ESPN

LONDON -- Thomas Frank remarked on the glorious sunshine at Hotspur Way on Friday, shortly before addressing whether Tottenham Hotspur were where he wanted them to be on the eve of his first Premier League game in charge at the club.

"That's a good question," he began. "I think that will be an ongoing, how can you say, process throughout the season. Throughout seasons because you constantly want to build on those layers, that's what I am a big believer of. We've had five weeks, something like that, that's been really good."

Those five weeks have taken in friendlies against Reading, Wycombe and Luton before embarking on a preseason tour to Hong Kong and South Korea, where they beat Arsenal and drew with Newcastle United.

Frank's first competitive game in charge came on Wednesday, an agonising UEFA Super Cup defeat to Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain. Spurs were 2-0 up with five minutes to play in Udine but a late PSG comeback forced a penalty shootout which Tottenham lost 4-3. Next up, newly-promoted Burnley.

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"I am very pleased and proud with how the team performed on Wednesday against PSG," said Frank. "In that part of the game, that shows we have got far with the defensive side of the game: high pressure, middle pressure, low pressure, set pieces, aggressivity, intensity, mentality.

"Now we have another part of the game. It will be more offensive tomorrow. We have to, and we want to. That's probably -- completely honestly -- an area where we are not fully firing yet for various reasons.

"We will have a plan. We will be very ready tomorrow but all that added together, to do that consistently every game, that will not be fully firing. Hopefully tomorrow it will be very good, the next three games we can build it and go again."

After following the team in Asia and Italy, ESPN examines Frank's preseason, the task he has inherited and his first steps in trying to take Tottenham to the top of the game.

Frank's appointment and first impression

Sources have told ESPN that the Spurs hierarchy were conscious of making a logical decision and not an emotional one in response to the club's Europa League triumph. Few managers are sacked after enjoying an open-top bus parade, but Ange Postecoglou had presided over 22 league defeats and a 17th-place finish: their worst-ever Premier League season. The Australian essentially sacrificed everything else in pursuit of a first trophy in 17 years, believing it was an acceptable price to pay for ending the wait for silverware, which had become akin to an existential crisis for the club.

Unfortunately for Postecoglou, Tottenham's key decision-makers disagreed. Sources have told ESPN that the search for his replacement involved data modeling more than 30 coaches, including some who were definitely not available, to gain a more complete picture of their comparative skills.

There were 10 criteria which, sources say, included a track record in working and developing young players, an ability to communicate with the media and an attractive style of attacking football. A shortlist of four names emerged and Spurs met with all four candidates, asking each for their own personal assessment of the squad and where money should be spent.

Sources say Frank, having got Brentford promoted to the Premier League and then consolidated their top-flight status in his seven years at the club, was the unanimous choice. Shortly after taking charge, Frank gathered together everyone at Spurs' Hotspur Way training ground -- not just the first-team operation, but all staff at all levels -- at which sources say he began discussing the need for togetherness and unity, something that has quickly become a consistent theme of his messaging.

Sources say Frank has taken a more hands-on approach to training compared with Postecoglou, who preferred to take a step back and observe, believing the distance helped provide him with greater clarity over team selection.

A complicated inheritance

Frank was speaking on Friday, a day before their Premier League season began, which is a poignant parallel with Postecoglou two years earlier, who spent the corresponding day addressing the media while Harry Kane pushed through his move to Bayern Munich.

Things are a little calmer right now for Frank, but he has nevertheless inherited a complicated picture. Postecoglou may have divided opinion but he enjoyed support from the majority of the squad, many of whom felt sufficiently moved to post unusually emotional messages on social media after his departure was confirmed.

Sources say Frank has been conscious of that dynamic and made every effort to galvanize the group as quickly as possible, emphasizing the collective and making sure he is always approachable. And just as Postecoglou had to deal with Kane, Frank's version of a high-profile departure came in the form of Son Heung-Min's protracted departure to LAFC.

Frank had to muddle through questions about Son and whether he would remain captain during his news conference at which he was unveiled on July 18, while there was uncertainty behind the scenes. Sources have told ESPN that Spurs felt Son was likely to leave but no formal offer had been made by LAFC until the club were on their preseason tour of Asia.

As it was, Son publicly announced his intention to leave in Seoul, and the South Korea captain was able to make his final appearance for the club in front of his adoring home crowd, an exit which was about as smooth as possible in the circumstances.

That left Frank with a new captain to select. Cristian Romero's appointment is a shrewd move given sources have told ESPN that Atlético Madrid were hopeful at one stage of convincing the Argentina center back to join them this summer. However, Romero agreed to captain the club and appeared to revel in the role during Wednesday's defeat to PSG. Romero has two years remaining on his contract, and getting him to sign a new deal will likely be high on Spurs' agenda over the coming campaign.

Injuries have also made things tougher: Dejan Kulusevski has been sidelined since May after undergoing surgery on his patella, while losing James Maddison for the majority of the season with a knee injury has exacerbated a lack of creativity the club are still looking to address in the transfer market.

Transfer window tribulations

Mohammed Kudus became the first player to move from West Ham United to Tottenham since 2011 when he made a £55 million transfer this summer. His preseason form has been promising, and, playing in a center forward role, Kudus repeatedly caused PSG problems on Wednesday in Udine. João Palhinha is a shrewd loan signing, not least because Bayern Munich paid Fulham £47m just a year earlier, but also because he brings added bite and depth to Spurs' midfield.

Yet there has been a notable level of frustration among Spurs supporters who believe Frank should be backed further in the market, even if the club have spent more than would first appear, having made Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso's loan moves permanent from Bayern and Lens respectively. The failure to sign Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest is a particular source of irritation.

Forest threatened Spurs with legal action over what they claimed was an unlawful approach and also accused Gibbs-White's agent of a breach of confidentiality laid out in the player's contract relating to the disclosure of his release clause. Sources have told ESPN that Tottenham feel they did everything within their power to complete the deal and were left shocked by the sudden U-turn as Gibbs-White later signed a new contract with Forest.

Sources say Spurs made two offers, one of £60m before Forest threatened legal action and then a second for an amount higher than the player's release clause. Gibbs-White is believed to have been keen on the move, but Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis' powers of persuasion were strong and the attacking midfielder opted to stay at the City Ground.

