Daily Express

James Maddison could be at risk of a punishment from the FA after taking to social media to blast referee Jarred Gillett following a controversial decision during Tottenham's clash with West Ham United on Saturday evening. Spurs thought they'd taken the lead midway through the first half when Christian Romero nodded home from a corner kick.

Gillett immediately ruled the goal out, and while it was checked by VAR, Stockley Park opted to stick with the referee's original decision. However, the Tottenham players and fans alike were enraged by the decision, with plenty taking to social media to criticise the call.

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Chief amongst them being Maddison, who is currently watching from home after suffering a long-term injury earlier this year. Writing on X, the Englishman said: "Honestly the referees & VAR have had an absolute shocker of a start to the season. If that goal is disallowed for a foul you will never ever see a corner be taken without referee blowing for something ever again."

A post from the Premier League Match Centre explained why the goal was chalked off, with it reading: "The referee’s call of no goal was checked and confirmed by VAR – with it deemed that van de Ven pushed Walker-Peters in the back and impacted his ability to play the ball."

Former Premier League defender Ashley Williams wasn't convinced though, telling BBC Sport: "Cristian Romero’s goal should have stood. West Ham’s goalkeeper pushes his own player into Micky Van der Ven, who then collides with Kyle Walker-Peters but the Tottenham player didn’t initiate that contact. We’ve watched it back numerous times and you can see he doesn’t push Walker-Peters over.

"The referee has given the decision on the field and because of that VAR is reluctant to intervene but that’s what they’re there for. We’d like to see more goals given and it’s the wrong decision, which is frustrating."

After a goalless first half, Tottenham did eventually take the lead early in the second period, with corners once again proving problematic for West Ham. This time the goal did stand, with Pape Matar Sarr lurking at the back post to head home the opener.

Spurs added a further two before full-time, on what was another chastening night for the Hammers. Lucas Bergvall added a second, before Van de Ven made up for his involvement in the disallowed goal with a third.

Dele Alli has been dealt a harsh reality check regarding his future career prospects following his latest setback. The ex-Tottenham ace had his contract terminated by Serie A side Como in early September after making only one appearance.

The 29-year-old joined Cesc Fabregas' team in January on an 18-month contract, following lacklustre spells at Everton and Besiktas. However, he was shown a red card less than 10 minutes into his debut, having come on as a substitute during Como's defeat to AC Milan in March. The former England international is now on the hunt for a new challenge, despite once being hailed as one of the Premier League's brightest young stars. Following his unsuccessful stint in Italy, Dele was linked with three Championship sides. Wrexham, Birmingham and West Brom were among those reportedly interested in signing him as a free agent.

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However, Wrexham boss Phil Parkinson later revealed plans to give his final squad spot to midfielder Ollie Rathbone, who is nearing a return from an ankle injury. Sky Sports analyst Don Goodman has backed the decision, suggesting that any club taking on Dele would be taking a huge gamble.

The ex-Bradford and Sunderland striker believes he may need to demonstrate his value during a trial period before another team takes a chance on him. "It hasn't really worked out since he left Spurs," Goodman told Betway. "He hasn't shown the same quality at Everton, Besiktas, and Como.

"He only played eight minutes for Como last season in Serie A, so it just hasn't happened for him. For me, it's a massive gamble for any club to take on a 29-year-old who has barely played in the past three or four seasons. I think it's a tragic story because he's such a talent, and I think the onus is solely on Dele Alli to find himself a club.

"Whether that means going on trial and taking your chance should it come your way. If I were Dele Alli, I would be happy to do that."

He added: "It's a tricky situation, but if you can get anything like the player that burst on the scene for MK Dons and then Spurs, where he excelled really, I think it's a gamble worth taking. The problem for the clubs linked with him is, you just don't know what he'll be like until he walks through the door."

Swansea were another Championship side also rumoured to be interested in signing Dele. However, the speculation was quickly quashed by manager Alan Sheehan. "I can rule that out," he said this week.

"I haven't heard that one at all right now. We've done our business unless something dramatically changes. Obviously Dele Alli is a wonderful player, so I don't want to comment anything on him or where he is, or how he's playing etc. But look, for Swansea City, I would say no right now."

Despite earlier speculation about his potential retirement, Alli is understood to be actively seeking a new club. However, his dream of earning a place in England's squad for the upcoming World Cup appear to be fading as his options decrease.

