"It’s never great news" – Reporter Reacts To Spurs Rumour

Tottenham Hotspur will be worried over the possibility of losing star man Harry Kane to Real Madrid in the summer transfer window, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest transfer news involving Harry Kane?

According to talkSPORT, Kane is being lined up by Real Madrid as a potential replacement for striker Karim Benzema, who moved to Al Ittihad in the Saudi Pro League earlier this week.

The report states that Carlo Ancelotti has made the £200k-a-week England international his top target this summer. However, Spurs will be resistant to offers from other Premier League sides for Kane's services.

Manchester United are also keen on signing the 29-year-old, giving him an option that would be able to keep him based in England; nevertheless, Spurs will be a tough side to negotiate with for his signature, as per The Telegraph.

Kane was in magnificent form for Tottenham this term, registering 32 goals and five assists from 49 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Now, it looks as if Kane will have a decision to make on his future in the next few months based on his career ambitions, with just 12 months now left on his contract in N17.

Although, it has since been claimed that Levy has no intention at all of selling the striker to Real Madrid, so it remains to be seen.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jones thinks that Tottenham may be worried over the possibility of Kane swapping the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for the Santiago Bernabeu this summer.

Jones told FFC: "If you're Spurs, it's never great news if Real Madrid are linked with one of your players these days; they took Bale, they took Modric and now they want Kane. They've got a really good hit rate of signing Tottenham stars and there's a pretty good relationship between the two clubs."

Should Harry Kane stay at Tottenham Hotspur or move elsewhere?

Kane is an elite striker, though he has never won a single trophy in his career, which is something that he will want to rectify before his playing days are over.

Spurs have just installed former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou as their new manager, who is someone that has plenty of silverware under his belt, seeing as he took the Hoops to five out of six trophies, including back-to-back Scottish Premiership titles in his time in Glasgow, as per Transfermarkt.

Former Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou.

Nevertheless, whether that translates to the waters of the Premier League is an entirely different matter to deal with and it will be interesting to see if Kane sticks around to try and achieve that feat.

Of course, the England international is only 48 goals away from becoming the Premier League's all-time top goalscorer, which may sway him to remain at Tottenham to try and secure the extremely prestigious accolade.

Liverpool Eyeing Gem On The "Same Level As Kevin De Bruyne"

Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing Lazio midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic this summer and his arrival could help Jurgen Klopp to once again rival Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.

Could Liverpool sign Milinkovic-Savic this summer?

It seems clear that the Reds need to recruit in the middle of the park after James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita were all confirmed to be leaving Anfield when their contracts expire at the end of June.

Journalist Rudy Galetti confirmed in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that Milinkovic-Savic is one of the names that Klopp will consider this summer.

He said: “Yes it's true, Sergej Milinkovic-Savic is among the names in the list. His contract will expire in 2024 and Lazio, to avoid losing him as a free agent next year, will have to sell him in the summer.”

As the 28-year-old is now entering the final year of his contract at the Stadio Olimpico, reports have suggested that he could be available for as little as €40m (£35m), which could represent a bargain for the Reds as they look to reestablish themselves alongside the Premier League's elite next season.

Would Milinkovic-Savic be a good signing for Liverpool?

This season alone would be enough to justify the Reds spending more than £30m on the Serbia international, as he boasts nine goals and eight assists in Serie A, with a superb 7.24 rating from WhoScored for his performances.

Given this is a better average rating than anyone in Liverpool's squad would muster, while only Mohamed Salah managed more goal contributions, it is clear the quality that Milinkovic-Savic could add at Anfield.

A lack of quality in the middle of the park has certainly cost the Reds this season, with none of the central options in Klopp's squad contributing more than four goal contributions, with Fabinho agreed to be 'out of gas' and on 'the decline' – as per Sachin Nakrani – and Thiago struggling with injury throughout the campaign.

Such was Milinkovic-Savic's level of performance earlier in the campaign that teammate Ciro Immobile dubbed him magic and suggested that he was even "on the same level as Kevin De Bruyne."

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If the 28-year-old proved to be even half as good as Manchester City's talismanic Belgian, who has contributed 96 goals and 149 assists during his time at the Etihad, and won five Premier League titles, it would quite the signing.

