Aston Villa eye "one of the highest-rated talents in Europe" Oscar Gloukh

Aston Villa have set their sights on signing a new teenager in January, with those at Villa Park excited over his potential.

Aston Villa 15 home wins

Unai Emery has only been at the club for just over a year now but has completely transformed things at Villa Park. Last season. He took the club from a relegation battle to a Europa Conference League finish and has kicked on even further during his first full season in charge.

Currently, Villa are in a battle for top spot in the Premier League and have won a whopping 15 home league games in a row, with the latest coming against Arsenal and Manchester City.

Aston Villa 15 home wins

Game

Date

Aston Villa 1-0 Crystal Palace

4/3/2023

Aston Villa 3-0 Bournemouth

18/3/2023

Aston Villa 2-0 Nottingham Forest

8/4/2023

Aston Villa 3-0 Newcastle

15/4/2023

Aston Villa 1-0 Fulham

25/4/2023

Aston Villa 2-1 Tottenham

13/5/2023

Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton

28/5/2023

Aston Villa 4-0 Everton

20/8/2023

Aston Villa 3-1 Crystal Palace

16/9/2023

Aston Villa 6-1 Brighton

30/9/2023

Aston Villa 4-1 West Ham

22/10/2023

Aston Villa 3-1 Luton

29/10/2023

Aston Villa 3-1 Fulham

12/11/2023

Aston Villa 1-0 Man City

6/12/2023

Aston Villa 1-0 Arsenal

9/12/2023

Owners NSWE backed Emery in the transfer market in the summer, welcoming the likes of Pau Torres and Mousa Diaby in big-money deals, and it looks as if the club have their eyes on more new additions in the New Year.

Aston Villa transfer update

According to Football Insider, Aston Villa have set their sights on signing RB Salzburg sensation Oscar Gloukh, regarded as a ‘top young player’ and ‘one of the highest-rated talents in Europe’.

The report adds that Villa see the Israel international as a player with “top potential” and the club feel the teenager can be a great fit for Emery’s project. Villa aren’t the only side keen, though, with multiple clubs across Europe watching him ahead of a possible move in the near future.

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery.

Gloukh is just 19 years of age and is primarily an attacking midfielder who can also play slightly deeper if needed. Valued at a career-high €15m by Transfermarkt, the player has already been capped 12 times by Israel and is also two-footed with no weak foot. (Oscar Gloukh profile – Transfermarkt)

The youngster only made the move to the Austrian side at the beginning of the year from Maccabi Tel Aviv were he made 33 senior appearances, scoring nine goals and registering eight assists. Since joining Salzburg, though, he has turned out on 41 occasions, netting eight goals and providing seven assists. (Oscar Gloukh stats – Transfermarkt)

He could well be a star of the future with his rise over the last 12 months, and by the looks of things, Villa want him to come in and offer Emery another option in the final third, possibly playing behind star striker Ollie Watkins in the long run.

Hafeez vs Steyn set to resume as focus returns to cricket

Quinton de Kock is also set to return for South Africa, on a SuperSport Park surface that is likely to enthuse fast bowlers from both sides

