Inside Futbol

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Aston Villa and Chelsea were ready to pay big money for Lucas Bergvall in the winter transfer window, but Tottenham Hotspur ‘flatly said no’.

The north Londoners are having a season to forget and have appointed Roberto De Zerbi, who will have the task of keeping Spurs from getting relegated.

Igor Tudor managed to collect only one point in his five Premier League games in charge, and the low point came when they lost 3-0 against Nottingham Forest, which saw them slip one point closer to the relegation zone.

However, what has been a disastrous season for the Lilywhites, they have had a few standout performers in their side.

Bergvall, 20, has impressed with his performances when fit and ex-Spurs boss Thomas Frank lauded him for his relentlessness.

Bergvall suffered an ankle injury back in January and the effect of his absence was there, as Spurs are now ever so close to the relegation zone.

His progress at Tottenham has not gone unnoticed and Aston Villa and Chelsea sought to take him away from north London in the winter transfer window.

England-based player Club Melker Elborg Sunderland Victor Lindelof Aston Villa Gabriel Gudmundsson Leeds United Lucas Bergvall Tottenham Hotspur Yasin Ayari Brighton Anthony Elanga Newcastle United Viktor Gyokeres Arsenal England-based players in latest Sweden squad

Both clubs wanted to buy Bergvall, according to Swedish daily Aftonbladet, and they ‘informed’ Tottenham of their interest in doing a deal.

However, Spurs were not ready to entertain any transfer talk for the 20-year-old, as ‘flatly said no’ to the approaches from their fellow Premier League clubs.

It has been suggested that Aston Villa and Chelsea were ready to pay more than £40m to do a deal for the Swedish midfielder.

Bergvall is also expected to play a key part for his country in the World Cup, as Graham Potter wants to build the midfield around him.

He had an impressive 21-minute cameo against Poland in the World Cup qualifiers over the international break and the interest in him has only risen.

The 20-year-old’s current Tottenham deal runs for five more years, following his contract extension last year, but in case of potential relegation, he may want to look for the exit door.

Aston Villa and Chelsea could well look to rekindle their interest if Spurs go down, with Bergvall clearly a player they rate highly.

Richard Keys has delivered a scathing assessment of the decision by Tottenham Hotspur to appoint Roberto De Zerbi, questioning the credentials of the Italian for the role.

The former Brighton head coach was confirmed as the new manager at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Tuesday, signing a five-year contract to replace Igor Tudor.

De Zerbi arrives in north London with the immediate task of securing the club’s Premier League status, with Tottenham currently occupying a position just one point above the relegation zone.

He has been advised by one former Tottenham star to put the focus firmly on organisation and getting the best out of Xavi Simons first.

The 46-year-old established a strong reputation during his two-year spell at Brighton, leading the Seagulls to European qualification for the first time in their history.

However, Keys remains unconvinced by the appointment and suggested that De Zerbi is fortunate to have landed such a high-profile position, given that his recent tenure at Marseille ended abruptly in February following a disappointing early exit from the Champions League and a humiliating 5-0 defeat against Paris Saint-Germain.

The broadcaster argued that Brighton have actually improved since Fabian Hurzeler took over, implying that the job De Zerbi did was not as impressive as many have suggested.

Keys further compared the new manager to Antonio Conte, noting that even a manager of such elite calibre, who has won league titles in both England and Italy, could not succeed at Tottenham.

Manager Reign Oscar Garcia 2013-2014 Sami Hyypia 2014 Chris Hughton 2014-2019 Graham Potter 2019-2022 Roberto De Zerbi 2022-2024 Fabian Hurzeler 2024- Recent Brighton managers

He highlighted that a manager with fewer major honours should not be expected to thrive where those of world-class standing have previously struggled to make an impact.

Keys wrote on X: “I think De Zerbi is a very lucky boy.

“I am not sure what he has done to land the Spurs job.

“Hurzeler has made Brighton better.

“He is certainly not in the same class as Conte who, as we know, has already had the Spurs job and failed.

“So what qualifies him?”

Concerns have also been echoed by former Marseille star Frank Leboeuf, who warned that the Italian may not possess the authoritative presence required to drag the team clear of a relegation fight.

De Zerbi will now look to prove his doubters wrong as he aims to identify key areas for improvement before his first match against Sunderland on 12th April.

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Tottenham Hotspur will likely need to fork out at least €40m to land goalkeeping target Ugurcan Cakir, with Galatasaray determined not to sell the shot-stopper for less.

