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'Definitely' - Thomas Frank makes Spurs plan for Newcastle United clear despite rotation admission

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'Definitely' - Thomas Frank makes Spurs plan for Newcastle United clear despite rotation admission - Chronicle Live
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The Tottenham head coach will ring the changes at St James' Park but the intention remains the same

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank plans to make significant changes to his starting XI for Wednesday night's Carabao Cup tie with Newcastle United at St James' Park.

But the Danish coach is adamant his only intention is to win the game and continue their bid for more silverware. Spurs won the UEFA Europa League under Ange Postecoglou last season, and Frank is hoping to use that winning mentality against Newcastle tomorrow evening.

Both sides go into the game on the back of a challenging fixture list, with Champions League and Premier League matches coming thick and fast this month.

Newcastle enjoyed home victories over Benfica and Fulham in the past week, while Spurs moved on from a disappointing goalless draw in Monaco to record an impressive 3-0 win over Everton at the Hill Dickinson Stadium on Sunday.

United boss Eddie Howe is expected to rotate his squad on Wednesday evening, and Frank has already hinted he will do the same - although the goal remains to leave Tyneside with a place in the quarter-finals in the bag.

Spurs could bring the likes of Archie Gray, Pape Sarr, Lucas Bergvall and Wilson Odobert into the side, and Frank knows they have the pedigree and experience to maintain their recent standards.

"We have some players here who had a fantastic experience last year winning the Europa League final," Frrank said ahead of the clash with Newcastle.

"They are very eager to win more trophies and we would like to compete and win. We are definitely going for it.

"Of course there will be a little bit of rotation like I have basically done from game to game because we have played every third or fourth day.

"You need to do it, every club does if you need to compete and that's the next thing. If you want to compete over 60 games, you can't play the same XI for 60 games because the risk of injury, fatigue and lack of performance, that naturally happens.

"So, it is that fine balance to manage that, but that is what we are up for."

Eddie Howe Newcastle United press conference: Spurs, injuries and Tonali role

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Eddie Howe LIVE Newcastle United press conference: Spurs, injuries and Tonali role - Chronicle Live
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"We’ve had a lot of great experiences in this competition, the first final, the emotions after the game, felt we could have done more on the pitch. The Chelsea defeat is still very painful, we had a chance to win the competition that year, but we put it right. We had a lot of tough opponents; we didn’t get to the final by luck. That experience, winning the cup, has helped us grow as a team."

It was well documented that it was quite close that he could have left, in a variety of ways. A loan was always our preference because in our view we wanted Will to play.

We wanted him to continue his development, which he did brilliantly last year, because he committed to a path of limited game time and big training time, with a lot of work with Graeme Jones. A lot of reviewing his performances and then putting work into action.

The next step was to get him playing regularly, so that was the aim, and especially with us bringing two strikers in the thought was he could continue that development best on the football pitch.

Obviously it didn't happen, much to our relief because Yoane picked up an injury and Will's vitally important. We believe in his talents. He's quick, he athletic, but he's added through his attitude to training, a better know-how and nous.

"Sven has no concussion, it was a cut, a bad cut, which he had stapled together. He didn’t train yesterday, but we will see how he is today. Lewis is the closest to coming back out of those injured, but this game will come too quickly for him. Tino is still on track, we are looking at the Manchester City game for him for when he can be available for."

This will be a really tough game against a team that is in form away from home. It is going to be a real challenge for us. Thomas Frank's teams are very aggressive off the ball - they are very well organised.

It is a good game for us, a tough game, but one we look forward to.

We have some players here who had a fantastic experience last year winning the Europa League final. They are very eager to win more trophies and we would like to compete and win. We are definitely going for it. Of course there will be a little bit of rotation like I have basically done from game to game because we have played every third or fourth day.

You need to do it, every club does if you need to compete and that's the next thing. If you want to compete over 60 games, you can't play the same XI for 60 games because the risk of injury, fatigue and lack of performance, that naturally happens. So, it is that fine balance to manage that, but that is what we are up for.

Newcastle have green light to recall outcast and unleash trio for the first time against Tottenham

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Newcastle have green light to recall outcast and unleash trio for the first time against Tottenham - Chronicle Live
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Newcastle could freshen up their midfield options in the Carabao Cup fourth round against Tottenham

Newcastle continue the defence of their Carabao Cup crown on Wednesday evening when they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to St James' Park.

And while Eddie Howe will take the competition seriously - Newcastle have reached two finals and lost in the quarter-finals via penalty shootout across the last three seasons - he will also use it as a chance to refresh his starting line-up as they continue to compete across four different fronts.

With two Premier League away trips and next week's Champions League clash against Athletic Bilbao looming large, Newcastle will have to look after their players who have played the most minutes so far this season.

And that could apply to their midfield - particularly with Bruno Guimaraes who has started every game since returning from a gruelling international break earlier this month with Brazil in the Far East of Asia.

The Magpies skipper is expected to be rested from the starting XI for the visit of Spurs and he will likely be replaced by Sandro Tonali in the middle of midfield after he did not start the last two matches through illness.

Lewis Miley has started the last two games so he could come out of the side on the right-hand side of the front three, and that could see Howe hand an opportunity to Joe Willock a rare opportunity from the start.

The 26-year-old has become something of an outcast this season and has only made four appearances this season - with just one of those coming from the start in a 0-0 draw with Bournemouth.

Jacob Ramsey made just his second start of the season in the win over Benfica last Tuesday and he was an unused substitute on Saturday in the win over Fulham. It would therefore be a surprise if he does not start on the left-hand side of the midfield three in place of Joelinton.

With Newcastle still competing in four competitions this season, rotation is key. Should that be the starting midfield trio, it will see Howe start with those three players in the starting XI for the very first time this season.

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Thomas Frank sends St James' Park warning and drops Spurs team hint for Newcastle

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Thomas Frank sends St James' Park warning and drops Spurs team hint for Newcastle - Chronicle Live
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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."

Newcastle United beat Man Utd and Spurs to land wonderkid in £350k out-of-window transfer

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Newcastle United beat Man Utd and Spurs to land wonderkid in £350k out-of-window transfer - Chronicle Live
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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 United have perfect model to follow amid major stadium decision - 'very rare'

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Newcastle United have perfect model to follow amid major stadium decision - 'very rare' - Chronicle Live
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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.

Ivan Toney handed Newcastle United warning amid Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim

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Ivan Toney handed Newcastle United warning amid Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim - Chronicle Live
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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.

Fresh £100m investment could have huge implications on ex-Newcastle owner's takeover bid

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Fresh £100m investment could have huge implications on ex-Newcastle owner's takeover bid - Chronicle Live
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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'."

Ex-Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley spotted at Tottenham to spark fresh takeover talk

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Ex-Newcastle co-owner Amanda Staveley spotted at Tottenham to spark fresh takeover talk - Chronicle Live
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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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Newcastle United youngsters taught lesson by Tottenham Hotspur but coach refuses to criticise

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Newcastle United youngsters taught lesson by Tottenham Hotspur but coach refuses to criticise - Chronicle Live
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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