As the curtain went down on last season, one of the clubs facing most uncertainty over the immediate direction they would, or indeed could, take was Tottenham Hotspur. It was clear that their second interim manager of the campaign, Ryan Mason, wouldn’t be in charge; who was to take over and try to - yet again - restructure and rebuild the underperforming team was a mystery. It was clear that a new sporting director had to be appointed given Fabio Paratici’s ban and departure; who they would land to fill the void was unclear. And above all, it seemed that both captain and vice-captain would move on from tthe playing squad: Hugo Lloris’ last involvement saw him subbed midway through the drubbing at Newcastle and he was outspoken over summer over his “desire” to depart, while star striker - and most valuable asset in every sense - Harry Kane has just a year left on his contract and many suitors keen on his talents. And yet, in what can only be described as very Tottenham-esque fashion, both Lloris and Kane remain at the club on the eve of the new season, new boss Ange Postecoglou handed the task of rebuilding a team without fully knowing if the spearhead of it will in fact remain past the next few weeks. With regards to the goalkeeping situation at least, there’s an expectation rather than a reality of clarity now. The Australian manager confirmed Lloris opted out of joining Spurs’ pre-season tour to explore transfer opportunities, with summer addition Guglielmo Vicario the new No.1. Kane, meanwhile, is described as “invested” in the team by his latest boss but Bayern Munich’s interest, in particular, isn’t going anywhere. While Postecoglou tries to integrate the England captain into yet another Spurs vision, it’s perhaps Daniel Levy’s approach which is hampering how fast his newest appointment can put matters on track. On the one hand, there’s a reputation and an expectation to acknowledge: Levy, when conducting transfer business for Spurs, is known to be tough to deal with, standing firm on valuations and expecting others to match them if they want a player. On most occasions, that might well be the right, or at least a beneficial, approach. But perhaps this time, this summer, with this player’s situation, rapidly concluding negotiations would by far outweigh the benefits of standing firm on payment terms, or holding out for the extra few percent. Recent reports suggested a £10m difference between the clubs; while not an insignificant figure, consider the difference between getting £90m now and absolutely nothing just ten months down the line. And more than that, consider the year-long delay in allowing Postecoglou to bring in the type of striker he wants to lead the line and work with and have others play off, run off, link with, create for: not just removing Spurs’ own ability to pay for that striker, but holding up the start date on integrating them into the system. Keeping Kane and hoping he’ll recant and sign an extension is an obvious attraction, but given the lack of ability to compete at the top or have a cohesive, consistent approach to improvement over the last few years - throughout the club, not just on the pitch - it would appear to be optimistic in the extreme for Levy and the board to focus on that possibility. Meanwhile, a late-summer sale would only mean that at best Spurs get perhaps a couple of goals or games out of Kane, but then face time pressures to find a replacement - and don’t have a longer-tearm starting striker for the first games of the season, and even when one is signed, he has missed out on a crucial pre-season of bedding in. And so to what Postecoglou can control, rather than what he cannot. A long list of club and country positions have shown his capacity for organisation, for commanding the respect of his squad and for producing at-times excellent football, without sacrificing an ability to be pragmatic when called for. Aside from the aforementioned Vicario and the loans-turned-permanent deal for Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski, Postecoglou has been gifted Micky van de Ven at the back and James Maddison in attack. Manor Solomon adds depth, but well over £150m of total outlays have not been offset by sales - just Harry Winks and Lucas Moura have departed, the latter on a free. Getting the best out of Maddison will be a crucial aspect of the new Spurs, be it as a No10 or in a more fluid, floating role. Too often, too long it has been a case of relying on Kane and Son Heung-min, and the latter endured a torrid campaign in 2022/23. Adding aggression, work rate, organisation and far, far better mental resilience when matters get tough after the whistle goes will all have been high on Postecoglou’s must-do list this summer. All of that can be done with or without Kane, and the evidence of it should be seen very quickly into the new term compared to some of the debacles under Antonio Conte and those who, briefly, followed. But when it comes to the regular winning of matches, rather than the not losing of them, that requires understanding. That requires time. That requires cohesion, fine-tuning and a consistent message to a consistent group. Spurs’ own approach this summer hasn’t removed enough of that original uncertainty for them to be absolutely sure yet what path they are following and what they want to become. It makes them an incredibly interesting side to watch heading into 23/24, but they - as much as anyone else - might still be unsure exactly what they’ll be getting. Read More The ‘incredible’ Micky Van de Ven trait that Tottenham want to weaponise Inside Trent Alexander-Arnold’s new role: ‘With great power comes great responsibility’ Fantasy Premier League: 30 players you must consider for 2023/24 season Defender Micky van de Ven joins Tottenham from Wolfsburg on six-year deal Dejan Kulusevski vows to ‘do everything’ to keep Harry Kane at Tottenham Postecoglou aims ‘deadline’ dig at Bayern over Kane transfer saga

