To The Lane And Back

Tottenham could battle Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund for the signing of AS Roma star.

Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi have already arrived to bolster Tottenham Hotspur’s defensive options, while Roberto De Zerbi was instrumental in tying Spanish international Pedro Porro down to a new contract.

De Zerbi has wasted no time in transforming his squad this summer after guiding Spurs to top-flight safety this past season. He wants to reunite with Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke, who is currently representing the Netherlands at the World Cup. The Italian tactician is also eyeing reinforcements in midfield, as revealed by reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano.

Tottenham are already a creative player short, given Xavi Simons endured an ACL rupture in April and remains highly unlikely to return to fitness this year. There is uncertainty about Dejan Kulusevski fully recovering in time to take part in the pre-season tour starting in July, having missed the entire 2025/26 campaign due to multiple knee surgeries.

As a result, it would be naïve of De Zerbi to rely entirely on James Maddison for creativity. Maddison recovered from an ACL injury and only managed a few cameo appearances at the back end of the previous campaign, so he requires support next term.

Tottenham interested in AS Roma midfielder

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Tottenham have expressed an interest in signing AS Roma playmaker Matias Soule. Aston Villa and Borussia Dortmund are also monitoring the 23-year-old, who is one of the players AS Roma are willing to sacrifice this summer.

The Serie A side must make some profit before the June 30th deadline, and they are betting on Matias Soule to earn them capital gain. Soule enjoyed a productive campaign, registering seven goals and eight assists in 42 appearances across all competitions. The Argentine impressed with his versatility, operating in several attacking roles under Gian Piero Gasperini.

Yet, after two campaigns, there is a concrete possibility that the player will depart Rome, with several clubs vying for his signature. The report adds that AS Roma have slapped a €40 million price tag on Soule.

Matias Soule could be a smart acquisition for Tottenham

Soule has been a consistent performer in Serie A in the last two years and could provide Spurs with the creativity and end product they lacked in the final third this previous campaign. The South American’s ability to create chances, drive at the opposition and chip in with goals in both Serie A and Europe makes him an attractive option for De Zerbi’s club.

The Tottenham hierarchy have shown a willingness to back De Zerbi’s vision, and landing an experienced, battle-tested playmaker could prove decisive in their push for European spots next term. Yes, €40 million is a hefty price tag, but the North Londoners cannot afford to hesitate if they are serious about building a strong squad and competing for trophies under De Zerbi.

The 23-year-old is on Newcastle and Tottenham’s transfer radar.

The James Trafford situation comes to fore, with convenient timing, precisely the structural challenge facing Tottenham Hotspur’s summer rebuild. A 23-year-old England international goalkeeper, proven across two Premier League seasons at Burnley, currently serving as Donnarumma’s benchwarmer at Manchester City despite possessing the quality to start for the vast majority of top-flight clubs, stands available. Tottenham need a goalkeeper. Straightforward as they come.

Trafford has made it clear to Manchester City he does not want to spend another season as a benchwarmer, with Newcastle emerging as “genuine” and “leading contenders” for his signature. That is as per The Standard. However, Tottenham also see themselves in the mix for the City academy graduate as a potential replacement for Guglielmo Vicario, but Chelsea, Aston Villa, and Newcastle all remain ahead in the race, with City demanding at least £40m.

Eddie Howe’s Newcastle, having already signed 20-year-old prospect Ewen Jaouen from Reims following Aaron Ramsdale’s loan expiration, prepare for a 2026-27 campaign with Champions League football and the structural stability of a club operating under clear long-term direction. They can offer Trafford guaranteed first-team football, a clear role within a well-organised defensive system, and European competition. That package is genuinely compelling for a 23-year-old who wants to establish himself as England’s challenger to Jordan Pickford.

James Trafford made only a few appearances for Man City last season

Tottenham’s pitch to Trafford remains complicated by a specific irony: the very improvements De Zerbi implemented defensively in the final eight matches of the season make the club a more attractive proposition for any goalkeeper. The shots on target conceded metric falling from 4.35 to 2.0 under De Zerbi communicates to any goalkeeper that the defensive framework in front of them has improved significantly.

Moving to Tottenham could be ideal for him. More opportunities and regular game time for someone who just made 4 PL appearances last season, could get the best out of someone who has not featured extensively lately. Yet Newcastle can make similar arguments with the added incentive of Champions League football.

