The Hard Tackle

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur scout Southampton attacking sensation Tyler Dibling ahead of a potential transfer.

Tyler Dibling’s sensational rise hasn’t gone unnoticed as multiple top clubs are closely monitoring his progress. According to Mick Brown via Football Insider, Manchester United and Tottenham are two clubs who are scouting the young attacking sensation ahead of a potential move.

Dibling has been a part of the Southampton setup since his early days. He went up the ranks at some pace and got promoted to their first team last summer. The 18-year-old has established himself as a key figure in the Saints’ team in no time.

He has broken into Russell Martin’s starting XI and has featured in all 12 of their Premier League games. The teenage attacking sensation has started seven of those fixtures and has come off the bench on the other five occasions.

While Dibling prefers playing as a right winger, he is capable enough to feature anywhere in attack. The exceptional rise of the English youth international has resulted in a significant amount of interest in his signature.

Former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown has suggested that he is being watched by scouts of Manchester United as well as Tottenham Hotspur. His performances have impressed those scouts and they could end up securing his services if the Saints fail to survive in the top flight.

Bown’s take on Dibling’s future

Brown said: “He’s attracting a lot of interest,”

“Nearly every club in the Premier League have been keeping an eye on his performances this season because he’s a very talented young player.

“They’re assessing just how good they think he is, and many of them have had scouts watching him.

“After that game against Liverpool, I’m told they like what they see.

“If Southampton go down, chances are they’ll have to sell some players.

“The way the financial rules are at the moment, relegation can be very costly. I think we saw that with Leeds and Leicester last year.

“With Dibling attracting interest, he may well be one they look to cash in on if a good offer arrives.

“Don’t get me wrong, they’ll be keen to keep him at the club, he’s a product of their academy and a very good one at that.

“But with interest building, relegation from the Premier League might force them to sell.”

United and Spurs scout Dibling

While results haven’t been going in Southamton’s favour, Dibling is surely putting in some impressive performances in the final third of the pitch. The Saints did end up on the wrong side of the result against Liverpool (3-2 defeat) at St Mary’s but the young winger left a mark on those who were there to watch him in action.

Tottenham who have recently shifted their focus towards signing young stars and Manchester United who have made that switch under the new ownership are two top clubs who have keeping a close eye on the youngster’s development as they look to sign him next summer.

Their pursuit could become much easier if the Saints fail to stay up. They are currently bottom of the points table and survival looks very difficult for them. Relegation will force Southampton to sell their best players and Dibling will be one of their most sought-after players.

Tottenham Hotspur will be looking to return to winning ways in the Europa League when they host AS Roma on Thursday.

A struggling AS Roma outfit who have only won one Europa League fixture this season are all set to hit the road to face Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur, who have been on a roll of late after a slow start to the new campaign.

The home team are seventh on the Europa League points table with nine points thanks to three wins and a defeat. They suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Galatasaray in their last European outing and even lost to Ipswich Town in the league before the international break.

Spurs have made a sensational comeback post the break as they smashed Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City 4-0 away from home. They took their chances and secured all three points on the night. Postecoglou’s team will be high on confidence heading into this fixture.

AS Roma are 20th on the Europa League table with just five points so far. The Giallorossi have one win, two draws and a defeat to their name. They dropped points in their last European outing against Royale Union Saint-Gilloise.

The visitors have lost their last two outings in the Serie A. They suffered a 3-2 defeat at the hands of Bologna prior to the break and ended up losing 1-0 to Napoli when the action resumed in Italy. Roma have struggled across competitions and they will find it difficult to go up against a Tottenham team that has been playing some impressive football of late. The Hard Tackle takes a close look at both teams and tries to predict the tactics they could put to use.

Team News & Tactics

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur have received a massive blow as Guglielmo Vicario fractured his right ankle in the game against Manchester City. He has undergone surgery and is all set to be out for a while.

