Juan Soto on Wednesday night made New York Yankees fans hold their breath before he took their breath away.

Soto belted a two-run, go-ahead home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to help power the New York Yankees to a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Yankee Stadium on Wednesday. That blew Yankees fans away.

What made them hold their breath was that Soto, in a dramatic injury scare, fouled a ball off of his right foot and proceeded to hobble down the first-base line in pain before falling to his knees.

But the Yankees slugger dug back into the batter's box moments later and drilled a 79-MPH knucklecurve into the right-field seats, hopping on one foot as he watched it fly before jogging around the bases.

After the game, Soto admitted he was in a lot of pain before slugging the long ball.

"It was a lot of pain," Soto said. "At the end of the day, I tried to focus on the at-bat. Sometimes when you hit yourself like that, you kind of go away a little bit from the at-bat. So I tried to just focus, take my time, go in there and make good contact."

How long did it take Soto to realize he was fine and could continue the at-bat?

"A couple minutes," Soto said. "When I hit it, I knew there wasn't anything broke right when I hit it, but it was really painful and I tired to put weight on my foot but i just fell down."

Soto's teammate Jazz Chisholm Jr., who delivered a walk-off hit in the 11th inning, told reporters that he and his teammates could tell that the slugger was about to "do something special" right before his sixht-inning homer.

"The way he was looking around, you could see in his eyes, he was about to do something special," Chisholm said.

John Terry is one of the most iconic Premier League players of the modern era and was a ferocious competitor on the pitch, and he appears to still have plenty of that fighting spirit judging by his recent comments in a bizarre spat with a former England international.

Claiming five top-flight titles, five FA Cups, three League Cups alongside the Champions League and Europa League, there are few men who boast such a powerful CV and degree of influence at the elite level over such a lengthy span of time.

Nevertheless, players retire and legacies are rewritten by some, including former professionals who have a wealth of stars to pit ex-opponents against by order of who they think was the most talented.

On this occasion, Terry has taken exception to a former Three Lions man sharing his opinion and not for the first time, making for intriguing reading as an unexpected feud has now been reignited.

John Terry reignites spat with Carlton Palmer

Terry has previously taken issue with former Leeds United man Carlton Palmer after the latter placed him fifth in a ranking of the Premier League’s top five defenders, claiming Ricardo Carvalho and Marcel Desailly were better than him, as was Rio Ferdinand.

Palmer said: “There’d be an argument that the two players he played with, Desailly and Carvalho, were better than him. But I wouldn’t argue with him going in the top five. I don’t believe he was better than Rio Ferdinand, that’s for sure.”

Replying at the time, Terry made a mockery of a previous clip showing Palmer mistakenly stating that he played against the Stamford Bridge icon in 1991 – when he was actually only 11 years old: “Please repost Carlton Palmer’s video saying ‘I remember back in 1991 we played against Chelsea and the team talk was to target John Terry,’ I was 11 and at school, and you’re still getting him on your show.”

Now, a fresh video from Karel Prince, who has become a social media sensation for pointing out false storytelling from ex-footballers on podcasts, has prompted another jab from Terry.

Bringing the story back up, Terry had a fresh pop at Palmer, writing on his personal story: “I was 11 years old and I was still better than this clown.”

Will John Terry return to full-time coaching?

Surprisingly, Terry admitted earlier this year that he is done with trying to break through in full-time management, and he is enjoying life working within Chelsea’s academy set-up.

He told The Sun: “I’m done in terms of coaching. I’m enjoying my life, I’m working in the Chelsea academy. I don’t really coach at the moment, I’m a mentor, ambassador. I went for a couple of jobs and those days are gone for me. I’m enjoying my life a little bit, I’ve got my time to myself, I play a bit of golf, I’m in the academy and I have some family time as well. It’s a really good balance for me.”

Previously, Terry was assistant manager at Aston Villa, and he also coached the 26ers in the UK Baller League, though any chance of witnessing the Englishman in the dugout professionally again appears to be off the table for now.

Are Manchester City being overlooked as Premier League title candidates?

A lot of the recent spotlight has been on Liverpool, considering the champions have lost three top-flight matches in a row for the first time since February 2021, with many thereby anointing league leaders Arsenal as overwhelming favourites.

