Man City: Romano drops big Kyle Walker transfer update at Etihad

Manchester City fullback Kyle Walker could be "tempted by the possibility" of leaving the club this summer, according to Fabrizio Romano.

The 33-year-old has been at the club since 2017.

What is the latest news regarding Kyle Walker?

Walker is closing in on a move away from the Etihad this summer according to reports.

The Athletic are reporting that the England international has verbally agreed terms with German juggernauts Bayern Munich on a two-year deal. Whilst an agreement between the two sides has not been reached yet, the reported asking price from the current Champions League holders is in the region of £15m.

Current City boss Pep Guardiola has stated that he is determined to keep the fullback, citing his importance for the side and the qualities he brings to the team: "“Kyle is incredibly important for us. He has specific qualities that are so difficult to find out wide. I don’t know what’s going to happen, both clubs are in touch. We will fight for him like I’m sure Bayern will. I don’t know how it will finish.”

Manchester City defender Kyle Walker.

Walker has made 254 appearances for the Manchester club since his £50m move in the summer of 2017, registering six goals and 18 assists en route to winning 12 major honours with the club, including five Premier League titles and one Champions League.

There were also reports earlier in the window that Arsenal were interested in signing the former Tottenham Hotspur full-back, however, nothing ultimately materialised regarding that potential move.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, Italian journalist Romano revealed that the 78-time-capped England international is "tempted" by the opportunity to join Bayern, with the German side's manager Thomas Tuchel "really pushing" to secure the deal: "Manchester City are really trying their best to keep Kyle Walker, but it's not an easy situation. Also for the player, I can guarantee to you that Walker is tempted by the possibility of joining Bayern Munich. It's a big chance, it's a big contract, and Thomas Tuchel is really pushing to have him."

How can Manchester City replace Kyle Walker?

The Citizens have two real options to replace the 33-year-old should he make the switch to Bavaria.

One option is to delve into the transfer market. The Manchester club are reportedly in talks with Bayern over French international defender Benjamin Pavard however they face stiff competition from local rivals Manchester United as well as Italian giants Juventus. The player is in the final 12 months of his contract at the club, and the German side do not want to lose the 27-year-old on a free transfer next summer so have placed a €30m price tag on the defender. Pavard is set for a reduced role next season following the arrival of Kim Min Jae and the potential arrival of Walker, so may push for a move for more regular first-team football ahead of Euro 2024, and due to both clubs wanting a respective player, a swap deal could be negotiated between the sides which could make City the favourites.

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Man City do also have a couple of potential in-house solutions as well. Portuguese full-back Joao Cancelo could be reintroduced into the first-team setup following his six-month loan spell in Munich during the second half of last season following a fallout with boss Guardiola. The player has featured during the side's pre-season tour so far and has even registered an assist. Another in-house option could be giving young Rico Lewis increased minutes next season. The full-back made his mark at City last season, making 23 appearances in all competitions and playing his part in helping the club secure an illustrious treble. Referred to as the clubs "little Phillip Lahm" by Guardiola, the youngster may be ready for an increased role with greater responsibility next season should Walker depart this summer.

Rangers Can Make Cantwell Unplayable With £15k-p/w Swoop

Glasgow Rangers head coach Michael Beale failed to secure a trophy in his debut season in the dugout at Ibrox after replacing Giovanni van Bronckhorst.

The English manager joined during the break for the 2022 World Cup, having started the campaign with Queens Park Rangers, and used his knowledge of the Championship to bolster the squad during his first window in charge.

Beale signed former Norwich City wizard Todd Cantwell in January to bolster his forward options and the 25-year-old proved to be a sensational addition to the team.

How much was Todd Cantwell sold for?

According to The Sun, the Canaries cashed in on the attacking midfielder for a fee in the region of £1.5m, despite rejecting an offer for the same price from Blackburn Rovers earlier that month, as his contract was due to expire at the end of the season.

