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Tanguy Ndombele could still remain a Tottenham Hotspur player past January 31st despite reports suggesting otherwise…

What’s the word?

The Frenchman, who cost a club-record £55m in the summer of 2020, was booed by supporters in last weekend’s FA Cup third-round triumph over Morecambe.

As the jeers got louder, Ndombele got slower as he was substituted in the 69th minute, all whilst the side were still 1-0 down to the League One minnows.

After the match, transfer guru Fabrizio Romano delivered an update on his future, claiming that “Tottenham are looking for a solution to sell or loan out Tanguy Ndombele in January,” whilst The Athletic believe the 25-year-old is hopeful for a move away.

However, according to Sky Sports reporter Lyall Thomas, Ndombele isn’t unhappy at the club and he could yet stay despite the controversy.

“I’ve done plenty of probing around on this – to see if there’ll be any potential suitors out there for him. The kind of level of club that could potentially pay that money, certainly – let’s obviously talk hypothetically first about any permanent options for him – they’re not desperate for that position,” he revealed to the ‘Last Word on Spurs’ podcast this week.

“I just don’t think there’s the options out there for him this month, Ndombele. And I’ve been told by sources close to the player as well that he’s not unhappy at Spurs, despite his body language the other day.”

Likely to stay?

It would seem that Ndombele is more likely to stay than go right now and that’s hardly a surprise given his reported £200k-per-week wages – who on earth is going to pay that, along with a transfer fee, for a player that has failed to cut it in the Premier League for quite some time?

He missed the midweek defeat to Chelsea in the Carabao Cup but weirdly, manager Antonio Conte hinted at the decision being from above his head. “It was a technical decision, but before to take the decision, I don’t take the decision if I don’t consult the club, there is the club line and I have to follow the club line,” he claimed after the game.

If Conte is still keen to use him and the player isn’t actually unhappy behind the scenes at Hotspur Way, as Thomas suggests, then you’d imagine there are going to be several sections of the Lilywhites’ faithful absolutely fuming.

Once the crowd turns against you in that manner, there is surely no way back but we’ve been here before with Ndombele. He reportedly wanted out under Jose Mourinho. He reportedly wanted out under Nuno Santo. And now here we are with a third successive manager.

It’s no wonder the fans have given up with their club-record signing. He arrived with so much promise from Lyon, only to deliver ten goals and nine assists in 91 appearances, via Transfermarkt.

That means he has a direct contribution once every 4.7 matches, which isn’t good enough for an attacking playmaker.

All in all, there won’t be many pleased with this behind the scenes bombshell from the Sky Sports journalist. With a little over two weeks to go, only time will tell if Ndombele will remain a Spurs player for the foreseeable future.

AND in other news, Spurs eye 1st Jan signing in “crazy” £7.2m-rated beast, he could be Conte’s next Pirlo…

According to The Sun and reporter Tom Barclay, some promising transfer news has now come out of Tottenham Hotspur involving West Bromwich Albion goalkeeper Sam Johnstone.

The Lowdown: Spurs favourites?

The Lilywhites have been very heavily linked with a move for Johnstone over this last week with reliable sources believing Tottenham are actually favourites.

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Indeed, football.london correspondent Alasdair Gold says Spurs and transfer chief Fabio Paratici are in pole position to sign the 29-year-old who is set to leave West Brom as a free agent this summer.

This comes as Spurs loanee Pierluigi Gollini seems set to return to parent club Atalanta with Antonio Conte now looking like he’ll have to take to the market for a back-up to Hugo Lloris.

The Latest: Barclay makes Spurs claim…

According to reporter Barclay of The Sun, Tottenham are ‘increasingly confident’ they will sign Johnstone, with those inside the north London club now believing he ‘will opt’ to join Conte.

Spurs apparently view the Three Lions ace as a potential future successor to Lloris, though will initially be used as a back-up option.

The Verdict: Ideal option…

On a free deal, Johnstone comes as a very ideal option for Spurs with international experience and proven performances in the Premier League.

Ex-Baggies boss Sam Allardyce was very up front in his praise for the 29-year-old last season despite West Brom’s eventual relegation with various pundits also proving to be big fans of Johnstone.

Wolves legend Steve Bull, for example, lavished the homegrown ace as a ‘world class’ shot stopper – leaving plenty of evidence to suggest he comes as an astute option for Tottenham.

In other news: Tottenham eye ‘in the coming weeks’ as they make offer for exciting midfielder, find out more here.

Crystal Palace could be left sweating over the fitness of Wilfried Zaha for the remainder of the campaign.

