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Nottingham Forest are now well placed to complete the signing of a Premier League playmaker, who they have identified as their top option to replace Morgan Gibbs-White, who is still waiting for his move to Tottenham to go through.

Nottingham Forest are continuing to fight to stop Tottenham from landing Gibbs-White after the North Londoners met his £60m release clause a week and a half ago.

Various experts have continued to suggest that Gibbs-White will complete a move to Spurs eventually, but it is unclear at the moment how long the issue will take to be resolved.

Some sources have claimed that Forest may simply be delaying the Gibbs-White deal until they sign a replacement, and a new update has now suggested that the Midlands club are now getting closer to doing just that.

Nottingham Forest now favourites to land James McAtee

It was previously reported that Forest wanted to replace Gibbs-White with Man City starlet James McAtee, who played 27 times for Pep Guardiola’s men last season.

A new report from TBR Football confirms that Forest want the City academy graduate to replace the Spurs-linked star, and asserts that the Tricky Trees have moved to the front of the queue for the youngster.

The City Ground has now emerged as the most likely destination for McAtee this summer, with Nuno Espirito Santo’s men advancing with their interest in the player last week.

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Although the England Under-21 international is also wanted by several Bundesliga sides, including Eintracht Frankfurt, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, Forest are now at the front of the queue to land the midfielder in a £20m deal.

Tottenham are still waiting on Morgan Gibbs-White transfer

Gibbs-White featured for Forest in a pre-season friendly against Monaco on Saturday, but he has not flown with his teammates to their pre-season camp in Portugal.

However, it has been claimed that Gibbs-White did not travel on pre-season tour for personal reasons and he will join up with the Forest squad later this week.

Chelsea are now pushing ahead with concrete talks to sign an attacking midfielder, who has been heavily linked with a move to Tottenham Hotspur throughout the summer.

With Spurs’ pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White dragging on far longer than expected, it has emerged over recent days that Tottenham could turn their attention back to a Dutch attacking midfielder who was on their radar earlier this summer.

It has been reported that Tottenham have now reopened talks with Xavi Simons’ representatives, but the RB Leipzig man’s entourage are also holding discussions with two other Premier League sides.

Last month, some sources claimed that Spurs are one of the favourites to land Simons, but the speculation has died down following the Lilywhites’ move for Gibbs-White.

According to a new update, Tottenham Hotspur’s London rivals are now advancing on a deal for Simons.

This update comes from Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Pletternberg, who has taken to social media to state that the Blues are now holding further talks with the Leipzig star’s camp.

He reveals that Enzo Maresca’s men are now looking to strike a deal for the 22-year-old, who is valued by the Bundesliga side at €70m (£60.7m).

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However, the journalist says that Chelsea are not prepared to meet Leipzig’s asking price and adds that other clubs are ready to pounce on Xavi Simons if the West London club fail to get a deal over the line.

What is the state of play in Spurs’ pursuit of Morgan Gibbs-White?

Experts continue to suggest that Gibbs-White’s move to Tottenham is expected to go through eventually.

However, it has now been nearly two weeks since Spurs activated the attacking midfielder’s release clause, and Tottenham fans have understandably grown impatient with the Gibbs-White deal.

Tottenham Hotspur returned to action with a decisive victory away to Reading. The team performance was good, but the individual displays were a mixed bag.

Tottenham Hotspur took to the pitch on Saturday for the first time in almost two months and got off to a winning start to life under Thomas Frank.

There were plenty of positives to be taken from the trip, with some players showing little to no signs of rustiness at all. Here are the three winners and losers of Tottenham’s 2-0 victory over their League One opposition.

Three Tottenham players had outstanding performances

Mohammed Kudus was a Spurs bright spark

Interestingly enough, the assist Kudus picked up against Reading was one of the least impressive things he did. Tottenham supporters knew they were getting a good dribbler in Kudus and he looked outstanding at the weekend.