Apart from their shot-stopper, Spurs will be without the services of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven. Wilson Odobert and Richarlison are also unlikely to be available for this one. Meanwhile, Will Lankshear is suspended following the red card in their last European fixture, and Mikey Moore is down with a virus.

Ange Postecoglou will go ahead with the 4-3-3 formation, where Fraser Forster will feature in goal. Djed Spence and Archie Gray should be the full-backs with Radu Dragusin and Ben Davies featuring in the heart of the defence.

Rodrigo Bentancur, who is serving a seven-match domestic ban, will start here to maintain match fitness. He will be accompanied by Pape Matar Sarr and Lucas Bergvall in the centre of the park. Brennan Johnson and Timo Werner will feature out wide on the flanks, while Dominic Solanke will be leading the line for them.

Probable Lineup (4-3-3): Forster; Spence, Dragusin, Davies, Gray; Sarr, Bentancur, Bergvall; Johnson, Solanke, Werner

AS Roma

After suffering a defeat in his first league outing, Claudio Ranieri will be hoping his team put up a much better fight against Tottenham in this away fixture. Eldor Shomurodov remains on the sidelines, while Alexis Saelemaekers and Mario Hermoso are closing in on a return.

Paulo Dybala was not 100% and that is why he started on the bench in their last outing. But, he is expected to be in the starting XI for this one. Claudio Ranieri will stick to the 4-4-2 formation that he used in their last outing. But there could be quite a few changes to the XI.

Mile Svilar is expected to keep his place in goal. Zeki Celik and Angelino will most likely be the two full-backs, while Gianluca Mancini and Mats Hummels will feature in the heart of the defence.

Matias Soule and Nicola Zalewski will feature out wide on the flanks. They will not only support the full-backs but also look to provide width to their attacks. Tommaso Baldanzi will partner Bryan Cristante in a more central role. They will look to ensure Tottenham do not end up dictating the pace of the game. Dybala will start up top alongside summer signing Artem Dovbyk.

Probable Lineup (4-4-2): Svilar; Celik, Mancini, Hummels, Angelino; Soule, Baldanzi, Cristante, Zalewski; Dybala, Dovbyk

Key Stats

Tottenham and AS Roma have never faced each other in a major European competition.

Spurs have only lost one out of their last 10 home games against an Italian opposition.

Tottenham’s last defeat against an Italian outfit at home came in March 2018 when they hosted Juventus and lost 2-1.

AS Roma have only won one out of their last 23 away games against a team from England. Their last win came back in 2001 when they got the better of Liverpool.

The North London club have won their last seven home games in the Europa League without conceding a goal.

Player to Watch

Timo Werner

Embed from Getty Images

Werner has three goal contributions in just over 500 minutes of first-team action spread across his 14 appearances. While he has only started a handful of games this season, the German international has not been at his best. This game against AS Roma could be an opportunity for him to put on a great performance and push Ange Postecoglou to hand him more game time. He will be eager to make an impact and is the one to watch out for.

Prediction

Tottenham Hotspur 2-0 AS Roma

AS Roma have just undergone a major change as Claudio Ranieri has taken charge as the new boss, and it will take time for him to get his ideas across to the players. The visitors have been inconsistent throughout they could struggle against a Tottenham side that will be high on confidence following an emphatic win over Manchester City. The Hard Tackle presents a 2-0 win for the home team.

Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United scouted Sunderland midfield sensation Chris Rigg at the weekend.

The sensational rise of Chris Rigg at Sunderland has not gone unnoticed. His consistent performances for the Championship outfit have put him on the radar of multiple Premier League clubs.

According to a report from Graeme Bailey on TBR Football, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and West Ham United are all scouting the teenage midfield sensation ahead of a potential move in the upcoming transfer window.

Rigg has been a part of the Sunderland setup since his early days. He went up the ranks at some pace and got promoted to their first team in the summer of 2023. The 17-year-old English youth international can play as an attacking midfielder, a central midfielder as well as in a defensive role. He can even feature in attack when needed.

