Chelsea made it back-to-back Premier League victories with a 3-0 win over troubled Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. Second-half goals from Josh Acheampong, Pedro Neto and captain Reece James saw the Blues build on their last-gasp triumph over Liverpool and heap more misery on under-fire Forest manager Ange Postecoglou at the City Ground.
Feeling the absence of midfield stars Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez – the former on the bench with the latter missing out completely – Chelsea struggled in possession as Forest passed up chances to score through Elliot Anderson and Morgan Gibbs-White. Despite being second best in the first half, the visitors almost took the lead through Andrey Santos but the young Brazilian fired wide of the post.
Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca, serving a one-match touchline ban following his dismissal against Liverpool, rang the changes at half-time, bringing on Caicedo, Jamie Gittens and Marc Guiu, and his substitutions were effective, injecting much-needed energy into his side's play. And the west Londoners soon took the lead in the second half when Acheampong headed home Neto's pinpoint cross after 49 minutes. The Portugal winger was soon at it again as he doubled his side's advantage just three minutes later with a free-kick which found its way past Forest goalkeeper Matz Sels.
Forest continued to pose a threat but it was simply not their day in front of goal, as Neco Williams blazed over from close range before Igor Jesus hit the crossbar. And the hosts' misery was compounded when James netted a third for Chelsea, who were reduced to 10 men late on when Malo Gusto – already on a caution – was given a second yellow card for a reckless tackle on Williams.
GOAL rates Chelsea's players from the City Ground…
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Goalkeeper & Defence
Robert Sanchez (6/10):
While Forest had chances to score through Anderson and Gibbs-White, both efforts were off target, meaning he rarely had to make a save.
Reece James (8/10):
The captain registered the assist for Neto's goal, via a little lay-off, and then guided the ball past Forest's Sels for Chelsea's third.
Josh Acheampong (7/10):
Brave on the ball, making forward runs to drive Chelsea up the pitch, the young defender gave his side the lead with a second-half header.
Trevoh Chalobah (5/10):
He struggled to help Chelsea build from the back, gifting Forest possession on a few occasions.
Marc Cucurella (5/10):
Forest almost scored twice at the back post – first through Williams and then through Jesus.
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Midfield
Malo Gusto (4/10):
Operating from midfield, the Frenchman found it difficult all afternoon, receiving his marching orders for a silly challenge on Forest's Williams.
Romeo Lavia (4/10):
Like so many of his team-mates in the first half, he was unable to get Chelsea going in the middle of the park, before being substituted.
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Attack
Pedro Neto (9/10):
A threat all afternoon, his cross was headed home by Acheampong before he doubled Chelsea's lead with a free-kick.
Andrey Santos (4/10):
The young midfielder passed up a chance to score in the first half, firing wide of the post. He was taken off during the interval.
Alejandro Garnacho (4/10):
Unable to get into the game, he fell over more times than he got past his man. Substituted at half-time.
Joao Pedro (7/10):
Despite receiving little service at times, he was effective by dropping deep to bring Chelsea forward.
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Subs & Manager
Moises Caicedo (6/10):
Brought on at half-time, he helped Chelsea look after the ball better.
Jamie Gittens (5/10):
Introduced after the interval, the young winger was quiet, unable to do much better than Garnacho.
Marc Guiu (7/10):
Working tirelessly up top, he was brought down for the free-kick which Neto scored from.
Estevao (6/10):
He curled in the corner which brought about James' late strike for Chelsea.
Tosin Adarabioyo (N/A):
He was brought on too late to make an impact.
Enzo Maresca (8/10):
Working from the stands due to his one-match touchline ban, he was proactive following Chelsea's poor first-half, making three quickfire substitutions that helped deliver the win.
