Sports Mole

New Tottenham Hotspur defender Marcos Senesi has received a late call-up to Argentina's 2026 World Cup squad.

The 29-year-old was left out of Lionel Scaloni's initial 26-man squad despite enjoying a successful season with Bournemouth.

The centre-back started all 37 Premier League games for which he was available as Bournemouth secured a sixth-place finish and European football for the first time in the club's history.

However, he will not be with Bournemouth for their Europa League campaign, having turned down the chance to sign a new contract so he can pursue a fresh challenge in north London.

Senesi was officially unveiled as a Spurs player on Wednesday, with the free transfer set to officially go through on July 1 after his Bournemouth contract expires.

New Spurs signing receives World Cup call-up

A day later, the defender's positive week got even better with a call-up to Argentina's World Cup squad.

Senesi has been named as the replacement for Marseille's Leonardo Balerdi, who has been ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury.

The news means Senesi will head to an international major tournament for the first time in his career, having only previously made three appearances for his country.

The most recent of those three outings came in March's 2-1 friendly win over Mauritania.

Is Senesi likely to appear in the World Cup?

While Senesi will be delighted with the news of his late inclusion, he now faces a battle to prove to Scaloni that he deserves to feature in Argentina's World Cup defence.

That seems like a tough task due to the fact that Scaloni can call upon Cristian Romero, Lisandro Martinez, Nicolas Otamendi and Facundo Medina as his other centre-back options.

Romero is expected to start the tournament with one of Martinez or Otamendi as his centre-back partner.

As a result, Senesi will likely only get on the pitch if there is an injury or Scaloni has the opportunity to rest and rotate.

Romero and Martinez's recent injury record and Otamendi's age mean that a potential opening in the lineup cannot be ruled out.

Argentina will begin their World Cup defence against Algeria on Tuesday before they face Austria and Jordan.

Tottenham Hotspur have announced that long-serving defender Ben Davies has signed a new contract with the club, but Yves Bissouma will leave as a free agent.

Both Davies and Bissouma entered the final six months of their contracts in January, and both experienced underwhelming 2025-26 campaigns due to a variety of factors.

Davies made just five appearances in all competitions, struggling with a hamstring injury during the first portion of the campaign before missing four months after an ankle operation.

The Wales international is also competing with Destiny Udogie, Djed Spence, Souza and new signing Andrew Robertson at left-back, but he has nevertheless extended his stay for another season.

"Tottenham Hotspur really feels like home. It's been a huge part of my football journey and I'm grateful for what the Club has given me so far in my career," Davies told the official Tottenham website.

Ben Davies extends Tottenham contract until 2027

"It's been difficult over the past few months, not being able to help the team on the pitch in some tough moments due to injury. So I tried to help the boys off it as much as I could, being a voice in the dressing room and around the group, contributing in any way I could. My heart's on my sleeve for this Club and I'll give everything for it."

Davies's new deal means that the 33-year-old will now enter a 13th season at Tottenham, who signed the defender from Swansea City for £10.9m in the summer of 2014.

Davies has since amassed 10 goals and 26 assists in 363 matches for the Lilywhites across all tournaments, and he made eight Europa League appearances in Spurs' triumphant 2024-25 run.

While Davies will be sticking around until at least 2027, Bissouma's contract has not been renewed, as confirmed by Tottenham in a separate statement also announcing academy departures.

"We can confirm the departure of Yves Bissouma following the conclusion of his contract," Spurs said. "We extend our grateful thanks to all departing players and their families for their contributions to the club and wish them every success in the future."

Yves Bissouma fails to live up to the Tottenham hype

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Both Arsenal and Manchester United were hitherto credited with an interest in Bissouma, who sent tongues wagging during his successful spell with Brighton & Hove Albion.

Neither the Gunners nor the Red Devils made an official bid, though, and the Mali midfielder arrived at Spurs for a little over £25m, a seemingly good deal for the club at the time.

