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Tottenham Hotspur no longer consider Wilfried Zaha a major transfer target, according to a report from Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Tottenham eyeing Zaha

Zaha’s contract is set to expire at the end of the season, meaning he will be free to leave current club Crystal Palace, and Tottenham have been identified as potential suitors.

Back in December, it emerged that Spurs were plotting to sign the Ivorian this summer, while the report also claims that Mauricio Pochettino tried to sign him on two occasions, showing just how far back their interest in the winger goes.

The Latest: No longer priority

As per a report from Football Insider, Tottenham no longer consider the Crystal Palace ace a priority target this summer, although he does still remain on the list of potential signings.

If Antonio Conte’s side are unable to land their top targets, the 30-year-old could still be considered, however they may face competition from north London rivals Arsenal.

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The Verdict: Get it done?

Given that the 30-time Ivory Coast international is available on a free transfer, it is a deal that makes perfect sense, as Spurs would be bringing in a quality player without having to shell out a transfer fee.

The former Manchester United man, who has been hailed ‘incredible’ by the media, is proven in the Premier League, having reached double figures for goals in his last three seasons, and he is on track to do so again, netting on six occasions in 19 appearances so far this term.

Tottenham already have plenty of options in attacking areas, however Heung-min Son has not been at his best this season, scoring just four in the top flight, and Zaha would be a very good signing, able to provide some additional cover when players are underperforming.

Tottenham Hotspur’s talks to sign Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie could begin in the coming days with a bid on the way, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs shortlisting transfer targets…

Spurs’ sporting director Fabio Paratici and the club have reportedly got to work on drawing up a shortlist of potential summer targets behind the scenes.

Indeed, it is believed that a centre-back, a new goalkeeping replacement for Hugo Lloris and a midfielder could be high on the agenda at Tottenham.

Antonio Conte will see Uruguayan midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur ruled out for the majority of this year, meaning that Spurs may have to contemplate alternatives in the transfer market.

The Latest: Tottenham set for Kessie transfer talks…

According to reports in Spain (via Sport Witness), Tottenham’s talks to sign Kessie ‘could begin in the coming days’, with the north Londoners plotting to offer €30m (£26m).

Conte is believed have personally given the green light for the Premier League club to target the Ivorian, as Kessie is one of his ‘great wishes’ for the summer.

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The Verdict: Great option for Spurs…

The former AC Milan star hasn’t had the best debut campaign at Barcelona, starting just four La Liga matches and struggling for consistent game-time. As per WhoScored, he is their lowest-rated player to start more than once in the league in 2022/23.

While Kessie and Barca don’t seem like a match made in heaven based on those figures, we believe that Tottenham could realistically offer the player a way out of Camp Nou.

The Ivorian would certainly be value for money if Barca are willing to entertain a £26m bid, with his past statistics at Milan detailing how colossal a presence he can be in midfield when at his best.

The £152k-per-week ace scored 21 goals and registered a further seven assists in all competitions for the Rossoneri from the beginning of 2020/21 to 2021/22 (Transfermarkt).

Described as ‘amazing’ by former Spurs goalkeeper Paul Robinson, Kessie could add a significant offensive threat to Conte’s midfield, and it will be interesting to see if Barcelona are willing to sell the 26-year-old.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has claimed that Manchester United will definitely try and sign Frenkie de Jong this summer but it could be “problematic” to know that already.

What’s the latest on Frenkie de Jong to Man United?

In the summer, the Red Devils were strongly linked with the Dutch midfielder but after a summer of doubt, he ended up remaining in Spain.

However, the latest news coming out of Barcelona suggests that the La Liga outfit may have to raise £178m in player sales if they want to be active in the upcoming transfer window.

Amid all that, The Guardian now report that Man Utd are ready to rekindle their interest in De Jong even though the midfielder is happy where he is right now.

While speaking about these developments on The United Stand, Goldbridge stated why he thinks the club will definitely chase a summer deal.

He explained (8:35): “Look, it’s one of the easiest predictions to make that Man United will try and sign Frenkie de Jong. Because everybody knows, everybody knows that Manchester United are obsessed, Erik ten Hag is obsessed with Frenkie de Jong.

“So we’re going to try and sign him. Whether we get him or not, flip a coin in the air and see which way it lands. But we will go for Frenkie de Jong.

