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Arguably one of the best sights in football is seeing a world-class winger in full flow. Whether it be through speed or skill, there are plenty of top-quality wide men in today’s game, including 2025 Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele.

In the past, we have been graced with the brilliant skills of Ronaldinho and crossing ability of David Beckham, but who is the best winger in football today?

Ranking factors

To help rank the wingers in order, we have considered the following criteria:

Current form – how well a player has been performing Importance to their teams – how influential they are to their team Role – how unique their skillset is Reputation – what others are saying about them 15 Rafael Leao AC Milan and Portugal

One of the fastest wingers around in the game today is AC Milan star Rafael Leao, who has been called one of the players Ronaldinho most enjoys watching.

Tammy Abraham has even said that Leao “has no idea how good he is”, and he has wowed on the left wing, contributing with double figures for goals and assists in 2024/25.

Serie A

2022

Nations League

2025

Italian Super Cup

2025

Taca da Liga

2018

14 Rodrygo Real Madrid and Brazil

With Real Madrid’s squad filled with world-class stars such as Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo is sometimes forgotten about in Spain.

However, Jude Bellingham labelled Rodrygo as “the most gifted player in the squad” and a “pleasure to play with”, so he must be doing something right at the Bernabeu. Neymar is also a big fan of his fellow countryman, calling him a “joke” in 2025.

Champions League

2022, 2024

La Liga

2020, 2022, 2024

Copa del Rey

2023

FIFA Club World Cup

2023

UEFA Super Cup

2022, 2024

FIFA Intercontinental Cup

2024

Spanish Super Cup

2020, 2022, 2024

13 Luis Diaz Bayern Munich and Colombia

Luis Diaz has both the speed and the skill to leave defenders for dead and is already catching the eye at new side Bayern Munich.

Diaz, who left Liverpool in 2025, won his first Premier League title before leaving Anfield, and, according to Danny Murphy, has “gone under the radar”. His defensive work ethic has also been praised, and in the final third, he can come up with something special out of nothing.

Premier League

2025

Liga Portugal

2020, 2022

Categoria Primera A

2018, 2019

FA Cup

2022

League Cup

2022, 2024

Taca de Portugal

2020, 2022

Copa Colombia

2017

Community Shield

2022

Portuguese Super Cup

2021

Colombian Super Cup

2018

12 Nico Williams Athletic Club and Spain

After coming through the Athletic Club academy, Nico Williams has made a huge impact in La Liga and with Spain and is now regarded as one of the top left-wingers around. At the age of 23, Williams looks destined to move from Bilbao at some point, but did sign a new contract in 2025.

Jose Mourinho has even revealed that he prefers Williams to Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, calling the Athletic Club star “unique” and “wonderful” – high praise from an iconic manager.

European Championship

2024

Copa del Rey

2024

11 Bradley Barcola PSG and France

Bradley Barcola arguably goes under the radar slightly at Paris Saint-Germain due to the sheer amount of attacking talent at the Parc des Princes, but the 22-year-old enjoyed his best ever season in 2024/25.

Called “unstoppable” by Luis Enrique, Barcola has hit double figures for Ligue 1 goals and assists for the first time in his career, which has resulted in his Transfermarkt valuation rocketing to €70m.

Ligue 1

2024, 2025

Champions League

2025

Coupe de France

2024

French Super Cup

2024, 2025

10 Desire Doue PSG and France

Another exciting attacking PSG star is Desire Doue, who, on the right-hand side, has been making a name for himself all across the world.

In French, Doue means ‘gifted’, and the teenager has been living up to his name, with some even calling him the next Neymar due to his ability to stand defenders up, slow the play down before going past them with a piece of skill.

Ligue 1

2025

Champions League

2025

French Super Cup

2025

9 Mohamed Salah Liverpool and Egypt

Many would argue that Mohamed Salah would have been top of this list earlier in 2025, however, the Egyptian King has gone off the boil at Anfield in 2025/26.

The Liverpool star extended his Anfield stay and produced record numbers for goals and assists in a 38-game Premier League campaign, winning his second title with the Reds as a result. Arne Slot called Salah “outstanding” recently, but at 33, Salah may well be getting past his prime.

