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Speaking to talkSPORT, journalist Alex Crook has dropped a major Harry Kane claim at Tottenham Hotspur.

The Lowdown: Kane exit saga rumbles on…

Since Sky Sports broke the news that Kane has reiterated a desire to leave Spurs this summer, there have been no shortage of reports linking the striker with top European clubs.

Man City, Man United and Chelsea are all said to be eyeing a move for Kane, but chairman Daniel Levy will apparently remain firm and could command a price tag ‘well over’ £120 million.

As the summer looms, both Spurs fans and the Lilywhites themselves are braced for what is set to be a whirlwind transfer saga.

The Latest: talkSPORT journalist drops major Kane claim

Now, speaking to talkSPORT, journalist Crook has gone into more detail surrounding the 27-year-old’s wish to exit north London.

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He explains that Kane has been ‘hankering’ for a move away as far back as last year and claims that conversations actually took place over an exit between him and Levy.

“My understanding is that conversations between Harry Kane and Daniel Levy took place last summer,” Crook reported to talkSPORT.

“At that stage, Harry Kane was already hankering for a move away.

“Daniel Levy persuaded him to stay for another year, give Jose Mourinho the chance to challenge for major honours.

“It hasn’t really happened so Harry Kane believes now that on the back of that conversation, he should be allowed to leave Tottenham almost under his own terms.”

The Verdict: Worrying times for Tottenham…

Last summer, Spurs headed into the 2020/2021 season with a sense of optimism having made seven solid signings in the 2020 summer transfer window – including a sensational return for club cult hero Gareth Bale.

Fast forward and Tottenham are in a very precarious position with tension between fans and club ownership also at an all time high.

Kane’s desire to move away comes as another blow for Spurs and it’s difficult to see how they replace such an influential figure, even if Levy receives the desired bid.

In other news: Spurs could be offered this £250,000-per-week ace for Kane, find out more here.

New Rangers manager Giovanni van Bronckhorst has got his reign at Ibrox off to a great start by winning all four games he’s taken charge of, with the latest being their recent 3-0 win over Dundee FC in the SPFL.

Now, with the January transfer window on the horizon, it seems as though the club could have identified who Van Bronckhorst’s first signing as Rangers boss could be.

What’s the news?

In a recent interview with Foot Mercato, Dundee United midfielder Jeando Fuchs revealed that Rangers are one of the clubs that have contacted him and his agent over a potential transfer.

Since joining United back in October last year from Spanish side Alaves, the 24-year-old, who is currently valued at £720k according to Transfermarkt, has made 45 appearances for the club across all competitions, chipping in with just one assist in the process.

This season has seen Fuchs start 13 of the 15 SPFL games he’s appeared in, showing how important he is for the side.

In those league games, Fuchs has shown what a defensive unit he has been for United by racking up an average of two interceptions per game and 2.3 tackles per game.

As well as his impressive defensive output from midfield this season, Fuchs’ overall league performances have earned him a season rating of 6.72/10, making him the fifth-highest rated United player to have made more than four appearances this season according to WhoScored.

Despite sitting at the top of the league table at the moment, Rangers have conceded four more goals than Celtic have and only one fewer than Hearts in third place, which could make a potential transfer swoop for Fuchs a smart move for the club and just what Van Bronckhorst needs to secure the title at Ibrox this season.

Looking ahead to the January transfer window, Rangers’ sporting director Ross Wilson should definitely consider making a move for Fuchs, who has “unbelievable energy” according to Micky Mellon, to see if he can help push the team to the title and end Van Bronckhorst’s first season at Rangers on a high.

Also, with two of Rangers’ current midfield options – Scott Arfield and Steven Davies – being well into their thirties, Fuchs could be a suitable long-term replacement for the duo given his fairly young age. With all of the aforementioned positives in mind, this would surely be a dream deal for the club’s new manager.

In other news: GVB handed big boost as Rangers update emerges on “highly respected” £5.4m-rated beast – opinion

As per Football Insider, former England number one Paul Robinson believes that Nathaniel Phillips is more likely to be allowed to leave Liverpool than Joe Gomez, amid strong interest from West Ham.

The Lowdown: West Ham’s centre-back crisis

West Ham are now running short in the defensive department due to injuries sustained by centre-backs Angelo Ogbonna and Kurt Zouma.

Ogbonna is expected to be out for the rest of the season after suffering from a cruciate ligament rupture on the 7th of November, whilst Zouma sustained a hamstring tendon injury during the Hammers’ 3-2 victory against Chelsea.

