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Assessing the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Newcastle, Liverpool, Leeds and more.

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There’s only two more sleeps until the summer transfer window swings open, though there’s not much rest for Premier League clubs as they prepare for the 2025/26 campaign as this latest hit of transfer news and gossip shows, featuring six top-flight teams starting with Newcastle United.

Newcastle had been expected to spend this summer on the defensive, fighting to keep hold of stars like Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak under the cloud of potential Profit and Sustainability Rules (PSR) trouble.

The club is also still reeling from the shock departure of sporting director Paul Mitchell, who replaced Dan Ashworth in 2024 and had butted heads with Howe behind the scenes, while their CEO for almost all of the Magpies’ Saudi era is stepping down for medical reasons at the end of the season.

However, with England reportedly keen to appoint Eddie Howe as national team manager there must be a concerted effort to show the 47-year-old the potential still available to him on Tyneside after he captured Newcastle’s first trophy in 56 years. With that in mind, the Magpies are targeting an audacious double-swoop from their Premier League rivals with The Telegraph reporting Howe is interested in Marc Guehi and Bryan Mbeumo.

With a year remaining on his contract, Guehi isn’t short of admirers this summer as Tottenham, Manchester United and Chelsea have all been linked with the centre-back. Spurs saw a £70 million bid rejected by Crystal Palace in January but Guehi is now expected to be available for a discount, at around £50m.

Similarly, fellow Londoner Mbeumo has one year left on his contract and is set to cost £50-£60m from Brentford after the best season of his career. The Cameroon international hit 20 Premier League goals as the Bees finished 10th, and is also a Manchester United target especially if they miss out on Matheus Cunha.

The 3AM Verdict: Both players fit Howe’s target profile of pace at both ends of the pitch and the offer of Champions League football will be an attractive one. However, there is a question of realism. It’s hard to believe Newcastle could sign Mbuemo while keeping hold of their other star attackers and the monetary competition for Guehi’s services should be fierce.

Spurs attempt to hijack Reds’ pursuit of Simons

Xavi Simons has been part of Arne Slot’s raft of summer targets, but a new suitor has emerged in the form of Ange Postecoglou and Tottenham.

ESPN report Spurs are monitoring the situation between Simons and Liverpool, which was rumoured before news of the Reds’ blockbuster £100m+ pursuit of Florian Wirtz exploded onto the rumour mill. Wirtz would occupy the number 10 spot that Simons currently calls home, meanwhile the Dutchman would become the new star at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as Postecoglou looks to make a rare splash in the transfer market.

Tottenham are desperate to bolster their attacking options while RB Leipzig could make a quick buck on Simons - after signing him permanently at the end of January for €50m they’ve now set an €80m (£67.3m) price tag for a player who’s made 44 goal contributions across the Bundesliga and Champions League in his last two seasons.

The 3AM Verdict: Tottenham could be the perfect landing spot for Simons. The creative wizard would instantly upgrade the attacking quartet of Brennan Johnson, Pape Matar Sarr, Richarlison and Dominic Solanke that started the Europa League final and seems at his best when he’s the biggest fish in his pond, which would be the case at Spurs.

Leeds United return to race for Kalimuendo

Sharpening Leeds’ attack is a top priority for Daniel Farke this summer, as he’s been handed £150 million to try and become the first promoted side to survive in the Premier League since 2023.

The Yorkshiremen have been linked with Callum Wilson on a free and young Ukrainian international Vladyslav Vanat already ahead of the transfer window opening, but a new name has emerged to potentially challenge Joel Piroe and lead the Leeds line - Arnaud Kalimuendo. Leeds got very close to signing the striker for £21m ahead of their Premier League relegation season, though their attack was still better than eight other top-flight teams that season and it was their division-worst 78 goals conceded that sunk the Whites.

Fast-forward 24 months and 40 goals in all competitions for Kalimuendo, and the deal is back on the table according to TBR Football. After initially beating Leeds to his signature, Rennes have got great return on investment from the 23-year-old and the Breton club look keen to cash in with two years remaining on his contract. After interest from Juventus last October, Rennes have set an asking price of over €30 million (£26m) this summer with Newcastle also interested - ironically as a replacement for Callum Wilson to back up Isak.

The 3AM Verdict: Kalimuendo will cost over £10m more than Vanat, but that could be money well spent on a striker with extensive experience at the top level. Piroe can blow hot and cold - he only scored in one Championship game since the end of February but hit four on that afternoon - so Leeds could be a good fit for Kalimuendo with plenty of opportunity to raise his profile even if the Whites can’t stay up.

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Tottenham Hotspur are preparing for a busy summer transfer window

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Against all the odds, Ange Postecoglou has guided Tottenham Hotspur to their first European honour since 1984 while also steering the North London side back into the Champions League for next season. It’s an outcome very few saw coming after the club’s worst domestic campaign of the Premier League era.

In the end, after a 4-1 home defeat to Brighton which encapsulated the overall standard of performances in the league, the Lilywhites finished in 17th position, picking up just 39 points, and falling to defeat on 22 occasions - which is their most since 1975.

However, Tottenham’s triumph in Bilbao over Manchester United could prove to be the catalyst for brighter times domestically for the club and potentially a new era of exciting arrivals. Champions League qualification crucially leaves the club on a much sounder footing in terms of Financial Fair Play heading into the summer and crucially gives the club added pulling power when it comes to attracting some of the biggest stars from around the globe.

