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Tottenham Hotspur could be set to add some true defensive steel to their midfield this summer, with one top target having emerged…

What's the latest on Joao Palhinha to Tottenham Hotspur?

The latest comes from The Sun (1/7; page 67), who suggests that the Lilywhites are huge admirers of Fulham's Joao Palhinha, but will expect competition from West Ham United.

Having enjoyed a stellar debut campaign in the Premier League, the Portugal international has unsurprisingly earned widespread interest from some top clubs. However, the Cottagers will reportedly hold out for a mouth-watering £90m fee in an effort to ward those suitors off, likely viewing their midfield general at a similar level to the £105m-rated Declan Rice.

With that kind of figure unlikely to stir Ange Postecoglou into action, the fact he remains keen on the player could see him seek to negotiate, in an effort to build a fine platform for his new signing James Maddison to truly thrive.

How good is Joao Palhinha?

For what was his first year in English football, the 27-year-old took to the physicality demanded of him with ease, showcasing his ability to consistently snatch back possession in that engine room with huge success. Even as early as August did commentator Steve Wilson brand the midfielder "outstanding", as a sign of the imperious presence that would go on to dominate many games.

In fact, the former Sporting CP metronome finished quite comfortably as the division's top tackler, with his 147 tackles dwarfing the competition. Moises Caicedo recorded the next best, with 100, and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg was nowhere near with his tally of 56.

Given the Denmark international could be set to depart this summer, Palhinha could represent a fine replacement who boasts that additional bit of defensive steel and athleticism to allow him to screen a back four all on his own.

That being said, Spurs' 27-year-old ace did maintain a 7.11 average Sofascore rating last term in the league, marking a slight improvement on the 7.00 of his potential successor.

However, a gulf in class is not made apparent in their underlying statistics, as whilst the former recorded an 89% pass accuracy, 0.9 key passes, 1.6 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game (via Sofascore), Palhinha would instead maintain an 83% pass accuracy, 0.2 key passes, 4.2 tackles and 1.7 clearances per game of his own, via Sofascore.

Should Postecoglou opt to enact this transfer switch around, he would sacrifice the added offensive impetus that Hojbjerg offers for more solidity, likely aiming to give his true creative threats the best possible environment to exert their will on a game and win matches on their own.

Few within the Premier League could offer what Marco Silva's main man would, thus explaining his astronomical price tag. However, should it be slashed at any point, Spurs must swoop to secure what would be the perfect all-action defensive midfielder to underpin their new manager's high-octane philosophy.

Burnley look set to bring in a first new face since earning promotion to the Premier League, as head coach Vincent Kompany attempts to assemble a squad capable of staying in the top flight.

Are Burnley signing Dara O'Shea?

BBC Sport reports that the Clarets are set to sign Dara O'Shea from West Bromwich Albion after the centre-back impressed in the Championship last season.

Albion need to bring in some money this summer due to their Premier League parachute payments coming to an end, and the sale of O'Shea is therefore considered a necessity to balance the books.

The report states that a deal in the region of £7m is due to be concluded with the player undergoing a medical at Turf Moor.

Where would Dara O'Shea fit in at Burnley?

Burnley have already made the loan signing of Jordan Beyer permanent this summer, signing the centre-back from Borussia Monchengladbach for a reported fee of £13m, but defensive partner Taylor Harwood-Bellis is back at parent club Manchester City.

It is perhaps no coincidence that O'Shea has very similar attributes to Harwood-Bellis, the man he is effectively being signed to replace. Indeed, FBref's player comparison tool ranks Harwood-Bellis ninth on the list of centre-backs most similar to O'Shea in terms of statistical profile, suggesting he would be perfect for Kompany and co.

Both players offer the occasional goal threat (0.05 goals per 90 minutes for O'Shea, 0.03 for Harwood-Bellis); they complete a similar number of passes (82.9% and 85% respectively); while they win a near identical amount of tackles (0.62 v 0.68) and likewise for percentage of aerial duels won (61.3 v 62.2).

