After failing to sign a striker in the January transfer window, Tottenham are already feeling the effects of not being able to field a recognised number nine.

Instead, Jose Mourinho has tried to cope with the absences of both Harry Kane and Heung-min Son through injuries, by playing Dele Alli through the middle in recent weeks.

It just puts into perspective how vital it is for Spurs that they ensure they bring in a centre-forward in the summer transfer window. And Napoli’s Arkadiusz Milik could be the ideal solution to their problems.

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According to Italian publication Calcio Napoli 24, the Poland international could be on his way out of Naples. The report claims that an exit now appears on the cards for the striker, and that there are numerous clubs on his “tracks”, including the likes of Spurs, Arsenal, Atletico Madrid and Valencia, amongst others.

Milik has struggled for consistent first-team opportunities this season, but when he has been given the chance to shine, he has invariably taken it. In the 22 games that he has played across all competitions, he has scored 12 times, including netting a hat-trick in the Champions League group stages against KRC Genk.

The 26-year-old has been lavished with praise across the board, with Italian journalist Bruno Longhi describing him as someone who “does wonderful things with the ball” and is a “great striker”.

With Arsenal also said to be interested, it’s imperative Spurs don’t lose out on Milik to their bitter rivals. Not only would it mean that they miss out on a striker who could solve their woes up front, but it would inevitably strengthen a bitter rival too.

Milik has proven that even with few opportunities, he can be a vital source of goals. And if and when Kane does miss out on the starting line-up, the Polish ace could come straight into the team and give Spurs a genuine option in the number nine role.

It’s a chance they can’t afford to pass up on.

Meanwhile, this former Spurs ace has just proven Mauricio Pochettino wrong.

Many Arsenal fans have reacted to Skhodran Mustafi being named the highest-rated Premier League defender in 2020 (minimum five appearances) according to Whoscored, trolling Virgil Van Dijk in the process.

The German international has an average rating of 7.5 in the Premier League since the turn of the year, bettering Van Dijk who has averaged a 7.48 score and all other defenders. This is of course surprising considering the constant criticism he has endured at the club.

Either side of the two centre backs in the defence are Ricardo Pereira (7.38) and Cesar Azpilicueta (7.34). The highest-rated player so far is Bruno Fernandes with an average score of 7.82.

Mustafi also has the third-highest average rating in the entire Gunners squad for the Premier League, with a 7.13 score bettered only by Nicolas Pepe (7.19) and Pablo Mari (7.37), with the latter only making one appearance so far. (via Whoscored).

Arsenal fans reacted to the news on the Twitter account of AFTV Media, with these fans trolling Virgil Van Dijk in the process:

Arsenal fans, have you been impressed with Mustafi this year? Let us know in the comments down below!

Speaking on the talkSPORT breakfast show on Tuesday morning, former Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Jamie O’Hara has issued his verdict on Harry Kane’s comments over the weekend, and sent a message to chairman Daniel Levy at the same time.

What did he say?

Well, after the England captain said he wouldn’t stay with Spurs “for the sake of it†if they weren’t matching his ambitions in an Instagram Q&A with Jamie Redknapp, via The Guardian, there has obvious been plenty of reaction.

When asked about the situation on Tuesday, O’Hara told talkSPORT: “I can understand his frustration. He’s probably getting to the point now where he’s a world class footballer, worth a lot of money. If the trophies are not going to be there now for the next two or three seasons, which it is looking like it might not because it hasn’t quite had the effect bringing Mourinho in.

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“Do they get rid of him and cash in, and do they let him go? I think if you’re going to sell Harry Kane you’ve got to sell him at his peak. He’s at his peak now in terms of his market value.â€

Message to Levy

Those final comments from O’Hara are particularly interesting.

Spurs are unlikely to want to let their centre-forward talisman leave – indeed a report from Football Insider has said exactly that – but if the north London outfit do receive a huge offer and the 26-year-old wants to go, perhaps it needs to be considered.

As the former Tottenham midfielder says, the Three Lions striker may well be at his peak in terms of the transfer fee he could fetch given he is approaching his peak and his fantastic record of 181 goals in 279 matches for them.

If they could get say £150m-£200m for him, it could allow Jose Mourinho to rebuild his team to one that would be able to challenge again in the Premier League and the Champions League, even if losing his goals and influence would obviously be a risky strategy.

