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Tottenham have set a mammoth price tag for star defender Micky van de Ven amid serious interest from Real Madrid and Liverpool, according to a new report.

Micky van de Ven continues to shine at Tottenham

Van de Ven has been an outstanding presence for Spurs in the opening months of 2025/2026, quickly establishing himself as a key figure under Thomas Frank.

The young defender has combined defensive solidity with a remarkable goal-scoring touch, already finding the net five times across all competitions – a striking return for a player primarily tasked with keeping things tight at the back.

Van de Ven has also scored twice as many goals as any other Premier League defender so far this term, including Arsenal’s highly-praised set piece weapon Gabriel, with the Dutchman involved in all but one of Tottenham’s seven clean sheets this season too.

The 24-year-old’s combination of pace, power and goal threat has made him an indispensable member of Frank’s starting eleven, and his ability to contribute at both ends of the pitch gives Spurs a unique edge.

Van de Ven’s importance to the Lilywhites is nothing new, as he bailed Ange Postecoglou’s high line out time and time again when he was fit and available to take part.

With Cristian Romero out injured and steadily working his way back to match fitness, van de Ven and Kevin Danso have helped to fill the Argentine’s shoes to great effect as Spurs now sit third in the Premier League table.

Van de Ven’s brace against Everton, with both goals coming from set plays, sealed a crucial three points for Spurs last Sunday as they became the first away team to claim victory at the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium.

Ever since van de Ven’s arrival in north London over two years ago, the Netherlands international has been linked with a high-profile move elsewhere.

Real Madrid have specifically been mentioned as suitors amid their reported search for new centre-backs, so much so that reports suggest Tottenham are prepared to double van de Ven’s salary to keep him away from the Bernabeu.

Spurs are in no immediate danger of losing the centre-half, considering he’s contracted until 2029, and Frank is convinced that he is happy in N17.

That being said, there is always a danger that Real could turn a player’s head, and if they manage to tempt van de Ven, Spurs are apparently clear in their demands.

Tottenham set 'historic' Micky van de Ven price tag as Real Madrid and Liverpool circle

According to reports from Spain, Tottenham have set an ‘historic’ price tag for van de Ven as Real, Liverpool and even Bayern Munich circle for his signature.

It is believed that Spurs want a minimum £88 million for van de Ven, which is described as an ‘historic’ sum and would make him the most expensive defender in football history — eclipsing the £80 million that Man United paid for Harry Maguire in 2019.

Frank’s side are determined to keep hold of him and only a “massive offer” would see him leave, highlighting his growing importance both on and off the pitch.

This valuation could be part of a broader strategy reflecting Tottenham’s ambition and financial muscle, especially following a significant £100 million capital injection by the club’s owners, the Lewis family.

The investment underscores their long-term commitment to strengthening the squad and competing at the highest level, and stopping key stars like van de Ven from leaving will be pivotal as the north Londoners look to kick on from their Europa League triumph in May.

The Washington Nationals have traded relievers Andrew Chafin and Luis Garcia to the Los Angeles Angels, according to a report from Ken Rosenthal of

The Angels will send back lefty Jake Eder as part of the return going back to the Nationals.

Both Chafin and Garcia were among the players on the hot stove for the Nationals to trade ahead of the July 31 deadline. In Chafin, the Angels acquire left-handed relief pitching help that they have been searching for.

Chafin has accumulated a 2.70 ERA in 26 appearances this season out of the bullpen in Washington. Garcia, meanwhile, has posted a 4.10 ERA in 38 appearances for the Nationals.

As for the 26-year-old Eder, who is heading to Washington, he has amassed a 4.91 ERA in 18.1 innings pitched at the major league level this season for the Angels. He has spent the majority of his career in the minor leagues before breaking through last season at the big league level for the Chicago White Sox.

Ronald Acuna Jr. is the first player to announce he'll participate in the 2025 Home Run Derby during MLB All-Star festivities.

On Wednesday night, Acuna made the announcement on with host Elle Duncan.

The 2025 MLB All-Star Game will be at Acuna's home park in Atlanta, as Truist Park is set to host the Midsummer Classic. It's fitting that the face of the Braves' franchise will be participating in the most anticipated event of All-Star week.

This will be Acuna's third Home Run Derby appearance. He participated in 2019 and knocked out Josh Bell in the opening round before losing to eventual champion Pete Alonso in the semifinals. He was back in 2022 but lost to Alonso 20-19 in the opening round. Given that history, a rematch with Alonso would be great television.

In 29 games this season, Acuna is slashing .385/.496/.692 with nine home runs and 16 RBIs. He missed the beginning of the season as he recovered from a torn ACL in his left knee.

