Metro.co.uk

Ex-England striker Darren Bent has told Arsenal to avoid spending £100million on Sandro Tonali and focus their efforts on strengthening other areas of the squad.

Tonali finds himself at the centre of a Premier League tug-of-war this summer, with English champions Arsenal far from alone in exploring a possible deal for the Newcastle central midfielder.

Manchester United, Manchester City and Serie A giants Juventus are all believed to be monitoring the situation – and Newcastle are growing increasingly resigned to losing the 26-year-old.

However, reports emanating out of Tonali’s native Italy on Monday claimed Tottenham had ‘forcefully’ entered the fray and Roberto De Zerbi is said to be playing a central role in Spurs’ pursuit.

Crucially, Tonali is understood to be ‘open’ to the prospect of a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite the club narrowly avoiding the drop last season.

Those interested parties will be aware that Tonali’s services will not come cheap, though, with the Magpies reportedly demanding an eye-watering fee of £100m for their prized possession.

It comes six months after Arsenal held ‘direct talks’ to land Tonali as cover for Mikel Merino, who was sidelined at the time with a serious broken foot.

‘Listen, Arsenal aren’t paying £100m for Tonali,’ former Tottenham forward Bent, a lifelong fan of bitter rivals Arsenal, said on talkSPORT when addressing the latest rumours surrounding the sought-after Italy international.

‘He’s a very good player but that’s a position Arsenal don’t need to worry about.

‘Yes, I’d love to take him at Arsenal, 100 per cent, but not for £100m.

‘He’d be brilliant for Manchester United but £100m is a lot of money.’

While Bent feels Tonali has the quality to bring another dimension to Arsenal’s midfield options, he hopes the Gunners spend their transfer kitty elsewhere over the coming weeks and months.

‘For Newcastle probably, yeah, I get that [£100m price tag],’ he added.

‘He’s a good player, a very good player, and, again, I’d love him at Arsenal. But I just don’t want Arsenal paying £100m.’

Asked what he believes Tonali is really worth, Bent replied: ‘£80m or £85m, I think that would be reasonable.’

Turning his attentions to this week’s rumours surrounding Tonali, Bent believes Tottenham’s hopes of a deal could fall squarely on the shoulders of their new manager De Zerbi.

Asked if Spurs represented a step up on Newcastle, he responded: ‘The last couple of seasons would suggest no.

‘What you’re going to have to sell to Tonali when it comes to this type of conversation is the project.

‘De Zerbi will say to him, “I get it, we’ve had a couple of down years… I know we won the Europa League, but think about what we’re doing now – we’re trying to get Savinho in, we’re trying to Jan Paul van Hecke in, Andy Robertson is already there!”.

‘He [De Zerbi] be saying, “We’re starting to rebuild and you [Tonali] could be that crown jewell right in the middle”, so yeah, if they could sell that project to him then maybe they get it over the line.’

Tonali put pen to paper on a new contract with Newcastle back in January, tying him to St James’ Park until 2029.

But in an interview with Italian outlet Calcio e Finanza just two months later, Tonali’s agent Giuseppe Riso was unable to provide any assurances over his client’s future in the north east.

Riso also suggested that he and Tonali’s inner circle had always viewed Newcastle as something of a stepping stone to a bigger club.

‘The deal came about because a club like Newcastle with unlimited financial resources had decided to invest in Sandro,’ he said.

‘We considered the idea of having the player play in a higher-level league.’

On a possible departure from Tyneside for a club such as Arsenal or Manchester City, Riso added: ‘Exactly, that was the goal from the moment he went to England – to try to make him a star player.

‘I think he’s the Italian footballer with one of the highest values in the world.’

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Arsenal are interested in signing teenager Elijah Upson, who is set to leave Tottenham at the end of this month.

The 18-year-old has been with Spurs since he was seven years old but is leaving on June 30 when his current contract expires.

The centre-back is the son of former England international Matthew Upson, who was an Arsenal player from 1997-2003, making 57 appearances for the Gunners, including 14 in the 2001/02 Premier League season when Arsene Wenger’s side won the title.

