Daily Express

Roberto De Zerbi has confirmed he will be pushing the Tottenham board to make Joao Palhinha’s move from Bayern Munich a permanent one when the transfer window opens. Palhinha joined Bayern at the beginning of the 2024/25 season after an impressive spell with Fulham in the Premier League, but was never fancied by Vincent Kompany upon the Belgian’s arrival.

As such, after just one season in Germany, Palhinha was shipped to Spurs at the start of the current campaign, where he once again had to bide his time for starting XI minutes. However, since the arrival of De Zerbi, Palhinha has found form, with the Italian boss keen to keep him around beyond the summer transfer window.

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The ball is in Tottenham’s court, given the 2025 Europa League winners boast a £26million option to buy. When quizzed about Palhinha’s future, he explained: "100 per cent [I want to keep him]. We have to start from this type of person. More than players, we need reliable people, reliable players. Palhinha is one of the best, as a player for sure, but as a guy," said the Tottenham boss

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"I want to see the player with the same passion, the same attitude, the same spirit, the same personality, and we are lucky to have with us Palhinha.”

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Things might also depend on which league they find themselves in next season, given Spurs still haven’t secured their Premier League status heading into the final three games of the campaign. Sunday’s win against Aston Villa certainly swung momentum in Spurs’ favour, but De Zerbi isn’t taking anything for granted.

On Tottenham’s upcoming match against Leeds United, he remarked: “First of all, we're going to play against one of the best teams in this moment because in the last five, six games they won against Man United. They drew in Bournemouth, playing well. They won at home two times, Wolves and Burnley. For that, we have a big respect. We can't think in a different way. We have to keep this mentality.

“We must remain humble. Nothing changes. We have to prepare an important game. The same way we are playing. We didn't play so well in Wolves, but in the first 30 minutes, we played okay. Against Brighton at home, we played 90 minutes and extra time very well. We have to stay focused on this type of performance. This type of attitude. This type of spirit and showing the quality of the players.”

Manchester United are heading towards one of the club’s biggest summers in years. The Red Devils still haven’t appointed a permanent manager, while plenty of business is expected to be completed in the transfer department.

That’s both in terms of incomings and outgoings, with a reported £150million war chest set to be handed to whoever takes the reins on a full-time basis. But to make room for new arrivals, United will first have to free up space in their squad, as well as on their wage bill.

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It’s being suggested that United aren’t prepared to cut any corners this summer, with two surprising names believed to be on the chopping block. One of those is Manuel Ugarte, who, granted, hasn’t impressed at the Red Devils since joining, but only put pen to paper on a deal worth an initial £42million two seasons ago.

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Erik ten Hag was the manager then, with Ruben Amorim and now Michael Carrick having failed to take to the Uruguayan midfielder. But perhaps more of a shock is the suggestion that Matthijs de Ligt is also expected to depart when the transfer window opens.

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Like Ugarte, De Ligt joined United during the summer of 2024, but in sharp contrast to his team-mate, the Dutchman has impressed when in the starting XI. The issue is that De Ligt hasn’t played at all this calendar year because of a back injury, with United keen to bring in a more reliable option.

It’s claimed INEOS are pushing to sign two midfield options in the off-season, with Adam Wharton, Aurelien Tchouameni and Mateus Fernandes having been mentioned as potential options. On top of the midfield reshuffle, United are also in the market for a new centre-back, with Micky Van de Ven, Murillo, and Castello Lukeba on the reported list of candidates.

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It could be influenced by whoever has the job full-time, with Carrick once again questioned if he’s the right person to be given it. Speaking ahead of the weekend clash with Sunderland, he said: “Clarity is important … We’ve finished strong, put ourselves in a good position and the situation of my role and what it looks like moving forward, I think it’s just the natural time. It was always spoken about towards the end of the season, if not the end of the season."

Roberto De Zerbi has come under fire from Canada head coach Jesse Marsch over his handling of Ismael Kone during his time at Marseille. Video footage of the pair having to be pulled apart by players and staff at the French club's training ground surfaced last August, with De Zerbi left incensed by his conduct during that session.

The now-Tottenham manager could be heard instructing Kone to 'go inside' before yelling in his direction 'call your agent'. Kone subsequently departed Marseille for Sassuolo in that transfer window,and now Marsch has stepped forward to defend the Canadian midfielder, while also delivering some pointed remarks aimed squarely at De Zerbi.

