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Tottenham Hotspur have been dealing with a Bryan Gil dilemma given how the silly winger has started playing in his potential since his latest loan move to La Liga side Girona, and while it does look very difficult at the moment, he is still on the North Londoners’ books, and a section of the Lilywhites supporters would be thinking of whether there is any chance for the chiefs at Hotspur Way to hand the Spaniard another opportunity at N17.
If you see, Gil is a unique tactical asset given how good he is at dribbling out of tight spaces and possesses that creative (and intelligent) flair when isolated into 1v1 situations. Moreover, he is someone quite good at quickly accelerating over short distances. But that being said, it is also important to remember that he still remains a bit too silly to match the physical demands of the Premier League, given how he has not evolved into a reliable high-intensity winger, which the Lilywhites would need in the Premiership.
Tactically speaking, he would succeed in playing in a special possession-based low-transition system, but then you would see his weaknesses come out when you ask him to operate in a direct and physical manner of football that operates in a fast-based manner. And this is why I think he didn’t come through at Tottenham.
Let’s look at his development record
Yes, he was really highly regarded when the North Londoners signed him, but he is now twenty-five (25) and is no longer a project player and needs to be proving his abilities on a consistent basis wherever he goes.
During his time at Spurs, the chiefs at N17 did send him on loan back to La Liga with Valencia and Sevilla, and he also struggled with the physical side of things because of his frame with both clubs.
And given how we have seen him develop, he has gotten more intelligent, but it is unlikely that this will bring a difference to the physical side of things in his game, which could again expose him in the Premier League.
His contract situation?
Gil will enter the final year of his contract at the end of the ongoing campaign, and this should place Spurs perfectly to sell him this summer, given that they’d risk losing him on a free transfer. Daniel Levy would be expecting to recoup somewhere around £12–15 million for his services. So it will be an ideal time for the North Londoners to sell Gil for a reasonable fee and try to recycle him into players who are more fitting into the current system at Hotspur Way.
Author Opinion
Bryan Gil does not fit into the upcoming 3–5 year tactical evolution that is expected at N17, so the Lilywhites should sell the Spaniard on a permanent transfer in the upcoming summer 2025 transfer window and instead reinvest in a younger, faster and more goal-productive wide profile.
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Packers HC bothered by rookie's 'unacceptable' behavior during preseason game
Green Bay Packers right tackle Anthony Belton had a forgettable first half against the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday when he committed five penalties in the first half. The rookie was called for a false start, two illegal formation penalties, a face mask and unnecessary roughness. Packers head coach Matt LaFleur was peeved by the unnecessary roughness penalty, which the second-round pick was called for when he pushed Colts cornerback Johnathan Edwards from behind after the play. Per Matt Schneidman of The Athletic, LaFleur "let Belton have it" at halftime. Following the game, LaFleur explained to the media why that behavior bothers him — it hurts the team. “That’s the one that really bothers me because that is — I mean, they all bother me — but you can’t be getting personal fouls because that really hurts the team, puts you in a really tough position,” LaFleur said. “That is completely unacceptable in my mind. I appreciate the effort that he plays with and I thought he did a really nice job … I love the effort. It’s just, you got to be smart in those situations.” Belton's penalties were costly for the Packers. One of the illegal formation flags took away what would have been a touchdown pass from quarterback Taylor Elgersma to tight end Ben Sims. The 15-yard penalty on the unnecessary roughness call turned a manageable 3rd-and-5 into a 3rd-and-20. Saturday's preseason game is a learning experience for the 2023 third-team All-ACC offensive lineman. The Packers can't have Belton on the field if he's going to commit that many penalties, and the unnecessary roughness mistake would have been easy to avoid.
Jets QB Justin Fields under fire for limited 'processing' in preseason
The biggest question coming into the summer about New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields has not been answered or even experimented with much during the preseason. Fields is known for his ability to scramble, but has been criticized for his inability to consistently push the ball downfield as a passer during his time with the Chicago Bears and Pittsburgh Steelers. On Saturday, Fields finished 1-of-5 passing for four yards in the Jets' 31-12 loss to the New York Giants at MetLife Stadium. Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic has noticed that the Jets aren't requiring Fields to attempt deep throws at practices, joint practices and preseason games. Rosenblatt doesn't believe Fields' 3.9 air yards per attempt in the preseason can translate to winning when the games start counting in September. "So far this summer, Fields has not inspired confidence that he’s a different quarterback than he was in Chicago and Pittsburgh — that is, an extremely athletic quarterback with good arm strength but limitations in terms of accuracy and processing," Rosenblatt wrote. "It’s only the preseason and far too early to panic, but it is fair to wonder how long the Jets can survive without a passing game that can threaten defenses. A quarterback who’s not willing to take shots down the field, in the preseason, is not someone who’s going to scare opposing defensive coordinators." The Jets don't have another realistic option to start at quarterback other than Fields. Tyrod Taylor is a career backup. Adrian Martinez and Brady Cook are battling for a spot on the practice squad. The Jets need to see what Fields can do when he has to throw the ball downfield to win games. Even if Fields doesn't chuck passes in preseason games, the Jets coaching staff needs to force the 2021 first-round pick to attempt deep throws at practice. If Fields cannot execute that part of the offense, the Jets should look at bringing in another quarterback before the regular season.