The Preview by Danyal Rasool24-Jan-2019Big pictureIt’s disappointing that a competitive series has been thrown into focus for non-cricketing reasons, but there is little doubt Sarfraz Ahmed’s controversial taunt will hang over tomorrow’s proceedings like a dark, grey cloud. With match referee Ranjan Madugalle having spoken to the Pakistan captain as the ICC investigates whether Sarfraz’s comments were racist in nature, a series that has so far been played in great spirit could see its tetchiest encounter yet in Centurion.As far as cricketing matters go, South Africa will be buoyed by an excellent win under trying circumstances in Durban, and reinforced by a pair of first-choice players, Quinton de Kock and Dale Steyn, returning to the ODI squad. De Kock will look to continue the form that saw him top the run charts in the Test series, while Steyn, on the quicker surface at Supersport Park, will seek an explosive start to a year in which he will look to cap a glittering career with a World Cup winners’ medal.Both teams have cracks ripe for exploiting. The second ODI contained plenty of drama, but barely concealed beneath that was the fact that both teams have plenty of work to do before considering themselves ready for the World Cup. South Africa appeared shaky chasing down a fairly straightforward target, and it required significant fortune early in that sixth-wicket partnership between Andile Phehlukwayo and Rassie van der Dussen to ensure the hosts did not go 2-0 down.Pakistan had their No. 10 to thank for the game even being mildly competitive, their reduction to 112 for 8 the result of a continued failure to cope with the short ball. Even their supposed strength – an ability to play spin – was shown up by Tabraiz Shamsi, who did a wonderful job standing in for Imran Tahir, laying waste to the lower middle order. In Centurion, the quicker South African bowlers could be even more of a handful for Pakistan’s top order. With a middle order comprising Shoaib Malik, Shadab Khan, Hussain Talat, and Sarfraz Ahmed, there is rustiness, inexperience or poor form to be found wherever one looks.Form guideSouth Africa WLWLW (last five completed games, most recent first)
Pakistan LWWLLIn the spotlightCricket fans were denied one of the game’s classic mismatches when Mohammad Hafeez decided to retire from Test cricket ahead of the Test series in South Africa. That meant there would be no rerun of the Steyn vs Hafeez contest in whites, which was so emblematic of Pakistan’s struggles here in 2012-13. With Steyn back in the ODI side, that individual match-up is set to be back on display, and just a few of the numbers around it illustrate its perverse intrigue.In 28 meetings in all international cricket, Hafeez has scored 158 runs against Steyn while being dismissed a staggering 15 times. Only one batsman, Mahela Jayawardene, has fallen prey to the same bowler, Saeed Ajmal, more often since 2002. Though Steyn has wreaked most of that damage in Test cricket, five dismissals for 58 runs in ODIs suggest that mental baggage exists across formats. Hafeez will look for a fresh start having not faced his since 2013.Dale Steyn dismissed Mohammad Hafeez for the 15th time in international cricket•Associated PressTeam newsSouth Africa have Steyn and de Kock returning, with uncapped left-arm seamer Beuran Hendricks also called up as coach Ottis Gibson looks to try out a number of players ahead of the World Cup. Duane Olivier, Dane Paterson and Heinrich Klaasen will not feature in the remainder of the ODI series.South Africa (possible): 1 Quinton de Kock (wk), 2 Hashim Amla, 3 Reeza Hendricks, 4 Rassie van der Dussen, 5 Faf du Plessis (capt), 6 David Miller, 7 Andile Phehlukwayo, 8 Kagiso Rabada, 9 Dale Steyn, 10 Tabraiz Shamsi, 11 Beuran HendricksNotwithstanding any action by the ICC, Sarfraz is set to play and captain Pakistan at Supersport Park. Hussain Talat is likely to retain his place despite a poor first outing with the bat, because of the pitch’s partiality to fast bowling, keeping out Imad Wasim once more. Shan Masood may be pushing for an ODI inclusion given the top-order struggles of Fakhar Zaman, but wholesale changes are unlikely.Pakistan (possible): 1 Imam-ul-Haq, 2 Fakhar Zaman/Shan Masood, 3 Mohammad Hafeez, 4 Babar Azam, 5 Shoaib Malik, 6 Sarfraz Ahmed (capt & wk), 7 Shadab Khan, 8 Hussain Talat, 9 Faheem Ashraf, 10 Hasan Ali, 11 Shaheen AfridiPitch and conditionsA flat pitch conducive to big totals is expected tomorrow, with the winner of the toss looking to bat first. However, the extra pace (this was the spiciest of the three surfaces in the Test series) should keep fast bowlers from both attacks interested, particularly in the early stages.Stats and trivia Shoaib Malik boasts an impressive ODI record in Centurion. In four innings here, he’s amassed 242 runs at 121.00, with a century and a fifty. Kagiso Rabada needs five wickets to complete 100 in ODIs. If he achieves the feat tomorrow, in his 60th ODI, he will become the third-fastest South African to the landmark, behind Imran Tahir (58 matches) and Morne Morkel (59).

Life after Ryan Reynolds & Rob McElhenney! Wrexham warned of financial turmoil if Hollywood owners move on

Wrexham would face “huge problems” if Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney “lose interest” and walk away, claims a football finance expert.

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Famous chairmen arrived in 2021Have overseen meteoric riseWill they stick around long-term?WHAT HAPPENED?

The two Hollywood superstars remain very much committed to the Red Dragons cause for now, having experienced an emotional rollercoaster on the back of their stunning 2021 takeover at SToK Racecourse. They have pumped considerable funding into the club, while raising more through commercial deals and an award-winning documentary series, but the odd question has been asked of how long they will stick around.

