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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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Newcastle United have turned to Brentford star Yoane Wissa having ended their pursuit of Hugo Ekitike.

The Magpies made an opening offer of £70million for Ekitike this week, one rejected by the Bundesliga side who are demanding his release clause of £86m be met in full.

Newcastle regarded Ekitike as a player who will come in to play alongside Alexander Isak, not replace him.

The plot thickened this week as it emerged Liverpool have approached Newcastle to sound out a possible move for Isak this summer.

Newcastle’s stance has long been Isak is not for sale, however with Liverpool also making contact over a move for Ekitike as an alternative option.

Liverpool are believed to have struck a deal with the 23-year-old striker, despite a rival offer from Manchester United in the last 24 hours which was turned away.

Newcastle will shift focus to other targets with The Athletic reporting they are now exploring a move to sign Wissa.

His contract in west London is set to expire next summer although the Bees do have the option to extend that by a further 12 months.

Tottenham are also interested in signing the 28-year-old who starred under former Bees boss Thomas Frank in west London.

Spurs have signed Mohammed Kudus with Mathys Tel’s loan move made permanent. There have also been talks to sign Morgan Gibbs-White as part of a revamp of Frank’s attacking options in north London.

Wissa has also attracted interest from Nottingham Forest who saw an opening offer turned away last week.

Forest also saw a bid worth £25m rejected in January.

The DR Congo international enjoyed his most prolific campaign in England to date last season, scoring 19 times and laying on four assists.

Newcastle’s interest in Wissa emerges as Manchester United return with a third offer to sign his Brentford teammate Bryan Mbuemo.

United have already seen two offers turned away with their latest worth an initial £65m with £5m in add-ons.

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Alejandro Garnacho remains likely to leave Manchester United this summer, but wants to remain in the Premier League if he does intend exit Old Trafford.

The Argentina international is one of a number of players on the transfer list as the Red Devils look to significantly trim their squad.

Marcus Rashford, Antony and Jadon Sancho are all on the chopping block as well, but exits are proving difficult to secure, despite them all being international stars.

There is interest in Garnacho, but the 21-year-old is not keen to just take any offer that comes in for him.

The Telegraph report that an opportunity to join Cristiano Ronaldo at Saudi Arabian side Al Nassr has emerged, but the winger is not interested in moving to the Saudi Pro League.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano also reports that Garnacho wants to stay in the Premier League, which seriously narrows down his options in the transfer market.

Serie A champions Napoli have long been keen on Garnacho, making a move for him in January and doing so again this summer, but the player would rather not go to Italy.

Chelsea have been linked with a move for Garnacho all summer and if he is to get his wish to stay in England then Stamford Bridge now appears to be by far the most realistic destination.

The Telegraph reported last month that the clubs were exploring a swap deal which would take Garnacho to west London and Christopher Nkunku move to Old Trafford.

The French forward has had an underwhelming spell with the Blues since signing from RB Leipzig – not helped by serious injury in his first season – and Chelsea are willing to sell him.

Manchester United and Bayern Munich have been credited with an interest in Nkunku, and there remains a possibility that a deal could be done with the Red Devils.

Having previously wanted around £60m for Garnacho, the Mirror reported last month that Manchester United have dropped the asking price as they look to get a deal done.

An offer of closer to £40m may be enough to secure his signature, although clearly if a swap deal can be done then that would drop still further.

While Garnacho featured regularly under manager Ruben Amorim last season, the campaign ended on a sour note as he complained about his role off the bench in the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham.

‘There were a lot of things missing – when you don’t score goals, you always need more at the end,’ Garnacho told the Argentine media after the 1-0 loss. ‘I played every round until we reached the final, I helped the team, and to play twenty minutes today… I don’t know.’

Asked about his team selection for the clash with Spurs, Amorim named Garnacho as someone who made a mistake by missing a great chance against Athletic Bilbao earlier in the competition.

‘Some players come in, like Mason Mount, against Bilbao and changed the game,’ Amorim said in his post-match press conference.

‘So now it is easy to say. Who missed the big opportunity in the first half against Bilbao? Garnacho.

‘Of course, now it is easy for us to talk about a lot of views. I just look at the game and try to manage things and improve the team and try to win games.

