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Tottenham ‘have asked’ Barcelona about the possibility of signing Memphis Depay, according to Spanish publication Sport (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

The two clubs have recently been negotiating over a season-long loan deal for centre-back Clement Lenglet.

It was only last summer that the Catalan giants signed Depay on a free transfer after he reached the end of his Lyon contract, but it’s worth noting that they are in dire straits financially, operating under €1.3bn (£1.12bn) of debt.

Depay has previously had a stint in English football, of course, making a £25m move to Manchester United back in 2015.

However, it didn’t go to plan for the forward at Old Trafford, who left to join Lyon for an initial £16m two years later after scoring just seven goals in 53 appearances.

The latest

The report from Sport (via Sport Witness) states that the possibility of a move for Depay has arisen in the course of the talks over Lenglet.

Tottenham’s enquiry was met with a valuation of €20m (£17.1m) from Barcelona, where the 28-year-old would ideally like to stay, but his representatives have been told that they can find him a new club.

If the Dutchman were to leave Camp Nou, he’d want a move a Champions League outfit such as Spurs.

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The verdict

It seems that Barcelona may be selling Depay out of necessity, rather than dissatisfaction with his performances. Indeed, he bagged 12 La Liga goals last season, having only started 20 games – on average, he was netting one every 152 minutes.

No Barcelona player scored more goals in 2021/22, with Depay and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finishing level at the top of the club’s standings.

Depay offers Conte versatility, able to operate as both a centre-forward and a winger. As a number nine, he is stylistically similar to Karim Benzema and Alexander Isak; while out wide, he’s closely matched in style with Mohamed Salah, Raheem Sterling, Sadio Mane and Luis Diaz.

Compatriot and former Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy has previously raved about the ‘conviction’ and ‘desire’ which make Depay ‘beautiful to watch’.

The 28-year-old could be a shrewd pick-up by Spurs for what looks like a reasonable price.

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly now set to confirm the signing of Cameron Bell, with an official announcement expected to be made soon.

The Lowdown: Young arrivals…

The Ibrox club have already confirmed the signings of youngsters Bailey Rice and Archie Stevens this week, and they will both head straight into their youth setup with a view of potentially breaking into the first team under Giovanni van Bronckhorst in the future.

Teenage striker Zak Lovelace is also reportedly set to sign for the Premiership giants, as the Gers look to bolster their academy ranks ahead of the new season.

The Latest: Bell signing imminent

As per Football Insider, Rangers have now agreed a three-year deal to sign rising star Bell from Everton, and sources from Ibrox have revealed that a full agreement is in place, with the transfer set to be announced soon.

He will be able to sign professional terms with the Teddy Bears, with Scottish FA rules allowing players to do so at the age of 16, a year earlier than in England.

The Verdict: Exciting

Rangers could have another two promising youngsters through the door over the next week in Lovelace and Bell, which is exciting for the club and its supporters.

Alan Hutton has claimed that Bell in particular has ‘bags of potential’, and the teenager already looks like a real prospect, having already played for Scotland’s under-17s when he was just 15 years of age.

Now 16, Bell is certainly one for the future, and it’s Rangers who look set to benefit from his development over the next few years.

The Athletic journalist Greg O’Keeffe has dropped a big Everton transfer update that’ll leave Frank Lampard scrambling.

What’s the word?

The news comes surrounding defender Anthony Gordon, with O’Keeffe tweeting: “Frank Lampard might draw the line at the prospect of an Anthony Gordon exit – but Spurs aren’t the only club circling.”

This news will come at a time when Tottenham are looking to sign both Gordon and Richarlison in a joint £85m deal, but Lampard wants to keep the 21-year-old winger as he plans for the future.

Lampard aims to keep Gordon

Following a campaign that saw Everton narrowly avoid relegation from the Premier League, there were very few players who performed well during what can only be described as a disappointing season and one that the Goodison faithful won’t want to go through again.

