TEAMtalk

Tottenham’s transfer business is already well underway for the summer but Ange Postecoglou is still looking to get two or three more names through the door and could end up with an incredible starting XI to start the new campaign.

Timo Werner is back at the club on loan, while Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall are both on board and are already making an impression early in pre-season.

However, Postecoglou is still keen to get another No.9 on board as well as sealing a transfer for Crystal Palace standout Eberechi Eze.

With that in mind, TT takes a look at the Tottenham starting XI that could line up for the Premier League opener at Leicester on Monday August 19. Formation 4-2-1-3.

GK: Guglielmo Vicario

Barring some issues commanding his area, particularly from set-pieces, the Italian had an outstanding first season in north London and will look to go from strength to strength this time around.

Clean sheets were an issue though, with only eight in 40 games in total, while he also conceded 62 times. In fairness, some of that was due to the back four changing a fair bit during the first half the campaign due to injuries and suspensions.

However, at 27 years of age, the Italy international has yet to hit his peak for a keeper and will almost certainly have been working on the aspects that let him down during his first season in English football.

RB: Pedro Porro

Porro went from a bit of a laughing stock when he first arrived at the club in early 2023 to being one of the best attacking right-backs in the Premier League last season.

The Spaniard, who was incredibly unlucky to miss out on his country’s Euro 2024 squad, scored four goals and laid on seven assists in 37 total appearances last term and will start the new campaign as Postecoglou’s first choice right-back again despite the summer arrival of Archie Gray from Leeds.

His €40million fee is already starting to look somewhat of a bargain, especially given that the fact that Porro is still only 23.

CB: Cristian Romero

For World Cup winner now read Copa America winner too after the centre-back tasted yet more success with Argentina, once again proving himself as a key performer at the tournament in the US.

Romero has his faults, with his disciplinary issues costing Tottenham last season, but he remains an outstanding centre-back with strong leadership qualities who is still only 26 and will continue to improve with age.

Romero’s partnership with Micky van de Ven has all the hallmarks of being one of the best in the Premier League but he still needs to curb his aggression going forward and cut out the reckless challenges.

Indeed, Tottenham can ill-afford to lose a player of Romero’s quality from any kind of suspension again next season, even if they do have an able deputy in Radu Dragusin to step up.

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CB: Micky van de Ven

There’s a phrase in boxing that ‘speed kills’ and it’s certainly a major asset as a defender too, and Van de Ven has it and then some.

He may not be the quickest over 10 yards but give the Dutchman a chance to get those legs galloping and he will in a foot race 99 times out of 100.

Van de Ven’s game is not all about speed though, his awareness, positioning and quality in possession also make him an incredible asset for a player who could end up costing in the region of £43million.

The Netherlands international also showcased his ability to fill in at left-back too in the final games of last season and looked completely at home in the role.

That’s certainly something for Postecoglou to consider if he wants to hand more game time to Dragusin, while also giving his team more weapons to deal with some of the set-piece issues they suffered from last season.

LB: Destiny Udogie

Another player who excelled in his first season in English football, although injury issues forced him to miss the closing stages of the campaign.

Udogie’s ability to move into central midfield and give Tottenham an advantage in numbers was pivotal early in the campaign as Postecoglou’s men made a flying start.

He was prone to the odd defensive lapse but his threat in attack made him a nightmare for opposing defences to deal with.

Udogie does need to improve in terms of his discipline, however, having been suspended twice last season.

CM: Archie Gray

This is a bit of a punt, given that Yves Bissouma and Pape Sarr are probably more likely to start in central midfield ahead of the summer signing from Leeds, but such has been the impression made by Gray that Postecoglou has no choice but to throw him in.

At £30m, the 18-year-old could turn out to be one of the bargains of the summer, especially given his versatility to play in midfield or as cover at right-back.

The teenager was even trusted to line up at centre-back in the friendly win at Hearts on Wednesday evening, earning race reviews in the process.

Gray’s calmness in possession and ability to play and drive forward half-turn make him ideally suited to slot into the side as Postecoglou’s defensive midfielder.

