Arsenal have now held positive talks over a deal for a £61m striker, with discussions set to continue over the next few weeks, according to a report.

Gunners' striker pursuit heating up

The Gunners proved they have what it takes to compete without an out-and-out striker against Real Madrid last week, chalking up an extraordinary 3-0 victory against the reigning European champions, but it is clear Mikel Arteta wants to bring in a new option this summer.

Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres is one of the names on the shortlist, with a £87m offer for the Swedish forward in the works, while a stunning £129m bid for Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez is also being prepared, as the Argentine is now considered a top target.

Other strikers who have received widespread links to the Emirates Stadium include Newcastle United’s Alexander Isak and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko, and the latter was said to be very keen on moving to north London during the January transfer window.

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There has now been a positive development in Arsenal’s pursuit of Sesko, with a report from TEAMtalk revealing they have now cleared an important obstacle in their pursuit of the striker by holding positive talks with his entourage.

The Gunners have been in direct talks with the Slovenian’s representatives, and the outcome was positive, which indicates he could be keen on a summer move to the Emirates Stadium, but he will not come cheap.

The 21-year-old is protected by a £61m release clause in his RB Leipzig contract, which could increase slightly based on how he performs for the German side.

Regardless, the north Londoners are seriously keen on the young striker, and discussions are set to continue over the next few weeks.

"Monster" Sesko impressing for Leipzig

The Slovenia international has established himself as a very important player for Leipzig this season, making 40 appearances in all competitions, during which he has amassed 19 goals, including four in the Champions League.

Such is the starlet’s ability, he has been lauded as a “monster” by freelance scout Ben Mattinson, while reporter Sam Dean believes he could be a good fit for the Gunners, given that he possesses qualities very few of Arteta’s players have.

Sesko’s eye for goal could make him a fantastic addition to Arteta’s squad, having vastly outperformed his non-penalty xG over the past year, so it is exciting news that the move is now advancing.

Despite coming off a sensational result in the Europa League, Tottenham Hotspur returned to their lacklustre form at home to Nottingham Forest on Monday night.

It was their 18th defeat in the Premier League and leaves them just a point above West Ham United in 17th place, so it’s not much of a surprise to see stories about Ange Postecoglou’s future returning.

One of the names most heavily touted to replace him at the end of the season is Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola, who has managed to lead the Cherries up to eighth place, partly thanks to their brilliant attack.

On top of being linked with a new manager, the North Londoners have also been linked with a plethora of exciting players, including one who’d be perfect under Iraola, were he to get the job.

Tottenham want to sign Premier League attacker

With how terribly this season has gone for Spurs, it’s unsurprising that they have been linked with so many players in recent weeks, such as Matheus Cunha.

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The North Londoners are reportedly willing to pay up to £75m to land the Brazilian star ahead of the other interested parties, and while that’s an enormous sum of money, it might be worth it, as he’s managed to amass a tally of 16 goals and four assists in 31 games this year, despite playing for a bottom half side.

A slightly cheaper target the club have supposedly been looking at has been Tyler Dibling.

The Southampton gem could be available for around £35m in the summer, and while he likely wouldn’t make an instant impact on the first team, he would be yet another tremendously exciting youngster on the club’s books.

However, if instant impact is what the fans are after, then the links to Marcus Rashford should excite them.

According to a recent report from Football Transfers, Spurs have now rekindled their interest in Premier League star Marcus Rashford, who has found some form of late on loan with Aston Villa.

The report claims that the 62-capped Englishman ‘is expected to leave Manchester United during the upcoming summer transfer window’ and that should the Villans decide against paying £40m to sign him, the North Londoners will step in.

It could be a complicated transfer to get over the line, but given his immense quality, it’s worth fighting for, especially as he could be incredible under Iraola.

Why Rashford would be a great signing for Spurs

So, the first thing to say is that, regardless of who is in the hot seat next season, Rashford would be a good addition to Spurs’ squad, and the last few months have shown that.

For example, since moving to Villa, the Manchester-born monster has been electric, scoring four goals and providing six assists in 17 appearances, totalling just 940 minutes.

