Tottenham Hotspur have had a rare weekend off after their scheduled clash with London rivals Chelsea was postponed due to their involvement in the League Cup final with Liverpool on Sunday.

This means that Ange Postecoglou's side now have a game in hand over the teams around them in the Premier League table, who have all played 26 matches to Spurs' 25.

The weekend's results in the top-flight have left the Lilywhites in fifth and five points behind Aston Villa in fourth, as they battle to secure Champions League football for the 2024/25 campaign.

Whilst the bulk of their focus will be on the current season and trying to achieve as top four finish in the division, the club reportedly already have one eye on the summer transfer window as they plot to improve their squad.

They are said to still be interested in a deal to sign a Premier League star who was on their radar during the recent January transfer window.

Latest Spurs transfer news

According to Football Insider, Tottenham have a 'concrete' interest in Chelsea central midfielder Conor Gallagher ahead of a possible summer swoop.

The report claims that the club are continuing to keep tabs on the England international's situation at Stamford Bridge, as they would like to bring him over to North London.

It states that Spurs 'intend' to make another move to sign the 24-year-old maestro after they failed to secure his services at the start of this year.

Football Insider reveal that Postecoglou's side did hold talks with Chelsea over a possible transfer for the former Crystal Palace loanee, but a move never materialised before the deadline passed.

The outlet claims that the Blues need to raise funds to comply with Premier League financial rules as they are currently at risk of exceeding the £105m allowable losses under Premier League Profit and Sustainability Rules.

It was reported earlier this month that they could need to sell several key players to ensure that they do not fall the wrong side of those losses.

Gallagher's current contract at Stamford Bridge is due to expire in the summer of 2025, which means that he will have one year left to run on his deal by the end of this season.

This, along with him being a homegrown player whose sale would be pure profit, could make him a prime candidate for Chelsea to cash in on, particularly amid interest from Spurs.

Tottenham must now push hard to secure a summer deal to sign the impressive midfielder ahead of the 2024/25 campaign as he is a proven Premier League performer who could come in as Postecoglou's own version of Villa star Douglas Luiz.

The Brazilian gem, who scored twice this weekend, was linked with a move to North London last summer but the club could now sign their own version of him by landing Gallagher.

Douglas Luiz's Premier League brilliance

Villa are currently above Spurs in the division and Luiz's brilliance in the middle of the park has played a pivotal role in their impressive success so far.

The former Manchester City prospect is a well-rounded midfielder who has athleticism and quality to make an impact in and out of possession for his team.

He has showcased his ability in the final third with an impressive return of nine goals and four assists in 25 Premier League appearances this season, with four of those goals coming from the penalty spot.

Luiz, with his five non-penalty goals, currently ranks within the top 15% of midfielders in the division for non-penalty goals (0.21) per 90, and the top 16% for Expected Assisted Goals (0.16) per 90.

The 25-year-old dynamo also ranks within the top 28% or higher for progressive passes (5.82) and progressive carries (2.01) per 90 respectively, which shows that he is positive on the ball and constantly looking to progress play for his team.

Defensively, the talented gem has been strong in his physical battles with a duel success rate of 54%, to go along with 2.6 tackles and interceptions per match.

This shows that Luiz can hold his own out of possession to win the ball back for his side multiple times per game, alongside his impressive work in the final third.

Why Gallagher could be Tottenham's own Luiz

Interestingly, FBref list the Villa star as the second-most similar player to Gallagher in the Premier League, behind Bruno Guimaraes of Newcastle United, based on their respective statistics this season.

Like the Brazilian gem, the England international has been a creative force in the middle of the park with 0.14 Expected Assisted Goals per 90, which places him within the top 30% of his positional peers this term, and that has led to four assists in the top-flight.

The Chelsea ace also ranks within the top 28% for progressive passes (5.66) per 90, which shows that they both look to push their respective teams up the pitch by breaking lines with forward passes.

Gallagher has also been an impressive defensive presence in front of his back four with 3.8 tackles and interceptions per game and a duel success rate of 52% across 24 appearances in the Premier League.

