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Middlesex captain takes 33rd five-for of career as Crawley’s struggles continue for Kent

ESPNcricinfo staff02-May-2025

Toby Roland-Jones claimed another five-for•Getty Images

Toby Roland-Jones’s latest five-wicket haul gave Middlesex the edge on a bowler-dominated opening day against Kent at Lord’s.The evergreen former England seamer took 5 for 33, the 33rd time in his career he’d achieved a five-wicket haul as the visitors were skuttled for 129.Tawanda Muyeye top-scored with 29, but Zak Crawley’s poor run of first-innings scores continued as he made only sixKent though hit back with ball in hand on an unusually sporty Lord’s pitch, offering both seam and a hint of turn, George Garrett taking 2 for 39 as the hosts reached 158 for 4 at stumps with Ryan Higgins 44 not out.Crawley, named this morning in the squad for the Test against Zimbabwe in less than three weeks, was undone by a beauty from South-African quick Dane Paterson which angled in before leaving him off the pitch, beating his outside edge and pinning him in front.With his departure Roland-Jones took centre-stage. The Seaxes skipper, who would have played many more than his four Tests for England were it not for two stress fractures of the back when at the peak of his powers, demonstrated again, even at 37, his relentless accuracy can harass top quality players into error.Kent skipper Daniel Bell-Drummond appeared a little skittish before Roland-Jones produced a fullish ball which he nicked to wicketkeeper Jack Davies.That brought Muyeye in to join Ben Compton, a pair whose record third-wicket stand had won the reverse fixture between the sides three weeks ago.Any psychological scars were banished when Compton, having grafted for an hour, shouldered arms and was bowled by Higgins.Muyeye looked at ease, taking heavy toll of some loose deliveries from Henry Brookes, dispatching him to the short boundary three times in two overs.Roland-Jones though would return to dismiss him on the stroke of lunch, Higgins providing safe hands at gully.If that was a good catch, his left-handed grab to remove the dangerous Jack Leaning soon after the resumption was sensational and gave Roland-Jones his fourth victim. The five-for was celebrated shortly afterwards courtesy of Chris Benjamin’s nick behind.Paterson provided good support, though Joey Evison looked unlucky to be adjudged lbw with question marks over both height and line.Brookes mopped up the tail leaving the self-effacing Roland-Jones to reluctantly accept acclaim for his bowling feats as he reached the pavilion.With so few to defend and a bowling attack shorn of the likes of Nathan Gilchrist and the man who has often proved Middlesex’s nemesis Grant Stewart, they found a new-ball hero of their own in Garrett.In his first Championship game of the season, Garrett accounted for both openers, Stephen Eskinazi castled by one which pitched middle and clipped the off bail, while Robson, on his return from Paternity leave was unlucky to be adjudged leg before to one seemingly missing leg.The in-form Max Holden with over 500 runs so far in the campaign including two centuries at Lord’s also fell cheaply courtesy of Leaning’s super catch at slip.Luke Hollman, into the side at a career-high No.4 in place of the injured Leus du Plooy off the back of scoring 160 in the 2s last week, counter-attacked, some powerful drives taking him to 42 before Matt Parkinson got one to turn and take the edge.Higgins and Ben Geddes then further steadied the home ship with an unbeaten fifth-wicket stand of 62 to leave Middlesex in front ahead of day two.Before play began, the MCC gave Middlesex employee Lorraine Poole the honour or ringing the five-minute bell to mark the last day of her 25 years of service to the club.

It is understood that the fees are expected to go back up to the previous edition’s sum of PKR 40,000 per match

PTI13-Mar-2025

Faisalabad, Lahore and Multan will host this year’s edition of the National T20 Cup•AFP/Getty Images

Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi has issued orders to review the decision to reduce match fees of players and reserves selected to play in the National T20 Cup.It is understood that the fees are expected to go back up to the previous edition’s sum of PKR 40,000 per match, and PKR 20,000 per match for reserves. Originally, the fees had been slashed 75%, to PKR 10,000 (USD 35 approx), and PKR 5000 for reserves. Even the figure of PKR 40,000 is a fall compared to 2022, when players had been paid PKR 60,000 per match.Related

PCB slashes player match fees by 75% for National T20 Cup

The decision to reduce match fees of players, as decided by the PCB’s domestic department, led to a hue and cry in cricket circles, leaving fans and critics wondering whether the board was facing a financial crunch. PCB sources, however, claim that the expense cuts have been executed because of an increase in domestic tournaments this season, leading to greater earning opportunities for players.The National T20 Cup starts on March 14, with 39 matches across three cities: Faisalabad, Lahore and Multan. The final will take place in Faisalabad on March 27. Several leading Pakistan international cricketers will be unable to feature, with the national side having left for New Zealand for five T20Is and three ODIs.