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He said: "It wasn't easy for him with De Zerbi in Marseille. De Zerbi was a real a**hole to him, but he stayed strong. He never doubted himself. He found a new environment, and look at him thriving today. I repeat: De Zerbi behaved like a real a**hole to him.

"When I took over the reins of Canada, I thought Ismael was a raw player, but full of talent. And since then, I have talked to him a lot about discipline and concentration, and everything that this implies in his daily life: his diet, his sleep habits, his way of training, his way of playing, as well as his overall intelligence.

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"He went to Italy to play for a newly promoted team in a very organised league, and he played an incredibly important role in that team, having an excellent season. Look at the progress he was able to make despite the difficulties."

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De Zerbi, meanwhile, effectively stood firm on his assessment of Kone in the documentary that captured their confrontation.

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He said: "He is one of the players with the most potential at Olympique Marseille, but who didn't always behave well. Someone who had highs and lows that were too big for a player who is ready for Olympique Marseille."

De Zerbi has been in charge of four matches at Tottenham, accumulating a crucial seven points in their fight to steer clear of the drop zone. Last Sunday's victory at Aston Villa, combined with West Ham's defeat to Brentford just over 24 hours prior, has seen the Lilywhites take their destiny into their own hands as they now sit one point outside the bottom three.

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The Hammers again play first this weekend as they host leaders Arsenal on Sunday afternoon, while Tottenham welcome Leeds United to north London on Monday evening.

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Spurs round off the campaign against Chelsea and Everton, while West Ham face Newcastle United and Leeds. Although Tottenham travel to Stamford Bridge several days after their relegation rivals' fixture at St James' Park, the final 10 games of the season kick off simultaneously.

Nottingham Forest virtually guaranteed their survival following their 3-1 victory over Chelsea on Monday with Vitor Pereira's side remaining undefeated since mid-March while also progressing through the latter stages of the Europa League.

Manchester United are convinced that qualifying for the Champions League will be sufficient to prevent Bruno Fernandes from leaving Old Trafford. And with United requiring just two more points from their remaining four league fixtures to seal a top five finish, senior club officials are growing increasingly optimistic Fernandes will remain, with Michael Carrick potentially at the helm.

The Portuguese international faces a major decision this summer. He is tied to United until 2027, with the possibility of an additional 12 months. United are under no pressure to offer the attacking midfielder fresh and improved terms. But United's ownership recognise that his impact on the side moving forward is vital to the club's prospects of significant silverware.

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While the 31-year-old has a £57million release clause in his contract, meaning United would be unable to retain him should a club he wished to join come forward and match the figure.

Fernandes has made it plain he wants United to be capable of matching his own aspirations when it comes to securing major trophies.

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But with United set to guarantee a return to the elite tier of European football, the English giants will be in a stronger position to attract their top targets to Old Trafford.

Among their midfield targets are Elliot Anderson, Carlos Baleba, Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde and Adam Wharton. The one potential obstacle concerns the managerial situation. Carrick has performed miracles since assuming control on an interim basis.

However, United are weighing up all possibilities on the table before reaching a final verdict. Fernandes shares a close bond with Carrick, and would prefer United to hand him the role on a permanent basis.

The former Sporting CP star arrived at United in 2020 for £47m and has since become one of their finest acquisitions of the past decade.

Despite United's recent struggles, Fernandes has been a picture of consistency. He sits one shy of the Premier League's all-time assist record of 20 in a season, and is also tipped to claim both the PFA and FWA Player of the Year honours.

Xavi Simons has provided an update on his recovery after confirming he faces months on the sidelines following a serious knee injury. The Dutch winger sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear during Tottenham's 1-0 victory over Wolves on Saturday afternoon.

Simons was stretchered off the pitch following the incident, and the club released a statement confirming supporters' worst fears. On Monday, Spurs announced: "We can confirm that Xavi Simons has ruptured the Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) in his right knee. The 23-year-old suffered the injury during the second half of our Premier League fixture at Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday.

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"Xavi will undergo surgery in the coming weeks and, following that, will then begin his rehabilitation with our medical team. Everyone at Tottenham Hotspur sends Xavi our love and support - we will be with him every step of the way."

