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Tottenham Hotspur have certainly given us some wonderfully Spursy moments over the years on the pitch but what about off it and in the transfer market?

Well, things have been just as comical at times with the Lilywhites there too.

Here’s their 20 worst signings of the Premier League era…

Gilberto

Of the two Gilberto da Silvas to have plied their trade in north London, Tottenham certainly had the lesser one in Gilberto da Silva Melo.

The left-back turned up at White Hart Lane initially in January 2008 with some pedigree in the form of 30 Brazil caps and four strong years in Germany with Hertha Berlin but could never adapt to the pace of the Premier League and left in July 2009 a complete flop.

Sergei Rebrov

The first of a fair few strikers to feature on this list, Ukraine legend Sergei Rebrov managed a mere 16 goals in a depressing four-year spell with the Lilywhites.

What makes it worse is that Glenn Hoddle threw away a gut-busting £11m, we are talking in 2000, to bring him in based on his form with Dynamo Kyiv – although it’s far from the last waste of money we’re going to be looking at today.

Paolo Tramezzani 

Speaking of foreign players who just couldn’t get to grips with English football, Paolo Tramezzani was a calamitous left-back if there ever was one.

Pictured above with fellow Italian Premier League failure Nicola Berti who’s bizarrely wearing a t-shirt from the Four Seasons hotel in New York to training, Tramezzani would make just six forgettable appearances in north London.

Bobby Zamora

Bobby Zamora would go onto enjoy an accomplished Premier League career with the likes of West Ham United, Fulham and Queens Park Rangers, but not before his own sorry spell at the Lane.

The Lilywhites were the team to give the future England man his big break when they signed him for Brighton & Hove Albion for a lofty £1.5m in summer 2003, however, he would only contribute the one goal for Spurs before being shipped off as part of the deal that saw the legendary Jermain Defoe arrive in N17.

Mbulelo Mabizela 

Remember him? Honestly? No, we didn’t think so, we didn’t either – apparently he’s some South African bloke that played for Spurs for a bit.

Prior to the 2003/2004 season, the Lilywhites decided to sign ill-disciplined centre-back Mbulelo Mabizela, that wasn’t easy, based on a performance he put in for Orlando Pirates against them in a friendly, it worked out just about as well as it sounded it would.

David Bentley

What did David Bentley ever really do in a Spurs shirt apart from score THAT goal against his former club in the North London derby?

Well, you could list any number of hilarious off-field pranks and incidents.

But it’s what happens on the pitch that really matters and the ex-Three Lions star never really lived up to his potential or his £15m price tag at White Hart Lane before bizarrely retiring at the age of 29.

Bongani Khumalo 

The picture above more or less sums up Bongani Khumalo’s Tottenham career, as the former South Africa captain looked so out of his depth on loan at the likes of Preston, Doncaster and Colchester and in matches for the reserves that he somehow managed to not make a single competitive first-team appearance for the entirety of his four-and-a-half-year spell.

Spurs haven’t had much luck with South Africans, have they?

Roberto Soldado

A striker who doesn’t play too badly and works hard for the team but is also hampered with an uncanny inability to score goals, sounds odd, though Roberto Soldado was that very thing for Tottenham.

It will still send shivers down the spine of Spurs fans that their club flushed £26m of their Gareth Bale money down the toilet on the Spaniard for him to score 16 times in 76 games for them, need we say anything more?

Calum Davenport

When the Lilywhites beat others in the race to sign England under-21 international defender Calum Davenport from Coventry City in 2004, they would have thought they’d unearthed a real £1.3m gem.

However, the centre-half embarked on a bizarre career that would never see him get close to the level he was once thought to have the potential to reach – he appeared a mere 20 times for Spurs.

Paulinho

After an impressive 2012/2013 campaign for Corinthians in his native Brazil, Paulinho was noticed in Europe by Andre Villas-Boas and another chunk of the Bale money would be allocated to obtain his signature.

It would take the Lilywhites two seasons to work out the Brazil man just wasn’t up to Premier League standard after he was only able to register nine-goal involvements in 45 matches and he was disposed of by Mauricio Pochettino in one of the early lucrative Chinese Super League transfers.

