The Sun

FRASER Forster is set for an extended run in the Tottenham first team, following an injury to first choice No1 Guglielmo Vicario.

The unlucky Italian has undergone surgery on a fractured ankle suffered in a match against Man City and faces "months" out, according to Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou.

But that won't faze seasoned pro Forster, 36, who will be a welcome face in the dressing room before a match day.

It has been said that the shotstopper has been good for team morale as the joker of the pack amongst his teammates.

While his goalkeeping ability has been hailed in the past by Argentinian legend, Lionel Messi.

Away from the pitch, Forster has also had celebrity romances in the past.

SunSport delves in the world of the former England goalie.

"He performed inhumanely"

Forster came through the ranks at Newcastle, but he first earned notoriety playing for Celtic.

After a loan spell in Scotland in the 2011-12 season, he was snapped up by The Bhoys the following summer for £2million.

It was the 2012-13 campaign where the giant goalie, who stands at 6ft7in, produced a performance that was hailed as "the best goalkeeper display I've ever seen" by Lionel Messi.

Forster played twice in the group stages against the Argentinian, including in one of the most famous night's in the club's recent history.

Celtic, incredibly, beat a Barcelona team that featured Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Alexis Sanchez, Dani Alves, Xavi, Andres Iniesta and more 2-1 in Glasgow.

Forster's display left a lasting impression on the seven-time Ballon d'Or winner.

After that match, in which he made seven saves, he earned the nickname 'The Great Wall of Glasgow'.

Messi even admitted that Barcelona considered signing him.

"Fraser Forster's performance against us was talked about for a long time," Messi said, according to the Daily Star.

"There was a game in Scotland where he performed inhumanly, it's the best goalkeeper performance I've seen."

The Argie World Cup winner added: "When Victor Valdes said he was leaving, we even talked about him playing here. I was sure that he would end up at Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United."

Famous exes

Not only is Forster popular with one of the best players of all-time, he's also dated celebrity women.

In 2009, he met future The Apprentice star Leah Totton when she was studying medicine at University of Anglia.

They dated for four years, before splitting up as she geared up to star on the reality TV hit.

Leah and Forster rekindled their romance after she won the 2013 show, but it wasn't to be - with the long-distance romance fizzling out.

She went on to launch the Dr Leah Botox Clinic, and has been very successful in her own right.

In 2018, Forster was then reported to be dating Aussie soap beauty, Olympia Valance.

The Neighbours beauty received a large bouquet of red roses on her birthday from the giant keeper.

She posed excitedly with the flowers, captioning the snap: "The birthday that keeps on giving. What a surprise @fraserforster!!!! I've literally never seen so many roses! THANK YOU!!!!!'

Valance sent tongues wagging again when she posted a picture of her and a mystery man enjoying a date in Los Angeles, which was believed to be Forster.

It's not known why it didn't work out. Beforehand, Valance had her own celebrity romance with One Direction star Niall Horan.

Joker in the pack

Although Vicario's injury will be a blow for Spurs, Forster will offer a much-needed morale boost in the dressing room.

Many of his former teammates have said that he is the joker of their team.

Most recently, Timo Werner was asked in a chat with the Premier League's YouTube channel who is his funniest teammate is.

He said: "I love a lot about Fraser Forster and his jokes, but in terms of funny actions, I think Emerson Royal."

This was backed up by Micky Van de Ven who previously said to the same question: "Fraser Forster! He’s always joking around in the changing room."

Former teammate Mohamed Elyounoussi also joked that Forster was a “class clown” during his time at Celtic.

"Fraser is a really good guy,” he said in the Scottish Sun back in 2019.

"At Southampton I talked to him a lot and in the end we were in the same situation. He was always quite positive down there.

"I’d say he was kind of a clown, he talked a lot and made a few jokes. He’s still the same guy here.

"Fraser is a quality keeper. I think he was the best goalkeeper down at Southampton. He’s amazing when he’s at his best."

The pair met as teens in Solihull, West Midlands at secondary school, with Sasha previously saying they have been together since she was 15.

Jack was already on his way to becoming a professional footballer when he met Sasha.

Despite the long-term nature of their relationship, she remained on the sidelines when his career took off.

However, intense interest in Jack's private life came to a head in 2021 when England reached the final of Euro 2020, delayed a year because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Because of their romance, Sasha was cruelly targeted by trolls on TikTok and Instagram, receiving 200 death threats a day from "young girls".

The pair were spotted on holiday together following the tournament and slowly began showing more of their relationship on social media when the vile trolling died down.

In 2022, they celebrated their 10-year anniversary and purchased a seven-bed mansion set in 24 acres worth £5.6 million.

They moved in to the home in late 2023, but Sasha and members of Jack's family were subject to a terrifying robbery while cheering on the Manchester City star during a televised match just after Christmas.

