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Tottenham Hotspur have now expressed an interest in signing a “world-class” forward, who Thomas Frank approved signing during the summer transfer window.

Spurs looking to sign new forward amid Tel and Odobert concerns

Frank strengthened his forward line during the summer transfer window, with Mohammed Kudus arriving from West Ham United, and the 25-year-old has emerged as a key player so far this season, chipping in with one goal and five assists in the Premier League.

However, there are concerns about the performances of some of the players who were already at the club, with journalist Andreas Vou particularly critical of the decision to bring in Mathys Tel and Wilson Odobert, rather than making one statement signing in attack.

The duo were benched for the 3-0 victory against Everton on Sunday, having picked up just one top-flight goal between them this term, and the Lilywhites have now set out to sign another new forward.

That is according to a report from Spain, which reveals Tottenham have now expressed an interest in signing Real Sociedad star Takefusa Kubo, who has been put up for sale by the La Liga club ahead of the January transfer window.

Kubo is now expected to leave Real Sociedad this winter, which could open the door for a move to N17, and there is a feeling he could now be available for the relatively affordable fee of €40m (£35m).

Manchester United and Everton are also in the race for the winger, and there are indications that Frank could be keen too, having already approved a move back in the summer transfer window.

"World-class" Kubo may need fresh start

The Japanese forward is clearly very talented, having received plaudits from former Barcelona boss Xavi in the past, who said: “(Takefusa) Kubo is a world-class footballer. Not just with the ball, but also without it.”

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The 24-year-old has also impressed at times over the past year, particularly catching the eye with his dribbling ability, ranking in the 94th percentile for successful take-ons per 90, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers.

That said, there may be concerns about some of the Japan international’s recent performances, given that he has provided just one goal for Real Sociedad in La Liga this term, while failing to pick up a single assist.

Kubo may simply need a fresh start in a new league, having been in La Liga since the 2019-20 campaign, so a move to Tottenham could be ideal, although his recent form means he would be a risky signing.

Tottenham ace James Maddison has announced the birth of his second set of twins alongside partner Kennedy Alexa. The couple had their first child, Leo, in 2021 and in the summer of 2023, twins Delilah and Rome were born. Now, the England international and Kennedy have their fourth and fifth kids, with Maddison saying their five-a-side team is now "complete".

Maddison family grows again

On Monday, the former Leicester City midfielder announced that Jensen and Frankie Maddison had been born on October 30, while praising his partner as a "superwoman". Incidentally, it is very rare to have twins, let alone two sets. In fact, the odds are a huge one in 50,000.

AdvertisementHeartwarming social media announcement

In addition to sharing photos of his latest newborns, he wrote in a heartwarming post on Instagram: "Jensen & Frankie Maddison. 30.10.25. Five a side team complete. You’re a superwoman @kennedyalexa."

Maddison on road to recovery

Maddison has been short of luck with injuries in recent years, the latest of which came in a pre-season game against Newcastle United where he ruptured the anterior cruciate ligament in his knee. The Englishman is expected to miss the majority of this season but the birth of his latest set of twins will no doubt lift his spirits.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next?

While Maddison is still on the sidelines, in addition to looking after his young family, his Tottenham side take on Copenhagen in the Champions League on Tuesday night. Spurs then return to Premier League action on Saturday when they host in-form Manchester United.

Batter takes over from Roland-Jones and Eskinazi as club continues to undergo mid-season upheaval

