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Tottenham Hotspur could be lining up a bargain move to solve their defensive crisis this summer…

What’s the word?

According to Torino Granata, Spurs are among the teams interested in signing soon-to-be free-agent Nikola Maksimovic as his contract at Napoli is set to expire.

It’s thought that the chances of the 29-year-old renewing his current deal at the Stadio San Paolo are next to nothing, therefore he’s rather likely to be available for free come to the end of the season.

The north London outfit will face competition from Premier League rivals West Ham and a whole host of other teams across Europe, including Serie A front-runners Inter Milan, Porto and AS Roma.

Bargain solution?

Spurs have made the addition of a new defensive leader a top priority this summer, as per the ever-reliable Alasdair Gold at football.london, and someone with Maksimovic’s vast experience could fit the bill.

Following Sunday’s draw with Newcastle, Jose Mourinho’s side have now dropped a whopping 15 points from winning positions this season. They have held the lead in 21 of their 30 league games, but have only come away with a victory in 14 of those matches.

This largely has been down to individual mistakes and defensive errors, even despite Spurs holding the third-tightest defence in the division – as Gold explains, ‘there has been a clear lack of cohesion at times in the backline and leadership.’

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Eric Dier’s inconsistencies have seen him axed from the starting XI, being snubbed by Mourinho in six straight league games, whilst Davinson Sanchez gave us a reminder of his calamitous ways, allowing the Magpies to equalise late on and Toby Aldweireld has a dubious future in north London right now.

As far as solutions go, signing a 25-cap Serbia international that has played 132 times in the Italian top-flight and 41 times across both European competitions certainly seems like huge value for Spurs, especially as he’s still worth just shy of £11m, as per Transfermarkt.

It’s low-risk and won’t cost Daniel Levy anything in terms of a transfer fee.

Current Everton boss Carlo Ancelotti is a fan of Maksimovic, having managed him at Napoli. He said in 2018: “He has no problems. I am satisfied, he is an excellent defender, complete, flexible and fast, he can play both centre-right and centre-left.”

The 6 foot 4 monster has largely played a bit-part role this campaign (only 12 starts), sitting behind Kostas Manolas and Kalidou Koulibaly in the pecking order, so he could well benefit from a fresh start in the Premier League and at this point, Spurs are getting desperate.

Given his experience and the praise from one of the game’s top managers, Maksimovic could certainly fill a hole in north London. He shouldn’t be the only addition at the back, but for a low-risk and short-term fix, the Serbian makes a lot of sense.

AND in other news, Forget Nagelsmann: Spurs should appoint “unbelievable” 48 y/o next…

Swansea City are reportedly one of the sides taking an interest in Sheffield United centre-back Kean Bryan ahead of the summer, and if he were to make the move to the Liberty Stadium ahead of next season, he could be the ideal replacement for Marc Guehi in Steve Cooper’s side.

According to Football Insider, Fulham, Burnley and Swansea are all plotting moves for the 24-year-old defender, who is currently set to leave The Blades at the end of the season when his contract expires.

Although the former Manchester City youngster has previously stated his desire to stay at Bramall Lane, all three sides interested in him could potentially offer him Premier League football next season, whereas the Yorkshire side look destined for a return to the Championship.

Even if Swansea were to fail in their bid for promotion this season, if they could convince Bryan to join, then it could prove to be an excellent signing, as he has earned some valuable Premier League experience with the Blades.

The season-long injury suffered by Jack O’Connell provided an opportunity for the young defender to step in as the Blades’ left-sided centre-back and he has gone on to make 10 appearances for Sheffield United in the Premier League this season, including a game where he struck the winning goal in their shock 2-1 win at Old Trafford earlier in the season.

It seems extremely unlikely that Swansea will be able to keep hold of Guehi next season as a result of his impressive performances on loan from Chelsea over the past two seasons, and therefore, Cooper may well be in the market for a left-sided centre-back for his side next season.

[freshpress-quiz id=“532484″]

Considering that Bryan has plenty of experience, is just 24-years-old and would be available on a free transfer, he could be an excellent heir to the England U21 international, so Swansea should definitely try to bring him in.

And, in other news… Forget Lowe: Swansea beast who played four key passes was Cooper’s star vs Millwall 

Jacob Murphy may leave Newcastle United for Rangers in the summer transfer window, according to Kevin Campbell.

