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Tottenham Hotspur "could yet move" to sign both Micky van de Ven and Edmond Tapsoba depending on departures, according to reliable journalist Alasdair Gold.

Who will Spurs sign?

Spurs have been making moves so far this summer transfer window, having completed deals for goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, playmaker James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon on a free transfer.

Ange Postecoglou, speaking after his side put pen to paper on deals for Vicario and Maddison, has been left particularly enthralled by the duo.

“It’s not just about the talent they bring as footballers," said the Spurs boss.

"It’s what they bring as people as well because we are going to play football that requires a certain type of personality and character.

“Part of the driver is that if I can see that in them this is their preferred destination for the right reasons, that’s enormous."

The north Londoners have also signed Blackburn Rovers starlet Ashley Phillips for around £3 million, with Tottenham sealing an agreement for the exciting young defender this week.

Spurs chairman Daniel Levy is still in the market for a star centre-back as well, with Wolfsburg's van de Ven, Tapsoba of Bayer Leverkusen, Fulham's Tosin Adarabioyo, Barcelona's Clement Lenglet, Galatasary's Victor Nelsson and Juventus star Gleison Bremer all being linked.

Talks have been ongoing over moves for both van de Ven and Tapsoba in recent weeks particularly, with reliable reporter Gold now making an exciting claim.

It was believed that Spurs were only going to move for one or the other, not both, but now Gold writes that Tottenham could make a double move for the pair if the Lilywhites manage to offload certain players.

Writing for football.london, the journalist claims Spurs "could yet move" for van de Ven and Tapsoba "depending on departures" from Postecoglou's squad.

Gold then backs that Tottenham have "held talks" with both Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg recently over the defensive duo.

How good are Micky van de Ven and Edmond Tapsoba?

Van de ven was an untouchable in the Wolfsburg starting eleven last season, with Koen Casteels, their goalkeeper, coming as the only player to feature over more league minutes (WhoScored).

Meanwhile, Tapsoba is similar in that respect, with no other Bayer Leverkusen player featuring over more league minutes than the Burkina Faso international (WhoScored).

Tapsoba in particular, though, has grown quite the reputation in Germany and has even been likened to former Bayern Munich star Jerome Boateng.

The Bundesliga website wrote:

"The legendary Bayern Munich defender, who made 364 appearances across 11 seasons for the Bavarian giants, was as cool and calm as it gets both on the ball and in the tackle while he was also famed for his pinpoint long passing that set up many an attack for the record champions. Tapsoba has similar traits and such is his eagerness to start forward thrusts, he has often been referred to as a defensive playmaker."

Newcastle United could still look to further strengthen their impressive squad this summer ahead of their Champions League return and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Newcastle's interest in Joachim Andersen?

According to iNews' Northern football correspondent Mark Douglas, Newcastle are interested in signing Crystal Palace defender Joachim Andersen this summer.

As per a report written for the publication, Douglas claims that the Magpies are prioritising a move for the Premier League ace, but are currently wrestling with Financial Fair Play restrictions.

How good is Joachim Andersen?

Whilst Eddie Howe will be thrilled with the huge progress his squad have shown over his first full season in charge at St James' Park, it will be essential for the North East club to add more depth in key areas of the pitch to ensure they can comfortably compete and rotate players of quality into the team.

After finishing inside the Premier League top four last season, getting to the League Cup final and qualifying for Champions League football, there will be high expectations for the Magpies to remain competitive and continue their pursuit of success and trophies.

As a result, the signing of Andersen could be a great way to strengthen the options available for Howe in the back-line next season and the Crystal Palace titan could eventually become a worthy successor to Fabian Schar.

The Newcastle centre-back will be turning 32 before the year is out and whilst he is still a strong presence in Newcastle's defensive set-up, the sheer number of games that will come their way will result in some much-needed rotation in the team to prevent exhaustion and injury issues.