Champions League

2019

Premier League

2020, 2025

Swiss Super League

2013, 2014

FA Cup

2022

League Cup

2015, 2022, 2024

FIFA Club World Cup

2020

UEFA Super Cup

2019

Community Shield

2022

8 Jeremy Doku Man City and Belgium

Jeremy Doku has been a standout player for Manchester City in 2025/26, terrorising full-backs with his explosive speed, agility and dribbling qualities.

The Belgian’s display in a 3-0 win over Liverpool was unbelievable, and if it wasn’t for a certain Erling Haaland, you could say Doku would be the first name on the teamsheet under Pep Guardiola.

7 Michael Olise Bayern Munich and France

After swapping Crystal Palace for Bayern Munich in 2024, Michael Olise has taken his game to the next level with the Bundesliga giants, hitting double figures for league goals and assists for the first time in his career in 2024/25.

Olise “could be as good as anyone” and, according to Didier Deschamps, the Bayern star has a “lot of qualities and has progressed a lot”, so he could get even better over the coming years. His Transfermarkt valuation now sits at a career-high €100m.

Bundesliga

2025

6 Khvicha Kvaratskhelia PSG and Georgia

After starring for Napoli for over two-and-a-half years, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia sealed a big-money move to PSG in 2025 and is so far proving to be worth the €70m fee.

The two-footed winger can play on either side and has helped PSG to another Ligue 1 title and a Champions League triumph. Kvaratskhelia is not just brilliant in attack, but the Georgia star also does a “titanic defensive job” with a “relentless” attitude in tracking back, something which doesn’t go unnoticed.

Ligue 1

2025

Champions League

2025

Serie A

2023

Russian Cup

2019

Although they have yet to win the Premier League since leaving Highbury, Arsenal have had some sensational players represent them at the Emirates Stadium.

The likes of Mesut Özil, Cesc Fàbregas, and more recently Bukayo Saka and Declan Rice were, or are, world-class internationals, but perhaps the best of them all was Alexis Sanchez.

The former Barcelona star might have sullied his reputation among the fans by joining Manchester United in 2018, but during his time in North London, he was practically unplayable and racked up a monster tally of 124 goal involvements in 166 games.

So, fans should be seriously excited about reports linking Arsenal with another international superstar who could be their new Sanchez.

Arsenal target another Sanchez

Unlike last season, Arsenal aren’t finding it too difficult to score goals this year, with four players on four or more goals across all competitions this season.

Transfer Focus

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

However, injuries have once again become a problem, and while Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Martinelli have stepped up this year, it would be unwise for Arteta and Co to solely rely on them to hold down the left flank for the rest of the campaign.

It seems that the club share this opinion, as they now appear ready to go all in for a potentially game-changing Sanchez-esque winger in the winter window.

At least that is according to reports from Spain, which claim Arsenal have maintained a significant interest in Rodrygo.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that as things stand, the Gunners are ready to spend €90m on the Real Madrid star, which is about £80m.

It won’t be an easy deal to get over the line, particularly with Liverpool and Chelsea supposedly interested, but it’s one worth pursuing, especially as Rodrygo could be another Sanchez-type signing for Arsenal.

Why Rodrygo would be another Sanchez

Now there are more than a handful of apparent similarities between Rodrygo and Sanchez, with one of the biggest being where they’d be coming from were the former to join Arsenal.

Like the Chilean superstar, the Brazilian international would be coming from one of Spain’s big two, and more than that, he would be leaving a side where he’s a bit-part player to become a leading figure at the Emirates.

Furthermore, while he has spent a lot of time on the right, he, like the former Barça star, is primarily a left-sided attacker, and that’s where he’d play in North London.

And finally, if Arteta can get the best out of him, the 24-year-old could have a similar game-changing effect on the Gunners’ attack.

After all, while he’s not having the best of seasons this year, he has been incredible for Real in the past, and were he platformed correctly out on the left, he could elevate Arteta’s attack.

