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Tottenham Hotspur have been offered a current Premier League boss, according to fresh reports this week…

What’s the word?

The Sun claim super-agent Jorge Mendes wants to take Wolverhampton Wanderers manager Nuno Espirito Santo to Spurs, and they report that he has made contact with the north London outfit over a potential switch this summer.

It could create a knock-on effect that’ll only benefit the Portuguese representative even further as he would then try to take Bruno Lage to Molineux to replace the 47-year-old ex-goalkeeper.

Mendes also brokered Matt Doherty’s £15m move to Spurs in August.

Mourinho 2.0?

Lilywhites chairman Daniel Levy must approach this with serious caution as he risks a repeat scenario with Nuno.

There’s no denying that the Portuguese tactician has masterminded Wolves’ rise in the last few years, going from Championship promotion to the Europa League quarter-finals. And understandably, his reputation has skyrocketed, as a result.

Arch-rivals Arsenal came close to appointing him before settling on Mikel Arteta, according to The Sun’s aforementioned report, too.

The Midlands outfit have found life tough this campaign, drawing many a similarity to Spurs under Mourinho.

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Both teams have endured defensive mistakes and problems, and both seem to rely heavily on that one talisman – Harry Kane in north London, and Raul Jimenez at Molineux.

In the Mexican’s absence, Wolves have lingered in mid-table and haven’t looked like repeating their European exploits once.

It wouldn’t be the first time that Levy gets stung by an infamous super-agent either as Pini Zahavi, who is thought to have a close relationship with the Spurs chairman, was the man to clinch the ‘Special One’ a whopping £15m-per-year, which was double the amount paid to Mauricio Pochettino, who guided them to the Champions League final in 2019.

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Mourinho also walked away with a £20m compensation package, according to the Daily Mail, following his sacking two weeks ago.

Levy must remember that these representatives are looking out for their clients, rather than trying to help out Spurs, so this latest claim should be hugely worrying for the Hotspur faithful, who grew tired of Mourinho’s tactics and recently protested against the club’s ownership.

He’ll only risk opening a further can of worms if he trusts Mendes with this appointment.

AND in other news, Levy could fix major Spurs problem by hiring 51 y/o gem who “ticks a lot of boxes”…

Many Wolves fans have been left to slam a managerial update as The Sun have reported that Jorge Mendes wants to get Nuno Espirito Santo to Tottenham.

As per the news outlet, Mendes, who is Nuno’s agent, has made contact with Spurs over a potential switch in the summer.

The super-agent is also believed to be working on bringing Bruno Lage to replace Nuno at the Midlands club should he move over to London.

While Lage is currently available having been out of the job since leaving Benfica last summer, several members of the Molineux faithful do not seem to be inspired about his potential appointment, and while they have endured a disappointing season so far, there is some confidence that Nuno can still turn it around in the next campaign given the return of Raul Jimenez and a good transfer window.

Wolves fans on managerial update

These WWFC supporters slammed the managerial update after it was shared on Twitter (via Talking Wolves):

“Bruno Lage is the last manager we should be looking at..”

Credit: @PaulBeest

“Just take Lage to Spurs! Simple as that”

Credit: @lauwolf79

“Bruno Lage will never get us anywhere”

Credit: @fowls21wwfc

“I am confident that Lage would be an absolute disaster appointment. Has a very underwhelming CV with limited experience. Started out well at Benfica before delivering their worst set of results in over 20 years. I would rather keep Nuno if this is the best they can come up with.”

Credit: @Kcb92

“Lol”

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Credit: @DaveRos63040177

“I beg this isn’t true but then again it’s the Sun”

Credit: @Harley_V12

In other news, find out what transfer update has been lauded by Wanderers here!

Newcastle United’s prospective owners ‘would almost certainly have been less interested’ in a takeover had the European Super League (ESL) plans been realised.

That’s according to football finance expert Kieran Maguire, who was speaking to Football Insider.

Super League would have ‘endangered the essence of the game’, says takeover figure

Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Liverpool, Tottenham and Arsenal had agreed in principle to become founding members of the new European competition for which they would have qualified automatically every year and whose fixtures would have been a highlight of your sports events betting guide.

The clubs were threatened with expulsion from the Premier League and would have been immune from the consequences of finishing outside the top four until the ESL was disbanded amid multiple withdrawals from the clubs involved.

Mehrdad Ghodoussi, a partner in the firm looking to buy Newcastle, accused the six English clubs of ‘endangering the essence of the game and its competitive nature’.

