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According to The Daily Express, Tottenham are weighing up making a late move for Lille star Victor Osimhen.

What’s the word?

When both Harry Kane and Heung-min Son were out injured at the same time earlier this year, it became really clear to see that Spurs lacked genuine depth up top.

Reports in the January transfer window had suggested Olivier Giroud was being lined up as a potential option, but a deal failed to materialise. Now, The Daily Express claim that Spurs could join rivals Liverpool, and Serie A giants Napoli in the race to sign Osimhen, who struck an impressive 18 goals across all competitions last season.

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The report claims that Napoli have already met Lille’s asking price of £75m, and that the Jose Mourinho’s side have been tracking as the Nigerian as they search for more support for Kane.

Imagine him and Kane

The old-school way of playing two up top may have slowly died out in the Premier League, but Osimhen’s arrival in north London could see Mourinho throw it back.

The Nigerian was in sparkling form for Lille before the Ligue 1 season was cancelled, even scoring in Champions League fixtures against both Chelsea and Valencia.

It’s no surprise that Lille boss Christophe Galtier has waxed lyrical about him, even comparing him to Arsenal star Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. But perhaps the biggest indication of why Osimhen may be the perfect signing for Spurs is the way Manchester United and Nigeria teammate Odion Ighalo talked about him.

He said: “He’s the future, he’s going to do so well in football. I love him, he’s down to earth, he’s hard working, he has a future and he has the mentality of a winner, that’s what I love about him. He has that lion’s heart. I love him, I just want him to keep working hard the way he’s doing, he’s going to break so many records in Europe and Nigeria.”

With Mourinho undoubtedly brought in to deliver some trophies, having players in the squad who have that winner’s mentality is key to ending Spurs’ drought. And with Osimhen’s ability to play in a front-two (Lille used the 4-4-2 in their last seven league games), him and Kane could strike up a devastating partnership of a couple of proven goal-scorers.

Chelsea are eager to get back into action and continue their mission to secure Champions League football next season.

The Blues have won six of their seven matches played since the Premier League restarted and are on track for a top four finish. As it stands, Frank Lampard’s side are third in table after leapfrogging Leicester, but the battle is still a close one. Chelsea must stay ahead of the Foxes and Manchester United, with just two points between third and fifth place.

Sheffield United are hoping to secure a spot in the Europa League and will be fighting tooth and nail for a result on home soil, so Chelsea must be at the top of their game.

Transfer Tavern have predicted how Lampard might set up to face the Blades this evening…

There’s no reason for the manager to change anything about his attack, with Christian Pulisic, Willian and Olivier Giroud scoring a combined nine goals since the Premier League restart (via Sofascore).

Billy Gilmour though will miss out after picking up an injury which will see him out for up to four months (BBC Sport). Ross Barkley could be dropped to the bench after failing to contribute to any of the three goals scored in their last outing. The additions of Jorginho and Ruben Loftus-Cheek could freshen up the engine room and catch the Blades off guard. Loftus-Cheek bagged himself an assist coming off the bench against Crystal Palace and could be a key component of Lampard’s midfield.

Kurt Zouma lost possession 12 times against the Eagles so the centre-back partnership could be switched up by adding Antonio Rudiger to the back-line alongside Andreas Christensen.

It could be a cagey affair at Bramall Lane so the Blues must stay tight at the back and try to score early in order to maximise their chances of another important three points.

How do you think Chelsea should line up against Sheffield United, Blues? Have your say in the comments below!

Glasgow Rangers announced the signing of Kemar Roofe on Tuesday to bolster their options in attack and a recent report has highlighted the details of the deal and how much the club will spend in bringing the forward to Ibrox.

According to Football Insider, the deal will keep Roofe at the club for at least four years. The ‘Gers will pay an initial fee of around £4.5m for Roofe but there are add-ons which they will have to pay to Anderlecht based on performances.

The report added that he will have a wage of £20,000-a-week, as well as pocketing a major signing-on fee, and this all makes the deal worth in excess of £10m across four years.