Members of the Tottenham faithful will most recently remember him being oddly brought back to the continent in 2017 by Barcelona.

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Everton fans have blasted Jordan Pickford after he made a series of mistakes during the club’s 3-1 loss to Manchester City on Saturday.

The 6 foot 1 England goalkeeper conceded three times at Goodison Park, and a number of supporters were unhappy with the manner of the second goal.

Riyad Mahrez bent a free-kick into the bottom corner to give Pep Guardiola’s champions a 2-1 lead, but the shot was to Pickford’s side of the goal and crept into the bottom corner.

He then went on to let in a Raheem Sterling volley, before haring out of his goal in an attempt to tackle Bernardo Silva; he was unsuccessful, though City were unable to score from the chance – leading the Three Lions No.1 to visibly smirk about what could have been another goal for the visitors.

Fans, thus, were unhappy with the form of the stopper as the Toffees slipped to another defeat.

Indeed, Pickford has conceded 10 goals in his last four games, with Everton winning just one of those – a 3-2 triumph over Wolves.

During and after the match, Everton fans were quick to show on Twitter just how disgusted they were with Pickford’s performance…

This article is part of Football FanCast’s Pundit View series, which provides opinion and analysis on recent quotes from journalists, pundits, players and managers…

Sami Hyypia has weighed in on the dispute that occurred between Sadio Mane and Mo Salah against Burnley, but thinks it is a positive sign as it shows the determination of the squad to win.

What did he say?

Liverpool have adopted a winning mentality since Klopp arrived, that is clear through their current run of 17 consecutive Premier League wins, as well as the way in which players such as Georginio Wijnaldum and Trent Alexander-Arnold speak about their desire to win trophies.

As a result, there is a competitive feeling throughout the squad, with each determined to succeed, and against Burnley that resulted in a quarrel between the two front men.

A lot was said about how the clash was a worrying sign for the Reds, but their former captain believes that it is insead an example of how strong the dressing room is.

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He told The Daily Star: “It just shows that everyone wants to win together and that shows what a great group Klopp has built with that dynamic.

“It’s always good to have that kind of openness where players can call each other out. That’s part of the culture of winning. There’s nothing wrong with it.

“All successful teams have that desire which means they demand more from each other. I remember some sparks flying between players when I was at Anfield – and that’s only good for the team.”

The former Finland international’s view is supported by the fact Liverpool continue to win, brushing aside Chelsea and Leicester since, with a last minute goal against the latter an example of their positive spirit and never-say die attitude.

Dispute was a positive

With Liverpool demolishing Burnley 3-0 in the now infamous match, the dispute between Mane and Salah was the only blemish on the win, but it has proved that the only negative was in publicity, as the pair continue to perform to a top-class standard.

Since that match Mane and Salah have contributed a combined total of five goals and assists in four league games, and the Reds haven’t dropped a point, thus proving Ian Wright wrong, who said that it was a portrayal of sign of deep anger that had been building up for a long time.

He wasn’t the only one who had a negative view of the incident, with Michael Owen labelling Salah as “selfish”, and the saga lasting as long as Liverpool’s trip to Chelsea a few weeks after, with Frank Lampard asked his view on the matter.

The coverage of the dispute was blown way out of proportion. Jurgen Klopp addressed the issue post-match and both players showed there was no bad feeling between them via a social media post, and therefore Hyypia is correct in his assessment.

Both players are brilliant forwards at the top of the game and it is only natural that each wants to get on the scoresheet as often as possible, and the fact they are so keen to do so can only be advantageous to Liverpool.

The fact the team continues to perform to a winning standard is evidence of that, and only when results falter should question be raised.

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Some Southampton fans have taken to Twitter to show their adoration towards Sofiane Boufal’s kind gesture following the 1-0 win over Sheffield United.

The Saints managed to survive a scare when Oli McBurnie appeared to open the scoring, only for VAR to rule the former Swansea man as offside, before Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side went on to grab the game’s only goal themselves.

Summer signing Moussa Djenepo netted his second goal for the club, and it was another strike which caught the eye – the Mali international sidestepped Oliver Norwood with a fantastic piece of skill before dropping a shoulder and slotting home.

