With Aston Villa on course to qualify for the Champions League, they'll be better placed in the Premier League than ever before to welcome some of Europe's top talents, which could start with a La Liga defender.
Aston Villa transfer news
Despite their success this season, Aston Villa still need to be careful when it comes to breaching the Premier League's Financial Fair Play rules. They've already seen Everton and Nottingham Forest handed points deductions, which is the last thing they'll want. This means that their summer business must prove to be shrewd rather than excessive.
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With that said, the Midlands club have already been linked with moves for the likes of Paulo Dybala, who has rediscovered his best form at AS Roma. Given that his release clause will reportedly sit at just £10m for clubs outside of Italy, the Argentine would certainly fall into the aforementioned shrewd business category that Villa should be looking towards.
Roma's Paulo Dybala
It's not just Unai Emery's attack that the Villans are looking to improve, either, with those at Villa Park also looking towards defensive options to add the depth needed to compete on the European stage next season. According to CalcioMercato, Aston Villa are now in advanced negotiations with Mario Hermoso's agent over a summer move, after reports previously suggested that they were in pole position to sign the centre-back.
A signing that is at the specific request of Emery, Villa would be getting themselves a bargain deal, with Hermoso set to be a free agent at the end of the season as his Atletico Madrid contract expires. This means that if Villa can fend off the interest of AC Milan, they will sign a Champions League-level defender without spending a single penny on transfer fees.
There's no doubt that Hermoso would slot straight into Emery's side, too.
"Revelation" Hermoso can bring UCL quality to Villa Park
A player who's been at the heart of Diego Simeone's Atletico Madrid side this season, starting all eight Champions League games so far and 23 of their 29 La Liga games, Hermoso would bring the quality and experience that Emery's side lacks when it comes to playing among Europe's best.
As good as Ezri Konsa is, for example, it was only recently that he took his first strides into international football. Here's how Hermoso's stats have compared to Pau Torres' and Konsa's this season:
Progressive Carries
27
35
27
Progressive Passes
145
114
102
Tackles Won
21
13
22
Blocks
23
17
25
Aerial Duels Won
42
18
24
Hermoso is also a player who's earned plenty of praise from the earlier stages of his career, with Zach Lowy posting on X during the defender's time at Espanyol:
When the summer transfer window swings open, the first signing of what could be an Aston Villa side looking ahead to the Champions League is looking increasingly likely to be the ever-impressive Hermoso.
Leeds United star Crysencio Summerville has enjoyed an impressive season down the left flank for the club with his fantastic attacking performances.
The Dutch whiz has racked up 15 goals and eight assists in 35 Championship appearances for the Whites during the 2023/24 campaign, but he has not had a consistent partner at left-back.
Junior Firpo – 11 starts – and Sam Byram – 19 starts – have operated in the full-back position behind Summerville at different points throughout the season.
Crysencio Summerville.
Former Leeds sporting director Victor Orta once fumbled the chance for Leeds to have an electric left-hand side as Jack Clarke and Leif Davis, who were both academy graduates under Marcelo Bielsa, have become Championship stars since moving on from Elland Road.
How much Leeds sold Davis and Clarke for
In the Spanish chief's defence, the Whites did rake in a fee of £8.5m from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for the English winger in 2019.
That came after the teenager had produced two goals and two assists in 22 regular season Championship appearances for Leeds during the 2018/19 campaign.
The club did not earn as much from their sale of Davis, however, as the left-back signed for Ipswich Town in League One in the summer of 2022 for a reported fee of more than £1m.
He came up through the ranks at Elland Road but only played 14 times for the first-team under Bielsa, along with 15 appearances for Bournemouth on loan during the 2021/22 campaign, before being sold to the Tractor Boys.
How much Davis and Clarke are now worth
During the recent January transfer window, it was reported that Sunderland – Clarke's current club having left Tottenham in the summer of 2023 – rejected an offer from Serie A side Lazio and demanded a fee of at least €25m (£21m) for the flying winger.
This shows that the forward, who has racked up 15 goals and four assists in 33 Championship outings for the Black Cats, has significantly improved his value since Leeds brought in £8.5m for his services.
