List of All Articles with Tag 'foo'

Chelsea have made a £48m bid for Romeo Lavia, going closer to Southampton’s £50m valuation and hoping to trump Liverpool. The last few weeks have seen the Anfield club make a series of incrementally improving offers, but they are still at least £4m off a deal. With Mauricio Pochettino seeking to re-energise Chelsea’s midfield, he has long wanted to bring in two midfielders, and the hope is that Lavia will join Brighton’s Moises Caicedo at Stamford Bridge. There is also a personal connection since the 18-year-old has a great relationship with Joe Shields, the recruitment executive who brought Lavia to Southampton and is now at Chelsea. Liverpool, who travel to Chelsea in their Premier League opener on Sunday, have been frustrated in their attempts to sign the 19-year-old midfielder and have seen three bids rejected for a player who has made just 29 top-flight appearances. After their initial two offers of £34m plus £4m and £42m were turned down, the Reds returned with a proposal worth £46m but that too was rejected by the Championship club. Lavia joined Saints from Manchester City last summer as an 18-year-old for an initial £10.5m. The Belgian made his international debut earlier this year when he was called up by the Red Devils for the Euro 2024 qualifier against Sweden and a friendly against Germany. Lavia shone throughout last season, despite Saints' relegation, featuring 29 times and scoring once. Liverpool are in the market for a midfielder after the sales of Jordan Henderson and Fabinho, with Jurgen Klopp underlining the need to further protect his defence. “That would be not a bad idea," Klopp said last month when asked about midfield reinforcements. "We know that we have to do something there, it is absolutely clear. We are obviously working on solutions.” Chelsea have meanwhile made progress in talks to sign Caicedo but Brighton are now holding the London club to a demand of £90m basic fee. The Blues would then have to add a further £10m to be made up in bonuses and expected clauses. The saga has continued with little movement throughout the summer, as Chelsea have proven reluctant to go beyond £80m. While Brighton, who rarely deviate from their initial asking price, have seen the nature of the talks revolve around pushing Chelsea to go closer to their valuation. There has now been some breakthrough on the structure of a potential deal though, but the expectation is that the Stamford Bridge hierarchy will eventually have to go further and make a £90m-plus offer. Chelsea are hoping to get it done before Sunday’s season opener at home to Liverpool, as Mauricio Pochettino is eager to add more energy to his midfield. Read More Chelsea make Moises Caicedo breakthrough over structure of Brighton transfer West Ham enter race for Folarin Balogun as Arsenal set transfer price Barcelona explore sensational Neymar return as PSG set price for Brazilian superstar

Michael Beale was left frustrated by his “wasteful” Rangers side in their narrow 2-1 win over 10-man Servette in the first leg of their Champions League third qualifying round at Ibrox. Skipper James Tavernier scored a penalty in the sixth minute before striker Cyriel Dessers knocked in a second eight minutes later with his first Gers goal. Sam Lammers missed a great chance to make it 3-0 and, just before the break, Servette attacker Chris Bedia reduced the deficit from the spot after the VAR intervened to flag up a Dessers handball. Servette were reduced to 10 men in the 59th minute after David Douline was sent off for picking up the second of two yellow cards for a foul on Todd Cantwell. But the visitors defended resolutely and will fancy their chances of turning the tie around in Switzerland next Tuesday night. Beale said: “We started really well and I thought the energy from the team was really good in and out of possession. “The desire shown by Nico and Todd before the first goal to go chase a couple of lost causes down was fantastic. “I felt Borna Barisic had a good night and put some great crosses in. “Playing with the two nine’s gives you that opportunity that we got when Danilo went across the first post and Cyriel scores. “At that moment we were in a great place. But after that I thought we were wasteful. “Then comes the VAR decision for the penalty. I thought it was harsh but that’s the ruling. “The second half, their keeper made a fantastic save from Sam and Cyriel and we had other moments again where we were wasteful on a night when we played well in my opinion for a long period of time. “What it does is keep our wits about us. We know it will be difficult going to Geneva. It’s going to be a full house and we’ll see a different game like we always do in Europe. “I’ll never knock a win in European competition because I know they’re so difficult to come by. “But as a team, we do a lot of good things and create enormous opportunities and we have to be more decisive. “I’ll give our forwards [a break] at the moment because they’re new coming into the club and it’s early in the season. “But if we keep creating chances like that then we have to take them if we’re to put teams away.” Beale believes there is still more to come from his revamped squad. He said: “We are not using it as an excuse but 13 players left and nine came in. “Danilo has trained with his team-mates for four days and has had a pre-season which was all over the shop at Feyenoord. “We are not the sum of our parts right now but I thought we had more forward running and more energy. “I thought the front three were exciting and they will get better with each game.” Servette boss Rene Weiler is relishing the return game. He said: “The result leaves the door open for the second leg next week. “It was a tough start for us when we went 2-0 down and they played at a high level but we got a bit of luck with the penalty. “But overall the first half was balanced. We tried to attack but when we got a red card it was tough but it leaves us with the possibility for next week.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live James Trafford tipped to star for Burnley by Joleon Lescott Premier League looking into ‘historic’ financial issues at Chelsea Premier League may have to scrap mid-season break due to demands of calendar

