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Tottenham Hotspur and by extension transfer chief Fabio Paratici are now plotting a major summer bid, according to a report by Italian journalist Alfredo Pedulla.

The Lowdown: Spurs in summer hunt…

Reliable reports suggest the Lilywhites are certainly showing no sign of slowing down as head coach Antonio Conte reportedly sets his sights on more targets.

The former Chelsea boss has overseen a real turnaround at N17, guiding Spurs to a top four finish in the Premier League last season and subsequent qualification for next season’s Champions League campaign.

Club owners ENIC and chairman Daniel Levy even granted a £150 million equity increase which will be used to back Conte in the market and grant him necessary additions.

Paratici is the man tasked with putting plans in place to land Tottenham’s targets with Pedulla now making an exciting claim on what he’s plotting.

The Latest: Pedulla makes Martinez claim…

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According to his sources, the north Londoners ‘will’ make a major bid to sign Inter Milan star striker Lautaro Martinez but it will be difficult to get the deal done.

He explained (via Twitter):

“#Lautaro wants to stay at ANY COST. We have already talked about it, let’s add: #Tottenham will present a proposal of 90 million upwards that #Inter will evaluate that it can legitimately reject.”

The Verdict: Crucial few days?

It will be interesting to see whether the Nerazzurri contemplate selling their forward amid their reported need to make cash through player sales.

The San Siro side may have to generate revenue through letting their big name players leave for pastures new, and if they green-light Tottenham’s mooted bid, Conte may well be boosted by the Argentine’s possible arrival – depending on if they can agree terms,

The 38-cap international, who Romelu Lukaku called a ‘beast’, stood out as one of Simone Inzaghi’s most crucial assets over 2021/2022 – scoring 21 goals and assisting three others in the top flight alone (Transfermarkt).

Martinez would certainly inject real quality in the final third for Conte and provide serious competition for star man Harry Kane.

In other news: Club chief ready to offer £22.5m-rated ‘beast’ in Tottenham talks with Paratici! Find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur journalist Jack Pitt-Brooke of The Athletic has shared some hope over signing Inter Milan star defender Alessandro Bastoni after news ‘this week’.

The Lowdown: Agent sends message…

The Nerazzurri star seemingly declared his intention to remain in Italy after his representative Tullio Tinti told members of the media that Bastoni is certain to remain.

Following a meeting with the Inter hierarchy ‘this week’, Tinti emerged with his statement which appeared to dampen the prospect of Spurs boss Antonio Conte linking up with his former player in the Premier League.

However, Pitt-Brooke has now shared a glimmer of hope for Lilywhites supporters after this update.

The Latest: Pitt-Brooke shares Bastoni hope…

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Writing on Twitter, the Spurs journalist claims Tinti’s comments don’t necessarily kill Conte’s chances of signing Bastoni this summer.

He explained:

“Basically I don’t think the comments from Bastoni’s agent this week necessarily kill the chance of him leaving. Inter still need to make money this window and he’s their most sellable asset. Let’s see how this one develops.”

Explaining in his article, he also says the news surrounding Tinti ‘won’t derail Spurs’.

The Verdict: Keep pushing?

While arguably more unlikely now, the fact Spurs could still pull off a move depending on developments comes as hopeful and promising.

However, given Conte allegedly wants his business wrapped up before pre-season, we believe the north Londoners shouldn’t spend too much time watching Bastoni’s situation and must swiftly move on if they feel it can’t go anywhere.

Alternative targets like Villarreal’s Pau Torres could also provide Spurs with a needed upgrade to their back three.

In other news: ‘Being negotiated’ – Club now want their ‘sensational’ star to join Tottenham, find out more here.

Aston Villa are ready to field offers for at least two first-team players this summer, according to a report from the Express & Star.

The lowdown: Busy window ahead

Steven Gerrard has already been hard at work in his first major transfer window having completed the signing of Sevilla central defender Diego Carlos and the permanent capture of Philippe Coutinho following a successful spell on loan from Barcelona.

The Villans have also tied up a move to bring soon-to-be out-of-contract Marseille star Boubacar Kamara to the Midlands on a five-year deal, whilst it’s been reported that a move for Rangers’ teen sensation Rory Wilson is on the verge of being completed and Robin Olsen has signed a permanent deal.

