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Tottenham Hotspur could make Harry Kane the highest-paid player in the Premier League to keep him in north London, with the club willing to offer a deal in the "ballpark" of £400,000-a-week, claims transfers expert Graham Bailey.

Is Harry Kane leaving Tottenham Hotspur?

It has been an excellent start to the summer transfer window so far for Spurs this year.

The club have added genuine first-team quality to the side with the £40m signing of England international James Maddison from the recently relegated Leicester City.

The window has also seen the addition of Italian goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario from Serie A side Empoli and Israieli international Manor Solomon, who looked good for Fulham last season when he was fit and playing.

However, all of that could mean very little if the club can't keep a hold of their talismanic striker and all-time record goalscorer, Kane.

The England captain has been the subject of many a transfer saga over the years, but with just 12 months left on his current deal, it feels different this time.

So far, he has been the subject of interest from both Manchester United and Real Madrid, but both clubs have seemingly cooled their interest over the price or the reluctance to enter into negotiations with Daniel Levy.

However, one club that has not been put off so far is German giants Bayern Munich, who have already made two bids for the player, with the second reported to be worth €94m (£81m), according to ESPN.

With both offers being rejected by the Lilywhites, ESPN have also reported that the Bundesliga champions will submit a third offer as they further test the resolve of the Spurs board.

It sounds like it might all be for nothing on the side of the Bavarians, though, as the North London side look to stick to their plan of keeping Kane over the summer before offering him a new and improved contract, per Graham Bailey.

He explained the situation on the Talking Transfers podcast:

"We're being told roughly the ballpark would be £400,000-a-week. That's what Tottenham would be willing to go to.

"Would he be the highest paid in the Premier League on that terms? I think he probably would."

Who earns the most in the Premier League?

While £400,000 would certainly make Kane one of the Premier League's highest earners of all time, and certainly Tottenham's all-time highest earner, according to French publication L'Equipe (via the Daily Mail), it would only be enough to make him the third highest paid player currently playing.

The highest-paid player in the league is Manchester City's Kevin De Bruyne, who earns an eyewatering £424,000-a-week at the Etihad. The 31-year-old has probably been the most important player at the club during Pep Guardiola's silverware-laden tenure, so it's hard to say it hasn't been money well spent in a footballing sense.

The man in second place has only been in England for a single season, but for his inhuman scoring ability, it's hardly surprising to see Norwegian superstar Erling Haaland make the list.

The former Borussia Dortmund man is on a reported £402,250-a-week in Manchester, and considering he is still only 22-years-old and showing no signs he's hit his ceiling, that wage will likely go higher still as the years roll on by.

The third spot on the list is where the Spurs legend would find himself should he accept the rumoured £400,000-a-week offer he might receive.

It would represent a 100% increase on his current £200,000-a-week pay packet and dwarf Spurs' next best-paid player Tanguy Ndombele who currently earns £200,000-a-week.

Arsenal are still potentially in the market to launch moves for both Declan Rice and Moises Caicedo this summer as they aim to bolster their midfield.

How much is Declan Rice worth?

Although Mikel Arteta and his men may have narrowly missed out on landing the Premier League title, it seems they are not looking to dwell on what could have been.

It was a mightily impressive 2022/23 campaign for the north London side until the final stages of the season where their grip on the title faded.

However, looking ahead to the summer, it seems as if Arsenal are looking to make some significant upgrades to their starting XI to launch another title charge for next season.

Indeed, the Gunners have been strongly linked with a potential move for West Ham United's captain with reports claiming they have their opening bid at the ready for the £100m-rated midfielder.

But it also seems as if the north London club could look to add more than just Rice to their midfield this summer with the Brighton & Hove Albion man also on their radar.

And speaking on TalkSPORT, insider Alex Crook has suggested this could be the case with Arsenal potentially launching what would be a huge double swoop this summer:

"Arsenal are still there. I wouldn't rule out Arsenal signing both Declan Rice and Caicedo because we know that Granit Xhaka is going to leave Arsenal. Midfield was an area where they looked a bit light at the end of the season anyway."

