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Speaking to The Transfer Tavern, journalist Dean Jones has shared an interesting update on Tottenham Hotspur’s links to former star Gareth Bale.

The Lowdown: Bale set for summer exit…

The Wales international is set to leave Real Madrid as a free agent in June with his contract on the verge of expiry, leaving the door open for interested clubs to sign him on a Bosman this summer.

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Bale’s pedigree and experience at the very top level could be a real pull for clubs in the Premier League and beyond with Spurs having been linked to signing him a third time.

The 32-year-old spent 2020/2021 on loan at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, finishing last season as the Lilywhites’ third-most threatening player in terms of league goals and assists combined (WhoScored).

Bale, who is about to become one of the big name free agents up for grabs, is apparently attracting Spurs chairman Daniel Levy’s personal interest as Jones shares what he knows.

The Latest: Jones shares interesting Bale to Spurs update…

Speaking to The Transfer Tavern, the transfer reporter explained how Levy is ‘tempted’ by the idea of signing Bale, a player he ‘loves’.

When asked if the Tottenham chief could be contemplating a summer swoop, Jones explained:

“I mean, he’s always tempted. He loves him. He managed to get him back there before.”

The Verdict: Third time lucky?

Bale’s reunion at N17 last year was a mixed one, with the attacker enjoying spells of brilliant form but also suffering from various fitness issues throughout.

He even attracted criticism from ex-manager Jose Mourinho for giving a false depiction of his rehabilitation on Instagram at one point.

Wales’ superstar could also command huge wages which may be a point of contention financially for Tottenham amid their issues with mounting club debt.

That being said, critics in England believe his quality remains, with talkSPORT host Andy Golstein claiming last year that Bale is still ‘world class’ and he would take him at Manchester United.

Having racked up an impressive career total of 183 goals, there is no question that the ex-Southampton product carries a threat when at his best, but manager Antonio Conte’s intense training methods and high-intensity pressing style could wreak havoc with Bale’s fitness.

This move arguably comes as a mixed bag when taking all of this into account and it will be interesting to see whether Levy does in fact green-light the transfer this summer.

In other news: Paratici sets sights on ‘phenomenal’ £100m man who Spurs have been offered before! Find out more here.

Everton’s Premier League status ahead of next season still hangs in the balance as they continue to flirt with the chance of relegation in 17th, however it has not stopped the club being linked with signings this summer, as fresh interest emerges from Goodison Park.

What’s the word?

According to 90min, Newcastle United are ready to sell their star player Allan Saint-Maximin this summer, with Everton joining Wolverhampton Wanderers in the pursuit to secure the signature of the French winger.

90min reports that they understand Everton are ‘keeping tabs on the situation’ although their interest is likely to only gain more traction if Frank Lampard can seal another Premier League season for the Toffees.

Other reports claim he could be worth somewhere in the region of £50m.

Richarlison replacement

Due to Everton’s disastrous season, Richarlison has been linked with a number of moves away from the club with both Arsenal and Manchester United being tipped to sign the Brazilian winger this summer, and if it was the case that the Everton star did leave come the end of the season, Saint-Maximin could be a worthy replacement.

The £93k-per-week Newcastle wizard who has scored five goals this season, has been highly praised during his time on Tyneside, with Gary Neville even hailing the 25-year-old “breathtaking” after his performance against Leeds United earlier in the season.

Neville told Sky Sports: ‘To see his speed, his movement, it’s absolutely breathtaking.”

If you compare Saint-Maximin to Richarlison it’s clear to see who is having the better impact on his team this season, with the Magpies winger more successful in his aerial duels, tackles and dribbles, as well as offering a higher shot and pass accuracy according to Soccerment.

With that being said, although the loss of Richarlison would be a shame as he has become a fan favourite, if Farhad Moshiri could fetch an eye-catching transfer fee for the Brazilian and then follow up by signing Saint-Maximin as a replacement in the same window, it could be a huge upgrade for Everton.

The signing could turn out to be a superb piece of business for the club, especially if they can convince Dominic Calvert-Lewin to stay, giving the Toffees boss the opportunity to form a fierce attacking partnership between the Frenchman and their current star striker.

Ultimately, Lampard must focus on maintaining top-flight football at Goodison Park over the rest of the season if the club have any chance of attracting players of Saint-Maximin’s calibre and keeping hold of some of the key players in their current squad.

In other news: “Pretty likely…”: Insider drops huge Everton claim that’ll have Frank Lampard fuming

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Confidence and momentum are absolutely integral to the success of centre-forwards at any level of the game.

What’s the word?

Charlie Wyke’s dismal run of form in recent weeks is a typical example of how the life of a striker can be unforgiving and confidence-sapping.

