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Tottenham Hotspur boss Thomas Frank boasts a wealth of hugely impressive talents in his squad that have seriously impressed under him so far.

The Dane’s exceptional start to life in the Spurs dugout has yielded four wins from seven in all competitions so far, including just two defeats, and they were desperately unlucky to lose that UEFA Super Cup final to European champions PSG.

While a draw at underperforming Brighton last time out is hardly cause for major celebration, the Amex has been a very unhappy hunting ground for Spurs in recent years.

Ange Postecoglou’s Lilywhites blew a two-goal lead to surrender a 3-2 defeat on the south coast this time last year – losing 4-2 away to them the year prior – and history threatened to repeat itself again when Spurs found themselves 2-0 behind last Saturday.

However, Frank’s side displayed real dogged professionalism to claw themselves back to 2-2 — courtesy of goals from Richarlison and reported Spurs transfer target Jan Paul van Hecke (OG) — and had even more chances to score before the final whistle.

Xavi Simons missed a great opportunity to net his first Premier League goal for Tottenham, in what was a promising display of what is to come from the Dutchman, while Lucas Bergvall added to his ever-growing collection of excellent performances.

Spurs’ midfield is looking stacked right now, with summer loan signing Joao Palhinha also impressing as he eyes a 2026 permanent move to Tottenham.

Alongside the likes of Bergvall and Palhinha, a special nod has to go to the young Pape Sarr.

Tottenham told "important" Pape Sarr deserves much more credit

Speaking to Tottenham News, ex-Brentford boss Martin Allen has claimed that Sarr has gone unnoticed with his Spurs performances this season, and deserves more credit.

Signed by Fabio Paratici in 2021 for around £15 million, the Senegalese spent the rest of 21/22 back on loan at FC Metz before playing his way into the Spurs senior team.

The 23-year-old was awarded a new long-term contract last year as a result of his showings under Postecoglou, keeping him at the club until 2030, and Sarr has been equally as good since Frank replaced the Australian.

Prior to their draw at Brighton, Sarr was handed the starting nod by Frank in each of Tottenham’s first four Premier League games — bagging his first of the campaign in a 3-0 win at West Ham and assisting Brennan Johnson’s third against Burnley in a 3-0 opening weekend victory.

According to WhoScored, the ex-Ligue 1 sensation is Tottenham’s third-best performer by average match rating per 90 in the top flight, with only Mohammed Kudus and Richarlison sitting above him.

In truth, Sarr’s price tag from four years ago is now looking like chump change, and he could be a fixture of Frank’s midfield for years to come if he carries on performing when required.

Marcus Rashford has been accused of lacking accountability for the problems he and Manchester United faced last season. The forward fell out of favour under Ruben Amorim as results fell off a cliff, failing to apply himself in training according to the head coach, but has since joined Barcelona on loan and is enjoying his best run of form in more than 18 months.

• Ex-Man Utd striker weighs in

  Louis Saha, who spent four and a half years with Manchester United between 2004 and 2008, suggested that Rashford didn't respond in the right way to the challenges that faced him at Old Trafford last season.

  "As a professional, you need to find solutions, regardless of whether the manager likes you," Saha said, speaking to football betting site BetVictor. "We all face moments where we have to perform on the field, and that wasn't his response. There were definitely times I saw a player who was out of form, who didn't want to be there, and that's not normal.

  "It's not normal to play like that. You might want to request a transfer, but when you're on the field, you work hard. He wasn't working hard, something was clearly wrong, and he was unhappy. You shouldn't let anything take away your joy on the pitch because you have a responsibility to your fans. It's not about the manager, or the club owners; it's about the thousands of people paying for tickets.

  "I get angry because it feels like a waste, and it shows a lack of accountability. Now, I'm very happy for him as a football player, not just for me, but for fans all over the world in Barcelona who can now enjoy a terrific player. But, of course, as a Manchester United fan, I'm angry."

