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After some chatting with Kaka and Ibrahimovic on stage, we're about to get underway for Pot 1...

The non-English clubs in this pot will all play two Premier League teams - either from Pot 1, Arsenal (Pot 2), Tottenham (Pot 3) or Newcastle United (Pot 4)

Has anyone got the Monty Python "get on with it" meme to hand?

No, I'm joking this time (well...)

But there is some bad news folks. The draw will begin at 5.31pm.

Each pot will then take at least 10 minutes to sort so it won't be until around 6.08pm that we know the complete draw.

Stay with us.

We've just had a Zlatan Ibrahimovic comedy skit.

No, I'm not joking. Yes, it was longer than it needed to be.

Ibrahimovic and Ceferin take to the stage to explain the whole point of that video - so what was it?

That the Swede has received the President's Award.

We've got Aleksander Ceferin on stage to present Chelsea their award to Jason Gannon, the president and chief operating officer of the London giants.

Stay tuned folks. It's unlikely this draw will be happening for another 20 minutes or so just yet.

Talking of Chelsea...

As you can see below, most of Enzo Maresca's players want to face Real Madrid at the Bernabeu or Barcelona at the Nou Camp in this season's league phase.

PSG have also been named by Robert Sanchez and Joao Pedro, though, following a solid start to their Premier League campaign.

Chelsea will be honoured with a new reward at this evening's draw - one which has been created just for them.

The Blues have won the Conference League and Club World Cup in 2025.

And that means they completed the set of winning every major UEFA competition having previously won the Champions League, Europa League and the Cup Winners' Cup.

UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin will hand them a new award to commemorate the feat.

Who's being backed to win the Champions League this year?

Well given how they blew away Liverpool, Aston Villa, Arsenal and Inter Milan last season, again it's PSG.

BoyleSports have Liverpool as second favourites in their Champions League odds, though, despite being knocked out in the round of 16 last season.

Arsenal are priced just outside of Real Madrid but remain another of the clubs well possible of glory in Budapest next May.

Champions League 2025/26 winner odds

PSG - 5/1

Liverpool - 6/1

Barcelona - 7/1

Real Madrid - 7/1

Arsenal - 8/1

Manchester City - 9/1

Bayern Munich - 10/1

Chelsea - 12/1

Napoli - 25/1

Newcastle United - 25/1

Atletico Madrid - 25/1

Inter Milan - 25/1

Tottenham Hotspur - 40/1

Juventus - 40/1

Bayer Leverkusen - 50/1

In case you forgot, this is the second year in which the draw takes a league phase format instead of group stages.

That means all 36 teams into one single league table.

Instead of playing three teams twice, home and away, to determine the two teams to advance into the knockouts, every club now plays eight different opponents - four home and four away.

The top eight in the table automatically advance to the round of 16, their eight opponents will come from the teams who finish 9th to 24th.

Those teams will take each other on in a playoff round to determine who advances to the last 16.

The teams 25th to 36th are all automatically eliminated.

UEFA made a big announcement earlier today regarding the Champions League.

And that's that the start time of the final will now change to 6pm CET (5pm UK) from this season onwards.

Previously, finals had begun at 9pm CET (8pm UK).

UEFA explained: "The decision is designed to enhance the overall matchday experience for fans, teams and host cities by optimising matchday logistics and operations, while delivering several tangible benefits.

"Our goal is to make match day a truly enjoyable experience for everyone who wants to be part of the excitement, while creating a welcoming atmosphere that makes it easy for families and children to attend the biggest and most important club football match of the season."

Xavi Simons has arrived in London ahead of a potential switch to the Premier League, according to German reports - with Tottenham Hotspur now looking to scupper Chelsea's pursuit.

The 22-year-old winger was granted permission to skip RB Leipzig's Thursday morning training session as he flew into the capital for discussions. Spurs, who were recently rejected by Eberechi Eze in favour of a move to north London rivals Arsenal in the race for Eberechi Eze, appear positioned to secure their primary alternative despite Chelsea's previous strong interest.

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Leipzig have confirmed that Simons has been "released from training indefinitely for future discussions" though the German outfit are yet to receive a formal bid, whilst Simons' agents must still iron out contractual specifics for the wide player.

The Bundesliga side will also be demanding approximately £65 million for the Netherlands international, who has two years left on his existing agreement. Following Benjamin Sesko's £74 million transfer to Manchester United, Simons could represent Leipzig's second significant departure this summer.

