The Sun

NEWCASTLE star Bruno Guimaraes was lucky to escape a red card after putting his hands round Cristian Romero’s throat in a pre-season friendly.

The feisty South Americans came to blows during Newcastle's 1-1 draw with Spurs in South Korea on Sunday.

The spat came just before half-time at the Seoul World Cup Stadium, following a running battle between the pair.

Guimaraes had ridden a wild challenge from Spurs vice-captain Romero just outside the penalty area.

The Brazilian was then shoved to the floor in the box by Romero when trying to make space as the Toon were on the attack.

Guimaraes reacted angrily to the push, getting up off the floor and putting both hands round Romero’s neck.

It would usually be a sending-off in the Premier League, and Romero was seen making that case to Guimaraes’ team-mate and fellow centre-back Fabian Schar.

But in light of this game being a pre-season friendly, ex-Lyon man Guimaraes escaped punishment.

The incident was a flash point during a lively first half which was largely a love-in to South Korean icon Son Heung-min, who announced before the game he intends to leave Spurs after ten years this summer.

Brennan Johnson netted an opener for Tottenham - doing Son’s trademark ‘camera pose’ in celebration - before Harvey Barnes’ banger levelled the score, three minutes before Romero and Guimaraes’ scuffle.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK

And fans were quick to react online, with one writing: "It's a friendly boys."

While a second said: "Romero definitely started it but in a Prem game Guimaraes would’ve been sent off."

A third added: "There's no such thing as a friendly 🤣."

Meanwhile, other fans were in disbelief by the amount of mistakes being made during the game.

Spurs will kick off their Premier League campaign away to Burnley on August 16.

TOTTENHAM star Son Heung-min was cradled like a baby by a 7ft 2in former MMA star at an open training session earlier today.

The South Korean superstar and his team-mates took part in the session at the home of Anyang FC in Seoul.

After training, Son was joined pitchside by Korean ex-MMA fighter Choi Hong-man.

The enormous wrestler competed in MMA between 2006 and 2016, and even fought arguably the greatest heavyweight of all time Fedor Emelianenko.

During the interaction, Choi picked Son up and began cradling him.

The Tottenham captain, not exactly small at 6ft, was in fits of giggles while being picked up, even sheepishly covering his face.

Spurs will take on Newcastle in front of 66,000 fans at Seoul World Cup Stadium, home of the South Korean national team, tomorrow.

The match is likely to be Son's last for Tottenham, after he announced that he will be leaving the club after 10 years earlier today.

Sitting alongside manager Thomas Frank, Son began an emotional press conference by saying: "I've decided to leave the club in the summer.

"And respectfully, the club is helping me with my decision.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK

"So I just want to share this information before we start the press conference."

On how he came to the decision, Son added: "It was the most difficult decision of my football career.

"I've been here ten years at a beautiful club with beautiful fans and having such amazing memories.

"And after all that, it was so hard to make this decision. But as I said, I feel like I need a new environment and to push myself.

"And to get more of me, I feel like I need a little bit of change. Ten years is a lot of time when you're thinking about it.

He added: "I came to London as a kid. 23-years-old, a very young age, [and] a young boy came to London who even didn't speak English.

"And [I'm] leaving this club as a grown man. This is a very, very proud moment.

"So I just wanna say thank you to all of the Spurs fans that gave me so much love.

"I felt like it was my home. But yeah, it was, it was one of the toughest decisions I've ever made."

A MODERN DAY LEGEND

Son signed for Tottenham from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 aged 23 in a deal worth around £22million.

The popular forward went on to score 173 goals in 454 appearances for the North Londoners, placing him fourth on the club's all-time list of goalscorers.

Son was appointed club captain by former boss Ange Postecoglou in 2023.

The Tottenham legend went on to lift the Europa League trophy in May, as the club ended its 17-year drought.

On the timing of his White Hart Lane exit, Son said: "The goodbye is always also in a good timing. But I think it's the right time to make this decision.

"I hope that everybody understands my decision and I hope that everybody respects that."

Son has been strongly linked with a move to MLS side LAFC.

THE tears of joy at full-time of May's Europa League final were a tell-tale sign for Son Heung-min.

He knew his task was complete, that he could finally go down as a bonafide Spurs’ legend having ended the trophy curse.

And that it would be the perfect way to say goodbye.

