All posts by z3u9t.icu

On Christmas Eve, it was confirmed that British businessman Sir Jim Ratcliffe had agreed a deal to buy 25% of Manchester United from the Glazer family for just over £1bn. It was expected to take a further six to weight weeks from that date for the deal to be officially ratified.

As part of the arrangement, Ratcliffe and INEOS will take control of the sporting operation at the club, and they were also expected to provide £236m worth of investment into the Old Trafford stadium.

However, it was claimed on Tuesday that the 71-year-old was actually considering building an entirely new site, and had already spoken to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham about the idea. Ratcliffe, who's keen to leave a long-term legacy at the club he supports, may pursue government funding to help bankroll the project if he goes through with it.

All options on the table as Ratcliffe addresses Old Trafford issue

Now, Sky Sports have shared their "understanding" of the situation, clarifying that all options are still "on the table", including a redevelopment of the current facility, and that no decision has been made just yet.

Their on-air update went as follows: "Even though we’re still waiting for Jim Ratcliffe’s investment into the club to be ratified by the Premier League, it seems he’s wasting no time on making an impact.

"Reports overnight claim that Sir Jim is looking at the possibility of building a new stadium that will be billed as the Wembley of the North. However, it’s our understanding that all options are still on the table regarding the infrastructure at Old Trafford with no decisions made so far."

Ratcliffe must respond to "shameful" blow

Ratcliffe's priority, of course, will be sorting out Man Utd's fortunes on the pitch, where they're currently in the midst of a miserable season. With 15 Premier League games to go, Erik ten Hag's side are currently in sixth place, eight points off the Champions League qualification spots. They've already exited Europe, and they were dumped out of the Carabao Cup by Newcastle in the round of 16.

However, the stadium is undoubtedly an important part of the club's prestige, and last year, United suffered the ignominy of being left off the list of Euro 2028 venues. Local rivals Manchester City made the cut for the tournament, which will be held in the UK and Ireland, because their stadium is seen as a more modern option.

Wembley

N/A

90,000

Tottenham Hotspur Stadium

Spurs

62,850

Etihad Stadium

Manchester City

53,400

Villa Park

Aston Villa

42,640

St James' Park

Newcastle

52,000

Bramley Moore Dock

Everton

53,000*

Hampden Park

N/A

52,000

Principality Stadium

N/A

74,500

Aviva Stadium

N/A

51,700

Casement Park

N/A

34,000*

Former Man Utd player and Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville was left furious by the ground's omission, and launched a stinging rebuke of the Glazers: "The Glazer family have, for years, been warned about a lack of investment in Old Trafford.

Ratcliffe leading race to sign Man Utd's dream Martinez partner

The right centre back position is up for grabs.

ByTom Lever Feb 7, 2024

"They have overseen a decline for 20 years in which it has gone from being one of the best stadiums in the world to one that can't even get into the top 10 in the UK and Ireland. This is an all-time low. That it is not in the best ten to host a tournament is a joke. There has been no investment. It is a rusty stadium. This is a dereliction of duty. It is shameful."

One of Ratcliffe's biggest tasks, then, will be to recover from this "all-time low", and make United's home stadium a state-of-the-art base that draws the envy of much of Europe once again.

Aston Villa could be close to sealing their second signing of the January transfer window as they have submitted another bid for a talented Championship starlet…

Aston Villa’s search for new signings

Unai Emery secured his first deal of the winter window by sealing a move for defender Kosta Nedeljkovic from Red Star Belgrade, yet he will remain with the club until joining up with Villa in the summer.

This means the Spaniard has not actually signed anyone as yet who will bolster his first-team squad between now and the end of the season.

This could change between now and Thursday, however, as David Ornstein has given an update on their chase for Middlesbrough forward Morgan Rogers.

The journalist said: “Aston Villa submit improved third offer to Middlesbrough for Morgan Rogers.