He proved his worth to the Light Blues with a string of fantastic performances across the middle of the park. Cantwell averaged a Sofascore rating of 7.36 across 16 Scottish Premiership appearances, which placed him third in the squad – only behind James Tavernier and Borna Barisic.

Rangers midfielder Todd Cantwell.

However, Beale could help the Gers number 13 to become even better by securing a deal for reported transfer target Jack Clarke, who could make his compatriot unstoppable at Ibrox by giving the opposition another threat to deal with.

Is Jack Clarke staying at Sunderland?

Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray recently claimed that the young winger is in no rush to leave Wearside but refused to completely rule out a transfer, which could open the door for Rangers to swoop over the coming weeks.

The "exciting" talent – as he was once described by ex-Premier League forward Noel Whelan – enjoyed a terrific campaign in the Championship to draw interest from the Scottish giants.

He produced nine goals to go along with an outstanding 11 assists in 44 league starts for the Black Cats, as the former Tottenham Hotspur man proved himself capable of making a significant impact at the top end of the pitch on a regular basis from a wide position.

To highlight how impressive those numbers are, Malik Tillman (ten) was the only Rangers midfielder with more than nine goals while none of Beale's stars from last season hit double figures for assists.

These statistics suggest that the £15k-per-week sensation has the potential to be an exceptional addition to the team if he is capable of translating his form at Sunderland over to Scotland.

Cantwell could, therefore, become unplayable in the number ten position as Clarke would provide a huge threat on the left flank that would cause opposition defenders to double up on him, subsequently opening up more space for the ex-Norwich ace to thrive.

The Sunderland star's ability to assist his teammates regularly could also allow Cantwell to improve his own goal return, after six goals in 15 league starts for the club last term, as the former Leeds starlet has proven himself to be more creative than any of Beale's existing options.

The Norfolk-born maestro was one of the team's top performers last season but the arrival of the Sunderland phenomenon could take his game to another level, making him an unstoppable proposition in midfield for the Light Blues.

Celtic "Progressing" In Talks For "Impressive" £2.9m Titan

Celtic are “progressing” in talks to sign IF Elfsborg defender Gustaf Lagerbielke, and a reliable journalist has revealed where the player stands on a move to the Scottish Premiership.

Who is Gustaf Lagerbielke?

Lagerbielke is naturally a centre-back who has played his football at the Boras Arena since 2021 having joined from Vasteras SK, but having made just 26 appearances during his two years at the club as a result of being sent out on loan to Degerfors, it’s a strong possibility that he could be on the move before the end of the ongoing window.

Swedish outlet Expressen previously reported that the Hoops and Brendan Rodgers were chasing a deal for the 23-year-old and had submitted a bid worth SEK 40m, equivalent to approximately £2.9m, which would be a record fee for Jimmy Thelin’s side to receive.

The Allsvenskan outfit’s director Stefan Andreasson later confirmed that they had received an approach for their defender, but insisted that there were currently no ongoing discussions. He said:

“We've had a dialogue in this case. There's an interest, yes. But we're not in negotiation. The club must move from interest to acting concretely. We're not there right now.”

Are Celtic signing Gustaf Lagerbielke?

Taking to Twitter X, Sky Sports reporter Anthony Joseph delivered an update on Celtic’s pursuit of Lagerbielke, who is believed to be excited by the prospect of putting pen to paper at Parkhead. He wrote:

“Talks between Celtic and Elfsborg for Gustaf Lagerbielke are understood to be progressing well. There’s a willingness from all sides to get a deal done, as the centre-back is keen to move to the Scottish champions this summer.”

Celtic manager Brendan Rodgers.

How good is Gustaf Lagerbielke?

Celtic are clearly serious about signing Lagerbielke having developed their interest to the final stages of a deal and it’s no surprise considering what he could bring to the side should he sign on the dotted line, so despite having the likes of Cameron Carter-Vickers and Maik Nawrocki available, his potentially imminent arrival could be a huge boost for Rodgers.