Amidst all of the incomings, some players will inevitably be heading out of the exit door at Villa Park and two potential departures have now been earmarked…

The latest: ‘Listen to offers’

As per the Express & Star, Villa are believed to be ‘willing to listen to offers’ for multiple fringe players this summer.

Attacking midfield duo Anwar El Ghazi and Trezeguet are both cited as those on the way out of the club after they spent time away on loan in 2021/22.

El Ghazi was sent to Everton for the second half of the campaign as part of the Lucas Digne transfer but the Egyptian struggled to make an impact on Merseyside and is set to return.

Meanwhile, Trezeguet headed to Turkish Super Lig outfit Basaksehir in February after the 27-year-old – who was described as being ‘very important’ to the side by former manager Dean Smith –  missed the first half of the season following knee surgery.

The verdict: Time to cash in

In light of the already lofty expenditure in recent weeks to add to the £25million shelled out for Digne in January (Sky Sports), books will need to be balanced if the club can continue chasing a wanted list and selling the aforementioned duo would be a pragmatic place to start.

Gerrard already has Leon Bailey, Emi Buendia, Bertrand Traore and returning loan starlet Jaden Philogene-Bidace capable of operating on from the left-wing, not to mention the likelihood of a small alteration in formation to cater for Coutinho’s qualities.

Valued at a combined £18million (Transfermarkt), NSWE should have no issues drumming up enough interest in the pair and further boosting the transfer budget available to pursue Gerrard’s own targets after Matt Targett completed his £15million switch to Newcastle United.

In other news, Aston Villa are eyeing a Champions League star Gerrard saw up close on a scouting trip

West Ham United are interested in Lille midfielder Amadou Onana, according to French outlet Foot Mercato (via Sport Witness).

The lowdown

Lille only signed Onana from Bundesliga 2 outfit Hamburg last summer in a £6.3million deal.

He made 42 appearances in his first year at the club, but he only started 11 out of 38 Ligue 1 matches and two of eight Champions League games.

The 20-year-old has played the vast majority of his football up to this point as a defensive midfielder.

He still has four years remaining on the contract he signed on his arrival and is now valued at £9million by Transfermarkt.

The latest

The report states that both West Ham and their London rivals Arsenal have been monitoring Onana over the course of the campaign.

Lille need to ‘gather money’ through player sales, and Onana is one of those who has ‘a chance of leaving’.

The Hammers have yet to make a ‘concrete offer’ but they are thought to be considering it.

As well as Arsenal, they face competition from AS Monaco, who view Onana as a potential replacement for exit-bound Aurelien Tchouameni.

The verdict

What kind of a no. 6 is Onana?

Well, it would probably be best to characterise him as a ball-winner given that he ranks in the 94th percentile compared to positional peers when it comes to tackles per 90 minutes, and the 75th percentile for interceptions (via FBRef).

In terms of players already in the Premier League, he’s similar to the likes of Vitaly Janelt, Oriol Romeu and Abdoulaye Doucoure.

Tomas Soucek and Declan Rice would appear locked into the two midfield slots in David Moyes’ 4-2-3-1 but the manager needs depth, particularly with a Europa Conference League campaign potentially on the horizon.

Onana, billed a ‘huge talent’ by talent scout Jacek Kulig, would make the squad stronger and could potentially be a starter in the long-term.

In other news, there’s been a key update on a potential attacking target.

Leeds United star Raphinha will likely join Barcelona if they submit an offer of between £50m and £60m for him, sports journalist Pete O’Rourke has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Sky Sports reported last week that the La Liga giants hold an interest in the 25-year-old and are expected to formalise that with an offer. A source told the outlet that the Brazilian ‘would like to join’ Barcelona as he looks to fulfil his ambitions of playing at the ‘highest level’.

Had Leeds been relegated, interested parties would then have been able to pounce on a release clause in the region of £30m in the player’s contract.

However, Raphinha scored from the penalty spot on the final day of the season as Leeds beat Brentford to secure Premier League survival.

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The latest

O’Rourke is confident that Raphinha will move to the Nou Camp, but only if Leeds receive what would be a club-record fee for an outgoing transfer.

For now, Rio Ferdinand’s £41.4m departure to Manchester United in 2002 remains the most lucrative sale in the Yorkshire club’s history.

Speaking about the Brazilian potentially swapping Elland Road for Catalunya, O’Rourke told GiveMeSport: “I think this one could happen, especially if Barcelona do meet Leeds’ asking price. If they get close to £50million or £60million, I would fully expect this deal to happen.”

