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North London rivals Tottenham and Arsenal are chasing the same £68m-rated superstar

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It’s been a summer of confusion and disappointment at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but Spurs’ strong showing in the UEFA Super Cup hints that behind the chaos, Thomas Frank’s methods are working and they look set to finish the transfer window strongly with several high-profile targets from Premier League rivals.

While Tottenham have officially made six signings this summer, only one permanent new addition to the squad is expected to play significant gametime this summer in the form of Mohamed Kudus, while a host of young starlets from last season’s Europa League heroics including Mikey Moore and Will Lankshear have been sent out on loan.

However, they’re far from done in the transfer market so after the departure of Son Heung-min coincided with injuries to key players like James Maddison and Dejan Kulusevski and the failure to sign Morgan Gibbs-White, Daniel Levy has holes to fill and money to burn.

Manchester City’s Savinho and Como star Nico Paz are among Tottenham’s targets but Eberechi Eze is the obvious number 10 to aim for and though Arsenal are also chasing the England international, Spurs have the ammunition to bring him to their north London turf, while sending Yves Bissouma the other way in a swap-plus-cash deal that could seal it.

Eze and Spurs are a star-crossed match

The stars have aligned perfectly for Tottenham to steal Eze away from their hated rivals and this is too good an opportunity to pass up. With his average of 15 goal contributions in each of the last three Premier League seasons, peaking in 2024/25, Eze would instantly upgrade Tottenham’s goal threat from the number 10 position and elevate the players around him, while his tactical versatility would be a perfect fit for the ultimate pragmatist in the dugout.

Digging into Eze’s underlying data there’s not really a single attribute that stands out, rather it’s his all-court game and ability to execute whatever plan is drawn up for him with fearsome effectiveness that has made him one of the Premier League’s most sought-after players this summer.

He’s the ultimate do-it-all threat from midfield, capable of beating a defender and opening fire boasting one of the best shot volumes in the league or cutting open the opposition with an incisive pass - and chalking up sterling defensive numbers with an average of five ball recoveries per game last year putting him amongst the best in his position in Europe’s top five leagues per FBRef.com.

Eze also showed his steel in Palace’s vintage FA Cup run, scoring in each of their final three matches including the immortal winning goal in the final, showing an ability to rise to the biggest occasions that will be invaluable in Frank’s Tottenham side.

If Eze does move to Arsenal he’ll either be shuffled out of position on the left flank, a position that he’s played for barely a quarter of his career appearances, or competing with Martin Odegaard, Ethan Nwaneri, Declan Rice and Martin Zubimendi to start in the midfield three.

Even if Eze hits the ground running, he’s sure to see his game-time fall from the well over 3,000 minutes he logged last season, and in a World Cup year that could be particularly damaging.

Meanwhile Tottenham can offer a guaranteed starting spot in a Champions League team who are looking to return to their place among the best clubs in England and have the firepower to do so while Frank has built his reputation on getting the best out of players - Eze need only ask England teammates like Ollie Watkins, Ivan Toney and Ezri Konsa.

Tottenham have what it takes to beat Arsenal to Eze

Tottenham and Crystal Palace’s valuations differ fairly significantly, but one way to get around this would be a swap-plus-cash deal and Bissouma would be an ideal makeweight after falling out of favour with Frank and facing disciplinary issues.

Bissouma would add defensive steel to the Crystal Palace midfield in place of Daichi Kamada and allow Adam Wharton a freer role to dictate play, while don’t underestimate the Malian’s technical ability and potential to contribute in later stages of attacks too.

FourFourTwo reported Tottenham were demanding €20m-€30m (£17.3m-£25.9m) for Bissouma earlier in the summer though given the 28-year-old’s tardy antics, the year remaining on his deal, and the end of the transfer window drawing near means it’s safe to assume any deal would be based on the low end of that valuation.

Crystal Palace want £68m for Eze according to TEAMtalk while Tottenham are hoping to cut a deal at £55m, meaning with Bissouma the clubs could find a price between £40m-£50m that would suit all parties, give the Eagles immediate midfield reinforcement plus funds for an Eze replacement while Spurs would fill another vital piece of their puzzle before September.

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Once again, we’re back with our regular round-up and review of the juiciest new Premier League transfer rumours to help keep you in the loop during a busy summer window – and we’ll start our latest digest with a story for the Tottenham Hotspur fans among you.

According to TalkSport, Spurs are “set to make a bid” for Eberechi Eze imminently, and are “hoping to move quickly” in part to ensure that local rivals Arsenal can’t muscle in on the move themselves.

The Crystal Palace forward has a release clause worth £68m, according to the report, although some stories elsewhere have suggested that the clause expired recently. Either way, that may not be relevant if TalkSport are right that Spurs want to negotiate the price down to something “closer to the £55m they paid for Mohammed Kudus”.

