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    Tottenham blow as club loses out on £42.5m cash injection as new sponsorship deal is BLOCKED

    A NEW Tottenham sponsorship deal worth £42.5m has been blocked by South African lawmakers in a huge blow to the club.The Spurs hierarchy, including chairman Daniel Levy, were looking to boost club revenue by bringing in a big money deal.
    The Premier League’s longest-serving chairman Daniel Levy has faced criticism from Spurs fans in recent yearsCredit: Getty
    The proposed agreement with South Africa’s tourism board would have included matchday advertising, kit and interview backdrop branding and even training camps in the country, according to the Telegraph.
    But South Africa’s parliament slapped down the “insulting” agreement amid the country’s painful economic situation.
    South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s spokesperson said he “did not think spending so much money in the manner that is being suggested will be justified.”
    While the idea also faced criticism from tourism chair Tandi Mahambehlala.
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    She said: “This deal, it ends here, today, now, because there is everything wrong about the deal itself… there must be an investigation on this matter with immediate effect.”
    But tourism minister Lindiwe Sisulu distanced themselves from the deal.
    She said: “I am not aware that any agreement has been signed with Tottenham Hotspur. That would only happen after agreements from the Treasury. So we do not have a deal, as far as government is concerned.”
    The opposition Democratic Alliance said the deal was an “insult” and “money should rather be spent locally to improve our tourism sector so that it can thrive.”
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    Tottenham are looking for revenue-boosting sponsorship deals to give the club more financial flexibility in the transfer market.
    Spurs boss Antonio Conte has previously grumbled about the club’s spending power.
    The club still haven’t agreed a new naming rights deal for their stadium despite the £1bn ground opening in 2019. More

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    ‘This is GOOD news’ – Brutal Tottenham fans react after Hugo Lloris is ruled out for 8 weeks with knee injury

    TOTTTENHAM have been dealt a major blow with captain Hugo Lloris facing up to two months out injured.But that’s not how all Spurs fans see things.
    Hugo Lloris is facing up to two months out with a knee injuryCredit: Getty
    The Frenchman has been the club’s No.1 for more than a decade, but mistakes have crept into his game on a more frequent basis in recent months.
    Lloris has made howlers against Newcastle, Aston Villa and most recently the opener in the North London derby.
    His poor form has even led to calls for him to be dropped and replaced by Fraser Forster.
    Regardless, Lloris has continued to keep his place, starting all-but one game in the Premier League and Champions League.
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    But Forster is now set to get his chance with the Telegraph reporting that Lloris is facing around six to eight weeks on the sidelines.
    He sustained the injury late in Sunday’s win over Manchester City and has suffered knee ligament damage.
    But not all Tottenham fans are disappointed with the news.
    One said: “Advantage Spurs 🔥🔥🔥🔥.”
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    A second said: “Lloris out for 8 weeks? Champions League qualification is ON.”
    A third chimed in with: “Might be what we need.”

    Another said: “Good, he always has a clanger in him.”
    A fifth said: “Top 4 confirmed with this bonus.”
    If Lloris does end up being sidelined for two months, he could miss several games across three competitions, including both legs against AC Milan and some key Premier League clashes. More

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    Man Utd transfer blow as ‘Tottenham will NOT sell club record scorer Harry Kane to Premier League rival in summer’

    MANCHESTER UNITED are reportedly set for failure in their pursuit of Harry Kane.Erik ten Hag’s side have been linked with the Tottenham star as they look to add a world-class striker to the squad.
    Tottenham reportedly will not sell Harry Kane to a rivalCredit: Alamy
    The England international is believed to be set to stay at Tottenham beyond the summer transfer window.
    The Times has reported that Spurs are determined to keep hold of their record goalscorer and “will not sell him to a rival”.
    Kane’s goal against Manchester City on Sunday took him one past the previous record set by legendary striker Jimmy Greaves in 1970.
    He has now scored 267 times for the North Londoners.
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    Many former pros and pundits have suggested that Kane’s arrival at the Red Devils would help make them title challengers.
    After the game against City, Kane refused to commit his future to the club.
    He told Viaplay Fotball: “I’m just here to perform every game and give my all for the badge.
    “We’ll see what happens but I’m concentrated on this season.
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    “We’ve got the FA Cup, we’ve got the Champions League coming up, and we’re in a good position in the league to really try and push forward.
    “So that’s what I’m concentrated on.”
    The 29-year-old’s current contract with Tottenham is set to expire at the end of next season. More

