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Tottenham Hotspur are believed to be eyeing a summer swoop for Fulham defender, Tosin Adarabioyo, with manager Ange Postecoglou seemingly keen to strengthen his centre-back ranks ahead of next season.

What's the latest on Adarabioyo to Tottenham?

As per journalist Lyall Thomas, writing on Twitter: "Exclusive: Tosin Adarabioyo is among the centre-back options being considered by #Tottenham this summer. One year left on his deal at #Fulhamfc + he is open to an exit #thfc #ffc."

In his subsequent piece for Sky Sports, Thomas reveals that negotiations regarding a move for the imposing giant are at an 'early stage', with the Lilywhites contemplating whether to formalise their interest in the 25-year-old.

The report suggests that the former England youth international is seeking a new challenge with just a year left to run on his existing deal, having spent the last three years at Craven Cottage.

Should Tottenham sign Adarabioyo?

With Clement Lenglet having made his return to Barcelona – and with the likes of Eric Dier and Davinson Sanchez facing uncertain futures at N17 – it does appear that Postecoglou is in need of extra bodies to help bolster the backline this summer, with Adarabioyo potentially set to prove a wise, albeit surprise investment for the club.

The "very solid" ace – as previously hailed by talent scout Jacek Kulig – has been tipped for big things stretching back to his early days at Manchester City, having been hailed by former boss Pep Guardiola back in 2016:

"He has all the quality. He is fast. He is faster than the people can believe it and he's strong in the air. He has the quality to look behind the line for the next step, the next pass."

Having been just a teenager at the time of that praise from the serial-winning Spaniard, the £40k-per-week titan has since blossomed into a fine asset at top-flight level, having helped to keep ten clean sheets in 25 Premier League games last season as part of a Fulham side that finished tenth.

The 6 foot 5 gem's stellar performances in that standout campaign are also bolstered by the fact that he is said to share a number of stylistic and statistical similarities with Manchester United star, Raphael Varane, according to FBref.

That likeness to the "world-class" Frenchman – as lauded by pundit Paul Robinson – is notably showcased by the duo's quality on the ball, with Varane having racked up 17 progressive carries and 63 progressive passes last season from his 24 league outings, while the Cottagers' ace recorded 16 and 95 for those same two metrics, respectively.

In a defensive sense, the pair are also alike due to their dominance in the air, with the United man having won a standout 72% of his aerial duels in 2022/23, while Adarabioyo averaged only slightly lower at 69% in that regard.

To be likened to a figure who has a World Cup and five Champions Leagues under his belt is a clear sign of the latter man's quality, with Postecoglou and co no doubt set to jump at the chance to sign a Varane-esque talent in their bid to strengthen the backline.

Arsenal could complete the signing of West Ham United star Declan Rice "within the next week" after verbally agreeing personal terms, according to reports.

Who could Arsenal sign this summer?

The Gunners are aiming to back manager Mikel Arteta in the transfer market this summer and have already earmarked their targets for central midfield.

According to reports, the position is a real priority for Arsenal to reinforce, leading to their serious interest in Rice, Brighton star Moises Caicedo and Man City captain Ilkay Gundogan.

As well as the aforementioned trio, talks could accelerate for Galatasary's Sacha Boey, with a new right-back also thought to be on Arteta's agenda this summer.

Going back to Rice, though, it is believed Arsenal are favourites to sign the 24-year-old who has been heavily linked with a move to north London.

West Ham chief David Sullivan, speaking to talkSPORT recently, even confirmed that he will be on the move.

"I think it has to be," said the Irons board member."We promised him he could go. He set his heart on going."In due course, he has to get on and we have to get a replacement – or several replacements. It's not something we want to happen. We offered him £200,000-a-week 18 months ago. He turned it down."

According to Football Insider, there has been quite a big update on his potential move to Arsenal, coming after he already verbally agreed personal terms.

Indeed, it is now believed that the Gunners could complete his signing "within the next week", and a deal which could be worth close to £100 million is edging closer.

Arsenal have been laying the groundwork for months on a potential agreement and there is a belief that they could reach a compromise of £92m with West Ham.

It's added that Rice is set to replace Granit Xhaka, who is reportedly on the verge of joining Bayer Leverkusen.

Who is Declan Rice?

