Sir Alex Ferguson has paid a warm tribute to the late Kevin Keegan, singling out three signings that transformed Newcastle United‘s side into the club’s “best ever team”.

Keegan, who died on July 20 aged 75, helped build Newcastle into an exciting and powerful side during his first spell in charge between 1992 and 1997, before later returning for an eighth-month stint in 2008.

His first spell helped thrust Newcastle into contention, as promotion in his first season was later followed up with a spellbinding title race with Ferguson’s Manchester United in the 1995/96 season, falling just short.

The pair’s rivalry helped define the early days of the Premier League, paving the way for the great battles we’ve seen over the years — and the Scotsman is just one of many to pay tribute, as he highlighted three transfers that changed the game for Keegan.

Ferguson’s Tribute to Keegan

Ferguson reminisced when speaking to Track Radio, via BBC, describing Newcastle’s strength at their peak under Keegan as a formidable outfit.

“I had the utmost respect for him,” Ferguson said. “We had many duels when he was manager of Newcastle, but I have to say the job he did at Newcastle was fantastic.

“He re-energised that club, and he brought that enthusiasm and fanaticism that great supporters can give. That’s the job he did.”

Keegan’s attention then turned to the trio of players that helped Newcastle to develop a real edge, and one that turned them into contenders as one of the club’s best-ever teams. Ferguson said:

The Impact Ginola, Asprilla and Albert Made for Newcastle

All three additions cost just over £11m, but each left a distinct mark. David Ginola, the biggest name of the three, arrived from Paris Saint-Germain in 1995 and was the central flair symbol of Keegan’s “Entertainers” before he later joined Tottenham.

The first addition was actually Phillipe Albert, who signed from Anderlecht in a £2.6m deal and who became somewhat of a cult hero; his audacious chip over Peter Schmeichel in the famous 5-0 rout of Ferguson’s United was his best moment.

Faustino Asprilla arrived in 1996 from Parma but was seen as a larger gamble given his £6.7m price tag, which was considered sizable at the time. The Colombian thrived at times, with a hat-trick against Barcelona being the highlight. All three brought something different to the table and all helped Newcastle to play with Keegan’s identity, which made them one of the most exciting sides in England at that time.

Dani Olmo has broken his silence on the ugly scenes that followed the 2026 World Cup final, accusing Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala of “lying” in the apology he issued for their post-match confrontation.

Spain lifted the trophy after a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in New Jersey, but tempers boiled over at the final whistle, with several Argentina players and staff involved in heated exchanges.

Amid the chaos, television cameras captured Ayala striking Olmo in the face as the Barcelona man appeared to be trying to defuse a situation. FIFA has since opened an investigation into Argentina’s conduct.

Ayala’s Apology and Olmo’s Response After World Cup win

REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Speaking earlier this week, Ayala expressed regret over the incident but played down the contact as being less serious than it looks on footage. He said the incident was “more of a push than a punch” and claimed it came as “a reaction to something [Olmo] said,” adding that he would apologise to the Spain international in person if their paths crossed.

Olmo, however, remains unconvinced. Speaking to Catalan newspaper Diari de Terrassa, the midfielder refuted the apology and rejected the suggestion that he had provoked the outburst. Olmo said:

“What truly defines us is not the mistake, but the courage to acknowledge it with humility, honesty and dignity,” he added. “If I see him, I’ll obviously apologise to him in person.”

Olmo Proud of World Cup Win and Team Behaviour

REUTERS/Dylan Martinez

Beyond the controversy, Olmo shined a light on his team’s collective efforts and manner in victory in becoming world champions, highlighting that he wants the squad remembered for their behaviour as much as their football.

“I want them to be proud of how we competed, how we won, and above all, of our behaviour,” he said, before reflecting on the responsibility that comes with the platform. “The far-reaching nature of football means that we players are role models for children and future generations, and that carries a great responsibility.”

Asked what underpinned Spain’s triumph, Olmo pointed firmly to unity over individual talent. “The group, the collective, always above individual players,” he explained, describing the squad as a family that transcends any single star. He also praised the backroom staff, particularly around physical conditioning, insisting there were no shortcuts to success.

“It’s all about hard work, nothing else, to achieve the goal,” Olmo said — a fitting summary of a Spain side that outclassed Argentina, managing 20 shots to their opponents’ two on the night in a dominant yet tight World Cup final.

One European club’s chief has declared he wants to sign a Tottenham star this summer. It has already been a busy summer for Spurs, who have spent big money to improve their squad significantly, hoping to go from being relegation candidates to a team capable of qualifying for Europe.

Roberto De Zerbi is tasked with making that happen, but he will not be without options, with Spurs having already put together a club-record spending of more than £235million, and they are not done there. Spurs will sign a winger before the window is over, and they could yet address other areas.

Meanwhile, Spurs are going to have to balance their spending with some exits, albeit Luka Vuskovic has already been sold, and some significant exits are expected before the end of the window, with Guglielmo Vicario, Lucas Bergvall and Cristian Romero looking like the most likely to depart.

Inter Milan confirm Cristian Romero interest

REUTERS/Paul Childs

Inter Milan sporting director Piero Ausilio has been speaking to Sky Italy this weekend, and he has confirmed that the Italian club are indeed interested in signing Spurs star Romero. “It’s definitely a deal we are trying to sign with the player and the club (Tottenham),” he admitted.

“These things take some time but there’s definitely interest. Let’s see. We are interested in signing Cuti Romero. We have met his agent and we have already talked with Tottenham. Let’s see what happens.”

Spurs will be open to a sale this summer, given they have already replaced Romero with the signing of Jan Paul van Hecke, but they will still want good value for their World Cup winner. Spurs are reportedly asking for 50million euros to sell, which works out at around £42.7million, but Inter will want to do a deal at a lower amount. Add-ons could bridge the gap, especially with Spurs actively looking to sell this summer.

De Zerbi a big fan of Romero’s

De Zerbi is a big fan of Romero’s, and he repeatedly spoke positively of the Argentine towards the end of last season. He said: “Cristian Romero is a big player, you know he is a big player, but he is an amazing guy because he has been a great captain in my time even though he didn’t play.”

But there is a reality to the situation, and Romero has made it clear he wants to move on, while Spurs have already prepared for that eventuality. At this point, a move is almost certain, it’s just a case of to who and for how much.