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Tottenham Hotspur are facing an all-London battle to sign Everton forward Richarlison this summer, claims The Daily Mail’s Chief Football Reporter, Sami Mokbel.

The Lowdown: Richarlison’s season

Despite a poor season for Everton with Frank Lampard side’s narrowly avoiding Premier League relegation, the Brazil international was one of the only bright sparks holding the Toffees together, awarded the highest average match rating across the campaign out of the entire squad (via SofaScore).

The 25-year-old was the Blues’ top scorer with ten league goals, adding to his overall Toffees tally which now sits at 53 in 152 appearances for the club.

A number of rumours have emerged linking Richarlison with a move away from Goodison Park this summer, namely to Tottenham, but it looks like they have some serious competition.

The Latest: Mokbel’s news

Mokbel has now revealed the latest news regarding Richarlison’s transfer saga.

Taking to Twitter, Lilywhites news channel The Spurs Express shared Mokbel’s latest update: “Arsenal, Tottenham and Chelsea are in a battle for Richarlison.”

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The Verdict: Great signing

Analysing the Brazilian’s underlying stats, it is easy to see why Fabio Paratici is so keen on signing Everton’s pressing monster this summer.

Compared with positional peers across Europe over the past year, Richarlison ranks in the 99th percentile for blocks, 92nd for pressures, 95th for tackles and in the 93rd percentile for interceptions (via FB Ref).

With Antonio Conte’s style of play reliant on defensive contributions from the wing-backs and forwards, the 25-year-old would fit perfectly into the Lilywhites’ squad in a variety of attacking positions.

This would no doubt be a great signing for Tottenham, given Carlo Ancelotti’s assessment that the winger also has bags of ‘quality’ to match his tenacity.

In other news: Paul Robinson urges Spurs to sign another striker

Leeds United have had a busy start to their summer transfer window in terms of the number of players that have made moves to Elland Road.

Players such as Marc Roca, Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen have joined the Yorkshire club in recent weeks as Jesse Marsch looks to take charge of his first full season with the Whites.

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Interestingly, these three figures are all in the age range of their early to mid-twenties, which suggests that the club are looking to bring some fresh legs into the squad rather than more experienced players.

One other player in this age range that the Whites have been linked with is PSV Eindhoven winger Cody Gakpo.

As a product of PSV’s youth system, the 23-year-old has made 134 senior appearances for the Dutch side across all competitions, scoring 42 goals and delivering 32 assists along the way.

His latest campaign saw the Dutchman find the net 21 times and supply 15 assists in 46 matches, highlighting the clear attacking talent he has.

To further highlight his attacking prowess, last season, no other player at PSV managed to make as many shots at goal (80) or deliver as many crosses (139) as the winger did in his 27 appearances.

This also backs up why the £7.4k-per-week starlet was previously labelled as a “serious talent” by journalist Agragami on Twitter.

Another serious talent that has been named on a list of similar players to Gakpo, according to Football Transfers, is Barcelona midfielder Pedri.

At the age of 19, the Spaniard has made 72 senior appearances for the La Liga giants across all competitions, scoring eight goals and delivering seven assists along the way.

He’s also seen his market value shoot up to a hefty figure of £72m, which currently makes him the most valuable asset at Barcelona, the joint-most valuable Spanish player and the most valuable figure born in the year 2002.

Taking all of this into account, if the Yorkshire club were able to secure a deal for the PSV talent this summer, it could be a very exciting move for the Whites.

Also, with current Leeds winger Raphinha being linked with a move away from Elland Road, his potential exit could then pave the way for Victor Orta to launch a move to sign Gakpo, which could soften the blow that the Brazilian’s possible exit could create.

AND in other news: Jesse Marsch can from “outstanding” duo in Leeds United swoop for £6.75m-rated target

James Olley has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Djed Spence.

What’s the talk?

In a recent post on Twitter, the ESPN journalist revealed that, with Daniel Levy remaining in talks with Middlesbrough regarding a £15m plus add-ons deal for the right-back, the Championship side have now extended the England U21 international’s holiday for a further week in order to resolve his future.

Olley goes on to state that, despite previous reports claiming that Spurs had agreed a move for the defender, as a result of Tottenham’s negotiations dragging on, Nottingham Forest, Brentford and Borussia Dortmund are now all back in the race for the full-back’s signature this summer.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “Little bit of fresh info here: Djed Spence has been given a further week’s holiday by Middlesbrough as transfer talks continue. Not due back until 4 July. Spurs still leading race but Forest, Brentford, Dortmund + others keen. Boro’s high valuation remains the main issue.”