The 26-year-old forward has scored just one goal for Sunderland this season, and his struggle to find the net continued on Saturday against Bristol Rovers.

Wyke was brought on as a second-half substitute and he had chances to add to his tally for the season, but he let three big chances go begging.

Jack Ross, though, did not seem overly concerned by his failure to find the net and he praised the goal-shy striker for his intelligent positioning, as per Sunderland Echo.

“I was really pleased with him when he came on.

“I know people will say that’s easy [to say] because we won the game.

“But I was. His all-round performance when he came on, he got himself into three really good positions, his movement was good.

“He’ll score and I’m desperate for him to score.”

Confidence-boosting goal could stimulate turnaround

As Ross has alluded to, the fact the Black Cats recorded a 2-0 victory made it easier for him to take such a patient stance with Wyke, but the striker’s ability to manufacture opportunities during a rough patch is a sign of promise for the future.

Ultimately, the run Wyke is on is bound to frustrate Sunderland supporters, but a single goal could be all that he needs to stimulate a major turnaround.

While the former Carlisle hitman continues to find himself in the right positions, both Ross and the supporters should keep believing that he will eventually rediscover his clinical instinct.

Everton have made a name for themselves when it comes to disastrous transfers ever since Farhad Moshiri took over as the owner at the club, with over £500m spent on players and absolutely no return on investment when you consider that the Toffees find themselves in a relegation battle this season.

Although Moshiri will definitely have regrets on some of the players he has already spent millions on, there are opportunities missed to sign players who have gone on to have a fantastic career elsewhere, and one of the biggest howlers was not securing the signature of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang.

Sam Allardyce told the talkSPORT Breakfast Show that he wanted to sign the former Arsenal goal machine back in 2018 when he was the manager at Goodison Park;

“Aubameyang was desperate to come to the Premier League and we didn’t really know if it was definitely a yes [to Everton] or not – but it was probably not.

“Whether that could have happened or not, we never got that far.

“It was always going to be too much money for January, because of what the club spent previous to me arriving.”

The striker, who scored 68 Premier League goals has been hailed a “genius” by Jose Mourinho, and eventually signed for the Gunners in a deal worth £56m from Borussia Dortmund. The rest was history as he became a Premier League golden boot and FA Cup winner during his time at the London club.

When you compare the Gabon born striker’s Premier League attacking statistics (via Premier League website) with current Toffees striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Aubameyang would have clearly been the better striking option for Everton, out-achieving the 26-year-old attacker’s Premier League career so far with two seasons less in the league.

Aubameyang’s superior attacking output could have potentially saved the Toffees from several campaigns of struggles, especially this season when you consider the situation the club has found themselves in.

It’s something that can definitely be partially blamed on the lack of goals and chances created in the attacking line so far with the side only scoring 29 times compared to the 47 strikes they have conceded already.

With reports of Calvert-Lewin potentially on the move this summer it could be an opportunity for Moshiri and Lampard to find their next Aubameyang who can offer a consistent output of goal involvements, and ultimately improve their chances of thriving in the top half of the table once again should they survive their relegation challenge in the remaining months of the season.

In other news: Forget DCL: Everton must keep “terrible” £110k-p/w “huge liability”, Lamps needs him

Leeds United are monitoring Hoffenheim midfielder Florian Grillitsch ahead of a possible free transfer, according to The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Grillitsch profiled

Grillitsch, who shares the same agent as Patrick Bamford, Dan James and Luke Ayling, has been with Hoffenheim since 2017 but is out of contract at the end of June.

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The Austria international has made 151 appearances for his current employers, contributing to 19 goals. The defensive midfielder has actually turned out as a centre-back in recent months, and it looks as if he is the latest player on Victor Orta’s radar.

The Latest: Whites tracking

The Telegraph’s Mike McGrath shared a transfer notebook on Friday morning, with Leeds getting a mention when it came to Grillitsch.

The Whites are thought to be monitoring the player ahead of a possible Bosman deal, with the reliable journalist also name-checking Arsenal and Everton with an interest.

The Verdict: Get it done…

Leeds appear in desperate need of midfield reinforcements ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season in charge with only four to choose from currently, so Grillitsch could be the perfect target to play alongside Kalvin Phillips.

Lauded as ‘extraordinary’ by Bayern Munich boss Julian Nagelsmann, Grillitsch has actually averaged more interceptions, clearances, key passes and fewer fouls than Phillips this season. [WhoScored]

Grillitsch can also play in a box-to-box midfield role, which could come in extremely handy at Elland Road, especially when you take into consideration the club’s injury woes this season.

