The Mirror

Tottenham have tried to steal a march on Arsenal in the race to sign Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze - and they have one factor in their favour in the summer transfer window

Tottenham have launched an attempt to beat Arsenal to the signing of Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze.

Confirmation that Palace won’t play in the Europa League this season after the Court of Arbitration for Sport upheld UEFA’s ruling has left the club vulnerable to approaches for their star players. Attacking midfielder Eze and captain Marc Guehi now look likely to depart in the summer transfer window.

Liverpool have opened talks over the signing of Guehi and Eze is the subject of interest from north London rivals Spurs and Arsenal. Guehi’s current contract expires next summer and Eze has a release clause in his deal which has encouraged Spurs.

Eze has a £68million release clause written into his contract with the Eagles that is set to expire on Friday. Arsenal have courted him all summer, but after spending over £200m on new players, need to sell players before bidding for Eze.

That plays into the hands of Tottenham, who have funds available and have now opened talks with Palace. Spurs missed out on signing Morgan Gibbs-White, who ended up signing a new deal with Nottingham Forest after their approach, and have just lost James Maddison to a serious knee injury.

Manager Thomas Frank is desperate to add creative quality to his squad, which has also been depleted by the departure of Son Heung-min to LAFC. Tottenham are working on a deal for Eze, but do not plan on paying his £68m release clause.

They will be buoyed by Arsenal’s inability to compete, with the Gunners unable to offload unwanted players yet. Mikel Arteta’s side need to find buyers for the likes of Leandro Trossard, Fabio Vieira, Reiss Nelson, Oleksandr Zinchenko and Karl Hein, having only generated a mere £8.57m through player sales after flogging left-back Nuno Tavares to Lazio and Marquinhos to Cruzeiro.

However, it remains to be seen whether Eze will be willing to change his mind, having previously made it clear he prefers a move to Arsenal. Like Arsenal, Spurs can offer Champions League football, after winning the Europa League last season, and Frank can also offer more regular starts given lesser competition for places.

One thing is certain: Palace have faced up to their financial reality, with the lack of Europa League football costing them an estimated £20m. They know that now might be the best time to cash in on Eze and they will also be able to find a replacement before the window closes on September 1.

Speaking after the Eagles’ Community Shield win vs Liverpool, Palace chairman Steve Parrish said: “Players come and go in football clubs, you know, I mean, it's a life cycle isn't it? Hopefully they're still here. That's what I'd like but we'll see.”

Tottenham Hotspur are currently searching the market for more summer additions, and one of their targets has already won over Cristiano Ronaldo with his performances

Cristiano Ronaldo once hailed Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Savinho as the best young player in world football, snubbing Lamine Yamal in the process. The Manchester City forward has now surprisingly emerged on Thomas Frank's radar.

The 21-year-old was a beacon of hope in an otherwise lacklustre season for the Citizens after his move from Troyes in the summer of 2024. Pep Guardiola entrusted the Brazilian with 21 Premier League starts in his debut season and despite his inconsistent final product, he proved to be a threat on both flanks for the former Barcelona boss.

In his 48 appearances across all competitions, Savinho managed to net three goals and provide 13 assists for City. However, Spurs have now initiated discussions over a potential deal.

This news might also surprise Ronaldo, as the Manchester United icon overlooked Yamal and voted for Savinho for the 2024 Kopa Award, which recognises the best young talent, at the Ballon d'Or ceremony. The football legend's choice differed from fellow Ballon d'Or winners Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Lionel Messi.

Ronaldo's former rival Messi cast his votes for Yamal, Pau Cubarsi and Alejandro Garnacho, while Modric also favoured Yamal as his top pick but chose Arda Guler and Joao Neves in second and third, while Benzema selected Yamal, Guler and Garnacho.

Ultimately, Yamal claimed the accolade following his sensational breakthrough during Spain's victorious Euro 2024 run. However, one of the ceremony's major talking points was Ronaldo positioning Savinho ahead of Yamal, naming the Barcelona sensation as his runner-up choice, with Guler completing his top three.

The selection demonstrates just how highly Ronaldo regards him, while also hinting Spurs could secure one of the summer's shrewdest acquisitions should they finalise a deal for the South American talent. The north London outfit have already brought in Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuscovic and Kota Takai, alongside securing Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich.