He has drawn a lot of comparisons to Manchester United legend Roy Keane for his style of play and his attitude on the pitch. Rigg looks destined for greatness and he is already a mainstay in the Sunderland first team. He has featured in 15 league games this season and even has three goals to his name.

The teenager has played a big part in their dominant run in the EFL Championship as they are currently second and on course for promotion to the top flight. Rigg’s consistency has attracted a lot of interest and some Premier League giants have been closely monitoring him of late.

Premier League clubs scout Rigg

North London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham had their scouts in the stands to watch the 17-year-old in action against Millwall on Saturday. Rigg had an impressive outing in their 1-1 draw at The Den. He was equally effective on both ends of the pitch and the scouts would have surely taken note of that.

Even West Ham United scouts were in attendance to watch the English youth international showcase his abilities. The Hammers seek more quality as they want to bounce back following a poor start to the new season. They feel Rigg could be a great signing for the short as well as the long run.

Meanwhile, the Gunners and Spurs are constantly on the lookout for young stars who can help them in the long run. Arsenal and Tottenham have quite a few prospects in their squad and are looking to add another one in Rigg.

Manchester City will look to get back to winning ways when they host Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad on Saturday evening.

Manchester City have lost four matches in a row across all competitions, and Pep Guardiola will demand a strong performance from his players vs Tottenham Hotspur to the Etihad on Saturday evening.

The Premier League champions will look to defend their crown, and they cannot afford to keep dropping points. They will feel that this is a must-win game for them. Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur are coming into this game on the back of two consecutive defeats in all competitions as well, and they will be desperate to bounce back.

Spurs will feel that this is a good opportunity for them to grind out a moral-boosting result against the defending champions. Manchester City have looked vulnerable in the recent outings, and Tottenham will look to pull off an upset here.

Both teams are capable of grinding out a good result here, and it will be interesting to see who comes out on top. The Hard Tackle takes a closer look at the encounter ahead of the latest meeting between the two sides.

Team News & Tactics

Manchester City

Manchester City will be without Rodri due to an ACL injury, with the Spanish international done for the 2024/25 season. Ruben Dias has a muscle injury, and Oscar Bobb is out with a leg injury.

Manchester City will shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Tottenham, with Ederson Moraes in goal. Rico Lewis and Josko Gvardiol will be deployed as the full-backs, and they will look to help out at both ends of the pitch. Manuel Akanji will start in the central defensive pairing alongside John Stones.

As for the midfield unit, Ilkay Gundogan will start alongside Mateo Kovacic in the double pivot. They will look to add creativity and control to the side from the deep.

Kevin De Bruyne will be deployed in the attacking midfield role, and he will look to create goalscoring opportunities in the final third. Savinho and Jeremy Doku will start on either side of him in the wide areas. Finally, Erling Haaland will lead the line for Manchester City vs Tottenham on Saturday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Ederson; Lewis, Akanji, Stones, Gvardiol; Gundogan, Kovacic; Savinho, De Bruyne, Doku; Haaland

Tottenham Hotspur

Micky van de Ven, Wilson Odobert, and Richarlison are ruled out with hamstring issues. Meanwhile, Rodrigo Bentancur is suspended. Tottenham Hotspur are likely to shape up in a 4-2-3-1 formation vs Manchester City, with Guglielmo Vicario in goal.

Pedro Porro and Destiny Udogie will start as the full-backs, and they will look to keep things tight at the back and help out during transitions. Cristian Romero will start alongside Radu Dragusin at the heart of the defence.

As for the midfield unit, Yves Bissouma will start alongside Pape Matar Sarr in the double pivot. They will look to protect the back four and win the ball back for their side.

James Maddison will start in the central attacking midfield role, and he will look to create goalscoring chances for his side. Dejan Kulusevski and Son Heung-min will start in the wide areas. Finally, Dominic Solanke will lead the line for Tottenham vs Manchester City on Saturday.

