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Antonio Conte could still become Tottenham Hotspur’s next manager in a surprise twist, according to one journalist…

What’s the word?

The 51-year-old looked set to take over the vacant role last week, with The Guardian suggesting that there was confidence in the Spurs camp that he would be hired following positive talks.

However, things quickly broke down and it was claimed that the north London outfit abandoned their pursuit of the former Chelsea coach over concerns from both parties about him replacing Jose Mourinho.

Matt Law at The Telegraph believes that Conte stalled over his fear that Spurs could not match his ambition, whilst Daniel Levy and the club’s hierarchy had doubts over whether or not the Italian would commit to the development of their youth prospects.

In a new turn of events, Italian journalist and ESPN’s senior writer Gabriele Marcotti has now suggested that the saga may not be over yet. Speaking on ESPN FC, he said: “I wouldn’t even necessarily take it as a given that this is done with.

“My understanding is that talks have stalled and Spurs are looking elsewhere but we’ve seen this negotiating ploy before, hoping one side or the other blinks and we could be headed in that direction.”

There’s still hope, yet…

Spurs’ managerial search has entered its eighth week and it seems that they are no closer to finding a solution – a worrying prospect considering that some reports suggested Levy wanted a new man in place before the European Championship, which starts on Friday.

This latest claim from Marcotti adds another layer of uncertainty over the situation but the news will undoubtedly come as a source of excitement for many supporters as much of the Lilywhites faithful were keen to see Conte appointed.

As relayed by This is Futbol, some fans were begging the club to hire the ex-Blues man. For example, one claimed it was the “best possible appointment,” whilst another suggested he was “what every Spurs fan should want.”

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Further fuel is added to the fire by reports that the north Londoners are closing in on Conte’s former right-hand man Fabio Paratici, who is set to become their next sporting director.

The pair won three Serie A titles and two domestic cups during their time together at Juventus, and whilst it remains to be seen whether it would help Spurs’ pursuit of the 51-year-old, it certainly shouldn’t hinder it.

Considering some of the other names mooted for the vacancy, including Everton flop Roberto Martinez, relegated Fulham boss Scott Parker and Brighton’s Graham Potter, it’s no wonder so many wanted Conte appointed.

He is a nine-time major trophy winner who recently secured Inter Milan their first league title in 11 years, whilst he has also been likened to Sir Alex Ferguson in the past.

Dubbed a “tactical master” by Pep Guardiola, there aren’t many better candidates out there than the tough-natured Italian, so this latest suggestion from Marcotti should come as exciting news to many Spurs fans, as evident above.

AND in other news, Levy could land Spurs their own Silva in 6 ft 3 “leader” dubbed “amazing” by Mourinho…

Plenty of Crystal Palace fans have been reacting to a recent report regarding managerial target Frank Lampard.

According to the Evening Standard, the former Chelsea boss is keen on replacing Roy Hodgson at Selhurst Park.

Lampard is thought to be interested in the project with the Eagles and wants his next job to be in the Premier League.

Palace reportedly like Lampard’s work with younger players at Chelsea, however, he would also be backed in the transfer market this summer, should he put pen to paper on a Selhurst Park deal.

Hodgson’s contract at the club expires in around seven weeks time, and it is believed an announcement on his future will be made at the end of the current campaign.

Palace fans react

@cpfc_xtra shared the news of Lampard’s interest in the job and the club’s plans to back a new manager in the transfer market this summer on Twitter.

This is what some Palace supporters had to say in reply.

“Exciting”Credit: @elliotcpfc”All these links from reliable sources. It’s gonna happen”Credit: @Sumo08112″Of course he’s interested it’s a job he should be on his hands and knees begging for, he doesn’t deserve another chance at this level yet he should jump at any opportunity to do so”Credit: @liamb0117″The people that want him worry me. He needs to properly prove himself at this level, including the building of a squad”Credit: @JoeCarey17″I mean he would back the youth but I’m not 100%. I’d back him”Credit: @nikolimorgan”happy Thursday”Credit: @cpfcharlie0

In other news: ‘Joke’, ‘I’m worried’ – Many CPFC fans react as news emerges on £120k-p/w ace, find out more here. 

Reacting to a development that Tottenham have held ‘extensive discussions’ with Roberto Martinez as their next manager, but have now cooled their interest (Football Insider), pundit Noel Whelan has been left baffled by the news and has told Tottenham to reconsider their stance.

