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When it rains, it pours for Tottenham Hotspur, with the recent saga involving Bayern Munich’s wantaway starlet, Mathys Tel, only serving to heap further misery on the North London outfit.

As Ange Postecoglou beautifully put it himself amid the loss of Radu Dragusin to injury in midweek, “every time I’ve seen the light at the end of the tunnel, it’s usually been an oncoming train.” Poetic indeed.

Hampered by an ever-growing list of absentees, the Lilywhites are seemingly in desperate need of reinforcements before the deadline, albeit with it looking as if chairman Daniel Levy has failed in his charm offensive over Tel, with the teenager rejecting the chance to move to N17 after a £50m agreement had been reached.

While that refusal may lie more in the forward’s hesitation over making a permanent exit from the Allianz Arena, it will sting all the same, with just a matter of days left for Spurs to turn their attention elsewhere…

Tottenham looking at Mathys Tel alternatives

For a team that have scored 46 Premier League goals this season – the third most in the division – there could be an argument that it is not the attacking unit that is in need of strengthening, not least with a 19-year-old who has failed to score at all this season in Germany.

If Postecoglou’s squad is to be appropriately bolstered at the top end of the pitch – whether that is needed or not – it may require a far more Premier League-proven talent to arrive in the door, hence the club’s apparent interest in Manchester United sensation, Alejandro Garnacho.

As per the Daily Mail, Tottenham are said to have launched a surprise late enquiry regarding the Spain-born, Argentina international, with United seemingly open to a sale for a fee in the region of £60m.

Transfer Focus

The report claims that Levy’s approach was centred on doing a deal on an initial loan basis, amid their long-standing interest in the winger, although negotiations are yet to ‘progress’.

How Garnacho compares to Mathys Tel

The question of whether a new left-winger is a priority – amid the rise of the likes of Mikey Moore – is a valid one, although few Spurs supporters would seemingly turn up their nose at the addition of a “generational” talent like Garnacho, as hailed by Statman Dave.

Attitude issues have been a potential concern at Old Trafford in recent times, with the wideman left out of the Manchester Derby back in December by manager Ruben Amorim, although when in the groove, the former Atletico Madrid starlet is a real terror down the flanks.

Previously lauded as a “game-changer” by journalist Samuel Luckhurst, the 20-year-old has worked his way back into favour under Amorim of late, starring off the bench in Bucharest in midweek after teeing up teammate Kobbie Mainoo to make it 2-0 on the night.

A direct and relentless winger, in the mould of a Son Heung-min perhaps, Garnacho appears particularly well suited to the front-footed Postecoglou approach, with his record in recent seasons ensuring he would be a truly worth arrival at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Yes, Tel is certainly exciting too, but only a year older than the Frenchman, Garnacho has proven his talents on a far more consistent basis, having already chalked up 14 goals and assists in all competitions this season. Tel, meanwhile, boasts just one assist and no goals.

38 goal involvements in 121 senior games for the Red Devils is no mean feat, with the fleet-footed star also showcasing his talents on the big occasion, having scored at Wembley in the FA Cup and Community Shield in 2024.

In all in 2023/24, Garnacho registered 15 goals and assists – only one short of what Tel achieved at Bayern. As can be seen in the table above however, it is the United academy graduate who perhaps represents the more all-round option, while boasting the benefit of his Premier League experience.

Having been stung in the past by losing the likes of Michael Carrick and Dimitar Berbatov to the Manchester side, how nice it would be for Spurs to get their own back for change, landing what could well be a big upgrade on Tel in the process.

Another Kulusevski: Spurs want to sign "unreal" PL star before the deadline

Spurs could land themselves another attacking talent after Mathys Tel before the end of the month.

By
Ethan Lamb

Feb 1, 2025

Former Manchester City star Micah Richards has revealed when he plans to retire from punditry as "guilt" continues to gnaw at him.

