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Ian Wright has revealed he almost signed for Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham instead of his beloved Arsenal.

The legendary striker completed a £2.5m move to Arsenal in September 1991 after spending six seasons at Crystal Palace.

Wright says he was more than content at Palace – who signed him shortly before his 22nd birthday after spotting him playing for Greenwich Borough – and was not expecting to leave.

That all changed when he was summoned to speak with then-Crystal Palace manager Steve Coppell, who informed him the club had accepted a bid from Arsenal.

Wright is now synonymous with Arsenal but says there was ‘no link’ at the time and ‘didn’t expect’ to leave Selhurst Park, where he scored 118 goals in 277 appearances.

In fact, the only transfer speculation Wright was aware of at the time was links with fellow Premier League clubs Manchester United and Liverpool, and Arsenal’s fierce north London rivals Tottenham.

‘It was really strange how it came about,’ Wright recalled on Sky Bet’s The Overlap. ‘I wasn’t at any stage thinking about leaving or pushing for a move.

‘Then one day I got a call saying I needed to see Steve Coppell. I went in to see him and he was pretty solemn and sad. He just said, “we’ve accepted a bid from Arsenal”.

‘I didn’t have a clue. I never knew anything about it. There was never any link between me and Arsenal in the papers.

‘After the 1990 FA Cup final (which Crystal Palace lost to Manchester United), there was a lot of stuff with Liverpool, there was a chat about Tottenham as well and there was Man United.

‘But I didn’t expect anything to happen at that time, I was 28 by that point.’

Wright proved to be a huge success at Arsenal, scoring 185 goals in 288 games to become the club’s all-time record goalscorer, though Thierry Henry later surpassed him.

During his seven-year spell at Arsenal, Wright lifted the Premier League trophy, two FA Cups, the League Cup and the European Cup Winners’ Cup.

Discussing his love for Arsenal in a separate interview, Wright said: ‘Arsenal is the greatest, greatest football club in the world.

‘When I first got to Arsenal people were saying “What are you buying him for?” I was sitting there watching the telly [the evening after I’d signed] watching people talking about me, “He’s not good enough to play for Arsenal’, and I swear to God I sat down watching the news literally sh*tting myself about going to Arsenal.

‘I went to David Rocastle’s house that night and we stayed up till 4 in the morning talking about Arsenal, the club he loved.

‘Arsenal have got a certain class and dignity. I just want to be remembered for being a hard-working honest professional who done the best he could with the opportunity he got.’

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Tottenham have reached an agreement with Burnley over a deal to sign winger Wilson Odobert.

The 19-year-old has verbally agreed a five-year deal to run until 2029 and will take the number 28 shirt in north London.

Odobert joined Burnley from Troyes in 2023 and made 32 appearances in all competitions last term, scoring four times.

However, the Clarets were always going to struggle to keep Odobert following their relegation to the Championship.

Odobert, a France U21 international, made two appearances for his country at the 2024 Olympics on home turf as Thierry Henry’s side lost to Spain in the final.

Spurs have signed Archie Gray, Dominic Solanke and Min-hyeok Yang so far this summer, while Lucas Bergvall has joined after an agreement was reached in January.

Ange Postecoglou’s side open their Premier League campaign against Leicester City on Saturday.

Solanke is expected to be handed his debut for the club.

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Tottenham have suspended Yves Bissouma for their opening Premier League match of the season after the midfielder shared a video of himself inhaling laughing gas.

The 27-year-old uploaded a video of himself on social media on Saturday which showed him inhaling from a balloon.

Bissouma had earlier that day played 45 minutes for Spurs in their final pre-season match against Bayern Munich.

The Mali international later apologised but Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has confirmed he will not be involved on Monday night against Leicester City.

‘He won’t be available on Monday,’ Postecoglou said. ‘We’ve suspended him from Monday’s game. He needs to build that trust back with both me and the group. The door is open for him and we can help him realise the decisions he makes impact the group.’

Every time a situation like this arises I always try to look at it in a couple of different ways,’ the Tottenham boss continued.

‘One, there is a person involved and in this case it is Biss and he has made a really poor decision. You want to understand that and help him through that as a club to make sure he doesn’t make those sort of decisions in the future.

‘Within that context there are still sanctions involved which involve education and giving him a clear understanding of why he did what he did. We always want to give people the opportunity to learn from their mistakes.

‘The second part, he is also a footballer and he has responsibilities to the club, responsibilities to his teammates, responsibilities to our supporters and everyone associated with the club and he’s failed in those duties so there have to be sanctions.’

Recreational use of nitrous oxide, also known as NOS or laughing gas, was made a criminal offence in the UK last year and listed as a Class C drug.

‘I want to apologise for these videos,’ Bissouma said. ‘This was a severe lack of judgement.

