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An update has emerged on Tottenham Hotspur and their plans to snap up the next Dejan Kulusevski in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

Daily Star journalist Paul Brown has revealed that Fabio Paratici is in the market for another attacker to bolster the squad ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

The reporter has claimed that it may be a player similar to the Swedish international to come in and offer a threat at the top end of the pitch.

He told GIVEMESPORT:

“It’s quite possible, or maybe someone who can play maybe a bit like Kulusevski as a third midfielder who likes to bomb forward.

“So, it does sound like they’re looking for a runner from midfield or someone who can sub in minutes in that forward line.”

Antonio Conte will be buzzing

The Spurs head coach will be buzzing with this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it shows that the club remain interested in bolstering their attacking options despite the recent signing of Richarlison from Everton.

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Paratici has snapped up the Brazil international; Yves Bissouma, Ivan Perisic, and Fraser Forster this window, and it appears as though he is not ready to stop there.

Conte will be delighted by this as Tottenham will be competing in the Premier League, the FA Cup, the League Cup, and the Champions League in the 2022/23 campaign. This means that they will need as many players as possible to rotate the team whilst remaining competitive across the board.

The boss will also be buzzing because the prospect of another gem like Kulusevski coming in is an exciting one for him.

Spurs signed the Swedish wizard on loan from Juventus in January and made an instant impact in the Premier League. He produced five goals and eight assists in 18 top-flight appearances, including 14 starts, as he proved that he has the quality to be a key player for the club.

The 22-year-old averaged a SofaScore rating of 7.21 in those matches and created six ‘big chances’ for his teammates, whilst providing 1.4 key passes per match.

Now, imagine if Tottenham can bring in another player who has the ability to enjoy a similar start to their career in London. It would leave the club with a frightening set of attackers in their squad and Conte will be delighted with the ambition to make it happen.

AND in other news, Deal agreed: Fabrizio Romano drops big Spurs transfer claim, Conte will be buzzing…

Celtic have seen numerous players come and go at Parkhead throughout the current transfer window.

One deal that the Hoops have secured over the past few weeks is a permanent move for Cameron Carter-Vickers following his loan deal with the Bhoys last season.

Bearing in mind how the former Tottenham defender ended the previous Premiership campaign with 22 tackles won and more interceptions made (43) than any other Celtic player, it’s easy to see why the Hoops were keen to bring him back to the club on a permanent basis this summer.

As there are still some weeks left before the transfer window closes, this could give Ange Postecoglou the chance to strengthen his defence even more and bring in a player who could form a scary partnership alongside Carter-Vickers.

One player who has been mentioned with a move to Parkhead this summer and who could fit this particular bill is Gent centre-back Joseph Okumu.

After making 41 appearances for Swedish club Elfsborg, the centre-back joined his current employers last summer.

In 47 appearances for Gent so far, the defender – who is currently earning £2.1k-per-week – has found himself on the scoresheet three times. However, it’s his defensive capabilities which will have caught the attention of Celtic and potentially make him a solid addition to their ranks alongside Carter-Vickers.

Throughout his 27 appearances in the Belgian league last season, the Kenyan ended up making 49 interceptions and winning 41 tackles, the third-highest for each metric at Gent.

This highlights how tough an opponent he can be without the ball and shows the similarity of attributes that he has in comparison to Carter-Vickers.

Lauded as “something special” by Dan Egner, Okumu could be a smart prospective signing for Celtic this summer, not just because of the unflappable defensive partnership that he could form with Carter-Vickers, but also given how Christopher Jullien has been linked with a move away from Parkhead this summer.

Should the Hoops seen an opportunity to land the Gent defender in the coming weeks, this is a potential deal that the Scottish champions should not think twice about completing.

AND in other news – “Still working…”: Ange drops huge Celtic transfer update, supporters will be buzzing

Leeds United are closing in on a deal to bring Ben Foster to Elland Road this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by the Daily Mail (via TEAMtalk), who claim that Victor Orta is preparing to offer the 39-year-old goalkeeper a one-year contract in LS11, with the possibility of extending this deal for a further year if all parties are happy with proceedings in the summer of 2023.

TEAMtalk go on to state that, while Illan Meslier will remain Jesse Marsch’s undisputed number one next season, the Leeds manager is looking to bring in an experienced number two in order to both keep the 22-year-old on his toes and to help the France under-21 international continue his development at the top level of English football.

Marsch will be buzzing

While it is true that Foster did not enjoy the finest campaign of his career for Watford last season, considering just how much Premier League experience the 39-year-old has behind him, the news that Orta appears to be closing in on a deal for the former England international is sure to have left Marsch buzzing.