No wonder all that emotion came pouring out as he wept like a baby in the arms of his father Son Woong-jung and close pal James Maddison on the Estadio de San Mames pitch.

Now Son has revealed that he is calling time on his decade with the North London club after his last game on Sunday, fittingly back home in Seoul.

It will technically be a pre-season friendly against Newcastle.

But in reality it will be a 90-minute love-in to the greatest Asian player to grace the Premier League in front of thousands of his most ardent fans.

Anyone who has attended a game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since it opened in 2019, and White Hart Lane before it during Sonny’s time at Spurs, will be well aware of the army of Korean supporters who regularly make the pilgrimage over to watch their icon.

It has become such an everyday experience that long ago we stopped remaking on just how amazing it is that one man can generate so much attention.

Korean flags are spotted at every home game and it is not uncommon to see fans filming solely Son throughout a whole match, reprising their own version of ‘playercam’ we used to see on Sky years ago.

When Spurs went on a pre-season tour to South Korea under Antonio Conte in 2022, the club claimed that 12 million of the country’s 51m population were Tottenham fans.

On home matchdays, the club regularly sell 700 ‘Son 7’ shirts.

He has been a commercial phenomenon, but much more than that, he has been a fantastic player who will go down as one of the finest in Premier League history, not just Tottenham’s.

Signed in 2015 from Bayer Leverkusen, he became the most expensive Asian player ever.

But his £22million transfer fee would soon be regarded as one of the biggest bargains the Prem had ever seen. Perhaps THE biggest, when you consider the commercial revenue he put into Tottenham’s coffers.

Son was not an instant hit in North London, though.

He only started 13 Premier League games in his first campaign, netting just four goals, and actually considered leaving the club after only one season and going back to Germany for more regular game-time.

The club did not want that, though, and so the “quiet, nice” winger, as his then-boss Mauricio Pochettino described Son, fought for his place and things started to turn.

He struck up a brilliant relationship, both on and off the pitch, with Harry Kane.

The pair would go on to smash the record for most Premier League goal combinations between two players, setting it at 47, a massive 11 above the next-best achieved by Didier Drogba and Frank Lampard at Chelsea.

Kane was the known as the goal-getter of the dynamic duo, going on to become the club’s record scorer with 280 before leaving for Bayern Munich two years ago for £86m.

But Son in his own right has become one of the most lethal marksmen the Premier League has ever seen.

Only 15 players have netted more than his 127 Prem strikes.

While the 23 he hit in the 2021-22 campaign - his best-ever haul - saw him share the golden boot award with Liverpool’s Mo Salah.

In total for Spurs he has racked up an enormous 173 goals and 101 assists during his 454 appearances, consistently performing under a range of managers with differing styles, from attack-minded Pochettino and Ange Postecoglou, to the pragmatic Conte and Jose Mourinho.

Son developed a reputation for kindness - former team-mate Gareth Bale once called him the “nicest man in football” - but with a steely determination, as well as his obvious quality.

That grit may well have been instilled by his “strict and scary” task-master father growing up, where he would make Son do keepy-uppies for four hours.

Though known as the David Beckham of South Korea, and though he has dated Korean pop-stars, Son has largely sacrificed his love life to get every ounce out of his talent.

He said back in 2019: “My father says this and I agree, (that) when you marry, the number one will be family, wife and kids, and then football. I want to make sure that while I play at the top level, football can be number one.”

His commitment helped the team reach the 2019 Champions League final, where they lost 2-0 to Liverpool, and the 2021 Carabao Cup final too, where they were defeated to Manchester City, and finally this year’s Europa League final, where they beat Manchester United 1-0.

He had been made captain by then by Postecoglou, though ironically did not look the same player as he had been in years gone by.

In truth, Son was never quite as good after Kane left, and injuries hampered his form last term - as did Spurs’ miserable Premier League results.

He is believed to have first considered leaving the club around Christmas.

After winning in Bilbao, putting a bow on his decade at the club, that became a strong desire and now the MLS, most likely, beckons.

After May’s final, having at long last capped his stellar Spurs career with silverware, Son joked that now “let’s say I’m a legend. Why not? Only today!”

The truth is he will bow out as one of the greatest players of the Premier League era, not just for Tottenham or from Asia, but for any club and from any continent.

DELE ALLI’S Italian dream is turning into a nightmare after reportedly being booted out of the Como squad.

The ex-England ace is now training on his own with his future at the club hanging by a thread.

