Mickey Arthur shares on the challenges of coaching Pakistan as he completes one year in the role

Danyal Rasool12-Apr-2017

That Pakistan cricket has faced a unique set of challenges over the past decade or so is not in dispute, and Mickey Arthur believes its effects on the international team were obvious when he walked into the role one year ago. Speaking nearly 12 months on from his appointment as head coach of the Pakistan national side, Arthur said that Pakistan had been playing cricket “that belonged in the 20th century”.”This isn’t just dressing room speak,” Arthur said. “I’ve told the players that we were playing cricket that belonged in the 20th century. We hadn’t embraced the new modern game yet, and that was for a number of reasons, like not playing at home, or [not] having the exposure to the IPL that the rest of the world has had. So there were a lot of mitigating factors, but the fact is, if we’ve got to compete with them, we have to start embracing the modern trend.”One aspect of the modern game that remains absent in Pakistan cricket is the presence of power hitters. Their scarcity has been noticeable in the Pakistan side, both at the top and tail of the innings, with Pakistan’s ODI run rate in the first and last Powerplay the lowest of all Full Members, save Zimbabwe. Arthur acknowledged it was not something that could be coached into players overnight, and such players needed to be developed and groomed over time.”It [lack of power hitters] is a worry. When we get on good wickets, we can’t match the other countries. In Australia, I felt we always started 20-30 runs behind them because they could maximise the last ten overs. Teams are getting 100 runs in the last ten overs now. We’re getting 70, at best. We didn’t get a run-a-ball in the last five overs the other day in a T20 [against West Indies]. That’s not good enough; that’s not going to win us games. We don’t have the ability to take on the power players, which is so disappointing, because we did with Sharjeel [Khan], so to lose him is a massive blow.”But along those lines, those are things we have to get better at, and it’s not going to happen overnight. You’re not going to wake up one morning and become a power hitter. We’re training it; we’ve got drills and techniques that we’re putting into play. Hopefully, all that comes to fruition, because we’ve got two years till the World Cup, and in the World Cup, we’ve got to be as good as we can possibly be.”Mickey Arthur said losing a power hitting like Sharjeel Khan was a ‘massive blow’•Associated Press

Arthur also talked about the cultural challenges of managing an Asian team for the first time, saying he was fully prepared to embrace the culture around Pakistan’s cricket. He clarified, however, that accepting the culture was not tantamount to tolerating mediocrity, and that he didn’t believe his role as coach could be boiled down to a win-loss ratio, stressing that his main priority was setting up a professional structure in Pakistan’s cricket, with fitness at the core of their preparation.”Comfort zones are not tolerated within our environment anymore. We’ve tried to push the players, we tried to challenge the players, take them to limits they haven’t been before in terms of fitness and preparation.”I like to think that when people look at what happened for the last one year, they look at structure. You are always going to be judged as coach on win-loss ratio but for me it’s a lot more than that. It’s about the environment, it’s about the standards and it’s about challenging players. It’s about not tolerating mediocrity and that’s the stuff I would love to leave behind so the next coach that came in would come into a structure that functions. Players know what standards are and live up to those standards. Otherwise I’m wasting my time. Hopefully that’s going to be my legacy – a thoroughly professional structure.”With Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan having announced that the Test series in the West Indies will be their last, Pakistan look set for a period of transition without two of their stalwarts. While that might be intimidating for some, Arthur said he was excited by the opportunity of managing a new team, pointing to his time with the South African national side, where he oversaw a young team emerge as a unit that is presently ranked No. 2 and No. 1 in Tests and ODIs.”That’s what you live for as a coach. I’ve been lucky in my team with South Africa, where we inherited a team with a couple of senior players, and we put in players like [AB] de Villiers, [Morne] Morkel, [JP] Duminy, [Dale] Steyn. To see them grow and get better is the most fulfilling thing that can happen for you as a coach. I’m hoping the same happens with this Pakistan team, and I’m incredibly excited about the future.”