“Latest proposal worth in region of £15m including add-ons. No agreement with #Boro so far but negotiations ongoing + #AVFC hopeful of closing deal early next week.”

Could the Midlands outfit finally get the player they have been chasing for the previous few weeks? It looks like a deal could go through before deadline day on Thursday.

Emery could certainly form a frightening duo with him and Moussa Diaby on either flank as they would help ease the pressure on Ollie Watkins for goals.

Latest Aston Villa transfer news: Unai eyes £40m deal; Saudi club want star

It’s a huge summer for Aston Villa and Unai Emery as they prepare for the Champions League.

ByEmilio Galantini Jul 11, 2024 Why Morgan Rogers could benefit Diaby

Diaby arrived for a club record fee of £51.9m last summer, yet he has not quite lived up to those high expectations yet.

The Frenchman has registered 11 goal contributions in 30 matches for the club, but once he really settles down, there is no doubt he could start replicating the form he displayed for Bayer Leverkusen over the previous few years.

His favoured position is on the right wing and with Rogers operating on the left flank for Boro on a regular basis, the duo could be devastating together.

The 21-year-old has scored seven goals and grabbed nine assists in 33 matches this term, but it is not just his effectiveness in front of goal which would make him a good signing for Emery.

The youngster currently ranks second among the squad for big chances created (11), along with ranking fourth for key passes per game (1.4) and for successful dribbles per game (one), clearly indicating his desire to burst into the final third and create opportunities for his teammates. It's those attributes that could well be game-changing for both Diaby and Watkins in Villa's attack.

Rogers was previously dubbed “outstanding” by his former boss Michael Appleton during his loan spell at Lincoln City in 2021, and it is safe to say he has developed into a wonderful talent who could well be ready for the rigours of Premier League football.

While Rogers may not be a big name as such, the fact that he will only cost Villa £15m could prove to be a wise move by Emery as he keeps some funds for bigger signings in the summer.

The current Boro star could thrive in the top flight should he be given regular opportunities and a duo of him and Diaby on either wing may lead to the club ending their 28-year-trophy drought this term.

Earlier this week, Celtic completed their first signing of the January transfer window with a £3m deal for Rapid Vienna winger Nicolas Kuhn, but Brendan Rodgers doesn't intend to stop there. Before the deadline, the Hoops boss also wants to add a left-back and a striker to his squad.

One candidate for the latter position is Bologna's Sydney van Hooijdonk, son of the former Celtic man Pierre, and one newspaper in Italy has even predicted that he'll make the move to Parkhead in the second half of the window.

Another is Brondby's Mathias Kvistgaarden. It's been nearly a week now since we learned that Celtic were in talks with the Danish club over a transfer, and it seems as if there's been an encouraging development in their pursuit.

Celtic take step towards Kvistgaarden deal

According to Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke, Celtic are "making progress" on a deal for Kvistgaarden. If the Scottish Premiership leaders receive "encouragement" from Brondby, they could launch an offer.

Meanwhile, the proposed move for Van Hooijdonk "has hit a stumbling block", because it's believed it would take at least £8m for Bologna to sell him – a fee that's "too steep" for Celtic in the mid-season market. Crucially, Kvistgaarden is expected to be available "on more favourable terms".

"Crazy" Kvistgaarden has edge over Van Hooijdonk

21-year-old Kvistgaarden has been with Brondby since 2018, racking up 81 appearances for the club, but this is the year where he's really come alive. He scored six goals and provided three assists in his last six league games at the back end of 2022/23, a "crazy" run of form in the words of talent scout Jacek Kulig, and he's carried that momentum into the current campaign with 14 direct goal contributions (seven goals, seven assists) in 21 appearances.

The youngster ranks second in the league for assists and fourth for overall goal contributions. If he keeps this up, be it at Brondby or at Celtic, it surely won't be long before he graduates from Denmark's Under-21s (for whom he's played 16 games) to the senior team.

