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With Kylian Mbappe set to make the move to Real Madrid, it has been reported that his brother Ethan could follow him to the Santiago Bernabeu.

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• Kylian Mbappe set to join Madrid
• Brother Ethan will join the club as well
• Kylian requested Madrid for brother's move

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  In a move that has been in the making since 2019, the French World Cup winner is set to finally make his dream move to the 14-time Champions League winners. It has now been reported by the Daily Mail, that Kylian has made a special request to the higher-ups at the club to sign his brother Ethan alongside himself. The report has also suggested that Madrid have already accepted the request and will prepare for a double signing from the Parisians.

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  Ethan is only 17 years old but made his professional debut with the defending Ligue 1 champions earlier this season. It has been reported that his signing would initially be for Real Madrid Castilla before the team can judge the player and his level.

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Despite taking a significant pay cut, the 25-year-old, who makes £21.4 million net every season in Paris, will earn £12.8 million at Real Madrid this season, making him the team's highest earner. Although Mbappe will not get the same base salary at Madrid, he will receive a substantial signing bonus estimated to be worth over £85.6 million, and he will retain an 80% share of the image rights in any future deals he signs. This deviates from the customary 50/50 split that the club imposes on new members.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR KYLIAN AND ETHAN?

  The duo will still be focused on the season with Paris Saint-Germain as they stand to win the treble if everything goes correctly for them. They could both be in action next for the Parisians when they take on Monaco on Friday, March 1.

Taking to Twitter, reliable reporter Fabrizio Romano has shared what the Tottenham Hotspur board are now planning in regards to midfielder Tanguy Ndombele.

The Lowdown: Ndombele unrest…

Football Insider first broke news of Ndombele’s unrest in north London as revealed his conversation with Spurs club chiefs.

The Frenchman informed Tottenham hierachy of his desire to exit N17 and that news was backed by other reliable outlets like The Athletic and Sky Sports (via Football Daily).

Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo even hinted upon it somewhat in his latest press conference, explaining to reporters that it is his not his job to make people play for the club.

The Latest: Romano shares Ndombele claim…

Writing on his social media, Romano has now explained what the Spurs board are planning to do next in regards to their club record signing.

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He says that, over the next week or more, Tottenham chiefs will be actively scouring for formula to offload the Frenchman before August 31.

Indeed, Romano stated that the Spurs board are now ‘looking for a solution’ in order to sell Ndombele ‘in the next 12 days’.

The Verdict: Big priority?

If the Lilywhites can manage to offload Ndombele in quick time, depending on the deal they strike, it could significantly boost managing director Fabio Paratici’s hopes of adding to Spurs’ squad.

The club are in a sell-to-buy situation this summer so selling the 24-year-old for a significant fee could provide Tottenham fans with a very entertaining last stretch of the transfer window.

In other news: Contact made: Tottenham offer now expected for 6 foot 4 powerhouse who Nuno personally wants to sign, find out more here.

The Spaniard essentially has his pick of the top managerial jobs because of the remarkable work he is doing at the BayArena

According to latest reports, Xabi Alonso favours taking over at Bayern Munich this summer over Liverpool. In a way, it would be understandable. It's always easier to follow a failure than a living legend – and make no mistake about it, that's exactly what Jurgen Klopp has become at Anfield.

It's not just about his qualities as a coach, either; it's about his character and charisma too. Many great managers have sat in the home dugout at Liverpool, but none has ever conducted the Kop like Klopp.

When the fans were getting frustrated after seeing their Premier League table-topping team surprisingly fall behind to relegation-battling Luton on Wednesday, Klopp turned to the Main Stand and demanded more support for his struggling side. What followed was "a thunderstorm", a wave of emotion that swept Luton away in the second half with what Rob Edwards called "full-throttle football".

"Their counter-pressing was incredible, it suffocated us, and their fans were amazing – it was difficult for the players to really concentrate," the Hatters boss admitted after the 4-1 loss. "It was like the Kop was just sucking it in and we couldn't really get out of our half. We saw Anfield and Liverpool at their best tonight. I thought they were brilliant."

• 'Team and the fans changed the game'

  Klopp did, too, so much so, in fact, that he broke a promise by bringing up Barcelona – something he swore he'd never do given the historic nature of that epic Champions League comeback in 2019.

