Inside Futbol

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Tottenham Hotspur target Elia Caprile has emerged as an alternative to Spurs shot-stopper Guglielmo Vicario for Inter Milan.

Vicario has been a mainstay for Spurs since his €20m signing in 2023 on a five-year deal, notwithstanding time spent out of the squad through injury.

This season too, the Italian has been a constant between the sticks until recently, when he picked up a hernia injury, allowing Antonin Kinsky another chance to step in after his ill-fated Champions League outing.

There is expected to be change in the goalkeeping position at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer, with Vicario widely expected to depart.

Inter Milan, looking to replace Yann Sommer, whose contract expires in the summer, drew a shortlist that had Vicario higher placed to Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez due to his lower wages.

It emerged in February that Vicario was amenable to a move back to Italy, as he ‘reiterated his availability’ for Inter, while Spurs were also open to sanctioning a move if an interested party could cough up €25m to €30m.

Inter Milan sporting director Piero Ausilio then travelled to north London to ‘lay the groundwork’ over a potential transfer for Vicario back in March.

Legendary Italian goalkeeper Gianluca Pagliuca has cautioned that ‘there are better options in the market for the Nerazzurri’, and Inter Milan seem to have paid heed to that advice now, looking beyond just Vicario.

It has now emerged that Elia Caprile of Cagliari has emerged as an alternative to Vicario, according to Italian outlet Tutto Mercato Web, though the Spurs man does remain the number 1 target.

Caprile, formerly of Leeds United, has had scouts from Aston Villa and Tottenham watching him this season.

Five years junior to Vicario, Caprile is seen as value for money, commanding a similar fee, and his career is also on the upward trajectory, with strong performances for Cagliari leading to a call-up to the national side.

Interestingly, Caprile replaced Vicario at Empoli in 2023, receiving the blessings of the senior man.

If Inter Milan have an alternative to Vicario then it could well bolster their negotiating position with Spurs, making them not dependent on the goalkeeper.

In an ideal world for Spurs, it could be history repeating itself with Caprile replacing Vicario for a second time, and the fee received from one man put to the other, while Roberto De Zerbi prepares for a Premier League campaign having avoided relegation.

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Fixture: Wolves vs Tottenham Hotspur

Competition: Premier League

Kick-off: 15:00 UK time

Roberto De Zerbi has picked his Tottenham lineup vs Wolves for this afternoon’s Premier League meeting at Molineux – match preview here.

With Nottingham Forest crushing Sunderland on Friday night, the battle to avoid finishing 18th may well now just be down to between Tottenham and West Ham.

On paper, the clash at Wolves today is Tottenham’s easiest match of the run-in and there will be massive questions to answer if they do not take all three points.

De Zerbi is encouraged by how his players are responding to his demands and feels total buy-in from the Tottenham squad.

Following disgusting online racist abuse of Kevin Danso after the Brighton game, De Zerbi took time to hail the centre-back and admit he has been hugely impressed with him.

De Zerbi will have to do without Tottenham defender Destiny Udogie, who picked up a muscle injury against Brighton, while Pape Matar Sarr and Guglielmo Vicario remain out.

Wolves have often proven to be a tough nut for Tottenham to crack in recent meetings and they last came out on top against the Old Gold in 2022.

Rob Edwards’ men have been relegated and it is unclear if that will bring extra freedom to play, or a dialling down of effort in a bid to avoid unnecessary injury.

Antonin Kinsky is in goal in the Tottenham lineup vs Wolves this afternoon, while at the back De Zerbi picks Pedro Porro, Kevin Danso, Micky van de Ven and Djed Spence.

In the key midfield battle, Tottenham go with Rodrigo Bentancur, Conor Gallagher and Yves Bissouma, while Xavi Simons will look to create for Randal Kolo Muani and Dominic Solanke.

If De Zerbi needs to make changes to his Tottenham lineup vs Wolves at any point then he has options off the bench that include Mathys Tel and Archie Gray.

Tottenham Hotspur Lineup vs Wolves

Kinsky, Porro, Danso, Van de Ven, Spence, Bentancur, Gallagher, Bissouma, Simons, Kolo Muani, Solanke

Substitutes: Austin, Dragusin, Palhinha, Richarlison, Maddison, Tel, Gray, Bergvall, Souza

Julian Finney/Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto De Zerbi has insisted he has complete buy-in from the Spurs players, who fully believe what he is telling them.

Spurs are desperately fighting to retain their Premier League status and brought in former Brighton boss De Zerbi to work miracles late in the season.

He has not managed to guide Tottenham to a win in either of his two games in charge yet and there were question marks over his team selection in a loss at Sunderland.

