Tottenham Hotspur briefly considered re-appointing former manager Ange Postecoglou before ultimately hiring Roberto De Zerbi to save their Premier League season.
The north London club found themselves in urgent need of leadership following the swift departure of Igor Tudor.
Tudor left the struggling side after a highly disappointing few weeks in charge.
With the team unexpectedly battling to maintain their top-flight status, the board were forced into taking immediate action.
Short-term solutions explored
The managerial market proved difficult to navigate during the middle of a tense relegation dogfight.
Preferred long-term targets such as Mauricio Pochettino and Oliver Glasner remain unavailable until the summer window.
This lack of viable immediate options led decision-makers to evaluate a sensational return for their former boss.
Journalist Alasdair Gold revealed that a short-term reunion with the Australian manager was genuinely discussed at board level.
“They did look at other short-term options as well,” Gold explained on his YouTube channel.
“I am told that they, very briefly, did consider a short-term return for Ange Postecoglou and when I say brief, I mean literally, that really shouldn’t be made into anything more than that.”
Financial hurdles and survival goals
Any potential deal to bring the familiar face back to the capital faced significant financial complications.
“If you’re an organisation and you’ve just paid someone a huge amount of compensation, you’re probably not to look to bring them straight back in and give them another job with more money,” Gold added.
A return may also have been viewed as a major tactical risk given his recent struggles near the bottom of the table with Nottingham Forest.
The hierarchy instead opted to hand a comprehensive five-year contract to the highly rated Italian tactician.
The former Brighton head coach is now tasked with securing enough immediate points to guarantee survival.
If successful, he will be given the summer off-season to fully implement his demanding possession-based system.
Manchester United are planning to save £62m a year in wages by offloading Marcus Rashford, Casemiro, Jadon Sancho and Rasmus Hojlund this summer.
The sweeping squad overhaul aims to cut approximately £1.2m per week from the club’s massive salary commitments.
Following a change in sporting direction under INEOS, the Old Trafford hierarchy are prioritising long-term financial sustainability.
The Brazilian veteran Casemiro has already been confirmed to leave the club at the end of the current campaign.
Generating funds for summer reinvestment
While the former Real Madrid midfielder departs for nothing, the English winger Sancho is also expected to leave on a free transfer.
The club are hoping to recoup significant transfer fees for their homegrown forward Rashford and the Danish international striker Hojlund.
Both attackers are currently spending the season away on loan and do not feature in the immediate plans of the first team.
Removing these four exorbitant contracts will provide massive financial flexibility in the upcoming transfer window.
Building on a new recruitment strategy
The Red Devils have recently experienced greater success in the market after moving away from signing established stars on ludicrous salaries.
Recent acquisitions such as Matheus Cunha, Benjamin Sesko and Bryan Mbeumo have all flourished under the new scouting regime.
The projected £62m wage saving mirrors the exact transfer fee required to secure the Brazilian forward Cunha last year.
With a priority now placed on signing a new central midfielder to replace their departing enforcer, these vital freed-up funds will be put to immediate use.
Former Chelsea midfielder John Obi Mikel has strongly criticised Enzo Fernandez after the current vice-captain hinted at a summer transfer to Real Madrid.
The Argentine international recently sparked speculation about his future by praising the Spanish capital and citing Toni Kroos and Luka Modric as his footballing idols.
The World Cup winner joined the London club in 2023 for a then-British record fee of £108m from Benfica.
Leadership questioned after European defeat
Speaking on his Obi One Podcast, the Nigerian ex-international labelled the recent comments as highly disrespectful to the club and its supporters.
The criticism follows a disappointing Champions League exit at the hands of Paris St-Germain, a match in which the midfielder wore the captain’s armband.
“That’s not a leader,” Mikel argued.
“If you have leaders that players respect and look up to, you wouldn’t come out and make those statements.”
The former midfield enforcer questioned the dressing room dynamics under the current leadership structure at Stamford Bridge.
“You were the captain in that game and you come out and make those statements, how would that go down well with the senior players?” he added.
‘No player is bigger than the club’
Mikel expressed profound frustration that senior figures are allegedly not holding the South American playmaker accountable for his public declarations.
“He thinks, ‘I can come out, say whatever the [expletive] I want, no one is going to hold me responsible’, and that’s exactly what happened,” he said.
The two-time Premier League winner firmly reiterated that individual desires must remain secondary to the institution.
“If he’s had enough, put your hands up, [expletive] off and we move on,” Mikel declared.
“No player is bigger than the football club, especially a club as huge as Chelsea.”
He concluded by reminding the 23-year-old of his lucrative contract and the essential need to show gratitude toward the fan base.