This suggests that the Spurs target could, in fact, offer more than Luiz out of possession as he has made 1.2 more tackles and interceptions combined per outing this term.

However, the Blues gem has only scored two goals, both of which came against Crystal Palace recently, and has not offered as much as the Villa star has as a scorer.

Although, Gallagher did plunder eight goals, along with three assists, in 34 appearances whilst on loan with the Eagles in the Premier League during the 2021/22 campaign, which suggests that the potential is there for him to provide regular quality in the final third.

Overall, the 6 foot metronome, who was once hailed as "relentless" by The Athletic's Mike Stavrou, has the requisite attributes and performance levels to be Postecoglou's own, younger, version of Luiz in midfield for the club.

He has the potential to offer quality as both a scorer and a creator of goals, as a progressive passer in the middle of the park, and as a brick wall in front of the defence to cut out opposition attacks, which could make him a well-rounded option for the head coach.

Cristiano Ronaldo almost missed one of the worst own goals ever as he turned his back to scold Joao Cancelo seconds before Turkey's error.

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• Mistake in Turkey's defence led to own goal
• Lack of communication gifted a second to Portugal
• Ronaldo almost missed the goal as he berated Cancelo

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Manchester United goalkeeper Altay Bayindir found himself at the centre of a nightmare scenario after a calamitous own goal. The Turkish shot-stopper was left utterly helpless when Samet Akaydin's errant back-pass went past him and into the back of his own net. Despite desperate attempts by his Turkish teammates to prevent the ball from crossing the line, it ultimately resulted in a disastrous own goal, giving Portugal a 2-0 lead.

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  Joao Cancelo intended to release Ronaldo into the channel, but the Al-Nassr forward remained central, expecting the ball in that area. Ronaldo's frustration was palpable as he threw his arms up in exasperation, directing his ire towards Cancelo for the misplaced pass.

  However, as the Portuguese talisman turned his back to scold Cancelo, he almost missed the ensuing chaos. Akaydin, under pressure, attempted a risky back-pass to his goalkeeper, Bayindir. The miscommunication and poor execution led to the ball trickling agonisingly past Bayindir and into the net. Ronaldo's frustration quickly turned to elation as he realised the mistake had gifted Portugal a comfortable lead.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR PORTUGAL?

  Bruno Fernandes scored the third for Portugal in the 56th minute and the cruised to a comfortable victory over Turkey which sealed their place in the knockouts. They will be back in action against Georgia in their final group-stage match on June 26.

Celtic goalkeeper Joe Hart has announced that he'll be retiring at the end of the season, leaving manager Brendan Rodgers with a clear priority heading into the summer transfer window.

Hart has been virtually ever-present for the Hoops this season, with captain Callum McGregor the only player to log more minutes across all competitions.

Rank

Player

Pos

Mins

1

Callum McGregor

MID

3,097

2

Joe Hart

GK

3,088

3

Matt O'Riley

MID

3,032

4

Liam Scales

DEF

2,970

5

Greg Taylor

DEF

2,756

6

Kyogo Furuhashi

FWD

2,522

7

Alistair Johnston

DEF

2,347

8

Daizen Maeda

FWD

1,894

9

Luis Palma

FWD

1,732

10

Cameron Carter-Vickers

DEF

1,419

Rodgers has shown very little trust in his alternative goalkeeping options since returning to Parkhead last summer. Scott Bain has only made two appearances, and both of those came following a red card for Hart in a 3-0 win over Livingston in September, and Benjamin Siegrist only made the bench when Hart was absent. They weren't even given the chance to play in the cup game against Highland League side Buckie Thistle last month.

Rodgers, then, will almost certainly set out to sign a new number one, and Liverpool's Caoimhin Kelleher could be one of the prime candidates. It was reported in January that Celtic were assessing the possibility of a loan-to-buy move for the Irishman, who's ready to leave Anfield at the end of the season.

