Saturday, 30 July 2022

Jamie Redknapp criticised the "ridiculous" request to bring Kepa Arrizabalaga to Chelsea's Carabao Cup final shoot-out defeat and he was unable to score the decisive spot kick.

 Jamie Redknapp criticised the "ridiculous" request to bring Kepa Arrizabalaga to Chelsea's Carabao Cup final shoot-out defeat and he was unable to score the decisive spot kick.

Kepa was substituted https://apkzup.com/ as a replacement for the first choice goalkeeper Edouard Mendy for the shootout the same way he did, with success, for the Super Cup penalty shootout win against Villarreal and then missed the decisive penalty in Sunday's final match at Wembley following his inability to stop any of Liverpool's 11 chances and allowing victory in the Carabao Cup to Jurgen Klopp's team.

The Spain player was Chelsea's goalkeeper for the duration of the tournament and was then substituted in the final on Sunday for the regular number one Mendy who pulled off several spectacular saves to keep the scores at a level during regular and extra-time.

After all the players from outfield https://romaseriale.me/ also scored during the Wembley shootout, Kepa was unable to compare to the success by Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher in scoring from the spot after he shot over.

"I don't like it, it is a rubbish idea," said Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp of the bizarre substitution. "I think it's an example of being too smart for your own best. It's just made it more complicated. Who can say they would have not won even if Mendy was playing in goal This is a joke and nonsense. He was not even close to scoring a penalty.

"Mendy's one of the world's best goalkeepers, and then you bring on Kepa instead, ridiculous."

The substitution was however supported by Jamie Carragher..

Tuchel He said: I'm not blaming Kepa Tuchel, blame me

Responding to Kepa's mistake, Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchelsaid: "We feel terrible for him, obviously. It's a little cruel that he was that person who missed the penalty that was the only one, but there's nothing to blame.

"I take the decisions when I take the decisions and I can't re-judge them when I know the outcome. We don't know what would've happened if we left Mendy on the pitch. No blame on Kepa. Blame on me as I'm the guy who takes the decisions. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. This is life as a football coach."

He said to Sky Sports: "We did it before, and Kepa is slightly better in penalty saving. That's why that was the decision. It's pretty unusual that all 11 players need to shoot, he took it a bit too quick, sometimes these things can turn around against you. We take the decisions when the decisions need to be made, and not after when everyone can judge. We have reasons to do it, and nobody, I just said in the dressing room, I hope no one loses a night of sleep because it's not necessary and certainly not Kepa. It's how a final is, one team has to lose - and we were part of a brilliant football match."

Neville: I don't get Kepa sub

Sky Sports' Gary Neville :"I don't like it (subbing goalkeepers in shootoutsin shootouts. This isn't the time to think about it, but it could have paid off. They're sure that Kepa has had a fantastic record of saving penalties however, I don't comprehend why it happened.

"Mendy's been outstanding and made saves all the way through the game, he's got the atmosphere, the feeling, he's warmed up."



Liverpool defeated Chelsea to take home the Carabao Cup after Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to score the winning penalty in a long shootout that ended 11-10 at Wembley.

 Liverpool defeated Chelsea to take home the Carabao Cup after Kepa Arrizabalaga failed to score the winning penalty in a long shootout that ended 11-10 at Wembley.

Awarded to Chelsea the head coach Thomas Tuchel for the shootout in the last minute of extra-time, just as Kepa was during the August Super Cup, Kepa was unable to stop only one penalty, before smashing his own goal over the bar, granting Liverpool victory after a scoreless 120 minutes.

It was an incredible moment that took place three years after the incident that was the beginning of Kepa's Chelsea career in which Kepa was unable to comply with Maurizio Sarri's orders to remove him before their shootout loss against Manchester City in the 2019 final.

In the case of Liverpool it was their debut Carabao Cup win since 2012 which put them over Manchester City again to become the top team in the history of the competition , with nine wins. The win also brought to an end Jurgen Klopp's search for his first domestic cup for the club.