Supporters will be fuming with Levy

Considering just how exciting a prospect Spence undoubtedly is, in addition to the fact that Levy – who is reportedly leading Tottenham’s negotiations for the defender – appears to be stalling on a move for the 21-year-old in the hope of securing a cheaper deal, Olley’s claim that a number of clubs are now back in the running for the full-back is sure to have left the Tottenham faithful fuming with the chairman.

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Indeed, over his 42 Championship appearances for Forest in 2021/22, the £7.2m-rated talent played an influential role in the Reds’ promotion back to the Premier League, scoring two goals, providing five assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.0 key pass, taking 0.6 shots and completing 1.8 dribbles per game.

The £4.4k-per-week right-back also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.5 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 1.4 clearances and winning 5.8 duels per fixture.

These returns saw the 21-year-old average a quite remarkable WhoScored match rating of 7.05, ranking him as the Steve Cooper’s sixth-best player in the league last time out.

As such, considering the sheer amount of potential Spence quite clearly possesses, the fact that Levy appears to be opening the door for other clubs to make a move for the England youth international this summer is sure to frustrate the Spurs supporters greatly – as the former Fulham starlet is undoubtedly well worth the £15m fee Middlesbrough are demanding for his services.

AND in other news: Paratici given green light for “unreal” £50m Spurs signing, he’s “perfect” for Conte

Wolves have been given a green light in their chase of Chicago Fire goalkeeper Gabriel Slonina, with the latest reports suggesting that Chelsea have cooled their interest in the teenage shot-stopper.

What’s the word?

Wolves have been heavily linked with the American youngster this summer but it seemed as if they would be edged out by Premier League rivals Chelsea, while Real Madrid were also said to be interested.

However, the latest report from the Evening Standard claims that Wolves could hijack the Blues’ move for the ‘keeper after talks with Chelsea went cold, with Thomas Tuchel’s side seemingly either unable or unwilling to complete a deal for the 18-year-old.

Shi must act

While Wolves already possess one of the best shot-stoppers outside of the top six in Jose Sa, Slonina clearly has a huge ceiling and could be the long-term replacement for the Portuguese goalkeeper at Molineux.

Despite being just 18, Slonina has already made 40 MLS appearances for Chicago Fire, in which he has conceded 40 goals and kept 11 clean sheets.

Slonina’s agent Jaime Garcia, while likely biased, was full of praise for the teenager when the links to Real Madrid first surfaced, saying:

“He’s worked very hard, he is an unbelievable person and player as well, but the person is remarkable. I’ve only met a few people who work as hard as he does. He’s a very smart and courageous young man.”

Chelsea had originally agreed to a £10m deal to sign Slonina, so he could represent a bargain option for Wolves this summer, as even if he doesn’t establish himself as a starter straight away, his obvious potential suggests that he could be a regular for the Old Gold in the not too distant future.

Therefore, Wolves chairman Jeff Shi should take advantage of Chelsea stalling and work quickly to bring Slonina to Molineux this summer.

And, in other news… Imagine him & Ben Yedder: Lage must finalise huge Wolves swoop for “special” £30m gem

Sunderland are reportedly now battling with one of Alex Neil’s former clubs to sign Troy Parrott.

The Lowdown: Familiar face…

The Stadium of Light faithful will know all too well what the 20-year-old is capable of, as he scored and assisted against them while on loan at MK Dons last season.

The Tottenham striker managed 10 goals and seven assists across all competitions (2-1 on aggregate by Wycombe Wanderers, the team that Sunderland saw off in the Wembley final.

The Latest: Three-way fight

As per Sunday World, the Wearside club are now in a three-way fight with Neil’s former side Preston North End and fellow Championship rivals Queens Park Rangers to sign Parrott.

Republic of Ireland manager Stephen Kenny has suggested that he wants his players to get getting regular first-team football; and with Richarlison signed from Everton on top of Harry Kane and Son Heung-min being at Spurs, Parrott is unlikely to get that in north London.

The Verdict: Sign him

The Black Cats already know what Parrott can do, and given that Ross Stewart is the only senior striker in Neil’s squad at the moment, signing the young Irishman would be a smart piece of business.

Dubbed a ‘clever’, ‘smart’ and ‘cheeky’ player by former Ipswich Town team-mate Tomas Holy, the 6 foot 1 forward will be desperate to prove himself in the Championship, after impressing in League One.

Already a full Republic of Ireland international with four goals and two assists in 15 games (Transfermarkt), the 20-year-old certainly appears to have a lot of potential, and Sunderland could benefit hugely from his continued development if they win the race ahead of Neil’s former employers to sign him.

