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Club chiefs are expecting Tottenham to make a bid for their £34 million player after opening transfer talks, with Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou seemingly on the hunt for another fresh addition before deadline day.

Postecoglou refuses to rule out another Spurs signing after Solanke

After getting his top target and desired striker through the door in Dominic Solanke, Postecoglou has publicly refused to rule out the possibility of another signing before the cut-off.

Solanke, who will cost Spurs £65 million in total, scored 21 goals in all competitions last season, and it is believed Postecoglou had the Englishman at the top of his list in terms of potential new forward men (David Ornstein).

This is backed by the 58-year-old himself, who recently admitted to the media that he was "very keen" to bring the striker to Spurs.

“He was obviously one I was very keen to get in," said Postecoglou on signing Solanke.

"It took a while to get it over the line but I think he will be a great fit for us in terms of the player he is and the point of his career where he is at. I think he will be a good fit. As I said, we are a bit light in that front third in terms of adding quality not just to the squad but also to our team. He certainly does that. Pleased to get him on board and we have a week and a bit to work with him.”

The deal for Solanke means Postecoglou has finally replaced club record goalscorer and ex-superstar Harry Kane, 12 months after his multi-million pound move to Bayern Munich.

Following their move for the 26-year-old, and Postecoglou hinting there will be "activity" at Spurs towards the end of this transfer window, a position that the Lilywhites could look to reinforce is at full-back.

Emerson Royal finally completed his move to AC Milan from Spurs earlier this week, putting an end to his three-year spell in north London. The Brazilian's departure means Tottenham are one short of an alternative to Pedro Porro, and even Destiny Udogie, as Emerson played left-back on occasion last term.

Monaco expecting Tottenham bid for Vanderson after talks opened

Therefore, Spurs chairman Daniel Levy, technical director Johan Lange and the wider recruitment team could be exploring the market for new options.

Tottenham have displayed a rumoured interest in re-signing Kyle Walker-Peters as one option, but Monaco right-back and Brazilian sensation Vanderson is another target.

According to UOL journalist Bruno Andrade, sharing news on X, Monaco are expecting a £34 million bid from Tottenham for Vanderson as Spurs open talks - coming after Emerson departed the club for Milan.

The former Gremio starlet played 20 Ligue 1 games for Monaco last season, scoring three goals and assisting one other, while averaging an impressive match rating per 90 of 7.01 according to WhoScored.

The 23-year-old amassed similar numbers the season prior, so after two proven campaigns at the very top level in France, perhaps he's ready for a leap to the Premier League.

“Vanderson has been less consistent recently, but he is still a young player," said Rangers boss Philippe Clement in 2022.

"He had an exceptional adaptation here [last season]. We have already spoken about that. He is also a player who is and continues to interest lots of big clubs. That can possibly do something to the mindset, not that he didn’t have his feet on the ground, but Vanderson is very ambitious and a huge perfectionist.

“Every day he wants to be better than the last. That can give him a lot of pressure, lots of stress with all of the ambition that he has. We need to manage that more for him. If I left him to it, he would train for 18 hours a day. He is like that. Sometimes we need physical and mental breaks and he is a young player that needs to manage that. He will do it, because he has such a positive frame of mind.”

Reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared what he's heard about an "impressive" Tottenham talent who has the potential to be "huge".

Spurs prepare for opening Premier League game against Leicester City

All eyes will be on Spurs and manager Ange Postecoglou next Monday, as the Lilywhites prepare for their opening game of the new Premier League season against newly-promoted Leicester City.

Tottenham narrowly missed out on fourth and a place in this season's new Champions League format last campaign, instead having to settle for fifth after a hotly-contested race with Aston Villa and ex-Arsenal boss Unai Emery.

However, there were promising signs during Postecoglou's debut season, and you can make a case that they would've finished higher if it wasn't for a few key injury problems - with the likes of Micky van de Ven, Cristian Romero, Destiny Udogie and others sidelined for extended periods.

Postecoglou even made the best start by a new manager in Premier League history last term, winning eight out of his opening 10 league games, before eventually succumbing to defeat against Chelsea in November.

