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    Tottenham want to go from Harry Kane to Harry Potter as they plot transfer for Turkey star who’s obsessed with wizard

    Tottenham want to go from Harry Kane to Harry Potter, according to reports.Ange Postecoglou’s side are plotting a transfer for winger Kerem Akturkoglu.
    Tottenham want to sign Kerem Akturkoglu from GalatasarayCredit: Getty
    The Turkish winger is nicknamed Harry PotterCredit: Instagram / @keremakturkoglu
    The Turkey international, who won the league with Galatasaray last season, is nicknamed Harry Potter.
    And he has produced some more magical displays to help them to an unbeaten start this term.
    Akturkoglu scored the Istanbul club’s second goal in their shock 3-2 Champions League win at Manchester United last week.
    Rated at £15million, he is under contract until 2026.
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    Spurs scouts checked on the 24-year-old at Old Trafford and reports in Istanbul claim they will send spies to monitor the Izmir-born ace on Thursday.
    Akturkoglu is due to play in Turkey’s Euro 2024 qualifier against Croatia in Osijek.
    He has won 22 caps, scoring four goals, since making his senior debut in 2021.
    Back in 2021, the winger lifted the lid on his Harry Potter nickname after mimicking the wizard with his goal celebration in a win over Antalyaspor.
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    Spurs scouts saw Akturkoglu score against Manchester United last weekCredit: AP
    After the match, he explained, via fotoMac: “They started a Harry Potter analogy.
    “I love Harry Potter too, we have been thinking about this goal celebration for a long time. It was our fate today.”
    West Ham have also been linked with a move for Akturkoglu, with the report adding that their scouts are monitoring his displays as well.
    The winger has hit five goals in 15 club appearances this term, setting up seven more.
    Akturkoglu has 33 from 133 games all told with the Super Lig giants.
    They signed him from third-tier Erzincanspor in 2020, and he has since developed into one of Turkey’s top stars.
    Liverpool showed interest in him a year ago, but he stayed put – and helped Galatasaray finish eight points clear of nearest rivals Fenerbahce. More

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    Harry Kane vows to play until he’s 40 as £105million Bayern Munich star issues terrifying warning to rival defenders

    HARRY KANE is England’s all-time top scorer and has clocked up over 500 club appearances.But, remarkably, the Three Lions skipper claims he is only HALFWAY through his career.
    Harry Kane has yet to win a trophy in his professional careerCredit: GETTY
    The 30-year-old joined Bayern Munich this summer in pursuit of gloryCredit: REX
    The England skipper has aspirations of playing until he’s 40Credit: GETTY
    Striker Kane, who turned 30 in July, not only wants to be part of the bid for Euros glory on home soil in 2028 — but hopes to still be playing as he approaches 40.
    Asked about Cristiano Ronaldo, 38, 36-year-old Lionel Messi and Robert Lewandowski, 35, still starring today, the Bayern Munich ace said: “The perception in football is you hit 30 and people think that is the end.
    “But the way I am looking at it is that I almost have the second half of my career left.
    “I played in the Spurs first team from 20 or 21, so I’ve had nine or ten years at the highest level and I’m hoping for another eight or nine years at the highest level again.
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    “It all depends. You see some players who want to make a change or have a different challenge.
    “But, at the moment, I want to keep playing. With recovery, sports science and the way the game has adapted, you can play for longer.
    “Look at all the players that you mentioned. That makes me believe and shows it is possible to play until your late 30s, and that is what I plan to do.”
    Kane, who has 59 goals in 86 Lions appearances, is setting his sights on Friday’s home friendly with Australia, followed by Tuesday’s Euros qualifier against Italy at Wembley.
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    Harry Kane hopes to still be terrorising defences when England host Euro 2028 with IrelandCredit: GETTY
    And worryingly for defenders both in Europe and the Bundesliga, Kane reckons he has not even peaked.
    He said: “There is definitely room for improvement. I’ve been coming to a stage over the last year or two when it has been coming together.
    “Having the experience, knowing your body, knowing the way you want to play, playing in high-pressure games.
    “When you actually look at a lot of the top-level players — Ronaldo, Messi, Lewandowski, Zlatan Ibrahimovic — they have almost got better as they hit 30.
    “In a lot of sports that happens as well. Everything is maybe settled in your personal life.
    “You have got family, you have got kids — so that side is all settled.
    “You are comfortable with your body, you are comfortable mentally where you are at and that just allows you to focus on the football.”
    Kane is clearly enjoying life in Germany with nine goals and five assists in ten games. The only thing he has yet to crack is the language.
    He said: “My German is average, to say the least. I’ve had four, five lessons but it’s not easy. Yet Bayern are pretty strong on it — they want you to learn as much as possible.”
    As for his form since moving from Spurs for an initial £86million, Kane added: “I’ve been really happy.
    Harry Kane reckons his best is yet to comeCredit: Getty
    “I was bought for a lot of money and people expect you to just hit the ground running but it’s not always the case.
    “So to have started the way that I have, I’m really proud.”
    Kane’s side are currently third in the Bundesliga, although it was impossible yesterday not to ask him about the team currently top of the Premier League.
    Unsurprisingly, Kane is desperate for his former club Spurs to stay there all season.
    He added: “I have made it clear my whole career that I am a Tottenham fan and I would love to see Tottenham do well.
    “There is no other team in the Premier League that I would want to win more than Tottenham.
    “Also, I have to be respectful to Bayern Munich.
    “Of course, the fans know I will always have a soft spot for Spurs — there is no question about that.
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    “But I have got to put all my attention on Bayern Munich to make us as successful as possible.
    “So, I know that there will be questions, for sure, particularly when Tottenham are doing well. Of course, I hope they do as well as possible.” More

