Wolverhampton Wanderers have made an encouraging start to the campaign under Gary O'Neil and Sunday People reporter Neil Moxley has now given an update on their potential January transfer activity in the striking department.
Wolverhampton Wanderers continue to impress…
Despite a recent wobble, Wolves have lost just three of their last ten fixtures across all competitions and look like a sure-fire bet to retain their Premier League status in comfortable fashion, given that they sit ten points above 18th-place Luton Town on 19 points with 16 fixtures played.
Last weekend, a 1-1 draw at Molineux helped to extend their unbeaten run on home soil to six matches; however, the Old Gold will be frustrated that they weren't able to see victory over the line against Steve Cooper's stubborn Nottingham Forest outfit.
Top target: Wolves now eyeing cut-price swoop for "fabulous" player in January
Gary O’Neil could land himself a potential bargain…
BySean Markus Clifford Dec 10, 2023
Sharing his post-match thoughts, O'Neil echoed this sentiment and indicated his frustration that his side couldn't fashion more opportunities on the day, stating via the club's official website: "We’re probably all feeling as the fans feel, just frustrated that we didn’t show more quality and more oomph to cause them some problems."
West Ham United represent the Old Gold's next test in the English top-flight this weekend followed closely by a congested run of fixtures where they will take on Chelsea, Everton and Brentford, with the latter being pitted against Wolves in both league and FA Cup action.
Undoubtedly, part of O'Neil's impressive work at Molineux has centred around getting the most out of his players in the final third, with the likes of Matheus Cunha, Hwang Hee-chan, Pedro Neto Pablo Sarabia and Sasa Kalajdzic all coming up with important goal contributions over the course of 2023/24.
Now, reporter Moxley has given an insight into potential January transfer plans in the West Midlands, with a particular emphasis being placed on the striking department.
Neil Moxley suggests Wolves will add goals in January
Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, reporter Moxley has indicated that Wolves could look to bring in attacking reinforcements in the January transfer window.
Wolves' forwards – all competitions (statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt)
Player
Goals
Assists
Hwang Hee-chan
9
2
Pedro Neto
1
8
Sasa Kalajdzic
3
1
Matheus Cunha
5
3
Pablo Sarabia
1
6
Moxley also signalled his belief that £7-10 million may be available to spend in January, stating: "I think somewhere between £7m-£10m. I think that's about right. I think that's the sort of money they have to spend in January.
"I hope they spend it wisely because adding a few more goals to a team that has struggled a little bit over the years, even when Nuno Espirito Santo was taking them up the league, they relied heavily on the goals of Raul Jimenez and have struggled a little bit to replicate that. So yeah, I'd like to see them spend a little bit of money and get an alternative up front because goals are hard to come by."
Of course, the Premier League can be a cruel mistress regarding injuries and drops in form that can influence certain players, which makes the prospect of Wolves looking to bring another attack-minded player into the building in January a potentially wise move as O'Neil aims to break into the top half of the table.
Newcastle United have already suffered the consequences of failing to welcome certain reinforcements during the summer transfer window, with injuries to Sven Botman and Fabian Schar exposing the lack of depth in Eddie Howe's backline. The Magpies boss has already been forced to play Dan Burn out of position and at centre-back this season, in a problem that he must be avoiding if he is to guide his side into the top four for a second consecutive Premier League campaign.
That said, reports suggest that Newcastle have turned their attention to providing a solution for Howe's problem, with a bid made for one particular January target to hand those at St James' Park a major boost for the second half of the season.
Newcastle transfer news
Despite having just three recognised senior centre-backs in the form of Jamaal Lascelles, Botman and Schar in the summer, Newcastle failed to welcome another option. And with Botman's injury history, as well as Schar's injury history far from positive, it was always a decision that was likely to come back to bite the Magpies. Now, with the January window approaching, Newcastle are reportedly looking to solve their centre-back shortage by welcoming a Serie A star.
According to reports in Spain, Newcastle have made a £26m bid for Genoa centre-back Radu Dragusin. Dragusin has recently signed a new contract in Italy but reportedly has a gentleman's agreement in place that will allow him to leave if any club matches his £26m price tag, handing Newcastle a major boost in their negotiations.
The Magpies are yet to get a response, but their supposed bid suggests that they are ahead of the likes of Arsenal, West Ham United and Tottenham Hotspur, who are all also reportedly interested in the defender.
When the January transfer window opens, Genoa's response could result in some good news for those at St James' Park or even potentially commence a bidding war from the Premier League.
"Dominant" Dragusin can be even better than Botman
With Botman currently out injured, Dragusin has the chance to arrive in January and instantly take his place in Howe's starting side. The 21-year-old has been incredibly impressive for Genoa this season and may get even better with a Premier League move. Dragusin's stats certainly show that's likely to be the case and even give Botman something to worry about.
