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Tottenham Hotspur have started the summer strongly, but to truly usher in a new age, it is their defence that must now be made a priority…

What's the latest on Pau Torres to Tottenham Hotspur?

Now, according to the Daily Mail, it seems this might well be the case. After all, they note that the club are a big admirer of Villarreal's Pau Torres.

Whilst the report notes Aston Villa as the true credible interest, with their pursuit of the Spanish stopper understandable given Unai Emery's familiarity with his game, their reluctance to pay more than £35m could allow the Lilywhites to swoop in. Especially given his release clause reportedly stands at €65m (£56m).

Having already secured a permanent deal for Dejan Kulusevski, and more recently snatched James Maddison from Leicester City, it seems that the hierarchy are prepared to back Ange Postecoglou suitably to help take them back to the top.

How good is Pau Torres?

Having been a star man for the Yellow Submarine for many years, leading to his 23 caps for Spain, the 26-year-old is vastly experienced considering he still has the bulk of his career ahead of him.

Should he choose to spend those prime years in north London, it could provide the perfect springboard for him to become a hero under the Australian tactician. Especially given he will follow Clement Lenglet as his replacement for that left-sided centre-back spot, with the bar hardly being set exceptionally high.

Having spent last term on loan at the club, the Barcelona dud could only muster a 6.65 average Sofascore rating in the Premier League, the third-lowest of anyone within the Spurs squad who started over five games. To be rated as one of the worst players in a team that truly crumbled speaks volumes for his ability to play at this level.

Meanwhile, Torres was maintaining a 7.04 average Sofascore rating in La Liga, building upon his 7.09 figure from the season prior. He has remained a consistently classy asset at the back, with his piercing left foot and powerful physique lending to his success.

The former rating was upheld through 4.1 clearances and 1.3 tackles per game, yet he would also maintain an 85% pass accuracy alongside a 79% dribble success rate, via Sofascore, numbers that eclipse Lenglet in some areas, with the Frenchman posting 2.6 clearances per match and completing just 64% of his dribbles.

Given how Postecoglou will likely instruct his defenders to be the first line of creativity, striding out from the back with poise and purpose to kickstart attacks, there are arguably few more suited to such a ball-playing philosophy than this 6 foot 3 titan.

To emphasise this further, when compared to other centre-backs across Europe, Torres ranks in the top 4% for progressive passes, the top 1% for progressive carries and the top 3% for successful take-ons per 90, via FBref.

A former coach of his, Paco Lopez, always expected great things from his pupil though, as he noted: "I have followed his career, I always had a certain weakness for him.

"I had put my confidence in him, helped him jump up through the ranks. So I was not surprised by his progress, not at all. When we played against Villarreal, I spoke with him for a good while. As always, he is a sensational kid, very humble, the same as when I had him."

Given this effusive praise can be contrasted with the claims of journalist Roy Nemer, who branded Lenglet a "defensive liability" back in 2020, such a switch marks a no-brainer for the Lilywhites who would be sealing a seismic upgrade.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers and their pursuit of a deal for Jonathan Panzo in the summer transfer window…

What’s the latest on Jonathan Panzo to Rangers?

According to The 4th Official's Patreon page, Michael Beale has held several conversations with the central defender in an attempt to convince him that a move to Ibrox is the best next step for his career.

The report claims that the Nottingham Forest enforcer, who spent last season on loan at Coventry is keen on the switch to Scotland and it is now down to the two clubs to agree a fee.

It has previously been reported that it could take as much as £2m to tempt the Premier League side into parting ways with the former England youth international.

Would Jonathan Panzo be a good signing for Rangers?

The 22-year-old titan could be an excellent addition to Beale’s side and could get the best out of Ridvan Yilmaz, who endured a difficult debut season with the Light Blues.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst signed the Turk from Besiktas last summer and the left-footed ace missed 29 competitive matches due to injury throughout the campaign.

His fitness woes restricted him to eight Scottish Premiership starts but the new season is set to provide him with a chance to finally kickstart his career at Ibrox and the signing of Panzo could help him.

The Forest defender, who stands at 6 foot 1, is a centre-back by trade but has also played 30 club matches as a left-back, meaning that he is used to being in that area of the pitch.

Therefore, the English titan could be the perfect player to select next to Yilmaz due to his ability to drop into the space on the left flank when Rangers have possession, which would allow the Turkish whiz to push on with the security of cover behind him.

