London Evening Standard

Spurs appeared last week to be close to completing a £60m deal for the midfielder, but it had since emerged that Nottingham Forest are said to be considering legal action.

The 25-year-old has trained this week with Forest and it remains to be seen whether Spurs press ahead with the move, but Frank gave little away when asked about the situation.

"You know me well, so I'll use what I've done all the time," Frank said.

"I'll not speak about players that are not mine. I think I've done two exceptions and they're getting older, that's [Cristiano] Ronaldo and [Lionel] Messi. The rest I'll just speak about the players that are inside the squad of Tottenham."

Frank described the 24-year-old as being at "the perfect age" and praised the club's hierarchy for getting the deal done before the start of pre-season.

"Top work from Daniel [Levy], Vinai [Venkatesham] and Johan [Lange] in getting a very good player in early in the pre-season so we can start working with him.

"I think he gives us a bit of that unpredictability in the game. I think he's one-on-one actions are top, I think he's slide passes are top, I think his finishing is very good. He is almost the perfect age to perform but also to take the next level."

Frank has moved across London after nine years with Brentford, the first two as assistant manager to Dean Smith before being promoted to head coach.

During that time, Spurs have had five different permanent managers and a further two as interim.

Frank will be tasked with vastly improving Spurs’ Premier League form, following a 17th-placed finish which ultimately doomed Europa League winner Postecoglou, and faces a first ever Champions League campaign as a head coach.

"I like to challenge myself,” he said. “I've been that privileged that I've never been sacked before, that's one of the reasons why I took the job. Get a little bit more risk in my daily life. Coming to a big club, there's pressure. We need to perform.

"I like the ambitions. Everything I do, every decision I've made so far is for the long-term. It's not about surviving one game or one year or 18 months, or what is the average. No, it's for the long-term."

He continued: "[Leaving Brentford was] very difficult because I'm a person that goes all in when I'm in. Work, friendship, marriage, whatever it is. When you go all in, you get attached.

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

Morgan Gibbs-White wants to know where he will be playing his football next season before Nottingham Forest head to Portugal for preseason training this weekend, according to reports.

The Briton finds himself at the centre of a contentious transfer saga after Tottenham activated his £60million release clause earlier this week, prompting faced backlash from Forest.

The Midlands outfit are unhappy with Tottenham’s approach to Gibbs-White and claim Spurs were never granted permission to speak to him.

But according to the Daily Mail, Gibbs-White is now hoping to have his future set in stone by the end of the weekend, when Forest head to Portugal for a preseason training camp, which will feature friendly meetings with Fulham and Estoril Praia.

He is said to have held talks with Forest officials earlier this week, demanding clarity as to his future. He is planning to travel with the squad to Portugal if the clubs cannot reach an agreement.

The 25-year-old attacking midfielder is said to have been professional in training since reporting back to Wilford Lane, but is pushing to join the Lilywhites.

Forest, however, are keen to hold onto him having already lost Anthony Elanga to Newcastle earlier in the transfer window.

Preseason training is well underway at Hotspur Way as Thomas Frank looks to get to grips with his new squad.

He has already added West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus and former Bayern Munich loanee Mathys Tel to his front line this summer, with an eye to improving on the club’s haul of 64 goals last season.

Gibbs-White played a key role for Forest last season as they finished seventh in the Premier League, scoring seven goals and assisting a further eight in 34 League appearances. H assisted Elanga’s first-half winner as the Tricky Trees beat Spurs at home on Boxing Day last season.

Standard Sport understands Spurs have agreed to part ways with the 22-year-old after failing to agree terms on a new contract.

Keeley, whose current deal expires in 2027, is now set to join Luton once the final details of the move to Kenilworth Road are ironed out.

Joining Luton, who have been relegated to League One, will offer Keeley a chance to play regular first-team football at the same level where he starred for play-off finalists Leyton Orient last season.

The 22-year-old set a club record with seven consecutive clean sheets, across all competitions, and went on to be named Supporters' Club Young Player of the Year and won goal of the season with a 99th-minute equaliser against Oldham in the FA Cup.

Keeley and Orient went on to face Manchester City in the fourth round, in which they took the lead only for the English giants to eventually win 2-1.

After the game, City manager Pep Guardiola singled out Keeley for praise. He told reporters: "We were lucky at the end because they had chances, but we created a lot, their keeper was really, really good and it was a tight game."

Mohammed Kudus is in line to make his Tottenham debut as the club begins their pre-season preparations with a friendly at Reading.

