HARRY KANE no longer wants a transfer away from Tottenham, SunSport can reveal.
The England captain is full of belief in the club following the ambitious appointment of Antonio Conte and ready to help the Italian win trophies.
But Newcastle have been left rocked after Unai Emery rejected their offer of the manager’s role.
Emery was reportedly fuming with the club’s Saudi owners for supposedly putting him in a position where it looked like he was keen to leave Villarreal on the day of their crucial Champions League match with Young Boys.
The former Arsenal boss was also said to be baffled that Eddie Howe was the main rival candidate for the role, feeling that this signified that the club had no plan or idea what type of coach they wanted.
Get all the latest football news, updates and transfer gossip below…
EZE BACK INTO IT
Ebere Eze could make a shock return to first-team action for Crystal Palace this weekend.
The Eagles star, 23, damaged his Achilles in training only six months ago.
But he played 62 minutes for the Under-23s on Monday in a 2-1 home defeat to Blackburn.
And now SunSport understands the playmaker has a chance of being on the bench for Saturday’s hosting of Wolves.
If he does and makes an appearance as a substitute, Eze would play in front of fans at Crystal Palace for the first time since joining from QPR for £16million in August 2020.
CREDIT BARRED
Antonio Conte will not be able to make any new signings in January according to Fabio Paratici – who insists they are happy with the current squad.
A reporter today asked Spurs’ director of football, Paratici, 49, whether he and Spurs’ new manager Antonio Conte intend to sign any new players in January.
To which Paratici replied: “Not at all. Not at all. Because we trust in our players, we trust a lot. So, we are focused to be better, like a club and like a team.”
He was then asked: “Do you think this current squad, as it is right now, is capable of challenging to win big trophies?”
And the Italian responded: “I think yes. Here are here to do our best to win a trophy.”
EMERY SPEAKS
Unai Emery has confirmed he won’t be joining Newcastle while pledging his future to Villarreal on Instagram.
Emery was one of the favourites to take on the vacant Toon role but after having talks with the club’s new owners the Spaniard opted to stay in Spain.
The ex-Arsenal coach had remained quiet throughout the saga but has now come out to dispel any rumours that he could possibly leave the Europa League Champions in favour of a move to Tyneside.
He wrote on Instagram: “No matter how much noise there was yesterday in another country there was transparency and loyalty within Villarreal and the Roig family [owners] and their staff.
“That is maximum for me and that is most important for me. Villarreal is my home and I am 100 percent committed to stay here.
“I am honestly grateful to the interest from a great club, but I am even more grateful to be here and that is why I communicated to Fernando Roig my decision to want to continue being part of this project because of the commitment and respect that I perceive from the club and from my players, which is mutual and reciprocal.
“I want to thank the fans for the support they have always shown me.
“On Sunday we have a very important game and I hope that together we can achieve victory. See you at the Estadio de la Cerámica.”
PLAYING BALL
Arsenal have reportedly extended defender Daniel Ballard’s contract.
The 22-year-defender’s contract was up at the end of the season, but the Gunners have decided to trigger an extension clause in his contract to keep him at the club for another two years, according to football.london.
Football.london also report that Arsenal’s academy manager Per Mertesacker and technical director Edu played a huge role in the club’s decision to keep Ballard at the club.
But despite his new lengthened contract, it’s unlikely that the Northern Ireland international will break into the Gunners first-team, with the likes of Gabriel and Ben White ahead of him in the pecking order.
ANT’S DECK
Antonio Conte insists Tottenham’s team needs stability in an apparent slight dig at their recent shambles.
The Italian replaced Nuno Espirito Santo in the White Hart Lane dugout on Tuesday.
After penning his £15million-a-year contract until 2023, he sat down with the club’s media to discuss his aims and ambitions.
Conte, 52, said: “My coaching philosophy is very simple: to play good football, attractive football for our fans with passion, to have a stable team not up and down.
“I think the fans deserve to have a competitive team with the will to fight. I will do everything to deserve their support.”
WELL I NEV-ER
Gary Neville admitted he would have played for arch-rivals Arsenal if Manchester United decided to sell him.
The former defender, 46, spent his entire career at Old Trafford, coming through the academy as part of the Class of ’92 before making 602 first-team appearances.
But speaking to Sky Sports’ Off Script last year, the pundit revealed there were four teams he willingly could have joined should he have been let go
The United legend said: “I’d made the decision quite early in my 30s that if Sir Alex had come and told me my time was up, I wouldn’t have played for anyone else. I was fortunate in that sense.
“However, if he’d come to me at say the age of 28, and told me my time was up, of course I would have played for another Premier League club.
If you’d said to me, in a perfect world, in my years of playing, which clubs in the Premier League have the tradition, a proper club? Arsenal would be No 1.
“The tradition of Highbury, I felt they did things the right way. Also in the Premier League, I like Aston Villa and Newcastle.”
SULE FOR SALE
Newcastle United are in discussions with Bayern Munich over the transfer of German international, Niklas Sule, according to reports.