Elfsborg’s 6 foot 3 colossus is not only a rock at the heart of his side’s backline with his huge physical presence, but he’s also a threat when it comes to set pieces at the opposite end of the pitch having scored 12 goals in 110 appearances since the start of his career, as per Transfermarkt.

The Stockholm native additionally has the ability to operate out wide at both left-back and right-back alongside his usual role at centre-back, so he would provide the boss with wonderful versatility and be able to easily adapt should he ever want to tinker with his formation, team selection or just need to adjust for injuries.

Whilst Lagerbielke still has another two years to run on his contract, the Glasgow outfit don’t seem to be phased by the transfer fee that’s being demanded, and having been dubbed a player with “impressive” passing ability by journalist Ryan McGinlay, he would only excel further under the guidance of the Northern Irishman.

Newcastle Keen To Snap Up World Cup Star This Summer

Newcastle United's efforts to bring in more top level talent this summer have led them to Sevilla and Morocco star Youssef En-Nesyri, according to a report from Marca – and they may be able to lure him to the club with Champions League football.

How many goals has Youssef En-Nesyri scored for Sevilla?

The striker was once more relied upon by Sevilla for his goals in La Liga during the 2022/23 season, with the forward bagging eight goals in 31 Spanish top flight games.

However, he wasn't as frequent of a first-team starter as he has been in the past, as he managed only 17 starts for the club. It was the lowest amount that the Morocco international had been given since he originally joined back in 2019/20. His ability to still plunder the goals led to him having a respectable rate of 0.49 goal contributions per 90 – which is actually the second-best rate he has managed since his move there.

He still has yet to match the heights of his 2020/21 campaign though, when he bagged himself 18 goals in just 23 starts for Sevilla in La Liga. It wasn't only the best tally he has managed for the La Liga outfit but the best of his career. He has since failed to hit double-digit amounts in the league though.

The 6 foot 2 target man still continues to produce the goods for his national side though and has now managed nearly 60 caps for the country since making his debut for them back in 2016. His goal tally for them stands at 17, and he remains a regular starter for them too.

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Are Newcastle United signing Youssef En-Nesyri?

En-Nesyri has yet to challenge himself outside of Spain at club level. That could all be set to change though this transfer window though, because according to a report from Marca, the attacker is wanted by Newcastle, who are eager to try and tie up a deal for the player.

Roma are also keeping tabs on him too, meaning the 26-year-old could have the opportunity to branch out to either the Premier League or Serie A, should he opt to move.

owever, the report states that the striker actually isn't too keen on leaving his current team – unless there is an opportunity for him to join a club with "greater sporting aspirations", or in other words a team with Champions League football. With the Toon now set to test themselves against the very best in Europe, that could allow them to potentially land Morocco's number nine.

He's already achieved plenty in the game at just 26-years-old too, with both his club and his country. Journalist Josh Bunting highlighted his achievement in breaking a record for Morocco, as he was became the first player from the African nation to score at consecutive World Cups after a "lovely finish" in Qatar.

En-Nesyri not only is able to bag goals in Spain but on the biggest stage then – David Moyes called him "incredible" during the World Cup – and that could give Newcastle a real extra asset in attack if they were able to sign him this summer.

West Ham could sign Yassine Bounou

West Ham are targeting Morocco international star Yassine ‘Bono’ Bounou as a possible heir to Lukasz Fabianski, according to reports.

The Lowdown: Fabianski deal expiring…

The Pole has been a faithful servant under manager David Moyes and was even rewarded with a new contract last summer, penning fresh terms until the summer of 2023 with an option to extend by one year.

Fabianski, having turned 37-years-old, is nearing the end of his twilight years and this season could be one of the last times West Ham supporters see him sport claret and blue.

The Premier League relegation-battlers, as a result, may have one eye on the veteran’s eventual heir or at least another shot-stopper to provide competition for Alphonse Areola.

