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Erik ten Hag is back in the running to become Tottenham Hotspur’s next manager, according to emerging reports…

What’s the word?

The Mirror claim that the Ajax boss is in contention once again after talks broke down with Chelsea’s former title-winning head coach Antonio Conte this week.

The Italian hit the free market after leaving Serie A champions Inter Milan just weeks after their first title in over a decade and on Thursday evening, the Guardian claimed those at Spurs were confident of sealing the 51-year-old following positive talks.

Ten Hag was on the original list of candidates prior to the Eredivisie giants triggering an extension in his contract and it is now thought that Daniel Levy and co will speak to him again following their latest target setback.

Forget Conte

Of course, when a manager of Conte’s calibre becomes available, then you have to – at the very least – hold discussions for him but this could actually be a blessing in disguise as his appointment would’ve gone against ‘Spurs’ DNA.’

That is something Levy appears desperate to bring back to the club in his next appointment, with reports suggesting that he’s seeking an attack-minded head coach who can commit to the development of young players.

Conte would want to be well-backed in the transfer market to match the ambitions of their Premier League rivals, meaning opportunities for players like Oliver Skipp and Ryan Sessegnon would be hard to come by, and that contradicts Levy’s mooted checklist.

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Ten Hag, on the other hand, fits the criteria in abundance.

If you’re looking for a serial winner with a proven track record of silverware by playing an attractive brand of football, having developed the club’s academy prospects into first-team stars before selling them for mega profit, then the Dutchman is the epitome of that.

The 51-year-old has just clinched his second Eredivisie title and boasts an extraordinary 74% win-rate in charge of the Amsterdam outfit.

Over the years, his tactical system and coaching methods have earned plenty of glowing endorsements throughout his managerial career – Jurgen Klopp dubbed him “one of the most exciting coaching talents in world football,” whilst ex-Celtic striker Pierre van Hooijdonk said his ability to progress players was “remarkable.”

Drawing inspiration from Pep Guardiola at Bayern Munich and Johann Cruyff, Ten Hag has overseen the impressive development of many a young star, with Frenkie de Jong – who joined Barcelona for £65m – and Matthijs de Ligt – who joined Juventus for €75m (£65m) – his perhaps two finest examples.

If Levy is to finally end Spurs’ managerial woes, then he absolutely must push to sign the Ajax boss at all costs. He cannot afford to let this go on any longer.

AND in other news, 3 new signings including Sabitzer, Kane stays: How Spurs’ XI could look in 2021/22…

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Leandro Paredes to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet Calciomercato (via Sport Witness), who claim that both Tottenham and Inter Milan are keen on a deal for the Paris Saint-Germain midfielder – whom the Ligue 1 side would be willing to part with for a figure of around €25m (£21m) this summer.

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The report goes on to state that the Argentina international is both a favourite of Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte, with it being said that the 52-year-old manager would gladly welcome the arrival of Paredes at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ahead of Spurs’ 2022/23 campaign.

Paratici’s next Bentancur

While it is true that Conte currently possesses a number of solid options in the middle of the park – with Oliver Skipp, Harry Winks, Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Rodrigo Bentancur all capable of playing in the Italian’s midfield two – the signing of Paredes would certainly provide the 52-year-old with greater quality in the position.

Indeed, over his 15 Ligue 1 appearances this season, the £18m-rated Argentine has highly impressed for Mauricio Pochettino’s PSG side, scoring one goal and registering two assists, as well as making an average of 0.7 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, 0.5 key passes and winning 2.8 duels – at a success rate of 61% – per game.

These returns have seen the £148k-per-week talent average a very respectable SofaScore match rating of 7.01 – however, perhaps the French top flight is not the best barometer on which to judge the defensive midfielder.

Indeed, it was over Paredes’ 27 Serie A outings for Roma in 2016/17 when the 44-time capped international proved his ability, with the 27-year-old scoring three goals, providing one assist and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.4 interceptions, 1.8 tackles, 1.7 key passes and winning 3.7 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per fixture.

These metrics saw the former Boca Juniors starlet average a quite extraordinary SofaScore match rating of 7.27, ranking him as the Giallorossi’s eighth-best player in the Italian top-flight – playing a crucial role in his side’s capture of a second-place finish in the league.

It was this level of form that led to Paredes establishing a reputation as one of Europe’s most exciting talents, with the former PSG midfielder, Fabrice Pancrate, previously stating of the Argentine: “He’s smart, technical, aggressive in a good way, and he’s not just a nasty gamer. He is also beautiful to watch. His tempo is perfect.”