Today De Zerbi takes his Tottenham side to play Wolves – match preview here – with the game considered very much a must win.

Wolves, already relegated, will come into the match playing for pride, while Spurs’ recent form suggests that they must be at their very best to take all three points, having failed to register a single league win this calendar year.

Failure to record three points on Saturday would see Tottenham equal their longest-ever run without a league victory, which was 16 from 1934 to 1935.

The Lilywhites played their last league game against Brighton where Georginio Rutter’s strike in stoppage time denied Spurs victory as the game ended 2-2, with Pedro Porro and Xavi Simons on the scoresheet.

Opponents Result Liverpool 1-3 Liverpool 2-1 Aston Villa 2-0 Wolves’ last three home games

De Zerbi insists that he is happy to work at Tottenham, highlighting the professional environment at the club that he has found since walking through the door.

The Italian manager is pleased with the response he has had from the players, who he sees fully buying into his methods, not least because he has been able to understand how much they are suffering from not winning games.

He dismissed criticism surrounding the players, stressing that the squad are made up of serious individuals.

The 46-years-old believes that a single win, which Spurs will hope to get at Wolves today, could shift momentum and help turn their season around.

Speaking in a press conference (14:46), he said: “I’m happy to work here because the part of the staff I found when I came is special as a professional and the players are the same.

“They are following me. They are good guys.

“Sometimes when one team is losing too many games the rumours are not nice.

“People speak about not too much serious players, but it’s not like this in this case. I found good players, serious players. They follow me.

“They believe in my words because I am able to recognise the eyes of the players.

“We are suffering. They are suffering because it’s not easy to play for Tottenham in this position of the table.

“They have to be stronger and they have to live to win a game.

“We have to live every part of the day, waiting for a win, preparing for a win because I think with a win we can change this part of the season.”

Tottenham will be without left back Destiny Udogie this afternoon because of a muscular problem while midfielder Pape Matar Sarr is unavailable with a shoulder problem.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario continues to be sidelined due to a hernia.

Spurs face a tough task at Molineux, where they have not won a league game since 2021, as they look to take all three points in their fight for survival.

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Fixture: Wolves vs Tottenham Hotspur

Competition: Premier League

Kick-off: 25th April, 15:00 UK time

Tottenham Hotspur face a crucial clash at Wolves this afternoon in what is very much approaching the definition of a ‘must-win game’ in their battle for survival in the Premier League.

Wolves’ fate has now been sealed and next season Rob Edwards’ side will play in the Championship. The drop had been a long time coming and Edwards has already made clear the need to start the summer transfer window on the front foot.

The jury is out on how Wolves’ players will now approach these final games as they will surely want to avoid serious injury when there is nothing to play for, but will also be keen to put themselves in the shop window if a move is in the offing.

Clubs are definitely expected to come calling for players such as Andre, Joao Gomes and Santiago Bueno and better displays in the final few matches will make sure that when the next contract offer comes, it is a lucrative one.

Tottenham’s situation has become even worse without playing, with Nottingham Forest crushing Sunderland 5-0 and now the scrap to avoid finishing 18th looks to be between Spurs and West Ham.

One former England star stressed recently that losing Tottenham would be bad for the Premier League as a whole, but that fact, even if true, guarantees no points.

Having not won a league game in 2026, the Wolves game is viewed as all but a must win for Tottenham under Roberto De Zerbi and anything less than three points would be seen as disastrous.

Just one win might be enough to help them spring a winning run and get out of trouble and Wolves could be the start of that.

What will keep the former Brighton boss worried is Tottenham’s defensive frailty. While Spurs look decent going forward, they have been prone to regular lapses at the back which have seen good positions taken away.

Tottenham have lost their last three visits to Molineux, but the stakes are now higher than in any of those previous encounters.

Predicted Lineups

Wolves Tottenham Hotspur Sa Kinsky S Bueno Porro T Gomes Danso Krejci Van de Ven Tchatchoua Spence Andre Gray J Gomes Gallagher H Bueno Kolo Muani Bellegarde Simons R Gomes Richarlison Armstrong Solanke Predicted lineups

Recent Form (league)

Wolves: LLDWW

Tottenham Hotspur: DLLDL

Key Men

Wolves

Wolves are expected to play freely after getting the pressure of delivering off their shoulders. Edwards is expected to stick to the 3-4-2-1 formation allowing more freedom to the two players just behind the striker. Jean-Ricner Bellegarde, in that wider number ten role, will be important.

Being fed on the right hand side, he can get into the free spaces in the Spurs defence and exploit the weaknesses they have there.

