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According to transfer insider Dean Jones, Tottenham Hotspur are now ‘going after’ Inter Milan centre-back Alessandro Bastoni after being highlighted as the ‘one they would want’ in defence heading into the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Top of Conte’s wish list

It has been claimed that bringing in a new left-sided central defender is a priority for the Lilywhites this summer, and the 23-year-old was one of just several names who had been linked with a move to the Premier League giants last month.

However, as reported by the Evening Standard earlier this week, Spurs appear to have suffered a huge blow in the race for the Italian, who is seemingly be keen to remain at the San Siro. This hasn’t shut down any interest from N17, though, with the defender believed to be at the very top of Antonio Conte’s wish list.

The north London club aren’t the only ones wanting to secure Bastoni’s signature, with top-flight rivals Manchester United also considering a move for the centre-back, despite him still having two years remaining on his current contract with Inter.

The Latest: Jones confirms Spurs’ Bastoni interest

Jones has now claimed that Tottenham are completely focused on completing a deal for Bastoni in the coming weeks.

He told GiveMeSport: “Bastoni is clearly the one they’re going after at Tottenham at the moment.

“It’s hard to look beyond that and it’s clearly a prime position that they’re looking to fix quickly. Bastoni is the one they would want.”

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The Verdict: Reunion on the cards?

It comes as no surprise to see that Conte is targeting a move for the 13-cap Italy international given that they worked alongside each other in Serie A, where Bastoni made 74 appearances under the 52-year-old during his Inter reign.

This season, Ben Davies has typically been the man to regularly feature as Spurs’ left-sided centre-back following Conte’s arrival in N17 last November, but you could argue that the £122k-per-week Inter starlet is viewed as an upgrade on the starting XI.

In their respective 2021/22 league campaigns, the Italian won more tackles, made more pressures and put in more crosses than the Wales defender (via FBRef).

Bastoni, who was once dubbed a “tenacious” tackler by talent scout Jacek Kulig, might well be tempted into reuniting with his former boss. Also, considering that Spurs will be playing Champions League football next season, this could be a huge factor when it comes down to the 23-year-old deciding where his next destination will be.

In other news… a Sky Sports pundit has reacted to this transfer update on one Spurs player

Leeds United winger Jack Harrison is open to a move away from Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Dean Jones, with the transfer insider revealing in a recent interview with GIVEMESPORT that, despite the fact that Leeds secured their Premier League status on the final day of the season, the 25-year-old is still hoping to depart LS11 in the coming months – with Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United both reported to be interested in the forward.

Concerning the future of the former England U21 international, Jones said: “Jack Harrison is willing to consider his options at the moment, which I don’t think people thought would happen if Leeds stayed up.”

Orta must axe Harrison

While it is true that Harrison has provided the Whites with a number of memorable moments over his four-year stay at Elland Road – such as his hat-trick in a 3-2 win over West Ham United back in January and the winner that all but secured the Whites’ top-flight survival in the 2-1 victory over Brentford on the final day of the season – should the winger wish to move onto pastures new this summer, Victor Orta must surprisingly cut the 25-year-old loose.

Indeed, despite the £17m-rated forward hitting the back of the net eight times over his 35 Premier League fixtures in 2021/22, in truth, these goals somewhat papered over the cracks of the former Manchester City starlet’s largely poor performances.

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Aside from his strikes, the £60k-per-week attacker offered Jesse Marsch’s side very little going forwards, with FBref ranking Harrison in the bottom 15% of wingers and attacking midfielders in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty xG per 90, as well as the bottom 15% for shots, the bottom 5% for assists, the bottom 6% for xA, the bottom 9% for npxG+xA and the bottom 25% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

As such, it is clear to see that the Whites’ £11m signing who Patrick Vieria dubbed a “special talent” very much underperformed this season – despite the fact that Raphinha was the only Leeds player to outscore the former New York City FC forward across all competitions in 21/22.

Furthermore, with Marsch looking set to deploy his favoured 4-2-2-2 formation next term, there may also not be a guaranteed spot for Harrison in the American’s starting XI, leading us to believe that a parting of ways between the 25-year-old and the Whites may well be desirable for both parties this summer.

