Wales are winless in four matches in 2026 and missed out on qualification for the World Cup after losing to Bosnia-Herzegovina on penalties in the play-off semi-finals in March.

Speaking before his side’s friendly fixtures against Ghana and Romania in June, Bellamy confirmed he had rejected club offers to commit his future to Wales.

But just weeks after the Red Dragons drew 1-1 with Ghana in Cardiff and lost 2-1 to Romania in Bucharest, it emerged that Bellamy was closing in on a return to Burnley, where he worked as an assistant to Vincent Kompany between 2022 and 2024.

Since it was confirmed Bellamy would not be joining Burnley, Wales assistant boss Piet Cremers has departed the FAW to become Club NXT boss while Chris Gunter left his role as head coach of the under-19s to join Oxford United.

Former Wales international Nia Jones feels Bellamy has bridges to build as his side prepare for a return to competitive action next month.

“[After] Turkey, his first game, he famously said it will be the worst we’ll ever be. It gets you excited, you’d want to go to war with him,” she said.

“The Bosnia game, he said we’re going all out, but we went out. He keeps saying things, and the more you say things and don’t back it up… He has got a tough job with the Nations League group, but the carrot that’s dangling is a home Euros for him.

“He’s got a bit of making up to do now given what’s happened in the last couple of months.”

Wales begin their Nations League campaign against Portugal in Lisbon on 24 September before facing Denmark in Copenhagen three days later.

Bellamy’s side then meet Norway and Denmark at Cardiff City Stadium in October.

The final two matches of the campaign take place in November with Wales travelling to Norway before hosting Portugal.

Chicago Sky guard DiJonai Carrington said that her social media post about White privilege was not about her flagrant 2 foul on Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham on Saturday, but about a desire for “consistency across the board” in officiating, an issue that has sparked controversy throughout the WNBA season.

Carrington had posted “WHITE PRIVILEGE” on her Threads account and tagged the Indiana Fever shortly after her ejection from the game. She was whistled for a flagrant 2 foul after her left arm connected with Cunningham’s head and jaw as Cunningham was midair attempting a layup. The blow knocked Cunningham to the floor, but she quickly got up to confront Carrington before Fever teammate Makayla Timpson pulled her away.

“I’ve never once claimed that the assessment of the foul was White privilege (that was your assumption),” Carrington posted Monday on X, in response to commentary from sports analyst Emmanuel Acho, who said that the flagrant 2 decision was accurate. He also called her post “ignorant” and “asinine.”

“Furthermore, I’m the LAST thing from ignorant or asinine when it comes to speaking on ‘white privilege’, do ya research on that one,” Carrington continued. “I actually went to school, one of the top universities might I add, to educate myself on this exact subject. I would never use that term as a rhetorical weapon knowing the historical and social weight it holds without having the proper evidence to substantiate it.”

Carrington, who played four years at Stanford before transferring to Baylor, told reporters before the Sky’s game against the Seattle Storm on Monday night that her post was aimed at the league more broadly. She did not address why she tagged the Fever in her post.

“I would say that I would just love consistency across the board when it comes to things like that,” Carrington said when asked if Cunningham also should have received a technical by officials for her reaction to the foul.

“Whether it’s the foul that I committed, whether it’s the reaction, the retaliation, I would just love it to be consistent across the board regardless of the name on your jersey or your skin color or the score of the game, the stakes, whatever, I would love there to just be consistency when it comes to all of that,” Carrington continued. “I don’t think we’re there yet. That’s something that I’ve talked to the league about as well. I think that will eliminate a lot of frustrations that we all have.”

Criticism of officiating has been a growing issue for years in the WNBA, with complaints from players prompting the league to create a task force at the end of the 2025 season to examine areas for improvement. But officiating controversies have continued.

In her pregame comments, Carrington said she talked with the league about the situation.

“No, I don’t feel encouraged,” Carrington said about those discussions. “But that doesn’t mean you’re going to stop fighting for what I believe is right and that’s just consistency. Everyone would benefit from that. We’re all here to play our hardest and win games. There is never mal-intent with any of these things. So I think it would be fair to be consistent across the board when it comes to things like that.”

