Former Tottenham manager Glenn Hoddle has tipped a ‘world-class’ member of Thomas Frank’s squad to snub new contract talks amid interest from world football’s elite sides.

Tottenham enjoy mini Thomas Frank revival after two consecutive wins

Frank’s Tottenham tenure was heading towards crisis territory just days ago, but consecutive victories over Brentford and Slavia Prague have injected fresh optimism into a campaign that threatened to derail completely.

Saturday’s 2-0 triumph against Brentford represented far more than three precious points — it also went a long way to vindicating Frank’s approach after mounting pressure following a dismal five-match winless streak.

The victory, sealed through first-half strikes from Richarlison and Xavi Simons, ended Tottenham’s agonizing wait for a home Premier League win since their opening-day demolition of Burnley.

Frank described the performance as “very complete,” highlighting his side’s dynamism, unpredictability and defensive discipline that restricted Brentford to just four attempts throughout the match.

Owen Hargreaves says "exceptional" Tottenham star outshone Simons against Prague

It was a great night for Spurs in Europe.

ByEmilio Galantini 5 days ago

Simons, who has attracted criticism since his £52 million arrival from RB Leipzig, put in a Player of the Match display.

The Netherlands international orchestrated both goals, curving his run brilliantly to deliver Richarlison’s tap-in before producing a sensational solo effort, driving from halfway into Brentford’s penalty area to slide past Caoimhin Kelleher.

Tuesday’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Slavia Prague continued the momentum, extending Tottenham’s remarkable home European record to 23 consecutive matches without defeat.

An own goal from David Zima, and penalties from Mohammed Kudus and Simons, elevated Spurs into the top eight of the Champions League standings with 11 points from six games.

Kudus was Tottenham’s ‘best player by far’ on the night as he continues to justify his £55 million transfer from West Ham in the summer, but Micky van de Ven once again proved himself indispensable too.

According to recent reports, Spurs are ready to offer van de Ven a ‘double your money’ contract in an attempt to ward off the likes of Real Madrid and Chelsea, who’ve shown interest in the Dutchman.

Van de Ven is an indispensable member of the Lilywhites backline and scored what was perhaps their goal of the season against FC Copenhagen recently, mimicking Son Heung-min’s famous Puskas winner with a mazy run from deep inside his own half.

Interest in the 24-year-old is inevitable, with Hoddle now commenting on the defender’s long-term future.

Glenn Hoddle tips van de Ven to snub Tottenham contract offer

Amid claims that Spurs are eager to tie down their superstar centre-back, Hoddle has now told Capital Football that he expects van de Ven to snub Tottenham’s advances over a new deal.

Hoddle adds that he is the club’s ‘only’ world-class player, and could ply his trade at basically any team in the world.

The former Wolfsburg star was also a vital member of Ange Postecoglou’s team and key to the Australian’s high line. Whenever van de Ven was absent through injury, you noticed, and he’d be an equally hard player to replace for Frank.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is the only Spurs star to play more Premier League minutes this season than van de Ven, highlighting just how pivotal he is for Tottenham’s new boss.

Replacing him would be a near-impossible task, but luckily for the club, he’s already contracted until 2029.

Thomas Frank is clearly a clever man. The Tottenham Hotspur manager is a bona fide tactician, and he has credentials in the Premier League after lifting Brentford into the top flight and keeping them there with a flourish.

But the Danish coach’s skills haven’t yet translated to Tottenham, not in the same manner, not with the same snap and grace.

Tottenham are 11th in the league standings, and they have two points from their past five matches. Home ground misery has spilt from last season into the new campaign, and this is forming the crux of a general air of frustration that may threaten Frank’s tenure if he does not find a solution quickly.

Much has been made of the north Londoners’ creative problems this season, but Frank’s resilient and organised defensive structure is also leaving something to be desired, prompting Johan Lange and Fabio Paratici to start searching for reinforcements.

