GiveMeSport

It’s back. After a summer of watching other sports – and the occasional football match, courtesy of the Club World Cup – the Premier League is returning like it never left. Liverpool won England’s top division at a canter last time out, and Arne Slot will be hoping to mimic the success from his maiden season.

Others – Arsenal and Manchester City, most notably – will be looking to knock the Reds off their perch and what they will need are top performers. But the question is, will those players be able to?

Every time a new season comes around, there are strikers who do not score as many goals as predicted, midfielders who do not dictate the engine room as expected and some defenders who leak more goals than they wanted to. Here is an XI of Premier League players who may end up not reaching the heights expected of them throughout the coming season.

Goalkeeper: Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle United)

Aaron Ramsdale’s move to Newcastle United is, for now, merely temporary, but there is an option to make his move permanent at the end of next season. Whereabouts Eddie Howe’s side will be at come May 2026 is currently unknown, of course – but Ramsdale, a five-cap England international, will unlikely strike confidence into the St James’ Park faithful this season.

Born and raised in Stoke-on-Trent, the shot-stopper was seamlessly replaced by David Raya at Arsenal for a reason; he was part of one of the worst teams in Premier League history (Southampton in 2024/25) and his shot-stopping, on the whole, is rather shaky. Placing your trust in him is a risk.

Right-Back: Jeremie Frimpong (Liverpool)

Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure split the Liverpool fanbase: some believed he was well within his rights to leave; others are under the assumption that he let the club down. His replacement, Jeremie Frimpong, will be hoping to hit the ground running as he gets his Anfield career underway. But his introduction begs the question: will Arne Slot get the best out of him?

There is every chance that Frimpong, 24, will enjoy a solid season; but he is defensively vulnerable and is accustomed to bursting up the wing at every given chance. Conor Bradley, too, will provide plenty of competition, which means the Dutchman may not play week-in-week-out. There are going to be an awful lot of times when he’ll get caught out, especially with how defensively unstable the Reds have looked in pre-season.

Centre-Back: Cristian Romero (Tottenham Hotspur)

Will the weight of the armband prove too heavy for the Argentina international? Perhaps. Cristiano Romero’s future at Tottenham Hotspur was hanging in the balance earlier in the summer – with the likes of Atletico Madrid sniffing around his signature – but he’s seemingly now solidified his status by taking on the captain of the north Londoners.

Thomas Frank, in comparison to Ange Postecoglou, is much more pragmatic, which could help the 27-year-old, but there is no man on earth that could shake the rashness out of Romero. The young and exciting Luka Vuskovic will also be knocking on the door throughout the campaign, unnerving the World Cup winner in the process.

Centre-Back: Ruben Dias (Manchester City)

There was a point during Ruben Dias’ career when he was widely recognised as one of the – if not the – best defenders in world football, but that is no longer the case. The centre-back’s first few seasons at Manchester City were fantastic, but he’s experienced a dip in form in recent times, and may no longer be Pep Guardiola’s go-to man in the heart of the back line.

The Catalonia-born boss has an array of central defenders to pick from – Nathan Ake, Josko Gvardiol and Manuel Akanji all spring to mind – and whether Dias can hold his place remains to be seen. Another important factor to consider is the fact that he missed 11 Premier League games last season through injury.

Left-Back: Destiny Udogie (Tottenham Hotspur)

Destiny Udogie, since signing for Tottenham Hotspur from Udinese in the summer of 2023, has been quietly brilliant; but he’s largely been without serious competition, allowing him to go about his business unphased. But who else foresaw Djed Spence, a right-back by trade, being so well-rounded on the left?

Pedro Porro seemingly has the right-hand side locked off, which means Spence and Udogie could battle it out for that spot under the stewardship of Frank, who has given the Englishman the chance to shine in pre-season. The Italian is also currently returning from an injury – so how quickly he can get back up to speed is the question on everybody's lips.