Appearances

283

Starts

181

Minutes

16512′

Goals

68

Assists

53

Goal Involvements per Match

0.42

Minutes per Goal Involvement

136.46′

For example, even though he has been forced onto the right for much of the last two years or so, the “world-class superstar,” as dubbed by Luka Modrić, has amassed a tally of 68 goals and 53 assists in 283 appearances, totalling 16512 minutes.

In other words, the former Santos gem has averaged a goal involvement every 2.33 games, or every 136.46 minutes for Los Blancos.

Moreover, he has scored 25 goals and provided 16 assists in 67 Champions League games, with eight of those goals coming in the knockouts.

Ultimately, while he is not having a great season, Rodrygo’s immense talent and ability to turn games around are undeniable.

Therefore, Arsenal should do what they can to sign him in the winter window, as he could be another Sanchez-type signing.

There was more toil for the bowlers at the Gabba with Hilton Cartwright also making 96

ESPNcricinfo staff07-Mar-2021Bat continued to dominate at the Gabba with Cameron Green’s maiden double century followed by a productive start from Queensland’s top order as Marnus Labuschagne neared a hundred.It was another day where just three wickets fell and two of those came late in Western Australia’s innings. As Queensland reached 1 for 183 at the close it was shaping as the type of match where further declarations could be needed to open up a result,Green did not need long to take his overnight 182 to a double, having fallen for 197 earlier in the season, with consecutive boundaries off Xavier Bartlett although he later admitted there was a hint of edge involved in the shot that brought the landmark.He continued to feast on the Queensland attack before finally picking out long-off for 251 – the seventh-highest Sheffield Shield score for a player 21 and under – which ended a fourth-wicket stand of 192 with Hilton Cartwright.Cartwright closed in on a century for himself before lofting a catch into the deep as the declaration loomed.Cameron Gannon broke the opening stand against his former team when Joe Burns edged to second slip but proceedings then reverted to type as Labuschagne and Bryce Street put on a stand worth 131 by the close.

Opener produces vital half-century to help revive England from another wobbly start

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Dec-2025After their combined tally of eight runs in four innings at Perth, it proved to be a day of revived fortunes at the Gabba for two of the most scrutinised batters in England’s ranks. While Joe Root secured the plaudits for his magnificent maiden century on Australian soil, Zak Crawley’s bounce-back from a first-Test pair proved a similarly cathartic display.Though he fell when well set, gloving a pull off Michael Neser shortly after the first interval, his 76 from 93 balls was nonetheless a crucial contribution, coming as it did after his first-Test nemesis Mitchell Starc had again struck hard with the new ball, dismissing Ben Duckett and Ollie Pope for ducks in his first two overs.Crawley, by then, had already driven Starc through the covers for four, to bring up his first runs of the series, and he carried on in a similar vein, picking off a total of 11 boundaries, the majority coming when Australia’s bowlers strayed into his arc.”I did feel good, to be honest,” Crawley told TNT Sports at the close of the first day’s play. “I felt much better than Perth. I was just trying to keep it simple, just trying to score straight on the leg side, and then if it was really full, maybe on the off side. Yeah, I was happy with my knock.”Crawley’s relative watchfulness outside off was the key feature of his innings, and a tribute to the hours in the nets that England have put in (in between some notable moments of downtime) since their two-day defeat in the series opener.”I think it’d have felt a long break if I’d have got two hundreds, to be honest,” he said. “It was big old gap after a two-day game. But yeah, it’s a good chance to get some practice in. And I felt comfortable. I felt calm today, and managed to settle the nerves. So I was pleased with how I played.”I had a clear plan and I stuck to it. There were still a couple of loose shots in there, as I tend to do, but got away with them, and I played nicely down the ground as well. By trying to score on the leg side, that made me leave a bit better outside off with the extra bounce today, and then when I got in, the ball started doing a bit less.”England’s close-of-play score of 325 for 9 looked significantly more healthy thanks to an unbeaten tenth-wicket stand of 61 between Root, who finished unbeaten on 135, and Jofra Archer, whose 32 not out was his highest Test score, in just his second innings at No.11.Until Australia have batted, it will be hard to tell how good that score actually is, but after the groundstaff had given the pitch a final trim to 3mm of grass before the match, Crawley knew it had been a good toss for England to win, notwithstanding their early collapse to 5 for 2.Related