Spurs are said to be “optimistic” that a deal can be struck and have supposedly been told by Eze’s camp that personal terms won’t be a problem. The question now is whether Arsenal make a move – apparently, they’re hesitating because of concern that it might restrict Ethan Nwaneri’s minutes.

The 3AM Verdict: It looks as though Spurs really do have an increasingly clear run at Eze, but they can’t wait to haggle over the price too long lest Arsenal change their mind – which they may well do if their hopes of signing Rodrygo start to go south. Don’t discount a two-way battle for Eze breaking out just yet.

Leeds United eyeing Serie A star Noah Okafor

Leeds United may have only just signed former Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, but that doesn’t mean that they’re done signing attacking players – GiveMeSport now suggest that they could bid for AC Milan’s Noah Okafor “in the coming weeks.”

Citing Athletic reporter Beren Cross, they suggest that Leeds have “shown an interest” in the Switzerland international after facing him in a pre-season friendly – but this article does state that no formal approach has yet been made, and nor is it clear that the anybody has spoken to Okafor’s representatives as yet.

GiveMeSport go on to reinforce recent stories which suggest that Leeds are also interested in Leicester City full-back James Justin, supposedly also a target for Everton, although there are no details about the finances that might be involved.

The 3AM Verdict: The primary sourcing for this story seems solid, but with so little detail and no word of active negotiations, it’s impossible to gauge how likely such a deal is to come to fruition. We also suspect that Everton might be leading the race for Justin, although Leeds’ name is cropping up more and more.

Nottingham Forest reach £26m agreement for striker signing

Let’s wrap up with a story from Sport Witness, who are one of a number of media outlets to report that Nottingham Forest have “reached an agreement” with French club Stade Rennais over a deal for centre-forward Arnaud Kalimuendo.

Sport Witness cite multiple sources in the French who media back up the claim that Kalimuendo is on his way to the Premier League, with personal terms also alleged to have been agreed – although L’Equipe apparently don’t feel able to confirm that it’s Forest who succeeded with a bid, adding just a hint of doubt into the equation.

Other outlets are confident that it’s Forest, however, and a transfer is now said to be “progressing towards being concluded”, which is the kind of phrase you only see in articles where the author is struggling to hit his word count.

The 3AM Verdict: This is being widely reported now and looks to be a done deal – and who knows, may even have been announced by the time you read this, although it sounds like there’s a medical to sort out at some point. Chris Wood might finally have some competition at the City Ground.

The latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Newcastle, Spurs, Fulham and Arsenal.

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Once again, it’s time for our morning round up and review of the juiciest new Premier League transfer rumours – and we’re starting off with a story which should interest Newcastle United fans reading.

The Magpies’ search for a striker (and for someone more willing to play than Alexander Isak) has been a major struggle this summer, but could finally end with a move for Samu Aghehowa, according to Football Insider.

They say that Newcastle are expected to submit a formal offer “imminently” for the 21-year-old Porto striker, but the bad news is that they aren’t alone in being interested – Aston Villa are keen too, as are Bayern Munich, AC Milan and Juventus. We know how that sort of competition tends to end for Newcastle.

Should they miss out on yet another striker, however, they do at least have a back-up plan and are said to be “one of five sides in the race” for Chelsea and Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson. They’re bound to win one of these transfer battles, right?

The 3AM Verdict: There’s no detail on the finances involved, unfortunately, and this feels like speculation rather than a story based on anything especially tangible – not that Aghehowa isn’t likely to be among the names on Newcastle’s list under the circumstances. We suspect that they end up signing two strikers, assuming Isak leaves, with one likely to be Brentford’s Yoane Wissa, and we’d hazard an educated guess that Jackson is the safest bet from among the other options.

Fulham could replace outgoing striker with Spurs star

Let’s head down to London now – according to a story from TBR Football, based in part on reporting by Sun journalist Dean Scoggins, Fulham are “potential suitors” for Tottenham Hotspur forward Richarlison.

The Cottagers are likely to lose striker Rodrigo Muniz, who is a target for Atalanta, and see Richarlison as possible replacement. Marco Silva has coached the Brazilian at both Everton and Watford and that connection would help to make this “an easy deal to do”.

There’s no word on the finances involved in a deal for a player who once cost Spurs £60m, but Fulham may not have too much competition and should have some cash to spend after Muniz moves on, with Newcastle and Nottingham Forest also possible destinations for the centre-forward.

The 3AM Verdict: This is a very plausible story but the way it’s presented does make it sound more like supposition than anything especially solid – nevertheless, it makes sense for Silva to be in for an old favourite and Fulham most certainly need some fresh signings in attack. One to watch with interest.

