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Spurs are expected to showcase a new-look starting line-up for the 2026/27 Premier League season

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Had things gone a little differently on 3rd May 2026, you might be reading a completely different article right now, focusing on the asset-stripped, paired down line-up that Tottenham would be fielding in the Championship this season. Manager Roberto De Zerbi would most likely not be at the club, and there would certainly have been no £230m influx of new talent.

Luckily for Spurs, fortune smiled on them back on that cool late spring evening, when an Aston Villa side who were in scintillating form trudged in to face Tottenham at Villa Park with an extraordinarily nonchalant attitude; their eyes firmly on the upcoming Europa League semi-final second leg against Nottingham Forest just four days later.

The Villa side was heavily rotated and appeared completely disjointed. Spurs smelled blood and used this firmly to their advantage, bagging three points that felt as valuable as nine. This gave them the leverage they needed over relegation battle rivals West Ham, providing the platform necessary to crawl their way to safety on the final day of the season.

Spurs will be determined not to be in such a perilous position any time soon, and have gone big in the transfer market this summer. They’ve arguably had a better window than any other Premier League side, bringing in free agent bargains in Andy Robertson, Martin Dubravka and Marcos Senesi, alongside the big-money signings of Jan Paul van Hecke, Manuel Fernandes and Sandro Tonali - the last of whom cost a whopping £100m.

De Zerbi will be delighted with the significantly strengthened squad at his disposal for the new campaign, and further signings are expected before the summer transfer window closes. This is how Spurs’ £566m new-look XI - with the figure based on how much they paid for existing players and the expected asking price of rumoured targets - could shape up for the 2026/27 season.

How Tottenham could line up this season - goalkeeper and defence

GK - Antonin Kinsky: With Guglielmo Vicario likely to leave this summer, either permanently or on loan, Kinsky is expected to become Spurs’ new number one, with a big-name goalkeeper signing looking unlikely at this stage. He bounced back superbly from being substituted off the field just 17 minutes into a Champions League clash against Atletico Madrid last season, going on to make some vital saves to help the side dodge relegation.

RB - Pedro Porro: Described by De Zerbi as one of the best right-backs in world football, the 2026 World Cup winner will be one of the first names on the team sheet for Spurs. Having signed a new long-term deal, there’s no question of the 26-year-old leaving in the near future, and he’ll be looking to bring the fine form he showed for Spain last month back to the Premier League.

CB - Jan Paul van Hecke: Spurs spent £52m to bring the towering centre-back to the club, and he’ll be aiming to tighten up a backline that shipped a concerning 57 goals in the league last season. Tottenham will be confident that their new transfer strategy of signing Premier League proven players will pay off, particularly with the signing of Van Hecke.

CB - Micky van de Ven: Paired with his international teammate, Van de Ven will also have his eyes on a more settled defensive structure heading into the new campaign. The Dutch ace didn’t mince his words when it came to being critical of the side’s failings last season, and he’ll ready to lead by example as the side prepare to head into a bright new era.

LB - Andy Robertson: The veteran left-back’s signing was quite the coup for Tottenham, bringing in some invaluable title-winning experience without spending a penny. It remains to be seen whether the ex-Liverpool star will be a season-long weekly starter, but he is expected to get the nod over Djed Spence while the England international continues to recover from the Three Lions going deep into the World Cup.

How Tottenham could line up this season - midfield and attack

CM - Sandro Tonali: The competition to sign Tonali was fierce, but Spurs blew the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea out of the water, slamming a cool £100m down on Newcastle United’s table. He’ll bring some much needed composure to the heart of Tottenham’s midfield, and will be fresh and raring to go, with Italy not featuring in the World Cup.

CM - Manuel Fernandes: Completing the central midfield revamp, £85m new boy Fernandes is expecting to partner Tonali, with his capture rubbing salt in the wounds of West Ham as they plunged into the Championship. He’ll bring high energy and quality to the side, after showing himself to be head and shoulders above his teammates’ level at the London Stadium last season.

AMR - Savinho: Spurs have revamped their defence and central midfield, but they still desperately need some reinforcements on the wings. £65m-rated Savinho has been heavily linked with Tottenham throughout the window, and could well be snapped up before the new season gets underway. He’s capable of playing on either wing, and could slot in nicely on the right.

AMC - James Maddison: Widely tipped to be named the new club captain, Maddison is ready to be a key cog for De Zerbi’s side. He missed most of last season with injury, but is expected to be a regular starter now he’s well on his way to full recovery. He’ll be a serious threat from set-pieces, and will have the hunger to succeed after spending so long on the sidelines.

AML - Cody Gakpo: Another name to be heavily linked with Spurs, Gakpo could become the latest Dutch gem to find himself heading to north London. Liverpool are said to be unwilling to sell, however, and could price Tottenham out of the deal. He’s rumoured to be valued at around £72m by the Reds. Spurs will try to haggle that figure down, you’d imagine.

ST - Victor Osimhen: A long shot, but the rumours are out there. Could this finally be the summer that Osimhen gets his big Premier League move? Tottenham badly need some quality competition for Dominic Solanke up top, and the Nigeria international has been linked with a blockbuster move. Meeting his wage demands could be a struggle, however.

Spurs have been linked with a transfer bid for one of the world’s most dangerous strikers - but is there any truth to the rumours?

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After a free-spending start to the summer transfer window, everything has gone a little bit quiet at Tottenham Hotspur – but that’s not going to be the case for much longer. A new centre-forward is high on Roberto De Zerbi’s shopping list, and a new report suggests that they’ve got a particularly exciting target in mind.