This time round, Spurs will be boosted by the arrival of English sensation Archie Gray from Leeds United, who sealed a £40 million switch to north London earlier this summer. Meanwhile, Tottenham have finally signed a replacement for Harry Kane, having completed a £65 million deal for striker Dominic Solanke from Bournemouth.

Postecoglou could yet see Spurs make further signings after Solanke, which would be ideal, as the club have also let a host of players leave. With Tottenham competing in the Europa League, a more congested fixture calendar comes with it, so Postecoglou requires strength in depth to compete on all fronts.

This new campaign may see some of Tottenham's most promising crop of academy graduates get more of a look-in as well. Jamie Donley, Alfie Dorrington and Ashley Phillips all appear ones to watch over the coming year, with another very highly-rated young forward in Mikey Moore also looking to make an impression.

"Impressive" Mikey Moore has the potential to be "huge"

Moore, who scored 16 goals and notched a further nine assists in all competitions for Tottenham's Under-18s over 23/24, was handed his senior debut by Postecoglou last season - making two Premier League appearances for the first team.

The 17-year-old can play out wide and as a traditional centre-forward. This week, Spurs tied Moore down with a first professional contract to showcase just how highly they rate him.

Following this news, Romano took to X with what he's heard about the teenager, claiming Moore is "impressive" and has the potential to be "huge" at Tottenham.

The Englishman could well be one to keep an eye on this season, as it appears that he is sticking around rather than going out on loan, unless somebody makes a last-minute approach.

“He will be 17 at the beginning of next season, Lewis Miley was starting for Newcastle in the UEFA Champions League at that age,” said pundit John Wenham to Tottenham News.

“We’ve seen other big clubs give chances to their young stars, why can’t Tottenham do that?

“From speaking to him personally on multiple occasions, the thing I noticed is his incredible mentality. Forget his ability, he has already got the mentality to be a first-team player.”

There are a few days to go until the Premier League returns, and at the moment, Tottenham Hotspur appear fairly well-equipped to hit the ground running.

Ange Postecoglou's side looked good in preseason, and Dominic Solanke's recent £65m addition could be a real game-changer for the North Londoners.

However, there's always room to improve, and based on reports from earlier this month, the Lilywhites could complete a move reminiscent of the one that brought Gareth Bale back to the club in 2020.

This deal would also be the perfect way to secure an upgrade on German international Timo Werner.

Spurs' potential Bale-esque transfer

The player in question is Wilfried Zaha, who was touted for a move to Spurs, among several other clubs, earlier this month in a report from journalist Graeme Bailey.

Now, before the pitchforks come out, we are not claiming that the former Crystal Palace ace is anywhere near the level Bale was, nor are we saying that the pair play in very similar ways, but should this move happen, there are a few similarities to the move in 2020.

The first is very simple: the return of a former Premier League player to the league following a stint with a huge club abroad, Real Madrid in the Welshman's case and Galatasaray in the Ivorians.

Moreover, when the former Saints gem returned to North London, he was on the fringes of things at the Bernabeu and not necessarily enjoying his football, and while the £120k-per-week Abidjan-born star was reasonably productive in Turkey last season, it's been widely reported that he wants a return to English football.

The next similarity is the fact that both players would be 31 at the time of their respective moves and seen more as a luxury addition to the club's attacking contingent, someone who can start games here and there or come off the bench and make something happen before inevitably being moved on.

Lastly, the final similarity depends on the business side of this potential move, as the dream scenario for Levy and Co would surely be to do what they did in 2020 and bring the former Premier League star in on a one-year loan deal, thus avoiding a hefty transfer fee and any longer-term commitment to a player who's on the wrong side of 30 - although whether Galatasaray would agree to a loan remains to be seen.

However, aside from the parallels to the move that brought Bale back to N17 four years ago, there is another reason Zaha would be a great addition to Postecoglou's squad this season: He could replace Werner.

How Zaha compares to Werner

Yes, being a natural left winger, Zaha could be the dream backup option to Son Heung-min at Spurs and, in the process, take Werner's place in the squad entirely, as while he had his moments last season, he wasn't all that impressive.

