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Chelsea are now looking to sign an “outstanding” experienced centre-back who’s won 11 trophies, having struggled defensively at times this season.

Blues fall to ninth after Sunderland setback

Enzo Maresca has been forced to contend with a number of injury problems already this season, with the manager particularly light on options in defence, given the absence of Levi Colwill and Benoit Badiashile, who are both set to be out for quite some time.

Colwill is a long-term absentee, having suffered an ACL injury in the summer, while Maresca has confirmed Badiashile won’t be back for another couple of months, saying: “Benoit will be out until December. He is injured again with a muscle problem. He was doing fantastic, showing how good he is, and we will wait for him.”

That said, the manager is still likely to be concerned by just how susceptible his team have been to conceding chances, with Nottingham Forest missing four big opportunities and hitting the woodwork last weekend.

The Blues got away with it against Forest, but Sunderland made them pay on Saturday, with the Black Cats emerging as 2-1 winners at Stamford Bridge, which means the hosts have fallen to ninth in the Premier League table.

As such, Maresca may need to bolster his backline if Chelsea are to transform into title contenders, and they are now looking to sign Bayern Munich defender Dayot Upamecano, who is facing an uncertain future at the Allianz Arena.

That is according to a report from CF Bayern, which states the west Londoners want to sign Upamecano in 2026, at which point his contract with the German club will have expired, having been unable to agree a new deal.

Related Chelsea now join race to sign "hugely impressive" £70m Champions League forward

A new forward has emerged as a target for the Blues.

Posts ByDominic Lund Oct 26, 2025

With the Blues potentially looking to offload ‘bomb squad’ member Axel Disasi, a new centre-back could be brought in to replace him, and the Bayern defender has been identified as a target, although there could be competition from Real Madrid.

"Outstanding" Upamecano could be exactly what Maresca needs

Jamie Carragher has made it clear just how much he disagrees with BlueCo’s recruitment policy of signing young players, saying: “Chelsea should be title contenders and considered Champions League challengers this season. Instead, their hierarchy seems content to be praised for being the smartest recruiters in the business – the world’s richest development club.”

In fairness, while Chelsea did win the Club World Cup in the summer, the model is yet to translate to success in the Premier League, and more experienced players are arguably needed if they are to become title contenders.

As such, the “outstanding” France international, as lauded by Joshua Kimmich, could be exactly what they need, given that he is experienced at the top level, winning 11 major trophies throughout his career, and the 27-year-old’s passing ability indicates he could be an ideal fit in a Maresca system.

Statistic

Average per 90 (past year)

Passes attempted

89.32 (99th percentile)

Pass completion %

93.4% (96th percentile)

Progressive passes

6.39 (95th percentile)

The £168k-a-week star’s potential availability on a free transfer is an added bonus for Chelsea, who clearly need greater strength in depth at the back, given that 19-year-old Josh Acheampong has emerged as a regular starter.

This is getting serious now. Liverpool’s abject run of form under Arne Slot’s management this season has been a massive concern, but one which all of a Reds persuasion have been steadfast in their belief that the blip will be overcome.

Mohamed Salah’s flaming comments at the weekend have threatened to split the Slot machine wide open, with terms such as civil war and crisis being bandied about like never before.

What sparked this latest drama in a season weighed further and further down by setbacks? Well, Liverpool blew a two-goal lead at Elland Road in the Premier League, and Salah did not get even a flash of the action.

Liverpool's implosion at Elland Road

Liverpool just can’t pull all the strings together at the moment, having blown their two-goal advantage over Leeds United to draw 3-3. Dominik Szoboszlai thought he’d salvaged a draw late, but the hosts struck deep into stoppage time to condemn the Reds to their latest in a long litany of disappointments.

The frustrating part is Liverpool were comfortable and well worth their lead until spineless, error-riddled habits crept in after the break.

It was Konate’s lunging challenge, clumsy, needless, which started the Leeds fightback, and this underlines the point that Liverpool keep putting themselves through the wringer, incapable of playing to their strengths and retaining balance and composure throughout 90 minutes.

Konate is only months away from the end of his Liverpool contract, and while FSG continue to keep a door open regarding the France star’s renewal, Spanish sources suggest they could be open to cashing in for £15m this summer.

It would possibly be unwise to sell Konate right now, given the dearth of depth across Slot’s backline. Salah, too, is a player FSG wish to keep, but there is another struggler who flattered to deceive at Leeds and should be sold first.

