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According to a report by Spanish outlet AS (via SportWitness), Tottenham Hotspur are now ready to sell midfielder Giovani Lo Celso amid interest from both Atletico Madrid and Villarreal.

The Lowdown: Successful loan

On deadline day in January, it was announced that the 26-year-old had joined Spanish side Villarreal on loan until the end of the season after it emerged that he would play no part in Antonio Conte’s plans.

After making the loan switch, the midfielder went on to impress, having made 16 appearances in the Spanish top-flight. As a result, the Argentina international was ranked as the La Liga outfit’s fourth most valuable player, having received an impressive 7.09 SofaScore rating.

Due to the success of the loan move, it has been reported that both Lo Celso and Villarreal want to make the deal permanent this summer.

The Latest: Atletico executives like that they see…

On June 15th, Estadio Deportivo reported that Tottenham had offered Lo Celso to Atlético Madrid a few weeks ago, whilst his loan-side Villarreal were also mentioned as having a desire to sign the Argentinian ahead of next season.

AS (via SportWitness) have now reported that Atletico are indeed keen on signing the midfielder, meaning they will battle Unai Emery’s side for his signature.

The Madrid club have long had their sights on the player and made attempts to sign him before he joined Spurs from Real Betis in 2020, and it is said that their executives behind the scenes are of the belief that he ‘fits perfectly’ into Diego Simeone’s plans.

With no future at the North London club, Lo Celso is looking for a move away this summer, and Tottenham are ready the sell the in-demand midfielder.

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The Verdict: Best option for both parties

According to FB Ref, when compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Lo Celso ranks in the 95th percentile for tackles and in the 89th percentile for pressures.

Having seemingly regained this formed in Spain, the 26-year-old could be a strong option for Conte’s squad depth, but it seems he is simply not the mould of player the Italian wants in the centre of his team.

With Lo Celso’s £100,000 weekly salary, it seems that a move would suit all parties involved, especially with Yves Bissouma’s imminent arrival at Hotspur Way.

In other news: Alasdair Gold says Steven Bergwijn exit is ‘a matter of when’

Tottenham Hotspur could finally axe Davinson Sanchez amid interest in Pau Torres this summer…

What’s the word?

According to journalist Jacque Talbot, speaking to GIVEMESPORT, the north London outfit are more likely to land the Villarreal centre-back than mooted top targets Alessandro Bastoni or Josko Gvardiol.

Meanwhile, the Daily Mail claim that Spurs are weighing up a swap deal involving Giovani Lo Celso after the £55m club-record signing enjoyed a successful loan spell at the Yellow Submarines in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign.

Premier League rivals Manchester United and Chelsea have also shown interest in the Spaniard, too.

Sanchez at risk

With Ben Davies being preferred to him in Antonio Conte’s strongest XI, it appears time is running out for Sanchez, who has previously been slammed as being a “real liability” to this squad.

Once a club-record arrival at £42m in 2017, the 6 foot 2 colossus has struggled to maintain a place in the starting lineup under every manager since Mauricio Pochettino.

Aside from his debut campaign in 2017/18, the 25-year-old has failed to start more than 27 league games in every top-flight campaign since, so adding another central defender to the mix will make it even harder for him to compete.

Torres would be a major upgrade on the calamitous Colombian, too.

Described as being an “extraordinary talent” by his former coach Javi Calleja, the 6 foot 3 centre-back – who is the same age as Sanchez – helped steer the LaLiga outfit to triumph in the Europa League before being a mainstay in their run to the Champions League semi-finals last season.

Compared to his positional peers across Europe’s elite leagues, Torres ranks favourably.

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Indeed, he sits inside the top 1% for dribbles completed (0.8 per 90), top 10% for progressive passes (4.39 per 90) and progressive carries (4.71 per 90), and has proven to be a threat in the final third, averaging 0.13 non-penalty xG+A, putting him in the top 4%, via FBref.

