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Tottenham Hotspur are in negotiations with Shakhtar Donetsk right-back Domilson Cordeiro dos Santos, known as Dodo [International Football via TEAMtalk].

The Lowdown: Tottenham look to deal with right-back inconsistencies

Facing the challenge of rejuvenating an underperforming group of players going into 2021/22, Spurs boss Nuno Espirito Santo will no doubt be keen to add new faces to his recently inherited roster.

Right-back has become a particular area of concern in North London in recent times, with inconsistencies within Matt Doherty and Serge Aurier’s performances potentially putting them in the firing line to be moved on this summer.

On a more positive note, they could well have identified a replacement for one of the duo from the Ukrainian top-flight, following recent reports.

The Latest: Tottenham Hotspur remain in talks with Dodo despite rejected bid

Tottenham Hotspur have reportedly already failed in an opening bid to land Brazilian full-back Dodo, which is said to have totalled around £17 million [TEAMtalk].

Despite this, the deal is mooted to still be on the table, with both clubs still firmly locked in talks for the 5 foot 5 ace.

Bayern Munich are also believed to have had a bid of around £22 million turned down for his services in the not-too-distant past.

The Verdict: Dodo would be an exciting right-back reinforcement in North London

Needing fresh ideas in their quest to challenge for trophies in the forthcoming campaign, Dodo would provide a sense of intrigue and excitement to the Spurs support.

In 2020/21, he excelled for his current employers, notching a very impressive nine goal contributions in 34 appearances; two goals and seven assists [Transfermarkt].

His speed and ability to find targets in the box either through whipped crosses or cutbacks would fit into Nuno’s style of football, whilst his rate of 4.5 progressive carries (dribbles) per fixture over the last year shows he is a forward-thinking player who will get fans off their seats [FB Ref].

If Spurs are to replace one of Doherty or Aurier, Dodo could well be a viable candidate to add speed and attacking potency down the flank.

In other news, Spurs are interested in a La Liga ace.

Everton are ‘on the trail’ of Chelsea centre-back Malang Sarr, according to Gianluca Di Marzio. 

The lowdown

Chelsea signed the defender last summer following the expiry of his contract at Nice and proceeded to loan him to FC Porto for the 2020/21 season.

Sarr, who can operate as both a centre-back and a left-back, made 19 appearances for Porto’s senior side and a further eight for the youth team. He has four years left on his contract at Stamford Bridge is valued at £9m by Transfermarkt.

The Athletic’s Patrick Boyland wrote at the weekend that Everton were ‘continuing to monitor’ potential additions at centre-back as the window approaches its final week. That’s because ‘they’re not entirely happy’ with their current options.

The latest

According to Gianluca Di Marzio, Serie A side Bologna are said to be leading the race to sign Sarr. Today there will be a meeting between club officials and the player’s representatives, but it ‘will not be easy’ to reach an agreement given his high salary demands.

Everton and Bundesliga outfit Eintracht Frankfurt will look to capitalise on any impasse, with both clubs also tracking the 22-year-old.

The verdict

Michael Keane’s poor start to the season suggests that Everton could do with a fresh face at centre-back to partner Ben Godfrey, but it’s unclear whether Sarr would actually represent much of an upgrade.

He failed to tie down a consistent starting spot at Porto, and that has to be concern for a potential suitors.

If anything, Everton would be better served pursuing a reunion with former loanee Kurt Zouma, who was also made available for transfer for Chelsea and is a proven Premier League operator. However, any such deal for him would likely be far more expensive (via The Athletic).

In other news, Michael Ball says this midfielder would suit Everton perfectly.

Journalist Jack Rosser has told The Transfer Tavern that West Ham would be opening to selling Andriy Yarmolenko, providing they can replace him.

The Ukrainian joined the Hammers in an £18m deal, according to Transfermarkt, three years ago, but he’s been restricted to just 56 appearances in all competitions.

Yarmolenko arrived with a big reputation following his brief yet impressive spell with Borussia Dortmund and incredible goalscoring exploits for both Ukraine and Dynamo Kiev.

However, a long-term injury saw the £100,000-a-week attacker miss almost his entire first campaign at the London Stadium, with further injuries forcing Yarmolenko to be sidelined for over 50 matches since his arrival in England.

