Inside Futbol

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Tottenham Hotspur attacker Will Lankshear believes that the Championship is getting better and better in terms of quality and feels Oxford United will need to give more if they are to survive.

Despite having Portsmouth at their mercy for much of the Easter Monday clash after they went down to ten men in the 17th minute, Oxford United were unable to beat them, only settling for a 2-2 draw.

The result did neither side any good as they both remain in deep trouble, with Oxford United in the drop zone, a point behind Portsmouth, who sit just outside it.

Tottenham’s Lankshear, who scored the second goal of the match for the away team, was left impressed with the fighting desire his team showed, not just against Portsmouth but against teams in their last eight games.

Expressing his feelings following the match, the Tottenham loanee told OUTV (3.02): “It is extremely good to see [us fight]. We know we have to.

“We come out here after every game and say that we have got the spirit, we have got the drive.

“But in this league, it is incredibly tough.”

Lankshear, who Tottenham will be looking to see experience tough challenges which make him grow during the course of the loan, believes that the Championship is only getting better.

“I think the league is going up in quality. We are going to need more. We are going to need more going into the next few games.

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

“I think we have got that, we have got that ability.

“The past eight games, I think we have played really, really well.”

Lankshear does not want his team to give up on their attempts and continue the way they have been to secure survival, which he believes is well within their reach.

“Don’t think we deserve to be in the position that we are in.

“I don’t, because we have been very very good.

“So, let us just keep pushing, keep going and I am sure that the results will come. We will stay up.”

Still just 20, Lankshear has gone on to become an important starter for Matt Bloomfield’s team, scoring nine goals in 39 league matches.

The loan spell has already seen one former Championship star laud him for showing real maturity and the attacker will want to return to Tottenham having helped Oxford United to survive.

Lankshear will have a new Spurs boss to win over in the summer in the shape of Roberto De Zerbi.

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Fiorentina sporting director Fabio Paratici has started his work on strengthening the Viola squad for next season and has turned his attention towards Tottenham Hotspur defender Radu Dragusin.

Dragusin knows Serie A well, having spent his senior entire career in Italy before leaving in 2024 for Tottenham.

The defender was hoping to establish himself in north London, but found others ahead of him in the pecking order, while he also suffered a cruciate ligament injury which meant a lengthy absence.

His agent was quick to insist on his return that Dragusin is stronger and faster than before, but getting regular game time at Tottenham when other centre-backs are fit has continued to be a challenge for the Romanian.

Dragusin had an admirer in Igor Tudor, but the Croatian is no longer Spurs boss.

Roma sporting director Frederic Massara pushed to sign Dragusin in January but nothing eventually materialised.

Interest from Italy remains strong, with Fiorentina also linked in January and continuing to track Dragusin closely.

Paratici knows Dragusin well and the Fiorentina sporting director ‘has begun his work’ ahead of a summer transfer window swoop, according to Italian outlet Tutto Mercato Web, with the Romania centre-back a target.

Premier League star On loan from Manor Solomon Tottenham Hotspur Jack Harrison Leeds United Fiorentina’s Premier League loan stars

The former Spurs sporting director has used his experience of English football already at Fiorentina to boost the Viola squad.

He spoke to Spurs to arrange a loan deal for winger Manor Solomon in the January transfer window.

He then did a deal with Leeds United to snap up another winger in the shape of Jack Harrison.

Fiorentina were at real risk of being relegated from Serie A once Paratici slotted in as sporting director.

They have though since risen out of the drop zone to sit 15th, with a five-point cushion over the bottom three.

Returning to Italian football could well be hugely tempting for Dragusin if he cannot secure regular game time at Tottenham.

The Romanian will now be focused on trying to impress new Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi and earn his trust.

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RB Leipzig centre-back Castello Lukeba, who ‘charmed’ Premier League pair Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur last summer, ‘is on the market’ for a move this summer.

The 23-year-old defender came up through the ranks of Lyon’s academy and joined Leipzig in the 2023 summer transfer window, with the Bundesliga side having spotted his potential.

In three seasons with the German club, Lukeba has made 97 appearances in total and also helped them win the German Super Cup in 2023.

Lukeba was part of the France team which won the silver medal at the Summer Olympics in 2024 and was also in the France Under-21 squad at the European Under-21 Championship in 2025.