Trafford currently serves as one of three goalkeepers selected by Thomas Tuchel for England’s World Cup squad. He won’t make any decision on his club future until after returning from international duty, preferring to evaluate his options with his representatives after the tournament. That timeline, whilst entirely reasonable from the player’s perspective, introduces a logistical problem for Tottenham. Pre-season begins in early July. The goalkeeping situation cannot remain unresolved indefinitely. Robin Roefs, the primary target, comes attached to a fat £50m fee and Sunderland’s considerable leverage.

Newcastle want Trafford and he wants Newcastle. That sequence rarely resolves in a third club’s favour regardless of fee or project quality. Tottenham should be preparing their Roefs pursuit with greater urgency than the Trafford one.

Tottenham plotting ambitious move for Premier League star.

Tottenham Hotspur look set to be one of the busiest Premier League clubs in the summer transfer window, with two new faces already through the door in the form of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers.

While the summer transfer window only officially commenced on June 15, the Lilywhites are already actively working on bringing in other new faces. Brighton defender Jan Paul van Hecke and Manchester City winger Savinho are next in the pipeline. At the same time, Tottenham are also in negotiations with Bayern Munich over a permanent move for Joao Palhinha following a successful season-long loan spell.

In addition to Palhinha, Spurs want to bring in one more body in midfield. Recently, reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano revealed that our club bosses are planning to do “something important” in this area of the pitch. Now, he has dropped an eyebrow-raising update on who that midfield could be.

Tottenham enter race for Sandro Tonali

Fabrizio Romano exclusively claims on X that Tottenham have entered the race to sign €80m Newcastle United midfielder Sandro Tonali. De Zerbi wants the Italian international as a new star for his midfield, but his club will face competition from Arsenal and Manchester City.

Sandro Tonali is facing an uncertain future at St James’ Park this summer following Newcastle United’s failure to qualify for the Champions League. Like Spurs, the Toon Army also endured a disappointing 2025/26 campaign, finishing 12th in the Premier League and suffering a humiliating Champions League exit to Barcelona.

With the 26-year-old under contract until 2028, the Magpies hold significant leverage and will demand a substantial fee to consider selling their prized asset, despite having already sanctioned a high-profile exit of Anthony Gordon to Barcelona.

For Spurs, De Zerbi wants Tonali to elevate the quality of his midfield, which was outsmarted and outworked several times last season. A hybrid of No.6 and 8, the Newcastle star would instantly bring composure, class, steel and physicality to Tottenham’s midfield unit. He is Premier League proven and would have no qualms slotting into De Zerbi’s first XI.

However, unlike Arsenal and Man City, Tottenham cannot offer Champions League football to the Italian midfield powerhouse. The N17 chiefs will hope De Zerbi’s exciting project does the magic and turns Tonali’s head to pick Spurs ahead of Arsenal and City. It appears unrealistic to think the ex-AC Milan man will pick our club when there are several European giants waiting to offer him better projects. Plus, the North Londoners will need to break the bank to convince Newcastle to sell their midfield ace.

Roberto De Zerbi outlines Tottenham expectations this season.

Roberto De Zerbi’s personal ambition for next season with Tottenham Hotspur extends to Champions League qualification. A club that finished 17th in the Premier League, survived relegation on the final day on goal difference, and employed three managers within twelve months targets a top-four finish in its first full season under a new coach who came to the club only in April.

That is as per Ben Jacobs via Last Word on Spurs.

“All of this does feel like a fresh start, and now Tottenham have to do two things: one, put their money where their mouth is, which has happened already with some shrewd signings, and two, start building a squad that’s capable of challenging at the top half of the table and trying to get one of those Champions League spots, and make no mistake, my expectation is that Roberto De Zerbi will have one aim. I don’t think he’ll put the pressure on the players of saying it outright, but privately, my information is that Roberto De Zerbi feels Spurs should be qualifying for the Champions League next season.”

From the quality of their targets this summer, it is clear that the club holds at least European ambitions, if not Champions League ambitions to match what De Zerbi is hoping to achieve, with the manager understood to be targeting significantly more than simply a comfortable mid-table position.

Too much to expect?

The statement deserves simultaneous credit and scrutiny. Credit, because De Zerbi’s ambition is the appropriate disposition for a manager with a five-year plan and institutional backing. A manager who arrives at a relegation survivor and says “let’s aim for eighth” is not the manager who attracts Savinho, pursues Bruno Guimaraes, or convinces Luka Vuskovic to reject Barcelona. It is also, presumably, genuinely held. De Zerbi has never managed a club for the purpose of mid-table consolidation. His entire managerial identity remains structured around transformation rather than maintenance.

