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Early exit

Newcastle sporting director Paul Mitchell has left the club with immediate effect, according to the Daily Mail.

It was announced last month that Mitchell, who has been in his role for less than a year, would be departing on June 30.

But reports now claim that the 43-year-old has 'overseen a handover' and will leave early, without having made a first-team signing.

talkSPORT reported at the start of this month that Mitchell was a candidate for the sporting director role at Al Hilal.

He is understood to have made a three-person shortlist.

Nottingham Forest's Ross Wilson and ex-Arsenal assistant sporting director Jason Ayto are said to be contenders to replace him.

Liverpool technical director Julian Ward is another candidate and interviews are set to take place soon.

Difficult

talkSPORT understands that Leeds United's proposed move for Habib Diarra is looking unlikely.

The newly promoted Premier League side have lodged a bid for the midfielder and have been in talks for a few weeks.

However, there are difficulties negotiating on the player's side that are proving hard.

Diarra is a 21-year-old central midfielder, and Strasbourg's president has already confirmed that he is free to leave this summer.

End of an era?

Heung-min Son will discuss his Tottenham future with the club during pre-season with a summer exit possible, talkSPORT understands.

Son’s Tottenham future remains unclear despite the club triggering an option to extend his contract. This was viewed at the time by Spurs chair Daniel Levy as a means of protecting the South Korean international’s value rather than a definitive move to rule out a summer departure.

Saudi interest in Son remains. 2023 and 2024 approaches were made to the player, but Son made it clear back then he didn’t wish to move to the Saudi Pro League.

Al-Ahli, Al-Nassr and Al-Qadsiah are three clubs to have expressed interest this summer.

Saudi dealmakers are prepared to offer Son around €30m per season, and view his potential arrival as important since should he agree to a move it is believed a lucrative TV rights deal with a South Korean broadcaster will follow this summer, providing an instant return on investment.

Son also has options in MLS and Turkey, while Bayer Leverkusen discussed a return internally back in May but are yet to make an approach and it’s thought the German club have other priorities.

Tottenham's pre-season tour of South Korea, in which Son is contractually obliged to play against Newcastle United on August 3 in the Coupang Play Series, complicates matters. It may mean Son’s future is only resolved in the final few weeks of the window.

Sources indicate it will be a surprise if Son doesn’t travel for that fixture, but is expected to hold talks with new head coach Thomas Frank beforehand.

Things you love to see

Michail Antonio made his return from injury last night for Jamaica.

The striker suffered a horrendous car crash in December 2024, leading to a broken leg and months of rehabilitation.

But despite his West Ham future not being clear, with his contract set to expire at the end of the month, he came off the bench for his national team.

It was only a short appearance for Antoino, but given what he has been through, it's brilliant to see him back on the pitch.

Sonny boy

Tottenham are willing to sell Heung-min Son this summer, but they can't yet.

This is because The Times are reporting that Spurs have a contractual obligation for the South Korean star to play a match in his home country.

Spurs are currently scheduled to face Newcastle United on August 3 in Seoul.

This is part of the captain's contract, and it must be fulfilled.

However, once he's played in that match, he could be sold as Thomas Frank looks to revamp the squad ahead of taking over.

Done

Brighton and Hove Albion have confirmed the signing of Diego Coppola.

The defender has penned a five-year deal with the Seagulls, and he joins from Hellas Verona.

Brighton are paying 11 million Euros with no add-ons for the Italian.

Speaking to the club's website, head coach Fabian Hurzeler said: “Diego is an exciting addition for the club.

“Although he is still young, he is tall, strong and mobile and he will give us a real physical presence.

“He has made impressive progress in Serie A and deserved his call-up to the Italian national team. We look forward to helping him develop even more.”

'Held talks'

talkSPORT's Chief Football Correspondent Alex Crook reports that Manchester United have talked to Hugo Ekitike's agents.

The Red Devils are in the hunt for a striker this summer with Rasmus Hojlund and Joshua Zirkzee struggling for goals last year.

Viktor Gyokeres is a top target for Man United, but discussions have been held with Ekitike.

The striker nearly joined Newcastle United in the summer of 2022 but opted to go to Paris Saint-Germain instead, where it didn't work out.

But a transfer to Eintracht Frankfurt has seen everything change for the forward, and he could end up at Old Trafford.

Speaking on talkSPORT Breakfast, Crook said: "There were a lot of reports coming out of Portugal over the weekend that Gyokeres has made Arsenal his preference. Then there was talk that he might join an overseas club.

"So I think a lot of games are being played when it comes to Viktor Gyokeres. Neither United or Arsenal, as I understand it, have made a formal offer yet.

"He's made it pretty clear that he wants to come to England, and he's going to push for that move.

"If United do miss out, they have held talks with the agent of Hugo Ekitike, a young striker at Frankfurt.

"But this is a big money deal for United to try and do. They want 100 million euros, Frankfurt.

"I'm not entirely convinced United will pay that. Certainly not without selling players first."

One that got away

Former Arsenal man Perry Groves believes his old club should have made a move for Liam Delap after watching his Chelsea debut at the Club World Cup.

The striker joined from Ipswich earlier this summer after the Tractor Boys were relegated.

Delap had a £30 million release clause, and despite interest from Manchester United, Newcastle United and Everton, he chose a move to Stamford Bridge.

The forward provided an assist off the bench against LAFC last night, and Groves can't believe the Gunners weren't in for him.

Speaking on The Sports Bar, he said: "The big talking point is about Liam Delap.

"His movement for Enzo Fernandez's goal was outstanding, and the cross into the six-yard-box was perfect, and he's put swazz on it.

"I think he's going to make a massive difference to Chelsea, and I said Arsenal should have bought him in January for £40m."

Ready for more

Liam Delap is excited to get his Chelsea career going after making his debut for the club this evening.

The ex-Ipswich man provided an assist and looked like a real danger running in behind during his short cameo.