Probable Lineup (4-2-3-1): Vicario; Porro, Romero, Dragusin, Udogie; Bissouma, Sarr; Kulusevski, Maddison, Son; Solanke

Key Stats

Manchester City have seen over 2.5 goals in 14 of their last 16 home matches vs Tottenham in all competitions.

There have been over 2.5 goals scored in six of Tottenham’s last seven league games.

Manchester City have picked up two wins from the last six matches in all competitions.

Tottenham have picked up three wins from the last six matches in all competitions.

Player to Watch

Kevin De Bruyne

The Manchester City playmaker is our key player to watch out for. He will look to exploit the vulnerabilities and gaps in the Tottenham defence with his passing, vision and execution. Tottenham prefer an attacking system and they are likely to leave gaps in behind. The Belgian playmaker could cause all sorts of problems for the side, and he will look to set up goalscoring opportunities for his teammates.

Prediction

Manchester City 3-1 Tottenham Hotspur

Both teams will be desperate for a good result here, and this is likely to be a cracking contest. Neither side are defensive in their approach, and an attacking game is expected here. Manchester City have tremendous quality going forward, and they should be able to exploit Tottenham’s defensive vulnerabilities. The home team are likely to emerge victorious here.

Tottenham Hotspur will reportedly look to re-sign Harry Winks from fellow Premier League club Leicester City in a deal worth €38 million next year.

According to a report by Spanish outlet Fichajes, Harry Winks is the subject of interest from Tottenham Hotspur. The North London giants are keen on bolstering their midfield department next year and have set their sights on their academy graduate. They are ready to cough up €38 million to sign him from fellow Premier League club Leicester City.

Harry Winks and a rollercoaster of a career

Harry Winks has resurrected his stuttering career since joining Leicester City from Tottenham Hotspur in July 2023. A native of Hemel Hempstead, the Englishman spent his formative years with Tottenham, joining the North London club as a six-year-old before rising through the ranks and breaking into the first-team squad.

The 28-year-old was reasonably impressive for Tottenham after making his first-team bow and turned out over 200 times for the North London club. However, Winks struggled for relevance in the 2021/22 season before Tottenham loaned him to Sampdoria. The academy graduate finally landed on his feet after joining Leicester City last year.

Winks played his part as Leicester City returned to the Premier League by winning the 2023/24 EFL Championship title. While the English midfielder has been in and out of the starting lineup this season, his stock has soared, with Tottenham Hotspur among his prospective suitors ahead of the two transfer windows next year.

Fairytale return on the cards?

Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Harry Winks is surprising but understandable. The North London giants are scouring the market for a midfielder ahead of the two transfer windows next year. Yves Bissouma faces an uncertain future at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, while Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg will likely seal a permanent exit from the club in the 2025 summer transfer window.

So, several candidates, including Gabri Veiga, have emerged on Tottenham’s radar, with Winks emerging as a viable target. The Englishman has extensive experience in the Premier League and might not take long to settle down again at the North London club. The report has revealed that they are ready to cough up €38 million to sign him from Leicester City.

It is unclear if the former Premier League champions are ready to accept a bid worth €38 million to part ways with Winks next year. The sum is attractive, considering his contract situation and age profile, and Tottenham will hope to re-sign the 28-year-old English midfielder next year.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing the former Celta Vigo midfielder Gabri Veiga.

The 22-year-old could reportedly return to European football and the North London club have now joined the race for his signature. They will face competition from Napoli and Fiorentina, as per Fichajes.

Veiga is highly rated across Europe, and he was heavily linked with the move to the Premier League before his move to Saudi Arabia. However, he ended up joining Al-Ahli. The player is now being linked with a move back to Europe, and it will be interesting to see where he ends up.

