One of Europe’s biggest clubs are reportedly open to the idea of selling a “world-class” player to Manchester United in the summer transfer window.

Amorim coy over Man Utd's summer business

The Red Devils endured a pitiful 2024/25 campaign by their standards, with the Europa League final defeat to Tottenham the last nail in the coffin.

Ruben Amorim will know the importance of nailing his first summer in charge of United, both in terms of signings and training ground work, but the Portuguese has spoken cautiously about the amount of transfer business that can be done.

“You know better than me that we have rules with FFP. We can’t change that in this year. We need to do something in the summer. We have a plan and we are doing that in a while. We also have a preseason to improve the players we have.”

It looks as though United are trying to be bold in the market, with Matheus Cunha already arriving from Wolves, and the likes of Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo and Eintracht Frankfurt forward Hugo Ekitike also among the leading targets ahead of next season. Now, another player with a big reputation has been mentioned as an option.

Man Utd boosted in efforts to sign "world-class" ace

According to Give Me Sport, Juventus are “open” to selling Douglas Luiz to Manchester United this summer, with a “cut-price” deal mooted. A loan move away from the Serie A giants is also mentioned in the report, with the Brazilian midfielder not believed to be part of their future plans, in a possible boost for Amorim.

Added quality is needed in United’s midfield this summer, with Casemiro no longer the force of old and Christian Eriksen’s time at the club now officially over. Kobbie Mainoo is a great prospect, but he is still learning his trade, while the likes of Manuel Ugarte and Mason Mount are good players, but haven’t wholly convinced at Old Trafford to date.

In Luiz, United could have a great choice to strengthen their options in the middle of the park, having been hailed as “world-class” by former Aston Villa teammate John McGinn in the past.

The Brazilian has proven that he can shine in the Premier League, making 175 appearances in the competition and chipping in with 38 goal contributions (20 goals and 18 assists).

Luiz possesses box-to-box quality, offering defensive quality but also class going forward, and at 27, he is at a good age to come in and hit the ground running from minute one.

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Ethan Lamb

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A permanent deal would be better than a loan move, although the benefit of the latter is that he could be moved on easily next summer if the move simply didn’t work out.

West Ham United find themselves ready to move on from the dissapointment of last campaign under Graham Potter and have now turned their attention to an England cap also desires by their rivals, according to a report.

West Ham look to kickstart slow transfer window

Without putting too fine a point on it, the Hammers have endured a slow transfer window so far as they weigh up what direction to go down at the London Stadium. Despite a lack of notable links, former scout Mick Brown has detailed that West Ham are set to make a ‘formal approach’ for Rangers striker Hamza Igamane following his debut campaign in Scotland.

He stated: “West Ham are about make a formal move for Igamane. They’ve had scouts up there watching him and he’s one of the names on their radar.

“But I’m told they’re not convinced he’s ready to make the step up to the Premier League. He’s looked impressive for Rangers at times, but he’s playing in a side which finished 17 points short of Celtic, so it’s a difficult one to judge.”

Talks have also been held between the Hammers and Adama Bojang, so there is a clear appetite there for Graham Potter to add attacking reinforcements.

Free transfer: West Ham in contact to sign £100k-p/w star who Potter loves

The Hammers could land themselves a bargain.

2 BySean Markus Clifford Jun 15, 2025

However, the forward line won’t be the only place strengthened by those in the corridors of power. Vladimir Coufal has left West Ham on a free transfer, signalling that a right-back will be on the agenda to replace the experienced Czechia international.

With that in mind, the Londoners could now look to beat one of their city rivals in pursuit of a defender who has been capped by England and is available for free.

West Ham line up Kyle Walker-Peters move

According to CaughtOffside, West Ham have positioned themselves to sign Southampton’s Kyle Walker-Peters, though he is also attracting interest from Tottenham Hotspur, Fulham and Crystal Palace.

The 28-year-old has been identified by Thomas Frank as a sensible signing and Spurs are front of the queue, but the Hammers are ‘closely monitoring’ his situation and could launch a counter to any attempts from their London rivals to win the race for his signature.