The Lowdown: Martinez out of the running?

Indeed, as per Football Insider, the Spaniard had been making a ‘huge play’ behind the scenes to become Tottenham’s next manager and was said to be eager on taking the role after Belgium’s European Championships this summer.

However, the same outlet then brought an update stating that Tottenham have now held extensive talks with the 47-year-old but cooled their interest as a result.

The Latest: Whelan tells Levy to reconsider Martinez as option

Speaking to Football Insider in reaction, Whelan cannot believe Tottenham have cooled their interest in the former Everton boss and has told Levy that Martinez is ‘ticks every box’ for Spurs.

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“I cannot understand it,” he explained.

“Have they got somebody better than Roberto Martinez? Who have they found that is better than him? That would be incredible. I have no idea.

“Martinez has been a fantastic manager for a number of years now and he is very well respected in European football. You don’t get the Belgium job for no reason. He has done incredible work there with top players. It is not easy to keep them all happy.

“Martinez ticks every box for me as Tottenham manager. He has the man-management skills, the intelligence, the right style of football and he speaks really well.

“I think he would bring out the best in the star players at Spurs. He can manage them the way they need to be managed.”

The Verdict: Whelan half right…

While we believe Martinez is arguably one of the more underrated managerial candidates, especially considering his run to the 2018 World Cup semi-finals with Belgium and FA Cup victory with Wigan, there are better alternatives.

Brendan Rodgers is a name that arguably stands out over Martinez given his superior managerial record and experience.

The Northern Irishman, for instance, has won more games (325) over his managerial career than Martinez (217) whilst averaging more points per 90 (1.83 compared to 1.56).

While his appointment appears unlikely at this stage despite Tottenham’s interest, someone of Rodgers’ calibre is debatably worth the wait despite Martinez recently being lauded as a ‘world class’ candidate by former Scotland boss Alex McLeish.

In other news: 45 y/o now open to joining Spurs, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur have turned their attentions elsewhere following the news that Bayern Munich will appoint Julian Nagelsmann as their next manager.

What’s the word?

According to the Telegraph, Ajax boss Erik ten Hag is set to rise up Daniel Levy’s list of targets to replace Jose Mourinho this summer.

The Portuguese was sacked last week and the 33-year-old Leipzig manager quickly emerged as a key candidate and top target for the Spurs hierarchy, though it has now been confirmed that he will replace Hansi Flick at the Champions League holders.

It is now claimed that ten Hag will enter the final year of his current contract at the end of this season, so any compensation fee shouldn’t be out of Spurs’ budget.

Dream successor

Following the drab and dismal football on offer under Mourinho, targeting someone like Ten Hag would present a new approach from Levy, who is said to want an ‘attack-minded’ coach as his next appointment.

Of course, the ideal candidate needs to be much more than that too as Spurs sunk to defeat in the Carabao Cup final on Sunday, meaning their 13-year wait for a trophy continues on.

This is where the Ajax maestro can buck the trend and bring an exciting brand of football back to N17.

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His expansive and flexible 4-3-3 system is not only similar to that of Mauricio Pochettino but has also drawn major comparisons to Pep Guardiola, who the 51-year-old worked under at Bayern Munich, when in charge of their ‘B’ team.

Ten Hag has racked up an impressive 73% win rate since taking the helm in Amsterdam in 2017 and that’s hardly a surprise given his ‘born winner mentality.

According to Ajax’s official website, the boss often speaks about dwelling on a loss for no more than 24 hours and similarly the same goes for a win, as it’s merely the next game up and his only inspiration is the quest for silverware, in which he has won four trophies so far.

As football.london’s Alasdair Gold recently explained, Ten Hag “ticks a lot of boxes” as he’s “very good at developing young players” and has his side playing “with real style.”

When comparing him to the likes of Gareth Southgate and Roberto Martinez, who are also mentioned in the Telegraph’s report, then the Ajax gem is surely the dream heir to the vacant throne in north London.

A serial winner, with a bold and thrilling style of football, Levy must now put his weight behind a push to clinch ten Hag.

AND in other news, Spurs dealt devastating Julian Nagelsmann hammer blow

Former Leeds United striker Noel Whelan has said that it would be a ‘disaster’ if the club sold Raphinha this summer following an excellent first season at Elland Road.

