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Tottenham Hotspur seem to be closing in on a new defensive target…

What's the latest on Edmond Tapsoba to Tottenham Hotspur?

That's according to Italian journalist Rudy Galetti, who added to the words of his compatriot Fabrizio Romano from mid-June.

The latter first noted: "I keep saying that Tapsoba is a priority target because they [Spurs] love Tapsoba. Tottenham's scouts have been there many times this year to follow Tapsoba. So, he is a player they really love, and they feel he is perfect for Premier League football.

“He is a leader. So, there are many factors in a deal and Tottenham think he is a fantastic option."

However, the latest comes from Galetti, who told GIVEMESPORT: "On the table, there are around €25m (£21m) and the German club is concretely evaluating this proposal. Last winter, Arsenal asked them for him but then now they decide to go for Timber, who is close as well.

“So, the Burkina Faso player [Tapsoba], we can say that is one step away from joining Tottenham. In the next few days, they will push and close the deal positively."

Who could Tapsoba emulate at Spurs?

Given how Mauricio Pochettino kickstarted his reign in north London, which has been comfortably the most successful of any in recent history, perhaps Ange Postecoglou could seek to take a leaf out of his book as he continues his summer spending.

The Argentine added some key defensive assets to his side within the first three transfer windows, but the likes of Kieran Tripper, Eric Dier and Toby Alderweireld offered far more than mere solidity.

All boasted fine ball-playing skill sets that made them integral to the style of play he sought to implement, which worked to great effect.

Now, with their new boss looking to kickstart a revolution of his own, Tapsoba could seek to mimic the latter of that aforementioned trio as the skilful centre-back to underpin his all-action and possession-dominant philosophy.

After all, when compared to others in his role across Europe, the Bayer Leverkusen star ranks in the top 10% for passes attempted, the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons, via FBref.

The 24-year-old is the quintessential ball-playing centre-back, yet boasts the physicality to take to English football with ease too.

This was exactly the case for Alderweireld too, who arguably enjoyed the pinnacle of his Spurs career during the 2015/16 campaign.

Maintaining a 7.28 average rating, which made him the third-highest-rated defender in the whole division for that season, he would record six goal contributions, a 70% dribble success rate, 1.7 interceptions and a mammoth 7.2 clearances per game, via Sofascore.

His presence as a rock at the back for Pochettino aided his title charge massively, which ultimately ended in failure.

Postecoglou will be keen to replicate some of the hallmarks from that tenure but add his own cutting-edge to push them over the line. Tapsoba's arrival would mark a key step towards achieving that goal.

West Bromwich Albion's focus heading into the summer transfer window was to offload players before even thinking about recruiting as they looked to balance the books.

However, after getting a lot of deadweight out of The Hawthorns in the early stages of the summer, and bringing in £7m through the sale of Dara O'Shea to Burnley, the Championship outfit can perhaps now start to bring in some of Carlos Corberan's targets.

Who is West Brom target Josh Key?

According to Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke, West Brom are in talks to sign versatile star Josh Key from League One side Exeter City.

Key is out of contract with Exeter and is therefore available on a free transfer, making him an ideal option for Albion as they look to strengthen in multiple positions.

Given his performances in the third tier, plus his contract situation, Key is understandably attracting plenty of interest. It is claimed that Championship pair Plymouth Argyle and Swansea City are also in for the 23-year-old, with the latter already making a compensation payment offer to Exeter.

Where would Josh Key fit in at West Brom?

Whoever wins the race for Key will be signing an extremely versatile player. The youngster started his career at right wing-back and featured there seven times last season, as per WhoScored, but he is also comfortable playing at centre-back (10 appearances), where a position has opened up at West Brom.

Key's versatility does not stop there, though, as he was also used in more advanced positions under Gary Caldwell last season, featuring on both the right and left wings, as well as in central attacking midfield and even as a striker.

"He is an amazing football player who can play in a number of positions and it is about how we utilise him in different games," Caldwell said in December.

Caldwell also praised Key's ability to get past an opponent, which is reflected in the fact that no City player attempted more dribbles (1.6) per game last season.

Key ultimately started out as a defender, and it may well be that it is at the back he finds himself should he join Albion, with Corberan feeling the need to overcome the exit of O'Shea. The Torquay native is just as strong in that side of the game, highlighted by his 1.6 tackles per game – only Alex Hartridge (1.8), who played exclusively at centre-back last season, could better than among Exeter regulars.

