CaughtOffside

Arsenal will compete with Tottenham Hotspur in the race to sign the Shakhtar Donetsk attacking midfielder Georgiy Sudakov.

The 22-year-old attacking midfielder is on the radar of multiple Premier League clubs and the two North London outfits are keeping tabs on his situation as per Football Insider. It will be interesting to see if they decide to make a move for him in the coming months.

Sudakov has started the season well for Shakhtar Donetsk with seven goals and two assists in 10 games. His performances have attracted the attention of the two English clubs. The likes of Manchester City and Liverpool are interested in the player as well.

However, Sudakov has a contract with the Ukrainian outfit until 2028, and they are under no pressure to sell him anytime soon. They will demand a substantial amount of money in order to sanction his departure and it remains to be seen whether Tottenham or Arsenal are prepared to pay up.

Tottenham and Arsenal need Georgiy Sudakov

Tottenham could certainly use more cutting edge in the final third and the 22-year-old will add goals and creativity to the side. He could compete with James Maddison for the starting spot at the North London tub. The 22-year-old is expected to develop into a top-class player with the right guidance and he could be a star for Tottenham in the near future.

Similarly, Arsenal need more cutting edge in the attack. In the absence of Martin Odegaard, the North London outfit have struggled to carve out opportunities in the attack.

They are currently pushing for league titles consistently and they are competing in the UEFA Champions League as well. The opportunity to join Arsenal will be quite attractive for the young attacking midfielder, and it remains to be seen where he ends up eventually.

Top Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images

Real Madrid are big admirers of Micky van de Ven and have hopes of one day signing the Spurs centre-back.

Enjoying a fantastic breakthrough in London, the 23-year-old’s opening campaign not only saw him emerge as a top centre-back but he also became the Premier League’s fastest-ever player after making a lung-busting recovery run against Brentford which was clocked at an eye-watering 37.38km/h.

Consequently, now one of England’s most popular defenders, Van de Ven, who joined the Lilywhites from Wolfsburg for a modest £43 million fee last summer, is drawing the attention of some huge clubs.

Real Madrid eyeing future deal for Micky van de Ven

According to a recent report from Fichajes, Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid are considering making a future offer for the 23-year-old Dutchman as they prepare to bolster their backline.

As things stand, Ancelotti has a wealth of defensive talent at his disposal but their ages will be a cause for concern. Antonio Rudiger will be 32 and David Alaba 33 by the start of next season, therefore a long-term partner for Eder Militao must be found — and Van de Ven seems an attractive option.

Whether or not Spurs will ever sanction a sale remains to be seen but the two club’s relationship remains strong following Gareth Bale’s famous £85 million transfer in 2013.

During his first year in London, van de Ven, who has four-and-a-half years left on his contract, has directly contributed to five goals in 36 games in all competitions.

Former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson has stated that Spurs are plotting a move to sign Torino and Italy star Samuele Ricci next summer as the Premier League club will find it hard to get a deal done in January.

The North London club have had a mixed start to the 2024/25 campaign as results have overall been good but Ange Postecoglou’s men have not been at their best as they currently sit eighth in the Premier League with three wins from their opening six games.

The Australian coach added some key weapons to his squad during the latest transfer window with the arrival of Dominic Solanke being the biggest of the bunch.

Ahead of the January transfer window, it is being reported that Spurs have an interest in Torino’s Samuele Ricci but a deal for the Italian star will likely have to wait until the summer as midfield is not a concern for Postecoglou at present.

Speaking to Football Insider, former Tottenham goalkeeper Paul Robinson, who remains very well-connected at the club, explained that the English side could explore a deal for the midfielder next summer.

“I think it’ll be a tough one to do in the winter,” the pundit said. “If you look at the way the team’s played in recent weeks in more of a 4-3-3 formation, I’m not sure whether the midfield will be a pressing position.

“But he’s a young player, he’s only 23 years old and he’s already got four caps for Italy.

“Tottenham are certainly interested in signing him. I think it’ll be tough to do in the winter but that is potentially one they’ll explore in the summer.”

Who is Tottenham target Samuele Ricci?

Ricci has been with Torino since 2022 having joined from Empoli and has become a key player for the Turin-based outfit. The 23-year-old has started in every game for the Italian outfit this season, contributing one assist from a deep midfield role.

The midfielder is a talent catching the eye of big clubs around Europe having made two appearances for Italy during the September internationals.

Tottenham are clearly one of the clubs, however, given his importance to Torino it will be hard for the Premier League club to secure a deal for Ricci before the 2025 summer transfer window.

Ange Postecoglou is a big fan of Eberechi Eze and hopes Spurs will agree to trigger his release clause next summer.

The 26-year-old midfielder is one of the Premier League’s most highly-rated playmakers. Strong, quick and technically gifted, the England international has continually been linked with a high-profile transfer.

Despite being on Manchester City’s radar, a move away from Selhurst Park has yet to materialise for the London-born creator. Spurs could be the club to change that though.

