Sport Witness

Barcelona are looking at Tottenham Hotspur’s Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero ahead of the summer.

The La Liga winners intend to improve their defence next season and Van de Ven is on their agenda.

Over the past few months, the Spanish media have covered claims of Barcelona interest in Tottenham’s 25-year-old central defender.

On March 25th, Sport Witness relayed news of the Catalan club making an approach for the Netherlands international. The same source said he’s a backup to their priority target, Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni.

Why Barcelona are focusing on Tottenham

Roberto De Zerbi’s side are now in the danger zone and have four matches left to avoid relegation from the Premier League.

Spurs are 18th in the table, two points behind 17th placed West Ham United and trailing 16th placed Nottingham Forest by five points.

With relegation looming, Sport report Barcelona are circling around Tottenham Hotspur.

Barca sporting director Deco made a trip to London and held talks with several agents to explore multiple options for the summer. The details of the players aren’t revealed yet.

Sport state Hansi Flick’s side have Pedro Porro, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero as attractive options at Spurs.

Central defender Jules Koundé is the main right-back at the Camp Nou. They haven’t had have a recognised right-back in recent years and are looking to sign one in the summer.

Porro could be an option if the north London club drop to the Championship. The 26-year-old Spain international’s experience at the highest level and age makes him an ideal candidate for Barca.

The fullback’s value is around €40m and this would be a considerable investment for the Spanish giants. Last month, Porro refused to discuss transfer links as he wants to focus only on avoiding relegation.

Barcelona sporting leaders also appreciate Van de Ven and Romero, but it’s unclear whether they’ll make moves to sign either of them.

Our take: Deals for Spurs trio not easy

If Tottenham Hotspur were to continue in the Premier League, Barcelona would find it difficult to sign all three players.

In the event of relegation, Spurs are unlikely to sell the trio cheaply. There would also be other clubs trying to sign the best options.

Tottenham Hotspur are among the clubs battling with Arsenal for Sporting’s Maxi Araújo in the summer.

Last month, Sport Witness exclusively revealed Tottenham had initiated contact to sign the 26-year-old.

At the weekend, Record in Portugal stated Arsenal started talks to sign the left wing back, valued at around €60m.

He can also operate as a left-back and a winger and contributed 10 goals and 12 assists from 80 matches.

This includes six goals and four assists from 42 matches this season, mainly operating as a left-back.

He even played the full 90 minutes in both legs against Arsenal in the Champions League quarter final. The Gunners made it to the last four with a 1-0 aggregate score, courtesy of Kai Havertz’s goal.

His league stats this season are as follows:

Appearances: 25

Starts: 21

Total minutes: 1,855

Minutes per game: 74

Interceptions per game: 1.0

Tackles per game: 1.7

Possession won (final third): 0.4

Ball recovered per game: 4.0

Dribbled past per game: 1.0

Clearances per game: 1.2

Blocked shots per game: 0.2

Duels won per game: 5.3

Tottenham’s interest in Arsenal target

Spurs appointed Roberto De Zerbi as their new manager on March 31st but that wouldn’t have impacted their interest in the rising star.

A source informed Sport Witness that Tottenham Hotspur continue to have Maxi Araújo on their agenda, after initiating contact.

The north London club are still tussling to sign the Uruguay international despite the latest claims from Portugal reporting of Arsenal starting talks.

Earlier today, we revealed eight Premier League sides are following the South American.

Tottenham, Newcastle United, Aston Villa, Chelsea, Manchester United and Manchester City. We aren’t aware about the Gunners’ approach or interest and about the other two English clubs.

Araújo’s release clause is at €80m and recent claims state the Lions want €60m. However, the same source informs Sport Witness that at least €45-50m is needed to secure his services in the summer window.

Our take: Tottenham need to stay in PL

Spurs are now 18th in the table, two points behind 17th placed West Ham United. Both sides have four matches left this season.

Tottenham Hotspur would need to avoid relegation from the Premier League to stand a chance to sign Maxi Araújo in the summer.

Even with the top flight stay, Spurs face competition from other English clubs to acquire his signature. With or without Tottenham, there’s likely to be a battle for the Sporting star.

Pervis Estupian’s struggles at AC Milan have continued to grow and the idea of a Tottenham transfer is very much on the table.

Sport Witness have previously covered the London club’s interest in the defender, who joined from Brighton last summer. There was excitement about the deal but instead, Davide Bartesaghi has become first-choice at left-back.

This was also evident during Milan’s 0-0 draw against Juventus. Much of the Italian media expected Estupinan to start but it was the youngster who got the nod.

The Ecuadorian came on at half-time but couldn’t really make an impact.

Roberto De Zerbi wants a reunion with Estupinan at Tottenham.