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  Rashford's fine Barcelona form

  Rashford had enjoyed a career best season in 2022-23, racking up 42 goals and assists combined in 56 appearances for United that year. But over the subsequent 18 months, from the start of 2023-24 until being dropped by Amorim in December 2024, this dropped to just 24 in 67 games.

  After showing flashes in the second half of last season with Aston Villa, Rashford has quickly started hitting impressive numbers again since joining Barcelona on loan. So far, it's 12 goals and assists in only 13 outing for the Blaugrana across La Liga and the Champions League. He's netted four times in Europe alone and set up Barcelona's only goal in the weekend's El Clasico defeat.

• Rashford was 'part of the problem' at Man Utd

  Rashford recently implied that he considered the "inconsistent environment" he encountered at Manchester United over the past couple of seasons to be behind his sustained loss of form.

  "I feel like I have been in an inconsistent environment for a very long time, so it is even more difficult to be consistent," he complained.

  That prompted a response from ex-United skipper Roy Keane that suggested Rashford was part of the problem that was causing it, with managers and staff coming and going. "Towards the end of his time at United, there was obviously issues. He was part of the problem with the environment, especially [being] one of the most experienced players at United," Keane went on to say during an appearance on ITV programming. "He should have been setting the standards and showing new people at the club what it's like to be a United player."

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  England star keen on Barcelona stay

  Barcelona hold an option to buy Rashford for just £28 million ($37m), significantly cheaper than the £40m ($53m) that rivals clubs are expected to be quoted, and it has been reported that the England international would like to continue in Catalonia beyond this season. He wants to stay and Barcelona are said to be "closely monitoring" the situation.

  "I'm enjoying this football club and I think for anybody who loves football, Barcelona is one of the key clubs in the history of the game. For a player it is an honour," Rashford told last week.

  However, the big obstacle for Barcelona, still not out of the financial woods, is being able to afford it.

After failing to impress once again as Liverpool suffered their first defeat of the season against Crystal Palace, Jamie Carragher has pinpointed “another problem” that Florian Wirtz is having at Anfield.

Slot: Liverpool "have to go back" to set-piece strength

In what is becoming quite the trend, Liverpool were undone by two set pieces against Crystal Palace as the Eagles shocked the Premier League champions late on at Selhurst Park. Eddie Nketiah’s late strike was the fourth goal that Liverpool have conceded from set pieces this season in a record that Arne Slot admitted must change.

The Dutchman said in his press conference ahead of the Galatasaray game: “Last season I said many times, the reason we hardly conceded was that 11 players worked incredibly hard to make it difficult for the other team to even create a chance.

“That’s what we have done this season many times as well, but you can work as hard as you want but a set-piece is almost a different game inside a game. That was, by the way, one of our main strengths last season, that we hardly conceded from set-pieces.

“We have to go back to that, we haven’t changed our set-up, we haven’t changed anything, so we have to prove in the upcoming weeks and months that we were maybe a bit unlucky in conceding some set-pieces.

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“That can happen in five or six games [and can be] difficult to see it for the long term. We definitely have to improve because I also see teams in the Premier League that win games by set-pieces, and we lose games because of set-pieces.”

It’s not just set pieces that Liverpool should be concerned with, however. £116m arrival Wirtz is yet to make his mark and many have had their say as to why that is, including former player Carragher.

Carragher pinpoints "another problem" for Wirtz

Without a goal or assist since the Community Shield, there’s no denying that Wirtz is struggling to adapt to life at Anfield. The German has looked a shadow of the player that many know he is capable of becoming at Anfield and Saturday’s defeat has welcomed some uncomfortable questions.

Taking the chance to have his say on Wirtz’s struggles, Carragher actually told Monday Night Football that the form of Alexis Mac Allister is causing the midfielder “another problem”. The Argentine has faced injury struggles since the end of last season and has endured his own poor form on the pitch as a result.

There’s plenty of truth to that statement. In Wirtz’s most impressive Premier League display, he only showed signs of life against Arsenal when Mac Allister was replaced by Curtis Jones and no longer occupying similar spaces to the former Bayer Leverkusen star as a result.