As such, should Conte believe he can help the 27-year-old get back to his best, Paredes would undoubtedly make a fantastic addition to the Italian’s midfield – leading us to believe that his £21m summer signing could well see Paratici repeat his January capture of the increasingly impressive and previously underrated Bentancur from Juventus.

AND in other news: Paratici must seal Spurs deal for £350k-p/w “monster” who would “go to war” for Conte

Newcastle United are pressing ahead with their attempts to sign Celtic defender Kristoffer Ajer this summer.

That’s according to a report from the Daily Mail, who suggest that the 23-year-old is interested in a move to St James’ Park and is determined to leave Parkhead this summer.

The Magpies are thought to be preparing an £8m offer for the Norwegian, however, Celtic value the versatile defender at a whopping £25m, a 68% gap in valuations.

Ajer, who has made 173 appearances for the Hoops, is valued at just £3.6m by Transfermarkt because he will only have 12 months remaining on his Celtic contract in the summer.

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Transfer Tavern take

Celtic’s valuation of £25m, in our opinion, is a big ask, and should any side meet their demands, Ajer would become the club’s most expensive departure of all time – eclipsing Kieran Tierney’s move to Arsenal in 2019.

However, with Ajer wanting a move away and thus unlikely to sign a new deal, this summer appears to be the final chance the club will have to receive a sizeable fee for his services.

Should his situation remain the same going into 2022, he could speak with sides outside of Scotland in regards to a pre-contract agreement, leaving the Hoops with nothing.

In our view, it may make sense to accept a cut-price figure and then reinvest ahead of the 2021/22 season.

The Hoops only paid £540,000 for the defender in 2017, so they’ll be making a huge profit should they accept the reported £8m bid.

In other news: Alan Nixon provides Eddie Howe to Celtic latest; Hoops ‘prepared’ for issue with coaching staff, find out more here. 

An exciting update has emerged on Newcastle United and their pursuit of Tottenham midfielder Dele Alli…

What’s the talk?

Chronicle reporter Lee Ryder has claimed that the Magpies are in negotiations over a deal for the England international, but it remains to be seen whether or not he will be willing to sign for the club.

He Tweeted: “Dele Alli isn’t short on options after being made available by Spurs for loan. Will be interesting to see if he is up for the challenge at #nufc – talks on a deal have been ongoing throughout January. Notably, Alli is represented by the same agency as Trippier and Wood.”

Howe will love it

Newcastle boss Eddie Howe will surely love this update as Alli could be a superb signing for the Magpies on loan until the end of the campaign.

He is a proven top-flight performer who could come in and make a major impact in the final third, potentially winning games for the club. The ex-MK Dons man has shown his quality at this level over the years and could thrive as a key member of Howe’s squad.

In 181 Premier League matches, he has scored 51 goals and provided 37 assists. Throughout his entire Spurs career, he has 67 goals and 61 assists in 269 games in all competitions, showing that he can score and create goals at the top end of the pitch as he has done so on a regular basis over the course of a number of years in London.

This suggests that he could come in and be a fantastic signing for the club if they are able to get this move over the line, which is why Howe will love the news that they are in talks with Spurs to get it done.

He would surely be buzzing to have a player of Alli’s pedigree and quality to select in the coming month as it could improve his starting XI.

The move would also be an ideal one for the club as it would mean that they avoid the financial burden of keeping him on in the Championship if they fail to avoid the drop.

Newcastle are 18th in the Premier League table and relegation to the second tier would result in a major loss in income, which could make it difficult to afford Alli’s reported £100k-per-week wages.

AND in other news, Newcastle could get SJP rocking by signing “top class” £50m beast who has “everything”…

Rangers have been linked with a move for Nimes winger Zinedine Ferhat recently and if he were to make the move to Ibrox this summer, it could be bad news for the future of Scott Arfield in Steven Gerrard’s side.

According to Foot Mercato (via Daily Record), Rangers are keen on adding the Algerian to their squad ahead of next season’s Champions League qualifiers, after his superb season in Ligue 1.

Despite playing for relegation candidates, the 28-year-old currently sits joint-top of the assist chart in Ligue 1, setting up 10 goals for his teammates, whilst he has also scored six times, which is his best ever season from a goalscoring perspective.