Spurs searching for a defender

Frank’s well-ordered system lends itself to stability in the Premier League. He is not known as an attack-centric coach, but the rises of Bryan Mbeumo, Ivan Toney and Yoane Wissa bear testament to his man-management skills and tactical expertise across the board.

But it’s clear that Tottenham need more high-quality depth at the rear, with questionable recruitment in recent years leading to a lopsided outfit that quite simply doesn’t boast the wider quality to challenge at the very top of the division.

Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero are talented centre-halves, but the pool is shallow beneath them, and that’s why Tottenham are gearing up for a winter raid on a Premier League rival.

According to TEAMtalk, Tottenham are preparing an ambitious £40m bid for Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke, who has been among the standouts for Fabian Hurzeler this season.

The Dutchman is physical and technically dynamic, and given that he is contracted to the AMEX until 2027, now represents the perfect time to strike.

What Van Hecke would offer Spurs

Van Hecke, 25 years old, has been at Brighton since signing from NAC Breda in 2022, spending his first two years out on loan and since featuring 107 times across all competitions. He was immense last term, earning praise for his “unbelievable season” from his manager.

You may have seen Van Hecke’s name crop up in recent days. He netted a brace during Brighton’s frantic 4-3 defeat to winning machine Aston Villa, emulating both Romero and Van de Ven in that regard.

Standing at 6 foot 2 and with a limber frame, the Netherlands native is fast becoming one of the most dynamic and athletic centre-backs in the Premier League, ranking among the top 5% of positional peers in the division this season for goals scored, the top 21% for shot-creating actions, the top 3% for progressive passes and the top 1% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

This underscores both his athleticism and proactivity on the ball. In this, he shares traits with Romero, who has scored three times but also assisted two goals across all competitions this year.

But the central point here is that Van Hecke is good enough to start; he would not move to the capital and play under Frank only to languish on the fringes.

Romero is the captain and a real talismanic force for a squad in need of guidance, but given Van Hecke’s enterprising passing and willingness to run, might he threaten countryman Van de Ven’s place in the starting line-up?

Van de Ven simply isn’t winning enough duels this season. He is an elite athletic profile and a force to be reckoned with, but there is gas in the tank he is not burning right now, and a true challenger for his starting spot could jumpstart him into action.

Then again, Van Hecke does have the quality to nail down a berth, with former striker Pierre van Hooijdonk actually describing him as a “positively crazy” defender, something that can work in your favour as a centre-back, if harnessed effectively.

This Romero-esque player could prove a jackpot signing for Tottenham if signed, not only deepening Frank’s options but also enriching the quality of a team that has more to give.

Spurs star is becoming Frank's own version of Kane & he's not even a forward

This Tottenham star is becoming a talismanic force for Frank’s side.

By
Angus Sinclair

Dec 5, 2025

Nottingham Forest are now targeting an “incredible” Europa League midfielder, amid Elliot Anderson continuing to attract attention from some top clubs.

Anderson's City Ground future up in the air

Forest could have their work cut out trying to keep hold of Anderson, given that the midfielder is of major interest to the Premier League’s biggest clubs, with it recently being revealed that Manchester United have identified him as their number one target.

Manchester City are currently the favourites to win the race for the former Newcastle United man, however, with the Blues ready to hijack their rivals, given that Pep Guardiola is a huge admirer, and there is a feeling that a deal could be possible for a fee of £88m.

Alex Crook has also revealed that United would probably have to fork out a club-record fee to sign the England international, with the Tricky Trees in a strong negotiating position, given that he remains under contract until 2029.

With Anderson’s future at the City Ground up in the air, Nottingham Forest have now started to run the rule over potential new additions in midfield, according to a report from TEAMtalk, which states they are now targeting Lyon star Tyler Morton.

Morton has put in some eye-catching performances since moving to the Ligue 1 club for £15m in the summer, and he could now be in line for a swift return to the Premier League, with the likes of Crystal Palace and Brighton & Hove Albion also keen.

