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Tottenham have agreed a loan deal to sign Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich with an option to buy for £26m, according to reports.

Palhinha only joined Bayern in a £47.4m transfer from Fulham in June 2024 but he’s now set for a return to the Premier League, talkSPORT have reported.

The Portugal international was hampered by injuries across a frustrating debut season last term at the Allianz Arena and managed a total of just six league starts across Bayern’s title-winning campaign.

Having found himself below Leon Goretzka, Aleks Pavlovic, Joshua Kimmich and Konrad Laimer in the pecking order by the end of the season, the 30-year-old was deemed surplus to requirements.

The recent arrival of Tom Bischof from Hoffenheim only added more uncertainty to Palhinha’s situation.

According to The Athletic, Palhinha was made ‘available’ by Bayern and Spurs were keeping close tabs on developments, with new head coach Thomas Frank pushing for reinforcements in midfield.

The report claimed Tottenham and Bayern picked up negotiations again having agreed a permanent deal for Mathys Tel – following an initial loan move – this summer.

Palhinha is now set to follow Mohammed Kudus, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai through the doors at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to become Spurs’ fourth new recruit of the transfer window.

Earlier this month, reports emanating out of Germany claimed Arsenal were interested in Palhinha and had held ‘serious’ discussions to sign the Bayern misfit prior to the Club World Cup.

Serie A giants Inter Milan were also heavily linked with Palhinha, while top teams in Spain, Turkey and Portugal were said to be monitoring developments.

During a recent interview with Portuguese outlet Sport TV – before Spurs agreed a deal for Palhinha – the player insisted he remained committed to his contract with Bayern, which currently runs through to June 2028.

‘I have a contract for three more years, so I’ll report for duty on July 29, which is when we start this pre-season,’ he said.

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‘As I’ve said several times, and it’s been a recurring question, I have three more years on my contract.’

Palhinha admitted there was some uncertainty over his future, but was determined to ‘prove his worth’ after a disappointing first year in German football.

He added: ‘I don’t know what will happen, but I’m at a great club, as I’ve always said, he added.

‘Obviously, it hasn’t been an easy year, but as soon as the season starts, I’m very motivated to prove my worth once again at a very special club, a huge club.’

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Tottenham have opened talks with Paris Saint-Germain over a deal for Randal Kolo Muani, according to reports in Italy.

The 26-year-old spent the second half of last season on loan at Juventus after failing to secure a regular role in PSG’s side under Luis Enrique.

Kolo Muani scored 10 goals in 22 appearances for Juve last season, two of which came at the Club World Cup earlier this summer.

Juventus are keen to keep Kolo Muani for the upcoming campaign but have so far been unable to reach an agreement with PSG.

The Serie A club are looking at another loan deal with an option to buy, however, PSG are holding out for a €50 million fee (£43.2m) for the French forward.

According to Sport Mediaset, Kolo Muani is also keen to return to Juventus but he may now have the option of joining the Premier League as Spurs have made an approach to PSG.

Manchester United and Newcastle, who are also in the market for a new striker this summer, have also registered their interest in Kolo Muani.

Speaking on Thursday, Juve’s general manager, Damien Comolli, claimed that Kolo Muani is keen on another stint with the club.

‘He wants to return to us and is pushing for it,’ Comolli said.

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‘The relationship with PSG is excellent, even if we need to work further to reach an agreement.’

Elsewhere, Tottenham are closing in on the signing of Bayern Munich midfielder Joao Palhinha.

Spurs have agreed a season-long loan deal for the 30-year-old, which includes an option to buy for €30m (£25.9m).

Palhinha, who was signed by Bayern in a £47.4m deal from Fulham a year ago, started just eight games in all competitions last season.

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Gabriel Magalhaes and Richarlison were involved in a social media spat after Tottenham’s 1-0 win against Arsenal on Thursday.

Pape Matar Sarr’s brilliant long-range strike close to the halfway line on the stroke of half time was enough to secure Spurs’ victory against their north London rivals in Hong Kong.

And Richarlison couldn’t resist using Spurs’ pre-season win as an opportunity to aim a dig at his Brazil teammate and Arsenal defender Gabriel.

In a post on Instagram after the game, Richarlison posed with the Man of the Match award and the Herbalgy Trophy, but he also tagged Gabriel’s account.

Gabriel, who missed the game due to injury, responded with a picture of his three Premier League Player of the Match awards he has received following Arsenal’s three wins against Spurs.