AND in other news: Huge Leeds United summer transfer twist emerges, Jesse Marsch will be devastated

Nottingham Forest are believed to be optimistic about the chances of signing loan star Djed Spence next season, according to a report from a reliable source in The Guardian. 

The lowdown: Stellar season

Signed on loan from fellow second-tier side Middlesborough back in September 2021, Spence has proven to be a superb addition to the Forest squad.

The marauding right-back has been a key component of Steve Cooper’s side and looks certain to play an important role as the Reds prepare to take on Huddersfield Town in the Championship playoff final.

Regardless of whether Forest reach the promised land of the Premier League, it appears plans are already in place to bring the 21-year-old back to the City Ground for 2022/23.

The latest: ‘Quiet optimism’

As per The Guardian, Nottingham Forest are said to hold ‘quiet optimism’ that Spence will return on loan even if a move elsewhere is available this summer.

It’s claimed that the club are ‘confident’ of re-signing at least two of this season’s loanees, with Philip Zinckernagel, James Garner and Keinan Davis all mentioned as possible permanent captures.

Should Cooper guide the Reds to the top flight, the report states that the hierarchy would need to shell out a ‘Premier League premium’ to bring any of the aforementioned stars in.

The verdict: Statement signing

If Forest could sign Spence for good next term it would be a remarkable coup for the club and a sure sign of the pulling power returning to the Midlands outfit.

During the regular 2021/22 campaign, the youngster who was hailed as ‘unbelievable’ by Arsenal legend Ian Wright following the FA Cup triumph over the Londoners, scored twice and provided five assists in 42 Championship appearances.

With interest from the likes of Tottenham and Manchester United as well as currently being valued at a rising £7.2million (Transfermarkt), the Reds’ hierarchy would make a real statement of intent by beating teams with European football to offer to get their man.

In other news, a Nottingham Forest bid for one player is expected this summer. Find out who it is here.

A huge Newcastle United claim has emerged regarding their plans for their left-back position heading into the summer transfer window…

What’s the talk?

Journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed that the Tyneside club may look to strike deals for both Renan Lodi and Matt Targett in the coming months.

The reporter has also stated that the Magpies are not the only team interested in landing the former, as some Serie A clubs are also looking at the Brazilian.

Talbot tweeted: “Now would you pile on me if I told you that one source did say that both Lodi and Targett could happen? Lodi has known to be a very attacking full-back, but he has been played on the left-wing position as well – it’s actually where he’s scored three goals from this season.”

This was in response to another one of his tweets, which read: “Told nothing in the reports Renan Lodi and Newcastle will be meeting next week. The defender is on the club’s list but there’s interest from Italy as well, a country he has a passport for…”

Supporters will be excited

Newcastle supporters will surely be excited by this claim, as signing both Lodi and Targett would be outstanding business by the club.

Eddie Howe would have two quality left-back options to pick from throughout the season and they would be able to push each other on the training pitch to avoid complacency.

Targett is a proven Premier League performer who has shown that he can be a solid presence in the number three role. In 33 top-flight appearances in 2021/22, he averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.96 as he made 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game.

He is tried and trusted and would be a sensible signing by PIF if they make his loan from Aston Villa a permanent deal this summer.

Lodi would a riskier, albeit more exciting, addition. In the recently-concluded La Liga season, the Brazilian excelled in the final third with two goals and two assists in 13 starts for Atletico Madrid, creating three ‘big chances’ in his limited time on the pitch.

However, he only made 1.5 tackles and interceptions per game and has never played in the Premier League. This means that he would not be the safe, sensible option that Targett would be, and this may be an exciting prospect for Newcastle fans as they might not know quite what to expect from the 24-year-old.

Lodi’s attacking statistics suggest that he enjoys getting forward, with Talbot citing that the Atletico defender is capable of playing out wide, and this will delight supporters who want to see an attacking style of play.