‘The Premier League as a product would have been significantly devalued’

The plans ended last Tuesday after Chelsea pulled out and their rivals followed suit. According to Maguire, that may just have kept hopes of the £300m Newcastle takeover alive.

“The rewards would have been substantially less for a club not in the franchise league,” he told Football Insider.

“We’re not sure what the vehicle for qualification to the Super League would have been in terms of the five extra spaces.

“But in any case, the Premier League as a product would have been significantly devalued.

“It’s a mess that decreases the incentives for anyone looking to buy a club.”

Newcastle have taken legal action against the Premier League in a bid to resurrect the deal.

Transfer Tavern verdict

The concern for the would-be buyers would be getting a return on their investment. Had the six clubs been kicked out, the value of the Premier League TV deal would surely have plummeted.

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Although the remaining clubs would have a better chance of qualifying for the Champions League, the UEFA competition would have been reduced to a pale, far less lucrative, imitation. Therefore, Newcastle fans ought to be hugely relieved that the ESL has been shelved.

In other news, could this be a transfer deal made possible by a takeover?

Former Tottenham midfielder Jamie O’Hara would like to see Marcelo Bielsa replace Jose Mourinho at the club, seeing him as the ideal candidate for the role.

The Argentine has become a legendary modern day figure at Leeds United, transforming the club’s fortunes.

Bielsa has masterminded the Whites’ return to the Premier League, also connecting with the fans unlike few other managers in the club’s history.

The thought of him leaving is a grim one for Leeds supporters, but it is something that can never be ruled out when he is only signing one year deals at a time, especially given the unpredictable nature of football these days.

[freshpress-quiz id=“351040″]

O’Hara wants Bielsa to replace Mourinho

Speaking on talkSPORT, O’Hara claimed Bielsa would be the perfect man to come in for Mourinho:

“I would say Bielsa. I think he’d be absolutely brilliant and the fans would love him.

“If you can try and prise him away from there it’d be unbelievable. The Leeds fans would be devastated and there would be uproar but Spurs are bigger than Leeds.”

Transfer Tavern take

O’Hara’s comments are unlikely to go down too well with Leeds fans, especially with Bielsa’s current deal expiring this summer, meaning there is a genuine possibility he could depart – he even publicly quashed rumours of him signing a new deal earlier this month.

The hope is that he will stay loyal to the Whites and extend his stay at Elland Road, but the lure of joining a club higher up in the table with potentially more money available to splash on transfers is undeniable for any manager.

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There is certainly a feeling that Bielsa still has another chapter to write at Leeds, however – the next aim could be European football returning to the club – and we hope the enigmatic boss stays in Yorkshire, as his side have been a real treat for Premier League fans this season.

In other news, one Leeds player is under scrutiny for two key reasons – find out who it is here.

Charlton Athletic will be looking to bolster their promotion chances with a win over Ipswich Town at The Valley this lunchtime.

The Addicks are unbeaten under Nigel Adkins and could move into the play-offs with three points in this crucial encounter. However, if they taste defeat, then the Tractor Boys could leapfrog them to deal a massive blow to their hopes of returning to the Championship.

Last time out, the south-east Londoners recorded an impressive victory over Sunderland, so they should come into this one in a lot of confidence.

Here’s our predicted XI and the latest team and injury news ahead of kick-off…

Adkins is dealing with a few knocks and bruises and, as a result, he could be forced into a few changes.

The backline is expected to largely remain the same barring one alteration at right-back as veteran Chris Gunter comes back into the side, taking the place of 29-year-old Adam Matthews.

It means that skipper Jason Pearce and Ryan Inniss continue their impressive partnership in front of Ben Amos, with Ben Purrington occupying the other flank.

Match-winner Alex Gibey suffered a knock at the Stadium of Light so he may not be risked from the off, but he should be fit enough to come off the bench at the very least.

Andrew Shinnie, who started Adkins’ first game in charge, is the likely replacement as he plugs the gap in front of defensive midfield veteran Darren Pratley and the industrious Jake Forster-Caskey.

The third and final change could see Liverpool loanee Liam Millar return to the starting XI in the absence of Chelsea starlet Ian Maatsen, who has missed a lot of training this week with an injury issue.

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He’ll be deployed on the left wing, with Diallang Jaiysemi keeping his spot but moving across to the right.

Conor Washington has been ruled out once again, and with further doubts over the fitness of Chuks Aneke, we should see Jayden Stockley lead the line on his own.

AND in other news, Charlton may have ideal Stockley successor in 21 y/o gem who has “energy and power”…

Many Aston Villa fans have flocked to an update on Ross Barkley that was relayed on Twitter by journalist Ashley Preece.