Tottenham have reportedly discussed a plan to try and wade Real Madrid off defender Micky van de Ven, who has attracted interest from the Spanish giants following his impressive performances in the Premier League. The Dutch centre-back has four years left on his contract in north London, but concerns have been raised about his future at Spurs.

Real Madrid had also been linked with Van de Ven’s defensive partner, Cristian Romero, but the Argentine snubbed their interest and penned a new contract. He also became the new Spurs captain, taking over from Son Heung-min.

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According to TBR Football, Spurs are aware that both Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are big admirers of Van de Ven, while he is also on the radar of London rivals Chelsea.

In a bid to block any potential transfer, new CEO Vinai Venkatesham is planning to open talks with the 24-year-old over a bumper new contract.

Spurs are willing to more than double his £50,000-a-week salary and believe that Van de Ven’s current deal is way below market value.

One of Venkatesham’s tasks following Daniel Levy’s exit as chairman is renewing contracts. He is also in talks with Rodrigo Bentancur, after being told by Thomas Frank that the Uruguayan midfielder is a key part of his plans.

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Van de Ven and Bentancur wrote themselves into Spurs folklore last season as they starred in the Europa League final win over Manchester United.

Van de Ven has recently opened up on his acrobatic goal-line clearance in Bilbao, which denied Rasmus Hojlund what looked to be a certain equalising goal, after Brennan Johnson had opened the scoring with the only goal of the game.

"To be honest they [fans] keep bringing it up,” Van de Ven said. “Every time when I see a Tottenham fan in the city and they walk up to me they're like, 'thank you so much for the clearance' or 'thank you so much for the trophy' and everything. That's a nice thing where everybody just keeps reminding you.

"For a player when you have the taste of winning a trophy, this feels unbelievable. You just want to do it over again. Especially after last season, all the negative things that came into the team and everything. It was a good thing to win something.

"Now everybody had a taste of it and everybody knows how it feels and I think everybody is now triggered to do it over again."

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank would welcome two major changes to the Premier League rules. When questioned about potential improvements to football, the Danish head coach pinpointed the rules surrounding handballs as an area requiring modification.

Frank was named Spurs boss during the summer, departing Brentford after nearly seven years at the helm. The 51-year-old has enjoyed a promising start, securing convincing wins against Burnley and Manchester City before stumbling against Bournemouth before the international break.

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Handball has already emerged as a divisive issue in the Premier League this season, with an incident featuring Marcos Senesi in Liverpool's triumph over Bournemouth making headlines.

The VAR has also been embroiled in handball decisions during Nottingham Forest vs Brentford and Arsenal vs Manchester United encounters.

According to Frank, the existing regulations are excessively harsh in their rigid enforcement of ball-to-arm contact.

He contends that a penalty represents too severe a sanction for what can amount to an unfortunate, unintentional contact.

"I would take out the handball rule as for me it's not right," Frank told BetMGM.

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"If there's a handball and it touches your arm in the penalty area, you are giving the biggest chance to the opponent just because it 'touches' your arm.

"Of course, if you're standing on the goalline and you try to save it like a goalkeeper in the old days that's different but I simply don't understand how if it just touches a player's arm, and it touches their arm in certain areas, it gives the opportunity for the biggest chance in the game.

"It's a rule that has to be changed to improve the game and make it fairer."

Frank also expressed his desire to see timeouts introduced into matches. "I'd have a timeout in each half," he suggested.

"From a coaching perspective, I think it would be lovely to have an opportunity during the game to speak to the players and be able to adjust something."

Regarding his new role, Frank is thrilled to be working with the Spurs squad and feels he is gaining valuable insights every day. "The players have been fantastic from my first day here and I'm learning more and more about them every day," he shared.

"It's about how they react to certain situations, what works and what doesn't and also what they are like as people and also as players. I think all head coaches and managers have their own way of doing things and I'm no different. The one thing I always think about coaching philosophy is do what you believe in – I'm me, I can't be anyone else and I need to do what I believe in both on and off the pitch.

"I need to come across the way I am and I think that's the best way for players to buy into what you're trying to get across in the way you do things."

Tottenham Hotspur have secured a substantial financial boost which could boost their transfer pursuits in the January transfer window. In May, Spurs broke their 17-year trophy drought by clinching the Europa League.