23/24 Championship
Jack Clarke
Crysencio Summerville
Appearances
33
34
xG
10.25
13.38
Goals
15
15
Big chances created
11
16
Assists
4
8
Stats via Sofascore
Meanwhile, FootballTransfers has placed Davis' current Expected Transfer Value at €5.2m (£4.4m), amid reports that West Ham United and Newcastle United are both keeping tabs on his performances, which makes him and Clarke a £25m-rated duo at this moment in time.
The 24-year-old left-back has been in terrific form for Ipswich, whom Leeds are competing with to secure automatic promotion, with one goal and 14 assists in 34 Championship matches.
Davis has more assists than any other player in the division – despite playing at full-back – and only three players – Sammie Szmodics, Morgan Whittaker, and Adam Armstrong – have scored more goals than Clarke's 15.
These statistics show that both players have been outstanding operators at the top end of the pitch in their respective positions in the division.
Jack Clarke
Clarke and Davis, therefore, could have formed an electric partnership down the left flank with their qualities as scorers and creators of goals at left-wing and left-back respectively, had they remained in Yorkshire instead of being sold by Orta.
They are both, as aforementioned, now worth more than they were sold for – £25m combined compared to £9.5m+ received – by the ex-Leeds sporting director, who fumbled hard by allowing them both to leave before they developed further to establish themselves as stars for the club.
Sunderland are in desperate need of picking up some form in the Championship, after seeing their season fall off a cliff first under Michael Beale and then their campaign go from bad to worse under Mike Dodds.
Dodds is still winless back in the interim Black Cats management position, with Sunderland last tasting victory back when Beale was still in charge last month against Plymouth Argyle.
It could well see Dodds play some unexpected rolls of the dice to try and mastermind a rare win therefore, trying anything in his power to muster up an elusive three points.
Away from any changes however, the temporary Black Cats boss must stick with Adil Aouchiche in the attacking midfield role for the trip to Cardiff City tomorrow, the Frenchman having shone in the stalemate with Queens Park Rangers right before the international break.
Adil Aouchiche's performance vs QPR in numbers
Aouchiche would be gifted his first Sunderland start since the end of December up against QPR, with his display against the Hoops suggesting he will be kept in Dodds' XI for the trip to Wales.
The former Paris St. Germain youngster was a handful for Marti Cifuentes' men to handle all afternoon, managing to complete three successful dribble attempts and hit the woodwork with one of his three efforts on the QPR net from an explosive 90 minutes.
He couldn't quite add to his solitary goal for the Wearside outfit he managed against Birmingham City earlier in the campaign, but Aouchiche's moment in the spotlight will come again soon if he continues to plug away.
The playmaker also won his fair share of duels in the 0-0 draw, winning six of the 13 ground duels he launched himself into to try and add some bite into an otherwise flat affair.
Patrick Roberts' inclusion back into the starting eleven after battling back from injury alongside Aouchiche could really unsettle the Bluebirds too, with the former Celtic man a menace to deal with when firing on all cylinders.
Sunderland winger Patrick Roberts.
Why Patrick Roberts should be back in the Sunderland team
The likes of Romaine Mundle and Abdoullah Ba have failed to be as lively and as effective as Jack Clarke and the aforementioned Roberts when both have been in the treatment room, meaning the 27-year-old should find it straightforward to slot back into the XI if fit.
Roberts would replace a lacklustre Ba, with the Black Cats number 17 managing to make just seven accurate passes against QPR before being hauled by Dodds on the 58-minute mark.
Failing to complete any of the four dribble attempts he attempted too, the 20-year-old winger will find his spot up for grabs if a reemerging Roberts passes a late test to be deemed suitable to play.
Sunderland forward Patrick Roberts.
Once described as being a "magic" footballer by football journalist Josh Bunting, Roberts was key to Sunderland winning their last Championship game against Plymouth before their season unravelled.
Therefore, Dodds could view bringing him back in as a way to pick up a rare three points finally.
Only misplacing two of his 38 passes in the 3-1 win, Roberts would also manage to pick up an assist when teeing up Pierre Ekwah for the equaliser on the day.
