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Fabio Paratici is looking to leave an instant mark on Tottenham Hotspur if emerging reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

According to InterLive, Spurs’ newly-appointed director of football is planning a double raid on Serie A champions Inter Milan, identifying Stefan de Vrij and Marcelo Brozovic as key summer targets.

It’s thought that the Italian is prepared to offer €47m (£40m) for the pair of them, with €25m (£22.5m) of that being on the Croatian midfielder Brozovic, who is out of contract in 12 months time.

Shades of Modric

Spurs are pretty stacked in the midfield department right now but the futures of several fringe players are up in the air, with the likes of Moussa Sissoko and Harry Winks mooted with departures.

Brozovic would certainly be an upgrade on both of these players, so it’s no surprise to see Paratici interested.

The 28-year-old has been compared to legendary Premier League midfielder Frank Lampard due to his playing style, something that has since been reinforced by former Spurs boss Jose Mourinho as recently as this week.

Inter’s industrious dynamo can start from deep in the engine room and make late runs into the box but also carries enough aggression and ability to be a nuisance for the opposition’s attackers.

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Speaking to talkSPORT ahead of Croatia’s Euro 2020 opener with England, Mourinho claimed:

“Brozovic is the top of the top. He’s a fantastic player,” he said. “Aggression but at the same time, great technique and arrival in the box and coming from a more defensive position.”

Brozovic provided two goals and six assists, and averaged 1.6 tackles, 1.2 interceptions and 1.4 key passes per game this season, via WhoScored – further highlighting just how good a box-to-box playmaker he is.

He has been said to have a “compass in the foot” by former boss Luciano Spalletti, so perhaps Spurs would be getting their next Luka Modric or at least a player of that ilk.

It’s hard to recollect a time that either of Winks or Sissoko turned a game on its head with pinpoint passing and vision, something that the Croatian brought to White Hart Lane for many seasons and what Brozovic would undoubtedly add to the current squad.

Valued at £36m by Transfermarkt, Paratici must look to sanction this move this summer and if he does, Spurs’ team would once again be graced with the presence of an excellent Croatian midfielder, just like it was when Modric was running games at White Hart Lane.

AND in other news, Paratici could seal a dream signing in Spurs swoop for £45m-rated “monster”…

Karl Darlow could now be the first out of the door at Newcastle United in the summer as some transfer news has emerged.

The Lowdown: Darlow out of favour

The 31-year-old has become out of favour once again at St James’ Park this season, having made just eight appearances in total in the Premier League and none since November (Transfermarkt).

This is in contrast to last term, when he played bench after some impressive performances.

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Sky Sports pundit Matt Murray thought that Darlow was ‘absolutely awesome’ in 2020/21 and even suggested that the goalkeeping spot was ‘his shirt to lose’, while former Tottenham Hotspur and England international goalkeeper Paul Robinson hailed him as ‘exceptional’.

However, he seems to have lost his place again to Dubravka under Eddie Howe.

The Latest: Darlow eyed by Boro

As per The Sun, Middlesbrough are now eyeing Darlow as their new number one ahead of the summer transfer window.

They are also looking at Leicester City shot-stopper Daniel Iversen, but Darlow remains firmly in their radar.

The Verdict: Time up

Unfortunately for Darlow, his time at St James’ Park now appears to be up.

The new owners at Newcastle are likely to go in for a new goalkeeper this summer with their riches, as Keylor Navas has been the latest big name linked with a move to the northeast.

A new arrival would likely push the 6 foot 2 Darlow further down the pecking order, and at 31 years of age, he probably has one more move left in his career which could guarantee him first-team football.

In other news, find out whose Magpies future is also now in doubt

Tyler Roberts was withdrawn before the hour mark as Leeds United faced Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday lunchtime.

Roberts started in the centre of the park alongside Mateusz Klich – Bielsa has now selected the Welshman for 11 consecutive games.

The numbers behind Roberts’ performance

Roberts was awarded a rating of 6.6 by SofaScore for his 58 minutes on the pitch.

Raphinha came on in his place with Leeds 2-1 up, making his return from the injury that had sidelined him for Leeds’ last two matches – the Brazilian later provided the assist for Rodrigo’s goal.

Roberts touched the ball just 32 times – fewer than Whites keeper Illan Meslier (36) – and attempted a mere 20 passes, 14 of which were successful.

The 22-year-old lost three of his five ground duels and ceded possession on seven occasions.

He also had two cracks at goal, one of which was blocked while the other was off target.