  Why? "Because, before the game, it was kind of similar, with many players missing," he said, referring to the unavailability of 11 squad members. "So, this is their Barcelona: a difficult situation, plenty of reasons to give up at times – but they didn't. I saw only a super group fighting. If you don't limit yourself with bad thoughts, you can fly, and that's what the boys did."

  Perhaps it was unsurprising, then, that Klopp didn't just roll out the fist-pumps for the Kop after the game – but all four corners of the ground.

  "The stadium and the team," he told , "changed the game together." But it was he who sparked them into life, and it is he who unites the club. He pretty much has done since the day he arrived at Anfield in 2015 and promised to turn "doubters into believers".

  Six major honours have followed, including a first English title since 1990. Klopp may even bow out with another one before he departs at the end of the season. If he does, in the era of state-sponsored Manchester City, it would only cement his status as one of the greatest managers of all time.

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  Will the dream become a reality?

  As a result, succeeding Klopp is considered by some as the impossible job and one can understand why, given the trophies he's won and the rapport he has with both the players and the supporters. Just look at the way in which Manchester United have struggled since Sir Alex Ferguson's departure more than a decade ago.

  In that sense, Alonso may feel that this is a case of the right role but at the wrong time. He admitted when he embarked upon his coaching career that he had "dreamt" of returning to Liverpool as the manager, having become such a fan-favourite during his time at Anfield as a player, but he's still a relatively young coach. At 42 years of age, he would be forgiven for feeling that there's no rush; that the Liverpool job will come up again for him.

  After all, he's already done enough at Bayer Leverkusen to suggest that he has a long and successful career ahead of him. In just over 18 months, he has taken a team at risk of relegation to the cusp of a first-ever Bundesliga title – and all the while playing a thrilling brand of football.

  Consequently, there is no more coveted – or highly-rated – young coach in the game today. Indeed, he's already effectively received a glowing endorsement from Klopp.

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  'Xabi is the standout'

  "Xabi is doing an incredible job," the German told reporters. "If there would not be the rumours around, that's ­completely independent.

  "If you would have asked me eight weeks ago about Xabi Alonso, I would have gone: ‘Oh my God.’ The dinosaurs if you want – [Carlo] Ancelotti, [Jose] Mourinho, [Pep] Guardiola, maybe me – we will not do it for the next 20 years. The next generation is already there and I would say Xabi is the standout in that department.

  "Former world-class player, from a coaching family as well which helps a little, he was like a coach already when he was playing. The football he is playing, the teams he sets up, the transfers he did, it is absolutely exceptional.

  "I played and worked a long time in the Bundesliga and it is super impressive. Not only the points tally, but the way they play. He has super signings for this team, exactly what they needed, and that's really a very special job."

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  A Liverpool love affair

  Of course, Ferguson's support couldn't even sustain David Moyes through a full season at Old Trafford, but it's impossible to envisage Liverpool supporters turning so quickly on Alonso, who was – and remains – adored at Anfield.

  When Rafael Benitez foolishly tried to replace him with Gareth Barry in the summer of 2008, the fans made their feelings known during a pre-season friendly against Lazio that Alonso still considers one of the "most special days" of his career, so touched was he by the show of support.

  The intelligence, elegance and determination with which Alonso played the game obviously helped endear him to the Kop, but his down-to-earth personality also played a pivotal part. From the moment he arrived at Liverpool, he embraced the culture of the club and indeed the city. He has even referred to his Liverpool-born son as a "Scouser". Hardly surprising then that the fans fell in love with him – or that the feeling was mutual.

  "The mystique of coming down that tunnel at Anfield, touching the sign, watching the Kop singing ‘You’ll Never Walk Alone’ – having all of that made it easier to have such a close attachment and strong commitment with the club and the fans," he told the .

  "I’ve never pretended to be someone I am not. I have always tried to be a normal one, and the personality of Liverpool people is very particular: they like you to be one of them. If you are in the bar, they offer to get you a pint. They want you to feel welcome. I felt that from the very beginning."

  Alonso, then, would be given the warmest of welcomes if he were to return to Anfield, and afforded more time and patience to lead Liverpool through the post-Klopp era than arguably any other coach in the game today. The thing is, though, Alonso might not need much of either.