Central Midfield: Granit Xhaka (Sunderland)

There’s no doubt that Granit Xhaka will bring plenty of experience – especially in the Premier League – to Sunderland. An underrated asset for Arsenal between 2016 and 2023, he left and became key in Bayer Leverkusen’s incredible 2023/24 campaign. It’s, therefore, not unfair to say that he’s used to rubbing shoulders with the very best in the game.

That, despite Regis Le Bris’ side enjoying a fruitful summer, will not be the case at the Stadium of Light; but can Basel-born Xhaka, who is now 32 years of age, drag them through tough times? During his time in north London, he was known for his hot-headed approach and that will not be useful for a club fighting who are looking to avoid the prospect of relegation.

Central Midfield: Jordan Henderson (Brentford)

Keith Andrews, Thomas Frank’s successor at Brentford, would have scuttled around the options of the summer transfer market looking for experience with the London club’s status as a Premier League side looking shaky. They landed on Jordan Henderson – a Premier League-winning captain, of course, but his stocks have dropped exponentially over the years.

Once Jurgen Klopp’s utility man in the middle of the park, Henderson left for the allure of the Saudi Pro League in 2023 – and that went, well, we don’t have to remind you. He became a fan favourite at Ajax, where he took up the role as skipper, but the former Liverpool man is far past it. He’s no longer got the legs to match the physicality of English football.

Central Attacking Midfield: Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United)

Despite the additions of Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha, Bruno Fernandes will remain Manchester United’s talisman for the coming season – though, he will likely be playing in a deeper midfield role. Since his arrival in January 2020, the Portuguese has thrived in a free-roaming role, but that won’t be the case under Ruben Amorim in the 2025/26 campaign.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: In May 2025, Fernandes became the first player to reach north of 30 goal contributions in the Europa League’s knockout stages.

Commonly admired as one of the best penalty takers in world football, scoring from the spot could be a chance for the Red Devils skipper to get on the scoresheet moving forward – but however much you rate him as a player, his output will likely see a decrease by virtue of playing in a role further back and sharing the load. Maybe his employers should have listened closer to the £100+ million offers from Saudi Arabia.

Right Winger: Pedro Neto (Chelsea)

A brilliant player during his time on the books of Wolverhampton Wanderers, Pedro Neto has not set the Premier League alight in west London for Chelsea. The winger moved in the summer of 2024, and he's since notched 18 goal contributions in 51 outings for the Blues. You’d expect more from £54 million, wouldn’t you?

A name that was bound to excite the Stamford Bridge faithful but the club’s willingness to splash the cash has now bloated their attacking areas… is Neto’s spot in the team secure? Combine that with the Portugal international’s eyebrow-raising injury record and there’s every chance that he flatters to deceive Enzo Maresca once again.

Striker: Chris Wood (Nottingham Forest)

Happy to be proven wrong; but Chris Wood’s rampant form last season has to be something of an anomaly, right? The seasoned New Zealander plundered 20 goals in 36 Premier League appearances – but it’s important to note that two of those came in the final ten outings and having to balance Europa League football, too, will be a concern for Nottingham Forest’s striker.

Wood was one of the surprise packages of the 2025/26 season – but that level of potency is, surely, not sustainable. Especially with Anthony Elanga now being a Newcastle player, the service will not be as ready-made as it was last term and, while his instincts will still serve him well, there’ll certainly be a drop-off.

Left Winger: Anthony Gordon (Newcastle United)

Ahead of Thomas Tuchel picking England’s 2026 World Cup squad, Newcastle United winger Anthony Gordon will be wanting to stick out like a sore thumb – for a good reason, of course – in the northeast, but he’ll no doubt face far more struggle without Alexander Isak latching on to the end of his deliveries.

At the time of writing, with the Magpies not possessing an out-and-out target man, Gordon may be entrusted to lead the line for Howe – and that is a position he’s not all too familiar with. Last season in the league, he registered 12 goal contributions, but it's important to note that they all came within the first 23 games. It’ll be a risk to invest stocks in the Liverpool-born wide man.

