The U.S. Women’s National Team will open 2026 with its annual January training camp in Southern California, holding sessions at Dignity Health Sports Park from Jan. 17–27. The camp will include a friendly against Paraguay on Jan. 24, featuring a special retirement celebration for Los Angeles native Christen Press, before a second match on Jan. 27 that will be announced at a later date.

Getty Images SportImportance of January camp

Emma Hayes emphasized the importance of January camp, noting that a full week of uninterrupted training and two matches will be vital preparation for a pivotal 2026 and the start of World Cup qualifying.

“January camp is a vitally important part of our yearly schedule, especially with 2026 being a year that will host World Cup qualifying,” Hayes said in the press release. “We don’t get many training days together during any given year, so there is a high value in getting a whole week of training as well as two matches. I was pleased with the progress we made as a team in 2025, but we still have a ways to go to get to where we want to be heading into the Concacaf W Championship in the fall.”

AdvertisementGetty Images SportChristen Press retirement celebration

The Jan. 24 match against Paraguay will feature a special retirement celebration for Los Angeles native Christen Press, who concluded her illustrious playing career this year. Press leaves the game as one of the most accomplished forwards in U.S. soccer history. Her 64 international goals rank ninth all-time for the USWNT, and she played a crucial role in the team's back-to-back Women's World Cup championships in 2015 and 2019.

Getty Images SportHomecoming

The USWNT's return to Dignity Health Sports Park carries special significance after last year's planned January camp at the venue had to be relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, due to devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area. The stadium, which has operated under various names since opening in 2003, has hosted 21 USWNT matches – more than any other venue in program history.

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Getty Images SportJanuary fixtures set stage for critical World Cup

Following the Jan. 24 match against Paraguay, the USWNT will face another opponent on Jan. 27 at a venue to be announced soon, completing the camp schedule. The matches represent the beginning of an important year as the team builds toward the Concacaf W Championship in fall 2026, which serves as the qualifying tournament for the next World Cup cycle.

Fast bowler gearing up for the likely knockout game against Bangladesh on Thursday

Danyal Rasool24-Sep-20251:26

Aaron: Pakistan using three pacers up top made the difference

Fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has rejected the notion that the Pakistan T20I side was in any kind of downturn, pointing out that they had won all but one of their previous four series.Speaking after his three-wicket haul against Sri Lanka, which took Pakistan to victory in Abu Dhabi and put them within one win of playing back-to-back T20 Asia Cup finals, he said the team was “ready to face whoever” in their pursuit of a first Asia Cup title in 13 years.”It’s not that we’re not winning,” Afridi said. “We’ve won most of our last dozen games. It’s true we haven’t won against higher-ranked teams, but most of our recent games haven’t been against them. We were here to win the tri-nation series, and we won that. We are here to win the Asia Cup, and that’s all we’re focused on now.”In Abu Dhabi against Sri Lanka, it was the different tactical approach Pakistan took while bowling that stood out. For the first time in 13 matches, no powerplay over was bowled by a spinner. Medium pacer Hussain Talat was given three overs and his two wickets in his first over – the eighth of the innings – were among the game’s turning points. Talat later revealed he’d been told he would play a role with the ball, but it represented a departure from Pakistan’s recent tendency to give spin bowling prime slots through the innings.Related

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Afridi, who bowled three overs in the powerplay on Tuesday, said it did not mean Pakistan’s quicks were playing second fiddle to the slower bowlers. “I don’t think our fast bowlers are struggling, but in T20 cricket on good wickets, batters have the license to go after the quick bowlers. We’ve been trying to vary our bowling more, and that’s something I’m working on. We were getting swing. Early on, I got breakthroughs, removing two of their main players. That’s the kind of attacking cricket we want to play – get your main bowlers on and finish the game quickly.Despite an upcoming game against Bangladesh on Thursday, which could be a knockout for a place in the final, attention has already begun to focus on Sunday. The possibility of a first India-Pakistan final in the Asia Cup is suddenly looking a lot more likely. Afridi, too, had his eye on it but repeatedly pointed out that neither side had made it that far yet.Shaheen Shah Afridi: ‘I don’t think our fast bowlers are struggling’•AFP/Getty Images