‘I can see it both ways. I remember everything about the past so it is easy for me to respond to that question.’

Alejandro Garnacho next club odds

The odds at the time of writing for Alejandro Garnacho’s club on September 3.

Odds courtesy of bet365

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Tottenham’s £60 million deal to sign Morgan Gibbs-White is currently off as Nottingham Forest have pursued legal action over Spurs’ move for the midfielder.

Spurs moved quickly to complete a deal for Gibbs-White this week as they indicated to Forest that they are prepared to meet the 25-year-old’s £60m release clause.

Gibbs-White was due to undergo a medical with Spurs on Friday and finalise his £60m move this weekend.

However, Forest have put the transfer on hold as they believe Spurs have made an illegal approach for their player and claim that they did not give permission for their Premier League rivals to approach the England international.

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Forest have ceased all communication with Spurs and believe there hasbeen a breach in confidentiality around Gibbs-White’s £60m release clause.

Forest have now contacted their legal team and have submitted a complaint to the Premier League.

Gibbs-White joined Forest in a £42.5m deal from Wolves in August 2022.

Last season, the midfielder was one of Forest’s standout players with seven goals and eight assists in the Premier League as the team finished seventh in the table.

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Tottenham have agreed a £55 million deal to sign Mohammed Kudus from West Ham.

The 24-year-old has attracted interest from several Premier League clubs including Chelsea, Liverpool and Newcastle United.

Spurs, meanwhile, had a £50m bid for Kudus rejected by West Ham earlier this month but their improved offer of £55m has now been accepted.

Kudus, who has a £85m release clause in his deal with West Ham, has agreed a six-year contract.

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The Ghana international is now scheduled to undergo a medical with Spurs on Thursday.

West Ham signed Kudus for an initial £38m fee from Ajax in August 2023.

In two seasons with West Ham, Kudus has scored 19 goals and registered 13 assists in 80 appearances.

Spurs are also targeting a move for Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, who could link back up with Thomas Frank after he replaced Ange Postecoglou earlier this summer.

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Tottenham are planning to make an improved bid for West Ham star Mohammed Kudus, but there is competition for his signature.

The Hammers are open to selling the 24-year-old, who has a release clause of £85m.

Spurs have seen a bid of £50m rejected for the former Ajax star, but believe they can get their man for less than his release clause.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano reports that Tottenham are expected to make another bid for the Ghana international, with new manager Thomas Frank signing off on a move for Kudus.

There is plenty of interest in the attacking midfielder, though, with the BBC reporting that ‘at least six top clubs’ have contacted West Ham about the availability of Kudus.

Chelsea is one of those clubs that have made an inquiry and could still beat Tottenham to signing Kudus.

The player is happy to make a move, targeting a Champions League club, with both Chelsea and Tottenham able to offer him that.

Kudus joined the Hammers from Ajax in the summer of 2023 for an initial £38m and had a standout first season with the east London club.

He scored 14 goals in all competitions, making 45 appearances as he swiftly became a key player.

The last campaign was less fruitful, scoring five goals in 35 outings across a difficult season for the club.

Spurs are looking to build a new squad under manager Thomas Frank, although the only confirmed signings so far have been loan moves made permanent.

Mathys Tel has signed from Bayern Munich and Kevin Danso from Lens, but the club want to bring in further additions after winning the Europa League and qualifying for the Champions League.

Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze have all been linked with moves to Spurs, but there is competition for all of them.

Manchester United are leading the chase for Mbeumo, while Arsenal are also being heavily linked with signing Eze.

There will also be outgoings this summer from Spurs, with Richarlison linked with a move away from the Premier League, while Cristian Romero also looks likely to leave.

Captain Son Heung-min has also been linked with a move, with MLS sides interested in the South Korean forward.

The Sun report that 32-year-old is set for talks with Thomas Frank next week over his future, with just one year left on his contract in north London.

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Tottenham striker Richarlison is likely to leave the club this summer after new manager Thomas Frank signed off on a sale, according to reports.

The 28-year-old has been underwhelming since arriving from Everton in 2022, scoring just 16 Premier League goals in three seasons with Spurs.

The Brazil international has scored a total of 20 games in 90 outings, with injuries hampering his progress but form also proving difficult to find consistently.

