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Writing on Twitter, Sportitalia TV journalist Gianluigi Longari has made a Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Atalanta ace Cristian Romero.

The Lowdown: Tottenham in defender chase…

Tottenham would ideally like to sign two new centre-backs this summer according to football.london, with there being no shortage of links over this past month.

The likes of Jules Kounde, Milan Skriniar and Nikola Milenkovic have been mentioned among others as managing director Fabio Paratici aims to oversee a major revamp of Spurs’ backline.

Paratici has been tasked with developing Tottenham’s sporting operations and looks set to have a big say when it comes to their transfer business.

The Latest: Longari drops Spurs claim involving Romero…

Writing on Twitter, Longari has now dropped a Spurs claim involving Romero as Paratici sets his sights on the Atalanta powerhouse.

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Indeed he claims ‘Tottenham have made an enquiry’ for the Argentina international alongside La Liga giants Barcelona – with Manchester United also in the race for his signature.

Romero has just enjoyed an impressive 2020/2021 season at the Gewiss Stadium and followed that up with a brilliant Copa America, standing out in the group stage and playing the final against Brazil as Argentina clinched glory (Planet Football).

The Verdict: Do it Paratici…

In terms of the numbers, they clearly highlight Romero as a colossal defender who could help to improve Nuno Espirito Santo’s side.

According to WhoScored, only Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (2.6), Serge Aurier (2.9) and Davinson Sanchez (2.2) from the Spurs squad averaged more tackles per 90 than the 23-year-old (2) over 20/21.

Meanwhile, no Spurs player could match Romero’s impressive rate of 3.1 interceptions per match (WhoScored).

The young defender has also been lauded as ‘phenomenal’ and a ‘top, top defender’ by Forza Italian Football editor Conor Clancy after his impressive season with Atalanta (This is Futbol).

We therefore urge Paratici and Spurs to secure a move this summer.

In other news: Tottenham chiefs perform Harry Kane U-turn as report shares behind-scenes developments, find out more here.

Noel Whelan has given his reaction to some Everton injury news that has now emerged involving Yerry Mina.

The Lowdown: Stepping up recovery

As per medical expert Ben Dinnery, Mina will now step up his recovery from injury at Finch Farm this week, after last featuring for the Goodison Park faithful in early February.

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They are next due to play West Ham United away from home in the Premier League on Sunday afternoon, and while Mina is unlikely to be ready by then, he will be desperate to return to the squad for the remaining games of the season, with Dinnery’s website tracking the middle of April as a likely return date.

The Latest: Whelan reacts

Speaking to Football Insider, Whelan, who has worked as a pundit for BBC Radio Leeds, has since reacted to the news, claiming that it is ‘huge’ for the Merseyside club:

“It’s huge.

“Yerry Mina has been a bit like Marmite in recent years, you either love him or you hate him.

“But what he does give you is that real defensive presence and Everton need that. We know he carries a real threat from set pieces as well.

“He’s so experienced and he’s been at the club for a very long time. When you’re down at the bottom of the table, you need options.

“With the poor form of Michael Keane, Frank Lampard has had nowhere to turn to in order to replace him. He will have that option again when Mina comes back.

“He’s a player who is going to be very important in the run-in. He’s inconsistent, but on his day he can really dominate a game.”

The Verdict: Lampard needs him

The Toffees have been shipping far too many goals of late, with no fewer than 11 conceded in total in their last four matches over all competitions, and so Frank Lampard needs Mina back in order to steady the backline.

Standing at a mammoth six-foot-five-inches tall, the Colombia international is certainly an imposing central defender, emphasised by him winning 2.6 of his aerial duels per game on average in the top flight, only bettered by Dominic Calvert-Lewin and Michael Keane for the Blues.

Four of their seven wins in the division have come when he is playing, suggesting that they are a better team with him in it, and so Lampard will no doubt want him back available as soon as possible.

In other news, find out which EFC player is now in talks over a new deal here!

Celtic are back in action this afternoon with another clash against their Old Firm rivals.

This time, the duo are both looking to secure a place in the Scottish Cup final.

The last meeting between the two Glasgow rivals saw Ange Postecoglou’s side secure a 2-1 win at Ibrox in the SPFL earlier this month.

However, heading into Sunday’s showdown, it seems as though the Hoops will have to make do without one of their key players.

What’s the latest?

Speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of the semi-final, Postecoglou revealed that striker Giorgos Giakoumakis will not be available to play as a result of an injury he picked up during Celtic’s 7-0 win over St. Johnstone last weekend.

Since arriving at the Parkhead club during the previous summer transfer window from VVV-Venlo in a deal worth a reported fee of up to £2.5m, the striker has made 16 appearances in the SPFL.

In those appearances, the 27-year-old has found the back of the net nine times, with only Liel Abada (10) having bagged more league goals this season.

Postecoglou will be fuming

Having appeared in all three of Celtic’s Scottish Cup games this season, the centre-forward has scored four of their nine goals against Alloa Athletic, Raith Rovers and Dundee United.

With that in mind, not only will it be a huge blow for the player to miss out on the chance to fire his team to the final this afternoon, but it is sure to have also left both Postecoglou and the Parkhead faithful fuming given how deadly he’s been in front of goal.

To highlight how much of a danger the Greek international has been for his new club, he currently boasts the highest average of shots on target and goals per 90 minutes in the league, according to FBref.

Moving forward, with the Bhoys having Kyogo Furuhashi back in the frame after recovering from his hamstring injury, Postecoglou will have to hope that he and the rest of the attacking players at his disposal can make up for Giakoumakis’ absence on this occasion.

Looking beyond that, everyone at the club will undoubtedly be hoping that the £1.8m-rated striker can recover from his injury soon enough to help his side see out the remainder of the season.

AND in other news: Signed for 7 figures, left for peanuts: Celtic had a mare on “unplayable” £15k-p/w dud

Leeds United are keen on signing Blackburn Rovers striker Ben Brereton Diaz, according to reliable journalist Alan Nixon.

The Lowdown: Summer links

The Whites spent just over £50m over the summer, with Jack Harrison, Junior Firpo, Kristoffer Klaesson and Daniel James all making permanent moves to Elland Road.

Victor Orta didn’t add to the club’s central attacking ranks, though, which has hit them hard with Patrick Bamford already missing 10 Premier League games through injury.

Leeds were thought to be weighing up a move for Brereton Diaz over the summer, with the Blackburn striker going on to score 17 Championship goals in 22 appearances during the current campaign.

The Latest: January move on the cards?

Nixon shared a story on Saturday evening for The Sun, claiming that Leeds are eyeing a move for the 22-year-old.

The Whites are thought to be ‘desperate’ for an attacking addition in the New Year following Bamford’s injury, with Brighton and Sevilla also name-checked with an interest.

The Verdict: Time to spend?

Leeds may need to bolster their injury-hit squad in the winter window to prevent being dragged in to a relegation battle during the second half of the season.

Brereton Diaz, who Tony Mowbray said is ‘like a beast’ last year, could be the perfect attacking addition as he can play anywhere across the front three. The 22-year-old’s versatility could appeal to Marcelo Bielsa, and he appears to be in the prime of his career considering his red-hot form in front of goal this season.

A £25m fee has been mooted, which could make him the club’s third most expensive signing of all time, but it may well be a shrewd move both in the short- and long-term.

In other news: Sky Sports think ‘brilliant’ Leeds beast suffered fresh injury on Saturday

Liverpool striker Divock Origi is increasingly close to joining AC Milan this summer, with the Serie A club’s board giving the ‘green light’ for the move.

The Lowdown: Origi leaving this summer

The Belgian seems a certainty to move on from the Reds at the end of this season, with his current deal expiring at that point.

Origi has been a spectator for much of the 2021/22 campaign, making just five starts in all competitions and finding himself well down the attacking pecking order.

He has been constantly linked with a summer move to Milan and it looks like a matter of time until it is completed now.

The Latest: Milan move edges closer

According to TuttoMercatoWeb [via Sport Witness], ‘the green light has arrived from the board’ of Milan, as he looks set to seal a transfer to Italy.

It is claimed that ‘only the signature is missing’ and that an ‘agreement’ has been reached, bringing an end to an unforgettable spell at Liverpool for Origi.

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The Verdict: One last legendary moment?

The 26-year-old have may become more of a bit-part player by the year but he will always be remembered for scoring some truly iconic goals for the Reds, from Everton to Barcelona.

With Liverpool still battling for an unprecedented quadruple, the hope is that Origi has one last huge moment in him – one that further enhances his legend at Anfield.

It would be a fitting way to end for him, only strengthening the argument that he is one of the Reds’ all-time great cult heroes.