It could prove to be a defining moment for the club after a calamitous league campaign as Postecoglou looks to get Spurs playing the same football that they did in his opening three months in charge while making them a force to be reckoned with once again.

With that in mind, we take a look at how Tottenham could rebuild the team next season, according to AI:

AI backs Tottenham to finally land £70m defender and ex-Man City hero

Tottenham Hotspur are expected to return to the table with a fresh approach to try and sign Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi. The England international has been the subject of interest from both Spurs and Newcastle United in recent windows and is now entering the final year of his contract at Selhurst Park. Guehi helped Palace achieve their first ever major trophy against Manchester City in the FA Cup final and is now guaranteed Europa League next season if he remains with the Eagles.

However, Tottenham after having a £70m bid rejected in January could look to take advantage of the defender’s contract situation and produce a fresh offer this summer. It’s a position Spurs definitely need to spend after conceding a staggering 65 goals in the league this term.

Elsewhere, AI expects Tottenham to target 29-year-old German international Leroy Sane after the expiration of his contract at Bayern Munich. The 69-time German international played in England with Manchester City, winning two league titles, one FA Cup and three League Cups while being named as the PFA Young Player of the Year.

WATCH: The Premier League Panel: Which teams will get better or worse next season

Sane is blessed with exceptional speed, great agility, excellent ball control and has a superb record of scoring goals and making assists. He’s currently a free agent and has been linked with a move to North London in recent months.

Tottenham could offer Jack Grealish England lifeline

Jack Grealish was left out of the squad entirely during Manchester City’s 2-0 win over Fulham on the last day of the season. It’s a decision which only fulled more speculation about the former Aston Villa man’s future at the Etihad Stadium. Grealish joined City for a British record figure of £100m back in 2021 but has struggled to live up to expectations on an individual basis despite getting his hands on plenty of silverware.

He’s blessed with great technical qualities and is viewed as a maverick that’s capable of changing a game with a moment of magic. He’s expected to be available for a cut price figure this summer and could fit well into Ange Postecoglou’s style of play as he looks to revive his England career ahead of the World Cup in 2026.

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Tottenham are expected to be in the market for attacking reinforcements after clinching Champions League qualification

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Two years ago, when Ange Postecoglou was appointed as Tottenham Hotspur boss, he had two main objectives - achieve Champions League qualification and win the club a major trophy. But even the boldest of pundits, couldn’t have predicted the roller-coaster topsy-turvy ride that has been the 2024/25 season.

On the one hand, Spurs have had their worst league season of the Premier League era. They sit narrowly above the relegation places, have conceded a staggering 61 goals, have been beaten in both north London derbies and have recorded just one victory in their last 10 league games since the end of February, suffering 21 defeats along their way which is their most in a top-flight season since 1975.

However, on the other hand, Postecoglou has achieved his goal of always winning trophies in his second season - and after defeating Manchester United in Bilbao has led the Lilywhites to their first trophy since 2008 - and crucially Champions League qualification for next season. It’s not quite clear what the future holds for Postecoglou, but the euphoria surrounding the club could spur the club onto a much brighter future next season, while giving them the financial wriggle room to attract some of Europe’s top stars.

As it stands, long-term target Liam Delap is thought to be closing in on a £30m transfer to either Manchester United or Chelsea, but as the old saying goes, when one door closes another opens - and the club’s recent Europa League triumph could prove significant when it comes to attracting one of the most sought after forwards in world football.

Why Tottenham Hotspur need to sign a forward this summer

Tottenham Hotspur splashed out a club record £65m on the signing of Dominic Solanke last summer. The 27-year-old has scored 15 goals in 44 appearances across all competitions this term and has been particularly potent in Europe with five strikes.

WATCH: The Premier League Panel: Which teams will get better or worse next season

But beyond Solanke, there are plenty of doubts about the future of a number of key Tottenham stars with Timo Werner failing to score all season, Richarlison being linked with a move back to Everton - and Son Heung Min entering the last year of his contract after what has largely been a subdued individual season by the South Korean’s exceptionally high standards.

This leaves Spurs with the potential need to fill a vacancy across the front-line, with the prospect of Champions League football on the horizon and the physical demands of playing in multiple competitions, which have drained Tottenham at times in the league this season.

Why Tottenham Hotspur should splash the cash on Bryan Mbeumo

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with Brentford superstar Bryan Mbeumo throughout the season, and it’s suspected that the Bees could listen to offers for the 19-goal Cameroonian attacker.

Mbeumo has been a fan favourite at the Gtech Community Stadium since 2019 and is a player blessed with electric speed, exceptional finishing ability and the qualities to create chances for those around him. He’s someone that presses well, is a handful to play against and would be perfectly suited to Postecoglou’s exuberant attacking system.

The Brentford hero has one year left on his contract, but the Bees have the option to extend it by a further year, though it’s widely reported by Sky Sports that the London club will allow the 25-year-old to move on if they receive a suitable offer this summer.

"I think Bryan is likely to go," said Norgaard in an interview with Sky Sports News' Jamie Weir.

"I don't know about Wissa yet. Everyone hopes that he might stay. Either way, I'm happy for the season and am happy for both of them. They deserve it so much."

With Spurs, securing Champions League qualification they could be in a great place to sign a player from a team, nearly 10 places above them in the league table, whilst already knowing he’s Premier League proven and settled in the area after living in London for more than five years.