FSG must get rid of Liverpool's "major issue"

Two things can be true: Salah has been well out of sorts this season, and he cannot convincingly tout the undroppable status he has carried through his glittering Liverpool career on his current form; Salah has every right to feel aggrieved, with players like Cody Gakpo reprising their starting berths in spite of dire performances.

It is Gakpo who is becoming a “major issue” for the Anfield side, and in more ways than one, as has been observed by analyst Raj Chohan.

Though the Dutchman has been a moderately efficient force on the left flank this season, scoring four goals and providing three assists in the Premier League, it’s clear that he is limited in his approach, and that the Reds could do with a more dynamic left winger to replace Luis Diaz, sold to Bayern Munich in August.

Gakpo, 26, has been at Liverpool for three years, scoring 46 goals and providing 21 assists across 149 appearances. He is versatile and has played his role throughout his time on Merseyside, but the Netherlands man has been exposed as lacking dimensions as Liverpool’s main man on the left wing.

There’s no doubt that Gakpo is a naturally prolific player, but if anything, this underscores the significance of the concerns surrounding his name: thee is a lack of expansiveness about his skillset, and he is averaging just 0.4 shots on target per Premier League match this season, ranking among the bottom 4% of league forwards for percentage of shots on target per 90, as per FBref.

Mohamed Salah

39 + 26

65

Cody Gakpo

23 + 11

34

Dominik Szoboszlai

12 + 14

26

Luis Diaz

17 + 8

25

Alexis Mac Allister

8 + 8

16

Someone like Antoine Semenyo, perhaps, who is ostensibly gearing up for an exit from Bournemouth in January, with Liverpool right at the top of the shopping list.

Liverpool may need a central defender, but there is a reason Slot suggested during a presser last month that he and sporting director Richard Hughes are looking further up the pitch as a priority position to smooth out the many wrinkles in the tactical fabric.

Though it would be foolish to start thinking about selling Gakpo in January, and an upgrade on the left is desperately needed, and bringing someone like Semenyo in would solve a ‘major issue’ and help launch Slot’s squad back into the ascendancy.

Salah and Konate’s respective futures are in doubt, but it might be that getting rid of Gakpo is the move Hughes needs to make first.

Salah upgrade: Liverpool prepare British record bid to sign £131m magician

Mohamed Salah may leave Liverpool in January after an extraordinary outburst at Elland Road.

ByAngus Sinclair 4 days ago

MatériaMais Notícias

O Vasco ficou no lucro com o empate sofrido contra o Fortaleza no jogo de ida da terceira fase da Copa do Brasil, no Castelão. Apesar da pressão dos donos da casa do iníco ao fim, o Cruz-Maltino soube sofrer para segurar no empate.

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➡️ Tudo sobre o Gigante agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso canal Lance! Vasco

A boa do Lance! Betting: vamos dobrar seu primeiro depósito, até R$200! Basta abrir sua conta e tá na mão!

A verdade é que ninguém esperava uma grande atuação do time carioca. O elenco contava com desfalques importantes como Payet e João Victor, além do pouco tempo de preparo com o novo técnico interino Rafael Paiva. Mas a esperança era sair com um bom resultado para levantar o astral e levar o jogo para a decisão em São Januário – objetivo concluído.

O Fortaleza tomou conta da partida e obrigou Léo Jardim a fazer defesas milagrosas que salvaram o resultado para o Vasco. Não à toa, o goleiro ficou com a maior nota do time no Footstats (8,9). Boa atuação também do trio de defesa montada por Paiva: Rojas, Maicon e Léo deram conta do serviço de fechar a zaga vascaína.

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Por outro lado, o Gigante da Colina tem sofrido muito com o ataque. A falta de eficiência no chute final fez o Vasco sofrer muito em busca dos resultados em 2024. Apesar do time finalizar muitas vezes, pouquíssimas bolas vão na direção do gol. Vegetti acabou ficando com a pior nota do elenco na partida (4,5), sendo seguido por Lucas Piton (4,7).

Tanto Rafael Paiva, quanto Ramón Diáz, não conseguiram chegar em um denominador comum em relação ao trio ofensivo. Vegetti parece ser a única unamidade, mas as pontas giram em todos jogos com Rossi, David, Rayan e Clayton. Além de Adson ainda entrar nessa briga.

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O meio-campo também preocupa. Desde a perda de Paulinho e Jair, parece que nada dá certo no centro do campo. Matheus Carvalho entra bem, mas oscila. Mesma coisa com Sforza e Galdames. O Payet, que antes parecia ser peça essencial no elenco, já não é unanimidade.