The big question for Slot this summer revolved around how he would get both Hugo Ekitike and Alexander Isak in his side. As it turns out, however, his biggest problem could be fitting both Mac Allister and Wirtz into his midfield.

Finance expert Kieran Maguire has shared an exciting update involving Liverpool’s finances for this summer live on the radio.

Liverpool set for busy and expensive summer transfer window

The Premier League champions have already added Netherlands international Jeremie Frimpong to their squad this summer, and his arrival is expected to be the first of many, as Arne Slot looks to put his own stamp on this team despite their successful 2024/25 campaign.

Arriving after Frimpong through the door at Anfield could be AFC Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez, as it’s been reported that the Reds are growing increasingly confident of signing Kerkez. The Hungarian is keen on the move to Liverpool and personal terms are not expected to be a problem.

Florian Wirtz is another name that is on every Liverpool fan’s lips at this moment in time, as the Reds continue to try and strike a deal with Bayer Leverkusen. Liverpool’s latest bid, worth £109 million, has been turned down by the German club, as they look to hold out for £126 million, which would be a British-record transfer fee. Liverpool are still expected to sign the attacking midfielder.

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The transfer stories don’t stop there for the Reds, as they are also battling Newcastle United to sign Abdelhamid Ait Boudlal from Stade Rennais. Liverpool have reportedly made a concrete offer to sign the teenage defender, but it is unclear how much that offer is worth and if the French side will accept it.

Maguire shares exciting £250m Liverpool finance update

As the Reds continue their assault on the transfer market, finance expert Kieran Maguire has revealed that Liverpool are in an excellent financial position, and if they spent £250 million this summer, it would not be a problem.

Speaking live on BBC Radio Merseyside, relayed by Empire of the Kop, Maguire said: “Liverpool are in an excellent financial position. They didn’t spend very much in the 24-25 season, and they have the benefits of Champions League football next season. If they spent £250m, that would not be a problem.”

If Liverpool were to spend £250 million this summer, they would move into seventh for all-time spends in a transfer window and sixth for summer transfer windows only, and it would blow their own club record for a single window out of the water.

While they continue to work hard to try and get deals done for Wirtz, Kerkez and Boudlal, there are other players that could become transfer targets as the transfer window goes on. Newcastle’s Alexander Isak is also on their shortlist and has been described as their number one target in this transfer window. However, the Magpies are said to be holding out for at least £150 million for the Sweden striker.

Isak is not the only Newcastle player that the Reds have an eye on, as it’s been reported that Liverpool are considering an approach to sign Anthony Gordon. The England international is said to be valued at £80 million, so if Isak and Gordon were to move to Anfield, some departures may be needed.

On that note, Federico Chiesa has been linked with a move away, but at this stage it could just be a loan move. Meanwhile, the Reds have turned down Barcelona’s approach for Luis Diaz, as they don’t want to sell the winger for anything less than an astronomical fee.

Despite reaching a hefty 90 points in the Championship last season, Sheffield United are now resigned to another campaign in the second t ier

Both Burnley and Leeds United soared into the top two spots in the division at their expense with a mammoth 100 points each, leaving Chris Wilder’s men to fight it out in the cruel lottery of the playoffs.

To make matters worse, the Blades headed into their playoff showdown at Wembley versus Sunderland having never been promoted via this nail-biting route, with that unlucky streak unfortunately continuing against the Black Cats.

It was Tommy Watson who broke United hearts with a last-gasp finish, but the chance would never have fallen to the feet of the new Brighton and Hove Albion youngster kindly if it wasn’t for an inexplicable moment of madness from Welshman Kieffer Moore.

His head-in-hands back-pass could be his last ever cursed moment donning Blades red and white, with Wilder and Co. perhaps tempted to move on the injury-prone striker, having blown hot and cold throughout last season.

Indeed, the experienced EFL attacker would miss 17 games in total due to injury, meaning these three strikers on the potential United shopping list could be viewed as upgrades on the often missing 32-year-old.