AdvertisementGetty/GOALWHAT EXPERT SAID

Football finance expert Dr Rob Wilson has told of the tightrope Wrexham are walking after making their way back to League One: “Wrexham would face huge financial problems if their Hollywood owners walk away, that’s why Profitability and Sustainability Rules are so necessary. There was a time when Roman Abramovich owned Chelsea that he could have walked away and even if he didn’t want his money back they wouldn’t have been able to pay their player wages due to insufficient revenue. You would imagine that Wrexham have learnt some of those lessons, but equally if the owners were to walk away it would plunge Wrexham into kind of deep, deep challenges. That's why owner investment can be quite problematic if it's ever removed.”

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Wrexham are putting long-term plans in place to ensure that any financial holes are avoided, with Wilson claiming that a new stadium may be sought at some stage in a bid to raise more revenue and meet the demands of an ever-growing fanbase. He added: “A new stadium will be a necessity for Wrexham the higher they climb up the Football League, even though they have just increased their capacity over 15,000. But you don't go from a 15,000-seater stadium to a 40,000-seater stadium overnight. It costs a huge amount of money and requires a massive amount of financing, notwithstanding all of the permissions that you need in and around the area to to develop. It would be fascinating to know from the owners where their ceiling is actually, because it does reach a point of no return from small finance that you can get a bigger return on your investment to stuff you’re not going to get your money back on.”

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Reynolds and McElhenney have overseen back-to-back promotions at Wrexham, taking them from the National League to the third tier, but have never shied away from the fact that further investment will be required at some stage if the club are to deliver on ultimate ambition of one day reaching the Premier League.

VIDEO: Enzo Fernandez confronts Mason Mount after Chelsea's dramatic comeback victory over Man Utd with Argentine slapping Blues badge while getting up in former team-mate's face

Enzo Fernandez delighted in Chelsea’s win over Manchester United, with the Argentine confronting ex-Blues star Mason Mount at the final whistle.

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Blues left it late to claim pointsPalmer scored impressive hat-trickTough return to London for MountWHAT HAPPENED?

There was plenty of late drama at Stamford Bridge, with the hosts trailing 3-2 heading into the 99th minute. A stunning Premier League tie was then turned on its head by Cole Palmer, as he netted twice in a matter of seconds and completed his first senior hat-trick.

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Mount, who left west London for Old Trafford in the summer of 2023, thought that he was going to be on the winning side when returning to familiar surroundings. He was roundly booed by the home support following his introduction as a second-half substitute, and clashed with World Cup winner Fernandez during his short time on the pitch.

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The Argentine midfielder did not forget that and made a point of reminding Mount of who emerged victorious as Chelsea celebrated wildly. Fernandez got into the face of his former team-mate, while beating the badge on his chest.

Crawley fights back as Glamorgan drink to Murphy

Rookie No 3 Jack Murphy brought Glamorgan satisfaction in a grim season that has left then bottom of Division Two

