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The Irish Sun
a day ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Why Man Utd are angry with Brentford over Bryan Mbeumo transfer after finally landing £71million star
BRYAN MBEUMO claimed he chose Manchester United because he believes he WILL win silverware with his 'dream' club. Cameroon ace 2 Man Utd have been left fuming with Brentford after their £71m move for Bryan Mbeumo Credit: Getty But while He said: 'As soon as I knew there was a chance to join Manchester United, I had to take the opportunity to sign for the club of my dreams. 'This is the team whose shirt I wore growing up. My mentality is to always be better than I was yesterday. READ MORE IN FOOTBALL 'I know that I have the spirit and character to reach another level here, learning from Ruben Amorim and playing alongside world-class players.' Mbeumo added he had been sold the club's vision both on and off the pitch. He explained: 'Everybody told me about the environment that is being created here and how exciting the plans are for the future. 'This is a massive club, with an incredible stadium and amazing fans, we are all really determined to challenge for the biggest trophies.' Most read in Football BEST FREE BETS AND BETTING SIGN UP OFFERS The deal followed United's £62.5m capture of Wolves' Brazilian Matheus Cunha, with the duo set to be in harness when Amorim's side face West Ham in New Jersey on Saturday in the opening leg of the three-match tournament. United are delighted with the signing, believing they beat off competition from Arsenal as well as Spurs and Newcastle, while there was also a late move by Chelsea. Man Utd eyeing shock Nicolas Jackson swoop 2 Club chiefs feel the deal proves the club is still showing a desire to spend big but also making football rather than commercial decisions. Amorim's need for attacking reinforcements has been significantly met, while Mbeumo's decision is seen as evidence that United remain a club that top players want to join. There is, though, a degree of frustration and disappointment at Brentford's handling of the deal, with the asking price understood to have reached a total of £77m at one point. United believe Brentford did not want to sell to them and tried hard to complete a deal with either Newcastle or Tottenham rather than allowing him an easy passage to Old Trafford, including suggesting his wage requirements were lowered to allow them to demand a higher fee. Join SUN CLUB for the Man Utd Files every Thursday plus in-depth coverage and exclusives from Old Trafford Brentford, though, argue that Mbeumo was told that was a way to break the impasse over the fee, when United were unwilling to reach the Bees' asking price. They insist United attempted to blow their rivals out of the water by making Mbeumo a mega-money wages offer but then used that in an attempt to crowbar them into accepting a lower fee, which brought a strong-arm response. And with former Bees boss Thomas Frank now in charge at Spurs, he would have told Tottenham Brentford's bottom price, meaning the North Londoners started with a higher offer than United. Nevertheless, the deal is a positive move for United and comes as Marcus Rashford closes in on his loan move to Barcelona, with the England star having travelled to Catalonia for his medical. United could also up their interest in Aston Villa's Argentine World Cup-winning keeper Emi Martinez, with Andre Onana a major doubt for the start of the season after his hamstring injury. And with Rashford on his way, the rest of the Old Trafford 'bomb squad' will be left behind at Carrington when Amorim and his squad fly at lunchtime. Jadon Sancho, Antony, Tyrell Malacia and Alejandro Garnacho have all been told they have no future at United.