A perda de Gabriel Pec, Marlon Gomes e os dois principais volantes da última temporada deixam a impressão de que o time de 2024 piorou. E de fato, os resultados nas primeiras partidas do Brasileirão são piores. Ao fim da quarta rodada do Brasileirão 2023, o Vasco ocupava a 11ª posição com 5 pontos. Hoje, o Cruz-Maltino ocupa a 17ª posição com apenas 3 pontos.

O principal culpado pelo empate com o Fortaleza? A falta de eficiência e objetividade. O principal culpado pela crise que se instaurou no Vasco? A falta de planejamento da diretoria. A busca por um novo técnico e a chegada de reforços vão definir a história do clube da Colina este ano. Por enquanto, a torcida não vê muitos motivos para sorrir.

Tudo sobre

Copa do BrasilFortalezaVasco

Stats highlights from the Champions Trophy final between India and New Zealand in Dubai

ESPNcricinfo stats team09-Mar-2025

India’s spinners bowled all the middle overs (11 to 40)•AFP/Getty Images

105 – Partnership between Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill in the final, the first century opening stand in this Champions Trophy.1 in 32,768 – The probability of losing 15 tosses in succession, which has happened to India in men’s ODIs now. India have, however, won ten of these 15 ODIs and lost only four times.The 15 consecutive tosses lost by India is the longest streak for any team in men’s ODIs. Netherlands’ 11 tosses lost between 2011 and 2013 was the previous longest.12 – Consecutive tosses lost by Rohit Sharma as captain in ODIs since he last won one against New Zealand in the 2023 World Cup semi-final. He has equalled the longest streak of lost tosses for a captain in men’s ODIs – Brian Lara also lost 12 between 1998 and 1999.5 – Reprieves for Rachin Ravindra through dropped catches in this Champions Trophy, including two against India in the final, the most for any batter in this tournament.Mohammed Shami dropped Ravindra off his own bowling on 28, while Shreyas Iyer dropped him on 29 off Varun Chakravarthy. Ravindra scored only 37 so the drops didn’t cost India a lot.4 – Catches dropped by India on Sunday, the most for them in a men’s ODI knockout game since the four chances they put down against Sri Lanka in the final of the 2005 Indian Oil Cup.Shreyas Iyer couldn’t latch on to this chance from Rachin Ravindra•ICC/Getty Images30 – Overs that India’s spinners bowled during the middle overs (11-40) on Sunday. The previous instance of India going all spin in this phase in men’s ODIs was against Sri Lanka in the 2002 Champions Trophy final, played on the reserve day.91 – Balls that Daryl Mitchell took to bring up his fifty on Sunday – his slowest fifty in ODIs and the slowest by any New Zealand batter in men’s ODIs since Martin Guptill’s 95-ball fifty in 2014 against West Indies.103 for 4 – New Zealand’s total during the middle overs (11-40) in the final after scoring 69 for 1 in their first ten. Only once have New Zealand scored fewer runs in that phase in a men’s ODI since 2013 – 102 for 3 against Pakistan in 2018 in Abu Dhabi.81 – Balls without a boundary for New Zealand between the 14th (Mitchell hit a four off Axar Patel) and the 27th overs (Glenn Phillips hit a six off Kuldeep Yadav).43 – Runs India scored between the 16th and 30th overs of the chase, during which they lost their top three. These are the fewest they have scored in this phase in a men’s ODI since the 42 against Pakistan in 2013 at Eden Gardens.212 – Shreyas Iyer’s batting average against New Zealand spinners in ODIs. His dismissal against Mitchell Santner in the final was his first against them after facing 233 balls. Iyer got out to fast bowlers in his previous eight ODI innings against New Zealand.

Taylor’s reintegration into the side began ahead of the first Test, where he was invited to train with the squad

Firdose Moonda30-Jul-2025

Brendan Taylor had retired abruptly in 2021•AFP

Former Zimbabwe captain Brendan Taylor is set to return to international cricket after serving a three-and-a-half year ban for breaching the ICC’s anti-corruption code. Taylor, whose sanction ended on July 25, has been named in Zimbabwe’s squad for the second Test against New Zealand, which starts in Bulawayo on August 7.”I certainly did think it was all done, but here I am – and it’s an overwhelming feeling of gratitude,” Taylor said. “I have to pinch myself a little to realise that I’m actually here. I’ve been soaking it all up and embracing every moment. It’s just been a really nice integration.”The last year and a half has certainly been dedicated to my return. I’ve put in an immense amount of work – from fitness to the technical side to diet – and I’m feeling a lot leaner, fitter and mentally stronger. That’s only been possible through sobriety.”Related