Speaking after his side’s win, Thomas Frank claimed the result against Arsenal still ‘means everything’ despite it being a pre-season friendly.

‘A 1-0 score against Arsenal is an absolutely beautiful score!’ Frank said.

”Yes, it is a friendly, but it’s also a very competitive match. I said before the game that games against Arsenal are never ‘friendly’. It means everything.

‘I have to give respect to both teams for their competitiveness in the game. It was very competitive. I was extremely happy with our first half, that first half was completely even. In many ways I loved the way the team performed, and throughout the game the defensive structure was top.

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‘In the second half, I thought we defended a little too much, but there were some tired bodies on the pitch and sometimes the nature of the game when you are 1-0 up, the other team is pushing a bit more.

‘Some of the defensive principles, and high pressure, especially in the first half, were really good, the mid-block, where everyone defends together and the lower, and the emergency defending, especially at the end, was top class.

‘The desire was good. We talk about that clean sheet mentality. It’s a big thing we need to add to the team. Of course, we need to play forward, play brave, aggressive, offensive, but we need the other bit if we want to win enough football matches.’

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Tottenham have set their sights on signing Joao Palhinha and talks are ongoing with Bayern Munich over a possible loan agreement for the midfielder.

Palhinha will have been itching to make up for lost time having joined Bayern in a £47.4million transfer from Fulham, 12 months after seeing a proposed deal collapse.

But Palhinha was hampered by injuries across a frustrating debut season last term at the Allianz Arena and managed a total of just six league starts across Bayern’s title-winning campaign.

Having found himself below Leon Goretzka, Aleks Pavlovic, Joshua Kimmich and Konrad Laimer in the pecking order by the end of the season, the 30-year-old is now deemed surplus to requirements.

The recent arrival of Tom Bischof from Hoffenheim only adds more uncertainty to Palhinha’s situation and there is a real possibility the Portugal international could be on the move again before the transfer deadline comes around.

According to The Athletic, Palhinha has been made ‘available’ by Bayern and Spurs are keeping close tabs on developments, with new head coach Thomas Frank pushing for reinforcements in midfield.

The report claims Tottenham and Bayern have picked up negotiations again having agreed a permanent deal for Mathys Tel – following an initial loan move – this summer.

Palhinha would follow Mohammed Kudus, Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai through the doors at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to become Spurs’ fourth new recruit of the transfer window.

Earlier this month, reports emanating out of Germany claimed Arsenal were interested in Palhinha and had held ‘serious’ discussions to sign the Bayern misfit prior to the Club World Cup.

Serie A giants Inter Milan have also been heavily linked with Palhinha, while top teams in Spain, Turkey and Portugal are also said to be monitoring developments.

But during a recent interview with Portuguese outlet Sport TV, Palhinha insisted he remained committed to his contract with Bayern, which runs through to June 2028.

‘I have a contract for three more years, so I’ll report for duty on July 29, which is when we start this pre-season,’ he said.

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‘As I’ve said several times, and it’s been a recurring question, I have three more years on my contract.’

Palhinha admitted there was some uncertainty over his future, but is determined to ‘prove his worth’ after a disappointing first year in German football.

He added: ‘I don’t know what will happen, but I’m at a great club, as I’ve always said, he added.

‘Obviously, it hasn’t been an easy year, but as soon as the season starts, I’m very motivated to prove my worth once again at a very special club, a huge club.’

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Arrow MORE: Chelsea offer Man Utd two players in deal to sign Alejandro Garnacho

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Chelsea have offered two players to Manchester United as they look for a creative solution to bring Alejandro Garnacho to Stamford Bridge.

The Blues were keen to sign Garnacho during the January transfer window and have revived their interest in the Argentina international this summer.

Manchester United have put Garnacho up for sale, with Ruben Amorim informing the 21-year-old at the end of last season that he was free to leave.

United’s decision to offload Garnacho comes after the winger criticised Amorim following the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham.

Garnacho has also stagnated at Old Trafford, regressing from one of the most highly-rated players at the club to a squad player who blows hot and cold.

Chelsea believe they can get a tune out of Garnacho, however, and want to welcome him to west London despite the abundance of attacking talent already at Stamford Bridge.

Despite reducing their asking price, Manchester United still want around £50m for Garnacho, who has made 93 Premier League appearances and has earned eight caps for Argentina.