Sources say Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze and Manchester City's Savinho are on Spurs' shortlist as possible transfers. Neither will be cheap and, with the season now underway and the transfer deadline two weeks away, completing any further deals could be complicated.

Changes behind the scenes

Injuries badly hampered Postecoglou's tenure, but the Australian often refused to accept that his aggressive style of play was a contributing factor. He did, however, hint publicly toward the end of his time at the club that he would have orchestrated preseason differently, and sources say that is also a view held internally at Tottenham. Consequently, Spurs have sought to manage the players' load differently, while Frank's more balanced style of play -- which, while demanding pressing and intensity -- is not expected to place the same physical strains on players as under Postecoglou.

The club are also planning to make further alterations to their medical department, while there have been significant changes at a senior level: Vinai Venkatesham has joined as CEO and long-time board member Donna-Marie Cullen stepping down, while Fabio Paratici has been working as a consultant alongside technical director Johan Lange.

Sources say Frank's positivity has been a welcome change at the training ground where, as an early riser, he often arrives before anyone else. That is not to say Postecoglou was dour or unpopular, more that he was an introvert and many of his coaching staff often had a similar disposition.

Set pieces and tactical versatility

Although the Super Cup result was a huge disappointment given Tottenham's urgent desire for silverware -- don't forget, they were 2-0 up with five minutes to go, and then 2-0 up in the shootout -- there were clear signs of Frank's training ground work in Wednesday's defeat to PSG.

With set-piece specialists an increasing presence among clubs' backroom team, Postecoglou's skepticism toward adding one to his staff became a frequent point of criticism. Andreas Georgson, formerly of Brentford, Arsenal and Manchester United, among others, joined Spurs this summer and is clearly making his presence felt.

Postecoglou's brand of football was thrilling at its best but always uncompromising. Frank is proving far more pragmatic, encouraging Spurs to mix up their style to suit their opponents. Frank employed a wing back system against PSG with two strikers and a new role for Kudus. He has used a back four during preseason and in both systems, there has been a notable improvement in defensive organization and the intensity of their pressing.

Tottenham Hotspur have said they are "disgusted" after forward Mathys Tel received racial abuse on social media after Wednesday night's UEFA Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain.

Tel missed a spot-kick in a penalty shoot-out, which Tottenham lost 4-3 after they had surrendered a late 2-0 lead to draw 2-2 after 90 minutes.

The France under-21s international, whose loan deal from Bayern Munich was made permanent in a £30 million ($40.76m) deal in June, was targeted with abuse after firing his effort wide.

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Tottenham said in a statement: "We are disgusted at the racial abuse that Mathys Tel has received on social media following last night's UEFA Super Cup defeat.

"Mathys showed bravery and courage to step forward and take a penalty, yet those who abuse him are nothing but cowards - hiding behind anonymous usernames and profiles to spout their abhorrent views.

"We will work with the authorities and social media platforms to take the strongest possible action against any individual we are able to identify. We stand with you, Mathys."

UDINE, Italy -- Tottenham Hotspur desperately want to be a club defined by winning silverware.

Wednesday's dramatic UEFA Super Cup defeat to Paris Saint-Germain was therefore a brutal early lesson for head coach Thomas Frank in the job he has inherited. Welcome to Spurs, Thomas.

May's UEFA Europa League triumph -- their first trophy in 17 years -- was supposed to herald the dawning of a new era: the shedding of the derogatory "Spursy" tag, created through years of somehow always falling short when the prize was in sight.

This was, in some ways, a step back towards those difficult days. They were 2-0 up with five minutes remaining through goals from center backs Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero before substitutes Lee Kang-In and Gonçalo Ramos struck, the latter in the fourth minute of added time, to force penalties.

They led 2-0 in the shootout, too, after Vitinha's early miss, only for Van de Ven and Mathys Tel to fail from 12 yards, leaving Nuno Mendes to slot home the winning spot kick for a 4-3 win.

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The margins are fine and unforgiving. Having finally broken the psychological barrier that existed for almost two decades in Ange Postecoglou's final game in charge, Frank will be acutely aware of the need to guard against anything approaching a return. He is, by all accounts, a "glass half-full" manager, and there was enough in his first competitive game in charge to offer tangible grounds for optimism when the dust settles on the disappointing denouement.

Two goals from set pieces, with his new captain, Romero, among the scorers. For about 70 minutes on a sweltering night in northern Italy, his team pressed superbly, looking so defensively organized and difficult to break down in a manner markedly different from the alarmingly open Postecoglou era, reflecting the work Frank has been doing in preseason. The balance in their play was back.

Mohammed Kudus, a £55 million signing from West Ham United, impressed in and out of possession playing alongside Richarlison in a 5-3-2 shape. João Palhinha, a loan arrival from Bayern Munich, added bite to midfield.

"I knew we had to do something a little bit different against PSG, so it was like a special operation," said Frank of the change of system.

"It was, in medical terms, the operation succeeded, but the patient died. So not that good in the end. But we worked on a game plan that was a little bit different, and we were very close to succeeding."

Frank has emphasized the importance of the collective in his preseason messaging, and there were small but telling signs of that throughout, not least when the players made a point of coming together to leave the field at halftime in unison.

It always felt like a misstep for Postecoglou to speak so dismissively about the importance of a specialist set-piece coach in an era increasingly influenced by them. Andreas Georgson, formerly of Brentford, Arsenal, and Manchester United, among others, is already showcasing how vital those details can be. PSG were almost embarrassingly lax by comparison.

And if anything, Spurs allowed PSG back into this chiefly by running out of steam, allowing their newly-instated principles of play to slip as the European champions began to find their stride.

PSG only started their preseason training a week ago following last month's run to the FIFA Club World Cup final in the United States. They looked palpably -- and understandably -- undercooked, but whereas Spurs' substitutions failed to impact the game, Fabián Ruiz, Lee, and Ramos were all heavily influential.

"I wish I knew [what went wrong]," said Frank. "Sometimes football is the smallest of margins. They kept pushing, made some subs that put us under pressure at times. But it is a shot from the edge of the box [which Lee scores with]. Before that we didn't concede any big chances. Then the momentum built.

