Chronicle Live

The Tottenham boss brings his side to face Eddie Howe's United in Wednesday night's Carabao Cup tie

Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank admits it is a new challenge dealing with the demands of Champions League and domestic competitions in his first season at the North London club.

The former Brentford boss saw his side move into third in the Premier League table with an impressive 3-0 win over Everton on Sunday - with a Carabao Cup tie against Newcastle United next up on Wednesday night.

Like Eddie Howe's men, Spurs are getting to grips with the busy schedule that eight Champions League fixtures generate and the strains it places on their squads.

Both sides recorded Premier League wins following their European exersions - Newcastle beat Benfica 3-0 on Tuesday night while Spurs were held to a goalless draw by Monaco - with a place in the quarter-finals of the Carabao Cup now up for grabs.

Newcastle hold home advantage as they look to defend the trophy they won at Wembley last March, but while Frank admits he will need to manage his squad carefully, he insists their strong away form is a huge part of their success so far.

"We really are competitive, especially away from home," Frank said following their first visit to Everton's Hill Dickinson Stadium.

"I think it is three years since the club was in the Champions League, so quite an inexperienced squad to go every three or four days.

"It is difficult to compete in both tournaments so to keep the energy and focus, plus we also did it after all the travel, it showed a lot about the mentality."

The Dane's plans are starting to come together at Spurs, although the win at Everton was only the second in their last six games.

"I think we are in the beginning of building something," added Frank.

"I'm very happy with a lot of things: the defensive side, attacking set-pieces - but there is a bit we need to work on offensively to be more free-flowing.

"The clean sheet mentality is a very good foundation to stand on. Who knows where it will lead but I need to take it one game at a time."

On-loan Paris St Germain striker Randal Kolo Muani made his first start for Spurs, playing an hour against Everton, and could again be involved against Newcastle.

"It was pleasing to see his first 60 minutes," Franks said. "He is still building his physicality and sharpness.

"At times he lacks some of the interaction with the front four but that is an ongoing process."

The Magpies have been scouring the lower leagues for potential talent and have signed a defender tipped by some to be the next John Stones

Newcastle United have agreed to sign Barnsley wonderkid Josh Kenchington after a couple of rounds of negotiations.

The 15-year-old was the subject of a £275,000 bid from the Magpies, according to Sky Sports, but a fee of £350,000 has now been agreed.

The Oakwell youngster has been compared to England's John Stones and stands at over 6ft tall. The youngster will join the Academy later this year if there are no late hitches on the deal.

It is believed that Newcastle battled with Brighton & Hove Albion, Tottenham Hotspur, and Man United to secure the youngster's signature.

Newcastle have a reputation for scouring the EFL for youngsters with youth scout Paul Baker presenting the signing of Trevan Sanusi in 2023 and Sam Alabi being signed from Oldham Athletic.

Alabi has been spotted in first-team training again at Benton during the international break. Speaking about youngsters getting their chance, Howe told Chronicle Live earlier this season: "You are looking for somebody to grab their opportunity and force their way into the squad.

"Every player that steps on to the pitch has that opportunity."

Academy boss Steve Harper has also spoken about the importance of being able to sign younger players from EFL clubs. Harper said: "Being in a position to compete nationally to sign such young players shows how much the club value young talent and we really appreciate the backing of the Board.

"Through the hard work of everyone involved and the support of the ownership, we are now in a position to provide a high level of staffing, programme, and a pathway to allow young players to develop. The opportunity is there, now it's up to the boys."

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Newcastle have a major decision to make when it comes to their stadium

Newcastle United have a major decision to make when it comes to their stadium. The choice facing the Magpies is whether to expand on the current St James' Park site or build a new state of the art stadium on nearby Leazes Park.

Tottenham Hotspur demolished their White Hart Lane Stadium and built the Tottenham Hotspur stadium on the same site, which opened in April 2019.

It is widely seen as the benchmark for modern stadiums in England and its multi-purpose status allows Spurs to bring in huge amounts of extra revenue through non-football events.

A dividing retractable grass surface enables the staging of a variety of major events in addition to Spurs matches, including NFL, boxing, rugby and concerts, creates a recurring source of revenue for the club with up to 30 non-football events per year.

That is crucial as they look to maximise their ability in the transfer market against the backdrop of the Premier League's profit and sustainability rules.

"If we weren't able to transition in 36-48 hours from football into NFL, it will be a complete disaster for us to either postpone, reschedule or cancel an event," Jon Babbs, Tottenham Hotspur's stadium director, told the Wall Street Journal.