However, considering Man City have been champions in six of the last eight seasons, they are very much in this race.

Pep Guardiola’s team have yielded 13 points from their last five league outings, going in search of a fourth straight league win when they take on Aston Villa on Sunday.

Ahead of this one, the Sky Blues have actually lost their last two visits to Villa Park, failing to win any of their last three outings there, despite a sequence of five successive victories in Birmingham beforehand.

If the Citizens are to get back to winning ways in the Midlands, should Guardiola boldly drop one of his most loyal disciples and start a forgotten star instead?

Bernardo Silva's Manchester City importance

Just in case anyone was doubting Bernardo Silva’s importance to Manchester City, he was on target at Estadio de la Cerámica on Tuesday night, heading home the second goal that rather cemented three Champions League points against Villarreal.

This was his 418th appearance for the club, only 13 men have ever made more, 18 behind Willie Donachie and his namesake David Silva, who sit ninth and tenth on the all-time list.

Bernardo himself has now scored 73 goals and registered 74 assists for the Sky Blues, while he is the player who has made the most appearances under Guardiola in his entire managerial career, clear of Kevin De Bruyne, Ederson and İlkay Gündoğan, all of whom moved on to pastures new this summer.

Still only 31 years old, there are discussions about Silva’s role in the current Man City side, given that he has not started any of the last three Premier League matches, before returning to the lineup in Eastern Spain on Tuesday.

So, the Portuguese international may well once again be left on a Premier League bench come Sunday afternoon, given that Guardiola needs to make space in his team for another sensation.

Guardiola must start Manchester City's 'freak'

So far this season, Manchester City have been rather over-reliant on the goals of Erling Braut Håland; his tally of 15 goals already accounts for 65% of their entire tally across the Premier League and Champions League.

However, could the return of Omar Marmoush help ease this attacking burden?

The Egyptian suffered a knee injury during Egypt’s World Cup qualifier against Burkina Faso in Ouagadougou in September, so had not been seen since, until coming off the bench for a brief four-minute cameo at El Madrigal on Tuesday.

His return is certainly a major boost considering that last season, for two different clubs, he was one of the most in-form strikers in Europe, as the table below documents.

Kylian Mbappé

Real Madrid

31

Mohamed Salah

Liverpool

29

Robert Lewandowski

Barcelona

27

Harry Kane

Bayern Munich

26

Mateo Retegui

Atalanta

25

Alexander Isak

Newcastle United

23

Erling Braut Håland

Manchester City

22

Omar Marmoush

Frankfurt & Man City

22

Ousmane Dembélé

Paris Saint-Germain

21

Serhou Guirassy

Borussia Dortmund

21

Patrik Schick

Bayer Leverkusen

21

Ante Budimir

Osasuna

21

Mason Greenwood

Olympique Marseille

21

As the table documents, only five men across Europe’s top five leagues scored more league goals than Marmoush last season, an impressive feat considering the Egyptian changed clubs in January.

Shortly after arriving at the Etihad, he scored a hat-trick against Newcastle, before securing the Premier League Goal of the Season award courtesy of this absolute rocket against Bournemouth in May.

On top of his £59m transfer fee, Marmoush is the club’s third-highest earner, currently pocketing a reported £295k-per-week, behind only the aforementioned Håland and Silva.

Journalist António Mango labelled him a “well-rounded… freak”, international teammate Mohamed Salah heralded him as a “great player with a lot of talent”, while former Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger described him as “mobile” and “powerful”, impressed by the “special” talent’s adaptability and versatility.

Marmoush is not only a goalscorer, proving during his short Manchester City career so far that he can get involved in build-up play as if he was a world-renowned attacking midfielder, while also capable of running in behind, thereby creating space for others.

Well, on Sunday, Guardiola will come up against an Aston Villa side who will press ferociously at times and defend with a high line but, as noted by Ali Tweedale of Opta’s the Analyst, Unai Emery’s team are susceptible to transitions, often caught out by opposition counter-attacks due to the fact that their offside trap, once the best in Europe, is no longer watertight.

Thus, while Bernardo offers technical brilliance, this may be a game best suited to Guardiola’s direct attackers.