His long shots from the edge of the penalty box could also be difficult for Antonin Kinsky to deal with.

In midfield, the duo of Andre and Joao Gomes will be as key as they have been all season. They are the two bigger names in the team and are expected to exit through the Molineux door at the end of the season.

Impactful performances against a better-known team will only help raise their stock. They are not only expected to be goal threats but also track back to help out in defence.

Tottenham Hotspur

Tottenham simply have to stop leaking goals. It has been the major weakness area in their game but a definitive solution needs to be found.

A whole lot will depend on their stand-in skipper Micky van de Ven, who has been growing in stature all season. De Zerbi has highlighted his influence in the team and it is time for him to stand and deliver.

Tottenham have seen his impact at the other end of the pitch but in the middle of a four man defence, where he fits best, Van de Ven will hope to flourish and carry the hopes of his team on his able shoulders.

Yet another difference maker could be Van de Ven’s Holland team-mate Xavi Simons. Simons showed the emotional side of his character when he appeared distraught following Brighton’s equaliser last week.

He appears to be deeply involved in each game he plays and has returned to a ‘really high level’, according to top flight star Alvin Martin.

Whether he can add to his goal tally for the season against a struggling Wolves side and lead Tottenham to a much needed victory remains to be seen.

Result Competition Tottenham Hotspur 1-1 Wolves Premier League Wolves 4-2 Tottenham Hotspur Premier League Tottenham Hotspur 2-2 Wolves Premier League Last three meetings

Match Prediction

Tottenham, who will have James Maddison on the bench, know they are very much entering the last chance saloon.

De Zerbi’s team will never get a better chance to find that winning touch back than against Edwards’ Wolves, who are realistically not going to bust a gut and risk injury.

Wolves though, backed by the home fans, will still want to end the season with as many highs as possible and dragging Tottenham down with them would be a big one.

However, if De Zerbi is able to sort out his defence and get some tough lessons into the heads of his players, Tottenham can register that elusive win which could kick start a spell to help them survive.

There is no doubt levels have been raised somewhat by the Italian and Spurs should show real intensity this afternoon.

Inside Futbol Score Prediction

Wolves 0-2 Tottenham Hotspur

Where To Watch?

Wolves vs Tottenham Hotspur will not be broadcast live in the UK, but can be followed via each club’s respective website with a kick-off time of 15:00 UK time.

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Tottenham Hotspur boss Roberto De Zerbi has lauded ‘good guy’ Kevin Danso, assuring him of a future at the club beyond the summer and has also insisted that Spurs are lucky to have him.

Danso was guilty of giving the ball away in the dying embers of the match against Brighton, allowing the Seagulls to capitalise and snatch the victory away from the jaws of De Zerbi’s team.

The 27-year-old received racist abuse online for his defensive error and De Zerbi is proud with how he dealt with it.

Taking the Brighton game as a point of reference, De Zerbi insisted that the Austria international did not just have a good game against the Seagulls but a ‘fantastic’ game.

Acknowledging the mistake Danso made in the match, De Zerbi insisted that he, as manager, does not see one mistake as so important.

Defending the player, De Zerbi said at a press conference (7.47): “I am proud of him. He played a fantastic game [against Brighton]. Not a good game, a fantastic game.

“It [the mistake] was not important; it was important for the result, but I don’t consider one mistake so important.”

Club played for Augsburg Southampton Fortuna Dusseldorf Lens Tottenham Hotspur Clubs Kevin Danso has played for

The manager also took time to applaud Danso for the attitude and behaviour on the pitch, insisting that the defender will be there at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium next year because he is a good player and everyone at the club is lucky to work with him.

“I consider the attitude, I consider the behaviour on the pitch, the quality which he played that game. The personality while he played that game.

“He will be here next season because he’s a good guy, he’s a very good player and every one of us is lucky to work with him.”

Spurs have an uphill task to negotiate as they currently find themselves two points off safety in the Premier League with five games to play.

They are yet to win their first match of 2026 and Steve Bruce has admitted he simply does not see them getting the points required to survive.

De Zerbi is expected to remain in charge of Tottenham regardless of whether or not they maintain their top flight status, but what happens in the coming weeks is likely to have a huge say on the shape of the squad he has for the first game of next season.

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Tottenham Hotspur are seeking to negotiate a reduced fee with Bayern Munich for midfielder Joao Palhinha, with talks now ‘developing into an open process’.

The Portugal international arrived at N17 in August from Bayern Munich after being deemed surplus to requirements by Vincent Kompany, joining on a season-long loan with an option to buy set at around €25m.