Arsenal find buyer for £15m man

Finally, a story for the Arsenal supporters among you courtesy of GiveMeSport, who claim that Portuguese side Porto have “shown an interest” in versatile defender Oleksandr Zinchenko.

Porto have supposedly “made contact” ahead of a possible and although discussion “are still at an early stage”, the Gunners are keen to sell Zinchenko to make some money from him before his contract expires next summer.

Apparently Fulham have also considered a bid for the Ukraine international but negotiations “have not advanced” and as such Porto are now the favourites. Arsenal are looking for £15m, but Zinchenko’s £200,000 per week wages could pose a problem.

The 3AM Verdict: We haven’t seen many sources backing this up from the Portuguese side but that doesn’t make it untrue, and certainly Arsenal have been looking around for buyers. We suspect that Zinchenko leaves one way or the other, but we doubt that Fulham are a likely destination given the Cottagers’ needs and finances.

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To say it’s been a busy summer would be a serious understatement – and to help you keep track of everything happening in a fast-moving transfer window, we’re back with our latest round-up and review of the latest Premier League transfer rumours, starting with a story from fans of both Tottenham Hotspur and Arsenal.

Social media darling Fabrizio Romano claimed on Tuesday morning that Spurs were “back in talks” over a deal for Crystal Palace attacking midfielder Eberechi Eze, a move that they had appeared to have abandoned after buying Mohammed Kudus earlier in the summer – and despite Arsenal’s long-standing interest, Eze is said to be “keen” to move to Spurs.

Arsenal have been working on deals for both Eze and Rodrygo for weeks, but their hesitation may have allowed Spurs to steal a march as they return to Eze following the serious knee injury sustained by James Maddison in pre-season.

Spurs’ widely-reported bid for Manchester City’s Savinho is now impacted by this latest development as that’s said to be a “separate deal”, but there are no guarantees that Spurs will get their hands on Eze – his release clause has expired, according to Romano, so any move “depends on Crystal Palace”.

The 3AM Verdict: Palace have made it clear that they will let Marc Guéhi leave this summer to avoid losing him on a free transfer, and we imagine the same will hold true for Eze. As for whether Spurs will really be able to beat Arsenal to the punch, we don’t know, with other reports yet to corroborate Romano’s story. It sounds like previous suggestions that Spurs were in for Como’s Nico Paz were either wide of the mark, or that the deal is simply not going ahead as it stands.

Aston Villa star eyes Newcastle move

Over to The Athletic, now, who have an interesting update concerning the future of Aston Villa midfielder Jacob Ramsey, who has been linked with a move to just about every club in the top flight. With Ramsey failing to agree a new contract at Villa Park, it’s implied that they are prepared to let him leave and that while “many suitors have expressed an interest”, his “preferred destination” is now Newcastle United.

The two teams are “starting talks” now to see whether a deal can be agreed, with Ramsey said to be a “priority target” for the Magpies. There are no financial details but previous stories concerning Ramsey’s future have suggested a price point in the region of £40m.

The 3AM Verdict: Ramsey leaving Villa seems like a near-certainty at this stage, and Newcastle make sense as a destination given their need for attacking depth. They’re probably just surprised to be a player’s first choice for once.

Manchester United given clear path to star player – if current starter leaves

There has been plenty of reporting concerning the future of Gianluigi Donnarumma over the past 48 hours after PSG decided to prematurely sign his replacement in Lucas Chevalier – and both Manchester United and Chelsea have been extensively linked.

To summarise the current state of affairs, we’re going to pull a couple of reports together. Firstly, Fabrizio Romano seems to think that Chelsea are out of the picture. Donnarumma is “not a target” for the Blues, with no talks taking place, as the club are apparently content with their current options between the sticks.

That could leave Manchester United with an open goal, but The Daily Express suggest that a bid will be contingent on André Onana leaving first – United are “not expected to enter the frame for Donnarumma” unless “significant progress” is made with finding buyers for Onana and other players that are no longer wanted at Old Trafford.

The 3AM Verdict: It seems relatively likely that Donnarumma doesn’t make a Premier League move this summer, although the possibility that one of the world’s best goalkeepers warms a bench for a year seems hard to fathom. We expect further developments before the full picture becomes clear. As it stands, there are a lot of contradictory stories out there.

Liverpool have been linked with a rising star who Spurs are also said to be keen on - so who will sign him?

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Liverpool may have spent a small fortune this summer – in fact, in the space of two months they’ve outspent the estimated GDP of five sovereign nations – but Sunday’s Community Shield defeat suggested that Arne Slot and his transfer team still have some work to do.