Gordon averaged a decent WhoScored rating of 6.70, ranking him in ninth place in the Toffees squad but it is his extraordinary potential that will have Lampard worried that a bigger team will manage to prise him away from Merseyside this summer.

With Richarlison looking increasingly likely to leave the club, Dominic Calvert-Lewin struggling with injury problems last season, and Salamon Rondon looking like a more terrible signing every passing day, Gordon represents the future of Everton’s attack.

The 44-year-old is convinced that the youngster can be important to the team going forward, saying: “I’ve been really impressed. From afar he looks a very talented young player who clearly has a strong connection with the fans.”

This praise should convince Gordon that his future lies at Everton and first-team opportunities will be much easier to come by compared to joining Spurs.

Gordon scored four goals and notched two assists over 35 Premier League fixtures last season, and his stats compared to Everton’s main goalscoring threat, Richarlison were surprising.

The Englishman generated more shot-creating actions than his more illustrious teammate (2.88 to 2.21) while also boasting a higher percentage of shots on target (43.2% to 28.6%) and delivering over double the number of crosses into the opposition box to Richarlison (71 to 29).

The supporters won’t want Gordon to leave and these stats prove that he has the potential to be a key part of what will surely be a new-look Everton from next season, while his sale would undoubtedly leave Lampard scrambling to find a ready-made replacement in the summer transfer window.

AND in other news: Imagine him & DCL: Moshiri can form deadly Everton duo in bid for “world-class” talent

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Ben Brereton Diaz to the Premier League this summer.

What’s the word?

That’s according to a recent report by Claret & Hugh, with the West Ham United insider claiming that sources at Spurs have revealed that Fabio Paratici’s reported interest in the Blackburn Rovers centre-forward is indeed true, with the sporting director believed to be plotting a bid for the 23-year-old in the coming weeks.

The insider goes on to state that the Hammers are also pursuing a deal for the Chile international in the summer transfer window, while LaLiga side Sevilla are also reported to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the forward – who is thought to possess a £20m asking price – ahead of a potential move of their own.

Imagine him & Kane

While Brereton Diaz is far from the most glamorous name Tottenham have been linked with this summer, it is not difficult to understand why Paratici would be interested in a deal to bring the Blackburn hitman to north London ahead of Spurs’ upcoming Premier League campaign.

With the signing of a new centre-forward reported to be one of Antonio Conte’s priority targets in the summer transfer window – in order to provide Harry Kane with both backup and competition for his starting spot in the Italian’s starting XI in 2022/23 – Brereton Diaz looks to be something of a perfect candidate for this role.

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Indeed, over his 37 Championship appearances last season, the £14.4m-rated forward was in exceptional form for Rovers, scoring 22 goals, registering three assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.8 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 1.6 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the £6.5k-per-week striker who Tony Mowbray dubbed “extraordinary” average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 6.94, while his 22 strikes saw him rank joint-third in the division’s scoring charts.

And, with Brereton Diaz still only being just 23 years of age, the Chilean attacker undoubtedly possesses the potential for further growth in the professional game – with there not being many better mentors in the role of centre-forward than Kane.

As such, with the Championship sensation being young, deadly in the final third and – presumably – willing to play the role as the England captain’s deputy next term, a £20m bid for the former Nottingham Forest starlet would appear to be a very wise move for Paratici to make this summer.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano reveals Spurs “contact” for £75m signing, supporters will be buzzing

Sky Sports reporter Dharmesh Sheth, speaking on live TV, has now shared an update on Tottenham Hotspur and their chances of signing Inter Milan defender Alessandro Bastoni.

The Lowdown: Spurs set to be busy…

The signing of Yves Bissouma from fellow Premier League club Brighton sealed a third addition of the summer transfer window for manager Antonio Conte, but it is reliably believed that the Italian has his sights on further deals.

According to The Evening Standard, Spurs and club chief Fabio Paratici are now targeting a right wing-back, striker and central defender as priorities before the start of 2022/23.