Celtic will have to stump up "big money" for Kelleher

Now, in a fresh Kelleher to Celtic update on Monday, Football Insider journalist Pete O'Rourke reports that the Scottish Premiership title-chasers "would love" to get a deal done in the off-season, but it won't be easy.

Celtic will need to pay "a big-money fee" to reach an agreement with Liverpool, particularly after his recent run in the side in the absence of the injured Alisson, and it may be "tough" to convince him to snub his suitors in the Premier League.

"Superb" Kelleher just inflated price tag

Kelleher just displayed his quality with a magnificent performance in the Carabao Cup final as Liverpool beat Chelsea 1-0 after extra time. While it may only intensify Rodgers' desire to get a deal done, the same can be said of other interested parties, and the Reds now have grounds to increase their demands.

Kelleher made a whopping nine saves in the game, six of them from inside the box, and the advanced data is even more impressive. The 25-year-old was able to keep a clean sheet despite facing 2.95 expected goals on target, a feat that's only been achieved four times across the last seven years in Europe's big five leagues.

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He would earn ringing praise from pundit Gary Lineker, who said:

"[Virgil van Dijk] was brilliant, but I would also have to say behind him, what a performance from Kelleher. Superb, isn't he?"

The Cork-born stopper is set to retain his place in goal for his side's upcoming fixtures against Southampton in the FA Cup and Nottingham Forest and Manchester City in the Premier League, and he may hope to position himself front and centre in the shop window.

West Ham United insider ExWHUemployee has shared a contract update out of the London Stadium.

West Ham winless in 2024 amid Moyes concerns

Before the turn of 2024, the Irons seemed in pretty great stead, having beaten the likes of Man United and title-contending Arsenal over the Christmas period.

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Fast-forward to now, and it appears a New Year hoodoo has struck manager David Moyes' squad. The east Londoners are yet to win a single game in all competitions since leaving 2023, and pressure is growing on West Ham's manager to turn the tide.

Moyes recently confirmed that talks are set to resume over a new deal for him to remain at the London Stadium, and he says they are "well down the line" already, yet some reports after his statement suggest otherwise.

West Ham's worst-performing players per 90 with over 10 league appearances this season	Match Rating (via WhoScored)
Danny Ings	6.16
Nayef Aguerd	6.50
Kurt Zouma	6.54
Vladimir Coufal	6.70
Michail Antonio	6.74

West Ham are said to be exploring Moyes alternatives, in case they opt against extending his stay, so these next few months could well be crucial in determining what the future holds next season.

If Moyes wishes to remain in charge, West Ham's form will have to pick up and very quickly. There have been few standouts in terms of player form, but one man who's really turned a corner is right-back Ben Johnson.

The Englishman has thrived in a more advanced role, and West Ham are attempting to tie Johnson down with a new deal, potentially as a result. His contract expires at the end of this season, alongside youngster Divin Mubama, with Ex sharing an update on both their situations.

West Ham set to fresh Mubama and Johnson contract talks

Speaking on The West Ham Way, Ex says that West Ham are set for fresh talks on new deals for Mubama and Johnson. He adds that these next few weeks will be "very important", as the Hammers attempt to keep both at Rush Green.

“West Ham are set to re-start talks with both Johnson and Mubuma,” stated Ex.

“Johnson has shown recently how important he is to the side, and we understand the talks will resume in the next couple of weeks. Mubuma is the same, he’s a player the club want to retain, so there is hope both deals can be agreed and signed. The club will work to get these done, with the next few weeks very important."

Johnson in particular is a player they should look to tie down as soon as possible, as the 23-year-old has plenty of interest in his services, recently from Leeds United. Former Moyes assistant Stuart Pearce, commenting on the defender a few seasons ago, tipped him for the very top.

"He's a wonderful professional to deal with and work with," said Pearce.

"We're very proud to have him out of our academy system as well, which is a real plus for us, especially with the connection to this club with the academy. I think he's just developing and getting better and better, and like with all young players, the more game time they have, the better they'll get, so I am delighted for the boy."

England stars Chloe Kelly, Beth Mead and Milly Bright have been indulging in their own form of “doggy day care”, with pets invited to enjoy the sun.

