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Tottenham Hotspur have received a boost in their pursuit of Rubin Kazan winger Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, after AC Milan refused to meet the asking price for his services [Calciomercato].

The Lowdown: Tottenham eye signings ahead of 2021/22

Progressing towards the 2021/22 campaign, newly appointed Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo will be keen to bring in some high quality acquisitions, in order to signal his intent to challenge for European qualification this campaign.

Wasting no time in getting to work on signing preferred targets, the Lilywhites have completed deals for Atalanta goalkeeper Pierluigi Gollini on loan alongside ex-Sevilla starlet Bryan Gil [Transfermarkt].

Now, the north Londoners look to have received a shot in the arm following recent reports, eyeing a talented winger to come in following the departure of Erik Lamela.

The Latest: Spurs receive boost in Kvaratskhelia chase

AC Milan believe that the valuation of the Georgian gem Kvaratskhelia from Rubin Kazan is too high, claim Calciomercato, whilst they also have reservations about the signing due to the difficulties surrounding non-EU legislation.

The Serie A outfit have only one more space for a non-EU player and have reportedly turned their attention towards Santos forward Kaio Jorge.

Tottenham, Bayer Leverkusen or Borussia Monchengladbach are now all said to be the most feasible destinations for the exciting young forward.

The Verdict: Kvaratskhelia would be an astute signing for Spurs

In need of reinforcement in the wide areas, Kvaratskhelia would represent an astute piece of business at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

In 2020/21, the Tbilisi-born attacker registered 12 goals in 23 outings across all competitions; four goals and eight assists [Transfermarkt].

Furthermore, his ability to carry the ball forward is there for all to see. Combined for club and country across last season, he made an average of 4.7 dribbles per appearance [WhoScored], marking him as a possible replacement for silky dribbler Lamela.

As the start of the new campaign draws ever nearer for Spurs, they should move to close out a deal for Kvaratskhelia before it is too late.

In other news, Spurs are confident of signing an Argentinian international.

A major update has emerged about Spanish international Aymeric Laporte, regarding his future at Manchester City.

What’s the talk?

According to AS, Manchester City are not prepared to cash in on Aymeric Laporte this summer. The report claims that Pep Guardiola wants to keep Laporte at the club to compete with Ruben Dias and John Stones for a place in his starting XI.

Earlier this month, Spanish outlet Sport reported that City and Barcelona were in talks over a potential deal for Laporte. Barcelona were said to be keen on bringing Laporte back to Spain and City were seemingly open to working out a solution.

Back in January, City boss Guardiola claimed Laporte has “special quality” with the ball at his feet, but admitted that it is down to his preparation and attitude in regards to whether he plays or not. He told The Guardian:

“It depends on him, the quality is there.

“[He has to] be in top form and have his mind open. He’s the best left-sided defender [we have], he has special quality with the ball. He has to be focused to come back in the best condition possible and he will get his minutes. After, it depends on his performance like it depends on the form of everyone.”

Fans will be buzzing

Manchester City fans will be buzzing with this news as it means that the club will avoid making a major error this summer. It was only two years ago that Laporte was named in the PFA Team of the Year for his performances at centre-back and it was only a couple of months ago that Laporte was scoring the winner in the League Cup final for City against Tottenham at Wembley. He has proven his quality throughout his time in England and it would have been a mistake for the club to sell him to Barcelona.

In 75 Premier League appearances for Manchester City, Laporte has only been on the losing side eight times. City only conceded 41 times and kept 32 clean sheets in those 75 games, whilst Laporte has made zero errors leading to goals. This is a reminder of the impact he can have and why City are making the right call by keeping him at The Etihad heading into next season.

The 27-year-old beast can now provide Stones and Dias with quality competition for places in the 2021/22 campaign for City. This will, hopefully, help all three defenders to progress as they spur each other on to keep improving in order to maintain their place in the team, or win it back.

It also means that Guardiola will not be left with inadequate replacements if either Dias or Stones needs to drop out of the side due to rest, injury or suspension. This is why fans will be delighted that Laporte will seemingly still be a City player beyond the end of the transfer window.

AND in other news, Txiki should seal Man City swoop for £31.5m-rated beast after “amazing” Euro display…

Portsmouth have been dealt a major transfer blow as “excellent” defender Jack Whatmough has signed for League One rivals Wigan Athletic.

What’s the talk?

Wigan Athletic have https://twitter.com/LaticsOfficial/status/1400859923274211333officially announced the signing of Whatmough and the centre-back will join up with the Tics at the start of July.

This comes after BBC journalist Chris Wise claimed the 24-year-old has decided to sign for Leam Richardson’s Latics and will leave Pompey at the end of the month. He is out of contract this summer and has opted against signing an extension with Portsmouth to remain at Fratton Park.

