Football FanCast

Tottenham Hotspur are now planning a move for an "incredible" midfielder, with manager Roberto De Zerbi personally driving the deal.

Tottenham eyeing new midfielder with Palhinha's future in doubt

Following Newcastle United's 3-1 victory against West Ham United on Sunday, De Zerbi is firmly on course to guide Tottenham to safety, with his side effectively safe if they pick up a draw against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, given their vastly superior goal difference.

At one stage, Spurs looked like they were in serious trouble, but the former Brighton manager has turned things around, taking eight points from the last four Premier League games, and Joao Palhinha has played a key role, scoring the only goal in the 1-0 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers.

De Zerbi is keen to retain Palhinha beyond the end of the campaign, and the north Londoners have the option to make the Bayern Munich loanee's stay permanent for £27m, but there have been suggestions he doesn't want to move to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

With that in mind, signing a new defensive midfielder may be very important in the upcoming window, especially considering Yves Bissouma is determined to seal an exit.

Tottenham planning move for "incredible" Serie A star

According to a report from Tuttosport (via Sport Witness), Tottenham are now set to make a move for Fiorentina midfielder Nicolo Fagioli within a matter of days, and De Zerbi is personally behind the move for his compatriot.

The Serie A side are expected to hold out for around €40m (£35m) for the midfielder, who Spurs scouts watched in action in the 2-0 defeat against Juventus at the weekend.

Juve's Pierre Kalulu is also of interest, but a deal is unlikely, given that the Italian club have no interest in sanctioning a departure this summer.

Italian sporting director Ariedo Braida has lauded Fagioli in the past, describing him as a "truly interesting young man who is demonstrating incredible abilities", but he probably wouldn't be a like-for-like replacement for Palhinha.

Nicolo Fagioli's Serie A statistics

Much like Palhinha, the Fiorentina star has predominantly featured as a defensive midfielder this season, and he has been one of La Viola's key players, making 33 appearances in the Serie A.

No Fiorentina player has created more chances (62) than the 25-year-old, with an average of 52.8 accurate passes per 90 ranking him second in the squad.

However, the maestro isn't particularly adept at winning back possession, averaging 1.6 successful tackles, which is far below Palhinha's average in the Premier League.

Joao Palhinha's Premier League statistics

Indeed, the Portugal international has proven himself as one of the best tacklers in the Premier League, completing 4.6 per 90, which places him second in the top flight, behind only Manchester United's Manuel Ugarte.

As such, Tottenham should definitely keep hold of the ex-Fulham man beyond the summer, should he be willing to remain in north London.

Ipswich Town and Coventry City will be very glad that they managed to achieve promotion to the Premier League via the automatic spots, with the Spygate scandal involving Southampton rumbling on in the Championship.

The approaching Championship playoff final could be postponed, owing to the Saints' espionage tactics.

Thankfully, the Tractor Boys and the Sky Blues haven't been on the receiving end of any such delays, as they have both been top-flight official since the start of May, with emphatic wins over Queens Park Rangers and Watford securing the top two positions.

While they both scored goals by the bucket load on the final day of the season to comfortably secure their Premier League status - as QPR and the Hornets leaked seven goals respectively - the top-flight is a different kettle of fish altogether, as the promoted duo continue to be linked with a whole host of brand-new centre-forwards to try and adjust to the punishing division.

Ipswich and Coventry target new strikers

Between them last season in league action, both Frank Lampard's resounding champions and Kieran McKenna's men would score a ridiculous 177 strikes.

Unfortunately for the Tractor Boys, though, they know blistering goalscoring numbers in the second tier mean very little when making the jump up, having only scored a meagre 36 goals during the 2024/25 season, when relegation was served up.

Coventry could well be in for a rude awakening, too, which is why both promoted sides have been linked to the likes of Lois Openda to enhance their attacking positions even more, with Openda a well-known goalscoring hero in leagues such as the Bundesliga and Ligue 1.

With Troy Parrott also reportedly tickling their fancy, after a 23-goal season on the books of AZ Alkmaar, it is clear what position the Premier League newbies are setting their sights on for an early summer purchase.

