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Sky Sports pundit Kevin Phillips has urged Tottenham Hotspur to stump up the funds for Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, regardless of whether Harry Kane chooses to stay in North London this summer [Football Insider].

The Lowdown: Spurs seek positive changes in 2021/22

Needing to step up the ante in 2021/22 after a disappointing campaign last year which resulted in UEFA Conference League football, newly crowned Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo will have aspirations of raising standards at the club through high-profile additions.

In regard to the centre-forward position, Kane’s future creates another unsettling dynamic at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium amid continued interest from Manchester City [Guardian].

Spurs have however also been heavily linked with Martinez alongside arch-rivals Arsenal [Football London].

The Latest: Phillips urges Tottenham to pursue Martinez

Ex-England striker Phillips responded bullishly in an interview with Football Insider, adamant of the need to bring the Argentina international to north London: “You have to make provisions in the case Kane leaves.

“It’s a matter of time so Tottenham are lining up someone else to come in.

“If it was Martinez, Inter are getting £160million in the space of a week with Lukaku going.

“How much are Tottenham paying? £60million? £70million? That’s not bad.

“They aren’t in a position to turn that down, we know about their financial troubles.

“They need a great signing like him even if Kane doesn’t go so I can see it happening for £70m, they won’t reject that.

“It might not end up being him but they need a player like that to push on.”

The Verdict: Spurs should look to acquire Martinez as a matter of priority

Correctly, the former Sunderland frontman identifies that the Lilywhites can’t wait on Kane forever to clarify his future.

In 2020/21, Martinez was in excellent form, registering 30 goal contributions in 48 appearances; 19 goals and 11 assists [Transfermarkt].

Regularly involved both as a goalscoring threat and creator, the 23-year-old managed to accomplish a respectable 2.9 shots per fixture across the year [WhoScored] while supplying one key pass per match,

Martinez should indeed be acquired if possible whether Kane stays put or moves on to pastures new, but whether Daniel Levy will stump up the cash to make it happen is another matter entirely.

In other news, Spurs are interested in a La Liga ace.

Derby County have been handed a potential transfer boost by the EFL following the recent injury sustained by Colin Kazim-Richards.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Derbyshire Live, who relayed Sky Sports’ presenter Michelle Owen’s claim that the EFL may well be willing to make an exception to Derby’s ongoing transfer embargo on the basis that Kazim-Richards is ruled out for a significant amount of time.

The report states that as Wayne Rooney currently has 23 players of professional standing in his first-team squad, he cannot make any further additions to his squad in the summer transfer window.

However, according to Owen, the 35-year-old may be able to sign a replacement for Kazim-Richards, with the presenter stating: “We have spoken to the EFL following that injury to the Kazim-Richards and they have said ‘if it is a severe injury and if he is out long-term the EFL may be willing to make an exception to the rule based on medical advice’.”

Rooney will be buzzing

While the injury to Rooney’s only senior centre-forward will have undoubtedly left the manager gutted, if he is able to bring in a replacement for the 34-year-old in the coming weeks, this disappointment could quickly turn into delight.

Indeed, should the former England international indeed be permitted to sign a new striker, once Kazim-Richards has recovered from his injury, the 35-year-old will then have another option to choose from in attack, allowing him to rest and rotate between the two players – or potentially three players, including 19-year-old Jack Stretton – something that could well prove invaluable during the closing stages of the club’s Championship campaign.

However, it should be said that the length of time Kazim-Richards will be ruled out has not been determined as yet, nor have the EFL confirmed that Rooney will indeed be able to sign a replacement for the striker.

However, it is undeniable that, following the devastation of losing the 34-year-old to injury, the fact Rooney could be handed something of a get out of jail free card by the EFL will have the manager buzzing.

In other news: Lost possession 23x: “Appalling” dud who lost 66% of duels cost Derby big time vs Posh

Backing news of Tottenham Hotspur’s interest in Cagliari star Nahitan Nandez, Sky Sports have now come out with their own update on the chase for the tenacious midfielder.

The Lowdown: Spurs now eyeing Nandez…

Tottenham have entered the chase to sign Nandez in recent days as numerous reports reveal managing director Fabio Paratici’s interest in bringing him to north London.

Indeed, reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that the 25-year-old is one of many midfield targets on the Italian chief’s list with ‘contacts started’ but no official bid yet.

Calciomercato, however, go one step further and claim that Paratici has already made an offer to sign him on loan with an obligation to buy – a move amounting to around €30 million (£25.5m) in total.

Sky Sports, while not exactly sharing news on an official bid, back news of interest in Nandez as they share their own update.