Sky Sports' Jamie Redknapp:

"I hope that it will put to rest the notion of bringing goalkeepers in shootouts. Mendy is one of the best goalkeepers in the world And then you put on Kepa instead? It's ridiculous.

"I didn't like his behaviour when the penalties were being taken, and then he took one of the worst penalties you'll ever see. I don't understand why you'd do it."

Sky Sports' Gary Neville:

"I dislike it [subbing goalkeepers for shootouts"I don't like it [subbing goalkeepers on shootouts]. It's not the right time to think about it, but it could have paid off. Kepa is obviously is a fantastic penalty-saving player however I don't comprehend why they did it.

"Mendy's been outstanding and made saves all the way through the game, he's got the atmosphere, the feeling, he's warmed up."

Liverpool are dominating in the field, but Chelsea were creating open spaces. There were three big chances for Chelsea to score the winning goal but Christian Pulisic was denied by Caoimhin Kelleher early on, and then Mason Mount either side of half-time failed to score into the net when faced with fantastic chances.

These were moments that ought to be a target for an elite striker, however Romelu Lukaku was relegated as a substitute by Tuchel.

Liverpool were also given a massive chance to win in the second half of the hour, but were prevented by the remarkable Eduoard Mendy's double save.

Then he slid low enough to block Naby Keita's attempt from near the edges of the field then he reacted with astonishing speed to move Sadio Mane's retort over the bar from point blank distance.

But he did almost cost his team his place during the 65th minute thanks to an inept clearance that let Mane to pass to Mohamed Salah. However, even the most ruthless Premier League player was not able to finish when his shot was snuffed out of the goal line with the help of Thiago Silva.

A few minutes later Liverpool believed they had taken the lead when an intelligent free-kick sequence was the cause of Mane crossing to allow Joel Matip to convert from just a few yards away However, following a lengthy VAR review, it was decided out. Virgil van Dijk the man accountable, since the VAR determined that he was blocking Reece James in the build-up from an offside position.

In the end, Lukaku was introduced, and for a brief moment early in extra time, he believed he'd given Chelsea their lead. However, VAR confirmed that Lukaku was offside as he sped behind to the Trevoh Chalobah pass before finishing ahead of Kelleher.

Chelsea were able to put the ball in the the net in the second period of extra-time when Kai Havertz turned and finished but the Blues were stopped by the flag. the Germany international just a hair offside.

In the end, the game was decided to penalties when Kepa came on, however failed to prevent any penalty and then he threw his shot over the bar to give Liverpool victory.

Tuchel Tuchel: There's no blame on Kepa I blame you

Chelsea manager Thomas Tuchel said: "We feel bad for Kepa, obviously. It's cruel that he was that person who missed the only penalty but there's nothing to blame.

"I take the decisions when I take the decisions and I can't re-judge them when I know the outcome. We don't know what would've happened if we left Mendy on the pitch. No blame on Kepa. Blame on me as I'm the guy who takes the decisions. Sometimes it works out, sometimes it doesn't. This is life as a football coach."

He said to Sky Sports: "We did it before, and Kepa is slightly better in penalty saving. That's why that was the decision. It's pretty unusual that all 11 players need to shoot, he took it a bit too quick, sometimes these things can turn around against you. We take the decisions when the decisions need to be made, and not after when everyone can judge. We have reasons to do it, and nobody, I just said in the dressing room, I hope no one loses a night of sleep because it's not necessary and certainly not Kepa. It's how a final is, one team has to lose - and we were part of a brilliant football match."

"Alisson Becker has to be the greatest goalkeeper on earth for me. However, Kelleher is the top No 2 in the world especially in the style of play we play. Kelleher played an unbelievable game.

"The life of a No 2 goalkeeper is you have to be ready when called. I can remember at least two incredible saves, probably a few more. He proved that the decision to play him was absolutely right, and then in a spectacular shoot-out he showed the whole range of his skill-set. He was top class."