Kyle Walker-Peters’ Premier League campaign in numbers (Fotmob)

Chances created

24

Successful dribbles

38

Recoveries

135

Duels won

145

Fouls won

52

Intriguingly, the former Spurs man has featured in a variety of different positions this campaign, including both flanks, either full-back berth and even as a central defender.

His availability on a free transfer is majorly appealing to top-flight clubs alongside Walker-Peters’ homegrown status, though he has the monopoly of choosing his next destination and will likely take his time to do so.

Labelled “brilliant” by Russell Martin, Everton were also in the running before they opted to sign Kenny Tete on a free transfer from Fulham.

Attracting a significant level of interest, Walker-Peters, who earns £20,000 a week at St Mary’s, is an intriguing proposition on the market this summer and whoever lands him will be laying claim to a wealth of experience and quality.

Former captain is 105 not out after 157-run third-wicket partnership with Tom Lammonby

ECB Reporters Network24-Jun-2024Somerset 293 for 4 (Abell 105*, Lammonby 87) trail Nottinghamshire 360 (Stone 83, Haynes 55, Clarke 51, Aldridge 5-94) by 67 runsA century from Tom Abell led a strong Somerset response on day two of the Vitality County Championship match at Trent Bridge, where the visitors closed on 293 for 4 in reply to the hosts’ 360 all out as they bid to keep pace with leaders Surrey and Essex at the top of the Division One table.It is a first hundred for the 30-year-old since he relinquished the Somerset captaincy after struggling for form last year, although he missed the start of the current campaign through injury and this is only his second match in the Championship.He finished on 105 not out, with Somerset trailing by 67 runs, having shared a 157-run third-wicket partnership with Tom Lammonby (87), adding a further unbroken stand of 67 with James Rew before the close.At the start of the day, Nottinghamshire had extended their first innings by nine overs from 326 for 8 overnight, picking up a third batting point before Somerset’s bowlers could winkle out the last two wickets, seamers Migael Pretorious (4 for 96) and Kasey Aldridge (5 for 95) finishing the job for figures that reflected their fine contributions on day one.Nottinghamshire fast bowler Olly Stone, the principal architect of a recovery from 190 for 7 on day one, fell just before the 350 was reached, edging Pretorius to second slip for an 83 that was warmly acknowledged by the home crowd, who saw him make 90 against Lancashire last month after beginning the season with a first-class average of 15.38.Aldridge completed his five-for when Dane Paterson, earlier dropped by wicketkeeper Rew, was caught on the extra cover boundary, with Dillon Pennington, having enjoyed some good fortune in picking up six boundaries, unbeaten on 29.As Somerset began their reply, Pennington picked up an early scalp with the ball thanks to a fine catch at third slip by Will Young as Andy Umeed departed in the sixth over.Tom Kohler Cadmore, dropped by Calvin Harrison at second slip before he was off the mark, made 38 in his first Championship action of the season before falling soon after lunch to a superb piece of work on the leg side by Tom Moores as Stone gained his 15th wicket of the Championship campaign.Thereafter, it was a frustrating afternoon for Nottinghamshire and a profitable one for Somerset, who added 105 runs in the session as Lammonby and Abell patiently built a half-century apiece, in the former’s case for the sixth time this season.Lammonby’s came from 104 balls with six fours, among them a couple of glorious off-drives. Abell completed his from 101 balls soon afterwards, clipping Harrison crisply to the leg side for his seventh boundary.There had been little encouragement for the bowlers in that time. Nottinghamshire skipper Haseeb Hameed had a number of discussions with the umpires about the condition of the ball, which had already been changed once in the innings. Eventually it was replaced again, although with no discernible change in its behaviour.The footmarks left by Pennington and Stone gave Harrison something to aim at, and the leg-spinner would have been cheered by a delivery soon after tea that turned sharply enough to beat the left-handed Lammonby’s inside edge, even if the end result was four byes.In the event, it was at the other end, where the four Nottinghamshire seamers had been patiently rotated by Hameed, that the breakthrough came as Lammonby, perhaps letting his concentration drift for a moment, played across a ball from Paterson that held its line and was leg before.It broke the partnership after 48 overs, after which the wait for the next wicket was considerably shorter – just seven deliveries – as new batter Tom Banton prodded at one from Harrison to be caught behind.The second new ball raised Nottinghamshire’s hopes of further gains. In the event, none came in the five overs before the close as Abell turned the injection of some pace to his advantage, despatching a couple of leg-side deliveries to the boundary to complete a 202-ball hundred containing 12 fours.