The Latest: Sky Sports back news of Nandez interest

The reliable source claims Spurs have now made an approach to sign the 41-cap dynamo who impressed across his 31 Serie A starts over 2020/2021.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/tottenham-latest-news/” title=”Tottenham latest news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Nandez handed in a transfer request earlier this window following interest from Inter Milan and his versatility is highlighted as a real plus point.

The midfield maestro can play in the middle of the park, out wide and even as a right wing-back – potentially coming as a solution to the Spurs full-back issue as well as a target who can protect the back four.

The Verdict: Get it done Fabio…

At just 25, Nandez comes with a real potential for sell-on value in years to come if he keeps on performing at a high level.

Italian news outlet La Nuova believe he could depart the Sardegna Arena if any interested parties activate his alleged €36 million release clause (£30m).

Indeed, Nandez could well leave for slightly less than other Spurs midfield targets, like Sporting Lisbon’s Joao Palhinha for example (£34m), while solving more problems in Nuno Espirito Santo’s squad due to his versatility.

He has also attracted plenty of praise from the press, with ESPN and BT Sports football pundit Mina Rzouki branding him ‘so amazing’ and ‘underrated’ on Twitter.

If Tottenham manage to get him over the line, we believe he could be quite the shrewd purchase.

In other news: ‘Omg’, ‘Yessss’, ‘I beg’…Many Tottenham fans erupt as ‘perfect’ news emerges, find out more here.

Many Wolves fans have been left lauding a transfer update involving Sven Botman.

As per Fabrizio Romano, the Midlands club now want to sign the central defender before the summer window ends, but Sevilla are also in the hunt for his signature.

They are prepared to open talks with Lille, although Sevilla consider Botman as their top target if Jules Kounde ends up going to Chelsea.

The Dutchman was a key player for Lille on their way to winning the Ligue 1 title in the 2020/21 season, playing in all but one game and helping his team keep a mammoth 20 clean sheets in the process (Sofascore).

Nonetheless, at just 21 years of age, he has so much potential, and so would be a good investment by the Molineux faithful should they be able to get a deal over the line.

Wolves fans on Botman transfer update

These WWFC supporters lauded the transfer update as it was shared on Twitter:

“GET IT DONE JEFF”

Credit: @wwfcsam1

“Serious serious club”

Credit: @charliewwfc_

“That’s more like it”

Credit: @wwfc_dg

“If this gets done announce the Premier League title”

Credit: @joehands_19

“Inject into my veins”

Credit: @lukewwfc9

“Come on Jeff”

Credit: @oliviaashIey

In other news, find out who Wanderers are pleading to sign here!

Speaking exclusively to The Transfer Tavern, former Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Carlton Palmer believes the Owls could sign winger Nathaniel Mendez-Laing in the future if they do not end up signing him now.

Mendez-Laing is currently a free agent after leaving Middlesbrough and has been linked with a move to Wednesday. According to The Star, the Yorkshire club have considered a swoop for the 29-year-old.

Meanwhile, Yorkshire Live journalist Dom Howson (via Football League World) claims Mendez-Laing is a player manager Darren Moore specifically likes.

Considering that, Palmer can see Wednesday easily moving for the Englishman later on in the season should they decide against bringing him to Hillsborough now.

“I think it [signing Mendez-Laing in the future] could be a possibility,” the ex-Wednesday player told TT. “He’s a free agent, so I think if Darren Moore really wanted to get him in now, I’m sure he could do because he’s available on a free.

“But he’s somebody I know Darren admires, so maybe that’s one he’ll look at down the line.”

Whatever happens with Mendez-Laing, it has been a really positive transfer window for Wednesday, who have brought in a whole host of new players following their relegation from the Championship.

With those additions, the Owls will be hoping that they can make a swift return to the second tier of English football.

Crystal Palace have made a slow start to life under their new manager Patrick Vieira, picking up just a single point from their opening three Premier League games under the Frenchman.

A raft of exciting new signings have given the Eagles hope of enjoying a successful season this term, and Chelsea loanee Conor Gallagher backed a brace last time out, showcasing his quality and potential.

The 21-year-old’s double earned Palace a 2-2 draw against West Ham United at the London Stadium, but there are still concerns over where the Eagles’ goals are going to come from.

Bringing in former Celtic striker Odsonne Edouard on transfer deadline day may have eased some of those fears, although the poor form of their other attacking options will be a cause for concern for Vieira.