Chelsea are reluctant to meet that figure but as a compromise have offered Nicolas Jackson and Christopher Nkunku to United as part of the deal, according to The Athletic.

Enzo Maresca is ready to sanction Jackson’s departure from Stamford Bridge after signing strikers Joao Pedro and Liam Delap from Brighton and Ipswich Town respectively.

Chelsea, meanwhile, have been open to offers for Nkunku since January, with the France international badly struggling since his £52m move from RB Leipzig in 2023.

Manchester United have shown interest in both Jackson and Nkunku as Amorim looks to strengthen his attacking options even further following the signings of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

But the Red Devils have reportedly ruled out the possibility of a swap deal involving Garnacho and Jackson as they believe the Chelsea forward is overpriced.

Despite Jackson largely flattering to deceive in the Premier League, Chelsea are asking for a jaw-dropping £80m.

That figure is well beyond what United are willing to pay, leading the Old Trafford club to focus their efforts on Benjamin Sesko and Ollie Watkins.

Amorim is keen to welcome a new striker to the Theatre of Dreams following Rasmus Hojlund’s continued struggles at the club.

Hojlund, who cost Manchester United £72m back in 2023, scored just four Premier League goals last season.

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The 22-year-old has enjoyed some success in pre-season, however, netting twice in the 4-1 win over Bournemouth on Wednesday night.

‘I am really happy with Rasmus,’ United boss Amorim said after the game. ‘The important thing is he is scoring goals and he’s connecting really well with the team. He’s improving.’

Garnacho, meanwhile, has attracted interest from Aston Villa and Napoli as well as Chelsea.

The 21-year-old accepts his Manchester United career is over but is believed to be hoping to remain in the Premier League.

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Tottenham head coach Thomas Frank has a ‘great feeling’ heading into today’s north London derby.

Thomas told SPURSPLAY: ‘I have a great feeling, I think it’s going to be a great challenge, we all know that. It’s a north London derby, the first outside the UK, and we’re looking forward to it in front of all our fans here. We’ll be ready for it.

‘I’m quite relaxed about it. The better opponents we can play will help us get up to the level we want to be in three weeks’ time. For me, it’s a fantastic test.’

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is looking forward to playing a north London derby on foreign soil today.

‘It’s a great idea,’ Arteta said in his pre-match press conference. ‘I think to bring football tradition, a rivalry, but at the same time to do it in a completely different country, I think it’s brilliant.

‘I think it’s an opportunity for everybody to feel that and for us as well, because for our preparation, increases the competition level again and it brings a different challenge to the game and then we’re going to be so lucky to play in this incredible stadium with 50,000 people that I’m sure they’re going to be super loud and passionate.’

The new 2025-26 Premier League season gets started on August 15 as champions Liverpool host AFC Bournemouth in an 8pm kick-off.

Tottenham play promoted side Burnley in their opening match on August 16 at 3pm in north London.

Arsenal face a trip to Manchester United in their first top-flight match, which gets underway at 4.30pm on August 17.

New Arsenal striker Viktor Gyokeres is on the bench for today’s game!

He could be set to make his (pre-season) debut in Hong Kong if he comes on.

Interestingly, he’s already broken a club record after his £64m arrival from Sporting CP.

Not long to go until the action gets underway here in Hong Kong.

Arsenal vs Tottenham kicks off in one hour – 12.30pm BST.

UK viewers can watch the pre-season clash on Arsenal’s website, where the match can be live streamed for £4.99.

Fans can also watch the game on SpursPlay, which is £45 for a yearly subscription.

Arsenal vs Tottenham will get underway at 12.30pm UK time today.

The local kick-off time in Hong Kong is 7.30pm – which is 12.30pm BST (British Summer Time) over here in the United Kingdom.

Good morning and welcome to today’s live blog with Arsenal and Tottenham set for a battle out in Asia.

While it’s technically a ‘friendly’, both sides will be desperate to avoid defeat here given the fierce rivalry between the two clubs.

There was lots of discussion and debate over the summer regarding which north London side had the ‘better season’ in 2024-25.

Spurs won the Europa League and finished 17th in the Premier League – while Arsenal were top-flight runners-up and Champions League semi-finalists but didn’t land a trophy.

All eyes are now on today’s clash and you can follow all of the action with our dedicated live blog…

Tottenham retain an interest in Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi, although Liverpool remain at the front of the queue for his signature.