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'I didn't know how to do life anymore' – Taylor's biggest battle

Brendan Taylor banned for failing to report approach without delay

Zimbabwe captain Craig Ervine also welcomed Taylor into the side. “I know how hard he’s worked in his individual capacity – especially over the last eight, ten [or] 12 months – in order for this to happen,” Ervine said ahead of the opening Test against New Zealand. “I’m very excited to have him come back into the space in the next few days, and looking forward to what he has to contribute towards the team and the group.”Taylor, now 39, has not played any representative cricket since retiring abruptly in September 2021, and the conditions of his ban meant he has not been able to train with any national or domestic squads. However, Taylor has used facilities at an elite independent school in Harare, and had told ESPNcricinfo earlier this year that he is fitter than ever before after undergoing rehabilitation for drug and alcohol abuse.His reintegration into the side began ahead of the ongoing first Test against New Zealand, where he was invited to train with the squad. Zimbabwe had already named a 16-member squad for the two Tests against New Zealand, which includes a relatively strong batting line-up, and a first-choice wicketkeeper-batter in Tafadzwa Tsiga, who has started the first Test.Taylor spent most of his Test career at No. 4, and if he is reinstated in that position, it may simply push everyone from Sean Williams one down to lengthen the batting line-up. Zimbabwe will have to do some juggling to ensure they have enough bowling options.Speaking to ESPNcricinfo in March, Taylor had said he did not expect to walk back into the XI, and wanted to play again as an act of service after feeling as though he had let Zimbabwe cricket down by his actions. He was sanctioned after failing to report an offer to fix, after an attempt was made by a fixer to expose Taylor’s use of cocaine. “I’ve been humbled properly,” Taylor said. “I look forward to really just adding value, which I probably didn’t do to the best of my ability when I was there before.”So far, Taylor has played 34 Tests for Zimbabwe between 2004 and 2021, and averages 36.25. He has scored six centuries, including a second-innings 105* in Zimbabwe’s comeback Test from a six-year self-imposed hiatus from the format, against Bangladesh in Harare in 2011.Taylor makes his return amid a busy period for Zimbabwe. They have played seven Tests this year – and won just one – and have four more scheduled: two each against New Zealand and Afghanistan, either side of the T20 World Cup Qualifiers in September. Taylor is not expected to form part of Zimbabwe’s T20 plans yet but could come into contention in ODIs, with the 2027 World Cup in mind.

MatériaMais Notícias

Luís Zubeldía desembarcou em São Paulo no dia 21 de abril para iniciar seu trabalho no comando do São Paulo, mas talvez não imaginasse que em pouco tempo cairia nas graças da torcida por atingir ótimos resultados dentro de campo. Mas será “só isso”?

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Intenso dentro de campo e cumprindo o bom trabalho que prometeu, o argentino está invicto no comando do Tricolor. Em dez jogos, foram oito vitórias e dois empates, e uma esperança de dias melhores no São Paulo.

O treinador de personalidade forte já demonstrou à beira do gramado que é “emocionado”. Até aqui, foram três cartões amarelos e, apesar de nenhuma expulsão, alguns momentos do treinador chamaram atenção, como o chute que deu em uma garrafa d’água em duelo contra o Barcelona de Guayaquil, pela Libertadores.

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+ Três motivos que fizeram Zubeldia ter o melhor início de um técnico do São Paulo no século

O técnico do Palmeiras, Abel Ferreira, bastante criticado no futebol brasileiro por situações parecidas, chegou a ironizar a situação ao dizer que perguntou ao Núcleo de Inteligência do Verdão se o chute dele teria sido mais rápido: “disseram que eu estava em segundo, o outro foi muito mais rápido”.

Zubeldía, em pouco mais de um mês, também já quebrou tabus, como vencer o Talleres pela primeira vez na história e derrubar uma invencibilidade de 17 jogos do time argentino.

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O bom relacionamento com o torcedor é cada vez mais claro, e o treinador chegou a usar transporte público no último final de semana, onde encontrou são-paulinos e posou para fotos durante o passeio.