Nottingham Forest should pursue a move for Leicester City forward Patson Daka over his teammate Kelechi Iheanacho this summer, according to Daily Express reporter Ryan Taylor.

How well has Patson Daka fared at Leicester City?

Despite the excitement when Daka was brought to Leicester City from RB Salzburg back in 2021 for £23 million, the Zambia international has failed to set the heather alight in his time at the King Power Stadium.

In total, the £75k-a-week earner has registered 15 goals and eight assists in 74 appearances across all competitions for Leicester City and couldn't prevent his side from dropping into the Sky Bet Championship last term, as per Transfermarkt.

Interestingly, the attacker even said himself prior to his move to Leicester that he can "be like" fellow African star Mohamed Salah.

According to La Gazzetta dello Sport via The Express, Jose Mourinho's Roma were believed to be keen on raiding Leicester City in a double swoop to try and entice both Daka and Iheanacho to the Stadio Olimpico this window.

Nevertheless, the Portuguese manager will likely need to divert his attention away from Iheanacho, who has opened talks with Nottingham Forest over a potential move to the City Ground, according to Foot Mercato journalist Santi Aouna.

Iheanacho has produced a decent goal return for Leicester City since moving to the Foxes from Manchester City in 2017 for £25 million, netting 55 times and laying on 33 assists, as shown on Transfermarkt.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Daily Express reporter Taylor thinks that Daka would actually be a better fit for Nottingham Forest than Iheanacho.

Taylor stated: "I'd be going for Patson Daka if I was Forest, I think he's the better one. I think he's young. I don't think he was quite the right fit for Leicester, but I still think he's a great striker.

"But it's probably depending on the system Steve Cooper wants to play. I think he does need someone to build around and Daka's not really that player as we've seen at Leicester."

Who else could Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper add this summer?

Steve Cooper will be keen to add some quality additions this summer as he targets keeping Nottingham Forest in the Premier League for a second successive season.

According to 90min, Nottingham Forest are 'monitoring' Manchester United forgotten man Donny van de Beek and could offer him a new environment to get his career back on track.

Manchester City youngster Carlos Borges has also been linked with a move to the Reds and features on a list of potential arrivals; however, there are currently no negotiations taking place between either party, according to The Athletic.

L'Equipe report that Nottingham Forest are frontrunners to bring in free agent defender Alexander Djiku, who is available for no cost after recently leaving Ligue 1 outfit Strasbourg.

Nottingham Forest have made an approach to Atletico Madrid to try and re-sign defender Renan Lodi, who spent the 2022/23 campaign on loan at the club, helping to secure their survival in the English top-flight, as per FootballTransfers.

Lodi is keen to return to his former club on a permanent basis, though it is unclear at present whether they will firm up their approach with a formal bid to sign the Brazil international.