There is another target on both the clubs' agenda who could be the next Liam Delap in the Premier League, which will certainly catch the eye of Tractor Boys fans.

Ipswich and Coventry could battle it out for the new Delap

Delap would set the Premier League alight last season for the Suffolk outfit, with his 12 top-flight goals, from only 32 league starts, meaning he was a rare bright spark at Portman Road.

Noted as being a "monster" in front of goal, as per ex-Ipswich teammate Alex Palmer, Chelsea would come in for the 23-year-old when the Tractor Boys' relegation to the second tier was confirmed, to the dismay of the Ipswich faithful.

Therefore, if Ipswich have the chance to snap up a striker similar to Delap this summer, they should go all in, with Tottenham Hotspur youngster Will Lankshear perhaps ticking all the right boxes in this regard.

As per Football Insider, the promoted side have been previously keen, and with Leeds United noted as being willing to pursue a move this summer, it wouldn't be a shock to see Ipswich return with their interest, after Lankshear bagged a promising 12 goals last season on loan at Oxford United.

Coventry could also potentially pursue his signature, as they try to win their own Delap-style sensation, who can power home the goals to try and stave off relegation.

After all, Delap was once in the same boat as Lankshear as a wide-eyed academy product at Manchester City who benefitted from several EFL loans, scoring 12 goals - the exact amount as the one-time U's loanee - from 68 second-tier outings for the likes of Hull City.

Now, the 23-year-old is a £30m talent off the back of a red-hot stint at Portman Road, with Lankshear wanting to be a leading man for a team such as Ipswich or Coventry, in a similar vein, when emerging from the shadows of a potent youth career at Spurs.

Ipswich and Coventry might soon gift Lankshear the platform to live up to all this hype, with McKenna and Co keeping their fingers crossed that he can be another Delap-style revelation, only this time around, survival is achieved.

In the Sky Blues' corner, they'll just be willing to take a gamble, like the Tractor Boys did with Delap last season, as they attempt to pick up just the right recruits to give their survival chances a boost.

Provided that Tottenham Hotspur avoid relegation from the Premier League, Roberto De Zerbi will have big plans to take the team forward next season.

After successive seasons battling at the bottom of the table, Spurs should be aiming to compete for a Champions League finish in the 2026/27 campaign.

That will take a huge amount of change and movement in the transfer market during the summer window, because the current squad has spent two seasons struggling at the wrong end of the division.

There are several areas of the squad that need to be addressed by the Italian head coach, who has shown that he can build teams at both Brighton and Marseille.

Despite Mathys Tel's goal and assist in the last two games, the Lilywhites need to add more quality to the group in the two wide positions ahead of next season.

Why Spurs need to add more quality out wide

De Zerbi needs to find his own version of Gareth Bale, who scored 71 goals in 237 games for Spurs, because none of the current wingers at the club have delivered consistent quality at the top end of the pitch.

None of the team's current wide options have produced more than four goals or more than five assists after 36 matches played in the Premier League, which speaks to the club's lack of impact from the wide areas.

Only Tel, who has scored four goals in the top-flight, has scored more than two goals for the Lilywhites, as the likes of Kudus and Randal Kolo Muani have struggled, whilst Dejan Kuluveski has been injured.

Spurs do not have a maverick attacker who can step up with moments of pure magic to win a game for the team on a regular basis, as they had when Bale came through as a superstar after his move from Southampton as a youngster.

Whilst the Lilywhites need to dip into the market to sign more attacking quality, because of their struggles this season, De Zerbi may already have his own version of Bale set to come back from a loan spell.

Tottenham already have their next Gareth Bale in the making

Last summer, Thomas Frank decided to send Mikey Moore out on loan to Rangers for the 2025/26 campaign so that he could gain some valuable first-team experience.

It is fair to say that the loan has worked out for the England U19 international because he ended the season with 47 appearances in all competitions for the Scottish giants, experiencing a cup semi-final, a title race, and Europa League football.

His value, in the words of Rangers pundit David Edgar, has now risen to as much as £40m, which certainly isn't bad for a player who was still estimated to be worth around £14m back in December by Transfermarkt.

In 25 starts in the Premiership, Moore scored more goals, created more 'big chances', and created more xA than any Spurs winger managed in the Premier League this season, despite only being 19.