ECB Reporters Network18-Sep-2018
ScorecardOn a day when young, top-order batsmen shone for their respective clubs, Zak Crawley hit a fluent 56 not out to give Kent the advantage on the opening day of their Specsavers County Championship clash with Glamorgan in Canterbury.Chasing their fifth successive red-ball win and their 10th of the Championship summer, Kent reached stumps on 93 for 2 with Crawley and nightwatchman Harry Podmore still at the crease.Starting their response to Glamorgan’s 186 all out soon after 4pm, Kent set out their stall to play positively as Crawley plundered six boundaries in the early exchanges.At the other end, however, Sean Dickson struggled to get the ball away and, after battling for 27 minutes, fenced a lifter from Timm van der Gugten to Stephen Cook at slip.Crawley cover drove Craig Meschede for his ninth boundary to raise his fourth championship half-century of the campaign off 62 balls as he and Joe Denly marked their 50 partnership inside 13 overs.Off-spinner Kieran Bull broke the 65-run stand shortly before the close by having Denly caught behind down the leg-side for 30 to send Kent into the second day facing a deficit of 93 runs.Earlier, Glamorgan’s rookie No 3 Jack Murphy batted almost four-and-a-half hours for a career-best 80 that left promotion-chasing Kent frustrated.The tall left-hander from Pembrokeshire faced 182 balls and hit 13 fours during a stylish, yet dogged knock that ended in him becoming last man out with his side 14 short of a bonus batting point.After losing five wickets in the opening session, Glamorgan appeared to have little hope of reaching 200, but Murphy – who scored 54 and 39 not out in Glamorgan’s six-wicket Championship defeat to Kent at Sophia Gardens in May – proved his mettle in playing Matt Henry, Kent’s star paceman, with aplomb.Henry took three wickets in the morning session and bagged four for 45 overall after finally ending Murphy’s stay for his 70th championship scalp of the season in only his 10th red-ball start for the Hop County.Glamorgan, bottom of Division Two, elected to bat first after winning the toss on a bright and breezy Kentish morning but suffered their first casualty in the fourth over when Nick Selman pushed half-forward to a Darren Stevens delivery that knocked back leg stump via a thick inside edge.After switching ends to have the gusting wind at his back, Henry, the New Zealand right-armer, proved a much tougher proposition plying his trade in away-swingers from the Pavilion End.The championship’s leading wicket-taker had Stephen Cook well held at gully when pushing at a wide one, then Kiran Carlson prodded down the line of fourth stump to feather a low catch to slip.Podmore pulled off a stunning catch on the run at wide mid-on after Jeremy Lawlor, when aiming to work Henry through mid-wicket, lofted the chance via a leading edge.Five balls before lunch, Grant Stewart found extra lift from the Nackington Road End to have Chris Cooke caught behind then, soon after the resumption, Meschede stopped his intended push drive against Stewart to be caught in the cordon.Murphy and Ruaidhri Smith combined to add 42 before the latter was caught at mid-off against Stevens and Stewart changed ends to uproot Kieran Bull’s off stump with a full-length away swinger to join Henry with three wickets.Murphy ploughed on to reach only his second half-century from 111 balls and with eight fours, before van der Gugten became the first player in the match to fall to spin after feathering a Denly leg-spinner to slip.With his side nine down, Murphy perished to his first overly expansive shot of the day. Clearing his front leg, the youngster heaved off the back foot to pick out long-off and gift Henry his fourth scalp.

Jonathan Trott added to England scouting network

Jonathan Trott, the former England batsman, has been added to the ECB’s new scouting network. Trott, who is playing out his final county season with Warwickshire, has replaced Steve Rhodes, who last month took up the role of coach of Bangladesh.In May, six former England internationals were named as scouts: James Taylor, Marcus Trescothick, Chris Read, Glen Chapple, Richard Dawson and Rhodes.Since then, as well as Rhodes joining Bangladesh, Taylor, whose career ended prematurely because of a heart condition, has been promoted to a role of national selector where he will form a three-strong selection panel for all three England formats along with national selector Ed Smith and England coach Trevor Bayliss.Andrew Strauss, the director of England cricket, has advocated the involvement of multiple scouts, with a variety of different disciplines, suggesting that Smith’s task was “to have a talent ID system that is world-leading”.Trott now joins Trescothick as a top-order batsman on the panel and has the reputation of being a strong-minded and independent thinker on the game.Trott, 37, brought stability to England’s batting during his 52 Tests, and also played 68 ODIs, before he retired from international cricket three years ago. He followed that by announcing his first-class retirement in May but remains a regular presence in a Warwickshire side seeking to return to Division One of the Specsavers Championship at the first attempt.

Aston Villa: 17 y/o starlet dubbed "the best" could be Emery’s own Grealish

Aston Villa are one of the many clubs that have had first-hand experience in reaping the benefits of tending to their academy, most notably through the blockbuster sale of graduate Jack Grealish.

The Englishman was nurtured at Bodymoor Heath from the mere age of five, spending 19 years at his boyhood club before departing as part of a £100m sale to Manchester City in 2021.

Not only did the midfielder make his club an enormous profit, but he paved the way for further academy talents to one day follow in his footsteps.

Jacob Ramsey is in position to be the next big thing to erupt from the academy under Unai Emery, however, another player could also be on the cusp of walking the same walk as Grealish, in the form of Ewan Simpson.

Who is Ewan Simpson?

In the summer of 2022, Aston Villa secured the signature of the Scottish midfielder from Hearts’ academy.

Upon his transfer, journalist Tom Maston named the youngster as being one of “the best” rising Scottish talents, along with fellow Villa acquisitions, Rory Wilson and Kerr Smith.

Simpson had made a huge impression so early into his career at Hearts, being part of the squad that reached the Scottish FA Youth Cup final at just 15 years old.

Deployed as a central attacking midfielder, the 17-year-old made a quick impact in the Midlands, as highlighted by his success in the 2022/23 campaign in which he scored two goals and registered four assists in 14 appearances.

With a long way to go this season and in his room for progression, the teen sensation could be one to keep an eye on in the near future.

