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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.

Spurs have been linked with a surprising potential swap deal with a Serie A side

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While Tottenham Hotspur’s transfer window has been more notable for heavy spending than for sales so far, their attempts to get rid of unwanted players over the coming weeks will be a key part of the equation as they attempt to build a squad which can compete for the top four instead of battling against relegation. One such unwanted player is Guglielmo Vicario.

The former first-choice goalkeeper has lost his place in the pecking order to Antonín Kinský and seems to have his heart set on a move back home to Italy, which several Serie A sides seemingly happy to oblige. Reports of discussions involving Juventus and Inter Milan have been widespread – but now an intriguing new report suggests that an unexpected swap deal with Napoli could be on the cards.

Napoli & Spurs could work out a swap deal for Guglielmo Vicario - reports

According to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport, whose reporting is covered in English by Sport Witness, Napoli have emerged as a contender for Vicario’s signature and could attempt to seal a deal by sending their own goalkeeper the other way. It’s a deal which has the potential to upend Spurs’ plans for the goalkeeping role next season.

Napoli’s current number one is 29-year-old Serbia international Vanja Milinković-Savić, but his performances across his debut season with the club haven’t convinced them and they are considering including him in a part-exchange deal for Vicario as they work to win the battle for the Italian’s signature.

Milinković-Savić, who was on the books at Manchester United during the 2014/15 season but didn’t make an appearance for them, started 27 Serie A games for Napoli last season but was dropped towards the end of the campaign after a nightmare performance in a 3-2 defeat to Bologna. That horror show aside, the statistics suggest a solid season, but Napoli would appear to prefer Vicario if they can get their hands on him.

There are plenty of complicating factors. Firstly, Juventus may be better-positioned to sign Vicario and seem to have the 29-year-old in mind as their second choice should they fail to sign Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martínez, their number one target. Secondly, Milinković-Savić is not technically Napoli’s player to sell just yet.

The 20-cap international is currently on loan from Torino, for whom he was first choice for four seasons, but the deal with Napoli includes a compulsory purchase clause worth €21m (£17.8m). That has not technically been triggered as it stands, which could slow proceedings down somewhat if Spurs did decide to negotiate a swap deal.

The exact details of the detail, and whether it would be a straight swap or a part-exchange, are not discussed in Correre dello Sport’s reporting. Such deals are notoriously hard to agree upon and seldom happen in practice – but could this be an exception? And would it make sense for Spurs?

Will Spurs sign Milinković-Savić – and would it be the right move?

The odds are firmly against a swap deal between the two clubs as it stands, not least because of the interest of other sides in the players involved – Juventus present stiff competition for Vicario’s signing, while both Hull City and Leeds United, two Premier League sides chasing a new number one, have made enquiries as well.

Hull are more likely to present a problem as Leeds’ first choice is Parma and Japan goalkeeper Zion Suzuki. The Tigers have reportedly already made a bid for Milinković-Savić, but had their initial approaches rejected. They may well be back with a better offer soon.

Even if Juventus, Leeds and Hull all end up standing aside, though, it’s difficult to imagine such a deal taking place. The natural complexity of negotiations is one reason, but another is that Spurs have decided to put their faith in Kinský for the upcoming campaign and the arrival of Milinković-Savić might muddy the waters in an unhelpful manner.

What the fearsomely-bearded Milinković-Savić would offer is a more experienced alternative if Kinský, who has signed a new five-year contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, should struggle, as he did when he was substituted just 17 minutes into a disastrous Champions League match against Atlético Madrid in March.

While Milinković-Savić was not as consistent as might have been hoped for during his first year with Napoli, he still posted a 70% save rate in league games (Kinský’s equivalent rate was just 59%) and is more comfortable coming out of his area to handle balls over the top than the Czech.

If Milinković-Savić, the brother of Al-Hilal midfielder Sergej, was happy to act as a back-up for the time being, he would represent a strong insurance policy and perhaps an upgrade on Martin Dúbravka, the veteran goalkeeper currently earmarked as number two. But signing him would also represent a certain lack of faith in Kinský, and could be seen as a questionable use of financial resources when there are so many areas of the squad in need of an overhaul.

The likelihood remains that a swap deal doesn’t take place, and there is no guarantee that Vicario leaves or that Milinković-Savić doesn’t end up somewhere else entirely – but if Spurs do go down this road, it would represent an intriguing gamble in a very high-risk transfer window.

