Category Uncategorized

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is ‘giving consideration’ to a potential move to Bayern Munich, according to 90min journalist Sean Walsh.

The Lowdown: Bayern interest

The 29-year-old has been the subject of strong interest from the Allianz, with the Bundesliga outfit having failed to sign him earlier in the summer, and they are now believed to be preparing a second big-money approach.

The Three Lions skipper has two years remaining on his deal with the Premier League giants, but Spurs are yet to open talks over a new contract, and reports have suggested that he is open-minded about a move elsewhere.

The Latest: Kane open to Spurs exit

Taking to Twitter, Walsh revealed that Kane is now thinking about Bayern, who have ‘advanced’ their chase, leaving Fabio Paratici ‘concerned’.

“Tottenham are becoming increasingly concerned about Bayern Munich’s pursuit of Harry Kane.

“Spurs aren’t in a rush to finalise new deal (up in 2024), but the England captain is giving consideration to Bayern’s interest which has advanced recently.”

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-developments-2/” title=”Tottenham latest developments!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Need to act fast

Tottenham’s hierarchy seem adamant not to begin contract negotiations simply due to Bayern’s interest, but they need to act fast and tie him down if they don’t want to risk losing their star man.

The forward, dubbed a ‘legend’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, has played a significant part in the Lilywhites’ success over the years, netting 254 goals and providing 60 assists in 395 appearances (Transfermarkt).

Whilst Spurs would likely receive a huge sum should Kane depart, he’s pretty much an irreplaceable player and one that the club would miss dearly if they failed to retain his services.

After a superb loan spell at Selhurst Park last season, it was always likely that Crystal Palace would be linked with re-signing Chelsea’s Conor Gallagher this summer, but now it seems as if the Eagles are leading the race to sign him.

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail, Palace are at the front of the queue if Thomas Tuchel decides to let the 22-year-old midfielder leave this summer, as Patrick Vieira is a huge fan of the youngster and wants him back at the club.

Much will depend on the attitude of Chelsea’s German manager, as while it is unclear whether Gallagher is part of his long-term plans at Stamford Bridge, current injuries to N’Golo Kante and Mateo Kovacic suggest that the England international is unlikely to be sold.

However, with the World Cup coming up in three months’ time, Gallagher will be hoping to receive regular football as he looks to keep his place in Gareth Southgate’s squad, and he may feel that won’t be possible at Chelsea, as he only made his first ever start for the club in the 3-0 defeat against Leeds United last weekend.

Different class for Vieira

Gallagher showed last season just how important he could be for Palace. The young midfielder was ranked as the Eagles’ best performer across the Premier League season according to WhoScored, earning an impressive 7.09 rating for his performances.

The midfielder contributed eight goals and three assists in the top flight and was a mainstay in Vieira’s side, so the French manager would definitely love to have him back on a permanent basis.

Gallagher’s performances last season earned him a lot of plaudits, as he was dubbed a “pressing machine” by ex-professional footballer Mark Duffy, while talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara also sang his praises after a brace against West Ham.

He said:

“I thought Conor Gallagher was absolutely a different class. I watched him at Charlton, and then he went to Swansea and he was in and out of it a little bit and then he was at West Brom last season and he was good, but watching him for Palace it looks like he’s gone to another level again.”

Although the Daily Mail report suggests that he would set Palace back as much as £35m, it would surely be a worthwhile investment for a player that was so important last season and still has so much potential to improve.

Arsenal have suffered a big blow ahead of their Premier League opener against Crystal Palace tomorrow night…

What’s the latest?

The Gunners open the 2022/23 campaign with a trip to Selhurst Park as top-flight football makes a return but they will do so without the services of attacking midfielder Emile Smith Rowe, who has been ruled out through injury.

According to the Evening Standard, the 22-year-old has struggled with fitness throughout pre-season and missed last weekend’s final friendly with a groin problem.

He could be fit in time for their first home game of the season against Leicester City at the Emirates Stadium next week.

