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Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly made a £29m offer to sign a new defender who has been likened to Micky van de Ven.

Tottenham manager rumours with pressure on Ange after Fulham defeat

Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou is coming under more scrutiny in the media following the club’s latest Premier League defeat to Fulham.

In fact, Cottagers boss Marco Silva is thought to be a leading candidate to replace the Australian at Tottenham, should those in north London decide to part ways with Postecoglou.

Ange replacement: Spurs now eyeing "outstanding" 4-3-3 coach who Pep loves

Tottenham have now shortlisted another manager as a potential replacement for Ange Postecoglou.

By
Dominic Lund

Mar 19, 2025

Speaking after the loss at Craven Cottage, Postecoglou said: “I said to the players, I’m not going to let anyone just think about Europa and nothing else. We can’t let this league season go the way it has. We’ve lost way too many games, unacceptable.

“I understand the supporters’ frustrations with that. It was another day where we let a game get away from us when we shouldn’t. We had chances to go 1-0 up which would have put pressure on them, then they scored a really soft goal. Today the opposition haven’t blown us off the park. For 75 minutes we were where we wanted to be, the fact we came out of that game with nothing is disappointing.”

Alongside Silva, Bournemouth boss Andoni Iraola is on Spurs’ radar, with contact already made with his agents. Elsewhere, ex-Tottenham manager Mauricio Pochettino has also said he’s open to returning to north London in the future.

However, with Postecoglou still in charge, transfer chiefs behind the scenes at Tottenham appear to be working hard and have reportedly tabled an offer to sign a new defender.

Tottenham make £29m bid to sign Premier League defender

According to Africa Foot, Tottenham have made a bid to sign Wolverhampton Wanderers defender Rayan Ait-Nouri.

The report claims that Spurs have tabled a bid in the region of €35m (£29m) for the 23-year-old, who is also wanted by Liverpool and West Ham.

However, it is Tottenham who are leading the race and are ‘the most likely candidates to sign’ Ait-Nouri this summer.

A left-back at the top of his game with a career-high €35m Transfermarkt valuation, Ait-Nouri has been compared to a number of defenders by Football Transfers, including van de Ven.

He’s under contract at Molineux until 2026, although Wolves have the option to extend that by 12 months, however, following this update, it looks as if a move to Tottenham could be on the cards for the Algeria international.

Barcelona sporting director Deco reportedly met up with Nico Williams' agent in a bid to reignite their interest in the Athletic Club winger.

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• Barcelona reopen talks with Williams
• Deco meets with the winger's agents
• Yamal drops hint at potential link-up

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Barcelona have reopened talks with Williams' camp, including his agent Felix Tainta, per Spanish publication Sport, with Deco leading efforts to lure the 22-year-old away from Athletic Club. The Spanish winger is open to the move — but only if Barca show full commitment to paying his €62m release clause and guaranteeing a smooth registration process, something that has ailed the Catalan side over the last few years.

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  Williams is also being chased by Arsenal and Bayern Munich, who are ready to activate the clause and offer big contracts; however, their proposals haven’t yet convinced him to move abroad. If he leaves Athletic, he’d prefer to stay in La Liga, and Barcelona are said to be the Spain international's top choice.

• TELL ME MORE…

  Barcelona still view Liverpool winger Luis Diaz as their main target and are also considering Manchester United outcast Marcus Rashford, but a recent meeting with Williams’ agent has reignited their interest. Whether they finally make the move depends on how serious they are this time, and whether they can make proper guarantees to the talented player.

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• WHAT NEXT FOR WILLIAMS?

  The Spaniard will likely be open to a move to Barcelona as it would reunite him with his Spanish national teammate Lamine Yamal. To stoke the fire amid the reports, the 17-year-old posted a photo of himself and Williams celebrating, minutes after the story broke.

  Instagram (@lamineyamal)

Former Arsenal star Santi Cazorla scored a dramatic free-kick, with his weaker foot and at 40 years of age, to book a play-off final berth for Oviedo.

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• Two-time European Championship winner
• Graced the Premier League with Gunners
• Helped boyhood club back to the big time

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The ex-Spain international returned to his boyhood club in 2023, with the lowest possible salary being agreed as he endeavoured to help them clamber back into La Liga. After 25 years outside of the top-flight, Oviedo are one step away from fulfilling that dream.