However, Bissouma never settled under Antonio Conte and only enjoyed a brief renaissance under Ange Postecoglou in 2023-24, starting 28 Premier League matches before that number dropped to 16 the next season.

The 30-year-old's relationship with Thomas Frank was fractured early on, when he was left out of the squad for the Super Cup due to disciplinary reasons, before missing the entire first half of the campaign with a knee problem.

Bissouma returned to play 11 times in all tournaments in 2025-26, but his signing will ultimately go down as a failure on the financial front.

Manchester United have reportedly distanced themselves from a possible move for Tottenham Hotspur defender Cristian Romero.

The Argentina international has been heavily linked with a move away after Spurs narrowly avoided Premier League relegation.

Spain has been mooted as the most likely destination for the defender, although Man United have recently been linked with a potential move.

Reports from Argentina have suggested that the Red Devils are preparing to make an official offer for the Tottenham captain.

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Man United dismiss Romero transfer links

However, according to the Manchester Evening News, Man United sources have since dismissed the rumours over a possible bid.

The report claims that Man United currently have no plans to pursue a deal for the centre-back this summer.

That does not mean that Romero will stay put in north London, especially as Spurs are making efforts to bolster their backline.

Roberto De Zerbi's side are widely expected to sign Marcos Senesi on a free transfer, while they are said to be showing interest in Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke.

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Do Man United need to sign a centre-back this summer?

On the face of it, Man United are not in urgent need of a new centre-back given the current options in Michael Carrick's squad.

Harry Maguire, Lisandro Martinez, Ayden Heaven, Leny Yoro and Matthijs de Ligt are all part of Man United's central defensive department, although there may be some concern about the latter's long-term fitness due to his ongoing injury struggles.

Martinez has also had his injury issues during his time at the club, so there may be a temptation to bring in a new centre-back even if it is not a priority.

Man United will surely view the midfield as the main area of concern after Casemiro's departure and with uncertainty surrounding Manuel Ugarte's future.

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly received a significant boost in their pursuit of Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke ahead of the summer transfer window.

The Netherlands international joined Brighton in 2020 and, after a series of loan spells, established himself as a first-team regular two years later.

Since breaking into the side, Van Hecke has made more than 130 appearances for the Seagulls and developed into one of the Premier League's most highly-rated centre-backs.

Spurs have already strengthened Roberto De Zerbi's squad with the arrivals of Andrew Robertson and Marcos Senesi on free transfers, but further defensive reinforcements remain a priority.

Advantage Tottenham in race for Jan Paul van Hecke?

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According to TeamTalk, Van Hecke has informed interested parties that his preference is to join Tottenham and reunite with De Zerbi despite Liverpool's attempts to lure him to Anfield.

The Reds are in the market for a new centre-back following Ibrahima Konate's departure and have identified the Brighton defender as one of their leading targets.

However, Tottenham have been working on the deal for some time and are reportedly prepared to pay around £50m to secure his signature.

Brighton have already rejected two offers, valuing the defender closer to £70m, although their negotiating position is weakened by the fact that Van Hecke has entered the final year of his contract.

Should Liverpool intensify effort for Jan Paul van Hecke?

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With reports suggesting that the defender has already made his preference clear, Liverpool may be forced to consider whether pursuing the deal remains worthwhile.

The Merseyside club have maintained contact with both Brighton and the player's representatives, but convincing Van Hecke to choose Anfield over Tottenham could prove difficult.

Given his contract situation, Liverpool may also be reluctant to meet Brighton's valuation, particularly when other centre-back options are available across the market.

Tottenham, meanwhile, are believed to have reached an agreement in principle on personal terms and are now preparing an improved package worth close to £60m, a figure they hope will finally persuade Brighton to sanction a sale.

Manchester United are reportedly preparing an official opening offer to sign Tottenham Hotspur centre-back Cristian Romero.

The Red Devils are actively working to reshape their playing squad following a domestic campaign that culminated in a third-place finish in the Premier League.