Lyon are reluctant to sell the midfielder, but cashing-in for a higher price than they paid might be too good an opportunity to turn down, considering their financial difficulties, so the door could be open for a move to Forest.

"Incredible" Morton now ready to prove himself in England

The 23-year-old never really managed to make the grade at Liverpool, being shipped out on loan to Hull City and Blackburn Rovers, and never making a Premier League appearance, but he has proven he’s now ready to test himself in England.

The Englishman has emerged as a key player for Lyon in Ligue 1, chipping in with one goal and one assist in 12 outings, while also putting in a solid performance in his most recent Europa League match, with Lyon battering Maccabi Tel Aviv 6-0.

Tyler Morton’s key statistics vs Maccabi Tel Aviv

Number completed

Tackles

4

Interceptions

2

Duels (won)

8 (6)

Accurate passes

60/63 (95%)

Journalist Bence Bocsak is clearly a big admirer of the Wallasey-born midfielder too, saying: “Out of all the young players who left Liverpool this summer I’m absolutely convinced Tyler Morton is the most likely to return. He’s a fantastic footballer. Incredible IQ.”

Nottingham Forest now keen on £117k-a-week UCL defender who may replace Murillo

The Tricky Trees are looking at signing a new centre-back in the January transfer window, amid doubts over Murillo’s future.

ByDominic Lund Dec 2, 2025

While Arne Slot’s side making a move would be understandable, with any luck Nottingham Forest will be able to win the race for Morton’s signature, as he could be a fantastic addition to Sean Dyche’s squad.

شارك النجم المصري محمد صلاح في تعادل ليفربول أمام سندرلاند بهدف لمثله، على ملعب أنفيلد في الدوري الانجليزي الممتاز.

وعلى الرغم من أن محمد صلاح قد بدأ المباراة على مقاعد البدلاء، لكن آرني سلوت استعان به منذ بداية الشوط الثاني بعد انتهاء الشوط الأول بالتعادل السلبي.

وجاء هدف سندرلاند الأول عن طريق المغربي الشاب شمس الدين طالبي في الدقيقة 67 بتسديدة رائعة من خارج منطقة الجزاء.

وتعادل ليفربول بعد مجهود فردي وتسديدة رائعة من فلوريان فيرتز، لتصطدم الكرة بلاعب سندرلاند نوردي موكيلي في الدقيقة 81 وتسكن شباك الفريق الضيف.

أقرأ أيضاً.. فيديو | ماذا قدم محمد صلاح في مباراة ليفربول وسندرلاند بـ الدوري الإنجليزي؟

وعبر منصة “إكس” تفاعل العديد من جماهير ليفربول مع أداء النجم المصري محمد صلاح والذي شارك منذ بداية الشوط الثاني:

“سلوت احتاج صلاح لإنقاذ وظيفته”

Now he needs Salah to save his job lol. — A.B.L (@aalk89372) December 3, 2025

“اطردوا سلوت الآن”

Sack Slot now please — Ebube_brown🍅 (@Ebube_brown) December 3, 2025

“عندما لا يبدو 7 أو 8 لاعبين في حالتهم، فالمشكلة تكون في النظام”

Maybe he should have played better lately? No one is bigger than the team. — Robin W (@RobinS66BS) December 3, 2025

“المدرب هو المشكلة”

This is a coach problem — hidden name (@brokinsolz) December 3, 2025

“لا شك أنه لا يزال أفضل لاعب في الفريق بفارق كبير جداً”

Undoubtedly still the best player in the squad by a VERY large margin — Stillde Bred (@YoMomsMeatyLips) December 3, 2025

“صلاح ليس المشكلة، لا أحد يتراجع من مستوى عالمي لمستوى متوسط في غضون أشهر، هذه مشكلة جماعية وليست فردية”.