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  That is thanks to Cazorla, who stepped off the bench to make a decisive contribution in the second leg of their play-off semi-final clash with Almeria. He fired in a free-kick from the edge of the box, with the ball sent fizzing into the bottom corner.

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• DID YOU KNOW?

  What made that strike even more impressive is the fact Cazorla – who once endured eight operations on an ankle problem and saw gangrene pose an amputation risk – took said set-piece with his left foot.

Leeds United are a side who look to be edging closer to ending their two-year stint away from the Premier League, with Daniel Farke doing an excellent job at Elland Road.

The German is no stranger to success in the Championship after previously winning the division twice during his previous stint in charge at Norwich City.

However, he will be looking to add another title to his impressive CV, currently boasting a two-point lead over third-placed Burnley with just eight league games remaining this campaign.

His success in Yorkshire has been made all the more impressive given the high-profile departures from his side over the last few years, with Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville just two attacking stars to depart.

One other star left the Whites before Farke arrived in 2023, taking his career to new heights after his big-money move away from the club – now starring at the top level of European football.

Raphinha’s stats during his time at Leeds United

Brazilian winger Raphinha joined Leeds in a £17m deal from French outfit Stade Rennais in the summer of 2020, looking to add quality to the first-team ahead of their return to the Premier League.

He would star in his first year at the club, notching six goals and nine assists, before playing a pivotal role in their survival during the 2021/22 season – helping the Whites maintain their top-flight status.

The 28-year-old scored in the final day triumph over Brentford, an outing that would be his final one for the club, before joining Barcelona in a £55m deal – the most expensive departure in their history.

Raphinha has since taken his career to new heights, registering 47 goals and 41 assists over the last three years in Spain, currently sitting as the top scorer in this year’s Champions League.

His time at the club and his form after leaving highlight how impressive he has been, but one other player has since arrived in Yorkshire, taking the title as the best signing since the Brazilian.

The player who’s been Leeds’ best signing since Raphinha

Since dropping into the Championship, Leeds have made numerous impressive additions that have massively aided their attempts to return to the top-flight.

Ethan Ampadu, Joe Rodon and Jayden Bogle have all cemented their place in Farke’s backline, showcasing how impressive they have been since their respective moves to Elland Road in recent months.

However, midfielder Ao Tanaka undoubtedly takes the title of the club’s best signing since Raphinha, exceeding all expectations – especially after arriving in Yorkshire as an unknown quantity.

The Japanese international cost just £3.5m from German side Fortuna Düsseldorf, an absolute bargain given his form in the Whites’ first-team this campaign – leading to Opta Statman Jonny Cooper labelling him as “exceptional”.

He’s made 35 appearances in the second tier to date, scoring four times, with his most important coming in the promotion clash with Sheffield United, edging the side ahead late on.

His underlying stats from 2024/25 are just as impressive, completing 90% of the passes he’s attempting to date, whilst also winning 60% of the tackles he’s entered, cementing his place at the heart of the side.

After such consistent showings, there’s no denying the 26-year-old is now worth a huge amount more than the fee forked out for his signature a couple of months ago, highlighting the superb work done by the hierarchy in the market.

Tanaka’s ability at both ends of the pitch has certainly enabled Farke’s side to be in the current position they find themselves in, undoubtedly being one of the division’s signings of the season.

He’s now more than capable of taking his career to the next level in the Premier League, with the supporters undoubtedly hoping that he’s able to do so with the Whites next season.

The sky is the limit for the midfielder, potentially being the next big-money sale out of Elland Road in the next couple of years, following in the footsteps of Raphinha in having the tools to star at the top level of the European game.

Farke has now finally unearthed Leeds' next Hernandez in "unplayable" star

Daniel Farke could have Leeds United’s next Pablo Hernandez on his hands.

2

By
Kelan Sarson

Mar 19, 2025

As Matheus Cunha’s future continues to come into question, Wolverhampton Wanderers have reportedly joined the race to sign an attacking midfielder who has outscored their star man this season.

Cunha clarifies "next step" comments

As if he wasn’t stealing enough headlines thanks to his talent alone, Cunha managed to grab hold of the spotlight once again away from the pitch when claiming that he’s ready to take “the next step” and “fight for titles”. With the club still in the middle of a relegation scrap, albeit one that looks almost certain to end in success, the Brazilian’s comments were far from ideal.