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    Broadcaster forced to apologise live on air as squabbling cameramen’s X-rated argument is picked up during match

    BRISTOL CITY’s broadcast team were forced to issue an on-air apology after some foul-mouthed language was picked up by their cameras.The Robins’ Under-21s hosted Tottenham Hotspur on Monday night in a Premier League Cup group tie.
    Bristol City’s Under 21s hosted Tottenham Hotspur on Monday nightCredit: REX
    An on-air spat between cameramen was picked up on their live broadcast of the matchCredit: REX
    Spurs saw off a valiant effort from their hosts and won the game 2-1, although it was an X-rated exchange between two cameramen that made headlines.
    Their dispute, which took place early in the first half, was seemingly over the positioning of their respective pieces of equipment.
    One was heard saying: “Move your camera, mate, if you think it is a problem.”
    The person on the receiving end of the comment didn’t take kindly to it and furiously replied: “Who the f*** do you think you are?”
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    The entirety of the foul-mouthed conversation was picked up by the cameras airing the match, which prompted an apology from the match commentator.
    He hastily said: “Apologies for any language you can hear on the broadcast.”
    The angry exchange went viral on X (formerly Twitter) and received a slew of comments from footie fans.
    One stunned viewer said: “Never a normal day at this football club.”
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    Spurs triumphed at the Robins High-Performance Centre thanks to goals from Max McKnight and Jude Soonsup-Bell.
    After the match, manager Wayne Burnett said: “I felt we deserved to win in the end.
    “We made hard work of it at times but some of our play leading up to their box was very, very good.
    “I just think we lacked a little bit of quality or we weren’t quite clinical enough and didn’t capitalise on the opportunities that we had.
    “Some of the players have had limited minutes this season so it was an opportunity for them to get some game time and I thought they came in and did very well.
    “It’s difficult when you haven’t played much but it just shows how well they’ve trained, they kept up to speed with the game which was good.
    “And I was pleased for Max McKnight as he managed to get a goal.
    “We looked fit and strong tonight and I felt overall it was a worthy win.”
    Tottenham ran out 2-1 winners at the Robins High Performance CentreCredit: REX More

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    Tottenham star Ben Davies riding the crest of a wave heading into Wales games