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Indeed, despite being a part of a Hornets side which shipped 77 league goals in 2021/22 – the third-worst record in the top flight last time out, albeit still better than Leeds’ 79 goals against – the £270k-rated stopper has nevertheless enjoyed some stellar Premier League campaigns over the years.

Some of the eight-cap international’s highlights include conceding just 49 goals and keeping 12 clean sheets over West Bromwich Albion back in 2011/12, shipping 34 goals and keeping 12 clean sheets over 37 outings for Albion in 2017/18.

Furthermore, the £30k-per-week ‘keeper has amassed a whopping Manchester United academy graduate conceding a total of 570 goals and keeping 94 clean sheets over the course of the last 16 years.

As such, it is clear to see that Foster possesses the experience to help Meslier continue his own development in the English top flight, as well as the ability to fill in for the Frenchman when required – leading us to believe that, should Orta go on to make the 39-year-old Leeds’ seventh signing of the summer window, it would be a deal with which Marsch will be incredibly pleased.

AND in other news – “Expected to come in”: Journalist drops big Leeds transfer update that supporters will love

Everton are reportedly now in ‘pole position’ to sign Maxwel Cornet, and have already agreed personal terms.

The Lowdown: Burnley absence

Cornet was left out of the Burnley squad that won 1-0 at Huddersfield Town in the Championship opening game on Friday night, amid reports that he could follow the likes of Nick Pope and Dwight McNeil out of the doors at Turf Moor.

Hailed as ‘electric’ last season by The Athletic journalist Andy Jones, the winger was a rare shining light in the Clarets team that were relegated from the Premier League, with nine goals and one assist in the division (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, now down in the Championship, he is sure to attract potential suitors in the top flight.

The Latest: Pole position

As per But! Football Club (via Sport Witness), the Goodison Park outfit are now in ‘pole position’ to sign Cornet, and have already agreed personal terms with him ahead of a potential move.

However, they have had a bid rejected from Burnley for the player, and so will have to submit an improved offer if they are to land their man.

The Verdict: No-brainer

The report claims that Cornet has a release clause of €21m (£17.6m), which would be a no-brainer to pay for someone that has shown that he can perform in the Premier League.

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With McNeil and another former Clarets teammate in James Tarkowski already at the club, the Ivory Coast international should be able to settle in very quickly on Merseyside.

Nonetheless, he has not reached his peak yet at 25 years of age, and so this is an investment that would benefit Frank Lampard’s side for years to come.

Leeds United have been one of the busiest clubs in the Premier League in terms of the business they have done during the summer transfer window.

Along with bringing in a plethora of new faces such as Tyler Adams, Marc Roca and Luis Sinisterra, among others, the Yorkshire club have also seen some big players make moves away from Elland Road such as Raphinha and Kalvin Phillips.

With a few weeks still left before the transfer window shuts, this would give the Whites the chance to strengthen any area of the squad where it may be necessary.

Taking into account how Andrea Radrizzani recently spoke about the club’s aim to bring in a striker before deadline day, one man who has been linked with a move to Elland Road and who could be just what the Whites need is Bamba Dieng.

Having made 42 senior appearances for Marseille, the 22-year-old – who is reportedly valued at €18m (£15m) – has scored nine goals and delivered three assists in the process.

The majority of those appearances and goals came during the 2021/22 season with Les Olympiens, during which he also showed his versatility by playing with near-equal regularity as a centre-forward and as a left-winger.

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To further highlight his attacking talent, in his 25 Ligue 1 appearances last season, the Senegal attacker took 37 shots at goal, with 18 of those being on target, leaving him with the highest percentage for shots on target (48.6%) at the Stade Velodrome.

Hailed as an “explosive player with great potential,” by his former manager Jorge Sampaoli, Dieng also ended the campaign with the fourth-highest rate of goal-creating actions per 90 minutes (0.55) at Marseille.

In terms of what sort of player he is or could become in the future, the youngster has been likened to former Chelsea striker Didier Drogba by El-Hadji Diouf in terms of his ability to score goals.

Bearing in mind how the Ivorian scored 104 goals in 254 top-flight appearances for the Blues and earned himself a place in the Premier League Hall of Fame, the prospect of seeing Victor Orta unearth what could be Leeds’ own version of Drogba would certainly be a mouth-watering prospect for the Whites and their supporters.

With transfer deadline day coming into view, securing a deal for the young striker could be just what Leeds need in order to top off what has undeniably been a very busy transfer period for the club.

West Ham United supporters have been handed a fairly promising transfer update involving left-wing-back target Filip Kostic as the club chase a deal.

The Lowdown: Irons in talks…

The Irons are in talks for numerous targets after completing four major summer signings already for manager David Moyes.