"The more events we stage, the more money we can put into football. We sell about 60,000 pints of beer for a football game, we sell about 120,000 pints of beer for an NFL game.

"As well as having a stadium that is truly multi-functional, host all of the events that we want it to hold, generate the income that we need to be able to put back into our football club, it's the people that really make it happen."

And while multi-use stadiums are common in America, they are more rare in Europe, which gives Spurs an extra financial advantage to some of their competitors.

Ryan Norys, Tottenham's chief revenue officer, added: "It's a multi-purpose stadium so while it's very common in the US with new builds - Hard Rock Stadium, MetLife, SoFi stadium, Allegiant, even Levi's, it's very rare in the rest of the world, and specifically in the UK, because a lot of times stadiums are built specifically for football."

The stadium debate at Newcastle is much more nuanced than just whatever solution will bring in the most revenue. St James' Park is an iconic venue and there has to be a major financial benefit of uprooting to a new stadium rather than just building on the current premises.

St James' Park has held concerts in recent years, too, with Sam Fender, Ed Sheeran and Kings of Leon among the bands playing at the home of the Magpies in recent years.

it has also held Super League's magic weekend where the nation's best rugby league sides play at St James' Park.

But if there is a way for any new stadium to maximise the amount of non-football events at a new stadium which, in turn, allows the club to reinvest significant money to improve on and off the pitch, that has to be a consideration in their thinking.

Spurs made £255.2million in commercial and off-pitch revenue in 2024, which made up 48% of their total revenue for the year. A large slice of that came from third party events. Newcastle's commercial and off-pitch revenue for the same period was £90million, with Newcastle relying more on broadcasting revenue (€215million) in their accounts.

Tottenham have shown it works and they have a model that every club should be looking to follow with a new stadium build.

Former Newcastle youngster could be heading to Spurs in January

Ivan Toney could be heading back to the Premier League in January in a bid to resurrect his World Cup hopes - but has been warned a move to Newcastle United would be counter-productive.

Toney left Brentford for the Saudi Pro League last year, joining Al-Ahli in a £40million deal. The striker only had 12 months left on his Brentford contract at the time.

The 29-year-old's shock move saw him pick up a staggering weekly wage of £400,000 but despite banging in 38 goals in 54 appearances for his Saudi Arabian side, his career has stalled, slipping down the pecking order with England. Thomas Tuchel handed him a surprise squad call-up in June but the forward only played two minutes despite England losing 3-1 to Senegal.

Toney has since been omitted from Tuchel's last two squads, including the current one which took on Wales on Friday before playing Latvia on Monday night. Instead, Ollie Watkins is now seen as first choice replacement for skipper Harry Kane in the frontline.

Toney has been regularly linked with a move back to the Premier League and with Newcastle desperate for a striker in the summer to replace Callum Wilson, and amid the ongoing Alexander Isak situation, Toney's name cropped up several limes. With Al-Ahli being part-owned by PIF, it seemed a deal United could do.

As it was, Newcastle plumped for Yoane Wissa - ironically, Toney's successor in Brentford's attack - and having also landed Nick Woltemade, seem well stocked for strikers. With that in mind, former Newcastle winger Chris Waddle has told Toney he would be mad to pursue a move back to Tyneside, where he spent three years in the academy and on the fringes of the first team between 2015 and 2018.

Instead, Waddle believes Tottenham Hotspur - managed by Toney's former Brentford boss Thomas Frank - would be an ideal fit for the player.

"If he wants to stay in Saudi then you know that's up to him," Waddle told Bestbettingsites. "Obviously we know that they get unbelievable financial rewards. The league's not the best. I know they're trying to hype it up but it' s nowhere near the Premier League.

"If he's settled there and he's enjoying it and he's obviously picking up the money then that's up to him. But if he was in the Premier League he'd have a far better chance to go to the World Cup. At Tottenham, he knows the manager well, and the manager might know how to get the best from him.

"Would he be a good signing for Newcastle? He could be on the bench a bit and that's not going to help his World Cup bid.

"He should consider a move to Tottenham without a shadow of a doubt. He started at Newcastle, but he came good at Brentford. He's probably still got a house in London. I think either club would benefit.

"At Spurs, he'd be coming up against Solanke and Richarlison. But Frank knows him and he knows if he would fit into that team.

"But if he wants to get in the World Cup squad now he's got to come back to the Premier League."

Newcastle, meanwhile, are keeping tabs on another player to succeed Toney at Brentford, Brazilian hitman Igor Thiago, who has caught the eye of scouts after a strong start to the season.