Hugo Ekitike has not been fined by Liverpool for a "stupid" red card as Arne Slot claimed that the striker is "allowed to make a mistake". The French forward, who came off the bench to score the decisive goal in Tuesday's 2-1 win against Southampton, was sent off just moments after taking off his shirt in celebration, earning a second booking having already picked up a yellow card.

Red card chaos at Anfield

Ekitike entered the Carabao Cup tie as a substitute for Alexander Isak in the second half. Within eight minutes, he was booked for punching the ball away after referee Thomas Bramall awarded Southampton a free-kick. The French striker redeemed himself in the 85th minute, tapping in a precise pass from Federico Federico Chiesa to put Liverpool ahead 2-1. In the heat of the moment, Ekitike removed his shirt to celebrate in front of the home fans, a decision that proved costly. The second yellow card came swiftly, and he was forced to walk down the tunnel, leaving Slot fuming.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesSlot steps in to defend Ekitike

Speaking ahead of Liverpool’s Premier League trip to Crystal Palace, Slot addressed rumours that Ekitike had been handed a two-week wage fine. The manager dismissed the claims and offered full backing for the striker.

"Disciplined means a fine, which he didn’t get. I spoke to him," he said. "He said sorry straight away to his team-mates, he is young and players of all ages make mistakes and you are allowed at this club to make a mistake without getting fined."

Lesson learnt by young striker

Slot went on to praise Ekitike’s character, noting his warmth and professionalism off the pitch. "A fantastic human being. If you asked staff for top three warmest and polite players, he would be in there. So he can make a mistake," Slot said.

"It wasn’t smart, it didn’t hurt us. It might hurt a bit more tomorrow but Chiesa is showing himself and a chance for him to play tomorrow off the bench."

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Getty Images SportChampions League test awaits Ekitike next

Ekitike will be missing out on the trip to Crystal Palace due to suspension, but is set to return for Liverpool’s Champions League clash in Istanbul against Galatasaray next Tuesday. With a European showdown in midweek, the striker has the perfect opportunity to bounce back and show that the rash moment was simply a blip in the matrix.

The payments will be completed within a day, a Rajshahi official assured BCB chief Faruque Ahmed

Mohammad Isam16-Jan-2025

Durbar Rajshahi’s players boycotted training on Wednesday•Durbar Rajshahi

Durbar Rajshahi have promised to pay their local players on Thursday, a day after the players boycotted training in Chattogram to protest the non-payment of fees by the franchise. Jayed Ahmed, the operations in-charge of Rajshahi, said in a late-night video statement on Wednesday that they spoke with BCB president Faruque Ahmed and assured him that the unpaid dues would be cleared.Bangladesh Premier League franchises are supposed to pay 50% of a player’s total payment before the start of the tournament, 25% during the tournament and the rest of the 25% after the tournament is over. Rajshahi however didn’t pay the local players their first installment even two weeks into the tournament, which began on December 30.After the players’ demonstration, BCB chief Faruque held a meeting with his board of directors. He also spoke to the Rajshahi owner Shafique Rahman, captain Anamul Haque and other cricketers.Related

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Durbar Rajshahi's local players skip training to protest non-payment of fees

“There’s no doubt that they will receive payment on January 16,” Jayed said. “We express regret at not being able to make the payments on time. There’s no denying the fact. This shouldn’t have happened. The management has decided to pay 25% payment in cash. We will pay another 25% in checks.”Our owner spoke to the BCB president on the phone. I met him in person. We had a cordial conversation. He wanted to understand the situation. We expressed our regret for the payment delay. We promised him that we will make the payments tomorrow.”Jayed said some of the cheques bounced because the bank couldn’t clear the payment without confirming with Shafique on the phone.”You will remember that the day our owner’s wife went to the ground, she got hit by a ball, she suffered a fracture. She was taken to Bangkok for treatment. Our owner was with her. We had given the cheque beforehand, so our owner told me to inform the players that the cheques won’t be submitted since he was not in the country.”Otherwise the bank won’t get me on the phone. We told this to all the cricketers but one or two of them submitted the check. They forgot about the owner being in Bangkok.”Rajshahi had made the 25% payment to their overseas players and coaching staff. The side will take on Khulna Tigers in their seventh game in Chattogram on January 17.

