ELLIOT ANDERSON DOWNPLAYS TRANSFER RUMORS; STAYS FOCUSED ON ENGLAND'S WORLD CUP RUN
Elliot Anderson prioritises England’s World Cup glory as Manchester United and City challenge Newcastle for his signature
Elliot Anderson has downplayed rumours about a high-profile transfer from Nottingham Forest this summer, emphasising that his focus remains on the World Cup.
England manager Thomas Tuchel will likely want his squad fully concentrated on the tournament in the US. Anderson, a Whitley Bay native, is expected to be part of the 26-man Three Lions squad, set to face Croatia, Ghana, and Panama in the group stage.
Newcastle has publicly expressed interest through sporting director Ross Wilson in Anderson, who is reportedly on their radar. Yet, recently, Manchester United and Manchester City have also shown strong interest, pointing toward a possible competition between the two northwest clubs for his signature.
Newcastle risks being priced out if either Manchester club enters the fray. Their key motivation might grow if Sandro Tonali or Bruno Guimaraes moves to a rival team, intensifying Newcastle’s interest in Anderson.
Still, Anderson remains focused on England duty. Speaking today, he said, 'We've got the World Cup coming up this summer, so that's where all my attention is.' Wearing the England badge now means that’s all I’m thinking about at the moment.
Eddie Howe has always been a supporter of Anderson and suggested the midfielder should never have left. Earlier this season, Howe described the sale as rushed: We were on the clock and trying every angle to avoid a points deduction. We had little leverage to negotiate buyback clauses or similar protections.
Asked if he regrets the board's decision to sell Anderson due to Premier League financial rules, Howe admitted, 'It's not on my mind every day, but certain moments bring it back.' It never felt right then, and it doesn’t feel right now that we, as a club, had to make a decision we didn’t want to make. Elliot gave everything progressing through our ranks, aiming to play for Newcastle, but financial constraints ended that. Still, we wish him nothing but success.
He was clear it wasn’t about Anderson personally, but about the tough restrictions the club faced.
Given Anderson’s impressive performances for Forest and England, Newcastle are finding it tougher to secure a deal as time goes on.
THE NO-ESCAPE CLAUSE: WHY DE ROBERTO DE ZERBI SIGNED A SPURS DEAL WITHOUT RELEGATION PROTECTION
Tottenham confirms Roberto De Zerbi as head coach on a five-year deal as the club fights to avoid Premier League relegation.
Roberto De Zerbi has been confirmed as Tottenham’s new head coach, signing a five-year contract without a relegation release clause. This comes after Spurs parted ways with Igor Tudor following a poor run of five losses in seven matches during his 44-day stint and quickly moved to secure De Zerbi, their primary summer target, even though the season is far from over and relegation remains a possibility.
Initially, De Zerbi preferred to wait until summer to consider options, but after several days of talks, the 46-year-old accepted Tottenham’s offer. His contract notably doesn’t include any clause that would allow him to leave if the club were relegated, signalling a long-term commitment despite the current challenges.
Upon his appointment, De Zerbi expressed enthusiasm about joining a club of Tottenham's stature. He highlighted the club’s clear ambition to build a team capable of significant achievements through an exciting style of football. His focus is immediate: improving their position in the Premier League table until the season's last game, starting with hands-on work with the squad in training.
Yet, not all Spurs supporters are thrilled. Three fan groups, Proud Lilywhites, Women of the Lane, and Spurs Reach, publicly opposed the appointment due to De Zerbi’s past connection with Mason Greenwood during their time together at Marseille. Tottenham, aware of these concerns, reportedly discussed the issue and De Zerbi’s stance on Greenwood during negotiations.
For context, Greenwood faced serious criminal allegations in 2022 related to a woman, which were later dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service in early 2023 due to witness withdrawals and new evidence. Greenwood resumed his career and moved to Marseille in 2024. De Zerbi spoke about Greenwood in November, referring to him as a “good guy” who has paid a “heavy price” and expressed sadness over the situation, emphasising his personal impression of Greenwood differed from the public narrative.
Putting aside fanbase divisions, De Zerbi’s challenge is significant. Tottenham sit just one point above the relegation zone after 13 Premier League games without a win. Despite this, De Zerbi had long been the club’s preferred choice. Spurs had initially tried to appoint him earlier in February following Thomas Frank’s dismissal, but timing issues with his recent departure from Marseille complicated that move.
Still, seen as the best available candidate on both short-term and long-term bases due to his Premier League experience, tactical insight, and attacking philosophy, Tottenham renewed their efforts and finally secured him. Sporting director Johan Lange praised De Zerbi as a top creative coach with substantial experience at elite levels, including in England.
This appointment ends speculation about a potential return for Mauricio Pochettino. With just two wins in their last 22 league matches, Tottenham face a huge task to avoid relegation. As De Zerbi prepares for his debut against Sunderland on April 12, the hope is that this decision will help secure the club’s place in the Premier League.
WHY ROBERTO DE ZERBI IS NOW OPEN TO JOINING SPURS IMMEDIATELY DESPITE SUMMER PREFERENCE
Tottenham sets a 48-hour deadline for Roberto De Zerbi to accept the manager job as Igor Tudor exits amid a relegation crisis.
Tottenham have reportedly given Roberto De Zerbi just 48 hours to decide if he wants their manager's job. He’s now the clear favourite to replace Igor Tudor as Spurs scramble to avoid relegation.
Tudor left by mutual agreement on Sunday after failing to win any of his five Premier League games. He stepped in as a short-term fix after Thomas Frank, but things only got worse for Spurs with him in charge.
Right now, Spurs are 17th, just one point clear of the drop zone. Club bosses don’t want to wait any longer. They hope to have a new manager in place before the players come back from international duty, and talks with De Zerbi have really picked up.
At first, De Zerbi wasn’t keen on jumping in before the summer, but it sounds like he’s changed his mind.
According to Gazzetta dello Sport, Tottenham’s given him an ultimatum: he’s got a day or two, tops, to give a straight answer.
The paper said that until recently, De Zerbi kept saying no, but apparently, something shifted.
Now he’s seriously considering the offer, especially since taking the role now could boost his standing if he manages to keep Spurs in the Premier League.
If De Zerbi says yes, his first game would be on Sunday, April 12, away at Sunderland. That match suddenly looks massive given how close Spurs are to the bottom three.
They may already be in the relegation zone by then. West Ham, who sit 18th, play Wolves on Friday. A win for West Ham would shove Tottenham into the bottom three, though Spurs would still have a game in hand over their rivals.
Not everyone’s thrilled about De Zerbi coming in. Three major Tottenham fan groups have spoken out against the potential appointment because of comments he made about Mason Greenwood during his time at Marseille.
