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Reliable journalist Fabrizio Romano has now shared the latest news on Tottenham Hotspur’s reported pursuit of free agent Jesse Lingard.

The Lowdown: Lenglet close to Spurs move

Spurs fans have enjoyed a change in transfer philosophy with Fabio Paratici at the helm this summer, with a plethora of signings being made early in the window – a stark contrast to the deadline day rush in January.

Out-of-contract free agents Fraser Forster and Ivan Perisic were quickly added to Antonio Conte’s ranks, before Yves Bissouma signed for the Lilywhites from Brighton in a deal worth an initial £25m. More recently, Richarlison made the switch to north London from Everton, with Paratici agreeing a £60m fee for the Brazil international.

As per Romano, Tottenham are now hopeful of completing a deal with Barcelona over a loan move for centre-back Clement Lenglet.

The Latest: Romano’s update on Lingard

With a deal for the Frenchman set to be completed ‘very soon’, Romano has now revealed the latest news on Spurs’ next transfer target, who is reported to be former Manchester United midfielder Lingard.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist claimed: “No proposal on the table from Spurs to Jesse Lingard, as things stand.”

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The Verdict: Spurs should consider it

With the free agent an interesting proposition given his homegrown status, Tottenham could look to bring in the former England international to help fill their quota in this regard.

When analysing his underlying statistics, the move also seems to make sense from a footballing perspective.

Compared with positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year, Lingard ranks in the 99th percentile for pressures made, the 96th percentile for tackles made and the 83rd percentile for non-penalty goals (via FB Ref).

The attacking midfielder would add a strong rotation option to Conte’s squad, with the Italian keen to add depth across all areas of the pitch as he chases a multitude of summer signings.

Therefore, Spurs should look to sign Lingard on a free transfer over the coming weeks.

Aston Villa have shown over the past few years that they aren’t shy when it comes to securing transfers for players from fellow Premier League clubs.

The likes of Danny Ings, Calum Chambers and Emi Martinez, among others, have all made moves to Villa Park from other top-flight teams.

Now that the Villans are in the midst of yet another summer transfer window, this period could give them the opportunity to continue their track record of signing players with whom they are familiar from facing in league action.

One Premier League player who has been mentioned with a move to Steven Gerrard’s side this time around is West Ham United midfielder Tomas Soucek.

After initially joining the east London club on loan from Slavia Prague in January 2020, the midfielder secured a permanent transfer the following summer on a four-year deal worth €21m (£18m).

Overall, the 27-year-old has made 101 appearances for David Moyes’ side across all competitions, scoring 18 goals and providing two assists along the way.

Another Premier League midfielder who is included on a list of similar players to Soucek according to Football Transfers is Chelsea’s N’Golo Kante.

Bearing in mind how the Frenchman has won multiple trophies for club and country, along with numerous individual awards, this shows the pedigree of the Stamford Bridge stalwart.

To compare the duo from their previous domestic campaigns, both players ended the season with more than 100 tackles and interceptions combined, highlighting how impressive they both are without the ball and how capable they are at winning it back.

Labelled a “huge” player for West Ham by Jamie Carragher, Soucek has also been hailed as “magnificent” by Trevor Sinclair regarding the defensive work that he puts in for his team.

Taking all this into account, the prospect of Gerrard having his own version of Kante at Villa in the shape of the Czech Republic star could be a very exciting prospect for everyone connected with the Midlands club.

With a reported price tag of £40m, securing a deal for the West Ham machine could be a very smart bit of business for Villa and something that they should definitely explore before the transfer window closes.

AND in other news: Reliable journalist claims Villa move would be “attractive” for 6 foot 1 “rock”, Gerrard will love it

Liverpool centre-back duo Nat Phillips and Rhys Williams are expected to leave the club this summer, according to reliable journalist Neil Jones.

The Lowdown: Out of favour

The English pair are currently well down the pecking order at Anfield, with Virgil van Dijk, Joel Matip, Ibrahima Konate and Joe Gomez all viewed as more trusted defensive options.

Both Phillips and Williams are held in high regard among many Kopites for their efforts during the injury-plagued 2020/21 season, as they helped Liverpool to finish third in the Premier League.

A fresh report suggests that the duo may have played their last games for the Reds, though, as they possibly look forward to the next chapter in their respective careers.

The Latest: Liverpool duo expected to leave

Writing for Goal on Monday, Jones claimed that Phillips and Williams are ‘expected to leave’ before deadline day, with ‘interest growing’ in them as the summer progresses.

