Premier League

DANIEL LEVY joked that James Maddison must stop driving a red car into Tottenham training.The Spurs chairman took part in fans’ forum at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium last night.
Daniel Levy would rather James Maddison drove this car into trainingCredit: Instagram @madders
Daniel Levy appeared at a fans’ forum last nightCredit: Rex
Levy, 61, was in attendance alongside manager Ange Postecoglou and Son Heung-min, as well as new women’s team boss Robert Vilahamn and skipper Beth England.
During the Q&A, Levy was congratulated for his summer acquisition of Maddison from Leicester.
At this point, the Tottenham chief quipped that the 26-year-old must stop driving to training in a red car – due to Spurs’ fierce rivalry with Arsenal.
He said: “James needs to learn that he can’t come to the training ground in a red car. I’ve told him. He’ll learn.”
READ MORE TOTTENHAM NEWS
Maddison has been an instant-hit since joining Tottenham.
He has won over the fans with his creative displays, scoring two goals and laying on a pair of assists in his first five outings.
His exploits led to him earning August’s Premier League Player of the Month award.
While manager Postecoglou also earned the league’s Manager of the Month gong.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
James Maddison has had a great start to life at SpursCredit: Rex
Red car or not, Maddison will hope to star against Arsenal on Sunday.
The match will be the attacking midfielder’s first taste of North London Derby action.
Ahead of the match, skipper Son vowed to the 250 fans present: “The rivalry is the most important game of the season, we’ve had tough years and away games it was tough to take it.
“You never win for free, we have to work hard. We are working hard all week.
“I’m pretty sure they don’t want to face us at this moment. I can guarantee we will give everything.
“The result I can’t promise you, I can promise that I will give you everything.”
Both teams have taken 13 points from their opening five Premier League matches of the campaign.
Spurs currently sit second on goal difference, with Arsenal below Liverpool in fourth.
Son Heung-min has vowed to give everything against Arsenal on SundayCredit: Reuters More

IVAN PERISIC could miss the rest of the season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.The Tottenham star’s injury has fans fearing that he has played his last game for the club.
Ivan Perisic could miss the rest of the season with an ACL injuryCredit: Rex
Spurs confirmed on Wednesday that Perisic had suffered the injury in training and would require surgery.
A club statement read: “We can confirm that Ivan Perisic has suffered a complex Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) injury in his right knee.
“The experienced Croatia international sustained the injury in non-contact training and will undergo surgery.
“Wishing you well in your recovery, Ivan.”
READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
The news has left supporters concerned as to whether the 34-year-old will feature for Spurs again.
One fan reacted by tweeting: “F*** that’s a huge miss. Might have played his last game. Get well soon Ivan.”
Another added: “I’d say he will not play for us again.”
A third also commented: “Genuinely devastating for him and the team.”
Most read in Football
Tottenham fans fear Perisic has played his last game for the clubCredit: Rex
Meanwhile, one more wrote: “So gutted. He was proving to be such a good super sub. Poor Ivan…”
Perisic had appeared as a substitute in each of Spurs’ opening five Premier League matches so far this season.
His latest cameo, against Sheffield United on Saturday, saw him come off the bench to set up Richarlison’s stoppage time equaliser in a dramatic home victory.
The former Inter Milan midfielder is out of contract in North London next year and had been linked with an exit this summer. More