“Bangladesh has been playing good cricket of late,” he said of the only team to have denied Pakistan a T20I series win in the last four months. “Whenever you play such teams, you should try to strike first. You shouldn’t give them an opportunity. We’ll have to perform well in all three departments if we are to get past them.”The previous game did represent a stark contrast to Pakistan’s demeanor when compared to the one on Sunday. While there were warm handshakes and even embraces between the Pakistan and Sri Lanka players, against India, there appeared to be a coordinated intent to show their more bellicose side. There were several verbal spats on the field, particularly between India’s openers and Pakistan’s pace bowlers. The increased belligerence from Pakistan did not go unremarked upon by Indian opener Abhishek Sharma, who said Pakistan was “coming at us without any reason.”Following the game, India captain Suryakumar Yadav couldn’t resist a dig at the opposition, saying India’s recent dominance meant the game no longer constituted a rivalry. Afridi resisted the temptation to hit back when offered an opportunity.”That’s his opinion; let him say what he wants. Neither they nor we are in the final. We’ll see how things shape up for the final. We’re just here to win the Asia Cup, and we’ll give our all for that.”

Shahid Wasif replaced Kalhan Challu in Hong Kong’s only change

ESPNcricinfo staff15-Sep-2025Toss Sri Lanka won the toss and chose to bowl against Hong Kong in Dubai as the defending champions look to make it two wins in two in the Asia Cup.Sri Lanka made one change to the side that registered a comprehensive win over Bangladesh, bringing in spinner Maheesh Theekshana for fast bowler Matheesha Pathirana, opting for just two frontline quicks in Dushmantha Chameera and Nuwan Thushara.Hong Kong also made one change, with Shahid Wasif coming in as a like-for-like replacement in the middle order for Kalhan Challu.This is the first time these two teams are facing each other in international cricket.Hong Kong XI: Zeeshan Ali (wk), Anshy Rath, Babar Hayat, Nizakat Khan, Shahid Wasif, Kinchit Shah, Yasim Murtaza (capt), Aizaz Khan, Ayush Shukla, Ateeq Iqbal, Ehsan KhanSri Lanka XI: Pathum Nissanka, Kusal Mendis (wk), Kamil Mishara, Kusal Perera, Charith Asalanka (capt), Kamindu Mendis, Dasun Shanaka, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dushmantha Chameera, Nuwan Thushara

After Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays failed to agree to terms on a contract extension before his self-imposed deadline of Feb. 17, the star free-agent-to-be was blunt in his description of why the two sides could not see eye-to-eye on a pact.

"They have their numbers, I have my numbers," Guerrero said at the time.

What exactly those numbers were has become clearer now thanks to the latest reporting from , as well as on Tuesday.

According to Ken Rosenthal of , Guerrero is seeking a contract worth $500 million. The caveat? Guerrero is looking for a contract with $500 million in present value—not $500 million before deferrals. Rosenthal's reporting comes on the heels of a report from Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman, which detailed the Blue Jays' offer to Guerrero.

Toronto's last offer to Guerrero reportedly amounted to $500 million, but the present value was dragged down into the $400 million to $450 million range, thanks to significant contract deferrals, according to Heyman and Sherman.

That checks out with what Guerrero himself said in an interview this past week with ESPN's Ernesto Jerez and Enrique Rojas.

"We're talking about many fewer millions than (New York Mets right fielder) Juan Soto, more than a hundred million less," Guerrero said. "It was the same number of years, but it didn't reach $600 (million). The last number we gave them as a counteroffer didn't reach $600 [million]."

Guerrero added that he desires the length of his contract to be 14 years.

In the last three offseasons, the free-agent market for baseball's upper echelon of players has skyrocketed. Back in December 2022, then-free agent Aaron Judge, on the heels of a historic season inked the third-largest deal in MLB history, a nine-year, $360 million contract.

Just a year later, two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani pushed the market ever higher, signing the largest contract—at the time—in North American sports, a $700 million deal with significant deferrals. Then, in December of '24, free agent slugger Juan Soto inked a record, 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets. Soto's $51 million annual salary exceeded the present value of Ohtani's deal, which checked in at $46 million per season.

Guerrero, should he get what he wants, would be earning roughly $35 million annually in a 14-year, $500 million deal.

A four-time All-Star, the '21 All-Star Game MVP and '23 Home Run Derby champion, Guerrero has posted a .288/.363/.500 slash line in six seasons in Toronto. His best season came in '21, when he led the American League with a 1.002 OPS and finished second in the MVP voting.

Guerrero, ticketed to become a free agent in November, made it clear he would like to remain a Blue Jay.