The reason he gets the nod over both Bissouma and Sarr is the struggles both endured in the second half of last season after returning from the African Cup on Nations.

Yes, the duo will have had pre-season to try and rediscover their best form, but Gray is a special talent who is too good to sit on the bench despite his relative lack of experience.

CM: Rodrigo Bentancur

It was tough for Tottenham fans to not see Bentancur fully back to his best last season after his return from an ACL injury.

The Uruguay international was in outstanding form before his serious knee in February 2023 and did not look his usual self when he finally returned to action.

When fully fit the 27-year-old is regarded as one of the best box-to-box midfielders in the Premier League, although there could be a major issue on the horizon for Tottenham and the player himself.

Bentancur suffered an injury in the Copa America semi-final loss to Colombia and was then shown throwing bottles into the stands after a brawl broke out between the Uruguay players and a section of the opposing fans.

If the footage is as damning as it sounds the midfielder could up banned, although that will only potentially be from international football.

The injury is a concern though, given that there has been no real update on the problem that forced him off in the first half of the game.

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CAM: James Maddison

A real season of two halves for the former Leicester City man, who was signed in a £40m deal in the summer of 2023.

Maddison started the season in spectacular fashion as Spurs topped the table after the first 10 games but then suffered an ankle injury that ruled him out for two months.

The 27-year-old was certainly not at his best when he did finally return and his form tailed off that much that that he ended up missing out on England’s Euro 2024 squad altogether.

Maddison is the sort of character that loves proving people wrong though and he will almost certainly come back with a bang for the upcoming campaign.

Indeed, there is no suggestion that his place is in doubt, despite Tottenham having numerous options to play the No.10 role, including heavily linked target Eberechi Eze.

RW: Eberechi Eze

Speaking of the Crystal Palace man, we expect Spurs to pay his £60m release clause and make the England man one of the marquee signings of the summer.

Eze is made for Tottenham and Ange Postecoglou and lit up the club’s stadium with a superb free-kick last season. He is versatile enough to play in either wide position and also as an attacking midfielder.

Having Eze interchange with Maddison and Son and also make space for both full-backs to maraude forward would give Spurs an incredibly potent attack, especially with the addition of a prolific No.9.

However, that is an issue that could still prove problematic. Is Daniel Levy willing to spend £60m on Eze and then likely spend big again on a striker? If he does, having a seat at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this coming season could be one of the hottest in the Premier League.

ST: Jonathan David

In terms of landing that quality No.9, Tottenham have been linked with countless central strikers since Harry Kane left for Bayern Munich last summer.

Feyenoord’s Santiago Gimenez and Brentford forward Ivan Toney have both been the frontunners for that role, but news on that pair has gone very quiet of late.

But one link that refuses to go away relates to Lille attacker Jonathan David.

The Canada international has been prolific in France since joining Lille in 2020, scoring 84 goals in 183 games in all competitions for the Ligue 1 side.

David, who is currently available for a cut-price £25m, has the pace to run in behind but also the ability to link play and would be a perfect fit for Postecoglou’s high-octane brand of football.

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LW: Son Heung-min

The club skipper notched 17 goals last season playing both as a left-winger and central striker but was not always at his best in a slightly inconsistent campaign.

The South Korean started the friendly win at Hearts on Wednesday through the middle again. However, his best position remains on the left wing, where he has excelled during nine seasons in north London.

Son would clearly benefit from having a new central striker to take the heat off, especially when he has the captaincy to burden him as well.

At 32 he is also not getting any younger and would likely benefit from having the attacking numbers to play a slightly more rotational role, especially given that the club is back in Europe again.

Lille star Jonathan David has been identified as a top target for Tottenham Hotspur in their search for a striker who can propel them into the title picture in the Premier League next season.

Tottenham are thought to be gunning for David, who has been labelled an obsession for manager Ange Postecoglou as he continues to mould the squad into the unit that he envisions.

The North Londoners are not the only Premier League outfit hot on the trail and they will have to contend with competition from both Chelsea and West Ham United if they are to do a deal for the 24-year-old this summer.

