The Mirror

Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the sale of Son Heung-min to Los Angeles FC. The South Korea international has moved for the highest fee in Major League Soccer history, costing the Californian side around £19.5million, and shared an emotional farewell message to Spurs' fans.

“Well, to all the Spurs fans. I mean, it’s such a hard decision that I will leave the Spurs family," the forward said. "It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made.

“And, as I said, there’ll be no forever. And I gave [my] all. I know it sounds very surprising. I know it sounds very hard. And, because I gave my all, I feel like I need a new chapter."

He continued: “It was probably one of the hardest decisions I ever made so please don’t be disappointed. I will be disappointed, not seeing you on the pitch,” he continued. I will always be in your history books. And Spurs will always be in my heart and Spurs will always be in my family.”

“And as a kid, you welcomed me and as I grew up I’m leaving you but there’s always good timing. I always wanted to leave in a perfect way, [so] that people can think about me in very proud moments and very happy moments. This is the right time to say goodbye.”

During Spurs' pre-season tour of his native South Korea, Son confirmed his time in North London was coming to an end. He had spent the last decade with the team, helping them win the Europa League at the end of last season.

His move to LAFC will see him reunited with former Spurs goalkeeper Hugo Lloris. The French international joined the MLS side in 2024 and has been their regular No.1 since moving across the Atlantic.

Son had just turned 23 when he joined Spurs from Bayer Leverkusen in the summer of 2015. He took a bit of time to establish himself, blowing hot and cold in his first season, but then hit 10 or more goals in the league for each of the following eight campaigns as he linked up with the likes of Harry Kane and Dele Alli.

He replaced Lloris as Spurs' captain in 2023, when Ange Postecoglou took over as manager. Those two seasons as skipper saw the team finish fifth to qualify for the Europa League and then win a European trophy, beating Manchester United in the final in May.

Son's Spurs exit comes as the club prepares for a first season under new manager Thomas Frank. They have already spent big in an effort to make up for the loss of a popular figure, with £55m Ghana star Mohammed Kudus among the new arrivals.

Son Heung-min will complete his £15m move to Los Angeles FC in the coming days while Spurs confirm striker Will Lankshear has joined Oxford on loan

Son Heung-min is on his way to Los Angeles before completing a £15m switch to Major League Soccer after deciding to end his decade-long stay at Tottenham Hotspur.

The South Korea star, 33, last week confirmed that he would be leaving north London to pursue a new opportunity having scored 173 goals in 454 games while finally landing silverware by winning the Europa League in his final competitive game for the club.

Son was given a fitting farewell by appearing for Spurs in a friendly against Newcastle in front of his home fans in Seoul and, fighting back the tears, he said after the game: “This is the time to say goodbye to everyone. Spurs will always be in my heart. I will cheer them on as a family member.”

He is expected to sign a two-year deal with Los Angeles FC and will link-up with another former Spurs star in goalkeeper Hugo Lloris.

Son's departure follows confirmation that Will Lankshear has been sent on loan to Oxford United for the season. The young striker featured in half a dozen games early last season, starting League phase fixtures in their European run, and then went to West Brom on loan.

“This is a really exciting opportunity for me to be joining a great club,” said Lankshear. “I learned so much last season in the first team at Tottenham and West Brom and I’m ready to now kick on with Oxford United.

“I feel like this is the right place for me to be. I love nothing more than scoring goals. I want to do my best to bring as many as I can this season.”

New Spurs boss Thomas Frank is bringing his squad to Bavaria for a friendly against Bayern Munich on Thursday evening and will hope to integrate Joao Palhinha, who has been signed on loan from the Bundesliga champions, ahead of next week's UEFA Super Cup versus Paris Saint-Germain.

But Frank is waiting for an update on the condition of James Maddison, who was stretchered off after hurting a knee in the 1-1 draw with Newcastle.

“I think sometimes in life and football things can be both beautiful and brutal – that’s what we got today," the head coach said in Seoul. "It looks like with Madders a bad injury, and then on the other side unbelievable scenes for Son from his teammates and the respect from the Newcastle players.”

Daniel Levy has said he will be fully appreciated once he has stepped away from being Spurs chairman as he hits back at suggestions he has meddled with football affairs

Daniel Levy believes his work will not be fully appreciated until he steps away from Spurs. The chairman says protests from fans calling for him to move on leave him feeling bruised and while he has “suffered” like a supporter when results have been poor.