Several media outlets have reported that Spurs are preparing a bid for Galatasaray’s Victor Osimhen, one of the most reliable goalscorers in the game – but is it a deal that’s likely to take place, or is the rumour mill getting ahead of itself?

Spurs interested in signing Victor Osimhen – reports

While the story has done the rounds over the past 24 hours, the original source for reports that Spurs are interested in Osimhen is transfer journalist Efrem Konur, who alleged that the North London club had made an “initial approach” for the Nigerian forward to Galatasaray.

His story further states that Spurs value the 27-year-old striker at £50-55m, while his current employers are expected to demand £65m. Given the extent to which Tottenham’s approach to transfer spending has changed since the departure of Daniel Levy, it’s not hard to believe that they would be prepared to spend that kind of money.

That’s especially true for a striker of Osimhen’s proven quality. Having first risen to prominence with an extraordinary 31-goal season which propelled Napoli to the 2022/23 Scudetto, he has consistently been among the continent’s most lethal forwards, with 76 goals in 104 games over the past three years.

Spurs have had a first-hand taste of how dangerous Osimhen can be. He scored twice and took the Tottenham defence to pieces during a 3-2 defeat in Istanbul in the Europa League back in 2024, a match in which he was quite evidently the best player on the pitch. Now they might want some of that firepower for themselves.

Assuming they do make a move, they could face some competition. Konur reports that some of the usual suspects – Manchester United, Chelsea and Atlético Madrid – are monitoring Osimhen as well, but it wouldn’t be out of character for Spurs to blow potential rivals for a deal away with a higher bid and a more generous salary offer. That, after all, is precisely how they landed Mateus Fernandes.

Will Spurs sign Osimhen – or is it all wishful thinking?

The big question is whether Spurs actually are preparing an offer, or whether this is simply another contrived rumour among many others. Konur, currently the only source independently reporting the story, has a patchy track record behind him.

Certainly it would be helpful to have the story corroborated by some more reliable media outlets, but that hasn’t yet happened, which may be noteworthy – as might the fact that the price suggested seems somewhat optimistic.

Osimhen still has three years remaining on a contract he signed at the start of last season, with a salary of €15m (£12.9m) and extensive bonuses. It seems likely that Galatasaray would demand more then £65m, especially given that they spent that much to sign him from Napoli in the first place.

Given that his current employers have a very strong negotiating position and no urgent financial reasons to seek a sale, it’s hard to imagine that they would be prepared to sell him without making a very substantial profit. If Spurs are interested, they will likely have to exceed their alleged £50-55m valuation by much more than Konur is suggesting.

Osimhen’s future is a source of constant speculation, based largely on the assumption that he would eventually want to move to an elite club and a bigger league, but he has never come close to leaving despite a steady stream of rumours.

As it stands, the link with Spurs seems no more likely than so many other stories about the Nigerian in recent years – but it wouldn’t be a surprise if they were at least keeping half an eye on his situation, or had sounded Galatasaray out as they search for a striker. Just don’t expect Osimhen to be playing in a white shirt by the start of September. This looks a lot like a rumour which will cause a few Spurs fans to get their feelings hurt.

Premier League transfer latest including updates on Chelsea, Everton, Spurs, Coventry City and more

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The 2026 summer transfer window has been a lively one thus far, with a current total of well over a billion pounds shelled out in fees by Premier League clubs. More high profile deals are expected in the coming weeks, as sides in England’s top tier look to tweak and strengthen their playing personnel options before the window closes on September 1st.

Aside from the wheeling and dealing, Premier League clubs are busy on pre-season tours, with a number of sides jetting across the globe to play warm-up friendlies ahead of the new season. Most have got through largely unscathed on the injury front thus far, despite concerns over the substandard playing surfaces in a number of grounds not used to hosting football matches.

Today’s round-up starts at Coventry City, where the Premier League new boys are rumoured to be lining up a stunning move for Chelsea’s Mykhailo Mudryk. The Daily Mail claim that Frank Lampard’s side are among three Premier League sides looking to sign the £89m winger on loan, after he was cleared to playing following a doping suspension.

The other two clubs aren’t named in the report. It’s also suggested that he could opt for a temporary spell with Strasbourg - the Blues’ affiliate club in Ligue 1. The Ukraine international will join Chelsea’s pre-season training camp in Hong Kong, before new manager Xabi Alonso makes a decision on whether to keep him in his squad for the upcoming campaign.

The 3AM Verdict: Having not played a professional match since November 2024, Mudryk is likely to be seriously rusty. The Blues already have Morgan Rogers and Jamie Gittens as options on the left, and with no European football this season, Mudryk’s minutes will be even more limited if he stays. A loan spell to a Premier League club, perhaps with an option to recall if he really hits the ground running, could be the smartest move for Chelsea.

Everton make move for Turkish gem

Over at the Hill Dickinson Stadium, Everton are looking to push on this season under David Moyes, and are said to be targeting Galatasaray winger Baris Alper Yilmaz to sharpen their attacking threat. Reports from Turkey, via Sport Witness, claim that the Toffees have already seen a “verbal offer” in the region of £30m for the 26-year-old turned down.

The story goes on to say that Galatasaray are looking for a bid closer to £43m to agree a sale, and that Everton are expected to return with a follow-up offer this week. Arsenal were previously linked with Yilmaz, who scored eight goals and provided eleven assists in the league last season, but they’re now unlikely to make a move after signing Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge.

The 3AM Verdict: The Toffees’ interest in Yilmaz is intriguing, given that they already have Dwight McNeil and new signing Tyrique George as options on the left. However, he’s more than capable of playing on the right wing, and Everton’s interest could suggest the potential outgoing of star man Iliman Ndiaye, with Yilmaz coming in as a top quality replacement.