Spurs will have to be on their toes with this one as there is also great interest in the striker from other major European leagues. Interest in the player from Roma has been confirmed and he is said to have admirers in all the top divisions.

Lille appear to be resigned to their star man’s departure, but at the same time, with numerous suitors hovering around, the Ligue 1 club can hold out for a handsome fee.

Their club president has made it clear that they will need to receive an adequate sum before any negotiations with the player can proceed.

David has entered the final year of his deal with Lille and the club will accept bids from £25million for the striker, according to Football Insider.

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Tottenham still looking to replace Harry Kane

Harry Kane’s departure for Bayern Munich has left Spurs with a massive void to fill at No 9 with Richarlison failing to step up in the absence of the England skipper. The Brazilian managed 11 goals in 28 appearances last season, a return that was well off what Tottenham needed him to deliver.

Since joining Lille in 2020 from Belgian team Gent, David has been an effective weapon for the team, scoring 84 goals in 183 games.

David also appeared to be in decent scoring touch over the summer’s Copa America campaign, scoring twice as Canada surprised with a run to the semi-finals.

West Ham and Chelsea are also on the hunt for a lethal striker and are tracking the situation with David and Lille.

The deal looks like a great fit for Tottenham from the prospective fee to the quality of the player and his ability to fit into the style of play at Spurs under Postecoglou.

Tottenham Hotspur have been given a major lift in their pursuit of Brentford ace Ivan Toney, with Manchester United and two other clubs cooling their interest, while an enticing price tag has also been set, as per reports.

Toney was in brilliant form during the 2022-23 season, notching 20 goals in 33 Premier League games and establishing himself as one of the best finishers in England. However, the centre-forward had a frustrating end to the campaign as he ended up serving an eight-month ban for breaching the FA’s betting rules.

Toney returned to action midway through the last campaign and got off to a quick start, finding the back of the net four times in his first five Premier League appearances.

The goals then dried up for Brentford’s talisman in the final few months of the season, but he still made Gareth Southgate’s England squad for Euro 2024.

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Toney went on to set up Harry Kane for England’s extra-time winner against Slovakia in the round of 16, while also scoring a no-look spot-kick during the penalty shoot-out victory over Switzerland in the quarter-finals.

It ended in heartbreak for Toney and England though as they were beaten 2-1 by Spain in the final.

The 28-year-old striker is now expected to take a short break before linking up with Brentford for pre-season training. But he is once again a hot topic in the transfer window.

Tottenham, Man Utd, Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham United have all been linked with moves for Toney. And on Wednesday, Fabrizio Romano confirmed that Man Utd have held internal talks about a possible swoop for Toney.

Tottenham transfers: Ivan Toney boost

According to an update from The Sun, Tottenham are now in a great position to snare Toney as Man Utd, Arsenal and Chelsea are all prioritising different summer deals.

Tottenham are not alone in the transfer hunt, as West Ham are still keeping tabs on him as a potential target. However, Ange Postecoglou’s side will feel confident that they can get the better of West Ham if a bidding war starts between the two London clubs.

At the height of Toney’s form, Brentford set his valuation at between £80-100m. But Tottenham will be delighted to learn that Brentford are now ready to discuss a deal worth £50m or less.

The Bees appreciate that Toney’s value has dropped as a result of his betting ban, plus the player has now entered the final year of his contract.

Due to these factors, Spurs could end up striking a deal worth £40-50m, which would be great value for a striker of Toney’s ability. The former Newcastle United man has elite composure in front of goal, is a threat from set pieces and is also fantastic at linking up play with those around him.

It must be noted that Toney – who has netted 169 club career goals in 418 games – is not the only deadly striker Spurs are looking at as Postecoglou pushes to land a top No 9. It has been suggested today (Friday) that Spurs are in ‘daily contact’ with Jonathan David’s camp and are considering making an offer for the £25m-rated Lille star.

Either Toney or David could replace Richarlison in the Spurs squad. On Thursday, it was revealed that two rival clubs are ready to tussle over Richarlison’s signature.