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“The last few days, it’s been really green here. So we all thought it’s going to be a green nipper again. And they obviously shaved it this morning, so it looked like a great wicket to bat on, with the overheads as well.”I was gutted to get out when I did, the pitch was just getting a bit flatter there,” he added. “But obviously we finished the day well with Rooty and Jof at the end there. So it’s good day.”At 264 for 9 with approximately half an hour of the day remaining, there had been some speculation that England might declare to insert Australia under the lights, much as they had done in their previous pink-ball Test against New Zealand in Mount Maunganui two years ago. But with Root going strong, and with memories of England’s infamous declaration at Edgbaston in 2023, Crawley said a repeat scenario had not been on the cards.”No talk of declaring,” he said. “We were talking about boys going really hard, and if they got out, then it was kind of a win-win situation. So they went hard, and they came off, and there’s a valuable 50 runs there for us.”Root will be on strike when day two gets underway, and will have the chance to extend England’s innings into the morning session, with six overs to come until the new ball is due. For now, though, he will have a chance to savour a significant landmark in his career, and one that may just confirm his credentials as England’s greatest Test batter.”I’m chuffed for him,” Crawley said, after Root’s 40th Test hundred and his first in Australia. “He hasn’t been speaking about it at all to us, that’s just the outside noise. He’s just very focused on just getting whatever score is needed on the day, and proved to be a hundred today.”But he’s the best player I’ve ever played with, or probably against as well. And he’s a champion bloke. I’m chuffed to bits for him.”

Having already enjoyed great success by signing players from Old Trafford, Napoli are now reportedly working on a 2026 deal for yet another Manchester United ace.

Hojlund thriving at Napoli

It’s a rotten case of de ja vu for Man United, but the reality is that one of their struggling players is once again thriving at Napoli.

Last season, it was Scott McTominay, who even earned himself a Ballon d’Or nomination, and this time around it’s Rasmus Hojlund, who’s found his golden touch away from Manchester.

The Dane has been in electric form since joining Napoli, whilst United’s big-money signing Benjamin Sesko is only gradually beginning to find his feet after scoring two goals in his last two games.

Speaking about the £66m man, Ruben Amorim told reporters after he scored in a comfortable victory over Sunderland last time out:

“The most important thing is to win games.

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“That will give confidence for everybody in the team. Of course, he was anxious for his first goal. The thing I like most in Ben is, even when things are hard for him with the ball, he is working hard in every minute of the game. That is the most important thing in the moment.”

Although Hojlund’s sudden burst of form may look frustrating from afar, United should be more than happy with Sesko’s start. Napoli, meanwhile, don’t look likely to go away anytime soon. Reports are now suggesting that the Italian giants are already working on a 2026 deal to sign another Man United star.

Napoli already working on Mainoo deal

According to Italian journalist Emanuele Cammaroto, Napoli are already working on signing Mainoo in the January transfer window and are waiting to see if the midfielder is available to complete a loan move.

“The strong temptation is to sign Mainoo,” the reporter told Napolimagazine live on Radio Punto Zero, via Area Napoli.

“But there we need to understand whether United are open to a loan with an option to buy. The parties are working on it.”

The Carrington graduate was very open about his desire to leave on loan in the summer, only for Amorim to deny him that chance and instead tell him to fight for his place. Since then, though, Mainoo has not started a single Premier League game.

Previously dubbed “special” by Paul Scholes, the 20-year-old will be desperate for the game time that Napoli could offer him. He, like everyone else, would have noticed their impact on Hojlund and McTominay and may want to follow suit in the new year.

That said, former Man United scout Mick Brown still has faith that Mainoo is being readied to replace Bruno Fernandes if he leaves for Saudi Arabia in the near future.

He told Football Insider: “It seems to me like Mainoo is being lined up as the perfect choice to step into his place, because the manager has been clear that he sees them as competition for the same role.”