Amid an injury-hit Tottenham Hotspur squad, Palhinha was a trusted figure under former manager Thomas Frank, establishing himself as a regular with 40 appearances and eight goal contributions this season.

Spurs would have no major reservations about keeping him beyond this campaign, though financial factors could yet prove a stumbling block.

It was thought the terms for the deal happening were ‘clear-cut on paper’ but, according to Sky Deutschland, talks over Palhinha staying at Tottenham are ‘developing into an open process behind the scenes’.

The Lilywhites find themselves in deep trouble, sitting 18th with relegation looming and five games remaining, with a former England international warning that their drop would be a blow to the Premier League as a whole.

The relegation-threatened side would only entertain a permanent move if the Bavarians soften their valuation, with Spurs pushing to drive the price for Palhinha down.

Competition Appearances Primeira Liga 164 Premier League 96 Champions League 21 Liga 2 Portugal 21 Bundesliga 17 Joao Palhinha’s top competitions by appearances

The Portugal international remains under contract with the Bundesliga club until 2028, but with Joshua Kimmich and youngster Aleksandar Pavlovic excelling under Kompany, opportunities for Palhinha appear limited.

Despite that, it remains uncertain whether the German giants would be willing to revisit the terms already agreed.

Newly appointed Roberto De Zerbi faces a significant challenge to spark his side into survival mode, with relegation likely to trigger a sweeping overhaul of the current squad.

Palhinha, though fit, is yet to earn a start under the Italian boss, and it remains uncertain whether he would be willing to play a part should a drop to the Championship materialise.

It remains to be seen whether a deal can be struck, especially with Spurs also facing uncertainty over Yves Bissouma’s expiring contract and a clear need to reinforce in midfield, with the summer transfer window set to be decisive.

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Fiorentina have concerns over signing Tottenham Hotspur loan winger Manor Solomon on a permanent deal when the current season ends and any move to do so looks to be in the balance.

The Israeli international has been at the north London club for three years now and has only six appearances across all competitions for Tottenham to his name.

Solomon is currently on his third loan spell away from the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and his first loan at Leeds United was impressive.

He contributed to 23 goals directly in only 39 Championship appearances for the Whites and one ex-Leeds boss hailed his top-notch quality on the ball.

The Yorkshire club were linked with signing him again in the following campaign and Solomon was keen to stay in the Premier League, but no move to Leeds happened.

He had a forgettable loan spell at Villarreal in the first half of this campaign and joined Fiorentina in January on loan, where ex-Spurs supremo Fabio Paratici is now pulling the deal strings.

Solomon made a smooth start to life in Florence and it was suggested that La Viola were already setting aside the money to sign the Spurs winger.

Loanee On loan from Daniele Rugani Juventus Marco Brescianini Atalanta Jack Harrison Leeds United Manor Solomon Tottenham Hotspur Giovanni Fabbian Bologna Fiorentina’s loan stars

However, the 26-year-old has suffered injury issues and is yet to register a goal contribution since early February, when he scored against Torino.

And according to Italian sports daily Corriere dello Sport (via Tutto Mercato Web), ‘there are concerns’ at the club over signing Solomon permanently.

Fiorentina are expected to discuss the €7m option to buy in Solomon’s loan deal, but it has been suggested that everything depends on the club hierarchy’s decision, which likely means Paratici.

One La Viola star hailed Solomon and Leeds loanee, Jack Harrison, early doors, but their future at the Tuscan club is under scrutiny.

In the Leeds lonaee’s case, though, it probably is all over for the 29-year-old, who looks destined to be on his way back to Elland Road.

Spurs are currently wedged in a troublesome relegation battle, and if they go down, Solomon could have a future at the north London club.

The 26-year-old’s current deal runs until the summer of 2028 at Spurs and it remains to be seen whether he will finally have a settled home from next season.

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Former England star Danny Mills believes it would be bad for the Premier League if Tottenham Hotspur are relegated to the Championship.

Spurs are desperate to secure their Premier League status, but find themselves 18th in the table and in a relegation battle with West Ham United and Nottingham Forest.

This season, the Lilywhites have already parted ways with two managers, Thomas Frank in February and Igor Tudor in March, and appointed Roberto De Zerbi to ensure Premier League safety.

De Zerbi is yet to win a game at Spurs, but has claimed his side can win the last five games of the season.

However, Richard Keys has dismissed his claim and feels the Lilywhites never learn.

Spurs are yet to win a league match in this calendar year, having lost nine and drawn six in 15 games so far in the Premier League.

Mills believes that Spurs’ relegation to the Championship would be bad for the Premier League, but also feels their drop to the second division would be amusing.