The Latest: West Ham eye Bono…

According to a report in the print edition of AS (via Sport Witness), West Ham are one of the clubs in contention to sign Bono this summer.

The east Londoners are mentioned as an interested party when it comes Sevilla’s goalkeeper and the La Liga side apparently know important offers will be coming for him later this year.

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The Verdict: Fantastic option…

The 31-year-old seriously made a name for himself at last year’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar, standing out as a key player in Walid Regragui’s plucky Morocco side.

They became Africa’s first ever nation to reach a WC semi-final, making history and forever etching themselves into the memories of football supporters from that continent.

Bono started six tournament games and clinched a Man of the Match award before they were eventually knocked out by France.

Regragui called his keeper one of the best in football with members of the media also branding him ‘world class’ for his Morocco displays.

If West Ham are looking for a safe pair of hands alongside Areola, Bono could certainly be the man, especially considering league champions Man City even allegedly made an approach for him in January.

Liverpool: Klopp Now Ready To Seal Deal For £50m "Monster"

Liverpool remain in negotiations with Southampton for midfielder Romeo Lavia, but to the indignation of the Anfield support, progress is moving at a snail's pace with the 2023/24 Premier League campaign just one week away.

Who are Liverpool signing this summer?

The summer transfer market started so brightly for the Reds, with Alexis Mac Allister arriving from Brighton & Hove Albion in a £35m deal before Dominik Szoboszlai was captured from RB Leipzig for £60m.

But progress was hampered when Saudi interest led to the departures of industrious midfield duo Fabinho and – captain – Jordan Henderson.

Read the latest Liverpool transfer news HERE…

Jurgen Klopp's side have since seen two bids for Lavia rejected, the second offer, £41m, still some way below Saints' £50m demand for the precocious engine room machine.

What is Romeo Lavia's style of play?

Lavia has been superb since joining Southampton from Manchester City one year ago in a deal potentially rising to £14m, and his performances on the south coast suggest that he boasts every ounce of quality requisite for success at the very highest level.

The 19-year-old would be a long-term project and the successor to Fabinho's role as the midfield anchor at Anfield, though given his Premier League displays over the past year there will be confidence at Liverpool that he could hit the ground running.

As per Sofascore, he recorded an average rating of 6.80 in the English top-flight, despite the tumult at St. Mary's Stadium and the discordant and disjointed harmony of Southampton's squad, resulting in a 20th-placed finish.

If Klopp succeeds in his pursuit, the £38k-per-week ace will be able to slot seamlessly into the Liverpool centre; the words of The Athletic's Jacob Tanswell corroborate the argument, as he said: in terms of technical quality and tactical understanding, he's more than ready to go right into that Liverpool midfield."

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It is his innate ease and presence in the No. 6 role that will consequently allow teammates around him to flourish, with his ranking among the top 4% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for blocks per 90, as per FBref, illustrating his tenacity and determination to stifle opposition transitions.

Szoboszlai would certainly benefit from Lavia's arrival at Anfield, with the 32-cap Hungary captain's creative capabilities requiring steel-clad framework behind him to ensure he can effectively contribute to the offensive efforts.

And the £120k-per-week maestro could aid Lavia in his work too, ranking among the top 11% of attacking midfielders and wingers for blocks and the top 13% for clearances per 90.

Szoboszlai recorded an exemplary average rating of 7.42 in the German Bundesliga last season after scoring six goals and supplying eight assists from 28 starting appearances, creating 2.3 key passes per game, averaging 1.5 tackles per match and completing 83% of his passes.

Lavia is the "absolute monster" – as called by journalist Benjy Nurick – that Szoboszlai needs to thrive in the Premier League, while he can also utilise his own dynamism and defensive application to ensure that the workload is not too great for the teenage talent; it could be a partnership for the ages on Merseyside and Liverpool must ensure that they get this one over the line.

Tottenham Could Repeat Conte Disaster With £38m "Mercenary"

Tottenham Hotspur’s striker search continues despite claiming their first win under Ange Postecoglou, with one recurring name sure to have fans worried…

Who else are Tottenham signing this summer?

