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Tottenham Hotspur are plotting a move to sign Jordan Pickford, according to reports…

What’s the word?

Football Insider claim that Spurs are keeping a close eye on the England and Everton no.1 ahead of the summer transfer window as they look to find a natural successor to veteran Hugo Lloris.

It’s thought that the 28-year-old has emerged as one of the north Londoners’ top candidates to replace the Frenchman, whilst Pickford is said to want an exit ahead of next season regardless of whether the Toffees remain in the Premier League or not.

He is also thought to be keen on making the switch to the Lilywhites, though it remains to be seen how much it would cost them. After joining Goodison Park for £30m in 2017, the England titan is currently valued at around €32.4m (£28.5m) by FootballTransfers.

Massive Lloris upgrade

Pickford has become one of the top-flight’s best and most consistent performers in recent years, leading to him being Gareth Southgate’s regular shot-stopper, even despite the emergence of quality challengers like Nick Pope and Aaron Ramsdale.

Perhaps the most obvious sign of that is amidst their struggles this campaign, where he currently ranks as their second-best performer (ten or more games), per WhoScored ratings.

Whilst he may have half the clean sheet record of Lloris so far this term, he is not only facing more shots but is also saving them, registering a better save percentage at 74.3% (vs 68.9%), via FBref.

One of Pickford’s strongest assets, aside from his reflexes, is his kicking where he ranks amongst the top 9% for launch percentage (passes over 40 yards) and the top 10% for average length of goal kicks (54.3 yards).

And what may make him a considerable upgrade on the European Championship-winning skipper, who has been horribly out of sorts and inconsistent for several months now, is his attitude.

Lloris himself admitted that he was struggling after defeat in the latest edition of the World Cup, where he tasted defeat to Cristian Romero’s Argentina. Indeed, he has made blunders against the likes of Aston Villa, Arsenal and Manchester City since the turn of the year – leading to him being lambasted as “a liability.”

Meanwhile, the Toffees glovesman is “a bubbly character” – in the eyes of long-term goalkeeping coach Alan Kelly, who also said: “He hates conceding goals… He epitomises that goalkeeper spirit.

“Jordan has always been self-driven and as a coach that’s fantastic when you’re working with someone who wants to learn, listen, develop and get better.”

Earning around £100k-per-week in Merseyside, similar to that of Lloris in north London, the 6 foot 1 “monster” – as lauded by journalist Joe Crann – could well be the ideal upgrade to the dwindling veteran and as such, sporting director Fabio Paratici must look to swoop when the opportunity arises.

AND in other news, Spurs could sign their next Mousa Dembele in £20m “engine” who’s “as strong as an Ox”…

Adam Pope has insisted that Crysencio Summerville isn’t far away from making his Leeds United return.

The Lowdown: Marsch set for injury boost

Leeds have certainly had to deal with their fair share of injury blows over the last 12-18 months with the likes of Patrick Bamford, Liam Cooper and Stuart Dallas all requiring large amounts of time out of the side.

This season has been slightly better and aided by the fact young stars such as Wilfried Gnonto and Summerville have been able to step up and show they have Premier League quality in them.

However, after a stunning run of form which saw him register five goal involvements in six league games, Summerville was stopped in his tracks when he was struck down by injury but could soon be back in first-team action according to Pope.

The Latest: Summerville nearing a return

The BBC journalist was speaking about the makeup of the Leeds attack and hinted that the winger could slowly be getting back to full fitness on the Don’t Go To Bed Just Yet podcast.

He said: “Sinisterra, back at it; Summerville, not too far away; Gnonto, first pick, isn’t he, at the moment; you’ve now got Rutter in there; Rodrigo; Bamford; Aaronson; Harrison, as it stands – I mean, that is some firepower.

“Nobody’s got any worries about the final third.”

The Verdict: Leeds set for bright second half of the season

With the new additions to the Leeds team and players such as Summerville and Luis Sinisterra getting back to full fitness, Jesse Marsch could well get his team firing on all cylinders and away from the bottom three.

As things stand, Leeds haven’t really been able to have a full-strength squad with different players always seemingly out injured, so the poor results could well be down to that and Marsch not being able to play his preferred team.

