winner.

Three Lions captain and three-time Premier League Golden Boot winner Harry Kane dispatched his second penalty of the tournament as England ground out a momentous victory despite playing most of the second half with 10 men after former Liverpool defender Jarrell Quansah saw red.

And England’s understandable ecstasy was epitomised by Spurs great Kane, who embraced another ex-Spurs striker Peter Crouch, and celebrated almost to the point of speechlessness after the game.

“It was a crazy game,” Kane reflected. “We had to fight. I’ve just been singing there – can’t really talk.”

Newcastle’s Dan Burn, making his World Cup debut, echoed Kane’s sentiments, commending England for how they “rose to the challenge” – ironically while initially stooping to reach a microphone considerably lower than his towering 6ft 7in frame.

Having described the night as “probably the best away day I’ve had in an England shirt”, Declan Rice – who ended up with the captain’s armband after Kane was substituted late on – played down the impact of playing at over 7,000 feet above sea level.

“I was surprised,” said the Arsenal midfielder. “The altitude wasn’t as…there’s been so much talk about that and, to be fair, training yesterday was a little bit [difficult], but today I didn’t really feel it as much.”

England will have no such worries in Saturday’s quarter-final against Norway which takes place in Miami – around 13 feet (or roughly two Dan Burns) above sea level.

Henderson’s World Cup over in freak fashion

It wasn't all positive for England, though. Brentford’s Jordan Henderson was taken back to the dressing room on a stretcher and later taken to hospital after injuring his wrist following a freak tumble over an advertising hoarding.

As the rest of the England squad flew back to their base in Kansas City, the Premier League-winning Liverpool captain stayed behind in Mexico City with a member of England's medical staff for treatment.

“Not good, not good,” head coach Thomas Tuchel said of the injury to Henderson. “Jordan fell over and injured his wrist; it looks really bad.”

The Athletic have reported that Henderson requires surgery and is set to miss the rest of the tournament.

New Forest boss Glasner part of Premier League record

Eight Premier League clubs will begin the 2026/27 campaign with new managers – a joint record with the 2016/17 season.

Oliver Glasner is the latest confirmed appointment: the FA Cup and Conference League-winning Crystal Palace boss succeeds Vitor Pereira as Nottingham Forest head coach having left Selhurst Park at the end of last season.

Pierre Sage has replaced Glasner at Palace, with AFC Bournemouth seeing Andoni Iraola leave for Liverpool.

Roberto De Zerbi was always going to oversee a radical summer rebuild at Tottenham Hotspur and it hasn’t taken long for the north London side to spring into action in the transfer market.

Spurs bolstered their backline first by signing centre-back Marcos Senesi, left-back Andy Robertson and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, following the expiration of their contracts with AFC Bournemouth, Liverpool and Burnley respectively and buying Jan Paul van Hecke, another central defender, from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Now the revolution has now moved further up the pitch.

Spurs have now made their fifth and sixth signings of the summer by securing two high-profile central midfielders, acquiring Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United.

Since De Zerbi favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, Spurs’ central midfield has been revamped in one go. But why did De Zerbi need reinforcements in that area, and how do Tonali and Fernandes fit into the Italian's wider plan?

How will De Zerbi use Tonali and Fernandes?

De Zerbi used his first seven Premier League matches as Spurs boss to stave off relegation, effectively putting his tactical overhaul on pause.

But history suggests he will introduce football that blends possession domination with high pressing and explosive gear changes towards direct football.

The defining tactical feature of De Zerbi's Brighton & Hove Albion and Marseille teams was "press-baiting": in other words, passing out from the back in neatly choreographed patterns and encouraging their opponents to pressurise them, before springing behind and galloping forward as if on the counter-attack.

Broadly speaking, this mix of possession control and direct football pulls Spurs away from the Thomas Frank era and back towards the more adventurous days of the Dane's predecessor Ange Postecoglou.

The below graphic, from Opta, shows the similarity between De Zerbi’s all-action, hard-pressing football and Postecoglou’s at their respective peaks: De Zerbi's 2022/23 Brighton team and Postecoglou's 2023/24 Spurs side. Those particular teams are the second and third-furthest circles to the right of the graph.

As the graphic shows, both of those teams produced similar numbers for direct speed upfield (the average speed of ball movement towards an opponent's goal) and passes per sequence (passes in a passage of play before a shot, stoppage or defensive action). This indicates an aptitude for both springing quickly into attack and playing a patient passing game.

That means De Zerbi needs central midfielders who possess energy and aggression. They must also be capable of both controlling possession with elegant one-touch passing under pressure (during the "press-baiting" phase) and playing urgent, direct passes through the lines when the tempo shifts.