1

Emil Riis Jakobsen

Emil Riis Jakobsen would certainly come in and be a similar striker to Moore, considering the Dane boasts a towering 6 foot 3 frame when contrasted wit the ex-Cardiff City man’s imposing 6 foot 5 build.

The soon-to-be free agent has been on Wilder’s radar before according to reports, and with his Preston North End contract confirmed as not being renewed, now could be the perfect time to finally add him to his Blades roster as a back-up attacking body.

After all, Jakobsen did manage to better Moore’s six-goal haul just this season gone with 12 league strikes in total, with the likes of Tyrese Campbell presumably keen to bounce off such an experienced EFL head as promotion is sought after once more.

2

Oli McBurnie

Wilder could also look to the past when recruiting a possible Moore replacement, meaning a deal might soon be on the table for Oli McBurnie to spectacularly return to Bramall Lane.

This wouldn’t be an unusual deal for Wilder to sign off on, considering United were reportedly keen on adding the £2m-rated Scotsman back to their camp in January.

Moreover, with 29 strikes already in his back pocket for the Blades, he wouldn’t need a long time you imagine to get back up to speed with proceedings, having also chipped in with a respectable five strikes for current La Liga employers Las Palmas across the 2024/25 campaign.

It would all rest on whether the Yorkshire-born attacker would fancy swapping Spain for the challenges of the EFL again, but it could be an inspired switch if it clicks into gear.

3

Charlie Kelman

Away from going after seasoned Championship veterans, the Blades could look to Queens Park Rangers hotshot Charlie Kelman as an alternative up top after an explosive loan spell at Leyton Orient.

United have been recently linked with a move for the slick 23-year-old, and after years of not being handed that many meaningful first-team opportunities at Loftus Road, he might well fancy a switch to Wilder’s men to become an exciting reserve option.

Kelman would instantly burst into life leading the line for Richie Wellens’ promotion-chasers, as seen in his 21 strikes and five assists helping the O’s reach the League One playoff final, only to then fall at the vital finishing hurdle to Charlton Athletic.

Wilder and Co. tasted similar agony, but will hope landing promising new strikers such as Kelman can get them over the line this campaign to come.

Sheffield United expected to make swoop to sign "important" player for £0

They’re set to go again in pursuit of promotion.

By
Tom Cunningham

May 27, 2025

Burnley will be playing Premier League football once again next season after they finished second in the Championship to secure promotion back to the big time.

The Clarets finished on a staggering 100 points in the second tier, somehow only finishing second to Leeds United, and are now preparing to build a squad that can avoid an instant relegation from the top-flight.

Scott Parker will need to make some big and tough decisions on players who will leave Turf Moore, and ones who will come in, and one star whose future is uncertain at the moment is Ashley Barnes.

Why Ashley Barnes could be released this summer

The veteran striker signed for the club from Norwich City in the January transfer window and put pen to paper on a deal until the end of the season, which means that his current contract is due to expire at the end of next month.

Speaking ahead of the final game of the season, Parker was asked if a decision had been made on the striker: “Not at the moment, no.

Transfer Focus

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“We’ve not really discussed in great detail next year or certainly how it would look in terms of players’ contracts. We’ve got one game left and that’s been the main focus.

“But Ashley Barnes has been incredible since he’s come in and there’s an opportunity for him at the weekend as well, depending on the decision I make.”

In the weeks since those comments, there has still not been any official confirmation of his release or a new contract, but his limited impact on the pitch could mean that they look elsewhere ahead of a Premier League season.

Barnes ended the campaign with one goal in 21 appearances, including two starts, in the Championship, and the Clarets have been linked with a striker who could be the next version of the veteran forward, George Hirst.

Why George Hirst could be the next Ashley Barnes

Burnley and Leeds are both reportedly interested in signing the Ipswich Town centre-forward after their relegation from the Premier League has already been confirmed, and he could be Barnes 2.0

Barnes joined the Clarets from Brighton at the age of 25, having come up through the lower leagues in League One and the Championship, and went on to score 42 goals in 200 Premier League games for the club.