Panzo, who was once hailed as "outstanding" by former manager Mark Robins, made 3.3 tackles and interceptions per game and won 58% of his duels in the Championship last season, which shows that he is capable of dominating opposition attackers and can win the ball back multiple times per match.

Yilmaz created three chances and assisted two goals in his final outing of the campaign against St Mirren and created five 'big chances' in 23 Super Lig starts for Besiktas in 21/22.

This shows that the potential is there for the 22-year-old to be a creative threat from left-back by pushing up the pitch to make things happen in the final third and Panzo's presence at the back, due to his ability to play in the middle or on the left, could allow him to bomb forward more to finally thrive down the flank in a Rangers shirt.

If Erik ten Hag wants to build upon an impressive debut season in England, with saw Manchester United secure their first trophy since 2017 and Champions League football, then a new striker must be signed.

However, the process of pinpointing the right man is proving to be an exhaustive and tricky process.

The Dutchman’s mantra for a new frontman is “no risk” – a guarantee of goals from a consistent focal point.

Throughout the season, the Red Devils lacked potency, scoring just 58 goals from an expected goals (xG) of 68.74 as only Chelsea and Everton had worse discrepancies from chances created.

One name that could solve this problem and has been constantly linked to Old Trafford is Rasmus Hojlund.

What’s the latest on Rasmus Hojlund to Manchester United?

According to The Athletic, Hojlund’s agents SEG held talks with Atalanta as the club confirmed that his fee in this market would be €100m (£85m).

The 20-year-old is reportedly “keen” to join United and further discussions over the player are expected in the near future.

The report also details that the forward has already experienced “some friction” with his current manager Gian Piero Gasperini and feels “ready” for the next step.

However, his current club is unlikely to budge from their asking price so will take a monstrous fee for this transfer to materialise.

Who can Rasmus Hojlund replace at Manchester United?

In a stirring breakout season in Italy, the youngster has operated primarily as a striker and has registered 23 goal involvements in 46 outings in all competitions.

His physicality, pace, and finishing ability have been recognised as his most impressive qualities by Gasperini, who said: “Hojlund has this spirit, energy, intensity, but also technical quality that is just remarkable. He still has so much margin for improvement, too.”

The prodigy has all the attributes to excel in English football, and he could be the answer to replace Anthony Martial as Ten Hag’s preferred striker.

The Frenchman has endured an injury-ravaged term, having only appeared for 1,432 minutes out of a possible 5,640, and may not even be fit for the start of the upcoming campaign due to a hamstring tear.

A debate still rages on over the ex-Monaco star’s best position and the fan's trust has wavered on various stages due to his fitness problems and inconsistency.

Whilst Martial is undoubtedly still a useful asset and will be a pivotal source of depth next season, he has emphatically underlined that he isn’t the regular goalscorer that United desperately requires, only scoring nine goals this term.

That is a great deal less than Hojlund who has been a "monster in the making" – as per scout Jacek Kulig – having scored 16 throughout the 2022/23 campaign.

Indeed, the Dane is clearly a traditional number nine, who under Ten Hag’s meticulous guidance and development, could be just the upgrade the manager is looking for with a missing piece of the puzzle in the United attack potentially set to be discovered.

Leeds United have finally confirmed their 49ers takeover, but there is still plenty of work to be done at Elland Road and now a new update has emerged on a potential transfer target.

What's the latest on Leeds' interest in Viktor Gyokeres?

According to Portuguese news outlet A Bola, Leeds are one of many clubs interested in signing Coventry City striker Viktor Gyokeres.

As per the report, the recently relegated side will need to compete with West Ham United, Fulham, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Everton and Southampton for the talented player's signature this summer, with Coventry expected to command a €20m (£17m) to part ways with Gyokeres.

Who would Viktor Gyokeres replace at Leeds?

Whilst Leeds are still without a sporting director and manager to lead their transfer window and campaign in the Championship next season, it will be important to identify players who can replace those departing as soon as possible.

Rodrigo is one of the latest players to be heavily linked with a move away from Elland Road this summer, with journalist Ryan Taylor revealing to GIVEMESPORT:

"I think Marc Roca is definitely one that will move on. Rodrigo Moreno as well."

As a result, the signing of Gyokeres could be the perfect opportunity to replace the Spanish forward and provide quality competition for Patrick Bamford next season in the Whites' pursuit to instantly bounce back to the Premier League.

Over 46 Championship appearances, the 25-year-old handful – who was dubbed "powerful" by Sunderland boss Tony Mowbray – scored 21 goals, registered ten assists and created nine big chances in a seriously impressive campaign.