As per FBref, Andersen ranked third for clearances and eighth for percentage of aerial duels won in the entire Premier League, whilst also ranking in the top 15% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for clearances, aerial duels won and touches per 90 minutes played.

Andersen has been the recipient of high praise for his impact in English football, with pundit Robbie Earle claiming he was something of an unsung asset:

"My underappreciated player of the week goes to Joachim Andersen, the big centre-half on loan from Lyon. He’s 24 years of age – he’s a man back there. He can win it, he can play, looks like he’s got a little bit about him to organise those in and around him."

When comparing the Danish defender's output in the league with Schar's last season, the pair came close in a number of key attributes including pass completion (79.2% v 77.1%), aerial duels won (71.9% v 67.1%), tackles won (22 v 22) and percentage of dribbers tackled (50% v 61.5%).

The 6 foot 2 centre-back joined the south London club for £17m in the summer of 2021, however, it is now revealed by Football Transfers that his market value is around €38m (£33m).

With that being said, if Newcastle could complete the signing of Andersen it would be a major coup, as his Premier League experience and similarities in his qualities compared to Schar could see him make an instant impact at St James' Park next season to become a key component in their fight for silverware.

Newcastle United's efforts to bring in more top level talent this summer have led them to Sevilla and Morocco star Youssef En-Nesyri, according to a report from Marca – and they may be able to lure him to the club with Champions League football.

How many goals has Youssef En-Nesyri scored for Sevilla?

The striker was once more relied upon by Sevilla for his goals in La Liga during the 2022/23 season, with the forward bagging eight goals in 31 Spanish top flight games.

However, he wasn't as frequent of a first-team starter as he has been in the past, as he managed only 17 starts for the club. It was the lowest amount that the Morocco international had been given since he originally joined back in 2019/20. His ability to still plunder the goals led to him having a respectable rate of 0.49 goal contributions per 90 – which is actually the second-best rate he has managed since his move there.

He still has yet to match the heights of his 2020/21 campaign though, when he bagged himself 18 goals in just 23 starts for Sevilla in La Liga. It wasn't only the best tally he has managed for the La Liga outfit but the best of his career. He has since failed to hit double-digit amounts in the league though.

The 6 foot 2 target man still continues to produce the goods for his national side though and has now managed nearly 60 caps for the country since making his debut for them back in 2016. His goal tally for them stands at 17, and he remains a regular starter for them too.

Are Newcastle United signing Youssef En-Nesyri?

En-Nesyri has yet to challenge himself outside of Spain at club level. That could all be set to change though this transfer window though, because according to a report from Marca, the attacker is wanted by Newcastle, who are eager to try and tie up a deal for the player.

Roma are also keeping tabs on him too, meaning the 26-year-old could have the opportunity to branch out to either the Premier League or Serie A, should he opt to move.

owever, the report states that the striker actually isn't too keen on leaving his current team – unless there is an opportunity for him to join a club with "greater sporting aspirations", or in other words a team with Champions League football. With the Toon now set to test themselves against the very best in Europe, that could allow them to potentially land Morocco's number nine.

He's already achieved plenty in the game at just 26-years-old too, with both his club and his country. Journalist Josh Bunting highlighted his achievement in breaking a record for Morocco, as he was became the first player from the African nation to score at consecutive World Cups after a "lovely finish" in Qatar.

En-Nesyri not only is able to bag goals in Spain but on the biggest stage then – David Moyes called him "incredible" during the World Cup – and that could give Newcastle a real extra asset in attack if they were able to sign him this summer.

West Ham United are plotting a swoop to bring Norwich City defender Max Aarons to the Premier League, according to reports.

Is Max Aarons leaving Norwich?

The Canaries right-back’s contract isn’t set to expire until the end of next season, but after personally confirming that he will be departing during the ongoing window, clubs will have been alerted to his availability ahead of the new term.

