CaughtOffside

Crystal Palace have had a disappointing start to the season and they are 18th in the league table right now.

The Eagles have failed to pick up a single win in the Premier League this season and they will be desperate to bounce back when they take on Tottenham Hotspur at the weekend.

Popular pundit Paul Merson has now urged Crystal Palace manager Oliver Glasner to drop Eddie Nketiah, who joined earlier this summer for the game against Tottenham and let Jean-Philippe Mateta lead the line for the home team.

Merson believes that Mateta’s physicality could prove to be a game-changer against the North London club and it could help Crystal Palace in the attack.

He wrote on Sportskeeda: “Palace are a tough team to face away from home. Oliver Glasner has to go with Eddie Nketiah and Jean-Philippe Mateta together at the top and try to get the win in this game. Mateta is a bigger unit and can cause problems to most teams, he’s a real handful and I’d even play him ahead of Nketiah if I’m being honest.”

There is no doubt that the Eagles have a talented squad at their disposal, but Glasner has not been able to get the best out of them. Palace showed great improvement under him towards the end of last season, but they have not been able to build on this season. It will be interesting to see if they can bounce back strongly.

A positive result against Tottenham could give them the confidence boost they need right now and it could help them get their season back on track. There is no doubt that they are a quality team and they should be pushing for a top-half finish.

The home fans will certainly expect a strong reaction from the players here, and it will be interesting to see if they can step up and deliver.

Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keen on signing the Arsenal-owned goalkeeper Karl Hein.

The 22-year-old is currently on loan at La Liga club Real Valladolid and he has impressed with his performances in Spain. According to Fichajes, Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are looking to secure his signature in the coming months, and Arsenal would be willing to sell him for a fee of around €15-20 million.

Chelsea need to bring in a quality backup goalkeeper and Hein seems like the ideal understudy to Robert Sanchez. He could compete with the Spanish goalkeeper for the starting spot now and eventually replace him in the future. Sanchez has been inconsistent with his performances and he has been linked with an exit from the club.

Hein will be looking to join a club where he will get ample first-team action. He is unlikely to get those chances at Arsenal and therefore he could be attracted to the idea of leaving the North London club permanently. He will probably fancy his chances of dislodging Sanchez from the Chelsea starting lineup as well.

It will be interesting to see if Chelsea come forward with an offer to sign the player. The asking price is quite affordable for a club with their resources.

Spurs keen on Karl Hein

Meanwhile, Tottenham are keeping tabs on his development and it will be interesting to see if they can promise him ample first-team exposure. They have Guglielmo Vicario as the first-choice keeper at the club and the Italian has done quite well for them. However, he has struggled while dealing with set pieces and it remains to be seen whether he can cut out the weaknesses from his game.

Hein could be the ideal competition for the Italian. The competition for places could help both players improve.

It will be interesting to see where the Arsenal goalkeeper ends up.

Manchester City are looking for a long-term replacement for Kyle Walker and have reportedly identified Spurs’ Pedro Porro as a possible target.

The 25-year-old full-back was on City’s books for three years between 2019 and 2022. The Spaniard failed to make a single appearance for the club before eventually joining Sporting Lisbon in a deal worth just £7.2 million.

Signing for Spurs 12 months ago though, Porro has found himself back in the Premier League and has wasted no time in reminding City what they lost.

Arguably Ange Postecoglou’s most important player, Porro’s exciting style of play has seen him impress at both ends of the pitch. The Don Benito-born full-back has already registered 18 direct goal contributions in his first 63 games in all competitions.

Man City identify Pedro Porro as possible Kyle Walker replacement

And although the right-back is under contract with Spurs until 2028, according to a recent report from Football Insider, concerns are mounting that City are preparing a ‘big offer’ to re-sign their former defender.

Even though Spurs won’t want to lose the 25-year-old, Daniel Levy has a history of trading his best players with City… Kyle Walker is the perfect example.

Joining the Cityzens in 2017 in a deal worth £50 million, the now-34-year-old has lifted 15 major trophies, including six Premier League titles and the 2022-23 Champions League.

This season is likely to be the Englishman’s last at the Etihad though. He is out of contract in 18 months and is a top target for Saudi Pro League side Al-Ahli.

Whether or not Porro follows suit and becomes the second Spurs right-back to join City remains to be seen.

However, with suggestions the Spain international is wanted by some of Europe’s biggest clubs, also including Real Madrid, Spurs fans will be wondering just how much longer the club can keep hold of the in-demand full-back.

Tottenham Hotspur will reportedly not stand in Timo Werner’s way if the German striker chooses to cut his loan spell short in January.

According to Kicker, the forward is unlikely to see significant playing time in the coming months due to the summer arrivals of Wilson Odobert and Dominic Solanke, pushing him further down the pecking order.

While Werner has been praised by some for his work ethic and defensive contribution, his finishing in front of goal has left many Spurs fans frustrated.

The German international, who has developed a reputation for missing clear-cut chances, has found himself the subject of criticism from both supporters and pundits alike and has even become the target of trolling both online and in person.

