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Tottenham Hotspur are now closely monitoring Everton defender Jarrad Branthwaite, viewing him as an ideal fit in Thomas Frank’s system.

Frank has set out to improve Tottenham’s defence since succeeding Ange Postecoglou as manager in the summer, with Gary Neville claiming they have made improvements at the back after the recent 3-0 victory against Everton.

Neville said: “They did things certainly last season they weren’t capable of doing, and that’s being reliable when they’re not playing well.

“Can they withstand pressure? Can they soak up teams putting balls into their box? They did that today. I think they defended really well.”

Spurs are faring much better than last season in the Premier League, despite the 1-0 loss against Chelsea on Saturday, having taken 17 points from their opening 10 games, and Micky van de Ven has caught the eye, scoring a brace against Everton.

However, Van de Ven is now attracting attention from elsewhere, which could pose a problem for the north Londoners, who have set a minimum asking price of £88m amid interest from Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Tottenham closely monitoring Jarrad Branthwaite

With their captain being linked to other clubs, Tottenham are now looking to sign a new centre-back, and a report from Caught Offside has revealed they are closely monitoring Branthwaite, viewing the defender as an ideal fit in Frank’s system.

The Toffees are extremely reluctant to sanction a departure, but they have set an asking price of £70m, which means a deal could be possible if Spurs are willing to break their existing transfer record.

The 23-year-old, who remains under contract until 2030, is happy at Everton for the time being and not pushing for an exit, but interest is growing, with Manchester United also in the race for his signature.

Injuries have hampered the Englishman as of late, meaning he is yet to make an appearance in the Premier League this season, but he has certainly caught the eye in the past, notably putting in a top performance against Spurs in 2024.

The Carlisle-born defender is now very experienced in the Premier League, having made 75 top-flight performances, and he averaged a 7.02 SofaScore match rating last term, the fifth-highest of any Everton player to feature in at least 50% of their matches.

Branthwaite is at a good age to be a long-term success at the Tottenham Hotpsur Stadium, but £70m would be a lot to spend on a player who hasn’t proven himself at the highest level, with the centre-back yet to play for England or in the Champions League.

What Thomas Frank said after snub from van de Ven and Spence Related What Frank said on snub from van de Ven and Spence after Tottenham loss

It was an evening to forget for Spurs.

Posts ByCharlie Smith Nov 2, 2025

In a record-breaking event, Services defeated Assam in just 90 overs, making it the shortest completed match in Ranji Trophy history.The match set a new mark in terms of balls bowled (540) to reach a result, surpassing the previous record of 547 from the 1961-62 clash between Delhi and Railways. Only 359 runs were scored and 32 wickets fell.The game also saw a historic feat: two bowlers from Services – left-arm spinner Arjun Sharma and left-arm seamer Mohit Jangra – claimed hat-tricks in the same innings, the first time this has occurred in the Ranji Trophy’s 91-year history.

Qarabag's youth team have been fined just over £4,000 by UEFA after a supporter was found to have racially abused a Chelsea player during an academy match in Azerbaijan. Shortly after Blues striker Sol Gordon opening the scoring at Azersun Stadium in Baku earlier this month, the 17-year-old was allegedly subjected to monkey gestures. Now, Qarabag have been punished off the back of what transpired in this UEFA Youth League encounter.

Chelsea strongly condemn unsavoury incident

Despite Chelsea's Under-19 side going on to win the game 5-0, the contest was marred by Gordon being discriminated against by those in the crowd. 

At the time, the Blues said in a statement: "We are aware of an incident during today's UEFA Youth League match in Azerbaijan in which, after scoring, a number of our players were subjected to racist abuse from an individual in the crowd. Racism and all forms of discriminatory behaviour are completely unacceptable and have no place in football or indeed in society. We strongly condemn the actions of the individual responsible. Our players have the full support of everyone at the club, and we have raised the incident immediately with the UEFA match delegate and home club: We expect this matter to be investigated fully under UEFA's disciplinary procedures. We are proud of the way our players and staff responded to the incident on the pitch, swiftly reporting it to the referee, and commend those for dealing with the matter professionally and appropriately in line with UEFA protocols."

AdvertisementGetty Images SportQarabag apologise before getting fined

Soon after Chelsea's statement, Qarabag responded with their own. They vowed to investigate the matter and said this incident does not reflect the club's values. 

