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The Punjab Kings’ bowling coach talks about their newest recruits, finding balance in their attack, and their objectives for this IPL

Interview by Varun Shetty08-Apr-2021Damien Wright’s coaching has taken him all around the world, but this year will be his first at the IPL, as bowling coach for the Punjab Kings. He talks about his approach to analytics, and working with fellow-Australian IPL debutants Riley Meredith and Jhye Richardson.Are you generally a coach who uses a lot of analytics and data?
If it’s at your disposal, I think it’s very important. I don’t think it’s for all coaches and all players, but for me, I like to make a lot of notes, and take a lot of data down. It just helps you to look at areas to improve, and also what sort of attack we’re going to have. We’ve got some good options, so it allows you to go, “Oh at this ground we can go this way” and whatnot. So it is very useful.Is death bowling one of those key areas? Only the Rajasthan Royals had a worse record in the death overs last season.
Last year, in Abu Dhabi, it was a little bit different in regards to conditions. We’re back in India now, and we have one of the greatest bowlers in the world, Mohammed Shami, in our team, who’s very helpful with that sort of information. It can help new [players like] Riley Meredith and Jhye Richardson, [to know] about grounds and things like that. But yeah it was an area we had to improve, and it’s certainly no secret what we’re trying to do in our training. We’re also going to have options, with the two I just mentioned and Chris Jordan’s been such a fantastic cricketer for a number of years now. He’s also got so much experience in that area and will probably take a major role in that.Related

