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While things look somewhat bleak at the moment, the future could be especially bright for Tottenham Hotspur.

It might be true that Ange Postecoglou is currently overseeing the club’s worst domestic campaign for over a generation, but one thing is undeniably true: the squad has some seriously exciting young talents in it.

The likes of Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall, Wilson Odobert and Mikey Moore all look like they could develop into sensational players down the line, and if Mathys Tel makes his move permanent, then that is yet another mega prospect on the books.

Moreover, Hotspur Way is brewing a handful of exceptional talents, including one youngster who could be their best since Harry Kane and a future superstar for England.

Harry Kane's rise

Now, practically everyone knows that when he was a child, Kane was a part of Arsenal’s Hale End academy, but in what might be one of the worst decisions the Gunners ever made, they let the future superstar go at just 12 years old.

A few years later, the Lilywhites decided to bring him to Hotspur Way, and about five and a half years after that, he was sent out on his first loan move to Leyton Orient, where he scored five goals in 18, mostly substitute appearances.

Over the next few years, the incredible goalscorer would go out on further loans to Millwall, Norwich City, and Leicester City while also making more appearances for the U21 side, where he netted nine times and provided nine assists in just 13 appearances.

While he did play the odd first-team game here and there during this period, the Walthamstow-born marksman was given his first proper opportunity in the first team in the 14/15 season under then-new boss Mauricio Pochettino.

Across 51 appearances, totalling 3682 minutes, the future superstar found the back of the net on 31 occasions and provided another six assists to boot.

While some labelled him a one-season wonder, we all know what happened next, and by the time he left for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2023, the Spurs legend had amassed a haul of 280 goals and 62 assists in 435 games, becoming the club’s all-time top scorer in the process.

So, with all that said, fans should be seriously excited about a certain youngster who might be the club’s most exciting prospect since Kane.

In The Pipeline

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

Spurs' most exciting prospect since Kane

So, while there are several promising prospects at Hotspur Way at the moment, such as Tyrese Hall, the youngster in question is Lucas Williams-Barnett.

While few fans would have been aware of the 16-year-old at the start of the season, he has now become potentially one of the most talked-about players in youth football.

It’s not hard to see where the hype has come from, though, as in just 18 appearances, totalling 1465 minutes, the Luton-born prodigy has scored a whopping 19 goals and provided nine assists.

Appearances

18

Minutes

1465′

Goals

19

Assists

9

Goal Involvements per Match

1.55

Minutes per Goal Involvement

52.32′

In other words, the goalscoring machine, who’s set to be one of the club’s future “superstars,” per analyst Ben Mattinson, is averaging 1.55 goal involvements every single game, or one every 52.32 minutes.

On top of his unreal club form, the teenage “cheat code”, as dubbed by Spurs’ expert John Wenham, is also performing for the national side.

For example, in just six appearances for the England U17 team, he’s already scored two goals, despite being just 15 when he made his debut.

Ultimately, Williams-Barnett is, without a doubt, Spurs’ most exciting prospect since Kane, and just like the striker, he looks like he’s going to be a superstar for club and country.

Worth more than VDV: Spurs have struck gold on their "Swiss army knife"

The incredible talent will be a superstar for Spurs.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Apr 25, 2025

On a tricky surface at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium, a change of pace may help Mitchell McClenaghan solve what has been a season-long problem of leaking runs in the end overs

Deivarayan Muthu18-May-20172:57

Have Mumbai’s bowlers lost steam lately?