“It’s just my groin at the moment, I am getting a bit of pain in there. It’s getting better and I should be back soon,” Smith Rowe told Standard Sport.

Big blow for Arteta

This will come as a gutting blow to manager Mikel Arteta as he will want to start the new season off in the best way possible, especially after last season’s theatrics.

Indeed, the Gunners endured a nightmare beginning to the 2021/22 campaign as they were beaten by Brentford; that was on a Friday, away from home, in front of the lights and cameras, too.

Arsenal have enjoyed a successful off-season, going unbeaten in their pre-season matches and sealing some impressive bits of business off the pitch, namely Gabriel Jesus and Oleksandr Zinchenko from reigning champions Manchester City.

But the north London giants spent big last summer, only to start the season off in disastrous fashion and their chances of avoiding a repeat have been dented in the absence of Smith Rowe, who is a crucial cog in Arteta’s system.

Not only does he offer versatility to play anywhere in the final third but he’s also a huge threat. Only Bukayo Saka (11) scored more goals in the Premier League last season, as per WhoScored.

Meanwhile, when compared to other attacking midfielders and wingers in the top-flight last term, Smith Rowe ranks favourable, sitting within the top 2% for shots on target, the top 4% for pass completion and the top 9% for successful dribbles, via FBref, which merely highlights his influence in attack.

That is why Arteta will surely be gutted to not have the England international available on Friday, though there is some hope that he can be involved in the coming weeks.

AND in other news, Arteta could unearth Arsenal’s next Martinelli in “versatile” teen with a “big future”…

Nottingham Forest have been praised by reporter Jacque Talbot following a major development involving big name free agent and former Man United star Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: Forest enter chase…

After what has been a very busy and head-turning transfer window for manager Steve Cooper at the City Ground, it appears the Reds are absolutely not done yet.

Forest have made a real statement with their business this summer having completed ten signings already with still over a month and a half of the window remaining.

After sealing Premier League promotion via the play-offs over 2021/2022, Cooper and co are seemingly intent on maintaining their place in England’s top flight judging by their swift flurry of incomings.

As per reliable reports, it appears they’re now eyeing another capture as they enter advanced talks to sign Lingard on a Bosman deal – potentially gazumping West Ham in the process.

The Latest: Journalist praises Forest…

Taking to Twitter, reporter Talbot has heaped praise on Forest as they eye an ‘unprecedented’ move to beat the east Londoners to Lingard.

He explained:

“It would be an unprecedented statement for newly-promoted Nottingham Forest to knock Premier League regulars and Europa League finalists West Ham off their perch in the pursuit of Jesse Lingard, whether you agree with his behaviour or not. Never seen anything like it.”

The Verdict: Would be huge…

If Forest haven’t announced their presence back in the big time already, winning the Lingard race against a side with European football on offer would go some way to making their voices well and truly heard.

After a long absence from the pinnacle of English football, Reds fans should be assured their club will not rest on their laurels and display plenty of ambition before the beginning of what will be a very interesting 2022/2023 campaign.

Pete O’Rourke has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Pau Torres.

What’s the talk?

In a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT, the transfer insider revealed that, despite Fabio Paratici recently completing the signing of Barcelona’s Clement Lenglet on a season-long loan, Spurs could yet pursue a deal for the Villarreal defender this summer – for whom the LaLiga side are reported to be demanding a figure of around £45m.

The journalist went on to state that, although Manchester United are also reported to be in the running for the 25-year-old’s signature, with Antonio Conte being able to offer the Spain international Champions League football next season, it is likely that Tottenham would have the upper hand on Erik ten Hag’s side in the race for Torres.

Regarding Spurs’ interest in the 19-cap international, O’Rourke said: “I think it would be fair to say that Spurs will be the frontrunners if it came down to the two clubs to sign Pau Torres. Champions League football will be a big carrot for the Spain international to bring him to England.