However, now they have new signings through the spine of their team that Marsch clearly wanted and got, Leeds fans could well see how their manager wants his players to play and why Victor Orta is so keen to back his man.

As for Summerville, this really could be the time to show his worth, as having been given opportunities by Marsch earlier in the season, a potential formation change has been mooted at the club and he will be adding to the arrival of Georginio Rutter, as well as the return to fitness of Bamford in the attack.

Therefore, Leeds suddenly have plenty of talent up top, and with the Dutchman’s comeback providing yet another option to Marsch after nearly a month out of action, the level of competition for places could be just what is needed as the Whites hunt for the goals to beat the drop.

The Express & Star’s Liam Keen has claimed that Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui wants players to fight for their place in the starting XI. 

The Lowdown: Places for grabs

Lopetegui only took charge of the club in November, so he’s likely still piecing together and working out what his best starting lineup is.

Craig Dawson was given the nod to make his league debut last weekend in their Premier League clash against Liverpool in place of Nathan Collins, who was dropped to the bench – and rewarded the Spaniard’s decision by smashing in a finely taken goal in front of the home fans.

Wolves would take all three points at Molineux in a 3-0 win, which saw the Old Gold climb out of the relegation zone into 15th place.

The Latest: Train hard

Keen said that there’s competition for places in the squad and the players need to show their desire to play in training.

Speaking on The E&S Wolves Podcast, he said: “He wants to keep the players on their toes. He said to me recently, I don’t want any player happy to be on the bench. On a matchday, they support their teammates, but in training, they need to show me that they’re not happy about being on the bench.

“So that’s the challenge to Collins now, who probably was a little bit hard done by, because I thought he’d done well recently, but we both thought that he’d be the one to drop out, and I think it makes sense on the face of it.

“You’ve got a right-footer [and] a left-footer with the two that are in, in Kilman and Dawson. You’ve also got Kilman, who is more experienced, who is a bit older – not by a lot, but he is – in comparison to Collins.

“So it made sense that he stayed in, and I thought they worked really well together. Kilman looked a lot more assured.”

The Verdict: Healthy competition

Our view is that it sounds like Lopetegui is trying to inject healthy competition into his Wolves side, and we think that’s a great thing to do.

We believe that the Old Gold are going to need a lot of fight if they’re to stay in the Premier League, and having players battling for places will certainly instil that.

It appears as if the tide is starting to turn for the club in the past few games, as they’ve only lost two of their last six league matches.

When you consider those two defeats came against Manchester United and Manchester City, that’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Before taking charge of Wolves, Lopetegui looked like an exciting appointment due to his managerial CV, and our view is that he’s proving those who believed in him to be correct.

Their recent Premier League form will certainly have some of the Wolves faithful believing they can stay up.

Celtic’s win away to Dundee United at the end of last month saw club captain and long-serving hero Callum McGregor reach an important milestone at the club, with the 29-year-old having reached 400 appearances in all competitions for the Old Firm outfit.

The Scotland international was unsurprisingly lauded by his manager Ange Postecoglou for achieving that remarkable feat, with the Premiership-winning coach having described his skipper as someone who will “go down as a legend” in Parkhead folklore.

The former Australia head coach added that the rest of his squad were fortunate to be able to share the dressing room with such a “special individual”, with it a marker of the midfielder’s commitment and consistency that he has continued to thrive year in, year out for the Hoops.

Such an “incredible” achievement, in the words of ex-Scotland defender Alan Hutton, has seen McGregor play a vital role in a period of stunning success for Celtic, having racked up an “unbelievable” tally of silverware thus far (as per Hutton), including seven Premiership titles.

While the Bhoys have recruited some notable figures over the years – including the likes of Henrik Larsson and Scott Brown – there is something particularly enjoyable about being able to see a player blossom from the academy ranks into becoming a vital figure in the first-team, with McGregor a shining example of the benefits of promoting from within.

A player who cost the club nothing in transfer fees – having risen up through the youth system – the £32k-per-week stalwart is now seemingly “irreplaceable” according to his manager, having racked up 59 goals and 69 assists across all fronts to date in green and white.