Last season was the most productive of the three he’s spent with the Hammers, but having made just two brief one-minute appearances against Newcastle and Leicester this term, Rosser told The Transfer Tavern that David Moyes would be prepared to let him go as long as he’s replaced:

“Yarmolenko, they’d be open to letting him go, as long as they can fill his place in the squad. But he’s on big wages, which is proving a problem for loads of clubs.

“So, something could still happen there, they wouldn’t be against losing him.”

West Bromwich Albion have been dealt a major blow in their bid to bring Liam Delap to The Hawthorns this summer.

What’s the talk?

In recent comments cited by the Express & Star, Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola revealed that he has no intention of loaning the 18-year-old centre-forward out over what remains of the summer transfer window, with the Spaniard appearing adamant that the England U18 international will be a part of his first-team squad this season.

Guardiola said: “He’s going to train with us if a striker comes or doesn’t come. He’s going to train with us all the season.

“It’s the best way to help their development because the problem in the academies today here in England, the distance between the first team competition in the Premier League and the competition they play is too big.

“It’s really big and it’s difficult to promote them from here. That’s the best way with the players we believe have potential… those guys are going to be with us.”

Previous reports had claimed that Valerien Ismael was extremely interested in the idea of adding Delap to his West Brom squad this summer, with the Frenchman thought to hold the belief that his side is lacking depth in the number nine role.

Ismael will be fuming

Considering the sheer amount of potential Delap appears to possess, as well as the fact that the youngster was reported to be a personal target of Ismael, Guardiola’s latest comments regarding the future of the striker are sure to have left the 45-year-old Albion boss fuming.

Indeed, over his 20 Premier League 2 appearances for Manchester City’s U23 side last season, the £5k-per-week man bagged 24 goals and registered five assists, as well as scoring a further five goals and providing one more assist over four fixtures in the FA Youth Cup and EFL Trophy.

Furthermore, with Ismael currently only having Kenneth Zohore in his first-team squad who could really be classified as an out and out number nine, a player who, while out on loan at Millwall last season, only managed two goals over 17 Championship appearances, it would indeed appear as if the French manager could do with greater depth in the position.

However, with the player Guardiola dubbed an “exceptional” striker looking unlikely to leave the Etihad anytime soon, it would seem as if Ismael’s pursuit of Delap has hit a dead-end – something that, with only a matter of days now remaining in the summer transfer window, is sure to be an extremely frustrating outcome for the Baggies boss.

In other news: Ismael must win race for “unbelievable” £9m-rated beast, he’d be perfect for West Brom

Sky Sports journalist Michael Bridge expects Serge Aurier or Matt Doherty to leave Tottenham before tonight’s transfer deadline.

The north London club are closing in on the signing of right-back Emerson Royal from Barcelona as manager Nuno Espirito Santo looks to strengthen his defence.

It means the likes of Aurier and Doherty could now be casualties, with Bridge expecting one of the two to depart the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Speaking to FFC about Spurs’ transfer plans for deadline day, the Sky Sports reporter said:

“One of Serge Aurier or Matt Doherty will leave today. They want Aurier out, really. I mean, ideally, but if a club comes in for Doherty [he could also leave].”

For whatever reason, Aurier and Doherty do not seem to be players Nuno trusts, or at least not enough to start from the first minute of games.

In Tottenham’s first three Premier League fixtures, the Portuguese coach has started Japhet Tanganga in that right-back position.

Doherty is an interesting one, with the 29-year-old previously working under Nuno at Wolves. If he remains in north London and Spurs move to a back three, which would allow him to play as a right wing-back like he did at Molineux, he could be handed a lifeline.

Liverpool could secure their ideal heir to departed forward Xherdan Shaqiri after being linked with a move for Real Madrid ace Marco Asensio.

What’s the story?

According to Spanish outlet TodoFichajes, the Reds are preparing a bid for the versatile 25-year-old as manager Jurgen Klopp continues to search for reinforcements for his first-team squad.

The report states that: “The Mallorcan still does not have a leading role in Ancelotti’s plans, and he has been looking for a way out to relaunch his career for a long time,” with Liverpool reportedly plotting a £30.1 million move for Asensio.