Considering Sanchez has been deemed to be a liability, it’s evident that Torres is much better with the ball at his feet and as such, would be a fine addition to Conte’s armoury.

It’s time to sign the £60m-rated titan in a bid to move the struggling Colombian on.

AND in other news, Spurs given green light to seal “outstanding” £25m signing, it could be Kulusevski 2.0…

Tottenham Hotspur could swoop for Torino centre-back Gleison Bremer, according to Calciomercato (via Sport Witness). 

The lowdown

Antonio Conte is intent on strengthening his defence ahead of his first full season in charge at Tottenham. The Italian is particularly keen to recruit a left-sided centre-half for his back three, and while Bremer is right-footed, The Athletic reported that he’s still under ‘serious consideration’.

Torino offered Bremer a route into European football, signing him from Atletico Mineiro for £5.2m in 2018.

The 25-year-old, who has since made 110 appearances for the Serie A club, signed a new contract as recently as February. Howeverm it only runs until the summer of 2024, and his manager Ivan Juric has already confirmed that the defender will be leaving the Turin outfit this summer.

The latest

According to Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), Tottenham ‘have strongly entered the race’ to sign Bremer, along with newly-crowned Serie A champions AC Milan.

The report advises readers to ‘watch out’ for a ‘serious assault’ from Conte and Spurs’ managing director of football Fabio Paratici.

The north Londoners are ‘ready to invest’ as much as €50m (£42.6m) to get this prospective deal done.

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The verdict

Spurs do have other options in mind. According to Jack Pitt-Brooke and Charlie Eccleshare, Conte is a big admirer of both Inter Milan’s Alessandro Bastoni and RB Leipzig’s Josko Gvardiol.

However, they claimed that the Italian will cost around £50m, and the Croatian even more, so Bremer could be the cheapest candidate.

The Brazilian is an ‘incredibly aggressive’ defender, even ‘more so than [Cristian] Romero’, in the words of European football expert Alex Barker. He clearly defends on the front foot, ranking in the 98th percentile among positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues for pressures per 90 minutes.

On top of that, he records exceptionally high volumes of interceptions (98th perecentile), blocks (99th), clearances (96th) and successful aerial duels (99th), as per FBRef. He is also someone who backs himself to carry the ball, slotting into the 79th percentile for dribbles completed.

Bremer won the Serie A Defender of the Year award even though Torino finished 10th, and that’s a glowing reflection of his talents.

Indeed, journalist Maxi Angelo has billed him a ‘monster’, perhaps a fitting summary of how huge a presence the 25-year-old could be in Conte’s defence if he comes to north London.

In other news, a journalist has shared a transfer update on Ronnie Edwards.

Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Max Aarons to Elland Road in the summer transfer window.

That’s according to a recent report by TEAMtalk, who claim that, following Norwich City’s relegation from the Premier League, Dean Smith’s side are now preparing for the departure of the right-back – who is reported to be available for a figure in the region of £20m.

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The report goes on to state that Leeds United, Arsenal, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Leicester City, Manchester City and Manchester United are all keen on a move for the England U21 international, with Victor Orta believed to have already made contact with the Canaries regarding a deal for the defender.

Walker 2.0

While it is true that Norwich endured something of a nightmare campaign in the Premier League this term – finishing bottom of the table on a mere 22 points, conceding a league-high 84 goals and winning just five games all season – this by no stretch of the imagination truly reflects Aarons’ ability at the back.

Despite playing for the worst team in the division in both 2019/20 and 2021/22, the £19.8m-rated talent has still managed to develop a reputation as one of “one of the best young players” in the top flight of English football – in the words of his former manager, Daniel Farke.

Indeed, over his 70 Premier League appearances, the £17k-per-week right-back has highly impressed for the Canaries, helping his side keep nine clean sheets, registering three assists and creating nine big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.4 shots, making 0.6 key passes and completing 1.2 dribbles per game.

Furthermore, according to FBref data, the 22-year-old ranks in the top 4% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for blocks per 90 mins, as well as the top 29% for progressive carries, the top 25% for dribbles, the top 44% for pressures and the top 39% for clearances over the last 365 days.