Tottenham could certainly use more quality and depth in the middle of the park, and the 22-year-old would be a quality addition. He will add control and creativity to the Tottenham midfield. He could compete with James Maddison for the starting spot. The England international has been quite inconsistent and competition for places will help both players improve.

Tottenham need more quality in the side if they want to major trophies and the 22-year-old would be a long-term investment for them. Meanwhile, the opportunity to join Tottenham will be quite exciting for the player as well. He would get to showcase his qualities in the Premier League and push for trophies with them.

It will be interesting to see if Tottenham follow up on their interest with an official proposal to sign the player. The 22-year-old is highly rated across Europe and he is likely to improve further with coaching and experience. He has all the attributes to develop into a star for Spurs.

Can the two Italian clubs beat Tottenham to his signature?

Meanwhile, the likes of Napoli and Fiorentina will be attractive destinations for the player as well. It remains to be seen whether the Italian clubs can outmuscle Spurs financially. The Premier League club might be better placed to get the deal done because of their financial capabilities.

It will be interesting to see if all Al-Ahli are willing to sanction his departure in the coming months. The Saudi Arabian club are under no pressure to sell him and any team hoping to sign him will have to come forward with a substantial offer.

Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham Hotspur are interested in acquiring the services of Brighton defensive sensation Tariq Lamptey.

Ange Postecoglou wants to reinforce his backline in January. The Australian manager wants to bring in a new right-back to deputy Pedro Porro and according to a report from Football Transfers, Tottenham are interested in signing Brighton’s Tariq Lamptey.

The 24-year-old right-back was a part of the Chelsea youth ranks back in the day. Even before he could break into their first team, he ended up joining Brighton in the winter of 2020. Lamptey has only gone from strength to strength since joining the Seagulls.

Not only has he established himself as a key figure in their team, but the Ghanaian international has made quite a name for himself thanks to his consistent performances and his versatility. While he prefers playing as a right-back, the former Chelsea academy star can feature a wing-back as well as on the other flank.

Brighton considers him a key figure in their team but with his contract running out at the end of the season, his future is uncertain. The Seagulls are ready to sell the 24-year-old in the winter as they do not want to lose out on him for free next summer.

Tottenham are eyeing a move for Lamptey

Tottenham have emerged as a potential destination for the young defender. The North London club have had a disappointing start to the new season and they will look to reinforce their squad at the turn of the calendar. Postecoglou wants to add more depth as well as quality to his backline.

There is a lot of uncertainty around the future of Pedro Porro and the 25-year-old hasn’t really been consistent enough for Spurs of late. As a result, the Australian manager is looking to bring in Lamptey who can deputise him as well as play in other roles when needed.

Real Madrid will have to break the bank if they want to sign Tottenham Hotspur defensive mainstay Cristian Romero.

Tottenham have no intentions of sanctioning the departure of Cristian Romero in January but they might not be able to keep hold of their defensive star next summer as Real Madrid are expected to launch an assault for his signature.

According to a report from Football Insider, Tottenham will only sell the Argentine World Cup winner on their terms. They will demand a huge fee to part ways with their defensive mainstay.

Romero has only gone from strength to strength since joining Spurs from Atalanta back in 2021. While he initially joined them on a season-long loan, the move was made permanent in the summer of 2022.

While he might not have won anything at the club level, the 26-year-old has conquered the world with Argentina having won the World Cup, two Copa America titles and the CONMEBOL-UEFA Cup of Champions.

He has also established himself as one of the mainstays at the North London club. His consistent performances have put him on the wishlist of Real Madrid who are all set to revive their interest in the South America defender following a serious knee injury to Eder Militao.

Madrid will have to pay a fortune for Romero

They would ideally like to sign Romero in the winter but that looks very unlikely given his importance in the Tottenham setup. While Spurs will try their best to keep hold of their star centre-back, they will find it hard to keep him in their squad amidst interest from Los Blancos.

His current deal with Spurs runs out in 2027 as he has yet to pen a contract extension since joining them back in 2022. If they fail to tie him down to a new deal, Ange Postecoglou’s team will look to book a massive profit from his sale.