After a poor Premier League campaign which ended with the north Londoners languishing in 17th place, Daniel Levy and his team decided to replace Ange Postecoglou with Thomas Frank. Just three months after playing a pivotal role in the Australian's departure, Levy followed the now Nottingham Forest manager out of the exit door. The sudden departure of the divisive chairman was confirmed in a statement, two-and-a-half decades after his arrival. Since then, speculation about a takeover has intensified, forcing Spurs to issue another statement revealing they had turned down two offers.

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Between the departures of Postecoglou and Levy, Spurs experienced an unprecedented transfer window. Big names like Xavi Simons and Mohammed Kudus were brought in, but unsuccessful attempts to sign Piero Hincapie, Eberechi Eze, Morgan Gibbs-White, Nico Paz and Savinho somewhat overshadowed these acquisitions.

However, merely being considered by such high-calibre players perhaps indicates where the club's ambitions lie. Football.london recently revealed a cash injection, most likely from the club's majority shareholders ENIC, had been funnelled into the club.

Now, a second large sum appears to be on its way, with Bloomberg reporting Spurs have raised a further £90million through a receivables financing deal with Macquarie Group Ltd. The club have agreed to provide the Australian lender with income from future broadcasting rights in exchange for a lump sum, according to insiders.

It's also been suggested these rights are linked to money owed to the club by the Premier League from December 2025 to May 2026. This revelation comes after CEO Vinai Venkatesham publicly discussed changes at the club, including clarifying the position of the Lewis family amidst rumours of a complete sale.

In an extensive interview shared on Spurs' official channels, the ex-Arsenal chief said: "Well, first and foremost, I know the Lewis family really well. I think it's important for our supporters to know that they're very, very passionate about Tottenham Hotspur and they're ambitious for the club.

"And when I talk about their ambition, what they're really focused on is ensuring that everything that we do across the complete breadth of the club really centres back and is focused on giving our men's team and our women's team the best chance to be successful on the pitch over the long term.

"So that's their laser focus, all around being successful on the pitch. They know, of course, that we operate in a very competitive environment and that there are a number of other teams that have the exact same ambitions we have to compete to win the biggest trophies in the game.

"They're also focused on stability. They know there's been lots of change at the club, and now it's time for some calm and for some stability. Finally they believe and trust in the people that we have working in the organisation."

After weeks of speculation, Nottingham Forest finally pulled the plug on Nuno Espirito Santo’s time as manager. The Portuguese tactician revealed his relationship with owner Evangelos Marinakis had soured just one week into the Premier League season, with talk Forest were contemplating a change in the dugout.

It was confirmed on Monday night that Nuno had been relieved of his duties, with Forest announcing Ange Postecoglou as the replacement on Tuesday evening. It’s a mammoth task for Postecoglou, who was sacked by Tottenham Hotspur at the end of last season, but what if the Aussie looked to raid his former club in the January transfer window? Express Sport have picked out four potential Spurs players Postecoglou could look to reunite with.

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Radu Dragusin

One of several players on the list who were signed by Postecoglou during his two-season stint at Spurs. Radu Dragusin blew hot and cold under the ex-Celtic chief, but the Romanian is very much in the style of central defender Postecoglou looks towards. Seemingly out of the starting XI picture at Tottenham, Dragusin could prove an attractive proposition for Postecoglou and Forest in January.

Mathys Tel

Mathys Tel proved the final signing of the Postecoglou era, with the youngster joining on Deadline Day of the 2025 January window. The forward initially arrived on loan from Bayern Munich, but Spurs made the deal a permanent one earlier this summer. However, Tel was left out of Tottenham’s Champions League squad, sparking doubts about his future in north London. While Tel is most probably outside of Forest’s price range, perhaps a mid-season loan deal could interest the East Midlands outfit instead?

Ben Davies

There was a suggestion that Ben Davies might’ve been heading for the exit door himself this summer, but the veteran defender remains in the Spurs squad. That being said, he is out of contract at the end of the season and is unlikely to be handed an extension by Spurs, meaning a move away from the capital club is probably on the horizon. As far as short-term options are concerned, bringing in Davies, a player who knows the ins and outs of an Ange system, may prove worthwhile.

Destiny Udogie

It’s funny how quickly times can change in football. During the early part of Postecoglou’s reign, Destiny Udogie was establishing himself as one of the standout fullbacks in the Premier League. Since then, a string of injuries have set him back, while previous castaway Djed Spence has emerged as Spurs’ strongest left-back option. If Udogie is unable to wrestle his way into Thomas Frank’s plans, he could find refuge under Postecoglou at the City Ground.