"I think if you play 2-2 against PSG, I think you take that. That single result is good. Then, if you separate, we have a penalty shootout, we lost, so maybe we need to work on penalties. Maybe that's the thing to win a final. I think if everyone had said this would be a draw and we would lose on penalties, everyone would think 'Oh, that's quite impressive.' And then if you look at the performance and the shift they actually put in, wow. What a mentality throughout the game. So a lot of things to be happy with."

PSG's pedigree came to the fore as is often the case in this fixture: the UEFA Champions League winners have beaten the Europa League in 12 of the last 13 stagings, the exception being Atlético Madrid's win over Real Madrid in 2018.

Spurs could have become the seventh English club to win the Super Cup, but instead the opportunity passes them by with goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier making the vital save from Van de Ven in the shootout after earlier allowing Romero's second-half header to drift past him too easily.

Who knows what the now discarded Gianluigi Donnarumma made of it all?

Perhaps one of the conclusions to draw is that Frank needs more from the transfer market to build on what he is trying to do. Spurs have been frustrated in that regard -- most obviously in missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White after he chose to sign a new deal at Nottingham Forest -- but James Maddison's serious knee injury and the absence of Dejan Kulusevski have exposed a lack of creativity. Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze and Manchester City's Savinho are two options they have identified as potential solutions.

Whatever happens before the deadline, Frank can be hopeful that a standard has now been set by those opening 70 minutes. "Hopefully the intensity and aggressivity in the pressure early in the defending, the foundation, and the mentality to run hard, that needs to be the foundation every single time," said Frank.

"Sometimes you succeed very well, sometimes you need to do a little bit better. Another very positive thing was the set pieces. We knew that was an area we could hurt PSG. We worked very hard on it so big credit to the players, it almost gave us the win."

Almost. PSG boss Luis Enrique summed up how his team found a way to win, their fifth trophy of 2025.

"We have faith," he said. "We think we can win every single match, even if we are losing. But if I am honest, Tottenham deserved much more. Football is sometimes unfair. I have to say in this case, I am very happy for that!"

UDINE, Italy -- Paris Saint-Germain beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-3 on penalties to win the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday, completing a remarkable rally after scoring two late goals to take the match to a shootout.

Nuno Mendes converted PSG's final kick from the spot to secure a fifth trophy of 2025 for the French club.

Lee Kang-in scored in the 85th for PSG, and fellow substitute Goncalo Ramos grabbed an equalizer in the fourth minute of stoppage time to make it 2-2 in regulation.

Set piece goals by Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero had Spurs halfway towards another trophy -- only three months on from Thomas Frank's predecessor, Ange Postecoglou, clinching Europa League success in May.

Champions League winners PSG, who returned to preseason only last week following their Club World Cup exploits in July, produced a stirring response, with Lee pulling one back with five minutes left.

Ramos forced spot kicks when he headed home in the fourth minute of stoppage time to stun the north London club.

It was initially advantage Tottenham in the shootout when Vitinha missed PSG's first kick, but it was followed by Van de Ven and Mathys Tel failing to score their penalties as Luis Enrique's men triumphed despite a fine display on Frank's competitive debut.

The Super Cup is an annual early-season match between the most recent winners of the Champions League and the Europa League.

This fixture marked Romero's first official match since being appointed Spurs captain, following Son Heung-Min's departure to MLS side LAFC, and he lined up in a back three as Frank immediately stamped his authority.

Tottenham edged the opening stages before PSG attacker Khvicha Kvaratskhelia dragged wide to provide a reminder of his talent.

Chances remained limited until Richarlison let fly from 20 yards, but PSG debutant Lucas Chevalier -- preferred to Italy's Gianluigi Donnarumma -- tipped over.

Mohammed Kudus, on his first start since a summer switch from West Ham United, almost tested Chevalier again only for Marquinhos to come across to make a crucial block.

A sliced Van de Ven clearance presented a chance for Ousmane Dembélé moments later, but he fired off target and then Tottenham grabbed their opening goal under new boss Frank.

It was from a set piece as Guglielmo Vicario's diagonal to the back post was headed into the penalty area by Romero and, even though João Palhinha had a close-range effort pushed onto the crossbar, Van de Ven slid home to spark big celebrations.

A second nearly followed, but Kudus' stabbed effort hit the post to ensure it stayed 1-0 at halftime.

Three minutes into the second half, Frank watched Spurs grab a second.

Another set piece did the trick as Pedro Porro picked out the unmarked Romero at the back post and his header into the ground slipped through the hands of Chevalier in a moment he would want to forget.

Kevin Danso sent another effort into the side netting in the 52nd minute before Luis Enrique went for broke.

Last-ditch defending by Romero thwarted one chance before Van de Ven slid in to deny the lively Désiré Doué.

PSG had the ball in the net after 66 minutes, but Bradley Barcola's strike was disallowed for offside in a move that saw Danso produce a heroic block to prevent Fabián Ruiz from scoring after Vicario had saved from Doué.

Tottenham continued to be pinned back and, not long after Djed Spence blocked an effort by Dembélé, PSG reduced the deficit.

Substitute Lee arrowed an effort into the bottom corner with five minutes left to set up a nervy finale.

Eventually the pressure told as Achraf Hakimi slipped in Dembélé, who crossed for Ramos to head home the leveller in the fourth minute of stoppage time.

Spurs were left crestfallen, but gained two early advantages in the shootout when captain Romero called correctly to ensure spot kicks were taken in front of their fans and when Vitinha sent his effort wide.

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

Thomas Frank has named Cristian Romero as Tottenham Hotspur's new captain following the departure of Son Heung-Min to LAFC this summer.

Son had worn the armband for the last two seasons and lifted the Europa League in May as Spurs ended their 17-year wait for silverware.

However, Son's departure to MLS earlier this month meant new head coach Frank was on the lookout for a new leader.

Romero, a World Cup and two-time Copa América winning centre-back, was vice-captain -- along with James Maddison -- during Ange Postecoglou's two-year reign in north London.