Player
Progressive Carries
Progressive Passes
Tackles Won
Interceptions
Radu Dragusin
5
21
7
16
Sven Botman
0
9
5
4
Promoted from Serie B last season, Genoa sit 15th and five points clear of the drop zone, making the work of Dragusin so far in the current campaign all the more impressive. The central defender has earned deserved praise as a result, with Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig describing him as "dominant" and his listing his strengths as: "Tackling, athleticism, positioning, heading, passing, anticipation."
With that said, Newcastle could get the perfect solution to their depth problems in the January transfer window, as they face the wait to find out whether their reported £26m bid for Dragusin is successful.
Arsenal have emerged from the interminable dog days and now fight for illustrious success under Mikel Arteta's wing, having come agonisingly close to the Premier League title last season and currently topping the table at present.
While the Spanish manager has married the implementation of his vision on the pitch with astute business on the transfer front, Arsenal's ever-reliable Hale End academy has been an integral part of the framework.
Most Valuable Players in the World
Player
Club
Market Value
Erling Haaland
Manchester City
£217m
Vinicius Jr.
Real Madrid
£217m
Kylian Mbappe
Paris Saint-Germain
£173m
Bukayo Saka
Arsenal
£173m
Jude Bellingham
Real Madrid
£173m
Rodrygo
Real Madrid
£173m
*Sourced via CIES Football Observatory
Indeed, amid star-studded confreres, Bukayo Saka is arguably the Gunners' most important player and is valued among the most valuable players in world football – with six goals and nine assists already this term underscoring his importance.
The 22-year-old winger graduated from the academy to earn his place among the finest around, with Emile Smith Rowe also enjoying an impressive rise before injury derailed his progress.
There's a whole host of potential awaiting a promotion to Arteta's senior set-up, and while the squad has not looked this good in some time, it's a testament to Mehmet Ali and Jack Wilshere's work with the development squad that there are so many options good enough to burst onto the scene. Another looking to make a breakthrough is teenager Lino Sousa.
Lino Sousa's career in numbers
Sousa, aged 18, is one of Arsenal's most promising youngsters and has been lauded as "outstanding" by former youth coach Kevin Betsy for his seamless integration into life at Hale End.
Signing for Arsenal from West Bromwich Albion in January 2022 when he was 17-years-old, Sousa has now completed 49 appearances for the London side's various youth teams, clinching five goals and three assists in the process.
This season, the Lisbon-born dynamo has scored three goals from just 11 appearances across all competitions, including a decisive strike against Swindon Town in the EFL Trophy – a match that the young Gunners won on penalties.
As per Sofascore, the teenage full-back was effective during the display, complementing his strike with an 82% pass success rate, one clearance and success in 50% of his contested duels.
Speaking to the Arsecast Podcast, journalist James McNicholas was full of belief that the marauding starlet could wedge his way into Arteta's plans, saying: “The other one who’s a massive talent is Lino Sousa, who’s really well thought of and potentially there is actually a gap in the squad at left-back.
“He’s 18 years old, the boy at [Manchester] City Rico Lewis has come in and done a terrific job and he’s 18 as well. I do think the club really highly of Lino Sousa and see him as a first-team player potentially one day."
Oleksandr Zinchenko is key to Arsenal's efforts and is among the most creative and fluid full-backs in Europe, but with Kieran Tierney shipped out on loan to Real Sociedad and Nuno Tavares handed to Nottingham Forest on a season-long deal, McNicholas' words may well ring true.
The eight-cap England U19 international might have a tough task in relegating Zinchenko to the bench, but should his impressive performances keep up then the Arsenal bosses could be faced with something of a quandary on their hands, though one that would be welcomed with open arms.
Oleksandr Zinchenko's style of play
Arsenal signed Zinchenko from Premier League juggernauts Manchester City in July 2022 for £32m, with the dynamic Ukrainian star only starting ten matches in the top flight during his final campaign at the Etihad Stadium.
The 58-cap international ranks among the top 4% for pass completion, the top 2% for passes attempted and the top 1% for progressive passes per 90, as per FBref, emphasising the level of creative distribution within Zinchenko's power.
Zinchenko is the full package, creative, industrious and inspiring, with the £150k-per-week ace's displays even leading the likes of reporter Connor Humm to remark on how he appears "everywhere" on the pitch when on his a-game.
As the player's heat map portrays – via Sofascore – the 25-year-old is quite the ubiquitous presence down the left channel and often finds a home in the opposition's half, where his 1.1 key passes per game and crisp 90% pass completion rate really shine through.
Technically, Zinchenko is not a natural full-back and was actually shifted into the placement by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, playing in central midfield almost exclusively for his nation, and Arteta could now start fielding him further infield to accommodate the rise of Sousa.
Given that Thomas Partey is expected to be sidelined until after the new year – with his future at the club in doubt too – Zinchenko could now cement a spot in the centre, and given that he boasts a 68% tackle success rate in the Premier League this term (higher than William Saliba) such a tactical tweak really could provide benefits for the Gunners.
