Tottenham and Manchester City are reportedly interested in appointing Como head coach Cesc Fabregas as they plan for potential managerial changes this summer.

Spurs are searching for a permanent successor to interim boss Igor Tudor, who signed a short-term deal to replace Thomas Frank earlier in the campaign.

The north London club are using this period to identify a long-term candidate capable of leading the team forward.

However, reports suggest they face significant competition from Premier League champions Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola’s future at the Etihad Stadium remains the subject of speculation, prompting City to monitor emerging coaching talent across Europe.

Rising star in Italy

Fabregas has earned widespread praise for his work with Como, guiding the Italian side with an attractive brand of football.

The 2010 World Cup winner has been described as “the next elite coach” by scouts observing his tactical evolution in Serie A.

Despite his historic allegiances to Arsenal and Chelsea, the former midfielder is reportedly open to the prospect of taking charge at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

While some supporters may hold reservations regarding his past connections to London rivals, the Spaniard’s burgeoning reputation suggests he could be a shrewd appointment.

Alternative options and tactical style

Tottenham have identified several potential candidates beyond the former Barcelona playmaker.

Oliver Glasner is expected to be available having confirmed his departure from Crystal Palace upon the expiry of his contract.

A return for Mauricio Pochettino appears unlikely at this stage, with the Argentine committed to the United States national team through the next World Cup cycle.

Fabregas’ tactical approach at Como mirrors the modern demands of the Premier League, utilising a structured possession game.

His teams typically operate in a 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 hybrid system, focusing on patient circulation and creating central overloads.

The young coach also emphasises immediate counter-pressing, a trait that appeals to top English clubs looking to control tempo and territory.

Rangers have opened negotiations with Tottenham Hotspur to sign Mikey Moore on a permanent basis, with the Ibrox club aiming to secure the teenager’s future ahead of next season.

The Glasgow giants are currently preparing for a pivotal Old Firm clash against Celtic but have already begun planning their squad for the 2025-26 campaign.

Owners 49ers Enterprises are reportedly driving the move, believing they can present a package that convinces the Premier League side to sell.

Rangers offer tempting double proposal

According to reports, the Ibrox hierarchy are attempting to reach a pre-contract agreement to ensure the forward remains in a light blue shirt.

To push the deal through, Rangers are prepared to include a significant sell-on fee clause in the transfer.

The proposal would also grant the north Londoners first refusal on any future sale of the 18-year-old.

Tottenham’s stance may depend on their own league status, with Igor Tudor’s side currently sitting just four points above the relegation zone.

Should Spurs drop into the Championship, they may be more inclined to retain their high-potential academy graduates.

Teenager making an impact

Moore has established himself as a key figure at Ibrox, making 36 appearances during his loan spell.

The youngster has contributed five goals and three assists, impressing supporters with his confidence and flair.

Reports suggest the player is enthusiastic about remaining in Scotland to continue playing regular first-team football.

Danny Rohl’s men remain in contention for the Scottish Premiership title, sitting four points behind leaders Hearts following a recent victory at Ibrox.

Liverpool defender Jeremie Frimpong has returned to full training after a month on the sidelines to ease Arne Slot’s defensive selection crisis.

The 25-year-old rejoined the squad on Thursday after recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in the Champions League victory over Qarabag.

Frimpong had missed the previous five matches, having limped off just four minutes into the European tie last month.

Defensive boost for Slot

The Netherlands international is now in contention to feature in Saturday’s Premier League meeting with West Ham at Anfield.

His return provides a timely lift for the Reds, as Frimpong has already endured two other lengthy lay-offs with similar muscular problems this campaign.

In his absence, midfielders Dominik Szoboszlai and Wataru Endo were forced to cover at right-back, while Joe Gomez was restricted to a place on the bench due to a knee issue.

Wirtz remains doubtful

While defensive options have improved, playmaker Florian Wirtz was not seen in the latest training photographs released by the club.

The German midfielder was forced to withdraw from the warm-up at Nottingham Forest last weekend after aggravating a back injury.

Speaking after that victory, Slot played down fears regarding the long-term severity of the issue.

“We don’t think it is very serious,” the Liverpool boss said.

“He wasn’t able to be 100% or even close to 100%.”

Slot added:

“I think after being in this league for six, seven or eight months, he now understands no matter how good you are on the ball, you need to be 100% at this level, so we decided not to play him.”

Chelsea have recorded a pre-tax loss of £355m for the 2024-25 period, marking the largest annual deficit ever posted by an English football club.

The figure stands as the second-highest loss in European history, trailing only the £484m deficit reported by Barcelona in 2021.

UEFA’s latest financial report highlights a significant disparity between the club’s expenditure and their ability to generate revenue compared to domestic rivals.