Eberechi Eze on Spurs’ radar

Postecoglou hopes to add another attacker to his options and, according to TEAMtalk, believes Palace’s number 10 is the ideal player to link up with Son Heung-min, James Maddison and the in-form Brennan Johnson.

Oliver Glasner has already lost Michael Olise to Bayern Munich and won’t want to lose Eze too but the Austrian won’t have much control over the forward’s future.

Eze’s most recent contract agreement includes a £68 million release clause that activates at the end of the season, and should Spurs trigger it, would see the 26-year-old surpass Dominic Solanke (£65 million from Bournemouth) as the club’s record-signing.

It isn’t just on the pitch where Arsenal want to get the better of North London rivals Tottenham Hotspur it seems.

When the world’s best youngsters become available, both Premier League giants will hope to be in the conversation to land them, with the strength of their projects hopefully enough of a persuasive argument to get players to sign on the dotted line.

Arguably, the Gunners are a little further forward than the Lilywhites at this stage, due in no small part to how much longer Mikel Arteta has been in place when compared to opposite number, Ange Postecoglou.

Arsenal and Tottenham want Tomas Araujo

As Spurs showed at the weekend with a convincing 3-0 win at Old Trafford – a victory that Jamie Redknapp called embarrassing for Man United – they’re getting better and better under the Australian and might soon be challenging for the top honours.

CaughtOffside sources note that they certainly want to be in the mix for the signing of 21-year-old Portuguese player Tomas Araujo.

After some impressive performances with Benfica, he has come to the attention of some of European football’s major clubs, including the North London giants.

CaughtOffside journalist, Fabrizio Romano, noted in his exclusive Daily Briefing that Chelsea are also impressed with the youngster, though the Blues are also thought to be looking at Castello Lukeba.

Sources have advanced that all three London clubs have had scouts at Benfica’s recent matches against Boavista and Gil Vicente.

Reports were, apparently, hugely positive, highlighting Araujo’s defensive skills, composure, and potential to excel in the Premier League.

Given that sources understand that the player will be available for offers over €20m, Araujo also represents a value for money option for the English top-flight outfits.

What isn’t clear at this point is whether Benfica would be willing to allow Araujo to leave in the January transfer window.

If a summer 2025 switch is more likely, all interested parties could expect to pay a premium on the transfer fee if Araujo’s star continues to ascend.

Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur are looking to sign Patrick Dorgu from Italian club Lecce.

Tottenham wanted to sign the player during the summer transfer window, but they failed to get a deal done. Liverpool have now joined them in the race according to a report from TuttoMercatoWeb.

The 19-year-old is highly rated in Italian football and he has a bright future ahead of himself. He could develop into a quality player with the right guidance and Liverpool could certainly use someone with his skill set.

Andrew Robertson is in the twilight stages of his career and Kostas Tsimikas is simply not good enough to start for a club hoping to win the titles. Liverpool will need to find a quality long-term alternative to Robertson soon and Dorgu seems like the ideal fit. The 19-year-old will be tempted to join a big club like Liverpool if the opportunity presents itself. It remains to be seen whether Liverpool decide to make a move for him in the coming months.

They have the finances to get the deal done and they have the pull to convince the player to join them as well.

Tottenham do not need Patrick Dorgu

Meanwhile, Spurs already have players like Destiny Udogie and Ben Davies at their disposal. It would be quite surprising if they decided to invest in another left-back. Spurs should invest in another central defender instead.

The 19-year-old needs to join a club where he will get ample first-team action and Liverpool might be able to provide him with that opportunity. It remains to be seen how the situation develops.

Liverpool and Tottenham are not the only clubs keen on signing the young defender and they will face competition from Italian clubs AC Milan and Napoli as well. It will be interesting to see where Dorgu ends up.

Ange Postecoglou has hailed his side after their triumphant victory against Manchester United on Sunday evening.

After failing to beat Tottenham Hotspur on two separate occasions last season, Manchester United fans would’ve been optimistic about their chance on Sunday especially taking into account the form of the London club in the build-up.

But any hopes of a victory were severely weakened when Brennan Johnson opened the scoring early on, setting the tone for what would be a miserable evening at Old Trafford.

A Bruno Fernandes red card would only dampen the home crowd further with Postecoglou’s side turning the screw in the second half as Erik ten Hag’s side pushed forward, conceding two more goals.

Speaking after the contest the Australian manager praised the performance of his players and emphasised what made the difference in this game when compared to previous losses against Arsenal and Newcastle.

“But just in general, I think the team, like I said, it just felt that as I kept saying, I thought we played really well, we played well at Newcastle, we played well against Arsenal, but we just missed chances and it felt like there was a desperation about us trying to get another one.” He said in his post-match interview.

Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images

Ange Postecoglou is under pressure at Spurs.

Although Spurs overcame Qarabag 3-0 in the Europa League in mid-week despite being down to 10 men, Postecoglou remains under pressure due to the side’s disappointing league form.

The 59-year-old has won just two of his first five Premier League games of the season with Spurs sitting 11th in the table.