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Arsenal, Everton and West Brom striker has claimed that Murphy may be attracted to winning trophies and potentially playing in the Champions League, and therefore could make the move to Glasgow. The 51-year-old said:

“There’s a good chance for Rangers to get him.

“He hasn’t played that much this season, he’s a Premier League player and he’d be quite a big name to go up there. 

“To play, to challenge for trophies, to play in the Champions League, hey listen, that’s a big stage and it will turn his head. 

“Let’s face it, Newcastle aren’t going anywhere fast are they?”

Newcastle should keep Murphy

There is no doubt that, if possible, Newcastle should do all they can to keep Murphy at St James’ Park and not let him be tempted by a potential swoop from Steven Gerrard’s men.

The 26-year-old has emerged as a key player for Steve Bruce’s team playing in the right wing-back role of late, and given that he is a winger by trade, his added versatility is a very useful asset to have in the squad.

Murphy has contributed a goal and an assist in his last five games for Newcastle in the Premier League (Transfermarkt), showing that he can certainly provide in terms of key contributions.

Nonetheless, the Englishman still has a lot to offer to the Magpies, and selling him in the upcoming summer transfer window would not be a smart bit of business given his recent run of form.

In other news, find out what PIF claim has been dropped on the potential takeover!

According to a report by Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), following on from a Corriere dello Sport piece (via Sport Witness) saying Erik Lamela is ‘very close’ to a Serie A return, the Argentine is apparently ‘ready to return to Italy’ as his Tottenham Hotspur contract expires in 2022.

Lamela has been touted as one of the many names who could exit north London as chairman Daniel Levy adopts a sell-to-buy policy due to the financial impact of the pandemic.

Lamela ‘ready’ for Italy return

Alongside the 29-year-old, Harry Winks, Dele Alli, Serge Aurier and Hugo Lloris are other names who could be sold by Tottenham as part of a major summer overhaul, according to reports (The Daily Mail).

Now, in an update on Lamela’s situation, Calciomercato have backed up Corriere’s claims that the winger is more likely than not to opt for a return to Serie A – where Tottenham signed him from AS Roma back in 2013.

Corriere first reported that he is ‘very close’ to a return to Italy, and Calciomercato now report the player’s stance personally and claim he is ‘ready’ to make the move.

Allegedly, Lamela is so keen for it to happen he is willing to take a 50% pay cut to join Napoli in particular, who are interested.

Indeed, the attacker apparently ‘wants’ to sign on at the Stadio San Paolo and is ‘ready’ to make his return to Italy.

Transfer Tavern take

Lauded as a ‘fantastic player’ by former Spurs ‘keeper Paul Robinson (Football Insider), and despite his quality sometimes proving useful for manager Jose Mourinho, this summer could be the right time to move him on.

At 29, Lamela isn’t getting any younger and his value could only drop from here on in – especially with his deal expiring at the end of next season.

It’s debatably imperative that Levy manages to offload him this summer for some much needed funds to invest in marquee new Tottenham additions.

In other news: Levy eyeing Spurs swoop for this ‘extraordinary’ ace, find out more here.

A journalist has named two players at Manchester United who went to confront Ed Woodward in a revolt against the proposed European Super League (ESL).

As per a tweet from Leah Smith, who is a reporter for Stretty News and Caught Offside, both Luke Shaw and Harry Maguire ‘confronted Ed Woodward’ and were ‘heavily involved’ in a player revolt behind the scenes at Old Trafford.

The Red Devils have since officially withdrawn from the ESL, and Woodward will leave his post at the end of the year, although it is not clear whether the timing of this announcement is because of the ESL backlash.

Shaw and Maguire show leadership

Maguire, being the captain of the club, showed true leadership in deciding to confront Woodward, while Shaw’s big part in the revolt should also not go unnoticed.

They echoed the opinion of their fanbase in wanting to withdraw from the ESL and they all got their wish in the end.

With the proposed league now seemingly done and dusted, at least for MUFC, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s team can now focus on the rest of the season, in which they still need to cement themselves in the top four of the Premier League and try to go on and win the UEFA Europa League as well, which would bring the Norwegian boss his first piece of major silverware while managing his former club.

A European trophy, Woodward out and a top four finish sounds like a pretty nice end to the season for the Old Trafford faithful.

In other news, find out what club update left United fans fuming here!

Brendan Rodgers has a dilemma to debate ahead of Leicester City’s Premier League clash with Crystal Palace on Monday.

