Tottenham: Spurs "Offered" Chance To Sign "Dominant" Star

Tottenham Hotspur have been offered the chance to sign Man United defender Harry Maguire this summer, according to broadcast giant ESPN.

Who could Spurs sign this summer?

Ange Postecoglou's arrival at Spurs marks the end of chairman Daniel Levy's long and drawn out search for Antonio Conte's replacement, a task that lasted over two months.

The Australian arrives in north London off the back of a domestic treble triumph with former club Celtic, and Levy held plenty of praise for him in a recent interview with Tottenham's official website.

“Ange brings a positive mentality and a fast, attacking style of play" said Levy."He has a strong track record of developing players and an understanding of the importance of the link from the academy – everything that is important to our Club. We are excited to have Ange join us as we prepare for the season ahead."

Attention now turns to the transfer market as Spurs aim to back the 57-year-old with star signings, and according to reports, central defensive reinforcements are certainly on their agenda.

Spurs have been linked with moves for Man City star Aymeric Laporte, Wolves defender Max Kilman and Maguire to name a few, while the Lilywhites are also seeking to strengthen in midfield.

However, defence seems like a priority, with Maguire being repeatedly mentioned in the last few days.

harry-maguire-man-united-everton-transfers

Now, according to broadcast giant ESPN, there has been an update – with their reporter James Olley claiming Spurs have been "offered the chance to explore a deal" for him.

The Red Devils are apparently willing to give the green-light for Maguire to leave this window as Tottenham and West Ham get handed the chance to do business.

However, wages could be a potential stumbling block, as the former Leicester City star is thought to earn in the region of £200,000-per-week.

Who is Harry Maguire?

While there have been question marks surrounding his form under Erik te Hag, Maguire is a capable centre-back on his day and regularly impresses for England at international level.

Harry Redknapp is a big fan, having called the 30-year-old a "proper defender" amid what has been a regrettable season for him overall.

Ten Hag has even held praise for Maguire in some parts, drawing attention to his improved form towards the back end of 2022/2023.

"I'm really happy with the progress that Harry is making in this moment," ten Hag said in March."He's more dominant and dictating, he's taking more initiative on the training pitch and I think also in the Real Betis game, he showed leadership, especially in those aspects of initiative and dictating of the game."

Arsenal Eye Move For £26m Dynamo This Summer

Edu Gaspar is eyeing up an Arsenal move for Brazilian left-back Ayrton Lucas this summer as he plans to give Mikel Arteta the tools required to build upon their positive 2022/2023 season.

What’s the latest on Ayrton Lucas to Arsenal?

According to Italian outlet Calciomercato, Arsenal are keen on signing Flamengo defender Lucas this summer in order to strengthen their first team squad, although they could face stiff competition from Juventus.

With full-back Kieran Tierney heavily linked with a move to Newcastle United, Arteta will require someone to replace him as an alternative to Oleksandr Zinchenko and Lucas fits the bill.

The Brazilian isn’t likely to break the bank either as the report states he has a release cause of only €30m (£26m) and this is an attractive option for the Spaniard ahead of next term.

Could Ayrton Lucas replace Kieran Tierney at Arsenal?

Almost all left backs to emerge from Brazil get compared to the legendary figure that is Roberto Carlos, the former Real Madrid defender with thighs like tree trunks, although Lucas, according to journalist Andrew Sousa, has “embodied” Carlos and might Arteta have a reincarnation of the 127-cap hero?

This season in the Brazilian top flight for Flamengo, he averages 1.7 dribbles per game and 1.1 shots per game, suggesting he enjoys getting forward as much as possible, similar to Carlos – who bagged 97 club career goals and 125 assists – during his prime years, while he has even netted three goals.

The 25-year-old may not just replace Tierney in the squad, but he could well be an upgrade on the Scot ahead of a season which will see Arsenal take part in the Champions League group stages for the first time since 2016/2017.

