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The summer transfer window might be shut at the moment but scouting is ongoing and future stars are being monitored.

Tottenham Hotspur have been linked to Brazilian fullback Vanderson de Oliveira Campos, who currently plays in French top tier Ligue 1 for AS Monaco. The right-back was heavily linked to Manchester United in the summer transfer window, but in typical Erik ten Hag fashion, he settled on a player he had worked with at Ajax: Noussair Mazraoui.

While Mazraoui is certainly a talented player, Ten Hag has a habit of reuniting with familiar faces. Chelsea also made advances towards Vanderson, along with several other European clubs, which indicates how highly he’s rated across the industry.

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Vanderson is an old-school Brazilian fullback who combines both attack and defence. If you remember Cafu, that's the style he embodies. He has Cafu’s will and Dani Alves’ skill. Vanderson excels on both the attacking and defensive sides of the game. Like his predecessors, he can even operate as a right midfielder if required.

While Ange Postecoglou trusts Pedro Porro, every player needs competition, and athletes often thrive in competitive environments. Tottenham are currently short at right-back after selling Emerson Royal to AC Milan, so a move for Vanderson would be a logical move in the transfer market.

Djed Spence, who joined from Middlesbrough for £20 million in the summer of 2022, has yet to prove himself as Tottenham quality. The fact that the club didn’t include him in their Europa League squad this season signals a lack of confidence in him.

Tottenham either need competition for Pedro Porro or a player who can surpass him, and Vanderson could be the answer. His versatility, particularly his ability to play in right midfield, would be useful if Postecoglou wanted to deploy a three-at-the-back system while still maintaining an attacking presence.

Reports from the French media during the summer suggested Monaco were seeking between £25 million and £30 million for their Brazilian star. For a player of Vanderson’s quality, that fee seems quite modest and should not deter an ambitious Premier League club like Spurs.

Monaco have already signed his replacement, Jordan Teze, from Dutch champions PSV, indicating that they are prepared to sell Vanderson for the right offer. Though Manchester United moved on with the signing of Noussair Mazraoui, Chelsea are still monitoring the situation. It seems like Enzo Maresca is giving himself time to fully assess Malo Gusto, the backup to the perpetually injured club captain, Reece James.

If Gusto fails to meet expectations, Chelsea could turn their attention to Vanderson, given their aggressive reputation in the transfer market under the new ownership. Some sources suggest that Spurs have been hesitant due to the less than convincing efforts of their previous Brazillian full-back, Royal. However, those who follow Ligue 1 know Vanderson is an exceptional prospect.

Tottenham need to act quickly, as Vanderson is the kind of full-back who could immediately improve their squad and add pressure on the first team to elevate their performance. Emerson is a more conservative player, whereas Vanderson has a more expansive style, which would suit the type of football Postecoglou has implemented in north London. While Tottenham’s history with Brazilian players isn’t extensive, fans certainly appreciated what Lucas Moura achieved with the opportunities he was given.

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Our verdict on the latest Premier League transfer rumours - with news from Manchester United, Chelsea, Spurs and Everton.

Welcome back to 3 Added Minutes’ daily digest of the biggest and boldest Premier League transfer rumours currently doing the media rounds – and today we’re going to kick off at Old Trafford, with news that Manchester United have been doing some scouting in Spain.

It seems that Sevilla’s 21-year-old right winger Juanlu Sánchez has caught their eye, with Caught Offside reporting that they’re scouting him ahead of a possible move next summer. No doubt they will be further encouraged once they discover that his release clause is currently set at just €20m (£17m).

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Real Madrid are interested as well, but the article does note that transfer fiend Fabrizio Romano reckons that there is “nothing concrete” in the link as yet and that this is more a case of due diligence being done than an indication that Juanlu is at the top of either side’s shopping list.

The 3AM Verdict: Manchester United’s need for a right winger hasn’t been discussed much but assuming Antony leaves at some stage, they are very reliant on both Amad Diallo and Alejandro Garnacho to prove themselves long-term solutions, so this could be a position of need next year. Whether signing another youngster is the answer is less clear, admittedly. Juanlu can also play wing-back however, is quick, a fine dribbler and does a lot of good work off the ball.

