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Tottenham Hotspur saw no fewer than six new players walk through the front door during this summer’s hectic transfer window but might they reject one of their more substantial moves already?

It was pretty evident early doors that Spurs boss Jose Mourinho was pursuing a full-back – as if it wasn’t already clear by his comments to Serge Aurier during their ‘All or Nothing’ docuseries.

Eventually, the north London outfit signed Matt Doherty from league rivals Wolves in a £15m deal but he may well have been a lot further down the shortlist originally.

Reliable sources linked the club to other players prior to the move.

The Telegraph’s Matt Law claimed in August that Spurs were trying to offload Juan Foyth and Aurier to fund a move for Lille’s Zeki Celik whilst Max Aarons was once thought to be the top target to replace the Ivory Coast international after The Athletic made such claims in July.

But perhaps it was another mooted target that Daniel Levy should rue missing out on, and that’s Timothy Castagne, who instead joined one of Spurs’ likely competitors for a spot in Europe next year, Leicester City, despite personally requesting a conversation with Mourinho himself.

The Belgian, who featured versus England last week, cost only £22m and that additional £7m already looks to be the better end of the stick after the opening round of Premier League fixtures.

Not only is Castagne four years younger, but he has also contributed to three goals in just four matches whereas Doherty is yet to do so.

He’s also averaging more tackles (1.5), interceptions (1.5), key passes (one), dribbles (one) and crosses (0.5) per game than the Irishman, via WhoScored. Castagne even has a better passing success rate at 80% having managed more passes (56.3) each match too.

If those workhorse numbers aren’t enough, the 24-year-old is also able to play at left-back, which only makes him seem even more like the better option – at least from the first four matches we’ve seen this season.

Although the early signs are there that Castagne was the one that got away.

AND in other news, Spurs truly missed out on a perfect Eriksen successor in £55m magician…

Tottenham Hotspur are making serious moves in the transfer market as they edge closer to that elusive new striker but they’ll still need to add a centre-back before Monday’s deadline and it appears it’s a race for two names…

What’s the word?

According to Tuttojuve, Spurs have had a €30m (£27.3m) bid rejected for Juventus colossus Merih Demiral in the past week with Premier League rivals Everton also submitting a similar proposal.

The resurgent north Londoners have also been linked with a move for Inter Milan defender Milan Skriniar in recent weeks too. Football Insider claim that personal terms have been agreed with the 25-year-old and it is hoped that a £30m offer would be enough to secure him.

It remains to be seen how much it’ll take to prize Demiral away from the Serie A champions with the Turkish international valued at £24.3m on Transfermarkt, a year after costing €18m (£16.5m).

Forget Skriniar?

But who would be the better option? It’s no secret that Spurs have a dying need for a new beast at the back having lost Jan Vertonghen – that’s on top of having the second-worst defensive record of any top seven team last season.

Demiral, unlike Skriniar, isn’t the first choice for his club which could be a sign of encouragement for Spurs. He’s had to deal with injuries over the course of his Juve career but that shouldn’t put Daniel Levy off swooping for him.

In the past, he’s been likened to former Premier League great Nemanja Vidic as well as current teammate Giorgio Chiellini.

“He is a similar stature to the former Manchester United man. The Turkish international towers above most players, is physical, strong in the air and surprisingly technical with the ball for such a big man. He is a natural leader and cool under pressure.”

Emre Sarigul, Turkish football journalist

Over the course of his relatively short career, the 22-year-old has averaged 4.9 clearances, 1.6 tackles and 3.2 aerial duels won per game, via WhoScored, which only emphasises his imposing nature in the heart of defence.

Alanyaspor manager Sergen Yalçın once claimed that Turkey had their centre-back for the next 10 to 12 years, so might he join his international teammate Caglar Soyuncu?

Levy ought to consider another bid for Demiral before it’s too late, especially as their negotiations with his Serie A rival continue to rumble on.