West Ham are thought to attempting moves for both Lille midfielder Amadou Onana and Kostic of Eintracht Frankfurt, while the likes of Burnley winger Maxwell Cornet have also been heavily linked.

It appears the east Londoners mean business ahead of their Premier League opener against English champions Manchester City this weekend and look determined to right the wrongs of last season.

The Latest: West Ham ‘willing’ to meet Kostic price…

Now, a promising report has surfaced with an update on West Ham’s chances of landing Kostic.

According to The Evening Standard, GSB and co are ‘willing to meet’ Frankfurt’s asking price with negotiations being held over the 29-year-old’s signing.

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Going further, while they claim ‘convincing’ Kostic is proving ‘more difficult’, it is also believed that he is ‘tempted by a move to London’ and West Ham haven’t given up.

The Verdict: Perfect for Moyes?

Kostic, primarily a wing-back, is perfect for Moyes if the Scotsman wishes to change formation to a back five.

Called Frankfurt’s ‘irreplaceable’ star by the official Bundesliga YouTube channel, the Serbia international racked up a brilliant 15 assists in all competitions from out wide and was absolutely pivotal to their Europa League triumph.

Kostic’s contract situation, due to expire in 2023, could also motivate his club to accept a lower valuation and we believe West Ham should certainly keep pushing.

Sunderland are believed to be closing in on the signing of highly-rated Morecambe defender, Connor Pye, according to recent reports.

What’s the word?

As per Football Insider, the Black Cats are said to have ‘agreed a deal’ for the 18-year-old, having secured a ‘breakthrough’ in negotiations with the League One outfit for the promising left-back.

The report suggests that the teenager – who is said to have two years left on his current deal – is seemingly a player for the future at the Stadium of Light, as he is ‘unlikely’ to go straight into manager Alex Neil’s plans at senior level.

As per the report, the full-back was one of a number of players made ‘available for transfer’ by the shrimps earlier this summer due to financial restrictions, thus allowing the northeast side to pounce.

Neil should love it

Managing to secure the signing of a player who has been likened to Liverpool ace Andy Robertson would no doubt be a great source of delight for the Sunderland boss, with Neil set to love securing what would be a seventh major signing of the summer thus far.

Although Pye – who has made just a solitary senior outing for his current side – appears unlikely to make an impact for the Championship side this season, his capture could prove to be a notable coup in the longer term, having previously been linked with a move to Premier League outfit, Everton.

With Dennis Cirkin currently the only recognised left-back option in the first-team squad, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the impressive starlet could force his way into the manager’s plans sooner rather than later, with depth undoubtedly needed in what will likely be a gruelling season.

A move for the Englishman will also help the club to move on from the disappointment of missing out on former loanee Nathan Broadhead, with the 24-year-old recently opting to join Wigan Athletic on a loan deal from the Toffees.

The forward had reportedly been targetted by Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman ahead of a potential return to the club, although has favoured a move to the Latics in search of more regular game time.

Getting another new arrival in the door in the form of Pye, however, could ensure that transfer failure is swiftly forgotten about, with Neil no doubt set to love the chance to help nurture such a well-regarded young talent.

West Ham United ‘have made contact’ with Manchester United over centre-back Eric Bailly, according to The Athletic’s Laurie Whitwell. 

The lowdown

West Ham have spent a fraction over £100million on five new signings this summer – centre forward Gianluca Scamacca, centre-back Nayef Aguerd, left winger Maxwel Cornet, central midfielder Flynn Downes and goalkeeper Alphonse Areola.

Bailly, 28, has yet to feature for United in 2022/23 and only started three Premier League games last season.

The former Villarreal man has two years left on a contract that’s worth £80,000 per week.

The latest

Whitwell wrote on Twitter that ‘clubs [are] progressing talks on taking Eric Bailly’, with West Ham now in touch.

Ligue 1 outfits Marseille and Monaco are also interested in the Ivorian.

However, Bailly’s wages are so high that suitors would prefer Man. United to cover part of his wages as part of a loan deal.

And the Red Devils would prefer to offload him permanently, clearing themselves of obligation completely.

As a result, the transfer ‘could go to [the] deadline’ in just over a fortnight’s time.

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The verdict

Bailly would bring pedigree to the London Stadium, having featured in the IFFHS CAF Team of the Decade alongside the likes of Kalidou Koulibaly, Yaya Toure and Mohamed Salah.

He’s a defender who can sometimes adopt a slightly unorthodox style, though.

Indeed, The Daily Mail noted that he drew comparisons to Spiderman for his unconventional techniques in a 1-1 Champions League draw with Young Boys last season.