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The 27-year-old Frenchman is especially important to West Ham’s defensive success, as he leads the team’s statistics with 5.2 clearances and 0.5 offsides won per game. The Italian defender also deploys the high-line to perfection, sitting second with 0.4 offsides won per game.

As a result of this huge blow to David Moyes’ plans, Liverpool player Phillips has been shortlisted as a January transfer target, and it is believed that a fee around £12m would be enough to secure his services.

The Latest: Robinson reacts to Phillips links

As reported by Football Insider, Robinson, a regular pundit on Sky Sports, believes that there is more chance of Phillips leaving Liverpool in the January window than Gomez. The former Spurs keeper said: “Phillips has got more chance of leaving than Gomez has, that’s for sure.

“I still think a deal will be difficult to do though given the injury crisis Liverpool had last season.

“Phillips was brilliant at the end of last season but whether he is of the same level as Zouma and Ogbonna, I would question that.

“It’s an area that Moyes probably need to address though.”

The Verdict: Phillips a possibility

The Sunday Mirror have reported (as shared by Football Insider) that the Reds will block any attempt at luring Gomez away from Anfield.

However, it is understood that Jürgen Klopp will listen to offers for the 6 foot 3 Phillips, who is deemed to be lower in the pecking order at Liverpool. This could open up the possibility of the 24-year-old making the switch in January.

The Englishman may not be as technically gifted as Zouma and Ogbonna, exemplified by not having made a key pass when playing in the League cup this season, but Klopp has hailed his heading ability, saying that “in the air, he’s a monster!”

Therefore, Phillips may just be the perfect addition to help reduce West Ham’s defensive crisis and simply add a bit more depth and solidity where Moyes needs it most.

Leeds United have endured a tough and frustrating second season in the Premier League as they find themselves on the cusp of a relegation battle but amid the mounting injury crisis and disappointment on the pitch, there has been at least one positive.

Another one of the club’s promising academy starlets, Liam McCarron, made the most of Marcelo Bielsa’s busy treatment room on Saturday after he made his senior top-flight debut for the club.

The 20-year-old winger replaced fellow substitute Crysencio Summerville in the 81st-minute.

After the game, McCarron made note of his pride on Twitter, where he said: “Unfortunate not to be getting the results we deserve at the moment but delighted to make my premier league debut in front of these incredible fans, we keep pushing.”

The young prospect signed for the Yorkshire giants from Carlisle United in 2019 and has emerged as a bit of a utility player for Mark Jackson’s U23 squad.

Indeed, the 5 foot 9 dynamo has largely played as a left-back but can also play in central midfield and further up the wing. In some ways, this could echo the role of Stuart Dallas under Bielsa.

The Northern Irishman, despite being a midfielder by trade, is nicknamed the ‘Cookstown Cafu’, which only goes to show the level of performance he often achieves when deployed at full-back, rather than in his natural role.

McCarron has played 12 times for the U23s in the Premier League 2 this campaign, where he has contributed a goal and an assist from left-back, as per Transfermarkt.

Capped by Scotland at U19 level, the versatile gem could well follow in the footsteps of the 30-year-old in the first-team squad and he could prove to be a valuable asset to Bielsa considering the ongoing injury nightmare.

His former academy coach at the Cumbrians, Darren Edmondson, once described him as a player “with no ego, no airs and graces”, also claiming that “his work rate is unbelievable.”

After making his senior bow at the weekend, McCarron will be hoping he can continue to catch the eye of Bielsa during a desperate time of need. In the young dynamo, the Argentine could well discover another priceless Dallas-like presence.

He’s certainly one to keep an eye on.

AND in other news, Bielsa must now brutally axe £34k-p/w Leeds passenger, he’s not good enough for the Premier League…

Leicester City created yet more modern-day history at the weekend by overcoming Manchester United to secure a first FA Cup semi-final appearance since 1982.

Kelechi Iheanacho was the star of the show once again for the Foxes, getting on the scoresheet twice and continuing his stunning recent run of form.

Youri Tielemans also turned in a majestic showing for the home side, with his control of the ball and authority in midfield allowing the hosts to dominate an under-par Red Devils side.

The Belgian was an ever-present throughout the game for Leicester, having 76 touches of the ball according to WhoScored. Only centre-backs Jonny Evans and Caglar Soyuncu received the ball more than the former AS Monaco midfielder.

The Belgian was also only beaten in terms of successful passes played by the Foxes centre-back pairing, with Tielemans completing 60 passes at an 88.3% success rate. It goes to show how dominant he really was considering that United duo Paul Pogba and Donny van de Beek could only accumulate 55 passes between them throughout the game.