One particular highlight was when the £55m man beat three Reading players, played a one-two with Djed Spence and drilled the ball to Jamie Donley. Had the 20-year-old passed the ball to Heung-min Son, Kudus’ run would probably have led to a goal.

As well as his pace, clever dribbling and creativity on the ball, Kudus got into some good positions to receive it. He was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet when Spence opted to shoot rather than square it to his new teammate, who would have had a tap-in.

Spurs will face much tougher opponents than Reading, but you can only beat what is in front of you, and Kudus did that in style.

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Luke Vuskovic was Tottenham’s Man of the Match

The inclusion of Tottenham’s new defender on this list will not come as a surprise to anyone. Speculation over whether Vuskovic was built in a lab has already been raised, and who can blame those wondering?

The Croatian scored seven league goals in 28 appearances for Westerlo last season and now it is easy to see why. He assisted Will Lankshear with a header from a corner and later on, he found the bottom right corner of the net with a beautiful strike.

Spurs already have a defender with shooting capabilities in Micky van de Ven, but the Dutchman only gets forward so often. Vuskovic looks like the type of player who will join the attack whenever he can, and this can only be a good thing, considering Frank wants Tottenham to be brave and attack.

Destiny Udogie looked back to his best for Tottenham

Selecting a third player is difficult because a few players put in top performances. Guglielmo Vicario was agile and alert in goal, Lanskhear scored a close-range header, and Alfie Devine was unlucky to be denied an assist when he sent an excellent cross to Dominic Solanke. Also, Pedro Porro looked a threat going forward and won more duels than any other player.

However, Udogie also had a very good display. The left-back started the game and managed to create two goalscoring chances in 45 minutes. He maintained a pass accuracy rate of 89 per cent, won five of his six ground duels and two free kicks.

Udogie came under serious scrutiny last season, but he improved towards the end of the season, re-establishing his position in the first-team. If he continues to play the way he did against Reading, that looks set to continue.

Not every Tottenham player covered themselves in glory

Dominic Solanke may have competition along the front line

Solanke’s first season at Tottenham was okay, but that is about it. He clearly possesses qualities which help his team to be more fluent in attack, but his finishing was a long way off compared with his displays for Bournemouth the previous season.

His woes in front of goal continued on Saturday, as he missed a chance from Devine’s cross. It was not the easiest opportunity to convert, but it was a chance nonetheless.

During the first 45 minutes, Solanke failed to land a shot on target, while it took Lankshear just four minutes on the pitch to score a goal. This is not a good look for the Englishman, who really ought to be causing problems for a team like Reading.

Tottenham’s level of interest in Yoane Wissa is currently unclear, but if the Brentford goal machine does move to North London, Solanke has every reason to be concerned.

Heung-min Son’s Tottenham future remains unknown

Age has not been kind to the Tottenham Hotspur captain. Truth be told, Son looks a shadow of his former self, and this was particularly true on Saturday.

Son attempted three dribbles, but none of them were successful. His one shot was not on target, and he was unable to create any goalscoring chances. On top of this, some of his touches were heavy, and he looked a bit sluggish.

This could be the Korean’s final season at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, and hopefully, he will be able to make it a finale to be proud of. It would certainly help if he is given more freedom, rather than having to remain tight to the left wing.

Brennan Johnson is a hero but needs to reach new heights

Other than Solanke, Johnson had fewer touches than any Spurs player in the first half against Reading. He was not especially bad, but neither was he especially good.

Johnson vanishing into thin air has been a far too familiar theme since he arrived at Tottenham. Whereas, his replacement was phenomenal and made a clear impact.

The 24-year-old had a short run of games last season when he consistently made a difference each week, but this has to become the norm. If he keeps going missing during matches, he can kiss his first-team chances goodbye, because Kudus looks like a man ready to give his all for Tottenham.

Jermaine Pennant has backed new Tottenham boss Thomas Frank to steady the ship in north London, but he thinks the former Brentford manager will fall short in one aspect.