Minutes played
69
Assists
1
Touches
58
Key passes
3
Accurate passes
36/38 (95%)
Duels won
5/8
It could well be seen as a risk bringing back in a rusty Roberts, but with Dodds constantly racking his brain for who to select to pull off a first Championship win in seven matches, he could view starting the 27-year-old attacker as a gamble worth taking.
Chalkboard
Football FanCast's Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.
In their current guise, Arsenal look like a team destined to battle it out with the best in the world for years to come, but it hasn't been that way for very long.
In the latter years of Arsène Wenger's tenure, the Gunners struggled to maintain their place in the top four and looked a million miles off challenging for the Premier League or Champions League.
cesc-fabregas-arsenal-arsene-wenger
The north Londoners had a muddled squad and often made blunder after blunder in the transfer market, and while it was often the club or fans who felt burned by these moves, sometimes the players themselves were less than happy with the situation.
Lucas Perez's time at Arsenal
Yes, Lucas Perez, a player who left such a small mark on Arsenal's history that fans might be forgiven for forgetting that he even pulled on the famous red and white shirt in relatively recent memory.
The Gunners signed the Spanish striker in August 2016 for a fee of around £17m, and he was enthusiastically welcomed by Wenger, who said, "He's not only a goalscorer, he's a guy who combines well with partners, who can give a final ball and makes good runs. He's got a good eye for goal and had an outstanding season last year."
GK – Petr Cech
RB – Hector Bellerin
CB – Shkodran Mustafi
CB – Laurent Koscielny
LB – Nacho Monreal
DM- Francis Coquelin
DM – Santi Cazorla
LM – Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain
CAM – Mesut Ozil
RM – Theo Walcott
ST – Lucas Perez
While the fee wasn't massive, the fact he had scored 19 goals and provided 11 assists in 39 games the season prior left fans excited, although he would not hit such heights in north London.
The A Coruña-born forward would last just a season at the Emirates, in which he scored seven goals and provided five assists in 21 matches.
While that's an impressive return of 0.57 goal involvements per match, he was consistently picked behind Olivier Giroud and Alexis Sanchez, and injuries to his ankle and hamstring only made it harder for him to stake a claim in the first team.
Things came to a head in the summer of 2017 when the club broke their transfer record to sign Alexandre Lacazette and gave him the number nine shirt, which was the number Perez was wearing at the time.
Games
21
Starts
9
Minutes
948'
Goals
7
Assists
5
Minutes per Goal Involvement
79'
This perceived slight was clearly the last straw, and in a remarkable turn of events in July 2017, the Spaniard was quoted by his local newspaper La Voz De Galicia (later verified by ESPN), saying: "They [Arsenal] are not being fair with me. The act of taking away my [shirt] number without telling me anything to give to a teammate, that was the last straw for me.
"I feel like I was tricked. In February I was not allowed to leave for China but it was promised that I would be playing more and then I had even fewer opportunities. But the shirt number was an ugly gesture."
Unsurprisingly, his outburst quickly led to the Gunners sanctioning his departure, and he returned to Deportiva La Coruna on loan for the 2017/18 season, where he would score nine goals and provide eight assists in 37 games before he was finally sold on to West Ham United in August 2018.
Lucas-perez-west-ham
In all, his one season at Arsenal was an abject failure for all involved and stands as one of the rare occasions in the club's recent history in which the transferred player themselves is the most vocal about how poorly a move has turned out.
How Lucas Perez fared after Arsenal
While the 5 foot 11 poacher enjoyed a fruitful season back in Spain in the 2017/18 season, his return to London a year later did not go quite as swimmingly.
In his one and only season in Claret and Blue, the then-29-year-old would play just 712 minutes of first-team football across 19 appearances – six starts – score six goals and fail to provide a single assist.
I
t was all a bit too similar to how his time had gone in the north of the capital, as despite a reasonably impressive return of a goal every 119 minutes, the Spaniard just couldn't nail down a place in the starting lineup.
Unsurprisingly, he was sold the following summer and joined Deportivo Alaves back in Spain, where he would spend two seasons, scoring 15 goals and providing nine assists in 70 games, with his most memorable moment being the goal he scored away at the Bernabeu which helped the team beat Real Madrid 2-1.