According to Roy Hodgson, the Ivorian winger “felt” something in his groin ahead of the Premier League clash with Manchester City – a game in which the Eagles fell to a 2-0 defeat.

Zaha managed to take to the field despite the potential problem, completing the full 90 minutes, but it will nevertheless be a worry for Hodgson in the final few matches of the campaign.

Should the injury be more serious than first thought and the £130k per week winger is ruled out, this would see Palace lose their talisman.

The 28-year-old has once again been at the forefront of Crystal Palace’s season during 2020/21, netting ten goals in all competitions.

Those strikes alone have been worth six points to the Eagles in the Premier League and without them, they would still be firmly embroiled in the battle to avoid relegation.

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Indeed, in the eight games that Palace have played without Zaha this season, they have only one won – a terrible rate.

Whilst the Eagles are under zero threat of dropping into the Championship this season, any injury to Zaha would certainly be a sour note to end the campaign on if he is ruled out and that terrible run continues.

Even if he is not restricted to the sidelines though, Hodgson will certainly be hoping for better from Zaha going forwards if the injury is only minor.

The winger turned in a disastrous performance against Manchester City on Saturday – a display that, on reflection, could potentially have been explained by his apparent groin problem.

Palace will certainly hope he is fully fit and firing for next weekend’s clash against already relegated Sheffield United as the Eagles aim to halt their three-match losing run.

AND in more news, take a closer look at the winger’s awful showing against Manchester City…

Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Leander Dendoncker might have to leave the club this summer according to insider Pete O’Rourke.

What’s the latest?

Speaking to GIVEMESPORT, O’Rourke said that if the club end up keeping Bruno Neves and Joao Moutinho then Dendoncker “might have to move on.”

This is due to the fact that in the past it has been suggested that in order to buy new players Wolves have had to sell first. Whilst there has been a lot of interest in Neves, there has also been interest in Dendoncker from Italy.

As we reported last week, according to Italian outlet Corriere dello Sport (via Inside Futbol), Serie A side Lazio are interested in signing the midfielder who rated at £27m.

Supporters will be gutted

We urged the club not to sell Dendoncker because he has been a key player in the side this season, and if he does end up leaving, supporters will be gutted as well.

In an ideal world they would be able to keep hold of all three players and still add to their squad, however this is looking increasingly less possible. Over the past few seasons they have built a side capable of challenging for Europe, and if they are to keep in the mix for those place they will need Dendoncker.

The Belgium international joined the club permanently from Anderlecht in 2019 for £12.4m after having spent the previous season on loan at Molineux. His value has since more than doubled as he has become key since the arrival of manager Bruno Lage.

He has the highest pass completion rate in the Wolves squad out of any midfielder that has completed more than two full games this season, which proves that he is good in possession and a key link between defence and attack.

Dendoncker also ranks in the top 3% for blocks made in comparison to other Premier League midfielders this season. He may not be a flashy or entertaining player but he is crucial to the teams performance.

If he leaves then the club do have cover in the form of youngster Luke Cundle, but it would still be a huge loss and it would likely see them struggle to finish in a European spot next season.

IN other news: Fewer touches than Sa: Wolves “hindrance” who made just 7 passes let Lage down…

Steven Gerrard looks to have been handed a potential blow at Rangers ahead of next season, with Filip Helander having been linked with a move away from Ibrox in the past week.

According to Football Insider, both Aston Villa and Leicester City are considering a move for the 27-year-old centre-back, who has been at the heart of Gerrard’s defence alongside Conor Goldson for much of the season and has played a huge part in their title success.

The Swedish international has appeared in 21 of Rangers’ 33 top-flight fixtures so far this season, in which he has averaged an impressive 7.11 rating for his performances.

The Light Blues’ title win has been built on a strong defence, with Gerrard’s side having shipped just 10 goals in the top-flight so far this season, so to lose someone who has been an important part of that would undoubtedly be a huge blow to the 40-year-old ahead of the next campaign.

The former Bologna man reportedly earns £10k per week at Rangers, and given the additional funds that will be available to Rangers next season with Champions League revenue and hopefully the return of fans, Ross Wilson should ensure that the Ibrox outfit are not bullied into selling Helander for a low fee.

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The centre-back is an international with Sweden and is a good age for a centre-back, yet Transfermarkt suggests that he is currently valued at just £1.8 million.

Considering Rangers paid around £3.5 million to Bologna to sign Helander, as well as his impressive form this season, you would hope that the champions would be aiming to receive at least £5 million should he make the move to the Premier League this summer.

