Tottenham Hotspur have pulled out of a deal to sign Joao Palhinha on a permanent deal in a major transfer twist, according to A Bola.

Tottenham finished in 17th position for the second successive Premier League season, finishing above London rivals West Ham United in the final relegation spot this term.

The Lewis Family have already put out a statement saying the 2025-26 campaign cannot be repeated, and so big changes are expected to the squad in the next few months to ensure that Roberto De Zerbi has a squad capable of improving and challenging much higher up in the Premier League standings.

Having had Champions League matches this season, it may well be a blessing in disguise for De Zerbi and his players to have no European football this time around.

Manchester United found themselves in a similar situation this season and ended up finishing third, given their clearer calendar.

De Zerbi will be dreaming of following in the Red Devils’ footsteps next time around, but he will also know that his team must look stronger at the start of next season than it did at the end of the current campaign.

One of the Italian’s first decisions will be deciding the future of the club’s loan players.

Tottenham ‘Drop Out of Race’ to Sign Joao Palhinha

According to A Bola, Tottenham’s €30m buy option for the Portugal international expires on Monday following his season-long loan spell from Bayern Munich.

A deal was still not guaranteed if the 30-year-old was against joining Spurs, and now the decision has been taken out of their hands, according to the report from Portugal.

They state that the former Fulham star is intent on moving back to his homeland for personal reasons, with Sporting Lisbon leading the race to bring Palhinha back to Portuguese shores.

Sporting are now set to enter into negotiations with the midfielder’s parent club, with the deal likely to be another loan but with a fixed fee and mandatory purchase option.

Joao Palhinha Snub a Blow for Roberto De Zerbi

The news that Palhinha is unlikely to be wearing a Tottenham shirt again will be particularly disappointing news for De Zerbi.

The Italian has said twice in recent weeks that he would love to have the Portugal international as one of his key players at Spurs next season, but it appears as though those fades are hoping.

While the 30-year-old didn’t start De Zerbi’s first three matches in charge of the club, his crucial winning goal as a substitute against Wolverhampton Wanderers saw him instated into the starting XI for the final four games of the season.

Despite being a deep-lying midfielder, Palhinha popped up with another crucial decisive goal in the final day win over Everton, showing what a big-game player he can be.

Tottenham aren’t short of midfield options but De Zerbi was clearly a huge fan of Palhinha and that would suggest that the Italian will want to sign an alternative to him in the coming weeks.

LeBron James is widely regarded as one of the greatest basketball players ever. The 41-year-old entered the NBA at just 18 years of age and has spent the last 23 years as one of the biggest stars in the league. His sustained excellence at the highest level has been remarkable, while his longevity is unlike anything basketball fans have witnessed before.

The Los Angeles Lakers star has scored more points than any player in NBA history, owns the record for the most consecutive games with a point scored and is a four-time league MVP. Simply put, he has overwhelmed opponents throughout his career and, with his rare blend of power, quickness and athleticism, very few players have found a way to stop him on the hardwood.

That doesn’t mean his career has been without challenges, though. James revealed the toughest defender he ever faced, and it is a name long associated with physicality and defensive excellence.

LeBron James Named Metta Sandiford-Artest as His Best Defender

During an episode of the ‘Mind the Game‘ podcast alongside Steve Nash, a fan asked LeBron and the Hall of Fame point guard to identify the best defenders they had ever competed against. The King wasted little time before selecting Metta Sandiford-Artest. Previously known as Ron Artest and later Metta World Peace, the 45-year-old spent 18 seasons in the NBA and suited up for franchises including the Chicago Bulls, Sacramento Kings and Lakers.

He is perhaps best remembered for his stint with the Indiana Pacers, where he captured the Defensive Player of the Year award in 2004. He was also a central figure in the infamous ‘Malice at the Palace’ incident, which involved a confrontation with Detroit Pistons fans. Throughout his career, he became renowned for his toughness, intensity and willingness to do the dirty work on defence.

Speaking about Sandiford-Artest, as quoted by Yahoo! Sports, LeBron said:

Check out the full episode below:

That is certainly significant praise from a player who is widely considered one of the greatest in NBA history. Since being selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003, James has spent the majority of his life in the league and gone head-to-head with some of the finest defenders basketball has ever produced.

He has faced the likes of Kawhi Leonard, Gary Payton and Ben Wallace, players widely regarded among the best defenders ever, but it was Sandiford-Artest who left the biggest mark on the Lakers forward. A mark that remains with James even nine years after the former small forward called time on his playing career.

One of the most iconic names in football history is set to have a representative at the 2026 World Cup this summer.

The player in question carved out a professional career very much in his own right, spending his career to date in Spain and putting in work that has earned him international recognition. But it’s his surname, and the man who made it famous, that inevitably draws the attention. This summer, he will have the opportunity to step out of a massive shadow on the biggest stage football has to offer.

What makes his inclusion particularly notable, however, is not simply who he is. It’s how he’s been selected, with his squad inclusion raising more than a few eyebrows.

Zinedine Zidane’s Son Named in World Cup Squad, as One of Four Goalkeepers

As reported by TalkSport, Luca Zidane, son of French football legend and 1998 World Cup winner Zinedine Zidane, has been named in Algeria’s 26-man squad for the World Cup by head coach Vladimir Petkovic. The 28-year-old goalkeeper, who plays for LaLiga 2 side Granada, has been selected as one of four goalkeepers in the squad, an unusual decision given that the vast majority of nations travel to a World Cup with no more than three.

Zidane represented France at under-16 level, up to the under-20s, but never earned a senior cap for Les Bleus. He’s been capped six times for Algeria at senior level, qualifying through his Algerian descent. His appearances include matches at the African Cup of Nations earlier this year, where he was involved in a mass brawl during Algeria’s 2-0 defeat to Nigeria. His club form has been rather solid, with 26 appearances in La Liga 2 this season, keeping eight clean sheets.

He’ll be joined in the squad by some considerably higher-profile names, including Manchester City defender Rayan Ait-Nouri and former Tottenham midfielder Nabil Bentaleb, while Riyad Mahrez, now at Al Ahli following his departure from City, leads the attacking options.

Algeria’s Prospects, and Their Path Through the World Cup

Algeria and Zidane arrive at the tournament in decent form, having navigated CAF qualification impressively, winning eight of their ten matches and finishing seven points clear of Uganda to progress automatically.

Their group stage draw is a stern one, however. Reigning world champions Argentina await in Group J on the 17th of June, before fixtures against Jordan and Austria. It’s a group that demands Algeria hit the ground running if they are to progress, but should they finish second, a potential last-16 tie against England in Arlington, Texas on the 6th of July could be on the cards, assuming England come through their own group as runners-up and both sides navigate their last-32 ties.

For Luca Zidane, the World Cup represents a chance to write his own chapter and step out of the enormous shadow of his father. The name on the back of his shirt will always invite comparison, but what happens on the pitch this summer is entirely up to him.