Dele, 29, only joined the Serie A newcomers in January, hoping for one last career revival under Cesc Fabregas.

But just months later, the former Spurs star has reportedly been frozen out and could be shown the door.

Gazzetta dello Sport say that Fabregas no longer sees Dele in his plans for the season ahead.

The midfielder hasn’t kicked a ball in a competitive game since March and even then, it ended in disaster.

Dele came off the bench late against AC Milan at the San Siro and lasted just 10 minutes.

A challenge on England pal Ruben Loftus-Cheek saw VAR intervene and Dele shown a straight red.

Even Kyle Walker - who was playing for Milan - made a desperate plea to the ref but it couldn’t save him from an early bath.

He was banned for one match but hasn’t played since.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK

Fabregas kept him on the bench for the rest of the campaign.

Fitness issues, which have dogged Dele for years, also reportedly struck again.

Now, it's claimed he has been banished from the first team and is training away from the squad, alongside other unwanted players.

Como have moved on and are focusing on younger stars with better fitness records and fewer risks.

And Gazzetta suggest Dele will now consider retiring should he not find a new club soon.

KAI HAVERTZ was brilliantly skinned by Cristian Romero during Arsenal's friendly defeat to Tottenham.

But it was Djed Spence that ended up feeling the brunt of the incident.

Tottenham beat their fierce rivals 1-0 in Hong Kong courtesy of Pape Matar Sarr's sensational 45-yard strike at the new Kai Tak stadium.

During the first half, Romero embarrassed Arsenal forward Havertz.

Picking up the ball virtually on his own byline, the Argentine was closed down by his German opponent.

Calmness personified, Romero brilliantly skipped past Havertz.

As the defender waltzed away from the challenge, Havertz went sliding into unfortunate bystander Spence.

The 26-year-old caught the Spurs full-back's knee, but no action was taken by the referee.

After a few moments down on the turf, Spence was able to gingerly rise to his feet and continue.

The former Nottingham Forest star was one of several standout performers on the night, keeping Bukayo Saka and then Max Dowman very quiet for the Gunners.

BEST ONLINE CASINOS - TOP SITES IN THE UK

Tottenham struck the post three times during the first half, via corners by Pedro Porro and Mohammed Kudus, then an effort by Wilson Odobert.

Sarr eventually broke the deadlock on the stroke of half-time, brilliantly lobbing stranded goalkeeper David Raya after dispossessing Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Arsenal had plenty of the ball during the second half of the encounter.

But even after a raft of Spurs substitutions, which included both Romero and Micky van de Ven going off, Mikel Arteta's side were unable to break through.

After the game, Tottenham boss Thomas Frank told the club's media team: "A 1-0 score against Arsenal is an absolutely beautiful score!

"Yes, it is a friendly, but it’s also a very competitive match. I said before the game that games against Arsenal are never ‘friendly’. It means everything.

"I have to give respect to both teams for their competitiveness in the game. It was very competitive.

"I was extremely happy with our first half, that first half was completely even.

"In many ways I loved the way the team performed, and throughout the game the defensive structure was top."

TOTTENHAM spoiled Arsenal’s Viktor Gyokeres welcome party thanks to a 45-YARD screamer from Pape Matar Sarr in the first overseas North London Derby.

And they mocked their bitter rivals on social media just after scooping their second trophy in the last three months.

Along with a post of the team celebrating winning the Hong Kong Football Festival tournament, Spurs' official X account read: "Another one for the trophy cabinet."

The Gunners brought on their £63.5m marquee summer signing in the 77th minute during the final outing of their Asia tour.

But by then, Mikel Arteta’s men were already desperate for an equaliser in Hong Kong – trailing to a stunning Sarr opener on the brink of half-time that left Arsenal’s players and coaching staff fuming.

Myles Lewis-Skelly looked to have been clearly fouled by Richarlison just inside Arsenal’s half, but the referee waved it away, allowing Sarr to notice David Raya was way off his line and lob into an empty net.

Arteta was raging in the technical area, sarcastically clapping the fourth official. Assistant Gabriel Heinze also had harsh words for the officials while Lewis-Skelly and Gunners skipper Martin Odegaard angrily gestured to the ref as they came off the pitch at half-time.

Frustrations came close to boiling over as Arteta had a mini-shoving match with Pedro Porro over a throw-in near the Arsenal dugout, but Thomas Frank’s Spurs held on for a morale-boosting victory ahead of the new season.