United have already all but reinforced their midfield options with a £35m deal to sign Atalanta midfielder Ederson almost done.

Attention has now swiftly turned to addressing defensive vulnerabilities ahead of a demanding domestic and European schedule next term.

Man United 'prepare' lucrative offer for Romero

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According to journalist Gaston Edul, the Red Devils are keen to bring the Spurs captain to Old Trafford this summer.

The 28-year-old centre-back is expected to leave North London this summer after the Lilywhites narrowly avoided a catastrophic relegation to the Championship under Roberto De Zerbi.

Romero has attracted substantial transfer interest from elite clubs in Spain, but would reportedly prefer to remain in the Premier League.

The World Cup winner signed a contract extension last summer, reportedly including a £50m release clause.

Reports suggest that intermediaries have already initiated discussions regarding personal terms to convince the aggressive defender to move to Old Trafford.

How Romero fits into the Red Devils backline

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The prospective arrival of the Argentine international would provide immediate Premier League-proven quality to the defensive options available at Carrington.

The club hierarchy have already handed veteran defender Harry Maguire a fresh one-year contract extension following a series of commendable performances last term.

However, central defender Matthijs de Ligt is currently sidelined with a severe knee injury and is not expected to return until well after the new campaign commences.

With Lisandro Martinez also entering the final 12 months of his existing contract, securing a player with top-flight experience remains paramount for long-term stability.

While some sections of the fanbase may question the financial outlay, as well as Romero's aggressive style of defending, the positives ostensibly outweigh the negatives of any deal.

Some fans do not want the football season to end, and some cannot wait for the final whistle to blow; Tottenham Hotspur supporters were definitely in the latter camp during a catastrophic 2025-26 campaign.

However, thanks to Roberto De Zerbi's survival skills, Spurs' perpetual Premier League status remains intact, and the Lilywhites have already put their top-tier standing to good effect ahead of the opening of the summer transfer window.

The signing of Liverpool legend Andy Robertson has already been confirmed, Marcos Senesi's arrival from Bournemouth should be announced imminently, and work is being done to capture Jan Paul van Hecke from Brighton & Hove Albion.

But which members of De Zerbi's squad are at risk of the axe? Here, Sports Mole gives you the chance to vote for who you think Tottenham should keep and sell in the summer transfer window.

Tottenham's biggest transfer dilemmas for 2026 summer window

If it was not already clear from the evidence, Tottenham are preparing for a seismic defensive shift ahead of the new season, which will see Senesi and Van Hecke join forces at the back if De Zerbi gets his way.

The former Brighton boss is seemingly anticipating the exits of at least one of Micky van de Ven or Cristian Romero, the latter of whom appears the most likely to depart after a five-year spell in North London.

Another rearguard stalwart - Guglielmo Vicario - is also seemingly edging closer to the exit door, having failed to regain his place in between the posts from Antonin Kinsky after his hernia operation.

Whether Tottenham go in for a new number one if Vicario departs is up for debate, though, as Kinsky miraculously recovered from his Atletico Madrid horror show to make a string of vital saves in the relegation run-in.

Further forward, the Lilywhites appear to be fighting a losing battle with Sporting Lisbon to sign Joao Palhinha on a permanent deal from Bayern Munich, while Yves Bissouma is on the verge of leaving as a free agent when his contract expires on June 30.

Dejan Kulusevski's long-term knee injury may also have to be factored in to any window planning, but Tottenham should have Mohammed Kudus fit and firing again for the start of the new campaign.

However, Richarlison is about to enter the last year of his contract, while Dominic Solanke is yet to truly find his feet in North London, so a striker upgrade could also be on De Zerbi's shopping list.

Tottenham Hotspur have failed with a second approach for Brighton & Hove Albion defender Jan Paul van Hecke, Seagulls CEO Paul Barber has revealed.

The Lilywhites are undertaking a major reshuffle of their defensive line during the summer transfer window and have already confirmed the signing of Andy Robertson on a free transfer from Liverpool.