Heir to Xherdan Shaqiri

Asensio made a big impact when he first arrived in Madrid following his move from boyhood club Mallorca, establishing himself as one of Europe’s most promising young talents with a string of impressive performances.

His outstanding displays caught the eye of several onlookers, including Madrid legend Guti, who praised his compatriot’s mindset.

“Asensio is a lot better player than I was. He has an unlimited ceiling, his head is very well furnished, and will depend on what he wants to do in the world of football. The future is in his feet,” said Guti.

A ruptured cruciate ligament in 2020 stunted the midfielder’s progress, though, limiting him to just 10 appearances throughout the 2019/20 campaign.

Nevertheless, he made a solid return to action last term, scoring seven goals and providing two assists in 48 appearances, and at just 25, he still has plenty of time to fulfil his potential.

New Madrid boss Ancelotti doesn’t appear to have a big role for Asensio at the Bernabeu, however. He’s played just 57 minutes of La Liga football in the opening weeks of the campaign, leading to speculation that an imminent exit could be on the cards.

And Klopp may view the Spain international as the ideal replacement for Shaqiri. The diminutive forward departed Anfield after three frustrating years this summer, joining Ligue 1 outfit Lyon in a £9.5m move.

His exit has left Liverpool a little lightweight in the forward areas, though, and with Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah set to miss a significant chunk of the campaign due to the African Cup of Nations, further additions are likely to be required.

A move for Asensio, therefore, makes sense for multiple reasons, and Klopp may be tempted to strike as soon as January in order to provide cover for his forward line.

And, in other news…Liverpool could finally replace Coutinho with move for smart £36m-rated magician 

Lots of Everton fans have been left buzzing as news emerged involving Salomon Rondon, with the Toffees finally announcing his squad number ahead of the clash with Burnley.

As shared by the official Twitter page of the Goodison Park faithful, it has now been confirmed that the Venezuela international will wear the number 33 shirt for the Merseyside club following his arrival in the summer transfer window.

It was vital that the Toffees brought in another striker to ease the scoring burden off of Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and Rondon may well fit the bill, as he has plenty of experience in the Premier League playing for both West Brom and Newcastle United (Transfermarkt).

He has also played in 61 games in total over all competitions under Rafa Benitez, scoring 26 goals and making a further 14 assists (Transfermarkt).

Thus, the 31-year-old certainly looks to be a smart addition, and the fact that he now has his official squad number means that he could play a part against Burnley on Monday night.

Everton fans on Rondon post

These Toffees supporters buzzed as the post was shared on Twitter:

“Happy days”

Credit: @CharliesSnowman

“Love it.”

Credit: @five15design

“Yesssssssss what a number”

Credit: @Conor_LaneSmith

“Anyone else get the feeling this guys gonna be a beast?”

Credit: @MattyGraham18

“Forget about all the hype of Ronaldo this is the only Ronny that matters”

Credit: @ste_coll5

“Proper striker”

Credit: @torneleesamuels

In other news, find out what transfer news has Blues happy here!

Speaking on The Kelly and Wrighty Show, as transcribed by The Boot Room, reliable reporter Jason Burt of The Telegraph has made a behind-the-scenes Tottenham Hotspur claim involving Harry Kane.

The Lowdown: Kane flounders in summer exit bid…

One of the main Premier League transfer sagas of the summer window came in the form of Kane’s desire to swap Tottenham for Manchester City.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/spurs-latest-news-2/” title=”Spurs latest news…” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=”none”]

Reliable reports indicated that the 28-year-old was eyeing a move away from Spurs, with Sky Blues boss Pep Guardiola even confirming his club’s interest.

However, following months of rumours, which included transfer offers from Manchester City, Kane then dropped the message that he was staying at Spurs after all.

The Latest: Burt drops behind-the-scenes claim…

Speaking on The Kelly and Wrighty Show, as transcribed by The Boot Room, Kane still believes he is leaving N17 and expects a move next year.

Indeed, the England international has already ‘mentally’ left Tottenham, with Burt believing that club chairman Daniel Levy could possibly grant the striker his wish next year.