The north London club are going through a torrid time, as they are fighting a relegation battle in the Premier League with only seven games to go.

They are out of every cup competition, and are sitting 17th in the Premier League table with only 30 points in 31 games.

Roberto De Zerbi has been appointed to firefight Tottenham’s way out of trouble, even though one ex-top-flight star warned the club about the Italian’s antics.

A host of their players have majorly underperformed this season, and the goalkeeping position is no different, as Guglielmo Vicario and Antonin Kinsky have come under fire for their performances.

Tottenham are likely to invest heavily in the summer to back De Zerbi if they can survive and their scouting team have been hard at work identifying targets.

They recently scouted Galatasaray midfielder Gabriel Sara in action, but he is only one of three players at the Istanbul giants that Spurs are keen on.

It has been suggested that Tottenham want no fewer than three players from Galatasaray, with goalkeeper Cakir and winger Baris Alper Yilmaz also on the agenda.

Target Position Ugurcan Cakir Goalkeeper Gabriel Sara Midfielder Baris Alper Yilmaz Winger Tottenham’s Galatasaray targets

Turkey shot-stopper Cakir is a standout performer at the Turkish giants and could well slot in as Tottenham’s new number 1 for next term.

However, Tottenham will not be able to land Cakir cheaply and an idea of how much they must pay has emerged.

According to Turkish outlet Fanatik, Galatasaray want a ‘minimum’ of €40m for the Turkish international amid interest from Tottenham and multiple Premier League clubs.

A host of clubs were keen on the 29-year-old last summer, with Turf Moor side Burnley showing interest in him.

Cakir, however, did not move away from Turkey, as Super Lig giants Galatasaray snapped him up for a fee of around €27.5m from Trabzonspor.

The 29-year-old goalkeeper’s current deal runs until the summer of 2030 at RAMS Park, where he has made 32 appearances across all competitions in his first season.

Cakir’s performances against Liverpool over two legs in the Champions League round of 16 have gained significant traction as multiple European giants are keen on him.

Tottenham are currently focused on staying up, and if they manage to do so under De Zerbi, it remains to be seen if the club hierarchy will launch a concrete move for the Turkey custodian given his price tag.

Vicario is expected to return to Italy given work on a transfer on the part of Inter Milan is already under way, while Kinsky has not impressed since joining from Sparta Prague.

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Yves Bissouma has again appeared on the radar of Fenerbahce, who are now ready to kick off ‘official talks’ with the Tottenham Hotspur star following the conclusion of the international break.

The Malian grabbed attention in his two-year spell at Ligue 1 outfit Lille, who ended up selling him to Premier League club Brighton.

The defensive midfielder showed his class for the Seagulls, where he impressed in his 124 appearances in three seasons.

Bissouma received plaudits during his time at the Amex, as legendary former Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa marked him out as a ‘great player’.

Top-flight giants Arsenal and Liverpool showed interest in him, but they did not quite make a concrete move for the midfielder.

When Steven Gerrard was Aston Villa’s manager, Bissouma was again a wanted man, but the Villans could not land him from Brighton.

North London club, Spurs, though, beat the competition for the Mali international, who ended up making a move to Tottenham four years ago.

Club played for Real Bamako Lille Brighton Tottenham Hotspur Clubs Yves Bissouma has played for

Even though it was initially reported that Spurs paid £25m for Bissouma, it was later claimed that the north Londoners paid significantly more for him.

Bissouma has not quite been able to live up to expectation, as he has played a sporadic role at the club, featuring in 108 games for Tottenham.

Bissouma’s Tottenham deal runs out at the end of the current season and he is attracting attention from the Turkish Super Lig.

According to Turkish broadcaster A Spor, Fenerbahce are again looking to sign the former Brighton man.

It has been suggested that the Yellow Canaries will start talking with the player’s camp after the international break, which has now just concluded.

Last summer, Fenerbahce were keen on the 29-year-old defensive midfielder, but they decided not to make an offer for him.

A switch to Turkey could well appeal to the midfielder this summer, especially as it would be to one of the biggest clubs in the country and come with the carrot of European football.

Bissouma is currently out with a muscle injury and it remains to be seen if he has played his final game for the north Londoners, who are looking to stay up in the Premier League under newly appointed Roberto De Zerbi.

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Former Tottenham Hotspur star Jamie O’Hara has urged Roberto De Zerbi to focus on organisation first at Spurs, with structure taking priority over tactical complexity.