That means the often “unplayable” 27-year-old, as dubbed by analyst Raj Chohan, is currently averaging a goal involvement every 1.7 games or every 94 minutes, which is the sort of output the Lilywhites could really do with.

Rashford’s Villa form

Appearances

17

Starts

10

Minutes

940′

Goals

4

Assists

6

Goal Involvements per Match

0.58

Minutes per Goal Involvement

94′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

However, there is every chance that, under Iraola, he could be even better.

Now, this is obviously all theoretical at this point, but we know from this season that, when he has a summer to prepare his players, the Spaniard can extract some seriously impressive attacking numbers out of his frontline players.

For example, Justin Kluivert has produced 21 goal involvements compared to 11 last year, Antoine Semenyo has produced 16 compared to 11 and even Dango Ouattara has managed 13 compared to just three last year.

So, if he’s been able to improve those players that much within the space of just a season, imagine what he’d be able to do with a player as talented as Rashford.

Bournemouth attackers since 23/24

24/25

Kluivert

Semenyo

Ouattara

Appearances

34

37

35

Minutes

2297′

3182′

2121′

Goals

13

10

9

Assists

8

6

4

Goal Involvements per Match

0.61

0.43

0.37

Minutes per Goal Involvement

109.38′

198.87′

163.15

23/24

Kluivert

Semenyo

Ouattara

Appearances

36

36

32

Minutes

2093′

2307′

1383′

Goals

9

8

1

Assists

2

3

2

Goal Involvements per Match

0.30

0.30

0.09

Minutes per Goal Involvement

190.27′

209.72

461′

All Stats via Transfermarkt

Ultimately, while this might be a complicated transfer to get over the line, Spurs should do all they can to get it done, especially if they hire Iraola.

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In recent years, West Ham have been looking to increase their level of recruitment, aiming to improve their squad year upon year which has become even more possible since the big-money sale of Declan Rice.

The England midfielder was sold to Arsenal for a fee of around £105m, allowing the Hammers to invest plenty in the past two years.

In West Ham’s top ten most expensive transfers, four of the ten have been signed since Rice left the club, £123.5m being spent in the 2023/24 campaign and spending a further £123.4m in the 2024/25 season.

West Ham’s top ten most expensive transfers
Player	Fee (£)
Sebastien Haller	£42.7m
Maximilian Kilman	£40.6m
Mohammed Kudus	£36.8m
Lucas Paqueta	£36.7m
Gianluca Scamacca	£33m
Edson Alvarez	£32.5m
Felipe Anderson	£32.5m
Kurt Zouma	£29.9m
Nayef Aguerd	£29.9m
James Ward-Prowse	£29.7m
Data taken from Transfermarkt

But away from this list of their top ten most expensive transfers, the Hammers have had some bargains over the years, including one of their best-ever players who ranks 29th in the club’s most expensive transfer fees.

Dimitri Payet's incredible spell at West Ham

West Ham made the signing of Dimitri Payet from Marseille in 2015, with the Frenchman joining the Hammers for a fee of around £10m, which would turn out to be an absolute bargain.

West Ham co-chairman, David Sullivan, labeled Payet a “world-class” player who would be worth triple what they paid had he been in his “prime”. It’s easy to see why.

For the Irons, Payet made 60 appearances for the club, scoring 15 goals and providing 22 assists in 4,981 minutes.

Capable of the magical and the extraordinary, his best moment was the extraordinary free-kick goal against Crystal Palace, a goal which finds itself on repeat to this day.

Unfortunately, Payet decided he wanted to return to France in 2017, heading back to Marseille for a fee of around £25m.

To this day, they arguably still lack that magic man, Jarrod Bowen aside, but they may well have the next Payet brewing at the London Stadium.

West Ham's "future icon" could be the next Payet

Bowen has been incredible since signing for West Ham from Hull, notably scoring the winner in the Conference League final, but he’s not the player in question here, it’s Mohammed Kudus.

Signed from Ajax in the 2023/24 summer transfer window, the 24-year-old forward joined for a fee of around £38m and has been a revelation since.