The 24-year-old had almost a full year out of action due to knee issues but is working his way back to full fitness and has hit five goals in eight appearances this season.

Eddie Howe has been told he needs to continue targeting younger players who have potential sell-on value, and Thiago would fit that bill a lot more than Toney.

Ex-Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley has been linked with a takeover of Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham Hotspur's majority shareholders ENIC have announced they have pumped in a fresh £100million cash injection into the club.

The move comes amid talk of a possible sale of the club, with former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley among the interested parties.

But the fresh cash injection signals a long-term commitment from the Lewis family who are believed to be prepared to make more funds available to the club in the future, seemingly putting to bed any talk of a takeover.

A club statement read: "This equity injection will further strengthen the club’s financial position and equip the club’s leadership team with additional resources to continue the focus on driving long-term sporting success.

"This additional capital is part of the Lewis family’s ongoing commitment to the club and its future."

Non-executive chairman Peter Charrington added: "As I stated a few weeks ago, our focus is on stability and empowering the management team to deliver on the club’s ambitions.

"I know the Lewis family are also ambitious for the future. Today’s capital commitment reflects that ambition and I would like to thank them for their ongoing support.

"We will continue to do all we can to ensure that Vinai [Venkatesham, CEO] and his team are supported in the best way possible to take this Club forward.”

Daniel Levy's departure as chairman last month after 25 years in the role sparked interest in the club from elsewhere.

Among those interested parties was Staveley, with the Telegraph reporting that her PCP International Finance consortium failed in a bid to buy the club.

Spurs confirmed in a statement that it had "received, and unequivocally rejected, separate preliminary expressions of interest in relation to proposals to acquire the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of ENIC from (i) PCP International Finance... and (ii) a consortium of investors led by Dr. Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng through Firehawk Holdings Limited.

"The Board of the Club and ENIC confirm that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and ENIC has no intention to accept any such offer to acquire its interest in the Club."

Staveley was recently spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium, where she was a VIP guest at the NFL London game between the Cleveland Browns and the Minnesota Vikings.

The 52-year-old left Newcastle in the summer of 2024 after more than two-and-half years as co-owner of the club, with the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the Reuben Family increasing their stakes in Newcastle be acquiring Staveley's shares.

Speaking about her time at Newcastle last month, Staveley said: "Leaving was the hardest thing I have ever done and took a long time to understand and do what is right for the club and PIF is going to be an incredible partner for Newcastle, and the Reubens.

"We left it in very safe hands. There are so many great people with great hearts who put so much into that club and into the community and in to everything about it.

"So for me it was a privilege. Every day I would go to work and think 'God, I am so lucky to do this job'."

Staveley has been linked with a takeover of Newcastle's Premier League rivals

Former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley has been spotted at the Tottenham Hotspur stadium amid her interest in a takeover of the North London club.

Staveley was a VIP guest at the recent NFL London game between the Cleveland Browns and Minnesota Vikings at the home of Spurs amid her ongoing interest in buying the club.

The 52-year-old was linked with a takeover of Newcastle's Premier League rivals last month, with the Telegraph reporting that her PCP International Finance consortium failed in a bid to buy the club off current owner Joe Lewis.

Spurs confirmed in a statement that it had "received, and unequivocally rejected, separate preliminary expressions of interest in relation to proposals to acquire the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of ENIC from (i) PCP International Finance... and (ii) a consortium of investors led by Dr. Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng through Firehawk Holdings Limited."

"The Board of the Club and ENIC confirm that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and ENIC has no intention to accept any such offer to acquire its interest in the Club."

Today marks the fourth anniversary of the Newcastle United takeover, as a consortium led by Staveley and backed by the Saudi Public Investment Fund and the Reuben family, completed a deal to buy the club off previous owner Mike Ashley.

Staveley left her position at Newcastle in the summer of 2024 as PIF and the Reubens bought out her stake in the club.

Speaking on the High Performance Podcast last month, Staveley was reduced to tears when read a fan message about her time at Newcastle and she described her time as the custodian of the Magpies as a 'privilege'.

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Spurs' starlets were very impressive against the young Magpies

Adam Lawrence refused to be too critical of his Newcastle United Under-21s side after they suffered a 4-1 home defeat against Premier League 2 rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

The Magpies youngsters almost fell behind inside the opening two minutes as Spurs livewire winger Tynan Thompson struck the crossbar with a powerful rising effort.