In an unprecedented move, the PCB has appointed its current Test captain Shan Masood as its Consultant for International Cricket and Player Affairs, a role that could soon become that of Director International Cricket – a senior administrative role in most cricket boards. The PCB declined to say whether this meant Masood was leaving his position as international cricketer or Test captain, or whether he would do both jobs concurrently.The PCB is currently actively recruiting for the position of Director International Cricket, with applications closing on November 2. ESPNcricinfo understands it is that vacancy Masood could eventually fill, while expected to perform that task on a caretaker basis in the interim.The previous Director International Cricket was Usman Wahla, appointed in May 2023. He was suspended from the role in September this year, though there has been no official confirmation from the PCB concerning his employment status since. It has been reported that Masood, and the players, were informed of his new role at a dinner reception hosted by the Prime Minister in honour of the visiting South African side.The PCB’s official statement is shrouded in uncertainty, saying nothing about Masood’s specific responsibilities, how long he will be in the job for, or how it affects his status as captain and player. The decision comes just a day after the conclusion of Pakistan’s Test series against South Africa, which Masood captained, and which the sides shared 1-1. Masood was the joint-highest scorer for Pakistan in the series.There’s no word from Masood in the statement the PCB put out on Friday. Masood has had the reins of the Test team for just over two years now, a period in which his position as captain has come under considerable scrutiny. He has won only one Test series – against England last winter – but before that he had become the first Pakistan captain to lose a Test series against Bangladesh. His tenure – ten losses and four wins – includes a drawn series at home against West Indies and whitewashes in Australia (3-0) and South Africa (2-0). Pakistan finished last in the last WTC cycle.Masood’s own batting performances as captain have actually shown an improvement on his overall career record. It hasn’t prevented his leadership from being subject to almost permanent uncertainty, however, and it was only shortly before the South Africa series that it became clear he would remain captain.Masood’s appointment as consultant is all but unprecedented, however, and surprising even by the standards of this PCB administration. Given the demands of what such an administrative role would ordinarily require, it can’t help but raise questions about his playing future. It could also potentially raise any number of conflicts of interest, with an active cricketer looking over the affairs of players who play under him or alongside him.Pakistan’s next Test assignments are two-match series against Bangladesh and West Indies next year, before a three-match tour of England in August 2026.

Former Real Madrid and France striker Karim Benzema has heaped praise on Kylian Mbappe's performance, but at the same time, he has acknowledged that he needs more support from his teammates. After emerging as the top goal-scorer in La Liga last term, the French forward has been in steaming form this season, already topping the scoring charts.

• Mbappe's sublime form this season

  Mbappe has been the torch-bearer for Madrid this season, almost single-handedly carrying Los Blancos with his 18 goals in 16 games. A mainstay in the team since his arrival in 2024, he has been the most important player, at first for Carlo Ancelotti and now for Xabi Alonso. With Madrid targeting a clean sweep of trophies after missing out on all major silverware last term, Benzema says it is up to the rest to step up and combine with last season's La Liga top scorer.

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  What did Benzema say?

  Benzema, himself a former Real Madrid striker, someone who has scored 354 goals in 648 matches for the club, has praised Mbappe for his deeds, but believes he requires additional support to fire more. "Mbappe is much better this season; scoring goals isn’t new to him," Benzema said. "He did it at PSG, and at Real Madrid he’s going to score many more. What we expect from Kylian is that when he gets the chance, he’ll score it. That’s how Real Madrid is."

  The former French international has also urged Mbappe to combine with Brazilian counterpart Vinicius Jr, saying: "Real Madrid need him a lot, and there are games where he has to score, like vs Atletico Madrid, Liverpool. These are teams that sit back, and he has to step up, work those situations. He has to combine with Vini Jr. Real Madrid is waiting for Mbappe for these moments, to bring home the Champions League. I think he can do it with the other players. He can’t do it alone. He needs Vini Jr, other players… that’s just how it is. I think Vini Jr, Mbappe, Rodrygo (even though he doesn’t play much), Bellingham… they have to communicate. One is there to score goals, another to provide assists."

• Benzema's advice to Jude Bellingham

  After a rough patch, Jude Bellingham is slowly regaining his lost goal-scoring form, which is partly to be blamed to his shoulder injury and the tactical shift at Madrid under Alonso. Since his return from injury in mid-September, the English midfielder has secured three goals, including the match-winning effort against Juventus in the Champions League, and one assist. Benzema said: "We’re not going to tell Bellingham to score goals because that’s Mbappe’s job, nor are we going to tell him to be the number 10 because that’s Bellingham’s role. They need to talk. He’s now better, but he needs to focus more on these moments when Real Madrid needs him because he has everything he needs to do it."

