TEAMtalk

Federico Chiesa’s agent has held talks with Tottenham, Manchester United and Arsenal in recent days and now Juventus have reportedly dropped their asking price.

The Italian international has just 12 months remaining on his contract with Juventus and has so far refused to sign an extension, so the Turin side are keen to sell him this summer.

Chiesa, 26, was considered one of the best wingers in the world only a couple of years ago but injuries have stunted his progress somewhat, but he’s undoubtedly a top player on his day.

He showed signs of getting back to his best last season, netting 10 goals in 37 appearances across all competitions.

Chiesa is thought to be keen to test himself in the Premier League and reports suggest that Tottenham, Man Utd and Arsenal are interested in him. Chelsea and Aston Villa are also thought to be keen on the forward.

Spurs have often been described as leaders in the race and with Richarlison linked with a move away from the club, Chiesa could be brought in as a replacement.

Tottenham learn new Federico Chiesa price tag

According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, Chiesa’s agent, Fali Ramadani, has failed to convince any Premier League club to match Juventus’ asking price.

Ramadani travelled to England this week to hold talks with multiple sides. Juventus were initially demanding over €25m for Chiesa, but have now reduced his price tag.

Juventus are desperate not to lose the Italy star on a free transfer and will reportedly accept a bid of just €15m (£12.8m) for him this summer.

That arguably makes Chiesa one of the biggest bargains available on the market and it will be interesting to see if Tottenham or any other Premier League side take the bait.

Chiesa does have big wage demands, however. As we exclusively revealed, he is demanding a salary of around £130,000 per week.

This would make him the fifth-highest earner at Tottenham if they do sign him, behind Heung-min Son, James Maddison, Cristian Romero and Timo Werner.

Tottenham have had a slow start to the transfer window, signing only Archie Gray, Lucas Bergvall and Min-hyeok Hang so far.

But the North London club are expected to be more active in the coming weeks and Chiesa is a player they could consider if the reports about his low valuation are true.

Cristian Romero has opened up on his Tottenham future amid continued speculation that Spanish giants Real Madrid are keen on sealing a big-money transfer.

Los Blancos reportedly made an enquiry for the World Cup and Copa America-winning central defender back in June via his representatives but the Champions League winners are yet to follow up that up with a concrete move for the player.

Vice-captain Romero remains an integral part of Ange Postecoglou’s team going forward though, and there is every chance that even if a substantial offer is made by Real, it will immediately be knocked back.

The Argentina international did have his disciplinary issues during the first half of last season but those improved as the pairing of Romero and Micky van de Ven largely impressed in their first campaign together.

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Romero currently remains under contract in north London until 2027 and at just 26 years of age would command a hefty fee.

However, it appears that the old-school centre-back is more than happy to stay in north London after reaffirming his commitment to the club during an interview with Argentinian TV.

Romero told ESPN F90: “I always strive to play at my best. I have a lot of respect for Tottenham. They’ve always given me a lot of support here, so I like playing here. I don’t think about other clubs or their possibilities.

“I know there’s a lot of talk about a possible move, but I’m calm. At my club I play differently to the national team, more forward. I still have years left in Europe and I want to see where I can go.

“Hopefully this year we can win a title at Tottenham.”

Romero a key cog for Postecoglou

That will certainly be music to the ears of Tottenham fans, who watched on in terror when Romero was banned and Van de Ven injured last season and how Postecoglou’s men coped without the pair.

In terms of other incomings and outgoings, TT has revealed the club’s firm interest in signing Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, while Wolves ace Pedro Neto also remains on their radar.

AC Milan are continuing to pursue right-back Emerson Royal, especially after Postecoglou hinted earlier this week that Djed Spence could stay at the club after impressing in pre-season.

Spence had loan spells with Leeds United and Genoa last term but was handed a start at left-back in the glamour friendly with Bayern Munich in South Korea on Saturday, a game Tottenham lost 2-1.