“You’re being paid handsomely to be at this football club, you should be grateful that you’re playing for a club like Chelsea,” Mikel finished.
Real Madrid have expressed frustration with the England national team after Jude Bellingham was called up for international duty but failed to play a single minute.
The Spanish giants are reportedly unhappy that their star midfielder made the journey to London just weeks after recovering from a hamstring issue.
Thomas Tuchel named the 21-year-old in an expanded 35-man squad for recent friendlies against Uruguay and Japan at Wembley.
However, the former Borussia Dortmund man remained an unused substitute as England drew with the South American side before suffering a shock defeat to Japan.
Title race and European ambitions
Bellingham sustained his muscle injury in early February and had only recently returned to first-team action.
He made a brief substitute appearance during Los Blancos’ victory over Atletico Madrid prior to the international break.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side are currently locked in a tense La Liga title race, trailing league leaders Barcelona by four points.
The reigning European champions are also preparing for a crucial Champions League encounter against Bayern Munich.
Club officials reportedly view the midfielder’s week of training and bench duty with the national side as an entirely pointless trip.
Tuchel defends cautious approach
England manager Tuchel admitted that fielding the recently recovered star presented an unacceptable hazard.
The German tactician explained that managing the specific nature of the muscle problem was the coaching staff’s primary priority.
Thomas Tuchel: “I think it’s too much of a risk. So, the tendency is that he will not play.”
“We have all gained from him being part of it. He was excellent in training, but he was involved as a neutral player.”
Tuchel added that the player was kept out of full-contact drills to ensure he did not suffer a setback at a crucial point in the campaign.
“The injury is a muscle, it’s a very particular one, and we absolutely don’t want the re-injury in this moment of the season.”
Despite the manager’s cautious approach, the Madrid hierarchy feel the decision to travel has done little to aid the player’s match fitness.
Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin has warned Italy they will be stripped of their Euro 2032 co-hosting rights if the country fails to rapidly upgrade its outdated football stadiums.
The Azzurri are currently scheduled to stage the major European tournament alongside Turkey.
However, the Mediterranean nation has until October to provide European football’s governing body with a finalised list of five suitable venues.
Speaking to Italian sports daily Gazzetta dello Sport, the 57-year-old Slovenian administrator delivered a blunt ultimatum regarding the sluggish pace of facility renovations.
“Euro 2032 is scheduled and will take place. I hope the infrastructure will be ready. Otherwise, the tournament will not be played in Italy.”
Bureaucracy halting stadium progress
Top-flight domestic clubs such as AC Milan, Inter Milan, Lazio and AS Roma have repeatedly faced immense bureaucratic hurdles when attempting to build new grounds.
These historical facilities are frequently owned by local public authorities, leading to protracted and complex negotiations for any modernisation efforts.
Recent data from consultancy firm PwC starkly illustrates the scale of the infrastructure crisis currently facing the nation.
Between 2007 and 2024, only six modern venues were built or redeveloped across the Italian peninsula.
In contrast, Germany completed 19 stadium projects during the same period, while England managed 13 and France delivered 12.
Political blame and national team crisis
The stark warning compounds a miserable week for Italian football, following their failure to qualify for a third consecutive World Cup.
A devastating penalty shootout defeat to Bosnia in Tuesday’s play-off match has triggered a wave of national outcry.
The immense domestic pressure ultimately forced Italian football federation (FIGC) president Gabriele Gravina to resign from his post on Thursday.
Despite the chaotic backdrop, European football’s most powerful figure staunchly defended the departing official and placed the blame squarely on government administrators.
“Perhaps it is Italian politicians who should be asking themselves why Italy has some of the worst football infrastructure in Europe.”
The Uefa chief insisted the former federation boss was not responsible for the current plight, heavily criticising opportunistic detractors for attacking the national team setup.
United States men’s national team manager Mauricio Pochettino faces mounting uncertainty over his 2026 World Cup squad following consecutive March international window defeats to Belgium and Portugal.
The recent window provided a final opportunity for hopefuls to impress the Argentine head coach before the official roster announcement on 26 May.
Instead of finding clarity, a combination of untimely injuries and lacklustre defensive performances has significantly complicated the selection process.
The former Chelsea boss prefers a demanding environment, actively encouraging his squad to remain comfortable with being uncomfortable on the international stage.
Goalkeeping hierarchy takes shape
New York City FC stopper Matt Freese appears to have cemented his position as the primary option between the posts.
The 27-year-old was notably rested during the comprehensive 5-2 thrashing by Belgium. He later returned with a commanding display in the subsequent 2-0 loss to the Portuguese.