AND in other news, £45m beast could become Mourinho’s new Drogba at Spurs…

Eberechi Eze has been tipped to move to the Premier League after catching the eye for Queens Park Rangers. 

QPR have reportedly rejected an offer from Crystal Palace for the attacking midfielder this summer, and Eze has been touted to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, although the Lilywhites have been informed that he will cost at least £20m, amid interest from West Brom and West Ham.

According to Football.London’s Alasdair Gold, Spurs have a ‘great relationship’ with QPR, with plenty of links between the two clubs. Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho is rumoured to be a keen admirer of the two-cap England under-21 international as he seeks to rebuild his midfield before the start of next season.

The Lilywhites have been linked with the 22-year-old before and he has admitted that he is inspired by Dele Alli, who made the jump from MK Dons to Spurs and went on to play for England at the World Cup.

Spurs duo Jack Clarke and Luke Amos both spent the past season on loan at the Kiyan Prince Foundation Stadium, which could pave the way for Eze to head in the opposite direction.

Gold notes that QPR want to sign Amos, as he has a close relationship with Mark Warburton, and Daniel Levy may look to use the defensive midfielder as leverage to sort out a deal for his teammate in the summer.

Eze, who is 22 years of age, scored 14 goals and supplied eight assists in the Championship last season (via WhoScored).

Mourinho knows that he must strengthen in the summer, as Spurs struggled to score during Harry Kane’s absence, although he will have a limited budget with which to work in the transfer window.

While the set-piece specialist has made it clear that he wants to “play at the highest level”, he will want to play first-team football, which is something Mourinho cannot guarantee. The Lilywhites should be able to offer European football if they progress through the qualifying rounds of the Europa League, although Eze could decide to take his chances elsewhere instead.

It would be a real shame if Mourinho misses out on his man, with Eze emerging as one of the best players in the Championship. Levy will have to act quickly if he wants to avoid a repeat of not getting Aston Villa star Jack Grealish for a cheaper price, as the Midlanders’ captain will now cost a staggering £80m in the transfer market.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should sign Eze this summer? Let us know your opinion in the comments below!

According to Express, Arsenal have started the talks with Kia Joorabchian, Philippe Coutinho’s agent, in hopes of potentially sealing that deal in the upcoming summer transfer window. The Barcelona man is now once again on the market after spending a season on loan at Bayern Munich.

Of course, he will first aim to finish the Champions League campaign with the Bavarian giants and will then start thinking about a potential transfer away from the Catalans.

However, there are other teams also willing to sink their teeth into this deal and the Gunners just might face stern competition from the Premier League as the likes of Tottenham Hotspur were also previously linked, albeit to the major dissatisfaction of their fans.

Express also explain that Arsenal are not exactly sitting on heaps of money and Barcelona currently value their flopped playmaker at around £73m, which would, as it seems, be out of reach for the London team. But, in that case, Arsenal could potentially offer some of their own players in an attempt to lower the asking price.

Matteo Guendouzi, for instance, is a name that often pops out in those conversations. Mundo Deportivo, however, claim the Catalans are not interested in anything like that, preferring a loan with a big fee if a permanent transfer can’t be negotiated.

One positive for Arsenal would be the fact Joorabchian mentioned Coutinho is open to a return to the Premier League, as per Express’ report, and this could indeed throw a lifeline to the Gunners.

Verdict

Even though he’s had a couple of rough spells ever since his big-money transfer from Liverpool to Barcelona, Coutinho is still quite an impactful player on his day. Landing him could seriously boost Mikel Arteta’s squad.

However, as is the case with most big-name players on today’s market, the Brazilian would come with a hefty price tag above his head. But the report mentions the Catalans would be open for a loan deal as well and maybe this is an avenue the Gunners could potentially explore.

Arteta has slowly but surely been improving the team and maybe they already have what it takes to attract Coutinho back to the Premier League.