Btw Salah isn’t the problem. No one drops from world-class to average in a matter of months. This is a team problem, not an individual one. — Nuna (@NaiiLFC) December 3, 2025

“يجب أن يذهب إلى السعودية”

He should go to Saudi pic.twitter.com/QLtHI66TAl — Locket Mokete (@LockeyMango) December 3, 2025

“عليكم جميعاً أن تضغوا مصلحة الفريق فوق كل اعتبار، صلاح يأتي ويرحل، أنا ممتن لمحمد صلاح، الرجل الذي منح ليفربول الحياة، لم يكن هناك فرق يذكر حتى عندما دخل الشوط الثاني”

You all should put the team first , salah will come and go .I’m grateful to MO the man gave Liverpool life

Even when he entered second half , little or no difference — plato_ovu (@plato_ovu) December 3, 2025

“ربما كان عليه أن يلعب بشكل أفضل مؤخراً؟ لا أحد أكبر من الفريق”

Maybe he should have played better lately? No one is bigger than the team. — Robin W (@RobinS66BS) December 3, 2025

” سيذهب إلى كأس الأمم الإفريقية ونحن بحاجة لفريق فعال بدونه”

Brother he’s going to afcon and we need a functioning team without him — PsVEagle (@PsVEagle) December 3, 2025

MatériaMais Notícias

O Corinthians encara o Cruzeiro no domingo (14), às 18h (de Brasília), na Neo Química. Será o segundo jogo da semifinal da Copa do Brasil. Dorival Júnior convive com a expectativa de contar com dois titulares para a partida: Yuri Alberto e Raniele.

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O atacante sentiu dores na região do adutor da perna esquerda e precisou ser substituído aos 19 minutos do segundo tempo na vitória por 1 a 0 do Timão contra o Cruzeiro, no Mineirão. Antes do triunfo, Yuri Alberto havia sido poupado de duas partidas por uma sobrecarga na região.

O Corinthians divulgou que Yuri Alberto seria reexaminado na sexta-feira (12), mas não apresentou nenhum diagnóstico. O atacante é o artilheiro do clube alvinegro na temporada com 18 gols marcados. Caso não conte com o camisa 9, a tendência é que Dorival Júnior escale Gui Negão em seu lugar.

continua após a publicidade

No meio de campo, a dúvida é sobre Raniele. O volante não foi relacionado no primeiro jogo das semifinais, devido a um edema no tornozelo esquerdo. O atleta segue trabalhando e será reavaliado até o confronto. Em seu lugar, José Martínez fez uma boa partida.

Tudo sobre o Timão agora no WhatsApp. Siga o nosso novo canal Lance! Corinthians

Vantagem do Corinthians

No primeiro jogo, deu Timão. Os comandados de Dorival Júnior venceram após Memphis balançar as redes e garantiram a vantagem do empate no duelo de volta. Em caso de vitória por um gol de diferença do Cruzeiro, a decisão será nas penalidades.

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O Corinthians ainda não sofreu gols na atual edição da competição, em que eliminou Novorizontino, Palmeiras e Athletico Paranaense na trajetória. Ao todo, foram sete jogos. O adversário na final saíra do confronto entre Fluminense e Vasco. O Cruzmaltino venceu o jogo de ida por 2 a 1.

Tudo sobre

CorinthiansFutebol Nacional

John Campbell, Brandon King, Shai Hope and Roston Chase offered resistance for West Indies, but they slipped from 153 for 3 to 205 all out

Sreshth ShahUpdated on 10-Dec-2025

Stumps New Zealand’s patchwork fast-bowling attack delivered a strong show on the opening day of the second Test in Wellington, dismissing West Indies for 205 inside 75 overs at Basin Reserve. But the sight of Blair Tickner being stretchered off late in the afternoon with a suspected dislocated left shoulder took some sheen off their day of dominance.Tickner, playing his first Test in two years and leading the bowling with 4 for 32, was central to turning a bright West Indies start into yet another collapse, while Michael Rae, the 30-year-old debutant drafted into a severely depleted pace unit, complemented him with 3 for 67 in an energetic outing that gave New Zealand the bite they had lacked in the opening hour. That bite mattered because the first hour had belonged entirely to West Indies despite losing the toss, in a match where the hosts announced five changes and the visitors three.On a pitch far milder than the traditional green seamer, John Campbell and Brandon King put on 66 for the opening wicket. Jacob Duffy and Zak Foulkes, burdened with heavy workloads from the first Test after the injuries to Matt Henry and Nathan Smith in Christchurch, bowled honest but ineffective spells that allowed scoring opportunities.Campbell drove through the line, King played compactly, and West Indies looked assured.Michael Rae picked up three wickets in his first innings in Test cricket•Getty Images