During his 44 Championship starts last season, Carrow Road’s academy graduate established himself as David Wagner’s both third defensive and offensive best-performing player, so he may not be short of potential suitors, and it’s not the first time that he’s been linked with a move to the London Stadium.

Back in 2021, The Independent’s Nick Mashiter first credited David Moyes with an interest in the 23-year-old, and whilst a deal at the time obviously failed to materialise, it sounds like the boss is preparing to take a second bite of the cherry when it comes to securing his target.

Are West Ham signing Aarons?

According to talkSPORT, West Ham are “set to make a move” for Aarons this summer having been made aware that he is leaving his boyhood club.

The Irons’ interest from two years ago is backed up by the report and it’s believed that Norwich’s defender also “attracted interest” from Barcelona back in the day, and should he put pen to paper, he would “boost” the boss’ options at right-back alongside Vladimir Coufal and Ben Johnson.

Could Aarons be a good addition for Moyes?

West Ham are likely to have a healthy budget to recruit the players that they want should Declan Rice’s move to Arsenal go through and Aarons has clearly been a long-term target for Moyes which is understandable to see why considering the positive impact he has at both ends of the pitch.

Norwich’s “special” right-back, as lauded by their former manager Daniel Farke, made a total of 84 tackles last season which was more than any other member of his squad, via FBRef, alongside averaging 1.4 clearances per second-tier game, but he was also a threat going forward.

Sponsored by Adidas, the £22.5k-per-week earner ranked in the 99th percentile for progressive carries so loves to take on his marker and when having made it to the opposition’s box, whipped 102 crosses into the area which was the second-highest number in the east of England, so he would be a fantastic acquisition should the boss successfully be able to convince him to join.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers' efforts to add another number nine to their squad ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign…

What's the latest on Danilo to Rangers?

According to Dutch outlet 1908, the Light Blues have made an undisclosed bid in an attempt to sign Danilo from Eredivisie side Feyenoord this summer.

The report claims that the Scottish giants are now in talks with the centre-forward's club as they look to make him their fifth signing of the window, following the arrivals of Sam Lammers, Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling and Jack Butland.

Following this, The Scottish Sun have added that Feyenoord have rejected the offer from the Gers and that the two sides are currently far apart in their respective valuations of the attacker.

It now remains to be seen whether Michael Beale's team will be able to reach an agreement with the Dutch club during the ongoing negotiations or not.

What is Danilo's style of play?

The prolific 5 foot 9 striker has the quality to set up his teammates on a semi-regular basis, which could make him the dream heir to Alfredo Morelos at Ibrox.

Rangers parted ways with the Colombian international at the end of his contract last month and they could replace him by convincing Feyenoord to part ways with their Brazilian marksman in the coming weeks.

Morelos averaged a Sofascore rating of 6.98 across 32 Premiership appearances in 22/23. He scored 11 goals and provided five assists in that time, despite being named in the starting XI 15 times, while the attacker also missed 12 'big chances'.

The 27-year-old, who stands at 5 foot 10, proved himself to be capable of making a big impact in the final third without being a regular starter, which is a quality that Danilo could also bring to the Light Blues.

Feyenoord's 24-year-old ace only started 14 Eredivisie matches in 2022/23 but was able to plunder ten goals and three assists, while he only missed seven 'big chances'.

These statistics show that, like Morelos, Danilo is able to contribute with goals and assists without needing to start week-in-week-out, which could make him a valuable addition to Beale's squad as the 42-year-old coach could rotate his team without needing to worry about the player's form dropping without regular minutes.

The £5.5m-rated Brazilian, who ex-boss Erik ten Hag once hailed as his best "finisher", also showcased his ability in front of goal as a consistent starter with 17 goals and five assists in 31 Eredivisie starts on loan at FC Twente from Ajax in 20/21.

His form in that campaign suggests that Danilo also has the potential to be the club's number one goalscoring option as no Rangers striker has managed more than 16 league goals in the last three seasons.