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As a coach are you partial to fast bowlers?
() Yeah I have to say I probably am, a little bit.I do love working with the spinners. It’s such a great thing to experience over here, working with legspin, offspin, all of that. You see the ball move so much more in India than it does in my home conditions in Australia. I’ve had some great chats already with M Ashwin. [Ravi] Bishnoi is a young and enthusiastic guy who bowls a bit different to Ashwin – so it’s learning as you go with that stuff. But we’ve got Anil Kumble [director of cricket operations] here as a coach, so I think if I need to talk to anyone about some areas of spin bowling, I’ve probably got the best in the business to help me out.You’ve been coaching for about ten years now. Have you coached in these conditions before? What are the challenges, especially with fast bowling?
I’ve come over and played a few times in India but I’ve also coached in the Champions League Trophy in 2014, with Hobart Hurricanes. I was head coach at the time, and we had a pretty successful campaign – we made it through to the last four and KKR knocked us out. It certainly is challenging, with fast bowling in particular. I think the ball in conditions here can swing a lot up front, at night, in humidity, so that’s something we’ve got to really utilise as a weapon.Mohammad Shami (right) and Ravi Bishnoi (left) were the top two wicket-takers for the Punjab Kings last season with 20 and 12 apiece, while Chris Jordan picked up nine•BCCIBut the other difficult part is a lot of dew. That is very common over here. We’ve trained at night a couple of times and you can already see how wet the ball gets and how difficult it is sometimes for the bowlers to hold it. They’re the little challenges for the pace bowlers.You played a fair bit of T20 towards the back end of your career. T20 looks a lot different these days. What does a modern coach in this format have to do to evolve?
I don’t look at it like it’s really hard. It’s exciting, the game’s evolving all the time. I think we’re seeing so many different [versions] of even the shorter formats, you know? You’ve got the ten-over [T10] competition in Dubai, and The Hundred about to begin over in England. You’ve got to come up with your message and your styles and things that are going to work for you.Funnily enough, we had a chat with Anil at training yesterday and we had a game situation, centre-wicket if you like, and the good old yorker is still a pretty good delivery. The game might be getting shorter and changing more, but if you can show that you can execute your skills when you’re put in those situations, it’s pretty much all it comes down to.What makes the ideal T20 bowler?
It can be broken down to the key areas of the game. There’s bowlers that are really fired up in the powerplay – that’s a very difficult time to bowl. Through the middle you’ve got your allrounders generally and spin bowlers that are able to hold things [together]. And the death, that’s the part where you have to have the execution on song, to be able to nail yorkers, or if you’ve got a very good slower bouncer, to get that right. It’s such a game of chess as it goes down.Ideally you’ve got to have somebody like Shami up front, swinging the new ball. And Jhye, specifically in those areas where the ball moves through the air. I think it’s really important to swing the new ball. In the middle you can have some good-quality spinners. Someone like Riley for us is a fantastic addition, to have that raw pace and to be able to take wickets. It’s really important to take wickets at every phase. And then at the end you want the best yorker bowler – [Lasith] Malinga, who’s unbelievable, has shown us how to do it over so many years. Somebody like that, ideally, in your perfect team.I can’t quite explain the exact bowler that I want – probably want about four of them! They’re all a little about those specific skills, if you know what I mean.From a coaching perspective, how do you train for something like that? Do bowlers specifically train for the phases they’re good at?
You still have your good old-fashioned nets, for people to get ready to play the game. We’re very lucky with the set-up we have over here to prepare our players. Plenty of wickets – there’s centre wickets, there’s tired wickets, all sorts of stuff. You have a big group of people you’re training with, and specific training sessions as well. We’ve done a lot of game scenarios, different set-ups – chasing, defending – depending on what it is.Arshdeep Singh played eight of 14 IPL matches for the Punjab Kings last year, taking nine wickets. Wright thinks he has a “huge future” ahead of him•BCCIWhat you really want is for them all to be able to bowl in those periods when required, or needed. It’s not just, you know, someone’s going to play a part up front and that’s it. It might be a key area that you’re very good at [bowling at the start], and we’re going to improve you through the middle and at the end, if that’s the case, or the other way round. If you’re able to do that, then you can have a very balanced attack going into your tournament and you can throw the ball to anyone at any given time.The other teams are analysing your [attack] as well, so you’ve got to be able to throw a few curveballs, get ahead of the game a little bit and try to upset their rhythm and hang on as long as you can in a 20-over match.Is it hard getting that sort of a rapport when it’s a short tournament?
Yeah it is, but at the IPL you’re mixing with the best in the world. And they’re all so used to being in these environments now, in this format, and going from one to the other. And what I’ve seen so far in training has been absolutely brilliant. They’ve come out of Test matches against England into one-dayers… just seeing the great players come back, they’re more than capable of going from format to format within a day or a night. It’s quite impressive. Richardson and Meredith are first-timers. Richardson is potentially going to lead the attack in his first season in the IPL.
