Inside Futbol

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Preston North End manager Paul Heckingbottom believes that Tottenham Hotspur loan star Alfie Devine has that flexibility which the team need and his addition is great for the club.

The 21-year-old playmaker, a product of Tottenham’s youth academy, signed a new contract with the London-based club on Friday before moving out to the Championship for the upcoming season.

The move is his fourth loan spell away from his parent club, with the last being at Belgian Pro League club Westerlo.

At Westerlo, he played 32 matches, scoring six goals and setting up one more for his team-mates, impressing the Preston boss in the process.

Expressing his delight with the acquisition, Heckingbottom highlighted that Devine is someone who raises his stock with the ability to play in multiple positions on the pitch.

It is the 21-year-old’s flexibility that is going to make him a great addition for the Preston team, the manager insists.

“Alfie’s a talented player who can play in a number of positions”, Heckingbottom told his club’s official website.

“He can play as an attacking midfielder, he can play deep and he’s played box-to-box, so he’s got that flexibility which is great for us.

“I really liked his loan move in Belgium last year, where he showed really good energy and appetite off the ball, which is what we demand.

“He showed his technique and quality in the final third to get goals and help assist others as well.”

Though Devine has managed just two senior appearances for Tottenham, he has already opened his goalscoring account for the senior team.

The midfielder will be in contention for selection for Preston’s first game of the new season against Queens Park Rangers on Saturday in the Championship.

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Tottenham Hotspur talent Yang Min-hyeok’s loan move to Championship club Portsmouth is expected to be announced today, according to journalist Chris Wise.

Last summer, Spurs agreed to sign the young attacker on a six-year deal from South Korean side Gangwon FC and he was marked out as a top prospect for the future.

The 19-year-old came to the club mid-season and was loaned out to Queens Park Rangers for the rest of the campaign.

He scored twice and clocked one assist in 14 games for the Championship side and Tottenham believe that he needs further experience playing first-team football in the second tier.

And now the South Korea international is set for another loan spell in the Championship as Portsmouth are set to get their hands on him.

On Thursday, Yang completed his medical tests ahead of the Pompey move and all the paperwork is now done to finalise the move.

As such, Portsmouth are expected to announce the loan capture of the top Tottenham talent at some point today.

Player Gone to Heung-Min Son LAFC Mikey Moore Rangers Alejo Veliz Rosario Central Sergio Reguilon Released Fraser Forster Released Alfie Whiteman Released Ashley Phillips Stoke City Jamie Donley Stoke City Alfie Dorrington Aberdeen Will Lankshere Oxford United George Abbott Wycombe Wanderers Damola Ajayi Doncaster Rovers Tottenham Hotspur exits this summer

Spurs have lost their South Korean talisman, Heung-min Son, who has left the club for American MLS side LAFC.

Min-hyeok is one of a multiple of high-rated teenagers at the north London club who are set to be loaned out.

Croatian centre-back Luka Vuskovic has also been made available for loan and there is a chance he could go to Germany with Hamburg.

Ashley Phillips has been sent back to Stoke City for another loan spell, flagging unfinished business at the club, and has been joined in the Potteries by Jamie Donley.

Both could have the task of stopping Tottenham team-mate Yang this season when Stoke play Portsmouth.

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Tottenham Hotspur have distanced themselves from talk of placing a bid for Como attacking midfielder Nico Paz.

Spurs are in the market for more additions across a number of positions and the urgency with which the require an attacking midfielder has increased.

James Maddison has suffered a cruciate ligament injury which means he has been written off for the majority of the new season.

It has been suggested that Tottenham are looking at several targets and among them is Como’s 20-year-old attacking midfielder Paz.

The former Real Madrid academy product had a fantastic last season with Como, where he featured in 35 league games while laying on nine assists and netting five goals.

Paz is a player who is highly rated at Como and the Italian outfit want to keep him at the club.

It has been suggested that Tottenham have been quick to submit a bid in the region of €40m to Como and have seen it getting rejected.