The Englishman was West Ham's star player last season, averaging a higher match rating per 90 than any player in their squad over 2022/2023 (WhoScored).

Former Hammers defender Matthew Upson, speaking before their UEFA Europa Conference League final win over Fiorentina on Wednesday, raved over his maturity at such a young age.

"He is a very mature player for his age," said Upson."He can handle responsibility amazingly well, which is why he was such a young captain in the Premier League."Players don't usually come into their own in that position until their late 20s. For someone of Declan's age, the level he is playing at now is exceptional."

Manchester United will need to pay in excess of £60 million this summer if they are to land a new striker at Old Trafford, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

What's the latest transfer news on Manchester United's striker search?

Manchester United have been linked with several strikers this summer as they look to add an elite forward to their attack, with Tottenham Hotspur star Harry Kane being among the leading names, though the Red Devils will need to part with around £100 million to land the England international, as per The Daily Mail.

Napoli striker Victor Osimhen is also a target for Erik Ten Hag heading into the forthcoming transfer window alongside Atalanta's Rasmus Hojlund and Eintracht Frankfurt's Randal Kolo Muani, according to The Manchester Evening News.

As per The Mirror, Benfica frontman Goncalo Ramos is also highly thought of at Manchester United and is seen as a 'brilliant prospect' for the future by Old Trafford chiefs.

Calciomercato claimed in March that Juventus hitman Dusan Vlahovic is also being considered by the Red Devils, providing an intriguing mix of strikers that Manchester United could choose to pursue once the window opens for business.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that Manchester United may have to shell out a significant sum of cash to be in with a chance of landing any of these reported targets.

Jacobs told FFC: "I think the last point I would make is that Manchester United are going to have to balance lots of priorities here. If they, for example, want a traditional number nine striker, which is a key and urgent priority position, should that opportunity present itself early in the window. Whether that is for a Kane, which we know is going to be difficult, or Victor Osimhen, which we know is going to be expensive, Gonzalo Ramos, which again will come with a big price tag or a Dusan Vlahovic, which there's a real possibility he'll leave, but again, it's going to be well in excess of £60 million at a minimum."

Who is the most likely target to end up at Manchester United?

All strikers who have been linked with Manchester United will prove to be difficult to attain; however, this may well become an easier task to manage financially once the ownership situation at Old Trafford has been rectified.

One thing we do know is that Red Devils boss Ten Hag is said to be 'obsessed' with Tottenham icon Kane and will act early as they try to secure a deal to entice the 29-year-old away from N17, as per The Guardian.

It is easy to see why Kane is so highly rated by the Manchester United boss, given that he managed to notch 32 goals and five assists from 49 appearances in 2022/23 for a struggling Spurs side, as per Transfermarkt.

Kane may prove to be one of the more tricky deals to complete, though the fact that he is desperate to become the all-time leading goalscorer in the Premier League may just give Manchester United enough leg room to seriously tempt him into considering his future this summer.

Sheffield Wednesday reporter Joe Crann has described a playoff final injury update to Marvin Johnson and Dominic Iorfa as “excellent news”.

What’s the latest Sheffield Wednesday team news?

Darren Moore’s side are preparing for a League One playoff showdown at Wembley with rivals Barnsley on Monday after completing a stunning turnaround against Peterborough in the semi-final.

The Owls came from 4-0 down to win the second leg via a penalty shootout but there were injury concerns over both Johnson and Iorfa, who were substituted against Peterborough at Hillsborough.

However, Moore recently addressed the media prior to the trip to London and confirmed that both players are “fine”.

“They’re both fine and ready.

“With the game being on the Monday it’s given them enough time to get them back into training and for the medical department to get them back in. So it’s great to have them back…”

Crann shared the news on Twitter in the last 48 hours, labelling it as “excellent news” for Wednesday.

Good to hear…

Both Johnson and Iorfa have featured heavily for the Owls this season, with Johnson making 42 third-tier appearances and contributing to 13 goals.

Meanwhile, Iorfa has played 34 times in the league and established himself as a regular towards the back end of the campaign which saw Wednesday win their last four League One fixtures.

Therefore, knowing that both players appear to be available for selection can only be viewed as positive news for Wednesday. Only Barry Bannan has registered more assists for Wednesday than Johnson this season, whereas Iorfa ranks highly for tackles and clearances per 90, as per WhoScored.