    BEN DAVIES wants to bring the feel-good factor of Tottenham being top of the Premier League into the Wales camp.Ange Postecoglou’s men are above North London rivals Arsenal on goals scored after Spurs’ 1-0 win at Luton on Saturday.
    Ben Davies helped Tottenham to a 2-0 home win over Manchester United this seasonCredit: Rex
    Davies was Wales captain against South Korea and Spurs team-mate Son Heung-min last monthCredit: Rex
    Wales face Gibraltar in a friendly in Wrexham tomorrow before Sunday’s crunch Euro 2024 qualifier with World Cup semi-finalists Croatia in Cardiff.
    Davies said: “Players want to be in winning teams and right now I’m lucky enough that I’m in a squad where we are picking up good results and doing well.
    “It’s about bringing that intensity and enthusiasm and the stuff that is working into the training camp.
    “Hopefully a good result against Gibraltar will give us confidence for the big game with Croatia.”
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    Davies has taken over the Wales captaincy with regular skipper Aaron Ramsey ruled out for the rest of the qualifying campaign with a knee injury.
    Brennan Johnson will also miss the Croatia clash due to a hamstring injury with Robert Page’s side needing a positive result to keep alive their automatic hopes of reaching the finals in Germany.
    Davies, who also wore the Wales armband for the seventh time of his career in the goalless friendly with South Korea last month, added: “Aaron’s a great player and to be without him is definitely a blow.
    “It gives the boys who have come in his absence before another chance to show what they can do and we’re excited for the games.
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    “We believe in the younger player we’ve got and the players coming through and have come through in the last few years.
    “You can call it a transitional period but I believe we’ve got players ready to go right now.
    “Being captain is something I’m incredibly proud to do. I’ve always wanted to do.
    “I’ve done it before but it’s nice going into the games knowing the situation we’re in. I’m ready for it.
    ”I’ve been seen as one of the leaders in the group for a while now, so it doesn’t feel too different.
    “I’ll just be myself, stick to the values I’ve got, and hopefully get the boys going for the games.” More

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    Tottenham’s Postecoglou is sort of bloke you’d want to work for – just listen to how he talks on mental health and VAR

    IF you’re a cynic, a Grinch or an Arsenal fan, there’s hope for you yet.Tottenham flew out of the blocks last season under Antonio Conte, unbeaten in seven matches and tipped as shock title contenders.
    Ange Postecoglou has been a breath of fresh air in the Premier LeagueCredit: Reuters
    Two years earlier, Spurs reached the Premier League summit in November when Jose Mourinho masterminded a classic 2-0 victory over Manchester City.
    So the apparently miraculous start being experienced under Ange Postecoglou is not unprecedented – and it could yet lead to a predictably Spursy shambles.
    But nobody was ever convinced that Conte or Mourinho were the right fit for Tottenham – least of all Conte and Mourinho, who both considered the Spurs job beneath them.
    What Spurs needed was a hungry manager grateful, with a chip on his shoulder, a point to prove, tactical acumen, emotional intelligence, an ability to improve players and a belief in attractive possession football.
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    In Postecoglou, they have stumbled across just that man. And they’re top of the league.
    Yes, Gooners, by the slimmest possible margin ahead of Arsenal.
    And yes, they were lucky to defeat Liverpool and were 1-0 down at home to Sheffield United in injury-time.
    But not since Jurgen Klopp’s arrival at Anfield has a manager fresh to the Premier League looked such a perfect fit and become so swiftly recognised as a fine coach and a fair-dinkum bloke.
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    Postecoglou has revitalised this Spurs squad despite losing talisman Harry KaneCredit: Reuters
    And let’s just remember how 2023 had been going for Spurs before Big Ange sauntered in.
    Their bankroller, Joe Lewis, had surrendered to the Feds after being charged with insider trading.
    Their director of football, Fabio Paratici, had been banned for 30 months, accused of false accounting at Juventus.
    Their manager, Conte, had committed verbal arson on his squad and left by extremely mutual consent.
    Their chairman, Daniel Levy, was a hate figure.
    Their team was a laughing stock and their star player, Harry Kane, wanted out.
    Yet Big Ange has somehow cleansed the place, simply by being Big Ange.
    This Australian is no song-and-dance man – he’s actually less convivial and matey than most of his nation’s leading sports people.
    He’s a serious individual, no sufferer of fools, not prone to great closeness with players.
    But listen to him on a range of subjects from mental health to VAR and he speaks with honesty, intelligence and originality.
    He sounds like the sort of bloke you’d want to work for. And that is certainly the feeling among Tottenham’s players.
    In the ‘meeja’, we can overestimate the importance of a manager’s press-conference performances but with Spurs fans having spent years hearing Conte and Mourinho publicly doing their club down, this matters.
    Still, how is it possible for a team which finished eighth last season to lose their 30-goal top scorer and thrive?
    Well the old chestnut about ‘no man being bigger than the club’ found an exception in Kane and Spurs.
    It’s not that the England captain was a selfish egomaniac, it’s just that tactically and temperamentally, a team can become too reliant on one individual.
    Without Kane, Spurs are a true team again, with players accepting, and enjoying, greater responsibility.
    The club recruited well this summer, even if it didn’t take a genius to work out that James Maddison was the very definition of a classic crowd-pleasing Tottenham playmaker.
    But keeper Guglielmo Vicario, a brilliant shot-stopper, and centre-half Micky van de Ven, blessed with rapid pace, have settled in ridiculously well.
    Other players have been transformed – Cristian Romero has cut out the recklessness which made him a liability and now looks every inch the world champion he is.
    Yves Bissouma, before a stupid sending-off in Saturday’s win at Luton, has been resembling the ambitious player who bossed midfields with Brighton, having seemed stifled by Conte’s tactical straitjacket.
    And Son Heung-Min is reborn at centre-forward and captain.
    Son is shining as Spurs’ captainCredit: EPA
    Son, like Postecoglou, had suffered from the snobbishness familiar to anyone arriving here from a nation not recognised as a major footballing power.
    Postecoglou readily admits his frustrations at establishing himself as an ‘outsider’ from a faraway colony where most people say ‘footie’ and mean a violent game played by men in vests threatening murder over possession of an egg.
    That chip on the shoulder can be a hugely positive motivational aid.
    Of course, nobody expects Spurs to win a first title in 63 years but a top-four finish, which was such a remote prospect last summer, is already looking entirely likely.
    And more importantly, supporters are actually enjoying going to watch their team for the first time in years.
    So, yes, be cynical, be miserable, be realistic enough to suspect that this might not last.
    But also recognise that Postecoglou is the most instantly effective Premier League managerial rookie we have seen in several years.

