SELECTION ALERT: SEAN DYCHE DISMISSES DOUGLAS LUIZ APPEARANCE CLAUSE AHEAD OF FULHAM CLASH
Sean Dyche insists he won't be pressured by Douglas Luiz's loan clause as Nottingham Forest battles a mounting midfield crisis.
Sean Dyche says his Nottingham Forest team picks won't be because of any clause in Douglas Luiz’s loan deal.
Luiz is spending the season at the City Ground on loan from Juventus. His deal has a condition where Forest would have to sign him for good in the summer, likely based on how many games he plays.
Right now, it doesn't look like Forest will hit that mark. Reports from Italy say Luiz needs to play at least 45 minutes in 15 Premier League games to trigger it. Club bosses are watching the situation, but Dyche is clear that he's not paying much attention to it. He'll keep picking Luiz when he thinks it's the right move for the team.
“Totally. I can manage the team how I want. The bosses have made that clear, especially when it comes to picking the team,” Dyche said before Monday’s game at Fulham.
“The contracts don't matter to me. Other people handle that.
“They let me do my job. We talk about the big stuff – players who might come or go, that kind of thing.
“I don’t need to know all the small print in the contracts. They let me focus on picking the players I think should be playing.”
Luiz has only started four games and come off the bench once for Forest in the Premier League. A hamstring injury has slowed him down, and he's still working to get back in shape. The goal is for him to play as well as he did when he was at Aston Villa.
The 27-year-old was great in the West Midlands. But his big move to Juve in 2024 didn’t go as planned. Still, there’s no argument about how good he is.
With Ibrahim Sangare away on international duty at the Africa Cup of Nations and Ryan Yates out injured, Forest doesn't have many players in the middle of the pitch. Sangare has been starting a lot recently, so maybe Luiz will get a chance to play more now.
“It depends on him as much as us,” Dyche said about Luiz getting back to his best. “He knows that.
“He’s been around for a while and knows what he needs to do to play well. He is a very good player. We've all seen it.
“He seems to be enjoying his time here now. Hopefully, that continues.
“He was unlucky to get injured when we first got here. But he is talented.
“He’s getting used to how we do things, even though he's been out for a bit. He says he’s enjoying it here.
“He is a good player, and we want him to play when he’s ready. But we need to make sure he's in good shape. He's not quite there yet, but he's getting closer.”
HOW JAMES MADDISON’S INDIVIDUAL TRAINING SIGNALS A SHOCK SEASON RETURN
James Maddison returns to individual training as Igor Tudor prepares Tottenham for a vital relegation battle with Forest.
Ahead of Tottenham’s match against Nottingham Forest, manager Igor Tudor gave an update on when James Maddison might return from injury. It’s a crucial moment for Spurs as they prepare to host Forest in what could be the defining 90 minutes of Tudor’s time at the club and quite possibly a key fixture that will shape the season for both teams.
Currently separated by just one point, Tottenham and Forest are locked in a battle against relegation. A win would push Spurs four points clear of the drop zone, while a loss might drag them into the bottom three. The stakes couldn’t be clearer.
Tudor’s side heads into this game with renewed energy, surprisingly positive given the mood just two weeks ago. The draw at Anfield broke a six-game losing streak, and their recent 3-2 victory over Atlético Madrid, though not enough to overturn the aggregate score, brought back a sense of belief. Young players like Xavi Simons and Archie Gray impressed, while Mathys Tel kept the opposition on their toes. The atmosphere at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium was electric in a way fans haven’t felt for months. While the Champions League hopes are dashed, that performance has injected valuable momentum into Spurs’ survival fight.
There’s also some hopeful news on the injury front. Dominic Solanke, who missed the Atlético leg with a hip issue, might be available. His physical presence adds a different dimension to Tottenham’s attack, which Tudor will surely be glad to have.
But the most promising update came from Tudor’s comments about Maddison. The creative midfielder, sidelined since August after rupturing his ACL in a preseason friendly, has begun some individual training, spotted alongside Palhinha. Recoveries from ACL injuries are never straightforward, and the team won’t rush him back. With only seven league games left after Sunday, there’s a narrow window for his return. Still, even the possibility of Maddison getting back on the pitch—someone who can change a game with a moment of skill or a precise pass—offers a much-needed morale boost.
For now, though, the focus remains firmly on Forest.
WHY BORUSSIA DORTMUND EXPECT JADON SANCHO TO SIGN FOR FREE
Unai Emery praises Jadon Sancho despite poor stats, while Dortmund free up £21m in wages to lure him back to Germany.
Borussia Dortmund really want Jadon Sancho back, and they’re hoping to get him for free from Manchester United. Sancho’s contract runs out this summer, and honestly, no one expects United to offer him a new one.
Right now, Sancho’s on loan at Aston Villa. It’s his third spell away from Old Trafford since United signed him for £73 million in 2021. His move to Villa was just a loan with no option to buy.
Villa’s manager, Unai Emery, has hinted he might keep Sancho, but Dortmund aren’t sitting around. The Times says Dortmund didn’t chase wingers last summer because Nico Kovac liked the 3-4-2-1 formation, but now the boss has changed his mind and wants Sancho back.
If Sancho comes back, he'll need to take a hefty pay cut from his £300,000-a-week salary. Still, Dortmund’s where he made his name after moving from Manchester City in 2017.
Dortmund have room in the budget this summer; they let the contracts of Julian Brandt, Niklas Süle, and Salih Özcan run out. That saves them about £21 million a year, and they’re optimistic they can lure Sancho, who’s allowed to strike pre-contract deals with foreign clubs.
Sancho actually spent half of the 2024 season back at Dortmund after Erik ten Hag froze him out at United. He helped them reach the Champions League final, but nothing permanent came of it.
Something similar happened during his loan to Chelsea last season. The club even paid a £5 million penalty just to avoid having to sign him outright. Villa picked him up right at the transfer deadline in September, but, once again, he’s struggled.
So far, Sancho’s got one goal and one assist in 29 games across all competitions. Still, Emery thinks there’s more to come.
When asked in February about signing Sancho for good, Emery said, “Not yet, but he’s a fantastic player. Hopefully, he can help us by improving within our system, like he is doing.
“He’ll need a new contract; maybe it’s here. If he plays his best football, we’ll want him. But other teams will be interested, too.”
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