Gyokeres barely got a sniff with Arsenal struggling to test Tottenham keeper Guglielmo Vicario in both halves, and there was more bad news for Arteta as second-half sub Leandro Trossard limped off with a muscular injury after just 15 minutes of action.

New signing Kepa Arrizabalaga was also missing from the Gunners squad, also reportedly injured.

The atmosphere before kick-off was electric inside the 50,000-capacity Kai Tak Stadium – with a record crowd of 49,975 inside – and it carried on throughout an intense and entertaining first-half, one that could have been mistaken for a Premier League clash.

Odegaard, Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice had spent the end of their open training on Wednesday night rehearsing corner routines with set-piece coach Nicolas Jover.

SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN

And they earned several chances to put it into practice in the opening few minutes as William Saliba headed just wide from one delivery.

With Gyokeres in mind, Arteta is likely to go more direct from back to front this season, and this was on show too with Raya going long to pick out Gabriel Martinelli through the middle only for Kai Havertz to dither in the box and waste an opportunity to shoot.

The German’s blushes were spared as the offside flag finally went up but you have to imagine Gyokeres would have hit that first time given the same chance…

Spurs battled their way back into the game, ironically through set-pieces. Former boss Ange Postecoglou refused to put any emphasis on them, in attack or defence, during his reign.

But Frank – after huge success with Brentford from dead-ball situations – has done the opposite, and it is already evident as Pedro Porro’s corner went all the way through to hit the far post with Raya blocked off in the box.

Arteta’s Arsenal were being given a taste of their own medicine, and it happened again in the 28th minute, only for Richarlison to somehow fail to tap it in from less than a yard out and with an open goal gaping, looping it over the bar.

Just before that, Jakub Kiwior had lost an aerial duel to Richarlison allowing Wilson Odobert to drive forward and strike Raya’s right-hand post with a low shot.

Three times Arsenal’s woodwork had been struck, twice from corners. Not for the first time, Frank was getting one over Arteta, leaving the Spaniard in a fidgety, agitated mood in his technical area, pointing fingers and screaming at any official he could lay his hands on.

To the surprise of pretty much everyone, Arteta made no changes at the break, keeping faith with his frustrated starting XI and keeping Gyokeres bibbed up, patiently waiting.

Arsenal started the second like they did the first: on top but without really creating any chances or worrying Vicario.

Havertz had little to no service, but was not holding the ball up well enough either.

In the 68th minute, with Gyokeres still waiting, Christian Norgaard and Martinelli were subbed off for Trossard and Martin Zubimendi – the latter firing a deflected volley onto the roof of the net seconds after coming on.

A flurry of openings followed. Havertz cut inside and fired one straight at Vicario and Odegaard should have hit the target from a Ben White cut-back.

But enough was enough with 13 minutes of normal time remaining. On came Gyokeres, as well as 15-year-old Max Dowman, Mikel Merino, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Cristhian Mosquera.

Not that it made much difference. Just like last season, Arsenal struggled to break down a low block, and Frank proved yet again he more often than not has Arteta’s number.

PAPE MATAR SARR scored from near the HALFWAY LINE to break the deadlock in the North London derby friendly in Hong Kong.

The Senegal star, 22, robbed possession from England man Myles Lewis-Skelly just inside Arsenal’s half shortly before half-time.

Sarr then had the presence of mind to drill a shot over helpless Gunners goalkeeper David Raya.

Arsenal tried to claim a foul from Richarlison on Lewis-Skelly just before Sarr won the ball, but the referee saw it differently.

It was a truly staggering strike to make it 1-0 at the Kai Tak Stadium out in the Far East.

The effort backed up the nickname of ‘Roberto Carlos’ Sarr was given as a youngster, due to his shooting ability from long range.

Former Arsenal and Spurs striker Clive Allen said: “It’s so difficult in terms of how he’s driven the ball over the goalkeeper.

“It’s a drilled ball, not looped, not giving the goalkeeper a chance to backpeddle. It’s fired over with great precision.”

Fans were left stunned by the effort on social media while others pointed to the error by Raya.

One posted: "Fair enough Pape Sarr, fair enough. Not sure why Raya playing as a centre back though."

SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN

Another wrote: "This might be the year I call for a new keeper if Raya keeps this up."

A third added: "It beats me why David Raya is always up way above his line. A very silly thing he does always. Awful sight."

