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Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension their sporting director Fabio Paratici, have major plans for Inter Milan striker Lautaro Martinez, according to a fresh report from Italy in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Conte demands striker…

Paratici’s recruitment meeting with manager Antonio Conte in Italy late last month has since yielded three major signings as the former Chelsea boss gears up for his first full season in charge of Spurs.

The arrivals of both Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster on free transfers were subsequently followed by Yves Bissouma’s recent £25m move from Brighton. Tottenham have shown no sign of slowing down, though, and reports suggest that a new striker is firmly in Conte’s sights.

As the Premier League giants eye a backup/alternative option to star man Harry Kane, reports from Italy have now shared a big update on Martinez.

The Latest: Paratici preparing ‘monstrous’ bid…

According to newspaper Tuttosport (via FC Inter News) on Saturday morning, Spurs – and by extension Paratici – are lining up a marquee move for the Argentina international.

It is believed that the Lilywhites are ‘ready’ to table a ‘monstrous’ bid to sign Martinez which could amount to around €80m-€90m (£69m-£77m).

However, despite Spurs’ willingness to spend big, they may struggle to negotiate as Inter apparently declare the South American ‘non-transferable’.

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The Verdict: Keep pushing?

Inter’s need to sell this summer could well persuade their president Steven Zhang to at least contemplate offloading Martinez, especially if they bring Romelu Lukaku in on loan as a replacement.

One thing is for certain, though – the £183k-per-week star would be a phenomenal capture if Tottenham can get him.

Martinez stood out as Inter’s major attacking threat over 2021/22, finishing the Serie A campaign as the Nerazzurri’s top scorer, whilst also attempting the most shots at goal per 90 (WhoScored).

There’s little argument that he would seriously strengthen Conte’s options in attack, and it will be interesting to see whether Spurs can persuade Inter to sell their star striker.

In other news: ‘Attention has turned’…The Athletic claim Tottenham are ‘working’ on ‘genius’ signing for Conte! Find out more here

Manchester United boss Erik ten Hag is poised to bring his former Ajax winger, Antony, to Old Trafford.

That is according to a report from The Sun, who state that the United boss is eager to make the Brazilian his first signing in what looks to be a £40m move.

Mahrez 2.0

The signing of Antony makes a lot of sense for ten Hag’s new-look United side, certainly from a tactical point of view.

The Red Devils have been crying out for a left-footed inverted winger for some time, with fans already baited into thinking the problem was solved when Amad Diallo arrived last year. Though he was not given a chance and at this stage, Ten Hag needs established players that he can rely on.

In almost every aspect of their play style under Ralf Rangnick, United were one-dimensional and it was a similar case under Ole Gunnar-Solskjær.

In order to shake up the attack, they can make use of an inverted approach – just like Pep Guardiola utilises when deploying Riyad Mahrez on the right-wing.

The Algerian has endured repeated success in this role, cutting inside in a bid to wrong-foot the central defenders and fire a shot at goal, a style of play that has rewarded him with 63 goals and 46 assists in City colours. An inverted approach adds another dimension in the attack and allows for a wide player to operate almost solely in the half-space, which also results in more space for the centre-forward.

Antony can shine in the “Mahrez” role for United, and has proven his ability under Ten Hag at Ajax, having notched up 12 goal contributions in 23 Eredivisie appearances last season, in the form of eight goals and four assists. With that in mind, it’s hardly a surprise that he’s been described as an “unreal” footballer by Andre Noruega.

It looks as though Ten Hag has a real strategy, with his targets thus far all tailored to his mass-possession philosophy.

United should wrap this deal up pronto.

In other news: Fabrizio Romano drops “serious” Man United transfer claim that’ll have ten Hag buzzing

Leeds United correspondent Graham Smyth has admitted that a permanent move away for Jamie Shackleton ‘cannot be ruled out’.