Sule, 26, could become the club’s first confirmed star signing following the takeover which made them the richest club in the world.
Christian Falk of BILD Sport reports that the clubs are in transfer talks, with Sule said to be ‘interested in the project’ at St James’ Park.
The German jounalist tweeted: “TRUE. There were talks between
@NUFC and the Management of Niklas Süle (@FCBayern) three weeks ago. The defender is interested in the project of Newcastle.”Niklas has less than a year remaining on his existing Bayern Munich contract, which ends in June 2022 and his future is said to be up in the air.
NDIDI DOUBT
Wilfred Ndidi has cast doubt over his longterm Leicester future by axing his agents for a high-powered new team of advisors.
And the news will alert Manchester United, Arsenal and Real Madrid – who have all shown interest in the Nigeria international.
Midfielder Ndidi has excelled since joining Leicester from Belgian club Genk in a £17million deal four years ago.
He helped Brendan Rodgers’ Foxes win both the FA Cup and the Community Shield earlier this year.
Leicester value the Lagos-born ace, under contract until 2024, at £60m.
The 24-year-old was previously represented by German outfit FirstEleven International Sports Management.
He has now signed up with global management firm Octagon.
The American agency has 800 clients worldwide, and offices in London.
Company client manager Rory Rebbeck wrote on LinkedIn that he is “delighted” at Ndidi’s decision, adding that the player has “many great years ahead on and off the field.”
Ndidi has made 185 Leicester appearances, scoring nine goals.
He has won 41 caps for Nigeria.
HAAL DEMAND
Borussia Dortmund are confident they will keep Erling Haaland despite his cut-price £64million release clause, reports suggest.
Haaland has taken the world of football by storm with a series of stunning performances for Dortmund, where he has already registered a staggering 70 goals in 69 appearances across all competitions.
That has led to immense interest from some of Europe’s biggest hitters, such as Manchester United and Chelsea, who are looking to make a move in the summer as it looks like his asking price will dramatically reduce.
According to Manchester Evening News, however, the Premier League duo has cause for worry as Dortmund’s head of first-team football Sebastian Kehl is positive the star striker is staying put.
Kehl said: “Of course, we are trying to give him the feeling that Borussia Dortmund continues to be a top address for him and that he can still develop here.
“The decision has not yet been made, but I would bet €100 (£84.8) [on him staying].”
GAME ON
Tyson Fury is set to star on A League of Their Own’s Road Trip as he played bingo in Morecambe with Jamie Redknapp and Freddie Flintoff.
Both of the captains on the hit Sky One TV show teased Fury’s appearance on their spin of Road Trip series.
England cricket legend Flintoff, 43, posted: “Just three lads playing bingo in Morecambe.
“What a day me and @jamie.redknapp have had with the @gypsyking101, legend.”
Ex-Tottenham midfielder Redknapp, 48, wrote: “Bingo and with the big man and champion of the world. Coming soon.”
BIDDING WAR
Tottenham are facing a transfer war with West Ham and Southampton over West Brom goalkeeper Sam Johnstone, reports suggest.
Johnston’s deal with the Baggies expires at the end of the season and the Championship outfit is trying to convince him to stay.
According to Sky Sports, the club is planning to ramp up negotiations with the 28-year-old in January while Spurs, the Hammers and Saints continue to keep tabs.
Tottenham are looking for a shot-stopper to eventually succeed Hugo Lloris between the sticks as the France international’s contract also runs out in June.
West Brom manager Valerien Ismael confirmed there will be showdown talks in the New Year.
AFTERNOON FOOTY FANS
Villarreal boss Unai Emery has turned down the chance to manage Newcastle because the Toon’s new owners lack a clear vision for the club, it has been reported.
But the Magpies new Saudi chiefs refuse to give up on the Spaniard and are frantically trying to change his mind with a flurry of phone calls being exchanged between both parties.
Emery’s the latest in the string of managers to reject Newcastle’s advances as reports claim Antonio Conte, Xavi and Joachim Low have all turned down the job.
Meanwhile, Tottenham-bound Conte won’t be able to start work at White Hart Lane because he’s still awaiting his visa.
But the Italian should’ve received his work permit in time to be in the Spurs dugout for their Europa League conference game against Vitesse Arnhem on Thursday.
In other news, bookies have slashed the odds of Cristiano Ronaldo being named Manchester United new boss to 14/1.
Ronaldo was at the heart of United’s resurgence against Atalanta in the Champions League last night and bookmakers reckon he could replace under-fire Red Devils boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer as manager.
However, not everyone was happy with Ronaldo’s double against the Serie A side, and Atalanta’s boss Gian Piero Gasperini revealed that he jokingly told the Portuguese star to go to hell after the game.
But Ronaldo’s double strike was eclipsed by Bayern Munich forward Robert Lewandowski who scored a hat-trick in the German sides 5-2 win against Benfica last night.
His treble took his total to a remarkable 81 goals in his first 100 Champions League games, trumping Ronaldo’s tally of 64 strikes in the same number of games.
Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk
