CRISTIAN ROMERO is back on Atletico Madrid’s radar in the wake of his Tottenham outburst.

The LaLiga giants were keen to sign the World Cup winner last summer, but could not fund a move.

Romero ended up signing a new contract with Spurs and was named skipper by Thomas Frank.

Yet the Argentine has caused under-pressure boss Frank a headache for the second time in a month with a thinly-veiled dig towards the Spurs board on social media.

Now Atletico, who are targeting a new centre-back in the summer, are understood to be ready to pounce again should the Argentine become available at the end of the season.

It is unclear if Tottenham would even entertain that prospect, having only handed Romero a fresh four-year deal believed to be worth more than £200,000 a week in August.

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Romero, 27, made headlines with an Instagram post within an hour of Monday’s transfer deadline in which he branded Spurs’ lack of available players as “disgraceful”.

It was viewed by many fans as another swipe at the Spurs hierarchy over insufficient spending in the transfer market, and was liked by a number of team-mates.

The explosive missive followed a similar one in January following the 3-2 defeat at Bournemouth where he hit out at “other people” – viewed as the Spurs higher-ups – for not speaking publicly, and that when they do, they “tell a few lies”.

The lie comment was later edited out of his post but not before thousands of Tottenham fans had seen and shared it.

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Frank and co-sporting director Johan Lange spoke to Romero at the time about that statement but the defender was not fined, nor was he stripped of the captaincy.

Though Frank did hint that he may not be so lenient if it happened again, when answering if Romero could reach a point where his manager draws a line and says ‘no more’.

Frank replied on January 8: “Yes, of course. I’ve done that before with people being late, there was the [Yves] Bissouma situation.

“You talk about having to draw a line. I think, if it’s the exact same situation that they do… You can make a mistake [but] don’t make the same mistake twice.

“So I think I understand why you mention some players, but it’s all different situations and different players.”

Argentina team-mate Julian Alvarez revealed in December how close his pal Romero came to joining Atletico in the summer, before his contract U-turn at Tottenham.

Ex-Manchester City man Alvarez, 26, said: “Yes, I had some conversations with him, but due to some details, it didn’t work out. Hopefully, we can play together someday.”

Liverpool midfielder James McConnell has returned from his Ajax loan spell after making just seven appearances, with the 21-year-old recovering from shoulder surgery

Liverpool have announced that midfielder James McConnell has rejoined the club following his loan stint with Dutch side Ajax. The 21-year-old linked up with the Amsterdam side during the summer on a season-long temporary deal, but the arrangement hadn’t worked out as hoped.

Even prior to John Heitinga’s departure as manager of Ajax, McConnell had battled for consistent playing time. The dismissal of the former Liverpool coach, though, affected McConnell further with him failing to feature since.

He hasn’t been included in the Ajax squad since early January, and managed a mere seven outings for the club in total. Lately, his omission has been attributed to a shoulder problem.

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Earlier in the transfer window, reports emerged that the midfielder had rejoined Liverpool following an understanding between both clubs. This was verified with Liverpool issuing a statement on deadline day.

“James McConnell has returned to Liverpool from his loan spell at AFC Ajax,” it read.

“The midfielder joined the Eredivisie side last August and made seven appearances in all competitions. He is now back at the AXA Training Centre with the Reds after the temporary deal with Ajax was ended.”

McConnell attracted enquiries from Championship sides regarding a potential January switch. Nevertheless, he has since had surgery on his shoulder problem, which ruled out the prospect of another loan departure from Anfield.

McConnell has clocked up 13 first-team outings for Liverpool thus far. He might now be eyeing up a spot in Arne Slot’s squad once he’s back to full fitness.

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Slot demonstrated his trust in the midfielder last season by giving him a starting berth in the Champions League group stage encounter with PSV Eindhoven. After that fixture, McConnell expressed his gratitude to Slot.

“It was a really proud moment to start the game and I was really excited,” he said. “The boss has put faith in a lot of young lads, thanks to the work the senior lads have done over the course of the season.

“I’m really grateful to the boss and you’ve just got to take the opportunity when it comes to you.”

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John Virgo’s wife Rosie Ries was devastated after the sudden death of the snooker commentator.

Snooker legend John Virgo’s sudden death has sent shockwaves through the sport and his widow, Rosie Ries, has led tributes to the man dubbed ‘Mr Perfection’.

Former professional snooker player John, known as the voice of snooker, died at the age of 79. His name became synonymous with the sport after he took up broadcasting following his retirement in 1994 as the BBC’s lead snooker commentator.

Speaking to our sister title the Mirror, Rosie said she was heartbroken following his death. She said: “We were just days shy of our 16 year wedding anniversary. I can’t imagine life without John, he was the love of my life and my best friend.”