If we compare the pair's raw output from last season, it's the "unplayable" Ivorian, as former professional James Collins dubbed him, who comes out on top.

For example, in his 42 appearances for the Turkish giants, he scored ten goals and provided five assists, meaning that even though he wasn't having the best of seasons, he still averaged a goal involvement every 2.8 games, which is impressive regardless of the league.

In contrast, the former Chelsea ace scored four goals and provided four assists in his 28 appearances for Spurs and RB Leipzig last season, which equates to an average of a goal involvement every 3.5 games.

Moreover, for those who do not believe the former Palace ace's numbers in Turkey are comparable to those in Germany and England, you only need to look back one season further to his final campaign at Selhurst Park, when he scored seven goals and provided three assists in 28 appearances, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 2.8 games.

It's been a busy summer for Tottenham Hotspur so far this year, both on and off the pitch.

The North Londoners have already secured the services of Archie Gray, Yang Min-Hyeok, and, most importantly, Dominic Solanke.

However, they've also been working on selling players, with Emerson Royal completing his move to AC Milan on Monday for an undisclosed fee.

This exit means the club is short at right-back, although interestingly, recent reports have linked them to a star who's earned comparisons to Pedro Porro.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

Daniel Levy and Co may have only just completed the impressive £65m capture of Solanke over the weekend, but a recent report from journalist Bruno Andrade has revealed that the club are now interested in signing AS Monaco's Vanderson.

In fact, Andrade has actually revealed that the Lilywhites have already "opened talks with Monaco" and that the French side are "expecting an offer in the region of 40 million euros."

That fee converts to around £34m, and while that's a lot of money, the sale of Emerson means that a new option at right-back is probably needed this summer.

Moreover, Vanderson has impressed for Les Monégasques and the fact he's been compared to Porro should encourage fans that this is a deal worth pursuing.

Vanderson's comparison to Porro

So, Vanderson and Porro share one fundamental similarity: they are both very attacking full-backs.

For example, when talking about the Monaco ace, respected data analyst Ben Mattinson described him as "very good going forward", while U23 scout Antonio Mango claimed he is blessed with "obscene pace and acceleration."

Likewise, Mango described the Spaniard as an "aggressive" full-back with "a wonderful low centre of gravity" who is "extremely dangerous" in attack, which is hard to deny when you watch him play.

However, while the praise and analysis help us understand how they operate, you can also see their forward-thinking tendencies in their raw output.

For example, in 37 appearances for the Lilywhites last season, the former Sporting CP gem scored four goals and provided seven assists, equating to a seriously impressive average of a goal involvement every 3.36 games.

Likewise, while he could only make 23 appearances for Monaco last season partly due to injury, the Brazilian defender still scored three goals and provided four assists, meaning that he maintained an average of a goal involvement every 5.75 games, which is still impressive for a player in his position.

Finally, if people are still unsure of how similar the two right-backs are, they only need to look at Football Transfers, which has ranked Porro as the fifth most comparable player to Vanderson across football.

Ultimately, while he could cost the club a pretty penny, bringing the Monaco man in to replace Emerson this summer and fight for a place in the team seems like the perfect way to maximise Postecoglou's attacking philosophy in every aspect of the team.

Therefore, Levy and Co should do what they can to get this deal done, and who knows, another attack-minded full-back in the team could even help Solanke hit the ground running.

The Premier League has seen numerous exhilarating fixtures since its inception in 1992.

More often than not, a game starts with 22 players on the pitch and finishes with the same number. However, we have recently seen games finishing with a significant reduction in numbers - particularly since the introduction of VAR.

But what top-flight games have received the most cards in the Premier League's history? We have delved into the stats to find out the league's ugliest fixtures.

For this list, we consider players to have been booked twice as receiving three cards (2 yellows, 1 red).

An all-London classic saw two sides quite literally come to blows back in October 1999, a time when Harry Redknapp was joined by Frank Lampard Sr in the West Ham dugout.

Four of the yellow cards were awarded to Arsenal midfielder Patrick Vieira and the Hammers' Marc-Vivien Foe alone, with a total of 11 yellows brandished at Upton Park, where the Gunners failed to overcome a Paolo Di Canio brace - while outnumbering the Hammers' cautions by 7 to 6.