Celtic could repeat O'Riley blinder with swoop for £1.6k-p/w "hero"

The Hoops have been credited with an interest in the Championship centre-forward.

ByDan Emery Jan 20, 2024

In light of his exploits this term, you'd expect him to arrive in Glasgow full of confidence and in peak condition, but the same can't be said for Van Hooijdonk. The Dutchman has found himself down the pecking order at Bologna, starting just two of his side's 20 league games and watching 10 matches as an unused substitute.

Given that Celtic's joint-top scorer is a midfielder in Matt O'Riley (10 goals), and Kyogo Furuhashi is the only one of their forwards to score more than seven goals this season, they need somebody who can make an instant impact in whatever capacity as they battle for the title with Rangers. There will be pressure on the new face to swiftly boost Rodgers' firepower, and Kvistgaarden looks better-placed to live up to that task. As such, it may not be the worst thing that Van Hooijdonk is out of their price range.

Crystal Palace have been rather inconsistent this season, as they currently sit 14th in the Premier League.

Roy Hodgson’s biggest problem has been in front of goal, with only Burnley and Sheffield United scoring fewer in the league.

Therefore, the former England boss will look to fix that problem this month by signing a new centre forward.

Crystal Palace transfers latest – Borja Mayoral

TEAMtalk recently revealed that Crystal Palace are keeping an eye on Borja Mayoral of Getafe.

The Eagles could attempt to sign the Spaniard this January, with the move far from impossible.

It is rumoured that a fee of around £20m would be enough to secure his services this month.

All confirmed Premier League done deals: January transfer window 2024

With the January transfer window coming towards its conclusion, FFC has all the info for tracking your club’s winter transfer activity.

ByLuke Randall Feb 1, 2024 Borja Mayoral’s style of play

It is well known that Palace will attempt to bring a centre forward into the club this month, with their main target reportedly being Eddie Nketiah of Arsenal.

Football journalist Ben Jacobs confirmed that the Eagles’ interest is true and that they could offer £30m for him. However, the transfer guru also mentioned that unless the Gunners find a suitable replacement, they won’t be willing to let the 24-year-old leave.

With that being the likely outcome of the saga, Palace could look to switch their attention to Mayoral and forget Nketiah, with the former being an attainable and more realistic target.

The Real Madrid youth star has been on fire this season in La Liga, netting 12 goals in 19 matches, with only Jude Bellingham scoring more in the division. The striker played a vital role in Getafe’s survival last season, and he has been instrumental in the side’s climb up to eighth this campaign.

The table below displays Mayoral’s statistics from this La Liga season and how he compares to his positional peers.

Goals

0.71

Top 9%

xG

0.52

Top 28%

Shots total

1.96

Bottom 80%

Goals/shot

0.24

Top 12%

Passes completed

17.77

Top 18%

Progressive passes

2.78

Top 12%

Passes into final third

1.90

Top 9%

Mayoral has featured in the front two of a 4-4-2 this season, and his output in front of goal has been terrific. His goals-per-game ratio is superb, and he is a clinical "finisher,” as per footballer writer Ben Mattinson, which is highlighted by his low shots, goal/shot ratio, and overperformance of xG.

This is the exact profile that Palace have been missing this season, as the Spaniard has netted more than Jean-Phillipe Mateta and Odsonne Edouard combined (eight).

The ex-Roma player is also an intelligent striker who can drop into pockets in between the opposition midfield and defence to pick up the ball. His relatively high passes completed prove that, while his progressive passes and passes into the final third show that he has the ability to start attacks as well as finish them.

Overall, Mayoral is exactly what Palace needs, and he’s even outperformed Nketiah by seven goals this season. Hodgson should definitely look to bring the Getafe star in before another Premier League club snaps him up.

Reliable transfer reporter Fabrizio Romano has said a "crazy money" star wants to join Arsenal, sharing what he knows on the club's transfer plans.

