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According to an update courtesy of journalist Nicolo Schira, Fulham are ‘really interested’ in signing Spurs keeper Paulo Gazzaniga after the arrival of free agent Joe Hart – with the 6ft 4 shot stopper now in danger of losing his place in the side under Jose Mourinho. 

Gazzaniga, who filled in intermittently for captain Hugo Lloris last season following the Frenchman’s injury, managing just two clean sheets in 18 Premier League starts for the club (Transfermarkt), could now lose his place after Daniel Levy snapped up Hart on a free transfer.

Hart, joining the likes of Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and Matt Doherty as Spurs’ new summer acquisitions, becomes part of the Mourinho rebuild which supporters will hope propels their side to a Champions League qualification push.

However, as new members join the squad ahead of a first season in charge for the ‘special one’, surplus-to-requirement figures could be more in danger than ever of being shown the exit door – with Gazzaniga potentially one of them.

As a result, the shot-stopper is now enticing interest from Fulham following their promotion to the top flight, with manager Scott Parker now allegedly looking to strengthen with the signing of a proven top flight keeper.

Despite the Argentine’s mixed form last season, Mourinho has showered praise on Gazzaniga in the past, specifically after a 2-1 victory over Wolves in late 2019 when the boss compared him to his father whilst also dubbing him “magic hands” (BeSoccer).

Whether or not Spurs end up selling Gazzaniga remains to be seen, but his future certainly looks more uncertain with Hart thrown into the mix.

Spurs fans, what do you make of Gazzaniga’s time in north London? Join the discussion by commenting below…

Tottenham defender Jan Vertonghen has emerged as a surprising contender to join Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City in the summer. 

Man City have set aside a sizeable transfer kitty worth £200m for new signings after the Court of Arbitration overturned their European ban, although Vertonghen will not cost a penny as he is out of contract.

As a forewarning to Spurs fans, this might come across as a bit of a shock.

According to The Telegraph, Guardiola believes Vertonghen could become a short-term solution in the defence.

He has bags of experience at all levels of the game and is expected to adapt to Pep’s style.

The Spaniard plans to improve his defence in the summer, as City have conceded more goals than Sheffield United and Premier League champions Liverpool this season.

Guardiola is considering the veteran as a possible candidate for his summer rebuild after eight years with Spurs.

The Belgium international, 33, plays mainly as a central defender, but can also play as a left-back.

Vertonghen, who was a firm favourite of his former boss Mauricio Pochettino, is expected to leave Spurs this summer.

He has formed a formidable partnership with Toby Alderweireld over the years, but this has been broken up by Mourinho, who has chopped and changed his preferred pairing in recent weeks.

The Belgian signed an extension until the end of the season, even though he has hardly featured at all since the Premier League restart.

For whatever reason, Mourinho seems reluctant to use him, although he did play the full 90 minutes in the 0-0 draw with Bournemouth.

As it stands, it is unlikely he will be offered a new deal by Daniel Levy, amid interest from clubs home and abroad.

Tottenham fans, do you think Levy should let Jan Vertonghen leave? Let us know down below!

Tottenham Hotspur have been busy ahead of the 2020/21 Premier League season by tying down Eric Dier and Oliver Skipp to new deals. 

Just days after Skipp signed a new four-year deal, Dier swiftly followed suit, keeping him at the club until 2024.

After months of speculation, it seems that Japhet Tanganga is also close to signing a new deal. According to The Evening Standard, as per @Daily_Hotspur, the 21-year-old is expected to become the latest Tottenham player to commit his future to the club.

Recent reports had suggested that his future in north London was in doubt, but this no longer seems to be the case. The Athletic claimed that talks between the two sides had stalled, as his representatives were unimpressed by the board’s offer.

However, he is now close to reaching an agreement with Spurs, which will extend his stay until 2024 and significantly increase his current £1,000-a-week wages.

Tanganga, who is currently valued at £6m by Transfermarkt, has won 2.8 tackles and averaged 1.8 interceptions per game, and completed a staggering 4.8 clearances per match on average so far (stats provided by WhoScored).

Despite his young age, he has already played six games in the Premier League so far before succumbing to a back injury. While he has been absent since the restart, he has made a full recovery and has spent the past two games on the Spurs bench.

The centre-back has actually earned a higher WhoScored rating than his fellow Tottenham defenders Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen, among others.

