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As Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's future in North London continues to be thrown into doubt, Tottenham Hotspur are now reportedly leading the race to sign a midfielder who would be an ideal replacement for the Dane.

Tottenham transfer news

The Lilywhites are yet to complete their first move of the summer, but Ange Postecoglou will be well aware of the need for reinforcements after his side missed out on a place in the Premier League's top four last season, with Aston Villa causing the shock of the season by qualifying for the Champions League. With that said, the Lilywhites have already been linked to a number of names.

Among those includes Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze. The England international is currently away on international duty in Gareth Southgate's Euro 2024 squad but may have arguably the most important decision of his career so far when he returns to club action later this summer. The Lilywhites could certainly do with the added creative spark that Eze would bring, especially in an impressive partnership with James Maddison.

That said, before the attacking midfielder, the North London club could first turn their attention towards a replacement for Hojbjerg, who has been linked with a summer exit.

According to TuttoJuve, Spurs are now leading the race to sign Youssouf Fofana this summer in a deal that could be worth a reported €30m (£25m). The AS Monaco midfielder has also attracted the interest of Juventus, Arsenal and Manchester United but all three top clubs coulld lose out to Spurs, who may well get an ideal replacement for Hojbjerg and a player who could slot in next to Rodrigo Bentancur next season.

For just £25m too, Fofana may quickly become one of the summer's bargain buys as Spurs look to bridge the gap between themselves and Champions League qualification.

"Magnificent" Fofana could be a major upgrade on Hojbjerg

Replacing Hojbjerg with a player of Fofana's calibre is the type of deal that should take Spurs up to the level that they so desperately need to be at under Postecoglou. The Australian already showed glimpses of what he is capable of building in North London last season and with players who suit his system, he should only build on the foundations put in place during his debut campaign.

Fofana's ball recovery ability would be his most important trait under Postecoglou, with the former Celtic boss often asking his players to press high and excel in transition - something a player like Fofana knows exactly how to do.

Earning plenty of praise during his time at Monaco, Football Talent Scout's Jacek Kulig previously dubbed Fofana "magnificent" in 2022.

Now, it's Spurs who could benefit from Fofana's magnificence, reportedly leading the race to secure their first signing of the summer.

The transfer window has been open for over two weeks now, and while things have been relatively quiet for Tottenham Hotspur, the links keep coming.

Be it Crystal Palace's Eberechi Eze, Feyenoord's Santiago Gimenez or Bologna centre-back Riccardo Calafiori, Daniel Levy and Co seem to be busy at work looking to bring in the right players to help Ange Postecoglou lead the team back up the Premier League next season.

However, while Calafiori looks like an excellent player, the Lilywhites already have an exciting up-and-coming defender at the heart of their defence, and he's worth considerably more than the Italian.

Micky van de Ven's Tottenham career

The player in question is Dutch defender Micky van de Ven, who, despite only joining Tottenham last summer for £43m from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, has already become one of the most exciting centre-backs in the league.

In all, he made 29 appearances for Postecoglou's side last season, in which he scored three goals, and had he not suffered two hamstring injuries, he likely would have made far more.

His debut campaign with the club was so impressive that the Official Supporters' Clubs gave him the Player of the Season award.

Alongside his brilliant positioning and quick thinking, one of the Dutchman's biggest assets is his speed.

In a game against Brentford in February, he registered the fastest sprint in Premier League history at 37.38km/h, which really makes talent scout Jacek Kulig's description of the player as a "complete & dominant" centre-back hard to disagree with.

If that wasn't enough, the 23-year-old can also fill in at left-back when required, which is what he did for the final two games of last season against Manchester City and Sheffield United.

In all, Van de Ven is one of the most exciting defenders around, so it shouldn't be a surprise that his valuation is significantly higher than Calafiori's.

Van de Ven's valuation in 2024

Following a brilliant campaign with Serie A side Bologna, in which the club qualified for the Champions League, Italian centre-back Calafiori has been linked to several clubs this summer, including Spurs.

According to reports, the 22-year-old will be available for around €40m, which converts to about £34m.