A fourth said: "Raya should not be that far out in that situation. He’s done this too much recently."

Another wrote: "David Raya you can't be doing that next season. You did that last season numerous times. Let this be the last one in pre-season. Don't leave your post empty."

Sarr’s wonder strike capped an excellent first-half display from Spurs, who hit the woodwork three times.

Live Blog

GYOK TO GO

Arsenal vs Tottenham LIVE SCORE: Spurs LEAD in Hong Kong after Sarr scores SCREAMER from half way – latest

Sarr scores long range effort

ARSENAL are BEHIND against Tottenham in the first North London Derby outside of the UK!

Pape Matar Sarr put Spurs ahead with a fantastic finish from half way, lobbing David Raya, who was miles off his line.

Arsenal are looking to continue their strong start to pre-season, and are boosted by the arrival of Swedish striker Viktor Gyokeres from Sporting CP.

New signing Mohammed Kudus & Co will be looking to get one over on the old enemy in Hong Kong.

Kick-off: 12:30pm BST

TV channel: Arsenal.com/ Spursplay

Arsenal XI: Raya, White, Saliba, Kiwior, Lewis-Skelly, Norgaard, Rice, Odegaard, Saka, Martinelli, Havertz

Tottenham XI: Vicario, Porro, Romero, Van De Ven, Spence, Bentancur, Sarr, Bergvall, Kudus, Richarlison, Odobert

Follow ALL of the latest updates below...

HT: Arsenal 0-1 Tottenham

Despite being a pre-season friendly, there is no love lost between these two teams.

Arsenal were not happy that they were not awarded a free-kick in the build-up to the goal.

However, the referee was not interested and waved away their protests.

HT: Arsenal 0-1 Tottenham

That was some strike from Pape Sarr for Tottenham.

It must have been something Thomas Frank highlighted before this match, Raya's tendency to be off his line so often.

Great finish from the Spurs midfielder, seeing a chance and executing it are two very different things.

HT: Arsenal 0-1 Tottenham

The referee brings the first-half to a close.

Sarr's stunning strike from some 50 yards out is the difference.

Arsenal have it all to do in this one.

Arsenal 0-1 Tottenham

Richarlison wins the ball back from Lewis-Skelly.

Sarr spots Raya way off his line and drifts a shot over the keeper and into the back of the net.

We are going to have three added minutes.

Goal - Pape Sarr (Tottenham)

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

He had to time that just right or risk giving away a penalty.

Tottenham are able to hack it clear and take the pressure off.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

They have a free-kick in a wide position for Rice to swing in.

It gives The Gunners a chance to send the centre-backs forward.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

Bergvall looks to play the winger in but is penalised for offside.

As Son warms up on the touchline, he receives a massive ovation from the fans in Asia.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

He plays it back to Lewis-Skelly and The Gunners start all over again.

It is switched to Saka out wide but his pass is lost by Havertz as Spurs are able to clear.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

The referee immediately awards a free-kick.

It does not take Arsenal long to win the ball back and Saka is fouled as they look to counter at pace.

Bentancur is shown a yellow card as a result.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

The midfielder needs to receive some treatment as a result.

It gives the players a chance to get some fluids onboard.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

The Gunners come on the attack, looking to pass it through Tottenham.

When Odegaard finally clips a cross into the middle, it is easily dealt with by Porro.

View from SunSport's Jordan Davies in Hong Kong

Richarlison showing Viktor Gyokeres how it is NOT done with one of the misses of the season already, perhaps the worst miss of all time as he manages to put the ball over the ball while on the line and no one in sight from a corner.

The fans - and everyone in the press box - are in shock.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

Another corner sees Raya throwing his arms around like one of those inflatables outside car showrooms.

It comes through a sea of players and strikes the far post, with Riicharlison unable to convert the rebound.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

Kiwior is robbed of the ball and Kudus' shot deflects out wide to Odobert.

He looks to roll one into the far corner but it strikes the post and goes wide for a corner.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

The defender is able to continue as the physio gives the thumbs-up to the bench.

All of that was as a result of a foul the Arsenal man committed.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

Once again the German lays on the turf expecting a decision to go his way.

So far in this game the Arsenal attacker has spent more time face down in the grass than Snoop Dogg.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

Just as easily as he picks the pocket of an Arsenal player, a poor touch sees him gift possession back.