“And in some ways, that’s useful to know. In other ways, it could be problematic. But we at least do know what the target is going to be in the summer.

“I think sometimes people start talking about players and it’s like: ‘Oh, you know it could happen. It could happen’. But we know we’re going to try for Frenkie de Jong. Whether we can get the deal done or not, I don’t know.”

What do the De Jong links mean for MUFC?

Seeing as De Jong has already played 59 times for Ten Hag across the span of his career, it’s not hard to see why he has been linked with a move to Man Utd since the Dutchman arrived in the Premier League. However, as Goldbridge alludes to, these rumours could be a little problematic for a number of reasons.

First, United were close to signing the player all last summer but it developed into a distracting saga and the player stayed put. Seeing as he is happy in Barcelona still, there is no guarantee the same wouldn’t just happen in the next transfer window too.

Beyond that, seeing as Barca are more than aware of the Red Devils’ strong interest, this could weaken United’s position when it comes to negotiating a transfer fee (as well as wages for the player). After all, it’s essentially public knowledge that the club are desperate for the player to arrive – or “obsessed” as Goldbridge puts it – so the selling club may feel as though they can slap an eye-watering price-tag on their asset.

All in all, it sounds as though we’re set for another summer of De Jong links to Manchester United whether we like it or not.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester United sent scouts to watch summer transfer target Kim Min-jae this week.

What’s the latest on Kim Min-jae and the Man Utd links?

It seems as though the Man Utd decision-makers are already trying to plan for the future with regard to possible signings at the end of the season with moves already being made behind the scenes.

Even though it remains unclear who exactly will be writing the transfer cheques next summer – with the Glazers possibly selling the club amid interest from multiple bidders – Erik ten Hag and co are pushing on with their transfer plans regardless.

Indeed, defender Kim has been linked with a move to the Red Devils and club scouts were in the stands as Napoli took on Lazio on Friday night.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano explained (3:38): “What we can say is that Man United scouts were following the player already in October, in November.

“But really important to say that they were also sitting in the stands in the last game between Napoli and Lazio. He is a player they’re following.

“And so Kim Min-jae is one to watch because Manchester United are keeping an eye on him. But at the moment, it is important also to say that Napoli wants to extend his contract as a priority for Napoli.”

Will Kim Min-jae join Man Utd?

Ironically, despite having lost just once in Serie A all season beforehand, Napoli and Kim then went and lost for a second time with the United scouts watching on during the Lazio match.

Regardless of that defeat, though, the defender looks certain to win the Italian top-flight this term with that being their first home loss of the campaign.

So that result probably won’t put off any Man Utd scouts who will no doubt also be aware that the centre-back could be signed for a bargain this summer too.

Indeed, as per Corriere dello Sport (via Goal), the Napoli ace has £42m release clause which will become active for a 15-day period this summer. This explains why his current side are so desperate to negotiate new terms, as Romano makes clear.

It will certainly be interesting, however, to see if the Manchester presence in Italy will be enough to turn Kim’s head ahead of a possible summer switch.

Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Manchester City have offered Julian Alvarez a new contract and a payrise less than a year after joining, as they see him as a big part of their plans.

How has Alvarez performed for Man City?

The Argentina striker joined from River Plate in the summer and has since won the World Cup, but is second-choice at centre-forward behind Erling Haaland.

Nevertheless, the club view him as an integral part of their plans going forward and have now offered him a new contract despite him joining less than 12 months ago.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano gave insight into the details of the contract on the table.

He said: “Now what’s going on is that Manchester City have sent a new proposal to the player.

“So on the table of Julian Alvarez and his agents, there is a fresh proposal from Manchester City to extend the contract, and especially to have a new salary.

“From what I understand, the new proposal is on the table, Manchester City have improved their bid. And now it’s on Julian Alvarez, but there is optimism on both the player’s and club’s side to get the agreement reached and done as soon as possible.

“This could be important news for Man City, for the present and future, as we had many rumours, but let me clarify that for City, Alvarez is absolutely part of the project and an important player for the team and for Pep Guardiola.”

Where can Alvarez play for Man City?

Given Haaland’s astonishing form this season, with 33 goals in 34 games, it is unlikely that Alvarez will be able to displace him from the starting XI any time soon.

Alvarez has started just six of his 19 league appearances as a result, and has either played alongside Haaland as a second striker or on the wing.

