ESPN

Captain Son Heung-min announced on Saturday that he will be leaving Tottenham Hotspur.

At a news conference in Seoul, Son said his decision to leave the Premier League club was the most difficult of his career, adding that Tottenham, where he has spent the past decade, supports him as he looks to move on.

"It was one of the toughest decisions I ever made. But I think it's the right time to make this decision. I hope that everybody understands my decision and that everyone respects that," the South Korea star said.

"I came to North London as a kid, 23 years old, very young age, a young boy came to London who even didn't speak English and leaving this club as a grown man is a very, very proud moment."

Sources told ESPN's James Olley last week that LAFC is interested in signing Son, who has a deal with the Spurs until 2026.

Son was asked in Korean on his future playing plans, and he replied: 'I don't think I have an answer yet."

New Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank confirmed Son will start and be captain in Sunday's friendly with Newcastle at Seoul's World Cup Stadium.

It could be Son's final appearance for Spurs, despite the UEFA Super Cup fixture with Paris St Germain in Udine on the horizon on Aug. 13.

"It's very clear that Sonny will start and lead the team out as captain. If that is the last game for Sonny, what a place to do it here in front of his home fans. It could be a beautiful ending," Frank said.

Tottenham's Europa League final win over Manchester United gave Son the opportunity to lift his only trophy for the club after becoming only the seventh player to reach 450 appearances for Spurs -- with 198 Premier League goal contributions -- since his move from Bayer Leverkusen in 2015 for £22 million ($29.8m).

"Winning the Europa League made me feel I had achieved everything I could here. I need a new environment for a fresh challenge," Son added.

Information from The Associated Press and PA was used in this report.

Pape Matar Sarr's superb 45-yard strike gave Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 win over Arsenal in the first north London derby ever played outside the United Kingdom.

Thursday's meeting at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong drew a record 49,975 crowd -- although the $3.9 billion arena only opened in March -- and they were treated to competitive contest not without controversy.

Arsenal appeared angry that Sarr's goal was allowed to stand due to what they believed was a foul by Richarlison in the build-up but after dominating the second half, they were unable to find a response, despite the late introduction of new €73 million signing Viktor Gyökeres for the final 13 minutes.

The result means the Gunners sign off their preseason tour of Asia with a defeat while Spurs boss Thomas Frank has a notable victory to help begin his tenure as Ange Postecoglou's successor.

Arsenal started on the front foot with William Saliba flashing a fourth-minute header wide as Spurs struggled to deal with an early corner.

Set-pieces quickly became a theme of the game with coach Andreas Georgson -- who replaced his Arsenal counterpart Nicolas Jover at Brentford -- now working under Thomas Frank again at Tottenham.

Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya found himself being blocked off at corners and Arsenal struggled to cope. Spurs hit the woodwork three times in the first half.

A 10th-minute Pedro Porro delivery hit the post before Wilson Odobert's low drive deflected off Ben White and onto the upright. From the resulting corner, Spurs hit the post again and Richarlison was unable to turn the ball home from close range.

Tottenham took the lead just before the interval. Raya played out from the back to Myles Lewis-Skelly and under pressure from Richarlison, the England defender lost the ball to Sarr, who lofted an excellent driven finish over Raya and into the net from long range.

Arsenal were furious in response, believing Richarlison had committed a foul with both Lewis-Skelly and Martin Ødegaard remonstrating with the fourth official as the teams left for half-time.

Neither team made any changes at the break and Kai Havertz linked up well with Gabriel Martinelli shortly before the hour mark as Arsenal went in search of an equaliser but the Brazilian could only fire his shot off target.

The substitutions began just after the hour mark with Kevin Danso, Mathys Tel and Brennan Johnson all introduced for Spurs before Leandro Trossard and Martín Zubimendi came on for Arsenal.

However, the crowd were made to wait for the two men they arguably wanted to see the most -- Gyokeres and Tottenham legend Son Heung-Min -- until a raft of further changes came in the 77th-minute.

