Harry Kane’s Transfer Decision Mooted By Fabrizio Romano

Tottenham Hotspur striker Harry Kane is believed to be open to a potential move away to Bayern Munich this summer but Daniel Levy will not make any deal easy.

How much is Harry Kane worth?

Despite the north London club enduring a seriously underwhelming 2022/23 campaign, it was not a season to forget for Kane on a personal note.

Indeed, the 29-year-old striker enjoyed one of his best individual Premier League campaigns after returning an impressive 30 league goals.

To put that into context, his return was only six short of the Golden Boot winner, Erling Haaland, who was operating in a Manchester City side which won the title.

And it is apparent his stunning displays across his career at Tottenham has earned him a lot of interested potential suitors.

The likes of Manchester United have been heavily linked with a possible move for the England captain this summer, but are believed to have since pulled out of the race.

Now, it seems as if a potential move abroad could potentially be opening up for the 29-year-old with the Bundesliga champions reportedly making their move in the last few days.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the striker is believed to be open to a possible move to Munich but any deal would be made difficult by Levy:

"From what I understand, and I always said even when he was linked with Real Madrid, Daniel Levy – Tottenham chairman – is going to make this deal very difficult. He wants to keep the player the club is still dreams of Harry Kane as Tottenham player for the next season and for the future."

"They don't want to give up on the story for Harry Kane also because they feel that the player will be open to make this move happen. So Harry Kane is not saying no to Bayern and this is why they sent an official bid and this is why they want to insist but it's also crucial to understand Tottenham's position in this story. They don't want to make it happen."

Should Harry Kane leave Spurs?

There was certainly a lot that went on in north London last season which could potentially make the England captain keen to find a new adventure this summer.

Tottenham's eighth place finish was largely as a result of the stunning form in front of goal shown by the 29-year-old who after he scored 43% of the club's leagues goals.

However, another season showing similar form in front of goal could potentially take him within 30 goals of matching Alan Shearer's all-time record.

It is apparent Levy will be in no mood to see his prized assed leave this summer under any circumstances which could potentially lead to a messy affair in north London.

But if Kane is adamant on leaving, then next summer would allow him free rein over his options and would even allow him a bigger scope to negotiate a better deal for himself.

There promises to be a lot of change at Spurs this summer with the arrival of Ange Postecoglou and the expected signing of James Maddison.

And perhaps the early signs being shown from Levy to wrap up the signing of Maddison, for example, may be enough to persuade Kane to give Spurs one more chance.

Tottenham Are Close To Signing £25m ‘Monster’

Tottenham Hotspur could be set to secure the first true Ange Postecoglou signing this summer, if reports are to be believed…

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

The latest comes from the Daily Star, who suggest that Spurs are on the verge of signing Edmond Tapsoba from Bayer Leverkusen.

Despite welcoming Dujan Kulusevski to north London on a permanent move, this was a deal that had been a year and a half in the making, and crucially forged by Antonio Conte when the Swede was first loaned.

The Australian seems to still be scoping out where his squad needs boosting, and who the right men to fill those spots are.

In this hulking central defender, for whom a £25m bid is reportedly on the table, they could immediately bolster their back line with a cut-price swoop.

Considering the German club had demanded a fee of around €70m (£61m) back in 2021, this would mark a sensational transfer masterclass, as they are noted as 'very close' to sealing the deal.

How good is Edmond Tapsoba?

Whilst the price alone would make this a phenomenal deal, the player they would acquire is also arguably the perfect man to step into Postecoglou's side with ease.

His ability on the ball is arguably preferred to his outright defensive qualities, and for a side that will seek to dominate possession, a centre-back with a quality akin to his will be imperative.

ange-postecoglou-tottenham-hotspur

After all, when compared to others in his position across Europe, he ranks in the top 5% for progressive passes, the top 8% for progressive carries and the top 6% for successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.

This paints the picture of a defender so supremely confident with the ball at his feet, yet standing at 6 foot 4, he has the physical qualities to remain a staunch defender. Journalist Antonio Mango sought to outline this, branding him a "monster" back in 2020.

To compare him to others within the Spurs squad, it is clear that he would walk in as the shining light for what their Australian boss will crave.

His 86% pass accuracy and 89% dribble success rate in the Bundesliga last term would have had him ranked joint-third and first respectively among Spurs' centre-backs, had he been a part of last year's disaster in north London.

He added a further 1.5 tackles and three clearances per game too, not to discredit his solidity.