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• Richards enjoys successful career
• Now a popular TV pundit
• Plans when he will retire

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The CBS Sports Golazo pundit, 36, has admitted that he wants to step back from football punditry when he turns 45. The ex-defender cited how his relationship with his father declined in the latter stages of his career before he retired from the game in 2019. And Richards stressed he does not want that to happen with his nearest and dearest.

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  WHAT RICHARDS SAID

  He said on CBS' Kickin' It show: "I'm retiring in 10 years because the guilt that I have with myself not being there for the people who give me the opportunity to do what I needed to do. I'm picking work over family and especially as a man, it might be different as a woman, everyone thinks everything's always rosy but it is rosy when I am at work because CBS gives me that purpose, that energy. There are two sides to me. I'm always happy and positive and I always try to do the best. I try to life people up and that's why I believe if I was with my dad more this wouldn't have happened. People say you can't blame yourself but I do. I don't want this to be sad, I don't want people to feel sorry for me, I am just sharing experience that people probably wouldn't know about me."

  He added: "I've got a goal. My goal is to get to 45, do the best I can possibly do and then I'm out. I'm out of the game. I'm not bothered about the limelight.

  "My dad was, without being cringe, like my best friend. He'd been to every game, he'd been to every training session. When my career started declining, the relationship between me and him was just getting – I don't even know the right words to articulate because you always speak to your parents, don't you, but in terms of being with them all the time and then, we just became very disconnected."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After making a name for himself as a footballer and then a pundit, Richards is likely to be in a position where he can step away from the sport and do what is best for him and his family. Many will certainly miss his infectious laugh and enthusiasm, though.

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  WHAT NEXT?

  In the short term, Richards is likely to be back doing CBS Sports Golazo punditry for the Champions League semi-finals next week.

Wrexham are already in the process of drawing up Championship transfer plans, as Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney prepare to set a “budget”.

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• Secured three successive promotions
• Preparing for life in the second tier
• Busy summer expected in North Wales

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Red Dragons have made history in 2024-25 by becoming the first EFL club to secure three successive promotions. A meteoric rise has carried the Welsh club out of the National League and into the second tier of English football.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Everybody at SToK Racecourse is aware of the challenges that lie ahead, in a bid to one day reach the Premier League, and more movement is expected over the summer. With a top-two finish in League One wrapped up, Phil Parkinson can get into recruitment mode.

• WHAT PHIL PARKINSON SAID

  Wrexham’s manager has said: “We're always planning. You've got to because of the speed at which we've evolved as a club. Some great players and some great characters have left us but my job is to keep improving the squad all the time, during the season as well.

  “Planning is ongoing and it's always difficult when you don't know what division you're in but the thing about the play-offs, if you end up going through to the play-off final and win or lose, it takes up a lot of chunk of that time. Now we've got a great opportunity to sit back and make good decisions going forward.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  It remains to be seen how much money Hollywood co-owners Reynolds and McElhenney will make available. Parkinson added on transfer talks: “We need to evaluate in terms of the budget and the level of wages players are going to demand, and balancing that quality with the culture and what we've built here.

  “The great thing about going up now automatically is we've got a long time now to reflect on this and sit down with the owners, which we will do.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta was keen on bringing in a new forward during the January transfer window.

With Gabriel Jesus missing the rest of the season due to injury, reducing the burden on Kai Havertz appeared to be a key priority for the Spaniard, especially as the Gunners are currently in a Premier League title race.

Sadly, they failed to do so with a number of targets going begging, notably in the final week of the window.

Who Arsenal missed out on in January

Ollie Watkins emerged as a transfer target towards the latter end of the transfer window. Arteta, despite his interest in the current Aston Villa star, failed to bring him down to the Emirates.

Elsewhere, Mathys Tel also looked like a viable option, especially considering his lack of action for Bayern Munich during the current season. It’s thought a loan move could be a possibility for the Gunners.

