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Spurs have rewarded Premier League 2 top goalscorer, Will Lankshear, with a new contract on the back of his impressive season.

Lankshear inspired a double-winning season for Tottenham U21’s

Tottenham snatched Lankshear away from Sheffield United back in a deal worth around £1million for the 17-year-old at the time who had inspired the Blades’ U18’s to the Development League title. (TransferMarkt)

The physical centre-forward hit the ground running within Tottenham’s youth set up after joining in 2022/23, netting four goals in his first five PL U18 games. (TransferMarkt)

However, a knee injury that required surgery forced the striker to miss the remainder of the campaign, just as Will was starting to earn himself minutes in Wayne Burnett’s U21’s side. (Football.London)

Will Lankshear’s fine form has been rewarded

The ex-Sheffield United forward did resume where he left off before his injury though, immediately being part of the U21’s and proving immediately that’s where he belongs, netting an outstanding 18 goals in 19 games during the PL2 league phase, scoring a further 5 in the PL2 play-offs which saw Spurs’ youth side crowned both league and play-off phase champions.

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Tottenham’s announcement ensures that the PL2 top goal scorer will remain a Tottenham player for at least the next five seasons in a deal that runs until 2029.

Lankshear’s role at Tottenham remains unclear for next season but with such an impressive goalscoring record, it wouldn’t be surprising to see clubs as high as the Championship lining up to sign the 19-year-old on loan.

The deal given to Lankshear on Friday makes it back-to-back years that Spurs have handed the promising forward a new deal with it only being May last season that Lankshear agreed to a deal until 2026. (Tottenham Hotspur)

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I’ve been able to watch Will play in almost every U21’s game in the second half of the season and his quality was glaringly obvious. The striker has pace, power as well as a deadly finish.

Over the course of the season, Lankshear appears to have conditioned himself to become physically stronger which leads me to believe that he is the U21’s player most suited to playing at a higher level.

Tottenham must choose the next stage of Will’s development carefully though if he does depart on loan, it should be to a team that offers plenty of game time, otherwise, the 19-year-old may as well stay at Hotspur Way and pick up some minutes in the Europa League.

According to Football Scotland, Atalanta have seen an offer turned down by Celtic for midfielder Matt O’Riley, who has been mooted as a target for Tottenham this summer.

Ange Postecoglou was the man who took O’Riley to Celtic, with the Scottish giants landing him from MK Dons in January of 2022.

Since then, the midfielder has had an outstanding 18 months in Scottish football, finishing last season with a ridiculous tally of 19 goals and 18 assists across all competitions.

Tottenham’s interest in the 23-year-old came to light back in May when GiveMeSport revealed that Postecoglou was keen on reuniting with the Dane and that Spurs are prepared to battle West Ham for the player’s signature.

Atalanta offer rejected

It has now been reported by Football Scotland that Atalanta submitted an offer of £15m for O’Riley, which was swiftly turned down by Celtic.

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The report claims that the Bhoys had rejected a bid from Atletico Madrid for the midfielder in January, with Brendan Rodgers keen on keeping his star man at Parkhead.

The report makes no mention of Spurs but reveals that Southampton are also quite keen on securing the Denmark international’s services.

Finally, the publication adds that an offer of £20m might tempt the Scottish giants to cash in on O’Riley this summer.

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Turkish media have touted for a number of weeks that Spurs are interested in Fenerbahçe attacking midfielder, Sebastian Szymanski, however, the player’s agent has since had his say on the speculation.

Tottenham were reportedly finalising a deal with Szymanski last week

Reports in Turkey emerged merely weeks ago that out of the blue Tottenham had agreed a four-year deal with Polish international, Szymanski, although Spurs’ offer to Fenerbahce was turned down, according to Aslinda.

Aspor in Turkey then announced on Monday (8/7/24) that Szymanski had fully agreed to join Tottenham with an offer of around £21 million having been accepted by Fenerbahce, going as far as to claim that the move will be announced and official in the coming days.

It has however since been three days without any announcement or developments upon the story, with the only news being Szymanski’s agent dismissing the rumour.