Manchester United could trigger the £45m release fee in the contract of a “phenomenal” striker on Tuesday evening as the clause runs out within a matter of hours.

Man Utd eyeing Gyokeres alternatives

With widespread reports suggesting that Viktor Gyokeres is closing in on a move to Arsenal, Man United have been forced to move on to alternative options, and contact has recently been made over both RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko and Chelsea’s Nicolas Jackson.

Despite a deal for Gyokeres now looking very unlikely, there are several options on the shortlist for Ruben Amorim, many of whom were prolific in front of goal during the 2024-25 campaign.

Target	Current club	League goals in 24/25
Benjamin Sesko	RB Leipzig	13
Ollie Watkins	Aston Villa	16
Nicolas Jackson	Chelsea	10
Dusan Vlahovic	Juventus	10
Luis Suarez	Almeria	27

Last week, it was also revealed that United had made an offer for Fiorentina striker Moise Kean, off the back of an impressive campaign for the former Everton man in the Serie A, but it was seemingly not high enough to tempt the Italian club into a sale.

However, Fiorentina would be powerless to prevent Kean’s departure if the Red Devils were to trigger his release clause, and a report from Italy (via Sport Witness) has revealed they could do exactly that before it expires within the next 12 hours.

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The report states: “At this point, the situation is tightening. Kean never accepted Al-Qadsiah’s offer, nor did he comment on Al-Hilal’s interest, which had contacted his entourage in recent days. Manchester United’s prospect should not be underestimated, as the Red Devils could make a move for the 2000-born player during the final hours of his release clause.”

The centre-forward’s release clause amounts to €52m (£45m), but it expires on Tuesday at midnight, meaning United will need to move swiftly if they are keen on a deal for the Fiorentina star.

"Phenomenal" Kean may deserve another chance in England

The striker’s time at Everton didn’t go exactly to plan, scoring just two goals in 29 Premier League games during the 2019-20 season, but his performances in Italy last season indicate he could deserve another chance in England.

The Italy international bagged 25 goals for Fiorentina in all competitions, while also earning himself high praise from Italy legend Christian Vieri, who said: “We do have Kean and Retegui. They are two very good strikers. If they play together they are very dangerous. Kean is a phenomenal striker, a phenomenal centre forward.”

Perhaps the 25-year-old’s most memorable strike was his opening goal in his side’s 2-1 victory over Genoa in February, beating the goalkeeper with a remarkable effort on the spin.

That said, given that Kean’s last spell in the Premier League was way below par, it would be a surprise if Man United were to trigger his release clause before it expires on Tuesday evening.

Tottenham Hotspur’s ambition to strengthen the squad throughout this summer has already been evident, already making key moves within the transfer market.

Mohammed Kudus is the first major signing of the Thomas Frank era, after joining the club in a £55m deal from London rivals West Ham United earlier this month.

However, despite the big money spent on the Ghanaian’s signature, other targets are still being pursued, with the club potentially being subject to external investment.

Various areas of the pitch have been of interest in recent days, but as of yet, no other key dealings have been completed ahead of the 2025/26 Premier League campaign.

Numerous players have emerged on their shortlist already this window, leading to work being done behind the scenes to ensure Frank has the best chance of success in North London.

The latest on Spurs’ hunt for new additions this summer

Adam Wharton has been named as one of Spurs’ biggest targets this summer, with Frank evidently wanting to improve the options within his midfield department.

However, despite their interest in the Crystal Palace star, a deal for his signature is extremely unlikely, with the Eagles currently demanding £100m for the Englishman’s signature.

The 21-year-old isn’t the only player currently in their sights within such an area of the pitch, leading to Juventus star Douglas Luiz being another target, according to Dean Jones.

He claims that internal talks have been held behind the scenes in North London over a possible deal for the Brazilian, as he looks set to depart the Italian outfit this window.

Jones also states that no serious development has been made for his signature, but the player himself wants a return to England after leaving Aston Villa 12 months ago.

