Football365

Phil Foden has reportedly been offered to AC Milan, with a suggestion that they could fund the deal by selling a superstar who’s on the Tottenham radar.

Foden had a poor last season with Manchester City, in which he was directly involved in just 12 Premier League goals. The Englishman’s meagre returns saw him omitted from the Three Lions’ World Cup squad.

SportMediaSet reports there’s tension between Foden and City, and with just a year left on his contract, his intermediaries have offered him to a few clubs.

Among them are AC Milan, and it’s said a move for the Englishman is under consideration.

Given he has just a year left on his deal at the Etihad, Foden is said to be valued between €50-60million (£42.5-51.1m) and that fee could be covered through the sale of Rafael Leao.

The wide man is a target for a few clubs this summer, including Premier League side Tottenham, and Milan are said to be hoping to raise around the total Foden will command from the Portuguese.

There are question marks over Milan’s ability to finance the deal elsewhere, though.

Tottenham could fund deal

That Milan are willing to let go of Leao is ideal for Spurs, who have him in their sights as one of their favoured attackers this summer.

Our friends at TEAMtalk have recently suggested that Leao is open to hearing a proposal from Tottenham, while the club have been informed he’d be a great signing for them.

European insider Andy Brassell said: “We talked about that €175million buyout clause. No one’s paying even half that at the moment. There’s no question of that.

“So this brings the Premier League teams back into the picture. It’s not just about the Saudi clubs. And he’s shown a real disinclination to go to Saudi.

“He wants to stay in Europe, and he wants to test himself in the Premier League.

“We know Tottenham were interested in him, and that would be a really interesting bit, a big upgrade for him for them on that left-hand side.

“Of course, since Son [Heung-min] has gone, they’ve not really had a player of that sort of explosive quality in that sort of area of the pitch, and I think they are comparable because even though Son did become more central in the closing part of his time, it’s first we know Rafael now can do that.

“We know he can come inside and score goals as well, and maybe the fluidity of the Premier League and the pace of it really works for him in that sense in the sense that he’s always fighting for the right to counter-attack.

“Now look, there are loads of other clubs that he could end up at, but with Tottenham really nailing their colours to the mast in terms of getting out there in terms of battering down all the previous cliches about them not spending money this season. He would be a huge, huge upgrade in attack.

“Working with a coach as intense as Roberto De Zerbi might get the best out of him consistently, which is exactly what he needs at the age of 27 if he’s really to become one of the best players in the world.”

Tottenham Hotspur have rebuffed Nottingham Forest’s £38m bid for wantaway midfielder Lucas Bergvall, with the offer falling well short of the north London team’s valuation.

That is according to TEAMtalk, who state that the 20-year-old sat down with the Tottenham hierarchy at the start of the summer and informed them of his intention to leave the club.

The midfielder played 45 times in his first season for Spurs, scoring one goal and adding four assists, as they won the Europa League.

However, he was used more sparingly last term, with the Sweden international chalking up 33 appearances, but just 17 of those were starts.

As a result, Bergvall, who represented his country at this summer’s World Cup, is seeking a way out of the north London team and that is where Forest come in.

READ: Tottenham: Djed Spence handed transfer dilemma as £76m double sale looks remote

The report states that while Roberto De Zerbi is a big admirer of Bergvall, the Italian has sanctioned his exit as he cannot guarantee him first-team football.

Indeed, Tottenham have spent more than £180m on recruiting midfielders Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali from West Ham United and Newcastle United, respectively, in recent weeks.

TEAMtalk state that Tottenham want around £50m for the young Swede’s services. That is because of inflated Premier League fees, his age, and potential.

As a result, Forest’s bid was ‘immediately rejected’. However, that is unlikely to deter the Tricky Trees, who are weighing up whether to return with an improved offer.

Bergvall is said to be open to the move, with Forest trying to find a replacement for England star Elliot Anderson, who completed a £116m switch to Manchester City last month.

New Forest boss Oliver Glasner is proving to be a big drawcard in the potential transfer, with the Austrian’s reputation enhanced further still after winning the Conference League and FA Cup during his two years at Crystal Palace.

Tottenham’s valuation of Bergvall has reportedly priced out Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig, Atletico Madrid, and Juventus, meaning it may just be Premier League sides who can afford him.

