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Many members of the national media have been left blown away by some ‘massive’ transfer news out of Tottenham Hotspur as sporting director Fabio Paratici continues to make moves.

The Lowdown: Paratici busy…

After meeting with Spurs manager Antonio Conte in Italy to discuss recruitment strategy late last month, Lilywhites chief Paratici has started this summer at 100 miles per hour.

Seemingly determined to appease the former Chelsea coach, Tottenham have jetted out the blocks with a flurry of major signings just over a fortnight into the transfer window.

Club chairman Daniel Levy and ENIC, granting a £150m equity increase after the north Londoners sealed a top-four Premier League finish last season, seem to be watching a quick reinvestment of that cash injection.

The Latest: Media blown away by ‘massive’ Spurs transfer news…

After an official development in the last few days, it appears Lilywhites supporters have all the more reason to be excited for next campaign.

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Indeed, the Bosman signings of Ivan Perisic and Fraser Forster have now been followed by Tottenham confirming Yves Bissouma’s £25m arrival from Brighton.

The Mali international put pen to paper on a five-year contract, becoming Conte’s third major incoming of the summer, and many members of the media have been quick to voice their approval of Spurs’ transfer business:

“Perisic & Bissouma are unreal buys for Conte’s system. You’re getting one guy who will provide you with reliable end-product from the left flank with the intangible of stepping up at big moments. Then a technical AND physical upgrade for the midfield. Paratici smashing it so far.”– Raj Chohan, BBC Sport Writer (Twitter).

“Massive. Been on about Bissouma for a long while on here…” – Leon Mann MBE, former BBC and ITV presenter (Twitter)

“Yves Bissouma has been announced by Spurs. Can’t wait to cover him closely next season. Some player ! A few years ago he was playing in the Malian League.” – Rahman Osman, London World journalist (Twitter).

“You won’t know how good he is until he steps foot on the field at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Bissouma is an unreal footballer. Treat him well, Spurs.” – Charlie Haffenden, Brighton journalist (Twitter).

The Verdict: Phenomenal signing…

The national media are certainly right to praise Spurs for their signing of Bissouma.

For just £25m, Paratici has sealed a shrewd deal for Brighton’s most pivotal star of 2021/22, as evident by the fact he was Graham Potter’s best-performing regular by average match rating according to WhoScored.

Bissouma also averaged more tackles and interceptions per 90 than any of his Seagulls team-mates (and indeed anyone at Tottenham), another sign that the tough-tackling ace could become a real defensive asset for Conte.

In other news: The Guardian: Tottenham eyeing ‘big’ 183-goal player move, Harry Redknapp called him ‘priceless’…find out more here

West Ham United manager David Moyes has personally set his sights on one of his former stars as reports out of Spain share an update involving Real Sociedad forward Adnan Januzaj.

The Lowdown: Hammers eye attacking additions…

The Hammers are reportedly after fresh additions in the attacking areas with names like Raphinha of Leeds United and Keane Lewis-Potter of Hull City linked most recently (90min).

West Ham are aiming to keep their place among the Premier League’s elite having enjoyed a quite simply sensational rise up the table over these last two seasons.

Moyes’ men only just missed out on a Europa League-qualifying spot on the final day of 2021/2022, instead having to settle for a place in the Conference League, and the east Londoners are seemingly determined to avoid a repeat.

The Latest: Januzaj ‘proposal’ made…

According to Diario de Sevilla, via Sport Witness, West Ham are one of a few teams who have ‘put forward proposals’ to Januzaj as the Belgian eyes an exit from Real Sociedad.

The Irons have allegedly made a personal offer to Moyes’ former player at Man United who could depart the Reale Arena later this month on a Bosman deal.

His contract looks set to run out and Moyes is said to be personally backing a West Ham move.

The Verdict: Right option?

Once called ‘amazing’ by former top flight manager Harry Redknapp, whilst it didn’t quite work out for him at Old Trafford, Januzaj has since earned praise for his Sociedad performances.