However, based on his recent performances for the national team at the Euros, that price could rise slightly before the end of the summer.

That said, even if it does increase somewhat, his valuation is unlikely to get close to Van de Ven's.

According to the CIES Football Observatory, the Lilywhites star is worth between €61m and €77m, which converts to £52m and £65m, or at least £18m more than the Bologna ace.

This impressive price tag is likely down to his brilliant displays last season, as mentioned above, and the fact that his £50k-per-week contract is set to run until the summer of 2029.

Ultimately, signing Calafiori looks like a great idea, but the club should be glad that they already have an exceptional player in Van de Ven and a player who could remain among the Premier League's best centre-backs for years to come.

Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has shared some news on Tottenham and their possible transfer plans for the summer window, as Spurs seemingly eye an interesting alternative to heavily linked Aston Villa starlet Jacob Ramsey.

Tottenham have player-plus-cash bid for Ramsey rejected

As reported by an array of media sources in the last week, Ange Postecoglou's side had a player-plus-cash bid for Ramsey rejected recently.

Villa have insisted on players being included in a fair few of their summer deals so far, with star midfielder Douglas Luiz swapping the Midlands for Turin in a £24 million deal, as Enzo Barrenechea and Samuel Iling-Junior also head the other way from Juventus.

Villa also wanted players included in recent Chelsea talks over a deal for Jhon Duran, which ultimately came to no avail. In light of this, Tottenham looked to take advantage of this trend with their own bid for one of Unai Emery's stars.

Indeed, Spurs tabled a £20 million player-plus-cash offer for Ramsey, which included out-of-favour midfielder Giovani Lo Celso, which makes sense considering Emery knows the Argentine well from their time at Villarreal together.

However, the proposal was rejected out of hand, with Villa deeming the offer far below their valuation of the 23-year-old. Johan Lange is driving Tottenham's interest in Ramsey, though, and it is believed Postecoglou has personally green-lit any approach for him (Alasdair Gold).

A deal for the Englishman could be very difficult to pull off, so it is perhaps wise for the Lilywhites to have alternatives for Ramsey of a similar ilk.

Tottenham have been eyeing Leeds sensation Archie Gray

Leeds United sensation Archie Gray, who starred under Daniel Farke with 52 appearances in all competitions last season, could be an interesting option. The 18-year-old midfielder featured predominantly at right-back last season, but was utilised in his natural position on many occasions as well.

The versatile teenager not only acts as an alternative to Ramsey, but could also come in as a replacement for the exit-bound Emerson Royal, who is attracting serious interest from AC Milan (Fabrizio Romano).

Romano says Tottenham have been closely eyeing Gray, alongside the likes of Chelsea and Borussia Dortmund, so he could be one to watch. However, other reports suggest he could cost around £50 million.

"I can tell you that Chelsea have been scouting the player this season; for sure, he is a player they appreciate.

"At the moment, no bid, just interest and we will see what clubs like Manchester United and others do in this situation because many other clubs are scouting the player," said Romano on his YouTube channel this week.

"But at the moment, the two clubs with concrete interest are Chelsea and Dortmund but for example, Tottenham have also been following the player closely, so let’s see who is going to move in terms of the bid, but still nothing official to Leeds United."

Another threat to their chances of snapping up the youngster was the news that has since emerged, stating Brentford had agreed a deal with Gray, with the Bees "on course" to secure his transfer, with a medical pending.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has given the green light for Spurs to move for a £50 million player, with technical director Johan Lange also driving the club's pursuit of him.

Spurs identify midfield signing as summer transfer priority

In the last few months, various reports have claimed that the north Londoners are seeking a new midfielder for the engine room, especially with a few players expected to depart N17.

Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has entered the final 12 months of his contract and started just eight Premier League games last season, having lost his mainstay status in the team. Hojbjerg is widely tipped to leave Spurs this summer as a result, with chairman Daniel Levy seemingly keen to make money off his sale while that is still possible.

Meanwhile, it's been reported that Giovani Lo Celso has no future at Tottenham and could be sold alongside Hojbjerg. Much like the Dane, Lo Celso struggled for opportunities under Postecoglou last season, starting just four league matches with 18 of his 22 appearances coming off the bench.