However, it was his teammate’s gesture after the final whistle that had the Saints fans on Twitter talking.

Morocco international Boufal – who has four goals in total for the club – jumped the advertising hoardings before handing his shirt to a supporter in a wheelchair, to the delight of many fans.

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

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Rangers’ hectic fixture list means the Gers will be back in action on Wednesday night, as they take on Livingston in the Scottish League Cup quarter-finals.

The Gers will be pleased with the start to their season as, Old Firm derby defeat aside, they’ve looked the real deal under Steven Gerrard – winning all of their remaining five top flight games – and silverware will therefore be wanted come the end of the campaign.

What trophy the Gers pick up, if any, remains to be seen, but it is most likely the league crown that they want most of all and with an attacking pair in the shape of Jermain Defoe and Alfredo Morelos leading the line, who’s to say that they cannot stop Celtic from winning nine-in-a-row this season. The two strikers have netted nine times in the Scottish top flight already this term.

You might think, then, that with two forwards vying for one starting berth under Gerrard there would be friction but, judging by this GIF of Alfredo Morelos after Defoe’s brace at the weekend, there’s a happy relationship between the two:

Morelos has certainly looks fully focused on scoring goals this season and nothing else – something his veteran striking rival has based his career upon. Keeping both sweet will be a big task for Gerrard, but Morelos’ reaction to Defoe’s brace suggests they are prepared to work together rather than try and fire Rangers to glory single-handed.

As per the club’s official website, Championship side Stoke City completed a Deadline Day move to sign striker Sam Vokes. The 29-year-old had been playing his football at Premier League outfit Burnley and had done so since leaving Wolves back in 2012, although struggles for regular football under Clarets manager Sean Dyche earlier this season called his future at Turf Moor into question.

And it was Nathan Jones’ Stoke who officially sealed a deal for the Wales international on Deadline Day, with Peter Crouch going the other way, and given the Potters’ struggles for goals this term, the £5.4 million-rated ace (as per Transfermarkt) could prove to be the man to help fire Stoke into promotion contention.

The Breakdown

Ultimately, it has proven to be a tough return to the Championship for the Staffordshire-based outfit this season given they sit 15th in the table after 29 matches, and eight points adrift of the play-off positions.

And their stuttering start ultimately cost Gary Rowett his job earlier this month to be replaced by Jones, and while the former Luton Town manager masterminded an impressive victory over Leeds United earlier this month, their familiar woes in front of goal were again evident last time out in losing 2-0 at home to Preston North End at the weekend – their fourth game in their last six in the league in which they have failed to score.

And with only 33 goals from their 29 Championship matches this term, only one side in Middlesbrough have scored fewer of those above the Potters in the table, it’s pretty clear just how much they were crying out for a striker in the last knockings of the January window.

And in Burnley’s Vokes, they may well have the man who can fire them into promotion contention in the second half of the season.

The Welshman may well have found regular starts hard to come by at Burnley in the first half of the season, starting only ten times in the Premier League, but one mustn’t forget the great level of service he gave the Clarets in his six-and-a-half year stay in Lancashire.

The 29-year-old netted 56 goals in 230 games for Dyche’s men to help establish them in the top-flight, with ten of those goals coming in their Premier League season of 2016/17 as they staved off relegation – the season before had seen Vokes bag 15 times in the Championship to help them win promotion.

Add in 20 goals in 39 league appearances in the 2013/14 season, another in which Burnley were promoted, and it’s clear just how effective the Wales international has been at second tier level over the years – he would be an asset to the vast majority of teams in the Championship.

And that seems none-more-so clearer than in a Stoke side struggling to put the ball in the back of the net on a regular basis – but at just eight points adrift of the top six, and the recent win over Leeds showing their credentials, promotion isn’t out of the question just yet.

In fact, with a striker like Vokes leading the line, the 29-year-old could well prove to be the man to help fire Jones’ men up the second tier table as the season wears on.

Stoke fans… what do you think? Let us know!

The summer transfer window has now slammed shut and clubs across Europe will now have to wait until the new year to do any further business.

