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An update has emerged on Burnley defender James Tarkowski, regarding Tottenham’s interest in his services… 

What’s the talk?

According to 90Min, Tottenham have identified Burnley central defender James Tarkowski as a potential target this summer. The report names Tarkowski alongside Conor Coady and Joachim Andersen in terms of centre-backs who the club are currently looking at.

The Telegraph reported last month that Tottenham’s Premier League rivals Wolves and West Ham are both interested in the former Brentford man. He has 12 months left on his contract at Turf Moor.

Forget Toby

As great a servant as Toby Alderweireld has been for Tottenham, it is time to forget about him and move on to Tarkowski. The Sun have reported that the Belgian defender wants to leave Spurs and that the club are willing to facilitate a move if an interested side makes a fair offer for his services, whilst Fabio Paratici is also open to bids for Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier.

We are not saying that Tottenham should be selling Alderweireld or that it would be a good decision by the club if they did, but bringing in Tarkowski would certainly help ease the blow. The ex-Atletico Madrid man has been a mainstay at the heart of Spurs’ defence for six seasons since his transfer to the club in 2015, averaging a WhoScored rating of 6.68 or higher in every campaign – managing a score of 7.00 or higher in two of those Premier League seasons.

This shows the standard of player Paratici will need to bring in to cope with the loss of Alderweireld if it goes through. Tarkowski could be exactly the player Santo requires to freshen up his defence and add some extra steel to the backline. Burnley boss Sean Dyche labelled him as outstanding earlier in his Claret days.

He told the Lancashire Telegraph:

“Tarky’s been absolutely outstanding.”

The £22.5m-rated beast has a fantastic record at Premier League level for Burnley. In the past four top-flight campaigns, Tarkowski has registered WhoScored ratings of 7.22, 7.11, 7.19 and 7.02 respectively, highlighting how incredibly consistent he has been for the midtable side. The 28-year-old has also averaged over 4.5 aerial battles won and more than one block per game across those four seasons, which shows how strong he has been defensively for the Clarets.

Therefore, he could be the defensive pillar Santo needs in North London next term. He has proven at Burnley that he is good enough to be a top-class defender at this level and that his arrival could allow Tottenham fans to forget about Alderweireld, should he leave.

Nuno Santo will need new recruits in defence should the likes of Alderweireld, Dier and Sanchez depart. Getting Tarkowski in would be a great place to start.

AND in other news, Spurs submit official bid to land 16 G/A dynamo, he’s an upgrade on Steven Bergwijn…

Tottenham Hotspur will not allow Harry Kane to leave the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Manchester Evening News, who claim that Daniel Levy has privately agreed with the Tottenham hierarchy that the club will not sell the 27-year-old in the summer transfer window.

The centre-forward is said to have informed Spurs of his desire to leave north London amid reports of Manchester City’s interest in his services, with Pep Guardiola’s side believed to have had a £100m off rejected for the England captain.

However, if the latest reports are to be believed, it would now seem as if the £108m-rated man will be remaining with Tottenham for at least a further season.

Fans will be buzzing

With it very much appearing as if the writing was on the wall regarding Kane’s exit from Tottenham this summer, if the club do manage to keep hold of the forward come the closure of the transfer window at the end of August, fans of Spurs will undoubtedly be buzzing.

Indeed, with Nuno Espirito Santo taking over from Jose Mourinho as Tottenham’s permanent manager at the end of last month, the 47-year-old will be hoping to build a side over the summer transfer window that is capable of much more than the seventh-place finish Spurs managed last time out next season.

And, retaining the services of a player who won both the Premier League Golden Boot and Playmaker awards last season would appear vital to Tottenham’s chances of success under their new Portuguese manager, perhaps even more so than any incoming signings.

It’s exactly why the news that Levy is not planning to let the 27-year-old leave the club this summer is good for fans, whether or not Kane himself will be pleased with the chairman’s decision.

In other news: Spurs dealt big blow over “important” £51.5m target, Levy will be fuming

Aston Villa journalist Luke Hatfield has told Football FanCast that he would be “massively surprised” if a club registered serious interest in Ollie Watkins this summer.

