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Tottenham Hotspur could complete the signing of Torino right-wing back Wilfried Singo immediately if they are willing to pay £18m, according to a new report.

The Lowdown: Tottenham target right-wing back

Antonio Conte has made it quite clear that he desires a new right-wing back in the January transfer window, with journalist Rudy Galetti reporting that he also has Denzel Dumfries on his radar, owing to disappointing performances from Emerson Royal. (via Sport Witness)

The Netherlands international would set Tottenham back around £26m, while other target Pedro Porro is believed to have a release clause worth £39m included in his contract with Sporting.

As such, Spurs may now turn their attentions to a cheaper option, with Singo potentially fitting the bill…

The Latest: Singo available?

According to Sport Witness, who are relaying information from La Stampa, the Ivorian ‘could leave immediately if the right offer arrives’, which would need to be at least £18m.

The full-back is said to be liked by Napoli, while also admired from teams in Spain and England, so there is likely to be a battle for his signature.

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The Verdict: Worth it?

With Emerson failing to impress, it is clear that Conte must strengthen in his area of the pitch, and the 22-year-old would be a very good option to have, and a cheaper alternative to the other names linked.

Lauded as being a ‘revelation’ by Serie A analyst Matteo Bonetti, the youngster has wide array of talents, but particularly flourishes at dribbling, registering an average of 1.29 completed dribbles per 90 over the past year, placing him in the 88th percentile compared to positional peers.

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Emerson, on the other hand, has averaged just 0.66 in that timeframe, highlighting that he is not cut out for the system being implemented at Tottenham, which relies on attacking contributions from the wing-backs.

The 6 foot 3 colossus would also be useful to have at corners, such is his dominance in the air, in the 95th percentile for aerials won per 90, proving himself as a multi-talented player who would bring a range of different qualities to Tottenham.

Manchester United correspondent Samuel Luckhurst has provided an update on the ankle injury Raphael Varane picked up against Manchester City on Sunday.

The Lowdown: Derby day to forget

Erik ten Hag’s first experience of the Manchester derby was certainly one to forget, with the Red Devils’ four-match winning run in the Premier League coming to an end.

United were blown away by Erling Haaland and Phil Foden, with the pair both scoring a hat-trick each in a 6-3 win. Things went from bad to worse at the Etihad just before the break, with Varane going off injured with an ankle issue.

The Latest: Luckhurst update

Luckhurst shared an update regarding Varane for The Manchester Evening News on Monday morning.

He said that ‘sources’ have described Varane’s injury as ‘not bad’, however, United will be ‘cautious’ due to the Frenchman’s injury problems last season.

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The Verdict: Good news

It looks as if Varane has avoided any serious ligament damage with his injury thought to be ‘not bad’, so that is a positive update. The defender also reportedly drove himself to Carrington on Monday, which again, is a good sign.

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However, United have a quick turnaround with a trip to Cyprus to take on Omonia Nicosia on Thursday in the Europa League.

Therefore, it could be wise to leave the Frenchman at home, giving him extra time to recover to possibly return against Everton in the Premier League on Sunday.

West Bromwich Albion weren’t always particularly deadly in front of goal during their previous Championship campaign.

In addition to racking up 18 league games where they failed to score a goal, the Baggies also ended the season with the worst percentage for shots on target (29.1%) in the division.

One attacking figure in the Baggies’ squad that didn’t end up playing much of a part in their latest campaign is Kenneth Zohore.

After making two substitute appearances in West Brom’s opening fixtures of the season, the striker didn’t feature in another matchday squad after that, and ended up making seven appearances for their U23 side.

Slammed by Neil Warnock for being “lazy” when they were both at Cardiff City, Zohore could be better off making a move away from the Midlands club this summer, especially if regular football isn’t likely for him.

Should Steve Bruce look to move the outcast out before the transfer window closes, one player that has been mentioned with a move to the Hawthorns that the Baggies could look to bring in to take Zohore’s place in the squad is Cameron Archer.