The Northern-Irishman can welcome Ricardo Pereira back after the Portuguese international missed out on the 3-0 win against West Bromwich Albion with a “knock”.

In his absence, youngster Luke Thomas came into the side, allowing Timothy Castagne to move over to the right-hand side.

That is a selection that Rodgers must stick with against Palace despite the return of the £27m-rated Pereira.

Against the Baggies, both Thomas and Castagne dovetailed brilliantly; the former turning in mature defensive showing, whilst the latter was a constant attacking threat down the right.

If they can continue that work against the Eagles on Monday, there is no reason why the Foxes couldn’t chalk up another win in pursuit of a UEFA Champions League place.

It would be silly for Rodgers to disrupt a successful system and the performances of Thomas this season also certainly justify his inclusion in the team on Monday.

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At just 19 years of age, the Foxes’ academy graduate has made 18 appearances in all competitions this season, 15 of those being starts.

In that time, the left-back has racked up some impressive defensive numbers. He has accumulated more tackles per game in the Premier League this season than Jonny Evans, whilst he has also managed to out-do Caglar Soyuncu in terms of interceptions, according to WhoScored.

Meanwhile, his 2.1 clearances puts him ahead of the likes of Castagne, Pereira and the impressive James Justin.

His performances have certainly drawn praise from his teammates as well. Evans labelled Thomas as “immaculate” following his debut at the back end of the 2020/21 season.

So, with Rodgers seemingly have found a system that suits Castagne and the young Leicester full-back, it would be a silly move for the Leicester boss to take him out of the line-up against Palace.

AND in more news, read why Leicester must resist any approaches for striker Kelechi Iheanacho…

Marko Arnautovic could be in line for a sensational return to West Ham United, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Il Resto del Carlino claimed, via Sport Witness, that the Irons are ‘dreaming’ of bringing the Austrian back to the London Stadium this summer transfer window.

The 32-year-old left for Chinese Super League outfit Shanghai Port in 2019 in a £22.4m deal but is now expected to return to Europe, with Premier League rivals Crystal Palace and Serie A side Bolgona also potential suitors.

It’s believed that the Irons would be able to offer him €4m per year, which is around £70,000 weekly, and that would rank him among their highest earners, as per Spotrac.

Steer clear

Arnautovic was a fan favourite during his time in east London and was very much admired by David Moyes, who once dubbed him “unplayable,” so it’s no surprise that he may well be keen to re-sign him.

It is true that West Ham are in need of attacking reinforcements next season, but it’s hard to believe that the ageing 6 foot 4 forward is the answer anymore. He also tried to force through that mega-money move twice, and many of the Hammers faithful could still feel bitter in that regard.

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The £9m-rated Austrian bagged 22 goals in 65 appearances in claret and blue and has continued his goalscoring form in China, where he has found the net 20 times in just 37 appearnaces, via Transfermarkt.

However, the quality of football on offer in that division is far from the standard of the Premier League, and it’s hard to imagine what sort of positive impact he would have in the English top flight after two years away.

The Hammers have been linked with plenty of other attacking targets, including Chelsea’s Tammy Abraham (12 goals) and Southampton’s Danny Ings (12 goals), both of whom are finding the net regularly in the Premier League and would be far more suitable options.

If Moyes were to opt for his old favourite, then he will be heading for a transfer disaster. He must steer clear of bringing Arnautovic back to the London Stadium and instead push to sign one of the other aforementioned targets.

AND in other news, Forget Abraham: £18m-rated “MONSTER” could take West Ham to a new level…

Former Aston Villa midfielder and Sky Sports pundit Lee Hendrie has told Football FanCast in an exclusive interview that he would not swap Jack Grealish for Paul Pogba.

Speaking on the day of Manchester United’s postponed Premier League clash against Liverpool, Roy Keane claimed that he would swap Pogba for Grealish “tomorrow” if he had the opportunity to.

From a Villa perspective, though, Hendrie has made it clear that the above is not an idea that he would ever entertain.

Grealish had been in stunning form before his injury, picking up six goals and 10 assists in 22 Premier League appearances.

Responding to Keane’s comments on Grealish and £290,000-a-week man Pogba, Hendrie told FFC:

“Even if he was on £50,000-a-week, I wouldn’t choose to have Paul Pogba at Villa.

“He can be unplayable; there’s no doubt about that. [But] I think I’d rather have Grealish over Pogba at Villa, all day long. The two in comparison… Jack, certainly for me.”