“I think they will let him go next year, but he wanted to go this year. That’s the problem. Mentally, he is out of the door,” the journalist said.

“He is thinking he is going. Pep Guardiola tried to sign him, not just Manchester City – Guardiola really wanted him.”

The Verdict: Blow for Nuno?

Tasked with the mountainous challenge of steering Spurs back on course following a turbulent last six months, one of Nuno Espirito Santo’s biggest obstacles is nurturing wantaway stars Tanguy Ndombele and Kane back into the side.

Both players were eyeing moves away from Spurs in the summer and it appears that the latter is already looking ahead to future transfer windows, going by this report.

In a situation which could prove difficult for Nuno to overcome, these next few months will truly test whether all can be harmonious once again at Hotspur Way.

That’s not to mention that it could be huge to miss Kane on the field, especially since he has been described as ‘underrated’ by sections of the press considering his phenomenal goal return of 223 in 341 appearances for Tottenham.

In other news: Spurs request already advanced to sign ‘invaluable’ star, Paratici ready to meet demands…find out more here.

According to a report by Calciomercato.it, Fiorentina striker Dusan Vlahovic is ‘in the sights’ of Tottenham Hotspur, and by extension, Spurs’ managing director Fabio Paratici.

The Lowdown: Vlahovic linked with Spurs switch…

The Serbian was heavily linked with a move to north London over the summer as the club considered signing an alternative centre-forward option to Harry Kane.

Indeed, both the 6 foot 3 powerhouse and Inter Milan’s Lautaro Martinez stood out as Tottenham’s most prestigious summer targets, with a report from Fantacalcio even claiming over the summer that Vlahovic ‘really likes’ Spurs.

The Lilywhites could not get a hold of their man in the end but an update from Italy has now indicated that Paratici is still eyeing a move.

The Latest: Paratici sets his sights on Vlahovic…

Despite the 21-year-old being in the middle of reports linking him with signing a new deal, Calciomercato.it claim that interested sides are still there as Inter Milan and Juventus court Vlahovic.

As well as the top Italian clubs, Fiorentina’s star player is ‘in the sights’ of Tottenham, with La Viola president Rocco Commisso desperately hoping that the Serbian extends his stay in Florence.

The Verdict: Get it done Fabio…

Scoring 21 goals and setting up two others in Serie A alone last year, Vlahovic could come as the perfect centre-forward signing for Spurs in future, even despite his £36m valuation (Transfermarkt).

Labelled ‘really crazy’ by former Bulgaria international Valeri Bojinov, Spurs manager Nuno Espirito Santo could certainly do with a real injection of quality in the forward positions given the lack of depth behind Kane, so Paratici needs to be persistent in trying to get this one over the line when he next gets the opportunity.

In other news: Spurs request already advanced to sign ‘invaluable’ star, Paratici ready to meet demands…find out more here.

Lots of Wolves fans have been left gushing over an early Team News hint for their game at home to Tottenham Hotspur in the Carabao Cup third round stage.

As per Birmingham Live, after the 2-0 home loss to Brentford at Saturday lunchtime, a back four consisting of Ki-Jana Hoever, Willy Boly, Yerson Mosquera and Rayan Ait-Nouri worked on their defensive shape in a mini training session with coach Carlos Cachada.

It could be a hint that Bruno Lage is planning to field them in a back four against Spurs, going away from the back three that failed against the Bees.

All of those players were left on the bench as well, and given the need to rotate in the cup in order to keep the squad fresh for their next league game, it is highly plausible that they will all start.

Wolves fans on Team News

These members of the Molineux faithful gushed as the Team News hint was shared on Twitter, with one WWFC supporter even going as far as to claim that they are ‘buzzing’:

“Oh yes please”

Credit: @kai_lloyd_01

“Interesting line up if true. But I’d be more than happy to see it”

Credit: @awaydays_wolves

“Oh my god please”

Credit: @mattp462

“Genuinely buzzing to see this!!!”

Credit: @robbowwfc

“Tears in my eyes if this is actually the back line for tomorrow”

Credit: @sabrinajg11

“This back 4 is my happy place.”

Credit: @TheBoringfollwr

In other news, find out what Brentford statistic has Wanderers fuming here!