On the topic of the Red Devils’ midfield, Tielemans continued to stomp all over them throughout the 90 minutes with a particularly gutsy and determined showing. The £49.5m-rated midfielder produced three tackles, two interceptions and a clearance as Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s men were kept at arm’s length.

It was in the attacking sense that the 23-year-old really thrived though. He had four shots throughout the game, even more than two-goal hero Iheanacho, and as a matter of fact, every single player on the pitch.

One of those shots was golden too as Tielemans topped a hugely impressive performance with a well-taken goal – finding the bottom corner from range after a clever one-two with Iheanacho.

He will surely be satisfied with his evening’s work as Leicester took another stride towards history.

AND in more news, take a look at which bargain transfer the Foxes must avoid this summer…

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has criticised the team’s defending in their win over Fulham, claiming it has “not been good enough” for a while.

The Whites picked up a welcome 2-1 victory at Craven Cottage last Friday, with goals from Patrick Bamford and Raphinha getting them over the line.

The win saw Marcelo Bielsa’s side jump to 11th place in the Premier League, as their impressive first season back in the top flight continues.

There was some shaky defending on show at times against Fulham, however, with Illan Meslier needing to be in inspired form in the Leeds goal.

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Whelan tears into Leeds’ defending

While some perhaps ignored the Whites’ issues at the back because of the positive result, someone who wasn’t impressed is Whelan.

Speaking to Football Insider, the ex-Leeds man highlighted where Bielsa’s men need to improve, giving an honest assessment of their shortcomings:

“It’s the art of defending. You’ve got to be up for the fight. You can’t let men get around you and you’ve got to rise to that competition.

“We’ve got to get the match-ups right. We recognised they weren’t and changed it at half-time.

“But they’ve got to be right from the off. You can’t keep getting them wrong and then changing them halfway through. We did that in the previous game as well.

“It’s not been good enough for the past few games. It’s one of those where that is just as important as the marking itself, if not more important.

“Bielsa’s got to get the match-ups right. If you get Llorente up against Andersen then he probably doesn’t score that goal.”

Transfer Tavern take

Leeds’ defending is certainly an area that needs to be improved upon next season, with 47 goals conceded in 29 league matches not a flattering tally.

For all their attacking flair and intensity off the ball, being solid at the back is still arguably the key to finding consistency and Bielsa will hopefully know that.

In other news, one Leeds player has hinted at a move elsewhere this summer – find out who it is here.

Ralf Rangnick is interested in a deal to bring Kalvin Phillips to Manchester United in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to Fabrizio Romano, with the Italian journalist and transfer insider revealing during a recent appearance on The United Stand that, with David Moyes appearing adamant that Declan Rice will not be sold for anything under £150m this summer, Rangnick could instead pursue a deal for the Leeds United midfielder.

Regarding United’s potential interest in the 26-year-old, Romano said: “Phillips would be the solution for a normal fee, not a crazy fee. He’s a player who is appreciated by the Man United board, so he could be a possibility.

“But, he’s still not been discussed with Erik ten Hag. So, he’s on Manchester United’s list, he’s appreciated by Ralf Rangnick – I’m told – but, still not approved by Erik ten Hag.”

Supporters will love it

Despite Romano’s claim that Rangnick and the Manchester United board are yet to discuss a potential move for Phillips with Ten Hag, the suggestion that the club are interested in a deal to sign the England international is sure to be an update the Old Trafford faithful will love.

While it is true that Phillips’ 2021/22 campaign has been largely hampered by injury, the 26-year-old undoubtedly proved his ability at the very highest level of the English professional game last season.

Indeed, over his 29 Premier League appearances last term, the £45m-rated talent was in sensational form for the Whites, making an average of 1.6 interceptions, 2.6 tackles, 1.7 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 52% – per game.

The £38k-per-week defensive midfielder also impressed going forwards, scoring one goal, registering two assists and creating five big chances for his teammates, as well as completing an average of 1.2 key passes, 4.7 long balls, 41 passes and 0.7 dribbles per fixture.

These returns saw the player who Leeds fans have dubbed the Yorkshire Pirlo average a quite breathtaking SofaScore match rating of 7.21, not only ranking him as Leeds’ best performer in the league but also as the ninth-best midfielder in the division as a whole.

As such, it is clear for all to see that, should Manchester United not be able to afford a move for Rice this summer, Phillips would undoubtedly be a fantastic alternative to the West Ham talisman – not to mention a signing who would be a dramatic improvement upon Ten Hag’s current options in the middle of the Old Trafford pitch.

AND in other news: Man Utd plot bid to sign “amazing” £164k-p/w “genius”, he’s a huge McTominay upgrade

Aston Villa have confirmed that Jack Grealish is ready to face Burnley in the Premier League on Tuesday night.