£28.8m-rated Watkins was in stunning form last season, his first campaign as a Premier League player.

In 37 appearances, the 25-year-old striker scored 14 goals and provided five assists to help Villa to an 11th-placed finish.

Following his impressive showing, there has been some talk about Liverpool being interested, with Jurgen Klopp looking to bolster his forward options.

However, given how settled Watkins currently is at Villa Park, Hatfield cannot see any team making a serious play for the England international in this transfer window.

“They [Villa] obviously rate him very highly,” the Express & Star reporter said. “I’d be massively surprised if a club does end up showing some serious interest in him, because he seems happy at the club.

“He’s obviously broken into the England fold this season with Villa, scored plenty of goals at Villa Park and played basically every fixture bar, you know, one suspended game. So he’s been vitally important for Villa.”

Even if Watkins was not completely satisfied with life at Villa Park and a club did make a move for him, it is still hard to imagine him leaving.

The former Brentford man was Villa’s top scorer last term and still has four years left on his contract, so the Midlands outfit will not want to and do not have to sanction a sale.

Aston Villa are strongly rivalling Everton with their interest in Burnley winger Dwight McNeil as their summer recruitment drive continues, as per Liverpool Echo.

The Lowdown: Aston Villa looking to hit the ground running in 2021/22

Looking towards the start of the Premier League campaign, Dean Smith will be keen to add to his impressive spending spree this window as he looks to improve on Villa’s 11th-placed finish last term.

The Midlands outfit have already completed the signings of free agent Ashley Young and the £33m purchase of former Norwich City talisman Emiliano Buendia [ITV].

Could the Villains be set for a third signing in quick succession following recent developments?

The Latest: Aston Villa in pole position to capture McNeil

Aston Villa are said to be in pole position to sign McNeil from Burnley, who may cost around £25m to acquire.

Divisional rivals Everton are also keen on the 21-year-old’s services, although the Villans appear to be front-runners in the chase for the winger [Liverpool Echo].

The Verdict: McNeil would be an astute addition

Being able to bring in someone like McNeil would be a very exciting coup for the Midlands outfit. Capable of being a game-changer due to his dribbling and crossing abilities, he would offer service befitting of a potent striker such as Ollie Watkins.

The Burnley ace impressed in 2020/21, chipping in with seven goal contributions from 40 outings with two goals and five assists [Transfermarkt]. He consistently threatened opposition backlines, completing 1.8 dribbles per game in the Premier League [WhoScored].

McNeil also managed to successfully put in 1.4 crosses per game [WhoScored], showing his propensity to create chances for his team-mates. Watkins, who scored 14 top-flight goals last season, could do wonders with such abundant service.

Once dubbed as having ‘great quality’ by Clarets manager Sean Dyche [Central Fife Times], Villa should look to beat all competitors to McNeil’s signature.

In other news, many Aston Villa fans react to a potential Villa Park exit.

Odsonne Edouard is still working to leave Celtic this summer despite the collapse of his move to Leicester City [GIVEMESPORT].

The Lowdown: Ange Postecoglou begins to shape his new-look 2021/22 squad

Facing a transitional season at the Celtic Park helm, Ange Postecoglou will be desperate to get his ducks in a row in order to challenge for the Scottish Premiership title.

Identifying who wants to be a part of the equation will be a key priority for the Aussie, however cutting those loose who see their future elsewhere will also take equal precedence, with Kristoffer Ajer seemingly one of the first out the door.

Another player who is crafting a Parkhead exit is 23-year-old Edouard, owing to recent developments.

The Latest: Edouard still eyeing Celtic exit after Leicester City move collapse

According to sources close to the Frenchman at Give Me Sport, the talismanic striker is still keen on an exit this window and is working with his representatives to attempt to secure a transfer [GIVEMESPORT].

Previously, Edouard looked almost certain to end up at Leicester City, only for the deal to collapse at the last minute [Foxes of Leicester].

Brighton and Hove Albion have also been linked with the former France Under-21 international in recent times [Daily Record].

