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Tottenham have decided against making Timo Werner's move permanent despite having an £8.5million buy option for the summer. The German forward, who initially arrived on loan at Spurs for six months from RB Leipzig in January 2024 before his stint was later extended for another season, has struggled to find form, netting just once in 27 appearances thus far in the campaign.

Coming back from a hamstring injury sustained in the FA Cup third-round win at Tamworth in January, Werner featured in Spurs' 1-0 loss to Manchester City on Wednesday night. Regardless of the season's outcome, it is expected by those close to Werner that he'll return to Leipzig come summer and will be left to consider his next move.

There's a hint of interest from the MLS's New York Red Bulls. However, any potential transfer hinges on Werner's financial demands and whether at 28, he’s ready to end his time in Europe. With manager Ange Postecoglou and the Tottenham board eyeing fresh attacking talent for next season, Werner does not appear to be in their long-term strategy.

This was illustrated last weekend when, despite recovering from injury, Werner was excluded from the squad for the 4-1 triumph against Ipswich Town, underlining the fierce competition for places at the club.

Previously, a lacklustre display by Werner in December's Europa League 1-1 draw with Rangers at Ibrox had been dubbed "unacceptable" by Postecoglou due to the club’s then-injury crisis.

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From that point forward, it seemed highly unlikely that Spurs would exercise their option to sign the forward at the end of the season. Postecoglou has already indicated that he expects Mathys Tel to remain a Tottenham player beyond the summer following his loan move from Bayern Munich.

Spurs have a £45.8m buy option this summer, which could increase to £50m with bonuses. The Frenchman is also versatile, capable of playing both out wide and centrally.

Richarlison's future will be re-evaluated at the end of the season after another challenging year plagued by injuries. The club's midfield may also undergo changes in the transfer market, and there could be new additions to the defence.

This article originally appeared on the Mirror

Former Tottenham keeper Paul Robinson has laid into current chairman Daniel Levy, accusing him of failing to back Ange Postecoglou. The ex-England international was on punditry duty on Wednesday as Spurs lost 1-0 to Manchester City, leaving them 13th in the Premier League table.

Robinson was part of the last Spurs side to taste silverware, playing in the 2008 League Cup final win over Chelsea.

Postecoglou has openly targeted ending that drought this season, but amid an injury crisis within his squad, the Europa League now represents the club’s only chance of a trophy.

Speaking ahead of the City clash, Robinson pulled no punches as he discussed the Australian’s lack of squad resources. And he cited the failed £70million bid for Marc Guehi in January as a prime example of where Levy had let the club down.

“What summed it up for me in January was the bid that they put in for Marc Guehi at the end of the window,” he said to Stadium Astro. “So, if you want a player of that quality who has 18 months left on his deal, you go to Crystal Palace as soon as the window opens.

“You don’t put a bid in; you ask how much they want for him (first), and you either pay it or you don’t. That’s where they’ve fallen down numerous times for me, backing the manager and giving him the players that he needs.”

The ex-England keeper did refer to the club’s well-documented injury issues, but also said their January errors “were nothing new.” He also took aim at Levy’s managerial appointments, claiming he didn’t give his managers the financial backing they needed to secure success.

“So you take it back two or three years,” he said. “This place needs trophies. Spurs fans crave trophies. He goes and gets win-now managers. He goes and gets Antonio Conte, Jose Mourinho, and both of them will say they weren’t backed with win-now players.”

“So now, Ange Postecoglou, they’ve stuck with the manager, they want to see it through with his philosophy and the way that he plays. But does he have the players for that formation?”

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Prior to the win over Manchester United earlier this month, Spurs fans held a demonstration against Levy before kick-off and after the match. That followed reports he was holding talks with a consortium of Qatari investors over a potential sale of the club.

Levy has been in post since 2001, making him the longest-serving chairman in the Premier League. During his tenure, the club have reached a Champions League final and five League Cup finals, including the 2008 triumph.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has been savaged by football finance expert Kevin Maguire despite being told he has the best-run club in the Premier League. Levy is coming under intensifying pressure from Spurs fans with the club lying 13th in the table after last night’s home defeat to Manchester City.