The west London club are expected to demand in excess of £60m when clubs come knocking for Mbeumo this summer, but his ability to play as both a right winger and as a main centre forward could make him hugely appealing to Spurs at a time when Son Heung Min is approaching the twilight years of his career in north London.

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Tottenham and Crystal Palace both have busy summers ahead preparing for European football

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A centre-back is near the top of Tottenham Hotspur’s shopping list this transfer window after earning the lucrative bounty of Champions League qualification, so it was little surprise that they immediately entered the race for Marc Guehi.

Guehi only has a year left on his contract and appears highly unlikely to agree to an extension, so he also won’t cost Harry Maguire numbers for his next club. ‘Slabhead’ remains the most expensive defender in football history at £80m though both Guehi and Tottenham would hope for a better return on investment in keeping the former Chelsea player in London.

Meanwhile Palace are preparing for a summer transfer window that will be both aggressive and defensive. The vultures are circling and not just for Guehi - Adam Wharton, Eberechi Eze and Jean-Philippe Mateta will also be targeted by Europe’s super-clubs while Oliver Glasner attempts to prepare for a continental tour. Meanwhile Tottenham’s Europa League and qualification for the biggest tournament in club football next season has somewhat papered over the cracks of a truly dreadful league campaign - Spurs’ worst since relegation in 1977.

So Ange Postecoglou has lots of work to do in the transfer window and he could start by offloading the misfiring but proven Richarlison in exchange for critical reinforcements at the back through Marc Guehi. Guehi is valued at £50m, the same initial fee Tottenham paid for Richarlison in 2022, and breaking even or making a small loss with cash to sweeten the deal to Palace wouldn’t be the worst outcome from a largely frustrating three years in London.

Marc Guehi has qualities to shine elevate Spurs

Tottenham are tied with West Ham for the second-worst defensive record in the Premier League outside of the relegated clubs, as Guglielmo Vicario has picked the ball out of his net 61 times this campaign. That’s eight more goals than Burnley conceded when they were relegated in 2022.

So defensive fortifications are a must this summer and Guehi is almost impermeable on the floor, has the mobility to dovetail well with Micky van de Ven and his technical abilities would improve Tottenham’s capacity to play out from the back. There shouldn’t be a worry about his ability to step up to a big six club either. Guehi had started just eight international games (all in friendlies, qualifiers or the Nations League) before he was promoted to a first-choice centre-back for Gareth Southgate at Euro 2024 in Maguire’s absence.

Yet the Eagle transitioned to the big stage seamlessly, forming an imposing partnership with John Stones that was crucial to England’s progression to the final - especially in those faltering group games. Guehi’s weakness in the air is potentially problematic - he’s in the bottom quarter of central defenders in Europe’s top five leagues for aerial duels lost - but Spurs have improved vastly at set-pieces since Postecoglou’s first season so this shouldn’t be a deal-breaker either.

Swap deal suits Crystal Palace ahead of European adventure

Less than a week on from Crystal Palace’s FA Cup victory and the rumour mill has kicked into overdrive around the Eagles as Glasner chases both quality and depth in the summer transfer window.

Lyon wide-man Rayan Cherki has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League amid a fire sale at Lyon, and a buyout clause of €22.5m (£19m) has attracted plenty of attention. Palace are interested, but a bidding war for his services could get pricey with Manchester United, Tottenham, Liverpool and more likely to offer lucrative wages to tempt Cherki.

Whether or not he lands the Frenchman, Glasner will need to recruit for vacancies he may not even know he’ll have by the end of the transfer with the status of Mateta, Eze and Wharton likely to stay in question right up until the start of September. So locking down a proven Premier League attacking threat would be a wise move in preparation for that summer bun fight and luckily Spurs have someone who fits the bill in Richarlison.

Despite his impressive strike rate for Brazil, Richarlison seems to thrive as a big fish in a small pond, and a move to Selhurst Park should re-energise the mercurial 28-year-old. Being a central cog in the system at Goodison Park paid off beautifully for both player and club, whereas Richarlison has struggled when his role was more defined follow his arrival at Tottenham.

And while this isn’t something that will show up on a stats sheet or Opta graph, being one of the main darlings of a passionate and adoring crowd (like he’d find at Selhurst Park) has appeared to inspire the best from Richarlison at Everton and Fluminense rather than just being one of a lineup of superstars in north London.

He’d also provide valuable versatility, able to fill in across a front three whatever happens to Glasner’s other superstars. Richarlison tallied 68 goal contributions in 152 games at Everton and 19 in 36 during his final season for the Tricolor, around one every other game. Yet that’s dropped to one in three for Tottenham - or the difference between 19 and 13 over the course of a Premier League season.

His main motivation for joining Tottenham was to play Champions League football, so it remains to be seen whether he wants a second bite at the cherry or whether he’d be satisfied staying in the Europa League next season. But if it came with the opportunity to regain his best form at such a pivotal form, that may be enough to tip the scales and do both Palace and Spurs a favour in the process.

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Your Friday hit of the latest Premier League transfer rumours - including news from Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester United and more.

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Tottenham Hotspur’s Europa League victory over Manchester United is the latest domino to fall as an intriguing summer transfer window inches closer, meaning it’s time to explore the latest fallout in your Friday round-up.

And we stay in north London to kick things off where Tottenham hope their first trophy in 17 years not named after a car manufacturer can be enough to expedite their long-term courtship of Marc Guehi.