Here’s what Leeds fans on Twitter had to say about his performance against Spurs.

Tyler Roberts under fire for his display vs Tottenham

“Tyler Roberts: Find loads of space, take 10 touches, terrible pass/shot. Repeat.”

Credit: @NeillJCullen

“Tyler Roberts is so bad my lord”

Credit: @AidennediA_

“Tyler Roberts is a complete disaster!”

Credit: @RogerLjungqvis1

“You can’t convince me Tyler Roberts should be anywhere near the Prem”

Credit: @jxshmaddison

“Tyler Roberts isn’t good enough. We’ve seen enough evidence now to make an informed decision.”

Credit: @JamesLUFC

“And there ends the Tyler Roberts experiment.”

Credit: @JamesPurvis21

In other news, fans were also furious with this player in the first half. 

Greek football journalist Giannis Chorianopoulos has shared Celtic’s proposal regarding an exit for goalkeeper Vasilis Barkas.

The Lowdown: Outcasts still at Parkhead

The Hoops were fairly quiet on deadline day, with youngsters Osaze Urhoghide, Adam Montgomery and Kerr McInroy the only outgoings, each sealing loan moves away.

Barkas, Albian Ajeti and Boli Bolingoli were all expected to leave the club before the January window slammed shut, but as we know, the three outcasts stayed at the club past the domestic deadline.

The Latest: Chorianopoulos’ post

Greek reporter Chorianopoulos took to Twitter late on Monday night and appeared to indicate that the Hoops have made proposals to a number of Turkish clubs regarding Barkas.

The 27-year-old, who former Celtic manager Neil Lennon once described as ‘excellent’, was linked with a move to the Super Lig during January, but according to Chorianopoulos, there has not been any response to that proposal.

He tweeted: “Celtic Vasilis Barkas was proposed also to several clubs from Turkey. No response yet”.

The Verdict: Still time

Even though the domestic deadline is now shut in the UK, Celtic CEO Michael Nicholson still has time to shift the likes of Ajeti, Barkas and Bolingoli to overseas clubs.

Should the Hoops get a response from a Turkish side regarding Barkas, they still have seven days to finalise a transfer. It would be a miracle if Celtic recoup the £4.5m they paid for the goalkeeper, with his market value plummeting during his time in Glasgow, along with his game-time.

It’s safe to say that the big-money move for Barkas can go down as poor decision, having been culpable for some howling errors for the Bhoys, but at least Celtic still have time to find him a new club in the near future.

In other news: ‘Bad news for Celtic’ – Sky Sports man drops live on-air claim ahead of crucial Glasgow derby

Andy Carroll is set to leave the club as a free agent this summer and despite managing to score just one goal in two seasons on Tyneside, former Newcastle United defender Steve Howey wants to see the academy graduate remain at the club.

After managing to finish the season in an unexpected, yet very respectable 12th in the Premier League, Steve Bruce will be looking to improve his squad this summer, despite reports suggesting he has just £12 million to spend.

If Bruce’s budget is set to be extremely limited and he still wants to sign Joe Willock, then he may look to offer extensions to several players who are set to become free agents when their current deals expire this summer.

Carroll has managed to keep himself relatively fit this season having missed just 19 days through injury, and Howey believes that Newcastle could do worse than offering him a new deal, he spoke exclusively to Football FanCast:

“I’m surprised that Carroll will be out of contract because me personally, I would keep him for another year, I really would. He’s been fit this season but just hasn’t been given the opportunity to play so that’s not his fault.

“It’s not his fault that he’s not played, that’s the manager’s fault because all Carroll can do is be fit. I still think he’s a threat and that centre backs still won’t like playing against him.”

The striker has experienced a frustrating season on Tyneside having been handed just four Premier League starts as well as an embarrassing 30-second cameo appearance against West Brom earlier in the year.

The Magpies are set to lose both Dwight Gayle and Carroll this summer which would leave Bruce with just Callum Wilson and Joelinton as options in the strikers’ department heading into next season.

Arsenal are set to make an offer for Sheffield United’s Aaron Ramsdale as their hunt for a goalkeeper continues, as reported by the Daily Express.

The Lowdown: Sheffield United seek redemption in 2021/22

Moving into 2021/22, it will be intriguing to see how Sheffield United bounce back from their Premier League relegation last term.

Acquiring high-profile individuals could be imperative to mounting a promotion challenge, but keeping a hold of prize assets will also carry deep importance for newly-appointed manager Slavisa Jokanovic.