The Lowdown: Summer of change

It has been a busy month at Elland Road after Leeds secured their Premier League status on the final day of the 2021/22 season. The Whites have already brought in Brenden Aaronson, Rasmus Kristensen and Marc Roca and are now keen on signing Club Brugge star Charles de Ketelaere.

There looks set to be a number of departures as well, with Manchester City and Leeds agreeing a £42m fee for Kalvin Phillips, while Raphinha has been heavily linked with a move to Arsenal.

Shackleton, who Marcelo Bielsa previously described as ‘energetic’, could well follow the duo out of Elland Road as he enters the final two years of his contract.

The Latest: Smyth’s claim

Smyth shared a transfer state of play on Sunday morning for The Yorkshire Evening Post, looking at possible replacements for Phillips.

He then looked at potential outgoings and said that Shackleton ‘is another who could seek opportunities elsewhere and a permanent move away cannot be ruled out’.

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The Verdict: Makes sense?

Shackleton has been in and around the first-team squad over the past four seasons, making 78 appearances for Leeds, but he has never nailed down a starting role under either Bielsa or Jesse Marsch, featuring from the off in only 19 league games.

He is now 22 years of age, so playing regular senior football appears to be imperative at this stage of his career.

Capable of playing in midfield or at right-back, Shackleton could potentially be an asset for a Championship club, and it looks as if his future will be one to watch over the coming months.

Leeds United have made a request to sign Sassuolo’s Hamed Traore, according to the Italian club’s CEO.

The lowdown

Leeds have already been busy in this summer’s transfer window, bringing in three new faces.

Attacking midfielder Brenden Aaronson and right-back Rasmus Kristensen have joined from RB Salzburg, while central midfielder Marc Roca has arrived from Bayern Munich.

The trio have cost a collective £52million, but Leeds could be due to bank up to £105million from the sales of Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha.

Traore is a 22-year-old attacking midfielder who can also play in a deeper role or on the left wing.

Valued at £19.8million by Transfermarkt, he’s under contract for another two years.

The latest

Speaking to Italian newspaper Corriere dello Sport (via Sport Witness), Sassuolo chief Giovanni Carnevali confirmed that Leeds had been in touch. But he was keen to stress that the club will not being sell all of its coveted assets this summer.

“We have received a request [from Leeds], but I repeat, we will not sell all of them,” he said.

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The verdict

Another Sassuolo player attracting interest is Gianluca Scamacca, who’s said to be admired by Arsenal, Newcastle United and West Ham United.

You can see why the club might be reluctant to lose the 16-goal striker and Traore, who scored seven times and provided four assists last season, in the same window.

It might take a special offer for Leeds to lure away the midfielder, who’s similar in profile to Philippe Coutinho and Raphinha with quick feet and elite close control – he actually completed more dribbles per game in Serie A last term than Raphinha did in the Premier League.

For Leeds, it would be a long-term investment in a player who was ‘fantastic’ last term, in the words of sports journalist Josh Bunting.

Newcastle United have been linked with a summer move for Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi.

What’s the news?

According to The Sun, the Toon are keen on exploring a move for the Chelsea sensation this summer with the Blues greenlighting a pursuit by declaring their willingness to listen to offers.

The news comes amid Newcastle’s failed pursuit of Anthony Gordon with the Magpies now very much pursuing alternative targets.

Saint-Maximin 2.0

As a product of Chelsea’s youth system, the 21-year-old has made 187 appearances in total for the west London club across their senior and youth sides.

In those appearances, the winger has found the net 47 times and delivered 40 assists in the process.

With 15 Premier League appearances to his name last season, the Englishman racked up 17 shots at goal, 51 shot-creating actions, 30 dribbles and 26 crosses, showing the clear attacking talent he has and why he’d be an exciting addition to Eddie Howe’s ranks.

Having played across numerous positions in the midfield and attack last season, this sort of versatility could make the youngster a very useful player for the Toon.