But he is convinced that delayed gratification will come when he is no longer in the firing line having overseen an era of seismic financial growth.

Levy has been in charge of Spurs since 2001 but their off-field successes, headlined by the opening of their £1bn stadium in 2019, have not measured up with underperformance on the pitch.

May’s Europa League win was the club’s first trophy since 2008 – and still preceded the 13th permanent managerial charge of Levy’s reign as Ange Postecoglou paid the price for a dismal domestic campaign.

"I think it's one of those situations - when I'm not here I'm sure I'll get the credit,” Levy told The Overlap. "When you come here and look at this wonderful building (the stadium) and the fact that other clubs are now trying to copy what we’re doing, that should be a sign that maybe we did do something bold and something right.

"The construction of the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium is my greatest achievement. This stadium is a symbol of Tottenham Hotspur on the global map."

Asked about the backlash he has experienced from supporters who believe change is necessary, Levy replied: “Of course it hurts but their pain is also my pain. I want to win and when we’re not playing well, and we’re not winning, believe me, I suffer as well. It ruins the whole weekend. It’s horrible – you’re in this to win and when you don’t win, it’s no fun.”

Levy said a “collective” decision was made to part ways with Postecoglou in June, despite the Australian bringing badly-needed silverware to north London.

And the chairman has made it clear that now the team has tasted success new boss Thomas Frank must use his predecessor’s triumph as “a springboard” for more.

"Nothing has changed in terms of our ambition, that has always been the case, but having won the Europa League you get a taste of it,” he added. "But it's not enough. We know we need to use that as a springboard to keep winning.

"I can't really answer (why), because I'm not the one that picks the team, motivates the team. We couldn't lose sight of the fact that we finished 17th in the league. We lost 22 Premier League games, and it’s impossible for Tottenham to be in that position, and so we had to take the emotion out of it.

"We're there to win and yes, we won a European trophy, and it was fantastic. But we also need to win on all fronts - and the Premier League says it all."

Tottenham star James Maddison was stretchered off in clear distress during Spurs' pre-season clash with Newcastle. The injury appeared to be relatively innocuous as Maddison stumbled and limped to the side of the pitch.

He then crumpled to the floor needing medical treatment, while he was then carried off by doctors. The injury occurred with just four minutes of the game remaining in Seoul.

Maddison's issue will be of huge concern to new boss Thomas Frank, with Spurs' season opener against Burnley coming in less than a fortnight's time. Before that, they take on Bayern Munich in their final friendly ahead of the UEFA Super Cup clash with French giants Paris Saint-Germain.

Maddison has made 75 appearances for Spurs since his switch from Leicester in 2023. In that time, he has scored 16 goals and provided 21 assists, while helping the club to the Europa League title last term.

The score against Newcastle was finely poised ahead of Maddison's injury at 1-1 after goals from Brennan Johnson and Harvey Barnes. The match also represented Son Heung-min's final one with the club, having confirmed his intent to leave in a press conference.

He captained Spurs in his home country and exited the pitch just after the hour mark in tears. Confirming his departure, he said: "Thank you for having us again here in Korea for the second year in a row. Everybody really appreciates it. It’s just incredible. Yesterday at the airport we felt the welcome. Everybody loved this and can’t wait to play tomorrow.

"Before we start, I just want to share the information that I have decided to leave this club this summer. Respectfully, this club is helping me to make my decision. I just want to share this before we start."

Son has so far remained quiet on his next club but is expected to complete a switch to Major League Soccer side LAFC. Spurs have already added to their attacking positions ahead of Son's exit.

How will Spurs do under Thomas Frank? Share your predictions in the comments below

Mohammed Kudus completed a big-money move from West Ham, while Spurs chose to sign Mathys Tel permanently from Bayern Munich. Kevin Danso's permanent option was also activated, with young defenders Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai also completed switches to North London.

They are close to completing a move for Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha, who is due to sign for Spurs on a season-long loan.

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min has confirmed that he will leave the club this summer in an emotional press conference. The South Korean forward made the announcement on Spurs' pre-season tour of his home country.

He said: "Thank you for having us again here in Korea for the second year in a row. Everybody really appreciates it. It’s just incredible. Yesterday at the airport we felt the welcome. Everybody loved this and can’t wait to play tomorrow.

