Trent Alexander-Arnold is worth at least £100million – but there will always be question marks over his future.
That’s the view of Darren Bent, who has insisted that his impending summer exit to Real Madrid will be a huge blow to Liverpool.
Commenting on his expected free transfer switch to Real, Bent said on Drive: “When it comes to contracts nowadays and the lengths of contracts, the players now have got all the power, it’s as simple as that.
“Because if Liverpool knew they were going to lose him, they would probably prefer to sell him, because Trent, for a right-back the way that he plays, he’s [worth] £100m, easy.
“So they would have liked to have got that, but unfortunately, it hasn’t worked out that way, maybe they felt they could have convinced him to stay, but it doesn’t look like they’ve managed to do that.”
He added: “He’s been absolutely outstanding, absolutely fantastic for Liverpool, but there will always be question marks about his defending.”
Bent continued: “But you’re never going to get someone who can give you that output going forward and then defensively be top level.
“It’s very rare you get someone who can produce the goods like he does, dead ball specialist, his range of passing, his crossing, everything he does with a football is wonderful.
“And then defensively be like [Paolo] Maldini, it just doesn’t happen, you’re going to have to suffer somewhere.”
One of the most controversial transfers in Premier League history, Sol Campbell actually could’ve gone anywhere.
The 73-time England international shocked the footballing world in 2001 when he swapped Tottenham for their fiercest rivals Arsenal.
3
Campbell joined Arsenal in 2001 and landed some huge trophiesCredit: Getty
3
Spurs fans never forgave him and he’s now admitted he could’ve gone elsewhereCredit: Getty
The move came out of nowhere with journalists not even seeing it coming, and Spurs didn’t get a fee as the centre-back’s contract had expired.
Judas shirts were displayed at White Hart Lane in response and Spurs fans even got in trouble for death threats and disgraceful chants.
He couldn’t have picked a worst move in regards to Spurs, but as it turns out, Arsenal weren’t the only ones interested.
While speaking to Stick to Football, he was asked by Gary Neville about Manchester United trying to sign him and replied: “You bloody called me!
“I remember, I was having an afternoon nap, and the phone call came through and Gary asked me if I fancied United, I must have been about 21 then.”
Campbell explained that the move could’ve been reality too, adding: “It did go further, but he blocked it, [Alan] Sugar blocked it.
“He must’ve, it didn’t go further [after that]. I think a lot of players have had difficult times with him.”
The now 50-year-old went on to discuss other interest from a number of European giants.
“Bayern [Munich] came in earlier, but you don’t know – is it a newspaper phoning you up? Back in those days, you didn’t know,” he said..
“Liverpool came down, but the manager didn’t come for the meeting. I went to Inter, had a chat with them.
3
Campbell could only laugh while reminding Neville of their phone callCredit: Stick to Football
“Barcelona came in at the end, but you just don’t know, it’s all propaganda. Arsenal obviously came in at the end.”
Having won a League Cup at Tottenham, Campbell would go on to claim two Premier League titles and three FA Cups at Arsenal before adding another cup with Portsmouth.
The results showed that the move was a wise one, although Campbell also admitted he didn’t have any affection for Spurs, or any other side for that matter.
When asked which team he supported as a child, he replied: “England!
“My local team was West Ham, but I never really connected with them.”
Jamie O’Hara in stitches at Jason Cundy’s claim that he played in midfield during Sol Campbell’s debut for Tottenham
Tottenham Hotspur’s ongoing trophy drought was brutally highlighted by WWE superstar Drew McIntyre.
The north London club have regularly been the butt of jokes surrounding their failure to land a major trophy for the first time since 2008.
4
Drew McIntyre took the perfect opportunity to rib Spurs on social mediaCredit: Getty
Ange Postecoglou’s men have one final shot at finally silencing their detractors after booking their place in the Europa League quarter-finals on Thursday night following a second leg win over AZ Alkmaar.
But for now, they remain an easy target for rival fans as their wait for silverware rumbles on.
Bizarrely, their most recent criticism has come from three-time WWE world champion McIntyre, who himself is an avid football fan.