Tottenham saw a £70 million for the England international rejected in January, though that may turn out to be a blessing in disguise for all parties with Spurs now contemplating a reduced bid of £50m according to GiveMeSport while Crystal Palace would surely view that discount as worth it for Guehi’s aid in capturing the Eagles’ first major trophy in club history.

Oliver Glasner must now prepare for a European tour and while he’d love to have his skipper in tow, £50m would be a seriously healthy sum to reinvest in the squad with Guehi, who is also a key transfer target of his former club Chelsea, only having one more year on his contract.

Meanwhile Spurs could dangle the carrot of Champions League football in front of the 24-year-old who’d be able to stay in the city he’s called home almost all his life. Guehi is attracting attention from other big six clubs but he’d fit the pacy mould Ange Postecoglou has previously sought in centre-half and possesses the technical ability to enhance Tottenham’s effectiveness at playing out from the back.

The 3AM Verdict: For all of the (sometimes warranted) criticism aimed at Postecoglou, he’s walked the walk and shown he can back up all the talk of being a serial winner. Now is the time for the miserly Daniel Levy to loosen the purse strings and Guehi would be the perfect addition to shore up Tottenham’s defence. Meanwhile Crystal Palace would be wise to cash in on the Chelsea youth product when they have the chance.

Bilbao loss seals Alejandro Garnacho’s fate

Ruben Amorim was outclassed and out-thought by Postecoglou in the Europa League final and whereas the Australian leaves the Basque Country with a sunnier horizon, Manchester United’s lack of European football next season is nothing short of a disaster.

With Sunday Times Rich List stalwart Sir Jim Ratcliffe pinching the pennies, Amorim will need to raise all the funds he can through player sales if he’s to make serious progress on his extremely long shopping list and Alejandro Garnacho looks set to be one of the first names on the chopping block.

Dropping the Argentine to the bench was arguably Amorim’s biggest gaffe at the Estadio San Mames after Garnacho had started all six of United’s knockout ties, and by the time he was introduced in the second half Spurs had completely clammed up defending their one-goal lead.

The relationship between the two Iberians appears to have hit breaking point with Garnacho announcing: "The final will influence [my decision] but the whole season, the situation of the club. I'm going to try to enjoy the summer and see what happens afterwards."

And Fabrizio Romano reports the feeling is mutual, saying Garnacho will leave the club if the Red Devils receive a “good proposal”. Napoli saw a £42m bid knocked back earlier this season as they sought to replace Kvicha Kvaratskhelia but Garnacho has scored just three goals since the January window slammed shut and Amorim may be more receptive to a similar fee this summer.

Meanwhile Tottenham could add rub salt in the wound by hijacking Amorim’s pursuit of Victor Osimhen or Liam Delap.

The 3AM Verdict: This saga is a sad end for a youngster who looked like he could be one of Old Trafford’s brightest stars at one stage, but right now a divorce looks best for all parties. Another bid around £40m should tempt the Red Devils and Garnacho could do worse than reunite with Scott McTominay in Naples.

Potential Alisson replacement has heart set on Liverpool

Liverpool are seemingly involved in every major transfer battle at the moment, from Guehi to Florian Wirtz to Joao Pedro, Rodrygo and Milos Kerkez.

Another area of need - though not as immediate as the defensive line or attack - is a player who could take over from Alisson when the 32-year-old finally leaves Anfield. Alisson showed he’s still as good as ever with a monumental display away against PSG, keeping a clean sheet in the face of a firing squad that peppered the Liverpool goal with 27 shots.

But that’s not stopped continued reports that the Reds’ are keen on Valencia’s Giorgi Mamardashvili dating back to last summer and the Georgian has now spoken out. Mamardashvili is expected to set the Premier League champions back £29m and told Geo team: “I’m not considering another loan move. I will spend next season at Liverpool. I’ll go to Liverpool and give my all, just like I did at Valencia. I’ll work hard every single day, training with Alisson will help me.”

The 3AM Verdict: It never hurts to have a backup plan especially in goal, but 32 years of age is far from ancient for a keeper and Alisson could still have plenty left in the tank. It’s a bold statement from Mamardashvili who clearly has his heart set on replacing the Brazilian long-term and he should get opportunities while waiting in the wings at least - Caoimhin Kelleher racked up almost 2,000 minutes this season.

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Tottenham’s Champions League qualification could loosen the purse strings for Ange Postecoglou

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Tottenham Hotspur had to wait 17 years and four finals to win a trophy, so they could be forgiven if Ange Postecoglou and Daniel Levy delay a couple of days before diving back into the club’s plans for the summer transfer window.

But that long-awaited victory over Manchester United to lift the Europa League means there’s now a Champions League campaign to prepare for as well as the inevitable push to improve on sitting one place above the Premier League relegation zone. The good news is that the windfall from Bilbao could rise above £100m, and bringing in a world class striker would be a bold statement of intent to signal a new, aggressive and trophy-laden era at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Victor Osimhen’s protracted and at times head-scratching transfer saga has meant several clubs including Chelsea and PSG have cooled their interest in the 26-year-old. Manchester United are still keen but without the carrot of European football, or the associated boost in transfer budget, this £63 million situation is ripe for an old-fashioned hijack.