Romero is only Tottenham's third captain of the last decade after Hugo Lloris held the role for eight years between 2015 and 2023.

Spurs take on Paris Saint-Germain for the UEFA Super Cup in Udine, Italy, on Wednesday before beginning their Premier League campaign against Burnley on Saturday.

"I had a good conversation with Cuti Romero, and he's going to be our captain," Frank said in a statement.

"He was very honoured and very happy about it. It's a big thing and should be to lead this wonderful club out on the pitch, not just for this Super Cup, but also throughout the season.

"I think he has all the right qualities. He leads from his behaviour on the pitch, driving the team forward in every way, and outside the pitch he's always pushing the team.

"I want a leadership group as well. Of course, one will wear the armband and be the captain, but I would like to have as many leaders as possible, four to five in the leadership group who can help, because it's the same with me, I can't do everything on my own and need a superb coaching staff around me. I will name that leadership group after the window to give me time to assess everything."

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Romero joined Spurs from Serie A side Atalanta in 2021 and has made exactly 100 appearances in the English top-flight.

It was Romero who started as captain for Spurs' 1-0 victory over Manchester United in the Europa League final and he also wore the armband for both legs of their semi-final wins against Bodo/Glimt and the quarter-final away triumph at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Romero was named captain in the starting line-up on 13 occasions by Postecoglou last season.

The 27-year-old had been linked with a move away from Spurs this summer but is now set to play a key role during Frank's first season at the club.

The Danish head coach confirmed he will name the rest of Spurs' leadership group following the close of the transfer window.

Information from PA contributed to this report

Europa League champions Tottenham Hotspur are looking to win their second piece of silverware in the space of three months when they battle for the UEFA Super Cup with Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday.

Spurs go into the game off the back of a 4-0 hiding from Bayern Munich in their last preseason friendly, while PSG are still smarting from their one-sided defeat to Chelsea in the Club World Cup final.

PSG's Champions League run saw them beat English opponents in the league phase, round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals, and they'll be looking to get one over another Premier League side in Udine, Italy.

While PSG have not had a proper preseason due to their exertions in the United States over the summer, Spurs have played six games in which new head coach Thomas Frank has looked to rectify the defensive frailties that plagued them last season.

"[The Super Cup] is a very special match that brings together the Champions League and Europa League winners. Of course, our aim is to try to win it and give it our all," PSG boss Luis Enrique said.

Meanwhile, Thomas Frank said: "[PSG] are the best team in Europe. They won the treble and it looks like they are extremely strong in all 11 starting positions. It's a fantastic challenge to have in the first game but, of course, we believe in ourselves."

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

How to watch:

The match will be available TNT Sports in the UK, Paramount+ in the U.S., SonyLIV in India, Stan Sport in Australia. You can also follow ESPN's live updates.

Key Details:

Date: Wednesday, August 15 at 8 p.m. BST (3 p.m. ET; 12.30 a.m. IST and 5 a.m. AEST, Thursday)

Venue: Stadio Friuli, Udine, Italy

Referee: Joao Pinheiro

VAR: Tiago Martins

Team News

PSG

João Neves, M: Suspended

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Tottenham

James Maddison, M: ACL, est. return mid-Feb

Dejan Kulusevski, M/F: knee, est. return mid-Sep

Radu Dragusin, D: ACL, est. return mid-Oct

Dominic Solanke, F: ankle, doubt

Destiny Udogie, D: muscle, doubt

Predicted XIs

PSG (4-3-3)

GK: Lucas Chevalier

RB: Achraf Hakimi | CB: Marquinhos | CB: Willian Pacho | LB: Nuno Mendes

CM: Warren Zaïre-Emery | CDM: Vitinha | CM: Fabián Ruiz

RW: Désiré Doué | CF: Ousmane Dembélé | LW: Khvicha Kvaratskhelia

Tottenham (4-2-3-1)

GK: Guglielmo Vicario

RB: Pedro Porro | CB: Cristian Romero | CB: Micky van der Ven | LB: Djed Spence

CDM: Rodrigo Bentancur | CDM: João Palhinha

RW: Mohammed Kudus | CAM: Pape Matar Sarr | LW: Wilson Odobert

CF: Richarlison

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Tottenham Hotspur are set to challenge Arsenal for Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, while five Italian teams are now tracking Manchester United striker Rasmus Højlund. Join us for the latest transfer news, rumors and gossip from around the globe.

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TOP STORIES

- Sources: City's Grealish to join Everton on loan

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TRENDING RUMORS

- Tottenham Hotspur are ready to rival Arsenal by lining up a move for Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, according to the Daily Mail. It is reported that Spurs are admirers of the 27-year-old England international, and any approach wouldn't impact their current hopes of landing winger Savinho from Manchester City. Eze has a release clause in his contract at Selhurst Park that allows him to be signed for £68m, but it will expire two weeks before the end of the summer transfer window -- which is Monday. The Gunners are also interested in Eze, but they would need to move players on first for a deal to be possible.

- Five teams in Italy are tracking Manchester United striker Rasmus Højlund, reports The i Paper. Internazionale, Juventus, Napoli, and AS Roma have joined AC Milan in the race for the 22-year-old Denmark international, with the Red Devils ready to move him on after they secured the signature of Benjamin Sesko from RB Leipzig. Previous reports have indicated that an offer in the region of £40 million would be enough to get a deal over the line.

- An enquiry has been made by AS Roma for Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho, reports Nicolo Schira. The Serie A club have been informed by the Red Devils that they will need to make an offer worth between €20 million and €25 million if they want to sign the 25-year-old, who contributed to seven goals in 31 Premier League matches while on loan at Chelsea last season. Juventus are also interested, but the Bianconeri will only make an approach if they first offload Nico González.

- Chelsea have joined the race for Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, according to RMC Sport. The Blues are looking to challenge Manchester United for the 26-year-old's signature and they have reportedly made an enquiry amid uncertainty over his future. Recent reports have indicated that an offer worth £26 million would be accepted by PSG, as they look to offload him after signing a new No. 1 in Lucas Chevalier. Donnarumma, who is able to leave for free next summer, would prefer a switch to the Premier League if he moves on from the Parc des Princes.