Kompany regularly praised Harwood-Bellis last season, though he did suggest it would take time for the 21-year-old to find real consistency with his performances.

"The difference between a young player and an experienced player is usually the amount of consistency you can get in your performances," Kompany said. "That's how you become a centre-half that teams can trust."

Three years older than Harwood-Bellis, and with 19 senior caps for his country already under his belt, O'Shea is further along in his development than the talented City product.

One concern for Kompany would be O'Shea's injury history, having missed 25 games in the 2021-22 season and the final nine games of last season, prior to returning for Ireland's Euro 2024 qualifiers.

However, as then-West Brom boss Valerian Ismael put it when O'Shea recovered swifter-than-expected from the first of those lay-offs: "He has the mentality; he's a warrior."

Ranked by FBref in the top 5% of his positional peers for aerial duels won (4.24 per 90 minutes) and top 10% for passes attempted (65.24 per 90), the £15k-per-week earner looks like the ideal option for Kompany to partner Beyer – or indeed Hjalmar Ekdal – in the Premier League next season.

Manchester United have another midfielder on their radar it seems, with Sport 1, via Sport Witness, reporting that the club are in the race for Felix Nmecha.

Who is Felix Nmecha?

The 22-year-old has emerged as a key player for Wolfsburg over the course of the 2022/23 season, managing more games in the Bundesliga this year than he has managed over the course of his entire career to date. The side picked him on 30 occasions and the player responded by bagging three goals and five assists along the way despite his more central position on the field.

It's been a breakout year for the young talent, with Nmecha now becoming one of the best in his position in Europe and in the Men's 'Top Five' big leaves based on his stats. His assist rate of 0.25 per 90 for example is far and away his best figure, as it puts him within the top 4% of players for that. It shows that he has a knack of finding teammates in good areas and setting them up for good chances. In addition, the midfielder is also extremely strong in the air, with his 2.16 aerials won per 90 putting him in the 93rd percentile. This will come as no surprise considering that he stands at nearly 6 foot 1.

Now, having showcased his combination of physicality and vision for Wolfsburg, he could be given a chance elsewhere this summer. According to a report from Sport 1, via Sport Witness, it states that both Borussia Dortmund and Man United are set to go head-to-head for his signature this summer, with a price tag of around 15 million Euros (or £12.9m) slapped on his head.

No official bid has been made from either party yet though but the Red Devils have reportedly spoken to the player's father – as he currently has no agent – over a potential move to the Premier League. Other reports have also claimed Newcastle United are eyeing a deal.

When does Felix Nmecha's contract expire?

The midfielder's current deal with Wolfsburg has another two years to run, with the player having only joined Wolfsburg back in 2021/22. However, the interest seems to be high and it's no wonder considering how he has fared at the top level of German football so far.

His 1.81 shots per 90 rate and 0.15 non-penalty goals per 90 mark him out as one of the most attacking and offensive players in his position, with the midfielder not afraid to get forward and have a go at goal or even tee up a teammate. Nmecha also isn't afraid to take on an opposition defender, with his 1.27 successful take-ons per 90 showing a superb ability to beat his man and drive the ball forward. In short, he is a player that would certainly add some creativity and drive to the centre of the field for the Red Devils.