How Victor Osimhen can help Spurs reach the next level

Despite the ridicule about their bare trophy cabinet, Tottenham have been one of the most stable Premier League clubs of the last 15 years. Prior to this season, only Manchester City had recorded more Premier League top-seven finishes since 2009/10 while Spurs have also moved up from 15th in the Deloitte Money League to be ever-present in the top 10 since the opening of their new stadium. You’ll never sing that.

But before the final whistle in Bilbao, some Tottenham fans would’ve traded all of that for West Ham’s turbulent decade-and-a-half that at least netted them the Conference League in 2023. Now with the money-spinning spaceship of a stadium and a manager famed for his track record of winning trophies, times could finally be about to change and Osimhen’s arrival would reinforce that feeling.

While he’s not quite Harry Kane in terms of dropping deep to link build-up play, Osimhen would still be a useful outlet for Postecoglou’s side and his famed athleticism would suit an otherwise lightweight Tottenham team well. Their entire system is designed to create space in front of or between opposition back-lines through lightning link-up play and there can be few better players in world football to receive the ball on the edge of the penalty area facing a stretched defence.

Spurs also excel on the break and have scored the second-most goals from counter attacks this Premier League season - with Osimhen they’d be hard to keep away from top spot. The Nigerian’s hefty £400,000-a-week wage demands wouldn’t be a natural fit for the infamously frugal Daniel Levy, but the opportunity to land Tottenham’s biggest-name signing in at least a generation who’s hit 112 goals since 2020 shouldn’t be passed up lightly.

After a rough final season at Napoli in terms of fitness, Osimhen has missed just six games at Galatasaray through injury to ease understandable concerns about how he’d fare in Postecoglou’s punishing system. And as a further bonus, don’t forget that the next edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in 2027 will take place in June rather than January so there isn’t even that absence to consider.

The release clause that plays in Tottenham Hotspurs’ favour

Osimhen has a €75 million release clause but that only applies to clubs outside of Italy, a detail with the ability to put Tottenham in pole position for the race to capture Osimhen. Manchester United were pursuing Osimhen but Brennan Johnson’s 42nd-minute goal may have dealt the Red Devils a double-blow, as Ruben Amorim was already questioning the likelihood of affording Osimhen’s wage demands before the final.

Now Manchester United are confirmed as missing out on European football for the second time in 35 years, that deal is likely dead in the water especially with Viktor Gyokeres willing to work for half that salary. Likewise Chelsea have been put off by Osimhen’s wage demands even as they control their fate for Champions League qualification and have the chance to land a major bonus of £100m if they perform well at the expanded Club World Cup this summer.

The Blues are favouring an approach in the transfer market akin to the philosophy that’s fired PSG to the Champions League final: still spend big but on a young core that will flourish together, rather than building an all-star team of established players. Guaranteeing Osimhen one of the highest salaries in European football would also shatter Chelsea’s wage structure.

That means Juventus would be Spurs’ biggest rivals, but Postecoglou is aided by Osimhen’s release clause not applying to Serie A clubs. That means the Old Lady is preparing a €85m bid for the star Super Eagle, but sending the 2022/23 Paolo Rossi Award winner abroad may still be the more attractive option to Napoli and Tottenham should be ready to pounce if that’s the case.

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Pedro Porro could leave Spurs this summer - but they may have an ideal replacement lined up already.

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Just how many players do Tottenham Hotspur need to sign in the summer transfer window? The answer isn’t immediately obvious. There’s plenty of talent in the Spurs squad, but the whole has added up to far less than the sum of its parts this season – and then there’s the question of who might leave.

One important player who has been linked with a move away from North London over the coming months is Pedro Porro. It goes without saying that Ange Postecoglou (or whoever ends up in charge in a few months’ time) would rather have the Portuguese right-back on the books, but recent reports hint at the possibility that several elite sides have him on their shortlists.

That means that Spurs could be considering a contingency plan – and a new story from GiveMeSport suggests that they may have a new wing-back in mind, with a potential price tag of £30-35m.

Spurs ‘tracking’ Vanderson as Pedro Porro replacement

The player that Spurs are alleged to be tracking is AS Monaco’s Brazilian right-back Vanderson, who has five caps for his national team and a burgeoning reputation as one of the best all-round players in his position in Europe.

GiveMeSport’s article suggests that Spurs would want the 23-year-old to provide Porro with competition, but given that we’re likely to see significant expenditure in other positions, especially up front, it’s more probable that such a substantial transfer only takes place if Porro leaves, especially given the impressive late-season resurgence enjoyed by Djed Spence.

The link with Vanderson isn’t new, with reports that he was on Spurs’ radar dating back at least as far as last summer, and his continued positive progress with Monaco will only have served to increase their interest. Still, right-back will only become a position of urgent need if Porro is lured away.

While Vanderson is noted as a genuine all-rounder who contributes in all three thirds, it’s his defensive work which stands out, especially in a concerted high press. Never one to shy away from a chance to make a tackle, he has made 45 successful tackles in Ligue 1 this season at a hugely impressive 71.4% success rate. Few full-backs can boast such impressive numbers, and he’s excellent in one-on-one situations while closing the space opposing wingers have in effective fashion.

He's also blessed with the speed and work rate to find plenty of space for himself going forward and has the technical quality to beat his man one-on-one relatively reliably, making him a dangerous player on the counter-attack and a right-back who can not only force turnovers but get the ball back downfield quickly and efficiently.

He creates a healthy – but not remarkable – number of chances with respectably accurate crossing and a decent eye for a pass, but his overall output in the final third (two goals and five assists in all competitions this season) is good rather than great.