Chelsea winger Mykhailo Mudryk was denied a late penalty in a Euro 2024 qualifer against Italy costing Ukraine a chance at automatic qualification.

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• Mudryk denied late penalty in Euro 2024 qualifier
• Italy claim point to reach tournament instead
• Ukraine have a second chance in March playoffs

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tied 0-0 going into the final stages of their last qualifier against Italy, Ukraine felt they were robbed of a clear penalty that could have sent them to Euro 2024. Mudryk met the low pass from the right into a crowded penalty area, beating Bryan Cristante to the ball and appearing to have his legs taken by the Italy midfielder. Cristante also seemed to immediately realise his mistake, throwing his arms up in the air as if to protest innocence and gesture that he had pulled out of the challenge. But the contact was there.

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  With no penalty given, the game finished 0-0, which was enough for Italy to cling onto Group C's second automatic qualifying place behind leaders England. The reigning champions finished level on points with Ukraine, but could boast a superior head to head record between them following a 2-1 win in the reverse fixture in Milan in September. It leaves Ukraine, who have been unable to play games at home throughout this campaign due to the ongoing war with Russia, agonisingly third in the final standings. Had Ukraine got the penalty and converted it, the victory would have taken them above Italy.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR UKRAINE?

  Ukraine's chance to reach Euro 2024 is not completely gone and they will have a second bite at the cherry in the playoffs thanks to their performance in the 2022-23 UEFA Nations League. That opportunity comes from the fact that Scotland secured – arguably unexpectedly – automatic qualification for Euro 2024, meaning their guaranteed playoff berth dropped to the next best team in their League B group, which was Ukraine.

  The playoffs take the form of three separate knockout brackets to determine the final three Euro 2024 qualifiers, each with four teams and consisting of two semi-finals and a final. All games will be played between 21 and 26 March 2024, with the playoffs draw taking place on Thursday 23 November.

Back-to-back defeats have piled pressure on the former Chelsea boss, who appears at a complete loss to explain what's wrong with his side

The tension is rising at Bayern Munich. After Wednesday's shock loss to Lazio, Thomas Tuchel wanted to "talk about football". But the German journalists at Stadio Olimpico only wanted to discuss his future.

"I've already answered [that question]," a visibly frustrated Tuchel said. "I'm not worried [about my job]. I don't understand why you insist." At this point, Bayern's press officer felt compelled to intervene to protect the manager. "The question has been asked," he said. "Let's move on."

Doing so will be difficult, though. The shock 1-0 defeat in Rome had come just four days after a chastening 3-0 drubbing at Bayer Leverkusen that has left Bayern five points behind the unbeaten Bundesliga leaders. The Bavarians hadn't lost two games in a row since 2019, while it had been nine years since they'd last failed to score in consecutive fixtures.

Having already been routed by RB Leipzig in the DFL-Supercup and endured an embarrassing DFB-Pokal exit at the hands of third-tier FC Saarbrucken, Bayern are now facing up to the very real prospect of failing to win a single trophy across an entire season for the first time since the 2011-12 campaign.

Consequently, the questions over Tuchel's future were as inevitable as they were incessant.

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  'Horrible mistakes'

  It's quite clear that Tuchel is hanging by a thread right now. He desperately needed a positive result after Saturday's dismal display at the BayArena, where Bayern had been swept aside by Xabi Alonso's thrilling team with worrying ease, but what he got was a perplexing performance.

  As Thomas Muller was at pains to point out, the under-pressure visitors began brightly against Lazio, only to fade the longer the game went on. "We had a good approach," the veteran attacker told . "The coach had a good plan for the game. But it's on us, it's on us players to score goals when we create chances.

  "The first half was good but, we have to be honest, we gave it away. We made horrible mistakes, horrible mistakes at this level."

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  'I can't explain it'

  Such errors have long been a part of Dayot Upamecano's game, so it came as no surprise to see the French defender needlessly give away the penalty that was converted by Ciro Immobile to decide the first leg in Lazio's favour.

  Many Bayern fans have long since given up asking why Tuchel persists with Upamecano – who was sent-off for his reckless lunge on Gustav Isaksen in the area – while leaving Matthijs de Ligt sitting on the bench. The Bayern boss refused to be too harsh on Upamecano, admitting only that it was a "wild" challenge, as he was more concerned with Bayern's bizarre loss of belief after the interval.

