Tottenham Want "Special" £40m Kulusevski Upgrade

Tottenham Hotspur seem unwilling to slow down in their quest for a revolution this summer, as another report emerges detailing fresh interest…

What's the latest on Harvey Barnes to Tottenham Hotspur?

This latest claim comes from journalist Sami Mokbel, speaking on the Last Word on Spurs podcast about their interest in Leicester City's Harvey Barnes.

Having prised James Maddison from their clutches only earlier this week, it seems Ange Postecoglou now has the £40m winger in his sights once more. Although, it might not prove as straightforward as the aforementioned deal.

The writer stated: "You mention Harvey Barnes there, and there is an interest in Harvey Barnes. But equally, Harvey Barnes has a number of options and while he would be attracted to Tottenham he may look at that and think ‘wait a minute how often am I going to play here?”

"You have Son there, you have Kulusevski there and you have Richarlison there. He may look at that situation and think he may be better off elsewhere."

How good is Harvey Barnes?

Although this may be a dilemma for the one-time England international, he could join safe in the knowledge that he presents a far greater goal threat than both Dejan Kulusevski and Richarlison given recent performances.

Given neither the Foxes nor Spurs performed particularly well last season, as the former were relegated and the latter failed to secure European football for the first time since 2010, the respective underperformance of the players can at least be dispassionate and without the bias that a purple patch can bring.

Their most recent campaigns showcase exactly how a player will deal with tough situations. Whilst the former Juventus ace and Brazil international went into hiding, with the latter scoring just one league goal all year, Barnes instead thrived.

Notching an impressive 13 from the wing, with a goal conversion rate of 18% (via Sofascore), his figures far outperform that of the struggling Sweden international. It seems he is finally growing into the claims of journalist Adam Bate from 2019, as he had branded him as "special" and a "huge talent".

Kulusevski even admitted earlier this month: "Of course, I’ve been disappointed personally. After the World Cup, I didn’t think I played well enough."

Having burst onto the scene with 13 goal contributions in his first 18 Premier League games during his first loan spell, it seems the expectation that he would mimic these figures weighed heavily on the 23-year-old.

Dejan-Kulusevski-Spurs-Tottenham

He would score just twice last season, assisting seven and maintaining an abysmal 5% conversion rate in front of goal, via Sofascore. Even during that aforementioned blistering six-month period, which few would have been able to maintain, his conversion rate of 19% only slightly outperforms the 25-year-old's recent performances.

In an effort to add more cutting edge to his squad, Postecoglou could return to the King Power Stadium to secure Maddison's former teammate and bolster his own ranks further.

Rangers In Advanced Talks To Sign £11m-Rated "Prospect"

Glasgow Rangers are closing in a move for Abdallah Sima as Michael Beale edges closer to recruiting another forward ahead of next season.

What’s the latest on Abdallah Sima to Rangers?

According to Football Insider, the Light Blues are in advanced talks with the Brighton and Hove Albion forward ahead of a potential move to Ibrox this summer, with a season-long loan deal close to being agreed.

With Beale losing Ryan Kent and Alfredo Morelos at the end of the season, the onus is to add another few forward options before the season begins and Sima fits the bill due to his ability to either play through the middle, or on both flanks, and it could certainly be a risk-free move.

Could Abdallah Sima improve Rangers?

If Beale can get the Senegal international to replicate the form he displayed during his spell with Slavia Prague in 2020/21, then Rangers will have an exciting talent ready to dominate opposition defences in the Premiership next term.

The 22-year-old burst onto the scene during that campaign, scoring 16 goals and registering eight assists across all competitions, while he even terrorised the Light Blues during the Europa League last 16 clash against the Czech side in March 2021.

Sima may not have scored across the two legs, yet he was a constant menace for the Gers’ defence, succeeding with six successful dribbles and making three key passes across the two legs, causing chaos for the likes of Connor Goldson and Borna Barisic during the tie.

These performances led to a move to Brighton in the summer of 2021 for a fee of around £7m before he was loaned to Stoke City, where he failed to score while playing just 123 minutes of senior football.