‘I understand how serious this is and the health risks involved, and I also take my responsibility as a footballer and role model very seriously.’

Ian Wright has suggested Arsenal should have hijacked Tottenham’s move for England striker Dominic Solanke.

Spurs welcomed Solanke to north London last week after agreeing a deal with Bournemouth worth up to £65m.

Solanke attracted interest from some big clubs after enjoying the best season of his career to date, scoring 21 goals in 42 appearances for the Cherries.

The 26-year-old has committed to Spurs until 2030 and was presented to the club’s fans over the weekend but Wright has suggested his former club Arsenal should have hijacked the move.

Premier League runners-up Arsenal have been linked with several strikers this summer after relying on Kai Havertz up top for much of last season.

Asked how he’s feeling about Arsenal ahead of the new Premier League campaign, which starts this weekend, Wright said on The Overlap: ‘I’m really happy with how pre-season has gone and getting in [Riccardo] Calafiori.

‘I know there’s something else in the works for Arsenal, they’re going to try and do something and they have to. They need to get 90 plus points.

‘If something comes up they will do it. They need the bench to be better.’

Ex-Manchester United defender Gary Neville then asked Wright if he was surprised Arsenal did not try to sign Solanke.

The Gunners legend added: ‘You know, I wouldn’t have been too… that wouldn’t have bothered me if they went for Solanke.

‘With [Gabriel] Jesus and [Gabriel] Martinelli, they lost their place last season but we can probably get the goals from them if they get back to where we know they can be.

‘They’re better than they showed last season.’

Wright also said Solanke could be the ‘signing of the season’, tipping him to thrive at Tottenham, who finished fifth in the Premier League last season.

‘Dominic Solanke could be the signing of the season at £65m,’ Wright said.

‘I like that move for them and I think he could be a good signing with the way he plays, he doesn’t get injured, he scores goals.’

Solanke, who made his one England appearance in 2017, became Tottenham’s fourth summer signing following Yang Min-hyuk, Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray.

‘It’s a magnificent club, a huge club with ambitions that match mine, so I’m delighted to start and meet all the boys and get started,’ he said after his move from the south coast.

‘What excites me most about the club is how ambitious it is. A great manager, great players and I feel like [Spurs] will definitely suit my style of play as well so I can’t wait to get started and do my stuff on the pitch.’

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Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca has an ‘uncoachable’ player in his squad for the 2024-25 season, ex-Tottenham striker Jermain Defoe has claimed.

Italian boss Maresca is set for his debut campaign in charge of the Blues after he surprisingly replaced Mauricio Pochettino at Stamford Bridge in the summer.

Maresca is likely going to have to rely heavily on Cole Palmer, who conjured up an incredible 22 goals and 11 assists across 34 Premier League games last term.

Palmer was rewarded with a fresh contract – and a new bumper salary – on Tuesday and Defoe believes you ‘cannot coach’ the player in certain aspects, although that is only because he is so technically gifted and such a top star.

Defoe is a huge fan of Palmer and has lauded him in an interview with Sky Sports as the former Spurs star said: ‘I like his temperament.He’s so calm and he gets on with business. Technically, he is gifted.

‘A lot of things he does, you cannot coach. It’s just natural. He just does it and it’s off the cuff.

‘He’s a special player, which is why he’s signed a longer contract. Of course, we’d have loved to have seen more of him at Euro 2024 [for England].

‘He’s one of those players that can create something out of nothing. He is a coach’s dream.

‘I think he can still improve. He’s still young. He’s only going to get better. When you look at his numbers last season, the amount of goals he scored, it was amazing.

‘If he can do that again, or even more, it will be great for Chelsea. What he’s shown already in such a short space of time, it has just been amazing.

‘I’m really looking forward to seeing him. He is a player you pay money to watch. He’s so exciting, give him the ball and he’ll create stuff.

‘He’s brave. He wants the ball and he takes responsibility. He’s got personality. I’m looking forward to seeing him this season.’

Palmer was named both Premier League Young Player of the Season and Chelsea Player of the Season last term.

Tottenham have officially announced the £65m signing of AFC Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke with a brilliant anime-themed video on social media.

The Cherries are gutted to lose their top striker – who scored 19 Premier League goals last season – but they have urged their own fans not to ‘cry’ over the sale.

Solanke, 26, will look to walk in the footsteps of Harry Kane and establish himself as a world-class forward after enjoying a career resurgence on the south coast.

The ex-Chelsea and Liverpool star played 216 games for Bournemouth – conjuring up 77 goals and 31 assists – becoming a massive fan-favourite in the process.

‘Don’t cry because it’s over,’ Bournemouth posted on their X account. ‘Smile because it happened.’

Spurs, meanwhile, posted an anime-themed video to announce Solanke’s arrival in tribute to his deep love of the Japanese art form.