Phillips is believed to have Championship ‘suitors’ and could leave Anfield permanently, while Williams is more likely to be loaned out.

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The Verdict: Makes perfect sense

In truth, Phillips and Williams are unlikely to have long-term futures at Liverpool, considering the quality that’s ahead of them at centre-back and the standards expected under Jurgen Klopp.

Both are perfectly competent players – Klopp has called them ‘incredible’ – but their combined tally of 134 minutes in all competitions last season indicated just how much they are on the periphery at Anfield.

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The pair deserve huge credit for their performances during a tough period, particularly Phillips, but his future feels as though it will lie in the Championship.

Meanwhile, Williams is only 21 and four years younger than his colleague, so he may be given more time to impress at Anfield, but he would need to improve significantly to become a future regular in Klopp’s squad.

Daniel Taylor has dropped an update on surprise Nottingham Forest transfer target Jesse Lingard.

What’s the latest?

In a recent post on Twitter, The Athletic journalist revealed that, following a number of late-night reports on Tuesday claiming that Forest had launched an offensive to hijack West Ham United’s move for Jesse Lingard, these reports are indeed true.

Taylor went on to state that talks between the 29-year-old and Steve Cooper’s transfer team are underway, with Forest said to be willing to break their wage structure in order to get a deal over the line for the former England international.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “It’s true: Nottingham Forest really are trying to sign Jesse Lingard. Talks underway and NFFC willing to break pay ceiling for former Man Utd and England player. Lingard has been speaking to West Ham but Forest trying to close surprise deal.”

Supporters will be buzzing

While it is true that, over the past few years, Lingard had fallen down the Manchester United pecking order – with the forward starting just 11 Premier League fixtures for the Red Devils over the last three campaigns – considering just how impressive the 29-year-old was during a loan spell at West Ham in the season before last, it is evident just how much talent the attacker still possesses.

Indeed, over his 16 Premier League fixtures for David Moyes’ side in the second half of the 2021/22 campaign, the £16.2m-rated forward was in breathtaking form, scoring nine goals, providing five assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as taking an average of 2.6 shots, making 1.1 key passes and completing 1.1 dribbles per game.

These returns saw the 32-cap international average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.19, ranking him not only as West Ham’s best performer in the division but also as the 20th-best player in the English top flight as a whole – playing a pivotal role in the Hammers securing an incredibly impressive top-six finish that season.

As such, with Cooper clearly looking to build a Forest side that is not only capable of retaining their Premier League status beyond the 2022/23 campaign but also pushing towards a top-half finish in the league – as evidenced by the calibre of the six signings the Reds have already brought into The City Ground since the start of the window – should Lingard go on to become Forest’s seventh arrival of the summer, it would undoubtedly leave both supporters and the 42-year-old manager buzzing.

AND in other news: Imagine him & Worrall: Cooper must finalise Forest swoop for “incredible” £5k-p/w gem

Journalist Mark Hendry, sharing news in the last 48 hours, has an update for Celtic supporters on the club’s transfer plans for the rest of this summer window.

The Lowdown: Ange backed…

The Hoops, after sealing a 2021/2022 SPFL crown over an impressive debut campaign in charge for Ange Postecoglou, have seriously backed their boss in this summer window so far.

Indeed, the Scottish champions have made seven major signings in total, most recently sealing deals for both Aaron Mooy and Moritz Jenz to complete a brilliant double capture.

Next campaign will represent an interesting one for Celtic as they look to defend their crown and fend off arch Glasgow rivals Rangers all while competing back in the big time of the Champions League.

The Latest: Hendry shares Celtic transfer plans…

Following the acquisitions of Mooy and Jenz, reporter Hendry has taken to Twitter with a last 48 hour update on the club’s summer plans.

According to his information, Celtic chiefs are ‘happy’ with their conducted business, and as things stand, they won’t be making any more signings.

He explained:

“For now I’m hearing business is finished. Obviously Matt O’Riley in January is proof that things can change but Celtic happy with what they’ve done right now.”

The Verdict: Right call?

While some supporters could arguably want to see more come through the door at Parkhead, it is also debatable that Celtic have re-enforced in the right areas and just enough not to upset the applecart.

It is imperative that Ange and Hoops chiefs don’t disrupt the harmony of a tight-knit, title-winning squad too much whilst adding that degree of quality to freshen things up.