A carreira do jovem treinador de 43 anos começou dentro dos gramados, mas em razão de uma grave lesão no joelho, encerrou sua rápida carreira de jogador profissional aos 23 anos. Do lado de fora das quatro linhas, Zubeldía se tornou, aos 27 anos, o técnico mais jovem da história do futebol argentino ao dirigir o Lanús, clube que ficou por dois anos antes de ir para o Barcelona de Guayaquil.

E não para por aí. O argentino ainda passou por Racing-ARG, Santos Laguna-MEX, Independiente Medellín-COL, Alavés-ESP e Cerro Porteño-PAR, e agora quer fazer história no Tricolor.

Tudo sobre

BrasileirãoFutebol NacionalLuis ZubeldíaSão Paulo

The success of GT’s top three this season has left others precious little time to impress, so this was a vital opportunity ahead of the playoffs

Karthik Krishnaswamy23-May-20251:07

Moody: Getting a fifty leading into the playoffs perfect for Shahrukh

They suffered their joint-second-worst defeat by runs in their history as an IPL team, but Thursday night was still an encouraging one for Gujarat Titans (GT).There’s no such thing as a good defeat, of course, and this 33-run loss to Lucknow Super Giants (LSG) put a dent in GT’s hopes of a top-two finish in the IPL 2025 league phase. On the way to that result, however, they ticked off at least one significant box ahead of the playoffs.Coming into Thursday’s match, GT had been the most top-heavy line-up of the tournament, with their top three scoring nearly 77% of all their runs. Their openers were the top two run-getters in the tournament, and their No. 3 wasn’t far behind, sitting at No. 7 on the run charts.Related

Rashid and fourth seamer remain concerns but GT 'not massively off' ahead of playoffs

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All that top-order success had limited GT’s middle-order batters to bit-part roles. Their No. 4 had batted only twice inside the first ten overs in 12 matches, and their No. 5 not even once.Coming into this game against LSG, GT had the worst average of any middle order (Nos. 4 to 7) this season. On the flip side, they had the best strike rate for those positions. You could say they were doing rather well given the constraints they were operating under, but those constraints had left too small a sample size to draw meaningful conclusions from.With the playoffs looming, GT’s middle order was in serious need of time at the crease. As well as Shubman Gill, B Sai Sudharsan and Jos Buttler were doing, GT may almost have been hoping for all three of them to get dismissed early in one of their last two league games – particularly with Buttler to play no part in the playoffs.M Shahrukh Khan had a rare opportunity for more substantial time in the middle•AFP/Getty ImagesAs it happened, that unspoken but probably not uncontemplated hope took material form on Thursday. Chasing 236, GT were three down in 9.3 overs, which meant that their No. 5 made his earliest entry of the season by far, beating the previous record by 22 balls.Gill, Sai Sudharsan and Buttler had done their bit before that, scoring quickly enough but getting out of the way early enough to leave their successors an equation that was steep but not outside the realms of possibility. When M Shahrukh Khan joined Sherfane Rutherford at the crease, GT needed 140 in 63 balls.Shahrukh has enjoyed a curious career in the IPL. The promise of his domestic T20 record, and the flashes of six-hitting power he has shown over time, have earned him INR 34.65 crore over five seasons of auctions and retentions. That’s a lot of money for an uncapped player, but coming into Thursday, he had only crossed 30 five times in 46 innings.That’s partly down to the thankless role he plays; seldom does he get any time at the crease before he has to swing at everything.Jos Buttler won’t be part of the playoffs•Associated PressShahrukh had that time on Thursday, even if a required rate nearing 14 meant there wasn’t much of it. But even this limited window allowed him to give the world a glimpse of the player he had been in his teenage years, when he hadn’t yet grown into this 6’4″ powerhouse, and when his technique rather than his power was the talk of Chennai’s cricketing circles – he’s referred to as “almost Laxmanesque” in this feature from 2014. You could kind of see it now. A back-foot defensive shot against Akash Singh. A flicked single off Will O’Rourke. A front-foot drive through the covers, with one knee on the ground, off Avesh Khan.GT needed more than that, of course, and Shahrukh obliged. When Akash Deep missed his length on a wide yorker, Shahrukh sliced him with astonishing power over the backward-point boundary. When the same bowler went for a yorker at the stumps and missed his length only marginally, Shahrukh created elevation with minimal room with a bottom-handed shovel that whistled back over the bowler’s head. In between, he stepped out to Shahbaz Ahmed and mowed him between long-on and deep midwicket, clearing the boundary despite connecting only with the inside half of his bat. This is the raw six-hitting power that makes him so sought-after.Rutherford brought the big hits too – an effortless flick off Avesh, a reverse-sweep off Shahbaz – and suddenly, GT were in with a chance. At the 16-over mark, when they needed 54 off 24, ESPNcricinfo gave them a 42% win probability. When Buttler had been dismissed in the 10th over, it had fallen to below 4%.2:18