Should he arrive, it is clear that Key would not exactly be a like-for-like replacement for O'Shea. However, the former Tiverton Town loanee more than holds his own in certain areas when compared to the now-Burnley man.

For example, O'Shea averaged 1.1 tackles per game last season, while Key averaged 0.5 dribbles to the Irishman's 0.2. The latter did come out on top in terms of interceptions (1.8 v 0.7), but that can partly be explained by Key playing out wide and further up the field last season.

The pair are also different in stature, with Key – on a reported weekly wage of £1.1k per week during his time at Exeter – measuring in at 5 foot 10 and O'Shea at 6 foot 1.

Whether it is as a centre-back, right-back, on the wing or attacking midfield, it might just be that Joshua holds the key to unlocking a promotion-winning team under Corberan.

Glasgow Rangers have more plans to bolster their attacking options ahead of the 2023/24 Scottish Premiership campaign, according to recent reports.

What's the latest Rangers news on a new striker?

According to the Daily Mail, the Light Blues have joined two other clubs in the race to land Scotland international Lyndon Dykes in the summer transfer window.

The report claims that the 27-year-old's impressive performance for his country against Norway last Saturday has reignited interest from English side Millwall, whilst Michael Beale's team and Premier League outfit Burnley are also said to be following him.

Dykes pounced onto a loose ball in the penalty area to stab in an equaliser for Scotland in the 87th minute before he produced a deft touch to set up Norwich City midfielder Kenny McLean to make it 2-1 with less than two minutes of normal time remaining.

This comes after the Gers officially confirmed the signing of Dutch striker Sam Lammers from Atalanta earlier this month for an undisclosed fee, which could mean that the Scottish giants are in the market to add another number nine to their roster.

In that announcement, Beale confirmed that more arrivals are on the way for the Gers: “The coming weeks will see more trading both in and out of the squad as we prepare for the season ahead."

In February, Football Insider claimed that Dykes would be interested in a move to Ibrox but that the Championship side would demand a fee that could prove to be prohibitive, although it remains to be seen exactly how much they would demand.

How did Lyndon Dykes perform last season?

The former Livingston ace, who was hailed as a "focal point" by ex-Rangers defender Alan Hutton and "outstanding" by Mark Warburton, endured a difficult campaign for Queens Park Rangers after Beale departed to join the Light Blues.

The 6 foot 2 ace found the back of the net six times in 21 league appearances under the 42-year-old tactician and ended the season with just eight goals in 39 outings, which suggests that the former Chelsea coach's exit had a devastating impact on his form in front of goal.

Back in August of last year, Beale made his feelings on Dykes clear after a 3-1 win over Hull City in the Championship. The former R's manager said: "I've got no complaints with him, he is giving me everything he can give me. I thought he was absolutely fantastic, he harried the defenders, he bullied them, won flick-ons, held the ball up, he did everything but score."

These comments and the Australian-born marksman's form at the start of the season suggest that the Rangers boss would be signing a player who he already loves and knows how to get the best out of.

The QPR ace is also a proven performer in Scottish football as he plundered 11 goals and eight assists in 28 Premiership matches for Livingston before England came calling in 2020, which could make him an ideal option for the Gers when you combine that with his pre-existing relationship with Beale.

A new dawn is on the horizon for Liverpool. The squad that clinched European glory and a Premier League has been largely separated.Jurgen Klopp must find the antidote to reverse the club’s fortunes and catapult them back into the top four.One of the biggest summers in the Reds’ recent history lies ahead as they must place faith in a new cohort of players.One name that has been mentioned as part of this rebuild is Arda Guler.

What’s the latest on Arda Guler to Liverpool?

According to Aksam (via Sport Witness), Liverpool and Barcelona are interested in signing Fenerbahce Guler this summer.It is understood that both Liverpool and the Blaugrana have 'stepped in' and have 'accelerated their attempts' to secure the signing.However, it could be a complicated deal as Fenerbahce are hoping to keep the youngster for at least one more year.That said, should the youngster leave then it may cost any suitor around £20m.

Who can Arda Guler emulate at Liverpool?