Tanganga has been one of the few positives in a challenging campaign for Tottenham, who have failed to build on the momentum gained by Mauricio Pochettino as the Lilywhites staged a remarkable comeback to book their place in the Champions League final last year.

He has shown a maturity beyond his years and impressed Jose Mourinho after making his debut in the defeat to Premier League champions Liverpool back in January.

Mourinho rates him very highly and he should save Spurs several million pounds in the future.

Tottenham fans, has Tanganga made the right decision? Let us know your views in the comments section below!

Name: Harvey Barnes

Club: Leicester City

Date of Birth: 9 December 1997

Position: Midfielder (Wide/Central/Attacking)

Harvey Barnes – his career so far

At the age of 22, Harvey Barnes has not only already made it on the big stage but is also a big part of Leicester City’s first-team squad under Brendan Rodgers. But he truly had to go through thick and thin to get where he is right now and despite his obvious talent and potential, it wasn’t a straightforward path at all.

Barnes played for the Greenfield Primary School when he was growing up and ended up joining Leicester City at the age of just nine. But straight from the beginning, he was a huge talent just waiting to be unleashed for the Foxes who didn’t wait long to give him his first professional contract with the squad.

He penned that in the summer of 2016 and by the end of the year, he already made his debut for the senior squad, coming on as a substitute away at FC Porto in the UEFA Champions League clash that ended badly for his team.

But in the following year, young Barnes joined MK Dons on loan for the remainder of that campaign, featuring in a total of 21 games, scoring six goals and assisting one on the side as well as his talents were starting to break through.

Upon his return, Barnes spent some time with Leicester’s U23s and during the summer of 2017 he signed a new four-year contract before going on another loan, this time to Barnsley FC where he scored and assisted five goals across a total of 25 games.

After being recalled to King Power Stadium in January 2018, Barnes quickly made his domestic debut in a goalless Emirates FA Cup third round stalemate at Fleetwood Town, soon to be followed up by his Premier League bow against Southampton in April 2018.

Still, there was one more loan around the corner as Barnes played 28 games for West Bromwich Albion, tallying nine goals and eight assists in the process before committing his future to Leicester until 2024 in the summer after his return, becoming a fully-fledged first-team member in the process as well.

So far, he can boast with 54 senior performances, eight goals and nine assists.

Transfer latest

Barnes has somewhat been outshined by his teammates, James Maddison, and that may very well be the reason why there haven’t been many transfer rumours or transfer news linking him with a potential scoop in the near future.

Of course, just the fact that he’s signed that new contract in 2019, which is still fresh and stretches until 2024, is also a pretty big indication the Foxes are keen on keeping their young gem at the club.

There are no other Leicester City news suggesting otherwise at the very moment but with the summer transfer window edging ever closer, we could expect a transfer rumour or two to pop up sooner rather than later.

Player profile

Barnes is quick on his feet and well capable of being deployed all across the final third, preferring the left-wing but also being quite effective when played in central areas, especially when slotting right behind the striker in that no.10 role.

When he is used as a wide outlet, however, he maintains the team’s width and can do some serious damage with his runs behind the defensive line and into the final third or the box itself.

But even more importantly, Barnes does have an eye for goal and can both finish the actions himself or set his teammates up for a golden chance. His intelligent movement is often used as a weapon to confuse the markers as the 22-year-old has been known to swap positions throughout the 90 minutes.

Still, his pace and technical abilities seem to be his most prominent weapons and Leicester have been using his skill set quite well so far, as evidenced from his eight goals and nine assists.

[ad_pod ]Newcastle fans have taken to Twitter excitedly after The Chronicle broke the news that Atlanta playmaker Miguel Almiron’s move to Tyneside is back on and looks close to completion, after talks stalled on a deal earlier in the month.The 24-year-old helped Atlanta become Major League Soccer champions last season, scoring 12 goals and recording 14 assists in 32 league startsÂ(via ESPN) as he truly put his name up in lights.Magpies boss Rafa Benitez has been crying out for Mike Ashley to put his hand in his pocket and sign some players, and have even plunged his future at St James’ Park into doubt if he does not get his wish, according to The Telegraph.Be sure to check out the incredible story of the man who rose from a Tanzanian refugee camp to become one of Australia’s biggest football stars in the video below…However, it now appears as if the former Liverpool and Chelsea manager has got his wish, with a reported club-record £20.5m deal close to being signed off as reported by The Guardian’s Ed Aarons on his official Twitter account.