Tottenham make ‘fresh contact’ to sign ex-Man City gem

Finishing things up in north London, Tottenham are on the hunt for new options on the forwards, and are said to be continuing to chase Barcelona star Ferran Torres. Team Talk claim that Spurs have made “fresh contact” over a potential move, amid rival interest from Arsenal. PSG are also now said to be firmly in the picture, with the player said to be eager to join them.

PSG boss Luis Enrique is said to be personally leading the drive to sign Torres, while Spurs have continued to keep contact with the World Cup winner’s entourage and sound them out over a return to the Premier League. Arsenal are said to consider Torres a backup option, with Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior and Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez their priority attacking target.

The 3AM Verdict: Spurs have had arguably the best transfer window in the Premier League this summer, bringing in a host of players who are tried and tested at the highest level. Torres would be another excellent acquisition, but with PSG making a serious push to sign him, we can’t see a way Tottenham will make a more compelling case to win this transfer battle.

The latest Premier League transfer news as Spurs, Aston Villa, Everton and Chelsea chase down summer signings

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We’re just 18 days away from the 2026/27 Premier League season getting underway, and excitement is continuing to build ahead of the opening fixture between Arsenal and Coventry City on 21st August. It’s set to be another enthralling campaign in England’s top tier, with the title race expected to be wide open as the Gunners look to defend their crown.

It’s all change on the managerial front too, with a staggering eight Premier League clubs heading into the season with a new head coach. Liverpool have appointed Andoni Iraola, Man City have brought in Enzo Maresca, while Chelsea have opted for Xabi Alonso, as the Blues look to finally find some stability after several turbulent years of change.

Today’s rumours round-up begins at Stamford Bridge, where Chelsea are on the hunt for a new left-back, following Marc Cucurella’s exit to Real Madrid. The club have been heavily linked with Rayo Vallecano’s Pep Chavarria for weeks now, and Team Talk claim the Blues have moved closer to signing him, upping their initial offer from around £13m to about £17m.

It’s said that the Europa Conference League finalists are holding out for a fee in the region of £21m, while the player is believed to have already agreed personal terms with the west London side. The report claims that the 28-year-old is viewed as an immediate starter by Alonso, and would put pressure on Jorrel Hato, who isn’t a natural left-back, for his starting spot.

The 3AM Verdict: Hato is a top prospect, but he isn’t ready to be a starting left-back in the Premier League. Chelsea can’t sign a big-money player in every position this summer, so the £60m-rated Lewis Hall, for example, probably isn’t a viable option right now. Chavarria would be a solid, experienced solution to fill the Cucurella void in the short-term, before a more high-profile successor can be recruited next summer.

Aston Villa ponder Grealish return

Next, it’s over to the Etihad Stadium, where Man City kicked their pre-season campaign off with a defeat to Inter on penalties last weekend. According to The Sun, the future of their £100m winger Jack Grealish remains uncertain, following his injury-plagued loan spell with Everton last season. Now back to fitness, it’s said he could secure a permanent exit this summer.

In the report, it’s claimed that Aston Villa could sensationally bring the England international back to his boyhood club, with the Villans having “discussed” bringing home the 30-year-old to replace the Hull City bound Leon Bailey. Meanwhile, Everton are said to be up for having Grealish back for another season on loan, while there’s also said to be interest from a host of Saudi Pro League and MLS sides.

The 3AM Verdict: Grealish got last season off to a flyer before his campaign was cruelly derailed by a serious injury. It would be great to see him let off the leash at Villa again, or indeed at Everton. He’s still far too good a player to downgrade to the Saudi Pro League or the MLS, and it would be great to see him back at his electric best again in the Premier League.

Spurs linked with bold striker swoop

Finishing things off, it’s over to Tottenham, where Spurs have completely rebuilt their defence and midfield this summer with a bullish spending spree. They still need to figure out their goalkeeping situation, and they also need another striker. Caught Offside claim they’re ready to go all-out to sign Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen, whose club are said to value him at around £65m.

It’s said that Spurs have gone so far as to have made two “approaches” valued between £50m and £55m, but it’s not said whether these are verbal proposals or official offers. Chelsea and Manchester United are also named as potential destinations, along with La Liga side Atletico Madrid.

The 3AM Verdict: Will there ever be a transfer window where we don’t hear about the Nigeria international angling for a move? On his day, he’s one of the most lethal strikers in Europe, and he’d certainly be a welcome addition to the Premier League. That said, Osimhen won’t be on a pittance of a wage, and it’s unclear whether Spurs could afford to meet his terms.

The latest Premier League transfer news as Aston Villa, Spurs, Fulham and Newcastle chase new signings

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The 2026 summer transfer window is rattling along at a ferocious pace, with a number of big-money deals going through ahead of the new Premier League season starting next month. Chelsea and Tottenham have been the big spenders so far, with both investing significantly in new signings, while the likes of Manchester City and Brighton have also been busy.

There’s just over a month to go until the summer transfer window closes, and most of the English top tier’s twenty clubs still have plenty of business to do. Liverpool and Arsenal are both on the hunt for a new left winger, while Manchester United are pushing on to sign a new left-back, as they attempt to find cover for Luke Shaw.

Today’s rumours round-up begins at Craven Cottage, where Fulham are said to be eyeing up a bold double raid on their new manager Alvaro Arbeloa’s former club, Real Madrid. The Standard report that the Cottagers are moving for both Gonzalo Garcia and Cesar Palacios, who Arbeloa knows extensively from his time spent as interim manager at the Bernabeu.