- Liverpool have stepped up their interest in Parma defender Giovanni Leoni, reports Florian Plettenberg. The 18-year-old has been listed as the Reds' second priority option in their search for a centre-back, and they are now "seriously considering" making an offer if they fail to secure Crystal Palace's Marc Guéhi. Several clubs in the Serie A, including AC Milan and Internazionale, are keen on Leoni, an Italy under-19 international, after impressive performances across 17 league appearances last season.

CONFIRMED DEALS

- Bournemouth defender Illia Zabarnyi has completed a move to Paris Saint-Germain in a deal worth up to £57.1 million. Read

OTHER RUMORS

- The deal which sees Jack Grealish join Everton on loan from Manchester City includes a £50 million permanent option. (The Athletic)

- Stade Rennais striker Arnaud Kalimuendo is the subject of interest from Brentford and Newcastle. (L'Équipe)

- Palmeiras are looking at Brighton & Hove Albion attacking midfielder Julio Enciso. (UOL)

- Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson is expected to stay at the club and battle for his starting spot with James Trafford. The Brazil international was previously linked with a move away from the Etihad Stadium. (Football Insider)

- Bayer Leverkusen are discussing a move for free agent centre-back Victor Lindelof, who left Manchester United earlier this summer. (Florian Plettenberg)

- Monaco are among the clubs in Europe keeping tabs on the situation of Newcastle right-back Kieran Trippier. (Daily Mail)

- An agreement worth in excess of £20 million has been reached by Nottingham Forest and Manchester City for midfielder James McAtee. (Fabrizio Romano)

- New talks are set to be held between Manchester United and Brighton regarding defensive midfielder Carlos Baleba. (Fabrizio Romano)

- New York City FC are interested in Monza forward Dany Mota. (Nicolo Schira)

- Internazionale are looking at Monaco winger Maghnes Akliouche. (L'Equipe)

- An offer is being prepared by West Ham for Southampton midfielder Mateus Fernandes. (The Guardian)

- A move for Leicester City attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss is being weighed up by Newcastle. (Daily Telegraph)

- Sunderland midfielder Dan Neil has turned down interest from the Premier League and LaLiga. (Mike McGrath)

- Roma have rekindled their interest in Real Betis winger Abde Ezzalzouli. (Gianluca Di Marzio)

- Atalanta are closing in on a move to sign Fulham striker Rodrigo Muniz. He has previously been linked with Leeds United. (Nicolo Schira)

Tottenham Hotspur have announced that teenager Mikey Moore signed a new "long-term" contract on what is the attacker's 18th birthday.

Moore joined Rangers on a season-long loan deal on Aug. 1.

A highly rated player throughout his time in the academy, Moore has made 21 first-team appearances for the north London club since making his debut towards the end of the 2023-24 season.

The England under-19 international became the youngest player to start a Premier League game for Spurs when Ange Postecoglou named him in the starting XI for the 1-0 loss to Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park in October.

He scored his first senior goal against Elfsborg in January during Spurs' victorious Europa League campaign.

When Chelsea celebrated an improbable victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the Club World Cup final, it officially marked the end of the 2024-25 season -- coming some 331 days after the Premier League kicked off with Manchester United's 1-0 win over Fulham last August.

Enough of that, though: It's time for a new Premier League season.

Conversations over player welfare and rest times rage on, but all 20 clubs will be taking part in preseason friendlies to gear up for next season.

ESPN takes a look at every team's schedule and what to look out for as preparation for the 2025-26 season ramps up.

Arsenal

Summer friendly schedule

July 23: AC Milan; Singapore -- 1-0

July 27: Newcastle; Singapore -- 3-2

July 31: Tottenham Hotspur; Hong Kong -- 0-1

Aug. 6: Villarreal; Emirates -- 2-3

Aug. 9: Athletic Club; Emirates -- 3-0

After a disappointing end to their campaign last season, Arsenal travel to Asia before returning home for two friendlies in preparation for what they will hope is a sustained title challenge.

Mikel Arteta has strengthened his midfield this summer with the signings of Martín Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard, in addition to Kepa Arrizabalaga and forward Noni Madueke, both from Chelsea. The arrival of striker Viktor Gyökeres is exciting and he could be the man to take Arsenal to the next level.

This preseason will be crucial for Arteta to bed in the new arrivals and find his strongest starting XI before they begin their Premier League campaign with an away date with Manchester United at Old Trafford.

AFC Bournemouth

Summer friendly schedule

July 19: Bristol City; (behind closed doors) -- 4-0 and 2-2

July 26: Everton; New Jersey -- 3-0

July 30: Manchester United; Chicago -- 1-4

Aug. 3: West Ham; Atlanta -- 0-2

Aug. 9: Real Sociedad; Vitality Stadium -- 0-0

Andoni Iraola's Bournemouth broke their club-record Premier League points tally last season with 56, and they travel to the United States this summer for the Premier League summer series in preparation to break the record again.

Of course, that will be a tall order: Iraola has lost three major parts (Kepa Arrizabalaga, Milos Kerkez and Dean Huijsen) of a defence that conceded just 46 goals last season.

They have made attempts to replenish their squad. Goalkeeper Djordje Petrovic comes in from Chelsea in a £25m ($33.5m) deal alongside full-back Adrien Truffert, who will fill in for Kerkez.

A strong preseason will be needed if they are to hit the ground running in what could be the toughest opening game in the Premier League: An away trip to Anfield to face reigning champions Liverpool.

Aston Villa

Summer friendly schedule

July 19: Hansa Rostock; Germany -- 1-3

July 26: Eintracht Frankfurt; Kentucky -- 2-2

July 30: St Louis City SC; Saint Louis -- 2-1

Aug. 2: Nashville SC; Tennessee -- 2-2

Aug. 6: AS Roma; Walsall -- 4-0

Aug. 9: Marseille; Stade Velodrome -- 1-3

Aug. 10: Villarreal; Estadio de la Ceramica -- 2-0

Aston Villa began a packed preseason schedule with a 1-0 defeat to League Two side Walsall, first-team players Tyrone Mings, Jacob Ramsey and Boubacar Kamara were among the 22 that featured.