Speaking to Channel 5 post-match, Delap said: "It's a really happy feeling for me.

"I'm so excited to be here and to play my first game, and be able to contribute is a good feeling.

"The team have welcomed me really well. I have only had a few sessions here, but I am excited for more."

On his battle for a starting spot with Nicolas Jackson, he added: "It is always good to have competition, this is football.

"It is an incredible club and it is always going to be incredibly hard but you have to thrive off the competition."

'A very good result'

Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was pleased with his team's performance in their opening Club World Cup win.

He told Channel 5: "A very good result. At this stage of the season, it is also normal that you have to manage different kinds of things.

"Overall the performance has been good."

Maresca then added: "We have to recover.

"We have a game in three days so we will see. We are going to prepare in the best way and for sure try to win."

On handing out debuts, he said: "The good thing about Liam [Delap] is he knows the way we want to play, so the process is quite quick.

"Also, we gave a chance to Dario Essugo, who is another player we have, so it's good for both of them."

Delap debut

Liam Delap is on for Chelsea.

The £30million summer signing will play his first minutes in a Blues shirt, replacing Nicolas Jackson.

There is a nice cheer from the fans as he runs onto the pitch.

Delap is wearing the No.9 shirt and will be looking to make the striker position his own in his first season.

Noni Madueke has come off too, with Tyrique George on.

We've got just over 20 minutes to go in Atlanta.

Olivier delay

Here we go then, the second half is finally underway.

Ex-Chelsea striker Olivier Giroud comes on for LAFC.

But it comes after a delay to his introduction as he had forgotten his shirt and had to wait for a staff member to fetch it!

The Blues players were raging on the pitch and Cole Palmer even resorted to sitting down on the ball.

However, eventually, Giroud's shirt was found and he came on.

Meanwhile, for Chelsea, Romeo Lavia and Reece James have been replaced by Enzo Fernandez and Malo Gusto.

Half-time handbags

There was a small clash between Chelsea and LAFC as both teams made their way towards the tunnel.

It seemed to stem from Denis Bouanga and Pedro Neto having some words, with others joining after.

Reece James didn't look happy and got right in there.

The players don't seem to be lacking passion at the Club World Cup, even after their very long season.

We might end up seeing a feisty second half now...

Dominant

Chelsea have been all over LAFC for the opening half hour.

It's wave after wave of Blues attack as they look to open the scoring against their American opponents.

They've had almost 70 per cent of the ball and six shots.

One of the best of those came from Reece James from the edge of the box, with the captain unleashing a powerful effort.

Cole Palmer has had a chance too, forcing Hugo Lloris into a tipped save which put the ball onto the roof of the net.

New number

It's a debut wearing No.10 for Cole Palmer tonight.

He changed from his usual No.20 at the start of this month.

The Chelsea star took the digits from Mykhailo Mudryk, who was stripped of his shirt number in the process.

After a few minutes, Palmer had already made an impact, receiving the ball on the edge and picking out Noni Madueke.

Madueke was unable to get a shot away in the box though.

Nicolas Jackson has had the best chance of the game so far, falling over as he fired a close-range shot away.

Kick-off!

We're underway in Atlanta!

Every player was just introduced to the pitch individually in a very different approach to the start of this game.

Cole Palmer got the biggest cheer from the fans.

Speaking of fans, there aren't too many in the stadium at all as we kick off, with plenty of seats left empty.

You can follow live coverage of the game on talkSPORT.

Commentary is coming from Joe Shennan and former Chelsea defender Scott Minto.

To tune in to talkSPORT or talkSPORT 2 through the website, click HERE for the live stream.

You can also listen via the talkSPORT app, on DAB digital radio, through your smart speaker and on 1089 or 1053 AM.

Heung-min Son will discuss his Tottenham Hotspur future with the club during pre-season with a summer exit possible, talkSPORT understands.

Son’s Tottenham future remains unclear despite the club triggering an option to extend his contract.

This was viewed at the time by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy as a means of protecting the South Korea international’s value rather than a definitive move to rule out a summer departure.

Saudi interest in Son remains after 2023 and 2024 approaches were made to the player, but Son made it clear back then he didn’t wish to move to the Saudi Pro League.

Al Ahli, Al Nassr and Al Qadsiah are three clubs to have expressed interest this summer and the trio are prepared to shell out €40million [£34m] for the South Korean.

Al Ahli are seeking a marquee name and still looking to strengthen on the left with another versatile attacker despite the arrival of winger Galeno from Porto in January.

Senior Saudi Pro League executives want give Al Ahli priority to sign a star, especially after they won the AFC Champions League title last season.

Vinicius Jr is another ambitious name on their list.

Saudi dealmakers are prepared to offer Son around €30m [£25.6m]-per-season, and view his potential arrival as important since should he agree to a move it is believed a lucrative TV rights deal with a South Korean broadcaster will follow this summer, providing an instant return on investment.

Son also has options in MLS and Turkey, while Bayer Leverkusen discussed a return internally back in May, but are yet to make an approach and it’s thought the German club have other priorities.

Tottenham's pre-season tour of South Korea, in which Son is contractually obliged to play against Newcastle United on August 3 in the Coupang Play Series, complicates matters.

It may mean Son’s future is only resolved in the final few weeks of the window.

Sources indicate it will be a surprise if Son doesn’t travel for that fixture, but is expected to hold talks with new head coach Thomas Frank beforehand.

Spurs are still looking at versatile left-side attackers, even though Mathys Tel has now joined permanently from Bayern, and another arrival could push Son further down the pecking order.

The is huge respect between Son and Spurs, and the club captain will have a lot of control over his situation.

This includes asking to see out his contract or reassessing in January to first see how much game time he gets under Frank.

Son, who has made 454 appearances for Tottenham since joining from Leverkusen for £22m in 2015 - scoring 173 times - recently lifted the Europa League trophy as Spurs beat Manchester United in Bilbao.