It’s said that the Cottagers are already “in negotiations” for midfielder Palacios, while they hope to make progress in their attempts to sign forward Garcia with a £34m offer. The latter was initially thought to be not for sale, but Real’s stance is said to have softened in recent days as their summer plans continue to evolve.

The 3AM Verdict: Real Madrid need to sell, as they look to fund both the signing of RB Leipzig wonderkid Yan Diomande and Manchester City superstar Rodri. Fulham could do with an exciting new striker to lead the line, and 22-year-old Garcia looks like he’ll fit the bill. It’s a gamble at that price, mind, but one that could pay off handsomely.

Aston Villa and Spurs could get goalkeeper boost

Next up, it’s over to Portugal, where Benfica goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin is getting plenty of interest this summer. Reports in the Portuguese printed press - via Sport Witness - claim that Benfica’s £34m asking price is too lofty for Juventus, who may well now pull out of the race to sign him. It’s claimed that the door could now open to Spurs and Aston Villa, both of whom were linked with the shot-stopper earlier this month.

It’s noted that the 24-year-old has already publicly admitted that he’s eager to play in the Premier League, and that clubs from England are likely to make their moves “in the coming days”. Trubin is a 29-cap Ukraine international, who stands at a towering 6ft 6”. His only previous club was Shakhtar Donetsk, where he won three league titles.

The 3AM Verdict: Tottenham look highly likely to part ways with number one Guiglielmo Vicario this summer, while questions still remain over the future of Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez. Trubin previously played under De Zerbi at Shakhtar, which may give Spurs a significant advantage when it comes to winning the race for his signature.

Newcastle poised to sign new goalkeeper

Last up, it’s over to St. James’ Park, where Newcastle United fans are still reeling from the news of manager Eddie Howe’s departure. There’s not set to be a ‘next manager saga’, with Al-Ahli boss Matthias Jaissle poised to replace him, but there’s still plenty of uncertainty on the transfer front, amid Arsenal’s keen interest in club captain Bruno Guimaraes.

According to Team Talk, the Magpies are ready to do some business of their own, with a new number one on their wish list. The report says that the club have already triggered the £25m release clause of Braga goalkeeper Lukas Hornicek, with a move now “advancing towards completion”. He’s said to have greatly impressed the Newcastle recruitment team, offering all the attributes they desire for their new first-choice goalkeeper.

The 3AM Verdict: We’ve already had our say on the Czechia international - we reckon he’d be a real upgrade on the options the Magpies currently have at their disposal. £25m is a real bargain fee given the 24-year-old’s quality, at a time when the club need a real morale boost in what has been a gruelling summer all round so far.

Our FPL expert ranks the five best budget forwards this season among the strikers at the £5.5m and £6.0m price points.

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It’s been a few days since the 2026/27 Fantasy Premier League launched, and our resident expert has been pouring over the price list to figure out which players you should sign and swerve for the new season.

He’s already looked at some must buys, wait-and-see signings and a few players he’s avoiding ahead of Gameweek 1, but having had a little more time to go over the stats and figure things out he’s now going to go through some specific positions and price points to provide his top five players for certain slots in your side – starting with budget-friendly strikers.

There are plenty of forwards priced at £5.5m and £6.0m who could well be strong signings and most teams will head into the new campaign with at least one cheap striker in the squad. But which one should you pick for your starting side? Here’s our expert’s countdown of the best options…

Brobbey’s seven goals in 31 appearances last season earned him just 92 points, but there’s likely to be a much higher ceiling here – this is, after all, a player who scored three goals in three starts for the Netherlands at the World Cup. He has the quality. The problem wasn’t Brobbey as a striker, but the service provided to him by his team-mates.

Signing new wingers is a priority for Sunderland this off season, and if they can find players who can provide the 24-year-old with more clear-cut chances (he totalled a miserable 5.94xG last year) then he should score quite a few more – and he’s firmly established as the starting striker now, which wasn’t the case when he first signed from Ajax.

Brobbey will get plenty of minutes and if the service is there, he should improve his output considerably. Given that we’ll have to wait and see if that service really is there, I’m holding fire for Gameweek 1 – but he’s a player worth bearing in mind as the season unfolds.

The 23-year-old had a rather up-and-down first season in the Premier League. An inconsistent finisher, as he was with Villarreal before moving to Merseyside, he ultimately managed a relatively modest eight goals from 8.15xG and played just 51 minutes per match, good for a meagre 95 points in the FPL – but he could well improve on that this time around.

Mostly that’s because Beto looks increasingly likely to leave Everton, which should clear a path to more regular minutes. If Barry started averaging 70 minutes per match, for instance, his points total would creep up to around 135 points based on last season’s form, which is getting towards a very respectable place for a budget striker who will likely rotate in and out of your team – it’s more than any other player in this list managed last season bar one. And that’s if his form remains the same rather than improving.

If Beto stays put or if Everton sign another forward, Barry may well become less appealing, but for now I’ve got him ahead of players like Chris Wood, Igor Jesus or all three Newcastle strikers simply because he looks likely to have the clearest path to regular minutes. Barry’s inconsistency means that there’s a high risk factor, but he also has a pretty strong ceiling and is £0.5m cheaper than most of the obvious alternatives. I won’t say I’m completely sold, but I can make the case for him.

Welbeck will turn 36 in November, and at some point age surely has to catch up with him – but it didn’t happen in the 2025/26 season, during which he scored 13 goals from 12.44xG, played just over an hour per match, and managed a thoroughly respectable 126 points in the FPL. He was unlucky to miss out on a spot in England’s controversial World Cup squad.