They added: "We are sorry about this incident. It does not reflect the values of our club. We will investigate it thoroughly."

Now, European football's governing body, UEFA, has slapped them with a £4,379 fine, with Qarabag's youth team having to play a match behind closed doors following "racist and/or discriminatory behaviour of its supporters" – though that punishment is suspended for a year.

A statement from UEFA reads: "The CEDB has decided: To fine Qarabağ FK Youth €5,000 and to order Qarabağ FK Youth to play its next one (1) UEFA competition match as host club behind closed doors, for the racist and/or discriminatory behaviour of its supporters. Said match behind closed doors is suspended during a probationary period of one (1) year, starting from the date of the present decision."

Atletico Madrid punished for racism

On a similar note, Atletico Madrid have been fined £26,256 by UEFA after their fans reportedly made monkey gestures and noises, along with Nazi salutes, towards Arsenal's players in their 4-0 home win at Emirates Stadium in October. The club has also been hit with a suspended sanction of a ban on travelling supporters for "racist and discriminatory behaviour". Despite the severity of the charges, the one-match ban on ticket sales for an away game has been suspended for a probationary period of one year.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Chelsea?

Aside from the aforementioned matter, Chelsea return to Premier League action on Sunday when they host London rivals and league leaders Arsenal in a huge clash at the top of the table on Sunday. The Blues sit six points behind the Gunners, and a win at Stamford Bridge could catapult them into the title race. But a loss could put pay to those hopes and give Mikel Arteta's team a huge boost in their bid to win their first league title since 2004.

Following Chelsea's 3-0 Champions League win over Barcelona in midweek, head coach Enzo Maresca said: "I’ve told the players, next 48 hours, completely switch off. Have a rest. Recover the energy. Because [on] Sunday we have Arsenal. My message after the game was just: recover the energy. That, in this moment, is the most important thing. Then, on Friday, we start to think about Arsenal. We need to keep the momentum because it’s very nice – and it’s much easier to recover energy when you win games."

Guyana Amazon Warriors 188 for 8 (Sampson 76, Hope 44, Chase 3-30) beat St Lucia Kings 185 for 4 (Chase 90*, Auguste 50, Pretorius 2-36) by two wicketsDwaine Pretorius stunned table-toppers St Lucia Kings with a last-ball six in yet another thriller in CPL 2025. The win confirmed Guyana Amazon Warriors’ spot as the fourth team in the playoffs. Needing 12 runs off the last over and five from the last ball, Pretorius smashed a full toss from David Wiese over long-on, which knocked St Kitts and Nevis Patriots out of the playoffs race, and sparked off wild celebrations from the home fans.Amazon Warriors are currently fourth on the points table with 10 points, and will play the last game of the league stage against Barbados Royals, with a chance to finish in the top two.There was plenty of drama in the last over when Moeen Ali’s catch was dropped in the deep. It also turned out to be a no-ball for a high full toss on Wiese’s second delivery. With eight runs to get from four balls after the free hit, Moeen was run-out while attempting a second run, and with Wiese trying straight and wide yorkers, it came down to five off the last ball. That was also an attempted yorker but reached Pretorius as a full toss, and he dispatched it all the way.The Amazon Warriors’ chase got a strong start when Quentin Sampson took off with a first-ball four and continued to lead the partnership with Shai Hope after the fall of Ben McDermott. Sampson’s hard-handed strokes and swings brought up a 27-ball half-century and took Amazon Warriors past 100 in the 11th over.Roston Chase, however, led Kings’ fightback with the wickets of Sampson and Shimron Hetmyer off consecutive balls soon after; it was Hetmyer’s second duck in a row, his third of this CPL, and his seventh single-digit score in nine outings. Hope was on 10 off 15 balls at the time, and he held one end up even as Amazon Warriors lost Shamarh Brooks, Hassan Khan and Romario Shepherd in three successive overs to stutter to 133 for 6. That left them needing 50 runs off the last 30 deliveries.Hope soon switched gears to bring it down to 32 off 22 before holing out for 44 from 33 balls off Wiese. With 23 to get from the last two overs, Moeen started the penultimate over with a six to make it 12 from the last over before Pretorius took Amazon Warriors home.Earlier, Kings were in a bit of a trouble after they had opted to bat, reduced to 27 for 2 in the fourth over after Pretorius knocked over the base of Johnson Charles’ off stump for his seventh wicket in the powerplay this CPL, joint-most with Khary Pierre and Ramon Simmonds. But No. 4 Chase countered with a sequence of 6, 4, 6, 4 off Moeen to race to 21 off five balls, and took Kings past 50 in the fifth over.Kings never looked back after that. Ackeem Auguste took the aerial route too, bringing up the team’s 100 in the 12th over soon after Chase broke the phase of four boundary-less overs. Auguste fell just one ball after his 29-ball fifty when he found deep midwicket off Imran Tahir. Chase then took on Hassan for his 32-ball half-century by belting more straight hits. Chase also benefitted from a life Hetmyer gave him on 73 when he put down a catch at long-on, and he punished Pretorius further to finish unbeaten on 90 off 55 balls. But that knock, followed by his three wickets, ended in vain.

