All posts by z3u9t.icu

Tottenham Hotspur need only a point to secure Champions League football next season as they head to Carrow Road to face an already relegated Norwich City on the Premier League’s final day.

There are doubts over Harry Kane’s availability after the England talisman was struck down with illness towards the end of the week, whilst the likes of Cristian Romero, Oliver Skipp and Sergio Reguilon are all still on the treatment table.

Antonio Conte will have plenty to ponder heading into kickoff, knowing that a draw will seal a place in the top four – something that seemed impossible to achieve when he took over from Nuno Santo in November.

[snack-amp-story url= “https://www.footballfancast.com/web-stories/tottenham-hotspur-latest-news-updates-transfer-rumours-gossip-spurs-thfc-conte-paratici” title= “Read the latest Spurs news, transfer rumours and more!”]

An emphatic win against arch-rivals Arsenal, followed up by a win at home to Burnley last weekend has put the north Londoners in pole position but nothing is guaranteed, especially on the last day.

As such, the Italian head coach must still name his strongest lineup to ensure they go out with a bang and with that in mind, Emerson Royal’s place is surely in question as the Brazilian has struggled for consistency all season.

After signing from FC Barcelona in a £26m deal in the summer, the 23-year-old has shown flashes of his potential, especially in recent outings – three straight WhoScored ratings of 7.05 or better certainly suggest that to be the case.

However, he has struggled to maintain that to a consistent level and in part, that could be down to injury. He was withdrawn early as a precaution against the Clarets, so we may well see that level of form drop below the current trend.

As an attacking wing-back, he has failed to deliver in the final third, managing only one goal, one assist and 0.9 key passes per game across 30 appearances in the Premier League, via WhoScored.

Emerson had been so poor that Conte was desperate to bolster his squad with a new left wing-back, targeting Adama Traore before he opted for the aforementioned LaLiga giants.

Earlier in the season, former Lilywhites defender Jonathan Woodgate dubbed the Brazilian’s defending as “horrendous”, whilst fans have often slammed him as being a “liability,” so you can’t just shake that off after a couple of decent performances.

Valued at £34m by CIES Football Observatory, who assess the transfer value of professional footballers on a scientific basis, it could be wise for Conte to axe him for such a crucial encounter.

A ruthless decision perhaps but ensuring they do not concede will go a long way in securing the solitary point they need for a place in Europe’s elite competition in 2022/23.

AND in other news, Alasdair Gold reveals huge injury boost ahead of Norwich…

Eddie Howe reportedly now wants to sign Dean Henderson for Newcastle United in the summer.

The Lowdown: Henderson out of favour

The goalkeeper has largely been out of favour at Manchester United this season with just three matches played, none in the Premier League (WhoScored).

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/newcastle-news-6/” title=”Newcastle news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

He failed to make Gareth Southgate’s England squad for their friendly matches against Switzerland and Ivory Coast in March and will likely seek a move away from Old Trafford this summer, given that it is a World Cup year.

The Latest: Howe interest in Henderson

As per The Mirror, Newcastle have reportedly now ‘intensified’ their interest in signing Henderson, and sources from St James’ Park have revealed that Howe sees him as the ideal successor to Martin Dubravka.

The 25-year-old is currently valued at £20m and is ‘ready’ to move if he cannot secure the number one spot at Old Trafford for next season.

The Verdict: Sign him

Henderson has already showed his credentials when he gets regular playing time in the top flight, as he kept no fewer than 13 clean sheets while on loan at Sheffield United a couple of seasons ago.

His former Blades team-mate Sander Berge even went as far as to call the 6 foot 2 colossus ‘insane‘ and ‘exceptional‘, a glowing testament to how well he did at Bramall Lane.

At only 25 years of age, he is still relatively young for a goalkeeper, so he could grow into one of the best in the league under Howe’s management at Newcastle.

Incidentally, Henderson also shares the same agent as three other Magpies players, which could help to push though a move to Tyneside.

In other news, find out who NUFC are now ‘confident’ of signing this summer

West Ham United have reportedly emerged as ‘favourites’ to sign Blackburn Rovers star Ben Brereton Diaz during the upcoming transfer window, according to a Spanish source.

The Lowdown: Almost a free agent

The 23-year-old first joined the Championship outfit on loan from Nottingham Forest back in the summer of 2018, and after a successful spell, ended up putting pen to paper on a permanent deal at Ewood Park in January of the following year.