While perhaps not the most elegant of footballers, they boast ruthless efficiency from central areas in the final third.

Klopp will be desperate to try and rival the Citizens once again in 2023/24 after pushing them so close last season, and the signing of Milinkovic-Savic could definitely take his midfield to a new level and get them back to their best.

Burnley Plot Swoop For £13k-p/w Ligue 1 Gem

Burnley have sealed an instant bounce back into the Premier League and Vincent Kompany will be working hard to build a team fit to compete comfortably in the top flight next season.

The Clarets have already secured two permanent signings ahead of their return; however, after confirming this week that 18 players will leave the club this summer, there is still plenty of work to be done in the transfer market.

Indeed, their attacking threat has been one of the most tenacious in the Championship, with no other team scoring more goals (87) over the 46-game campaign.

However, with Ashley Barnes heading to Norwich City and top scorer Nathan Tella’s future at the club uncertain due to his imminent return to his parent club Southampton, it could potentially leave a gaping hole in the forward line.

The Saints are facing a spell in the second tier after their top-flight relegation, which means that Tella’s success in the Championship could entice the south coast side to retain his services for their promotion challenge.

As a result, bolstering the options in the final third will be massively advantageous to Kompany, and bringing in a player with experience at a top-flight club would be an even bigger boost.

One player who has been linked with a move to Turf Moor this summer is former Chelsea academy graduate and current Troyes striker Ike Ugbo.

Who is Ike Ugbo?

The 24-year-old has been at a number of clubs over his career so far, including MK Dons, Barnsley and Genk. However, his rise through the Cobham academy is most notable.

Despite never making a senior appearance for Chelsea beyond pre-season friendlies, Ugbo tallied up 25 goals and four assists in the U18s and U21s before venturing on a number of loan moves and eventually settling in Ligue 1 with Troyes.

Over 23 league appearances, the £13k-per-week dynamo – dubbed as ‘decisive’ by the Belgian media – has only scored two goals and registered one assist, however, has only averaged 32 minutes per game and earned just seven starts.

ike-ugbo-troyes-ligue-one

According to FBref, Leicester City goal machine Jamie Vardy is the second most comparable forward to Ugbo over the last 12 months, with the pair sharing similarities in their output this season, including shots on target per 90 (0.50 v 0.63), shot-creating actions per 90 (1.12 v 1.66) and goal contributions delivered per 90 (0.37 v 0.34).

Whilst the ideal signing would be for a Premier League-proven striker that can offer consistent goal contributions next season, it's an endeavour that won’t come cheap for the Clarets.

Instead, the signing of Ugbo could be a great opportunity for the Burnley boss to flex his clear ability to improve and develop unpolished talent without sacrificing crucial finances that will be needed in other areas of the pitch.

With that being said, the future is looking bright for Burnley as they prepare to return to the Premier League, and Ugbo could be Kompany’s answer to Vardy if he can get the very best from him next season.

Everton eye move for Clement Lenglet

Everton are set to have a busy summer transfer window following a disappointing season in the Premier League, and now a new transfer target has emerged that could be the first signing to improve the squad.

What’s the latest?

According to Spanish news outlet SPORT, Everton are eyeing a move for Barcelona outcast Clement Lenglet this summer.

As per the report, the La Liga defender was not keen on an exit but has now accepted he is not in the current future plans of the club and is looking for a loan deal with an option to buy.

It is reported that Tottenham Hotspur, Newcastle United and Arsenal join Everton in keeping an eye on the player’s situation but no official moves have been made by any of the Premier League clubs as of yet.

Lampard needs him

There is no doubt that improvements are needed at Goodison Park and when you consider their defensive record in the Premier League last season, it is clear that Frank Lampard needs to acquire a player like Lenglet.

Everton faced a challenging relegation battle this season and only secured safety in their penultimate fixture in the league, which is a situation the Toffees won’t want to repeat again, so improving the defensive line is a huge must for the club when they’re identifying players to improve the squad.

Lampard’s side conceded the fifth-highest number of goals in the Premier League, and Jamie Carragher even branded the defence a “Championship back four” following their humiliating defeat to Spurs.