What is Arsenal's transfer budget?

According to reports, Arteta is set to be handed a £150m transfer kitty ahead of the summer window which would leave Arsenal seemingly needing to sell a number of players to fund a potential double swoop.

It has also been suggested that Brighton will be looking for a deal in the region of £80m for their Ecuadorian midfielder.

But there is the belief that Arsenal are already eyeing up a number of potential departures from the Emirates Stadium over the coming months.

Indeed, the likes of Jorginho and Granit Xhaka are two midfielders who could soon be packing their bags to join a new club over the summer.

Although that may provide Arsenal some much-needed funds if they are to pursue these two Premier League midfielders, it may not quite be enough.

Neither West Ham nor Brighton will feel pressured into allowing their star talents to depart for a cheaper fee to accommodate Arsenal's transfer budget.

This will potentially leave Arsenal with a decision to make as to whether they need to spend in the region of £180m on two midfielders or whether the money could be better spent elsewhere.

Liverpool are in desperate need of reinforcements this summer following a tumultuous season that has seen their once-successful squad turn stale in recent months.

The Reds have been knocked out of every opportunity to win a trophy this season and are currently ten points adrift of the Champions League qualifying spots inside the Premier League top four ahead of their clash with Arsenal this weekend.

Indeed, reinvestment into the forward line seems to have been the priority for FSG over the last two seasons, with Luis Diaz, Darwin Nunez and Cody Gakpo all making the move to Merseyside to compete for a spot in the club's infamous front three.

However, this focus on forwards has left other areas of the pitch to decline, with several key players reaching the latter stages of their careers – including Jordan Henderson, James Milner, Thiago Alcantara, Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip, who are all well into their 30s at this point.

As a result, it will be absolutely imperative that the Anfield powerbrokers utilise the summer transfer window to spark a youth revolution by adding young and hungry talents into the centre of the pitch and defensive setup ahead of next season.

One player who has recently been linked to a Liverpool move is PSV Eindhoven midfielder Ibrahim Sangare, a player who could not only be a cheaper alternative to fellow transfer target Matheus Nunes, but be a better all-round player than the Wolverhampton Wanderers ace.

Will Liverpool sign Ibrahima Sangare?

Liverpool have failed to permanently sign a midfielder since Thiago joined from Bayern Munich back in 2020, so new additions to the midfield personnel will surely be warmly welcomed by the Anfield faithful.

Not only that, but Naby Keita, Milner and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are all set to make an exit this summer due to their contracts expiring, which only adds more pressure to the Liverpool hierarchy's efforts to identify and secure the services of quality midfielders who can add depth to the heart of the team.

There is no doubt that the signing of Sangare would be a major coup for the Merseyside giants this summer and would be a much better addition than long-term Liverpool target Nunes.

When comparing his positional peer's outputs this season, the PSV star has outperformed Nunes comfortably in several attacking areas, including goals scored (4 v 1), pass completion rate (84.3% v 80.2%), shot-creating actions per 90 (2.52 v 2.29) and progressive passes completed (158 v 73).

Meanwhile, Sangare has provided a much better defensive output with a better rate of successful take-ons (75% v 52.3%), more tackles and interceptions won (79 v 63), more ball recoveries (208 v 116) and a better success rate in aerial duels (62.7% v 45.9%) – as per FBref.

It is clear that Sangare – hailed "dangerous" by analyst Aad de Mos – is much more of a prolific and complete all-rounder in the centre of the pitch compared to the Portuguese ace, and would even cost Liverpool £5m less to sign with a price tag of £45m compared to the £50m fee reported for Nunes.

With that being said, it seems like it would be a no-brainer to snap up Sangare this summer, and if Liverpool could strike a good deal it could save the club millions to invest into other key roles that need addressing.

Aston Villa have been linked with a Bundesliga ace, in a signing that could start Monchi’s tenure as president of football operations with a bang.

Unai Emery will be joined by his fellow Spaniard in the bid to replicate the duo’s success in the transfer windows they endeavoured in together at Sevilla.

The latest link suggests that the pair could enjoy a lavish summer in the Midlands, in a signing that could bolster the squad.