The initial fee of £4.m for the forward is pretty good value if you look at how his has performed in his career so far. The 27-year-old has played 302 games in his career, including 78 in the under-23 team at West Bromwich Albion, and has scored 96 goals whilst also picking up 50 assists, per Transfermarkt.

His age also makes the deal a good one as he should now be in the peak of his career. Even though the deal could yet exceed £10m, if he continues scoring and creating goals at the rate that he has shown during his career, then that sum will look like excellent value.

Indeed, if Roofe can be the catalyst to help the ‘Gers win the Premiership title, then they will not care about having to pay a little bit more money for his services. In terms of strengthening the squad ahead of a pivotal season for the club as they seek to win a first top-flight title in 10 years, this addition has the portents of being a very good one.

‘Gers fans, what are your thoughts on the deal for Roofe? Comment below with your views!

Tottenham Hotspur are moving early with their summer business and now with Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg nearly through the door, it’s time to replace the recently departed Jan Vertonghen – and there’s a perfect successor out there for free.

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, free-agent centre-back Malang Sarr is a “possibility” as Jose Mourinho could look for extra depth in the defensive department.

They claim that Davinson Sanchez, Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld will be the main men in the role next season but they have been linked to additions, namely Kim-min Jae of Beijing Guoan and Chelsea’s Kurt Zouma.

But it’s Sarr who’s freely available to move following the expiry of his contract at Nice, leaving Daniel Levy with a potential bargain – especially with him being rated at £14.4m by Transfermarkt.

Vertonghen successor

The 21-year-old should be right up Spurs’ street as he’s a left-footer who can also play at left-back, thus providing Ben Davies with adequate competition in the same way that Vertonghen did for many moons in north London.

Sarr has been a regular in the French top-flight for several seasons now despite his age – across his career, he’s averaged 2.4 clearances, 2 interceptions, 1.4 tackles and 3.8 long balls per game, via WhoScored.

His ball-playing capability is evident having also managed just under 60 passes each time he steps out onto the pitch at a consistent accuracy rate of 89.4%. Impressive stuff.

Nice boss Patrick Vieira claims Sarr has the “personality of a leader” which bodes well for trying to replace a figure like Vertonghen who was undoubtedly an influence in the dressing room having spent eight years at the club.

Arch-rivals Arsenal are also reportedly in the hunt, so to be able to land a blow to their Europa hopes before a ball is even kicked would be a psychological boost ahead of the next campaign too.

Levy would only have to pay his wages, so a swoop for Sarr would be an absolute bargain.

AND in other news, Dan Kilpatrick reveals Spurs “admire” relegated STAR…

Inter Milan have been rumoured to be eyeing up a swoop for Chelsea star N’Golo Kante, but a recent update has debunked these talks. 

Fabrizio Romano has reported that Antonio Conte’s side have not registered any interest in bringing the Frenchman to Serie A. The club’s sporting director Piero Ausilio has said there’s ‘no chance’ that Inter are looking to sign the midfielder.

“We’ve never started anything to sign Kanté from Chelsea,” he said. “He’s not a target.”

Chelsea have recruited extremely well in this window but must now look to offload some players in order to balance the books.

Several players are being linked with exits before the season starts, including Emerson Palmieri and Jorginho, who could both bring in a good amount of money to recoup some of the club’s lavish spending.

Kante was another name being dangled on the market as Frank Lampard views him as surplus to requirements in his squad moving forward. Inter Milan were said to be heavily linked with the France international as Conte hoped to find a way to pay his lofty €50m (£44.1m) asking price.

This update may come as a blow to some Chelsea supporters who were hoping to see a handsome sum of money come their way, particularly with major-money target Kai Havertz close to signing and Declan Rice another name on the Blues’ shopping list.

The West Ham defender/midfielder is a player that both Lampard and his assistant Jody Morris both admire hugely. Adding him to the ranks could see him partner new recruit Thiago Silva and Chelsea aim to strike an ideal balance between attack and defence.

The Irons have slapped a £70m price tag on Rice, which could now be a setback for the Blues unless they can shift players like Kante and earn back some cash.