John’s best friend James Malyon, who was with Rosie, added: “I’m all over the place, it’s obviously a bit of a shock, it came out of the blue – just five hours ago. James, met John who had two children from his second marriage, Gary and Brook-Leah, playing golf.

“I knew of John before he moved to Spain, of course. We’ve been good friends, I’ve loved playing golf with him and socialising with him and Rosie. He was a great man, a great character – the life and soul of the party.”

He died of a ruptured aorta, a source close to the family told the Mirror.

In 1979, John’s professional snooker career reached its peak when he contested the semi-finals of the world championships and recorded a dramatic final frame win against world champion Terry Griffiths in the UK Championship final – despite arriving late for the last session and being docked two frames.

A larger than life character, he became a TV favourite co-hosting 1990s gameshow Big Break with Jim Davidson where he coined his famous catchphrase: “Where’s the cue ball going?”

Friends and family of John, who moved from Surrey to Spain in 2020, are planning several celebrations of his life, starting next week. James added: “In Spain, the only time things seem to move quickly is when it comes to funerals. I’ve asked them to give us a bit of time. So we’re looking at the end of next week.”

The service for friends and family will be in Mijas Costa, about 20 minutes from Malaga, and there will be a memorial in the UK.

James said: “I’m at his wife’s house now, she’s a little bit in shock, but she’s okay. She has a lot of support. It’s nice to see how much he meant to so many people. He had such a long and good life.”

John, a World Snooker Tour hall of fame inductee, was as colourful in life as his trademark waistcoats. Growing up in post-war Salford, he inherited his father’s love of horse racing and spent his teenage years hustling in local snooker clubs.

Fellow snooker legend and world champion Ken Doherty, who commentated alongside John for the BBC, said on hearing of his death: “I’m so sad, I’m in shock, absolutely devastated. He was great company. His death is such a loss. He touched so many people’s lives.

“Working together we became really close. He was like a godfather to me. I was only with him in Spain before Christmas. We went out for dinner a couple of times and played golf.

“John was a wonderful storyteller. We both loved Manchester United – he was born in Salford, of course, right by the ground. Between him and Dennis [Taylor] they took me under their wing and I learned so much from sitting beside him. He had a knack of dramatising the game, he’d have me in stitches. It didn’t get any better than that in the commentary box. ‘It’s theatre,’ he’d say. And he was right.

“I spoke to his wife Rosie this morning, who was obviously in shock. He was so full of life. He told me just last week he was looking forward to working together in Wales, for the Welsh Open. And now we have to do it without him. He’ll be so very missed. A great, great man.”

In his 2017 autobiography, Say Goodnight JV, he spoke candidly about the severe gambling addiction that nearly destroyed his life and career, after he borrowed £200,000 to fund it and had his home repossessed. Just before his death, John had been involved in a number of sell-out shows on the Black Ball 40th Anniversary Tour.

It was a rematch of Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor’s 1985 World Snooker Final – which attracted 18.5 million viewers – with commentary by John. Dennis Taylor said: “We just did three shows together – Steve, John and I – last week. I just can’t believe he’s gone.

“I’ve known John for over 50 years. When I moved to Blackburn I was 17 and John was 19 and in Salford, not many miles away. We grew up together in the snooker world. When he won the UK Championship in 1979 the BBC was on strike and never got to show it. How unlucky was that?

“Touring with John in the last year, we’ve had an absolute ball. We did three shows just last week. John did amazing impersonations, he knew how to make people laugh. He knew how to do me – he just had to get the biggest pair of glasses he could find and stick them on.”

Dennis says he and John “pioneered humour in snooker commentary,” adding: “People will remember John for being one of the game’s great characters. His sense of humour was brilliant. It’s a sad old day for the game. And I’ve lost a dear friend of 50 years.”

Snooker champion Steve Davis choked back tears, as he added: “We’re all a bit upset. He had such a warm heart. “One personal memory was when I lost to Dennis Taylor in the final of 1985 – it was one of the most exciting moments in the game’s history.

“When I went back to the dressing room, I was in floods of tears. And the one person who knocked on the door and came in was John. Not that he wanted me to win or lose, but he knew what it meant. He was moved by what had happened. It’s a sad, sad day for snooker. One of our most loved friends has passed and our hearts are broken.

“Our thoughts are with his family. It’s become a day to reflect on how much this warm hearted and funny maverick meant to us all. And he was a brilliant commentator. The [Sheffield] Crucible will shed more than a few tears this April.”

John’s friend Michael Hall McPherson saw John last week. He said: “The news is just devastating. I had dinner with John on Thursday, and dropped him off at Birmingham airport. He was in such good spirits.”

Sharing one of the last photographs taken of John, he added: “I met John 10 years ago as a sports promoter on the way up.