A round-up of the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Spurs, Manchester City, Liverpool, Aston Villa and more.

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Welcome to 3 Added Minutes’ regular morning round-up and review of some of the biggest (and often wildest) new Premier League transfer rumours you might have missed over the past 24 hours – and today, we’re starting off with an intriguing story involving both Aston Villa, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur.

According to GiveMeSport, Spurs have “entered the race” to sign PSG and Senegal wonderkid Ibrahim Mbaye this summer, and are said to be one of the clubs showing the “strongest interest” in the 18-year-old forward.

They cite French journalist Santi Aoula, who also alleges that Manchester City have shortlisted Mbaye while Aston Villa are said to be “closely following” the situation, along with Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig.

PSG are said to be “open” to a sale for the right price (although said price is not reported) and Mbaye himself apparently “wants to leave” in search of regular first-team football. It’s not suggested that any of his suitors have made a formal offer just yet.

The 3AM Verdict: GiveMeSport’s assertion that Spurs are somewhere near the front of the queue isn’t backed up, and it’s not clear why they believe that their interest is any ‘stronger’ than Aston Villa’s or Manchester City’s. It does sound increasingly likely that the supremely gifted Mbaye will move, however, so this is certainly a battle worth keeping an eye on – just one without a foreseeable resolution as yet.

Liverpool ‘make contact’ in £130m-rated winger chase

Over to a story from TEAMtalk now, who provide an update on Liverpool’s long-rumoured pursuit of Bournemouth and Brazil winger Rayan – and they claim that the Reds have now “made enquiries” and “contact” as they prepare to launch what could be a staggeringly expensive bid.

Rayan has a £130m release clause in his contract, it’s reported, but that doesn’t kick in until 2027, meaning that the Cherries can name their price – and they have “no desire” to lose the teenage winger, who has enjoyed a startlingly impressive start to life in the Premier League.

Barcelona, Bayern Munich and PSG are all said to be “monitoring” Rayan’s situation but it’s Liverpool who are allegedly attempting to make the first moves. They’d still prefer to land Leipzig’s Yan Diomande, but the Ivorian looks far more likely to wind up at PSG, and Rayan is now “firmly” on Liverpool’s radar as an alternative.

The 3AM Verdict: They may have made contact of some description, but we don’t see anything which makes us think that a move is actually coming any closer. It would take an astronomical offer for Bournemouth to consider a sale and while the Reds have the financial firepower to pull it off, we’re sceptical that this is a deal that gets done this year.

Aston Villa eye Emi Martínez replacement

Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez may be headed to another World Cup final, but he could also be heading out of Villa Park this summer – and as such, Unai Emery’s side have added his compatriot Facundo Cambeses “to their shortlist.”

That’s according to Sport Witness, who state that the 29-year-old’s current side Racing Club would only sell him if his relatively budget-friendly release clause of £8.8m was met. That’s affordable for Aston Villa, but they may face competition with both River Plate and Bologna said to be keen on the Argentine international as well.

It’s suggested that Cambeses, who has been capped at senior level but failed to make the World Cup squad, will only be a target if Martínez leaves – and that’s something that the club are apparently trying to avoid, even if speculation continues.

The 3AM Verdict: We’re not sure how solid the original Argentine sources for this story are, in all honesty, and suspect that Martínez is likely to remain at Villa Park as it stands – but much could change in that regard. We suspect that if Cambeses is a target, he’s one of several rather than a clear frontrunner.

A round-up of the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Newcastle, Spurs, Chelsea, Bournemouth and more.

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Welcome to 3 Added Minutes’ regular morning round-up and review of some of the biggest (and often strangest) Premier League transfer rumours which you might have missed over the past 24 hours – and we kick today’s column off with a story involving both Newcastle and Tottenham Hotspur.

TEAMtalk allege that Newcastle hold “serious interest” in Sevilla full-back Oso, better known to his family as Joaquín Martínez Gauna – but that the Magpies are “in [a] race against time” to get a deal done amid interest from both Spurs and Fiorentina.

Newcastle have “made contact” with Sevilla about the 23-year-old’s availability, while Spurs are “monitoring” him but don’t yet seem to have opened negotiations. That could make Fiorentina the biggest threat, with the Serie A side said to have “made the most progress” so far.