It’s good, it’s healthy competition too. In the auction they [the management] did a marvellous job in regards to where they needed a bit of strike power, and support for Shami. He was sort of the sole man last year, did an awesome job and you know he’s going to perform for you throughout this tournament. He just needs a bit of support from other fast bowlers to help him and I thought the two signings were terrific.I know Riley really well. Jhye I’ve seen progress through the Big Bash to play for Australia. So he’s going to bring great skills. I think the conditions here are going to suit both of them. I’m keen to see how they go, because I think they’ll really shine in this tournament.Could you tell us a bit about both of them, starting with Richardson?
What’s really good about Jhye is that in specific roles for the teams he plays with – certainly with the [Perth] Scorchers, and he’s done a bit of it with Australia as well – he bowls the really tough overs. He’s asked to bowl up front with the new ball, then he’s asked to bowl in the different powerplays [in the BBL] – he’s bowling one of those overs already, and then he comes back and bowls one at the death. And his numbers are exceptional for somebody who has to do that every game. He knows his role and is able to execute. But he does swing the ball both ways, and that’s a hell of a weapon to have. He’s got a terrific slower ball and when he wants to bowl a bouncer, it’s a pretty good one. We’re really grateful and lucky that we’ve got him.Jhye Richardson was the BBL’s leading wicket-taker of the 2020-21 season. “He’s got a terrific slower ball and when he wants to bowl a bouncer, it’s a pretty good one,” Wright says•Getty Images Meredith is probably thought of as a tearaway fast bowler. Does he have a lot of variations?
I’ve known Riley a long time. I coached him from his rookie seasons back when I was in Tasmania, and he was always destined to play at the highest level. It was very exciting to see a young fast bowler coming through the Tassie ranks – he was fast and had plenty of skill.It’s been done really well back in Tassie, how they actually progressed his cricket. He was well managed from the very start by Stewart Williamson, who is a great physio back at home. And that’s paid off beautifully for Riley and he’s doing really well, not just for the [Hobart] Hurricanes but for Australia. His tour of New Zealand was outstanding.He bowls at a good pace. He really knows one way, which is to attack. That’s probably one of the areas we’ll talk to him about, on what we’re going to do at the death or if he does bowl up front. He’s pretty comfortable doing so, but it’s probably the end of the innings where he’s going to have to work a little bit harder. But he brings so much in regards to exactly what we wanted, which is a bit of firepower.What are the other strengths of this bowling unit?
The best way to describe this unit is, it’s versatile, very flexible. A lot of options, a lot of different ways we could go about things, and I think that’s the first time – certainly over the last couple of years – that we’ve been able to do that. There’s a chance to go all-out, strike with fast bowling, or to pull it back with spin options with an allrounder.It’s a well-balanced attack. [Apart from the] two we talked about [Richardson and Riley], there’s also Chris Jordan, who’s such a dynamic fielder, can hit the ball out of the ground late in the innings and also bowl a fantastic yorker. I’m really excited about the different ways we could go with our attack, supporting our No. 1 man Shami up front.You also have guys like Arshdeep Singh and Ishan Porel. Who from the domestic bunch has impressed you?
Arshdeep has just arrived; he was in quarantine for a while. But I had a centre-wicket bowl with him, just him and I, last night, and mate, he was fantastic. I think having a left-armer in your attack is also a big tick. I’m really impressed already with the one or two sessions we’ve had so far – he’s got a huge future ahead of him.Riley Meredith was “always destined to play at the highest level”•Getty ImagesI think Ishan as well, we’ve had a good week together and he’s a terrific young fella who is keen to do well. You want people, young kids, who are really willing to work hard to get there. He’s bowled with good pace at training so far, good aggression.And Darshan [Nalkande], he’s a quality little allrounder. He’s another one who’s a bit hungry. You can tell from his eyes he’s keen to play, and if his opportunity comes, I know that he’ll grab it as well. Those three in particular have been great to work with.Would you say the fast bowlers are going to be carrying a major part of Punjab’s bowling this season?
It’s a hard one. We’re stacked in that regard – we’ve got a quality pace attack now, with all the guys we’ve mentioned. That’s actually quite a nice place to be. But watching our legspinners bowl – I’ve taken the mitt to them – they’ve had terrific tournaments last year, both Bish and Ashwin. So we’ve got some quality spinners as well. I wouldn’t say we’re certainly going to go all pace. We can play to any conditions, and we’ve got a nice, balanced attack to choose from.What would a successful season look like for you, personally, in your first time here?
Every team comes here wanting to win. So that is the benchmark. But for us, success would certainly be to make the semi-finals, the last four. I think they were unlucky last year to miss out by a game. And you can tell they’re really hungry to make amends for that.I think that’s great – to experience a little bit of disappointment and then to do what they’ve done in the auction and get it right. I think we’re going to see some exciting times from the Punjab Kings. I believe that’s where we want to go first. We want to get into that last four, and that would, for me, be the bare minimum that we want to achieve. And then, from there, let’s hope we can create a bit of history.Have you ever worked with anyone on this staff before?
I’ve had a little bit to do with Andy Flower over the years, crossed paths with him. I’ve never with Andy before but we know each other well, so that was handy. It’s always nice to have somebody you’re familiar with. But I can say that getting involved with this team and this group, feels like I’ve known these guys for a long time. So that’s credit to Anil and his staff, and all the players we have here.