Having made 59 appearances for the Villans across their senior and youth sides, the 20-year-old has racked up 23 goals in total.

With 20 appearances with Preston North End under his belt from his loan spell there last season, the £2.4k-per-week youngster managed to score seven goals and provide one assist.

Specifically, Archer managed to end the campaign with a higher rate for shots on target per 90 minutes (1.11) than any other player in Preston’s squad.

This highlights the clear attacking talent he has for finding the back of the net and being able to do it in the second division.

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In fact, his time at Deepdale was described by Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison as “outstanding,” which further highlights why he’d be a useful addition to Bruce’s squad and potentially help the team become much deadlier in front of goal.

Moving forward, should West Brom be able to get Zohore out of the club this summer, as they have done with the likes of Sam Johnstone, Romaine Sawyers, Andy Carroll and Cedric Kipre, securing a deal from their Midlands rivals for their young attacker should be at the top of the Baggies’ priority list before the season starts.

AND in other news: West Brom confirm exciting news that will leave Baggies supporters buzzing

Leeds United have had a rather eventful second season back in the Premier League, seeing Jesse Marsch replace Marcelo Bielsa in the Elland Road dugout, as well as spending most of the campaign trying to avoid the relegation zone.

Now that Marsch will have the upcoming summer transfer window to make some changes to his squad ahead of 2022/23, it seems as though the 48-year-old may have a challenge on his hands keeping hold of one of his key players.

What’s the news?

According to a recent report from The Telegraph, Tottenham Hotspur manager Antonio Conte is a big fan of Kalvin Phillips, who is apparently on Fabio Paratici’s list of transfer targets for the north London club ahead of the summer window.

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Marsch would be fuming

As a product of the Yorkshire club’s youth system, the Englishman has gone on to make a total of 228 appearances for the Whites across all competitions. In those appearances, the £38k-per-week midfielder has chipped in with 14 goals and provided 13 assists along the way.

To highlight how important Phillips is to the team, out of the 14 league games that the 26-year-old missed between December and March with a hamstring injury, Leeds ended up losing 10 of them.

On the flip side, out of the 14 league games that Phillips has played in, Leeds have only lost three, showing that they are a better defensive unit when he’s in the side.

Labelled as a “wonderful talent” by Michael Brown, the England international has won 29 tackles this season, with only four other players registering more.

Taking all of this into account, it’s safe to say that the Leeds boss would be fuming if the club were to sell the midfield maestro this summer, especially to another Premier League side.

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Moving forward, Marsch and the rest of the hierarchy at Elland Road should be doing everything they can behind the scenes to make sure that the Englishman doesn’t end up leaving the club anytime soon.

With next season in mind, it’s hard to imagine that Phillips wouldn’t be a significant figure for the Leeds manager in terms of his team set-up moving forward.

AND in other news: Orta given green light for “superb” £8.5m-rated signing, it’d be a huge coup for Leeds

West Ham United have opened talks concerning a deal to bring Patrik Schick to the London Stadium in the January transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Calcio Mercato (via London World), who claim that David Moyes’ side have entered into negotiations with Bayer Leverkusen regarding a £40m deal for the 25-year-old centre-forward.

The report goes on to state that the 58-year-old manager is keen to bring in attacking reinforcements into his side this month, as, since the sale of Sebastien Haller to Ajax in January last year, the Scot has had to make do with only Michail Antonio as an out and out centre-forward.

Moyes can finally replace Haller

Considering just how impressive Schick has been in Germany so far this season, in addition to the fact that the 6 foot 3 Czech international resembles the 6 foot 2 Haller in physical stature, should Moyes be able to get a deal over the line for the Leverkusen striker this month, he could well have finally replaced the Ivory Coast international at the London Stadium.

