Mo Salah signs new Liverpool contract | Ange Postecoglou discusses 'leak' at Spurs | Could Onana be dropped by Man Utd?
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Welcome to Back Pages, bringing you everything you need to know about the biggest sports stories making the headlines in the morning's newspapers. I'm Dave Reed and The Sun's football editor Charlie White and The Mirror's chief football writer John Cross are with us. Welcome to you both.

We'll get to the newspapers and our guests very shortly, but let's bring you some more of Ange Postacoglu's extraordinary news conference where he accused someone at Tottenham Hotspur of leaking information. This after team news was obtained by the media before their match against Eintracht Frankfurt. Postacoglu believes it's been happening all season. Let's hear from him now. Ange, this leak, how long has it been going on and when did you first notice it? You tell me, Tom.

I'm just testing everyone out. I'm just trying to catch people out, mate. No, it's been going on for a while. And it started last year. We thought we nipped it in the bud, but it's still consistently coming out. It's definitely not agents, mate. The stuff that's coming out is pretty specific and pretty... The language used is not used by agents, trust me. In terms of, like...

Terminology? Yeah. Go on, mate. You know I'm not going to tell you. Were you suspecting players, then? No, no, no. I'm not suspecting anybody. What I'm saying, it's definitely not the players. With the mole, have you had to... The mole. Going from the leak to the mole. Leaky mole. Have you had to do a Colleen Rooney set of false code information? Sure.

Has it been anything like that? No. Look, it's a simple process. You just limit where the information goes and it's pretty easy to figure out. Who is your go-to detective if you're reading or watching TV? Do you have one? Oh, no. Yeah, Reacher. Just get out the big bat and pummel people.

Ange Postacoglu there talking with the media today. If you're wondering what he was asked, he was asked who his favourite fictional detective was. And he just went for Jack Reacher, I think, because he fancied pummeling someone. So that was Ange Postacoglu today. We've got Charlie White and John Cross with us. Charlie, let's come to you first. I mean, when people walk into an Ange Postacoglu news conference right now, they must be expecting the lead story on the back page every time they walk in.

Yeah, look, he's pretty upfront. And, you know, those that have gone to his press conferences, I think, have a lot of respect for the way he's handled what's been a really tough few weeks, tough few months. Well, tough season, really, for everyone at Tottenham. Today's story is intriguing, really, because I know John will...

sort of agree with me that this thing about leaks, people sort of think that we're all sort of sat at home and lots of stories just appear on our phones from various people. And yeah, there's lots of people within organisations, football clubs, clubs,

agents just just texting us stuff that we don't want to know and that just doesn't happen you know most stories uh you know majority of stories exclusives that are out there in the newspaper or in the media um because those journalists have actually done some good journalism um and those people within the clubs might not want those stories out um this seems to be slightly different uh the

But Ange is saying that it's certainly not an agent or a player. And the terminology that he says being used would suggest that it's someone at the club offering it voluntarily. So this is quite interesting. It's quite unusual. But equally, I would stress that this thing about

I think drives a few of us around the bend, really. I was listening to one well-known blogger this week who clearly doesn't understand the media as well as he thinks he does. He was saying how one major club have just been giving all the journalists the news about their summer transfer plans and stuff like that. It just doesn't happen.

Yeah, well, John, let's come to you for your take on this. You've had a few recent experiences, I suppose, with Ange Poste-Coglou. And as Charlie rightly points out, he's ruled out this coming from a player. He's ruled out it coming from an agent. Where might this have come from? And what's it like being in there? Well, I mean, we've had stories about leaks as well this season, not just from Tottenham, but from other Premier League clubs as well. What's your take on particularly what Charlie was talking about there?

Yeah, look, yeah, I think maybe Man United ahead of the Manchester Derby. There was an interesting story, wasn't there, really? I'm 100% with Charlie. It drives me mad when I see kind of, you know, offices and sort of kind of headline writers sometimes.

Even my own office, and believe you me, it's nothing that I haven't said to them. You know, we'll be doing sort of kind of leaks and moles and that sort of stuff. And I'm saying to them, guys, it doesn't work like that. Trust me. You know, basically a journalist normally, you know, almost exclusively comes across the story through good journalism, through making calls, through sending endless texts and WhatsApps.

and finding out information. And listen, I do think this is slightly different in that basically Postacoglu is so out there saying he, you know, he believes it's someone from within his club.