Barcelona are looking at a sensational loan with an option to buy for Neymar, as the Brazilian's fractious time at Paris Saint-Germain is coming to a close. The French club’s new manager Luis Enrique and football advisor Luis Campos have been working on a vision for the team that involves hard running and young players. And the Ligue 1 champions have told the 31-year-old he can leave six years after his world-record €222 million (£200m) transfer. Neymar's main preference is to return to Barcelona, and the club are investigating the possibility despite some internal debate. Although a primary issue is that they would likely need to offload a series of players to make Neymar’s return financially viable. This is also why an initial loan is being looked at, as PSG are looking to bring in around £60m (£51.8m) for Neymar. The Camp Nou executive feels that they can make it work due to his huge commercial profile. That is one reason he hasn't yet accepted a huge offer from the Saudi Pro League, since he wants to be in peak condition for the 2026 World Cup in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Neymar is said to be obsessed with becoming a star in America. As such, he wants to continue playing Champions League football until then. The negotiations may be smoothed over by the fact PSG are poised to sell Marco Verratti to Al Hilal for €50 million, with that deal going down to the final details. The Saudi Pro League may end up being Neymar's most viable destination, but he is intent on staying in the Champions League. The main issue is that Luis Enrique is now preparing a team without him. Read More First golf, now football? Saudi Arabia’s grand plan and the 72 hours that changed everything Saudi transfers reveal difference between Premier League and European rivals Neymar incident could see F1 clampdown on grid access

Northwestern footballstaffers appeared to honor disgraced former head coach Pat Fitzgerald at practice on Wednesday.The Northwestern football program has undergone a period of tremendous turmoil after a hazing scandal resulted in the firing of longtime head coach Pat Fitzgerald. The 48-year-old ...

Cats against the world.

The last day of the 2023 Leagues Cup Round of 16 is here, and it was a good one. There was a lot of action that brought on penalty shootouts, close matches, red cards, and then one blowout match. If you are a soccer fan, this was the day you wanted to watch the Round of 16.Five matches were play...

Fantasy Premier League is back for another season and the deadline for gameweek one is fast approaching – it’s time to join your work leagues, make promises to stay involved more than a month this season and, perhaps, try out the different league scoring systems too. Here, The Independent’s sports desk have combined forces to pick out 30 players to consider adding to your squad for 2023/24: Five goalkeepers, nine defenders, nine midfielders and seven forwards who we feel could be big points-earners across the campaign. Goalkeepers Premium Ederson, Manchester City - 5.5 Despite conceding the joint-lowest number of goals last season, the Man City shot-stopper notched up just 11 clean sheets. That tally is the exception and not the rule, however, for the first-rate Brazillian who, prior to last season, had recorded at least 16 clean sheets in his five seasons at the club. As one of the few City players safe from Pep Guardiola’s rotation strategy and with Josko Gvardiol’s (5.0) arrival further strengthening City’s defence, he should be expected to hit those heights again. Mid-range Emi Martinez, Aston Villa - 5.0 After the top-rated goalkeepers, the World Cup winner might be the best of the rest in terms of consistency, clean-sheet potential and the odd bonus points pickup. Unai Emery’s teams are habitually strong at home, but first and foremost concerned with not losing matches on the road – perhaps leading to a few more dull games, but shutouts for Martinez. Aaron Ramsdale, Arsenal - 5.0 With David Raya’s arrival set to provide competition, Ramsdale made his case to remain No.1 even stronger after his display in Arsenal’s Community Shield victory over Manchester City. For now, he looks set to start the season between the posts for the Gunners and with four three home fixtures in their first four games, the Englishman could notch up a few early clean sheets and cement his place in the starting eleven. At 5.0m, and with the second-most clean sheets last season, he’d be a solid addition to any FPL team if that’s the case. Budget enablers Mark Flekken, Brentford - 4.5 David Raya finished last season with the most points of any goalkeeper (166) due to Brentford’s defensive organisation and hard-working style. But with the Spaniard set to leave this window, summer signing Flekken looks set to take the No.1 jersey. The Dutch international has enjoyed two successful seasons with Freiburg in the Bundesliga and should fit seamlessly into Thomas Frank’s well-oiled machine. Jason Steele, Brighton - 4.5 The 32-year-old was a surprise name on Brighton’s team sheet towards the latter half of the season having impressed Roberto De Zerbi and usurped Robert Sanchez, who has since departed for Chelsea. The Englishman kept six clean sheets in his 16 starts and could well offer a valuable route into the much-fancied Brighton defence although he could face competition from summer signing, Bart Verbruggen. Defenders Premium Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool - 8.0 Naturally it’ll feel an obvious pick, but such is Liverpool’s new vice-captain’s impact that he’s a full 1.5m more costly than any other defender this season. Even so, we’d go as far to suggest he’s a must-have if you’re looking for attacking points in deeper areas. Alexander-Arnold isn’t just a set-piece taker, he’s now playing much higher up in midfield in possession, has scored for England from that area and looked in incredible creative form at the back end of last term too. Kieran Trippier, Newcastle - 6.5 His starting price may have risen 1.5 from last season but the experienced English right-back still offers plenty of upside, having scored 42 more points than the next best defender last season. One goal, nine assists and 16 clean sheets was an excellent return and, despite a tough opening run of fixtures this season, he should be primed for another excellent showing this season. Mid-range Luke Shaw, Manchester United - 5.5 With the most clean sheets and third-fewest number of goals conceded, Manchester United’s defensive performance last season may have gone under the radar. Despite his nightmare debut, Andre Onana’s signing should improve Erik ten Hag’s side in that capacity with Shaw set to play a key part once again. The 28-year-old take some set pieces, offers a threat of attacking returns and scored more points last season than his Liverpool rival, Andy Robertson, who is 1m more expensive. Pervis Estupinan, Brighton - 5.0 The 10th most points from defenders last year (128), a goal and seven assists was a great return. The left-back has a gentle start to the season with four of the favourites for the drop including Luton, Wolves, West Ham and Bournemouth in Brighton’s first six games. Pedro Porro, Tottenham - 5.0 Pedro Porro quietly assembled an impressive debut fantasy season for Spurs after arriving in January. With three goals and three assists from just 1,132 minutes, you could be looking at a top-five defender under Ange Postecoglu if things break right. Pervis Estupinan, a comparable full-back alternative, played 2,674 minutes last season for Brighton in the Premier League, finishing with the 10th most points, if Porro replicates that game time with last season's output, he'll score 139 points, enough to rank sixth among defenders last year. Budget enablers Illia Zabarnyi, Bournemouth - 4.5 While it has been a case of gentle regeneration at Bournemouth this summer so far, they did make waves in January so there’s a bit of a head-start on a new-look team just by integrating faces only at the club half a season. Defender Illia Zabarnyi is chief among them, handed a few starts at the end of last term and surely ready to push for more action this year. He’s a top prospect among European centre-backs and might be a decent gamble to add a low-cost defender to the squad. Sven Botman, Newcastle - 4.5 While other Newcastle defensive assets, like Trippier and Fabian Schar, have risen in price, the Dutch centre-back remains at an enticing 4.5m price point. Like Trippier, he will have to contend with tricky opening fixtures, but as a nailed-on starter and the joint eighth-highest-scoring defender last season (129), Botman also has an aerial threat from set-pieces and is one to consider if you are looking for a cheaper way into Eddie Howe’s defensive quartet. Pau Torres, Aston Villa - 4.5 The much-coveted Spaniard made the move to Aston Villa for £31.5m after a number of impressive seasons with Villareal and will reunite with former boss, Unai Emery. As an early summer signing, he has had time to adapt to Villa’s system and bed in with his team-mates in pre-season and should improve the already-solid Villa defence right off the bat. Levi Colwill, Chelsea - 4.5 Although the 20-year-old has yet to make a first-time appearance for Chelsea, his new, six-year contract with the club should be a signal of how highly he is rated by the west London club. Colwill will likely have to compete with Benoît Badiashile, Trevor Chalobah and Axel Disasi for the other starting berth alongside Thiago Silva but having impressed on loan at Brighton last year, he could well be fast-tracked into the starting eleven and worth a punt as Mauricio Pochettino looks to rebuild at Stamford Bridge. Midfielders Premium Mohamed Salah, Liverpool - 12.5 Perhaps overshadowed by Erling Haaland, the Egyptian still managed 32 goal involvements last season (19 goals, 13 assists) and the highest number of points for any midfielder (239). With Liverpool’s midfield refreshed after a summer spending spree and talks of a move to Saudi Arabia firmly denied by his agent, the 31-year-old looks set to hit the ground running for another season. He’s 0.5m cheaper than last season and now 1.5m cheaper than Haaland, meaning he could provide an intriguing differential captaincy pick if you are willing to bet against the City forward. Son Heung-Min, Tottenham, 9.0 After a disappointing season last year for Son, which still saw him register 10 goals and six assists, it’s worth remembering that he was the second-highest point scorer in 2021/22 after notching up 23 goals and 10 assists. Now priced at just 9m - a 3m drop from last season - the 31-year-old could well offer plenty of value if revitalised as part of Postecoglu’s gung ho, attacking system. Bukayo Saka, Arsenal - 8.5 If Erling Haaland is selected, then savings need to be made elsewhere. Users may look to surround Saka, as a premium option at 8.5, with other bargain midfielders. And while Salah (12.5) offers huge upside, Saka's 14 goals and 12 assists (plus a healthy 19 bonus points) last season returned 202 total points last season. Kevin de Bruyne has only topped that twice in his career, and the City star is 2.0 more expensive. With Kai Havertz and Declan Rice strengthening the Gunners' XI, Saka should hold those exceptional numbers. Mid-range