Preece recently wrote an article about Barkley and his situation at Villa and the journalist shared it on Twitter.

The article from Preece called for more support for Barkley, saying that his confidence has taken a dent over the last few months at Villa and instead of constant abuse, the England international deserves more support from the fans.

The 27-year-old has made 22 appearances in all competitions this season, contributing to five goals as well. His campaign was disrupted by a hamstring injury – his last start for Villa came back in late February against Leicester (as per Transfermarkt).

As many as 13 Villa players have picked up better average match ratings than him, which shows that his loan stint at the club hasn’t exactly gone to plan, but also that the general standard at Villa Park now is just extremely high.

Preece’s tweet about Barkley drew the attention of many Villa fans, who made their views clear about the midfielder.

What do Villa fans make of Barkley’s situation?

“I think it would be difficult to criticise him if his work rate was high but coming on as a sub late in second half and ambling around like he did really isnt up to scratch. He has to help himself too, being a passenger and not creating chances isn’t going to boost his confidence.”

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Credit: @GVillans

“Best of luck to him but can’t have passengers like that at Villa. We’ve worked hard to rid the club of players who lack the desire and work ethic but are happy to pickup vast sums of cash each week – let’s learn from our previous mistakes.”Credit: @GV18271″Ash, I agree that players need backing and support. He has lost confidence and we all know how that feels. But the bare minimum is hard work and dedication, yet he is showing nothing. He has done absolutely nothing to show the fans he wants to make it right. Its his own doing IMO.”Credit: @Chrsmo”There is no doubt that the lad has plenty of ability, but the bear minimum is hard work and one example he should be following is Trezeguet he gets plenty of stick from our fans, but never for his lack of work rate.”Credit: @WayneDawkins2″There’s out of form and there’s lack of effort and that’s simply not on. Even our worst performers look like they care, Barkley doesn’t and I think he’s burned too many bridges now.”Credit: @brummyste”Sorry Ashley I disagree he should practice in someone else’s time not waste ours and at a huge cost to the club. Hard lesson learnt back to Chelsea please. Onwards and upwards.”Credit: @LG23392173In other news, Villa source lifts lid on huge offer expected for ‘brilliant’ £22.5m-rated AVFC star – report

Southampton have been linked with moves for Arsenal’s Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Tottenham Hotspur’s Harry Winks recently but who would be the better addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side?

Harry Winks:

According to Football Insider, Southampton are keeping tabs on the England international, who has struggled to force his way into Jose Mourinho’s plans at Spurs in recent months.

The 25-year-old has made just seven starts in the top-flight this season and has struggled to impress, as he seemingly doesn’t suit Mourinho’s counter-attacking style of play, which perhaps relies on hard-tackling, box-to-box midfielders rather than a playmaker such as Winks.

Although he has now made 167 appearances for Spurs having progressed through their academy, he has just four goals and four assists to his name, so wouldn’t offer Hasenhuttl’s side much in an attacking sense.

Ainsley Maitland-Niles:

According to The Telegraph, Southampton are likely to return for Maitland-Niles in the summer after seeing a January loan move for the 23-year-old breakdown, with the Arsenal academy graduate keen to leave his boyhood club after a lack of first-team opportunities under Mikel Arteta.

Since joining West Brom on loan, the England international has made eight appearances for the Baggies and averaged a solid 6.61 rating for Sam Allardyce’s side and will have a chance to impress Hasenhuttl when Southampton travel to the Hawthorns on Monday evening.

Although he has suggested that he wants to play as a midfielder, some of his most impressive displays at Arsenal have come as a wing-back, so he could offer the Austrian manager excellent cover at full-back next season should he join.

Who would be better?

Maitland-Niles has clearly outperformed Winks this season despite playing in a poorer team, so would arguably be a better option in the summer for Southampton.

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He would offer Hasenhuttl more versatility and is younger than Winks so has more scope to improve in the future, whilst his reported interest in leaving Arsenal could see his asking price lowered.

Stuart Pearce claimed earlier in the season that he thought Maitland-Niles had been “outstanding” for Arsenal at the start of the season, so he could definitely add something to Southampton if he were to make the move to St Mary’s.

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[freshpress-quiz id=“594431″]

Therefore, Martin Semmens should perhaps forget about signing Winks and instead focus on bringing the £16.2m-rated Maitland-Niles to Southampton this summer.

And, in other news… Bye-bye Bertrand: Saints could repeat KWP masterclass by signing £9m-rated gem

Frank McAvennie has claimed no club will be able to offer the money Glasgow Rangers want for Colombia international Alfredo Morelos.