It is for all these reasons, plus the huge coup they are set to claim, that make Tapsoba sure to be the first of many masterclasses Postecoglou will hope to perform in N17.

Rangers Can Forget Dessers With Swoop For £8k-p/w Ace

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale has been a busy man in the summer transfer window as he has wasted no time in attempting to bolster his squad at Ibrox ahead of the 2023/24 campaign.

Kieran Dowell, Dujon Sterling, and Jack Butland have all been snapped up on free transfers from Norwich, Chelsea, and Crystal Palace respectively and will officially arrive on the 1st of July.

The club have also completed the permanent signing of Dutch centre-forward Sam Lammers for an undisclosed fee from Serie A side Atalanta to improve their options at the top end of the pitch.

However, one number nine from the Italian top flight who will not be joining the Light Blues this summer is Cremonese ace Cyriel Dessers.

The Gers were reportedly closing in on an initial €4.2m (£3.6m) deal for the Nigerian but the 28-year-old has opted to turn down a move to Ibrox as he would prefer to remain in Italy, despite his team's relegation to Serie B.

Rangers transfer news – Lyndon Dykes interest

Beale could move on from Dessers this month by completing a deal to sign reported transfer target Lyndon Dykes, who is currently playing in the Championship with Queens Park Rangers.

The Scotland international has the potential to be a shrewd addition to the squad as he has already worked with the Light Blues boss in the past and is a proven performer in the Scottish Premiership.

QPR striker Lyndon Dykes.

Dykes played under Beale at the start of 22/23 before the Englishman made the switch to Ibrox and plundered six goals in 21 league outings before he went on to score two in the 18 games after the coach's departure.

The 27-year-old, who registered a goal and an assist in Scotland's recent 2-1 win over Norway, clearly thrived under the Rangers chief and this is backed up by the 42-year-old saying "he is giving me everything he can give me" during their time together.

Adapting to football in the Premiership could also be easy for the Australian-born marksman, who ex-boss Mark Warburton hailed as "outstanding", as the powerhouse racked up 11 goals and eight assists in 28 top-flight outings for Livingston before his move to England.

Dykes could be an ideal option to bolster the club's number nine options due to his pre-existing relationship with the manager and his knowledge of Scottish football.

Therefore, Beale could forget about Dessers and move on from the forward, who scored six Serie A goals in 22/23 and has no experience in Scotland, by reuniting with the £8k-per-week QPR ace this summer.

West Ham Could Bid For £13m Tevez Clone

With the lure of more European football at the London Stadium next season, plus plenty of money to play with should Declan Rice's expected £100m transfer go through, West Ham United supporters have every right to be excited for what the summer transfer window holds.

While some big names have been linked with the Hammers – Manchester United's Harry Maguire among them – others with a little less stature are also reported to be on David Moyes' radar.

Who is West Ham target Valentin Castellanos?

One of those who West Ham fans are perhaps not all that familiar with is Valentin Castellanos, often referred to as "Taty" Castellanos, who is back at parent club New York City FC after spending last season on loan with Girona in LaLiga.

According to TYC Sports reporter Cesar Luis Merlo, Girona are not in a financial position to purchase Castellanos permanently, and that has alerted the likes of West Ham and Sevilla.

That said, reports in Spain – via Sport Witness – have suggested that it is Benfica who leads the race for his signature, with the Irons now needing a last-ditch bid to get a move over the line.

It is claimed that an offer of around £13m will be enough to land the 24-year-old, who had never previously played in European football prior to last season.

Should West Ham move for Castellanos?

Castellanos made headlines in April when scoring all four goals for Girona in their 4-2 win against Real Madrid, making him the first player to score four times against Los Blancos in a LaLiga game since Oviedo's Esteban Echevarria in 1947.

Those were four of an impressive 13 goals scored by the former Argentina U23 international in the Spanish top flight last season – only seven players netted more.

Girona were very reliant on Castellanos for their top-half finish, with the striker scoring 22% of their 58 goals. To give that some context, it is a similar rate as Antoine Griezmann at Atletico Madrid (21%) and Karim Benzema at Real Madrid (25%).

David Moyes West Ham

Castellanos has very much proved he is capable of playing in a top European league, then, and Girona's loss could well be West Ham's gain as they seek out a player they thought Gianluca Scamacca would be when splashing out £35.5m last year.

There are obvious comparisons to be made between Castellanos and another former West Ham striker in Carlos Tevez, who also hailed from Argentina and quickly won the hearts of supporters.