So far, Forest’s business this summer window has involved players leaving through the City Ground exit door. On the flip side, they are yet to make a first-team signing.

If they want to avoid a relegation battle again, they need to make some quality additions and fast. Whether that is Bergvall is up in the air.

Tottenham defenders Djed Spence and Cristian Romero are wanted men, but one suitor is seemingly unwilling to meet the Premier League side’s valuation of the duo.

Roberto De Zerbi just about managed to keep Tottenham in the Premier League last season, following disappointing stints with Thomas Frank and Igor Tudor.

While full-back Spence played his part in their survival, centre-back Romero was conspicuous in his absence after picking up a knee injury in the final weeks of the season.

Reports suggest the Argentina international wants to leave Tottenham this summer, but for the time being, he is focusing on trying to help his country retain their World Cup crown.

He faced off against England’s Spence in the semi-finals on Wednesday night, in a game where the former Nottingham Forest loanee impressed again in a 2-1 defeat.

READ: Tottenham: Neville fires back at ‘stupid’ Romero claim with brutal Spurs dig – ‘I know what I’m talking about’

Despite their efforts, both may be surplus to requirements at Tottenham, after Spurs signed centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton and Liverpool hero and left-back Andrew Robertson joined on a free transfers.

Sister website TEAMtalk previously revealed that Inter Milan had begun talks with Tottenham over a deal for former Middlesbrough man Spence.

Now, Corriere dello Sport states that Tottenham are willing to sell the 25-year-old for as little as £25m, but would prefer something closer to £34m.

Moreover, Inter would also happily take on Romero, who is valued at a minimum of £34m but would like a suitor to pay around the £42m mark.

Djed Spence favoured over Cristian Romero

However, Inter would prefer Spence as the right side of defence is more of a priority area but don’t really want to pay much more than £21m for him.

And with Romero, they would be open to a loan as an outright transfer fee is likely to be too expensive.

The report adds that Spence is ‘very open to a change of shirt’ as he is not at the ‘centre’ of De Zerbi’s plans for the upcoming campaign.

Indeed, at full-back, they have Robertson, Pedro Porro, Destiny Udogie, and Souza, and for centre-backs, they have Micky van de Ven, Kevin Danso, Van Hecke, Marcos Senesi, and Ben Davies.

Spence has been at Tottenham since 2022 but only really found his feet over the past two seasons after underwhelming loan spells at Rennes, Leeds United, and Genoa.

Last term, the defender started 34 time in 44 appearances in all competitions and after his World Cup displays, he may not be short of suitors.

If Spurs can get a decent fee for Romero and Spence, that could pave the way towards a new striker signing and other quality additions as they try and put their woeful 2025-26 campaign behind them.

Spence’s contract expires in 2029 and at this rate, it seems his days at Spurs are numbered.

After being called “stupid” by Argentina star Cristian Romero, Manchester United legend Gary Neville has hit back at the centre-back.

During ITV’s World Cup coverage, Neville hit out at Romero and Lisandro Martinez, having claimed that they are “the best worst centre-halves in the world”.

Naturally, the Tottenham star hit back at Neville after his Argentina side beat England 2-1 in the World Cup semi-finals.

After the match, Romero labelled Neville “stupid”, but the pundit has now doubled down on his comments before the World Cup semi-final.

“Romero played in a team last year that nearlly went down…”

Tottenham were caught in the crossfire as Neville defended his initial comments on Romero, claiming Lionel Messi has saved him and his teammates at the World Cup.

“Yeah, I said they give goals away and they’ve conceded six, by the way, in the knockout games, in four matches,” Neville said on Sky Sports.

READ: 16 Conclusions on England 1-2 Argentina: Tuchel sack, ‘no regrets’ and a Southgate World Cup semi exit

“If they didn’t have Lionel Messi up front… those two should go and hug him every single minute of every single day because he’s had to pull them out of the mire.

“They conceded two against Egypt and two against Cape Verde, one against Switzerland and one against England so they’ve conceded six goals in the knockout phase.

“I did go on to say that they are incredible – and those were my exact words – and their force of nature of how they try and win their games, they go from the sublime to the ridiculous.