Indeed, Lucas has registered more shots per 90 (1.23 to 0.79), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.09 to 1.36), successful take ons (15 to three), carries into the final third (19 to 12) and touches in the attacking penalty area (18 to 15) across roughly the same number of starts throughout 2022/2023 (8.8 to 8.1 90s).

Soccer Football – Brasileiro Championship – Flamengo v Santos – Maracana, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil – October 25, 2022 Santos’ Angelo Gabriel in action with Flamengo’s Ayrton Lucas and Pablo REUTERS/Sergio Moraes

This certainly suggests that the Brazilian could be a better-attacking option than Tierney, judging by his ability to push into the final third and create plenty of shooting opportunities, increasing his chances of scoring.

For the aforementioned fee of only £26m, Arteta would be signing a proven defender who has won the biggest tournament in South America (Copa Libertadores) while even claiming silverware from his spell at Spartak Moscow, winning the Russian Cup just last year, and he could well be another piece of the jigsaw for Arsenal heading into next term.

"Important" £15k-p/w Arsenal Star In "Positive" Talks With Club

Arsenal attacker Reiss Nelson could be set to sign a new deal at the club following positive talks, Sky Sports presenter Dharmesh Sheth has claimed.

What's the latest on Reiss Nelson?

The winger has so far turned down a number of proposals from the Gunners to extend his contract, with his current deal set to expire in the summer, and Mikel Arteta would like to keep the 23-year-old.

Nelson has not featured regularly, failing to start in any of his 10 league appearances this season, but his encouraging cameos off the bench have seen him earn a more prominent role in the squad.

Speaking on Sky Sports News, Sheth revealed that after weeks of uncertainty, there appears to have been a positive breakthrough in talks, and the Englishman may sign a new deal to remain at the Emirates.

"Now there were also doubts about the future of Reiss Nelson, his contract is up this summer and talks over a one-year contract came to no agreement," he stated.

"There was a lot of talk, is this the end for Reiss Nelson at Arsenal? But since then, we've learned that positive talks have now taken place between Reiss Nelson and his representatives, and the football club over a long-term contract, we believe to be around four years, and there's cautious optimism now, that Arsenal can get that one over the line, and Reiss Nelson will commit his long term future to the club."

Should Arsenal keep Reiss Nelson?

Although the £15k-per-week star has been unlucky with injuries over the years, he is showing signs that he is finally living up to his potential, having once been considered one of Arsenal's best young prospects.

His substitute appearances have been impressive, scoring twice off the bench against Nottingham Forest, and notably scoring a stunning volley in the final minute as Arsenal came from behind to beat Bournemouth.

Arsenal winger Reiss Nelson

Arteta has described Nelson as "important," and it appears that the Spaniard is desperate to keep the winger as he continues his development.

Bukayo Saka has appeared in every league game for Arsenal this season, and if Nelson can be utilised as cover for the England star, then he can gain more chances on the field, whilst Saka can be allowed more rest.

Loan spells with mixed success at Hoffenheim and Feyenoord have meant that Nelson did not develop at the club alongside the likes of Saka, Emile Smith Rowe and Eddie Nketiah as academy graduates, but if he commits his future to the club and lives up to his potential, then Arsenal could save themselves a lot of money in the transfer market.

Rangers Eye Move For "Dangerous" £8.5m Machine

Glasgow Rangers are in the market for a new striker this summer, and Michael Beale has reportedly made a bid for Haji Wright ahead of the transfer window.

What’s the latest on Haji Wright to Rangers?

According to Turkish journalist Salim Manav, Rangers “made a transfer offer” of £7m for the Antalyaspor striker, however, it was rejected as the team are currently holding out for a fee in the region of £8.5m.

It remains to be seen whether the Ibrox side will go back in with a new and improved offer, but with Alfredo Morelos leaving and Antonio Colak potentially set to leave the Light Blues after one season, then Beale will be desperate to secure another striker ahead of next season.

Who will replace Alfredo Morelos at Rangers?