Ex-United star Paul Scholes even hailed an ‘excellent’ and ‘brilliant’ outing from the 27-year-old during the 2020/2021 Europa League campaign (via talkSPORT), and on a free deal, this could well be a fairly low-risk move by Moyes and West Ham.

In other news: West Ham enter pole position to sign ‘game-changer’ as GSB eye ‘frightening’ forward, find out more here.

A big Rangers transfer twist has emerged that will leave supporters at Ibrox unhappy amid uncertainty over who will be the club’s number 1 next season.

What’s the news?

That’s according to the Glasgow Evening Times, who reveals that Rangers have dropped their interest in Bosnian goalkeeper Vladan Kovacevic despite having him scouted him on numerous occasions.

The player has two years left on his current contract and the Ibrox side would have had to pay a fee to secure his services, but it appears the club are moving on to other targets in a fresh twist to the tale.

Supporters will be gutted

One area that Giovanni van Bronckhorst will need to strengthen ahead of next season is between the posts, with the future of Allan McGregor still uncertain, there will likely be a new keeper arriving in Glasgow to provide competition for Jon McLaughlin and Robbie McCrorie.

The club have earmarked a host of players who could arrive in the position over the previous few weeks, with names such as Jack Butland, Sam Johnstone, and Martin Fraisl all being linked with the jersey.

But it is the news regarding Kovacevic that will leave the supporters gutted, as the 24-year-old appeared to be an excellent fit.

He kept 11 league clean sheets in 27 appearances this term, conceding 0.9 goals per match, similar stats to McGregor (12 clean sheets, 0.9 goals conceded per 90).

This area is a priority for the Dutchman and even though competition between McLaughlin and McCrorie would be beneficial for both, a new ‘keeper really needs to be brought in.

Despite the Europa League run boosting the Ibrox coffers substantially, it appears that the club doesn’t want to be spending big fees on players, that’s unless there is an outgoing or two.

It will be tough to replace McGregor, who made his Gers debut in 2002, but life moves on and the manager will have a big ask to fill a position that the club has been well versed in over the years.

AND in other news, “Rangers will…”: Jordan Campbell drops big transfer update, supporters will be livid…

A reliable report has now shared some big Tottenham Hotspur transfer news involving Man City striker Gabriel Jesus in the last 48 hours.

The Lowdown: Conte eyes striker…

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte, after clinching a Premier League top four place and Champions League qualification for next season, reportedly has his eyes on a striking back up to Harry Kane.

Brazil international Jesus is one of the names heavily linked with a move to north London amid other potential targets, coming after Pep Guardiola’s gem ended 2021/2022 on a hot streak of goalscoring form.

The Times, sharing news on Spurs’ pursuit of the player, have now got a big update for supporters.

The Latest: Conte offered chance…

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According to their information, Jesus has ‘been offered’ to the Lilywhites and is ‘believed’ to want to stay in England – coming as two possible boosts for Conte as he chases a new Spurs attacking option.

However, one potential obstacle could be north London rivals Arsenal, who are ‘quietly confident’ they can beat Tottenham to the punch.

The Verdict: Must-win race…

The 25-year-old has been described as a ‘perfect’ player for Spurs, not to mention a possible ‘massive signing’ and ‘statement’ move by ex-goalkeeper Paul Robinson (Football Insider).

His age, goalscoring record in the top flight and fairly reasonable mooted £55 million price tag are other reasons to seriously consider pressing ahead to sign Jesus who is reliably believed to be leaving Eastlands this summer.

While the South American will find it difficult getting regular starts ahead of Kane, Guardiola has utilised Jesus on the right-wing in recent times where he has played very well.

More than just an out-and-out striker, the attacking outlet could prove useful to Conte in more than one way.

In other news: Tottenham make contact as they ‘world-class signing’ for Conte! Find out more here.

