If you ask any Tottenham Hotspur fan what period in recent times was the most enjoyable and successful, almost every individual would say the run from 2015–19.

The core of that success involved the likes of Heung-min Son, Harry Kane, and Jan Vertonghen, but there was one player who was just as influential.

The player in question is Christian Eriksen, who featured in 305 matches for the Lilywhites, scoring 69 times and providing 90 assists.

New boss Ange Postecoglou is keen to strengthen his midfield this summer, and on his radar is a highly-rated Eriksen clone.

Spurs’ search for a new midfielder

As per a recent report from Ben Jacobs via CaughtOffside, Spurs are seriously interested in signing Giorgiy Sudakov.

The Ukrainian star plays for Shakhtar Donetsk, who are known to be difficult to deal with in regards to transfers.

Despite having an incredible £128m release clause in his contract, it’s reported that a fee of around £60m will likely be enough to secure his services in the summer.

However, if Spurs do go ahead with attempting to sign the midfielder, they will face competition from European giants such as Inter and Juventus.

Spurs have a "generational" teen talent who could be the new Dele Alli

This star could rival players such as James Maddison for a spot in Postecoglou’s first-team in good time.

By
Angus Sinclair

Apr 17, 2024

Sudakov would be a James Maddison rival

James Maddison’s start to life at Tottenham couldn’t have gone any smoother, with the £40m man scoring twice and assisting twice in his first four league matches.

However, an injury against Chelsea earlier this season saw him miss 13 games of action, and since then, he’s not been quite as impactful, failing to register a goal contribution in his last five matches.

Nonetheless, the interest in Sudakov highlights one of two things: either Postecoglou isn’t entirely happy with Maddison being his first choice number ten, or he intends to tweak the system next season.

The 21-year-old star is an attacking midfielder by trade, but he’s already shown that he can comfortably play as a left midfielder or slightly deeper as a box-to-box this season.

Sudakov vs Barcelona
Stats	Sudakov
Goals	1
Key passes	2
Passes completed	40
Touches	62
Successful dribbles	2/2
Via Sofascore

As you can see by the table above, the number 10 has shown that he can compete against the very best, as he starred in the Champions League against Barcelona earlier this season.

Playing away to Barca is often a daunting prospect for the most experienced players, but Sudakov proved that he’s not afraid of any challenge, as he was constantly a threat against the La Liga side.

What this game highlighted in particular was that the Ukraine star doesn’t only create, but he’s also a goal-scorer. The fact that he’s netted seven goals in 28 appearances this season further supports that.

Another aspect that was impressive was the way he dazzled the Barca midfield with his dribbling, completing 100% of his take-ons, which certainly highlights his technical ability.

Furthermore, the fact that he had 62 touches and completed 40 passes proves that he’s an extremely confident individual who is desperate to put his stamp on the game, which is what Tottenham need right now in particular.

What makes this potential move even more interesting is the fact that football scout Jacek Kulig has previously compared Sudakov to Eriksen, with the player's range of passing, creativity, and set piece mastery alike.

Sudakov, therefore, is most definitely a promising talent, but surely Spurs wouldn’t spend £60m on a Maddison backup? Either way, the thought of welcoming another Eriksen to north London will be a tantalising one.

West Ham United have made a Lucas Paqueta decision as this summer's transfer stance becomes crystal clear behind-the-scenes.

West Ham face real summer of change ahead of 2024/2025

A real summer of change is afoot at West Ham, as speculation surrounds the future of manager David Moyes and a few key players.

Steidten sets sights on pacey striker as new West Ham target emerges

The Hammers are keen to add more firepower.

ByEmilio Galantini Apr 18, 2024

It's looking likely Moyes will leave West Ham at the end of this season, as some reports have suggested, which would bring an end to his historic stint in charge. The Scotsman guided West Ham to an unprecedented Conference League triumph last season, whilst sealing European qualification in each of his full seasons back in the dugout.

His side put in a valiant effort last night against Bayer Leverkusen in their Europa League quarter-final second leg, with Michail Antonio gifting them the lead after 13 minutes to spark hopes of an aggregate comeback. However, West Ham's lack of options told in the end, as Moyes' men began to look leggy after a ferocious start.