A round-up of the third day’s play in round one of Ranji Trophy Group A matches

ESPNcricinfo staff08-Oct-2016

Dhawal Kulkarni’s six-for and Abhishek Nayar’s unbeaten 45 led Mumbai to a tense two-wicket win on the third day against Tamil Nadu, to start their title defense in Lahli. Once Tamil Nadu were bowled out for 185, Mumbai stuttered on their way to chase 97, being 35 for 5 at one point, before Nayar saw them through.Mumbai had a shaky start to their chase, as Aswin Christ removed the openers and K Vignesh got rid of Kaustubh Pawar, Armaan Jaffer and Suryakumar Yadav, leaving Mumbai still 62 adrift with five wickets left. Nayar, who was promoted from No. 7 to 5, held one end with a brisk innings. He got brief support from Aditya Tare’s 23-ball stay, but Crist had the captain caught behind after the team crossed 50. Kulkarni was then caught behind off Vignesh, before Balwinder Sandhu’s eighth-wicket stand of 30 with Nayar took the score to 90. Sandhu fell for 12, but Nayar, on his 33rd birthday, used five fours and two sixes to earn six points for Mumbai.Tamil Nadu started their day on 153 for 6, ahead by only 64, and could add only 32 more as Kulkarni ran through the tail. B Aparajith, who was on 15 overnight, kept resisting, but ran out of partners. He was unbeaten on 28 as Kulkarni dismissed J Kousik, Christ, M Mohammed and Rahil Shah. Kulkarni finished with his 13th five-for in first-class cricket, and maiden match haul of 10 wickets, his 6 for 47 having come on the back of 4 for 31 in the first innings.Uttar Pradesh were left with a daunting task to save the match after conceding a first-innings lead to Madhya Pradesh and being asked to follow on in Hyderabad.Bowled out for 176 in the first innings, UP ended the day at 118 for 2, still trailing Madhya Pradesh by 171 runs. Opener Tanmay Srivastava (60*) and Sarfaraz Khan (18) were at the crease, having added 38. A call on whether Suresh Raina can bat will be taken on the morning of the final day. Raina is recovering from a mild fever and didn’t bat in the first innings.Wicketkeeper Eklavya Dwivedi was the top-scorer in UP’s first innings with 37, while Kuldeep Yadav made 36. MP’s new-ball pair of Ishwar Pandey (3 for 65) and Gaurav Yadav (4 for 44) did bulk of the damage. Gaurav had last played for Madhya Pradesh in November 2014.Gujarat made slow progress, but were still in the fight for the first-innings lead against Baroda after half-centuries from Bhargav Merai (70) and Manpreet Juneja (66 not out), in Jaipur. They went into stumps on 277 for 4, still needing 267 runs to pocket three points.Their hopes will hinge largely on Juneja and Rujul Bhatt (38 not out), who shared an unbroken 100-run stand after the Pandya brothers – Krunal and Hardik – removed Merai and Parthiv Patel, the captain, in quick succession to leave Gujarat at 177 for 4. Irfan Pathan was wicketless, while Munaf Patel had one.Railways consolidated their position against Punjab with a 116-run lead on the third day in Delhi. Shivakant Shukla, who made 128 in the first innings, built a solid opening stand with Saurabh Wakaskar, before the latter retired hurt on 56. Shukla ended the day unbeaten on 86, with Railways at 180 for 2 in their second innings.Earlier, Punjab, who resumed on 154 for 4, added only 61 to their overnight total as medium-pacer Manjeet Singh Choudhary picked up three of the six wickets to fall, including the wickets of Gurkeerat Singh Mann (66) and Uday Kaul (61). Choudhary finished with 4 for 56, while Anureet Singh and Deepak Bansal picked up two wickets apiece.

Tottenham Hotspur are set to make a formal approach for Celtic manager Ange Postecoglou after their Scottish Cup final this weekend, according to reliable journalist Miguel Delaney.

Who could be the next Spurs manager?

Spurs and chairman Daniel Levy still have it all to do in terms of appointing Antonio Conte's successor, with the search becoming all too familiar to their disastrous hunt for Jose Mourinho's replacement in 2021.

It took a quite ridiculous 72 days for Tottenham to eventually appoint Nuno Espirito Santo back then – a move which ultimately resulted in the Portuguese's sacking after just a few months.

Conte then stepped into Nuno's shoes, and now that marriage has unceremoniously ended, it's back to the drawing board for Levy and co as they attempt not to repeat the same mistakes all over again.

There are a few names still in the frame, with the likes of Brighton boss Roberto De Zerbi, Fulham manager Marco Silva and even free agent Graham Potter contending.