Hope fading for defender

MilanLive also expected the South American to start on Sunday against the Old Lady. They make that clear in a report from the weekend, surprised that Estupinan would be given the preference over Bartesaghi.

The outlet go on to say that despite having scored a big goal against Inter some weeks ago, Estupinan is likely to leave Milan in the summer.

Manager Max Allegri appears unconvinced and is happy to part ways. It is believed ‘De Zerbi is ready him’ to Tottenham, having seen the left-back thrive in a more attacking role at Brighton.

Milan are unlikely to oppose his exit and would only need a small capital gain to sell him. They paid Brighton a base fee of €17m last summer and Spurs could bring him to England for anything around that.

Our take: Tottenham may have a dilemma

The British press have already spoken of Spurs’ interest in Andy Robertson. The Scotsman could arrive as a free agent, especially if the London club stay in the Premier League.

Estupinan is younger and can possibly offer more than the Liverpool player. But he isn’t a free agent and can also attract more clubs in the summer.

That’s why Tottenham will have a dilemma on their hands at the end of the season.

De Zerbi has always been a demanding manager and it will be interesting to see if he pushes to sign his ex-player.

Nicolo Fagioli has been a shining light in a dark season for Fiorentina and Tottenham interest in the midfielder has now emerged.

The first few months of the season weren’t great for Fiorentina. They found themselves in the bottom three and struggled to get any momentum going.

That is when Fagioli played a big role in dragging them up the table, holding his own in deep midfield. In recent weeks, he has impressed further and he was the best player on the pitch at the weekend against Sassuolo.

Sport Witness have previously covered English interest in the former Juventus player, who was controversially excluded from the Italian national team last month.

That hasn’t stopped his reputation from growing further. Tottenham are hovering as a threat for the player, whose future is increasingly being spoken about.

Suitors presented warning

Corriere dello Sport note that Fagioli has been extraordinary for Paolo Vanoli’s side in the last three months. They make it clear that his talent was always clear to see even at Juve, who loaned him to Fiorentina in January 2025 before a permanent sale went through last summer.

This is paying off for La Viola, who are witnessing the Italian becoming one of the most-wanted midfielders in Serie A.

Tottenham are interested and so are Atletico Madrid and AC Milan. Max Allegri managed him in Turin and appears keen on a reunion.

But the report issues a ‘hands off’ warning to clubs. Fabio Paratici is a big fan of Fagioli and wants to launch an ambitious project from next season onwards.

That is why Fagioli will be the centre of the Fiorentina squad, which will undergo other changes in the summer.

Our take: Tottenham will have a chance

The report does well to hype Fiorentina’s ambitions. However, it feels like another attempt to simply portray Paratici’s ideas in a bright light, with the club needing very little to stay in Serie A.

Tottenham should, as a result, keep an eye on the 25-year-old. He is a complete midfielder who is capable of playing in a variety of roles. That is why Luciano Spalletti, during his time as Italy manager, called him up for the European Championships in 2024.

Tottenham Hotspur’s Luka Vušković has been on loan at Hamburg SV since last summer and has been a key player in Germany.

The Croatia international has been one of the standout centre-backs in the Bundesliga this season.

It has seen the Tottenham owned player attract interest from Barcelona, Bayern Munich and other clubs.

His Bundesliga stats this season are as follows:

Appearances: 25

Starts: 25

Total minutes: 2,250

Minutes per game: 90

The 19-year-old last made an appearance in the 1-1 draw against FC Augsburg on April 4th and has been on the sidelines since then due to an injury.

On April 15th, Hamburg manager Merlin Polzin said he’s undergoing intensive treatmenet.

Last Monday, Sport Witness covered claims from Croatia dismissing concern of a serious setback. A day later, Hamburg sporting director Claus Costa explained why the recovery is taking time.

He said: “A knee sprain or contusion causes internal bleeding. This makes it difficult to control the knee precisely and correctly. That’s something that takes time.”

Anxious wait for Tottenham man

Hamburg SV suffered defeats in their last three matches and Luka Vušković missed these fixtures due to the knee injury he suffered in training.

Bild now report the Spurs man hasn’t returned to training and instead, is a regular visitor to the treatment room.

The 19-year-old will undergo fresh tests on Monday, where he will carry out MRI scans, ultrasound examinations and performance tests. If these results are positive and the club’s doctors give the green light, he can then return to the pitch.

At the German club, there’s optimism the Tottenham Hotspur defender need few sessions to return to the pitch. The player, for his part, is ‘doing everything he can’ to feature again this season.

Hamburg are now 15th [18 teams in Bundesliga] and are six points above 16th placed VfL Wolfsburg, who are in the relegation zone.

The Bundesliga sides have three matches left and therefore, their leaders are anxiously waiting for Vušković’s test results on Monday.