Should Emerson move on, Spence will be the first choice back up for Pedro Porro on the right and leave summer signing Archie Gray purely focusing on a central midfield role.

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The club have looked at other right-back options in Monaco’s Vanderson and Manchester City’s Issa Kabore, but Spence’s impressive form looks to have earned him the right to start the new campaign in north London.

Tottenham are back in pre-season action again on Saturday August 10 when they take on Bayern again at home in the Visit Malta Cup.

Arsenal and Tottenham could be set for a heated battle off the pitch as they prepare to go head to head for a Premier League winger in the final month of the transfer window.

The Gunners have strengthened their defence with the signing of Italian Riccardo Calafiori from Bologna and are hot on the pursuit of a deal for Spain midfielder Mikel Merino.

Spurs, meanwhile, have added Leeds utility man Archie Gray and are keen to strengthen in attack. Both North London clubs have been credited with an interest, while Newcastle United are also long-term admirers of the Portugal star. Caught Offside says interest is set to hot up.

Wolves boss Gary O’Neil admits that a deal could be struck to see the 24-year-old leave Molineux this summer but added that he hopes to keep the player.

“I know how good he is, and I know how well he would do at a big club. Obviously, I want our team here to be unbelievably successful. So I’m hoping that he stays,” O’Neil said.

“I think so (there’s a chance he stays). There’s nothing going on at this moment from anybody. He’s in a good spot, I’ve spoken to him about how we’re going to play and how it suits him and what a big part he’ll play in it.

“But of course, we’re all grown-ups while you’re having them conversations. If a massive bid comes from a top club then no one is going to stand in Pedro’s way.

“I’m confident that he will be here. Because we haven’t had anything really, that makes the club think that he won’t be. But of course, a lot of business can be done late.”

Neto to answer Spurs and Postecoglou’s forward plea?

As reported by TEAMtalk, sources suggest Spurs are keen on Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke. Although he wouldn’t be pushed on names, manager Ange Postecoglou has confirmed he wants a new forward, with Harry Kane yet to be fully replaced since his exit for Bayern Munich last summer.

However, in quotes carried by Football.London, Postecoglou admitted he didn’t have a specific profile in mind.

“At Celtic, I had Kyogo, who was a sort of out and out number nine and in Japan, I’ve always had a striker. It just depends, like last year we had to be a bit creative, it’s fair to say. You know but if Harry would have stayed I definitely would have used him!” he said.

“So I think for us what’s more important is the type of striker we get. You know we play a certain way. We demand certain things from a physical perspective from the technical aspects of it that it’s going be a striker that fits that mould.

“It’s still the area of the park we’re really probably the thinnest when I talk about squad-wise at the moment, so obviously that’s a focus for us.”

Postecoglou may look to play Neto centrally if he is to arrive at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke is keen on a move to Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou’s side are hopeful they can circumnavigate his £65m release clause, TEAMtalk can exclusively reveal.

The 6ft 2in forward has rebuilt his career after failing to make the grade at Chelsea, a club he was at between the ages of seven and 19, and then flattering to deceive at Liverpool.

He made just one appearance for the Blues’ first-team and then scored a solitary goal in 27 games for the Reds, before signing for Bournemouth in 2019 for a sizeable £19m.

It took time for Solanke to find his feet at the Cherries, with the one-cap England international netting on just four occasions in his opening 46 matches in all competitions.

However, he came alive when the Dorset outfit dropped to the Championship. In the 2020/21 campaign, Solanke scored 15 goals and the following season he doubled his tally as Bournemouth were promoted back to the Premier League.

Although his seven goals in 35 matches didn’t set the world alight on their return to the English top-flight in 2023/23, it was enough to keep the Cherries in the league – before he exploded into life last term.

Solanke was tied in fourth with Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins and Manchester City’s Phil Foden for Premier League goals scored (19), with only Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak (21), Chelsea’s Cole Palmer (22), and City’s Erling Haaland (27) outscoring him.

