Tottenham Hotspur have accelerated their pursuit of Monaco striker Folarin Balogun by laying the foundations for a £51m transfer.

Spurs manager Roberto De Zerbi is eager to drastically bolster his attacking options ahead of the new Premier League campaign.

The north London club are reportedly working on deals for Manchester City winger Savinho and Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, but a central striker remains the priority.

According to French outlet L’Equipe, Tottenham have made a decisive move in recent hours to secure the USA international for a fee in the region of €60m.

Transfer record could be broken again

Tottenham have already shattered their transfer record twice this summer to bring in Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali.

With less than three weeks until the 1 September deadline, the club hierarchy are prepared to back De Zerbi heavily once more.

Newcastle United and several Spanish clubs have monitored the 25-year-old, but Spurs have now seized the initiative to bring him back to English football.

The forward enjoyed an outstanding domestic campaign for Monaco before starring for his country at their home World Cup this summer.

International praise from team-mates

He further enhanced his growing global reputation by netting three goals in just four tournament appearances.

National team colleague Christian Pulisic was quick to praise the lightning-fast striker following a decisive 4-1 victory over Paraguay.

He was absolutely insane out there.

The impressive displays have convinced the Spurs recruitment team that he is ready to lead the line in the Premier League.

Richarlison facing potential exit

The potential arrival of the American casts significant doubt over the long-term future of Richarlison.

The Brazilian is increasingly linked with a move away from the capital, with Spurs reportedly demanding £40m to sanction his departure.

Since his £60m arrival from Everton in 2022, the forward has managed 32 goals in 133 appearances but has struggled to justify his enormous price tag.

De Zerbi is widely expected to overhaul his forward line, and the former Monaco star is viewed as a clear tactical upgrade.

Arsenal’s pursuit of Barcelona defender Jules Kounde hinges on whether North London rivals Tottenham are willing to sell Pedro Porro to the Catalan club.

Mikel Arteta is desperate to recruit an experienced defender this summer to provide vital cover for William Saliba.

The French centre-back is expected to miss the start of the Premier League season due to a back injury sustained at the World Cup.

Aston Villa interest and Barcelona shift

The Gunners initially identified Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa as a primary defensive target.

However, a prohibitive £60m valuation and rival interest from Liverpool forced the Emirates club to pivot their attention towards Kounde.

The France international offers valuable tactical flexibility, capable of operating comfortably at both right-back and centre-half.

Securing the 25-year-old remains complicated, as he currently has four years remaining on his contract and is reportedly reluctant to leave Spain.

Tottenham’s role in the transfer chain

Barcelona are willing to consider a lucrative sale to fund a revamp of their defensive line under manager Hansi Flick.

The Spanish giants have already loaned Ronald Araujo to Liverpool and view Tottenham’s Porro as their ideal replacement for Kounde.

This development leaves Arsenal heavily reliant on their fiercest rivals sanctioning a departure for the highly-rated full-back.

Porro recently committed his long-term future to Spurs by signing a new contract that runs until June 2031.

De Zerbi determined to keep Porro

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has made it completely clear he has no intention of losing the World Cup winner.

“Pedro is a very important player for us, who has consistently shown his ability to influence matches in both defensive and attacking situations.”
“As well as his technical quality, I also love his mentality. Every day he wants to work, to learn and to improve, and these are the characteristics that help players reach the highest level.”

Any failure to land a defender would compound a frustrating window for Arsenal, who have already missed out on Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior.

Despite capturing Bruno Guimaraes for £75m, Arteta confirmed the club remains actively searching for squad improvements.

“If we have the right player in the market to make us much better, we are very looking forward to it.”

Paris St-Germain will begin their quest for an unprecedented six-trophy haul when they face Aston Villa in the Uefa Super Cup in Salzburg on Wednesday.

The back-to-back European champions are aiming to become only the second team in the modern era to win three consecutive Champions League titles.

Luis Enrique’s side face the Europa League winners as they look to add to their growing continental dominance.

After decades of frustration, the French giants finally conquered Europe by thrashing Inter Milan in Munich in 2025.