Tottenham are seeking to hijack a London rival’s move for Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay, and how much the win-win deal for all parties will cost has been revealed.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou’s initial aim regarding midfield additions was to sign Chelsea livewire, Conor Gallagher.

Postecoglou is a huge fan of the 24-year-old England international who established himself as a guaranteed selection at Stamford Bridge last season.

Gallagher has entered the final year of his contract and to ensure they don’t lose a highly saleable asset for nothing 11 months from now, Chelsea began to entertain interest.

However, Gallagher – who is a boyhood Chelsea fan – is dead set against leaving the Blues. With the player refusing to leave, reports state Chelsea have backtracked on their willingness to sell and will now attempt to tie Gallagher down to a long-term extension.

With Gallagher seemingly no longer an option for Spurs, the Sun state they’ve turned their attention to Man Utd’s McTominay.

Man Utd name their price for McTominay transfer

The 27-year-old enjoyed the best year of his career to date last season when notching 10 goals across all competitions.

However, to make room for the signing of PSG destroyer Manuel Ugarte, Man Utd are ready to offload one of two from McTominay and Casemiro.

McTominay’s sale would be extra lucrative for United given he’s a homegrown player. The proceeds from the sales of homegrown stars represent pure profit on the books and as such, greatly improve a club’s spending power.

Furthermore, TEAMtalk has learned Man Utd fear they may only be able to generate £20m-£30m from Casemiro’s sale given his age (32) and notable decline last season. A sale to Saudi Arabia is the likeliest outcome, though that trail has cooled of late.

Indeed, Fulham have already seen a £30m bid rejected for McTominay. Newcastle, West Ham and Southampton have all shown interest, while Turkish giant Galatasaray are also hovering.

But per the Sun, it’s Tottenham who could spring a surprise by bringing McTominay to north London.

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McTominay to Tottenham a win-win for all

Such a move would be a win-win for all, with Tottenham signing a player Postecoglou admires, Man Utd freeing up room and money for Ugarte, and McTominay receiving a chance to become a guaranteed starter.

The Sun stated McTominay is ‘open-minded’ to the idea of joining Spurs and the club are ‘looking to hijack’ Fulham’s move.

Tottenham have already signed a midfielder this summer in the form of former Leeds ace, Archie Gray.

However, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has the green light to leave and Leeds remain interested in signing Oliver Skipp after losing Gray to Tottenham and Glen Kamara to Rennes.

As such, and with European football back on the menu, signing another reliable midfielder could be a requirement for Tottenham.

Wolverhampton Wanderers ace Pedro Neto is keen on joining Arsenal in a summer transfer which will see Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea miss out, TEAMtalk can reveal.

Neto had a fantastic start to last season, registering one goal and seven assists in his first 10 Premier League appearances. However, the winger, who prefers to play on the right flank, ended the campaign with three goals and 11 assists in only 24 games as injury problems once again haunted him.

Nevertheless, Neto did enough to make Roberto Martinez’s Portugal squad for Euro 2024 and he went on to play three times at the tournament before Cristiano Ronaldo and co. were knocked out by France in the quarter-finals.

Gary O’Neil will be hoping to use Neto at Wolves in the upcoming season, but the attacker’s electric performances since moving to Molineux in August 2019 have seen him emerge on the radars of several elite clubs.

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Indeed, if Neto had stayed fit in the past, it would not have been a surprise if he had joined a so-called ‘Big Six’ side.

Liverpool have been tipped to sign Neto if Mo Salah leaves, while Fabrizio Romano recently confirmed Tottenham’s interest in the 24-year-old.

Sources have confirmed to TEAMtalk transfer correspondent Fraser Gillan that Neto is on Chelsea’s radar, too, though the Blues have been overtaken in this particular transfer chase.

Sources state that Arsenal have held preliminary talks with Neto’s agent this week, and the Portuguese has made it clear he is prioritising a move to Mikel Arteta’s side.

Arsenal latest: Promising Pedro Neto stance

The Gunners are in pole position to sign Neto as he can offer them Champions League football, something Tottenham and Chelsea cannot match at this stage. Tottenham will compete in the Europa League, while Chelsea have dropped down to the Europa Conference League after Manchester United won the FA Cup.