Surrey 253 (Sibley 100*, Wheal 4-65) and 136 for 1 (Pope 56*, Sibley 55*) lead Hampshire 219 (Prest 44, Gubbins 43, Worrall 3-37) by 170 runsYou can get caught out on Saturdays like these at the Kia Oval.The sun shines scorchingly bright to start, enticing you to take it easy, as you lounge through the opening hours without a care in the world. And then, without warning or even a goodbye, it ducks out leaving you exposed to the chill, scrabbling for the security of layers to cover up that newly acquired farmers’ tan.Of course, many of the 4,132 who started their weekend here will have been wise to all that, taking jumpers and nothing for granted. But 11 not included in that tally – who all happened to be donning a Rose and Crown crest – were given a stark reminder of how sharply things can shift against you on an April day in south London, even when the odds had started in your favour.At about 12.04pm, Hampshire were coasting at 84 for 1, Mark Stoneman and Nick Gubbins steady and unperturbed, even if they were still 169 behind Surrey’s first innings. By 6.26pm, when the floodlights were doing too much of the illuminating, the visitors were now trailing by 170, Surrey’s second innings not just going, but flying.Over six hours of play, and Hampshire were more or less back where they had begun, with far less control. If anything sums up the kind of folly the County Championship can occasionally throw up, this was it. But there were no cricketing gods to curse, and not even the early lure of the sun could be blamed. The lack of progress was very much on Hampshire.Their confusingly slow morning of 42 runs in 29 overs played into Surrey’s hands, particularly given a wicketless first half of day two’s opening session. Then came a collapse of three for six that laid waste to Hampshire’s drudgery, as unnecessary as it may have been. The error of their ways was eventually shoved all the way down their throats by a 36-over evening session in which Dom Sibley and Ollie Pope skipped along to half-centuries with Surrey closing on 136 for 1.The risk of Hampshire’s impasse was clear for all to see. This is a Surrey attack that does not let up. Even Matthew Fisher, freshly down south, got in on the squeeze, straddling midday with an impressive six-over spell – four of them maidens – that went for just seven runs, occasionally beating the edge of both Stoneman and Gubbins.It was while Fisher was operating from the Vauxhall End that Dan Lawrence profited in front of the Micky Stewart Members’ Pavilion. Gubbins inexplicably guided a delivery from wide on the crease around the corner to leg slip, having survived an appeal for an identical dismissal the ball before.Gubbins’ misjudgement turned the focus on the preceding 64 minutes, in which he and Stoneman added just 29 runs. Three overs later, Stoneman had been trapped in front by a suitably rested Dan Worrall, tagging back in for Fisher, before a torturous 1 off 27 from Toby Albert was ended by Jordan Clark to make it 90 for 4.With the top four back in the changing-room, and the innings moored, the onus was back on Tom Prest to take the initiative, as he had done last week with 57 in the successful chase against Yorkshire. A flashed edge over third slip ahead of the lunch break – Hampshire’s first boundary in 26 overs – at least hinted at impetus to come after the interval.The 22-year-old ended the first over of the afternoon session with back-to-back straight drives for four. And when Dawson responded with successive fours of his own – driven through cover, then flicked around the corner – Hampshire had already bettered the morning boundary count (three) in the space of six deliveries.Greater ambition came with greater risk, of course, though Dawson felt aggrieved when given out lbw, seemingly certain of an inside-edge. However contentious, it was a deserved first wicket at the Kia Oval for Fisher. Skipper Ben Brown followed him back not long after with a nine-ball duck that included a life when Sibley shelled a simple chase at first slip.It was from this point that Prest was backed up by Brett Hampton for the best part of 10 overs. The New Zealander was happy to play the aggressor, swinging his huge forearms at anything and everything in his half, bringing about one novel boundary in front of square leg when he was aiming for cover.The only plus point for Hampshire was their first innings seemed in terminal decline when Hampton and Prest were seen off in the space of 11 deliveries, particularly given the modes. The former squeezed out a Clark inducker between bat and pad, stifling the ensuing lbw appeal, but inadvertently sending the ball towards Pope at first slip. England’s vice-captain broke forward and flung himself low to complete the catch. Prest, having negotiated the best part of Worrall’s bumper spell against him, aimed a lazy flinch at one that did not get up as much and