Like Tevez, Castellanos is pacey and powerful, while also not afraid to get stuck in, as reflected by the 1.2 fouls committed per game in LaLiga last season. As per WhoScored, that translated to 11 yellow cards, only further highlighting his edgy side.

For comparison, Tevez was booked 24 times across 2019 Premier League appearances for West Ham, Manchester United and Manchester City, so Castellanos still has some way to go on that front.

As pointed out by former MLS reporter Chris Smith, Castellanos has a "clinical" nature to his game, which was also something Tevez prided himself on. The comparisons continue on that front, as Tevez averaged 0.37 goals per 90 minutes in the 2006-07 season at West Ham; Castellanos averaged 0.45 at Girona last season.

Tevez hit the target from 1.06 of his shots that campaign, while his compatriot did so an average of 1.11 times last season – very alike, indeed.

The early signs are certainly positive in terms of the Mendoza native's attacking game, which could hugely benefit West Ham as they look to once again compete on European and domestic fronts next season.

Newcastle Move For “Fantastic” £40m Maestro

There has never been a better time to be a Newcastle fan.

Within the last 18 months, the club has escaped the clutches of Mike Ashley, avoided relegation, ditched Steve Bruce, found new ownership, hired Eddie Howe, and has just secured Champions League football for the first time since 2002.

It is a wondrously exciting dawn for the Magpies, but they must not rest on their laurels, and begin shaping their squad for their European excursion.

They need to add more depth and quality to juggle the increased amount of fixtures and James Maddison would be a magnificent addition.

What’s the latest on James Maddison to Newcastle?

According to the Guardian, the Magpies and Tottenham are set to be part of a hotly-contested tug-of-war for the 26-year-old’s signature.

The Magpies have been reportedly working on a deal for Maddison since last summer and can offer the playmaker the chance to compete in Europe’s most elite competition.

The Foxes have accepted that Maddison 'can leave for the right offer' and only has a year left on his contract.

It is understood that an offer of around £40m could be enough for the 2016 Premier League winners to sanction his sale.

How would James Maddison fit in at Newcastle?

Despite his side’s torrid season, the £110k-per-week maestro has emerged from the rubble of Leicester’s relegation with his formidable reputation still intact.

In 30 Premier League appearances, the attacking midfielder registered 19 goal involvements and the highest average rating (7.24) in the whole squad, as per WhoScored.

The two-cap international has been a fountain of creativity and end-product as he ranks in the top 11% in Europe’s top five leagues among his positional peers for assists per 90, as well as within the best 15% for shot-creating actions and progressive passes per 90.

A player of this stunning effervescence propped behind the irrepressible Alexander Isak is a frightening prospect.

In his debut season in England, the forward scored ten top-flight goals, despite only making 22 appearances in an injury-ravaged start.

In this short period, the 23-year-old has already displaced his dazzling quick feet, his clinical finishing, and intoxicating directness as he ranks within the highest 7% for successful take-ons per 90 and 16% for progressive carries per 90.

Newcastle United forward Alexander Isak.

Hailed as someone who possesses “all the attributes”, a combination of Maddison’s mesmeric creativity and the flourishing potential of Isak could be a potent force in domestic and European competition.

Described as “fantastic” by Frank Lampard, Maddison should deservedly be playing top-flight football come August and St James Park would be a mouth-watering destination.

38 y/o Arsenal Icon Santi Cazorla Scores Beautiful Goal

Former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla has rolled back the years after scoring a superb solo goal during Joaquin’s testimonial match.

Why was Santi Cazorla back in Spain?

Real Betis legend Joaquin has just retired and so a game was played last night in his honour. Indeed, his now former side took on a Spain Legends team which included the likes of Raul, Guit, Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas.

In the end, Betis actually won the game 6-4 but this didn’t stop magician Cazorla from delivering one sublime moment of skill to open the scoring in the 27th minute.

As shown in this footage shared on Twitter, the 38-year-old controls an awkward clearance on the edge of the box, beats two men with a sharp touch, before sitting down the goalkeeper with a clever dummy, allowing him to roll the ball into an empty net.

Cazorla won two FA Cups with Arsenal while also scoring 29 goals and providing 45 assists in 180 appearances in all competitions, securing his status as a fan favourite.

Injuries sadly curtailed his time in England and he left in 2018, heading back to Villarreal for two seasons before moving to Qatari outfit Al-Sadd SC.

Despite now being in his late 30s, this recent display of skill shows that he’s still not lost that ability to sprinkle stardust on any game he’s involved in.