But just days on from the crushing news, Simons has already remarkably posted pictures of himself training in the gym as he embarks on his road to recovery. The creative talent shared the surprise image on Snapchat, captioned: "No matter what!"

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The 23-year-old faces a desperately difficult period ahead, with the injury expected to keep him sidelined for as long as eight months.

As a result, he will almost certainly miss out on a place in the Netherlands squad for the forthcoming World Cup. Taking to Instagram to express his feelings, Simons said: "They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way. My season has come to an abrupt end and I'm just trying to process it."

"Honestly, I'm heartbroken. None of it makes sense. All I've wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me... along with the World Cup."

"Representing my country this summer...just gone. It'll take time to find peace with this, but I'll continue to be the best teammate I can be. I have no doubt that together we'll win this fight."

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"I'll walk this path now, guided by faith, with strength, with resilience, with belief, as I count down the days to getting back out there. Be patient with me. TTP. COYS."

Simons joins a mounting list of injury casualties at Tottenham, a club that has endured a torrid campaign. Cristian Romero faces eight weeks on the sidelines with a knee tear, while Wilson Odobert is also set for a lengthy spell out following an ACL injury.

Tottenham are said to be eyeing a move for Marcus Rashford this summer should the Manchester United loanee fail to secure a permanent switch to Barcelona. Rashford's loan stint at Barca draws to a close at the end of the season, leaving considerable doubt hanging over his future. Rashford has made no secret of his ambition to seal a permanent move to Barcelona this summer, having relished his time at the club.

He has registered 13 goals and 13 assists in 45 appearances for Hansi Flick's side and has absolutely no desire to return to United. Yet despite his impressive displays, Barca have been slow to progress negotiations with United. The Catalan giants are reluctant to meet the £26million fee required to make his loan permanent and are instead pushing for a second loan deal for the 2026/27 campaign, owing to their well-documented financial difficulties.

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United are holding out for a permanent departure for their academy product, who still has two years remaining on a contract worth £325,000-a-week. They are refusing to budge in their dealings with Barca - and the ongoing deadlock could hand other suitors an opening.

Catalan publication Sport reports that Tottenham have demonstrated 'genuine interest' in landing Rashford and could prove to be a complicating factor, provided they retain their Premier League status. Spurs currently occupy 18th place, sitting two points adrift of safety with four fixtures remaining.

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Barcelona are making a move for Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez their top priority this summer and are well aware the Argentina star will command an astronomical price tag. They are consequently cautious about overspending on Rashford, who is not considered a potential successor to departing veteran centre-forward Robert Lewandowski.

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Atleti boss Diego Simeone confirmed on Tuesday that Barca are among those pursuing Alvarez. "It's normal that an extraordinary player like Julian Alvarez is wanted by Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona," he said. "It's normal because he's very good."

All of this complicates matters for Rashford, who is understood to be staying calm as he attempts to secure a dream transfer to Barcelona, where he has settled comfortably and is relishing life.

The 28-year-old enjoys a strong rapport with Flick and is optimistic that the German manager's backing will prove a decisive factor.

United are bracing themselves for an enormously consequential summer transfer window, with the club hiring a new long-term manager to succeed Ruben Amorim while reshaping their squad.

They are looking to finance the acquisition of a top-class central midfielder through player sales, with Rashford on the transfer list alongside fellow loanees Rasmus Hojlund, Jadon Sancho and Andre Onana.

It is therefore firmly in United's interests to conclude a deal for Rashford at the earliest opportunity, yet Barca sporting director Deco is likely to push hard for a reduced fee should another loan be ruled out.

For Spurs, should they remain in the Premier League, they could pull off two impressive free transfers with personal terms already agreed with Liverpool left-back Andy Robertson. The Scot will become a free agent in July.

As will Bournemouth centre-back Marcos Senesi, with reports claiming advanced talks are ongoing and the Argentine has verbally committed to joining the north London club at the end of the campaign for free, provided they are not relegated to the Championship.

Tottenham and West Ham have just four fixtures remaining before their Premier League destiny is sealed. But who would be staring down relegation if their forthcoming results mirrored the reverse fixtures?

