The Sun

REAL MADRID will target Cristian Romero this summer - as they look to build a new back-line.

The Spanish giants are set to welcome Trent Alexander-Arnold as one of their marquee signings.

But SunSport can reveal that Real’s business is far from over.

Incoming boss Xabi Alonso is believed to be a huge fan of Romero and thinks he could be the perfect addition to help Real win silverware next season.

Reports last year suggested that Madrid made an ambitious move to land Romero last summer but Spurs had no interest in doing business.

However, after a miserable season which could see the Lilywhites finish 17th in the Premier League table, they may now have little option but to let Romero go this time around.

Spurs know they will find it especially difficult to persuade him to stay if they fail to beat Manchester United in the Europa League final and qualify for the Champions League.

Real Madrid’s defence has been highlighted in Spain as one of the main reasons for their failure to win La Liga or the Champions League this season.

And although the impending arrival of Alexander-Arnold will excite fans, the club know he alone will not be enough.

Question marks also exist around Alexander-Arnold’s defensive skills which has made a centre-back an even bigger priority for the club.

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Alonso also prefers to play with a back three and if he continues with that formation at the Bernabeu it would make signing a new centre-back a priority.

Losing Romero would be a disaster for Spurs.

He’s a hugely popular player among supporters and his absence this season through injury has hit the team hard.

RUBEN AMORIM plunged his own Manchester United future into doubt after the latest Old Trafford debacle.

The Portuguese manager’s admission that he is struggling to find a solution for his team’s shocking season was a clear sign of the uncertainty at the heart of the club.

But the bigger question marks will only be resolved in Bilbao next week.

A Europa League Final win for United over Spurs will mean far more than just the trophy and a silver sheen to cleanse many of the black clouds of despair.

But defeat in the Basque country will have ramifications to last far beyond the summer.

For Spurs, ending their 17-year trophy drought will mean everything to the fans who crave silverware more than any financial consideration.

It would also make Ange Postecoglou's promise that he would win a trophy in his second season into a reality, even if it probably would not be enough to save his job.

But for United, in simple terms, it is about cold, hard cash.

The reality is that winning the Europa League will ensure a looming black hole is filled.

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It will also be another trophy added to the five won since the departure of Sir Alex Ferguson 12 years ago.

If United do not triumph in San Mames, the immediate cost will be clear.

A £10m cut in sponsorship revenue, as part of the contract with kit suppliers adidas.

No European football at all, meaning they will miss out on around £49m up front through Uefa’s complicated revenue distribution system plus the £20m-plus in gate receipts from the minimum four home games.

And if, as now seems likely, they do finish 16th in the Prem table, that will mean £23.8m less in TV-related prize money than for last term’s eighth-placed finish.

That all adds up to more than £100m, before the prize money for progress through the Champions League - up to a further potential £95m or so - is taken into account.

Less income equals less money to spend.

And that at a club where owners Ineos and chief executive Omar Berrada have also confirmed 450 staff job cuts already.

What the past nine months have proven, under both Amorim and before him Erik ten Hag, is that this United squad is simply not good enough.

But without the extra financial wriggle room offered by a Champions League campaign, transforming that squad is far, far harder - a situation made even more difficult by the decision of the 20 Prem clubs to extend the current Profitability and Sustainability Rules regime by a further 12 months.

No Europe means United would not have to meet Uefa’s new threshold of limiting wages and transfer fees to 70 per cent of club income - although qualification would make that an easy hurdle to cross.

But the precipitous income drop, combined with a wage bill that hit £479m in 2023-24 and the amount still “owed” on transfer fees for players whom Amorim might wish to lose point to significant PSR issues looming.

United need to agree fees of £28m on Andre Onana, £34m on Antony, £38m on Rasmus Hojlund, £29m on Joshua Zirkzee, £33m on Manuel Ugarte and £15m on Casemiro to break even on any of their sales.

