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Tottenham news: Spurs start contract talks with Djed Spence

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Tottenham have opened talks with Djed Spence over a new contract.

The defender's current deal does not expire until 2028, but BBC Sport understands Spurs have entered into discussions with Spence's representatives over a new deal.

After arriving from Middlesbrough in 2022, Spence endured a difficult start to his Tottenham career, spending loan spells at Rennes, Leeds and Genoa.

Yet last season, he emerged as an important player for Ange Postecoglou and these developments over a possible contract extension indicates he has a role to play under new manager Thomas Frank.

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Tottenham Hotspur's Mikey Moore to join Rangers on loan

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Spurs teenager Moore set to join Rangers on loan - BBC
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Rangers are close to completing a loan deal to sign Tottenham Hotspur forward Mikey Moore.

The 17-year-old is regarded as one of English football's brightest young talents and has decided a move to the Scottish Premiership club will further his development.

The move is subject to a medical and will include an extension to Moore's contract in north London that would allow him to spend the season at Ibrox.

Spurs have explained that Moore is among several players left behind from their pre-season tour in Asia, along with the likes of Alfie Devine and Dane Scarlett, to pursue a loan move while the senior side prepare to face Arsenal in Hong Kong on Thursday.

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Transfer news: Thomas Frank on Son Heung-min's future and Tottenham transfer plans

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Transfer news: Thomas Frank on Son Heung-min's future and Tottenham transfer plans - BBC
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Get Involved - Should Son stay or leave?

Click 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say

After winning the Europa League last season, captain Son Heung-min joked that he was now a Tottenham "legend."

The South Korea international has spent a decade in north London, making more than 450 appearances across all competitions and scoring a handful of important goals.

But is it finally time for Son to leave? Or has the 33-year-old still got more to offer to the club?

We would like to know your thoughts, so click on 'Get Involved' at the top of this page to have your say...

Son's Spurs future uncertain

Tottenham captain Son Heung-min's future at the club remains unclear.

The forward has just 12 months left on his contract and has reportedly attracted interest from Saudi Arabia and the MLS.

BBC Sport’s senior football correspondent Sami Mokbel reported last month that any exit is likely to be after the Asia trip, with Son's absence likely to risk complications with tour organisers.

The South Korea international is crucial to the commercial appeal of Tottenham's Asia Tour.

After playing Arsenal in Hong Kong on 31 July, they travel to Seoul to face Newcastle United three days later.

What could Watkins offer United?

Tom McCoy

BBC Sport journalist

Manchester United transfer target Ollie Watkins has provided consistent goal threat for Aston Villa since joining from Brentford in 2020, more than justifying his transfer fee of £28m, rising to £33m with add-ons.

The Torquay-born striker has reached double figures in all five of his seasons with Villa and equalled a club record by netting 19 Premier League goals in 2023-24. He has also been available for the vast majority of games, featuring in 184 of 190 top-flight matches.

His principal strengths are pace and movement, traits which have enabled him to register 211 shots on target in the past five Premier League seasons, second only to Mohamed Salah. But while he is a constant source of danger, his finishing statistics have fluctuated over the years.

Watkins enjoyed a real hot streak when scoring 27 times in all competitions in 2023-24, overperforming his expected goals total by 6.2 and netting with 20% of his attempts.

Those figures regressed last season, with the England international underperforming his expected goals total by four and converting 15.3% of his chances. It perhaps didn’t help that during the first half of the campaign he was often replaced by Jhon Duran in the closing stages of games, allowing the Colombian – rather than Watkins – to capitalise when space opened up as opposition defences tired.

Nonetheless, in the Premier League, Watkins missed a league-high 27 ‘big chances’ (as defined by Opta), scoring only a third of such opportunities. That compares to a success rate of approximately 50% for peers such as Salah, Erling Haaland, Alexander Isak and Yoane Wissa.

But while there may be room for improvement in Watkins’ finishing, he has added another string to his bow by becoming a regular creator of goals, assisting a remarkable 27 goals over the past two campaigns.