The capital club then successfully defended their crown by defeating Arsenal on penalties in Budapest earlier this year.

Chasing Real Madrid’s historic European record

Only Real Madrid have previously managed to retain the trophy in the modern Champions League era.

The Spanish heavyweights achieved a remarkable three-peat between 2016 and 2018.

Legendary sides managed by Pep Guardiola and Sir Alex Ferguson never managed to win three consecutive European titles.

In the older European Cup format, Ajax and Bayern Munich also achieved three successive victories during the 1970s.

Targeting an unprecedented six-trophy clean sweep

The reigning Ligue 1 champions will compete across six different competitions during the upcoming campaign.

Alongside the Uefa Super Cup and Champions League, they will contest domestic league and cup honours, the Trophee des Champions, and the Fifa Intercontinental Cup.

The Parisian outfit secured a joint-record five trophies last term, only missing out on the French Cup following a surprise defeat by neighbours Paris FC.

No major team in world football has ever completed a clean sweep of six major pieces of silverware in a single season.

Celtic famously secured five trophies in 1967, a feat later matched by several European heavyweights including Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

World Cup fatigue and a disrupted pre-season

The French powerhouse may experience a sluggish start to the campaign due to severe fixture congestion.

Sixteen members of their squad recently participated in the World Cup, with six reaching the final weekend of the tournament.

Spanish midfielder Fabian Ruiz lifted the prestigious international trophy, while five of his club-mates featured for runners-up France.

With just 24 days between the global showpiece final and Wednesday’s clash in Austria, several key stars remain far from fully rested.

A similar schedule disruption occurred last season, yet the French champions still managed to overcome Tottenham on penalties in the previous Uefa Super Cup.

Golden State Warriors general manager Mike Dunleavy is confident that Stephen Curry will sign a contract extension and spend his entire career with the NBA franchise.

The 36-year-old point guard is entering the final season of his current deal, which is worth $62.5m (£49m).

Curry will become eligible to sign a two-year extension worth up to $136.7m on 29 August.

Commitment to San Francisco

“He hasn’t [said any different],” Dunleavy told reporters regarding the player’s commitment.

“That’s always been the message, that’s always been what he’s discussed, and I think that’s tracking quite well.”

The franchise icon has publicly stated his desire to remain with the team for the remainder of his playing days.

While the four-time NBA champion ultimately controls his own destiny, Dunleavy dismissed the idea of his star player requesting a trade.

“If he comes to me and wants to be moved, Joe [Lacob] and I will talk it through. We wouldn’t love it, but he’s earned the right to do what he wants.”

Mike Dunleavy

Balancing talent and availability

The Western Conference side experienced a quiet offseason after missing out on free agent LeBron James.

Management instead opted to re-sign their core alongside veterans such as Kristaps Porzingis, Al Horford and De’Anthony Melton.

However, the roster faces significant injury concerns heading into the new campaign.

Starting wings Jimmy Butler and Moses Moody are expected to miss substantial time following severe knee injuries last year.

Several other key contributors missed significant portions of the previous campaign:

The veteran guard himself was limited to just 43 appearances last season because of persistent right knee swelling.

“Constructing the roster, we had to make a decision between talent and availability, and we leaned a little bit more toward talent,” Dunleavy added.

Former France international Paul Pogba is expected to leave Monaco as discussions over an early termination of his two-year contract near a conclusion.

The midfielder originally joined the Ligue 1 outfit last summer following a reduction in his lengthy doping suspension.

He signed a deal intended to run until the end of the forthcoming campaign.

However, a source has told the BBC that negotiations regarding an early departure are well under way and should be finalised shortly.

Managerial change prompts midfield reshuffle

The former Juventus star endured an injury-disrupted debut season in the principality.

There was initial optimism that the upcoming campaign would see the 2018 World Cup winner return to regular first-team action.

Those hopes appear to have been dashed by a recent managerial switch at the club.

Filipe Luis has replaced Sebastien Pocognoli in the dugout, leading the side to pursue a different direction in central midfield.