The Verdict: Right time for Celtic and Edouard to part ways this summer

With his contract expiring in less than 12 months-time, it makes sense for the Celts to try and move the 6ft 2in ace on, whilst trying to make a profit on the £9million fee they acquired him for in 2018 from PSG.

In 2020/21, Edouard was in sparkling form, registering 28 goal contributions in 40 games for the Glasgow giants; 22 goals and six assists [Transfermarkt].

Furthermore, he enhanced his reputation as the Hoops chief danger man in attack, managing to record an impressive average of 3.5 shots per game in the Scottish Premiership [WhoScored].

Once labelled as ‘magnificent’ by former manager Neil Lennon, it makes sense for the club and player to amicably part ways before the window closes [Glasgow Live].

In other news, Celtic face a crushing transfer blow in a reported pursuit.

Derby County have been dealt a major blow in their bid to keep Lee Buchanan at Pride Park this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Alan Nixon, with The Sun journalist revealing in a post on Twitter that Nottingham Forest have made a fresh bid for the Derby County left-back, although Wayne Rooney’s side are thought to have rejected the proposal.

It was reported by The Athletic earlier this week that the 20-year-old is top of Chirs Hughton’s list of transfer targets this summer, with the Reds having already seen one offer knocked back for the defender by their rivals.

However, it is not only Forest thought to be interested in a move for the Rams youngster, with Arsenal and Celtic both reported to be keeping a close eye on the situation of the England U21 international.

Although, it would very much appear as if Hughton’s side are leading the race Buchanan, with Nixon stating: “Forest. New and improved bid for Lee Buchanan. Derby said no. Latest package definitely better, but not yet enough.”

Morris must not sell

While Nixon does not mention the amount of money Forest have offered for Buchanan, it would be naive to think that Mel Morris is not considering the idea of cashing in on the left-back this summer.

Indeed, the Rams are in the midst of what could well be the club’s biggest financial crisis in their history, while the £2.25m-rated defender is just about to enter the final year of his current contract at Pride Park.

However, despite these facts, Morris must ensure that he resists all temptation to sanction the sale of the 20-year-old this summer, not only as the youngster will have a major role to play in Wayne Rooney’s side next season – with the 35-year-old desperately lacking depth all over the pitch – but also because selling one of the club’s most promising talents to their fiercest of rivals would be seen as an unforgivable act by the Derby faithful.

As such, while the argument could be made that, should Arsenal or Celtic come in with an offer that the club’s owner simply cannot refuse, Buchanan’s departure could actually help sustain the club in the long term, if it is Forest who have an offer accepted for the Englishman this summer – no matter how good it may be for the club’s financial health – Morris will have made a grave error, and one that would quite rightly leave their fans fuming.

In other news: John Percy drops behind-the-scenes Derby County claim, fans will rightly be fuming

Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge has told Football FanCast that Atalanta’s Pierluigi Gollini has been signed to be Tottenham’s number two goalkeeper.

The 26-year-old stopper became Nuno Espirito Santo’s first summer signing when he joined from the Italian giants on a season-long loan last Saturday.

Whilst Gollini has been capped just once his nation, he’s established himself as first-choice for an ever-improving Atalanta side, who’ve flourished in the Champions League, making exactly 100 appearances across the previous three years.

However, despite Hugo Lloris having less than 12 months remaining on his Spurs contract, Bridge confirmed that the shotstopper’s short-term career in north London is going to see him playing in the domestic cups and inaugural UEFA Conference League, with the Frenchman still first-choice in the Premier League.

Bridge told FFC:

“From what I was told about Gollini, he will play every cup and every European game.

“Things change, if Lloris gets an injury, Gollini keeps six clean sheets and saves a penalty then Nuno has got a problem, a good problem.

“But Gollini will number two for now, with a view to playing quite a few games this season.”

This is a smart move by Tottenham. With Spurs expected to be involved in several non-Premier League games next season, those competitions should give Gollini the perfect opportunity to adapt to English football before eventually replacing Lloris ahead of the 2022-2023 campaign.