Can he keep it up? That’s the million dollar question, but he still looks set for a prominent role, is still a fine finisher, and Brighton are a side who create enough chances to keep him scoring and ticking over when he’s on the field. There’s a reason he had double the quality of scoring opportunities as Brobbey, and the strength of the team around him is the reason he remains a strong consideration.

The reason I don’t have him higher in this list (or in any of my drafts thus far) is that there’s a very real chance he sees a gradual reduction in playing time. Quantifying that risk is impossible, but it doesn’t need to slide much from 61 minutes per game before he goes from 126 points to 90-100, and that’s too few to be worth the slot. Brighton also have a relatively high early fixture difficulty.

Editor’s Note: This article was published shortly before news broke that Chelsea were considering a bid to sign Welbeck. Our FPL expert notes that if he were to move to Stamford Bridge, he would drop out of this top five ranking as he would very likely become a back-up player.

Calvert-Lewin’s 142 points in 2025/26 was the most of any of the strikers who ended up at a budget-friendly price point this season, and by a fairly healthy distance – another 14-goal season, and he’ll be a great pick-up at this price.

He may not be the most reliable finisher – he undershot his xG somewhat – but he’s a regular starter, still has the physicality and movement to carve out chances for himself, and there’s no immediately obvious reason why either he or Leeds should regress heading into the new campaign. I feel confident that he remains a strong option.

He blows hot and cold, granted, but the result was still a high points tally for the position and price. The downside, of course, is his fitness, but as it stands he looks set to head into the new season in good shape. I doubt that he’s likely to score many more points than last season and struggle to envisage a ceiling higher than 140-150 points, but Calvert-Lewin looks like the safest bet of all the budget strikers right now, and he’s a very real consideration for my final team.

Where Calvert-Lewin gets high marks for having a high floor, Solanke takes number one for due to what I see as his higher ceiling, and I’d generally prefer to aim high rather than take the steady, safe option where I can – but a fit Solanke should have a fairly high floor, as well.

This is a striker with 19-goal, 175-point season in the not-too-distant past, one of three 100+ point years out of the last four. Injuries wrecked 2025/26 for him, but we have extensive proof of concept for the idea of Solanke scoring regular goals and being at least solid in FPL. What he needs is his health, and for Spurs to be a lot better than they were last year so that he actually gets some service. Even Brobbey had it better in terms of chance creation.

Will Spurs be better? I strongly suspect so, although I imagine that Roberto De Zerbi’s gung-ho style of play will suit their attacking players better than their defenders. If Spurs are decent again and Solanke continues to play, he’s a minimum 100-point striker who could easily score 150 or more with luck and a fair wind behind him. That slightly higher ceiling means he edges out Calvert-Lewin in my early rankings, although he’s certainly slightly more of a gambler’s option. I will note that if Spurs end up signing another centre-forward with starting potential, their rankings will reverse immediately.

Premier League transfer news latest as Liverpool, Spurs, Man City and more embark on summer recruitment drives

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The 2026 summer transfer window has burst into life following the conclusion of the FIFA World Cup, with Premier League clubs racing to get their business done before the new season starts next month. Some blockbuster deals have gone through already, with the likes of Spurs, Chelsea and Manchester City laying down some huge fees.

Tottenham have brought in the likes of Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke with a total spend of well over £200m, while City and Chelsea have gone all-on England internationals, swooping for Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers respectively for fees in excess of £100m.

Today’s rumours round-up begins in Spain, where Real Madrid look set to put an end to one of the summer’s biggest transfer sagas: the future of RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande. BBC Sport, among others, report that Real Madrid have won the race to sign the Ivory Coast winger, striking a blow to Liverpool, Man City and Arsenal, who were all believed to be keen.

He’s expected to become a Galactico this week, with a fee of more than £100m set to be paid for the teenage talent. The news come amid Arsenal’s links with Real star Vinicius Junior, who has just one year left on his current deal, and Liverpool’s apparent attempts to sign Bradley Barcola from PSG, who’s thought to have a whopping £125m price tag.

The 3AM Verdict: This could well be the deal that sparks some transfer window mayhem. Liverpool will now likely go all-out to sign Barcola, but you wouldn’t bet against both Arsenal and Man City joining the race. It’s a shame not to see Diomande move to the Premier League, but over £100m for a largely unproven teenager would have been a massive gamble.

Liverpool could switch target to Neto

This leads us neatly on to another story concerning Liverpool, with Caught Offside claiming they could make a move for Chelsea winger Pedro Neto. They say that both the Reds and Manchester City have been alerted to the ex-Wolves star’s availability, with the winger said to be up for grabs if a bid in the region of £68m is made.

The story asserts that while interest is at an early stage with the Reds, Man City’s desire to sign the Portugal international is “concrete”, as new manager Enzo Maresca looks to seal a reunion with one of his preferred players during his time at Chelsea. Blues duo Enzo Fernandez and Malo Gusto are also thought to be of great interest to City.

The 3AM Verdict: Neto’s speed and dribbling skills are exceptional, but his end-product really isn’t up to scratch. He still managed to score five goals and provide six assists in 34 Premier League outings for Chelsea last season, but Liverpool and Man City should really be looking for a higher quality option if they’re to be strong title challengers this season.

Tottenham lock in on priority target

We’ll round things off with talk of another winger, as Spurs look to continue their mega summer spending spree by signing Savinho from Man City. That’s according The Sun, who claim he’s Spurs’ “top target” as they look to freshen up their attacking options. AC Milan are said to be in the mix too, however, and could make a loan-to-buy offer worth up to £47m.