He also averaged three shots on goal, 1.8 key passes, 2.1 successful dribbles and won 6.2 duels per game, proving that he is a huge attacking threat.

Gyokeres – who was the second top goalscorer in the second tier this season – is an explosive forward with incredible finishing ability and a wealth of Championship experience that could make him a huge asset to Leeds next season.

The Swedish striker's prolific goal-scoring has captured the attention of many and led to huge praise from his peers with Blackburn Rovers defender Dom Hyam full of compliments for Gyokeres:

"I think he's so good at what he does, his attributes are so rare as well. Obviously strikers have their qualities, but there's nothing he's bad at.

"He's good in the box, he's tall, he's big, he's strong, he's technically good as well. I think as long as he keeps grounded, which I know he will, I know him personally, yeah, I think he's got a massive career ahead of him."

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Leeds to snap up the services of Gyokeres this summer, as he could be the dream Rodrigo heir and his huge influence in front of goal could be the linchpin to securing instant promotion back to the top flight.

The transfer window has officially opened, as Aston Villa find themselves linked to an audacious swoop for a Premier League ace.

Unai Emery has already made one signing in an agreement with Youri Tielemans, and with European football confirmed at Villa Park, will aim to bolster his squad further this summer.

It’s expected to be a busy break regarding movements both on and off the pitch, with Sevilla sporting director Monchi reportedly on course to relocate at Villa.

The Spanish duo could propose an exciting summer in the Midlands, with the latest link being a major name in the Premier League.

What’s the latest on Jadon Sancho to Aston Villa?

As reported by FootballTransfers, Aston Villa are ‘keen’ on Manchester United winger Jadon Sancho.

The 23-year-old is believed to be ‘allowed to leave’ Old Trafford this summer, just two years on from his €85m (£72.6m) move.

The report claims that although United will demand £60m for the winger, Villa would not be prepared to pay such a sum, adding that negotiations could find a compromise between both parties.

What could Jadon Sancho offer Aston Villa?

Having been lauded as the “perfect player” by German legend Lothar Matthaus via Sun Sport, the Englishman is regarded as one of the top talents in Europe, despite experiencing a tough time in the Premier League.

Signed by United in the summer of 2021 for a fee of £73m, the Londoner made a statement return to England after excelling at Borussia Dortmund from Manchester City’s academy.

In 104 Bundesliga appearances, Sancho contributed to a monstrous 89 goals, scoring 38 himself and assisting 51, via Transfermarkt, showing exactly the heights he is capable of on one of the continent’s biggest stages.

Things haven’t worked so far at Old Trafford, however, the young talent is someone that could rediscover his form under the influence of Emery at Villa.

In terms of his competition at Villa Park, the Englishman could be a significant upgrade on left-winger Leon Bailey performing statistically better than the Jamaican despite his dip in performance in Manchester.

When comparing the individual performances of the wingers this season via FBref, it’s clear to see why the Villans are eyeing Sancho, should reports be believed.

The London-born dynamo has averaged 4.64 shot-creating actions to Bailey’s 2.84 per 90 over the last year, whilst also registering 4.70 progressive carries to the Villa man's 3.89 per 90, highlighting the threat he can have on a game regardless of his goalscoring form.

The underperforming United star has actually outscored the 25-year-old this campaign as well, having bagged six goals to Bailey's four in fewer appearances, via FBref.

A notable area that Sancho excels in compared to Bailey is the overall influence he has on the game and his desire to be involved, evident statistically through his average of 40.2 touches per game to the Jamaican’s 27.7, via Sofascore.

Emery could assist the young ace in rediscovering his form displayed in the Bundesliga, allowing him to thrive in a free-flowing attack system and act as one of the star names in a less-pressured environment.

Newcastle United have 'always wanted' Leicester City playmaker James Maddison and will be in the race to sign the England international this summer, according to journalist Fabrizio Romano.

What's the latest transfer news involving James Maddison?

As per The Mirror, Newcastle United will rival Tottenham Hotspur this summer as they try to acquire Maddison from Leicester City in a deal that could cost around £40 million.

The Athletic report that Leicester City will try to sell Maddison in the off-season to raise funds for their assault on the Sky Bet Championship; however, the Foxes are hopeful that they can initiate a bidding war for his services.

Arsenal have also been linked with a swoop for the £110k-a-week ace and could let go of Emile Smith Rowe to make room for the Coventry-born midfielder.

Football Insider claim that Newcastle United are 'frontrunners' to sign Maddison and boss Eddie Howe is 'close to a breakthrough in negotiations' with the former Norwich City man.