But once New Zealand turned to Tickner and Rae – fresher workload-wise, and sharper in pace – the difference was visible. They operated either full or short but always at the stumps or the body, and the tone of the innings shifted dramatically.Tickner was the first to strike when he prised out King in the 17th over. King, playing the Test after Tagenarine Chanderpaul picked up a side strain on the eve of the Test, and opening for only the second time in his Test career, was pinned lbw when Tickner’s delivery from a short-ish length jagged in and hit him on the pad. One over later, Kavem Hodge was undone for a duck by a fuller ball from Tickner that tailed in late and struck him in front of middle and leg. The double-blow helped New Zealand quickly erase an indifferent start heading into the lunch break.Rae, who had leaked runs in his first spell in Test cricket, made an impact after lunch. Coming around the wicket, he angled a full ball across Campbell, who leaned into a drive with firm hands and edged to first slip, and at 93 for 3, West Indies’ position was slipping.Shai Hope and Roston Chase attempted to restore stability with a 60-run stand for the fourth wicket. Hope scored freely but never convincingly; Tickner and Rae repeatedly hurried him with the short ball, and he took two blows to the helmet with concussion checks following as the afternoon surface grew livelier. Hope reached 48, but Tickner finally cracked him with another rising delivery that he tried awkwardly to fend off, gloving a catch to Kane Williamson at third slip. That, Tickner’s third wicket, had seemed almost inevitable given the sustained discomfort he had caused the batters, and Chase followed soon after, cramped by a Tickner delivery that jagged in sharply to catch the inside-edge on to leg stump for 29.Justin Greaves, West Indies’ double-centurion in Christchurch, lasted 52 balls before Rae drew a faint outside edge with a tight off-stump line. Mitchell Hay completed the catch behind the stumps, leaving West Indies’ lower order exposed. Rae then trapped Kemar Roach lbw with a fuller delivery that kicked enough to beat the bat and straighten into middle stump, and at 184 for 7, the innings was in freefall.Blair Tickner had to be stretchered off after he hurt his shoulder•Getty Images

But New Zealand’s mood would sour dramatically in the next over. Tickner sprinted across from fine leg to stop a boundary-saving flick from Tevin Imlach and dived full-length near the rope. He landed awkwardly, stayed down, and the players signalled urgently as medical staff from both New Zealand and the venue rushed to him. After several minutes of treatment, he was stretchered off – sitting up, but in pain – to warm applause from the Basin Reserve crowd. He later left the ground in an ambulance, with early indications pointing to a suspected dislocated shoulder.Glenn Phillips, the most prolific wicket-taker in New Zealand’s XI with 31 strikes coming into the game, then removed the last recognised batter, bowling Imlach with a fuller ball that straightened just enough to beat the inside edge.Anderson Phillip was run out soon after attempting a risky single – first surviving a throw from Devon Conway but then succumbing when an alert Kristian Clarke broke the stumps on the rebound. Duffy ended West Indies’ innings by having Ojay Shields edge to third slip to end the innings at 205. West Indies lost their last seven wickets for just 52 runs.New Zealand openers Tom Latham and Conway batted nine overs before stumps, with West Indies’ seamers asking questions occasionally and inducing a couple of edges that didn’t carry to the slip cordon. The 24 runs they added before stumps gave New Zealand the firm upper hand, now behind by only 181 behind going into the second day where batting promises to be easier.