Spurs are yet to receive any offers from Saudi, or any other club, and won’t force Son out even if a lucrative bid arrives, meaning a lot will come down to the 32-year-old and whether he has changed his mind on Saudi Arabia.

Simon Jordan has named the candidate he would have chosen to replace Ange Postecoglou at Tottenham.

The Australian was dismissed by Spurs earlier this month despite ending the club's trophy drought.

Postecoglou's exit came just over two weeks after winning the Europa League, Spurs' first silverware for 17 years.

He has since been replaced in the dugout by Thomas Frank on a three-year deal.

The former Brentford boss will officially take charge on July 1 after seven years as the Bees' manager.

However, Jordan believes Crystal Palace's Oliver Glasner would have been a better upgrade on Postecoglou in the role.

Discussing the appointment on White & Jordan, the talkSPORT co-host explained: "I would have gone in the Glasner direction.

"I'm sorry Crystal Palace fans but I would have gone that way. It's a difficult one to contextualise about the upgrade because they've won something but Brentford have finished above them in the league and it becomes by which metric do you measure this upgrade?

"Clearly they think it's an upgrade otherwise Ange Postecoglou would still be in the job and this fellow wouldn't be. It's a very easy answer to give and both of us are giving it and we'll find out.

"Again it's by what metric. If you want your team at the upper end of the Premier League at all costs, then the answer probably is yes.

"If you want them to win something again, I don't know. I don't know."

Glasner is fresh from winning the FA Cup with Palace, their first major trophy.

The triumph also secured a maiden European campaign for the Eagles.

Although he is set to enter the final year of his deal at Selhurst Park, Palace are confident of finalising a new contract for Glasner.

The Austrian has been in charge since succeeding Roy Hodgson in February 2024.

Meanwhile, Martin O'Neill admits time will tell whether Frank is an upgrade on Postecoglou.

The former Aston Villa manager added: "Only time will tell, like everything else. I can't read into the future.

"If you're asking me if Thomas Frank deserved the opportunity to manage a bigger club than Brentford, if that's the case, what he's done at Brentford, I would suggest yes, he has earned that right.

"If he goes and wins a big competition for Tottenham Hotspur and has better results in the Premier League, then you would have to say that's right but that's in the future."

Frank secured promotion to the Premier League with the Bees in 2021 before securing five consecutive seasons of top-flight football.

The club's current spell at the highest level is their longest since relegation in 1947.

Meanwhile, they came close to qualifying for Europe for the first time during Frank's final season at the helm.

Linked with a return to international management, Ange Postecoglou certainly won’t be doing so with Australia after a controversial exit in 2017.

The 59-year-old, who was sacked by Tottenham after winning the Europa League, went out on his own terms when managing his national side, but not everyone was pleased.

Postecoglou had coached two top division A-League sides before the promotion to lead his country in 2013 which began with a short run-up to the 2014 World Cup.

In Brazil the Socceroos finished pointless at the bottom of their group, and Postecoglou’s rebuild began shortly after with a Gold Cup win in 2015.

The fourth year of his five-year contract saw him return Australia to the World Cup, but just two weeks after that feat he announced his farewell in a rare emotional press conference in November 2017.

“After a great deal of thought and soul-searching, the journey for me ends as Socceroos coach,” he said in front of the media.

“It has been a privilege for me to coach my country’s national team. To lead them at the 2014 World Cup, to win the Asian Cup in 2015 and now to have qualified for the World Cup next year. I said we would do it and we have done it.”

Things then took an emotional turn as Postecoglou repeatedly stopped to wipe his nose and take deep breaths while discussing the impact the job had on his family.

“All this, however, has taken a toll on me both personally and professionally,” he continued.

“I have invested all I can knowing how important a period it was for Australian football. It is with a heavy heart that I must now end the journey. I loved this job but it has been all encompassing.”

He went on to pay tribute to his three boys ‘who make him smile every day’ and his ‘beautiful wife’ seeming to regret missing the birth of one of their children due to his football commitments.

The former Celtic manager also said he didn’t want to be unemployed for too long, and that turned out to be very much the case when just a month later he was named the new manager of Japanese J League side Yokohama F. Marinos.

Postecoglou had warned that may be the case, but the speediness of his return to football didn’t exactly go down well back home.

Leading Australian outlet Fox Sports said ‘One month ago, he was emotional and exhausted’ and that it ‘hasn’t taken long to get over his rest period’.

They added: “Now, what will ultimately most confound and disappoint Socceroos fans, is he is back at work as they continue to wait, somewhat anxiously, for a coach to helm a team for the big dance, in just six months’ time.”

The outlet went on to theorise that Postecoglou’s choice of Yokohama was down to the club’s owners The City Group.

The Manchester City consortium still have a 20 per cent stake in the team, and success in Japan may have drawn their attention.

The success came with the J League title in 2019 and two years later Postecoglou became a key figure in Europe with Scottish giants Celtic, before joining the Premier League with Spurs.

His plan did the trick, and it’s one that he never regretted even with a lack of empathy back home.

"People in Australia have struggled with it, but it's just the way I am," he said while coaching in Japan.

"It's just me as a person and my journey in life. When I feel the time's right, I feel the time's right.

"No regrets. I had a fantastic four years. It was obviously a tough decision but it was something that I'd thought about for a very long time.

“When the World Cup is on there will be a little part of me that has a little bit of angst towards not being there, but I'm certainly hoping that they will do well there and I've got a real belief that they can."

Postecoglou went further too, saying it wasn’t just about his career, but the fact Australia had no interest in growing football in a country where other sports take priority.

“I walked away from a World Cup. We qualified and I walked away," he said. “The reason I walked away was I just didn’t enjoy what I was doing.

“I think I’ve said all along, it’s not just doing the job and winning games of football. It’s got to be a higher purpose and my higher purpose in Australia was to change the game. I just don’t think that will happen.

“One of my major drivers for doing what I did was to do that – to change football in Australia. And that’s the reason I left. I felt I hadn’t made an impact at all.