Oleksandr Zinchenko: Similar Full-backs
Player
Club
Jules Kounde
Barcelona
Trent Alexander-Arnold
Liverpool
Giovanni Di Lorenzo
Napoli
Kyle Walker
Manchester City
Andy Robertson
Liverpool
*Sourced via Football Transfers
Arsenal insider Jeorge Bird has been among those to sing Sousa's praises and made these comments on the player's potential, writing: 'An England youth international, Sousa has demonstrated his versatility for Arsenal U18s, featuring as a left wing-back and also as a left-sided centre-back in a three man defence.
Wherever he has been deployed Sousa has shown that he is very composed in possession, with his playing style seeming somewhat reminiscent of Ainsley Maitland-Niles at youth level. Sousa relishes pushing forward but also doesn’t shirk his defensive responsibilities.'
Clearly a player of attacking strength but maintaining a solid base simultaneously, the 18-year-old was an unused substitute in Arsenal's 3-0 victory over Brentford last season and looks poised for a first-team debut sooner rather than later.
Especially given that Ali – speaking to The Athletic – remarked: “Lino is a player who is very comfortable on the ball, because of that we sometimes give him licence to come inside to get the ball to feet and then try and serve (the ball in) effective and dangerous areas."
This certainly feels similar to Zinchenko and is exactly what Arteta will look for in a young full-back, and Arsenal must now make room for the latest Hale End prodigy to enter the fray and make his mark.
Após o impeachment de José Carlos Peres da presidência do Santos, em Assembleia de Sócios realizada neste domingo (22), Orlando Rollo assumiu oficialmente o cargo até o fim do ano.
-Hoje é um dia para comemorar. Dia histórico. Salvo engano, primeira vez que presidente sofre impeachment no Santos. Consultei a ASSOPHIS mais cedo. Temos que comemorar porque defenestramos um presidente que fez muito mal ao Santos – afirmou Rollo após ser empossado.
> Veja a classificação do Brasileirão e simule os próximos jogos
RelacionadasSantosJosé Carlos Peres sofre impeachment inédito na história do SantosSantos22/11/2020SantosUniformizada do Santos realiza manifestação pedindo o impeachment de PeresSantos22/11/2020SantosMarcelo Fernandes lamenta falta de entrosamento em meio a problemas no Santos: ‘Prejudica muito’Santos22/11/2020
O novo presidente santista fez duras críticas ao seu antecessor, no qual avaliou que teria que ter ‘pensado mais no clube’.
– Alertei há quase três anos. É triste para a história do Santos que um presidente tenha ficado tanto tempo. Alertamos, mas ele não quis sair. Processo de impeachment custou cerca de R$ 300 mil. Logística, advogados, etc. Santos tem sérias dificuldades financeiras e ainda gastou R$ 300 mil por causa de um presidente defenestrado que poderia não ter atrapalhado. Ele poderia ter pensado mais no clube – disse Orlando.
Em setembro de 2018, os associados votaram pela primeira vez em um processo de impeachment contra Peres. Na ocasião, o Estatuto Social não previa o afastamento do mandatário quando alvo de impedimento, condição alterada na adequação estatutária para inclusão do Profut, no fim de 2019. Com isso, Peres foi suspenso da presidência no dia 28 de setembro e agora foi retirado definitivamente do cargo, além de estar impossibilitado de concorrer a qualquer cargo eletivo no Peixe em um prazo de dez anos.
Caso tivesse assumido o Alvinegro no fim de 2018, Rollo acredita que algumas situações, como a utilização do dinheiro na venda do atacante Rodrygo e algumas contrataçõe
-Ninguém sabe onde está esse dinheiro. Auditoria está levantando cadê o dinheiro do Rodrygo. Imagina o Santos com essa fortuna, pagando todas as contas em dia, sem aberrações como Bryan Ruiz e Cueva. Santos estaria em outra realidade financeira e administrativa – pontuou o presidente.
Orlando Rollo terá o comando do Peixe até o dia 31 de dezembro de 2020, quando termina o mandato da atual gestão. No dia 12 de dezembro acontecerá a eleição presidencial para o próximo triênio. Seis chapas foram registradas para concorrer: Fernando Silva, Milton Teixeira Filho, Ricardo Agostinho, Andrés Rueda, Rodrigo Marino e Daniel Curi.