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
Gabriel says Arsenal will hit ‘new heights' following three agonising seasons as runners-up
GABRIEL says Arsenal will hit 'new heights' this season following another agonising year as the Premier League's nearly men. The Gunners have posted THREE consecutive second-placed finishes in the league under boss 3 Arsenal defender Gabriel has predicted big changes for the Gunners next season Credit: Getty 3 Gabriel arriving at Hale End to travel to Stansted Airport to jet to Singapore Credit: Getty And after a heartbreaking Champions League semi-final defeat to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain, it is now FIVE years without a trophy for the North Londoners. But Brazilian centre back Gabriel, 27 – who He said: 'I only have one thing to say, and Mikel says it: We are ready to reach new heights this season. 'I've been at the club for five years now and I've seen how much the club has grown. I am here to win big titles and I do believe that this season will be different. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS 'We have let a couple of titles slip through our fingers recently. We almost won but this year, things will be different. I have a lot of faith in that.' Arteta was left to rue key injuries that hampered Arsenal's title charge last campaign with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Ben White , Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus suffering long-term lay-offs at crucial times. Gabriel was also ruled out for the remainder of the season in April, requiring hamstring surgery – with attackers Saka and Havertz undergoing the same procedure. He is back and raring to go with the club now out in Singapore for their pre-season tour, facing Newcastle on the weekend, before travelling to Hong Kong to take on fierce rivals Tottenham. Most read in Football Gabriel added: 'I don't think we can give excuses; we did everything we could in the last three years. 'I feel like we had a little bit of bad luck sometimes. Noni Madueke joins Arsenal in £52million transfer from Chelsea as Arteta's spending spree set to reach almost £200m 'But we all believe that we can win big titles. The pre-season has started. 'We're focused on what our manager is telling us to do, and what we have to do, and what we have to improve. 'This year will be different.' 3
Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
Gabriel says Arsenal will hit ‘new heights' following three agonising seasons as runners-up
GIFT OF THE GAB Gabriel says Arsenal will hit 'new heights' following three agonising seasons as runners-up Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) GABRIEL says Arsenal will hit 'new heights' this season following another agonising year as the Premier League's nearly men. The Gunners have posted THREE consecutive second-placed finishes in the league under boss Mikel Arteta – finishing ten points off Arne Slot's champions Liverpool last term. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Arsenal defender Gabriel has predicted big changes for the Gunners next season Credit: Getty 3 Gabriel arriving at Hale End to travel to Stansted Airport to jet to Singapore Credit: Getty And after a heartbreaking Champions League semi-final defeat to eventual champions Paris Saint-Germain, it is now FIVE years without a trophy for the North Londoners. But Brazilian centre back Gabriel, 27 – who signed a new four-year deal last month – is confident they can finally shake off the tag of top-flight bridesmaids. He said: 'I only have one thing to say, and Mikel says it: We are ready to reach new heights this season. 'I've been at the club for five years now and I've seen how much the club has grown. I am here to win big titles and I do believe that this season will be different. READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS END OF THE WORLD Man Utd, Man City and Liverpool STRIPPED of status as world champions 'We have let a couple of titles slip through our fingers recently. We almost won but this year, things will be different. I have a lot of faith in that.' Arteta was left to rue key injuries that hampered Arsenal's title charge last campaign with the likes of Bukayo Saka, Martin Odegaard, Ben White, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus suffering long-term lay-offs at crucial times. Gabriel was also ruled out for the remainder of the season in April, requiring hamstring surgery – with attackers Saka and Havertz undergoing the same procedure. He is back and raring to go with the club now out in Singapore for their pre-season tour, facing AC Milan on Wednesday and Newcastle on the weekend, before travelling to Hong Kong to take on fierce rivals Tottenham. Gabriel added: 'I don't think we can give excuses; we did everything we could in the last three years. 'I feel like we had a little bit of bad luck sometimes. Noni Madueke joins Arsenal in £52million transfer from Chelsea as Arteta's spending spree set to reach almost £200m 'But we all believe that we can win big titles. The pre-season has started. 'We're focused on what our manager is telling us to do, and what we have to do, and what we have to improve. 'This year will be different.'
