Tottenham: Spurs Offer "Will Arrive" For "Stellar" Signing

Tottenham Hotspur will make an offer to sign Napoli goalkeeper Alex Meret, and there has already been an approach behind-the-scenes.

Who could Spurs sign to replace Lloris?

Spurs number one Hugo Lloris is slowly heading into the final season of his contract, prompting chairman Daniel Levy and club chiefs to weigh future replacements for the France international.

The 36-year-old, who signed for Tottenham over 10 years ago in a deal from Lyon, has been an ever-faithful servant between the sticks – making 446 appearances for the north Londoners in all competitions.

However, as he enters the twilight phase of his career, Spurs simply must look beyond Lloris and there have even been concerns over the star's form this season.

In terms of who Spurs could sign to succeed Lloris, there have been links to the likes of Brentford goalkeeper David Raya, Leeds United's Illan Meslier and Valencia shot-stopper Giorgi Mamardashvili.

Soccer Football – Champions League – Group A – Liverpool v Napoli – Anfield, Liverpool, Britain – November 1, 2022 Napoli’s Alex Meret reacts REUTERS/Carl Recine

Meret is also among the keepers who could be targeted by Tottenham, with a report by La Repubblica (via Area Napoli) sharing the latest on their pursuit.

According to the Italian newspaper, an offer 'will arrive' for the 26-year-old who has been one of the 'protagonists' of Napoli's title-chasing season. Tottenham have already made a behind-scenes approach for Meret, asking for information on the player.

After this contact, Napoli asked for more time to consider Meret's future – postponing discussions until the end of this Serie A campaign.

Now, there are apparently two possibilities – either Napoli's keeper extends his deal at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium or Luciano Spalletti's side 'evaluate' every offer.

Should Tottenham sign Meret?

As per WhoScored, only Giovanni Di Lorenzo has featured over more Italian top flight minutes than Meret, highlighting just how crucial he is for Spalletti's side.

He has been consistently billed as one of the club's shining lights this season and is about to make history as a member of Napoli's first title-winning squad in over 30 years.

Meret has also been showered with praise by members of the media in recent years, with journalist Roberto Rojas calling him a 'stellar goalkeeper' for his efforts.

The shot-stopper has also been likened to Gianluigi Buffon by Udinese legend Antonio Di Natale, who said this to Radio Kiss Kiss (via SportStar) back in 2018:

"I saw him grow in all aspects, both technically and in terms of character. Napoli have secured a goalkeeper for the next 10 years. For me, he's the new Buffon."

Wolves Keen On "All-Action" £40k p/w Midfielder

Wolverhampton Wanderers target Ibrahim Sangare 'would thrive' in the Premier League if Julen Lopetegui was to bring him to Molineux this summer, according to journalist Pete O'Rourke.

What's the latest transfer news involving Ibrahim Sangare?

As per 90min, Wolves were among a host of Premier League teams to send scouts to watch PSV take on Ajax in the Eredivisie earlier this month.

Both Ajax defender Jurrien Timber and PSV midfielder Sangare were put under the microscope during the affair, with the latter said to have a €37 million (£32.5 million) release clause inserted into his current contract at The Philips Stadion.

As per Football Insider, Liverpool are also keen on Sangare this summer but suggest that a fee of £45 million may be enough to lure him away from his current employers.

The Reds alongside West Ham were both admirers of him last year, though no move materialised and he instead stayed put and has since gone on to be a key part of Ruud Van Nistelrooy's side.

Capology understands Sangare pockets around €46,154 (£40k) per week at PSV on a deal that runs until June 2027.

Wolves face uncertainty over the future of midfield pairing Ruben Neves and Matheus Nunes heading into the off-season, with both being linked with moves to Manchester United and Liverpool, respectively.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist O'Rourke is of the opinion that bringing in Sangare would be a coup at Molineux.

Jones told FFC: "I think he'd be a good signing for Wolves or anybody else in the Premier League because I think he's your modern-day all-action midfielder and definitely somebody who I think could thrive in the Premier League."