It has all got a little scrappy in the middle of the park currently.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

He gets it all wrong as he plays it into the path of Rice, who is through on goal.

His first touch takes him a little wide and he is forced to try and cut it back but Spurs are able to put it behind for a corner.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

Who says no-one is interested in pre-season friendlies.

Both managers are looking very animated on the touchline.

View from SunSport's Jordan Davies in Hong Kong

Mikel Arteta is secretly loving the intensity of this one, even if Spurs have come back into it in the past few minutes, berating the fourth official and the linesman - as well as some of his own players!

Bukayo Saka got an earful for straying offside. Thomas Frank is noisy in the technical era too.

You can already tell they will have a few ding-dongs next season...

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

Raya is looking to hit some direct balls out to the flanks.

Saka does well to get it under control but the flag goes up for offside.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

He appeals to the referee like Richarlison has stolen his arm.

The official is having none of it and plays continues.

Arsenal 0-0 Tottenham

It beats everyone and crashes against the back post.

Richarlison tries to turn the rebound goalwards but it is well-blocked.

So close to an opening goal in this game.

TOTTENHAM HOTSPUR kept Dream Team managers guessing throughout 2024/25.

Spurs endured a miserable domestic season, finishing 17th in the Premier League, but triumphed in the Europa League to claim their first major trophy in 17 years.

PLAY DREAM TEAM AHEAD OF THE NEW SEASON: OVER £100,000 IN PRIZE MONEY!

These European exploits combined with Ange Postecoglou’s (overly) ambitious tactics meant the North Londoners provided loads of Dream Team points, despite regular embarrassments in the league.

With Thomas Frank now at the helm, it will be interesting to see whether Spurs will stabilise and what it all means for their Dream Team returns.

Ahead of Gameweek 1, let’s analyse their top performers, smart selections and potential flops.

Top Performers

Only Daniel Munoz (£5.5m) earned more points than Pedro Porro (£5m) among defenders last season.

The Spaniard conceded a lot of goals as the regular right-back in a leaky backline but he more than made up for it with 51 bonus points, 101 tackles and 14 goal involvements.

Porro is rare in that he is a defender whose viability does not rely on clean sheets, assuming he is encouraged to keep getting forward.

Dominic Solanke (£5m) is expected to lead the line, a prime role in a team likely to opt for a front-foot approach.

Dream Team bosses only have to look at the stats of Yoane Wissa (£4.5m) and Bryan Mbeumo (£5.5m) in recent times to see how attacking threats can flourish under Frank.

Despite not always looking his most effective, the England striker scored 16 goals and registered 10 assists on his way to 266 points — just a slight improvement would make him a 300-point asset, a very rare thing indeed.

Like Porro, James Maddison’s (£4.5m) attributes lend themselves to the world of Dream Team.

As an advanced midfielder who is always looking for the killer pass and not shy of a shot, the 28-year-old tends to deal in goal contributions.

In fact, he was one of just ten players in his position to reach double figures for both goals and assists last season.

Maddison’s minutes have not always been guaranteed but if he establishes himself as starter under Frank then he has the potential to linger at the top end of the rankings for months on end.

Smart Selections

Mohammed Kudus (£4.5m) is currently the seventh-most popular midfielder in Dream Team with an ownership of 16.1%.

It’s no wonder so many gaffers are tempted by the Ghanaian winger as he’s a natural footballer, as evidenced by the fact only Jeremy Doku (£4.5m) and Morgan Rogers (£5.5m) completed more successful dribbles in 2024/25.

Truth be told, Kudus didn’t look all that motivated at West Ham last season but if a fresh start sets him straight then he will be tough to ignore.

Probably not a selection for Gameweek 1 but Mathys Tel (£3.5m) might look very affordable if he pins down a starting spot, perhaps on the left flank.

The 20-year-old showed glimpses of his talent last season without ripping up any trees but many supporters are calling for him to be given a more prominent role.

Keep an eye on Tel’s progress.

Potential Flops

It pains us to say it but Son Heung-min’s (£5m) time as a viable Dream Team option may be at an end.

The South Korean superstar has delivered hundreds of points over the course of the last decade but it seems as if time is catching up to him.

It’s a measure of Son’s quality that he somehow amassed 272 points via 11 goals and 14 assists last season despite operating at half capacity but his declining form can’t be ignored.

Nothing would please us more than for the 33-year-old to prove us wrong once the campaign gets underway but it’s a brave gaffer who chooses him over the other forwards (and midfielders) in the same price range.