This season, Werner’s struggles have persisted, with missed opportunities in crucial matches against Manchester United and Ferencvaros drawing heavy criticism.

Pundit Craig Burley was particularly vocal, calling for Werner to be dropped, labelling his finishing as “atrocious.”

The report claims that the only way Werner gets a good run of games with Spurs going forward this season, is if there is a major injury crisis at the club.

Timo Werner continues to struggle in the Premier League

Werner initially joined Spurs on loan in January 2024 and showed enough potential to earn a one-year extension for the current season. However, his return of just two goals and four assists in 23 appearances has been underwhelming, leading many to question his role in the squad.

This isn’t the first time Werner has struggled in the Premier League. His first stint in English football with Chelsea, after a high-profile move from RB Leipzig in 2020, saw him score just six goals in 35 league matches during his debut season.

His second season at Stamford Bridge was even less fruitful, with only four goals in 21 appearances before he was sold back to Leipzig in 2022.

With his current trajectory at Spurs, it seems increasingly likely that his loan spell will end prematurely, with Kicker indicating that an early exit in January could be on the cards.

Tottenham have placed an £80m price tag on star defender Pedro Porro as the North London club try to fend off interest from Man City and Real Madrid in the Spanish star.

The right-back has been a big hit at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium since joining Spurs in 2023 from Sporting CP due to his attacking style of play.

Porro has become a crucial part of Ange Postecoglou’s plans at the Premier League giants but his performances have attracted interest from other big European clubs.

Tottenham News reported earlier this year that Man City are monitoring Porro’s development at Spurs and are interested in bringing the 25-year-old back to Manchester having played for the Premier League champions between 2019-2022.

City view Porro as an option to replace Kyle Walker long term – who will turn 35 next year.

The Manchester outfit could have major competition for the Spanish star next summer as The Athletic have reported that Porro is on Real Madrid’s list of targets ahead of the 2025/26 campaign. should the La Liga champions fail to lure Liverpool’s Trent Alexander-Arnold to the Bernabeu.

This interest in the Tottenham defender will worry the North London club and in order to fend off the European giants, Spurs have placed a huge price tag on their right-back.

Tottenham place huge price tag on Pedro Porro amid interest

According to Football Insider, Tottenham value Porro around the £80m mark as the Spanish star has a contract with the Premier League outfit until 2028.

Amid all the interest in the Spain international, the London outfit are under no pressure to sell and are aware that it will be hard to find a replacement for the 25-year-old should they allow him to move to City or Real Madrid.

None of the interested parties will pay Tottenham’s asking price and as a result, fans of Spurs can expect Porro to be at the club next season.

Football continues to evolve as a sport and a business and to that end, Arsenal could be set to make a decision that will see them surpass rivals Tottenham.

Given how well Arsenal have been faring under Mikel Arteta, it could be said that the Gunners are well ahead of their North London rivals in terms of where their projects are at relative to each other.

Indeed, Alan Shearer has already indicated that he believes Arsenal are favourites for this season’s Premier League title, ahead of Man City.

Arsenal looking at making era-defining decision

One area where they they appear to be lacking is with regards to match day revenue, however, with The Times (subscription required) noting that Tottenham make as much as £6m per match at their new Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Almost 20 years ago when the Gunners took residence at the Emirates, moving from Highbury, the new stadium was seen as ahead of its time and state of the art.

Whilst its overall look and feel has stood the test of time, advances in technology and more has meant that the Emirates is now lagging behind.

With The Times report also noting that West Ham are also thinking of increasing the London Stadium capacity, Arsenal will really be put in the shade if they’re unable to increase their own capacity and upgrade facilities.

The sum total of the same should see that it follows that more money is available for players, as revenue would undoubtedly rise.

For the moment any talks remain exploratory, as it would appear that there are significant barriers to overcome if Arsenal are to push forward and make a bigger home stadium a reality.

Fans will arguably be waiting with baited breath too, as more seats mean more supporters can get to watch their heroes every other week.

Tottenham are considering a January transfer window move for Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap, who could have an asking price of around €40million, and who is also on the radar of other top clubs.

Sources with a close understanding of the situation have informed CaughtOffside that Spurs are leading the race for Delap at the moment, though the 21-year-old’s fine form has also seen him attract some interest from other top Premier League clubs in the form of Arsenal, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, and his former club Manchester City.

Delap largely came up through Derby County’s academy, though he also spent five years at Man City, making a total of six appearances and scoring one goal for their first-team, and mostly going out on loan a few times.

Still, Delap has improved a lot in recent times and Tottenham are particularly keen to snap him up, with Ipswich understood to be prepared to evaluate offers for the England Under-21 international this January.

Liam Delap transfer: Tottenham to make another signing up front?

Tottenham signed Dominic Solanke in the summer to give them more of a goal threat up front, but it’s fair to say he’s been a little underwhelming so far.