Somerset 55 for 6 (Kohler-Cadmore 24, Gilchrist 2-12) beat Kent 46 for 5 (Billings 16) by 14 runsTom Kohler-Cadmore played a whirlwind cameo with the bat as Somerset beat Kent Spitfires by 14 runs in a tense Vitality Blast contest reduced by rain to five overs a side at the Cooper Associates Ground in Taunton.The former Yorkshire batsman smashed 24 runs off nine balls as Somerset raised 55 for 6 from their five overs, Nathan Gilchrist taking 2 for 12 on his debut, while Charlie Stobo and Grant Stewart claimed a wicket apiece.Charged with the task of chasing a revised target of 61 off five overs, Kent imploded in the face of tight bowling from Somerset’s Australian quick Riley Meredith and Jake Ball, who returned figures of 1 for 15 and 1 for 19 in two overs respectively.Kent came up short at 46 for 5 as Somerset claimed their fourth win in six games to retain leadership of the South Group.Kent skipper Sam Billings won the toss and elected to field, Xavier Bartlett conceded 11 runs to openers Tom Banton and Will Smeed in the first over and then the rain intervened, forcing the players to run for the cover of the pavilion at 6.35pm.Thereafter, umpires Ian Blackwell and Mark Newell staged a couple of inspections and the Taunton ground staff twice attempted to remove the covers, only for the wet weather to return on each occasion and prevent a quick resumption.When the elements finally relented and mopping up operations were completed, it was announced that play would resume at 9.02pm with the game reduced to five overs-a-side.Kent made the best possible start upon the resumption, stand-in overseas bowler Stobo having Smeed caught at deep mid-on with his first ball. Kohler-Cadmore promptly made amends, smashing a six and four off the first two deliveries he faced as Somerset plundered 13 runs to finish the second over on 24 for 1.Kohler-Cadmore pulled Stewart for another four in the third, only for the pace bowler to exact an instantaneous revenge next ball, inducing Banton to hit straight to cover and depart for seven with the score on 31. Somerset skipper Lewis Gregory hit the ground running, driving his first ball for a sumptuous four as the home side advanced to 37 for 2.Gilchrist’s first delivery in T20 cricket will be one he will want to forget in a hurry, Kohler-Cadmore carting him over mid-wicket for an enormous six. Gregory drove the third ball of the over back down the ground for four, only to then hole out in the deep, while Kohler-Cadmore departed in similar fashion as Gilchrist held his nerve to reduce the home side to 49 for 4 at the end of the fourth.Ben Green and Tom Abell were run out in the final over as disciplined Kent turned the screw, Bartlett conceding just six runs from it as Somerset finished up on 55 for 6.Required to score 61 off 30 balls to win, the Spitfires made a poor start to their reply, Zac Crawley being run out by substitute fielder Kasey Aldridge and Daniel Bell-Drummond top-edging a pull shot to short square leg as Meredith reduced the visitors to 9 for 2.Billings opened up with a pulled four at the expense of Jake Ball, but the seamer recovered well, persuading Marcus O’Riordan to present Abell with a straightforward catch at long-off in an over that cost just nine runs. Kent’s frustration knew no bounds when Meredith restricted them to a mere seven runs in the third over, his nagging accuracy leaving the visitors needing to score an unlikely 36 off 12 balls.Big-hitting Billings opened his shoulders and helped himself to a brace of fours off Ball in the fourth, only to then take on Abell’s arm and be run out for a 10-ball 16 attempting a second run. Kent required 26 runs off the final over, but Green demonstrated a cool head to frustrate the best efforts of Joe Denly and Stewart.

