Nottingham Forest manager Steve Cooper has dismissed links with Tottenham amid growing pressure on Antonio Conte.

Spurs' Champions League exit at the hands of AC Milan, along with poor Premier League form and bowing out of the FA Cup against Sheffield United, has led to speculation over Conte's future.

On Thursday, the Athletic reported chairman Daniel Levy has tasked director of football Fabio Paratici to produce a list of suitable replacements for the Italian.

Cooper has been linked with a potential vacancy, reportedly having admirers within the Spurs hierarchy, but he outlined his focus on Forest ahead of Saturday's trip to north London.

"The only thing that it is, is irrelevant. I said what I said last week, I don't want or need to say it again," he said at a press conference.

"The most important thing for me is the game, the guys I am working with every single day and I am trying to be at my best and do a good day's work and try and get them to do the same.

"Then we give ourselves a chance of trying to be a better team. We are embracing that challenge, we have had a lot of hurdles we have had to overcome this season, I am loving this journey with the players.

"It is a challenging one but one I am enjoying. But anything outside that bubble is irrelevant.

"The moment I am not thinking about Nottingham Forest or the players or the staff or how I can be at my best is the moment I am not getting it right, that's not what I want to be, I want to be all-in, that's what I am and I am not looking further than going to Tottenham on Saturday."

Cooper was not the only Premier League boss to dismiss questions about a move to Tottenham, with Brentford head coach Thomas Frank outlining his happiness with the Bees.

"First, they have a manager which is a manager I have studied for years and I admire massively. I think he has achieved some fantastic results so I hope he will do well and I hope Spurs do well," he said ahead of the game against Everton.

"Secondly, I am very, very happy here at Brentford."

Paolo Maldini has urged Milan to make the most of their Champions League run after conjuring memories of the great Rossoneri sides he represented.

After last month's 1-0 win at home to Tottenham, Wednesday's goalless draw on the road was enough to help Milan into the competition's quarter-finals for the first time since the 2011-12 season.

Milan endured a run of seven campaigns without Champions League football prior to returning to the competition last season – a far cry from the success of Maldini's playing days.

The technical director, who helped Milan win five European crowns as a player, was delighted to see the Rossoneri's current crop record a notable continental win of their own.

"You suffer more as a director, but your focus is different. When you're older, you're able to manage things better," he told Milan's media channels.

"I once again felt those goosebumps that were provided by the great Milan teams of the past, because it was a real achievement. I have to say that the lads deserved it. 

"For some of them it was their first experience at this level, and the fans deserved it, who were there even in the bad times. 

"Obviously, we can't think that we're a stable fixture in the last eight, that certainly isn't the case yet.

"However, now that we're here, we'll go for it, because you need to take these opportunities when you get them."

No Serie A team reached the Champions League quarter-finals last term, but with both Inter and Napoli ahead at the midway point of their respective last-16 ties against Porto and Eintracht Frankfurt, this season is shaping up to be more successful for Italian clubs.

Asked if he had any preference regarding Milan's next opponents, Maldini said: "I'd prefer to avoid an Italian team, but if all three make it through, I'll be happy for Italian football.

"At this point, we'll get whoever we get. Right now, we can't think that we're at the level of Bayern Munich, Manchester City or Real Madrid – the current European champions.

"However, if we're drawn with one of these teams, we'll go for it."

LaLiga has filed a complaint at a Seville court after Vinicius Junior was again subjected to racist abuse in Real Madrid's goalless draw at Real Betis on Sunday.

Vinicius suffered racist abuse at two matches against Atletico Madrid this season, while similar incidents have been reported at games against Real Mallorca and Real Valladolid.

Footage captured a Betis supporter shouting racist insults at Vinicius during Sunday's stalemate at the Estadio Benito Villamarin, leading LaLiga to resort to legal action once again.

A statement from the league read: "In view of the racist insults directed towards Vinicius Junior during the Real Betis-Real Madrid match on Sunday, March 5, LaLiga has sent a complaint to the Seville Court of Instruction in order to identify the person responsible and to take the appropriate legal measures.

"This is the seventh complaint made to the relevant authorities by LaLiga regarding racist insults against Vinicius Junior."

Madrid head coach Carlo Ancelotti last month said racism was a problem throughout Spanish football, adding: "Vinicius is the victim of something that I don't understand. It must be solved."

Harry Kane says a top-four Premier League finish will not make Tottenham's season a success, admitting Spurs are "lacking something" as speculation over Antonio Conte's future grows. 