Wise has claimed that Wigan were able to offer a more attractive package to Whatmough than Portsmouth, both in terms of the finances involved and the length of the deal.

Former Pompey defender Paul Robinson, who currently works as a coach at Millwall, recently spoke about Whatmough’s quality. He labelled the 24-year-old an “excellent” defender at League One level and commended his hard work and determination.

Robinson told The News: “What he has shown is what he has always shown on the pitch – that determination and hard work to get himself back fit and get back out there. When he does that, he’s a really good player and one Portsmouth will be gutted to lose.

“I think he is an excellent League One defender. Perhaps the only reason he hasn’t gone to a higher level already is because of his injuries.”There’s no doubt in my mind he would be and you’ve seen how much Portsmouth have struggled when he hasn’t played. When he wasn’t available for some of those crucial games (due to suspension), you saw that and it’s maybe why they ended up just missing out on the play-offs.” Cowley will be gutted

Portsmouth manager Danny Cowley will be gutted by this news as it means that he is losing one of his top performers from the 2020/21 campaign. Whatmough ended the season on a WhoScored rating of 6.86 in League One, with only three Portsmouth players ahead of him in the rankings. Tom Naylor, Sean Raggett and Ronan Curtis were the only Pompey men who outperformed him, highlighting the defender’s importance to Cowley’s squad and why his potential exit is a big blow.

The 24-year-old particularly impressed when starting at centre-back. In his 31 starts in that role, he averaged a WhoScored rating of 6.91, with a couple of substitute appearances and a showing at full-back taking the overall average down to 6.86. He won 1.6 tackles and made 1.1 interceptions, 3.8 clearances and 0.7 blocks per game in League One, showing his strong defensive skillset at this level.

Cowley is now watching one of his best players walk out of the door and join one of their League One rivals in Wigan, which could be all the more frustrating as the defender is not making a step up. It could be a different story if a Championship or Premier League team were offering Whatmough the chance to leap up a division or two.

Instead, Portsmouth are allowing one of their competitors to improve whilst weakening their own squad.

AND in other news,  Pompey handed major boost over £315k-rated gem dubbed “Juan Mata”, fans surely buzzing – opinion

It appears as if Celtic have made no progress on their hunt for a new Director of Football if Alan Nixon’s recent social media post is anything to go by.

The Lowdown: Harkin to Hoops off

Fergal Harkin was the name heavily linked with the newly created role in recent months, with reports back in March going as far as saying a move was 90% done.

However, just like with Eddie Howe, a move to Celtic Park is now off. Harkin, City’s Football Partnerships Manager, is no longer looking to leave the Etihad, despite being a ‘massive’ Hoops fan.

The Latest: Nixon’s DoF worry

Nixon, who writes for The Sun, has interacted with Celtic supporters regarding any off-field developments on a regular basis.

He was asked by a Hoops fan on Friday evening for any new updates at Parkhead, to which he said:

“Sorting out this Ange thing… as for a Director of Football… dear me.”

The Verdict: Time is running out; Hoops to turn to Maloney?

By the looks of it, Celtic appear to be in a mess when it comes to appointing a DoF.

However, the Daily Record believe that former Hoops man Shaun Maloney has held initial talks about taking the position.

One thing is certain, though, and that is time is running out for Celtic to get their off-field issues sorted.

The transfer window opens on Wednesday and Celtic players will return for pre-season on June 17.

Should the manager and DoF roles remain vacant on those dates, it may well hinder the club’s hopes for a successful 2021/22 campaign.

Quite simply, the Hoops hierarchy need to turn things around quickly, or they risk turning a crucial summer for the club’s future into a hectic and unproductive one.

In other news: Celtic interested in ‘outstanding’ ace; more dribbles than Turnbull, Rogic combined, find out more here. 

Celtic are allegedly lining up a swoop for Torino midfielder Sasa Lukic as they look to strengthen their midfield ahead of the new season [Celtic Now and Forever].

The Lowdown: Celtic begin to build towards the 2021/22 campaign

With pre-season fast approaching, the Parkhead hierarchy will be desperate to make some quality additions in order to try and reclaim the Premiership title from their Glasgow arch-rivals in 2021/22.

Already making tracks in the summer window, the Bhoys have tied up deals for highly-rated youngster Joey Dawson and former Sheffield Wednesday defender Liam Shaw [Glasgow Live].

Just over three weeks away from a crucial Champions League qualifier against Danish side FC Midtjylland, could the Hoops now be ready to pull off a major transfer coup?

The Latest: Celtic lining up ambitious £6m Lukic swoop

Celtic are said to be interested in Lukic, who wants to leave Torino, and the Hoops are keen to make an offer of around £6m for his signature [Celtic Now and Forever].

The 24-year-old wishes to depart his current employers, whilst his representative agency Friends and Football International stated: “There have been a number of clubs who have contacted our client’s club and discussions are ongoing but no bids have been made as of yet” [Celtic Now and Forever].