He said to Sky Sports: "Even in professional football, there has to be some room for sentiment. Therefore, when it's a kid and we want for him to be a bit and he is rewarded with a competition and plays, then I tell him to him in the final that no you can't play.

"I am two things - a professional football manager, and a human being. And a human being first. It's so nice, he deserves it. At the training centre we have a wall with the goalkeepers listed who won something - and I told him, if we won tonight, it meant putting him on as well. It's exactly how it should be."


Jamie Carragher has criticised the comments made by Chelsea as well as Roman Abramovich regarding the owner's transfer of the control of the club in which they claim to have "let themselves down badly".

 Jamie Carragher has criticised the comments made by Chelsea as well as Roman Abramovich regarding the owner's transfer of the control of the club in which they claim to have "let themselves down badly".

Abramovich announced on Saturday that he would be handing over "stewardship and care" of Chelsea to the foundation that runs the club's charity following the Russian attack on Ukraine. The six trustees of the foundation have yet to decide on how to manage the Chelsea club.

The first statement of 110 words by Abramovich did not refer to Russia or Ukraine this stance was greeted with heavy criticism. However, Chelsea released a statement 14 hours after the Sunday dawn, declaring: "The situation in Ukraine is horrific and devastating. Chelsea FC's thoughts are with everyone in Ukraine. Everyone at the club is praying for peace."

Talking to Sky Sports prior to the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, Tuchel was asked if the statement was in line with Abramovich's opinion and replied: "Absolutely it includes him and this reflects my opinion like everyone else's opinion in the club."

However, Carragher has criticised Chelsea's handling and said "they've embarrassed themselves."

"I believe they haven't done it very well. In the two statements they've released. I believe it's been very poor which is why they've let them down horribly.

"The club came out today and put a statement out, but I think it was almost trying to rectify what Roman Abramovich had put out the night before. I don't think they did that well either. It's not worked out well for them at all, I think they've embarrassed themselves."

Carragher added that the transfer of care and stewardship does not go far enough in terms of handing over ownership. Carragher also believes that the club could be more firm in their decision-making from the beginning.

"They ought to be a lot more firm in their comments about Roman Abramovich passing on to Chelsea trustees, this isn't his surrendering the club, the term "stewardship" isn't ownership.

"It's completely different because he's still in charge, he's still running it, which is fine. But to not actually mention in his initial statement what was going on in Ukraine, I thought was really poor."

Neville He has more questions than answers

Another Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville called the statement of Abramovich "meaningless", saying: "It isn't a strong argument behind it. The only question we're looking for Roman Abramovich to answer, should he decide to make a statement, is: does oppose the war, or does he back the war in Ukraine Does he support Ukraine's war?

"I was surprised at Roman Abramovich, one of things he's done well over that 20 years or so is not say anything. At the time when he has said something I think it's left more questions than answers."

Neville said: "I would have preferred Roman Abramovich to come out and say , 'I'm Russian and I'm a Russian national, and I am the owner of Chelsea Football Club and I will continue to be the owner of Chelsea Football club'.

"Chelsea charity trustees are not running the football club - executives and directors will [be] under the guidance of Roman Abramovich. So I don't know why he thought, or those close to him thought it was going to wash. What he has done is try to use the charity as a shield, which I don't think is impressive as a leader."

Abramovich is still Chelsea's owner. the Russian billionaire who has invested more than PS1billion in the Stamford Bridge club since purchasing the club in 2003, is not asking Chelsea to pay back the loans that it owes which means that the future of the club is secure.

It is also believed that Abramovich insists that Chelsea isn't for sale, even though there are concerns about his future with the club.

If Abramovich will ever take on an active and visible position at the club is likely to depend heavily on whether he is facing any punishments by the UK government and what transpires in Ukraine and how the relationship between the UK and Russia evolves.

There have been claims by lawmakers this week that Abramovich shouldn't be permitted to control Chelsea because of his connections to Russian President Vladimir Putin's government.