Fees less than that will be book value “losses” on the PSR balance sheet.

And, in truth, it is hard to make arguments that United, as effectively distressed sellers, would be able to realise those sort of bottom line prices for too many of them.

It means that cold, hard decisions might be required, even the sales of players Amorim and the club might otherwise be aiming to keep at Old Trafford.

Amorim suggested that a win in Bilbao would not solve the issues he and the club face.

He is right in that. Yet losing will make them even harder to deal with. That is the scale of the importance of the match.

MANCHESTER UNITED and Tottenham have been mocked ahead of what fans have termed the "worst Europa League final ever".

Both teams have struggled in the Premier League this season amid European campaigns to remember.

United and Spurs both lost 2-0 on Sunday, at home to West Ham and Crystal Palace respectively.

Three points for West Ham means they leapfrog United and Spurs, who are now 16th and 17th in the Prem.

That has prompted supporters of rival clubs to poke fun at the strugglers, with many dumbfounded as to how they have reached the Europa League final.

One fans said: "Europa League Final is between 16th and 17th of Prem Table. This is El Clownico."

Another added: "Both clubs playing in the final of the Europa League are currently down by 2 goals to nothing. It is really a battle of clowns. 🤣🤣🤣"

A third wrote: "Europa league final is gonna be the epitome of trash vs garbage 😭😭😭😭"

And another commented: "These two are going to play the Europa League final. Battle of clowns🤡🤡"

United are now winless in seven league games and suffered an injury blow to Leny Yoro against the Hammers.

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The French centre-back covered his face with his shirt and appeared to be holding back tears as he trudged straight down the tunnel after injuring his foot.

It is the same foot he had a problem with earlier this season and he could now miss the May 21 final.

TOTTENHAM have suffered a major Europa League final blow as Dejan Kulusevski has limped off injured.

The Swedish midfielder sustained a problem in Spurs' Premier League clash with Crystal Palace.

Kulusevski was hurt after a challenge from Eagles captain Marc Guehi.

He received treatment on the pitch and briefly tried to continue.

But he trudged down the tunnel just minutes later and was replaced by Mikey Moore.

Kulusevski had his head in his hands and was consoled by boss Ange Postecoglou as he went into the changing room with a Spurs physio.

It is a huge blow for Tottenham ahead of their blockbuster Europa League final against Manchester United on May 21.

Spurs are already light in midfield as they are without James Maddison and Lucas Bergvall, who are sidelined with knee and ankle ligament injuries respectively.

And with nothing but pride to play for in the Premier League, some fans were fuming over Kulusevski starting today's game.

One fan said: "No reason to play him today at all, was already not fully fit and only played a few days ago, silly move as we have no real No10 now."

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Another added: "Kulusevski off and went straight down the tunnel. This is exactly why Mikey Moore should’ve started."

But others disagreed, writing: "He's no where near match ready for the final, he needs minutes now or he doesn't play."

Kulusevski recently missed six games with a foot issue and has zero goals and one assist in his eight appearances since returning.

Live Blog

JACK THE BAD

Man Utd vs West Ham LIVE SCORE: Red Devils look to keep up momentum plus goals from Spurs after Newcastle BEAT Chelsea

Bruno secures three points for Magpies

Jackson sees red for stupid elbow

Tonali opens scoring for hosts

MANCHESTER UNITED host West Ham in a Premier League clash on Super Sunday!

The Red Devils secured their spot in the Europa League final on Thursday night, presenting the chance of silverware to Ruben Amorim in his first season.

West Ham will be looking to end a disappointing season on a high as they aim to get back to winning ways after a 1-1 draw with Tottenham last weekend.

We also have goals from two other matches - Nottingham Forest vs Leicester City and Tottenham vs Crystal Palace - while Newcastle won a MASSIVE game against Chelsea earlier, Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes scoring with Nicolas Jackson sent off for an elbow.