Davor Suker’s 77th-minute strike offered the Gunners a glimmer of hope, but it wasn’t enough for Arsene Wenger’s side in a season when they would go on to finish second, 18 points behind Manchester United.

Just five weeks after their action-packed defeat to West Ham, Arsenal were involved in another feisty affair against their even-bigger rivals, Tottenham Hotspur.

It was Spurs’ last league victory at White Hart Lane against the Gunners for 11 years, until April 2010.

The visitors picked up most of the cards, with Freddie Ljungberg seeing a straight red after taking issue with a challenge from Justin Edinburgh (he later aimed a V sign at referee David Elleray) and Martin Keown taking a walk after a second yellow in added time.

Steffen Iversen and Tim Sherwood scored two early goals for Spurs and Arsenal could only offer one of their own through Vieira.

Arsenal fans, rest assured - it wasn’t anyone's intention to feature three successive 2-1 defeats on this list of Premier League games with the most cards!

We’re talking about the Gunners again, but this time it was Leeds United who were the more aggressive of the two: Lee Bowyer and Danny Mills both saw red after picking up their second yellow cards in the final 15 minutes of play.

Leeds picked up 7 of the 11 yellows that day, and bizarrely ended the game not only as the victors, but with over half their team coming through unscathed.

Ian Harte put David O’Leary’s side ahead after 29 minutes with a cheeky quick free kick, but Arsenal equalised through Sylvain Wiltord three minutes later.

Then, in what was Arsenal’s first home game of the 2001/02 season, Mark Viduka’s 53rd-minute strike sent the away fans into bedlam and secured all three points for Leeds.

Everton’s 2-2 draw with Newcastle United at Goodison Park in September 2003 saw four second-half goals, three successfully converted penalties, a straight red and 11 yellow cards.

Newcastle had yet to register a Premier League win for the season, but took the lead after Gary Naysmith’s straight red card allowed Alan Shearer to net from 12 yards in the 58th minute.

However, the Magpies were already down to 10 men, as Laurent Robert had been shown a second yellow in the first half, and it took Everton just eight minutes to equalise through Tomasz Radzinski.

Shearer scored another penalty, but Duncan Ferguson’s spot kick salvaged a point for the hosts with three minutes to play.

Liverpool’s 3-1 victory over Everton in March 2006 is not the only Merseyside derby to appear on this list. This was a particularly memorable one that featured a red card after only 18 minutes of play.

Steven Gerrard was the recipient of two quickfire yellows for kicking the ball away and a bad tackle on Kevin Kilbane from referee Phil Dowd at Anfield.

Six of Everton’s starting XI were also booked, while substitute Andy van der Meyde received a straight red card in the 73rd minute for an elbow just five minutes after coming on the pitch.

Luis Garcia doubled the Reds’ lead after a Phil Neville own goal. Tim Cahill pulled one back for the visitors, but Harry Kewell secured all three points for Liverpool with six minutes remaining.

It was a Midlands derby with a difference. Not only was it played in front of no fans, but Wolves’ 1-0 defeat to Aston Villa at Molineux also witnessed one of the highest card counts in Premier League history.

There was little action in the opening stages of the fixture until the final 10 minutes, which saw five yellow cards and a red. There would follow an additional red card and a penalty four minutes into added time.

Mike Dean awarded Villa a penalty in the 94th minute after Nelson Semedo brought John McGinn down in the box, and Anwar El Ghazi converted.

A minute later, Joao Moutinho received his second yellow and joined Douglas Luiz, who had done the same late on, in having an early shower to leave both sides with 10 men and little time remaining on the clock.

Spurs' 2-1 victory over Liverpool last season was one of the most controversial and dramatic games in recent years; it was memorable for numerous reasons. It quite literally had everything.

A straight red, three goals - including a 96th-minute own goal - 12 yellow cards and a goal that was incorrectly disallowed.

The referees' body, PGMOL, officially apologised after the game for incorrectly ruling Luis Diaz’s first-half strike as offside.