Pakistan will not tour Bangladesh this year as per schedule; the PCB said the series has been postponed indefinitely by mutual consent. Pakistan was to play two Tests, three ODIs and a T20I series in Bangladesh in July and August.”We had spoken about the possibility of hosting them [Bangladesh in Pakistan] this year,” PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan told ESPNcricinfo. “Pakistan have now toured Bangladesh twice without them reciprocating, and we feel we cannot tour Bangladesh for the third straight time. Therefore, we have decided to postpone the tour, and will explore another window in the next year or so.”Bangladesh last toured Pakistan in 2007-08, for a five-ODI series. Since then, Pakistan have toured Bangladesh twice, in 2011-12 and 2015. The PCB had invited Bangladesh for a two-match T20I series this year, only for the BCB to rebuff the invitation.On Pakistan’s last visit to Bangladesh in 2015, the PCB had reportedly taken US$ 325,000 and justified it by saying the series had “technically” been Pakistan’s home series. This year the BCB rejected all such proposals to share revenue, though it was open to playing at a neutral venue if necessary.The PCB, however, was not keen on that option. It is understood the Pakistan board feels that hosting teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe in the UAE – its adopted home – is not financially viable.Relations between the Pakistan and Bangladesh boards have been sour in the past. During the Zaka Ashraf regime, the PCB had stopped communication with the BCB and barred its cricketers – who had already been auctioned to various teams – from featuring in the Bangladesh Premier League.Bangladesh were the fourth team – after West Indies, Ireland and Sri Lanka – to refuse to travel to Pakistan in the last two years. Nevertheless, the PCB is looking to build on hosting an incident-free PSL final in Lahore in March by inviting a team of international cricketers to play a T20 series in September. However, even the PSL final – touted a success – was marred by Quetta Gladiators’ entire foreign contingent deciding against travelling to Pakistan for the final.In another development, members of the ICC board were briefed on the security situation in Pakistan. According to Shaharyar, Giles Clarke, the head of the ICC task force on Pakistan, confirmed that Lahore would host a World XI in September.”We wanted to share the series between Lahore and Karachi but since the security assessment was focussed on Lahore only, it was decided to restrict the series to Lahore for now,” Shaharyar said. “The presentation about the PSL final was well received and all members understand that the World XI tour will further pave the way for major international cricket in the country. They were supportive overall and we are looking forward to host some of the top players of the world.”

Arsenal seem set to continue their free-spending summer, having set their sights on a new target…

What's the latest on Benjamin Henrichs to Arsenal?

That comes from German writer Florian Plettenberg, who details Mikel Arteta's interest in German international Benjamin Henrichs.

The RB Leipzig star is described as a merely backup option for the Gunners, but remains a fine asset who would certainly bolster a squad searching for more squad depth.

Writing on Twitter, the Sky Sports man noted: "Talks between Arsenal and the player's management took place. Gunners considering Benjamin Henrichs as a backup target. Arteta, with a very good opinion about the German national. Contract at Leipzig until 2025; important player for coach Rose."

The 26-year-old still has two years left on his £63k-per-week deal.

Who is Benjamin Henrichs?

Having spent time in both his homeland and France in various stints, the defender has now settled as an important cog for a strong Leipzig outfit.

Although once regarded as a top attacking full-back as a youngster, he has swiftly grown into a mature, solid asset, who can often be relied upon.

As such, when compared to others in his position across Europe, he ranks in the top 16% for interceptions, 8% for tackles and 2% for blocks per 90, via FBref.

Such imperious defensive work could even be said to surpass Ben White's, who made a big impact last term whilst deputising on the flank.

In those three aforementioned attributes, he instead sits at the lower end of the spectrum, having made 0.68 interceptions, 1.77 tackles and 1.36 blocks per 90. The latter is supposedly his most impressive statistic, and yet he only ranks in the top 29% for it, via FBref.

However, that is not to suggest that Henrichs does not offer some potent attacking threat too.

Although a staunch stalwart, he does have the facilities to push on, which Arteta would likely develop even further to help him realise the potential he once had. Back in 2017, journalist Stefan Bienkowski even wrote: "Benjamin Henrichs is every young, talented, attacking full-back you've ever seen."

After all, just last season in the Bundesliga he would maintain a 61% dribble success rate, 78% pass accuracy and 0.7 key passes per game, via Sofascore. Whilst not outstanding figures, they paint the picture of a consistent performer who will seldom let his side down.

The all-around nature of his game would make him a fine asset to balance Oleksandr Zinchenko on the opposite flank and allow their system to continue flourishing.

The Ukraine international excelled stepping into midfield as the north London outfit pushed for the Premier League title, with his 88% pass accuracy, 80.3 touches and 0.7 key passes per game (via Sofascore) given the platform to succeed from White's defending.

He would maintain the joint third-highest pass completion rate of anyone within his squad too, to emphasise his importance in dictating the play.

Given Henrichs outperforms the England international in these defensive situations, plus has some creativity to push forward should a low-block be frustrating Arteta, he would mark an instant upgrade to allow even more freedom for his potential new 26-year-old teammate.