Former Newcastle United co-owner Amanda Staveley was left visibly moved after receiving a touching tribute from a Magpies supporters' group about her time at the club. Staveley, 52, was instrumental in orchestrating the £300million Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund-backed takeover of Newcastle in 2021.

She managed to obtain a 10 per cent stake alongside her husband Mehrdad Ghodoussi, but her influence over the club was deemed to be much bigger. The entrepreneur became a figurehead for the club's remarkable turnaround during Newcastle's extraordinary rise from relegation battlers to Champions League contenders in merely two campaigns under fresh ownership. Staveley and Ghodoussi chose to sell their shares in July 2024, stepping aside as the PIF boosted their control to 85 per cent while the Reuben family increased their holding to 15 per cent. Following her departure, Staveley proclaimed her eternal devotion to Newcastle and described her experience as co-owner as a 'privilege.'

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Some 14 months on, Staveley appeared on the High Performance Podcast to discuss her Newcastle journey. Host Jake Humphrey read out a message from a Magpies supporters' group which sent a wave of emotion over her. The tribute read: "We are grateful for the investment, for the progress on the pitch and finally being able to see our club compete again but a football club is more than just a business. It is a community, it is a family and families thrive on communication, warmth and understanding.

"Without wor Mandy leading the charge in that regard Newcastle United risks losing a vital connection with its soul - the loyal, passionate black-and-white army. For the club to rediscover its voice, to reconnect with its fans and to bring back some of that much needed warmth that Amanda Staveley so brilliantly provided."

When asked about her feelings, Staveley was visibly moved, responding: "That's really hard. God, sorry. That is really hard because that is really lovely and that is why I went into Newcastle because the fans are just so incredible and they really are.

"Departing was the most difficult decision I have ever made and required considerable time to comprehend and execute what was best for the club, whilst PIF will prove to be an extraordinary partner for Newcastle, alongside the Reubens.

"We entrusted it to extremely capable hands. There are countless exceptional individuals with generous hearts who dedicate themselves enormously to that club, the community, and everything it represents. So for me it was a privilege. Every day I would go to work and think 'God, I am so lucky to do this job'."

Staveley has been linked this week with a potential takeover of fellow Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur. Reports from the Telegraph claim her PCP International Finance consortium's bid to buy the club was unsuccessful soon after Daniel Levy had resigned as Spurs' Executive Chairman.

Spurs confirmed in a statement released on Sunday evening that they had: "received, and unequivocally rejected, separate preliminary expressions of interest in relation to proposals to acquire the entire issued, and to be issued, share capital of ENIC from (i) PCP International Finance... and (ii) a consortium of investors led by Dr. Roger Kennedy and Wing-Fai Ng through Firehawk Holdings Limited.

"The Board of the Club and ENIC confirm that Tottenham Hotspur is not for sale and ENIC has no intention to accept any such offer to acquire its interest in the Club."

England captain Harry Kane has urged Tottenham fans to recognise the contributions of departing chairman Daniel Levy to their club.

Levy's resignation last week sent shockwaves through the football world, sparking a debate about his success or failure at the Premier League side.

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Many supporters criticised Levy for the team's severe lack of silverware during his 24-year tenure.

However, Kane insists that Levy was beneficial for his former club and deserves more recognition for his accomplishments.

The England skipper expressed: "Obviously it (Levy's departure) was a bit of a surprise, if I'm honest. I didn't expect it, didn't see that coming.

"Daniel has been a fantastic chairman for Tottenham in the 20-or-so years he's been there.

"Considering where the club was and where it is now, I think there's been a big change, not just on the pitch, but off the pitch as well.

"Obviously I don't know too much about why or what happened. All I can say is I wish Daniel all the best in whatever's next for him."

Mathys Tel has admitted that he felt "hurt" after learning he would be excluded from Tottenham's Champions League squad last week, but the young striker is determined not to allow the setback to affect his concentration as he strives to reach peak performance in a Spurs jersey.

The 20-year-old was told by Thomas Frank that he would not feature among the 22-man European squad alongside the sidelined James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski, plus Radu Dragusin, Kota Takai and Yves Bissouma. This came despite the France Under-21 international only completing his permanent switch to north London in a £30million transfer earlier this summer following his loan spell, which began last February.