Tottenham appointed De Zerbi on a five-year deal earlier this week, with the former Marseille boss stepping in to replace Igor Tudor, whose ill-fated spell did not produce a league win.

After 31 Premier League games, the Lilywhites are currently sitting 17th with 30 points, just one point above the drop zone and there have been real worries at the club over possible relegation.

With only seven games remaining, the immediate task for the Italian manager is to stabilise performances and stay in the league.

O’Hara stressed that De Zerbi must prioritise organisation above everything else, with only a handful of games remaining and the focus on setting a clear system, structure and pressing approach rather than overcomplicating tactics.

He also pointed out that establishing a defined formation, making the team harder to beat, pressing collectively and maximising key players such as Xavi Simons in the number ten role should be the immediate priorities, which he believes are things Tudor did not do.

O’Hara said on talkSPORT (9.05): “Organising the team is the first thing.

PL game Sunderland (A) Brighton (H) Wolves (A) Aston Villa (A) Leeds United (H) Chelsea (A) Everton (H) Tottenham’s remaining PL games

“You’ve got seven games coming, go 4-2-3-1, organise the formation. This is the formation we’re playing, this is where I want you to stand, this is how I want you to press.

“Get that organised first and foremost.

“Forget the other stuff in terms of how we’re going to play out from the back, that will come. But from now, we’re going to be hard to beat and we’re going to press together.

“Play Xavi Simons as a number 10, get the best out of him, and then you’ve got three things straight away that Igor Tudor didn’t do.”

Under Tudor, who left the Spurs job before De Zerbi’s arrival, the team played in a 3-4-3 formation but failed to win any games during his short tenure, earning just one point from five matches.

De Zerbi’s preferred formation is 4-2-3-1, and his teams often try to dominate possession using a 3-2-5 structure.

His previous Premier League experience came at Brighton & Hove Albion, where he also took charge without a pre-season to prepare the team.

As the replacement for Graham Potter, he took charge of the Seagulls in September 2022 and needed six games to secure his first win, highlighting the time required to implement his style.

De Zerbi will need to hit the ground running as Spurs cannot afford a period of adaptation ahead of must-win games.

While Spurs fans have delighted at the appointment, former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has played down De Zerbi, insisting he is not yet an elite manager.

Arsenal legend Martin Keown playfully suggested that Tottenham could have looked at bringing back Thomas Frank as boss.

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Former Crystal Palace chairman Simon Jordan has played down just what a coup Tottenham Hotspur have pulled off by appointing Roberto De Zerbi as their new boss.

While De Zerbi has yet to win a major trophy in one of Europe’s top leagues, he has built his reputation through spells at clubs such as Sassuolo, Brighton & Hove Albion and Marseille, largely due to his attacking philosophy.

The Italian manager has now been appointed as Spurs’ new boss following the departure of Igor Tudor, signing a long-term deal until 2031.

Following his appointment, he has reportedly become one of the highest paid managers in the Premier League, despite Tottenham being at risk of the drop.

With seven matches remaining, attention is now on De Zerbi and whether he can keep Spurs in the Premier League.

The Lilywhites are currently 17th in the table with 30 points, just one point above the relegation zone.

Spurs getting De Zerbi has been talked up in some quarters as a real coup, but Jordan does not see it that way and believes the Italian is not an elite manager at the moment.

Person Position Roberto De Zerbi Manager Bruno Saltor Assistant Andreas Georgson Assistant Fabian Otte Goalkeeping coach Dean Brill Goalkeeping coach Current Tottenham backroom staff key positions

He also pointed to comparisons with Marco Silva, indicating that De Zerbi is at a similar stage in his career, while adding that Tottenham’s current situation could ultimately benefit the Italian, given the scale of the opportunity and the financial rewards involved.

Jordan said on talkSPORT (8:29): “De Zerbi is not that big a deal. I mean, he’s managed Shakhtar Donetsk, Brighton and Marseille.

“I mean, we’re not talking about Carlo Ancelotti here.

“We’re talking about a manager that’s on his way up.

“We’re talking about a manager like Marco Silva that cut his bones at Hull City and he’s now getting bigger opportunities and people would consider Marco Silva to be as successful a manager as De Zerbi, but he’s managing Fulham.

“Tottenham is an infinitely bigger football club that’s got itself into an awful mess and they’re paying the price for it.

“And the beneficiary of that is De Zerbi and his bank balance.”

