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Tottenham and Crystal Palace Eye the ‘Next Griezmann’ as Premier League Battle Heats Up
In the world of football scouting, comparisons can often feel a bit too convenient, but when two Premier League clubs are chasing a player described as the ‘next Griezmann,’ interest is bound to stir. Tottenham Hotspur and Crystal Palace are set to compete for Lille’s rising star, Hakon Arnar Haraldsson, according to reports from Football Transfers. Both clubs view the Icelandic attacking midfielder as a key piece for their future plans, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.
Why Haraldsson Has Caught Premier League Attention
Hakon Arnar Haraldsson is only 21, yet he’s already being compared to Antoine Griezmann, an iconic player known for his blend of creative playmaking and goal-scoring ability. Like Griezmann, Haraldsson excels at linking up play, utilising intelligent movement, and contributing in the attacking third. Scouts from Tottenham and Crystal Palace have reportedly been impressed by his ability to create chances, maintain composure under pressure, and dictate the game’s flow in tight spaces.
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Haraldsson’s technical gifts are undeniable. He is right-footed but incredibly versatile, with ball control that stands out in Ligue 1. Despite a recent foot injury that could see him sidelined for a crucial Champions League fixture against Real Madrid, both Spurs and Palace remain keen on securing his talents. His recovery will be closely watched, but this injury is unlikely to dampen the long-term interest of the Premier League clubs.
Photo: IMAGO
Tottenham’s Future Without Son?
Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Haraldsson comes with the future in mind. Heung-min Son, a fan favourite and crucial component of Spurs’ attack, has a contract that runs until 2025. While Spurs hope to extend that relationship, they must also plan for life beyond Son. Haraldsson, with his quick feet and vision, is seen as a potential successor.
Photo: IMAGO
Under Ange Postecoglou, Spurs have developed a dynamic and aggressive style, and Haraldsson could be an ideal fit for that approach. His ability to link midfield and attack would provide an additional dimension to Spurs’ already potent offence.
Crystal Palace’s Eze Conundrum
Crystal Palace, on the other hand, have their sights set on Haraldsson as a potential replacement for Eberechi Eze. Eze’s form has attracted attention from several clubs, most notably Manchester United. As Football Transfers has reported, “Palace are planning for life without Eberechi Eze, should he leave.” With a £60 million release clause, the possibility of losing Eze is real, and the south London club could turn to Haraldsson as the next creative force in their line-up.
Photo IMAGO
The question remains, however, whether Palace would be able to compete financially with Spurs, particularly if Tottenham views Haraldsson as a longer-term solution to one of their key attacking positions. With both clubs looking to the future, this battle for the ‘next Griezmann’ is a fascinating subplot to follow.
Statistical Analysis by EPL Index:
Hákon Arnar Haraldsson’s Performance Data
Hákon Arnar Haraldsson, a name rising in the European football scene, is drawing attention not only for his flair but also for his intriguing statistical profile. The data presented by Fbref, charted across attacking, possession, and defensive metrics, offers a comprehensive view of Haraldsson’s strengths and areas for development.
Possession Play and Creativity
Haraldsson’s possession stats are particularly eye-catching. With a pass completion rate sitting in the 92nd percentile, he demonstrates a high level of efficiency in retaining and recycling the ball. His progressive passes (68th percentile) and progressive carries (54th percentile) indicate his ability to drive the team forward, making him an essential link between midfield and attack. These numbers illustrate that he excels in tight spaces, using his technical skill to advance play and create opportunities for his teammates.
Attacking Potential
Despite his relatively modest attacking output, Haraldsson’s ability to contribute to the team’s overall offensive efforts should not be overlooked. His shot-creating actions, though in the 14th percentile, suggest that he is more involved in building attacks rather than finishing them off. His expected assists (xAG) and non-penalty goals sit in lower percentiles (13th and 10th, respectively), but these stats may improve as he gains more experience at the top level.
Defensive Contributions
On the defensive side, Haraldsson’s numbers are limited but not without merit. His 51st percentile for aerial duels won and 27th percentile for clearances suggest that while not primarily a defensive player, he is capable of contributing when necessary. His ability to tackle and intercept (Tkl + Int) ranks low, reflecting a more attack-focused role.