The Irish Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- The Irish Sun
The ten burning issues that Thomas Frank will be grilled over at his unveiling as Tottenham Hotspur's new head coach
THOMAS FRANK has his unveiling as Tottenham Hotspur boss on Friday - and he is sure to be grilled on a number of hot topics. From transfers in, to transfers out, to his upcoming Champions League campaign and becoming Daniel Levy's 14th permanent manager, the Dane will not be short of questions to answer. Advertisement 11 Thomas Frank succeeded Europa League winner Ange Postecoglou Credit: PA 11 Morgan Gibbs-White turning up for Nottingham Forest training on Monday Credit: X - Nottingham Forest Here, SunSport takes a look at ten burning issues the 51-year-old may have to address... 1 - The Morgan Gibbs-White saga TOTTENHAM looked to have pulled off a stunning coup when they surprisingly moved for Nottingham Forest and England star It had been thought they had triggered a secret £60million release clause and on Friday, the 25-year-old was even expected to undergo a medical at their Hotspur Way training ground. Then all hell broke loose. Advertisement READ MORE ON FOOTBALL Furious Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis cut all communication with Spurs and issued legal complaints to the North Londoners and Gibbs-White's representatives. Forest's objections cited breach of confidentiality over the release clause and effectively tapping-up the player as they had not given permission to speak with him. The fact that Gibbs-White is not a Spurs player yet raises questions over whether Tottenham have met all the conditions of the release clause. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS Advertisement Most read in Football His move has been left in limbo with Gibbs-White training with Forest in pre-season as normal. Frank is known to be particularly keen on the four-cap England man, admiring his dynamism in the No10 position and his versatility. Perhaps he can shed some light on the current state of play involving the transfer. Chelsea vs Tottenham fan battle - 'Kane's better than Drogba at EVERYTHING' | Stoppage Time 11 Cristian Romero was key to Tottenham going all the way in the Europa League Credit: Getty Advertisement 2 - What's going on with Cristian Romero? CRISTIAN ROMERO is a World Cup winner and a massive influence in the Tottenham dressing room, especially with the South American contingent. He struggled with injury for a lot of last season but was a huge reason why Spurs went all the way in the Europa League. However, He reposted on X a damning claim that Spurs had not put on a chartered flight for him coming back from international duty, while he also publicly criticised the club's lack of spending compared to their rivals. Advertisement Most notable was a bombshell interview he himself had arranged late on in April where he claimed he wanted to play in La Liga one day, amid strong interest from Atletico Madrid. Romero has two years left on his contract and Spurs will not sell the £60million-rated defender on the cheap. Hearing Frank's thoughts on the situation will be fascinating. 3 - What's going on with captain Son Heung-min? SON HEUNG-MIN is understood to be open to calling time on his decade at the club this summer. Advertisement Having finally won a trophy after all that time, there is an understandable argument that this is a good moment to go out on a high. But whether it happens or not remains to be seen. 11 Son Heung-min finally got his hands on a trophy with the Europa League triumph Credit: Getty LAFC are very keen and Advertisement A switch to anywhere seems off the cards before Tottenham's tour to Seoul at the start of August at the very least - barring a stratospheric offer. Son, now 33, has one year left remaining on his contract but given the commercial revenue he brings in from being a godlike figure in South Korea, Spurs certainly will not let him go cheaply. Frank is well-stocked out wide, particularly following the £55m arrival of Mohammed Kudus, albeit his best position is more on the right side compared to Son's left. The Dane usually lives up to his last name in how honest he can be when speaking publicly - perhaps he will give a frank assessment over how he sees the situation surrounding his captain. Advertisement 4 - Will the club pursue another centre-forward? SPURS fans have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of money being spent - or trying to be spent, in Gibbs-White's case - so far this summer. It leads questions as to where the extra cash has come from, with talk of a significant injection from majority owners ENIC being the source. Despite the big-money moves for Kudus and Gibbs-White, Spurs have strong interest in Wissa, 28, has one year left on his Bees contract and would be a savvy signing given his versatility. Advertisement Can Frank confirm that is an area he is looking to strengthen to give Dominic Solanke some much-needed competition - or is he backing Richarlison to overcome his injury problems? 