For a team to get the best out of him, they would want to play an aggressive, pressing style of football which looks to generate quick opportunities for counter-play and which has high-class attacking players ahead of him that he can tee up to finish the job. As it happens, that’s a fair description of Spurs’ style of play under Postecoglou, even if those high-end attacking players spend rather too much time injured.

Will Pedro Porro leave Tottenham this summer?

Still, Spurs’ interest in Vanderson may be academic if Porro stays put. Four teams have been linked with him in recent months, however – Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Manchester City.

It seems unlikely that either of the Spanish sides make a move. Real seem set to land Trent Alexander-Arnold on a free transfer and Barcelona are only likely to bid for a full-back if Jules Koundé leaves. The Frenchman has been rumoured to be of interest to a handful of team, with Chelsea’s name routinely cropping up, but the newly-reinstated La Liga champions seem determined to keep Koundé around.

Manchester City are on the hunt for a permanent replacement for Kyle Walker, but may prioritise other targets such as Juventus’ Andrea Cambiaso. Normally a left-back at his current club, Cambiaso can play on either flank and if he moved to the Etihad, then City may view the right-back issue as solved between him and Rico Lewis.

Bayern Munich, meanwhile, have Konrad Laimer installed as right-back and are already doing their best to spend as much as £100m on Florian Wirtz. If that deal goes through, then they are unlikely to have much spending power left to cover a bid for a player like Porro, who could cost as much as £60m.

In short, it remains likely that Porro stays put given the state of the current market and the fact that he still has three years left on his Spurs contract. The club are in a strong negotiating position and could hold out for more money than any of the interested parties are willing to spend – but dominoes could fall in such a way that the situation changes quickly.

If Porro does leave, Vanderson seems to be a strong candidate to be his replacement, and previous stories have suggested that he would cost around half as much as Spurs would get from the sale of Porro, undeniably a good deal given that Vanderson would not be likely to prove a downgrade.

The biggest stumbling block should Spurs make a move is that other teams could be interested as well. GiveMeSport suggest that Manchester United are also among the suitors for the Brazilian, while Manchester City and Barcelona are mentioned too, although their interest may be irrelevant given that they would surely only move for Vanderson if they didn’t bid for Porro.

As it stands, the likelihood is that Porro stays put and Spurs prioritise other players this summer – but if they do end up with the Monaco right-back on their books, the chances are that they’ll be content with their business in the long run, even if it meant losing one of the more reliable performers in their current side. Spurs have an impressive recent history when it comes to right-backs, from Porro and Walker to Kieran Trippier, and Vanderson could easily continue that tradition.

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Spurs are once again being linked with a transfer bid for Eberechi Eze - but would he be the right signing for a side in need of some inspiration?

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For some months now, Tottenham Hotspur have been linked with a bid for Crystal Palace and England’s Eberechi Eze – but after endless entries in gossip columns without any hint of actual negotiations, are we finally getting close to a point at which Eze leaves Selhurst Park? And does he even make sense for Spurs to sign?

Is Eberechi Eze a good fit for Tottenham Hotspur?

The link between Eze and Spurs may be old, but it’s been thrust back into the spotlight not just because of how close we are to the opening of another transfer window but because of the 26-year-old’s stellar recent form.

Having scored six goals in his past seven games – including some quite brilliant strikes and one in the FA Cup semi-final victory over Aston Villa – Eze has put a relatively slow start to the season firmly in the rear view mirror and re-established his reputation as a serious threat, both as a creator and destroyer.

Out of the entire Spurs squad, only Son Heung-Min can surpass Eze’s tally of eight Premier League assists and not a single player in Ange Postecoglou’s squad has contributed towards creating more shooting opportunities. At the same time, only three Spurs players have scored more goals in the Premier League than Eze’s eight.

On that level alone, it’s easy to see why Spurs would be keen. Eze offers technical quality, audacity and effectiveness in equal measure, and is able both to generate chances and take players on while carrying the ball to a degree that few other Spurs players can offer at the same time, while being a genuine goal threat in his own right. The issue is that if Spurs were to sign Eze, it would either mean that James Maddison was displaced from his number ten spot despite being one of Spurs’ best performers, or that there would have to be a tactical recalibration.

Eze is more than capable of playing down the left wing, but when operating there the Greenwich-born player takes up considerably deeper, narrower positions than that occupied by Son Heung-Min – who, despite a relatively tepid season and advancing years, may be another player that Spurs are loathe to relegate to a rotational role too quickly. To accommodate Eze, either Spurs would need to re-imagine their attacking system to generate more width and threat from the full-back position and perhaps reposition Maddison, or ask either Eze or Maddison to play out of position.

That could work, but it would be an unusual move to pay top dollar for Eze – and given that he is under contract at Selhurst Park until 2027, it would be top dollar – and then play him outside of his favoured role. There is, of course, every chance that Spurs have a new manager come the summer, with Ange Postecoglou under immense pressure after a poor league campaign, and a new coach may want to set Spurs up in a very different manner anyway, perhaps one into which Eze, Son and Maddison could slot in a more comfortable manner. But as it stands, signing Eze could mean making a very hard decision concerning the future of one of his new team-mates.

Will Spurs sign Eberechi Eze this summer?

Any discussion of Eze’s role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium becomes rather academic if Spurs don’t actually sign him – and while the rumour mill is keen to make the connection and the interest appears to be genuine, there are no assurances that a deal will be struck.