The 5 foot 10 maestro had seemingly been earmarked as a future star after his success prior to breaking into the first-team at Celtic Park, after playing his part in four successive Youth Cup triumphs, memorably netting a hat-trick in the 8-0 showpiece defeat of Queen of the South in 2012.

That impact in the academy was followed by a standout spell on loan at Notts County in 2013/14, with the Glaswegian playmaker having scored 14 goals during his solitary season in England’s third tier, before swiftly making his mark under Ronny Deila in the following campaign.

Since that goalscoring debut away to KR Reykjavik in Champions League qualifying in 2014, McGregor has never looked back, with the decision to award the reliable gem the captaincy following Brown’s departure 18 months ago having been just reward for his stellar displays.

As Postecoglou noted earlier this week, it is also “testament to his character” that the 49-cap machine has rarely been mooted for an exit over the years despite potential interest behind the scenes, with it no doubt a rarity to find a player of such loyalty in the modern game.

Quite simply, Celtic struck gold after taking on the then-youngster all those years ago, and there’s still plenty of time left for McGregor to bolster his already legendary status at Parkhead.

Tottenham and sporting director Fabio Paratici are ‘looking to sign’ two new centre-backs with Inter Milan star Alessandro Bastoni on their ‘radar’.

The Lowdown: Spurs defensive reshuffle?

Spurs could be about to instigate a real defensive overhaul this summer with Clement Lenglet’s loan deal expiring at the end of this Premier League season.

As well as the Frenchman, it is believed that Davinson Sanchez, who has seen game time limited under manager Antonio Conte, could be on the way out.

The Colombian’s future is in doubt, according to reports, with Spurs thought to be prioritising the addition of a new centre-back.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘looking to sign’ two new centre-backs…

As per The Daily Mail, Spurs and sporting director Paratici by extension are ‘looking to sign’ as many as ‘two’ central defenders this summer.

Tottenham will apparently attempt to secure tow fresh faces in the position, and while we’ve already covered their interest in Crystal Palace star Marc Guehi, one familiar name is also on their ‘radar’.

It is believed the Lilywhites are still eyeing Bastoni from Inter Milan, though that deal is thought to be a difficult one to pull off.

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The Verdict: Get it done…

Two central defensive stars, including Bastoni, would certainly be the dream window for Conte and co.

The Nerazzurri star has been heavily courted by Spurs for the last 12 months, but with his contract set to expire in 2024 as things stand, Paratici may actually stand a better chance of getting him.

If the 23-year-old can’t reach an agreement on fresh terms with the Serie A giants, Tottenham should attempt a move alongside Guehi.

As per WhoScored, the star, valued at £49 million by Transfermarkt, ranks among Inter’s top three for successful tackles and interceptions per made 90 in the Italian top flight.

He’s also been called a ‘defensive genius’ by Serie A football experts at such a young age – highlighting the fact he would bring Spurs both quality and the potential to be a long-term fix.

Chelsea manager Graham Potter has been slammed for substituting David Datro Fofana at half-time against Southampton this afternoon.

The Lowdown: Disappointing defeat

The Blues’ poor Premier League form continued this afternoon, coming unstuck against bottom-of-the-table Southampton, in a 1-0 defeat at Stamford Bridge.

A first-half James Ward Prowse free-kick was the difference between the two sides, despite Chelsea dominating possession in the second half, and having more than double the amount of shots compared to their opponents throughout the match.

The Latest: Potter slammed

Taking to Twitter at the end of the opening 45 minutes, journalist Oliver Salt of The Daily Mail brought attention to Potter for his bemusing decision to substitute Fofana – coming after he was chosen to start at striker ahead of the more experienced Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who was left out of the squad.

The reporter said: “Fofana one of the only positives of that dire first half and he’s off at half time… Make it make sense”

The Verdict: Strange decision

The 20-year-old was a shining light in a poor team during the first half, recording one shot on target, while also completing two of the three dribbles that he attempted, the joint-highest amount of any Chelsea player.

Fofana also made two key passes over his limited 45 minutes and completed 100% of his passes (SofaScore), adding to the bizarre nature of Potter’s call.