The former Slavia Prague youngster is valued at €12.4m (£11m) according to FootballTransfers, and although he enjoyed a slightly more productive season with Angers in 2022/2023, scoring six goals and grabbing two assists, Beale will be hoping to transform him once he arrives in Scotland.

Once lauded as a “fantastic prospect” by talent scout Jacek Kulig during his excellent season for the Czech outfit, his stock has fallen in the previous few years, yet a loan move could be a stroke of genius by the 42-year-old, giving Rangers another attacking option.

Indeed, Sima actually had more shots on target per game than Morelos last term (1.1 to one) and also missed fewer big chances (eight to 13), suggesting that he was slightly more clinical in front of goal.

Overall, it’s surely a low-risk move by the Ibrox side and gives Beale another string to his attacking bow as he looks to get his side firing right from the get-go next term.

Everton Could Land Pienaar 2.0 In £16m Whiz

Everton are in the market to make much-needed improvements to their attacking threat this summer and now a new update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Everton's interest in Jack Harrison?

According to one journalist, Everton are in talks with Leeds United over a potential deal to sign Jack Harrison.

As per the report, the Toffees are interested in the midfielder who has a £16m release clause and the player would be very much open to a move to Merseyside due to having family connections in the North West.

Would Jack Harrison be a good fit for Everton?

After losing both Richarlison and Anthony Gordon over the last 12 months, Everton's presence in front of goal has been significantly weakened after scoring just 34 league goals last season, having further suffered due to Dominic Calvert-Lewin's constant injury issues.

Sean Dyche will surely be making it a top priority to improve the attacking presence in the team to ensure that his team don't fall into another Premier League relegation battle next season or worse, fall into the Championship.

jack-harrison-leeds-premier-league-everton-transfers

As a result, the signing of Harrison would be a major coup for the club as the Premier League-proven attacker could not only provide a real threat in front of goal but could even be Everton's next Steven Pienaar.

The former Toffees talisman tallied up 229 appearances, 26 goals and 48 assists in his selfless versatile role at Goodison Park; predominantly deployed in an attacking left midfield position in a time when strikers would often be deployed alone in the final third, he played 37 times in a left-winger role and was also found occasionally in right or attacking midfield positions too.

Now Harrison could emulate Pienaar's strong presence across the Everton attacking threat as, just like the retired South African, the Leeds left-winger also offers huge versatility in his positioning and has often been deployed in a left midfield role, on the right flank and in a central attacking midfield role too.

Over 206 appearances for the West Yorkshire outfit, the 26-year-old whiz – hailed "phenomenal" by YouTuber Conor McGilligan – has scored 34 goals and registered 32 assists, again similarly to Pienaar offers a great balance of both goal-scoring ability and a keen eye for providing goal-creating opportunities for his teammates.

With that being said, if the powerbrokers at Goodison Park can strike up a deal for Harrison this summer it would be a great statement of their ambitious intent to form a much stronger attacking presence against opponents next season.

Celtic: £12k-p/w Star Could Be Rodgers’ Next Tielemans

Celtic did not waste much time in finding their replacement for Ange Postecoglou as they officially confirmed the appointment of Brendan Rodgers on a three-year deal earlier this week.

The Hoops had been on the lookout for a new head coach after the Australian chief opted to ditch Parkhead for a move to Tottenham Hotspur.

Dermot Desmond has persuaded the ex-Leicester City boss to take the job and he is now in his second spell with the club, after winning seven domestic trophies at Paradise between 2016 and 2019,

The club are reportedly set to hand him a stunning £30m to work with in the transfer market but the Nothern Irish tactician already has a number of quality players at his disposal, chiefly Reo Hatate.

How has Reo Hatate performed at Celtic?

Rodgers worked with some terrific players during his time with the Foxes in England and could already have his next version of Youri Tielemans in Reo Hatate, who is one of the current stars of Celtic's midfield.

The Japan international is an excellent number eight who can make an impact in and out of possession and the 25-year-old could now thrive under the new boss, who was able to get the best out of Tielemans at the King Power.