Newcastle United are in a great position of power after exceeding expectations and qualifying for the Champions League last season, and could now target Juventus' Dusan Vlahovic.

What's the latest on Dusan Vlahovic to Newcastle?

Following a report from Foot Mercato, fresh rumours surrounding Newcastle's interest in Vlahovic have risen to the fore, with the Serbian striker who is valued at around €80m (£69m) by his Italian outfit, being tracked by the north east side.

Signing from Fiorentina for €70m (£60m) in January 2022, the 23-year-old has not quite found his feet in Turin and could now be shipped on after financial difficulties and a ten-point deduction – confining the Old Lady to the Europa Conference League – could result in his sale.

However, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has recently revealed through his Caught Offside column that there is "nothing concrete" in the rumours, though this could change as the transfer window rages on.

News of interest in another Serie A star comes amid the potential addition of Sandro Tonali, who looks set to arrive at St James' Park in a deal worth £68.5m.

How good is Dusan Vlahovic?

A natural sharpshooter, Vlahovic burst onto the scene with La Viola and plundered 49 goals and eight assists from just 108 outings as he found his feet on the major stage.

Last season, however, he has not been at his fluid best and has scored just 14 times from 42 appearances across all competitions, including just ten strikes in Serie A, with journalist Emmet Gates saying he is "a Ferrari being driven like a Fiat".

His striking ability is without question, despite being culpable for somewhat languishing at the Allianz Stadium, and among a thriving, cohesive crop at St. James' Park he could finally unleash the full scale of his skill set, potentially serving as Newcastle's next Aleksandar Mitrovic, another bullish forward from Serbia.

Now starring for Fulham, incredibly scoring 43 times from 44 Championship displays in 2021/22 before scoring 15 times from just 24 Premier League appearances in 2022/23, and while he formerly wore his stripes on Tyneside, he only managed to score 17 goals from 72 matches.

This will not emit much poignancy now, with Eddie Howe's outfit fit and firing at full throttle, but Vlahovic could take the baton and pick up where his compatriot left off, blending with the likes of Alexander Isak and Callum Wilson to wreak havoc on defences in both the Premier League and Champions League.

Despite enduring a tough time of late, Vlahovic still managed to complete an average Sofascore rating of 6.94 in the Italian top-flight, averaging 2.5 shots per game and indeed scoring ten times despite only starting on 22 occasions.

And given that he has plundered 13 goals from just 21 outings with Serbia, there's every chance that he will harness his qualities as a first-rate finisher with a move to Newcastle.

There is more than just goals to compare the two, however, with their physicality a notable plus point of their games.

Indeed, reporter Siavoush Fallahi dubbed the Juve star a "beast" and "like an animal in a cage" with his ability to hold the ball up and win aerial battles eye-catching. Mitrovic, on the other hand, has "scary" physicality. Clearly, they are more alike than first meets the eye.

Nottingham Forest are interested in making a move for Fiorentina midfielder Sofyan Amrabat this summer, according to reports in Italy.

Nottingham transfer news – could they sign Sofyan Amrabat?

As we saw last summer, the Tricky Trees have surprising spending power, with almost an entirely new starting line-up welcomed through the door.

With that said, Amrabat remains a realistic target this summer, with there being a suggestion that both Forest and West Ham United will battle for the midfielder's signature.

TuttoMercato's Giacomo Lacobellis also reported that the only two clubs willing to match the current asking price of £30m are Newcastle United and Liverpool, however.

The Premier League interest comes as no shock after Amrabat impressed many at the World Cup with Morocco, where, at one stage, he had won possession more than any other player at the tournament.

It remains to be seen where the Viola “monster” – as once lauded by journalist Carlo Garganese – ends up this summer, with a number of clubs interested.

Would Sofyan Amrabat suit Nottingham Forest?

If you look at Gibbs-White, he is a player with flair; a player with the ability to create. And he needs the freedom to express his best traits.