The striker has been consistently linked with a move away from the Blue and Whites as a result of his contract expiring at the end of the season, which will make him a free agent to any potential suitors, and there appears to be interest being ignited from multiple clubs across Europe.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-newest-updates/” title=”West Ham newest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The Latest: West Ham leading the race

According to the Spanish press (via Sport Witness), it’s claimed that Sevilla are ‘keen’ on a move for Brereton Diaz, but the Irons are believed to be ‘favourites’ ahead of their competitors in the race for his signature.

The report further states that the option to extend, the costs of a deal, and the level of wages available would ‘benefit’ West Ham, which could be seen as an advantage in the battle for his services.

The Verdict: Goal machine

The £9m-rated forward has been in some seriously impressive form for Rovers this season, having netted 22 goals and provided three assists in just 39 appearances across all competitions, as per Transfermarkt.

Such form has seen the Stoke-born predator receive high praise from his manager Tony Mowbray, who dubbed his standout goal-getter an “extraordinary” talent, with his performances being rewarded through a surprise international call-up for Chile.

He has now become a star for his country too, with four goals in 11 caps, and perhaps the deciding factor could be that he needs to play for a club where he’s going to get guaranteed game time to cement his place in Chile’s starting XI in years to come.

In other news… a Sky Sports pundit has reacted to some huge news surrounding one of West Ham’s summer transfer targets.

Wolves have been urged to prioritise strengthening the wide positions during the upcoming transfer window by Reach PLC journalist Josh Holland, amid recent reports linking them to Newcastle United forward Allan Saint-Maximin.

The Lowdown: Confirmed interest

According to 90min, the Magpies would be open to selling the 25-year-old this summer, with the Midlands outfit believed to be just one of the clubs interested in his services, alongside fellow Premier League rivals Everton.

The Frenchman won’t come cheap for any potential suitors though, as the Mail on Sunday have claimed that Eddie Howe’s side are looking for a fee in the region of £50m for their star man.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/all-the-latest-from-wolves-5/” title=”All the latest from Wolves!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Following the Wanderers’ links with Saint-Maximin, the reporter has suggested that Wolves need to sign some new wingers ahead of the start of next season.

The Latest: Impressive opposition display

When asked during an interview with GiveMeSport if the club needs to strengthen out wide in the summer, Holland said:

“Yeah, of course. I think they’ve got to. Looking at their squad, you’ve got [Pedro] Neto, [Daniel] Podence, [Francisco] Trincao and Hwang [Hee-chan]. But would you say that all four of them have had a telling effect in this season? I wouldn’t say so.

“Saint-Maximin, I think we all know, is such a good player to watch. He gave Wolves so many problems [last month]. It was more like a trial game for him; it had the feeling that he was trying to impress Wolves.”

The Verdict: Traore replacement

Bruno Lage hasn’t yet found a suitable replacement for Adama Traore, but the highly-rated talent could prove to be the perfect candidate for such a role.

Whilst the £93k-per-week ace hasn’t probably been as prolific as he would have liked this season, scoring just five goals and registering four assists, he has still proven to be an absolute handful for defenders in the final third, averaging 4.3 dribbles, 1.9 shots, and 1.4 key passes per league game, via WhoScored.

Dubbed as being “unplayable” by BT Sport pundit and former Newcastle man Rob Lee, Saint-Maximin might just be the attacking profile of player that Wolves need to add to their squad ahead of next season to aim for that European finish.

In other news… Wolves have been backed to sign a ‘special’ Premier League star this summer.

James Hunter has dropped a Sunderland claim on Dennis Cirkin as some early Team News has now emerged before they play Morecambe in League One today.

The Lowdown: Big game

This is no doubt a big game for the Stadium of Light faithful, as they aim to cement a play-off place to try and get back up to the Championship.

Morecambe currently sit in 19th place, and so the Black Cats should really fancy their chances, with play-off chasing rivals Plymouth Argyle seemingly facing a much tougher fixture against MK Dons.

The Latest: Cirkin claim

Taking to Twitter, The Chronicle journalist Hunter has shared an update from Alex Neil on Cirkin’s recovery from injury, claiming that he is ‘pain-free’ and ‘not far away’ from a return.