The £7.8m-rated star is predominantly deployed on the right-wing by Nimes but has played in a number of positions in his career, suggesting that he could be a really versatile option in Gerrard’s squad next season.

Assuming that Ferhat would be a starter at Rangers next season should he join this summer, his signing would likely be bad news for Arfield, who has already lost his status as a guaranteed starter this season, making just 11 starts in the Premiership, with the majority of his appearances in Gerrard’s side coming from the bench.

When the former Burnley man first joined Rangers he was often utilised as a winger but has moved more centrally as he has got older and perhaps lost a yard of pace, but unfortunately for him, Ferhat has been utilised centrally and out wide throughout his career, so would perhaps get the nod ahead of him next season.

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Gerrard is a big fan of the 32-year-old, and was full of praise for him back in 2018, saying:

“Scott has been superb. He is a great professional and a great lad who is growing each way and contributing really well. He is a really important player and that is the reason we were desperate to get him in the door.”

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However, Arfield’s influence has clearly declined this season and the addition of a quality, versatile winger such as Ferhat could well be the final nail in the coffin for the Canadian’s time as a regular starter at Ibrox.

And, in other news… Wilson should seal Rangers swoop for £8m-rated beast, he’s “had a fantastic season”

Marcus Bent has backed Everton to cash in on James Rodriguez during the summer transfer window.

The Colombia international made the move to Goodison Park from Spanish giants Real Madrid last September, reportedly for no transfer fee, linking up with Carlo Ancelotti for the second time in his career.

Rodriguez’s arrival excited Everton’s fans, but the 2014 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot winner saw his progress on Merseyside hampered by a string of injuries.

As a result, the ex-Bayern Munich loanee was restricted to just 26 appearances in his maiden campaign with the Toffees.

Rodriguez has now seen Ancelotti, who was a key reason for him agreeing to the move, depart Goodison Park in favour of a return to Real Madrid following Zinedine Zidane’s resignation.

Rafa Benitez has been appointed as the Italian’s successor despite his Liverpool links and ex-Toffees striker Bent feels it makes sense to allow Rodriguez to move on after a frustrating campaign in the Premier League.

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, Bent said: “He wasn’t consistent enough because of the injuries last season, but there’s going to be a price on his head now.

“Obviously, if they cash in you know they are going to make some money back on him.”

Many Everton fans have been left to fume as an image emerged of what looks like their new training top.

As shared by Toffee TV on their Twitter page, the Goodison Park faithful’s new top does not boast the traditional Royal Blue as the dominant colour, with it only being seen on the sleeves and around the neckline.

Instead, the dominant colour is almost greyish, and did not appeal to several Merseyside club supporters.

The Toffees have already begun their pre-season under new manager Rafa Benitez, but will likely not have England stars Jordan Pickford and Dominic Calvert-Lewin arriving to join up with the squad at Finch Farm until much later, given that The Three Lions have a Euro 2020 semi-final against Denmark at Wembley Stadium to look forward to.

Everton fans on training top image

These Blues fans fumed as the image of the training top was shared on Twitter, with a few EFC supporters even going as far as to claim that it looked ‘awful’:

“Awful I reckon, looks inside out”

Credit: @TomBruce78

“Not the top. It’s awful”

Credit: @stevec1878

“That’s awful”

Credit: @ChrisMatthews14

“Rotten but goes with the mask”

Credit: @callumlaps

“Looks washed out eeee bin that Hummel”

Credit: @leftbacklenny

“Haha lash that in the bin with the god awful away kit.”

Credit: @jackph21

In other news, find out what recent footage has Evertonians gushing here!

West Ham have been handed a double injury boost ahead of their Europa League clash this week…

What’s the latest?

According to Claret and Hugh, an Irons source has confirmed that both club captain Mark Noble and right-back Ryan Fredericks are back in full training and are set to be available for selection heading into Thursday.

The retiring midfielder missed the win over Everton at Goodison Park on Sunday, whilst the latter has been out since his early withdrawal against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup last month.

The Hammers could go one step closer to qualifying for the knockout stages with a win over Belgian outfit Genk, so having further players available at David Moyes’ disposable is certainly a benefit.

Double boost

Whilst neither is a regular starter in the Scotsman’s starting XI, particularly in the Premier League, both are more likely to be handed opportunities in competitions like this one.

Fredericks provides valuable cover for Vladimir Coufal, who has been injured in recent weeks too, whilst Noble could be crucial this week with Alex Kral unavailable.