According to the outlet, the Magpies have leapt in front of Tottenham in the race to land Maddison as they prepare for a tilt at Champions League football next term.

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Romano has detailed that Newcastle United have always been among the suitors to land Maddison.

Romano stated: "Maddison for sure because for the player they have been in the race since last summer. They always wanted him, they always appreciated him."

Would James Maddison be a good signing for Newcastle United?

Maddison, who was hailed as a "Champions League player" on TalkSPORT, is a wonderfully talented midfielder and would add extra goals and creativity to Newcastle United ahead of the 2023/24 season.

In 2022/23, the 26-year-old made 32 appearances in all competitions and managed to register ten goals and nine assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Speaking on Sky Sports via The Daily Mail earlier this year, pundit Graeme Souness waxed lyrical over Maddison, stating: "He'll do the hard yards as well, he's an all round top man and I really think it will be hard to hold onto him. Over £100million for him. Chelsea spent £110m on Fernandez, you're buying potential with him, Maddison is a great player."

According to FBRef, Maddison also managed to lay on 138 shot-creating actions this campaign, demonstrating his ability to be an inventive presence in the middle of the park.

Unsurprisingly, Maddison was also Leicester City's most impressive performer, racking up an average match rating of 7.24/10, according to WhoScored.

With Newcastle United looking for some creative genius ahead of the new campaign, Maddison would be an excellent capture by Eddie Howe, all things considered.

Antonio Conte reportedly has his sights set on bringing Manchester City forward Raheem Sterling to Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Sterling profiled

The 27-year-old joined the Sky Blues in a £49m move from Premier League rivals Liverpool seven years ago, and he has since gone on to make 339 appearances for his current club, scoring 131 goals and providing 95 assists during that time, as per Transfermarkt.

Despite still having just over a year remaining on his contract with Pep Guardiola’s side, the winger has been heavily linked with a move away from the Premier League champions, with the likes of Barcelona and Chelsea being named as potential suitors.

However, following a fresh update, it would now appear as though the most current interest is coming from the Lilywhites.

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The Latest: Spurs line up Sterling swoop

In a new article published by The Telegraph, it is claimed that Sterling is a player that Conte would ‘no doubt’ look at signing if he decides to leave City. However, it remains ‘highly questionable’ whether or not Spurs would be able to afford his wages and price tag, which is believed to have been set at around the £80m mark.

The report added that the 74-cap England international will ‘carefully weigh his options’ up whilst on holiday next month before making a return to the UK to hold ‘talks’ with City about his future, although it is thought that the attacker would aim to join a club ‘higher’ than the north London outfit.

The Verdict: Second time lucky?

Despite finding the net 17 times across all competitions this season, Sterling has slightly fallen down the pecking order under Guardiola in recent weeks behind the likes of Phil Foden, Riyad Mahrez and Jack Grealish, so it’s no shock to see him being rumoured with a summer exit.

The former Liverpool man, who was once dubbed a “beast” by former City centre-back Tosin Adarabioyo, has previously been associated with a switch to N17, after Spurs chairman Daniel Levy was offered the player as part of an attempted swap deal for Harry Kane just last year.

After successfully securing Champions League football for Tottenham next term, Conte is now said to be targeting between six and eight new signings to bolster his ranks ahead of the 2022/23 season, one of which is a forward who can play either centrally or out wide. If the price is right, the versatile Sterling might just be someone who comes back onto the club’s radar in the coming months.

In other news… Conte is believed to have made a major transfer decision involving this former Spurs star

Sky Sports man Ben Dinnery has now given his reaction to some news involving Newcastle United.

The Lowdown: Darsley Park plans

As per The Chronicle, the North East club have now drawn up and submitted extensive plans to improve the Darsley Park training ground in Benton.

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They have admitted that it is currently not up to scratch for a team in the Premier League, especially with the ambitions that the new owners hold, and so they want to upgrade it with new state-of-the-art facilities.

The Latest: Dinnery reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Dinnery, who is also an injury expert who runs the Premier Injuries site and has a background in medicine and data analysis, has claimed that their current facilities are ‘shocking’, and that the improvements could give the players a ‘massive’ lift:

“There are two facets to this.

“Away from injury rates, you need to upgrade the facilities to take recruitment to the next level.

“The time you spend at the stadium is a very small fraction of how you spend your time. It’s what happens on a day-to-day basis that will really impact your well-being and state of mind.

“These things all help on the training ground. Psychologically, it can give your players a massive lift.