After being reduced to 31 for 2 in nine overs, St Kitts and Nevis Patriots chased their target of 148 with more than an over to spare
The Report by Peter Della Penna26-Aug-2018Mohammad Irfan in his follow through•CPL T20/ Getty Images
Brandon King overcame a torturous opening spell from Mohammad Irfan to record his maiden CPL fifty, leading the St Kitts & Nevis Patriots to a six-wicket win over Barbados Tridents on Saturday evening at Kensington Oval.Irfan claimed Chris Gayle with his first ball and snapped up Evin Lewis caught behind in his second over before making King hop around during the most economical four-over spell in the history of T20 cricket. But it was not enough to help the Barbados Tridents defend 147 as Steven Smith’s leaky leggies helped King get on track to finish with four fours and five sixes in his 60 off 49 balls. Ben Cutting and Tom Cooper took over from King in the 16th over and finished off the chase to put Patriots on six points, creating a four-way tie for first place on the CPL table.Holding patternThe Tridents got off to a modest start, ending the Powerplay at 34 for 0. Only three fours and a six were struck between Martin Guptill and Dwayne Smith as the pair also managed to rack up 17 dot balls in the first six overs. They fell off consecutive deliveries in the eighth over, bowled by Cutting. Guptill was sold out by Smith on a yes-no call to point as Anton Devcich threw down the stumps at the non-striker’s end. Lewis pulled off a one-handed stunner on the following ball at deep midwicket to leave the Tridents at 39 for 2.But the wickets actually stirred the Tridents innings to life as captain Jason Holder scored his maiden CPL half-century after promoting himself to No. 3. Holder slashed his first delivery for four through third man before setting his sights on Sandeep Lamichhane in the following over, slog-sweeping the legspinner for six. Holder and Shai Hope hit Lamichhane for 17 more in the 12th over.Holder could have been run-out for 31 in the 13th over. One ball after being tonked onto the Kensington Oval roof for six, Carlos Brathwaite had a chance to field off his own bowling on the off side, but his spin-around effort missed the stumps. Holder got another life on 38 when Cooper spilled him at long-on off Sheldon Cottrell. He brought up a 34-ball fifty with his third six whacked straight back over Brathwaite.Devilish doubleFollowing up his runout of Guptill, Devcich returned in the 18th over to break the 87-run Holder-Hope partnership, dismissing both men off back-to-back balls. Cooper made up for his earlier drop of Holder by clinging onto a chance at long-on to get rid of Hope for 26. Coming on strike after crossing with the ball in the air on Hope’s dismissal, Holder couldn’t get enough elevation on the next ball trying to clear Lewis at deep midwicket to put Devcich on a hat-trick.Tridents only managed 21 runs off the final 15 balls, stuttering through the end of their innings. Holder’s promotion also meant that Steven Smith, who had scored 63 in a Man-of-the-Match effort against Jamaica Tallawahs on Wednesday night, only faced three balls against the Patriots as the batting reshuffle, arguably, backfired.Irfan’s binary brush with perfectionThe towering Pakistan fast bowler began his unbroken four-over spell with 23 dot balls. It wasn’t just that the Patriots couldn’t score off him, with the exception of the two balls edged behind by Gayle and Lewis, nobody could lay a bat on him. Irfan’s first two overs were wicket-maidens, Gayle falling to a gem that squared him up and Lewis feathering a pull through to Pooran as well, though he seemed unhappy with the decision.King and Devon Thomas then proceeded to fan on every attempt at driving, poking, and nudging Irfan to get off strike. Nothing worked until the very last ball of Irfan’s spell, which King mishit off the toe of his bat down the ground before scampering one run. By the end of Irfan’s spell, Patriots were 18 for 2 in seven, their required run rate had climbed into double-digits with 130 needed off the final 13.King’s ransomThe 23-year-old Jamaican was on 15 off 32 balls after nine overs, having been handcuffed by Irfan ever since entering on the second ball of the chase. But Irfan’s work was undone by Steven Smith’s 10th over. Devon Thomas, who took 14 balls himself to get off the mark, clubbed the first ball for a straight six, which was followed a wide off which King got back on strike. King followed Thomas’ lead, smacking Smith for two more sixes off the next three balls before Thomas finished a 27-run frame with another six.The momentum-shifting over spurred King to pluck 35 runs off his next 10 balls. He singlehandedly wrecked Raymon Reifer for 22 off the 11th over to bring up a 42-ball half-century with another four smacked over cover. In the space of two overs, Patriots had plundered 49 runs and the required run rate was back to just 7.55. Thomas creamed Holder for four and six off the first two balls of the 12th and the pair ended up adding 88 for the third wicket. After a seven-over stretch where they couldn’t buy a run, suddenly the Tridents were giving them away at will and the Patriots cruised across the line with seven balls remaining.
شهدت تدريبات الفريق الأول لكرة القدم بنادي الزمالك، التي أقيمت مساء اليوم السبت على ملعب النادي مشاركة محمود عبد الرازق شيكابالا قائد الأبيض، في جزء من المران استعداداً لمواجهة بلدية المحلة ببطولة الدوري المصري الممتاز.
ومن المقرر أن يلتقي الزمالك مع بلدية المحلة، على أرضية استاد القاهرة الدولي، ضمن مؤجلات الجولة السابعة عشر للدوري المصري.
جاء ذلك، عقب تماثل شيكابالا للشفاء من الإصابة التي كان يعاني منها خلال الفترة الماضية، بمزق في العضلة الأمامية، وخضع على إثرها لبرنامج تأهيلي وعلاجي تحت إشراف الجهاز الطبي بقيادة الدكتور محمد أسامة، وشارك في الفقرة التأهيلية والخططية بشكل طبيعي.