found Ryan Patel at short leg for 44.Then came Abbott’s late dash to 37, 13 of them taken off Fisher’s 16th and final over, as a short-ball ploy was met with three step-away-and-carves through the off side, which also happened to be the shorter hit. By the time Abbott was done – bowled by Lawrence defending down the wrong line – Hampshire had closed the first-innings gap to 34.With a bumper 42-session to come after tea, there was an opportunity for wickets to turn this match into a second-innings shootout. But Abbott was the only bowler to register a dismissal, nailing Rory Burns in front, only after he and Sibley had brought up 56 between them in the 13th over. Having carried his bat the day before, Sibley went on, for another 55 unbeaten runs, with the only point of alarm coming when he almost ran himself out on 47.Pope best exemplified the shifting scenario, contorting it further with a breezy half-century brought up with consecutive sixes off Sonny Baker – the first carved over point, the second uppercut over third. No other side have been as chastened by Pope’s shot-making as Hampshire, and this was a ninth fifty-plus score against them in 11 first-class matches against them.They had kept him quiet in five previous innings, including seeing him off for 14 on Friday. But his average against them has ticked back up to 96.30, and it is not unreasonable to expect that to be higher by the time he and Surrey finish batting.Few sides are quite so ruthless as the defending champions when in such a commanding position. And while Hampshire will learn from how this match has been switched upon them by their own apprehensive approach, maybe they should have been wiser given how relentless their opponents have been over the last three years.
Leeds United failed to deliver on what Daniel Farke wanted from the end of the summer transfer window, as he wanted further attacking reinforcements added to his squad.
The German head coach wanted the 49ers to bring in more quality to bolster his options at the top end of the pitch, to add to Noah Okafor, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Lukas Nmecha.
Leeds United managerDanielFarkeapplauds their fans after the match
Speaking ahead of the deadline, the manager said: “In defence and midfield, goalkeeper position and full-back position, we’ve done really good business. But we spoke quite open and honestly about it, we would need to add some more quality up front. We need to stay awake until the last hour of this window.”
Leeds were interested in a deal to sign Facundo Buonanotte on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, before Chelsea swooped in to sign him on loan to push the Whites out of the way.
The Argentine attacking midfielder reportedly earns £25k-per-week and could have been a shrewd and cost-effective signing for the Championship champions on loan.
Why Buoanotte would have been a value-for-money signing for Leeds
When you consider some of the wages that are being paid by Leeds within their current first-team squad, Buoanotte could have been a value-for-money addition to the group on a season-long loan.
Per Capology, for example, Jack Harrison is the top earner in the squad on a weekly wage of £90k, despite the fact that he scored one goal in the Premier League on loan at Everton last term and is not currently a starting XI player for Farke.
Jake O'Brien and Jack Harrison in action
Whilst it is worth noting that Noah Okafor (£72.5k-per-week) is the only new signing whose wage is reported on Capology, Harrison does not appear to be providing value-for-money for the output that he offers on the pitch.
Particularly when you consider that Buonanotte scored five goals on loan at Leicester, per Sofascore, in the top-flight last season and only earns £25k-per-week, suggesting that he would offer more value for money than the English dud does.
Jack Harrison
£90k
Dan James
£70k
Pascal Struijk
£50k
Brenden Aaronson
£45k
Joe Rodon
£40k
Ethan Ampadu
£40k
Wilfried Gnonto
£30k
Illan Meslier
£30k
Jayden Bogle
£30k
Karl Darlow
£30k
As you can see in the table above, Brenden Aaronson, Karl Darlow, and Illan Meslier also feature within the top ten earners who were at the club at the start of the window, yet they have not started any games this season in the Premier League.
Aaronson, though, has at least come on as a substitute in all three of the team’s league matches so far, which shows that he is still part of Farke’s frontline plans.
The same cannot be said for Meslier, though, as the French goalkeeper has not made any of the matchday squads in any competition for the first-team this season.
He currently earns £5k more per week than Buonanotte does at Brighton/Chelsea, which emphasises how little the Whites are getting back for the wages they are paying him.
Wage Burners
Football FanCast’s Wage Burners series explores the salaries of the modern-day game.