Everton assistant manager Duncan Ferguson is in advanced talks with Blackburn Rovers over becoming their new first-team boss, reports Football Insider.

The Lowdown: Rovers’ manager hunt

After five years in charge at Ewood Park, manager Tony Mowbray left the Championship club upon the expiry of his contract.

Rovers made a strong start to the Championship campaign but ultimately tailed off towards the end of the season, finishing just outside of the play-off spots in eighth place.

The Latest: Ferguson interviewed

According to a report by Football Insider, Ferguson is in advanced talks with the Championship club over becoming their new manager ahead of next season.

Football Insider claim that a recruitment source has informed them that Ferguson has already been interviewed by Blackburn, and that he is now the clear front-runner to take charge at Ewood Park.

Everton are said to have accepted Ferguson’s departure.

The Verdict: Big loss

As a player, the Scotsman spent over a decade lining up for the Toffees over two separate stints at the club (via Transfermarkt).

More recently, the 50-year-old has enjoyed two spells as Everton’s interim manager; after Rafael Benitez was sacked in January, Ferguson took over for a couple of weeks before Frank Lampard was permanently appointed.

With such experience in the Everton dressing room and at Finch Farm, Ferguson will be a big loss to the Merseyside club, and Lampard will need to be swift in his search to find a new assistant manager.

In other news: Everton: Dean Jones drops Armando Broja claim

Tottenham are now closing in on a deal to bring Ivan Perisic to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium this summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by The Independent, who claimed that Fabio Paratici has agreed a two-year deal with the 33-year-old wing-back, who is expected to leave Inter Milan upon the expiry of his current contract at the San Siro in June.

The report added that both Chelsea and Juventus also made offers to the Croatia international. However, Antonio Conte’s meeting with Tottenham’s sporting director on Friday – in which the 52-year-old informed Paratici that Perisic was one of his priority targets this summer – saw contract talks with the player accelerated, and subsequently a £4m-per-year (£77k-per-week) deal being agreed.

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Finally, it is said that the former Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich star will officially confirm his final decision on Monday.

He’s “ready-made” for Conte

Considering just how impressive Perisic was for Inter this season, the news that the 33-year-old was a priority target of Conte this summer is hardly surprising to learn.

Indeed, over his 35 Serie A appearances in 2021/22, the £9m-rated talent was in sensational form on the left of Simone Inzaghi’s back five. He scored eight goals, registered seven assists and created 14 big chances for his team-mates, along with taking 1.3 shots, making 1.6 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles per game.

The £152k-per-week wide man also impressed in a defensive capacity, making 1.3 interceptions, 1.1 tackles and 0.9 clearances and winning 3.6 duels (at a success rate of 54%) per match.

These returns saw the 113-cap Croatia international average a quite astonishing SofaScore match rating of 7.30, not only ranking him as the Nerazzurri’s second-best performer in the league but also as the joint ninth-best player in all of Serie A.

Furthermore, according to FBRef data, the 33-year-old also ranks in the top 2% of full-backs in Europe’s big five leagues for non-penalty goals per 90, in addition to the top 1% for npxG, the top 3% for shots, the top 15% for assists, the top 1% for xA, the top 1% for npxG+xA and the top 4% for shot-creating actions over the last 365 days.

Indeed, it is clear to see just how perfect a fit Perisic would be for Conte’s left wing-back role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. That is an opinion with which Alasdair Gold clearly agrees, as the football.london journalist recently tweeted: “Ivan Perisic would be a big signing for Spurs. Not only as a multi-title and Champions League winner to bring that to the pitch and dressing room with his mentality and versatility but also because he represents a Conte-led change in Spurs’ transfer policy. Ready-made and early.”

As such, to hear that the Croatian has now agreed a deal with Spurs ahead of a switch to north London this summer is undoubtedly fantastic news for everyone involved with the club, with the future at Tottenham looking very bright under the management of Conte.