The Whites can actually begin working on a pre-contract agreement for Grillitsch right now, however, their focus at this moment in time may well be on guaranteeing a third season in the Premier League before going after targets.

In other news: ‘Spoke to Leeds’ – Manager reveals talks with Radz for Orta signing; move possible before Palace. 

Crystal Palace are looking to make Jean-Philippe Mateta’s move permanent.

That’s according to journalist Tom Barclay, and, as to be expected, a number of Eagles fans have been reacting to the news on social media.

Palace brought Mateta in 12 months ago from Mainz on an 18-month loan which included an option to buy. [BBC]

The 24-year-old has scored against rivals Brighton and Millwall during his time at the club and has featured regularly under Patrick Vieira in recent months.

And it now seems as if he has done enough to make a Selhurst Park stay permanent, with Barclay stating he has won Vieira over in recent months.

The journalist added that a deal is not done yet, but a full-time transfer appears to be on the cards for the Frenchman.

Palace fans react

This is what these Eagles supporters had to say in reply to Barclay’s post, with one ‘buzzing’ for the forward and another labelling it as ‘incredible’.

“Good. Goals against Millwall and Brighton. I’m a fan forever.”

Credit: @HunterCPFC

“Buzzing for the man, Vieira clearly rated him above Benteke and at 24 years old we could get him on the cheap”

Credit: @ReeceJMT

“YESSSSSS”

Credit: @EvilSashPioneer

“Would be incredible if he goes on to be a big player for us”

Credit: @SWPalace

“YESSSSS”

Credit: @MattCPFC

“Get in”

Credit: @Rpcpfc

In other news: ‘Onto the next one, sorry Donny pal’ – Many Palace fans react as Romano shares ‘bonkers’ update. 

Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou could be facing a summer headache as news emerges from Parkhead about midfielder Tom Rogic.

What’s the story?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, journalist Pete O’Rourke said: “I’m sure, behind the scenes, Celtic’s powerbrokers will be looking at Rogic’s contract again. He’s out of contract in 2023, so he’s not got that long left on his current deal.”

Key player for Ange Postecoglou

While Rogic hasn’t completed the full 90 minutes for Celtic since the 4-0 victory over Motherwell back in February – a game in which he struck twice – he has certainly chipped in with some big contributions this season.

In 45 games across all competitions, he’s managed six goals and provided another ten assists, including netting in the superb 2-1 victory over Rangers in the Old Firm clash just a couple of weeks ago.

Indeed, speaking earlier this month, former Scotland boss Alex McLeish, said: “He’s been the bane of everybody recently, but he was invisible for a big period.

“It’s taken his countryman, Postecoglou, to come in and show the faith in him again. And he’s rewarded his gaffer with some incredible performances. I would have thought Celtic would make it a high priority to get Tom on board for a few more seasons.”

Sorting out a new deal for Rogic has to be an absolute priority for Celtic chief executive Michael Nicholson, especially considering he won’t have long left on his contract heading into the summer.

Given the importance of Rogic to Postecoglou since coming back in the fold, the Hoops boss certainly wouldn’t be happy if a deal couldn’t be struck between the two parties.

If that can’t be done, then the Australian would either have to be sold on the cheap as he would have just the 12 months left on his existing deal, or would then leave on a free transfer next summer.

It’s the kind of nightmare scenario that Postecoglou could do without.

AND in other news – £4.7m down the drain: £12k-p/w Celtic liability rinsed Peter Lawwell for 140 weeks

Everton have had one of the most impactful January transfer windows in the Premier League this month, making five signings and sacking Rafa Benitez, to replace him with Frank Lampard in a clear effort to improve and give the club the turn-around in their season that they desperately need.

It has been a season of nightmares for Toffees fans, with the side currently just four points off the relegation zone and Lampard’s first few Premier League games in charge will surely determine if Everton find themselves in a battle again the drop or whether they can turn the tide, pulling away from the bottom of the table with a run of winning form over the next few games.

One area that has been a major concern for the Merseyside club is their defence, albeit adding two new defenders to their squad in January.

The central defensive positions have been the focus of poor performances, with Yerry Mina only just returning from a long injury spell, the side has relied on Mason Holgate, Michael Keane and Ben Godfrey, who have been unable to stop the side from leaking goals with 35 conceded so far and only three clean sheets kept, with only Newcastle United recording less this season.

Holgate in particular has proven time and time again that he is incapable of offering performances that can be positively impactful in the team, and Lampard should be looking to axe the £64k-per-week dud from starting line ups if he wants to improve the defence in the remainder of the season.

From a red card in a dangerous challenge on Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg after just ten minutes on the pitch against Tottenham earlier this season to numerous poor performances that have left the centre back as the worst rated defender in the entire Everton squad this season according to SofaScore.