And once someone does that, then he's basically clearly got someone in mind and that's what makes it slightly more interesting and slightly more believable. And we are talking about, you know, allegedly a sort of kind of injury to Wilson Odeberg this week, aren't we? Basically that that's the, that's the inference in the stories that have been written, you know, that he had a sort of little bit of a sore tight hamstring ahead of the Frankfurt game. Um,

And basically, you know, that's the story that we're talking about. Listen, I actually think that it was interesting there. And, you know, I mean this in the most respectful way that basically you're showing a clip of Pastor Coghlu talking to the newspapers, which are still filmed and available there. It spoke to some of our colleagues there.

And basically, Postacoglu, I have to say, I really, really like him. He's been a breath of fresh air media-wise. Yes, he gave me a bit of a name check this week, but he was actually at pains to say, I've got no problem with what you've written, basically, which was along the lines of, I think even if he wins the Europa League, I'm not sure that he'll keep his job. And basically, he was incredibly respectful. We're on first-name terms.

He shares a bit of a joke with us. You've seen there from the clip that actually he's incredibly, you know, engaging. Yes, he can be moody and a bit mardy, but that's largely, I hate to say this, to the TV cameras and to kind of, you know, to the radio people. You know, someone sent me...

you know, a little clip of a radio station doing, you know, kind of doing an inquest into the media coverage of Poster Cogloo this week. And I just thought, blimey, you've just not researched it at all. You're so far out of the loop because honestly, his media coverage, particularly as far as newspapers are concerned, you know, we really like this guy, but we want to see him...

to see him succeed, but he is headline gold and he does deliver soundbites and good stories like this one. So honestly, it's a really strange one, but I like him. I think he's made things different at Spurs. He's gone for it. Yes, it's not working out. I'd be surprised if he was in charge come May next season, but I actually got respect for him. I do think that he goes about things the right way and makes it interesting. He's boxed off his gold.

Well, absolutely, absolutely. I mean, Postacoglu does say, you know, he's not intentionally going to go out there and try and target someone and maybe fire someone. But he goes on and says that it's more about culture and culture within Tottenham. And he's talked about this a lot recently in terms of what he perceives as negative coverage of Tottenham. And that, you know, he said the other day that everything seems to be turning into a negative. And Charlie, what do you think about that?

leaks and a culture. Is he right in pointing out Tottenham's culture? Does it say something about how Tottenham works as a football club? Or does it say more about the head coach and the situation that he's in right now that he's talking about this?

Well, obviously frustrates him. And I don't think it's a situation he probably found himself before. The way he's talking and the way, as John's mentioned, it seems as though it is someone from the club, you know, within the club, not a player or one of their advisors. He says it's been going on for a year.

He says they've got a fair idea who it is, but I suggest if it's been going on for a year and it's still going on, he hasn't got a clue who it is. Otherwise it would stop, wouldn't it? You know, I mean, I know there's sort of vast teams working at these football clubs now, but in the grand scheme of things, you know, there's relatively few people with this sort of, you know, really specific information that has been getting out there. So I think they need to update

up their game on the detective stakes, really, over the next few weeks, particularly if they are going to get into the semifinals of the Europa League. But, yeah, it is a really curious and interesting story.

And John, a more general point, I guess, on Andrew Poster Coghlu in news conferences. What sort of impact do you think his pressers are having on the players? Because for the most part against Frankfurt, they played quite well and that could have been the theme of the news conference today, but it turned into something different. Do you think anything that he's saying has an impact on player performance?

Well, I'll tell you one thing that I find interesting is that today, maybe my perception, listen, I wasn't there today, but basically I did cover the game last night and then obviously I did the pre-match press conference last

If he wanted to turn anything into from today's press conference, then maybe it was a sense of togetherness and siege mentality. It's us against the world, you know, basically saying to the players, whoever's doing this, I know it's not you guys, but basically let's group this together and basically bring the gang, you know, kind of the group and the gang together and sort of kind of make them a tight unit.

and make them sort of kind of fight for each other. I find it fascinating that Andrew actually reads absolutely everything. Absolutely everything. You know, he really does bore over everything. He's seen everything that you've written. He's seen everything, you know, that's been said.