Indeed, over his 16 Bundesliga appearances in the current campaign, the £36m-rated man has been in devastating form, having already bagged an astonishing 18 goals, provided one assist and created one big chance for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 3.6 shots and making 0.6 key passes per game.

These returns have seen the £82k-per-week hitman who Bayer manager Gerardo Seoane dubbed an “incredible” talent average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.33, ranking him as the ninth-best performer in the top flight of German football.

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As such, should Schick be able to replicate this level of form following a potential switch to East London this winter, the 25-year-old would not only fill the Haller shaped hole in Moyes’ West Ham squad, but he could well go on to take Antonio’s starting spot leading the Irons’ attack.

In other news: Moyes must now launch WHU bid for £46k-p/w “phenomenon” as key transfer twist emerges

As per an update from Spain, a big transfer claim has emerged involving Espanyol forward Raul de Tomas and West Ham United.

The Lowdown: West Ham eye new striker…

The Irons have been attempting to land a new striker since January, with manager David Moyes even confirming that bids had indeed been lodged.

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With no alternative to Michail Antonio and only makeshift centre-forwards like Jarrod Bowen and Andriy Yarmolenko from which to choose, the east London club have been linked with a host of new strikers.

Moyes even revealed his desperation to sign one in the most recent summer window as news now emerges of a new target.

The Latest: West Ham plot big-money Raul de Tomas offer…

According to Fichajes.net, a Spanish source, West Ham are now targeting Espanyol striker De Tomas and it is believed that ‘Moyes wants’ the 26-year-old.

As well as this, West Ham ‘intends to make a large investment’ in the player and ‘there is talk’ of an offer of around €30m (£25.4m) to test the waters.

However, Espanyol are reluctant to sell De Tomas considering his form, paired with the fact that his contract doesn’t expire until 2026.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Considering how the 26-year-old has fared under Vicente Moreno both this season and last, we are surprised he hasn’t been linked with a West Ham move sooner.

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The former Real Madrid marksman scored 23 goals last term  for Espanyol in La Liga 2 and has continued that form into the new campaign, bagging three goals and one assist in the Spanish top flight (Transfermarkt).

Racking up a career tally of 115 goals, he could be a really fruitful target. However, as Espanyol set their stance on trying to keep hold of De Tomas, a move could be difficult for West Ham to pull off.

In other news – Contact made: Newman has now set sights on ‘world class’ player for West Ham; find out more here.

Speaking on live TV (via Football Daily), Sky Sports reporter Gary Cotterill has backed an update on Harry Kane live from their training ground following the England captain’s hiatus from Tottenham Hotspur’s pre-season preparations. 

The Lowdown: Kane rebels…

On Monday, news first emerged of Kane not showing up for pre-season training as he eyes a move to Premier League champions Manchester City.

The England superstar is also facing a hefty fine for his actions but that didn’t stop him from not showing up at Hotspur Way again on Tuesday.

As a result, plenty of unrest remains over his future in north London, but Fabrizio Romano believes that Kane is ‘planning to return to training’ later this week with club discussions expected (Twitter).

The Latest: Sky Sports back Kane development…

Speaking on live TV from Hotspur Way (via Football Daily), Sky Sports reporter Cotterill has backed Romano’s update and insists that Kane is planning to return to training.

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“We’re now hearing that he probably won’t turn up for training either on Thursday,” he explained.

“He won’t be here, we understand, on Thursday or Friday, but is planning to return to training with Tottenham Hotspur this weekend.

“He doesn’t want it to go on and on, we understand he just wants to make a protest, just wants to make his feelings felt, just wants to vent his frustration, about the fact that he says, in good faith, he understood that verbally he was going to be allowed to leave Tottenham this summer if the right offer came in.”

The Verdict: Crunch time ahead for Spurs…

Manchester City have started to make serious moves for their prime targets over the last few days, with Aston Villa star Jack Grealish reliably believed to be on the verge of a stunning £100m move to Eastlands (John Percy).