The 47-year-old went on to play for the likes of West Ham, Birmingham and Brighton, winning 21 caps for the Three Lions.

Tottenham have already confirmed the young defender’s imminent exit, wishing him well for the future.

A post on X from the Tottenham Hotspur Academy last week read: ‘With us since the age of seven, Elijah was a part of the 2024/25 U17 Premier League Cup winning squad, before featuring for both our U18s and U21s last season 🙌.

‘We wish him well as he departs for pastures new 🤍.’

The Athletic report that Arsenal are keen to build for the future and snap up promising young talent, with Upson on their radar.

With the teenager already on the way out of the door at Spurs, the report does not confirm a move across north London, but only that the Gunners are interested in snapping him up.

The 18-year-old is known for his great pace, a national 100m sprint champion during his school days, which is little surprise as his mother is former runner Ellie Darby.

Arsenal are looking to the future this summer, with 16-year-old Leicester City talent also on their shopping list.

The teenager winger has already featured regularly for the Foxes, making 30 appearances in all competitions last season and scoring one goal.

Chelsea and Manchester United also have the England Under-19 international on their radars, but Arsenal are thought to be leading the race for him.

One of the brightest young talents in the country, with a lot of experience for his age, Leicester are hoping for at least £10m, after their relegation to League One.

The Times report that Brentford are also keen on Monga and are looking to pull off a coup by beating Arsenal to his signature.

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Tottenham have joined this summer’s transfer race for Newcastle midfielder Sandro Tonali, according to reports in Italy.

Tonali has established himself as one of the most highly regarded central midfielders in Premier League football since swapping AC Milan for Newcastle back in 2023.

A ten-month ban for breaching betting rules meant Tonali made only 12 appearances in his debut season with the Magpies, but the 26-year-old has gone on to become a key member of Eddie Howe’s dressing room and was an integral figure in the club’s Carabao Cup success.

However, Tonali’s future has been the subject of intense speculation in recent months and the Toon are bracing themselves for a potential bidding frenzy, with the summer transfer window having opened on Monday.

According to respected Italian football journalist Matteo Moretto, Spurs are the latest Premier League side to ‘forcefully’ throw themselves into the mix for Tonali’s signature.

Tottenham’s bitter rivals Arsenal had explored a possible move for Tonali back in January, while both Manchester clubs have also been credited with a strong interest in the Italy international.

But Spurs have asserted themselves as a genuine force in the battle for Tonali and it’s claimed they are ‘ready to hand the 26-year-old the keys’ to their new project under Roberto De Zerbi.

De Zerbi is said to be playing a central role in Tottenham’s pursuit of a deal for Tonali and is actively ‘pushing’ club bosses to coax his fellow countryman away from St James’ Park.

Crucially, it’s claimed Tonali is ‘open’ to the prospect of a move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, despite the club narrowly avoiding relegation from the Premier League last season.

Newcastle are believed to be demanding a fee in excess of £100million for Tonali – just three years after the midfielder arrived in the north east from Milan in a €70m (£60.5m) deal.

Italy’s failure to qualify for the World Cup means Tonali is currently enjoying a long break away from football and barring an unforeseen setback, the deep-lying midfielder should enter the 2026/27 campaign with fresh legs.

Tonali’s current contract with Newcastle is not due to expire until June 2029.

Speaking to Italian publication Calcio e Finanza back in March, Tonali’s agent Giuseppe Riso was unable to provide any assurances over his client’s future with Newcastle.

Riso also suggested that he and Tonali’s inner circle had always viewed Newcastle as something of a stepping stone to a bigger club.

‘The deal came about because a club like Newcastle with unlimited financial resources had decided to invest in Sandro,’ he said.

‘We considered the idea of having the player play in a higher-level league.’

On a possible departure from Tyneside for a club such as Arsenal or Manchester City, Riso added: ‘Exactly, that was the goal from the moment he went to England – to try to make him a star player.

‘I think he’s the Italian footballer with one of the highest values in the world.’

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Manchester United are distancing themselves from reports they are considering a shock move for wantaway Tottenham captain Cristian Romero.

The Spurs skipper looks set to depart the north London club this summer following another turgid Premier League campaign.