Solanke has frequently mentioned how much he loves anime in his interviews and has dedicated a number of goal celebrations to it.

‘We are delighted to announce the signing of Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth,’ Spurs posted on their website. ‘The 26-year-old striker has agreed a deal that will run until 2030. Dominic began his career with Chelsea and progressed through the ranks to play a key role in multiple youth team successes.

‘His impressive performances earned him his first team debut in October, 2014, against NK Maribor in the UEFA Champions League, becoming Chelsea’s youngest ever player to feature in the competition.

‘In August, 2015, he headed out on loan to Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem, where he made 26 appearances in all competitions, scoring seven times.

‘A clinical and imposing attacker, Dominic returned to Chelsea following his loan and joined Liverpool ahead of the 2017/18 campaign, making his debut for the Merseyside club the following month.

‘During his spell at Anfield, he made 27 senior appearances in all competitions and scored his first Premier League goal in May, 2018, against Brighton.

‘In January, 2019, he moved to Bournemouth and made 10 appearances across the second half of the season. Dominic featured regularly for the Cherries the following campaign and in 2020/21 he finished the season as the club’s joint top goalscorer in the Championship.

‘The 2021/22 season saw Dominic enjoy his most prolific campaign, scoring 29 goals in 46 appearances, topping the Championship’s goalscorer chart.

‘In addition to helping his side earn promotion back to the Premier League, he was also named in the 2021/22 EFL Championship Team of the Year and the PFA Championship Team of the Year.

‘During his time on the south coast, he made 216 appearances in all competitions, scoring 77 goals and last term, he featured for Bournemouth in every one of their 38 Premier League games, finishing as joint fourth highest goalscorer in the division, netting 19 goals across the campaign.

‘His impressive form continued, as he scored his first senior hat-trick against Nottingham Forest, which helped him claim the Premier League Player of the Month Award for December, 2023.

‘On the international stage, Dominic has featured for England across numerous age categories and in 2014 helped the Young Lions claim the Under-17 UEFA European Championship, finishing the tournament as joint top scorer with four goals.

‘Three years later at the Under-20 FIFA World Cup, he played a vital role in England’s success and his notable performances saw him claim the Golden Ball and named as the Player of the Tournament. Dominic made his senior England debut in November, 2017, coming on as a substitute in a friendly against Brazil at Wembley.’

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in talks to sign Bournemouth and England striker Dominic Solanke, formerly of Chelsea and Liverpool.

Chelsea are also interested in re-signing their former academy star, who spent 13 years with the Blues but made just one senior appearance.

After being tipped for big things at Stamford Bridge, Solanke moved to Anfield but failed to make an impact, eventually joining Bournemouth in January 2019 for £19million.

But again the striker flattered to deceive, scoring just three times over the next 18 months as the Cherries were relegated, but 44 goals over the next two campaigns in the Championship restored his reputation.

Returning to the top-flight, he exploded into form under Andoni Iraola last season, scoring 19 goals – a tally bettered only by Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak.

His performances had some calling for the one-cap England international to go to Euro 2024, but Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney were selected instead.

Now, Solanke is Tottenham’s top target with Ange Postecoglou determined to sign a new No.9 this summer.

The Telegraph report that Spurs have held talks over a transfer though they are expected to make a bid under the 26-year-old’s £65million release clause which has so far put off Chelsea from making a bid.

The north London club may try to offer Bournemouth ‘favourable payment terms’ but it is believed there is still a way to go before a deal can be struck.

It is said Solanke would be interested in playing for a top club after his spells at Chelsea and Liverpool didn’t work out and his arrival could also lead to Spurs selling struggling forward Richarlison who has interest from the Saudi Pro League.

Bournemouth will likely be reluctant to lower their star player’s price tag however, as it is also reported that Solanke has a sell-on clause in his contract which will net Liverpool 20 per cent of the profit made from a sale.

If his release clause was to be triggered, the Reds would therefore earn £9.2m from the player who made just 27 appearances and scored just one goal under Jurgen Klopp.

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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly in talks to sign Bournemouth and England striker Dominic Solanke, formerly of Chelsea and Liverpool.

Chelsea are also interested in re-signing their former academy star, who spent 13 years with the Blues but made just one senior appearance.

After being tipped for big things at Stamford Bridge, Solanke moved to Anfield but failed to make an impact, eventually joining Bournemouth in January 2019 for £19million.

But again the striker flattered to deceive, scoring just three times over the next 18 months as the Cherries were relegated, but 44 goals over the next two campaigns in the Championship restored his reputation.

Returning to the top-flight, he exploded into form under Andoni Iraola last season, scoring 19 goals – a tally bettered only by Erling Haaland, Cole Palmer and Alexander Isak.