The defender was on the radar of both Chelsea and Manchester United in 2024 and Premier League interest in him has not gone away.

Last summer both Liverpool and Tottenham were said to be ‘charmed’ by Lukeba as they thought about bringing him to England.

Leipzig made sure to keep hold of the centre-back, however the situation may be different this summer.

According to German journalist Philipp Hinze, Die Roten Bullen are open to letting the defender go and he ‘is on the market’.

Competition Appearances Bundesliga 78 Ligue 1 58 Champions League 12 Castello Lukeba’s top competitions by appearances

He has a release clause set at €80m, but Leipzig will play ball for below that figure.

The Bundesliga club value Lukeba in the region of €65m to €70m and it is suggested that the Frenchman is ready for a new challenge in his career.

Liverpool missed out on Marc Guehi last summer and saw Giovanni Leoni suffer a serious injury, and although the Reds are signing Jeremy Jacquet, they could well want another centre-back.

The Anfield side will also be aware that Virgil van Dijk is due to turn 35 in the summer and will have just 12 months left on his deal.

Spurs are currently in a relegation battle and could be relegated to the Championship, and without Premier League football, it would be a huge challenge to bring in a player like Lukeba.

If they survive though there are sure to be big changes, with questions over the futures of Radu Dragusin and Cristian Romero, while Micky van de Ven has been linked with a move away.

At just 23 years old, Lukeba is sure to have scope to further improve and the idea of landing him is sure to be attractive for several Premier League sides.

He has also shown he is able to avoid going in the referee’s notebook consistently, having been booked just twice in the Bundesliga this season.

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Former Premier League manager Tony Pulis has warned that Tottenham Hotspur must ensure their recruitment strategy is aligned with Roberto De Zerbi if the club are to find success under the Italian.

Spurs recently announced De Zerbi as their new manager, with the Italian signing a five-year contract, following the departure of Igor Tudor.

The Lilywhites are currently facing relegation concerns, sitting 17th in the table and at genuine risk of dropping down into the Championship.

Many Spurs fans are delighted about the arrival of De Zerbi, but Simon Jordan has insisted the Italian is not yet a top boss and is more in the Marco Silva mould.

De Zerbi’s previous Premier League experience at Brighton & Hove Albion will be a boost, having led them to European qualification for the first time in their history during the 2022/23 campaign.

However, Richard Keys has claimed that current Seagulls boss Fabian Hurzeler has improved the side since taking over, raising questions about how impressive De Zerbi’s work was.

Pulis has pointed to the modern structure of football, where coaches are often handed players rather than having full control over signings, adding that disagreements with decision-makers and instability at board level can make it difficult for any manager to succeed without proper alignment behind the scenes.

Loanee On loan from Randal Kolo Muani Paris Saint-Germain Joao Palhinha Bayern Munich Tottenham Hotspur’s loan stars

He then suggested that, at Tottenham, a manager of De Zerbi’s standing would not have committed to a long-term deal without having some influence over recruitment, while also noting that with Spurs operating under a strict wage budget, their signings must be smart and resourceful and aligned with the boss’ needs.

Pulis wrote in his BBC Sport column: “Today’s managers and coaches are more or less given players to coach rather than choosing signings themselves.

“If you are the manager and you have real differences of opinion with the people making those decisions, or there are constant changes above you, then goodness knows how you can be successful, whoever you are.

“With that in mind, and also looking at where Spurs have gone wrong with some of their player recruitment in recent years, I cannot believe that a manager of Roberto De Zerbi’s standing would sign a five-year contract without him having some say on signings and the new players who will be coming into the club.

“With Spurs maintaining a strict wage budget, their recruitment must be smart and resourceful whatever division they are in, but it is also important it is in line with the coach’s needs and wishes.”

De Zerbi has already confirmed he will remain committed to Tottenham even if they are relegated, hinting at his understanding of the alignment with the club’s structure.

If they were to be relegated, it would represent a significant long-term setback, with the club likely needing to rebalance the squad while also facing major financial losses.

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Tottenham Hotspur legend Graham Roberts has hit back at critics suggesting Roberto De Zerbi does not stay in jobs long term by pointing towards the size of Spurs as a club.