Solanke shone for Bournemouth last season, but has just three goals in his first eight games for Spurs, so Ange Postecoglou might do well to bring in someone like Delap as an alternative.

THFC sold Harry Kane almost a year and a half ago, and it was never going to be easy to replace him, but it might be worth investing in a talented young English player like Delap, who looks in some ways like a young Kane.

It will be interesting to see if others like Arsenal and Newcastle also step up their interest in Delap in the near future, but it’s felt that Tottenham’s interest is the most concrete for the time being.

Tottenham Hotspur had a quiet summer transfer window but where they did invest heavily was in young talents.

Dominic Solanke was the only major senior arrival of the summer for the Lilywhites. However, Spurs still spent big to secure the signings of four teenagers in Archie Gray, Wilson Odobert, Lucas Bergvall and Yang Min-hyeok — the latter remaining on loan in South Korea until January.

And Spurs haven’t cheaped out on their young talents’ salaries, either.

According to Capology, Archie Gray is the Premier League’s second-highest-paid teenager, with the former Leeds starlet bagging £75k per week — although that’s still £40k per week short of top teenager earner Leny Yoro of Man Utd.

Spurs also have Odobert in fifth on £25k per week, while Swedish midfielder Bergvall earns £15k per week.

Archie Gray’s eye-catching start at Spurs

Given the talent at Ange Postecoglou’s disposal, you would have been forgiven for thinking Gray would have to remain very patient as he awaits chances at Spurs.

However, the England youth international has made a positive start to life in North London.

Gray has already made four substitute appearances in the Premier League, clocking up 33 minutes so far.

And in the cups, the 18-year-old has enjoyed even more success, playing the full 90 minutes in Tottenham’s Europa League and EFL Cup ties against Qarabag, Ferencvaros and Coventry City, respectively.

Gray was lauded for his versatility during his Leeds days and already this season, he’s played as a centre-back, right-back and central midfielder for Spurs. Against Qarabag, he started at the heart of defence before switching out to left-back.

“It’s incredible how he just adjusts and he’s able to bring his game to wherever we put him,” said manager Postecoglou.

Up next for Spurs is a Europa League clash with AZ Alkmaar in which Gray will hope for another full 90 minutes.

Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo has been linked with a move away from the club in recent months.

He has been linked with clubs like Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United. The 24-year-old’s performances have attracted the attention of the three Premier League clubs and it will be interesting to see if they decide to come forward with an offer to sign him.

The player has now fueled further speculations surrounding his future by claiming that he wants to join a big club in the near future and compete in European football. However, he has also revealed that he is a boyhood Arsenal fan.

“I am an Arsenal fan,” Semenyo said to the Athletic.

“I don’t conflict the two with my job. It is great to play against Arsenal, a team I have watched all my life and I want to play for the top clubs as well. In order for that to happen I need to prove it.

“Yeah, any team that plays Champions League, Europa (League) — that’s the aim. I know that’s not going to come with a click of my fingers, it’s going to take some time. It’s going to take goals. It’s going to take a lot of consistent performances. But I’ve worked all my life for that and I’m just going to continue working hard. That’s my mentality.”

That will certainly come as a major boost for the Gunners who are looking to secure his signature. It remains to be seen whether Arsenal can take advantage of the situation and get a deal done for him in the near future. Convincing him to join the club should not be difficult for Arsenal. They have the finances to afford him and the player’s affection towards the club will make it easier for the Gunners to convince him.

The 24-year-old is capable of operating anywhere across the front three, and he will add goals and assists to the side. His arrival will allow Mikel Arteta to rotate his front three more often. Arsenal need more depth in the side if they want to do well across multiple competitions.

Can Tottenham sign Antoine Semenyo?

Newcastle United have been linked with a move for the Bournemouth attacker Antoine Semenyo.

The Magpies are keen on signing the 24-year-old winger and they will face competition from the likes of Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur as well. According to Football Insider, the winger will be available for a fee of around £40-50 million.

It is no secret that Newcastle need to add more quality and depth to their attacking unit. The 24-year-old winger could add pace, flair and goals to the side. He is versatile enough to operate anywhere across the front three. He is well-settled in the Premier League and he could make an instant impact at Newcastle if he joins the club.

Newcastle are one of the wealthiest clubs in the country and it is fair to assume that they have the financial muscle to pay the reported asking price. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

Arsenal and Tottenham keen on Antoine Semenyo

Meanwhile, Arsenal are in need of a winger as well. They have not been able to rotate players like Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Martinelli as often as they would have liked. Signing the 24-year-old will give Mikel Arteta more options to work with.

As far as Tottenham are concerned, they might need to bring in alternatives to players like Richarlison if the Brazilian does not improve in the coming weeks. His time at the club has been quite mediocre and he will be expected to turn things around quickly. The player has now returned from his injury layoff, and it remains to be seen whether he can impress the manager with his performances.

Meanwhile, Semenyo will want to compete at the highest level and the opportunity to play for clubs like Arsenal and Tottenham will be quite attractive for him. It will be interesting to see if Newcastle can convince him to join the club.