Following his two years in the Basque Country, the former Gunner opted to join Elche for the first half of the 2021/22 season, where he scored two goals and provided one assist in 19 appearances, before he then joined Andalusian outfit Cadiz in January 2022 for a calendar year, where he managed a slightly better return of eight goal and two assists in 33 games.
However, he had one more move left in him in December 2022.
Where Lucas Perez is now
It was announced in December 2022 that Perez would return to his boyhood club, Deportivo La Coruna, despite the team playing in Spain's third division.
However, what was even more remarkable about his decision to head back home was that it cost him a significant amount of money. With Depor down on their luck in the third tier, paying Cadiz the full amount for his services was out of the question, so Perez paid half his fee with his own money, about £435k.
Moreover, he has also taken a six-fold pay cut to play for the club, but that doesn't seem to be a problem, as following his first game for the side – in which he netted a brace – he said, "It was special I'm going back home, to the Riazor. What I liked the most was the atmosphere, it was incredible."
The hometown hero hasn't just been taking it easy either, as in his 46 games since rejoining the team, he has scored 18 goals and provided 21 assists, meaning he is averaging a goal involvement every 1.17 games, which has helped the team reach second place in the table this season.
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Ultimately, it might not have worked out for Perez in England, but he's been able to fasten an impressive career elsewhere, and his return to Depor is a genuine feel-good story in modern football.
It’s not easy to beat India in India. But what the Visakhapatnam Test showed was, it’s not easy to avoid defeat against India in India either. South Africa made a substantial 431 in their first innings, after losing the toss. Their first innings stretched to the fourth day. And they still lost by 203 runs.
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Playing India in India has never been easy, but in an era when India have possibly the most rounded bowling attack they’ve ever had, it takes an exceptional performance, a la Steven Smith and Steve O’Keefe in 2017 in Pune, to overcome exceptional odds. That defeat in February 2017 remains the only loss for India at home since the start of 2013, across 30 Tests. Twenty-four of those have resulted in wins.Virat Kohli’s Test side have not won every session of all their home Tests – indeed sometimes they have looked behind the match for a couple of days like they did in Bangalore 2017 right after the Pune Test – but they’ve found a way resist a collapse, stall a partnership, or pinch a breakthrough when needed. And visiting teams haven’t been able to put together sufficiently dominant passages of play to snatch a victory.This is the first Test in Pune since that Australian win, though that will have little practical value for South Africa. To repeat what Australia did, the South Africans will have to figure out the bowling attack that gives them the best chance of 20 wickets, while drawing on their first-innings showing in Visakhapatnam to put in not just one but two solid batting performances.South Africa will feel like their captain’s luck at the toss too is due a change. Faf du Plessis has lost eight consecutive tosses in the subcontinent, and when he called wrong again last week, his wry smile was more eloquent than words could be.Kagiso Rabada’s dismissal means India have won their first three World Test Championship matches•Associated Press
Form guide
India WWWDW (last five Tests, most recent first) South Africa LLLWW
In the spotlight
There’s never a time when Virat Kohli is under the spotlight but he’s had a minor bump in his accumulation of batting Test wealth since the Boxing Day 2018. He’s averaged 36.50 and gone five Tests without a century – two in Australia, two in the West Indies and the first Test against South Africa – which is a fairly rare occurrence. The last time it happened was in 2015, and encompassed South Africa’s last tour of India, where the pitches made run-scoring very challenging. He broke out of that by hitting his first Test double century, against West Indies in North Sound.When Keshav Maharaj burst on the scene for South Africa, it seemed like the team would finally have a rounded bowling attack with a world-class spinner to complement what has been almost an assembly line of skilful pacers. Maharaj has taken wickets and kept the runs down in supposedly spin-unfriendly countries, but wasn’t consistently threatening in Visakhapatnam, where South Africa might have looked to him to be the lead bowler. He has come back from a performance like this in the past, memorably taking 9 for 129 against Sri Lanka after going wicket-less in the first Test of that series. For South Africa to compete on a more equal footing with India, he needs to rediscover himself again.