Overall, Hákon Arnar Haraldsson’s performance data portrays a young player with a strong foundation in possession and ball progression, though with room to develop his attacking output. As he matures, these numbers could shift, making him a valuable asset for clubs seeking to bolster their attacking midfield options.
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Tottenham vs West Ham: Premier League Showdown
The Premier League returns this weekend with a high-stakes London derby, as Tottenham Hotspur face off against West Ham United. Both teams come into this match looking to reset their domestic campaigns after an eventful international break. With pressure mounting for both Ange Postecoglou and Julen Lopetegui, this clash could set the tone for the coming weeks.
Kick-off Details and How to Watch
Tottenham Hotspur host West Ham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in north London. The match kicks off at 12:30 pm BST on Saturday, 19 October 2024. Fans can catch the game live on TNT Sports 1 and TNT Sports Ultimate. For those unable to watch on TV, subscribers can stream the match on the Discovery+ app.
Team News: Injuries and Returns
Spurs have been hit by injury concerns in the lead-up to the fixture. Lucas Bergvall is hoping to return to the squad after withdrawing from Sweden’s international matches. The fitness of forwards Heung-min Son and Richarlison remains uncertain, with both players missing recent games due to injury. Postecoglou is expected to give an update on their availability closer to match day, along with news on summer signing Wilson Odobert.
Photo: IMAGO
For West Ham, Nicklas Fulkrug has been sidelined for several weeks, and fans will be eagerly awaiting Lopetegui’s latest assessment of his recovery. Both teams have dealt with injury setbacks, and how their managers handle squad rotation could prove decisive.
Recent Form and What to Expect
Tottenham’s run of form took a hit before the international break with a surprising 3-2 loss to Brighton. After a string of victories, that defeat has reignited pressure on Postecoglou’s squad. The north London side will be keen to avoid further disappointment and continue their pursuit of a strong Premier League finish.
West Ham, on the other hand, found some much-needed momentum after a tough start to the season. They cruised to a comfortable 4-1 win over Ipswich in their last outing, easing some of the pressure on Lopetegui. However, facing a top-six contender like Tottenham will be a far more challenging test.
Photo: IMAGO
Prediction: Can Either Side Claim Bragging Rights?
Matches following international breaks are notoriously difficult to predict. Both teams have had mixed fortunes recently, but if Spurs are to be a top 4 contender they need to win their home games.
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Lenna Gunning-Williams has been named in the England Under-23s squad for the first time.
The young forward was included in Head Coach Emma Coates’ squad on Wednesday (16 October) morning – the first time that Lenna has been involved in any set-up for England – ahead of their Under-23 Euro League fixtures against Netherlands and Portugal.
Having progressed through our academy system, the 19-year-old signed a professional contract with the Club in July, 2023, after making her debut for the first team in a 5-1 win over Coventry United in the Women's League Cup in November, 2022, where she scored her first goal at senior level.
Lenna has featured in two of our five Barclays Women’s Super League fixtures in this campaign so far, while starting in the Women’s League Cup victory over Charlton Athletic earlier this month.
Coates’ side will travel to Velp in Netherlands for their first fixture of the 2024/25 campaign on Thursday 24 October (5pm UK) before welcoming Portugal to the Croud Meadow, the home of Shrewsbury Town, on Tuesday 29 October (5.30pm UK).
Women Under-21s player Jhanaie Pierre featured for England Under-17s as they secured first place in Group A3 in round one of UEFA EURO 2025 qualifying.
The young forward, who was named in John Salomon’s 20-player squad earlier this month, was a second half substitute in two of the Young Lionesses’ three fixtures over the last week.
Jhanaie completed 20 minutes in the 7-0 victory over the Faroe Islands before featuring in the closing stages of the 2-0 win against the Czech Republic. Although she was an unused substitute in the final game against Netherlands, the Young Lionesses secured their place in the next round of qualifying after earning a 2-2 draw at St George’s Park.
Salomon’s side will compete in round two of the EURO qualifiers, which will be drawn on Friday 6 December, in March with seven teams looking to book their place in the finals in May, 2025.