Whilst it may not turn out to be the big summer of spending Jose Mourinho may have been hoping for at Tottenham, the Portuguese boss will no doubt be keen to further stamp his authority on the first-team squad in north London.

And according to the latest reports, Real Madrid winger Lucas Vazquez is firmly within Spurs’ sights ahead of a potential summer move. As per The Daily Mirror (via The Daily Express), the Lilywhites have been offered the chance to sign the 28-year-old for a relatively affordable price, said to be around £16m plus add-ons.

Can you name every one of Spurs’ top goalscorers from the past 15 seasons? It’s a tricky one…

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The report further claims that with Vazquez’s deal at the Santiago Bernabeu coming to an end following the conclusion of next season, Los Blancos have made it clear that he is available for an exit this summer.

After hearing about their links to the Spaniard, Spurs fans took to Twitter to share their reactions to the news.

Some Spurs fans couldn’t quite believe that the club are targeting another right-sided winger, with one supporter in particular suggesting that it would be a “waste of money” and that they “might as well get Fraser”.

At 28, Vazquez is arguably in the prime years of his career, and whilst he hasn’t had too many opportunities this season (he has played just 18 times across all competitions), he comes with bags of top-level experience.

With the market this summer likely to be unlike any other, finding shrewd bargains is going to be the real defining test. And at potentially just £16m for a player who has won multiple Champions League trophies with Real Madrid, and still has at least a few more years in the tank, could be right up Spurs’ alley.

So whilst a few fans are annoyed at the prospect of another winger joining, Vazquez has got the credentials to slot straight into the Spurs squad and offer them more squad depth in those attacking positions.

Tottenham are showing a ‘serious’ interest in signing Kalidou Koulibaly this summer, according to Il Mattino via @RickSpur. 

Earlier this year, Gianluca di Marzio tipped Koulibaly to join Spurs and the Italian outlet claims that the Lilywhites are keen to sign the defender in the upcoming window.

Jose Mourinho has made it clear that he wants to plug the gap in a leaky defence, as his side have conceded more goals in the Premier League this season than their rivals Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

There is no doubt Koulibaly would be an extraordinary signing, as he has established himself as one of the highest-rated defenders in the world ever since he joined Napoli in 2014. Indeed, the 28-year-old has played 15 games in Serie A for Gennaro Gattuso’s side this season, as well as featuring in six matches in the Champions League, making 2.2 tackles per game, averaging 1.5 interceptions and completing a staggering 5.2 clearances on average in the European competition (WhoScored).

However, the report adds that the player’s future is not entirely within his control as he will need to find a club that can pay his substantial wages and give Napoli owner Aurelio De Laurentiis the fee he will demand.

His market value is estimated at £50m via Transfermarkt, which surely falls outside of Mourinho’s limited budget. The manager has previously stated that the club will not be spending “rivers of money” on new signings, so it is unlikely that the Senegal international will end up at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium anytime soon.

The Lilywhites have also been linked with Atletico Madrid star Stefan Savic, although the Napoli star has earned a higher WhoScored rating than the Montenegro international.

Understandably, a whole number of the Spurs faithful reacted to the transfer update on social media, with one fan tweeting Koulibaly is “better than Savic”, while another added that he is “just what we need.”

Take a look at some of the Tottenham fans’ reactions so far…

Tottenham fans, should the board splash the cash to sign Kalidou Koulibaly in the transfer market? Let us know down below!

Many Leeds United fans have been reacting to news about Ben White, after The Athletic’s Phil Hay revealed a number of Premier League clubs are interested in signing the defender in the summer.  

Speaking on his weekly podcast, The Phil Hay Show, the sports writer provided an update on White’s future at Elland Road, with many of the league’s biggest clubs keeping a close eye on the youngster.

Hay said: “he’s had Liverpool on his case right the way through the season. Their talent scout is Andy O’Brien, the former Leeds defender, who’s been watching him a lot.”

He added: “I’m hearing that both City and Manchester United are keen as well.”