Red Devils & Real battle for £75m man

Further news of an impending transfer showdown between Manchester United and Real Madrid now courtesy of GiveMeSport, who reckon that the European champions are set to enter the race to sign Everton’s Jarrad Branthwaite next summer – in spite of the fact that the Toffees plan to hold firm on their £75m price tag.

Real are “not solely focused” on Branthwaite, however, and are also keeping tabs on Arsenal’s William Saliba and Benfica centre-back António Silva. The article notes that a cut-price deal could be possible if Everton’s financial situation demands it (or if they end up getting relegated, of course), but also reiterates the club’s determination to get top dollar for their most talented player.

The 3AM Verdict: It’s been quite the rise for Branthwaite over the past year or so, and a move to Madrid would be fitting based on last season’s form, but we think Real are at the point where they’re just drawing up a big list of the best defenders in Europe before making their eventual move, so we wouldn’t get too excited just yet. Everton fans can probably forget about hanging on to him past 2025, however.

London clubs enter wonderkid race

Just yesterday, we reported on news that practically every team in the Premier League was interested in Lecce and Denmark left-back Patrick Dorgu, who at 19 years of age is drawing comparisons with a young Gareth Bale and drawing rave reviews from right around the continent – and now Sport Witness bear news that two of the only clubs not mentioned yesterday are in fact among the favourites to win the race.

Citing sources in the Italian press, the report alleges that Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur are in “pole position” to make a deal this summer, which originally would have cost around €30m (£25.4m) but will now likely be more given the widespread interest – an extra €10m could do the trick.

The 3AM Verdict: We’re pretty certain that Dorgu does have a long list of suitors but guessing at which teams are truly interested right now seems to be a big game of pin the tail on the donkey being played by the wider football media. Spurs have, at least, been linked with him before, but otherwise this is likely to be a bunfight which won’t be resolved until next summer.

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Our verdict on the latest Premier League transfer rumours including news from Arsenal, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur.

Welcome to Tuesday’s round-up of the biggest and boldest Premier League transfer rumours from the last 24 hours, and we’ll kick things off with a report of a potentially colossal transfer involving Arsenal.

Apparently three clubs – namely Real Madrid, Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain – are tracking Gunners defender William Saliba, according to Caught Offside via some sources “close to the situation,” with all three elite sides showing “strong interest” in the Frenchman.

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Given that he’s under contract until 2027, Arsenal wouldn’t sell for anything less than “crazy money”, apparently, and the article speculates on a €120m (£101.3m) price tag, although it isn’t clear whether that’s a real figure that’s been bandied about or the author’s arbitrary best guess. The report goes on to claim that the story won’t be “going away any time soon.”

The 3AM Verdict: This isn’t the first time the same outlet has printed a story about some big teams looking at signing Saliba, which may indicate a degree of confidence in the story, although it’s clear that details are scant. Bayern seems highly unlikely as they rarely spend that kind of money, while Real usually don’t splash their cash on defenders, but there’s nothing inherently implausible about PSG dropping a few Qatari riyals on him at some point…

Next Gareth Bale on Man Utd & Spurs’ radar

Elsewhere, HITC reckon that both Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United are scouting a player that has apparently drawn comparisons with a young Gareth Bale – 19-year-old Denmark international left-back Patrick Dorgu, who plays for Lecce in Italy.

Manchester United want to add a player in that position thanks to ongoing injury concerns with Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia, while Spurs seemingly want to add competition for Destiny Udogie. Furthermore, the report claims that Dorgu turned down a move to Chelsea this summer because he didn’t want to be loaned out to Strasbourg as part of the switch. Quite a few of the other usual European suspects like Atlético Madrid and Borussia Dortmund are in the hunt too.

The 3AM Verdict: There’s nothing implausible here – Dorgu is young, talented and very fast and we’d be amazed if he was still at Lecce next season, but as he’s only recently established himself as a starter in Serie A and in the Danish national team (he scored his first international goal in the Nations League this weekend) we don’t necessarily think the big clubs will be in a rush, and he will need some development time. Expect this deal to be made next summer rather than January if it does, although someone may force an early bidding war if Dorgu continues to perform. No fee is mentioned.

Chelsea planning £75m return

Chelsea will always have another big-money buy up their sleeve sooner or later, and TBR Football believe that they know who the target of their next splurge will be – according to their report, the Blues are drawing up a plan to bring Crystal Palace’s Marc Guéhi back to Stamford Bridge in 2025.