Guardiola similarly backed Savinho for stardom during the recent Club World Cup. Nevertheless, their time working together could be drawing to a close, as the attacker is reportedly prepared to relocate to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium should both clubs reach an agreement on terms.

Given Guardiola's latest observations regarding Savinho's capabilities, City might find themselves ruing his departure should he indeed exit the Etihad. Following the winger's strike in City's 5-2 triumph over Juventus, Guardiola said: "He is a player with incredible potential. We cannot forget he's so young.

"He needs to make the final third more decisive in aspects like the goal he has done in the last game. He has to do it more. The last goal is more and more complicated and difficult to score than the previous ones - one against ones, the 'keeper, that maybe last season he missed.

"The moment he will make this step, which will come in a natural way because he has incredible individual quality, when it arrives for his commitment to say I want to do it, I want to be decisive, I want to score goals and make more assists, he will become an extraordinary player.

"He can play on both sides, right and left, he's so fast, he understands tactically the movements he has, so that's why he can play with us."

Troy Parrott was hailed as the next Harry Kane during his time at Tottenham, but the striker only made four appearances for the first team before leaving for AZ Alkmaar in 2024, where he has thrived

Former Tottenham Hotspur starlet Troy Parrott is living up to his tag as 'the next Harry Kane' in the Netherlands after scoring seven goals in four games for AZ Alkmaar. The 23-year-old left Spurs to join AZ in a £6.7million deal in July 2024, with his former club securing a substantial sell-on clause in the agreement.

Parrott initially joined Tottenham back in 2017 at 15 from Irish team Belvedere, but despite high expectations, he only managed to make four appearances for the senior squad. He even left with some stars warning that Spurs could be making an error in letting him go.

Branded as Ireland's best prospect since ex-Tottenham star Robbie Keane, the forward was also hailed as the next Kane while on the books at Spurs due to the pair's similarities on the pitch.

Although he didn't quite live up to the praise in north London, the Irish forward is now proving his worth in Holland with a series of impressive performances. Parrott was also part of the AZ team that lost to Spurs during their successful Europa League campaign last season.

Parrott has already scored three goals in two matches against Finnish side Ilves Tampere and two against Liechtenstein's Vaduz, both in Europa Conference League qualifying this summer. He also bagged a brace in AZ's 4-1 victory over FC Groningen in the Dutch Eredivisie's opening match at the weekend.

During his time at Spurs, Parrott had five loan spells with Millwall, Ipswich, MK Dons and Preston, experiencing varying levels of success. However, it was a temporary switch to the Eredivisie with Excelsior that truly launched his career.

The forward netted 17 times for the struggling outfit. He has also earned 29 senior caps for the Republic of Ireland, finding the net on five occasions.

But what did he make of those weighty comparisons to Kane? He told The Athletic in April 2022 that he was determined he was going to carve his own path.

"Obviously, I want to be my own player," he said. "But Kane is so good in terms of his finishing, his passing - why wouldn't I try and take little bits from there?"

"But it's not only taking bits from Kane because he plays for Tottenham. It's taking things wherever you can that will make you better. It's not annoying in any way [the comparisons], it's just how it is. When you see him on TV, you don't get to see him going to the gym before training, you don't get to see the way he trains every day.

"That's something everyone should take. There's no downside to having that relentlessness in your game. I look at that and think to be at that level these are the things you need to do."

Spurs are now accelerating their hunt for offensive reinforcements following the exit of club legend Son Heung-Min and the injury to James Maddison, which could potentially rule him out for the bulk of the campaign.

Spurs boss Thomas Frank has been busy in the transfer market, securing five new faces for the squad. Permanent deals have been concluded for Mohammed Kudus, Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai, while defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha has joined on loan from Bayern Munich.

Rumours are also swirling around a move for Manchester City's winger Savinho, with a transfer to Spurs seemingly gaining traction. Speculation is also rife about potential moves for Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze and Leicester City's Bilal El Khannouss.

Spurs cleverly included a 20 per cent sell-on clause in the deal that saw Parrott head to AZ. The club are keeping their fingers crossed for a tidy sum from any future sale of Parrott, or even a bargain return to north London - a possibility they might explore in their quest for more goals.

Sky Sports and NOW will broadcast over 215 Premier League matches exclusively live this season

The Spurs legend, 42, was over the moon when the Dane took the job following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou

Jermain Defoe has seen Thomas Frank’s coaching abilities first-hand and believes the new Tottenham boss is set for a memorable first season in the White Hart Lane hotseat.