It wouldn’t come as a shock if Moore placed his trust in the pair from the off once again, with Wednesday looking to end their two-year stay in League One, but it is good to see that he'll have strength in depth at Wembley.

Fabrizio Romano has dropped an update on reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Djed Spence.

What’s the latest?

In a recent article for Caught Offside, the Italian journalist revealed that Antonio Conte’s side are currently the frontrunners in the race to sign the 21-year-old right-back, with an offer of £16m reported to be enough for Middlesbrough to sanction the sale of the England U21 international this summer.

The transfer insider goes on to state that Bayern Munich attempted to open talks regarding a move for the defender prior to their signing of Noussair Mazraoui, while Nottingham Forest are also said to be pursuing a permanent deal for the former Fulham starlet after securing promotion to the Premier League.

In his article, Romano wrote: “Spurs frontrunners for Championship wonderkid…Djed Spence has already received many important approaches from clubs for next season since March.

“Behind the scenes, Bayern Munich tried to start a negotiation before retiring from the race as the Noussair Mazraoui (initially close to joining Barcelona) opportunity opened up.

“Now, Spurs are still in contact for Spence and consider him a possibility for their right-wing, but Fabio Paratici is always able to have three or four targets in the same position; Nottingham Forest are already trying to find an agreement with Middlesbrough to have Spence in the Premier League. Surprises are not excluded.”

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“Unbelievable”

Considering the sheer amount of potential Spence quite clearly possesses, Romano’s claim that Fabio Paratici is currently leading the race to sign the right-back is sure to leave the Tottenham Hotspur faithful buzzing.

Indeed, over his 42 Championship appearances for Steve Cooper’s side this season, the £4.4k-per-week talent was in breathtaking form, bagging two goals, registering five assists and creating six big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.0 key passes, taking 0.6 shots and completing 1.8 dribbles per fixture.

The £7.2m-rated full-back who Romano dubbed a “wonderkid” also highly impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making an average of 1.5 tackles, 1.6 interceptions, 1.4 clearances and winning 5.8 duels per game.

These metrics saw the 21-year-old average a rather sensational WhoScored match rating of 7.05, ranking him as Forest’s sixth-best player in the division.

As such, with the signing of a new right wing-back reported to be one of Antonio Conte’s priority targets in the summer transfer window, the news that Tottenham are in pole position to land Spence is certainly an incredibly exciting prospect, as the England youth international would quite clearly be an “unbelievable” – in the words of Ian Wright – signing for Paratici to get over the line.

AND in other news: Paratici given green light for “unbelievable” £40m Spurs signing, he’s Conte’s “dream”

West Bromwich Albion recently secured their first incoming deal of the summer transfer window as the club announced that they had signed John Swift on a three-year contract from Reading as a free agent.

Given how Baggies boss Steve Bruce previously spoke about the possibility of there being a significant overhaul at the club during the summer, it’s safe to say that they may have got the ball rolling with Swift’s arrival.

However, one man who could well go on to have a big future at The Hawthorns and who, in a similar vein to Swift, wouldn’t cost the club a penny in transfer fees is Jovan Malcolm.

Bruce can save millions with Malcolm

A product of the club’s youth system, the 19-year-old has made a combined 54 appearances for West Brom’s under-18 and under-23 sides. In that time, the centre-forward has scored 23 goals and delivered four assists along the way.

The teenager has also had two loan spells away from the Midlands club with Solihull Moors and Accrington Stanley.

Labelled a “powerful centre-forward [who] loves scoring goals and can adapt to play anywhere across the frontline” according to Albion youth coach Peter Gilbert, Malcolm has yet to make a senior appearance for the Baggies.

Taking into account how West Brom found scoring goals rather difficult at times during their recent Championship campaign, having an attacking talent like the Baggies prodigy in and around the first team could be hugely beneficial for them.

Also, with Swift racking up 11 goals and 13 assists in 38 league games this season for Reading, having him playing behind or next to Malcolm could be just what the youngster needs in order to flourish in the first team if Bruce gives him the chance to play.

This could then give the team some much-needed dynamism and creativity in their midfield and attack, which may then put them in a good shape to get close to winning promotion back to the Premier League.