Our take: Tottenham have a huge say

Earlier claims have made it clear that the Premier League side have to give their approval for Luka Vuškovi to return to the pitch.

Even if Hamburg’s medical staff give clearance to the Croatian, Roberto De Zerbi’s side will have the final say.

Tottenham Hotspur could decide not to give the green light, in order to avoid any further setbacks.

João Palhinha’s future is spiralling into uncertainty, with Tottenham Hotspur at the centre of the issue.

Sport 1 report on the Tottenham midfielder today and how he faces a difficult summer, given Bayern Munich don’t want him back.

Tottenham want a lower price

The German outlet reports that Tottenham are happy with João Palhinha this season and can imagine triggering an option to buy him this summer.

But they’ll only do so if Bayern agree to renegotiate the fee. The original clause sits at €25m guaranteed, potentially rising to €30m with add-ons. That’s a fee which Spurs consider too high.

Bayern, meanwhile, would love Tottenham to take him permanently. A deal for the Portuguese midfielder would allow them to limit the financial losses on a player they signed for €48m in 2024.

Bayern don’t want him back

Inside Bayern Munich, João Palhinha now longer fits the clubs long-term strategy. Bayern are shifting towards younger profiles, and Vincent Kompany has no space for the 30-year-old.

The German champions are openly hoping that Tottenham activate the clause. At the very least they hope that Spurs try and negotiate a permanent deal for the midfielder.

Sporting director Christoph Freund has already been blunt about this in public comments this week. He admitted that discussions about Palhinha’s future are on hold until the season ends. They need to see if Tottenham are a Premier League side at the end of the season.

Tottenham relegation battle complicates everything

Tottenham’s survival battle is the biggest obstacle to a deal. With the club winless in months and staring at the Championship, committing €25-30m to a 30-year-old midfielder is a luxury they may not be able to justify.

If they go down to the Championship, a deal will almost certainly be off the table. Even if they stay up, the fee still feels steep for a player who hasn’t transformed their midfield as they had hoped.

What happens next?

Everything ultimately depends on Tottenham’s league status. If they stay up, they will likely push Bayern to lower the fee. A deal is possible on that front.

If they go down, the purchase option becomes almost impossible. Even a negotiated fee seems unlikely with a major overhaul required.

If no agreement is reached either way, João Palhinha returns to Bayern, where he has no place or pathway into Kompany’s plans. It leaves the midfielder stuck in limbo, his fate very much in other’s hands.

Aston Villa and Tottenham have been linked with a move for Sassuolo’s Tarik Muharemovic in recent weeks. There are increasing signs that the Italian club would prefer a sale to England.

Sport Witness have covered interest from the two clubs, with Inter Milan and Juventus also in the race.

This follows Muharemovic’s impressive rise in Serie A this season. He has been one of the best defenders in the league, having also put in a commendable performance in a win over Como some days ago.

The Bosnian has been key to Sassuolo’s rise up the table, with the Neroverdi currently tenth in Serie A.

Now, it seems likely that they would rather sell Muharemovic to Aston Villa or Tottenham instead of an Italian side.

Inter pushing for signature

Gazzetta dello Sport bring some important details regarding the defender, revealing Inter’s push for him.

The Nerazzurri have reached a draft agreement over personal terms for the 23-year-old. They have spoken to Muharemovic’s entourage multiple times and are ready to offer him a five-year deal.

Despite this progress, the race for the centre-back isn’t over. Juventus do have a sell-on clause of 50% in the player’s contract, but Sassuolo are making things difficult for the Serie A sides. The newspaper believe ‘they’re clearly waiting’ for the highest bidder and possibly looking at Aston Villa and Tottenham with hope.

This is in line with CEO Giovanni Carnevali’s comments about Muharemovic some weeks ago.

He said: “If a Premier League club were to arrive, his valuation would change.”

Now, the Emilia-Romagna club’s actions are mirroring Carnevali’s words. They will gladly sell Muharemovic as they are very proud of their reputation to sell on their best players. But they are in no hurry and are placing themselves for offers from England.

Our take: Aston Villa and Tottenham should move for Muharemovic

Already this season, the ex-Bianconeri talent has shown a very reliable ability on the ball. As the campaign has gone on, the left-footer has also proved impactful off the ball, appearing to use his tall frame very well.

Profile wise, he is well suited to English football. That will help Aston Villa and Tottenham but so will Sassuolo. They have always appeared keen on creating an auction from their players, making the most out of their sales. This was very evident when Gianluca Scamacca was sold to West Ham.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side could particularly need a left centre-back, if Micky Van De Ven leaves. Muharemovic fits the bill and won’t cost more than €40m.

Sebastien Kehl is open to taking up a role at Tottenham Hotspur from next season, as he weighs up his next move.