Spurs have seen their hopes of avoiding another trophyless season evaporate within the space of a week, following up an FA Cup loss at Sheffield United with a Champions League exit against Milan.

Tottenham suffered a dire Premier League defeat at Wolves between those two eliminations, and they have now failed to score in three successive games for the first time since a three-match losing run in April and May 2019.

With Spurs now facing a battle for a top-four berth, Kane says a 15th consecutive campaign without silverware is unacceptable.

"Where we're at as a club, we should be winning trophies," Kane told reporters. "The top four [being Spurs' only target] is a consequence of not playing as well as we want to play. 

"For sure, it's not enough for this club. I totally understand the fans' frustrations. Top four is not good enough for anyone at this club, especially the fans. They have the right to voice their opinion.

"The last week especially just hasn't been good enough. Before the Sheffield United game, the season could have been a whole lot different. 

"You go through there, you take that momentum into the league game and this game [against Milan]. 

"But I feel like that loss last week put a dagger in our hearts and as you can see, we haven't really recovered from that."

Spurs' expected goals over two legs in a 1-0 aggregate defeat to Milan was only 0.91, and they have failed to win any of their past five Champions League knockout games (D1 L4) since beating Ajax 3-2 at the semi-final stage in 2019.

It has been suggested their latest failure could spell the end of head coach Conte's tenure at the club, with the Italian accepting Spurs may sack him before his contract expires at the end of the season.

Asked for his thoughts on Conte's future, Kane said: "It's his decision, he's going to be the one that makes that choice. 

"All we can do as players is try to perform for him, work as hard as we can. That's what we're doing. You can't fault the effort of the players. We're just lacking something. 

"We've talked about mentality before and that ruthless hunger to be better, to be the best, to be one of the best teams in Europe. We just haven't quite found that yet."

Paul Pogba has been dropped by Juventus for Thursday's Europa League clash with Freiburg in Turin.

The France international was reportedly late for a team meeting on Wednesday and was not included in Massimiliano Allegri's squad when it was circulated on the morning of the last-16, first-leg tie.

Pogba has endured a miserable start to his second spell with Juve after re-joining the club from Manchester United last July.

The 29-year-old midfielder has suffered with multiple injuries and had to wait until February 28 to make his second debut, coming off the bench in the 4-2 derby win against Torino and also appeared as a late substitute in Sunday's 1-0 defeat at Roma.

Thursday's game against Bundesliga club Freiburg had been earmarked as one in which he could make a long-awaited start with Allegri outlining his optimism at the pre-match press conference.

However, widespread reports in Italy have suggested Pogba was late to a team meeting 24 hours before the game with Allegri subsequently opting to leave the player out completely.

Alexia Putellas has pushed back on the suggestion Spain's striking players are "rebels" amid their ongoing dispute with the national team and coach Jorge Vilda.

Following their qualification for the Women's World Cup in September, 15 players rendered themselves unavailable for selection, citing the "situation" around La Roja.

The RFEF has so far stood by Vilda, despite pleas from the striking group for him to be moved on over reasons involving their emotional health, presenting a stalemate ahead of the tournament in July.

Putellas has rejected the idea those players are in the wrong, with the Barcelona midfielder at pains to stress the view of her colleagues.

"We are not rebels," she told beIN SPORTS. "It's exhausting having to constantly claim improvements to perform better. I don't think you have to put adjectives of this type.

"It is a problem between the players and the federation. Private conversations have been leaked, and this situation does not benefit anyone.

"We want the players to be able to focus one hundred percent on performing. It's exhausting having to constantly claim upgrades. The leaders should improve our conditions without [us] having to ask all the time."

Vilda omitted striking players from his squad for the 2023 Cup of Nations, where La Roja finished second behind hosts Australia, ahead of a return to the country for the World Cup later this year.

They play friendlies against Norway and China in Ibiza in April, as they step up their preparations for the tournament, where they will hope to be among the contenders.

Corinne Diacre was sacked as France head coach on Thursday after a player revolt highlighted "irreversible dysfunctions" ahead of the Women's World Cup.

The French Football Federation (FFF) said its executive committee determined a "fracture" between Diacre and senior players had "reached a point of no return which harms the interests of the national team".

It follows captain Wendie Renard last month announcing she would not play at the World Cup under Diacre's leadership, with forwards Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto following suit by putting their own international careers on hold. All three issued forceful statements on social media before effectively going on strike from the team.

Diacre came out fighting on Wednesday when she accused her detractors of participating in "a destabilisation operation ... whose only objective is a personal settling of scores".