Tottenham remain eager to bolster their attacking creativity due to James Maddison's season-long injury setback, whilst Dejan Kulusevski also remains on the treatment table.

Should Simons opt for north London over west London, Chelsea are reportedly prepared to turn their attention to Barcelona's Fermin Lopez - though their main focus before Monday afternoon's deadline continues to be shifting numerous surplus players. As many as nine players who don't fit into Enzo Maresca's plans could be on the move, including England stars Raheem Sterling and Ben Chilwell, with the latter attracting interest from his former boss Frank Lampard at Coventry.

Chelsea have already raked in nearly £290m from player sales this summer. Notable departures include Noni Madueke's £48 million move to Arsenal, Joao Felix's £26million transfer to Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr, and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall's £25million switch to Everton, while Christopher Nkunku is set to join AC Milan any day now.

Tottenham Hotspur's Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) position could pave the way for significant spending in upcoming transfer windows. The club's qualification for this season's Champions League, courtesy of their Europa League victory last season, should net them a minimum of £60 million.

This is a welcome financial injection for Tottenham, who have already shelled out some €146m (£126m) this summer on new recruits such as Mathys Tel, Kevin Danso, Mohammed Kudus, Luka Vuskovic, Kota Takai and the loan of Joao Palhinha, which carries a loan fee. Dave Powell, Reach PLC's business of football writer, believes the club's financial leeway could well exceed the £350m mark for the current PSR cycle.

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While this might suggest it's time for Spurs to loosen the purse strings, the key is ensuring the club can manage the cash flow of new additions and improve their player trading in terms of departures, an area where many of their rivals outshine them. Stefan Borson, former financial advisor to Manchester City, has also weighed in on Tottenham's PSR and financial fair play compliance situation.

"I think when Spurs get to the situation they're in now, where their wage to revenue percentage right now on a run rate for the season must be even below 40 per cent," he shared with Football Insider. They've got probably ten Champions League games between now and the end of January because it's very unlikely that they're going to finish below 24th in that table, so they're probably going to have at least the play-off and possibly the round of 16 game.

"So, that's ten games in the Champions League. The squad is not built for that right now, and so I do expect that they will spend serious money between now and the end of the window.

"It's not going to be that straightforward to find who those players are if it's not Savinho. Who are the big players that they're going to target to get them a squad that they're happy with, having missed out on Eze and Gibbs-White? I don't know.

"I still think it's most likely that you've got £150-200m of spend and very significant wage commitment over the next five years. Otherwise, it might be financially quite a nice situation for Daniel Levy for this season in terms of presenting his numbers, but the fans would be very unhappy. Moreover, I just think the squad is going to be too thin for the season."

Tottenham Hotspur look set to make a last-minute dash in the summer transfer window, with two new signings on their radar. Thomas Frank has so far only managed to secure one major signing in Mohammed Kudus while Joao Palhinha has joined on loan, Mathys Tel has returned permanently and Kota Takai is a prospect for the future.

The club's attempts to strengthen their squad have been rather public, with unsuccessful bids for Morgan Gibbs-White and Eberechi Eze casting a shadow over what has otherwise been an impressive start to the Premier League season for Spurs.

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After triumphing over newly-promoted Burnley on the opening day, Frank's team delivered a stunning performance to defeat Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. The ideal outcome would have seen Tottenham leaving with more than just three points, as they have formally targeted City's wide forward Savinho.

However, his move to north London is currently being blocked, and it remains uncertain whether he will be allowed to move. Despite Pape Sarr's explosive start to the season, a new No. 10 is also needed, with West Ham United's Lucas Paqueta emerging as the latest player of interest.

With all this in mind, Express Sport has rounded up all the latest updates on the duo as Tottenham aim to strike late in the summer window.

Paqueta contact and potential Spurs boost.

According to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, Tottenham have been making enquiries about the situation surrounding Paqueta. Despite West Ham's potential reluctance to negotiate with their rivals, Paqueta could push for a move after old photos of the Brazilian international donning a Spurs shirt have resurfaced following these rumours.

West Ham celebrations

Paqueta emphatically celebrated his second goal of the season in West Ham's 3-2 Carabao Cup loss to Wolves at Molineux. He passionately roared towards the away end, calling for more noise from the fans. Just days prior, he scored an impressive goal in the 5-1 defeat to Chelsea, with replays showing him tapping the West Ham badge on his shirt with conviction.

Given these displays of loyalty, it seems unlikely that he would actively seek a transfer, despite West Ham's current struggles.

