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Tottenham star Harry Kane is former Spurs man Darren Bent’s top pick for Player of the Month for October.

Kane has helped the Lilywhites climb to third in the Premier League with seven games played.

Bent’s thoughts on Harry Kane

Bent spoke to Give Me Sport, saying: “I’d have to probably go for Harry Kane you know. He’s got a lot of goals as well but the assists is the one. You know what I mean? He’s not been renowned.

“He’s always been technically very good, but his range of passing at the minute. He’s got eyes in the back of his head and other players are benefiting from that, which is probably why Spurs are doing so well.

“He’s dropping into an area where he’s really intelligent. He’s dropping into that number ten role knowing that one of the defenders has to come with him. That’s just leaving space. If you talk about the whole round package goals and assists, I’ll have to go with Harry Kane.”

Does the forward deserve the award?

Kane has had a phenomenal start to the season, picking up the best average rating across the 2020/21 campaign so far with an 8.26 rating (SofaScore). October continued to follow in the same suit as he scored three assists in England’s top flight.

He has really adapted his game in 2020/21, adding a lot of assists to his name and becoming a playmaker while continuing what has always been his finest trait – his goalscoring.

Bent isn’t the first pundit to drool over the striker’s displays so far, as Noel Whelan was in awe of the Englishman too: “He seems like he is coming back into his best form. If Tottenham are going to push that top four they need Harry Kane in that sort of form. He makes a huge difference to that side when he is in the groove.”

Win a shirt of your choice! Vote for your Player of the Month for October here! 

In an exclusive interview with Football FanCast, Tottenham Hotspur legend Gary Mabbutt has expressed his disappointment over not seeing Jack Grealish competing in a Lilywhites shirt.

During the summer transfer window in 2018, the north London outfit had the opportunity to sign the Aston Villa skipper on the cheap as they battled with the prospect of administration, as per The Sun.

However, Spurs supremo Daniel Levy thought he could drive a lower fee than their £6m asking price but as he made his way to the United States for a pre-season tour, Villa had been brought out and saved.

Since then, Grealish’s career has come on leaps and bounds for his boyhood club, and his phenomenal form has even earned him recognition for Gareth Southgate’s England squad.

And Mabbutt believes he would have been an ideal signing for Spurs, he told FFC:

“I’m a big Jack Grealish fan, I have been for a long time. When I was told a couple of years ago that we had the chance of buying him, I think I made it publicly clear that I thought he’d be a great player for Spurs.
“It was two years ago, Aston Villa was struggling financially. They need they needed the money to pay tax bills, etc. And it did look like Grealish was available and could come to Spurs. I think obviously, conversations took place.

“In the end, it didn’t happen. And I believe that Grealish himself was, at the time, extremely disappointed that a deal was not struck.
“So for me, I was very disappointed to see how well he’s done. And I knew that the quality that he had, he is a Spurs style player. What I’m saying is that I’d love to have signed him two years ago.” 
The 25-year-old has contributed to nine goals in just eight games in the Premier League this season, continuing on from last term where he finished as the runner-up to Kevin De Bruyne for chances created in the top-flight.
Grealish is averaging 2.9 shots, 2.6 key passes and 2.6 dribbles as the main focal point of Dean Smith’s resurgent Aston Villa side, via WhoScored.
Transfermarkt now value him at £40.5m whilst reports in the media have speculated fees in excess of £80m, so clearly, Levy made one disastrous mistake in not signing him for a fraction of the price two years ago.
It’s no wonder Mabbutt is bitterly disappointed.
AND in other news, Mourinho must unleash one man over his biggest liability against Chelsea…

According to TEAMtalk, West Ham United are considering a bid for Glasgow Rangers captain James Tavernier.

As the transfer deadline closes in, the Hammers remain in need of defensive reinforcements, and Tavernier has been pinpointed as one of the men who could help them in that department.

Steven Gerrard would fight to keep the right-back, of course, but the Irons are set to test the Ibrox outfit’s resolve with an offer.

The 28-year-old could hardly have hoped for a better start to the season north of the border. In his first 11 games in all competitions, he has scored six times, whilst he has created a further four. That now leaves his career total for the 54-time Scottish champions at 52 strikes and 78 assists – there are few defenders who could claim to have anything close to that kind of output.

Currently valued at £4.5m by Transfermarkt, Tavernier still has two years left on his contract with the Gers and, as the armband indicates, he is an influential figure at the club. West Ham would likely need to make a significant bid to convince Steven Gerrard and co to part ways – it remains to be seen whether they do just that.

Let us know what you think below!

Steven Gerrard has warned Steve Clarke to take care of Glasgow Rangers’ Ryan Jack whilst the midfielder is away with Scotland on international duty.

The 28-year-old started each of the first seven Premiership matches of the season, but he was forced off after just 11 minutes of the the Gers’ clash against Dundee United, coming off with a calf injury. Since then, he has missed four matches, with him only returning to play 12 minutes against Galatasaray on Thursday night.