Arsenal suffered an injury scare shortly afterwards as Trossard was forced off with an injury but despite penning Spurs back for long periods, they ran out of ideas to break them down and Tottenham held on.

Hong Kong will have the privilege of hosting the first ever north London derby outside the UK when Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur face each other at the newly-minted Kai Tak Sports Park in Kowloon on Thursday.

The Premier League rivals may have to face a bit of inclement weather. While the forecast hurricanes and thunderstorms haven't materialised, it is set to be a windy, rainy evening.

It's a far cry from the heat of Singapore, where Arsenal racked up preseason wins against Newcastle United and AC Milan, with latest superstar signing Viktor Gyokeres being unveiled to scores of adoring fans ahead of the game against Newcastle.

With Mikel Arteta being keen on integrating Gyokeres quickly, he could see some minutes against Spurs, although he's had only one training session with the club so far.

Gyokeres was Arsenal's sixth signing of the summer, although only three -- Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga -- have featured in preseason so far. Noni Madueke hasn't travelled to Asia but is set to feature in Arsenal's preseason program back home in London at the Emirates Cup.

However, fans in Asia have been witness to the exciting talents of 15-year-old Max Dowman, who has grabbed headlines with his cameos, the last of which inspired Arsenal's win over Newcastle in front of the watching Gyokeres.

Tottenham meanwhile, have had one win from three in preseason, following up their 2-0 win over Reading with the unique feat of draws against League One opposition Wycombe Wanderers (2-2) and Luton Town (0-0) on the same day, four hours apart. New coach Thomas Frank wanted 22 players with playing time before they began their Asia tour against Arsenal, with Spurs also facing Newcastle in South Korea.

Curiously, Tottenham could be without Son Heung-Min for that game, with MLS side LAFC keen on acquiring his services. However, Frank's has insisted he wants Son, who has a year left on his contract, to stay, albeit in a different role. Son has travelled for the Asia tour and is likely to feature against Arsenal.

In contrast to their rivals, Spurs have only had one major signing in Mohammed Kudus and missed out on Morgan Gibbs-White so far this summer, although they have sealed deals for young defenders Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai, in addition to making the loan deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso permanent.

On the injury front, Spurs will be without long-term injured players Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski and Bryan Gil, while Destiny Udogie, Takai and Manor Solomon have also not flown to Asia as they recover from injuried picked up in pre-season. Frank has also opted to leave Mikey Moore, Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett at home as they explore loan deals.

Frank: Unfortunately Arsenal are one of the best teams in the world

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank believes "it's a great challenge" to face Arsenal in a North London derby for the first time outside the UK.

As for Arsenal, Riccardo Calafiori came off with a small muscle tweak against Newcastle, but did join training with his teammates later. Gabriel, who sat out games against Newcastle and Milan may also not be included for Arsenal as he recovers from an injury in training, while Jurrien Timber and Christhian Mosquera were present in Arsenal's most recent training session and ought to feature.

Here is everything you need to know about Thursday's match.

How to watch:

The match will be available on Arsenal and Tottenham's in-house website/app (Arsenal TV / SpursPlay) in the UK and Australia, Paramount + in the U.S. and FanCode in India. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.

Key Details:

Date: Thursday, July 31 at 12.30 p.m. BST (7.30 a.m. ET; 5 p.m. IST and 9.30 p.m. AEST)

Venue: Kai Tak Sports Park, Kowloon, Hong Kong

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Saliba: 'Scary' Gyökeres can help Arsenal to title

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Spurs' Frank: Arsenal 'one of best teams in world'

Tottenham's Thomas Frank has admitted Arsenal are "one of the best teams in the world" ahead of the first-ever north London derby played outside the UK.

Hong Kong will have the privilege of hosting the first ever north London derby outside the UK when Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur face each other at the newly-minted Kai Tak Sports Park in Kowloon on Thursday.

The Premier League rivals may have to face a bit of inclement weather. While the forecast hurricanes and thunderstorms haven't materialised, it is set to be a windy, rainy evening.