The battle for top-flight survival will soon reach its climax, with Wolves and Burnley already relegated. One drop zone place remains and it is presently occupied by Roberto De Zerbi's Tottenham. Spurs were without a win in 2026 before defeating Wolves 1-0 on Saturday and despite this triumph, remain in 18th, heading for the Championship as matters stand. Both Leeds United and Nottingham Forest have strung together results in recent weeks and while they could be dragged back into the dogfight, but it is West Ham who find themselves in 17th.

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The Hammers secured a dramatic 2-1 victory over Everton at the weekend and they hold two more points than Tottenham. With only four matches remaining, Express Sport examines Spurs and West Ham's run-in and what transpired the last time they met their remaining opponents.

Starting with Tottenham's fixture list, they travel to Villa Park on Sunday to take on top-five-chasing Aston Villa. Unai Emery's side presently occupy fifth position. Villa are in action in the midweek as they face Forest in the first leg of a Europa League semi-final, having already beaten Spurs 2-1 in the reverse fixture.

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The two sides also clashed in the FA Cup, and it was Villa who sent Tottenham crashing out of this year's competition, defeating them 2-1 once again back in January. Next up for De Zerbi's men is a home fixture against Leeds United on May 11. When Tottenham visited Elland Road in October, they got the better of their upcoming opponents, winning 2-1.

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Spurs round off their season with an away trip to Chelsea and a home encounter against Everton. Tottenham fell 1-0 to their London rivals in November, having dismantled the Toffees 3-0 a month prior.

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Should Tottenham replicate those four results, two defeats and two victories, they would finish the campaign on 40 points. West Ham's forthcoming opponents are Brentford, who triumphed 2-0 in the reverse fixture back in October. Nuno Espirito Santo's side then face Arsenal on May 10. The earlier meeting between these two sides saw the Gunners come out on top 2-0.

The Hammers subsequently face a trip to Newcastle United and a final-day home clash against Leeds. West Ham overcame the Magpies 3-1 in November but succumbed to Leeds 2-1 in October. So, should those reverse results be repeated, West Ham's campaign would conclude with three defeats and one victory, meaning they would hypothetically face the drop on 39 points.

Naturally, both sides could produce different outcomes than the reverse fixtures, for better or for worse, as both did on Saturday. Spurs had drawn 1-1 with Wolves in the earlier meeting before their victory, while West Ham did likewise, being held by Everton when they clashed in September.

A "heartbroken" Xavi Simons is facing up to eight months on the sidelines after suffering a ruptured ACL at the weekend. The Dutchman was chasing a loose ball alongside Hugo Bueno during Saturday's clash between Tottenham Hotspur and Wolves when he jarred his knee on the pitch.

Simons immediately collapsed to the ground, writhing in agony, as Spurs medical staff rushed over to attend to him before he was carried out of Molineux on a stretcher. The 23-year-old has now been told the full extent of his devastating injury. Not only will Simons miss the remainder of the season with Spurs, but he will also be ruled out of this summer's World Cup in North America in a crushing blow.

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Taking to Instagram, the attacking midfielder posted a deeply emotional update for his followers. He wrote: "They say life can be cruel and today it feels that way.

"My season has come to an abrupt end and I'm just trying to process it. Honestly, I'm heartbroken. None of it makes sense. All I've wanted to do is fight for my team and now the ability to do that has been snatched away from me...along with the World Cup.

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"Representing my country this summer...just gone. It'll take time to find peace with this, but I'll continue to be the best teammate I can be. I have no doubt that together we'll win this fight. I'll walk this path now, guided by faith, with strength, with resilience, with belief, as I count down the days to getting back out there. Be patient with me. TTP. COYS."

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The news represents yet another crushing setback as Spurs battle to stave off relegation to the Championship for the first time since the Premier League was founded in 1992. At the time of writing, the Lilywhites find themselves 18th in the table with just four matches remaining, sitting two points adrift of safety.

And Simons is far from the only key player the club will be forced to do without as they look to finish the season strongly against Aston Villa, Leeds United, Chelsea and Everton next month. Cristian Romero faces approximately eight weeks on the sidelines after partially tearing his ACL against Sunderland AFC, while Wilson Odobert continues his own lengthy rehabilitation from a knee issue.