Arsenal view Neto as a potentially great addition to their forward line and have found out that £50million will be enough to seal a deal with Wolves.

Supporters of Wolves will be sad to see Neto leave, as he has been a brilliant performer for them when fit, but a sale at £50m would give the West Midlands outfit the chance to make a good profit.

Neto arrived in England five years ago when Wolves paid Lazio a reported £18m for both him and midfielder Bruno Jordao.

Signing Neto would tick a key objective for Arsenal, as it would finally see them land a top-class right winger who is capable of providing sufficient cover and competition for star man Bukayo Saka.

The Gunners do have Reiss Nelson in their squad, but the 24-year-old wide man has given West Ham United the green light to sign him, as TEAMtalk revealed on Wednesday.

Arsenal fans may be worried about Neto’s fitness, as he has shown his amazing talent before picking up injuries that have ruled him out for long periods during his time at Wolves. But if Arteta and Arsenal can keep the former Braga man fit, then he could become an excellent player at the Emirates.

Indeed, both Pep Guardiola and O’Neil have labelled Neto an ‘incredible’ player after he put in separate top-notch displays in the Premier League.

Federico Chiesa’s agents are in the process of offering his services to Premier League clubs and Tottenham have reportedly made the first big move in the race.

The Juventus winger has just 12 months remaining on his contract and negotiations over an extension with the Turin-based club are currently at a standstill.

As we exclusively revealed last week, Chiesa is holding out for an €8m (£6.8m) a year salary, which is roughly £130,000 per week.

With Juventus unwilling to match his demands, the winger’s representatives are doing all they can to find a club willing to pay that and a move to the Premier League is his top priority.

Manchester United, Liverpool and Tottenham have all been keeping tabs on Chiesa’s situation but it seems Ange Postecoglou’s side are leading the race.

The 26-year-old was once considered one of the best wingers in Europe but injuries have stunted his progress over the past couple of years.

The Italian international scored 10 goals and made three assists for Juventus last season but failed to impress at Euro 2024, so his agents have their work cut out in trying to find him a big-money move.

Tottenham ‘make approach’ for Federico Chiesa

According to reports from Italy, Chiesa is ‘destined to leave’ Juventus this summer and Tottenham are named as one of the candidates to sign him.

It’s claimed that Spurs have made the ‘first concrete approach’ for the forward, who ‘dreams’ of playing in the Premier League.

It isn’t clear at this stage whether Tottenham will match Chiesa’s salary demands.

Juventus are demanding a fee of €25-30m for Chiesa and ‘one has already arrived’ per the report, presumably from Tottenham.

Along with Man Utd and Liverpool, Roma have previously shown an interest in the Italian but they are yet to come forward with anything concrete. Spurs are therefore at the front of the queue for Chiesa as things stand.

Postecoglou is keen to build a squad capable of challenging for trophies and Chiesa has experience in that regard, having won three with Juve and the European Championships with Italy.

Along with a new winger, Spurs are also looking to bring in a new midfielder and TEAMtalk understands that Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher remains their top target.

Tottenham are reportedly set to bid for Gallagher imminently as the uncertainty surrounding his future at Stamford Bridge persists.

Bringing in Chiesa and Gallagher, along with youngsters Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall would be a great start to the window for Tottenham, so it will be interesting to see how this story develops.

With so many top Premier League clubs potentially looking to bring in a top-level striker during the remainder of the summer transfer window, TT has broken down five names and paired them with five clubs in a perfect match scenario.

Manchester United’s capture of Joshua Zirkzee has taken the Dutchman off the market and likely ruled the Red Devils out of making another splash at that position, given their needs to strengthen elsewhere and the fact they also already have Rasmus Hojlund on board.

However, the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool, Tottenham and West Ham remain the market for a new No.9, to name but a few, and it’s those clubs we’ve focused on in an updated strikers Transfer Tracker.

ARSENAL – Ollie Watkins (Aston Villa)

A move that may be tough to pull off after Villa qualified for the Champions League but one that could finally steer them past Manchester City in the Premier League title race.