After winning the Europa League just over 12 months ago, Ange Postecoglou was expected to build on that landmark success but was instead given the boot following a 17th-placed finish.

His replacement, Thomas Frank, lasted just over six months in the job and interim hire Igor Tudor presided over a miserable seven-game spell which saw the club crash out of the Champions League and become embroiled in a relegation dogfight.

Roberto De Zerbi eventually masterminded Tottenham’s recovery and preserved their top-flight status following a win over Everton on the final day of the season.

Romero missed the run-in after suffering a knee injury during the Italian’s first game at the helm, and with no European football on offer next term, the 28-year-old is angling for a move.

Spain had appeared the most likely destination for Romero, who has recovered from his injury in time to be part of Argentina’s World Cup squad.

Both Barcelona and Atletico Madrid had been linked with a move for Romero before reports in Argentina suggested that United are considering a move for the 28-year-old.

United are set to invest heavily this summer in an attempt to equip Michael Carrick with a squad capable of competing on multiple fronts.

However, the BBC have now reported that United are keen to distance themselves from any reported interest in Romero.

Carrick’s predecessors already spent heavily on the likes of Matthijs de Ligt, Lisandro Martinez and Leny Yoro in recent windows, while the form of Ayden Heaven and contract extension handed out to Harry Maguire means United are well-stocked when it comes to central defensive options.

United have already reached an agreement to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson, with further reinforcements in central midfield, in goal and on left wing seen as the priority at this stage of the transfer window.

Romero’s injury issues and poor disciplinary record could make him a contentious signing for United, particularly after his attitude was called into question by ex-Red Devils defender Gary Neville last month.

Romero had initially intended to remain in Argentina and receive further treatment on his knee injury, rather than return to London to support his teammates in their bid to beat the drop before a late U-turn.

He said: ‘It’s another something Tottenham fans can look at and think there’s another disconnect.

‘They are coming here today to support their team and the captain or the club is considering not being here for the last game of the season. Bad decision. Poor choice.

‘What are you thinking? Did you not think he’d been spotted back in Argentina? Did you not think he’d be seen as missing in action?

‘It’s symptomatic of poor decision-making; it’s something they’ve corrected and he’s going to be here, but everyone knows originally the decision was not for him to be here.’

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Tottenham are aiming to steal a march on their rivals and have kickstarted their summer recruitment drive by making an offer for Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke.

The Seagulls value the Netherlands international at £70million and have rejected Spurs’ initial offer.

Roberto De Zerbi is hoping to add new blood to a squad that narrowly avoided relegation on the last day of the Premier League season and have finished 17th in each of the last two campaigns.

Three wins in the final five fixtures of another shambolic season suggested the former Brighton coach was on the right path following his appointment in March.

The north London club are under no illusion, however, at the size of the rebuilding work that needs to be undertaken and another underwhelming transfer window would set the club back even further.

Captain Cristian Romero appears almost certain to depart, while Van Hecke’s Netherland’s teammate, Micky Micky van de Ven, is also the subject of interest from various heavyweight European clubs.

Tottenham are on the verge of completing a deal for free agent, Marcos Senesi who has been a mainstay of Bournemouth’s success under Andoni Iraola.

De Zerbi would be keen to pair the Argentina international with Van Hecke, a player he struck up a close relationship during their time together at the Amex Stadium, according to The Telegraph.

Spurs are unlikely to have a clear run at the 25-year-old who has just a single year remaining on his contract and is set to be sold this summer with talks over an extension unlikely to materialise.

Both Liverpool and Chelsea are in the market for defensive reinforcements and are likely to rival Spurs for Van Hecke’s services.

Xabi Alonso’s status as manager, rather than head coach, means he will have a direct influence on Chelsea’s transfer targets and adding more experience to a backline that leaked goals last season will represent a priority.

Liverpool, meanwhile, who are set to confirm Iraola as Arne Slot’s successor imminently, are keen for a new cente-half to partner Virgil van Dijk with Ibrahima Konate now set to leave on a free and join Real Madrid.

Brighton are also on the lookout for a new sporting director after Jason Ayto left the club by mutual consent on Wednesday.