Would Ibrahim Sangare be a good signing for Wolverhampton Wanderers?

Sangare possesses the ability to make a significant impact in both boxes and could be a very smart signing by Wolves boss Lopetegui in the summer transfer window.

In 2022/23, the 25-year-old enforcer has made 41 appearances in all competitions for PSV, registering seven goals and three assists, as per Transfermarkt.

The Ivorian has also managed to make around 2.5 successful challenges per game this term, showing his tenacity in being able to turn over possession, according to WhoScored.

Ibrahim Sangare in Europa League action for PSV Eindhoven against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.

Furthermore, as per the same outlet, Sangare managed to maintain an average rating of 7.11/10 in the Dutch top-flight this campaign, demonstrating how consistent his performances have been for PSV.

If both Neves and Nunes are to walk through the Molineux exit doors in the next few months, Sangare could be a brilliant replacement to freshen up the engine room and provide some new impetus in midfield for Wolves heading into 2023/24.

Newcastle: £90k-p/w Titan The Shining Light Vs Arsenal

Newcastle United's three-game winning streak in the Premier League came to an end at St. James' Park on Sunday as they were beaten 2-0 by Arsenal.

The Magpies started the game strongly and came within inches of taking the lead through Jacob Murphy as his shot crashed off the post.

However, they failed to capitlise on their early dominance and were made to pay for it when Martin Odegaard collected the ball from Jorginho and brilliantly found the bottom corner of Nick Pope's goal from distance before half time.

The second goal then came with just under 20 minutes to go as Gabriel Martinelli exposed the space left by Kieran Tierney out wide to put a cross in that as diverted into his own net by central defender Fabian Schar.

Despite the frustrating result and performance, Sven Botman is one player who came away from the game with credit as the Dutch defender passed his Champions League audition with flying colours at St. James' Park.

How did Sven Botman perform against Arsenal?

The former Lille defender put in an excellent display at the heart of the defence, whilst his partner Schar struggled and scored an own goal, and his showing will please Eddie Howe as it shows that the youngster is capable of playing against the best of the best.

Newcastle's Bruno Guimaraes and Sven Botman challenging Arsenal's Gabriel Jesus.

Arsenal are second in the division and, with the likes of Odegaard, Bukayo Saka, and Martinelli, have the kind of squad that the Magpies will be facing on a regular basis next season if they are able to qualify for Europe's premier competition.

The step up to playing elite European football may be too far for some but Botman's performance against the Gunners on Sunday suggests that he has the quality to make it.

As per Sofascore, the £90k-per-week defender won a whopping 100% (9/9) of his individual duels in the match and made three tackles and two clearances – winning all of his four aerial battles and all five on the ground.

The Dutch titan was a brick wall at the back and prevented the away side from creating more chances and extending their lead further by dominating Gabriel Jesus and any other Arsenal players who drifted into central positions in an attempt to cause him problems.

Botman was also composed and efficient in possession as the gem completed 89% of his attempted passes and three of his five long passes, which shows that he was reliable on the ball to go along with his exceptional defensive efforts.

If this performance is a sign of things to come from the Dutchman against elite opposition for Newcastle then he will be in for an excellent campaign in the Champions League next season if the club are able to secure qualification in the final four matches.

West Ham United Eyeing Free "Outstanding" Rice Successor

West Ham United are interested in a deal to bring Bournemouth midfielder Jefferson Lerma to the London Stadium, according to reports.

What's the latest on Lerma's future?

The Colombia international first arrived in the Premier League back in 2018 and has since gone on to make 181 appearances for the Cherries, becoming a fan favourite at the Vitality Stadium, even ranking as Gary O’Neil’s third best-performing offensive player this season despite him naturally sitting just in front of the backline.

However, the 28-year-old will be out of contract at the end of the season meaning that he is set to become a free agent on the market during the upcoming window should he not extend his stay on the south coast, and his potential availability appears to have grabbed the attention of David Moyes.