As such, it was a very strange decision from Potter to withdraw him so early on in the game, with other members of the media lauding him as the ‘only positive’ in the team, also praising him for his ‘physical’ attributes.

The games do not get any easier for the Blues, with a trip to Tottenham Hotspur up next, and Fofana’s performance today means that he has surely put down a marker to start the next match, especially considering Aubameyang has just one goal in 11 league games this season.

Man City among the clubs ‘lining up’ to sign Borussia Dortmund star Jude Bellingham and the Premier League champions have been told his price tag.

The Lowdown: City linked…

Pep Guardiola’s team are one of the many elite sides to have been linked with a move for the 19-year-old in recent months, alongside the likes of Liverpool and Real Madrid.

Reports have suggested that City are in contention for the England international’s signature, coming as club captain Ilkay Gundogan’s future remains up in the air.

The German’s contract at Eastlands expires at the end of this season, potentially making sporting director Txiki Begiristain contemplate his successor.

The Latest: City given Bellingham price tag…

As shared by reliable journalist David Ornstein on Twitter, City are indeed ‘lining up’ for Bellingham as well as a queue of other suitors.

The Blues have also been told what it will take to land him with Dortmund setting a marquee price tag of around £132 million.

Writing in a piece for The Athletic, Ornstein and colleagues hint that City could see Bellingham as a replacement for Gundogan given the latter player may leave for free this year.

The Verdict: Perfect player…

Gundogan was Guardiola’s first ever signing at the Etihad and he has gone on to become a faithful servant, endearing himself to supporters with a real on-pitch leadership and crucial moments in big games.

However, if City are to say goodbye to him in 2023, Bellingham could be viewed as the perfect like-for-like successor.

The midfield ‘monster’, as dubbed by members of the press, has been a shining light for Dortmund yet again this season – standing out as their best player by some distance.

Bellingham ranks as their best-performer overall by average match rating, as per WhoScored, all while completing more successful take-ons and attempting a higher number of shots per 90 than any Dortmund player.

The all-round gem also has more tackles per game to his name than any other member of Dortmund’s squad (WhoScored) – further exemplifying his sheer quality.

Chelsea are being linked with a number of top-class managers as patience begins to wear thin with Graham Potter and one argument for appointing Zinedine Zidane would be the hope that he could get Mason Mount back to his best at Stamford Bridge.

Could Zidane replace Potter at Stamford Bridge?

According to recent reports from Spain, Todd Boehly could look to bring the legendary Frenchman to west London as a potential replacement for Potter, who has struggled to replicate the style of play that saw him become so highly rated at Brighton.

The former Real Madrid boss has been out of work since June 2021 but Chelsea are said to be willing to offer him around €15m per season to take the reins at Stamford Bridge.

Zizou has just one job on his managerial CV but he would do an incredible job with Los Blancos, leading them to a remarkable three Champions League titles and two La Liga titles during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Potter, meanwhile, boasts just one trophy in his managerial career thus far, which came in the Swedish Cup with Ostersunds FK back in 2017, so if Boehly wants to make the Blues a force in Europe once again, there is only one winner when comparing the Englishman’s experience with that of Zidane.

Could Zidane reignite struggling Chelsea star Mason Mount?

After notching an impressive 11 goals and ten assists in the Premier League last season, it was expected that Mount would play a big part for Chelsea once again this season.

However, he has just three goals and two assists in the Premier League so far this campaign, which suggests that Potter currently doesn’t know how to get the best out of the academy graduate, who is also seemingly suffering due to the plethora of attacking talent which arrived at Stamford Bridge in the January window.

Under Zidane, Mount would be working under one of the best-attacking midfielders to ever play the game, as is evidenced by Zidane’s statistics in his final season before retirement, as he hit nine goals and 11 assists in the 2005/06 La Liga season.

There seems little doubt when you consider Zidane’s stature in the game – a Ballon d’Or and World Cup winner – that he could help take Mount’s game to the next level and help him rediscover his best form after his disappointing regression so far this term.

Attacking midfielders such as Isco and James Rodriguez have both excelled under Zidane, registering a combined 89 goals and assists between them in 252 outings, while he also coached one of the Premier League’s best in Martin Odegaard, so he clearly knows how to get the best out of a traditional ‘number 10’ such as Mount.

