Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas issued a warning to Spurs chairman Daniel Levy last week when he said the asking price could increase if the club continued to drag their feet.

The Spanish giants have been clear front-runners for his signature ever since he revealed he was to finally leave Atletico Madrid this summer but no official approach had been made.

Defender Kurt Zouma impressed on loan at Everton last season and manager Marco Silva has been keen to make the move to Goodson Park permanent.

According to French outlet La Provence, the 17-year-old winger has caught the eye of Manchester United chiefs and they are boosted given he is yet to commit to a professional deal at Marseille.

The 25-year-old defender was last summoned for international duty in 2017 but is yet to be handed his first cap. Laporte had been regularly capped for France's international youth sides.

Portugal pulled off a 4-2 win over Serbia to move into second place in Group B, after being made to work for all three points.

Real Madrid have been dealt another injury blow with striker Luka Jovic ruled out of Serbia's Euro 2020 qualifier against Luxembourg on Tuesday with an unspecified injury.

Olivier Giroud insists he still has ambitions beyond being Tammy Abraham's understudy at Chelsea. The 32-year-old France striker has started just one of Chelsea's opening four league matches.

France manager Didier Deschamps has praised young midfielder Matteo Guendouzi but has warned against expecting too much of the talented youngster.

CHRIS WHEELER AT WINDSOR PARK: This is not a vintage Germany, but it doesn't mean they can't score vintage goals. Make no mistake, the former world champions were on the ropes.

Kingsley Coman and defender Clement Lenglet scored in each half, with Antoine Griezmann missing a penalty for the second time in four days. Substitute Wissam Ben Yedder added a third.

Chelsea have been dealt an injury blow after N'Golo Kante was forced to pull out of France's Euro 2020 qualifier against Iceland on Friday night. Kante was set to start but suffered a problem in the warm-up.

The Real Madrid striker has not featured for France since back in 2015, with Deschamps choosing to axe him from the squad following the controversy with compatriot Mathieu Valbuena.

Giroud came off the bench in France's Euro 2020 qualifier against Turkey and scored within four minutes, but his header was cancelled out by Kaan Ayhan in a 1-1 draw.

Cristiano Ronaldo has kindly sent boots to the entire Portugal U17 Women's side after they reached the elite round of Euro 2020 qualification.  Ronaldo rewarded the team for their heroics.

Kante has endured a frustrating start to the season as he has been restricted to just six appearances in all competitions for Chelsea after suffering an ankle injury.

Arsenal midfielder Matteo Guendouzi has been called up to the France squad for their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers against Moldova and Albania, hoping for his first start for his country.

Giroud has played 211 minutes for Chelsea this season, with Tammy Abraham first-choice. But, ahead of their Euro 2020 qualifiers with Moldova, Deschamps says he has full faith in the player.

Tuttosport report that the 44-year-old was spotted watching England's demolition of Montenegro at Wembley on a trip where the focus was securing the Frenchman's signature.

Toni Kroos scored twice as Germany secured their place at Euro 2020 with a resounding 4-0 win over Belarus, which leaves Joachim Low's side top of Group C ahead of second placed Netherlands.

Portugal booked their place at Euro 2020 with a hard-fought 2-0 victory at Luxembourg.

Cristiano Ronaldo took his career tally to 99 international goals on Sunday as Portugal qualified for the 2020 European Championship with a 2-0 win against Luxembourg.

CHRIS WHEELER IN FRANKFURT: A hat-trick from former Arsenal player Serge Gnabry sank Northern Ireland as their Group C campaign ended with a heavy defeat in Frankfurt.

Mastermind sporting director Luis Campos, the man behind the rise of Monaco and the rejuvenation of Lille, has opened the door on the possibility of joining Jose Mourinho at Tottenham.

Former Germany manager Jurgen Klinsmann has tipped attackers Serge Gnabry and Leroy Sane to light up Euro 2020 next summer.

The Court of Cassation, the highest-ranked court in the French justice system, assembled on Monday afternoon with 19 magistrates to try and settle a case which first emerged four years ago.