The 49ers should be pushing to cash in on Meslier before the transfer windows in other countries around the globe slam shut, so that they can save roughly £1.5m-per-season on the shot-stopper.
Why Leeds should sell Illan Meslier
Leeds missing out on signing Buonanotte at £25k-per-week, when he scored five goals in the Premier League last season, puts into perspective how little the club are getting back from the wages that they are spending on some of their current squad.
Leeds United's IllanMesliercelebrates
As aforementioned, Meslier has not even made the bench for a match this season, with Lucas Perri and Darlow both ahead of him in the pecking order as it stands, yet he is earning even more than the promising Argentine playmaker.
This is why the 49ers should be pushing to sell him to any potentially interested clubs, whether that is in Turkey or elsewhere, in the coming weeks, if not then in the January transfer window.
Leeds United managing director Robbie Evans told The Athletic that there was some interest in Meslier before the English window slammed shut, but that it was not as strong as he expected for “a player of his calibre”.
Leeds United's IllanMesliercelebrates after the match
Whilst the club are entitled to value the Frenchman as they wish, there has to be a degree of realism because the left-footed dud was unlikely to attract much high-level interest, in terms of clubs or possible transfer fees, after being dropped last season and demoted to third-choice at the start of the current campaign.
The 25-year-old dud made three errors that directly led to goals and conceded 2.73 more goals than expected in the Championship before being dropped for Darlow, per Sofascore, which speaks to how underwhelming his performances were.
Meslier’s struggles in the 2024/25 campaign were far from unpredictable, though, as he has rarely been an impressive or consistent shot-stopper in his career at Elland Road.
23/24 (Championship)
40
-3.1
22/23 (Premier League)
67
-12.4
21/22 (Premier League)
79
-16.2
20/21 (Premier League)
52
-3.4
As you can see in the table above, the French flop conceded a staggering 32 goals more than the post-shot xG expected him to in his three seasons in the Premier League.
This is why there needs to be some realism around a potential sale of Meslier because other teams will look at these performances, and the fact that he has dropped to third-choice this season, and wonder if it is worth spending millions to sign him for their club.
The left-footed goalkeeper, who was once dubbed a “massive liability” by journalist David Kent, has been too poor for too long between the sticks for Leeds, hence why he has found himself in this awkward position at the start of the season.
Therefore, the 49ers must finally try to work out a deal with any of the aforementioned interested teams that Robbie Evans mentioned, if their respective transfer windows are still open, in order to part ways with Meslier.
Worth more than Buonanotte & Wilson: Leeds hit gold signing "electric" star
Leeds United have hit the jackpot with this star who is worth even more than Facundo Buonanotte and Harry Wilson.
ByDan Emery Sep 2, 2025
It may have to wait until January when more teams are available to snap him up, but the lack of quality performances, or any performances at this moment in time, on the pitch shows that the club are not getting value for money out of his wages.
Sunderland’s brilliant start to the season appears to have fizzled out after defeat to Burnley in the Premier League and being knocked out of the League Cup by Huddersfield on penalties. Regis Le Bris however spoke about some of the positives he took away from the defeat on Tuesday, via BBC Sport.
“I am disappointed because we wanted to win. Huddersfield played with passion, and they scored a fantastic goal in the first half. We were not at our best in the first half and struggled to find our rhythm, but the second half was much better. It wasn’t enough to win the game, but we gave many players valuable minutes, so it is a positive for the future”.
Le Bris also spoke about the importance of giving some of his new defenders their debut: “Nordi [Mukiele] and Arthur [Masuaku] brought good energy to their game. They haven’t played much during pre-season for various reasons, so it was like their first pre-season match. Now they will be ready for Premier League action.”
Against Huddersfield, Le Bris played Masuaku and Mukiele at centre back despite both of them playing most of their careers as full-backs – he may not have to use makeshift centre-backs for much longer, as Sunderland have placed a second bid for one of their top targets.
Sunderland raise their offer for Lucumi
Jhon Lucumi tackles Lionel Messi.
