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According to Football Insider, a Lilywhites source has lifted the lid on Daniel Levy’s plan for a ‘major summer rebuild’ at Tottenham as he makes a Jose Mourinho decision – with the chairman looking set to give him another year at the helm.

Mourinho, who has been under mounting pressure recently, with numerous managerial candidates linked to potentially succeeding him, will apparently be given another season at Spurs according to this report.

Tottenham source lifts lid on Levy plan

Indeed, a Tottenham source close to the club has apparently lifted the lid on Levy’s decision on Mourinho which doesn’t involve an untimely sacking as the chairman plots to give his pet project another chance to succeed next year.

It is said that only a ‘catastrophic’ end to the season would force Levy into changing his mind, but Football Insider are unclear as to what defines that sort of finish to 2020/2021.

Levy is reportedly prepared to back Mourinho in what is expected to be a ‘major summer rebuild’ – which would enable the Spurs boss to have more time to build his own team.

The alleged cost of sacking him, not to mention his track record of being able to ‘churn out results’, are apparently big factors in Levy’s call to stick with the under-fire manager.

Time will tell whether this stance changes, but as it stands, Levy looks set to back Mourinho.

In other news: Tottenham will make a move for this star, find out more here.

Manchester City return to Premier League action on Saturday afternoon as they take on Leicester City away from home in their first game after the international break, and Pep Guardiola will know that three points will see his side take another huge step towards the title.

The Spanish manager could still win the quadruple with City this season but Leicester will undoubtedly be a tough test for his side, with the Foxes once again impressing under Brendan Rodgers this season as they currently occupy third place in the top-flight.

Leicester were superb in their 5-2 win at the Etihad Stadium earlier in the season, with Jamie Vardy causing the City defence on that day all sorts of problems. However, since Guardiola introduced a centre-back partnership of Ruben Dias and John Stones, his side have looked impenetrable at times.

It seems as if City have a fully fit squad to choose from ahead of the game at the King Power Stadium, although plenty of Guardiola’s players featured heavily in the international break, so we may well see some rotation from the former Barcelona boss.

Here’s how Football FanCast expects the Spaniard to line his side up on Saturday, with five changes from the team which started against Everton in City’s last game…

Ederson replaces Zack Steffen in goal after the USA international made a rare appearance in the FA Cup win at Goodison Park.

There’s one change in the defence as Joao Cancelo replaces Kyle Walker at right-back, with Aymeric Laporte continuing alongside Ruben Dias after John Stones played the full 90 minutes against Poland for England in midweek.

Rodri comes in for Fernandinho in defensive midfield to partner Ilkay Gundogan, with the “exceptional” Kevin De Bruyne returning to the starting XI after some impressive performances for Belgium recently, as well as his goal from the bench against the Toffees last time out, as he replaces Bernardo Silva.

Riyad Mahrez also returns to the side in place of Raheem Sterling, who is dropped to the bench, with Phil Foden moving to the left-hand side to accommodate the Algerian on the right against his former club, and they support birthday boy Gabriel Jesus in the attack.

In other news… Bye-bye Laporte: Txiki should seal Man City swoop for “top-class” £67.5m-rated beast

Many Leicester City fans have been left to blast the performance of Youri Tielemans in their 2-0 home loss to Manchester City in the Premier League on Saturday.

Goals from Benjamin Mendy and Gabriel Jesus were more than enough for Pep Guardiola’s team to take all three points away from the King Power Stadium on the evening, as Tielemans was one of several Foxes to have struggled to cope with the league leaders throughout the game.

The former AS Monaco star lost out on six of his duels and also failed to make a single interception or cross, losing possession of the ball on 11 different occasions and recording fewer touches (46) than his own goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel with 53 (Sofascore), highlighting just how ineffective he was in the match.

Leicester fans on Tielemans display

These Leicester supporters slammed his performance on Twitter, with one fan even going as far as to claim that the central midfielder was ‘sluggish’:

“That was hard work lucky to be going in at HT all square. Yes Man City are a good side but we need to stop stroking their egos & get into them. Midfield is getting bossed, Ndidi and Tielemans both poor. Defence looks decent but need a outlet because it’s only a matter of time. #LCFC”

Credit: @Ashleypp1986

“Man City making Tielemans and Ndidi look poor, could do with KDB pulling a hamstring early second half #LEIMCI”

Credit: @Bodfeatures

“Tielemans looks proper sluggish”

Credit: @BenWasley1

“Tielemans just hasn’t turned up so far”

Credit: @jstcla_

“Tielemans has been awful”

Credit: @maiseylouie80

“This is a game where we need Tielemans on top form and he hasn’t turned up yet”

Credit: @lcfcleon

In other news, find out who else’s display was slammed by some Foxes fans.