If Grealish does decide he wants to try something new, then Manchester United’s rivals Manchester City look like a more likely destination right now.

Multiple reports, including from Football Insider, claim that this year’s Champions League finalists could look to make a serious push for the England international once the transfer window opens in the summer.

Plenty of Aston Villa supporters have hit out at Tyrone Mings on social media for his display against Manchester United on Sunday. 

Villa fell to a 3-1 defeat against Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side, missing out on the chance to return to the top half of the Premier League.

Dean Smith kept with the same starting XI which beat Everton at Goodison Park last week, with Mings making his 33rd Premier League start of the campaign.

It wasn’t one to remember in the eyes of some Villa fans, though, who vented their anger at the centre-back on Twitter. Mings once again partnered Ezri Konsa at the heart of the defence, and things started well for the hosts, who went in 1-0 up at the interval thanks to Bertrand Traore’s goal.

However, in the space of five second half minutes, Villa found themsleves behind. Bruno Fernandes converted a penalty before Mason Greenwood rolled Mings and fired past Emiliano Martinez to put the visitors in front.

Edinson Cavani added a late third for United before Ollie Watkins was shown his marching orders after picking up two yellow cards.

Villa fans react

Here is what these fans had to say on Twitter regarding Mings, with one supporter describing him as ‘shocking’ and another wanting the club ‘to get rid’ of the defender if the club are to progress.

“Need to get rid of Mings if we actually want to progress”

Credit: @archie_cullum

“I’m throwing the towel in, I cannot defend Mings anymore man.”

Credit: @JordAVFCx

“Mings has been absolutely humiliated there. Very poor.”

Credit: @_porsalin

“Shocking from Mings”

Credit: @avfc741

“Konsa is so clear of Mings it’s unbelievable”

Credit: @jackxlynch

“Pathetic defending, Mings what are you playing at. “

Credit: @HidesGeorge
In other news: Villa make contact for in-demand defender, find out more here. 

West Ham United are among the teams tracking Marc Guehi ahead of the summer transfer window…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, Chelsea have triggered a 12-month extension that ties the England U21 international down for the next two years before they make a decision on his future at Stamford Bridge.

Having spent the season on loan to Championship outfit Swansea City, he could be sent out temporarily for the third time or they could cash in on the 20-year-old, with his value expected to be in the region of £15m to £20m.

Premier League rivals Crystal Palace and Southampton have interest in signing him, as well as Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach, too, whilst the Hammers have looked at him before.

Strength in depth

With a place in Europe next season a plausible scenario for West Ham, the Irons need to start planning for next season and they will absolutely have to give David Moyes more strength in depth if they are to contend in another competition.

The 58-year-old manager has already had to deal with his fair share of injury problems throughout the campaign, and that’s without playing the extra midweek matches across Europe.

Another striker to pair with Michail Antonio should be top priority, but a central defender will be required too, as we have often seen Aaron Cresswell fill in when a back three is deployed.

West Ham are also set to lose Fabian Balbuena as his contract will expire at the end of the season.

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In Guehi, they could find an interesting solution, especially as he wouldn’t be expected to usurp either Craig Dawson or Angelo Ogbonna upon arrival.

The 20-year-old gem, who stands at 6-foot, has been impressive for Steve Cooper’s side this season, even performing better than the aforementioned Hammers stars in many defensive facets.

Across 40 Championship appearances, Guehi has averaged 3.2 aerials won, 1.7 tackles and 1.6 interceptions per game, via WhoScored.

Despite being two inches smaller than Dawson, and three inches smaller than Ogbonna, he is winning more in the air than the pair of them and is also more productive when the ball is on the ground.

The former West Brom and Watford centre-back is only managing 0.5 tackles and 1.2 interceptions per game, whilst the Italian brute isn’t much better, with just one tackle and one interception per match.

Some of Guehi’s England U21 teammates have waxed lyrical about his strength.

In a video clip posted to Twitter, the Chelsea man was dubbed an “absolute tank” and “massive” by Stoke goalkeeper Josef Bursik, whilst his Blues academy pal Conor Gallagher claimed that “you can’t get around him.”

Guehi would be one for the future but he could certainly make an instant contribution if needed, so GSB must look to sanction a move for him should he become available in the summer.

AND in other news, West Ham handed huge injury boost ahead of Brighton clash…