As they look to continue their spending after Fer Lopez, Wolverhampton Wanderers are now reportedly confident that they’ll win the race to sign a Premier League winner this summer.

Wolves pushing on after Lopez

Wolves have money to burn after selling both Matheus Cunha and Rayan Ait-Nouri and have already left a small dent in their budget by splashing out £19m to sign Lopez from Celta Vigo. Given that Cunha alone cost Manchester United £63m, however, it’s fair to say that Molineux chiefs could still have a fairly large budget to work with this summer.

With that budget in mind, it’s no surprise that several names have seemingly found themselves on Wolves’ radar this summer. And that includes Bologna defender Jhon Lucumi.

Vitor Pereira and co. have reportedly joined the race to sign the Colombian defender, whose £24m release clause is set to expire on July 10. With Wolves, Aston Villa and Tottenham Hotspur – among others – chasing his signature, the race to sign Lucumi is certainly hectic and is only set to heat up as the clock ticks down on his release clause.

Whether those in the Midlands can beat their Premier League rivals is the big question at Molineux. It would certainly show plenty of ambition if they managed to do so and ambition is exactly what they must show after losing key men this summer.

If Pereira is to pick up where he left off in his first full season in charge then replacing Cunha’s creativity will be particularly important. It won’t be an easy task to find the heir to the Brazilian’s throne but on Premier League gem would certainly be a strong candidate.

Wolves now confident they'll sign Harvey Elliott

According to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider, Wolves are now confident that they’ll win the bidding war to sign Harvey Elliott this summer, who Liverpool value at £40m.

The young midfielder is one of the names likely to be shown the Anfield door at the right price in the coming months. Jarell Quansah has already suffered that fate and is on his way to Bayer Leverkusen. Now, Elliott could follow suit to join Wolves and receive a much-needed starting role.

Whilst there may be some concerns over Wolves’ ability to match his price tag, the departures of Cunha and Ait-Nouri should be able to help fund a move that would certainly be worthwhile.

Although he’s come off the back of a difficult first season under Arne Slot, it wasn’t so long ago that Elliott was on his way to becoming a key man under Jurgen Klopp, who was a huge admirer of the now Premier League winner.

Wolves join huge race to sign "excellent" defender as £24m deadline looms

He’s a wanted man…

ByTom Cunningham Jun 25, 2025

The former Reds boss told reporters when the young midfielder scored against Cardiff City on his return to injury in 2022: “Harvey was unlucky with the injury but lucky with the whole process afterwards.

“Everything went really well. He did an incredible job, the medical department did an incredible job. He is a fearless boy and a great footballer so all these things.”

With the summer transfer window in full flow, Aston Villa have made just one signing so far – Yasin Ozcan.

The Turkish youngster might not be the most exciting of signings, but aged 19, he is certainly one for the future.

With Unai Emery keen on ending the club’s near 30-year wait for a major trophy next season, bringing in several high-profile players is a priority.

Players such as John McGinn and Morgan Rogers helped the club secure a place in the Europa League next season. Could Emery potentially sign someone who is a hybrid of the two this summer?

Aston Villa transfer news

Villa have been linked with their fair share of attacking players this summer. Indeed, the likes of Jack Grealish, Nicolas Jackson and even Malick Fofana have been targeted by Emery.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

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Much will depend on the funds Villa have to spend, especially as they seek to comply with Profit and Sustainability regulations throughout the summer.

According to reports in Brazil, however, the club have made contact regarding a move for Porto winger Pepe, with it said they have opened talks for the 28-year-old.

The Portuguese giants are willing to sell him this summer in order to sign other targets, and a price tag of €25m (£21m) has been set. A more than affordable figure by Emery’s standards.

Both McGinn and Rogers enjoyed plenty of success last season and by signing Pepe in the coming weeks, Villa could be landing a player who is similar to both.