The uncertainty surrounding both of their futures has prompted many links to a new central midfielder. Tottenham have been heavily linked with a move for Chelsea star Conor Gallagher for the best part of a year, and that interest is rumoured to still be there.

Postecoglou is a real admirer of Gallagher, according to some reports, but a move for the Euro 2024 England international could be a tricky one to pull off due to Chelsea's rumoured £50 million valuation. They're targeting alternatives to the 24-year-old, with Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana attracting interest from Tottenham amid claims he'd cost around £25 million.

Another midfield man who the Lilywhites are targeting is Aston Villa starlet Jacob Ramsey. Various media sources have backed that Spurs had a player-plus-cash bid for Ramsey rejected recently, with the proposal being £20 million and Lo Celso.

Postecoglou green-lights Ramsey move as Lange drives Spurs deal

According to reliable football.london journalist Alasdair Gold, Postecoglou has green-lit a move for Ramsey and Lange is driving Tottenham's pursuit. Gold also backs that Spurs would have attempted to use Lo Celso as a makeweight in any proposed transfer for the 23-year-old, but as of now, the Villans are unlikely to sell him.

Other reliable media sources claim Unai Emery's side value Ramsey at around £50 million, which is no surprise given his sky-high potential.

"What I like about him is that he is looking to drive toward goal, not go out to the wing and get a cross in," said former Villa striker Gabriel Agbonlahor, to then-BT Sport, in 2021.

"He wants to score goals and maybe last season he wouldn't have taken the shot on there, but he's been brave, taken on the shot with his weaker foot and he's got his reward. Ramsey came into the team under Dean Smith and he is taking his chance. Steven Gerrard would love everything about him. He's an all-round midfielder and today he showed what he can really do."

Tottenham Hotspur look set for a busy summer of transfer activity after a fairly up-and-down Premier League season that saw them qualify for the Europa League.

They have already been linked to a number of players over the last few weeks, and it looks like they're particularly keen on Aston Villa's Jacob Ramsey.

According to the Standard, Daniel Levy and Co are currently preparing a second bid after seeing their initial offer of £20m plus Giovani Lo Celso turned down.

However, based on recent reports, they might be set to land another player who would be a far better purchase.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from the Times, Spurs are still keen on signing Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze this summer and are now leading the race for his signature.

The report claims that the North Londoners are not put off by his £60m release clause and are confident in their ability to get the deal done once he returns from the European Championships in Germany with England.

Signing the Palace ace would undoubtedly cost the Lilywhites a lot more money than Ramsey, but given his performances last season, it would almost certainly be worth the extra money.

How Eze compares to Ramsey

Now, last season, both Ramsey and Eze played in attacking midfield, out on the leftwing and in left midfield, and with the Palace man being 25 and the Villa ace 23, there are a fair few similarities between them.

That said, how do they compare to one another? Well, from an output perspective, it's the former Queens Park Rangers gem who emerges victorious, and by quite some margin at that.

In just 31 appearances last season, he scored 11 goals and provided four assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.82 games for the Eagles.

In contrast, his competition scored one goal and provided two assists in 21 games for the Villans, which equates to an average of one goal involvement every seven matches - a stark difference.

Unfortunately, when we compare their underlying numbers, things don't get much better for the Birmingham-born dynamo.

For example, while the "exceptional" England international, as dubbed by Statman Dave, comes out second best for progressive carries and passing accuracy, he comes out ahead in every other metric including non-penalty expected goals and assists, actual non-penalty goals and assists, progressive passes, shots and shots on target, goals per shot and shot on target, goal and shot-creating actions, ball recoveries, aerial duels and successful take-ons, all per 90.

Ultimately, while Ramsey looks to be a talented player, neither his underlying numbers nor raw output can hold a candle to Eze, and while the Palace ace is set to cost more than the Villa prospect, he will be more than worth it.

The transfer window officially opened two weeks ago today, and while Tottenham Hotspur haven't made any additions in the last fortnight, they have been hard at work.