The £55million summer signing from West Ham is the biggest new name through the door this summer as new head coach Thomas Frank begins to shape his squad in his vision. Young defender Kota Takai, who has joined from J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale for £5m, is also in contention for his first minutes.

Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso have turned their loan deals into permanent signings, while players who have spent the season away at Spurs will be looking to impress their new manager.

Manor Solomon is understood to want to prove his worth after a stellar season with Leeds, while Josh Keeley and Jamie Donley have returned from Leyton Orient. It has been almost two years since young centre-back Luka Vuskovic agreed to join Spurs and, after time in Belgium with Westerlo, he will be hoping to play his first minutes.

January signing Yang Min-hyeok was soon sent to QPR for the second half of last season, and scored twice, so Frank will be keeping an eye on him, along with the likes of Alfie Devine, Ashley Phillips, Alfie Dorrington and Will Lankshear.

Archie Gray played most of last season out of position across the back four, but this season hopes to get more chances in midfield, starting at Reading on Saturday.

Nottingham Forest have reportedly made Jacob Ramsey their No1 transfer target as Tottenham retain hope of completing a £60million deal for Morgan Gibbs-White.

Forest have turned to Ramsey amid a potential legal battle with Spurs, who they claim were never granted permission to speak to Gibbs-White when triggering the release clause in his contract.

Gibbs-White was due to undergo a medical at Spurs last week but Forest have halted the deal, forcing the player to return to pre-season training this week.

It remains to be seen if Gibbs-White will be granted the move he is determined to complete, but Forest are now exploring the market for a player who plays in his position.

The Telegraph report that Forest's key summer target is now Aston Villa's Ramsey, who can play in Gibbs-White's No10 role and wide on the left.

Forest need attacking reinforcements having sold Anthony Elanga Newcastle for £52million. Ramsey is not considered a direct replacement for the right winger.

Brentford's Yoane Wissa, also of interest to Tottenham, remains a target after a bid of around £20million was rejected earlier in July.

Forest's interest in Ramsey, the report claims, has been long-standing, but only now is a real attempt to sign the player expected. Villa's stance on selling the player is unclear.

Gibbs-White's possible departure to Spurs means Forest would be able to provide Ramsey with more regular minutes in a season leading up to a World Cup, having been name-checked by England manager Thomas Tuchel earlier this year.

Richarlison, now 28, joined Spurs from Everton in 2022 but has struggled to live up to his £50million price tag, tallying just 30 goal contributions in 90 appearances.

His Tottenham career has been defined by repeated injuries, which limited him to just four Premier League starts last season.

He could now be set for a change of scenery, with Brazilian outfit Palmeiras looking to offer him a homecoming.

Negotiations are being personally led by club president Leila Pereira, who has been quoted a £55m price tag for the forward. She has also directly contacted the player to try to convince him of the move.

Palmeiras are reportedly confident of meeting that price, though. Having reached the Club World Cup quarter-finals, where they lost to eventual champions Chelsea, they are thought to have pocketed £29.1m worth of prize money.

Spurs are yet to receive a formal offer for the player, who has also courted interest from Galatasaray and Saudi Arabian sides.

The club are prepared to sell up, though, with the signings of Mohammed Kudus and Mathys Tel marking him as unneeded.

Palmeiras presently sit fifth in the Brazilian top-flight, five points adrift of first-placed Flamengo. Richarlison, who won his 50th Brazil cap earlier this summer, launched his career in Brazil, making his senior debut for America Mineiro before signing with Fluminense.

Standard Sport understands Spurs are looking to bring in more attacking reinforcements this window and remain interested in a £20m swoop for Brentford striker Yoane Wissa, though they face competition from Nottingham Forest for his signature and have not held talks in a fortnight. The Congolese is Brentford’s all-time leading Premier League goalscorer.

Speaking in January, former Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou described Richarlison as an important figure in the Spurs dressing room, but bemoaned his constant injury struggles.

Asked how he was protecting the player from repeat injuries, the since-sacked Australian said: “That’s a challenge. We’ve tried different ways, and Richy is trying different ways. It’s about him gaining confidence in his body as well.

“He is one of these guys that does lead by example, particularly when he plays. It’s great to have him back.

“I think he’s a really good fit for the way we play, in a couple of positions, centrally or out wide. If we can keep him fit between now and the end of the season, I’m sure he’s going to make an impact.”

The football club has been given the green light to fence off a section of Whitewebbs Park in Enfield and build a new women’s academy

Megan Howe

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Tottenham Hotspur has been given the green light by City Hall to build a new training ground for their women’s team, despite strong opposition from campaigners who claim the development would destroy a treasured park.