Former Glasgow Rangers manager Alex McLeish is worried after the latest injury update on midfielder Ryan Jack.

McLeish worried about Jack

Ahead of the Gers’ clash with Hibernian, Steven Gerrard revealed that the £2.7m-valued 29-year-old has seen a specialist to determine how bad his injury is (Glasgow Times).

Speaking to Ibrox News, McLeish has shared his worry. He said:

“It’s never good to be behind in pre-season.

“We’ve all got our different traits and levels of fitness, and he’s been a terrific player. You see the contribution he has made for Rangers for Scotland.

“It’s such a pity. He’s seeing a specialist and that will be for one particular injury, and he will have certain expertise. When you hear those words, you fear the worst.

“He’s in the best hands.”

Continual problems

Injuries have been a persistent problem for Jack ever since he moved to Ibrox from Aberdeen in 2017. So far, the most Premiership games he has managed in a single campaign is 30 – in every other campaign, he has failed to break the 20-match barrier (Transfermarkt).

While he has been an important player when he has managed to get on to the field, it is impossible for Gerrard and the Gers to rely on a player who will likely spend a considerable part of the season on the sidelines. Unfortunately, at his age it is unlikely to be a problem that will be solved, either. The 55-time Scottish champions do at least have plenty of other options in the middle of the park.

In other news, many Rangers fans are delighted by this Old Firm news.

Frank McAvennie has urged Southampton man Mohamed Elyounoussi to move permanently to Celtic as he has no future at St. Mary’s.

Elyounoussi should leave Saints

Elyounoussi has spent this campaign and the last on loan at Parkhead from the Saints, managing 24 goals and 13 assists in 62 matches (Transfermarkt).

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie believes he must leave the south-coast outfit permanently. He said:

“He had an outstanding weekend and scored great goals. I had my doubts about him but he’s shown what he can do.

“He blows hot and cold but he brings Celtic a better balance when he’s out on the left. He comes in and scores goals but by and large he gives you width. 

“There’s no doubting he’s a good player, it just depends how much Southampton want for him or if they’d give us another loan because he obviously won’t get a game for Southampton. 

“He’s happy at Celtic and another loan deal won’t bust the bank. I’m not sure he has a future at Southampton. 

“He enjoys it up here and if the money was right I’d keep him, he proved that he’s worth it at the weekend. I’d take a chance on him.”

Worth a risk

Elyounoussi signed for Southampton in 2018, but failed to score or provide an assist in 18 matches before being loaned out to the Bhoys. With 102 career goals to his name, it is clear he has plenty of ability, but for whatever reason it didn’t work out for him initially with the Saints.

Ralph Hasenhuttl recently revealed Southampton will only be able to sign players for £10m or less this summer (via Sky Sports), indicating he will have to work with a small budget. As such, it may be worth the Austrian boss giving Elyounoussi another chance to show what he can do.

In other news, Southampton fans slam this man’s comments.

When the summer transfer window opens, Nuno Espirito Santo and Jeff Shi will be chomping at the bit to bring some added quality into the Wolves squad.

A plethora of injuries have wreaked havoc with the Molineux outfit, so bringing in more bodies should definitely be at the top of their agenda.

What’s the word?

Wolves have already been linked with the likes of Lucas Ocampos and Goncalo Guedes, but they now have a defensive name on their radar. According to Own Goal Nigeria, the Premier League side are interested in signing Porto left-back Zaidu Sanusi this summer.

The report suggests that they’ve singled him out as a target in the coming months and have already been in contact with the 23-year-old’s representatives.

Sanusi only signed for the Portuguese giants last year so it’s unclear whether Porto will be willing to sell. If they are, it may take as much as €20m (£17m) to prise him away.

Fixing a problem

Wolves have four left-backs on their books at the moment but none of them have been able to make their mark this term.

Ruben Vinagre spent the first half of the season on loan at Olympiacos and then the second half at Famalicao. As for Marcal, he has only played 14 times since being signed from Lyon due to calf and groin problems.

Rayan Ait-Nouri has been exposed defensively, while Jonny has also played very little football.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/read-the-latest-wolves-news-and-views-lingard-leao-jimenez-mir” title= “Read the latest Wolves news and views!”]

The Spaniard has been imperative for Wolves since they were promoted to the Premier League but he is now undergoing rehabiltation on his second anterior cruciate ligament injury in the space of a year. As a result, the flying wing-back is now set to spend up to a minimum of six months on the sidelines.

With that in mind, signing someone like Sanusi would go down well in the Midlands. At 23, he has room to grow and he is a very attack-minded defender. The Nigerian can play at left-back or further forward on the wing, which makes him perfect for Nuno’s preferred 3-4-3 system.