Despite this, Hunter thinks that he is still a ‘doubt’ for the match, but could return for the play-offs should they qualify:

“Alex Neil says Dennis Cirkin is ‘pain-free’ and ‘not far away’ from a return. Doubt he’ll be involved tomorrow, but could be back for the play-offs – if #safc qualify.”

The Verdict: Blow

Even though it sounds like Cirkin could come back for potential play-off fixtures, not being able to play him against Morecambe would certainly be a blow.

The Englishman has been a mainstay in the team this term, making 34 appearances in the league in total, and has ranked highly among his teammates in terms of average tackles, interceptions, clearances and blocks per match (WhoScored).

Nonetheless, the Black Cats will need to stay defensively strong away from home, and having Cirkin in the side would certainly help.

In other news, find out who is now ‘expected’ to be back on Wearside soon here!

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta will be quietly thrilled by his side’s start to 2025/2026, and particularly their response after the defeat at Liverpool.

Arsenal enjoy impressive unbeaten streak in chase for Premier League title

Since losing on Merseyside, the Gunners have enjoyed a nine-game unbeaten streak in all competitions, boasting the most imperious defence in England and a 100 per cent win rate in the Champions League so far.

Arsenal 3-0 Nottingham Forest

Athletic Bilbao 0-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 1-1 Man City

Port Vale 0-2 Arsenal

Newcastle 1-2 Arsenal

Arsenal 2-0 Olympiacos

Arsenal 2-0 West Ham

Fulham 0-1 Arsenal

Arsenal 4-0 Atlético Madrid

Atlético Madrid were Arsenal’s latest victims as Arteta’s side put the Spaniards to the sword in a 4-0 demolition job, with summer signing Viktor Gyokeres bagging a brace and putting an end to his barren run without a goal.

Arsenal showcased their imperious attacking flair inside 14 exciting second-half minutes against Diego Simeone’s side, and Paul Merson was simply blown away by how the north Londoners swept Atlético aside in that manner.

After spending close to £270 million in the summer transfer window, Arsenal are in pole position to win their first Premier League title in over 20 years, but it is still very early doors.

So far, Andrea Berta’s major investments are paying dividends, but supporters have two key things to thank for their side’s exceptional form on paper right now.

Arsenal’s solidarity at the back and major threat from set pieces have been vital, with Gabriel and William Saliba showing exactly why they’re two of the best centre-halfs in world football.

The former has already tallied four goal contributions as a direct result of dead-ball situations, including a header and an assist against Atlético on Tuesday, with teams failing to find an answer to Arsenal’s gorilla tactics.

They’ve also proved menacing from long-throws, a fact which isn’t lost on Sky Sports pundit Jamie O’Hara.

Jamie O'Hara says teams are now trying to copy key Arsenal tactic

Speaking to Sky, O’Hara says that Premier League rivals are trying and failing to replicate Arsenal’s long-throws, but makes a rather bold claim that Arteta’s side are “killing” the division with their style of play.

O’Hara goes on to say that Arsenal are the best at long throws, and no other team can even dare to mimic how effective they are.

When looking back at the 2025/2026 season in years to come, if Arsenal do end up winning their first title in decades, supporters are far more likely to remember this year as a defining moment in both the club’s history and Arteta’s career.

How they manage to clinch the trophy is entirely up to them, and there is absolutely no argument that Arsenal’s use of dead balls is giving opposition teams absolute nightmares right now.

The pressure is well and truly on Arteta to deliver major silverware after a summer of lavish spending, and the Spaniard must use every weapon at his disposal — no matter how pleasing on the eye.

Russell Martin accepted full responsibility after another dismal Rangers performance ended with a 1-1 draw at Falkirk, but it may not be enough to save his position at Ibrox.

When striker Bojan Miovski tapped in after 41 minutes, the travelling supporters again turned their ire on the Gers boss and there were repeated chants against the former Southampton manager before and after John McGlynn’s side deservedly levelled in the 73rd minute through substitute Henry Cartwright.

Afterwards Gers fans sat down to attempt to stop the team bus leaving but they were dispersed by police. Images showed that Martin was escorted out of another part of the stadium by security guards before reportedly leaving in a car.

The Ibrox side are in eighth place with one win in seven William Hill Premiership fixtures, 11 points behind leaders Hearts and nine behind Celtic and Martin, who described the chants as “character building”, was asked if he was getting enough from the players.