“That’s easier for me to deal with than to think maybe I still can now with what I’m doing. I just think I’d be disappointed, so I’d prefer to think it’s not going to happen.”

“If I can compare [Australia] to a country like Japan who also have the tyranny of distance and baseball’s pretty strong, they plant a lot of resources into football and you can see that that’s making an impact. I don’t see Australia down that road.

“When you look at what the Matildas did at the [Women’s] World Cup, unbelievable… but you still won’t see an influx of resources to the game. You won’t. I guarantee it.

“They’ll build stadiums and other teams will use them. I just don’t think the nation as a whole has that inside them to understand you can make an impact on the world of football but it requires a kind of nationalistic approach that I just don’t think Australians at their core are really interested in.”

talkSPORT host Ally McCoist wants to see Postecoglou managing Scotland - a long shot, but not as long as Australia with those bridges still burning.

With Thomas Frank's appointment now official, attention shifts towards how his Tottenham team may look.

His 312 games in charge of Brentford presented some clues when it comes to what formations he likes to use and the style of play the Dane plans to implement.

But the reality for Frank is that the stakes are higher than ever before, especially with a Champions League campaign on the horizon.

He's also dealing with players of a collectively higher - and more expensive - calibre at Tottenham than at Brentford.

So, what can fans expect of Frank's Spurs?

And, perhaps more intriguingly, how might the team line up?

For starters, Brentford under Frank shared a number of similar traits to Tottenham under Ange Postecoglou.

They were attack-minded, with the Bees scoring the fifth-most goals in the Premier League last season with an impressive tally of 66.

Goalscoring was a consistent theme of Frank's tenure at Brentford as the club scored 56 and 58 goals in the two preceding top flight campaigns.

Bryan Mbuemo and Yoane Wissa were central to the club's goalscoring efforts in the 2024/25 season as the duo netted a staggering 20 and 19 goals respectively.

But it's not just with the ball Brentford were a force to be reckoned with under Frank.

They were like a rabid junkyard dog without it.

According to Opta, Brentford completed a staggering 319 high turnovers in the league last term.

It was the sixth-most in the league and only one behind Tottenham, highlighting a common link between Frank and Postecoglou's styles.

In addition to their high turnovers, Statmuse ranked Brentford as the team with the fourth-most ball recoveries completed in the final third.

The Bees won the ball an impressive 1,928 times in the final third, which was 53 more recoveries than Tottenham, who were ranked seventh, made.

In a way, Tottenham fans should expect more of the same when it comes to watching their players be incredibly aggressive out of possession under Frank.

When it comes to how Brentford liked to attack, the Bees had a tendency to bombard the opposition box with crosses.

Most successful crosses in 24/25 Premier League

Last season, the Bees completed 113 crosses, the fifth-most in the Premier League, per Opta.

Tottenham were only one place behind in the rankings, with 108 successful crosses.

Those statistics point towards Frank wanting his team to play in wide areas before getting the ball in, so plenty will be expected from his wingers while his full-backs will be expected to join in on attacks.

Although Frank proved to be a more pragmatic manager than Postecoglou, even if the Australian tweaked his gung-ho approach towards the end of his tenure, the Dane's core principles are there to see.

Highly aggressive without the ball and a bombardment into the box from wide spaces.

Now, how might Frank go about his line-up?

Throughout his time at Brentford, Frank often used a 3-5-2, 4-3-3 and 4-2-3-1 formation.

Given he finished the 2024/25 campaign using the 4-2-3-1 line-up it seems logical to continue that theme, although there's every chance Frank looks to switch things up once the new season rolls around.

In goal, Guglielmo Vicario remains the number one choice and there has been little reporting about a potential replacement.

Therefore, it's safe to expect the Italian will retain his place.

At left-back, Frank's arrival could unlock Destiny Udogie.

Under Postecoglou, Udogie often had to invert into a midfield role rather than stay as a conventional left-back.

Thomas Frank's most-used formations in the Premier League

But given Frank's propensity for getting his players to cross the ball often, it could be the perfect tonic for Udogie to remind fans of his attacking qualities.

Similar goes for Pedro Porro, who made the third-most successful crosses in the league last term (34) from 133 attempted.

At centre-back, Micky van de Ven is the logical choice but his partner is of greater intrigue.

Ordinarily it would be Cristian Romero, but given reports have linked him with a move away and the fact he curiously timed his farewell post to Postecoglou less than an hour after Frank's arrival, the World Cup winner is no guarantee to remain in a Tottenham shirt going into next season.

It's why Kevin Danso is the safer pick to line up alongside Van de Ven, although there may be scope for Frank to bring in a right centre-back of his choice.

For the midfield pivots, Rodrigo Bentancur and Archie Gray could prove to be a formidable pairing.

Gray was linked with a move to Brentford before he joined Tottenham, so Frank will be acutely aware of the quality he brings.

He now has key Premier League experience under his belt having been thrown into the deep end out of necessity by Postecoglou amid the club's injury crisis last term.

As for Bentancur, he offers a calming presence in the midfield and can keep the ball circulating while also offering some needed bite in challenges.

The attacking three in front of them is where things get a little interesting.

Following Frank's appointment, talkSPORT understands the club has stepped up their interest in Mbeumo, who played the best football of his career under the Dane.

Although Manchester United are also in for his signature, the fact he already enjoyed a working relationship with Frank could give Tottenham a major boost in the Mbeumo sweepstakes.

Dejan Kulusevski would operate as the attacking midfielder, with his industry and guile the exact profile Frank wants from his players in the final third.

As for the left-winger, talkSPORT understands Tottenham hold genuine interest in Manchester City outcast Jack Grealish.

The 29-year-old would offer something completely different to anyone in the Tottenham squad.

Given City had the longest sequence time out of anyone in the Premier League (15.54 seconds, per Opta), with a sequence being a passage of play for a team that ends in a defensive action, stoppage in play or a shot, Grealish's best abilities were shackled.