However, there was to be no let-off just before the midway point of the first half as the impressive Lucas Williams-Barnett found space on the edge of the area and crashed a low drive beyond Max Thompson and inside his far post.

Magpies captain Cathal Heffernan got his side back on level terms five minutes before half-time with a fine header as the back post as the Republic of Ireland youth international got on the end of an Alfie Harrison free-kick

Spurs restored their lead inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half and it was that man Williams-Barnett once again as the England Under-18 international surpassed his earlier effort with a stunning strike from the edge of the area. The visitors added to their lead in spectacular fashion as the final 10 minutes approached as former Portsmouth and Oxford United loan signing Dane Scarlett whipped a free-kick over the wall and past the helpers Thompson.

Salt was rubbed into the Magpies wounds moments later when Thompson made it third time lucky after striking the woodwork in each half with a neat finish from just inside the area.

That was enough to round off a challenging day for the United youngsters and one that Lawrence hopes can provide something of a learning curve for his squad.

He told Chronicle Live: “There were definitely positives and we came up against a really good Tottenham team, individually and collectively. I think for 60 minutes the lads have been competitive, stayed in the game and more than played their part.

“At half-time we were well in the game and deserved to be level, maybe we even shaded it in terms of some of the opportunities we had. But ultimately, in terms of the contest, the second goal and the speed of their next two going in made it really tough for us.

“We spoke to the players, it’s very hard to be tough with them because of the spirit and endeavour they have shown and it’s probably just about managing that period after they got their second goal.

“There has to be some good learning from that. I can’t fault their application and putting into practice what we had worked on with the game plan.

“For two-thirds of the game, we carried a threat but Tottenham have individuals that can punish and hurt you and we have to do a little bit of work on when that momentum shifts and how we can stay in the game.”

The Magpies will now prepare to face senior opposition in their next two games as Wednesday’s National League Cup tie at Boston United is followed by a Vertu Trophy clash at Mansfield Town seven days later.

Newcastle United: Thompson, Shahar, Murphy, McArthur, Heffernan, Bailey, Harrison, Finneran, Wooster, Munda, Charlton Subs: Taylor, Pivas, Hartley, Waddini, Brayson

Staveley got emotional when she received a message from a Newcastle United fan page

Former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley broke down in tears when she received an emotional message from a Magpies fan page about her time at the club.

Staveley was instrumental in orchestrating the PIF-backed takeover of Newcastle in 2021, acquiring a 10% stake in the club alongside her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi.

The 52-year-old was largely seen as the face of the club during Newcastle's rise from relegation fodder to Champions League football within the first two years of their ownership.

Staveley and Ghodoussi agreed to sell their shares in July 2024 and leave the club as PIF became 85% shareholders and the Reuben family upped their stake in the club to 15%.

At the time, Staveley insisted she would remain a Newcastle fan 'for life' and described it as an 'honour' to have been co-owner of the club.

The message read: "We are grateful for the investment, for the progress on the pitch and finally being able to see our club compete again but a football club is more than just a business. It is a community, it is a family and families thrive on communication, warmth and understanding.

"Without wor Mandy leading the charge in that regard Newcastle United risks losing a vital connection with its soul - the loyal, passionate black-and-white army.

"For the club to rediscover its voice, to reconnect with its fans and to bring back some of that much needed warmth that Amanda Staveley so brilliantly provided."

When Humphrey asked Staveley how that made her feel she could not hold back the tears.

"That's really hard. God, sorry," Staveley replied.

"That is really hard because that is really lovely and that is why I went into Newcastle because the fans are just so incredible and they really are.

"Leaving was the hardest thing I have ever done and took a long time to understand and do what is right for the club and PIF is going to be an incredible partner for Newcastle, and the Reubens.

"We left it in very safe hands. There are so many great people with great hearts who put so much into that club and into the community and in to everything about it.

"So for me it was a privilege. Every day I would go to work and think 'God, I am so lucky to do this job'."

Staveley has this week been linked with a takeover of fellow Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur, with the Telegraph reporting that her PCP International Finance consortium failed in a bid to buy the club following last week's announcement that Daniel Levy had stood down as Spurs' Executive Chairman.

Spurs confirmed in a statement on Sunday evening that it had "received, and unequivocally rejected, separate preliminary expressions of interest in relation to proposals to acquire the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of ENIC from (i) PCP International Finance... and (ii) a consortium of investors led by Dr. Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng through Firehawk Holdings Limited".

"The Board of the Club and ENIC confirm that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and ENIC has no intention to accept any such offer to acquire its interest in the Club."