For example, just a month ago, the club opted to re-sign Timo Werner on another loan deal for the upcoming campaign with an option to purchase.

The German could be a useful addition to Ange Postecoglou's squad throughout the campaign, but based on recent reports, Daniel Levy and Co might already be about to sign the perfect upgrade to the former Chelsea man.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham have a 'concrete' interest in Hull City's incredibly exciting young talent, Jaden Philogene.

It's not just the Lilywhites who are keen on the young winger, as the report has claimed that West Ham United have entered into preliminary talks over the player. At the same time, a story from earlier this week revealed that La Liga giants Barcelona are also interested in the 22-year-old prospect.

Football Transfers currently value the former Aston Villa gem at just €9.6m, which converts to around £8.1m, but based on his form last season and the level of interest, it seems practically guaranteed that Hull will demand significantly more than that.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but with how well he performed in the Championship last season, it's one worth pursuing, especially as he could be the ideal upgrade to Werner.

How Philogene compares to Werner

One of Philogene's biggest strengths is his positionally versatility. He played on the left and right for Hull last season, but with Dejan Kulusevski and Brennan Johnson already battling for a place on the right, it seems far more likely that the Englishman would be looking to stake a claim to be the second-choice left-winger behing Son Heung-min, which would put him up against Werner.

So, how do the pair compare? Well, from a pure output perspective, there is not much competition.

In just 32 Championship appearances for the Tigers last season, the "astonishing" gem, as podcaster Ant Northgraves dubbed him, scored 12 goals and provided six assists, meaning he averaged a goal involvement once every 1.77 games.

In contrast, the Lilywhites' German winger scored two goals and provided three assists in 14 appearances, equating to a goal involvement every 2.8 games, and when you include his 14 matches for Leipzig in which he scored two goals and provided one assist, that average becomes 3.5.

When looking at their underlying numbers, the competition is a little closer, but the Hammersmith-born dynamo still comes ahead.

For example, the Stuttgart-born forward edges it in some metrics, such as non-penalty expected goals and assists, actual assists, progressive passes and carries, and goal-creating actions per 90.

However, the England U21 international scores more non-penalty goals, maintains a higher passing accuracy, takes more shots and shots on target, scores more goals per shot and shot on target, produces more shot-creating actions, succeeds in more take-ons, wins more aerial duels, and completes more ball recoveries, also per 90.

Ultimately, based on his form last season and his underlying numbers, Philogene looks like a better player than Werner. While the German will be a useful squad player, Levy and Co should do what they can to sign the Englishman this summer, as he could well be more than that.

Tottenham have offered Richarlison in a player-plus-cash bid to sign one very highly-rated star this summer, coming as the former Everton star is tipped to potentially be sold in the coming weeks.

Spurs could sell Richarlison despite good form last season

The Brazil international endured a torrid debut campaign at N17 under former manager Antonio Conte, but did manage to display flashes of his best during Ange Postecoglou's first season in charge.

The 27-year-old, during a mid-season purple patch, scored nine goals in eight Premier League games from the middle of December to early February - displayed his best form in a Lilywhites jersey by quite some distance and attracting real praise.

“What I want is for Richy to keep improving, and keep developing his football and becoming a real force for us and we’ll see where that takes us," said Postecoglou on Richarlison earlier this year.

“Because as this year alone has shown us, whatever plans or designs I had about which kind of formation I was going to play and which players were going to play a part in that, that pretty much went out the window after the first 15 minutes at Brentford when [Cristian] Romero gets concussion and I’ve got to make a change.

“I’ve never thought in those terms. For me, it’s about trying to get players to fulfill their potential and with Richy I still think there is growth there. If it keeps growing, well, we the football club will be the beneficiaries of it.”

However, despite some glimpses of his real potential, doubts still linger over his suitability to lead the line moving forward. Richarlison has attracted interest from Saudi Arabia, according to some reports, and it is believed Tottenham are open to selling for the right offer.

Spurs are also targeting a world-class replacement for Kane this summer, plunging Richarlison's future into further doubt, as any incoming forward would surely put the South American further down Postecoglou's pecking order.