Tottenham Hotspur had their first taste of silverware last season after a 17-year wait, thanks to their Europa League triumph against Manchester United in Bilbao, Spain.

Former boss Ange Postecoglou was sacked despite lifting the Europa League trophy, with his woeful Premier League campaign culminating in a shocking 17th-place finish, the worst ever league finish in Tottenham’s history.

New head coach Thomas Frank has now taken the reins at Tottenham and got his tenure off to a winning start with a 2-0 victory over Reading in his first pre-season friendly in charge.

Tottenham boss Thomas Frank aiming to emulate 2019 squad

Frank has already outlined his vision for the upcoming campaign, highlighting his desire to replicate the consistent performances of Mauricio Pochettino’s 2019 side, which managed to reach the UEFA Champions League final, secure a fourth-place league finish and make the semi-finals of the League Cup.

The new Spurs boss believes that meaningful progress would be his side proving themselves across all competitions, and showing they belong at the highest level week in, week out.

Speaking to talkSPORT, Jermaine Pennant shared his thoughts on the appointment, suggesting Frank is the kind of manager players can connect with both on and off the pitch.

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He said: “He seems like a manager who you can relate to with a bit of banter, easy to talk to. The way he had Brentford playing shows on and off the pitch as well. Hopefully for Spurs, he can bring that with him and hopefully get the best out of these Spurs lot.”

When asked what sort of philosophy Frank would bring and whether he can build on the Europa League success, Pennant added: “They can do because he is a good manager, like I said, you saw how good Brentford were, how hard and difficult they were to beat, especially at home, nobody really liked to go there.

“I think Spurs have kind of lost that little bit of identity. Going there, you always thought you could get a result over them, whereas this guy will come in, he will put a good store down. He will get a good idea of how to play, some good signings, especially to get Gibbs-White, if they can get that one over the line as that will take them on to a new little elevation and dimension in attacking senses, because they have been lacking and goals for a long time now.

“Ange was just on the front foot at times, attacking and sometimes you have got to read the game. Sometimes you have got to sit back and just soak up a bit of pressure and then a bit of counter attack rather than putting your defenders on the halfway line and hoping that you catch them on the offside. You cannot play that way in the Premier League, week in, week out, and not get punished.

“Thomas Frank knows the Premier League. He knows how to play against different teams and set up different formations. He will bring that knowledge, bring that expertise. I think Tottenham, have signed a good manager.”

Jermaine Pennant doubts Spurs silverware chances under Frank

Frank will naturally be looking to oversee a major turnaround, taking Tottenham from last season’s 17th-place finish to challenging for a top-six spot, and if a trophy arrives along the way, that would certainly count as a successful first season in charge.

However, Jermaine Pennant is not convinced that silverware is on the cards just yet. The former winger believes this campaign will be one of transition, rather than glory.

When asked directly if Spurs could win another trophy this season, he told talkSPORT: “Oh, no, no. I think it is too early. They are going to need a good lot of changes and some new players. I think the European Championship [Europa League] that they won was probably one of the worst that we have all seen, it was two bad teams.

“They cannot get any worse, because if they do, they will get relegated. They were seventeenth last season, they will do better, but this season, I cannot see him [Frank] challenging for or winning any silverware. They have got over that hoodoo, they have got the silverware in the cabinet now, and now they can just start to build.”

Tottenham Hotspur remain interested in a deal for a winger from one of their Premier League Big Six rivals, but according to Graeme Bailey, Aston Villa may have something to say.

It first emerged last month that Tottenham are eyeing a move for Alejandro Garnacho, who Man United are ready to sell for £70m after his fallout with Ruben Amorim.

A few days ago, it was reported that Spurs face competition from Chelsea and Aston Villa for Garnacho, who has an impressive 21 goal contributions in 58 appearances for the Red Devils.

However, according to some sources, Tottenham are not put off by the competition for Garnacho, who is said to be keen to leave Old Trafford before United fly out for their pre-season tour of the United States.

