£200k-p/w Spurs 29-y/o Decision Would Be A "Waste Of Time"

Harry Kane will be wasting his time if he chooses to stay at Tottenham Hotspur any longer, pundit Perry Groves has claimed.

What's the latest on Harry Kane's future?

The England captain has one year left on his deal at Spurs, and with the Lilywhites failing to qualify for European football, the 29-year-old has been heavily linked with a move away.

Kane has scored 30 league goals this season, a tally only bettered by Erling Haaland, and given that Spurs are still yet to appoint a sporting director or a new manager, it does feel unlikely that they may challenge for major honours next season.

There have been whispers that Kane could stay at Spurs for one more year before departing for free, but Perry Groves has told TalkSPORT that this would be a waste of time for the striker.

"If he does stay for one more season at Spurs, I think that shows an unbelievable lack of ambition," Groves stated.

"I think it means that he's a little bit too comfortable there.

"He will waste a season of his footballing career if he stays at Spurs. It will be a complete and utter waste of time for him, and I always think that the elite sportsmen should always try and play at the highest level that you can probably play for your talent. He's not."

Where should Harry Kane go?

The £200k-per-week star has arguably achieved all he can at Spurs, becoming their all-time record goalscorer this season, and the club finishing eighth in a campaign where Kane has been outstanding on an individual level highlights the issue he faces there.

Harry Kane of Spurs

If he is to leave in search of major honours, he may have a few different options depending on the level of interest shown this summer. Manchester United have been heavily linked, and Erik ten Hag has reportedly made Kane his top target.

Whilst United have improved this season, their Carabao Cup victory was their first trophy in five years, and there is no guarantee that Kane could challenge for major honours there.

Kane has been linked with Real Madrid amidst uncertainty over the future of Karim Benzema, and he could follow in Gareth Bale's footsteps and regularly challenge for the Champions League at the Santiago Bernabeu.

However, Kane may not favour a move abroad as he takes aim at Alan Shearer's Premier League goals record, and with United his only realistic option for a move within England right now, it remains unclear what the striker will choose to do.

Chelsea Appointing 51 y/o Will Excite Club Prospects

Chelsea 'shouldn't be too far away' from announcing Mauricio Pochettino as manager and he could help to accelerate the development of the Blues' young talent, according to journalist Dean Jones.

What's the latest news involving Mauricio Pochettino?

As per Football Insider, Chelsea are going to announce their new boss by the end of this week and Pochettino is 'expected to land the role' at Stamford Bridge.

The report states that discussions have reached the 'final stages' with just minor issues to iron out, such as the makeup of his backroom staff as the Argentinian edges closer to a return to management.

According to The Daily Mail, Pochettino already has plans in place to strengthen key positions and is believed to want a new goalkeeper, midfielder and striker in the forthcoming transfer window.

He is also keen to trim the squad where appropriate in order to comply with Financial Fair Play regulations while also giving Chelsea some balance in the squad heading into 2022/23.

On the pitch, things look to have got slightly better for the Blues following a torrid nine-match winless run, as they dispatched Bournemouth 3-1 at the Vitality Stadium last weekend in the Premier League, as per BBC Sport.

Benoit Badiashile was among the scorers in Chelsea's triumph on the South Coast and journalist Jones told Football FanCast that he thinks Pochettino's prospective arrival could help the likes of the central defender and others to develop at Stamford Bridge.

Jones told FFC: "I mean, obviously, we were waiting for the news of the appointment now of Pochettino and it shouldn't be too far away and once that appointment is made, Chelsea fans can start to become more excited about talent like Badiashile and what they'll get from him."

Who else could be winners under Mauricio Pochettino at Chelsea?

Conor Gallagher has been in decent form for Chelsea recently, netting twice in his last four matches, as per Transfermarkt, including a header against Bournemouth last weekend.

The Epsom-born midfielder has shouldered the responsibility of breaking between the lines well in the last few weeks at Stamford Bridge and could be looked at by Pochettino as someone to shape his midfield around, given his endeavour, age and profile.

Mykhailo-Mudryk-in-action-for-Chelsea

Mykhailo Mudryk and Levi Colwill could also be players central to the Pochettino project. Speaking on Twitter, journalist Rob Pratley has recently claimed: "I understand 2 of the main points Pochettino has impressed the club on is his roadmap for Levi Colwill and Mykhailo Mudryk. The former is viewed as an integral core of the defence, whilst Pochettino has expressed his belief the latter can become an extremely effective goalscorer."

Chelsea have a lot of groundwork to do this summer to get back to pushing for major honours in west London, making pre-season an important time for all involved as they aim to head into 2023/24 in the right frame of mind.