Arteta wants new signings but faces Arsenal hurdles

Manager Mikel Arteta is desperate to win Arsenal their first Premier League title in 20 years, but a run of lacklustre form has seen them fall five points behind table-toppers Liverpool as we approach the business end of the season.

Edu ready to make rich Arsenal bid to sign £214k-p/w forward in January

The Gunners need reinforcements.

ByEmilio Galantini Jan 12, 2024

By Arteta's own admission, his side are currently failing to convert chances, with their latest struggles coming in a 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Liverpool at the Emirates Stadium.

The home side fashioned a host of openings but couldn't seize their plethora of opportunities to take control of the game, with Jurgen Klopp's side capitalising and sailing through to the next round as a result.

It's clear that Arsenal are missing a goal scoring number nine and one who can provide that cutting edge up front. It is believed Arteta is also keen to sign a new striker, alongside two new full-backs and a midfielder (Miguel Delaney).

Ivan Toney

11th January

Joshua Zirkzee

11th January

Serhou Guirassy

19th December

Dominic Solanke

17th December

Boulaye Dia

16th December

Kylian Mbappe

15th December

However, after spending over £200 million in the summer transfer window, Arsenal apparently have a limited January budget and must be careful when it comes to Financial Fair Play regulations (Miguel Delaney).

Signing a striker does remain possible though, according to reports. Indeed, it is believed Arsenal submitted a £22 million bid to sign Getafe striker Borja Mayoral, but the La Liga side rejected their advances. Juventus striker Dusan Vlahovic is also attracting interest from Arteta and co, with sporting director Edu seemingly not giving up in the chase for a new centre-forward. One man who's been heavily linked is Brentford star Ivan Toney, but a January move is looking more and more complicated as the weeks go by.

Fabrizio Romano shares Ivan Toney update

Now, respected transfer reporter Romano has weighed in with an update of his own on Toney. Sharing Edu's chances of signing him, the journalist claims Toney is actually keen on a move to Arsenal, but the real stumbling block is Brentford's "crazy" asking price.

“Victor Osimhen is not on the market and many others are not available on the market," said Romano to GiveMeSport. "Toney is a player they appreciate, this is true and from what I'm hearing, Toney would be keen on a move to Arsenal.

“But at the moment the financial package is way too expensive for Arsenal. Brentford want crazy money as their manager confirmed a couple of days ago, so I think this is going to be a complicated one.”

The England international is soon set to return from his ban for alleged gambling breaches, and he will be hoping to test Arsenal's dedication to signing him by picking up where he left off.

Toney bagged a brilliant 20 league goals last season, but it will be interesting to see if he can replicate that stellar form after a lot of time away from the field.

Sunderland are interested in completing the signing of an exciting attacker who has been hailed as “technically very strong”, according to a transfer update this week.

Beale breathes new life into Sunderland

The Black Cats are nicely placed in the Championship currently, sitting sixth in the table after their 2-0 win at home to Preston on New Year's Day. Michael Beale's side are one point ahead of Hull City, allowing them to be in the playoff positions, and the hope is that they continue to kick on under their new manager after earning seven points in the last three games.

In order for Sunderland to have as good a chance as possible of making a pleasing return to the Premier League, some new signings during the January transfer window could ultimately make the difference, ensuring that squad depth is strong and legs remain fresh the longer the season goes on.

Fulham striker Jay Stansfield is one player who has been linked with a move to the Stadium of Light, but Ipswich Town are also believed to be interested in him. He is currently on loan at Birmingham City, but that could change this month. Sevilla's Musa Drammeh is another player who has emerged as a potential option for Sunderland, but he is considered an important part of their first team currently.

The Black Cats still have plenty of time to make additions this month, and it is clear that adding attacking reinforcements is a priority for Beale and the board.

Alan Virginius transfer update

According to a new update from Foot Mercato [via Sport Witness], Sunderland are keen on signing Lille winger Alan Virginius in January, but they aren't the only club who want to snap him up. He is "disillusioned" at his current club however, so the Black Cats do have a genuine chance if they can fend off the competition.

