Inter Milan have agreed a deal to sign former Manchester City defender John Stones. Journalist Orazio Accomando has shared what this means for their pursuit of Tottenham defender Cristian Romero.

Stones is out of contract this summer, following his departure from Man City, and he’s now edging closer to completing his move.

A number of Premier League clubs were linked with a move to sign the England international, but it appears he’s opted to make the move to Italy this summer.

We could see a departure in the summer transfer window for Cristian Romero, with the Argentinian international seemingly available for transfer this summer.

Tottenham have already brought in both Jan-Paul van Hecke and Marcos Senesi to strengthen their centre back options, giving them an opportunity to offload one.

Inter make Romero decision

According to journalist Accomando, Stones will sign a two-year contract with Inter Milan.

The reporter adds that Stones isn’t considered an alternative to Tottenham defender Romero, who remains a target for the Italian club.

It appears Inter are planning a big overhaul of their defensive options, meaning both Stones and Romero could arrive this summer.

Inter often play a back three, so it’s no surprise that they are also interested in the Tottenham defender after securing the signature of Stones.

Tottenham can afford to cash in

Due to the signings of both Senesi and van Hecke during the summer transfer window, Tottenham can afford to cash in on a player like Romero.

The Argentinian international clearly wants to go and play European football next season with Spurs finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League for two campaigns on the bounce.

Tottenham will be without any European football, which could have an impact on whether players want to remain with the club heading into the new season.

If Romero wants to leave the club, then Tottenham can afford to cash in.

Gianni Infantino has been told he has ‘crossed a line’ with his plans to sell stakes in the World Cup. The FIFA boss is reportedly eyeing a ‘£15 billion sell-off’ with private investors already consulted, according to The Times.

The leader of world football’s governing body has been involved in controversy throughout the 2026 World Cup, with his close relationship to US President Donald Trump being put under the microscope.

Trump personally phoned Infantino to ask for a review of Folarin Balogun’s red card against Bosnia & Herzegovina, with the ban being suspended before the USA’s next match. There were even calls for an investigation into Infantino’s actions.

World Cup Stakes Could Be Sold By FIFA

REUTERS/Hannah Mckay

Now, the FIFA president has been met with a furious statement by UEFA as his plan to sell World Cup stakes became public knowledge. Infantino’s plan is for FIFA to retain majority control, with the rest being sold to the 211 national associations and partly to private investment.

Infantino himself is reportedly in line to pocket ‘tens of millions of pounds’ as a result of the scheme. The Trump administration has been approached with the idea, which would see a company being formed to control FIFA’s men’s and women’s competitions, the World Cup and Club World Cup.

The Times’ report states that one senior figure in the football world views the plan as a ‘nuclear bomb’ for the sport. There are also private concerns that investors would apply pressure to host tournaments in countries based on commercial opportunities.

UEFA Condemn Infantino’s World Cup Plan

REUTERS/Benoit Tessier

UEFA have responded to the plan with anger. The governing body of European football has claimed Infantino is ‘crossing a line’.

The statement reads: “This crosses a line that football’s governing institutions should never cross. UEFA takes it extremely seriously. So should every National Football Association. So should every stakeholder: leagues, clubs, players, supporters, governments and everyone who cares about the future of the game.

“The soul and governance of football are not assets to trade – especially with zero transparency as to who gains financially. None of us are the owners of football. It is not FIFA’s to sell.”

Despite recent criticism, Infantino is set to be re-elected as the FIFA president until 2031, with the 56-year-old facing no competition. He could become the ‘commissioner’ of the World Cup once his presidency finally ends in five years.

The question that inevitably follows Ted Lasso star Cristo Fernandez around is: do you actually play soccer? And up until very recently, that was an awkward question to answer.

Fernandez showed promise as a footballer in his home city of Guadalajara growing up, but sadly had to put his dreams of football stardom on hold because of a knee injury at the age of 15. Perhaps boosted by the spirit of his lovable character, Dani Rojas, Fernandez has successfully reignited his professional football dream.

After trialling with USL Championship side El Paso Locomotive, Fernandez was offered a professional contract before making his debut in the USL Cup a couple of months later. The 35-year-old’s dream come true is the stuff of movies (or a sports dramedy series.) But how has Dani Rojas inspired Fernandez’s rise to the big leagues of American soccer?

Apple TV

The Mexican actor fell in love with football at a young age, and was determined to pursue professional football as a career. Fernandez ended up being signed to the youth academy of former Liga MX champions Tecos FC, going on to make appearances for their B team in Mexico’s second division.

After his knee injury shattered his dreams of football stardom, he discovered a fondness for acting whilst studying at college, eventually moving to England and graduating from the Guildford School of Acting in 2018. After appearing in a few independent films, Fernandez had his breakthrough, landing a role on Apple TV’s Ted Lasso.

How Fernandez’s Experiences Shaped Dani Rojas

Apple TV

Fernandez didn’t just wow the casting directors and writers with his audition; he changed the direction of Dani Rojas’ character arc for the popular football comedy series. Building on his personal mantra of ‘football is life’, Fernandez revealed how his audition had an impact on the character he would eventually play.

“When I did that audition, I also had to speak about my life experience in football, soccer,” said the Mexican actor in an interview with TalkShopLive.

“It turns out the writers felt very passionate about how I expressed this phrase and my passion for football, soccer.”

As a promising young footballer who had his career cut short, Fernandez had a rare quality that he could bring to the character. Starring in the first three seasons of the hit show, the Mexican star was able to accurately perform many of the soccer stunts in the show alongside his more dramatic duties.

But the creation of Dani Rojas wasn’t just a case of art imitating life. For Fernandez, it reignited a dream that he thought was condemned to the past.

Cristo Fernandez’s Professional Debut

Soccer, again, came calling for Fernandez in a very unexpected way. And the character of Dani Rojas had gotten the 35-year-old thinking about his professional aspirations two decades after they’d been put into a box. Speaking about the itch to return to football with GOAL, Fernandez stated, “One thing is to speak and say things, another one is to do them, so that’s why, for the next years, I just didn’t say anything.”

But after finding a friend in fellow Guadalajara native and former Mexico captain Andrés Guardado, the Ted Lasso star was finally able to voice his aspirations. Guardado stepped in, recommending a performance coach and a physical therapist to get Fernandez to the required level of fitness.

With the help of his management team, Fernandez secured a few trials with USL and MLS sides, most notably Chicago Fire. Things didn’t work out with the MLS side, but it did lead to another professional opportunity with El Paso Locomotive. “I talked about it secretly with my family and my dad,” said Fernandez. “He always was like, ‘Ay, Cristobal, you are very crazy, but I believe in you, and if this is something you want, you can do it.'”

The blessing from his family gave Fernandez fresh determination heading into the tryouts. The two-month trial with El Paso was incredibly successful, resulting in his first ever professional contract. The club is known affectionately to its supporters as “Los Locos”, and the Mexican actor sees this as a perfect fit for his personality. “I am a crazy person, so that’s why I say this proudly, that I am grateful with Los Locos.”

As for that age-old question, and after trying for the first 35 years of his life, Cristo Fernandez can now say, “Actually, yes, I do play soccer.”