Aged 29, Watkins may not necessarily offer a long-term option for United but he would be a clear upgrade on their current options – if Villa can be persuaded to sell.

How do Watkins and Sesko compare to Hojlund?

Sophie Brown

BBC Sport

At present Rasmus Hojlund is Manchester United’s first-choice centre-forward but United have been linked with a move for Benjamin Sesko and Ollie Watkins.

While Hojlund scored just four goals in 32 Premier League games last season for United – and has yet to find the net in pre-season – both Sesko and Watkins posted much healthier 2024-25 figures. Sesko scored 13 in 33 top-fight appearances for RB Leipzig and Watkins hitting 16 in 38 for Aston Villa.

When Hojlund signed for United in the summer of 2023, then-United boss Erik ten Hag described him as “a real frontman” but both Watkins and Sesko offer more all-round games. Watkins has an excellent assist record while there is more to 6ft 5in Sesko than just a classic number nine. He is also fast, comfortable receiving the ball to feet with his back to goal or hanging on the shoulder of the last defender and racing onto a through ball, and he can score goals of all types from all sorts of distances. He has outperformed Watkins and Hojlund on several key metrics so far in his elite-level career.

If Ruben Amorim is looking for a player who provides a focal point and can compete in aerial duels, Sesko is also probably a better fit than Watkins, who is six inches shorter than the Slovenian, and whose game is more about movement and runs into space.

United, who have already spent almost £130m on attacking players this summer, are said to feel that the suggested £60m price tag is too high for 29-year-old Watkins, who Villa say they don’t want to sell anyway, but the Red Devils have had a meagre return on the £72m they paid for Hojlund two years ago. Leipzig are believed to have slapped a €100m price (£87m) on 22-year-old Sesko, with Newcastle also interested in the player.

Second half hat-trick against Leverkusen

On a night that saw Xabi Alonso make his return to Anfield in the opposing dugout, it was Diaz who stole the headlines.

It took the home side 61 minutes to break the deadlock but once Diaz found his first he was able to get two more before full time in what was arguably his greatest ever performance in a Liverpool shirt.

Cody Gakpo also got himself on the scoresheet as the Reds ran out four goal winners and put a marker down to the rest of Europe.

Equaliser ends emotional week

Diaz had spent 10 days away from Liverpool after his mother and father were kidnapped by Columbian rebels in his home country.

Whilst his mother was able to get away, his dad remained missing but Diaz returned to Premier League action before he was rescued.

With Liverpool a goal down deep in to stoppage-time against Luton Town, Diaz headed home Harvey Elliot's cross to salvage a point.

He celebrated by lifting his shirt with a message saying "freedom for papa" and issued a statement after the match asking for his fathers immediate release. Four days later he was returned home unharmed.

Super solo effort saves Liverpool

Liverpool found themselves in trouble in just their second game of the 2022/23 season.

With Liverpool already a goal down, Darwin Nunez had been sent off for a headbutt on Joachim Andersen shortly before the hour mark.

But just four minutes after Liverpool lost Nunez, up stepped Diaz.

A mazy run down the left-hand side saw him cut in on to his right foot before lashing the ball past Vicente Guaita to rescue a point for the home side.

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Tottenham transfer rumours: Gabriel Jesus, Aleksandar Mitrovic

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Heroes' welcome awaits Lionesses as they fly home following Euros triumph

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Prem season to open with first Thursday night game

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Ashley Phillips: Tottenham Hotspur defender rejoins Stoke City on season-long loan

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Ashley Phillips: Tottenham Hotspur defender rejoins Stoke City on season-long loan - BBC
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Stoke City have brought back Tottenham Hotspur's Ashley Phillips for a second season-long loan spell.

The 20-year-old defender made 39 appearances in all competitions for the Potters last term, and had been linked with a move to Championship rivals Sheffield United.

He becomes head coach Mark Robins' fifth summer signing ahead of the new Championship season, which starts at home to Derby County on Saturday, 9 August.