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Gerrard clearly considers Helander a valuable member of his squad, describing him as a “leader” in 2019, so Wilson should do everything he can to keep hold of the Swede ahead of next season. If that’s not possible, then he must negotiate a reasonable fee if the player does have his heart set on a move down south.

And, in other news… Rangers could be set for huge summer profit on gem dubbed “the biggest steal of the century”

Brighton goalkeeper Mat Ryan is now Ange Postecoglou’s top Celtic target, according to Scott Burns of The Daily Record.

The Lowdown: Hoops make Ryan promise

It took just three days for Ryan to be linked with a move to the club following Postecoglou’s switch to Celtic Park was confirmed.

The pair worked together during Postecoglou’s four-year stint as Australia boss, with the 55-year-old making Ryan his number one at the 2014 World Cup and 2015 Asia Cup.

Reports last month claimed that Celtic were putting a contract package together for Ryan and were ready to offer him the number one shirt at Parkhead.

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The Latest: Burns claim

Burns, who broke the news regarding Celtic’s move for Sheffield Wednesday defender Osaze Urhoghide on Thursday hours before it was announced, shared a story on Thursday evening.

He claimed that Postecoglou is likely to bring in a new shot-stopper with Ryan a top target.

The Verdict: Sign

If Postecoglou now sees Ryan as a top target, Celtic should do everything they can to grant his wish ahead of the new season.

He’ll know just what the 29-year-old would bring to Parkhead and could end up solving the club’s goalkeeping dilemma.

Vasilis Barkas, Scott Bain and Conor Hazard were all handed opportunities last season, with Neil Lennon unsure on who to stick with throughout the previous campaign.

Ryan, who has 58 international caps and 124 Premier League appearances under his belt could be the ideal addition and a deal looks financially doable.

A price between £3-5m has been touted, but Ryan may have to take a slight hit on his £35,000-a-week wage if he wants to move to Scotland, with Callum McGregor the club’s top earner on £20,000-a-week.

In other news: Sources claim Celtic could now make ace who has ‘got it all’ their fourth-biggest signing ever, find out more here.

Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku guarantees goals, says former Manchester City player Paul Stewart.

The Premier League champions are in the market for a new No.9 following Sergio Aguero’s departure and have launched a £100m bid for Tottenham’s Harry Kane, according to Sky Sports.

However, they have also shown interest in Lukaku after a season where the 28-year-old managed to score 30 goals in all competitions.

Ultimately, for Stewart, Lukaku is a player who would definitely bring goals to the Etihad, though he feels Kane should remain the priority.

“Lukaku is guaranteed goals,” the ex-City star told TT when asked if he could see his old side making a move for the Belgium international this summer.

“He’s done it in the Prem. Alright, he didn’t have the best spell at United, but United were going through a spell where it wasn’t just Lukaku, it was the club. He’s proven it now at the Euros that he’s still a more than capable striker. But I think I’d [rather] spend £100m on Harry.”

If City cannot get Kane this summer, when you look at his goal record, Lukaku would obviously be a great alternative.

However, like the England captain, it is going to be hard to get him out of his club. The former Manchester United man has already stated that he plans on staying at Inter.

Serge Aurier is reportedly one of several players up for sale at Tottenham Hotspur this summer…

What’s the word?

According to the Daily Mail’s Sami Mokbel, Spurs will have to sell before they can buy in the upcoming transfer window. As a result, the future of the Ivorian right-back, among others, is in serious doubt.

It is further claimed that the north London outfit will look to offload as many as six players, with the likes of Danny Rose, Hugo Lloris, Erik Lamela and Juan Foyth all mentioned. Harry Winks and Dele Alli’s stays could be decided by whether or not Daniel Levy sacks Jose Mourinho.

Time to go

The report comes at an interesting time as, only a few days earlier, Spurs were hammered 3-1 by Manchester United to all but end their hopes of reaching the top four in the Premier League.

After a five-game absence, in which he made the bench just once, Aurier was finally trusted to start the match and it ended in disaster.

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Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane was particularly scathing in the aftermath of the encounter, telling the Super Sunday audience (via Football Daily):

“He’s got a rick in him. He has caused loads of problems. I have described him as a bit of a car crash. Nice powerful boy, keeps going forward, but defensively I think he doesn’t smell danger or see the danger. And that’s been a huge problem for Spurs, the right-back position.”

Micah Richards went on to suggest that the right-back was “lazy” and it’s costing them as he is simply not tracking back to help out.

This merely echoes the warning from former Spurs striker Darren Bent, who in October 2019 dubbed the Ivory Coast international a “liability” – it’s clear to see on the above reviews that things simply haven’t changed whatsoever.