There is certainly plenty for Levy to ponder though, and the summer transfer window – whenever it may be – could prove to be an interesting one should clubs come calling for Kane.

In other Tottenham news, Spurs fans have been drooling over a fresh transfer link, with one supporter saying “that’s more like it”…

According to Sky Sports’ Kaveh Solhekol, Barcelona midfielder Philippe Coutinho could end up at Arsenal next season.

What’s the word?

Solhekol has been discussing Coutinho’s future as part of a Transfer Talk Q&A and deemed a switch to the Emirates Stadium as “possible”, largely because the Brazilian’s agent has contacts at the club.

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However, he also warned that Barcelona would have to drop the attacking midfielder’s price-tag dramatically, with the La Liga giants rating him at in excess of £100m, or it would need to be a loan deal with an option to buy.

Coutinho is currently on loan at Bayern Munich and has scored or assisted on 17 occasions this season, but Solhekol says the Bundesliga champions are unlikely to make the move permanent.

Here’s what Solhekol said in full…

“Coutinho’s agent has a big job on his hands. Barcelona want to sell him this summer. He is on loan at Bayern Munich but they are unlikely to make the move permanent. Barcelona want more than £100m for a player who will be 28 in the summer. That means there will be little resale value for any interested clubs.

“Coutinho’s agent Kia Joorabchian has good contacts at Arsenal, Chelsea and Spurs. A move to those clubs is possible, but Barcelona would have to drop their asking price dramatically or it would have to be a loan with an option to buy deal.”

Ozil replacement?

Mesut Ozil is never far away from discussion and with his contract due to expire in 2021, the subject of his future will no doubt crop up again this summer.

Considering he’s on track to go a fourth consecutive season without reaching double figures for goals or assists in the Premier League and turns 32 in October, the time does feel right for Arsenal to finally part company with the World Cup winner.

Coutinho, then, represents a like-for-like replacement – someone who can also occupy the No.10 role and provide direct goal threat from the tip of midfield. Even for Barcelona, Coutinho’s contributed to almost one goal every two games, so he’s certainly the calibre of player Arsenal should be considering to succeed their creative lynchpin.

Of course, whether they can agree a deal with Barca remains to be seen. The Spanish giants clearly still value Coutinho very highly as a financial asset, even if his time on the pitch with them appears to be over.

Meanwhile, Arsenal fans are furious about a reported transfer target…

Everton were linked with a move for Lorenzo Pellegrini last month and now a fresh report has lots of supporters on Twitter discussing the prospect of a move.

Indeed, according to a report from Calcio Mercato in March, Everton and Inter Milan are two clubs interested in signing Pellegrini as contract talks between Roma and the player have stalled.

And now a fresh report from Corriere Dello Sport has prompted fresh discussion amongst the Toffees faithful.

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The report claims a release clause of just €30m (£26m) – a fee payable over two years – remains in his contract, and several clubs from Italy, Spain and England are asking the player’s entourage for information regarding the player’s future at the club.

The 23-year-old is a promising talent and has showcased his creativity since arriving at the Stadio Olimpico in 2017.

An attacking-minded midfielder by trade, he already has 10 goals and 23 assists in 95 appearances for the capital outfit, with nine of those assists arriving in Serie A this season.

Given Gylfi Sigurdsson’s uninspiring form so far this season, it’s no surprise that Everton supporters are eager to see a new creative talent move to Merseyside, and it appears plenty would be delighted with a move for Pellegrini.

One fan suggest he’d be a better option than Aaron Ramsey, while another suggested he’d be one of the bargains of the summer.

