Tottenham Hotspur are considering a move to bring Victor Osimhen to north London next summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Rudy Galetti, with the Italian journalist revealing in a recent report that, in the event Harry Kane does go on to seal a reported move to Bayern Munich at the end of the current campaign, Antonio Conte has already informed Fabio Paratici that he would want the SS Napoli centre-forward as the England international’s replacement.

The Sportitalia reporter went on to state that Tottenham would be willing to offer the Serie A side a figure in the region of €85m (£74m) for the 23-year-old striker, with Conte believed to be enamoured with the attacking skills of the Nigeria international.

Dream Kane replacement

While the prospect of losing the services of Kane is not likely a thought most Tottenham supporters want to consider, should the 29-year-old’s unthinkable move happen next summer, it is not difficult to understand why Conte would want Osimhen to replace the 254-goal Spurs star.

Indeed, after sealing an €80m (£70m) move to the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium in the summer of 2020, the £58.5m-rated forward has been in devastating form for Luciano Spalletti’s side, scoring ten goals, registering three assists and creating six big chances over his 24 Serie A appearances – only 14 of which came as starts – in 2020/21, before bagging 14 goals, providing two assists and creating three big chances over 27 league fixtures – 23 of which came as starts – last time out.

The £97k-per-week hitman also impressed over his five Europa League appearances last season, notching four goals and creating one big chance for his teammates – with these returns seeing the player who Nizaar Kinsella dubbed a “goal machine” and Casey Evans labelled a “dream” signing average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.34.

Furthermore, according to FBref, Osimhen’s returns in the final third actually better Kane’s in a number of important metrics, with the Napoli striker ranking in the top 6% of centre-forwards in Europe’s big five leagues and European competitions for non-penalty goals per 90, in addition to the top 5% for non-penalty xG and the top 3% for shots over the last 365 days.

Meanwhile, FBref rank the Tottenham talisman in the top 27% for non-penalty goals per 90, as well as the top 10% for non-penalty xG and the top 5% for shots over the past 12 months – proving just how deadly an attacker Osimhen truly is.

As such, while waving goodbye to Kane would certainly be an extremely sad day for everyone involved with Spurs, Napoli’s Nigerian sensation would undoubtedly be a dream replacement for the England international – leading us to believe that Paratici must do everything he can to bring Osimhen to north London should the 29-year-old leave next summer.

Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford’s return from injury is now ‘imminent’, according to former Whites and England goalkeeper Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Bamford injured again

The Englishman has suffered cruel luck in the fitness department of late, having enjoyed such a memorable spell leading the line for Leeds in 2020/21.

Bamford has been limited to just two starts in the Premier League this season, as he continues to struggle with the injuries which held him back so frustratingly last term.

The striker scored a welcome hat-trick for the Under-21s last week, however, suggesting that his comeback is edging closer all the time.

The Latest: Return now ‘imminent’

Speaking to MOT Leeds News, Sky Sports pundit Robinson described Bamford’s return as ‘imminent’:

“Even if it’s the Under-21s, it’s nice to see him hitting the back of the net again.

“Yes, it’s obviously nowhere near the level of a Premier League game. But the fact he’s playing, the fact he’s fit and the fact he’s scoring goals is a huge boost for Leeds fans.

“With the way they played against Brentford, they need him, Luke Ayling and Liam Cooper back. The fact Bamford is playing and scoring goals again means his arrival is imminent.”

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The Verdict: Massive player this season

This is a huge boost for Leeds, with Bamford such an influential figure when he is fully fit and firing, having scored 17 Premier League goals back in 2020/21 – Jurgen Klopp even described him as ‘exceptional’ during that run, which speaks volumes.

The striker’s ability to hold the ball up and bring others into play is unrivalled in the squad and he now possesses genuine experience at the top level.

There may be concerns that these injuries may have affected Bamford so negatively that he has peaked as a footballer, but only an extended spell back in the team will give a more definitive answer to that question.

Arsenal take on Tottenham Hotspur in this afternoon’s North London derby, and it promises to be a mouth-watering tie.

Both teams are separated by just a point in the Premier League table, with Arsenal occupying the top spot and Spurs in third.

With Arteta’s men in excellent form so far this season, losing just one match in all competitions, the question is, who will start against Spurs?

One player who Arteta should really be thinking about unleashing is a teenage gem who has significantly impressed since joining the club in the summer…

On the Chalkboard

Marquinhos made the move to England from Brazilian side Sao Paulo and the 19-year-old looks like he is ready to make a big impression this season.

Marquinhos has plenty of pace to burn and before he made his Premier League debut for the club, he had been – in the words of Planet Football –  “tearing it up” in the Premier League 2, scoring three times while also registering an assist.