Kick off time: 2.15pm BST

TV/Stream: Not available to watch in the UK

Man Utd team: Bayindir, Mazraoui, Yoro, Shaw, Amass, Diallo, Mainoo, Ugarte, Fernandes, Mount, Hojlund.

West Ham team: Areola, Todibo, Kilman, Cresswell, Coufal, Wan-Bissaka, Soucek, Ward-Prowse, Rodriguez, Kudus, Bowen.

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Follow our live blog below...

Man Utd 0-0 West Ham

Sometimes they can be guilty of dominating possession with no penetration whatsoever.

That needs to change under Ruben Amorim.

Man Utd 0-0 West Ham

It is a superb cross from Ward-Prowse as he picks out Kilman in the middle.

He heads over the bar from close range and should really have been scoring.

Man Utd 0-0 West Ham

The referee awards a free-kick to the visitors.

Chance for Ward-Prowse to get some quality into the box.

Man Utd 0-0 West Ham

With no room to get a shot away, he rolls it into the path of Fernandes just outside the box.

The Portuguese midfielder sends his effort sailing over the target.

Man Utd 0-0 West Ham

He uses his strength to win his side a throw-in.

It is passed all the way back to the defence so any momentum is lost.

Man Utd 0-0 West Ham

The visitors are looking to the double over the Red Devils in the league for the first time since 2006.

Coufal wins a throw-in as he strikes it against Amass.

Kick-off: Man Utd vs West Ham

We are underway at Old Trafford.

Both sides desperate for points in the Premier League.

West Ham get the match started.

View from SunSport's Martin Blackburn at Old Trafford

United will have a new logo on the front of their shirts – with (RED) replacing Snapdragon for this game.

And that will match the colour of a few faces around Old Trafford if they end the day in 17th place. That’s very possible if West Ham win here and Europa League final opponents Tottenham beat Crystal Palace.

It’s all eyes on their May 21 date in Bilbao but Ruben Amorim will not want to forget about the Prem with three games to go. He makes six changes to the team who saw off Athletic Club on Thursday night.

Plenty more action to follow

We have another three games kicking-off in a few moments:

Man Utd vs West Ham

Nott'm Forest vs Leicester

Tottenham vs Crystal Palace

Hopefully we will see plenty more goals before the big game at Anfield later on.

FT: Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea

It is a massive win for Eddie Howe's side at St James' Park.

Their Champions League hopes are now in their own hands.

Chelsea look destined for another season playing part-time footballers in one of the lesser European competitions.

FT: Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea

The referee brings the match to a close.

It is a massive three points for The Magpies.

One to forget for Chelsea and their fans.

Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea

The Chelsea players are passing the ball around with no output at all.

This has been a dreadful afternoon for The Blues Champions League hopes.

Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea

The defender committed a foul and has been bumping his gums to Burn for the last two minutes since.

If only these Chelsea players showed as much commitment to their football as they do kicking off with the opposition.

Newcastle 2-0 Chelsea

His shot from distance deflects off Gusto and loops over the keeper into the far corner.

We are going to have five added minutes.

Goal - Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle)

Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea

A cross picks out James in the box but he heads it over the bar.

Caicedo then gets booked for another foul, but the referee opts not to book him but gives a card to the Newcastle man instead.

This referee has to be related to the Chelsea midfielder or have him as captain in his FPL team.

Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea

His fouls are now into the double figures yet he still does not have a yellow card to his name.

The refereeing in this league is just baffling most weeks.

Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea

They will be able to overlook this drab second-half performance if they can secure the win.

It is going to be a tense finish to this game, that is for sure.

Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea

He caught it well but Pope gets a fingertip to it to send it over.

As the corner comes in, The Magpies head it clear.

Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea

He is struggling to get the ball in areas where he can hurt The Magpies.

Cucurella has gone down under a challenge and wins a free-kick.

Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea

If Chelsea lose here today and Forest win this afternoon, they will no longer be in the Champions League positions.