كشف كورتيس جونز، لاعب فريق ليفربول، ما قاله النجم المصري محمد صلاح في غرفة الملابس بعد الأزمة التي اندلعت مؤخرًا داخل أروقة النادي الإنجليزي بسبب تصريحاته ضد الإدارة والمدرب آرني سلوت.

وعاد محمد صلاح إلى قائمة ليفربول من جديد، في مباراة الأمس ضد برايتون، في الجولة السادسة عشر من الدوري الإنجليزي، حيث حقق الريدز فوزًا بهدفين دون رد.

وشارك محمد صلاح كبديل حيث نزل في الدقيقة 25 بعد إصابة جو جوميز، ولعب بشكل رائع للغاية وصنع الهدف الثاني، وكان قريبًا من التسجيل.

جاءت مشاركة محمد صلاح بعد أيام من الإثارة شهدها ليفربول، عقب تصريحاته النارية ضد مسؤولي ليفربول والمدرب آرني سلوت بسبب تهميشه مؤخرًا.

اقرأ أيضًا | حصلت على ثمن صمتك.. كاراجر يرد الصاع صاعين لـ فرديناند بسبب محمد صلاح

من جانبه، قال كورتيس جونز، في تصريحات نشرتها صحيفة “ديلي إكسبريس” الإنجليزية: “كلنا نحب مو، أنا أحبه، كان من بين الداعمين لي دائمًا في أصعب أوقاتي مع النادي، كنت أستطيع دائمًا التحدث إليه، والأمر نفسه الآن”.

وأضاف: “مو شخص مستقل، وله آراؤه الخاصة، ولا أعتقد أن نيته كانت التأثير على الفريق أو أي شيء من هذا القبيل، لقد كان مجرد أمر شخصي، وكما يعلم الجميع، الفريق والجماهير والجهاز الفني، كلنا نحب مو، إنه رجل رائع”.

واختتم: “لا أحب حقاً التحدث عن مشاكل الآخرين أو أمورهم وما إلى ذلك، هذا يتعلق بـ مو، ولكن في نهاية المطاف أعتقد أن الشيء المهم الذي أوضحه مو هو أن الأمر ليس ضد الفريق أو أي شيء من هذا القبيل، إنها مجرد مشكلة شخصية، وهذا كل شيء”.

Celtic manager Wilfried Nancy has quickly had his eyes opened to just how difficult the job can be after losing his first two matches in charge of the club.

The French tactician lost 2-1 to Hearts on Sunday and 3-0 to Roma on Thursday, both at Parkhead, and now has a League Cup final clash with St Mirren to prepare for on Sunday.

Whilst Nancy’s tactics or system can be criticised and blamed for the two results, fingers should also be pointed at the summer recruitment, as several signings have failed to deliver.

Ranking Celtic's worst summer signings

Celtic swooped to bring ten players in during the summer transfer window, as well as signing Kelechi Iheanacho the day after the window closed, in an attempt to bolster Brendan Rodgers’ side.

A few too many of those recruits, unfortunately, have not stepped up to deliver consistent quality on the pitch for the Hoops, or they have not been deemed good enough to be given many chances to impress.

Hayato Inamura and Jahmai Simpson-Pusey, for example, have both made one appearance in the Scottish Premiership this season, per WhoScored, since their respective moves to Parkhead.

1

Michel-Ange Balikwisha

2

Sebastian Tounekti

3

Hayato Inamura

4

Shin Yamada

5

Jahmai Simpson-Pusey

As you can see in the table above, Sebastian Tounekti also ranks among the club’s worst summer signings, because he has only delivered two goals in 19 appearances, per Sofascore, since his £5.2m move from Hammarby.

We have ranked Michel-Ange Balikwisha, though, as the club’s worst signing, as he currently looks like Celtic’s worst piece of business since they signed Vasilios Barkas.

Why Balikwisha is Celtic's worst signing since Barkas

Celtic reportedly paid £4.5m to sign Barkas from AEK Athens in 2020, and he only made 24 appearances in three years before being released on a free transfer in the summer of 2023.

The Greek international was never able to establish himself as the number one, with just 15 league appearances in his first season, despite being the most expensive goalkeeper signing in the club’s history, per Transfermarkt.

Since Celtic paid £4.5m to sign Barkas in the summer of 2020, the Hoops have spent more than £5m on six players. Per Transfermarkt, Tounekti, Cameron Carter-Vickers, Auston Trusty, Adam Idah, Jota, and Arne Engels have all been signed for £5m or more since that summer.

Carter-Vickers and Jota are key players when fit. Trusty, Tounekti, and Engels have started both games under Nancy, and Idah scored 20 goals in all competitions last season before his move to Swansea.

Balikwisha, however, was signed for £5m from Royal Antwerp, costing slightly less than those six but more than Barkas, and has been a huge flop at Parkhead.