The defence was a particular concern. Virgil van Dijk had a bad game that suggested a little bit of rust which needs shaking off. Milos Kerkez and Jeremie Frimpong weren’t always on their new colleagues’ wavelengths. And Ibrahima Konaté probably won’t be at Anfield in a couple of weeks. Replacing him? As it stands, perhaps nobody.

Long-running negotiations over Crystal Palace captain Marc Guéhi remain at an impasse with a £5m gap in valuation between the two teams. Even if he is signed, however, he will be one of only three senior central defenders at Liverpool, one of which – Joe Gomez – is injured anyway. Even if they do get a deal for Guéhi over the line, they will need further reinforcements.

Which is why it’s easy to lend plenty of credence to reports on Monday and Tuesday which suggest that Liverpool have entered the battle to sign one of Europe’s most promising young defenders – a player that Tottenham Hotspur are also keenly interested in. The outcome of that transfer battle could have a significant impact on Liverpool’s season…

Why Liverpool need to win the fight for Giovanni Leoni

The defender in question is Giovanni Leoni, an 18-year-old centre-back who broke into Parma’s first-team this season and quickly established himself as one of the most exciting defensive prospects in the game.

Although he has made just 14 league starts since moving from Sampdoria last summer, he has already left an indelible impression on Serie A thanks to his rare combination of physical traits, technical excellence and composure under pressure.

A powerful figure who stands at 6’5” and is every bit as effective in the air as one might expect from a player that tall, Leoni spent much of his first season in Italy’s top flight bullying more experienced forwards off fifty-fifty balls and using his frame to lever players off the ball.

Seldom one to lunge in, Leoni reads the game in remarkably perceptive manner for a player with so little game time under his belt and knows how to position himself to stay on his feet and narrow passing and shooting angles instead of being forced to take a chance on a tackle. Forwards who try to dribble their way through him find that he’s sturdy in one-on-one situations, as well.

His calm confidence with the ball at his feet is perhaps what stands out even more, though. Although he doesn’t look for opportunities to carry the ball forward himself, he is excellent under pressure and happy to play his way out of tight corners with a deft sidestep before moving possession on. An accurate passing game helps as well.

Beyond inexperience, Leoni has demonstrated very few weaknesses. There have been occasional moments when his youth has been a little evident – a straight red card against AS Roma for a last-man foul being the most glaring – but his all-round game is packed with quality and he has proven himself to be a capable performer at the top level already.

All of which explains the fact that a number of teams around Europe are interested. Most of Serie A’s biggest sides have been linked with a bid, while Spurs have been suggested by a number of media outlets as being close to the head of the queue – but now it looks as though Liverpool are trying to muscle in. So will they get this deal over the line?

Will Liverpool beat Spurs to the signing of Leoni?

On Monday, Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg claimed that Liverpool were “seriously considering” a bid for Leoni – a suggestion that was backed up by The Athletic on Tuesday, with David Ornstein and James Pearce lending their names to a story which claimed that they were “trying to persuade” the teenager to move to Anfield.

While Plettenberg’s earlier story implied that Leoni would only be signed as an alternative to Guéhi, The Athletic’s story has no such rider, and given his age and the likelihood that Liverpool would want to integrate him into the team gradually, it makes far more sense that they would be planning to buy him into addition to a regular starter. With Konaté still liable to leave, signing just one centre-back would leave them with only three on the books, one of them unfit for the start of the season.

While neither Plettenberg nor The Athletic mention Parma’s likely asking price, a number of other outlets have suggested a fee in the range of £30-35m including add-ons. They have also suggested that Spurs are extremely interested in signing the Italy Under-19 international as well.

Several Serie A clubs, such as Inter Milan and Juventus, are also believed to want him but none of them are in a position to meet Parma’s asking price this summer, leaving the door open for a Premier League club should they have the cash.

Spurs need extra depth at the back and face uncertainty over the future of Cristian Romero, who remains a potential target for both Real and Atlético Madrid, although the lack of movement on that front in recent weeks suggests that the Argentine may now stay in north London.

It is not believed that Spurs have made a formal offer for Leoni as yet and they now have other priorities, with Savinho and Eberechi Eze on their shortlist as they work to find alternatives to attacking midfielder James Maddison, who has been ruled out for the majority of the 2025/26 campaign by an ACL injury.

All of which leaves Liverpool looking like the strongest candidate to sign Leoni – but an agreement is far from guaranteed. Although Parma are a selling club and can have their arm twisted, they do not want to lose Leoni if they can avoid it, while some reports suggest that the player would prefer to stay put in order to assure himself first-team football next season.