Do you think Chelsea would be right to sell N’Golo Kante? Have your say in the comments below…

Speaking at a press conference, with quotes recorded by Fussball Transfers, Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Simon Rolfes has refused to rule out selling Leicester City target Jonathan Tah, with the Foxes currently monitoring his situation along with Fulham and Arsenal. 

Tah, who has been tipped with a move to the Premier League over the last few months, is currently one of Leverkusen’s best defensive assets in the Bundesliga – evident by his pedigree in attracting some of England’s top clubs.

Fulham and Arsenal are both also interested, with Telegraph journalist Mike McGrath recently claiming that Leicester are also eyeing a swoop should their bid to sign Wesley Fofana fail to materialise.

While Tah is considered a fallback option in place of the more desired Saint-Etienne defender, you could make a case for the towering 6 ft 5 star potentially being a better signing overall.

Valued at just £21.6m by Transfermarkt, the 24-year-old boasts ‘outstanding’ attributes and has even been likened in the press to Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk – potentially reason enough to hugely consider making an offer for the centre-back.

According to WhoScored, while averaging an impressive 90% passing accuracy out from the back, Tah made 3.8 clearances and won 2.9 aerial duels on average over the 2019/20 Bundesliga campaign.

These numbers could point towards the theory that he possesses enough composure for a top six side like Leicester whilst also having that combative nature needed for the English top flight.

Of course, if Leicester are to beat Arsenal to his signature, they will have to pull out all the stops.

Leicester fans, should Tah be your main target for the rest of this window? Have your say in the comment section below…

According to The Daily Express, Tottenham have reignited their interest in VfL Wolfsburg striker Wout Weghorst.

What’s the word?

After the disappointment of losing their opening Premier League game of the season against Everton last weekend, Spurs have enjoyed a very successful week both on and off the pitch, first beating Lokomotiv Plovdiv in the Europa League, and then securing the return of Gareth Bale.

Is it Mido or Pedro Mendes? This Spurs quiz will separate the loyal from the fake…



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Now, The Daily Express claim that the north London side still have hopes of adding a new number nine to their ranks before the close of the transfer window next month, and that having an expressed an interest in signing him in January, Spurs are back in for Weghorst.

The report adds that the Netherlands international is valued at around £27m, but Wolfsburg are willing to sell at the right price and are open to accepting a payment plan for him.

Perfect for Mourinho

For those Spurs fans who watched the All or Nothing documentary, then the episode featuring the club’s chase for a new striker in the January transfer window revealed both Steve Hitchen and Daniel Levy revealing that Jose Mourinho wanted a specific type of forward ie. someone strong and physical.

In the 6 foot 6 man-mountain that is Weghorst, Spurs would be getting exactly that. The powerhouse naturally won his fair share of battles in the air last season in the Bundesliga, winning 58% of those duels. But whilst he’s built like an old-fashioned target man, there is more to his game.

His teammate at Wolfsburg, Admir Mehmedi, said: “He runs a lot for the team and has a really strong mentality. I can’t think of another player who is so crazy, in a positive way.” One of the big concerns for Mourinho from last weekend’s defeat to Everton was the kind of “lazy” work Spurs did when trying to get the ball back from the opposition, but Weghorst would bring that work-rate and energy.

And just like one of Mourinho’s former strikers, Didier Drogba, Weghorst also has a clinical touch to go with his power-based game. He scored an impressive 20 goals in 43 games last season across all competitions, and as someone to ease the burden on Harry Kane, he could give the Spurs boss that something different he is said to be looking for.

Aston Villa have been joined by some elite company in pursuit of one man this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Serie A outfit Torino have entered the race to clinch AFC Bournemouth forward Joshua King before next Monday’s deadline.

It comes just a few days after the Telegraph’s Mike McGrath linked the 28-year-old with a switch to Premier League rivals Tottenham Hotspur.

Earlier this month, his colleague the ever-reliable John Percy revealed that the Midlands side had bid £16m for the Norwegian frontman, but things have gone quiet ever since.

Late transfer tussle?