It is no secret that City are the main contenders for Kane as they hunt for a star striker to replace club legend Sergio Aguero, and with Grealish nearing completion, their attention could turn to Spurs’ most important player.

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Reports have even suggested that the 28-year-old could be willing to hand in an official transfer request to grant his wish to leave.

It’s safe to say that these next few weeks could be huge for Nuno Espirito Santo and Fabio Paratici as they both plan for an enormous 2021/22 season in N17.

In other news: ‘Excited’, ‘Huge coup’…Sky Sports pundit in awe of announcement out of Tottenham, find out more here.

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson believes it would be an ‘absolute disaster’ if Marcelo Bielsa took over at Tottenham this summer.

The Lowdown: Priceless figure at Leeds

The Whites are in the middle of a special period in their history, having finally returned to the Premier League this season.

Bielsa has been the undoubted key reason for Leeds’ success, transforming the club’s fortunes and playing an exciting brand of high-energy attacking football.

Worryingly, the Argentine is yet to commit his future to the club for another year, with his current deal expiring at the end of June.

The Latest: Robinson bemoans Bielsa rumour

Tottenham have been linked with acquiring Bielsa’s services and bringing him as their new manager, following Jose Mourinho’s departure earlier in the year.

Speaking to Football Insider, Robinson admitted it was exciting from a Spurs perspective, but disastrous for anyone of a Leeds persuasion:

“From a Spurs point of view, I would love to see Bielsa there.

“When you compare the Spurs and Leeds squad there is not much comparison, and that is no disrespect to the Leeds squad. Tottenham’s squad is made up of top international players.

“Look at what Bielsa got from that group of Leeds players in the Championship, it makes you wonder what he could get from those Spurs players. It could be unbelievable.

“From a Leeds point of view though it would be an absolute disaster. It really would.

“He would be a very shrewd appointment but I don’t think they’ve got any chance of luring him away.”

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The Verdict: Too loyal to leave

The thought of Bielsa suddenly leaving Leeds is a horrendous one, considering he has been the catalyst for such a memorable few years at Elland Road.

Losing him now, at a point when the Whites are primed for a possible European push next season, would be extremely hard to come back from, such is his level of influence.

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Bielsa is a fiercely loyal, principled character, however, so it would be a big surprise if he didn’t extend his stay and moved to north London instead.

In other news, one Leeds player has been blasted for his recent behaviour. Find out who it is here.

Plenty of Everton fans have been offering polarised verdicts on Alex Iwobi in the wake of Saturday’s setback against Burnley.

The Toffees went down 2-1 against the Clarets at Goodison Park, leaving them five points adrift of the top four.

How did Iwobi fare against Burnley?

With James Rodriguez and Abdoulaye Doucoure ruled out through injury, Iwobi initially lined up as a number 10 behind Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Richarlison. It was his first start this season in what The Athletic journalist Patrick Boyland describes as his ‘preferred position’.

However, with Burnley 2-0 up inside 25 minutes, Ancelotti changed systems and moved Iwobi back onto the right flank. It ended up being a steady performance from the Nigerian – two chances created, but no shots on goal and only one attempted dribble over the course of the 90 minutes (via SofaScore).

According to Boyland, Iwobi ‘paid the price for collective failings’ on Saturday and should not be scapegoated. Signed from Arsenal for £34m in 2019, the 24-year-old has been one of Everton’s most potent dribblers this season, his 1.7 match average eclipsed only by Richarlison, but he fails to stand out among the squad for many other key metrics (WhoScored), while also being criticised by some fans over performances throughout the campaign.

Indeed, lacklustre performances in winnable home games have become something of a habit for this Everton side, who have already been beaten by Fulham and Newcastle on Merseyside this year. While some Toffees feel that Iwobi was among the team’s better players at the weekend, others have dismissed him as ‘bang average’.