It's a far cry from the heat of Singapore, where Arsenal racked up preseason wins against Newcastle United and AC Milan, with latest superstar signing Viktor Gyokeres being unveiled to scores of adoring fans ahead of the game against Newcastle.

With Mikel Arteta being keen on integrating Gyokeres quickly, he could see some minutes against Spurs, although he's had only one training session with the club so far.

Gyokeres was Arsenal's sixth signing of the summer, although only three -- Martin Zubimendi, Christian Norgaard and Kepa Arrizabalaga -- have featured in preseason so far. Noni Madueke hasn't travelled to Asia but is set to feature in Arsenal's preseason program back home in London at the Emirates Cup.

However, fans in Asia have been witness to the exciting talents of 15-year-old Max Dowman, who has grabbed headlines with his cameos, the last of which inspired Arsenal's win over Newcastle in front of the watching Gyokeres.

Tottenham meanwhile, have had one win from three in preseason, following up their 2-0 win over Reading with the unique feat of draws against League One opposition Wycombe Wanderers (2-2) and Luton Town (0-0) on the same day, four hours apart. New coach Thomas Frank wanted 22 players with playing time before they began their Asia tour against Arsenal, with Spurs also facing Newcastle in South Korea.

Curiously, Tottenham could be without Son Heung-Min for that game, with MLS side LAFC keen on acquiring his services. However, Frank's has insisted he wants Son, who has a year left on his contract, to stay, albeit in a different role. Son has travelled for the Asia tour and is likely to feature against Arsenal.

In contrast to their rivals, Spurs have only had one major signing in Mohammed Kudus and missed out on Morgan Gibbs-White so far this summer, although they have sealed deals for young defenders Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai, in addition to making the loan deals for Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso permanent.

On the injury front, Spurs will be without long-term injured players Radu Dragusin, Dejan Kulusevski and Bryan Gil, while Destiny Udogie, Takai and Manor Solomon have also not flown to Asia as they recover from injuried picked up in pre-season. Frank has also opted to leave Mikey Moore, Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett at home as they explore loan deals.

Frank: Unfortunately Arsenal are one of the best teams in the world

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank believes "it's a great challenge" to face Arsenal in a North London derby for the first time outside the UK.

As for Arsenal, Riccardo Calafiori came off with a small muscle tweak against Newcastle, but did join training with his teammates later. Gabriel, who sat out games against Newcastle and Milan may also not be included for Arsenal as he recovers from an injury in training, while Jurrien Timber and Christhian Mosquera were present in Arsenal's most recent training session and ought to feature.

Here is everything you need to know about Thursday's match.

How to watch:

The match will be available on Arsenal and Tottenham's in-house website/app (Arsenal TV / SpursPlay) in the UK and Australia, Paramount + in the U.S. and FanCode in India. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.

Key Details:

Date: Thursday, July 31 at 12.30 p.m. BST (7.30 a.m. ET; 5 p.m. IST and 9.30 p.m. AEST)

Venue: Kai Tak Sports Park, Kowloon, Hong Kong

Latest news and analysis:

How 'very special' Max Dowman is impressing during Arsenal's preseason

Julien Laurens speaks about Arsenal's 15-year-old talent Max Dowman after their preseason win vs. Newcastle.

Premier League fixtures schedule 2025-26 in full

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How Arsenal's new signing Viktor Gyökeres became Europe's top striker

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Saliba: 'Scary' Gyökeres can help Arsenal to title

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Spurs' Frank: Arsenal 'one of best teams in world'

Tottenham's Thomas Frank has admitted Arsenal are "one of the best teams in the world" ahead of the first-ever north London derby played outside the UK.

Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank has admitted Arsenal are "one of the best teams in the world" ahead of the first-ever north London derby played outside the United Kingdom.

Spurs will face the Gunners at the Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on Thursday in what will be Arsenal's final game of their preseason tour to Asia.

"It's a great challenge besides being our biggest rivals and the first North London Derby outside the UK," Frank told reporters. "They are also right now one of the best teams, I must say unfortunately, in the world, we also need to be honest.