Did the Dallas Stars just get handed a surprise top-six option on waivers?
The NHL waiver wire is heating up as training camps approach, and the Dallas Stars could be positioned to make a sneaky claim that solves one of their biggest depth concerns. Every year, playoff-caliber teams see useful players slip onto waivers simply because of cap space or roster crunches. Waivers often surface players who can slot higher in the lineup than expected. Last year's examples included Eeli Tolvanen, who went from waiver claim to impact forward in Seattle. That kind of opportunity might now exist again, and the Stars have an opening in their top nine that could benefit from an under-the-radar pickup. In the case, the player in question is Jansen Harkins, who surprisingly hit waivers this week. Known for his speed and ability to drive play when given the right linemates, Harkins is the type of versatile forward who could slide up and down a lineup. He showed flashes of offensive skill in Winnipeg and Pittsburgh, and now at 28 years old, he might be hitting the stage of his career where opportunity and experience finally align. Why the waiver wire could be Dallas's hidden weapon As NHL.com pointed out, training camp always produces bubble players squeezed out of deep rosters. This year, names like former first-round picks and skilled but inconsistent wingers could be exposed. If Dallas wanted to roll the dice, they could target a cost-controlled forward who brings both energy and finishing ability. Adding a cap-friendly waiver piece could also free GM Jim Nill from needing to burn trade capital later in the season. "The waiver wire can be a goldmine if you're patient and know what you need. One man's cut is another team's solution," one NHL scout recently told Sportsnet. The Stars' depth chart shows room for such a gamble. With veterans like Evgenii Dadonov and Mikael Granlund gone, the bottom six has new minutes up for grabs. A waiver claim could be the simplest way to plug that gap without sacrificing draft picks. I think Dallas would be wise to keep an eye on the wire, because sometimes the quietest moves are the ones that swing playoff races.
Seminoles' chances at beating Alabama to start the season just got a whole lot better but at the cost of an unfortunate situation
Packers receive two pieces of news they absolutely did not want to hear so close to the regular season
The Green Bay Packers had some injury concerns coming from the second preseason game on Saturday, against the Indianapolis Colts. It turns out, there will be problems ahead. Running back MarShawn Lloyd and rookie edge defender Barryn Sorrell will miss some time—which is a particularly concerning development with three weeks left before the regular season opener against the Detroit Lions. MarShawn Lloyd can't catch a break since being a third-round pick last year. The running back had hamstring and ankle injuries in 2024, in addition to an appendicitis. Now, he's handling another hamstring tightness. On Saturday, Lloyd got hurt after making a 33-yard catch. "I don't know what to make of it other than the fact that he's had to fight through a lot of adversity and hopefully he can rebound from this and we can get him back at some point in time," head coach Matt LaFleur said on Sunday. "He certainly has shown a skill set and a playmaking ability. That was a heck of a play. It was a great throw, a really nice catch. But it's just unfortunate." When asked if the coaching staff or Lloyd himself could do something to avoid this sequence of injuries, LaFleur indicated this is something the Packers are asking themselves. "I mean, those are my questions to our medical staff all the time," the coach added. "Is there anything else that we could be doing or he should be doing? He's in great shape. I think you just got to chalk it up to some bad luck." Meanwhile, edge Barryn Sorrell suffered a knee injury and will miss time. In both instances, LaFleur mentioned it's early to precise if the players will be out to start the regular season. Lung injury Safety Omar Brown left the the game with what LaFleur had called a 'scary deal.' The player is still in Indianapolis, but is doing better and is expected to be released from hospital and return to Green Bay on Monday. "It's a lung [injury], that's a pretty serious thing," LaFleur explained. "But he's showing a lot of improvement, so that's a positive." The Packers have a closed practice on Monday, and what the team will be able to actually do on the field will depend on the number of available players. Quarterback Jordan Love may be a part of it, returning from a left thumb injury.
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