It has been all change for Tottenham this summer. A new manager in Thomas Frank. A new captain in Cristian Romero after Son Heung-min swapped London for LA. Mohamed Kudus became the new face of the attack following his move from West Ham, while Joao Palhinha has also returned to the Premier League to add some steel to the Spurs midfield.

The defeat in the Super Cup against PSG drew more positivity than negativity, as the Europa League champions went toe to toe with the best team in Europe and were unlucky not to come out on top. But with both their goals coming from defenders and James Maddison set for a significant spell on the sidelines, a new attacker is vital.

Of the names being mentioned as possible arrivals, the three at the forefront need no introduction: Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze, Real Madrid's Rodrygo and Manchester City's Savinho. But of the three, there is clearly one player who seems to be the best fit for Frank's side going into the new campaign.

Rodrygo - Real Madrid

Kicking things off with the least likely player of the pack to join Tottenham: Rodrygo has made it perfectly clear in the past that if he were to move to the Premier League, he would prefer to go to the red side of North London as opposed to the white. Nevertheless, it would be some coup from Spurs if they managed to pull the deal off, as despite his recent struggles in the Real Madrid squad, the Brazilian is still seen as a footballing superstar.

Rodrygo might not always be the headline act in Xabi Alonso's star-studded lineup, but that doesn't mean he should be overlooked. While the spotlight usually falls on the likes of Vinicius Jr, Jude Bellingham, and Kylian Mbappe, the Brazilian winger brings a unique threat down the left. His rapid bursts of speed combined with sharp footwork make him a nightmare for defenders — especially in open, fast-paced matches. In fact, he'd be a perfect fit for the Premier League, where his style could cause chaos. For any club looking to strengthen their attack, Rodrygo should be at the very top of the list.

However, the aforementioned issues with his interest in Spurs, coupled with the astronomical transfer fee, wages, and Manchester City's newfound interest, make this deal seem almost impossible.

Savinho - Manchester City

Spurs’ interest in Savinho appeared to come out of left field. The Brazilian only joined Manchester City last summer, having already been established within the City Football Group. And while he may have had some quiet spells, there was enough to see what Pep Guardiola appreciated in him so much.

The former Girona man is capable of playing more as an out-and-out winger but can also cut in and operate as an inside forward. If Dominic Solanke struggles to stay fit, that could be important to overload that area of the pitch. He is still only 21, too, so there is development to be had.

The main stumbling block is that City also see his potential and reportedly have zero interest in letting the talented attacker go anywhere. If that's the case, this could be dead in the water already, as it's not like City need to actively sell anyone they don't want to at this current moment in time.

Eberechi Eze - Crystal Palace

One of the main reasons Eze will have caught Frank's eye is his proven track record in the Premier League. He's already adapted to the physical demands and fast pace of top-flight English football, meaning there would be little to no transition period. Having regularly gone up against elite clubs like Manchester United, Chelsea, and Arsenal, Eze’s experience at this level only boosts his value — and his current club will no doubt be ready to capitalise on that when the offers come in.

While Eze has the versatility to drift out wide on the left, his natural preference lies in a central playmaking role. Regardless of where he’s deployed, though, his talent is such that he would likely stand out as one of the best on the pitch.

Manchester City forward Savinho’s agents have flown to England in a bid to secure his desired move to Tottenham, according to MailOnline.

The 21-year-old’s representative, Frederico Moraes of ProManager, reportedly left Brazil on Thursday and is aiming to push negotiations further next week.

Spurs have identified Savinho as an ‘ideal’ reinforcement to Thomas Frank’s attacking options and are now working on the move, with club-to-club talks ongoing with Man City.

Pep Guardiola’s side are said to be open to selling the 'incredible' Brazil international on their own terms and are reportedly demanding a fee in the region of £67m.