Lenglet who was hailed “world-class” by Didier Deschamps has been struggling for minutes at Barcelona but when he has played he has been efficient in his role as centre-back.

The £97k-per-week star has contributed one assist, created two big chances, made one tackle, completed two duels and offered up a 91% pass accuracy on average per game in his 21 La Liga appearances this season.

With that being said, making signings to improve the defence should be a huge priority for Farhad Moshiri this summer and if they can secure a deal for Lenglet it would be a major coup for the club over their competitors.

AND in other news: Everton can finally axe “waste of space” by signing £50m ace who is “Kante with goals”

West Ham: ExWHUemployee drops Soucek update

West Ham United could be preparing for life without midfielder Tomas Soucek, according to reports.

What’s the word?

As per ExWHUemployee, the Hammers are said to be willing to part ways with the Czech international should the right offer emerge, with talks regarding a new contract for the 27-year-old said to have hit a roadblock.

Writing on Twitter, the club insider quashed suggestion of a ‘falling out’ with manager David Moyes, although admitted the 6 foot 4 giant could be allowed to leave: “Contract talks have not progressed. Not a falling out as such but apparently prepared to listen to offers.”

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This corroborates with a report from Claret and Hugh which also suggests that the former Slavia Prague man could be allowed to leave if a suitable offer comes in, with Moyes said to believe that Soucek has been a ‘shadow’ of the player he was a year ago.

Supporters livid

That shock revelation will likely not go down well with the club’s supporters, with the £40.5m-rated gem having proven a hugely popular figure since his arrival at the club on an initial loan deal in January 2020.

After signing permanently on a £15m deal a few months later, the 48-cap colossus went on to enjoy a stellar first full campaign in the Premier League, netting ten times as the Irons secured Europa League qualification.

While he netted half that amount in the most recent season, it would seem his performances have not drastically reduced, having averaged 1.5 interceptions, 1.9 tackles and 2.8 clearances per game in his 35 outings, compared with 1.6 interceptions, 2.1 tackles and 2.7 clearances from the year prior.

In comparison to fellow midfielders across Europe’s top five leagues, the £47k-per-week powerhouse also continues to impress, ranking in the top 1% for clearances and in the top 2% for blocks, while also showcasing his threat in the final third as he ranks in the top 8% for touches in the attacking penalty area.

A player capable of impacting the game in both boxes, it would seemingly be a total error were Moyes and GSB to cash in this summer, particularly with club captain Mark Noble calling time on his playing career.

That would simply leave a shortage of central midfield options to partner talisman Declan Rice – who himself has been linked with a departure – potentially threatening the club’s ability to compete in and around the top-six.

Moyes may well have proved himself an astute market operator in his second spell at the helm, although he’d be making a colossal blunder were he to let Soucek depart, while also risking the wrath of the club’s fanbase.

IN other news, “Another target…”: Ex drops big WHU summer transfer claim that supporters will love

Newcastle must land Aaron Hickey signing

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will already have one eye on the summer transfer window with one Premier League game left in the campaign.

PIF have shown that they are willing to dip into their pockets to strengthen his squad as they brought in Bruno Guimaraes, Matt Targett, Dan Burn, Chris Wood and Kieran Trippier.

They may now look to invest again to take the club to the next level and they already have targets in mind if reports are to be believed.

One player the Magpies have been linked with a swoop for is Bologna left-back Aaron Hickey, with Brentford, Napoli, and Arsenal also eyeing up the gem – who Fabrizio Romano claimed is valued at up to £20m.

The club are reportedly wanting to sign Targett on a permanent deal and already have Trippier at right-back and this may cause fans to wonder why there is an interest in the Serie A gem.

Imagine him & Bruno

Well… that is because his future may not be at left-back. Scottish coach Austin MacPhee once compared the defender to a Barcelona defensive midfielder, saying: “He’s so young he could play a lot of positions. He could end up being like Busquets.

“Right now he reminds me of Jonny Evans, who I’ve seen in training with Northern Ireland. It’s the way he defends, moves and always wants the ball as a defender.”

Former Hearts boss Daniel Stendel dubbed him an “extraordinary talent” and backed up MacPhee’s claim as he said:

“Aaron as a player is like Philipp Lahm. For me at Hearts, he played as a full-back. He not only runs up and down the line, but looks for attacking moves like Lahm once did. And Aaron can also play in the central midfield.”