The ex-Leeds United defender believes Spurs are struggling due to a lack of confidence and mismanagement of players, managers, and everything in and around the club.

Team Wins Wolves 2 Newcastle United 2 Chelsea 1 Tottenham Hotspur 0 Burnley 0 Worst PL form over last six games

Mills said on talkSPORT (5:10): “Confidence is shattered and you are struggling, you know and that is a big big problem, and that is exactly what happened to Tottenham.

“Mismanagement I guess of players, of managers, of everything.

“And they find themselves now, I mean for the rest of football, I think bizarrely I think it would be quite bad for the Premier League, if they go down.

“But it would still be quite funny.”

Spurs will first travel to Molineux to lock horns with relegated side Wolves on Saturday, then pay a visit to Aston Villa on 3rd May, before returning home to face Leeds United on 11th May.

The Lilywhites only have five games left to save their season and manager De Zebri has already issued a stern warning to all the players.

In their last match, Spurs picked up a point against De Zerbi’s former side, Brighton, which could lift the morale of the dressing room going into the last five games of the season.

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Bristol Rovers striker Promise Omochere has hailed his team-mate, Tottenham Hotspur out-on-loan star Yusuf Akhamrich, for his talent, describing him as “a joke” and backing him for a big future ahead.

Akhamrich, who came through the Spurs academy, joined Bristol Rovers in January on a six-month loan as part of his development to gain first-team experience.

The 19-year-old made an immediate impact for the Pirates, scoring a brace against Newport County on his first start, and was named the club’s Player of the Month for February.

Akhamrich has scored six goals and registered two assists in 17 League Two appearances, having played only 835 minutes for the club.

The Moroccan came off the bench against Tranmere Rovers on Saturday and scored the winning goal for the Gas, making it back-to-back goals in his last two matches despite not starting either game.

Omochere has been left impressed by the attacker’s quality, particularly highlighting how effortlessly he makes things look on the pitch, even in short cameos.

He also pointed to Akhamrich’s long-term potential, noting that the forward has the attributes to develop into a top player and build a strong career going forward.

The 25-year-old told Bristol Rovers’ in house-media (9:03): “Oh my days. Yusuf, he’s a joke.

“When he scored, I just started laughing. How easy does he make it seem?

“He comes on for 10 minutes and sticks one in the bottom corner.

“Yusuf is a top player.

“He has a big future.

“Really excited to see how he progresses in his career.

“He’s a top player.”

After extending his contract last year, Akhamrich is tied down with Spurs until 2028.

Roberto De Zerbi’s side are in real danger of relegation in the Premier League, sitting just two points clear of survival, and while the Italian manager has claimed they can win all five of their remaining games, Richard Keys has dismissed that view.

If Spurs go down, it could open up an opportunity for Akhamrich to make his first-team breakthrough in the Championship next season.

The Moroccan has already been included in matchday squads for Tottenham in the Premier League and Champions League this season.

Akhamrich’s immediate focus will be to maintain his hot form at Bristol Rovers until the end of the season.

Lewis Storey/Getty Images

Tottenham Hotspur’s Xavi Simons is not viewed as a concrete target by Bayern Munich for this summer’s transfer window, despite previous interest from the Bundesliga giants.

The Dutch attacker arrived as Tottenham’s marquee signing at the beginning of the season from RB Leipzig for a fee just shy of £52m.

There was interest from the Bavarians last summer, but they did not pursue a deal, deeming the asking price too high.

His debut season in north London has yet to fully vindicate that investment, with the 23-year-old contributing five goals and six assists across 40 appearances.

The Netherlands international required time to find his footing at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with former head coach Thomas Frank managing his introduction to the demands of Premier League football.

A former top flight player has publicly expressed disappointment with Simons’ Premier League stint, while another has cast doubt on whether he possesses the level required to thrive in the division.

If Tottenham are relegated, then Simons is likely to see a north London exit and potential transfer destinations will come into play.

Bayern Munich have been mooted as a possible destination, but Simons is ‘not a concrete transfer target’, according to Sky Deutschland (via German outlet fcbinside).

The Netherlands international can play as a No.10 or out wide but is most effective just behind the striker, a role already filled at Bayern Munich by Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry.

The Lilywhites find themselves in a perilous 18th place with just five matches remaining, two points from safety, with the threat of relegation looming and the prospect of a squad overhaul should the worst happen.

Simons did, however, offer a reminder of his talent with a goal and an assist in Spurs’ 2-2 draw against Brighton on Saturday, even as the club’s wait for a first win of 2026 drags on.

The onus will be on the Dutchman to sharpen his edge in the weeks ahead if he is to help drag the north London outfit away from danger.