He said: “They’re giving us everything they’ve got. I think they’re really trying. So I have to take responsibility for it, not them.

“There’s been some really honest discussions with them in the dressing room, some frustration with them and each other, but ultimately I’m the one in charge of the team, so I have to accept responsibility. We haven’t had enough wins on days like today, so it’s been a frustrating period.”

Kris Boyd slams "embarrassing" thing Martin had Rangers do in Sturm Graz defeat

It was another night to forget.

ByTom Cunningham Oct 3, 2025

Martin conceded the backing of the Ibrox board is not infinite but remains confident that he can get it right.

He said: “I think it’s the same everywhere. Just this club is intensified and the scrutiny is much higher, the noise is much louder.

“So every draw we’ve had has felt like a defeat because of the stature of this club and what it means and what we have to try and fight for.

“So I can’t answer your question really, you’d have to ask the people above me.

“I feel that the players and the staff are really behind me. I felt really supported by everyone else above me as well, and I can’t dictate whether that changes or not.

“I have to just try and focus on winning football matches (and we can do that) because of what I see every day with the players, how invested they are in it, how hard they run.

“If I felt any differently, I would feel differently here. It probably wouldn’t hurt as much, but I know they’re really trying.”

Martin "on the brink" of Ibrox sack

And Ben Jacobs reports on Sunday evening that Martin “is on the brink of being sacked” the Gers board “expected to make an imminent decision”.

Steven Gerrard and Danny Rohl are both “appreciated” in Glasgow’s South side having been on the shortlist before Martin took charge.

Former Manchester United striker Teddy Sheringham has claimed Ruben Amorim “obviously doesn’t appreciate” one of his brightest players.

Amorim looking to put own stamp on Man Utd squad

Amorim has made it abundantly clear that he is not willing to change his three-at-the-back system, despite it not yielding the results he would’ve been hoping for, with Man United making a slow start to the Premier League campaign.

The summer transfer window presented the 40-year-old with his first real opportunity to put his own stamp on his squad, and he opted to strengthen in attacking areas for the most part, with Bryan Mbeumo and Matheus Cunha among the most high-profile signings.

However, one position in which Amorim was ultimately unable to strengthen is central midfield, which he could look to rectify in January, amid links with the likes of Al-Hilal’s Ruben Neves and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba.

United’s interest in a new central midfielder comes amid Kobbie Mainoo receiving very little game time, with Casemiro and Bruno Fernandes predominantly being given the nod in the engine room.

Now, Sheringham has claimed that Amorim is simply not a fan of Mainoo.

Mainoo should be given chance against Brentford

It is clear the £70m-rated midfielder isn’t held in the highest of regards by the United boss, having failed to start a single Premier League game this season, but the 20-year-old should be given the opportunity to prove himself against Brentford.

It is very difficult for any player to show what they can do if they only appear as a substitute, and the trip to the Gtech Community Stadium could be the perfect chance for the Englishman to make a statement, given that Casemiro is suspended.

Man Utd targeting "incredible" 4-2-3-1 manager who's won three league titles

The Red Devils have identified an “incredible” manager as a replacement for Ruben Amorim.

4 ByDominic Lund Sep 23, 2025

However, it remains to be seen whether the midfielder is given the nod, given that he is clearly below Manuel Ugarte in the pecking order, with the Uruguayan being brought on at half-time after Casemiro saw red against Chelsea.

With a place in England’s World Cup squad next summer on the line, it is little wonder Mainoo is agitating for a move, and he is likely to grow even more frustrated if he’s once again benched against Brentford.

Aston Villa couldn’t turn down an offer of around £71m for Jhon Duran in January. The striker may have scored 12 goals in just 29 games for the club, but only seven of those appearances came in the starting XI.

It was unlikely the Colombian was going to usurp Ollie Watkins as Unai Emery’s main man.

While it made financial sense to sell, Watkins remains the only senior centre-forward at the club heading into the summer transfer market.

The Spaniard must bring in another one or two options in this department, especially if he wishes to lead the club to the Champions League once again.

Could he be targeting a young sensation who has enjoyed a fabulous season?

Aston Villa target Spanish centre-forward

A host of attacking players have been targeted recently. Tyler Dibling, the Southampton winger, has been linked with a big-money move to Villa.