  "I think we lost the game; I'm not sure Lazio won it,” he told reporters in his post-match press conference. “I'm not sure why we lost our conviction in the second half but we did, and then we fell behind. I can't explain it because we told the team to maintain their intensity and be even braver going forward, but we seemed to lose face at the start of the half."

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  'Obviously doesn't look great'

  Tuchel was understandably keen to look on the bright side, pointing out that both Harry Kane and Jamal Musiala had squandered excellent chances in the opening 45 minutes and that Bayern should have ample opportunities to turn the tie around in the second leg.

  However, he did acknowledge that the defeat "in conjunction with the last result, obviously doesn't look great" – which is obviously putting it mildly. Losing to undefeated Leverkusen was one thing, but being beaten by the seventh-placed side in Serie A was quite another.

  Worse still, for all their effort and early promise, Bayern didn't actually manage a single shot on target in Rome, while Kane had just 31 touches of the ball (fewer than Manuel Neuer) and completed just 11 passes – a damning indictment of the Bavarians' inability to get their multi-talented forward into the game.

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  'Tough week'

  Kane was just as mystified by the second-half slump as Muller and Tuchel, and once again astounded by just how easily Bayern gave the ball away. He confessed to that "it's been a tough week" – and it will only get tougher if Bayern fail to win at Bochum on Sunday, because at this stage, Tuchel's position is bordering on untenable.

  During the dark days of 'FC Hollywood', Bayern changed coaches with alarming regularity, but in recent years, they've prided themselves on adopting a more measured and patient approach to management.

  However, less than a year ago, they sacked Julian Nagelsmann after a loss at Leverkusen even though Bayern were just a point behind Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund and had just knocked Paris Saint-Germain out of the Champions League last 16.

David Norris has urged his former club to land Norwich midfielder Todd Cantwell…

What’s the talk?

Ex-Leeds midfielder David Norris has backed his former club to sign Norwich attacking midfielder Todd Cantwell, as he believes that it would be a great deal for the club. He told This Is Futbol:

“I really like him. I’ve seen him over the years and he is a good player who can create chances and score.

“I could see him doing quite well at Leeds, in that attacking line-up. He’s a very good player. If they have a chance of getting him and I saw that Leeds have signed Cantwell, I’d be happy with that.”

This comes after The Athletic’s Michael Bailey ruled out a move to Aston Villa for the Canaries academy product this window.

Bielsa would love him

Victor Orta must sanction a swoop for Cantwell this summer. Leeds were reportedly in talks with Norwich over a deal for the midfielder at the start of last season and ultimately failed to get it across the line, as the player stayed at Carrow Road and helped his hometown team win the Championship title.

With Villa’s interest seemingly cooling in him, it could be the perfect time for Leeds to reignite their flame and enter the race for his signature. The Whites could have no competition to land the Englishman because of Villa’s transfer decision, which could mean that they only need to negotiate a fee with Norwich and would not need to worry about another team coming in to oust them.

Marcelo Bielsa would love to have him at Elland Road for a couple of reasons. For starters, Cantwell has natural talent and is excellent with the ball at his feet. His former Norwich youth team coach, Gary Cockaday, hailed his talents as God-given. He told The Athletic: “Todd looked at one of them in the eye, put his toe under the ball, flicked it back over his head, turned and he was gone. All without looking at the ball.

“He did things every week that were just special. It was God-given. No one taught it. I always believed if you had someone like that, don’t change them or make them conform.”

In 94 league career appearances for Norwich, across the Championship and Premier League, Cantwell has averaged 1.2 key passes and 1.4 dribbles completed per game. This shows that he has the technical ability to beat players with the ball at his feet whilst also providing chances at the end of his runs. Bielsa would love to have a player like this in his team as he could create chances for the likes of Raphinha and Patrick Bamford.

The Argentine coach would also be delighted with this deal as Cantwell is only 23. He has the majority of his career still left ahead of him and Bielsa could enjoy working with him on the training pitch to help him fulfil his potential at the top level.

The ex-Marseille manager would be thrilled with the opportunity to develop another promising young player, whilst improving his Leeds side.

AND in other news, Imagine him and Raphinha: Leeds must land “unplayable” beast to seal terrifying attack…

United States international Antonee Robinson has liked a tweet from a supposed Fulham fan that claims he “can’t defend, can’t attack”.