“Romero played in a team [Tottenham] last year that nearly went down and got relegated in the Premier League, conceding 65 goals, so I think I know what I’m talking about when I watch a player.

“He’s very talented, as is Lisandro Martinez, but they do make mistakes, lots of them, and they have conceded goals. But they are a force of nature, they have incredible personalities, they go and win every header in the attacking box and sometimes in the defensive box and I just see such a contradiction in games.

“He’s relatively young, Romero, he’s not an experienced defender yet. He’s won a World Cup and he’s got incredible achievements. But without Lionel Messi last night and without Lionel Messi in these last two tournaments…”

On England, Neville has also leapt to the defence of Manchester United midfielder Kobbie Mainoo, who should be “wanting answers” from head coach Thomas Tuchel after being given zero minutes at the World Cup.

“Honestly, we were absolutely dead out on our feet. We couldn’t get out of the box,” Neville said on Stick to Football.

“We literally get pushed back, and then the midfield players sag back onto you because their legs have gone. I think the three of them (in midfield) were all absolutely out on their feet.

“You look at today, Declan definitely, he’s not been right since day one, has he? That’s a big problem for us. Him not having the energy and the speed to get to the ball. We know what he’s like; he’s a fantastic player.

“Kobbie Mainoo would be asking a question, wouldn’t he? You’d be wanting answers if you’re Kobbie Mainoo after not coming on at all. Because he can handle the ball a bit as well.”

Liverpool ‘do not plan to sell’ Cody Gakpo to Premier League rivals Tottenham or any other club this summer, according to reports.

Spurs have already revamped much of their side this summer with six new signings coming through the door by early July.

The Tottenham hierarchy are looking to make sure they don’t find themselves in another relegation battle next season after finishing just two points above the drop last term.

Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka have all joined on free transfers, while Jan Paul van Hecke, Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali have all arrived in deals totalling £237m.

Tottenham are now looking to improve the attacking areas of their side after addressing the defence and midfield, with many rumours about potential targets.

Liverpool winger Gakpo is reportedly seen as one of three signings to give Roberto De Zerbi the final pieces of his ‘dream XI’ at Tottenham.

READ: Spurs are biggest spenders of the 2026 summer transfer window

Fabrizio Romano recently claimed that the ‘door remains closed’ for Tottenham when it comes to Gakpo as Liverpool concentrate on incomings in the wide areas.

Romano said on his YouTube channel: “Keep an eye on Tottenham because they are interested in the player. As things stand at the beginning of July, Liverpool are not opening the door to an exit. They are not telling Gakpo that he can leave and they are not telling Tottenham that negotiations can begin. That is not happening right now.

“At the moment, the door remains closed from Liverpool’s side. We will have to see what happens later in the summer if Tottenham decide to make a formal proposal. Right now, there is interest, but if an official bid arrives then we will see how the situation develops.

READ: Transfer rumour ranking: Bouaddi race on as Liverpool ponder Plan C

“So it is definitely one to watch, but nothing is guaranteed at this stage.”

talkSPORT journalist Alex Crook has double down on that stance with Liverpool ‘looking to add to their wide options, not reduce them’ despite interest from Tottenham in Netherlands international Gakpo.

Crook wrote in his latest Transfer Notebook: ‘Liverpool do not plan to sell winger Cody Gakpo this summer,’

‘Gakpo is among Tottenham’s list of transfer targets while several other clubs are also keeping tabs on the Netherlands ace.

‘Despite his form tailing off last season, sources have informed talkSPORT that the 27-year-old remains part of their plans.

‘In fact, Liverpool are looking to add to their wide options, not reduce them.

‘PSG’s Bradley Barcola is their dream target, but the message coming out of the French capital is that he is very much off limits.’

Fabrizio Romano has provided the latest on Tottenham Hotspur duo Djed Spence and Cristian Romero, with clubs such as Liverpool and Inter Milan reportedly looking to strike deals.

Tottenham have had an incredible summer transfer window so far, signing Andy Robertson, Marcos Senesi and Martin Dubravka on free transfers before spending £52million on Brighton centre-back Jan Paul van Hecke. They have since broken their transfer record twice to land two new midfielders, first Mateus Fernandes (£85m), followed by Sandro Tonali (£100m).