Maybe he feels, you know, in everything that basically newspapers give him a bit of, you know, a bit more sort of kind of time, a bit more of a free reign. You know, I'm not suggesting there that sort of kind of Sky doing anything wrong, but it's maybe, you know, when he sits down to read stuff rather than actually see it on TV, you know,

he kind of, you know, can see that, you know, we may be giving him a sort of a fair hearing because he gives us his time. He's quite thoughtful with his time. He says what he means. He throws up sort of kind of, you know, things about the game and sort of kind of the wider issues, like last week talking to him about the global calendar. It's really fascinating on that. I really found it interesting. And so he indulges us with his time. So I actually think the relations between

between the media generally and, and, and Poster Coghlu are pretty good, but you know, it's,

I do fear for him long term. I was so impressed with what they put on last night. I thought they were great against Eintracht Frankfurt. Thoroughly deserved to win that game. They didn't get their just rewards, but I really thought the players bought into it, the fans bought into it. And with that energy, then maybe, just maybe, Poster Coghlan might end up winning a trophy and a passport into the Champions League. We're going to move on and talk about the big news from Liverpool today that Mo Salah has signed an extended contract with

for the next two years. He's going to be staying at Liverpool until 2027. Lots of the back pages focusing on this today. The Sun, the Mirror and the Telegraph as well. The Times, Mohamed Salah all over the back pages. Lots of the papers as well, Charlie, focusing on the sums involved. Looks like it could be more than £20 million a year. Could be as much as £25 million a year for Mo Salah if he reaches all the bonuses that he has in that contract.

I assume Liverpool believe that will be money well spent. Yeah, I mean, look, I think ultimately Salah had such a good season, obviously with the exception of the last few weeks, but he'd been absolutely brilliant. Best season of his career. Liverpool simply had to give him pretty much what he wanted.

It's been a funny old few months. There have been mixed messages from Salah in terms of whether they were actually talking over a contract. I think some of his comments were a bit harsh on Liverpool. He was making out the fact that Liverpool hadn't been going to the table to talk over new contracts. Of course they were. That was ridiculous. And I can see why maybe Liverpool were frustrated because they've had three players coming out of contract, Alexander-Arnold,

Virgil van Dijk and of course Mo Salah. It looks as though Alexander-Arnold is going to Real Madrid. That's not a surprise. We all sort of thought that Virgil van Dijk would stay and that looks likely, but we weren't totally sure about Salah, but that's been resolved. So that's basically just stopped the season, I think, for Liverpool. Brilliant season, ending on maybe a bit of a downer. How do you have left?

So, yeah, brilliant news for Liverpool. Also, Arnie Slott, all the fans, now they can look forward to defending that title because we all know they're going to win it with Mo Salah in the team. And Salah's saying that they're already a great team, but he thinks they can win more trophies together, John. Is this a player that has put...

Football legacy ahead of a big pay packet because he quite conceivably could have gone wherever he wanted and there would have been money on the table from Saudi as he put football ahead of his wallet.

I think he has. I really do. I mean, listen, he is 32. We are talking a two-year deal, so maybe he'll still have time to still go on a Saudi adventure at the end of that. But I love the way that he's committed himself to Liverpool and really put a marker down. I'm loving those back pages and the pictures of him on the throne. I love how back page...

you know, for tomorrow morning written by our own King of the North, David Anderson. It's absolutely fantastic about pages and pictures. Really, really sort of kind of sets the tone and the focus because this is the guy that's absolutely, look at that deal fit for a King, love it.

And basically, I just think it's sensational, really. Best player by an absolute mile, in my view, this season. I mean, Virgil van Dijk is the only one that's kind of in the back of my mind. 32 goals across all competitions. He's set the league alight. He will make Liverpool champions this season. He might well make them champions for the next two, you know, having sort of kind of committed himself earlier.

I do think this season he's become more of a moments player rather than absolutely dominating games. But that's fine when you've got those sort of kind of figures. Because honestly, Liverpool have been terrific. I do think they've slowed down in the last two or three weeks. I was at the Fulham game last Sunday. They looked a little bit leggy. I'll tell you what, I bet there's so much energy and passion in the stadium on Sunday. You know, with Salah now signed, Van Dijk just about to...

That completely changes the mood. And for me, I think the run-in will make them champions by easily double figures. And John mentioned there the developments, I guess, in Mo Salah's game, Charlie. How hard will it be for him to maintain the levels that he's produced?

Well, he's just produced the best season of his career. So he's certainly set the bar high. I think Liverpool, obviously, there's an understandable concern, as there will be with any player in that position who's 32 over what he'll be like in a year or so.

So I really get that. But it's certainly the right decision to give him all that money, half a million pounds a week or approaching that. I think another interesting comment today from Arnie Slott was talking about how Salah and the fact that he's now going to remain at the club sort of helps them with their transfer business.