Having missed out to Manchester United in the race to sign Bologna frontman Joshua Zirkzee, the Gunners remain firmly in the hunt to sign a new No.9 this summer.

Both Victor Osimhen and Viktor Gygokeres have also proved too expensive, leaving Edu and Mikel Arteta to target other options – one of which could well be Ollie Watkins.

The England forward had a sensational campaign for Villa last time around, netting 27 times in 53 games for his club during the 2023/24 season.

Watkins then exploded onto the big stage in Germany when he netted England’s late winner against the Netherlands in the semi-finals at Euro 2024.

He looked lively again when replacing Harry Kane with 30 minutes remaining in Berlin but it wasn’t to be for the Three Lions as Spain netted a late winner of their own to lift the trophy.

But for Watkins, those small sample sizes showed exactly what the 28-year-old is all about in terms of his movement, pace and finishing ability.

Indeed, former Arsenal defender William Gallas believes the Villa man would be a perfect addition to the Arsenal starting XI and feed off the supply line from Martin Odegaard.

Watkins will not come cheap though, with his current value on Transfermarkt standing at €65million and Villa almost certain to demand more than that, given he is under contract until 2028.

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LIVERPOOL – Baris Alper Yilmaz (Galatasaray)

With Darwin Nunez still not fully convincing at Anfield, despite making improvements last season, links to the Reds bringing in a new No.9 continue to grow.

Mo Salah’s continued links to the Saudi Pro League could also heighten Liverpool’s need to try and bring in more goals and recent reports suggest they may have found just the man.

Baris Alper Yilmaz was one of the stars of Euro 2024, playing the full 90 minutes in all five of his nation’s matches as they made it to the quarter-finals.

A winger by trade, he can also play centrally which is perfect for Slot in terms of the adaptability of his front players.

Cody Gakpo’s ability to do the same would give the new Reds boss the option of resting Nunez every now and again, knowing he has players capable of stepping in.

Yilmaz has only scored 20 goals in 187 career appearances but, at 24, is a player whose career his trending upwards and he showed in Germany the damage he can cause with his impressive displays.

In terms of the cost involved, it’s reported that the Galatasaray star could be sold for a fee in the region of £30million.

That sort of figure would also allow the Reds to focus on strengthening at centre-back and in central midfield too, with sources telling TT that Crystal Palace and England standout Marc Guehi could fill that defensive need.

TOTTENHAM – Santiago Gimenez (Feyenoord)

It’s no big secret that Ange Postecoglou wants another striker through the door in north London this summer after Richarlison once again failed to fully convince that he is the answer.

The Brazilian was, in all fairness, much improved on his debut campaign and did notch 12 times in total. However, he also missed countless chances and has also had issues getting on the pitch at times.

Using skipper Son Heung-min is also not the long-term option for Postecoglou so a move for a genuine central striker to finally replace record goalscorer Harry Kane is a must.

And that is where Feyenoord forward Santiago Gimenez continues to be lined up to fill that massive void.

Tottenham have been linked with numerous strikers since Kane left, but of all the ones linked Gimenez looks to the best fit for Postecoglou’s style of football.

The Mexico international has enough pace to run in behind and stretch defences but also the technical quality and strength to link up play.

Indeed, the 23-year-old scored 24 goals in 40 games in all competitions last season, while also chalking up seven assists for his teammates.

The biggest issue Tottenham may have to securing his signature, however, could be if his former boss at Feyenoord Arne Slot tries to take him to his new club Liverpool.

Gimenez will be available for a fee in the region of €45m this summer, a figure that could work out to be an absolute bargain for a young international forward with a proven goalscoring record in Holland.

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CHELSEA – Jonathan David (Lille)

This is one link that refuses to go away as Todd Boehly looks to provide more competition for Nicolas Jackson and the injury-plagued Christopher Nkunku in Chelsea’s attack.

Much will depend on what sort of striker new Blues boss Enzo Maresca wants on board but so far those links to David have continued, suggesting that the Canada international remains a serious option for the Stamford Bridge outfit.