The departing Colombian striker has left behind an endearing legacy at Rangers which has seen him score 124 goals for the club, win a Premiership title and Scottish Cup while becoming the club’s all-time top scorer in European competition, and he will be tough to replace.

It wasn’t only his goals which made Morelos frightening, but his ability to hold up the ball and bully defenders meant he gave Rangers much more than just a simple goal threat, and it will take someone special to become his successor.

Wright could be the ideal player for this role, especially given his stunning form in Turkey this season. He has scored 16 goals and registered three assists in just 26 appearances this term, and considering Morelos has only netted 12 goals in 44 matches, the Gers may be onto a winner with the 25-year-old.

What's more, Wright also has more shots on target per game (1.1 to 1), more successful dribbles (1.1 to 0.3) and scores more goals per game (0.6 to 0.4) than the Rangers striker, suggesting that he could even be an upgrade for 2023/24.

It’s no wonder he has been described as a “dangerous striker” former Schalke sporting director Horst Heldt, and there is no reason to doubt that he couldn’t shine in Scotland with such a goalscoring record.

The American also has experience at the highest level, representing his nation at the World Cup in Qatar last year, playing in all four matches for the USA, where he scored a bizarre goal against the Netherlands in the last 16.

Strengthening Rangers' attacking options will be paramount for Beale this summer, and Wright could well be a worthwhile addition to the first-team squad.

Rangers: Smith struck Gold On "Excellent" £7.8m Titan

The late great Walter Smith enjoyed fantastic success at Glasgow Rangers, winning countless domestic honours while also coming close to leading the Ibrox side to the inaugural Champions League final in 1993 before managing the team to an unlikely UEFA final in 2008.

He enjoyed plenty of success in the transfer market too, although there were a few duds throughout his time, but overall, Smith managed to bring the best out of the majority of his new signings and some even sold for big money after a few years.

Once such example is Carlos Cuellar, who joined the Light Blues from La Liga side CA Osasuna in the summer of 2007 before Smith’s first full season during his second stint in charge of the club and he cost just £2m.

How much did Rangers sell Carlos Cuellar for?

During the second half of the 2006/2007 campaign, Smith took over from Paul le Guen and led the Gers to the last 16 of the UEFA Cup, where they faced Osasuna.

The Spanish defender acquitted himself well as they went through to the quarter-finals due to a 2-1 aggregate victory, and the manager was clearly impressed enough to sign him that summer.

He claimed Cuellar would be an “excellent” signing as he “impressed” on the continent, especially against Rangers and the man who brought the likes of Brian Laudrup and Paul Gascoigne to Glasgow in the 1990s was rarely wrong when it came to recruitment.

The Spaniard proved to be a truly wonderful addition to the Rangers squad who were so close to winning an unprecedented quadruple, claiming glory in the Scottish and League Cups, yet losing the league title on the final day and going down 2-0 in Manchester against Zenit St Petersburg in the UEFA Cup final.

Cuellar went on to play a staggering 65 times for the club in all competitions during 2007/2008, chipping in with four goals as he formed a formidable partnership with David Weir at the heart of the defence which was integral to their success.

Carlos Cuellar

This form didn’t go unnoticed and Aston Villa tested their resolve with a bid of £7.8m for the centre-back in the summer of 2008 which was reluctantly accepted, and he was off to the Premier League to test himself against the very best.

Not many players have as a big an impact as Cuellar did during his only season in Glasgow, however he has since gone down as a cult hero figure and Smith certainly struck gold with the 6 foot 3 Spanish titan back in 2007.

Arsenal could repeat Oleksandr Zinchenko transfer masterclass

Arsenal chief Edu Gaspar could repeat one of his best transfer deals this summer…

What's the latest on Arsenal's interest in Joao Cancelo?

The Gunners have been mooted as a potential destination for Manchester City star Joao Cancelo in recent months and now journalist Dean Jones has given his thoughts on the situation to GIVEMESPORT.

