Author: Andrew Rogers

Tottenham are not close to matching Arsenal’s willingness to spend £100m on a single player, according to head coach Frank, who signalled the club will take a more measured approach in the transfer market. Spurs have undergone major changes following Daniel Levy’s removal as chair and the installation of a new leadership team by the Lewis family. While there are ambitions to grow the club’s business and on-field success, Frank believes a long-term strategy built on development and smart investment is more realistic than blockbuster signings. He said Spurs are not currently in a position to spend £100m on one…

Ian Wright has come to the defence of Jude Bellingham, saying the England midfielder is facing unfair criticism and that some people are uncomfortable with his rise to superstar status. Bellingham was criticised in some quarters after reacting visibly when substituted during England’s World Cup qualifying win over Albania, with suggestions he could be a disruptive influence in the squad. Wright rejected those claims, arguing the criticism is driven by fear of Bellingham’s success rather than his attitude. Speaking on the Stick to Football podcast, Wright said Bellingham’s confidence, talent and influence make some people uneasy. He compared the public…

Manchester United’s proposal to sell personal seat licences (PSLs) to help fund a £2bn redevelopment of Old Trafford has been thrown into doubt by the UK government’s latest move against ticket touting. United have been exploring a model where PSL holders could resell their licences – or match tickets tied to them – at a profit. But new legislation planned for next year’s king’s speech would ban any resale of tickets above face value, with government sources signalling they would oppose any attempt by United to create a profitable secondary market. The club recently surveyed hundreds of thousands of season-ticket…

Arsenal fear defender Gabriel Magalhães could be sidelined for a month or longer after suffering a thigh injury while on international duty with Brazil. The 27-year-old limped off during Brazil’s 2-0 win over Senegal at the Emirates and returned to London for further assessment. Tests are ongoing, but early indications suggest he will miss several key fixtures. Gabriel is not expected to feature in Sunday’s north London derby against Tottenham or in Arsenal’s Champions League clash with Bayern Munich. Depending on the severity, he may also miss league games against Chelsea, Brentford and Aston Villa, as well as the Champions…

Germany stormed into next year’s World Cup with a crushing 6-0 win over Slovakia, sealing top spot in their group and sending Slovakia into the March playoffs. The four-time world champions scored four times in a dominant first half: Nick Woltemade opened the scoring, Serge Gnabry added a second, and Leroy Sané struck twice – both assisted by Florian Wirtz. Second-half goals from Ridle Baku and debutant Assan Ouédraogo, who became Germany’s youngest-ever scorer at 19, capped off the rout. Germany finished three points clear at the top of the group. The Netherlands also secured qualification, topping Group G after…

A sickness bug has disrupted Denmark’s preparations for Tuesday’s decisive World Cup qualifier against Scotland. Joachim Andersen and Rasmus Højlund missed the draw with Belarus due to illness, and a staff member is also unwell. Head coach Brian Riemer hopes the situation is contained but admitted concern ahead of the match. Scotland trail Denmark by one point in Group C and can qualify automatically with a win at Hampden Park. Manager Steve Clarke urged supporters to back the team positively as they aim for a first World Cup appearance since 1998.

Manchester City delivered a dominant derby performance at the Etihad, sweeping aside Manchester United 3-0 to strengthen their position at the top of the Women’s Super League. Goals from Rebecca Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp sealed a statement win that showcased City’s title credentials, while United suffered their second straight league defeat. United, coming off a historic midweek win over PSG, looked fatigued and disjointed throughout. Marc Skinner’s thin squad struggled to cope with the schedule, and despite several lineup changes aimed at injecting energy, United were overwhelmed by City’s intensity. City, with only one change to their XI,…

Celtic are accelerating negotiations to appoint Wilfried Nancy as their next manager, with the Columbus Crew boss emerging as the leading candidate to replace Brendan Rodgers. The Scottish champions informed the MLS side on Friday of their intention to open formal talks, and compensation is not expected to be an obstacle. Nancy is understood to be keen on the move, and Celtic hope to have him in place before next weekend’s trip to St Mirren, ending Martin O’Neill’s brief caretaker spell. Nancy, who previously managed Montreal, led Columbus to seventh in the MLS Eastern Conference this season before exiting in…

Patrick Bamford has joined Sheffield United, just months after leading derogatory chants about their manager Chris Wilder during Leeds United’s promotion celebrations. The 32-year-old striker, a free agent since leaving Leeds in August, has signed a short-term deal with the Championship club until January, as Wilder looks to bolster his struggling attack. Bamford, who has battled injuries in recent seasons, was at the centre of controversy in April when a video showed him leading an abusive song about Wilder. However, the pair have since reconciled after Bamford and then-Leeds boss Daniel Farke personally called Wilder to apologise. “I’ve no issue…

Barcelona have identified Harry Kane as their top target to replace Robert Lewandowski next summer. The club sees the 32-year-old England captain as the ideal successor to the 37-year-old Pole, whose contract expires in June. According to reports, Barça are willing to activate a £57m clause in Kane’s Bayern Munich deal that would allow him to leave at the end of the season. Since joining Bayern from Tottenham in 2023 for £100m, Kane has been a prolific success, scoring 108 goals in 113 games and helping the club reclaim the Bundesliga title. Although Kane has expressed openness to staying in…