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• WSL stars enjoying summer break
• Canine companions along for the ride
• Recharging ahead of Euro qualifiers

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Lionesses, along with international colleagues Alex Greenwood and Jess Park, have been making the most of an upturn in the weather. With summer finally here, a collection of WSL stars are taking every opportunity to soak up some rays.

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  That has seen them unite for a spot of relaxing in beanbag chairs while sipping on coffee. Their canine companions have been welcomed along for a spot of R&R, with there tents on hand to provide the shade that they require.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Greenwood and Kelly have shared images and videos on social media of the England stars living their best life alongside pet pooches, with all currently free from professional commitments during the off-season break.

  Instagram

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• WHAT NEXT?

  England will not be in action again until facing the Republic of Ireland in a Euro 2025 qualifier on July 12. They will head to Sweden four days later, with those games helping to get those in the Lionesses’ ranks ready for the start of another domestic campaign in 2024-25.

يبدو أن الأمر قد حسم بالفعل من قبل الاتحاد الدولي لكرة القدم “فيفا” بشأن أزمة اللاعب، آرون بوبيندزا، بين ناديي الزمالك ورابيد بوخارست الروماني.

وكانت هناك شكوى قد تم رفعها من قبل الزمالك ضد اللاعب أمام فيفا في الأيام القليلة الماضية أوقفت رابيد عن تسجيل الجابوني الذي لم يشارك في الدوري الروماني حتى الآن.

عدم تسجيل الجابوني أجل أيضًا حصول اللاعب على تصريح العمل في رومانيا كما ينص القانون هناك، وبالتالي، كان من الصعب أن يعتمد عليه المدرب، ماريوس شوموديكا.

وكان الزمالك قد أعلن ضم الصفقة وكان مسئولوه يؤكدون صحة موقفهم من ضم اللاعب طوال الفترة الماضية.

ولكن منذ قليل، أعلن رابيد الروماني عن موافقة فيفا لقيدهم بوبيندزا ضمن قائمتهم اليوم رسميًا.

اقرأ أيضًا.. خاص | جوميز يحسم موقفه النهائي من تعاقد الزمالك مع إيجاريا

وتواصل “btolat.com” مع المدرب شوموديكا لمعرفة ماذا حدث، وقال: “الأمر انتهى، فيفا حسم كل شيء وبوبيندزا أصبح لاعب رابيد”.

واستمر: “كنت أثق في موقف اللاعب والنادي، لا أخطئ أبدًا وعلى الزمالك السكوت الآن، ولا أعرف مدى صحة البطاقة الدولية التي ظهرت منهم”.

وتابع: “اللاعب سيكون متاحًا للمشاركة في المباراة المقبلة مع رابيد”.

وأتم: “البطاقة التي حصلنا عليها دائمة من فيفا وليست مؤقتة، لا يهمني تصريحات مسئولي الزمالك لأنهم قالوا من قبل أن اللاعب من حقنا وفي النهاية الفيفا حسم الأمر لصالحنا بشكل نهائي”.

At the time of writing, Jurgen Klopp has managed Liverpool for 470 matches, winning silverware across every angle and restoring a club in disrepair upon his arrival way back when.

True, he's never won a trophy more than once (though that might change in a matter of days), nor has he been the dominant Premier League outfit of his tenure – that title lies with Pep Guardiola and Manchester City.

But he has an ineffable quality of brilliance, he entered a city yearning for change and will leave it awash with memories, a lifetime of memories, and a legacy that will endure beyond his years. Perpetual icon status.

But all things come to an end and Klopp shocked a doting fanbase last month when he revealed that he would be stepping down from his manager's position at the end of the campaign, draping the curtain on a truly special journey.

While gleaning silverware is not everything, it certainly matters for a club of Liverpool's standing and given that the club is firing on all cylinders right now, first-placed in the Premier League and in with a good shout across the Carabao Cup (the final forthcoming), the FA Cup (hosting Southampton in the fifth round), and the Europa League (bookmakers' favourites), there's every chance that the German will get a deserving illustrious sendoff.