The verdict

Raphinha joined Leeds in October 2020 for a fee of £17m, meaning they could be about to turn a £43m profit after just two years.

The £63,000-per-week winger has made a key contribution since he moved to Yorkshire, scoring 17 goals and providing 12 assists in 67 appearances (11 and three last season).

According to Transfermarkt, he has reached exactly 100 goals and assists in his career, netting 62 times and setting up 38 goals.

It would be a blow in a footballing sense for Leeds to lose a talent like Raphinha – who has been likened to a “storm” by team-mate Illan Meslier, who also called him “amazing” – but you could also argue that it would be good business from a financial point of view.

In other news, Leeds are ready to trigger this midfielder’s release clause

Reports have now suggested that Lazio prefer to sell star midfielder Sergej Milinkovic-Savic to Manchester United.

The Lowdown: £55m bid

Milinkovic-Savic appears to be a man in demand once again this summer after another starring campaign in Serie A. The central midfielder has contributed to 22 league goals in 36 games, with rumours claiming United have already tabled a £55m offer.

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Erik ten Hag looks set to lose a number of midfielders ahead of his first season in charge at Old Trafford, with Paul Pogba the highest-profile potential departee.

The 27-year-old’s agent, Mateja Kezman, believes the Lazio star has ‘better quality than Pogba’, and a further update has now emerged on the Serbia international’s future.

The Latest: Positive news

Sports Witness relayed an update from Corriere dello Sport regarding Milinkovic-Savic on Wednesday. They claimed that Lazio prefer to sell Milinkovic-Savic to Manchester United or another club abroad instead of a direct rival like Inter Milan or Juventus.

Milinkovic-Savic ‘still has the same appeal’ at Manchester United despite the off-field changes, with his contract set to expire in 2024.

The Verdict: Get it done

Ten Hag may have just Scott McTominay, Fred and Bruno Fernandes as senior midfielders on the books, with Pogba, Jesse Lingard and Juan Mata out of contract at the end of June and Nemanja Matic also set to leave.

Therefore, United could do with a number of midfield additions alongside a move for Frenkie de Jong, which they are working on.

Milinkovic-Savic has been a target since 2019 and has enjoyed the best season of his career when it comes to goals and assists combined, so he could be an ideal signing at a relatively cheap price compared to his £63m Transfermarkt valuation.

In other news: Man Utd source: Sensational transfer twist as Erik ten Hag now hijacking move for ‘golden boy’. 

Albian Ajeti is likely to leave Celtic in the summer transfer window after falling out of favour under Ange Postecoglou, according to Frank McAvennie.

The Lowdown: Ajeta out of favour

The Hoops sealed Premiership glory earlier this week as the 56-year-old completed a memorable first season in charge at Parkhead.

There have been heroes galore for Celtic throughout the campaign, but Ajeti failed to make a big contribution towards that success..

The 25-year-old has been limited to just three league starts in total, with only three goals and one assist coming his way in all competitions.

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The Latest: Summer exit predicted

Speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie claimed that Ajeti should leave Celtic in the summer transfer window, having been linked with an exit. The 62-year-old stated:

“You look at who could leave this summer. There aren’t too many I want us to get rid of, it’s about trimming the fat.

“Ajeti is the obvious one and I expect him to go as soon as possible. He just hasn’t done it. For him to play so little, with all the injuries there have been, it just tells me Ange doesn’t like him.

“For a moment earlier this season I wondered if there was a way back for him, he got a few goals in Europe. But he never pushed on and that just proved what everyone already thinks. He’s not good enough.”

The Verdict: Time to move on

Sometimes it simply doesn’t work out for a player under a certain manager, and that appears to have been the case with Ajeti and Postecoglou, as McAvennie has hinted.

It makes perfect sense for all parties for the Swiss attacker to find a new club and enjoy regular playing time next season, with his chances clearly limited at Parkhead and no real benefit being gained from his £18,000-a-week wage.

Injuries certainly haven’t helped the 25-year-old, with a long layoff with a hamstring issue holding him back, but he has never quite managed to fully convince at Parkhead since joining from West Ham in 2020, netting just nine goals in 48 matches.

Therefore, it’s not hard to see why McAvennie feels that Ajeti could be cut loose by Celtic this summer.