11 Yoane Wissa scored 19 Premier League goals for Frank last season Credit: Getty 11 Yves Bissouma was vital to Spurs' European success, but is he staying? Credit: PA 5 - The midfield FRANK may well opt not to reveal his hand over the formation he plans to employ. Advertisement But whether it is 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, it is more than likely to involve three central midfielders - with two of them probably deeper-lying. This is interesting because holding midfield has been a problem position for some time for Spurs. First of all, given all the spending elsewhere, do Spurs have headroom to bring in a new No6? And if not, what about the players he has there now? Advertisement The club are keen to sign Yves Bissouma looked to be out the door for most of last season but then played a key role in the semi-final and final of the Europa League. He only has one year left on his deal though and has been linked to Fenerbahce and Juventus. Lucas Bergvall is likely to be a key man going forward but what about Archie Gray, the teenager Frank came close to signing at Brentford? Where will he play? Many, many questions about the middle of the park. Advertisement 11 Spurs have spent £5million on Japan rising star Kota Takai Credit: Getty 6 - Who will be on their way, either permanently or on loan? SPURS are back in the Champions League but have a big squad that needs trimming. At centre-back, for example, they currently have NINE different options if you include youngster Alfie Dorrington. Some players will surely go, either permanently like Bryan Gil, or on loan. Advertisement Decisions will have to be made about youngsters like Luka Vuskovic, a target for Bundesliga clubs, and Manor Solomon has also returned from a Championship-winning loan spell at Leeds, and Frank will give him a chance in pre-season, but if the Israeli does stay, his opportunities look like they will be limited given the vast array of competition. 7 - How does he stop Spurs' injury crisis? FIRST off, Frank will be asked for fitness updates on Spurs' current list of crocked players. Advertisement But there may well be more scrutiny on how exactly he plans to stop Spurs being derailed by injuries, as they have been for the last two seasons. Predecessor Ange Postecoglou was often accused of being part of the problem with his intense training and matches, but he would push back on that. For the second summer in a row, Spurs have made big changes to their medical department, suggesting they are not happy with the results they have been seeing. 11 James Maddison was one of many players injured last season Credit: Getty Advertisement 11 Destiny Udogie's Snapchat seemed to show 'long throw audition' as part of Spurs' training schedule 8 - Can fans now expect long throws? POSTECOGLOU often gave the impression he was not too fussed about set-pieces - but Frank certainly is. Dead-ball routines were a big part of his success at Brentford and he has already hired coach Andreas Georgson to focus on set pieces. No doubt they will look focus on a number of areas for that part of the game, and one in particular could be long throw-ins. Advertisement Can Frank confirm he is looking to go all Rory Delap? 9 - Is Daniel Levy's Champions League target realistic? LEVY made a bold claim earlier this summer when explaining his decisions behind sacking Postecoglou and hiring Frank. Winning the Europa League was not enough, Advertisement Given the club were revealed in February by the Deloitte Football Money League report to have had the lowest wage-to-turnover ratio in the division, is this feasible or deluded? While paying the most does not guarantee trophies - as Manchester United have found out - there is generally a correlation between bigger wages and success. In fairness, there was no timeframe put on Levy's ambitious goal, and Frank will obviously not criticise his boss in public even if he thinks differently. Still, it will be interesting to see how he reacts when that question is put to him. Advertisement 11 Daniel Levy is targeting Champions League and Premier League titles 11 Ange Postecoglou was sacked by Levy 16 days after winning the Europa League Credit: GETTY 10 - Does he have any concerns given the last guy ended the trophy curse and was still sacked? IT would be understandable if Frank did. Postecoglou may have had a nightmare league campaign - which was the justification Levy used when ruthlessly axing him in June. Advertisement But the Aussie did something no other manager has achieved in 17 years at Tottenham by winning a trophy, which is the be all and end all for a lot of fans. He also delivered the first European success in 41 years, giving supporters memories to last a lifetime. Frank will back himself to build on that success but are there any concerns at all now he is working for a man with a trigger-happy history?