Warwickshire and Somerset are heading for a Rothesay County Championship draw at Edgbaston after the home side narrowly avoided the follow on on the third day.In reply to 498, Warwickshire were bowled out for 351, achieving the 349 follow on figure with just two wickets to spare. Alex Davies hit 78 (186 balls), Sam Hain 78 (170) and Tom Latham 65 (158) but, on a very good batting pitch, nobody else reached 30 against a Somerset attack which kept the pressure high, led by skipper Craig Overton (four for 61).Somerset closed the third day on 116 for 3, 263 ahead overall, a commanding position but unlikely to be a winning one on a batter-friendly pitch which is not deteriorating.Somerset’s seamers opened up superbly after Warwickshire resumed on the third morning on 158 for 1. Matt Henry bottled up fellow Kiwi Latham with a sequence of maidens before, still to add to his overnight score, Latham drove at one that nipped away and edged to wicketkeeper James Rew. Five overs, and just six runs, later, Davies perished when he edged Overton to slip where Tom Kohler-Cadmore took a fine catch, low to his right.Jacob Bethell, promoted to four, batted solidly until the stroke of lunch when he bottom-edged a pull at Overton to Rew. The wicketkeeper collected again shortly after the interval when Ed Barnard edged an injudicious drive at Overton and self-flagellated all the way back to the pavilion.As Warwickshire wobbled to 235 for 5, Somerset had all the more reason to regret their recklessness with the bat on the second afternoon. A follow on figure of 550 would have put the home side under pressure but 349 was within reach albeit, it transpired, only just.Kai Smith and an increasingly expansive Hain added 66, Hain passing 50 from 133 balls and celebrating with two straight sixes in an over from Jack Leach.Smith supplied Rew’s fifth catch with a leg-side tickle off Overton and when, in the final over before tea, Hain edged Leach to slip, Warwickshire were still 32 short of the follow on figure with three wickets left.Corey Rocchiccioli responded aggressively with 28 from 31 balls but pulled Migael Pretorius to long leg with ten still required. Tense moments followed for the home side until Ethan Bamber reverse-swept Leach for four to avert the follow on and pretty much sentence the match to a draw. Bamber and Che Simmons both soon fell playing the forward defensive, Simmons bowled by Archie Vaughan and Bamber lbw to Leach.Somerset’s second innings started with a couple of jolts when both openers fell in the first eight overs. Kohler-Cadmore lifted Bamber to mid off and Josh Davey’s off-stump paid a high price for his decision to play back to Olly Hannon-Dalby.Tom Lammonby and James Rew added 83 before the former (33, 46) lifted Rocchiccioli to midwicket to squander the opportunity of reaching a third century in successive championship innings tomorrow.

تحدث لاعب ريال مدريد الإسباني جونزالو جارسيا، عقب مباراة فريقه أمام الهلال السعودي في بطولة كأس العالم للأندية المقامة في الولايات المتحدة الأمريكية.

والتقى الهلال مع ريال مدريد مساء يوم الأربعاء، في الجولة الأولى لدور المجموعات بمنافسات كأس العالم للأندية، وسجل جونزالو هدف تقدم ريال مدريد، قبل أن يتعادل الهلال من ضربة جزاء، وحسمت المباراة بهدف لمثله.

وقال جونزالو في تصريحاته إلى “DAZN”: “إنه شعور حلو ومر في آنٍ واحد، لأننا كنا نرغب في الفوز، أردنا أن نبدأ بنتيجةٍ جيدة، لكننا قاتلنا حتى النهاية وحاولنا، لكن الهلال قدم مباراة رائعة”.

وأضاف بشأن التعادل في المباراة الأولى لفريق ريال مدريد في البطولة: “النقطة ستكون إيجابية بالنظر لما تبقّى، أنا واثق من ذلك”.

اقرأ أيضًا | كورتوا ينتقد أداء ريال مدريد أمام الهلال: ارتكبنا غلطة سخيفة

وعن ركلة الجزاء التي أهدرها فالفيردي، أفاد: “لقد كانت مؤسفة، لكننا جميعًا أخطأنا هنا، أنا أولهم، فقد أتيحت لي عدة فرص، لا بأس، فيدي سيسجل ركلات الجزاء القادمة، كانت خسارة، لكننا متحمسون لخوض المباراتين المتبقيتين”.