Only Scott Sinclair (238) has played more matches for the manager than the now-Aston Villa ace (184) throughout his career, illustrating how much trust he placed in the 26-year-old.

The pinnacle of their time together, arguably, came when the Belgian rifled in a screamer from 25 yards to win the FA Cup against Chelsea in 2021.

Tielemans was a consistently excellent performer for Rodgers in the Premier League, as well as in cup competitions, and enjoyed a terrific campaign during their last full season together in 21/22.

Former Leicester midfielder Youri Tielemans.

He averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.08 across 32 league outings and contributed with six goals and 1.2 key passes per game. The Foxes maestro also showcased his defensive ability with three tackles and interceptions per match and a 51% duel success rate for the side.

Hatate, who has been hailed as "all action" by ex-Scotland defender Alan Hutton, is also a midfielder who puts himself about on and off the ball.

The 25-year-old averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.23 across 32 Scottish Premiership matches and chipped in with six goals and 1.3 key passes per outing, whilst the Japanese hero also won 57% of his duels and made 1.5 tackles and interceptions per clash.

These statistics suggest that the pair are similar midfielders, with both able to hold their own in physical contests and have the quality in possession to score goals and create chances.

Indeed, Rodgers may not need to use any of his £30m budget to bring his next Tielemans to Celtic as he already has one in the form of the £12k-per-week menace.

Newcastle Could Sign Dream Barella Partner In "Intelligent" £15m Gem

Newcastle United supporters will be eagerly anticipating the club's transfer activity this summer after ending a two-decade absence from the Champions League and years of malaise under the ownership of the despised Mike Ashley.

Now, a Saudi-backed consortium have pumped fresh, lucrative life back into St. James' Park, making impressive moves on the transfer front, impressive decisions in appointing Eddie Howe as manager and Dan Ashworth as technical director, and achieving a major confluence as the facets combine.

A fourth-placed Premier League finish illustrates the meteoric ascent, but this is the most important phase of the process thus far, as the side must now demonstrate their calibre is perpetual and they will not be knocked from their pedestal among the division's elite, instead rising closer and closer to the creme-de-la-creme of European football.

By Howe's own admission, several 'marquee' moves might be taken this summer to cement the high-fliers' new position, but one which might just go under the radar is the attention on Wolfsburg's Felix Nmecha.

According to the Telegraph, the 22-year-old is attracting the Magpies' attention and could join the fold for around £15m, with Howe keen to bolster his thriving midfield with one or two astute options.

Should Newcastle sign Felix Nmecha?

Nicolo Barella and James Maddison are both making the headlines right now as the Toon look to please their fans with an established phenom, but signing Nmecha could prove to be a prudent move as Ashworth looks to craft lasting success.

The notion that Newcastle boast a bottomless pit of plunder has left Howe guffawing; the 45-year-old has always maintained that the diligence permeating through the outfit since the takeover will not crumble away, and Nmecha would be unlikely to cement a starting berth with regularity in his maiden season in England, instead absorbing the fruits of his peers' labour and creeping towards a standout role.

He has been in fine fettle in the Bundesliga this year, though, starting 19 times, scoring three goals and registering six assists after playing a peripheral role across past terms.

Niko Kovac said: "Previously, he never got into a rhythm. He played in so many different positions. Now he's playing in midfield and you can see his technical ability. He has [also] improved physically."

Germany midfielder Felix Nmecha

He would be the perfect partner for someone like Barella, who is reportedly closing on a £50m move to Tyneside this summer and is undoubtedly one of Europe's first-class midfielders, with the box-to-box midfielder one of the most impressive around, especially from an offensive standpoint.

The Italy international has been in scintillating form this term, registering 19 direct contributions, winning the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, and being hailed as a "genius" by journalist Mike Piellucci.

Given that Nmecha has been dubbed "intelligent" himself by journalist Josh Bunting and already ranking among the top 22% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals and the top 4% for rate of assists, as per FBref, he might just be apt for moulding into a prolific star of Barella's ilk.