Under no circumstances are we labelling Micky van de Ven (£3.5m) a potential flop but the fact he’s in contention to start the season as the most popular defender in the game is an interesting discussion point.

The rapid centre-back has caught the eye with some superb defensive interventions since he arrived on English soil but it’s simply a fact that his Dream Team returns have been moderate at best.

Spurs have struggled for clean sheets and the Dutchman doesn’t offer much of an attacking threat.

He’s also suffered rotten luck with injuries, another dent to his viability.

In fairness, Van de Ven’s price of £3.5m is undoubtedly a factor in his popularity and he may well prove to be a helpful enabler but we would encourage Dream Team bosses to consider all their options before committing to such a strategy.

THOMAS FRANK will have a chance today to see just how far his new Tottenham side have come on set-pieces when they take on the masters of the craft.

No one scored more goals from dead-ball situations, excluding penalties, in the Premier League last season than Arsenal, who face North London rivals Spurs in Hong Kong this lunchtime.

The Gunners netted a whopping 17 times from those scenarios, inspired by their set-piece specialist coach Nicolas Jover.

German-born Frenchman Jover, 43, fast became a household name among Gooners for the way he leaps into action, barking orders from Mikel Arteta’s technical area whenever Arsenal get a free-kick or corner.

Frank has his own grand plans to turn Spurs into set-piece experts - and has hired an ex-Gunners coach to help him do it.

Andreas Georgson spent a year as Arteta’s set-piece coach between 2020 and 2021, having left Frank’s Brentford to take up the position.

The Swede, 43, was replaced by Jover before going on to hold similar roles at Southampton and Manchester United, as well as more senior roles back in Scandinavia.

Georgson’s latest gig is at Spurs, where he became part of Frank’s new-look coaching staff that was announced earlier this month.

He holds the title of first-team assistant coach, but his specific focus will be set-pieces.

Frank excelled from the routines at Brentford, netting 14 league goals from them last term and conceding a Prem-best three.

SUN VEGAS WELCOME OFFER: GET £50 BONUS WHEN YOU JOIN

It is not just from corners and free-kicks that he looks to gain an advantage, either.

Fans will remember how his Bees, remarkably, scored virtually from the kick-off in three successive games last September.

The remarkable hat-trick saw them make Premier League history by becoming the first team to net within the first minute in a trio of back-to-back fixtures.

Long throws are also something he is happy to employ, with footage from Destiny Udogie’s Snapchat appearing to reveal Spurs have held ‘long throw auditions’ in pre-season training.

Centre-back Micky van de Ven is hoping all the extra work on dead-ball situations will pay off this season.

The Dutchman, 24, said on Tuesday: “We have had a lot of training sessions already where we are working on set-pieces. I know you guys love talking about set-pieces and Tottenham.

“I hope we can change that this year and make it a strong point for us on the offensive and defensive side.”

The "I know you guys love talking about set-pieces and Tottenham" remark related to the furore surrounding them under predecessor Ange Postecoglou.

In truth, it was a mountain made out of a molehill by Postecoglou himself, and it came after a North London derby defeat to today’s opponents.

Spurs conceded twice from corners in their 3-2 home loss to Arsenal in April 2024, during Postecoglou’s first campaign.

At the time, it took the club’s tally of goals conceded from set-pieces to nine, which was not terrible but not great either. It just required an acknowledgement that things could have been improved and a promise to work on them.

Postecoglou instead appeared to dismiss set-pieces altogether after the game, then doubled down on that view again a few days later in his next press conference.

After that, a narrative emerged that he did not care about them at all, which was brought up every time Spurs subsequently conceded from a dead-ball situation, not including spot-kicks.

Frank has been very clear about how much he values them and spoke of his pride after his new team scored their first goals under him from set-pieces in his opening friendly, a 2-0 win at Reading, earlier this month.

Arsenal set the bar for success in this area - today Spurs can get an early idea of how they measure up at the Kai Tak Stadium today.

They will do it, meanwhile, wearing kit with bespoke, jazzy-looking shirt numbers designed by local artists.

‘ParentsParents’, a collective of artists from diverse backgrounds in graffiti, illustration and geometry style character, designed the numbers, using themes, colours and symbols meaningful to Hong Kong.

You can put your shirt on set-pieces playing a key role in today’s friendly version of the North London derby on the far side of the world.