What could Ewan Simpson offer to Aston Villa?

Lauded as an “intelligent midfielder” and one that uses the ball “effectively” by academy manager Mark Harrison, the Scotsman has showcased his ability in the heart of midfield already this campaign.

As documented on Villa’s official site, the 17-year-old has maintained a pass completion rate of 82%, as well as recording one assist and winning 12 tackles in his opening four appearances.

While it’s still early days on the midfielder’s career path, he is already posing similar traits to those that fired Grealish – who scored 32 goals and contributed 43 assists in 213 games for the club – through the ranks at Villa, as reinforced by his combative nature as well as being an effective playmaker.

Praised by Harrison for his “excellent technique and passing range”, the teen has the elements to fire himself through the levels within the academy at Bodymoor Heath, with his hard work in his first year already being rewarded.

This summer, the 17-year-old was handed the prize that all aspiring footballers desire, and what so few receive, a professional contract.

With reference to Emery’s current squad, the Spaniard isn’t afraid to utilise the youngster players within his ranks, with Ramsey a pivotal part of the first team after breaking through the academy, and the likes of Jhon Duran a strong rotational figure to call upon.

Jacob Ramsey for Aston Villa

Villa’s inclusion in Europe could open doors for academy stars this season, with a busier schedule than last term offering room for further rotation that could work to the advantage of fringe talents.

Simpson could be set for an exciting time ahead at Villa Park, with consistency being the key to opening the doors that the likes of Grealish previously passed through.

Fabrizio Romano: Man United and Ten Hag plotting new centre-back signing

Manchester United are already plotting to sign a new centre-back after the injury to Lisandro Martinez, according to Fabrizio Romano.

What's wrong at Man United?

The Red Devils once again strengthened their squad during the summer transfer window, making key additions across several areas of the pitch. Andre Onana replaced David De Gea in goal, while Mason Mount and Rasmus Hojlund came in as strong additions to the midfield and attack respectively.

As of now, these individuals are still taking time to settle in, with United's results in the Premier League suffering because of it, along with a major defensive injury crisis, but the hope is that they adjust to life at Old Trafford and play an important role in the side improving under Erik ten Hag.

While the Red Devils clearly have plenty of quality and depth in their squad, further improvements can certainly be made, allowing them to slowly become title challengers again over time.

In defence, the likes of Victor Lindelof and Harry Maguire can be improved upon, while younger alternatives to Casemiro and Christian Eriksen could do with coming in to bolster the midfield sooner rather than later. Now, a new update has emerged regarding United's potential transfer business.

Manchester United manager EriktenHagduring training

Will the Glazers make a new defensive signing?

Taking to X, Romano claimed that United are keen on signing a new defender in the near future, with several names mentioned:

"Manchester United considering to invest on new important defender in 2024 as internal discussion start. Todibo remains on the list, Tapsoba and Antonio Silva also tracked by scouts — more names could be added in the next months."

Cente-back is definitely an area where United should be looking for reinforcements, as mentioned, so it is encouraging to hear that the club appear to be focusing on bringing one in.

Lindelof has been a solid servant for the Reds overall, but hasn't kicked on in the way many supporters would have hoped, while Maguire's struggles have been well-documented, having rarely managed to justify the huge amount of the money that the club paid for him back in 2019.

Meanwhile, Raphael Varane is now 30 years of age and continues to be hampered by injury problems, making Lisandro Martinez the only genuine long-term top-quality option at centre-back. Even he is currently injured for a few months, further highlighting why at least one new face is needed, arguably even in the January transfer window.

United could do with signing a genuine star central defender, given the importance of the position, with the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Nemanja Vidic and Jaap Stam such influential performers down the years. If they could nail that piece of business, giving Martinez a world-class partner, or someone with the potential to reach that level, it could sort their defensive issues for many years to come.

It remains to be seen who the top target is, but Jean-Clair Todibo could be an exciting option, with the Nice defender enjoying a 90% pass completion rate in Ligue 1 so far this season, and still only 23 years of age.

Chelsea: Fabrizio Romano says "intelligent" star may now quit with Chalobah

Respected journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared some exit news out of Chelsea as another player could now leave the club along with Trevoh Chalobah.

Who has left Chelsea?

Mauricio Pochettino's tenure in charge of the west Londoners first began with major summer transfer overhaul.

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 left the club for around £230 million in total.

Meanwhile, coming to replace them, Chelsea put pen to paper on deals for 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.