Dominik Szoboszlai, Liverpool - 7.0 One of Liverpool’s two new midfield recruits, Szoboszlai should prove a far more regular goal-getter than the club’s usual midfielders, with a long-range threat and great ball-carrying skills to go along with his set-piece prowess. He’s guaranteed as a starter too, given the number of players who have left this summer, and is cheaper than teammates Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz. Kaoru Mitoma, Brighton - 6.5 Electric last season for the Seagulls, returning seven goals and nine assists, with an extra 11 bonus points. Look for the Japanese star to take on even more responsibility this season, and at just 6.5, there are 23 more expensive midfielders, having finished 20th in total points from midfielders last season. His arrow is pointing up and a start against three relegation-threatened side - (Luton (H), Wolves (A) and West Ham (H) - offers up a chance at an early return. Bernardo Silva, Man City - 6.5 Twice in the last five seasons, Man City’s Portuguese schemer has clocked up over 150 points. In 2021/22, he managed eight goals and eight assists as a vital component of the title-winning team. Last year both that output and his minutes on the pitch were reduced - but with Ilkay Gundogan’s drive from midfield gone and so too Riyad Mahrez’s goals from the flank, is Silva the man to fill the void for both in different ways? Pep Guardiola wants him to stay; if he’s a regular starter, the price is a steal. Bruno Guimaraes, Newcastle - 6.0 A decent point-scorer last season, but he might be far more impactful in FPL terms this term if Eddie Howe’s plan proves to be to start new addition Sandro Tonali as the deepest midfielder and push Bruno Guimaraes further forward as a No.8. Between his creativity and his penchant for scoring important goals for Newcastle, the Brazilian could prove a total bargain if that’s the case. Over 100 points from defensive midfield; how many more if he’s unleashed? Budget enablers Philip Billing, Bournemouth - 5.5 The Bournemouth midfielder finished inside the top-25 highest-scoring midfielders last year, with his seven goals and two assists a solid return for a midfielder within his price range. In fact, Everton’s Dwight McNeil - set to miss the start of the season through injury - is the only midfielder priced below 5.5m who matched Billing’s goal output last season. With new manager, Andoni Iraola likely to have the team playing on the front foot, the Danish attacking midfielder could provide a low-cost option with an eye for goal. Josh Brownhill, Burnley - 5.0 Previously known as an industrious, combative midfielder when Burnley were last in the Premier League, the Englishman enjoyed a new lease of life under Vincent Kompany in the Championship last season. Playing in a more advanced role, Brownhill notched up seven goals and eight assists and could offer a valuable rotation option off the bench for any FPL side. Forwards Premium Erling Haaland, Man City - 14.0 Does this really need explaining? With 36 goals and nine assists from 33 starts last season, the Man City forward more than justified the hype around his signing from Borussia Dortmund. Now, in his second season at the club, Haaland is 2.5m more expensive but still impossible to ignore. You could get creative and explore other captaincy picks but to leave him out of an FPL team entirely feels like a massive risk given the fact he is owned by nearly 90% of teams already. Mid-range Cody Gakpo, Liverpool - 7.5 The starting point for many is Kane or Haaland, with a few managers no doubt trying to cram in both. But who is best of the rest up front? To start with, Gabriel Jesus is injured, so too Christopher Nkunku, Ivan Toney suspended, Aleksandar Mitrovic potentially leaving and both Callum Wilson and Alexander Isak could cancel each other out in rotation. From the most expensive forwards, your eyes may then be immediately drawn to Liverpool’s duo of Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo. The Dutchman has the centre-forward jersey right now and he’s also played in midfield in pre-season, so even if Nunez features, Gakpo could still do so alongside him. Ollie Watkins, Aston Villa - 8.0 While your eyes may be drawn to Liverpool’s free-flowing forward line, it’s important to not forget about the superb season had by Villa’s Ollie Watkins last time out. With Danny Ings departing in January, Watkins repaid the faith shown in him, with his 15 goals only bested by three strikers - Haaland, Kane and Wilson. With new signing Moussa Diaby adding more creativity down the right, users would be brave to bet against Watkins this season. Nicolas Jackson, Chelsea - 7.0 After Christopher Nkunku's injury, Nicolas Jackson is destined to start up front for Chelsea for the foreseeable future. Without Nkunku's creative side, Jackson's output takes a hit, but at 7.0, the value is there for a player who can be trusted to provide assists for runners in behind if Mauricio Pochettino can inspire movement in the final third. If the Senegalese can match his goal or assist every 100 minutes for Villarreal last season in LaLiga, fantasy owners will be delighted. Budget enablers Evan Ferguson, Brighton - 6.0 Roberto De Zerbi’s team were excellent to watch even under Graham Potter, but the Italian coach has brought end product and a bit of ruthlessness to the team. Irish teenager Ferguson was a beneficiary of some more direct, sustained attacking play and there’s every reason to think he’ll take another step forward this year as a regular goal-getter - he managed one per 161 minutes last season which isn’t shabby at all, given he was essentially a rookie and how many times he was subbed on or off. Yoanne Wissa, Brentford - 6.0 A big problem for Brentford this year will be replacing the goals of Ivan Toney who continues to serve his ban for gambling-related