Tottenham Hotspur were also keen, but it soon emerged that he turned down a move to Spurs. However, a late twist in the hunt for the Frenchman meant that he agreed a late move to join the Premier League side on a temporary basis until the end of the campaign, inflicting more pain on Arteta.

Nevertheless, the manager has someone in his squad who has the potential to surpass Tel, particularly after his exploits against Manchester City on the weekend.

Arsenal's very own Mathys Tel

Tel has operated predominantly as a winger during the embryonic stages of his career thus far, but Vincent Kompany has utilised him in a more central role throughout the current campaign.

While Belgian Leandro Trossard can do a similar job, playing out wide and in a more central role, Arteta has his very own teenage superstar who could surpass Tel. That generational talent is Ethan Nwaneri.

In comparison, Nwaneri is at home on the right wing, using his natural ability to not only create chances for others but also to cut inside regularly to bolster his own goal tally. That’s not to dismiss that he’s also played as more of a central striker in the academy at times too.

Nwaneri first came to public attention when he made his Premier League debut aged just 15 against Brentford in 2022, thus becoming the youngest-ever player to feature in the competition.

The 17-year-old was restricted to just a solitary appearance for the senior side last term, but Arteta has certainly placed his trust in the teenager during 2024/25 so far.

Indeed, Nwaneri has made 22 appearances for the Gunners, scoring seven times, which included a stunning effort against Man City in their recent 5-1 demolition of the champions.

It was a goal in consecutive games for the young Englishman who also found the net in a similar fashion in the Champions League last midweek.

Analyst Ben Pattison hailed the teenager following that goal against Girona, describing him as a “special, special talent.”

Quite. There is seemingly no limit to the levels he can reach, especially if he continues to be given a chance in the first team under Arteta.

Having emerged through the Hale End academy, playing for the U18s, U21s and Youth League sides, Nwaneri is now a fully fledged member of the senior team.

According to Transfermarkt, the London-born starlet is currently worth £25m, despite playing just 24 times for the North London side. Arteta has struck gold on their very own Tel, that there is no doubt.

8 reasons Arsenal can still win the Premier League title

Liverpool may be racing ahead, but there is still cause for optimism in north London.

By
Ross Kilvington

Jan 23, 2025

Manchester United flop Antony has revealed that he turned down “better offers” in order to join Real Betis on loan.

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• Brazilian winger struggled at Old Trafford
• Has rediscovered his spark in Spain
• Unsure what summer window will bring

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Having struggled on the back of a big-money transfer to Old Trafford, the Brazilian forward embraced a fresh start in January 2025. The decision was taken to head for La Liga, with several opportunities being presented to the 25-year-old.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Antony is convinced that he made the right choice in moving to Andalusia, with seven goals being recorded for Betis so far – including a couple of stunning strikes. The South American is playing with a smile on his face once more.

• WHAT ANTONY SAID

  Antony has told of pushing for a switch to Betis when supposedly more appealing proposals were on the table: “I go to bed here and wake up smiling. I always say that the best decision I've ever made was coming to Betis.

  “I'm happy, and when I'm happy, things go well. For me, of course, it's important to score goals and provide assists, but being happy is even more important. I found myself here, I'm very happy here, and things are going very well.

  “The future? It's very early; I don't know what's going to happen, but I'm very happy here. I've found myself enjoying football. It's crazy right now, although I know how talented I am, so I prioritised going where I knew I'd be happy, even though I had better offers.”

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  DID YOU KNOW?

  Antony’s form has attracted admiring glances from across Europe, while he is hoping to be selected in Brazil’s squad for the 2026 World Cup. He added on that challenge: “There are great players like Vinícius, Raphinha, Rodrygo, Savinho… I have a lot of respect for them. There have always been very good wingers in Brazil. Wearing the national team jersey is crazy.”