In the wake of Russian troops crossed across the border into Ukraine this week, Labour MP Chris Bryant spoke to members of the House of Commons that the billionaire's assets should be confiscated and asked if it was appropriate for him to manage a football team by himself, and cited an unpublished government document that suggested the billionaire should not be permitted to establish a base on the UK.

What have Abramovich made of it?

In a rare interview with Abramovich on Saturday night the Chelsea owner stated: "During my nearly 20-year ownership of Chelsea FC, I have always seen myself as a custodian for the club, and whose task is to ensure that we're as successful as we can today, and also building for the future and also being a positive influence in our local communities.

"I have always made decisions in the best interests of Chelsea FC in my mind. I will continue to adhere to these principles. That's why I am now granting Chelsea's charitable foundation's trustees the responsibility of stewardship and the care of Chelsea FC.

"I believe that currently they are in the best position to look after the interests of the club, players, staff, and fans."

This statement was criticized for its lack of clarity and it not mentioning Ukraine, Russia or Putin.


The Sunday's Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea witnessed the highest home total and average viewership numbers ever recorded for an League Cup final on Sky Sports.

 The Sunday's Carabao Cup final between Liverpool and Chelsea witnessed the highest home total and average viewership numbers ever recorded for an League Cup final on Sky Sports.

The game averaged 3.16m viewers, and the highest was over 4 million, the highest home-based peak for any football match since Liverpool against Man Utd in January 2021 (4.8m). The final also had the biggest crowd of the football season 21/22.

Liverpool's victory at the Carabao Cup final also saw an impressive level of engagement across Sky Sports' social and digital platforms With more than 3 million video viewers across Sky Sports Football Twitter and 510,000 views on Sky Sports Football Facebook.

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Four and a half million views were viewed through Sky Sports Facebook throughout the day. There was 4.9m viewers on Sky Sports Football's YouTube channel. Sky Sports Football YouTube channel.

The launch of the Super slow-motion cameras Spidercam as well as steadicam cameras from Sky Sports brought fans closer to the action during the game that had four goals that were disallowed.

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The Super Slow Spidercam - a first in the world of football coverage that was used to display important replays and montages of footage. The Spidercam was utilized at full speed to stream live cutting and replay analysis and was then converted to super slow replays of penalty kicks. These new angles added the excitement of the penalty kick shootout.

The event was described as a success by Sky Sports director of football Gary Hughes said: "It was a brilliant final and great occasion to introduce the new cameras - bringing over 4m fans even closer to the action."

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EFL Chief Commercial Officer Ben Wright added: "The record-breaking number of people watching live on Sky Sports, alongside a sell-out Wembley Stadium demonstrates the continued popularity of the competition and its importance within the domestic game."


Huddersfield head coach Carlos Corberan has resigned from his position , leaving Danny Schofield stepping up to assume the role of head coach.

 Huddersfield head coach Carlos Corberan has resigned from his position , leaving Danny Schofield stepping up to assume the role of head coach.

Spanish player Corberan who led his Terriers through their Championship Play-Off final in the last campaign, where they lost to Nottingham Forest, met with the head of operations for football Leigh Bromby on Wednesday night before stepping down after two seasons in charge and the assistant Jorge Alarcon also leaving the club.

The Terriers aren't revealing if Corberan who previously worked as an assistant to former Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa, had received an offer from a different club.

Bromby stated: "It is with sadness that we've accepted Carlos his resignation. He was certainly an integral part of the great season in the 2021/22 season, but Carlos has since contacted us over the past 24 hours to make it evident that he does not believe he's the best person to lead the team ahead.

"The timing is disappointing, as we have we are preparing for coming season well underway.

"Danny Schofield is now taking into the position of leading the team. He is familiar with the team, our athletes, coaches, plan and our structure as well as anyone else and is the perfect person to ensure that we have the continuity we need.