In other news, David Ornstein has dropped a key Liverpool transfer update. Read more here.

Rangers are looking to extend their unbeaten run in all competitions to five matches as they host Aberdeen at Ibrox in the Scottish Premiership.

The Gers are have not lost a competitive match in October, with their last defeat coming at the end of September against Sparta Prague in the Europa League.

Their last game was a 2-1 win over St Mirren away from home on Sunday, with Steven Gerrard’s side coming from 1-0 down to secure the three points.

One change Gerrard should make to the team ahead of the clash with Aberdeen is bringing Glen Kamara into the side ahead of John Lundstram. The Finland international watched on from the bench on Sunday and must now be unleashed at Ibrox to take on the Dons.

Lundstram struggled against St. Mirren at the weekend and was partly to blame for the opening goal. He was caught out in the midfield and too easily shrugged off, with Connor Ronan then firing the ball into the top corner from distance.

As per SofaScore, he failed to make a single tackle in the match as he made one interception and lost two of his three ground duels.

This suggests that he was not strong enough to compete in the middle of the park and that is why Gerrard should forget about starting him and, instead, unleash Kamara.

Neil McCann, his former manager at Dundee United, once hailed him as being “made of iron”. He said of Kamara: “He isn’t a big, physical lad but he’s made of iron and really strong. I knew immediately that he could handle the ball under pressure and not give it away, so he was perfect.

McCann added: “He’s a special talent. He’s lightning-quick but he doesn’t show it. He’s a player who takes instruction well.”

He has shown off these qualities for the Gers in the Premiership. Last season, the £6.2k-per-week beast averaged an excellent SofaScore rating of 6.99 in 33 appearances, winning 59% of his duels over the course of the campaign and making 2.0 tackles and interceptions combined per game.

Therefore, he could provide the midfield stability Rangers need to control the game.

He is able to win the ball back off the opposition and come out on top in the majority of his individual battles, which is why he should start ahead of Lundstram tonight.

AND in other news, Gerrard must ruthlessly axe £18k-p/w Rangers dud v Aberdeen, he was shocking on Sunday…

The Birmingham Mail’s Patrick Rowe has suggested that Aston Villa star Anwar El Ghazi could leave the club amid the competition for places at Villa Park.

What’s the story?

During a discussion for The Birmingham Mail about the winger’s future, Rowe said: “If he wanted regular football each week I can see him moving on as I’m not even sure we can offer that to the wingers ahead of him currently given the system we are playing.”

Time’s up for El Ghazi

Amid all the marquee signings Villa made during the summer, not cashing in on El Ghazi may be one of the only blotches in their copy-book from their transfer window work.

Reports had actually indicated that the Midlands club were hoping to receive around £17m for him, with Serie A side AS Roma very interested in taking him to Italy.

In the end, Villa chose not to let El Ghazi go, and having also signed the likes of Leon Bailey and Emi Buendia who predominantly play out wide, the Dutchman now faces far more competition for places at Villa Park.

If they had recouped some of that outlay from selling El Ghazi, Villa could potentially have reinvested the money into a more pressing need, like central midfield.

The fact he’s played just the three times in the Premier League this season, and all three of those appearances being at the start of the campaign, has been an indication of how far he’s fallen down the pecking order at Villa Park.

He’s remained an unused substitute for the last five top-flight games, even with the injuries to both Bailey and Bertrand Traore, and it appears Smith has made his mind up on him.

While he may be seen as a “cracking servant” by Ashley Preece, the Dutchman’s time just looks to be up at Villa Park, with the club moving on to bigger and better things with the likes of Bailey.

It’s exactly why moving him on might just please the Villa fans.

Meanwhile, Villa are interested in signing this Scottish ace…

Everton have now been backed to sign Nathan Patterson before the summer transfer window ends, providing that one condition is met.

The Lowdown: Patterson bid

As per The Daily Mirror, the Goodison Park faithful have made a £5m bid to try and sign Patterson from Glasgow Rangers.

As cited by The Scottish Sun, Steven Gerrard labelled the reported offer as ‘a joke’ when asked about it.

The Latest: Whelan on Patterson

Speaking to Football Insider, former Leeds United and Coventry City striker now pundit Whelan has backed the Merseyside club to sign Patterson before the window shuts, so long as they can up that offer ‘significantly’:

“They are obviously testing the water but Gerrard knows Patterson’s worth because he works with him every day.