While stories linking Eze with Spurs are perhaps more persistent and even plausible than those linking him to other teams, there are no shortage of suggestions that other Premier League sides are keeping tabs on him – Liverpool and the two Manchester clubs, in particular, are often mentioned as prospective suitors.

Given that Spurs have endured a difficult season, they may find it hard to offer a more attractive landing spot then those who finished considerably further up the league table. Champions League football, with the club will get if they beat Manchester United in Wednesday’s Europa League final in Bilbao, would help.

Then there are the financial considerations. The Daily Telegraph recently reported that Spurs are set to operate under a “sell to buy” policy this summer, with the club in possession of a £279m net transfer debt. In what the Telegraph speculate could be a “tough window” for Tottenham, spending up to £68m on Eze (the totality of the release clause in his deal with Palace, which they are likely to want paid in full) may not be straightforward.

The sales of players such as Richarlison and Timo Werner would help, but are unlikely to cover the outlay entirely, and with Maddison and Son in the squad it may be deemed untenable to spend such a significant amount on a player who would be competing with two of Spurs’ best attacking players for minutes.

Still, the stories endure and it’s clear that Spurs would love to add Eze to their ranks if the cards fall the right way – and while there are pragmatic arguments against signing the Crystal Palace player, at least at such a high price point, his thrilling combination of qualities would undeniably lift the spirits at a club who could do with a pick-me-up.

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Tottenham will look to add some big name additions if they can secure Champions League qualification

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It’s been nearly five years since Amazon’s last Tottenham Hotspur documentary, but few games have encapsulated the meaning of All or Nothing more than Spurs’ upcoming Europa League final with Manchester United. The winner will be handed the lifeline of a European trophy and around £10.95m in prize money, marking not only a healthy PSR boost but also a huge lifeline in the form of Champions League qualification and the player-pulling power that comes with that status.

Spurs last qualified for the Champions League in 2022/23 and haven’t experienced the highs of a European honour since 1984. They have fallen short in their last three major cup finals and are chasing their first piece of silverware since winning the League Cup with Juande Ramos in 2008.

It’s a trophy that would not only put Spurs back on the right track after a dismal campaign but could also act as the saving grace behind Ange Postecoglou’s future.

Failure to win of course, would be the opposite of almost all that’s just been mentioned, but if Tottenham can defeat the Red Devils for the fourth time this season, they’ll be handed a golden opportunity to capitalise in the transfer market.

The bold transfer race Tottenham should look to enter

Mail Sport have claimed that Real Madrid star Rodrygo no longer wants to play for the club due to an issue involving Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe. The Brazilian didn’t feature during the weekend’s 4-3 defeat to Barcelona and it’s reported the 24-year-old will look to follow future national team boss Carlo Ancelotti out of the door this summer.

Quite how true these reports are remains to be seen but there’s certainly a chance that the two-time Champions League winner will look for a new challenge next summer. Too many cooks, and all that. Reports have suggested that both Arsenal and Liverpool are interested in signing Rodrygo in the summer transfer window. Football Insider have claimed that Madrid could demand in the region of £85m to allow him to depart, which could deter potential suitors.

Arsenal ideally will look to prioritise a centre forward while Liverpool are scouring the market for reinforcements at both right-back and left-back following Trent Alexander-Arnold’s imminent departure.

WATCH: The Premier League Panel: Which teams will get better or worse next season

This could open the door for Spurs to make a bold but ambitious approach for a player that would almost certainly improve the team’s attacking options and potentially offer the team a long-term solution to Heung Min-Son after his subdued season. Meeting Real Madrid’s demands could be challenging for the north London side, but there’s one cheeky trick they could have up their sleeve, providing the player himself would actually be interested in the move.

The unbelievable swap deal Spurs could look to strike

Sun Sport suggest Real Madrid will target Cristian Romero this summer to help rebuild the backline. Incoming manager Xabi Alonso is reported to be a fan of the Argentine defender and World Cup winner, who he believes would fit in well to his preferred three-at-the-back formation.

Romero has been at Tottenham for four seasons in total but has been limited to just 18 games this term due to injury. The 27-year-old is reported by Football Insider to be valued at around £50m.

This could potentially lead to Spurs offering around £35m to get their hands on Rodrgyo with Romero as a makeweight to help facilitate the deal. It’s potentially a dream scenario for the capital club, who would no doubt welcome the Brazilian international with open arms; whether it’s feasible, however, remains to be seen.

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Manchester United, Manchester City and Spurs starlets are among the climbers as we rank the best young players in the Premier League.

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Over the past few weeks, the Wonderkid Power Rankings – 3 Added Minutes’ weekly attempt to rank the ten best young players in the Premier League on recent form – has found itself split into two.

In the top half of the table, a handful of players who perform consistently well despite their young ages, led last week by reigning number one Myles Lewis-Skelly. In the bottom half, a ceaseless churn as some of the top flight’s most talented Under-21s see their form and opportunities ebb and flow. The pattern continues this week, with a familiar top five and plenty of movement beneath them.

We’ve got no fewer than two brand new entries this week, both players we might have expected to see earlier in the season given the hype they received upon arrival but who are finally proving their worth, while a player who was a staple of the top half of our little table in the first six months of the season makes his way back at long last.