Why Aston Villa must sign Pepe

Last season, McGinn registered ten goal contributions for Villa, while Rogers recorded 29 goal involvements in all competitions for the club.

This highlights how vital the pair were. Both players excel at dribbling and playing through balls during matches, supporting Ollie Watkins incredibly well.

With McGinn staring on the left at times, with Rogers operating in a more central role, will Emery manage to sign a player like them for the right flank ahead of next season?

Pepe certainly fits the mould. According to FBref, Rogers is the ninth-most comparable player to the Porto winger, while McGinn is the seventh-most comparable when taking into account their statistics from the Champions League last term.

In this competition, he ranked in the top 16% for assists per 90 (0.31), while also ranking in the top 14% for tackles (1.86) per 90.

Pepe’s statistics for Porto (league only)

Goals

3

Assists

2

Big chances created

5

Key passes per game

1

Successful dribbles per game

0.6

Shots per game

1

Via Sofascore

In comparison, McGinn recorded 0.25 assists and made 1.23 tackles per 90, while Rogers registered 0.18 assists and 0.79 tackles per 90 in the Champions League.

It is more the manner in which all three tend to have similar playing styles which could make a move for the winger an important one.

South American football expert Tim Vickery hailed the wideman a couple of years ago, saying: “I certainly remember him as a winger with Gremio, little mosquito kind of winger, who can do either flank.”

For the sort of fee Porto are demanding, bringing Pepe to the Midlands might be an interesting piece of business indeed.

An eye for goal while being able to create chances indicates that he could shine alongside players such as McGinn and Rogers next season.

Related Rashford upgrade: Monchi looking to sign £68m "superstar" for Aston Villa

With Marcus Rashford seemingly unlikely to be returning to Aston Villa next season, has Unai Emery identified a “phenomenal” star as an alternative?

Posts ByBen Gray Jun 26, 2025

Newcastle United will have to evaluate their attacking targets this summer. Eddie Howe will surely be keen to build on what was a successful 2024/25 campaign for his side, who won the Carabao Cup and secured Champions League qualification thanks to their Premier League finish.

Unfortunately for the Magpies, it seems as though their primary attacking target this summer, Bryan Mbeumo, will join Manchester United.

Highly reputable journalist David Ornstein reported on June 2nd that the Brentford star has decided he wants to join the Red Devils this summer, picking them over the likes of Newcastle.

So, with Mbeumo off the table, the North East giants will have to turn their attention elsewhere when it comes to attacking targets.

Newcastle's Mbeumo alternative

There is no doubt that, for Newcastle, losing a player like Mbeumo, who would have slotted into their side nicely on the right wing, is a huge blow to the project. However, it seems as though they have identified the alternative.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

According to a recent report from journalist Christian Falk, the Magpies are ‘interested in signing’ Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman, a player who Bayern are ‘are looking to offload’ this summer.

However, the 28-year-old France international is not just a target for the Premier League outfit, but also for La Liga giants Barcelona.

Barca are focusing on moves for Liverpool winger Luis Diaz and Man United sensation Marcus Rashford, but could move for Coman if those deals do not materialise. As for the price, Sky Germany reported in March that Bayern would want upwards of £34m for the attacker.

How Coman compares to Mbeumo

It wasn’t necessarily the easiest season for Coman. He struggled with a couple of injuries and perhaps did not play as much of an important role under Vincent Kompany as he may have liked, as Bayern went on to reclaim the Bundesliga title.

In 41 appearances across all competitions, the France international, who was born in Paris and came through PSG’s academy, played 41 games in total. In that time, he scored seven goals and grabbed four assists.

Breaking that down further, we can look at Coman’s stats in the German top flight, which, if anything, highlight just how sparse his involvement was this term. The 28-year-old played 28 games, with his 1,280 minutes the equivalent of 14 full games. A high point of his season was surely the goal and assist he grabbed in a 3-0 win at home to Union Berlin.