Like the Burnley icon, Hirst has worked his way up the EFL. He played in League One for Portsmouth and Ipswich and the Championship with Blackburn Rovers and the Tractor Boys, before his first taste of regular top-flight football at the age of 25/26 this season.

As you can see in the table above, Hirst’s form for Ipswich this season in the Premier League has been more impressive than Barnes’ last outing in the top-flight with the Clarets in the 2021/22 campaign.

These statistics also show that the striker, who was described as “unique” by Kieran McKenna, has the physical attributes to be a Barnes-esque figure for Burnley, particularly with his strength in the air to win flick ons and compete with opposition defenders.

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Hirst, who has scored three goals from 2.13 xG, has the potential to combine physical and technical attributes to be an effective centre-forward at Premier League level if he can kick on with regular minutes, as he only averaged 24 minutes a game behind Liam Delap.

That is why Parker could unearth Burnley’s next Ashley Barnes by signing the experienced striker, who has done the hard work in the lower leagues and could now be given a chance to really show his quality at the top level.

Attempting to finally replace Illan Meslier, Leeds United are now reportedly serious about signing a goalkeeper who has been the best shot-stopper in Ligue 1 this season.

Leeds' Meslier problem set to end this summer

Leeds may be a side in celebration right now after winning the Championship and earning promotion back to the Premier League, but that should not take away from their clear Meslier problem. The shot-stopper endured a disastrous year which very nearly derailed the Whites’ automatic promotion hopes, before Daniel Farke had seen enough and replaced his No.1 with back-up option Karl Darlow.

After making that decision, Farke saw his side go from one win in five Championship games to six wins in seven to earn title success in the Championship. And that form without Meslier was no coincidence. His confidence looked lower than ever at times and those around him looked similarly concerned – creating a chaotic backline.

After dropping his goalkeeper, Farke admitted that it was a decision that had to be made at the start of April, telling reporters: “Obviously he was involved in both [Swansea] goals in the last game, and it was a shame because after the penalty save he was on his way to being man of the match.

“So it was clear we had to make a decision. And we had to make it early in the week, because in that position the players need clarity, and Karl [Darlow] needs the time to prepare.

“We had a pretty open, honest conversation. Of course he’s disappointed he won’t start. But he took it very professionally and he was still more disappointed about the Swansea game.”

49ers in active talks to sign £20m star who's desperate for Leeds move

Daniel Farke knows him well…

1

By
Tom Cunningham

May 9, 2025

Now, with an even more important decision to make, the 49ers have reportedly added a goalkeeper to their summer wishlist at Elland Road and have set their sights on a particularly impressive option.

Leeds now serious about Petrovic

According to TeamTalk, Leeds are now serious about signing Djordje Petrovic from Chelsea this summer following his impressive loan spell at Strasbourg, and his agents have been informed of the interest. It’s whilst on loan in Ligue 1 that Petrovic has earned plenty of admirers with the numbers only adding credit to a fantastic campaign.

With two games left to play, no goalkeeper in his division has managed a better save percentage than his 75 per cent, or more accurate passes than the 913 that he has completed. Simply put, Petrovic would offer those at Elland Road an instant upgrade on Meslier this summer.

Now a prime target for Leeds, Petrovic’s agent is reportedly aware of the interest and his client could have a decision to make in the coming months. Fresh from his loan spell in France, whether Chelsea believe that the 25-year-old is ready to become their No.1 ahead of Robert Sanchez is likely to play a large part. What he is unlikely to do is sit on the bench once again following an excellent campaign.

Rangers are reportedly in pole position to hire an “outstanding” manager as their next boss this summer, according to an interesting update on the situation.

Rangers continue search for next manager

The Gers drew 1-1 at home to Celtic in the Scottish Premiership on Sunday afternoon in the final Old Firm derby of the season, as the 2024/25 season draws towards its conclusion. Rangers are continuing their search for a permanent new manager, with Barry Ferguson seemingly unlikely to be given the job after his current stint in an interim role, with various names mentioned as possible options to come in this summer.