Guéhi, who came through the Chelsea academy and had a prospective move to Newcastle United break down this summer and who has also been linked with a move to Liverpool and Manchester City, has an asking price of £75m. Apparently the Blues are “keeping close tabs” on the England international.

The 3AM Verdict: Chelsea have let plenty of hugely talented players go and regretted it in the past, so this is hardly new territory for the club – and nor is splashing enormous amounts of money on a player. The problem with assessing Chelsea rumours is that just about anything is plausible these day, but we note a lack of detail in the article that makes us sceptical to a certain extent, especially with so many other clubs interested.

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The latest updates on those expected to miss the upcoming north London derby.

Arsenal remain undefeated in the Premier League so far this season but they were unable to continue their winning streak after dropping points to Brighton and Hove Albion. A controversial red card for Declan Rice marred the occasion and the Seagulls were able to deny Mikel Arteta’s side the full three points after João Pedro’s equaliser.

The Gunners are currently fourth in the table with seven points, two adrift of Manchester City and Liverpool in the two top spots. Arsenal’s next challenge after the international break will be the highly anticipated North London Derby, as they prepare to take on Tottenham Hotspur away from home.

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Fortunately, the decision to bring off Jurrien Timber against Brighton doesn’t look to spell any further bad news for the defender. Arteta played down concerns over a significant injury and he has since been called up to the Netherlands squad to face Bosnia and Herzegovina and Germany in the Nations League. However, Arsenal will still be without some key players against Spurs — let’s take a look at the latest updates on Arteta’s current injury and absence list.

Declan Rice

After picking up two yellow cards against Brighton, Rice will be forced to sit out Arsenal’s upcoming clash. The midfielder was given his marching orders after a divisive sending off last time out and Arteta must opt for an alternative in his engine room when they take on Spurs.

Gabriel Jesus

A stroke of good news for the Gunners is that Gabriel Jesus is nearing his return and could be in contention for the North London Derby. Ahead of the Brighton clash, Arteta said: “He’s progressing really well. He had a muscle injury, and he’s doing quite a lot of the stuff already, so we expect him to be with us really soon.”

Based on the promising update, Jesus could well be ready to return following the international break, but only time will confirm his fitness levels.

Mikel Merino

Arsenal’s new signing is yet to get his first minutes in the bank after picking up a shoulder injury during training. Arteta recently confirmed that Mikel Merino looked to have suffered a ‘small fracture’ and that the club were waiting on further tests to reach more ‘conclusive answers’.

Since then, Sami Mokbel has expanded on the midfielder’s situation and reported that Merino will miss ‘close to two months’ with his fractured shoulder. The Spain international is not expected to return to action until mid-October at the earliest.

Takehiro Tomiyasu

Takehiro Tomiyasu is out for a more extended period of time and right now, there is no return date in sight yet. After picking up a knee injury during training earlier in the summer, Arteta opted to leave him out of the pre-season squad as a precaution but new updates have confirmed it’s going to be a more long-term issue.

“At the moment, it is difficult to say [when he will return],” the boss said at the end of August. “It's a bit slow the process of the first phase of that injury. It's probably for the medical team to say more than that. He's not done any training yet.”

Kieran Tierney

Similar to Tomiyasu, Kieran Tierney has been out for a long stretch of time after picking up a hamstring issue. Last month, Arteta revealed that the defender will remain out of contention for ‘a few weeks’.

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The latest injury news and potential return dates of several Newcastle United stars.

Newcastle United have made a solid start to the new Premier League season and will head into Sunday’s St James Park clash with Tottenham Hotspur looking to preserve an unbeaten record.

Of course, that only consists of two games, and the Magpies have been far from convincing in both fixtures as they battled to a 1-0 home win against Southampton before labouring to a somewhat fortunate 1-1 draw at Bournemouth last weekend. But putting a positive spin on things, Eddie Howe’s side are still picking up points when they have been far from their best during the opening weeks of the campaign.

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In Howe’s defence, he is still going into battle without several key players as the likes of England striker Callum Wilson, highly-rated midfielder Lewis Miley and defensive duo Sven Botman and Jamaal Lascelles continue their comeback from injuries that disrupted the end of last season. But when could the Magpies welcome back their injured players? We take a look ahead of Sunday’s home game with Ange Postecoglou’s side.