“He was a decent man, a union man from the North West, who would do anything for others. There was no facade to him. He was totally John Virgo all the time, with bundles of humility. He was also a wonderful husband, caring and kind. I’ll treasure our memories together. Life goes quickly’, he told me last Thursday. Those words are so poignant now.”

Speaking from Hong Kong, snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan, said: “Finished my match to get the news. Love to Rosie, Brooke and Gary, Such a great mate who I loved spending time with, absolutely gutted.”

Snooker great Jimmy White posted on social media: “Goodnight JV,” with a broken heart emoji. And Jim Davidson said: “Heartbroken to hear that my great mate John Virgo has passed away at 79. What a character, what a talent.”

Jason Ferguson, chairman of the World Governing Body of Snooker (WPBSA) remembers John as a superb player and entertainer. He said: “I have known John personally for as long as I can remember. He portrayed our sport in another world. Who can forget him on Big Break? It’s one of my greatest memories of him – hosting that show, doing trick shots.

“I started my life as a young snooker player and I remember him putting on his fake hair and big glasses and entertaining everyone. He was funny back then, and he was funny until he died. The last time I saw him was at the Masters not long ago and I spent a lot of time with him at the UK Championships in York. It’s a very sad day for snooker. A great man. He’ll be missed by all that knew him.”

Snooker MC and commentator Rob Walker spent time with John, who commented on the Masters Live for the BBC 17 days before his death, just two weeks ago. He said: ”He was still at the very peak of his powers. I’m really shocked. It’s the end of an era, that’s for sure.”

Around 5 million co-codamol tablets are dispensed in Northern Ireland each month, to a population of less than 2 million people

Community pharmacies in Northern Ireland may be “forced to ration” supplies of certain painkillers due to shortages. Community Pharmacy NI said while medicine supply disruption is a UK-wide issue, it is more acute in Northern Ireland and is now directly affecting patients.

It follows increasing reports of reduced availability across a range of commonly prescribed medicines, including treatments used for long-term condition management, such as co-codamol 30/500mg, aspirin 75mg and propranolol.

Community pharmacy representatives have warned that without urgent intervention Northern Ireland is at risk of facing more frequent and more severe disruption in the weeks ahead. They have raised serious concern about the impact on patients and the wider health service.

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In Northern Ireland, approximately 50,000 packs – equating to around 5 million tablets – of co-codamol are dispensed each month to a population of fewer than two million people.

As things stand, community pharmacies may be forced to ration supplies of medicines related to shortages, potentially affecting on average 50 to 100 patients per pharmacy so that people have some supply and do not run out of vital medicines.

At an All-Party Group meeting at Stormont on February 3,representatives from CPNI told MLAs that community pharmacies were typically trying to source stock for more than 100 common medicine lines that are in short supply.

They said as a result, patients may face delays, receive interim or reduced supplies, or be referred for alternative treatments.

CPNI chief executive Gerard Greene said community pharmacies are “operating under sustained and increasing pressure.” He said: “The gap between medicine costs and reimbursement is widening, and pharmacies here are also struggling to pay medicine wholesaler bills and receive sufficient supply of many common medicines to meet patient need.

“The supply issue sees community pharmacies working intensively to source medicines, often under severe constraints. We have pharmacy teams reporting back to us daily that they are seeing growing numbers of other commonly prescribed medicines also in short supply. All of this is taking place while pharmacy teams try to support patients who are understandably keen to get the medicines they need.

“We are appealing to the public to be patient with pharmacy teams as they try to source medicines, and we are appealing once again to the Minister to again prioritise support for the sector so that pharmacies can pay medicine wholesalers. This does not involve finding new funding for the sector, but rather to remove clawback which reduced the payments pharmacies received last year for medicines dispensed by £23m.

“The stability of the medicines supply chain, while it is a UK wide issue, is of particular concern to us locally because of Northern Ireland’s small market and additional logistical costs compared to GB.

“We have raised these concerns with the Health Minister and are calling on the Minister and the Northern Ireland Executive to work with the UK Government to strengthen medicines security and supply for Northern Ireland, including ensuring that medicine stock is appropriately ring-fenced, so patients continue to receive the medicines they rely on.

“If this is not addressed, there is a real risk that Northern Ireland will become a lower-priority market for medicine wholesalers, with serious implications for patient safety, continuity of care and the resilience of the wider health system.”

Community Pharmacy NI are advising strongly against patients self-selecting alternative medicines or altering doses without professional guidance, as this may be clinically inappropriate and, in some cases, harmful.

Danny Donnelly MLA, the chair of the All-Party Group on Community Pharmacy, said the warning was “very concerning.”

He called on the health minister to recognise “the severity of this issue” and work “with the local community pharmacy sector to reduce the impact and risks to patients.”