What’s the latest on Manu Kone to Aston Villa?

As reported by the Daily Mail earlier this week, Aston Villa are interested in Borussia Monchengladbach midfielder Manu Kone.

The report claims that the Villans have joined ‘the race’ for the 22-year-old, following Liverpool and Wolves in their pursuit of the youngster.

Valued at £35m, the Frenchman is contracted to Gladbach until 2025 with the club holding the option to extend for an additional year.

What could Manu Kone offer to Aston Villa?

Emery has unveiled the best out of midfield dynamos Douglas Luiz and Boubacar Kamara, who when interchanged with the likes of John McGinn have proved their worth in the Premier League.

The Spaniard could now add additional power to the middle of the park by signing the Bundesliga talent, who could prove to be the perfect partner for Kamara who joined the club last summer.

The former Marseille gem had a stop-start opening campaign at Villa, missing periods due to injury with the club treading carefully in integrating him into the midfield to avoid prolonged absence.

Lauded as a “phenomenon” by former teammate Rolando, Kamara is destined for stardom in Emery’s midfield and could be taken to the next level in being paired with Kone.

The attributes that the duo share suggest that they could be a strong pairing in the set-up at Villa Park.

When comparing both players via FBref based upon their averages over this season in their respective league’s there is sufficient evidence to imply the success the French core could impose in the Midlands.

Hailed as a “one-man army” by talent scout Jacek Kulig, Kone averaged an impressive 2.55 tackles per 90 which was slightly bettered by Kamara in the Premier League who ended the campaign making an average of 2.94 per 90.

It’s not just the defensive areas of midfield that the pair excel at, as they both portray an impressive rate of passing both in general play and progressively.

As per FBref, the Bundesliga gem averaged a pass completion rate of 86.2% followed closely by the Villa ace’s 84.8%, with both players ranking highly in terms of progressive passes with the summer target averaging 5.73 to Kamara’s 4.25 per 90.

Having two players equipped with strong abilities in both defensive and offensive attributes is essential in creating the perfect pivot in the engine room.

Emery could take his squad a step further in purchasing Kone, who could prove to be a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League.

Liverpool have been strongly linked with a move for Khephren Thuram this summer and now a new update has emerged from a reliable source on the club's progress in getting a deal done.

What's the latest on Liverpool's interest in Khephren Thuram?

According to CBS journalist Ben Jacobs, the Merseyside giants could be handed the opportunity to sign the OGC Nice midfielder, despite the French club being keen to hold onto him.

Jacobs revealed on The Football Terrace YouTube channel: "I still think Khephren Thuram is the one to watch now in terms of Liverpool.

"It seems like there is less now in terms of Kone, who is another player who Liverpool have looked at. There are reports Nice wants to keep the player but the feeling is that Nice are going to have to sell some of their assets, so there is an opportunity there for Liverpool."

Will Liverpool sign another midfielder this summer?

The Reds have already secured the signing of World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister this summer in an attempt to add more quality and youth to the centre of the pitch.

A midfield rebuild has been long overdue at Anfield with the former Brighton and Hove Albion star becoming the first permanent midfielder signing since the arrival of Thiago Alcantara from Bayern Munich three years ago.

Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, Naby Keita and James Milner have all been moved on upon the expiry of their contracts this summer and Thuram could be the dream replacement for the latter who will be joining Brighton this summer.

Milner has played a huge part in Liverpool's success over the last half a decade with the 37-year-old playing a number of midfield roles, and his versatility is something that the centre of the pitch has sorely missed as he has reached the latter stages of his career and seen less game time.

Now Klopp can replace that unrivalled work ethic and diversity in skill by landing a deal for Thuram who is renowned for his wide range of capabilities and has no trouble gliding from a deeper role in midfield to break the lines of attack.

Over 35 Ligue One appearances last season, the Frenchman offered a potent attacking threat with two goals scored, four assists registered and nine big chances created, as well as averaging 1.1 shots on goal, 1.1 key passes and 1.3 successful dribbles per game.