At Brighton, he had Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, a brilliant pair who have gone on to star for Liverpool and Chelsea. Fernandes and Tonali are tasked with replicating that duo's influence in north London.

Why Fernandes and Tonali are ideal for De Zerbi-ball

Comparing Fernandes and Tonali with Spurs’ most-used central midfielders in 2025/26, it quickly becomes obvious why these two players have been targeted.

Charging down opponents, and pressing with great zeal, is a hallmark of De Zerbi's tactics, hence why Conor Gallagher played such a pivotal role as an attacking midfielder in the final stages of last season.

The following line graph, plotting every Premier League player in 2025/26, tells us Tonali and Fernandes will add to that.

A position on the top right of the graph would show that a player is adapt at making high turnovers (winning possession in open play within 40 metres of the opposition's goal) and ball recoveries (taking possession of a loose ball).

On the ball, it’s just as stark. On the graph a below, a position on the top right would indicate that a player is skilled at making final-third entries (moving the ball into the final third from outside of it) and being accurate with their attempted passes.

Here, we can see how Tonali and Fernandes complete more passes and more "final-third entries" than most Premier League players, including Spurs' most-used options last season, pointing to that mixture of assurance on the ball with vertical attacking intent.

The statistical disparity doesn’t stop there. As the table below shows, Fernandes and Tonali don’t just improve on Spurs’ current options, they also score similarly to De Zerbi’s favoured pair in his peak Brighton year of 2022/23, Mac Allister and Caicedo.

Stats per 90: Tonali, Fernandes and Spurs' central midfielders 2025/26 v Caicedo and Mac Allister 2022/23

Player Final-third passes completed Forward passes Open-play pass accuracy Possession won in final third Tonali 13.24 16.81 84.8% 0.53 Fernandes 10.30 12.65 87.8% 0.51 Sarr 9.96 10.55 84.4% 0.32 Gray 6.57 10.77 82.7% 0.12 Palhinha 5.53 12.86 81.8% 0.20 Bentancur 7.56 11.70 85.6% 0.33 Mac Allister 14.16 14.16 87.0% 0.90 Caicedo 14.22 15.62 88.7% 0.57

*Scroll across to see full table

How Spurs will use Fernandes and Tonali

Fernandes is a creative midfielder capable of long raking passes, smart through-balls or line-breaking dribbles.

See Fernandes' impressive passing range

He is more akin to a No 10 than the more workmanlike midfielders Spurs already had in their ranks. His creative numbers back that up.

Compared: Tonali and Fernandes v Spurs' centre midfielders, 2025/26

Player Chances created Take-ons attempted Tonali 37 48 Fernandes 32 31 Sarr 11 22 Gray 8 16 Palhinha 8 23 Bentancur 10 32

*Scroll across to see full table

Given that Fernandes played in a cautious West Ham side that were relegated, we can assume Fernandes’s creativity will only increase in a front-foot De Zerbi team.

Tonali, on the other hand, is more like the Caicedo figure, and should essentially function as a destroyer – like Joao Palhinha or Rodrigo Bentancur – but with a more proactive mindset on the ball.

Watch Tonali's standout moments

But for all the statistics, what is perhaps most pertinent is the vibe and sensibility of the two new signings.

Like De Zerbi, they represent a sense of urgency and forward thrust. They are midfielders ready and willing to grab the bull by the horns and take Spurs back towards progressive, daring football.

Roberto De Zerbi was always going to oversee a radical summer rebuild at Tottenham Hotspur and it hasn’t taken long for the north London side to spring into action in the transfer market.

Spurs bolstered their backline first by signing centre-back Marcos Senesi, left-back Andy Robertson and goalkeeper Martin Dubravka, following the expiration of their contracts with AFC Bournemouth, Liverpool and Burnley respectively and buying Jan Paul van Hecke, another central defender, from Brighton & Hove Albion.

Now the revolution has now moved further up the pitch.

Spurs have now made their fifth and sixth signings of the summer by securing two high-profile central midfielders, acquiring Mateus Fernandes from West Ham United and Sandro Tonali from Newcastle United.

Since De Zerbi favours a 4-2-3-1 formation, Spurs’ central midfield has been revamped in one go. But why did De Zerbi need reinforcements in that area, and how do Tonali and Fernandes fit into the Italian's wider plan?

How will De Zerbi use Tonali and Fernandes?

De Zerbi used his first seven Premier League matches as Spurs boss to stave off relegation, effectively putting his tactical overhaul on pause.

But history suggests he will introduce football that blends possession domination with high pressing and explosive gear changes towards direct football.