Villa will play eight friendlies in total across five countries -- including a trip to the United States -- before returning to host Roma at the Bescot Stadium in Walsall. They then travel to France and Spain for games against European regulars Marseille and Villarreal.

It has been a quiet summer so far, with Turkey international Yasin Ozcan and goalkeeper Marco Bizot having joined the club, but that won't stop Unai Emery from eyeing a perfect preseason as a springboard for Villa to bounce back from agonisingly missing out on a Champions League place on goal difference last season.

Brentford

Summer friendly schedule

July 25: Gil Vicente; Portugal -- 1-1

Aug. 2: Queens Park Rangers; Loftus Road -- 1-0

Aug. 8: Borussia Monchengladbach; Gtech Community Stadium -- 2-2

Brentford have never known the Premier League without Thomas Frank in charge, and they go into next season with former set-piece coach Keith Andrews at the helm, in what is his first senior managerial role. It is a gamble, but with the west London side's well-documented history with successful data-driven decisions, they'll be hoping he is another proof of concept.

With only three friendlies scheduled to date, Andrews won't have much time to get to grips with the side before facing Nottingham Forest on the opening day of the season.

With the exciting arrivals of young forward Antoni Milambo and full-back Michael Kayode -- both of whom are just 20 years of age -- alongside the Premier League experience of Jordan Henderson and Caoimhín Kelleher, Brentford are building a side much bigger than their tag of just a 'bus stop in Hounslow.'

Brighton & Hove Albion

Summer friendly schedule

Aug. 2: Southampton; St. Mary's -- 2-2

Aug. 9: Wolfsburg; American Express Stadium -- 2-1

A club on the outside looking in to the Premier League's traditional 'Big 6', Brighton have already played twice this summer, dispatching League One side Wycombe 6-1 and beating Stoke City 3-1 in Marbella.

The youngest manager in the Premier League, Fabian Hürzeler, heads into his second season in England without star man João Pedro, who has enjoyed a stellar start to his Chelsea career. New arrivals Diego Coppola, Maxim De Cuyper and Sunderland playoff hero Tom Watson will be looking to make statements in their first seasons of Premier League football, but they will need good preseasons first.

Teenage Greek forward, Charalampos Kostoulas, cost Brighton £31.4m from Olympiacos, and joins in line with their commitment to having a squad built around young first-team players -- they haven't signed a player over the age of 24 since Hürzeler took over last summer.

Brighton were unlucky to miss out on European football last season, finishing eighth, and Hürzeler will look at preseason this summer as vital in propelling the side one step further next season.

Burnley

Summer friendly schedule

July 26: Huddersfield Town; John Smith's Stadium -- 2-0

July 26: Shrewsbury Town; Croud Meadow -- 2-2

Aug. 2: Stoke City; Bet365 Stadium -- 0-1

Aug. 9: Lazio; Turf Moor -- 0-1

Burnley are back in the Premier League after a year out. Championship promotion expert Scott Parker needed just one season to get them out of the second tier, and he's enjoyed a winning start to preseason by beating League Two side Fleetwood Town 1-0 in their first friendly of the summer.

All three promoted sides have been relegated in both the past two seasons -- Burnley were a part of this in the 2023-24 season -- and in an effort to stay up this time around they have turned towards tried-and-tested Premier League experience with the signings of Jaidon Anthony from Bournemouth, former United defender Axel Tuanzebe and the massive coup of Kyle Walker on a free.

Scott Parker goes into his third crack at the Premier League off the back of a 100-point Championship season. Burnley will mainly play EFL sides this summer, but a marquee final friendly in front of their home crowd on Aug. 9 against European regulars Lazio will be an important fixture for Parker to get his side in shape for a gruelling Premier League season and for the Englishman himself to avoid a third top-flight relegation.

Chelsea

Summer friendly schedule

Aug. 8: Bayer Leverkusen; Stamford Bridge -- 2-0

Aug. 10: AC Milan; Stamford Bridge -- 4-1

World champions Chelsea -- fresh off the high of dominating Champions League winners PSG -- will play two friendlies at home against European opposition in August.

Enzo Maresca knows that maintaining the level they showed in the U.S. over the course of a Premier League season will be a wholly different challenge, and defender Levi Colwill believes they have what it takes.

New forward João Pedro showed in the Club World Cup that he is up to the level, while Liam Delap will be looking to break Chelsea's dreaded No. 9 curse.

A lot was learned about Maresca's Chelsea during the summer but -- as ever with Todd Boehly at the helm -- they haven't been shy in the transfer market. Summer arrivals Estêvão and Jamie Gittens will be looking to make an impact in preseason to nail down a starting spot, while latest signing Jorrel Hato could have a big part to play at Stamford Bridge this year.

Crystal Palace

Summer friendly schedule

July 25: Crawley Town; Broadfield Stadium -- 3-0

July 29: Mainz; Austria -- 1-1 and 2-3

Aug. 1: Augsburg; Austria -- 0-1

The preseason talk around Crystal Palace has been dominated by their demotion to the Europa Conference League, after UEFA's Club Financial Control Body ruled that they were too closely linked to Lyon. It's a body blow to Palace and takes the shine off their first-ever season competing in Europe.

They have been quiet in the transfer window as of yet, only bringing in goalkeeper Walter Benítez on a free and Borna Sosa from Ajax. Their summer could go from bad to worse if star man Eberechi Eze leaves the club amid interest from Arsenal.

Still, a positive preseason for Palace can set the right tone, and a 1-0 win over London rivals Millwall in their first friendly of the summer would help do just that. Boss Oliver Glasner will now have to pick his squad up for a trip to Austria.

Everton

Summer friendly schedule

July 19: Blackburn Rovers; Ewood Park -- 0-1

July 26: AFC Bournemouth; New Jersey -- 0-3

July 30: West Ham United; Chicago -- 1-2

Aug. 3: Manchester United; Atlanta -- 2-2

Aug. 9: AS Roma; Hill-Dickinson Stadium -- 0-1

For the first time in 133 years, Everton go into preseason away from Goodison Park when they officially move into the Hill-Dickinson Stadium (Bramley-Moore Dock), their new 52,000 seater home.