Tottenham and Aston Villa linked with Alejandro Garnacho

Transfer market expert Graeme Bailey has now confirmed that Spurs have maintained contact over a deal for the 21-year-old winger, while Chelsea are also admirers of the Argentine.

However, the journalist appeared to suggest that the Villans, who are the latest entrants into the transfer race for Garnacho, are showing the most concrete interest, with the Man United man open to a move to Villa Park.

Bailey told TBR Football: “Alejandro Garnacho wants to stay in England, and there are only so many options. Chelsea, we know, like him, whilst Tottenham have maintained contact.

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“But Aston Villa have emerged as an option, I am told the player has done his homework on the possibility of working with Unai Emery, and he has heard good things.

“Emery knows how to get a tune out of these young talents – we have seen it with the likes of Morgan Rogers. Indeed, could Garnacho replace the England man? It is not impossible. Villa want to make some impact on the market this summer, and Alejandro Garnacho could be just that for them.”

The Tottenham head coach’s recent comments suggest that the Lilywhites are not likely to make any further additions to their attack.

Following the arrival of Mohammed Kudus, Frank remarked that Spurs now have many quality forward options and confidently asserted that they will score a lot of goals during the upcoming season.

Given what the Dane has said, it would come as a surprise if Tottenham spent £70m on another attacking player unless one of their forwards or wingers leaves the club.

According to an update from France, Tottenham Hotspur have held talks with Rennes regarding a move for their prolific centre-forward, but the Lilywhites face competition from Villarreal.

Thomas Frank has sent mixed messages about Richarlison, whose future at N17 is shrouded in doubt ahead of the new season.

It is thus unsurprising that Tottenham are scouring the markets for number nines, and it emerged last month that Spurs had expressed an interest in Rennes striker Arnaud Kalimuendo, who scored 18 goals and provided four assists across all competitions last season.

Some sources subsequently insisted that Tottenham would have to pay £26m to land Kalimuendo, but it turns out that the Lilywhites now face competition for the 23-year-old.

Villarreal could challenge Tottenham for Arnaud Kalimuendo

According to a new report in L’Equipe, Tottenham do indeed hold an interest in the Rennes star and have made advances towards him.

The outlet says that Spurs have already held discussions with the Ligue 1 side regarding Kalimuendo, but the negotiations have not been concrete at this stage.

The outlet claims that the French striker has a verbal agreement with the Rennes management that he will be allowed to leave this summer for the right price.

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However, the report adds that Spurs may not have a free run at the player. This is because Villarreal are now eyeing Kalimuendo as a potential replacement for Thierno Barry, who they have sold to Everton.

Are Spurs eyeing Kalimuendo as an alternative to Yoane Wissa?

The timing of this report is interesting as it arrives at a time when Tottenham Hotspur are seemingly cooling their interest in a Brentford star, who has been heavily linked with a move to N17.

Over the last few days, several reports have claimed that Yoane Wissa is no longer a big priority for Tottenham.

Pape Matar Sarr has opened up on the emotions of the famous night in Bilbao and just what winning the Europa League meant to him and his Tottenham teammates, particularly given that it came on the back of a season filled with hurt.

Tottenham Hotspur finally managed to break their 17-year drought on May 21, securing their fourth victory over Manchester United in a single season.

The trophy parade in North London a couple of days later saw an outpouring of emotions from a fan base which had been starved of success and endured countless heartbreaks.

However, Tottenham did have their worst Premier League campaign in history, losing 22 matches, and the Europa League win was not enough to save Ange Postecoglou’s job.

Cristian Romero has already admitted that Tottenham prioritised the Europa League, but not all of his teammates agree with that sentiment.

Pape Matar Sarr insists that Tottenham did not throw the Premier League

The Spurs midfielder denied suggestions that the squad prioritised the Europa League, insisting that everyone at the club was desperate to turn around their league form.

The Senegal international revealed that the players were hurting at their inability to move up the Premier League table, but confessed that the night in Bilbao was the best one of his life.