Marco Rose has been one of the names mentioned in recent weeks, having most recently managed RB Leipzig earlier in the season, also winning two Austrian Bundesliga titles during his time in charge of RB Salzburg.

Meanwhile, Steven Gerrard has continued to be talked about as a front-runner to return to Ibrox ahead of next season, having guided them to league title glory back in 2020/21. The Liverpool legend could potentially jump at the chance to have a second spell as manager, as the Gers look to narrow the current gap in quality between themselves and Celtic.

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Rangers favourites to win Rose race

According to a new claim from Football Insider‘s Pete O’Rourke, 49ers Enterprises’ “links” with Red Bull means Rangers are the favourites to hire Rose as their new manager despite interest from elsewhere. The report adds that it puts them “above other clubs in the race to secure his services” in the coming weeks and months, with the appointment described as a “real possibility”.

There is certainly plenty to like about Rose, in terms of Rangers picking him as their No.1 option to come in, not least his aforementioned two title wins with Salzburg. The German, who likes to adopt a 4-4-2 formation, has succeeded at the highest level, including managing one of Europe’s biggest clubs in Dortmund 46 times, and former Germany international Marco Reus has lauded him in the past.

“We have had a very open, good and close relationship built on trust right from the start. Marco Rose has done an outstanding job so far, and he will continue to do so in the future.”

The Red Bull connection can only be a good thing for Rangers, if it helps entice Rose to Ibrox, and it’s now a case of them deciding if he is a better option than Gerrard.

Opinion among Gers supporters will likely be split in that respect, but Rose’s record speaks for itself, and he could prove to be an inspired appointment.

Aston Villa’s name will not be etched on the FA Cup this season after a disastrous day out to Wembley at the semi-final stages saw Unai Emery’s Villans be humbled 3-0 by Oliver Glasner’s breathless Crystal Palace.

With no knock-out Champions League football on the menu now either, Villa’s sole goal rests on clinching a finish inside the Premier League’s top five to play amongst Europe’s elite once more.

Whatever does transpire, Villa could be facing a losing battle to keep Morgan Rogers situated at Villa Park past this season, with the rumour mill suggesting that the 22-year-old might be off very soon.

The latest on Morgan Rogers' future at Aston Villa

Rogers isn’t the only notable first-team face that could soon be heading for the exit door, with reports also surfacing that long-standing Villa servant Ollie Watkins is a wanted man by Liverpool, Newcastle and Arsenal.

The Independent claims that Chelsea are the Premier League club sniffing around for Rogers’ services, on the other hand, with a worry that Emery’s side might have to sign off on this departure reluctantly, owing to PSR rules.

The electric number 27 has shone throughout the season both down the wing and as a number ten, so it should come as no shock that Enzo Maresca’s Blues are keen, considering they are also weighing up moves for Jamie Gittens and Ademola Lookman to revolutionise their attacking options.

But, it doesn’t have to be all doom and gloom at Villa Park if Rogers does up and leave this summer, with a move for this sensational wonderkid finally getting over the line somewhat lessening the blow.

The "elite" long-term Rogers replacement

Obviously, losing a player of the 22-year-old’s unbelievable quality wouldn’t be ideal, with Rogers now up to a blistering 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions this season from 50 clashes.

But, it could push Villa to go back out into the market to fish for their next up-and-coming talent in a similar vein to the ex-Manchester City youngster, with long-term target Sverre Nypan potentially ticking a lot of boxes in this regard. Indeed, recent reports from Fabrizio Romano last week suggest they are ‘closing in’ on an agreement for the wonderkid’s signing.

The Champions League aspiring outfit took an almighty risk on Rogers coming good when he joined the building for around the £15m mark just last year, only for him to now be worth around the gigantic £100m price range.

Therefore, Villa will hope another risky gamble on their end to land the 18-year-old Rosenborg sensation works out, considering the attack-oriented menace continues to take his native Norway by storm in a similar way to the newly-capped Englishman

Already off the mark for Rosenborg during their new Eliteserien campaign, Villa’s interest in the Norway U21 international would have been piqued before this, with his league numbers for his boyhood club last season also standing out massively.