“If Newcastle want to be among the elite, they need to provide an elite level of rehab and recovery facilities that match the standard of players they want to bring in.

“We have seen players dunked in wheelie bins full of ice as part of their post-match recovery at Newcastle. It’s shocking, and they recognise that. Some of these players are on six-figure per week salaries.

“Sometimes you have to work with what you’ve got, and a cryotherapy chamber isn’t 100 per cent essential. But it’s about creating a level of elitism.”

The Verdict: Needed

The training complex needed to be upgraded anyway, but it does even more so now if the Magpies have the ambition of becoming one of the top clubs in the Premier League, and indeed in Europe.

It will boost their chances of attracting big names to St. James’ Park in future transfer windows if they can show off the kind of facilities that they have on offer, and also improve the current squad in terms of fitness and recovery, something which was a major issue earlier this season.

Nonetheless, this is a smart move by the new ownership, and one that will surely be welcomed by the Toon Army.

In other news, find out who is now ‘set to leave’ NUFC this summer here!

Tottenham Hotspur secured a hard-earned point against title-chasing Liverpool on Saturday evening with the Champions League finalists needing a deflected goal to salvage a draw at Anfield.

Heung-min Son opened the scoring for Spurs in the 11th minute after Ryan Sessegnon squared the ball across the face of goal for the South Korean to slot home his 20th goal of the 2021/22 Premier League campaign.

The 29-year-old was among the Lilywhites’ standout performers in Merseyside, hardly a surprise given there have been few better than him this season.

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However, some of his teammates certainly fought for the cause and arguably, Eric Dier was one of the names to steal the show against the 2020 champions.

The English colossus was a big part of why the north Londoners held on amid a barrage of late attacks from the home outfit.

He registered a whopping match-high 11 clearances, on top of a further three blocks and two interceptions with the latter two figures only being beaten by one other player in the match, as per SofaScore.

It’s no wonder he was described as “very impressive” by The Athletic’s Charlie Eccleshare at full-time. The praise didn’t stop there as much of the local press waxed lyrical about his performance.

The Evening Standard’s Dan Kilpatrick wrote in his post-match ratings column: ‘An imperious display in the heart of the back three. Superb in the air and led Spurs’ brave approach to playing out [from the back].’

Indeed, just three of the Reds’ 22 shots were on target and they failed to convert any of their 11 corners, further proving the £18m-rated titan was an absolute rock at the back for Conte.

Elsewhere on the pitch, he was equally adept with the ball at his feet, averaging an 83% passing accuracy despite attempting seven long balls. Dier also won three of his five duels (60%).

Once lauded as “sensational” by former Spurs midfielder Jermaine Jenas, Dier was certainly an absolute animal up at Anfield this weekend. Those sorts of performances could well put him back in Three Lions’ reckoning before the winter’s World Cup in Qatar.

AND in other news, Conte could land his own Jorginho in Spurs swoop for “extraordinary” £45m-rated titan…

Liverpool midfielder James Milner could sign a new one-year deal at the club and Jurgen Klopp wants it to happen, according to reliable journalist Neil Jones.

The Lowdown: Milner a great servant

The 36-year-old has been a wonderful servant for the Reds since arriving in the summer of 2015, putting his experience and versatility to good use.

Milner has made 285 appearances for Liverpool in total and he is a much-loved figure who is renowned as an enormous influence in the dressing room, with Klopp comparing him to Luka Modric after Saturday’s 1-0 win away to Newcastle United in terms of still performing to a high level at the age of 36.

The English midfielder’s current deal expires at the end of this season, but a new update suggests that he could extend his stay at Anfield.

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The Latest: One more year?

Taking to Twitter as he shared a corresponding article for Goal, Jones claimed that a new one-year contract would appeal to both Milner and Klopp, suggesting that it will get signed. He outlined:

“Klopp wants Milner to stay and has made that clear. Milner wants to stay even though he knows he’s, at best, fifth choice. One more year?”

The Verdict: No-brainer for Liverpool

While Milner is no longer a regular starter for Liverpool, his mere presence at the club is most welcome given his aforementioned influence, and he showed with a stellar performance against Newcastle on Saturday that he remains a very handy squad player.

Retaining his services for another year makes perfect sense, with his fitness levels far superior to most players his age and his leadership still a massive part of the dressing room.

It feels like a no-brainer for all parties unless Milner wants to be a regular starter elsewhere, but given Liverpool’s current greatness, why would he want to go anywhere else?

In other news, a pundit has dropped a worrying Liverpool claim. Read more here.