The England international has just one year left on his contract at Selhurst Park and there is no shortage of interest in signing him this summer.

Newcastle made multiple bids for the 25-year-old last summer, Arsenal have been linked, Spurs made an offer in the winter transfer window and now Liverpool are keen on signing him.

With just one year left on his deal with the Eagles, there remains the possibility he could run down his contract and then his options may be even more extensive when he is available on a free transfer.

Having valued the centre-back at £70m last year, Crystal Palace are aware that they will not get that kind of fee this summer given his contract status and he could be available for around £40m.

The Telegraph report that Tottenham are considering making another bid for the defender after their failed move earlier in the year.

Spurs are pretty well stocked at centre-back, with Thomas Frank boasting the likes of Cristian Romero, Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Radu Dragusin and new signings Kota Takai and Luka Vuskovic in his ranks.

Will Romero stay?

A move for Guehi may only come about if a senior centre-back is set to leave this summer, which could still be Romero.

The Argentina international has long been linked with a move to Atletico Madrid and although Tottenham have made it clear they do not want to sell him, an exit is not impossible.

Earlier this month Spanish publication AS reported that Atleti are willing to pay £47m for Romero, but Spurs are holding out for £60m for the player with two years left on his contract.

Speaking earlier this year, Romero made it clear that he would relish the chance to play in Spain one day, certainly not suggesting that he sees his long-term future in north London.

‘I try to take it one day at a time,’ Romero said in April, via TN. ‘There are two months left until the end of the season, and my focus is always on performing at my best and finishing in the best possible way.

‘We’re in the Europa League semi-finals; it’s an important step for the club, after so many years of waiting to get to this stage. I’d like to win it.

‘After this, we’ll see. I haven’t spoken to my agent yet, but I’m open to anything. My goal is to grow, but I don’t want to talk about that.

‘I’d love to play in the Spanish league. I’d love to compete in all the major leagues.’

What’s next for Spurs this summer?

Spurs continue their rebuild under new manager Frank with a pre-season friendly at Luton Town on Saturday.

There will likely be more arrivals at Tottenham before the transfer window closes, with central midfield clearly a position they are targeting.

Nottingham Forest’s Morgan Gibbs-White has been the subject of a bid, while Spurs have also been linked with Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton.

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Bryan Mbeumo has explained his decision to snub Tottenham after Manchester United announced their £71m deal for the Brentford star.

Spurs, under the management of former Brentford boss Thomas Frank, were keen to sign the 25-year-old winger in the summer transfer window.

But United won the race for the Cameroon international, who has signed a five-year contract with the option to extend his deal a further 12 months.

The Red Devils have paid Brentford an initial £65m plus £6m in add-ons for Mbeumo, who scored 20 Premier League goals in 38 games last season.

Mbeumo has told the United website that he simply could not turn down the opportunity to join the ‘massive club’ he supported as a boy.

Mbeumo: I can reach another level at Man Utd

‘As soon as I knew there was a chance to join Manchester United, I had to take the opportunity to sign for the club of my dreams; the team whose shirt I wore growing up,’ Mbeumo said.

‘My mentality is to always be better than I was yesterday. I know that I have the spirit and character to reach another level here learning from Ruben Amorim and playing alongside world-class players.

‘Everybody told me about the environment that is being created here and how exciting the plans are for the future.

‘This is a massive club, with an incredible stadium and amazing fans, we are all really determined to challenge for the biggest trophies.’

Man Utd ‘delighted’ to sign Brentford’s Mbeumo

Jason Wilcox, United’s director of football, said: ‘Bryan’s goals and assists record in the Premier League is exceptional, his remarkable consistency has put him amongst the most productive players in England for the last three seasons.

‘Bryan’s belief in our project and determination to join the club confirmed that he was the perfect fit for Manchester United and the culture that we are developing.

‘We are delighted to have secured another one of our primary targets ahead of the pre-season tour.

‘The experience in the US will be the perfect opportunity for Bryan to work with Ruben and his new team-mates as we prepare for an exciting season ahead.’

Frank: Mbeumo ‘deserves’ Man Utd move

Spurs boss Frank knows Mbeumo incredibly well from their time together at Brentford – and has no hard feelings over his decision to pick United.

‘Bryan, of course, is a fantastic player,’ Frank said on Saturday about his former star.

‘I have been with him for five years. I think he deserved the move, no matter where he goes.