Still, Liverpool’s interest means that a deal is more likely than it has been at any other point over the past few weeks – and Arne Slot could so be able to call upon a remarkably talented young player who plays with a maturity and calmness that belies his years.

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Every morning, we at 3 Added Minutes round up and review some of the biggest new Premier League transfer rumours to help you stay up to date – and today, we’re starting off with a story for the Newcastle United fans amongst you.

According to the Daily Telegraph’s John Percy, Newcastle hold a “strong interest” in Leicester City’s versatile attacking midfielder Bilal El Khannouss, who can play on either flank or through the middle, and are now “looking at a possible deal”.

That may concern Tottenham Hotspur, another team heavily linked with the Moroccan in recent days. The Times are among the outlets who say that El Khannouss remains an option for the North London side as they work to find a replacement for the injured James Maddison.

Percy’s report also mentions Leeds United as an interested party, while Everton were linked before they moved for Jack Grealish. As Percy notes, El Khannouss has a release clause in his Leicester contract - depending on which reports you believe, it’s in the £20-25m range. Meanwhile, as Newcastle contemplate a new signing, they also have to think about losing Kieran Trippier. Sky Sports’ Keith Downie claims that AS Monaco are “weighing up” a bid for the experienced full-back.

The 3AM Verdict: This is a solid source for the story, and there’s certainly a bidding war gradually bubbling away even if El Khannouss seems to be a secondary target for most of the teams monitoring him. We think Spurs will move for Savinho instead if they can, and Newcastle may have an easier run at this deal than they might expect – but little has gone to plan at St. James’ Park this summer.

Chelsea target ‘highly-rated’ defender after Colwill blow

Chelsea, like Spurs, are desperately searching around for a new signing after a serious injury – and with Levi Colwill another ACL victim, they are undertaking “an urgent search” for a new centre-back, according to Caught Offside.

One of the players “under consideration” is Bayer Leverkusen’s “highly-rated” Ecuadorian international Piero Hincapié, according to unnamed sources, with Chelsea said to be “monitoring his situation closely”. No formal contact has yet been made, the reports states, while interest from Spain could be a hurdle.

Chelsea’s recruitment team are further alleged to be “showing strong admiration” for Benfica and Portugal defender Antonio Silva – “enquiries have been made” to see if the 21-year-old could be available for sale, apparently. Silva could cost around €40m (£34.5m), it’s claimed, but there’s no price tag suggested for Hincapié should Chelsea go in that direction.

The 3AM Verdict: Both perfectly plausible names but also rumour mill staples, and the kind of names you’d throw into the hat if you were guessing, so we’ll wait for further corroboration of these stories before believing them in full. Chelsea are very likely to be in the market for a defender soon, though.

Sunderland, Everton & Forest all chasing same player

We’ll wrap things up today with a story which concerns no fewer than four Premier League teams – because if Sport Witness’ story proves true, then Everton, Sunderland and Nottingham Forest are all providing “competition” for the signature of Brighton & Hove Albion’s Matt O’Riley.

Everton are said to be “particularly interested” in the 24-year-old, who endured an injury-impacted first season at the Amex Stadium, but both Forest and Sunderland have apparently “made initial contact”.

The fly in their collective ointment is Juventus. The Old Lady are said to have a “draft agreement” in place for a loan deal, but can’t complete that until they sell a few of their current players – giving their competitors a chance to sneak in there. Apparently, should Forest complete the signing of Douglas Luiz quickly, then Juventus will be able to get this one over the line before any of their rivals get a look in.

The 3AM Verdict: The primary sources for this story are Italian so it’s possible that Juventus aren’t as far ahead in the race as the report implies, as local media in Italy can get a little over-excited. Still, it’s hard to call any of the Premier League clubs involved favourites, and since Everton signed Jack Grealish we doubt that they’re really super-interested in another attacking midfielder.

Spurs have been linked with a surprise transfer raid on one of their Premier League rivals

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Tottenham Hotspur’s summer started with such promise. For once, they were getting business done early, with a move for West Ham’s Mohammed Kudus and a permanent deal for Mathys Tel wrapped up quickly – but everything has rather slowed down after missing out on Morgan Gibbs-White, and James Maddison’s injury is forcing them to find answers to questions they weren’t being asked a few weeks ago.

With Maddison set to miss the vast majority of the season thanks to an ACL injury and Dejan Kulusevski still recovering from knee surgery, Spurs have no remaining options in the number ten role, and no natural midfield conductor in the squad, but reports suggest that they may be working towards a creative solution – signing Manchester City’s Savinho.

Journalist Matteo Moretto first reported that Spurs were interested in signing the Brazilian winger, who only moved to the Etihad from City Group side Girona last summer. Corroboration has since followed from Fabrizio Romano and The Athletic’s David Ornstein, but why are Spurs looking at a winger to solve a problem that exists in a different position? And will this deal really get over the line before deadline day?