Aaron: ‘GT have a problem with their third seamer pick’

“After the first three wickets, our middle order batted really well and brought the game on course,” Sai Sudharsan said at his post-match press conference. “From there, having four overs, 54 runs on the board, I think any other day we would have got those runs for the team.”It didn’t happen on this day, but GT still became the first team to breach 200 seven times in an IPL season. And this time, the middle order played a key role in taking them there.”I feel [the] middle order has done pretty well [through the season],” Sai Sudharsan said. “Even in the first six, seven, eight games, Sherfane stepped up and got so many runs in the middle order and changed games for us. Even in Mumbai he changed the course of the game for us.”Even Shahrukh got an opportunity today to showcase his talent. So I feel the middle order is on course as well. I don’t think there is some gap or something in the middle order. I feel, touch wood, things went well for all the three batters at the top so they didn’t get more opportunity to play in the first half of the tournament.”Thursday brought defeat for GT, and a worrying one if it puts them out of the top two. But it also brought them significant positives going into the business end of IPL 2025.

Thomas Frank has lifted the lid on a remarkable moment from his Brentford tenure, revealing he was interviewed for the Manchester United job inside Sir Jim Ratcliffe’s garage — just hours before holding another meeting with Chelsea. The Tottenham boss says he still can’t believe he spoke with two of the world’s biggest clubs on the same day before United eventually chose Ruben Amorim.

Frank reveals talks with Man Utd in Ratcliffe's garage

Frank has revealed that he was formally interviewed by Manchester United during their search for a new manager in the summer of 2024, and the unusual talks took place in Ratcliffe’s garage. It came as the Red Devils were weighing up potential successors to Erik ten Hag before eventually delaying the change until six months later. Frank also travelled across London later that same day to discuss a separate vacancy with Chelsea, who ultimately appointed Enzo Maresca instead.

The Dane, then Brentford manager, had been firmly established as a Premier League success story, having guided the Bees into the top flight and cemented them as a stable mid-table force. His work placed him on the radar of both clubs as they conducted parallel managerial searches ahead of what they hoped would be major rebuilds. But while both sides admired his progression, neither interview resulted in an immediate job offer.

Frank has revealed that the interview with Ratcliffe occurred while Manchester United’s squad were travelling to London ahead of the FA Cup final, which they went on to win 2-1 over Manchester City. That victory gave Ten Hag a temporary lifeline before the club replaced him with Amorim the following November. Frank, meanwhile, remained with Brentford until Tottenham triggered his release clause in 2025.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportSpurs boss reveals back-to-back interviews in 2024

Speaking to Danish outlet TV2, Frank described the surreal nature of the day in detail, insisting the experience alone proved just how far he had climbed in his coaching career: “Sitting down to talk to two of the ten biggest clubs in the world – two hours apart – is quite unique.”

Reflecting on the moment he found himself walking between the two milestone meetings, he added: “I know I didn't get either job, but it was still huge. I remember walking through Battersea Park between the two interviews and thinking: ‘Thomas Frank from f*cking Frederiksvaerk – am I really experiencing this?’”

Getty Images SportFrank finally got his big move in 2025 with Spurs

Frank’s account of the day was included in an upcoming book, , which charts his rise from Danish football to managing in Europe’s biggest league. It also details the significance of him becoming someone considered by clubs that dominate the modern game financially and historically. For Frank, the episode symbolised not disappointment, but validation — the proof that his meticulous work had been noticed beyond Brentford’s buzzing west-London bubble.

Chelsea’s interest came at a time when the Blues were again struggling for stability, while United explored several candidates ahead of a transition in leadership after Ineos took a controlling role in football operations. The fact that Frank was seriously interviewed by both within hours of each other underlined his rising reputation. While neither club opted for him then, it cemented his name among the elite managerial conversation.

The following year, Frank finally received his major move. Tottenham parted ways with Ange Postecoglou in 2025 after a 17th-place finish, sparking an overhaul that saw Spurs activate Frank’s clause. The Dane took charge in June and has since overseen a respectable start, with five wins and three defeats leaving Spurs firmly in the top-four race after 11 matches in the league.