The Sun report that Tottenham are happy to sell Richarlison this summer and could accept as little as £20m for him, despite paying the Toffees £50m just three years ago.

A loan exit could also be a possibility for the man with 50 caps for his country, but Spurs would prefer a permanent sale.

The forward still has two years left on his contract in north London, the same five-year deal he signed when he arrived from Goodison Park.

The Sun’s report states that Galatasaray is his most likely destination, going as far as saying Richarlison is now ‘expected’ to sign for the Turkish club.

Okan Buruk’s side dominated the Super Lig last season with Victor Osimhen their star performer, scoring 26 goals in 30 league games.

The Nigerian netted a total of 37 times in 41 appearances across all competitions during his loan spell from Napoli, but Gala are struggling to secure a deal to bring him back to the club.

The 26-year-old is wanted by a string of clubs, linked with the likes of Manchester United, Juventus and Chelsea, although the Blues have already brought in Liam Delap and secured a deal to sign Joao Pedro from Brighton.

Richarlison explained some of his struggles during his early days at Tottenham were partly down to mental health struggles after the 2022 World Cup.

He bravely opened up about going through depression after the Qatar World Cup, saying he considered quitting football.

‘Before I went to training, I wanted to go home, I wanted to go back to my room because, I don’t know what was going through my head,’ he told ESPN Brasil in 2024. ‘I even went and told my dad I was going to give up.

‘It’s kind of sad to talk like that, you know? What I went through after the World Cup, discovering things here at home from people who had lived with me for over seven years … It is crazy.

‘To go to my father, who was the guy who chased my dream with me, and say, “Dad, I want to give up,” is crazy.

‘I’d just played in a World Cup, man, at my peak. I was reaching my limit, you know? I don’t know, I’m not going to talk about killing myself, but I was in a depression there, and I wanted to give up.

‘Even I, who seemed to be mentally strong. After the World Cup it seemed like it all fell apart. I think the therapist, like it or not, saved me, saved my life.’

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Tottenham have stepped up their interest in Mohammed Kudus and club bosses are optimistic they can strike a cut-price deal for the West Ham forward this summer.

Kudus, 24, has racked up 19 goals and 13 assists in 80 appearances since joining the Hammers from Ajax in a £40million move from Ajax in 2023.

But there is mounting speculation that Kudus could be set for the exit door at the London Stadium, with several top teams alerted to a potential agreement for the Ghana international.

Chelsea have been credited with a strong interest as they scour the transfer market for attacking reinforcements having already signed Liam Delap from Ipswich.

But the Blues have instead decided to focus their attentions on Brighton’s Joao Pedro and Borussia Dortmund’s Jamie Gittens, who are both expected to finalise transfers to Stamford Bridge over the coming days.

According to The Telegraph, Spurs would be prepared to break their ‘unofficial transfer embargo’ with West Ham to land Kudus and are ready to make their move. Scott Parker was the last player to make the controversial switch way back in 2011.

The report states that Tottenham’s hierarchy are upbeat about their chances of reaching an agreement with the Irons for a fee ‘well below’ Kudus’ £85m release clause, which is said to be valid for the first ten days of July.

It’s claimed West Ham will listen to offers for Kudus as they look to raise funds for a summer rebuild under Graham Potter – and the ex-Ajax man is ‘open’ to the idea of a move across the capital.

However, Spurs – who appointed Thomas Frank as their new head coach earlier this month – may first need to offload players before tempting West Ham with an opening bid for Kudus.

Kudus’ current deal with the Hammers runs through to June 2028.

Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, Bournemouth’s Antoine Semenyo and Crystal Palace’s Eberechi Eze have also been linked with moves to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in recent weeks and months.

Asked about his West Ham future in April, Kudus told SportsBoom: ‘I’m just here to play my football, enjoy myself, and help the team as much as I can.

‘The future will take care of itself.’

Spurs wrapped up their first piece of summer transfer business a fortnight ago as they confirmed that Mathys Tel had signed on a permanent basis following an initial loan deal.

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The 20-year-old Frenchman put pen to paper on a six-year deal, tying him to the club until 2031.

‘I’m very, very excited about Mathys signing with a permanent deal,’ Frank said of Tel’s switch from Bayern Munich.