Guler joined the Fenerbache youth ranks in 2019 and signed a professional contract with the club in 2021, making his senior debut as a substitute against Finnish club HJK in the play-offs of the Europa League.Then in August 2021, the "serious talent" – as per Duncan Castles – made his Süper Lig debut, providing the assist for the winning goal to emphatically announce himself into national stardom.Then in March 2022, the playmaker created history as he became the youngest goalscorer in Turkish top-flight history, having only turned 17 three weeks earlier.The youngster was then awarded the club’s number ten shirt and in the first match of the next campaign, he scored twice in 21 minutes.He has continued to excel and has finished the term with 12 goal involvements in 34 appearances in all competitions.During his incredible journey, Erol Tokgolzer, Guler’s former coach, said: “I don't think Arda will stay in Turkey too long. Bids of €20-30m for Arda will become ordinary.”The teen has also been hailed by Andrea Pirlo, who said: “He has the potential to play anywhere in the world. He has quality, he can read the game well, and he has great technique. If he keeps developing his game, there is no limit to his potential.”Only standing 5 foot 9, Guler doesn’t possess a dominant, physical frame – his smaller, more nimble, and insanely intricate style mirrors that of a prime Philippe Coutinho.In 201 outings for Liverpool, the Brazilian – who also operates in a playmaking role – registered 54 goals and 45 assists, and Mauricio Pochettino once said he has “special magic in his feet.”

The rebirth of this silky, innovative, diminutive presence on the Anfield pitch could come in the form of Guler, and it makes for an exciting prospect to see what he could achieve under Klopp’s supervision.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to approach Brentford to discuss a potential transfer fee for goalkeeper David Raya, according to Sky Sports.

What’s the latest Spurs transfer news involving Raya?

Spurs and new manager Ange Postecoglou look set for a relatively busy summer transfer window, with up to five new additions on the cards.

Reports have claimed that Postecoglou, chairman Daniel Levy, chief scout Leonardo Gabbanini and coach Ryan Mason have already held a transfer meeting. A new goalkeeper to come in and replace Hugo Lloris is on the agenda over the coming months, with Raya heavily linked with a move to north London.

Personal terms between the Spaniard and Spurs are allegedly already agreed, with a fee now needing to be agreed between the two clubs.

According to Sky Sports, Tottenham are expected to approach the Bees over a fee for Raya. The report states that Thomas Frank has previously said the goalkeeper is worth £40m, however, Spurs are reluctant to pay that amount.

How did Raya perform against Tottenham?

Raya is 27 years of age and has just 12 months remaining on his Brentford deal, with a new contract unlikely to be agreed, so now appears to be the best time for Spurs to make their move.

The shot-stopper appears to be at the top of his game with a career-high €25m Transfermarkt valuation and recently shone against Spurs. Raya outperformed every Tottenham player aside from Harry Kane in the 3-1 win for the Bees last month, as per SofaScore, recording six saves. BBC pundit Garth Crooks praised his performance, describing one of his saves as “world-class”.

“The first save from the head of Richarlison was world-class, but the recovery to save the second attempt from the same player was quite remarkable.

“Brentford were better than Spurs in every department and Raya was central to their 3-1 victory.”

Frank has also called Raya “very aggressive” in his goalkeeping, and if a fee can be lowered below a £40m asking price, a move could prove to be a shrewd one by Spurs and Postecoglou ahead of the new season.

Following Leicester’s relegation from the Premier League, The Foxes now have the task of choosing a permanent manager to try and guide the former Premier League champions back to England’s top division.

Per Mike McGrath of The Telegraph, former Fulham and AFC Bournemouth manager Scott Parker is named on the shortlist of targets that includes Manchester City coach Enzo Maresca, former Manchester United coach Scott McKenna and current interim head coach Dean Smith.

Who will be Leicester’s next manager?

According to McGrath, Smith has 'some support' from within the organisation despite his failure to keep Leicester in the Premier League.

The club have held talks with Smith over his future after the former Aston Villa manager achieved two wins and three draws in his eight matches in charge at the King Power Stadium.

Smith is a name on a long list of potential targets, including former Premier League manager Scott Parker.

According to McGrath, other targets include Man City first-team head coach Maresca, who was considered by Southampton earlier in the season as their potential head coach following the departure of Ralph Hasenhuttl.

Leicester will have to wait until after this weekend’s Champions League final if they want to speak to the 43-year-old.

McGrath names McKenna, the current Ipswich manager and former assistant coach at Man Utd, as well as former Villa and Rangers boss Steven Gerrard as potential candidates to become Leicester manager for the upcoming season too.

Should Scott Parker become Leicester manager?

It’s hard to think Parker would be a popular choice to become manager amongst the Leicester faithful.

Parker was sacked by AFC Bournemouth after a 9-0 loss to Liverpool at the end of August and moved to Belgium to manage Club Brugge following the disappointment with The Cherries.

Parker would go on to manager Club Brugge after the Bournemouth sacking, but his stint in Belgium proved to be a disaster.