Tonali threads Barnes in behind the defence but his first touch is like he is wearing deep sea diving boots and runs through to Sanchez.

Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea

It is too high for Isak being able to head home.

Quite the metaphor for this second half performance.

Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea

They are replaced by Gusto and Sancho.

Looks like Maresca is trying to get something from this game now.

Newcastle 1-0 Chelsea

Barnes looks to take it past Colwill but the defender makes a great tackle.

It has all gone a bit off the boil in this match now.

THE Premier League is set to have NINE teams competing in Europe next season after Spurs and Manchester United set up an all-English Europa League final.

The tally includes a record number of six English teams in the Champions League.

The previous record was five, set in 2017/8 when Man Utd finished outside the top four but won the Europa League.

Traditionally only the top four go through to the Champions League, with fifth place reserved for a Europa League slot and sixth for the Conference League.

This season the Premier League was awarded a fifth slot for next year's Champions League after English teams impressed in Europe.

England was a top-two nation in UEFA's coefficient rankings after Arsenal beat Real Madrid in the first leg of their quarter-final.

This means that Europa and Conference League spots have moved to sixth and seventh, but could be bumped down once more if Manchester City beat Crystal Palace in the FA Cup.

Tottenham and Manchester United sit well outside of the European standings having both suffered disastrous league campaigns.

But their respective Europa semi-final wins, on aggregate 5-1 against Bodo/Glimt and 7-1 against Athletic Bilbao, have meant that one of them will take home the trophy and the Champions League spot that it offers.

Who's involved?

Nearly half of the Premier League's teams will play in Europe in the 2025/6 season.

Liverpool have claimed their Champions League spot, with Arsenal looking set to join them - only needing one win in their final three games.

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The final three Champions League spots will be decided in the race for the top five between Newcastle, Manchester City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Aston Villa.

Only four points separate the high-flyers with three games left to play.

Bournemouth, Brentford, Brighton and Fulham are in contention for the final European places but will have to compete with the losers of the Champions League race.

The lower placed teams will doubtless feel sore if they miss out on Europe next season as either Spurs in 16th or 15th-placed Man Utd will leapfrog them into the Champions League.

UNDER-FIRE bosses Ruben Amorim and Ange Postecoglou will face off in a tasty first all-English Euro final for six years.

Two Mason Mount wonder strikes, plus further Old Trafford goals from Casemiro and Rasmus Hojlund completed Manchester United’s 7-1 aggregate Europa League semi-final demolition of Athletic Bilbao.

While Dominic Solanke and Pedro Porro sealed Tottenham’s 2-0 win on Bodo/Glimt’s plastic pitch to complete a 5-1 aggregate win and the full English.

United manager Amorim and Spurs chief Postecoglou will now meet in a mouth-watering winner-takes-all showdown back in Bilbao in 12 days.

For the Aussie, it might be his last ever game in charge of the club, with it believed he could be sacked even if they win.

A delighted Mount said: “My first goals at Old Trafford, so it’s a special night. One I’ve waited for, for a long time.

“It’s been difficult since I’ve been here with the injuries and setbacks.

“But I knew something good would come and it’s paid off in a semi-final.

“It was a brilliant performance from the lads. And getting that goal to make it 1-1 calmed us down a bit. I just tried to come on and affect the game.”

Mount’s second was a David Beckham-esque long-range shot.

He added: “As I saw the keeper come out I had it in my head, ‘First touch and shoot’.

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“The crowd has been unbelievable. They stuck with us. To go back to Bilbao, a special night and we want to finish strong.”

Both clubs have suffered woeful Prem seasons but the victors are guaranteed a Champions League spot - and the £100million bounty that comes with it.

This means that England will have SIX representatives in Europe's premier competition next season.

The feat has never been achieved before by any nation competing in the competition.

It will be extra remarkable as both clubs are guaranteed to finish in the bottom half of the Prem.