"Danny is highly regarded and well-known across football and this summer rejected an opportunity to become the head coach of a club that is in the highest division of the European league due to his belief in what we're doing at the club. His contribution to our club has been excellent and he's earned this chance.

"Danny will work alongside our team of experts which includes Narcis Pelach, while they prepare us for the first game with Burnley on the 29th of July.

"I would like to thank Carlos for his hard work at the club. I've really enjoyed working closely with him over the last two years, and I wish him the very best for the future."

Corberan was appointed the position of head coach for first time in his tenure as he replaced Danny Cowley at the John Smith's Stadium after ending his three-year coaching stint at Leeds.

The Terriers who were dropped out of the Premier League in 2019, suffered in Corberan's debut season. They survived another setback, which culminated in being relegated to the third division.

After a successful recruitment campaign during the summer of 2021 Corberan led the team to a third-place finish in the last season.

The Terriers defeated Luton during the play-off semi-finals however, they lost 1-1 against Nottingham Forest in the Wembley final.

Huddersfield Chairman Dean Hoyle urged the club's supporters to give Schofield their full support as they begin preparing for an eighth campaign with the Championship after they were relegated to the top league.

Hoyle added: "I know the timing of this announcement is going to be a huge shock to our loyal supporters. We felt the same way when Carlos wanted to meet with Leigh on Wednesday night and declared that he would leave, given that we've been working together to prepare for the upcoming season.

"Everyone at the club appreciates Carlos for all the hard work he has put in during the past two seasons, and for the way he's contributed to taking us forward. I truly hope that Carlos has an outstanding career.

"I am aware that a change such as this, especially when it's unexpected is a source of worry for the fans. I can assure you that we'll do everything we can to to propel forward this club after an extremely positive year. We must have faith in what we've created in the club and have faith in what we believe we can accomplish through perseverance and determination.

"All I ask is for everyone to get right behind Danny, the staff, and the players, as you always do, as we enter the new season."

Corberan"The most honest thing you could do was to step back

Corberan then issued an official statement on Twitter declaring that his departure was "a difficult decision but one I gave a lot of thought to and have made based on my great affection for this club".

He further stated: "As a coach my approach to my job is based solely on the most steadfast dedication to and absolute respect for the policy of the organization I'm representing since that's an only method to guarantee the level of dedication needed to manage the football team.

"Leading this team over the last 2 seasons was a joy and has made me feel very happy and proud.

"However I have the highest respect for the entire club and the people who support it, and that's why I believe it is necessary to end our relationship.

"There are times in life when the most honest thing to do is to step aside on amicable terms in the best interests of both parties."


Danny Drinkwater says he is happy that at the thought that his Chelsea nightmare is over after admitting that he wasted the opportunity to have been his best times as a player.

 Danny Drinkwater says he is happy that at the thought that his Chelsea nightmare is over after admitting that he wasted the opportunity to have been his best times as a player.

The 32-year old, who was a pivotal player of Leicester City's winning team in the 2015/16 season relocated from Leicester City to Chelsea on the 17th of January in 2017. The cost was PS35m after signing the five-year deal with the club at Stamford Bridge.

But the move did not pan out for Drinkwater He was in the sand for the majority during his stay at Chelsea and experienced a slowdown in his career with only 23 appearances for the club and scoring only one goal.

These issues are no longer a problem for Drinkwater who was released by Chelsea this summer. spoke exclusively to Sky Sports News Drinkwater, who was a former England international is simply happy with the prospects towards getting his career back in the right direction.

"I'm relieved, because it's clear it wasn't a situation that was good for me or the club," Drinkwater responded after being asked his thoughts on his Chelsea exile.

"I'm angry because of how it's gone and how I was treated - not bitter though, what ifs. It was a long time coming."

Through an acting translator and assistant manager Gianfranco Zola Sarri rather unpretentiously informed the midfielder that he didn't make it into his plans. Sarri then left Drinkwater having an hour in which to search for the right club.