The football club can now move forward with its plans to fence off a section of Whitewebbs Park in Enfield and build a new women’s academy, with 11 pitches and a new clubhouse.

A City Hall spokesperson said “while the proposal represents inappropriate development on the green belt, very special circumstances have been demonstrated”.

Enfield Council approved the plans in February, despite 296 objections, with some residents raising concerns about the impact on wildlife and restricting access to a community space.

The plans had been described as a “once-in-a-generation opportunity” by Spurs striker Bethany England, insisting the facilities would allow the club to compete with the top women’s teams.

A judicial review was launched and over £18,000 was raised to challenge the council’s approval of the plans.

But on Monday (July 14), Jules Pipe, the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Regeneration, ruled that Enfield Council could proceed with deciding the application for a women’s and girls’ football academy.

Campaign group Guardians of Whitewebbs said they were “devastated” by the decision made by City Hall, stating it would be a “massive loss” for both nature and the community.

"We are devastated by the decision made by the Deputy Mayor, Jules Pipe, on behalf of the Mayor to allow Spurs to take over our precious public park,” they said.

“This will be a massive loss, both for nature and community. We stand to lose sixteen hectares of grassland habitat, over 207 trees and countless species that call this park home.

Spurs will build 11 football pitches as part of a new facility for their women’s team at a beloved park in Enfield

Enfield Council

“This loss is completely unnecessary when male and female footballers could share the seventeen elite football pitches Spurs already own - just across the road - pitches also built on the Green Belt in Enfield.

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“If the club wishes to segregate men and women, unlike other Premiership clubs, they should build on private grey land, not public green space. In issuing the decision, Pipe acknowledges this industrial-scale development does not comply with the London Plan.

“We now know that this policy was, sadly, just a piece of paper.

“It seems no parks in the capital are safe from inappropriate development by wealthy companies, even as we face a climate and ecological emergency. Spurs and Enfield Council can claim huge public benefits but the community have completely rejected their plans.

“The club has given nothing to local people but a series of empty promises. What we want is our nature-rich park, nothing else, and we will not give up trying to save it from greed."

Sean Wilkinson, who lives 15 minutes from the park and walks his dog there every day, previously told the Standard: “We are losing access to about half the open land in the park.

“This is public land. It was bought for the people of Enfield back in 1931. What Spurs are offering is doesn’t amount to very much. This is all for the benefit of Spurs.”

The north Londoner insisted that the “Spurs fortress of football” was going to destroy a beautiful park.

He continued: “It’s a very popular park. It’s space that is in short supply. The people who actually use the park are going to be barred from it.”

The Leader of Enfield Council, Cllr Ergin Erbil, said: “We welcome the news that, as anticipated, the Mayor of London has decided not to call in the plans submitted by Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.

“This important step will see the exciting vision for Whitewebbs Park move forward. The plans include improved access to nature, improvements to the park including more tree planting and good facilities such as a café.

“It also paves the way for the creation of new community and sports facilities, including a best-in-class women’s and girls’ football academy that will inspire future generations.”

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “In making his decision on the Stage 2 referral, the Deputy Mayor took account of all representations received, in addition to the GLA officers' detailed assessment of the proposal and strategic planning issues.

“As part of the latter, consideration was given to the fact that while the proposal represents inappropriate development on the green belt, very special circumstances have been demonstrated and a package of public benefits secured which outweigh the harm.”

A spokesperson for Tottenham Hotspur said they were unable to comment on the ruling.

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Another new era begins at Spurs with Thomas Frank’s first game in charge

First game: Tottenham manager Thomas Frank

SPURSPLAY

Your matchday briefing on Tottenham, featuring team news and expert analysis from Dan Kilpatrick

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Tottenham begin their pre-season preparations at Reading on Saturday as new manager Thomas Frank takes charge of his first game.

Spurs opted to sack Ange Postecoglou despite winning the Europa League, after miserable domestic form saw them finish 17th in the Premier League last season. Frank was poached from London rivals Brentford with a remit of returning the club back to the upper echelons of the English game.

Frank has already bolstered his squad with the £55million signing of West Ham star Mohammed Kudus, and the club remain hopeful of signing Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest, though that deal seems unlikely to happen in time for this game with Forest unhappy over Tottenham’s approach.

A relatively strong team should be on show against the Royals, as Frank gets a proper opening look at his squad a month out from their first game of the new Premier League season.

Former crisis club Reading, meanwhile, are entering into a new era of their own after a takeover by former Wycombe owner Rob Couhig was completed in May and finally saw Dai Yongge’s reign come to an end.