Revenue gaps compared to Premier League rivals

The data indicates that the Stamford Bridge club generated significantly less overall revenue than their main competitors.

While Manchester City brought in £746m and Liverpool £744m, the West London side recorded an income of just £511m.

A major factor is matchday income, where the Blues trailed Liverpool by £28m despite ranking ninth in Europe for ticket sales.

Revenue is heavily restricted by the capacity of Stamford Bridge, which holds 41,798 spectators.

The ground is currently only the 11th-biggest in the top flight and holds 34,000 fewer fans than Manchester United’s Old Trafford.

Commercial and merchandise shortfall

Commercial performance also lagged behind, with the club ranking 11th on the continent after generating £207m.

This figure represents a £5m decrease on the previous year and sits £66m lower than London rivals Tottenham.

It is also a massive £165m shy of the commercial income generated by Manchester City.

Merchandising and kit sales stagnated at £83m, showing no year-on-year growth.

The two-time Champions League winners earned £82m less from this stream than Manchester United.

However, broadcast revenue provided a rare positive, driven largely by participation in the Fifa Club World Cup.

This success boosted income to £192m, placing them second in Europe behind the Premier League champions.

Rising costs and unprecedented squad value

Expenditure at Stamford Bridge remains a significant issue, particularly regarding player salaries.

The club paid out £388m in wages, a rise of £43m compared to the previous financial period.

Only Liverpool and Manchester City spent more on salaries within English football.

The organisation also employs 1,169 full-time non-playing staff, the highest number of any team in the country.

Operating costs covering administration and marketing surged from £159m to £240m.

The report confirms that the Blues possess the most expensively assembled squad in the history of the sport.

The total value of the playing staff has reached £1.52bn, an increase of 5% on the prior year.

Liverpool are reportedly closing in on agreeing personal terms with RB Leipzig forward Yan Diomande ahead of a potential record-breaking summer transfer.

The Reds are ready to reignite their interest in the 19-year-old talent after monitoring his progress throughout the Bundesliga season.

Anfield recruiters had tracked the Ivorian heavily during the January window, but a significant valuation prevented a mid-season move.

Potential record-breaking fee

Recent reports suggest the Merseyside club are now in advanced contact with the player’s representatives regarding a switch to the Premier League.

Securing the teenager could require another historic financial outlay from Liverpool following a period of heavy investment.

Arne Slot’s side broke the British transfer record twice last summer, bringing in Florian Wirtz from Bayer Leverkusen for £116m and Alexander Isak from Newcastle United for £125m.

Diomande was valued at approximately £87m earlier in the campaign, a figure likely to rise given his continued form in Germany.

Leipzig remain in a strong negotiating position, with the forward under contract at the Red Bull Arena until 2030.

‘Unbelievable’ talent

Beyond his goalscoring, the youngster has drawn praise for his all-round contribution and work rate.

Leipzig teammate Assan Ouedraogo highlighted the forward’s ability following a victory over Stuttgart.

“He’s unbelievable. When you let him get in a one-vs-one situation, you know he’s going to win the duel.”

Assan Ouedraogo, RB Leipzig

Leipzig manager Ole Werner has also emphasised attributes that would appeal to Liverpool head coach Arne Slot.

“I also really like how he works hard defensively and is very disciplined. He tries to win the ball and gets involved in the press.”

Ole Werner, RB Leipzig Head Coach

World Cup stage awaits

Supporters will have the opportunity to scout the prospective signing on the international stage at the World Cup this summer.

Diomande is expected to feature for the Ivory Coast in Group E against Germany, Ecuador, and Curacao.

Liverpool may face competition for his signature, with Manchester United, Tottenham, and Chelsea also linked with the prolific frontman.

Season statistics highlight why the forward is in such high demand:

Advanced metrics also place him among the Bundesliga’s top performers for shot-creating actions and progressive carries.

Wolves manager Rob Edwards and Sunderland counterpart Regis Le Bris have strongly condemned the racist abuse directed at their players following the latest round of Premier League fixtures.

Nigeria striker Tolu Arokodare received abusive messages on social media after Wolves’ 1-0 defeat by Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Sunderland winger Romaine Mundle was also targeted online following a substitute appearance in a 3-1 home loss to Fulham.

The incidents have prompted police investigations and calls for action from anti-discrimination bodies.

‘Upset and angered’

Edwards revealed that Arokodare has faced a challenging few days since the match at Selhurst Park.

“It’s been a really difficult week for him,” said the Wolves boss.

“He was upset and angered by it, understandably so.”

The Molineux club have held individual discussions with the 25-year-old forward to ensure his welfare is prioritised.

“We have spoken about it as a group to make sure we get around him and support him as well,” Edwards added.