Leeds United are in desperate need of some reinforcements to their squad following their relegation from the Premier League last season and now a fresh update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Ryan Fraser?

According to the Sunday Mirror, Leeds are interested in signing out of favour Newcastle winger Ryan Fraser this summer.

As per the report, it is claimed that Fraser is expected to leave St James' Park this summer and Leeds are joined in their interest of forward by fellow relegated club Southampton.

How good is Ryan Fraser?

Leeds are set for a hugely transformative summer with a full takeover confirmed and Daniel Farke appointed as the new head coach at Elland Road in recent weeks.

Now the behind-the-scenes issues have been resolved it is time to start focusing on recruitment plans and identifying players who can help the club bounce back from the devastating relegation and achieve instant automatic promotion by dominating the second tier next season.

As a result, the signing of Fraser – once hailed a "dream" by his former Bournemouth teammate Eunan O'Kane- could be a great piece of business for Farke this summer as the Newcastle outcast has a lot to offer in the attacking third and could ultimately form a formidable partnership with Patrick Bamford to get the striker scoring consistently again.

The Scotland international reportedly had a disagreement with manager Eddie Howe and has since been banished to the youth set-up, so it is difficult to measure his output when his game-time has been limited for the majority of the campaign.

However, the 29-year-old has proved on many occasions over his career that he can be a real asset in the wide positions of the forward line, tallying up 34 goals and 52 assists over 312 club appearances, but it's not just his goal contributions that would make him a valuable asset to Farke.

Before falling out of favour, Fraser displayed many of his qualities over eight league appearances for Newcastle last season by successfully completing 100% of his dribbles and winning the majority of his duels combined (59%).

Only in 2018/19, did he create a whopping 14 assists in one Premier League season, demonstrating strong attributes in his ability to play the final pass into the box and deliver goal-scoring opportunities.

The Scot can replicate that at Elland Road he could be extremely valuable to Bamford next season and with more chances played into the box, it would surely boost his goal tally in the Championship.

Despite his recent troubles in the North East, Fraser has earned high praise during his career, especially for his influence on the Scotland national team, with his compatriot and former Aberdeen player Charlie Nicholas telling Sky Sports Soccer Saturday:

"What I like is that he is a little pocket dynamo. He is quite an old-fashioned type of player – what we used to call a tanner ba' – from the days when Scottish players were very popular. He has a little bit of that. He has obviously put a lot of muscle on and built himself up to be able to take the knocks and kicks that come his way."

With that being said, it is reported that Newcastle will command a fee of around €8m (£7m) this summer which would be a steal for a Premier League proven player who could work alongside Bamford to ensure Leeds can comfortably compete in the Championship next season.

انتقد أسطورة كرة القدم المصرية والنادي الأهلي، محمد أبو تريكة، مستوى فريق ليفربول بعد نهاية الشوط الأول أمام كريستال بالاس في الدوري الإنجليزي.

وانتهت أول 45 دقيقة في مباراة ليفربول وكريستال بالاس بتقدم الأخير بنتيجة 1-0 على ملعب “أنفيلد” في إطار الجولة الثالثة والثلاثين.

ونجح كريستال بالاس في تسجيل هدف مبكر في الدقيقة 14 في مرمى ليفربول عن طريق اللاعب، إيبيريشي إيز، وكاد يحرز النسور هدفًا آخرًا لولا إنقاذ أندرو روبرتسون للكرة قبل تخطيها بالكامل لخط المرمى.

اقرأ أيضًا.. ستيف نيكول يرشح لـ ليفربول لاعبًا إفريقيًا لخلافة محمد صلاح

وتحدث أبو تريكة عن رأيه في أداء ليفربول بالأستوديو التحليلي لقنوات “بي إن سبورتس” القطرية، وقال: “أشعر كما لو أن منافسهم هو برشلونة وليس كريستال بالاس”.