Team news
India brought back Rohit Sharma and R Ashwin for the first Test, and both performed spectacularly, giving Kohli and the team management the luxury of a settled XI after the very first game. The Indian captain indicated that they were unlikely to tinker with a winning combination. India (probable XI): 1 Rohit Sharma, 2 Mayank Agarwal, 3 Cheteshwar Pujara, 4 Virat Kohli (capt), Ajinkya Rahane, 6 Hanuma Vihari, 7 Wriddhiman Saha (wk), 8 R Ashwin, 9 Ravindra Jadeja, 10 Ishant Sharma, 11 Mohammed ShamiLungi Ngidi sends one down•AFP
South Africa might consider beefing up their pace bowling by bringing in Lungi Ngidi, or even going with the express Anrich Nortje, in place of Dane Piedt. While Piedt showed great heart with the bat, his bowling posed no problem for the Indian batsmen, and he struggled for consistency too. With a nice green cover on the surface, an extra fast bowler might come in handy for first half of the match.South Africa (probable XI): 1 Aiden Markram, 2 Dean Elgar, 3 Theunis de Bruyn, 4 Temba Bavuma, 5 Faf du Plessis (capt), 6 Quinton de Kock (wk), 7 Senuran Muthusamy, 8 Vernon Philander, 9 Keshav Maharaj, 10 Kagiso Rabada, 11 Lungi Ngidi
Pitch and conditions
There’s a decent covering of grass on the pitch, though it’s not expected to be a seam-friendly surface on all five days. Kohli felt that the grass wasn’t enough to indicate that “only seamers are predominantly going to be effective on this pitch, all five days”.The weather has typically been hot in the daytime with rain in the evenings, though the rain doesn’t appear to leave the outfield any worse for wear the next morning.
Stats and trivia
Dean Elgar has more runs (299) and more wickets (6) in India than any of the other South African players on tour.
Mohammed Shami’s bowing average (23.57) and strike-rate (46.0) in India are the best by an Indian fast bowler at home ever. (Minimum 10 wickets)
Quotes
“You do know that it’s going to dry out at some stage, and you can’t go predominantly one-sided in your attack and then not have the balance. We are pretty balanced in our team composition, and if any changes need to be made looking at how the pitch might behave on the first three days, then we’ll do so, but we don’t see any major things to think about, looking at the pitch.” – “The difference with us from 2015, where you try and survive in Indian spinning conditions and with that sometimes you can become too defensive and you allow the opposition to be on top of you the whole time, now it needs to be a good combination of positive play, an element of taking risks at some stages of the game to try and counter that pressure from the bowling” –
Tottenham are said to be "exploring" a move for one club's 27-year-old star and have held discussions with his various representatives, ahead of a possible summer swoop.
Spurs begin summer transfer planning in effort to back Postecoglou
Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou has enjoyed a brilliant debut campaign in the Premier League overall, bringing back the feel-good factor around N17 with the introduction of intense, attack-minded and high-press football.
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This has yielded excellent results on the pitch, despite Spurs going another season without major silverware. Indeed, while they will go trophyless again, the north Londoners remain firmly in contention for a top-four finish and subsequent Champions League qualification for 2024/2025.
Partly as a result of Postecoglou's transformation of Tottenham in comparison to Antonio Conte's final campaign in charge, Spurs have been able to beat a host of top European sides to the signatures of key transfer targets in the last month.
Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou.
Spurs won the race to sign Radu Dragusin over Bayern Munich as one example, while they also sensationally hijacked Barcelona's deal for Swedish sensation Lucas Bergvall on deadline day.
It will be very interesting to see if they can repeat similar feats in the summer window, especially if they do end up sealing a top-four finish, which is looking like a very realistic possibility. The pull of appearing in Europe's most prestigious competition, and playing for a big-name Premier League side like Spurs, would be too difficult to resist for a lot of players.
Reliable Spurs insider Paul O'Keefe shared news this week that Barcelona star Raphinha is of interest to Postecoglou's side as one candidate to upgrade the squad in that regard, with the FA registered intermediary sharing a small update on this.