The teenage sensation, who "gets bums off seats" according to writer James Harris, excited Rangers supporters with his ability to drive past players with the ball, whilst also being able to score goals.

Bale once offered similar attributes when he was lighting up the Premier League with Spurs, as an explosive winger who loved to dribble at full-backs and take shots from distance.

Moore is a right-footed left winger, rather than a left-footed right winger, but his style of play is still very similar to the Welsh star's and he could be De Zerbi's own version of the former Spurs forward.

The 19-year-old, who won the Premiership Young Player of the Year award, is still in the early stages of his senior career and has so much room left to develop and improve under De Zerbi, which is an exciting thought.

He already looks more effective than Tottenham's current wide options, based on his impressive form this season, and should be given the opportunity to show what he can do in the first-team at Spurs after the experience of playing a full campaign with Rangers.

Whilst Spurs should still spend money on adding wingers to the group to add depth and proven quality in the summer, there should also be room left for Moore to play a role under De Zerbi, because of the potential that he has to be the club's next version of Bale.

The focus for Tottenham Hotspur and Roberto De Zerbi in the next seven days is to avoid relegation from the Premier League in the next two matches.

Spurs play Chelsea and Everton in the final two games of the top-flight campaign and are fighting it out with West Ham United to avoid dropping into the Championship.

The Lilywhites have won two and drawn two of De Zerbi's first five matches in charge of the club, which shows that he has got something out of the current group, which struggled under both Igor Tudor and Thomas Frank.

Whilst there is still a chance that Spurs are relegated to the Championship for the first time in the Premier League era, there will already be plans and talks going on behind the scenes about what the future holds in North London.

De Zerbi signed a long-term contract until the end of June 2031 and has not joined the club as a short-term appointment to guide the team away from danger.

Why Spurs will be better next season

Provided they avoid relegation, Spurs will be better next season than they have been in the last two years of fighting down near the bottom of the table in the Premier League.

Pundit Jay Bothroyd tipped them to finish in the top six in the 2026/27 campaign, and it is easy to understand why, because De Zerbi has never finished lower than 11th as a manager in a full season since 2018.

The Italian finished second with Marseille in the 2024/25 campaign and led Brighton to a sixth-placed finish in the 2022/23 season, which shows that he can adapt to new clubs and new countries to achieve success.

On top of that, De Zerbi is set to welcome centre-back Luka Vuskovic back to Spurs in the summer after his loan spell with Hamburg in the Bundesliga, and the defender could play a big role in the club's improvement on the pitch.

The Croatia international caught the eye in the German top-flight with his immense dominance in duels and his ability to offer a goal threat from centre-back.

He made more clearances and won a higher percentage of his aerial duels than every single centre-back in the current Spurs squad, which suggests that he will improve De Zerbi's options at the back.

The future Spurs star who is just as exciting as Luka Vuskovic

Vuskovic, however, is not the only exciting young player in the squad whose development could play a role in Tottenham being better in the Premier League next season.

Archie Gray is one year older than Vuskovic, at 20 years old, and has already racked up 80 appearances for Tottenham and 51 games played in the Premier League, having also played 52 matches for Leeds before his move to North London.

Only four players aged 20 or under have played more minutes in the Premier League this season than the versatile Spurs talent, which shows how far ahead he is of most of his peers.

Scout Ben Mattinson once described him as a "future £100m" central midfielder whilst he was at Leeds, and De Zerbi has already caught on to the 20-year-old star's huge potential in North London.

Gray has shown signs of realising his potential in the Premier League this season, with two goals and two assists in 23 appearances, but he is still incredibly young and has a lot to learn, just like Vuskovic.

De Zerbi's track record suggests that Spurs will push on and improve next term if they avoid relegation, and he has two future superstars in Vuskovic and Gray who could play starring roles in getting the club back to where they should be.

After two seasons of tough learning in a difficult environment, Gray could finally flourish at Spurs as a central midfielder next season if De Zerbi can get the team firing, which is why he is just as exciting as Vuskovic in North London.