offences. Thomas Frank’s side haven’t turned to the transfer market thus far, meaning Wissa could be the man to lead the line next season. With seven goals last season, he showed his capabilities with a goal and an assist as Brentford won 3-1 away at Tottenham late on in the season. If you are looking for a budget option to partner alongside Haaland, the 26-year-old could be your man. Dominic Calvert-Lewin - 6.0 Injuries have hampered his last two seasons and this pre-season, but with minutes and a goal in Everton’s most recent friendly against Sporting, he may well be nearing full fitness at long last. The Englishman notched up 16 and 13 goals respectively in the 2019/20 and 2020/21 seasons and could thrive in Sean Dyche’s system with regular minutes. At 6.0m and with a favourable fixture list to start the season, he could be one to consider. Read More Today at the World Cup: Lucy Bronze admit England not happy with performances Wolves move quickly to appoint Gary O’Neil following Julen Lopetegui departure Benjamin Mendy chasing back pay from Manchester City, bankruptcy court told The ‘incredible’ Micky Van de Ven trait that Tottenham want to weaponise The factors which could stop Man City making Premier League history Inside Trent Alexander-Arnold’s new role: ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ Gary Neville and Jamie Carragher highlight what could stop Man City winning Premier League title The Mikel Arteta transfer gambles that will shape Arsenal’s season Cole Palmer shows he can replace Riyad Mahrez — and become Man City’s missing piece Curiously expensive mediocrity cost Wolves a manager and now threatens their future Inspired appointment Vincent Kompany repaying Burnley’s gamble

Tottenham’s recent track record for signing centre-backs... doesn’t make for great reading. Since the summer of 2017, Davinson Sanchez, Juan Foyth, Joe Rodon and Cristian Romero have all made the move to north London. One of those has already departed, another is expected to leave this summer, while who knows what the future holds for Rodon. They’ve taken a risk, then, in spending big on Micky Van de Ven. The Dutchman joins from Wolfsburg after an impressive Bundesliga campaign. Bayer Leverkusen’s Edmond Tapsoba was another on the radar at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but the powers that be were convinced by Van de Ven as they sought to bring in a left sided centre-back to partner Romero in Ange Postecoglou’s favoured 4-3-3 system. What has proven crucial is Van de Ven’s leadership qualities. Tottenham were so often all over the place in defence last season. Hugo Lloris committed more errors leading to an opposition goal (4) than any other player in the Premier League last season, while Spurs conceded the sixth most goals (63) in the division. Postecoglou spoke on a number of occasions about the need to bring in a centre-back, up to Tuesday’s confirmation of Van de Ven’s signing, and it’s easy to see why. Even in what promises to be a youthful backline, Van de Ven’s control at the back will be key. He did, after all, captain the Netherlands at the U21 Euros, and this facet to his game helped Spurs make their decision on the centre-back. Romero, for example, needs a leader alongside him to ensure he doesn’t over commit and leave gaps in the defence that can be exploited. While three years his junior, Van de Ven will help keep Romero in check and marshal a defence that needs organising. There’s also the recovery speed that will ensure Postecoglou can implement a high defensive line. Van de Ven was the quickest central defender in Germany’s top tier last term, clocking in at 22.3mph as per the offical Bundesliga website. Van de Ven has been described as “a Cruyffian defender” by Ruben Jongkind, a director Dutch side Volendam where he spent eight years before his move to Wolfsburg in 2021, with Jongkind waxing lyrical about the centre-back. “A lot of risk taking, incredible speed, I have never seen something like that. His special weapon was already there. I worked at Ajax with fast players, but this was incredible.” Jongkind went on to admit that Van de Ven ran a 60m pace dash in seven seconds flat. “After a training session, with a standing start!” This weapon in his arsenal means Spurs can afford to play with a high defensive line, safe in the knowledge that Van de Ven can cover the ground at lightning speed should needs must. On the ball, he’s one that is happy to set his side on the frontfoot, and this will help establish Van de Ven as a fan favourite at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Indeed, he ranked top for passes per game (50.5) and pass success rate (88.3%) of all Wolfsburg players, while 518 forward passes ranked 33rd of all outfielders in the Bundesliga last season, a metric topped by Tapsoba (879). This willingness to get the ball on deck and play out from the back is a key attribute for any modern-day centre-back, and we’ve seen other Premier League sides follow the same tact in the quest for dominance. No longer are defenders needed solely to deny opponents from scoring, but they are tasked with instigating attacks from defence. The upcoming generation of centre-backs all seek to play their part in dominating opponents, and they have become precious commodities in the game today. Chelsea and Arsenal tied Levi Colwill and William Saliba down to respective long-term deals given their ability to pick out a teammate with ease. Manchester City have made Josko Gvardiol the most expensive defender ever for that same reason, and Van de Ven is now the sixth most expensive signing in Spurs’ history following his arrival from Wolfsburg. While the aforementioned trio put in better passing numbers than the latter, this will be due to Brighton, Arsenal and RB Leipzig, respectively, seeing far more of the ball than the Wolves in their respective leagues last season. Spurs have had to spend big on the young centre-back, but he’s one who fits Postecoglou’s style of play, and this ultimately is key. It’s no point bringing in a defender who’d struggle with the Australian’s demands, as this would negatively impact what should prove to be a very important season for the club. A leader at the back, pace to burn and versatile, too; Van de Ven should prove a superb addition to this Spurs side. Read More Tottenham respond to latest Bayern Munich bid for Harry Kane Dejan Kulusevski vows to ‘do everything’ to keep Harry Kane at Tottenham