After the Tector brothers – Tim and Harry – powered Ireland to an above-par score, their bowlers ensured a 39-run win over Bangladesh in the first T20I in Chattogram. The hosts have now lost four T20Is in a row while the visitors won their first match of the year.Harry struck five sixes in his unbeaten 45-ball 69, after his younger brother Tim had given Ireland a sound start, with a 19-ball 32. The Tector brothers struck big ones in both ends of the Ireland innings, before their bowlers managed to bowl through the wet conditions due to dew in Chattogram.Fast bowler Mark Adair, playing his first international series since his knee surgery in August this year, sunk Bangladesh in the powerplay. Left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys took 4 for 13, and took three wickets with the wet ball in his fourth over.

Adair forces Bangladesh to crash

Humphreys had Tanzid Hasan caught at mid-on in the first over to give Ireland a perfect start with the ball. Adair got a wicket-maiden in his first over back in competitive cricket after five months. He removed Litton Das playing a double-minded cut, easily caught inside the circle for one. Bangladesh sunk to 5 for 3 in the fourth over, when Adair had Parvez Hossain Emon caught at midwicket.Saif Hassan, recently elevated to the vice captaincy in the T20I side, struck the team’s first boundary in the fifth over. He however was clean bowled by Barry McCarthy, who replaced Adair after he bowled a scintillating spell that read 2-1-3-2.

Jaker, Hridoy offer brief respite

Towhid Hridoy tried to haul Bangladesh out of a desperate situation, with four wickets down and the required run-rate touching 12 per over. He struck Josh Little for four over mid-off, before hitting Gareth Delany for a square-cut boundary. Both Hridoy and Jaker Ali lofted Delany for a six each in the tenth over, as Bangladesh looked to this middle-order pair to get them out of trouble. Jaker however continued his batting struggle, getting caught at deep third after making 20 off 16 balls.Humphreys skins Bangladesh tail

Returning to bowl his last over, Humphreys had quite the mixed bag. He had Tanzim’s wicket with the first ball, caught at long-on. Humphreys bowled three wide deliveries, struggling to keep the wet ball in his grip. He however dried up his hands real good, when he had Rishad Hossain lbw and Nasum Ahmed stumped off consecutive deliveries.After the eighth wicket fell, Ireland dropped several catches mainly due to the wet ball. Hridoy meanwhile reached his fifth half-century, apart from adding 48 runs for the ninth wicket with Shoriful Islam, but it had little consequence on the match.Harry Tector finished unbeaten on 69•BCB

Tim Tector blazes along the ground

When Ireland batted first, captain Paul Stirling struck three early fours before it was the Tim Tector show. He clattered Shoriful for four boundaries in the third over, which went for 18 runs. Stirling fell in the fifth over after which Tim was joined by Harry, and the Tector brothers exchanged more boundaries from either ends.Tim’s inside-out shot over the covers brought up Ireland’s fifty in the seventh over, before he struck Tanzim Hasan through point. Rishad removed Tim in the ninth over, when Tanzim took the catch at long-on.

Harry Tector goes aerial

Harry had already got two boundaries including a straight six, before Tim departed the crease. Harry also went for straight sixes off Rishad before Shoriful removed Lorcan Tucker for 18, in the thirteenth over.Curtis Campher aided Harry with three more fours in his 17-ball 24. Harry hammered Shoriful for his third six, pulled over midwicket, before hitting two more sixes in the last over, both over long-on.