"Before we start, I just want to share the information that I have decided to leave this club this summer. Respectfully, this club is helping me to make my decision. I just want to share this before we start."

On what has led him to exiting the North London side, he added: "It was the most difficult decision I have made in my career. I have spent 10 years at Tottenham. The main reason is I have achieved everything I can at Tottenham. I need a new environment for a fresh challenge. I’m grateful the club have respected my decision and wish Spurs well for the next season."

Son will now leave the club following a successful decade with Spurs. He was signed from German side Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 and has gone on to score 173 goals in over 450 appearances.

The forward also led Spurs to the Europa League title last season. But he has claimed that an exit has been on his mind for some time having opened up on emotional talks with his teammates.

"I spoke with only a few guys, ones I've spent a long time with," Son said. "Obviously they're disappointed, as a friendship or as a team-mate you'd be very disappointed if someone decided to leave, but in a respectful way. Obviously I'm very close with Ben [Davies] so we've spoken about the future a lot of times.

"Obviously he fully respects my decision. So does everyone. What can I say? It's very, very hard to tell my team-mates because I sometimes probably spend more time with them than my family because we're travelling together, spending time together every single day at the training ground, five or six hours every day.

Where do you think Son Heung-min should go? Share your thoughts in the comments below

"I think we know each other so well. Everybody was disappointed but also in a way very happy for me. That was my feeling but I don't what they were actually feeling! They seemed happy but disappointed when I told them my decision."

Son added: "It's been a while since I decided to leave the club. It was not easy days or weeks for me. I always try to be happy and I'm happiest when I'm playing football, but, it's not easy to leave the club where I spent 10 years light-hearted.

"I tried to not give any negative impact on other players, didn't want to make any sort of noise, but it was inevitable, that people noticed my feelings. My fans even know my habits, so they could notice about it, but I'll try to have good time for the two days while I'm in here."

Son, 33, has one year remaining on his contract and has been linked with a host of sides including MLS outfit LAFC. He remained quiet over where his future lied but confirmed that he would be keen to sign for a new club that would bolster his chances of appearing at next summer's World Cup.

He concluded: "For now it's to focus on tomorrow's match. I would not give many comments on the next team. Obviously I would like to focus on tomorrow's match and the future and the next team will be decided afterwards. In choosing the next team, the World Cup will definitely be one of the key points that I will consider. It might be my last World Cup so I need my new environment to give all that I've got for my football career. As well as the World Cup, I will also need to find a team that will make me happy while playing football."

Tottenham Hotspur beat Arsenal in a pre-season friendly in Hong Kong, prompting a social media back-and-forth between Spurs star Richarlison and one of his Gunners rivals

Arsenal star Gabriel reminded compatriot Richarlison of the games that really matter after the rivals faced off in pre-season. Spurs and Brazil forward Richarlison was on the winning side in Hong Kong and shared a photo of his man of the match award on social media.

He also tagged Gabriel in the post in an apparent dig at the Gunners centre-back. The defender wasn't going to let that slide, though, responding with photos of the three man of the match awards he won in Premier League games against Spurs.

The first of the three awards came in the 2023-24 season, when Arsenal won 3-2 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Gabriel was also man of the match in both of last season's games - a 1-0 away win and 2-1 home victory for the Gunners.

Arsenal had won both of their first two pre-season fixtures, against AC Milan and Newcastle United. They came up short against their North London rivals, though, with Pape Matar Sarr scoring the only goal of the game.

Gabriel wasn't involved in the match in Hong Kong as he continues to work his way back from injury. However, there were debuts for the Gunners' new striker Viktor Gyokeres and centre-back Cristhian Mosquera.

"A big surprise, because whenever we have them [new signings] to participate in training sessions, in games, the attitude and especially the quality that they have has been incredible, so very pleased," Arsenal boss MIkel Arteta said after the game. "As I said, a lot of great things to take from this tour.

"The incredible camaraderie that we had between the players and the staff, and how I think everyone values where we are. It’s been a long two weeks, with a lot happening, a lot of things that you have to adapt in your preparation. But the attitude of everybody to make it happen, especially to everybody who has been involved in preparing all of the tour for us. A big thank you because they've done an amazing job."