But given Brentford had the sixth-shortest sequence time (9.31 seconds), it shows Frank wants things to happen quickly and that suits Grealish, who became a £100million star in 2021 thanks to his brilliant dribbling skills that propelled Aston Villa up the field and into the final third.

Up top, expect Dominic Solanke to retain his spot as he will relish the countless crosses coming his way.

Tottenham fans won't have to wait terribly long to see the seeds of Frank's tactical plan in action.

The club's first pre-season fixture takes place on July 26 against Luton Town before they travel to Asia for games against Arsenal and Newcastle on July 31 and August 3 respectively.

They will wrap up preparations for the new campaign on August 7 with a friendly against Bayern Munich.

Manor Solomon is expected to be given a chance to prove himself to Thomas Frank at Tottenham in pre-season.

The winger spent last season on loan at Leeds, where he enjoyed an impressive campaign, scoring 10 goals and delivering 13 assists to help the club to promotion back to the Premier League.

Solomon's exploits at Elland Road have seen him heavily linked with a permanent move, with his long-term future at Spurs in doubt.

It was reported in May that Leeds would have to compete with Ligue 1 giants Marseille for the Israeli's permanent signature, who had joined the race for him.

Despite speculation surrounding Solomon this summer, The Sun previously claimed former head coach Ange Postecoglou was keen to give the 25-year-old a second chance in pre-season.

But after the Australian was sacked just over a week ago, this again threw Solomon's future into question.

Spurs have since moved to replace Postecoglou with Thomas Frank, who appears to share a similar view to his predecessor.

talkSPORT understands the newly appointed ex-Brentford boss likes what he sees of Solomon and will give him a chance to prove himself over the summer.

Solomon has been on the north Londoners’ books for nearly two years now, having joined from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2023.

However, he has made just six appearances during this time, with his debut season hampered by injury.

Solomon's last game for Tottenham came in a 2-1 win over Liverpool in September 2023, where he featured for 21 minutes off the bench.

His return to the fold at Spurs will come as a boost to the club, with several of their prospects on the wing not yet confirmed.

While Mathys Tel looks increasingly likely to make his loan move permanent, captain Heung-min Son's future is currently uncertain, who has just a year left on his current contract.

talkSPORT also understands Tottenham have stepped up their interest in in-demand Brentford winger Bryan Mbeumo following Frank's appointment.

The update on Solomon's future will come as a blow to Leeds, who would have hoped to keep hold of him in the Premier League.

He made 39 appearances in the Championship last term, 31 of which were starts, and scored a late winner against Plymouth on the final day of the season that clinched the Lilywhites the Championship title.

Aside from his handful of Spurs appearances, Solomon's previous top-flight experience came on loan at Fulham in the 2022/23 season.

He featured 25 in all competitions that term, scoring five goals, with his exploits catching the eye of Tottenham, who were able to sign him on a free contract from parent club Shakhtar.

A FIFA ruling allowed players from the Ukrainian Premier League to suspend their contracts with clubs to escape the Russia-Ukraine War.

Solomon began his career in Israel with Maccabi Petah Tivka, with his talent catching the eye of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola.

After joining Shakhtar in 2019, he continued to impress, netting 22 goals in 105 games altogether, including an equaliser against the Citizens in a Champions League tie in his first year at the club.

He reportedly drew interest from Arsenal in January 2021, only for him to later end up at their bitter north London rivals.

Ange Postecoglou has been contacted over a potential managerial return with Saudi Pro League side Al Ahli, talkSPORT understands.

The Australian is currently out of work following his brutal sacking as Tottenham boss, despite ending the club's 17-year trophy drought with Europa League glory.

A dismal domestic campaign proved to be Postecoglou's downfall, with Spurs recording a worst-ever 17th-place Premier League finish.

His side lost 22 of their 38 league games, the most by any team avoiding the drop in the competition's history.

The north Londoners have moved quickly in the aftermath of Postecoglou's exit, already replacing him with Thomas Frank, who left his role in charge of Brentford.

And despite only being without a club for just over a week, Postecoglou has already found himself touted for an immediate return to management.

But his future could lie away from English football, with Al Ahli having held an initial call with the Aussie after placing him on their managerial shortlist in the event of highly-rated boss Mathias Jaissle moving on.

It is understood Postecoglou is not the only candidate for the would-be vacancy, with the preference being to hold onto their current manager.

German coach Jaissle led the club to an AFC Champions League triumph in May with victory over Kawasaki Frontale in the final.

His side boasted former Premier League stars Ivan Toney, Roberto Firmino, Riyad Mahrez and Edouard Mendy.

Silverware success came despite Jaissle previously appearing under pressure at the start of the season, when his team were struggling.

Jaissle's exploits have seen him tipped for a return to Europe, having previously been linked with the West Ham vacancy before Graham Potter's appointment, and now RB Leipzig in his homeland.

The Bundesliga side are on the lookout for a new manager, with interim coach Zsolt Low only being appointed until the end of the 2024/25 season following Marco Rose's sacking.

Al Ahli reportedly pay the Jaissle £9.6million-a-year, which would make him the third highest paid manager in the Premier League.

Postecoglou received a £5m payoff from Spurs after his sacking, along with a £2m bonus for winning the Europa League and qualification for next season's Champions League in Bilbao.

Should a move to Saudi Arabia materialise, it wouldn't be the Aussie's first time working in Asia.

He previously managed Yokohama F Marinos in Japan between 2018 and 2021, winning the J1 League in 2019 prior to taking charge of Celtic.

Postecoglou lifted back-to-back league titles in Scotland, before taking charge of Spurs in 2023.

He was sacked exactly two years after his appointment at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite delivering on his promise of winning a trophy in his second season with victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final.

Spurs' players paid tribute to Postecoglou following his sacking, with captain Son Heung-min hailing him, saying: "You've changed the trajectory of this club."