Despite a strong showing in the first half at Leigh Sports Village, Manchester United pulled away to register a 3-0 win in the Barclays Women’s Super League on Sunday afternoon.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce was in superb form in the early stages to deny Martha Thomas and Drew Spence but, after a positive first 40 minutes in Manchester, the hosts took control of proceedings on the stroke of half-time as a quick-fire brace from Elisabeth Terland handed them a two-goal advantage.
Maya Le Tissier converted from the penalty spot, after Ashleigh Neville was penalised for a handball inside the box, to further extended United’s lead early in the second half to condemn us to defeat on the road for the first time this season.
Robert Vilahamn made three changes to the starting XI that faced Liverpool last weekend as Bethany England, Charlotte Grant and Olga Ahtinen all came in for their first start of the season, replacing Hayley Raso, Amanda Nilden and Maite Oroz who were all ruled out with injuries.
Although we had a number of players unavailable for the clash against United – six players sidelined - we started positively in Manchester and drew the first save out of Tullis-Joyce after just four minutes as Thomas, who linked-up well with England, shrugged off Le Tissier before getting a shot away from a tight angle, but the United shot-stopper was alert to block her effort. Spence was then inches from breaking the deadlock just minutes later as the midfielder sent a curling effort from the edge of the box towards top left corner, although she was denied by an out-stretched Tullis-Joyce once again.
Eveliina Summanen’s corners from the left were causing problems for United inside the box, but we failed to capitalise on the opportunities, while, at the other end, Becky Spencer was called into action to push over a powerful effort from Grace Clinton. However, arguably against the run of play after a strong showing from us, Elisabeth Terland connected sweetly to a Celin Bizet cross to send a ferocious volley past Spencer to break the deadlock. Four minutes into the seven added on, Terland grabbed her second of the game and for United as she headed home from close-range.
Then, eight minutes into the second half, United were awarded a penalty after Neville was penalised for handball inside the box. Le Tissier stepped up and calmly slotted into the bottom right corner, leaving us a big hill to climb. Substitute Matilda Vinberg was bright spark down the left-hand side when she was introduced on to the pitch, while Ella Toone fired over the bar following a quick counter-attack from the hosts.
Spencer produced an unusual save with her feet to deny Rachal Williams from the inside the box while, despite the scoreline against us, we still tried to push forward with Spence seeing two of her efforts saved by Tullis-Joyce once again. The midfielder raced on to a pass into the centre of the box before firing a low-driven shot towards goal, but the shot-stopper was down quickly to save. Our number 24 then tested Tullis-Joyce from distance but, once again, she managed to push her effort around the post to maintain a third consecutive clean sheet for the hosts and back-to-back defeats for us in the WSL.
Robert Vilahamn was pleased with our strong start in the first half but, ultimately, that went unrewarded as we suffered a 3-0 defeat at Manchester United in the Barclays Women’s Super League on Sunday.
The stats highlighted our positive start to the game at Leigh Sports Village – 54 per cent possession, eight shots to six in our favour and 16 touches in the hosts’ box – but we were dealt a sucker-punch in the closing stages of the first as Elisabeth Terland netted a brace in five minutes to hand United a two-goal cushion at the break.
And as we looked for another positive start after the break, we were dealt another blow as, eight minutes into the restart, the hosts were awarded a penalty and Maya Le Tissier converted calmly from the spot-kick. Despite the scoreline, we continued to push forward and create opportunities, Drew Spence being denied twice by Phallon Tullis-Joyce late on in the second half.
Although the result condemned us to back-to-back defeats in the WSL, Robert recognised the positive start to the game and the performance in general but, overall, he was disappointed with the final result.
“If you look at the result, it’s not fun to lose 3-0 away to Manchester United, but if you look at the performance and try to analyse the game, how we performed, then it’s one of the best starts to a game we have had, we played some really good football, the press was excellent as well and, in the first 30 minutes, we are dominated the game and created plenty of chances,” he told SPURSPLAY.
“Then, we need to look at how we defend the crosses better, defend the box better, because going in at the break 2-o down, after we had a great performance in the first 30-35 minutes, is not good. On the other hand, you can tell the players in the second half, despite them going 3-0 up, we continued to create chances, we had 17 or 18 shots, more possession, more corner kicks.