Jadon Sancho is another wide option that Emery is showing interest in. Both of these talents would bolster the club’s wide options, but it is a more central player that the manager is desperate for.

According to Caught Offside, Villa are now chasing a move for FC Porto striker Samu Aghehowa.

The Spaniard has spent a single season with the Portuguese giants, but his performances have certainly caught the eye of potential suitors.

They don’t appear in a rush to sell their prized asset, who has a release clause of €100m (£85m) inserted into his current deal.

Despite that, further reports from Spanish publication, Sport, suggest that they have already approached Porto to figure out whether a deal could be done.

Why Aston Villa must sign Samu Aghehowa this summer

Young, an eye for a goal and a desire to succeed in the Premier League. Aghehowa might just be the club’s next Duran.

While Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio came in for the final few months of the season, the club missed the goals and impact of Duran, particularly during the final 30 minutes of games.

Well, Aghehowa scored 25 goals across 42 games for Porto last term, a more than impressive return, especially given it was his debut season at the club.

The striker, who was described as “one of Europe’s most prolific players” by talent scout Jacek Kulig last season, also registered 2.7 shots per game in the league last term, while he also achieved a goal conversion percentage of 23% for Porto.

Put simply, once he gets the ball in the box, the youngster scores more often than not, just as Duran did. He would get more of a chance at Villa than the South American, however, despite Watkins’ stature as the main centre-forward.

Metric

League

Europa League

Goals

19

6

Assists

3

0

Goal conversion percentage

23%

33%

Scoring frequency

119 minutes

228 minutes

Shots per game

2.7

2

Much will depend on the fee Porto are demanding for their star player, but if it is affordable, then Emery must make this deal a priority.

If he manages to lure Aghehowa to the Premier League, he could sparkle for Villa next season and beyond.

Aston Villa join battle for "fantastic" midfielder in cut-price £8m deal

He’s a wanted man.

ByTom Cunningham Jun 8, 2025

Whilst England are lucky to have the likes of Jude Bellingham, Declan Rice and Phil Foden to choose from at the heart of their midfield these days, it wasn’t so long ago that Steven Gerrard, Frank Lampard and Paul Scholes were all available in the engine room.

The current generation is special, but England’s last ‘golden generation’ still arguably had the most talent at their disposal in pursuit of a first honour since the 1966 World Cup.

It wasn’t just in midfield that the Three Lions were spoilt for talent. It’s a squad which also featured Wayne Rooney, Michael Owen, David Beckham, Rio Ferdinand and John Terry. And the list could go on.

Many have had their say as to why England were dumped out of the 2002 World Cup and then on penalties against Portugal at Euro 2004, including Lampard. The former England and Chelsea midfielder told reporters: “I think at times, we [the Golden Generation] were too rigid. I talk from my own personal experience of playing at World Cups against teams that were not at our level.

“I’m not talking about France and Italy, more teams like Ecuador, who were keeping the ball in midfield because they were outnumbering us in the centre of the park. The things that maybe me and Stevie [Steven Gerrard] were used to doing where we had numbers, now we are just trying to cover space and you get a bit mentally done with it in the game wondering why this is happening.”

England: 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying info, format, fixtures & more

England are set to get their World Cup campaign up and running under Thomas Tuchel.

ByRoss Kilvington Mar 20, 2025

Outnumbered or not, there’s no denying the quality that England particularly had in the middle of the park. But finding the right balance between Lampard, Gerrard and Scholes often proved to be The Three Lions’ biggest problem, and that sparked a midfield debate which has rumbled on for decades since.

Rooney named Gerrard as his greatest ever England teammate

Having played with all three at international level and Scholes with Manchester United too, Rooney should be an expert in the age-old England midfield debate, and he delivered his official verdict to The Overlap in 2024.

Whilst praising all three, Rooney went on to reiterate that Scholes could not achieve what Gerrard did in a Liverpool side which often struggled to compete with the very top honours: “All were world-class players. Stevie could come to Manchester United and be a top player and do what Scholes could do. But I don’t think Scholes could do what Stevie did at Liverpool.”

Appearances

504

611

499

Goals

121

177

107

Assists

97

116

61

League titles

0

3

11

The numbers certainly don’t help to end the debate after Rooney’s verdict, but what they do highlight is England’s clear failure with all three at their disposal in a golden generation.