"It got to the last hour of the transfer window and [I] got pulled into the office, not expected at all," Drinkwater says. "'Don't think that you're going to be part of Our plan'. This is Sarri translating through Gianfranco. and I thought "What's the matter?"

"Sarri and I were like a fire-breathing house off the field. On the field we were"crack and cheese. I asked"Why do you tell me this that I have to wait until the window is closed I'm desperate for more time'. He replied, "No, no there's clubs from abroad that you can check out ...'

"My reaction was - 'No, I've got my young son. He is my priority'. So I decided to stay until January."

When asked if he felt as if he's wasted the most productive Five years of his life, Drinkwater stated: "Yeah it's like asking yourself 'why did you throw away in the five years you've had and why?'

"If you'd been at Leicester in the first place, if you weren't injured and when the club didn't treat differently. There are no the ifs. It's a pity, 100. Don't think that I'm not enthralled by the way it's ended. I'm still kicking myself over it. However, on the other hand is the question of whether I'm going to continue to resent myself? since I'm not able to change the situation.

"Can I help myself going forward? That's why I went on loan, why I went to Aston Villa and Burnley on loan, which didn't work, and going to Turkey at the age of 30 - I never thought I'd do that. It's also the reason I dropped down to the Championship. I've been trying to do the right things. As I've tried doing them, something's gone wrong."

"I was lost" - Drinkwater about mental health issues

In the midst of a tough period during the difficult time for Drinkwater at Chelsea the midfielder admitted to struggling with his mental state, particularly when accusations of a secluded life and unhappy not playing were levelled at him.

Did he have a good time 'living his life"? What were the facts? Given his problems on the field, and numerous issues that arose off of it, Drinkwater revealed he was disorientated.

"That's not true," the man declared. "'Living the good life' can last around two weeks. You realize that you're not playing games, you're only training and I can go out with my friends and I'm single. It's amazing, I can do everything. I was enjoying it however, behind the scenes there are always things that take over.

"And as a human being, If you're not willing to talk to the appropriate people, it eats away at your confidence. I didn't realize this until later on in the process. I've always thought "I'm a big, strong guy I can handle this'.

"I was suffering from mental health issues in the year 2019I was suffering from mental health issues in 2019. Nan passed, grandad passed away, my dad was diagnosed with Leukaemia My dog died, and was drinking and driving in a way that was not my style of driving. My mistake was huge error. I was trying to help my son that was going on all the time and was taking its impact on my.

"I think when someone has too much to juggle, it can hit you. And it did hit me. And I was like 'wow', is this what it's come to? And I was lost."

He also said: "When football is going well, everything else seems easier to deal with, but when this isn't going so well, everything seems so heavy. I definitely think that's the lowest I'd been."

If asked if he had was helped, he replied: "I didn't think I was depressed, but I saw the sports psychologist and if I hadn't, I definitely think it could've gone that way because I was just fighting and fighting, and it wasn't helping anybody."

Despite the challenges that confronted Drinkwater in the wake of his Chelsea departure, he is able to begin to look towards the future.

The midfielder played playing in the Sky Bet Championship with Reading where he took part in 32 games. It was a loan period that was instrumental in helping Drinkwater gain confidence and play football again.

"I joined Reading and was hoping to be flying after just eight games. However, after 20 games, I was thinking What's going on? I didn't feel adequately fit and could not keep my focus. I was feeling like I was not really contributing to the team...and I thought "Wow, where has it gone? What's changed?.

"Then you get a feeling back. The last part of last season, it was good. A new gaffer came in, and it was good. He helped me, and I felt I was helping the team. That's probably the first time I'd enjoyed football for years."

What happens the next season? Which stadium will Drinkwater be playing football?

"There are a few offers flying about," the player stated. "It's an interesting time for football, particularly when you're in a position to be free to market.

"That season last year helped me tremendously in having all the games I played and hopefully the second part of the season showed that I still have the potential and desire to push myself to the limit.