Marcelo Gallardo could also emerge as a late option with Levy personally holding Luis Enrique talks as well.

It's imperative that Tottenham get this next appointment right as protests surround the club board and dissatisfaction gathers real pace among supporters.

According to a recent report by The Independent, and reliable reporter Delaney, there has been an update on Spurs' links to Ange Postecoglou – who has emerged as a leading candidate in recent days.

As per his information, the Australian is attracting real interest from Spurs, who are expected to make a "formal approach" for him after Celtic's looming Scottish Cup final against Inverness this weekend.

Delaney also adds a potential timeline for Tottenham's managerial appointment as the north Londoners hope to complete a hire within 10-14 days.

This should come as music to the ears of supporters who have long waited for Conte's replacement to be finalised, though it remains to be seen if Spurs do in fact follow through.

Who is Ange Postecoglou?

Having won a pretty impressive 10 pieces of silverware across spells in Japan, Australia and now Scotland – Postecoglou could make it 11 with victory over Inverness.

The 57-year-old arguably falls into Tottenham's category of manager – an out-and-out attacking tactician who has been revered for his "beautiful football" north of the border.

Snooker legend John Higgins certainly holds him in very high esteem – having made a glowing statement to STV (via The Celtic Way) regarding the Celtic boss:

“Ange Postecoglou has been amazing for the club he has come in and everybody just loves him," said Higgins."So for as long as he stays at Celtic I think we can look forward to more games like the weekend for, hopefully, years to come."That’s maybe why I am feeling so good just now. It would be a dream to be able to go and parade another world championship at Celtic Park and meet big Ange, that would be an amazing feeling."

Manchester United have added another midfielder to their wanted list this summer, with Martin Zubimendi the latest name to be linked with the club according to reports in Spain, via Sport Witness.

Who is Man United target Martin Zubimendi?

The 24-year-old midfielder has thrived this season with Real Sociedad, currently helping his side to fourth place in the La Liga table. This year, he has managed to play in 32 league outings for the side and has one goal with two assists.

Having burst onto the scene with a 31 game season back in the 2020/21 campaign, the midfielder has since gone on to establish himself as a first-team regular with his club, famed for his ability to read the game, break up opposition attacks and spread the ball around. Now, despite still being early on in his career, the player has already racked up 109 domestic appearances for Sociedad.

However, it's his performances in Europe that have clearly caught the eye. Playing four times and producing a rating of 6.67 via WhoScored, Zubimendi crossed paths with Man United – and that has now led to interest in his services from the Red Devils.

According to reports from Spain via Sport Witness, the Premier League scouts liked what they saw of the midfielder during their clashes with Real Sociedad in Europe and would be willing to "double" his current salary. It also mentions that the La Liga outfit are aware that Erik Ten Hag's side have registered an interest but also that they don't intend to sell the player – unless, of course, a club triggers his release clause.

That currently stands at 60 million Euros (£52m). If United are keen to add the player to their squad then, it seems they would need to stump up that amount to seal a deal.

Should Man United sign Zubimendi?

If Man United want to add some strength and depth to their midfield during the close season, then they could certainly do a lot worse than Zubimendi.

Even with other stars around him, he has been identified as a "brilliant" player by football talent scout Jacek Kulig, who picked him out for specific praise for his showings in Spain. He has averaged a rating on WhoScored of 6.70 in La Liga as well this campaign, which showcases just how solid he already is in the centre of the field. With 1.8 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per game this year, he looks like a potential successor for Casemiro.

The Red Devils then could have a gem on their hands if they do opt to sign the midfielder.

YouTuber Mark Goldbridge has urged Erik ten Hag to start Anthony Martial at Manchester United for the rest of the season.

What's the latest on Man Utd and Anthony Martial?

There has been plenty made about the striker's position at Old Trafford in recent times. Indeed, the club are yet to truly fill the void left by Cristiano Ronaldo.