Guardiola does have the option of switching to a two-striker formation, but given that this has not happened in his tenure when the likes of Gabriel Jesus and Sergio Aguero were battling for the same position – the duo only shared time on the pitch for as much as 45 minutes on 21 occasions – it seems unlikely that this could happen soon.

Haaland has described Alvarez as “amazing”, perhaps indicating that despite competing for the same spot, that the two can co-exist in the same side.

Alvarez may therefore have to settle for a wide role for the time being, but this prospective new contract indicates that City have no intention of letting him go, and could offer him more playing time in order to convince him to sign a deal.

Sky Sports reporter Kaveh Solhekol has given an update on the Qatari consortium bidding for the ownership of Manchester United, claiming that Sheikh Jassim Hamad Bin Al Thani's group are the favourites to win the race.

What's the latest on Man United's ownership situation?

The Qatari consortium visited Man United's training ground earlier this week as they engaged in more talks over their bid to buy the club, with fellow competitor Sir Jim Ratcliffe also set to speak to the club.

Both consortiums are the frontrunners to land the ownership from the Glazer family, who have put the club up for sale, but there is still a long way to go in the process.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Solhekol claimed that while Jassim's consortium are the favourites they are not willing to pay above the asking price, despite considering United a trophy asset.

He said: "I don't think they're just going to throw money at United – they've got a valuation.

"I don't think they're going to go above that. The phrase that was used to me was, look, they know that whoever buys United is going to have to overpay for United because it's a trophy asset. You're not going to get United on the cheap.

"They're willing to overpay, but the phrase that was used to me was they're not going to pay 'crazy money' for United.

"I mean, depends what your definition of crazy money is. A lot of people would say £4.5bn for a loss-making business is crazy money, but I think the general consensus is that the Qataris are the favourites at the moment because they're the richest people at the table."

Is heavy investment necessary for Man United?

The Glazers have been criticised over the years for their lack of investment into the playing squad beyond the club using self-generated income, amongst other factors, but given the progress United have made under Erik ten Hag this term, they may not need additional funding from either consortium.

United have consistently spent money in the transfer window despite the Glazers' approach, including heavy outlays on the likes of Casemiro, Lisandro Martinez and Antony last summer.

A new owner could invest their own money into the club, which could help improve the infrastructure and United's academy, but in terms of the playing squad, they may not need to initially spend heavily in a manner similar to Chelsea under Todd Boehly.

A few smart additions to the squad could see United become title challengers under Ten Hag without a major overhaul, and mega-investment from new owners into the playing squad may not be vital to this success in the short term.

Long-term strategic investment, coupled with improvements to the club's academy, could see United return to their former glories, and may be the route a new ownership takes rather than an immediate heavy spending spree.

Liverpool's pursuit of Borussia Dortmund's midfielder Jude Bellingham has hit the rocks and the 19-year-old is unlikely to make a move to Anfield.

Are Liverpool still in the race for Bellingham?

A potential move to Anfield has been reported to be in the cards of the England midfielder for months now with the Reds believed to be seriously interested.

However, they are expected to come up against the likes of Manchester City and Real Madrid in the summer in the pursuit to land the talented youngster.

But the issue lies in the expected price which will be put on Bellingham by Dortmund with the German side believed to be looking for a fee in the region of €150m (£130m).

Indeed, speaking on the Walk On podcast, David Ornstein has provided the latest in the race for the Englishman but has insisted the Reds are not entirely out of the race:

"More lately, it has emerged that three candidates are probably his strongest suitors: Liverpool, who have been most heavily linked with him – in recent months, you could even say years; Manchester City; and Real Madrid. And what we report in my Monday column on The Athletic is that it's looking increasingly unlikely that Liverpool will do the deal this summer, as things stand.

"I think it's vital to stress that Liverpool's pursuit is not off, but that is our understanding of the current situation from speaking to multiple sources with knowledge of this situation from across the industry. And on that note, I'll finish in that Liverpool will be reluctant to get into a bidding war at that level of finance."

Should Liverpool move on from Bellingham?

Whilst Ornstein has admitted there are some big hurdles lying ahead of Liverpool if they are to pursue in the race to land the midfielder, they are not out of the running.

However, the prospect of finding themselves in a bidding war with the likes of Madrid and City will surely make those at Anfield consider their options ahead of the summer.