“Also, if Manchester United were to sign Lisandro Martinez, that means maybe Pau Torres is not at the top of their agenda right now either. If Tottenham were to move for Pau Torres, I think they would be pretty confident that they might be able to get a deal done.”

A massive coup

Considering just how impressive a talent Torres undoubtedly is, in addition to the fact that Manchester United are also believed to be in the running for the Spaniard this summer, should Paratici manage to get a deal for the 25-year-old over the line this summer, it would certainly represent a massive coup for Tottenham.

Indeed, over his 33 LaLiga appearances last season, the £60m-rated centre-back was in imperious form, helping Unai Emery’s side keep 11 clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 0.6 interceptions, 1.0 tackles, 3.1 clearances and winning 4.0 duels – at a success rate of 66% – per fixture.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-spurs-news-transfer-rumours-gossip-much-more” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

The £126k-per-week defender also posed a threat going forwards, scoring five goals, providing one assist and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as completing an average of 51.4 passes, 4.2 long balls, 0.8 dribbles and taking 0.7 shots per game.

These metrics saw the player who Ryan Haber dubbed a “dream” signing average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.09, ranking him as Villarreal’s joint third-best performer in the top flight of Spanish football last time out.

The Yellow Submarines’ star also played a crucial role in his club’s run to the semi-final of the Champions League in 2021/22, helping his side keep three clean sheets, scoring one goal and creating two big chances, in addition to making an average of 1.3 tackles, 0.8 interceptions, 5.2 clearances and winning 3.0 duels – at a success rate of 67% – over his 12 outings in the competition.

These returns saw the Spaniard average a SofaScore match rating of 7.00, ranking him as Villarreal’s fourth-best player in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

As such, with Conte clearly looking to make Spurs competitive in both the Premier League and in Europe next season with his transfer business this summer, it is clear to see that the signing of Torres would be a remarkable piece of business for Paratici to get over the line – leading us to believe that O’Rourke’s update is fantastic news for everyone involved with the club.

AND in other news: Paratici could land “unreal” Spurs signing after talks for “ingenious” £60m target

An update has emerged on Newcastle and their pursuit of Hugo Ekitike in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

In his Chronicle Live Q&A, Lee Ryder has revealed that the Magpies are expecting to meet with the Frenchman to discuss a move in the coming days.

A supporter asked for an update on the situation with the Stade Reims gem and Ryder replied: “Certainly on Ekitike the club are hopeful of finally getting face to face with the player and agent this week.”

Earlier this month, Keith Downie claimed that the Toon are looking to wrap up a deal in the region of £25m for the France U21 international.

Eddie Howe will be delighted

The Magpies’ boss will be delighted by this news as it suggests that he will finally have an opportunity to speak to the player in person.

If Howe is part of the team meeting with Ekitike, along with Dan Ashworth, then he will have the chance to convince the player that a move to St. James’ Park is the right one for him to make. He can assure the gem about his playing time and make him feel like he will be a valuable member of the squad.

The ex-Bournemouth boss will be keen to persuade the 20-year-old to come over to Tyneside as he has the potential to be an exceptional signing for the club.

In Ligue 1 last season, the striker enjoyed a fantastic campaign as he plundered ten goals and three assists in 15 starts for Reims. He was able to make a big impact in the final third on a regular basis, despite his young age, and this suggests that he can be an upgrade on Howe’s current options in attack.

No Newcastle player scored more than eight goals in the Premier League last term and the signing of Ekitike would provide a much-needed boost at that end of the pitch. Callum Wilson was the only Toon attacker with more than five goals and this suggests that Howe is in desperate need of attacking reinforcements.

At the age of 20, the Reims centre-forward would also be a signing for the future as he has room to develop and hone his skills in the years to come. This means that Howe can enjoy working with him over the course of multiple seasons and can take pride in helping him to fulfil his potential, which is why he will be buzzing to meet with the player this week to discuss a deal.