If Malcolm can work hard and impress Bruce in pre-season, there’s every chance that he’ll then be given his senior West Brom debut at some point in the campaign and potentially go on to become a regular figure in the team, saving the club millions in the process.

In other news: Bruce can secure the next Gallagher as WBA eye £3m dynamo who is a “constant threat”

Celtic have rarely been shy when it comes to dipping into the transfer market and splashing the cash to bring new players to the club.

Last summer’s transfer window was a prime example of this as the Hoops spent a total of just over £20m according to Transfermarkt.

Now that Ange Postecoglou’s side have secured the Premiership title, their focus can now switch towards the upcoming summer transfer window and whatever business they feel is needed before the 2022/23 campaign kicks off.

Looking ahead to this period, it seems as though a behind-the-scenes clue has emerged out of Lennoxtown which should have lots of Celtic fans buzzing.

What’s the talk?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, transfer insider Dean Jones touched upon Celtic’s financial situation for the upcoming summer transfer window.

He said: “They have to prioritise those two deals (Jota and Cameron Carter-Vickers) but, from what I’m told, they will get additional backing too.

“I think that the success in terms of recruitment so far under Ange has convinced the club that this isn’t a gamble. He doesn’t bring in players that he’s not convinced will fit into what he’s doing.”

Celtic fans will love it

With Jota and Carter-Vickers set to see their loan spells with the Hoops come to an end in the next few days, it seems almost certain that those two will be the immediate focus in terms of potentially signing permanent deals, as Jones mentioned.

Taking into account how the duo made a combined 52 Premiership appearances this season, it’s safe to suggest that the club would be keen to keep hold of them for the foreseeable future.

Looking beyond those two, to hear that Postecoglou will then get extra financing backing from the Celtic owners to once again dive into the transfer market and sign whatever players he sees fit should definitely be music to the ears of many Hoops fans.

Considering how the likes of Carl Starfelt, Liel Abada, Kyogo Furuhashi and Giorgos Giakoumakis all made big contributions to Celtic’s title victory after joining the club in summer, either in terms of their goals scored or appearances made, this should fill a lot of Bhoys supporters with confidence that the club’s scouting and recruitment staff can have another successful summer transfer window.

In other needs: Ange can finally axe “unbelievable” £4.5m Celtic flop by signing 20 G/A “piledriver”

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Marc Cucurella to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in the summer transfer window.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a claim made by Spanish journalist Albert Roge, who revealed in a post on Twitter that, following an impressive campaign with Brighton & Hove Albion, Antonio Conte has now added the 23-year-old to his list of transfer targets.

A further report by the Daily Express claimed that the 52-year-old Tottenham manager is keen to add more quality to his first-team squad this summer, and has identified the left-back as an ideal candidate ahead of Spurs’ 2022/23 campaign.

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However, Roge goes on to state that both Manchester City and Chelsea are also interested in a move for the Spain international, for whom the Seagulls are expected to demand a figure of around £30m to part with this summer.

In his tweet, the journalist said: “Pep Guardiola’s City want to sign Cucurella this summer. We add that the former Barca player is also wanted by Chelsea and Tottenham. His great season at Brighton has not gone unnoticed. The price will be around £30m.”

Conte can axe Reguilon with Cucurella

Considering just how impressive Cucurella has been for Brighton this season, in addition to the fact that Sergio Reguilon has been heavily linked with a move away from Spurs this summer, it is easy to see why Conte would be keen on a deal to bring the 23-year-old to north London at the end of the current campaign.

Indeed, over his 34 Premier League appearances this term, the £18m-rated left-back – who has also been deployed on the left-wing and at centre-back – has been in sensational form for Graham Potter’s side, scoring one goal, registering one assist and creating three big chances for his teammates, as well as making an average of 1.2 key passes, taking 0.5 shots and completing 0.8 dribbles per game.

The £23k-per-week defender also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, helping his side keep eight clean sheets, in addition to making an average of 44.9 passes, 0.9 interceptions, 2.7 tackles, 1.8 clearances and winning 5.3 duels – at a success rate of 58% – per fixture.

These returns have seen the player who Potter dubbed both “important” and “infectious” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.11, ranking him as the Seagulls’ third-best performer in the top flight of English football.