طالع أيضاً.. أشرف صبحي يُعلق على تطورات أزمة شهد سعيد وجنة عليوة
وأكد الدكتور محمد أسامة رئيس الجهاز الطبي للفريق، أن “شيكابالا” تعافى تماماً من الإصابة التي كان يعاني منها، وذلك بعد انتهاء المرحلة الأخيرة من البرنامج التأهيلي الذي كان يخضع له مؤخرًا.
وأضاف أن “شيكابالا” بدأ المشاركة في التدريبات الجماعية اليوم السبت بشكل تدريجي، وفقاً لبرنامج مخصص له حتى يكون في أتم جاهزية للفترة المُقبلة.
وأشار إلى أن الجهاز الطبي، تعامل مع إصابة “شيكابالا” بالشكل الأمثل، الذي يضمن عودته بنسبة تعافي كاملة وهو المتبع مع كافة الإصابات من هذا النوع.
وشهد المران انتظام البنيني سامسون أكينيولا مهاجم الفريق، في التدريبات الجماعية بشكل طبيعي بعدما خاض فقرة بدنية وتأهيلية، وذلك عقب عودته من بلاده خلال الساعات الماضية.
وأدى سيف الدين الجزيري مهاجم الفريق، فقرة تدريبات تأهيلية خاصة، على هامش المران ووضع الجهاز الطبي للفريق بقيادة الدكتور محمد أسامة، برنامجاً تأهيلياً خاصاً للاعب بسبب معاناته من إجهاد عضلي.
وواصل مصطفى الزناري مدافع الفريق، البرنامج التأهيلي المخصص له من الجهاز الطبي، للتعافي من الإصابة التي كان يعاني منها، بمزق في العضلة الخلفية.
وأدى “الزناري” مجموعة من التدريبات التأهيلية، ضمن المرحلة الأخيرة التي يخضع لها في الفترة الحالية.
وأكد الدكتور محمد أسامة رئيس الجهاز الطبي للفريق، أن “الزناري” يؤدي حالياً المرحلة الأخيرة من البرنامج التأهيلي، وحالته في تحسن مستمر.
وأضاف رئيس الجهاز الطبي، أن “الزناري” سيعود للمشاركة في التدريبات الجماعية خلال الأيام القادمة، بعد الاطمئنان على تعافيه وجاهزيته بالشكل الأمثل.
ويحتل الزمالك المركز الخامس في جدول ترتيب الدوري المصري برصيد 44 نقطة، بينما يتواجد فريق بلدية المحلة بالمركز السادس عشر، ولديه 23 نقطة.
Aston Villa arrived at Molineux on Sunday afternoon perhaps expecting a game full of goals.
Indeed, only a week ago they had dispatched Brighton 6-1, while the hosts have only kept one clean sheet this season.
We did get goals, but only one apiece as the Midlands rivals drew 1-1. It was a game dominated by stoppages as a grand total of 28 fouls were given away during the contest.
The fact the game went over the 100-minute mark, therefore, was probably not a surprise after Hwang Hee-chan and Pau Torres had found the net for their respective sides.
Who was Aston Villa's best player against Wolves?
A 1-1 game perhaps suggests that not many stood out for either side. That said, fresh from a hat-trick last week, a new contract and an England call up, Ollie Watkins was in the thick of the action again.
The striker may not have found the net but he did supply the assist for Torres' first Villa strike since signing from Villarreal in the summer.
Creating two chances, John McGinn also looked lively after a good week for him personally too, netting a late winner in the Europa Conference League to spare Villa's blushes.
Despite conceding, a centre-back pairing of Torres and Diego Carlos also looked dogged and organised in possession. Sadly, not everyone in claret and blue stood out.
Who was Aston Villa's worst player against Wolves?
As per Birmingham Mail's John Townley, Douglas Luiz was "the best player on the pitch in the first half" but it was his lapse of judgement that led to the opening goal of the game after giving the ball away cheaply.
That said, there was still plenty of time for Villa to recover, which they did not. Pedro Neto darted down the right-hand side, made it to the byline and then slid the ball cross for Hwang to fire home from close range.
Another that disappointed was new signing Nicolo Zaniolo. Having been brought into the contest with around an hour left, the stats will hardly paint him in a good light. His 14 touches were unsurprisingly less than goalkeeper Emi Martinez's 38, but that epitomised his rather anonymous display.
Unfortunately, he has found himself competing with Moussa Diaby for a spot in the side. On that evidence he will find it hard to dislodge the Frenchman who has looked at home in Villa colours so far, netting twice and assisting three in eight outings.
Zaniola, of course, has had less game time but he is yet to show the same potential after arriving as an exciting new signing.
The Italian has started three times in the Premier League this season, also appearing on three occasions from the bench, but is yet to register a goal involvement.