The Lowdown: Raphinha shine for Leeds

The Brazilian joined the Whites from Rennes back in October and has been a key man, scoring six goals and registering seven assists in the Premier League.

Raphinha’s performances have caught the eye of the some of the country’s leading clubs, however, with Liverpool and Manchester City both linked with signing him.

The Latest: Whelan fearful of Raphinha exit

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan admits that he is worried about Raphinha exiting Elland Road at a point when Leeds are trying to narrow the gap with those at the top of the league. He said:

“In my opinion, there’s no deal to be done. We’re trying to catch up to Man City and build a team that’s going to compete. We’ve shown that we can do that against them this season with Raphinha in the side.

“If we’re really going to be considering selling one of our best assets, where does it leave us as a club? After one season having Raphinha on the books, I’m hoping that’s not what we are right now. We’re certainly trying to build something special at the club.

“We’re playing the right way and we’re going to add more quality in the summertime. So, if we’re going to sell players like that, I’m not sure where it’s going to leave the fans. They’re going to want to pay money to see players like that at Elland Road and they’ll be angry if not.

“Next season, fingers crossed, we’re having fans in there. He’s one of our star assets so we’ve got to be strong enough to fend off the big guns in Europe and in England. If we sell him, it’s a disaster for the club.”

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The Verdict: Must be kept on

Under no circumstances should Raphinha be allowed to leave Leeds this summer, considering his importance to the team. Marcelo Bielsa needs to make his squad even stronger in the next transfer window, bringing in new faces in but also keeping hold of those who are invaluable to him.

Raphinha is certainly one of those, providing a huge threat from the right-hand side, whether he’s dribbling past opponents – his average of 1.9 dribbles per game is the highest of any Leeds player in the league this season – producing defence splitting-passes or finding the net himself.

Making better teams stronger, especially those with which you’re competing, and weakening your own side makes no sense whatsoever, even if a huge bid comes in for the winger. Whelan is right – Leeds cannot afford to cash in on the 24-year-old.

In other news, Leeds are reportedly battling some heavyweight clubs for the signing of a winger this summer. Find out who it is here.

Marcel Brands pulled off a masterclass over the past year in his negotiations to bring and keep top talents including Ben Godfrey and Lucas Digne at Everton.

What’s the word?

According to figures published by the Football Association, via the Liverpool Echo, the Toffees paid a combined £14m to agents between February 2020 and February 2021.

That’s a drop of nearly £3m from the previous 12-month period, and far less than their big-spending Premier League rivals Chelsea who top the charts at £35m.

Both Manchester clubs City and United paid agents nearly £30m, while Liverpool (£21.5m) plus north London rivals Arsenal and Tottenham (£16m) handed over more than Everton.

The Blues’ spending included their deals to sign Godfrey, James Rodriguez, Abdoulaye Doucoure, Allan, Niels Nkounkou, Robin Olsen and Joshua King.

It also included the new contracts awarded to Digne, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Mason Holgate, Michael Keane and Anthony Gordon.

Relegation-threatened West Bromwich Albion sit bottom of the spending charts for agent fees at £4m, despite the arrivals of 15 players at The Hawthorns this season.

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Everton’s investments in transfers and tieing down some of their top talents to new deals has seen Carlo Ancelotti’s side challenge for a top-four Premier League finish, and will exit the international break four points clear of Arsenal and with a game in hand.

A masterclass by Brands

Everton spending less than half on agents than Chelsea and a considerable amount less than the other top-six clubs will go down as a masterclass by Brands, given the wealth of talent the Toffees’ Director of Football has brought to and kept at Goodison Park over the 12-month period.

Chelsea are only five points better off in the Premier League table than Everton ahead of the 30th round of fixtures, despite their significant outlay and playing a game more than the Merseysiders.

Liverpool sit ahead of the Blues only on goal difference, while Tottenham are two points above the Goodison Park natives though having also played a game extra.

The signings of Allan, Doucoure, Rodriguez and Godfrey – who Richard Cresswell, his former coach at York City, claims has a “ridiculous” amount of similarities with Rio Ferdinand – have played a great role in Everton’s strong position.

Olsen’s arrival on loan from AS Roma has likewise had an impact, with Ancelotti often lauding the Sweden international for helping to keep Jordan Pickford on his toes.

The Toffees will also be in a strong position to fend off any approaches for the likes of Digne and Calvert-Lewin this summer through the pair signing new contracts, with Manchester United previously said to be tracking the England striker and Atletico Madrid eying a move for the French full-back.