Wolverhampton Wanderers are reportedly interested in signing Inter Milan striker Edin Dzeko, according to Gazzetta dello Sport (via TuttoMercatoWeb). 

The lowdown: Career so far

Signed from AS Roma in 2021, the Bosnia veteran has also spent time at Manchester City, Wolfsburg, Teplice and Zeljeznicar during a trophy-filled career.

The 36-year-old frontman has scored a colossus 308 goals and registered 141 assists in 681 club career outings whilst winning the Premier League twice, along with the Bundesliga, Coppa Italia and FA Cup.

Now into the final 12 months of his deal at Inter (Transfermarkt), Dzeko could be set for a sensational return to England…

The latest: Wolves in the mix for Dzeko

As per Gazzetta dello Sport, translated by TuttoMercatoWeb, Wolves, Everton and Leicester are all interested in acquiring the 124-cap Bosnian’s services.

It’s claimed that there is also admiration from Germany along with numerous suitors in Italy, but all approaches so far have been rejected by the Serie A giants.

Juventus have also had a move rebuffed for the man described as one of the ‘most underrated players in the 21st century’ by football talent scout Jacek Kulig in recent months.

The verdict: Short-term fix

Albeit very much in the twilight of his illustrious career, Bruno Lage’s Wolves squad could certainly accommodate someone of Dzeko’s clinical nature given their lacklustre performance when it came to goalscoring during 2021/22, ending the campaign with just 38 Premier League goals.

With misfiring youngster Fabio Silva expected to confirm a loan move to Anderlecht, there is more space for additional firepower, and the Bosnia veteran seems the ideal candidate to fill the void on a temporary basis.

Last season, the 6 foot 3 centre-forward defied his advancing years to score 17 times and provide another 10 assists in 48 appearances across all competitions – proof of a continued clinical threat and durability which will be useful in order to play a major role at Molineux.

Valued at £3.6m and earning a mooted £152,000 per week (Salary Sport), the Wolves hierarchy would likely be looking to reduce the Bosnian’s wage demands in order to fall in line with the rest of the Old Gold squad. However, if that were to be a possibility, this would be a short-term solution to a long-standing issue which would make plenty of sense.

Journalist Dean Jones has claimed that Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo could be back sooner than expected following his recent injury.

The Lowdown: Eight-week timeframe

The 25-year-old, who is the only senior left-back available to Jesse Marsch, suffered a fresh injury in the club’s opening pre-season friendly against Blackpool.

As a result, the Spaniard didn’t travel to Australia, with the manager taking youngster Leif Davis instead. Firpo was expected to be out for eight weeks, but Jones has made an exciting claim after talking to people inside Elland Road.

The Latest: Jones’ comments

Talking to The Transfer Tavern, Jones was asked about the possibility of a new left-back potentially arriving due to the 25-year-old’s injury.

He said that ‘some people in the club’ think Firpo could be back in six weeks instead of eight, which could impact the club’s pursuit of a new full-back.

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Jones stated:

“I think it’s going to depend on how long Firpo is actually out for. It’s being talked about as eight weeks, but actually, some people in the club feel it could actually be more like six weeks.

“If it’s six weeks you might be able to get by, so I think that’s what they need to weigh up.”

The Verdict: New left-back needed anyway?

Even if Firpo returns two weeks quicker than expected, it could be wise for Leeds to bring in a new left-back regardless.

They have done that on the opposite flank this summer with Rasmus Kristensen, who will rival the injured Luke Ayling to become first choice right-back in the long run.

Firpo endured a number of injury issues last season, so there’s no guarantee that he’ll constantly remain fit over the next 12 months.

Additionally, with the versatile Stuart Dallas also out for the foreseeable future, it could be wise for Leeds to bring in a new senior left-back over the coming weeks.

Nottingham Forest have been linked with a move for Orel Mangala this summer, however, there has now been an update from a source close to the player that could write off the club’s chance of securing his signature.

What’s the latest?

According to Orel Mangala’s agent Mehmet Eser (via Sport Witness), the Nottingham Forest transfer target will likely remain at VfB Stuttgart this summer.

Eser told German news outlet SWR Sport:

“Orel can imagine staying in Stuttgart. VfB has a strong team; they can attack next season,”

“There are clubs who want to sign him, but you have to respect the contract in Stuttgart. If VfB is willing to give him up, then we have to talk.

“Orel needs time in action. The World Cup is his goal. For the next step, the perspective of the project must be right above all. The money is secondary.”

Cooper surely fuming

Steve Cooper will surely be fuming that he is unlikely to add Mangala to his squad at The City Ground this summer especially since the Forest boss has comfortably completed the signing of 11 of his transfer targets.