Bastoni is one target who has been mentioned to potentially bolster the Lilywhites’ defensive options, with Sheth now sharing a live-on-air update on Sky Sports.

The Latest: Sheth shares Bastoni update…

According to the journalist, both Paratici and Conte are still eyeing a move for the 23-year-old, who has been tipped to take the defensive leader mantle for Italy from Azzurri legend Giorgio Chiellini.

However, according to Sheth, the north Londoners may find it harder than ever to seal a deal from Inter.

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He explained (via Football Daily): “Now, we know Tottenham have been interested in Alessandro Bastoni, the Italy international.

“They were in talks with Inter Milan, and I’m sure Antonio Conte, former Inter manager, and Fabio Paratici the sporting director will be well aware of the situation financially Inter find themselves in.

“The fact of the matter is Inter do not want to sell Bastoni, they see him as a central figure in that squad, so at the moment it’s looking a bit better now for Inter.

“They’re increasingly confident they can keep Bastoni at the club, that’s because they’re talking to PSG over the possible sale of another one of their central defenders who Tottenham were interested once upon a time as well, that’s Milan Skriniar.

“If they manage to do that deal, that’s their financial issues until the end of the month sorted, which would mean Bastoni would be able to stay at the club.

“Tottenham are very, very interested. It could be one that is out of Tottenham’s hands here.”

The Verdict: Potential blow for Spurs…

Depending on how the Skriniar deal develops, Sheth’s latest update comes as a potential blow for Spurs and Conte given Bastoni’s quality, pedigree and ability to improve the Lilywhites back line.

At 23, he already has a wealth of Serie A and Champions League experience and a trophy haul which includes Euro 2020 with his country. He could also help Spurs in playing the ball out from the back, his 89.6% passing success rate in the Italian top flight last season bettering any of Conte’s centre-backs in the Premier League.

Called a ‘defensive genius’ by Serie A football expert Conor Clancy, his reputation is glowing, leaving little wonder as to why Nerazzurri chairman Steven Zhang reportedly won’t let him go for anything less than €70m (£60m).

Indeed, Tottenham may have to start moving for other defensive targets.

Aston Villa haven’t exactly been blessed with the most clinical number nines in their Premier League history, as you’ll see below via statistics courtesy of Transfermarkt.

The most recent number nine was, of course, Wesley, who scored five goals in his first Premier League debut, before injury struck and he ended up out on loan at Internacional.

We can’t predict where the Brazilian would rank in this list if it wasn’t for the injuries, but it’s logical to assume he would’ve at least managed to break into double figures.

Nonetheless, Wesley did perform better than other number nines, however, as you can see below. We’ve ranked every player to wear the No.9 jersey for Villa in the Premier League based on goals scored…

Stephen Ireland – 0 Premier League goals

Nicklas Helenius – 0 Premier League goals

Stan Collymore – 1 Premier League goal

Scott Sinclair – 3 Premier League goals

Wesley – 5 Premier League goals

Marlon Harewood – 5 Premier League goals

Dwight Yorke – 6 Premier League goals

Darren Bent – 12 Premier League goals

Juan Pablo Ángel – 14 Premier League goals

Savo Milosevic – 28 Premier League goals

Dion Dublin – 37 Premier League goals

Dean Saunders – 38 Premier League goals

We did warn you about the cursed number nine shirt at Villa Park, didn’t we? And the statistics only make the horrid tale a true and damming story. Seven of the 12 players to wear the number in the Premier League for the Midlands club failed to reach double figures for goals.

Even the legendary Dwight Yorke only managed six for Aston Villa while wearing the No.9 shirt. Meanwhile, sitting top of the list is Dean Saunders – the first player to wear the number for Aston Villa in the Premier League. And he did not disappoint, scoring 38 goals.

The only player to get close to Saunders’ tally was Dion Dublin. Now a presenter of Homes Under The Hammer, Dublin put many clubs to the sword throughout his Premier League career. Whilst wearing the number nine at Villa Park, Dublin managed a total of 37 Premier League goals – just one shy of Saunders’ 38.