Savinho is believed to have opened the door to Spurs, who have promised him a key role in Frank’s squad next season and can also offer Champions League football.

Tottenham Pushing to Sign Man City’s Savinho

According to MailOnline, Frank is keen on bringing in multiple attacking reinforcements before the transfer deadline and has set his sights on signing both Savinho and Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze.

A deal for the England international is expected to cost a similar figure, with talks between clubs ongoing and edging closer to a breakthrough.

Arsenal have also shown interest in Eze, but the 27-year-old appears to favour a move to Spurs, as senior GIVEMESPORT reporter Fabrizio Romano has previously revealed.

Spurs are desperate for late additions to the squad following former captain Son Heung-min’s move to Los Angeles FC and the long-term injury to James Maddison, who is expected to miss around six to seven months.

The Lilywhites are also without Dejan Kulusevski, who underwent surgery following a serious knee injury in May and has missed the entire pre-season.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Savinho scored three goals and provided 13 assists in 48 appearances for Man City last season.

Tottenham have welcomed Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha as their two most notable first-team reinforcements this summer and also struck permanent deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso.

The North London side kick off their Premier League campaign on Saturday by hosting Burnley and will be looking to bounce back after a dramatic UEFA Super Cup loss to Paris Saint-Germain on penalties on Wednesday.

Tottenham Hotspur are preparing a €70m (£60m) offer to sign Barcelona superstar Dani Olmo as they look to bring in a late-window replacement for James Maddison, according to Fichajes.

Spurs were rocked by the news that Maddison could miss the entirety of the 2025-26 season after rupturing his ACL against Newcastle during the club's tour of North Korea, with the 28-year-old since undergoing surgery.

It means that Thomas Frank is short on creativity ahead of the new campaign starting this weekend, with the north London outfit now lining up an audacious swoop for Olmo.

Olmo Joining Tottenham 'Seems Increasingly Likely'

Tottenham want to sign the Spain international and are ready to make a £60m bid to bring him to the English capital, according to Fichajes, in what would be a statement deal.

The report says that despite Barcelona only signing the 27-year-old from RB Leipzig last summer, they are considering selling him 12 months on to raise some money and free up wages after the arrivals of Marcus Rashford and Joan Garcia.

Meanwhile, Spurs are looking to sign a top playmaker and Olmo - who earns £235,000-a-week - fits the bill because he is versatile, creative and has experience of playing in Europe as Frank prepares his team for their Champions League campaign.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Dani Olmo has 12 goals and 7 assists in 39 appearances in all competitions for Barcelona.

Tottenham do have other targets on their list such as Eberechi Eze, but Fichajes report that they fear arch-rivals Arsenal in the race for the Crystal Palace star.

Former Real Madrid player Nico Paz is another player they are considering after he shone under Cesc Fabregas at Como in Serie A last term.

However, Olmo's experience - both at club and international level - could see him become the preferred option for Spurs, even if losing him would be a 'sporting blow' for Barca.

The report also adds that if Tottenham do submit a £60m offer, a transfer could be 'increasingly likely' to happen with Barcelona urgently needing cash before the transfer deadline.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to make an opening bid to sign Crystal Palace forward Eberechi Eze ahead of Arsenal, according to GIVEMESPORT correspondent Ben Jacobs.

Thomas Frank's side have had a strong summer window with the additions of Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha, but they are keen to add to their attacking options following the departure of captain Heung-Min Son and a serious knee injury to James Maddison.

The club have revisited their interest in Eze since that injury to Maddison, and are now ready to table their opening formal bid for the England international.

Tottenham Set to Bid for Eze

Eze, who has been described as a "superstar", had been expected to leave Selhurst Park this summer after scoring the winning goal in the FA Cup final for the Eagles last season, earning them the first major trophy in their history.

The player has a release clause worth £60m plus a further £8m in add-ons, which is set to expire on Friday, but so far nobody has tabled an offer to trigger that or bid anything that has convinced Palace to part ways with their star man.