Not only that, Thuram has not sacrificed his consistency in his defensive responsibilities as the Nice star averaged 1.1 interceptions, 3.8 duels won and 1.5 tackles per game, according to SofaScore.

For context, no Liverpool central midfielder provided more goal contributions in the Premier League, whilst only three players in the squad averaged more key passes. Meanwhile, defensively, he managed more tackles per outing than the likes of Andy Robertson, Jordan Henderson, Virgil Van Dijk and Joel Matip, via WhoScored.

Milner, meanwhile, could only average 0.8 tackles and 0.4 interceptions per game with 0.4 key passes to show for his efforts. Thuram, therefore, would represent a colossal upgrade at Anfield.

Possessing a reported €40m (£34m) price tag – he has been attracting a lot of attention and earning high praise over his short career so far, with U23 scout and football journalist Antonio Mango outlining the Frenchman's super capabilities:

"At a staggering 6'4ft, Khéphren's presence can't go unnoticed as he stands out above most players on the field. Khéphren excels in his defensive duties, ball-carrying & retention. Khéphren is big, strong, physical, athletic and brilliant in possession, a true diamond, right?"

With that being said, it remains to be seen whether Liverpool will add more depth to the centre of the pitch this summer but Thuram is looking like the one to watch and could be a huge presence in midfield if a deal is done ahead of next season.

Heart of Midlothian suffered an agonising 2-1 defeat to Greek side PAOK in their Europa Conference League qualifier on Thursday evening.

With the match finely poised at 1-1, Lawrence Shankland scored a stunning goal which looked to have given Hearts the lead. It was chalked off, however, and Andrija Zivkovic netted the winner 15 minutes from time with a wonderful strike.

It wasn’t the result Steven Naismith would have hoped for, yet it showed that there wasn’t much between the two teams, and given how many young talents he has at his disposal such as Alex Lowry, Hearts could respond well next week.

How has Alex Lowry performed at Hearts?

The young midfielder joined on loan from Rangers, and it could turn into a stroke of genius from Naismith.

He has played five times so far and grabbed two assists while demonstrating glimpses of his vast talent during his two appearances in the Premiership.

Averaging just 45 minutes per game, the 20-year-old has taken 33 touches per match while making one key pass and one tackle per match, suggesting that he is comfortable getting on the ball and trying to make things happen, while also looking to win the ball back.

Having burst onto the scene in January 2022 by scoring on his Gers debut in the Scottish Cup, he couldn’t quite become a regular starter last term due to injury issues, and a loan spell looked like the best option.

There is no doubt a move to Hearts will aid his development. Naismith will only benefit from his presence for a year – however, could he perhaps unearth his own Lowry with a teenage starlet from the B side in Callum Sandilands?

Who is Callum Sandilands?

The 17-year-old joined the Gorgie side back in 2021 following his release from Rangers, and was previously lauded by John Rankin, who was the Hearts U18 manager at the time.

He said: "Callum first came in on trial back in June and really impressed us.

"He’s a goalscoring midfielder who brings so much energy to the team and he can also play in a number of positions across midfield.

"He’s got good vision and technical ability and, equally as important, has a fantastic attitude.

"I believe Hearts is the perfect place for him to continue his development and I look forward to seeing him progress over the coming months and years."

High praise indeed for someone so young, and his time in Edinburgh has enabled him to gain some crucial game time for the B team.

He has played across a few positions over the previous two seasons, most notably in an attacking-midfield role, yet the teen can also operate wide on the right or slightly deeper if required.

Like Lowry, Sandilands is a goalscoring midfielder who tends to push forward as often as possible, and across 41 matches for the B side, he has racked up an impressive 18 goals and four assists.

Yet to make his senior bow, Naismith could change that this term, especially if they do make the group stages of the Europa Conference League, with squad rotation vital to keeping the starting XI fresh.

The manager should enjoy Lowry for the single campaign he will spend at Tynecastle, but in Sandilands, he could unearth his very own wonderful talent who could go on to emulate what Lowry has already achieved.

Manchester United are lining up a bid for Leeds United goalkeeper Illan Meslier, according to The Sun.