Harry Kane has been included in Tottenham’s pre-season Asia-Pacific tour – but club captain Hugo Lloris will stay behind as the French goalkeeper looks to finalise a move to a new club. England skipper Kane has entered the final 12 months of his Spurs contract and is attracting interest from Bayern Munich amid reports the Bundesliga champions have lodged a formal bid. Along with some other international players, Kane returned for pre-season training on Wednesday, with new head coach Ange Postecoglou set to lay out his vision for success to the club’s leading scorer. Spurs confirmed veteran goalkeeper Lloris had been granted permission not to travel on the tour “in order to explore prospective transfer opportunities”. Tottenham’s stance on Kane, though, has not changed since Manchester City tried to sign the forward in 2021. City’s advances were turned down and the north London club plan to reject any bids for the forward this summer, despite his contract now entering its final 12 months. Another player expected to depart is Croatia winger Ivan Perisic – one of the travelling tour party – as Postecoglou trims down a bloated squad ahead of the new Premier League campaign, which starts at Brentford on August 13. Tottenham fly out to Perth in Australia – with new signing James Maddison making the trip after the England midfielder’s £40million switch from Leicester – ahead of an opening fixture against West Ham on July 18. Spurs will play Leicester in Thailand on July 23 before the Singapore leg, which will take in a fixture against local side Lion City Sailors on July 26 after previous opponents AS Roma, managed by Jose Mourinho, pulled out of their planned trip to Asia. Several Tottenham players are still sidelined by injuries – with goalkeeper Fraser Forster (back), defender Ryan Sessegnon (hamstring), midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur (knee), Bryan Gil (back) and Troy Parrott (groin) all continuing their rehabilitation. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

NFL great Tom Brady expects his friend Harry Kane to benefit from “a new injection of energy” after joining Bayern Munich from Tottenham. The 30-year-old ended his long association with the north Londoners on Saturday when he completed his £100million move to the perennial Bundesliga champions. Kane said it felt like the right time to leave Tottenham after two decades with the club, just as Brady did when departing the New England Patriots in 2020. The quarterback won six Super Bowls during his 20 years with the Pats and went on to win his seventh in his first season with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Huge NFL fan Kane has become friends with Brady over the years and the retired QB turned Birmingham minority owner believes the striker will thrive with his fresh start. “I sent him a congratulatory note,” Brady told the PA news agency. “He’s been a friend of mine for a long time. “He’s supported me over a long period of time, and I’m here to do the same for him. I know sometimes when you move clubs there's kind of an injection of energy Tom Brady “I’m looking forward to seeing what he does next. “I know sometimes when you move clubs there’s kind of an injection of energy. “It’s a different environment, you want to go prove people wrong, you want to prove people right. And that’s a great feeling as an athlete.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

The Los Angeles Rams had a 17-10 lead going into the fourth quarter but couldn't make it stand as the Pittsburgh Steelers scored two touchdowns to rally for a 24-17 victory

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Luis Rubiales, the former president of Spain’s soccer federation, has arrived at a court in Madrid to give testimony on Friday to a Spanish judge investigating his kiss of a player at the Women’s World Cup. Judge Francisco de Jorge issued the order earlier this week for Rubiales to answer his questions at Spain’s National Court. Rubiales kissed Spain forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips during the awards ceremony after Spain beat England to win the title on 20 August in Sydney, Australia. He said she had consented to the kiss, but Hermoso has denied that repeatedly. Rubiales did not speak before entering the courthouse with his lawyer. Spanish state prosecutors formally accused Rubiales last week of alleged sexual assault and an act of coercion when, according to Hermoso, he pressured her to speak out in his defense immediately after the scandal erupted. Rubiales announced on Sunday that he was resigning from his post, from which he had already been provisionally suspended by Fifa. De Jorge is carrying out the preliminary investigation into the accusations against Rubiales, and will then decide whether the case should go to trial. According to a sexual consent law passed in Spain last year, Rubiales could face a fine or a prison sentence of one to four years if found guilty of sexual assault. The new law eliminated the difference between “sexual harassment” and “sexual assault,” sanctioning any non-consentual sexual act. AP

Defender Nkosi Tafari scored late in second-half stoppage time to rally FC Dallas to a 1-0 victory over Austin FC

A smothering defense has led Michigan to four easy wins at home

The celebrations at the Women's College World Series have drawn particular attention this year