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Jul-2025Leus du Plooy has been named as Middlesex’s captain for their County Championship and T20 Blast campaigns, in a continuation of the club’s mid-season upheaval that has also involved the departure of head coach Richard Johnson and batting consultant Mark Ramprakash.Du Plooy, 30, joined Middlesex from Derbyshire ahead of the 2024 season and has since made 1,601 runs in 36 appearances across both formats.He will take over as T20 captain from Stevie Eskinazi, who has stepped down for personal reasons, and his first match in charge will come against Hampshire at Merchant Taylors’ School on Wednesday.Du Plooy will also take over from Toby Roland-Jones as Middlesex’s red-ball captain, with the club currently second-from-bottom in Division Two, and a long way adrift of their pre-season hopes of an immediate return to the top flight. Though his own form has been decent, with 28 wickets at 27.92 and a best of 5 for 33, Roland-Jones has left the role by mutual consent.”I am extremely proud to have been asked to captain Middlesex in both formats and am very much looking forward to a strong finish to this season and to working with the leadership group ahead of 2026,” Du Plooy said in a statement on the club website.”I’ve been lucky enough to be a part of the Middlesex playing squad since the start of last season and have high hopes for what this talented group of players can achieve.”Alan Coleman, Middlesex’s director of cricket, thanked Eskinazi and Roland-Jones for their efforts in leading the club through a difficult period that has included tight constraints in light of the club’s well-documented financial issues.He also welcomed du Plooy as captain, saying he had been a been a key voice in the senior playing group, a natural leader, and a “terrific influence on the young members in our squad”.”Appointing Leus as captain allows us to build for the long-term, as we look to develop this group of players and continue to build a successful and winning team in all formats.”

As Miami Dolphins All-Pro wide receiver Tyreek Hill and three-time Olympic medalist and sprinter Noah Lyles bicker about who would win in a race, Cincinnati Reds star shortstop Elly De La Cruz has something to say.

De La Cruz took to X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday night and injected himself into the debate between the two speedsters.

"They think they’re fast! I’ll beat them for sure," De La Cruz wrote.

The feud between Hill and Lyles all began back in August following the latter's bronze medal win in the men's 200m at the Paris Olympics, when Hill accused him of faking the effects of the COVID-19 virus following his somewhat disappointing showing. The Dolphins wideout then declared he would beat Lyles in a race. In response, Lyles pretended to forget Hill's name.

Hill then reignited the debate following Lyles's recent race against popular YouTube streamer IShowSpeed, who was narrowly bested by the American sprinter. Hill poked fun at Lyles, who later responded by saying he would defeat the Dolphins receiver in a race just as he did against iShowSpeed.

And while this debate seems to be squarely between the 4.29-speed of Hill and the American-record-breaking sprints of Lyles, don't discount De La Cruz.

Since his MLB debut in June of 2023, he has stolen 102 bases, including a league-leading 67 swipes in '24. De La Cruz ranked first in MLB in the Statcast metric Sprint Speed in '23 and third in the metric in '24. The Reds star was clocked running from home-to-home in under 15 seconds while hitting an inside-the-park home run back in April.

In short, he's fast.

Hopefully one day the sports world gets to see just how fast in comparison to the likes of Hill and Lyles.

Hurricane Milton hammered Tropicana Field.

On Thursday, as Florida begins the cleanup from the hurricane that mauled it on Wednesday, the Tampa Bay Rays' home park stands as a monument to the devastation Milton left in its wake.

The roof could be seen blowing off the ballpark late Wednesday night, and on Thursday we got a full look at the aftermath via drone footage. Most of the roof is gone, parts of it fell onto the stands and field, and sections of the field look mangled as well.

Video is below.

That's a really sad sight and speaks to the power Milton hit Tampa Bay with. The hurricane reached Category 5 status in the Gulf of Mexico, but made landfall on the west coast of Florida as a Category 3 storm. It fell to Category 1 as it crossed the state.

Tropicana Field opened in 1990 and has been the home of the Rays since thier inaugural season in 1998. In July of this year a deal was struck to build a new part for the club. Construction is set to begin in early 2025, and is expected to be finished by Opening Day in 2028.

Hopefully, like the rest of Florida, the cleanup and repair efforts on Tropicana Field can commence quickly.

Sandro Tonali maintained an interesting stance about a move away from Newcastle United earlier this week and now Real Madrid are reportedly preparing a move worth over £40m.

It’s an all too familiar feeling for Newcastle, who were forced to bid farewell to Alexander Isak for a Premier League record in the summer as they scrambled to find his replacement. Now, they potentially face the prospect of losing more key men amid reported interest from around English football in Sven Botman and, of course, Tonali.

It’s the last thing that Eddie Howe needs in the middle of the Magpies’ current domestic form. In the Champions League, his side have been close to perfect, but that couldn’t be further from the case in the Premier League with just three wins in their opening 10 games.

The Newcastle boss admitted in his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s trip to Brentford that his side must rise up the ranks in the Premier League after a disappointing run.