Yet her five-and-a-half-year stint at the national team helm is over, following recommendations made by a commission comprising former France women's players Laura Georges and Aline Riera, long-time Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas and former France men's international Marc Keller.

The FFF said in a statement: "The numerous hearings carried out made it possible to establish the observation of a very significant divide with senior players and highlighted a discrepancy with the requirements of the very high level. This fracture has reached a point of no return which harms the interests of the national team.

"If the FFF recognises the involvement and the seriousness of Corinne Deacon and her staff in the exercise of their mission, it appears that the dysfunctions observed seem, in this context, irreversible.

"In view of these elements, it was decided to put an end to the mission of Corinne Deacon at the head of the French women's team.

"This change of coach is part of a new global ambition led by the FFF in favour of the development of women's football and the performance of the French team, which will have to achieve high objectives during the 2023 World Cup and the 2024 Olympics."

Interim FFF president Philippe Diallo called on the commission to begin the search for a new head coach and determine candidates as soon as possible.

As Diacre reluctantly departs, the FFF called into question the tactics of the players in staging their public mutiny, stating that operating in such a way "to express their criticisms was no longer acceptable in future".

France begin their campaign at the Women's World Cup, which will be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, when they play Jamaica in Sydney on July 23. They will also face Brazil and Panama in Group F.

Thierry Henry warned Paris Saint-Germain will struggle to keep Kylian Mbappe and urged the club to rethink their transfer strategy after another painful Champions League exit.

France great Henry believes PSG fans have found it difficult to embrace the global superstars who have arrived during the Qatar Sports Investments era, suggesting they are hankering after a side with more French representation.

Mbappe was the only Frenchman in coach Christophe Galtier's starting XI against Bayern Munich on Wednesday, and Henry suspects the 2-0 defeat in Germany, sealing a 3-0 aggregate success for Bayern, could hasten the striker's exit.

Despite finishing as the World Cup's top scorer with France, since returning to PSG there has been little for Mbappe to smile about.

Results in Ligue 1 have been largely decent enough, with top spot locked down for now, but the Parisians were ousted from the Coupe de France by Marseille, and now they are out of Europe too.

Galtier will be under scrutiny, but if Mbappe begins to question his future that would be a devastating blow. He was persuaded to resist Real Madrid's interest last May, but Henry fancies Mbappe may want to reconsider his commitment.

Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, Henry said PSG should turn their focus to local talent, saying: "If that's the project, maybe the fans can look at it, and it can look like something that's very interesting. Maybe it can be a way – I don't think it can be a way – to keep Kylian if he sees that they're going that way. I think it's going to be a tough one now to keep him."

PSG have lost at the Champions League last-16 stage in five of the last seven seasons, landing some tough draws in that time, twice losing to Real Madrid while also going out to Barcelona, Manchester United and now Bayern.

Henry said there is "a fracture" between PSG and the club's traditional fanbase.

With the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar having been brought to the Parc des Princes, Henry considers it a "crazy" situation to have supporters in revolt.

"Because if you told me 20 years ago Paris would have that team I would have said, 'You're joking, this is not happening'," Henry said.

"Even their fans would have said, 'Please give me the paper now, I'll sign'.

"And now they have that, they're not always happy about it because I don't think they can relate to the team.

"So do you go back and get young French players from the area of Paris because they grew up idolising that club?"

The former Arsenal and Barcelona forward added: "Sometimes you have to grab the community, you have to grab the people that love the club.

"Is it Paris Saint-Germain, or what are you building? Are you going to get players for the sake of getting players, and then let's play? For me, bring the best young French players back because a lot of them do support Paris Saint-Germain.

"They got Mbappe from Monaco. He was young, a lot of people wanted him. They got Neymar [when he was] young. It's still an attractive club."

Mbappe, who hit seven goals in the group stage, was questioned about his future in the moments after Wednesday's defeat at the Allianz Arena, saying: "No, no, I'm calm, the only thing that matters to me this season is winning the championship and then we'll see."

It has been reported that Manchester United will look to maintain the momentum gained from this season with three major signings.

Manager Erik ten Hag is said to have an illustrious shortlist of priority targets, including numerous forwards.

But the Red Devils will likely want to bolster their midfield ranks to support Casemiro, Bruno Fernandes, Christian Eriksen and Fred.

TOP STORY – MAN UTD TO LAUNCH BUMPER CAMAVINGA BID

Fichajes reports Manchester United are planning a bumper £115million (€130m) offer for Real Madrid's French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga.