Their bench contained six academy players, and that sort of strength in depth may not keep the east Londoners among England's top eight sides for long. Technical director Tim Steidten is therefore tasked with reinforcing the Hammers squad, as well as potentially finding a replacement for Moyes.

A lot of the cash for West Ham's summer transfer activity may well come from Paqueta's sale, as the Brazilian remains heavily linked with a move away, as he was last summer.

He was edging close to a Man City move in 2023, but due to an investigation surrounding alleged gambling breaches, Pep Guardiola's side pulled the plug on a deal.

The former Lyon star has been absolutely crucial since his arrival, standing out as one of West Ham's key players alongside the likes of star winger Jarrod Bowen and Mohammed Kudus.

West Ham 3-0 Wolves

8.88

West Ham 3-2 Nottingham Forest

8.20

Luton Town 1-2 West Ham

8.02

West Ham 2-2 Burnley

7.97

Burnley 1-2 West Ham

7.86

Now, there's been another update on his future, courtesy of HITC.

West Ham "preparing to sell" Paqueta with Man City stance clear

According to their information, West Ham are preparing to sell Paqueta this summer, and the midfielder has his heart set on a move to Man City despite interest from the likes of PSG, Juventus and Bayern Munich.

It's unclear whether they will stand firm on his £85 million exit clause, but it appears Paqueta may not be a West Ham player for much longer. Often, when a club like City come knocking, it is irresistible for players to refuse the call.

Wolverhampton Wanderers, having started the season well, are approaching the finishing line with a whimper.

Since beating Fulham 2-1 on March 9, Wolves have won just once in the Premier League, slipping outside the top half of the table in the process.

Despite this alarming drop-off, Gary O’Neil has a solid core to his side, which, if kept for next season while adding in another player or two, could challenge properly for that top-half finish in the league.

What is definitely required is some more strength in depth in the midfield, as O’Neil is continually relying on the same players every week.

Did they make a mistake selling Ruben Neves last summer? As his leadership skills and ability could have ensured this late-season dip might never have happened.

How much Wolves sold Ruben Neves for

It was clear that Neves was eyeing a move elsewhere following six seasons at Molineux, where he became one of their key players, helping them secure promotion in 2018 while playing a major part in establishing the club as a regular in the Premier League – scoring 30 goals in 253 games in all competitions.

When an offer of £47m arrived from Saudi Arabia, there was no question the Midlands side were going to accept, especially with the pressure to comply with the financial fair play regulations, but it is clear the club are missing Neves.

For his new team, Al-Hilal, the Portuguese midfielder has scored seven times and grabbed 11 assists. In comparison, no Wolves' midfielder has more than six goal contributions this season, which is slightly worrying.

He remains a big loss to the spine of the team, especially with his continued success elsewhere, but might Wolves have let an even bigger talent slip through the net in recent times? As Paris Saint-Germain midfielder, Vitinha was previously on the books for Wolves.

Goals

6

Assists

1

Key passes per game

0.9

Big chances created

1

Accurate passes per game

48.8

Vitinha's record at Wolves

In September 2020, Wolves managed to secure the signature of the Portuguese starlet on a season-long loan deal from FC Porto, with an option to buy inserted into the deal.

Given his potential, it looked as though the Old Gold could be close to pulling off another masterstroke in a similar vein to Neves, but Vitinha’s time in the Midlands was far from a success.

Across all competitions, he managed to make just 22 appearances for Wolves, scoring once and providing one assist, failing to really showcase his potential under Nuno Espírito Santo.

It wasn’t until he returned to Porto ahead of the 2021/22 campaign that failing to sign him permanently looked like it could prove to be a massive mistake.

Vitinha's record since leaving Wolves

The midfielder began to really showcase his true worth when returning to Porto, making 47 appearances across all competitions while scoring four times and grabbing five assists.

After impressing in Portugal, PSG completed the signing of the highly rated player in the summer of 2022, spending €40m (£34.4m) to lure him to France, and it has proven to be a tremendous bargain given how well he has performed, especially this season.

Under Luis Enrique, PSG have looked like a much better team than in previous years, finally showing some cohesion as a collective unit, rather than relying on three or four-star names.

