Bale arrives at Spurs & Premier League news conferences

SMS Message: Pessimistic fans like Max (13:18) and Jordan (14:05) are part of the problem with this club. We need more positivity and this signing is a statement of that intent. If you don't like it, bore off and support someone else. from Joe, London

Pessimistic fans like Max (13:18) and Jordan (14:05) are part of the problem with this club. We need more positivity and this signing is a statement of that intent. If you don't like it, bore off and support someone else.

Tottenham will host Rostov or Maccabi Haifa in the Europa League play-off round if they beat Shkendija in the third-round qualifier.

Spurs will face the Macedonian side on Thursday after they beat nine-man Lokomotiv Plovdiv 2-1 to progress from the second round of qualifying.

If they win, they will play the Russian or Israeli side at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on 1 October.

Rangers will be at home to Galatasaray or Hajduk Split if they defeat Willem II. Should Celtic progress past FC Riga, they will be away to Sarajevo or Buducnost Podgorica.

Aberdeen or Sporting host LASK or Dunajska Streda, while the winners of Motherwell's tie at Hapoel Be'er Sheva welcome Viktoria Plzen or Sonderjyske.

The one-legged ties take place on 1 October.

A German football team lost 37-0 to their local rivals after fielding only seven players who socially distanced throughout the match.

Ripdorf fielded the minimum number of players because their opponents SV Holdenstedt II came into contact in a previous game with someone who tested positive for Covid-19.

Their team tested negative but Ripdorf said the conditions were not safe.

If Ripdorf had not played, they would have faced a €200 (£182) fine.

Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images

SMS Message: Don't get too excited Spurs fans. Bale's La Liga goals and assists combined for the past two seasons are the same as Bruno Fernandes managed in just 14 PL games. Just saying. from Jeff

Don't get too excited Spurs fans. Bale's La Liga goals and assists combined for the past two seasons are the same as Bruno Fernandes managed in just 14 PL games. Just saying.

Frank Lampard was asked if there is any needle now in the games against Liverpool, with the Chelsea boss having exchanged words with Jurgen Klopp towards the end of last season and called Klopp's comments about the Blues' transfer window spending "slightly amusing".

"I don't know," he said. "How much do you want to make of it?

"If you're pushing to be successful... we had it when I was a player. In the Champions League we drew each other a lot.

"In modern terms it's slightly different because Liverpool are on top of the league and we're trying to improve. Both squads, clubs and coaches are very driven to win. It's what the Premier League is all about.

"The nature of the world we live in is there's a lot of airtime for you to fill with rivalries," Lampard added. "They can be scrutinised in every way. I have huge respect for him, what he's done at Liverpool was incredible. There's nothing in it for me. The competitive nature of the 90 minutes can boil over but the respect for Klopp I have will never change.”

And here's the man himself, arriving at Tottenham's training ground earlier...

Chelsea boss Frank Lampard was also asked about Gareth Bale's imminent return to Tottenham.

"He's an incredible player, an individual talent," he said. "I've seen from afar his incredible success at Real Madrid.

"If he comes to Tottenham he will be a big addition to their squad, of course. They are a team expected to challenge for Champions League positions and above.”

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti was asked about beating Tottenham 1-0 last Sunday, their first away win against top six-opposition in 41 games, and the performance of his new signings James Rodriguez, Allan and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

He said he was "a little bit surprised" how well they adapted so soon after signing for the club, and said "for sure, they brought more confidence to the other team-mates."

More to come from that trio, no doubt. Exciting times for Everton fans.

Manager Frank Lampard confirmed that Christian Pulisic, Thiago Silva, Ben Chilwell and Hakim Ziyech are all unavailable for Sunday’s game.

But new German striker Timo Werner is fit to face a side he was linked with repeatedly before joining Chelsea in the summer.

Manager Frank Lampard faces another test of his progress at Chelsea as his side take on defending champions Liverpool on Sunday.

"I don't feel it's a game to make a statement, it's the second game of the season," he said.

"On Monday we were in pre-season zone in terms of fitness. Now we take on the best team in the country last season. It's a nice challenge. We did pretty well head-to-head with them last year. It's a challenge to get three points against top opposition.”

Former Chelsea and AC Milan striker Andriy Shevchenko, speaking to BBC's World Football, praises the job his old team-mate Frank Lampard is doing as Chelsea manager.

Sky Sports are reporting that Sergio Reguilon has arrived at Tottenham's training ground to complete his move from Real Madrid, with the defender and Gareth Bale having travelled to London on a private jet owned by Spurs chairman Daniel Levy on Friday morning.

David Faulkner: Plenty of talk about Bale, but where's Reguilon? I thought they were supposed to be arriving together.

Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti says he is looking for a centre-back after recent injuries to Mason Holgate and Jarrad Branthwaite.

With Holgate out for "at least two to three months" with a toe problem and Branthwaite sidelined for "three to five weeks" with an ankle injury, Michael Keane and Yerry Mina are the only fit centre-backs.

Ancelotti would not be drawn on interest in Chelsea's Fikayo Tomori, but said: "We are looking for a centre-back and we are looking if the market offers something."

Jordan's a tad more pessimistic than Dave in Belfast...

SMS Message: It's 2020. This Bale move will backfire. from Jordan, Bath

It's 2020. This Bale move will backfire.

On Manchester City's transfer activity, boss Pep Guardiola added: "Since I arrived here I'm more than satisfied with what I have in the team, and I know the club does absolutely everything.

"Sometimes it’s the players who decide to move. But never before or in the future will I complain about this - I am a lucky person to be in this club."

Two big transfers. Two big announcements. Will we get both today? We'll keep you posted here.

Spanish midfielder Thiago Alcantara, 29, has said farewell to Bayern Munich before a +£20m move to Liverpool.

Welsh winger Gareth Bale, 31, has arrived at Tottenham's training ground as he completes his return to Spurs.

#BaleBack and #ThiagoFriday have been trending on social media - I wonder whether clubs liaise over the timing of announcements...

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SMS Message: I'm a Spurs fan and it's my birthday today! Bale returning would be the best present ever! from Dave, Belfast

I'm a Spurs fan and it's my birthday today! Bale returning would be the best present ever!

Happy Birthday Dave... make sure you send Jose and Daniel a 'thank you' card!!

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola was asked how new signings Nathan Ake and Ferran Torres are settling in.

"What you have to do, all the players and staff, all the people close to them, is help them settle as soon as possible," he said.

"They are two nice people and they are going to help us."