Praised by Thomas Tuchel for a “perfect” pass he delivered during Chelsea’s 1-0 win over Malmo in the Champions League last season, Hudson-Odoi clearly has what it takes to be a goalscoring threat for Newcastle.

If he does make the move to St James, then it could give the Magpies their next version of Allan Saint-Maximin.

With the Frenchman being a huge part of Newcastle’s attacking power by scoring five goals and delivering five assists in 35 league appearances last season, it’s safe to say that he is an important figure for the team.

The similarities between the two players are clear, with both figures achieving ratings in the 70s for the creativity and attacking areas of their game according to SofaScore.

While the current Toon star slightly eclipses the £120k-per-week winger in both categories, the Chelsea youngster certainly has the talent and time ahead of him to get on the same level as Saint-Maximin, which a move to Newcastle would surely help with.

With the Magpies showing during their previous transfer window, and in the early stages of this one, just how effective they can be at signing players from fellow English clubs, a move for Hudson-Odoi is something that they should definitely explore during the next few weeks.

AND in other news: NUFC plotting bid to sign sign “fabulous” £18m “diamond”, he’s a big Shelvey upgrade

Tottenham Hotspur correspondent Alasdair Gold has delivered a double pre-season injury blow for Antonio Conte.

The Lowdown: Preparation in South Korea

The Spurs squad and coaching staff all flew out to Asia on Saturday to begin their pre-season tour of South Korea, where they have already completed some gruelling training sessions in front of excited audiences at the Seoul World Cup Stadium.

After a couple of days of preparation, the Lilywhites are now set to take on Team K League in their opening pre-season game on Wednesday, but are likely to have to do it without two of their first-team stars.

The Latest: Gold’s injury update

Taking to Twitter on Tuesday, Gold shared the latest on Tottenham’s current injury situation. He wrote:

“Some Spurs injury news for you ahead of tomorrow’s match against Team K League. Ivan Perisic not ready yet to feature and Dejan Kulusevski a doubt.”

Expanding in his column for Football.London, the journalist stated that the Croatian is ‘working his way back’ after sustaining a calf injury during Inter’s final game before joining, with the winger in his ‘final stages’ of fitness work before returning to ball action.

Kulusevski’s stance on the other hand is a little bit more optimistic, but there still remains ‘question marks’ over whether he will be available for selection due to leaving Monday’s training session early as a precaution after picking up a ‘small calf problem’.

It’s understood that he ‘wasn’t involved’ in the training action on Tuesday and is a ‘doubt’ for the upcoming fixture.

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The Verdict: Blow for pre-season plans

Conte not having Perisic, and possibly also Kulusevski, available for Spurs’ opening pre-season game will come as a blow for the boss.

The Swede was an absolute revelation during his debut season in N17, making 13 goal contributions in just 20 appearances across all competitions since joining on loan from Juventus in January, and the chance to further increase his chemistry in the team would not have gone amiss.

The Italian would have also been hoping to integrate his summer signings into his new system as he sets up his new-look squad for the 2022/23 campaign, but that won’t be possible with Perisic now, so Conte will hold out a little longer before he finalises his Premier League starting XI, a potentially frustrating situation for the very particular tactician.

An update has emerged on Newcastle United and their interest in Jack Harrison in the summer transfer window… 

What’s the talk?

According to the Daily Mail, Dan Ashworth is plotting a potential bid to sign the winger from Leeds as an alternative to Moussa Diaby.

The report claims that Bayer Leverkusen are demanding £60m for the French attacker and the Toon are now looking closer to home for a ‘cheaper’ alternative.

It is not stated how much the Whites would want for the Englishman, although The Telegraph reported his price tag to be £30m earlier in the summer.

Forget about Diaby

Now is the time to forget about Diaby and realise the benefits of a swoop for Harrison instead. The Leeds forward is a proven Premier League performer, which means that he does not come with as much of a risk.

Newcastle would bring him in knowing that he has what it takes to be an important player for them in the division, as he has showcased his ability in the last two years.