Manager Ange Postecoglou has also come under fire, with the last-16 Europa League tie with AZ Alkmaar now seemingly pivotal to salvage his side’s season.

With the club already out of this season’s FA Cup, failure in Europe will continue the club’s agonising wait for more silverware.

Spurs have not lifted a trophy since 2008 when Juande Ramos presided over a League Cup final win over Chelsea. However, Levy’s tenure has overseen the move from White Hart Lane into the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, widely considered the best venue in the Premier League.

It’s been used for considerably more than football, though, staging NFL games, the 2024 European Cup rugby final, and a string of high-profile concerts. But despite the extra revenue, Levy has been consistently accused of being reluctant to spend money on elite players.

Maguire appeared to embrace that notion when he appeared on Rio Ferdinand Presents, alongside the former England defender and Joel Beya. and he didn’t hesitate to answer when asked who had the best-run club in the Premier League era.

“Spurs,” he replied. “They are the most profitable club in the history of the Premier League by far. The best stadium with the lowest wages compared to the money coming in.”

Ferdinand initially looked surprised by the answer. However, the author of The Price of Football then brutally suggested there was another reason why Spurs were able to balance their books so well.

“As a business, you know if I take off my football hat and put on my business hat, it’s absolutely perfect,” he said. “And also, they don’t have to pay any bonuses for winning trophies…”

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“Oh my gosh, shots have been fired,” said Ferdinand, interrupting his guest. Unsurprisingly, Arsenal fan Beya was delighted by the jibe, shouting: “It’s true, it’s true,” in the background.

Last summer, Postecoglou vowed to win something in his second season in charge, having done so at many of his previous clubs. He did lead his side into the League Cup semi-finals, but after winning the first leg 1-0, they were taken apart 4-0 by Liverpool in the second game.

Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy has reportedly held talks with US billionaires to discuss the sale of the club. But discussions have broken down due to Levy’s high valuation and the fact he wants to remain at Spurs either as an investor or as an executive in charge of sporting decisions.

ENIC International Limited currently owns 86.58 per cent of Tottenham, with the other 13.42 per cent of the club owned by minority investors.

Levy has a 29.88 per cent stake in ENIC, while the Lewis family trust has the remaining 70.6 per cent of the company’s share capital.

According to Bloomberg, US billionaires and private equity funds have expressed an interest in buying up Tottenham shares over the last 18 months. Investors would likely buy a smaller stake before adding to their position with the goal of taking full control.

But talks have continued to break down because of Levy’s two demands, with the 63-year-old potentially keen to negotiate a lucrative contract to oversee decisions that relate to football.

Spurs are clear that they need fresh investment to compete at the highest level, with the club appointing Rothschild to hunt for potential backers.

And although Tottenham have remained tight-lipped about any potential developments, one person familiar with the situation has told the aforementioned outlet that a future role for Levy is not fundamental to any sale discussions.

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Spurs fan group Change for Tottenham organised a “peaceful march against the board” to coincide with the Lilywhites’ Premier League encounter with Manchester United in early February. And it was recently reported that a Qatari consortium is targeting a takeover of the club.

Data firm Football Benchmark has valued the north London giants at £2.75billion, while some US sports franchises are valued at closer to £8bn.

And University of Portsmouth associate professor in sport finance Christina Philippou explained: “There are some big ticks to its name. People pay a lot for clubs that are essentially insolvent whereas Tottenham is a very healthy asset, and it’s in London.”

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Levy spoke out about the future of Tottenham in 2023 but insisted he wanted to remain at the club.

“I’ve got no real interest to leave Tottenham, but I have a duty to consider anything that anyone may want to propose. It’s not about me, it’s about what’s right for the club,” he stated.

He then added: “We run this club as if it’s a public company. If anyone wants to make a serious proposition to the board of Tottenham we would consider it, along with our advisers. And if we felt it was in the interests of the club we would be open to anything.”