De Zerbi’s previous experience in the Premier League saw the Seagulls finish sixth in the 2022/23 season, their highest ever finish in the top flight, and qualify for European football for the first time in the club’s history.

Having signed a long term deal there will be an expectation on De Zerbi and Spurs to continue their association even if the club drop down into the Championship.

The Italian though would be likely to see a player exodus if Spurs lose their Premier League status, meaning a significant rebuilding job will be needed.

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Sweden coach Graham Potter is ‘expected to build the Swedish midfield around’ Tottenham Hotspur star Lucas Bergvall at the World Cup this summer.

The Sweden international was attracting interest from mammoth clubs when he was younger and Catalan giants Barcelona were keen on him.

However, he decided to join north London club Tottenham instead and turned down interest from the Blaugrana.

Bergvall arrived at the club in 2024, when he was only 18, and has already played 73 senior matches for the Lilywhites, being given a vote of confidence early into his time by then Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou.

The recently turned 20-year-old central midfielder has also featured eight times for the Sweden national team.

He suffered an injury in late January and returned to action for Spurs in their 3-0 loss against Nottingham Forest before the March international break.

Bergvall played 21 minutes against Poland on Tuesday in their World Cup playoff tie, as Potter’s men made it to the World Cup in the summer.

England-based player Club Melker Elborg Sunderland Victor Lindelof Aston Villa Gabriel Gudmundsson Leeds United Lucas Bergvall Tottenham Hotspur Yasin Ayari Brighton Anthony Elanga Newcastle United Viktor Gyokeres Arsenal England-based players in latest Sweden squad

And now, according to Swedish daily Aftonbladet, the Sweden coach is expected to build his midfield around Bergvall at the World Cup.

The 20-year-old’s cameo against Poland received plaudits as he impressed with his display against Jan Urban’s side.

Bergvall’s overall display on Tuesday night caught eyeballs and the Spurs midfielder is expected to be a key cog in Potter’s system.

The former West Ham United boss also wants to see another Spurs player return from injury in the shape of Dejan Kulusevski, who has not played at all this season.

Bergvall’s performances are attracting major transfer interest, as the likes of Chelsea, Aston Villa and Liverpool were linked with him in the winter window.

Their interest has not gone away, but Spurs secured the Swede’s future with a new contract, which they offered last year to extend his stay until 2031.

Tottenham are currently desperately trying to stay up under their new boss, Roberto De Zerbi, and in the event of relegation, Bergvall may well not want to play in the Championship.

His former sides, in the shape of Brommapojkarna and Djurgarden, could well hope for the 20-year-old’s switch sooner rather than later, as both clubs would net a share of any fee.

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Former Marseille star Frank Leboeuf has urged Tottenham Hotspur to look beyond Roberto De Zerbi, suggesting the Italian may not suit the current demands, with a stronger, more authoritative presence needed to drag them clear of the relegation fight.

Last season, De Zerbi took over Marseille in June and guided the French giants to a top-two finish in his debut campaign.

However, this year, Les Olympiens find themselves in a much less favourable position, eleven points adrift of the summit, prompting the Italian tactician to depart in January following a league-phase exit from the Champions League and thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain.

Tottenham recently parted ways with Igor Tudor after the Croatian lost four of his first five league matches, leaving the Lilywhites teetering just one point above the drop zone, with a former Lilywhite demanding accountability from those who handed him the reins.

With Spurs on the brink of a first Premier League exit since 1977 and two weeks until their next fixture against Sunderland, speculation linking the former Brighton manager with the job at N17 has ignited.

The former Marseille star questioned whether appointing the 46-year-old would be the right move for Spurs, noting that while the Italian made an immediate impact at Stade Velodrome, he ultimately fell short of expectations over time.

Leboeuf suggested Spurs’ recent reliance on more player-friendly coaches has not delivered the required results and implied that a different managerial profile may now be needed.

Club Manner of departure Palermo Sacked Benevento Left Sassuolo Left Shakhtar Donetsk Left Brighton Mutual termination Marseille Sacked Roberto De Zerbi’s club exits

The 58-year-old added that a more authoritative figure capable of enforcing accountability across the Tottenham players could be necessary, particularly with the threat of relegation looming large.

When asked whether De Zerbi would be a good fit, Leboeuf said on ESPN FC (12:11): “I don’t know.

“I mean, it worked at first when he came to Marseille.

“When he first came, again, he did the job and did nothing to complain about, but in the length of his work, we have seen that he didn’t manage to go to all the expectations that we had.

“And no, I don’t think it works.