That being said, you can certainly see why those within Celtic have made the decision to not make more approaches, yet Hendry also hints this could change depending on developments.

Indeed, if the right player becomes available, club officials may want to consider their next move carefully and it will be interesting to see if they do in fact pull a U-turn on their current stance.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke has dropped a claim regarding Southampton’s reported interest in securing a deal for Manchester City striker Liam Delap this summer.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to Football FanCast, O’Rourke had his say about the Saints potentially making a swoop to sign the striker over the coming weeks.

He stated: “You’ve got the obvious links of Joe Shields, formerly of Manchester City, so I’m sure he will be championing Delap’s case to be a signing and somebody that Southampton can develop and improve and maybe resell in the future.”

Earlier this month, it was reported that the Premier League champions had rejected a £16m bid from Southampton for the striker.

Southampton fans will be buzzing

As O’Rourke mentioned, the south coast club announced the appointment of Shields as the club’s new head of senior recruitment after leaving his role at City’s academy.

Given that link, it’s easy to see why the Saints would be confident in being able to work out a deal to sign Delap, despite having their initial bid rejected.

Also, having done business with City earlier in the window by securing deals for the likes of Gavin Bazunu and Romeo Lavia, this could also help the Saints to secure a hat-trick of players from the Etihad Stadium should they manage to sign Delap before the transfer window closes.

Having scored 46 goals in 60 appearances for the Citizens across their senior and youth teams, it’s easy to see what the 19-year-old would be able to offer Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side and why the Saints have already shown how keen they are to sign him.

Now that O’Rourke has claimed that Shields could give Southampton a big boost to their chances of securing Delap’s signature this summer, this should have a lot of their fans buzzing.

The club have brought in Sekou Mara to bolster their attacking line, but if they are also able to strike a deal with City which would see their young centre-forward join Hasenhuttl’s squad before the transfer window closes, it would surely top off what has undeniably been an impressive summer for the Saints in terms of incoming transfers.

AND in other news – “I’m told”: Journalist drops big Southampton transfer claim, it’s great news for Ralph

Newcastle United may struggle to meet Leicester City’s demands for Harvey Barnes, The Athletic’s Chris Waugh says. 

The lowdown

Newcastle are currently pursuing Barnes’ Leicester team-mate, James Maddison, but it’s proving to be tricky.

The Magpies submitted a second bid worth £40million plus add-ons for the attacking midfielder, but Leicester are said to want closer to £60million.

Barnes, 24, is under contract at The King Power Stadium until June 2025, having signed a new deal at the start of last season.

The latest

Waugh writes that Barnes ‘has admirers’ within the Newcastle United recruitment operation.

However, as in the case of Maddison, ‘it is difficult to envisage how Newcastle can present a financial package that would tempt Leicester to sell’.

The verdict

Newcastle clearly still want a wide player in the transfer window, hence their reported bid for Jack Harrison.

And it’s easy to see why they’re interested in Barnes, who scored 11 goals and provided 14 assists in all competitions last season.

He’s also earned the endorsement of a Premier League-winning manager in Jurgen Klopp, who called him ‘an unbelievable player’.

The Daily Mail’s Craig Hope, meanwhile, feels it would be a ‘tremendous’ coup for Newcastle.

But if Leicester want £60million for Maddison, they’re surely likely to slap a similar price tag on Barnes.

Indeed, the CIES Football Observatory reckon that the winger is worth somewhere between €50million (£41.9million) and €70million (£58.7million).

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Giovani Lo Celso is the subject of a transfer tug of war between Villarreal and Fiorentina, but the Lilywhites may be forced to settle for a temporary exit.

The Lowdown: Villarreal loan spell

Falling out of contention at Spurs under manager Antonio Conte, the Argentina international spent the second half of last season on loan in the Spanish top-flight with Villarreal.

During his tenure, Lo Celso made 21 appearances for the club, including six games in the side’s sensational Champions League run.

Returning to Hotspur Way this summer, the 26-year-old was omitted from Tottenham’s pre-season squad alongside the likes of Tanguy Ndombele, Sergio Reguilon and Harry Winks – who are all expected to leave the club before the window closes.

The Latest: Another loan?

Romano has shared an update on Lo Celso’s Tottenham future, revealing a two-way battle and also the fact that Fabio Paratici could have to settle for another loan deal.

Taking to Twitter, the reliable journalist reported:

“Villarreal are pushing to sign Lo Celso as soon as possible, while Fiorentina will try to enter the race until the end as he’s top priority for their manager Italiano.