According to TEAMtalk, West Ham are “keen” to sign Lerma this summer, with top-flight rivals Crystal Palace and Fulham also hoping to “lure” him to the capital. Leicester City and Nottingham Forest are additionally interested in wrapping up a deal. The Cherries would like their midfielder to stay beyond the conclusion of the current campaign, but he is “exploring his options” and his club are therefore “facing a battle” to retain his services.

Bournemouth midfielder Jefferson Lerma.

Where would Lerma fit in at West Ham?

West Ham do have plenty of options available in the midfield but Declan Rice has been heavily linked with an exit as he looks to secure a move to a club that are competing at the highest level, so should he depart, Lerma could be his ideal successor having been hailed an “outstanding” player by journalist Josh Bunting.

The Nike-sponsored star is naturally a defensive midfielder which is proven by him ranking in the 98th percentile for clearances whilst winning 26 of his tackles from 44 players challenged this season, as per FBRef, but he can also contribute to his team’s efforts in the final third with five goals to his name since the start of the term.

The World Cup participant would furthermore add some much-needed versatility to Moyes’ squad having operated in six different positions since first bursting onto the scene, including four in the midfield but also two in defence.

The Irons need to remember that Lerma would quite literally cost them nothing to initially recruit which is a huge bonus compared to the exponential price tags likely to be placed on some of their other high-profile targets, but Bournemouth have a hidden gem in their talisman and so it’s up to the board to act fast should they want to beat their fellow competitors to his signature in the weeks and months ahead.

Newcastle Join Rivals In Race To Sign "Complete Package"

Newcastle United are among the Premier League clubs to have sent scouts to watch OGC Nice defender Jean-Clair Todibo in action, Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

How big a prospect is Todibo?

The Frenchman is a bit of a rising star at Nice currently, proving to be one of their most important players and performing consistently well at centre-back. He made 35 appearances in all competitions this season, 34 of which have been starts, and he has averaged 2.3 tackles per game in Ligue 1.

Todibo was once at Barcelona, but struggled to make the grade there, and he has also enjoyed loan spells at the likes of Schalke, Benfica and Nice, prior to joining the latter on a permanent basis in 2021. At 23, he has increasingly matured in recent years and his reputation appears to be growing all the time.

While Newcastle have been superb defensively all season long, only conceding 29 times in 34 Premier League outings, they could still be looking for centre-back reinforcements in the summer transfer window. That's where Todibo comes into play, with the Magpies seemingly eyeing a move for him.

Soccer Football – Europa Conference League – Group D – Partizan Belgrade v OGC Nice – Partizan Stadium, Belgrade, Serbia – September 15, 2022 OGC Nice’s Jean-Clair Todibo in action with Partizan Belgrade’s Ricardo Gomes REUTERS/Novak Djurovic

Are Newcastle interested in Todibo?

Taking to Twitter, Romano reported that Newcastle have sent representatives to watch the Nice defender in action, although they aren't alone in showing an interest in him:

"Understand Newcastle, Manchester Utd and Liverpool scouts were in attendance at Nice-Rennes game to monitor Jean Clair Todibo. French centre back could get top club move in the summer — with price tag understood to be around €45m."

Todibo certainly looks like a massive prospect – football talent scout Jacek Kulig has labelled him as the "complete package" and lauded his "superb build-up and defensive attributes" – and he could be a brilliant signing by Newcastle at the end of the season.

Sven Botman is clearly a huge player for the Magpies, but it could be argued that an upgrade on Fabian Schar as the Dutchman's regular centre-back partner could take them to another level. The Swiss is now 31 years of age, and if Eddie Howe's side are reach that next step in 2023/24 and beyond, he possibly needs to become a squad player moving forward.

In Todibo, Newcastle would be getting a top-quality young prospect with a high ceiling, and while he hasn't yet been capped for France, he has every chance of it on his current trajectory, having made one appearance for his country's Under-21 side, and five for the Under-20s.