The scrutiny, however, is equally warranted. The Premier League clubs currently occupying the top four positions are Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City under Maresca, and Manchester United, whose third-place finish this season was achieved without European distraction. Chelsea under Xabi Alonso will be genuine contenders.

Newcastle, who finished 12th despite Champions League participation and significant squad quality, represent the most optimistic recent precedent for a club emerging from a difficult campaign into European contention quickly. It took them two full seasons under Howe to translate genuine investment into a consistent top-four challenge.

Tottenham are not Newcastle. The infrastructure is better. The commercial revenue, even post-near-relegation, is more substantial. De Zerbi is arguably a more tactically sophisticated manager than Eddie Howe. The squad departures and arrivals of this summer, centred on Senesi, Robertson, Van Hecke, and Savinho, provide genuine quality improvement over what existed in January. De Zerbi targeting Champions League football is not delusional. It is ambitious. Those two things are occasionally identical.

Tottenham have been linked with ‘this’ striker of late.

Tottenham Hotspur has been looking to bring in a new striker in the ongoing summer transfer window as Roberto De Zerbi looks to resolve the goal-scoring problem at N17 before going into the new season.

And while many have been linked with a move, the North Londoners are said to be exploring a move for Dusan Vlahovic after his contract with Juventus becomes due before the new season.

Tottenham contact established

According to a recent report from TEAMtalk, the Lilywhites are said to have been spoken to about his availability after his departure from Juventus. Alongside Spurs, Premier League duo Chelsea and Newcastle United are also said to be monitoring his situation closely.

The 26-year-old is one of the most acclaimed #9s that are available in the market for a free transfer given his record of 120 goals in 303 senior appearances. And while there have been reports that insist salary demands are a problem, the aforementioned report claims that Vlahovic wants to pen down a deal worth around £150,000 per week, which comes down to approximately £8 million per year.

For a club with a stature of Tottenham, that should not be a significant concern.

Though being said, the report states that signing bonuses and agent fees will be a rather bigger issue, which can end up increasing the overall cost of the transfer.

Dusan Vlahovic-Juve reunion is not just ruled out

Although Vlahovic is available, a return to negotiations with Juventus has not been ruled out completely just yet, with the report stating that Giovanni Carnevali (the new CEO at Juventus) is being open to reopening discussions to ensure that he remains in Turin.

But that being said, Vlahovic will have to lower his financial demands if that were to happen.

And this is exactly the sense of uncertainty that has alerted clubs across Europe to sign him, with Spanish giants Atletico Madrid also credited with interest in the 26-year-old.

The Turkish side Besiktas are also pushing particularly hard to try and sign him, and they are said to be willing to meet his financial expectations.

While for Tottenham, this is an opportunity to sign an experienced striker who was once compared to Harry Kane without paying a transfer fee, which is surely attractive.

Now we will see where this goes from here. But would you take Vlahovic at Tottenham when next season comes around? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

Tottenham approach West Ham for highly-rated talent wanted by several European clubs.

Tottenham Hotspur have already made a good start to the summer transfer window, snapping up free agents Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi. They are looking to fortify the defensive unit further by bringing in Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton and Hove Albion.

Spurs have several other areas to address after finishing in the bottom half of the Premier League table in consecutive seasons. Transfer news king Fabrizio Romano recently revealed that the Lilywhites are planning to “do something important” in midfield.

Roberto De Zerbi is in desperate need of at least one midfielder, if not two, with Yves Bissouma released and Joao Palhinha’s future still unclear. As ever, there are few quality midfield options available this summer. With that in mind, it is no surprise that Spurs chiefs have looked at one of the promising talents who recently played in the Premier League.

Ben Jacobs reveals Tottenham enquired about highly coveted West Ham midfielder

Tottenham managed to stay in the top flight at the expense of their rivals, West Ham, and De Zerbi’s club could now hand further blows by luring some of their best players. Amid the hunt for wide attackers, West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen and Crysencio Summerville have emerged on Spurs’ radar. Now, links with another player from the East London club has emerged.

Reliable journalist Ben Jacobs has now revealed that Spurs have launched an enquiry for Mateus Fernandes. Despite this, the West Ham midfielder is expected to move elsewhere this summer.

“Tottenham made an enquiry for Mateus Fernandes, even though the direction of travel there is Manchester United or PSG. Real Madrid could even enter that race, but he was another player that they looked at,” Ben Jacobs said on the Last Word On Spurs YouTube channel.