The Brighton loanee has attracted a number of admirers, including the likes of Premier League giants Liverpool, Manchester City and Manchester United, following a string of impressive performances for Marcelo Bielsa’s Whites.

After arriving at the Yorkshire outfit from the Seagulls last summer on a short-term contract, the 22-year-old has put in a defensive shift at the back, featuring in 37 games in the Championship, making 1.7 tackles per game, averaging 2.3 interceptions, and successfully completing 3 clearances on average in the English second tier (via WhoScored).

Naturally, loads of supporters responded to the pundit’s latest revelation. While some noted there are alternatives if Leeds get promoted, others lamented the suggestion White could leave the Peacocks before the start of next season. One fan sarcastically commented “cheers Phil, just what we need when we’re on lockdown.”

Scroll through some of the mixed reactions down below…

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Jose Mourinho will have to work with a reduced transfer budget this summer, according to reports, as the north London side try to financially cope post-pandemic.

It means Spurs could see themselves restricted to free transfers and swap deals just one year after the club broke their record transfer fee to land French midfielder Tanguy Ndombele in a £55m coup.

One target that fans seem to be pleased with is Ryan Fraser – the AFC Bournemouth winger is set to leave the Cherries at the end of the season following the expiry of his contract.

The 26-year-old hasn’t had the best of campaigns, scoring just once in 32 appearances albeit with four assists, too but the south coasters have endured a tough season overall.

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Although last term, Fraser enjoyed a fruitful spell, bagging eight goals and 15 assists, via Transfermarkt.

Which is why many in north London appear to be happy over the thought of clinching the Scotsman on a free, especially instead of Willian and even over Erik Lamela.

Here’s what the Spurs faithful have been saying about the potential move…

AND in other news, Spurs fans react to fresh Milinkovic-Savic reports…

Newcastle fans haven’t always seen eye to eye with England cricket legend Steve Harmison, but they will surely love his latest comments on Mike Ashley.

Reports of a takeover at St. James’ Park are once again heating up, with The Chronicle’s Mark Douglas even admitting this week that he believes the deal will happen if “Saudi dosh” is involved.

Indeed, reports suggest a £340m deal with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, fronted by Amanda Staveley, could well be on the cards, and Harmison has urged Ashley to cash in, while also joking about taking abuse from the Toon Army himself.

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“Mike Ashley hasn’t covered himself in glory with Sports Direct & Newcastle. If ever there was a time for Ashley to get out of Newcastle, this is it,” he told TalkSPORT.

“We don’t want to be tarred with that brush anymore.”

Harmison, who was born in Ashington and has always supported the Magpies, has become quite a divisive figure due to some fans feeling he has been too favourable towards Ashley, so the fact that even he is now staunchly in favour of a takeover really says it all.

The club’s infamous overlord has quite simply burned all of his bridges, and the Toon Army will surely be praying that when football returns Ashley does not come back with it.

Check out what the Toon Army have been saying about the infamous Bowyer vs Dyer incident…

Concern is growing at Real Madrid over Jesus Vallejo’s time at Wolves according to a report from Defensa Central.

Reports in Spain suggest they are unhappy with the amount of game time he’s received during his stay in the Premier League, with the possibility of recalling him very much on the table.

It’s news that has left Wolves fans absolutely elated as they took to Twitter to discuss the report and whether they’d be keen to see him go.

A number of supporters were simply buzzing as one called him a poor man’s Danny Batth, urging Madrid to recall him when the winter transfer window opens in just over a months time.

A further individual said it looked as though the Spaniard had come through the youth academy at Wimbledon in the 1990s, as opposed to one of the greatest clubs on the continent.

Since entering the Midlands, Vallejo has started just one Premier League game and has even found himself behind Leander Dendoncker and Romain Saiss in the defensive pecking order.

He’s accumulated just 162 top-flight minutes in what has been a rough time for the 22-year-old.

Here’s the best of the reaction.