Clermont Foot and Young Boys are also believed to be interested in completing the signing of the 20-year-old – the latter are thought to be pushing the hardest to sign him, and have even offered a loan deal with a purchase option of approximately €4.5m (£3.9m), which seems to be the sort of deal Lille are willing to do.

Virginius could be an exciting signing by Sunderland in January – the fact that he was linked with a move to the Stadium of Light during Tony Mowbray's time in charge, with one report even suggesting that a bid was tabled for his services, suggests this is a player the scouting department and board are serious about.

It is clear that minutes have come at a premium for the youngster this season, however, with only two appearances coming his way in Ligue 1 in 2023/24 to date, totalling just 71 minutes. For that reason, a move elsewhere will surely appeal to him this month, whether that be on loan or on a permanent basis, which could give Sunderland hope of getting a deal over the line.

Sunderland eyeing move to sign new “excellent” player in January

The Black Cats could land a potential boost in pursuit of promotion…

ByTom Cunningham Dec 29, 2023

Virginius has been described as "technically very strong" by Paulo Fonseca, and he could bring an extra attacking threat to Beale's squad, as the matches grow even more important towards the end of the season in the coming months.

Celtic brought an end to their title-winning 2021/22 Premiership season with an emphatic 6-0 victory over Motherwell in front of their home fans.

As well as it being a special day in terms of seeing the Hoops lift the league trophy after being crowned champions in midweek, it was also the day that Tom Rogic and Nir Bitton brought an end to their Parkhead careers.

On Friday, it was revealed that the duo will be leaving the club after spending nearly 10 years each in Glasgow.

Rogic started the match and ended up playing for 62 minutes, whereas Bitton came on as a late substitute for his final appearance in green and white.

However, it was another midfielder who took some of the shine away from the Australian in particular in terms of his performance today.

Having also played 62 minutes before being replaced by Yosuke Ideguchi, fellow Hoops midfielder David Turnbull was arguably Ange Postecoglou’s hero this afternoon.

With 71 touches of the ball, the 22-year-old not only scored Celtic’s second goal of the day but also completed 60 of the 61 passes he attempted. With those touches, the Scotsman made two key passes, one cross and four long passes, as per SofaScore.

In addition, the youngster completed the one dribble he attempted and won 75% of his duels, showing just how solid he was on and off the ball for his team.

This display ultimately earned the former Motherwell ace an impressive overall match rating of 7.9/10, which is comfortably higher than the 6/10 rating that Rogic earned from SofaScore.

Hailed as a “truly wonderful footballer” in the past by former Fir Park academy director Gordon Young, Turnbull certainly haunted his old club this afternoon and ended their season with a disheartening defeat.

Having ended his campaign with 10 goals and eight assists for the Hoops across all competitions, the 22-year-old has undeniably played a big part in Celtic’s title triumph this season, ranking as their best performer according to WhoScored when players who left in August are excluded.

Moving forward, Postecoglou will be now hoping that the midfielder can keep delivering this sort of performance for the Bhoys throughout next season on the domestic and European stages.

In other news: Big Lennoxtown claim emerges, it’s great news for Celtic supporters

Manchester City are expected to announce the signing of Borussia Dortmund star Erling Haaland by Friday, according to The Athletic’s ever-reliable transfer guru David Ornstein.

The Lowdown: City win the race

The 21-year-old first joined the Bundesliga outfit in a £17m move from Red Bull Salzburg back in 2020, where he has since gone on to make 88 appearances for the club during that time.

The forward still has two years remaining on his current contract with the German side, but in recent months, has been attracting plenty of interest from several clubs across Europe, with the likes of Real Madrid and Manchester United being linked with a potential move for Haaland in the summer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/man-city-newest-updates/” title=”Man City newest updates!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Despite this though, it appears that the Sky Blues are the team to have won the race for the Norwegian’s signature, after reports have claimed that City are prepared to active his £63m release clause, with the striker agreeing a deal to make the switch to the Etihad ahead of the start of next season.