Why Spurs want Savinho, why Man City might sell – and how much he could cost

Savinho signed for Manchester City for £30.8m on a five-year contract just last summer, but the 21-year-old has been a frustratingly inconsistent performer for Pep Guardiola, managing just two goals in 45 appearances despite a strong scoring record in Spain.

A key member of the Girona side that unexpectedly qualified for the 2024/25 Champions League, Savinho scored nine goals in his first and last season in La Liga from an xG of just 6.1, but struggled in front of goal for City, recording a solitary league strike despite earning 5.0xG’s worth of chances.

Savinho was rather more efficient at creating chances for others and registered eight assists for Guardiola in the Premier League, but his output was still something of a disappointment given the fee and the relatively prominent role he was given.

Spurs don’t seem to be put off by his drop in output. Although he needs to sharpen up in the final third, the Brazilian was among the best dribblers in the division and his 6.61 successful ‘progressive carries’ (dribbles either into the box or at least 10 yards downfield) was among the highest marks in the league.

Very few Premier League players beat more defenders one-on-one or were able to find space in and around the penalty area as often, and only four players in the top flight (Kevin De Bruyne, Bukayo Saka, Bruno Fernandes and Cole Palmer) generated more shooting chances for their team-mates per 90 minutes.

In short, while he was wasteful in front of goal and lacked consistency, he was still dangerous and a genuine creative force in his first season in the Premier League. Spurs, then, seem ready to back both his quality with the ball and his potential for further development, even if City are perhaps prepared to move on from a player who should have taken his chances more efficiently.

Furthermore, Guardiola and City have a long-standing philosophy of allowing players to leave if they decide to make a move. It isn’t yet clear whether Savinho is interested in a switch to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, but it’s likely that Spurs have already sounded him out through his representatives if they are indeed now in negotiations as reported.

City would also be able to bank a quick profit. The Athletic report that the fee would be in the region of €50m (£43.3m), nearly half as much again as City paid ESTAC Troyes, another City Group side who owned the player while loaning him to Girona last season. In the age of profit and sustainability regulations, such quick profits often represent sensible business unless the player being sold is regarded as essential.

The Manchester Evening News, meanwhile, suggest that City do not want Savinho to leave and suggest that a fee would need to be even higher – over £50m – for them to accept an offer. Guardiola has often praised Savinho over the past year, singling out how well he has adapted to English football, and given how much game time he was given the club are unlikely to want to sell unless Savinho makes it plain that he wishes to leave. In short, a deal remains very much in the balance, and Spurs’ spending power and the player’s own attitude will determine the outcome.

Why are Spurs signing a winger to replace James Maddison?

A more interesting question than whether the move happens might be why Spurs are looking at a winger when their position of need is an attacking central midfielder.

It’s possible that Spurs are targeting Savinho separately to another player who can operate at number ten. They have been linked with Como wonderkid Nico Paz, with reports from Italy suggesting that a first bid has been made and rejected already. A few other names have cropped up too, such as Leicester City’s Bilal El Khannouss and Jack Grealish, although he seems set to move on loan to Everton with Spurs never firming up alleged interest in the England international.

Spurs do have plenty of options out wide despite the sale of Son Heung-Min to LAFC, with Brennan Johnson and Wilson Odobert on the books alongside Tel and Kudus, but of those only Kudus is naturally left-footed like Savinho. If Thomas Frank wants to play with inside forwards rather than more traditional wingers, then Savinho could offer some balance.

The Athletic’s Jay Harris suggests, however, that Spurs could sign Savinho in order to offer enough options out wide that Kudus can play as a number ten. Although seen primarily as a winger thanks to the way he was used at West Ham, Kudus is a versatile player and has played nearly 100 matches as an attacking central midfielder over the course of his club career.

Should that plan be tried and fall flat, then Kulusevski would be another option when he returns from injury – the Swede has impressed in occasional appearances in a more central role. Spurs would not be tied to Kudus in a central role for the entirety of Maddison’s absence should he struggle there to star with.

While Spurs’ interest in Savinho has come out of left-field, it makes plenty of sense when looked at through the lens of a team who need balance out wide and who are already set up to play a direct style of football which prioritises finding players who can both get the ball downfield quickly and effectively and find space to latch on to quick balls over the top.

In the context of Spurs’ expected style of play under their new manager, Savinho should fit in nicely, he has immense potential and while he has struggled to score, he’s proven in the past that he can be a major contributor in the final third – and bringing him in as an alternative to Maddison isn’t quite such a strange idea as it may sound at first.