The defining tactical feature of De Zerbi's Brighton & Hove Albion and Marseille teams was "press-baiting": in other words, passing out from the back in neatly choreographed patterns and encouraging their opponents to pressurise them, before springing behind and galloping forward as if on the counter-attack.

Broadly speaking, this mix of possession control and direct football pulls Spurs away from the Thomas Frank era and back towards the more adventurous days of the Dane's predecessor Ange Postecoglou.

The below graphic, from Opta, shows the similarity between De Zerbi’s all-action, hard-pressing football and Postecoglou’s at their respective peaks: De Zerbi's 2022/23 Brighton team and Postecoglou's 2023/24 Spurs side. Those particular teams are the second and third-furthest circles to the right of the graph.

As the graphic shows, both of those teams produced similar numbers for direct speed upfield (the average speed of ball movement towards an opponent's goal) and passes per sequence (passes in a passage of play before a shot, stoppage or defensive action). This indicates an aptitude for both springing quickly into attack and playing a patient passing game.

That means De Zerbi needs central midfielders who possess energy and aggression. They must also be capable of both controlling possession with elegant one-touch passing under pressure (during the "press-baiting" phase) and playing urgent, direct passes through the lines when the tempo shifts.

At Brighton, he had Alexis Mac Allister and Moises Caicedo, a brilliant pair who have gone on to star for Liverpool and Chelsea. Fernandes and Tonali are tasked with replicating that duo's influence in north London.

Why Fernandes and Tonali are ideal for De Zerbi-ball

Comparing Fernandes and Tonali with Spurs’ most-used central midfielders in 2025/26, it quickly becomes obvious why these two players have been targeted.

Charging down opponents, and pressing with great zeal, is a hallmark of De Zerbi's tactics, hence why Conor Gallagher played such a pivotal role as an attacking midfielder in the final stages of last season.

The following line graph, plotting every Premier League player in 2025/26, tells us Tonali and Fernandes will add to that.

A position on the top right of the graph would show that a player is adapt at making high turnovers (winning possession in open play within 40 metres of the opposition's goal) and ball recoveries (taking possession of a loose ball).

On the ball, it’s just as stark. On the graph a below, a position on the top right would indicate that a player is skilled at making final-third entries (moving the ball into the final third from outside of it) and being accurate with their attempted passes.

Here, we can see how Tonali and Fernandes complete more passes and more "final-third entries" than most Premier League players, including Spurs' most-used options last season, pointing to that mixture of assurance on the ball with vertical attacking intent.

The statistical disparity doesn’t stop there. As the table below shows, Fernandes and Tonali don’t just improve on Spurs’ current options, they also score similarly to De Zerbi’s favoured pair in his peak Brighton year of 2022/23, Mac Allister and Caicedo.

Stats per 90: Tonali, Fernandes and Spurs' central midfielders 2025/26 v Caicedo and Mac Allister 2022/23

Player Final-third passes completed Forward passes Open-play pass accuracy Possession won in final third Tonali 13.24 16.81 84.8% 0.53 Fernandes 10.30 12.65 87.8% 0.51 Sarr 9.96 10.55 84.4% 0.32 Gray 6.57 10.77 82.7% 0.12 Palhinha 5.53 12.86 81.8% 0.20 Bentancur 7.56 11.70 85.6% 0.33 Mac Allister 14.16 14.16 87.0% 0.90 Caicedo 14.22 15.62 88.7% 0.57

*Scroll across to see full table

How Spurs will use Fernandes and Tonali

Fernandes is a creative midfielder capable of long raking passes, smart through-balls or line-breaking dribbles.

See Fernandes' impressive passing range

He is more akin to a No 10 than the more workmanlike midfielders Spurs already had in their ranks. His creative numbers back that up.

Compared: Tonali and Fernandes v Spurs' centre midfielders, 2025/26

Player Chances created Take-ons attempted Tonali 37 48 Fernandes 32 31 Sarr 11 22 Gray 8 16 Palhinha 8 23 Bentancur 10 32

*Scroll across to see full table

Given that Fernandes played in a cautious West Ham side that were relegated, we can assume Fernandes’s creativity will only increase in a front-foot De Zerbi team.

Tonali, on the other hand, is more like the Caicedo figure, and should essentially function as a destroyer – like Joao Palhinha or Rodrigo Bentancur – but with a more proactive mindset on the ball.

Watch Tonali's standout moments

But for all the statistics, what is perhaps most pertinent is the vibe and sensibility of the two new signings.

Like De Zerbi, they represent a sense of urgency and forward thrust. They are midfielders ready and willing to grab the bull by the horns and take Spurs back towards progressive, daring football.