Brentford have held initial talks with Kevin Schade about a new long-term contract in the wake of his excellent start to the campaign and increasing interest from bigger clubs including Arsenal and Liverpool. 

The winger has scored three goals as Brentford’s unbeaten start to the season has put them fourth in the Premier League from their opening five games, with two victories at home to Tottenham and Chelsea and three draws.

Schade has been tracked by several big Premier League clubs for some time, with Chelsea and Tottenham among his admirers, but Arsenal and Liverpool are thought to have been the keenest as the summer transfer window drew to a close.

The Germany international has entered the final two years of his current Brentford deal – signed when he joined from SC Freiburg for £20m in June 2023 – and the west London club are keen to give him improved terms.

His three goals so far this term has taken his tally to 25 in 119 games plus a further nine assists and, while at Brentford, Schade has broken into the Germany side, starting Jurgen Klopp’s first game in charge against the Netherlands last night.

Tyson Fury says Anthony Joshua is a “stepping stone” towards a trilogy fight with Oleksandr Usyk and vowed to knock out his British rival “inside seven rounds”.

On Thursday, confirmation finally arrived that Fury and Joshua’s long-awaited all-British heavyweight showdown will take place at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium on Friday December 11.

Speaking for the first time since the announcement, Fury has predicted that he will inflict a one-sided defeat on Joshua to set up a third fight against Usyk, who defeated him twice in 2024 on points decisions.

“I’m just going to knock him [Joshua] out, 100 per cent,” Fury said on the Furocity YouTube channel.

“I’m going to box the head off him and stop him inside six or seven rounds. I’m only using Joshua as a stepping stone, a warm-up to Usyk.

“Joshua, for me, is an old bum. A weightlifter. Too many weights, not enough speed. Too many weights, no cardio. So I’ll cut through him like a hot knife through butter.

“I want Usyk. I want him in America, though, where I get a fair decision. I won the first two fights, and I’ll definitely get a decision here, where it’s fair.

“But, listen, now I want to use AJ as a heavy bag. Punch the **** out of him and then move on to Usyk. Give me a good warm-up before March next year.”

Fury: I never believed I’d actually get AJ in ring – ‘Christmas has come early’

Negotiations over the Fury vs Joshua fight had repeatedly hit stumbling blocks before this week’s announcement and Fury insists he still has lingering doubts after Joshua turned down a face-off at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in April.

“He had his chance [or a face-off]. He was a little ****house at Tottenham the other month, whenever it was. Didn’t want to get in the ring.

“We’ll see. I always never ever believed I’d get him in the ring. So getting him in the ring now is like Christmas has come early for me.

“Honest to God. Like I can never ever see him or envision him sitting next to me at a press conference. It’s going to be an onslaught.

“Tell you that now. A one-sided beatdown.

“All the talking aside, honestly, we’re both going to get in there and both going to throw down.

“And I always say, look, may the best man win. If he knocks me out, I’ll shake his hand, and if I knock him out, I’ll shake his hand, either way.”

Asked finally if he had a message for Joshua, Fury replied:

“I’ve got no messages at all.

“Turn up on the fight. Turn up on the night, you little yellow-bellied ******. Stay sharp.

“On ball, on point, ready to rock and roll. Let’s go. Ready to train.”