That's where Amrabat could be the perfect player to form an exciting partnership, should Forest win the race to sign the Fiorentina star.

Where Gibbs-White is an attack-minded player, as proven by his impressive 16 goal involvements in the Premier League last season, the 26-year-old machine has the ability to play the role out of the spotlight, providing the stage for players of Gibbs-White's ilk to perform.

The World Cup showcased that very ability for all to see, so much so that a role often played out of the spotlight was highlighted several times.

Against Spain, in particular, Forest fans got a preview of the player they have been linked with, as Amrabat made the most tackles in the game, as well as making nine ball recoveries, winning seven ground duels, and completing 25 passes.

It was an all-round display of dominance against the likes of Gavi and Sergio Busquets. Speaking about Amrabat's World Cup performance, Alan Shearer praised Amrabat, saying (via Liverpool Echo):

"He really enjoys that and he’s really good at that – ‘get off the ball, I’m having it’ – and he’s setting his team forward. He’s been key.

"He does that, he protects, he can get out there and help his full-backs, and that’s what he’s in that role to do – to stop, and be a spoiler – he’s excellent at it. Then he drives forward and they’re on their way. He’s been magnificent, he really has.

"I think he ran the game at times tonight, it was incredible, just how deep the French were in the second half.

"And he was driving at them, and the main reason they were so deep was because of his energy and the way he just cajoled his entire team and cajoled the entire nation."

Compared to Forest's current options in similar roles, too, the Morocco international stands out once more. According to FBref, Amrabat has better a pass completion and makes more tackles and interceptions per 90 when compared with Steve Cooper's current options in Danilo and Remo Freuler.

His key tackling and interception attributes are particularly important, as this is the work that will win the ball back and distribute the ball quicker to the attack-minded Gibbs-White – something current options have done worse than transfer target Amrabat.

If Forest can secure the services of the midfielder, then Cooper will have a significantly improved option in the middle of the park and one that will only help the England U21 thrive even more at the City Ground.

An update has emerged on Everton and their plans to bolster their attacking options in the summer transfer window…

What's the latest on Moussa Dembele to Everton?

According to Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, the Toffees are one of a number of sides eyeing up French centre-forward Moussa Dembele ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

The reporter revealed:

"Moussa Dembélé has been approached by several clubs after leaving OL as free agent. #transfers Understand Everton and Galatasaray are both informed on conditions of the deal, while Saudi clubs are also keeping tabs on Moussa situation."

The £52k-per-week marksman's contract with Lyon in Ligue 1 expires at the end of this month and this means that the former Celtic ace will be available for a bargain free transfer move.

What would Dembele's arrival mean for Dominic Calvert-Lewin?

Sean Dyche beating off interest from Galatasaray and teams in Saudi Arabia to secure a deal for the 6-foot finisher would be terrible news for current Everton forward Dominic Calvert-Lewin, as it could diminish his game time next term.

The England international endured a difficult campaign in the Premier League in 2022/23 and his recent form in front of goal does not suggest that his position is nailed down in the team for 2023/24.

He found the back of the net twice in 17 appearances – 15 starts – and this came after the 26-year-old plundered five goals in 15 starts in the 2021/22 top-flight.

This means that the Finch Farm dud has scored once every 4.29 starts over the last two seasons in the division, which is far from a prolific return and perhaps one of the reasons the Toffees have found themselves in back-to-back relegation battles.

Dembele, on the other hand, scored 24 goals in 33 starts in the 2021/22 and 2022/23 Ligue 1 campaigns combined for Lyon, which works out as one strike every 1.38 starts on average.

The Frenchman also created six 'big chances' for his teammates in that time and could provide a similar level of creativity to Calvert-Lewin, who produced five in the Premier League in the same period.

Dembele, who was once hailed as "powerful" by former Hoops manager Brendan Rodgers, could offer far more potency at the top end of the pitch based on their respective goalscoring records in recent seasons, which could lead to Dyche having a reliable number nine in the top-flight next season.