Sven Botman

The Dutch defender saw his involvement in last season brought to a premature end by a serious knee injury after aggravating a previous injury in an FA Cup defeat against Manchester City. The former Lille centre-back underwent surgery in March and was initially ruled out for a period between six and nine months, meaning Magpies supporters may have to wait until the new year to see Botman back in action once again Potential return date: January 2025

Jamaal Lascelles

In what felt like a cruel twist of fate for the Magpies, Botman’s replacement, club captain Jamaal Lascelles, suffered a similar injury to the Dutchman just weeks after speaking into the side in his place. The former Nottingham Forest defender endured a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury and also underwent surgery in March. A similar return date can be placed upon the long-serving defender Potential return date: January 2025

Lewis Miley

The Magpies academy product was one of the breakout stories of last season as he took full advantage of a seemingly never-ending injury crisis to force his way into Eddie Howe’s side. After producing impressive displays against the likes of Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain and Fulham, Miley followed a number of his senior team-mates into the treatment room after suffering a back injury that ended his first full season in the first-team setup. However, there was a further blow for the England youth international when he suffered an ankle injury during the summer and that is set to keep him on the sidelines for another couple of months Potential return date: October 2024

Callum Wilson

Injuries hampered Wilson’s attempts to help Newcastle build on what was an overwhelmingly successful season last time out. After becoming the Magpies top goalscorer during the previous season as they secured a top four finish, Wilson’s impact last season was limited by a series of injuries. There were high hopes the England striker could return ahead of the current campaign and provide competition for Alexander Isak - but he is now expected to remain on the sidelines for at least another fortnight as he works his way back from a lower back injury Potential return date: Mid-September 2024

Martin Dubravka

The Slovakia international was ruled out of last Sunday’s long trip to Bournemouth after suffering a concussion in training and that meant veteran stopper John Ruddy stepped up to bench duty on the south coast. Concussion protocols mean Dubravka will remain on the sidelines for another week and could return to the squad for the trip to Wolves after the international break - although speculation linking the long-serving keeper with a move away from St James Park means he could be plying his trade elsewhere by then Potential return date: Mid-September 2024

Fabian Schar

This one is not an injury but Schar will remain on the sidelines for Sunday’s home clash with Spurs as he continues to serve a suspension for the controversial red card he was shown during the opening day win over Southampton. Schar will be back in action when the Magpies visit Wolves next month Return date: Mid-September 2024

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The injury and latest return dates ahead of Spurs’ upcoming Premier League clash with Newcastle United

Tottenham found the winning formula against Everton last weekend, thrashing a beleaguered Everton side 4-0, which will give them a lot of confidence heading into the tricky game against Newcastle United this weekend. Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou knows that his team can't afford to slip up like they did against Leicester if they are to challenge for the league title or at least fight for a spot in the top four.

Last season, Spurs started the campaign on fire before injuries and poor form among key players caused them to finish fifth, missing out on prestigious Champions League football. Newcastle are also expected to be in the mix, so this will be a clash between two teams vying for a top spot as the season progresses.

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With that in mind, here are the injured Spurs players and those likely to miss the game at St James' Park this weekend:

Dominic Solanke - Arsenal at home

Solanke suffered an ankle injury on his debut, and although his manager has said the injury isn't serious, he is still likely to miss this game. Spurs have Son Heung-min and Richarlison, who can play centrally, so don't expect Postecoglou to risk him. Postecoglou said last week: "Not everyone's story is a fairytale—he has an injury, nothing serious, but he will miss the game against Everton."

Destiny Udogie - Newcastle away

Udogie was replaced in the second half against Everton, and although the injury hasn't been specified, he was seen limping and is now a doubt for the game. However, there is a good chance he could be ready by this weekend.

Rodrigo Bentancur - Arsenal at home

Bentancur suffered a nasty head injury at Leicester that appeared to be a concussion. He won't be ready for this weekend’s trip, as Spurs are taking precautions to ensure his full recovery. He should be back after the international break.

Mickey Van de Ven - Newcastle away

Van de Ven appeared to have picked up a knee injury, but according to the manager, he’s fine. Postecoglou said, "It's all fine—we've checked him, and he should be good to go."