Jermain Defoe has revealed he once rejected a move to Juventus to stay in the Premier League.

The former England striker is the top-flight's tenth highest scorer of all-time with 163 goals in 496 appearances.

Those strikes came across spells with Tottenham Hotspur, Sunderland, West Ham, Portsmouth and Bournemouth.

However, he had the opportunity to move to Italy prior to his second spell with Spurs.

Just a year after leaving the club for Pompey, Defoe reunited with the man who had taken him to Fratton Park.

Redknapp swooped to link up with the forward for a third time in January 2009.

It followed their previous time together at West Ham early in Defoe's career.

Reflecting on his return to White Hart Lane, the 42-year-old told talkSPORT Drive: "I remember back when I was at Portsmouth, and obviously Harry got the Tottenham job, and I went back to Tottenham.

"I got a phone call a few days before that about Juventus. I was like, 'I promised Harry I was going to go back to Tottenham.'

"But even then, for me, I just thought, I just want to be in the Premier League. It always has been the best league in the world.

"And then I went to Toronto [in the MLS]. I was 31 at the time. But then, within the first few months, I knew I wanted to come back.

"I missed it so much and then I decided to come back to Sunderland."

Defoe went on to score 54 goals in 121 appearances under Redknapp in his second spell at Spurs.

He would later leave the Premier League for the MLS in 2014 - spending 11 months with Toronto FC.

His only other experience outside England came with Scottish giants Rangers towards the end of his playing days.

Meanwhile, Defoe has admitted his surprise at Jobe Bellingham's decision to opt against the chance to play in the Premier League.

The 19-year-old completed a move to Borussia Dortmund from newly-promoted Sunderland last week.

He had helped the Black Cats return to the top-flight via the play-offs before penning a five-year deal with the German club.

Asked if he was surprised by the move, Defoe said: "I was, to be honest.

"Listen, it's a massive move. His brother [Jude] did it.

"But at the same time, I just thought, 'What a chance to let a young player show how good you are in the Premier League.'

"When an opportunity comes like that, you just don't know. Obviously because his brother did it, trying to follow in his brother's footsteps."

Tottenham are suing Manchester United co-owner Jim Ratcliffe's company Ineos.

Spurs have filed High Court proceedings against the British billionaire's company over a terminated sponsorship agreement.

According to court records, the north London club has filed a commercial claim against Ineos Automotive on Thursday.

It is claimed Spurs are taking High Court legal action against Ratcliffe's attempts to walk away from a sponsorship agreement between Ineos and the club.

Tottenham and Ineos first collaborated 2020 when the chemicals firm became the club's official hand sanitiser supplier during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Spurs then agreed a five-year deal with Ineos in 2022 - prior to Ratcliffe's purchase of a minority stake in Manchester United.

The agreement was for Ineos Grenadier to become the club's official 4x4 vehicle partner, with the company's logo adorning the dugout and bench seats at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

An Ineos statement read: "Ineos Automotive has been a partner of Tottenham Hotspur since 2022, expanding on a partnership agreement that Ineos Group had in place with the club since 2020.

"We have a contractual right to terminate our partnership contract and in December 2024 exercised that right."

Spurs were asked to respond to Ineos' statement but declined to comment.

In March it was announced Ineos had reached a settlement with New Zealand Rugby in relation to a sponsorship deal.

The previous month, NZR had said it had launched legal proceedings against Ineos after alleging that the first instalment of 2025 sponsorship money due under a six-year agreement struck in 2021 had not been paid.

Meanwhile, Spurs could be set to inflict a double blow on United as they seek to hijack Bryan Mbeumo’s transfer to Old Trafford.

The Red Devils were leading the chase for Brentford star after seeing an opening bid of £55million rejected.

United are yet to table a second bid which has opened the door for Tottenham to steal a march in the race.

Spurs’ hopes have been boosted in recent hours after the appointment of former Brentford boss Thomas Frank as the club’s new manager.

Frank played an instrumental role in bringing Mbeumo to the Premier League in 2019 after starring in France with Troyes.

While Mbuemo appeared to have set his sights on a move to Manchester United, Tottenham’s interest has garnered the winger’s attention.

United are believed to be readying an improved offer for the star in the region of £60m as reported by talkSPORT last week.

That would meet Brentford’s valuation of their player while making a tidy profit on the £5.8m they splashed out in 2019.

Mbuemo's arrival in west London has seen him become one of the Premier League blossoming stars.

The departure of Ivan Toney last summer has allowed Mbeumo to take the mantle as Brentford talisman and lived up to that billing by netting 20 league goals this season.

Spurs, like United, are in desperate need of attacking firepower following their disappointing 17th-place finish.

And getting the upper hand over United could hinge on them being able to offer Mbeumo Champions League football by way of their Europa League final success last month.

Life of Bryan

talkSPORT understands that Tottenham have stepped up their interest in Bryan Mbeumo following Thomas Frank’s appointment.

Speaking on the Sunday Session, Perry Groves admitted that Spurs would be best suited for Mbeumo's progression as a footballer.

He said: "Football-wise, he should go to - and it pains me to say it - he should go to Spurs because of Champions League football and you want to play at the highest level.

"But financially, that's why Spurs are going to struggle to go at that [potential transfer]."

Before adding: "Because all the top teams pay their top players £200,000-a-week plus.

"Spurs are never going to do that."

Wirtz replacement?

Bayern Leverkusen have called Bournemouth to enquire about the availability of Justin Kluivert, talkSPORT understands.

The German side are shortlisting replacements for Florian Wirtz, who is set to join Liverpool for a total package of £116.5million.

New Leverkusen manager, and former Manchester United boss, Erik ten Hag is understood to be driving the potential move, viewing Kluivert as the perfect profile to fill the void left by Wirtz.

Bournemouth have made it clear to Leverkusen that Kluivert is not for sale, however, owner Bill Foley has said in the past he won't unduly stand in the way of player exits at the right price.