The United States survived an almighty scare to advance from the Women’s World Cup group stage - keeping alive hopes of a third successive title. Portugal hit the post late to ensure the United States avoided an early exit at the group stages. The defending champions opened their campaign with a 3-0 victory against Vietnam but were held to a 1-1 draw by the Netherlands, in what was a rematch of their 2019 World Cup final. And the goalless draw against Portugal has prompted widespread criticism back home, including from legendary American player Carli Lloyd. The USA progress as runners-up from Group E, behind the Netherlands, who thrashed Vietnam 7-0. Here’s everything you need to know about the next match for the USA: Who are the United States playing at the World Cup? The defending champion USA were drawn alongside Netherlands, Portugal and Vietnam in Group E. They opened their title defence with a 3-0 win against Vietnam, with Sophia Smith scoring twice, before Lindsey Horan’s second-half equaliser rescued a point against the Netherlands after they trailed at the break. There is still work to do in their final fixture against Portugal, although a win or draw would confirm a spot in the knockout stages. When are the USA’s group matches? (All times ET) 22 July - USA 3-0 Vietnam 27 July - USA 1-1 Netherlands 1 August - USA vs Portugal (3am ET) What is the USA’s potential path to the final? (All times ET) If the USA win Group E 5 August - Winners Group E vs Runners-up Group G (22:00, Sydney) 10 August - Winner Match 49 vs Winner Match 51 (21:00, Wellington) 15 August - Winner QF1 vs Winner QF 2 (04:00, Auckland) 20 August: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 (07:00, Sydney) If the USA finish runner-up in Group E 6 August: Winners Group G vs Runners-up Group E (05:00, Melbourne) 11 August: Winner Match 50 vs Winner Match 52 (03:30, Auckland) 15 August: SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF 2 (04:00, Auckland) 20 August: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 (07:00, Sydney) Group E standings 1. USA - 4 points (+3 goal difference) 2. Netherlands - 4 points (+1) 3. Portugal - 3 points (+1) 4. Vietnam (E) - 0 points (-5) Results and fixtures USA 3-0 Vietnam Netherlands 1-0 Portugal USA 1-1 Netherlands Portugal 2-0 Vietnam Vietnam vs Netherlands (8am BST) Portugal vs USA (8am BST) How does each team qualify? United States - The USA will qualify for the last-16 as long as they do not lose to Portugal. They will finish top of Group E if Netherlands draw or lose, or if they win by a greater margin than the Dutch. Netherlands - The Netherlands will qualify with a win or draw against Vietnam. The Netherlands could still qualify with a defeat, as long as they had a better goal difference than the USA. Portugal - Portugal will reach the last-16 if they beat the USA but will be out if they lose. If Portugal draw, they would require the Netherlands to lose Vietnam by at least two goals. Vietnam - Cannot qualify for the knockout stages. Read More Women’s football world rankings: Who could take No 1 at the World Cup? Women’s World Cup group tables and standings: How can each team qualify? Women’s World Cup TV schedule: How to watch every match today USA’s narrow escape spells the end of Women’s World Cup dominance Jess Carter: England defender brought back in by Sarina Wiegman for China clash Katie Zelem: Lioness star making her World Cup start vs China