Tottenham Hotspur fans had tears in their eyes when Heung-min Son departed at the end of the 2024/25 campaign. The South Korean forward certainly did, having left London after a decade of service with silverware finally under the belt.

It was the right decision, selling the veteran to Los Angeles FC for around £20m, but ENIC Group have failed in their efforts to replace the club legend, especially when considering Brennan Johnson was sold to Crystal Palace in January and not replaced.

Tottenham have been in the pits this season, but there is yet hope for the Lilywhites, who have a bright future, should they avoid relegation into the Championship.

After all, young winger Mikey Moore could grow into a first-class forward in the future, having gone from strength to strength out on loan with Rangers this term.

Why Mikey Moore is Spurs' future

Moore might only be 18, but he has shone for Rangers in Scotland this season after a difficult start. The flashy winger has signed off for the campaign now, having posted seven goals and four assists across 47 matches.

A tireless and tricky wide forward, Moore isn't the tallest, but his bouncing gait and core strength have seen him become an important player for a struggling Rangers side this season, and he will be welcomed back to N17 with open arms this summer.

He's already made his mark for Tottenham, featuring under Ange Postecoglou in the Europa League last season en route to the title. The teenager scored against Elfsborg and dazzled with forward-moving initiative and a fearlessness when on the ball.

However, Moore isn't the only exciting talent pushing for superstardom at Tottenham. De Zerbi actually has a young forward who many would consider to be even more talented than the prolific England U19 international.

He hasn't always fired on all cylinders, but this Postecoglou signing has the potential to grow into the club's next version of Son.

Why De Zerbi has found Spurs' new Son

Mathys Tel initially joined Tottenham on loan from Bayern Munich in January 2025, with the move becoming permanent the following summer for approximately £30m.

The French forward is versatile and sharp in front of goal, but it's probably fair to say that he has not lived up to the billing so far, considered a generational talent when looking to break through in Germany.

Still, the 21-year-old has scored seven goals and provided four assists for the London outfit, and at the most turbulent point of their modern history.

His capacity to play across the frontline is a rare thing, with that dynamism placing him in good stead to emerge as the club's new Son, especially when considering that presenter Ben Bowman has already hailed him for his "Defoe-esque" finishing.

Tel has long been touted as a potential successor to Son's vacant seat out on the left, and while he hasn't always hit the right notes in north London, there's no question that he is talented enough to develop into one of the Premier League's leading forwards.

Son, let's not forget, might be widely regarded as one of the deadliest finishers in Premier League history, but he didn't start off at that level. When the 33-year-old joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £22m in 2015, it took him a bit of time to adapt to the pace of the English game, starting 13 times in the league that first season, scoring four goals.

With four strikes from 11 starts himself this term, Tel certainly has more in the locker, and maybe he will take something from Son's book there, all the while emulating his former teammate in shifting between the left and a central berth as De Zerbi's frontman.

Tottenham Hotspur could secure their place in the Premier League next season with a win at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening.

No tall order, then. Roberto De Zerbi has done a fantastic job since replacing the beleaguered Igor Tudor during the March international break, securing priceless back-to-back away victories in the Midlands to escape from the relegation zone at West Ham United's expense.

While all of a Lilywhites persuasion are on tenterhooks at the end of this exhausting season, it's crucial that Tottenham and ENIC Group do not let this disaster happen again, and with forward additions needed in the summer transfer window, Spurs must also prepare for the departures of high-profile stars like Richarlison.

The latest on Richarlison's Spurs future

Richarlison, 29, will soon enter the final year of his contract in north London, and even if Tottenham manage to avoid relegation from the Premier League, it feels like he could be sold.

It has been reported that the Brazil international expects to be allowed to leave the club at the end of the season, regardless of Spurs' fate.

This makes sense, in fairness, with the outfit needing to recoup some funds ahead of a significant transfer window that will not be buttressed by the financial support that comes from qualifying for Europe. Tottenham are far from such territory.

Richarlison might be their top scorer this season, but he's not averse to a dismal miss, and with only ten goals in the Premier League, Spurs' attacking struggles have been illustrated there.

Richarlison has certainly ebbed and flowed through his Tottenham career, but his goals have been important this season, and if he is to leave, replacing him efficiently is crucial.