Ayto joined Brighton in September 2025 after more than a decade at Arsenal, where he worked in several technical roles.

Chairman Tony Bloom said: ‘I’d like to thank Jason for everything he has done for us, and to wish him well for the future.’

Technical director Mike Cave, reporting to chief executive and deputy chairman Paul Barber, will oversee all sporting areas of the club, working with the existing senior team.

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Tottenham are looking at a string of Premier League transfer targets as they look to bounce back from a nightmare season.

Spurs narrowly avoided a shock relegation to the Championship, with victory over Everton on the final day of the season keeping them in the top flight.

Disaster was avoided, but finishing 17th for the second season on the bounce is still a woeful return for a club of Tottenham’s stature.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi only arrived on the final day of March and was important in keeping the north London side in the Premier League.

He now expects the squad to be significantly different by the time next season begins, with new arrivals and some players shipped out.

The manager said after the 1-0 win over Everton: ‘We have 10, 11, 12 players who are good enough to stay – good enough as players and especially people.’

The Independent report that the Italian is eyeing his former club Brighton for a trio of new signings, if Spurs can get them.

De Zerbi wants midfielder Carlos Baleba, defender Jan Paul van Hecke and goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen as part of his significant rebuild.

Signing all three seems unlikely, especially as Baleba alone was valued at around £100m when Manchester United were interested last summer.

Spurs have already identified targets elsewhere, though, including Manchester City and England goalkeeper James Trafford, who is second choice behind Gianluigi Donnarumma at the Etihad.

The Daily Mail report that Tottenham are also looking at Leeds United ‘keeper Karl Darlow.

Tottenham have been linked with signing Liverpool hero Andy Robertson for some time as he leaves Anfield at the end of his contract.

The Scot is now expected to move to Spurs after they avoided relegation, with the 32-year-old bidding farewell to the Reds on Sunday after nine years at the club.

The extensive search for new players continues with two more Manchester City stars also reportedly on the shopping list at Spurs on top of Trafford.

The Mail’s report states that Tottenham are still interest in winger Savinho, having tried and failed to sign him last summer.

The Independent claim that Spurs are also looking at John Stones, who is available on a free transfer after leaving City at the end of his contract.

Centre-back is clearly a position De Zerbi is desperate to strengthen as Tottenham are also at the front of the queue to sign Bournemouth’s Marcos Senesi.

The 29-year-old has been a regular during this impressive season for the Cherries but is now expected to make the move to north London.

In terms of outgoings, there will be some big names departing this summer, either on free transfers, at the end of loan deals or sold.

Yves Bissouma and Ben Davies are both out of contract and extensions are unlikely.

Joao Palhinha and Randal Kolo Muani have both been on loan this season and Spurs would like to keep Palhinha after his short-term move from Bayern Munich, but Kolo Muani does not seem likely to have any future at the club.

Captain Cristian Romero is likely to be sold, with Atletico Madrid long-term admirers, while goalkeeper Gugliemo Vicario is also expected to depart.

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Eberechi Eze could not resist a small dig at Tottenham after being reminded about how different his last season could have been.

Eze and his Arsenal teammates finally got their hands on the Premier League trophy on Sunday having been crowned champions in midweek.

The Gunners secured a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace on final day before celebrating on the pitch at Selhurst Park, a full-circle moment for Eze who left Palace last summer to join Mikel Arteta’s side.

However, it could have been a different season entirely for the 27-year-old, who, at one point, looked destined to join Tottenham before an 11th-hour intervention from their north London rivals.

And Eze was quick to laugh at the sliding doors moment when jokingly asked by former Gunners defender Lee Dixon if his decision to join Arsenal rather than fighting relegation with Spurs was the right one.

‘I’m pretty sure I did [make the right decision], I’m pretty sure I did,’ a grinning Eze replied to NBC Sports.

Asked about his emotions more generally having won his first league title, Eze added: ‘Yeah, no words, no words to describe this feeling.

‘It’s been a long season, so many ups, downs, but we’ve reached the end of the marathon and having won, I can only thank God.’

The season could well get better still for Arsenal as they now turn their attention to next weekend’s Champions League final against Paris Saint-Germain.