Considering the various elements, Nmecha could be a shrewd signing to make, bolstering the ranks and ensuring the ambitious squad is layered with quality as it continues its soaring ascent.

He may not be an instant hit on Tyneside but rest assured a genius duo lies in wait, ready to dominate the domestic and continental stage with swashbuckling ease.

Man Utd Prospective Bidders May Exit Process On Own Terms

Manchester United bidder Sheikh Jassim and The Nine Two Foundation may have set up a way to exit the ownership process on their own terms by submitting a new bid to try and seize control of the club, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest ownership news involving Manchester United?

According to Sky Sports, Sheikh Jassim Bin Hamad Al Thani and The Nine Two Foundation has submitted a fifth and final bid to take over at Manchester United and has stated that the offer must be accepted by this Friday or he will bow out of proceedings.

The report claims that Sheikh Jassim wants to acquire 100% control of the club and wants to upgrade infrastructure around Old Trafford and the Carrington training complex alongside clearing £1 billion worth of debt at Manchester United.

His rival bidder, Sir Jim Ratcliffe and his petrochemicals firm INEOS, are proposing taking majority control of the Red Devils in a deal that could keep Joel and Avram Glazer on as minority stakeholders.

BBC Sport claim that there has not been any indication yet from the Glazer family over who they would prefer to sell Manchester United to as of yet.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that The Nine Two Foundation may have set up a scenario to leave the bidding war on their own accord rather than by being rejected.

Jacobs told FFC: "If they're not successful, then they've put something out there that effectively says this has to resolve itself one way or the other, or quickly, which means that instead of being rejected, or instead of being made to wait, they are trying to either win or walk away on their own terms. I think that that is very typical of a bid from Qatar, whereby they don't like to lose, so they're doing everything that they think it takes to win. At the same time, they're paving the foundations to walk away if they need to, because they think that the Glazers might not want to sell as the six and do so on their own terms."

What next for Manchester United?

Manchester United boss Erik Ten Hag and his recruitment team can't control the destination of where the ownership of the club may lie and will instead focus on trying to bring in quality additions ahead of next season as they aim to build on a solid showing in 2022/23.

ESPN report that the Dutch manager isn't sure where he stands with regards to his plans for the upcoming window, stating: "I think it's clear what I want, but it's not up to me. It's about others in this club. The family are the owners, they make the decisions. It's not up to me, so I do everything I can and I influence the processes I'm in charge of."

Mason Mount Chelsea

In terms of potential additions to his squad, Chelsea midfielder Mason Mount has been a prominently mentioned name in the media and is said to have agreed personal terms over a transfer to Old Trafford, as per talkSPORT.

Tottenham Hotspur star man Harry Kane is also on the radar at Manchester United, as per Sky Sports, though it will remain to be seen how much financial muscle the Red Devils will be able to flex in the market while in the process of a potential transition of ownership.

Bayern Munich: Bayern renew interest in "extraordinary" Barcelona star

Bayern Munich are thinking about reigniting their interest in Barcelona star Raphinha, per Mundo Deportivo.

The dangerous winger was one of the Premier League's best players during his two years in the division, with ex-manager Marcelo Bielsa hailing him as a 'complete player.'

However, after a summer of transfer links to some of the biggest European clubs last year, Raphinhia finally signed on the dotted line for FC Barcelona.

Despite initially struggling for form and game time, the Brazilian has quickly established himself as a firm favourite amongst the Camp Nou faithful.

It was after a particularly impressive display against Sevilla earlier this year that Barcelona Manager Xavi labelled him "extraordinary."

His strong end to the season in Catalonia helped the Blaugrana win a first LaLiga title since 2019.

What's the latest on Raphinha?

With the Brazilian still performing at an elite level, it should come as no surprise that he has once again attracted the attention of clubs from across the continent, most notably Bayern Munich.

According to a report from Javier Gascon of Mundo Deportivo, the Bavarian club have reignited their interest in the player due to the admiration of Thomas Tuchel.

The Spanish publication reports (via Sky) that the German coach is a 'big fan of the Brazilian winger.'