"I want to be here. I want to be a Blue Jay for the rest of my career," Guerrero on Tuesday told MLB.com through an interpreter. "But it’s free agency and it’s business. I’m going to have to listen to 29 other teams."

Matt Chapman blasted a home run on Thursday afternoon that made history.

In the bottom of the fifth inning with the San Francisco Giants trailing the Milwaukee Brewers 5-2, the All-Star third baseman launched a 2-1 sinker from Abner Uribe over the fence in centerfield for a two-run homer.

Statcast tracked the pitch from Uribe at 100.4 mph, making Chapman's home run the first in the majors this season on a pitch of 100 mph or faster, according to The Athletic's Eno Sarris.

Additionally, according to MLB's Sarah Langs, it was the fastest pitch a Giants player has hit for a home run in the pitch-tracking era, which began in 2008. The previous leader was a 100.2 mph pitch Heliot Ramos took out on September 15, 2024.

Chapman is hitting .233 to start the season, but boasts a .400 on-base percentage and an OPS of .853. That was his fifth home run to go along with 16 RBIs.

Mikel Arteta has built a truly world-class squad at Arsenal over the last few years.

From front to back, the likes of William Saliba, Declan Rice and Eberechi Eze would comfortably get into any side in the Premier League.

Yet, even though he’s not been at his very best this season, Bukayo Saka still stands as the club’s most important player.

The Hale Ender is their talisman, someone capable of winning games on his own, so fans should be delighted by reports linking Arsenal to someone even better than Saka.

Arsenal target a better player than Saka

Arsenal have already been linked with several truly brilliant players ahead of the winter window.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

For example, Juventus’ Kenan Yıldız has been touted for a £88m move to the Emirates, as has Real Madrid’s Rodrygo.

However, while both of these wingers are sensational talents and would undoubtedly improve the Gunners’ squad, neither one is better than Saka.

Vinícius Júnior, on the other hand, just might be.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Arsenal are now interested in the Madrid superstar.

The report has revealed that with talks over a new deal at the Bernabéu going poorly, the Gunners are now ‘pursuing the Brazilian.’

A potential price is not mentioned, but with Transfermarkt valuing the winger at €150m – about £132m – it would likely require a new British record transfer fee.

With that said, if Arsenal have the chance to sign Vini Jr, they should take it, not least because he’s one of the few attackers in the world better than Saka.

How Vini compares to Saka

Now, the first thing to make clear is that Saka is a genuinely world-class footballer, and not only that, but he has the chance to become a legend at Arsenal.

However, what is equally true is that Vini Jr might just be a marginally better player, but one who could form a devastating partnership with him on the opposite flank.

With that out of the way, which international superstar comes out on top when we look at their output this season?

Well, so far this year, the Gunners’ number seven has scored six goals in 15 appearances, totalling 1053 minutes, coming out to an average of a goal every 2.5 games, or every 175.5 minutes.

For his efforts, the former Flamengo gem has scored five goals and provided four assists in 17 appearances, totalling 1172 minutes, which comes out to an average of a goal involvement every 1.88 games, or every 130.22 minutes.

Which game-changing wideman comes out on top when taking a look under the hood, at their underlying numbers?

Well, perhaps a little surprisingly, the Brazilian dynamo doesn’t just come out better in most metrics, but practically every single relevant one.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.57

0.47

Progressive Passes

4.80

2.21

Progressive Carries

8.90

4.07

Shots

3.21

2.22

Shots on Target

1.40

1.05

Passing Accuracy

79.9%

72.4%

Key Passes

2.90

2.21

Passes into the Penalty Area

2.10

1.74

Shot-Creating Actions

6.92

4.55

Goal-Creating Actions

0.80

0.12

Tackles Won

0.80

0.58

Successful Take-Ons

3.00

1.98

For example, these include metrics like non-penalty expected goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots on target, successful take-ons and more, all per 90.

Ultimately, Saka is an exceptional player, but as Ronaldo once pointed out, Vini Jr is arguably “the best player in the world”, and therefore, if Arsenal have even the slightest chance to sign him, they should go all out to do so.

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Sunderland’s extremely impressive start to life back in the Premier League has been built on a very strong defensive spine.

Indeed, the well-drilled Black Cats have only given up 11 goals across the 12 games they’ve played since dramatically returning to the big time, with five wins also coming their way.

Robin Roefs, in particular, has stood out as a top-drawer summer recruit in between the sticks, while Daniel Ballard has made the jump to the top-flight look routine, too, winning a commanding 6.3 duels per match across his seven Premier League starts.