As such, considering his age, undoubtedly ability and positional versatility, should the £43m Reguilon – who Tom Young dubbed “pathetic” – indeed move onto pastures new this summer, it would appear an extremely wise move for Conte to replace the 25-year-old with the Brighton starlet.

Indeed, not only would he be a cheaper option than the £68k-per-week Reguilon, but considering their respective match ratings this season, Cucurella would also appear to be a much more promising prospect for Conte and his Tottenham Hotspur side.

AND in other news: Huge boost: Alasdair Gold drops early Spurs team news hint, supporters will be buzzing

Manchester City moved three points clear at the top of the Premier League table with a 5-0 thrashing of Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium.

Two goals from Raheem Sterling as well as an dazzling display from captain Kevin De Bruyne stood out, but it was the impressive performance from defender Aymeric Laporte that stole the show, with the Spain international even getting in on the action and scoring a goal himself.

The result sees The Citizens move even closer to a fourth Premier League title in five years, and their resilient defensive performance certainly allowed their forward line to roam free and dominate an in-form Newcastle side.

What makes it even more extraordinary is the fact that they were without two key defenders for the clash. Both Kyle Walker and John Stones were absent from the squad after suffering injuries during City’s recent Champions League semi-final 6-5 aggregate defeat to Real Madrid.

A key highlight of Laporte’s performance was his one on one defending, with the 27-year-old winning 100% of his duels, all of which were in the air.

He also achieved a pass accuracy percentage of 96% proving that he can be just as reliable on the ground. After that performance, it’s hard to see why Guardiola should drop him even when John Stones returns to fitness. He has featured 29 times in the Premier League this season which is up significantly from the 16 games he appeared in last season.

Up until now, Pep has seemed to have preferred the partnership of Ruben Dias and Stones, but Laporte was his hero today and leaves him with a dilemma.

Given the number of competitions that City are always involved in there is enough game time for everyone, but if he thinks he’s good enough to start and he’s left on the bench then he may eventually seek more game time elsewhere.

Laporte’s overall SofaScore rating for the match was 7.5 which was the highest of all the defenders and beaten by only Sterling, De Bruyne and Rodri. He produced when given the opportunity and has shown that he is capable of fighting for the two available spots.

He may not grab the headlines tomorrow, but we think he was the best player on the pitch.

IN other news: “Manchester City will sign…”: Romano drops big transfer claim, Pep will be buzzing…

Tottenham Hotspur reportedly have ‘a future captain’ on their hands in the form of centre-back Cristian Romero, according to Sky Sports pundit Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Romero off to a great start at Spurs

The 24-year-old first joined the Premier League giants from Atalanta last summer and has since gone on to make 29 appearances for the Lilywhites, most recently in Spurs’ 3-1 victory against Leicester City last weekend.

The Argentine has delivered some impressive performances of late in the top flight, and the former Spurs goalkeeper believes that Romero would make a perfect candidate to replace Hugo Lloris as club captain when the veteran Frenchman departs.

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The Latest: Romero could be future Spurs captain

When asked if he thought the defender had the potential to be a future skipper in the capital, Robinson told Football Insider:

“Romero looks like he has a lot of leadership which is great to see at such a young age. His performances on the pitch and relationship with his teammates show that. I don’t know to what extent language is a barrier but he looks a future captain to me.

“They will not take the captaincy off of Hugo, there is no call for that but whenever he choses to leave there will be a decision to make.

“If Romero is still at the club I can see him stepping up. I’m not talking about anytime in the immediate future but perhaps in a few years time.”

The Verdict: Beast at the back

The £29k-per-week Argentine has been an absolute rock at the heart of the Spurs defence since slotting into the starting XI, averaging three clearances, 2.9 tackles and 1.5 interceptions per league game this season, via WhoScored.

Romero has been hailed as “outstanding” by BBC columnist Jonathan Woodgate and still has plenty of his prime years ahead of him, quite possibly growing into an even better player in the years to come.

Antonio Conte will need all of his defensive experience available to him should he want Tottenham to secure a top-four finish at the end of the season, and the 6 foot 1 colossus could help him do just that with only four games left to go.

In terms of leading by example, Romero is doing that with his performances, so perhaps Robinson is right in name-checking him as Lloris’ possible successor for the armband at Spurs.

In other news… Spurs have officially opened negotiations for one of their ‘fantastic’ transfer targets