Combined they have lost 35 league games this season but have remained impressive in European competition.

And Amorim said: “I’m stressed already because of the final. If we don’t win it, it’s nothing.”

It will be Tottenham’s first Euro final since suffering a heartbreak 2-0 Champions League defeat to Liverpool in 2019 — the same year Chelsea KO’d Arsenal 4-1 in the Europa League showpiece.

Spurs had a 3-1 lead from the first leg but romped to another win on the night thanks to goals from Solanke and Porro.

Solanke said: “It feels so good. We’re down to the business end and we’re into the final. One more game to go!”

Spaniard Porro added: “We’re very happy for the fans — it’s so far from London. We deserved this.”

Spurs will have the edge going into the final, having won all three encounters with United this season.

TOTTENHAM proved they are no Arctic flunkies to put Ange Postecoglou 90 minutes from delivering on his second-season trophy boast.

After a dark and dismal league campaign where they have been dreadfully off-key, Spurs snapped out of it in a place where the sun hardly ever goes down at this time of year.

They successfully avoided slipping up on Bodo/Glimt’s plastic pitch that has caused numerous European big names to suffer stage fright this season.

A masterclass in time-wasting and the most un-AngeBall display ever eased the tension, before Dominic Solanke struck just after the hour.

If that had not killed off Glimt’s glimmer of hope, Pedro Porro’s fluke cross-shot dropping in at the far post shortly afterwards surely did.

Now, Spurs are through to their first major European final since finishing Champions League runners-up to Liverpool in Madrid in 2019.

Just like that showpiece six years ago, it will be back to Spain to face English opposition again, only this time Manchester United in Bilbao.

Given they have already beaten the Red Devils THREE times this term, it gives Postecoglou a terrific chance to make good on his bold September claim that he “always wins things in his second season”.

That possible feat may still not be enough to save his job, after a woeful Prem campaign where NINETEEN league defeats have plummeted Spurs to 16th.

But it would qualify the club for the Champions League, end its barren silverware run of 17 years and hand Postecoglou his crowd-pleasing moment that will be remembered forever.

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And after the season he has had, there would be a certain romance in that.

Coldplay’s Yellow was one of the hosts’ tunes of choice in the build-up for obvious reasons, given their kit colour.

The stadium energy, which Glimt boss Kjetil Knutsen said his side would feed off, grew as kick-off approached, to the sound of the Beastie Boys’ 'Sabotage' and 'Thunderstruck' by AC/DC.

The bouncing army of blond-clad fans, packed into this tiny ground with League Two vibes, belted out songs of praise for their team as hoses drenched the synthetic surface.

It was a tactic designed to get the ball zipping along quicker than on grass which had caught out the likes of Porto, Olympiakos and Lazio already this term.

Postecoglou himself had had his own grim experience up north in Norway when losing to Bodo in the Europa Conference League with Celtic three years ago.

But here, because of late driving rain, the extra water seemed to have the opposite effect and slow the ball down.

Had his Spurs team frozen this time, Postecoglou would have returned to England well and truly out in the cold with regards his job prospects.

But his team looked switched on from the off, taking a similarly low-risk approach to how they handled the away leg in Eintracht Frankfurt in the quarter-finals.

For that game, they needed to win away from home soil, but here they knew they could even lose by a goal and they would still get through.

That was thanks to a convincing 3-1 lead last week from the home leg where the only downsides were Bodo’s late lifeline strike and a season-ending injury to James Maddison.

Postecoglou’s men looked to slow the game down at every opportunity, with goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario constantly reinforcing the tactic and eventually being booked for it.

It limited the hosts to a few opportunities, and in truth, Spurs looked comfortable.

Barring Ole Blomberg firing into the side-netting and a Kasper Hogh header over, the hosts rarely looked like scoring in the first half.

Porro came within a whisker of a crucial opener from a central free-kick just outside the D, but was denied by Nikita Halkin’s acrobatic save.