With Harry Kane having starred on his Bundesliga debut for Bayern Munich, scoring and assisting, the Lilywhites’ clash with Manchester United drew added pressure as they sought to build on their opening-day draw at Brentford.

It’s fair to say that they more than dispelled the frustrations regarding the sale of the England captain, with an emphatic 2-0 win in front of a rampant home crowd.

However, the clash was marred by the underperformance of RIcharlison, whose anonymity has seemingly spurred them back into the market. His 6.4 Sofascore rating was the lowest of any starter from Postecoglou's side.

As such, Italian outlet Calciomercato even suggested on Friday that they have entered talks to sign Romelu Lukaku from Chelsea.

Read the latest Tottenham transfer news HERE…

It is expected that the west London outfit will command a fee of just €45m (£38m) for his services, which marks a monumental loss that the Blues are set to make, given he was signed for £97.5m back in 2021.

How good is Romelu Lukaku?

Whilst there are numerous reasons to avoid the potential acquisition of the hulking Belgian, there is one comparison that can be made which would turn fans away from this swoop.

Despite being contracted to Chelsea, the 30-year-old has most recently spent a year on loan at Inter Milan, having only recently moved to Stamford Bridge from Italy.

Given that Antonio Conte had impressed at the Nerazzuri before joining Spurs, this link will be a frightening reminder of a torrid era and one of the club’s darkest years in recent history.

With their abysmal football aside, it was the Italian’s tendency to lash out in press conferences that truly led to the end of his stay in north London.

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The former statement is supported by pundit Danny Murphy, who lambasted his style back in March: “It’s time now. He has been overpaid and underachieved. He hasn’t delivered. They sneaked into the top four last season because Arsenal threw it away. Tottenham have been in the top four many times, so that’s hardly an overachievement.

“They’ve gone out of the League Cup to Forest, FA Cup to Sheffield United, he’s causing chaos at least two or three times a season with his attitude. The football’s generally turgid, and nobody’s enjoying watching it”.

In fact, the sacking of the 54-year-old only came after one such explosive interview, where he took issue with the club, the players and the hierarchy.

One particularly damning quote from that press conference read: "They don't want to play under pressure, they don't want to play under stress. It is easy in this way. Tottenham's story is this. 20 years there is the owner and they never won something but why? The fault is only for the club, or for every manager that stay here? I have seen the managers that Tottenham had on the bench. You risk to disrupt the figure of the manager and to protect the other situation in every moment.”

Worryingly, Lukaku has also had a penchant for these outbursts in high-profile settings, first pushing an exit from Everton before lambasting Manchester United years after his exit.

Then, most recently, whilst still employed by Chelsea he admitted he would have preferred to have stayed at the San Siro that summer he made his switch.

It is this history of jumping ship that led to journalist Ben Grounds outlining his reputation as a “mercenary”, as a similar troublemaker to how Conte was.

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Even with his off-field antics aside, it could be argued that his best days are way behind him now anyway, with little reason for his purchase.

He only scored ten Serie A goals last season, having been forced out on loan after notching just eight Premier League goals upon his return to west London.

Given how vocal Postecoglou has remained with his admiration for Richarlison, despite his failures in front of goal, there is even less reason to make such a lucrative risk:

“He works hard for the team and a lot of what he does, does not get seen. His pressing, his runs. Sometimes he does not get the ball but he is always making those runs and he is a constant nuisance for defenders. I have said before that I really like Richy”.

With a preference for a hard worker, alongside Lukaku’s similarities with the villainous Conte, there is seemingly little reason to bring in the underwhelming forward.

Arsenal Must Reignite Interest In £35m Whiz

Edu Gaspar will be hoping to bolster Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal squad during the summer transfer window, especially with the club qualifying for the Champions League due to their second place finish in the Premier League.

There will be a big jump in quality and signing players who could not only add depth to the Arsenal side, but who could also improve the starting XI, will be deemed a priority ahead of 2023/2024.