The Premier League deadline was closed before the start of the new campaign, however, teams in the other major European leagues were free to do deals up until early September.

There have been plenty of big-money moves, surprise switches and efficient transfers over the past few months, but which were the best?

We’ve ranked the top 50…

50. Tyrone Mings

The first man in the top 50 is Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings.

The towering defender, who recently received a first England call-up, helped the club to the Premier League during his loan spell at Villa Park last season, with Villa then paying Bournemouth £26.5m for his services on a full-time basis.

49 – Nico Schulz

Attacking full-back Nico Schulz enjoyed a brilliant individual campaign with Hoffenheim last season, which attracted interest from Borussia Dortmund.

Schulz cost Dortmund £22m and he has already cemented himself as a first-team regular under Lucien Favre.

48 – Kevin Mbabu

Swiss star Kevin Mbabu earned himself a move to Bundesliga side Wolfsburg this summer after three impressive seasons with Young Boys.

The former Newcastle man is still just 24 years old and could turn out to be one of the steals of the summer.

47 – Joachim Andersen

Joachim Andersen ended his two-year association with Serie A side Sampdoria to join Lyon.

The French side paid €24m for the towering defender’s services, beating Arsenal in the race to land the 23-year-old.

46 – Dennis Praet

Another Sampdoria star to leave this summer was Dennis Praet.

The Belgian midfielder made the move to Leicester City on deadline day in a deal worth £18m and he has already shown why the Foxes were so keen on his services during his appearances for the club this season.

45 – Keylor Navas

Experienced goalkeeper Keylor Navas swapped Real Madrid for Paris Saint-Germain late on deadline day.

The 32-year-old now looks set to become first-choice for the Ligue 1 champions after previously serving as a back up to Thibaut Courtois at the Bernabeu.

44 – Andre Gomes

Following his brilliant loan spell at Goodison Park, Everton made Andre Gomes’ move from Barcelona permanent.

The Portuguese midfielder cost £22m and he too has started this season well, depsite a recent injury.

43 – Neal Maupay

After two free-scoring seasons in the Championship with Brentford, Neal Maupay made the move to the Premier League with Brighton.

The Seagulls paid just £16m for the 23-year-old, who scored 41 times for the Bees.

42 – William Saliba

Arsenal’s first big signing of the summer was French defender William Saliba.

The 18-year-old signed a long-term contract in a deal worth £27m from St. Etienne, with the Gunners then loaning the central defender back to the Ligue 1 side for the season.

41 – Rafael Leao

Highly-rated striker Rafael Leao left Lille for AC Milan in a deal worth £32m last month.

The 20-year-old, who is tipped by many to become the next big thing across Europe, scored eight times in 24 Ligue 1 appearances last season.

A number of Everton fans have flocked to reports that the club are interested in appointing Tim Cahill to a senior executive role at Goodison Park.

According to a report by the Daily Mail, the Toffees legend could return to Merseyside in a senior executive role, as following Rafael Benitez’s sacking on Sunday, the board are keen on re-integrating former players who know the club well.

Cahill is currently chief sports officer at the Aspire Academy in the United Arab Emirates and is on the board at Belgian club KAS Eupen. The 42-year-old has also completed his coaching badges in a bid to return to the highest echelons of European football in a new role.

The Australian had an illustrious career with Everton; in 278 appearances for the club, the attacking midfielder scored 68 goals and produced 29 assists over an eight-year spell on Merseyside, firmly establishing himself as a hero among the Goodison Park faithful.

Everton fans gleeful over possible Cahill return

After Twitter fan feed Everton Blue Army shared the Daily Mail’s report, many supporters flocked to the comments to voice their delight at the prospective return of Cahill to the club.

Here’s what these fans said about this “great” news:

“Would love to see Everton playing football in the style this guy played the game. If he came in and stamped it on the club I’d be very happy.”

Credit: @nismoneil

“That would be great”

Credit: @LizaDurkin

“Does he still play”

Credit: @dave_rylett

“I’d have no problem with this.”

Credit: @seanrostron

“top professional in everything he has ever done.”