The Arsenal fans certainly seemed to enjoy seeing their former midfielder doing his thing back in Europe once again. Indeed, they quickly flocked to Twitter to reminisce about the player.

Here are some of the best reactions…

It seems everyone is in agreement about just how good Santi was and still is.

Spurs Fans Told To "Relax" Over 29-y/o £200k-p/w Star

Tottenham Hotspur are likely to keep Harry Kane this summer despite transfer interest, Fabrizio Romano has claimed.

What's the latest on Harry Kane?

The England captain has had yet another stellar season for Spurs, scoring 30 goals, but with his side failing to qualify for European football, there has been intense speculation that he could depart this summer, with just one year remaining on his contract.

Manchester United and Real Madrid have been linked, but a deal could prove difficult to do, with Spurs chairman Daniel Levy wanting to do everything to keep the 29-year-old.

It has now been announced that Karim Benzema will leave Madrid this summer with the Spanish giants believed to be eyeing a move for the England captain.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano claimed that Spurs fans can relax for now, as any deal will be tough and will take time to complete.

"I wanted to clarify one thing, relax around Harry Kane, because I see many reports about Real Madrid as we had about Bayern, and Bayern are now not going for Kane. We heard many stories and of course about Man United but nothing will happen this week, next week. It will take time," he stated.

"Why? Because of Tottenham. I think many times in this Harry Kane situation, his name is everywhere, but many people forget about Tottenham. The player is a Tottenham legend.

"He has a contract and I think Daniel Levy was showing in a very clear way a few years ago, how strong he is in the negotiations for Harry Kane. He said no to a big amount of money from Manchester City. It was of course a few years ago, but the feeling remains that Daniel Levy will fight to keep Harry Kane at the club.

"He will try again to offer him a new contract. He will try to present the project with a new manager who is going to arrive very soon."

Should Kane stay at Spurs?

The £200k-per-week star is yet to win any major honours, and with Spurs in their current state, it seems unlikely that he will be able to compete for trophies next season should he stay.

Spurs failed to qualify for Europe, and are currently operating without a sporting director or a manager. It could take some time to rebuild the squad after a disappointing season, and Kane may have to move on to compete at the top level again.

Tottenham Hotspur Harry Kane

Given the difficulty in negotiating with Daniel Levy, as well as the fact that he reportedly wants to become the Premier League's leading goalscorer, means that staying for one more season before departing for free could suit Kane.

There will seemingly be a lot of interest in Kane next year if he does not extend his deal, and he could easily pick his next destination, whether in the Premier League or abroad. Staying for one more year may definitely suit him, but it is clear that in the long run, he should move on to a club more likely to win major trophies.

Man City: Romano shares major Pogba transfer update

Fabrizio Romano has now shared a major transfer update out of Manchester City involving Manchester United star and controversial target Paul Pogba.

The Lowdown: Guardiola eyes move…

After sealing an agreement for Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland, putting an end to City’s long search for Sergio Aguero’s heir going forward, manager Pep Guardiola has allegedly set his sights on a new midfielder.

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The Premier League champions are set to lose club legend Fernandinho who is now confirmed this season will be his last at Eastlands, drawing the curtain on a near-10 year stay.

City’s veteran fan favourite will be sorely missed as club officials are now tasked with securing a marquee signing who can fill the void left by his departure.

Barcelona ace Frenkie de Jong is reportedly on the radar with another big name in Pogba also having been mentioned.

The rival midfielder, who is out of contract at the end of this campaign, has been targeted by City chiefs in a potentially head-turning move, with Romano now sharing what he knows.

The Latest: Romano reveals Man City ‘approaches’….

The reliable transfer source, making a claim on Twitter, says the Sky Blues have indeed made contact to sign Pogba – revealing their ‘approaches’ and attempts to sign the 29-year-old on a Bosman deal.

However, as per Romano’s information, the Red Devils ace has turned them down.

He explained:

“Meeting still ongoing between Paul Pogba’s agents and Juventus in Turin as expected, with Raiola group’s lawyer Rafaela Pimenta taking care of the negotiations. Pogba has already turned down Man City approaches, while there’s Paris Saint-Germain still in the race.”

The Verdict: Blessing in disguise…

Signing the France international, arguably sensational on his day, would make sense on paper and from a business perspective.

Called a ‘world class’ player by former Arsenal striker Kevin Campbell, the pundit also claimed City would be ‘crazy’ not to pursue a deal for Pogba given his soon-to-be free agent status (Football Insider).