But now Spurs are ready to test their resolve by placing a formal offer, as they look to act quickly to beat their local rivals to the deal.

While Eze has been strongly linked to Arsenal all summer, it's believed that the forward is also open to joining Tottenham this summer as they have Champions League football, and it's understood that personal terms are not expected to be an issue either. GIVEMESPORT sources also understand that Thomas Frank has given his green light for the deal.

Spurs' new push for the player has come since Maddison was ruled out for the majority of the 2025/26 season after rupturing his ACL during a pre-season friendly with Newcastle, while a move for Morgan Gibbs-White collapsed after legal trouble with Nottingham Forest ended with the player signing a new deal at the City Ground.

Tottenham Hotspur have held talks over a potential deal for Savinho, but the word from Manchester City is that it's not going to go any further, according to The Athletic journalist David Ornstein.

Spurs are in the market for new attacking options in the summer transfer window, and they've been stepping up their pursuit of new additions after James Maddison suffered a serious injury. It's not been confirmed that the England international has undergone surgery for an anterior cruciate ligament injury, meaning he's likely to be out for the majority of the season.

There are just a few days before the new Premier League campaign gets underway, and Tottenham are working to bring in a new attacker in the final third. So far in the summer transfer window, Tottenham have added Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha to Thomas Frank's squad, but they'll be hoping for more reinforcements before the market closes in September.

David Ornstein: Tottenham Hold Talks to Sign Savinho

Speaking on The Athletic FC podcast, Ornstein has confirmed that Tottenham have held talks over a potential deal for Savinho, submitting an enquiry to Manchester City. The respected reporter adds that the word from the Etihad Stadium is that an enquiry was made and rebuffed, and it's expected to go no further...

"Some conversations have been held that focused on a deal in the region of €50m. Clearly Manchester City, if there's going to be any departure, and I say that with a capital if, because the word coming from the Etihad is that there was an enquiry, it was rebuffed, and it's going no further. But if they were to consider parting with him, it would take, evidently, a far higher number. Are Tottenham willing to stretch that far? If they are, then possibly there could be a deal."

Man City clearly don't want to lose Savinho easily, especially with only a few days remaining before the Premier League season begins. Pep Guardiola has already lost Jack Grealish, with the 29-year-old joining Everton on loan for the 2025/2026 campaign.

Rayan Cherki, who is capable of playing out wide, has arrived at the Etihad Stadium, but City might want to bring in a specialist winger before allowing Savinho to head through the exit door.

Paris Saint-Germain defeated Tottenham Hotspur on penalties to win the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday evening.

In the opening 30 minutes of the match, not much happened in terms of clear-cut chances in front of goal, however, just how well Tottenham were doing against the UEFA Champions League winners would have surprised many. Although the French giants dominated possession, they struggled to break through Spurs as they were holding strong defensively and winning their duels in midfield. Even with only having around 30% of the ball, Spurs had the better of the attacking opportunities in the opening 30 minutes, with both Pedro Porro and Djed Spence bombing up and down their flanks.

In the 39th minute, Tottenham took the lead through Micky van de Ven. The goal was pure route one football, which was started off by a long ball into the box by Guglielmo Vicario. The Italian's long ball was met with a powerful, lofted header by Cristian Romero, and his lofted header fell to Joao Palhinha, who hit the bar with his effort, and the rebound fell perfectly to van de Ven, who fired his shot into the bottom corner past Lucas Chevalier. Although not many would've expected Spurs to take the lead, they fully deserved it as they were by far the better team up to this point.

Just minutes after making it 1-0, Spurs almost doubled their lead to 2-0, and the move was pretty much identical to their opening goal. It was Kevin Danso this time with a powerful, lofted header into the box, and his header was met by Richarlison, who knocked it on for Mohammed Kudus, who also got his head on the ball, but he hit the post from close range.