Indeed, despite starting just 25 games, Nypan would close out the season with a weighty 15 goal contributions tallied up, leading to the likes of Arsenal also allegedly eyeing up the Nordic ace to try and claim their next version of Martin Odegaard.

In Villa’s case, landing Nypan’s signature would be all about trying to fill the potential void left behind by Rogers, with the teenager further showing himself to be a viable long-term replacement when you look at his adaptability to play as a striker, away from his usual midfield duties.

Hailed as an “elite potential talent” data analyst by Ben Mattinson just this year, it does seem like only a matter of time before a notable outfit takes a punt on Nypan, with Villa needing to exercise patience – much like they did with Rogers – to get the very best out of the Scandinavian starlet.

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While the mood around the club has dramatically improved following their Europa League win on Thursday night, Tottenham Hotspur have had to deal with plenty of problems this season.

The most significant has been the near-endless stream of injuries, which has made it impossible for Ange Postecoglou to field his first-choice defence for much of the campaign.

So, it’s not surprising to hear that Daniel Levy and Co are looking to add to their defensive ranks in the summer.

In fact, recent reports have touted a former Premier League player with a move to N17, a player who’s been compared to Cristian Romero.

Tottenham Hotspur transfer news

It looks like it will be a big summer for Spurs this year, so before getting to the player in question, it’s worth looking at a few of the club’s other targets, such as Oihan Sancet.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

The Athletic Bilbao monster will reportedly cost around £69m in the coming months, and while that is a lot, it might well be worth it, as in just 30 appearances, he has scored 17 goals and provided three assists, which comes out to a goal involvement every 1.30 games, almost exclusively from midfield.

An even more expensive signing could be Matheus Cunha, with reports from earlier this month claiming that the North Londoners would be willing to spend £75m to secure his services ahead of the chasing pack.

Again, it’s an enormous sum of money, but given the fact that the Brazilian international has scored 16 goals and provided four assists in 30 appearances this season, it might well be value for money.

However, as mentioned above, bringing in some more defensive cover appears to be one of the club’s priorities this summer, which helps explain their interest in Eric Garcia.

Yes, according to a recent report from Spain, Tottenham are interested in signing the former Manchester City gem, who is currently on loan with Girona, from Barcelona.

In fact, the report goes a step further, claiming that the Lilywhites are ready to make an offer of around €15m for the Spanish defender, which amounts to about £13m.

It could be a bargain for a relatively young centre-back who has plenty of experience playing at a high level, and he’s already won comparisons to Romero.

How Garcia compares to Romero

So, before getting into the other reasons Spurs might want to sign Garcia this summer, it’s worth exploring this comparison to Romero and where it comes from.

Well, in this instance, it stems from FBref, which looks at players in similar positions in Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League and Europa League, then creates a list of the ten most comparable players for each one and, in this instance, has concluded that the Argentine star is the fourth most similar centre-back to the Spaniard.

The best way to see where this comparison has come from is to look at the underlying metrics in which the pair rank closely, including, but not limited to, non-penalty expected goals plus assists, shots on target, passes into the penalty area, live passes, goal-creating actions, tackles, blocks and more, all per 90.

On top of winning comparisons to the World Cup-winning Lilywhites ace, the £99k-per-week “monster,” as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, also has some seriously impressive underlying numbers in his own right.

For example, FBref places him in the top 1% of centre-backs across Europe’s top five leagues for goals, goals plus assists, shots on target, non-penalty expected goals, penalties won and tackles in the middle third, the top 3% for long pass completion and passes into the final third, the top 5% for progressive passes and much more, all per 90.

Ultimately, even if he cost more than is being reported, Spurs would be smart to sign Garcia, so if they can get him for around £13m, then that would be a no-brainer, as he’d be an ideal backup for Romero and Micky van de Ven at the very least, if not a competitor for game time.

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