Cunha, however, has since added some clarity, taking to social media to say: “Hey guys, Cunha here. I only came here to talk about the noise around my name, the interview I gave, and show my point. I don’t think people read the interview, and I don’t think people have the correct interpretation.

“The point was talking about Wolves to show everyone how happy I am to be here, to play for this team and these team-mates, and to give back all the love they give me. Like ambitious players, we want to play for something more, to put this club on another level. Me and my team-mates will give our all to achieve this goal.”

Wolves make contact in shock move to sign "special" winger once worth £73m

This would be a major coup…

By
Tom Cunningham

Apr 4, 2025

When the summer arrives it will certainly be interesting to see whether that clarity sees Cunha stay put or if he does, indeed, go in search of fighting for titles. The Brazilian certainly won’t be short on options, with both Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur already linked with moves to secure his signature in the coming months.

Wolves, meanwhile, would benefit from his exit on the financial front, given that Cunha has a release clause worth £63m ahead of the transfer window. If that clause is triggered, those in the Midlands could instantly go in search of reinforcements, which could yet include one particular star.

Wolves plotting to sign Sem Steijn

Losing Cunha would undoubtedly be a major blow for Vitor Pereira and his side, but they could yet welcome a player who has outscored the Brazilian this season. According to The Boot Room, Wolves are now plotting a move to sign Sem Steijn from FC Twente this summer and have already sent scouts to watch the attacking midfielder in action.

In all competitions, the Dutchman has scored an impressive 27 goals whilst assisting another six. Cunha, meanwhile, has managed 15 goals and four assists in all competitions for Wolves this season. And when it comes to league action, there’s only one winner on the stats front.

Dubbed “superb” by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, Steijn’s steady improvement season after season should result in a move away from the Netherlands sooner rather than later. If Cunha does depart Wolves, it’s those in the Midlands who should do everything to secure the FC Twente star’s signature. There’s no doubt that he’s one to watch.

Arsenal star Jurrien Timber has revealed that he played through injury towards the end of last season, despite Arteta knowing about his struggles.

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• Played through injury
• Pain got 'worse and worse'
• Arteta aware of issue

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The 24-year-old told the Dutch talk show Matchday that in the latter stages of Arsenal's Champions League campaign, he was dealing with both an ankle and a heel injury, but due to the pressures of the UCL, he was forced to play through the pain. It's been revealed that Arteta risked worsening things by playing him in the double-header semi-final against PSG.

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  Timber was forced to undergo surgery last month to try to address his ankle problem, putting the full-back's pre-season in jeopardy. He missed six of Arsenal's final seven Premier League games as the club aimed to keep him fit for the Champions League, but that continued action may have put him in additional trouble.

• WHAT TIMBER SAID

  Timber said: “It got worse and worse. I had an Oranje scan, and the conclusion was that I had to undergo surgery at the end of the season. I wanted to play at Arsenal, but it was hard. Sometimes the pain is much worse. I’ve been through how that feels now. I only trained one day before the match. I thought I have no idea how to finish this, because I couldn’t even run. But in the second half I got adrenaline again and in the 80th minute, it was time to get out. I didn’t train all those weeks and was stressing for that second semifinal. It hurt so much. The manager thinks: ‘Jur has had a scan, it can’t get worse, make sure you’re ready’, but he doesn’t see how much pain I’m in.”

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  WHAT NEXT FOR TIMBER?

  The recent surgery caused Timber to miss the Netherlands' most recent World Cup qualifiers, with North London rival Micky van de Ven slotting into the back four for their recent 8-0 battering of Malta. His goal will be to get fit for the Gunners' pre-season fixtures against AC Milan, Newcastle and Spurs in Singapore and Hong Kong in July.

Tottenham have switched their attention to Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze after Manchester United upped their bid for Bryan Mbeumo.

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• Tottenham consider Eze transfer
• England international has starred for Palace
• Man Utd increase bid for Mbeumo

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Tottenham believe Palace talisman Eze would be interested in a move to north London, according to . Spurs have been linked with Brentford's Mbeumo, who worked under incoming manager Thomas Frank at the Gtech Community Stadium, but United recently increased their bid for the Cameroon international, which could blow Frank's new side out of the water.