Aside from the three goals and Joel Matip’s own goal, which gifted Spurs the victory, this Premier League thriller was also packed with cards.

Curtis Jones was handed a straight red, while Diogo Jota joined him in the dressing room after picking up two yellows inside the space of a minute in the second half.

A five-goal Boxing Day thriller between Southampton and Wimbledon in the 1994/95 season was packed with plenty of festive cards.

Only two points separated the two sides going into the fixture, with both teams in mid-table. Despite this, the visiting Dons were just three points above the drop, with four clubs going down that season.

However, with the teams all square at the break, it was Wimbledon who stole all three points through a Dean Holdsworth penalty in the 72nd minute.

Onto a fixture where you would expect to see an abundance of cards on display. It was one of the most memorable Merseyside derbies of all time in April 2001 when Gary McAllister’s incredible free-kick saw Liverpool win at Goodison Park for the first time since 1990.

Emile Heskey opened the scoring for the visitors, bagging his 21st goal of the season after just five minutes. Duncan Ferguson and Markus Babbel then exchanged goals before Robbie Fowler smacked the post with a penalty.

Everton thought they had secured a point when David Unsworth’s penalty made it 2-2, but McAllister’s stunner in the fourth minute of stoppage time snatched a win for the Reds.

To add to the drama, Igor Biscan saw red after 77 minutes with his second yellow of the game, and 10 other yellow cards were handed out from the 9th minute, right up until the 94th.

Everton received a total of nine yellow cards on their visit to St James’ Park in February 1995. Two of those led to a red for Earl Barrett, who was making his debut after a move from Aston Villa, and Barry Horne, who made the walk to the dressing room just a minute later.

Newcastle scored their goals through Ruel Fox and a Peter Beardsley penalty. The Toon would go on to finish sixth that year and Everton ended 15th, albeit with an FA Cup triumph to cap the season.

Goalless draws are usually dubbed as boring, but when you’ve got 13 yellow cards and a red in 90 minutes, it’s hard to class a match as dull.

Chelsea visited Leeds in October 1998 after a near-perfect start to the season had them fourth, level with Middlesbrough and behind Man Utd and Aston Villa. Leeds, on the other hand, couldn’t stop drawing, with six in their opening nine games.

It was one of those games that had everything except a goal, proving a microcosm of Leeds’ form in the opening stages of the 1998/99 season.

Frank Leboeuf was sent off in the 61st minute after receiving his second yellow card. Six other Chelsea players were booked and Leeds had five of their own, including Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, who would sign for Chelsea two seasons later.

Spurs and drama in the 2023/24 season seemed to go hand in hand.

Their 2-1 victory over Sheffield United on 16th September had the most cards of any Premier League game in its history.

Not only that, but from the 90th minute onwards, there were four yellow cards and two goals right up until the 10th minute of added time.

After Gustavo Hamer put the Blades ahead in the 73rd minute, stoppage-time goals from Richarlison and Dejan Kulusevski gave Spurs a dramatic win in a game where they had trailed to the Blades in as late as the 98th minute.

Oliver McBurnie got a red card in the 114th minute of play for a second bookable offence, adding insult to injury for Paul Heckingbottom's men.

It's been a good summer for Tottenham Hotspur so far this year.

Ange Postecoglou's side have won the majority of their preseason friendlies, put up a good fight in the losses against Bayern Munich and been proactive in the transfer market.

The signings of Archie Gray and Yang Min-Hyeok are exciting windows into the future of the team, while the £65m capture of Dominic Solanke is a signal of intent for the here and now.

However, some players, including Dejan Kulusevski, underperformed last season and could potentially be upgraded.

Interestingly, the club have already been linked with someone who could be the ideal replacement for the Swede and a great teammate for Solanke.

How Solanke could transform Spurs

So then, the biggest transfer in the last week or so and easily the biggest deal for Tottenham overall this summer is undoubtedly Solanke.

The Englishman's £65m move from Bournemouth indicates that the North Londoners are intent on taking another step forward this season and maximising Postecoglou's ultra-aggressive style.

The club signed the former Liverpool ace primarily because of his goalscoring ability, and to say he's in a league of his own among his new teammates in this regard would be an understatement.