Twenty20 cricket is a freakish format, where your best-laid plans can go to waste if the execution is marginally wrong. Ask Mumbai Indians fast bowler Mitchell McClenaghan. In the first Qualifier against Rising Pune Supergiant, McClenaghan clattered through the defences of Rahul Tripathi with a big inswinger in his first over. His first three overs went for 20, and he came on to bowl the 19th over with Rising Pune at 121 for 3 and desperate for a late dash. McClenaghan had sound plans against MS Dhoni and Manoj Tiwary, but his execution was awry. He leaked 26 runs and suddenly the game changed.McClenaghan began that 19th over aiming for a yorker first ball but overpitched and watched as Tiwary swung the beamer to the long-leg boundary. The next ball – a free-hit – offered plenty of width, and Tiwary hoisted it over the bowler’s head for a six. When Dhoni got the strike, McClenaghan finally nailed a yorker, which whooshed past the batsman’s feet. The fourth delivery was a length ball, which was swatted over the midwicket boundary. McClenaghan then switched to Plan B: bowl short and wide, and make Dhoni fetch it. While it appeared logical, McClenaghan ended up bowling two consecutive wides and then panicked and bowled two more length balls, one of which was taken for six. It allowed Rising Pune to run away with the advantage and barge into their first IPL final.McClenaghan is the third-highest wicket-taker this season with 19 wickets in 14 matches, but is prone to leaking runs in the slog overs. His five most expensive overs have all come between overs 15 and 20, and he has an economy rate of 9.50 in this phase of the innings, the second highest among bowlers who have bowled at least 15 overs. He has also bowled 15 extras in the end overs; only Bhuvneshwar Kumar (17) has bowled more.In the middle overs, his returns are worse: one wicket at an economy rate of 12.60. McClenaghan has been most penetrative in the Powerplay, claiming 10 of his 19 wickets in this period at an economy rate of 7.95. In fact, no bowler has taken more wickets than McClenaghan in the Powerplay this season.Mitchell McClenaghan: Decisive in the Powerplay, expensive in the slog overs•BCCISo, perhaps, a case can be made for Mumbai to extract the best out of him with the new ball. Remember, he opened the bowling in the first 22 ODIs he played for New Zealand, and claimed 48 wickets at an economy rate of 5.82 and strike-rate of 23.5.But, with Lasith Malinga himself missing his lengths and conceding at an economy rate of 12 in the slog overs, Mumbai have needed McClenaghan and Jasprit Bumrah. Of the pair, Bumrah has easily been the more impressive, giving away only 8.91 runs an over in this phase.McClenaghan’s regulation pace has allowed the batsmen to line him up better this season. Perhaps he could do well to mix up his pace more, like he did at the World Twenty20 in India last year. His accurate lengths and cutters were so effective that Tim Southee and Trent Boult did not get a game, and New Zealand ultimately made the semi-finals, where they were knocked out by England. Against Australia on a slow track in Dharamsala, McClenaghan cramped the right-hand batsmen with slower short balls, and fooled left-handed batsman Ashton Agar with legcutters. With Australia needing 22 from 12 balls in a chase of 143, McClenaghan took the wickets of Mitchell Marsh and Agar in five balls while conceding just three off a stellar penultimate over. Corey Anderson eventually closed out the eight-run win for New Zealand.Much like that tricky Dharamsala pitch, the M Chinnaswamy track hasn’t allowed batsmen to time the ball this season. Some balls have stuck in the surface, while others have skidded on. Many quicks have taken advantage of this with cutters and cross-seamers. A return to Bangalore might trigger happy memories for McClenaghan: only last month he dismissed Virat Kohli and Mandeep Singh in two slog overs in his side’s four-wicket win over Royal Challengers Bangalore. He nabbed Kohli with a wide ball – possibly wider than a set of stumps outside off – for 62 and then had Mandeep dragging a back-of-a-length ball onto the stumps for a duck.McClenaghan has the skills and the smarts. He might even have a bunch of plans at the death against Kolkata Knight Riders on Friday. But, it all boils down to execution. This time, though, there will be no second chances for him and his team: it’s boom or bust.

Stats highlights from the final day at Edgbaston as England wrap up an impressive victory

Bharath Seervi07-Aug-20160 Bigger wins for England after facing a deficit of over 100 runs in a Test, than the 141-run victory margin in this match. This was the 15th time they won a Test (excluding Centurion 2000-01 and The Oval 2006) after conceding a lead of 100 or more runs in the first innings and their previous biggest win, in terms of runs, was by 124 runs against New Zealand at Lord’s last year.0 Bigger defeats for Pakistan after taking a lead of 100 or more runs in the first innings, than this win. This was the fifth time they lost after taking leading of 100-plus and their previous biggest loss, in terms of runs, was by 92 runs against Australia at MCG in 1972-73.7 Consecutive Tests at Edgbaston in which the team batting first could not win the match, before this. The last win by the team batting first here was in 2005 when England secured an Ashes win by just two runs. Since then in seven Tests, the team batting second won five times and two Tests were drawn, both due to rain.0 Tests lost by England against Pakistan at Edgbaston. In the eight Tests between the two sides here, England have won five and three were drawn. This is the only venue in England where Pakistan haven’t won any Test even after playing five or more matches. England are unbeaten in their last six Tests at Edgbaston.2 Occasions when five bowlers shared two wickets each in a Test innings for England. The previous such instance for England was in Delhi in 1981-82. This is the eighth such instance for any team and has happened for the second time this year.3/79 Best innings figures by an England bowler in this Test, which is the second least-best figures for England excluding the Centurion Test of 1999-00 where they bowled just one innings. Those are also the least-best figures by any team winning a Test against Pakistan.2 Man of the Match awards for Moeen Ali in Tests. This was his second for his scores of 63 and 86 not out with bat and 2 for 49 in the fourth innings. His first such award was in Durban in December 2015.1 Run added by Pakistan’s fifth, sixth and seventh wickets combined – their lowest in an innings. They reduced from 124 for 4 to 125 for 7, in just 23 balls.23 Wickets for Chris Woakes in this series – the joint-most by an England bowler in a series against Pakistan. James Anderson also took 23 wickets in 2010 series, but in four matches compared to Woakes’ three.429Balls without a wicket for Steven Finn, before he got Misbah-ul-Haq on the final day. His last Test wicket had come in the last match against Sri Lanka. He was wicketless in the first three innings he bowled in this series.0 Pakistan openers younger than Sami Aslam who made 50-plus in both innings of a Test. Aslam, at the age of 20 years, 235 days, beat Salman Butt, 21 years, 36 days, who achieved the same against England in Multan in 2005-06. Aslam is the fifth-youngest opener from any team to make two 50-plus scores in a Test.2004 Last time Pakistan’s No. 6 and 7 had got out for ducks in a Test innings, also in the fourth innings, against Australia at the WACA. This is the sixth such instance in Tests and five of those have come in their second innings. Asad Shafiq got a pair at No. 6 after playing 49 consecutive innings without a duck before this Test and for Sarfraz Ahmed it was his first duck of his Test career in his 43rd innings.