Spurs have appointed De Zerbi as their manager following the departure of boss Igor Tudor, amid Richard Keys suggesting the Italian has got lucky to get the job.

The Italian manager has signed a contract until 2031, with his immediate priority being to keep the Lilywhites in the Premier League this season.

Tottenham are currently just one point above the relegation zone, sitting 17th in the league table with 30 points after 31 matches.

De Zerbi has built a reputation across Europe for his attacking philosophy, having managed clubs such as Sassuolo, Brighton & Hove Albion and Marseille.

However, he has not stayed in any job for too long, prompting questions over how his honeymoon at Tottenham will last.

Roberts has weighed in on the situation, stressing the importance of long-term commitment while pointing out that managing Tottenham represents a different level compared to De Zerbi’s previous roles, indicating he may be inclined to remain for a longer period.

The former defender also indicated that the Italian may not get another opportunity of this magnitude, underlining the scale of the job and suggesting he must use it as a chance to take the club back to the levels seen under Mauricio Pochettino.

English Spurs boss Reign Peter Shreeves 1991-1992 Gerry Francis 1994-1997 Glenn Hoddle 2001-2003 Harry Redknapp 2008-2012 Tim Sherwood 2013-2014 Tottenham’s last five English managers

Roberts wrote on X: “We also need the manager to commit and be with us for the long term and people saying from the outside that his not been at clubs long he has never managed a big as club as Spurs and might never again this is his chance to get us back to Poch days!”

De Zerbi’s previous experience in the Premier League with Brighton is expected to be a key asset, having managed the club from September 2022 until the end of the 2023/24 season.

Under De Zerbi, Brighton finished the 2022/23 campaign in sixth place, the club’s highest-ever league finish, and qualified for European competition for the first time in the club’s history.

During his tenure, they were one of the only three sides to both score and concede over 100 Premier League goals, alongside Tottenham and Chelsea.

The Italian manager’s last job was with Marseille, where he mutually agreed to part ways in February this year following a thrashing by Paris Saint-Germain.

Following the FA Cup weekend, De Zerbi’s first match in charge is set to be away at Sunderland on 12th April.

He will then take charge of his first home game at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium against his former side Brighton on 18th April.

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Tottenham Hotspur summer signing Xavi Simons is already attracting transfer interest, with Galatasaray ready for ‘first contact’ over a deal, amid Rafael van der Vaart saying he has done ‘nothing at all’ for Spurs.

The Amsterdam-born attacking talent attracted massive interest from his very early days and he spent nine years in Barcelona’s academy.

After the Catalan giants, Simons was on Paris Saint-Germain’s books for three seasons and left the Parisians after making eleven appearances for them.

Simons’ career trajectory, though, did not go as planned, as he returned to PSG after impressing at PSV Eindhoven, with the Ligue 1 giants triggering a minimal buy-back clause for him.

The Netherlands international showed his quality at RB Leipzig, and he almost joined Chelsea, but Spurs hijacked that move after missing out on their prime target Eberechi Eze, who joined Arsenal.

The north Londoners paid a hefty £51.8m to RB Leipzig, securing the 22-year-old on a deal until the summer of 2030.

Simons can play as a number 10 and out wide on either side, but he has not been able to make any significant impact at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

League played in Country Ligue 1 France Eredivisie Netherlands Bundesliga Germany Premier League England Leagues Xavi Simons has played in

One ex-Netherlands attacker claimed that the Premier League defenders quickly figured out how to stop him, stressing that he runs too much with the ball.

Former Spurs man Van der Vaart has also had his say and recently claimed Simons had done ‘nothing at all’ in north London.

The north London side are currently wedged in a relegation battle, and if they do go down, it is very hard to envisage Simons playing in the Championship, a prospect which has alarmed one Dutch journalist.

Now there is interest in the 22-year-old in the dying embers of the current season, as clubs plot their summer window business.

According to Turkish outlet Fanatik, the Tottenham attacker is now on Galatasaray’s radar and ‘first contact’ with Simons is expected to happen soon.

The Cimbom are looking to add a quality number 10 to their squad for next season and are in conversations with multiple ‘important’ players.

Galatasaray will likely have Champions League football to offer Simons and that could be a hugely attractive prospect for the Dutchman even if Tottenham survive.

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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.