With that in mind, Jérémy Doku and Savinho appear the obvious choices to start out-wide, the latter rewarded for his scintillating display at the Cerámica this week, having looked ‘Leroy Sane-esque’ on the night.

Chalkboard

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

Through the middle, Marmoush should be chosen to complete the attacking trident, getting forward to support Håland in a second striker role, because his profile is best suited to causing the Villans all sorts of problems, and his return could be a serious game-changer in the title race in general.

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Wayne Rooney has surprisingly claimed he was faster than Cristiano Ronaldo in Manchester United training. The pair formed one of the Premier League’s deadliest attacking duos, who kept defenders on their toes under Sir Alex Ferguson from 2004 to 2009. Together, they fired United to three league titles and a Champions League crown.

Ronaldo’s relentless pursuit of physical excellence

Ronaldo has long been regarded as the gold standard for physical excellence. From his early days at Old Trafford to his record-breaking years with Real Madrid, Juventus, and now at Al-Nassr, the Portuguese icon has dedicated his entire career to maintaining peak condition. Right from his diet and sleep routine to his gym workouts, he has meticulously planned every detail to preserve his elite athleticism well into his forties. His commitment has allowed him to continue scoring at the highest level while most players of his generation have long since retired. But Rooney’s claim sheds new light on those early United days, as the former forward claimed he had the edge over Ronaldo in the speed tests in the early days of their career.

AdvertisementAFPWhat were the speed test results at United?

According to Rooney, the results of the training ground sprint tests were definitive.

"We’d done tests at over 30 yards, I think it was, and I was topping that, and Owen Hargreaves was second," he claimed at .  "Owen was quicker than what people think. So yeah, I was, I was faster than that. But there are all different aspects in football. Cristiano obviously dribbling with the ball is really quick, Ryan Giggs dribbling with the ball. Some players seemed quicker with the ball and then without it as well."

Meanwhile, Rio Ferdinand had previously claimed on his own podcast that Hargreaves was indeed one of the fastest, "He came into the training ground when he signed, and we done testing, and he blew everyone out of the water. He blew everyone away; we used to do like 10 yards, 20 yards, and he won every race."

Can Ronaldo reach 1000 career goals?

The relationship between Rooney and Ronaldo wasn’t always smooth sailing. The infamous flashpoint came during the 2006 World Cup quarterfinal, when Ronaldo was accused of encouraging the referee to send off Rooney for a stamp on Ricardo Carvalho. The incident briefly strained their friendship, but upon returning to Manchester, the pair quickly reconciled. 

While Rooney has long since hung up his boots, Ronaldo’s story is still being written. The 40-year-old superstar is now closing in on an extraordinary milestone of 1,000 career goals. After scoring in Al-Nassr’s recent 2-0 win over Al Hazm, Ronaldo’s tally sits at an incredible 950 goals. He extended his contract with the Saudi giants in June and committed to the club until 2027. At his current scoring rate, it’s almost inevitable that Ronaldo will break the 1,000-goal barrier. It will be a feat that would establish his status as the most prolific scorer in football history. Rooney, who has often snubbed Ronaldo in favour of Lionel Messi in the GOAT debate, however, was quick to back his former teammates to reach the milestone. 

"100%.  He’s not retired before he’s caused thousands," he said. "It’d be great for him as well if he does that, and I’m sure over the next couple of years he’ll be playing with his son alongside him, so I think that’s a big thing as well for him."

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GettyCan Ronaldo finally conquer Saudi Pro League?

Despite Ronaldo’s individual brilliance, his Al-Nassr side recently suffered a major blow as they crashed out of the King’s Cup following a shock 2-1 defeat to a 10-man Al-Ittihad. It was a frustrating night for Ronaldo and his teammates, but the season is far from over. Under the guidance of Jorge Jesus, Al-Nassr are dominating in the Saudi Pro League. They are currently at the top of the table with 18 points, three clear of Al-Taawoun and also a healthy eight points ahead of defending champions Al-Ittihad, the very side that dumped them out of the cup. Their next test comes this Saturday at home against Al Feiha, where Ronaldo will be eager to lead from the front and get his side back on track.