"Being able to bring Ashley back to Stoke City despite plenty of competition is down to him loving his time here last season so much, and a lot of work that took place behind the scenes to make it happen," Stoke sporting director Jonathan Walters told the club website, external.

"To have him playing for us for another season is a significant coup."

Phillips, who is yet to play for the Tottenham first team, said his return to the Potters felt like "unfinished business" and was a "no brainer".

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Kendrick Lamar and SZA deliver a stadium

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Kendrick and SZA deliver stadium-worthy show

Annabel Rackham

Culture Reporter

Kendrick Lamar and SZA's Grand National tour rolled into London on Tuesday night, setting a new standard in how to create the ultimate stadium experience.

Its an art form that some of the world's biggest stars are yet to perfect, but the pair breezed through their 52-track setlist at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, stripping back the gimmicks and distractions to focus on their epic back catalogues.

The California rapper and Missouri singer-songwriter have already broken records with the biggest co-headline tour in history, consisting of 39 shows across North America and Europe.

It serves as one big celebration of their recent achievements - Lamar's hit album GNX and SZA's deluxe edition of SOS, which both came out in 2024.

On paper, bringing together two of the world's biggest artists in a joint show - rather than consigning one to a support slot - should be a guaranteed success. Just look at the numbers - they have a combined monthly listnership on Spotify of150 million after all.

But bear in mind that these are two artists with wildly different performance styles and subject matter - SZA is melodic and ethereal, whilst Lamar is punchy and fired up.

SZA sings about her past relationships and her struggles with finding self-worth, whilst Kendrick explores social commentary, his upbringing and ever increasingly, his enemies.

Yet as they switched between sets, offering up five to six songs each in the early stages of the two-and-a-half-hour show, you realised that the shared headline slot was working.

It's clear the pair worked tirelessly to create a show that feels seamless - Lamar brought an intensity to the first act with tracks such as King Kunta and ELEMENT, which were punctuated by constant bursts of fire and pyrotechnics.

When the pair swapped over, the energy remained high, with SZA tearing through hits such as 30 for 30 and Broken Clocks, which were reworked to feel punchier.

The simplicity of the set design, which featured large moving screens on the main stage and a circular platform, allowed the focus to remain on the two artists.

Parts of the sets are punctuated with dancers, but both artists spent the majority of their sets out on their own, drawing full attention from the audience.

Their 10-year working relationship was certainly evident in the duet sections of the show, in which the pair came together seamlessly to perform All the Stars, one of the evening's highlights and more recent collaborations Luther and Gloria.

With any tour that features more than one headliner, it's difficult to determine the audience split, but the London fans greeted both performers with the same adoration.

The crowd's energy for some of Lamar's earliest songs was electric, with mosh pits erupting throughout the standing areas for Backstreet Freestyle and family ties.

Lamar was certainly captivating throughout, notably performing without backing vocals to showcase his impressive rap flow and breath control.

Several elements of the stadium show were borrowed from his Super Bowl half-time show from February this year, which was seen by more than 120 million people.

The crowd appeared delighted to see that many of the viral dances from that performance had made it to the tour, with the choreography during the track Peekaboo providing maximum entertainment.

His sets were also interspersed with marching band snippets, which are not only prevalent on Lamar's GNX album, but also helped to recreate the big American stadium atmosphere that his music lends itself to.

Watching Lamar as he stalked across the vast circular platform, he commanded every single audience member with his presence - there were no costume changes, no dance routines, just a rapper at the very top of his game.

He was at his most intense when he performed his diss tracks, which also elicited the biggest reaction from the crowd.

The 38-year-old's year-long rap beef with Drake has been incredibly well-documented and whilst he may have showed a little restraint during his Super Bowl show, none of that was on display tonight.

His performance of Euphoria - a track in which he lyrically expresses his hatred for the Canadian rapper, was particularly cutting,

But Not Like Us, Lamar's most commercially successful diss track and his most vicious takedown of Drake, was by far the biggest highlight of the night.

It came as song 50 of 52 on the setlist and it was clear the audience hadn't just been waiting all night for it, but probably since they booked their tickets - some spending as much as £571 - many months ago.