These quotes suggest that he is a player Howe can develop into being a dream midfield partner for Bruno Guimaraes at Newcastle.

The Scot’s statistics for Bologna in the Serie A at the age of 19 indicate that he has the potential to make it at the top level and two of his coaches have backed him to transition into midfield. In the Italian top-flight this term, he has averaged a solid SofaScore rating of 6.85 – making 2.1 tackles and interceptions per game.

He can provide a defensive, assured, presence at the base of the midfield and provide Guimaraes with a platform to break forward and work his magic in the final third. The Brazilian has registered five goals and one assist in ten starts for the Magpies in the Premier League and this shows that he has the quality to have a big impact in attack.

Therefore, they can work well as a pairing as Hickey sits deeper and protects the back four whilst the ex-Lyon man joins in with attacks and attempts to be a match-winner. This is why PIF must now seal this deal in the coming weeks or months.

AND in other news, Howe can get SJP rocking with NUFC swoop for £21m predator with the “scoring nose”…

Joyce drops double Liverpool injury update

Liverpool duo Virgil van Dijk and Mohamed Salah will miss the Reds’ Premier League clash against Southampton tonight, reliable journalist Paul Joyce has claimed.

The Lowdown: Must-win game for Liverpool

Jurgen Klopp’s side make the trip to St Mary’s in the knowledge that defeat will officially spell the end of their title hopes.

Liverpool are four points behind Manchester City with a game in hand, so victory against Saints will take the title race to the final day of an incredible season. A draw would mathematically keep the race alive, but the Reds would then need to beat Wolves and hope City lose to Aston Villa with a seven-goal swing, which seems massively unlikely.

Both Van Dijk and Salah went off injured in Saturday’s FA Cup final triumph over Chelsea, and they have been big doubts leading up to tonight’s match.

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The Latest: Van Dijk and Salah to miss out

According to Joyce, who was reporting for The Times, the two Liverpool superstars will both miss out at St Mary’s, coming as an undoubted blow to the Reds’ hopes of getting a positive result.

The report states that Liverpool are looking to ‘protect their fitness’ ahead of the Champions League final clash with Real Madrid on May 28th, which at least suggests that the injuries to Salah and Van Dijk aren’t serious.

The Verdict: Huge task for Klopp’s men

It makes perfect sense for Klopp not to risk Van Dijk and Salah tonight, even though there must be a part of him tempted to throw them back in, given that there is still slight yet plausible hope of regaining the Premier League title.

It simply isn’t worth potentially losing them for Champions League final in Paris, though. If Liverpool drop points away to the Saints, it will just have to be one of those that the Reds accept and then move on.

The Premier League has always felt like the free hit out of the four competitions in recent weeks, given City’s lead, and it is now a case of battling through one more away game by any means necessary.

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a move for a Premier League attacker. Find out who it is here.

Celtic predicted XI to face Motherwell

Celtic have the chance to end to their season with one last victory this afternoon as they welcome Motherwell to Parkhead for their last Premiership match of the campaign.

The Hoops clinched the league title after their 1-1 draw against Dundee United in midweek but will still want to bow out with a win in front of their home crowd this time around.

With that in mind, here’s how we feel Ange Postecoglou could line his side up for their final game of the campaign.

In goal, having kept 19 clean sheets in 34 league appearances this term, it seems likely that Joe Hart will start once again to see if he can add another shutout to his tally.

For the back four, we predict that Postecoglou will stick with the same quadruple which started in midweek, with Carl Starfelt and Cameron Carter-Vickers as the two centre-backs, leaving Greg Taylor on the left and Anthony Ralston on the right.

Moving on to midfield, it seems a certainty that club captain Callum McGregor will lead his side out one more time this season.

Elsewhere throughout the tam, we think that the 56-year-old Hoops boss will make five changes in total from Wednesday night.

For the two remaining midfield places, we predict that David Turnbull will replace Matt O’Riley to see if the Scotsman can add to the five goals and five assists that he has delivered this season in the league.

Praised in the past by Alan Hutton for his “phenomenal” performances, Turnbull certainly has what it takes to secure a win for his side with his knack for scoring and creating goals.