Club Years Real Madrid 2022-2024 Como 2024- Nico Paz’s career history

The Italian outfit paid a €6m transfer fee to sign Paz from Real Madrid last summer and they have slapped a €70m asking price on his head to fend off potential suitors.

Despite talk of a bid, Tottenham have denied having made one, according to journalist Ryan Taylor.

Paz is a versatile player who can play as a winger and centre forward as well, which he displayed last season for Cesc Fabregas’ side.

Spurs pulled off the early capture of Mohammed Kudus this summer and have recently also completed the loan capture of Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich.

Now with the beginning of the new season on the horizon, they will be desperate to find someone capable who will be able to replace Maddison.

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Rayo Vallecano president Raul Martin Presa has rejected an €18m bid from the Premier League for Tottenham Hotspur target Andrei Ratiu, which has left the Romanian ‘hurt and disappointed’.

Spurs have been cautious with their transfer window so far but are picking up the pace, with Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha becoming their latest signing.

New boss Thomas Frank is keen on adding players to bolster multiple positions and adding a full-back is also on their agenda.

Rayo Vallecano’s 27-year-old right-back Ratiu is a player Spurs are keen on, but there is competition for the Romanian.

Clubs from the Bundesliga, in the shape of Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg, have shown interest in the Romania star.

Now, the La Liga side have rejected an €18m offer from an unnamed Premier League club for Ratiu, according to Spanish daily Marca.

Los Franjirrojos supremo Presa has rejected a bid worth €18m for the Romanian and it has come from an unnamed Premier League side.

And in so doing, the Rayo Vallecano president has baffled the player, who ‘doesn’t understand the club’s reaction’.

Club Years Villarreal 2016-2021 ADO Den Haag (loan) 2020-2021 Huesca 2021-2023 Rayo Vallecano 2023- Andrei Ratiu’s career history

It appears that Ratiu wants a move to the Premier League, as the rejection of the offer has left him ‘hurt and disappointed’.

Villarreal have a massive 50 per cent sell-on clause for the 27-year-old, who has one of the lowest salaries in La Liga.

It remains to be seen which English club made the offer for Ratiu and whether it was Tottenham.

For now, Rayo Vallecano want the player’s full €25m release clause meeting to let him go and whether the Premier League side will come back with that number after offering €18m remains to be seen.

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Tottenham Hotspur ‘were also in the race’ for Stuttgart midfielder Enzo Millot, who is heading to Saudi Arabian club Al-Ahli.

Spurs have so far kept Mathys Tel on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich, added Mohammed Kudus, and then done business again with the Germans to loan in Joao Palhinha.

They were trying to bring in Morgan Gibbs-White from Nottingham Forest, but the Tricky Trees tied him to a new contract and kept him at the club.

James Maddison has now suffered a cruciate ligament injury, meaning he will be sidelined for most of the approaching campaign.

And, according to German journalist Dennis Bayer, the north Londoners were interested in Stuttgart’s 23-year-old versatile midfielder Millot.

The Frenchman is now set to leave Europe, as Saudi Arabian outfit Al-Ahli are on the verge of signing him.

The Bundesliga side will be securing €30m for the 23-year-old, who will be signing a three-year deal with the Saudi Pro League club.

Club Years Monaco 2019-2021 Stuttgart 2021- Enzo Millot’s career history

Spurs ‘were also in the race’ for Millot, alongside European giants like Atletico Madrid and Juventus, up until the end.

The Frenchman can play as an attacking midfielder, central midfielder, or on either wing, which makes his profile an attractive one.

Despite so much interest from the European clubs, though, like many promising talents, he is heading to Saudi Arabia.

With more than three weeks remaining in the transfer window, it remains to be seen if Tottenham will bring in more attacking players, as they will be playing in the Champions League this season.

That means Frank will need to have the squad to cope with eight games in the Champions League league phase and then more if Tottenham can progress.

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Liverpool have conducted ‘a survey’ into a top teenage Italian centre-back on Tottenham Hotspur‘s radar, but have ‘not yet explored in depth’ a move to bring him to Anfield.