You only need to look at comparisons made throughout his career to understand the kind of player Wolves could be getting.

Speaking in September, the defender commented: “The left-back I look up to in the world is David Alaba of Bayern Munich, many, many people say that I play like Alaba but I want to be myself, I like him so much.”

Sanusi added: “Alaba can defend and attack and I’m like him. It’s very difficult for a left-back to attack and defend but Alaba does that very well.”

A quick and vibrant full-back, the Porto gem has plenty of desirable traits in his locker. So far this season, Sanusi has won 1.8 aerial duels which is impressive for a player in his position. He has also prevailed in 1.9 tackles per match and dazzled in forward areas, with 1.2 dribbles per game in Europe.

He showed just how imperious he is from a defensive point of view in the Champions League against Chelsea. Across two quarter-final matches, the defender won an eye-catching 13 ground duels.

Sanusi has already shown he can cope against the might of English football and he would be an astute acquisition for Wolves this summer. Molineux chief Shi must bring him to the Premier League.

AND in other news, Wolves should replace Nuno with 45 y/o “football expert”, he may be the next Mourinho…

Former Aston Villa midfielder Lee Hendrie has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that he can understand why supporters of his old side are getting frustrated with central defender Tyrone Mings.

Mings came in for criticism for his performance in Villa’s 3-1 win against Fulham earlier this month, with the 28-year-old’s mistake resulting in the west London club taking the lead.

He did, however, manage to redeem himself by setting up the equaliser. Ultimately, thanks to Trezeguet’s brace, no real damage was done in the end.

Nevertheless, Hendrie has called for Mings to up his game in general amid fan frustration, frustration that the ex-Villa player totally gets.

On the £24.3m-rated England international, Hendrie told FFC:

“I look at the mistake that John Stones made in the England game and, you know, there’s similar sorts of aspects between Tyrone Mings and John Stones. They’re footballing centre-halves, they get on the ball, they want to have that bit of time and they want to play football from the back.

“And that’s a risk you run having centre-halves that want to play through the lines and want that extra couple of seconds on the ball where they’re going to pick things out. And sometimes they get a little bit cocky in that situation.”

Discussing the matter further, the retired Premier League footballer went on to add:

“I can understand why Villa fans are getting frustrated because [Ezri] Konsa’s been brilliant defensively, puts his neck on the line. And, at times, I’ve seen Tyrone over the season, you know, the Leeds game stood out to me where [Patrick] Bamford just literally ran riot and some of the goals that were scored… defensively, I didn’t feel that he was at it.

“For the physical strength that he possesses, he should be going on and doing a lot better, and I think that’s why Villa fans get so frustrated.”

Next up for Mings and Villa in the Premier League is the visit of Manchester City.

Smith’s side will need to be wary of a reaction from the Citizens following their disappointing 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in the FA Cup.

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing Young Boys winger Nicolas Moumi Ngamaleu this summer as Marcelo Bielsa eyes up reinforcements for his squad.

The Whites held Manchester United to a goalless draw at Elland Road on Sunday in what was another impressive Premier League result. Bielsa’s men had already taken four points of Manchester City and Liverpool in their two previous matches and are now ninth in the table.

Leeds’ current success doesn’t mean the squad isn’t in need of strengthening this summer, though, with a host of names being linked with moves to Elland Road.

[freshpress-quiz id=“351040″]

Leeds eye up Ngamaleu move

According to TEAMtalk, the Whites are eyeing up a move for Ngamaleu, with the 26-year-old capped 14 times by Cameroon and scoring twice for his country.

Brighton, Everton, Leicester City and Rangers are all seen as possible suitors as well, suggesting that there will be a frenetic battle for his signature this summer.

Transfer Tavern take

Bielsa could be looking to improve in the wide positions in the next transfer window, with Raphinha arguably the only top-class winger at the club despite the likes of Jack Harrison and Helder Costa possessing talent.

Ngamaleu could potentially be the ideal player to strengthen the left wing, and his average of 2.3 dribbles per game in the Europa League this season is vastly superior to Harrison’s tally of 1.1 per match in the English top flight, with the 24-year-old playing on the same side where the Young Boys winger is regularly deployed.

The Cameroonian is capable of playing on either flank, which could appeal to Bielsa, but he is more renowned for playing on the left, meaning he and Raphinha could be the first-choice wide options if he manages to oust Harrison from the regular starting XI.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly expecting one player to leave the club this summer. Find out who it is here.

According to Daily Star journalist Paul Brown, writing on Twitter, Tottenham Hotspur have ‘already begun’ approaching managerial alternatives to Julian Nagelsmann and Leicester City boss Brendan Rodgers.