Spurs boss Thomas Frank was delighted with the result, even if it was a friendly. “A 1-0 score against Arsenal is an absolutely beautiful score!” he told club media.

“Yes, it is a friendly, but it’s also a very competitive match. I said before the game that games against Arsenal are never ‘friendly’. It means everything. I have to give respect to both teams for their competitiveness in the game. It was very competitive."

'I rejected Man Utd after situation that upset my family - now I could join Tottenham'

Tottenham are reportedly in talks with a Bayern Munich midfielder, who was previously linked with a move to Manchester United last summer

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in talks to sign former Manchester United target Joao Palhinha. The midfielder had a challenging first season at Bayern Munich, but previously excelled in the Premier League with Fulham.

The 30-year-old was restricted to just six league starts for the German club during an injury-plagued campaign following his move worth up to £47.4million last summer. Palhinha was a standout performer during his two years at Craven Cottage and was reported to be a target for United and several other clubs during his time in West London.

Bayern eventually won the race to sign Palhinha, having initially seen a deadline day move collapse in 2023. There has been speculation that United have reignited their interest in Palhinha this summer, but the midfielder could return to the Premier League with a different club after emerging as a target for Spurs.

The Independent has reported that Tottenham have started negotiations over a possible loan move for the former Sporting Lisbon star. It is claimed that Spurs held an interest in Palhinha prior to him joining Bayern.

A temporary move to Spurs could allow Palhinha to find his best form ahead of the 2026 World Cup and prove a point to Bayern boss Vincent Kompany. Tottenham are well-stocked in midfield but may wish to bolster their squad after gaining Champions League qualification through their Europa League triumph.

Palhinha has previously proven to be decisive when taking the next steps in his career. Sky Germany reported that the former Fulham midfielder made it clear he would turn down any approach from United as he remained committed to joining Bayern last summer following his collapsed transfer.

Fulham were reported to have demanded £60m for Palhinha, who was claimed to have attracted interest from United, Barcelona and Bayern. Nevertheless, the doubt surrounding then-United manager Erik ten Hag's position, who would pen a contract extension only to face dismissal in October, failed to improve the club's chances of swaying Palhinha.

United's squandered opportunity could prove to be a boost for Spurs should Palhinha join Thomas Frank's outfit on loan. Yet the defensive midfielder will be keen to sidestep another protracted transfer ordeal, having recalled the uncomfortable predicament he faced at Fulham in 2023.

"Obviously, it affected me and my family a lot, but it's water under the bridge, I don't want to remember too much about it," Palhinha said of his collapsed move to Bayern. "It's a great pride, you know what happened. In my life everything that has been happening – it has been for a reason, I like to think that way. The future will tell me whether what really happened was what had to happen or not.

"But only the future will show me that. I want to continue walking the journey as I've been doing, no one has given me anything throughout my career, everything I've achieved is earned, for my work. I hope that continues to be the case. I'm 28 years old, but I know I can reach higher and it's with this ambition that I face the future."

England manager Thomas Tuchel praised Palhinha when he expressed regret at failing to land his midfield target. "I was sad because I know what he would have added to our team," former Bayern boss Tuchel admitted.

"He was sad and disappointed. We'll speak again about what happened. Everyone did what they had to do, but it was too late in the end."

United brought in Manuel Ugarte from Sporting during the same transfer window that saw Palhinha finally complete his switch to Bayern. The £51m midfielder, who previously played alongside Palhinha, featured in 45 matches during his first campaign at United and has been reunited with manager Ruben Amorim at Old Trafford.

Meanwhile, Tottenham secured a 1-0 victory over north London rivals Arsenal at the Kai Tak Sports Park in Hong Kong on Thursday, with midfielder Pape Matar Sarr netting the match's only goal. The club have recruited Mohammed Kudus for £55m and confirmed permanent deals for former loanees Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel, while also capturing several promising youngsters during the summer transfer window.

Tottenham secured a 1-0 win over Arsenal in pre-season on Thursday thanks to Pape Sarr's wonder strike near the halfway line and new boss Thomas Frank is happy with how his team are shaping up

Thomas Frank could not have asked for a better start to life as Tottenham boss after masterminding a 1-0 win over Arsenal in Hong Kong, the first ever north London derby to be staged outside the UK.