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Frank's story so far at Tottenham…

Frank’s Tottenham remain unbeaten in Europe and are now preparing for a major test against league leaders Arsenal after the international break. His side have shown promise under his intense, structure-focused style.

As for Manchester United, Amorim is now firmly in post, though their long-term direction under Ratcliffe continues to evolve. Frank’s revelation serves as a reminder of just how close the managerial landscape can shift, and how different the Premier League might look had that interview in a billionaire’s garage ended differently.

For Frank himself, the door to the biggest benches in world football has clearly opened once, and there is little doubt it could open again. Spurs may prove the beginning of a journey that sees his name linked with such jobs for years to come.

Glasgow Rangers head coach Danny Rohl will be looking for more of the same from his team when they come up against Hibernian at Easter Road in the Scottish Premiership this evening.

The German boss was serenaded by the Ibrox support last time out when his side beat Kilmarnock 3-1 in his first league match in charge of the Scottish giants.

A devastating 3-0 loss to Brann in the Europa League just days after his arrival last week would have been a real eye-opener for the former Sheffield Wednesday boss, who has walked into a difficult situation.

Russell Martin only won five of his 17 games in charge of the club, conceding 24 goals in that time, and Rohl is tasked with turning the club’s fortunes around, months before any transfer window is available to make changes to the squad.

The German head coach has to work with what is currently available to him, which means that he will have to make ruthless calls for team selections.

For example, he should ruthlessly remove Bojan Miovski from the starting line-up for tonight’s trip to Hibernian after he struggled last time out.

Why Bojan Miovski should be dropped

The Light Blues signed the 26-year-old centre-forward from Girona during the summer transfer window, possibly with the hope that he would carry his form for Aberdeen in Scotland over to his time at Ibrox.

Miovski, as shown in the graphic above, enjoyed a prolific time with the Dons in his two years there, proving that he can score goals on a consistent basis, even against the top teams, like Celtic and Rangers.

Unfortunately, though, the left-footed number nine has only scored one goal in six appearances in the Premiership so far this season for the Light Blues, which came in a 1-1 draw with Falkirk in Martin’s last game in charge.

Rohl opted to go with a front two of Danilo and Miovski for the clash with Kilmarnock at Ibrox last time out in the Premiership on Sunday, and the Macedonia international failed to deliver a quality performance before being withdrawn at the break.

Minutes

45

Shots

0

Key passes

0

Touches

9

Possession lost

5

Passes made

2/6

Duels won

1/4

As you can see in the table above, the summer signing from Girona struggled in and out of possession throughout the half, as he offered little in the final third, lost the ball from more than half of his touches, and lost 75% of his physical duels.

It was not a surprise to see Rohl decide to take him off after 45 minutes, because he did not do enough in his time on the pitch to suggest that the second half was going to be better.

Therefore, the German tactician should take him out of the starting XI for this evening’s clash against Hibernian at Easter Road, in the hope that it will motivate him to come off the bench and make an impact, to prove that he deserves to be starting games.

Chalkboard

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

If Miovski is dropped to the bench for Rangers tonight, Rohl could replace him with a like-for-like option in order to keep a front two alongside Danilo, who scored on Sunday.

With this in mind, the former Sheffield Wednesday head coach should unleash summer signing Youssef Chermiti for his first Premiership start.

Why Youssef Chermiti should start for Rangers against Hibernian

The Portugal U21 international should be unleashed from the start in the hope that he is able to kick on after his first goal for the club against Kilmarnock.

Chermiti’s powerful drive from the edge of the box, which was too hot for the goalkeeper to handle, found the back of the net and marked a notable moment in his young career.

It was his first goal at club level since a strike for Sporting against Pacos Ferreira in the Liga Portugal in May 2023, which means that it was his first goal in over two years.

In those two years, Chermiti signed for Everton and failed to provide a single goal or assist in 24 appearances in all competitions for the Premier League side, per Transfermarkt, before an £8m move to Rangers in the summer.

Speaking after the win over Kilmarnock, Rohl praised the Portuguese striker: “We will improve him (Chermiti) step by step. He has something special and you saw the goal today.

“He has things to improve, especially in the pressing and intensity and which moments he needs to drop to cover inside and in the middle. But he should enjoy today and the goal and then tomorrow we will work on the next parts of his game.”

It was not just his goal that caught the eye in his cameo against Kilmarnock, though, as the powerful centre-forward showcased what his all-round game can look like at its best.