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  Tottenham are said to have discussed making Eze a 'statement signing' for Frank, who has already seen winger Mathys Tel arrive permanently following his loan from Bayern Munich. However, the England international could set the Lilywhites back as much as £68m if they were to pay his release clause.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Eze ended the 2024-25 season in remarkable form. The 26-year-old finished the campaign with a run of nine goals in 13 matches, including a brace in the 2-0 win at Tottenham and the winner in the FA Cup final.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR EZE?

  Eze, who had already been tipped to replace Son Heung-min at Tottenham, will be back at Palace soon for pre-season if no transfer away from Selhurst Park materialises. The Eagles currently have friendlies scheduled against Bromley and Crawley, while there will be another chance for silverware in the Community Shield against Liverpool in August.

The USMNT star's career started with a Guatemalan cameo almost 10 years ago

"I've put on the U.S. jersey a few times with the youth national teams," Christian Pulisic said, "but if I do get the chance to put it on and go run out there for the men's national team, obviously there's probably no greater feeling in the world."

Those were the words of a young attacking midfielder, spoken less than 24 hours before his national team debut on March 29, 2016, against Guatemala. At the time, there was real excitement surrounding the American. U.S. players had competed in Europe before. Some had even won trophies. But none had broken into Borussia Dortmund’s first team and made an impression under a manager as respected as Jürgen Klopp. Pulisic was different. He was the next big thing – and everyone kind of knew it.

And at the age of just 17 years and 193 days, he became the youngest national team player to represent the U.S. in a World Cup qualifier when he entered the pitch in what turned out to be a comfortable 4-0 win.

And what was a pretty routine 10-minute cameo in a game that had long been decided when he entered the fray now stands as a seminal moment in U.S. soccer history – the day when one of the best to ever wear the U.S. kit stepped on a pitch for the first time. And ahead of the U.S.'s Gold Cup semifinal matchup with Guatemala, GOAL looks back at that day, almost 10 years on…

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  Pulisic wasn't supposed to be in the squad ahead of that March international break. Both he and Graham Zusi were late additions after Fabian Johnson and Matt Besler dropped out of the squad. Besler's omission was due to a concussion sustained in training the week before. Had he not clashed heads in practice, Pulisic might not have been there at all.

  Regardless, there was certainly reason for Pulisic's inclusion. The USMNT needed a creative attacking presence in that side. And although Pulisic was still young, there was still a sense that he could contribute.

  In the 81st minute, he replaced Zusi and jogged out onto the field wearing the No. 11 kit. It was hardly a revolutionary appearance. He played just 10 minutes, touched the ball only a handful of times, and was basically there to rest some older legs and help see things out for the U.S.

  It was a timely win for the Americans, though, who put Guatemala to the sword, 4-0, just three days after losing to the same side away from home and throwing their World Cup qualification hopes into jeopardy (not for the first time that cycle). The U.S. would ultimately not qualify for the 2018 World Cup, but would rebound by making the 2022 tournament.

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  WHY IT MATTERED

  Of course, this was something of the start of an era. International debuts are rarely seismic events in isolation. Very few sprint onto the pitch, score a winning goal, or set the world alight – least of all 17-year-olds in a nothing game. What it did do, though, was set the table for things to come. Pulisic established himself on the side reasonably quickly. He scored in his third appearance, bagging in a 4-0 friendly win over Bolivia two months later.

  He did it again in September, notching a brace against Saint Vincent in another World Cup qualifier. In 2016, he was named the USMNT Young Player of the Year. More success followed. By 2017, he was a fully established international. By 2018, he was the face of the USMNT for good. It is often forgotten how important Pulisic was so soon, but he remains, to this day, the youngest player to ever captain the U.S. All of that success, all of those individual moments, can be traced back to that one 10-minute cameo.

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  FROM THOSE WHO WERE THERE

  Klinsmann praised Pulisic for his efforts after the game and promised that there would be more to come from the young attacker:

  "He's a very promising talent, there is no doubt about it. Otherwise, he wouldn't have made that appearance in the senior national team program," Klinsmann told . "We won't overshoot him with expectations because he's in an environment where they [Dortmund] keep him grounded, where they keep him developing."

  Pulisic, too, weighed in.