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Crucially, though, Klopp is leaving Anfield in a great position to continue the journey and reach further heights over the coming years, the squad stocked with talent, as with the academy.

Liverpool's youth fold has not always been the most productive, and while Klopp started his Merseyside journey with Trent Alexander-Arnold on the cusp of a breakthrough, it's remarkable to see the gains that the development squads have undertaken across recent years.

So many starlets are pushing for a place in the first-team, and while Alexander-Arnold is understandably set as the gold standard, there's no denying that Harvey Elliott is one of the most talented up-and-coming players in the business.

The fee Liverpool paid for Harvey Elliott

Liverpool signed Elliott from Fulham as a 16-year-old back in 2019 with a compensation fee of £4m agreed for his services.

Recognised as an agile and creative midfielder from his formative years, Elliott used to be more of a winger but Klopp has shaped him into a centre-midfielder over the years, with his influence and range of passing best suited for a string-pulling role in the engine room.

And this has proved to be an auspicious move thus far into his career, now valued rather highly to illuminate the fantastic venture in bringing him to Anfield in the first place.

Harvey Elliott's current market value

According to CIES Football Observatory's valuation model, Elliott currently has a market value of £51m, which marks a staggering 1175% increase since he joined Liverpool.

The £40k-per-week midfielder – who has been heralded as an "elite talent" by well-informed scout Jacek Kulig – has proved through such an increase that he has all the trappings of a first-rate phenom down the line, with this valuation only set to burgeon further as he nurtures his skill set.

Scoring a late swooping strike on his 100th Liverpool appearance as Klopp's side dispatched Luton Town last time out in the Premier League, he is now starting to show his worth not only as a highly-rated prospect, but an influential member of a title-chasing team.

Harvey Elliott's season in numbers

Last year, with Liverpool's midfield flagging and foundering, Elliott found himself at the centre of the side and completed 46 matches across every competition.

This year, with the Reds having made sweeping changes to revive the squad, he's been more peripheral but has still made his mark, posting two goals and three assists in all competitions and popping up with some big moments in the Premier League despite starting just four matches.

He has been noted to have “made the difference” on multiple occasions by those such as Liverpool correspondent Neil Jones, and offers spark and ingenuity that few across English shores can emulate – let alone those of the same age.

As per FBref, Elliott ranks among the top 1% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for goals, the top 7% for shot-creating actions, the top 6% for progressive passes, the top 3% for progressive carries and the top 3% for touches in the attacking penalty area per 90.

An elite playmaker in the works, Elliott does need to work on the defensive side of his game but there is no denying that he is one of English football's brightest beacons.

#

Player

Club

1.

Dominik Szoboszlai

Liverpool

2.

Bernardo Silva

Manchester City

3.

Martin Odegaard

Arsenal

4.

Ryan Gravenberch

Liverpool

5.

Alexis Mac Allister

Liverpool

Given the profile of player that he is compared to by FBref, it's clear to see that he is indeed one of the Premier League's biggest talents.

Elliott does feel to have been around for quite some time but it's important to remember that the 5 foot 7 whiz is still only 20, and there is so much scope for growth and development yet to come.

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Klopp will go down in the history books for the work he has done at Liverpool but with stars such as Elliott still only really in the fledgling phase of their career, his impact will define and sculpt what tantalises to be an exciting and silver-laden new chapter at Anfield.

It's crunch time for Arsenal on Sunday, with the Gunners taking on rivals Liverpool in what could prove to be a pivotal showdown in the Premier League title race, with just five points currently separating the two sides in third and first, respectively.

While imperious champions Manchester City are also firmly in the mix and with a game in hand on the two teams either side of them, a win tomorrow would help to lay down a marker for either the north Londoners or the Anfield outfit amid their own pursuit of glory.

The recent announcement of Jurgen Klopp's impending departure from the Merseysiders has likely only heightened their desire for the German to go out with a bang at the end of the season, although those at the Emirates can help to spoil the party by picking up a positive result on home soil.