Tottenham offer Richarlison plus cash for Alexander Isak

Now, according to Sky Sports Italia reporter and transfer expert Gianluca Di Marzio, it appears Spurs have attempted to kill two birds with one stone as they make a proposal for Newcastle United star Alexander Isak.

Indeed, Di Marzio writes this week that Tottenham have made a player-plus-cash bid for Isak which includes Richarlison. The £120,000-per-week Sweden international scored 25 goals in all competitions for the Magpies last season, so Eddie Howe's side are understandably reluctant to accept Spurs' offer, despite some pressure to sell players due to PSR.

A £21 million player is reportedly very tempted to join Tottenham this summer, coming after a potentially "concrete" offer behind the scenes.

Postecoglou targets Spurs overhaul over multiple transfer windows

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou has been forthright in his vision, as he seeks to build a winning team at N17 and orchestrate a rebuild of the current squad.

Postecoglou wants a new-centre-back, midfielder and striker at Tottenham this summer, with the Australian already seeing Timo Werner's loan deal extended for another season. Chairman Daniel Levy is ready to back the Lilywhites head coach after a promising debut campaign, as Tottenham came very close to sealing fourth in their first year without club-record goalscorer Harry Kane.

A fair few players could depart N17 as well, coming after they released Ivan Perisic, Eric Dier, Japhet Tanganga, Ryan Sessegnon and Tanguy Ndombele already. Tottenham recently attempted a player-plus-cash bid to sign Jacob Ramsey from Aston Villa, which included out-of-favour midfielder Giovani Lo Celso.

Postecoglou believes it will take three or four windows of transfers before Spurs are a major force, though, and has urged patience in their potential rise to the top.

"We've got a lot of work to do still on the squad and I don't think we're anywhere near where we want to be," said Postecoglou on Tottenham's current squad.

"It probably will take a little bit more than three windows to get there, for sure. Just in terms of the robustness, adaptability, and compatibility of the squad, I think there's still a fair bit of change we need to do.

"I certainly don't think we're one or two players away from getting to where I want us to be, nowhere near it. Some of that will be natural evolution. Some of it hopefully means we continue to get the improvement we've had this year from some of our players. If that happens over the next 12 months, then we'll be in a great position."

One position you didn't expect them to be planning for is between the sticks, especially after Guglielmo Vicario's fantastic debut campaign as Tottenham's undisputed number one to replace Hugo Lloris.

The Italian was praised for some of his heroic displays, but given Fraser Forster is their only senior back-up, a report from Spain states that Spurs are now targeting Espanyol keeper Joan Garcia.

Garcia tempted to join Tottenham after potentially concrete offer

Spanish newspaper AS claims Tottenham are the team "most tempting" Garcia, who helped Espanyol achieve promotion back to La Liga at the first time of asking.

They add that Spurs could have already sent a concrete proposal to the 23-year-old, though don't exactly clarify whether it has definitely gone in. The Spaniard, who will represent his country in the Olympics soon, is described as a key player in Espanyol's quest back to La Liga - and he's now being chased by clubs all over Europe as a result.

Garcia's deal is also thought to include a £21 million release clause.

While they started imperiously, Tottenham Hotspur's Premier League campaign came to a disappointing and anti-climactic conclusion in the end last season.

Ange Postecoglou still deserves plenty of credit for getting his injury-stricken side into the Europa League, but there was a genuine chance to qualify for the Champions League there for the taking.

The player who perhaps epitomised this dropoff in form better than anyone else was James Maddison, who racked up eight goal involvements in his first ten full games, but after returning from an injury, he could only muster five in 17 appearances.

However, he could have an easier time of it next season as, based on recent reports, one of the latest players touted for a move to Spurs could be the perfect midfield partner for the Englishman.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Football Insider, Tottenham are keen on signing AS Monaco star Youssouf Fofana this summer and have now registered their interest with the French side.

The good news for the North Londoners is that, with his £10k-per-week contract coming to an end next summer, he's said to be available for as little as £25m this year.

The bad news for the Lilywhites is that the report claims AC Milan are just ahead of them in the race for the Frenchman's signature at the moment.