Everton and Ancelotti would surely loath losing their 14-goal top-scorer in Calvert-Lewin or six-assist lead playmaker in Digne, but are positioned well thanks to Brands’ masterclass in negotiating the deals and managing how much was spent on agents.

AND in other news, Everton are tracking a £17m striker with “a wealth of talent”…

Eddie Howe isn’t even in the building yet but Celtic are already targeting players with the view to him being appointed.

A couple of players have been linked with joining Howe at the Bhoys, including Bournemouth defender Steve Cook.

On the chalkboard

The new manager’s first priority when he walks through the door will be to address the futures of a number of individuals at the club.

Kristoffer Ajer has attracted admirers from elsewhere on a repeated basis while Odsonne Edouard has long been tipped to leave. West Ham came calling for the Frenchman in January, while it’s thought that Liverpool are now also interested in his services.

Losing him would be a monumental blow to Celtic’s chances of reclaiming their dominance of Scottish football. Edouard is their top scorer with 20 goals this term, so trying to replace such a prolific forward won’t be easy.

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Celtic will need to ensure they have contingency plans in place because those behind the Frenchman in the pecking order aren’t particularly full of goals. Albian Ajeti has just six to his name since joining the Hoops last summer, while Patryk Klimala has three goals all season.

Who will his replacement be?

If Howe is given the Celtic job, the Bhoys could welcome Josh King to Paradise this summer. That’s according to The Sun, who suggested that the 43-year-old will look to make the Norwegian one of his first signings as Hoops manager.

King left Bournemouth for Everton in January on a six-month contract and thus could move on a free transfer when the summer window opens.

Capped 54 times by Norway, the forward has plenty of experience at the top level and has a history of scoring goals in one of the best leagues in world football. The 29-year-old is yet to find the net in Everton colours but has 48 Premier League goals to his name throughout his career.

This season hasn’t been great to King but clearly he is a clever striker with plenty of qualities, and you sense that he could thrive in Scottish football. Like Edouard, he has nice feet and is also powerful, using his robust frame to bustle past opponents.

You only need to heed the words from Vidar Riseth, one of his former teammates, for an indication of what he could bring to Glasgow.

“He has all the attributes any striker needs,” the ex-Hoops player began. “I have played with him and against him and I know all about his qualities. If there is a chance for Celtic to get him then they must take it because he would be an incredible signing for them.

“He’d be a great signing. I am talking about a top striker. He has so many qualities and he has done so well for the national team, too,” he concluded.

There may be an element of bias to Riseth’s words, but reuniting King with Howe could be a masterstroke. In terms of replacing Edouard, there would certainly be worse signings than the 29-year-old.

AND in other news, Big twist arises in Celtic manager search, Hoops fans should be buzzing…

In making a defining statement, Jose Mourinho may have just found the solution to one of his long-standing Tottenham Hotspur problems.

The Spurs boss named a surprise lineup for their trip to Aston Villa on Sunday afternoon, and it paid off as they returned to north London with all three points and a clean sheet.

Mourinho sprung a bit of a surprise as young defensive duo Japhet Tanganga and Joe Rodon were preferred to Matt Doherty, Eric Dier, Toby Alderweireld and Serge Aurier.

In part down to performances, and in part down to illness. Either way, this decision clearly sent a rocket through the Spurs squad.

On the Chalkboard

As we outlined after the match, Rodon arguably stole the show – the likes of Harry Kane and Lucas Moura, who delivered key attacking contributions on their way to a 2-0 victory will take much of the plaudits but the Welsh starlet was a colossal presence against Villa, who are no relegation candidates this season.

That was the 23-year-old’s fifth Premier League start but you wouldn’t have known that judging by his display. He has never let Spurs down when featuring in the top-flight.

On debut, he spearheaded the backline towards a clean sheet against Mourinho’s former club, Chelsea, and his performance drew glowing praise from the Sky Sports team (via Wales Online).

Roy Keane claimed that Rodon had a “bright future ahead of him” as he “looked composed” against the vastly-experienced Olivier Giroud, whilst similarly, Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink lauded the 6 foot 4 colossus  as a “proper Spurs player” who seemed “comfortable.”