"The Cancelo situation is going to get interesting as we get to the end of the season as it seems clear Bayern are not going to take up an option to buy him and the rumoured Arsenal interest makes sense on many levels," he said.

"They are looking for a full-back; he can play either side in that sense. They obviously have Zinchenko playing a very particular role from there, but we know he can do that. Arsenal are also on the lookout for new central midfield options, but Zinchenko actually wants to play there more too.

"The successful integration of [Gabriel] Jesus and Zinchenko from Man City adds to the intrigue. But we have to factor in what the investment would have to be and whether his personality is also a fit with the team. Both are crucial in terms of Arsenal and their ongoing recruitment strategy so even if they do show genuine interest, there’s a lot to take into consideration."

Should Arsenal make a move for Joao Cancelo?

Whether Arsenal go onto win the title or not, a move for Cancelo would make the world of sense for numerous reasons.

Just as Jones outlines, the familiarity between Mikel Arteta and players that have played for City has aided a seamless transition to life in the capital. The Portuguese sensation would also add bags of experience in Europe, where the Gunners should be back in the Champions League for the first time since 2017.

Across spells at Valencia, Juventus, City and Bayern Munich, Cancelo has registered one appearance shy of the 50-mark in the competition, whilst he's won two Premier Leagues and one Scudetto too.

The 28-year-old, who is currently valued in the region of £52m by FootballTransfers, joined the Bundesliga champions on loan in January, having fallen out of favour under Pep Guardiola and has already become their fifth-best performer domestically, with four goal contributions from just seven starts, via WhoScored.

Manchester City's Ederson, Joao Cancelo and Oleksandr Zinchenko celebrate with the Premier League trophy

His ability to play on either flank, as well as that inverted wing-back role, makes him an ideal fit for Arteta and his system in north London.

A career average of two tackles, 1.5 interceptions, one key pass and one shot per game, and the defender ranking inside the top 4% for key passing, dribbling and shooting metrics per 90, when compared to his positional peers across Europe, very much backs up that all-round ability.

It's perhaps little surprise to see his former Etihad Stadium colleagues laud him with a whole multitude of superlatives – Guardiola hailed him as "a special talent", Phil Foden dubbed him "sensational" and Jack Grealish claimed that "he's just a joke."

Cancelo is also comparable to Zinchenko, via FBref's statistical model, which only adds further weight to Edu repeating last summer's heroics in the transfer market as Arteta would be getting another absolute machine capable of playing left-back and in the engine room – one with title-winning and European experience.

As such, the arrival of the Portugal international would undoubtedly be one hell of a signing if the Brazilian sporting director can pull it off at the end of the season.

Tottenham: Spurs Could Appoint "One Of The Best Coaches"

Former Scotland striker Frank McAvennie has told Tottenham Hotspur they could appoint "one of the best coaches" in Brendan Rodgers.

What's the latest Spurs manager news?

Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy are still in the hunt for a new permanent manager after mutually parting ways with Antonio Conte, and there's been a succession of names linked to the post.

Indeed, Mauricio Pochettino, Luis Enrique, Julian Nagelsmann, Zinedine Zidane and Rodgers are just a few of the out-of-work coaches that have been mentioned with rumours also indicating Graham Potter may become an option also.

Rodgers, who recently left Leicester City, has been perhaps the most heavily-linked manager of the last few days with Football Insider even reporting that he has a 'good chance' of landing the Lilywhites job.

Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers looks dejected after the match

After this claim, pundit McAvennie has suggested that the 50-year-old is not only 'one of the best coaches', but that he and the north Londoners would be a brilliant match.

"I think Brendan Rodgers would be a great manager for them," he explained to Football Insider.

"That is his kind of team. He has got the players there and he would get them playing better.

"I do not know what happened at Leicester but Brendan is a good manager, a really good manager and he can get the best out of players.

"There is no way Leicester would have gone down. I think a club like Tottenham, Brendan would be a good manager. It is his stature, he is good enough to go there. He is one of the best coaches and I think they would take to him."