Naturally, Magpies’ supporters are ecstatic after their transfer record looks to finally be broken after several years, if their reactions on Twitter are anything to go by…

The Barcelona star was stretchered off on Friday, leaving the European champions with a massive problem to solve in midfield

England are on the brink of qualifying for the Women's World Cup knockout rounds after beating Denmark 1-0 in Sydney on Friday to make it two wins from two in Australia – but there is serious concern around their chances of glory after Keira Walsh was stretchered off.

It was a night that started with real excitement when Lauren James' outstanding strike broke the deadlock early on, the Chelsea star easily the Player of the Match as she glided around the pitch with confidence and quality to make the Lionesses look really dangerous.

But Walsh's knee injury before half-time was a huge blow for England and the game fell flat after it, with Denmark causing problems on the counter as the European champions tried to find their feet again after losing such an influential player.

Fortunately for Sarina Wiegman and her team, they managed to recover enough to see the game out, despite Denmark substitute Amalie Vangsgaard hitting the post late on, and now have one foot in the last 16.

GOAL breaks down the winners and losers from the Allianz Stadium in Sydney…

Please enable Javascript to view this contentGetty ImagesLOSER: Keira Walsh

"I've done my knee." That's what Walsh told the England physios as they raced on to see to her after she'd gone down in some pain at the midway point of the Lionesses' defensive half.

On the stretch to win the ball, her foot seemed to get stuck in the ground and the midfielder clearly knew right away that it was serious, signalling to the bench immediately that her night was over.

Stretchered off moments later, it was an extremely worrying scene for Walsh and for the team, too, who do not really have a replacement for the Barcelona star in the squad.

AdvertisementGetty ImagesWINNER: Lauren James

There have been so many calls for Lauren James to start at this World Cup, and when she got the chance to do so on Friday, she did not disappoint.

The Chelsea star was the Lionesses' best player by some distance, constantly looking a threat whenever she picked up the ball, and produced an absolutely gorgeous strike from the edge of the box to give her team the lead.

It's hard to see her coming out of this line-up after that performance.

Getty ImagesLOSER: Pernille Harder

No player that started this game had fewer touches on the pitch than Pernille Harder. Starting in the No.9 role, one of the world's best footballers was incredibly quiet in Denmark's toughest group-stage match, and it was always going to be difficult for her team to get the goal they needed with that the case.

Harder dropped into a No.10 role later in the second half, but she still struggled to get into the game. It was a shame to see her unable to influence events in the game-changing way that everyone knows she can.

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Getty ImagesWINNER: Alex Greenwood

Having played as a left-back in the first match, Alex Greenwood moved into a centre-back role for this game and she was much more influential in England's play as a result.

Her ability on the ball is excellent and that was evident throughout the evening, with her passing range adding another dimension to the Lionesses' play. She's a much greater asset to the team centrally.

Folarin Balogun was kept off the scoresheet, but Monaco took care of business in a win over Metz to restore their lead over Paris Saint-Germain.

Article continues below

Article continues below

Article continues below

Balogun solid in winMonaco back atop Ligue 1Golovin the star with two goals

Balogun was back with Monaco after a solid international break, one which saw him score a goal in the USMNT's 4-0 win over Ghana.

Monaco are fighting right near the top of Ligue 1 early in the season, and they kept up their fight by holding on to a 2-1 win over Metz that pushes them back to the summit – two points clear of champions PSG.

GettyWHAT HAPPENED?

It was a horrible start for Monaco, who conceded an early goal to shock the home crowd. Metz, who entered the day 16th in the league, scored a stunning fourth-minute goal as Lamine Camara gave the visitors an early lead.

Monaco fought back, though. Aleksandr Golovin levelled the scoreline just before halftime, easing any concerns heading toward the break. The Russian midfielder then scored again in the 55th minute, helping Monaco seal the win, the three points, and their top spot on the table for another week.

AdvertisementGettyTHE BIGGER PICTURE

It was a solid performance from Balogun, even if he didn't get on the scoresheet. The American was one of Monaco's most dangerous attackers and, with a little bit of luck, Balogun could have gotten on the scoresheet himself.