Tottenham have sold Luka Vuskovic to Brighton, while also offloading Radu Dragusin, Alejo Veliz and Alfie Devine.

However, they need to agree more sales as Roberto De Zerbi has yet more big transfer plans. Indeed, the Italian coach is pushing Spurs to land a new left winger and centre-forward.

Spence, Romero, Guglielmo Vicario and Lucas Bergvall are all strong candidates to leave as part of De Zerbi’s squad overhaul.

Romano has revealed Italian giants Inter are in talks for both Spence and Romero.

READ: Spurs are biggest spenders of the 2026 summer transfer window

‘EXCLUSIVE: Cuti Romero to leave Tottenham this summer, Inter held talks with Spurs over recent days,’ he wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

‘Romero has been offered as option during talks for Djed Spence. Inter keen but costs very high. Barca also like Cuti Romero.’

Romano added in a separate post: ‘Inter remain in talks for Djed Spence, as revealed here and seen as top target at right wing back.

‘Spurs valuation higher than Inter expectations but talks are ongoing. The player would be open to the move.’

Spurs are understood to want £50m for Romero, while they have set Spence’s price tag at £40m.

Spence, Romero set to leave Tottenham

Romero has been heavily linked with LaLiga trio Barca, Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid over the past year as he is known to be keen on moving to Spain. Inter, however, have emerged as strong suitors for the Argentine centre-back.

Inter know Romero well as he previously represented Genoa and Atalanta in Serie A before joining Spurs.

Our friends at TEAMtalk revealed on Tuesday that both Liverpool and Newcastle are monitoring Spence’s situation. They could move for the full-back if they feel he is attainable for a great price.

Once again, though, Inter must be considered frontrunners.

Former Spurs scout Bryan King thinks selling Spence would be a mistake. He said earlier this week: “I think he’s done well every time he’s played for England. They’d be foolish to let him go for £25m, that is for sure.

“You wouldn’t let him go for £25m. You wouldn’t even start thinking about letting him go for under £50m. We’re talking about a young, current England international. It’s a situation where Tottenham would be stupid to let him go.”

Liverpool are eyeing a move to sign Tottenham full-back Djed Spence in the summer transfer window, according to reports.

The Reds appointed Andoni Iraola earlier this summer after sacking Arne Slot following a disappointing season under the Dutchman.

A fifth-placed finish did secure Champions League football for another campaign but their performances were a long way from the standard set in Slot’s first season, in which they won the Premier league title.

And now Liverpool are attempting to rebuild a squad that has already lost Mohamed Salah, Ibrahima Konate and Andy Robertson without gaining any transfer fees.

Liverpool are keen to strengthen at full-back this summer with Kostas Tsimikas, who was on loan at Roma last season, the next left-back in line after Milos Kerkez.

Conor Bradley suffered a serious injury last season as Dominik Szoboszlai was deployed at right-back at times ahead of Jeremie Frimpong.

READ:Liverpool could hijack Man City deal on one condition as Romano issues update on Bouaddi

Liverpool could certainly do with cover or better options in those positions and now Anfield Watch claim that the Reds are ‘eyeing a move’ for Tottenham defender Spence.

It is understood that Liverpool are ‘keeping an eye on a full-back that they’ve wanted to sign since 2023’ with the Reds monitoring the full-back, who can play on the left or right, since he was at Rennes.

The report adds: ‘Even though Liverpool’s interest from 2023 came from them going to watch Desire Doue, they ended up doing some assessments on Spence with the Englishman even doing exceptionally well against Doue, who is one of the best one-vs-one ball carriers in Europe.

‘Liverpool’s interest has never escalated to the bid but, Anfield Watch understands that they have always kept tabs on him and are always on the lookout for any market opportunities that may arise.’

Tottenham ‘ready to greenlight sale’ of Spence

Our friends at TEAMtalk were the first to report this month that Liverpool hold interest in Spence with Tottenham ‘ready to greenlight his sale’ this summer amid interest from Inter Milan.

READ: New Diomande transfer plan could kill Barcola to Liverpool deal as Romano provides update

His brilliant performances for England at the World Cup are attracting a number of suitors this summer with Everton and Newcastle also interested in the Liverpool target.