وعن تجربته في أول مباراة أساسية له، أردف: “اللعب مع ريال مدريد دائمًا شرف كبير، أنا هنا منذ أن كنت صغيرًا، وأن أتمكن من اللعب هنا، وأن أسجل في أول مباراة أبدأها أساسيًا، فهذا شيء لا يُصدق على الإطلاق”.

سيلاقي ريال مدريد خصمه باتشوكا في الجولة الثانية، ثم يواجه سالزبورج في الجولة الثالثة بدور المجموعات.

When Tottenham Hotspur sell a key player for mega money, there is history now to tell us that the cash isn’t always invested very well. Still, Daniel Levy is no longer at Spurs, so things may well change in the future.

After Gareth Bale left north London behind, heading to Real Madrid to the tune of £85m, the ‘Magnificent 7’, as they were infamously known, were not much of a success.

Enter Paulinho, Christian Eriksen, Roberto Soldado, Nacer Chadli, Etienne Capoue, Vlad Chiriches and Erik Lamela. While the latter scored that ridiculous Rabona goal, the only real success story here was Eriksen, a creative and technical marvel.

Ten years later, it was Harry Kane’s time to leave Spurs. He moved to Bayern Munich for a fee of around £86m, a relative bargain considering what he’s achieved since.

Arguably, like Bale, money was not well spent the summer he departed. The signings of summer 2023 were rather hit or miss. While Dejan Kulusevski arrived permanently, they spent £45m on an inconsistent Brennan Johnson and £50m on an injury-prone James Maddison.

Meanwhile, in 2024 £65m was spent on Dominic Solanke, who also cannot stay fit, while young gems in the form of Archie Gray and Wilson Odobert also joined. Not quite a magnificent seven, but more of an average trio. Gray and Odobert may well come good, but Solanke’s ceiling has likely already been hit.

So, perhaps Thomas Frank and Co will need to look to the academy again, just as they did when handing Kane his debut back in 2011. Once all was said and done, he’d found the net on 280 occasions, leaving as their all-time record goalscorer and Arsenal’s chief nemesis.

His form in Germany since has been nothing short of scintillating.

Harry Kane's season in numbers

Kane does goals. There’s not a whole lot else to say. Even bringing the likes of Erling Haaland and Alexander Isak into the equation, he is currently the best centre-forward in world football. The numbers support that.

While Viktor Gyokeres won the Gerd Muller Trophy at the recent Ballon d’Or ceremony, proclaimed as the best striker of 2024/25, Kane deserved to be in the conversation.

Gyokeres, for context, scored 54 times last season, but Kane ran him close, netting 41 in 51 outings.

Well, in 2025/26, he looks like he’s on track for the best season of his career as he moves into his 32nd year.

If you thought Kane couldn’t get any more ruthless, then think again. This season he has undeniably been the best player in Europe, scoring a mind-boggling 17 goals in nine games.

He’s scoring at a record of a goal every 46 minutes. It’s a level of potency we’ve very rarely ever seen from a striker in the elite game.

Truth be told, it’s peak Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo levels of goalscoring.

Kane has beaten the goalkeeper ten times in five Bundesliga fixtures while in the Champions League, he’s been a demon too, netting four in two matches, including a brace against Chelsea a couple of weeks ago.

The England skipper continued his rich vein of form against Cypriot side Pafos on Tuesday, bagging another two goals. This time he played as a no.10, behind Nicolas Jackson. It had no impact on his ability to score.

Replacing that type of output was always going to be impossible for Spurs. Solanke is a handy striker but he’s always going to be compared to Kane. That’s harsh but it’s the way of the world.

Fortunately, the Lilywhites do have one exciting academy prospect coming through the ranks who looks more exciting than Kane ever did at youth level.

Meet Spurs' most exciting academy talent since Harry Kane

At youth level Kane was impressive, scoring nine goals in 13 official matches for Tottenham Hotspur’s U21 side. Yet, he initially struggled at senior level.

The club’s record scorer didn’t find the net during five matches on loan at Norwich and also found life difficult at Leicester City and Leyton Orient, notching seven across 33 matches during those spells.