Scottish Sun
6 days ago
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
The ten burning issues that Thomas Frank will be grilled over at his unveiling as Tottenham Hotspur's new head coach
THOMAS FRANK has his unveiling as Tottenham Hotspur boss on Friday - and he is sure to be grilled on a number of hot topics. From transfers in, to transfers out, to his upcoming Champions League campaign and becoming Daniel Levy's 14th permanent manager, the Dane will not be short of questions to answer. 11 Thomas Frank succeeded Europa League winner Ange Postecoglou Credit: PA 11 Morgan Gibbs-White turning up for Nottingham Forest training on Monday Credit: X - Nottingham Forest Here, SunSport takes a look at ten burning issues the 51-year-old may have to address... 1 - The Morgan Gibbs-White saga TOTTENHAM looked to have pulled off a stunning coup when they surprisingly moved for Nottingham Forest and England star Morgan Gibbs-White last week. It had been thought they had triggered a secret £60million release clause and on Friday, the 25-year-old was even expected to undergo a medical at their Hotspur Way training ground. Then all hell broke loose. READ MORE ON FOOTBALL NOTT GOING YET Spurs and Forest in standoff over Gibbs-White as release clause explained Furious Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis cut all communication with Spurs and issued legal complaints to the North Londoners and Gibbs-White's representatives. Forest's objections cited breach of confidentiality over the release clause and effectively tapping-up the player as they had not given permission to speak with him. The fact that Gibbs-White is not a Spurs player yet raises questions over whether Tottenham have met all the conditions of the release clause. CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS His move has been left in limbo with Gibbs-White training with Forest in pre-season as normal. Frank is known to be particularly keen on the four-cap England man, admiring his dynamism in the No10 position and his versatility. Perhaps he can shed some light on the current state of play involving the transfer. Chelsea vs Tottenham fan battle - 'Kane's better than Drogba at EVERYTHING' | Stoppage Time 11 Cristian Romero was key to Tottenham going all the way in the Europa League Credit: Getty 2 - What's going on with Cristian Romero? CRISTIAN ROMERO is a World Cup winner and a massive influence in the Tottenham dressing room, especially with the South American contingent. He struggled with injury for a lot of last season but was a huge reason why Spurs went all the way in the Europa League. However, the Argentine made plenty of noises last season to suggest he was not entirely happy in North London. He reposted on X a damning claim that Spurs had not put on a chartered flight for him coming back from international duty, while he also publicly criticised the club's lack of spending compared to their rivals. Most notable was a bombshell interview he himself had arranged late on in April where he claimed he wanted to play in La Liga one day, amid strong interest from Atletico Madrid. Romero has two years left on his contract and Spurs will not sell the £60million-rated defender on the cheap. Hearing Frank's thoughts on the situation will be fascinating. 3 - What's going on with captain Son Heung-min? SON HEUNG-MIN is understood to be open to calling time on his decade at the club this summer. Having finally won a trophy after all that time, there is an understandable argument that this is a good moment to go out on a high. But whether it happens or not remains to be seen. 11 Son Heung-min finally got his hands on a trophy with the Europa League triumph Credit: Getty LAFC are very keen and Son is believed to like the idea of going to America, more so than Saudi Arabia, but a move Stateside seems unlikely right now. A switch to anywhere seems off the cards before Tottenham's tour to Seoul at the start of August at the very least - barring a stratospheric offer. Son, now 33, has one year left remaining on his contract but given the commercial revenue he brings in from being a godlike figure in South Korea, Spurs certainly will not let him go cheaply. Frank is well-stocked out wide, particularly following the £55m arrival of Mohammed Kudus, albeit his best position is more on the right side compared to Son's left. The Dane usually lives up to his last name in how honest he can be when speaking publicly - perhaps he will give a frank assessment over how he sees the situation surrounding his captain. 4 - Will the club pursue another centre-forward? SPURS fans have been pleasantly surprised by the amount of money being spent - or trying to be spent, in Gibbs-White's case - so far this summer. It leads questions as to where the extra cash has come from, with talk of a significant injection from majority owners ENIC being the source. Despite the big-money moves for Kudus and Gibbs-White, Spurs have strong interest in Yoane Wissa, the DR Congo striker who scored 19 Premier League goals for Frank at Brentford last term. Wissa, 28, has one year left on his Bees contract and would be a savvy signing given his versatility. Can Frank confirm that is an area he is looking to strengthen to give Dominic Solanke some much-needed competition - or is he backing Richarlison to overcome his injury problems? 