Credit: @_Bluran_

“Speaks a lot of sense about what the club need so it’s not as bad as what everyone makes it out to be.”

Credit: @Jay____177

In other news: These reports of another ex-Everton employee coming back to Goodison Park were not so warmly received

When Celtic spent £2m on the signing of Marian Shved back in January 2019, it would be fair to say that many at Parkhead were not overly convinced about the winger’s suitability for the club.

Indeed, shortly after the 21-year-old’s arrival in Glasgow, Brendan Rodgers appeared less than enthused about the capture of the Ukraine international, stating: “I can’t say I know a great deal about him but what I have seen he is a talent and something that will probably benefit the club in the future.

“We’ve got about a million wingers and don’t need another one but he’s a talent and in the summer we’ll probably lose wingers and he’ll look to come in. It’s an opportunity for the club to sign a young talented player but not one that will probably help us now.

“The club have been in contact with his representatives and he is a player for the future. I haven’t seen a great deal of him to be honest. It is something that has come to the club through circumstance and he has been watched. I think that they will look to get the deal done on him and he will probably be out on loan.”

As the Northern Irishman suggested, Shved did indeed depart Celtic Park on a temporary basis shortly after his arrival in Glasgow, returning to Karpaty Lviv for the remainder of the 2018/19 campaign.

However, what Rodgers did not predict was that the forward would also spend the vast majority of 2019/20 away from Parkhead, with the £810k-rated winger linking up with Belgian side KV Mechelen in August 2020 after making just three appearances for Celtic – once in Champions League qualifying, once in the Premiership and once in the Scottish Cup.

After Mechelen made the 24-year-old – who Wouter Vrancken dubbed a “loner” and suggested should “play billiards for the rest of his life” rather than football – a permanent signing for an unspecified amount last summer, the £7.9k-per-week Shved’s status as a Celtic flop was confirmed.

Indeed, with the attacker setting Celtic back around £1m in wages over his 129 weeks at Parkhead, in addition to his £2m transfer fee, it is clear that the Bhoys had a shocker when signing the Ukrainian, who well and truly rinsed Dermot Desmond.

AND in other news: Ange can axe “infectious” ace as Celtic become “serious contenders” for “massive” deal

Leeds United are interested in signing Torino right-back Ola Aina in the January transfer window, according to a new transfer rumour that has emerged.

The Lowdown: Aina impresses in Italy

The 25-year-old has become an established player for Torino since joining in 2019, making 13 Serie A starts already this season.

He can play anywhere across the defence or on either wing, per Whoscored, and ranks highly amongst his teammates in both interceptions and successful take-ons, showing his ability on both sides of the ball.

Aina also has 21 caps to his name for Nigeria, having initially represented England during his youth team years, making four appearances for the Under-20s.

It could be that a return to England appeals for the defender, however – he was originally at Chelsea between 2015 and 2019 – and Leeds appear to be contenders to snap him up.

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The Latest: Leeds eye up move

According to Tuttosport [via Sport Witness], ‘there is Leeds’ when it comes to those clubs showing an interest, with Torino willing to sell him if the ‘right proposal’ comes along.

Aina’s current deal expires in the summer of 2023, essentially giving the Italian side two more transfer windows to sell him for a decent fee, should they want to.

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The Verdict: Strong Ayling replacement

With Luke Ayling turning 31 later this year, it is important that Leeds plan for the long-term and bring in someone who can be his eventual replacement.

Aina could be that man, having already picked up plenty of experience in Italy but also being at an age where he can improve further as a player. Torino manager Ivan Juric has hailed his crossing ability, highlighting what he could bring to the side.

He has averaged one tackle and 1.4 interceptions per game in the league this season – Ayling has averaged 1.6 and 0.9, respectively – and he shouldn’t cost a large amount, with Transfermarkt valuing him at £4.95million.

With his contract expiring in 2023 and Leeds currently boasting plenty of depth on the right flank, perhaps this is a move we could see later in the year or next January, when Ayling will have one more season on the legs while the Italian outfit will have little choice but to offer up a bargain for Victor Orta and Andrea Radrizzani.

In other news, Leeds have been linked with another player – find out who it is here.