Sunderland have placed a second bid for Bologna centre-back Jhon Lucumi. This new bid is worth £24 million plus a 10% sell-on clause. This report comes from Fabrizio Romano, who says that while Sunderland view the Colombian as a “priority target”, Bologna still plan to keep him.
Earlier in the window, Lucumi had a release clause worth £24 million, but the Black Cats did not trigger this before it expired, while a first bid of £21.5 million was rejected.
Prior to the second bid, Italian journalist Matteo Dalla Vite spoke about Bologna’s stance on the potential transfer.
Bologna's reluctance to sell tied to new contract
Bologna’s stance throughout this window is that they would prefer to keep Lucumi. They have been trying to negotiate a new contract with the Colombian, whose current contract expires in the summer of 2027. Lucumi’s current contract is said to be worth just over £13,000 a week, and Sunderland have reportedly offered the centre-back enticing personal terms that include a pay rise to £54,000 per week.
One of the main reasons that Bologna are so desperate to keep Lucumi is that they have already sold centre-back Sam Beukema to Napoli this summer. Bologna don’t want to be left shorthanded defensively, but they will not allow a valuable asset’s deal to drip into the final couple of years.
The new contract has been difficult for them to negotiate, leading to a reported acceptance that a higher bid would make them reconsider their stance. Whether or not this new bid, which is at the low end of their reported target, is satisfactory remains to be seen.
اختتم منتخب مصر الأول لكرة القدم بقيادة حسام حسن تدريبه اليوم الثلاثاء، استعدادا لمباراة جيبوتي، ضمن منافسات التصفيات الإفريقية المؤهلة لنهائيات كأس العالم 2026.
وتقام مباراة مصر أمام جيبوتي على أرضية استاد العربي الزاولي بالمغرب، وذلك في إطار مواجهات الجولة التاسعة من تصفيات كأس العالم 2026.
شارك في المران 24 لاعبا وهم: محمد الشناوي ومصطفى شوبير ومحمد صبحي وعبد العزيز البلعوطي ومحمد هاني ومحمد حمدي وأحمد عيد ورامي ربيعة وخالد صبحي وياسر إبراهيم وعمرو الجزار وحسام عبد المجيد وأحمد نبيل كوكـا ومروان عطيـة وحمدي فتحي ومهند لاشيـن ومحمود صابر وأحمد سيد زيزو ومحمود تريزيجيه ومحمد صلاح وإبراهيم عادل ومصطفى فتحي ومصطفى محمد وأسامة فيصل.
طالع | منتخب مصر في اختبار سهل أمام جيبوتي لحسم بطاقة التأهل إلى كأس العالم 2026
وحرص وزير الشباب والرياضة الدكتور أشرف صبحي على حضور مران المنتخب والسفير أحمد عبد اللطيف سفير مصر بالمغرب، وكان في استقبالهما هاني أبو ريدة رئيس مجلس إدارة اتحاد الكرة.
كما حضر المران خالد الدرندلي نائب رئيس الاتحاد ومحمد يحيى لطفي رئيس الشركة المتحدة للرياضة وأحمد حلمي الشريف عضو المجلس ورئيس البعثة ومصطفى أبو زهرة وطارق أبو العينين أعضاء المجلس.
Adrien Rabiot has opened up on his relationship with Jonathan Rowe after a fight between the pair resulted in them being sold by Marseille.
Milan signed Rabiot from Marseille
Insists friendship with Rowe unaffected despite bust-up
Frenchman could debut for the Rossoneri against Bologna
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WHAT HAPPENED?
Milan completed the signing of Rabiot from Marseille for €10 million (£8m/$11m), including bonuses, handing the ex-Juventus a three-year deal. The move came after Rabiot was frozen out in Marseille, having been banished to the transfer list following a dressing room altercation with Rowe after a 1-0 defeat to Rennes. Rowe has since left for Bologna, setting up a quick reunion between the pair in Serie A.
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THE BIGGER PICTURE
The transfer reunites Rabiot with Max Allegri, under whom he thrived at Juve. For Milan, the deal represents a chance to add experience and versatility to their midfield, especially as they aim to push Inter, Napoli and Juventus in the Serie A title race and make progress in Europe. The Rabiot-Rowe spat, while sensational at the time, is unlikely to overshadow the Frenchman’s fresh start at San Siro, with both players now in Italy and facing each other directly.
