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Nottingham Forest have been given fresh hope of signing right-back Djed Spence ahead of Tottenham Hotspur, following a promising transfer update from Football League World.

The Lowdown: Spence enjoys memorable season

Steve Cooper’s side enjoyed an unforgettable 2021/22 season, going from rock-bottom of the Championship to earning promotion to the Premier League.

Spence stood out as a key man for Forest throughout the campaign, tearing down the right flank and scoring three goals and registering four assists in the process.

The 21-year-old was only on loan at the City Ground from Middlesbrough, however, and Tottenham have been strongly linked with acquiring his signature.

The Latest: Forest twist still possible

According to Football League World, there is hope from Forest that they could still end up signing Spence on a permanent deal this summer.

A move back to the City Ground is described as ‘not out of the question’, with Boro ‘growing impatient with Spurs’.

The Verdict: Would be huge

This is an exciting update, without question, and if Forest were able to sign Spence it would feel like a significant piece of business, given his impact last season and the interest from a Champions League side.

At just 21, he has such a bright future ahead of him and he is part of an exciting generation of English right-backs that includes Trent Alexander-Arnold and Reece James. Ian Wright hailed Spence’s ‘combative, technical, swashbuckling’ performance against Arsenal in the FA Cup last season, highlighting exactly the impact he has at his best.

Should he join Forest permanently, a move for Liverpool’s Neco Williams would presumably be off the table, with both he and Spence surely expecting to start at their respective new clubs in 2022/23.

Rangers have a track record when it comes to signing players from other clubs on free transfers during previous summer and winter windows.

Their most recent Bosman signing saw the Ibrox side complete a deal for John Souttar after he signed a pre-contract in January.

Should the Gerst look to continue their theme of bringing free agents to Glasgow, one man with whom they have been linked recently and who could be a solid addition to Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s squad is Tom Lawrence.

After working his way through Manchester United’s youth ranks and having loan spells with Carlisle United and Yeovil Town, the winger joined Leicester City on a permanent basis in 2014.

Having then had periods on loan with the likes of Rotherham United, Blackburn Rovers, Cardiff City and Ipswich Town, the Welshman joined Derby in the summer of 2017.

With 185 appearances to his name for the Rams, the 28-year-old has scored 37 goals and delivered 25 assists along the way.

His latest season with the Midlands club saw the attacker find the net 11 times and provide five assists in 38 league appearances.

Praised for his “inspirational” form by journalist Jake Barker on Twitter, Lawrence’s potential arrival at Ibrox this summer could give Van Bronckhorst the chance to form what could be a scintillating partnership at the top of the pitch alongside one of Rangers’ top attacking talents.

Taking into account how Gers striker Alfredo Morelos has been in double figures in terms of contract at the end of June – in the same team could make Van Bronckhorst’s side a much deadlier outfit.

Bearing in mind how the Welshman has played in numerous attacking positions throughout his career, this sort of versatility could make it easier for the Rangers boss to get him and the Colombian striker in the same team to create what could be a frightening partnership.

If Ross Wilson is able to strike another free transfer this summer, this time for Lawrence, it could be a fine bit of business which would suit the manager, the fans and the club’s finances.

AND in other news: Rangers can land their own David Silva as Van Bronckhorst eyes move for “massive” £2.7m-rated gem

Tottenham insider John Wenham has made a claim regarding Leeds United transfer target Sonny Perkins, as per Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Perkins leaves West Ham

The 18-year-old, who Leeds reporter James Marshment has said could be a ‘£20m’ player in ‘three or four years’, officially left West Ham earlier this month.

The Whites were thought to be lining up a deal for Perkins in June, but Tottenham have reportedly made a late move for the ‘stand out’ forward.

Phil Hay has recently stated that it wouldn’t be a surprise if the player ends up at Elland Road after his exit from the London Stadium and that the matter would need to go to tribunal.

The Latest: Wenham’s comments

Talking to Football Insider, Wenham stated that he knows Leeds want to sign Perkins, but he believes that Spurs may hold an advantage due to the player being a lifelong fan and season ticket holder of the north London club.

The Tottenham insider said of the teenager:

“I wasn’t totally sure Tottenham are going to sign him, I know Leeds want him.

“Leeds can offer a better pathway, just look at how much Joe Gelhardt has played.

“But, I don’t know how widely known this is, Sonny is a season ticket holder at Tottenham, as is his Dad.

“They are lifelong Spurs fans. I appreciate he is the jewel in West Ham’s crown but before he signed for them, his parents were pushing him to sign for Tottenham.