Chelsea have already been incredibly active in the summer window so far, bringing in the likes of Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall, Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Guiu, Renato Kellyman and Renato Veiga but none of those additions are proven central strikers, so that remains a major need.

David has been a prolific force in French football ever since he moved to Lille from Gent in 2020, scoring 84 goals in 183 appearances.

While not the biggest, he is a real handful in attack and has pace to burn for teams that like to play on the counter.

The 24-year-old, who has been in action for his country in this summer’s Copa America, is also versatile enough to play as a No.10 or out wide so could fit into any system Chelsea play.

His current fee stands at around £52m, which is significantly cheaper than previous first-choice target Victor Osimhen.

The only issue for Boehly is that he will continue have to offload players first this summer in order to satisfy PSR.

WEST HAM – Ivan Toney (Brentford)

Toney did not really get the chance to enhance his value at Euro 2024, scoring in the penalty shoot-out win over the Swiss but was then overlooked in favour of Olli Watkins in the semi-final and final.

Interest does remain in his services, although not from the same number of clubs there were when he returned from his FA ban back in January.

At that time, Brentford were asking for £80m for Toney but now that figure has more than halved. Indeed, there are some reports that he could be sold for around £30m now.

At that sort of price point, the Hammers will definitely be keen on striking a deal for a player who would then replace Michail Antonio as their new No.9.

In truth, Toney struggled after returning from his ban, notching just four times in 14 outings for the Bees.

Much will also depend on what sort of forward new West Ham boss Julen Lopetegui wants to bring in, although Toney would certainly be expected to be more of a goal threat than Antonio if he was to sign.

In terms of other clubs who could try and strike their own deals for the England man, fellow London sides Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham are also in the mix. However, they already have other targets in the pipeline (see above) to leave the door potentially open to West Ham.

Leeds United look set to miss out on Tottenham midfielder Oliver Skipp with the player a target for several Premier League clubs this summer, TEAMtalk can reveal.

The Championship side are known to be interested in Skipp as they look to bolster their midfield options ahead of next season after losing Archie Gray to the north London club this summer.

Whites boss Daniel Farke is a big admirer of the player, having previously worked with the England Under-21 international during his time in charge of Norwich.

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The Elland Road outfit are in the market for midfield reinforcements in this summer’s transfer window after losing Gray, while Glen Kamara in on the verge of a move to French club Rennes.

However, Leeds are set to be frustrated in any pursuit of Skipp as the midfielder has emerged as a top target for several English top-flight clubs instead.

The 23-year-old is also understood to not be considering dropping down to the Championship as he would prefer to play at the highest level possible if he does end up leaving Spurs.

Spurs pushing for straight Skipp sale

Tottenham are also not considering loaning out Skipp this summer and would prefer to sell him if they do decide to move him on, and that would also likely put him out of Leeds’ price range.

Skipp started his youth career at Tottenham back in 2008 and made his senior debut 10 years later against West Ham in the League Cup.

He has chalked up 106 appearances for the club, scoring just once against London rivals Chelsea back in February 2023.

Despite featuring fairly regularly under Antonio Conte, Skipp has found breaking into Postecoglou’s starting XI a much tougher ask and made just seven starts in his 24 total appearances last season. And those chances of regular game time during the upcoming campaign took another hit as soon as the impressive Gray walked through the door.

An exit now appears inevitable, although it remains to be seen which Premier League clubs are ready to try and capture his signature.

Tottenham are reportedly weighing up a double deal that could see the return of a familiar face to north London and the addition of an experienced LaLiga defender.

Ange Postecoglou has already brought in Lucas Bergvall, Timo Werner and Archie Gray this summer but more signings are expected to follow in a busy window.

A new central striker, a midfielder and another defensive recruit are all on Postecoglou’s radar and it appears that the latter could be filled by a veteran from Spain.

But in terms of an old player who potentially return to the club, it appears that Tottenham are ready to try and hijack Crystal Palace’s chase for Marcus Edwards.

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The playmaker quit north London back in 2019 but has excelled in Portugal since, firstly at Vitoria Guimaraes and more latterly Sporting.