AND in other news, PIF plotting NUFC swoop for “infectious” £50m “class act”, just imagine him & Trippier…

Wolves manager Bruno Lage met with Benfica striker Haris Seferovic over the weekend, according to a fresh report which has emerged.

The Lowdown: Attacking reinforcements needed

The Old Gold were rather goal-shy in the Premier League this season, scoring only 38 times in as many matches, so attacking reinforcements could be needed this summer.

Wolves’ end product often left a lot to be desired and it arguably played a part in their European hopes eventually evaporating late in the campaign.

A new rumour is now doing the rounds which suggests that a new striker could be heading to Molineux.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/all-the-latest-from-wolves-8/” title=”All the latest from Wolves!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

The Latest: Lage meets with Seferovic

According to A Bola, Lage met with Seferovic in Lisbon on Saturday ahead of Switzerland’s UEFA Nations League clash against Portugal.

However, the report suggested that this meeting could have been ‘a mere courtesy’, with the two men knowing each other from their mutual time at Benfica.

The 30-year-old Swiss marksman scored three goals and registered two assists in four Primeira Liga starts last season, netting 74 times in 188 appearances for the Lisbon club overall and 110 times in total across his senior club career.

[freshpress-quiz id=“398117″]

The Verdict: Potential Jimenez replacement?

Should the meeting have been transfer-related, Seferovic could be viewed as a strong replacement for Raul Jimenez further down the line, with the 31-year-old Mexican experiencing a downturn in form last season and reports claiming that the Switzerland striker has previously expressed a desire to play in the Premier League.

The Benfica marksman has pedigree, having scored 24 goals in 84 caps for Switzerland, although he would likely cost a substantial amount considering that his contract doesn’t expire until 2024.

It is again worth stating that the meeting could simply have been social, but if it turns out that it were with an eye to a possible Molineux move, it could be an exciting link to keep an eye on over the summer as a prospective much-needed addition to Lage’s ranks.

In other news, one Spanish source has dropped a Wolves transfer claim. Read more here.

Newcastle United have been handed a big injury lift ahead of their clash with Burnley in the Premier League on Sunday…

What’s the latest?

New Zealand international Chris Wood may be in contention to return to the squad, as he has made his injury comeback at Darsley Park this week.

The striker missed out on the matchday squad as the Magpies beat Arsenal 2-0 at St. James’ Park earlier this week, but he could now be fit to face his former side.

Newcastle World reporter Jordan Cronin tweeted on Friday: “#NUFC INJURY NEWS Chris Wood will train today ahead of Burnley. United are following concussion protocols re Fabian Schar, so a late decision will be made. Ryan Fraser felt his hamstring again versus Arsenal and is unlikely to feature.”

Eddie Howe will be delighted

This update will surely leave the Toon head coach delighted, as Wood is a strong option for him to be able to use off the bench, particularly given Callum Wilson’s condition.

The ex-Bournemouth attacker has only played two matches since December and may not be able to handle another full 90 minutes in this game. Howe will not want to overwork the 30-year-old and send him into the summer with a fresh injury setback, which is why having another decent player to call upon in that position will be a big boost.

Dwight Gayle came off the bench against Arsenal but he has endured a horrific time on Tyneside in the last two years. He has zero goals or assists in eight Premier League appearances this term and managed only one goal and one assist in 18 outings in 2020/21.

The ex-Crystal Palace forward is just not good enough to lead the line for Newcastle, and that is why having Wood available is a big boost. Whilst he has only scored five goals in 33 games for the Toon and Burnley combined this season, he has won a whopping 6.2 aerial battles and created 0.6 chances per game while showcasing his strength in the air.

Meanwhile, Gayle won 0.6 aerial battles per game last term and 0.1 per match in the current campaign. This shows that, whilst neither of them has been prolific, Wood offers more at the top end of the pitch as he can be a focal point for the team. He has the quality and strength to be an outlet for his team-mates to use when they are under pressure.

This is why Howe will be buzzing to have him available this afternoon, as the New Zealander has the potential to play an important role, whether that is from the start or off the bench.