Oso apparently has a release clause worth €20m (£17.5m) in his contract, but could be available for slightly less given that his contract expires at the end of the coming season. Nottingham Forest and Fulham are also mentioned as clubs who hold some amount of interest in the left-back.

The 3AM Verdict: Newcastle tend to lose their transfer battles even when they start in pole position, so it’s not too hard to imagine them missing out on Oso as well. In truth, we suspect he isn’t a priority target anyway, and it may be that Fiorentina simply move quickly enough to get a deal done before their potential Premier League rivals even decide that he’s the right player to target.

Chelsea plot move for Norwegian World Cup hero

Over to a story from Caught Offside, now – they reckon that Chelsea are looking for ways to improve their attack and are “monitoring” Norway star Andreas Schjelderup, scorer of his country’s opening goal against England in the quarter-finals.

Other, unnamed “top clubs” are also keeping tabs on the Benfica winger, who has a €100m (£85m) release clause in his contract – not that his current employers are expected to demand quite so much as that to let him leave. Apparently they want a fee of around €40m (£34m) for the 22-year-old.

The Portuguese outfit are “unwilling” to let him leave for anything less, but it doesn’t sound like anyone has met the asking price just yet, and nor is there any suggestion that negotiations have taken place between Benfica and Chelsea, or indeed anyone else.

The 3AM Verdict: This is a very speculative article with precious little detail, and we’ve seen no corroboration of the story from more reliable sources. As it stands, we’re distinctly sceptical of this one.

Bournemouth make ‘decisive’ move for Portugal star

The final rumour of today’s round-up also involved Benfica, coincidentally, but this time it’s a story concerning Portugal international centre-half António Silva – with Bournemouth said to be “moving decisively” to sign the 22-year-old.

According to Sport Witness, who cite Portuguese newspapers A Bola and O Jogo, the Cherries are “firmly in the picture” to sign the 20-cap international, who looks likely to leave Lisbon as he enters the final year of his contract. Given the circumstances, it sounds like he could be available for a reduced fee – Benfica are supposedly asking for just €20m (£17.5m) including add-ons.

Negotiations are said to be “underway” with Bournemouth apparently well positioned to get a deal over the line. If any other sides are interested – and many clubs have been linked with a bid over the last couple of years – then there’s no mention of it in this report.

The 3AM Verdict: We have a hard time imagining that there won’t be competition given that £17.5m is a steal for a player of Silva’s quality. AC Milan have been linked elsewhere, although we don’t know how genuine their interest might be. If Bournemouth are indeed in pole position, they could end up with a coup on their hands.

Spurs have embarked on a spending spree which has blown their rivals away - but can they buy a ticket back to the top four in one transfer window?

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When the summer transfer window opened, it was widely assumed that Tottenham Hotspur would perform major surgery on their squad – but few expected that they would spend like the procedure was taking place in the United States and nobody had paid their insurance premiums.

July has scarcely started and Spurs have already splashed out an estimated £230m – as much as they spent across the whole of last season - to sign Sandro Tonali, Mateus Fernandes and Jan Paul van Hecke, completely overhauling their recruitment policy shattering the club transfer record twice in the process. But why are Spurs spending so freely, and will it do them any good?

Why Spurs are spending so much money this summer

For years, Spurs had a reputation as being a team that ran a tight financial ship, nickel and diming the teams they were dealing with in order to get the best possible price and often preferring to save their cash and sign their second choice if a primary target proved to be too expensive. They spent far more than most teams, but by the standards of a supposed ‘big six’ side in the Premier League, they pulled their purse strings tight.

That was a policy driven by former chairman Daniel Levy, who ran the club for 24 years before he was ousted by the current ownership last September. With Levy gone, it’s quite clear that Spurs are now happy to splash the cash more freely.

Because Levy kept such a close eye on the club’s bank balance for so long, Spurs have plenty of breathing room with regards to the Premier League’s profit and sustainability rules and the squad cost ratio regulations which will supplant them this summer. It could be argued that Levy’s transfer policy was responsible for the degradation of the squad, but it also gives Spurs the spending power to fix it.