da doce： Arsenal have gone from strength to strength under Mikel Arteta, but silverware has been lacking from an otherwise exceptional tenure.

da poker： Having taken Manchester City to the wire across the past two Premier League campaigns, Arsenal felt they had made the increments needed to win the title this term, but a series of injuries to key personnel have allowed Liverpool to establish a six-point foothold at the top of the table.

With Bukayo Saka and Gabriel Jesus currently sidelined, the last thing that the Gunners needed was another forward to be thrown into the infirmary, but when Gabriel Martinelli was taken off during this week’s Carabao Cup defeat against Newcastle United, fans feared the worst.

Gabriel Martinelli joins the injury list

Arsenal’s depleted frontline could have done without the loss of another valued member, leaving Arteta with a dearth of options over the coming weeks.

The 23-year-old has only scored seven goals across 35 matches for Arsenal this season, also assisting four goals, but he’s regularly played on the right flank in recent weeks, bagging against Aston Villa and setting up Kai Havertz during the drubbing of Man City.

Replaced by Ethan Nwaneri at St James’ Park, the north Londoners will be hopeful that they have enough to continue to challenge Liverpool for top spot over the coming fixtures – Leicester, West Ham and Nottingham Forest are ahead this month – but fans are understandably frustrated that transfer action wasn’t taken in January.

Influence is not exclusively quantifiable by goals and assists, and though Martinelli has left plenty to be desired with his efforts this season, he’s still an important part of the team, bringing speed and balance to the left flank.

Now he’s sidelined, Arsenal’s task becomes all the more daunting, and it must make Arteta wish that he had not sold Emile Smith Rowe last summer.

Arteta must regret selling Emile Smith Rowe

Fulham will have felt they secured a coup when signing Smith Rowe last August, paying a club-record £34m fee for the silky midfielder.

Smith Rowe, 24, had been a highly regarded member of Arsenal’s wave of homegrown quality, but had seen his minutes limited over the final two campaigns of his Emirates career, thus resigned to moving for a fresh start.

In the overtures of the sale, correspondent Charles Watts revealed that Arteta did not want to cash in on the Hale End graduate but was resigned to doing so given that Smith Rowe wanted regular playing time.

As you can see below, his Gunners career tapered off as Arteta’s reign hit its stride. His decision was more than justifiable.

Emile Smith Rowe – Arsenal Stats by Season (PL)

Season

Apps (starts)

Goals

Assists

23/24

13 (3)

0

1

22/23

12 (0)

0

2

21/22

33 (21)

10

2

20/21

20 (18)

2

4

19/20

2 (1)

0

0

Stats via Transfermarkt

Injuries didn’t help his case, but it was clear that Smith Rowe needed to leave given that he wasn’t earning anywhere near enough opportunities in the Premier League.

However, hindsight can be both a wonderful and agonising thing, and it’s frustrating to see that the English playmaker would have been able to play a big part for Arsenal this term, enjoying plenty of football even before Martinelli was struck from match fitness.

Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher once said that Smith Rowe is perhaps the best player in English football when running with the ball at his feet, while his 10-goal haul from 21 starts in 2021/22 highlighted the goalscoring prowess within his skill set.