City are expected to let Savinho go this summer, with the likes of Jeremy Doku, Jack Grealish, and Jeremy Monga among the other options who can play on the left flank. Spurs are now believed to be at the “front of the queue” to sign Savinho, as they look to transform a squad that almost saw the club relegated last season in a harrowing campaign for the north London side.

The 3AM Verdict: Spurs really aren’t messing around this summer, and have already completely transformed their defence and central midfield with a combination of big money signings and smart free agent deals. Savinho wouldn’t quite be the icing on the cake, but he’d be another fine bit of business and certainly improve their attacking threat.

The latest updates on Newcastle’s transfer business - including news on several potential signings and sales.

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The first month or so of the summer transfer window definitely hasn’t gone according to plan for Newcastle. Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali are gone, they missed out on key target Johan Manzambi, and there is an awful lot of work left to do in order to get Eddie Howe’s squad into shape ahead of the new season.

So far, Newcastle have decided to sign young players in the hopes of building a team which can play together for years to come. New signings Bazoumana Touré, Sean Steur and Ewen Jaouen are all under the age of 21, as is midfielder Aladji Bamba, who is expected to sign from Monaco in the very near future.

There is still a lot of work to do, however, and there is still a risk that more key players could leave – not least Bruno Guimarães, who is a target for Arsenal. With so much uncertainty and several players likely to join or leave in the coming weeks, we’ve explained the current state of play at the club below.

Bamba on the way – but another midfielder is required

The signing of 20-year-old French midfielder Aladji Bamba should be confirmed imminently, with a transfer fee of £34m expected – but Howe also wants a more experienced midfielder to bolster his squad.

Newcastle have made enquiries about Botafogo midfielder Danilo - a 25-year-old who was a member of Carlo Ancelotti’s World Cup squad - but they face competition from Nottingham Forest for his signature. They have also been offered Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Lucas Bergvall, another player that Forest are keen on.

Forest had a bid of just under £40m rejected for the Swede, while Newcastle are still considering whether to make a move. The asking price has been set at £50m, but the player is keen to leave Spurs and could force the issue later in the window.

Should neither Danilo nor Bergvall prove to be obtainable, then Eintracht Frankfurt’s Hugo Larsson is another player who has been discussed internally. No bids have made for any of trio as yet, but it’s likely that Newcastle enter into discussions for at least one of them before the window closes.

Trafford & Seys on Newcastle’s summer shortlist

Outside of signing a new midfielder – which is something Newcastle are keen to do regardless of whether Bruno stays or leaves – the two main priorities are a goalkeeper and a new full-back, ideally one who can play on either side of the defence.

Belgian international Joaquin Seys is much admired at St. James’ Park and is a likely target, but the club are still considering their options at the position and appear keen not to be rushed into any deals.

Newcastle remain interested in Manchester City’s James Trafford but have allowed Leeds United to open talks without making a move of their own as yet – but they may well muscle in should Leeds make progress with their offer. Alternative options include Brighton’s Carl Rushworth and Parma’s Zion Suzuki, who is being monitored by both Leeds and Aston Villa.

Elsewhere, there is a possibility that Newcastle sign another winger to go along with Touré should they still have enough money left over at the end of the transfer window. That’s a much lower priority, however. 3 Added Minutes understands that recent stories linking them with a bid for Fikayo Tomori are unlikely to prove true – the club have scouted Tomori but don’t view a centre-back as a key investment this summer. They will only make a move if the price is too good to pass up.

Will Bruno Guimarães leave – and who might follow him?

Newcastle are determined not to bow to pressure from Arsenal and the player himself to sell Bruno Guimarães but will cave if the offer is sufficiently impressive. Right now, Newcastle are demanding £80m for the 28-year-old, with the Gunners hoping to avoid spending more than £70m.

The outcome of what could be protracted negotiations could be hard to predict, with Bruno himself pressuring his current employers to let him leave after four years on Tyneside.

Another key player who Newcastle could have trouble keeping is full-back Lewis Hall. Manchester United are very interested in the defender and may launch a bid later in the window once they have found another midfielder – but Newcastle are insistent that he is not for sale and are confident that they can cling on. Manchester City still hold some interest in right-back Tino Livramento, but his recent injury issues means that they are maintaining a watching brief for now.

Players that Newcastle are happy to let leave the club include Nick Pope (once a new goalkeeper has been signed), Jacob Murphy and Joe Willock, with all three players entering the final year of their contracts.

At present, Newcastle are not fielding offers for Yoane Wissa despite speculation that he could be sold following a desperately disappointing debut season at Newcastle. Howe still wants to give him a second chance to prove himself, and there has not yet been any strong interest from other clubs. It’s a situation which could easily change towards the end of the transfer window, but there is no movement as yet.

Our resident Fantasy Premier League expert picks out five players he’s got at the top of his shortlist to sign for the 2026/27 season.

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The Fantasy Premier League has launched after only the briefest of build-ups, and players can finally start putting their teams together ahead of the new season – and our resident expert has already been building his first drafts.

As part of his process, he’s been analysing dozens of players based on form, value and fixtures, and today he’s picked out five players who he believes should be serious considerations for almost every team at the start of the season.

Two players he won’t mention are Erling Haaland and Bruno Fernandes, the two most expensive players at the start of the 2026/27 season, mostly because he’s already explained why he wants both of them in his team regardless of how the rest of the squad shapes up. They’ll almost certainly be in his final squad for Gameweek 1 – so let’s see who else will probably be joining them…

Antoine Semenyo – Manchester City (£8.5m)

Fresh off the back of a massive 202 point season, I expected Semenyo to be priced alongside Cole Palmer and Bukayo Saka at closer to £10m – instead, he maintains a semi-premium price, and that’s enough for me to be all in on him once again.