TEAMtalk add that Spence is ‘one of five players that the club plans to sell this summer to generate another £170m worth of signings’.

Spence’s brilliant display against Norway as England moved into the World Cup semi-finals earned him praise from former Three Lions and Manchester United defender Rio Ferdinand.

Ferdinand posted on X: ‘DJED SPENCE – respect. People need to put some respect on his name!’

It would be simplistic to reduce Spain’s stunning World Cup semi-final win over France to merely a Collective beating Individuals.

But it wasn’t not that, either. Clearly, Spain have an abundance of world-class talent of their own to call upon. And there are several other iterations of France you’d think of before these lads when coming up with teams who were conspicuously less than the sum of their argumentative, falling-out, dissent-in-the-ranks parts.

While ‘this, in a way, is the real final’ talk is always a bit silly, it did nevertheless feel like if France were going to falter, this was where it would happen.

Against Argentina or England, the game is likely to become a shoot-out between each team’s superstars. And France would always be likely to win that. As we’ll no doubt see in what a lot of people apparently want you to call the ‘bronze final’ on Saturday night, when our suspicion is that Kylian Mbappe will stat-pad the sh*t out of it in the one World Cup fixture he still has to tick off his own personal list.

Spain are completely different. Spain are comfortably the closest thing the World Cup has to offer in style and approach to a top-level club side. There’s a cohesion and thoughtfulness to Spain that is an enormously impressive thing to put together in the short amount of time international squads spend in each other’s company.

The spirit and mentality and togetherness you genuinely get in international football is more ephemeral. It’s a feeling, a vibe. It’s very good to have it, and you won’t get far without it. But even the very best international teams just don’t have the familiarity and precision of elite club teams.

That’s not even a criticism. It’s pretty much impossible to have that, unless you draw an absurd number of your players from one club.

It’s huge testament to the Spain players themselves for how they’ve knitted it all together, and obviously the coaching of Luis de la Fuente.

This really was an astonishingly comfortable evening for Spain, whose superiority is barely reflected even in a 2-0 win. The standout players all over the pitch were in white and red tonight.

Few players have pocketed Mbappe as impressively as Pau Cubarsi, whose partnership with Aymeric Laporte in this at times seemingly impermeable Spain defence has been key. Both Spain’s starting full-backs – especially Marc Cucurella but especially Pedro Porro – were sensational.

Perhaps the decisive battle was fought, as it so often is, in midfield. But really it was barely fought at all. Rodri and Fabian Ruiz simply dominated the middle third of the pitch, running through and passing around France with indecent ease, offering us all a timely reminder that the team that wins the midfield battle wins most football matches unless you partake of a bit of self-sabotage by throwing a geriatric egomaniac up front for no real good reason.

It was nevertheless hard to tell how much of Spain’s dominance in that crucial area of the field was down to the undoubted excellence of their pair and how much down to France’s midfield being a pure disaster. Sure, one enabled and created the other to some extent, but there’s no doubt France offered a significant helping hand.

A half-fit Aurelien Tchouameni clearly needed replacing by half-time. Alas, that could not happen because alongside him the need was greater still. Adrien Rabiot was by this point a pure liability. Booked early and lucky on two further occasions to avoid a second yellow, Didier Deschamps had no choice but to hook him.

He simply couldn’t possibly come out for the second half, so Tchouameni had to struggle on. Manu Kone, unlucky not to start, stepped into the breach but could not alter what was by this point the game’s inexorable flow.

And to top it all off you had Lucas Digne having an absolute torrid. The Villa left-back was scared witless by Lamine Yamal, whose maddening insistence on being almost permanently offside against an opponent he could have beaten even giving away a five-yard headstart prevented an unpleasant evening for France becoming a humiliating one.

It was Digne who conceded the first-half penalty that set Spain on their way to victory, caught unawares by the speed with which Yamal closed down a loose ball as Digne looked to hook it clear.

It was crafty stuff from Yamal who, as Gary Neville spotted on ITV, waited for Digne to have a scan around to see where he was before then charging in to surprise him like a child who has only partially understood the rules to What’s The Time, Mr Wolf?