“Personally, I would make that move all day long. Hopefully next season we will loan out Troy Parrott, Kion Etete and Dane Scarlett.

“Our youth teams have a lot of football to play next season, we are playing in the youth Champions League and we will need a youth striker if all of those players leave.

“I would be more than happy for Tottenham to make a move for Sonny, he is a really good prospect.”

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The Verdict: Fingers crossed

Leeds are also in pursuit of a senior striker to complete their first-team transfer business, but Victor Orta and co managing to pip Spurs to Perkins’ services could be another great move in the long run.

It looks as if they have a real challenge on their hands, though, with Spurs keen on the 18-year-old, but Perkins may well be tempted by the realistic chance of breaking into Jesse Marsch’s first-team plans.

He only has to look at Joe Gelhardt, Sam Greenwood and most recently 16-year-old Archie Gray to see that there is a clear pathway through to first-team football at Elland Road.

More than a week on from his West Ham departure, there could well be a decision made on his next club soon.

Leeds United goalkeeper Kiko Casilla is in the process of finally terminating the final 12 months of his Elland Road contract.

The Lowdown: Leeds exits

The Whites have brought in six players this summer, spending around £95m ahead of Jesse Marsch’s first full season.

Leeds have of course lost two key players in Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha, who have joined Manchester City and Barcelona in deals worth £43.87m and £52.2m respectively, while Jack Harrison has also been linked with a move to Newcastle.

It looks as if Casilla will now join the list of summer departures over the coming weeks, having been linked with an exit for months.

The Latest: Casilla update

Spanish outlet COPE provided an update on Casilla on Thursday. He gave his thoughts on Raphinha’s move to Barcelona, with the story adding that ‘Casilla is terminating his contract with Leeds and hopes to return to a team in Spain’.

Reports in recent days have credited Granada with an interest in the 35-year-old and their prediction of a possible contract termination appears to have come true.

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The Verdict: Makes sense

Casilla, on £1.67m-a-year in Yorkshire, is into the final year of his deal and hasn’t featured regularly ever since he was found guilty of racial abuse back in 2020.

Illan Meslier is now the established number one at Elland Road, while Kristoffer Klaesson is second choice and Dani van den Heuvel and Harry Christy are coming through at Thorp Arch.

Leeds are also after an experienced ‘keeper alongside Meslier and Klaesson, so it makes sense for all parties to cut ties 12 months early, where they will be able to put Casilla’s salary towards a new shot-stopper.

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

What’s the talk?

Journalist Ben Jacobs has revealed that Eddie Howe and Dan Ashworth are plotting a swoop for the attacker as the club have made contact over a potential deal for him.

He Tweeted: “Told Leeds, Newcastle, Ajax and Atalanta have all made enquiries to PSG about Arnaud Kalimuendo. Jesse Marsch wants a striker but that won’t be Charles De Ketelaere, who is getting nearer to a Milan move.”

The reporter added: “Kalimuendo would be a bargain at around £20 million. PSG open to a sale despite impressive loan with Lens. He’s technically gifted and always seems to find space. Fits Newcastle strategy, as per failed Hugo Ekitike bid, of trying to find a young talent to support Callum Wilson.”

Imagine him & Bruno Guimaraes

Howe can form an exciting duo through the middle of the park by signing Kalimuendo to partner him with their January signing from Lyon.

Journalist Jacque Talbot has described the PSG man as “disgustingly good” and his statistics show that he has been excellent in the last two seasons on loan at RC Lens.

In two Ligue 1 campaigns for the club, the 20-year-old racked up 19 goals and three assists in 41 starts. This means that he has averaged almost a goal every other game in his career at the top level in France so far, despite not turning 21 until next year.

He has proven that he can score goals on a consistent basis at such a young age and this suggests that he has immense potential. Imagine what he could be capable of with two or three more years of experience under his belt if he is already a lethal goalscorer at 20.

In Guimaraes, Newcastle have another attacking talent who can link-up with Kalimuendo in the Premier League next term. The Brazil international scored five goals and created three ‘big chances’ for his teammates in 11 starts for the Magpies in 2021/22 and has shown that he has the quality to make a big impact at the top end of the pitch.

Now, imagine Bruno and the French U21 international bursting forward in attack next season to score and create goals for Howe’s team. It is an exciting prospect and one that can become a reality if the club secure a deal with PSG before the end of the window.

AND in other news, PIF could land their own Aguero as NUFC eye deal to sign “exceptional” £13m phenomenon…

West Ham United manager David Moyes has his eyes on Blackburn Rovers star Ben Brereton Diaz as The Guardian share a transfer update out of east London.