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  When do Real Madrid return to the pitch?

  Alonso's contingent will be back in the mix on November 23, against Elche. However, until December 7, they will be playing on the road. They recently witnessed a transformation of the Bernabeu, which hosted the first-ever NFL game in Spain. Their home matches were kept waiting due to this mega-event, but on December 7, they will return to home soil to play against Celta Vigo in the domestic league. In between, they have fixtures against Olympiacos (November 26), Girona (November 30) and Athletic Club (December 3).

تحدث إيرلينج هالاند مهاجم مانشستر سيتي بعد تأهل منتخب بلاده النرويج إلى كأس العالم 2026، حيث قاد فريقه لفوز عريض أمام إيطاليا.

وحل المنتخب النرويجي ضيفًا على إيطاليا ضمن مباريات التصفيات المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026، وحققوا الفوز برباعية لهدف.

وسجّل هالاند هدفين، لينهي تصفيات كأس العالم برصيد 16 هدفًا، وأنهت النرويج التصفيات دون أي هزيمة، وستشارك في بطولة كبرى للمرة الأولى منذ 26 عامًا.

وقال المهاجم النرويجي لقناة TV 2 بعد المباراة: “ربما يكون هذا أحد أجنّ النتائج على الإطلاق، أن نأتي إلى هنا ونفوز 4-1 هو أمر جنوني تمامًا، ويُظهر أننا فريق غير متوقع إلى حد ما”.

اقرأ أيضًا | هالاند يكشف عن تصرف غير لائق من مدافع إيطاليا ورد فعله

وأضاف هالاند: “أنا سعيد، لكن بصراحة أشعر براحة أكبر من أي شيء آخر، هناك ضغط كبير وأشعر به، لكنه ممتع أيضًا، سجّلت هدفين، وفزنا 4-1، وهذا رائع”.

وبشأن إمكانية الحديث عن كأس العالم بعد حسم التأهل، علّق هالاند مبتسمًا: “كنت أرغب في الحديث عن هذا منذ أسابيع، لكن لم أستطع، الآن يمكننا أخيرًا البدء في التفكير في كأس العالم بعدما ضمنّا التأهل”.

وسُئل هالاند عن الاحتفالات، ورد مبتسمًا: “سنرى إن كان أحد أفراد فريق القيادة قد خطّط لشيء ما”.

تأجل حسم منتخب البرتغال لبطاقة صعوده إلى كأس العالم بعد الخسارة أمام منتخب أيرلندا على ملعبه بثنائية نظيفة، في تصفيات أوروبا المؤهلة لكأس العالم 2026.

وكان هدفا منتخب أيرلندا قد سجلا عن طريق تروي باروت في الدقيقتين 17 بعد متابعة ركلة ركنية و45 من تسديدة من داخل منطقة الجزاء، ونجح المنتخب المضيف على أرضه ووسط جماهيره في الحفاظ على نتيجة المباراة.

وكانت مباراة منتخب البرتغال وأيرلندا قد شهدت واقعة طرد من نصيب الأسطورة البرتغالية كريستيانو رونالدو بعد أن قام بضرب أحد لاعبي منتخب أيرلندا، وعقب عودة الحكم للفار تم طرد مهاجم النصر السعودي بشكل مباشر.

أقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | طرد رونالدو في مباراة البرتغال وأيرلندا.. ورد فعل ساخر من الجماهير

وقامت جماهير أيرلندا بإطلاق صافرات الاستهجان على كريستيانو رونالدو لحظة خروجه من الملعب والذي قام بالتصفيق لهم رداً على إشارة البكاء ضده.

وكان فرناندو سانتوس مدرب منتخب البرتغال قد دخل اللقاء بتشكيل مكون من: كوستا، دالوت، روبن دياز، إيناسيو، كانسيلو، روبن نيفيز، فيتينيا، جواو نيفيز، برناردو سيلفا، كريستيانو رونالدو، جواو فليكس.

بهذه النتيجة يرتفع رصيد منتخب أيرلندا للنقطة السابعة في المركز الثالث، ويتجمد رصيد منتخب البرتغال عند النقطة 10 في المركز الأول.

Liverpool ended their torrid losing streak as Mohamed Salah scored his 250th goal for the club and Ryan Gravenberch netted on his return from injury in a comfortable 2-0 win over Aston Villa at Anfield. The Reds were well worth the three points but had a slice of luck to thank as Emiliano Martinez presented Salah with an open goal to break the deadlock, before Gravenberch's deflected strike sealed the points for a Arne Slot's dominant side.