Despite that, though, he was included in the Tartan Army squad for their upcoming matches against Israel, Slovakia and Czech Republic. As a result, Gerrard has issued a warning to Clarke over how to used him. He said:

“It was great to have him back. He came on and worked his socks off. He put in a disciplined cameo for us. It was the sensible decision because he has only trained once or twice.

“Look, myself and Steve Clarke both know Ryan Jack, we both know his body, we know he needs support, we know he needs managing. But Jacko and Steve Clarke will decide when and how, if he represents Scotland.

“We are pleased when our players get called up, we are proud to see them going to represent their country. But the fact is that Jacko needs support and he needs to manage his body because he is capable of getting an injury if he’s not supported or looked after.

“But I’m sure everyone will use common sense with him moving forward.”

Given his recent issues, it is somewhat of a surprise that Clarke has decided to include the former Aberdeen man in his 30-man group. Of course, given there are three international matches during the break, that means that he has the luxury of selecting more players, and that may mean Jack will play a back-up role, but it is potentially dangerous for the player himself.

As said previously, the £1.53m-valued man (as per Transfermarkt) is an important player for the Gers, and he provides defensive stability in front of the back four – it is no surprise that the two Premiership matches he has missed this term have seen the 54-time Scottish champions concede three goals after they had kept seven clean sheets in a row. Gerrard cannot prevent him from representing his country, but he will be hoping that Jack returns to the Gers fold with no further complications.

Let us know what you think below!

Scotland U21 coach Scott Gemmill has said that Glasgow Rangers’ Glenn Middleton is very frustrated with his current situation at Ibrox.

The 20-year-old has been called up for international duty despite not playing a single minute for the Gers so far this campaign. All in all, he has made 28 appearances for the 54-time Scottish champions, scoring five goals and providing five assists, but he did not play for them at all last season either.

Discussing the winger’s situation with the Gers, Gemmill explained:

“I had a meeting with Glenn on Thursday and I was so impressed with him because he’s having to deal with a lot. But I tell you I spoke to a young man who is more determined than ever, more resilient than ever and more motivated than ever to keep going.”

“He’s not where he wants to be right now, but I am very confident he is handling the situation in a mature way. He’s very frustrated, but only because he wants to play football.

“We have got a really good young player who we are all trying to help maximise his potential…The guy I was speaking to is more determined than ever. When you look at players’ attitude and professionalism and mentality, Glenn is a real leading example.”

It seems like Middleton is approaching a crossroads in his career right now. It seems quite obvious that he does not have a future at the club, and as such he should be looking for a departure away from the Gers.

Given he is an 11-time U21 international, there would surely not be a lack of suitors to sign him. It remains to be seen what the future holds for the former Norwich City man.

Let us know what you think below!

According to ESPN, Tottenham are facing increasing competition for Schalke midfielder Weston McKennie.

What’s the word?

Despite having already signed Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg this summer, it appears Jose Mourinho hasn’t finished rebuilding the Spurs midfield ahead of the start of the new Premier League campaign next month.

ESPN claim that the Lilywhites’ reported target, McKennie, is now being pursued by other Premier League clubs, but that it’s Southampton who are currently “leading the race” for the signing of the USA international.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…

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The report adds that a deal for the 21-year-old could reach up to £20m.

Imagine him and Hojbjerg

Whilst Spurs may feel they already have the ‘defensive midfield’ aspect of their squad sorted following the arrival of Hojbjerg, just imagine the kind of unbreakable wall Jose Mourinho could help build if he paired the Denmark international with McKennie.

The Schalke ace is another ball-winning ace whose energy and relentless running is a perfect match for the modern game. His manager at the Bundesliga side, David Wagner, said: “He’s an outstanding talent. In the No.6 or No.8 position he has the mentality, a real working mentality that you need. And he’s brave on the ball as well.”

His teammate at international, Reggie Cannon, further backed that up, revealing: “If you lose the ball, you know he’s going to be the first one running (to get) the ball. He’s a leader and that’s something I can learn from – everyone can learn from to up their game.”

Whilst playing two workman like midfielders in the same line-up seems counter-productive or even defensive, Mourinho could help bring back that solidity that was sorely lacking from Spurs last season – only Chelsea and Burnley conceded more than their 47 Premier League goals out of the top ten.

The teams that Mourinho has been successful with, particularly at the likes of Chelsea and Inter, have had a formidable spine to them – think back to players like Claude Makelele, Michael Essien and Esteban Cambiasso to name but a few. Playing Hojbjerg and McKennie together would offer greater protection to the Spurs back-line and help strike fear into the rest of the Premier League.

Nobody would feel comfortable playing against a duo that hunt down every possession, and get the ball moving up the pitch as quickly as possible. It has all the hallmarks of being a potentially great midfield partnership.

After rejoining his hometown club last summer, Andy Carroll has endured a rather expected injury-riddled campaign at Newcastle this season.

The striker has managed just 17 appearances across all competitions, with various little knocks keeping him out first-team action for weeks and weeks.

But with his contract coming to an end soon, there was real talk of him potentially having played his last game for the club. However, according to The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder, Mike Ashley stepped in and sanctioned a new one-year extension to keep the 31-year-old at the club.

Can you name every one of the Magpies’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

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And judging by his latest performance against Manchester City, it does raise some serious eyebrows whether he represents the future at St James’ Park.