Having now won their last two games since losing to Klopp and co in the FA Cup at the start of January, there could well be just one change made by Mikel Arteta from the side that saw off Nottingham Forest in midweek.

1 GK – David Raya

There have been shaky moments for David Raya this season – including his two notable errors away to Luton Town back in December – although the Spaniard appears to be truly finding his feet in an Arsenal shirt, having produced 'one of his best performances' in the 5-0 win over Crystal Palace, as per the Standard's Simon Collings.

While Aaron Ramsdale will be chomping at the bit to get back into the side, there would be no rhyme or reason for Arteta to usurp the Brentford loanee.

2 RB – Ben White

The major talking point may have been the Englishman's post-match row with teammate Oleksandr Zinchenko in midweek, although prior to that it had been another smooth outing for the former Brighton and Hove Albion man.

The 26-year-old notably enjoyed an 88% pass accuracy rate and provided one key pass against the Tricky Trees, although will now face a far tougher test up against the lively Luis Diaz.

3 CB – William Saliba

The towering Frenchman could have perhaps done better to prevent Taiwo Awoniyi from firing home amid a nervy climax at the City Ground, yet that was a rare blip in an otherwise "exceptional" spell in north London to date – as lauded by his manager.

If the Gunners are to keep a frontline that has scored 14 goals across their last four games quiet, they will need Saliba to be at his brilliant best.

4 CB – Gabriel

The surprise goalscorer in the reverse fixture at Anfield, Gabriel has 'quietly been one of Arsenal's better players this season' – according to Collings – shaking off summer reports that he looked set for an exit.

Although it is his centre-back partner who usually gets most of the plaudits, the Brazilian brute is seemingly just as important to a backline that has shipped just 21 league goals thus far – the second-best record in the division.

5 LB – Oleksandr Zinchenko

The Ukrainian ace won't have fond memories of this fixture having been branded a "liability" by pundit Gary Neville during the 1-1 draw back in December, yet with Takehiro Tomiyasu still at the Asian Cup and Jurrien Timber still edging his way back to fitness, he'll simply have to start once again.

6 CDM – Declan Rice

It came as no real shock when Arteta confirmed in his pre-match press conference that Thomas Partey had endured a "setback" in his recovery from injury, with that news ensuring that Declan Rice will once again operate in that deep-lying midfield berth.

Although there has been a clamour to see the former West Ham United skipper unleashed in a more advanced number eight role, he has previously outlined his preference for operating as the six, and will be looking to make another big impact in that position tomorrow.

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A previous match winner in a crunch clash with Manchester United at the Emirates, could the 25-year-old replicate such heroics against Klopp's men?

7 CM – Martin Odegaard

The Gunners skipper has only recorded victory once in his career against tomorrow's opponents – while also failing to score in those eight meetings – yet he could be instrumental in changing those fortunes and helping to maintain his side's title charge.

Now without a goal or an assist in his last four league games, the Norwegian maestro needs to step up on the big stage on Sunday.

8 CM – Emile Smith Rowe

Having 'looked sharp' against Forest last time out – as per Collings – Emile Smith Rowe could be deserving of another chance to shine from the start this time around, ahead of summer signing Kai Havertz.

Despite being the subject of interest from West Ham last month, the 23-year-old playmaker could now have a central role to play for the Gunners over the coming months.

9 RW – Bukayo Saka

Another Hale End graduate, Bukayo Saka has begun to hit form again after providing three goals and assists across his last league games, netting what proved to be the decisive goal in Nottingham.

That ensures that the Englishman has now already reached double figures for both goals and assists in all competitions this season, continuing his sparkling rise in an Arsenal shirt.

10 ST – Gabriel Jesus

There were no doubt concerns when Gabriel Jesus limped off in midweek, although having trained with the squad all week, the fleet-footed Brazilian should be fit to feature tomorrow.

With no new striker coming in the door, the Gunners' number nine – who kicked things off against Forest after prodding through the legs of former teammate, Matt Turner – will need to find a clinical edge if the club's long wait for Premier League glory is to come to an end.