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• Full-back scored an own goal against Villans
• Supporters not happy with performance
• Defender heading off on international duty

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 26-year-old full-back endured a Premier League outing to forget on Sunday as he scored an own goal to break the deadlock in the Cottagers’ 3-1 defeat at Aston Villa. Robinson put through his own net in the 27th minute and was unable to help Fulham back into the game from that point.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  He will now be heading off with the USMNT for their two-legged CONCACAF Nations League quarter-final clash with Trinidad & Tobago, having been named in Gregg Berhalter’s latest squad. Robinson will be making that journey with criticism ringing in his ears.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Robinson does not appear to be taking said criticism to heart, though, as he has made a point of interacting with his detractors. The buccaneering left-back decided to like a post on social media from a Fulham supporter that has questioned what he brings to Marco Silva’s side and has suggested that a suitable song for him could be: "Can't defend, can't attack, Antonee Robinson our full-back."

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• WHAT NEXT?

  Robinson joined Fulham in 2020 and has taken in 120 appearances for the club – helping to establish them back in the Premier League following promotion in 2022. He signed a new contract at Craven Cottage back in July and has earned 37 caps for the United States – forming part of Nations League-winning squads in 2020 and 2023.

West Bromwich Albion will not be returning for 2020/21 loanee Okay Yokuslu of Celta Vigo, as reported by Birmingham Mail.

The Lowdown: West Brom set for life under Valerien Ismael

Gliding ever closer to the 2021/22 campaign, Valerien Ismael will be keen to put his stamp on a squad who will be desperate to bounce back to the Premier League at the first time of asking.

Getting busy in the transfer market, the 45-year-old has sanctioned deals for Matt Clarke and Alex Mowatt [Transfermarkt].

However, one man he will not bring back to the Hawthorns this window is 27-year-old Yokuslu.

The Latest: Yokuslu will not return to West Brom this summer

In spite of numerous suggestions otherwise, the Turkey international is not someone who will pitch up in the Midlands once again for the forthcoming campaign [Birmingham Mail].

Despite giving a good account of himself with the Baggies last year, West Brom currently do not have the money necessary to bring the 6 foot 3 midfield maestro aboard.

Furthermore, newly appointed Ismael is said to want to shape the side in his own way, a vision that does not include Yokuslu.

The Verdict: Clean break

For both parties, a clean break may be the best scenario here. Though a very talented midfielder who performed admirably last term, Yokuslu joining up with West Brom would take a significant chunk out of their respective transfer and wage budgets.

In 2020/21, he impressed with his desire to win possession, successfully winning an average of 2.4 tackles per game in the Premier League across the year [WhoScored].

Once labelled as ‘excellent’ by West Brom journalist Adrian Goldberg [This is Futbol], he is a talented player no doubt, but one talented player does not earn promotion.

If Ismael is allowed to redirect whatever funds were plotted for Yokuslu’s return elsewhere instead, this could turn out to be a very wise decision indeed.

In other news, West Brom have been linked with a free agent.

The England midfielder is the early frontrunner for the 2024 prize, suggesting football's presumed new duopoly won't go as many predicted

There was an air of sadness around Lionel Messi’s Ballon d’Or acceptance speech on Monday. Clasping the trophy for the eighth time in his storied career, the Argentine spoke about his achievements of past 12 months, including his World Cup glory, before ending his time on stage with a tribute to Diego Maradona on what would have been his 63rd birthday.

Messi also admitted that the day of his retirement is moving closer. There was talk about just how long his body could survive, and if this Golden Ball, No.8, was his last. Messi all-but conceded that fact, turning to the other finalists that sat before him in the front row — Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappe — and insisted that they were his presumptive successors to the trophy.

But Messi left someone out. For all of their quality, goals, trophies, and personal brands, Mbappe and Haaland can no longer lay claim to being the unquestioned duopoly at the very top of the game that Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo were before them.

Now, a third contender has entered the fray: Jude Bellingham. Right now, the Real Madrid midfielder is more likely to claim next year’s Ballon d'Or than anyone else — and signs are that would be the first of many.