    WHY on Earth are England playing Australia at football this Friday?
    And why on Earth has such a meaningless fixture attracted a 90,000 full house at Wembley?
    Maybe it’s admirable that this nation has such an insatiable lust for any kind of live football – but shouldn’t we really have something better to do with our Friday nights?

    FOR years we have bashed Gareth Southgate for being overly loyal to a clutch of favourite players.
    Now one of those ‘favourites’, Raheem Sterling, has been banished from the England squad despite tearing it up for Chelsea – scoring once and effectively assisting the other three goals in a 4-1 thumping of Burnley.
    The England manager’s job always makes them thoroughly contrary in the end.
    Sterling is unlucky not to make the England squadCredit: Getty
    FULHAM fans all share the same memory of Dan Burn.
    He was a gangling young centre-half weirdly employed at full-back by madcap manager Felix Magath for a 4-1 thrashing at Stoke in 2014 which saw the west London club relegated after a 13-year stay in the top flight.
    So to see the genial Geordie giant excelling as a full-back for Newcastle in the Champions League, and scoring in a 4-1 drubbing of Paris St Germain, is extraordinary.
    Perhaps Magath was a misunderstood visionary genius after all.
    Dan Burn at left-back? Felix did it firstCredit: PA:Empics Sport
    WHEN an international break descends, the media demands at least one major Premier League club in serious crisis to keep the footballing news cycle turning.
    With Manchester United 1-0 down at home to Brentford heading into injury-time, having already suffered their worst start to a Premier League season, Erik ten Hag’s side were the perfect candidates.
    So for Scott McTominay to leap off the bench and score twice in added time is frankly very selfish.

    WITHOUT Jose Mourinho, Arsene Wenger, Rafa Benitez, Antonio Conte and Thomas Tuchel, some of us were extremely worried about where the Premier League’s next ‘handshake-gate’ flare-up was coming from.
    Thank heavens then for Aston Villa’s Unai Emery and Gary O’Neil of Wolves randomly refusing to shake hands after Sunday’s derby at Molineux.
    Now it is imperative that both men hold a significant grudge and allow a petty feud to run and run.

    AS the world becomes more environmentally friendly and tolerant, trust FIFA to buck the trend.
    The 2030 World Cup will be held in six nations on three continents, leaving a Yeti-sized carbon footprint, and the 2034 tournament is going to Saudi Arabia, with its appalling human-rights record.
    Is FIFA chief Gianni Infantino a mere Dr Evil lookalike, or is there more to it than that?
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    Infantino’s decision will take the World Cup to six continentsCredit: Getty
    UNLIKE most high-profile ex-footballers, we rarely hear Kevin Keegan’s views on the game.
    And when Keegan opened his trap to tell us he has a problem with ‘lady footballers’ commenting on the men’s game, we were grateful for those long periods of silence. More

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    Eric Dier ‘offered stunning Tottenham escape route’ with outcast lined up for emotional bargain transfer