Tottenham Hold Agent Talks Over 47 y/o Manager Who’s "Working Miracles"

Tottenham Hotspur have now held talks with Simone Inzaghi's agent about the Inter Milan manager taking over at the end of the season, according to recent reports from Italy.

What's the latest Tottenham manager news?

The main story coming out of Tottenham this week has been that Julian Nagelsmann is no longer in the running for the manager's job, with Sky Sports reporting no meeting has taken place, nor is one scheduled for the future.

As such, Spurs will have to consider other managers for the role, and the same report details that Ryan Mason will be considered, while key figures in the boardroom also admire Bayer Lerverkusen's Xabi Alonso, who has now emerged as a target.

Other coaches in the frame to take over at N17 include Feyenoord's Arne Slot, who could cost £6m this summer, as well as Eintracht Frankfurt's Oliver Glasner, with it now being confirmed he is set to leave the German club at the end of the season.

According to a report from FC Inter News, Tottenham have now made contact with the agent of Inzaghi, Tullio Tinti, to discuss the possibility of the Inter manager taking the reins at N17 this summer.

However, it is detailed the 47-year-old is only focussing on the task in front of him at present, with his side now in a fantastic position to qualify for the Champions League final, having defeated AC Milan 2-0 in the first leg of the semi-final.

The tactician is set for talks with the Inter board about whether he will continue as manager at the San Siro, and the report does not state whether he would be interested in a move to the Premier League.

Should Tottenham appoint Simone Inzaghi?

In truth, it would be very surprising if Spurs were able to lure the Italian away from his current club this summer, given that they have one foot in the Champions League final, whereas the Lilywhites may not even qualify for Europe.

However, if the Piacenza-born coach was to be tempted into a move to Tottenham, he could be a very good appointment, given the exceptional job he has done at Inter, with members of the media claiming he's "working miracles" at the San Siro.

The former Lazio boss has been very successful during his time in Italy, winning a total of six major trophies, including the Italian Cup with Inter last season, and that proven track record of success would stand him in good stead to do well with Spurs.

That said, it seems unlikely Inzaghi will leave this summer, particularly if his side go on to win the Champions League, having put themselves in a good position to do so.

Newcastle Linked With £961k-p/w Transfer Target

Journalist Dean Jones has revealed that Newcastle United genuinely "like" Neymar as they want to sign a "marquee player" this summer.

What's the latest Newcastle transfer news?

It seems as though fans can expect to see the Magpies spend big this summer. After all, their Saudi-back ownership has made money no object for Eddie Howe and co.

Adding to that, the club looked almost certain to be playing Champions League football next season and that will make Newcastle a much more attractive prospect for targets across the globe.

Indeed, it could unlock a whole new level of possible signings and one such name to have been linked in recent times is PSG winger Neymar.

Eddie Howe was even recently quizzed about signing the Brazilian, while Al Nassr's Cristiano Ronaldo was also touted. The manager played down the rumours though.

He told BBC Sport: "We could not be able to come close to affording those players.

"They are the best players in the world. We are never going to be in a position currently to afford those transfer fees and wages, so we need to go underneath and find them young and develop them into the players they can be."

Despite this public claim, however, when speaking on the latest episode of Chasing Green Arrows, insider Jones revealed he'd heard something different behind the scenes at Newcastle.

Indeed, he said (19:50): “I did actually speak to someone you know about Neymar – I saw someone just talking about it in the [Youtube] comments.

"And I'm not saying it's going to happen because it probably won't, but they like him.

"But Newcastle want to go that one step and sign their first marquee player. They can afford the transfer fee. They're going to be in the Champions League. They want another wide forward. There's a lot of things there. They've got a couple of Brazilian lads in the squad already.

"He is on 30 million euros a year at PSG and he's got a contract for another four years. That's the problem.”

Could Neymar end up at Newcastle?

While Neymar – previously hailed a "magician" by Jones – certainly wouldn't come cheap – after all, he earns a reported £961k-p/w (over €1m-p/w) – it seems disingenuous from Howe to claim Newcastle can't afford him.

After all, thanks to their new owners, the Magpies are now today considered the richest club in world football and so can technically afford him if PSG can.

Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.

Of course, that doesn't necessarily mean Howe would want to add the 31-year-old to his ranks – especially amid constant talk in the media of the player's love for late-night partying.

But with the Premier League club seemingly at least considering the player as an option, it might be unwise to completely rule this one out just yet.

West Ham Set To Land £170k 17 y/o Transfer

Insider ExWHUEmployee has revealed that West Ham United are close to signing teenage winger Sean Moore.