Nottingham Forest are intent on building a squad fit to compete in the Premier League next season, and after making a £9m bid that was rejected as Stuttgart value the player at £13m it is clear that the club felt that he would be a great addition in the team.

The 24-year-old midfielder, once dubbed a “real talent” by Belgium manager Roberto Martinez, has been a consistent and solid force for his Bundesliga side during last season.

Over 28 league appearances, Mangala scored one goal, delivered three assists and created four big chances, making one key pass and winning 3.5 duels on average per game, as well as being successful in completing his dribbles too (59%).

Nottingham Forest are in the market to replace one of their most important players last season with James Garner returning to Manchester United, although a potential loan deal for the young player to return to the newly-promoted side this summer it is looking impossible to complete after Dean Henderson’s move.

With that being said, Mangala could have been a worthy replacement to fill the Garner-shaped hole in the heart of Forest’s team, but it could prove difficult following his agent’s comments and Cooper should be prepared to look elsewhere.

AND in other news: Cooper plotting Forest bid for “versatile” £6.8m target, imagine him & Lingard

Tottenham are still interested in completing the signing of Wolves winger Adama Traore this summer, according to journalist Alex Crook.

The Lowdown: Traore’s future unclear

The 26-year-old is back at Molineux during pre-season, having been allowed to join Barcelona on loan midway through the 2021/22 campaign.

Traore’s time in Spain proved to be unimpressive, failing to score despite a promising first five appearances as he registered four assists (Transfermarkt), with manager Xavi having no interest in retaining his services on a permanent basis.

The Spanish winger has been linked with a move to Spurs this summer, and one journalist has suggested that it is a transfer which could still go through.

The Latest: Spurs still keen on Traore

Speaking to GiveMeSport, transfer expert Crook claimed that the north Londoners see Traore as a potential summer option to bring in.

He stated:

“The other name that I’ve been told that is still on their list is Adama Traore, to add some right wing-back competition.”

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The Verdict: Better to sell this summer

It became clear last season that Bruno Lage doesn’t consider Traore a key player, with only 10 Premier League starts coming his way before his loan departure last season.

For that reason, it makes complete sense for Wolves to sell him permanently this summer and receive a healthy fee for his services, spending the money on new signings instead.

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Traore can still be very effective on his day – Andy Townsend has described him as ‘devastating’ in the past – but there is an inconsistency in his game which seemingly will never go away.

An overall tally of 11 goals and 18 assists in 154 appearances simply isn’t good enough for such a fast attacking player, and perhaps that is why Lage has not been sold on the 26-year-old up to now.

Manchester United could finally be about to close out a long-term negotiation…

What’s the word?

According to the Mirror, the Red Devils are plotting one final attempt to pry Frenkie de Jong from a stubborn Barcelona.

A transfer saga that has dominated the summer could be set to come to a close, as United will reportedly end their pursuit should this last attempt fail.

With Barcelona desperate for any financial boost, they will be hoping the Dutchman accepts the huge wage packet being prepared for him.

Imagine him and Eriksen

At last, this lengthy transfer saga seems set to come to a close, for better or for worse. Whether they get their man or lose out at least Erik ten Hag can finally move on either forming the team around de Jong or finding an alternative.

If this huge financial package is to tempt the Dutchman, the partnership he could strike with other new signing Christian Eriksen could be frightening for the rest of the Premier League.

Both silky and creative forces, the Barcelona midfielder could offer an element of added security, and his press-resistant tendencies suggest that he could break the lines and then feed the Denmark international in dangerous pockets of space.

He ranked in the top 6% for progressive carries per 90, and with a 90.1% pass completion rate, he fits the mould of the perfect midfielder that United have been crying out for.

Reportedly rated at €85m (£71m) by a financially struggling Barcelona, it seems that this particular hurdle has already been surmounted, as United move straight onto wage negotiations.

Dubbed “sensational” by journalist Joel Rabinowitz following his demolition of the Real Madrid midfield as an Ajax player, he knew the big things that were to come.

If this kind of ability was to be placed beside Eriksen, who last season for Brentford averaged a 7.54 SofaScore rating and ranked in the top 1% for assists and shot-creating actions, could make for a perfectly balanced midfield.

If a player like Scott McTominay, or even Lisandro Martinez was to play just behind them as the midfield enforcer, this could quickly become one of the better Premier League midfields.

De Jong and Eriksen are a partnership that just makes sense, and the Red Devils just need to get the deal over the line now, with one last push.

AND, in other news: Man United have “genuine” interest in signing £25m “phenomenon”, forget about de Jong.