Pressure building on Ange Postecoglou at Spurs

And even though the likes of Southampton’s Russell Martin and Everton’s Sean Dyche are among the favourites to get sacked first, Postecoglou isn’t totally safe in London.

Criticism is beginning to mount, and with the ex-Celtic boss in need of points but due to play Manchester United next, few would be surprised if, by the end of the weekend, the heat was turned up a notch.

Ex-Chelsea manager on shortlist to replace Aussie

And according to a recent report from Fichajes, Daniel Levy is already considering his options with former Chelsea boss Maurizio Sarri among the names shortlisted.

The 65-year-old has a history of managing big clubs, but his connection to Chelsea, which saw him in charge in the 2018-19 season, could dampen fans’ appetite for changing their manager.

Sarri, who has not been in work since leaving his role at Lazio at the start of the year, could make a surprise Premier League return before the end of the season, but whether or not that’s back to London to join Spurs remains to be seen.

The Italian won the 2018-19 Europa League with Chelsea before lifting the 2019-20 Serie A title with Juventus.

Chris Sutton has backed Manchester United to pick up a valuable win over Tottenham Hotspur in the Premier League this weekend.

The two heavyweights go head-to-head off the back of contrasting fortunes in the Europa League during the week, with United drawing 1-1 at home to FC Twente while Spurs beat Qarabag 3-0.

Neither side have looked convincing at the start of the new Premier League campaign, with each picking up just seven points from five games and only separated in 10th and 11th by Spurs’ superior goal difference.

With all that in mind, it’s a key clash between two sides looking to gain ground in the race for Champions League football.

Sutton backs Man Utd to beat Spurs

Spurs have taken just one point from their last three Premier League visits to Old Trafford since thrashing United 6-1 back in October 2020.

However, the Lilywhites did come from behind twice to draw 2-2 there last season, while they also won 2-0 against the Red Devils at home earlier in the campaign.

But Sutton believes it’s United who will claim all three points on this occasion, citing ‘Erik ten Hag’s counter-attack football’ as the key to beating Ange Postecoglou’s men.

“My first thought was that I fancy Manchester United to win this but, the more I think about it, the less likely that seems,” Sutton wrote in his Premier League predictions column for BBC Sport.

“United made heavy weather of their Europa League draw with FC Twente on Wednesday, with a performance that was very uninspiring.

“Mind you, we need to see more from Spurs in the final third too, so I am going to stick with my instincts and go for a United win. Let me explain why.

“In my opinion, United cannot beat Spurs by going toe-to-toe with them, but there is an argument that Tottenham’s playing style will suit Erik ten Hag, because it is in these sort of games where Ten Hag’s counter-attack football works best.”

Sutton doesn’t seem entirely convinced about his prediction. Indeed, the former Blackburn Rovers, Celtic and Chelsea striker is worried about a potential lack of physicality in the Man Utd midfield, who will go up against the likes of Rodrigo Bentancur, James Maddison and Yves Bissouma for Tottenham.

“I am not exactly confident they will beat Spurs though,” Sutton continued.

“What worries me most about tipping United is what happens in the centre of the park. Are United going to rely on Christian Eriksen again, against his former club. A great player, but does he have the legs?”

Top photo by Ian MacNicol/Getty Images

Former Brazilian footballer Edmundo has sparked speculation around Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison, suggesting that the striker could be a future target for Vasco da Gama.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Edmundo referred to Richarlison as a “dream” signing for the Brazilian club, hinting that a potential transfer could be a possibility in the coming years.

Edmundo, who had a successful career with Vasco da Gama, discussed the club’s intent to bolster its squad with marquee signings, emphasising Richarlison as a key option for their forward line.

This isn’t the first time the Brazilian club has been linked with the Tottenham striker, as Richarlison was reportedly a summer target for Vasco. However, those rumours were quickly dismissed by the player’s representatives.

Saudi Pro League clubs were among the most likely to make a move for him. In the end, no concrete offer arrived for the striker and he ended up staying at the club.

Edmundo sparks speculations after name-dropping Richarlison

But Edmundo has now sparked speculations once again after name-dropping him among those who could be targeted by the Brazilian club.

As quoted by CNN Brasil, the 53-year-old stated:

“Now, the idea is to keep all the main players and hire two or three heavyweight players. One for the defence, one for the midfield and two for the attack. Heavyweight like Richarlison. I’m dreaming and I can guarantee that 2025 will be different.”

Richarlison’s struggles at Tottenham

Richarlison joined Tottenham in a £60 million move from Everton in 2022, but his performance has not matched expectations. In 68 appearances for Spurs, he has contributed 15 goals and 8 assists. Despite being brought in as a major attacking force, the 27-year-old has struggled to cement his place in the starting line-up.

This underwhelming form has raised questions about Richarlison’s long-term future at the North London club, with reports suggesting that Tottenham could consider selling him in future transfer windows.

New big money striker Dominic Solanke has hit the ground running as well, which is expected to further reduce his playing time at the club.

If his struggles continue, a move away from Tottenham, possibly to Vasco or elsewhere, could become a realistic option.