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Sarr told The Sun: “Everyone thinks we sacrificed the league for the Europa League, but believe me, we wanted to be good in the league too. We were hurting when we lost games; it had nothing to do with playing in Europe.

“Everyone gave everything to change our league form but if I’m honest, we just weren’t good enough in the league. But winning the Europa League, that was really something special. It was the greatest night of my life.”

Sarr confesses emotions of the season made the Europa League win even more special

Fans will remember that the Tottenham Hotspur midfielder had his back turned to the action in the final moments of the final as the Lilywhites were holding on for dear life.

Sarr explained that it was at that moment that the struggles across the season were playing in his mind, and admitted that he and his teammates were over the moon to prove doubters wrong.

The 22-year-old added: “When I turned my back to the game at the end, I was just praying. Thinking about how hard the season was for all of us, for the fans, and for our families.

“The road to the final. The people who doubted us, the injuries, the meetings, the belief we built. To do it together was just amazing. Those emotions, seeing everyone, the people you grind with every day, finally get their reward. That’s why we play football.”

Mason Melia is continuing to turn heads ahead of his move to Tottenham Hotspur in January, and the youngster showed in the European stage on Thursday just what many in Ireland are very excited about his potential.

Spurs signed Mason Melia from St Patrick’s Athletic for £1.6m plus add-ons back in February, which is a record transfer fee for a player signed from the League of Ireland.

The 17-year-old centre-forward has already played 80 senior matches with 23 goal involvements, and according to reports, Tottenham had to fend off interest from around 60 clubs across Europe to secure Melia’s services.

The UK’s exit from the European Union means that the youngster cannot arrive at Tottenham until he turns 18 in September, with the forward thus set to make the switch to Hotspur Way in January.

Tottenham’s Mason Melia scores and assists in European clash

Melia was the star of the show for St Pat’s as they overcame Lithuanian side Hegelmann 3-0 in the second leg of the UEFA Conference League first qualifying round.

The youngster opened the scoring just five minutes into the tie and then produced an extremely impressive assist 11 minutes into the second half.

Melia picked the ball up in his own half, turned an opponent and drove through the centre of the pitch before playing a pass to Kian Leavy, who smashed the ball home.

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The moment of class showed why many in his country expect the teenager to develop into the next big name star in Irish football.

Melia is over the moon to score his first European goal

Speaking after the win, the St Pat’s starlet admitted that he was delighted to get off the mark in Europe and to do so early into the encounter.

Melia said (via Football.London): “I’m buzzing with it. Obviously, it’s a proper striker’s goal, just follow in. Kian did brilliantly, Jay had a great shot, and I was just following in, really. A striker’s instinct. I’m buzzing obviously to get the first goal.

“I think it was huge [to get an early goal] Obviously, we got the fans going early, and it got us going early. It was a good start, and that’s what you wanted in any game of football. I’m buzzing.”

Tottenham Hotspur are keen on signing Adam Wharton from Crystal Palace, but the midfielder’s latest decision could play into the hands of Liverpool instead.

Tottenham Hotspur have strengthened their attack this summer with the arrivals of Mathys Tel and Mohammed Kudus, but there remains an urgent need to reinforce other key areas of the squad.

Midfield is seen as a major priority for Tottenham in this window, with new head coach Thomas Frank keen to ensure his side can compete on all fronts next season.

A move for Nottingham Forest midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White was believed to be close, with a medical already booked, but legal manoeuvres from Forest’s end have delayed the deal for now.

Tottenham interest in Adam Wharton faces major setback

Gibbs-White, a dynamic and industrious midfielder admired by Frank, is seen as an ideal addition to Tottenham’s engine room.

Should Spurs eventually complete the move for the Forest man, Tottenham are expected to continue pushing for further midfield reinforcements, with a holding midfielder also on the radar.

Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton is said to be a player Frank greatly admires, and reports suggest the Dane has urged Tottenham to try and bring him to N17 this summer.