“If you look at the performance, how the players are brave, how they play out of the back, how they played the Tottenham way, there was some really good stuff in that game and I need to look at that, not only be emotional that we lost the game. However, we don’t want to lose 3-0, we want to find ways to compete but, performance-wise, there was some good stuff.”
Next up is a visit to last season’s WSL champions Chelsea next weekend and Robert was asked what we can learn from this game ahead of preparations this week.
“When we have lost a game, you need to look at what was good and where we need to improve,” he added. “I think there was a lot of stuff we can show that was good football but we need to look at how we can score with those chances and then, of course, how can we defend better when we lose the ball, so we need to look at the good and bad stuff and make sure we try to fix that during the week but we also need to keep going because that’s how you get better.”
Despite a strong showing in the first half at Leigh Sports Village, Manchester United pulled away to register a 3-0 win in the Barclays Women’s Super League on Sunday afternoon.
Phallon Tullis-Joyce was in superb form in the early stages to deny Martha Thomas and Drew Spence but, after a positive first 40 minutes in Manchester, the hosts took control of proceeding on the stroke of half-time as a quick-fire brace from Elisabeth Terland handed them a two-goal advantage.
Maya Le Tissier converted from the penalty spot, after Ashleigh Neville was penalised for a handball inside the box, to further extended United’s lead early in the second half to condemn us to defeat on the road for the first time this season.
Robert Vilahamn made three changes to the starting XI that faced Liverpool last weekend as Bethany England, Charlotte Grant and Olga Ahtinen all came in for their first start of the season, replacing Hayley Raso, Amanda Nilden and Maite Oroz who were all ruled out with injuries.
Although we had a number of players unavailable for the clash against United – six players sidelined - we started positively in Manchester and drew the first save out of Tullis-Joyce after just four minutes as Thomas, who linked-up well with England, shrugged off Le Tissier before getting a shot away from a tight angle, but the United shot-stopper was alert to block her effort. Spence was then inches from breaking the deadlock just minutes later as the midfielder sent a curling effort from the edge of the box towards top left corner, although she was denied by an out-stretched Tullis-Joyce once again.
Eveliina Summanen’s corners from the left were causing problems for United inside the box, but we failed to capitalise on the opportunities, while, at the other end, Becky Spencer was called into action to push over a powerful effort from Grace Clinton. However, arguably against the run of play after a strong showing from us, Elisabeth Terland connected sweetly to a Celin Bizet cross to send a ferocious volley past Spencer to break the deadlock. Four minutes into the seven added on, Terland grabbed her second of the game and for United as she headed home from close-range.
Then, eight minutes into the second half, United were awarded a penalty after Neville was penalised for handball inside the box. Le Tissier stepped up and calmly slotted into the bottom right corner, leaving us a big hill to climb. Substitute Matilda Vinberg was bright spark down the left-hand side when she was introduced on to the pitch, while Ella Toone fired over the bar following a quick counter-attack from the hosts.
Spencer produced an unusual save with her feet to deny Rachal Williams from the inside the box while, despite the scoreline against us, we still tried to push forward with Spence seeing two of her efforts saved by Tullis-Joyce once again. The midfielder raced on to a pass into the centre of the box before firing a low-driven shot towards goal, but the shot-stopper was down quickly to save. Our number 24 then tested Tullis-Joyce from distance but, once again, she managed to push her effort around the post to maintain a third consecutive clean sheet for the hosts and back-to-back defeats for us in the WSL.
Tottenham have travelled up to face Manchester United in the WSL this Sunday in what is a repeat matchup from last season’s FA Cup final.
That day, Manchester United pulled off a 4-0 win at Wembley, and this time around Spurs have worked to ensure that there isn’t a repeat.
After half an hour, the scores were locked at 0-0, with Tottenham dominating the play and seemingly content to let the home side play on the counter-attack.
Yet the clean sheet was only intact thanks to a simply brilliant save from Spurs ‘keeper Becky Spencer from a Grace Clinton effort.
Will Tottenham’s approach pay off in the long-term?
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