The deal isn’t done and there appear to be several obstacles to surmount, but neither is this looking like an unrealistic bid to make. Much will now depend on Savinho’s own opinion of the move, and whether Spurs really are also in the market for Paz or another attacking player.

Newcastle United need to add some more signings to their squad this summer

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Newcastle United have endured a tough summer on the transfer front so far. It has been well documented that they have missed out on some key targets. Nevertheless, they still have plenty of time to find alternative options before the window shuts on Monday 1st September.

Eddie Howe’s side managed to finish in the top five last season which means they are back in the Champions League. That should help them attract players over the coming weeks before the deadline. They lock horns with Aston Villa on Saturday at Villa Park to kick-start the new Premier League campaign.

Newcastle United should hijack Tottenham Hotspur move for Savinho

Tottenham Hotspur are in ‘talks’ with Manchester City over a deal for Savinho, as per The Athletic . The 21-year-old, who is a Brazil international with 13 caps to his name, is facing an uncertain future at the Etihad Stadium and may well move on for a new challenge somewhere else. He would be ideal for Newcastle and they should try and hijack Spurs’ deal, which could cost around £43m.

Savinho, who is from Sao Mateus, started his career at Atletico Mineiro and rose up through their academy ranks. He was a regular at various different youth levels before breaking into their first-team. The winger went on to make 35 appearances in all competitions as a teenager and scored two goals before heading over to Europe.

City Group members Troyes snapped him up in 2022 but he never made a senior appearance for the French club. Instead, he was loaned out to PSV and Girona to get some experience under his belt and boost his development. He was a hit during his time with the latter and scored 11 goals in 41 matches before City swooped in for him around 12 months ago.

Savinho played 48 matches for Pep Guardiola’s side altogether in the last campaign and found the net on three occasions. Despite his lack of goals, he still enjoyed plenty of game time with the 2024 champions. However, it remains to be seen at this stage whether he will be staying or moving on for a fresh start with Spurs looking to secure his signature under their new manager Thomas Frank.

Why Manchester City’s Savinho would suit Newcastle United

You could argue Savinho would get more game time at Newcastle than he would at Spurs. Frank has a few different options in his position to pick from including Brennan Johnson, Dejan Kulusevski and Mohamed Kudus meaning he may not be guaranteed a start. If he joined the Toon Army, their lack of incomings means he would be expected to be a key member of their starting XI.

If Howe was able to land his services, he would inject more quality into his team. He would give him more competition and depth at the top end of the pitch. In addition, he would provide something different to what they already have.

Savinho is still very young and has bags of potential to improve down the line. He is someone who likes to cut in from the right on his left foot and if he can find some more consistency, he could be a force to be reckoned with in the top flight next term. It would be a surprise to see City sell him, especially to a team in the same division, and they will hope they don’t live to rue the decision if he ends up having the same impact elsewhere as Cole Palmer has done at Chelsea.

Newcastle don’t need to panic just yet and are still an attractive proposition. Getting someone in like Savinho would give them a confidence boost and would excite the fans. They need players capable of getting their supporters off their seats as they gear up for life back in Europe.

The latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Spurs, Liverpool, Chelsea, Newcastle and more.

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It’s once again time for our morning round-up and review of some of the biggest and juiciest new Premier League transfer rumours – starting today with a story which may interest fans of both Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool.

Football Insider claim that Spurs could “hijack” RB Leipzig’s planned move for Harvey Elliott in the wake of news that James Maddison will miss most of the 2025/26 season with a serious ACL injury.

The versatile Liverpool midfielder would “tick a lot of boxes” for Spurs, apparently, and was on a three-man shortlist for a new attacking midfielder that they had before the summer, a list which also included Eberechi Eze and Morgan Gibbs-White, whose signing they recently fumbled.

Elliott is “set to leave” Liverpool in search of regular football and Spurs could suddenly be an option, and the North London outfit will go “toe-to-toe” with Leizpig to get a deal done. It’s suggested that £40m is the likely value of any transfer, matching reports elsewhere.

The 3AM Verdict: A few names have cropped up now that Spurs desperately need a replacement for Maddison, with Elliott getting fewer mentions than Jack Grealish but perhaps getting more mentions which carry some heft and which aren’t lacking for detail – no bid has yet been made for Elliott, but it’s absolutely possible.

Chelsea target €50m Colwill alternative

We’ll let the Spanish media provide us worth a story now – Fichajes claim that Chelsea have identified Barcelona centre-half Ronald Araujo as “one of the main options” now that they’re in the market for an injury replacement as well.

Colwill, like Maddison, is out for the long haul thanks to a ruptured ACL, and Chelsea are said to have launched a “search for a reliable centre-back” as a result, and the 26-year-old Araujo is apparently seen as an “ideal” target.