The Scot has often displayed his affection for boyhood club Rangers and it appears the England vs Scotland rivalry is alive and well.
On Friday, WWE announced that it had released exclusive legacy title belts – priced at £425 – featuring the branding and colours of 13 European football clubs.
Also included were European giants AC Milan, Inter, Juventus, Borussia Dortmund and Paris Saint-Germain.
But it was the inclusion of Tottenham that handed McIntyre too good of an opportunity to miss.
The 39-year-old knows all too well the importance of being an opportunist after claiming the Money in the Bank briefcase in 2024.
McIntyre brutally shared WWE’s post on X with the caption: “That’s the only title Tottenham have seen in years.”
4
Postecoglou’s has so far been unable to help Spurs end their trophy droughtCredit: AFP
4
McIntyre is a die-hard Rangers fanatic
Whilst not technically wrong, the wrestler sparked a huge debate in his comments section with fans either praising him or hitting the star back with some banter of their own.
Ironically, Tottenham could face Rangers in the Europa League final in May to break their trophy hoodoo.
The club’s have already met in this season’s league phase which saw Dejan Kulusevski score late on to earn the Premier League side a 1–1 draw at Ibrox.
With both clubs on opposite ends of the draw, a second meeting can only happen if both sides make it to the final in Bilbao.
Rangers saw off Jose Mourinho’s Fenerbahce in a tense penalty shootout on Thursday and will face Athletic Bilbao in the quarter-finals.
Last year, McIntyre was given the prestigious honour of being inducted into the Scottish Wrestling of Hall of Fame by Glasgow’s Lord Provost, becoming the first active wrestler to do so.
4
Rangers and Tottenham could meet again if both club’s reach the Europa League final
He was handed the honour prior to WWE’s Clash of the Castle premium live event which took place at Glasgow’s OVO Hydro in June.
“It’s pretty surreal to be the only active wrestler to be inducted into the Scottish Wrestling Hall of Fame,” McIntyre said.
“But it’s even more surreal that it happened in Ibrox and, even more so, on the weekend where I’m wrestling Scotland’s first ever PLE for the World Championship. It’s all my passions as a kid coming together as one.”
Joe Rogan revealed why Brock Lesnar could have been an ‘all-time great’ UFC fighter if he avoided wrestling for WWE
Mauricio Pochettino has told talkSPORT he dreams of returning to Tottenham one day.
The Argentine manager also jokingly abstained from questions over his past links with the Manchester United job.
6
Pochettino, now at the USMNT, left Spurs six years ago and was regularly linked with the United job
Pochettino was announced as the head coach of the United States men’s national team in September after a one-year spell at Chelsea.
His Stamford Bridge tenure followed a five-and-a-half season stint at Spurs, during which he competed for two Premier League titles.
Fans chanted his name towards the end of Antonio Conte’s dramatic reign in 2023, and it is clear the club is still close to Pochettino’s heart.
Reflecting on his surprise Spurs exit in 2019 on talkSPORT Drive, he said: “To be honest, the day that I left the club always I was thinking one day to come back.
“It’s not that I was thinking before the offer from the USA national team, I was thinking to come back.
“The day that I left I was thinking I would love to one day come back to Tottenham because like I told in the past, I said for me, I felt empty in the moment that I left.
“It was like an unfinished job and that is why. It’s a feeling, it’s a feeling, it’s a dream.
“I don’t know how you can take or I can explain or describe but I think for sure it’s a club that is always going to be special for me.
“And I would like to one day to have the possibility again to try to arrive in a situation that we are back to finish in a different way.”
Pochettino is no stranger to the Premier League given his experience with Southampton, Spurs and Chelsea.
6
Pochettino made Spurs a competitive side during his spellCredit: Getty
6
6
He has kept the door open for a possible return to north LondonCredit: talkSPORT
He is considered one of the top coaches around, and Man United were famously linked with his services on more than one occasion.
The 53-year-old was a target before Erik ten Hag took charge in 2022, with talkSPORT also reporting his interest in the job following his Chelsea exit last summer.
talkSPORT Drive presenter and avid United fan Andy Goldstein was keen to know more on the rumours, but was left disappointed.