The Premier League champions are showing no signs of slowing down in their bid to make signings from a position of strength this summer and centre-back is an area they want to address.

Jarell Quansah has been sold to Bayer Leverkusen, while Joe Gomez picked up an injury on the Reds’ pre-season tour.

Ibrahima Konate will not sign a new contract and amidst that, Liverpool have had bids rejected by Crystal Palace for Marc Guehi.

Now they are looking at a teenage defender in Italy that Tottenham have shown interest in, in the shape of Parma’s Giovanni Leoni.

According to Italian journalist Gianluigi Longari, Liverpool have conducted ‘a survey’ into signing Leoni, but have ‘not yet explored in depth’ a possible swoop to take him away from Parma.

A number of top sides have been looking at the teenager, who has been tipped as having the potential to be top class, by a former Italy star.

Club Years Padova 2023-2024 Sampdoria (loan) 2024 Sampdoria 2024 Parma 2024- Giovanni Leoni’s career history

The Italy Under-19 international joined Parma last summer from Sampdoria and impressed with his 17 league appearances.

His contract does not expire until the summer of 2029 and Parma are not willing to let their prized asset go on a cut-price deal, as they recently rejected an offer from an unnamed Premier League club.

With time left in the transfer window, Parma are likely to be tested again for Leoni, who does not turn 19 years old until December.

The promising defender, who came through the youth set-up at Padova, has been capped by Italy through to Under-19 level.

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Championship outfit Portsmouth have agreed a deal with Tottenham Hotspur to take attacker Yang Min-hyeok on loan for the season.

Tottenham’s move to sign the South Korean from Gangwon FC was agreed last summer, but it was only made official in January and he headed to England.

However, Yang was immediately loaned out to Queens Park Rangers for the second half of the season and finished with three goal contributions in 14 appearances at Loftus Road.

Portsmouth boss John Mousinho was left impressed with what he saw and now wants to have him in his ranks to strengthen his attack ahead of the new Championship campaign.

Pompey have been trying to broker a deal with Tottenham and now their attempts have borne fruit.

A loan deal for Yang has been agreed with the Premier League giants and the teenager is now set to complete the move to Portsmouth within the next 24 hours, according to journalist Chris Wise.

Though predominantly a winger, Yang can operate down the middle as well and was used as a central forward last term by QPR.

Club Years Gangwon FC 2024 Tottenham Hotspur 2025- QPR (loan) 2025 Yang Min-hyeok’s career history

Portsmouth are still very much in the market to do business and they will have taken note of Isaac Hayden leaving Newcastle United.

Hayden was on loan at Portsmouth last season and is sure to have a host of clubs keen to sign him now that he is a free agent.

Tottenham have already loaned out Ashley Phillips to a Championship side in the shape of Stoke City, with the defender declaring unfinished business when he arrived.

He has been joined at Stoke by another Spurs youngster in the shape of Jamie Donley, who is also on loan with the Potters.

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Tottenham Hotspur prospect Luka Vuskovic could potentially move to Bundesliga club Hamburg this summer as he is open to a move in principle.

The 18-year-old Croatian central defender finally joined the north London side in the summer transfer window after a loan stint in Belgium at Westerlo.

Tottenham paid around a hefty £12m to Croatian side Hajduk Split for Vuskovic, who then spent last term in the Belgian Pro League.

Back in June, he made his senior debut for the Croatia national side, but Spurs feel that he is not ready for the Premier League yet.

Tottenham are ready to loan him out to gain vital experience by clocking first-team minutes, with multiple clubs interested in him on the back of his promising Westerlo displays.

Hamburg got promoted to the German first tier following a brilliant last campaign in the 2. Bundesliga and have shown interest in the teenage defender.

Mario Vuskovic, Luka’s brother, who plays for Hamburg, recently said that his brother would not say no to a move to the Bundesliga club.