Who knew that a track centred around calling Drake a paedophile (something he strongly denies) could create the best atmosphere the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has seen in years?

Whilst Lamar's stage set-up was understated, SZA was a little more creative with her production elements.

Her individual sets were based around nature, with dancers appearing throughout dressed as anything from trees to giant insects.

SZA also performed several songs on the back of what appeared to be a giant green ant sculpture, before climbing into a harness and ascending the stage with huge butterfly wings.

Despite creating an out-of-this-world environment on-stage, tonight's performance saw her at her most natural.

After her disappointing Glastonbury headline slot at last year's festival, much of the discourse surrounded whether she understood British audiences and was able to connect to them.

That doubt was put to bed from the outset, as she displayed her true talents as a confident and multi-talented artist.

The 35-year-old connected with the crowd instantly, serenading them with fan favourites such as Scorsese Baby Daddy and F2F.

In comparison to Glastonbury, there was only one glaring similarity - she again suffered technical issues on Tuesday evening, appearing to struggle with her in-ear monitors throughout.

However, this didn't affect her vocals at all, which were beautifully crisp, even during fairly complicated dance choreography.

Her stage presence was impressive, as was her ability to adapt her slower songs so that they dovetailed perfectly with Lamar's frenetically paced sets.

Perhaps the greatest highlight of her set came towards the end of the evening, as she lulled the crowd into an almost dreamlike state with Snooze.

She then told the crowd how it was "crazy how you can go from being engaged, to complete strangers" before she sang ballad Nobody Gets Me.

After performing three of her own separate sets, which included songs from albums Ctrl, SOS and its recently updated deluxe version, Lana, SZA made one final appearance to end the show with Lamar.

They finished with two love songs - Luther and Gloria, before disappearing beneath the stage in a prop car, basically the production equivalent of riding off into the sunset.

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Yoane Wissa transfer news: Brentford striker leaves Portugal training camp amid Newcastle, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest interest

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Brentford forward Yoane Wissa has left the team's pre-season base in Portugal amid growing uncertainty over his future.

BBC Sport has learned the 28-year-old has returned to London from the Bees' training camp.

Wissa will now hold talks with Brentford director of football Phil Giles with a trio of Premier League clubs keen on him.

Newcastle, Tottenham and Nottingham Forest are among those with a firm interest in the DR Congo international.

All three clubs can offer him European football next season and it is understood agreeing personal terms, particularly with either Tottenham or Newcastle - whose efforts to land Wissa have intensified in the last 48 hours - will not be an issue.

Wissa is understood to have been unsettled by the speculation regarding his future in recent weeks.

He is expected to join back up with the team upon their return to London if he continues to be a Brentford player.

The outcome of the meeting is likely to be pivotal towards how Brentford approach resolving Wissa's future.

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Beyoncé: Visually impaired fan 'dehumanised' at London concert

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Beyoncé: Visually impaired fan 'dehumanised' at London concert - BBC
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A visually impaired Beyoncé fan said she was treated in a "dehumanising" way after being asked to give up her cane to access the VIP area at the pop star's concert at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last month.

Esther Obigbesan, who spent £489 on a standing VIP ticket, said staff told her she was a "health and safety risk".

Ms Obigbesan told BBC Radio London's Eddie Nestor she contacted the providers of the VIP package ahead of the 10 June show to flag her access needs but received no response.

A Tottenham Hotspurs spokesperson apologised, refunded her ticket, and said the experience "fell far short" of its standards.

When she arrived at the stadium, she said stewards initially helped her to the VIP check-in point, where she received her wristband and merchandise.

But when she reached the pitch area, security staff stopped her.

"They just automatically started talking to the ladies that were with me being like, 'she can't go down there, she can't go down there'," she said.

She said she tried to explain that her long cane was a visual aid and did not affect her mobility, as the staff told her walking aids were not allowed in standing sections.

"In the end, I gave up my cane to the medic team and then they let me go down," she said. "It was more my confidence and my independence… it felt dehumanising."