Roma

13

Hearts

0

Dundee

0

Hibernian

0

Feyenoord

0

St Mirren

0

Kilmarnock

0

Midtjylland

15

Rangers

10

Falkirk

29

As you can see in the table above, the DR Congo international has been an unused substitute in six of the club’s last ten matches in all competitions.

This season, per Transfermarkt, Balikwisha has made 13 appearances and been an unused substitute on seven occasions for the Scottish giants, which shows that he has failed to even make the pitch on a regular basis.

In those 13 outings, the Belgium-born flop has not scored any goals and provided one assist for the team, which also shows that he has not offered enough at the top end of the pitch to suggest that he deserves more minutes.

Back in September, pundit Hugh Keevins claimed that Balikwisha is “contributing nothing” and that he looks “intimidated” in a Celtic shirt. Unfortunately, three months later, that still appears to be the case.

For £5m, given the aforementioned success of players signed for similar fees in recent years, the Hoops should be getting more out of the former Pro League star on the pitch this season, as he is simply not offering enough.

Like Barkas, Balikwisha has ended up on the sidelines, watching others perform in his place, and it would not be surprising, on current evidence, to see him end up like the Greek international by leaving the club for far less than £5m further down the line.

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That is why he currently looks like the club’s worst signing since Barkas because he has not contributed as much as the other players brought in for big money, or established himself as a regular starter. However, there is still time left for him to change this opinion and make a career for himself at Parkhead.

Manchester United are a club who have been known to develop numerous world-class talents over the years, many of which have had a huge impact on the first-team.

The Red Devils have their wonderful academy setup to thank for their success, which produced the Class of 92’ – arguably the most iconic group of academy graduates in football history.

The group racked up over 3000 combined appearances for the club, helping Sir Alex Ferguson make the club the most successful side in Premier League history.

However, in 2025, Ruben Amorim is the manager tasked with developing the prospects who emerge out of the youth system and restoring the glory days at Old Trafford.

He currently has numerous top-level talents within his ranks, but it appears as though he’s massively mismanaging one player, which could lead to an extremely unpopular departure.

The decline of Kobbie Mainoo at Man Utd

Back in the 2023/24 campaign, United appeared to have unearthed yet another top-level talent from their academy in the form of central midfielder Kobbie Mainoo.

At the tender age of just 18, he burst onto the scene and racked up 32 first-team appearances and scored on five separate occasions, with many of which coming in key moments.

The teenager’s most important goal no doubt came in the FA Cup final against rivals Manchester City, subsequently helping Erik ten Hag claim his second trophy with the Red Devils.

However, in the last 12 months, Mainoo has endured a steep decline in minutes under Amorim’s guidance, with the 40-year-old evidently not seeing him as part of his plans.

The Englishman has only made 39 appearances since his arrival last November, but only six of which have come from a starting position – with the rest being off the substitutes bench.

In 2025/26 alone, the now 20-year-old has continued to struggle further, subsequently making 10 league appearances, but none of which have been from the start.

He’s only racked up a total of 183 minutes of league action, which works out to just 18.3 minutes of football every time he’s brought off the bench to make an impact.

As a result, the midfielder has been strongly touted with a winter move to join Napoli, which could lead to an unpopular move away from his boyhood club in the months ahead.

The United star who could become the next Mainoo

Ahead of the new year, Amorim could face numerous selection issues as numerous members of his first-team squad look set to join up with their nations ahead of the African Cup of Nations.

Bryan Mbeumo, Amad Diallo and Noussair Mazraoui look all set to feature for their respective countries at the tournament, which could leave the Red Devils short in numerous key areas.

The forward department could become somewhat depleted, given that the former duo of the trio have often operated alongside one another in the Premier League this campaign.

Dipping into the transfer market could well prove to be an option for the manager, but that would involve splashing the cash after already spending £200m in the summer window.

As a result, the academy could once again provide a reliable source of talent, with Chido Obi one player who deserves an opportunity to thrive in the senior ranks.

The Dane joined the club from Arsenal in the summer of 2024, originally linking up with the youth squad, subsequently scoring just 17 times in 21 games across various levels.