As such, considering Aarons has achieved these metrics while playing for a side that have conceded the most and scored the fewest goals in each of their last two Premier League campaigns, the prospect of the player who Breaking The Lines journalist Tom Quartly compared to Kyle Walker lining up on the right of a competent backline is certainly an incredibly exciting one.

Indeed, if the youngster is available for a figure of just £20m this summer, Orta simply must do everything in his power to win the race for the “unbelievable” Aarons, as the England youth international could well prove that, in a better side, he can go on to develop into the next Walker.

AND in other news: Victor Orta could land Gundogan 2.0 with Leeds bid for “extraordinary” £64k-p/w talent

Phil Hay has dropped an update on reported Leeds United transfer target Noa Lang.

What’s the talk?

Speaking on a recent episode of The Phil Hay Show, The Athletic journalist suggested that, should Raphinha go on to secure his widely expected transfer to Barcelona in the coming weeks, Victor Orta could reignite his interest in the Club Brugge winger – with whom the Whites were linked with a £25m move for a little under 12 months ago – this summer.

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Concerning Leeds’ potential interest in the 22-year-old, Hay said: “It wouldn’t surprise me at all – if Raphinha left – if they went back in for Noa Lang because they do really like Noa Lang and they did like him last summer… that could happen.”

Orta must move for Lang

Considering just how impressive Lang has been in Belgium this season, in addition to the fact that Raphinha looks set to depart Elland Road in the very near future, it would appear an extremely wise move for Orta to reignite his pursuit of the Netherlands international in the coming weeks.

Indeed, over his 37 Jupiler Pro League appearances this term, the £19.8m-rated forward was in exceptional form for Brugge, scoring seven goals, registering 12 assists and creating 19 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.0 shots, making 1.9 key passes and completing 1.7 dribbles per game.

These metrics saw the £20k-per-week talent who Graham Smyth dubbed “exciting” and an “assist machine” average a quite extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.20, ranking him as his club’s joint fifth-best performer in the Belgian top-flight – playing a key role in Brugge’s title-winning campaign.

For comparison, over Raphinha’s 35 Premier League appearances this season, the £60m sensation scored 11 goals, provided three assists and created ten big chances, in addition to taking an average of 2.5 shots, making 1.9 key passes and completing 1.8 dribbles per fixture – returns that saw the 25-year-old average a SofaScore match rating of 6.97.

As such, while the step-up between the Jupiler Pro League and the Premier League should not be underestimated, it would nevertheless appear that, should Raphinha indeed move onto pastures new this summer, Lang would be something of a perfect replacement for the Brazil international – leading us to believe that Orta simply must make a move for the 22-year-old in the coming months.

AND in other news: “Leeds United wanted…”: Graham Smyth drops big summer claim, Marsch will be gutted

Sheffield Star journalist Joe Crann has provided an update on the futures of Massimo Luongo, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Jack Hunt and Joe Wildsmith at Sheffield Wednesday. 

The lowdown: Overhaul pending…

Having missed out on promotion to the Championship via the play-offs, there is expected to be a raft of changes amidst the Hillsborough ranks this summer, with Owls manager Darren Moore surely looking to strengthen the squad in order to aim for automatic promotion in 2022/23.

However, in order for wholesale changes to occur, a host of first-team figures could follow Saido Berahino, Chey Dunkley and Sam Hutchinson out of the Yorkshire club.

The latest: Four players offered new deals

Taking to Twitter, Crann issued an update on four Sheffield Wednesday players who have all played their part in Moore’s plans recently.

The reporter outlined: “Confirmed: #SWFC have offered new deals to Massimo Luongo, Jack Hunt, Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, and Joe Wildsmith – none of them have put pen to paper yet.”

Meanwhile, in a corresponding report for the Sheffield Star, the journalist also confirmed that Lewis Gibson, Tyreece John-Jules, Harlee Dean, Florian Kamberi, Olamide Shodipo, Bailey Peacock-Farrell and Jordan Storey would all be returning to their parent clubs after their respective loan spells at Hillsborough.