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Spurs are still looking for a central midfielder by the end of the transfer window - has the perfect player just become available?

Tottenham Hotspur may have cracked one of the biggest problems they had heading into the summer transfer window – the lack of a first-rate striker – but with a little over a fortnight of the transfer window left to go there is still work to be done, and in particular Ange Postecoglou has made absolutely no secret of his desire to sign a new central midfielder by the end of August. Fortunately, one player who might just fit the bill has now started agitating for a move.

Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Manu Koné has been steadily growing his reputation in the Bundesliga since signing from Toulouse in 2021 and has now, according to Sky Sports Germany reporter Florian Plettenberg, asked his club for a move. The club, meanwhile, seem happy to allow him to take his next step providing someone gives them a deal worth around €25m (£21.4m).

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Which sounds like a very reasonable price for a 23-year-old with a lot going for him and who was one of the standout performers in France’s run to the final of the men’s Olympic tournament, and should be well within the financial reach of a club like Spurs, who according to HITC are one of at least four Premier League clubs to which Koné has been offered in recent days as a result of his desire to leave.

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He also looks like he fits Postecoglou’s requirements down to a tee. He’s a pressing machine with the stamina, strength and reading of the game to put fires out across the midfield and a capable technician who is extremely comfortable with the ball at his feet. If Spurs want to push for a midfield that can press high and hard and get the ball upfield quickly once it’s been won back, Koné seems to fill the bill.

The 6’1” midfielder, who has yet to feature for the senior French national side but has represented his country right through the age groups, doesn’t have the kind of express pace that would be useful given his hard-running game both on and off the ball, but aside from that he has the physical profile and skills to be a hugely effective ball-winning midfielder, and the stats back up what he’s capable of.

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In the Bundesliga last year he forced 8.1 turnovers per match, a very high watermark, and managed to fix one of his biggest issues as well – in previous seasons, his judgement in the tackle was a little questionable and he committed far too many fouls, racking up an enormous 22 yellow cards in his first two seasons in the Bundesliga. Last year, that was down to just four, and he seems to have developed the kind of discipline and understanding of when to lunge in and when to hold off required to be a first-rate defensive midfielder.

But he’s got plenty in his legs on the ball, too, and he generates a lot of yards dribbling through the midfield and surging at the opposing defence. That running creates a healthy number of chances, too, and while his passing range and accuracy is respectable rather than exceptional, he still creates plenty of shooting opportunities for his team-mates.

The table above shows how Koné compares with his potential future team-mates as both creator and destroyer, using data from last season’s domestic league games. Yves Bissouma is the only current regular starter at Spurs who can outwork him on the defensive side of the ball, but Koné has the edge over all of his prospective peers when it comes to creativity and ball-carrying skills.

None of which actually brings Spurs closer to Koné’s signature. Liverpool and Manchester United have been tentatively linked in the past, and while United seem focussed on a deal for Manuel Ugarte, Liverpool missing out on Martín Zubimendi could see them come into the picture as well, and AC Milan have been linked with a bid as well – although as it stands, the sourcing for specific teams and their levels of interest is poor and there is little clarity as to his preferences or whether any teams have made an offer.

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What we do know is that Florian Plettenberg’s report suggested that he wants to join a “very ambitioned club” (sic) and ideally in the Champions League, and that latter clause could easily give other sides an edge in the race – but Spurs are in the room and could easily be the team making the best pitch.

Koné is a high-class player who is good at the very things Postecoglou wants his midfielders to be able to do, and in the areas he’s a little weaker, such as his passing, he remains perfectly capable – and at 23, he has room to develop further still. If Spurs, or indeed any other Premier League side, have the chance to sign him for a little over £21m, then that looks pretty close to a no-brainer given how much he could be worth in the future.

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Our verdict on the latest Premier League transfer rumours - featuring news from Manchester United, Spurs and Ipswich.

Welcome to Thursday’s round-up of the biggest and boldest Premier League transfer rumours – and today, we get to start by issuing our verdict on what would prove to be a pretty huge story concerning Manchester United striker Marcus Rashford.

According to Caught Offside, Rashford is now on the radar of the free-spending Saudi Pro League, which unnamed clubs contemplating a startling €100m (£86m) move for the forward, who struggled last season and lost his place in the England side as a result.