WHAT ADRIEN RABIOT SAID
Speaking at his official Milan unveiling, the 30-year-old downplayed the incident with Rowe and insisted there was no bad blood between them: "There's nothing special with him. We texted each other after he went to Bologna and I went to Milan. We'll see each other on Sunday at San Siro; it'll be nice to see him. He's a good guy. What happened in Marseille is something that could happen anywhere; it hasn't changed our relationship. I'll be happy to see him, and he will be too."
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WHAT NEXT FOR RABIOT?
Rabiot is in line to make his debut this weekend when Milan host Bologna at San Siro, where he will come face-to-face with Rowe once again. All eyes will be on how the midfielder settles back under Allegri, and whether the reunion adds extra spice to what could be a heated fixture.
Bayern Munich are set to revive contract negotiations talks with Dayot Upamecano amid fears Real Madrid could sign him in a free transfer next year.
Upamecano's contract expires in 2026Negotiations with Bayern were on hold Real want to nab defender for freeFollow GOAL on WhatsApp! 🟢📱WHAT HAPPENED?
Bayern have shifted their focus to securing a long-term contract extension for star defender Upamecano. The 26-year-old French international's current deal is set to expire in the summer of 2026, putting the club under pressure to reach an agreement. Although both sides have expressed a desire for a continued relationship, negotiations have stalled over the past few months, leading Bayern's sporting directors to schedule new talks with Upamecano's advisors.
AdvertisementGetty Images SportTHE BIGGER PICTURE
The urgency behind Bayern's push for an extension is underscored by a series of recent costly departures. The club recently saw Leroy Sane leave for free despite coming close to a contract extension, and they are eager to avoid a similar situation with Upamecano. Madrid are closely monitoring the situation and previously signed David Alaba on a free transfer from Bayern in 2021. For Bayern, the risk is not just losing a key player but also reinforcing a worrying trend of losing top talent without a transfer fee. The defender has been a key central figure under coach Vincent Kompany and is considered an essential piece of the team's defensive core.
DID YOU KNOW?
Los Blancos are reportedly also eyeing a move for Liverpool's Ibrahima Konate, whose contract is also set to expire next year. The Merseyside club have tried to negotiate a deal with the French defender but haven't been able to reach a common ground yet. The ex-RB Leipzig defender, who is currently with the France national team, has jokingly admitted that Madrid star striker and Les Bleus team-mate Kylian Mbappe has been pursuing him to join the Spanish side.
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Getty Images SportWHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN & UPAMECANO?
Talks between Bayern officials and Upamecano’s representatives are scheduled to take place soon. The club are reportedly willing to offer a long-term deal until 2030, but the final agreement hinges on resolving the financial terms and the inclusion of a release clause, which has proven to be a sticking point. With Madrid reportedly prepared to pounce on a free transfer next summer, the pressure is on Bayern directors Max Eberl and Christoph Freund to get the deal done quickly.
Tottenham are after a few more key summer signings before deadline day on September 1.
£43m star "clear" he wants to join Tottenham in talks with club chairman
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Preferably for new manager Thomas Frank, they’d secure their desired targets before taking on European champions PSG in their looming UEFA Super Cup final, but it is rarely that straightforward when it comes to Spurs.
The Lilywhites are currently embroiled in a lengthy transfer saga involving Morgan Gibbs-White, who was due to have a medical on July 11 before Nottingham Forest blocked the 25-year-old’s move and threatened legal action against Spurs.
Son Heung-min
7.00
James Maddison
6.98
Pedro Porro
6.95
Dominic Solanke
6.84
Dejan Kulusevski
6.83
via WhoScored
This has caused an unceremonious delay, but Tottenham are optimistic they can still sign Gibbs-White behind-the-scenes (Fabrizio Romano), even if they may have to wait a bit longer before announcing the England international as their fifth major signing of the summer after Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel, Kota Takai and Mohammed Kudus.