AND in other news, PIF eyeing NUFC swoop for “highly-rated” £30m phenomenon, he can be Howe’s “Benzema”…

Aston Villa are planning to offer forward Jesse Lingard a contract this summer with the 29-year-old set to leave Manchester United next month as a free agent upon the expiry of his contract.

What’s the story?

According to reports, via Birmingham Live, the Englishman is a summer target for Villa as Steven Gerrard looks to bolster his squad in his first summer transfer window in charge of the West Midlands club.

Lingard had enjoyed an excellent half-season on loan at West Ham United last season where he scored nine goals and registered five assists in 16 appearances and was labelled as “phenomenal” by TalkSPORT’s Adrian Durham.

However, since returning to United, the 29-year-old has been offered little game time under both Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and Ralf Rangnick, starting just twice in the Premier League.

Villa must sign Lingard

Despite a cruel end to a long Manchester United career, there is no doubt that Lingard is still a talented Premier League winger.

Villa could still finish as high as seventh and as low as 15th meaning that their final four matches will be vital in deciding what sort of a proposition they will be to players they look to sign over the summer.

What is for certain though is that Gerrard will be looking for extra quality from out wide with neither big money signings Emi Buendia (£38m) nor Leon Bailey (£25m) making the desired impact at Villa Park.

Buendia has shown glimpses of brilliance but has scored just three goals in the Premier League this term, alongside registering six assists.

As for Bailey, the Jamaican’s first season in England has been injury-hit and thus the winger has managed to start just seven league matches.

Both were brought in in the attempt to replace the goal contributions of Jack Grealish who departed for Manchester City. However, Lingard alone could potentially come close.

In his final season as a Villa player, Grealish scored seven goals and registered 12 assists in 27 appearances. That averages at a goal contribution every 1.42 matches whilst at West Ham, Lingard’s average was slightly better at 1.14.

Moreover, on a free transfer, signing the £80k-per-week ace would be a bargain given his talent and experience. It would certainly make sense for Villa to swoop for the winger.

AND in other news: Lange now plotting AVFC bid for “brilliant” £15m destroyer, could be bye-bye Sanson

There have been some big changes for the title holders but Aaron Finch has full faith in the set-up

Alex Malcolm17-Dec-2019When new Melbourne Renegades recruit Shaun Marsh caught wind of whispers that his former Perth Scorchers opening partner Michael Klinger was in the race to replace departed coach Andrew McDonald, he shot a text immediately to captain Aaron Finch.You won’t find a bad reference from anyone who has ever dealt with Klinger in Australian cricket, but a reference from Marsh carried extra weight given Klinger had no head coaching experience to assess, aside from his combined role as player, captain, and T20 mentor at Gloucestershire in the T20 Blast.For Finch, who sat in on the interview process for the coaching role, that reference, Klinger’s work at Gloucestershire and his phenomenal record as a player was enough to seal the deal.”I think what really won everyone over was the experience Maxy [Klinger] has had at Gloucestershire,” Finch said. “To run their T20 program, a lot of captaincy experience as well and then ultimately to take a side that wasn’t on paper the highest-profile side and to continually make the finals with Gloucestershire, I think his experience in that regard shone through really well.”ALSO READ: Michael Klinger named new Melbourne Renegades coachKlinger’s appointment was a whirlwind experience. He was all set to be the Melbourne Stars’ batting coach this season working under new coach David Hussey. He was also in the mix for the Australia selector job but withdrew after getting the Renegades role, with the job eventually going to George Bailey.But the Renegades do things a little differently. Having a captain sit in on coaching recruitment is unusual but given the way Finch operated with McDonald last season in terms of strategy and selection, to ultimately take the title, it made sense.The Renegades are a data-driven team built around maximising resources. Their title last season was a masterclass in how to squeeze the most out of the sum of their parts, with a squad cobbled together from all corners of the globe.They are far from an old mates’ club. The Renegades made the decision to release title-winning experienced player, and long-time Victorian servant Cameron White to recruit the country’s most inform senior domestic pro in Western Australian Shaun Marsh to bolster their top order.