تحدث هاني أبو ريدة، رئيس اتحاد الكرة، عن استعدادات منتخب مصر للمشاركة في بطولة كأس أمم إفريقيا المقامة في المغرب.

وقال هاني أبو ريدة عبر قناة “أون سبورت”: “نحن حاليًا في فترة إعداد لكأس أمم إفريقيا، وأمامنا مباراة أخرى قبل البطولة مباشرة الجهاز الفني متفائل، ونحن داعمون له ونوفر كل الإمكانيات اللازمة”.

طالع.. محمد إسماعيل: سأشارك في تدريبات المنتخب بعد مباراة أوزبكستان

وأضاف: “سنواجه فريقين تأهلا لكأس العالم في البطولة الودية المقامة بالإمارات، وذلك ليتمكن حسام حسن من الاطلاع على وجوه جديدة في صفوف منتخب مصر”.

وتابع: “مباراة نيجيريا الودية ستكون الأخيرة قبل كأس أمم إفريقيا، وبعد البطولة سيكون لدينا بعض المباريات القوية في شهر مارس استعدادًا لكأس العالم”.

وأضاف: “لن أذكر أسماء المنتخبات بعد، إلا بعد تأكيد البرنامج، خاصة بعد قرعة كأس العالم، وسنؤكد باقي البرنامج الذي سيُلعب في أشهر 3 و5 و6”.

وأتم: “يهمني في المرحلة المقبلة أن تكون لدينا مجموعة من اللاعبين يصلون إلى المستوى الدولي، ويكون محمد صلاح قدوة لهم، جميع المنتخبات التي نواجهها تضم لاعبين محترفين على أعلى مستوى، ونسعى لأن يكون لدينا مجموعة من اللاعبين المحترفين القادرين على تمثيل منتخب مصر بشكل مشرف”.

The last few months have been a rollercoaster of emotions for Newcastle United.

We don’t dwell too much on that transfer saga during the transfer, but despite the form of new fan favourite, Nick Woltemade, the Toon have struggled to find consistency.

In the league, Eddie Howe’s men have won just two of their first eight games but in the Champions League, they are soaring high.

Defeat to Barcelona is no embarrassment and since then they have bounced back well, beating Union Saint Gilloise 4-0 in match week two and then seeing off Jose Mourinho’s Benfica 3-0 on Tuesday evening.

This was one of Newcastle’s best performances of the season, Anthony Gordon and Harvey Barnes both on the scoresheet.

While Howe was missing Sandro Tonali, it was arguably no surprise that one of the best results of the campaign came when Anthony Elanga and Joelinton were both on the bench.

Elanga has failed to score since his mega-money £55m move from Nottingham Forest while it does look as though we’ve now seen the best of Joelinton in black and white.

Newcastle's Joelinton problem

After suffering a 2-1 defeat to Brighton last weekend, Howe rang the changes for the visit of Mourinho’s men.

Jacob Murphy – who assisted Gordon’s strike – came in for Elanga on the right flank while in midfield it was all change.

Jacob Ramsey and Lewis Miley came into the team at the expense of the unavailable Tonali and the out-of-form Joelinton.

The Italian is likely to walk back into the team once he returns to full fitness but the future of their Brazilian warrior is less certain.

The £40m man’s time in the north east has been that of a movie. He joined as the club’s record signing during the Steve Bruce era and was initially acquired as a centre-forward.

Yet, after bagging just two goals in his debut Premier League campaign with the Toon, an alternative solution was thought of.

Chalkboard

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

Howe’s arrival at St James’ Park coincided with Joelinton’s transition to become a central midfielder. Since then, he’s been a wonderful asset to the club. He’s been a mainstay, missing just nine top-flight games last term.

He was also vital as Newcastle ended their trophy drought in 2024/25. Journalist Craig Hope remarked that the 29-year-old had his “greatest game in black & white” during the final at Wembley.

Yet, 2025/26 has been a tale of woe for such a much-loved figure. The nadir of his season so far came in that game against Brighton.

Hauled off at half-time, he was criticised by various sections of the media, including Toon reporter Mark Douglas who said that he is now “nowhere near his best”.