The verdict: Busy summer ahead

It appears that the hard work has already begun behind the scenes as Moore and co attempt to build a squad ready to challenge at the top of League One once again.

All three of Hunt, Wildsmith and Luongo are out of contract in July, whilst Mendez-Laing – who was hailed by Henry Winter for a ‘brilliant’ display against Liverpool in 2019 when he was at Cardiff – was only signed in November 2021 on a short-term deal and has since made 19 appearances for the Owls.

Overall, the quartet who are hoping to be retained made 103 combined outings across the 2021/22 campaign for Moore’s side, and it’s no surprise to see that the club would be willing to extend each of their stays into the 2022/23 season and possibly beyond.

In other news, a Sheffield Wednesday transfer claim has emerged. Read more here.

Decision not to utilise pace of Rabada and Nortje after lunch highlights failed approach

Firdose Moonda26-Aug-2022When we remember Test matches, we reminisce about the milestones: the hundreds, the big hauls, and sometimes the one or two magic moments that swing a result one way or the other. We don’t often look back on the period of play when 27 runs were scored in 12 overs as a highlight, or even a lowlight. There’s nothing lit about it. But it was that seemingly pedestrian period of play that pointed England in the direction of the freeway from where they pulled so far ahead of South Africa that the rest of this match could well be about waiting for the inevitable.Those 12 overs came after lunch, when South Africa chose to use their two specialist spinners in tandem, a plan they would have wanted to deploy much later in the match. Keshav Maharaj and Simon Harmer were picked to take advantage of a dry Old Trafford surface with good bounce that was taking turn from the first day and is expected to become more ragged as the match goes on. Essentially, they were there for days four and five and a fourth innings. South Africa’s first innings blowout means we’re unlikely to see them operate in those conditions and it limited their attacking options on the second day.Related