The Spurs legend, 42, was over the moon when the Dane took the job following the sacking of Ange Postecoglou, who oversaw an end to the club’s 17-year trophy drought but also their lowest Premier League finish in 48 years.

Defoe hopes an upturn in domestic fortunes is on the cards and feels Frank is the right man to instil a winning mentality. “It’s a really good appointment,” he said. “I was lucky enough to be invited into Brentford last season by Justin Cochrane, his assistant, to spend the day there.

“I was really impressed by the atmosphere of the club, the connection the players had with the manager, his messages in the training session, everything really.

“It was amazing to be there and see how he did things at the football club. You could see why they were successful and that’s why I was so happy when he got appointed.

“The club have made some good signings and I’m really looking forward to the season.” Spurs’ build-up has been hampered by an ACL injury to James Maddison and the departure of Son Heung-min, who sits two places above Defoe in the club’s all-time goalscorers list.

But Defoe hopes there is fresh talent waiting in the wings ready to step up. "Some players are difficult to replace – when Harry (Kane) went, you were thinking ‘how are we going to replace him’,” he said.

“People like Harry and Sonny are unique footballers. Son will go down as a club legend and will be missed on and off the pitch, he’s a good guy and a good captain who led by example.

“But it’s football. Players move on and clubs have to try and move on to get that next one through the door.

“It would be nice if it was someone from the academy, producing players, and if not hopefully we can do some more business.”

Defoe was speaking as part was speaking at a KP Snacks event in Charlton Park, helping to celebrate their achievement of installing 100 all-weather, grassroots community cricket pitches across England and Wales as part of their Everyone In campaign.

He has not played the sport since his schooldays but relished taking part and seeing the opportunities on offer for children in the capital.

“It’s an amazing campaign and it’s really good to be involved,” he said. “This is pitch number 100, so it was only right that I picked the bat up and hit a six.

“To see families come out, the pros come out, and see that connection with the community is really nice. My grandad loved cricket, I remember being at my nan’s house and my grandad was always watching cricket, with his St Lucian background, supporting the West Indies.

“Years later, I was at West Ham with Shaka Hislop and through Shaka, I met Brian Lara and became friends. It’s a fantastic sport and one I want to go and watch soon.”

KP Snacks, the Official Team Partner of The Hundred, are celebrating the installation of 100 new community cricket pitches across England and Wales as part of their Everyone In campaign. To find out more and search for your nearest pitch, visit: www.everyonein.co.uk/pitchfinder .

Tottenham Hotspur have money to spend under new manager Thomas Frank after selling captain Son Heung-min, and some of it could go towards a raid on Manchester City

Manchester City's busy summer could leave Savinho as the odd man out, and Tottenham Hotspur may be ready to pounce. The Brazilian winger only joined City last summer, but could see his time at the Etihad Stadium come to an early end.

Savinho, 21, scored one league goal in 29 outings last term - eight of those appearances coming from the bench. He was also on target against Club Brugge in the Champions League and in the 5-2 Club World Cup group stage win against Juventus.

Pep Guardiola's side have been busy in the transfer market since missing out on silverware last season. Rayan Cherki is the most likely to take game time from Savinho, while the arrival of Tijjani Reinders and return of Rodri could allow Guardiola to change things up with his formation.

Jack Grealish already appears to be suffering from the competition for places, with a move for the £100m man anticipated. According to reports on the continent, though, Spurs may yet take advantage of the situation to bring Savinho to North London.

Spurs have already strengthened in the final third this window, with new boss Thomas Frank overseeing a £55million move for Mohammed Kudus. James Maddison's ACL injury means more depth could be needed, though, and Savinho would reportedly be open to joining the club.

It appears a lot has changed since January, when Guardiola praised Savino for the spark he provided in the must-win game against Brugge. "He was unbelievable," the manager said of the Brazilian after City came from behind to beat the Belgian side..

"He changed the game and after five or ten minutes had won two or three corners. Our crowd reacted and we had the chances."

Spurs have strengthened with the signing of Kudus from West Ham and a permanent deal for Mathys Tel, who joins after a spell on loan from Bayern Munich. Maddison will be a big loss, though, with the former Leicester star set to miss the bulk of the season after knee surgery.