Vitinha has been the beating heart of the squad which not only claimed the Ligue 1 title for the third successive season but are into the final of the Coupe de France while coming ever so close to making their second Champions League final.

In Europe’s premier club competition, Vitinha has played a starring role. The 24-year-old currently ranks seventh in the entire tournament for big chances created (five), showing how impressive he has been when compared to fellow competitors in creating opportunities for his teammates.

Despite losing 2-0 on aggregate to Borussia Dortmund in the semi-finals, Vitinha has arguably been the star of the show during the knockout stages for the French side.

In the first leg against Barcelona, the youngster finished the game with a 98% pass success rate, made three key passes and lost possession just twice, controlling the game throughout.

Against Dortmund in the first leg, his distribution was incredible. Not only did he succeed with 96% of his passes, but Vitinha was accurate with all 12 long balls he played while winning four of his six ground duels during the clash in what was a sublime display.

The club may have missed out on a second Champions League final, but having a player like Vitinha at the heart of their midfield, it surely won't be long before they actually go on and win the entire thing.

It's no wonder his performances led to high praise, with analyst Ben Mattinson leading the plaudits, saying: “Might not have won the tie but Vitinha showed how he’s been one of the best midfielders in the world this season.

“The close control, IQ, vision, intelligence to dictate the tempo, ball-striking, the time of release, press resistance, mentality, tenacity. So complete.”

There is no doubt that he is going to get better and better in the coming years, especially as it doesn’t look like he has even entered his peak yet.

Wolves already have their next Morgan Gibbs-White lying in wait

He’s been dropping 9/10 performances in the Championship

ByJoe Nuttall May 7, 2024

Would Vitinha have developed this quickly had he remained at Wolves after his underwhelming loan spell? It's hard to tell, but going back to Porto and gaining a chance to be the main man in their starting XI certainly helped him secure a move to PSG.

Losing Neves was a blow, but it was always likely that he was going to leave sooner rather than later, plus turning down £47m would have been a poor move from O’Neil.

Failing to sign Vitinha on a permanent deal in 2021, however, is swiftly becoming one of the poorest choices the club have made in quite some time, no doubt about that.

Duo arrive home after being stranded overseas when Covid-19 pandemic struck

Matt Roller09-Jun-2020Lauren Winfield and Amy Jones will resume training along with the rest of the England squad on June 22 after returning to the UK from Australia.Both players were stranded overseas and unable to fly back because of restrictions on international travel imposed due to the Covid-19 pandemic and the cancellation of most commercial flights, but returned home over the weekend.The UK government has imposed a mandatory 14-day quarantine period for those arriving from overseas that came into place on June 8, but both players returned home in time to avoid that, meaning they will be able to leave the house when necessary.Winfield had been celebrating her honeymoon in Queensland following her wedding to long-term partner Courtney Hill, the Leeds Rhinos rugby league player, when the Australian government imposed a lockdown, while Jones was on holiday in Perth.Australia has suppressed the virus better than most countries, meaning that both players were able to exercise while overseas having been sent gym equipment by the ECB. Winfield also posted pictures on Instagram of her having a net, playing golf and cycling.ALSO READ: ECB chief executive casts doubt over World Test ChampionshipLisa Keightley, England’s head coach, has also returned from Australia, and is expected to return to training with the squad on June 22.England’s series against India, initially scheduled to start at the end of June, has been postponed, and ECB officials have been in discussions with the BCCI and CSA about turning South Africa’s tour in September into a tri-series.”We will get some international cricket, all being well,” Tom Harrison, the ECB’s chief executive, told the BBC’s . “We’re talking to the BCCI and to Cricket South Africa about bringing their women’s teams over to play a tri-series, so we have something really to celebrate with the women’s game in September.”Harrison warned that the worsening situation in India, where the lockdown is beginning to ease even while the daily number of Covid-19 deaths continues to rise, could jeopardise India’s tour, but said that he was hopeful it would still go ahead.”When you’re dealing with international teams, you’re dealing with the Covid environment here and overseas as well,” he said. “And if we were in the eye of the storm in this country a few weeks ago in cricketing terms then very much now it looks like that has moved to the subcontinent now where they are experiencing their very tough moment with this pandemic.”And hopefully they can get over that quickly which will enable us to bring the team over. Hopefully we continue to make progress in defeating this virus and we can have a good tri-series with India and South Africa at the end of the summer.”