Liverpool believe both Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi and midfield superstar Adam Wharton want to move to Anfield in 2026, and FSG are willing to sell one of their stars to Real Madrid to fund the deals.

The Reds missed out on the signing of Guehi on deadline day in September, despite the 25-year-old agreeing a £35m move to Anfield. Since then, Liverpool have leaked goals at an alarming rate, with Ibrahima Konate producing too many sloppy performances and new signing Giovanni Leoni ruled out for the rest of the season through injury.

It would be a surprise if the Premier League champions didn’t return for Guehi in 2026, though they may now face competition from the likes of Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, while Inter are the latest team to be linked with the England international.

Crystal Palace meanwhile may be facing a massive rebuild with manager Oliver Glasner yet to commit himself beyond next summer, and now the Reds are looking to poach another Eagles star.

Liverpool willing to sell Mac Allister to seal Wharton deal

Sources tell Football FanCast Wharton is keen to join Liverpool in 2026, and FSG are considering caving to Real Madrid’s interest in Alexis Mac Allister in order to fund the move.

A calm figure who oozes class on the ball, Wharton is reportedly valued at a whopping £150m, and the Reds believe his youthful exuberance could replace what Mac Allister is lacking since suffering an ongoing injury last year.

If Liverpool were able to sign both Wharton and Guehi next summer, it would be fantastic business, immediately giving them so much added quality and depth in two key areas. The former is one of the most exciting young players in the country right now, with Eberechi Eze describing what a great teammate he was at Palace last year.

The former Blackburn youngster would be a long-term acquisition with the potential to grow into an elite midfielder, and with Mac Allister struggling for form and fitness, he could fill the void left by the Argentine.

Liverpool's £280k-per-week talent is looking like Slot's own Keita signing

Liverpool looks to have dropped the ball already, splashing the cash on this £280k-per-week star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Oct 31, 2025

Signing Guehi is arguably even more important for Liverpool, though, especially if Konate also moves to Madrid, with the England international one of the best centre-backs in the Premier League.

Latest on Liverpool's move for Guehi

Every year, Virat Kohli dusted himself off and brought the same energy to the IPL for RCB. After 18 years, he is finally an IPL champion

Sidharth Monga04-Jun-20252:28

Aaron: Kohli has been king of the castle for 18 years

Virat Kohli just didn’t know what to do with himself. It had finally happened. Josh Hazlewood had bowled a dot ball on the second ball of the last over. Punjab Kings now needed 29 to win off the last four balls. He later suggested to AB de Villiers, friend and former Royal Challengers Bengaluru team-mate, with whom he put together many magical stands, that he was struggling to hold back tears. Now, though, it was mathematically impossible to lose if Hazlewood didn’t concede extras. Kohli has faced enough of Hazlewood to know that wasn’t going to happen.It’s funny. If you look back at any of RCB’s interviews in the last week or so, you see signs of a team that believed this was their time. Their players signed off from New Chandigarh promising bigger celebrations on June 3. Kohli said that before the final he had told de Villiers that he wanted him to celebrate with them “when” they lifted the trophy at the end of the night.And yet, when it does actually come around, you don’t know what to do. As Kohli later said, he gave this team his youth, his prime, his everything, just for this moment. The team gave back. He came across players here who shaped his international career. Every year he dusted himself off and brought the same energy to the team. After the 2009 heartbreak, when he was just a kid. After 2016, when it seemed even more preordained than this year.Related