Indeed, Kudus has made 73 appearances for the club since arriving, scoring 17 goals and providing nine assists in his 5,718 minutes played. He may not have hit the dizzy heights of last term but he’s still a cracking player on his day.

Kudus (2023/24) vs Kudus (2024/25)
Stats (per 90 mins)	23/24	24/25
Goals	0.37	0.12
Assists	0.17	0.12
xG	0.23	0.26
xAG	0.14	0.10
Progressive Carries	3.99	3.51
Progressive Passes	2.96	2.77
Shots Total	2.52	2.54
Key Passes	1.14	1.13
Shot-Creating Actions	3.52	3.68
Successful Take-Ons	3.93	3.16
Stats taken from FBref

When comparing the underlying metrics between Kudus’s first season at the club and this season (his second season) you can see how similar the metrics are. Despite this year being much tougher for the Hammers and the Ghana international struggling for output, the underlying metrics still look very strong, ranking highly for things like successful take-ons and shot-creating actions.

Described as a “future icon” of Ghanaian football by scout Jacek Kulig, he could also become this at West Ham, following in the steps of another magician in Payet. However, Kudus is already subject to plenty of interest from other clubs, and therefore, his decision to stay or leave could prove vital.

If Kudus decides to stay, he could go down as a legend over time, depending on the uplift of performances under Graham Potter.

However, if he does choose to leave, the fee that would be obtained would be very substantial, and it would be tough for Hammers fans to feel too aggrieved.

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A player who has been really important for Rangers this season could now be tempted to leave Ibrox in the summer and join Besiktas, according to a new report.

Rangers announce new sporting director

Wednesday was a busy day for the Gers, as they confirmed a deal that they hope can help transform them on and off the pitch, as they look to close the gap on arch-rivals Celtic. Rangers are in the middle of trying to find a new manager, but before that appointment is made, they have announced that Kevin Thelwell is joining as their new sporting director.

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The 51-year-old will join Rangers once his contract with Premier League side Everton expires at the end of the season. The Gers stated that finding a new sporting director was made a priority in their football review, and Thelwell has stated that it is a “huge honour” for him to join the club.

“This is a huge honour for me to be joining a club with the size, stature and expectations of Rangers. From the first conversations, it was clear to me how ambitious the club is, and I’m excited to play a part in shaping its next chapter.

“I know how much Rangers means to so many people, and that brings both responsibility and motivation. Rangers needs to win. That’s the bottom line. There’s a strong foundation already in place, and I look forward to working closely with the teams across the men’s, women’s and academy programmes to build something that delivers consistently.

“Of course, there’s important work ahead, especially in the men’s first-team structure, but we’ll approach it with energy and purpose. While change takes time, I’m confident that we can make real progress. I can’t wait to get started.”

Rangers star could be tempted to leave Ibrox and join Besiktas

Thelwell is not yet through the door at Ibrox, but he already has a lot of work ahead of him, as according to Turkish outlet A spor, via Inside Futbol, Besiktas have added Rangers’ Vaclav Cerny to their list of targets ahead of the summer transfer window opening.

The report states that Cerny has emerged onto Besiktas’ radar after impressing for the Gers, especially in the Europa League this season. Former Manchester United manager Ole Gunnar Solskjaer is in charge of the Turkish outfit, and the club’s board are keen to back him with signings over the summer.

The 27-year-old joined the Scottish side on a season-long loan deal from German side Wolfsburg in the summer, and as part of that deal, Rangers do have the option to make the deal into a permanent switch. It is unclear how much he will cost, but given he has scored 11 goals in 28 league games, it is a deal that Rangers are likely going to want to proceed with.

Vaclav Cerny’s 24/25 Europa League stats
Apps	12
Starts	12
Goals	6
Shots per game	3.4
Chance conversion rate	15%
Assists	2
Key passes per game	1.2

However, it does state that Cerny could be convinced to join Besiktas, and if the Turkish outfit manage to secure European football for next season, it could strengthen their bid to sign the Czech Republic international.

Liverpool are now keen on signing a “brilliant” Premier League forward, with a deal likely to be possible for a fee of around £65m this summer, according to a report.