Missing out on Champions League qualification would only make Newcastle’s attempts to keep hold of key men even tougher, especially if Real Madrid do come calling for Tonali.

Tonali shares exit stance as Real Madrid prepare move

According to reports in Spain, Real Madrid are now preparing a move to sign Tonali from Newcastle worth €50m (£44m) in 2026. Now, whilst the Magpies are unlikely to accept such a low offer for a player that cost them £55m, Madrid’s attempts would certainly spark some interesting questions about the midfielder’s future.

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Despite recent reports revealing that the Italian has already signed a new deal which could keep him at St James’ Park until 2029, Tonali refused to rule out an exit away from the club when questioned about his Newcastle future earlier this week.

Described as “excellent” by Howe, Tonali’s admission will undoubtedly concern those on Tyneside, who saw Isak force his way out of the club in the summer. The last thing they need is another summer-long transfer saga.

PIF's "massive overpay" is quickly becoming Howe's new Almiron

Fiery burst wrecks hosts’ hopes of taking lead, before Gubbins’ fifty builds for visitors

ECB Reporters Network supported by Rothesay31-Jul-2025 Hampshire 293 (Middleton 79, Weatherley 62, Taylor 5-55) and 139 for 2 (Gubbins 55*) lead Worcestershire 249 (Libby 100*, Hose 82, Baker 5-72) by 183 runsSonny Baker’s five-wicket haul and a Nick Gubbins half-century helped drive Hampshire into the ascendency on Day Three of the Rothesay County Championship clash against Worcestershire.Baker’s morning burst of three wickets saw him to figures of 5 for 72, as Jake Libby’s 100 not out could not see Worcestershire into the lead despite early promise, as his side were bowled out for 249.With a lead of 44, the visiting side batted through the day with relative comfort on a flattening wicket, as Joe Weatherley and Fletcha Middleton made early progress for their side.Gubbins then scored an unbeaten 55 to see his side to 139 for 2 at the close, with the away side well in the hunt for a third County Championship victory of the season.With a lengthy delay to the start of proceedings on the third morning of the match, Hampshire enjoyed an excellent start to the day as Baker produced an eye-catching three wicket burst to reduce Worcestershire to 189 for 5.The visitors welcomed a stroke of luck in the second over of the day when Adam Hose feathered a strangle down the leg-side, to depart without adding to his overnight score, before Baker picked up the wickets of Brett D’Oliveira (1) and Ethan Brookes (0) as the hosts reeled under the clouds at Visit Worcestershire New Road.Searching for their first Rothesay County Championship win since mid-May, Hampshire began the afternoon session in similar vein to the morning, with Libby watching his side fall behind in the contest.Matthew Waite helped add 34 with the Worcestershire opener, before he nicked off to James Fuller for a cautious 21 as the Division One strugglers watched another promising position fall away beneath them as they limped to 223 for 6.Part-timer Nick Gubbins was thrown the ball in the 80th over of the innings as the visitors looked to move things on before taking the new ball but were overjoyed when Tom Taylor was pinned LBW in an innocuous over as the home side slid further behind the eight-ball.Hampshire tightened their grip on the match, as Kyle Abbott (1 for 27) and Baker removed Ben Allison and Adam Finch, with Libby 98 not out and his side still trailing by 46 runs.Libby added the two runs required to reach a gritty century off 235 balls, registering the first century by a Worcestershire player at Visit Worcestershire New Road this summer.Baker capped a fine individual performance as he returned in the next over to secure his five-wicket haul and ensure his side took a healthy lead of 44 runs into their second innings, with Worcestershire all-out one run short of a batting bonus-point.Hampshire lost Joe Weatherley in the 11th over of their reply, when he was LBW to a full ball from Waite but marched on unfazed to pass fifty with comfort.Middleton got in and showed signs of extending his good form from the first innings but was unable to capitalise on his positive start as he was caught behind off an Adam Finch delivery, with his side 120 runs in front.Gubbins made his way to a comfortable half-century as the evening drew to a close, as he and Tilak Varma batted through to stumps with Hampshire in total control at 139 for 2, with a commanding 183-run lead heading into the final day.

Lionel Messi was reportedly left feeling “deceived and betrayed” by Barcelona after seeing his dreams of making an emotional return to Camp Nou as a player cruelly dashed. The Argentine superstar was forced out of Catalunya in 2021, as he headed to Paris Saint-Germain, but saw an agreement lined up two years later that would have allowed professional steps to be retraced.