Therefore, fans will be excited by the prospect of both players coming in, as Howe would have the reliable presence of Targett for tight matches and a potential maverick in Lodi in games where Newcastle want to attack down the flanks.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Bruno: NUFC can form a deadly duo by signing “outstanding” £34m “rock”…

Manchester City has emerged as a ‘dream’ move for one player as the English champions retain their domestic crown.

The Lowdown: Pep’s relentless blues…

The Sky Blues cemented their status as top flight champions in the most unthinkable fashion on Sunday after coming back from 2-0 down at home to Aston Villa.

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Three goals in the space of five minutes late-on courtesy of an inspired Ilkay Gundogan (2) and long-distance specialist Rodri sealed Pep Guardiola’s fourth league title in five seasons whilst ending Liverpool’s hopes of a quadruple.

Ten years on from Sergio Aguero’s iconic 93:20 goal, a historic moment which clinched City’s first ever Premier League title, supporters witnessed a near-carbon copy of the drama with a relentless comeback at Eastlands.

Summing up the incredible mentality Guardiola has instilled in this squad and elite character, it’s easy to see why players from all over Europe would be attracted by a move to City.

The Latest: Aiwu eyes ‘dream’ City move…

Speaking to Kicker, Rapid Wien defender Emanuel Aiwu has now admitted that east Manchester is a ‘dream’ move as he aspires to one day play under Guardiola.

Waxing lyrical over the league-winners, he also states that City are his ‘favourite club’ as he eyes a move to England one day.

He explained:

“I think some leagues have their appeal, be it German, Italian, Spanish or French. For me personally, the Premier League is currently the most attractive because it is the most difficult. Every team has an enormously high quality. The pace and intensity are very high. We noticed for ourselves when we played West Ham how fast the pace was. My favourite club is Manchester City and my favourite player is Yaya Toure, he made me a fan. It would be a dream for me to wear this jersey one day.”

The Verdict: Get in line…

Reports have suggested that some big name players are also enticed by the possibility of joining City, most recently the likes of Lautaro Martinez (Inter Milan) and in-demand attacking sensation Darwin Nunez (Benfica).

While competition to sign for Guardiola seems fierce, according to reports, Aiwu may well be a name to keep watch over given his real potential.

Football Talent Scout Jack Kulig has labelled the 21-year-old a ‘complete’ and ‘dominant’ centre-half with his manager Ferdinand Feldhofer certainly showing faith in him at Rapid.

According to WhoScored, Aiwu was a mainstay over the Austrian outfit’s Europa League campaign – playing the joint-most minutes alongside goalkeeper Paul Gartier.

In that time, he also managed the joint-second most interceptions per 90 (1.8) and even completed the third-highest rate of dribbles – impressive for a defender (WhoScored).

Given Aiwu has now confirmed his desire to one day join City, we believe sporting director Txiki Begiristain and co should keep on eye on his progress at the Allianz Stadion.

In other news: Pep blown away by ‘phenomenal’ £25m man as Man City become main bidders to sign him! Find out more here.

Newcastle United are reportedly now preparing a club-record ‘offer’ for Darwin Nunez this summer.

The Lowdown: Breakthrough season

Nunez really has broken onto the world stage this season, with no fewer than 34 goals and a further four assists in 41 games in total over all competitions so far (Transfermarkt).

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Dubbed an ‘absolute beast‘ by Liverpool podcaster Hari Sethi after an impressive performance in the UEFA Champions League against the now finalists, the Uruguay international seems destined for the big stage, and so it would not be a surprise if he ends up leaving Benfica in the summer.

The Latest: Newcastle ‘offer’

Taking to Twitter, journalist Bruno Andrade has revealed that the St. James’ Park faithful are now preparing an ‘offer’ of €70m (£59.6m) for Nunez, after scout Steve Nickson made an ‘approach’ back in December:

“Newcastle prepares offer of 70 million euros for Darwin Nunez. English club was one of the first to specifically approach Benfica, still in December, when Rui Costa received Steve Nickson, responsible for the Magpies scout. There are others interested in the Uruguayan in Europe.”