DANIEL LEVY confessed he made mistakes by hiring Jose Mourinho and Antonio Conte.Mourinho was brought in 2019 as the replacement for Mauricio Pochettino – who had taken Spurs to the Champions League final – but lasted only 18 months.
Daniel Levy admitted to making ‘mistakes’ with his managerial hiresCredit: AFP
Spurs appointed Jose Mourinho in 2019Credit: PA
While fellow Premier League winner Conte had a similarly short tenure before leaving in March this year, before current chief Ange Postecoglou took over in June.
Chairman Levy admitted he felt “pressure” to appoint a “big-name” boss to end the club’s long wait for a trophy – which neither Mourinho nor Conte managed to do.
Ironically, Tottenham look in a better place under lower-maintenance Postecoglou, though we are only a few games into the season.
Speaking at a fans’ forum at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, Levy said: “The frustration of not winning and the pressure from maybe some players and from a large element of the fanbase, that we need to win, we need to spend money, we need to have a big manager, we need to have a big name, it affected me.
READ MORE FOOTBALL NEWS
“I had gone through a period where we’d almost won. With Mauricio we went through some very good times. We didn’t quite get there but we came very close and we had a change in strategy. The strategy was ‘let’s bring in a trophy manager’.
“We did it twice and look, you have to learn from your mistakes. They’re great managers but maybe not for this club.
“For what we want, we want to play in a certain way and if that means it has to take a little bit longer to win maybe it’s the right thing for us. That’s why bringing Ange in was from my point of view the right decision.”
Levy was speaking to 250 Spurs fans on a five-person panel that included Postecoglou and captain Son Heung-min, hosted by BBC broadcaster Nihal Arthanayake, on Tuesday night.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
Antonio Conte left Tottenham under a cloud in MarchCredit: Reuters
One of the subjects in the hour-long Q&A, which was followed by open questions, was about Spurs’ controversial involvement in the doomed European Super League project.
Tottenham were one of a few clubs who caused uproar by holding conversations over it in 2021 – before the whole thing fell apart amid fan fury.
Yet Levy explained any involvement Spurs had was only “in the best interests of the club”.
He said: “Under the new rules with the Premier League we can’t consider leaving the Premier League without their consent and the FA’s consent.
“All I would say to you is that we always act in the best interests of this club and I stand by the decision that we made, that we were prepared to have a conversation regarding the European Super League.
“It was not leaving the Premier League, it was about forming a new European league that would have continued at the same time as the Premier League, but we felt that it was a disaster for a lot of reasons but I stand by my decision that I was acting in the best interests of the club.”
Levy was also quizzed about match-day ticket price increases, claiming there will be a “complete review of all of our ticket policies” and laid bare the financial impact of the pandemic on the club, amounting it to “£200million”.
He hailed the impact of Postecoglou who has reintroduced free-flowing, attacking football to Spurs after the pragmatic styles of the last three managers. Levy likened it to having “our Tottenham back”.
A key contributor to Postecoglou’s thrilling approach has been £45m summer capture James Maddison, viewed by many as the best signing in the Premier League this summer.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
Yet Levy joked the England star must realise there is a certain colour of vehicle that is vetoed at the club – because of its association to arch-rivals Arsenal.
The supremo quipped: “James needs to learn that he can’t come to the training ground in a red car. I’ve told him. He’ll learn.”
Ange Postecoglou has had a dream start to life at SpursCredit: Rex More

MANCHESTER UNITED reportedly had a secret £50million bid for Brighton star Evan Ferguson rejected – after failing to poach Harry Kane. The Red Devils’ search for a striker this season ultimately saw them land the inexperienced Rasmus Hojlund for £72million.
Manchester United had a £50m bid rejected for Evan FergusonCredit: Getty
United instead signed Rasmus Hojlund for £72mCredit: Getty
United also missed out on Harry Kane who ended up signing for Bayern MunichCredit: Getty
According to ESPN United attempted to snatch the 18-year-old but they were “laughed off” by the Seagulls.
Reporter Rob Dawson said:  “A bid of £50m for 18-year-old Evan Ferguson was laughed off by Brighton.”
Dawson claims the incident shows how far the Red Devils have fallen from the top-tier in Europe and are no longer able to attract the best players in the world.
Kane, Declan Rice, Jude Bellingham all left their respective clubs this summer and none of them came close to a move to Old Trafford.
READ MORE IN FOOTBALL
The same goes for Ferguson who has emerged as one of the most promising attacking talents in the Premier League in recent seasons.
The forward signed for Brighton in 2021 from boyhood club Bohemians and has since made 34 appearances and scored 10 goals for Roberto De Zerbi’s side.
Ferguson broke into the first team at Brighton last term, and has attracted interest from both United and rivals Arsenal.
In this Premier League campaign alone he has scored a hat-trick against Newcastle in their 3-1 victory – and also a goal against Luton.
Most read in Football
FREE BETS – BEST BETTING OFFERS AND BONUSES NEW CUSTOMERS
However Ferguson missed the majority of Saturday’s game as his side won 3-1 against the Red Devils, which just showed how much Man Utd have stagnated.
Brighton have seen some of their brightest youngsters poached for a much higher price than the £50m offered by United.
Midfielder Moises Caicedo left for Chelsea for a British record-breaking transfer fee of £115million.
Meanwhile, Erik ten Hag’s side will be hoping to prove Ferguson and the Seagulls wrong in their Champions League campaign opener against Kane’s Bayern Munich.
However, the last time they reached the final in the European competition was in 2008 and have only managed to reach the last eight twice in the last 11 years. More