Reds set sights on new forward

Arne Slot could hardly have asked for a better debut season at Anfield, with his side surpassing all expectations to win the Premier League title, but there have been some claims the manager will need to make a number of changes this summer.

Jamie Carragher believes Slot should make five or six additions to his squad, saying back in March: “He needs a centre-back as back-up to the two that we have, he’ll need a right-back with Trent Alexander-Arnold likely to leave.

“I think he needs a centre midfielder to replace Endo, someone younger and that he trusts, a centre-forward to play and a left-winger.”

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With Trent recently confirming his intention to leave, signing a new right-back will be an important task for the recruitment team, but there is also a need to strengthen in attacking areas, given an overreliance on Mohamed Salah and Luis Diaz.

That is according to a report from Caught Offside, which states Liverpool’s current dependence on Salah and Diaz could lead them to make a move for Brentford’s Bryan Mbeumo, who they have been closely monitoring.

The Reds are keen on signing Mbeumo, given his exploits for the Bees in the Premier League this season, but he is unlikely to come cheap, with his current club set to hold out for a fee in the region of £60m – £65m.

There may also be fierce competition for the Cameroonian’s signature, with Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur and Newcastle United expressing an interest.

"Brilliant" Mbeumo enjoying incredible campaign

The Brentford star has been prolific in front of goal in the Premier League this season, finding the back of the net 18 times in 35 matches, while also providing seven assists, which is perhaps why he has been compared to a current Liverpool forward.

TalkSPORT’s Jason Cundy has lauded the 25-year-old as a “mini Salah”, while he has also received very high praise from football writer Samuel Luckhurst.

Much like the Egyptian, the France-born forward specialises at right-wing, but he has also featured as a centre-forward on a number of occasions this season, indicating he could also be able to replace Darwin Nunez, who could be shown the exit door.

Mbeumo is unlikely to displace Salah at right-wing anytime soon, but his goalscoring exploits and versatility indicate he could be a fantastic option for Slot at striker.

Everton could be an appealing destination for players on the move this summer and they could now be close to one of their first signings at Bramley Moore Dock following recent developments.

Everton making inroads ahead of exciting summer window

The Toffees are in a secure place under David Moyes and optimism is beginning to grow ahead of next campaign, with several arrivals mooted to be on the way.

Financially, Everton are expected to have a healthy budget to play with in comparison with recent years, even if they will need to bare PSR regulations in mind like most of their other Premier League competitors.

With that said, Moyes has told the Toffees’ hierarchy to sign Evan Ferguson alongside Ipswich Town striker Liam Delap as part of a two-pronged striker solution to firm up his pool of offensive options.

Dominic Calvert-Lewin is set to become a free agent, so it is anticipated by many that he could be the first domino to fall in a long line of Everton stars that could exit during the off-season.

Everton’s long list of potential departures

Dominic Calvert-Lewin

Contract expiry

Seamus Coleman

Contract expiry

Ashley Young

Contract expiry

Abdoulaye Doucoure

Contract expiry

Idrissa Gana Gueye

Contract expiry

Joao Virginia

Contract expiry

Asmir Begovic

Contract expiry

Michael Keane

Contract expiry

Orel Mangala

Loan expiry

Jesper Lindstrom

Loan expiry – option to buy

Armando Broja

Loan expiry – option to buy

Jack Harrison

Loan expiry

Carlos Alcaraz

Loan expiry – obligation to buy

Ultimately, change is in the water on the blue half of the Mersey. Moyes has taken his side to a comfortable footing in the league standings, but their habit of dicing with the bottom three in recent years is something supporters want to become a thing of the past.

Savvy additions are needed to combat that scenario, and Everton could now be closing in on a smart summer addition following recent reports.

Everton confident they can sign Tom Fellows from West Bromwich Albion

According to TBR, Everton are confident they can sign Tom Fellows from West Bromwich Albion and have received a boost in their pursuit due to the fact the 21-year-old wants to move to Bramley Moore Dock.

After running out of time to sign him in January for £12 million, it is anticipated that a fee of £15 million plus add-ons would be enough to lure the playmaker away from the Hawthorns this summer.

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Labelled “wonderful” by Tony Mowbray, Fellows has registered two goals and 13 assists in 42 appearances this campaign as his side remain with an outside chance of sneaking into the EFL Championship playoff slots.

Logically, stepping up to the Premier League would be the next step for the winger/playmaker, and Everton may be a match made in heaven due to their similar upward trajectories.

All parties appear to share a determination to get a deal done, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Fellows arrive on Merseyside over the next few months.

Tottenham Hotspur star Lucas Bergvall will miss at least the rest of the season and the next round of international fixtures, according to reports in Sweden.

Bergvall injured as Spurs hunt Europa League glory

There’s no question the Lilywhites won’t have 100 per cent of their focus on the all-London clash with West Ham this weekend, despite the unquestionable morale boost a win over the Hammers would provide.

Ange Postecoglou’s side travel to Norway next week with a 3-1 aggregate lead over Bodo/Glimt, knowing if the manager can fulfil his second season trophy promise it would not only rescue a diasastrous domestic campaign but also present more opportunities in the transfer market with Champions League football on offer.

They will have to do it without perhaps their player of the season however, with Swedish starlet Bergvall injured in training and since spotted wearing a protective boot.

Explaining the problem in his pre-West Ham press conference, Postecoglou said he expects the 19 year-old, who has just signed a new contract, to miss most or all of the remaining matches: “Just something you see all the time. It wasn’t a tackle, he was on his own, he just went to turn and just his ankle gave away, so it’s just one of those things.

“Sometimes life works in mysterious ways and it’s denied Lucas the opportunity to play in a big game last night (Thursday). He’s been a massive contributor to us, but I’ve got no doubt he’ll come back stronger from that.”

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ByEmilio Galantini May 1, 2025 Swedish media share Bergvall return date

According to Swedish outlet Fotboll Direkt, translated by Sport Witness, Bergvall is without a doubt set to miss the entire Spurs fixture list, including a potential all-English Europa League final in Bilbao on May 21.

However, Ange may have underplayed the issue, with this update suggesting the teenager’s return is “at least eight weeks” away, meaning he would also miss Sweden’s matches against Hungary on June 6 and Algeria on June 10, as well as the opening stages of Spurs’ pre season, with a return date expected around July 1.

This would of course be a massive blow for a player who has taken huge strides this season, having featured in 27 top flight matches and 12 more in European competition.

The young midfielder expressed his delight this week after signing a new deal that will keep him at the club until 2031, but will now have to wait until the middle of the summer to continue that journey.

As for Ange, he will have to rely on a combination of Pape Sarr, Rodrigo Bentancur and Bergvall’s compatriot Dejan Kulusevski to fill the gap against West Ham, in Norway on Thursday and beyond.

Manchester City’s summer of spending is seemingly set to commence.

The Sky Blues were the world’s biggest spenders in January, signing Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov, Nico González, Vitor Reis and Juma Bah for a reported £180m; that’s more than the other 19 Premier League clubs spent combined.

However, this appears likely to be a mere amuse-bouche ahead of the summer rebuild, so will the Citizens snap up one of the Premier League’s best players?

Manchester City targeting a new full-back

According to a report by journalist Graeme Bailey, Manchester City are interested in signing Wolverhampton Wanderers full-back Rayan Aït-Nouri, having already made ‘background checks’ regarding the Molineux sensation.

As the report goes on to note, Pep Guardiola has previously suggested that they will look to sign a left-back this summer, stating “obviously, Nico’s helping us, but he’s not a left-back… we’ve found solutions”.

So, could Aït-Nouri be that solution, valued at £40m by Wolves, according to Pete O’Rourke of Football Insider?

Well, the Algerian international has certainly caught the eye, with Dougie Critchley of Sky Sports noting that he has “been one of the Premier League’s best players” in recent months, while David O’Brien praises his “creative” qualities.

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But would he be a good fit at Man City, and would his potential arrival be reminiscent of the signing of another sky blue stalwart?