“I think it’s disappointing but also devastating for me and mainly for Madders that he’s out of the team,” Frank said. “We will miss him and no doubt he will miss playing football.”

Kevin Danso joined Tel in completing a permanent move after a successful loan, with Kota Takai and Luka Vuskovic among the other new arrivals. Joao Palhinha has also joined on loan from Bayern, while captain Son Heung-min is the highest-profile star to leave North London after completing a move to Los Angeles FC.

Spurs will begin their Premier League campaign on Saturday, hosting newly promoted Burnley. They are also back in the Champions League this season thanks to their victory in the Europa League final back in May.

Tottenham have completed the permanent signing of Mathys Tel after initially having him on loan from Bayern Munich and Harry Kane is convinced he'll be a massive success

Harry Kane is confident that Tottenham star Mathys Tel can "shine in the Premier League " after making a permanent move to the north Londoners from Bayern Munich.

Kane had the chance to play alongside Tel before his mid-season move to Tottenham. The French forward is highly-rated and is tipped for big things but wanted regular first-team minutes and those in the capital were able to convince him to join amid interest from elsewhere.

Tel joined initially on loan and Tottenham have decided to make that deal permanent, spending £30million to secure his services. The 20-year-old scored on his first start in an FA Cup loss at Aston Villa, which was one of the three goals he managed across his 20 outings.

The forward was playing in an underperforming side that finished firmly in the bottom half but Kane is confident, with a new manager at the helm and a full pre-season, that Tel can be a big hit.

He said, following Bayern's 4-0 win over Tottenham: "He’s got great potential. Whether he’s playing as a left winger or a striker, he gets into dangerous areas, he can finish the ball well, and he’s good one-v-one.

"I don’t want to put too much pressure on him – he’s going to the Premier League, he’s still extremely young although he has a lot of experience here, he still has to develop and improve, he knows that and he works hard to do that, so I just want him to go and enjoy himself, have confidence and hopefully he can shine in the Premier League."

Tottenham have added Mohamed Kudus to further compliment their frontline, although they have lost James Maddison for much of the season due to injury. New manager Thomas Frank has previously helped the likes of Bryan Mbeumo, who plays a similar position to Tel, to thrive.

And now the ex-Brentford boss is excited about the prospect of aiding Tel's development. He said: "Very, very excited about Mathys signing with a permanent deal. I think he’s a very talented player who can play across the front four positions.

“He’s a goalscorer that we can develop even further to be more consistent in his all-round game but also to more consistently land in the right positions in the box. So I’m looking forward to it.”

Tottenham want to sign a new No.10 for Thomas Frank after James Maddison suffered a ruptured ACL while on the club's pre-season tour of South Korea

Tottenham have confirmed James Maddison has ruptured his ACL and will be forced to undergo surgery. The attacking midfielder suffered the injury in Sunday's 1-1 friendly draw with Newcastle in Seoul and was stretchered off.

Scans have now confirmed the 28-year-old's season is now all but over as he prepares to go under the knife and begin his long road to recovery. Maddison missed May's Europa League final triumph over Manchester United with a separate knee issue after straining his MCL.

Spurs had already been eyeing a new No.10 for Thomas Frank but their search for attacking reinforcements will now intensify. Last month, Tottenham communicated they were ready to trigger a confidential £60million buy-out clause in Morgan Gibbs-White's Nottingham Forest contract.

However, the transfer fell through after Forest declared they were considering legal action against Spurs and the England international has since penned fresh terms.

Dejan Kulusevski is also expected to miss the first month of the new season after undergoing patella surgery in May. Leicester City's Bilal El Khannouss, who netted in a 2-1 win at Spurs in January, is among a list of alternative names being monitored. Aston Villa, Sunderland and Leeds have also made enquiries for the 21-year-old Moroccan.

Meanwhile, Harvey Elliott has also been tracked but he is valued at an estimated £45m by Liverpool after he was named Player of the Tournament at the U21 Euros as England defended the trophy in Slovakia.

Elliott is currently the subject of talks with RB Leipzig and is viewed as their top target to replace Chelsea-bound Xavi Simons. Liverpool are understood to have indicated their interest in including a buy-back clause, too.

Villa's Jacob Ramsey has also previously attracted admirers at Tottenham but does not appear to be an active target at this moment in time. Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche has been scouted, though primarily featured as a right winger last season.