An armed thug threatened to kill Chelsea midfielder N'Golo Kante's agent during an argument about the star's £32million transfer to Chelsea, it was claimed Wednesday.

Substitute Nemanja Radonjic scored a fine last-minute winner as second-placed Marseille beat Brest 2-1 to move five points behind French league leader Paris Saint-Germain on Friday.

Didier Deschamps has urged Olivier Giroud to leave Chelsea to secure a spot in France's Euro 2020 squad. Giroud started up-front as Deschamps guided France to World Cup glory in 2018.

Bordeaux have joined Inter Milan in the race to sign Chelsea striker Giroud. The Ligue 1 side are interested in a loan deal for the 33-year-old, who has been given the go-ahead to leave in January,

Lionel Messi missed out on top spot after injuries, Cristiano Ronaldo closed in on a remarkable international feat and Raheem Sterling was deadly - who have 2019's most prolific strikers been?

Olivier Giroud remains an important part of Didier Deschamps' plans for France ahead of the Euros later this year, but has admitted his lack of current playing time at Chelsea is of huge concern.

EXCLUSIVE BY SAMI MOKBEL: The Spurs captain has been missing since sustaining a serious elbow injury in the 3-0 loss to Brighton in October but he has now returned to light training.

DANIEL MATTHEWS AT THE GROUPAMA STADIUM: A hero from 12 yards. Then the fall guy within 11 minutes. Life as a goalkeeper can be cruel - just ask Marseille's Yohann Pele.

Giroud was a target for a number of sides during the January transfer window including Inter Milan, Lazio and Tottenham Hotspur having fallen out of favour at Stamford Bridge.

SPECIAL REPORT BY DANIEL MATTHEWS IN LYON: To many in France, the 32-year-old is a footballing pariah. At Real Madrid, however, Benzema is approaching immortality.

As far as bizarre injury treatments go, Marseille striker Dario Benedetto's remedy for a head injury sustained against Amiens is right up there. The Argentine was bizarrely given a swimming cap.

Karim Benzema has taken a swipe at Olivier Giroud, implying the Chelsea striker who replaced him in the France national team is an inferior player.  The 32-year-old has not played for Les Blues since 2015.

In extra-time of the 2006 final in Berlin, France captain Zidane head-butted Materazzi in the chest after words were exchanged. Zidane was sent-off and Italy went on to win on penalties.

It's 20 years since Russell Watson topped the charts with his debut album, The Voice, announcing himself to the world as the owner of the finest larynx this side of Luciano Pavarotti

As a rule, I don't like to beg, but in this instance I am desperate, so: if you understood The Pale Horse could you please, please offer an explanation and tell me what the hell went on?

Heartbreak can be the best teacher, as arts journalist Alice Vincent learns in her hopeful memoir of self-discovery and horticulture.

From George Harrison in 2002 to Ginger Baker the other day, we're used to finding a rock star's death followed by a tribute gig. On Tuesday, the idea came with a twist: the honoree was still with us.

Spring is round the corner, and it's time to crack open the scented whites. While some grapes have the aromatic impact of a ram raid on the Duty Free perfume counter, others are more subtle

The latest domestic thriller is Flesh And Blood , and already it's getting mixed up in my head with Liar, Cheat, Trust Me, Trauma, Gold Digger , etc. Their formats are so similar

'In my whole career there's only one person I interviewed who I didn't like and was rude to me,' Gaby Roslin says, before anticipating the next question. 'And no, I won't tell you who it was!'

It's a bold move, naming a restaurant Paradise. What with all those images of eternal bliss, celestial perfection and heavenly libations whisked from the tears of an angel

Noughts + Crosses is an adaptation of Malorie Blackman's novel for young adults, so why it's being shown on a Thursday at 9pm rather than in the Doctor Who slot, I cannot say

Set in rural Tennessee in the period after the Civil War, A Thousand Moons is a strange and beautiful story, narrated by a young Native American girl who has been adopted by two Irishmen.

The film year is not quite the same as the calendar year, effectively running from one Oscar ceremony - this year's was in early February - to the next.