With this in mind, Arteta must surely reignite his interest in Bayern Munich forward Serge Gnabry, especially with the recent developments to emerge from Germany.

According to German outlet Sport BILD (via football.london), the Bavarian giants have placed Gnabry, as well as Sadio Mane and Leroy Sané, up for sale as they look to rejig their attack ahead of next season.

The Gunners were linked with the player last summer, however, he signed an extension to his contract at the Bundesliga side and all hopes of a potential move were quashed. The recent news however could certainly give Arteta the green light to have a second bite of the cherry.

At the time, Bayern Munich were reportedly asking for a fee in the region of €40m (£35m) and it remains to be seen if that number has budged over the past year.

Would Serge Gnabry be a good signing for Arsenal?

Since joining Bayern in 2018, the former Hale End talent has offered a reliable goal threat, netting 81 goals and registering 51 assists in just over 200 matches, an excellent return, while he has also won five league titles along with a Champions League title, meaning he could bring an elite winning mentality to the Gunners, who are certainly on the cusp of glory.

The German whiz is valued at €47.4m (£41m) by Football Transfers and Arteta could form a scary attacking duo with him and Bukayo Saka next term if he managed to lure him back to the Emirates, where he spent six years during the early stages of his career.

The England international notched 11 assists from 38 league matches last season, and he ranks in the top 10% across Europe’s top five leagues for progressive carries per 90 (5.04) and touches in the attacking penalty area per 90 (6.75), suggesting he gets into key attacking positions often and this could present Gnabry with plenty of goal scoring chances throughout the season.

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The Arsenal winger also ranked fourth for assists and eighth for key passes per game (two) in the Premier League, further demonstrating his attacking qualities in a wide position and there is no doubt Gnabry could thrive by having a player of Saka’s quality bursting down the right wing and into the box on a regular occurrence.

The 27-year-old was described as someone who “has everything” by former Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic and if Arteta can sign him this summer, they would certainly bolster their attacking options that’s for sure.

Newcastle Could Sign Dream Barella Partner In "Intelligent" £15m Gem

Newcastle United supporters will be eagerly anticipating the club's transfer activity this summer after ending a two-decade absence from the Champions League and years of malaise under the ownership of the despised Mike Ashley.

Now, a Saudi-backed consortium have pumped fresh, lucrative life back into St. James' Park, making impressive moves on the transfer front, impressive decisions in appointing Eddie Howe as manager and Dan Ashworth as technical director, and achieving a major confluence as the facets combine.

A fourth-placed Premier League finish illustrates the meteoric ascent, but this is the most important phase of the process thus far, as the side must now demonstrate their calibre is perpetual and they will not be knocked from their pedestal among the division's elite, instead rising closer and closer to the creme-de-la-creme of European football.

By Howe's own admission, several 'marquee' moves might be taken this summer to cement the high-fliers' new position, but one which might just go under the radar is the attention on Wolfsburg's Felix Nmecha.

According to the Telegraph, the 22-year-old is attracting the Magpies' attention and could join the fold for around £15m, with Howe keen to bolster his thriving midfield with one or two astute options.

Should Newcastle sign Felix Nmecha?

Nicolo Barella and James Maddison are both making the headlines right now as the Toon look to please their fans with an established phenom, but signing Nmecha could prove to be a prudent move as Ashworth looks to craft lasting success.

The notion that Newcastle boast a bottomless pit of plunder has left Howe guffawing; the 45-year-old has always maintained that the diligence permeating through the outfit since the takeover will not crumble away, and Nmecha would be unlikely to cement a starting berth with regularity in his maiden season in England, instead absorbing the fruits of his peers' labour and creeping towards a standout role.

He has been in fine fettle in the Bundesliga this year, though, starting 19 times, scoring three goals and registering six assists after playing a peripheral role across past terms.