Bypassing his £49.5 million estimated valuation (Transfermarkt) would’ve seemed like a masterstroke by sporting director Txiki Begiristain, but there’s also reasons for City to turn elsewhere.

Pogba’s age and rumoured attitude problems behind-the-scenes would’ve been big issues for Guardiola and City, not to mention his status as a major rival player from Old Trafford.

The likes of de Jong, while more costly, could prove a far better potential signing in the long term.

In other news: Talks opened: Man City have also made contact to sign ‘phenomenal’ £85m man! Find out more here.

Wolves face battle for Francisco Trincao

Wolverhampton Wanderers may face a battle to keep hold of Barcelona-loanee Francisco Trincao for next season, should Bruno Lage consider him part of his plans.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report from Sport Witness  (via TEAMtalk), who claim that the West Midlands side face competition from Liga Portugal side Sporting CP, who have made the former Braga man a “priority.”

As per the report, Sporting manager Ruben Amorim is the man who has made Trincao the club’s priority signing, with the 37-year-old having managed the Barcelona-loanee when the pair were at Braga.

Sporting understand that Wolves have an option to buy clause as part of the loan deal that saw him make the temporary switch to Molineux, though reportedly remain confident in completing a deal for the 22-year-old with Wolves undecided on activating the option to buy clause.

According to Transfermarkt, the loan cost Wolves £5.4m with the option to buy clause set at £25m.

Goncalves 2.0

Trincao’s future at Wolves is entirely dependent on Lage’s decision. Whilst he has managed just two goals and one assist in 27 Premier League games, there have been glimpses of the player that struck eight assists in 27 appearances for Braga just two seasons ago.

Going by the expected goals tally, Trincao, who has been described as a player who can make a “massive impact”, should have four goals this season, which whilst is still not exceptional for a player of his talent, would see him rank as the Old Gold’s third-highest goalscorer behind Hwang-hee Chan and Raul Jimenez who have notched five and six goals respectively.

With Trincao being one of two left-footed forwards at the club, he offers Lage an unorthodox option throughout the role of an inverted winger, and with the recent switch in tactics to a counter-pressing 3-5-2 system, the Portuguese attacker could massively benefit from such a direct approach.

As it stands, the Barcelona loanee has just two more games to prove his worth, with Lage yet to make a formal decision on the matter. He will have to decide pretty soon though amidst the expiring loan deal and severe interest from Sporting.

However, judging by the impact Pedro Goncalves has made since swapping Wolverhampton for Lisbon, the Old Gold could be staring down the barrel of another disastrous transfer decision.

Since moving away from Wolves, the fellow Portuguese star has scored 38 times in just 77 outings. The last thing Lage would want is a repeat scenario of that.

In other news: Wolves plot bid to sign “terrific” £12m-rated gem who “runs the show”, Lage needs him 

Sunderland receive Broadhead boost

Sunderland could have striker Nathan Broadhead available for tomorrow’s crunch League One play-off semi-final second leg away at Sheffield Wednesday.

What’s the latest?

The Black Cats ran out 1-0 victors against Darren Moore’s men on Friday evening, although they will feel as though their aggregate lead should be more going into their trip to Hillsborough after a dominant display.

Following the match, Sunderland boss Alex Neil claimed, as quoted by the Sunderland Echo: “He [Broadhead] will have a chance for Monday. Unfortunately, tonight was too soon.

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

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

Supporters will be hopeful

Although Broadhead’s availability isn’t 100% confirmed, the Sunderland faithful will be hopeful that the 24-year-old will at least make the squad that travels to south Yorkshire tomorrow.

The Everton-loanee has had an excellent campaign for the Wearside outfit, scoring 13 goals in 25 appearances although injuries have prevented the Welshman from making a serious impact at the Stadium of Light.

With this season being their fourth consecutive campaign in the third tier, Neil’s side arguably have their best chance of finally escaping League One since suffering back-to-back relegations in 2017 and 2018.

The Black Cats did manage to reach the play-off final in their first season in League One back in 2019, although victorious Charlton Athletic were deserved winners on the day.

Despite having the lead on aggregate, their advantage is small and will certainly be tested by a Sheffield Wednesday side who boast the best home form in League One this term.

Moreover, Sunderland lost 3-0 on their previous visit to Hillsborough earlier this season, although that was under their previous manager Lee Johnson.

Therefore, having extra firepower available in Broadhead will be a major boost for Neil’s side’s chances of making it to Wembley where they will face either Wycombe Wanderers or MK Dons for a place in the Championship on 21 May.

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

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