Mateus Fernandes has suffered back-to-back relegations with Southampton and West Ham over the last two seasons. Yet, the Portuguese midfielder remains hugely coveted across Europe, with Manchester United, PSG and Real Madrid all vying for his signature. The 21-year-old was one of the rare bright spots in an otherwise torrid campaign for the Hammers that ended in relegation, bagging three goals and four assists in 36 Premier League appearances.

Manchester United leading the race for Mateus Fernandes

Fernandes is Man United’s main summer target, having pulled out of the race to land Nottingham Forest star Elliott Anderson. The Portuguese international has told the West Ham chiefs that he wants a move to Old Trafford, in the wake of their relegation to the Championship.

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi has a huge job ahead in the next season.

There is a massive summer rebuild that is expected at Hotspur Way as the North Londoners look to take a major step forward under Roberto De Zerbi’s reins at N17.

And according to a new report from TEAMtalk, the Lilywhites are said to be actively exploring a departure for #1 Guglielmo Vicario. The former Empoli man already has interests from Juventus and Napoli as a potential return to Serie A remains on the cards after weeks of news and speculation.

But beyond his exit, what is more intriguing about the aforementioned report is that it claims Roberto De Zerbi has already identified his dream replacement for Vicario in a certain someone who is already balling in the English top tier, with Brighton goalkeeper Bart Verbruggen being prioritized at N17.

And if this is true, he would offer maybe the clearest indication of how exactly De Zerbi wants his Tottenham to play.

Why Verbruggen makes perfect sense

The link with Verbruggen is not surprising at all given that the Dutch international already knows how De Zerbi wants to play because he understands the demands of playing under the former Marseille manager better than almost any goalkeeper in Europe.

Both of them were together at Brighton, where Verbruggen became one of the most comfortable goalkeepers with the ball at his feet and regularly received the ball under pressure as he looked to help initiate buildup sequences from deep.

And that is almost a necessity in a De Zerbi team because he likes his team to invite pressure intentionally, and then he uses the keeper to have a numerical advantage in build-up, and from there every pass becomes part of a wider tactical trap.

Verbruggen has already proven that he can do so in the Premier League, and he is showing the same skill set in the World Cup as well with the Netherlands.

One of the biggest decisions of De Zerbi’s tenure at N17?

Vicario had already established himself as a known keeper when he signed for Tottenham, and there have been instances where he has proven himself worthy of that #1 shirt, but now with RDZ taking charge there will be new demands of that goalkeeping role.

While Vicario does have some of what it takes to play in a De Zerbi side, there have always been doubts about how reliable he can be, especially with set pieces and then also playing like the eleventh outfield player.

Tottenham are currently trying to get Vicario out of the club, and if that were to happen, it would be one of the bigger decisions of De Zerbi’s short tenure.

Tottenham have a lot of work to do to improve their attacking options.

Having secured two defenders in Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers, Tottenham Hotspur are now working on other positions.

Spurs are also advancing in talks over a deal for Manchester City winger Savinho, with Roberto De Zerbi desperate to reinforce his attacking unit. They definitely need more than Savinho. The North Londoners are set to lose Randal Kolo Muani at the end of his loan spell from PSG, while there is continued speculation over the future of Richarlison. It is also unclear whether Mathys Tel will remain at the club amid concerns over a lack of regular minutes.

Regardless of what happens with Richarlison, Tottenham need a reliable striker to lead their attack next season under De Zerbi.

Brentford marksman has been discussed internally at Tottenham

Brentford striker Igor Thiago finished the 2025/26 season as the Premier League’s second-highest goalscorer behind Erling Haaland, bagging an impressive 22 goals in 38 appearances. This led to the 24-year-old being called up to the Brazil squad for the World Cup, where he started his nation’s opener in the 1-1 draw with Morocco on Saturday.

Reliable journalist Ben Jacobs has now revealed that Tottenham have already held discussions behind the scenes about signing Igor Thiago, although nothing is happening at this stage.

“There is substance to the Igor Thiago links in the sense that Tottenham have scouted him and mentioned him internally. Nothing other than that at this stage and obviously a player that’s going to have a high asking price, which could rise even further due to the World Cup,” Ben Jacobs said on the Last Word On Spurs YouTube channel.

Tottenham will run into a problem in trying to secure a deal for Thiago, however, given that he only signed a contract extension with Brentford back in February. The Brazilian international put pen to paper on a new five-year contract, locking him down to the Gtech Community Stadium until 2031. This puts the ball firmly in the Bees’ court when it comes to any transfer negotiations over their star striker.