Gascon reports that, alongside Tuchel's admiration for the player, the Bayern board want to bring in a player of his quality to 'not experience another Bundesliga like the one that recently ended.'

However, should the board want to bring the 5 foot 9 winger to FC Hollywood, they'll have to loosen their purse strings.

Barcelona paid Leeds £55m for his signature just last year, and so any new deal will likely exceed that valuation.

Would Raphinha improve Bayern Munich?

Primarily playing on the right-hand side, Raphinhia would be in direct competition with Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry.

Looking at their season ratings from WhoScored, it is the Brazilian who comes last at 7.04, whereas both Gnabry and Sane sit at 7.10. However, with rankings that close, it is hardly decisive.

Goal involvements, whilst impressive at 14 for the ex-Leeds man, are again lower compared to Sane's 15 and Gnabry's 19.

It doesn't get much better when you look at the underlying numbers, either. According to data from FBref, the Porto Alegre-born winger notches up 0.55 expected non-penalty goals and assists per90, whereas Sane manages 0.62, and Gnabry, a staggering 0.78.

Things balance out more when looking at their passing stats. Whilst Raphinha has the lowest pass completion of all three players at just 66.8%, he does average 2.20 key passes per 90, 0.19 more than Sane and 0.26 more than Gnabry.

Overall, whilst the numbers in isolation are certainly impressive, compared to his competition, they leave a little to be desired.

There is no doubt that Raphinha is a great player, and who knows, a move to Bayern might just bump those numbers up even higher.

Electric £29k-P/w Magician Open To Signing For Sunderland

An update has emerged on Sunderland's chances of landing a second loan deal for Manchester United forward Amad Diallo…

What's the latest on Amad Diallo to Sunderland?

According to The Sun, the Ivorian is willing to return to the Stadium of Light for another temporary spell but only if Tony Mowbray remains in the job.

The report claims that the attacking midfielder built up a strong connection with the supporters and the head coach and would not be opposed to rejoining the Black Cats.

However, it remains to be seen whether the Red Devils will be willing to allow him to depart for another season as Erik ten Hag may have other plans for the youngster.

How did Amad Diallo perform this season?

The 20-year-old magician enjoyed a terrific campaign in the Championship and Mowbray could now repeat the blinder Sunderland played with Jonny Evans by signing the ace for a second spell.

Sunderland's Tony Mowbray and Amad Diallo.

Back in 2007, the club signed the Northern Ireland international on loan from United for the second half of the season, and he made 18 appearances in the second tier.

The Black Cats were then able to snap him up for another loan in January 2008 with the titan featuring in 15 Premier League matches to help the club avoid relegation by finishing 15th in the table.

Diallo could now follow in his footsteps by signing for Sunderland for a second time from United, which could be a stroke of genius by Mowbray and Kristjaan Speakman.

In the 2022/23 campaign, the talented attacker racked up 13 goals and three assists in 37 league appearances and averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 – the fourth-highest in the squad.

The £29k-per-week wizard created four 'big chances' for his teammates and provided 41 key passes in total throughout the campaign, suggesting that he was unfortunate to end up with just three assists to his name.

Diallo also only missed six 'big chances' in the division as the loanee plundered 13 goals from 8.3 xG. This shows that the youngster was clinical in front of goal as he outperformed the level of chances that were coming his way from fellow forwards.

The Athletic's Peter Rutzler hailed the ex-Atalanta starlet as "electric" during the season and that sums the maestro up perfectly. He is capable of providing a spark in the final third at any moment, making him an undeniable game-changer with his ability to score and assist goals at Championship level.

Therefore, Mowbray could repeat the blinder the club played with Evans by securing another deal to sign the winger this summer.

Celtic interested in Mohanad Jeahze

Celtic not only have the best attacking record in the Premiership this season but also the best defensive record.

With 35 games played, Ange Postecoglou’s side have scored 81 goals and conceded 20, which is 10 more than the next-most prolific team has scored and nine fewer than the next-best defence.

One area of Celtic’s squad which has proved to be rather effective for the team in terms of both defending and attacking is full-back.