We have guys coming from all over Australia but the good thing is the culture and the comradery that Andrew has built up in previous years is obviously going to be there, and I’ll certainly look to continue thatMichael Klinger won’t be reinventing the wheel

Klinger joins the squad with no intentions of shaking that mentality up despite experiencing a lot of success with Australia’s best example of a one-team, year-round culture in the Perth Scorchers.”I think the biggest thing is getting the group really close as quick as you can and to be honest,” Klinger said. “Andrew McDonald was very good at that and with only a few changes we’ve already got a really good camaraderie within the group, and a good atmosphere and culture, so there will only be a bit of tweaking at the start and obviously the guys getting to know me at the start of the tournament.”The Scorchers and some of the other states where it is, not a combined program, but you have similar staff and you’re looking after guys over 12 months of the year and that can be a big advantage as we’ve seen and this will be different. We have guys coming from all over Australia but the good thing is the culture and the comradery that Andrew has built up in previous years is obviously going to be there, and I’ll certainly look to continue that.”Klinger shares a similar philosophy to McDonald in the use of data. McDonald detailed the level of the Renegades planning to ESPNcricinfo in a podcast earlier this year after claiming the title against the Melbourne Stars. He outlined that he and assistant Andre Borovec worked with their analyst to nail down key match-ups and plans for each game, but they only disseminated that information to three senior players – Finch, Dan Christian, and Tom Cooper – so as not to overload those who didn’t need it.Harry Gurney sports a smile•Getty Images”I’m big on using the data,” Klinger said. “That’s something I’m really big on is getting the information. The key with that is how you distribute it to the players because some players love it, and some players don’t. As a head coach and as a coaching staff you need to be really flexible with that. You certainly don’t want to overload players with too much information if some guys just like to go out and watch the ball and hit it and play on instinct and don’t like that information. So, in terms of the players using it that will certainly be up to them but we’ll certainly provide them with a lot of information.”But there is no sense that Klinger will be a carbon-copy of McDonald. The former coach was very flexible in his approach to individual preparation, encouraging players to come up with a formula for themselves and working with them to execute their skills in games, provided the ends justified the means. He will have senior assistants in Borovec and Lachlan Stevens which will aid with continuity from that perspective.But they will add former Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait as bowling coach, replacing Dimitri Mascarenhas. Klinger has also called upon former AFL player Brad Green as a leadership consultant. Prior to his 254-game career with Melbourne Football Club, Green represented Tasmania and Australia in cricket at underage level. Green has also been an assistant coach at two other AFL clubs. Klinger’s former coach, Justin Langer, used a lot of AFL coaching and leadership philosophies at the Scorchers. Klinger himself spent a week at Melbourne Football Club earlier this year, the club he supports, shadowing the coaching staff to get an inside look at how they operated.Finch believes Klinger’s meticulous nature could well have a huge impact on all of the Renegades players.”How structured Maxy is and disciplined he was as a player – that’s something that not just experienced players but young players in particular can really learn off, the preparation, the attention to detail I think is so important,” he said. “People can often gloss over that in T20 and see it as you take your chance, you go out and smack a few but there’s a lot of planning and preparation that goes into a T20 innings. That will be great to work with Maxy on that and our other senior players.”The Renegades have been thrown some curveballs on the eve their title defence. Pakistan pair Usman Shinwari and Faheem Ashraf have been withdrawn, meaning a new overseas player is needed to be found at short notice, with Lancashire’s Richard Gleeson filling the breach while Harry Gurney will return for the entire tournament.However, Klinger is confident they can go back-to-back. “We know we’ve got a good list,” he said. “We’ve got a good mix of experienced players and some really good young guns coming through. My job will obviously be to support them and mentor the experienced ones and keep developing the younger ones and give them the best opportunity in a relaxed atmosphere to go out and play with freedom and aggressively.”