If Spurs’ £60 million deal for Gibbs-White goes through, then it would take Daniel Levy’s summer spending to around £172 million, providing they don’t have to pay Forest more compensation to sweeten the deal.
“The end result is that to get this deal done, Tottenham are probably gonna have to negotiate with Nottingham Forest a fee that includes not just the £60m release clause, but a little extra to effectively buy themselves out of the dispute, or walk away,” said Football Finance expert Stefan Borson to Football Insider.
“Now, we’ve seen in the past other teams have walked away. Of course, we know Liverpool walked away from Van Dijk and came back in January.
“I still think the most likely scenario is that Spurs are the only team that want to buy the player right now, that they’ll pay an extra, let’s say, £5-10m, maybe an extra £5m plus £5m, and the deal could get done. That would be the most likely outcome.”
As well as Gibbs-White, Tottenham are targeting a new number six, with Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha on their list of potential targets, as reliably reported by Alasdair Gold.
The north Londoners are also contenders to sign Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, alongside Newcastle United and Forest, with the Congolese recently travelling to London for talks over his future (Ben Jacobs).
Tottenham's four-word transfer promise to Thomas Frank
Whatever the outcome of these pursuits, it appears Levy and co are very active in the market right now, which links in to an alleged promise they’ve made Frank about recruitment this summer.
Tottenham Hotspur managerThomasFrankcelebrates after the match
According to Spanish news outlet Diario AS, Tottenham have given Frank an encouraging four-word message in regard to their transfer plans before 2025/2026 – simply stating “investment and more investment” – as quoted by the outlet.
This comes as Levy looks to make a “statement” to the rest of the Premier League this summer, which comes as a promising bit of news for supporters who are about to watch Frank’s attempts to compete on multiple fronts.
They were once tipped for a ‘sell to buy’ summer at one stage, but their advancing talks over a stadium naming rights deal and rumoured cash injection from ENIC appear to have negated the need for high-profile players to depart.
Now, Frank is set to benefit, and as things stand, Levy is making good on the club’s pledge.
شهدت مباراة برشلونة وفالنسيا على ملعب يوهان كرويف في الدوري الإسباني، واحدة من اللحظات السحرية بعودة لاعب خط الوسط الشاب مارك بيرنال.
وعاد بيرنال بعد 383 يوماً عقب تعرضه لإصابة بقطع في الرباط الصليبي، وكان النجم الشاب أحد أبرز اكتشافات هانز فليك في موسمه الأول.
ودخل مارك بيرنال في الدقائق العشر الأخيرة، وارتدى القميص رقم 22 مع الفريق الأول، وتلقى تصفيقاً حاراً وكذلك من بيدري وابتسم النجم العائد للملاعب.
وساهم بيرنال بصناعة الهدف السادس للمهاجم البولندي روبرت ليفاندوفسكي، وقد اعترف بعد المباراة في تصريحات نشرتها “سبورت” الإسبانية: “إنه شعور فريد”.
اقرأ أيضاً.. فليك يتغزل في لاعبيه بعد سداسية برشلونة أمام فالنسيا ويعلق على جدل إصابة لامين يامال
وأضاف بيرنال في رسالة لجماهير برشلونة التي صفقت له: “سعيد جداً بالعودة، لقد أسعدوني كثيراً، وهذا شيء سأتذكره دائماً”.
وواصل: “كانت رحلة طويلة شاقة خاصة في البداية، شيئاً فشيء، بدأت أشعر بالتحسن حتى اليوم، الذي كان يوماً مميزاً للغاية”.
وأتم بيرنال: “لم أكن في عجلة من أمري، لكني كنت متحمساً للغاية، شعرت بالارتياح ورغبت باللعب، اتخذ المدرب القرار وأنا سعيد جداً بالعودة اليوم”.
وختم بيرنال رداً على سؤال إذا كان يعتقد بأنه يجب أن يلعب بشكل أساسي:” لست متعجلاً، حقاً، أنا فقط أجري التعديلات، إنها الدقائق الأولى، مباراة بمباراة، ويجب أن أثق تماماً”.