West Ham are eyeing a move for free agent Joel Matip who left Liverpool at the end of the 2023/24 season.

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West Ham in talks to sign MatipDefender left Liverpool in the summer after eight yearsWon every major trophy with the RedsWHAT HAPPENED?

The 33-year-old Cameroonian defender exited the Premier League after eight years when his contract with the Reds expired at the end of last season. However, he could now make a comeback to the English top flight as West Ham have shown interest in the centre-back, according to talkSPORT.

Advertisement(C)Getty ImagesTHE BIGGER PICTURE

The Hammers signed players like Max Kilman and Jean-Clair Todibo while the summer transfer window was open, but they also parted ways with defenders Thilo Kehrer, Angelo Ogbonna, Kurt Zouma and Nayef Aguerd. The report adds that new manager Julen Lopetegui is looking to further strengthen the team's backline and as a result, the club have initiated talks with Matip.

DID YOU KNOW?

During his time with Liverpool, Matip made 201 appearances across all competitions and was an integral part of Jurgen Klopp's side that won the Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup, Carabao Cup and the UEFA Super Cup.

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GettyWHAT NEXT FOR WEST HAM?

Lopetegui's side have managed to win just one of their first three Premier League matches and will be back in action after the international break on September 14, as they take on London rivals Fulham.

Teams set to be split into three regional groups

George Dobell27-May-2020

A re-jigged County Championship season could yet be feasible•Getty Images

A five-day Lord’s final could be the centrepiece of an abbreviated 2020 county season which should also feature T20 Finals Day.Subject to government clearance and an ongoing improvement in the Covid-19 situation, ESPNcricinfo understands the ECB hope to start the domestic season in early August.The Championship is set to be split into three regional groups – North, South and West – with all teams set to play a minimum of five games. The top two teams at the end of the regional stage will play a final, probably over five days, at Lord’s. It remains unclear if the winners will be viewed as County Champions in the traditional sense, but the results of the 2020 season will have no bearing on divisions next year.That means the three promoted teams (Gloucestershire, Lancashire and Northamptonshire) will start the 2021 campaign in Division One, relegated Nottinghamshire will remain in Division Two, and Somerset’s 12-point pitch penalty is likely to roll over to next season.The Vitality T20 Blast season is also set to be played – including Finals Day at Edgbaston – but the Royal London One-Day Cup looks almost certain to be abandoned.If the domestic season is unable to begin until September, plans for a Championship season will be dropped and all efforts will instead focus on The Blast. In the best-case scenario, each county will play four first-class games in August before breaking for the Blast season.ALSO READ: Lancashire hopeful spectators could be admitted again in SeptemberWhile counties remain keen to play in front of crowds, there is an acceptance that there can be no guarantees in that regard at present.If necessary, however, they appear determined to go ahead behind closed doors or with social distancing built into their plans. This could mean grounds such as Edgbaston and The Kia Oval, with capacities over 20,000, would only be able to accommodate around 6,000 spectators.How the 2020 county season might look•ESPNcricinfo Ltd

The counties are anxious to see a return to cricket, however, fearing the consequences if they are unable to play from September 2019 to April 2021. Not least among their concerns is the prospect of needing to refund membership subscriptions. Several clubs would look to broadcast their games over their websites, Facebook, or YouTube.If the season were to start in August, county players would need to be taken off furlough at the start of July at the latest. Only two counties, Lancashire and Surrey, have not used the government’s job retention scheme for players.There are various complications. Several grounds – notably Edgbaston, Emirates Old Trafford and the Ageas Bowl – are being used as bio-secure venues for touring teams (England at Southampton, West Indies in Manchester and Pakistan in Birmingham) while there may also be a need to play into October.But the Professional Game Group, who are discussing the plans on Thursday, believe that with a bit of flexibility, solutions can be found and hope the five-day final will mitigate against the increasingly possibility of bad light if the Championship final is played, as expected, in late September.

Chelsea will be fighting to secure a top six finish in the Premier League by the end of this week as they prepare for their last two matches of the season.