For example, last season, he scored 21 goals in 42 appearances while also chipping in with four assists for good measure.

The only player to score more than 15 goals in the Spurs squad was Son Heung-min, while the club's only recognised striker, Richarrlison, found the back of the net just 12 times.

For his efforts, Kulusevski scored eight goals last season, but he only recorded three assists in 39 appearances, equating to a goal involvement every 3.55 games. This suggests that there is room to upgrade on the former Juventus ace, and a player the club were linked with earlier this year could be the ideal replacement.

How Kubo compares to Kulusevski

Yes, the winger in question is Japanese international and former Real Madrid player Takefusa Kubo.

The 23-year-old was touted for a move to N17 in late June when it was reported that the North Londoners were 'very interested' in signing him ahead of fellow Premier League sides Liverpool and Manchester United.

It was reported that to get the deal over the line, Daniel Levy and Co would have to sanction a £51m bid to activate his release clause, and while they didn't, they should have.

The 35-capped international primarily plays off the right and would be a great option to either challenge or outright replace Kulusevski this season, and while his raw output of seven goals and five assists in 41 matches results in a marginally better average of one goal involvement every 3.41 games, his underlying numbers are much better.

For example, in practically every relevant metric, the "insane" Sociedad star, as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, comes out way ahead, including but not limited to non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive carries, shots and shots on target, key passes, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-ons and even aerial duels won, all per 90.

Shot-creating actions are pieces of play that lead to a shot. These include moments such as a pass, take-on or foul being drawn.

In his defence, the Stockholm-born ace does better in some metrics, such as progressive passes and passing accuracy, but that is about it.

Ultimately, if Postecoglou and Co want to give Solanke the best chance of success in North London, then bringing in a new right-winger who plays more key passes and produces more shot and goal-creating actions would be a great start, and in Kubo, they'd have exactly that.

Therefore, even though it would impact Kulusevski's game time, Levy should return to the Basque side and stump up the cash required to activate the Japanese star's release clause this summer.

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick has given the green-light for his side to make a potential move for one £120,000-per-week Tottenham ace this summer.

Tottenham seal Solanke signing with Emerson leaving

It's been a busy few days at Spurs with manager Ange Postecoglou getting his top striker target through the door, while simultaneously waving goodbye to a regular of last season.

Tottenham sealed a £65 million deal for Bournemouth striker Dominic Solanke, which the club announced on Saturday. The Englishman, who scored 21 goals in all competitions last season, comes in to bolster Postecoglou's forward options and replace former star Harry Kane.

"It's a magnificent club, a huge club with ambitions that match mine, so I'm delighted to start and meet all the boys and get started," Solanke told Spurs TV (via BBC).

"What excites me most about the club is how ambitious it is. A great manager, great players and I feel like [Spurs] will definitely suit my style of play as well so I can't wait to get started and do my stuff on the pitch."

Meanwhile, Postecoglou admitted that Solanke is a player he was very keen to get through the door at N17, tipping the 26-year-old to be a great fit in his Spurs side.

“He was obviously one I was very keen to get in," said Postecoglou on signing Solanke.

"It took a while to get it over the line but I think he will be a great fit for us in terms of the player he is and the point of his career where he is at. I think he will be a good fit. As I said, we are a bit light in that front third in terms of adding quality not just to the squad but also to our team. He certainly does that. Pleased to get him on board and we have a week and a bit to work with him.”

Amid their completed deal for Solanke, Spurs managed to trim their squad of one more player, as defender Emerson Royal finally seals his move to AC Milan from Tottenham after what felt like months of talks.

Hansi Flick green-lights Barcelona move for Sergio Reguilon

After the Brazilian, it appears another Tottenham full-back is attracting interest from an elite European club, with Sergio Reguilon on Barcelona's radar.

The £120,000-per-week ace is seemingly surplus to requirements and has been linked with a move away all summer. Reguilon spent last campaign on two half-season loan spells at Man United and Brentford respectively, with his contract also expiring next year.

Spanish news outlet Sport now have an update on his future, claiming Barcelona boss Flick has approved a swoop for Reguilon, as the Catalans turn their attention to the 27-year-old with talks to sign Joao Cancelo from Man City going nowhere.