Mourinho’s biggest problem has been in defence this season, as ex-goalkeeper, Paul Robinson told Football Insider:

“It has been the biggest problem area for Spurs all season, centre-half. Whoever it has been, Dier, Alderweireld, Sanchez or Rodon it has not worked or at least Mourinho has not liked it. There has not been a consistent pairing all season. Not one centre-half has shown good enough consistency this season.”

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That could now be about to change, if the Spurs boss keeps the faith with Rodon.

As per SofaScore, the £11m summer signing – who has been likened to his former skipper John Terry in the past – graded as the visitor’s best defender with a 7.4 rating.

He put in three clearances, made two interceptions and recorded one tackle, displaying an excellent reading of the game against the lethal threat of the 12-goal Ollie Watkins.

“He’s got every physical and mental attribute you need to be successful in that position,” explained Andy Hinchcliffe to Sky Sports in the summer. It’s no wonder Mourinho signed him before the end of the domestic window, but now he really ought to be given a proper run of matches.

If the £13.5m-rated beast half the player of Terry, then Mourinho will have stumbled across a very viable solution.

AND in other news, Spurs handed Sergio Reguilon transfer boost…

Mark Douglas has dropped an inside claim on two managers who are reportedly open to potentially succeeding Steve Bruce at Newcastle United.

Writing in his latest piece for The Chronicle, the journalist has claimed that both Giovanni van Bronckhorst and Eddie Howe would be interested in managing at St James’ Park if Bruce were to leave, although the former Aston Villa and Sunderland boss still retains the faith of Mike Ashley for now.

Howe or van Bronckhorst would be inspired Newcastle appointments

The appointment of either Howe or van Bronckhorst would be an inspired one by Newcastle. The former has won the Eredivisie title with Feyenoord ahead of the likes of Ajax and PSV, while the latter brought Bournemouth up to the Premier League and kept them there for five seasons.

Of course, Howe has the added experience over van Bronckhorst of managing in the English top flight, but both managers have certainly had success in their careers so far.

Both are also available right now, and with the struggles that the Tyneside club are currently facing in trying to avoid being relegated to the Championship, a change in manager could well be beneficial to the Magpies, whether that would be now or at the end of the season.

In other news, find out what Toon star has dropped a worrying claim on his future.

Southampton travel to Goodison Park on Monday evening hoping to end a run of form that has seen them pick up just one point out of a possible 24 in the Premier League.

Injury issues have taken their toll on Ralph Hasenhuttl’s squad, with Kyle Walker-Peters, Ibrahima Diallo and Oriol Romeu all spending time on the sidelines recently.

In the absence of Walker-Peters, the Austrian manager has deployed the likes of James Ward-Prowse and Jan Bednarek out of position at right-back – which has proved to be a poor decision for two reasons.

First of all, neither one of Bednarek and Ward-Prowse possess the pace of Walker-Peters and were therefore not as willing to make forward runs up the pitch, which have been a staple of Southampton’s style of play since his arrival from Tottenham Hotspur.

Secondly, playing these players out of position limits their influence on the game, with the Saints having missed Bednarek’s commanding nature alongside Jannik Vestergaard in central defence, whilst on the occasion where Ward-Prowse was at full-back, they missed his attacking threat in the middle.

Therefore, if Hasenhuttl wants to see his side improve at Goodison Park and stop the rot, he should consider unleashing 20-year-old Kayne Ramsay at full-back.

The 20-year-old is a natural right-back and has made just three senior appearances for the South Coast club, whilst also making five appearances for Shrewsbury Town on loan in League One last season.

Ramsay is unfortunate in that his one appearance for Southampton this season came in the 9-0 defeat against Manchester United, which was a horrible game for all Saints players to be involved in, so Hasenhuttl shouldn’t judge him too harshly for his performance on that day as Saints were playing with ten men for almost the entirety of the encounter.

In fact, the right-back actually made five tackles at Old Trafford, which is comfortably more than any other Saints player has averaged so far this season.

Considering the threat that Everton pose down the left-hand side through Lucas Digne, deploying a natural right-back such as Ramsay could be the key to Southampton improving their form, as it will also allow Bednarek to move back into the middle to try and shackle the dangerous Dominic Calvert-Lewin.

Therefore, despite Ramsay’s lack of experience and appearances for Southampton, Hasenhuttl should give him a chance to impress before Walker-Peters returns to full fitness.

And, in other news… Forget Jankewitz: Saints may already have their Romeu replacement in 18 y/o academy ace