Would Rodgers transform Spurs?

Interestingly, this isn't the first time Levy has been monitoring the Northern Irishman, with reports from 2021 suggesting that Spurs were considering Rodgers as a replacement for Jose Mourinho.

While Rodgers' stock has arguably decreased since then, having led former side Leicester into a Premier League relegation battle this season, we believe he could still be a solid outside contender.

Called a 'super manager' by David Moyes, the former Liverpool boss did guide Leicester to both an FA Cup and Community Shield win in 2021. He was also arguably unlucky to miss out on Champions League football with the Foxes, having led them to two successive fifth-placed finishes in 2019/20 and 2020/21.

Rodgers is an experienced trophy winner boasting nine pieces of major silverware on his CV, including a very successful spell north of the border where he near-dominated the SPFL with Celtic.

Now a free agent, the ex-Swansea boss could potentially be attracted by the prospect of replacing Conte at Spurs.

Man United Hit The Jackpot on £40m "Monster"

What a week it has been for Manchester United midfielder, Scott McTominay, with the 26-year-old stealing the headlines after netting four goals across two appearances for Scotland during the international break.

Having scored just once for his country in 37 games prior to the recent round of fixtures, the United academy graduate appeared to find a golden touch in front of goal, first netting twice off the bench in the 3-0 win over Cyprus at Hampden Park.

The manner in which the 6 foot 4 colossus dispatched his first goal was particularly impressive as he expertly cushioned the ball on his thigh, before rifling his effort into the roof of the net on his weaker left foot.

That deadly double was followed by another two-goal haul in the shock win over Spain just a few days later, with the £60k-per-week man seemingly getting back in touch with his youth having begun life as a centre-forward in the Red Devils' academy ranks.

That glut of goals has come amid what has been a difficult campaign for the Lancaster-born brute, in truth, with McTominay having been sidelined as a result of the signing of fellow midfielder, Casemiro, after starting just seven Premier League games so far this season.

Such a lack of action has led to reports that a departure could be on the cards this summer, with top-four rivals Newcastle United having reportedly been showing a strong interest in the player in recent times.

Whatever the future of the midfield maestro might be, it does appear that the Old Trafford outfit have hit the jackpot by promoting the towering asset into the first team over the past few years, such is his soaring valuation.

How much is Scott McTominay worth now?

Having cost the club nothing after rising up through the youth set-up, there have been reports that United could make a substantial profit were they to cash in any time soon, with ESPN stating that Ten Hag and co could demand as much as £40m this summer.

As The Athletic's Laurie Whitwell stated, McTominay could be seen as a 'player of value who could be sold to generate funds Ten Hag can spend on signings suited to his style', albeit with the respected journalist also stating that the midfielder's strong 'mentality' remains a useful asset to the former Ajax boss.

The imposing menace does have his 'limitations' – as Whitwell noted – having been branded "not good enough" for the club by legendary figure, Roy Keane, with there a clear argument to be made for the benefit of selling a player who has slipped down the pecking order this season.

Manchester United midfielder Scott McTominay

Then again, the "physical monster" – as hailed by former boss Ole Gunnar Solskjaer – is not a completely busted flush, having been described as a "nightmare to play against" by talkSPORT pundit Danny Murphy earlier this season, as he'll "give everything to destroy and stop the opposition scoring".

With the summer transfer window looming there will need to be a decision made on McTominay's future, with it potentially something of a crossroads for a player who first broke onto the scene under Jose Mourinho back in 2017.

Whether United opt to cash in or keep the dominant ace as a valued part of Ten Hag's squad, it does appear that they have struck gold with the former academy star.

Tottenham ‘could sign’ Andre Onana

Tottenham ‘could sign’ Inter Milan goalkeeper Andre Onana to replace mainstay shot-stopper Hugo Lloris this summer, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Spurs eye Lloris heir…

The north Londoners, as per recent claims, are on the look out for an eventual heir to Lloris as the France international nears the end of his time at Spurs.