Tottenham hold Raphinha agent discussions
As per O'Keefe, Tottenham have held discussions with Raphinha's agents to get abreast of his situation at the Camp Nou, and the club are exploring a summer move for him among other targets.
The 27-year-old has bagged three goals and five assists in 15 La Liga appearances this season, with former Leeds striker Noel Whelan calling him a "very dynamic" player to Football Insider.
“He is a player now who continuously has an effect on a game, in a positive way. Even if he is not on the scoresheet, he will have played a hand in the goal. He is relentless," said Whelan.
Raphinha's best performances for Barcelona in La Liga this season
Match Rating (via WhoScored)
Barcelona 3-2 Almeria
8.77
Mallorca 2-2 Barcelona
8.41
Valencia 1-1 Barcelona
7.67
Barcelona 1-0 Atletico Madrid
7.67
Barcelona 5-0 Real Betis
7.63
“He gets on the ball, has great balance, is very dynamic and he takes the game to the opposition. What impresses me is that he is not afraid to do the horrible side. I get more and more impressed by his worth ethic.”
Manchester United & Arsenal are reportedly ready to offer €60m for Joao Neves but Benfica demand double that amount.
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Neves wanted by both Man Utd & Arsenal
Benfica keen to hold on to Portugal star
Portuguese side want €120m for midfielder
WHAT HAPPENED?
Neves' future has become a pressing issue for Benfica, with the club facing intense interest from two of England’s football giants. Despite the enticing €60 million (£51m/$65m) offers from both Manchester United and Arsenal, Benfica remains steadfast in its valuation of €120m (£102m/$130m) – which is the release clause of his player, according to Portuguese outlet
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Neves' stock has continued to rise after an impressive season that saw him earn a call-up to the European Championship. The Eagles are keen to retain their young star for another season but the mounting interest from Premier League clubs suggests that the Portuguese outfit will face sustained pressure in the coming months. Both Arsenal & United are poised to make further attempts to secure his services, but Benfica are aware that matching the €120 million release clause might be a stretch for any interested party.
DID YOU KNOW?
In an effort to secure Neves' future at the club, Benfica has considered offering a new contract that would increase both his salary and the release clause to €150 million (£127m/$162m). Despite these efforts, negotiations have stalled. The proposed new salary, while higher, still falls short compared to some of the top earners at the club and does not adequately reflect Neves' growing importance. For now, the door to further negotiations remains open, though a breakthrough seems unlikely. As it stands, Neves continues to earn approximately €500,000 per season under a contract that runs until 2028.
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WHAT NEXT?
The coming weeks will be crucial as Benfica navigates the complexities of keeping a burgeoning talent amid significant external interest. However, the reality of the modern transfer market means that a lucrative offer could eventually test their resolve with United & Arsenal likely to be persistent in their efforts.
Tottenham Hotspur are said to be eyeing up their third signing of the January transfer window after deals for Timo Werner and Radu Dragusin…
Spurs' search for a new winger
According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Lilywhites are pushing to secure a deal for Club Brugge forward Antonio Nusa to bolster their attack.
The reporter claims that a new round of talks between the two clubs has been scheduled as Spurs look to beat off competition from elsewhere to sign the young whiz.
Antonio Nusa in Norway training.
However, Romano adds that the teenage dynamo would like to remain at the Belgian side until the end of the season, which means that Ange Postecoglou may not have him as part of the squad until the summer.
The Australian head coach could land Heung-min Son 2.0 by winning the race to sign the 18-year-old forward, who The Guardian previously claimed is valued at £25m by Brugge.
Heung-min Son's goal record at Spurs
Tottenham's captain has proven himself to be a lethal scorer for the club from a left wing position over the course of a number of seasons in England.
The South Korea international has plundered an exceptional 157 goals and 85 assists in 393 appearances in all competitions, including 115 goals in 288 Premier League matches.
This means that Son has averaged a goal or an assist every 1.62 games on average throughout his career with Spurs, which shows that he has been a consistently reliable attacking threat out wide as a scorer and a creator of goals.