Talismanic figure Wilfried Zaha has been charged with dragging the south London outfit up the top-flight table in recent years, but no goals or assists in 360 minutes of action in all competitions is not the start to 2021/22 he would have had in mind.

The Ivory Coast international’s underlying numbers are arguably just as concerning. As per SofaScore, the £130,000-per-week man has received a match rating of just 6.70 out of 10 for his August exploits, ranking him ninth of the 15 players who have featured for Palace so far in the league this term.

That’s because the 28-year-old has lost possession for his team a whopping 72 times in four games, while having zero shots on target and averaging just 1.3 key passes per match.

Vieira will be hoping that his star man rediscovers his best form following the international break, duly making his transition into life in the Palace dugout a much easier task.

In other news… Palace given fresh hope over “explosive” £14.4m-rated wizard, Vieira will be buzzing 

While Everton very quietly went about their transfer business this summer, there was a big saga that engulfed Goodison Park.

That happened to revolve around James Rodriguez, a man who was desperate to escape Merseyside and move elsewhere.

What’s the word?

James missed a big portion of games towards the back end of last season due to fatigue and hasn’t been seen in a competitive sense on a regular basis for Everton since April.

The Colombian did play in pre-season but hasn’t played a single match in the Premier League since Rafa Benitez took charge.

His agent was trying to engineer a move to Italy while a return to former club Porto was also on the table.

A swap deal involving Luis Diaz was proposed and Everton were confident of reaching an agreement. Ultimately, Rodriguez couldn’t find a suitable club and has stayed with the Toffees.

Greg O’Keeffe issued an update on the playmaker shortly after the deadline passed, revealing what he’d been told and also the remarkable wages he was earning.

The Athletic reporter said: “Suggestions I’ve heard, which I can’t fully describe, is that you might be looking at north of £200,000 a week when you factor in everything – [the] full extent of his deal.

“So this is a player who’s on eye-watering money. And unless something changes, could well be kicking his heels till January at least.

“You know, he’s been told, surplus to requirements, face doesn’t fit – he’s been told that. He had an opportunity to leave, he wouldn’t budge on his wage demands.”

Fans fuming

Everton may have signed the former Real Madrid star on a free transfer but if he does really earn around £200k-per-week, supporters should be fuming.

Rodriguez contributed to ten Premier League goals last term and was their most creative player for key passes per match. That being said, his attitude on and off the pitch over the last six months has been extremely questionable.

The idea that he was too tired to play should have sent alarm bells ringing at the back end of last season and his discipline this term has also been bizarre.

Rodriguez had to self-isolate at one stage and during a remarkable Twitch stream, he declared that he didn’t even know who Everton’s next opponents were.

For any player at the club, that is a strange admission, but for one who earns as much as he does, it’s even worse.

Cutting ties with him this summer, especially in return for Diaz, would have been the perfect solution.

Instead, Benitez will have to decide whether he wants to call on a player who doesn’t want to play for the club.

Rodriguez’ talent is undeniable but his commitment is poor. Fans should be extremely unpleased with how it’s all unravelled.

AND in other news, Reporter shares the player Everton missed out on after Van de Beek, Rafa surely gutted…

Match of the Day pundit Ian Wright has predicted that Francisco Trincao will enjoy a ‘brilliant’ season at Wolves

The lowdown

Wolves signed the 21-year-old on a season-long loan from Barcelona back in July and they will have the option to buy the winger come the end of the campaign (via BBC Sport).

He has started all four Premier League matches so far under Bruno Lage, helping his compatriot to record a first win of the season at Watford on Saturday.

Trincao has averaged 3.3 dribbles per game up to now, ranking him joint-third in the Premier League alongside Dwight McNeil (via WhoScored). The 21-year-old opened his goalscoring account for Wolves in a 4-0 League Cup rout of Nottingham Forest last month.

The latest

Wright has expressed his excitement about Trincao and also stated that the Portugal ace has ‘a beautiful left foot’.

“The chances they are creating, you can see it’s starting to gel,” the Premier League Hall of Fame nominee said during Saturday night’s BBC broadcast of Match of the Day, via Birmingham Live.

He added: “We know what [Adama] Traore can do, and Trincao, he’s got a beautiful left foot – I think he’s going to be brilliant this season.”

The verdict

It’s not just the dribbling statistic which stands out for Trincao. As per WhoScored, he is also averaging 2.5 shots, 1.3 key passes and, as an indication of his work rate, 1.8 tackles per match.

In fact, his WhoScored rating of 7.1 across the first four fixtures of the season puts him second in the Wolves rankings for players who’ve started at least one game in the current campaign.

