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Get French Football News writer Adam White insists that Tanguy Ndombele has lost the “ferocity” he showed at Lyon amid reports that his future at Tottenham Hotspur is currently in doubt.

Ndombele did not play a single minute for the club in pre-season, and was left out of the squad for the prestige friendly with Arsenal at the weekend, a game that Spurs won 1-0 without him.

New manager Nuno Espirito Santo has revealed that the Frenchman is not injured and he is subsequently unlikely to play against Manchester City in the Premier League opener this weekend, due to his lack of preparatory minutes.

Ndombele did report late for pre-season training due to his paternity leave, but his absence against Arsenal has again thrust his future into the spotlight.

He remains Spurs’ record signing, with the club having paid £53.8m to sign him from Lyon, but he somewhat struggled for consistency last season, making 28 league starts and completing the 90 minutes in the Premier League just six times.

And White, who also covers Ligue 1 for The Guardian, does not think he is the same player he was when he played for Lyon, a club for whom he made 96 appearances.

He said: “His demeanour seems to have changed a little bit at Tottenham.

“There was an intensity to his play at Lyon, the way that he would surge forward and the way he carried the ball, there was an intensity to that.

“I think at Tottenham, whether that’s coaching, whether that’s the Premier League, whether that’s the big move he’s had between the two clubs, it seems to have lessened a little bit.

“Maybe that’s just that he’s been asked to do a different role but that’s my take on the Ndombele at Tottenham situation. He doesn’t seem to have that ferocity that he had at Lyon.”

Manchester City fans want to sign Cristiano Ronaldo this summer after it was suggested the Portuguese striker has been offered to the Citizens.

Despite possessing a squad full of talent and recently adding Jack Grealish (mancity.com) to their plethora of attacking options, it has not been the best start to the campaign for City this term.

They lost the Community Shield against Leicester City and they followed that up with a 1-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur on the opening matchday of the Premier League season.

In a shock report, the Corriere dello Sport (via Marca) has suggested £40.5m-valued Ronaldo (Transfermarkt) has been offered to the Etihad Stadium outfit. While the 36-year-old may be approaching the end of his career, he has still managed 101 goals in 133 games for Juventus (Transfermarkt), showing he still has plenty of his legendary ability.

The news was shared on Twitter by @City_Xtra, and it attracted plenty of attention from the City supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Ronaldo news below

“PLEASEEEEEEEEE”

Credit: @ZinnySZN

“Yes him over Kane easy. plus a pen scorer”

Credit: @JrJrjuniorsjr1

“IMAGINE THE SCENES ‘Welcome back to Manchester’”

Credit: @Puttci0

“you love to see it”

Credit: @TomWoods_

“Imagine the goals he’d get with KDB behind him”

Credit: @JesusRole

“As much as I call him Penaldo, he is exactly what we need. Someone to just stay in the box and be at the end of crosses. His movements are probably amongst the greatest ever. The only concern would be his pressing.”

Credit: @RDragon7l

In other news, Man City fans slammed this man against Spurs.

Sky Sports reporter Michael Bridge has told Football FanCast that he reckons Harry Kane should be involved against Wolves on Sunday.

Kane was left out of the squad for Spurs’ season-opening victory at Manchester City last weekend due to his lack of fitness.

However, the England captain has since reported back to Hotspur Way to integrate with the rest of his teammates but still wasn’t included in the party that were beaten in Portugal in the UEFA Conference League on Thursday despite being named in the squad for the play-off tie.

Kane’s availability was once more the main talking point when Nuno Espirito Santo addressed the press ahead of his return to Wolves this weekend, but the Spurs boss didn’t confirm or deny whether the 28-year-old will make his first appearance since the Euro 2020 final.

But whilst Santo said he’ll decide regarding Kane 24 hours before the game, Bridge told Football FanCast that he should play some part:

“I’d be surprised if Kane started against Wolves on Sunday, but I think he should be on the bench.”

According to Foot Mercato, West Ham are back ‘in the running’ to sign Montpellier striker Gaetan Laborde – coming after The Evening Standard reported a rejected January offer for the player.

The Lowdown: West Ham hunting strikers…

Time is fast running out for manager David Moyes to add to his attacking options for what is set to be a more congested 2021/2022 campaign.