Whoever does receive the number nine shirt next will be hoping to avoid facing the same fate as those who have stood before them. With any luck, we may eventually see a number nine surpass Saunders’ 38-goal mark, which, for now, remains the highest by those to have worn the famous number at Villa Park.

But perhaps the most immediate question for Villa is whose back will bear the burden next season. Watkins? Ings? Or does Gerrard have a superstar signing up his sleeve?

Yves Bissouma has long been touted as one of Aston Villa’s top transfer targets for the summer but in an unexpected twist, it now seems as if they have given up on signing him from Brighton.

What’s the word?

After seeing a bid for the Malian midfielder rejected in January, Villa were widely expected to return for the former Lille man this summer, although reports suggested that Brighton would demand as much as £50m.

Villa were still heavily linked, however, with some reports claiming that he was Gerrard’s top target as he looks to bolster his midfield options ahead of next season.

However, the Athletic’s Aston Villa correspondent Gregg Evans has now revealed the latest on Villa’s interest in Bissouma, writing:

“AVFC may still look for a new No.8 this summer, but BHAFC Yves Bissouma is no longer on the list. Villa have moved on.”

Villa supporters will be gutted

While Villa have already brought in Boubacar Kamara on a free transfer from Aston Villa, Bissouma would have offered Gerrard a box-to-box midfielder with plenty of Premier League experience.

The 25-year-old was Brighton’s best performer in the Premier League last season (of those to make at least 10 appearances) according to WhoScored, averaging an impressive 6.99 rating for his performances.

The same rating would have seen him ranked behind only John McGinn in Gerrard’s side, which suggests that he could have been an excellent addition at Villa Park.

Graham Potter was full of praise for the midfielder after a superb individual performance in Brighton’s impressive 1-0 win against Tottenham Hotspur last season, saying:

“Tactically Yves was really good. He understood when to cover and when to release and when to put pressure on and then you could see his qualities.

“His high-end actions are Champions League level. I think you saw the full array of his quality.”

Villa’s early transfer business has certainly suggested that they are targeting a European qualification spot next season and Bissouma could have added that extra quality to Gerrard’s midfield.

It is a surprise therefore that the Villans have ruled him out before the transfer window has even officially opened, and Villa supporters will no doubt be disappointed that he won’t be playing in claret and blue next season.

And, in other news… Gerrard now given green light for “fantastic” £10m Aston Villa move, Lange must act 

Everton assistant manager Duncan Ferguson is in advanced talks with Blackburn Rovers over becoming their new first-team boss, reports Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Rovers’ manager hunt

After five years in charge at Ewood Park, manager Tony Mowbray left the Championship club upon the expiry of his contract.

Rovers made a strong start to the Championship campaign but ultimately tailed off towards the end of the season, finishing just outside of the play-off spots in eighth place.

The Latest: Ferguson interviewed

According to a report by Football Insider, Ferguson is in advanced talks with the Championship club over becoming their new manager ahead of next season.

Football Insider claim that a recruitment source has informed them that Ferguson has already been interviewed by Blackburn, and that he is now the clear front-runner to take charge at Ewood Park.

Everton are said to have accepted Ferguson’s departure.

The Verdict: Big loss

As a player, the Scotsman spent over a decade lining up for the Toffees over two separate stints at the club (via Transfermarkt).

More recently, the 50-year-old has enjoyed two spells as Everton’s interim manager; after Rafael Benitez was sacked in January, Ferguson took over for a couple of weeks before Frank Lampard was permanently appointed.

With such experience in the Everton dressing room and at Finch Farm, Ferguson will be a big loss to the Merseyside club, and Lampard will need to be swift in his search to find a new assistant manager.

In other news: Everton: Dean Jones drops Armando Broja claim

Rangers midfielder Aaron Ramsey may have played his last game for the Ibrox club, journalist Pete O’Rourke has claimed.