The trio of Anthony Ralston, Josip Juranovic and Greg Taylor have scored seven goals and delivered 10 assists between them in the league, showing just how useful they are in an attacking sense from the back.

Now that the next summer transfer window is around the corner, it seems as though a development has emerged regarding the possibility of Celtic adding another capable attacking full-back to their ranks.

What’s the news?

After recent reports linked Celtic with a summer move for Hammarby full-back Mohanad Jeahze, the Swedish club’s sporting director Jesper Jansson admitted that there is “interest” from the Premiership leaders in the 25-year-old, albeit without a formal approach yet being made.

He said on the matter: “There is certainly an interest but I have not heard anything.”

Since joining Hammarby in the summer of 2020, the left-back has made 56 appearances for the club across all competitions. In that time, he has chipped in with two goals and 12 assists along the way in highlighting his attacking capabilities, which is something that Postecoglou would certainly want for his side.

To further highlight the player’s attacking prowess, no other defender at Hammarby has been able to match the number of crosses (25) that the Iraq international has supplied this season.

Great news for Celtic fans

Not only would it surely delight a lot of Hoops supporters to see Jeahze make the move to Parkhead in the summer, it would also please them knowing that Taylor has some suitable competition for the left-back spot.

With the 24-year-old only providing two assists in 21 league games this season, perhaps having a player like Jeahze breathing down his neck could be beneficial in making him improve his performances and attacking output for the side.

Also, with Boli Bolingoli hardly featuring for the Bhoys this season and not training with the rest of his team-mates, if he were to leave this summer, his exit would presumably pave the way for the Hammarby maestro to come in and compete with Taylor for a place in the Celtic team.

In other news – Forget Carter-Vickers: Celtic can save millions by unleashing “phenomenal” barely-seen Hoops gem

Rangers: Borna Barisic was disappointing

Gio van Bronckhorst secured a place in his second final as manager of Rangers as his side won 3-1 at Ibrox on Thursday night.

The Gers were 1-0 down on aggregate heading into the second leg of their Europa League semi-final in Glasgow but they produced a magical night in front of their home supporters as they put in a brilliant display under the lights.

James Tavernier and Glen Kamara both scored well-worked goals in the first half to put the Light Blues 2-1 up in the tie.

Alarm bells may have been ringing inside Ibrox as Christopher Nkunku levelled the tie with a sublime volleyed finish past Allan McGregor but they were soon silenced by the explosion of noise when John Lundstram made it 3-2 to the Gers on aggregate.

The midfielder reacted first to a loose ball inside the box and placed the ball into an empty net with his weak foot to send the stadium into raptures.

It was a special night for the Gers and a number of heroes on the pitch put in terrific performances to help them on their way. However, one player who failed to step up to the standard set by his team-mates was left-back Borna Barisic, as he put in a disappointing display.

The Croatia international was described as “spooked” against Celtic on Sunday by ex-Rangers midfielder Derek Ferguson and that criticism could have been used again last night. The 29-year-old’s play was lacking in quality and consistency as he struggled at the back, with the occasion potentially causing him to lose his cool.

On the ball, he was erratic and unreliable. As per SofaScore, he only completed 44% of his attempted passes and lost possession 14 times. He was successful with two of his five crosses and had a 0% success rate with his five long passes, which shows that he was unable to find his range during the match as he consistently gave the ball back to the opposition.

Out of possession, he was also rather weak. As per SofaScore, he lost four of his six duels and did not make any blocks or interceptions. He did make two tackles but was also dribbled past once as he failed to assert his dominance on the Leipzig forwards, although he did make one fine challenge on the edge of the box in the first half to stop a promising run.

Overall though, the Croatian almost cost Van Bronckhorst the tie as he put in a disappointing performance at both ends of the pitch. The 29-year-old liability was constantly giving the ball back to the visitors and was far from good enough in his individual battles, with his team-mates bailing him out in the end.

AND in other news, Forget Lundstram: Rangers’ £5.4m-rated “absolute baller” got Ibrox “rocking” last night…