Tottenham and Crystal Palace have also been reported admirers of the former Levante anchorman in recent months.

The Verdict: Lukic would be a statement signing at Celtic Park

Lukic would be regarded as something of a statement signing at Celtic under the stewardship of new manager Ange Postecoglou.

In desperate need of fresh impetus, his ability to progress the ball in a stylish manner could prove to be a very purposeful function for the Hoops. In 2020/21, the Serbian international made 34 appearances for Torino, registering four goal contributions with three goals and one assist [Transfermarkt].

Plying his trade for a relegation-threatened outfit last term, he showed his propensity with his ball retention, recording an 81% pass accuracy across the campaign [WhoScored].

Likely to be afforded more time on the ball in Scottish football against low-block defences, Lukic Could become a real asset for Celtic should a move materialise, and it’s one the Hoops should certainly look to pursue.

In other news, Ange Postecoglou has given the go-ahead to a potential first signing.

Christian Benteke’s agent has revealed the striker is still in talks over a new contract at Crystal Palace, with his current deal set to expire over the summer.

What’s the story?

The Belgium international signed a five-year contract when he arrived from Liverpool for £27m back in 2016, and following a rich vein of form, Palace are now looking to extend his stay at Selhurst Park.

His form means that clubs in England and across the continent are taking an interest in Benteke, but his agent Kismet Eris confirmed talks are still ongoing with the Eagles.

“Palace are happy with Benteke,” Eris told Fanatik. “We are still in talks with them. Plus, there are clubs from England and Europe that are showing an interest in him.

“Right now, he’s fully focused on the upcoming Euros. In the winter transfer window, we had an offer from Besiktas, but his contract with Palace was ongoing at the time, so the move never materialised.”

Fans will be buzzing

It’s set to be a summer full of change in south London, with the departure of manager Roy Hodgson confirmed and Patrick van Aanholt expected to be the first of many players following the 73-year-old out the exit door.

Serious injuries to Eberechi Eze and Nathan Ferguson have further complicated what is expected to be a significant rebuild of the capital club over the coming months, meaning the task for Hodgson’s successor is growing by the day.

Therefore, news that Benteke could yet remain at Palace for next season will surely have the club’s supporters buzzing.

When he first arrived on English shores with Aston Villa, Benteke adapted to the top-flight with ease, brushing defenders aside and calming slotting the ball home, earning lavish praise from then manager Paul Lambert.

“He’s one hell of a player, top class, he’s been playing extremely well, and since he’s come to this football club, he’s been a revelation,” said the Scotsman. But the goals dried up in recent years, leaving Benteke as a figure of ridicule.

However, the former Villa and Liverpool forward rediscovered his best form in the campaign just gone, bagging 10 Premier League goals in 30 appearances. That total may not sound astronomical, but put into context, it is an impressive feat.

Benteke’s Palace career got off to a flying start. The £120,000-per-week marksman scored 15 goals in his maiden campaign as he became an instant fan favourite, which makes his haul of just six league goals between 2017/18 and 2019/20 even more baffling.

The 30-year-old’s turnaround in form is quite remarkable then, and with only Wilfried Zaha outscoring the striker this season, his commitment to Palace could be crucial for their future success.

And, in other news…Heir to Zaha: Crystal Palace must swoop for £6.3m-rated gem who bullied Marquinhos 

Mark Douglas has dropped some insight on the pending arbitration from sources close to the potential takeover of Newcastle United.

Writing in his latest piece from The Chronicle, the football journalist has shared that takeover sources have admitted that there is an uncertainty over the timescale of the pending arbitration case between the St. James’ Park faithful and the Premier League.

Douglas also claimed that the Tyneside club are continuing to plan for a business-as-usual approach in the summer and beyond.

Nothing appears imminent in terms of when the hearing will start, given the complex legal arguments surrounding it, but both sides are confident that they can get a positive result.

Newcastle takeover rests on arbitration

The potential revival of the proposed deal between Mike Ashley and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group seems to rest almost entirely on a positive result for the North East club in the pending arbitration case.

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If the Magpies win the case, then it would certainly clear a pathway for the KSA’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to come back to the table, which could then lead to the resurrection of the original bid.

Nonetheless, when exactly the hearing will start and the exact timescale of it are not yet clear at the moment, and that is hugely worrying news – if there is still no clear timescale by the time the summer transfer window opens, it is difficult to see Mike Ashley getting his chequebook out for signings while he has the excuse of a possible takeover.

In other news, find out what promising insight Lee Ryder has dropped on the takeover consortium here!

Aston Villa have joined the race for former Chelsea youngster Matthew Cox, according to Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Heaton set for exit

According to The Telegraph, Villa shot-stopper Tom Heaton is set to join Manchester United on a free transfer.