Messi reached out to Barcelona after winning 2022 World Cup

Having seen Messi – alongside his wife Antonela and their three children – endure a tough time in France, with the South American icon struggling to settle when stepping off his career-long comfort zone, Barca explored the option of re-signing a fan favourite.

Having left as a free agent, he dropped back into that pool when reaching the end of his contract at Parc des Princes in the summer of 2023. Messi had become a World Cup winner by that point and was on course to collect a record-extending eighth Ballon d’Or.

Shortly after capturing a global title in Qatar, Messi is reported to have reached out to close friend and former team-mate Xavi – who was Barcelona’s head coach at the time. Contact was made on January 6, 2023. A day later, the Liga giants are said to have “got to work”.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesMessi left stunned as deal never materialised

With Messi expressing a desire to head back to his spiritual home, the Blaugrana were confident that a deal could be lined up. Both sides of those discussions were said to be “excited” about a possible reunion. Over the course of six months, Barca were able to gain approval for Messi’s return – with the all-time great prepared to take a sizable wage cut.

According to , the day after Barcelona won the Liga title at the end of the 2022-23 campaign, the Messi family “received a call from the highest levels” at Camp Nou. They were informed that a “transfer couldn’t be done”. That led to “total devastation” in the Messi camp, with the Argentine GOAT left “deceived and betrayed” for the second time – having previously believed that an extension could be agreed at Barca prior to his tearful departure for PSG.

Messi return to Barcelona as a player ruled out

Messi is said to have accepted that he “would never play for the club of his life again”. That remains the case in 2025, with the 38-year-old now on the books of MLS side Inter Miami. He has agreed fresh terms there through 2028.

Barca president Joan Laporta has said of the club’s all-time leading scorer – who has 672 goals to his name – returning in a playing capacity: “Out of respect to Messi, all the club staff and the club members, it's not right for me to speculate on something that would not be realistic, and it's not the moment to do it.”

Spanish journalist has reiterated that stance, posting on social media: “Leo Messi, under no circumstances is considering a return to Barcelona as a footballer. That chapter is closed. He has a long-term contract in Miami. He goes season by season. If he returns, it would be more for the offices, in the sports area. He is Barcelona's heritage and hopefully he returns someday.”

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Getty ImagesMLS star Messi will move back to Barcelona in retirement

Messi has admitted as much, telling of his plans to move back to Catalunya once he has finished chasing the American dream: “I really want to go back there, we miss Barcelona a lot. My wife and I, the kids, are constantly talking about Barcelona and the idea of moving back. We have our house there, everything, so that's what we want. I'm really looking forward to going back to the stadium when it's finished because since I left for Paris, I haven't been back to Camp Nou, and then they moved to Montjuic.”

Messi recently took in a secret visit to Camp Nou, as that iconic venue undergoes a serious redevelopment project. Even Laporta claims to have been unaware that the mercurial No.10 was back in familiar territory, with it still being suggested that a friendly or exhibition game could be lined up that allows Messi to grace the field in Barcelona one last time.

MLB Network released their annual list of the league's top 100 players earlier this month, and Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout came in at No. 39. This was the lowest Trout has been ranked in his career. Trout was previously left off the list prior to the 2012 season despite making his MLB debut in 2011, as he was not officially considered a rookie until the 2012 season.

Since winning the American League Rookie of the Year award in 2012, Trout ranked top-two in MLB's rankings in every season from 2013 to '22, including first on eight occasions. He ranked third in '23, and dropped to 12th in '24, but was still ranked as a top-15 player. Heading into 2025, Trout has fallen to 39th.

Though Trout tries to stay off social media, he acknowledged Wednesday that he has seen the ranking. "They're going off the last couple years and I haven't been out there," Trout told the media. "That's their ranking, I know where I stand."

When asked whether the ranking gives him more motivation, Trout said, "Oh yeah. … Stuff like that I think fires you up a little bit."

The ranking is not necessarily a shock when considering Trout's recent injury limitations. Trout tore his meniscus a month into the 2024 season, causing him to miss the rest of the year. The injury also caused Trout to miss the MLB All-Star Game for the first time in his career.