Ms Obigbesan said she later asked a security guard to help her find the toilet, but overheard staff discussing her while inside the cubicle.

"When I came out, they'd contacted the safety officer who was trying to relocate me," she said. "They were saying it's not safe for me down there because people won't know I'm visually impaired – I said I could have my cane back."

She was eventually moved to a seated area two levels above where she had originally been placed.

"It's a three-hour show but I barely remember any of it because I was crying so much," she said.

Ms Obigbesan said that while there may have been failure in communication between the ticket sellers and the stadium staff, people with disabilities should not need to warn venues to meet basic needs.

In a statement, Tottenham Hotspur said: "We accept this was not reflective of the VIP package Esther had purchased via the promoter and that her overall experience did not meet the standards we consider acceptable as a venue."

The stadium said its access team acted "in the interests of Esther's safety" on the night, but acknowledged the situation "fell far short of the experience" expected.

Leigh Luke, customer services operations manager at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, told the BBC the club had since improved steward training, reviewed briefings, and updated ticket holder communications.

He said the club had apologised to Ms Obigbesan, refunded her ticket, and invited her to a Kendrick Lamar concert on Wednesday as a guest.

"It's not about seeing the disability aid or the visual aid," he said. "It's about seeing the patron… and ensuring that we communicate with them, and not through them, which is what happened in this place."

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Josh Keeley: Luton Town sign goalkeeper from Tottenham Hotspur

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Luton Town have signed goalkeeper Josh Keeley from Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur for an undisclosed fee.

The 22-year-old has joined the Hatters on a permanent deal, having spent last season on loan at Leyton Orient.

He scored for Orient in an FA Cup second round tie against Oldham, one of 45 appearances last season, the last one coming in the League One play-off final against Charlton, which they lost 1-0.

"He is an excellent shot-stopper and can play out from the back and sweep up behind the defence," Luton boss Matt Bloomfield told the club website., external

"We're pleased to acquire a goalkeeper of his potential who already has plenty of experience."

Luton have not disclosed the length of Keeley's contract at Kenilworth Road.

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Thomas Frank: Tottenham manager 'in it for the long term'

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Being Tottenham Hotspur manager has not recently aligned with job security, but new boss Thomas Frank is undaunted by recent history and says he is in it "for the long term".

Speaking in his first news conference since joining in June, Frank joked that, having never been sacked, he took the Spurs job to "get a little bit more risk in his daily life".

While Frank's tone was light-hearted, there is no doubting the demands of the role have proved difficult in the past four years.

Spurs have had four managers since June 2021, with Nuno Espirito Santo lasting just four months, Antonio Conte 16 months and Ange Postecoglou - despite ending the club's 17-year wait for a major trophy by winning the Europa League - two years.

"Coming to a big club, there are pressures," said the Dane. "I like the ambitions and everything I do - every decision I've made - is for the long term. It's not about surviving 18 months, it's for the long run."

The 51-year-old said it was "extremely positive" for the club to have lifted the Europa League last season and, while he wants to bring more trophies, his main ambition is to ensure Spurs are able to compete on all fronts.

"[Winning the Europa League] gave them that fantastic trophy that this club deserved and needed," he said.

"My aim is to add to that. The first aim is that we need to be able to compete in all four tournaments and do it consistently."

Frank was speaking before Tottenham's first pre-season game against League One side Reading at 15:00 BST on Saturday.

Frank had been the Premier League's second longest-serving manager, leaving Brentford in June having managed them in the top flight since winning promotion in 2021.

He said it was a tough decision to leave the west London side, but managing Tottenham was an opportunity he could not refuse.

"In a way it was very difficult and in a way it was very easy," said Frank.

"It was very difficult because I'm a person that goes 'all in' in every relationship: work, friends, marriage, whatever it is. When you go all in and work at a football club, you get attached. I really loved my time there.

"I also felt maybe it was time to challenge myself and get another opportunity. When a club of Tottenham's magnitude are knocking on your door, I couldn't turn it down."

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