What's the latest West Ham transfer news?

David Moyes and co haven't enjoyed the best of seasons but things can still end on a high if they can avoid Premier League relegation and go deep into, and possibly even win, the Europa Conference League.

And then, once the summer arrives, the club will no doubt look to add some key transfers ahead of the following campaign.

Of course, the Hammers will be planning some lower-profile deals for the future too and it seems as though Northern Irish winger Moore has been on the club's radar for some time.

Indeed, the Irons very nearly landed him in January, only for the transfer to collapse on deadline day, with the 17-year-old staying with Cliftonville.

However, in a new update shared on The West Ham Way Patreon, Ex has now revealed that a transfer looks almost certain to be sorted when the summer market opens.

He explained: "We believe that the club are set to sign another Northern Irish-based player in the summer.

"We exclusively revealed in the January transfer window and specifically on deadline day that the club were very close to signing winger Sean Moore from Cliftonville and that the move would be likely to be finalised this summer which now appears to be the case.

"The deal is reported to be an initial down payment of £170k which could raise to £500k depending on appearances and milestones being met, as well as a profitable sell-on clause for the Northern Irish club included.

"West Ham are said to have beaten a number of clubs to his signature. The 17-year-old has played for both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland at schoolboy level and has yet to fully commit to either country."

Why do West Ham want to sign 17-year-old Sean Moore?

Despite his young age, the teenager has already established himself as a regular for Cliftonville. Indeed, he has played in 25 Premiership games this term, scoring five goals and providing three assists.

And with 35 senior appearances, while still only being 17, it's not hard to see why the likes of West Ham have been keeping a careful eye on his progress.

As per a report on the player on ITV, the "teenage sensation" was being looked at by the likes of Newcastle United, Everton, and Celtic.

And so, with that being the case, West Ham will no doubt be delighted to pull off this transfer.

Everton Star Has Seen His Value Soar By 935%

Everton's financial difficulties have seemingly boiled over of late, with the club having now been referred to an independent commission to investigate their alleged breaches.

Whilst the result of that and the subsequent penalty is yet to be decided, it is clear that the Toffees have made huge efforts to try and cut down on their spending in recent years whilst offloading some of their top talents.

Anthony Gordon made his exit in January for £45m, nearly six months after Richarlison had left for £60m in the summer, yet despite the playing squad being overhauled somewhat, it was only really Amadou Onana who ended up costing a significant fee.

Arguably of all the managers who was most hamstrung by this lack of investment was Rafa Benitez, who was forced to operate on a stringent budget during his one summer in charge.

Although not being able to spend is inherently a disadvantage, it does almost force clubs to work a little harder on their recruitment. As such, it can bear fruit.

With the acquisition of Demarai Gray, that was certainly the case.

How much is Demarai Gray worth?

Unsurprisingly, the former Bayer Leverkusen wide man has seen his value skyrocket since his initial move back to England. That was hardly a difficult task, as somehow the German outfit were tempted to part ways with him for just £1.7m.

demarai-gray-everton-transfer-rafa-benitez

Just three goal contributions in ten Bundesliga games was hardly sparkling, but it remained a sensational coup for a player already boasting Premier League experience with Leicester City too.

He has since gone on to play 68 times for the Merseyside outfit, contributing with 12 goals and six assists, including his curling free-kick against Crystal Palace that was met by Dominic Calvert-Lewin, to secure their place in the division last season.

When on his day the forward is truly unstoppable, with his speed and quick feet leaving full-backs with no chance. Journalist Scott Saunders even noted that he was "absolutely electric" earlier this year.

Gray remains the club's top scorer in all competitions too, further outlining his ever-growing importance to the various managers who have held the manager's position at Goodison Park.

Therefore, from that initial fee, his value has shot up in just a short period. Transfermarkt already rates him at €20m (£17.6m), marking a 935% rise in just two years.

These financial implications are far from a positive thing for the club, but they have forced them to finally be a bit more intelligent with their spending. Should it continue for the next year or two, whilst hardly exciting, it could spell a few more bargains in the offing akin to this one.

Man United: Vidic would shine under Ten Hag

Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag is on the cusp of something special with the Old Trafford side. Humiliations against Manchester City and Liverpool aside, the club have won their first trophy in six years and are still in the hunt for a total of four trophies this term.

The Dutchman has made some impressive signings, with Casemiro and Christian Eriksen boosting the midfield, while defender Lisandro Martinez has been a revelation at the club.