The Cherries have already lost Dean Huijsen to Real Madrid this summer, and Milos Kerkez is expected to be Liverpool's next addition.

They could also be open to offers for Illia Zabarnyi, who is drawing interest from Paris Saint-Germain, while Antoine Semenyo has considerable Premier League interest.

Unlike Huijsen though, none of these players, Kluivert included, have release clauses.

Bournemouth have not set an asking price, but if they did choose to sell, it’s believed Kluivert would likely cost at least four times the £9.6m fee the club paid to Roma in June 2023.

Ten Hag is playing is key role in recruitment at Leverkusen this summer having replaced Xavi Alonso and it’s understood he views Kluivert as well-suited to his system and capable of adding much-needed goals and assists due to Wirtz’s absence.

It remains to be seen whether a deal is possible, or whether Leverkusen return with a bid, but Bournemouth made it clear their firm preference is to keep hold of the versatile Dutch attacker.

Goodbye message

Thomas Frank has penned an emotional message to Brentford supporters after leaving to join Tottenham.

Frank spent seven years with the Bees and took charge of 317 games, leading their rise into the Premier League.

In a statement released by the club, he said: "The time has come for me to move on. But, even as I leave, I know I have left a big piece of my heart at Brentford, not just at the football club but with the community and, of course, the incredible and loyal supporters.

"I want to extend my profound gratitude to the club for giving me the chance to pursue my dreams and for everyone involved who made the journey such a memorable one.

"For my family and I, it has been a privilege to be allowed to be part of such a special community - it's an experience and adventure that we will cherish for life. So, thank you.

"Whatever we have achieved, we have achieved together, and our success is built on unity, spirit, courage and ambition at every level of the club and amongst the fans.

"Everybody has contributed, and every contribution has been invaluable. I am not just leaving a football club, I am saying goodbye to friends whose support through good and bad times I will carry with me always.

"I would like to say a special word of thanks to Matthew Benham. His trust and friendship have meant so much and the fact he gave me a chance in English football means I will always owe him a debt of gratitude. Thank you, Matt.

"So, while this is a goodbye, I hope the relationships I have built with everybody will be lasting ones and, of course, we will meet again in the wonderful world of football.

"Thank you, Thomas."

'I loved it'

Gabby Agbonlahor has hit back at Liverpool fans for their criticism of Trent Alexander-Arnold following his fluent Spanish unveiling.

The right-back spoke Spanish as he was introduced as a Real Madrid player, leading to social media backlash over whether he was learning the language while playing for Liverpool before his move.

Agbonlahor said on talkSPORT Breakfast: "When I saw it, I had to look twice and watch it a few times thinking, is this real? Unbelievable.

"But there was a meltdown on social media from Liverpool fans, and they were calling him names and saying 'that makes sense, he's been planning this move for two, three years'.

"How do you know he hasn't already known Spanish?

"How does anyone know he's been learning Spanish for this move?

"We don't know, do we. He might have done it at school; he might have been fluent at it anyway."

He added: "I loved it and what an impression to make to the Real president and fans, that you're taking the time to learn the language.

"I'm sure there have been players that have gone to the club before and struggled to get a sentence together.

"Fair play to Trent and I think he'll do very well there."

Coincidence?

Tottenham defender Cristian Romero released a message for Ange Postecoglou only minutes after Thomas Frank was appointed.

Following Frank's reveal as the new Spurs manager last night, Romero posted some emotional words for his former boss.

He posted on X: "Ange, thank you for these two incredible seasons.

"You're a fantastic coach, but above all, a great person who deserves the best.

"From day one, you paved the way despite the many obstacles that always existed and always will exist.

"Beyond everything, we won a trophy and went down in the history of this beautiful club, which is the only thing that matters.

"I wish you the best because you deserve the best, and thank you for everything."

It led to some fans questioning the timing of the post and whether it was done purposely, with no mention of Frank in the message...

In the Vik of time

Viktor Gyökeres has threatened to escalate his transfer tug-of-war with his club, Sporting Lisbon, after releasing a short statement.

Manchester United and Arsenal are interested in signing the Sweden international, who has scored 97 goals in 102 games since joining from Coventry in 2023.

Reports in Portugal claimed Gyokeres is threatening to go on strike amid claims Sporting have upped their asking price.

The 27-year-old has a release clause of £85m, but it has been claimed that the Portuguese club would accept around £60m.

That is because Gyokeres has a verbal pact in place with Sporting, allowing him to leave for less after committing to staying for the 2024/25 campaign, in which he scored 54 goals in just 52 games and won the Primeira Liga title.

Sporting CP president Frederico Varandas has since insisted that the club will not be blackmailed into accepting a low fee for Gyokeres.

Now the player himself has posted on Instagram: “There is a lot of talk at the moment, most of it is false.

“I will speak when the time is right.”

Alejandro Garnach-go

talkSPORT's Gabby Agbonlahor has endorsed an Alejandro Garnacho transfer to Aston Villa from Manchester United this summer.

"I like him, I think he's a very good player," Agbonlahor said on Breakfast.

"Yes, he's spat his dummy out at times, and I don't blame him. If he's played well, then been left out in a poor Manchester United side, fan favourite as well…

"He's just got to learn, he's still a kid, 20 years of age, I think he's got all the attributes.

"Can he work on his crossing? Can he work on his last pass? Sometimes he'll shoot when you can cross, he'll cross when he can shoot.

"But that's a young player, that's what they do. I'll have him, get him down now!"

Ed strong

Rob Edwards is on the final shortlist for both Middlesbrough and Bristol City, talkSPORT understands.

Former Barnsley boss Gerhard Struber is also among City's candidates.

Edwards has been out of work since leaving Luton Town by mutual consent in January, as the club veered towards successive relegations.

The former Watford boss took over Luton in November 2022, where he guided them to an unlikely promotion to the Premier League via the play-offs.

It was the first time that the Hatters were back playing first-division football since 1992.