Yet, despite a season of much frustration for Coman, he could certainly benefit the Magpies. He is a serial winner, having lifted 30 major titles during his career. After all, there is a reason he’s previously been labelled as “one of the best players in the world” by Oliver Kahn.

Perhaps, with that in mind, he’d make a great alternative to Mbeumo, who seems destined for Old Trafford. The Cameroon international was sensational last season, with 20 goals and eight assists in the Premier League.

However, despite the fact that he performed so well last term, and has done for the past few years now, the experience that Coman would bring to the Newcastle squad is not necessarily something that the Brentford winger could match.

Indeed, the underlying numbers on FBref suggest that the Frenchman would be an apt alternative, too. For example, last season, Coman averaged 0.77 goal-creating actions per 90 minutes, compared to just 0.53 goal-creating actions each game for the Bees talisman.

Expected goals

0.3xG

0.32xG

Key passes

2.25

1.85

Shot-creating actions

5.68

3.8

Goal-creating actions

0.77

0.53

Progressive carries

4.65

3.43

There is no doubt that losing out on the Premier League talent is a blow for the Magpies. He is a player who could have added a direct threat on the right-hand side. However, adding Coman to the squad could certainly have a similar impact, and he can be a “menace” for opponents, as Statman Dave said.

The package of £34m Bayern are asking for does not seem too outlandish for a player still pursuing the goods on the pitch, as the stats show, and bringing with him bags of experience.

He's Gordon 2.0: Newcastle eyeing £43m "magician" after Mbeumo rejection

Newcastle are looking to make a series of signings this summer.

1 ByAngus Sinclair Jun 4, 2025

The gulf between India and South Africa in red-ball cricket could not be more evident. Shafali Verma demolished the bowlers with an extraordinary 205. Smriti Mandhana carried forward her ODI form from Bengaluru into the one-off Test in Chennai with a brilliant 149. Jemimah Rodrigues oozed class in her third half-century in this format. India blunted South Africa’s attack, accumulating a crazy number of runs, 525 precisely, the most runs in a day’s play by any team in Test history.Opting to bat on a red-soil surface, India adopted the cautious approach in the first hour – where they did not hit the full tosses to boundaries – before motoring along to score 130 in the morning session. South Africa bowled well in patches and struggled for a majority of the time to hit the right lengths. The first real chance came when Marizanne Kapp spilled a half-chance when Mandhana pushed one to midwicket on 33. Mandhana and Shafali though eased up and put away the bad deliveries to boundaries.But it was the afternoon session where India accelerated. They scored 204 runs in 32 overs and lost just two wickets. Shafali, scoring her maiden double Test hundred, picked her gaps well, scoring 142 runs on the on side. Five of her eight sixes were hit towards long-on and eight fours were launched towards square leg and long-on. After a poor run in the ODIs where she got dismissed trying to take on the bowlers early on, Shafali looked assured in whites on Friday, during her 197-ball knock and a record 292-run stand with Mandhana.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

Mandhana, who also struck at a healthy strike rate of 92.54, slammed 27 fours and one six in her 161-ball innings. Her eye-pleasing cover drives were the highlight of the innings, fetching her 11 fours. However, whenever the likes of Nadine de Klerk and Masabata Klass dropped the length short, she was quick to pull it away to square leg and midwicket for fours. The duo reached three figures on consecutive balls in the 39th and 40th overs. For Mandhana, it was her third hundred in four international games across formats.It took 52 overs for South Africa to break the opening stand when Mandhana nicked one to first slip while trying to get a single to reach 150. Shafali, however, marched on, using her strong wrists to keep the scorecard ticking at a quick pace.Satheesh Shubha, who missed the last Test against Australia in December due to a fractured finger, looked solid in her 27-ball 15 but edged one to wicketkeeper Sinalo Jafta at the stroke of tea. India were 334 for 2 at the end of the second session.ESPNcricinfo Ltd