Portuguese newspaper Corriere de Manha recently claimed that Sporting value the winger at around £17million, but Spurs’ 35 per cent sell-on clause means that figure would come down to just £11m.

Interest from Palace has clearly played a role in their interest being renewed, with the Eagles lining up Edwards as a replacement for Michael Olise.

Tottenham will win either way though, as they will receive their sell-on clause even if the attacker heads to Selhurst Park.

The 25-year-old racked up 15 goal contributions, six goals and nine assists specifically, in 44 appearances across all competitions last season.

However, it’s thought that he is open to returning to the English top flight and a switch back to the capital in particular.

Signing Edwards for as little as £11m could also negate the need to move for the more expensive Pedro Neto and even end Tottenham’s interest in Eberechi Eze – although the Palace and England star remains a priority target.

Tottenham in battle for free agent centre-backHERMOSO

Meanwhile, fresh reports have emerged from Spain concerning Spurs’ interest in signing Atletico Madrid centre-back Mario Hermoso.

Radio Punto Nuovo states that while no concrete moves have so far taken place, things could change in the coming weeks as interest in the free agent hots up.

Hermoso was crucial part of Diego Simeone’s back line last term, helping them keep eight clean sheets in 31 appearances.

The 29-year-old featured on the left side of Atletico’s back three and also filled in at left-back when needed.

At Tottenham, he would viewed as a deputy for Micky van de Ven on the left side, with Radu Dragusin filling the same role for Cristian Romero on the right.

Netherlands star Van de Ven was a revelation last term but he struggled with hamstring issues to leave left-back Ben Davies acting as centre-back cover.

Hermoso is considered a perfect back-up option for Tottenham, leaving Davies free to compete with Destiny Udogie in the left-back role.

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However, competition is expected to be fierce for the Spain international given his free transfer status.

Tottenham have made Chelsea midfielder Conor Gallagher one of their top targets and they’re reportedly set to make a bid for him imminently.

Ange Postecoglou aims to build a squad capable of competing for trophies and has already made two impressive signings in Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall this summer.

But the duo are more prospects than immediate improvements to Spurs’ starting XI, and now the North Londoners’ focus is on luring Gallagher away from Stamford Bridge.

As we have consistently reported for months, Postecoglou is a big admirer of the England international and believes he would be a valuable addition to his squad.

Gallagher was one of Chelsea’s standout performers in a disappointing 2023/24, scoring seven goals and making nine assists in 50 appearances in all competitions.

The Blues may need to part ways with several academy graduates, like Gallagher, to balance the books and comply with the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules (PSR).

The sale of homegrown stars represent pure profit on the account books and Tottenham are looking to capitalise on the situation.

Aston Villa are also known admirers of Gallagher, but they are on the verge of signing Everton midfielder Amadou Onana for around £50m, so it’s unlikely they’ll splash the cash on both players.

Hojbjerg, Emerson sales to fund Gallagher move

According to The Athletic, Tottenham are set to firm up their interest in Gallagher with a bid now that he’s returned from international duty with England at the Euros.

The 24-year-old has entered the final 12 months of his contract at Stamford Bridge which is putting pressure on the Blues to sell sooner rather than later.

There have been talks about an extension but sources have informed TEAMtalk that Gallagher’s wage demands are higher than what Chelsea are willing to pay.

Gallagher is happy with Chelsea, but he’s been informed that he must reduce his demands or face being sold this summer.

The Athletic report that the midfielder is valued at between £40m to £50m, but we understand that Spurs are confident they can secure a deal for around £30m.

The renewed interest in Gallagher comes amid uncertainty surrounding Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, who is ready to leave Tottenham to take on a new challenge elsewhere.

AC Milan are interested in the Norwegian international, who has fallen down the pecking order in North London since Postecoglou took charge last year.

The Italian giants are also keen on right-back Emerson Royal and the money generated by the sales of both players could be put towards a bid for Gallagher.

The England star could compete with the likes of Pape Matar Sarr, Gray, Bergvall, Oliver Skipp, Yves Bissouma and Rodrigo Bentacur for a spot in Tottenham’s midfield.