Club Years Hajduk Split 2023-2025 Radomiak Radom (loan) 2024 Westerlo (loan) 2024-2025 Tottenham Hotspur 2025- Luka Vuskovic’s career history

According to German daily Bild, Vuskovic, indeed, has given his green signal to make a move to Hamburg if there is an agreement between the Germans and Spurs.

There have been informal exchanges between the Spurs defender and the German club, even though as many as five clubs are keen on the teenager.

Hamburg have been eyeing Vuskovic for the last two years.

He had an impressive last season in Belgium, as he managed to score seven goals from his centre-back position, showing his attacking instincts even though he is a defender.

Ex-Belgian striker Patrick Goots said back in February that Vuskovic going to Spurs this summer would be too soon and now it appears that the Premier League side agree, with a loan likely to take place.

Groots said: “Vuskovic is very versatile – he only lacks pure speed – and he has a good head; he will also realise that it is too early for a return to Tottenham.”

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Oxford United ‘appear to have beaten off interest’ from a number of sides to agree a loan deal with Tottenham Hotspur for forward Will Lankshear, according to journalist Jason Burt.

Spurs have been looking at finding loan homes for top talents who would not be set for game time under Thomas Frank this season.

A host of Championship clubs recently chased attacker Mikey Moore, but Tottenham decided to send him north of the border on loan to Rangers.

Moore’s fellow attacker Lankshear though is staying in England and is dropping into the Championship in the same way Ashley Phillips has, with the defender on loan at Stoke City.

It is Gary Rowett’s Oxford United who look to have won the race for Lankshear and they will sign him from Tottenham on a season-long loan deal.

The capture will be a boost for the U’s, who survived in the Championship last season under experienced tactician Rowett.

Playing in the Championship is not new to Lankshear, who spent the second half of last season away from Spurs on loan at West Brom.

Club Years Tottenham Hotspur 2024- West Brom (loan) 2025 Will Lankshear’s career history

He even featured in a 2-0 win for the Baggies over Oxford United in the Championship in February.

Lankshear will want to be playing regular first team football at the Kassam and it is unclear if Oxford United have given Tottenham any guarantees on that front.

The U’s are due to kick off their league campaign this coming weekend when John Mousinho’s Portsmouth pay them a visit and Lankshear could be involved in the game if Oxford United can get the deal done and dusted quickly.

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Tottenham Hotspur ‘explored’ the situation of Barcelona midfielder Marc Casado, but the path to a Camp Nou exit for the player this summer is not clear.

Spurs have just landed defensive midfielder Joao Palhinha from Bayern Munich on loan with an option to buy, to boost Thomas Frank’s midfield options.

The Premier League side looked at a number of other possible additions though and one of those was Barcelona’s Casado.

According to Catalan daily Sport, Tottenham ‘explored’ a possible move to take the Spaniard to north London this summer.

Casado does not want to leave Barcelona though and the club would only agree to a sale if a big offer was put on the table.

Casado is currently valued at €30m by Barcelona and they are happy with the commitment he has shown to the club.

It is unclear just how central he will be to Hansi Flick’s plans over the season though and the situation is only expected to become clearer after Barcelona have had two La Liga matchdays later this month.

Competition Details La Liga 23 apps, 1 goal, 3 assists Champions League 10 apps, 2 assists Spanish Super Cup 2 apps, 1 assist Copa del Rey 1 app Marc Casado’s appearances last season

Tottenham may well now not follow up on interest in Casado after signing Palhinha, however Spurs could yet suffer departures from the midfield area.

Yves Bissouma has been drawing interest from several sides, though Fenerbahce have now backed out of trying to take him to Istanbul.

Fenerbahce even sent a representative to England to hold talks with Tottenham over Bissouma, but they are now shopping elsewhere.

Frank has other defensive midfield options, including Pape Matar Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and even Archie Gray, however Spurs have a busy season ahead with a guaranteed eight games in the Champions League league phase.

Casado, just 21 years old, played ten times in the Champions League for Barcelona last term, experience which Spurs look to have found attractive.