Indeed, Nagelsmann was recently announced as the new Bayern Munich boss in a big blow to Spurs whilst Sky Sports report that Rodgers is more than likely to stay at Leicester.

Journalist says Spurs have ‘already begun’ approaches

The Star journalist says that chairman Daniel Levy has already begun scouring managerial alternatives and always considered Nagelsmann a tough ask.

These names include Ajax boss Erik Ten Hag and Ralph Rangnick, with the former having a glowing reputation when it comes to developing young stars.

Tottenham will need to quickly move in their hunt for a new boss as the club seek to put a forgettable 2020/2021 season behind them.

Spurs are facing a fight to qualify for Europe this season and are out of all cup competitions having recently lost the Carabao Cup final to Manchester City at Wembley.

Transfer Tavern take

Interim boss Ryan Mason, in the meantime, is set to stay in charge until the end of the season but Spurs apparently want a more experienced manager in place for next term.

The priority is allegedly an attack-minded coach who can re-install an exciting brand of football, and the Lilywhites should go no further than Ten Hag.

He has been compared to Pep Guardiola in the past for his Johan Cruyff-ian philosophy (AS) and so could be the perfect alternative to both Nagelsmann and Rodgers.

In other news: Alasdair Gold drops stadium naming rights update, find out more here.

Oliver Skipp looks set to miss a significant portion, if not all, of Spurs’ pre-season after suffering a disappointing injury blow this week.

What’s the latest?

The 20-year-old Hotspur Way academy graduate has enjoyed a brilliant season on-loan at Norwich City, where he has helped deliver their second promotion to the Premier League in three years.

On Tuesday night against Reading, Skipp limped off in stoppage time with what seemed to be a foot problem, and now the extent of the injury has been revealed.

His season is now over.

Speaking to local reporters, Canaries boss Daniel Farke said:

“[It is] a big concern. It was pretty painful for him and our physios’ first assessment was they are not that optimistic for him. It seems like a major injury. Right now, too soon to give a firm prediction. We have to continue to assess him over these coming days but it was pretty sore.

“It is a shame because he was unbelievable this season. One of our outstanding players. All our thoughts are with him and we hope he is capable of being fit for the new season.

“It is an issue with his foot. We think it could be broken.”

Spurs themselves have since confirmed that Skipp did indeed fracture his metatarsal and that he’s had surgery to repair the broken bone.

Could impact plans

Given that he’s gone under the knife, it’s highly likely that Skipp will be in recovery and rehab for most of the summer and that will surely hinder his chances of making the Tottenham senior fold next term.

The young midfielder has been lauded as the “future captain” of the club and has hugely impressed at Carrow Road this term.

He is widely expected to be a first-team presence in the near future and you would imagine that whoever is in charge of Spurs come the summer would like to take a good look at him to assess if he truly does have the potential to step up into the Premier League.

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Skipp has played the second-most minutes (3,863) for Norwich this season, so that only tells you just how crucial he has been to their fortunes. Additionally, his teammate Kenny McLean, explained just how integral he has been to the side, he told Sky Sports:

“He makes my job a hell of a lot easier, I’ll tell you that. He’s been outstanding all season and we’re lucky to have him to be honest. For this level, he’s very outstanding and he’s got a huge career ahead of him.”

The 5 foot 9 dynamo could be an ideal partner for the ever-present Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg in the heart of Spurs’ midfield.

There are doubts over the futures of Harry Winks and Dele Alli; Moussa Sissoko is getting no younger at 31 and both Tanguy Ndombele and Giovani Lo Celso are better deployed in more advanced roles.

However, if Skipp does miss pre-season – or at least the start of the next era under Daniel Levy’s next appointment, as is now expected after his surgery – then Spurs may well want to seek reinforcements in the transfer market and that would deal a crushing blow to his prospects in N17.

Skipp has featured 23 times for Spurs since his debut in October 2018 and should undoubtedly be a big player for the Lilywhites in years to come.

This injury is obviously unfortunate for the player but it is also a cruel setback to the next manager of Spurs, whoever that turns out to be, as he may not be able to take a proper look at Skipp’s credentials, which in turn will impact his plans for next season.

A new manager will always be keen to get a good look at his new players in person, especially a highly-touted youngster but it looks like whoever takes over the Spurs hotseat may have to wait a while before he can assess Skipp close up.

That’s a blow to the incumbent manager as he would want to have as much information as possible about his players and his squad going into his first season in the dugout, but alas, it looks like he’ll have to settle for watching replays of Skipp’s Norwich’s performances to make a decision on whether he feels he is good enough, or if he needs to go into the transfer market.

AND in other news, In-house hire could be Martin Jol 2.0 at Spurs…