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Apparently, Rashford is a “top target” and the article speculates that the Saudis may “break the bank” and offer the 26-year-old a record contract. It’s worth noting the sources, here – they cite Spanish outlet Fichajes as the place the rumour originated while also bringing in a claim from The Sun that United are “willing to listen to all offers” for Rashford.

The 3AM Verdict: Let’s start with the sources. Fichajes have an exceptionally bad track record with accuracy, and we’d take anything they print with an entire sack of salt. The Sun, bluntly put, aren’t all that much better, although we don’t necessarily dismiss the idea that United would listen to an offer if it arrived. Given his form last season, they’d probably be quite right to take the £86m but to us, this feels like a story which is only worth ignoring unless it gets rather more substantiation than it has now.

Spurs turn to Mourinho as they make next moves

Over to Tottenham Hotspur now – TeamTalk claim that Ange Postecoglou’s side are eyeing up a bid for AS Monaco right-back Vanderson, apparently the culmination of some “long-standing interest” in the 23-year-old Brazilian, who has two caps for his country. Monaco, it seems, want a fee of around €40m (£34.3m) and apparently talks have already begun between Spurs and the player.

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In order to help generate the funds and squad space required to sign Vanderson, the report also claims that Spurs have gone back into business with former manager José Mourinho, who is now angrily berating referees at Fenerbahçe – he wants to sign Sergio Reguilón, it seems, and the Turkish club are “preparing an offer.”

The 3AM Verdict: The article’s insinuation that the two deals are linked seems a little far-fetched, but that’s no reason to dismiss either report out of hand – neither seems especially unlikely, not that we’ve heard too much about the “long-standing interest” in Vanderson before. He’s an excellent all-round right-back but with Pedro Porro and Archie Gray on the books it’s maybe a slight eyebrow-raiser. The Reguilón part of the report is entirely plausible on all levels, and wouldn’t surprise us one bit.

Ipswich hijack Brentford bid

Finally, news from over in Suffolk, where it looks like Ipswich Town are making some rather spicy moves in the transfer market – if Sport Witness have lined their facts up right, anyway. Primarily citing Italian journalist Gianlucia Di Marzio, they claim that the Tractor Boys are set to snap up Napoli midfielder Jens Cajuste, just two days after he was in Brentford having a medical.

The Sweden international had been set to sign for Brentford but the deal fell through at the eleventh hour, with Di Marzio apparently claiming that he failed that medical – but that hasn’t deterred Ipswich, who are making a surprise push to sign him on loan. Unlike Brentford’s deal, there would be no obligation to buy clause, which would at least protect them from any fitness problems.

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The 3AM Verdict: On Monday, we concluded that Brentford’s successes in the transfer market should earn them the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the signing of Cajuste, because while he had a rough time in Naples the underlying stats suggested he wasn’t quite as bad as he’d looked – but now that we know there are fitness issues too, it definitely adds an extra layer of concern. Nevertheless, as a simple loan, this would be a pretty low risk, high reward move by Ipswich, and the sourcing for this one looks good. We’re expecting this to have legs, and hopefully ones that work.

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One of the summer transfer window's biggest sagas continues to rumble on, and Spurs could get in on the action

I remember once being at a Chelsea under-21 game when Conor Gallagher was coming up. One of the parents of the players—I think it was Marc Guehi’s dad—said, "Gallagher is the player you always want on your team."

He had tenacity and a hunger about him that made it clear he was destined for the very top. There were doubts about his technical ability even back then, but he was loved by all his teammates, and he certainly deserved the admiration he received.

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There were a few times when people even compared him to James Milner, the multiple-trophy winner who was a key member of both Manchester City and Liverpool. Milner wasn’t the most talented, but he was certainly a player every team valued, with a relentless grit and determination that took him to the top of the game.

No one reminds me of Milner as much as Gallagher does, and this is why I think Tottenham would be a great club for him. He has all the ingredients to be a massive hit in Ange Postecoglou’s team. His dynamism and everything that has happened to him in the last year show that he could thrive by playing for a direct rival in Spurs.

Gallagher was born and made at Chelsea, but if you speak to people around him, they will tell you he feels frustrated by everything that has happened. The club say he turned down two contract extensions—and who if everyone around you was getting seven-year deals while you were only being offered two?