The report claims United are major admirers of Camavinga, who has not fully convinced since his move to Santiago Bernabeu in August 2021.

United view the 20-year-old as a major world-class talent, although Los Blancos may be reluctant to let him go.

ROUND-UP

– ESPN claims Harry Maguire is on the chopping block at Old Trafford with Manchester United looking to sell several first-players including the England defender. Newcastle United are the favourites to sign him while West Ham are in contention, reports 90min.

– Paris Saint-Germain are circling for Newcastle United's Dutch defender Sven Botman, reports iNews. Botman previously spent time in France with Lille.

– Vinicius Junior could leave Real Madrid, with president Florentino Perez open to letting him go in order to sign PSG's Kylian Mbappe, claims El Desmarque. Vinicius Junior and Madrid are yet to agree on a new deal with the Brazilian's contract expiring in 2024.

– Eden Hazard will not exit Real Madrid anytime soon, with the Belgian midfielder intending to remain with Los Blancos until his contract expires in 2024, according to The Athletic.

– CBS Sports claims Arsenal's Reiss Nelson has drawn interest from French club Nice along with Premier League outfit Brighton and Hove Albion. Nelson netted a dramatic late winner in the Gunners' 3-2 victory over Bournemouth on Saturday.

– Bayern Munich are on the verge of tabling new contract offers to Lucas Hernandez and Jamal Musiala , per Fabrizio Romano. Agreement on the Hernandez deal is imminent, while new Musiala's long-term contract is a priority.

LaLiga has refuted claims made in a Spanish newspaper that the league is in danger of financial collapse and will now take legal action.

El Espanol published an article titled "LaLiga in the face of economic collapse: DAZN and CVC are considering breaking their contracts with Javier Tebas".

The report suggested two crucial partners were considering their relationships, with Jorge Calabres saying "Spanish football is in an extreme situation" as DAZN and CVC study the possibility of breaking their contracts.

However, LaLiga issued a swift response on Wednesday rejecting the claims.

They said in the statement it was "absolutely false that DAZN and CVC are studying breaking their contracts with LaLiga".

The statement added: "It is surprising that, despite not having confirmation from DAZN and CVC, Jorge Calabres and El Espanol have published this false news, citing unspecified "sources in the sector". 

"It is also worrying that neither the aforementioned journalist nor any other person from El Espanol has contacted LaLiga to verify the information, in yet another lack of journalistic rigour and professionalism. 

"The latter is not surprising, given the obvious campaign of personal attack that El Espanol and Jorge Calabres are in against LaLiga and its president, Javier Tebas, through continuous false, manipulated or misrepresented publications in recent months.

"We will take legal action against those responsible for this publication, and against all those who disseminate these falsehoods, in defence of our interests and those of the clubs."

Among a host of other reasons, the report claimed CVC was considering its position because LaLiga were unable to guarantee the long-term participation of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.

El Espanol reported that if an early termination clause was triggered, CVC could end its contract and ask LaLiga clubs for its investment to be returned with six per cent interest.

But LaLiga said these concerns were untrue and Tebas, LaLiga's president, also criticised the report personally, slamming the article as "fake news".

Barcelona are nine points clear of Real Madrid at the top of the table this season, as the Catalan club seek what would be their first LaLiga title in four years.

The 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup will be played between February 17 – March 10, 2024, in the United States, Concacaf announced on Wednesday.

West Ham manager David Moyes hopes he can emulate the success of "serial winner" Jose Mourinho in the Europa Conference League.

The Premier League team play the first leg of their last-16 tie with AEK Larnaca on Thursday, making the trip to Cyprus amid a tough domestic season.

Victory over the two legs would take West Ham to a second successive European quarter-final appearance, having reached the last four of the Europa League last term.

Ahead of the game, Moyes pushed back on the idea success in the continent's third-tier competition represents a step back, pointing to Mourinho's success with Roma in 2022 as something to aspire to.

"If you look at the amount of people in football, there's very few that get that big opportunity to [win trophies]," he said. "Jose Mourinho showed you how much [winning] cared to him because he is a serial winner.

"Last year, we wanted desperately to win the Europa League, but we couldn't quite get past the semi-final. We've got a job to do try and reach the quarter-final.

"If West Ham we're talking about being in two quarter-finals [in Europe] back-to-back, I think that would be seen as one hell of an achievement."

Roma became the inaugural winners of the Europa Conference League last term, with a 1-0 win over Feyenoord in the final in Tirana.