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The ex-Bayern Munich talent's exclusion proved the most surprising given his substantial summer arrival fee as part of Frank's squad overhaul, though he has managed merely 19 minutes of Premier League action this campaign under the Danish manager.

Nevertheless, the gifted young attacker is managing the challenging circumstances with the same dignified approach as his new boss.

When questioned about how Frank delivered the disappointing verdict, Tel responded: "Quite simply, with respect. He called me, he simply told me his choice and then you could see the list appear on the networks.

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"It's clear that when you're not on a list, it definitely hurts, but I'm someone who stays pretty positive, no matter the situation, because I think I've worked a lot on the mental aspect, so today it's definitely a disappointment, I would have liked to be there. But the coach's choice is the coach's choice, we can only respect it and we're going to work to come back in the best possible way."

When asked if the decision had prompted him to consider his future or simply motivated him to prove Frank wrong, Tel responded: "No matter, even if I was on the list, I would have had this desire, to be revengeful, to be able to be effective this season, to be able to start my season in the Premier League, because now, it's a first long season that begins because last year it was in the form of a six-month loan," the forward added.

"A desire [to go] elsewhere? I am under contract with Tottenham, so I am a Tottenham player and I will do my best to be able to play quite simply."

Dele Alli's football career could be set for a revival despite his contract with Como being abruptly ended. The 29-year-old joined the Serie A side on a free transfer in January, penning an 18-month deal in a bid to rejuvenate his faltering career.

However, the ex-Tottenham midfielder's debut was marred when he was shown a red card less than ten minutes after coming on as a substitute during Cesc Fabregas' team's 2-1 loss to AC Milan at the San Siro in March. Following this, Dele found himself sidelined at the Stadio Giuseppe Sinigaglia before his contract was mutually terminated last week. The former England star's career has taken a nosedive in recent years following unsuccessful stints at Everton, Besiktas, and most recently, Como.

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However, three Championship clubs, including Wrexham, Birmingham City, and West Brom, are reportedly prepared to offer him a fresh start. The prospect of Dele dropping into the second tier would once have been unthinkable given his rapid rise to prominence with Spurs at the beginning of his career.

He was hailed as one of Europe's most promising young talents at the time, leaving fans baffled by his downfall. Dele's former Tottenham teammate Kieran Trippier has previously shared his views on what triggered the midfielder's decline.

Trippier, who played alongside Dele at Spurs before his move to Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019, believes Mauricio Pochettino's departure from the club that November proved to be the turning point. The right-back discussed Dele's struggles during an appearance on the Undr The Cosh podcast in 2022 and was keen to emphasise Pochettino's tremendous influence.

"Poch was brilliant with Dele to be fair and Dele was flying at Tottenham," Trippier said. "It's one of those where I left and went to Atletico Madrid... but even during my last season there he was flying. He's a great lad, but Poch was brilliant with him."

Dele has previously opened up about how injuries, addiction and mental health struggles have also contributed to his career downturn. He reached his pinnacle under Pochettino following his move to Tottenham from boyhood club MK Dons in the summer of 2015.

Success arrived immediately, with the midfielder scoring 32 times during his first two seasons at White Hart Lane. Dele's outstanding performances under Pochettino earned him consecutive PFA Young Player of the Year awards in 2016 and 2017, though his displays plummeted after the Argentine's dismissal in November 2019.

Pochettino's successor, Jose Mourinho, attempted to revive Dele's career, but to no avail. His efforts to inspire the player were documented in the series Tottenham: All or Nothing. Despite Mourinho's heartfelt plea, Dele only managed to find the back of the net once in the Premier League between August 2020 and January 2022 before Spurs let him join Everton on a free transfer.

However, his TV appearances could work in his favour if he decides to make a move to Wrexham. The Welsh club, owned by Hollywood heavyweights Ryan Reynolds and Rob Mac, have become a global phenomenon since the duo took over in 2021.

Their incredible journey, documented in the Disney+ series Welcome to Wrexham, has seen them rise from the National League to the Championship. Birmingham, with NFL superstar Tom Brady as a minority shareholder, also released their own documentary series on Amazon Prime last summer. However, if Dele wishes to avoid the limelight and focus solely on reigniting his career, West Brom could be the perfect fit for him.