Should Tottenham survive the pull of relegation, they will need to target a new forward on the transfer market, but they do already have their next playing out on loan.

De Zerbi can replace Richarlison with Spurs' new Kane

Kane is Tottenham's all-time record goalscorer, and one of the finest forwards of his generation. Replacing him was never going to be easy,

Dominic Solanke has fallen flat in that regard, but maybe a left-field route is required here, with Will Lankshear showing he has what it takes to star in De Zerbi's squad

Well, successful to a point. Oxford have been relegated to League One this season, but the 21-year-old scored 11 goals across 44 Championship matches this season (34 starts), and has impressed with his physicality and hold-up play in the danger area.

It's too premature to suggest that he could fill Kane's boots, but the Lilywhites academy graduate has actually been described as a "Harry Kane regen" by one scout, not only lethal in the danger area but endowed with intelligence and strength and sharp passing when in transition.

Lankshear has, after all, created 0.7 chances on average each game, and while he is nowhere near as experienced as someone like Richarlison, the hope here is that ENIC ensure a more high-profile striker is signed and that Lankshear is given an opportunity to rise in importance across the course of the campaign.

Is he ready? After a prolific season in the second tier, shining for a side who could help but fall down into League One, he has certainly become accustomed to the adversity that Tottenham are plagued by at the moment.

Kane once cut his teeth out on loan in lower-division outfits, Leyton Orient, Millwall, Norwich City and Leicester City all helping him toward the world-class platform he occupies today.

Could Lankshear be the second coming of the Three Lions skipper? He has the quality to play a big role in the Premier League, and if Richarlison leaves, this could be a shrewd and effective way to replace him.

Nottingham Forest intend to hold formal talks with head coach Vitor Pereira over a new contract.

The Portuguese has done an impressive job at the City Ground following his appointment in February, guiding the club to Premier League safety and the Europa League semi-finals.

His current deal runs until the summer of 2027, but informal talks have taken place with a view to extending his contract.

Pereira has impressed the hierarchy at the City Ground since coming in to replace Sean Dyche and they want him to lead Forest into the 2026/27 campaign.

Reports have linked Forest with a summer move for Fulham boss Marco Silva, but there is no desire within the club for a fifth manager in less than a year.

Pereira, who is keen for a long-term stay in Nottingham, has guided Forest safely through a relegation battle.

They were staring a return to the Championship in the face when Dyche was sacked on February 12, but their Premier League survival was secured thanks to an eight-game unbeaten run going back to March.

Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Newcastle moved them seven points clear of the drop zone with two games to play.

They head to Manchester United on Sunday with a top-half finish still possible.

Forest's next task is to keep hold of key players this summer, with several of their top stars attracting interest from the Premier League's biggest clubs.

Indeed, Elliot Anderson is wanted by Manchester City, and a new report from teamTALK reveals the Reds hold an 'acceptance internally' that a huge offer from City would be hard to resist.

The same can not be said for captain Morgan Gibbs-White however, with the club set to reject advances from Manchester United and Tottenham and the 26 year-old himself keen to stay put.

Forest placed a £100m price tag on their skipper's head last summer, but this time around are desperate to build around him rather than cash in for any sum.

Indeed, the report claims Gibbs-White will not pushing for an exit after signing a new deal and he believes 'regular football and continued responsibility at Forest' is more important to his England chances than a move to a traditional 'big six' club.

With six caps to his name already, Gibbs-White has strengthened his case to start ahead of the likes of Jude Bellingham and Morgan Rogers with 13 goals and four assists in 35 top flight appearances this season.

Daniel Levy has said “not in a million years” did he see signs during his time as Tottenham chairman that the club might end up in a relegation battle.

Speaking to the Press Association at an investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle on Wednesday, Levy, who stepped down from his role after almost 25 years in September, said “relegation was not something we ever considered” when he was overseeing the building of the £1billion Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in 2019.

Spurs are two points clear of the Premier League drop zone, having secured just 38 points from 36 games so far this season, taking until April 25 to win a league game in 2026.

Asked how he felt about the club’s league position, he said: “Emptiness… but I’m optimistic that we will remain in the Premier League.”