Manchester City have some exciting young talents in their squad. Of course, the best of the bunch include the likes of Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, if you still consider those to be young talents. They were, of course, influential in City’s treble-winning side, but are both only 24 years of age.

The likes of Rico Lewis, Oscar Bobb and new signing Vitor Reis are also some of the younger stars at the Etihad Stadium. The first two players are both academy graduates, whilst Reis was a recent acquisition in January from Palmeiras.

Indeed, Pep Guardiola has given plenty of these youngsters a chance already and will be looking for the next star he can bring through. There is no doubt a player like Arsenal’s Ethan Nwaneri would be a welcome addition.

Nwaneri’s Arsenal career

It has been a rapid rise to the top for Nwaneri, just as it was for several City academy graduates like Foden and Lewis. He has now played 25 times for his boyhood club, making his debut in 2022/23 and becoming the youngest player in Premier League history in the process, aged 15 years and 181 days.

This season has been a breakout campaign for the 17-year-old. He has played 23 times for Arsenal, scoring an impressive seven goals in all competitions, including his strike in the 5-1 thrashing against the Citizens.

It has been exciting to see Nwaneri perform to these levels in a side pushing for major honours. In the past, there has been criticism towards Mikel Arteta for not trusting the academy stars, but he has said Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly are “playing because they deserve it”.

This is certainly something Guardiola might look to follow this season and in the future. He has given youngsters a chance in the past, but that has been less of the case this season. However, they could already have their own Nwaneri in the form of Claudio Echeverri.

The impact Echeverri could have at City

City confirmed the signing of young Argentinian attacking midfielder Echeverri in January 2024. He cost them just £12.5m from River Plate. He was meant to join last month, but will instead arrive in February due to a call-up for Argentina’s Under-20s.

The 19-year-old, described as a “superstar” by football analyst Ben Mattinson, has been impressive in his short professional career so far. He has played 48 games for River, scoring four times and grabbing eight assists.

Manchester City and Argentina legend Sergio Aguero seemed to enjoy one goal of his, as he posted on X following the youngster’s strike against Gimnasia last year. He danced in between opposition defenders, changing direction sharply thanks to his low centre of gravity before firing into the back of the net.

Statistically, Echeverri’s quality is clear for all to see. According to Sofascore, the youngster has created 4 big chances and averages 1.7 key passes per game in the Argentinian top flight. Off the ball, he averages 3.6 ball recoveries per game.

Most recently, for Argentina’s Under-20s, the 19-year-old grabbed an assist and scored two goals in a 4-3 victory for his side over Uruguay. Essentially, he single-handedly clawed his side to victory, showing just how much of an impact he can have on a game.

Guardiola will certainly be hoping that Echeverri can have the same impact on his side as Nwaneri has made on Arsenal. The Hale End star has been fantastic off the bench, and more recently, from the start for the Gunners.

They also operate in similar areas, either as a No 10 or out wide. The only difference is the fact that Nwaneri plays on the right, whereas Echeverri operates on the left.

Once he is used to the environment and system, there is no reason to think why Echeverri cannot have the same impact on the City side. He certainly has all the tools to become one of the most exciting youngsters in the Premier League.

Ange Postecoglou sent a defiant message to his critics at Tottenham's Europa League victory parade while sharing a massive hint over his Spurs future.

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• Postecoglou led Spurs to Europa League glory
• Poor domestic form raised questions about his future
• Australian manager dropped hints on his next assignment

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Spurs' hard-fought 1-0 win over Manchester United in the Europa League final marked a monumental occasion for the club. Not only did it deliver their first major trophy in nearly two decades—17 years, to be exact—but it also ended an agonizing 41-year drought in European competitions. The win also guaranteed Tottenham a coveted place in next season’s Champions League and a windfall of nearly £100 million.

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  THE BIGGER PICTURE

  Tottenham’s league campaign, however, painted a contrasting picture. A 17th-place finish in the Premier League led many analysts to question the manager's ability to handle the pressures of managing at the top level in English football and raised doubts over his tactical acumen. But Postecoglou, never one to back down from scrutiny, used the celebration platform to silence his detractors.