In the final session, alongside Rodrigues, Shafali converted her 150 to 200 with a push to long-off in the 73rd as the 3000-odd crowd at Chepauk rose in applause. The duo put on a brisk 86 runs off 91 balls where Shafali contributed 48 runs off 31 balls and Rodrigues 38 off 60. However, a mix-up in the 75th over ended Shafali’s stay. Chennai can be a harsh place for long-format games and tests even the best athlete’s endurance. The 20-year-old Shafali, not only survived the hot and humid day but also thrived in her first international game at this venue.That South Africa toiled, to contain and pick up wickets, was evident when Laura Wolvaardt asked seven of her players to bowl. It even took the captain more than 80 overs to bring in an experienced Sune Luus, now shifting from legspin to offspin. However, even Luus went for five runs an over in her three-over burst. The surface offered some turn towards the end of the day’s play but otherwise, there was limited movement in the air and seam off the surface for bowlers in the morning session.Rodrigues made 55, while Harmanpreet Kaur and Richa Ghosh remained unbeaten on 42 and 43 respectively. Delmi Tucker, having bowled 26 overs, picked up two wickets for South Africa. But the day truly belonged to India’s youngest player in their XI.

Tottenham Hotspur almost fell by the wayside last season, but Ange Postecoglou picked them up and propelled them forward in the dying embers.

Despite the London club’s woes in the Premier League, slumping to a 17th-place finish after a catastrophic failure in Postecoglou’s system, the Australian tactician still managed to walk where so many predecessors got lost before him, rallying his troops on the continental stage and winning the Europa League.

That triumph, ending a 17-year wait for a major trophy, also opened up a whole new world of possibilities down N17, for Spurs will now compete in next year’s Champions League.

It wasn’t enough to save Ange, as we all know, but Thomas Frank is a fantastic replacement in the dugout, and he’s looking to rewrite the coding within Tottenham’s attacking line.

The latest on Spurs' search for forwards

Tottenham have endured a somewhat frustrating start to the transfer window. Poaching Brentford’s boss led some to believe that the chances of signing Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo were heightened, but the goalscorer has since reportedly doubled down on his desire to sign for Manchester United.

Antoine Semenyo emerged as another top target, but Bournemouth’s £70m price tag put off suitors from every which way. He has since penned a new deal at the Vitality Stadium. A deal for Mohammed Kudus, at least, appears to be moving forward.

Kudus wants to join Spurs and has been the subject of a rejected £50m bid already. He’s a menacing winger, an elite talent, but the 24-year-old doesn’t quite address the need for a goalscoring wide forward.

Well, Mbeumo and Semenyo might be off the cards, but Tottenham could yet sign Evann Guessand from OGC Nice, with Football Insider reporting that Tottenham have entered the race for the versatile forward.

Guessand, 24, is also attracting attention from Brighton and Wolves in the Premier League, with Fenerbahce overseas also keen, but Daniel Levy believes his outfit is well placed to win the race.

Nice would be looking for a £25m to part with their star, and this is certainly within Tottenham’s means.

What Evann Guessand would bring to Spurs

Guessand’s versatility is his strength. Blessed with “electric” pace, as has been noted by journalist Antonio Mango, and a natural eye for goal, the Ivorian is perfect for Tottenham.

Centre-forward

68

14

9

Right winger

38

12

7

Left winger

13

3

4

Last season, he covered a lot of ground for his French side, playing across each of those offensive positions and to a great effect, posting 13 goals and ten assists across 42 fixtures in all competitions.

Creative and with a sharp eye for goal, Guessand certainly fits the bill. Frank’s efforts to sign Mbeumo and Semenyo have fallen through, and while a bid for Kudus is in the works, he’s indeed not the free-scoring type.

Guessand, however, would add a clinical shine to the Frank engine, hailed for his “crazy” ability by talent scout Jacek Kulig.

His quality speaks for itself, and he’s even been described by data-led site FBref as bearing a similar profile to Bournemouth’s Semenyo, who has been profiled so extensively by the Lilywhites.