Porro’s goal in the second half was the perfect way to settle the game and highlight the difference between the teams on the night. A slick, quick Spain team move left France players isolated, their defence fragmented as the Tottenham right-back burst through to clip the ball past Mike Maignan with a striker’s insouciance.

It has been quite the tournament so far for Tottenham full-backs. Porro also extends a proud record: 100 per cent of World Cup semi-final goals scored by Tottenham players have still been scored by right-backs. Djed Spence must start over Ezri Konsa tomorrow night, is what we’re saying here.

Tottenham have been told by former scout Bryan King that they’d be “stupid” to let Djed Spence leave for under £50million amid interest from a few clubs.

Spence has been a useful asset for England in their quest for World Cup glory. His ability to play on both sides has stood him in good stead, with the Tottenham man particularly effective off the bench as a left-back in the quarter-final against Norway.

He often played in the position at club level last season, but the signing of Andy Robertson has thrown his future up in the air, with Destiny Udogie already in the squad.

There’s speculation over Spence’s exit from Tottenham, and former club scout King feels it can’t happen unless they’re paid £50million.

King told Football Insider: “I think he’s done well every time he’s played for England. They’d be foolish to let him go for £25m, that is for sure.

“You wouldn’t let him go for £25m. You wouldn’t even start thinking about letting him go for under £50m. We’re talking about a young, current England international. It’s a situation where Tottenham would be stupid to let him go.”

Recent reports have suggested Spence will be available for £40million, but King doesn’t feel that’s enough, and some of the transfers made this summer suggest there’s a precedent for that.

READ: The last five times every Premier League club has broken their transfer record

Spence has no place at Tottenham

Our friends at TEAMtalk have reported that Spence has been informed he’s not part of new boss Roberto De Zerbi’s long-term plans, and therefore can leave the club.

Amid that stance, Inter Milan have opened talks with the representatives of the defender over his signing.

It’s not clear if there’s been any further progress, but they are the side who have put the wheels in motion for a transfer.

That puts them in a good spot to land Spence currently, and it’s believed the defender is open to a move to the Italian giants given Tottenham don’t want to keep him.

There are, though, other clubs in pursuit of the Englishman. Everton interest has been evident in recent weeks, while Newcastle and even Liverpool are said to be keeping an eye on developments for him.

The speed with which Inter can get things done might be relevant, then, as some of the other clubs in pursuit could firm up their interest in Spence.

Tottenham have had a Portugal star in their sights this summer, but he’s instead agreed to move to the Saudi Pro League in a big-money deal.

Having spent around £230million on adding some big-name defenders and midfielders this summer, Spurs are now looking to the attack. The likes of Savinho and Omar Marmoush have been in sight in the Premier League.

But further afield, players like Rafael Leao and Francisco Trincao are being watched.

The latter was expected to move to Al-Ahli, but when he returned from the World Cup with Portugal, cooled on that agreement so he could have a few days to think it over.

In that time, Tottenham became more interested in the winger, knowing that Sporting CP were willing to sell, while the player had left the door ajar to a move elsewhere.

But now, the chances of that deal going through have been wiped out.

Indeed, insider Fabrizio Romano reports a deal for Trincao to move to Al-Ahli is indeed in place.

He states they are paying $45million for the winger, with $5million in add-ons, which would take the entire package to £37.3million.

Paperwork is in the process of being exchanged, but Trincao is expected to move to Saudi no problem.

READ: Tottenham hit with huge transfer blow as deal for top forward target now ‘highly unlikely’

Trincao deal a big one for Al-Ahli

In terms of the transfer fee itself, Al-Ahli have only once paid above the figure they are parting with for Trincao.

Spurs have done so more than once this summer, and might have had no problem doing so again, as they look to ensure they’re not going to be in the same plight they have been for the last two seasons, finishing 17th in the Premier League.

But in terms of wages, those on offer in Saudi Arabia would likely be far above what Tottenham would look to pay Trincao.

At 26 years of age, the Portuguese winger could have a good few years making good money in the Saudi Pro League, but whether he’ll play for a big European club again will be questioned now.

The chance at playing in the Premier League might bypass him, as he’ll be spending his peak years in Saudi, and trying to adapt to the best league in the world beyond then could be a tough task.