Manchester United are reportedly growing frustrated with £72million striker Rasmus Hojlund amid his ongoing goal drought, which is contributing to the club's struggles. Hojlund inherited the No. 9 shirt in the summer after scoring 16 times in his debut season at United but has failed to find the back of the net in his last 16 appearances in all competitions.

According to the Manchester Evening News, his invisible performance in the 1-0 loss to Tottenham Hotspur eight days ago drew particular criticism from coaches.

During Saturday's match against Everton, Hojlund was substituted for 17-year-old Chido Obi, who was making only his second appearance for the club, as the visitors trailed 2-0.

The decision was met with cheers from the away end, which some fans suggest was as much a response to Hojlund's removal as it was to Obi's introduction.

United managed to score twice within 10 minutes of the 22-year-old being taken off, which strengthened the belief that his current form and confidence are detrimental to the side.

The fan reaction contrasts sharply with the boos that greeted Hojlund's substitution during his full debut against Brighton and Hove Albion in September 2023.

Despite the growing concerns, the report adds that United coaching staff continue to support Hojlund during training sessions in a bid to unlock his potential.

Head coach Ruben Amorim notably substituted Hojlund after he lost an aerial duel during last month's 3-1 comeback win against Southampton.

The under-pressure Portuguese tactician has not hidden his frustration with the player - and others - during matches through his animated demeanour.

Despite being given the number nine shirt at the start of the season, Hojlund has only managed to score seven goals, with just two of them coming in the Premier League.

He has failed to score in 27 of the 33 matches he has played in this season - and he isn't the only Red Devils player who has lacked bite.

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United secured Hojlund's services for a hefty £64million, potentially rising to £72m, from Atalanta in July 2023, despite initially stating they wouldn't shell out more than £60m for the Denmark international.

Prior to the transfer, Hojlund switched to the SEG International agency, which also represents former United boss Erik ten Hag.

Despite a decent first season, Hojlund's lacklustre performances and United's current goal difference of -7 suggest a move for a more prolific striker come summer is on the cards.

Since Amorim took the reins in November, Hojlund has only managed to play the full 90 minutes five times, having been substituted on ten occasions.

This article was first published on the Manchester Evening News

It hasn’t been the start to 2025 Tottenham chairman Daniel Levy would’ve hoped for.

Spurs are languishing down in the bottom half of the table, with protests surrounding his ownership beginning to grow.

But Levy and Tottenham’s latest request has done little to quell the tension.

Tottenham have reportedly issued a plea to Premier League broadcasters asking them not to refer to the club as ‘Tottenham’.

It comes after a subtle change was spotted by eagle-eyed viewers during Sunday’s Premier League meeting with Manchester United.

Ange Postecoglou was instead referred to as ‘Tottenham Hotspur Head Coach by Sky Sports - a departure from ‘Tottenham Head Coach’ which was used by the same broadcaster earlier this year.

According to The Athletic, this was part of a deliberate ploy as per the request of Spurs, who emailed the Premier League’s broadcast partners to issue a naming update.

It’s believed to have read: “Tottenham Hotspur have provided clarification regarding the club’s name. They have requested that the club are primarily known as Tottenham Hotspur, with Spurs being the preferred short version. The club have requested that they are not referred to as Tottenham.”

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The briefing was sent out to broadcasters across the world, not just in England, with different outlets having also altered their graphics in response.

Spurs’ reasoning for the change? Tottenham is the name of the area, not the football team.

This policy isn’t new, with documents dating back to 2011 detailing how Spurs have previously asked not to be called just ‘Tottenham’.

But the recent push to ensure this policy is adhered to comes on the back of a brand remastering which took place at Tottenham back in November 2024.

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In the club’s brand playbook, a section on how to reference the club read: “In a world full of Uniteds, Citys and Rovers, there is only one Hotspur, Tottenham Hotspur. When referring to the team or the brand, please use ‘Tottenham Hotspur’, ‘Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’ or ‘THFC’. Never refer to our Club as ‘Tottenham’, ‘Tottenham Hotspur FC’ or ‘TH’.”