The Blues travel away from Stamford Bridge to take on Brighton & Hove Albion on Wednesday night before playing host to Bournemouth at the weekend.

Mauricio Pochettino's side are currently level on points with Newcastle United in sixth, but below them on goal difference, and will be looking to overtake them over the next six days.

Chelsea could still, therefore, secure Europa League, instead of the Europa Conference League, football for the 2024/25 campaign with a strong end to the term.

However, the focus behind the scenes may already be on what they could do in the upcoming summer transfer window to bolster the playing squad.

In fact, Chelsea were linked with an interest in a former Premier League magician earlier this month, and he could come in to replace Noni Madueke as a starter next season.

Chelsea's interest in Barcelona star

It was recently reported by Graeme Bailey that the Blues are one of a number of clubs who have been alerted to the potential availability of Barcelona star Raphinha this summer.

The outlet claimed that Chelsea and West Ham have both shown previous interest in the Brazil international and have now had it made clear to them that he could be on the market this time around, although it remains to be seen whether or not either team will come in with a firm offer for the winger.

It was also revealed that Newcastle United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur, Aston Villa, and Arsenal are also interested in the former Leeds United whiz.

They have all been spoken to about his status heading into the summer transfer window and have shown some interest in signing the left-footed dynamo.

The report claimed that he is set to be available for a move as Barcelona are looking to raise funds to make new additions of their own for Xavi's squad.

It also added that the Spanish giants will hope to make a tiny profit on the £50m that they splashed out to sign him from Leeds in the summer of 2022. However, no exact figure was mentioned so it remains to be seen how much Chelsea would need to pay to land the attacker.

If Todd Boehly and his team can get a deal over the line for the Brazil international, ahead of their Premier League rivals, then Pochettino could boldly ditch Madueke from his starting XI, despite the talented gem's recent form for the Blues.

Noni Madueke's Premier League form this season

The young ace is another left-footed winger who mainly operates down the right flank, like Raphinha, and it is, therefore, his position that would be under threat if the Barcelona wizard arrived at Stamford Bridge this summer.

He has been in impressive form in recent weeks and has been a regular starter for Pochettino of late, with eight straight starts in all competitions.

Madueke has racked up three goals and two assists in his last seven Premier League appearances, having managed two goals and zero assists in his last 14 matches in the division this term.

23/24 Premier League

Noni Madueke

Appearances

21

Goals

5

Assists

2

Big chances created

2

Key passes per game

1.0

Dribbles completed per game

1.6

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the England U21 international has been directly involved in seven goals in 21 league games so far this season, which is not an outstanding return.

He has only created one chance per game on average for his teammates and, bar his recent run of form, has not offered a consistent threat as a scorer or a creator of goals in the top-flight.

At the age of 22, Madueke still has plenty of time left ahead of him to develop and improve over the years to come but Chelsea could land an instant upgrade on him by swooping for Raphinha.

That would leave the former PSV wizard as a back-up for that role on the right side of the attack, or at least needing to fight for his place in the XI, or it could force him to consider his short-term future with the London giants.

Why Raphinha could replace Noni Madueke

Raphinha could replace Madueke on the right wing for Chelsea as he is an experienced and proven top-level winger who has showcased his ability to make a big impact in the final third on a regular basis in Spain and in England.

During his time with Leeds, the Brazil international produced 17 goals, 12 assists, and 22 'big chances' created in 65 Premier League matches, which earned him a move to the Nou Camp.

This shows that the left-footed star has already proven that he has what it takes to perform consistently in the English top-flight, with an impressive stream of goals and assists.

He would, therefore, be less of a risk to sign than, for example, a player coming in from another league with no prior experience of football in the Premier League, or England at all.

Raphinha, whose crossing with both feet was hailed as "dangerous" by Xavi, then hit the ground running in LaLiga with an eye-catching return of seven goals scored, seven assists, and 17 'big chances' created in 25 starts during the 2022/23 campaign.

23/24 season

Noni Madueke (Premier League)

Raphinha (LaLiga)

Appearances

21

26

Goals

5

5

Assists

2

9

Big chances created

2

11

Key passes per game

1.0

1.5

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, the 27-year-old sensation has significantly outperformed Madueke at league level this term, with over four times as many assists and over five times as many 'big chances' created, with the same number of goals.