Why Ait-Nouri could be the next Kyle Walker

Kyle Walker joined Manchester City from Tottenham back in 2017 for a reported £53m, a world-record fee for a defender at the time.

Fair to say, this proved to be a good investment, as the table below outlines.

Appearances

319

Starts

286

Appearances in goal

1

Minutes

25,716

Goals

6

Assists

23

Premier League titles

6

Champions Leagues

1

FA Cups

2

EFL Cups

4

Total major honours

17

When Walker departed for AC Milan in January, Ali Tweedale of Opta’s the Analyst stated that the Englishman is the Premier League’s ‘best-ever right-back’, while Michael Cox of the Athletic adds that Man City would not have enjoyed nearly as much success as they have in recent times without being ‘reliant on his recovery pace’ which, now that he’s 34, ‘has faded’.

So, could Aït-Nouri have a similar impact at the Etihad? Well, let’s assess his statistics this season to help answer that question.

Starts

34

16th

Minutes

2,865

36th

Goals

4

74th

Assists

7

18th

Pass completion %

83.9%

86th

Key passes

36

52nd

Crosses

86

40th

Shot-creating actions

78

51st

Goal-creating actions

12

28th

Progressive carries

79

41st

Attempted take-ons

116

12th

Take-on success% (min 100 attempted)

48.3%

5th

Tackles

82

13th

Tackles won

52

11th

Interceptions

24

72nd

Ball recoveries

133

48th

Touches

1944

36th

As the table outlines, Aït-Nouri is a very well-rounded full-back, ranking highly when it comes to both attacking and defensive metrics, but also dribbling, with only 11 players having attempted more take-ons, an impressively high figure for a full-back.

The Algerian is also always available, missing just one Premier League match all season, and this was due to a suspension, which would be a very useful asset, considering the defensive injury crisis Man City have endured throughout the season.

Moe Adikwu of Breaking the Lines believes Aït-Nouri possesses ‘enormous potential’, while also noting ‘there is still a lot of room for improvement’, but Venkatanarayanan of Total Football Analysis highlights that he ‘is known for his attacking prowess’, so would therefore thrive in a team higher up the table.

It appears pretty likely that Aït-Nouri will wave goodbye to Wolves this summer, so do Man City lead the race to land his signature? If a deal is to be agreed, he could represent a left-sided version of Walker at full-back.

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There is no denying it: this season has been a disaster for Tottenham Hotspur.

Ange Postecoglou can end it spectacularly by winning the Europa League, but when it comes to the Premier League, things could not have gone much worse.

In fact, had it not been for some genuinely terrible form from the newly promoted sides, there might have been a real discussion around possible relegation at points, as so far, the North Londoners have lost a staggering 19 games in the league.

It’s been so poor that it seems as if Postecoglou will be on the way out regardless of what happens in Europe next, which has, in turn, seen a plethora of names linked with the job, including old boss Mauricio Pochettino and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola.

However, another name has also been linked with the job, someone who could make the board forget about the rest.

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Why Spurs would want Poch or Iraola

So, before getting to the manager in question, it’s worth looking at why the North Londoners might want to hire Pochettino or Iraola.

When it comes to the former, there are several reasons at play, but they all come back to one thing: familiarity.

Since leaving the club, it would be fair to say that the Argentine has not enhanced his reputation.

First came an unspectacular stint at Paris Saint-Germain, then a dire season with Chelsea and, as things stand, a disappointing spell in charge of the USMNT.

However, during his time in N17, he helped build a squad almost from the ground up, turned them into serious Premier League and Champions League contenders, and, just as importantly, formed a genuine connection with the fans.

Daniel Levy and Co would want to bring him back because they know that Pochettino can deliver at the club because he has done it before.

Iraola, on the other hand, does not have that familiarity with the club or fans, but he has the wind in his sails and is arguably one of the most exciting up-and-coming managers in the league.

For example, he took charge of a Cherries side that looked destined for relegation last year and has turned them into European hopefuls this season, all while losing their talismanic striker to the Lilywhites in the summer.