THIS was supposed to be the day Manchester City were celebrating.

Celebrating the news that their all-conquering boss, Pep Guardiola was staying for another two seasons after agreeing to a new deal.

And celebrating Rodri being crowned the winner of the Ballon d’Or as the best player on the planet.

A spectacular light show greeted him before kick-off, and his teammates gave him a guard of honour.

The familiar refrain of ‘we’ve got Guardiola’ to the tune of Glad All Over’ went round the ground as the boss made his way from the dressing room.

Then it was over to the Tottenham Hotspur fans as James Maddison enjoyed the biggest and best Birthday party he has ever had.

He turned 28 on this day and, with two goals inside the first 20 minutes, put Tottenham on their way to a famous victory.

What a way too for Ange Postecoglou to celebrate his 50th game in charge of the club.

Questions about the Aussie had started to be asked after three defeats in five league games.

But this was a ‘g’day’ for him as Spurs bounced into the top six.

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For City, well Guardiola had joked as his new contract was announced that if results did not pick up in the next month he could be on his way anyway.

How everyone chuckled, but this fifth defeat on the spin was no laughing matter.

Their worst home defeat since moving to this ground 21 years ago.

Man City has not been on a run like this since 2006, when then boss Stuart Pearce lost six in a row.

If Liverpool were to win at Southampton on Sunday the gap will stretch to eight points with just shy of a third of the season gone.

The two meet next weekend at Anfield.

Lose that, and City’s quest for a fifth consecutive title will be over before Christmas.

They just don’t look the same City right now.

We were putting that down to the uncertainty over the boss and whether the players had taken their foot off the pedal.

The midweek news was supposed to have given them a Pep up but despite having 23 shots they could not find the net.

They miss Rodri, who is out for the season.

They miss a fully fit Kevin De Bruyne.

Phil Foden has looked tired all season.

There were chances before Spurs broke the deadlock.

They fell to finisher supreme Erling Haaland, who also hit the bar in the second period.

The game was just four minutes old when he was set up by Josko Gvardiol, who would go on to have a half to forget.

The near bottom corner beckoned, but Haaland’s shot deflected off Ben Davis’ heel and went wide.

Savinho was then the provider and this time Guglielmo Vicario’s outstretched leg denied him adding to his 15 goals this season.

Then in the 13th minute against the run of play Spurs struck.

Dejan Kulusevski likes it here. He has scored on his last three visits, including a last-minute equaliser last season.

On this occasion, he was the provider and what a provider he is.

Before this game he had created 30 chances, the most of any player in the Premier League this season and added another for the opener.

He made mincemeat of Gvardiol down the right flank to give himself space to cross and then delivered a ball to the far post which Maddison volleyed home with his instep.

A setback became a major problem for the home side when Spurs extended their lead on 20 minutes.

Gvardiol’s loose pass was leapt on by Maddison, who fed Son and then did an overlapping run behind his teammate.

The ball was fed back to him and he dinked it past Ederson.

It could have been more before the break as Son’s curler to the far top corner was well saved by Ederson who also used his fingertips to deny Dominic Solanke’s shot.

The last time City were two goals down at the break was in January of 2023 to, guess who, Tottenham.

On that occasion, they roared back to win 4-2.

Not this time.

Spurs were further ahead just seven minutes into the second-half with City all over the place again.

Their attack broke down thanks to Spurs hounding the ball down.

They do that at their best and break with great efficiency.

Kulusevski was involved again, playing a deep ball to the far side of the boss for Solanke to pull back for Pedro Porro to side foot home with a powerful shot that curled away from the goalkeeper.

Porro spent three years at City after an £11million move from Girona but bizarrely never got a game as he was farmed out on loan.

So this will have been special for him.

In injury time two subs combined as Timo Werner sent a ball to the far post for Brennan Johnson to slide home.

For Guardiola this was a seventh defeat at the hands of Spurs in the Premier League more than any other opponent.

It is Feyenoord at home in the Champions League on Tuesday next then that trip to Liverpool.

They have roared back before and they really need to find their voice now.

TOTTENHAM have released a new club badge which features a major change - but fans say it "seems pointless."

Spurs' current crest features the clean look of a cockerel standing on a football.

Underneath the emblem are the words 'Tottenham Hotspur'.

And supporters have been used to the simplistic style ever since the badge was marginally scaled back in 2013.

However, a new badge has now been released.

And it has removed the words from under the football to make for an even more basic look.

An official statement confirmed: "We have removed the curved ‘Tottenham Hotspur’ text from beneath the cockerel.

"This enables us to increase its scale across different environments and stand proud as a true icon for the Club."

But there has been a mixed reception towards the new look from fans.

One said: "Seems pointless."

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Another declared: "Would've got rid of the chicken and ball."