Minutes played

45

Touches

39

Accurate passes

21

Dribbled past

2

Dribbles

0

Shots

0

Key passes

0

Crosses

0

Aerials lost

100%

While Joelinton’s downfall is sad, for the sake of Newcastle’s season, Howe needs fresh blood and that’s exactly what he got against Benfica on Tuesday.

Newcastle's Joelinton solution

During their 3-0 win in midweek, Howe turned to a midfield trio we have never seen play together before.

Bruno Guimaraes kept his place in the middle of the park but he was joined by summer signing Ramsey and young Miley.

Ramsey has missed a lot of football since moving to St James’, largely due to injury, and did perhaps struggle on Tuesday. The Chronicle’s Lee Ryder noted that the former Aston Villa man ‘did not fully grasp his opportunity’.

Yet, Miley certainly did. In fact, he’s grasped his opportunity incredibly well in the last two games. Hailed as “the next young English superstar” by BBC Sport’s Pat Nevin, it’s easy to see why comparisons to fellow academy graduate Elliot Anderson have begun to be made.

It was Miley who produced the assist for Woltemade’s goal against the Seagulls a few days ago and it was Miley who ran the show in the middle of the park against Benfica.

The aforementioned Ryder summed up his performance well, writing that ‘the teenager stepped up to the challenge with ease. He battled well against seasoned European campaigners and passed with purpose and showed no fear.’

No fear is precisely what the 19-year-old has showcased since bursting onto the scene. After all, it was the young Englishman who dazzled PSG as a 17-year-old during Newcastle’s last Champions League venture.

Miley’s career has been rather stop-start since then due to injury, but the few cameos we’ve seen from this week are a timely reminder of just how good a player Howe has on his hands.

His performance against Benfica was remarkably complete, something the numbers help substantiate.

Minutes played

90

Touches

51

Accurate passes

37/41 (90%)

Shots

2

Expected goals (xG)

0.53

Key passes

1

Tackles

2

Interceptions

2

Recoveries

5

Duels won

4/6

He completed 90% of his passes and completed 100% of his pass attempts inside his own half, dictating the play beautifully. While he did not pick up an assist on this occasion, he did register a key pass and also had two shots.

Miley also demonstrated what a marvellous ball winner he is, winning both of his aerial battles and winning 50% of his ground duels.

This performance, in particular, should have made him undroppable for the game versus Fulham on Saturday. In the process, he may well put a permanent end to Joelinton’s Newcastle career too.

For the Brazilian, this should be the end of his time as a regular starter and it would not be a surprise if new sporting director Ross Wilson soon deemed him surplus to requirements.

Tottenham Hotspur were unable to build on the positive momentum that they seemed to have before the international break as they lost 2-1 to Aston Villa on Sunday.

Spurs had beaten Leeds United 2-1, thanks to goals from Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus, before the break, and started the loss to Villa with an early goal through Rodrigo Bentancur.

It was all downhill for the Lilywhites after that impressive start to the match, though, as Unai Emery’s men came away with all three points, thanks to goals from Morgan Rogers and Emiliano Buendia.

Why Spurs must not drop Guglielmo Vicario

Some criticism may go the way of number one Guglielmo Vicario for his part in the match, as he conceded both of the shots against him and should have done better with the first goal.

As you can see in the clip above, the view from behind Morgan Rogers suggests that the Italy international was not in a good position and was then unable to stretch enough to get a glove on the shot, which was nowhere near the corner of the goal.

Vicario, though, should not be dropped by Thomas Frank for his performance against Villa, as he has been a net positive this season.

Per Sofascore, he has prevented 1.72 more goals than expected in the Premier League, which shows that he has been outstanding as shot-stopper on the whole.

A Tottenham player whose place in the starting line-up should not be as secured as Vicario’s, though, is attacking midfielder Xavi Simons, who was underwhelming on Sunday.

Why Xavi Simons is on borrowed time

The Netherlands international has started four of his five appearances for the club in the Premier League since his £52m move from RB Leipzig in the summer transfer window.

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

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He should now be on borrowed time in the starting XI because he has not done enough in his performances as a player who is in the team to score and create goals as an attacking midfielder.

There have been flashes of quality from Simons on the ball, particularly in the win over Leeds, but he has not done enough in the final third so far.