It’s no doubt a kick in the teeth to the loyal Tottenham fans, particularly those who have grown up and supported the club from that area, to hear the hierarchy wants to strip the team of its long-standing identity.

After all, they are supposed to be Super Tottenham from the Lane, right?

Amidst speculation and rife transfer rumours, Matheus Cunha, Wolves' highly sought-after star, has delivered a definitive message to Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur, and other interested parties: he never considered leaving Molineux.

Throughout the drama of the January transfer window, both Arsenal and their North London rivals Spurs were consistently mentioned as being in the hunt for the Brazilian forward's signature to bolster their attacking options.

Despite Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta failing to secure any new signings and Spurs observing from a distance as Ange Postecoglou sealed a loan deal for Mathys Tel from Bayern Munich, the buzz around Cunha remained.

The dynamic change in leadership from Gary O'Neil to Vitor Pereira at Wolves provided an upsurge of form for 25 year old Cunha, who put together a sensational run, netting 12 goals and providing four assists.

His performances didn't just aid Wolves in their escape from relegation scare but also set the rumour mills ablaze with potential transfer fever. However, silencing all the whispers, Cunha has now doubled down on his dedication to the club.

He secured his future at the club by signing a fresh contract extension spanning four-and-a-half years. Shedding light on his unwavering loyalty in a candid chat with BBC Sport's Football Focus, he shared: "I never think about leaving, honestly. I know I have a lot of things to do already and I always said that this was the club that gave me the chance to come back.

"They opened the door for me and I always felt that I wanted to give back everything so to leave in this type of situation is hard. I am so happy to be here. I hope to continue doing good things."

Spurs were rumoured to have entered the race later in the recent window, while Arsenal's interest had been speculated from the beginning. Despite whispers about a £62m release clause in Cunha's contract being activated by Premier League rivals, the player himself is solely focused on his current responsibilities.

"Of course, they need to be excited. I keep saying; 'Keep belief to the end'," he added regarding Wolves' efforts to secure their place in the English top-flight.

"We need to feel focused and confident to change the situation and I will do everything. I hope I help everyone to be better and we solve the situation as fast as we can."

Tottenham Hotspur will face Ipswich Town with a renewed sense of optimism, having secured two consecutive wins for the first time since September. The return of players like James Maddison, Guglielmo Vicario and Brennan Johnson has eased manager Ange Postecoglou's injury woes.

Despite currently sitting 12th in the Premier League, Spurs are beginning to see a glimmer of hope. However, they face a challenging run of fixtures against Bournemouth, Chelsea and Fulham. Before those three, though, they travel to Portman Road today to seek revenge against Ipswich, who defeated them 2-1 back in November.

Kieran McKenna's side have only managed two more victories since then, leaving them 18th and two points from safety. Should Spurs claim a third win in a row or Ipswich complete the double over the north London side, fans won't be able to watch the game live on TV with Express Sport providing all the information on how to tune into the clash.

Why isn't Ipswich vs Tottenham on TV?

Unfortunately for UK fans, the match won't be broadcast live on TV. This is because Sky Sports and TNT Sports did not select it for this weekend's schedule. Instead, Everton's clash with Manchester United will fill TNT's 12.30pm slot, while Sky will show Aston Villa versus Chelsea at 5.30pm, reports the Mirror.

Sky's Super Sunday is shaping up to be a thrilling affair, featuring Newcastle and league high-flyers Nottingham Forest at 2pm, followed by the blockbuster meeting between Manchester City and Liverpool at the Etihad Stadium at 4.30pm. Meanwhile, Ipswich's fixture against Spurs falls foul of English football's Saturday blackout, which runs from 2.45pm until 5.15pm, making live broadcasts of 3pm kick-offs in the UK a no-go since 1960.

Fans have criticised this long-standing rule, especially given the rising costs of TV subscriptions and their inability to watch all available games. Last year, a Premier League spokesperson defended the blackout to Mirror Football, claiming it helps "protect attendances throughout the English football pyramid".