“They’ve been through many coaches who show kindness to the players, who are like coach-friends, and they need maybe somebody else, maybe somebody who can threaten them, maybe with the coach, with the president, with the chairman, with the board, saying, ‘You know what, if we are relegated, nobody leaves, you’re going to play in the Championship.’

“Now we’re going to see who the warriors are, and that’s how I would see the thing

“Because you have to make a change.”

With seven games left and no manager in charge, all eyes are on who the Spurs hierarchy will turn to in the battle to keep Tottenham in the Premier League, as talks behind the scenes gather pace.

Tottenham are pulling out all the stops to win De Zerbi over, but the Italian tactician has been hesitant, with the coming hours set to be decisive as he weighs his decision.

Next up is a trip to the Stadium of Light to face Sunderland, who have been virtually untouchable at home, unbeaten in 12 of their 15 league outings, setting the stage for a fierce test of nerve for the north London side.

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Tottenham Hotspur face needing to pay €40m if they are to be able to convince Galatasaray to part with midfielder Gabriel Sara this summer, amid competition from Brighton.

Spurs are going through a terrible season and they are fighting hard to keep their Premier League status intact as they sit 17th in the league table with only one point clear of West Ham United.

They have just parted ways with Igor Tudor and are on the hunt for a new manager to try to keep them afloat.

Former Tottenham star Gus Poyet recently put a 50 per cent chance on Spurs surviving in the Premier League.

However, their uncertainty regarding their future is not stopping Tottenham from planning for next season, as they have three Galatasaray players on their wish list in the form of goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakir, midfielder Gabriel Sara and winger Baris Alper Yilmaz.

Sara joined Galatasaray from Norwich City in the summer of 2024 and the Turkish giants paid a hefty fee in the region of €23m for the player.

It was suggested that the north London outfit scouted Sara during Galatasaray’s Champions League encounter against Liverpool at Anfield early this month.

Tottenham Hotspur will need to fork out €40m to sign Gabriel Sara, also wanted by Brighton, from Galatasaray.

Scored against Goztepe (H) Kasimpasa (H) Karagumruk (A) – two Kayserispor (H) Gabriel Sara’s Turkish Super Lig goals this season

Spurs have started working on a deal to bring the Brazilian back to English soil next summer, but they might have to dig deep into their pocket to do that.

According to Turkish daily Sabah, Galatasaray will not entertain offers less than €40m for the midfielder.

Tottenham will face competition from the Premier League in the form of Brighton and the Seagulls are planning to submit an official offer at the end of the season.

Sara has been a regular for Galatasaray in the ongoing season and has managed to find the back of the net on five occasions while delivering two assists in 24 outings.

He has kicked on since his switch from Norwich City and a move to the Premier League is likely to be an appealing one for the midfielder.

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Tottenham Hotspur star Mathys Tel’s agent has revealed the player’s love for Bayern Munich and insists that he could not return to the Bundesliga with Borussia Dortmund as a result.

Tel signed for Spurs last summer in a £30m move, after spending the earlier half of the year on loan with the club and impressing sufficiently.

The move has soured quickly though, with Tel said to be unhappy with game-time at Spurs, as Borussia Dortmund joined a host of names being linked with the Frenchman.

Tel’s agent Gadiri Camara quickly shot down the links to Borussia Dortmund, admitting that he is unsure if there is any mileage to the suggestion.

Stressing unequivocally of Tel’s love for Bayern Munich, Camara declared that Tel will consider a move back to Germany only in the event that the Bavarians come knocking.

Camara was quoted as saying by Absolut Bayern (via TZ): “I don’t know if Dortmund really want Mathys, but honestly, a return to Bayern is the only way Mathys will come back to Germany.

“He can’t play for any other club in the Bundesliga.

“He loves FC Bayern!”

Paris FC were linked with Tel in the winter window, with the French club said to be viewing him as an ‘absolute dream transfer target’.

Roma were also said to be pushing hard for Tel at the same time, but Tottenham ultimately kept hold of their player.

Tel has started all of the last three fixtures for Spurs, but has been unable to affect his club’s fortunes by a great deal, with Tottenham seemingly trapped in quicksand as they sink in the standings.

The winger has now withdrawn from international duty with a thigh concern, adding to Spurs’ injury list with manager Igor Tudor having bemoaned that he has not seen anything like this.

Spurs are embroiled in a four-way relegation battle and discussion about Tel’s future will surely be put on the back burner until safety is assured or denied.