Szymanski’s agent has accused the Turkish media of using his client as a ‘journalistic duck’

New updates from media in Szymanski’s homeland of Poland have revealed that the rumours aren’t true and in fact there hasn’t been any proposal made for the Fenerbahce star with the attacking midfielder likely to remain in Turkey. (Meczyki)

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Meczyki have relayed in their report on Thursday (11/7/24) their conversation with Szymanski’s agent with the story revealing that the player’s agent believes only an offer of €25-€30 million would lead to a sale.

Szymanski’s agent, Mariusz Piekarski, was then quoted stating ‘I don’t know anything about Tottenham’s offer for Sebek. He is a journalistic duck. For now, Szymanski is staying in Fenerbahce’.

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I can’t act as if I have seen much of Szymanski play at all, however, it does seem unlikely that Tottenham would be willing to fork out upwards of £20 million for an attacking midfielder who only has a single year of experience in Turkey, and outside of that hasn’t played at a higher level than his brief loan with Feyenoord.

Athletic Club Bilbao president Jon Uriarte has insisted that the La Liga side are capable of keeping hold of rumoured Tottenham target Nico Williams, labelling the speculation over the winger’s speculation disrespectful.

Nico Williams is a rumoured transfer target for Spurs

Williams has been one of Spain’s best players at the Euros, with La Roja now just one game away from being crowned European Champions.

The 21-year-old is now one of the hottest young properties in world football, coming off a stellar season at club level, helping Athletic Bilbao get their hands on the Copa del Rey trophy.

Over the summer, a number of outlets have reported that Tottenham are one of several clubs eyeing a move for the winger, who is thought to have a release clause of around £42.8m within his contract (The Telegraph).

The likes of Liverpool and Aston Villa have also been credited with an interest in the youngster (Football Insider) while Barcelona and Chelsea also continue to be mooted as potential destinations for Williams (The Standard).

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Club want Williams to stay

However, Uriarte has now batted away the speculation, insisting that Athletic Bilbao are in the middle of an important project and are capable of holding on to their star man.

The Basque club’s president said (via Fabrizio Romano): “We have a top project with no limit and we’re able to keep top players like Nico Williams at the club.

“There are too many questions always asked to Nico on his future as Federation has not been able to protect him. We ask for respect.”

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The existence of a release clause means that Athletic Club will be helpless to stop Williams from leaving if it is activated.

The challenge that Tottenham and other suitors face is in convincing the player’s entourage about the move.

Despite being a long-term target for Italian powerhouse, AC Milan, it looks as if Emerson Royal is once again attracting interest from Saudi Arabia

Emerson has publicly stated his desire for regular minutes

After playing a bit part in Tottenham’s first season under manager, Ange Postecoglou, it appears Emerson Royal is not in the Australian’s plans to play regularly, with an exit rumoured to be on the cards.

AC Milan’s interest in the right-back has been long reported, with Fabrizio Romano announcing on Thursday morning (11/7/24) that the Italian side were working closer to Tottenham’s valuation of €20 million after their last bid being around €15 million, leaving Milan now confident that a deal will be agreed.

Emerson has done his bit to try and get the deal moving, publicly revealing to Globo: “This situation doesn’t work for me, so I don’t know what my future will be. I’m not a player to sit on the bench. I want to play. If not here, I understand. But let me go to a place where I play.”

Saudi interest could throw a spanner in the works

Latest reports from Gazzetta Dello Sport suggest that there is perhaps another twist in this transfer saga yet however as an unnamed club from Saudi Arabia having expressed interest in the Tottenham defender.

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Gazzetta claims that the potential contract offer that would be proposed to Royal could see his wages as much as quadrupled.

Capology suggests that Emerson’s current Spurs deal, which runs until 2026, is worth £40,000-a-week meaning the Saudi Arabian clubs offer could be as much as an incredible £160,000-a-week.

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From a selfish point of view, a move to Saudi Arabia is likely to be the best outcome for Tottenham, although the lower standard of football may mean that Emerson remains out of the Brazil squad.