This could then leave Calvert-Lewin in a difficult situation as the soon-to-be free agent could come in and take his place in the starting XI, which would result in the Englishman being a bench warmer unless he is able to win his position back by drastically turning his form around.

Transfer insider Dean Jones has provided an update on Newcastle United and the interest in Leicester City goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel. 

The lowdown: Magpies interested

This comes following a report from talkSPORT claiming that Newcastle are monitoring the 35-year-old Danish shot-stopper as Eddie Howe looks to improve the squad.

Heading steadfast towards the final 12 months of a deal at the King Power Stadium (Transfermarkt), Schmeichel could be seeking a new challenge in the near future.

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However, one notable journalist has suggested that it’s not only the North East club that are attentive to the stopper’s situation.

The latest: ‘Offers prepared’

Speaking to Give Me Sport, Jones has suggested that the 80-cap international is on numerous radars across Europe.

He explained: “His contract is starting to wind down and I think that there’s a possibility that he has offers coming in for him this summer. I think he might even have offers prepared for him right now.

“There are clubs, I’m told, in Germany and Italy that are keen on Kasper Schmeichel and they’ve got a feeling he might become available.

“We’ll have to wait and see how that plays out, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Leicester had to consider options for him in the summer.”

The verdict: Better options available

Although the pursuit of a new number ‘keeper in order to challenge and perhaps usurp Martin Dubravka is an important one, at 35, Schmeichel isn’t the ideal candidate to carry the mantle of a new era in the North East.

This season, the experienced Dane  – who was hailed as ‘world class’ by manager Brendan Rodgers in 2020 following a goalless draw against Brighton – has kept 10 clean sheets in 51 outings across all competitions, making 3.6 saves per game on average (Sofascore).

Albeit clearly still at the peak of his powers, Newcastle manager Howe would be best served to consider a younger alternative such as the heavily linked Manchester United stopper Dean Henderson.

In other news, find out which ‘world-class’ ace NUFC have now made contact over signing here!

Tottenham Hotspur transfer chief Fabio Paratici has now made an ‘important offer’ as manager Antonio Conte personally insists on one summer signing, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Conte sets sights…

The Lilywhites head coach has been after a new right-wing-back since January with serious links having emerged to a makeshift option in Adama Traore.

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Spurs, however, failed to land their man, who eventually ended up joining Barcelona – prompting the Premier League top-four chasers to regroup and draw up a list of other targets for the position.

One player who has ended up on their radar is Torino star Wilfried Singo amid his fine Serie A season and a development has now emerged courtesy of Tuttosport (via Sport Witness).

The Latest: Paratici tables ‘top bid’…

As per their sources, Paratici has tabled a ‘top bid’ to sign the Ivory Coast international – making an ‘important offer’ last week.

This comes as Conte personally ‘insists’ on his signing at Tottenham, but unfortunately for the Italian, Torino president Urbano Cairo has apparently rejected the club’s €25 million (£21m) proposal.

The Verdict: Come back again?

The 21-year-old has emerged a very shrewd target, and even though he is apparently ‘non-transferable’ from his club’s perspective as things stand, perhaps a more serious offer could tempt them into selling.

According to WhoScored, Singo ranks as one of Ivan Juric’s top-five domestic performers by average match rating and only two players have featured more by minutes – impressive stats for a fairly young and upcoming talent.

He’s an effective, attack-minded full-back also – racking up the joint-most assists for Torino in Italy (4) whilst completing the second-highest rate of take-ons per 90 out of their squad (WhoScored).

The African starlet seemingly has bags of potential and it’s little wonder Conte really wants him at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

If chairman Daniel Levy is serious about backing the manager, we believe Spurs should seriously twist Cairo’s arm with another marquee offer.

In other news: Reliable source: Tottenham agreement now ‘very likely’ as Conte closes in on ‘top signing’…find out more here.