This defensive doggedness is very unlike-Sunderland, when you look back at the woes they are used to experiencing at the foot of the top-flight table.

Still, even when times were consistently tough and bleak, previous club captain John O’Shea managed to stand out as a commanding force.

O'Shea's hero status at Sunderland

The Black Cats would have felt they’d won themselves a coup when O’Shea arrived through the door in 2011, having picked up 394 appearances for Manchester United during Sir Alex Ferguson’s heyday as a manager, before coming to the Stadium of Light.

The revered manager would even hail him as a “great professional”, despite his importance to the Red Devils’ cause sometimes slipping under the radar, with the Wearside outfit managing to win the five-time Premier League winner for just a reported £3m.

He would turn into a relegation fighter quickly, though, in his new surroundings, with his determined displays, matched by his knack of being in the right place at the right time to pop up with a big goal, making him a fan favourite from the get-go.

One of his former Sunderland bosses in Martin O’Neill, would go as far as to say he had “enormous” respect for the veteran defender, with the Irishman only absent from 18 league contests during his first four seasons at the club, all of which ended up in Sunderland surviving.

Unfortunately, the latter years of his Black Cats journey would culminate in a relegation down to the Championship, but he is still fondly remembered to his day for being a dependable giant.

In the current Sunderland ranks, it could be argued that the forceful Ballard – coming in at a 6-foot-2 frame – is most similar to O’Shea in his Stadium of Light prime, with two important goals already next to his name this season.

However, a different member of Le Bris’ rigid backline has caught the eye in this regard…

Sunderland's new John O'Shea

Sunderland might not be struggling against the drop this season, but that doesn’t mean certain members of Le Bris’ camp don’t still evoke similarities to heroes of the Black Cats’ recent past.

Like O’Shea, Nordi Mukiele would have been viewed as a statement deal for Sunderland to secure this summer when leaving Paris St Germain behind, having accumulated a hefty 200 appearances in both the Bundesliga and Ligue 1, before embarking on a fresh Premier League challenge.

For just £12m, too, Mukiele has now gone down as a steal similar to O’Shea, only costing £3m, with the Frenchman visibly at the peak of his career, donning Sunderland red and white.

The £100k-per-week fighter has jaw-droppingly beaten Ballard in the duels won count total so far for the season, with a mighty 7.6 duels won on average to date, among other impressive numbers, making him a regular from minute one of his Stadium of Light stay.

With a goal and assist also next to his name, alongside collecting three clean sheets, Mukiele has managed to stand out as a well-rounded performer for Le Bris and Co. so far, away from just being seen as a “colossus” in physical duels, as per the words of Sky Sports’ journalist Andy Sixsmith.

Mukiele will be aiming for a long career in the Premier League now, past just a standout debut season, to become even more like O’Shea, with his levels never dropping for the Black Cats so far, already putting him on the same pedestal as the “always solid” Irishman, as both Rio Ferdinand and Owen Hargreaves labelled him recently.

It could also be argued, like O’Shea, Mukiele’s determined performances have gone somewhat unnoticed to the neutral, next to Granit Xhaka stealing the spotlight for his equally combative showings.

But, if he were to be a vital part of the defence that saw Sunderland pick up a mid-table finish, or even higher, right after promotion, he would surely be handed his flowers, as a new batch of heroes begin to emerge on Wearside.

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By
Kelan Sarson

Nov 26, 2025

One of the targets Leeds United have for the January transfer window seems to be a new striker. Despite bringing Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Lukas Nmecha in for free over the summer, they have been lacklustre in front of goal, and are now set to sign a new number nine.

Indeed, that player could be Troy Parrott. The former Tottenham Hotspur star is said to be a key target for the Whites going into the winter transfer window.

However, the 49ers will not have a clear run at his signature, with Wolverhampton Wanderers also keen on the £20m-rated star.

Indeed, the Irish international is a man in excellent goalscoring form, sparking such interest.

Why Leeds want to sign Parrott

£20m is a small fee in the current transfer market, and Parrott certainly seems like he’d be worth that sort of price. The 23-year-old has been in excellent goalscoring form this season for both his club, Eredivisie side AZ Alkmaar, and his country, Ireland.

For the Dutch top-flight side, the Spurs academy graduate has bagged an impressive 14 goals in 15 appearances, chipping in with a couple of assists, too. His form in the Eredivisie has been scintillating, with seven goals in eight appearances.