He asked: “One final question, and if you answer it I will send you a bowl of lemons… I’m a Manchester United fan, how close were you to managing my club?”
Pochettino responded: “Okay. Thank you very much! I will send my address.”
Goldstein replied: “Do you not want the lemons?
6
Pochettino has been linked with the United hotseat in recent yearsCredit: Getty
6
But he was not one to comment on whether or not he was close to a moveCredit: talkSPORT
“How close? Was there a conversation? That’s my last question. Was there a conversation at one stage?”
Pretending to not understand the question, Pochettino responded: “Sorry, sorry, sorry. If I, sorry?”
Goldstein continued: “I was just asking, was there a conversation with United at any stage for you to take over there?”
But Pochettino didn’t back down from his jokey response and said: “I don’t… I cannot hear!”
Pochettino has already taken charge of the USMNT on six occasions, with wins coming in five of those matches.
He looks set to manage the United States when they host the 2026 World Cup alongside Canada and Mexico.
However, his attention will currently be focused on the upcoming international break when they face Panama in the CONCACAF Nations League semi-finals on March 20.
Mauricio Pochettino has pundits in stitches with ‘big balls’ comment about USMNT player
Ange Postecoglou’s bold pre-season trophy comment has come back to haunt him.
The Tottenham manager declared that he tends to win trophies in his second season.
2
Postecoglou’s optimistic pre-season trophy claims has backfiredCredit: Getty
During a Wednesday press conference, Postecoglou was questioned about his now-infamous comment, given Spurs’ trophy hopes now hinge on their last-16 Europa League clash with AZ Alkmaar.
The Australian’s side are 1-0 down after a disappointing first leg in Holland.
“I wasn’t making anything up. I was asked the question, and I answered it,” Postecoglou explained.
“Critics have used it for their own purposes, suggesting I’m making a bold claim, but I was stating a fact.
“Usually in my second season, I win things.
“That’s the whole idea. The first year is about establishing principles and creating a foundation. Hopefully, the second year is going to win things.”
He acknowledged the difficulty of achieving this in the highly competitive Premier League but maintained his belief that the second year should be a period of pushing forward.
However, Tottenham languishing in 13th after an underwhelming season has put his words under intense scrutiny.
“If that doesn’t happen this year, then I can’t say that anymore. What am I supposed to say? I’ve always won in the second year; I have in the past, everywhere I’ve been, but here (at Tottenham) it won’t happen,” he said.
“Is that what people want to hear? People can twist these things, use them, and you know what, maybe we defy all the odds and we do win something.
Ange Postecoglou – Honours in second season
Brisbane Roar (A League – Championship ) – 2011/12
Celtic (Scottish Premiership, Scottish Cup & Scottish League Cup) – 2022/23
“People will say, wasn’t it great he made such a bold claim; people just use it the way they want to depending on the circumstances. I will always answer things the way I feel.”
Postecoglou‘s impressive track record, including consecutive Scottish Premiership titles and League Cups at Celtic, along with his FIFA World Coach of the Year nomination, underscores his winning pedigree.
His arrival at Tottenham in the summer of 2023, on a four-year contract, began with a promising unbeaten run. However, his future is now under considerable pressure.
Thursday’s Europa League clash against AZ is crucial in Tottenham’s quest to end their 17-year trophy drought.
The team’s recent 1-0 away loss in the first leg, marked by a lackluster attacking display, has amplified the stakes.
Despite a 2-2 draw against Bournemouth, where Tottenham rallied from a 2-0 deficit, the Cherries’ attacking threat raised concerns.
Perry Groves believes anything other than progression to the quarter-finals could sound the death knell for Postecoglou.
“This is going to be the biggest game of his (Postecoglou’s) career on Thursday here against AZ because his job rests on that game,” Groves said on talkSPORT.
2
‘There will be no future for him’ at Spurs if they lose on Thursday eveningCredit: Getty
Cristian Romero’s future at Tottenham questioned as talks of Real Madrid move slammed by Inside Spurs panel
“If they go out and don’t win that game, he gets the sack, and it might be at the end of the season.