The first half came to a close with Spurs in a fully deserved 1-0 lead.

Just minutes after the restart, Tottenham doubled their lead and made it 2-0. Once again, just like their best chances of the first half, the goal came from an excellent ball into the box from Porro, and once again, on the end of it was Romero, who headed his effort down and past Chevalier, whose goalkeeping was extremely questionable. The Frenchman, who recently overtook Gianluigi Donnarumma as PSG's number one, should have saved Romero's header, but his hands were just not strong enough.

In the 66th minute, PSG had the ball in the back of the net, but their goal was chalked off due to Bradley Barcola being in an offside position.

Although Spurs controlled the majority of the match, late on, PSG put the pressure on, and in the 85th minute, their hopes of a comeback were boosted when Kang-In Lee fired an excellent shot into the back of the net to make it 2-1. The South Korean rifled his shot into the bottom corner past Vicario, and his goal set up a grandstand finish to the match after PSG would've thought they were down and out.

In the 94th minute, PSG netted the equaliser. Two of Luis Enrique's substitutions produced goals, and the equaliser came from Goncalo Ramos, who powerfully headed the ball into the back of the net to save his side. Ramos' goal was excellent, but the cross from Ousmane Dembele to create the chance was arguably even better.

Ramos' equaliser was the last action of the match, and the referee blew his whistle for full-time with the match at 2-2, meaning the winner of the Supercup would be decided via a penalty shootout.

The first man to step up for PSG was Vitinha. The Portuguese international, who notoriously has a unique run-up, fired his penalty wide of the target.

Micky van de Ven, who opened the scoring for Spurs, stepped up to take the third penalty and his effort was well saved by Lucas Chevalier.

Ousmane Dembele was next up after van de Ven's penalty, and he successfully converted his to level the shootout at 2-2 after three penalties each.

Mathys Tel was next to take for Tottenham, and the youngster, like Vitinha, fired his penalty well wide of the target.

Nuno Mendes stepped up to take the deciding penalty for PSG, and the Portuguese international fired it into the back of the net to win the UEFA Super Cup for his side.

Match Highlights

Paris Saint-Germain Player Ratings

GK: Lucas Chevalier - 5/10

Produced a few routine saves and did okay with the ball at his feet. Chevalier's goalkeeping for Romero's goal was extremely poor, and he should've done better to stop it.

RB: Achraf Hakimi - 5.5/10

Had nowhere near as much creative influence on the match as he typically does. The Moroccan really struggled to get the better of Spence, which really had an impact on his performance.

CB: Marquinhos - 6/10

Really struggled physically and in the air when dealing with Spurs' long balls into the box. The experienced Brazilian also had trouble dealing with the pace and intensity of Tottenham's forward line.

CB: Willian Pacho - 5.5/10

Just like his centre-back partner, Marquinhos, Pacho also really struggled to deal with the intensity of Tottenham's pressing and even picked up a cheap yellow card for not being up to speed with their press. The Ecuadorian also struggled physically and aerially.

LB: Nuno Mendes - 6.5/10

Had some good moments on the ball and produced some decent cross-field passes, but just like Hakimi, Mendes also didn't offer much in the final third and was dealt with quite comfortably by Porro.

CM: Vitinha - 7/10

Very good on the ball, but most of his passes were sideways and backwards. Vitinha did well in midfield although Tottenham employed a relentless press.

CM: Warren Zaire-Emery - 7/10

Produced a few good through balls to the PSG attackers, but they couldn't capitalise on the chances he created. The 19-year-old also had plenty of energy in midfield and worked hard.

CM: Desire Doue - 5.5/10

The youngster didn't really offer anything in the final third and at times looked out of his depth in the midfield, albeit he was playing out of position.

RW: Bradley Barcola - 6.5/10

The most lively of the PSG front three. Barcola tried his best to make things happen and even had the ball in the back of the net at one point, although it was chalked off for offside.