Noel Hunt’s side - who narrowly missed out on the League One play-offs on the final day last term despite their off-field struggles - kicked off their pre-season preparations with a 5-1 win over non-league Hungerford Town, before drawing 0-0 at Gillingham last weekend and then defeating rivals Swindon 2-1 in a behind-closed-doors game held at their Bearwood Park training ground on Tuesday.

Date, kick-off time and venue

Reading vs Tottenham is scheduled for a 3pm BST kick-off on Saturday July 19, 2025.

The match will take place at the Select Car Leasing Stadium - formerly the Madejski Stadium - in Reading, Berkshire.

Where to watch Reading vs Tottenham

TV channel: The game will not be broadcast live on TV in the UK.

Live stream: Spurs fans will be able to stream the game live on SPURSPLAY. A 12-month subscription costs £45.

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Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog, with expert insight and analysis from Sam Tabuteau at the ground.

Reading vs Tottenham team news

Reading handed debuts to new signings Paudie O’Connor, Finley Burns and Mark O'Mahony at Gillingham, while Ben Elliott made his long-awaited return from injury off the bench against Swindon.

However, Harvey Knibbs has not featured so far this summer due to injury and Hull loanee Matty Jacob has also not played yet, while club captain Andy Yiadom was absent in midweek.

Kelvin Ehibhatiomhan scored against Swindon but has still not had an extension to his expiring contract announced, with Reading notably short in forward areas. The likes of Tyler Bindon, Amadou Mbengue, Jayden Wareham and Michael Craig have all now departed.

Their other new signing is goalkeeper Jack Stevens, who will back up No1 Joel Pereira after the departures of David Button and Coniah Boyce-Clarke. Joe Morrell and Yeboah Amankwah have both been on trial.

Key absentee: Harvey Knibbs has missed Reading’s opening three pre-season friendlies due to injury

Getty Images

Frank will have spent the week taking a full look at his Spurs squad, after the last remaining first-team stars returned. He will be keen to give as many as possible a runout on Saturday, and a debut for Kudus is expected. Young defender Kota Takai, who has joined from J1 League side Kawasaki Frontale, is also in contention.

Mathys Tel and Kevin Danso, who have both signed permanently, should feature, while the likes of the returning Manor Solomon, Yang Min-hyeok, Alfie Devine, Ashley Phillips, Jamie Donley, Alfie Dorrington and Will Lankshear will be hoping for a chance to impress the new manager. Bryan Gil is keen to leave the club so may not be involved.

Reading vs Tottenham prediction

The result is never that important in these early pre-season runouts, but that’s not to say that Frank won’t be keen to record a positive one in his first game in charge.

There should be plenty of players on show from both teams, and those in white will be keen to make a good first impression on the new manager. Coupled with the gulf in class between the two squads, then Spurs should be looking to start their pre-season on the front foot.

Spurs to win, 3-1.

Head to head (h2h) history and results

It has been 12 years since Reading and Spurs last played each other, when the Royals were in the Premier League.

Reading wins: 16

Tottenham wins: 16

Draws: 29

Reading vs Tottenham match odds

Reading to win: TBC

Tottenham to win: TBC

Draw: TBC

Odds via Betfair (subject to change).

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Spurs last week triggered Gibbs-White's release clause and the player was due to undergo a medical at the club on Friday, only for the deal to be thrown into significant doubt.

Forest are unhappy with Tottenham's approach, claiming Spurs were never granted permission to speak to Gibbs-White, and have this week lodged a formal complaint to the Premier League.

Forest are desperate to keep hold of Gibbs-White, having already allowed Anthony Elanga join Newcastle in a £55m deal. Wolves hold a 10 per cent sell-on clause for Gibbs-White, which would further reduce Forest’s windfall.

Spurs had hoped to add Gibbs-White to Thomas Frank's squad before the start of pre-season, with a debut pencilled in for Saturday's first friendly of the summer at Reading.

But the delay has instead seen Gibbs-White report for pre-season duty with Forest on Monday, with a photo of the player arriving posted on the club's social media channels. The midfielder is also believed to have arrived for training on Tuesday.

The Times report that Gibbs-White is ready for a new challenge and is keen to play in the Champions League. Forest looked set to qualify for the competition only for a late-season collapse, which saw them win just two of their last eight Premier League games and drop from third to seventh.

The same report adds that the Premier League has not given a timeline for when the Gibbs-White case will be concluded.

The Sun and Sky Sports both claim that Forest have for a year attempted to tie Gibbs-White down to a new contract, with a view to increasing or even removing his release clause, but the player is not interested, and is keen to join Spurs.