Minutes

21

45

Shots

1

0

Goals

1

0

Touches

15

9

Possession lost

2x

5x

Key passes

1

0

Pass accuracy

100%

33%

Duels won

2/3

1/4

As you can see in the table above, Chermiti had more touches, fewer losses of possession, more key passes, more duels won, and a higher pass accuracy than Miovski, despite only playing 21 minutes.

These statistics show that the Portuguese youngster provided a presence in the number nine role that the Macedonia international failed to during his first half showing.

This is why Rohl should look to unleash Chermiti from the start against Hibernian, having only made five appearances as a substitute in the league so far, in the hope that his performance last time out will give him the confidence to kick on.

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Hibs are currently third in the Premiership table and will not be an easy team to face away from home, which is why having the physical presence that Chermiti could provide could be incredibly important for Rohl and Rangers in the game this evening.

Shohei Ohtani's early career with the Los Angeles Angels was summed up perfectly by a 2021 tweet about the fictitious "Tungsten Arm" O'Doyle. The premise of the joke being Ohtani was accomplishing obscure, but incredible feats that hadn't happened in a baseball game since the early days of the sport. And he was doing it alongside an equally impressive Mike Trout in relative obscurity with the Angels. Some wondered whether he could possibly do it on a big stage and earn the $700 million the Dodgers gave him in free agency in 2023.

It turns out the answer to that question is a resounding yes. In 2024 he hit a career-high 54 home runs and led baseball in runs scored, RBI, OBP, SLG and OPS as he won his third MVP in four seasons. Then he homered in his first career playoff game and played through injury to help the Dodgers win the World Series in his first season with the club.

This year he somehow got better. He hit a new career-high of 55 home runs and he started pitching again. He started Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, threw six shutout innings and struck out 10 batters he hit three home runs. No one had ever done it before. No one will ever do it again.

What other "Tungsten Arm" O'Doyle-esque accomplishment could he possibly accomplish during this postseason?

Would you believe he reached base nine times in a single game?

That's exactly what Ohtani did in Game 3 of the 2025 World Series. He tied the all-time record for most times on base in a game in regular season or postseason play. No one had reached base nine times in one game since Stan Hack in 1942. Before that it was Johnny Burnett in 1932 and the first person to ever do it was Max Carey in 1922.

And no one has ever done it in the postseason. Or come close. No player has ever reached base more than six times in a single postseason game.

In fact, only 84 players had reached base five times in a single postseason game. And just three players had reached base six times, including Kenny Lofton in the 1995 World Series, Stan Hack in the 1945 World Series and Kerry Carpenter in the Tigers-Mariners 15-inning classic earlier this postseason.

Last night Ohtani reached times. Here's how he did it.

First Inning Double

Max Scherzer has won two World Series and three Cy Young awards. Ohtani ripped the second pitch he saw from him down the line for a ground-rule double. He would be stranded on second, but a historic night had begun.

Third Inning Home Run

The Dodgers had a 1-0 lead when Ohtani faced Scherzer in the third inning. Ohtani took a ball, swung at two strikes and then fouled off two more pitches before he hit his first home run of the night. He celebrated with an epic bat flip while Justin Bieber gave him a thumbs down.

Fifth Inning Double

The Blue Jays took a 4-2 lead in the fourth inning. Facing a full count in the bottom of the fifth Ohtani hit his second double of the game and drove in Enrique Hernández to cut the lead in half.

Seventh Inning Home Run

Down one with one out in the bottom of the seventh inning Ohtani hit the first pitch he saw from Seranthony Dominguez into the stands to tie the game. It was his fourth extra base hit of the game which is something that hadn't been done in the postseason since 1906.

International Walking to History

After two doubles and two home runs the Blue Jays had finally had enough and started walking Ohtani. He was put on without seeing a pitch in the ninth, 11th, 13th and 15th before Brendon Little threw him four straight balls in the 17th.

A player had only reached base five times in a single postseason game 88 times in the history of baseball and he did it with walks from the ninth inning on last night after going 4-for-4.

There is no way to discuss this without admitting it makes no sense.

Aaron Judge led MLB in intentional walks this season with 36. Ohtani was walked four times in one postseason game.

Barry Bonds remains the gold standard for being intentionally walked with 688 in his career. He was intentionally walked a record 120 times in 2004. He was intentionally walked a total of 21 times in 48 career postseason games, including 13 times in the 2002 playoffs. The Angels walked him seven times in the World Series, including three times in Game 4.

Ohtani just got intentionally walked four times .