• South Africa's latest batting implosion exposes issues with the system

• Kagiso Rabada backs toss decision as South Africa wait on spin assistance

• Ben Stokes, Ben Foakes hundreds allow England to declare on 264-run lead

After conceding 111 runs overnight, South Africa’s early focus was wickets and there’s no question who the likeliest to take them were: Kagiso Rabada and Anrich Nortje. Rabada bowled eight overs on day one and resumed on Friday with a delivery that reversed close to Jonny Bairstow’s off stump and then drew an edge from Zak Crawley that fell short of second slip. Nortje, who bowled six on the first day, found a leading edge from Crawley, then hit him in the groin and then removed Bairstow (for the fourth time in the 29 balls he has bowled to him in Tests) and Crawley in successive overs to leave England still trailing, with half their line-up dismissed. That gave South Africa a small opportunity to contain England’s lead and Nortje recognised it as “the ideal period to get more sticks”, but he and Rabada could not continue beyond the 11 overs they bowled upfront.So, South Africa turned to Harmer, known in England as the best spinner on the county circuit, and with a good set of results at this ground, albeit from a small sample size. Lungi Ngidi was brought on at the other end, to control and allow Harmer to operate aggressively. But it was England who did the attacking. Harmer’s first ball was a full toss which Foakes drove through the covers. Three balls later, Stokes slogged Harmer over deep midwicket for six. After five overs where Harmer got some deliveries to swerve and jump but was unable to create any real pressure, Rabada replaced Ngidi at the other end but he also couldn’t break through. Then, two overs before lunch Maharaj came on and he and Harmer closed out the session.England were 61 ahead, at the midpoint between catchable and can’t-pull-them-back. The period post-lunch was crucial in determining which direction their innings would take and South Africa allowed England to choose the route. Instead of asking Rabada and Nortje to have a burst, Elgar continued with Maharaj and Harmer. Nortje cautioned not to “look too deeply into who bowled when” because it was “a good wicket to bat on”, and there is an argument to be made for keeping the quicks for the second new ball, which was 24 overs away. But with reverse-swing on offer and the knowledge of what Nortje had done, it seemed worth the gamble to use him with the older ball.Anrich Nortje celebrates dismissing Jonny Bairstow before South Africa’s day went flat•AFP/Getty ImagesThat’s not to say the spinners had no chances at all. Maharaj found turn that almost bowled Stokes when he missed a reverse-sweep, Harmer also nearly bowled him after England’s captain advanced down the track for the second time in an over to attempt to hit him over the top. Stokes missed both times but his intent was clear: pick two spinners and we’ll attack them both. Eventually he got into both of them, smacking the 102nd six of his career off Harmer and taking 26 runs off 23 balls from Maharaj.By the time Nortje was called on, 36 minutes after lunch, England’s lead had swelled to 88. That’s only 27 runs more than when they took the interval but it wasn’t about the number, it was about the way they went about it. In that period, England transferred pressure back on to South Africa and made it Elgar’s game to chase. They went on to score 96 runs between lunch and tea and not lose a wicket. Nortje only bowled nine overs in the first two sessions and South Africa were in a position from which a comeback will have to be monumental.In the end, the spinners did not go completely empty-handed, but South Africa will have to acknowledge that their gamble in picking them has not worked. Harmer got some reward, when Stuart Broad breezed down the track to play another of those shots that look like he is enjoying a late summer holiday at the crease. He might as well have been. England were more than 200 ahead, the Friday afternoon crowd were in full voice and the sun was shining. About half an hour later, Maharaj had Ollie Robinson caught at slip to muted celebrations.In between that, Stokes sat with his shades on, sipping water from a can, watching Foakes get to his second Test hundred. We won’t remember Harmer or Maharaj’s wickets but we will remember the satisfied look on Stokes’ face. It’s what magic Test match moments are made of.

Vinicius Junior’s time at Real Madrid has been full of highs and lows. Now, former teammate Lucas Vazquez has lifted the lid on what life was like for the Brazilian inside the dressing room during his struggle last season on and off the field, revealing how he "didn’t always listen" to advice from senior players.

• Vazquez recalls how Vinicius struggled with outside noise

  In an interview with , the former Real Madrid defender spoke about his time at the club and revealed that Vinicius, who has often faced heavy media and fan scrutiny, sometimes struggled to block out the outside noise, even as his teammates urged him to stay calm and focus on football. The Brazilian winger, who came close to winning his first Ballon d’Or in 2024, has faced constant criticism from Spanish media and fans for his on and off-field behaviour ever since joining Los Blancos in 2018.

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  'He didn’t always listen' – Vazquez on Brazilian's struggles

  Vazquez, who left the club this summer after 18 years, spoke about how Vinicius struggled to deal with the hostile treatment he often received from rival fans. "It was tough on away match days because you see your teammate and friend not having a good time,” Vazquez said. "You want him to be at his best, and he can’t be in the spotlight for things that aren’t football-related. We told him not to let it affect him, but he didn’t always listen."

• Vinicius stays under spotlight despite strong start

  After struggling to find his rhythm last season, the Brazilian international looks back to his best. The 25-year-old has kicked off the new campaign in fine form, scoring five goals and providing four assists in eight La Liga games. He is linking well with Kylian Mbappe and has helped Real Madrid win seven of their first eight matches to sit at the top of the table. Still, the noise off the pitch hasn’t gone away. Vinicius recently apologised publicly to Brazilian influencer Virginia Fonseca after it was claimed their brief relationship ended over messages he sent to other women.

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  What's next for Vinicius?

  While he continues to play a key role in Xabi Alonso’s team, Vinicius continues to find himself in a contract standoff with the Spanish giants. The club are reportedly unwilling to improve their current offer, despite the winger’s demand for a pay rise. The Brazilian's current deal runs until June 2027, but unless an agreement is reached soon, his future at the Bernabeu could once again become a major talking point as the season unfolds.