"There are options, it's just about the decision. I love winning, so it's a difficult thing to let go at this age."



Spurs actually are creating something.

 Djed Spence passed an examination with Tottenham on Friday, ahead of an PS12.5m transfer from Middlesbrough.

The right-wing-back was in Hotspur Way on Friday, following the time that Spurs reached an agreement that could increase to an amount of around of PS20 million with the addition of add-ons this evening.

"The 21-year-old made 46 appearances for Forest last season and there was a chance he might have joined Steve Cooper's side on a permanent deal this summer," said Sky Sports Newsreporter Mark McAdam.

"But we know Tottenham are desperate to sign him and we know he is desperate to play for Antonio Conte in the Premier League."

If Tottenham sign Spence and sign him, it would make their sixth big signing of the year, following the arrivals Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison and loanee Clement Lenglet.

Spurs actually are creating something.

Sky Sports News reporter Dharmesh Sheth:

"Tottenham supporters must be thinking, "what's happening during this window of transfer' as typically, they're used to waiting until the end of the week or until the deadline day to finalize their signings.

"But there's been a strong demand coming from Antonio Conte and Fabio Paratici to state that we are determined to get this business completed early. We're involved in the Champions League and a different market than what we were before.

"When you consider the six signings they've made it's turning into Conte as well as Paratici's Tottenham. The signing of a player such as Ivan Perisic is a signing Conte would have pushed for. Fraser Forster is cover for Hugo Lloris.

"It seems like the loan agreement of Clement Lenglet means he has an additional defender in his the back of his mind. Conte could have one focus on Alessandro Bstoni's contract position in Inter Milan.

"Maybe if he doesn't sign a new deal, they can swoop in for him next summer. Spurs really are building something."

How did Spence do in the Championship this season?

Sky Sports' Dan Long:

In the first week of the this season Djed Spence was already started to build himself as the mainstay of the Middlesbrough team. He made 60 Championship appearances prior to turning 21 and was proving himself all the way.

Then, from nowhere it was announced that he would be sent on loan to rivals from the division Nottingham Forest, with Isaiah Jones being favored as a right wingback by Boro's then boss Neil Warnock. At the City Ground he became hot and a target for the club.

He amazed Reds supporters with his attacking goal-scoring capability and ability to take shooting from distances He was awarded Sky Bet Championship Goal of the Month in March. He also showed he's not just a one-trick pony, by putting on some impressive defensive displays as well. For an overview, Forest kept 17 clean sheets during the 39 league games he took part in without play-offs.

It was in the final stages of the FA Cup quarter-finals that he began to draw the attention of a number of Premier League teams, though there were Arsenal and Spurs among those who were said to be interested at the time.

There's obviously plenty of room to improve considering his age, however it's important to note that the loan period did not go more efficiently as it did. He was able to break in to the England U21 squad directly as a result as well.

Following Forest's win in the play-off final against Huddersfield during May Spence posted on Twitter Warnock a picture that showed him in his Wembley changing room with a smoke in the mouth and scarf tucked around his head and the trophy laying at his feet, clearly aiming towards his manager.

"Well done, Djed - I did say you were Premier League or non-league," Djed replied. "Glad you listened and took my advice on board now go and enjoy your success."

The idea that began to be a career guideline has turned into an actuality, since Spence will begin in 2022/23 with the team as the Premier League player.

Check out the transfer window for summer with Sky Sports

Who is in the process of moving this summer? The transfer window closes 11pm on the 1st of September.

Stay up-to-date on all the latest news about transfers and rumours by reading our exclusive Transfer Centre blog on Sky Sports'digital platforms. It is also possible to keep up on the latest ins outs, analysis and news in Sky Sports News.


Rangers Calvin Bassey is set to join Ajax after Ajax and Rangers reached an agreement on an agreement for the player.

  Rangers Calvin Bassey is set to join Ajax after Ajax and Rangers reached an agreement on an agreement for the player. The cost will be PS1...