‘As a player I wish him all the best when you’ve been with a player for so long.’

Mbeumo made a total of 242 appearances for Brentford across all competitions, conjuring up 70 goals and 51 assists for the Bees.

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Nottingham Forest reportedly want to sign an England hero should Morgan Gibbs-White complete a £60million transfer to Tottenham.

Two weeks ago, Gibbs-White looked destined to join Spurs after they triggered his release clause and booked his medical.

But the deal is on hold with Forest threatening legal action against their Premier League rivals, as they believe Tottenham made an illegal approach for their star player.

The Three Lions midfielder still wants to move to north London but has remained professional throughout the saga, reporting for training and starting Saturday’s pre-season friendly against Monaco.

Gibbs-White moved to the City Ground from Wolves in 2022 in a deal worth up to £42m and last season recorded 17 goal contributions as he helped Forest qualify for Europe.

Forest have no intention of selling the 25-year-old, having already seen Anthony Elanga join Newcastle, but have lined-up a replacement just in case.

The Telegraph report that Nuno Espirito Santo’s side are among the clubs pushing to sign Manchester City star James McAtee, who is valued at £35m.

Despite being highly-rated, Pep Guardiola has scarcely given McAtee a chance to show his worth, giving him just three Premier League starts last season.

West Ham, Borussia Dortmund and Frankfurt are also pursuing the 22-year-old, who turned down the chance to play at the Club World Cup to instead captain England to glory at the U21 Euros.

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McAtee recently met with the German clubs and was impressed by their offers, while the Irons believe he could replace Mohammed Kudus who recently joined Spurs for £55m.

However, all four interested clubs don’t agree with City’s price tag and instead value the attacking midfielder, who has entered the last year of his contract, at £20-25m.

Manchester United had previously been linked with a shock move for the Citizen but their interest has almost certainly cooled following the arrivals of Matheus Cunha and Bryan Mbeumo.

Forest are about to embark on their pre-season tour of Portugal and kick-off the new season, with or without Gibbs-White and McAtee, on August 17 against Brentford.

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Arrow MORE: Thomas Frank explains why three players missed Tottenham’s win over Reading

Thomas Frank enjoyed an encouraging start to life in charge of Tottenham with a win over Reading in a friendly on Saturday, but three players missed out.

New arrival Luka Vuskovic and Will Lankshear scored the goals in a 2-0 win for Spurs, while summer signing Mohammed Kudus played the second half.

Frank saw a lot of his new players in action, but returning Manor Solomon, new signing Kota Takai and Richarlison all missed out on the trip to the Select Car Leasing Stadium.

Explaining their absences, Frank said: ‘Manor has a minor calf injury, unfortunately, nothing big.

‘Kota has a minor issue, and we expect him to train next week.

‘Richy has trained well, we’re just building him, that’s the big thing, He trained earlier today, and we expect a full training week next week and, right now, we expect him to play next week.’

Richarlison has been linked with a departure from Tottenham this summer, but Frank suggests the Brazilian will play against Luton next Saturday.

The new Spurs boss sounded pleased with his team’s performance after an intense first week of training after his move from Brentford.

‘Lots of boxes ticked, and if we look in a bigger perspective, it’s been a good week, very tough and intense for the lads,’ he said.

‘So, a couple of good things, we’ve got through the week, touch wood, no injuries, everyone in a better, physical place, all the players got a good 45 minutes here, plus a good run after – the fitness box ticked.

‘It’s always important to keep a clean sheet, that’s very important if you want to win football matches, so good aspects in that. I think it’s good we scored two goals from set pieces, something we’ve been working hard on.

‘There were elements in the game I’m happy with, elements of the high pressure, elements of the counter-press, so when we’ve lost it, we can bank teams in, elements of having enough players in the box… there are also bits we’d like to do better, but that’s normal.’

The Dane is taking over the Europa League champions as they prepare to return to the Champions League, but how far can they go this season?

Frank said via the Guardian: ‘What are the odds for us winning the Premier League this season? I think we’re probably not the favourites. There are probably three teams at least ahead of us but we will do what we can to build a strong and competitive team.

‘The first aim is that we need to be able to compete in all four tournaments and do it on a consistent level. I think 2019 was the last season where the club managed to compete in more than one competition.

‘If we can compete, there’s maybe a chance that you can hopefully end top. But we need to be able to build to compete first.’

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