He could have had an assist on the day, for sure, having combined well with new teammate Takumi Minamino. He also had several chances on his own to score, several of which saw him just a yard or two away from connecting with balls in his direction.

Overall, while he didn't get on the scoresheet, it was a performance that showed what Balogun is best at: creating danger. Normally, when he creates that danger, he gets a goal or two from it. He didn't on Sunday, but it's a safe bet that, on most days like this, he'll leave with at least one goal contribution to the Monaco cause.

GettyUSMNT IMPACT

The USMNT will simply be glad to see Balogun fit and starting, and they'll know as well as anyone that, as long as that stays true, the goals will come.

Balogun has all but locked up that top striker position, even with Ricardo Pepi hot on his heels for most of the year. The difference between Balogun and Pepi, though, has been the ability to get goals, and, even if the former Arsenal starlet didn't get one of his own on Sunday, he showed why he gets them so often throughout his time on the pitch.

He'll get better, too, as he learns to play in an attack loaded with talent like Golovin, Minamino and veteran striker Wissam Ben Yedder. Balogun already has three goals an assist and, in that attack, he's bound to get a few more.

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GettyGOAL'S RATINGS

Folarin Balogun (7/10):

Overall, a solid performance. Had one good shot on target and created two chances on his own. Completed 21 of 26 passes, staying involved in the attack, and, on another day, could have had a goal contribution or two.

There will be a huge summer clearout at Stamford Bridge, but who should stay and who should go?

Chelsea are set to undergo a period of huge transition when the transfer window creaks open, as a notoriously bloated squad is finally trimmed down to size after what was effectively a wasted season. Mauricio Pochettino has been appointed as the new head coach, and his first job will be to hack away the deadwood that has built up across two thriftless transfer windows under the stewardship of co-owners Todd Boehly and Behdad Eghbali.

There is already some semblance of a plan in place for how to approach a crucial transfer period for a club that has just registered its lowest Premier League position since 1994.Chelsea will look to sell any player entering the final year of their contract, while a new loan policy will mean that only players who have a real chance of making a first-team breakthrough will be shipped out on a temporary basis.

With that in mind, who should Chelsea keep, loan or sell out of all the players whose futures are uncertain, including their returning loanees? GOAL runs through the list…

GettyKEEP: Mason Mount

An academy graduate who Chelsea should certainly be looking to keep, but it's looking unlikely. Pochettino is keen to work with Mount, but the Blues are struggling to convince him to extend his stay at Stamford Bridge amid interest from Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Bayern Munich.

Advertisement(C)GettyImagesKEEP: Romelu Lukaku

Romelu Lukaku's future is set to be one of the most polarising topics of the summer among the Chelsea fanbase; should they keep him given their desperate need for a striker, or should they let him go?

It has been rumoured that Pochettino is open to working with the Belgian, and given the limited centre-forwards available this summer, relying on a Rom-ontada may be the club's best hope of success. He has hit form towards the end of the season in Italy, but he will need to do a hell of a lot to win over the fans after his outbursts during his most recent spell at Stamford Bridge. The best way to do that is by scoring goals.

Getty ImagesSELL: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang

Without a doubt, it's time to bring Aubameyang's nightmare spell with Chelsea to an end. The ex-Arsenal striker saw the manager who actually wanted him, Thomas Tuchel, sacked just a week after he had signed and barely featured for the Blues thereafter. Time to swiftly move on.

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Getty ImagesKEEP: Raheem Sterling

The jury will be out on Sterling's time at Chelsea following an indifferent debut season at Stamford Bridge, although he still struck nine goals and laid on four more in 2022-23. What isn't in question, however, is the England winger's commitment to the cause, and his experience will be vital in what is guaranteed to be a mightily important season in the club's transition.

The Norwegian midfielder may not be a stereotypical captain but he has stepped up to the mark time and time again this season

Martin Odegaard looked like a man possessed against Chelsea on Tuesday night. Arsenal’s captain was singled out for a lot of criticism after the defeat at Manchester City a few days earlier and he certainly gave the impression of a man with a point to prove as he drove Mikel Arteta’s side to a much needed 3-1 win.

The Norway international was at his very best, scoring twice to set the ball rolling in the first half and producing the type of tireless display that has been the hallmark of his impressive season in north London. Odegaard now has 14 goals in the Premier League, as well as eight assists. Those are fantastic numbers for a 24-year-old who started the campaign with many wondering whether he had it in him to be so decisive in the final third.