Everton are another side that will jet off to the U.S for the Premier League summer series before coming back to Liverpool to face European giants Roma in their new stadium. The match will be a friendly, but for everyone in the stadium it will be seen as so much more: the curtain-raiser before the first Premier League season at the Hill-Dickinson.

David Moyes begins another full season as Everton manager -- 13 years on from his last -- and with new €35m striker Thierno Barry joining from Villareal alongside Carlos Alcaraz's loan at the club being made permanent, the games across the Atlantic will be crucial for the Scottish boss to start forming his starting XI for next season.

Fulham

Summer friendly schedule

July 26: Nottingham Forest; Portugal -- 3-1

Aug. 9: Eintracht Frankfurt; Craven Cottage -- 1-0

Marco Silva's Fulham only have two friendlies scheduled to date, facing fellow Premier League side Forest in Portugal, before coming back home to west London to play Frankfurt before the season gets underway.

It has been a strange summer for Fulham as they have only announced one signing, bringing in goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte from Montpellier, and have said goodbye to Willian and Carlos Vinícius. However, they have tied down Tom Cairney until next summer as the club legend embarks on his 11th season at Craven Cottage.

They achieved a club-record high Premier League points total last season (54), finishing in 11th place, and they were in European contention for the majority of the campaign.

Silva will want his side to take that next step into Europe this season, but a couple of friendlies await first.

Leeds United

Summer friendly schedule

July 19: Manchester United; Stockholm -- 0-0

Aug. 2: Villarreal; Elland Road -- 1-1

Aug. 9: AC Milan; Dublin -- 1-1

After a dominant season in the Championship last time out, Leeds United are back in the Premier League. To prepare, they have arranged three testing friendlies: First up, they face rivals United and then Villarreal before a clash against AC Milan in their final game before the season starts.

Leeds have stuck with the man who got them to 100 points in the Championship, Daniel Farke, who will be at the helm of a Premier League side once again after his previous struggles in the division with Norwich City.

With the signings of defenders Jaka Bijol and Gabriel Gudmundsson alongside the arrivals of Sebastiaan Bornauw and Lukas Nmecha, Leeds' preseason friendlies take up even more importance as Farke tries to mold a Premier League squad that can stay in the division, something a promoted side hasn't done in two years.

Liverpool

Summer friendly schedule

July 26: AC Milan; Hong Kong -- 2-4

July 30: Yokohama F. Marinos; Japan -- 3-1

Aug. 4: Athletic Club; Anfield -- 3-2 and 4-1

Liverpool's preseason started with an emotional friendly against Preston North End, dominated by tributes to Diogo Jota and his brother André Silva who tragically passed away in a car crash near Zamora, Spain on July 3.

Liverpool will travel to Asia in late July for games against AC Milan and Japanese side Yokohama F. Marinos in preparation to defend their Premier League crown.

New arrivals Giorgi Mamardashvili, Jeremie Frimpong and Milos Kerkez all featured against Preston with club-record signing Florian Wirtz yet to play.

Questions remain over how Arne Slot will set up his side. How will Wirtz slot in besides Mohamed Salah? Will Frimpong play the same role as Trent Alexander-Arnold? Does Kerkez replace Robertson right away? How could the potential incoming of Alexander Isak shake up Liverpool's attack?

Their preseason fixtures might not answer these questions, but it will definitely go a way in shaping how Liverpool will line up against Bournemouth on Aug.15 in the league's curtain-raiser.

Manchester United

Summer friendly schedule

July 19: Leeds United; Stockholm -- 0-0

July 26: West Ham United; New Jersey -- 2-1

July 30: Bournemouth: Chicago -- 4-1

Aug. 3: Everton; Atlanta -- 2-2

Aug. 9: Fiorentina; Old Trafford -- 1-1

United officially start their preseason against rivals Leeds in a game where the intensity promises to be higher than a regular friendly. New £62.5m-signing Matheus Cunha will be involved alongside fellow forward arrival Bryan Mbeumo. Benjamin Sesko will add another point-of-difference to United's attack.

After Amorim's tactics appeared better suited to playing Europe than the Premier League towards the back end of last season, games against Premier League opposition, albeit friendlies, may be of particular note.

With the futures of returning loanees Jadon Sancho, Antony and Tyrell Malacia still unclear and the out-of-favour Marcus Rashford joining Barcelona on a season-long loan -- Amorim's first full preseason at Old Trafford will give a clearer indication of the direction he wants to take this United side.

Manchester City

Summer friendly schedule

Aug. 9: Palermo; Sicily -- 3-0

Manchester City have only announced one preseason friendly to date -- a trip to Italy to face City Football Group (CFG) sister club Palermo.

Pep Guardiola lost the most amount of games in a season in his managerial career as City finished third last season, qualifying for the Champions League. What would be seen as a great season for so many Premier League sides was seen as a failure for City.

This summer, after a surprising round-of-16 exit to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal at the Club World Cup, City will be looking to bounce back from their uncharacteristically poor domestic and European campaign.

With the signings of Rayan Aït-Nouri, Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders, they are building quite the side to challenge for their seventh Premier League title under Guardiola.

Newcastle United

Summer friendly schedule

July 19: Celtic; Celtic Park -- 0-4

July 27: Arsenal; Singapore -- 2-3

July 30: K-League Select XI; South Korea -- 0-1

Aug. 3: Tottenham Hotspur; South Korea -- 1-1

Aug. 8: Espanyol; St. James' Park -- 2-2

Aug. 9: Atlético Madrid; St. James' Park -- 0-2

Eddie Howe's Newcastle side have a packed preseason schedule ahead of them. They started with a 4-0 win over Carlisle United and face Celtic before heading over to east Asia and finishing with back-to-back games at St. James' Park.

New £55m-signing Anthony Elanga will have a series of games to settle into the side before the start of the season. They will hope that his Swedish compatriot Alexander Isak will play alongside him amid speculation he is set to leave Tyneside. With 23 goals and six assists in the league last season, Isak is the last man Newcastle will want to lose.

Aaron Ramsdale has also joined the club on a season-long loan.

They have booked in some high-quality friendlies as Howe and Newcastle look to build on Champions League qualification and a Carabao Cup win last season.