• IPL 2025: Kohli, Bumrah, Iyer headline ESPNcricinfo's team of the tournament

• Krunal Pandya is an IPL great even if you don't think he is

• Kohli and RCB are finally IPL champions

You can trick your mind into believing there is no power that can stop you from winning, but when you have had that kind of history, you can’t visualise what you will do after winning. On top of that, there are four balls to go before you can let yourself go completely.At the end of the second ball, Kohli covered his face, and then covered even his eyes. The fingers came back wet. He had to wipe them on the back of his trousers. He was fielding at deep midwicket, one of the hot zones in the death overs that needs your best fielders. The next ball flew away for a six into the leg side. You have never seen Kohli react slower. He just jogged towards the ball and let someone from the infield retrieve it.RCB coach Andy Flower later acknowledged that those who believe in fate would have a story to tell because geopolitical tensions between India and Pakistan led to the suspension of IPL 2025 just when Royal Challengers’ campaign was flagging with injuries to Rajat Patidar and Hazlewood, which gave both players time to recover. Their opponents in the final, PBKS, lost a key player because the delay disrupted his team’s WTC final preparations.Try talking about fate to Kohli. He kept moving in circles as boundaries came off the last three balls. He looked deep into the stands. When you are struggling to hold back tears, looking into the distance helps. The same stands that mourned with him on November 19 two years ago were celebrating with him. A lot of them had come from Bengaluru. Not just English- and Kannada- and Dakhni-speaking fans, but also Tamil- and Hindi speakers who have settled in Bengaluru. The metro rides from Ahmedabad to Motera were jampacked and suffocating, but they endured it with discipline and joy. Perhaps they believe in fate.

“I’m going to feel the real side of it when we get to Bengaluru tomorrow and celebrate this with the city” – Virat Kohli

King Kohli walks into the dressing room with ABD, talks about Rajat’s leadership, Jitesh’s smartness, and the team coming together to achieve this… pic.twitter.com/aqLY7LHvvE

— Royal Challengers Bengaluru (@RCBTweets) June 4, 2025

This weekend is arguably the biggest in Thomas Frank’s tenure as Tottenham Hotspur manager, when he leads his side out against Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

The Dane has yet to get his first taste of the North London Derby, but he will be looking to get one over Mikel Arteta and secure bragging rights for the Lilywhites faithful.

Such a fixture is huge for supporters, with the meeting between the two clubs one of the first dates they look for upon fixture release day, before a ball is kicked.

However, it’s been a game that the white side of North London have often come out on the losing side away from home – subsequently winning just one of their last 32 encounters.

If Frank’s side are to write themselves into the history books, they will desperately need to keep one player quiet throughout the clash at the Emirates.

The threat Bukayo Saka poses to Spurs this weekend

Bukayo Saka may ply his trade for Arsenal, but he’s cemented himself as one of the Premier League’s most threatening attackers over the last couple of years.

The Englishman has managed to register over 20 combined goals and assists in all competitions in each of the last three years – often providing the difference in such a fixture.

He’s often popped up with the goods in attacking areas, as seen by his record against the Lilywhites since his senior debut back in the 2020/21 campaign.

Saka has featured on ten occasions against Spurs throughout his professional career, racking up a total of five goals – subsequently finding the net in 50% of his outings in such a clash.

He’s also popped up with various assists in the North London Derby, with his corner to Gabriel securing the Gunners all three points at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last campaign.

It’s evident that the winger possesses serious quality, often coming alive on Derby Day, with Frank and his squad desperately needing to silence him on Sunday afternoon.

However, he too could unleash his own version of the Englishman at the Emirates, with the Lilywhites star potentially able to inflict serious trouble on Arteta’s men.

The Spurs star who’s becoming their answer to Saka

Players such as Saka don’t come around very often, and when they do, they cost a pretty penny – many of which undoubtedly cost a small fortune in the modern-day.

Whilst Spurs are unlikely to pay over the odds for top-level talents, they have invested heavily into the frontline over recent years – as seen by their deal to land Brennan Johnson.

The hierarchy forked out a reported £47.5m for the Welshman’s signature back in the summer of 2023, with the attacker showcasing his talents in North London last campaign.

He registered a total of 18 goals across all competitions last season, the highest of any player in the squad, often starring off the right-hand side of the club’s attack.

However, he’s fallen down the pecking order in recent months, which has resulted in various options being considered within the forward line in the capital.