The eye-watering transfer figures that have been paid by Saudi Arabian clubs means there’s a high chance that Spurs could secure a fee a lot higher than the €20 million they are holding out for from AC Milan.

The Liverpool Echo reporter Joe Thomas has now revealed that Everton would still likely have to pay Tottenham as a result of if they decide to offer Dele a new contract this summer.

Dele left Tottenham to join Everton

Dele moved to Goodison Park on a free transfer in January of 2022 but as part of the deal, it was agreed that Everton would have to pay Spurs £10m if the attacking midfielder made 20 appearances for the club before the end of his two-and-a-half-year contract (Football.London).

However, injuries meant that the former Spurs man could not make the required number of appearances, having featured just 13 times for the Toffees since his move.

The midfielder’s deal at Goodison Park has now run out and it is unclear what the future holds for the Tottenham man.

Thomas has now explained that it is not straightforward for Sean Dyche’s men to offer Dele a contract as Spurs would then be owed compensation by the Toffees as per the deal agreed between the two clubs back in 2022.

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A Dele deal is not straightforward

The journalist said on The Royal Blue Mersey YouTube channel: “Whilst he’s out of contract with Everton, it’s not as simple as there’s no deal there so he can just sign for whoever he wants to for free. If it was Everton, I think there is an obligation on Everton to pay something to Spurs.

“I don’t know how much it is, but the terms of the original deal make it difficult for Everton to go back for Dele Alli without triggering something that is prohibitive for them. It’s not a free hit if they just offer him a contract and that’s part of the problem at the moment is trying to work their way through that.

“The reality is and this remains the case now, is the terms of the deal that took him from Tottenham to Everton make it very difficult for Everton to contemplate giving him a proper chance of signing a new deal to get into the Everton first team.

“It’s not a free hit, it’s not as straightforward as he’s now out of contract, if he was to accept token wages or something could he end up signing for Everton again? It’s not the free hit that we’d all expect it to be.”

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Given Everton’s financial situation, they likely would not want to pay any fee or add-ons for Dele. If Tottenham do not waive the fee they are owed, the midfielder might thus end up at a different club this summer.

It would not be the worst idea for the 28-year-old to drop down to the Championship and help a club like Leeds win back promotion.

The likes of Joe Rodon, Harry Winks and Japhet Tanganga have revived their careers by dropping down a division.

GiveMeSport claim that Tottenham Hotspur are one of a number of Premier League clubs who were keen on signing Gabriel Osho but they have missed out after the centre-back decided to sign for Auxerre instead.

Gabriel Osho became a free agent this summer

The report says that Tottenham and other English top-flight sides had been left impressed by Osho’s performances at Luton Town last season in his solitary Premier League season.

The 25-year-old became a free agent this summer after his contract at Luton ran out, and was thought to have had a number of clubs who had expressed an interest in signing him.

The report claims that after missing out on Tosin Adarabioyo and Lloyd Kelly, Ange Postecoglou had identified Osho as the right option to add depth to his central defensive ranks.

However, it is said that the Lilwhites would now have to ‘return to the drawing board’ after learning that the defender has decided to move to France.

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Tottenham had an interest in the former Luton defender

Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Fulham were also said to have reached out to the English defender to express their intention to make an offer.

However, these clubs have been left frustrated after the centre-back opted to sign a long-term deal with Auxerre ahead of the 2024-25 season.

The publication adds that Osho was keen to make a quick decision on his future and did not want to wait for a Premier League offer to arrive.

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The decision makes sense for Osho as he might have not wanted to risk rejecting offers from Auxerre and other clubs, only to find out that no Premier League side substantiated their interest.

Marcus Edwards’ time at Sporting could be coming to an end this summer with the winger having recently been linked with a return to the Premier League.

Marcus Edwards could be looking for a new club this summer

Football.London first reported Tottenham’s interest in bringing back former academy graduate, Marcus Edwards, back in late May.

The report referred to the club’s homegrown quota as being a driving factor for the move as well as the 35% sell-on clause Spurs have making a deal cheaper.