Games (All Comps)

83

Wins

33

Draws

20

Losses

30

Points per Game

1.43

Moreover, he helped to transform Rayo Vallecano in Spain before coming to England, so he has proven himself in more than one dugout.

With all that said, another manager hasn’t been talked about as much, but could be just the man Tottenham needs.

The Manager to make Spurs forget Poch & Iraola

According to reports from Germany earlier this month, as relayed by GIVEMESPORT, Tottenham have inquired about Borussia Dortmund’s Niko Kovač.

The Croatian coach may not be all that familiar to fans of English football, but for fans of the Bundesliga, he’s a well-known and well-respected quantity.

For example, over the last seven years, he has managed Eintracht Frankfurt, VfL Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich and most currently Dortmund – while spending a year and a half with AS Monaco.

Dortmund

17

1,76

Wolfsburg

66

1.30

Monaco

74

1.95

Bayern

65

2.26

Frankfurt

91

1.54

Described as “one of the best coaches in Europe” by football writer Sebastien C, the 53-year-old is generally regarded as a coach who likes his teams to play vertically, getting the ball forward quickly when possible, but also something of a pragmatist who likes his sides to be defensively sound.

This could see him win over the Tottenham faithful early on, as he wouldn’t be as gung-ho as Postecoglou, but he wouldn’t want to shut up shop as much as Antonio Conte, for example.

Moreover, he’s shown a willingness to switch up his formation to suit his players in the past and is currently employing a 4-2-3-1 at Signal Iduna Park.

This is a set-up that could work wonders in North London as well, with extra cover in front of the club’s frequently shaky backline.

Finally, he’d join the club as a proven winner, having picked up the German Cup with Frankfurt and then winning the Cup and League double with Bayern a year later, in 2019.

Ultimately, Kovac might not be the first name that comes to fans’ minds when thinking of Spurs’ next manager, but thanks to his moderate pragmatism and historical successes in the dugout, he should be.

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Rangers may have to brace for the departure of one of their key players, as two clubs could soon table serious bids for his services, according to a report.

Summer of change on the horizon at Ibrox

It is set to be a summer of major change at Ibrox, with the 49ers on course to complete their takeover of the Scottish club, and the prospective new owners are also tasked with installing a new manager to replace interim boss Barry Ferguson.

Not only that, but with the Gers currently 17 points behind Celtic in the Scottish Premiership table, there are clear signs the new manager will need to make major changes to his squad in the summer window, and potential targets have already been identified.

The 49ers are plotting the statement signing of a new midfielder, with Troyes’ Metinho in their sights, amid concerns over the future of Nicolas Raskin, who the Light Blues are determined to keep hold of despite growing interest in his signature.

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Posts 2 ByDan Emery May 15, 2025

There has now been a new update on Raskin’s Rangers future, with a report from TEAMtalk revealing they have been rocked by major interest in the midfielder, having attracted the attention of soon-to-be Premier League side Leeds United.

Aston Villa, who made it to the Champions League quarter-finals this season, have also registered their interest in the Gers star, and there is now a feeling that a serious bid could be made for his services over the next few weeks.

The Belgian’s current £19k-a-week contract is set to run until 2027, and the Ibrox outfit are now ready to offer him a new deal, in an attempt to ward off the interest from elsewhere, and to make sure his market value is protected.

Rangers must keep hold of "phenomenal" Raskin

Having barely managed to even compete in the Scottish Premiership title race this season, the Gers may be looking to re-shape their squad this summer, but the Belgian maestro is undoubtedly one of the players they should be looking to keep hold of.

Scottish football analyst John Walker has been particularly impressed by the 24-yerar-old’s performances, having lauded him as “phenomenal” earlier in the campaign, while also claiming the central midfielder improved the entire team after returning from injury.

The Liege-born maestro has four goals and ten assists to his name in all competitions this season, most notably scoring in his side’s 3-2 victory against bitter rivals Celtic back in March.

That said, while Rangers should be looking to tie Raskin down to a new deal, he may be unwilling to commit to fresh terms, which means it could make sense to cash-in at the end of the campaign, as they should be able to command a good fee for his services this summer.