Moyes saw his side slip out of the FA Cup against old club Manchester United last week, meanwhile, and with his team locked in a relegation battle, the Scotsman knows European success is a major opportunity for his team.

"I'd love to win the competition," he added. "I'd love to get to the final. I'd love to keep progressing West Ham in Europe.

"Not for a minute do I underestimate or take any of it for granted, because we've got a tough game on our hands. We never know exactly how it's going to go."

Lionel Messi moving to MLS to join Inter Miami would be "the biggest signing in history", according to the club's head coach Phil Neville.

The seven-time Ballon d'Or winner has been heavily linked with a move to the United States and is into the final six months of his Paris Saint-Germain contract.

Ligue 1 giants PSG are keen to retain the services of the 35-year-old, who added a World Cup to his plethora of titles last year, but a fierce fight could take place for his signature.

A move to MLS would see Messi follow in the footsteps of the likes of Miami co-owner David Beckham, Andrea Pirlo, and Steven Gerrard, though likely sparking even more of a frenzy.

Neville believes it would be a signing like no other, adamant Messi is the kind of player his club need to be in the market for.

"I think this would be probably the biggest signing in history," he told the Athletic.

"I can't think of another star of that magnitude to come from a major footballing country to this place. This is maybe similar [to Beckham's arrival], but maybe even bigger.

"I think you're talking about one of the greatest footballers of all time. When you talk about Miami, we have to be in for players like that, you know?"

Should Miami manage to lure Messi to MLS, however, Neville accepts the club would need to make significant logistical changes to accommodate such a recognised figure.

"Things will be different. The trees might have to be bigger [around the training ground]. The security might have to be tighter," he explained.

"The walk the players have today over to that stadium, that might have to be different. The travel might be different. The hotels we stay in might have to be different.

"But really that might be what we're aspiring to be like anyway. It's exciting, but I think it'd be a massive challenge."

Lyon defender Castello Lukeba "has everything" like Josko Gvardiol, according to team-mate Dejan Lovren.

Ex-Liverpool man Lovren returned to Lyon in January after almost 10 years away and has already been impressed by some of his new colleagues.

Lukeba, who only turned 20 in December, was promoted to Lyon's first team in 2021 and has formed a strong partnership with Lovren so far in 2023, starting the last four Ligue 1 games together.

Lovren said: "It's good, we communicate well. He understands what I ask of him. 

"Frankly, he's a very, very, very good player with the qualities to one day be one of the best defenders."

France Under-21 international Lukeba has made 56 appearances in all competitions for Lyon, including 23 in the league so far this season.

And Lovren, who has played alongside the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Samuel Umtiti and, at international level, Gvardiol, sees similarities with a former defensive partner.

"I can compare him with Gvardiol," Lovren said. "He has everything.

"He is very, very young, and he still needs to work a lot. I am there for him, to give him advice. 

"He is a player that I really get a lot from playing with. He understands quickly."

RB Leipzig centre-back Gvardiol has been considered one of the most exciting young defenders around in recent years, attracting interest from many of Europe's biggest clubs.

Most strongly, the Croatia international has been repeatedly linked with a move to Chelsea following their big-money takeover by US businessman Todd Boehly.

France coach Corinne Diacre has vowed to lead Les Bleues at this year's Women's World Cup, hitting out at a "destabilisation operation" amid a boycott of the team by several big-name players.

France are in crisis ahead of the World Cup in Australia and New Zealand, with captain Wendie Renard and forward pair Kadidiatou Diani and Marie-Antoinette Katoto putting their international careers on hold.

The trio will skip the World Cup if major changes are not made by the French Football Federation (FFF), with Katoto saying she feels "no longer aligned with the management of the team".

Reports have claimed the players want the FFF to call time on Diacre's six-year stint in charge, but the former France defender insists she is going nowhere.

"In view of the shameful media outburst of recent days, I wish to publicly reaffirm that I am fully determined to carry out my mission, and above all, to honour France at the next World Cup," Diacre said in a widely reported statement.

"My detractors have not hesitated to attack my personal and professional integrity without bothering with the truth.

"I will not let myself be affected by this destabilisation operation, which does not take into account my sporting record, and whose only objective is a personal settling of scores."

United States internationals Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan are among those to offer public support to the striking players, along with global players' union FIFPRO.

The FFF pledged to examine the matter last month, and French media reports have suggested Diacre's position will be discussed by the federation later this week.

France will begin their World Cup campaign against Jamaica on July 23, before facing Brazil and Panama in their subsequent Group F fixtures.