The Lowdown: West Ham busy in the transfer window…

Having entered talks for both Sassuolo striker Gianluca Scamacca and Eintracht Frankfurt star Filip Kostic, the Premier League club are seemingly determined to strengthen ahead of the upcoming season.

Moyes’ side narrowly missed out on Europa League qualification for the 2022/23 campaign, potentially highlighting their need to strengthen in key areas if they are to keep pace with England’s top teams.

West Ham have already added Nayef Aguerd, Flynn Downes and a permanent deal for Alphonse Areola to their ranks as the new season looms, with one of the Championship’s foremost players possibly joining them at the London Stadium.

The Latest: West Ham eye Brereton Diaz move…

According to The Guardian, the Irons are keen on Blackburn’s star attacker Brereton Diaz, who can play both out wide and through the middle.

It is believed that West Ham are ‘keeping a close eye’ on his situation after his impressive season in the Championship in 2021/22, which yielded a head-turning 22 goals and three assists in 37 league appearances.

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The Verdict: Keep watch…

The Chile international, who is reportedly valued at around £20m, could be a shrewd investment on behalf of Moyes and West Ham going by his form last year and plaudits from media and former coaches.

Journalist Josh Bunting of The Islington Gazette has called Brereton Diaz ‘sensational’, following on from Tony Mowbray’s glowing endorsement.

The former Blackburn manager previously lauded Rovers’ marquee attacker as a ‘beast’, which may partly explain West Ham’s keen interest in the 23-year-old, and this may well be one to watch for the Hammers faithful given that there is still more than a month remaining in the summer transfer window.

Everton are in desperate need of improvements to their squad following a relegation scrap in the Premier League last season, and a new potential transfer target has now been named by a reliable source.

What’s the latest?

Italian journalist and Fabrizio Romano has revealed that the Toffees are interested in reuniting with Idrissa ‘Gana’ Gueye.

The transfer insider tweeted: “Everton have approached Paris Saint-Germain for Gana Gueye. He’s one of the names in the list but talks are still at early stages, discussions will continue in the next days. PSG want to sell Gueye as soon as possible.”

It’d be a massive coup

There is no doubt that the signing of Gueye would be a massive coup for Everton in their pursuit to add more quality to their team ahead of the new Premier League season, as the Senegal midfielder has gone from strength to strength since leaving Goodison Park in 2019.

Since joining Paris Saint-Germain, the 32-year-old has been a reliable player for the Ligue 1 champions, for whom he has made 111 appearances, scoring seven goals and delivering six assists.

Over 26 league appearances last season, he scored three goals, contributed one assist and created three big chances, making 2.3 tackles and winning four duels per game while successfully completing the majority of his dribbles (71%).

Gueye also ranked second for the most passes completed in the final third and ranked fifth for overall pass completion amongst his peers in the entirety of Ligue 1 last season, proving that he is a dominant presence in the centre of the pitch.

His performances did not go unnoticed by Mauricio Pochettino over the last campaign, with the ex-PSG boss hailing the Senegalese enforcer in a post-match interview after a victory over Clermont.

The Argentine said: “He [Gueye] is an important player in the balance he gives the team, he also scores goals now. Faced with stiff competition in the midfield, the Senegalese continues to score points at the start of the season.”

The talented midfielder has also enjoyed success with his national team and has racked up 94 caps for Senegal over his career, which finally paid off at the beginning of this year when he helped them to win their first African Cup of Nations crown.

The signing of Gueye would be a fantastic piece of business for Everton this summer, and if he can continue to thrive in the centre of the pitch following a return to Merseyside, it would put the club in a great position to improve in the season ahead.

AND in other news: “Very soon..”: Fabrizio Romano reveals Everton “agreement”, supporters will be buzzing

Tottenham Hotspur have entered pole position for Roma star Nicolo Zaniolo as 90min share a potentially promising transfer update.

The Lowdown: Spurs in the market…

As per The Evening Standard, it is believed that the Lilywhites and sporting director Fabio Paratici remain in the market for a creative midfield player and could even bring in another new central defender too.

This comes after Spurs sealed deals for Ivan Perisic, Fraser Forster, Yves Bissouma, Richarlison, Clement Lenglet and Djed Spence with manager Antonio Conte receiving full backing ahead of his first full Premier League season in charge.

Zaniolo has been a mooted target for quite some time and it is believed that negotiations have taken place for the 23-year-old.

The Latest: Tottenham ‘lead the chase’ for Zaniolo…

According to the latest reports, it is believed that Spurs have entered pole position and ‘lead the chase’ to sign Zaniolo this summer ahead of Juventus.