• WHAT POSTECOGLOU SAID

  In an impassioned speech delivered from the team’s stage outside Spurs' stadium as they paraded the trophy, Postecoglou addressed the doubters head-on: "I told them and they laughed. I told them and they didn't believe. But here we are. And we're here because of this unbelievable group of people, the players, the staff, absolute heroes, led by the legend, Son Heung-Min, Cuti Romero, James Maddison, and Guglielmo Vicario. All of them, heroes, and they did it all for you. Because you deserve it. This club deserves it. And I'll tell you something, I'll leave you with this, all the best television series, season three is better than season two!"

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  Postecoglou still has a year left on his contract, but his future isn’t solely in his hands. Ultimately, the decision lies with club chairman Daniel Levy. Reports indicate that Levy has already begun evaluating potential successors, with Fulham boss Marco Silva reportedly among the names being considered.

Arsenal’s Hale End academy has once again taken centre stage this season as they continue to produce talents for the first team at an impressive rate.

While Mikel Arteta’s side have seen the likes of Joe Willock, Reiss Nelson, Eddie Nketiah and Emile Smith Rowe all move on to other Premier League sides since graduating from the academy under the Spaniard’s tutelage, youth continues to dominate the Arsenal squad.

Now, it is a mantle taken up by precocious talents Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, both of whom are already staking their claims to be first-team regulars as the Gunners look to challenge for major honours this season and in the years to come.

They would not be the first academy stars to step up and become key men for the first team, and indeed Arsenal have an excellent record of promoting youth to help inspire success. With that in mind, we’ve taken a look at the 11 best players to have come out of their academy, focusing mostly on the ones who have made a telling impact at Highbury and the Emirates Stadium.

11

Emile Smith Rowe

2018-2024

Affectionately known by Arsenal fans as the “Croydon De Bruyne”, Emile Smith Rowe made the move to north London from south London at an early age and came through the ranks as part of a strong crop of Arsenal talent.

After several loan spells away, he was finally thrown into the first team by Mikel Arteta in 2020 and made an almost instant impact, playing a central role as Arsenal’s form improved drastically in what was otherwise a tough behind-closed-doors season for the club.

Alongside Bukayo Saka, he ushered in a new feel-good factor at the Emirates Stadium in the early parts of the 2021/22 campaign, hitting 10 goals as Arsenal finished fifth.

Injuries and new signings pushed him down the pecking order in north London in the seasons that followed, and he was sold to Fulham in a £34m deal in the summer of 2024, becoming the Cottagers’ record signing and recouping the second-largest transfer fee in Arsenal’s history.

Arsenal's most expensive sales of all time

A look at the Gunners’ record departures in their history.

By
Charlie Smith

Dec 28, 2024

10

Michael Thomas

1986-1992

“It’s up for grabs now!”

An iconic line of commentary accompanied the goal that forever etched Michael Thomas into the Arsenal history books, with the Lambeth-born star scoring the winning goal against Liverpool in the 1988/89 season to crown Arsenal as First Division champions at Anfield ahead of the hosts – an event that is considered one of the greatest in the club’s history.

A midfielder by trade, Thomas appeared over 200 times for the Gunners alongside several partners as he helped Arsenal challenge at the top of English football before falling out with George Graham and eventually being sold to Liverpool, where he racked up another 150 appearances.

9

Paul Merson

1986-1997

Also part of that title-winning side of 1989 was a young Paul Merson, a tricky winger who was capable of playing on either flank.

Merson appeared over 400 times for the Gunners across an 11-year stint with the senior side, and after being on the fringes of the squad, it was the 1988/89 campaign where he really rose to prominence, playing 37 of their 38 league games and finding the net 10 times, before going on to better that figure in 1990/91 as Arsenal tasted title success once more.