Spurs are also understood to have completed a deal for Marcos Senesi, who has passed his medical and will join Roberto De Zerbi's side following his release from Bournemouth.

In addition to those two low-cost signings, Tottenham are supposedly pushing to prise Van Hecke away from Brighton, where the Dutchman made his Premier League breakthrough under De Zerbi.

However, Spurs reportedly had a first bid rejected last week, and speaking to talkSPORT, Barber has now revealed that Brighton have rebuffed their London counterparts for a second time.

Tottenham see second Jan Paul van Hecke bid rejected by Brighton

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"There's always going to be a lot of interest in our best players, and certainly in the case of Jan Paul," Barber said. "We've been very clear that that interest has been ongoing for a while, it's coming from multiple sources.

"Yes, we have rejected a bid from Tottenham over the last week or so, in fact, two bids. From that point of view, it has to be right for us as well as the player.

"We have to be in a position to make the best trades to suit our model and also to make sure that we're supporting Fabian [Hurzeler], because he's got another big season ahead of him."

Brighton paid just £1.7m to sign Van Hecke from NAC Breda in 2020, after which the Dutchman was loaned out to Heerenveen in 2020-21 and Blackburn Rovers in 2021-22 to gain senior experience.

Now 25, Van Hecke has established himself as a fundamental player for Brighton over the past two seasons, playing 70 Premier League matches and recording four goals and four assists in the process.

The 6ft 2in defender earned a call-up to the Netherlands' World Cup 2026 squad thanks to his exploits on the South Coast, including helping Brighton qualify for the upcoming Conference League.

Tottenham handed Jan Paul van Hecke boost despite Brighton rejection

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Previous reports claimed that Brighton were holding out for a £70m fee to sell Van Hecke, thus demanding Tottenham make the Netherlands international their most expensive signing of all time.

That honour is currently held by Dominic Solanke - a £65m arrival from Bournemouth in 2024 - but Brighton are not in a strong negotiating position with Van Hecke, whose deal expires in 2027.

The Seagulls are not believed to be close to agreeing a contract extension with the centre-back, though, and talkSPORT has placed their valuation of Van Hecke at £50m, so Tottenham would not have to break their all-time record to sign him.

Bayern Munich have made preliminary contact with Tottenham Hotspur for Luka Vuskovic, the latest report has claimed.

Spurs have already been busy this summer transfer window, bringing in Andrew Robertson for free, while centre-back Marcos Senesi is said to have also completed a move to the club.

Manager Roberto De Zerbi appears to be making a number of changes in his backline, and many supporters are keen for central defender Luka Vuskovic to be integrated into the squad next term.

The 19-year-old was on loan at Hamburger SV for the 2025-26 season following the confirmation of his arrival in July 2025 from Hajduk Split for a fee of £12m.

However, journalist Gianluigi Longari reports that the Croatian is open to leaving Tottenham this summer, with Bayern Munich a leading contender for his signature alongside Premier League clubs, and he also claims that initial contact has already been made.

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Luka Vuskovic future: Why Spurs should keep centre-back

Tottenham sunk as low as they possibly could without suffering Premier League relegation in 2025-26, and the team need a reset if they are to make progress next season.

Though Luka Vuskovic is only 19, trusting him as a member of the first-team squad in 2026-27 could help Spurs climb back up the table.

The centre-back played 28 times in the Bundesliga for Hamburger SV, and he ended the season having won 316 duels, the joint 11th most in the division.

Vuskovic has shown that he is already able to dominate attackers given he won 68% of his duels in the league last term, winning 55% of his ground duels and a remarkable 75% of his aerial duels.

The teenager is also capable of playing out from the back, and his ability with the ball would make him a strong fit for De Zerbi's style of play.

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Spurs transfer news: Why are Tottenham overhauling their defence?

Robertson and Senesi will add considerable Premier League experience to the squad, and their leadership will be needed given the futures of other defenders at the club are uncertain.