Perhaps his surprisingly reasonable price is meant to reflect the worry that he might lose minutes to Rayan Cherki (£7.5m) and Phil Foden (£7.0m), but the age of Pep Roulette is over, and even with Guardiola at the helm Semenyo was a nailed-on starter. A new manager brings some uncertainty with it, but it’s hard to imagine the system or line-up will change dramatically under Enzo Maresca.

Simply put, Semenyo is a known quantity with a very high ceiling. He may not score as many in 2026/27 – he overshot his xG by a long way last season and that’s likely unsustainable to some extent – but Manchester City have relatively good fixtures for the first few gameweeks, and he could easily get off to a flier.

He’s hit double figures for two seasons on the bounce, and it’s hard to imagine his floor being any lower than the 165 points he racked up in 2024/25, injuries notwithstanding. Semenyo is likely to be a high scorer once again, and the price is just too generous to pass up. I can’t imagine he won’t be in my starting line-up for the first gameweek.

Rayan – Bournemouth (£6.5m)

Speaking of midfielders who scored quite a few goals for Bournemouth last season, I’m also very interested in Rayan at his relatively affordable price point – because although he’s young and arguably unproven, his ceiling is colossal.

After he was signed in January, Rayan made 15 appearances for Bournemouth and played in every game for which he was available, scoring five goals and racking up 67 FPL points. That’s not many, but let’s do some maths and extrapolate that across an entire 38-match season: 4.47 points per match, which adds up to about 170 points across a full campaign.

That’s the kind of score you’d happily pay £8.0m or more for. At £6.5m, the potential value is just too good to ignore. And remember that he’s still a teenager, and there’s a very good chance that he only gets better across his first full season in the Premier League.

He looks likely to stay at Bournemouth, who have firmly rebuffed transfer interest from a number of elite clubs, and should be an absolute mainstay of Marco Rose’s side. There’s some new manager doubt in there, of course, and it’s possible that Bournemouth play far worse as a team in the post-Iraola era, but this is a gamble with such a low entry fee that I want to take a chance.

Another player worth noting at a similar price point with a similar equation behind him is Crystal Palace’s Ismaïla Sarr, who would have gone for around 160 points if AFCON hadn’t robbed him of several gameweeks.

João Pedro – Chelsea (£7.5m)

Another player I expected to be priced more aggressively, and who figures to be Chelsea’s clear-cut first-choice up front as it stands – although with the Blues, there’s always the chance that a surprise transfer comes in and changes the equation of course.

I’ll admit that last year I described João Pedro as a trap, largely because he looked set for an ill-defined rotational role and was a player who had consistently undershot his xG while leaning on penalties he was no longer going to take – in 2025/26, however, he scored 15 goals at almost exactly the average pace for his xG and provided nine assists, at least by FPL standards. He levelled up after moving to Stamford Bridge, and proved me wrong.

Unless Chelsea do bring in another forward, I don’t see any particular reason that should change. Strikers who both score and create goals reliably are gold dust, and at £7.5m the value is excellent – he scored 177 points last season – and that’s with a Chelsea side who collapsed down the home straight.

If Chelsea improve at all, and I suspect they will under Xabi Alonso, the 170 point mark could be his floor. As it stands, I’m leaning towards taking João Pedro over his compatriot Igor Thiago (£8.0m), although I wouldn’t blame anyone for going in the Brentford striker’s direction instead. They’re the two best options for the number two striker role behind Haaland as far as I’m concerned.

Pedro Porro – Tottenham Hotspur (£5.5m)

I was determined to pick at least one defender for this five-man list but I’ll be perfectly honest – it’s by far the hardest position to work out at first glance. There’s a mass of players in the £4.5-5.0m range who you may as well toss a coin to choose between, for starters, and I dislike how expensive some of the more obviously reliable options are, such as Gabriel Magalhães at a massive £8.0m.

But £5.5m seems like a very respectable price point for a defender with Porro’s ceiling. He had a bad season in terms of attacking returns, but then Spurs had a bad season full stop – and we’re talking about a player with five goals and 14 FPL assists in the preceding two campaigns. He hit 117 points even in a down year, and his ceiling is probably in the 130-140 point range.

High floor, relatively high ceiling, reasonable price point, and no particularly scary fixtures early doors? I can buy into that – and it’s worth noting that Roberto De Zerbi was using Porro very aggressively after he took charge at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, suggesting that the Spaniard could spend a lot of time in the final third.

Of course, there’s always a chance that Spurs could be terrible again. It’s not like there isn’t precedent. But while I piece together the cheaper defenders I want, I like having Porro over other premium or semi-premium defensive options. There’s just a very good chance he’ll notch up some points over the first few weeks, and I like having someone I feel comfortable leaning on while I piece together what the rest of the defence should really look like.

Enzo Le Fée – Sunderland (£6.0m)

As with defenders, there’s a lot of options for budget midfielders that are pretty close together in terms of potential and value – but Le Fée is the player at £6.0m or less that’s caught my eye the most in the early stages of this process.

He was overshadowed by the popular Granit Xhaka last season but put up 147 points with five goals and six assists while going averaging only a shade less than 10 defensive contributions per game. That’s a promising start point and suggests a player who will contribute something most weeks, which is what I want from my lower-cost midfielders.

Liverpool’s Ryan Gravenberch did almost identical numbers at the same price point but massively overshot his expected goals and assists, while Le Fée was on par for the chances he both received and created, which suggests that his returns should be sustainable while Gravenberch’s probably aren’t.