Dejan Kulusevski is yet to pull on a Spurs shirt this season due to his own knee trouble, while Ben Davies appears unlikely to feature for the club again - out of contract at the end of the season and recovering from a fractured ankle sustained against West Ham back in January.

The Premier League will be required to reschedule one of Tottenham Hotspur's remaining Premier League fixtures before the end of the season following Chelsea's victory over Leeds United in the FA Cup semi-final.

The Blues secured a 1-0 win against Leeds at Wembley Stadium on Sunday afternoon, with Enzo Fernandez netting the decisive goal for Calum McFarlane's side.

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The triumph means Chelsea will go head-to-head with Manchester City in next month's FA Cup final, after City booked their place in the showpiece fixture with a 2-1 win over Southampton on Saturday.

The final between Chelsea and City is scheduled to take place at Wembley on Saturday, May 16 - the very same weekend Spurs are due to face the Blues in the Premier League, a fixture that will now need to be rearranged.

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The Premier League is expected to confirm the revised date for the match in due course, though there appears to be only a narrow window in which the Stamford Bridge fixture could realistically be fitted in.

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Tottenham and Chelsea are both in Premier League action next weekend, with Spurs taking on Aston Villa on Sunday, May 3, while the Blues face Nottingham Forest on Monday, May 4.

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It is precisely because Chelsea are in action on the Monday evening that the Tottenham fixture is unlikely to be rescheduled for the week of May 4-10.

The Blues then return to Premier League duty on Saturday, May 9, when they travel to face Liverpool at Anfield. Spurs will then take on Leeds United in the same game week on Monday, May 11 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. It is the timing of this fixture that rules out another midweek spot for the match between Tottenham and Chelsea.

Chelsea will subsequently meet City in the FA Cup final on May 16, and it is only after this date that Spurs can expect to take on the Blues.

The showdown between Chelsea and Tottenham is likely to be scheduled in the week following the FA Cup final and ahead of the Premier League's final day on May 24.

This would result in Tottenham facing Chelsea in a midweek fixture, before taking on Everton in their last league outing of the season.

For Chelsea, this would see the Blues going up against City in the FA Cup final, followed by a rescheduled fixture against Tottenham, then a Premier League finale against Sunderland all within the space of a single week.

Xavi Simons has posted a 'trust the process' message on his Instagram story after sustaining a potentially serious injury during Tottenham's victory over Wolves. Simons was stretchered off just after the hour mark at Molineux, with concerns mounting that he may have suffered an ACL injury.

The Netherlands international, who could miss the World Cup should the worst be confirmed, has eased some fears by resharing Spurs' post-match victory graphic on his Instagram story with the caption, "TTP always [white heart emoji]."

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While relegation rivals West Ham also claimed three points, it was nonetheless a crucial win for Spurs. The result has, however, been somewhat overshadowed by two injury setbacks, with Dominic Solanke the other player forced to leave the pitch.

Addressing the injuries, manager Roberto De Zerbi said: "For Xavi it is a problem of his knee. We go to see in the next days. Monday or Tuesday.

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"For Solanke it is not a big problem. I don’t know how many games we lose him but I would like to know the situation with Xavi because the knee is always different than the muscular injury."

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On Simons, De Zerbi later added: "He felt pain. Now I spoke to him two, three minutes ago. He feels better than the beginning of the injury."

De Zerbi will be hoping Simons can play a part in the remaining fixtures, with James Maddison, despite featuring in the last two matchday squads, still not guaranteed to return from his own ACL injury before the season concludes, reports football.london.

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Should Simons indeed be ruled out for the rest of the season, Tottenham could find themselves without a single fit and available attacking midfielder.

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When quizzed on how he intends to address any lack of creativity, De Zerbi said: "We can play with Mathys Tel on the left. Kolo Muani on the right. Souza on the right. [Lucas] Bergvall on the left. We have to create.

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"I don’t want to change too much (like) three defenders or four defenders, I don’t want to put more confusion on the players, especially this season because they changed a lot of tactical disposition.

"I want to be clear and simple but for your question, we need to stay strong in the head and positive in ourselves."

Next up for Spurs is a trip to Aston Villa, with Unai Emery's side also set to face Nottingham Forest in a Europa League semi-final either side of that fixture. Tottenham then welcome Leeds the following weekend.