“Let’s be honest, £5 million for a player of Patterson’s quality is a joke in this day and age. I would agree with Gerrard in that respect. It’s a bit disrespectful to put in an offer like that.

“If the money is right though, I think a deal could be struck there. One thing is for sure though, Everton are way off the mark right now so they will have to up their bid significantly if they want to sign him.”

The Verdict: Sign

Seamus Coleman struggled a bit with injuries in the 2020/21 season, and at 32 years of age, he is not getting any younger.

Thus, Rafa Benitez’s team need to think about signing a long-term replacement for him, and Patterson may well fit the bill.

At just 19, he has already shown his potential by getting called up to the senior Scotland squad for Euro 2020, playing in two games in total under Steve Clarke (Transfermarkt).

The right-back has already played in a total of 17 games in over all competitions for the Light Blues, including an appearance in the Scottish League Cup this season, in which he bagged two goals (Transfermarkt). He could look at the likes of Kieran Tierney as players who have made the step up to the Premier League from the SPL.

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Nonetheless, Patterson would be a smart investment for the future, should the Toffees be able to secure his signature.

In other news, find out whose display against Huddersfield Town was slammed here!

Aston Villa are set to battle it out with ‘a lot of really big clubs’ for the signing of Boubacar Kamara ahead of the 2022 summer transfer window. 

That’s according to journalist Luke Hatfield, who was speaking to Give Me Sport.

The lowdown

The Athletic’s David Ornstein reported at the beginning of this week that Kamara, who can play as a defensive midfielder and as a centre-back, has decided to leave Olympique de Marseille on a free transfer when his contract expires at the end of the season.

Manchester United were said to be monitoring the 22-year-old’s situation, while German giants Bayern Munich and Spanish marquee FC Barcelona were named as strong admirers.

Kamara is yet to make his senior debut for the French national team but has featured nine times for Les Bleus at Under-21 level.

The latest

Hatfield picked out Kamara when he was asked about possible transfer targets for Steven Gerrard, but warned that there is doubt over Villa’s chances of landing the Frenchman.

“There is a lot of talk around Boubacar Kamara and Marseille,” he said.

“He’s going on a free in the summer but I think there’ll be a lot of really big clubs after him”

The verdict

Kamara is a precise passer and an effective shield for a defence, data from FBRef shows. In fact, he boasts a similar profile to Barcelona’s highly-decorated midfielder Sergio Busquets, and perhaps they view him as a successor.

Indeed, former team-mate Rolando has dubbed him a ‘phenomenon’, suggesting he can go right to the very top.

Do Villa have a shot? Well, it’s a matter of convincing the player rather than the club.

A healthy upgrade on his £46,000-per-week salary should be achievable for Villa, and then it’s down to Gerrard to make the project as attractive as possible.

In other news, fans react to this cruel injury blow.

Sheffield Wednesday are reportedly interested in signing Dutch winger Sylla Sow as their busy summer transfer window potentially continues.

The Lowdown: Owls enjoy productive summer

The Owls have been very productive in recent weeks, bringing in a host of new signings as they look to return to the Championship.

A total of 12 new faces have come in, either permanently or on loan, giving manager Darren Moore plenty of options moving forward.

The Latest: Sow linked with move

According to The Sheffield Star, Wednesday are now eyeing up a move for Sow, who is without a club after leaving Eredivise side RKC Waalwijk.

The 25-year-old has a total of 49 appearances to his name in the Dutch top flight, scoring seven goals and registering four assists in that time.

It is stated that Sow likely has ‘plenty of options’ from other clubs, though, so it could be hard to acquire his signature.

The Verdict: Another shrewd signing?

Sow could be another exciting signing if the Owls manage to get a deal over the line, with his pedigree speaking for itself in terms of his Eredivisie experience.

Wednesday still arguably look a little light in wide areas following the exit of Adam Reach, so the Dutchman would bring depth and quality to that position.

Indeed, he showcased his ability to beat players routinely by completing 2.7 dribbles per Eredivisie match in 2019/20. For comparison, only three Owls players had more than one per game in last season’s Championship, so Sow would add greatly to Wednesday’s repertoire in this department.

At 25, he is also young enough to keep improving, but old enough to have plenty of experience at a good level. He seems the ideal player for Moore to bring in if a deal can be struck.

In other news, Sheff Wed reportedly have their eye on another signing – find out who it is here.