McAvennie makes Morelos claim

Morelos appears to be eager to depart Ibrox this summer, recently saying that he dreams of a move to the Premier League (Radio Caracol).

However, speaking to Football Insider, McAvennie believes he will stay at Ibrox as no club will be able to afford him. He said:

“I do not think he would go to one of the big, big clubs in Europe so I think he would want to stay.

“He will only be worth what someone is willing to offer and at the moment nobody has offered anything close and I don’t think they will either. 

“Rangers will be absolutely delighted with that because they will only sell him if a club meets their asking price and I think it will be a bit much for most sides, especially in today’s financial climate.

“It is a strange one but if he was to leave he would go with the fans blessing because he has done ever so well for them. I don’t think he would go though.“

Debatable

This is probably what a lot of fans of the 55-time Scottish champions will want to hear. Since making the move to Ibrox in 2017, he has 93 goals in 176 games (Transfermarkt), and he has played a big role as the Gers have clinched the Premiership title this term. He is currently valued at £10.8m (Transfermarkt), and the Gers will arguably looking for plenty more than that to part ways with the 24-year-old.

However, given he plays in Scotland, he will come a lot cheaper than a lot of players across the continent, and even a sum of £20m may seem an acceptable fee for a number of clubs. It promises to be a busy summer at Rangers – it remains to be seen whether Morelos is there at the end of it.

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In other news, Rangers fans do not agree with these comments from Steven Gerrard.

Southampton have been linked with Anderlecht ace Marco Kana recently, and the 18-year-old could prove to be an excellent addition to Ralph Hasenhuttl’s side.

According to Belgian news outlet Voetbalkrant, Southampton are still keen on the youngster ahead of the summer transfer window, although AC Milan are seemingly leading the race to sign him.

The youngster has established himself as a regular at Anderlecht in recent seasons after coming through their academy and has now made 27 appearances for the first team, in which he has managed one goal and one assist.

Kana can play as both a centre-back and a defensive midfielder and has unsurprisingly earned comparisons to former Manchester City captain Vincent Kompany, who currently manages Anderlecht and will undoubtedly be giving the 18-year-old excellent advice on how to become a top defender.

An article from the Daily Mail last year suggested that he has already been labelled as “the next Kompany”, although it added that he would be keen on a move to Liverpool should he make the switch to the Premier League, which is seemingly another blow to Southampton’s chances of signing him.

Kana is currently valued at £3.15m by Transfermarkt, although his contract with the Jupiler Pro League side is set to expire in 2025, so the Brussels outfit may demand a much higher fee should Martin Semmens and Southampton make an official approach ahead of next season.

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WhoScored describes the Belgium under-21 international’s strengths as his passing, dribbling and interceptions, whilst his main weakness is his ability in the air. It is therefore is easy to see why he might be more suited for a defensive midfield role in Southampton’s side until he develops further, when he could perhaps be moved back to a more defensive position.

Kana certainly looks to have a bright future and could be a great long-term option for the Saints, especially if he lives up to his billing of the next Kompany, with the Belgian having been a driving force behind Manchester City’s transformation in the Premier League.

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Therefore, Semmens should do everything he can to try and bring Kana to St Mary’s this summer, as otherwise he might go on to become a top player elsewhere.

In other news… Signed for £19m, left for £0: Southampton endured a nightmare with 29 y/o shocker

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, former Birmingham City manager Barry Fry has backed Lee Bowyer to steer his old side to Championship safety.

Bowyer was installed into the St. Andrew’s dugout earlier this month following the departure of Aitor Karanka and has managed to make a decent start to life in his new role.

While 21st-placed Birmingham lost last time out, a 3-0 defeat to Watford, they were able to win their first game under Bowyer after overcoming the challenge of Reading.

It is a promising sign, and Fry is expecting more of the same going forward as he tipped the former Charlton Athletic manager to complete the task he has been handed.

Discussing Bowyer’s appointment in an exclusive interview with FFC, Peterborough’s director of football said:

“Lee is the ideal man to go into Birmingham City because he’s very positive, he’s very committed, he’s very passionate, he’s very knowledgable, he’s honest and he gets the best out of the players. And when you look at the Birmingham squad, it’s a good squad, but each and every one of them are underachieving.”

On the same topic, Fry later added:

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“I back Lee, the Bluenoses will back Lee and I think he’ll do enough. Although he’s got a difficult task, he’ll do enough to keep the Blues in the Championship.”

Bowyer and his side will next be in action when they welcome Swansea City to St. Andrew’s after the international break. The Swans, currently sitting in third in the Championship table, have been flying high this season, so it could be another tricky fixture for Birmingham.