While he has had a mixed time in the Premier League, Reguilon was voted La Liga's 2019/2020 best left-back while on loan at Sevilla, so he has proven experience in the Spanish top flight.

This may well be in Barca's thinking amid their search for a new left-back, so this transfer could be one to watch.

All things considered, Tottenham Hotspur enjoyed a relatively successful campaign last season.

In his first year with the club, Ange Postecoglou helped to steady the ship and lead them back into European football, although they did slip out of the Champions League places in the final few game weeks.

This season, the Australian has to take the team back into the top four, but to do that, he'll need Daniel Levy and Co to do their jobs and bring in the right reinforcements this summer.

Fortunately, even after splashing £65m on Dominic Solanke, that appears to be happening, as the latest star touted for a move to N17 would be an incredible addition to the midfield and a perfect upgrade to Yves Bissouma.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Italy, Tottenham are now interested in signing Juventus midfielder Manuel Locatelli.

In fact, the report claims that the North Londoners are now 'ready to offer 24 million plus bonuses to convince Juve to sell the player', which converts to around £21m.

The good news for the Lilywhites is that the report also reveals that the Old Lady would be willing to let the player leave for 'a good offer,' and the one Levy and Co are said to be preparing would fit that criteria.

It's not an insignificant amount of money, but given how well Locatelli can play, it could prove value for money in the long run, and he'd be a great Bissouma upgrade.

How Locatelli compares to Bissouma

So, the first thing to clear up is that while Locatelli is more than capable of playing as the team's eight - making 76 appearances in central midfield - he has spent the vast majority of his career playing as a defensive midfielder, making 228 appearances in the position across his time with Juventus, Sassuolo and AC Milan.

This would mean one of his likely competitors at Tottenham would be Bissouma, so how do the pair stack up to one another over the last couple of campaigns?

Well, when it comes to their raw output, there is not much of a comparison at all, as in his 89 appearances for the Old Lady since the start of 22/23, the Italian ace has scored one goal and provided eight assists, meaning he has averaged a goal involvement every 9.88 games.

In comparison, the Spurs star has failed to score a single goal or provide even one assist in his 56 games in the same period, which is a poor return even for a six.

Okay, so while the former Sassuolo star clearly offers far more of a goal threat than the Malian international, does he also come out miles ahead when we compare their underlying numbers?

The good news for the former Brighton & Hove Albion ace is that it isn't entirely as one-sided here, but the bad news is that he is still second best to the Lecco-born "dominator", as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

For example, the Euro 2020 winner comes out on top in the majority of relevant metrics, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes received, shots on target, key passes, passes and crosses into the penalty area and shot and goals-creating actions, all per 90.

It's not just going forward where the 26-year-old thrives either, as he comes out on top in several defensive metrics such as blocks, clearances, and aerial duels won, as well as making substantially fewer errors that lead to an opponent's shot, also per 90.

Ultimately, while Bissouma has looked good in spells for Postecoglou, Locatelli appears to be his superior in practically every measurable way, from raw output to their underlying numbers, both offensive and defensive.

Therefore, Levy and Co should do what they can and bring the talented international to N17 this summer, as his experience in the middle of the park could be precisely what Spurs need this season.

All things considered, it's been a good summer for Tottenham Hotspur so far.

Ange Postecoglou's side have won four out of six preseason friendlies, signed two exciting prospects in Archie Gray and Yang Min-Hyeok, and, most importantly, secured the services of Dominic Solanke in a £65m deal that could bring a mountain of goals to the North Londoners' attacking style this season.

However, Daniel Levy and Co appear to be still hard at work.

Recent reports have touted another talented star for a move to N17 in the coming weeks, and his arrival could be the much-needed upgrade on a player who never made the grade at the club.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from journalist Dean Jones via GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham's interest in Southampton full-back Kyle Walker-Peters should be back in focus in the coming weeks.

Jones claims that with Emerson Royal's exit to AC Milan, the North Londoners could refocus their attention on signing the young Englishman, who used to play for the club.