Dean Smith has already bolstered his frontline with the addition of Bertrand Traore, who has since scored and made two appearances for the club to complement the club-record splash on Ollie Watkins.

However, King isn’t someone the 49-year-old should turn his nose up at as it’ll add some quality depth across the front three.

The versatile sensation has been a prolific threat in the top-flight over the past five seasons, scoring at least six goals each campaign with a career-best 16 coming back in 16/17.

Despite being part of the Cherries’ relegation squad, King still contributed to ten goals whilst averaging two dribbles, 1.2 key passes and one shot per game, via WhoScored.

He could allow Jack Grealish to move back into the middle and can even be a viable back-up to Watkins.

King really is the “complete package” as his former boss Eddie Howe once said, claiming that his forward is “outstanding physically, technically and mentally.”

“He is a pivotal figure to how we play and what we want to do. He has the pace, strength and technical qualities, which are quite unique,” added Howe.

Whilst it remains to be seen if that £16m was ever enough, Johan Lange simply can’t afford to see King join a rival club like Spurs. He could help transform them from relegation fodder into genuine underdogs.

AND in other news, Aston Villa remain keen on wantaway PL starlet…

Plenty of Liverpool fans reacted in awe to Trent Alexander-Arnold’s skill during an England training session.

The 22-year-old was getting ready with the Three Lions’ squad for last night’s UEFA Nations League clash against Belgium, who are currently ranked as the number one side in the world, as per FIFA.

England’s official YouTube channel posted footage of the senior side’s preparations for the game, which captured Alexander-Arnold turning the defence inside out before rounding the goalkeeper and slotting home superbly.

In recent years, the local lad has been touted as one of the best right-backs in the world, with Brazilian legend Cafu suggesting that he could be in line to win the prestigious Ballon d’Or award.

Even with Alexander-Arnold producing some unexpected magic moments in the past, these Liverpool fans were taken by surprise at his “outrageous” training ground exploits:

Liverpool fans gush over Alexander-Arnold footage

Liverpool fans, what do you make of Trent Alexander Arnold’s footwork? Join the discussion by commenting below…

After avoiding an embarrassing defeat to Rapid Vienna in the Europa League on Thursday night, Arsenal return to Premier League action when they entertain Leicester City at the Emirates on Sunday night.

Mikel Arteta’s side have enjoyed a reasonable start to the new season, but have suffered two defeats to rivals Liverpool and Manchester City. And with last season’s high-fliers Leicester making the trip to north London, it will be imperative that the Gunners get back to winning ways in the league.

Thursday’s clash against Vienna saw Arteta rather unsurprisingly ring the changes, but there will be no doubt that he will look to return to his strongest possible eleven for the visit of Brendan Rodgers’ men.

And with that in mind, below is a look at how Arsenal might line up for the game against Leicester on Sunday.

In goal, Bernd Leno will surely be desperate to make amends for his howler on Thursday night, gifting Vienna a goal after attempting to play out from the back.

The German is the undisputed number one this season at the Emirates follow Emiliano Martinez’s departure to Aston Villa, and there will be no question of Arteta even thinking about dropping him.

In front of him, the likes of Cedric and Sead Kolasinac should make way, with both of them enduring nightmare displays in the Europa League.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Kieran Tierney should come in for the duo, with Arteta once again sticking to his now tried-and-trusted back-five formation.

Ahead of the game against Leicester, the Gunners were boosted with the news that Dani Ceballos is available for selection after missing the previous week through injury.

Whether the Spaniard comes in after Thomas Partey’s impressive showing in mid-week is up for debate, with the former Atletico Madrid man in line for his first Premier League start in an Arsenal shirt. Alongside him, Granit Xhaka will be confident of claiming back his place in the starting line-up.

And with Willian once again missing through injury, Arsenal could field an offensive three of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the left, Nicolas Pepe on the right, and Alexandre Lacazette through the middle.

Predicted XI: Leno; Bellerin, David Luiz, Gabriel, Tierney, Maitland-Niles; Xhaka, Partey; Aubameyang, Pepe, Lacazette.