Could the Bramall Lane outfit now be set for a summer exit following recent reports?

The Latest: Arsenal prepare a formal approach for Ramsdale

Arsenal are said to be preparing an official bid for England international Ramsdale, as current stopper Bernt Leno has signified his ambition to move on to pastures new, paving the way for the north Londoners to approach the Blades’ 23-year-old with the lure of a return to top-flight football [Daily Express].

The 1.91m (6 foot 2) colossus has also been courted by Tottenham in recent weeks, according to the Daily Mail.

The Verdict: Losing Ramsdale would be a bitter blow

Arsenal’s planned transfer offer may come as a blow to the Sheffield United hierarchy, who will surely see Ramsdale as a big part of their plans moving forward. In 2020/21, the Englishman made 42 appearances for the Blades in all competitions, keeping six clean sheets and playing every minute of their Premier League campaign [Transfermarkt] along with earning a place in his country’s Euro 2020 squad.

Impressively, despite keeping a relatively low number of clean sheets for the top flight’s bottom club, Ramsdale made 147 saves across the season [premierleague.com], demonstrating his concentration between the sticks .

Once labelled as ‘incredible’ by Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp [Yorkshire Live], the Yorkshiremen will be doing everything in their power to keep hold of their last line of defence.

In other news, one pundit talks up an ex-Sheffield United midfielder after he completed a move to a new club.

Keith Downie has dropped the latest on Newcastle United’s reported pursuit of Will Hughes in the summer transfer window.

The Lowdown: Hughes talks

As per The Sun, Steve Bruce is reportedly in talks with Watford to sign the 26-year-old for a deal which would be worth in the region of £12m.

The Hornets are willing to let him go in order to bring in some new players, and they are interested in a move for Isaac Hayden, who could be used as part of a potential swap deal.

The Latest: Downie on Hughes

Taking to Twitter, Sky Sports journalist Downie has dropped the latest on Newcastle’s reported pursuit of Hughes, claiming:

“There’s no Newcastle interest in Watford’s Will Hughes I’m told, and the club have no intention of allowing Isaac Hayden to leave either.”

The Verdict: Blow

It would certainly be a blow for Newcastle if they are not able to sign Hughes, as he could turn out to be a very useful squad player for them.

The midfielder played a big part in Watford getting promoted back to the Premier League at the first time of asking, making 30 Championship appearances last term and scoring two goals (Transfermarkt).

The fact that he is English is a bonus in terms of the Tyneside club filling their homegrown quota, and at 26 years of age, he has probably not reached his peak yet.

It would certainly seem to be a smart buy from the Magpies if they were able to lure Hughes away from Vicarage Road.

In other news, find out what Kieran Maguire has said about the latest takeover development

Ange Postecoglou’s reign as Celtic manager has been a bizarre affair with the Hoops appearing to take one step back every time they attempt to move forward.

The Bhoys had won their last five matches in all competitions until they took on Livingston on Saturday afternoon.

What’s the word?

With Celtic stuttering in their bid to reclaim their dominance on Scottish football, it’s become apparent that Postecoglou could do with some new acquisitions in the January market.

The Australian claimed a few months ago that he would like to target the Japanese market again after the successful signing of Kyogo Furuhashi and recent reports suggest he’s set to do exactly that.

The Times claimed that Celtic were chasing Daizen Maeda of Yokohama Marinos, the team that Postecoglou managed before arriving in Glasgow.

Kieran Devlin of The Athletic has since revealed that links to the 24-year-old should be believed.

During a Q&A he said: “They are credible (links to Maeda), yes. Unless something dramatic happens that will need addressing.”

Imagine him & Jota

The idea of signing the Japan international should be music to the ears of Celtic supporters who will no doubt be delighted at the idea of signing such a rampant goal threat.

Postecoglou has had mixed success with his offensive acquisitions since penning terms in Scotland, bringing Kyogo and Jota to the club.

The former has scored ten times in just 16 outings while the latter has seriously caught the eye with eight goal involvements in 12 appearances for the Hoops.

However, deals for Liel Abada and Giorgos Giakoumakis have been less successful. The Greek striker has found the net just once and missed a terrible penalty against Livi on Saturday. As for Abada, his form has dwindled and he now has only one strike in his last seven Premiership games.

With that in mind, signing someone who could be an upgrade on those two players would be extremely handy.

Maeda is a winger by trade and thus, the idea of him and Jota running dominantly down each flank is one that should enthral and captivate supporters.