The Verdict: Statement signing

The newly-rich Magpies are expected to be busy this summer after securing their Premier League status, and Nunez could be the statement signing that they need in order to move them onto the next level of their project.

The price would comfortably surpass the club-record fee that they paid for Joelinton back in 2019, and show the rest of the top flight that they mean business.

Nonetheless, at just 22 years of age, Nunez has the potential to become one of the best in the world in his position, and so this is a deal worth keeping an eye out for.

In other news, find out who NUFC will now ‘listen to offers’ for here!

Tottenham Hotspur winger Steven Bergwijn is expected to leave the north London club in the summer, according to Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge.

The Lowdown: Bergwijn’s January transfer saga

The 24-year-old was at the centre of a hectic transfer saga in January, with a move to Ajax appearing likely at one point but failing to materialise before the end of the window.

The Eredivisie giants made an initial £15m bid for the Netherlands international before later coming back in with an improved offer. However, Spurs were said to be holding out for a sum closer to the £27m that they paid for him two years prior.

Despite keeping hold of the attacker, Bergwijn has failed to start a single Premier League game since the January transfer window closed.

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The Latest: Bridge’s claim on Bergwijn

Bridge believes that it is very likely that Bergwijn will leave Tottenham in the coming months.

Speaking with GiveMeSport, the Sky Sports reporter said of the 24-year-old: “I think he would be one of many where Tottenham go ‘we can get a few quid for him’.

“I would be shocked if he didn’t leave, whether it’s Ajax, I don’t know, but I would imagine that he would probably move on.”

The Verdict: Good squad option

With Tottenham still battling it out for Champions League qualification, Antonio Conte will likely be pondering over his squad options for next season.

Ranking in the 99th percentile for clearances and the 98th percentile for non-penalty expected goals for positional peers among Europe’s top five leagues (via FBRef), Bergwijn’s underlying stats illustrate why he is the perfect example of great squad player.

He has also shown an uncanny ability to make a telling impact off the bench, most notably with his match-winning stoppage-time brace against Leicester earlier this year, while his manager has previously said that the 24-year-old possesses “a lot of quality”.

However, if the Dutchman has his heart set on a move away from N17, then there probably isn’t much that Fabio Paratici can do to keep him in north London.

Therefore, Bergwijn’s expected departure would come as an unwelcome loss to Conte’s squad depth at Tottenham, if indeed it materialises this summer.

In other news: Noel Whelan drops Richarlison/Spurs transfer claim

Sunderland will look to make the League One play-off final tomorrow night as they travel to Sheffield Wednesday for the second leg of their semi-final, with the Black Cats boasting a 1-0 lead on aggregate.

The Wearside outfit’s top scorer Ross Stewart got the decisive goal in the first leg on Friday night, capitalising on a mistake from Wednesday defender Sam Hutchinson.

Stewart’s effort was his 25th of an excellent first full campaign in the North-East since his move from Ross County last January.

However, in order to make it to Wembley, the 25-year-old will need extra support up front, with Alex Neil’s side’s lead a slender one considering that the Owls boast the best home form in the third tier.

Therefore, the imminent return of second top-scorer Nathan Broadhead will be incredibly welcome.

On the chalkboard

Broadhead missed Friday’s first leg through injury but his manager confirmed that he could be fit in time for tomorrow’s trip to South Yorkshire, stating: “He [Broadhead] will have a chance for Monday. Unfortunately, tonight was too soon.

“We will assess him over the next few days and make a call.

“Tonight he wasn’t ready. It’s tough as he is a good player but we have other good players.”

Labelled as “fantastic” by former Sunderland manager Lee Johnson, the £2.9k-per-week Everton loanee has scored 13 goals in 25 appearances in what’s been an impressive campaign for the 24-year-old, although injuries have prevented the Welshman from making a serious impact at the Stadium of Light.

However, no current striker in the Sunderland squad comes close to the numbers of either Stewart or Broadhead, with the next best tally from a striker coming from Leon Dakaju with four.