Liverpool will obviously look to recruit this summer. Let's not forget that their achievements this season is made even more remarkable when you consider that Slott only signed Chiesa last summer. So he's going to want to bring in some of his players now. And he obviously feels having Salah remain at the club and, of course, Virgil van Dijk, which is expected, will help draw in some other players. Because I think it's pretty obvious that

Liverpool do need to maybe bring in another central midfielder. They certainly need another striker. I think they will probably look to maybe move on Darwin Nunes and then bring in another, you know, a real top quality number nine, maybe Alexander Izak or a player like that. Having Mo Salah still at the club really helps Liverpool.

their attempts to bring in more quality. Yeah, absolutely. Liverpool hosting West Ham on Super Sunday. Live coverage from one o'clock. I'm sure Mo Salah will be front and centre of the coverage there. Let's move on and talk about Arsenal. Jamie Carragher writing in The Telegraph that it's glory or disaster for Mikel Arteta this week. Does he rest players for the game against Brentford? Does he play his first XI where the game and their season really hinges on Real Madrid playing

in midweek, John? How do you think that Arteta will play it this weekend? So I think he would probably do similar to what he did at Everton last Saturday, which is a bit of a mix and match. You know, I wonder whether kind of Declan Rice, I know he's declared fit, but basically finished the game with sort of kind of cut to his foot. You know, might sort of may not start. Saka, you know, do you start him again or sort of kind of leave him for, you know, on the bench and basically rest him

So I think those are sort of the dilemmas really, because I do think this Jamie Carragher piece is really, really interesting. I think Jamie is such a good pundit on Sky, really fascinating. Monday Night Football is always such a great watch when he's going through the weekend and he always sort of nails it in columns like this.

And he's talking there about how Arteta can't afford to blow it. Previous managers have sort of blown it, particularly draws on Emery when his team was overwhelmed, PSG team were overwhelmed and overturned a big lead.

And basically, Arteta can't afford to do that. So he has to approach it with some caution and make sure that Arsenal complete the job. Because make no mistake about it, it's the best night I've witnessed at the Emirates when Arsenal beat Real Madrid. Brilliant performance, great atmosphere, fantastic occasion. And he'll just want to complete the job. And I think, therefore, he has to pick the right team

tomorrow against Brentford to make sure everyone is fit and fresh to complete the job because I have a sneaky feeling that this tie is not over. So Arsenal will have to be at their best to complete the job. I feel that they'll do it, but I still think they'll need to be at their absolute best to do so.

Yeah, Madrid certainly have an aura and a relationship, special relationship with the Champions League. They will not think that this tie is over. And, Troy, I want to come to you on the story on the back page of The Sun as well around the goalkeeper situation at Manchester United. He's had some week, hasn't he, Andre Onana, in the firing line, not just for performances on the pitch, but from opposition players when you think about what Nemanja Matic said this week and the possibility that he might get dropped for the game against Newcastle this weekend. Can you see that happening?

Yeah, potentially. And, you know, totally. I think it would probably be the right decision. But it's a tough decision for Amram because, you know, messing around with goalkeepers can be a dangerous game. You know, it's fine if you have, you know, a cup keeper and a league keeper, as, you know, quite a few clubs do now. We've seen it with Chelsea in the Conference League. Of course, Keller comes in for a lot of the...

Liverpool Cup games, but when you start fiddling around at this stage of the season, you have to really be careful of the damage it could do to a goalkeeper's confidence, a goalkeeper's fragile confidence, as we can see at the moment with Anana. So I expect him to be rested, but maybe then he'll come back for the game in the Europa League.

But it'll be very interesting to see where then what Amarim does for the next league game. But there is a real issue. Man United quite clearly need quite a few players this summer and they definitely need a new goalkeeper. And I'm sure as we speak this weekend, they'll be looking at other goalkeepers around Europe because they need to have to bring someone in who's reliable, who's top quality. And that is not an honour. And John, I've got 30 seconds left, but just sum up the contribution that James Anderson has given to English cricket. He's now been knighted.

Sir Jimmy. I mean, it's wonderful. I'm not always a huge fan of the honours list, but I love it when they sort of nominate someone like this that everyone can relate to. Record wicket taker. Fantastic. And what a thrilling entertainer. 42. I think he still wants to be playing every game and sort of kind of has moved into consultancy role. I just think it's brilliant. Absolutely fabulous. Lovely. John, Charlie, thanks so much for your time.