For the final midfield position, after the club recently announced that Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton will be leaving Glasgow after today’s match, we can see Postecoglou giving the Australian his final start for the club.

This would lead to Reo Hatate coming out of the side. Having been slammed in the past for a “nasty” tackle that he committed earlier in the season by former referee Steve Conroy, the Japanese midfielder could be used as a substitute on this occasion or just given an early rest.

In attack, we think that the Celtic boss will make even more changes and completely swap out the three who started on Wednesday.

Therefore, we predict that Jota and Daizen Maeda will start on the wings on either side of Kyogo Furuhashi through the middle.

In other news: Postecoglou must axe wasteful £14.5k-p/w Celtic ace, he’s holding the team back

Sunderland vs Sheff Wed team news: Broadhead injury update

Journalist James Hunter has shared an update on the fitness of Sunderland striker Nathan Broadhead ahead of their upcoming League One play-off tie against Sheffield Wednesday on Friday.

The Lowdown: Injury concerns

The 24-year-old limped out of the Black Cats’ final game of the season against Morecambe last weekend after scoring the only goal of the game, which helped his side secure a top-six finish.

The forward has already missed a significant chunk of the campaign after suffering from a long-term hamstring issue, and his latest problem immediately sparked fears that he could miss out on the two vital legs versus the Owls.

The Latest: Neil’s comments

As quoted by Hunter via a post on Twitter, Alex Neil was ‘cagey’ in his pre-match press conference when asked if Broadhead would be involved in the tie against Darren Moore’s outfit.

He said: “We’ll make a late call on him.”

The Verdict: Star in the making

Sunderland fans will be hoping that their star loanee is declared fit for the Owls contest after being in some seriously impressive form this season, having scored 13 goals in just 25 appearances in all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

The £450k-rated ace, who is currently on loan at the Stadium of Light from Premier League side Everton, was described as a “fantastic” player by his former manager Lee Johnson during his time at the club.

Broadhead clearly has plenty of his prime years ahead of him and you would imagine that the League One club will want to retain his services beyond this season, but for now, their main priority and focus will be doing everything they can to take that one step closer to clinching promotion to the Championship next term.

Spurs: Gold shares promising Eriksen update

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent and reliable source Alasdair Gold has shared a promising update on the club’s links to former hero Christian Eriksen.

The Lowdown: Lilywhites eye reunion?

Spurs are believed to be one of many clubs considering a Bosman move for the Denmark international, who has been shining across London with Brentford.

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The 30-year-old, after suffering a cardiac arrest on the pitch during last year’s Euro 2020, throwing his playing career into doubt, has since took to the grass again under Thomas Frank and made a real contribution.

Eriksen has been one of the Premier League fairy-tale stories of 2022 with Gold now sharing an update on Tottenham’s links to re-signing their ex-playmaker star.

The Latest: Gold drops promising update…

Speaking in a football.london Q&A, the journalist claims that Eriksen could now be open to joining Spurs this summer.

He explained: “As a free agent he’ll have plenty of interest this summer. I’m told that while he didn’t depart Spurs on the best of terms with the Tottenham hierarchy, he still loves the club and his preference is believed to be to remain in London.

“It’s whether the Dane feels that he should show some loyalty to Brentford for bringing him back into the game or whether the pull of playing for Conte again and Tottenham, where he would be a good fit back in the Italian’s 3-5-2, is more enticing.”

The Verdict: Ideal for Conte?

Lilywhites manager Antonio Conte allegedly has eye on as many as six major summer signings, including two midfielders (The Telegraph), so transfer chief Fabio Paratici may well need to turn to the Bosman market.

Signing Eriksen on a free deal would be an astute move, not just for the romantic aspect of his return, but also because he is a proven Premier League creator.

Having shined at Spurs for years before leaving for Inter Milan in 2020, he has picked up right where he left off in England with Brentford, with teammate Pontus Jansson even calling him a ‘superstar’.

He could well be the ideal signing for Conte and some supporters may be hoping that Eriksen is indeed tempted to return.

In other news: Tottenham ready to make major bid for ‘world-beater’ who told friends he was keen to join! Find out more here.

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