Here’s how the fans reacted to reports…

The IPL Governing Council will meet in Mumbai on Friday to discuss an agenda that includes the format of the 2011 tournament. While the meeting’s main purpose is to approve the 2010 IPL financials, it is also scheduled to discuss the number of matches to be played next season, with the focus on reducing the players’ workload.”They will discuss the number of matches,” a franchise official told Cricinfo. “But mostly, it will be dominated by the closing of accounts.”The rules and regulations for the 2011 tournament have been up in the air since the suspension of IPL chairman Lalit Modi. The league added two new teams for next year, increasing the total number of matches to be played on a home and away basis from 60 to 94. The greater workload for the players became a contentious issue after India’s poor performance in the World Twenty20 this year, with some suggesting their exit from the tournament was a consequence of a hectic IPL schedule.At the time, Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, a member of the Governing Council, said they could consider reviewing the number of matches for the league next season. However, the franchises are opposed to a shorter tournament not only because playing fewer matches means the tournament will generate less revenue, but also because the original eight franchises only agreed to add the two new teams on the basis of more matches and a larger share of the pie.”If they roll back on the number of matches but the number of teams remains 10, it is unfair to all,” a franchise official said.The board and the teams met in June this year to discuss their respective concerns and the BCCI set up a three-man committee consisting of Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi to make recommendations to the board based on their discussions with team owners. Gavaskar, Shastri and Pataudi are all members of the IPL Governing Council. The committee is expected to present is recommendations to the Governing Council tomorrow. The rules for player regulations, however, are, unlikely to be determined until after the Champions League in September.The BCCI’s finance and marketing committees are also meeting. For the first time in its history, the board has solicited bids for corporate sponsorship of all international cricket played by India in India for the next three years. The previous period’s sponsorship rights were with World Sport Group, who sold the sponsorships on an individual tournament basis. Under the latest proposal, one company will become the exclusive sponsor of Indian cricket for the next three years.The board has received bids from ten companies, including Airtel, Idea Cellular, Karbonn Mobile and MicroMax, according to a BCCI statement. The bids will be opened at the marketing committee meeting in front of the bidders.”The reserve price has been fixed as Rs 2 crore ($428,815) per match.” BCCI chief-executive Ratnakar Shetty told

Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to sign Wissam Ben Yedder and Daniel Levy will face competition from major Premier League rivals, according to L’Equipe. 

Five of English football’s biggest clubs including the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United are all in the running to land the Monaco striker.

After arriving at the Stade Louis II from Sevilla FC for £36m last August, the 29-year-old has scored 18 goals in 25 starts in Ligue 1 this season, taking 2.5 shots per game, averaging 1.7 key passes, and successfully completing 1.3 dribbles via WhoScored.

Spurs boss Jose Mourinho is in the market to find a backup for Harry Kane after the England international was hit by a hamstring injury, and Ben Yedder could be the perfect solution, although it is highly likely the Tottenham chairman will have a transfer battle on his hands in the summer.

Popular fan page @TranSPURS shared the news on Twitter, prompting lots of replies from the THFC faithful. One fan suggested the Frenchman would make a “perfect link with Sissoko.”

Take a look at some of the mixed reactions down below…

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Overview

How Shakib Al Hasan fares in Sri Lanka could determine whether Bangladesh makes it past round one•AFP

The World Twenty20 in Sri Lanka will be as much a test of Bangladesh’s skills and preparation as a measure of their progress as an international side. They’ve been grouped with a team they crushed in ODIs two years ago, and the contest in Pallekele will be Bangladesh’s first against New Zealand since that 4-0 result. The other, and more recent, source of confidence is their wins against India and Sri Lanka during this year’s Asia Cup, when Bangladesh qualified for the final.Even Bangladesh’s poor record against their other Group D opponents should provide extra inspiration. They haven’t beaten Pakistan in 13 years, though in their last two matches they showed the readiness to fight, especially in the Asia Cup final in March.Bangladesh’s performance in that tournament is now considered the marker by many, though expecting the players to take a step further in the World Twenty20, where one bad over or shot could see them knocked out of the group stages, might be asking too much. They’re primarily focused on making it past the New Zealand game unscathed and hoping for a Super Eights berth. It is a realistic target for a team that played a quarter of all their Twenty20 internationals four months before the World Twenty20.

Key player

Shakib Al Hasan considers himself a leader in the team, and rightly so. He provides match-winning ability to a team that needs it, despite the presence of other talented players. Shakib’s batting and bowling averages are substantially better in Bangladesh wins in the past six years, a measure of his contribution to the team’s cause. He will be playing with a dodgy knee and will bat at No 3. The bowling attack will also revolve around his left-arm spin.

Surprise package

In Ziaur Rahman, Bangladesh finally have an end-over hitter who can clear his right leg and swing powerfully. After an awkward teething period in Zimbabwe, Rahman hit eleven sixes during the build-up tours and broadened his range from just midwicket. He can use his feet against the spinners but high pace will test him: when he encountered such bowling against South Africa in June, Rahman settled for boundaries and the odd nudge. A fast-bowling talent cut short due to injury, Rahman reinvented himself as the sort of a shock-value player Bangladesh has lacked since Mohammad Rafique’s heyday.