As per FBref, Smith Rowe ranks among the top 2% of Premier League attacking midfielders and wingers this season for pass completion and the top 7% for progressive passes per 90, perfectly illustrating the stylistic approach that would have been perfect for Arteta’s current system – having, after all, played within it before.

Sofascore also records that he has missed just two big chances in the league for the Cottagers, putting four away, emphasising the clinical edge that Arteta so desperately craves.

Smith Rowe is not a striker, the position of which remains the most pressing concern for Arteta’s side, but he’s a dynamic and homegrown attacking threat, previously hailed as a “joy to watch” by his former manager.

Martinelli’s recent injury magnifies the failure to bolster the frontline this winter, serving as a stark reminder that Smith Rowe could have played an important role for the Gunners this term, but instead plies his trade elsewhere.

Related Cost £23m, now worth 195% more: Arsenal struck gold on "unstoppable" star

This surely has to be one of Mikel Arteta’s best signings at Arsenal.

Posts ByJack Salveson Holmes Feb 8, 2025

Ireland batter admits first-innings total below par but encouraged by fall of late wickets

Mohammad Isam04-Apr-2023Before the Dhaka Test, Harry Tector played just a single first-class match in four years. He didn’t feel too nervous coming into this game, admittedly not as much as he thought he would, but enough to keep him awake to the challenge at hand.Ireland’s long gap from Tests was the overriding theme on the first day at the Shere Bangla National Stadium. The batters needed a lot of adjustment as a result. While 214 is a below-par score at this venue, Ireland certainly had their moments.Tector became the first Ireland batter to score a fifty in his first Test innings. He played some great drives, particularly one through the covers off the back foot that stood out. But he said that controlling his urge to loft the flighted delivery was probably the hardest part of the innings.”[Scoring a Test fifty] is very different [to scoring white-ball fifties],” Tector said. “I think in one sense it is a lot easier because there’s a lot more gaps. You can hit the ball and get it away for four. But there’s a lot of challenges with different fields. The ball does a bit more. I think this was only my 11th first-class game. I think I played one first-class game in the last four years.Related

Shakib 'didn't think' Bangladesh would lose, but praises Ireland for spirited comeback

Ireland set for multiple debuts as they return to Test cricket after four-year gap

Bangladesh lose two after Taijul's five-for dismisses Ireland for 214

“It certainly takes a lot of adjustment for a lot of us to shift back into red-ball cricket. Trying not to hit the ball that loops up for a six, it is quite a challenge. You are trained to do that, because you play so much T20 and one-day cricket. Big shift in mindset. We have to learn from today.”Tector said that his dismissal – bowled by Mehidy Hasan Miraz shortly after reaching his half-century – was avoidable had he tried to defend the ball. The dismissal cut short a promising fourth wicket stand between him and Curtis Campher.”It felt good for all of it until I got out,” he said. “It was a poor decision in the shot I played, not so much a decent ball. I think if I defended that, it wouldn’t have got me out. [There is] a lot of learning to do across the board. I put on a good partnership with Curtis Campher. We thought we could certainly put up a good total. We probably were a bit shy of where we wanted to be with the bat.”Tector praised the lower order, particularly Lorcan Tucker, for adding 90 runs for the last four wickets. It got Ireland past the 200-run mark from 124 for 6 in the second session.”You need the lower-order to put on runs in these conditions. The big challenge here is to not lose wickets in clusters. I think we lost three for two. You can’t really afford to do that. We built a nice partnership and then to go bang-bang-bang, it kills you. The guys certainly did very well. They batted nicely, nice and positive, played their shots.”But it would be Tamim Iqbal’s wicket off the last ball of the day that spurs them on for the second day.”[The Tamim wicket] was huge, unbelievable,” he said. “I think it makes the day a bit more even. We are shy with the bat but getting two wickets tonight is huge. It gives a lot of momentum for us tomorrow. I think that dismissal in particular, the way the ball spun, it is a good sign for us on this wicket. It was amazing.”It was an exciting day all around for Ireland. It in fact started on the eve of the match when the team management decided to do the usual cap ceremony in the team hotel. There were so many to hand out – seven in total – that they couldn’t do it on the morning of the match.Tector, who said that it was a highlight of his short career, was informed that he is the 706th player to appear for Ireland at every level. This count goes back to the 19th century.”It was pretty cool. We had a bit of a ceremony last night. There was seven of us, so presenting seven individual caps on the morning of day one would take a bit of time. It was really special.”I am the 22nd Test player for Ireland but I am something like the 706th player to play for Ireland overall. It is a very special achievement. We are a lucky group of player to play Test cricket. It was an amazing feeling to play Test cricket for my country.”

da spicy bet： West Ham United are on the verge of sealing their first signing for new manager Graham Potter, as broadcaster Sky Sports share an exciting update out of the London Stadium.

