A BBC actress has come under fire for comments she made about Nigeria goalkeeper Maduka Okoye during an appearance on ITV on Tuesday night. Sarah Hadland sparked a social media backlash after openly admiring the Super Eagles shot-stopper while appearing on the programme.

The 55-year-old Miranda star joined Stephen Mangan and Ardal O’Hanlon to promote their West End play The Truth, but the conversation soon turned to international football and this summer’s World Cup.

Nigeria will not be taking part in the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico. The Super Eagles narrowly missed out on qualification, finishing one point behind South Africa in their group and denying fans the chance to see their famously popular kits on football’s biggest stage.

HMB Media/Fernando Soares/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect

When asked about watching the tournament, Hadland became visibly flustered, declaring: “I will be watching now I’ve seen the Nigerian goalkeeper. Have you seen him?! Wowee, thank you very much!” She continued (watch the full segment below):

One of the presenters pointed out that they’d “hate to objectify a man,” but everyone in the studio had quickly glossed over the comments with a laugh. Criticism has come thick and fast on social media, though.

Sarah Hadland (@Hadderstime on Instagram)

“There are some people who should just be kept off TV,” one X user reacted to Hadland’s comments, “it’s not okay to talk like this about a man, woman, etc.” Elsewhere, another remarked:

A third added: “Double standards everywhere you turn,” while a fourth wrote: “If this was a man speaking about a female, he would lose his job and be forced to apologise.”

A fifth also concluded: “Indicative that this hasn’t been condemned by any leading media or broadcasters. If this was a man talking about a woman, there’d be all manner of anger and fume. Ridiculous hypocrisy.”

Tottenham’s busy summer transfer window is continuing to move at pace, as the club are closing in on their fifth signing of the market so far.

Spurs have already made several key additions to the squad, as the free agent pairing of Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson were the first two through the door.

Jan Paul van Hecke then joined from Brighton for a fee in the region of £52 million, before the most recent addition of Martin Dubravka from Burnley to help bolster the goalkeeping ranks.

While all of those moves are helping Tottenham move closer to completing a full rebuild of the team, there is still work to do, and the club are determined to get that wrapped up as soon as possible.

Tottenham Reach Mateus Fernandes Agreement

via Reuters

The midfield is an area that Tottenham are keen to strengthen next, with several targets outlined as options who could bring extra quality to the role.

Talks are underway to sign Sandro Tonali from Newcastle, with contact made between clubs to explore the terms for a deal that could total £100 million.

The Italian international isn’t the only one, however, as Tottenham have also been linked with Mateus Fernandes of West Ham in recent weeks.

The 21-year-old has been a target for a whole host of clubs, including Manchester United, Real Madrid, and Arsenal, but it seems as though the Lilywhites have pushed on to get a deal over the line.

Now, according to freegard media, Tottenham have reached a verbal agreement with West Ham over a deal to sign the Portuguese international.

It appears to put Spurs in the most advanced position of all their rivals in the race to land Fernandes, with recent reports claiming that a valuation of £80 million was being set by the Hammers.

It’s unclear whether that is the rough agreement Tottenham have struck with their London rivals or not, but it certainly stands them in good stead this summer.

Can Tottenham Land Tonali Too?

via Reuters

If Tottenham get a deal over the line for Fernandes in the coming weeks, then they will have done well to beat several of their rivals to his signature this summer.

The midfield will be reinforced with an impressive all-round option with plenty of potential to grow further, though there may be questions about whether he will inject enough quality into the team.

That’s where a deal for Tonali could come in, with the 26-year-old showing plenty of quality as he moves towards the peak years of his career.

Adding the Italian midfield maestro into the mix will bring another layer of class, with his out of possession work being complemented well by a decent range of in-possession skills.

The larger question is whether Tottenham can afford to complete both deals. The duo could cost up to £180 million combined, a huge fee that would be tough for any team to achieve, let alone one without Champions League football.

However, if sales can help push through those moves, it could bring instant impact to the team for next season.

Newcastle United are set to be in the market for a striker this summer, as Football Insider reports that a transfer exit could spark a move in the coming weeks.

It comes as the Magpies look to reinforce the squad with more quality, after a disappointing Premier League campaign that saw the side finish mid-table.

Several exits are expected, with Anthony Gordon’s move to Barcelona just the first of a few deals that could help create space and funds for other deals in the market.

Another Newcastle star looks set to follow Gordon out of the club, with a plan now in place for a replacement.

Nick Woltemade Expected To Leave Newcastle

Omar Havana via Reuters

As Newcastle prepare to ramp up their business this summer, Football Insider reports that an exit for Nick Woltemade is likely to come in the next few weeks.

The Germany international signed for £69 million last summer and was viewed as an ideal replacement for Alexander Isak, who left to join Liverpool after that deal was sealed.

Despite a quick start, Woltemade struggled, alongside fellow summer signing Yoane Wissa, as William Osula was given the nod ahead of the pair in the latter half of the campaign.

With the striker moves not exactly working out, it looks like an exit for the 24-year-old could be on the cards. The report describes a move as “likely”, claiming that Atletico Madrid and Borussia Dortmund remain interested in a deal.

Premier League rivals Aston Villa have been linked in recent weeks, but the report adds that he is not currently on their radar as they look to strengthen elsewhere in the squad.

It remains to be seen how much of that £69 million fee Newcastle could recoup this summer, but it could be a huge factor in what other moves the team could consider.

Newcastle Striker Transfer Plan

With an exit for Woltemade now likely, Football Insider adds that Newcastle’s plan is to replace him with a young striker who has plenty of potential for the future.

It’s the type of profile that plenty of clubs want, meaning there could be plenty of competition for the Magpies for some key targets over the summer transfer window.

Liam Delap could be one star they consider. The 23-year-old has struggled at Chelsea and looks set to leave this summer, but there are signs of quality with his spell at Ipswich Town the year before.

Other options could emerge in the coming weeks, but for now, it appears as though the priority is for wingers as direct replacements to Gordon in the forward line.

It may take an exit for someone like Woltemade to step up the interest in those strikers for the future.