The former West Ham and Spurs midfielder, now 42, received his second sacking of the season in March following a 7-1 aggregate defeat to Benfica in the Champions League round of 16.

In a brief club statement, Club Brugge stated: 'In 12 games, the Briton could only win 2 times' – that's a win rate of just 16%.

The former England international has been without a club since his disappointing tenure in Belgium, but the opening at Leicester could present an opportunity for the Englishman to bounce back.

No matter who becomes The Foxes' next boss, they will have a serious rebuilding job on their hands.

The club confirmed the departures of Youri Tielemans, Caglar Soyuncu, Ayoze Perez, Tete, Ryan Bertrand, Nampalys Mendy and Daniel Amartey on Monday night.

It also looks likely that stars James Maddison and Harvey Barnes will be leaving the King Power Stadium this summer.

Celtic gave their fans lots to shout about throughout the 2021/22 SPFL season in terms of the number of goals Ange Postecoglou’s side scored.

Throughout their 38 league games, the Bhoys found the net on 92 occasions, leaving them with the best-attacking record in the top flight.

To further highlight how much of an attacking force Celtic were this season, 18 different players all managed to score at league one goal, with four scoring at least ten.

One of those 18 players that was not as prominent as others was striker Albian Ajeti.

With only seven league appearances to his name in this campaign, the 25-year-old provided two of Celtic’s 92 league goals.

Since arriving at the club back in August 2020 from West Ham United in a deal worth £4.5m, Ajeti has scored just nine goals in 48 league appearances across all competitions.

With Frank McAvennie claiming that it’s “unbelievable” that Celtic are still paying the 25-year-old’s wages, Ajeti’s position at the club could be in danger this summer.

Should the former Hammers man find himself out the door at Parkhead in the coming weeks, one figure that the Hoops have been linked with that could be an excellent replacement for him is Antoine Semenyo.

Having delivered 20 goal contributions in 31 Championship appearances for Bristol City this season with eight goals and 12 assists to his name, the 22-year-old certainly has enough attacking talent in him to be a suitable addition to Postecoglou’s side.

Bristol Live fan columnist Math Withers previously described one of Semenyo’s shots at goal as a “piledriver,” which highlights the sort of danger he carries going forward.

The Ghanaian also has the highest average for shots (2.3) and dribbles per game (1.2) this season, along with the second highest average for key passes (1.1).

This highlights how much of a creative attacking figure he is as well as a clinical finisher in front of goal.

While the Hoops had no issues when it came to scoring goals in their title winning campaign, adding a player like Semenyo to their ranks as a potential replacement for Ajeti could be just what Celtic need to refresh their attack and get the right amount of strength and depth in that position.

In other news: Worth £293k in 2020, now worth £4.05m: Celtic hit the jackpot on Ange’s “superstar”

Leeds United are among the clubs interested in signing Derby County midfielder Tom Lawrence, according to a report from the Daily Mail. 

The lowdown: Lawrence’s career so far

A product of the youth academy at Manchester United, the 28-year-old joined the Rams in 2017 following spells at Leicester City, Cardiff City and Blackburn Rovers among others.

Lawrence has been a star performer for the Midlands club since his arrival at Pride Park, directly contributing to 62 goals in 185 outings.

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However, following a troubled 2021/22 campaign off the field, Wayne Rooney’s side were relegated from the Championship and now look set to lose their captain and talismanic attacker.

The latest: Leeds linked with Lawrence

As per the Daily Mail, Lawrence has a long list of prospective suitors including Everton, Anderlecht, Burnley, Norwich City, Watford and newly promoted duo Fulham and Bournemouth.

Leeds are also said to be ‘admirers’ of the 23-cap Wales international, who is set to be out of contract at the end of June (Transfermarkt).

It’s claimed that the man once described as a ‘fabulous talent’ by Gary Bowyer has already ‘attracted a number of enquiries’ as a move away from Derby beckons this summer.

The verdict: No-brainer

Lawrence is largely unproven in the Premier League with only four top-flight appearances to his name, but as a free agent and with possible relegation contingency planning in mind, signing such a top-quality Championship operator for nothing would be a superb piece of business by Leeds.

The Wrexham-born winger is capable of playing in numerous attacking roles and possesses an array of attributes which would make him a worthwhile addition to the Elland Road ranks (WhoScored).

Despite the general plight at Derby this season, Lawrence still managed to score 11 times and register another five assists in the second tier, further evidence as to why Whites manager Jesse Marsch should be making a strong attempt to sign the Welshman.