His performances had some calling for the one-cap England international to go to Euro 2024, but Harry Kane, Ollie Watkins and Ivan Toney were selected instead.

Now, Solanke is Tottenham’s top target with Ange Postecoglou determined to sign a new No.9 this summer.

The Telegraph report that Spurs have held talks over a transfer though they are expected to make a bid under the 26-year-old’s £65million release clause which has so far put off Chelsea from making a bid.

The north London club may try to offer Bournemouth ‘favourable payment terms’ but it is believed there is still a way to go before a deal can be struck.

It is said Solanke would be interested in playing for a top club after his spells at Chelsea and Liverpool didn’t work out and his arrival could also lead to Spurs selling struggling forward Richarlison who has interest from the Saudi Pro League.

Bournemouth will likely be reluctant to lower their star player’s price tag however, as it is also reported that Solanke has a sell-on clause in his contract which will net Liverpool 20 per cent of the profit made from a sale.

If his release clause was to be triggered, the Reds would therefore earn £9.2m from the player who made just 27 appearances and scored just one goal under Jurgen Klopp.

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Chelsea and Tottenham target Murillo says that while he ‘dreams of playing in the Champions League’ he intends to stay at Nottingham Forest this season.

Murillo had a great impact during his first season at the City Ground, helping his club avoid relegation from the Premier League with some eye-catching performances at centre-back.

Forest value the 22-year-old, who was signed from Corinthians for £10million, at around £60m, with Chelsea, Spurs and Atletico Madrid among the clubs interested in his services.

In June, it was reported that the Blues were willing to offer two players to Nuno Espirito Santo’s side in order to sign the Brazilian, with the player himself confirming the bid.

And Murillo later added fuel to the fire by expressing interest in leaving Forest with an eye on joining Manchester City, Arsenal or Liverpool.

However, in a new interview with the Telegraph, the defender has said that though he has ambitions of playing in the biggest competitions, he believes it is best to stay at the City Ground for at least one more campaign.

‘I need regular game-time and really feel that with Forest I’m in the best place for my career,’ he said.

‘Staying here for another season will enable me to mature as a player and eventually become better prepared if the chance ever comes to play at another level one day.

‘Of course I want to eventually play in the Champions League. When I was growing up I’d play video games and play with all those teams. Whenever I hear that classic music before the games it moves me, and it would be a dream to play in that competition.

‘But I’ve been focusing on my work here 100 per cent and I just want to do my best. Forest is a massive club in its own right and I feel good here.’

Neither Chelsea or Tottenham are playing in the Champions League this season but the pair will no doubt be keeping tabs on Murillo.

Though they were docked points for breaching financial rules last season, Forest are under no pressure to sell Murillo, who has a contract until 2028.

Chelsea’s interest in the centre-back may have lessened of late after they secured the free transfer of Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham, with Enzo Maresca now focused on buying a new goalkeeper, having made a bid for Villarreal’s Filip Jorgensen.

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Chelsea and Tottenham target Murillo says that while he ‘dreams of playing in the Champions League’ he intends to stay at Nottingham Forest this season.

Murillo had a great impact during his first season at the City Ground, helping his club avoid relegation from the Premier League with some eye-catching performances at centre-back.

Forest value the 22-year-old, who was signed from Corinthians for £10million, at around £60m, with Chelsea, Spurs and Atletico Madrid among the clubs interested in his services.

In June, it was reported that the Blues were willing to offer two players to Nuno Espirito Santo’s side in order to sign the Brazilian, with the player himself confirming the bid.

And Murillo later added fuel to the fire by expressing interest in leaving Forest with an eye on joining Manchester City, Arsenal or Liverpool.

However, in a new interview with the Telegraph, the defender has said that though he has ambitions of playing in the biggest competitions, he believes it is best to stay at the City Ground for at least one more campaign.

‘I need regular game-time and really feel that with Forest I’m in the best place for my career,’ he said.

‘Staying here for another season will enable me to mature as a player and eventually become better prepared if the chance ever comes to play at another level one day.

‘Of course I want to eventually play in the Champions League. When I was growing up I’d play video games and play with all those teams. Whenever I hear that classic music before the games it moves me, and it would be a dream to play in that competition.

‘But I’ve been focusing on my work here 100 per cent and I just want to do my best. Forest is a massive club in its own right and I feel good here.’

Neither Chelsea or Tottenham are playing in the Champions League this season but the pair will no doubt be keeping tabs on Murillo.

Though they were docked points for breaching financial rules last season, Forest are under no pressure to sell Murillo, who has a contract until 2028.

Chelsea’s interest in the centre-back may have lessened of late after they secured the free transfer of Tosin Adarabioyo from Fulham, with Enzo Maresca now focused on buying a new goalkeeper, having made a bid for Villarreal’s Filip Jorgensen.

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