Big summer moves for the likes of Harry Kane and Victor Osimhen have been touted in the media for months, but Man Utd will have to make do with the options available to them for now.

Wout Weghorst arrived on loan to help provide some depth but Goldbridge has claimed that Martial is a better option than him.

He also reasoned that a few good displays from the French striker could help raise his transfer value ahead of a potential summer exit.

While talking on The United Stand, Goldbridge explained (42:29): “I'll tell you right now, I want Martial to start every game between now and the end of the season for two reasons.

"One, if he's gonna go, if he scores a few goals his value might go up. But two, he is better than bloody Weghorst. And I prefer Rashford on the wing, and we've got nobody else.

"So whatever I think about Martial, I'm begging that he stays fit and he plays every game, because we'll be a better team with him."

Is Martial better than Weghorst?

It's not hard to see why there are some doubt about Weghorst leading the line. After all, he has yet to score a league goal in 14 outings for the Red Devils.

And while Rashford can do a job down the middle, you can see from his average heat map positioning on SofaScore, that he much prefers drifting to the left. And seeing as he has 16 Premier League goals, there's no logical reason to mess with that too much.

And so this leaves Martial. He may have only played 30 more minutes of action than Weghorst in the league this term but has managed to score four goals and provide two assists in this time.

With that in mind, it's easy to reason why the £250k-p/w Frenchman is a better option up top. Unfortunately, though, injuries have halted the momentum of his season.

But if Martial can stay fit for the rest of the month, he could prove vital for MUFC as they look to secure Champions League football and win the FA Cup.

Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe has told sporting director Dan Ashworth to bring Bayer Leverkusen forward Moussa Diaby to the Premier League, according to reports.

What's the latest on Diaby to Newcastle?

The France international arrived at the BayArena back in 2019 and has since gone on to make 165 appearances, becoming a regular feature of Xabi Alonso's first-team, where he's majorly impressed this season as his side's top-performing offensive player and third overall with a match rating of 7.18, which has caught the eye of the northeast hierarchy, but not for the first time.

SportBILD recently reported that the Magpies were keen to strike a deal for the 23-year-old in January, but at the time, the Bundesliga outfit weren't willing to sanction his sale considering that he still has another two years remaining on his contract. The St. James' Park side, however, are now targeting the winger once again, as per the same outlet, and are among the favourites to secure his services, with the player himself even admitting that it's "fun when many clubs are interested in you".

According to Football Insider, Newcastle's sporting director Ashworth and his fellow chiefs have been "instructed" to sign Diaby by Howe, who also wants Arsenal defender Kieran Tierney and Leicester City midfielder James Maddison as part of a triple transfer swoop. The Magpies boss is looking to "prioritise" three "marquee" deals for the targets mentioned, with the trio at the "head" of the club's summer wishlist.

PIF are expected to "prepare" to back their manager in the market, who has highlighted the above candidates as players that can "slot straight into his starting XI and improve it". United's coach has personally "presented" his targets to Ashworth and has "requested" that he "pulls out all the stops" to bring them to St. James'.

Where would Diaby fit in at Newcastle?

Newcastle forward Allan Saint-Maximin has been heavily linked with an exit at the end of the season, so should he depart, Diaby would be the perfect long-term placement having been dubbed a "dangerous" winger by SC Freiburg star Nils Petersen.

The Champions and Europa League participant has clocked up 90 goal contributions (49 goals and 47 assists) in 165 appearances at Bayer Leverkusen and is a real standout performer in the final third. The £38k-per-week ace has recorded 97 shot-creating actions, 82 crosses and 65 shots so far this season, which are higher than any of his teammates, as per FBRef.

Finally, Diaby would bring wonderful versatility to the northeast with his ability to operate in seven various positions, including anywhere across the frontline, which will no doubt be yet another attractive attribute to Howe, so this really is a no-brainer of a deal to complete should the opportunity present itself.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta could be set to receive a timely injury boost on striker Eddie Nketiah ahead of a crucial few weeks in the Premier League title race.