Captain Cristian Romero is an unpopular figure amongst fans, while Micky van de Ven has consistently been linked with moves away to the likes of Liverpool.

Tottenham may also be overhauling their defence as De Zerbi's style of play is notoriously demanding, with defenders asked to play through opposition lines.

Perhaps the head coach does not believe that his backline is currently capable of playing in his image, which would explain the club's focus on reinforcing their defence this summer.

Tottenham Hotspur have completed the signing of Marcos Senesi on a free transfer, the newest report has revealed.

Following a catastrophic Premier League season that saw the club cling onto their top-flight status by just two points, boss Roberto De Zerbi is set for hectic summer.

Spurs will need to strengthen in a number of areas, though given the club conceded 57 times in the league in 2025-26, the priority area to reinforce should almost certainly be defence.

The Londoners have already been busy this transfer window having brought Andrew Robertson to the club after his contract at Liverpool expired.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Tottenham have completed the signing of centre-back Senesi for free after he left Bournemouth, and he has signed a four-year deal.

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Marcos Senesi and Andy Robertson: The key to Spurs' revival?

The priority for De Zerbi must be to avoid a relegation battle next season, so bringing in two players with significant experience in the Premier League should be seen positively.

Robertson is a two-time winner of the league, and while he may have declined from his absolute best, the Spurs squad lacked leaders in the 2025-26 season.

Senesi helped guide Bournemouth to sixth place, their highest ever finish in the Premier League, and his ability on the ball makes him a strong fit for De Zerbi's style of play.

Though the two defenders may not be the headline signings by the end of the summer, the importance of their additions should not be understated.

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Marcos Senesi in, Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero out?

Senesi's arrival could be significant given both Micky van de Ven and Cristian Romero have been linked with exits this summer.

Van de Ven prefers playing on the left, and while he could still be the starter on that side next season, he does operate in the same areas as Senesi.

Romero has been criticised by Spurs fans for perceived unprofessionalism, and it is perhaps telling that Brighton & Hove Albion's Jan Paul van Hecke has been linked to the club.

It may be risky to lose both starting centre-backs in one window, but there will almost certainly be significant change in the backline over the next few transfer windows anyway.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly preparing a move for Manchester City winger Savinho after securing a deal to sign Andrew Robertson on a free transfer.

Spurs are expected to undergo a significant rebuild under Roberto De Zerbi after narrowly avoiding relegation last season, and strengthening the attacking department has emerged as one of the club's key priorities.

The North London outfit were keen on Savinho last summer, only for Pep Guardiola to convince the Brazilian that he remained an important part of Manchester City's long-term plans.

However, the landscape has changed considerably in the past 12 months, with the arrival of Antoine Semenyo pushing Savinho further down the pecking order at the Etihad Stadium.

Savinho fancies move to Tottenham?

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According to The Mirror, Savinho is open to a move to North London, leaving Tottenham with the task of reaching an agreement with Manchester City.

The Brazilian has reportedly grown frustrated by his lack of regular opportunities, although injuries and fierce competition for places have also contributed to his limited involvement.

Fabrizio Romano has suggested that Savinho was attracted by Tottenham's project last summer, and the 22-year-old is understood to have retained that enthusiasm despite the club's difficult campaign.

Personal terms are therefore unlikely to present a major obstacle should Spurs decide to accelerate their pursuit in the coming weeks.

Savinho remains contracted to Manchester City until 2030, but a fee in the region of £50m is thought to be enough to tempt the Premier League giants into negotiations.

Xavi Simons teased Tottenham fans with recent post

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Newcastle United are also credited with an interest in the winger, although Tottenham are currently viewed as the frontrunners in the race for his signature.

Speculation surrounding Savinho's future intensified recently when Xavi Simons shared an old photograph of the pair together on social media while continuing his recovery from the anterior cruciate ligament injury that ruled him out of the World Cup.

The two attackers enjoyed a close relationship during their time together at PSV Eindhoven, and Tottenham supporters were quick to interpret the post as a potential hint towards a future reunion.