The Latest: Haaland move ‘a done deal’

The reliable Ornstein has basically confirmed this development by taking to Twitter on Monday to share the huge news:

“Erling Haaland to Man City a done deal + confirmation expected this week, according to sources in Germany. Personal terms complete & Dortmund anticipate City informing them in coming days of intention to activate release clause.”

The Verdict: Perfect Aguero replacement

If the Premier League giants do manage to pull off the Haaland signing, it would be absolutely huge for Pep Guardiola, especially considering that the highly sought-after attacker already has previous connections to the club, with his dad Alf-Inge having a two-year spell with City many moons ago.

The £135m-rated talisman has been in prolific form in the final third this term, having scored 28 goals and registered eight assists in just 29 outings across all competitions for Dortmund, as per Transfermarkt.

After missing out on Tottenham captain Harry Kane last summer, it’s about time that the hierarchy invested in a new centre-forward having not yet signed a replacement since the departure of Sergio Aguero, and it looks like Haaland could be about to follow in his father’s footsteps by making the move to the top-flight.

In other news… Guardiola has delivered a huge injury update on a first-team trio.

Leeds United are looking to buck a trend in the Premier League this season and avoid relegation in their first season back in the top flight. The last six teams to get promoted have all gone straight back down, but after a strong season in 2024/25 and plenty of new signings, the Whites could rewrite the narrative.

Indeed, Daniel Farke’s side have already signed seven new players. They have added more Premier League experience to their squad in the form of Sean Longstaff, as well as defensive reinforcements by signing three defenders, including Jaka Bijol.

However, Leeds are not done yet, and seem keen to strengthen the squad further ahead of a huge campaign, with another top-flight star linked with a move.

Leeds’ next transfer target

There seems to be a clear emphasis on Farke signing Premier League-proven players to help supplement a squad that got 100 points last season. Signing Longstaff, a man with 171 top tier appearances, certainly ticks that box.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

Now, the Yorkshire side are looking to bring another man with top-flight experience to Elland Road, according to journalist Sebastien Vidal. They are said to be ‘keen’ on signing Manchester City and England under-21 star James McAtee this summer.

The Citizens’ valuation of the attacking midfielder is said to be around £40m, with Sky Sports reporting earlier in the window that Nottingham Forest had a £25m bid rejected.

With Forest also interested in signing the youngster, this will by no means be a straightforward deal for the Whites to do.

Why McAtee would be a good signing

Despite making fleeting appearances for boyhood club City last season, Salford-born McAtee left a real impression when he got his opportunity. Pep Guardiola even called him a “special” player after scoring a hat-trick against Salford City.

Indeed, the 22-year-old made just 27 appearances for the Citizens last season, accumulating just 936 minutes. He still managed to find the back of the net seven times, averaging a goal every 133 minutes.

The 22-year-old captained the England under-21 side to victory in this summer’s European Championships. He played all six games for Lee Carsley’s side, scoring once and grabbing two assists, setting up Omari Hutchinson in the final against Germany.

If the Whites are able to sign McAtee this summer, he could prove to be a huge upgrade on their current number ten, Brenden Aaronson. The USA international played in every single one of Leeds’ games last season in the Championship, but struggled for consistency at times.

On the face of things, his numbers in the second tier last term were strong. He scored nine times and grabbed two assists in 46 games. Yet, spells of six, seven and eight games without a goal involvement were far from ideal for Farke’s side.

On top of that, McAtee has a far better record in the top flight. Aaronson has played one full season in the Premier League, bagging once and assisting three goals, featuring in 36 games and 2383 minutes.

In contrast, the Man City academy graduate has a full season of top-flight football under his belt from Sheffield United. In 30 games, or 1827 minutes, he scored three times and assisted the same number. He also bagged three goals for City in 15 games last term.