Barcelona, concerned by his recent form and fitness, are “willing to consider offers”, so long as they’re in the €50m (£43.5m) ballpark. Numerous teams have had interest in Araujo rebuffed in the last year or two, but the club’s finances mean that they could consider a sale now.

The 3AM Verdict: Look, Fichajes is not a great source, and they’ve published a great many stories which went nowhere over the years – but Araujo has been linked with both Chelsea and Manchester United on a number of occasions. That could mean that old rumours corroborate this claim – or maybe it simply means we’re looking at a quickly-rehashed story with little substance to it.

Another name in the frame for Newcastle’s striker search

Yesterday, when we last trawled through the latest rumours, we noted stories which suggested that Newcastle United could turn to Samu Agehowa after missing out on Benjamin Šeško – but the Porto forward may not be the only Portugal-based striker on their shortlist, according to Sport Witness.

They bring together some reports from Iberia which imply that Newcastle could hold “interest” in Benfica’s prolific Vangelis Pavlidis – and although the Magpies “haven’t made any advances” as yet, the Lisbon side are said to be concerned about the prospect of a bid coming in.

They have “no intention” of selling their star striker and may insist that Newcastle pay off his hefty €100m (£87m) release clause but, as the article notes, they do have the money. It’s suggested that Benfica could have a change of heart if there was a “convincing offer” at a slightly smaller price point.

The 3AM Verdict: With only the Portuguese media suggesting Pavlidis is an option at this point, we have to assume that he’s pretty low down on Newcastle’s list – but they have scouted him, we believe, and could well consider a move if the can’t agree a deal for other forwards they like the look of.

Newcastle United’s nightmare summer transfer window continues, and they need to get some business done

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Newcastle United have endured a frustrating summer on the recruitment front. Eddie Howe’s side have found it hard to compete with the likes of Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal for targets and have been left disappointed in numerous pursuits. Nevertheless, they still have plenty of time to find alternative options.

The transfer window shuts on Monday 1st September at a slightly earlier time of 7pm this year. That means teams up and down the country still have a few more weeks to conclude any final bits of incoming and outgoing bits of business. The Toon Army start the new Premier League season with an away trip to Villa Park to face Aston Villa on 16th August.

Newcastle United should hijack Tottenham Hotspur swoop for Rafael Leao

Like Newcastle, Tottenham Hotspur are preparing for life back in the Champions League. The London outfit qualified after beating United in the Europa League final in May in Bilbao. They subsequently sacked Ange Postecoglu and replaced him with Thomas Frank.

As per GiveMeSport, Spurs have been ‘offered’ the chance to sign AC Milan striker Rafael Leao. He is valued by his club at around £61m, according to reports from Football Italia, and is facing an uncertain future at the San Siro. It remains to be seen whether he will stay in Italy and Howe should look at making a move for him.

Leao, 26, would fit the bill for the Magpies if they managed to get him. He has been on the books of his current club since joining them back in 2019 and would now benefit from a new challenge and change of scene. The Portugal international, who has 40 caps under his belt, has made 260 appearances in all competitions since his switch to Serie A and has scored 70, 12 of which came in the last campaign.

The Almada-born man can also play on the wing as well as down the middle if needed which is useful. He started his career at Sporting Lisbon and rose up through their academy ranks. He was a regular for the Portuguese giants at various different youth levels before breaking into their first-team as a youngster after catching the eye with their B team.

Leao moved over to France in 2018 and was snapped up by Lille. He was a hit during his days in Ligue 1 and found the net on eight occasions in 26 outings before heading out the exit door. He should now test himself in England and show what he can do.

Why Rafael Leao would suit Newcastle United

Newcastle are crying out for some more firepower at the top end of the pitch. They need a new number nine and Leao would be a shrewd acquisition. He has proved that he can score goals at the top level and the fact he has been offered to Spurs by AC Milan suggests that he is out of favour.

If he joined the Toon Army, he would give them more competition in attack. He would also give Howe another versatile option to pick from in attack. They will have more fixtures coming their way next term after getting into Europe and must have sufficient depth at their disposal.

Despite the fact they haven’t been able to do the business they would have wanted to since the end of last season in terms of transfers, things aren’t all doom and gloom for Newcastle. Their fans can still look forward to some European nights under the lights and locking horns with some elite teams. In addition, Anthony Elanga is an eye-catching addition from Nottingham Forest and is someone capable of getting fans off their seats.

Aston Villa away will be a tricky first outing for Howe’s men and they will need to be at their best to get something. If they can sign someone of Leao’s calibre before they head to the Midlands, that would give their supporters a boost. They may need to fend off competition from Spurs and potentially others if they were to secure his services though.