£60m Savinho decision and Man City impact

Tottenham are still in the running for Man City's Savinho, according to Romano. He also suggested that Spurs hope to secure the deal before deadline day, but this depends on Man City signing Rodrygo from Real Madrid. It was confirmed just a few days ago that Spurs were prepared to offer over £60.1million (€70m) for Savinho.

Real Madrid decision key

Rodrygo remained on the Real Madrid bench for their La Liga opener against Osasuna, increasing the chances of a potential move. However, Alonso's reassuring comments about his future and a first start in seven games under the Spanish manager over the weekend may have altered the situation.

He was substituted after just 63 minutes in the match against Real Oviedo, but the Brazilian international might still have a part to play at Real Madrid, which could, in turn, affect Man City, Savinho and Spurs.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly enquired about a potential move for RB Leipzig ace Xavi Simons, with the Premier League side looking to get business done before the end of the window. Simons has been linked with a move away from the Bundesliga outfit all summer and has been tipped to join a side in England's top flight.

Chelsea appeared the most likely destination, with reports suggesting the Blues were moving quickly with a deal to land the 22-year-old. However, Enso Maresca's men haven't been able to sell as many players as they were hoping to, meaning the door could open up for another club to swoop in before Monday's deadline.

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According to BILD in Germany, that could be Spurs, with Tottenham said to have asked Leipzig about the possibility of signing Simons during the remainder of the window. While it might not have been Simons' first choice, Spurs' pursuit could be boosted by the fact that the playmaker has made it clear he's keen to move to the Premier League.

It's believed Simons hired renowned agent Ali Barat, who is well-connected within Premier League circles, with the view to securing a Premier League switch this summer. So far that hasn't transpired, and if a club is to snatch the promising midfielder, it's likely they'll have to match Leipzig's £60.4million asking price.

Whether Leipzig budges from that valuation remains to be seen, but it could be in their best interest to get things moving quickly, especially if they wish to land their preferred replacement. Harvey Elliott has been mooted as a potential target for the German outfit, with suggestions the Englishman could still leave Liverpool.

Regardless of how things play out from here on in, it's been a frustrating summer for Tottenham, who have encountered problems with several prospective deals. Eberechi Eze, Morgan Gibbs-White and Savinho are just some of the targets to have been heavily linked with Spurs, but deals for all three failed to transpire.

On his side's transfer business, Frank said: “I would say first, I don’t know the history. Of course, I’m reading a little bit, and I’ve been briefed pretty well about the story that may have been something, but I can’t really look too much into that. What is happening with potential transfers or not potential transfers or rumours or not rumours, that of course, either way, I will keep for myself.

“What I can see is that we are working very hard. Also, what I know is that it’s not that easy, in general, when you want to sign a player. I can speak from experience in Brentford, I can speak about that, where we also wanted to sign players. Sometimes we succeeded, sometimes we didn’t. There are a lot of moving parts. There are the players, the families, the agents, and there’s the club that wants to sell. So in general terms, it makes it complicated.”

Tottenham could hijack Chelsea’s pursuit of Xavi Simons because the Blues are reportedly eyeing a deal for Barcelona attacker Fermin Lopez. The Lilywhites have endured a frustrating summer transfer window and haven’t been able to keep pace with the likes of Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea in their search for new signings.

Tottenham, who appointed Thomas Frank as their boss ahead of the new season, snapped up Mohammed Kudus from West Ham in July after sealing the permanent signings of Kevin Danso and Mathys Tel. Centre-backs Luka Vuskovic and Kota Takai have also arrived, with Spurs landing Joao Palhinha on loan from Bayern Munich as well. Spurs have since claimed two Premier League victories and find themselves second in the table after two matches.

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According to Caught Offside, Tottenham are exploring the possibility of signing Simons.

Chelsea are said to be the frontrunners to land the Netherlands international after agreeing personal terms with the attacker. But progress has stalled as the Blues are prioritising departures before they can bring Simons in.

The delay means there is an opportunity for other clubs to enter the fray, with Spurs said to be monitoring developments very closely. And they may decide to move swiftly to steal Simons from under Chelsea’s noses.

According to GiveMeSport, Chelsea have added Lopez to their list of options as they seek further reinforcements.

The west London giants have already brought in the likes of Joao Pedro, Liam Delap and Jamie Gittens this summer as they aim to challenge for the Premier League title during Enzo Maresca’s second season at the helm.

Chelsea are assessing whether to move for Lopez, with talks already taking place on the player's side. And a £50million transfer is possible, although another Champions League club outside of England have also reportedly made an approach this week.