Therefore, it is imperative that the Welsh striker is fit enough for tomorrow, at least to make the bench, with the Black Cats looking to finally put an end to their miserable four-year stay in the third tier.

This is arguably the best chance the Wearside outfit has had to escape League One since their back-to-back relegations in 2017 and 2018, having made the 2019 final but being second-best to an impressive Charlton Athletic.

With Broadhead, Sunderland will have a much stronger chance of making the play-off final on 21 May, where they will face either MK Dons or Wycombe Wanderers at Wembley.

AND in other news: Neil can blow SAFC supporters away with £3.4k-p/w gem who was made “in a laboratory”

Former Leeds United goalkeeper Paddy Kenny has been giving his thoughts on Jesse Marsch’s FA charge, Football Insider report.

The Lowdown: Marsch charged

The Whites boss received a straight red card in Leeds’ last fixture against Brentford in a 5-2 defeat. It was an afternoon to forget in the capital, with Marsch’s dismissal in the second half coming after his side were denied a penalty for a challenge on Crysencio Summerville.

He has since been charged by the FA and had until last Friday to respond to a breach of FA Rule E3, which could result in a touchline ban.

The Latest: Kenny fumes

Talking to FI, Kenny has this to say on Marsch’s sending off and subsequent charge, labelling it as ‘ridiculous’.

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“It’s getting hard for managers to keep their mouth shut because the decisions are getting that bad.

“It’s more ridiculous by the week. All you will find is that more and more managers get fined. The decision that are being made, it used to just be human error.

“The referee wouldn’t see it and, tough, you deal with it. That is what used to happen. Now, these decisions are being watched ten times.

“That’s on a television with ten different angles and they still can’t get it right. It must be so frustrating for a manager.

“I’m glad I’m not playing these days because I would want to speak out about it. When it is a human error you can hold you hands up and say you didn’t see it.

“That’s not an excuse now. No wonder these managers are kicking off, these people’s jobs are on the line. They are never more than three or four weeks away from the sack.

“I get why managers are losing it. It’s winding me up.”

The Verdict: Ban incoming?

VAR was a hot topic of conversation earlier this month with a number of incidents in gameweek six, including the challenge on Summerville, coming in for scrutiny.

However, Marsch let his emotions get the better of him down in London, and even though his team were hard done by, he looks set for a touchline ban.

It wouldn’t come as a surprise if he was in the stands at Elland Road against Aston Villa when Leeds return to action, and it also wouldn’t be a shock if he followed up on his claim regarding ‘discussions’ with the authorities, as mentioned.

Wolves winger Adama Traore missed his side’s weekend 3-0 defeat to Manchester City with an adductor injury, reliable journalist Liam Keen has confirmed.

The Lowdown: Wolves beaten with ease

Bruno Lage’s side were soundly beaten by the reigning Premier League champions on Saturday as their disappointing start to the season continues.

Jack Grealish’s goal inside the first minute was an early blow and Nathan Collins’ first-half red card effectively ended any hopes the home side had of getting a result.

One player who has troubled City in the past is Traore, scoring three times against Pep Guardiola’s side during the 2019/20 season, but he was unavailable at the weekend, missing out through injury.

The Latest: Traore injury

Taking to Twitter, Keen confirmed in a two-word response why the Spanish winger did not feature on Saturday.

When asked by a Wolves supporter why the 26-year-old wasn’t playing against Man City, the journalist simply replied: “Adductor injury”.

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The Verdict: Missed off the bench

It seems fairly clear that Lage doesn’t consider Traore indispensable – he wouldn’t have sent him on loan to Barcelona last season or handed him a mere 10 top-flight starts otherwise – but his presence is still missed from the substitutes’ bench.

The 26-year-old has been clocked as one of the fastest players in the league and his combination of pace, power and quick feet can make him a nightmare for opposition players, with Jurgen Klopp describing him as ‘undefendable’ in the past.

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The hope is that Traore is back available soon in order to bolster Wolves’ attacking options, with just three goals in seven league games so far this season and already shorn of forwards Raul Jimenez and Sasa Kalajdzic through injuries of their own.