These Everton fans defended Iwobi

“It’s a funny game. I thought both him and Gomes looked decent. Allan didnt have his best game. He played a good forward pass for Richarlison’s first chance and combined with Davies to assist the goal. I think he should be an option at 10 moving forward.”

Credit: @toffeetower

“I thought he was one of our better players on Sat…..that speaks volumes”

Credit: @nickgartland

“I thought he was good, the only player making runs and creating chances”

Credit: @YaboiHolo

But these Blues have seemingly written Iwobi off

“He’s bang average and doesn’t seem interested in applying himself. Coasts through games. Can’t shoot or pass and takes too many touches before making his mind up.”

Credit: @DVDWLKNSN

“Bottom line, Iwobi is a poor footballer. Name me one team with European aspirations who would say he’s had a raw deal at Everton & take him off club’s hands even if offered on a free.”

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Credit: @colinsmith50

“Lad wasn’t good enough for Arsenal, horrendous buy in a long list of pathetic recruitment”

Credit: @robbie2e

In other news, Everton are reportedly interested in this Premier League midfielder.

If there’s one thing Glasgow Rangers have got to do on Thursday night, they need to come out of the blocks strong against Benfica at Ibrox in the Europa League.

Steven Gerrard’s side have started the season strongly, with 18 wins out of 21 games in total, but they can’t afford to take their foot off the gas against one of their toughest opponents in the competition. However, Rangers may have a serious problem if recent reports are to be believed.

What’s the word?

Alfredo Morelos reacted angrily after he was substituted in the second half when the Gers were cruising to victory over Aberdeen at the weekend, having returned from international duty with Colombia only a few days prior to the game.

Former Gers full-back Alan Hutton condemned his behaviour in an interview with Football Insider, saying: “Yes you can be angry and be in a huff if you don’t score but you put in a good performance and you help the team as much as you can. If it’s time for you to take a rest, that’s what happens.

“You can’t do that, it just shows all the wrong signs and then he’s sat in the stands with his face tripping him, it just doesn’t look good. So I think that’s probably the bit that annoyed Gerrard the most because he did do well, he just didn’t score on the day. It is what it is but you can’t show that kind of behaviour after, it just doesn’t look good.”

However, the Ibrox boss has publicly come out in defence of his star striker in a pre-match press conference. He said, as quoted by The Daily Record: “Alfredo is fine, we don’t want players smiling and happy when they are taking off the pitch. Alfredo is in a good place and is ready to go again tomorrow.

“It is my job to manage the players when I think the time is right.”

But it remains to be seen if Morelos will play from the start or as one of the twelve substitutes, as it certainly seems the Ibrox boss does not fully trust him at the moment.

Morelos must start against Benfica

Gerrard has already shown a ruthless streak so far this season, having dropped Morelos for the 2-0 win over Kilmarnock after he criticised his attitude in the summer. However, he cannot afford to make the same mistake this time around against the Portuguese giants.

The Colombian had been benched for the second game in a row but came off the bench in the second half to score the only goal of the game against Lech Poznan in the Europa League last month.

Scoring late winners when it matters the most is one thing, but it’s hard to deny the fact Morelos is essentially a get out of jail free card more often than not.

In three appearances in the European competition, the 24-year-old has bagged two goals and supplied one assist this season so far. By comparison, both new recruits Cedric Itten and Kemar Roofe have only managed to score one goal between them, via Transfermarkt.

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Regardless of whether Gerrard wants to teach Morelos a lesson or not, if Rangers are a team that have serious ambitions of qualifying for the next level of the Europa League, perhaps it’s time for the Ibrox boss to swallow his pride and bite the bullet.

His penchant for finding the back of the net is something that should not be ignored, especially when you consider the fact that he broke Ally McCoist’s all-time European goals record with a simple tap-in against the ten-man Benfica in Lisbon last time out.

AND in other news, Glasgow Rangers suffer transfer setback as Newcastle may offer Jacob Murphy new deal…