The Lowdown: January loan move

The 31-year-old arrived at Ibrox in January after making a short-term loan switch during the winter transfer window.

Disappointingly, various injuries and moments to forget saw the Welshman limited to just nine starts in all competitions for the Gers,  only five of which were in the Premiership.

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The Latest: Ramsey touted for Rangers exit

The Juventus midfielder’s arrival at Rangers looked a real coup at the time for the Light Blues, with Ibrox chief Ross Wilson hailing Ramsey’s “wonderful character” upon coming to Glasgow, but the loan deal ultimately proved to be underwhelming for the Wales international.

As a result, O’Rourke thinks that the 31-year-old may have played his last game for the club, telling GiveMeSport: “I’m sure Aaron Ramsey looked like he enjoyed his time at Rangers.

“But a deal would have to be subsidised because of his wages at Juventus if Rangers were to bring him back. As it stands right now, it looks like he might have played his last game for the club.”

The Verdict: What went wrong?

Ramsey’s lucrative move to Serie A side Juventus shares similarities to that of his short-term loan switch to Rangers, as the Welshman’s struggles to keep himself fit overshadowed his performances on the pitch. Manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst even acknowledged the 31-year-old’s “quality”, but also admitted that the midfield wizard occasionally had a “difficult” time of it in Glasgow.

In fact, the midfielder was ranked just 14th out of the entire Rangers squad for his performances in the Premiership (via SofaScore), while his last (and telltale) contribution in blue may well have been the agonising penalty miss in the shoot-out defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt in the Europa League final.

Therefore, it indeed seems unlikely that we will see Ramsey in a Blues shirt again next season.

In other news: One Rangers man is reportedly close to signing a new contract

Newcastle United target Harry Winks’ price tag has now been reportedly lowered to £15m with the Tottenham midfielder keen to find regular game time.

What’s the story?

That’s according to the Sunday People (29/5; page 55) who claim that the Magpies, as well as Premier League rivals Southampton, are keen on the 26-year-old whose price tag had been previously set at £25m.

The midfielder has struggled for game time under Antonio Conte, with the 10-cap Englishman starting just nine league matches this term.

It’s the second consecutive season where Winks has made 30 appearances for Spurs whilst also starting just nine games in the Premier League, suggesting that his situation in north London isn’t going to improve.

Imagine him & Bruno

At £25m, Winks’ valuation seemed excessive but, lowered by almost half, the midfielder’s current price tag is fair.

With senior international experience and 203 appearances for his boyhood club, of which 128 have come in the Premier League, Winks possesses impressive experience for a player who could potentially join a club that finished in the bottom half of the Premier League table this season.

Granted, Newcastle supporters may be underwhelmed at the possibility of signing Winks given the ongoing links with blockbuster players ahead of PIF’s first summer transfer window at the helm of the North-East outfit.

However, Eddie Howe certainly needs quality depth in midfield with the likes of Sean Longstaff, Isaac Hayden, Jonjo Shelvey and Joe Willock all subject to argument that they aren’t the standard Howe would like in his side.

Bruno Guimares has proven to be a revelation since his move from Lyon in January and, although Winks isn’t of the same pedigree, the two could form an intriguing partnership in front of the back-line.

Despite averaging 48 minutes a league game this season, the 26-year-old averaged 30.3 successful passes per appearance with an accuracy of 88% whilst winning 2.1 duels with a success rate of 51%.

The defensive midfielder also chipped in with 0.8 interceptions, 0.8 tackles and 0.4 clearances.

Having played under three different permanent managers over the past two seasons, Winks’ fortunes haven’t improved and therefore now appears to be the right time for the Englishman to leave Tottenham in search of regular game time.

Although Newcastle may also target higher-profile names, Howe will need quality in-depth and could certainly make the 26-year-old midfielder a regular in the North-East.

AND in other news: Newcastle can afford to miss out on “magic” £40.5m-rated gem this summer, he’s no ASM