Winning every domestic trophy with the Gunners across his 11 years with the club, Merson was another instance of the academy striking gold.

8

Andy Cole

1989-1992

Though none of his success came in north London, it felt wrong leaving out one of the Premier League’s greatest goalscorers.

Cole only ever played twice for Arsenal’s first team before he was sold to Bristol City, but proved everyone in north London wrong as he scooped five Premier League titles across a storied career that spanned spells at Manchester United, Newcastle United and Blackburn Rovers, among others.

A poacher who found the net 34 times in a single season for Newcastle, Cole was a part of Manchester United’s 1999 treble-winning side, and at the time of writing, he sits fourth in the list of Premier League all-time goalscorers with 187, though Mohamed Salah may soon have something to say about that.

7

Jack Wilshere

2008-2018

Perhaps the last great academy talent of Arsène Wenger’s Arsenal reign, plenty of Gunners fans will go to bed wondering what Jack Wilshere could have become had he been able to stay fit, such was his immense talent.

Announcing himself to the world aged just 19 in the Champions League as he bossed a midfield consisting of Xavi, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets, there was plenty of hype around Wilshere both in Arsenal and England colours.

But injuries meant that the 2010/11 campaign remained the highlight of his career, with Wilshere unable to replicate his availability in any of the campaigns that followed. Nonetheless, his rise remained a source of inspiration for those in the academy, and he returned to the Arsenal setup as a coach following his early retirement from the game.

6

Martin Keown

1984-1985 and 1993-2004

Martin Keown’s Arsenal career was far from straightforward, with the defender coming through the academy, but failing to break into the first team, leading to Arsenal selling the Englishman to Aston Villa in 1986.

After seven years at the top, the Gunners opted to bring him back to north London, and it was in this second spell that he became a cornerstone of Arsenal’s history.

A regular in defence, he helped shepherd Arsenal to three Premier League titles, including being a bit-part feature of their famous Invincibles campaign, going on to make almost 450 appearances for his boyhood club.

5

Ray Parlour

1991-2004

Like Keown, Parlour’s final flourish in Arsenal colours came as a part of the Invincibles squad as he helped Arsenal go unbeaten across the 2003/04 campaign. It was the end of a storied career in north London for the “Romford Pele”, which saw him make a mammoth 465 appearances for the club as an industrious, rather than prolific, midfielder.

A fan favourite for his work rate, Parlour enjoyed a trophy-laden time in north London, winning a League Cup, three Premier League titles and four FA Cups.

4

Bukayo Saka

2018-present

The current poster boy of Arsenal, Bukayo Saka is rapidly making his way up these rankings.

Since making his debut in the 2018/19 Europa League under Unai Emery, the Englishman has made himself a talismanic figure for both club and country despite still being just 23 years old.

He has helped spearhead back-to-back title charges in north London, though on both occasions his side have fallen short. So far, he has just a single FA Cup to show for his efforts at the Emirates Stadium, but if he remains at Arsenal, he will surely go down as one of their best-ever players, and almost certainly their best academy talent.

3

Tony Adams

1983-2002

Nicknamed “Mr Arsenal”, Tony Adams spent 20 years at the top level with the Gunners in a controversial career. Adams was a key part of Arsenal’s famous back four during the 1990s, and won four top-flight titles during his time in north London.

Though struggling with addiction and being sent to prison on one occasion, he remained a fabulous footballer when he took to the pitch, racking up a massive 655 appearances for the club he joined as a youth.

Such was his impact, he is one of four statues currently outside Arsenal’s home ground, as rock-solid in retirement as he was during his playing career.

2

Ashley Cole

1999-2006

From one of Arsenal’s most popular players to arguably their least, Ashley Cole was England’s best left-back for the best part of two decades, racking up over 100 caps for the national team.

He was successful at Arsenal, too, playing 32 times in the Invincibles season and looking like a cornerstone of Wenger’s side before swapping north London for west London as he joined Chelsea on a free transfer.