The former Vitesse loanee, who scored 21 goals and notched four assists in all competitions in 2023/24, has been linked with Chelsea and Arsenal, but Spurs’ interest is the most concrete.

Postecoglou’s side have been on the lookout for a new number nine after struggling to replace the goals left by Harry Kane following his move to Bayern Munich last summer.

Richarlison is yet to justify his £60m price tag and had it not been for Son Heung-min’s 17 goals last season, Tottenham would have been in all sorts of trouble.

Tottenham make Solanke their top target

While they have been linked with Brentford’s Ivan Toney and Lille’s Jonathan David, among others, TEAMtalk can reveal Solanke is Spurs’ ideal pick to lead their line for next season.

Our sources have confirmed he wants to move to the north London outfit and Tottenham have spoken to the 26-year-old’s agents.

Manager Postecoglou is also an admirer of Solanke, who caused stand-in centre-back duo Emerson Royal and Ben Davies all sorts of problems with his pace and movement when they faced off last December at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Although the striker has a £65m release clause – which only a handful of select, unnamed clubs can reportedly trigger – Tottenham believe £60m may be enough to secure his services.

Solanke has become a vital player for Bournemouth and they will want to keep onto their talisman, whose contract runs until the summer of 2027 at Vitality Stadium.

Alejo Veliz has once again been linked with a move away from Tottenham amid an unfruitful spell at the Premier League outfit.

The striker made history for Rosario Central when he became the club’s most expensive sale by swapping the Argentinian side for Tottenham in August 2023 for £13m.

This surpassed Facundo Buonanotte’s January 2023 move to Brighton, in a deal worth up to £10m, and Argentine legend Angel Di Maria, who joined Benfica in 2007 for approximately £6.8m.

Hopes were high the then-19-year-old could hit the ground running at Spurs after impressing for his country at the Under-20 World Cup.

However, fast forward to the present and the 20-year-old is 12 months into his six-year contract at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but it seems unlikely he will spend a huge amount of time there.

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To date, he has played eight times for Tottenham and scored one goal in a cameo display against Brighton last December. The forward is yet to start a game for Spurs and across those appearances he has only racked up 45 minutes of action.

That led him to be sent out on loan to Sevilla in January but he chalked up just 31 minutes of game time at the La Liga outfit across six matches.

While he has been given minutes during Tottenham’s pre-season tour of Japan and South Korea, fellow forward Will Lankshear has often been preferred by manager Ange Postecoglou.

The 19-year-old was named the Premier League 2 Player of the Season last term and the England Under-19 international looks like he could be an exciting talent for Spurs.

With Tottenham also in the market for a new attacker, that may put Veliz in a difficult position – not to mention he is behind Richarlison and Son Heung-min in the attacking pecking order.

Now, according to journalist Uriel Iugt, Serie A side Fiorentina are keeping tabs on the former Rosario Central man – who was once targeted by Real Madrid.

He adds the Italian outfit could make a formal offer in the next few days but makes no mention of whether this would be a loan or permanent deal.

This comes a few months after Fabrizio Romano claimed Tottenham would sent Veliz out on loan for the 2024/25 season.

Back in February, Veliz said he wasn’t sure where his future was heading.

“I don’t know what will happen [in the summer]. If I stay, time will tell. To start with, Sevilla and their fans must be happy with me because I’m delighted to have come here and I hope that many good things will happen,” he admitted.

Whether an offer comes Tottenham’s way remains to be seen.

Tottenham reportedly remain at the front of the queue to sign an elite Serie A attacker this summer but three other Premier League clubs are also in talks with the Italy international.

Ange Postecoglou remains on the hunt for more attacking recruits this summer, with a new No.9 uppermost among his thoughts as Richarlison continues to be linked with a move to the Saudi Pro League.