Interest in Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze cooled earlier this summer and it remains to be seen if that's reignited. So far, there is no substance to links to Real Madrid's Rodrygo, either.

Fabio Paratici, who has a network of contacts across Europe, is poised to be involved in recruitment discussions as he continues to work for Spurs on a consultancy basis.

Brentford's Yoane Wissa remains a player of interest and he wants to leave west London but the Bees are determined to play hardball over a fee after rejecting two bids from Newcastle.

Tottenham looked into signing Wissa in January but were told it wasn't possible, they remain attentive to his situation but there is recognition his best position is operating as a centre-forward, where Spurs are already well-stocked with Dominic Solanke and Richarlison.

There is also an openness to recruiting a new senior centre-back providing Luka Vuskovic is sent on loan. As reported by Mirror Football in mid-June, Hamburg are interested in the Croatian and have now held initial talks over a potential deal.

Brighton's Jan Paul van Hecke and Bournemouth's Illia Zabarnyi, wanted by PSG, are appreciated but would both cost premium fees.

Tottenham are reluctant to put a timeframe on Maddison's return and are in the process of finalising young winger Yang Min-hyeok's loan switch to Portsmouth.

Fellow attacker Bryan Gil has also been offered to a number of Italian and Spanish clubs via intermediaries including Bologna with Spurs looking to push through a permanent sale following his recent loan spell at Girona.

How to watch Tottenham vs Bayern Munich: Live stream and kick-off time for pre-season friendly

Tottenham Hotspur are set to face Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich in their final pre-season friendly as Thomas Frank gears up for his first campaign as Spurs boss

Tottenham Hotspur are set for a stern test ahead of the new campaign as they wrap up their pre-season schedule against Bayern Munich. Thomas Frank’s Spurs face the German champions in their final friendly ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Super Cup clash with PSG.

Spurs have already recorded a notable north London Derby victory over Arsenal in Hong Kong and followed that up with a draw against Newcastle United. The club’s tour of Asia marked the farewell of long-serving forward and club captain Son Heung-min ahead of his move to MLS franchise LAFC.

It has been a summer of change for Spurs, who appointed Frank to replace Europa League-winning manager Ange Postecoglou. New loan signing Joao Palhinha could yet make his debut against his parent club Bayern, while Mathys Tel has also joined Spurs permanently from the German club.

In terms of Tottenham's opposition, Vincent Kompany’s side have sealed a £65.5million move for Liverpool forward Luis Diaz and the fixture also allows Spurs legend Harry Kane to face his former club. Mirror Football details how to tune into the friendly match and what has been said ahead of the game.

When and where is Bayern Munich vs Tottenham Hotspur?

The match will take place at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Bayern’s home stadium. Kick-off is scheduled for 6.30pm local time on Thursday, August 7. For fans tuning in from the UK, the match will start at 5.30pm.

It is a repeat of a pre-season fixture from last summer, which saw Kane feature at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the first time since leaving the club in 2023. That game ended in a 3-2 win for Bayern, and new Spurs boss Frank will hope for a more positive result this time around.

How can I watch Bayern Munich vs Tottenham Hotspur?

The match will not be shown on terrestrial TV or standard sports subscription channels. Spurs will broadcast the game live via their in-house streaming service SPURSPLAY.

A SPURSPLAY subscription costs £45-per-year and includes exclusive content and full match replays. The build-up to the Bayern game is scheduled to begin an hour before kick-off.

What have Thomas Frank and Vincent Kompany said?

The Tottenham boss has admitted he was taken aback by Palhinha’s availability, given Bayern’s determination to sign the former Fulham midfielder last summer. Frank believes the 30-year-old brings a quality that was previously lacking within his squad.

"Yeah, I was a bit surprised,” Frank told football.london. “Bayern went hard for him for two years and for whatever reason, which I actually don’t care about because we can get him, it was an opportunity for us.”

"I think he is a top player,” Frank added. “He impressed everyone in the Premier League in the two years he was with Fulham. He is a regular for Portugal. Whatever the reason [Bayern let him go maybe] is the coach, the culture, the club, himself. Sometimes it is difficult to say. My concern is that he wanted to come and we wanted him to come.”

Meanwhile, Kompany confessed that it has not been a standard summer as his team only recently returned to action after competing in the Club World Cup. Bayern recorded a 2-1 home win over Lyon last weekend.