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    Harry Kane refuses to commit future to Tottenham after scoring record goal amid Man Utd transfer interest

    HARRY KANE failed to pledge his future to Tottenham after becoming the club’s all-time record goalscorer.The England captain, 29, netted a 267th goal for Spurs on Sunday in a 1-0 win over Man City.
    Harry Kane is now Spurs’ all-time record goalscorerCredit: Alamy
    Spurs’ talisman was quizzed about his future after the matchCredit: Twitter / RealKevinPalmer
    But he refused to give a straight answer, insisting he is focused on this seasonCredit: Twitter / RealKevinPalmer
    The strike moves him beyond the legendary Jimmy Greaves as the Lilywhites’ most prolific marksman outright.
    Kane was given a special presentation after the match following his record-breaking afternoon.
    And he was then asked in a post-match interview whether the moment told Tottenham fans he is “here to stay”.
    However, the Spurs man refused to confirm he will remain in North London as Man Utd continue to be linked with the striker.
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    Speaking to Viaplay Fotball, he said: “I’m just here to perform every game and give my all for the badge.
    “We’ll see what happens but I’m concentrated on this season.
    “We’ve got the FA Cup, we’ve got the Champions League coming up, and we’re in a good position in the league to really try and push forward.
    “So that’s what I’m concentrated on.”
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    Kane already has 19 goals in 30 appearances for Tottenham so far this season.
    And his winner against Man City was the Three Lions skipper’s 200th in the Premier League.
    He is now just eight behind Wayne Rooney and 60 shy of record-holder Alan Shearer.
    But it remains to be seen whether he will break the record in a Tottenham shirt.
    Man Utd have been heavily linked with a summer move for the forward.
    And he is also thought to be on the radar of German champions Bayern Munich.
    Kane tried to force through a move to Man City in the summer of 2021, but Spurs managed to keep hold of their man.
    Antonio Conte’s men sit fifth in the Premier League table, one point adrift of the top four.
    They are also into the fifth round of the FA Cup and last-16 of the Champions League. More

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    Tottenham record-breaker Kane feels he can still reach another level – and explains importance of Chelsea double in 2015

    HARRY KANE feels he can still reach another level after becoming Tottenham’s greatest-ever goalscorer.The England captain made it 267 strikes for the North Londoners with the winner in Sunday’s 1-0 victory over Manchester City.
    Harry Kane broke Jimmy Greaves’ record against Manchester CityCredit: Getty
    It took the 29-year-old one past the previous record set by legendary striker Jimmy Greaves in 1970.
    Kane first hit the back of the net for Spurs in December 2011 against Irish side Shamrock Rovers in the Europa League.
    Asked if he could ever have imagined back then that he would go on to become the No1 goal-getter in the club’s history, the forward replied: “Absolutely not. 
    “I dreamed of playing for Tottenham but I don’t think you ever think about records. 
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    “Being Tottenham’s all time top goalscorer is not something I was thinking about back then. 
    “It was just about trying to get in the team and play and when I did it was just about trying to be consistent and perform every year, improve every year. 
    “I’m still only 29 so I still feel like I’ve got room for improvement and that’s what I’ll try to do for the rest of my career.”
    Kane also reached 200 Premier League goals with his 15th-minute strike that downed City.
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    That haul has come in just 304 games – including three goalless matches on loan at Norwich – meaning he has reached that milestone faster than any other player.
    At the end of the City win, Antonio Conte congratulated him over the phone from his sickbed in Italy where the Spurs boss is recovering from gallbladder surgery.
    Conte went under the knife on Wednesday back in his home country and while the operation went well, he was not physically up to attending the game.
    Kane revealed: “He was on the phone there and he just kind of congratulated me for the achievement and just said he was proud of all the boys. 
    Kane fired home in the 15th minute to make historyCredit: Getty
    Kane on the phone to Antonio Conte after the gameCredit: Sky Sports
    Kane with Spurs legend Greaves, who passed away in 2021Credit: Getty – Contributor
    “It’s not easy when you don’t have your coach there. It’s obviously been a difficult week, we’re all happy the surgery went well and he’s recovering well. 
    “Whenever you haven’t got your coach there, it’s never easy. We showed today we’re a unit, a team. I’m sure he was watching proudly. 
    “It was the type of performance where we knew what we had to do. It wasn’t going to be easy at times. We had to dig deep and really suffer and be together. 
    “I thought throughout the whole team everyone showed 110 per cent commitment. I’m sure the gaffer was proud and we can be proud of that.”
    Kane said he will never tire of the ecstatic feeling that comes from finding the back of the net.
    And he pointed to his double in 2015’s thrilling 5-3 win over Chelsea at White Hart Lane as a key moment in his rise to Spurs’ finest-ever marksman.
    The former Leyton Orient, Millwall and Leicester loanee explained: “I felt like that game was an important one. 
    “Chelsea at the time were one of the best teams in Europe, they were top of the Premier League. 
    “I’d done well before then, I’d scored goals against other teams but I hadn’t done it against a big team yet. 
    “And not just my goals but the whole performance, it was one of my best performances in a Spurs shirt. 
    “That gave me the confidence I needed to know that I could do it against any team, on any stage. That was the moment that I felt like, ‘OK, I’m here to stay’.”
    Spurs moved to within a point of fourth-placed Newcastle with their victory against Pep Guardiola’s side, albeit having played a game more.
    The first half of the campaign was up-and-down with some poor performances and results, including a run of ten games where they shipped TWENTY-ONE goals.
    But Conte’s side have kept it much tighter in recent games, earning clean sheets in five of their last seven matches.
    The victory over City, a fortnight after they lost 4-2 at the Etihad, was their first against one of the other big six this season.
    Suddenly there is optimism around the club with a winnable last-16 tie in the Champions League against AC Milan to come on Valentine’s Day and the team through to the fifth round of the FA Cup.
    Kane added: “That’s the standard – if we can do it against one of the best teams in the league, we can do it against anyone. So they are the standards we’ve set now. 
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    “We need to try not to fall below them in any game. Clean sheets are really important. 
    “They win games. We feel like we’ve got enough firepower to score goals and from top to bottom we’ve got to make sure we keep the ball out of the net.” More