That never looked like happening against Wolves either, as he was a replacement for Diaby. The aforementioned Townley suggested that he 'struggled to get in the game and didn’t make much of an impact'. That was certainly reflected in the numbers.
The £60k-per-week attacker managed just three accurate passes while he was on the pitch, none of which created a chance, he didn't register a single dribble and had one shot, which was off target.
Blaming a substitute for a result would be harsh – indeed it wasn't his fault at all – but Villa supporters will be looking for Zaniolo to show a bit more quality now when he's given an opportunity. He was billed as a lively player but while Diaby continues to thrive, Unai Emery's fellow new signing cuts a frustrating figure.
Tottenham Hotspur have donned some iconic kits over their history, with a number of the game’s recognisable faces wearing the famous cockerel on their chest.
Some Spurs kits truly hit the mark, becoming collectors’ items and must-haves for supporters. However, with the good comes the bad, and it is fair to say the Lilywhites have had some truly shocking kits.
So, we at Football FanCast have decided to rank the worst 10 Spurs kits from the Premier League era. Here are our selections, with some no doubt going to divide opinion amongst diehard fans…
10 1995/96 Away
Tottenham Hotspur 1995/96.
Purple shirts have been done regularly by Tottenham’s kit manufacturers over the years. And it is fair to say, in recent years, the likes of Under Armour and Nike have been able to design them well.
However, the same cannot be said for Pony’s effort in the mid ’90s. A striped shirt with purple and navy colours paired with a buttoned up collar feels like a recipe for a bad kit.
On top of all the design issues with this kit, the 95/96 campaign did not provide the Spurs faithful much to cheer about with an eighth placed finish following the sale of Jurgen Klinsmann.
9 2008/09 Third
David Bentley Tottenham Hotspur 2008/09.
Puma have provided Spurs with some memorable kits over the years. The club’s first ever Champions League campaign came with Puma manufacturing their kits.
And the club provided Tottenham with a truly iconic chocolate brown kit in 2006 which sold out almost instantly. A couple of years later, Puma seemingly tried to follow on from that success with another brown kit.
It is difficult to call that effort a triumph with this third kit showcasing – what can only be said – two odd striped on the right shoulder as well as a strange collar style.
The 2008/09 campaign was not one to remember for Spurs with the club forced to sack Juande Ramos after what was a dreadful start under the Spaniard with the Lilywhites slumped at the bottom of the league.
8 1999/00 Away
Tottenham Hotspur 1999/00
Again, yellow shirts have become synonymous with the north London club over the years with a number of away and third shirts being designed in that colour way.
But the combination of a navy top third and a yellow remainder of the jersey just does not seem to be a good mix on the Adidas template which includes a white collar.
It is also key to point out that this shirt that was worn by Sol Campbell and, therefore, will not provide Spurs fans with many positive memories.
The Lilywhites did not produce much in the 99/00 campaign with a 10th-placed finish in the Premier League not offering a huge amount to celebrate.
7 2012/13 Home
Gareth Bale scores against West Ham for Tottenham Hotspur.
There is certainly room for debate that this kit is worse than what is to follow next, but the memories which will be brought back as a result of this kit will by far outmatch anything the next could offer.
Indeed, Under Armour certainly failed to produce the goods when designing this kit. There is very little right with this kit with the collar leaving a lot left to be desired.
However, Gareth Bale’s stunning goals will forever be remembered by the Spurs faithful and it turned out to be his final season at Spurs wearing this kit.
What Bale done in this shirt may have proven to be one of the main reasons as to why Real Madrid broke the world record transfer fee to bring the Welshman to the Bernabeu in the summer of 2013.
6 2013/14 Home
Tottenham Hotspur Jermain Defoe Europa League.
There are quite a lot similarities with the kit above given they both have an odd open-necked collar, however, the memories in this kit were certainly not as fond.
This season marked the end of what proved to be a strange period of time between Harry Redknapp’s reign and the arrival of Mauricio Pochettino in north London.
Tottenham were able to finish sixth in the Premier League but life without Bale saw a number of players brought in from his transfer fee and fail to provide the fans with much excitement.
5 2005/06 Away
Jermaine Jenas Tottenham Hotspur
Another entry from Kappa and this time they have combined the colours blue and yellow. Once again, it is fair to say it did not work.
A royal blue shirt is not quite synonymous with the Lilywhites – more so their west London rivals. Combined with the tight-fitting Kappa material, it is not a design which many fans will look back on fondly.
Some famous names donned this kit; Edgar Davids, Michael Carrick and Robbie Keane to name a few, but just no Kappa.
4 1997/98 Goalkeeper
Ian Walker plays for Tottenham Hotspur in 1998.
Perhaps we are being slightly cheeky by including a goalkeeper kit on this list, however, just look at it.
We make the rules on this list and this kit is just too bad not to include. Unfortunately for Ian Walker, Pony kept this kit for two seasons but there were some positive memories to come from the seasons wearing this monstrosity.