The Tottenham boss already has a plethora of wide options to pick from with the likes of Son Heung-min, Dejan Kulusevski, Brennan Johnson, Timo Werner and Manor Solomon – although both Son and Kulusevski have been used centrally in pre-season due to Richarlison’s injury absence.

But, despite being blessed with wingers, that is not stopping Spurs’ chase for Juventus and Italy star Federico Chiesa who is considered too good a player to turn given his availability for a modest fee.

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La Stampa reports that Tottenham, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United are all talking to Chiesa’s agent Fali Ramadani as the uncertainty about his future continues.

The report states the agent is trying to figure out which of those, or indeed someone else, will come forward with a concrete offer for the attacker.

Chiesa has been linked with a move away from Juventus this summer after entering the final year of his contract and negotiations with Juventus over an extension have so far failed to yield any results.

Numerous reports from Italy have indicated the Turin giants now want a sale and the player is talking to various interested parties, including some from England

La Stampa adds that none of the Premier League clubs mentioned above actually come forward with an actual proposal for his client at this moment in time.

Tottenham remain at the front of the queue

However, he is in talks with the quartet, while Inter Milan are also in the background but do not currently have space in their squad for Chiesa.

At this stage, though, Tottenham remain the obvious choice as they’ve been linked consistently for weeks, while interest from Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United seem less likely as they have other priorities that need addressing.

Chiesa scored 10 goals and added three assists in 37 appearances in all competitions for Juve last season and played either as a striker or a No.10 in 31 of those outings.

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However, the 26-year-old is not quite the same player who dazzled at the delayed Euro 2020 tournament as he led Italy to glory.

Perhaps a change of scenery will change that though as a move to England, and north London in particualr, appears to gather pace.

Tottenham may turn their attention to another English striker after seemingly missing out on Brentford star Ivan Toney.

Tottenham have been looking to bolster their attack this summer, as they are yet to properly replace the goals provided by Harry Kane following his move to Bayern Munich; plus, Richarlison hasn’t lived up to his £60m price tag.

While Son Heung-min has continued to fire in the goals, with the South Korea international netting 17 last season in the Premier League, manager Ange Postecoglou is reportedly eyeing more attacking reinforcements for the new campaign.

When asked if the north London outfit would make any more signings after recruiting Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall, he said in mid-July: “Like I said, nothing’s really changed, I’m comfortable.

“We’ve got a strategy in place about what we want to do. I’m really happy with the two lads we’ve brought in, both obviously very talented but more importantly really ambitious. They’re not here to ease their way in.

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“They want to play and I think that’s great. They’ve brought a good energy to the group and no doubt there will be a couple more additions but I’m comfortable with where we’re at.”

Spurs have also been linked with Lille forward Jonathan David after the Canada international scored 26 goals last season – taking his overall tally for the French outfit to 84 in 183 appearances.

The 24-year-old is in the last year of his contract, with the striker reportedly available for a fee in the region of £25-30m.

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Meanwhile, Fabrizio Romano claims Tottenham are exploring a move for Bournemouth talisman Dominic Solanke.

Romano adds a transfer will be tough as he is a key player for the Cherries, no bid has been submitted for the former Chelsea man and Tottenham are also looking at recruiting a striker and a winger this summer.

Manchester United, Arsenal and Chelsea have cooled their interest in the England international and with new signing Igor Thiago out with a knee injury until late 2024, Toney may stay put at the London outfit.

Brentford initially wanted significantly more than £50m for the ex-Peterborough United man but with the forward in the last year of his contract, and his form dropping towards the end of last season, there is a real chance he will leave for free next summer.

In summary, signing a prolific striker is not something that can be done on the cheap.

Crystal Palace boss Oliver Glasner may be inching closer to a reunion with one of his former charges, as the Eagles secured their third summer signing.

Before August, Palace had had a fairly quiet transfer window in terms of incomings, with Chadi Riad joining from Real Betis and Daichi Kamada completing a free transfer from Lazio.