A real throwback striker, Carroll hardly had a sniff against Pep Guardiola’s side in their FA Cup quarter-final clash on Sunday evening, and whilst he did his best to charge around and make his presence known – Aymeric Laporte certainly won’t be waking up feeling great – he just didn’t have anything like the kind of impact to worry the away team.

Getting a hold of the ball against a side like City was always going to be a tall order, but with Carroll in the team, the Magpies resorted to pumping balls forward to him and expecting him to bring it down in the air.

To his credit, he won six of his 11 aerial duels, but the fact he only had 20 touches of the ball and only made seven successful passes shows just how anonymous he was.

Having started with both Allan Saint-Maximin and Miguel Almiron – both quick and direct players capable of travelling with the ball for long distances – surely having a more pacier striker to complement them would have been the best bet?

A counter-attacking style would have gotten a lot more joy for Newcastle’s game-plan of sitting back and trying to soak up pressure. But instead, Carroll invariably didn’t have the pace to keep up with any of Saint-Maximin’s dribbles forwards. It felt like an old-school game-plan not fit to modern times.

With the Tyneside club on the verge of a potential takeover and a fresh new era, this would have been the perfect time to bring an end to Carroll’s second spell at St James’ Park.

Instead, Ashley rewarded the barely-ever fit centre-forward with a new deal, and just the latest mistake in his long reign at the club.

So the Timo Werner transfer saga continues to take its twists and turn. And judging by the latest update, it appears Liverpool may finally have pulled the plug on bringing the Germany international to Anfield this summer.

According to The Daily Mirror’s David Maddock, the Reds have withdrawn from talks to sign the striker after refusing “point-blank” to pay his release clause.

Can you spot your Xabi Alonso from your Bruno Cheyrou? This Liverpool quiz will have you questioning your knowledge…

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It’s suggested that with the current situation taking its toll on clubs’ finances, Liverpool value Werner at significantly less than £30m, and that with Leipzig insisting they will not negotiate a price below £50m, the Merseyside club have simply walked away.

And after hearing about the fresh development on their chase for Werner, Liverpool fans took to Twitter to voice their thoughts on the situation.

A couple of Liverpool fans aimed their criticism at the club’s owners, insisting that they are simply being frugal with their money again – this entire 2019/2020 campaign has seen the Reds spend a total of just £9.36m according to Transfermarkt.

One Reds fan meanwhile appeared to be far more optimistic, instead suggesting that this is potentially mind games from Michael Edwards, and it could perhaps get Werner to push for a move himself.

Werner’s situation at Leipzig is unlikely to get resolved anytime soon.

Understandably, both Liverpool and Leipzig are trying to get the best possible deal for themselves, particularly in light of the current climate, where every penny will absolutely count.

So whilst for now the move may be dead in the water, don’t rule it out definitively just yet.

Marco Silva may technically still be in the hot seat at Goodison Park but time appears to be wearing thin.

The pressure has ramped up on the Portuguese coach after a 2-0 defeat against Norwich last weekend and various replacements have already been sounded out.

David Moyes and Eddie Howe are two potential successors, according to Sky Sports. However, Football Insider have claimed that Mikel Arteta is a top contender to take over at Everton. The Mirror have further supplemented those suggestions by saying he is indeed a target.

The 37-year-old has no prior experience of managing a side but he has been learning from one of the best in Pep Guardiola at Manchester City.

Since hanging up his boots, the Spaniard has been the former Barcelona manager’s assistant at the Etihad.

Speculation surrounding a potential swoop for Arteta has been greeted positively by supporters who are keen to see him return to Merseyside.

One fan went as far as saying he’s someone that every Evertonian would want while another made reference to his work under Guardiola.

Other individuals hoped that Arteta would arrive with Tim Cahill as his assistant.

Here’s the best of the reaction from Twitter.

In other news, here’s how Everton fans responded to another managerial target being lined up…

Arsenal fans have taken to Twitter to reveal that they want the club to bring Santi Cazorla back to The Emirates, after the Villarreal midfielder revealed that he never got to say a proper goodbye in an interview with The Independent.

“I never got to say a proper goodbye. It was the biggest team I played for in my career and I miss everything about Arsenal. I don’t know what my legacy is there, you would have to ask the fans, but I want to say thank you to them all. I would like to play at the Emirates one last time before I retire.”

The 34-year-old made 180 appearances for the Gunners – scoring 29 goals and recording 45 assists – although his Arsenal career quickly turned into a nightmare after a dreadful injury which left him unable to play for 636 days – Arsene Wenger described it as the worst injury he had ever seen.

Thankfully for the 79-cap Spain international, he is now back fit and playing with Villarreal, where he has scored five goals and grabbed four assists in 13 La Liga matches this term.

However, his horror injury – in which he literally had to be pieced back together through the use of skin grafts – meant that he could not make a romantic exit from north London, something that is clearly still on his mind following his comments.

After hearing what their former No.19 said, some Arsenal fans on Twitter have revealed that they want Cazorla back at The Emirates.

Let’s take a look at some of the tweets…