Why Spurs’ latest target would be a better signing than Palhinha

Despite the recent moves within the transfer market, Spurs still hold a keen interest in landing the signature of Bayern Munich star João Palhinha this summer.

Their interest in the Portuguese midfielder has been confirmed in recent days, with the 30-year-old allowed to depart the Bundesliga champions in the coming weeks.

He only joined the club last summer in a £47m deal from Fulham, but after making just six league starts in 2024/25, it’s safe to say he’s not a player in Vincent Kompany’s plans.

Palhinha has previously excelled in England’s top-flight, making 79 appearances for the Cottagers over a two-year spell, arguably being one of the best deep-lying options within the division.

However, despite interest being registered in his services, the hierarchy should be prioritising a move for Luiz this window, with the Brazilian undoubtedly a better option.

When comparing their respective stats from the recent campaign, the former Villa star has dominated in key areas, having the tools to improve the options at Frank’s disposal as a result.

Luiz, who’s been labelled “world-class” by journalist Adam Gilks, registered more key passes and progressive passes per 90, showcasing his ability to get the ball into forward areas, something which could massively bolster the attackers’ tally as a result.

Games played

19

17

Minutes played

529

673

Progressive passes

5.9

4.2

Progressive carries

2.7

0.4

Key passes made

2.5

0.5

% of tackles won

69%

68%

Interceptions made

0.7

0.5

Take-on success

79%

50%

Carries into final third

1.7

0.4

Recoveries made

5.3

2.2

He also completed more of the take-ons he attempted, whilst making more carries into the final third, further demonstrating his dominance with the ball at his feet.

However, defensively, the former Villa star has also impressed, winning a higher percentage of tackles, whilst also registering more interceptions per 90, arguably being the perfect deep-lying option for the Lilywhites.

It’s unclear if the side are willing to pursue a move for Luiz’s signature, but it’s evident from their stats in the recent campaign that he would be a better signing than Palhinha.

Whether he joins on a temporary or permanent basis, it would be a signing that would hand Frank the midfield talent he craves, handing him the best chance of success in his debut campaign at the helm.

Dream Wharton alternative: Spurs working on deal to sign "outrageous" CM

Tottenham Hotspur are making a move for a star who could make them forget about Adam Wharton.

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Phil Salt fifty, Fazalhaq Farooqi’s three wickets seal victory at Lord’s

ECB Media09-Aug-2024

Phil Salt on his way to fifty•ECB via Getty Images

Inspired performances from Phil Salt and Fazalhaq Farooqi secured Manchester Originals their first win of The Hundred against London Spirit at Lord’s.Meerkat Match Hero Salt hit 58 from 41 balls to set London Spirit a target of 136, which Originals defended thanks to Farooqi taking 3 for 24 from his 20 balls.The result spelled the end of London Spirit’s campaign this season, unable to reach the knockout phase as they joined the already eliminated Originals stuck at the bottom of the table.Farooqi dismissed Michael Pepper for 9, then Ollie Pope for 0, and when Dan Lawrence was run out with a direct hit from wicketkeeper Salt, Originals looked favourites.Despite being dropped twice, Keaton Jennings’ 61 not out from 50 balls wasn’t enough to get Spirit over the line, falling 12 short of Originals’ total.He shared a 96-run partnership off 74 balls with Shimron Hetmyer, who reached 44 off 35 balls before he skied Scott Currie to Salt.Hetmyer’s dismissal brought the big-hitting Andre Russell to the crease with Spirit still needing 28 runs off 12 balls and when he fell cheaply picking out Wayne Madsen at extra cover to give Farooqi his third, the home side were left with too much to do.Originals got away with a poor performance in the field, a rash of dropped chances ultimately going unpunished.Earlier, Salt’s innings, which included four fours and two sixes, was the highlight of the Originals’ innings, with both Richard Gleeson and Olly Stone taking two wickets.Salt said: “The results haven’t gone our way. We’re on a mission now to be the party spoilers and with the luck we’ve had in the competition so far, I think that’s a role we’re going to enjoy.”

The closest Tottenham Hotspur have come to winning the Premier League in generations was under Mauricio Pochettino.

The Argentine’s best team may have ended up being less successful than Ange Postecoglou’s current side – trophy-wise, anyway – but it was stacked with some outrageously talented players.