All of which means that three players drop out of last week’s rankings: Yankuba Minteh was largely anonymous against Wolves, while Jack Hinshelwood only got the briefest of late cameos from the bench, which we believe makes this the first Top 10 of the season with no Brighton players in it. They’re joined on the outside by Nico O’Reilly, whose brilliant blast of form has rather worn off. They’ll all be back at some point, we’re sure, even if it’s next season.

The Frenchman arrived with a reputation as one of the brightest talents in the global game, but struggled to make the kind of mark many of us expected – and while two goals and one assist in his last ten matches may not be a startling return on paper, he’s quietly settling in nicely at Spurs and getting more dangerous by the game, especially with the ball at his feet. He also put in a huge and entirely unrewarded shift in the 2-0 defeat to Crystal Palace at the weekend, winning 11 ground duels and forcing five turnovers. It was arguably the best defensive performance in our Top 10 this week. Not his job, perhaps, but worth rewarding after consistent improvements.

Just last week, we were praising the Argentine winger for finding some of his old confidence again – so it tracks that he’d instantly return to more frustrating form, with a tougher week headlined by a fairly glaring miss against Athletic Club, chipping tamely wide when one-on-one with the goalkeeper. A presentable chance from a tight angle went begging after he came on as a sub against West Ham, too. The good last week, the bad this, hopefully no ugly to follow.

Given how much money United spent on the teenage centre-half last summer, they probably expected him to be a more consistently impactful performer this season – but he’s finally starting to get there in earnest, playing well for several games in a row and even picking up an assist in the Europa League, driving into the box before laying the ball off to Mason Mount. There was plenty of rock-solid defending, too, both against Athletic and West Ham, where he barely put a foot wrong in the largely unnoticed way you want from a defender. Promising stuff after a slow start.

Kayode didn’t have an entirely blemish-free game against Ipswich Town and was guilty of being beaten a little too easily on the dribble, but this was still a good all-round game from another recent signing who’s starting to hit his stride in the Premier League. He was at his best going forward, missing a decent chance wide left but creating even better opportunities on a couple of occasions. Dynamic going forward, if he can tighten up one-on-one at the back then Brentford will have one hell of a player on their hands.

For months, Lewis was an absolute staple of our Top 10s and there was an argument that the 20-year-old was one of the most consistent players in the league, of any age. Then he started to slide, got benched more and more, and has only recently begun to force his way back into the starting line-up again. He was doing everything right in the miserable 0-0 draw against Southampton, though, using the ball well, passing and moving intelligently and economically, and letting very little get past him. The result may have been poor, but that was the Lewis we saw for the first four months or so of the season, and have missed since.

It’s a little harsh on Fernandes to dock him a place after another gutsy midfield display in that same 0-0 draw which helped the Saints to avoid being the official worst team in Premier League history – he falls to five less because of his failings and more because others were a little better.

It perhaps says a bit about Southampton’s strikers that his passes were worth more expected goals than his team actually managed in total (in other words, he presented chances which were immediately made harder or simply didn’t result in a shot) – and his one shot was worth 70% of the xG they did create. Stats are strange things, but the long and short of it is that Fernandes represented virtually all of his team’s attacking output while working very hard when off the ball as well.

It was a good week for the Danish left-back, who not only helped his team into a European final but was also one of the few players in a red shirt to emerge with any real credit from the 2-0 defeat to West Ham on Sunday.

He was involved in several dangerous attacks against Athletic Club, playing a key part in the build-up to United’s third goal of the night, and made four tackles in a match in which he was tested very regularly indeed. Coming on as a second-half replacement against the Hammers he wasn’t able to make the same inroads in attack but completed every attempted pass and won every single duel he found himself in. A very good purchase by United, which is a sentence that hasn’t been written many times this season.

In the first leg of Arsenal’s eventual Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain, Lewis-Skelly was arguably the Gunners’ best player. In the second leg, he found the going a little tougher, with the admittedly amazing Désiré Doué giving the England international a pretty hard time.

Lewis-Skelly mostly stood up to it pretty well but he was shakier than usual, less dynamic going forward, and was unfortunate enough to give away a penalty after a rather undeniable handball. He was, at least, rather more solid against Liverpool, dealing with Mohamed Salah without any serious scares even if he wasn’t able to make much of a contribution in the final third.

Lewis-Skelly’s rough evening in France was, we decided, enough to drop him below the reliably impressive Kerkez, who was responsible for a fair amount of Bournemouth’s better attacking moments against Aston Villa even if they ultimately didn’t produce any goals.

He was excellent defensively, too, a real area of improvement this season for the Hungarian, and virtually nothing got past him across the 90 minutes as he produced four turnovers, largely blunting Villa’s threat down their right – the goal may have come from that flank, but Kerkez was both blameless and helpless on that occasion. Kerkez hasn’t been uprooting any trees lately, but he has been pretty much faultless week in, week out.

It says something about the Cherries’ recruitment over the past couple of years that Kerkez can be as consistently good as he has been without even being his team’s most reliable young defender. Spanish international Huijsen was, once again, equal to everything that was thrown at him.

The lanky defender made no fewer than 10 clearances on this occasion, didn’t miss a tackle and his distribution of the ball – uncharacteristically iffy over the past fortnight or so – was much better, with most of his many long passes finding their mark as Huijsen worked to generate counter-attacking opportunities. A magnificent talent who has hardly had a bad game since forcing his way into Andoni Iraola’s first team, and he rightly returns to our top spot once more.