وتابع: “هدف كريستال بالاس كان على طريقة برشلونة، تيكي تاكا، كل لاعبي ليفربول يشاهدونهم وهم يمررون الكرة بكل سهولة مثلنا نحن المتفرجين”.

وأضاف: “يبدو وأن لاعبي ليفربول قد نسوا كيف يلعبون كرة القدم، كريستال بالاس ينافس على مراكز الهبوط ولكنه ظهر كما لو كان برشلونة بسبب لاعبي الريدز”.

واستمر: “ليفربول يفشل في بناء الهجمات، هناك سوء أداء من ثلاثي خط الوسط، يفقدون الكرة بشكل دائم ويمنحون كريستال بالاس فرصة اللعب بهدوء”.

واستفاض: “لا يمكن أن تكون هذه هي ردة فعل ليفربول بعد الخسارة من أتالانتا، لا يوجد ضغط أو تنظيم، رغم أنهم على أنفيلد وأمام جماهيرهم”.

وأتم: “يجب على كلوب أن يتحدث مع اللاعبين في غرفة الملابس بين الشوطين، يجب أن تكون هناك ردة فعل، أريد أن أشاهدها في الشوط الثاني”.  ابو تريكه ينتقد اداء ليفربول امام كريستال بالاس “محسسني بيلاعب برشلونة”

Tottenham Hotspur are now targeting Brentford striker Ivan Toney as a potential replacement for Harry Kane, should the 29-year-old leave the club this summer, according to a report from Football Transfers.

What's the latest on Harry Kane's future?

Kane has been attracting the attention of some European giants this summer, with Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain both making their interest clear, however he reportedly has no interest in moving to the French club.

It is detailed that the striker would turn down an approach from PSG, but he may be more open to a move to Bayern, who have already had two bids turned down this summer, with Daniel Levy still insisting on a £100m fee.

Manchester United are now seemingly out of the race, which leaves Tottenham in a straight fight with Bayern, which may sound like good news, however it also means his price will not be driven up significantly as a result of a bidding war.

Spurs have been making contingency plans in case Kane does move to the Bundesliga this summer, with it recently being reported they are eyeing a high-profile move for Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic.

Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo-Muani has been touted as a potential replacement for the England captain, however the Lilywhites also have their eye on an option from much closer to home.

That is according to a report from Football Transfers, which states that Tottenham have now turned their attention to Toney, in the event that Kane departs this summer.

Spurs are willing to wait until the January transfer window to pursue a move for the Brentford striker, as he is currently serving a football ban which ends on January 16th, due to an eight-month suspension for breaching gambling rules.

The Englishman has previously been recommended to Levy by former Tottenham boss David Pleat, who believed he had the potential to eventually take over the reins from the striker.

There is still a chance Spurs sign the 27-year-old this summer, but that would depend on Kane leaving the club.

How many goals has Ivan Toney scored?

The England international has scored a total of 32 goals in 68 Premier League appearances, and he found the back of the net 21 times in all competitions last season, in what was a fantastic campaign.

Of course, the £21k-per-week Brentford star will be disappointed he will not have the chance to build on such a promising season in the opening stages of the upcoming campaign, as a result of his ban, but it would still be wise for Tottenham to pursue a deal.

Hailed as "sensational" by BBC Sport reporter Simon Stone, the former Northampton Town man has done things the hard way, starting in League Two and eventually establishing himself as one of the most prolific players in the Premier League.

Toney working his way up from the bottom of the EFL system is a sure-fire sign he has the right attitude to make it to the very top, and while the football ban is a setback, he has all the right traits to be back to his best by January.

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard is set to be given a 'longer contract' at the Emirates Stadium and both parties are 'very relaxed' about the situation, according to journalist Paul Brown.

How long is Martin Odegaard tied to Arsenal?

According to Capology, Norway international Odegaard is tied to Arsenal until the summer of 2025 and earns around £115,000 per week on his current terms at the Emirates.