  "It's been a dream of mine to play for my country, and today I got to make that come true so it's just an honor. I'm just going to keep moving forward from this," he said in a postmatch press conference.

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  WHAT CAME NEXT

  Immense success – at least to some degree. Pulisic may be mired in controversy at the moment, but it is admittedly difficult to question his commitment to the U.S. side over the course of the last nine years. The attacking midfielder has appeared 78 times and has found the net on 32 occasions for his country. At this rate, barring any major injury, he will be one of the most capped players in the USMNT's history.

  Pulisic will likely be back in the side this fall and will lead the U.S. onto the pitch in a home World Cup in 12 months.

Joao Pedro wasted no time making an impact at Chelsea, scoring a stunning brace on his first start in their Club World Cup semi-final clash against Fluminense. The Brazilian forward, who spent his formative football years with the Rio-based club, showed both class and composure with a curling strike from outside the box, and followed up with a superb drive from 18 yards.

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• Pedro opened the scoring against Fluminense
• A stunning strike from outside the box
• Scored again in the second half

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  The goal was the result of excellent build-up play down the left flank, with Pedro Neto stretching the Fluminense defence. The ball eventually found its way to Pedro, stationed just inside the left corner of the penalty area. Taking a quick touch to shift the ball onto his favoured right foot, the 23-year-old unleashed a curling effort that soared past a diving Fabio and nestled into the far side of the netting. It was a moment of pure technical brilliance, met with silence from the scorer, who scored again in the second half, smashing an effort into the roof of the net after a mazy dribble.

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  Pedro had only completed his £60 million ($81.5m) move to Chelsea less than a fortnight ago and joined up with the squad in the United States earlier than planned, cutting his summer holiday short to be ready for the tournament. His decision to integrate quickly is already paying dividends for the Blues.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR CHELSEA?

  If Chelsea manage to knock out Fluminense, they will face the winner between Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid in the summit clash on July 13.

Arsenal’s preparations for the 2025-26 season are underway, and one of the most eye-catching developments at London Colney this week has been the presence of 15-year-old prodigy Max Dowman in first-team training. The highly rated youngster was involved in the senior squad’s pre-season fitness and technical sessions on Wednesday, joining a host of established stars on the pitch including Bukayo Saka.

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• Dowman stars in Arsenal training
• Will take part in pre-season friendlies
• Cannot sign a professional contract until 2026

• WHAT HAPPENED?

  Dowman, born in 2009, has been making waves at Arsenal’s Hale End academy. Though still a year away from being eligible to sign a professional contract, he cannot do so until 2026, his rapid development has brought him close to first-team recognition. It is suggested that Arteta sees Dowman as a genuine prospect capable of breaking through in the near future, and the pre-season training is a step in that direction.

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  Dowman ended the 2024-25 campaign with the Under-18s in spectacular fashion. The attacking midfielder notched 14 goals and added three assists in just his final seven matches of the season, a remarkable tally for a player his age. Whereas, representing England at the Under-17 European Championship, he contributed a goal and an assist during a 4-2 group-stage win over the Czech Republic.

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Wednesday’s session at London Colney featured a mix of Arsenal regulars and returning players. Among those training alongside Dowman were Saka, Martin Odegaard, Declan Rice, and William Saliba. Albert Sambi Lokonga was also present, as he looks to earn a place in Arteta’s plans following a loan spell.

  Eight senior squad members were notably absent. Goalkeepers David Raya and Karl Hein, along with Gabriel Magalhaes, Gabriel Jesus, and Reiss Nelson, were missing, the latter three due to ongoing injury issues. Meanwhile, Fabio Vieira and Ethan Nwaneri have been granted extended leave following their involvement in the Club World Cup and UEFA Under-21 European Championship, respectively.

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  WHAT NEXT FOR ARSENAL?

  With Arsenal’s flight to Asia not scheduled for another 10 days, the current window provides ample opportunity for Arteta to develop match fitness. Sources indicate that the club is considering organising a behind-closed-doors friendly in the coming days to ramp up preparations.

  Once in Asia, the Gunners are set for a trio of high-profile friendlies. They will first face AC Milan at Singapore’s National Stadium on July 23, followed by a clash with Newcastle United at the same venue on July 27. The tour will conclude with a London derby against Tottenham Hotspur, set to take place at the new Kai Tak Stadium in Hong Kong on July 31.