Working under the iconic Frenchman has been described as a “luxury” by Atletico Madrid star Marcos Llorente and considering that Mount’s talent is currently going to waste, Boehly should surely consider bringing Zidane to Stamford Bridge as Potter’s replacement.

Nottingham Forest are eyeing a move for Hull City defender Jacob Greaves as he impresses in the Championship under Liam Rosenior.

The Lowdown: Reds battle relegation…

Steve Cooper’s side are battling Premier League relegation despite a summer and January of serious spending, with injuries taking a real toll.

Indeed, Forest have had to deal with the absences of Willy Boly, Scott McKenna, Taiwo Awoniyi, Moussa Niakhate, Dean Henderson, Jesse Lingard, Ryan Yates, Giulian Biancone, Omar Richards, Cheikhou Kouyate and Serge Aurier (premierinjuries).

Cooper’s men currently sit just four points off a relegation place and face off against Everton this Sunday, a potentially crucial decider of who drops to the second tier.

The Latest: Forest making transfer plans…

However, despite their on-field concerns, it is believed Forest chiefs are already making transfer plans.

The Daily Mail claim they’re now eyeing Hull star Greaves as they look to bolster their squad ahead of next season.

Forest are said to be in the mix alongside Aston Villa as the 22-year-old builds his reputation and attracts real interest.

The Verdict: Exciting defender…

Greaves stands out as an exciting defender and it’s little wonder Forest have taken note of his exploits.

As per WhoScored, the versatile centre-back, who can also play at left back when required, stands out as Hull’s second-best performing player by average match rating.

Greaves has also averaged more tackles per 90 than any Hull star over his 31 starts this season, marking him out as a star man for Rosenior.

Former Hull boss Grant McCann also said the player is ‘going to be special’ during his time at the MKM Stadium, a prediction which looks to be coming true.

Newcastle United’s recent woes were compounded after falling to successive defeats in the Premier League, losing against Manchester City one week after coming up short against Manchester United in the Carabao Cup final.

Nick Pope’s red card against Liverpool two weeks ago ensured that a comeback was not on the cards, with the Reds defeating the Magpies 2-0 at St. James’ Park, while the tricky run has indeed continued against the imperious force that is Pep Guardiola’s City, and the Tynesiders are now winless across their past five outings in the top-flight.

Despite still boasting the most formidable defence in the league, shipping only 17 goals from 24 matches, the offensive potency has run dry, with just nine goals scored from the past 13 matches across all competitions.

And while travelling to the Etihad Stadium is a daunting and onerous task for even the most distinguished of outfits, the failure to capitalise on fruitful moments in the offensive third will be alarming for manager Eddie Howe, who is hoping for a monumental finish in the battle for Champions League qualification.

Among the culprits: Callum Wilson. The striker was largely subdued to a minimal threat, but will have left Howe staring ruefully after failing to take a big opportunity to restore parity in the first-half.

Was Wilson “woeful” vs Man City?

Recording a match rating of 6.8 – via Sofascore – Wilson did not actually play his worst game in black and white, but the blunt edge to his attacking game on the afternoon resulted in his withdrawal after only 63 minutes, replaced for the dynamic and exciting £63m summer signing Alexander Isak.

Completing just six passes and making only 14 total touches, less than half that of Pope between the sticks (33), the £92k-per-week star did complete his only dribble, also succeeding in his only ground duel, but the fact he was restricted to such little moments to impress hardly helps his case in missing a glorious chance to level the play before the break.

Reporter Luke Edwards lamented the forward for his “woeful” attempt when finding an opportune moment to strike and silence the roaring City crowd, with Aaron Stokes also saying “the Callum Wilson of old buries that chance”, and that City were “let off the hook” by the wayward finishing.

Writer Jordan Cronin also remarked that the 31-year-old “should have scored”, and had he done so, the flow of the second-half could have been very different indeed, with the Magpies’ “lack of clinical edge” letting them down, according to journalist Josh Bunting.

Granted, Wilson will not be playing opposition of the cobra-constricting nature of the Cityzens each week, but if he fails to take his opportunities, he will indeed find game time harder to come by under Howe’s wing.