Return from lengthy doping suspension

Monaco have not yet issued an official comment regarding the ongoing exit negotiations.

The highly decorated playmaker was provisionally suspended from football for four years following a positive test for dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in August 2023.

He consistently maintained his innocence, arguing that the banned substance was ingested accidentally via an unknowingly contaminated supplement.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport eventually reduced that ban to 18 months, clearing the way for his return to professional action in March 2025.

Record signing Morgan Rogers and three other summer arrivals could make their Chelsea debuts this Saturday when Xabi Alonso takes charge of his first home game against Real Sociedad.

The West London club have won two of their five pre-season fixtures to date, securing victories over Western Sydney Wanderers and AC Milan.

Rogers has yet to feature for his new employers following a mandatory three-week break after international duty.

Record signing ready for action

The former Aston Villa man helped England secure third place at the World Cup in July, delaying his integration into the domestic squad.

The £117m attacking midfielder recently reported to the Cobham training facility to commence a condensed pre-season programme.

Coaching staff will now assess the 22-year-old before a final decision is made regarding his involvement against the Spanish side.

“I’m so excited. For me, Chelsea are the biggest club in London and a club I’ve always admired since I was a kid.”

Morgan Rogers

High expectations in the capital

“I’m really excited about the project with the new manager, the players we’ve got and where the club is heading,” the British record transfer addition added.

“That’s why I’m here and I can’t wait to get started.”

Maxence Lacroix, Valentin Barco and Jordan Henderson also completed their first training sessions on Tuesday and could feature this weekend.

Triple fitness boost for Alonso

Henderson is now fully fit after removing a cast from his arm.

The veteran midfielder sustained a freak injury during England’s post-match celebrations against Mexico, forcing him to miss the remainder of the World Cup.

Club captain Reece James and Malo Gusto have also returned to full training to bolster the defensive options available to the new manager.

Enzo Fernandez remains active in preparations despite ongoing speculation surrounding the Argentine’s future at Stamford Bridge.

Former Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has confirmed his next managerial role will be in club football after ending talks to become the new Netherlands boss.

The Dutchman was heavily linked with the national team vacancy following Ronald Koeman’s departure.

Koeman left his position after a disappointing round-of-32 exit against Morocco at the World Cup.

However, the highly-rated tactician has now publicly dismissed suggestions that negotiations broke down over salary demands or contract length.

Focus remains on daily training

Instead, the former Reds manager insists his desire for day-to-day involvement dictated his decision.

He revealed his stance during a candid interview with Dutch outlet Voetbal International.

“That speculation is incorrect. We simply never reached that stage of the talks,” he explained.

The 45-year-old clarified that the unique rhythm of international management does not suit his current professional ambitions.

Future international ambitions

“At this stage of my career, I prefer to see myself on the training pitch with my players every day,” he added.

“Something that is simply not possible in the same way with a national team.”

Despite stepping away from the process, he expressed immense gratitude towards the Royal Dutch Football Association (KNVB) for their professionalism.

“It would be a great honour to represent my country as national coach one day. However, this was not the right moment for me.”

Cristiano Ronaldo has seemingly confirmed his marriage to long-term partner Georgina Rodriguez after sharing a photograph of their wedding rings following a private ceremony in Portugal.

The Portuguese superstar posted an image to his social media accounts displaying two hands adorned with gold bands.

Speculation had been mounting regarding the couple’s relationship status after a prolonged engagement.

Recent reports suggest the pair exchanged vows during an intimate gathering in the 39-year-old’s native country.

A long-term partnership

The veteran international captain has been in a relationship with the model since 2017.

Their engagement was publicly announced last year across social media platforms.

At the time of the engagement, the 32-year-old shared an image of her diamond ring alongside a heartfelt message.

“Yes, I do. In this and in all my lives.”

Life away from the pitch

The five-time Ballon d’Or winner currently resides in Saudi Arabia alongside his family.

He moved to the Middle East following his high-profile departure from European football in late 2022.

This off-field milestone adds another significant chapter to the illustrious career of the globally recognised forward.