Having signed from Lyon in 2012, the 36-year-old has been on a slight decline this season as Tottenham’s number one and currently remains sidelined through injury.

Before his knock, Lloris was still an ever-present in Spurs’ starting eleven as the club’s shot-stopper – making the decision on whoever steps into his shoes next a crucial one.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘could sign’ Onana…

According to TEAMtalk and reporter Graeme Bailey, Spurs ‘could sign’ Inter star Onana to succeed Lloris – coming after Nerazzurri sporting director Piero Ausilio’s visit to England last week.

It is believed Ausilio jetted to the UK and conducted ‘several meetings’ as he attempts to offer out Inter’s best players and raise funds for the cash-strapped Serie A giants.

It’s claimed Onana’s potential move to Spurs could ‘result’ from Ausilio’s expedition.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news-4/” title=”Tottenham latest news” poster=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/02/cropped-tottenham-fans.jpg” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Verdict: Right man?

Called a ‘star goalkeeper’ by members of the media, Onana has managed to displace the previously untouchable Samir Handanovic between the sticks at Inter.

The 26-year-old has started 14 Italian top flight games this season and ranks among Simone Inzaghi’s top ten best-performing players by average match rating (WhoScored).

Onana has also earned a Man of the Match award for his exploits at Inter with Spurs having kept tabs on the Cameroonian for quite a while – the former Ajax star has been a long term target for Spurs and sporting director Fabio Paratici with this potential availability surely making club chiefs now ponder a move.

Onana has also been praised for having ‘amazing distribution’ by members of the African press, marking the 6 foot 3 star out as a real all-round keeper who could seriously strengthen Spurs.

Aston Villa endured blunder with Danny Ings

Aston Villa manager Unai Emery enjoyed his first transfer window in charge of the club last month after replacing Steven Gerrard in the dugout.

The Spanish head coach, whilst working alongside Johan Lange, made two additions to his first-team squad by snapping up striker Jhon Duran and left-back Alex Moreno to bolster his side.

He also made a big call by allowing centre-forward Danny Ings to sign for Premier League rivals West Ham United, which left Ollie Watkins as the club’s only senior option in that position.

How did Danny Ings perform at Aston Villa?

It was the end of an underwhelming spell for the former England international at Villa Park following his move to the club from Southampton in the summer of 2021.

Ex-manager Dean Smith brought him in on a three-year contract in a deal reportedly worth £25m, after the gem had scored 34 top-flight goals for the Saints in 2020/21 and 2019/20 combined, but it turned out to be a blunder by the English coach.

At the time of the move, the then-Villans boss said: “Danny is an outstanding Premier League footballer who has scored goals wherever he has played.”

The forward, who was once described as “dangerous” by Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp, came in as a prolific scorer in the division for Southampton and arrived for a significant fee.

However, the 30-year-old found goals hard to come by at times in his first season with Villa and ended the campaign with seven strikes in 30 Premier League appearances – starting 22 of those matches.

The attacker’s form did perk up slightly in the current campaign, however, as Ings scored six times in 18 games for the club prior to departing in January, although that was not enough to convince Emery that the dud had a long-term future in his squad.

13 goals in 48 matches is unlikely to be what Smith, or the club, expected the Englishman to produce after his terrific form for Southampton in the division, which is why the marksman was underwhelming, despite having a decent record in front of goal, for the Villans.

Villa reportedly raked in a fee of just £12m, potentially rising to £15m, from West Ham United last month, meaning that the striker’s value plummeted by at least £10m, and at most £13m, in just 18 months of league football.

The striker’s zero goals or assists in four Premier League appearances for the Hammers since making the move also suggests that Emery, as it stands, made the right call by cashing in on him.

Overall, Smith’s decision to bring him in for £25m was a big howler for the club as Ings struggled to replicate his Southampton form for Villa and left for a considerably lower fee less than two years later.

Game
Register
Service
Bonus