    TOTTENHAM star Eric Dier could land a return to Sporting Lisbon, according to reports.It would mean the 29-year-old returns to the club where he begun his career.
    Eric Dier is yet to make an appearance for Tottenham this seasonCredit: Getty
    Dier has been frozen out under new boss Ange Postecoglou and he is yet to make an appearance this season.
    The versatile player sees his deal in North London expire in the summer and it seems unlikely he will be handed a new contract.
    Therefore, an emotional homecoming to Sporting is on the cards with the club weighing up a move when he becomes a free agent.
    The Times report that there has also been talks over making an offer to buy him in January for a reduced fee.
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    Dier and his family moved to Portugal when he was just seven-years-old and he soon joined Sporting’s academy.
    The defender went on to make 31 senior appearances for the club before moving to Spurs in 2014 for £4million.
    Dier has since featured 360 times for Tottenham and scored 13 goals.
    He also has 49 England caps and was included in the Three Lions squad for the World Cup last year.
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    Sporting are currently top of the Primeira Liga after eight games.
    They are also in the Europa League this term in a group alongside Atalanta, Sturm Graz and Rakow Czestochowa. More

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    Tottenham close in on transfer for Norwich goalkeeper Dylan Thompson as wonderkid rejects new Canaries deal

    SPURS are ready to grab top prospect keeper Dylan Thompson from Norwich.Thompson has been training with the Prem side after rejecting a deal with the Canaries and the clubs could sort a fee soon.
    Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham are set to sign wonderkid Dylan ThompsonCredit: Getty
    Thompson has been on Norwich’s books for long enough to allow them to ask for compensation and Spurs look happy to pay.
    The teenager would join Spurs’ academy with the objective of progressing into the first-team in the future.
    Ange Postecoglou’s side are also hoping to add to their first-team options once the transfer window re-opens in January.
    Spurs are one of four Premier League clubs linked with Dutch midfielder Quinten Timber.
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    The Feyenoord star is the twin brother of Arsenal defender Jurrien.
    According to 90min, Spurs, Manchester United, Liverpool and Manchester City are all keen on a move for Timber.
    The 22-year-old joined the Eredivisie champions in 2022 and has made 10 appearances so far this season, scoring once.
    However, he has previously admitted he hopes to play with his brother in the future, hinting at a possible move to the Gunners.
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    Spurs are also being linked with Feyenoord’s Quinten TimberCredit: Alamy
    “Yes, for sure,” he said when asked about the idea. “In the future, of course. It would be nice to be able to take such a step.
    “But that, of course, starts today at Feyenoord. This season, I want to show beautiful things. And we will see what the future brings. But that would certainly be nice, yes.” More

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    Why Tottenham’s Yves Bissouma risks ANOTHER ban as soon as he serves current one after shocking dive vs Luton

    YVES BISSOUMA risks an immediate ban when he returns to Tottenham’s starting XI.The Ivory Coast midfielder will miss Spurs’ London derby with Fulham a fortnight on Monday through suspension.
    Yves Bissouma was sent off in Tottenham’s 1-0 win over Luton TownCredit: PA
    The Ivory Coast international was given a second yellow for divingCredit: TNT Sport
    He faces the prospect of another one-match ban if he gets booked upon his return to the starting XICredit: PA
    Bissouma will be serving a one-match ban when the game rolls around for the red card he received in Saturday’s 1-0 win over Luton.
    The Ivorian will be back available for Spurs’ trip to Crystal Palace the following Friday – although a booking in that match could land him another ban.
    That’s because Bissouma was already on five bookings – the disciplinary threshold for a one-match suspension – when he received his second yellow for a dive against The Hatters.
    Instead of acknowledging each booking separately, the Premier League will record Bissouma’s dismissal as a red card – meaning he’s technically still on four yellows for the season.
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    Bissouma, 27, was given his marching orders in first-half stoppage time for trying to con referee John Brooks.
    He feined contact on the edge of the box less than ten minutes after having his name taken into the book.
    Brooks wasn’t deceived by the midfielder’s antics and didn’t hesitate to send him for an early shower.
    Tottenham ran out 1-0 winners at Kenilworth Road thanks to a second-half strike from new boy Micky van de Ven.
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    Manager Ange Postecoglou said: “[We showed] a lot of character, a lot of resilience – which I think this team has already shown in the games leading up [to this one].
    “We had to show it today. I thought we started so well, we probably should’ve been three or four up.
    “But then you get the red card and it’s a different type of game.
    “I just thought we handled it really well. They had a couple of opportunities – we had our own.
    “And we get three points at a difficult place.”
    Spurs boss Ange Postecogolou was delighted with the resilience shown by his troopsCredit: REX More