The players and umpires congregated near the pitch while the stands emptied quickly after the 5.5 magnitude earthquake hit part of Bangladesh and India

Mohammad Isam21-Nov-2025Play had to be halted for three minutes after a 5.5 magnitude earthquake caused severe tremors in parts of Bangladesh and India in the morning session of the third day of the ongoing second Test between Bangladesh and Ireland in Dhaka.There was immediate panic in the stands as the jolts were felt, and the players and umpires gathered near the pitch. Both dressing rooms emptied at around 10.38am (10.08am in India). The small crowd looked for open areas to escape to. Some went out of the stadium while others tried to get close to the ground. The media centre, a five-storey building at the north end of the stadium, also emptied quickly as people tried to go out to safe spaces.While there was some confusion about the magnitude of the earthquake, local media in Bangladesh has reported that it was recorded at 5.5 on the Richter scale, with the epicentre in Madhabdi, a municipality around 40 kilometres east of Dhaka. There have been reports of at least two damaged buildings in the capital city but no confirmed reports of casualties.”I have been personally involved in in a couple of earthquakes,” Ireland coach Heinrich Malan said after the day’s play. “I have lived in New Zealand for a while. It’s never a nice feeling. You are trying to understand what is happening at the minute around you. But also you have to think about some bigger impacts, about where the earthquake obviously struck, and hopefully that’s not too bad. Everything stood still for a couple of minutes, and we got back to business. We are just thinking and hoping that there wasn’t too much damage done. We will obviously find out about what that happens as we go.”Reports from Kolkata, across the border from Bangladesh in India’s West Bengal, said tremors were felt there too, as was the case in Guwahati, the venue of the second Test between India and South Africa from Saturday, and in other parts of northeastern India.Play resumed in the Dhaka Test after the pause, with Ireland losing two more wickets in the first session to go to lunch on the third day at 211 for 7 in reply to Bangladesh’s 476.

Liverpool superstar Mohamed Salah has been spotted holding a "secret London summit" with former Anfield team-mate Jordan Henderson. The Egyptian superstar, who will soon be heading off on Africa Cup of Nations duty, is seeing questions asked of his future on Merseyside following an explosive outburst. He is being linked with Saudi Pro League teams, with Henderson having previously spent time in that division.

• What Salah said in explosive Liverpool rant

  There have been suggestions that Salah may have taken in his last appearance for Liverpool, having reached 420 on that front. The two-time Premier League champion and four-time Golden Boot winner has registered 250 goals for the Reds.

  He has been named among the substitutes by Arne Slot across three successive matches, with no game time seen in a dramatic 3-3 draw with Leeds. That snub led to Salah speaking out, as he accused Liverpool of throwing him under the bus and admitted to seeing a working relationship with his Dutch coach break down. He said: "I said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager, and all of a sudden we don’t have any relationship. I don’t know why but it seems to me, how I see it, that someone doesn’t want me in the club. It seems like the club has thrown me under the bus. That is how I am feeling. I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the blame. It is not acceptable to me, to be fair. I don’t get it. It’s like I’m being thrown more under the bus. I don’t think I’m the problem."

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• London calling: Salah dropped for Champions League clash

  That outburst led to Salah being dropped for Liverpool’s 1-0 Champions League over Inter at San Siro, as he was left behind in England. The 33-year-old forward has taken a trip to London for a "secret rendezvous" with Henderson – as caught on camera by .

  England international Henderson is now on the books at Brentford. He spent five months with Saudi outfit Al-Ettifaq, working under Reds legend Steven Gerrard, before returning to Europe at Ajax and eventually heading back to Britain.

• Topics of conversation: Salah meets with ex-Reds captain Henderson

  Salah is now seeing a switch to the Middle East speculated on, with teams in that region holding long-standing interest in his services. The Saudi Pro League is considered to have been one topic of conversation when Salah met up with ex-Liverpool captain Henderson.

  A source told : "They both came in wearing covid-style masks and had hats covering their faces. They tried to stay under the radar. Our mouths dropped when we saw it was Mo and Jordan. The immediate thought was, ‘Salah’s off to Saudi’."

  Another onlooker said, having seen Salah and Henderson spend 90 minutes chatting away: "Mo looked happy as he listened and took it all in. He kept asking Jordan questions, and lent in eagerly to hear what was being said. I couldn’t believe what I was witnessing. It was obvious Jordan was explaining things to Mo, who listened so intently and was clearly mulling over what he was being told."