All the headlines have been around Michael Olise signing for Bayern Munich, after a fierce battle to sign the winger, and whether or not they will hold onto in-demand players Marc Guehi and Eberechi Eze.

More recently, Jean-Philippe Mateta has been linked with a Selhurst Park exit, although the Eagles will do their best to retain the striker – who was in prolific form towards the end of last season.

With the new Premier League season just over two weeks away, manager Glasner is hoping to strengthen his hand and not lose any of their prized assets as they seek to build on their 10th-place finish in 2023/24.

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On August 1, the club’s third addition was Ismaila Sarr from Marseille, with the 26-year-old signing for a reported £12.6m. The Senegal international, who made a name for himself at Watford, joined the Ligue 1 side last year but he had a somewhat underwhelming stint in the south of France.

Palace will hope the former Rennes man can replicate the form he showed for Watford between 2019-23, where he scored 34 goals in 131 games in all competitions.

He told Palace’s website: “I am very happy to be here because Crystal Palace is a great club. Thanks to the coach and the Sporting Director – they told me about their project, and I accepted because it is a good project. I am going to work hard on the pitch and off the pitch for the team and for the fans as well.”

Palace linked with Juventus ace

But another man in their sights is Juventus man Filip Kostic. The Serbian international has been on the radar of several Premier League teams in recent years.

In 2022, Tottenham sent scouts to watch him back when he was at Eintracht Frankfurt – when he was playing under then-manager Glasner.

He played his part in helping the Bundesliga side beat Rangers in the final of the 2021/22 Europa League, with his performances catching the attention of West Ham, too.

Kostic – who can play as a left midfielder, a wing-back, or winger – was the subject of a £12.6m bid from the Hammers two years ago but that was rejected.

Reports suggested Kostic had already turned down two offers from clubs in the Champions League and he was seriously considering a move to the London Stadium.

In the end, he left Frankfurt for Juventus that August in a deal worth up to £13.8m. Since then, the 31-year-old has scored three goals and bagged 15 assists in 87 games.

And although he has been a starter in 75 of those matches, Juventus are reportedly prepared to let him leave this summer.

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According to JuveLive, new Juventus manager Thiago Motta has ‘invited’ the experienced Serbian to find himself a new club and that Palace are ‘on his trail’.

The report adds the interest has been instigated by Glasner, who worked with Kostic – whose current contract runs until 2026 – at Frankfurt between 2021-22.

He has not been able to replicate the success, in terms of goal contributions, he enjoyed at the Bundesliga outfit; with the former Hamburg man providing 33 goals and 64 assists in 172 appearances in Germany.

Reports suggest he could cost between £6.7m to £8.4m, which is certainly within Palace’s budget.

Tottenham have been sent a warning over precocious youngster Mikey Moore, who is already drawing comparisons with another former top Spurs talent in Adel Taarabt.

Teenage winger Moore has been lighting up pre-season for the north London club, scoring in the romp against Hearts and the 3-2 victory over Japanese side Vissel Kobe.

Moore made history as Tottenham‘s youngest Premier League player with his appearance against Manchester City last term and is expected to given more opportunities by Ange Posteccoglou for the upcoming campaign.

Despite being spoken of a one of the most promising talents to emerge from the club’s youth ranks in recent times, Tottenham remain mindful of the parallels drawn by a former academy coach to Taarabt, whose career was marred by disciplinary issues despite an abundance of ability.

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In an interview with The Athletic, the un-named former youth coach praised Moore’s exceptional ball skills, likening them to those of the former Tottenham and Morocco playmaker, who now plays in Dubai with Al-Nasr.

The coach said: “He is a special talent. He has great technique. It’s hard (to compare him). He’s like a throwback player. In terms of his skill and ability, he is a bit like Adel Taarabt.”

Taarabt’s tale is a cautionary one, given that he only made 15 appearances for the club before being offload despite his clear and obvious qualities.

The now 35-year-old is now viewed as a player of incredible ability who never fulfilled his talent and fears remain that Moore’s career could go the same way if he is not looked after and advised properly.