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    Gary Neville slams Man City for bizarre tactic during Tottenham defeat as Pep Guardiola suffers huge title blow

    GARY NEVILLE was dumbfounded by Manchester City’s tactics in a costly 1-0 defeat at Tottenham.Pep Guardiola’s misfiring champs remain five points behind leaders Arsenal, who have a game in hand.
    Even Man City boss Pep Guardiola himself couldn’t believe all he sawCredit: Rex
    Erling Haaland didn’t have a single goal attempt in the loss at SpursCredit: Getty
    And Manchester United legend Neville was amazed at the poor service for goal machine Erling Haaland.
    The star summer buy had netted 25 times in 19 Premier League games – but in his 20th match on Sunday he failed to have a single shot for the first time.
    Passer-in-chief Kevin de Bruyne was left on the bench until the 59th minute.
    And even though City were behind from Harry Kane’s historic strike on the quarter-hour mark, Guardiola’s men couldn’t even break through after Cristian Romero’s late red card.
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    Neville told Sky Sports: “Haaland is making the runs. He is ready to go, they (City players) are just not playing them.
    “The amount of runs he makes that get ignored is incredible.”
    Fellow pundits Graeme Souness and Micah Richards agreed.
    Former Liverpool hardman Souness said: “Haaland and De Bruyne are the most successful partnership in the Premier League.”
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    And ex-City defender Richards said: “In fairness to Haaland he’s making SO many runs and no one is seeing him.”
    Guardiola tried out a new look, with Julian Alvarez partnering Haaland.
    Behind them midfielders Rodri and Bernardo Silva were flanked by Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish.

    But City struggled against Spurs’ stubborn defending and pacy counter-attacks.
    And Kane’s drilled winner took him to a Tottenham record of 267 goals, passing fellow England great Jimmy Greaves.
    Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was shocked at how Man City ignored the runs of Erling HaalandCredit: PA More

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    Arsenal fans all say the same thing as Harry Kane’s winner against Man City hands neighbours huge title boost

    ARSENAL fans are celebrating rivals Tottenham’s surprise triumph over Manchester City by remembering Harry Kane’s Gooner past.Kane’s winner after 15 minutes led Spurs to a 1-0 victory over the Gunners’ Premier League title rivals at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
    Tottenham superstar Harry Kane scored the winner against Manchester CityCredit: Getty
    The star striker also broke club legend Jimmy Greaves’ scoring record as he netted his 267th goal for the North Londoners.
    The England international made history with Tottenham, but cheeky Gooners claim he remembered his Arsenal past.
    The 29-year-old started his football journey with Spurs’ rivals as a child.
    But Kane was dropped from Arsenal’s famous Hale End academy for being “chubby” in 2002.