However, he turns 32 in July, and Postecoglou may have one eye on the future and what life will look like after Son, with Nusa possibly coming in as the long-term successor to his position.
The stats that show why Nusa could be Son 2.0
The 18-year-old has showcased his potential for club and country this season with an impressive return at the top end of the pitch despite limited minutes on the pitch.
Nusa has only started six Pro League matches for Brugge but has chipped in with three goals and two assists, whilst he has also created five 'big chances' for his teammates and could argue that they have let him down in front of goal with their wasteful finishing.
The right-footed left winger, who U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed has "beautiful potential", has also completed 2.7 dribbles per game for his club in the league.
Appearances
Three
Starts
One
Sofascore rating
7.53
Assists
Three
Big chances created
Two
Key passes
Six
As you can see in the table above, the Brugge starlet has also caught the eye on the international stage with Norway this season with some impressively creative performances for his country.
Nusa has racked up three goals and five assists in seven starts across the Pro League and European Championship qualifiers for club and country this season, which is one goal contribution every 0.86 starts on average.
There is no guarantee that he would be able to remain as consistent as that over the course of an entire season of regular starts but the young gem also has plenty of time on his side to develop that consistency.
The Brugge wizard could learn from Son at Spurs before eventually taking over as his successor and Postecoglou's next version of the South Korean marksman further down the line if he can fulfill his potential, which is why this could be an excellent signing for Spurs.
Lionel Messi will hang up his boots at some stage, but Julian Alvarez hopes that day remains some way off for the talismanic Argentina international.
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All-time great about to turn 37
Record-breaking haul of honours
How long will he play on for?
WHAT HAPPENED?
Eight-time Ballon d’Or winner Messi will turn 37 in June, during another bid for Copa America glory with his country. There has been no sign of him slowing down at club level, with double figures reached for goals and assists this season at MLS side Inter Miami.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
Questions continue to be asked, though, of how much longer the all-time great can continue – particularly on an international stage. There has been talk of him prolonging a record-breaking career with the 2022 World Cup winners through to the defence of that global crown in 2026.
WHAT ALVAREZ SAID
Manchester City forward Alvarez is eager to see Messi play on for as long as possible, telling when asked if the talismanic forward will remain part of Argentina’s plans for the foreseeable future: “Let's hope so. He's going to decide until when, but we want him to be there, it's better.”
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WHAT NEXT FOR MESSI?
Messi is up to 180 caps and 106 goals for his country, with both of those tallies rewriting the history books. He has become the most decorated player of all-time, but a relentless desire to be the best has helped to see off any complacency and keep him at the very top of the world game.
The 2019 IPL final will be held at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on May 12. On Tuesday, the BCCI released the schedule for the second half of the IPL – till May 5 – but left out the knockout phase.However, ESPNcricinfo understands the final will be played on May 12, while the likely dates for the other knockout matches are May 7 (Qualifier 1), May 8 (Eliminator) and May 10 (Qualifier 2). It is also understood that the BCCI has kept Vizag has a standby venue in case any match has to be shifted due to unforeseen circumstances.The BCCI had initially released the dates for the knockouts as part of the final schedule, but that was pulled out immediately. It is believed the reason for that was the BCCI wanted to stay flexible with the knockout dates keeping in mind the IPL will be played during India’s elections, which will take place across seven phases throughout the country. With the Central Election Commission imposing certain restrictions in terms of when the matches would have to be played, the BCCI is being cautious about the knockout dates.In January, the BCCI had released a short initial schedule, restricted to just 17 matches starting from March 23 till April 5. The BCCI had stated that the entire schedule could not be put out as the dates of India’s elections had not been announced at the time. Recently, the Election Commission of India announced the dates for the general elections, which will begin on April 9, with counting on May 23.The elections are unlikely to be of any concern to the franchises because the final group schedule allows them to host all their seven home games at their own bases. With the elections running parallel to the IPL in many of the states where the teams are based, the franchises were initially unsure whether they could play all the home games in their own cities.There had also been some speculation whether the BCCI would change the timing of the matches, but as per the final schedule, the day matches will begin at 4 pm IST, with the night games commencing at 8 pm.