Despite the distress caused by the messages, Edwards confirmed the striker has trained this week and is available for Friday’s home game against Aston Villa.

‘No room for racism’

Le Bris was equally firm in his stance regarding the treatment of Mundle, emphasising that such behaviour violates the core principles of the sport.

“What happened to Romaine is unacceptable – we stand with him,” the Frenchman stated.

“There is no room for racism or abuse in football or anywhere else. That’s clear for us.”

The Black Cats manager insisted that threats to the club’s values of respect and inclusion required a strong reaction.

Police investigation under way

The abuse directed at Arokodare and Mundle was part of a wider wave of hostility targeting players across the UK last weekend.

Other players subjected to similar online abuse included:

The UK Football Policing Unit (UKFPU) confirmed it is investigating the incidents and will attempt to identify those responsible.

Mike Ankers, deputy director of the UKFPU, told BBC Radio 5 Live that reports of such incidents have increased by approximately 115%.

Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out has also reported that online abuse is at record levels, rising by a third compared to the same stage last season.

‘Tough to hear’

Edwards expressed deep concern over the frequency of these attacks and the resignation with which players now seem to accept them.

“The sad thing about it is all of them have had it before,” he said.

“They say, ‘I’m OK, I have had it before’. I think that is what is difficult. That is tough to hear.”

The Premier League is set to launch a direct-to-consumer streaming platform in Singapore next season with a view to replicating the model globally if successful.

Chief executive Richard Masters confirmed the project on Thursday, validating long-standing reports regarding a bespoke service often dubbed ‘Premflix’.

The new offering will be branded as ‘Premier League Plus’ and marks a strategic shift for the organisation.

A historic shift in broadcasting

Historically, the English top flight has generated revenue by selling broadcasting rights to third-party partners such as Sky Sports domestically and NBC in the United States.

However, this venture represents the first time the competition will manage its own subscriber base directly.

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit in London, Masters outlined the strategy behind the move.

“We’re going direct to consumer in Singapore. It’s a very long, considered process, carefully chosen.”

Richard Masters, Premier League chief executive

Global ambitions and infrastructure

The launch will coincide with the opening of a dedicated production hub at Olympia in London, providing the necessary infrastructure for the operation.

While the initial rollout is limited to Southeast Asia, the league intends to use the territory as a test case for future markets.

“We’re also looking to learn, to see how that might be replicated all around the world.”

Masters emphasised that the organisation must now adapt to handle promotion, pricing strategies, and customer retention.

The move aligns the UK’s leading football competition with major North American sports bodies, including the NFL and NBA, which already operate similar direct-to-consumer models.

PFA chief executive Maheta Molango has warned that football fans are being short-changed because elite players are too “shattered” to perform at their peak.

The cost of congestion

Molango believes the current saturation of the football calendar is forcing top-level athletes to regulate their physical exertion.

Speaking at the Financial Times Business of Football Summit, the union leader called for a “fundamental rethink” of how the schedule is structured.

He argued that competition organisers must understand that less is often more when it comes to the quality of the product.

“It’s really important that we discover the value of scarcity,” Molango said.

The PFA boss drew a direct comparison with the NFL, which generates vast revenue despite a significantly shorter season.

“The NFL plays 17 games, they make more than 10 billion. Christmas is nice because it’s not every Tuesday.”

Palmer cited as burnout risk

Chelsea forward Cole Palmer was highlighted as a prime example of a young talent facing an unsustainable workload.

The England international has been managed carefully by the Blues this season, making 19 club appearances.

However, Molango fears the 21-year-old faces the prospect of three consecutive summers without a substantial break due to international commitments.

“People say ‘he’s a millionaire’ – yes he is, but it doesn’t give him an extra lung or an extra leg. I want to see Cole Palmer on the pitch because he’s the one who makes me dream.”

Fans paying for ’70 per cent’

Molango recalled visiting Chelsea’s training ground following the Club World Cup, describing the squad as looking physically “shattered”.

He insisted that ticket holders are the ultimate losers in the current climate of fixture congestion.

“The reality is that the fans pay right now 100 per cent of the ticket, and a lot of time they get 70 per cent, if they are lucky, of the show. Players start regulating themselves, and it’s not good.”

Player unions and domestic leagues have recently challenged Fifa in court over the lack of consultation regarding the expanded international calendar.

Premier League admits concern

Richard Masters, the Premier League chief executive, has echoed the concerns regarding the sustainability of player performance.

Masters acknowledged that the top flight cannot expect consistent quality if physical demands continue to rise.

“It’s a real problem. The players at the top level play an enormous number of football matches, and we cannot rely on them to keep performing at the level we want them to.”

Fifa has consistently maintained that it consulted fully with all stakeholders regarding the international match calendar, which is set until 2030.