That’s the fundamental aim, of course. A team which is expected to compete for the European placings has now spent two consecutive seasons flirting with the relegation zone, and those now in charge of transfers – primarily sporting director Johan Lange and chief executive Vinai Venkatesham, apparently with considerable input from head coach Roberto De Zerbi – are reversing course at breakneck speed in the hopes of building a squad that can compete at the right end of the table in the 2026/27 season.

This is not a reflection of a long-term plan, but of a decision to burn as much as possible to the ground and then to replant with mature trees rather than young saplings. Fernandes is only 21, of course, but both Tonali and Van Hecke are 26 and the free transfers that they’ve added on top (Marcos Senesi, Andrew Robertson and Martin Dúbravka) all have less football ahead of them than they do behind.

No move makes the short-termism of the current strategy clearer than the sale of the talented Luka Vušković, who joined Brighton & Hove Albion for £46m, a deal which smoothed the path to the signing of Van Hecke – Spurs have effectively traded a young player who could be worth much more one day for a favourite of the manager from his time at the Amex Stadium. If Spurs’ plan doesn’t come to fruition in the next couple of seasons, those deals could come to look exceptionally foolhardy.

De Zerbi is a key driving force and his fingerprints are all over the decisions being made – both on the Van Hecke trade and the decision to sign two new midfielders at immense cost, a reflection of the fact that the current crop of players lacks the box-to-box quality and particularly the defensive impact to be successful in the Italian’s demanding system. Only Rodrigo Bentancur really fit the bill.

The difference between what Spurs are doing and what other free-spending teams at the top of the Premier League’s rich list do every year, however, is that Spurs are consciously overpaying for players in order to wrap deals up quickly and blow potential competition out of the water.

Manchester United wanted Fernandes and might have bid for Tonali as well, and as they were able to offer Champions League football they would have had a distinct advantage in any negotiations – so Spurs simply came steaming over the top, offering £85m straight-up for Fernandes even though most clubs valued him at closer to £75m including add-ons, and spending £92.5m on Tonali, again several million more than clubs like United and Arsenal believed him to be worth.

They’ve done the same thing with salaries. Fernandes and Tonali were both offered significant sums to persuade them to sign rather than encouraging them to stall in the hopes that a side like Manchester United could up their bid, while the 32-year-old Robertson is reportedly now on £180,000 per week, £20,000 than he was getting at Liverpool.

It’s a high-risk strategy but reflects the likely reality that they wouldn’t be able to sign these players any other way – Spurs seem to have learned from a side like Newcastle, who have repeatedly missed out on key transfer targets to sides like Liverpool who have more financial firepower and are perceived to be a better bet for European football and winning titles going forward.

The last two years have robbed Spurs of much of the lustre they previously had as one of the Premier League’s richest sides, and now they are forced to overcompensate in order to build a team which can get them back in the big time. The question, of course, is whether it will work.

Will Spurs’ summer sending help them qualify for the Champions League again?

The £230m question is whether any of this will actually work. Even if they continue spending at their present rate – and recent reports suggest that Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi, another player who will probably cost over £80m, is also on their radar – they won’t be able to overhaul the entire squad. They will need to start getting stronger performances out of existing players as well.

De Zerbi’s reign started sufficiently well that Spurs were able to dodge relegation on the final day of the 2025/26 season, but they still have a lot of players who have struggled for form and only a few of the worst offenders are among the players most likely to leave this summer.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario is expected to leave after a disappointing year, Richarlison is likely to follow despite being Spurs’ leading goalscorer last season, and Cristian Romero is still presumed to be headed towards the exit door as well. None of those sales are problematic on paper given the circumstances, but neither can they really be described as the worst of the deadwood.

More concerning is the possibility that teams might come in for Micky van de Ven. The Dutchman is on the radar of several elite sides who have more urgent priorities than signing a centre-back, but could become the subject of interest as the window wears on. There is also continued doubt over the future of the gifted Archie Gray and Lucas Bergvall. The squad will change considerably but not all of it will be for the better.

The good news is that the statistics strongly suggest that both Fernandes and Tonali should represent considerable upgrades in midfield compared to the lacklustre options currently on the books, while Van Hecke’s ball-playing skills and ability to venture forward decisively make him a much better fit for the centre-back role than a more traditional defender like Romero. De Zerbi’s tactics may be somewhat idiosyncratic, but he has a clear vision and is signing players who should – on paper – be able to fulfil it.