The Argentinian centre-back has received an average rating of 7.07 via Sofascore for his Premier League performances and ranks first in the squad for accurate passes per game (47.6), second for clearances (3.5) and fifth for both interceptions (1.2) and tackles (1.9).

Despite the impressive displays by the player, the 7-0 and 6-3 drubbings by their biggest rivals, plus the fact United have conceded 47 goals in all competitions this season, perhaps suggest that the defence could be improved.

If only the manager could have a player that Sir Alex Ferguson signed in January 2006 at the club right now as he would certainly make a difference – Nemanja Vidic.

How did Nemanja Vidic perform at Manchester United?

The 36-cap Serbian warrior became arguably Fergie’s greatest defensive signing in his final decade in charge of the side and he was the lynchpin of United’s last great era under the Scot.

He played 300 matches for the Red Devils and was even dubbed “unbeatable” by Paul Scholes, while another Rio Ferdinand also lauded him with praise, saying: “He became a defender that was feared. He could fight with the most physical, he crunched into tackles, he attacked the ball better than anyone I’ve ever seen. But as he will tell you with a smile, he could also play with the ball too, which made him complete and a great defender.”

Vidic was even voted as the greatest-ever Premier League defender in a Twitter poll by Sky Sports News, defeating Virgil van Dijk with 54.5% of the votes and that illustrates just good he really was.

The enforcer averaged a WhoScored rating of 7.17 or higher in the five seasons he played in the Premier League while the statistics were available, which is considerably better than the 6.79 rating Martinez has managed this term and suggests that the Serbian would be a significant upgrade on United’s current options in that position.

Imagine him in ten Hag’s backline now at his peak. The tank would be incredible, based on his impressive aforementioned statistics, and would shore up the United defence.

Martinez has been great so far, yet there is always room for improvement, and anyone that wants to be at the heart of the United defence for years should take inspiration from Vidic and all that he achieved.

Man United: ‘Key’ Rashford injury update

Injury expert Ben Dinnery has shared an injury update on Manchester United star Marcus Rashford ahead of their EFL Cup final clash with Newcastle United. 

The Lowdown: Huge game for United

On Sunday afternoon, Erik ten Hag’s side head to Wembley to take on the Magpies, in what is one of the biggest games in years for both clubs.

United haven’t won a trophy since their 2017 Europa League triumph and victory this weekend could potentially be the start of a great new era at Old Trafford.

Ahead of the match, there is one major injury concern, though, with Rashford picking up a knock in Thursday’s 2-1 win over Barcelona.

Ten Hag has claimed he is unsure over whether the star forward will be available with Dinnery sharing his injury knowledge as Man United sweat over the player’s fitness.

The Latest: Rashford an injury doubt

Speaking to Give Me Sport, player fitness and rehab expert Dinnery admitted the next 24 hours will be ‘key’ in assessing the 25-year-old for Sunday’s final:

“It looks to be an impact injury and we did see him struggling towards the end of the game, so that was forced.

“Of course, in those early post-match discussions with Erik ten Hag, things were extremely vague. Injuries can present themselves and maybe are not as bad as initially feared, and vice versa.

“Ahead of the Carabao Cup final, of course, that is a little bit of a concern. The next 24 hours will be key and today will be a recovery day for the player, so we’ll see in terms of being evaluated and assessed. The players will probably travel down on Saturday.”

The Verdict: Would be a major loss

Rashford missing out would be the worst possible news for United, considering what a sensational season he is enjoying, particularly since the World Cup.

The Englishman has scored in 14 of his last 18 appearances, highlighting how potent he is, and his pace and directness are something that will terrify Newcastle.

Robin van Persie has hailed Rashford as a ‘unique’ player and his possible absence could genuinely be the deciding factor when it comes to who takes the trophy home.

The hope is that the injury is not serious enough to rule him out, however, and Ten Hag will clearly do everything he can to get him on the Wembley turf.

Everton sweating over latest DCL injury

Everton will still be buzzing in the aftermath of their monumental victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal last weekend, however, Sean Dyche is already facing the first blow of his tenure as a new update emerges.

What’s the latest?

Journalist Greg O’Keeffe took to the All Together Podcast on Monday to confirm that the club are “sweating” over a hamstring injury sustained by Dominic Calvert-Lewin on Saturday.

O’Keeffe claimed: “The only thing, as usual – and it’s not a day to say negatives about anything, but what’re we doing again? We said it last week, we’re sweating on Dominic Calvert-Lewin being fit for the weekend.”

Premier League injury analyst Ben Dinnery also confirmed yesterday that the Everton striker will be checked to see how severe the concern is:

“Calvert-Lewin will be sent for a scan after Sean Dyche revealed the striker was replaced due to a hamstring issue.”