I’m not sure where I stand on Sunderland as a whole, and it’s all too easy to imagine a degree of regression after a hugely impressive first season back in the Premier League, but Le Fée will be a core piece of Régis Le Bris and aside from a pair of tough fixtures in Gameweeks 4 and 5, their start is relatively kind. My only worry is that my final draft will require me to find a midfielder at £5.0m or £5.5m, and that Le Fée might end up being that shade too expensive – but if there’s room for him, he looks like a very strong pick-up. Kaoru Mitoma and Yankuba Minteh are both tempting at the same price point, but could be potential rotation risks.

The latest updates on Spurs in the summer transfer window - including news on the striker search and Lucas Bergvall’s future.

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Tottenham Hotspur have pulled no punches in their attempts to rebuild a squad which spent last season embroiled in a relegation battle – Spurs have already made six new signings and spent a massive £230m, the most of any Premier League team in the transfer window so far.

The money spent to sign Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke won’t be the last outlays made, either. The club are starting the post-Daniel Levy era by ripping apart the budget-conscious rulebook he spent decades writing, and are determined to buy their way back into contention for the European places as quickly as humanly possible.

With so many holes still visible in the squad, especially due to long-term injury problems, several further signing can be expected, while a few first-team players look likely to leave. In today’s States of Play, we’ve looked at the probable incomings and outgoings as the transfer window unfolds.

Spurs looking for alternatives as Kroupi hopes fade

With the midfield largely sorted, a new striker is now at the very top of Tottenham’s transfer wishlist – but their primary target looks to be out of reach, at least for now.

Spurs were one of the sides considering a move for Bournemouth starlet Eli Junior Kroupi but the Cherries have made it clear in no uncertain terms that the Frenchman, who scored 13 Premier League goals in his debut season down in Dorset, won’t be leaving Dean Court - even if they receive bids north of £100m, according to The i Paper.

While Spurs have been happy to blow bidding wars apart by paying over the odds for the likes of Tonali and Fernandes, that looks like won’t work this time. All indications are that Kroupi is off limits, at least for another year, and that they’ll have to figure out a Plan B.

Two players who are under consideration are Club Brugge’s Nicolò Tresoldi, a German forward who scored 22 goals last season, and Hoffenheim’s Fisnik Asllani, who scored 10 times in the Bundesliga. At the ages of 21 and 23 respectively, both are young, up-and-coming players who could provide immediate competition for Dominic Solanke. No formal offers appear to have been made as yet, however, and they are just two names on a longer shortlist.

Right now, it’s not clear who Spurs will target first once they give up on Kroupi – the odds that they land their primary target appear to be vanishingly thin as it stands, so this is a position in which another surprise bid could be sprung at any time.

Who else are Spurs trying to sign this summer?

The other key priority as it stands is the signing of at least one winger – and it’s possible that Spurs sign two, including one young developmental player, depending on how concerned the club are about the long-term fitness of injury-stricken players such as Xavi Simons and Dejan Kulusevski.

Manchester City winger Savinho remains a potential target, although the club have maintained a watching brief on the Brazilian despite being made aware that he would be available at the beginning of the window. Spurs failed with a bid of £65m last summer, but the 22-year-old endured a difficult year at the Etihad and is now up for sale.

Savinho remains the single most likely transfer target out wide, but there are other names in the frame, including Benfica’s Andreas Schjelderup – scorer of Norway’s goal against England in the World Cup quarter-finals – and PSG wonderkid Ibrahim Mbaye, who is likely to leave Paris after the anticipated arrival of Yan Diomande.

Will Lucas Bergvall leave – and who could follow him out?

Spurs have rebuffed initial approaches over midfielder Lucas Bergvall from both Newcastle United and Nottingham Forest, with opening bids believed to have come in at around £45m, as reported by BBC Sport – but although Spurs turned those offers down, the Swede is still likely to leave North London this summer.

The 20-year-old has gone public with his desire to move on after he fell out of favour after the appointment of Roberto De Zerbi and the arrivals of Tonali and Fernandes won’t have made him any more keen to stay and fight for his place. Spurs don’t plan to stand in his way but do plan to hold firm on their valuation, which stands at £60m.

Further bids are expected, but it’s not clear whether Spurs plan to be flexible with their demands as negotiations continue. The way that the bidding for Bergvall pans out will tell us a lot about how sporting director Johan Lange and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham will handle the transfer market going forward.

There is also growing interest in Djed Spence, buoyed by his outstanding performances in the World Cup knockout rounds. Both Juventus and Everton are known admirers and Spurs are likely to ask for a fee of at least £30m before they consider a sale – but no final decision on Spence’s future has been made as yet.

Other players expected to leave include goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, who is wanted by both Juventus and Napoli, striker Richarlison and centre-back Cristian Romero, all of whom have been given the all-clear to find a new club. Inter Milan appear to be the most likely buyers for Romero as it stands, but if there have been any negotiations they have been kept under wraps thus far.

Israeli winger Manor Solomon was expected to join Fiorentina after a successful loan spell with La Viola, but the Italian outfit have declined their purchase option and are trying to renegotiate the price downwards.

As it stands, there have been no offers for Micky van de Ven, but he has admirers who could make a move if they have enough of a transfer budget left towards the end of the window – Liverpool chief among them.

As it stands, the likelihood is that he stays put, however, with Spurs keen to keep hold of one of their best players. The asking price would likely be north of £100m if a potential move did materialise. For now, that’s a hypothetical. Archie Gray also seems likely to stay, too, as it stands, but the versatile youngster has many admirers and his situation could still change.