The early moves being made are high risk given the scale of the expenditure, but make logical sense. There is a long way to go, however, and there is still a glaring need for a reliable goalscorer, and worries over the fitness of a number of players who could play a key role – Xavi Simons is expected to be unavailable until the turn of the year, Mohammed Kudus and Dominic Solanke have endured serious injury issues, and it’s anyone’s guess as to whether Dejan Kulusevski will be able to get back to form after a desperately long spell on the sidelines.

Spurs are doing everything within their power to achieve a swift turnaround, but there are still an awful lot of hurdles to overcome, not all of which can possibly be solved in a single summer or by a large pile of money. How far does £230m (and probably quite a lot more) get you in just a couple of months? We’re about to find out, but there are some high hurdles for De Zerbi and his new signings to clear before Spurs can trouble the top four once more.

A round-up of the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Manchester United, Spurs, Brentford and Coventry City.

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Welcome back to our regular morning round-up and review of the biggest (and wildest) Premier League transfer rumours which you might have missed over the past 24 hours – and we kick off today’s column with a story which concerns Manchester United and potentially some of their top-flight rivals.

According to TEAMtalk, the Red Devils are focussing their attentions on AS Roma and France midfielder Manu Koné after their interest in Aurelién Tchouaméni was thwarted when he signed a new contract with Real Madrid – and are already “plotting” an opening offer for the 25-year-old.

Having already missed out on Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali, United’s hopes of signing a marquee midfielder now rest on Koné, with Roma apparently “open to doing business” as they work to balance their books – according to the report, he’ll be available for a transfer fee “in the region” of £50m.

It’s not clear whether Manchester United will face any competition, but apparently intermediaries have already sounded out Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester City and Chelsea. There’s no suggestion that any of the four have yet made a bid, however, so United could have a clear run at Koné if they decide to formalise their interest.

The 3AM Verdict: This is the same rather gossipy source which was convinced that Tchouaméni was the priority a few days ago – not that we thought it was an unreasonable guess, admittedly – so keep your pinch of salt handy. United clearly want a third midfield signing after Andrey Santos and Éderson, but there are conflicting stories as to who that might be. We’re keeping an open mind for now.

Tottenham Hotspur target third midfield signing – but Brentford are in the battle

Over to a story from GiveMeSport now, which suggests that Tottenham Hotspur are “working on” a deal to sign yet another midfielder – with rising star Ousmane Diabaté in line to join Mateus Fernandes and Sandro Tonali in North London.

Spurs are already said to be “in talks” with the 18-year-old’s club, Turkish side Gençlerbirligi over a deal for the youngster, who has already been capped at senior level by Guinea, which could be quite cheap – apparently they’re looking at spending £3m up front plus bonuses. The problem is that they aren’t the only team in the bidding.

Brentford are also said to be in discussions with Diabaté, and it’s even suggested that Keith Andrews’ side hold “the upper hand” – although it’s not explained why that might be the case.

The 3AM Verdict: With no evidence given for the assertion that Brentford are leading the bidding, it’s hard to tell where defensive midfielder Diabaté might end up – but it does look increasingly likely that it will be England. We haven’t seen any credible sources suggesting interest from teams in other countries as yet.

Coventry ‘set’ to snap up £17m Bundesliga star

Let’s wrap up with a story from German tabloid Bild – reported via Sport Witness – who claim that Eintracht Frankfurt centre-back Aurèle Amenda is “set to join” Premier League newcomers Coventry City, subject to a medical being completed successfully.

The 22-year-old’s medical checks have been “delayed” due to his continued involvement in the World Cup with Switzerland, but a deal has apparently been agreed which could see the Sky Blues pay up to €20m (£17m) to secure Amenda’s services. That will make him Coventry’s record signing, although perhaps not for very long.

Amenda has been riding the bench at the World Cup so far but won’t be completing his move until his country’s campaign is over. There’s no suggestion that another team are likely to steal in with a last minute bid, and no mention of any other potential suitors, but Coventry wouldn’t be the first club to get gazumped this summer…

The 3AM Verdict: Reports that a deal had been struck first emerged a couple of weeks ago but never came to fruition – now we perhaps know why. It doesn’t sound as if there’s anything holding up the deal bar formalities, although it’s arguably a little odd that Amenda isn’t undertaking a mid-tournament medical as several other players have. We wouldn’t be too worried, however, were we Sky Blues fans.