But Bellingham is surely worth the potential summer headache if they are still in the race to land him.

The 19-year-old has become a regular for the England national side and played a big role in their World Cup journey over the summer.

Chelsea may well have disrupted the market for central midfielders in January by signing Enzo Fernandez for a fee in the region of just over £100m.

However, when comparing the pair's performances this season, it is apparent there are a lot of similarities in their returns for their respective clubs.

The duo have both returned just shy of three tackles per 90 minutes, whereas, Bellingham has offered slightly more shot-creating actions per game (via FBref).

With this in mind, it would suggest that the Reds could find themselves a potential alternative for Bellingham for a cheaper fee if push comes to shove in the summer should they be outpriced by their rivals.

but the cutthroat world of international football has already moved on, especially in Europe. The qualifying campaign for the 2024 European Championships in Germany got underway on March 23rd, and there are already a plethora of talking points. There have been stunning wins as well as a number of disappointing performances.

On the opening night, England laid to rest the ghost of their Euro 2020 defeat to Italy with a 2-1 victory in Naples. Goals from Declan Rice and Harry Kane, who himself laid to rest the ghost of that missed penalty against France at the World Cup, were enough to secure the victory and a massive three points for the Three Lions. Gareth Southgate however will be fully aware that the English performance throughout the second half was poor, and they were very fortuitous to cling on to the victory.

France manager Didier Deschamps took a risk when he announced that Kylian Mbappé would be the new captain of the French national team. As those that play Joe Fortune online pokies in Australia will tell you though, occasionally you can hit it big when gambling and that’s exactly what happened for Deschamps. His captain assisted one and scored two as his World Cup runners-up secured a brilliant 4-0 victory against a lackluster Netherlands in Paris.

All the aforementioned nations are regular staples at the European Championships, however, there are a number of nations that are on droughts that could make anyone wince. Let us take a look at who they are.

Serbia – Euro 2000

The Balkan nation of Serbia has never qualified for the European Championships under their own flag. Their last appearance for the tournament came under the flag of Yugoslavia way back at Euro 2000. That’s a stat that’s even more surprising considering the fact that the Serbians have qualified for four of the last five World Cups including the last two on the bounce.

The FIFA World Cup is notoriously more difficult to qualify for than the European Championships. When it comes to qualifying for global football’s biggest tournament, only the top team in European qualifying groups automatically qualifies for the competition, with the runners-up being forced to go through an arduous playoff to secure their places at the tournament. When it comes to the Euros, however, the top two teams automatically progress to the finals, and since 2016, even a number of best-placed third-place teams have qualified via the playoffs.

Still, however, the Serbs have not managed to feature on the European stage. In qualifying for Euro 2020, they lost on penalties to Scotland in Belgrade who in turn ended a drought of their own. On the attempt before, they finished fourth in their qualifying group, with Portugal and Albania finishing first and second, and Denmark advancing to the playoffs in third.

In qualifying for Euro 2012, Serbia finished behind Italy and shockingly Estonia, and in qualifying for Euro 2008, they finished behind Portugal and Poland. Four years prior to that, it was Wales and Italy that had the honor of claiming the top two spots, but Serbia’s 2023 campaign got off to the perfect start when they picked up a 2-0 victory over Lithuania in their opening game.

Norway – Euro 2000

Norway have also not appeared at a European Championship since 2000, which was hosted in the Netherlands and Belgium. That tournament marked the only time in the history of Norwegian football that they reached the Euros. They have reached the FIFA World cup on three occasions, but their last appearance came way back in 1994.

In recent years, The Lions have struggled. Their team has been defeated in the playoffs in each of their last two attempts, including losing to Serbia in extra time in qualifying for Euro 2020. But as their drought approaches 24 years, the Norwegians will never have a better chance to put themselves on European international football's grandest stage.

Their team now contains a number of the planet's greatest players. Manchester City’s Erling Haaland is perhaps the best out-and-out striker on the planet, while Norway and Arsenal captain Martin Ødegaard has been the best midfielder in the Premier League this season. Both players are still just 22 and 24 years of age respectively.

Elsewhere, Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge has been coveted by Europe’s finest. Brentford defender Kristoffer Ajer has featured prominently in The Bees’ chase for European club football this season. Those two are also under the age of 25.

There can be no denying that Norway's future is bright, and with Erling Haaland leading the line anything is possible. But will that future begin at next summer's European Championships?