The WNBA did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

After Saturday’s game, Cunningham said she thought Carrington’s foul was in response to Cunningham’s 2025 flagrant foul and ejection on Sky guard Jacy Sheldon, who then played for the Connecticut Sun. At the time, Sheldon and Carrington were not teammates. On Monday, Carrington said her foul was not intentional.

“Obviously, I’m just coming back from injury so maybe my timing or my lift wasn’t where it needs to get to, but … it was unfortunate I made contact with her in the way that I did, but it was never intentional,” she said. “Look, it might happen again. That’s just how I play, I’m always going to go all out and try to get a stop. I’m not just going to let an open layup happen. But … I’m never intending to hurt somebody regardless of anything outside noise or whatever the situation may be.”

Cunningham has been in the spotlight since the publication of an ESPN story last month in which she spoke in favor of excluding trans athletes from women’s sports. She was quoted as saying that she wants to “protect young girls in a locker room” and that they “shouldn’t have to go against biological men.” There have since been demonstrations and counterdemonstrations outside Fever games and teammates and opposing players and coaches have consistently been asked about the issue.

On Friday, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association released a statement denouncing “hate, abuse, and demonization” of the transgender community, but did not mention Cunningham specifically.

Tottenham Hotspur are in talks with Inter Milan over deal to sell Djed Spence to the Italian side for a fee in the region of €30million (£25.6m).

A source close to the situation, granted anonymity to protect relationships, said Spence is keen on a move to the Serie A champions, who are in the market for a new right back after the sale of Denzel Dumfries to Real Madrid.

Spence is capable of playing at left or right-back but Destiny Udogie and Spain’s World Cup winner Pedro Porro are Spurs head coach Roberto De Zerbi’s first-choice options in those positions.

Andy Robertson’s arrival from Liverpool earlier this summer has given Udogie extra competition at left-back, along with 20-year-old Brazilian prospect Souza. Archie Gray prefers to play in midfield but can provide cover for Porro on the right. Spence’s gametime could be limited next season as a result, especially as Spurs are not in any European competition.

The Athletic reported earlier this summer that Everton were interested in signing the 26-year-old but Inter are now negotiating with Spurs.

Spence joined the north London side from Middlesbrough in the summer of 2022 in a deal worth up to £20m but was labelled a “club signing” and overlooked by then head coach Antonio Conte. The full-back then spent 18 months on loan with Rennes, Leeds United and Genoa, before finally making his first start for the club under Ange Postecoglou.

Spence became a valued member of the first-team squad during the 2024-25 campaign under Postecoglou and helped Spurs to win the Europa League. Postecoglou was sacked by Spurs last summer but Spence was rewarded with a new long-term contract in August 2025 and made his debut for England the following month. He remained an important player under Thomas Frank, Igor Tudor and De Zerbi.

Spence’s form over the last two years led to his inclusion in England’s squad for the World Cup where he made some crucial contributions as Thomas Tuchel’s side reached the semi-finals.

‘Fans would be torn over Spence’s departure’

Analysis by Jay Harris

Spence’s career at Spurs has never been straightforward. He joined Spurs from Middlesbrough after a fantastic season on loan at Nottingham Forest who he helped earn promotion to the Premier League.

However, he was labelled a “club signing” by Conte and for a couple of years it felt like the move would never work out as he spent time on loan in Italy, France and the second tier of English football.

Spence became a cult hero during the 2024-25 campaign after Spurs suffered an injury crisis. Postecoglou gave Spence a chance and he responded by producing excellent defensive performances and offering a threat with overlapping runs.

Spence was rewarded with a new contract at the beginning of the 2025-26 season and impressed in Spurs’ penalty shootout defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Super Cup. His form dropped off at times last season and there was an incident in November when he appeared to ignore and walk straight past then head coach Thomas Frank. Frank revealed a few days later that Spence had apologised.

Despite sharing game-time with Udogie and Porro over the second half of the season, Tuchel included Spence in his World Cup squad. Spence popped up with some important cameos, including in England’s semi-final defeat to Argentina when he chased after Guiliano Simeone and pulled off an incredible sliding tackle.

Spurs fans would be torn over Spence’s departure. Spence’s versatility is invaluable while the proposed fee of €30m seems cheap for somebody who started in a World Cup semi-final last month and still has years left on his contract.