Sheikh Jassim is still waiting to hear whether his fifth and final offer for Manchester United has been successful, according to sources close to the Qatari. Recent reports within Qatar had indicated that the Sheikh’s bid – which is for 100 per cent of the club – had seen off the bid from Ineos founder Sir Jim Ratcliffe. However, the Sheikh Jassim camp described those reports as pure speculation and say they remain in a ‘holding pattern’. They expect the next step will be for the United board to meet and consider both bids. United have been approached for comment. Sheikh Jassim’s fifth bid was made last week, but at the same time it was made clear to the Glazer family – who own the club – and to the Raine merchant banking group which is overseeing the sale that he would not engage with the process beyond last Friday. The Qataris are eager to get the deal done with the summer transfer window about to kick into gear. Sheikh Jassim’s bid is understood to be a fully cash deal for 100 per cent of the club, and that all United’s debts would be cleared. Sources close to the Sheikh’s bid say that separate, additional funding would be made available for player recruitment, infrastructure and other investment needs. The Glazers first announced their intention to consider a sale of the club in November last year, with the first bids from Ratcliffe and Sheikh Jassim tabled in February. There have been reports that Ratcliffe’s offer is for 60 per cent of the club, with Avram and Joel Glazer retaining a combined 20 per cent stake, but sources close to Ratcliffe have not confirmed this. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

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A number of players performed, but Austin Reaves' impact coming off the bench was perhaps the most impressive for Team USA's FIBA World Cup debut.Team USA blew out Puerto Rico 117-74 in Monday's FIBA World Cup exhibition. During the matchup, coaches, fans, and even former Team USA...

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Britney Spears fans are stunned to learn that her iconic hit 'Toxic' could be about an Irish vet. Making waves in the charts back in 2003, the single derives from the pop star's fourth studio album, In the Zone. It was initially offered to Kylie Minogue, who turned it down. It explores the connection and addiction to a toxic lover. Well now, in one of the most bizarre crossovers and what certainly wasn't on our 2023 bingo cards, it appears as though the track could be about Supervet Dr Noel Fitzpatrick. The song was written by Cathy Dennis, who was dating the vet at the time. Sign up for our free Indy100 weekly newsletter "The man who inspired the Britney Spears track 'Toxic' was someone that the song’s co-writer Cathy Dennis had been dating in the early 2000s, who broke up with her in 2003: Noel Fitzpatrick," Pop B*tch claimed. "'It’s unlikely you’d have known who he was at the time (unless you had a sick spaniel) but he’s better known to most people nowadays as Channel 4 ’s Supervet!" The pair said to have met when Cathy took in her Labrador Charlie to his surgery. Britney Spears - Toxic (Official HD Video) www.youtube.com This isn't the first time the rumours have surfaced, either... In an older episode of This Morning, Holly Willoughby candidly asked the famed vet whether he believed 'Toxic' was about him. Noel replied: "You may have to ask Kylie Minogue whether 'I Can't Get You Out Of My Head' is written about me." It didn't take long for the discovery to be shared across social media, with one Twitter user writing: "I still can’t get over 'Toxic' by Britney Spears is about the Supervet." Another chimed in: "I’m still not over 'Toxic' being about Noel Fitzpatrick." Have your say in our news democracy. Click the upvote icon at the top of the page to help raise this article through the indy100 rankings.

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Ange Postecoglou has promised Tottenham supporters they will take the game to Arsenal in Sunday’s derby fixture. Spurs have won four of their five Premier League matches under the Australian, but the biggest test of this bold new era in N17 will occur this weekend at a ground where victories have been notoriously hard to achieve. Tottenham’s last league success at the Emirates was in 2010, although the most underwhelming aspect of recent displays at Arsenal has been the lack of attacking imagination with Postecoglou’s predecessors Antonio Conte, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jose Mourinho all favouring pragmatism in this match. There appears no chance of the current Spurs head coach employing a defensive approach and the 58-year-old is excited to watch how his young group cope in a fiery atmosphere against one of the division’s best teams. “When I went into Champions League games with Celtic or went into World Cup games with Australia, people said I should have changed my approach and we got some pretty decent lessons along the way, but I just think that’s the only way you can measure yourself,” Postecoglou explained. “How do you know if you want to be that kind of team? That’s the question. If you want to be a team that challenges, you know you have to play that way irrespective of the opponent. “There’s no point not using a game like Sunday as a measure to see where we’re at. “If we shy away from it, don’t play our football, manage to get a draw and survive the experience, what have we really learned? Apart from surviving 90 minutes of football? Nothing. “The players already know that’s what will be my message to them. We’re going to go out and play our football. “If we’re short, we’re short and we need to make it up. If we match them it’s great isn’t it (because) we know we have a long way to go and we’ve already established ourselves and on the biggest occasions we’ve shown we’re prepared to play our football.” Spurs have had a full week to prepare for the trip across north London, while Arsenal warmed up for Sunday with a 4-0 thrashing of PSV on Wednesday night. PSV tried to aggressively press Mikel Arteta’s side and were picked off to devastating effect on the Gunners return to the Champions League. It was put to Postecoglou that Arsenal would prefer an open match, but the Tottenham boss responded: “I’m not really bothered about what Arsenal want as a game. I’m bothered about what we want as a game. “It’s about us challenging ourselves to be the football team we want to be and the kind of progress we want to make is playing the football we’ve started playing. It’s as simple as that. “What the opposition may want or may not want becomes a moot point for us if we don’t play our football. There’s always natural adjustments during a game because of what the opposition do. “But we’ve started playing this way because it’s how I believe we’re going to be successful, not because I’m trying to create something easy on the eye.” We’re going to go out and play our football. If we’re short, we’re short and we need to make it up Ange Postecoglou on facing Arsenal Postecoglou acknowledged the inexperienced nature of his squad for this derby date with Guglielmo Vicario, Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven, Destiny Udogie and James Maddison set to be involved in the fixture for the first time. Even Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr have limited memories of playing for Tottenham against Arsenal but the ex-Celtic head coach says that all contributes towards Sunday being a crucial part of the group’s journey. He added: “This is the experiences I want the guys to have and for us to have as a group to help us grow. It is the only way you grow. “You don’t grow by literally being in the shade. You need to stick your head up and see the sun and allow yourself to grow even if it means at times that experience isn’t a great one because you can grow from that. “It is a challenge for all of the group and us, but irrespective it won’t stop our real intent to become this kind of football team whatever the outcome.”

Former firearms executive Ryan Busse says he's seeking the Democratic nomination to challenge Montana Governor Greg Gianforte in the 2024 election