    However, that didn’t stop certain Gooners from praising the England skipper, who denied City the chance of coming closer to Mikel Arteta’s highfliers.
    This comes after Arsenal lost only their second Prem match this season against Everton, but Kane’s winner made sure the Citizens wouldn’t cut the deficit to two points.
    One fan tweeted: “Proper @Arsenal fan. Congratulations on your milestone.”
    Another posted: “Harry Kane can’t wait for the Arsenal trophy parade.”
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    A third wrote: “Tottenham and Harry Kane helping Arsenal win the title, the reason to have a good neighbour…. the Premier League is coming to North London.”
    This fan said: “Agent Harry Kane to the rescue. Once a Gooner, always one! Thank you, Tottenham.”
    And that one tweeted: “Arsenal Haters: Arsenal won’t win the Trophy this season (After the Everton defeat).
    “Agent Harry Kane: Hold my beer against Man City.”
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    Arsenal fans remembered Harry Kane’s past as a young Gooner
    But no one was happier than Kane after his landmark goal for Antonio Conte’s side.
    The Tottenham superstar said: “It is hard to put into words. Just a magical moment, I was desperate to do it with a win as well. I wanted to win so bad.
    “Once we went 1-0 up it was about just keeping a clean sheet. To do it in front of the home fans, it is a moment I will never forget.
    “There has been so much talk about it the last couple of weeks, I just wanted to get it done as soon as possible. To do it in a big game against one of the best teams in the world. It is a special feeling.” More

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    Spurs boss Conte rings Kane in dressing room to congratulate him on breaking Greaves’ record after gallbladder surgery

    ANTONIO CONTE was straight on the phone to Harry Kane after his Tottenham star’s record-breaking matchwinner against Manchester City.The striker grabbed the only goal of the game as Spurs defeated the Cityzens in North London.

    Harry Kane is congratulated on the phone by Antonio ConteCredit: Sky Sports
    The Italian was watching from home following his recent surgeryCredit: Sky Sports

    That was his 267th strike for the club and saw him move ahead of Jimmy Greaves as the club’s all-time top scorer.
    And as soon as he was in the dressing-room the absent Conte was straight on the blower to his superstar.
    And although much of the conversation is difficult to listen in to, Conte can clearly be heard saying “you make me proud”.
    The Italian gaffer also posted a photo on his Instagram account showing Kane being mobbed by his team-mates after the game.

    Conte captioned it: “Always with You, even from afar. Proud of the whole Team.”
    Spurs managed to topple the reigning champions without their manager following his recent op as he is still in Turin recovering.
    Conte, 53, was rushed to the hospital on Wednesday to undergo surgery after suffering from severe abdominal pain.
    Tottenham then confirmed that their manager has been diagnosed with cholecystitis which is inflammation of the gallbladder.
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    Conte’s assistant Cristian Stellini led the team in his absence.
    The magic moment came with Spurs’ first attack when midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg intercepted a loose pass just outside of the box City.
    He drew in a couple of defenders before squaring it right to Kane, and the hotshot expertly slotted past Ederson into the bottom corner.
    Kane said afterwards: “It’s hard to put into words and I’m so glad it came in a win.
    “We worked so hard to keep a clean sheet. It was so special to do it in front of the fans.
    “There has been so much talk about it in the last couple of weeks and to do it in such a big game is even more special.
    “It is a great feeling. When I started playing regularly it wasn’t even in my imagination to score 200 Premier League goals and I have a few more years left so hopefully there are more to come.
    “[Jimmy Greaves] is a complete hero, one of the best strikers to play the game so to be in that conversation is special. And to overtake him is a huge moment for me.”
    And to make the day even sweeter it was also Kane’s 200th Premier League goal.
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    The England captain, 29, is only the third player ever to hit a double century since the restructure of the top-flight in 1992.
    Manchester United legend Wayne Rooney is on 208 while Alan Shearer is top dog with 260.
    Harry Kane is Tottenham’s record scorer after his 267th goal for the clubCredit: Richard Pelham / The Sun More