In a statement, the Department of Health said it was “aware of a current supply issue for co-codamol 30/500mg tablets, which is affecting all parts of the United Kingdom”, recognising this is “concerning for patients and healthcare professionals.”

They added: “The department is working closely with the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and the health service here to ensure that patients can continue to access appropriate treatments that meet their needs.

“It is important that people continue to order medicines in advance and in line with their GP practice policy and do not stockpile medicines, as this can put additional strain on the medicine supply chain.”

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Derek Chisora and Deontay Wilder met at a London press conference on Wednesday afternoon ahead of their mouthwatering heavyweight showdown on April 4

DEREK CHISORA welcomed Deontay Wilder back to Blighty with fish and chips – then promised to batter his rival all over the ring.

The heavyweights will clash in London on April 4 in what will be their respective 50th fights. Chisora has vowed to retire after completing his half century of professional bouts.

Wilder, meanwhile, is convinced he can secure another world title shot with victory over the bridesmaid of the division. The American fought on these shores 13 years ago when he demolished hapless Audley Harrison inside a round.

And both men predicted an equally-explosive finish on Easter weekend. “One of my favourite things from this whole week is that I introduced him to fish and chips,” said Chisora. “This is real because he is my boy. After this fight, I might go and stay in Alabama for a week with my family.

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“Right now we are happy to be in the same room hanging out with each other but when we arrive on fight week, our friendship is out the window. For me, it has to be victory by stoppage.”

Wilder added: “This is definitely a must win for me. Not only a win, but I need a devastating win. I need a knockout; that’s what we come to see.

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“Many guys would never fight their friends so we have got a sick mind to be able to fight each other like this. We are going to hurt each other, or at least try to, and after that, we are going to make amends and go on about our lives.

“We don’t need security right now but I want you to know come the night of the fight, that will switch off. You will see two enemies in the ring that’s going to whoop each other.”

The massive Orchard Brae development, which proposed to build almost 1000 new homes on the Europark site, adjacent to Eurocentral, was rejected by North Lanarkshire councillors in June of last year.

A controversial plan to build hundreds of new homes on greenbelt land near Airdrie has been rejected by the Scottish Government Reporter.

The massive Orchard Brae development, which proposed to build almost 1000 new homes on the Europark site, adjacent to Eurocentral, went before North Lanarkshire councillors in June of last year.

North Lanarkshire Council planners advised the 244-hectare plan should be rejected, with councillors voting to knock back the application, with 42 against and 18 supporters backing it.

Opponents, including the Woodhall, Faskine and Palacecraig Conservation Group, believed the plans would destroy a historic area of greenbelt, damage wildlife and deprive residents of outdoor space.

Orchard Brae turned to the Scottish Government in a bid to overturn the decision. However, the government’s reporter has now dismissed the appeal and refused to give the plans the go ahead.

In her report to the government, Reporter Alison Kirkwood stated: “The appellant has not explained why a green belt location is essential for the proposed development.

“The Local Development Plan (LDP) includes allocations for housing and business and industry, which the proposal would potentially direct development away from. This could undermine the settlement management role of green belt designation.

“The large area of housing and associated development in the northern part of the site would merge areas of Airdrie and Coatbridge that are currently separated by agricultural land.

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“I consider that this would detract from the setting and identity of these settlements. The proposal would also significantly reduce the extent of largely undeveloped land between Calderbank and Coatbridge/Airdrie.

“I consider overall that the proposal would undermine the purpose of the green belt at this location.

“Overall, the scale, massing and external appearance of the proposed development would not minimise its visual impact on the green belt.

“The proposal includes elements which would potentially bring landscape and habitat enhancements in the parts of the site which are to remain undeveloped.

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“However, it has not been demonstrated that the proposal overall would have no significant long term impacts on the environmental quality of the green belt.”

Concluding Ms Kirkwood said: “The proposed development does not accord overall with the relevant provisions of the development plan and that there are no material considerations which would justify granting planning permission.”

A North Lanarkshire Council spokesperson said: “We note the outcome of the appeal.”

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If you have started your retirement planning, you might be considering the role your property wealth can play. With a lifetime mortgage, the most popular equity release product, you could unlock tax-free cash from your home. However, many people still have misconceptions about how it works. 

There are hundreds of products available on the market and a variety of flexible features to sort through, so your options are varied. This level of choice can also make things complicated and is one of the reasons why many UK homeowners over the age of 55 still believe the equity release myths.

In this article, the truth about equity release is explored as 7 myths get debunked. If you still have questions after reading, you can also get in touch with the expert team at Royal London Equity Release Advisers, the providers of the Telegraph Media Group Equity Release Service. You can use the free equity release calculator on this page to have a free, no-obligation chat with their Information Team.