After six defeats in seven matches and four in a row in the league, nothing but their best was demanded of Liverpool and they showed great strides towards rediscovering just that. It was Villa who looked the more threatening in the opening quarter of an hour, though, as Morgan Rogers struck the base of the post with a fifth-minute curling drive before Giorgi Mamardashvili diverted a deflected Matty Cash cross onto the crossbar before thwarting Rogers from range.

Liverpool put the visitors under significant pressure at the other end, pressing Villa's defence effectively and forcing mistakes, and Dominik Szoboszlai should have opened the scoring after Boubacar Kamara lost possession, but his tame strike was straight at Martinez. This would be a warning sign which Villa did not learn from, as Martinez himself presented Salah with the ball and the Egyptian accepted his gift.

Another piece of luck would see Liverpool double their lead in the second half, as Gravenberch drove into space on the edge of the box and saw his low strike deflected beyond Martinez and into the net. When the visitors did look to attack at the other end, they found a well-organised defensive unit in their way and often resorted to wayward finishing from outside the box. Unai Emery's side were also fortunate to end the match with all 11 men after Amadou Onana appeared to grab Alexis Mac Allister by the neck during an altercation at a corner.

GOAL rates Liverpool's players from Anfield…

Getty Images SportGoalkeeper & Defence

Giorgi Mamardashvili (7/10):

His saves at 0-0 should not be underestimated, particularly the one from Cash's deflected cross. Showed why he is believed to be the perfect long-term successor to Alisson.

Conor Bradley (8/10):

His energy and ambition in the final third was exactly what was needed, while the Northern Ireland international barely put a foot wrong in defence and limited Villa to very little down his side.

Ibrahima Konate (7/10):

Has struggled at times so far this season, but was far more solid and imposing at the back as Watkins went missing.

Virgil van Dijk (7/10):

Marshalled the defence well as the Reds' struggling back-line returned to somewhere near its best. Made key blocks when he was needed.

Andy Robertson (7/10):

Justified his selection over Kerkez with some lung-busting play at both ends. He at times found himself in the striking position alongside Ekitike, though also made an important tackle to deny Guessand in his own box.

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Alexis Mac Allister (7/10):

Showed an improvement from recent weeks with a composed performance in midfield. Could have scored late in the first half had it not been for a brilliant block by Konsa, while the Argentine spotted the run of Gravenberch to assist the second goal. 

Ryan Gravenberch (8/10):

The Dutchman was a big miss in three matches out with an ankle injury, and showed exactly why as he was dominant in midfield, continuing to add a goal-scoring touch to his game with his deflected second-half strike after breaking into space.

Dominik Szoboszlai (8/10):

Another stand-out performance by the Hungarian, who played a key role in Liverpool's highly-effective press and continued to be the Reds' chief creator. His inch-perfect delivery was headed home by a marginally-offside Ekitike, while the Reds' No.8 won the ball off Villa's defence on several occasions.

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Mohamed Salah (8/10):

Put his name up in lights with his 250th Reds goal, in what was a relatively simple finish but an important one. Created chances for Gakpo and Ekitike and looked closer to his determined best, causing Digne a torrid time for periods of the match.

Hugo Ekitike (7/10):

Scored in the first half with a well-taken header but had just gone too early to have the goal disallowed for offside. With Isak out injured, the France international continues to stake his claim to being the Reds' best striking option.

Cody Gakpo (6/10):

At times appeared too predictable cutting in onto his right foot, while he mis-controlled a Salah cross with the goal at his mercy and will have been relieved to see the offside flag go up.

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Florian Wirtz (6/10):

Replaced Ekitike as a make-shift striker and had little impact in his late cameo, as the only substitute Slot introduced in the match.

Arne Slot (8/10):

Made the right selection choices in dropping Wirtz and Kerkez to the bench, and his side's high press was a key factor in a crucial victory. Players stepped up across all areas of the pitch, and fan chants of Slot's name in the second half indicated a warm appreciation of the performance.

MatériaMais Notícias

Após a vitória por 2 a 0 diante do Cuiabá neste sábado (19), na Arena Pantanal, pelo Brasileirão, o Palmeiras se reapresentou e treinou na manhã deste domingo (20). A delegação do Verdão retornou da capital mato-grossense durante a madrugada e já iniciou a preparação para o duelo contra o Deportivo Pereira, válido pela ida das quartas de final da Libertadores. A bola rola nesta quarta-feira (23), às 21h30, em Pereira, na Colômbia. As novidades foram Dudu e Gabriel Menino, que participaram do treinamento no gramado.