• The Mbappe-Haaland battle

  It is perhaps a product of the last 15 years that the footballing world has turned its gaze towards Haaland and Mbappe. The two are remarkable footballers in their own right, the only two goalscorers in the world who can claim to come reasonably close to the numbers put up by Messi and Ronaldo over the last two decades. Mbappe is PSG's all-time top goalscorer, while Haaland broke the Premier League goal record last season, and is on pace to smash a number of significant milestones in the Champions League.

  As with Messi of Ronaldo, there is also enough of a style clash to make this battle an interesting one.

  One one side is Mbappe, the glitzy Parisian superstar who is a blur of stepovers, cuts and curled finishes. He scores the same goal a lot, but you can't really stop it. He lifted his team to a Ligue 1 title with a scintillating run towards the end of last season. He scored a hat-trick in his second World Cup final at the age of 23, and was back in team training 72 hours later.

  And on the other is Haaland, the robot. Bigger, stronger and faster than everyone else, the Norwegian is the perfect blend of athleticism and intelligence. Never has a footballer so big managed to find spaces so small. He made 52 goals look easy. He won a historic treble for Manchester City, and made a mockery of various English records.

  Throw in the contrasting personalities — the understated cockiness of Mbappe and the plain-spoken, almost sinister, tone of Haaland's every word — and there's a captivating duel at play. The fact that the Ballon d'Or voters too often gravitate to goalscoring stats above else, and it all becomes more compelling.

  For the next 10 years, both Haaland and Mbappe will score a lot of goals, and win a lot of trophies, both team and individual. That's enough for journalists and social media alike to construct a narrative. Game on!

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  Bellingham's bolt from the blue

  Bellingham, through two months of the season, has made a genuine case for changing that conversation. Previously, there was reason to believe that he could one day be in the running for the award, but with Haaland and Mbappe scoring at a frightening rate — and a handful of players of a similar age also impressing around Europe — that day seemed to be far away.

  Things have, of course, shifted dramatically. Whatever timeline Bellingham was on has been accelerated rapidly. His numbers for Madrid so far this season are better than both of his main rivals for the 2024 Ballon d'Or. The England midfielder has scored 14 and assisted six for club and country so far this term — totalling more goal contributions overall than both Mbappe and Haaland.

  His big-game performances only further his credentials. From his double in his first Clasico to seal a comeback win, to the last-minute winner to beat Union Berlin in the Champions League, to the slaloming run and finish in Naples that drew admittedly hasty Maradona comparisons, this is a player who not only produces on a regular basis, but does so in clutch situations — a crucial blend that separates the very good from the world-class elite.

  This has all come in an important context, too. Bellingham's Madrid side were tipped by some to be markedly worse than they have been in recent seasons. The loss of Karim Benzema, and the absence of an immediate replacement to serve in his role, was supposed to hamper Madrid's goalscoring ability and limit their potential as a team.

  But off the back of Bellingham's form, Carlo Ancelotti's side are top of La Liga and have won three out of three in the Champions League. Bellingham has not only filled the Benzema void, but also improved on the 2022 Ballon d'Or winner's output from last season.

  Although Madrid had three more points at this stage of last season, their goal differential is better. Benzema, at the same point, had just seven goals and one assist to his name. Bellingham has almost doubled that goal tally, despite playing as a No.10 in Ancelotti's new diamond midfield.

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  What else does Bellingham need to do?

  Of course, the question now is whether Bellingham can keep this form going. He was backed by Ancelotti to score 20 goals this season after the weekend's Clasico, but in reality, he will likely hit that mark before Christmas. A first 30-goal season is, therefore, not out of the question.

  That said, there is a sense that he will slow down at some point, even if it is becoming clearer by the game that Madrid's change of system was so as to build a structure around Bellingham where he could thrive. As long as nothing major changes, who's to say he couldn't reach 40 goals this term?

  Perhaps this all comes down to his ruthless efficiency. Bellingham's 13 Madrid goals have come from just 19 attempts on goal. He is not someone who shoots for fun, or forces himself into forward areas. Every shot on goal is calculated. If there is criticism that most of Bellingham's goals have been from close-range, it is only because he gets into those areas in the first place. Stunning equaliser in El Clasico and show-stopper in Naples aside, Bellingham is scoring from where he is supposed to score. There is, after all, an art to being a tap-in merchant.