Liverpool Told To Sign "Unbelievable" £69m Dynamo By Klopp

Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp has personally requested to bring Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella to the Premier League, according to reports.

Who is Nicolo Barella?

The Italian international completed a permanent move to the San Siro Stadium in 2020 following a successful loan spell the season before, as per Transfermarkt, and he’s since gone on to make a total of 182 appearances for Simone Inzaghi’s side.

Despite his contract still having another three years remaining, the 26-year-old has been the Serie A outfit’s overall third-best-performing player this season with a WhoScored match rating of 6.94, and this impressive form has seemingly caught the eye of those at Anfield.

Calciomercato have reported that the Merseysiders have a stand-out interest in the highly-rated talent and are, as it stands, the only club name-checked to be following him, with Klopp claimed to be in love with his target.

Are Liverpool signing Barella?

Now, according to InterLive.it (via Sport Witness), Liverpool are “keeping an eye” on Barella as a result of Klopp “constantly” talking about him behind the scenes, and it’s stated that the boss has personally asked FSG “for an effort” to get a deal over the line during the upcoming window.

The Reds submitting an official offer worth €80m (£69m) for the midfielder is a “possibility”, and whilst Milan hope to “do their best” to retain his services, they know it would be “hard to resist” a sizable bid from this calibre of club.

Inter Milan midfielder Nicolo Barella.

Liverpool have confirmed that James Milner, Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain will all be leaving as free agents at the end of the season, so several central reinforcements will be needed, and having been hailed “unbelievable” by one podcaster from Anfield Talk, Barella could be the perfect candidate to put pen to paper.

The Champions League participant has 12 goal contributions (seven assists and five goals) to his name in 32 Serie A appearances this season, with this impressive run of form having seen him receive four Player of the Match awards.

As per FBRef, Inter’s talisman has also recorded 116 shot-creating actions since the start of the term which is the second-highest throughout the whole of his squad, showing that he’s always looking to produce chances for his fellow teammates even if he isn’t on the scoresheet himself.

Finally, Barella knows what it takes to compete and be successful at the highest level having got his hands on six trophies since bursting onto the professional scene, so he would match the winning mentality and fighting spirit of the current squad that are already in the northwest.

Spurs Plot Summer Move For £2.7k-p/w "Rolls Royce"

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly keeping tabs on Peterborough United sensation, Ronnie Edwards, having previously been linked with a move for the youngster last summer.

What's the latest on Edwards to Tottenham?

According to Football League World, the Lilywhites – as well as West Ham United – are believed to have been watching the 20-year-old for 'some time', with an exit from London Road said to be potentially on the cards for the promising centre-back following the League One side's failure to secure promotion.

This follows a previous report from the Daily Mail last summer which claimed that the north London outfit and fellow Premier League side, Crystal Palace were set to battle it out for the 5 foot 11 ace, with a fee of around £15m having been mooted.

The Sun also noted in the past that Sir Alex Ferguson had urged his former club Manchester United to make a move for the Harlow-born starlet, with that further indication of just how highly-regarded Edwards is.

Who is Ronnie Edwards?

The £2.7k-per-week defender – who joined his current side from Barnet back in 2020 – is regarded as an "incredible talent", according to manager Darren Ferguson, with the Scotsman also hailing his precocious gem as "easily the best young player I’ve managed".

Also described as a "Rolls Royce" by Peterborough chairman, Barry Fry, the England U20 international has been a leading figure for the lower-league side of late despite his relative youth, having kept 15 clean sheets in 42 league games this season, while also averaging two tackles and 1.3 interceptions per game.

That stellar impact has unsurprisingly sparked interest from Levy and co, with there a potential for young Edwards to be the next EFL star to make the jump up to the Premier League, following in the footsteps of compatriot and fellow defender, John Stones.

Man City's John Stones

In the case of the latter man, the 28-year-old began life lower down the footballing pyramid at hometown club, Barnsley, before being snapped up on a £3m deal by Everton at the age of just 18 in 2013.