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Indeed, 90min claim this and also go on to state that Paratici and co are ‘continuing talks’ with Roma to try and get a deal done.

The north Londoners are ‘continuing to push’ to prise Zaniolo away from the Stadio Olimpico and will likely need to offer more than €50 million (£42m).

The Verdict: Promising?

Spurs being out in front for the Italy international certainly comes as promising, but due to the nature of the transfer window, Conte will want discussions to advance sooner rather than later.

There is little doubt Zaniolo would be an upgrade considering, for Roma, he averaged more successful take-ons per 90 than any player in Jose Mourinho’s squad whilst also drawing the most fouls – backing what a tricky player he can be (WhoScored).

Former Tottenham shot-stopper Paul Robinson recently called the playmaker a potentially ‘exciting’ signing and these last few weeks of the window will certainly be worth the watch as Paratici chases a deal.

Sunderland are believed to be closing in on the signing of highly-rated Morecambe defender, Connor Pye, according to recent reports.

What’s the word?

As per Football Insider, the Black Cats are said to have ‘agreed a deal’ for the 18-year-old, having secured a ‘breakthrough’ in negotiations with the League One outfit for the promising left-back.

The report suggests that the teenager – who is said to have two years left on his current deal – is seemingly a player for the future at the Stadium of Light, as he is ‘unlikely’ to go straight into manager Alex Neil’s plans at senior level.

As per the report, the full-back was one of a number of players made ‘available for transfer’ by the shrimps earlier this summer due to financial restrictions, thus allowing the northeast side to pounce.

Neil should love it

Managing to secure the signing of a player who has been likened to Liverpool ace Andy Robertson would no doubt be a great source of delight for the Sunderland boss, with Neil set to love securing what would be a seventh major signing of the summer thus far.

Although Pye – who has made just a solitary senior outing for his current side – appears unlikely to make an impact for the Championship side this season, his capture could prove to be a notable coup in the longer term, having previously been linked with a move to Premier League outfit, Everton.

With Dennis Cirkin currently the only recognised left-back option in the first-team squad, it is not beyond the realms of possibility that the impressive starlet could force his way into the manager’s plans sooner rather than later, with depth undoubtedly needed in what will likely be a gruelling season.

A move for the Englishman will also help the club to move on from the disappointment of missing out on former loanee Nathan Broadhead, with the 24-year-old recently opting to join Wigan Athletic on a loan deal from the Toffees.

The forward had reportedly been targetted by Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman ahead of a potential return to the club, although has favoured a move to the Latics in search of more regular game time.

Getting another new arrival in the door in the form of Pye, however, could ensure that transfer failure is swiftly forgotten about, with Neil no doubt set to love the chance to help nurture such a well-regarded young talent.

Frank Lampard is ready to bring a former Everton player back to the club if reports are to be believed…

What’s the word?

That’s according to Simon Phillips, who spoke to GIVEMESPORT about the Toffees’ interest in Chelsea midfielder Ross Barkley.

He said: “Ross Barkley is wanted by Lampard, but with the history there with the club, the way Barkley left, I’m not so sure that they would want him back.”

Although Frank Lampard is reportedly a fan, and with the midfielder with only a year left on his £100k-per-week contract, there is no doubt that the polarising star could be tempted back to Goodison Park for a cut-price.

Lampard should avoid him

The decision to appoint Rafael Benitez was one which split the fanbase completely, devastating the club and nearly sinking them into relegation.

Although signing Barkley would likely not have this same impact, it could certainly polarise a fanbase that was torn apart during Benitez’s reign.

Not only this, but the chance that he could even be a success upon re-signing for the club is so unlikely given he has never really found any form since leaving in 2018.

Having made nearly 100 appearances for Chelsea, it can be assumed that he has been a mainstay in the side but suffered a few unfortunate injuries.

In reality, having played just 5,152 minutes, his time on the pitch per game averages out to just over 52 minutes a match, meaning he has never truly been considered a starter at the club.

With just 12 goals and 11 assists to his name during this period, many would likely dub his move to the English capital a failure. Evertonians will delight in this fact given the way he left.

Just six Premier League appearances last season, and entering the final year of his contract, Chelsea will also be delighted to see the back of this signing who has been dubbed “terrible” by journalist Daniel Storey.

One argument made against his potential return is: would he be a good option if he had never played for Everton before?

The answer is a resounding no, and Lampard should heed these words to avoid a romantic re-signing who offers little footballing value. In short, it would be a terrible mistake to re-sign him.