The ex-Manchester City man scored 16 goals and provided nine assists in his first two top-flight campaigns, showing that he has the quality to make a big impact in the final third.

Leeds boss Jesse Marsch once lauded the wizard’s skillset, saying: “He can run all day, he is explosive, he’s effective in 1-v-1s, he’s dangerous, he’s smart. I’m asking him to play a different role, I want him to play a little bit more of an interior player. I just want to give him the confidence to apply our ideas of football and achieve.

“His application [of shooting] in the first game was really good.”

Diaby, meanwhile, scored 13 goals and set up 12 in the Bundesliga last term. This was a phenomenal return and suggests that he has the potential to be a huge player for the Magpies.

However, there is no guarantee that he will be able to adapt to the rigours of the Premier League and repeat those numbers. Whereas, Harrison has already proven that he can score and assist goals in the division and may cost half as much money.

Newcastle can, therefore, sign an attacker with a higher chance of being a success and save £30m at the same time – allowing them to invest that in other areas of the pitch. This is a no-brainer on paper and is why fans must now forget about Diaby…

AND in other news, Newcastle move will be on the mind of £25m “phenomenon”, he’s a huge Shelvey upgrade…

Liverpool have been linked with a move for Matheus Nunes this summer, and a new update has emerged claiming that the Reds are ramping up their interest in the player.

What’s the latest?

According to Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manhã (via Sport Witness), Liverpool owners FSG have made the Sporting Lisbon star a priority transfer target this summer.

As per the report, Jurgen Klopp has identified new needs in the team following pre-season, and the Premier League club will advance in their interest for the midfielder, who comes with a reported fee of €45m (£38.2m), plus €5m (£4.2m) in bonuses.

Imagine him & Fabinho

Despite making three signings already this summer, it is clear that Jurgen Klopp and the powers at Anfield are looking for ways to improve their midfield and add depth to the centre of the pitch, something that Nunes could comfortably supply.

With Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain, James Milner and Naby Keita currently in the last year of their contracts, it would make sense for FSG to start identifying the new crop of midfielders that Liverpool could deploy in the heart of their team for the future.

Nunes, who was dubbed “unbelievable” by former team-mate Goncalo Santos, has been predominantly impressing in the central midfield role for Sporting Lisbon, and last season showed that he is a standout performer and a strong midfield talent.

Over 33 appearances in 2021/22, the 23-year-old scored three goals, delivered two assists and created six big chances. He made 1.3 tackles per game and tallied a 92% pass accuracy in his own half, winning the majority of his duels (55%) and completing the majority of his dribbles (70%).

The Portuguese midfielder offers reliability and consistency in his game, with solid attributes in both attacking and defensive play. That would be ideal at Anfield, where the midfield has often been ravaged with injuries over the last few seasons.

Klopp could even establish a formidable partnership in the centre of the pitch between Nunes and Fabinho if Liverpool can seal a deal for the Portuguese gem this summer, as the pair’s combined talents could be an absolute nightmare for opponents trying to break down the Reds.

While the 23-year-old can add a sprinkle of attacking stardust from the middle third, the Brazilian excels in a ball-winning role, his averages of 1.6 tackles and 1.4 interceptions per game last season placing him in the top four in Liverpool’s squad for both metrics.

The signing of Nunes would offer Klopp more availability in the central midfield role, and adding that extra player into the midfield depth could pay off massively when chasing trophies over the next 12 months.

AND in other news: Klopp can land his next Mane with Liverpool bid for “high-level” £34m dynamo

Everton are ‘pushing hard’ to sign Burnley winger Maxwel Cornet and the player will decide on his next club this week, according to journalist Fraser Fletcher.

The Lowdown: Cornet’s season

The Ivory Coast international was a bright spark in a struggling Clarets side last season, who were relegated from the Premier League with just seven wins all year.