Having failed to avoid relegation, Luton then managed just seven wins from their first 26 games back in the Championship.

At the time of Edwards' departure, the club were two points above the drop zone - and they ultimately dropped into League One.

T-Rent is due

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been forced to change from his iconic No.66 following his move to Real Madrid.

It has become an iconic Liverpool strip over the years, with Alexander-Arnold starring while winning two Premier League titles and a Champions League wearing the digits.

He has worn multiple different numbers on the back of his kit for England, including 2, 7, 8 and 10.

But it's still going to be tough for him to switch from 66 - and he has no choice when he begins to play in LaLiga.

LaLiga rules state that all players must wear a number between 1-25.

And so Trent selected the No.12 strip at Madrid.

Robertson bombshell

Liverpool great Andy Robertson has admitted he's unsure about his future at the club.

The left-back has won everything on offer at Anfield but is coming off a poor season despite the Premier League title.

talkSPORT understands that the Reds are closing in on a £40million deal for Bournemouth's Milos Kerkez, and Robertson isn't sure what will happen next.

"We have discussed it, of course we have," the Scotland captain said of his contract.

"We've had good discussions with me and the club but what the future holds I am not sure.

"I need a rest after a long season and then I look forward to pre-season, that's all my focus is, I can't look too far ahead. I never have done that so I am not going to start doing that now.

"I know the position I am in and I have only got a year left and a lot is getting spoken about and getting said but my full focus is on being a dad for the next couple of weeks and enjoying that time with the kids.

"Then I will try to come back in the best possible shape for pre-season and then we'll see what the future holds when these decisions come."

Diaz confronted

Liverpool's Luis Diaz has explained his shock confrontation with Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni.

The Reds' Premier League winner was in stunning form against the world champions, netting a wonder goal for Colombia, dribbling through the opposition defence.

However, after Thiago Almada equalised he was fuming with the referee as a teammate was on the deck.

Scaloni called him over to the touchline, and then grabbed him by the arm for what looked like a heated debate.

However, Diaz has said: "Scaloni saw I was very angry about the play that led to the goal, where a teammate was lying on the ground and the referee didn't blow his whistle. I told him it wasn't fair.

"He told me that our player was also partly to blame because he couldn't dive at those moments of the game, and I told him no, that the referee had to do a little more in that regard. It was all very respectful.”

Bellingham backed

Jude Bellingham has the support of Simon Jordan and Rio Ferdinand after Thomas Tuchel said his mother finds some of the player's behaviour 'repulsive'.

The England manager made the comments in an hour long interview when speaking about channelling Bellingham's passion in the right way.

Speaking in his second language, Tuchel's 'repulsive' comment was picked up by the world media without the necessary context.

But Ferdinand thinks his attitude is important either way.

"You want characters like that, if England went into a game without characters that are willing to pull people up and demand off others we won't win anything," the Manchester United legend said.

"Jude Bellingham has shown he can go to different teams, countries and environments and be successful, he's someone you want. Yeah you can curb it here and there, but you don't take it out of him."

Jordan can't understand why there's a focus on the negatives, adding: "In a competitive midfield player there's going to be situations where red cards are going to come.

"I don't understand why we've got this elite footballer and there's a focus on aspects of what he doesn't do or what people don't like.

"I'm more interested on Jude Bellingham being effective on the field, I'm not interested in Jude Bellingham maybe having a flashpoint every now and again.

"It's wonderful that he's English and rather than zeroing in on what's wrong, he's playing for the biggest club in world football and there don't seem to be any complaints coming out of Madrid."

Gabby Agbonlahor added his thoughts, saying: "He's not meaning repulsive in that way, any of our mothers would say the same, he's just being honest and I love it.

"Bellingham and him are probably laughing about it."

No way home

It looks like Jadon Sancho won't be heading back to where he made his name - Borussia Dortmund.

The Manchester United-owned England winger spent the season on loan at Chelsea with an obligation to buy for £25million.

However, it looks like the Blues will pay £5m to release the player, leaving his future in huge doubt.

Sancho became one of the world's best young players at Dortmund from 2017 to 2021 and even headed back their on loan in 2024, but it appears a repeat is unlikely.

"Contact with Jadon is of course always there, in some form, because we share a long history," said BVB sporting director Sebastian Kehl.

"But at the moment, Jadon is not a topic for us.

"We currently have other priorities, and so the matter of Jadon Sancho is perhaps being played up more in the media than it has been discussed internally."

New Red Devil

Manchester United have announced the signing of Matheus Cunha.

Although the fee has not been disclosed by the club, talkSPORT understands the Red Devils have paid £62.5million to land the Brazilian ace from Wolves.

The 26-year-old forward has penned a five-year contract at Old Trafford, which runs until June 2030, with the option for an additional year.

Upon his official unveiling as a Manchester United player, Cunha said it's a dream come true to join a club he watched on TV as a boy in Brazil.

“It is hard to put into words my feelings about becoming a Manchester United player," he said.

"Ever since I was a child in Brazil watching Premier League games on TV at my grandmother’s house, United was my favourite English team and I dreamed of wearing the red shirt. I want to thank my family and everyone who has helped me make that dream a reality.

“I can’t wait for the start of pre-season to get to know my team-mates and prepare for the season ahead. All my focus is now on working hard to become a valuable part of the team, and helping get this club back to the top.”

There has been no official word yet on what his new squad number will be, following claims he will be given the No.10 jersey most recently worn by Marcus Rashford.

Announced

Former Bristol City and Sunderland boss Lee Johnson has been appointed as the new manager of Belgian club Lommel SK.

His appointment follows a successful interim spell having kept the team in the Challenger Pro League.

Lommel are part of the City Football Group and Johnson is highly thought of.

Johnson: “From day one the supporters and the club have embraced me, and their positive energy is infectious – you feel that backing in every training session and every match.

"At the same time, the daily working environment here is both professional and family-orientated; it’s simply a pleasure to be out on the pitch with these players and staff.”