How much the 27-year-old would cost the Lilywhites is still up in the air, though, as Jones cites a report valuing him at around £20m, while reports from late last week price him closer to £30m.

Whatever the final price ends up being, bringing in Walker-Peters to replace and upgrade upon Emerson would be a great idea, as he's impressed at Southampton in the Premier League and Championship.

How Walker-Peters compares to Emerson

So, if Walker-Peters is signed to be Emerson's long-term replacement at right back, how does he compare to the Brazilian?

Well, when we look at their output, as in the modern game, the full-back has to contribute going forward; it's a win for the Saints ace.

In his 47 appearances for the South Coast side last season, he scored four goals and provided four assists, equating to an average of a goal involvement every 5.87 games.

In contrast, the former Barcelona full-back could only muster a single goal in his 24 appearances for the North Londoners last season, which is far from ideal.

Unfortunately for the Milan-bound man, the comparison is just as one-sided when we look at their underlying numbers, and even though the Englishman was playing in a weaker league, the difference is starker than it should be.

For example, in practically every single metric, the "beautiful footballer", as dubbed by manager Russell Martin, comes out on top, including non-penalty expected goals plus assists, actual non-penalty goals plus assists, progressive passes and carries, shots, key passes, passes into the final third and penalty area, shot and goal-creating actions and successful take-ons, all per 90.

A pass is considered progressive if the distance between the starting point and the next touch is at least 10 meters closer to the opponent's goal or any completed pass into the penalty area.

Moreover, while he comes out second best in a couple of the defensive metrics, he makes substantially fewer errors that lead to an opponent's shot, suggesting he wouldn't be a "liability", as Jamie O'Hara branded Emerson.

Ultimately, Walker-Peters looks to be an upgrade on the Brazilian from both output and underlying numbers perspectives, so if the opportunity presents itself to bring the Englishman back to North London this summer, Levy and Co should take it.

Tottenham Hotspur have less than a month to complete any remaining business that they would like to do before the end of the summer transfer window.

Ange Postecoglou can cross a new number nine off his wishlist now that Dominic Solanke is in the building, though, after the club confirmed his arrival from Bournemouth on Saturday. The Australian head coach was also presented with a fresh midfield option earlier in the summer, with Archie Gray snapped up from Leeds United in a permanent deal by Daniel Levy.

Gray may not be the only midfielder to come through the door at the London giants, however, as Spurs are reportedly pursuing a move for another player in that area of the pitch.

Spurs set to launch bid for Serie A ace

According to JuveLive, Levy is set to launch a bid to sign Juventus central midfielder Manuel Locatelli before the end of the summer transfer window. The report claims that Tottenham are ready to make an offer of €25m (£20.5m) plus bonuses to secure the Italy international's signature this month.

It states that the Lilywhites are prepared to get 'serious' about a deal in the coming days and that an exit from the Old Lady is likely if a £20m+ bid does fall on their desk.

Locatelli could be viewed as a replacement for Giovani Lo Celso, who looks set to leave the club this summer. Football Insider recently claimed that he has been deemed surplus to requirements by Postecoglou, amid interest from Aston Villa and Real Betis.

The outlet added that Spurs are willing to cash in on the Argentina international for a fee of £10m, having previously demanded a £15m package for him, but it remains to be seen whether either of the two interested parties are ready to meet their demands.

Why Spurs should sign Manuel Locatelli

Locatelli could come in as a fantastic replacement for Lo Celso as he is an experienced player at the top level in Europe, whilst still having his best years ahead of him. At the age of 26, he has plenty of years left ahead of him and would arrive at the perfect time in his career, as he is not a young player with much to learn or in the final throes of his playing days.

The Italian maestro has been capped 28 times by his country and has racked up 243 appearances in the Serie A, along with 132 outings for Juventus, which shows that he is experienced at international and domestic level.

Locatelli provided a greater creative threat than Lo Celso at league level last term, whilst also offering more balance defensively. He has the physical attributes to dominate opponents in duels on the deck and in the air, whereas the Spurs man let himself down in aerial challenges, whilst the Italian battler also made more defensive interventions per game to cut out opposition attacks.