Alejandro Garnacho got inked once again as a new tattoo can be seen on his neck during the latest Chelsea games. Garancho have had a slow start at Stamford Bridge since moving from Manchester United in the last transfer window. He had a fallout with manager Ruben Amorim during the Europa League final last season and was put in Amorim's 'bomb squad' throughout the summer.

• Garnacho's slow start to life at Chelsea

  Since completing his move from United to Chelsea in August, Garnacho has appeared in just four matches across all competitions, starting in only two of them. While he is yet to record a goal or an assist, it was from his cross that Benfica's Richard Rios scored the own goal that handed the Blues their first win in the Champions League this season.    

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  Meaning of Garnacho's new tattoo revealed

  Lately, fans have noticed a new tattoo that Garnacho has been showing off on his neck. The words that are inked just below his Adam's apple read: "Nunca es suerte, siempre es Dios." It translates to: "It's never luck, it's always God."    

• Garnacho's other tattoos

  The neck tattoo is one of many Garnacho has, with the most prominent one being a tribute to the hit TV show 'Prison Break'. He regularly shows off his body art on social media.  

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  Chelsea host Liverpool next

  After a morale-boosting win over Benfica on Tuesday, Enzo Maresca's side will now shift their focus to the Premier League again as they host reigning English champions Liverpool on Saturday.   

It’s incredible how quickly the mood can change in football, and West Ham United are a great example.

Following their third defeat in as many games at the start of the week, it felt like the club were destined for a dreadful season, but now, after a few brilliant signings, there is a sense of renewed optimism in some areas of the fanbase.

Now, there is still a lot of work for Graham Potter and Co to do before fans can get ahead of themselves, but the additions of Mateus Fernandes and Soungoutou Magassa certainly help.

Moreover, if reports are to be believed, the club are in the market for more signings, including an international compared to Jude Bellingham.

West Ham target Bellingham-esque star

Even though the transfer window comes to a close on Monday evening, West Ham continue to be linked with a host of talented players.

Transfer Focus

For example, Feyenoord’s captain Quintien Timber could be available for just £25m and would add some steel to the middle of the park, and Conor Gallagher is now being touted for a return to the capital.

However, neither one of these brilliant players has been compared to the world-class Bellingham, unlike another international the Hammers are keen to sign.

At least that is according to a recent report from German publication BILD, which claims West Ham are very interested in Patrick Wimmer.

In exciting news, the report has revealed that the East Londoners are now expected to bid for the Wolfsburg player before the window closes.

It would certainly be a surprise move, but the £33k-per-week dynamo would be an excellent addition to Potter’s squad, especially as he’s been compared to Bellingham.

How Wimmer compares to Bellingham

Before exploring some of the other reasons West Ham should sign Wimmer this summer, it’s essential to examine this remarkable comparison to Bellingham and where it comes from.

In this instance, the analysis stems from FBref, which compares players in similar positions across Europe’s top five leagues, the Champions League, and the Europa League.

In this case, FBref has concluded that the Real Madrid star is the second most similar midfielder to the Wolfsburg ace.

The best way to understand how that conclusion was reached is by examining some of the underlying metrics in which the pair ranked closely.

These include metrics such as progressive carries, shot and goal-creating actions, successful take-on percentage, key passes and more, all per 90.

These numbers paint the picture of an all-action player who can be a goal threat in his own right, but is also an effective creator for his team.

In addition to this incredibly encouraging comparison to one of the best players in the world, the “wonderful” Austrian international, as dubbed by U23 scout Antonio Mango, is also an entertainer.

This is evident when watching his highlights, and while output is always going to be the most important thing, having a player in the side who can get the stadium on its feet is also hugely important.

Ultimately, it would be a surprise deal, but West Ham should do all they can to sign Wimmer before Monday evening, as he could provide the side with that bit more x-factor.

Fernandes upgrade: West Ham to submit bid for another big-money midfielder

The experienced international would be an excellent signing for Graham Potter and West Ham.

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By
Jack Salveson Holmes

Aug 29, 2025