BILD report on the former Borussia Dortmund director today. The 46-year-old appears to be opening up to the idea of moving to Tottenham this summer.

Kehl in high demand

The newspaper reports that Sebastien Kehl is in ‘high demand’ after leaving Borussia Dortmund last month. In fact, he is already being eyed by Tottenham Hotspur.

Reports have made it clear that Kehl is high on the list of top candidates currently being considered by Tottenham to replace Fabio Paratici. The Italian left to join Fiorentina in January.

Kehl was, according to a report this week, weighing up his options as he considers his future. BILD say this is likely happening while he enjoys a short vacation in Scandinavia to ‘clear his head’.

But the belief is that the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder is ‘open’ to taking up a sporting director position at a ‘renowned’ club like Tottenham. He would want to do this at the start of the new season at the latest. That, at least, is positive news for Tottenham.

Dortmund severance package

The bad news is that a severance package would have to be worked out with Borussia Dortmund first.

Sebastien Kehl’s contract with them runs until 2027. That includes a transfer fee for him worth around €2.5m. So negotiations will have to be held over that.

But a quick return to work would play into Borussia’s hands, as it would help them to reduce the severance payment to their former director. In other words, they’ll be happy to talk to Tottenham and work something out.

That would suggest there’s a deal there to be done. And with Kehl seemingly opening up to the idea, now may be the time for Tottenham to make their move. Or, at least once he’s done with his trip to Scandinavia.

Departing Feyenoord director of football Dennis te Kloese has an offer from the Premier League, after turning down Tottenham Hotspur last summer.

Voetbal Primeur cover the Feyenoord director today. Te Kloese is set to leave the Dutch side at the end of the season.

Summer availability

Dennis te Kloese is leaving Feyenoord in the summer after he and the club announced he was stepping down after four and a half years.

Reports quickly emerged that he could be on his way to Mexico, to take charge of Monterrey. However, according to Voetbal International, via Voetbal Primeur, there is a chance Te Kloese will remain in Europe.

‘There is also very serious interest from the Premier League,’ the magazine reports, adding that ‘Te Kloese is open to the idea, but perhaps, as he told insiders, he will do nothing for a while’.

Voetbal Primeur does not name the interested Premier League club or clubs. But in a separate report from the website, Chris Woerts throws Tottenham into the mix.

According to him, Te Kloese rejected the offer to join Spurs last summer.

“He is highly regarded in Europe,” he said.

“He receives offers from England, Spain, and Italy. Last year he turned down Tottenham Hotspur… he will find work.”

Tottenham summer search

That information matters because reports have already established that Tottenham are searching for a new director of football.

They are looking for someone to replace Fabio Paratici, who left for Fiorentina in January. The current leading candidate is Sebastien Kehl, who is also a free agent.

But German reports say he is considering his future carefully. In particular, he’s waiting to see if Tottenham drop out of the Premier League before potentially taking charge.

The idea at Spurs, it seems, is to pair a new DoF with Johan Lange to completely rebuild the team and club from the ground up.

With Te Kloese set to be a free agent, and a target last summer, perhaps he’s now a name to be reconsidered.

Leon Goretzka will leave Bayern Munich in the summer and Tottenham Hotspur are in the chase for the midfielder.

Last month, Sport Witness looked at Arsenal’s interest in the Germany international. The Gunners were seen as a real threat to Inter Milan and AC Milan, who were struggling from a financial viewpoint.

Moreover, it appeared as if the German would prefer a move to England, with Mikel Arteta’s side described as a leading candidate.

Now, Tottenham are being pushed more strongly, but their offer may fall short.

AC Milan pushing forward

Calciomercato’s Daniele Longo reports that the Rossoneri have a significant advantage over other competitors. They have been pushing for weeks, with Max Allegri very keen on the Bayern star.

It is believed Tottenham, along with Napoli and Atletico Madrid are also interested. All of those have offered Goretzka a two-year deal, which isn’t line with the player’s demands.

Milan have spoken to the 31-year-old’s entourage many times. They have offered a three-year deal, which is more suitable to the midfielder. He would get a wage of €5m plus bonuses of €2m.

All hope might not be lost for Tottenham, though. This is mainly because Milan are struggling to pay a signing bonus of €10m.

Our take: Tottenham should look elsewhere

As of now, Spurs have too many midfielders who aren’t proficient on the ball in deeper areas. They recently signed Connor Gallagher, and he has always been better in the final third.

Goretzka himself is very similar to that, with his best always coming close to goal. He will add value in that sense but Tottenham need more midfielders who can dictate play.

Besides, the German is commanding quite a lot of money. Spurs would be better off signing a younger, more technical profile who suits Roberto De Zerbi’s system.