ST: Ousmane Dembele - 7/10

Dropped deep and saw plenty of the ball, but didn't produce anything of any note until very late into the match when he provided a great assist for Ramos' late equaliser.

LW: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia - 5/10

Had pretty much next to no success when trying to attack down the wing. Spence's pace and ability to win his defensive duels against the Georgian kept him very quiet.

SUB: Fabian Ruiz - N/A

Didn't do much after coming on.

SUB: Ibrahim Mbaye - N/A

Didn't do much after coming on.

SUB: Kang-In Lee - 7.5/10

Scored a superb goal off the bench, which kick-started PSG's comeback.

SUB: Goncalo Ramos - 7.5/10

Made an immediate impact on the bench. Ramos scored PSG's equaliser with a superb header.

Tottenham Hotspur Player Ratings

GK: Guglielmo Vicario - 7/10

Hardly had a thing to do in terms of saves. The Italian had some good moments when playing the ball out from the back, spraying some good balls into the midfield and to the wing-backs.

RWB: Pedro Porro - 8/10

Provided a superb assist for Romero's goal and was very good defensively, managing to keep both Mendes and Barcola quiet.

CB: Kevin Danso - 7.5/10

Defended very well and aggressively, and was an offensive threat in the PSG penalty area with his ability to win headers.

CB: Cristian Romero - 8/10

Hardly had a thing to do with the ball at his feet, but defensively, he was flawless and managed to score a key goal. Just like most of the Spurs team, Romero was superb in the PSG box with his ability to win aerial duels.

CB: Micky van de Ven - 8/10

Produced a few important clearances and tackles to protect Vicario. As well as being very good defensively, the big Dutchman scored an important goal and like the other Spurs defenders, he was a nuisance offensively also.

LWB: Djed Spence - 8/10

A superb defensive performance from the Englishman. Spence came up against one of the best offensive full-back and winger partnerships in world football and kept them both very quiet. Spence also provided great energy and pace in the final third.

CM: Joao Palhinha - 7/10

Didn't have much to do in possession of the ball, but he was a good and strong physical presence in the midfield and was also effective when Spurs went direct with long balls into the PSG penalty area.

CM: Pape Sarr - 8/10

Had a steady first-half performance, but in the second half, he took it to another level. Sarr's energy and pressing were valuable to his side, and he also had some good moments going forward, bombing into the box.

CM: Rodrigo Bentancur - 7.5/10

Worked incredibly hard and pressed relentlessly. Bentancur was arguably the hardest-working of all of the Spurs players.

ST: Mohammed Kudus - 8/10 (Man of the Match)

A superb competitive debut for the Ghanaian. Like the majority of the Spurs team, Kudus worked his socks off and relentlessly pressed, but he also had some superb moments of quality, especially when having to retain the ball in tight areas and bring others into play.

ST: Richarlison - 7.5/10

Worked his socks off and battled for everything up front. He may not have had a lot to do with the ball, but his pressing and physicality massively contributed to Tottenham's success in the final third.

SUB: Dominic Solanke - N/A

Didn't do much after coming on.

SUB: Archie Gray - N/A

Didn't do much after coming on.

SUB: Mathys Tel - N/A

Didn't do much after coming on.

SUB: Lucas Bergvall - N/A

Didn't do much after coming on.

"Let's see if that happens. They've got an interest in him, and I think they're in and among the sort of conversation. It may activate later in the window. Eze, I think it's well documented, is an Arsenal fan, or grew up as an Arsenal fan, he would be in favour of a move there. I think it was being looked at when there was a possibility of Ethan Nwaneri, the young talent, leaving, because he was into the last year of his contract, because Arsenal now see him in the eight to 10 role, as opposed to the right side, where he played last season. Eze occupies the same space. They've got Martin Odegaard around there, and they've got Max Dowman coming through, and hopes could not be higher for him. So if Nwaneri had departed, I think the idea was not Noni Madueke, that was independent. It was Eze. Nwaneri signs his new contract, and so Eze is a less pressing concern."