His presence could hand a rest to either Tomas Soucek or Declan Rice, who won’t be able to keep up this consistent rate of matches into 2022.

The report also states that West Ham are in line to receive around £670k if they manage to clinch a victory at the London Stadium, taking their overall earnings beyond £2m, which is a welcome financial boost.

Their chances of clinching a result, whilst keeping the squad fresh, have certainly been bolstered thanks to this latest development.

Moyes’ men currently sit top of Group H with a three-point cushion over Dinamo Zagreb in second place, and a victory over Genk could see that lead double should Rapid Wien defeat the Croatian side.

The Irons also have the small matter of a London derby this weekend as they welcome Tottenham Hotspur to the London Stadium, so the 58-year-old may well have that game in mind heading into Thursday’s clash.

That’s why Noble and Fredericks’ potential involvement is so significant this week and exactly why Moyes will be delighted ahead of kick-off.

AND in other news, Newman can seal West Ham bargain in 6 ft 4 “diamond” who was once “very keen” to join…

West Bromwich Albion have agreed a deal to bring Adam Reach to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Football Insider, who claimed that Albion have made a breakthrough in talks with the former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder, with the club now finalising the 28-year-old’s contract ahead of his move to West Brom on a free transfer.

The report added that Blackburn Rovers were also interested in signing the former England under-20 international this summer, but it would now appear that Valerien Ismael’s side have beaten them to the player’s signature.

Ismael will be over the moon

With West Brom having been relatively quiet in the summer transfer window thus far, Ismael will undoubtedly be over the moon with glee if the Baggies have indeed managed to secure the signing of Reach ahead of their opening fixture of the Championship season next weekend.

With the Frenchman being short in options on the left-hand side of his Albion team, the addition of Reach – who is capable of playing in every position along the left – would very much appear to be an astute addition to the 45-year-old’s side.

Indeed, over his 44 Championship appearances for Sheffield Wednesday last season, the £2.52m-rated midfielder scored five goals, registered three assists and created five big chances for his teammates, taking 1.3 shots and making 0.8 key passes per game.

The £20k-per-week man also impressed in a defensive capacity, averaging 0.9 interceptions, one tackle and one clearance and winning 2.8 duels per match.

These metrics saw the man who Chey Dunkley dubbed a “leader” earn a seasonal SofaScore match rating of 6.82, ranking him as Darren Moore’s sixth-best performer in the second tier last time out.

As such, it would appear that Reach could quite easily be deployed at left wing-back, left midfield or even on the left-hand side of the West Brom front line next season, versatility which will be a huge boost for Ismael over what will be a challenging and tiring Championship campaign.

In other news: West Brom dealt major transfer blow over “athletic” 5ft 8 dynamo, fans will be fuming

Sheffield United look set to receive a significant financial boost following the summer sale of Aaron Ramsdale.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Alan Nixon’s report for The Sun on Sunday (via The 72), with the journalist claiming that Slavisa Jokanovic’s side could be set to receive some of the add-ons from the goalkeeper’s initial £24m move to Arsenal in the very near future.

Nixon went on to state that the 23-year-old has revealed to friends that he expects to start in the Gunners’ fixture against Norwich City next weekend, and that United will be due some of the remaining £6m of the potential £30m transfer fee after the England international has played a handful of games for the bottom of the table Premier League side.

Jokanovic will be buzzing

While losing the services of a goalkeeper as talented as Ramsdale will undoubtedly have come as a blow to Jokanovic, it is undeniable that receiving a £24m transfer fee while in the second tier of English football is an extremely big boost for the Blades, something that would only be made better should the club indeed be due to get paid some of the potential £6m in add-ons in the near future.

While the closure of the summer transfer window means that the 53-year-old will have to wait until January to bring in further additions to his side, the extra injection of cash will nevertheless leave the Serbian manager buzzing, as it is abundantly clear that the Blades are in need of greater depth in their first-team squad.

Indeed, things could hardly have started worse for the recently relegated side in their 2021/22 Championship campaign, with one of the pre-season promotion favourites having picked up a mere two points over their opening five fixtures of the season, results which have left Jokanovic’s side sitting in 23rd place in the second tier table.

As such, an extra £6m added to the Sheffield United January transfer kitty would certainly be a welcome boost for Jokanovic, who looks as if he will be facing a fight to avoid dropping out of the Championship at present, rather than securing promotion from it.

In other news: Report sheds light on SUFC deadline day disaster, Jokanovic will have been gutted