That move to Goodison Park quickly proved fruitful as the 6 foot 2 ace went on to make 95 appearances for the Toffees over the next three years, with former boss Roberto Martinez describing him as "potentially the best centre-back that England has ever produced" in 2015.

A £47.5m move to Manchester City soon followed in the summer of 2016, with Stones having gone on to claim five Premier League titles since then under Pep Guardiola, notably being praised for his "magnificent" form this season, according to BT Sport pundit, Rio Ferdinand.

Following his relatively humble beginnings at Oakwell, the 66-cap gem is now a key figure for both club and country, with young Edwards no doubt hoping he can emulate that feat if he is to seal his own top-flight move this summer.

Having seen the success that Stones has achieved at the Etihad of late, Spurs may well be keen to find their own version of the City star with the capture of the emerging Peterborough wonderkid.

Tottenham Could Secure "Stunning" £20k-p/w Son Clone

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to steal a wonderful signing from under the nose of a Premier League rival.

What’s the latest on Manor Solomon to Tottenham Hotspur?

That’s according to journalists Jack Pitt-Brooke and Peter Rutzler, who claim that Daniel Levy has sparked an interest in signing Manor Solomon on a free transfer.

Writing for The Athletic, they suggest that the chairman will seek to capitalise on a technicality this summer, which will see the Israeli winger leave his parent club, Shakhtar Donetsk, on a free transfer.

Despite spending the year on loan at Fulham, the Lilywhites are reportedly at the front of the queue for the 23-year-old.

How good is Manor Solomon?

Although the diminutive wide man had built up a reputation before his move to England, most notably for his role in the Ukraine outfits demolition of Real Madrid in 2020, it was only after his move to Craven Cottage that more casual fans became aware of his talents.

Despite only scoring four times across 19 games this term, almost all the strikes were something truly magnificent to behold, including in the FA Cup triumph over Leeds United.

Journalist Josh Bunting even noted just how “stunning” the start of his year had been on Twitter after he had headed home an equaliser against Brentford.

With a seemingly patented technique for finding the net, cutting in from the left onto his favoured right foot, even Solomon’s running style mirrors that of Heung-min Son alongside this consistent scoring style.

Those fine finishes are best compared to the South Korean’s north London derby scorcher in 2020, as he too came inside from that flank to curl home from all of 30 yards.

Whilst their actual numbers are far from similar, Solomon has only been limited to 31 minutes per game in the league, thus explaining his lack of proficiency.

heung-min-son-spurs

Son’s ten goals in the league have come across 2,899 minutes of play time, and thus has averaged a goal every 289 minutes. Conversely, across a cumulative 561 minutes for the Cottagers’ star, he instead finds the net on average once every 140 minutes. That does little to offset the gulf shown when the 30-year-old is on form, as he notched 23 goals last season, but remains worth noting.

Whilst their shared stature also likens Son and Solomon, the latter’s aforementioned penchant for the big occasion mirrors the former Bayer Leverkusen star, who showcased his quality in their fierce derby whilst also having scored five against Liverpool and four against Manchester United, via Transfermarkt.

Meanwhile, the £20k-per-week trickster scored in both of their wins over Real Madrid in the 2020/21 campaign, as they defied the odds. This was alongside nine league goals from the flank too, to compound a successful season.

Whilst fans might note this as an underwhelming signing by Levy, again seeking to find a bargain rather than a quality option in the market, his similarities to Son would make him the perfect understudy to push him back to those old goalscoring ways.

Rangers Eyeing Swoop To Sign £17k-p/w Marksman

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their plans to improve their attacking options in the upcoming summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Sam Lammers to Rangers?

According to Monday's edition of The Scottish Daily Mail [via Ibrox News], the Light Blues are keeping tabs on Sampdoria's loanee centre-forward, Sam Lammers.