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However, Palace are set to demand a hefty fee for Wharton, potentially in nine figures, which could make any approach difficult.

According to The Sun, Spurs have now been dealt a blow in their pursuit of Adam Wharton. It is understood that Wharton is content to remain at Selhurst Park for another season – a stance which now makes Liverpool favourites to sign him.

The Reds have reportedly been tracking the Palace man for months, although they are prepared to wait until next summer before firming up their pursuit, due to widespread changes within their squad this window.

Spurs may now consider Palhinha or Douglas Luiz alternatives

Tottenham could now pivot towards alternative options in midfield, with reports indicating that a deal for Douglas Luiz has been discussed internally by Spurs.

It is also claimed that Bayern Munich’s Joao Palhinha is available this summer, and Tottenham have registered their interest in the Portuguese international.

Tottenham Hotspur fans have been left divided over whether Cristian Romero should be used in midfield, in a back four, or in a back three under new boss Thomas Frank.

Tottenham Hotspur remain in the market for a new number six this summer, as Thomas Frank continues his squad overhaul ahead of the new campaign.

The Lilywhites have been strongly linked with several holding midfielders, including Joao Palhinha of Bayern Munich, who endured a frustrating debut season in Germany.

The 30-year-old failed to establish himself at Bayern and is now considering his options, with the Bundesliga giants reportedly open to letting Palhinha leave on a cut-price deal this summer.

Tottenham fans argue over Cristian Romero being used as a six

Tottenham Hotspur have also been linked with Juventus midfielder Douglas Luiz, with reports suggesting a potential swap deal involving Yves Bissouma is being explored.

Amid speculation about the club’s transfer plans for another centre-back signing, with recent reports linking Tottenham with Illia Zarbanyi and Scalvini, some fans have started to imagine what a reshaped Spurs side might look like next season.

Some supporters have suggested a tactical tweak, which could see Cristian Romero deployed as a holding midfielder, either in a back three system or as part of a back four.

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One fan remarked: “I know as fans we have spoken about this a lot, but does it finally make sense to happen. “ROMERO AS THE SIX. The increase in links for starting centre backs suggests either a back three or some kind of shift around the back, Romero in midfield might be the answer.”

Another fan was firmly against the idea: “Nonsense. He is a world-class centre half. Levy cheapskating as usual does not turn Romero into prime Makalele. Raise your expectations.”

A third added: “Taking one of the world’s best CBs and trying to play him in a new position because we do not want to splash the cash and buy an actual six is a terrible idea. Archie Gray would be better as a six than Romero, and he is not ready for the first team as a six just yet.”

One supporter said: “I hate this Cristian Romero as the Tottenham six chat. He is one of the best CBs in the league and is a brick wall when him and Van de Ven are playing. Why change something that is not broken, especially when there are heaps of other sixes out there who could do the job the same if not better.”

Some were more open to the idea. One fan commented: “More likely 3-4-3 with Romero jumping out of the three to press and win the ball back like he did in his Atalanta days.”

Another added: “Three at the back and he can play as a six when we attack.” One fan who has backed the idea for a while said: “I have been messaging this for a very long time. He will make an excellent six and relieve us from his recklessness in our penalty area.”

Another simply noted: “Been thinking about this since the Ange era.”

Romero midfield idea unlikely to materialise at Spurs

Of course, Spurs are yet to bring in another centre-back or holding midfielder, meaning such conversations among supporters are bound to continue.

However, it does seem rather unlikely that Cristian Romero would be pushed into Tottenham’s midfield, considering the Argentine has never featured in that role throughout his senior career.

To date, Romero has made 243 career appearances, 240 of which have come as a centre-back, with just three as a right-back. It is clear he lacks the profile to play in midfield, meaning Tottenham are far more likely to recruit a new number six or turn to Archie Gray in the role.

However, we could see Romero used in a back three, giving him the chance to step forward more into a midfield role during transitions, much like Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier did at times under Mauricio Pochettino.