Earlier this year, 90min reported that Arsenal would sit down with the 24-year-old to discuss a new contract at the club to reflect his importance to the side.

Odegaard, who is club captain at the Gunners, would be in line for a 'significant' pay increase and his representatives are happy to sit down and talk through the conditions of extending his time in north London.

Renowned journalist Fabrizio Romano took to Twitter back in May to reveal that Arsenal have an option to extend his present deal until 2026, stating: "Arsenal have an option to extend Martin Ødegaard’s current contract until June 2026 — but negotiations will take place soon over new long term deal. Ødegaard loves the club and Arsenal want Martin to be part of their long term project."

Contract renewals for big stars at the club have recently been commonplace as Mikel Arteta's side have now tied down William Saliba, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli and Aaron Ramsdale, as per Sky Sports.

On their official website, Arsenal confirmed that Reiss Nelson has also been granted a new long-term deal at the club as Spaniard Arteta looks to build a squad for many years to come.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Brown thinks that Odegaard could be the next to follow and commit his future to the Gunners for the next few years.

Brown told FFC: "I think Arsenal are definitely keen to get Odegaard on a longer contract and reward what he's done on the pitch there, by giving him a significant pay rise. I do think that is on the agenda, they do have an option in his contract to extend it for a year, I believe, so there isn't any great hurry in this. Every time Odegaard has spoken about the situation, he's always seemed very relaxed. I don't think there's anything really to worry about here from Arsenal's situation."

Should Arsenal be giving Martin Odegaard a new contract?

By any means necessary, given that Odegaard is arguably the most important player at the club and factoring in that he is also the Gunners' captain.

Quite simply, Arteta can't afford to lose the services of Odegaard any time soon. Paris Saint-Germain were reported to be keen on the Norwegian midfielder, as cited by The Daily Mail back in May, making the renewal of his contract a key priority for the club in the near future.

Last season, Odegaard led from the front in Arsenal's Premier League title challenge, amassing 15 goals and eight assists in 45 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Fotmob detail that the 24-year-old also created the fifth-most big chances out of any player in the English top flight in 2022/23, managing to lay on 76 in total over the course of the campaign.

Odegaard will be a key player once again for Arsenal in 2023/24 and his boss Arteta will be desperate to nail him down on a long-term deal as he continues to build his project at the Emirates.

Both Wilfred Gnonto and Tyler Adams could sign new deals at Leeds United following their relegation from the Premier League according to Phil Hay

The pair were two of the Yorkshire club's best performers last season as the side suffered relegation from the top flight.

Will Tyler Adams and Wilfred Gnonto play for Leeds United next season?

Leeds will be hoping that both players stay at the club.

The American and Italian internationals both arrived at Elland Road in the summer of 2022 for £20m and £3.8m respectively, and both impressed in what was a disappointing campaign for the club.

Adams was incredibly impressive, with his 6.73 average rating on WhoScored being the highest in the entire Leeds squad, whilst Sky Sports pundit Stephan Warnock was full of praise after his Man of the Match performance against Liverpool in October, saying: “Tyler Adams, what a performance! He is not a pleasing player on the eye that’s going to hit 50 to 60 yard diagonals. He’s not going to dictate the speed of play. But what he’s going to do, he’s going to be a menace and he’s going to be a player who closes down extremely well. Magnificent performance from an extremely important player for Leeds.”

Gnonto also looked bright in his first season following his move from FC Zurich, with the 19-year-old managing eight goal contributions across all competitions for the Whites, with goals against the likes of Manchester United and West Ham United showing that the player with promising potential could also deliver. Former Leeds caretaker manager Michael Skubala heaped praise on the forward after his display at Old Trafford, stating: “He’s a great lad, he’s a special player. He’s a credit to Leeds, he’s a credit to himself and he’s a really nice player to work with.”

Both players have attracted interest from Premier League sides this window, with Adams reportedly a target of Aston Villa, whilst Gnonto was the subject of a £15m bid from Everton which the club rejected.