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  Transfer talk: Interest from several teams in Saudi Pro League

  Chief executive of the Saudi Pro League, Omar Mugharbel, told the World Football Summit in Riyadh on Wednesday when asked about a potential deal for one of the most recognisable players on the planet: "Mohamed Salah is welcome in the Saudi League, but it is the clubs that are responsible for negotiating with players. For sure Salah is one of them."

  According to , Al-Hilal, Al-Qadsiah and Neom have all expressed interest in Salah, who saw Liverpool reject a £150 million ($201m) transfer bid from Al-Ittihad in 2023. He signed a two-year contract extension with Liverpool in April that is due to run until the summer of 2027.

  It is claimed that Liverpool remain confident that any issues between Salah and Slot can be resolved, allowing a modern day Reds legend to remain in his current surroundings. Saudi teams are, however, of the opinion that the Premier League giants are trying to "protect their star player’s transfer value and are keeping a keen eye on developments" ahead of the January window.

Cristiano Ronaldo is being backed to grace a seventh World Cup, with FIFA’s flagship event heading to Portugal – as one of several co-hosts – in 2030. If the all-time great were to make that event, then more history would be made. Nuno Gomes can see that prospect appealing to CR7, with a contract extension having already been signed at club level with Al-Nassr.

Evergreen Ronaldo: CR7 still going strong at the age of 40

Those terms are only through to 2027, with it yet to be determined what Ronaldo will do beyond that point. He has starred in the Saudi Pro League, with remarkable individual standards being maintained at 40 years of age.

He continues to make himself available at international level, with 226 caps being earned while scoring 143 goals. Ronaldo continues to chase down 1,000 career strikes – with the record books being rewritten.

Ronaldo has stated that next summer’s World Cup will be his last, but anything is considered possible where the former Manchester United and Real Madrid superstar is concerned. He has kept himself in the best possible shape and made no secret of the fact that he wants to continue for as long as possible.

AdvertisementGettyHome World Cup: Ronaldo backed to make 2030 finals

Portugal will stage games at the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Morocco – with group stage matches also heading to Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. On Ronaldo bowing out on home soil, former team-mate Nuno Gomes told : “It's a difficult question. I think only him, or maybe not even him, knows the answer because I think he is doing year by year at this age.

“I think he's still fit to play. He's a really professional player and one of the players that we can point him as an example to follow? For the young generations. But of course he has his age and his capacity is reduced in some qualities, in speed for example. He's not the same Cristiano when he was 18 or 20, but he's still capable to score goals, and in football, it's the most important thing, to score goals and he's still scoring.

“Of course I think it also depends on the coach. Right now we have Roberto Martinez and I think he adapts the team, having him in the first 11 or not. So I think it will depend on his will, to play more or not. But probably I could tell that it could be his last World Cup. Even though we know that in four years we are hosting some games. And maybe it could be an opportunity to say goodbye at home.”

Euro 2028 and beyond: When will Ronaldo retire?

Ronaldo’s former United colleague Wes Brown told GOAL recently when asked if CR7 will play on to Euro 2028: “If he can bring something to the squad, why not pick him? Does that mean he has to play every game? Look at the last competition, everyone was saying he shouldn’t play but he did ok. He knows the press are going to give him stick anyway as soon as he doesn’t score or give an assist. At the same time, he is still there for his younger team-mates and wants them to do well.

“In his mind he won’t be finished yet and he can still contribute to the team. I don’t think he will retire from international football until he has retired completely. He’s still got the energy, that same belief, and can still do it. There are not many people that can say that at that level.”

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GettyAnother record for Ronaldo? Oldest player to grace a World Cup

If Ronaldo were to play towards another major tournament beyond the next European Championship, then he would head into his mid-40s. He will be 41 when representing his country at next summer’s event in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

The oldest player to make an appearance at the World Cup finals is ex-Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary, who faced Saudi Arabia in 2018 aged 45 years and 161 days. Ronaldo would be 45 years and 166 days old by the time the 2030 competition comes to a close.