Spurs

435

280

England

107

74

Bayern

105

102

Millwall

27

9

Orient

18

5

Leicester

15

2

Norwich

5

0

Nine goals in 29 matches at Millwall was slightly more productive but it wasn’t until 2014/15 where he finally showcased his elite potential.

That term the Englishman registered 31 goals for Spurs and since then, there hasn’t been a single campaign where he’s not scored fewer than 20 across a single season.

Many have come through the academy since then hoping to emulate that sort of record. The likes of Dane Scarlett, Troy Parrott and Will Lankshear, while still young, did not show enough in their fleeting appearances.

There are still high hopes for Mikey Moore, too. The 17-year-old was compared to Neymar by James Maddison last season and has so much potential.

Yet, the most exciting talent bursting through the ranks is another 17-year-old, Luca Williams-Barnett.

The teenager may be unknown to many supporters but has already made his first-team debut, appearing for the final three minutes of Spurs’ League Cup win over Doncaster Rovers last week.

Those minutes were a fine reward for his remarkable development over the last few years. If Spurs were looking for their own Max Dowman, then they have found it here.

A no.10 by trade, who can also play up top, the talented teen was superb last season, scoring 20 goals and registering a further 12 assists in 23 outings.

He’s begun the 2025/26 term in a similar vein of form with six goals and four assists in eight appearances for the U21s.

In The Pipeline

Football FanCast’s In the Pipeline series aims to uncover the very best youth players in world football.

As data analyst Ben Mattinson has outlined, he is “one of England’s best talents at youth level” and he also “scores bangers”.

His hat-trick earlier this season may not have showcased this but it proved he’s usually always in the right place at the right time, influencing play positively.

A goalscorer, a creator, an innate dribbler, Williams-Barnett has all of the tools to thrive at Spurs in the coming years.

However, for Frank, the challenge will be finding him regular minutes now in the Premier League. Their fierce rivals Arsenal, have led the way by giving the likes of Ethan Nwaneri and Dowman so many minutes over the last year.

Could Spurs be brewing their own version here? The future certainly looks bright.

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Tottenham Hotspur have found their next Luka Modric in North London, and it is not Joao Palhinha.

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After a long summer, Arsenal finally kickstart their fourth attempt at winning the Premier League tomorrow afternoon.

It feels like it could be the competitive title race for some time, but thanks to their summer business, Mikel Arteta’s side feel well-placed to attack it head-on.

Sporting Director Andrea Berta and his team have overseen six first-team additions so far, with the most significant undoubtedly being Viktor Gyokeres, and if that wasn’t enough, they are still being linked with a move for the sensational Eberechi Eze.

However, if Arsenal really want to make a splash and complete a signing that’d be better than the Swede and Englishman, they should go back in for a player they were linked with earlier this summer.

Why Gyokeres and Eze could be game-changers

While there are always a multitude of motivations behind every transfer, it’s not hard to work out why Arsenal decided to splash £63.5m on Gyokeres this summer: goals.

The Gunners have needed a new goalscoring centre-forward for some time now, and when it comes to putting the ball in the back of the net, it’s hard to think of many players as good as the Swede.

For example, in just 52 appearances last season, the Stockholm-born “powerhouse,” as dubbed by analyst Ben Mattinson, scored a staggering 54 goals and provided 13 assists to boot.

In other words, the 27-year-old international averaged 1.28 goal involvements every game, or one every 63.40 minutes, which is frankly ridiculous.

When it comes to their interest in Eze, there is perhaps a little more to it.

For example, on top of his brilliant haul of 25 goal involvements in 43 games for Crystal Palace last season, the former QPR gem can play as a traditional number ten or fill in on the left, which is an area of concern for the Gunners.

Moreover, he is Premier League-proven and proved he has what it takes to step up in the biggest games last season during the Eagles’ incredible FA Cup triumph.

In short, Gyokeres is a brilliant signing, and Eze would be as well, although if Arsenal want to make an even better purchase than both, they should go out and get someone they were linked with earlier this summer: Bradley Barcola.

Why Barcola would be a better signing than Gyokeres & Eze

While the reports touting Barcola for a move to Arsenal seem to have disappeared in recent weeks, he was briefly linked with the club back in June, and since then, stories have claimed that Paris Saint-Germain value him at around £87m.