The Lowdown: Impressive Old Trafford display

Erik ten Hag recently watched Meslier twice in the space of four days in back-to-back Premier League fixtures against the Whites earlier this month.

The French shot-stopper impressed in the first meeting at Old Trafford, comfortably outperforming David de Gea in a 2-2 draw, as per SofaScore. The 22-year-old made five saves and completed 11 long balls, and it looks as if he is on the club’s radar as a result.

The Latest: Transfer update

The Sun shared a story in the last 48 hours regarding the Red Devils and Meslier.

They claimed that those at Old Trafford are looking at the Leeds man as De Gea’s long-term replacement and are lining up a bid with the Spaniard yet to agree on a new contract in Manchester.

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The Verdict: One to watch

Meslier is at the top of his game with a career-high €22m Transfermarkt valuation, and has been labelled as a ‘keeper with ‘so much quality’ by Brenden Aaronson.

He has made 353 saves in the Premier League and already ranks in the all-time top 50 in that regard, so a move could be a shrewd one, especially if Leeds suffer relegation to the Championship.

Hugo Lloris has tipped Meslier to become France’s first-choice ‘keeper in the future, and with De Gea now 32, he could also replace the United legend at Old Trafford, making this one to watch.

To say that Ange Postecoglou has hit the ground running at Tottenham Hotspur would be an understatement. The former Celtic boss has breathed new life into the Lilywhites, who are now finally blossoming once again in the early stages of the campaign.

When Spurs lost Harry Kane to Bayern Munich in the summer transfer window, without really replacing him, some may have been quick to worry about Spurs' ability to keep up with the rest of the Premier League's top six. With four games gone, however, only Manchester City have earned more points than Postecoglou's side, who have already defeated Manchester United this season.

Spurs deserve credit for replacing Kane's goals through other sources, sharing the goals round. And, now, a forgotten man could finally play his part, with Alasdair Gold suggesting that he'd slot in well in the current system.

What did Alasdair Gold say?

In his latest Q&A, Gold spoke about the options at Postecoglou's disposal, including those who are yet to play. Of course, with no European football this season, opportunities may be hard to come by for fringe players, but Gold believes that certain players can put themselves in contention.

Among those that Gold spoke about was Bryan Gil, who enjoyed an impressive loan spell with Sevilla last season, starting in the La Liga side's Europa League final victory over AS Roma but is yet to feature this season.

Speaking about Gil, Gold said, via Football London:

“Gil can play on either flank. I’m fascinated to see whether he can force his way into Postecoglou’s thinking.

“There’s a lot of competition now for those wide spots but the little Spaniard will fit nicely into the way the Australian wants his players to play. It’s all about whether he gets the minutes to show it though.”

The winger, himself, suggested on social media that he is ready to kickstart his Spurs career, posting a picture in the Spurs gym, with the caption saying, soon. With that said, it will certainly be interesting to see whether he can force his way into Postecoglou's plans after the international break.

Should Spurs play Bryan Gil?

Given Dejan Kulusevski's slow start to the season, scoring just once in five games in all competitions, it could be a more than warranted decision by Postecoglou to hand Gil a chance over the coming months.

Statistically speaking, if the Spaniard took his Sevilla form to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, then the Lilywhites would have themselves an excellent attacking option. Gil's biggest asset could come through his ability to win the ball back, given Postecoglou's need for players who are able to press high up the pitch.

As per FBref, Gil is in the top 94 percentile for interceptions per 90, with 0.94, whilst also sitting in the top 85 percentile for tackles, making 1.93 per 90. So, it's clear that the winger can, in fact, slot straight into the system that is currently having so much success at Spurs, giving Postecoglou plenty to think about.

Looking to kickstart his Lilywhites career, Gil may well be desperately hoping to receive plenty of opportunities in the Premier League under Postecoglou this season, so he could be a player to keep an eye on.

Manchester United are believed to be interested in Atalanta striker Rasmus Hojlund who is set to change his agent ahead of the summer transfer window.

Have United for the striker for the future?

Going into the summer transfer window, it is believed the Red Devils will be setting their focus on finding themselves a new number nine.