The likes of Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen and a young Son Heung-min will always get the plaudits from those outside of the fanbase, and understandably so, but the Lilywhites faithful know full well that Mousa Dembélé was just as important to that side.

The Belgian was an utterly superb central midfielder, so supporters should be excited about recent reports linking the team to a youngster who has shades of the retired monster about him.

Spurs midfield targets

Before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at some of the other central midfielders who have been touted for moves to Spurs in recent weeks, like Quinten Timber and Angel Gomes.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The former is the brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien Timber, the captain of Feyenoord, reportedly worth £25m and could be an ideal addition to the squad, as he’s capable of playing in attacking, central and defensive midfield.

Likewise, Gomes could be a sensational signing as, thanks to his contract with LOSC Lille expiring this month, he’ll be available for nothing, and at just 24 years old, he already has experience of national team football, the Champions League and top-flight football in both Portugal, France and England.

Yet, neither one of these internationals could really be described as having shades of Dembélé to them, unlike Adam Wharton.

Yes, according to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Crystal Palace star is now a serious target for the North Londoners.

The report has revealed that the club are ‘prioritizing a central midfield’ signing this season, and the young Englishman ‘figures highly on their shortlist.’

However, it won’t be an easy deal to get done, as the Eagles are after upwards of £60m for the midfield maestro, but even then, with his ability and potential, that may be a fee worth paying for Spurs, especially as he could emulate parts of Dembélé’s game.

How Wharton compares to Dembélé

So, before the pitchforks and torches come out, it’s important to state that we are not saying that Wharton is currently as good a player as Dembélé was during his pomp at Spurs, as that would just be silly.

However, given the fact that he’s still just 21 years old and will be until midway through next season, it’s not that out there to suggest he could reach that level in time, especially as there are some similarities between the pair.

The first, and perhaps most significant, is the fact that the Palace gem very rarely loses the ball.

In fact, according to FBref, the “generational” talent, as dubbed by members of the media, sits in the bottom 40% of midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues for the frequency he is dispossessed, coming in at just 0.89 times per 90, or, in other words, less than once a game.

A great example of this was in the FA Cup final against Manchester City, as, on top of winning duels, making tackles and playing a number of excellent passes, he was also able to hold onto the ball brilliantly despite the immense amount of pressure Pep Guardiola’s side tried to exert on him.

This ability to keep the ball was one of the Belgian’s most impressive, and it seems like the young Englishman has it in spades.

Then there are the more surface-level comparisons, such as both players coming from a London club – Fulham in Dembélé’s case – and the fact that they could and can play in either central or defensive midfield.

Appearances

51

43

Minutes

3571′

3011′

Goals

4

0

Assists

5

5

Ultimately, while it’s a lot of money, Spurs should do what they can to sign Wharton this summer, as he looks like he has the raw abilities and ceiling to become the club’s next Dembélé.

Eriksen 2.0: Spurs looking to sign "extraordinary" £25m Sarr upgrade

The young leader could be just what Spurs are after.

ByJack Salveson Holmes Jun 4, 2025

It is make or break for Sunderland this afternoon as their 2024/25 campaign will be defined by the outcome of today’s Championship play-off final clash with Sheffield United.

The Black Cats beat Coventry City 3-2 on aggregate in the semi-finals of the play-offs, thanks to a dramatic late winner in extra-time from central defender Dan Ballard, sending the Stadium of Light into raptures.

Regis Le Bris now faces the unenviable task of selecting the right starting XI to take to the field against Sheffield United this afternoon at Wembley, and Chris Rigg is one player who should be brought back in.

Why Chris Rigg should start

Sunderland know that this is a high-stakes game and that any small errors could be the difference between another season in the Championship or playing Premier League football in the 2025/26 campaign.

Therefore, it could make sense to bring in another midfielder who can provide solidity just ahead of Dan Neil and Jobe Bellingham, making it even harder for the Blades to break them down.

In the regular Championship season, Rigg won four duels per game on average, winning 47% of his battles overall, and averaged 1.6 tackles and interceptions per game, without a single error that led to a goal or a penalty for the opposition.

Chalkboard

Football FanCast’s Chalkboard series presents a tactical discussion from around the global game.

This means that the teenage midfielder would add another layer of defensive insurance ahead of the back four by coming into the side, but it would also mean that Eliezer Mayenda would have to drop to the bench to make way for the English ace to play behind Wilson Isidor.