It’s very early days, but the signs are promising, and Wright’s lofty praise seems justified.

In other news, many Wolves fans flocked to this footage from the weekend.

When Tim Cahill hails someone at Everton, Toffees supporters must know they are onto a winner.

The outspoken Australian hasn’t been seen at Goodison Park for a while now but when questioned back in 2011 who the most talented player he’d worked with was, two words were spoken; Ross Barkley.

Cahill then described the attacking midfielder as a “special talent” before Martin Keown predicted further down the line that he’d be one of the best players we’ve seen in England.

You could understand that assumption. After all, just seven years prior, Wayne Rooney was making a splash in the royal blue at Goodison Park.

Yet, while Rooney went on to become England’s record goalscorer, Barkley’s career has sadly petered out.

He joined Chelsea and after not receiving the game time he desired, joined Aston Villa on loan last term.

Frustratingly, he couldn’t find form in the Midlands either, scoring four goals and registering a solitary assist.

The plan, so Barkley says, was to play him as a box to box midfielder at Villa Park. It was Dean Smith’s grand plan to link him up with the dynamic Jack Grealish and the effervescent John McGinn.

Though, while those two thrived, Barkley merely watched on and marvelled at someone like Grealish. Only a few years ago, similar words were being muttered about his career instead.

But why is Barkley’s name relevant to Everton in 2021? Well, he still serves as a benchmark for those making the breakthrough from academy football to the senior team.

One man hoping to do that this season is 17-year-old Isaac Price.

The midfielder hasn’t been seen in the first-team yet but he did train alongside the likes of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Richarlison and James Rodriguez last term.

That will have served as a valuable experience for a teenager who’s cut from a similar cloth as Barkley.

Sources have told The Athletic that he is “too good” not to make the step up eventually and words from U23 boss David Unsworth supplement that theory.

Speaking to the Echo, he said of Price back in April: “Isaac is a box-to-box midfielder. He is a great passer, he’s got a bit of everything.

“He still has to develop physically, as you can see, he’s not the finished article physically, but that will come.”

Possessing the ability to join the attack late and bring his team forward with the ball, there are plenty of parallels between Barkley and Price.

However, it’s their passing that’s arguably most similar. For instance, the former once produced 16 assists in two seasons for the Toffees as he really started to make impressive strides at Goodison.

At such a young age, Price has plenty of work to do before he is considered for the first team. Though, with such an exciting array of talent in his locker, it surely won’t be long before he’s unleashed by Rafa Benitez.

AND in other news, Signed for £18m, now worth £31.5m: Brands struck gold over “exceptional” Everton gem…

Liverpool secured their place in the Carabao Cup fourth round after comfortably seeing off fellow Premier League outfit Norwich City 3-0 at Carrow Road on Tuesday evening.

It was an impressive performance from Jurgen Klopp’s much-changed charges, with youngsters Kaide Gordon and Conor Bradley making their debuts from the start while Tyler Morton did so as a half-time substitute.

But it was one of the Reds’ more senior figures who was the real star of the show. Less than a week after his first appearance of the season caught the eye against AC Milan, Divock Origi once again reminded everyone of the talent he possesses.

The 26-year-old striker provided an assist against the Italian giants in the Champions League, and it only took him four minutes to do the same against the Canaries, knocking the ball down from a corner into the path of a grateful Takumi Minamino.

And just after the interval, Origi’s night got even better. The Belgium international showed his effectiveness in the box, expertly guiding a Konstantinos Tsimikas cross into the far corner of the Norwich net to put Liverpool firmly in control of the tie.

Minamino wrapped up an easy night’s work for the 19-time English champions late on with his second goal of the game, but it was his strike partner Origi who put in the most satisfying display.

As per SofaScore, the former Lille forward received a match rating of 8.2 out of 10, highlighting his key contributions to Liverpool’s success. Origi also provided two key passes for his teammates throughout the 90 minutes, had a passing accuracy of 83% and only lost possession on four occasions.

What’s perhaps more remarkable is that he proved to be one of the most dangerous players on the pitch despite only having 22 touches, 16 fewer than goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

Origi’s one-touch assist and first-time finish are a testament to his intelligence and technique, allowing him to be so productive even though he wasn’t involved in the game as much as he perhaps would’ve liked.

With a long season ahead, Origi’s early-season form will be a huge bonus to Klopp as he attempts to fight on multiple fronts, allowing him to rest the likes of Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane without fearing a huge drop-off in performance.

And, in other news…Signed for £34m, now worth £90m: Edwards struck gold with “exceptional” Liverpool gem