What’s the latest injury news regarding Eddie Nketiah?

The striker has been absent since suffering an ankle injury at the start of March, missing the last seven matches, leaving Arteta short of options to lead the line.

Thankfully, Gabriel Jesus has made a comeback from his own injury woes to alleviate this blow during the last couple of weeks, but having two strikers to choose from ahead of a vital final few weeks of the campaign would be a big boost.

Sky Sports presenter James Green tweeted yesterday regarding the Englishman: “William Saliba NOT in Arsenal open training this morning, but Eddie Nketiah is back.”

This will be a huge source of relief for Arteta, and he could play some part against West Ham United tomorrow.

How important is Eddie Nketiah for Arsenal?

The 23-year-old only played a bit-part role during the early stages of the campaign, not starting a Premier League match until Boxing Day. He did score twice in the Europa League group stage, but that was as profitable as it got until the turn of the year.

The injury to Jesus at the 2022 World changed things for Nketiah as he was then looked upon as Arsenal’s main striker in the Brazilian's absence – and he certainly impressed.

Across 13 matches deputising for Jesus, the striker netted six goals and grabbed an assist as he looked to spearhead the Gunners title challenge and his ankle injury came as a big blow to the club.

The £100k-per-week gem was described as “extraordinary” by his manager back in 2020 and his improvements since then have given the North Londoners a major boost in their pursuit of glory.

Indeed, among his positional peers, Nketiah ranks in the top 10% across Europe’s big five leagues over the past year for total shots per game (3.56), progressive carries (2.77) and touches in the attacking penalty box (6.74), suggesting that he more than makes up for his lack of goals by thriving in other areas.

Leandro Trossard has been a more than able deputy for both Nketiah and Jesus when called upon, registering a goal and seven assists since joining in January.

Having Nketiah back as an attacking option will give Arteta renewed confidence that they can resume their title charge following their agonising draw against Liverpool last weekend.

Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi is believed to be close to signing a new contract, which would be a "big boost" for the Toffees, according to journalist Paul Brown.

Will Alex Iwobi sign a new contract with Everton?

There are conflicting reports about whether Iwobi is set to remain at Goodison Park, with Football Insider last week reporting there has been a breakthrough in talks, following negotiations which took place over a number of weeks. A more recent update from the same source states Everton still remain confident about the midfielder extending his stay, however he is not expected to put pen to paper until the summer, amid concerns about the club being relegated.

Pundit Tam McManus has recently lauded the 26-year-old as a "critical player" for Sean Dyche's side, claiming it's a "no brainer" for the club to offer him a new long-term deal. In an interview with GiveMeSport, Brown has also now commended the decision to offer the £120k-per-week earner fresh terms, in light of his vital contribution to the Merseyside club's attacking output so far this season.

The journalist said: "I think a new contract for Iwobi would be a big boost. He's made a case for Everton's player of the season. Some of his production has tailed away in recent weeks, but I still think he's one of their most dangerous players.

"He seems to unlock defences better than most of his teammates can. If you watch most of the situations that Everton score from, he seems to have been a part of those moves, whether it's the beginning or the end of them."

Should Everton offer Alex Iwobi a new contract?

The former Arsenal man has been vital for the Toffees going forward, weighing in with one goal and seven assists in all competitions, recording more goal contributions than any other player in the squad.

It is true that the Nigeria international's form has fizzled out in recent weeks, picking up just one assist in his last ten Premier League matches, however Dyche still clearly views him as an important player, given the game time he has received.

As such, it will be frustrating for Everton that the midfielder may wait until the end of the season before signing a new deal, considering he is still one of the club's most consistent performers, with an average Sofascore match rating of 6.93.

That said, the Toffees have put themselves in a good position to avoid relegation since Dyche's arrival, now sitting two points clear of the bottom three, which could convince Iwobi to make a decision sooner.