Knutsen’s side had to step it up after the break and went close with a few dangerous crosses - but it was nowhere near enough.

And when Solanke finished off Cristian Romero’s knock-down from sub Mathys Tel’s corner, it looked game over.

It certainly was when Porro’s cross somehow went in off the post six minutes later.

For all of Postecoglou’s poor results this season, his record against Manchester United reads: Played five, won four, drawn one.

Self-doubting Spurs fans have already noted that fact and claimed it would be very Tottenham to then come unstuck against Ruben Amorim’s side in Bilbao.

It certainly would do nothing to shake off their unwanted Spursy tag.

But the fact is, taking on the worst United side in living memory offers an unbelievable chance to seal European glory for the first time since they clinched this competition in 1984.

Who would have thought that after everything they have been through this term, they could still end it singing, "We are the Champions."

Postecoglou, to be fair. He did call it.

EVERTON are exploring a sensational deal to re-sign Richarlison from Tottenham, according to reports.

The Brazilian striker left the Toffees in 2022 in a £60million deal to join Spurs.

Richarlison, 27, has struggled to recapture the form he showed in Merseyside since moving to North London.

The 48-cap international has only managed to score 20 times for Spurs in 86 appearances in all competitions.

This season has been majorly disrupted by injury as he has missed over 30 matches.

He could now be set for a sensational move back to Everton.

Sky Sports have claimed that the Toffees are interested in a deal that would see him return to the club.

The report adds that manager David Moyes is a "long-term admirer" of the forward.

It is also suggested that a striker is a priority for Everton this summer, ahead of their move to the Everton Stadium in Bramley-Moore Dock.

Due to Richarlison's injury woes, Sky have also claimed that Everton could be concerned.

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This means that the club could look to a loan deal with an obligation to buy triggered when he plays a certain number of games.

Richarlison initially moved to Goodison Park in 2018 in a potential £50m transfer from Watford.

He scored 53 goals in 152 matches for the club and played a key role in keeping them in the Premier League before his exit.

TOTTENHAM’S players had their sleep disrupted ahead of their crunch Europa League semi-final second leg by cheeky Bodo/Glimt supporters letting off fireworks.

Pyrotechnics exploded outside the team’s hotel down by the waterfront in the sleepy town of Bodo up in the Arctic Circle at around 2.30am.

The disturbance happened as the Spurs squad were trying to get their rest in before the biggest game of their season.

They face Norwegian champions Glimt on their tricky plastic pitch on Thursday evening having won the first leg 3-1 last week in North London.

But they will be wary of Glimt’s excellent home record which has seen the Scandinavians beat Porto, Red Star Belgrade, Maccabi Tel Aviv, Olympiakos, FC Twente and Lazio already this season.

It is not the first time Spurs have had fireworks let off by pesky home supporters the night before a European game.

The same thing happened ahead of their January Europa League group game in Hoffenheim, as well as in Marseille in the Champions League back in 2022.

Spurs’ preparations had already been hit by the loss of James Maddison to a season-ending knee injury sustained in the first leg.

SunSport understands the England star has damaged his medial ligament and is facing three months on the sidelines, putting him at risk of missing the start of next season.

Boss Ange Postecoglou, who has had an unrelenting amount of injuries to deal with this term, said during his Wednesday press conference: “He'll miss the rest of this season.

“I'm disappointed for him more than anything else because he's been a big catalyst for us.

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“He'll miss out but that's been a constant of our season, dealing with these things, so we'll overcome that. Everyone else from the first leg has travelled and they're ready to go.”

Captain Son Heung-min is also absent due to a nagging foot injury, but £65million striker Dominic Solanke is back fit after missing West Ham on Sunday with a quad issue.

Spurs are bidding to save their season - and possibly Postecoglou’s job - by going all the way in Europe, having plummeted to 16th in the Premier League.