These performances were enough for Arteta to give the right winger an opportunity to shine in European competition. The Spaniard wasn’t to be disappointed, with the Brazilian achieving a SofaScore rating of 8.9, the highest on the pitch by a mile.

In just 69 minutes on the pitch, he scored, provided an assist, had 52 touches, and made four key passes as Arsenal won 2-1.

It was a remarkable senior Arsenal debut for the player and he clearly has plenty of promise to go far in the game.

Marquinhos might only have one minute of league action behind him, but with Bukayo Saka having featured for England in their two recent Nations League matches against Italy and Germany, he may not be as fresh as Arteta would like heading into such an important match.

Whatever happens, the 40-year-old has an extremely prodigious talent waiting in the wings and he should be willing to unleash him, regardless of the opposition. Having conceded nine goals this season so far Spurs are vulnerable, and Marquinhos could prove to be Arsenal’s secret weapon in their quest for another three points.

A report has shed more light on the much-talked about future of West Ham United manager David Moyes involving ex-Spurs boss Mauricio Pochettino.

The Lowdown: Moyes under pressure…

The Scotsman prepares for today’s encounter with Wolves under real pressure with West Ham having won just one of their opening seven Premier League matches so far.

Currently sitting 18th, Moyes’ side have struggled to threaten consistently, scoring just three goals in total – the joint-lowest record in the top flight alongside today’s opponents.

This afternoon’s late kick off could be make or break when it comes to determining the future of West Ham’s manager as a report from the last 48 hours explains the current situation.

The Latest: Crunch time?

Indeed, according to a new claim, Moyes ‘could be relieved of his functions’ in the event of a ‘poor performance’ at the London Stadium tonight.

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What’s more, this update from jeunesfooteux also claims that West Ham chiefs have sounded out potential replacements with Pochettino among the candidates to be looked at.

The Verdict: Give him more time…

The latter Argentine head coach, a big name considering his recent roles with Paris-Saint Germain and Spurs, would arguably be a brilliant man to come in if Moyes does get sacked.

Called a ‘genius’ by former Tottenham shot stopper Heurelho Gomes, Pochettino’s status as a free agent is also an attractive factor to his potential appointment.

However, Moyes should be given more time to turn things around at West Ham, especially when factoring in their meteoric rise over the last two years.

He has guided the Hammers to successive European qualification campaigns since the beginning of 2020/2021, and after GSBK’s significant transfer window investment, they should at the very least give Moyes a few more matches to try and click their new signings into gear.

Aston Villa truly backed Steven Gerrard over the summer, allowing him to unload £63m on five permanent deals.

However, his biggest outlay was on highly rated Brazilian centre-back Diego Carlos.

Signed for £26m from Sevilla, he was meant to be the defensive monster that tied the team together. Club captain Tyrone Mings had been dropped and stripped of his captaincy to make way for the 29-year-old.

However, injury struck, and in their 2-1 win over Everton, he ruptured his Achilles tendon. It will leave fans around Villa Park praying for the return of the 6 foot 1 ace, and reminiscing of domineering defenders they have had in the past.

One of their more impressive stalwarts of the decade was Ron Vlaar, who they would certainly now take back in his prime.

The Dutch goliath stood at 6 foot 2 and was considered a man not to be messed with. He was the quintessential no-nonsense defender.

Signed for just £3m back in 2012, if he was to make a return, he would quickly help the Villains forget all about Carlos.

He featured 88 times for the Midlands outfit, and although the club was not in a great place at the time, it comes as no surprise to see that they were relegated the season where he suffered with injury. He was instrumental in their survival the two seasons prior.

The 37-year-old captained Villa whilst at the club and was labelled “rock solid”. He would need to be to replace the quality of Carlos, who last season recorded a SofaScore rating of 7.09 whilst keeping 13 clean sheets.

During the 2013/14 season, Vlaar himself kept eight clean sheets whilst boasting an 85% tackle success rate.

Not only would he bring in a steely resolve, but his wonderful heading ability would help out Gerrard’s side which have looked uneasy at times this season at the back. Vlaar also made 94 headed clearances that season.

Only when Mings was recalled did they manage to mitigate their issues with set pieces, as they had conceded both of their goals against AFC Bournemouth on the opening day from them.

To have their former skipper back during his prime would prevent any kind of nonsense at the back, and he would more than make up for Carlos’ absence.

He could likely form a fine partnership with the defender too, once he returns from his injury. It would be a romantic return that fans would surely love to see.

Arsenal are yet to activate an option to extend Charlie Patino’s contract at The Emirates.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Athletic, who claim that, despite the 18-year-old being viewed as one of the rising stars of English football, Edu is yet to activate an option to extend the central midfielder’s deal for a further two years – with the teenager’s current contract set to expire at the end of the current campaign.