However, what has really stood out of late is Parrott’s form for Ireland.

He became a national hero earlier in the month, bagging five times in just two World Cup qualifiers to help guide his side to the playoffs and keep their dream of going Stateside next summer well and truly alive.

The 33-cap Ireland star kicked off November’s qualifiers by scoring twice to sink Portugal in a 2-0 win. Next up was a game against Hungary, in which the centre-forward bagged a remarkable hat-trick, scoring the third in stoppage time, to secure a 3-2 win and a playoff spot.

To fund the signing of Ireland’s striker, though, Leeds might first have to sell one of their highest earners.

The player Leeds must now sell

After a summer of heavy spending under the new 49ers regime, there is no saying just how much Leeds will have at their disposal in January.

The reported £20m fee for Parrott isn’t too expensive in the grand scheme of things, but who knows how much the Whites have left in the bank?

Thus, it might be the case that Jack Harrison has to depart the club in January. He has not been in good form this season after returning to the club following two years on loan at Everton, and isn’t necessarily loved by the fans. They even booed him in a preseason friendly upon his return.

Indeed, Harrison has not been the most trusted lieutenant this season under Daniel Farke. He’s played ten times in the Premier League, but has only started once and has racked up just 262 minutes.

Whilst the Stoke-born winger has yet to bag this term, he has scored 34 times and assisted 32 for Leeds across his career.

Perhaps the highlight of that was a hat-trick away to West Ham United back in 2022. However, he simply can’t reach that sort of form nowadays.

As for his time as an Everton player, those were a forgettable couple of seasons. The former Middlesbrough star played 73 games for the Toffees, but could only muster nine goals and assists.

Premier League legend Gary Neville said at the end of last season that his “quality’s been poor” for the Merseysiders.

It is easy to see why Harrison might be the fall guy for Leeds if they are to sell someone. Valued at £10.5m by Transfermarkt, he is also the second-highest earner at the club, on £90k per week, a yearly total of £4.68m.

Leeds top 5 highest earners

Player

Weekly wage

Yearly wage

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

£100k

£5.2m

Jack Harrison

£90k

£4.68m

Sean Longstaff

£80k

£4.16m

Daniel James

£75k

£3.9m

Noah Okafor

£72.5k

£3.77m

Information via Football Fancast

Selling Harrison this winter could help Leeds raise the funds they need to add to their squad up front. Depth on the left wing is not necessarily an issue, with Noah Okafor and Wilfried Gnonto both fighting it out for a starting spot out there.

If Leeds can help themselves sign Parrott by selling Harrison, a player who hasn’t exactly set the world alight with his form this term, then it might be an excellent piece of business.

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Weeks do not come much bigger than this for Arsenal.

On Sunday, Mikel Arteta’s team return to action, following the international break, with a bang, hosting Tottenham in the North London derby.

Then, on Wednesday, the top two in this season’s Champions League will go head-to-head, with Bayern Munich and Arsenal both putting their 100% records in the competition on the line, before the Gunners face the small matter of another London derby against Chelsea next Sunday.

If the Premier League leaders are going to still be sitting pretty at the top in ten days time, Arteta will need his key figures to perform at their best, but is sporting director Andrea Berta already putting plans in place to sign a “monster” hybrid of two of Arsenal’s most pivotal players?

Arsenal targeting a midfield monster

Two of Arsenal’s most important signings in recent seasons have inarguably been Declan Rice and Mikel Merino.

The former has been transformational in midfield, potentially now the best in his position in the Premier League, while the Spaniard has been integral in a completely unforeseen way, excelling as the emergency makeshift striker even since he was thrust into the role off the bench at Leicester in February, poised to lead the line again against Spurs on Sunday.

Now, according to TEAMalk, the Gunners and Andrea Berta are targeting another midfield star, reporting that Arsenal are one of many Premier League clubs interested in signing Scott McTominay from Napoli.

They add that the Gunners are exploring a move for a star who is valued at €80m (around £70.5m), by the Partenopei, noting that it would take an ‘astronomical’ fee for them to sell the ‘linchpin’ in Antonio Conte’s team, while noting that the Scotland international would like to return to the Premier League one day.

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In history, only 15 men have ever made a senior appearance for both Arsenal and Manchester United, Robin van Persie, Alexis Sánchez, Danny Welbeck and Henrikh Mkhitaryan among the recent high-profile examples, so could McTominay soon join this exclusive list?