Wolves have moved swiftly to install Gary O’Neil as Julen Lopetegui’s replacement as head coach. The 40-year-old, the club’s first British coach in six years, was sacked by Bournemouth in June despite guiding the Cherries to survival. He has signed a three-year deal after Wolves and Lopetegui came to an “agreement to part ways” on Tuesday after disagreements over recruitment and the direction of the club. “We’re delighted to welcome Gary to the club,” said sporting director Matt Hobbs. “He’s a highly-motivated young coach with strong principles and very well thought of by everyone he has worked with, and we’re excited to see what we can achieve together at Wolves. “Our players have shown their quality during pre-season, and I believe Gary and his team will continue to coach and improve them and will have success working with this group. “Everyone at Wolves is looking forward to welcoming Gary, offering him their full support and working collaboratively to help the club to keep pushing forward together.” With just a couple of days until the Premier League season kicks off O’Neil’s first match in charge will be against Manchester United at Old Trafford on Monday. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

"If the England team of now played us they'd thrash us," says a former Lioness.

Defender Lucy Bronze admitted England “are not happy” with their World Cup performances so far but vowed the Lionesses will step up in Saturday’s quarter-final against Colombia. The European champions crushed China 6-1 in their third group-stage contest, but that match remains an outlier in a tournament that has otherwise seen them score just one other goal from open play. That winning strike came against Denmark from Lauren James, who will miss the Lionesses’ last-eight encounter while she serves at minimum a one-game suspension after she was sent off in Monday night’s last-16 victory over Nigeria. “We can give more,” vowed Bronze. “We’re a fantastic team with highly-talented players, but the important thing is we got through to the next round. “There’s no point in playing our best performances in the first games, we might as well save them for the quarter-finals or further than that. “We’ve built on every game, we’ve taken something from every game, whether that was the Haiti game that was physical, the Denmark game when we lost our key player in Keira [Walsh], the China game we changed the formation completely, [Monday] we had a red card. “Everything that has been thrown at us, we’ve dealt with and moved forward. “I don’t see many other teams who’ve had that adversity and if they had, I don’t think they’ve managed to overcome the way we have. At the same time, we are not happy with our performances.” The 2023 tournament, expanded to 32 teams for the first time, has already provided host of dramatic and often surprising results. Double defending champions the United States were denied a shot at an history-making ‘three-peat’ after they were eliminated in the last 16 following a penalty shoot-out with Sweden, who are set to play Japan on Friday in one of the most anticipated quarter-final clashes. That followed a group stage that saw three top-10 sides in Canada, Brazil and Germany ousted and nations far lower down FIFA’s world rankings advance, results that have largely been celebrated as evidence of progress in the women’s game and setting up the most unpredictable finals in the competition’s 32-year history. World number four England, who have never reached a World Cup final, have so far managed to survive in the face of adversity. Before kick-off against Nigeria, the name on everyone’s lips was Walsh, who was carried off the pitch on a stretcher in England’s second group-stage contest with what many feared was a tournament-ending injury, but made a stunning return on Monday night. Yet 120 minutes later, when Walsh began to feel a cramp and was replaced by Manchester United skipper Katie Zelem, it was clear James would be the player in the headlines after she was shown a straight red for stepping on the back of Nigeria’s Michelle Alozie, forcing her team-mates to doggedly battle through extra-time short-handed. The incident resulted in an automatic one-game suspension for James, though, there is a good chance the 21-year-old’s punishment could be extended to three games, which would include the World Cup final on August 20. The decision to extend the ban will come from FIFA’s disciplinary committee, who could make the decision after the Colombia contest. Chelsea forward James, who has since apologised on Twitter, had already contributed three goals and three assists in the group stage so she will be sorely missed for the Lionesses. “All we can do is go back to training and make sure we are focused on the job at hand. The most important thing is that we’re coming out of games with wins,” Bronze added. “I think I said that after the Haiti game, and some people thought that was not probably what they wanted. However, we’re the ones who are still in the competition and there’s many top teams who are going home because they haven’t been able to get that point or been able to see the games out in the penalty shoot-out and we have. “We’ve shown that side of our team that we know what it takes to win.”