One noted: "A big difference."

Another added: "Wow great change."

Founded in 1882, Spurs only started wearing the cockerel on their badge in 1921.

It was a special addition to Tottenham's kit for their FA Cup final against Wolves.

Spurs won the match - which took place at rival side Chelsea's Stamford Bridge - 1-0.

And the cockerel has been a permanent fixture on the official club crest ever since.

Between 1921 and 1972 the cockerel remained on its own before a football was added below.

It then underwent a variety of detailed transformations before the words 'Tottenham Hotspur' were added in 2006.

And style-wise, Spurs' new badge most closely resembles the "additional" one they had between 1973 and 1981.

TOTTENHAM star Wilson Odobert has undergone hamstring surgery.

The Frenchman, 19, has barely featured for Ange Postecoglou's side since sealing a £30million switch from Burnley in August.

Odobert started Prem matches against Everton and Newcastle before making a cameo from the bench against Arsenal.

He then suffered a hamstring injury just 18 minutes into Tottenham's Carabao Cup clash with Coventry on September 18.

The injury initially sidelined him for around five weeks, before he made a brief return from the bench in Spurs' 1-0 win over AZ Alkmaar last month.

Odobert then suffered a further setback, before the decision was made for him to go under the knife in a bid to fix the issue.

Postecoglou said at the time: "(It’s) not exactly the same (injury) but (it’s the) same area."

A club statement has since read: "We can confirm that Wilson Odobert underwent surgery to his right hamstring yesterday (Saturday 16 November).

"The 19-year-old will continue to be closely monitored by our medical team to determine when he can return to training."

Odobert posted a picture of himself in his London hospital bed.

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Tottenham are sweating on several players' fitness ahead of their trip to Manchester City next Saturday.

Micky van de Ven missed out on their recent 2-1 defeat to Ipswich with a hamstring issue.

Forward Richarlison is a long-term absentee having suffered a serious hamstring injury against Aston Villa.

Cristian Romero was substituted at half-time during Argentina's 2-1 defeat to Paraguay last Friday, having reportedly felt pain in his foot.

While teenage wonderkid Mikey Moore, 17, has missed recent matches through illness.

Tottenham go into next weekend's clash with City sat 10th in the Premier League table after 11 games.

Postecoglou's men have won five and lost five so far this season, with their one draw coming on the opening day against Leicester.

Spurs will next face a City side that they dumped out of the Carabao Cup last month.

FORMER Tottenham star Giovani dos Santos has swapped boots for barrels... by becoming an OIL TYCOON.

The Mexico winger, a £9million Spurs buy from Barcelona, spent four seasons at White Hart Lane.

He scored three goals in 33 games, and also had a loan spell with Ipswich Town, before leaving for Mallorca in 2012.

Dos Santos also helped Mexico win gold at the 2012 London Olympics, beating Brazil 2-0 in the final at Wembley.

Dos Santos, 35, retired in 2021 and has since had a business buying and selling luxury cars in his home country.

But the 106-cap international has now become the JR Ewing of football by investing in Procura Mexico.

The company is part of the country's state-owned oil giant Pemex.

And Dos Santos is reported to be earning up to £400,000 a year from Pemex, Latin America's second-largest oil company.

A source said: "According to our information, his new job brings him in four to five hundred thousand dollars a year - over 10 million Mexican pesos."

Barcelona academy product Dos Santos was once dubbed the new Lionel Messi.

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He also had spells with Galatasaray, Racing Santander, Villarreal, LA Galaxy and Mexico's Club America before hanging up his boots.

Dos Santos played eight times for Ipswich in 2009, scoring four Championship goals.

He comes from a footballing family with his brother, Jonathan, also a successful pro.

He also came through the youth ranks at Barcelona.

He went on to play for Villarreal before moving to the MLS with LA Galaxy.

He then returned to Mexico to join Club America in 2022 and is still playing for the club.

RODRIGO BENTANCUR is understood to have been banned for seven domestic games for a racist comment about Tottenham team-mate Son Heung-min.

The Uruguayan midfielder, 27, was charged by the FA in September for an "aggravated breach" and faced a ban of between six and 12 matches.

He has now learned the extent of his punishment which will mean he is unable to play until mid-December.

Back in June, Bentancur suggested that all South Korean people "look the same" during a Uruguayan TV interview.

A reporter asked "Can you get me the shirt from the Korean?" to which Bentancur replied: "Sonny?"

The journalist then went on to say "Or any other champion," before the midfielder responded: "Or any cousin of Sonny, they all look more or less the same."

He subsequently apologised to Spurs team-mate Son, who is South Korea's captain, and issued a statement on social media which read: "Sonny brother. I apologise to you for what happened, it was just a very bad joke.