Lampard masterclass

With that being said, the new Everton boss could drop his first masterclass at Goodison Park by axing Holgate who was criticised for being “lethargic” by Everton journalist, David Prentice, and could form a dynamic defensive duo in Mina and Godfrey instead, with Godfrey offering more positive attributes in his position.

According to Squawka, the 24-year-old has made more tackles, more blocks, won 33 more ground duels and produced over twice as many clearances for the Toffees this season compared to Holgate, so it seems like he would be the best option for building a reliable partnership with Mina over the remaining months of the season.

Lampard will lead his updated Everton side out for the first time in their FA Cup clash against Brentford this weekend, and it will be interesting to see if he includes any of the new signings in his starting lineup and where he will make changes in the previous line-ups we have seen struggling under Benitez.

Either way, it is unlikely to include Holgate, someone let the former manager down on a regular basis.

In other news: Rafa Benitez struck gold with Demarai Gray

A major update has emerged on Sunderland’s search for a new manager this week…

What’s the talk?

Daily Mail reporter Craig Hope has revealed the Black Cats are unlikely to confirm their latest head coach before the weekend’s League One action. The club are in talks with multiple candidates over the role, with Kristjaan Speakman hard at work to source Lee Johnson’s replacement at the Stadium of Light.

Hope tweeted on Thursday night: “Sunderland interviewed former Hull boss Grant McCann today. Roy Keane remains the top choice of many within the club & will also be spoken to. However, an appointment is unlikely to be confirmed before Saturday’s game against Doncaster.”

Gutted

Sunderland fans will surely be gutted by this news for multiple reasons.

Firstly, it suggests that the club did not have a clear plan in place when they sacked Johnson after the 6-0 defeat to Bolton. Although Roy Keane appears to be the favourite for the job, they are looking at more than one manager and it seems as though they did not have a clear choice in mind at the time of the ex-Bristol City coach’s sacking.

This will frustrate fans and leave them wondering how meticulous the planning is behind the scenes, possibly giving supporters flashbacks to the time that a scout placed Zlatan Ibrahimovic on a list of potential targets while he was still at Ajax. The gaffe highlighted issues at the Stadium of Light and the concerns over those problems may resurface if the club do not make a decision on Johnson’s replacement quickly.

The supporters will also be gutted over the time involved in making the decision because of what it could mean on the pitch. Sunderland have an interim coaching setup in place and this leaves a cloud of confusion over the players as they wonder who their next manager will be and whether or not they will be in his plans, which could affect results on the pitch in the meantime.

Doncaster travel to the Stadium of Light on Saturday and the Black Cats faithful may well be frustrated not to see a new man in the helm, which could be intensified if they go on to draw or lose the match. They are third in the League One table as it stands and every point is crucial in their bid to secure automatic promotion, which is why fans will be gutted with the time it is taking to bring someone in as Johnson’s successor.

AND in other news, Exciting new name emerges in Sunderland manager search, he’s better than Roy Keane…

Leeds United have joined the likes of Ajax and Benfica in the race to sign Fluminense starlet Matheus Martins in the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

According to Brazilian publication Globo Esporte (via Sport Witness), Jesse Marsch’s team are monitoring the 18-year-old’s situation with Fluminense, although no official contact has been made by any side on a potential move.

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The report added that a deal could well be a pricey one, with Ukrainian giants Shakhtar Donetsk having had a significant bid for him rejected just last year.

Shades of Raphinha

In addition to following Raphinha on Instagram, Martins appears to be following in his fellow Brazilian’s footsteps in terms of style of play too.

Predominantly a left winger, the 18-year-old has earned international honours with Brazil at underage level, while he has begun to break onto the scene in the first-team at club level.

This season has seen him make three appearances in the past couple of months for Fluminense, while he was in outstanding form in Brazil’s Copinha tournament featuring some of the best academy sides, scoring two goals and providing one assist in six games.

As per Sofascore, he has completed 43% of his dribbles in the Brazilian top flight, while also averaging a reasonable 80% pass accuracy. However, what makes him an even more Leeds-like prospect is some of his defensive numbers, winning 0.6 tackles per match (stats which are near-identical to the likes of fellow winger Dan James, and Rodrigo too).

With a reported release clause of around £42m, the 18-year-old is certainly well regarded by those at Fluminense, and while a transfer fee may not reach that mark, it’s indicative of the kind of big-money needed by suitors to land him.

If Leeds could beat the likes of Ajax and Benfica to his signature – both of whom have a great history of having a real eye for young talent – then it would be a major coup for Marsch.

AND in other news – Signed for £5m, now worth 700% more: Orta struck dream Leeds deal with “quality” 22y/o