AND in other news: Paratici now plotting Spurs bid for “deadly” £21m talent, he’d be “perfect” for Conte

Everton could land South Korean defender Kim Min-Jae from Fenerbahce this summer following recent reports.

What’s the word?

According to Turkish news outlet Ajansspor, Everton are interested in making a move for Kim Min-Jae ahead of the summer transfer window in order to improve their defence.

The South Korean player has a release clause of €23m (£19.5m) and this could tempt Lampard into making a move.

The report states that the defender wishes to continue his career in the Premier League, which will be a major boost to Everton and Lampard as they push forward to make a deal happen.

Lampard must bolster his backline

The Everton boss has a major rebuilding job on his hands this summer, with too many players wasting their talents this season and contributing little as the club were saved from relegation by the finest of margins.

With 66 goals conceded in 38 matches, it’s clear to see which area Lampard should be prioritising when it comes to incoming transfers.

Kim Min-Jae has featured in 39 matches this season, scoring once as his side finished second in the Turkish Super Lig, eight points behind winners Trabzonspor.

Defensively, his average of 3 interceptions per 90 and 2.17 blocks rank him in the 93rd and 88th percentile when compared to positional peers in the big five leagues. With that in mind, it’s easy to see why he’s been nicknamed “the monster”.

His temperament is also excellent, receiving no cautions during the previous year, which ranks him in the 99th percentile, with only Vitaliy Mykolenko from Everton receiving no bookings, and he only joined in January. With that in mind, the Toffees boss would surely love to have him in his team.

These are stats that could convince Lampard to make his move for the 25-year-old. He was referred to as “indispensable” earlier this season as his side were challenging for the title and this type of praise will surely only boost his confidence.

With the player seeking a move to England, there may be more interest in the coming weeks and Everton will need to act fast in order to secure his services, and at £19.5m, it’s a bargain.

AND in other news, Moshiri plotting Everton bid for “fantastic” 19y/o “huge talent”, Lampard needs him

Everton suffered a heavy 5-1 loss away at Arsenal on the final day of the Premier League, but they will not care too much after securing their survival.

Still, Frank Lampard would have expected a better performance from his players, and The Transfer Tavern have used statistical experts SofaScore to now analyse who their three worst performers were on the day:

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Dele Alli

Admittedly joint with second in terms of overall rating (6.0), Alli ranks in third here as he did not play the whole game.

Still, the former Tottenham Hotspur ace lost out on five of his duels in total, and also failed to record a single shot on goal, interception, tackle, cross or long ball, losing the ball nine times.

Jarrad Branthwaite

Also given a 6.0 rating, Branthwaite ranks in second having played the full match.

The youngster conceded five goals as a central defender, and also lost three duels, while he recorded no interceptions and lost possession eight times.

Alex Iwobi

Unfortunately for Iwobi, it was not a happy return to the Emirates Stadium as he ranked as the Toffees’ worst player with a 5.6 rating.

The Nigeria international gave away the penalty for the Gunners’ first goal, while he also lost four duels, and recorded no shots on goal, interceptions, crosses or accurate long balls, losing it 11 times in total.

In other news, find out which ‘unbelievable’ colossus could now leave the Blues here!

Manchester United are reportedly leading the race to sign Benfica’s Uruguayan star striker, Darwin Nunez.

What’s the word?

That is according to a report relayed by Sports Witness, who claim that Benfica are already counting on the money from the sale of Nunez, ready to spend in the summer.

It is said that the club are hoping to make over €100m (£84.5m) from his departure with Manchester United named as a “shark” in what is a list of three clubs who are “best positioned” to land the Uruguayan’s signature.

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The two clubs said to be rivalling United for the 22-year-old are Paris Saint-Germain and Atletico Madrid, with both sides reportedly looking to employ a new centre-forward this summer.

As per the report, in Manchester United’s case, with Edinson Cavani said to be leaving the club and Marcus Rashford reportedly looking for a new destination, it is said that manager Erik ten Hag “appreciates” Nunez’s qualities.