With Arsenal’s rivals, he was even more successful, winning the Champions League, Europa League, the Premier League and four FA Cups. Though unpopular, he was one of Arsenal’s best youth products.

Jonathan Tah may be forced to miss the start of the Club World Cup despite confirming a free transfer to Bayern Munich from Bayer Leverkusen.

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• Tah signed four-year contract at Bayern
• Confusion over participation at Club World Cup
• Leverkusen to charge a sum for early release

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  According to a report by , Leverkusen initially demanded a €7 million fee from Bayern to agree to free Tah from his contract before it expires at the end of the month, with the centre-back having already agreed to join the Bundesliga champions on a four-year deal. Bayern are currently negotiating over a deal closer to €3m.

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  Unless an agreement is reached, Tah will not be available for the group stage of the competition in the United States, where the Bavarians will face Auckland City, Boca Juniors and Benfica. He would also miss out on the round of 16 but would be eligible from the quarter-finals after his Leverkusen deal reaches its end.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  The Germany international initially agreed to join Bayern last year, but said recently he was convinced to stay by Xabi Alonso. He played 402 competitive matches for Leverkusen over a 10-year spell and was a vital cog in Xabi Alonso’s double-winning side in 2023-24.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR BAYERN MUNICH?

  Bayern will start their Club World Cup campaign against Auckland City on June 15, at the TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.

Leeds United want to sign a £60,000-a-week star who has scored four goals at Elland Road, according to Fabrizio Romano.

Leeds looking good for promotion after Sunderland and Sheff Utd wins

The Whites are sitting pretty at the top of the Championship table after two huge come-from-behind wins over promotion rivals Sunderland and Sheffield United in recent weeks.

Daniel Farke’s side have left it late to extend their lead at the top, with Ao Tanaka and Joel Piroe repeating Pascal Struijk’s late masterclass last time out at Bramall Lane.

As a result, attention already appears to be on the summer and possible reinforcements for Farke. Leeds have two loanees on the books who have impressed in Joe Rothwell and Manor Solomon, with Farke being asked about both before the game against West Brom.

“I always like to be in the driver seat as a club but if you have a loan agreement you’re not in the driver seat, there are more or less three parties.

“It’s not our players, you have to totally respect they are with us, that’s great, we enjoy the time and then there is a time to speak about what the future might bring. It’s not during the season, especially during a crucial time. You sometimes start talks behind the scenes before the end of the season.

“It will be crucial for them and their mother clubs, where we will be next season. Before it’s confirmed it doesn’t make sense to make decisions. It will only be made when it’s confirmed in which league we will play.”

Leeds could make "statement signing" in £34m "beast", claims Paul Robinson

The Whites are interested in signing a striker this summer, and Robinson believes he could be a fantastic addition to the squad.

By
Dominic Lund

Feb 27, 2025

However, a new update has emerged on Solomon and a permanent Leeds move.

Leeds keen on permanent Solomon deal – Romano

Talking to Give Me Sport, transfer expert Romano was asked about Leeds and a potential permanent move for Solomon.

He said Leeds “will try” to keep Solomon, although there are other Premier League clubs keen on the Israel international.

“Leeds want to try to keep the player, but they will need to get promoted. There will be more clubs interested from the Premier League. At the moment, it’s not something advanced. The player is focused on events on the pitch, so there’s nothing really concrete, but the interest from Leeds to make this deal is absolutely there. There was also interest from Italy before he joined Leeds, but for sure Leeds will try.”

Solomon has become first choice under Farke on the left-hand side, striking up a positive relationship with Junior Firpo.

The £60,000-a-week star has scored seven goals and registered seven assists for the Whites, with four of his goals coming at Elland Road.

If Leeds get their way, it looks as if he will stay in Yorkshire beyond the summer, but the focus will be on securing promotion first.