He answered “never, no, not in a million years” when asked if he saw any signs the club would end up in a relegation scrap.

Despite the team’s poor showing in the league Levy said he would continue attending matches, adding: “It’s in my blood.”

Levy was made a CBE by the Prince of Wales for services to charity and the community in Tottenham, supporting education, health and social inclusion and creating jobs through the construction of the stadium.

“I think Tottenham fans should be proud that the club has made such a fantastic contribution to the local population,” he said.

Having been in charge of Tottenham for 24 years, Levy was the Premier League’s longest-serving chairman, but he was accused by fans of prioritising the club’s business interests over delivering success on the pitch.

If Spurs stay up, Levy's replacements have the unenviable task of transforming the squad into one capable of surging up the table next season under Roberto De Zerbi, and they have now held talks over their first signing of the summer.

CEO travels to London for Spurs transfer talks

According to reports in Italy, via Sport Witness, Sassuolo CEO Giovanni Carnevali flew to London recently to hold talks over the sale of Tarik Muharemovic, and Tottenham have now been named as the club making enquiries.

The 23 year-old centre-back has been phenomenal for I Neroverdi this season, and has attracted interest from Serie A giants Inter.

But with Sassuolo set to demand €35m (£31m) for his signature and not accepting player-plus-cash offers, Tottenham now have the advantage, with the fee much more affordable to them than it is for Inter.

Sport Witness say the signing would be instead of Marcos Senesi, who has reportedly agreed terms to join as a free agent this summer but has not signed on the dotted line yet.

Tarik Muharemovic Serie A stats 25/26

Muharemovic, a Bosnia international who stands at 6 foot 2, has played 31 times in the Italian top flight this season, leading his team in aerial duels won per game, interceptions, clearances and blocks.

Tottenham boss Roberto De Zerbi will run the rule over a Spurs youngster this summer, and there is a 'real chance' of a senior breakthrough for him.

Tottenham braced for vital London derby against Chelsea

Tuesday night at Stamford Bridge is as high-stakes as it gets.

Tottenham travel to Chelsea sitting 17th in the Premier League on 38 points, just two above West Ham in 18th, with two games to play.

A defeat in west London — combined with a West Ham victory over Newcastle on Sunday — would take the relegation battle right down to the final afternoon.

Spurs then host Everton on the last day, by which point the equation could be simple: win or go down.

It is a fixture that would have been unthinkable at the start of the season.

Chelsea against Spurs, a London derby with genuine relegation implications for one of the two clubs. De Zerbi has done a commendable job since taking charge on March 31, pulling the side out of the bottom three with back-to-back wins at Wolves and Aston Villa.

However, Monday's 1-1 draw with Leeds — a game in which Mathys Tel scored a stunning opener before giving away a penalty through a reckless overhead kick — was another example of the fine margins that continue to define Tottenham's season.

De Zerbi will demand everything from his players at Stamford Bridge.

The atmosphere will be hostile, the stakes immense, and the scrutiny on every decision intense. Spurs cannot afford to be passive. Their survival depends on what happens in the next 10 days.

Behind the scenes, though, the planning for next season has already begun.

Some of it centres around exciting young talent, with De Zerbi and his coaching staff planning to throw Luka Vuskovic straight into the action next term after a sensational loan spell at Hamburg.

However, he is not the only Lilywhites gem who could be given a chance to impress in the first team.

De Zerbi to assess Will Lankshear with Tottenham chance on the cards

According to Football Insider's Pete O'Rourke, De Zerbi is preparing to assess Will Lankshear in pre-season training when the 21-year-old returns from his loan spell at Oxford United.

Lankshear has enjoyed an outstanding campaign at the Kassam Stadium, finishing as Oxford's top scorer with 12 goals and four assists in 47 appearances — a hugely impressive return for a player in a side that was ultimately relegated from the Championship.

O'Rourke explained the situation on the Transfer Insider podcast.

"There's a number of clubs that are keeping tabs on Lankshear because of how well he did at Oxford on loan," said the reporter.

"Lankshear's very highly regarded at Tottenham, they feel that he's got a real chance of making a breakthrough there as well. Obviously no decision will be taken on his long-term future until Tottenham have clarity on which division they're going to be in for next season as well.