In other news, an exciting Celtic transfer update has emerged. Read more here.

Liam Kennedy has given his instant reaction after Newcastle United youngster Elliot Anderson fired Bristol Rovers to promotion to League One on Saturday. 

The lowdown: Seventh heaven for Bristol Rovers

Needing to better the result of third-placed Northampton Town or win by a seemingly unlikely five goals more than their rivals, Joey Barton’s side pulled off a miracle second-half display against Scunthorpe.

With five minutes remaining, the Gas were chasing the crucial seventh goal when Anderson headed home to spark wild celebrations at the Memorial Ground, their 7-0 victory enabling them to nudge ahead of the Cobblers, who won 3-1 at Barrow, by virtue of goals scored in the table.

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Having joined on January’s transfer deadline day on a six-month loan deal, the young winger has enjoyed a stellar spell, and one invested onlooker believes than an exciting future awaits…

The latest: ‘Special’ Anderson

Taking to Twitter, Shields Gazette journalist Kennedy hailed the 19-year-old in response to a post congratulating the starlet from Newcastle’s official channel.

The reporter succinctly said of Anderson: “He’s rather special… #NUFC”

The 19-year-old is expected to return to St James’ Park ahead of the 2022/23 season following promotion without the need for play-offs.

The latest: Ready for the big time?

Since joining the Pirates in mid-season, Anderson has scored eight times and provided five assists whilst gaining some invaluable first-team match experience in the process.

Prior to leaving the northeast, the Scotland youth international had lit up Premier League 2 with five goals in just seven appearances, impressing Newcastle assistant coach Jason Tindall, who described Anderson as a ‘bright talent’ based on what he had witnessed at Darsley Park.

Named the League Two Player of the Month for April, the attacking midfielder has earned a staggering 7.23 average Sofascore rating including 3.5 shots, two successful dribbles and eight duels won on average per game during his time at Bristol Rovers, and he now appears ready to make an impact for the Magpies.

In other news, NUFC are now eyeing a move for this former Sunderland ace

Tonight sees Aston Villa manager Steven Gerrard host his former club Liverpool at Villa Park, with the title-chasing visitors desperate for three points after being held against Spurs last time out.

Failure to do so will almost certainly hand Manchester City the title, and while the Villa boss will indeed understand the scenario at hand, he will take no prisoners against his old side, who got the better of Villa in the reverse fixture in December.

A win for Aston Villa will see them leapfrog Crystal Palace into 10th place, which will surely be the target for the West Midlands side with just four games to go.

Besides Gerrard, both Danny Ings and Philippe Coutinho will be facing their former club, and despite not starting last time out in the 3-1 win against Burnley, the latter should be restored against Klopp’s side.

Gerrard must unleash Coutinho

Despite a narrow loss to Liverpool in the reverse fixture in terms of the 1-0 scoreline, Klopp’s side stacked an xG total of 2.68, with Villa registering just 0.24. That metric tells you everything about the Villans’ lack of attacking threat at Anfield that day, having fired just four shots towards Alisson over the entire 90 minutes.

However, this was back before Coutinho joined in January, and having not been around for that game, Gerrard should look to unleash the Brazilian star against his former club tonight.

The 41-year-old’s slight switch in tactics to accommodate the likes of Ings, Watkins and Buendia has worked wonders, with all of them scoring a goal each in back-to-back games and Buendia enjoying creative freedom throughout the central areas.

With the 25-year-old Argentinie almost undroppable after his resurgence in form, Coutinho should come in as a central midfielder who can provide creative support for the trio, sitting slightly deeper.

As one of two central players besides a holding midfielder throughout the centre in Gerrard’s 4-3-1-2 system, Coutinho could offer a great deal to Villa, and it is integral that he is on the pitch tonight.

Described as “magic” by Melissa Reddy, the £18m-rated star’s match average of 4.3 passes into the final third, combined with his average of 3.19 progressive carries into the final third, shows that the Brazilian can offer an injection of flair which will be needed against the second-best defence in the top flight, with Liverpool having conceded just 23 league goals all season.

Having gathered seven attacking returns in the form of four goals and three assists since joining Villa, Coutinho will be looking to add to his tally and could well haunt his old club tonight.

In other news: NSWE can save millions by unleashing “perfect” 18y/o AVFC dynamo, Gerrard loves him