Played in front of a record-breaking crowd of 49,975 - the biggest football attendance in the country’s history - the clash was anything but a pre-season friendly. And it was decided in spectacular fashion by Pape Matar Sarr, who stunned the packed stands with a rocket from the halfway line just before half-time.

Spurs boss Frank was delighted with the win and how it sets the tone for his reign, saying it was "very pleasing" to secure his first North London Derby win.

“This was as positive a result as you can get in terms of reinforcing the messages and team building and desire to defend was good,” he said.

“It is very pleasing to win my first north London derby. And you could not call that a friendly. People could see the desire from both teams and our great desire to keep a clean sheet.”

Tottenham were impressive in the first half and dug deep after the break to hold onto their lead. And Frank will not have to wait too long until he faces Arsenal for real, at the Emirates in November.

A noticeable difference to the Ange Postecoglou era was Tottenham’s excellent attacking and defending of corners, masterminded by new set piece coach Andreas Georgson, formerly of Brentford and Arsenal.

“The first half we were good and the second half we defended a bit too much but that was good and our set pieces were good as well in attack and defence,” Frank added.

The Dane admitted the tour has already opened his eyes to the scale of his new role after leaving Brentford for the Europa League winners.

“Definitely. I think I had a good idea but you don't really know until you step into it and I think seeing how important it is for the fans. The fans have been waiting every day for us, every morning and evening, and the fans that came to open training and were at the game. You understand more and more, first and foremost how big a club Spurs is and the importance of the club.”

Frank, calm and confident in the dugout and in front of the media, was full of praise for matchwinner Sarr.

“The goal was an unbelievable shot. The way he has worked and played he has impressed me in the last four weeks.”

There were encouraging signs too from £55m summer signing Mohammed Kudus, who lit up the game with his flair and work ethic.

“Think he was really good from Kudus. His hold-up play, the way he takes hold of the ball in tricky situations. His one-vs-one skills, his creating opportunities for the team was top class.

"On top of that I think he's working extremely hard. That's how he can help the team so much. He will make a lot of the fans excited with his offensive actions and he will also help the team defensively.”

And West Ham signing Kudus could soon be joined at Spurs by former Fulham man Joao Palhinha. Tottenham have opened talks with Bayern Munich over the potential loan signing of the Portugal midfielder, who missed much of last season through injury.

'I joined Arsenal over Chelsea and Spurs - it was the most terrible choice I ever made'

Mel Charles' transfer to Arsenal set a record for the biggest transfer between British clubs in 1959, but the Welshman described the move to north London as the worst decision he ever made

Mel Charles once admitted that his record-breaking transfer to Arsenal ranked as the "most terrible choice I ever made". The former footballer - who passed away aged 81 in 2016 - enjoyed a 20-year career that included captaining Wales and representing his nation at the 1958 World Cup, where they were knocked out in the quarter-finals by eventual winners Brazil, with Pelé scoring the sole goal in a 1-0 win.

It was only a year after the competition in Sweden that Charles, who had spent seven years in the Second Division, secured a £42,750 move from boyhood club Swansea City to the north London side, who were in the First Division, amid reported interest from Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur.

The transfer set a record as the biggest deal brokered between two British clubs and happened just two years after Juventus had paid Leeds United £65,000 for his older brother, John Charles.

However, the big-money move for the younger Charles didn't work out. Due to constant ligament injuries, he played just 64 games for the Gunners in three years while scoring 28 goals.

In his ghosted autobiography, Charles was particularly scathing of his own decision to join the club, claiming "signing for Arsenal was the most terrible choice I ever made." He cut ties with the club in 1962 and returned to Wales, signing for Cardiff City for £28,500.

It was in the Welsh capital that Charles captured the only domestic honour of his career, when he won the Welsh Cup in 1964. After three years with Cardiff, he spent the last few years of his career in the lower divisions of football, enjoying stints with the likes of Porthmadog, Port Vale, Oswestry Town and Haverfordwest.

He ended up retiring at the Welsh club in 1972 after a five-year stint. Charles ended up with a record of 122 goals in 401 league and cup games in the Football League. John followed in the footsteps of his sibling by also returning home to Wales to retire in 1974 after spending two years playing for Merthyr Tydfil.

However, he only did so after a legendary career where he became an iconic figure for both Leeds United and Juventus. The centre-forward scored 154 goals in 317 games for Leeds before venturing into Italian football where he was a massive success.