So then, if Berta were to go out and get the young Frenchman, why would he be a better signing than Gyokeres and Eze?

Well, the first argument comes down to this output, as even though he plays on the wing, the Lyon-born superstar, whom Mattinson has dubbed “one of the best LWs in Europe,” scored 21 goals and provided 21 assists in 64 appearances, totalling 3927 minutes, last season.

Barcola in 24/25
Appearances	64
Minutes	3927′
Goals	21
Assists	21
Goal Involvements per Match	0.65
Minutes per Goal Involvement	93.5′
All Stats via Transfermarkt

That works out to a sublime average of a goal involvement every 1.52 games, or every 93.5 minutes, which trumps the Palace star’s average of one every 1.72 games, or every 132.12 minutes.

Now, you might be thinking that the Frenchman’s numbers still pale in comparison to the Swede’s, and while that is correct, you have to take into account the competitions they play in, as, according to Opta Analyst, the Portuguese league is only the eighth toughest in the world. At the same time, Ligue 1 makes it into the top five.

The second reason the “world-class” PSG gem, as dubbed by journalist Dougie Critchley, would be a better signing is down to what he team needs, as while a new striker was important, Kai Havertz was on 15 goals before his injury last season.

In contrast, neither Gabriel Martinelli nor Leandro Trossard have impressed off the left for some time now, making it a real weak point in the side.

Finally, and this is important when it comes to squad building and future success, the Champions League winner is still just 22 years old. In contrast, the other two are both 27, meaning they will likely start becoming less effective in three to four years, compared to eight or nine.

Ultimately, Gyokeres is an excellent signing, and Eze would be as well, but from his output to his position and age, we can’t help thinking Barcola would be the best addition of the lot.

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Offspinner Shreyanka Patil and legspinner Priya Mishra have been ruled out of the India A women’s tour of Australia due to injuries.While the pair was initially included in the squad for the multi-format tour – Patil in the T20 and Mishra in the one-day and four-day squad – their participation was subject to fitness clearance. It has now been confirmed that they have not recovered in time and will continue rehabilitating at BCCI’s Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.”Both players remain under the care of the BCCI Medical Team at the Centre of Excellence and are currently undergoing their Return-to-Play protocols,” a BCCI statemen said.Patil has been out of action for a while now. She had suffered a finger injury during the women’s Asia Cup in July last year but played at the T20 World Cup in the UAE in October. Another injury, however, ruled her out of the WPL 2025. With Patil and Mishra out, Bengal batter Dhara Gujjar and Uttarakhand allrounder Prema Rawat have now been added to the squad across all three formats. Gujjar was earlier part of the one-day and four-day squads, while Rawat was only included in the T20 squad.In addition, wicketkeeper-batter Yastika Bhatia has also been included in the one-day squad. Bhatia played at the WPL 2025 for Mumbai Indians earlier this year and more recently participated in two tour games against ECB Development Women’s XI.India’s multi-format tour of Australia starts with the T20s from August 7 in Mackay, and will run until August 10. That will be followed by the one-day games in Norths on August 13, 15 and 17. The only four-day fixture will be played at Allan Border Field in Brisbane from August 21.Radha Yadav will captain all three sides, which also includes Shafali Verma across formats.India A’s updated T20 squad: Radha Yadav (capt), Minnu Mani (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, D. Vrinda, Sajana Sajeevan, Uma Chetry (wk), Raghvi Bist, Prema Rawat, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Tanuja Kanwer, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Dhara GujjarIndia A’s updated one-day squad: Radha Yadav (capt), Minnu Mani (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Dhara Gujjar, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Prema Rawat, Yastika BhatiaIndia A’s updated four-day squad: Radha Yadav (capt), Minnu Mani (vice-capt), Shafali Verma, Tejal Hasabnis, Raghvi Bist, Tanushree Sarkar, Uma Chetry (wk), Tanuja Kanwer, Nandini Kashyap (WK), Dhara Gujjar, Joshita VJ, Shabnam Shakeel, Saima Thakor, Titas Sadhu, Prema Rawat