‘I think he’s a very talented player who can play across the front four positions.

‘He’s a goalscorer, that we can develop even further, and be even more consistent in his all-round game and also more consistent to land in the right positions in the box. I’m looking forward to it.’

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Manchester United have been dealt a transfer blow which could lead to an awkward moment for head coach Ruben Amorim.

Following their worst season in Premier League history, United have been busy in the transfer market, signing Matheus Cunha with a deal for Bryan Mbeumo getting closer.

However, they’ve not made much progress in selling off unwanted stars, with Marcus Rashford, Alejandro Garnacho, Antony and Jadon Sancho still at Old Trafford.

Rashford has reportedly rejected three Premier League clubs as he holds out for a dream move to Barcelona, while Real Betis want to re-sign Antony but finances are proving tricky.

And on Sunday, United’s problems were exasperated as PSV announced they would not be buying Tyrell Malacia following the end of his loan spell.

‘On July 1, the tenures of Tyrell Malacia and Rick Karsdorp at PSV will expire,’ the Dutch champions said in a statement.

‘Tyrell will return to Manchester United after his rental period, while Rick Karsdorp’s expiring contract will not be renewed.

‘PSV announced the arrival of Tyrell on loan from Manchester United on February 4 this year. The 25-year-old made 12 appearances in PSV’s first team. With the club he captured the first national title of his career.’

Malacia moved to Old Trafford in the summer of 2022 for £13million, becoming the first signing of the Erik ten Hag era.

The left-back enjoyed a decent debut season, making 39 appearances and winning the Carabao Cup, but he would miss the entirety of the 2023/24 campaign because of a serious knee injury.

Tyrell Malacia Man Utd stats

Appearances: 47

Goal contributions: 0

Yellow cards: 11

Trophies: Carabao Cup

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United were hopeful that the loan move would lead to a permanent exit but now they must find a new club for him, a tricky task given the player is still struggling for fitness.

And when Malacia returns to Carrington things could be a tad awkward given the Dutchman’s parting shot at Amorim and the club.

Upon joining PSV. the defender notably said: ‘I’m happy to be here. Finally playing good football again.’

The Dutchman has one-year left on his contract and because of PSR United need to sell him for around £3m in order to break even on the player.

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Jamie O’Hara said Tottenham should consider a move for Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott in their search for attacking midfield reinforcements.

Spurs are targeting Eberechi Eze as a marquee signing for new manager Thomas Frank, but could face stiff competition for the Crystal Palace and England midfielder.

Eze, who has a £68 million release clause in his deal, has also attracted interest from Manchester United and Arsenal, with Mikel Arteta’s side adding the 26-year-old to their transfer shortlist in recent days.

A return to Arsenal, where he spent several years in the academy set-up, may appeal to Eze and could mean Spurs have to consider alternative options.

And O’Hara believes his former club should take a look at Elliott whose impressive performances for England at the U21 Euros have caught the eye of many this summer.

Elliott scored twice against the Netherlands to guide Lee Carsley’s side to Saturday’s final, but faces lingering questions over his long-term future at Liverpool due to a lack of game time.

The 22-year-old played just 360 Premier League minutes last season, but O’Hara believes the midfielder could play a far more influential role in Frank’s side.

‘I’d have him at Tottenham,’ Ohara said of Elliott, whose asking price is believed to be around £40million, on talkSPORT.

‘100 per cent I’d have him at Tottenham. He’d play on the right and compete with Brennan Johnson and Dejan Kulusevski.

‘Kulusevski is quite a similar player, but I think Harvey Elliott has got something about him.

‘He can play in the No10, further back in central midfield – there’s a lot to like and he’s only 22. He could definitely play for a team that is playing in Europe.’

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Meanwhile, former England winger Joe Cole recently suggested that Elliott will be on the radar of several top European clubs after his stellar performances in the U21 Euros.

‘Anyone outside the top six he comfortably walks into and becomes one of the main players,’ Cole told Channel 4.

‘Once he has two years at that level, he can come back to the very top at a club like Liverpool and compete. I just think he needs to be playing more regularly.

‘I still think there’s more to come from him and after playing like he has this tournament, I think there will be clubs all around Europe looking for his agent’s number and thinking he could be right for them.’

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