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+ ANÁLISE: Mesmo sem ‘força máxima’, Palmeiras mostra consistência em meio à semana decisiva na Libertadores

Os jogadores que atuaram por mais de 45 minutos diante do Dourado seguiram o cronograma de trabalhos regenerativos na parte interna do centro de excelência. Em campo reduzido, o restante do grupo realizou atividades técnicas de troca de passes, marcação no curto espaço e enfrentamentos de sete contra sete com a participação dos goleiros.

Em processo de transição física, Dudu e Gabriel Menino participaram de parte da atividade de campo integrados ao elenco. O meia se recupera de dores na coxa direita e o atacante de uma lesão na panturrilha direita. Ambos não jogaram contra o Cuiabá e a expectativa é que eles estejam disponíveis para Abel Ferreira para o duelo de quarta.

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+ Próximos jogos do Palmeiras: onde assistir ao vivo, datas, horários e calendário

Com a vitória deste sábado, o Palmeiras se manteve na vice-liderança do Brasileirão, com 37 pontos, 11 a menos que o líder Botafogo, que empatou na rodada e viu a distância diminuir em dois pontos. Na próxima rodada do campeonato nacional, o Verdão recebe o Vasco no domingo (27), às 18h30, no Allianz Parque.

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Gabriel MeninoLibertadoresPalmeiras

It’s been a miserable start to the season for West Ham United.

Graham Potter’s side would have been happy with an opening day fixture against one of the newly promoted sides, but instead of being eased into the Premier League campaign with an easy win, they were trounced 3-0.

Things have only gotten worse since, with heavy home defeats to Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur and a 3-2 loss in the League Cup against Wolverhampton Wanderers.

In all, Potter’s position now looks untenable and, as a result, the club have been linked with a host of potential replacements, including one who was in the league last season.

The coaches linked with West Ham

As a result of West Ham’s diabolical form this season, the club have been linked with a host of potential Potter replacements in recent weeks.

Manager Focus

Who are the greatest coaches in the land? Football FanCast’s Manager Focus series aims to reveal all.

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One coach who’d surely do a much better job than the Englishman is recently fired Nuno Espírito Santo, who might have struggled in North London, but did a brilliant job with Nottingham Forest, leading them back into European football for the first time in several generations.

On the other side of the coin is Frank Lampard, who might be doing a good enough job with Coventry City this season, but was never convincing during his time with Chelsea or Everton in the Premier League, getting sacked from both clubs.

However, there is now a third manager in the mix, someone who would still be an upgrade on Potter, and an exciting one at that: Kieran McKenna.

Yes, according to a recent report from Hammer News, the Ipswich Town boss is now in the mix to replace the Irons manager.

In fact, the report goes further than that, revealing that a source has told them that the Northern Irishman would take the job if offered.

It might be seen as a risk by some, but McKenna performed well last season, and there is every chance he will end up being an upgrade on Potter.

Why McKenna would be an upgrade on Potter

Well, first and foremost, McKenna has a better record at his current side than Potter, and it is not even close.

For example, despite battling relegation all of last season with a squad that still had plenty of League One-level players in it, the “sensational” Ipswich boss, as John Barnes dubbed him, has an impressive record of 83 wins, 48 losses, and 48 draws with the Tractor Boys, which comes out to an average of 1.66 points per game.

In stark contrast, the Irons boss has won just six games since taking the job in January, losing 13 and drawing the other five, which comes out to a paltry average of 0.96 points per game.

McKenna vs Potter (Current Jobs)

Manager

McKenna

Potter

Games

179

24

Wins

83

6

Draws

48

5

Losses

48

13

Points per Game

1.66

0.96

All Stats via Sofascore

In fact, the only team in which he has had a points per game average of more than 1.50 is Ostersunds, as he averaged 1.45 with Swansea City, 1.28 with Brighton & Hove Albion and just 1.42 with Chelsea, who won the Champions League just a year before he was appointed.

Another big tick in the Coa-born coaches’ favour is that he has a real proven track record of dragging a team out of the depths and pushing them to success in the English game.

When he took charge of the Suffolk side, they were languishing down in the third tier, and within a few years, he led them on successive promotions back to the Premier League for the first time in over two decades.

Potter might have helped to stabilise Brighton, but the Seagulls have actually enjoyed greater success since he left in September 2022.

Ultimately, while there is some element of risk in hiring McKenna, he appears to be a better manager than Potter, both statistically and in terms of project building.

Related How West Ham's board are now feeling about Graham Potter after Tottenham defeat

The Hammers have been repeatedly linked with new managers.

Posts ByEmilio Galantini Sep 17, 2025