He has scored 18 goals in Japan this term which is a sizeable tally for someone who has only played through the middle on seven occasions.

A player with that kind of record should excite fans inside the groand judging by the way Kyogo has settled in at Parkhead, fans will be hoping for more of the same here.

AND in other news, Less touches than Hart: Celtic dud who made just 5 passes all game badly let Ange down…

A tenth-placed finish in the league last season was not good enough for Everton, especially under Carlo Ancelotti.

The Italian had been brought in to guide the Toffees to Europe’s top table but their chances of doing so have dramatically decreased since he departed Merseyside.

What’s the word?

Everton now have Rafa Benitez at the helm but they’ve struggled to improve their options ahead of the new campaign this weekend.

They have signed three players for a combined £1.7m and it doesn’t look as though they’ll spend too much more.

That being said, they should make a late dart for Sassuolo winger Jeremie Boga before the window closes.

Valued at just £18m by Transfermarkt, he was linked with a move to Goodison Park earlier this summer.

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast this week, Forza Italian Football editor Conor Clancy suggested he should have been signed already.

He said: “There’s no competition between Boga and Townsend. Boga is twice the player Townsend is – and then some.”

Must sign him

Like Clancy states, Boga is evidently a better player than one of the players they’ve brought in.

Consequently, Benitez could take his Everton attack to a new level by securing the 24-year-old’s services.

Once of Chelsea, the left winger was described as a “supreme talent” by former Blues coach Michael Beale.

It’s clear to see why too. Boga is a nightmare for defenders and is capable of dominating opponents with his incredible dribbling ability.

During the 2020/21 campaign, the Ivorian completed 3.2 dribbles per match, a number that was only bettered by Rodrigo de Paul in the whole of the Italian top-flight.

If we compare that figure to those already at Everton, it’s streets ahead of anyone. Their top dribbler last season was Richarlison who completed 1.8.

To elaborate on his ability with the ball, Boga ranks in the 97th percentile for dribbles completed by players in his position across Europe’s top five leagues.

With the attacker displaying a keen eye for goal in Italy, he has the potential to be devastating in the Premier League too. This is a move that would improve Everton’s offensive line significantly.

AND in other news, Fabrizio Romano delivers worrying Everton transfer update, fans must be fuming…

An update has emerged on Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips, regarding Manchester City’s interest in his services.

What’s the talk?

According to Fichajes, Manchester City are lining up a swoop for Leeds midfielder Kalvin Phillips at the end of the season as a potential Fernandinho replacement.

The report claims that Pep Guardiola has asked the club to secure a deal for the England international, who is said to be valued at around £25.6m (€30m).

Fans would love it

Txiki Begiristain must work hard to reach an agreement with Leeds to sign Phillips next summer as he would be a solid addition to Guardiola’s midfield options. The Spanish head coach directly recommending the player also suggests that he has faith that Phillips would be able to come in and make the step up from Leeds, which should give supporters the belief that it would be a shrewd piece of business.

City fans would love it if this deal went through as Phillips has seemingly been identified by Guardiola and he could be an excellent addition to the squad. He has proven himself for Leeds in the Premier League and for England at the international level, recently winning BT England Player of the Year for his efforts for his country.

Former Liverpool player Danny Murphy hailed the 25-year-old as unbelievable and backed him to play in an advanced midfield position. He told TalkSport, via FanBanter:

“To play one season in the Premier League and then build up your international experience while you’re doing that… it’s hard enough adapting just to play in the Premier League.

“I was probably two years at Liverpool before I started even becoming used to and started playing regularly and actually thinking I’m worthy. He’s gone into the Premier League comfortable and confident, he’s just adjusted so easily.

“He’s just taken it all in his stride: unbelievable. Temperament, fitness, quality.

“And I actually think although Leeds play him in that holding role, I like him a bit further ahead with the insurance with someone behind him.”

This highlights the quality the £36m-rated beast has, as he has been able to adapt to playing regular international football for England alongside delivering excellent performances for Leeds under Marcelo Bielsa.

He played seven games at the European Championships and averaged a solid WhoScored rating of 6.82, making 2.3 tackles and interceptions per game.

Therefore, City fans would be delighted with his arrival. He has shown that he can compete in the Premier League and at a major international tournament, suggesting that he has the potential to make the step up to City.

AND in other news, Imagine him & Rodri: Man City can seal perfect midfield by signing Pep’s £80m target…