First big blow

The newly-appointed manager is just settling into his new surroundings on the blue side of Merseyside, so the latest update on Calvert-Lewin will surely be an incredibly worrying prospect in his pursuit to save Everton from relegation over the remainder of the season.

The Toffees are currently 18th in the top-flight table, matching points with Leeds United in 17th at the moment and after a promising start, Dyche will be hoping that he can build some momentum and good form to get his team out of danger sooner rather than later.

Calvert-Lewin’s latest setback will come as no surprise to Evertonians as the England international has experienced a series of continuous injury woes over the last 18 months with the player struggling to maintain his fitness in order to get a good run of form going in the team.

The 25-year-old is without a doubt the most experienced forward in the Merseysiders’ front-line, scoring 59 goals and registering 18 assists over his 203 appearances for the club, so with Richarlison and Anthony Gordon moving on he has become even more integral to the first team as he aims to offer that much-needed leadership and consistency in front of goal.

Indeed, Dyche has options to take advantage of with Neal Maupay and Ellis Simms available to replace the talented striker, though neither have proved themselves as reliable and consistent goal-scorers for the Toffees as of yet.

Maupay has found the net just once after his summer move from Brighton while the latter is yet to find the net since being recalled from his loan spell at Sunderland.

With that being said, the manager, supporters and squad will surely be hoping that Calvert-Lewin will be available to take part in their trip to Anfield for the Merseyside derby next Monday as his experience in the bitter clash will be invaluable in their efforts to pick up points against their rivals for the second time this season.

If he is out, it will serve as a colossal blow to the new man in the dugout.

Newcastle "exploring" move for Sander Berge

Newcastle United are reportedly plotting a move to sign Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge, with the Magpies enjoying a hectic end to the transfer window having just wrapped up a deal for Anthony Gordon.

What’s the word?

According to respected insider Craig Hope, the St James’ Park club are believed to be eyeing a potential temporary swoop for the 24-year-old Blades maestro before Tuesday’s deadline, with the trusted source writing on Twitter: “Newcastle are exploring a loan deal for Sheffield United midfielder Sander Berge.”

In his subsequent piece for the Daily Mail, Hope revealed that the Tynesiders are hoping to secure a loan deal for the Norwegian colossus before the end of the month, with Eddie Howe’s midfield ranks set to be depleted amid Jonjo Shelvey’s impending move to Nottingham Forest.

The report suggests that the Norway midfielder is among the list of targets to replace the Englishman, although it is uncertain as to whether Paul Heckingbottom’s side would sanction a loan approach. There is also strong rival interest from fellow Premier League side Fulham, who are said to be in talks regarding a possible deal.

Dream Shelvey heir

As stated above, it does appear that the long-serving Shelvey is set to move to the City Ground imminently, with the 30-year-old playmaker having been facing an uncertain future at Newcastle with just six months remaining on his existing deal.

Although the former Swansea City man – who joined Newcastle back in 2016 – has seen his involvement limited of late due to injury, the experienced asset still appeared a notable favourite of Howe, having been described as an “incredible technician” by the one-time Bournemouth boss.

The need to replace the £70k-per-week maestro with deadline day looming is far from an ideal scenario, with the Magpies having to fill the void of a figure who has been a “huge player” for the club (as per Howe) after racking up 202 appearances for the Toon in all competitions.

However, turning to the aforementioned Berge could prove to be an ideal solution for the Premier League high-flyers, with the former Genk powerhouse – who arrived in England on a £22m deal three years ago today – having shown his class at Bramall Lane of late.

The towering 6 foot 4 maestro has been a leading presence for the Championship club this season, racking up a respectable haul of four goals and three assists in 19 league outings so far, while also demonstrating his creative flair by averaging 1.2 key passes per game in that time.

The defensive midfielder has also proven himself particularly effective at driving his team up the field from deep, with the elegant “Rolls-Royce” – as lauded by team-mate Chris Basham – ranking in the top 5% among those in his position in the ‘Men’s next eight competitions’ for dribbles completed (as per FBref).

That attacking thrust is complemented by the 32-cap titan’s defensive prowess, as he has averaged 1.2 tackles per game in the current Championship campaign. That’s a similar record to what Shelvey recorded in the top flight last season, as the 30-year-old averaged 1.3 for the same metric.

Being able to secure an asset who can make a difference in the final third and also provide some physicality and bite to the midfield could well be an astute move for Howe and co, ensuring that Newcastle are able to swiftly find a worthy successor for the Nottingham-bound Shelvey.

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