25/26 Premier League

Xavi Simons

Appearances

5

xG

0.28

Goals

0

Big chances created

1

xA

0.57

Assists

1

Dribble success rate

42%

Stats via Sofascore

As you can see in the table above, Simons has only provided one direct goal contribution in his first five appearances, and that was an assist from a corner.

Against Aston Villa, the Dutchman created one chance, which was a short pass for Joao Palhinha to shoot from distance, failed to produce an accurate cross, did not have a single shot on goal and to make matters worse, only won five of his 14 duels, per Sofascore.

The former PSG youngster also failed 100% of his attempted dribbles, per Sofascore. This shows that he was completely ineffective in possession for Spurs, which is why he was as bad as Vicario, who was ineffective with no saves in goal.

His lack of impact in the final thid was not down to a lack of opportunity, though, as he had several opportunities to get a shot away in space on the edge of the box, yet opted to pass the ball sideways instead of trying to test Emi Martinez on multiple occasions.

Simons’ return of 21 goals and 21 assists in two seasons with Leipzig, per Sofascore, show that he does have the ability to score and create goals on a regular basis in a number ten or wide position.

However, he has had a timid start to his career in the Premier League and needs to step up and show more intensity in the final third, to make himself a difference-maker for Frank.

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At this moment in time, Simons is not doing enough on the ball and that is why he is on borrowed time in the starting XI, as the manager may have to consider dropping him out of the team if these underwhelming performances persist.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank and CEO Vinai Venkatesham are in agreement over Spurs’ latest new deal, with another player penning a new contract with the club.

Tottenham sealing contract extensions for key players and prospects

This week, highly-rated young attacking midfielder Luca Williams-Barnett became the latest player to commit his future to Spurs, signing his first professional contract with the club soon after making his senior debut against Doncaster Rovers in the Carabao Cup.

The teenager has been a standout in Spurs’ youth set up over the last 12 months, specifically for their Under-18s, and even won the Under-18 Premier League Goal of the Season award for an outstanding strike against Leicester City.

Williams-Barnett joins Tynan Thompson, Dante Cassanova, George Abbott, Yusuf Akhamrich and Callum Olusesi on the list of exciting Lilywhites prospects to pen extensions this year, while senior players are also being rewarded.

Indeed, Mikey Moore, Djed Spence and Cristian Romero agreed fresh terms to remain at Spurs in the last few months, with the latter’s deal proving to be a major boost for Frank after he was repeatedly linked to Atletico Madrid in the summer.

Reports suggest that Tottenham are prepared to double Micky van de Ven’s wages in a bid to agree an extension for Romero’s centre-back partner too, amid rumoured interest from Real Madrid and even Chelsea.

West Ham 0-3 Tottenham

8.08/10

Tottenham 3-0 Burnley

7.44/10

Man City 0-2 Tottenham

6.76/10

Tottenham 1-1 Wolves

6.72/10

Tottenham 0-1 Bournemouth

6.58/10

via WhoScored

The Dutchman’s deal expires in 2029 as things stand, so there is no great rush there with Spurs still in a very strong position, but the same couldn’t be said for mainstay midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur.

The former Juventus star has impressed alongside summer signing Joao Palhinha in the middle of the park, and those within the club believe they’ve formed a stellar partnership since Frank’s arrival at N17 (Ben Jacobs).

Bentancur has started four out of Tottenham’s first six Premier League games this season, not to mention every cup game.

As such, Tottenham have been in talks with Bentancur over extending his stay.

Tottenham agree new Rodrigo Bentancur deal

Barcelona were believed to be keen on Bentancur earlier this year, going as far as to hold talks with the South American’s camp (The Boy Hotspur), but Hansi Flick’s side, alongside other suitors, have been dealt a blow.

Graeme Bailey, speaking to TBR Football, reported that Bentancur was close to signing a Tottenham contract extension after Frank and CEO Venkatesham reached an agreement with eachother that he should remain in North London.

Now, Spurs have announced the deal is complete, with the Uruguayan signing a “long term” contract and Frank “extremely happy” after his previous deal was due to expire in 2026.

Last season, he played a key role as Tottenham reached the Europa League final and ended their 17-year wait for a major trophy, and Bentancur has been equally useful to Frank this term.