So far, Pochettino's men have taken some time to fully gel given the wave of departures and incomings; with Chelsea winning just one Premier League game so far this season despite their star quality.

The Blues tasted victory against newly-promoted Luton Town at Stamford Bridge, but dropped points at home to Liverpool, Nottingham Forest and away at West Ham before the international break.

Defender Ben Chilwell, speaking after his side's 1-0 defeat at home to Forest most recently, said Chelsea still have much to improve upon.

"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."

What's the latest Chelsea transfer news?

It would appear that Chelsea could still strengthen certain areas of the squad, perhaps most notably in the striking position, as they are arguably lacking a world-class centre-forward option.

This has lead to their reported interest in the likes of Ivan Toney and Victor Osimhen, who are both apparent Chelsea transfer targets for 2024/

Other members of the squad could still depart, too, and Romano has some news where this is concerned.

Chelsea defender Marc Cucurella

According to his sources, midfielder Chalobah could be joined by one other player in defender Marc Cucurella out the door in January if they don't get more game time.

Writing on his daily briefing, Romano explained:

"Sources on the player [Chalobah] side feel that the player expects to leave Chelsea in January – the feeling is that something will happen for them to part ways.

"Chalobah still wants to leave if there’s good opportunity like Bayern. But, to reiterate, there is no guarantee that Chalobah will not play for Chelsea.

"There was also something similar being reported about Marc Cucurella, but Chelsea deny players being frozen out. Again, the feeling is that both Chalobah and Cucurella are set to look for new clubs in January if they can’t play in the next months."

The latter player signed for Chelsea last summer, with ex-boss Thomas Tuchel once calling him a "young, hungry, mobile and a very intelligent player."

"Unseen": Alasdair Gold shares what’s "taking place" at Tottenham right now

Reliable Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has lifted the lid on something "largely unseen" and exciting going on at Spurs right now, concerning their set-up.

What's the latest Spurs news?

New manager Ange Postecoglou has, thus far, proved his doubters wrong since his switch from SPFL giants Celtic to north London over the summer.

Tottenham are showcasing an electric, entertaining new brand of football under Postecoglou; following ex-manager Antonio Conte's regrettable last season in charge of the club.

The Lilywhites have scored 11 goals in their opening four Premier League games; impressively equalling last season's treble-winners Man City in that regard.

Spurs remain unbeaten and have sealed three wins in that time, having drew 2-2 away to Brentford on the opening day, with subsequent 2-0 wins over Man United and Bournemouth following on from that result.

Their most impressive victory to date under Postecoglou was their rip-roaring 5-2 win away to Burnley at Turf Moor. Indeed, Son Heung-min's hat-trick, James Maddison's sumptuous curling effort and a screamer from Cristian Romero sealed a statement three points in Lancashire just before the international break.

Speaking to Sky last month, Postecoglou explained exactly why he won't be divulging from his exciting style of play any time soon; speaking of a need to entertain the fans.

"That's the beauty of our game," Postecoglou said.

"The beauty of football is that there are so many ways you can have success, so many ways you can set up your team, so many ways you can counteract the opposition.

"I'm probably at one extreme and there are others at the other extreme and we can both have success in this game.

"I think especially with a football club like this, that has consistently looked for that in their teams, they've loved the entertainers, there's a connection there with that kind of football."

The Spurs first team have come on leaps and bounds over the last few weeks, but away from Postecoglou's men, reporter Gold says there is something "largely unseen" and exciting going at Hotspur Way right now.

Tottenham Hotspur academy

Indeed, beneath the Tottenham boss, Gold writes on X and for football.london that there appears to be a "revolution taking place" concerning the N17 academy set up.

New youth signing Luka Vuskovic, who will apparently come to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2025 when he hits 18, looks set to become another one Spurs' exciting young crop currently turning heads.

Gold writes that Aflie Dorrington, Jamie Donley, Brooklyn Lyons-Foster, Josh Keeley, Luca Gunter, Ashley Phillips, Mikey Moore, Callum Olusesi, Oliver Irow, Tyrese Hall, Matthew Craig and George Abbott are all youngsters to watch out for.

New academy head Simon Davies has been tasked with syncing up the academy to the first team, and there is also a renewed belief at Tottenham surrounding the talent coming through. That's not even taking into account the promise of teenagers currently out on loan spells like Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett.

Gold, as a result, goes on to say that the future appears very bright for Spurs beneath the surface as well as on it.

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