11 Yoane Wissa scored 19 Premier League goals for Frank last season Credit: Getty 11 Yves Bissouma was vital to Spurs' European success, but is he staying? Credit: PA 5 - The midfield FRANK may well opt not to reveal his hand over the formation he plans to employ. But whether it is 4-2-3-1, 4-3-3 or 3-5-2, it is more than likely to involve three central midfielders - with two of them probably deeper-lying. This is interesting because holding midfield has been a problem position for some time for Spurs. First of all, given all the spending elsewhere, do Spurs have headroom to bring in a new No6? And if not, what about the players he has there now? The club are keen to sign Rodrigo Bentancur up to a new deal and Frank namechecked the Uruguayan in his first interview with the club, so clearly rates him. Yves Bissouma looked to be out the door for most of last season but then played a key role in the semi-final and final of the Europa League. He only has one year left on his deal though and has been linked to Fenerbahce and Juventus. Lucas Bergvall is likely to be a key man going forward but what about Archie Gray, the teenager Frank came close to signing at Brentford? Where will he play? Many, many questions about the middle of the park. 11 Spurs have spent £5million on Japan rising star Kota Takai Credit: Getty 6 - Who will be on their way, either permanently or on loan? SPURS are back in the Champions League but have a big squad that needs trimming. At centre-back, for example, they currently have NINE different options if you include youngster Alfie Dorrington. Some players will surely go, either permanently like Bryan Gil, or on loan. Decisions will have to be made about youngsters like Luka Vuskovic, a target for Bundesliga clubs, and new Japanese signing Kota Takai. Does Frank see them as first-team ready now? Manor Solomon has also returned from a Championship-winning loan spell at Leeds, and Frank will give him a chance in pre-season, but if the Israeli does stay, his opportunities look like they will be limited given the vast array of competition. 7 - How does he stop Spurs' injury crisis? FIRST off, Frank will be asked for fitness updates on Spurs' current list of crocked players. James Maddison, Lucas Bergvall, Dejan Kulusevski and Radu Dragusin all missed the end of the season because of various issues. Fans will be eager to hear where they are in their respective recoveries. But there may well be more scrutiny on how exactly he plans to stop Spurs being derailed by injuries, as they have been for the last two seasons. Predecessor Ange Postecoglou was often accused of being part of the problem with his intense training and matches, but he would push back on that. For the second summer in a row, Spurs have made big changes to their medical department, suggesting they are not happy with the results they have been seeing. 11 James Maddison was one of many players injured last season Credit: Getty 11 Destiny Udogie's Snapchat seemed to show 'long throw audition' as part of Spurs' training schedule 8 - Can fans now expect long throws? POSTECOGLOU often gave the impression he was not too fussed about set-pieces - but Frank certainly is. Dead-ball routines were a big part of his success at Brentford and he has already hired coach Andreas Georgson to focus on set pieces. No doubt they will look focus on a number of areas for that part of the game, and one in particular could be long throw-ins. Footage from full-back Destiny Udogie's Snapchat account seemed to suggest as much, with a screen in the background of one of the Italian's posts showing 'long throw audition' as part of the day's training schedule. Can Frank confirm he is looking to go all Rory Delap? 9 - Is Daniel Levy's Champions League target realistic? LEVY made a bold claim earlier this summer when explaining his decisions behind sacking Postecoglou and hiring Frank. Winning the Europa League was not enough, it is Premier League and Champions League glory that he feels Spurs should be targeting. Given the club were revealed in February by the Deloitte Football Money League report to have had the lowest wage-to-turnover ratio in the division, is this feasible or deluded? While paying the most does not guarantee trophies - as Manchester United have found out - there is generally a correlation between bigger wages and success. In fairness, there was no timeframe put on Levy's ambitious goal, and Frank will obviously not criticise his boss in public even if he thinks differently. Still, it will be interesting to see how he reacts when that question is put to him. 11 Daniel Levy is targeting Champions League and Premier League titles 11 Ange Postecoglou was sacked by Levy 16 days after winning the Europa League Credit: GETTY 10 - Does he have any concerns given the last guy ended the trophy curse and was still sacked? IT would be understandable if Frank did. Postecoglou may have had a nightmare league campaign - which was the justification Levy used when ruthlessly axing him in June. But the Aussie did something no other manager has achieved in 17 years at Tottenham by winning a trophy, which is the be all and end all for a lot of fans. He also delivered the first European success in 41 years, giving supporters memories to last a lifetime. Frank will back himself to build on that success but are there any concerns at all now he is working for a man with a trigger-happy history?