West Ham’s involvement in the Europa League means more games and the need for new additions, with signing a new forward thought to be one of Moyes’ top priorities all window (Claret & Hugh).

New targets are entering the frame on a consistent basis, with 90min recently revealing that Netherlands striker Luuk de Jong has now emerged as an option for West Ham.

The Latest: West Ham re-join Laborde race…

As per Foot Mercato, another name is now being targeted by the Irons as they re-join the race to sign Laborde – coming after The Evening Standard revealed a failed January offer.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/west-ham-latest-news-3/” title=”West Ham latest news…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

The French striker formed a brilliant Ligue 1 partnership with Andy Delort last season with the duo scoring a combined 31 goals whilst also registering 17 assists between them (WhoScored).

West Ham are now again ‘in the running’ to sign him this summer alongside Rennes and it is believed that he will not be selected for Montpellier again in the event of a suitable offer.

The Verdict: Solid option?

Valued at around £13.5 million by Transfermarkt, Laborde’s impressive 16-goal French top flight haul last season is overshadowed only by his career total of 83 in all competitions.

The 27-year-old is still yet to enter the prime of his career and particularly proficient in the air, coming as a real strength and, potentially, a different option for Moyes.

He could be one to watch out for as the end of the transfer window creeps ever closer, offering the manager a potentially cheaper option and a different style of play as a traditional target man.

In other news: Bid tabled: West Ham make offer to sign ‘unbelievable’ player for Moyes, find out more here.

Fulham are interested in a deal to bring Phil Jones to Craven Cottage this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by 90min, who claim that Marco Silva’s side are one of a number of Championship clubs interested in the Manchester United centre-back, who is also believed to be wanted by Premier League outfits Newcastle United and Watford.

The report goes on to claim that the most likely scenario would be a loan move, with Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side willing to pay a significant chunk of the 29-year-old’s £110k-per-week wages to help get a deal over the line.

Big mistake

While it is undeniable that Jones was once a player who boasted an incredible amount of potential, with Sir Alex Ferguson claiming back in 2013 that the defender could go on to become United’s “best ever player,” this is something that, in reality, is far from the case.

Indeed, the £4.5m-rated man has not played a competitive game for Manchester United in 19 months, with his most recent appearance coming in the club’s 6-0 win over Tranmere Rovers in the Carabao Cup back in January 2020.

Furthermore, in his two Premier League appearances that same season, the player Rio Ferdinand recently dubbed a “waste of time” failed to impress whatsoever, making an average of one interception, one tackle and losing possession of the ball 9.5 times per fixture.

These returns saw the 29-year-old earn a disappointing average SofaScore match rating of 6.75, something that, considering his two appearances came against Sheffield United and Burnley, perfectly demonstrates how far the centre-back has fallen.

As such, it could easily be argued that a move by Silva for the England international this summer would be the Portuguese manager’s biggest transfer mistake of his Fulham career to date, as the centre-back looks unlikely to be an upgrade on any of the club’s current options in the position, while he would also likely cost a substantial amount of money in wages.

In other news: Peter Rutzler drops major Fulham development which will leave fans absolutely buzzing

Cristiano Ronaldo’s return to Manchester United was a joyous occasion for everyone associated with the club, but the return of the five-time Champions League winner isn’t without its consequences.

What’s the story?

The Red Devils snapped up the 36-year-old sensation in a £12.8 million deal from Juventus, bringing hope that they can claim their first Premier League crown since 2013.

However, Dan James has already become the first casualty of Ronaldo’s second skint with United, while Anthony Martial was also reportedly offered the opportunity to follow him out of the exit door.

According to the Daily Express (as relayed by Sky Sports), the France international was offered the opportunity to move back to his homeland via a loan deal with Lyon on Deadline Day but he rejected the offer as he wants to prove his worth at United.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer will be gutted

Although Martial’s decision to remain on English shores leaves Ole Gunnar Solskjaer with an abundance of quality attacking options, the 25-year-old’s decision may leave his Norwegian boss feeling gutted.

The pacey attacker struggled to make a significant impact at United last term, scoring seven goals and provided nine assists in 36 games before picking up a season-ending knee injury in March.

It was an extremely disappointing campaign for the former Monaco ace after he appeared to turn a corner in his development throughout 2019/20 when he managed 35 goal contributions in all competitions.