The 25-year-old made 26 top-flight appearances, scoring nine goals during the league campaign. With his squad having totalled just 34 goals as a whole, Cornet’s contributions saw him amass over a quarter of the Clarets’ goals for the season – making him indispensable for Vincent Kompany’s side.

The Latest: Fletcher’s news

Having been relegated to the Championship, the winger has been linked with a number of moves away from Turf Moor this summer.

Taking to Twitter, Fletcher shared the latest update on Cornet’s future.

“Maxwel Cornet future will be decided this week I’m told, he will leave Burnley.

“Fulham, Nottingham Forest, Everton and 1 more unnamed club are in talks for the Burnley player, All pushing hard and keen on securing, best offer wins.”

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The Verdict: Great signing

After Cornet scored twice in Lyon’s 2-2 draw against Manchester City in 2018, Citizens boss Pep Guardiola was full of praise for the 25-year-old, saying: “I was very impressed by the talent of Maxwel Cornet.”

With such fine performances in France, it was a surprise to see Burnley emerge as the player’s destination last summer.

Signing a £44,000-a-week contract with the Clarets, Everton could secure a great addition for Frank Lampard’s squad for a reasonable price; as per The Athletic, the winger even has a £17.5m relegation release clause buried in his contract.

With the talent involved for the money required, this could be a shrewd signing for the Toffees.

The old cliche in football is to ‘never go back’, although if recent reports are to be believed then it doesn’t appear that Everton are heeding that warning.

In a summer that has seen Manchester United become the centre of mockery for their Holland-centric transfer approach, the Toffees now appear to have narrowed their targets down to those who play for Chelsea and those who’ve previously been at the club.

Or, in the case of Ross Barkley, someone who fits both criteria.

The latest indication is that the Merseysiders are in ‘advanced talks’ to bring the 28-year-old back to the club this summer, allowing manager Frank Lampard to utilise his Stamford Bridge connections to sign his former England colleague – amid reports that Idrissa Gueye is also nearing a return.

Barkley is seemingly in need of pastures new after what’s been a torrid stint in west London in recent years, having joined the club on a £15m deal back in January 2018 after rising through the youth ranks with the Toffees.

Once likened to the great Paul Gascoigne, it is been a sharp decline for the 33-cap gem in recent years, with both injuries and a wealth of competition restricting him to a bit-part role in Thomas Tuchel’s side, having made just one Premier League start last term.

A return to his former club may appear just what is needed for the Liverpool lad to rejuvenate his career, although the £10.8m-rated man may not be greeted too fondly by the Everton fanbase, having irked some with the manner of his departure just over four years ago, after initially pulling out of a £35m deal to join his current side only to move on for a fraction of that cost just a few months later.

Equally, the £100k-per-week dud has done little of note of late to truly warrant a move in terms of his form, with his total record now standing at a measly 12 goals and 11 assists in 99 games in all competitions for his current side.

In truth, it seems that the Toffees have been down this road before signing a once admired, local hero who is now a fading force, with lessons seemingly having not been learned by Wayne Rooney’s brief homecoming back in 2017.

Cast aside by Jose Mourinho at Manchester United, the former England skipper returned to Goodison in the twilight of his career in the hope of going out on a high, making the move 13 years on from his initial departure from the club.

Having left as a raw, fearless teenager in 2004, Rooney returned as a different player altogether, undoubtedly wiser and more measured, yet without that relentless nature that had become his trademark in his pomp.

While the current DC United boss would net an impressive ten goals in 31 league appearances during the 2017/18 season, that was to be his only campaign back in the famous blue jersey, as he swiftly moved on by the club.

Undoubtedly one of the finest British talents the game has seen – ranking as the all-time top scorer both at United (253) and for his country (53) – even such a legendary figure like Rooney couldn’t totally make it work upon his return to Everton.

Who would truly back Barkley – a player once dubbed a “liability” by journalist Gregg Evans during his spell on loan at Aston Villa – to buck that trend?

AND in other news: “Still keen..”: Journo drops big Everton transfer update that’ll worry supporters