Tottenham looked set to sign Eberechi Eze from Crystal Palace earlier this month after reaching an agreement with the Eagles to take the winger to north London.

But after the England international snubbed Spurs and joined Arsenal instead, Frank explained: “There has been a lot of links. There’ll be a lot of links in the future. And just to generalise that… to make it very, very clear… I don’t want any players that don’t want to come to the club, who don’t want to wear this fantastic badge. We don’t want them here.

“That’s very clear and I’m also pretty sure that the fans will feel the same. If they (potential signings) don’t want to put the fantastic shirt over their head, play for the badge, play for the club, really enjoy it, no problem. We don’t want them. I think that’s a key message.”

Tottenham are reportedly weighing up whether to hijack Crystal Palace’s pursuit of Bilal El Khannouss. The versatile forward has been heavily linked with a move away from Leicester City since their relegation to the Championship, and a move appears to beckon in the final few days of the transfer window.

Spurs have endured a rollercoaster of a window so far, missing out on top targets for a number of reasons – though, in particular, moves being hijacked by Premier League rivals has been a running theme.

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Bryan Mbeumo snubbed a move to Tottenham in favour of joining Manchester United, Eberechi Eze opted to head to the other half of north London, and most recently, Piero Hincapie looks to have decided he would rather join Arsenal over Spurs as well.

But GiveMeSport report that Tottenham are keen to make their mark on the window themselves with a late swoop for El Khannouss. Following initial contact, the forward is now considering making an ‘eleventh-hour U-turn’ and snubbing Palace in favour of heading to Hotspur Way.

The 21-year-old is weighing up his options and expected to make a decision on his next move in the coming days, having only been alerted to Tottenham’s admiration of him after they failed to get a deal over the line for Eze.

A fee in the region of £32million is expected to be enough to secure the signature of the Morocco international, and Palace are working on a deal for that figure at present. They also have the best offer on the table as it stands, with Tottenham still considering firming up their initial interest.

El Khannouss is said to be determined to prove himself for a club competing at the very top level, and thus the prospect of playing Champions League football for Tottenham is likely to prove particularly enticing.

The 21-year-old has therefore rejected a number of sides already this summer, including West Ham, as he wants to join a side that can ‘match his ambition’ – and Thomas Frank will therefore be hopeful that his project is enough to trump Palace’s offer at the negotiating table. If not, Spurs have just days to dip back into the market for a new No. 10 following a further disappointing setback.

Tottenham Hotspur's 2025/26 season is off to a flying start under the leadership of Thomas Frank, who took over from Ange Postecoglou and has already led the team to victories against Burnley and Manchester City.

The win against City has turned heads towards Tottenham. Frank's squad not only outmanoeuvred City with a counter-attack strategy but also dominated the second half, keeping a clean sheet at the Etihad Stadium.

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New signings Mohammed Kudus and Joao Palhinha have both made their mark in their first two games for Spurs. However, with less than a week until the transfer window closes until the New Year, there's a race against time to bolster the squad ahead of a demanding season.

Despite missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White, Eberechi Eze and Bryan Mbeumo, Tottenham are still on the hunt for fresh talent. With Frank favouring Richarlison and considering Dominic Solanke and Mathys Tel as alternatives, the centre-forward position isn't a top priority.

However, following Kudus' move from West Ham, there's a need for more firepower in the attacking positions, especially after Son Heung-min's transfer to LAFC and James Maddison's ACL injury. According to football.london, Tottenham are keen on signing Savinho from Manchester City.

The 21 year old Brazilian is reportedly interested in the move, and while City are reluctant to let him go, a tempting offer could see him make the switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Monaco's Maghnes Akliouche and Atalanta's Ademola Lookman are being considered as alternatives for Spurs, but Savinho's ability to play in the No. 10 role makes him the 'better' signing.

With a year of Premier League experience and his status as a Brazilian international, he could elevate Frank's attack. In an ideal world, Spurs would also bolster their attacking midfield options.

Dejan Kulusevski's injury means a player like Lucas Paqueta would be a welcome addition in north London. The Daily Mail reports that Tottenham are keeping tabs on the Brazilian at West Ham.

The 27 year old could depart from Graham Potter's squad before Monday's deadline if a suitable offer is made. It's expected that the Hammers would demand nearly £60m for the playmaker to ensure they don't incur a loss.

Speaking of unexpected signings and mirroring what others have done to Spurs, a move to intercept Crystal Palace's pursuit of Atletico Madrid's Conor Gallagher would significantly enhance the numbers in midfield. Palhinha has shown promise in his first two games for the club, with Pape Matar Sarr and Rodrigo Bentancur also turning heads.