The numbers from FBref from their full seasons in the Premier League suggest that McAtee is an upgrade on Aaronson, too.

For example, he averaged 1.23 passes into the penalty area and 2.76 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared to the American’s 0.61 passes into the penalty area and 1.63 progressive carries each game.

Goals and assists

0.3

0.15

Goals per shot on target

0.25

0.11

Passes into penalty area

1.23

0.61

Progressive carries

2.67

1,63

Take-ons completed

1.63

1.29

Tackles and interceptions

2.12

1.89

For a fee of around £40m, McAtee would be able to massively upgrade Leeds’ midfield. Whilst Aaronson has put in some good performances under Farke, the consistency with which the City star plays, and the impact he can have in such a short amount of time, stands out.

The 22-year-old could be Farke’s dream option to strengthen Leeds’ midfield and bring more Premier League quality to Elland Road.

Even better than Muniz: Leeds lining up move to sign "dominant" £30m star

Leeds United are reportedly interested in signing a striker who is even better than Rodrigo Muniz.

ByDan Emery Jul 31, 2025

Tottenham have set their sights on another quality attacking midfielder after seeing Nottingham Forest playmaker Morgan Gibbs-White commit his future to the City Ground.

£190k-per-week Tottenham star now close to agreeing exit as talks advance

He would be a sore miss.

1 ByEmilio Galantini Jul 29, 2025

Thomas Frank’s side are arguably in dire need of more creativity. The Lilywhites struggled to break down League One outfit Luton Town in the second of their two Saturday pre-season friendlies last weekend, despite fielding a strong side loaded with key first-team players.

While it’s important not to overanalyse summer preparations for the new Premier League season, with Frank’s players regaining match fitness and sharpness right now, the signs were not overly encouraging.

Son Heung-min

7.00

James Maddison

6.98

Pedro Porro

6.95

Dominic Solanke

6.84

Dejan Kulusevski

6.83

via WhoScored

In an ideal world, Tottenham would have welcomed new playmaker Gibbs-White to N17 by now, having scheduled a medical on July 11 whilst attempting to trigger his past £60 million release clause.

However, in what was an unprecedented turn of events, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis put a halt to the transfer, threatened legal action against Spurs and somehow convinced Gibbs-White to pen a contract extension instead.

Signing the 25-year-old was Tottenham’s priority for the previous fortnight, but those precious two weeks of the transfer window were seemingly wasted. Technical director Johan Lange and his recruitment team must now turn to different attacking targets, with Fabrizio Romano confirming that Tottenham are working on signing alternatives to Gibbs-White.

Despite serious links to north London rivals Arsenal, Spurs have been targeting Crystal Palace star Eberechi Eze this window, and whilst Mikel Arteta’s side prioritise outgoings right now (Fabrizio Romano), perhaps Lange can use this time to beat the Gunners to his signature.

Eze would be a phenomenal alternative to Gibbs-White, following his campaign of 14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions at Palace, including their FA Cup-final winning strike against Man City.

However, in the event Arsenal beat Spurs to Eze, there are other viable candidates for the number 10 role at Tottenham.

Tottenham eyeing Leicester City playmaker Bilal El Khannouss

According to TBR Football and journalist Graeme Bailey, one of them is Leicester City star Bilal El Khannouss.

The 21-year-old was a shining light in an otherwise dismal Foxes side who were relegated right back down to the Championship last term, averaging more key passes per 90 in the final third than any of his teammates in the top flight (WhoScored).

Bailey reports that Spurs are now targeting El Khannouss, coming after they unceremoniously missed out on a deal for Gibbs-White and reports that the Morocco international’s contract includes a £22.5 million release clause (talkSPORT).

The clause was tied in with Leicester’s drop to the second tier, and means the young El Khannouss is available for a very astute fee.

Members of the media, like journalist Antonio Mango, have heralded the African as a “genius” attacking player, with El Khannouss now emerging as a very intriguing option for Lange as we enter the final few weeks of the summer.