Niko Kovac said: "Previously, he never got into a rhythm. He played in so many different positions. Now he's playing in midfield and you can see his technical ability. He has [also] improved physically."

Germany midfielder Felix Nmecha

He would be the perfect partner for someone like Barella, who is reportedly closing on a £50m move to Tyneside this summer and is undoubtedly one of Europe's first-class midfielders, with the box-to-box midfielder one of the most impressive around, especially from an offensive standpoint.

The Italy international has been in scintillating form this term, registering 19 direct contributions, winning the Coppa Italia and Supercoppa Italiana, and being hailed as a "genius" by journalist Mike Piellucci.

Given that Nmecha has been dubbed "intelligent" himself by journalist Josh Bunting and already ranking among the top 22% of midfielders across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for rate of non-penalty goals and the top 4% for rate of assists, as per FBref, he might just be apt for moulding into a prolific star of Barella's ilk.

Considering the various elements, Nmecha could be a shrewd signing to make, bolstering the ranks and ensuring the ambitious squad is layered with quality as it continues its soaring ascent.

He may not be an instant hit on Tyneside but rest assured a genius duo lies in wait, ready to dominate the domestic and continental stage with swashbuckling ease.

Tottenham: "Amazing" Midfielder Open To Joining Spurs

Tottenham Hotspur could make a bid to sign Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie "next week" if they sell Harry Kane, and it is believed he "would welcome" a move to England.

Who will Spurs sign?

Spurs head coach Ange Postecoglou has been backed with three major signings so far this summer, not including Tottenham's permanent deals for defender Pedro Porro and forward Dejan Kulusevski.

The north Londoners have reinforced their goalkeeping department with the signing of Guglielmo Vicario from Empoli for around £17.2 million, and he was followed closely by England international star James Maddison.

Winger Manor Solomon, after an impressive spell on loan at Fulham last campaign, then joined on a free transfer from Shakhtar Donetsk – with the trio of new additions making their Spurs debuts in pre-season.

Attention now turns to star centre-backs, and it is believed they're eyeing two senior defensive signings for that area of the pitch, which doesn't include their potential deal for Blackburn Rovers starlet Ashley Phillips.

"That's definitely our intention, absolutely," said Postecoglou when asked about signing new defenders.

"We've been working on it for a while and we'll definitely try to get it done as quickly as possible.

"I don't think it's any secret about some of the areas we needed to strengthen. Some of it I identified early on. The goalkeeper was one and central defence is another.

"In terms of the other boys, we've got a big squad but my view is I wanted to bring them along and just work with them, get some clarity in my head and give clarity to them."

Elsewhere, as Tottenham midfielder Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg edges closer to Atletico Madrid, Spurs may well look for a replacement if he does go. Star striker Kane's future is also shrouded with uncertainty, coming as Bayern Munich make a serious push for him.

Now, according to Spanish news outlet Sport, one midfield ace attracting Postecoglou's serious interest is Kessie of Barca.

Barcelona midfielder Franck Kessie.

Tottenham have apparently "warned" the La Liga champions that they could make an offer him just "next week" – if they receive funds from Kane's potential sale.

Kessie, who is a real candidate for the chopping block as Barca look to get rid of one player per position, is apparently considered an interesting player at Spurs.

The £199,000-per-week ace, for his part, "would welcome" a move to the Premier League as Tottenham eye a move.

How good is Franck Kessie?

His best season at the top level arguably came at AC Milan during the 2020/2021 season, where he racked up a brilliant 13 goals and four assists in 27 Serie A appearances (WhoScored).

These numbers indicate that Kessie is a serious threat from midfield when at his very best, with former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson once claiming he could be a good fit.

"Kessie would fit the bill," said Robinson to Football Insider.

"He is strong, quick and effective at both ends of the pitch. He ticks a lot of boxes.

“There is no doubting that he is an amazing player. The question is, would he come in and command a starting spot? Hojbjerg and Bentancur have done extremely well. [Yves] Bissouma has struggled to get a look in at times."

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