Sports
Niclas Fullkrug ‘Given Permission to Quit’ West Ham
West Ham United have given Niclas Fullkrug the green light to seal his departure from the London Stadium ahead of the transfer window reopening for business at the turn of the year after Wolfsburg and Augsburg have been among the sides showing early interest, according to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg.
The Hammers have gone into the international break with back-to-back victories, thanks to following their win over Newcastle United with another three points against Burnley last weekend, with goal difference being all that is keeping head coach Nuno Espirito Santo’s side in the Premier League’s relegation zone.
But the tactician is already making plans to make adjustments to the squad he inherited from predecessor Graham Potter and is prepared to offload Fullkrug to make room for another attacking presence to join West Ham.
Fullkrug Handed Chance to Seal Hammers Departure
Fullkrug has been given permission to quit West Ham in January, according to Sky Sports Germany journalist Plettenberg, and Bundesliga side Wolfsburg have begun exploring a possible move at a time when domestic counterparts Augsburg have also been showing interest in offering a route back to his homeland.
The Germany international has more than two-and-a-half years remaining on his Hammers contract, which allows him to pocket £90,000-per-week before bonuses, but they are tempted to cash in on him after he has been forced onto the sidelines with an injury and is still searching for his first goal of the season.
Plettenberg has revealed that Fullkrug’s representatives have been officially informed that he can embark on a fresh challenge midway through the campaign, resulting in admirers in Italy also being put on red alert, and West Ham have already started looking for a new striker to head to the capital as a direct replacement.
The 32-year-old has been on the Hammers’ books since sealing a £27.5million switch from Borussia Dortmund in August 2024, but injuries and a lack of form have resulted in him struggling to win over Julen Lopetegui, Potter or Nuno during their respective spells at the London Stadium helm.
Fullkrug Exit Would be Best for All Parties After Injuries
Although Fullkrug’s exit would leave Callum Wilson as West Ham’s only senior centre forward, unless they manage to bring in reinforcements in January, it would be best for all parties if he is allowed to take his career in another direction when the transfer window reopens in the coming weeks.
The marksman’s agent, Thorsten Wirth, has publicly confirmed that the move to east London has not gone to plan and it would be in everyone’s best interests if he leaves. With that being the case, the Hammers ought to grant his wish by listening to offers and being prepared to take a financial hit.
There is no doubt, based on Fullkrug’s performances and injury record since his arrival, that West Ham will not be able to recoup the entirety of the £27.5million they spent on him. But the hierarchy should entertain all offers, including loan proposals, as it would give them room in the squad to bring in a frontman who would carry more of a threat.
Sports
Tottenham Confirm £100m Signing of Sandro Tonali on Six-Year Contract
Tottenham Hotspur have confirmed the signing of Sandro Tonali in a club-record transfer.
The Lilywhites agreed a fee worth a reported £92.5m plus an additional £7.5m for the Italy international with Newcastle United, and the midfielder has now completed a medical and put pen to paper on a six-year contract in N17 to become the club’s sixth signing of the summer transfer window.
Roberto De Zerbi has already added Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi, Martin Dubravka, Jan Paul van Hecke, and Mateus Fernandes to his squad following their 17th-place finish in the Premier League last season, and now they are ready to push up the table by making a splash in the transfer market.
Tonali: De Zerbi Was Key to Move
After the move was announced by Spurs, Tonali spoke their official website to share his thoughts on the deal.
“I’m very happy to be here,” he said. “When I arrived at the Club today, it felt fantastic. People said about there being four or five clubs – there was only one.
“I spoke to the Head Coach for close to two hours about the Club, the fans, the stadium and our football. It was like magic because I knew immediately that I had to sign for Tottenham.
“I’ve played against Tottenham a few times and always found a great atmosphere made by great fans. I can’t wait to start the season.”
Tonali has signed a six-year deal, running until 2032, and becomes the club’s record signing, exceeding the £85m Spurs paid earlier in the window for Fernandes from West Ham.
Sporting director Johan Lange also spoke about the deal, praising the former AC Milan star as one of the best midfielders in Europe.
“Sandro is one of the best midfielders in Europe and we are delighted to welcome him to the Club,” he said.
“He has outstanding technical quality to go with real football intelligence, and has the character to thrive in a demanding, high-pressure environment. Sandro brings valuable experience at the highest level, both domestically and in European competition and I know our supporters will love his energy and commitment on the pitch.
“We are all excited to see him pull on our famous Lilywhite shirt for the first time.”
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De Zerbi Delighted by Tonali Signing
De Zerbi has been making a huge push to add his own stamp on the squad in north London following his arrival at the end of last season, and he has now praised the club for getting a deal to bring Tonali in done.
“Sandro is a special player and a great signing for our Club,” he said.
“I have followed him for a long time, as he came through the youth system at my hometown club, Brescia, and I’m so happy to be working with him now.
“Given his qualities, there was a lot of interest in Sandro this summer. However, he was very clear in his desire to join Tottenham, and I know our fans will love what he brings to the team.”