Cavani Heir

With Cavani said to be leaving Manchester United at the end of the season, and Ten Hag working on reigniting the Red Devils via a summer rebuild, Nunez, who has been dubbed an “exciting prospect” by journalist Sam Dean, could not arrive at Manchester United at a better time.

What’s more, the switch of a 35-year-old Uruguayan forward for a 22-year-old one makes for a poetic transition that is symbolic of United’s more modern approach under Ten Hag.

Interestingly, with the signing of Nunez, United are almost rolling back the years and unleashing what is a similar player to a prime Cavani.

With a shared style to the 35-year-old that promotes an emphasis on positioning in the box, Nunez quite simply makes for a natural and high-quality heir to the throne, with his 26 goals and four assists in 28 Liga Portugal appearances too good to ignore.

Cavani’s experience will most certainly be a miss and it is a shame that he cannot stay a further year to help Nunez slot in at Old Trafford, if the club are to act on their supposed status as the leaders to sign him.

But whilst his absence will be felt in some ways, his presence, approach and style can live on in the Red side of Manchester under 22-year-old star, Nunez, someone dubbed an “absolute beast” by journalist Hari Sethi.

In other news: “Ten Hag wants..“: Sky Journo drops exciting 8-word United update, supporters buzzing 

Former Celtic striker John Hartson has urged the Hoops to sign Cameron Carter-Vickers, claiming ‘people at Spurs’ want to sell him this summer.

The Lowdown: Strong interest in Carter-Vickers

The American has been a fantastic signing by Celtic, joining on loan from Spurs last summer and producing a string of rock-solid performances at centre-back.

Carter-Vickers has been an aerial monster for Ange Postecoglou’s side, winning an average of 4.0 and 3.2 aerial duels per game in the Scottish Premiership and Europa League respectively.

Celtic have been strongly linked with signing the 24-year-old on a permanent basis this summer but numerous clubs are also thought to be battling for his signature.

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The Latest: Hartson urges Hoops to pounce

Speaking to The Daily Record, Hartson, 47, claimed that Spurs are willing to sell Carter-Vickers, calling for the Hoops to snap him up:

“I speak to people at Spurs and I know for a fact they want to sell Carter-Vickers. He’s been on loan four or five times and they feel he’s not going back to Spurs, so they want to do a deal with somebody.

“You can talk about the forwards, Jota, Liel Abada, Kyogo, whose numbers have been frightening. Joe Hart has been brilliant. But you’ve got to look at Carter-Vickers, he’s been the dominant one. Carl Starfelt has come onto a game, but he’s shown weaknesses and defensive frailties at times.

“It’s Carter-Vickers who has been that man-mountain alongside him and taken a lot of pressure off him. To do that for your other centre-half, I think he’s been outstanding.

“He would be as important a signing as Jota would be because we know that Celtic are a forward-thinking team, get on the front foot with a high intensity, press, and pressure.

“As soon as they lose it there’s a trigger, four and five players around the ball, they don’t go in ones and twos, they don’t leave players 40 yards behind.

“Reo Hatate pushes the forwards, the defence comes up to the halfway line. They’re a forward-thinking team who almost just want to outscore the opposition.

“That’s what they want to do so you need to have really good defenders to go on to another level where you’re up against better opposition and better quality of player as they can hurt you at the highest level. So they need Carter-Vickers in terms of a defender.”

The Verdict: Key piece of summer business

Signing Carter-Vickers permanently has to be considered one of Celtic’s key pieces of summer transfer business, given the impact he has made at Parkhead.

He has been described as a ‘most crucial’ player for the Hoops by Chris Sutton and the partnership he has forged with Carl Starfelt has arguably been the backbone to Celtic’s league success this season.

Missing out on Carter-Vickers now would be a hammer blow and the hope is that his head isn’t turned by any potential Premier League interest in the coming weeks and months.

In other news, one Celtic player has been backed to leave the club. Find out who it is here.