This kit is truly a shocker. Although, it has to be said obscure ’90s keeper kits have been seen by some as fashion statements of late, but we are not sure this is one which will catch on with those individuals.
In reality, this kit is probably worth topping the charts as the worst kit, but we have probably bent the rules slightly to sneak this in given it is a goalkeeper kit.
3 2021/22 Third
Tottenham Hotspur beat Leeds United 4-0.
Nike, what were you thinking? As we’ve already mentioned, there have been some excellent purple Spurs shirts over the years. It was Nike who provided one of them, in particular, with the 2017/18 third kit which will be remembered for their away draw at Juventus in the Champions League.
But did they really think this would prove to be a classic when they designed this? In fact, the kit is said to be based on the N17 area. The press release from the club stated the design had been inspired by a group of young creatives:
“In 2019, a group of eight young creatives were mentored at local art studio Tottex alongside Nike’s Design team. Through a series of workshops, they were able to express what Tottenham as an area means to them.
“The group’s creative vision has now been brought to life with the Third Kit design encompassing bold prints and patterns inspired by the streets of Tottenham. The striking purple design celebrates the vibrancy of the Club’s N17 neighbourhood, with an N17 logo on the inside collar.”
The sentiment may be there, but the result was a shocker. Tottenham did have some good games in this kit with an enjoyable 4-0 victory over Leeds United on the road perhaps the most memorable.
But this is certainly a kit which Spurs fans will not want to remember. Especially a select few fans, who said this:
“As previously stated, horrid.” Another said: “Worst kit of all time.” A third also wrote: “Toilet. Looks like a really bad Sunday League Kit.” Meanwhile, one more simply stated: “Looks like a training kit.” (Daily Star).
2 2022/23 Away
Tottenham player Pedro Porro.
Having gone all the way back to the ’90s for our number three pick, you only have to go to the last two campaigns to find our second and worst kits in Tottenham’s Premier League history.
And here it is, the 2022/23 away kit has been selected by Football FanCast as the club’s worst kit.
Simply put, what on earth is this from Nike? Often the likes of Nike are scrutinised for using the same templates and safe designs across their sponsored clubs; perhaps they should have played it a little safer with this example.
On the release of this kit, the social media memes didn’t take long to liken this kit a scuba dive wetsuit. And it could be seen that Spurs did sink whilst wearing this as the 2022/23 campaign proved to be their worst in well over a decade as they had to settle for an eighth-placed finish.
Some may argue our entry at number two may be a worse design than this, however, at least there was some sentiment behind the 2021/22 third kit with the links back to the community.
1 2002/03 Third
It is another yellow and navy shirt that is hitting our list and this number came just a matter of years on from Adidas’ effort at number eight.
This time around, Kappa provided their spin on a yellow third kit and it is fair to say it is not one which can be looked back on fondly.
As was the case with Kappa kits of the time, the fitting was extremely tight with a stretchy fabric used.
Many may remember this style of kit through the likes of Francesco Totti donning the burgundy Roma Kappa kit. But it did not quite have the same effect at Tottenham with the likes of Serhiy Rebrov in the squad.
It was a morning when batsmen came and went like leaders of UKIP; a morning when the rapidity of events boggled the scrambled mind and outstripped the scribbling pen
Paul Edwards16-Apr-20181:51
Gurney and Ball run amok at Old Trafford
ScorecardIt was a morning when batsmen came and went like leaders of UKIP; a morning when the rapidity of events boggled the scrambled mind and outstripped the scribbling pen; a morning when 12 wickets fell in exactly 15 overs, Lancashire losing their last eight for 15 runs. Then Nottinghamshire leaked another four in scoring the mere ten runs they required to give Steven Mullaney a six-wicket victory on his championship debut as skipper.But when this ridiculous game leaves its marbles in the changing room, it is important to identify a moment of calm brilliance which encapsulates the hurtling sequence of events. In the sixth over of the morning Jake Ball bowled a ball to Steven Croft which pitched somewhere near the line of middle stump before hitting the top of off. The blameless batsman strolled away, perhaps thinking that if a cricketer has been born who can play those, he would like to congratulate his or her parents on their genes.During the winter Ball was presented with the shortest of straws by England; he was asked to bowl it short when his strength is pitching it up. Today on a wicket which was always softer, colder and damper than it looked, Ball dismissed three more batsmen to finish the innings with 4 for 14 and the match with 9 for 57. Twice in eight balls he was driven to the boundary by Liam Livingstone; undaunted he stuck to his craft, pitched it up again and saw the Lancashire skipper edge a catch to Tom Moores when attempting another booming drive.But by the time Lancashire’s new captain was dismissed, the good ship was already capsizing. It had been holed as early as the third ball of the morning when Keaton Jennings played a milksop of a leg-side push to a straight ball from Harry Gurney. Umpire Graham Lloyd did not have to think too long about the leg before. Next over Shivnarine Chanderpaul, a man who is well used to batting across geological eras, could not get over a ball from the excellent Gurney and was taken at slip by Ross Taylor.Then Livingstone departed; then Croft. 66 for 6. There was much harrumphing and a modicum of hoping in the Old Trafford pavilion but the lower order could do nothing to halt the slide. Nottinghamshire’s slip catching was outstanding, as Jordan Clark and Dane Vilas discovered, when Chris Nash and Riki Wessels scooped up chances. Gurney finished with a career-best 6 for 25 in the innings and 8 for 43 in the match. Eight batsmen had been dismissed in ten overs this morning and Lancashire had lost all ten second-innings wickets for 24 runs.Steven Croft was cleaned up by Jake Ball•Getty Images