Mathys Tel joined the Lilywhites on a permanent basis during the summer window, with the Frenchman costing a total of £27m from German side Bayern Munich.

The 20-year-old is capable of operating off the left-hand side or even as a centre-forward, with Frank able to rely upon the youngster in a variety of different positions.

When operating on the left, he’s able to cut inside and onto his favoured foot – something which Saka has made a name for himself for in England’s top-flight.

His similarities to the Englishman are also reflected in his shot on target accuracy, with Tel matching the winger with his tally of placing 33% of his efforts between the posts.

The Frenchman has previously impressed in his professional career, but has transferred his skills over to the Premier League, as seen by his tally of two goals in the league this season.

Games played

8

Goals scored

2

Shot on target accuracy

33%

Pass accuracy

73%

Dribble success

50%

Long ball success

83%

Aerials won

1.2

Mins per goal

124.5

Tel’s efforts in attacking areas have led to huge praise from numerous outlets, with Bayern Chairman Herbert Hainer labelling him “one of the biggest talents in Europe”.

However, he will need consistent first-team minutes to reach the heights many have touted him to, with Frank needing to trust him in the near future to reap the rewards.

He’s shown that he’s capable of producing the goods in attacking areas, potentially able to provide the difference in the clash against the Gunners on Sunday.

Tel has proven he’s able to be the club’s answer to Saka, but it remains to be seen if the manager will show faith in him to allow the youngster to continue on his upward trajectory.

Spurs must sell "one of the worst signings in PL history" to fund Semenyo

Tottenham Hotspur must sell one player if they are to land Antoine Semenyo in January.

1 ByEthan Lamb Nov 20, 2025

Atlante’s long-awaited return to Liga MX is gaining momentum as the club steps up negotiations to purchase Mazatlán FC from Grupo Salinas. While no deal has been finalized, the move is widely viewed as their clearest path back to the top flight after a decade in Liga de Expansión. The Potros – currently the only certified team eligible for promotion – appear closer than ever to reclaiming their place among Mexican football’s elite.

• @Atlante
  

  On the radar

  Atlante’s ambition to return to Liga MX is no longer just an idea – it’s an active project with concrete steps underway, including the potential acquisition of Mazatlán FC.

  According to reporting from TUDN’s Javier Rojas, Atlante has yet finalized the purchase of Mazatlán, though the franchise remains firmly on the club’s radar. For the azulgrana board, buying Mazatlán is considered a “Plan B,” as the club is still attempting to reach promotion through sporting merit first.

  While Grupo Salinas initially explored selling Puebla before considering Mazatlán, negotiations stalled months ago. The sale remains possible, and Mazatlán is widely viewed as the most realistic path for Atlante to re-enter the top division. The talks have since resumed, and optimism has grown within the club that a deal can be struck.

Advertisement

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Deal not official – but momentum is building

  Recent reports suggested that Atlante’s return was already agreed upon, even circulating a purchase figure. However, Récord clarified that no official announcement is imminent; discussions are ongoing and will require more time before being finalized.

  The same media outlet also revealed that Atlante’s leadership, led by Emilio Escalante, has spent more than a year exploring options with Grupo Salinas – including negotiations for Puebla or Mazatlán – though concerns during earlier talks prevented an agreement.

• Getty Images Sport
  

  Why Atlante holds a unique advantage

  A key factor favoring Atlante is its certification by the Mexican Football Federation, making it the club in Liga de Expansión currently eligible for promotion. With no other certified team in the division, Atlante stands as the lone viable candidate to move up – strengthening their position in negotiations.

  If the sale goes through, Mazatlán would not disappear. Instead, the Sinaloa club would shift into Atlante’s current place in Liga de Expansión, avoiding past scenarios like Jaguares or Lobos BUAP, whose franchises vanished after being sold.

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• Possible timeline for the announcement

  TUDN indicates that the operation could be finalized shortly before the 2026 World Cup. The goal would be to present the agreement officially at the Liga MX assembly once the tournament ends.

  Under this scenario, Atlante would return to Liga MX for the Apertura 2026 as the new holder of the Mazatlán franchise. With their potential comeback, the Potros de Hierro would once again play in the stadium that historically served as their home. Reports suggest Atlante would join América and Cruz Azul as tenants of Estadio Banorte (formerly Estadio Azteca), where they previously played in three different eras: 1966–1983, 1996–2000, and 2004–2007.