It will be interesting to see how his situation evolves in the next two weeks.

Will he show a willingness to take a pay cut to facilitate a permanent transfer? Will United loan him out to at least reduce their salary payments? This could be one to watch for a dramatic late deal on September 1.

Glasgow Rangers have been told that they should sell one of their Ibrox stars in the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Former Light Blues midfielder Graeme Souness has urged the club to move the Colombia international on after he picked up the eighth red card of his Gers career at the weekend against Hibernian.

He told talkSPORT, via the Daily Record: “What’s in his head? The ball is played to him, he puts a feeler out and then he has another go.

“If you do that, you will get sent off. It comes to a point where you need to cut your losses with a player like that, in my opinion. You are picking him to go to Celtic in a volatile atmosphere, and you don’t know what you are going to get.

“I think it’s a fact you can’ trust him. You can’t trust him in the big games. He gets goals but if Rangers are offered money for him, I’d be taking it. He’s got to be cuter. He’s not in the slightest. He has not learned his lesson, so I think Rangers should look to cash in, as you won’t win the big games with 10 men. The hard facts are if you get sent off eight times is that it suggests you are not learning.”

Patrick Cutrone’s time

Last month, it was reported that Rangers have been offered the chance to sign Cutrone, as he is not a part of Wolves’ plans, but that any move for the striker would depend on Morelos’ future.

The £33k-per-week Gers attacker – who was recently dubbed a “liability” by Richard Foster – has less than a year left on his contract and this window may be their last chance to recoup a fee for him unless he puts pen to paper on fresh terms.

However, if the club decide to follow Souness’ advice and cash in on him then they would surely need to bring a replacement through the door and that is where Cutrone could come in.

Whilst playing for Milan’s reserves, the marksman scored 43 goals in 67 matches and assisted six for his teammates. He then found the back of the net 27 times and assisted eight in 90 outings for their first team before making the move to Wolves.

Since moving to England, Cutrone has struggled to find his feet and has only scored three times in 28 outings. The switch to Molineux has not worked out and Rangers could offer him a chance to revive his career.

He still has plenty of time on his hands, at the age of 24, to get back to his best and the forward – who has scored 85 goals at club level – has only been sent off once, which suggests that he would not be as much of a liability as Morelos.

Therefore, the Wolves man could potentially be a more reliable replacement for the Colombian if Rangers decide to cash in on their striker. That’s providing van Bronckhorst can help him to replicate the form he showed at Milan.

Celtic will be looking to extend their 100% start to the Premiership season in Sunday’s clash with Dundee United at Tannadice, with the champions having picked up where they left off last season.

The Hoops are currently on an unbeaten run in the league which stretches back to September, with manager Ange Postecoglou having inspired a dramatic turnaround at Parkhead after the doom and gloom which engulfed the end of Neil Lennon’s tenure.

The Glasgow outfit’s most recent clash saw them run out 2-0 winners against Robbie Neilson’s Hearts last weekend, with goals from Kyogo Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis sealing the points against their nine-man visitors.

The latter’s stoppage-time effort saw the 11-cap international score after coming off the bench for the second week running, having previously netted a stunning overhead kick in the 5-0 thrashing of Kilmarnock the week prior.

Having been restricted to a string of cameos so far this season – featuring as a substitute in all four league games to date – the 27-year-old is perhaps deserving of a starting berth for the upcoming clash against Jack Ross’ side.

The former VVV-Venlo marksman – who came to Glasgow in a £2.5m deal last summer – boasts an impressive record against the Tangerines in his Celtic career so far,  having scored three goals in as many meetings between the teams.

The potent “phenomenon” – as dubbed by Ronald de Boer – has already proven his ability to terrorise Dundee United with that impact last season, with Sunday’s hosts likely to be praying that the £23.5k-per-week marksman is not named in the starting XI by Postecoglou.

A first start of the season is surely on the horizon sooner rather than later for the £3.6m-rated brute, with the imposing forward unlikely to be happy at being restricted to just 85 minutes worth of action so far this term.

For all the fluid brilliance of the likes of Daizen Maeda, Kyogo Furuhashi and Jota, none of that trio offers the robust, physical presence of the 6 foot 1 menace, with having a focal point in attack potentially pivotal in what will likely be a tough trip to Tannadice.

Giakoumakis has also proven himself to be a prolific figure for the club so far despite largely being reduced to a bit-part role, having notably scored 17 goals in just 29 games in all competitions last term, including nine goals in only 16 league appearances.

While Postecoglou may well be happy to see the striker continue to impact games as something of a super-sub, he seemingly cannot keep the former AEK Athens gem shackled to the bench forever. The 27-year-old needs to be unleashed from the start today.