West Ham attempting to support Graham Potter in January

da bet nacional： There are gaping areas of the squad which need to be addressed by the Hammers hierarchy, with Potter looking to inspire an excellent second half to this Premier League campaign and potentially challenge for Europe.

Related West Ham in ongoing talks over signing "top-quality" England international

Graham Potter’s side sense an opportunity.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Jan 22, 2025

West Ham have a large list of transfer targets for midfield and going forward, with reliable club insider ExWHUemployee recently sharing the players in Potter’s thinking.

“The club does have some initial interest in Emanuel Emegha,” stated Ex (via West Ham Way).

“The 6’5 Dutch under 21s international has had a great season for Strasbourg in France and has 7 goals in 13 league appearances. The club started initial enquiries about 4 weeks ago, but it was considered a difficult transfer to complete.

“[Breel] Embolo is a highly rated Swiss international forward who plays for Monaco in France. West Ham have been linked with the forward a number of times in the past.

West Ham’s next five Premier League fixtures

Date

Aston Villa (away)

January 26

Chelsea (away)

February 3

Brentford (home)

February 15

Arsenal (away)

February 22

Leicester City (home)

February 27

“His playing style has been likened to Michail Antonio’s, and he is seen as a good longer-term successor to him. Injuries have been a bit of a concern during his career and these would need further exploration via the medical should we chose to go ahead with it.”

The credible club source also says that West Ham’s recent appointment of Kyle Macauley as a transfer chief from Chelsea has delayed any serious movement for players, as Potter is keen to acquire his input.

“Macauley’s appointment has been on the cards since Potter’s appointment and this does explain why there has been little movement so far,” stated Ex again.

“With many of Steidten’s suggestions not being given approval as Potter wanted the input from Macauley. Having already been linked with [Kiernan] Dewsbury-Hall, although he started Chelsea’s game yesterday, and Carney Chukwuemeka, who wasn’t in the squad, these players may also further develop.”

West Ham’s manager is apparently very keen on exploring loan deals for Chukwuemeka and Dewsbury-Hall, but Chelsea’s fringe duo are not the only midfielders on their radar heading into the final stretch of this January window.

West Ham agree deal to sign Ezechiel Banzuzi from OH Leuven

According to Sky, West Ham are closing in on the signing of OH Leuven midfielder Ezechiel Banzuzi.

The Netherlands Under-21 international has impressed in the Belgian Jupiler Pro League, seemingly catching the eyes of West Ham’s scouting team. Banzuzi boasts two goals and five assists from 23 appearances in all competitions, with West Ham now apparently reaching an agreement for the 19-year-old.

“West Ham have agreed a deal with the Belgian club OH Leuven to sign midfielder Ezechiel Banzuzi,” said the broadcaster.

“The agreement is for £10 million up front plus £3 million in potential add-ons. Banzuzi due to fly for a medical in the next 24 hours. This one is on, and it should be completed relatively soon.”

Interestingly, some Belgian media sources have since denied that Banzuzi is on his way to West Ham, so it will be interesting to see how this develops, and it shows how no transfer is officially complete until the player signs on the dotted line.

Garth has already linked up with Giants after Dottin was “recovering from a medical situation”

ESPNcricinfo staff04-Mar-2023Gujarat Giants have suffered a blow ahead of the inaugural WPL, with Deandra Dottin, the star West Indian allrounder, ruled out of the tournament because she is “recovering from a medical situation”. Giants have named Kim Garth, the Australia allrounder, as replacement.Giants had bought Dottin at the auction for INR 60 lakh (US$ 73,000 approx. at the time) after bidding started for her at a base price of INR 50 lakh.Garth had gone unsold at the auction last month. At the time of the auction, she was with the Australia squad that won the T20 World Cup in South Africa. Garth only played two warm-up matches before the main World Cup, including one against her former side Ireland. She recently shifted to Australia after completing the necessary formalities and has even signed a three-year deal with Melbourne Stars in the WBBL. She joined the Giants squad on Friday.

Another lioness from Down Under, @kim_garth joins our pride! #WPL #GujaratGiants #AdaniSportsline #Adani pic.twitter.com/vd9z6Ssp0i

— Gujarat Giants (@GujaratGiants) March 3, 2023