This suggests that they both offer a similar goal threat but the Barcelona maestro would create considerably more for his teammates if he arrives at Stamford Bridge.

The £207k-per-week star, who was once dubbed a "magician" by former teammate Dan James, could be a fantastic signing to bolster the Blues attack, which is why Pochettino and Boehly should swoop to secure his services this summer.

Couple his current form in comparison to Madueke with his history of being a lethal performer in the Premier League and the evidence is there to suggest that the manager could boldly ditch the English forward for Raphinha next term.

The Allianz Arena is the next venue for Arsenal to attend, as Bayern Munich welcomes the English side to their back garden on Wednesday evening.

The last time that the Gunners won away at the German giant was in 2013, and a similar scoreline will be needed this time around if they’re to progress into the quarterfinal.

Arsenal 2-0 Bayern: Starting XI for 2015 home win
GK – Petr Cech
RB – Hector Bellerin
CB – Laurent Koscielny
CB – Per Mertesacker
LB – Nacho Monreal
CM – Francis Coquelin
CM – Santi Cazorla
CAM – Mesut Ozil
RW – Aaron Ramsey
LW – Alexis Sanchez
ST – Theo Walcott

The Champions League anthem had already rung around the Emirates this time last week, when the tie ended in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

Unfortunately, the preparation going into the game hasn’t been ideal, with Aston Villa defeating Mikel Arteta’s side 2-0 last weekend, and therefore, the boss may look to change a few individuals ahead of the season-defining clash.

Gabriel Jesus drops out of the side

Gabriel Jesus hasn’t featured quite as much as anticipated in the Premier League this season, with the Spaniard often opting for Kai Havertz up front.

Nevertheless, the Brazilian has made 22 league appearances, scoring four goals, but despite his best return coming in the Champions League, netting four goals and providing three assists in seven matches, he may not make the starting lineup for this evening.

The former Manchester City star did start at the weekend in the defeat, where he failed to get on the scoresheet for a seventh consecutive game.

With Bayern set to be an even tougher opposition than Villa, particularly when playing at home, it wouldn’t be a surprise for Jesus to drop out of the side completely, even being replaced by a midfielder.

Who will come into the team to play Bayern

Jorginho has been fantastic when featuring for Arsenal this season, playing 22 games in the English top flight and eight in the Champions League.

The Italian has often been drafted into the side ahead of important ties, notably the recent match against Manchester City and the second leg versus Porto.

However, on Wednesday night, the former Chelsea player will once again have an enormous task on his hands, and that is to stop Jamal Musiala from working his magic in the gaps between the midfield and backline.

Last week, the 32-year-old started against the Bundesliga side, and he impressed during his 67 minutes on the field, influencing the side from both an in-possession and an out-of-possession perspective.

Jorginho vs Bayern
Stats	Jorginho
Minutes	67
Touches	48
Pass accuracy	85%
Possession lost	7
Duels won	5/8
Tackles	3
Dribbled past	1
Interceptions	1
Via Sofascore

Tonight, it may not be Jorginho’s technical ability that makes him so important, but more so his experience of performing on the big occasion, which we’ve seen when Italy won the Euros and when Chelsea lifted the Champions League trophy.

With Bayer Leverkusen knocking Bayern off their perch in the league, the atmosphere could become overwhelming, which suits the level-headed and composed star.

Furthermore, the “ridiculous” midfielder, as labelled by football analyst Ben Mattinson, is extremely composed in possession, often making the right decision and hardly losing the ball, as shown by the earlier table.

However, during the first leg, he also showed his defensive capabilities, making three tackles, one interception, and only being dribbled past once, which is an achievement in itself against the tricky Musiala.

Overall, Arsenal must play as a unit, and Jorginho could just prove to be the glue that keeps the side together. Therefore, he simply has to start alongside Declan Rice.

Arsenal lining up £51m Jorginho replacement as a priority summer target

The Gunners are reportedly interested in the impressive central midfielder ahead of the summer.

By
Dan Emery

Apr 16, 2024

A Manchester United managerial target finds a move to Old Trafford "appealing", according to a new update.