Speaking on The Square Ball podcast, when asked whether Gnonton and Adams staying could be tied in with a new contract, Hay revealed that Leeds may be able to tie down both players to new deals: “I suspect so with Gnonto and potentially with Adams as well. I think it would have to be some carrot with it to persuade them that it was the right thing to do. It’s slightly different for Gnonto to Adams, they’re at different stages in their career, Adams clearly USA captain already and has the World Cup coming up, but I don’t necessarily feel that for either of them a really good season in the championship, a promotion year in the championship would damage them or their reputation”

Should Adams and Gnonto stay at Leeds?

It could be beneficial for the duo to stay at Leeds this season

For Gnonto, interest from Everton may not represent the biggest step forward in his career. The Toffees only just survived relegation on the last day of the season thanks to a 1-0 victory against Bournemouth, and are expected to be in a similar situation next season, whilst Leeds could bounce straight back up to the Premier League at the first time of asking. Ultimately it will come down to whether Gnonto believes he needs to play Premier League football next season, or whether a strong season in England's second tier will keep him in the Italian national team and keep his development on track.

It's more difficult in regard to Adams' situation, as the interest in him from Aston Villa and West Ham would give the USA international the opportunity to return to playing European football in either the Europa League or the Conference League. The midfielder may also be in line for more regular starts at the Hammers following the departure of club captain Declan Rice for £105m, with the club needing a replacement in his position, which Adams played in last season for the Whites.

Leeds will be desperate to keep their star players as they give them the best chance at bouncing straight back up from the championship, and new deals would do just that amid Premier League interest.

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing Barcelona's Clement Lenglet, with the defender now waiting for the move to be completed, however the deal is set to "take a little longer", according to recent reports from Spain.

What's the latest Tottenham transfer news?

Tottenham are set to continue talks over Edmond Tapsoba and Micky van de Ven week, with the former now considered Ange Postecoglou's "top target", although journalist Alasdair Gold stresses that he could end up costing as much as £50m.

With such an expensive deal in the works, Spurs may be keen to bolster their defensive ranks with a cheaper option, and it has recently been reported they are now trying to sign Clement Lenglet for free.

Barcelona are keen to get the £145k-per-week earner off the wage bill at Camp Nou, and the Lilywhites have realised that if they are patient in their pursuit of the defender, his current club may be forced to sell him for nothing.

As such, there has been a slight delay in getting a deal for the Frenchman over the line, despite an agreement in principle over personal terms having already been agreed.

There has now been a new update on Tottenham's interest in the Barcelona ace, with reports from Spain detailing that the move is "still pending", with the player himself "waiting" for a deal to be struck to finally confirm the move (via Sport Witness).

Although the 28-year-old is not a part of Barca manager Xavi's plans next season, he is set to resume training with the Barca squad today, while he patienly waits for the terms of the deal to be agreed.

However, the move may not be completed any time soon, as the report claims that it could "take a little longer", with no reason for the delay provided.

Is Clement Lenglet a good signing?

Tottenham's move for the France international has been dragging on for quite some time now, with seemingly very little progress being made, but it is clear that Postecoglou still remains keen on bringing him back to north London.

Despite being hailed as "outstanding" by members of the media during the early stages of the season, the former Sevilla man had a mixed first campaign in the Premier League, averaging just a 6.65 Sofascore match rating, the 20th-highest figure in the squad.

There are aspects of the centre-back's game that are impressive, ranking in the 94th percentile for progressive passes and 77th percentile for tackles per 90 over the past year, when compared to his positional peers.

As such, a move for Lenglet is definitely worth pursuing, however he should not be viewed as anything more than a back-up option for Postecoglou next season, given his uninspiring first season at Tottenham.

Cristian Romero will seemingly soon have a new partner at the back, amid the ongoing talks over deals for Van de Ven and Tapsoba, and the latter has averaged more interceptions, blocks, clearances and aerials won per 90 than Lenglet over the course of the past year.