"In that way it's going to be a big test, but it's more than a test as against Arsenal it's not only a friendly. Of course it's a game we will do everything we can to win."

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Frank also reconfirmed the club are still looking to strengthen in the market after missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White, who opted to sign a new deal at Nottingham Forest.

"We of course are out there in the market and we're aware where we maybe want to strengthen the squad in general," Frank said.

Morgan Gibbs-White has signed a new three-year contract with Nottingham Forest, despite previously being on the verge of a transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.

Sources told ESPN earlier this month that Tottenham were ready to trigger Gibbs-White's £60 million release clause with a medical scheduled in order to complete the deal. However, the move was then put on hold with Forest ready to report Spurs to the Premier League over their approach for the midfielder.

And the England international is now set to stay at the City Ground, with Forest saying in a statement the the 24-year-old has "underlined his long-term commitment to the Club by agreeing to fresh terms."

- Sources: Spurs' Gibbs-White move on hold as Forest complain

- Palace appeal against Europa League demotion

- Thomas Frank's Spurs draw two games in one day

"Morgan is a special player -- not just in terms of talent, but character and mentality," Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis said. "He represents everything we want this football club to be: he is a winner, talented, ambitious, fearless, and proud.

"There was significant interest from various clubs, but we were determined to build our future with Morgan at the heart of it. I promised our fans we would not only compete, but grow stronger and stronger every season. Today is another big step in that journey."

Forest were chasing an unexpected Champions League place for much of last season before eventually finish seventh. Gibbs-White played a major role in their impressive campaign with seven goals and 10 assists in 34 Premier League appearances.

"I've felt at home at Forest from the moment I arrived," Gibbs-White said. "The support from the fans, my teammates, and everyone around the club has been unbelievable. I believe in what we're building here -- and with the backing of Mr Marinakis and the enormous ambition he has, I want to be part of making something special. I'm excited for what's to come."

Forest's seventh-placed finish earned them a spot in the Conference League, however they now look set to play in the second-tier Europa League after UEFA stripped Crystal Palace of their place due to multi-club ownership rules.

Tottenham Hotspur and new manager Thomas Frank will look to build on their 2-0 preseason opening win against Reading (2-0) as they take on Luton Town on Saturday. The big news for Spurs is that Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert return from their extended break following the UEFA European U21 Championship.

Frank's arrival has shaken things up at Spurs, and with several players fighting for starting positions it will be interesting see how the likes of Richarlison, whose future at the club is uncertain, perform.

Luton Town, meanwhile, come into this game after back-to-back relegations. Reeling from the relegation and departure of key players like Thelo Aasgard (now with Rangers), they will be looking to get some form going ahead of the season.

Interestingly, Saturday will also see Spurs play against another League One side, Wycombe Wanderers, in a behind-closed-doors match at Hotspur Way, with kickoff four hours before the Luton match (11 a.m. BST).

Speaking to the club website, Thomas Frank explained the reasoning for this scheduling: "We wanted an extra game in our schedule to give as many players as many match minutes as possible, in order to put them in the best position, physically. We will play two even, strong teams and they will play between 60 and 75 minutes, maybe more."

"By the end of Saturday, 22 players will have played a lot of match minutes, and they will be in a very good place before we go on tour."

How to watch:

The match will be available on Tottenham's in-house website/app, Spursplay. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.

Key Details:

Date: Saturday, July 26 at 3.00 p.m. BST (10.00 a.m. ET; 7.30 p.m. IST and 12.00 a.m. AEST)

Venue: Kenilworth Road, Luton

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Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur have joined Bayern Munich, Arsenal and Chelsea in monitoring Rodrygo's situation at Real Madrid while Chelsea's Nicolas Jackson and Manchester United's Alejandro Garnacho could swap clubs. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors and gossip from around the globe.