Goals

0.40

0.31

Assists

0.25

0.14

Shots taken

2.23

3.51

Shot-creating actions

3.16

3.71

Pass completion

72.4%

73.4%

Progressive passes

2.67

3.06

Progressive carries

2.98

3.93

Successful take-ons

1.83

1.94

Ball recoveries

3.88

4.44

Touches (att pen)

4.99

5.37

Both players bear similarities, for sure. Semenyo might carry the ball forward a bit more frequently, but Guessand has still shown himself to be an effective, pacy dribbler.

Of course, the Premier League brings a higher level of competition, and no mistake. But even so, Guessand has the quality to provide a similar kind of presence for the Lilywhites, and he’s far cheaper at that.

Semenyo’s haul of 13 goals and seven assists for the Cherries last term highlights his growing prolificness, and his ability to maintain clinical levels in the Premier League, but he also won a whopping 6.1 duels per game, as per Sofascore, emphasising his tenacity and dynamic nature as he shifted from right wing to left.

Guessand could emulate this. Or, at least, provide Frank with the type of profile he so craves at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. The Ivory Coast international recorded an average of 5.5 duels and 1.3 tackles per Ligue 1 match in 2024/25.

Given that Levy and Spurs’ data analysts have invested so much time into profiling a wide forward of Mbeumo or Semenyo’s nature, does it not make sense to forge ahead with a move for Guessand? If Football Insider are to be believed, the Londoners are now poised to complete the deal, should they wish to pursue it.

Look, there’s no denying that Semenyo is a real talent, but £70m? No chance. Premier League tax has been well and truly levied there.

When Guessand’s there, available and much cheaper besides, it’s surely a no-brainer for a manager such as Frank, who has proved time and time again at the Gtech Stadium his aptitude for shopping in the transfer market.

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In what would welcome the Tyne-Wear derby back to the Premier League in style, Newcastle United are now reportedly ready to hijack Sunderland’s move to sign a Serie A star this summer.

Newcastle return for Elanga

They may have faced their fair share of rejection so far this summer, but Newcastle are yet to be discouraged in their pursuit to sign an attacking reinforcement. Not giving up, the Magpies have returned with a second offer to sign Anthony Elanga after Nottingham Forest rejected their first bid worth around £45m.

With Bryan Mbeumo seemingly on his way to Manchester United, it’s clear to see why Newcastle have turned towards Elanga. The Swede had his best season yet last time out as Forest achieved an unthinkable European place. Now, however, he could leave the City Ground behind in favour of the Magpies.

The winger isn’t the only one on Newcastle’s shopping list, either. Those at St James’ Park now look set to complete a deal to sign James Trafford from Burnley, welcoming a long-term target in the process.

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The England international will compete with Nick Pope and may even displace the shot-stopper to become Eddie Howe’s No.1 as the ultimate modern-day goalkeeper.

Deals for both Elanga and Trafford would represent a change in fortunes for Newcastle following earlier rejection from the likes of Joao Pedro and Mbeumo. And that swing in momentum could yet see them jump ahead of rivals Sunderland to sign an ex-Arsenal midfielder in the coming months.

Newcastle ready to sign Matteo Guendouzi

As reported by Corierre della Sera and relayed by Sport Witness, Newcastle are now ready to sign Matteo Guendouzi ahead of interest from Sunderland and meet his €50m (£43m) release clause at Lazio.

The Frenchman hasn’t been seen in the Premier League since leaving Arsenal in 2022, but could now return three years later as a far more complete player courtesy of spells at Marseille and now at Lazio.

League stats 24/25 (via FBref)

Matteo Guendouzo

Joelinton

Minutes

3,270

2,393

Tackles Won

21

35

Progressive Carries

89

40

Ball Recoveries

173

149

A player who Gary Neville once described as a “leader”, Guendouzi could push Joelinton all the way for a starting place at Newcastle and offer Howe the depth he has been craving in doing so.

As the Magpies step back into the Champions League next season, it’s the type of depth that Newcastle simply must add to their side this summer. It’s also depth that they failed to sign the last time they were in the Champions League, resulting in an early exit and a finish outside the Premier League’s top four.

Signing Guendouzi would go a long way towards solving that problem all whilst getting one over on Sunderland.