His subsequent form led to a senior call-up under Amorim last season, with the 18-year-old making eight first-team appearances, but was unable to find the back of the net.

Obi, who’s been tipped to be “one of the world’s best” by Leny Yoro, has since dropped back into the U21 ranks this campaign, making 13 appearances to date, and scoring five times whilst laying on two assists for his teammates.

Benjamin Sesko and Joshua Zirkzee are the two senior centre-forward options currently available, but the duo have only scored a combined two goals in the Premier League this season.

Games played

8

Games started

3

Goals scored

3

Mins per goal

100

Shots on target

2.2

Dribbles completed

68%

Touches in opposition box

6.6

Fouls won

1.7

Such a lack of quality should open the door for the youngster to stake his claim for a regular starting position once again, but it appears as though Amorim isn’t keen on the centre-forward.

It could lead to yet another Mainoo situation unfolding ahead of the supporters’ very eyes, which could result in the Red Devils losing yet another one of their most promising talents.

His goalscoring record at youth level is evidence of the quality he possesses in the final third, but it’s crucial the manager backs Obi to provide the goods at Old Trafford.

Mainoo is an example of the quality of player available when putting faith into the club’s academy, but ultimately, Amorim is showcasing his ignorance, given the lack of minutes.

As a result, Mainoo could well depart the club, with Obi too potentially getting frustrated with his lack of first-team action if the manager continues to look past each of the talents.

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Tottenham have been tipped to sign a Man City star for around £50 million in January, with Spurs named as the perfect destination for him.

Spurs scour for new attackers to fix Frank's creativity problem

As per multiple reports, co-sporting directors Fabio Paratici and Johan Lange could be about to raid the winter transfer market for attacking reinforcements to solve a key Thomas Frank problem.

The Dane has been heavily criticised for weeks amid Spurs’ real struggles for creativity in the final third, and this was on full display in their recent London derby defeats to Chelsea and Arsenal.

The Lilywhites barely laid a glove on their cross-town rivals in both encounters, and Tottenham currently boast the second-lowest total of shots on goal out of every Premier League side so far.

xG

11.0

17th

Non-penalty xG

11.0

16th

Progressive passes

413

12th

Shots

110

19th

Shots on target

40

15th

Average shot distance

15.6 yards

17th

Injuries haven’t helped Spurs either, with club-record signing and first-choice striker Dominic Solanke missing for most of this early season and hasn’t played at all since their 2-0 win away to City at Eastlands.

Talismanic creators Dejan Kulusevski and James Maddison are also out with long-term problems of their own, leaving the north Londoners desperately short of attacking impetus in certain areas.

Randal Kolo Muani provided real encouragement on Wednesday that, once Solanke returns, Spurs could be well stocked for quality centre-forwards.

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Kolo Muani’s put in a man of the match performance against parent club PSG in the Champions League, scoring a brace and providing an assist for Richarlison, so Frank will be hoping he can build upon that against Fulham.

If so, Tottenham’s search for a striker could well be put on hold until the summer, with the club reported to be massive admirers of FC Porto sensation Samu Aghehowa after his electric 2025.

Spurs are however believed to be in the market for a winger at the very least, and Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo is attracting real admiration from N17 amid news of his £65 million release clause.

The Ghanaian’s clause will be active for an early period in January as well, but Spurs face overwhelming competition from the Premier League’s biggest hitters for Semenyo’s signature.

If a move for the 25-year-old proves too complicated, perhaps revisiting a deal for Savinho could be an option.

Ex-club chief tips Tottenham to sign Savinho in January

The Brazil international was a top target for Spurs towards the end of the summer window, but City repeatedly blocked a move down south and eventually convinced him to sign a new deal.

However, since then, Savinho has attracted mixed reviews, and with the 2026 World Cup looming, January represents an opportunity to pack his bags and shine elsewhere.

Amid Tottenham’s search for another winger, ex-Everton CEO Keith Wyness has tipped Spurs to sign Savinho in January, and is convinced that the Sky Blues will let him go for around £50 million.

Savinho was actually keen on joining Spurs in the summer, according to Fabrizio Romano, meaning they might not run into much trouble on the player side of things.

The 21-year-old bagged 11 goals and 10 assists in his final season at Girona before joining City, spearheading them to a brief but surprising La Liga title challenge.