In June, Portuguese news outlet Record also reported Tottenham and Crystal Palace’s interest in the forward. Record’s report claimed that Edwards was particularly enthused by the idea of returning to North London and was less excited by moving to the south of the capital to play for Palace.

Crystal Palace’s manager, Oliver Glasner, was the man believed to be driving the Eagles’ interest in Edwards and it would be expected that the Austrian may need to convince the winger to join his side.

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Sporting Lisbon are already planning for Edwards’ exit

The latest report from A Bola on Thursday suggests that Sporting have made it clear they are looking to move Edwards.

Sporting manager, Ruben Amorim, is believed to have been impressed by 17-year-old winger, Geovany Quenda, so much so that the team’s youth product is now expected to be promoted to the first team should Edwards depart.

A Bola confirmed that the recent first-team training performances of Quenda mean that Sporting are now willing to negotiate the exit of Edwards with a price in mind of €25/30 million.

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Edwards’ situation is an interesting one, as his performances two seasons ago against Tottenham in the Champions League being very impressive and leaving fans wondering how we let the winger go.

However, after his injury last season, it appears Edwards has fallen out of favour in Portugal and could be a smart move from the club to re-sign the player, although his signing shouldn’t be instead of signing a top-level forward which I still believe Tottenham need.

Tottenham Hotspur are said to be currently leading both Manchester United and West Ham in the race for Lille striker Jonathan David.

With Canada’s Copa America campaign set to come to an end this weekend following their third-place playoff against Uruguay, it would be expected that decisions over David‘s future to accelerate over the coming days and weeks.

The 24-year-old, who has just one year left on his contract, is thought to be available for a cut-price fee, with a host of Premier League sides, including Tottenham, reported to be keen on securing his services (Guardian).

It is unclear where the former Gent man is going to end up this summer, but Jacobs believes that it is likely to be either at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium or Stamford Bridge, naming Spurs and Chelsea as ones to watch out for.

Ben Jacobs has now shared his understanding of the latest situation surrounding the forward, who could represent a shrewd investment.

The journalist suggested that Manchester United and West Ham are currently prioritising other centre-forwards.

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Jacobs said on Playback: “Jonathan David is available in the region of £25m, and that’s seen as a bargain in the market.

“West Ham are focused on Jhon Duran. Chelsea and Tottenham are the ones to watch there and it’s less likely that Manchester United move because of Joshua Zirkzee.”

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The state of play in the race for David’s signature will become clear over the next week or so.

If Tottenham are to spend big on the likes of Eze and Neto, it would make sense for the club to opt for a relatively low-cost option upfront, which is why the Lille star would fit the bill perfectly.

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to sign a new midfielder this summer, but one of their Premier League rivals are still waiting to see whether the Lilywhites to approach them about a player they are open to selling.

Chelsea could still sell Conor Gallagher

The latest on Tottenham‘s pursuit of Chelsea star, Conor Gallagher, comes from 90min, with a claim that the Blues are not prepared to lower their demands for the midfielder, and are on standby in case Spurs do act on their reported interest.

It is thought Chelsea are “standing firm” on the valuation of Gallagher, believed to be around £35-40m. They have already rejected an offer from Atletico Madrid, while Aston Villa may be priced out of a move.

Now, the Blues are “waiting to see” if Spurs will step up their interest and make an actual offer for the England international.

Gallagher is into the final 12 months of his contract but it is suggested that Chelsea might keep hold of him if no “suitable offers” come in this summer, and may look to tie him down with a new deal.

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Who still wants Gallagher?

It was recently suggested by Ben Jacobs that Tottenham are now the only team still seriously looking at Gallagher this summer (London is Blue podcast).

However, it sounds like Atletico Madrid are still very much in the running for the England international, and if they can increase their offer they may stand a chance.

Tottenham have already signed Archie Gray from Leeds United this summer, and have Lucas Bergvall joining the squad after signing in January, but it is believed they may still look to sign another midfielder (Football Insider).

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I honestly can’t see us going for Conor Gallagher now. I think the idea of snapping him up when Chelsea were more desperate to raise funds was appealing.

The thought of paying more for him now just seems unwise, when there are better, more defensive midfielders out there.