Before the injury, Trout was among the league leaders in home runs early in the season. The Angels superstar has unfortunately struggled to stay on the field for a full season, missing significant time in each of the last four seasons. The 2024 season marked the fewest games he has played in a single year.

The Angels are looking to mitigate Trout's injuries going forward, and Trout will move from center field to right field this season in an effort to stay healthier. If Trout can play the entire season and return to his usual form, it would not be surprising to see him rise back up to the top 10.

Dropping points away to Sunderland was far from ideal, but even so, Arsenal are flying this season.

Unlike last season, Mikel Arteta’s side aren’t finding it hard to score goals, and thanks to their unreal defence, they rarely concede any.

This combination sees them sit atop the Premier League table, four points ahead of Manchester City and eight points clear of reigning champions Liverpool.

While there are several candidates, it would be fair to say that, so far, Gabriel Magalhães has been Arsenal’s player of the season, and Andrea Berta has already signed another version of the Brazilian.

Gabriel's development at Arsenal

Gabriel joined Arsenal from LOSC Lille for around £27m in the summer of 2020, and since then has developed significantly in practically every way imaginable.

Chalkboard

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

Now, the Brazilian wasn’t a bad player in his first season for the Gunners, but he wasn’t one of the first names on the teamsheet.

For example, he made just 32 appearances across all competitions for Arteta, of which 23 were in the league, averaging 1.57 points per game.

He would become more of an ever-present member of the backline over the following seasons, but even during the early stages of the 22/23 season, he was seen as someone who could be a liability.

In fact, following a game away to Leeds United, in which he had a penalty incident overturned, Rio Ferdinand pointed out that “every week he’s in the headlines or he’s in underneath with a little bullet point next to his name and a bad incident.”

Fortunately, towards the end of that year and in the campaigns since, the former Lille star has become increasingly dependable, to the point that he occasionally wears the captain’s armband and has been the club’s standout performer this year.

Non-Penalty Expected G+As

0.06

0.21

Shots

0.64

0.93

Passing Accuracy

85.3%

88.6%

Key Passes

0.11

0.34

Shot-Creating Actions

0.53

1.23

Goal-Creating Actions

0.04

0.27

Tackles Won

0.51

0.53

Shots Blocked

0.82

1.30

Passes Blocked

0.32

0.48

Dispossessed

0.32

0.00

Aerial Duels Won

2.59

3.22

Another way to see his growth is to compare his underlying numbers from his first season to those of today.

Doing this shows that the 27-year-old now wins more tackles, blocks more shots and passes, makes more clearances, wins more aerial duels, completes more of his passes, is a greater goal threat, and is far better at creating chances for his teammates.

In all, Gabriel has been able to channel his natural passion over the years and is now arguably the club’s most important defender, so it’s excellent news that Berta signed someone who could develop just like him.

Arsenal's new Gabriel

Arsenal are blessed with an abundance of extremely talented defenders, but when it comes to the one most likely to develop down a Gabriel-esque path, it’s impossible to ignore Cristhian Mosquera.

Andrea Berta signed the Spanish centre-back from Valencia in the summer, for a fee of just £13m, which one content creator fairly described as “a steal.”

Now, the 21-year-old certainly has some of the elegance of a William Saliba, and could certainly be that ball-playing passing machine at the back, but it still feels like he is going to evolve to be more like the Brazilian.

One of the main reasons is that, despite being so young and having only just joined the team, he already appears mature beyond his years, as exemplified by his unfazed performance against Liverpool at Anfield earlier in the season.

More crucially, though, the 6 foot 3 “monster,” as club insider Hand of Arsenal dubbed him, seems to relish the more physical side of the game.

Sure, he can play it safe, but as respected analyst Ben Mattinson points out, he very clearly “loves to battle with physical attackers” and “thrives in ground duels due.”

Further described as an “absolute cheat code of a player” by Arsenal content creator Harold Hickman, he has already proven himself to be something of a leader.

For example, in his recent games for Spain’s U21 side, he has had the responsibility of wearing the captain’s armband.

Ultimately, it’s still early in his career, but thanks to his composure, ability to compete in physical duels, and passion for doing so, it looks like Arsenal have themselves another Gabriel in Mosquera.

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