In the five years he spent in Turin, Charles netted 105 goals in 179 games and won three Serie A titles and two Coppa Italias. Charles passed away at the age of 71 in 2004 but remains a celebrated figure in Welsh football and was named by Stan Collymore among the greatest players in British history when rubbishing claims that Gareth Bale is the greatest player to ever emerge from these shores.

The former Liverpool and Nottingham Forest star said in 2023: "It’s quite bizarre because of how many Champions Leagues he has won and the run he went on at Spurs that turned him from someone who couldn’t win a Premier League game to a tour de force.

"And because of the trophies you have to put him in amongst the greatest ever. But I look at Kevin Keegan, Kenny Dalglish, John Charles — which would obviously mean a lot to Bale — Ian Rush, Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard and, I don’t know what it is, whether it’s this perceived laissez faire attitude of ‘Wales. Golf. Madrid. In that order’, but I can’t put him in with some of those."

How to watch Arsenal vs Tottenham: Live stream and kick-off time for North London derby

Arsenal and Tottenham meet for what could be far from a friendly as they continue their respective pre-season preparations on the other side of the world

Arsenal will be aiming to make it three wins from three pre-season games as they prepare for a historic North London derby. New Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank, meanwhile, is looking to hit the ground running with Spurs after two draws and a win in their recent outings.

Mikel Arteta has spent big so far this summer, finally landing his man in Viktor Gyokeres to bolster their front line. The £64million arrival has signed a five-year deal with the Gunners, and joins Martin Zubimendi, Kepa Arrizabalaga, Christian Norgaard, Noni Madueke and Cristhian Mosquera as their summer signings.

Pre-season has been impressive for Arsenal thus far, beating AC Milan and Newcastle United as they gear up for another shot at the elusive Premier League trophy. Spurs' preparations kickstarted on home soil, as two separate sides drew with Wycombe and Luton last weekend following an opening 2-0 win over Reading.

In terms of signings, a £55m deal was struck with West Ham United for Mohammed Kudus, with Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai all joining the Europa League winners this summer.

The Lilywhites are now in Hong Kong to face their rivals, who face off outside of the UK for the first time ever. Here, Mirror Football has all the details on how you can tune into the friendly match and what the managers have said.

When and where is Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur?

The North London derby will take place in Hong Kong at the Kai Tak Stadium, with a local kick-off of 7:30pm on Thursday, July 31. This means the game will commence at 12:30pm UK time, marking the first time the Gunners have played in Hong Kong since a 2-2 draw with Kitchee FC in July 2012.

How can I watch Arsenal vs Tottenham Hotspur?

This match will not be shown on terrestrial TV or on Sky Sports, meaning you will have to tune in via either of the club's official TV channels. Arsenal TV has confirmed they will live stream the game on Arsenal.com and on the official app, with the full 90 minutes available for just £4.99.

This price is only available until 9am on Thursday morning, after then it will rise to £6.99. This gives fans the chance to watch all the action live, and also relive it later in the day - with repeat showings at 3:30pm, 6:30pm and 9:30pm in the UK.

Arsenal are also offering a pre-season pass, which allows fans to buy the stream to the Spurs game as well as the Villarreal (August 6) and Athletic Club (August 9) match-ups for just £14.99. This pass is not available for viewers in Spain, Italy, Singapore and Hong Kong.

Tottenham's corresponding video service SPURSPLAY will also show the match for subscribers, which is £45 a year for non-season ticket holders and £35 if you do hold a season ticket.

What have Thomas Frank and Mikel Arteta said?

Frank is relishing his first derby as he said: "It's a great challenge." Discussing signings, he added: "We are out there in the market and we're aware where we maybe want to strengthen the squad in general.

"I'm happy with the squad and we've already done a top signing in Mohammed Kudus who is showing us his quality already. We've got a squad where there is a lot of talent and quality but of course we're looking."

Arteta was coy about Gyokeres' potential involvement in the match, saying: "Well I think he hasn’t had a single training session with the team since the last game with Sporting when they became champions. So we will assess him tomorrow.

"He's done all the medicals, everything is looking good but to get him up to speed with the right levels of fitness I think is very important. So we're not going to stop him, we want him with us as quick as possible but we'll have to assess and the medical team will do that."