Plus, if Thiago performs well across the World Cup, even though he endured a poor outing against Morocco, his price would only rise. Also, Tottenham will run into competition when it comes to the South American goalscorer’s signature. It remains to be seen whether Thiago would be keen on a move to Spurs, especially after they failed to qualify for any European football.

Tottenham are scouring the market for attacking reinforcements.

Tottenham Hotspur’s main focus has been on strengthening a defence that simply wasn’t good enough this past season. They had the fourth-worst defensive record in the division, and keeping that in mind, the club chiefs acted swiftly and snapped up free agents Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi.

Spurs are working on a deal to bring Brighton and Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke in to reunite with Roberto De Zerbi, while Pedro Porro extending his contract until 2030 is good news for the fans. Tottenham are looking at other positions too, with transfer news guru Fabrizio Romano claiming that they are planning to do something big in midfield.

Business will not end there. The North Londoners are also eyeing reinforcements up front. Scoring goals was a massive problem, with Richarlison being the club’s top scorer last season with 12 strikes in all competitions. Randal Kolo Muani, who was on loan from PSG, managed just one league goal, whereas Dominic Solanke’s campaign was disrupted by injuries.

Tottenham linked with shock move for Chelsea striker

Given the problems Spurs faced up top, it is understandable why the North Londoners are seeking a new No.9. However, they are now linked with a shock move for a Chelsea striker.

Speaking on the Last Word On Spurs YouTube channel, reliable journalist Ben Jacobs revealed that a move for Chelsea’s Liam Delap could be one to watch. However, the English centre-forward wants to find out what his role will be under new boss Xabi Alonso and fight for his place at Chelsea.

“I think that Liam Delap could be one to watch from Chelsea, another club that Tottenham wouldn’t normally do too much business with,” Ben Jacobs said on the Last Word On Spurs.

“Newcastle, Everton, Tottenham, the three clubs that like Delap. Before we can clarify whether anything is going to develop there, Delap wants to stay and fight for his place, so he’s going to understand where he is in this pecking order, with Joao Pedro number one under Xabi Alonso, who is going to be the number two striker?

“Is it still going to be Delap? Is it alternatively going to be Nico Jackson, who’s coming back from a loan spell at Bayern? I think unlikely, but Jackson wants pre-season to see if he can change the new manager’s mind.

“Once all that falls into place, if Delap is available on the market, Newcastle, Everton and Tottenham are the three Premier League clubs I’m hearing.”

Tottenham must stay away from Liam Delap

Delap made the move to Chelsea from Ipswich Town last summer, after the Blues activated his £30m release clause. However, he endured an awful debut season at Stamford Bridge, netting just once in 28 Premier League outings. The former England Under-21 international played second fiddle to Joao Pedro, but when he got limited opportunities to lead the line, he massively disappointed.

Tottenham are planning to add to their midfield ranks this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur have already secured two defenders in the form of Andy Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers, and they are primed to add another to their squad this summer.

Jan Paul van Hecke is wanted by Spurs boss Roberto De Zerbi, with the Brighton and Hove Albion man emerging as one of the most dependable central defenders in the Premier League over the last couple of years. Having already agreed personal terms with Van Hecke, Tottenham are now pushing to get the deal over the line as quickly as possible.

The North Londoners want reinforcements in the middle of the park too, with Yves Bissouma released upon the expiry of his contract and Joao Palhinha’s future still up in the air. They are working on a deal to sign Palhinha on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich, but with Sporting CP keen to bring him back, there is no clarity over him at the moment.

Fabrizio Romano sheds light on Tottenham’s transfer plans

Reputed journalist Fabrizio Romano has now given a bit of insight into Tottenham’s summer transfer plans. The Italian claims that De Zerbi wants a new midfielder in his ranks, and Spurs are planning to do “something important” in that area of the pitch.

“Tottenham are going to be busy, and what I can tell you in addition to this, is that Tottenham are also working on midfield,” Fabrizio Romano said on his YouTube channel.

“Tottenham want to do something important in midfield, Tottenham want a new midfielder for Roberto De Zerbi, and so for sure they will be busy with several things in the next weeks.”

Spurs have been linked with several midfielders, the latest of which is LOSC Lille’s teenage prodigy, Ayyoub Bouaddi. The Moroccan talent dominated Brazil during the 1-1 draw on Saturday, impressing with his composure, reading of the game, spatial awareness and ball-carrying. He’d be an outstanding addition to Tottenham’s engine room, elevating the technical flooring of the squad. However, several clubs across the European continent are tracking Bouaddi, so it’d be very difficult to sign him.