The 35-year-old’s Villa Park deal expires this summer, and it is believed he will return to Old Trafford to provide competition to Dean Henderson and David de Gea.

Should Heaton’s move go through, that will leave Dean Smith with Emiliano Martinez and Jed Steer as senior options.

The Latest: Villa and Everton watch Cox in action

According to Football Insider, who have been informed by a recruitment source, both Villa and Everton are now in the hunt for Cox, currently on the books of AFC Wimbledon.

The 18-year-old, also linked with Manchester United, has been watched by Villa at youth level, with the club leaving impressed with the shot-stopper.

Cox, who only just turned 18, was on the books at Chelsea as a youngster before moving to Wimbledon as a teenager.

He’s yet to make his senior debut, but it seems as if Villa like what they see in the goalkeeper.

The Verdict: Future competition for Martinez?

Villa have European teenagers Viljami Sinisalo and Akos Onodi as options in goal for the club’s Under-23 side.

However, with Villa looking at Cox, that may spell trouble for the pair in their hopes of breaking into Smith’s first-team squad.

Cox, should he move to the Midlands and continue to flourish, could end up providing competition for Martinez over years to come. It’s a long shot, but it’s good to see Villa looking at adding to their youth ranks.

In other news: Many AVFC fans react to club’s interest in Premier League midfielder, find out more here. 

Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa may be making a real howler over Sam Greenwood this summer as news emerges from Thorp Arch about the club’s potential plans for him.

What’s the story?

The 19-year-old only joined the Whites’ youth system last summer, but he has been a revelation for the club’s U23s, helping them to the Premier League 2 Division 2 title.

However, it now appears that his immediate future could lay outside of Elland Road, with The Yorkshire Evening Post’s Graham Smyth revealing that he could be sent out on loan.

He said: “Leeds may also listen to loan offers for striker Sam Greenwood, signed from Arsenal last summer, who scored a dozen times in 18 Premier League 2 fixtures this season.

“The YEP understands there was Championship interest in the 19-year-old’s services during the campaign but head coach Marcelo Bielsa wanted him to develop at the club.”Deserves a first-team chance

In his first season with the club, Greenwood managed 12 goals in 18 games, playing in a number of different roles, including up front, behind the striker and further back as a central midfielder.

The Athletic’s Phil Hay has previously been very vocal in his praise of the youngster, saying: “He’s started really well at Leeds and he was very well thought of at Arsenal, and they weren’t rushing to get him out (of) the door this summer. From what we’ve seen of him so far, his movement and his finishing and everything else, he looks like a very natural striker.”

Meanwhile, Leeds Live’s Joe Donnohue said: “He may have hit the ground running at Thorp Arch, but he has only been here for a matter of months. His start may have been excellent, so imagine how much better he could be with consistent football.”

Rather than sending the highly-exciting prospect out on loan, could Greenwood be offered the chance to prove himself in the first-team during pre-season and seeing whether he can cope with Bielsa’s demands?

The teenager made the switch from Arsenal to Leeds after failing to break through at the Emirates, and a loan deal just seems like the kind of thing that would have happened had he stayed in north London.

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A better pathway to the first-team is surely one of the things that the Whites would have offered Greenwood when they initially signed him, and they can live up to that end of the bargain right now.

Given how Leeds fans are already on board with the 19-year-old, it surely wouldn’t have them happy seeing him just fade out of the spotlight by heading on loan.

Meanwhile, Bielsa is close to clinching his first permanent signing…

According to recent reports from Germany, Tottenham Hotspur have made contact with Bayern Munich centre-back Jerome Boateng ahead of a potential summer switch.

According to Sky Deutschland transfer expert Max Bielefeld, as cited by Sport Witness, Tottenham are the only club who are currently in the race for the defender, who is set to leave Bayern at the end of his contract this summer.

The journalist went on to claim that Jose Mourinho’s side have already held “concrete talks” with the £210,000-per-week defender, who has made 356 appearances for the Bundesliga side since joining Bayern from Manchester City back in 2011.

Finally, Bielefeld dismissed reports of Borussia Dortmund being interested in making a move for the 32-year-old centre-back this summer.

Transfer Tavern Take

With Mourinho making it abundantly clear that he would like to sign a top-class centre-back in the upcoming transfer window, and with Boateng becoming available on a free transfer, it is hardly surprising to hear that Tottenham are considering a move for the Germany international.

However, considering that when a player arrives at a club on a free transfer they tend to demand a higher wage, it could be argued that spending a figure of around £210,000-per-week – or potentially even more – on a 32-year-old might not be the most sensible idea in the world, particularly if this amount would eclipse the wage of a crucial player such as 29-goal top scorer Harry Kane.

In other news: Asking price of £24k p/w Tottenham target revealed; Mourinho backed to seal summer deal – find out more here!