Weakness

Spin will test the Bangladesh batsmen, especially Pakistan’s offspinners. They tend to play out overs, which is a flawed strategy in a Twenty20 game. Also, they can be inflexible when things don’t go according to plan. A recent example of this was the middle-order collapses after Shakib’s dismissal during the two practice games in Sri Lanka.

World T20 history

A surprise win over West Indies took them to the Super Eights in 2007, but they failed to make it past the group stages in 2009 and 2010.

Recent form

Bangladesh have won four games out of six in 2012, results that include the 3-0 series win over Ireland in July. That performance took Bangladesh all the way up to No. 4 in the Twenty20 rankings but they returned to ninth three days later, after an unflattering start to their series in the Netherlands, where they won once and lost twice. One of those defeats was against Scotland. During an off-season dedicated to Twenty20, Bangladesh also won unofficial matches against South Africa, Zimbabwe, Afghanistan and Barbados on either side of the Europe tour.

Everton youngster Thierry Small is reported to be increasingly interested in joining Aston Villa this summer, as uncertainty over his future intensifies [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Dean Smith’s men gear up for 2021/22

Moving towards 2021/22, Dean Smith will be looking for the perfect blend of youth and experience if he is to improve on his side’s 11th placed finish last term.

Acquiring ready-made first-team starters will be crucial to this prospective success, however being able to spot the stars of the future will ensure long-term progression for the football club.

One man who could fit the bill for the latter is 16-year-old Small, who has put the cat amongst the pigeons following latest developments.

The Latest: Small ‘very keen’ on the idea of an Aston Villa switch

The Toffees youth product is said to be ‘very keen’ on a move to Villa Park this window, as reported by a Football Insider recruitment source.

Small is a boyhood Aston Villa fan, whilst his uncle Bryan Small was a player for the Premier League outfit between 1990 and 1996.

Notably, the wonderkid has strong connections with the Midlands and surrounding area, which is cited as one of his main motivations behind his interest in the prospective switch.

The Verdict: Small would be an astute piece of business by the Villa Park hierarchy

Capable of posing a considerable forward threat from the left-back position, Small would be an excellent signing for Villa who could develop into an established player in years to come.

In 2020/21, the Solihull-born man enjoyed a very profitable campaign featuring in different spells for Everton’s youth sides.

Combined across senior and academy football, Small registered seven goal contributions in 30 appearances – six goals and one assist [Transfermarkt].

Unbelievably, the prospect became Everton’s youngest ever player to feature in a senior match, coming on as a record-breaking substitute in a 3-0 win against Sheffield Wednesday in January [Daily Mail].

Once labelled as ‘quality’ by Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti, Villa should look to secure Small’s signature before it is too late [Football London].

In other news, Aston Villa fans react to links with a Bundesliga ace.

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According to Record via Sports Witness, Everton are interested in signing Sporting Lisbon captain Bruno Fernandes in this summer’s transfer window.

What’s the word, then?

Fernandes has been in quite outstanding form for Sporting this season, scoring 22 times and registering 11 assists in 39 appearances in all competitions.

When considering that he is not even a striker, those numbers are quite something.

Fernandes has a contract with his Portuguese club until the summer of 2023, but according to Record via Sports Witness, he might have a decision to make at the end of the season.

The report has claimed that Everton have joined Liverpool and Atletico Madrid in pursuit of the 24-year-old, who is an 11-time Portugal international.

The price tag could be substantial, but the Toffees must do all that they can to bring the attacker to Goodison Park in this summer’s transfer window.

Why should Everton sign him?

Simply put, Fernandes would be a huge upgrade on Gylfi Sigurdsson.

Sigurdsson has scored nine Premier League goals this season, but is quite unpopular with the Everton fans due to his inconsistency.

Indeed, there are many of the club’s supporters who feel that the Iceland international does not turn up when his team really needs him.

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Sigurdsson is five years older than Fernandes, meanwhile, and Everton should look to upgrade in this summer’s transfer window.

Beating the likes of Liverpool and Atletico to the Portuguese would certainly send out a huge message to the rest of the Premier League.

And it is absolutely vital that the Merseyside giants have a strong summer transfer window as they look to progress next season.