The report goes on to state that, should the technical director fail to active this clause before a pre-determined date in the coming months, the Brazilian will be left with no other choice but to renegotiate fresh terms with the England U20 international – or worse, risk losing out on the playmaker on a free transfer next summer.

Bennacer 2.0

While it is true that Arsenal’s decision to part with Ismael Bennacer was a conscious one by the club, should the Gunners fail to tie Patino down to a new deal in the coming months, the midfielder’s loss would undoubtedly represent a similar failure to letting the Algeria international leave back in 2017.

Indeed, since his departure from north London, the 24-year-old has gone from strength to strength, joining AC Milan in a £14.5m deal back in the summer of 2019, before establishing himself as an integral part of the Serie A side.

The £26.5m-rated talent has particularly impressed over his nine league outings this season, scoring one goal and creating one big chance for his teammates, in addition to making an average of 2.6 key passes, 2.1 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and winning 5.4 duels – at a success rate of 56% – per game.

These returns have seen the £47k-per-week midfielder average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.37, not only ranking him as Stefano Pioli’s third-best performer in the league but also as the 11th-best player in the Italian top flight as a whole.

And, while Patino is not currently delivering at a similar level, the £1.8m-rated talent more than demonstrated his undoubted ability in Blackpool’s recent 3-1 victory over Watford, making two key passes, taking two shots at goal, completing two crosses and two long balls and winning eight duels.

These returns saw the 18-year-old earn an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.2, ranking him as his side’s third-best performer on the day – a quite remarkable feat for such a young midfielder.

Speaking after the match, Michael Appleton heaped a considerable amount of praise on the England U20 international, stating (via The Metro):

“18 years old he still is, he can deal with the ball in any area of the pitch, go past people left side, right side. I said when he came to the club he’s as good as anything I’ve seen dealing with the ball and with good movement of the ball as you’ve seen tonight he can play as a six, can play as a ten, can play as an eight. He’s got a really, really good future ahead of him.

“It’s important that we’ve got certain players in the team that can do that and deal with the ball… I thought he was outstanding tonight, especially in that second half. He controlled the game, it was his game, he played at his tempo when he wanted to speed it up he sped it up, when he wanted to slow it down he slowed it down, when he wanted to switch the play he did it.”

As such, Edu simply must avoid a repeat of Arsenal’s decision to cut ties with Bennacer on Patino, as it is clear to see that the Blackpool loanee is a talent who could well develop into a huge player for the Gunners further down the line.

Arsenal have been dealt yet another injury setback ahead of their Premier League meeting with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday afternoon.

What’s the latest?

That’s according to Kaya Kaynak, with the football.london journalist revealing in a recent post on Twitter that, despite only recovering from an injury that saw him miss FC Zurich and Brentford fixtures prior to the international break, Cedric Soares has now sustained a fresh injury that will rule him out for between one and two weeks.

In his post, Kaynak said: “Cedric Soares has picked up a fresh knock and will be out for a week or two. Really unlucky for him just after coming back from an injury that saw him miss FC Zurich and Brentford before the international break.”

A dilemma for Arteta

While it is true that Cedric is not exactly a guaranteed starter at The Emirates – having been an unused substitute four times already this season – considering the fact that both Takehiro Tomiyasu and Ben White are also injury doubts for the north London derby this weekend, the loss of the Portugal international will nevertheless come as yet another blow to Mikel Arteta, who could now have a big dilemma over his options on the right-hand side of defence.

Indeed, should both Tomiyasu and White be ruled out of Saturday’s clash, Cedric’s unavailability will leave the Spaniard with no natural right-back for the visit of Tottenham – something that, considering the fact Spurs’ left-winger, Heung-min Son, is coming into the fixture on the back of a sensational second-half hat-trick last time out, would represent a disaster for the 40-year-old.

And, despite not being first choice, the £5.4m-rated full-back nevertheless impressed over his 21 Premier League appearances last season, scoring one goal, registering one assist, creating two big chances and keeping three clean sheets, as well as making an average of 1.8 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 0.9 key passes and winning 3.0 duels per game.

These returns saw the £75k-per-week defender average an extremely respectable SofaScore match rating of 6.86, ranking the 31-year-old as Arsenal’s joint 15th-best performer in the top flight of English football last time out – proving his importance within the Gunners’ squad.

As such, the unavailability of Cedric will certainly come as another blow to Arteta ahead of Saturday’s fixture, with the Spaniard already missing Mohamed Elneny and Emile Smith Rowe, while Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney, Tomiyasu and White are also doubts for the meeting with Arsenal’s most fierce of rivals.

Betting on football has been a very popular activity ever since the sport was invented. Football fans all over the world place wagers on their favourite teams or individual players to show support and make the entire experience of watching a match much more enjoyable.