Tottenham are showing interest in a ‘bombshell’ move for Barcelona star Dani Olmo, according to Spanish publication Fichajes.

The Europa League winners are reportedly keeping an eye on Olmo’s developing situation in Spain, as the Nou Camp side are believed to have opened the door for his late summer departure.

Fermin Lopez’s excellent pre-season has pushed Olmo down in Hansi Flick’s pecking order – he is now facing a difficult battle for regular minutes next term and could be offloaded, with Barcelona still looking to make a big sale this summer.

Olmo only joined the Catalans from RB Leipzig last year and has a contract until June 2030, which allows Barcelona to maintain a strong position in negotiations.

Tottenham Monitoring Barcelona’s Dani Olmo

According to Fichajes, while Flick values Olmo’s talent, he believes Barcelona need players with greater physical consistency, as the Spain international suffered several injuries last term, limiting him to just 13 starts in La Liga.

As a result, Barcelona are said to be aiming to recoup the €60m (£50m) they spent on the 27-year-old last year and are open to a summer sale, with several clubs keeping a close eye on the situation.

Tottenham are believed to be among the Premier League sides showing the most interest in Olmo, as they look to bring in several new attackers following Son Heung-min’s exit to Los Angeles FC and James Maddison’s setback.

The attacking midfielder suffered an ACL injury in the pre-season draw against Newcastle in South Korea earlier this month and could miss the entire 2025/26 campaign.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Olmo has scored seven goals and provided four assists in 33 Champions League appearances.

Olmo could even be a slight upgrade on Maddison, considering the 27-year-old is widely regarded as one of the best attacking midfielders in the world and played a key role in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph.

The £235,000-a-week star also claimed two German Cups during his time at RB Leipzig and won a domestic double in his first season with Barcelona, making 39 appearances, scoring 12 goals and providing seven assists.

Arsenal signing an alternative to Eberechi Eze - should he join arch-rivals Tottenham Hotspur - depends on the right 'opportunities' and 'outgoings' with nothing imminent, according to GIVEMESPORT Senior Reporter Fabrizio Romano.

The Gunners have enjoyed a busy summer of incoming transfers with six additions to the first-team squad in Kepa, Cristhian Mosquera, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke, Martin Zubimendi, and Viktor Gyokeres.

However, reports have suggested that Mikel Arteta isn't done there and is still keen to add another attacking player to his options, with Crystal Palace star Eze the most heavily linked player in recent weeks after GIVEMESPORT revealed at the beginning of July that talks were underway.

Arsenal Signing Eze Alternative Depends on Two Things

While Arsenal could look to add another attacker before the September 1 deadline, the chances of it being Eze appear to have taken a hit in recent days.

Romano reported on GIVEMESPORT's Market Madness Podcast on Tuesday that Spurs are now considered to be 'ahead' in the race for the England international, with Thomas Frank making a 'big push' for him right now alongside Manchester City winger Savinho.

GIVEMESPORT Key Statistic: Eberechi Eze scored 14 goals and provided 11 assists in 43 appearances for Crystal Palace last season.

Meanwhile, the Gunners are focusing on outgoings, with Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard discussed previously as players who may need to leave for sporting director Andrea Berta to then bring another forward in at the Emirates.

When asked if Arsenal will target an alternative should Tottenham beat them to sign Eze, Romano wrote in his GIVEMESPORT newsletter on Wednesday:

It will depend on outgoings and opportunities - nothing is imminent yet.

A failure to secure a move to Arsenal now could come as a blow to Eze, who reportedly told friends earlier this summer that he expected to seal a move to the Emirates.

However, Arsenal not seeing the transfer as a priority is no surprise given they have Martin Odegaard in the No.10 position already, while Ethan Nwaneri has recently signed a new deal and excitement is building over the emergence of 15-year-old Max Dowman following his performances in pre-season.