"You know I love you and I would never disrespect you or hurt you or anyone else! I love you, brother!"

Son was quick to accept his apology and said: "He apologised straight afterwards when we [were on] holiday.

"I was at home, I didn't even realise what was going on. He just sent me a long message, and you could feel it was coming from his heart.

"When we came back to the training ground for pre-season, he was really sorry and he almost cried.

"He apologised in public and personally as well. It felt like he was really sorry. We're all human, we make mistakes, we learn from it. I love Rodrigo, I love him, I love him.

"He knows he made a mistake but I have no problem at all. We move on as a team-mate, as a friend, as a brother. We move on together."

But Bentancur was charged by the FA who deemed the comment to include "a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin".

The FA statement following Bentancur's charge read: "Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged with an alleged breach of FA Rule E3 for misconduct in relation to a media interview.

"It’s alleged that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder has breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute.

"It’s further alleged that this constitutes an 'aggravated breach' which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin."

SunSport has approached the FA for comment.

The ban means Bentancur is set to miss Spurs' Premier League games against Manchester City, Fulham, Bournemouth, Chelsea, Southampton and Liverpool - as well as their Carabao Cup quarter-final with Manchester United.

He will still be eligible to play in their Europa League games against Roma and Rangers.

Bentancur has started seven of Spurs' 11 Premier League games so far this season, scoring one goal.

IPSWICH TOWN defender Harry Clarke left fans in stitches with a cheeky gesture following Sunday's shock win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The Tractor Boys earned their first Premier League victory in 22 years at the weekend.

Sammie Szmodics and Liam Delap both scored as Kieran McKenna's side clinched a 2-1 win over Tottenham.

Travelling fans stayed in the away end long after the final whistle to celebrate, with pop superstar and boyhood Ipswich fan Ed Sheeran also in attendance.

Former Arsenal academy star Clarke - who was an unused substitute for Ipswich - led the full-time celebrations.

And he was even caught making a cheeky gesture towards the Tottenham fans.

While walking with his team-mates, Clarke was filmed flicking two middle fingers up at the home supporters.

Sky Sports viewers were quick to spot the gesture and took to social media to react.

One person wrote: "I know what’ll cheer you up, seeing how Hale End’s Harry Clarke celebrated his win at spurs today towards the spurs fans."

Another commented: "Once a Gooner. Good lad Harry."

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A third quipped: "Hang it in the Louvre!"

While a fourth said: "Once a Gunner..."

Clarke also took to X after the match to share an image of himself celebrating on the pitch.

He captioned the post with: "Huge win on the road," alongside a fire emoji and a blue heart.

The win over Tottenham took Ipswich out of the relegation zone and up to 17th in the Premier League table.

ANGE POSTECOGLOU appeared to angrily stare down a Tottenham fan after his flops were booed off the pitch against Ipswich.

Spurs looked to be flying high several weeks ago when they dumped Man City out of the Carabao Cup.

They then thrashed Champions League outfit Aston Villa 4-1 at home.

And despite seeing their B team lose 3-2 in the Europa League to Galatasaray, supporters were extremely confident of a big victory against struggling Premier League newbies Ipswich.

Kieran McKenna’s promoted side were yet to win a game this season.

But the Tractor Boys upset the odds to seal an incredible 2-1 triumph in North London.

Spurs fans were left enraged by the result as they jeered players off at the final whistle.

However, that wasn’t the only incident at full time.

As Tottenham boss Postecoglou headed to the tunnel, he zoned in on one fan giving it large.

It is not known what the supporter - or supporters - said or did.

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But Postecoglou was clearly annoyed by it.

And he stopped dead in his tracks at the tunnel entrance before looking upwards and staring at the naughty fan.

Tottenham’s boss held his glare for several seconds, with some staff members also joining him.

But Postecoglou eventually headed inside and undoubtedly gave his Spurs players a dressing down.

Speaking in the tunnel, the Australian said: “We were very passive, we didn’t get the tempo or intensity right. Ultimately, it’s my responsibility.

“It’s got nothing to do with the players. The inconsistency we’re having this year is down to me.

“I’ve got to make sure that I try and find a way for us to become a more consistent side.

“The fans will be disappointed, they have a right to be. Like I said, the responsibility lies with me to fix it.”

Big Ange also hit out at Ipswich for perceived time wasting, adding: “I think it’s the way the Premier League is going.

“It’s pretty strategic now. It’s funny – I always liked the Premier League because it wasn’t like that.

“You’d watch teams play in Europe and get frustrated by it, but now it’s part of the game here as well. There’s nothing we can do about it.

“For us, if we want to mitigate those things – because we don’t do it and we want the game to be played – then we shouldn’t give opportunities for the opposition to do that.”

Postecoglou has the international break to "fix" things - then faces Man City away in the first game back.

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