Moving to Lyon on a temporary basis may not have been part of Martial’s or United’s original plans for the summer window, but the shock arrival of Ronaldo arguably meant it was the best option for all parties.

Adding the five-time Ballon d’Or winner to the Old Trafford outfit’s ranks means Mason Greenwood, Edinson Cavani and Ronaldo could all be ahead of Martial in the pecking order for his preferred central striking role, leaving him desperately short of opportunities to get game time.

Therefore, a move to the Groupama Stadium would have allowed the £40.5m-rated gem to showcase his true ability and potential week in week out, proving he can be the long-term solution to the club’s striker woes.

Instead, it appears as though Martial is prepared to spend substantial periods of time occupying the substitutes bench this season, not something that is going to catch Solskjaer’s attention or prove that his future lies in the red half of Manchester.

And, in other news…Samuel Luckhurst provides Man Utd update that could leave fans buzzing 

Danny Mills believes that finances may have been a factor in why Ryan Christie chose to leave Celtic for Bournemouth this summer.

The Lowdown: Ryan Christie was an important player for Celtic

The 26-year-old was an important player at Parkhead during his six years with the Hoops, registering 85 goal contributions in 151 games, with 41 goals and 44 assists to his name [Transfermarkt].

Six trophies later, the Scotland international has recently moved to Bournemouth on an undisclosed fee [BBC], a transfer perhaps made easier due to him being out of contract at Parkhead in January 2022 [GIVEMESPORT].

Former Manchester City defender Mills has now weighed in with his thoughts on why Christie moved south of the border.

The Latest: Danny Mills drops his verdict on Christie’s Bournemouth move

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Football Insider, the 44-year-old claimed:

“I’m guessing the finances are a lot greater at Bournemouth than they are at Celtic. It was a bizarre situation with his contract being up in January of all times.

“He’ll be delighted. Bournemouth with the parachute payments will still be decent payers.

“It’s a chance for him to get into the Premier League. Is he good enough for the Premier League? Possibly not.

“Now he’s got an opportunity with a decent club under a good young manager to get them back into the Premier League. Look at it in a year’s time and it could be a really good move for him.”

The Verdict: Celtic will hope to supplement Christie’s influence with like-minded alternatives

The unusual stipulations surrounding Christie’s contractual situation, which Mills rightly labelled “bizarre”, perhaps made any potential exit easier to complete.

Nevertheless, the signing of Benfica winger Filipe Jota will help to soften the blow of the Scot’s departure in the recently-concluded transfer window.

Christie enjoyed a productive 2020/21 campaign for the Celts, picking up six man of the match awards [WhoScored]. He also recorded an average of 2.7 shots per game (second highest after Odsonne Edouard), showing his unwillingness to relent from an attacking perspective.

Moving forward, Ange Postecoglou will be hoping to supplement Christie’s influence with like-minded alternatives within his squad at Parkhead.

In other news, a Celtic legend has dropped his verdict on a new signing. Find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are among the clubs monitoring Antonio Rudiger’s situation…

What’s the word?

That’s according to 90min, who claim that Premier League rivals Chelsea are no closer to agreeing on a new contract with the 28-year-old centre-back, whose representatives have ‘barely’ spoken with director Marina Granovskaia.

It’s thought that the last offer fell well short of expectations despite pleas from manager Thomas Tuchel to reward him with an extension.

In four months time, Rudiger can field offers from abroad, with the likes of Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Juventus all said to be keeping a close eye on the German international.

Spurs have previously tried and failed to sign the defender and are expected to retain an interest in his services.

Quite the coup

If Italian supremo Fabio Paratici can land the vastly-experienced Premier League colossus ahead of some of those teams, then it would have to be regarded as a massive coup – and one that could see Spurs elevate to the next level.

The Lilywhites must throw the kitchen sink at the £18m-rated star. He’s won an FA Cup, a Champions League and a Europa League since arriving in England back in July 2017. These are accolades that the vast majority of Nuno’s squad are lacking.

Last season, as the Blues were crowned Champions of Europe, the 6 foot 3 centre-back was rated at their third-best player in the top-flight (7.02) and averaged 1.6 tackles, 2.7 clearances and a 89.4% passing accuracy per game, via WhoScored.