Borussia Dortmund’s heartbreak was Bayern Munich’s normality. The last day of the Bundesliga season was astonishingly dramatic yet the outcome was very familiar. Bayern won their 11th consecutive German title. In Italy, the record is seven in a row, secured by Juventus in the last decade. In France, it is also seven, the only seven times Lyon have won Ligue 1, all in the 2000s. In Spain, Real Madrid’s five consecutive titles in the late 1980s remains unrivalled. In England, the magic number is altogether lower: just three. There have been six hat-tricks, but no team who has gone on to win four. It points to a general competitiveness across the old Division 1 and the Premier League that, over 135 years, no club has been able to sustain domination to such an extent. It means that Manchester City could go into uncharted territory this season. Their five predecessors offer warnings from history, in some cases comparisons that stretch back almost a century. The modern-day City obviously differ in some respects from Huddersfield (1923-26), Arsenal (1932-35), Liverpool (1981-84), Manchester United (1998-2001) and United again (2006-09). There are nevertheless common denominators, explanations why teams who had the potential to be champions for a fourth successive season did not. It is safe to say City have avoided the first. While Pep Guardiola has done a triple hat-trick, winning three consecutive league titles in each of LaLiga, the Bundesliga and the Premier League, he is only the second manager to perform the feat in England, after Sir Alex Ferguson (twice). It is notable that the architect of the success of each of the teams who tripled up was a genuine managerial great; on previous occasions, he built such solid foundations that a continuity candidate could carry on prospering for a while after his departure. Herbert Chapman led Huddersfield and Arsenal to their first titles: he left Yorkshire for London in 1925 and died in office in 1934. At Anfield, Bob Paisley retired in 1983, Joe Fagan was promoted from within and won three trophies in his first year in charge. In 2001-02, Ferguson announced his decision to retire, which he subsequently revoked, but perhaps the distraction cost United. Either change, albeit belatedly, or the prospect of it may have cost City’s predecessors. Other elements could be more ominous for the current champions. Liverpool did a different treble to them in 1983-84, but it meant they had a marathon season; that may have taken a toll when they went on a seven-game winless run early in the defence of their league title. United came within a match of a treble in 2008-09 and had lost five league games by Christmas the following season. Perhaps the exhaustion of playing 179 games in three campaigns was a factor when United then lost five times in a seven-match period towards the end of 2001. Now City begin this season after playing 180 games in the last three years. Huddersfield’s April slump in 1927 was notable for two meetings with the eventual champions Newcastle: Town won at Leeds Road but lost at St James’ Park. Perhaps Arsenal’s slide was beginning with a 5-4 loss to Sunderland in December 1935; it proved to be another season when the title was destined for the north-east. Since then, the pattern has been still starker. Liverpool lost home and away to Everton in 1984-85 (albeit once when the title was decided), as United did to Arsenal in 2001-02 and Chelsea in 2009-10. Over those six games, the respective serial winners only scored two goals. The past suggests anyone wanting to finish ahead of City will have to beat them twice, probably with clean sheets. They may appreciate some help from their rivals, too: in 01-02, Liverpool, the runners-up, also beat third-placed United home and away; in 84-85, Tottenham, who came third, did a double over Liverpool. A recurring theme is the question of how to sustain success, of how much change is required and helpful. There are reasons to argue that each of the triple champions ended up weaker in the fourth campaign. In an era when transfers were fewer, neither Huddersfield nor Arsenal bought anyone designed to strengthen their first 11 immediately. Amid a higher turnover of players more recently, significant departures led to their teams being toppled. With Josko Gvardiol joining, City could end up stronger in defence compared to last season but, minus Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez, a lesser side further forward. In particular, the talismanic captain’s move to Barcelona may have unfortunate parallels. Midfielder and skipper Graeme Souness left Liverpool for Sampdoria in 1984, while Ferguson chose to sell Jaap Stam in 2001 – a decision he subsequently admitted was a mistake – and United lost both Cristiano Ronaldo and Carlos Tevez in 2009. On both occasions at United, there was a sense the dynamic of the side was shifting. That was more deliberate in 2001: if, often and understandably, there can be a reluctance to effect