“Extraordinary is probably the right word for it,” agreed the Nottinghamshire coach Peter Moores. “It was an outstanding hour of cricket by us. The quality of the bowling and catching was absolutely fantastic. Harry Gurney bowled brilliantly all game and Jake Ball did what Jake Ball can do. If he wanted to make a statement in the first game of the county championship season then he’s done it.”But still we were not done with madness. Presented with an opportunity to lead his side home in sober fashion, Mullaney hooked the seventh ball of the innings to Graham Onions at long leg. Two overs later, Joe Mennie struck again when Nash was hustled for pace and Haseeb Hameed scampered back from slip to take a brilliant diving snare some forty yards from the stumps. More conventional efforts by Livingstone removed Jake Libby and Taylor. Some folk jested that ten runs might be too stiff a target. As it turns out it is the lowest total ever successfully chased when losing four wickets. But you knew that anyway.The game ended when Riki Wessels nudged a single backward of square on the leg side. It was almost the only mundane moment of the day. The two sides lined up to shake hands; it is cricket’s answer to line-dancing. One thought of the two skippers trying to cope with the aftermath of mayhem. There is an enormous difference between the idea of doing a thing and actually doing it. The former is a diverting notion whereas the latter is often hard work. When invited to captain their respective counties Livingstone and Mullaney were no doubt attracted by the prospects. They have now discovered what leadership is like when Dame Cricket takes a hand. They had better get used to the glorious madhouse.
Chelsea's 2024 transfer plans are already taking real shape as a report shares some promising news on their bid to sign a striker for Mauricio Pochettino.
Who have Chelsea signed this season?
The Blues, lead by owner Todd Boehy, alongside co-sporting directors Paul Winstanley and Laurence Stewart, oversaw a summer transfer window of serious spending.
Indeed, Chelsea showcased true ambition with the additions of Christopher Nkunku, Axel Disasi, Nicolas Jackson, Lesley Ugochukwu, Robert Sanchez, Romeo Lavia, Moises Caicedo, Cole Palmer, Djordje Petrovic, Angelo and Deivid Washington – who all joined the club for around £397 million.
To fund this business, many former squad members had to make way, with Kalidou Koulibaly, N'Golo Kante, Edouard Mendy, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Mateo Kovacic, Mason Mount, Kai Havertz, Christian Pulisic, Ruben Loftus-Cheek, Cesar Azpilicueta, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, Ethan Ampadu and Callum Hudson-Odoi all departing Stamford Bridge.
Pochettino's reign has well and truly begun with the aforementioned arrivals, though it hasn't exactly been the greatest of starts for the Argentine.
Losing to both West Ham and, most recently, Nottingham Forest; Chelsea's only win of the season to date has been a 3-0 victory over newly-promoted Luton Town.
The west Londoners also dropped points at home to Liverpool on the opening day, with defender Ben Chilwell saying there is still a lot of work to do.
"Very frustrating result and everyone is very disappointed in the changing room right now," explained Chilwell after their recent 1-0 loss to Forest at home.
"If you look at the stats we dominated the game, had the possession, but the most important stat is the goals. We lost in that department and lost the game, that is the black and white of it and we need to improve."
Will Chelsea sign a striker?
One position they didn't exactly shore up with a superstar was their striking position, despite links with the likes of Harry Kane and Napoli star Victor Osimhen.
The latter player, who has been in scintillating form for the past two years, has been repeatedly mentioned as a Chelsea transfer target by various sections of the media.
Osimhen is truly one of Europe's most deadly strikers right now, having scored 26 goals in 30 Serie A starts last season. The Nigeria international has continued in that vain this term; already bagging three goals in his first league games.
His signing would be a truly exciting one from Chelsea's perspective, and there has been a very promising bit of news concerning his possible arrival.
This comes courtesy of Football Transfers, who say Pochettino and co are "leading the race" to sign Osimhen over Premier League rivals Arsenal.
As they enter pole position for the 24-year-old, FT sources indicate that there is a "possibility that a deal may already have been agreed upon" with the player.
Presumably referring to personal terms, it appears Chelsea have taken quite the leap forward for Osimhen's signing just under two weeks after the summer window shut.
We believe the African superstar would be near-perfect to lead Pochettino's line, especially going by his imperious goal record and praise from Gianfranco Zola, who called him "devastating".