Aston Villa were hoping to see striker Keinan Davis score some goals on loan before making a decision on his long-term future at the club, journalist Luke Hatfield has told Football FanCast.

The plan this season was to send Davis out on loan, with The Telegraph’s John Percy previously reporting that Stoke City were hopeful of bringing the 23-year-old to the bet365 Stadium.

However, those plans have been disrupted after Davis picked up an injury that has ruled him out of action for the next two months.

It is a frustrating development for both the club and player, with the former believing this campaign was an opportunity for their centre-forward to really prove himself.

Asked by FFC what Villa’s long-term plans for Davis are, Hatfield of the Express & Star replied:

“I think for them, they’re waiting to be convinced by him in terms of his goalscoring abilities. He’s come up with the odd goal here and there, but we’ve never really seen him go on a run of starts. That’s the issue for him.

“I think they want to be convinced by his performances in regular first-team football, which is why a loan move was so important for him.”

It is certainly a disappointing situation for Davis, who is likely to see very little action at Villa once he recovers from his injury following the surprise arrival of Danny Ings from Southampton.

Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Barry Bannan has dropped a major hint about his future at Hillsborough.

What’s been said?

In recent comments cited by the Sheffield Star, the Owls midfielder gave a definitive answer on whether or not he will be playing his football in S6 next season, with reports claiming that the 31-year-old could well be set to depart the club following their relegation to League One.

However, if the Scotland international’s latest remarks are anything to go by, neither fans of the club nor Darren Moore have anything to worry about, with Bannan claiming: “I’m sure I’ll be here.

“I’ve got a job to do in getting the team back to the Championship, and I’m looking forward to doing that.

“I’ve been the leader of the team, I’ve been here for so long, and getting relegated is never nice – especially in my first season as captain.

“I took it personally and it wasn’t a good feeling. I feel that I owe it to the club and fans to get them back to the Championship.”

Fans will be buzzing

Despite Sheffield Wednesday’s disappointing Championship campaign last time out, Bannan nevertheless proved that still has a great deal to offer with the club, turning in a number of impressive performances for the Owls.

Indeed, over his 46 Championship appearances for Darren Moore’s side last season, the £1.62m-rated man scored two goals, registered five assists and created a whopping 11 big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 0.9 shots and making 1.8 key passes per game.

The 31-year-old also made an average of 1.2 interceptions, 1.3 tackles, 0.5 clearances and won 3.7 duels per league fixture.

These returns saw the man Moore dubbed an “important” player earn a highly impressive seasonal SofaScore match rating of 7.15, ranking him by far and away as the Owls’ best performer in the division.

As such, with the club undoubtedly hoping for an immediate return to the Championship next season, retaining the services of Bannan would very much appear to provide their chances of doing so with a huge boost.

And, with it seeming as if the £27k-per-week midfielder will indeed be remaining at the club beyond the end of the summer transfer window, the Hillsborough faithful are sure to be buzzing.

In other news: Chansiri masterclass: SWFC confirm transfer development that will have fans buzzing

Matt Woosnam, who covers Crystal Palace for The Athletic, reckons that the south London outfit should have re-signed Gary Cahill.

He joined from Chelsea following his release two years ago, but his contract at Selhurst Park ran out earlier this summer and he is once again a free agent.

The 35-year-old, who often wore the armband in Luka Milivojevic’s absence, made 48 outings during his two seasons at the club, with his experience and quality helping Palace stay in the Premier League under Roy Hodgson.

Following several key experienced departures, 6 ft 4 colossus Cahill was offered fresh terms by the Eagles, although they were unable to agree a new deal and his exit was confirmed by himself on Twitter earlier this month.

New manager Patrick Vieira has since added two centre-backs in Marc Guehi and Joachim Andersen to his squad, but Woosnam feels Palace might rue the loss of Cahill.

He told The Transfer Tavern:

“The likes of Gary Cahill would offer a lot to Palace.

“His experience has been vital. I remember his debut at Old Trafford, and he was coaching 29-year-old Patrick van Aanholt through the game. You think that’s crazy when he has so much experience, so I would have kept him.”