Matt Turner looks poised to act as the primary deputy despite enduring a particularly difficult outing against the Belgian attack.
The on-loan Lyon keeper conceded several dangerous rebounds in that fixture, though his distribution and experience keep him firmly ahead of the chasing pack.
Defensive dilemmas emerge
Chicago Fire prospect Chris Brady has quietly progressed towards securing the third goalkeeping berth ahead of rival Patrick Schulte.
Further up the pitch, the absence of Crystal Palace stalwart Chris Richards heavily exposed the American backline against European opposition.
The 26-year-old has been a reliable defensive anchor over the past year, but a recent knee issue has raised urgent concerns regarding his match fitness.
Meanwhile, serious doubts are growing over the international longevity of veteran centre-back Tim Ream following a porous collective defensive showing.
The 38-year-old Charlotte FC captain now faces intense scrutiny as the clock ticks down towards the final tournament selection deadline.
Chelsea striker Sam Kerr has dismissed reports she has agreed to join American side Denver Summit when her current contract expires at the end of the season.
The Australia international will become a free agent this summer if no new deal is reached with the Blues.
Speculation over her future intensified on Thursday when an Australian broadcaster reported a transfer to the United States had already been finalised.
However, the prolific forward quickly took to Snapchat to categorically shut down the claims.
“Don’t believe everything you read in the media man, they know a decision before me!”
Struggle for minutes following injury return
The Australian goalscorer was considered indispensable before suffering a devastating anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in January 2024.
Following an arduous 18-month rehabilitation period, she has found it difficult to secure regular starting opportunities under manager Sonia Bompastor.
Despite Chelsea suffering an injury crisis up front, the veteran attacker has played just 444 minutes across 15 Women’s Super League appearances this term.
She has managed to net three goals in three European starts, but the London club have ultimately crashed out of the Women’s Champions League.
Domestically, Bompastor’s side are also struggling to replicate last season’s treble-winning form and look set to miss out on the league title.
Attacking dilemmas for Bompastor
Chelsea’s forward options have been severely depleted by recent injuries to Mayra Ramirez and Aggie Beever-Jones.
The attacking ranks were further weakened when United States international Catarina Macario departed for San Diego Wave.
Former Scotland captain Rachel Corsie believes the central striking role remains a significant problem for the club.
“She’s featured in almost every league game this season but it’s only two that she has started. The number nine position has been difficult for Chelsea.”
“Lauren James has played there to allow them to get Alyssa Thompson and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd in the team, who have been in good form.”
Off-pitch changes and challenges
Away from the pitch, the former Golden Boot winner has navigated a highly scrutinised and challenging period.
She was found not guilty of causing racially aggravated harassment against a Metropolitan Police officer following a controversial court case in 2025.
The prolonged legal proceedings previously led to calls in her homeland for her to be stripped of the national team captaincy.
Alongside these challenges, she has experienced significant personal milestones over the past year.
She married former West Ham midfielder Kristie Mewis before the couple welcomed the birth of their son in May.
Veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins has agreed a contract to join the Las Vegas Raiders following his recent release from the Atlanta Falcons.
Terms of the agreement for the 37-year-old have not yet been disclosed by the Nevada-based franchise.
The four-time Pro Bowler will reunite with new Raiders head coach Klint Kubiak, having previously collaborated during a three-year stint at the Minnesota Vikings.
His arrival comes as the organisation prepares for the NFL Draft later this month, where they are widely expected to select highly-rated prospect Fernando Mendoza with the number one overall pick.
A turbulent tenure in Atlanta
The move occurs less than a month after the American was cut by the Falcons, concluding a brief and complicated two-year relationship.
He initially joined Atlanta on a lucrative four-year deal worth $180m (£143m), but was caught completely off guard when the team drafted Michael Penix Jr just six weeks later.
Despite recovering from a torn Achilles to guide the team to a 6-3 start in 2024, a subsequent arm injury significantly hindered his on-field performances.
A dismal run of nine interceptions over five games ultimately led to his benching in Week 16, as the franchise committed their immediate future to Penix.
Returning to form and future prospects
Although the veteran returned to full fitness for the 2025 campaign, he remained the backup until Penix suffered a torn left ACL in Week 11.
Stepping back into the starting role, the former Washington draft pick steered the Falcons to a crucial four-game winning streak to conclude the regular season.
He finished the campaign completing 61.7% of his passes for 1,721 yards, 10 touchdowns, and five interceptions.
Across a distinguished 14-year career in the NFL, the seasoned signal-caller has amassed 44,700 passing yards and 298 touchdowns.