“But there will be no future for him if they don’t win that game and win the Europa League.”
Harry Redknapp was left with his head in his hands after Benoit Assou-Ekotto admitted he didn’t know who Tottenham’s blockbuster new signing was.
The year was 2010 and Redknapp was building a promising Spurs side with global superstars aplenty.
5
Rafael van der Vaart turned a lot of heads when he joined Tottenham in 2010
While already boasting Gareth Bale, Luka Modric and Jermaine Defoe in their roster, Tottenham brought in Rafael van der Vaart on transfer deadline day in the summer of 2010 in an £8million deal that certainly got tongues wagging.
Joining from Real Madrid, the Dutch star was the real deal and seen by many as the last piece of the jigsaw in a Spurs side who were ready to challenge for major honours.
But while the superstar signing left fans very excited, the hype and hysteria of the deal was lost on Assou-Ekotto.
The French defender has a reputation for being an ‘anti-footballer’ as he saw the game as simply a job and refused to be drawn into the celebrity fanfare that came with life as a Premier League star.
Asked if it’s true that Assou-Ekotto didn’t like football, his Spurs teammate Sebastien Bassong told Inside Spurs: “That’s 110 per cent true.
“Benoit, I had him on my podcast a long time ago and he found out that he was good at football but he’s so down to earth and he’s now back in France living in a small village and doesn’t do anything.
“He doesn’t travel – he’s travelled too much, that’s what he said, he’s just taking care of his kids.”
Responding to a comment that Assou-Ekotto would be a better fit in today’s game where players are more protected and enjoy more privacy, Bassong said: “He said that he wouldn’t because he’s too truthful.
“If he was saying things he thought that the narrative would be twisted and his words on social media.
“But if you’re talking about Rafa, do you know the story about when Benoit met Rafa (Van der Vaart) for the first time?
5
However the Dutch star’s arrival was a little bit lost on Benoit Assou-Ekotto
5
The pair played for a promising Tottenham side under Harry Redknapp
“Rafa signed for Spurs on the last day of the transfer window and the next day we had a team photo so Rafa was there and Benoit was late and was sitting next to me and Rafa was coming with Harry (Redknapp).
“Harry was introducing him to everybody and everybody knew who he was because he’d come from Real Madrid.
“He came to Benoit and he said to me, ‘who is that?’
“Harry introduced them and said: ‘Rafa, this is Benoit’ and Benoit was like, ‘what’s your name?’
“He didn’t have a clue about who Rafa Van der Vaart was and Harry got so embarrassed and was like, ‘don’t worry, don’t worry’.
“But that’s how he was. Before a game he’d be playing and he’d ask me, ‘the player I’m up against, is he left-footed or right-footed? I’ll deal with him, just give me some clues’.”
5
Van der Vaart shone during his two years as Assou-Ekotto’s teammateCredit: AFP
5
Bassong detailed Assou-Ekotto’s lack of interest in the game on talkSPORT’s Inside SpursCredit: talkSPORT
That season, Tottenham secured a fifth place finish in the Premier League and made it all the way to the quarter-finals of the Champions League.
They then finished fourth in the Premier League in 2011/12, reaching the semi-finals of the FA Cup in the process.
Van der Vaart went on to spend two seasons with Tottenham in which he scored 28 goals and provided 18 assists in 77 games in north London.
Meanwhile, Assou-Ekotto made over 200 appearances for Spurs and is fondly remembered as something of a cult hero for the Lilywhites.
We have the starting XIs in for Newcastle United versus Brighton & Hove Albion in the FA Cup fifth round.
It’s mixed news for the hosts, who welcome Alexander Isak back up front after he sat out the 2-0 defeat to Liverpool in midweek with a groin problem.
Joelinton also returns from injury.
However, there is no Sven Botman or Lewis Hall, with the latter suffering from an ankle problem.
He is set to see a specialist to assess the severity, and the Toon will hope it’s nothing with the Carabao Cup final on the horizon.
Meanwhile, Brighton have won their last four in a row, and there is just one change from the side that beat Bournemouth 2-1, with Jack Hinshlewood in for Diego Gomez.