The club captain was taken off with a few minutes to go in the victory over Newcastle United at the weekend, and there appeared to be some doubts over whether Dean Smith would be able to call upon his star man for the trip to Turf Moor.

But speaking in his pre-match press conference, Smith revealed: “He didn’t do an awful lot in training (on January 22) and he wasn’t happy I brought him off with a little over five minutes to go (vs Newcastle). I thought it was game over and he’s on four yellows as well plus there’s that risk of getting him kicked so that was the right time (to take him off).

“He didn’t look fatigued but the last couple of days he’s had a tight hamstring. When you feel the game is done you can take a player like Jack off. He is fine. He is available for selection (for Burnley).”

Described as a “phenomenal talent” by former Villa man Kieran Richardson, he has been in scintillating form again this season, leading his side’s charge up the Premier League table and in their hunt for an incredible European place.

In 17 top-flight games this campaign, the England international has bagged five goals and provided ten assists, and would have been a massive miss against Burnley tonight.

His Whoscored average match rating of 7.85 is comfortably the highest of any Villa player in the Premier League this season, whilst his averages of 3.6 key passes and 2.9 dribbles per match also rank him first among his teammates.

He is Villa’s creative lynch-pin, and against a team like Sean Dyche’s men, that bit of class and vision is especially needed. It’s exactly why Smith will be absolutely buzzing with the fact that his captain is all raring to go on Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, Villa can land a major Ross Barkley upgrade in this Brazilian…

Plenty of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to an update regarding defender Nathan Ferguson on social media.

According to the Daily Mail, the 20-year-old tore his achilles in training just days after Eberechi Eze suffered the same injury.

Ferguson, who is yet to play for Palace after signing from West Brom last summer, was thought to be approaching full fitness.

He’s suffered a number of setbacks during his time at Selhurst Park but was thought to be under consideration by Roy Hodgson to face Liverpool on the weekend.

However, Ferguson, who can play anywhere across the backline, is now likely to be out for a number of months, with the report claiming he is hoping to be back before the end of the year.

Palace fans react

@cpfc_xtra shared the news on Ferguson on Monday lunchtime on Twitter. This is what these Palace supporters had to say in reply, with one describing it as ‘heartbreaking’.

“Honestly what is going on … This rebuild had become a total catastrophe”Credit: @BenRich27″I swear Palace must have been cursed…this is getting ridiculous now!”Credit: @JMac00027″This is worse than Eze. Poor Ferguson. Will probably never play again. Absolutely heartbreaking for the lad. God whoever our new manager is they absolutely have to hit the ground running. No pressure!!”Credit: @audreysprayer”What the hell is going on at the training ground ???”Credit: @BenIAgbaimoni”Are we doing WWE style training ?”Credit: @CalumCPFC”Just need Zaha to leave now and I think we can confidently say we’re finishing 20th.”Credit: @JA9baller

In other news: Many CPFC fans unimpressed with what Wilfried Zaha has had to say, find out more here. 

Everton are interested in signing Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha in the summer transfer window, according to Goal. 

The report says the Blues have been keen on Zaha since the summer of 2019, when they offered £70million plus Cenk Tosun and James McCarthy.

That ‘admiration’ remains, and they believe Zaha’s price is now far lower. Indeed, he could be available for less than £40million.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side may face competition from Tottenham Hotspur, who are said to be ‘monitoring the situation’.

Zaha a vital figure at Selhurst Park

Though Palace’s demands appear to have eased somewhat, they understandably want to keep hold of him.

Zaha scored 11 goals for the Eagles last season, the highest tally in the squad. Christian Benteke (10 goals) was the only other player to pass the five-goal mark (via BBC Sport).

Roy Hodgson is leaving Selhurst Park, and there may be serious concerns about the impact of losing both a manager and a talismanic on-field figure.

Fan feed The Toffee Blues relayed Goal’s report, and here’s how supporters reacted.

These Everton fans implore club not to sign Zaha

“No absolutely not”

Credit: @bobmarl03974950

“No no no thanks”

Credit: @jimefc21

“Same issues…. never learning if this is the type of profile of player we’re signing. Definition of insanity”

Credit: @MichaelHilditc5

“If we sign anyone over the age of 23 there should be a riot at Goodison park. Buy youth and keep buying youth… with pace”

Credit: @PtkToffee

“Yet again another signing towards the twilight years of his career and would demand stupid wages”

Credit: @MarkFer07565155

“Any chance of us signing players under 28?”

Credit: @DVDWLKNSN

In other news, Marcus Bent made this sensational claim about a transfer across Stanley Park.