What that suggests is that the club doesn’t see Gallagher as a long-term asset and they are only trying to protect their side of the business by ensuring he spends the next two years being linked with moves away rather than becoming a legend at the club.

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Tottenham were linked last summer, but they have surprisingly cooled all interest, even when it’s apparent Chelsea would be willing to do business for a fee of just around £30 million. That is really nothing when you compare it to Gallagher’s age—just 24—and all the Premier League experience and expertise he brings to the table. Tottenham have some top notch midfielders in Pape Sarr, Yves Bissouma, and Rodrigo Bentancur, but Conor has a bit of all the traits they possess, which could be a valuable tool for a team like Tottenham.

Then there’s the issue of pride. Chelsea and Tottenham barely trade players— only a select few have plied their trade for both clubs - William Gallas famously played for both Chelsea and Tottenham, and not content with crossing one division, he even had a crack at Arsenal. Eidur Gudjohnsen also represented both clubs, as did Gus Poyet before him. But none of them had to feel they were being forced out like Gallagher does now, which is why he would surely have an extra incentive to do well there, and show the Blues exactly what they had given away.

Come on, Daniel Levy—take the gamble, and you’ll be reaping the rewards come the end of the season.

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Our verdict on the latest Premier League transfer rumours - featuring updates from Spurs, Arsenal and Leicester.

Welcome to Tuesday’s round-up of and reaction to the biggest and boldest Premier League transfer rumours – and we’ll begin today at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, where there’s word that Spurs may have found a new target in their long search for midfield reinforcements.

Ange Postecoglou has made little secret of his desire to add some quality to the middle of the park and it seems as though he’s considering a move for Juventus’ Manuel Locatelli, at least according to Sport Witness who cite news reports from Italy, with a bid of €24m (£20m) on the cards.

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Apparently it would be a “dream deal” for Juve – the former AC Milan and Sassuolo player has struggled for his best form of late, didn’t make Italy’s Euro 2024 squad and was even booed by his own fans during pre-season. The Old Lady have also added to their own midfield this summer and are happy to move Locatelli on after three years in Turin.

The 3AM Verdict: This seems like a plausible enough rumour but the initial word seems to have come from a fan site, which isn’t necessarily a reliable starting point for a story. Should it turn out to be true, however, Spurs will have to hope they’re signing the Sassuolo version, because Locatelli seemed to lose some of his drive and dynamism in recent months. He’s still only 26, however, hasn’t had too many injury issues and has proven himself to be a very potent central midfielder, so this may come down to the coach’s judgement call.

Gunners coming for Coman

Just last week, we suggested that reports that Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman was up for sale should prick the ears of Arsenal, who could do with adding quality and depth to their front three – and now Caught Offside have some sources which claim they’re considering exactly that move.

Bayern are happy to let Coman leave on loan or for a fee in the €30-40m region (£25-35m) – but apparently the Gunners are only thinking about a loan move. Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona could be interested in the Frenchman, too, according to the report, but apparently he would “prefer a move to the Premier League or La Liga”, which might push the Parisiens out of the frame.

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The 3AM Verdict: As we discussed in our article, we think this would be a good move for Arsenal, who don’t have much depth up front. Coman’s playing style should line up well with what Mikel Arteta wants from his attacking players and he can cover multiple positions – and while they’d surely have to pay a loan fee, taking a chance on him for one year at a cut price doesn’t sound like a bad move at all.

Foxes close in on cunning capture

There have been a flurry of reports recently which link Leicester City with a move for Greek striker Fotis Ioannidis, but HITC think that he might not be the only forward on their radar – apparently, the Foxes are “looking to get a deal over the line” for Bayer Leverkusen’s 22-year-old Czech attacker Adam Hložek.

Hložek scored seven goals during Leverkusen’s remarkable and almost-unbeaten 2023/24 season but fell behind others in the pecking order as the season wore on – and they could decide to let Leicester take him on loan, with an obligation to buy him for €15m (£13m) down the line.

The 3AM Verdict: There’s a lot of room to be a second-string player for Xabi Alonso’s side while being more than good enough for the Premier League, and Hložek should be a fantastic acquisition for that kind of price. He’s fast, technically solid and has an incredibly powerful shot on him, and at 22 has plenty of room to develop even further. If this report is right, then this could be some very sharp work by Leicester as they prepare for a possible relegation battle.