Why Eliezer Mayenda should be dropped

Le Bris should ruthlessly drop the 20-year-old starlet to the bench for today’s final in order to make room for Rigg to provide a reliable presence at the top of the midfield.

This would also provide Mayenda with the opportunity to come on as an impact substitute, which suits his style of play with his directness and pace on the counter-attack, as he could cause problems for a tired Sheffield United defence late on.

His disappointing performance against Coventry in the second leg of the semi-final, though, suggests that it may be too much of a gamble to play him from the start.

Minutes

120

Goals + assists

0

Successful dribbles

2/6

Pass accuracy

29% (2/7)

Duels won

6/18

Key passes

0

Possession lost

15x

As you can see in the table above, Mayenda played the full 120 minutes against the Sky Blues and only completed two passes, without creating any chances, and lost the vast majority of his duels.

This suggests that he could be a liability in the final from the start if he produced a similar kind of performance, as the Sheffield United players could find it too easy to beat him in duels and to intercept his passes.

Therefore, dropping him for Rigg, who has won 47% of his duels and completed 79% of his passes in the Championship, could increase Sunderland’s chances of being solid from the start.

Le Bris would then have the option to bring Mayenda’s pace off the bench to make an impact late on, by taking Rigg off to play the Frenchman in a front two with Isidor, which is why this could be a good tactical move for multiple reasons.

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ByKelan Sarson May 21, 2025

Tottenham Hotspur manager Ange Postecoglou is under serious pressure as uncertainty revolves around his future in north London, with chairman Daniel Levy shortlisting multiple candidates to replace the Australian if he departs N17.

Managers linked with Tottenham as Ange Postecoglou timeline shared

According to reports this week, in the event Postecoglou is in fact shown his P45, Spurs would be aiming to bring in a replacement before the first summer transfer window opens on June 1st (Pete O’Rourke).

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The Premier League confirmed that there will be two separate windows this year. One will be open from June 1st to June 10th, and the other from June 16th to September 1st – which allows clubs like Man City and Chelsea to sign players before the Club World Cup.

Tottenham’s next five Premier League fixtures	Date
Nottingham Forest (home)	April 21st
Liverpool (away)	April 27th
West Ham (away)	May 3rd
Crystal Palace (home)	May 10th
Aston Villa (away)	May 18th

Tottenham apparently aim to take advantage of the early window to sign players for their prospective new head coach (Pete O’Rourke), and it is believed that Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola and Fulham’s Marco Silva are their two “top candidates” – even if their clubs will battle to keep them.

Bournemouth owner Billy Foley is attempting to agree a new contract with Iraola to keep him out of Levy’s clutches, while Fulham vice-chairman Tony Khan admitted this week that the west Londoners are extremely keen to keep hold of their high-performing manager Silva.

Postecoglou, meanwhile, admitted before Spurs’ clash with Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League that he’s in the dark about his future.

“No – no idea,” said Postecoglou on whether he’ll be at Tottenham next season.

“We have a game tomorrow night, but it’s not something I need to think about. I’ve never thought about those things in terms of what is important.

“What is important is the game. That’s a massive opportunity for this group of players and this football club to get closer to achieving what everyone wants to achieve. Anything other than that, particularly in terms of me, I don’t really have much thought process that thinks about my career or what I’m doing in that way.”

Tottenham are on course for their worst ever Premier League campaign to date, after losing 17 top-flight matches, and Postecoglou has attracted fierce criticism throughout 2024/2025 despite the injuries which have depleted his squad.

Tottenham planning to make approach for Brentford boss Thomas Frank

Now, as per TEAMtalk, an update has emerged on their links to Brentford manager Thomas Frank.

The Dane has apparently shot up Levy’s managerial target list, following news that Iraola is leaning more towards remaining at the Vitality Stadium for next season.

According to TT’s information, Tottenham will ask Frank about replacing Postecoglou if they decide to sack him, and it is also believed that the 51-year-old is ready for the next step in his managerial career after transforming the Bees into a solid Premier League outfit.

Interestingly, his contract also contains a release clause, akin to Iraola and Silva. The cost to bypass negotiations with Brentford and head straight to Frank stands at around £10 million, so Levy would still need to invest significantly in his capture.

That being said, Frank is highly-rated by his peers, with Man City boss Pep Guardiola calling him “one of the best” managers around.