However, with the return of Champions League football to the club, quality depth is essential. Spurs were previously linked with Gallagher before his move to Atleti.

Now, The Sun reports that the midfielder is open to a return to England, with Palace showing interest. With the World Cup happening next summer, regular football is crucial.

Gallagher, having only featured for 67 minutes in Atletico's first two matches this season, is certainly one to watch. His potential arrival at Spurs would bolster the midfield competition, something that has been lacking at the club for a while.

Former QPR star Andy Sinton is recovering in hospital after suffering a heart attack on Friday, his former club have announced. Sinton played for a number of Premier League clubs during his career, including for Tottenham and Sheffield Wednesday - though most fans will remember him for his four-year spell with QPR.

The 59-year-old suffered the heart attack on Friday, QPR said, but added he was now on the road to recovery in a post on their social media channels.

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In a statement, the Hoops said: "On Friday evening, our club ambassador, Andy Sinton suffered a heart attack. We are pleased to say he is now recovering in hospital. Please join us in wishing Sints well."

Tottenham also sent their well wishes as they wrote on Twitter: "Get well soon, Andy. Sending the best wishes of all your Spurs family."

It came in the wake of QPR's heavy 7-1 defeat to Coventry, as fans said the news put the result into perspective and wished him a speedy recovery.

One fan wrote in a post on Twitter: "And suddenly losing 7-1 is put in perspective. Get well soon Andy, we all send our love to you!"

Another said: "Puts everything into perspective. I was raging about the result yesterday but reading this about my first ever @QPR idol makes yesterday irrelevant. Wishing this legend a speedy recovery and looking forward to hearing you on commentary again soon."

Sinton earned 12 caps for England during his career from 1991 to 1993, playing under Graham Taylor in the 1992 European Championships in Sweden.

His football journey began with Cambridge before he moved to Brentford and eventually QPR in 1989. He made 83 appearances for Spurs in the late 1990s, clinching the League Cup in 1999, before transferring to Wolves in the Football League and ending his career with Burton, Bromsgrove and Fleet Town - where he took on the role of manager in 2005.

He was at the helm of Fleet for five years before managing AFC Telford from 2010 to 2013.

More recently, he has served as an ambassador for QPR and provided commentary for their in-house media channels.

Arsenal could reportedly sting Tottenham for the second time in as many weeks by landing another of their summer transfer targets. It comes just days after they signed Eberechi Eze from under the noses of their north London rivals in an extraordinary hijack. The former Crystal Palace man was destined to join Spurs before his boyhood club Arsenal came calling.

Eze was unveiled as an Arsenal player before their big win over Leeds United and could make his debut against Liverpool this weekend. Now, it has emerged that another Tottenham target could soon be on his way to the Emirates Stadium. The player in question is Piero Hincapie, who has excelled at Bayer Leverkusen over the last few seasons.

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He is eager to join Arsenal and the Gunners are preparing to launch a move for his signature, according to The Athletic. It is claimed that the defender has informed Bayer Leverkusen of his desire to leave before the end of the window.

They would prefer to keep him unless Arsenal match the full value of his release clause, which is around £52million. However, the report states that efforts are ongoing to reduce that figure to a more realistic market value.

Arsenal are keen admirers of Hincapie but would reportedly need to move some players on before firming up their interest. Jakub Kiwior, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira and Reiss Nelson are said to be among those who could leave.

Kiwior is thought to be attracting interest from Porto, while West Ham were linked with Vieira earlier in the window. Zinchenko and Nelson have been mentioned in connection with Fulham, who are said to be keen on signing both players.

Earlier on Monday, it was reported that Tottenham had submitted a formal bid for Hincapie. According to Fabrizio Romano, they offered an initial loan deal with an obligation to buy for the value of his release clause at the end of the season.

However, it is said that Hincapie would prefer to join Arsenal which suggests Spurs are running the risk of having another target snatched by their greatest rivals.

The defender usually operates at centre-back but is also capable of playing on the left side of a back four. His versatility would make him a solid addition for the Gunners, who have placed an emphasis on improving squad depth this summer.

Mikel Arteta refused to shut down the possibility of more incomings after Eze was unveiled as an Arsenal player before their game against Leeds.

"We are all with big smiles on our faces, understanding that we have done really well, but the market is not closed," said the Spaniard.

"We have to stay very alert because there are a lot of things that can happen. But, so far so good."

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