And Eze insisted that the mood inside the dressing room has only grown following their league title triumph.

‘It’s faith, it’s faith and belief,’ he added. ‘I think that’s what it is, it’s showing itself in so many different places.

‘And I just feel like everyone’s got this feeling that we can do it, that we can achieve things, that the journey is being paved for us.

‘And as long as we’re doing everything we can, God’s going to take care of the rest. And I feel like that feeling is all over the place, really.’

Elsewhere, Eze’s leadership was praised by Declan Rice, who said his fellow countryman’s calming presence in the dressing room helped the team immensely down the closing stretch.

‘He’s such a calm guy, you see how he is on the pitch that’s how he is off the pitch,’ Rice said. ‘He just calmed everyone and it was really nice.

‘That’s been another thing this season, there’s been a lot of people who have stepped up behind the scenes.

‘Nobody would think they’re leaders but they’ve really been talking within the group and they’ve pushed people in quiet one to ones. It’s been a real group effort this season.’

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Tottenham Hotspur’s ‘should be ashamed of themselves’ after their ‘pathetic’ season, said Gary Neville as Spurs narrowly avoided relegation.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side beat Everton 1-0 on the final day of the campaign to hang onto their Premier League status after a woeful season.

They finished 17th, two points clear of relegated West Ham, with their victory over the Toffees their first home win since December.

It is the second season on the bounce the north London giants – one of the richest in the global game – have finished 17th in the top flight.

De Zerbi is certainly not to blame, having joined the club on March 31 and earned three of their 10 wins this season, but Neville is happy to point the finger at the players.

There were wild scenes of celebration as Tottenham avoided the drop on Sunday, which was relief more than anything, but the former England defender was not ready to praise the underperforming Spurs strugglers.

‘Is it too far to say that they’ve been pathetic? That they should be ashamed of themselves? Probably not,’ Neville said on Sky Sports.

‘This is Tottenham Hotspur. I know sometimes I get mocked for saying this is Manchester United, but this is a football club steeped in incredible traditions.

‘Now they’ve not won trophies for a long time regularly, even though they won the Europa League last year, which was fantastic. It was great for this fanbase to celebrate a trophy.

‘But they’ve been underachievers and underperforming for a long time. This is another level of underachievement and hitting new lows. The last two years in the Premier League.’

Tottenham defender Micky van de Ven sounded like he largely agrees with Neville’s assessment, telling the BBC on Sunday: ‘It is unacceptable that the last game we played this season we play for relegation.

‘This club has some unbelievable players. It was embarrassing to let it come to the final day but we did it and that is what is important.’

De Zerbi said the work must start immediately on building a squad that will do far better next season, which he tried to play down, but also suggested only a maximum of 12 of his players are good enough.

‘We don’t have to change too many players. We have 10/11/12 players good enough to stay, both as players and people,’ he said.

‘Then we have to complete the squad with first level of players because we suffered too much. The players they suffer too much. We are Tottenham and we can’t suffer like this until the last second and last game and I will be stronger. My target was staying up, and my target is to start the pre-season with a team I have in my dream.’

He added: ‘We have to learn from our mistakes we have done this season. Now we are happy as we stayed up — stupid people forget the past. Smart people can’t forget the past and we have to improve from our mistakes and we have to look forward to start being a team from this night. We have no time to go on holiday.’

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Gary Neville believes Tottenham’s allowing Cristian Romero to return to Argentina this week was a decision that was symptomatic of a club in disaray.

The Spurs skipper suffered a season-ending injury against Sunderland last month and has been unable to aid his side’s hopes of beating the drop.

Roberto De Zerbi’s men face Everton on the final day knowing they will maintain their Premier League status should they match West Ham’s result against Leeds.

Romero will be in attendance at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but his presence was in doubt earlier this week having been given permission to return to Argentina to continue his rehabilitation from a knee issue ahead of the World Cup

‘I don’t want to answer about Romero, about (Dejan) Kulusevski,’ said De Zerbi in his pre-match press conference.

‘They can’t play, they don’t play and they are not here. My focus is on Djed Spence, on (Randal) Kolo Muani, on Richarlison.