How to watch Ipswich vs Tottenham?

Around 20 minutes post-match, short highlights and key moments will be accessible on the Sky Sports app and its YouTube channel. For further analysis, extended highlights will feature on Match of the Day on BBC1 at 10.30pm that Saturday, and Sky Sports will air 30-minute highlight programmes of all Saturday’s games later that evening.

Fans seeking live updates can tune into BBC Radio 5 Live and talkSPORT for regular coverage. Despite the lack of live broadcasts in the UK, international viewers will be able to watch the match through their local Premier League TV rights holders. For instance, US football fans can catch the game on Peacock, while those in the Middle East can tune into beIN Sports Connect.

Tottenham Hotspur have requested that the club is no longer referred to as 'Tottenham' by broadcasters.

Daniel Levy and other senior figures in north London are keen to distinguish the club from the name of the area. That was made clear in the 'remastered brand identity' published late last year, and club chiefs now have taken their vision to the next level.

The Athletic claim that broadcasters received an email on February 10 titled 'Tottenham Hotspur Naming Update'. In it, the club specified that they would only like to be called 'Spurs' or 'Tottenham Hotspur' going forward.

"Tottenham Hotspur have provided clarification regarding the club’s name," it read. "They have requested that the club are primarily known as Tottenham Hotspur, with Spurs being the preferred short version. The club have requested that they are not referred to as Tottenham."

On the face of it, the request is an odd one. Spurs being referred to as 'Tottenham' is a common occurence among fans, in chants and during pundit analysis. Generally, 'Tottenham' is an accepted name for the club in the same way that 'Newcastle' and 'Leicester' are shortened labels for the Magpies and the Foxes.

But one excerpt from the 'remastered brand identity' makes the club's position clear. It reads: "In a world full of Uniteds, Citys and Rovers, there is only one Hotspur, Tottenham Hotspur.

"When referring to the team or the brand, please use ‘Tottenham Hotspur’, ‘Tottenham Hotspur Football Club’ or ‘THFC’. Never refer to our Club as ‘Tottenham’, ‘Tottenham Hotspur FC’ or ‘TH’."

Sky Sports adhered to Spurs' request in their coverage of last weekend's clash between the north Londoners and Manchester United. A graphic showing the bottom half of the Premier League table put 'Tottenham Hotspur' in 12th place, whereas one month prior - before the email was reportedly sent out - they were listed as 'Tottenham'.

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While broadcasters are evidently paying attention to such fine details, Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has a concerning bigger picture to contend with as his players bid to claw their way into the top half.

Next up is a trip to Ipswich Town on Saturday afternoon, with Manchester City at home pencilled in for the following midweek. A two-legged Europa League knockout tie with AZ Alkmaar is also in the offing, with Postecoglou hoping a silverware triumph could put some credit in the bank amid speculation over his future.

Rangers have been paired with seventh-place Olympiakos and will face either Bodo/Glimt or Fenerbahce in the last 16.

Bodo/Glimt beat Twente in a thrilling play-off tie, losing the first leg 2-1 but won the second 5-2 after extra-time.

Fenerbahce drew 2-2 at Anderlecht last night but won the first leg 3-0 to secure safe passage.

Could Jose Mourinho descend on Ibrox?

Manchester United and Tottenham are paired after finishing the league phase in third and fourth, meaning they will be on different sides of the draw.

It also meant that both Premier League clubs will have had a keen eye on the same play-off matches last night.

In those ties, AZ Alkmaar beat Galatasaray 6-3 on aggregate, while Real Sociedad knocked out Midtjylland by a 7-3 aggregate scoreline.

AZ are on the left side of the bracket with fellow play-off winners Viktoria Plzen, Bodo/Glimt and Ajax.

La Real are on the right with AS Roma, Fenerbahce and FCSB.

Good afternoon everyone, and welcome to Express Sport's live coverage of the Europa League draw.

Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Rangers are set to learn their last-16 opponents and routes to the Bilbao final on May 21.

Stay tuned for regular updates across the next couple of hours...