In other news: Leeds also want this powerful 12-goal striker who is ‘ideal’ for the Championship

Newcastle United will be looking to play their part in the Premier League title race as they face Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium today.

The Magpies lost 1-0 to Liverpool last time out and now come up against the reigning champions away from home. A win for the Toon will hand the Reds a major boost in their pursuit of the title and improve their own chances of finishing in the top half.

Eddie Howe’s men had won four consecutive games prior to their clash with Jurgen Klopp’s side and will be hoping to resurrect that form for this meeting with Pep Guardiola.

One player that the 44-year-old must brutally axe from the starting XI is Joe Willock after his disappointing display last week.

Howe must axe Willock

Freddie Ljungberg previously dubbed the midfielder as “passive”, and that is exactly what he was against Liverpool. As per SofaScore, the 22-year-old lost four of his seven duels and only completed seven passes in his 67 minutes on the pitch. He also had just 19 touches and failed in 100% of his attempted dribbles. 

In the Premier League this season, he has lost 60% of his aerial battles and 52% of his individual duels. This shows that he has been a lightweight throughout the campaign as he has failed to outmuscle the opposition on a regular basis.

His lack of strength in the middle of the park means that he can be a passenger in games, as he is unable to hold his own weight against teams who use their physique to their advantage. This is why the £80k-per-week dud must be dropped for today’s match, as he would likely be dominated by the Manchester City players.

Rodri has won 69% of his aerial battles and 56% of his duels overall in the top flight. This suggests that the Spaniard will be able to dominate Willock if it comes down to a physical confrontation between the two in the middle of the pitch.

The ex-Arsenal man has also not done enough in possession to make up for his weak play off the ball. He has scored two goals and failed to provide a single assist this season, which means that he has not made enough of an impact in the final third to warrant a start for this particular match-up when his lack of strength could be his downfall.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Bruno: Howe must land NUFC swoop for £17.1m gem who “radiates calmness”…

Aston Villa are reportedly interested in a move for Leeds United midfielder Kalvin Phillips, with the Elland Road outfit believed to have named their price for the Englishman.

What’s the word?

According to the Mail, Steven Gerrard and co are ‘monitoring’ the situation regarding the player, with the 26-year-old potentially set to demand an improved contract, with just two years left to run on his existing deal.

The report suggests that the 19-cap international could command upwards of £100k-per-week due to his displays for both club and country, with Jesse Marsch’s side potentially set to cash in should they be unable to afford that figure – with a fee of around £60m possibly tempting them into a sale.

Villa have also received a boost as the report outlines that the Leeds academy graduate is set to reject a move to Manchester United, despite the Red Devils’ interest, owing to the intense rivalry between those two clubs making such a switch highly controversial.

Barry 2.0

Should the Midlands-based side manage to get their man this summer, he could well prove to be a particularly astute purchase, with the club currently crying out for more midfield additions.

While the likes of Douglas Luiz, John McGinn and Jacob Ramsey have impressed in the centre of the park, there is little depth beyond that trio, with former Marseille man Morgan Sanson having struggled to adjust to the rigours of English football.

Equally, while Luiz usually slots in as the deepest of the three, the Brazilian is perhaps not an ideal fit as a holding midfielder, with Phillips – who has been dubbed “immense” by compatriot Marcus Rashford – offering a more defensive-minded presence in front of the back four.

Despite missing a large portion of the campaign through injury, the 5 foot 10 gem has still managed to showcase his talents for the Yorkshire outfit, registering 1.2 interceptions and 2.6 tackles per game thus far, while he also ranks in the top 2% for blocks and the top 1% for pressures made among players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

The £45m-rated midfield “destroyer” – as he was labelled by former Three Lions boss Steve McClaren – seemingly offers a neat comparison to former Villa and England star Gareth Barry, with the Premier League’s all-time appearance maker having forged a career as a defensive midfielder who could do a bit of everything, much like Phillips.

The 41-year-old spent the first 11 years of his senior career at Villa Park, making 436 appearances in all competitions and earning the club captaincy towards the latter end of his spell, before he was swept up among the wave of new signings during the early Sheik Mansour era at Manchester City.

As noted by his former teammate Ian Taylor, Barry was “Mr Reliable” both at Villa and throughout his playing career, with the current crop seemingly in need of a steady, calming presence at the base of the midfield.

That composed figure could well be that of the ‘Yorkshire Pirlo’, with sporting director Johan Lange needing to get his chequebook out to snap him up in the upcoming transfer window.

In other news, “Gerrard really keen..“: Preece drops exciting Villa transfer claim, Lange must pounce