What Scott McTominay would bring to Arsenal

McTominay was in the news this week by virtue of scoring this jaw-dropping overhead kick to help Scotland qualify for a first World Cup in 28 years, breaking the deadlock as his side beat Denmark 4-2 at Hampden in ultra-dramatic fashion; if you somehow haven’t seen this goal, it is well worth your time!

Well, if you think McTominay is popular in Scotland, he holds god-like status in Naples, having been the key figure in their Serie A triumph last season, clinching only the Ciucciarelli’s fourth Scudetto, named the league’s player of the season, with the statistics below underlining why.

Goals

12

7th

Headed goals

3

4th

Shots

76

11th

Shots on target

33

6th

Non pen goals – xG

+4.6

2nd

Goal-creating actions

10

26th

Successful take-ons

39

12th

Ground duels won

141

11th

Aerial duels won

67

25th

Ball recoveries

143

20th

Touches in box

106

20th

Average rating

7.27

8th

As the table documents, McTominay is the complete all-rounder, ranked highly for a wide variety of metrics.

He scored 12 goals from just 33 shots on target, thereby behind only Capocannoniere winner Mateo Retegui in terms of non-penalty goals – expected goals, including this strike on the final day against Cagliari to secure the Scudetto, a goal recently relegated to the second-best bicycle kick on his showreel.

As well as his goal-scoring exploits, McTominay ranked in the top 20 for successful take-ons, ground duels won and ball recoveries, further emphasising his all-action nature.

Ole Gunnar Solskjær, his manager at Manchester United, labelled him a “physical monster”, while Adam Joseph described him as a “true superstar of European and world football”.

So, McTominay appears to have combined all the best attributes from both Merino and Rice.

Like Merino, the Scotsman has harnessed his goal-scoring instincts, as well as being excellent in the air, as underlined by the fact he scored three headers and won 67 aerial duels in Serie A last season.

Meantime, just like Rice, McTominay is an asset all across the pitch, able to cover a lot of ground and help win back possession when his team do not have the ball, while contributing driving dribbles and goal-scoring actions in the final third.

Thus, the World Cup-bound 28-year-old has flourished into one of the planet’s very best all-round midfield players, so would surely be an exceptional addition for Arsenal.

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Tottenham Hotspur have now submitted a £62m opening offer for Athletic Club forward Nico Williams, and they are confident a deal will be finalized soon.

Spurs are now stepping up their pursuit of a new forward, amid doubts over the capabilities of some of Thomas Frank’s current attacking options, with Jamie O’Hara particularly scathing of the frontline after the 1-0 defeat at home against Chelsea earlier this season.

The former midfielder said: “We’ve got a garbage team – going forward at home at the minute is absolutely terrible. “We’ve spent £60m on Xavi Simons, £60m on Richarlison, £60m on Ndombele. The money we spend on some players… our recruitment is an absolute disgrace.”

Not only that, but Dominic Solanke has been unable to overcome his persistent injury problems, with the striker missing 15 Spurs games already this season due to an ankle issue, and Mathys Tel has scored just two Premier League goals so far this season in the Englishman’s absence.

The Lilywhites need goals from somewhere if they are going to push for the Champions League places this season, and they have now made their first move to sign a new forward…

Tottenham submit opening offer for Athletic Club star Nico Williams

According to a report from Spain, Tottenham have now submitted a €70m (£62m) opening offer for Athletic Club forward Williams, matching the bid made by London rivals Chelsea, with both clubs confident they will be able to finalize a deal soon.

The 23-year-old’s future at the Spanish club is now up in the air, with Spurs looking to triple his salary, having emerged as serious contenders for the winger’s signature, given that he is viewed as a perfect fit for their forward line.

The north Londoners are trying to get a deal done in the January transfer window, and there is every indication the Athletic Club star could be a real difference-maker in their bid to secure Champions League football for the second season running.

Perhaps the Spaniard’s most impressive attribute is his dribbling, averaging 3.33 successful take-ons per 90 over the past year, which places him in the 99th percentile, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers, while also ranking in the 90th percentile for progressive carries.

Lauded as “world-class” by journalist Zach Lowy, the 30-time Spain international has also made a promising start to the season in La Liga, chipping in with two goals and two assists in nine matches for Athletic Club.

With a number of Tottenham’s current attackers struggling, including Simons, who is yet to score since making the move to north London, bringing in a new winger in January might be necessary, and Williams has proven he could be an excellent addition to Frank’s squad.

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