During the campaign, he was also a rock against Spurs as he helped silence a frontline containing Heung-min Son, Carlos Vinicius, Steven Bergwijn and Tanguy Ndombele, with Chelsea winning 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium back in February.

His form under Tuchel earned a glowing endorsement from Premier League legend Rio Ferdinand back in August. He told his podcast (via the Metro):

“Look at Rudiger, he’s arguably, since Tuchel has been there [at Chelsea], been the best defender in the Premier League. Him or [Ruben] Dias in that time. He’s been unbelievable, he’s like an animal.”

If the opportunity arises to sign Rudiger in the coming windows, then Spurs must do all they can to secure him. A backline containing him and Cristian Romero could be one to be feared for the next few years.

AND in other news, Spurs dealt cruel double injury blow ahead of Palace clash…

Everton fans have been reacting to the news that Cenk Tosun has entered into talks with Besiktas concerning a return to Turkey.

Tosun’s spell at Goodison Park has not gone too well. In 2018, the Toffees paid £27m to take him to Merseyside (Sky Sports), but he failed to justify that lofty transfer fee. In 58 outings he has managed just 11 goals (Transfermarkt), with injuries thwarting him throughout his time in England.

Now, though, there appears to be light at the end of the tunnel for all involved. As per Fotospor (via Sport Witness), Everton are in talks with Besiktas in a deal that would see Tosun return to his homeland, with the rumours emerging on the same day his agent insisted the striker is ‘happy’ on Merseyside.

The Super Lig outfit would also be a good fit for the £4.5m-valued 30-year-old – he has managed 67 goals in 146 games for the Turkish side and it is from them that Everton signed him in the first place.

The news has been doing the rounds on Twitter, and it attracted plenty of attention from the supporters. They took to the social media platform below.

Let’s see what the fans had to say about the Tosun news below

“I’d love to believe this but he will suck every pound he can from the club before his contract expires…”

Credit: @BE_Toffees

“Good riddance”

Credit: @Mark53779049

“Hopefully!”

Credit: @J_Griffiths14

“Why wait just cancel ye contract and go now”

Credit: @Jc_efc66

“Let’s hope so”

Credit: @S34nR

“I’ll forgive brands for everything if he manages to get money for him.”

Credit: @mhart89efc

In other news, Everton fans are livid with this injury news.

Many Nottingham Forest supporters have reacted to the latest news regarding the next manager at the club following Chris Hughton’s departure.

Hughton left the club this morning after the 2-0 home defeat to Middlesbrough was the club’s sixth defeat in seven in this season’s Championship, leaving the Reds bottom of the table with one point.

The 62-year-old took over at the start of last season and guided Forest to safety with 52 points, but this season has struggled.

Following the departure of Hughton, news has emerged from The Athletic’s Paul Taylor that former Swansea City manager Steve Cooper is on the Forest radar, with his ability to improve young players and track record of leading Swansea to back-to-back playoffs noted.

But with the likes of Chris Wilder, Frank Lampard and Alex Neil available, there has been mixed reaction amongst the Forest fanbase regarding the link with Cooper.

Steven Reid will take temporary charge of the first team, for the time being, starting with Huddersfield Town on Saturday.

Forest fans react to Cooper links

These Forest fans have taken to Twitter to react to the news linking Cooper with the vacancy at the City Ground, as one supporter called the latest links ‘dreadful’.

“Another defensive manager, lol, when will we ever learn.”

Credit: @NFFCbaz

“I’d take him in a heartbeat.”

Credit: @ShakeyDay

“No no no. It’s Hughton all over again. Defensive, lacking creativity. Only three teams had fewer shots on goal than Swansea. Really bad posession rate and pass completion rate. If this is the man, I’m sorry to say Forest are blinded again. You get the football you hire.”

Credit: @mortenwj

“Would be a dreadful appointment and exactly same kind of manager we had for last 4 appointments”

Credit: @12bw1312

“Happy with Cooper, seems like a progressive manager and used to managing on a tight budget.”

Credit: @1966Jonty

“I hope so…but I hope its more than a sticking plaster, over the cracks within the club!”

Credit: @Trumanjase

In other news, Mark Crossley has expressed his concerns on specific area of Forest squad. Find out more here.