“It's an unusual pre-season – a short vacation, short preparation and then back to work,” Kompany told Bayern’s club website. “But we're up for it. We don't have much time. We want to be physically ready for the early games.”

Tottenham Hotspur playmaker James Maddison will miss the bulk of the season with a serious knee injury. The England international suffered the setback in pre-season, and it's now been confirmed that he has torn his ACL and requires surgery.

Fellow Premier League player Rodri missed eight months after an ACL tear last season. The Manchester City star returned at the tail end of the campaign after being forced off in an early season match against Arsenal. Maddison was playing for Spurs in a pre-season friendly against Newcastle when he went down injured and was stretchered off. Thomas Frank confirmed the injury was to the same knee which forced him to miss the team's Europa League final in May.

"We can confirm that James Maddison will undergo surgery for a ruptured Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee," Spurs said in a statement. "The 28-year-old midfielder suffered the injury during our pre-season friendly against Newcastle United on Sunday in Seoul. His surgery will take place in the coming days and, following that, James will then begin his rehabilitation with our medical team.

"Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur wishes James a full and speedy recovery. We will be supporting him every step of the way."

Frank said after the Newcastle game: “We're pretty sure it was the same knee he injured before."

Maddison was seen leaving on crutches, and the Spurs boss elaborated on the tough situation.

“Yeah, it's like in life and football, I think sometimes life and football can be brutal, but also sometimes very beautiful. So I think it was brutal in what happened to to Madders," he said. "It looks like a bad injury. Of course we don't know exactly the status on it. It didn't look good."

The injury also puts Maddison's World Cup involvement in doubt. The seven-cap England international has yet to play for the national team since Thomas Tuchel took over in the dugout, but might have hoped a big season could have put him back in the manager's thoughts.

Spurs will now need to decide whether to dip into the transfer market for a replacement. Morgan Gibbs-White and Ebere Eze have both been of interest in the past, while there have been suggestions they could move for Harvey Elliott as RB Leipzig weigh up a move for the Liverpool star.

The injury news comes just one day after Spurs confirmed the departure of captain Son Heung-min. South Korea forward Son has moved to Los Angeles FC in a Major League Soccer record deal, worth roughly £19.5million.

Son Heung-min has chosen to leave Tottenham and join LAFC but concedes heading to the MLS in a record switch was not his first choice move, but he was convinced to move

Former Tottenham captain Son Heung-min has confessed that LAFC were "not my first choice" as the South Korean called time on his decade in North London. Son wasn't short of offers this summer but has opted to move to MLS with LAFC spending just shy of £20million - a record fee for an American club.

The 33-year-old captained Tottenham to their Europa League triumph back in May before deciding that both he and Spurs should embark on new eras this summer. Initially he wasn't sold on a move to the United States, but a chat with LAFC's general manager helped turn his head.

The South Korean said: "They've been absolutely working so hard to get me here to join LAFC. If I'm honest, it was not my first choice but John [Thorrington, LAFC general manager] was the first call when the season finished and John changed my mind. He changed my heart.

"I'm so happy to see all the Korean fans, I was at the game and I saw you supporting like crazy and I wanted to run on the pitch and show my performance."

And Son has Son has underlined his desire to deliver in California, with the Los Angeles outfit also boasting his former Tottenham team-mate Hugo Lloris among their foreign imports.

"I'm here to win and I will perform. I will definitely show you something exciting in… are we calling it football or soccer? I will definitely show you some exciting football, and we will have success."

Son scored 173 goals with Tottenham, helping them reach the Champions League back in 2019. He also remains the only Asian player to win the Premier League Golden Boot and LAFC hailed his arrival. Their co-president and general manager said: "Sonny is a global icon and one of the most dynamic and accomplished players in world football.

"His ambition, ability, and character align perfectly with our values at LAFC. We are proud that he has chosen Los Angeles for the next chapter of his extraordinary career. Sonny is a proven winner and a world-class individual, and we are confident he will elevate our club and inspire our community - both on and off the pitch."

Son cut an emotional figure on his final Tottenham appearance recently. He walked off to a guard of honour before crying on the bench, but insists it was the right time to go.

"I felt like I gave it all, but I felt like I needed a new challenge and I chose LAFC. I'm old, but I still have good physicality and I still have good quality," he said.