The report claims that the Dutch number nine is one of a number of players on the club's shortlist as they attempt to replace Alfredo Morelos, who is set to depart on a free transfer this summer.

It is stated that the Serie A attacker, whose parent club is Atalanta, is also out of contract in the coming weeks and this means that the Gers could snap him up for nothing ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Who is Sam Lammers?

He is a 26-year-old striker from the Netherlands who has struggled since leaving his home country to play in Italy and Rangers could get him back to his best by partnering the ace with Todd Cantwell next season.

Rangers midfielder Todd Cantwell.

Since the start of the 2020/21 campaign, Lammers has scored five league goals for Empoli, Atalanta, Sampdoria, and Eintracht Frankfurt combined and this run of form does not suggest that the attacker would be a good signing for the Light Blues.

However, the former Dutch U21 international, who talent scout Jacek Kulig hailed as "two-footed", enjoyed a prolific spell in the Eredivisie and for PSV at youth level and Michael Beale could have some player on his hands if he is able to get him on top form.

Lammers scored 19 goals and provided five assists in 35 appearances for Heerenveen in all competitions in 2018/19 after he caught the eye during his time in PSV's academy.

The marksman plundered an impressive 46 goals and 21 assists in 101 appearances for the Dutch giants at U19 and U21 level combined.

These statistics suggest that the £17k-per-week finisher has the potential to be a prolific scorer, and provider, at Ibrox if he can get back to the levels of form he displayed at PSV and Heerenveen and Cantwell could help him to do just that.

The Englishman was a shining light in the Scottish Premiership in the second half of the season after joining from Norwich in the January window.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.36 across 14 appearances in the division and contributed with six goals and four assists from the middle of the park.

The maestro also created five 'big chances' for his teammates and made 1.3 key passes per game, which shows that the magician is capable of opening up the opposition's defence to create opportunities for his teammates.

Therefore, Cantwell could be exactly the man Lammers needs to return to his goalscoring best as the Norfolk-born wizard could present him with chances to find the back of the net on a regular basis in the Premiership, which could make them an exciting pairing for the Light Blues.

64 y/o Handed Bizzare Present Ahead Of Napoli Exit

Napoli ultras have returned the steering wheel from Luciano Spalletti’s stolen Fiat Panda as a parting gift with the manager set to leave after winning Serie A.

Why was Luciano Spalletti’s car stolen?

It’s been a remarkable season for the Italian club as they won their first Scudetto since 1990 – back when Diego Maradona was dazzling defenders for Gli Azzurri.

Napoli’s recent success is quite remarkable when you consider that the manager had his beloved Fiat Panda stolen during protests in 2021. Not long after, the ultra’s then offered him an ultimatum about returning the car if Spalletti would leave.

The manager quipped back: “First of all we have to see in what condition the Panda will be returned in, how many kilometres it has travelled, whether there are Pino Daniele CDs inside.”

Well, both parties have now stuck to their promise as even the CDs have been returned to the 64-year-old Italian who is set to take a sabbatical in the summer and leave.

As shown in footage circulated on Twitter, the Napoli ultras met Spalletti inside the club’s dressing room before handing him a big blue box. He unwraps the present and breaks into a big smile, having had his property returned at last.

Why is Spalletti leaving Napoli?

Spalletti took charge of Napoli in 2021 and has kept up a remarkable rate of 2.10 points per game since then, which helped deliver a first Serie A title in 33 years.

However, after securing the Scudetto, he immediately spoke about how much it had taken out of him, telling the press:

“I no longer have the energy to be up to the standard of what people love so much, so I have to take two steps back and leave.

“I am not someone who changes idea easily and I decided to leave because I feel that I’ve given all I had.”

Despite still having one year on his contract, President Aurelio De Laurentiis was happy to acquiesce to this demand, telling Italian broadcaster Rai (via Evening Standard): “He’s a free man, now it’s right that he continues to do what he wants. I thank him.”

And so now was the perfect moment for the ultras to finally return those stolen items and allow Spalletti to depart on perfect terms.

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