So, it’s somewhat surprising that the playmaker still seems to have people questioning him, both as a player and as a captain.

Getty ImagesNeville's criticism

Gary Neville did just that after the mauling at the Etihad, pointing a finger at the Gunners skipper when discussing what he felt went wrong for Arteta’s side. The pundit said: “I look at Martin Odegaard, fantastic professional. Oleksandr Zinchenko, great professional. But when you actually get to the highest pressurised moments in the biggest matches in the crux of the season, are they leaders then?

"Arsenal’s senior players, Partey, Zinchenko, Odegaard, in the most difficult period, they didn’t impact the rest of their team-mates on the pitch. Odegaard had probably his most difficult game against Manchester City."

Neville’s right, Odegaard did have a difficult game against City. But when you think about what went wrong at the Etihad, it’s surprising that he was one of the players picked out as an issue. Arsenal couldn't get close to their hosts on the night, but that was not down to how their skipper performed.

AdvertisementGettyArteta's response

Questioning Odegaard's leadership abilities was out of line. Odegaard has led Arsenal exceptionally well this season, both away from the pitch and with his performances on it. One quiet performance where he was completely starved of the ball does not change that.

Time and time again he has been the driving force behind Arsenal's surprise title challenge. He is often the man who sets the tone, and his manager knows it. “I don’t read those comments,” Arteta said of the criticism of his captain.

“What I can say is that he’s been exceptional for us. You look at his contribution, every single day in the team and then what he does out there for us every single time, it’s exceptional. 

"The perfect player that plays perfect football every time doesn’t exist. But what Martin has done this season deserves a lot of credit.”

GettyGuardiola out-thought Arteta

City were incredible in that game at the Etihad and barely let Arsenal out of their half for 90 minutes. Odegaard just didn’t see any of the ball. Had he been given the sort of space Kevin De Bruyne was repeatedly allowed to run into, there’s no doubt he would have been able to influence the game in the same way as the Belgium international.

Arsenal’s front four were passengers against City because Pep Guardiola got his tactics spot on and Mikel Arteta didn’t. The hosts went direct to Erling Haaland, bypassed the press and the Arsenal backline and midfield couldn’t deal with it. That took Odegaard out of the game completely.

But that subdued showing shouldn’t detract from what has been a superb season from the 24-year-old. He may not be your stereotypical captain. He doesn't scream and shout all of the time. But that doesn't mean he doesn’t show leadership qualities. Anyone who has watched Arsenal regularly this season will tell you that he shows them on a regular basis on the pitch.

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GettyLeading by example

Odegaard has led by example with his performances all season long. There was the win at Tottenham, when he ran the show in the north London derby and inspired Arsenal to their first three-point haul at the home of their rivals in nine years.

He bagged both goals in the win at Wolves, while he both scored and produced one of the assists of the season in the excellent victory away at Brighton. The list goes on and on.

But what has really stood out this season with Odegaard is his hunger and his drive to lead from the front. No-one presses harder and does more on the pitch to try and get more out of his team-mates. He sets the standard that others must follow.

“The energy that he has, when he hasn’t got the ball, the movement, the quality, the way he is in that dressing room is exceptional,” Arteta said when asked about Odegaard after Tuesday night’s win. "We’re really pleased to have him as captain.”

The 2017 champions will entertain the debutants who have, somewhat surprisingly, had a good run in the continental showpiece so far

GOAL predicts how Cameroon will line up against Comoros on Monday during their Africa Cup of Nations Round of 16 game in Yaounde.

BackpagePix.Goalkeeper: Andre Onana

Although the 25-year-old has not kept a clean sheet in the last three Afcon games, he is expected to keep his position as the Indomitable Lions begin their campaign in the knockout stage.

AdvertisementBackpagepix.Left-back – Nouhou Tolo

The  Seattle Sounders defender has been a consistent figure in Cameroon's team and his inclusion – bar any injury or positive Covid-19 test – is a certain bet.

Backpagepix.Centre-back – Michael Ngadeu

The defender played in all the group games without being substituted and is odds on to start in the crucial Comoros encounter.

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Backpagepix.Centre-back – Harold Moukoudi

The Saint-Etienne man is a contender to be part of Antonio Oliveira's starting XI when they take to the pitch to face the Covid-19-ravaged Islanders.