This could seriously complicate matters for Daniel Levy and Co, but considering his form in recent seasons, the incredibly reasonable price and the possibility of a partnership with Maddison, this is a transfer they cannot miss out on.

Why Fofana would be a great teammate for Maddison

Now, the reason Fofana could be Maddison's ideal midfield partner is quite simple: he could lighten the load.

The Frenchman is a versatile player who regularly starts in central and defensive midfield for Monaco, so he could help shore up play behind the Englishman or take a more involved approach going forward.

He has proven himself to be particularly apt at the latter, racking up an impressive four goals and four assists in 35 appearances last season, equating to a goal involvement every 4.37 games, which is genuinely impressive for someone who started 20 matches at the base of midfield.

Moreover, according to his FBref scout report, which compares players in similar positions across Europe's top five leagues, the "magnificent" ace, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, sits in the top 5% of midfielders for progressive passes, the top 9% for non-penalty expected goals, the top 11% for successful take-ons, the top 14% for total shots, and the top 18% for non-penalty expected goals and assists, all per 90.

That might not sound overly impressive, and if he were an attacking midfielder, you'd probably be correct, but considering how often he starts at the base of midfield, those are some eye-catching numbers.

Lastly, with 20 senior caps for France under his belt and experience from the last World Cup and the current Euros, the 25-year-old "monster", as dubbed by data analyst Ben Mattinson, should add some more top-level experience to a Spurs side that saw some of its leaders, Harry Kane and Hugo Lloris, leave last year.

Ultimately, Fofana looks like a quality central and defensive midfielder, and for the reported price, Spurs must do all they can to sign him.

As debut seasons go, Ange Postecoglou did rather well in charge of Tottenham Hotspur last season.

His team may have fallen from the Champions League places into the Europa League spot, but given the number of injuries he had to deal with, that shouldn't be knocked.

However, now that the Australian has got to grips with life in North London, he has to take the team back up the table next season and to do that, he needs the right players.

So, it's unsurprising that the latest star touted for a move to the club is an incredibly exciting attacker who could be the perfect Richarlison upgrade.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

According to a recent report from Caught Offside, Tottenham are one of several sides interested in Genoa attacker Albert Gudmundsson this summer, and have contacted the Serie A club for more information on the player.

Alongside the Lilywhites, the report claims that West Ham United, Inter Milan, and teams from Saudi Arabia are also keen to land the Icelandic international. Unfortunately for the North Londoners, the Nerazzurri are currently leading the race.

That said, with his supposed €35m price tag, which converts to just £30m, there is no reason Daniel Levy and Co couldn't flex their financial muscle and take the initiative off the Italian side.

It could be a complicated deal to complete, but given the price and the player's impressive form last season, it seems worth pursuing.

How Gudmundsson compares to Richarlison

So, should Levy and Co get their man and bring him to the white side of North London this summer, he'd likely move from the second striker position he played last season into a more traditional nine role due to Postecoglou's lack of reliable out-and-out goalscorers.

This, in turn, would put Gudmundsson in direct competition with Richarlison for the starting berth in the lineup, and based on how they stack up to one another, he'd likely come out on top.

For example, in 37 appearances last season, the "devastating" Icelandic star, as described by teammate Kevin Strootman, scored 16 goals and provided five assists.

The campaign prior, he returned a haul of 14 goals and five assists in 38, which equates to a goal involvement on average every 1.76 and two games, respectively.

In contrast, Spurs' Brazilian marksman scored 12 goals and provided four assists in 31 appearances last season while only managing three goals and four assists in 35 matches in 2022/23, meaning he averaged a goal involvement every 1.9 and five games, respectively.

It's not just goals that the Serie A star has over the former Everton man; it's also availability, which is, of course, the best ability.

In the last four years, he has missed just five games for club and country through injury, whereas the Nova Venécia-born marksman has missed 36 and counting.

Ultimately, with Postecoglou needing a goalscorer he can rely on and the price appearing to be quite reasonable, Spurs must do what they can to get ahead of Inter and bring Gudmundsson to N17 this summer, even if that costs Richarlison his place in the side.