Transfers homepage | Done deals | Men's grades | Women's grades

TOP STORIES

- Sources: Arsenal remain close to Gyökeres deal

- Source: Al Hilal interested in Newcastle's Isak

- Sources: Mosquera to join Arsenal's Asia tour

TRENDING RUMORS

- Liverpool are closely monitoring the situation of Rodrygo as they consider replacements if Luis Díaz leaves to join Bayern Munich, according to Florian Plettenberg, who adds that Real Madrid are open to letting the winger leave. Meanwhile, AS reports that Tottenham want to take advantage of the 24-year-old's situation with Los Blancos despite Bayern, Arsenal and Chelsea also being interested in the Brazil international. Spurs chairman Daniel Levy will try to bring the fee below €90m, however, none of Rodrygo's suitors have yet made official contact with Madrid over a deal.

- TEAMtalk have reported that Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson and Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho could be involved in a swap deal, although they would technically be completed as separate deals to benefit the Blues' situation regarding Profitability and Sustainability Rules. This comes after sources told ESPN that Chelsea are closely monitoring Garnacho's situation at Old Trafford, although the Blues would have to offload players before signing the 21-year-old. Aston Villa and several Saudi Pro League clubs are also interested in him.

- Juventus are trying to keep Randal Kolo Muani following the striker's loan from Paris Saint-Germain, according to Le Parisien. The report adds that Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United could make an approach in the coming days. The 26-year-old is no longer part of Luis Enrique's plans and the Bianconeri have made various offers of a loan with an obligation to make the deal permanent, but PSG are standing firm and demanding that a large portion of the fee is paid this summer rather than next.

- AC Milan winger Rafael Leão remains keen on a move to Bayern Munich despite the Bavarians cooling their interest in him and focusing on Luis Díaz, reports Sport Bild. The 26-year-old no longer comes up in their discussions about possible transfers and Uli Hoeness has even publicly stated that the Portugal international isn't an option for them, with his €120m valuation playing a role in that stance. Leão has already rejected an offer from Saudi Arabia.

- Atlético Madrid are emerging as a possible destination for Ademola Lookman with Internazionale struggling to find an agreement with Atalanta for the forward, reports AS. Los Colchoneros will still need to offload one or both of Samuel Lino and Nahuel Molina before making their move. They can offer a salary of €5m-per-year and are likely to be the preferred option for Atalanta, who would rather see the 26-year-old go abroad.

CONFIRMED TRANSFERS

To follow...

EXPERT TAKE

ESPN's Alex Kirkland looks at Rodrygo's situation at Real Madrid.

Another week has passed, and we're still no closer to finding out if Rodrygo will be a Real Madrid player next season. Madrid's players have been on their post-Club World Cup holidays -- with Rodrygo spending time in the United States -- and they aren't due back for preseason training until the first week of August.

In the meantime, the speculation is only growing as to whether the Brazil international has a place in coach Xabi Alonso's plans, after his bit-part role at the Club World Cup. Arsenal, Liverpool, Bayern Munich, Chelsea and now Tottenham: it's a long list of supposed suitors, but there's very little concrete, and not much has changed from the end of the season, when ESPN reported that Rodrygo wanted to find out exactly what his role in the team would be under Alonso before taking any decisions.

Last week, we reported that the forward was one of two players -- along with Dani Ceballos -- viewed by Madrid as most likely to depart, but that doesn't make an exit certain, or even probable. It's not at all clear how genuine the interest from the clubs listed above is, and whether they could or would put together the necessary financial package to satisfy both Madrid's and Rodrygo's demands, which would be substantial.

The only certainty is that this remains a seriously talented player, who hasn't yet fulfilled his potential, and might need a change of scene to get the best out of him. Will he get it? It's still much too early to say.

OTHER RUMORS

Laurens: Man United in no position to turn down a big fee for Fernandes

Julien Laurens updates on Al Hilal's reported interest in Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes.

- Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund have both looked at Metz forward Idrissa Gueye and entered discussions with the 18-year-old's entourage. (L'Equipe)

- United are intensifying their efforts to sign SK Brann defender Eivind Helland, but face competition from Bayern Munich, Rangers and Club Brugge. (TEAMtalk)

- Brentford have turned down a £25m offer from Newcastle United for Yoane Wissa. (The Athletic)

- Bayer Leverkusen and Juventus are both interested in Chelsea winger Raheem Sterling, who has been expected to leave since being left out of the Blues' Club World Cup squad. (talkSPORT)

- Bayern Munich are intensifying their efforts to sign Chelsea forward Christopher Nkunku, despite Manchester United potentially threatening their move for the 27-year-old. (TEAMtalk)

- There is a verbal agreement between all parties for Rodrigo De Paul to join Inter Miami from Atlético Madrid with Los Colchoneros set to receive around €15m. (Fabrizio Romano)

- LAFC are pushing to sign Thomas Müller, with other MLS clubs interested in the former Bayern Munich forward who is open to an MLS move. (Nicolò Schira)

- RB Leipzig have held initial talks about signing Chelsea midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka, with the 21-year-old allowed to depart. Borussia Dortmund are also involved. (Philipp Hinze)

- Atlético Madrid are close to completing a deal for Chelsea's versatile defender Renato Veiga, with the good relationship between the two clubs key to the talks. (Marca)

- Napoli are interested in Juventus midfielder Fabio Miretti, but talks haven't begun and the Bianconeri will consider offers worth €20m-€30m. (La Gazzetta dello Sport)

- AC Milan are pushing to sign Strasbourg right-back Guela Doue with Marc Pubill joining Atlético Madrid. (Calciomercato)

- Napoli's latest offer for Bologna winger Dan Ndoye is a €9m loan fee with a €26m obligation to make the deal permanent with €5m in add-ons. (Fabrizio Romano)

- Lucas Vázquez is "analysing proposals" for his next club -- having received offers from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the Premier League -- and is "prioritising his family" in any move after leaving Real Madrid. (AS)

- West Ham United have opened talks with free agent striker Callum Wilson. (The Sun)

Nottingham Forest are set to complain to the Premier League over Tottenham Hotspur's move for Morgan Gibbs-White with the deal now on hold, sources have told ESPN.

An announcement on the move was expected in the coming days, with a £60 million ($81m) release set to be activated by Spurs.

Sources told ESPN that Forest are not happy with the approach, and will complain to the Premier League over the London club's conduct.

Tottenham contend they have done nothing wrong in the approach and that Gibbs-White is ready to sign and has already completely his medical, sources added.

Sky Sports first reported the development on Friday.

While the 25-year-old is expected to still eventually join Spurs, any official transfer will be delayed while Forest's complaint is dealt with.

Gibbs-White was key to Forest's successful 2024-25 campaign as they qualified for the Conference League, having also been in the race for Champions League football for much of the season.

Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of midfielder Mohammed Kudus from West Ham United, the clubs announced Thursday.

Sources told ESPN that the Premier League clubs had agreed a fee of around £55 million ($74.7m), with the Ghana international signing a six-year contract.

Kudus, 24, had an £85 million release clause in his contract that could only be activated by other Premier League clubs, but West Ham were willing to letting him go at a lower fee.

Kudus, who had previously been on Chelsea's radar, joined West Ham in 2023 from Ajax and emerged as a leading target for new Spurs boss Thomas Frank this summer.

"It feels great to be here, I'm very happy and can't wait to start," he told Tottenham's website.

"One of the most important parts of why I came here is the project and how the manager sees it, and to develop under him. With the history of where he's come from, I've seen the amount of talent he's developed to become great players. It's a big sign of why I wanted to work under him as well.

Kudus played 80 games for West Ham, scoring 19 goals and contributing 13 assists.

Tottenham are also reportedly close to adding Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White.

Gibbs-White joined Forest in the summer of 2022 following their promotion to the Premier League and was instrumental in delivering European football to the club for the first time since 1996, with seven goals and eight assists in 34 Premier League games this past season.

Information from ESPN's James Olley and The Associated Press was used in this report.