  But what is the magic number, or ideal formula, that keeps him in the race? Mbappe and Haaland could both score 40 in their sleep, all while leading their teams to silverware. Mbappe's PSG will almost certainly win Ligue 1, while France are the current favourites for Euro 2024. Haaland's Man City should also be considered favourites for the Premier League, and will have their eyes on a Champions League repeat.

  Bellingham's Madrid, meanwhile, will find it far more difficult to win La Liga, with both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid shaping up as early-season rivals. They aren't necessarily Champions League favourites, either. It feels like winning La Liga while finishing as the league's top scorer before leading England on a deep run at the Euros is the bare minimum required for Bellingham to maintain his current Ballon d'Or lead. It's a long season, but right now that doesn't feel unachievable.

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  Midfielders and the Ballon d'Or

  This is all made more difficult by the bias directed away from non-forwards in the Ballon d'Or voting. Although Messi and Ronaldo's claims to the trophy have been legitimate for the last 15 years, the lack of midfielders and defenders also in the mix has been glaring.

  Luka Modric, of course, won the award in 2018 — albeit controversially. But aside from Virgil van Dijk coming close in 2019, it has been an award almost exclusively for the most attacking of players in recent years.

  Andres Iniesta and Xavi both made the podium at various points in the early 2010s, but never received more than 17 percent of the vote. Even Kaka, in his 2007-winning campaign, claimed the honour while functioning as a second striker for AC Milan. Modric was the first player since Zinedine Zidane, in 1998, to win as a more typical central midfielder.

  Bellingham, of course, is not a normal player. And for this Madrid side, he doesn't play in the same mould as Xavi, Iniesta, Frank Lampard or Steven Gerrard, who were all respectable performers in the eyes of voters at various points in their impressive careers. But he will still face an uphill battle by the very nature of his position.

  It is, historically, not an award for English players, either. Michael Owen claimed the Ballon d'Or in 2001, while before that Kevin Keegan, wearing the colours of Hamburg in 1971, was the previous Englishman to win it. Bellingham triumphing, then, would be no small feat.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Nuno Santo is expected to favour a two-man attack when the new season gets underway in just over three weeks time.

That’s according to the Telegraph’s Matt Law, who claims that the newly-appointed head coach is seeking a proven Premier League centre-forward to lead his line alongside Harry Kane.

As a result, Southampton striker Danny Ings has emerged as a top priority for the 47-year-old boss but he won’t be easy to prise away from the south coast, even if he’s out of contract next summer.

The Saints will demand in excess of £20m for their leading talisman, justifiably so. He’s found the net 38 times in the last two seasons alone, taking his total to 55 in 140 top-flight appearances, via Transfermarkt.

Indeed, Ings meets the ‘proven’ criteria but should the Lilywhites risk investing such a substantial amount into an injury-prone 29-year-old?

Perhaps not. Instead, Nuno may well already have a potential solution to his problem right under his nose in Dane Scarlett.

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Of course, the 17-year-old is an immensely raw talent but glowing endorsements of his quality just do not stop flowing in around the club right now.

Former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho is a massive fan of his, having granted him his professional debut last season – speaking in The Times, the ‘Special One’ tipped the teenager for international stardom.

“‘I know he’s still very young, just 17, and it is probably too early for the next World Cup, but Tottenham Hotspur have a striker in Dane Scarlett, who, if everything goes well, is going to be phenomenal. For England, there is lots of promise,” he said.

It echoes his previous comments, where he dubbed Scarlett a “diamond” with “incredible potential” to BT Sport (via talkSPORT).

“Dane has incredible talent,” claimed Mourinho, before later adding: “I don’t want that so I don’t want to speak too well about him. I just want to say that he will be 17 next month and I want him to be part of the first-team squad next season.”

Nuno has actually been getting a look at him throughout pre-season and he’ll surely be delighted with what he’s seen so far. The academy goal machine bagged against Leyton Orient and impressed from the bench against Colchester United.

Scarlett has scored 26 goals in 28 appearances across the U23 and U18 squads since his breakthrough, leading to Spurs legend Ledley King dubbing him a “natural finisher” before comparing him to Kane, via football.london.

On the above evidence, Nuno could well save chairman Daniel Levy at least £20m this summer by unleashing the 17-year-old gem.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold drops huge Spurs transfer claim…