Former Tottenham midfielder Simon Davies, who is now head of club’s academy, echoed this sentiment in May while discussing Moore. “It’s encouraging that the manager sees something in Mikey but it is just potential at the moment.

“He’s a 16-year-old boy. He’s not 17 until August, so he’s a young boy with high potential. We have several of them in the academy.

“It’s exciting for the academy to have a player so young on the bench. But we have to stay calm and consistent. Because at the moment, it is just [potential]. I spoke to him this morning while he was having his breakfast about staying calm and consistent and keep working hard every day, do the small things right [because] the small things get noticed.

“He’s super mature for a young boy so let’s hope his potential is fulfilled but unfortunately we haven’t got a crystal ball. So we just have to do all the things right every day and stay consistent and calm.”

Son and Davies tipped to mentor Moore

One of the main things Tottenham can do to ensure Moore’s development goes as planned is to use senior players as role models, with skipper Son Heung-min and veteran defender Ben Davies earmarked for those roles.

Indeed, Postecoglou has identified Son Heung-min as a pivotal figure in the dressing room, raving about the South Korean’s his attitude and drive.

“You’ve just heard Sonny at 32 years old, and he’s done just about everything in the game but they still think they can improve,” the Australian said. “You have to have that mindset, whether you’re 16 or 32, or god forbid you’re 58 like me, you can always improve.

“If you have that mindset, particularly in football, but in elite sport, it doesn’t always guarantee you’ll be successful but it guarantees you’ll get the maximum out of your career.”

He also praised the mix of youth and experience within the squad: “The beauty for me is we have a lot of young players, but alongside Sonny, players like Ben Davies and other experienced players who set the right example every day. That’s important.”

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly set to rival Aston Villa for the signing of Serie A star Michael Kayode, who could replace an unwanted player in North London.

Kayode is a 20-year-old full-back who mainly plays on the right side of defence but can also operate on the left if needed. He spent time in the Juventus academy but joined Fiorentina’s youth ranks in July 2021.

Kayode has enjoyed an impressive rise at Fiorentina and is now a regular in their first team, having made 37 appearances across all competitions last season.

The defender’s exciting performances have seen him force his way into the Italy U21 setup and also emerge as a target for Premier League clubs.

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Tottenham, Aston Villa, Manchester United and Manchester City have all been linked with moves for Kayode, while it was claimed in March that Arsenal are ‘crazy’ about landing him.

In June, it emerged that Tottenham are ‘serious’ about winning the race for Kayode, but Villa entered talks for him earlier this week.

As per the latest from the Italian media, Spurs will challenge Villa for the talented youngster as they strongly ‘appreciate’ his ability.

It is ‘London calling’ for Kayode, with Spurs expected to submit a better offer for him than Villa.

Tottenham transfers: Michael Kayode battle tipped

Ange Postecoglou’s side could agree a bargain deal with Fiorentina, too. The Italian outfit have previously demanded more than £34million for the player, but that asking price looks set to fall.

The reports state that Nikola Milenkovic’s switch to Nottingham Forest has not brought in as much money as was hoped before the transfer window began, and their need to bring in funds will allow Spurs to sign Kayode for much less than £34m.

Kayode is emerging as a strong contender to replace Emerson Royal at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Emerson’s influence on Spurs waned as the 2023-24 season went on, with Postecoglou largely keeping him on the bench in the final stages of the Premier League campaign, and this culminated with the club putting him up for sale recently.

AC Milan are big fans of the Brazilian, despite his struggles in North London, and have held several rounds of talks with Spurs as they attempt to finalise his signing.

Milan and Spurs were initially very far apart in their respective valuations of the right-back, which saw the transfer almost reach collapse at one stage.

But the latest reports state that Emerson’s transfer to Milan is due to be finalised by the end of the week after the Rossoneri submitted a new, improved offer for his services.