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Free bet bonuses

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No deposit bonuses

Another type of bonus offer is the so-called no deposit bonus. This is pretty much self-explanatory as you don’t need to make a deposit in order to try out the sportsbook’s services pretty much for free. You receive a small bundle of bonus fund to play with at your convenience. Moreover, each bonus has an expiration date so make sure you take the advantage of the offer while it lasts.

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For example if the match deposit is 100% up to $500, you’ll get $500 bonus funds for your bets should you deposit $500. That doesn’t mean you must deposit the full amount. In fact, even if you deposit $10, for example, you’ll get another $10 since the bonus is still 100% regardless of the amount as long as it doesn’t go over $500.

Different bonus offers have unique advantages and disadvantages depending on the circumstances, the sports you want to bet on, and so on. That’s why it’s of vital importance to not just browse offers but also understand what each offer is about. That way, you can actually make the most of the bonus and enjoy your betting experience to the fullest.

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Wolverhampton Wanderers received a mouth-watering fee over the summer for their academy’s shining light Morgan Gibbs-White.

The 22-year-old was signed for a whoing £42.5m by Nottingham Forest, who invested heavily to bring in 22 new faces.

Although his game time had been limited at the Old Gold, a successful loan spell at Sheffield United had clearly peaked the attention of the Tricky Trees.

This marks a fine success story from the Wolves academy, as they managed to secure a huge financial boost from one of their prospects.

They could be set to produce another young star now, with Theo Corbeanu having been sent on a similar loan to the Championship.

The 20-year-old Canadian has been brought through the academy just like Gibbs-White before him, and with three goals in his first ten league games for Blackpool, he is taking to senior football considerably well.

Having already made his debut for the senior team, he is obviously well thought of within the club.

He had scored seven times in 26 appearances for the under-21 side, as well as contributing to two assists.

Corbeanu has scored goals for every club he has featured for in England, but he actually already boasts six caps for his national side. The youngster has scored twice for Canada during this time, marking an experience far beyond his years.

His boss at under-23s level James Collins also had plenty of positive things to say about the wonderkid:

“He’s athletic, tall, can head it, can defend, can dribble past people and score, he can shoot, he can pass, he’s both footed, he’s got a bit of everything.”

He continued: “He’s an outstanding prospect.”

The tricky attacker is inundated with talent and having made the step up from his League One loans to the Championship; his next step is being made clear.

If he can make a success whilst at the Seasiders, there’s no doubting that he can come into the senior squad and ruffle the feathers of the current crop of underperforming forwards.

He could save manager Bruno Lage and the club millions as he now might not have to seek added reinforcements to bolster his squad.

During the summer transfer window, Wolves made the somewhat baffling decision to loan their captain, Conor Coady to Premier League rivals Everton.

Despite Willy Boly and Romain Saiss also departing the Old Gold, Bruno Lage felt that the Englishman wouldn’t suit his switch to a four-at-the-back system, and he was allowed to join the Toffees in order to return to Merseyside.

While Nathan Collins was brought in from Burnley, Wolves were always going to look short of options at centre-back following Coady’s departure and that potential issue quickly presented itself after Collins’ red card against Manchester City.

Lage clearly felt that neither Yerson Mosquera nor Toti were ready to start a game of Premier League football, so opted to play Ruben Neves as a centre-back in the recent defeat against West Ham, the game that brought an end to his tenure.

Even more remarkably, the Portugal international was one of three centre-backs that day, which suggests that Lage’s switch to a back four had failed, and therefore there was very little reason to let Coady go in the first place.

Meanwhile, the England international is excelling with Frank Lampard’s side, as the Toffees have gone six games unbeaten after starting the season with two defeats. Indeed, he is now part of statistically the best defence in the league, with no top-flight side conceding fewer goals than Everton’s seven.

Coady has averaged a solid 6.68 rating from WhoScored for his performances, which is only bettered by Max Kilman of Wolves’ defensive players, which again emphasises that the Old Gold made a mistake in letting him go.

BBC Sport contributor Chris Wise said: “Wolves allowing Conor Coady to join Everton on loan felt like strange business at the time, and now looks really foolish. They’ve gifted EFC a leader. Impact of that move being felt right now at both clubs.”

The Telegraph’s John Percy revealed earlier this week that the Toffees have an option to make Coady’s move permanent and can sign him for the cut-price of just £4.5m, which represents truly awful business by Wolves.

Coady is only 29, is a regular in the England side and was captain of the club, while he also has three years to run on his contract at Molineux, so to sell him for that little is completely baffling.

Should Wolves continue to struggle defensively this season and finish below a much-improved Everton, then they only have themselves to blame.