On Sunday, Aurier (6.3) was graded as Mourinho’s worst player as per SofaScore ratings, and it’s easy to see why as he was dribbled past three times Paul Pogba and co on that right flank. The 28-year-old was also at fault for Edison Cavani’s second goal in what was an absolutely shocking afternoon defensively.

Considering that the Ivorian is amongst the high-earners at the club, taking home a reported £120,000 per week – more than Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg (£65k per week), Sergio Reguilon (£80k -per week), and even Eric Dier (£85k per week) – he makes for an easy candidate to offload in the summer.

The former Paris Saint-Germain defender has let Spurs down far too often after that latest showing, so it’s now certainly time to move him on in the summer. Levy has to get rid and take what he can, should any offers arrive.

AND in other news, 6 foot 3 “quarterback” can solve Mourinho’s biggest Spurs nightmare…

Newcastle boss Steve Bruce is said to have made a check on QPR centre-back Rob Dickie amid a potential move for him in the summer transfer window.

What’s the story?

With a number of Newcastle’s centre-backs facing an uncertain future at St James’ Park this summer due to their contracts expiring, it’s no surprise that Bruce appears to be targeting a new defender to bolster his ranks.

And, according to The Shields Gazette’s Liam Kennedy, the Magpies made checks on QPR’s Dickie during the season just gone, with the likes of Celtic’s Kristoffer Ajer and Schalke’s Ozan Kabak – who was on loan at Liverpool – also name-checked as potential transfer targets.

Kennedy also added: “Uncertainty remains over the future of both Fabian Schar and Federico Fernandez with both heading into the final days of their contract at United. A one-year extension clause will be activated with Schar, but the Switzerland international is far from certain to stay.”

Bye-bye Fabian Schar

As per Whoscored, with an average match rating of 7.17 in the Championship last season, Dickie was actually ranked as the seventh-best performing player in the entire division, and the third-best central defender behind only Michal Helik and Grant Hanley.

And, when you look at the 6 foot 4 titan’s key defensive numbers, it’s easy to see why.

He averages an impressive 1.3 tackles and 1.8 interceptions per game, with the latter stat actually putting him right at the top of the table when compared to the entire Newcastle squad.

Dickie also appears to be a genuine ball-playing centre-back too, making more than ten passes than the man at the top for the Magpies (57.6 passes per game), while only Fabian Schar can better his 3.1 successful long balls per game out of Newcastle’s defenders.

During his time with Oxford United, Dickie was heavily praised by manager Karl Robinson, who dubbed him as “unbelievable”, and said: “I know he’s quick, I know he’s talented, I know he’s great in the air, but I need to see what he’s like when he’s on the floor and see how he stands up. In the second half, I thought Rob Dickie was magnificent.”

Dickie appears to be ready to make the step up to the Premier League given how he has dominated the Championship, and his development into someone who can play out from the back should go down a treat at St James’ Park.

With Schar potentially exiting Tyneside this summer based on Kennedy’s claim, Dickie could be an ideal replacement for the Swiss centre-back.

Meanwhile, Newcastle must land this defender who bullied Ivan Toney…

Lots of Wolves fans have been left reacting to a sly dig made by Marcal towards Tottenham Hotspur boss Nuno Espirito Santo.

When asked about what it is like working under Bruno Lage, the Brazilian told the official website of the Midlands club: “Bruno came to the club with a very different work approach to the previous manager. With Bruno, I think he knows how he wants the team to play and he can pass that on quite clearly to us during training.”

Of course, the ‘previous manager’ in question is Nuno, who is now the coach at Tottenham Hotspur, and reading between the lines, it can be suggested that Marcal did not think that Nuno knew what he wanted from the team when he was there, and could not pass on his instructions clearly in training, unlike Lage.

Nonetheless, a lot of members of the Molineux faithful seemed to be taken back by his comments, and seemed to agree with him, given that they finished in a disappointing 13th place in the Premier League table last season under Nuno’s management.

Wolves fans on Marcal comments

These WWFC supporters gave their reactions to the comments as they were shared on Twitter:

“Wow!! The knife really has gone into Nuno”

Credit: @Moppy632

“Yikes”

Credit: @metalliam

“Shots fired!!!!”

Credit: @similes79

“Sounds like we weren’t the only ones fed up with Nuno”

Credit: @Matt_Garrett16

“Sounds like he is saying Nuno didn’t really know how he wanted us to play last year”

Credit: @pweaver88

“Sounds like the players weren’t happy with Nuno solutions”

Credit: @Dan__Vincent

In other news, find out what training footage has left Wanderers wowed here!