‘We have to play and to play with blood, with character and with spirit because it’s a final. They played a great final last season and they won a trophy.

‘Maybe there was a bonus, no? After tomorrow, there is not a trophy, there is not a bonus, there is something more important than a trophy and a bonus, there is the future of the club.

‘There is the history of the club, there is the pride of the players, there is the pride of the family of the players, there is the dignity of every one of us, and for that, I can’t lose energy thinking about the next season.’

Romero’s decision to go back to his homeland has sparked anger amongst the fanbase and Neville feels a measure of sympathy for supporters who have seen their club mismanaged on almost every level.

He said: ‘It’s another something Tottenham fans can look at and think there’s another disconnect.

‘They are coming here today to support their team and the captain or the club is considering not be here for the last game of the season. Bad decision. Poor choice.

‘What are you thinking? Did you not think he’d been spotted back in Argentina? Did you not think he’d be seen as missing in action?

‘It’s symptomatic of poor decision making, it’s something they’ve corrected and he’s going to be here but everyone knows originally the decision was not for him to be here.’

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Glenn Hoddle believes Tottenham’s current predicament must force a major rethink, but said shrewd recruitment and decision-making can get them back on their feet sooner rather than later.

Tottenham head into the final day of the Premier League season with the very real possibility of relegation still looming over their shoulder.

Spurs needed just a point against Chelsea in midweek to condemn West Ham to relegation, but a 2-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge means there is work still to be done against Everton on Sunday.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side only need a point to survive, and could even afford to lose if 18th-place West Ham fail to beat Leeds United at home.

Even if Tottenham avoid the drop, it would mark a second successive 17th-place finish in the league for Spurs and one that Hoddle believes must spark a major rethink at his former club.

‘The Europa League triumph really papered over the cracks,’ Hoddle told Metro. ‘There’s been a crack there for quite some time.

‘The system is clearly not working at the moment, and needs to be revised. If this were any business, that’s what they’d be doing. They’d be stripping it down and saying, this ain’t working, let’s get a new CEO or new board and go from there.

‘What I’m hoping is that we stay up and the fear of going down, the fear of actually thinking about it and getting so close to dropping, actually ignites something in the club from above the playing staff, above the coaching staff, that this can’t happen again. That’s got to be a crossroads, which is the lowest crossroads. That’s got to be the lowest one.’

Spurs have long faced criticism from fans for their stringent wage structure and lack of ambition when it comes to squad investment, and Hoddle urged those in charge to get back to basics when it came to the club’s running.

‘I think the owners have got to look at it as a football club first and foremost,’ he added. ‘Everything’s got to revolve around that and aimed at that, rather than being an asset.

‘We have a great stadium, and it’s bringing in great income, but if the income comes in, spend it on the club, spend it on the football club. The history of Tottenham is a football club. It’s not anything else and never will be.’

He continued: ‘Rather than looking at it negatively, I think you’ve got to see it as a challenge. You’ve got to look at the positives out of it and take on the challenge.

‘That comes from the staff, the players, the staff. When I say staff, it means the recruitment, it means everything. The money that’s going to be made available to go and build a squad.’

But Hoddle was also quick to look for positives, highlighting the superb turnaround at Manchester United under Michael Carrick as evidence of how quickly the right formula can be found.

‘You’ve got everything there,’ he said. ‘The infrastructure’s there, the training ground, the stadium. A lot of clubs do it the other way around, but everything’s there.

‘They’ve now got to focus on getting this quality. That doesn’t mean you have to spend millions and millions and millions. There are quality players around Europe and in Britain, and it’s the recruitment that has to be really looked at.

‘But football’s a funny business as we know. You could say it could take seven, eight years, like Arsenal, but you could turn around very quickly. Look at Manchester United within one season, it can happen very quickly like that.

‘Look at Eddie Howe when he went to Newcastle when they were second from bottom. They were in the relegation zone and look what happened. He got them a trophy and they played in the Champions League. It can happen very quickly with good management and good players.’

Glenn Hoddle was speaking courtesy of BOYLE Sports, Home of the Early Payout. 18+ BeGambleAware.

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