change, perhaps Ferguson was too revolutionary. Juan Sebastian Veron and Ruud van Nistelrooy arrived, United starting to shift to a five-man midfield designed to improve their prospects in Europe. The Argentinian was a gifted misfit at Old Trafford; the Dutchman proved prolific but though he scored 36 goals in his debut season and 150 in five years, he only won one Premier League title. But Ferguson, in selling Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke, showed a willingness to move on from those he deemed in decline. Ageing was a reason why other spells of dominance ended: in 35-36, Arsenal’s hugely influential inside-left Alex James turned 34; so did Phil Neal and Kenny Dalglish in 84-85. The great Scot was dropped earlier in the season and only scored six goals in 53 games in all competitions, though he did record a remarkable 24 assists. In 09-10, the veteran trio of Ryan Giggs, Paul Scholes and Gary Neville made more starts than in the previous campaign. None of which may seem too worrying for City: with Gundogan and Mahrez going, Kyle Walker and Kevin de Bruyne are the only probable regulars in their 30s, though it may prove a problem if the Belgian’s impact diminishes. A further factor may seem beyond Guardiola’s control and, indeed, unknowable at the moment. Injuries explain why no one succeeded in their bid to become founder members of the four-in-a-row club: in 1927, Huddersfield’s end-of-season slump came as they lost captain Clem Stephenson, Billy Smith, now their record appearance maker, and their brilliant Scot Alex Jackson; lacking their two wingers and their playmaker, the goals dried up. Arsenal’s injuries nine seasons later included top scorer Ted Drake, inside-forwards James and Ray Bowden and goalkeeper Frank Moss, who missed almost all of the season. For Liverpool, Ian Rush had scored 47 times in 83-84; his tally went down to 26 – only 14 of them in the league – the following season, when he was outscored by John Wark and missed a third of the top-flight games. The most famous injury of United’s 01-02 was David Beckham’s metatarsal but the most significant may have been Roy Keane’s knee, ruling the captain out of a couple of their autumn defeats. United’s 09-10 was littered by injuries: Wayne Rooney had 34 goals by the end of March when he hurt his ankle and got no more. Defensive absentees were a constant and came at a cost, one defeat seeing Darren Fletcher and fellow midfielder Michael Carrick in an ersatz back three. Perhaps the fates of Drake, Rush and Rooney highlight how damaging an injury to Erling Haaland could be, even if City have proved they can win the title with a false nine instead. But a feature of the sides who failed at the fourth attempt – with the notable exception of United in 2001-02 – is that goals were scarcer: remarkably Arsenal went from 115 in a league season to 78. All of which shows the fragility of even a champion team. Even in the age of squad rotation, a key injury can be pivotal. If some elements are beyond the control of even a control freak like Guardiola, so is the factor that can mean champions are deposed. Most of the teams who had won three successive titles were denied a fourth by a side that can safely be branded very good or great. Perhaps not Huddersfield – Newcastle had been FA Cup winners in 1924 but their subsequent league positions were sixth, 10th, first, ninth, 10th, 19th and 17th; but Sunderland went on a three-season arc in the 1930s when they were runners-up, champions and FA Cup winners and, in 1935-36, their 109 goals were 50 more than Huddersfield’s total. Meanwhile, 84-85 was Everton’s finest season with their best-ever team: they were also FA Cup finalists and Cup Winners’ Cup winners. There are reasons to think Arsenal’s 01-02 double winners were better still than Arsene Wenger’s Invincibles. Chelsea’s 09-10 team forged Jose Mourinho’s winning machine with the attacking incision to become the first team to get a century of top-flight goals since the 1960s. All of which suggests someone will have to do something remarkable to depose City. Arguably they knew that already: the one season in the last six when City were not champions, Liverpool won 26 of their first 27 games. It prompts the question if anyone else has greatness in their grasp now. But the history of English football has shown that no one wins forever; that no one, thus far, has been the best for four seasons in a row. And now City will either make history or, if it repeats itself, be ambushed by it. Read More Inside Trent Alexander-Arnold’s new role: ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ Inspired appointment Vincent Kompany repaying Burnley’s gamble The Mikel Arteta transfer gambles that will shape Arsenal’s season West Ham agree deals for England pair Harry Maguire and James Ward-Prowse Wozniacki returns to tennis and new Man Utd threads – Tuesday’s sporting social We are sleepwalking into a disaster – PFA chief worried about demands on players