And one of the players who could potentially be an option over the coming months is the young Danish striker, Hojlund, according to reports in Denmark (via SportWitness).

The striker only made the move to the Serie A side in the previous summer transfer window but it seems as if they may come under pressure to sell him.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Fabrizio Romano has claimed the 20-year-old could be putting plans in place to potentially aid a possible move away from Atalanta in the summer:

(1:20) "From what I understand, many clubs around Europe are following him with Atalanta, with the Danish national team, clubs from England clubs from Germany. So there is a lot of movement around Rasmus Hojlund."

"I'm told and this is important information, that Rasmus Hojlund is set to pick a new agent in the next days/weeks ahead of the summer transfer window and we know how important are agents to decide about the next move."

Should Hojlund be a target this summer?

United's biggest issue this season has been their lack of goals coming from an out-and-out striker with a heavy reliance put on the shoulders of Marcus Rashford.

This has led to reports suggesting the club are going into the summer with an interest in the likes of Harry Kane who has shown consistent returns in the Premier League over his career.

Given United have been linked to players of Kane's calibre, it would be interesting to see whether Hojlund may be seen as too big of a risk to take at this stage in his career.

The 20-year-old has not even completed one season yet in one of Europe's big five leagues, but he is showing a lot of promise.

Hojlund has made 23 appearances in Serie A this season with 14 of those coming from the starting XI and his returns have been on the up since the turn of the year (via Transfermarkt).

The Danish striker has returned seven goals in the league thus far but six of those have come since the turn of the year in the space of 12 games.

Reports suggest his recent form in Italy has garnered him interest from other Premier League sides with both Arsenal and Newcastle United also believed to have him on their radars.

Hojlund has also carried his impressive form into the international break where he has netted five goals in their two games against Finland and Kazakhstan.

And this has seen the Danish press grow increasingly excited for the potential player their national side could have for the future with the outlet B.T. hailing him as "magic".

Micah Richards was left blown away by the performance of one Sunderland star in the Tyne-Wear derby victory against Newcastle United this afternoon.

Sunderland win first Premier League game vs Newcastle since 2016

The Black Cats managed to get one over on their biggest rivals in the first Premier League meeting with Newcastle since 2016, courtesy of a bizarre own goal from Nick Woltemade in the second half.

Regis Le Bris’ side have made a dream start to life back in the top flight, but today’s victory is undoubtedly the sweetest yet, moving four points clear of the Magpies after managing to hold out for a well-earned 1-0 win.

A lot of credit has to go to the defence, with the visitors being limited to an xG of just 0.26, never really managing to create any big opportunities throughout the match.

However, Richards was also quick to praise Granit Xhaka after the match, with the former Manchester City man saying: “This man, we talked about him before the game, was brilliant again, absolute warrior in that midfield. What a player he’s been, what a signing. I’m gonna say he’s been the signing of the season so far, that’s how big I’m going.”

“He’s been absolutely immaculate in everything he does, even the way he speaks is just brilliant. Wow.”

Xhaka deserves all the plaudits after another impressive display

The Basel-born midfielder has been absolutely indispensable for Le Bris this season, starting all 15 Premier League games, during which time he’s chipped in with five goal involvements.

Sunderland could now make £12m approach to sign "unreal" defender in January

The Black Cats are assessing their options ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

ByDominic Lund 7 days ago

However, the Swiss maestro is perhaps best known for his defensive qualities, which were on show again today, making a number of important contributions.

Granit Xhaka’s key stats vs Newcastle

Number completed

Ground duels (won)

3 (2)

Aerial duels (won)

3 (3)

Clearances

4

Tackles

2

The Black Cats managing to sign the former Bayer Leverkusen man is starting to look like a real coup, with Jamie Carragher describing him as “fantastic” and the “most influential” player for a Premier League team this season.

The sky is the limit for this Sunderland side, who are firmly in contention to qualify for Europe, but Xhaka is likely to be paramount to their success, and Le Bris will be hoping for a similar display when his side travel to Brighton for their penultimate game in 2025 next weekend.