Latest on Erik ten Hag’s future

Erik ten Hag’s second season in charge of the Red Devils hasn’t exactly gone to plan, although United are in the FA Cup final later this month. Monday evening’s 4-0 defeat to Crystal Palace was the latest embarrassing moment in a disappointing Premier League campaign, which has resulted in more speculation regarding the Dutchman’s future.

Man Utd could turn Hojlund into a monster by hiring 'Manager of the Year'

He is an expert at coaching strikers

ByJoe Nuttall May 8, 2024

New co-owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe may soon have a decision to make regarding Ten Hag, who said after the defeat at Selhurst Park when asked if he was the right person for the job: "Absolutely. If the right players are available, we have a good squad. We miss almost the whole backline and then we have problems.

"I will keep fighting. I prepared the team in the best way I could do. It was not good enough, I have to take responsibility for that but I will find energy and prepare them for Sunday's game."

Journalist Ben Jacobs has since stated that Ten Hag will remain in charge until the end of the season where there will then be an end of season review by Red Devils officials.

One manager who has been heavily linked to take over from Ten Hag is Bayern Munich boss Thomas Tuchel, with Ratcliffe even making contact with the German recently. Now, there has been an update which is promising for those at Old Trafford.

Thomas Tuchel keen on Man Utd move

According to Sky Sports reporter Florian Plettenberg, Tuchel finds the move to Old Trafford “appealing”, with “loose contact” ongoing with United.

As can be seen, Tuchel also seems to be keen on a return Chelsea, so United may have a battle on their hands this summer, should the Blues part ways with Mauricio Pochettino.

If United land Tuchel, they will be getting a manager who has been called “crazy” by Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and “fantastic” by Jurgen Klopp in the past.

Wins

355

Draws

106

Losses

144

Goals scored

1,263

Goals conceded

695

Total points

1,171

Points per game

1.94

The 50-year-old has previous experience in the Premier League and won the Champions League with Chelsea, so Ratcliffe may feel he is the right man to turn things around.

Cricket West Indies has decided to temporarily slash salaries and funding across the entire regional cricket system by 50% starting July to deal with the “debilitating” impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has left the board facing a major loss of income in the absence of regular cricketing activities.According to a CWI statement, the board of directors have agreed to “a plan” where they can deliver “at least a minimum level of job protection” for the employees and the ones contracted throughout the region’s cricket community as they foresee a long-term impact of the crisis on their operations.The measures, which have been recommended by a financial advisory committee formed by the board, also include a 50% cut in funding for territorial boards, territorial boards’ franchises and West Indies Players’ Association, as well as a 50% reduction in all retainers and allowances for directors and executive management. The board hopes that the measures, which all stakeholders were privy to, will only be in place for not more than three to six months.”This pandemic is hurting every West Indian and this decision to cut staff and player incomes has been a very difficult one to make; one that will impact so many members of the cricketing family around the Caribbean,” CWI president Ricky Skerritt said. “This business continuity plan unfortunately requires all stakeholders to make a huge sacrifice, but I am confident that it won’t be long before CWI will be in a position to ensure that the sport we love can restart and be enjoyed once again by the thousands of cricket fans across the region and diaspora.”In April, a severe cash crunch faced by CWI resulted in delayed payment of match fees of international and domestic players from earlier this calendar year, with Wayne Lewis, WIPA secretary, saying that the dues would be settled by the end of June. An audit into the financial problems affecting the board found a “massive hole” in its coffers. The report, compiled by external and independent auditors earlier this month, blamed historic factors for the situation.”The effects of this pandemic have been distressing for everyone – the worst crisis of our lifetime – and at present, we cannot be certain when the situation will be rectified,” Johnny Grave, CWI chief executive, said. “We recognize that this will cause financial pain for all our staff, players, coaches and umpires across the Caribbean, but having kept everyone on full-pay since the outbreak in March we have no choice but to take decisive action from next month onwards.”CWI’s greatest asset is our people and players and everyone sharing equally in the temporary reduction, we believe is the best way for us to ensure we get through this crisis and protect our organisation and all the jobs in the system. We will be reviewing the situation regularly with the hope that we can return to norm.”