Image from: unsplash.com

Tottenham Hotspur are already planning for life after Antonio Conte by identifying Brentford goalkeeper David Raya as a top target for the summer transfer window, according to a report from Football Insider.

Which goalkeepers are Spurs targeting?

It has recently emerged that Tottenham are planning to sell captain Hugo Lloris at the end of the season, bringing the Frenchman's time at the club to an end after more than ten years, having arrived from Lyon in September 2012.

There has been speculation for the last few months regarding who could replace the 36-year-old, with Tottenham reportedly making contact with Raya's representatives back in January, in order to discuss a potential summer move. Other goalkeepers have been linked with moves to north London, including the likes of Andre Onana and Giorgi Mamardashvili, with the latter likely to be available for way below his £88m release clause, owing to Valencia's present financial situation.

However, Spurs now appear to have set their sights on Brentford's shot-stopper, who is also attracting interest from Premier League rivals Chelsea. As per a report from Football Insider, the Spaniard is now one of the Lilywhites' top targets to replace Lloris, with the club eager to sign a new starting goalkeeper to replace Fraser Forster, who is currently standing in for the captain.

Tottenham's chances of being able to sign the 27-year-old may be increased by the fact Brentford are willing to accept offers of around £30m, given his current contract situation at the Gtech Community Stadium, with Daniel Levy seemingly very keen to have a new number one in place for any arriving permanent manager.

The two-time Spain international is entering the final year of his contract with the Bees, meaning this is their last real opportunity to cash in, rather than losing him on a free transfer next summer.

Would David Raya be a good signing for Tottenham?

The Barcelona-born shot-stopper has been lauded as "sensational" by members of the media this season, which is no real surprise, given the level of his performances for Brentford, which have indicated he is ready to take the next step in his career.

No goalkeeper has made more saves than the former Blackburn Rovers man in the Premier League this term, weighing in with a total of 108, eight more than his nearest rival, highlighting the crucial role he has played in the Bees' shock push for the European places.

Tottenham undoubtedly need a new goalkeeper this summer, given that no player has made more errors leading to goals than Lloris in the top flight this term, and at 35, Forster is not a viable long-term replacement.

As such, Raya would be an excellent addition to the squad, and Spurs should move swiftly to ensure they win the race for his signature, in light of the interest from elsewhere.

Chelsea have 'got in touch' to bring Porto forward Pepe to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Pepe to Chelsea?

Todd Boehly could reportedly be ready to sanction a mass exodus in the summer – to help ease the club's financial pressures – with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Hakim Ziyech facing uncertain futures. Indeed, this also means attacking reinforcements could be needed, which is where Pepe comes into play.

The Brazilian’s contract at the Estadio do Dragao isn’t set to expire until 2027 but his impressive performances have caught the eye of Graham Potter. His side were credited with an initial interest in the winger by Record and Portuguese outlet A Bola later revealed that the Blues, alongside top-flight rivals Arsenal, both sent scouts to watch their target in action late last year.

Even though a deal failed to materialise in January, they may have already taken a second bite of the cherry.

According to Globo Esporte (via Sport Witness), Chelsea and the Gunners “got in touch” with Pepe and are the two teams that have emerged as the “strongest” suitors should he leave Porto. The Primeira Liga starlet has “already received offers” ahead of the upcoming window, one of those being a bid worth €50m (£44m) after the player’s representatives were “approached”, though it’s unknown which club that came from.

Would Pepe be a good signing for Chelsea?

Pepe has been lauded an “important” member of Porto’s first-team squad by journalist Fernando Campos and looking at how fearless and prolific he can be in the final third, Chelsea would definitely be getting an excellent acquisition should they be able to sign him.

Sergio Conceicao’s attacker has recorded eight assists and five goals across all competitions this season, as per Transfermarkt, showing how regularly he takes the chances that he creates. The £25k-p/w talent also ranks in the 99th percentile for successful dribbles, highlighting his desire to take on and beat his marker.

Porto’s forward will know what it takes to be successful having lifted four trophies during his time at the club so could bring that winning mentality and instill it into the rest of the squad in SW6. Since the start of his career, Pepe has operated in seven various positions across the pitch, including in the midfield and on the wing down both the left and right flanks, so would add plenty of versatility to Potter’s team should he put pen to paper at Stamford Bridge.