Tottenham have released a statement confirming the club is not for sale after two separate takeover bids were rejected by the club's hierarchy

Tottenham have firmly stated the club remains off the market following two "expressions of interest" that were "categorically dismissed" by senior figures.

The North London outfit is currently undergoing structural changes at boardroom level following long-serving chairman Daniel Levy's departure after a quarter-century tenure. This has sparked mounting conjecture regarding a potential ownership change.

Former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley has been rumoured to be preparing a bid through her PCP International Finance company in recent months, after being spotted at the club's ground during the previous campaign.

However, Spurs have issued a formal declaration rejecting any approaches after confirming interest from external groups, including Staveley's organisation and a Chinese consortium.

The statement declared: "The Board of Tottenham Hotspur Limited is aware of recent media speculation and confirms that its majority shareholder, ENIC Sports and Developments Holdings Ltd, has received, and unequivocally rejected, separate preliminary expressions of interest in relation to proposals to acquire the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of ENIC from PCP International Finance Limited and a consortium of investors led by Dr. Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng through Firehawk Holdings Limited," reports the Mirror.

"The Board of the Club and ENIC confirm that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and ENIC has no intention to accept any such offer to acquire its interest in the Club."

Staveley has been in discussions with potential investors regarding a takeover bid and on Monday morning PCP acknowledged its interest in a possible deal, but stated "it does not intend to make an offer for Tottenham".

Under takeover regulations, the firm is now barred from returning with another proposal for six months. Tottenham's ownership falls under the UK Takeover Code.

Another interested party could submit a formal proposal for the club if welcomed by ENIC's board, or if a competing group announces its intention to launch a bid.

ENIC, which owns nearly 87 per cent of the club, is overseen by British billionaire Joe Lewis, though he has since withdrawn from his position.

His children Charlie and Vivienne are anticipated to assume greater responsibilities, with Peter Charrington representing a significant early appointment from the new leadership as non-executive chairman, taking over from Levy.

Levy's departure came as a surprise, having been at the helm since 2001. Nevertheless, he maintained that "significant progress has been made" despite facing criticism from fans regarding the club's direction and decision-making over the years.

"I am incredibly proud of the work I have done together with the executive team and all our employees," Levy said in a statement confirming his departure.

"We have built this club into a global heavyweight competing at the highest level.

"I wish to thank all the fans that have supported me over the years. It hasn't always been an easy journey but significant progress has been made. I will continue to support this club passionately," he added.

Amanda Staveley is expected to make a statement on Monday regarding her interest in bidding for Tottenham Hotspur after Daniel Levy stepped down as executive chairman

Former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley is reportedly set to reveal her intentions regarding a potential bid for Tottenham Hotspur.

Spurs announced on Thursday night that Daniel Levy had resigned from his position as executive chairman following almost 25 years in the role. As football.london reported back in May, a major summer of upheaval was expected and Levy's exit from the north London outfit represents the peak of these changes.

A chaotic summer in N17 has seen head coach Ange Postecoglou sacked, with Thomas Frank appointed as his successor. At executive level, Vinai Venkatesham has been appointed as the club's chief executive officer, while Scott Munn has been placed on gardening leave from his position as chief football officer.

And Sky News reports that Staveley is anticipated to outline her intentions on Monday regarding submitting a proposal for Spurs. It is reported that Staveley had been in talks with potential supporters of a takeover bid for the club in recent weeks.

Speaking at Bloomberg's 'Women, Money and Power' event in central London last year, she was questioned about her affection for Newcastle and connections with Tottenham.

"First of all, I think all we can do is thank the amazing Newcastle community and the founders for all the support that we had and and continue to get," she said.

"It's so hard to move on from a club that's amazing. We could never move on from Newcastle and we never will. But yes, we're looking at a number of investment operations.

"We can't say too much at the moment because of you know, rules around it. But we will be able to talk about it, hopefully in the not too distant future."

Regarding Spurs, football.london revealed on Friday that the club's owners, the Lewis family, have no intention of selling the club currently.

"Generations of the Lewis family support this special football club and they want what the fans want – more wins more often," a source close to the family said.

"This is why you have seen recent changes, new leadership and a fresh approach. "In Vinai, Thomas and Peter Charrington, they believe they are backing the right team to deliver on this. This is a new era."

Staveley, along with her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, was part of the consortium that bought Newcastle from Mike Ashley back in 2021, along with Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and the Reuben brothers.

Staveley and her husband sold their shares in July 2024, leaving the club in the process.

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