The Dane, speaking to media in September, made his feelings about the former Serie A star crystal clear.

Bentancur also averaged more interceptions per 90 than any other Tottenham player in the Premier League last season (WhoScored), with his tenacity and robustness in the middle set to be pivotal for Frank over the coming years.

Premier League rivals Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are all set to go head-to-head in the transfer market to secure a move for FC Porto's star striker Samu Aghehowa. The young Spaniard has enjoyed tremendous success since moving to the Liga Portugal in the summer of 2024. The 21-year-old is a key figure in the Porto squad, but the club are reportedly ready to sanction a move for him.

• Chelsea are back in the race for Aghehowa

  The Blues were linked with a move for the young Spanish striker in the summer of 2024 and had even agreed to pay £35 million ($44m) to secure his transfer but the move collapsed at the last moment after Aghehowa failed his medical test, following sustaining an ankle injury. The youngster returned to Atletico Madrid before being shipped off to FC Porto.

  Aghehowa enjoyed a stellar debut campaign in Portugal as he scored 27 goals across all competitions and provided three assists. In the 2025-26 season, the 21-year-old has scored nine goals in 11 appearances. As Aghehowa continues with stunning form, he has attracted interest from Chelsea, alongside Tottenham Hotspur, according to . 

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• AFP
  

  Porto ready to sell star forward

  The report further adds that former Blues manager and current Porto president Andre Villas-Boas is ready to sanction a move for Aghehowa. The striker's current deal at the Liga Portugal side runs until 2029 and has a €100million (£88m/$115.9m) release clause; however, Villas-Boas could let him leave for €80m as he considers it to be an "irresistible deal".

  Correio da Manha also claims that Porto are ready to sell the striker in the upcoming January transfer window due to financial pressure, and the club believes that they are well covered in the striker position and feels that the management will be able to find a suitable replacement for Aghehowa within the roster. 

  While the two London clubs are being strongly linked with a move for the Spain international, there is no guarantee that either of the clubs would consider making a bid for the Porto star in the next transfer window, as both teams spent heavily during the summer. 

• Aghehowa rejected two Premier League bids in summer

  The other clubs from the English top-flight had shown interest in Aghehowa in the last summer transfer window as Newcastle United and Aston Villa reportedly considered signing him, but both offers were turned down. 

  Portuguese outlet Record reported in August that the Magpies had enquired about the striker as they were desperately looking for Alexander Isak's replacement at that time. But despite their strong interest, the Spaniard turned the offer down as he was fully committed to Porto's campaign and was looking forward to winning more trophies. In the case of the Villans, the club made an enquiry with Porto but did not make an advance due to his massive release clause, which the Premier League were not in a position to match. 

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• Chelsea back to winning ways

  After a shock defeat at the hands of Sunderland last weekend, Chelsea returned to winning ways on Saturday as they edged out Spurs 1-0 courtesy of Joao Pedro's first-half strike. The Blues climbed back into the Premier League's top four with a deserved win away at Spurs on Saturday. Enzo Maresca's side were head and shoulders above their London rivals as the disparity between the two teams was clear for all to see throughout the 90 minutes, with Thomas Frank's side registering just three shots in total and one on target.

  The Blues next face Qarabag in the Champions League away from home on Wednesday, before hosting Wolves for a Premier League match at Stamford Bridge on November 8.

MatériaMais Notícias

O Botafogoteve um momento otimista em meio à sua preparação para o confronto com o América-MG. Nos últimos dias, o lateral-direito Rafael voltou a correr no gramado e indicou um progresso em sua recuperação.

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O camisa 2 está fora dos gramados desde 31 de julho, quando sofreu uma lesão no tendão patelar do joelho esquerdo. Inicialmente, o jogador não retornaria a campo neste ano.

+ A sua carreira no futebol pode começar hoje. Garanta a sua vaga no curso Gestor de Futebol e capacite-se!

No entanto, Rafael tem reagido de maneira positiva ao tratamento e a possibilidade de ser relacionado não está descartada. Após progredir na fisioterapia, o jogador de 32 anos iniciou um trabalho leve no campo.

Por enquanto, o técnico Lúcio Flávio conta com Di Plácido, Mateo Ponte e JP Galvão no setor.

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