"He will go back to Tottenham for pre-season, and he'll be hoping to impress Roberto de Zerbi in pre-season when he will have a chance to show what he can do.

"But until Tottenham know where they're going to be, there'll be no decisions made on any players."

That final point is crucial. Everything at Spurs this summer — from transfer strategy to squad planning to managerial authority — hinges on whether the club stays up.

Relegation would trigger an exodus of first-team talent and a fundamental restructuring of the budget. Survival would allow De Zerbi to build, and Lankshear could be part of that.

Leeds have also been linked with a move for the striker, and his performances since have only strengthened the queue.

Lankshear's Oxford manager Matt Bloomfield was full of praise after the season ended, describing the young forward as "an absolute credit" and predicting he could reach the very top of the game. His finishing was described as "top drawer" — and the numbers back that up.

Under contract at Spurs until 2029, Lankshear is in no rush. But De Zerbi wants to see him up close before making any decisions, and pre-season will be his audition.

First, though, there is the small matter of Chelsea on Tuesday, and everything that follows.

Newcastle United have leaped ahead of Tottenham in the race to sign a rising star, who has now also agreed to join the Magpies.

Newcastle set for challenging summer transfer window

It is shaping up to be a summer of significant change at St James' Park, and not all of it will be welcome.

Newcastle's underwhelming campaign has left the club in need of serious reinforcement, but before Eddie Howe can build, he may first have to deal with the consequences of losing some of his best players.

Anthony Gordon is the headline departure.

The 25-year-old winger has agreed personal terms with Bayern Munich, according to widespread reports, with the Bundesliga champions offering a five-year deal.

Gordon has been in outstanding form this season — 17 goals and five assists across all competitions, including 10 Champions League goals in 12 appearances that broke Alan Shearer's club record in the competition.

Newcastle are holding out for £75m, while Bayern's current valuation is rumoured to be closer to £60m.

A gap remains, but the direction of travel is clear.

He is not the only star whose future is uncertain.

Sandro Tonali's representatives have reportedly been laying the groundwork for an exit for weeks, with Arsenal, Manchester United, Juventus and Real Madrid all linked recently.

Tino Livramento's contract extension talks have stalled with two years remaining on his deal, and Arsenal, Liverpool and Bayern are all monitoring the 23-year-old right-back's situation.

It is against that backdrop of potential departures that Newcastle are quietly working on their own incoming business, and one deal appears to be moving quickly.

Newcastle in talks to sign Reims sensation Ewen Jaouen

According to Sky Sports Switzerland journalist Sacha Tavolieri, Reims goalkeeper Ewen Jaouen has reached an agreement in principle to join Newcastle this summer.

The 20-year-old Frenchman visited the club's training facilities two weeks ago, and the Magpies are now in talks with the Ligue 2 club over a deal worth £17m plus bonuses.

Jaouen has been one of the most impressive young goalkeepers in French football this season.

Standing at 6ft 6in, the Paris-born shot-stopper has been an ever-present for Reims, making 34 league appearances and keeping 15 clean sheets — a remarkable return for a player still in his teens for most of the campaign.

He turned 20 in December and is already a France Under-21 international, with a presence and composure that belies his age.

Newcastle are not the only Premier League club to have expressed interest.

L'Equipe reported earlier this month that Tottenham and Brighton have also been tracking Jaouen, with Spurs in particular looking to strengthen their goalkeeping options amid uncertainty over Guglielmo Vicario's future.

But Tavolieri's update suggests Newcastle have stolen a march on their rivals, with the 'impressive' talent having given his word to the Magpies after visiting the club in person.

The plan, according to reports, is for Jaouen to arrive as competition for Nick Pope rather than an immediate replacement.

Ramsdale's imminent departure leaves a vacancy for a number two, and Jaouen's long-term potential makes him a natural fit for a club looking to invest in youth while maintaining experience in the squad.

His contract at Reims runs until 2029, giving the French club a reasonable negotiating position, but their failure to win promotion to Ligue 1 this season means they are open to selling at the right price.

For Newcastle, it would be a statement of forward planning in a summer that threatens to be defined by departures.