Ireland vs Pakistan June 16, Lauderhill, Florida, 10:30am local time
Big picture: An end to two disappointing campaigns
There are parties you don’t want to be at, and parties the host doesn’t want you at. And then there are parties no one wants to be at.Pakistan and Ireland find themselves in that last position, in extremely wet conditions in Lauderhill, Florida. They’ve both been eliminated from the T20 World Cup, and nothing that happens during their final group game on Sunday can change that. But it must be played, weather permitting, and so they will gear up for one more fixture that will have no impact on this tournament, and almost certainly no implications on qualification for the next one in 2026.For Pakistan, it’s one more day in America before the players return to face the wrath of a nation whose anger has been bubbling up in the days following defeats to the USA and India. PCB chairman Mohsin Naqvi is in an impregnable position, and is expected to ring the changes in the coming weeks, with Pakistan’s central contracts also up for review at the end of this month. Babar Azam’s side can do little to change the mood back home, though another defeat won’t help at all.Ireland have also endured a disappointing tournament, especially since the build-up was promising. A home win over Pakistan and victory in a T20 tri-nation series in the Netherlands. But crumpling on a horror pitch in New York against India set the tone for a dismal campaign, with a defeat against Canada the nadir. While their qualification chances were theoretically alive before Lauderhill’s weather washed out their match against the hosts, all that’s left now is the hope that they may end their party in the USA on a high note.
Form guide
Pakistan: WLLLL (last five completed matches, most recent first) Ireland: LLWWW
In the spotlight
This is almost certainly Imad Wasim’s final international match. Controversially brought back into the side, he has failed to provide the stardust Pakistan believed he would bring when they persuaded him to rescind his international retirement. His performances with the ball have been solid, if unspectacular, with no batting contribution of any heft, a point his innings during Pakistan’s chase against India painfully underscored. His statement before the tournament that “no one remembers semi-finalists and finalists, people remember champions” has aged like milk after Pakistan’s earliest T20 World Cup exit, but at this point, a game to remember as he signs off is the best consolation he can ask for.Lorcan Tucker scored two half centuries in three games against Pakistan last month, before following up with 40 and 55 in the tri-series against the Netherlands and Scotland. Since then, his runs have dried up as Ireland’s T20 World Cup campaign flamed out before it even got off the ground. He has managed starts in each of the group games, getting into double figures while facing 13 and 15 balls. With no pressure and little to lose, Tucker has the opportunity to rediscover the form he found against Pakistan just a few weeks ago.Pakistan have never been eliminated so early from a T20 World Cup•Associated Press
Team news
Pakistan may give Abrar Ahmed and Abbas Afridi – the two players who haven’t got a game so far – a start.Pakistan: (probable) 1 Mohammad Rizwan (wk) 2 Saim Ayub 3 Babar Azam (capt) 4 Fakhar Zaman 5 Usman Khan 6 Shadab Khan 7 Imad Wasim 8 Shaheen Afridi/Abbas Afridi 9 Naseem Shah/Abrar Ahmed 10 Haris Rauf 11 Mohammad AmirIt’s been over a week since Ireland last played, so it’s trickier to predict how Ireland line-up.Ireland: (probable) 1 Andy Balbirnie 2 Paul Stirling (capt) 3 Lorcan Tucker (wk) 4 Harry Tector 5 Curtis Campher 6 George Dockrell 7 Gareth Delany 8 Mark Adair 9 Barry McCarthy 10 Josh Little 11 Craig Young/Ben White
Pitch and conditions
The matches in Lauderhill between USA and Ireland on Friday, and India and Canada on Saturday, were both abandoned without a toss because of lots of rain and an extremely wet outfield. The forecast for Sunday is better, however, but it depends on how much rain falls overnight and the state of the outfield in the morning.
Stats and trivia
Pakistan have never before been eliminated from a T20 World Cup after just three games
Ireland have lost four successive completed T20 World Cup games. They have only had one worse run, when they lost six in a row across the 2009, 2010 and 2012 World Cups.