Nottingham Forest

Summer friendly schedule

July 19: AS Monaco; Chesterfield -- 0-0

July 26: Fulham; Portugal -- 1-3

July 30: Estoril Praia; Portugal -- 0-0

Aug. 2: Birmingham City; St. Andrews -- 0-1

Aug. 5: Fiorentina; City Ground -- 0-0

Aug. 9: Al Qadsiah; City Ground -- 0-0

Nottingham Forest were a club in danger of losing their best player this summer, with Morgan Gibbs-White looking set for a move to Tottenham. His contract extension will feel like a new signing for Forest.

Nuno Espírito Santo and his side head to Portugal where their two new signings from Brazilian side Botafogo, striker Igor Jesus and defender Jair Cunha, could debut after their involvement in the Club World Cup.

Before then however, Forest will host Paul Pogba's Monaco in Chesterfield, a location a far cry away from the Stade Louis II. They finish with two games at the City Ground before they play Brentford in their league opener on Aug. 17.

Sunderland

Summer friendly schedule

July 19: Sevilla; Portugal -- 1-1

July 21: Sporting CP; Portugal -- 0-1

July 26: Hearts; Tynecastle -- 0-3

July 29: Hull City; MKM Stadium -- 1-2

Aug. 2: Real Betis; Stadium of Light -- 0-1

Aug. 9: Augsburg; WWK Arena -- 1-0

Aug. 10: Rayo Vallecano; Stadium of Light -- 0-3

After eight years away and a barely believable four seasons in the wilderness of League One, Sunderland are finally back in the big time. They began their most important preseason in the best part of a decade with a draw and a win against non-league sides Gateshead and South Shields.

A popular destination for Premier League clubs, Sunderland will head to Portugal at the back end of July where they face European opposition. Their seven signings so far, totalling around £100m, could all debut, including club-record signing Habib Diara and exciting winger Simon Adingra. The signing of former Arsenal man Granit Xhaka will feel like a big coup for those on Wearside.

Regis Le Bris' side are taking no prisoners in the transfer window, adding proven young top-flight quality to a side that came up through the play-offs, Le Bris has seven matches in the space of three weeks to turn this quality into a side that can stay in the Premier League.

Tottenham Hotspur

Summer friendly schedule

July 19: Reading; Select Car Leasing Stadium -- 2-0

July 26: Luton Town; Kenilworth Road -- 0-0

July 31: Arsenal; Hong Kong -- 1-0

Aug. 3: Newcastle; Seoul -- 1-1

Aug. 7: Bayern Munich: Allianz Arena -- 0-4

Europa League winners Tottenham will go into preseason with a new manager -- former Brentford boss Thomas Frank has taken over from Ange Postecoglou -- and will look to build on the club's first taste of silverware in 17 years.

Frank will look at preseason as vitally important to ensuring his squad understands the high-intensity, forward-thinking football he will no doubt bring to Tottenham. New arrivals Mohammed Kudus and Japan defender Kota Takai will look to stake starting claims. The addition of Joao Palhinha will add more depth in midfield.

Tottenham's preseason friendlies -- which include a north London derby in Hong Kong -- will provide a clearer outlook on how Frank goes about succeeding the man who finally brought a trophy back to the white half of north London.

West Ham

Summer friendly schedule

July 19: Grasshoppers; Switzerland -- 3-1

July 26: Manchester United; New Jersey -- 1-2

July 30: Everton; Chicago -- 2-1

Aug. 3: AFC Bournemouth; Atlanta -- 2-0

Aug. 9: Lille; London Stadium -- 1-1

Rounding off the Premier League summer series sides is West Ham, who will also travel to U.S. for three games. After the departures of Vladimír Coufal, Lukasz Fabianski, Aaron Cresswell and Danny Ings as well as Mohamed Kudus' £55m move to Tottenham, West Ham are in desperate need of some additions.

With Michail Antonio's time at the London Stadium having come to an end this summer, West Ham have brought in Callum Wilson on a free after his Newcastle exit.

Midfielder El Hadji Malick Diouf could debut this summer after his £19m move from Slavia Prague. Graham Potter will be looking for more incomings as the summer progresses, but West Ham's games in the U.S. are opportunities for many to secure and hold on to a starting position ahead of the Englishman's first full season as West Ham manager.

Wolves

Summer friendly schedule

July 26: Stoke City; bet365 Stadium -- 1-1

July 30: Lens; Walsall -- 1-3

Aug. 3: Girona; Spain -- 1-2

Aug. 9: Celta Vigo: Molineux -- 0-1

Wolves' summer so far has been dominated by key outgoings, with top scorer Matheus Cunha joining United and Aït-Nouri leaving for City. They are yet to replace Aït-Nouri but have brought in forwards Jørgen Strand Larsen and Fernando López from Celta Vigo -- who they play at home in their final friendly of the summer. They have also brought in 27-year-old Fluminense forward Jhon Arias, who impressed at the Club World Cup.

Captain Nélson Semedo's has announced his departure from the club this summer and will be difficult to replace. Returning loanees Hugo Bueno, Ki-Jana Hoever and Nasser Djiga will need to hit the ground running in preseason to stake first-team claims ahead of a very challenging season opener for Wolves. They play Man City on Aug. 17.

James Maddison is set to miss a large period of the 2025-26 season after Tottenham Hotspur confirmed the midfielder has ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his right knee.

Spurs confirmed that Maddison will undergo surgery "in the coming days" before beginning the recovery process.

Maddison, 28, was carried off the pitch on a stretcher after suffering the injury during Spurs' 1-1 draw with Newcastle United in South Korea on Saturday.

Speaking after the match, head coach Thomas Frank confirmed the injury was to the same knee that caused Maddison to miss the end of last season. He described it as a "bad" injury and a "brutal moment."

The news comes at a particularly unfortunate time for Spurs with Frank now unable to call upon a recognised creative midfielder. Dejan Kulusevski is set to miss the start of the new campaign with a knee injury of his own.

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Spurs attempted to sign midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White this summer but their pursuit of the player ended in failure after the England international signed a new three-year deal at Nottingham Forest.