Fabrizio Romano Says Tottenham Now Want ‘Unstoppable’ Attacker After Sandro Tonali
Spurs are already looking ahead to their next target
Sports
UEFA Slam FIFA in Fiery Statement After They Suspend Folarin Balogun’s Red Card
UEFA have slammed FIFA for their decision to suspend Folarin Balogun’s ban for a red card for a year, allowing him to play in the USA’s last 16 World Cup clash with Belgium.
Balogun was sent off during the round of 32 clash with Bosnia & Herzegovina after a studs down the achilles foul on Tarik Muharemovic.
He was not initially sent off, with it looking like an innocuous coming together, but the VAR suggested referee Raphael Claus take a look at the pitchside monitor, with the slow-motion replay making it look like an awful tackle.
By the letter of the law it was a red card, but the USMNT star did not know the player was there and was simply trying to plant his foot in challenging for possession with his opponent.
FIFA made a decision which has not been universally liked
The red card would have seen Balogun, who has scored three and assisted one in the tournament so far, showing he is an integral part of Mauricio Pochettino’s side, miss out on the clash with Belgium, but he can now play after FIFA’s decision to suspend the ban for 12 months.
Citing Article 27 of the disciplinary code, which allows them to suspend red cards as long as it was not related to match-fixing, FIFA said: “The implementation of the match suspension is suspended for a probationary period of one year. If Folarin Balogun commits another infringement of a similar nature and gravity during the probationary period, the suspension shall be revoked and the sanction enforced without prejudice to any additional sanction imposed for the new infringement.”
In a statement, Belgium admitted that they were “astonished” by the decision and there has been widespread criticism around the FIFA call, with Wayne Rooney saying that FIFA president Gianni Infantino should be “ashamed of himself”.
Now European football’s governing body UEFA has waded into the debate, releasing a statement of their own.
It read: “Yesterday’s decision to suspend for a probationary period of a year the implementation of the one-match automatic suspension following the red card issued to the player Folarin Balogun crossed a red line.
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“Football, like any other sports, relies on rules, which are the basis for fair, honest and transparent competition. Sometimes rules are open to interpretation. In this case not. A minimum automatic suspension of one match following a red card is not a discretionary option and does not require the decision of a competent body to be enacted. It is a principle embedded in regulations, which cannot be made subject to exceptions, let alone in the middle of a tournament where several other players have been in the same situation and regularly served their suspension.
UEFA slam FIFA decision on red card suspension
“When the certainty of rules is no longer guaranteed by its guardians, the integrity of the game is at stake and the credibility of a competition is undermined. Equally, such decision creates a precedent in the ongoing tournament, where similar situations will now require an equal treatment, to the detriment of the competition.
“Football is the most loved sport in the world because it is a beautiful game and is trusted because it is played everywhere with the same laws. A tournament is never a pure standalone and, if the tournament in question is the World Cup, it has the power to drive positive or negative consequences on the game as a whole.
“We express our disbelief at such an unprecedented, incomprehensible and unjustifiable decision.”
Donald Trump Reacts on Social Media as FIFA Suspend Folarin Balogun’s One-Game Ban
The US President believes FIFA have made the right call.
Sports
Why He Kept 3rd Position at British GP Despite Yellow Flag
The FIA has explained its reasoning for not giving Ferrari’s Lewis Hamilton a second penalty for a yellow-flag investigation at Sunday’s record-breaking British Grand Prix at Silverstone.
The seven-time world champion claimed third place on track as the race — which attracted the largest overall weekend crowd of any F1 event in history — finished in controversial circumstances under the safety car.
The crowd booed the finish — and some were seen to be leaving early — as they had been robbed of the chance to see Hamilton attack Mercedes’ George Russell, with the former on a new set of tyres and the latter on worn mediums.
Why Hamilton Could Have Faced a Second Penalty at Silverstone
Hamilton risked potentially incurring a second time penalty of the race as he was the subject of a yellow-flag investigation for failing to slow under single-waved yellow flags. Stewards, however, decided against giving him a penalty after hearing from the driver himself, the team representative and reviewing marshaling system data, video, timing, telemetry and in-car video evidence.
The Stevenage-born driver got his first penalty for a false start.
“The evidence showed that there was no yellow light panel warning within the driver’s immediate field of vision and that the yellow indication on the steering wheel display remained visible for only a very short period. The stewards were therefore satisfied that the time available for the driver to react to the yellow flag indication was very limited,” the FIA statement read.
Lewis Hamilton Expected to Receive Penalty After the Race
After the race, Hamilton had told reporters he was expecting a second penalty, but ultimately it wasn’t forthcoming.
“I’m probably going to get a penalty. The FIA often have to react… I went through a yellow flag and didn’t see it,” he said. “So, a jump start, yellow flag infringement. When it rains, it pours. I’ve just been to see them but don’t have an answer. But I will probably get a penalty, I’m sure.”
The FIA confirmed that Hamilton received a reprimand and therefore kept his place in the order and his podium finish.
Hamilton currently sits third in the drivers’ world championship and has closed the gap on leader Kimi Antonelli to 32 points after the Italian teenager finished the race in 16th after encountering technical issues, complaining that something was wrong with the steering.
The 2026 British F1 Grand Prix attracted 564,000 people across the whole event and 175,000 people on Sunday alone.
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