They have a history of selling to Real Madrid having sold Luka Modric and Gareth Bale for massive fees back in the day. Now, they could once again allow Romero to move to Spain but will demand a massive fee to be brought to the negotiation table.

Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United will reportedly compete with West Ham United for 18-year-old Greek attacking sensation Stefanos Tzimas.

According to a report by Sport BILD, as relayed by Sport Witness, Stefanos Tzimas is gaining popularity in the Premier League, with the development enticing FC Nurnberg to make a profit from his sale. Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, and West Ham United are vying for the Greek attacking sensation, currently on loan at the German club from PAOK.

Who is Stefanos Tzimas?

Stefanos Tzimas is the latest wonderkid from his country to rise in prominence. Greece is producing many highly-rated prospects, with Christos Tzolis among those to make their mark in Europe. As for Tzimas, he is a native of Thessaloniki and spent most of his formative years with PAOK before graduating from the club’s youth division.

However, the 18-year-old has risen in prominence since joining FC Nurnberg in the summer transfer window. Tzimas has amassed five goals and one assist in only 580 minutes of game time across ten appearances in all competitions. Meanwhile, the youngster’s progress has not gone unnoticed, capturing the attention of Premier League clubs like Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United, and West Ham United.

A man in demand

The Greek attacking sensation has recently emerged on West Ham United’s radar, with the East London club scouring the market for a young striker amid the advancing years of Michail Antonio and Danny Ings. With Niclas Fullkrug struggling since arriving from Borussia Dortmund in the summer transfer window, West Ham can do with a new striker.

Meanwhile, Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Stefanos Tzimas is intriguing. The North London club signed Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth in the summer transfer window. In addition, Alejo Veliz has admirers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and might have a long-term future with the Premier League outfit. So, it is unclear how Tzimas might fit into the scheme of things.

As for Newcastle United, the Magpies are sweating over the long-term future of Alexander Isak. In addition, Callum Wilson is on the wrong side of 30 and might leave Newcastle United next year. So, several candidates, including Victor Osimhen, have emerged on the Tyneside outfit’s radar, with Tzimas also a viable target.

Meanwhile, the situation has attracted FC Nurnberg, with the German club looking to make a quick profit from his sale once they complete a permanent move. It will be interesting to see if the 18-year-old Greek attacking sensation lands in the Premier League anytime soon.

Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham are interested in acquiring the services of Villarreal attacking sensation Alex Baena.

According to a report from Fichajes, Tottenham are looking to add more creativity in the final third of the pitch and they are interested in the services of Alex Baena who has been doing wonders for Villarreal in La Liga.

Baena prefers playing out wide on the left flank as a winger but he can play as a number ten as well as in a midfield role on either flank. His versatility along with his impressive rise at Villarreal have put him on the wishlist of quite a few top clubs across Europe.

The 23-year-old has had an impressive start to the new season as he contributed towards six goals (1 goal, 5 assists) in his 11 league outings. The Spanish attacker has grown in stature over the last 18 months and he looks set for a bigger challenge away from his childhood club.

Tottenham to push for the €60 million sensation

Baena’s contract at Villarreal runs until the summer of 2028 and he is protected by a massive €60 million release clause. However, there are still high chances of him leaving the club in the upcoming transfer window as Tottenham are preparing to launch an assault on the La Liga outfit.

The North London club have had a mixed start to the 2024/25 season and they are looking at the winter window as an opportunity to further bolster their squad. Ange Postecoglou seeks more creativity and he feels Baena could be a great signing for them as he can cover for both James Maddison as well as Son Heung-min.

The 23-year-old’s performances have caught the attention of the English clubs’ scouts and they will try to sign him in the winter. While there is a massive release clause in his deal, Spurs are looking to table a massive offer. Villarreal could agree to a transfer as it will mean a substantial financial boost for them as a club.