“Villarreal are in talks for Lo Celso on loan with buy option clause that could become mandatory.”

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The Verdict: Great move for him

Following the arrival of Yves Bissouma from Brighton, the Argentine has fallen even further down Conte’s pecking order at Hotspur Way.

And it would be such a shame to see the midfielder rot on the bench for Tottenham, given he still has the ability to perform at the highest level.

As per FBRef, compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Lo Celso actually ranks in the 93rd percentile for tackles per 90 minutes and in the 88th percentile for pressures.

Dubbed ‘outstanding’ by The Athletic’s Dermot Corrigan for his Champions League quarter-final performance against Bayern Munich last season, a move away from Spurs appears to be the best option for the player’s career, whether that be to Spain or Italy.

According to Sky Sports, Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a move to sign an as of yet unnamed forward before deadline day.

The Lowdown: Tottenham dealt Zaniolo blow

The Premier League giants made a rapid start to the window, making six new signings in the form of Fraser Forster, Ivan Perisic, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence, but business has recently slowed down.

Spurs were reportedly confident of securing a deal for winger Nicolo Zaniolo from AS Roma, though Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport have since claimed that former N17 boss Jose Mourinho has intervened to block the move from going through.

The Latest: Spurs eyeing next signing

Sky Sports (via The Express) state that Tottenham ‘remain in the market’ for an ‘unnamed mystery forward’.

The source reads that nothing is yet at an ‘advanced’ stage, but despite Antonio Conte adding Richarlison to his ranks in the final third, he still feels as though ‘more options are required’ if he wants his squad to really compete this season.

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The Verdict: Bit-part player?

Spurs kicked off their 2022/23 Premier League campaign with an emphatic 4-1 victory over Southampton last weekend, and the front three put on the type of display that Ralph Hasenhuttl’s defenders simply couldn’t deal with.

In Harry Kane, Son Heung-Min, Dejan Kulusevski and now Richarlison, Conte has a wonderful collective mixture of attackers at his disposal.

The reality is that any new forward coming in at this stage would have a very difficult task on his hands trying to steal a place in the boss’ starting XI ahead of his current options, so they will likely have to come to terms with being no more than a rotation player.

An update has emerged on Glasgow Rangers left-back Borna Barisic as a club looks to snap him up in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to the Mail on Sunday, via Football Scotland, the Rangers full-back is attracting interest from south of the border.

It has been reported that newly-promoted Premier League outfit Nottingham Forest are keen on a deal to sign the Croatia international before the deadline.

The report does not state how much the Gers, who bought the defender for £2m in 2018, value the 29-year-old at with two years left on his contract. 

Masterclass by Ross Wilson

Rangers chief Ross Wilson could seal a masterclass this summer by cashing in on Barisic and selling him to Forest in the coming weeks.

The Croatian left-back turns 30 later this year and will only have 12 months left on his contract at the end of this season, which means that now may be the optimal time to sell him.

He is not getting any younger and he will be in a position where clubs could wait six months to snap him up on a reduced fee or a pre-contract in January if the club do not get rid of him now.

Since arriving at Ibrox, he has racked up 160 appearances for the club and won one Premiership title, assisting 36 goals in that time.

However, he has become a defensive liability this year and the club have brought in Ridvan Yilmaz at left-back to strengthen that position, which could allow Wilson to move Barisic on – potentially bringing in a back-up option to support the Turkey international.

Last season, former Gers man Derek Ferguson criticised the Forest target for his performance in an Old Firm clash, saying: “With Barisic, he got spooked. He has one look, two looks, he has three looks. He knows he’s there. Then there comes a time, you know he’s there. Is there a panic in him? Instead of thinking there’s the ball, I’ll go and meet it, he doesn’t react.

“You can see the disappointment. (Steven) Davis is close to him and knows the danger is there and he’s going off his head at Barisic. See for me, I wouldn’t play him at Parkhead.”

Jonny McFarlane noted a piece of “awful” defending from him against St. Johnstone at the weekend and journalist Josh Bunting was scathing in his criticism of him earlier this month, Tweeting:

“I don’t like writing people off especially two competitive games into the season but I am not liking Borna Barišić at all this season. Yes it’s early but he looks lost, getting beaten too easily, not putting challenges in and just doesn’t look anywhere near up to speed.”

His defending has not left a good impression on former players and journalists alike and that, coupled with his age and contract situation, is why selling him to Forest could be a late summer masterclass by Wilson.