When Manchester City won the Premier League, Erik ten Hag was not one of the first on the phone to Pep Guardiola. Perhaps that is unsurprising: he is, after all, manager of their rivals. But he is also an old ally, a man who worked with Guardiola at Bayern Munich, one who, just before he took the job at Manchester United, the Catalan had said could succeed him at the Etihad Stadium. They are part of a mutual admiration society. “The way in winning the title is a demonstration of football, everyone likes the way they play: so attractive, so brilliant,” Ten Hag said. “But their season is still not finished as our season is still not finished.” If Guardiola is denied a historic treble, it may be by a man he took under his wing. The man who liked Guardiola’s football so much that he took a backward step to team up with him, leaving a manager’s job at Go Ahead Eagles, who he had led to promotion, to take charge of Bayern’s second team in the German fourth division in 2013, has progressed rapidly. If Ten Hag was playing the long game, looking to further his education, now they meet as peers; at the Etihad Stadium and then Old Trafford this season, at Wembley in the FA Cup final on Saturday. Guardiola has the more storied CV, but Ten Hag is in charge of the bigger club. If, for much of this season, Guardiola could look up the league table and see one of his proteges, Mikel Arteta, above him, now he may be denied the FA Cup by another from his footballing family tree. And yet the sense is that Ten Hag is looking to topple Guardiola, not emulate him. They can come from the same school of thought, but they have attended different classes. Ten Hag is the former Ajax manager and yet Guardiola is more of the Ajax purist. Guardiola is the Johan Cruyff disciple, the man whose thinking was shaped by the man indelibly associated with Dutch football. He was the slow, inelegant reserve-team player parachuted into Barcelona’s Dream Team, who then became a European Cup winner as a player; in 2008, Cruyff advocated giving the untried Guardiola the manager’s job. A spectacular success only enhanced his own legacy. “Without him, I wouldn’t be here,” Guardiola reflected in 2016. Guardiola was exposed to Cruyff’s thinking at a formative age. There is a clip of a 13-year-old Ten Hag asking Cruyff a question on Dutch television, but he is not from Amsterdam or an Ajax product. He grew up near the German border, had three spells as a player and one as a coach at Twente in Enschede. He was 43 when he linked up with Guardiola, 47 when he got the Ajax job. He was, according to his assistant Steve McClaren, known as “mini Pep” at Bayern, when they coached on adjacent training pitches. Yet Ten Hag’s United are not a mirror of Guardiola’s City. There are similarities, but marked differences, too. Arteta’s Arsenal have more common denominators with City. United have topped the Premier League’s passing charts under a former Ajax manager, but he was Louis van Gaal and it was in 2014-15. In 2022-23, as City predictably had the most possession, United trailed in sixth, with 53.7 per cent to the champions’ 65.2. Their pass completion rate was only the seventh best, behind even Tottenham. Meanwhile, as City, partly by having the greatest share of the ball, won the fewest tackles, United won the eighth most. They were eighth for blocks, too. City were 20th. United were less slaves to possession, more reliant on winning duels. They played more long passes and scored the most goals from counter-attacks. United have not been slaves to possession. A difference can be seen in their respective wingers: Guardiola will often pick the pair who give him most control whereas Ten Hag tends to prefer a dribbler, in Antony, and a scorer and sprinter, in Marcus Rashford. United are willing to risk losing the ball more to try and make something happen. The passing statistics of Bruno Fernandes (77.7 per cent completion rate) and Casemiro (78.5) are examples; only Erling Haaland of the City regulars finds a teammate on a lower share of occasions. If United’s style of play in part shows Ten Hag’s pragmatic streak, he has shown a willingness to keep David de Gea, no Ederson with the ball at his feet; Guardiola would surely have ditched a goalkeeper who cannot double up as the 11th outfield player. But they share a fondness for left-footed centre-backs that is a recurring theme among those with Ajax influences. Perhaps Ten Hag’s flagship signing was Lisandro Martinez; he has shown a reluctance to use the right-footed Harry Maguire in his old role as a left-sided centre-back. In converting left-back Luke Shaw to use him in the middle, he has echoed one of Guardiola’s early surprises, when Aleksandar Kolarov assumed similar duties. So far, though, he has eschewed inverted full-backs or hybrid roles like John Stones’, two of Guardiola’s idiosyncratic ploys; in Martinez, Shaw and Varane, however, he simply has defenders who can double up as progressive passers. Ten Hag’s United debut came with a tactic that seemed to come straight from the Guardiola handbook, with Christian Eriksen selected as a false nine. It did not work, though he had greater success at Ajax when selecting Dusan Tadic instead of a striker. His use of Fernandes in a variety of positions has shown a total football ethos; as Kevin de Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Ilkay Gundogan can testify, Guardiola’s midfielders can find themselves given a number of different slots in the side, too. Ten Hag has differed from Guardiola in derbies; a strategy of man-marking in midfield backfired when they went 6-1 down at the Etihad, eventually losing 6-3; with Fred excelling against De Bruyne and Fernandes playing off the right, it worked better in victory at Old Trafford. Perhaps, with his fondness for quick attacks, Ten Hag is trying to tap into United’s traditions, to borrow from Sir Alex Ferguson as much as from Guardiola; his relentless emphasis on a winning mentality echoes the Scot’s attitude. Certainly, his style of football is designed to bring the best from some of those he inherited, such as Rashford and Fernandes, rather than being dogmatically ideological. But were Cruyff still around, the chances are he would have seen his stamp on one of the sides at Wembley: that managed by his pupil, Guardiola, rather than that under a successor at Ajax and a compatriot, Ten Hag. Read More How Yaya Toure changed everything for Man City — and delivered Man Utd a ‘slap in the face’ The year that sportswashing won: A season that changed football forever 5 key talking points as rivals Man City and Man Utd clash in FA Cup final How managers Pep Guardiola and Erik ten Hag fare ahead of FA Cup final Pep Guardiola takes top honours at LMA Awards Injury concerns for Kevin De Bruyne and Jack Grealish ahead of FA Cup final

Chelsea remain interested in Victor Osimhen amid reports the striker could sue Napoli for a controversial and disparaging post on TikTok.