Savinho can also play on both the right and left-hand side, with the prospect of Mohammed Kudus and the South American on either flank coming as pretty tantalising.

Al-Ahli striker Ivan Toney reportedly wants to join Tottenham as the England outcast is keen to reunite with Thomas Frank following their successful spell together at Brentford. The forward's transfer to the Saudi Pro League last year was one of the most talked-about deadline day moves of the 2024 summer window. His £40 million ($53m) switch from the Bees was heralded as a new beginning, but just over a year later, whispers of homecoming are beginning to circulate.

• Toney's Premier League comeback dream

  With Dominic Solanke still nursing a persistent ankle injury and Randal Kolo Muani now sidelined with a fractured jaw, Spurs are in desperate need of a reliable finisher. Meanwhile, Frank, who turned Toney into a prolific top-level striker at Brentford, is said to remain a huge admirer of his former No.9. The Dane’s faith in Toney transformed the forward from a Championship star into an England international.

  However, Tottenham’s hopes of landing Toney in January could face a major hurdle, according to . Al-Ahli’s hierarchy are determined to keep hold of their star, especially after his electric start to the Saudi Pro League campaign. He has hit 11 goals in 15 appearances across all competitions this season, which highlights his growing influence in the dressing room. The financial challenge is also significant as Saudi tax laws will force Toney to sacrifice a sizeable chunk of his wages to move back to England.

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  Why would Toney want Tottenham move?

  David Bentley, who is remembered fondly by Tottenham fans for an incredible goal against Arsenal in 2008, believes a transfer to Spurs could be on the cards. 

  "He’ll want to go in at Tottenham," Bentley said on . "For him, to go [and] play at the stadium with Thomas Frank, that’s the perfect destination for him. If he wants to get into the England team, it’s not about money, it’s about playing to get into that World Cup squad. The perfect environment is Tottenham. Tottenham could do with him and England as well – if anything happens with [Harry] Kane, we’re struggling a little bit for centre forwards."

  Bentley believes Toney would walk straight into the squad as he knows what it takes to succeed in the English top flight. 

  "He’s a great player," Bentley continued. "Scoring goals in the Premier League is not easy and the way he plays the game, scores goals… he’s got to go to Tottenham, hasn’t he? Under Thomas Frank, he had a great time with him at Brentford and I’m sure they’re talking. I’m sure that’ll be the No.1 destination for him to go in at. Tottenham are struggling with centre forwards at the minute, Solanke is out injured and Richarlison is not at the level he needs to be. He could be Tottenham’s new signing on loan in January."

• England ambitions on the line

  Toney’s motivation for a Premier League return goes beyond club football as the striker is desperate to earn his place in Thoas Tuchel’s England squad ahead of the 2026 World Cup. He made his debut in 2023, scored his first goal against Belgium in 2024, and was part of England’s Euro 2024 squad. During that tournament, he assisted Harry Kane’s extra-time winner against Slovakia in the last 16 and also calmly converted his penalty in the shootout win over Switzerland in the quarter-finals. But since moving to Saudi Arabia, Toney has slipped down the pecking order. 

  Despite his form abroad, England boss Thomas Tuchel has left him out of the last three national team camps. His limited playing time during earlier call-ups, including an 88th-minute cameo in a 3-1 friendly defeat to Senegal, hasn’t helped his case. That remains the only time he has put on a Three Lions shirt in 2025. Moreover, Toney's entourage believes that even if he returns to the Premier League, he will find it difficult to force his way into Tuchel's setup, given the competition for places, as revealed by

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  Spurs not the only suitors

  Tottenham aren’t the only club circling. Everton are reportedly monitoring the situation, while Manchester United have also been loosely linked with Toney. 

  Speaking on , reporter Ben Jacobs said: "As far as Premier League interest, I think we've heard links with Tottenham due to the Thomas Frank connection. I'm not aware of any Spurs approach at this stage, some have even said Manchester United, and again, I think Manchester United are banking on Benjamin Sesko and they've also got Matheus Cunha, who can play at No 9. But if Joshua Zirkzee left, you never know, another striker could come in at Old Trafford."