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CBS journalist Ben Jacobs has now made a Tottenham Hotspur transfer claim involving Inter Milan star defender Milan Skriniar.

The Lowdown: Conte hunting centre-back…

Spurs head coach Antonio Conte, setting his sights on a left-footed central defensive star, has been linked to no shortage of options as club chief Fabio Paratici adopts his scattergun approach.

The Lilywhites have shortlisted many names, including Alessandro Bastoni, Josko Gvardiol, Pau Torres, Marc Guehi, Gleison Bremer, Stefan De Vrij and Clement Lenglet (GiveMeSport).

A real priority for Spurs, it appears their defender chase has taken another twist as Jacobs shares news on Skriniar.

The Latest: Jacobs makes Skriniar claim…

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According to his sources, the Lilywhites are eyeing a move for Inter’s colossal defender alongside Premier League rivals Chelsea.

Skriniar is apparently ‘very much for sale’ and the Nerazzurri value him at around £69 million – but they could be forced to accept a lower bid if Dybala and Lukaku arrive.

The Slovakia international, according to Jacobs, apparently wants his future ‘resolved by early July’.

The Verdict: Advance?

Depending on developments, more specifically if Inter lower the player’s £69m valuation, we believe Skrinair would be a brilliant addition for Conte.

Called a ‘monster’ by Italian football writer Carlo Garaganese, the 27-year-old was a mainstay under Simone Inzaghi last season, playing the second-most Serie A minutes behind goalkeeper Samir Handanovic (WhoScored).

The Inter untouchable also made more clearances per 90 than any of his teammates with over five league starts (WhoScored), finishing 21/22 as one of their top ten performers overall (WhoScored).

As Tottenham’s defender chase continues, this may well be one to keep an eye on.

In other news: Significant talks: Tottenham emerge as likelier destination for ‘superstar’! Find out more here.

Journalist Pete O’Rourke says West Ham United could be making a ‘really exciting signing’ if they manage to bring Aston Villa striker Ollie Watkins to the London Stadium.

The Lowdown: Moyes eyeing Watkins…

The east Londoners, after just missing out on a place in the Premier League top six last season to Man United, are looking to go again for 2022/23 with fresh additions in the transfer market.

A striker is reportedly high on the agenda for Moyes with West Ham seriously short of options and alternatives to mainstay forward Michail Antonio in the attacking areas.

Reliable journalist Simon Jones of The Daily Mail backs that the Hammers are eyeing a move for Villa star Watkins, even if it will be a difficult deal to pull off.

The Latest: O’Rourke makes Watkins claim…

Speaking to GiveMeSport, journalist O’Rourke says West Ham could make a ‘really exciting signing’ for Moyes if they do somehow get Watkins in.

He explained:

“I think he’d be a really exciting signing for West Ham and all their fans. He’s really proved at Aston Villa over the last couple of years that he is a top player, who I think can only get better as well.

“West Ham, obviously they’ve needed a new striker for the last few transfer windows and haven’t been able to bring the right one in.”

The Verdict: Push the boat out?

Villa are likely to demand at least £50 million for Watkins but such an investment could be worth it from West Ham’s perspective.

According to WhoScored, the 26-year-old finished 2021/2022 as one of Steven Gerrard’s best-performing players and top goal scorer domestically with 11 strikes and two assists.

He ranked among their top-five by average match rating per 90 with Watkins also taking the second-most shots at goal every game – just behind sensational January signing Philippe Coutinho (WhoScored).

There’s arguably few better alternatives already proven in England and we believe GSB should attempt a move at the very least.

In other news: West Ham officials dispatched as GSB eye ‘superstar’ signing for Moyes…find out more here.

Newly promoted Nottingham Forest are ready to make a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White, reports Birmingham Live.

The Lowdown: Gibbs-White’s season

The 22-year-old Wolves man joined Championship side Sheffield United on a season-long loan last year after going out to Swansea the year prior.

The midfielder made 35 league appearances for the Blades, contributing 11 goals and nine assists to United’s failed promotion push.

The Latest: Forest interested

Unfortunately for the youngster, his penalty in the play-off semi-final against Forest was saved by goalkeeper Brice Samba.

However, Gibbs-White clearly impressed Steve Cooper, as he is said to be a huge admirer of the Wolves man, and he could now look to add him to his side’s squad ahead of next season (via Nottingham Post).

It has now been reported by Birmingham Live that Forest are ready to move for Gibbs-White this summer, as they look to build a squad capable of competing in the Premier League.

The Midlands club value the midfielder at around £20m, however manager Bruno Lage is said to be desperate to keep the Wanderers man.

Lage has previously claimed (via Birmingham Live): “In January I did everything to convince him to stay here.

“After, we will see. If I want him in January, I continue to want him here because he can be an important player for the club. He’s one of the players that comes from the academy and I know it’s so important for the club to have that.”

The Verdict: Big loss for Wolves

Whilst the youngster has previously been told to go out on loan to gain experience, he is surely now a part of Lage’s plans at Wolves, having proven what he can do with extended playing time this term.

During his time in the Championship, former Barnsley boss Poya Asbaghi hailed the 22-year-old as the Blades’ “most outstanding” player, indicating he is ready to make the permanent step-up to the Premier League.

Therefore, if Wolves do lose hold of Gibbs-White this summer, it is likely that we will see the midfielder playing in the English top-flight next season and perhaps even biting the hand that once fed him.

In other news: Two EFL clubs target Dion Sanderson…

West Ham United have looked into moves for Aston Villa duo John McGinn and Ollie Watkins, according to The Daily Mail. 

The lowdown

The Hammers finished seventh in the Premier League, securing a spot in the Europa Conference League, while the Villans ended the season in 14th.

McGinn, who is valued at £27m by Transfermarkt, has three years remaining on his contract and is a key player at Villa Park, as evidenced by his 35 Premier League starts in the most recent campaign.

It’s a similar story with the £31.5m-rated Watkins, who is also committed until 2025. The striker, who joined from Brentford in 2020, started 33 top-flight matches in 2021/22.

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The latest

The Daily Mail’s Simon Jones reported that Irons manager David Moyes is ‘juggling’ a ‘number of options’ ahead of the summer transfer window.

Among those in his eyeline are Villa duo McGinn and Watkins, but there’s an understanding at the London Stadium that ‘such deals will be difficult to pull off’.

The verdict

These are two vital cogs in the Villa team, so they should do everything in their power to avoid selling them to a Premier League rival.

McGinn averaged the highest WhoScored rating in Steven Gerrard’s squad last season (7.17), scoring three goals and providing four assists while also ranking in the top three for tackles, key passes, successful dribbles, fouls drawn and accurate long balls (outfielders only) per game.

Meanwhile, Watkins was comfortably the team’s top scorer with 11 goals, four clear of Danny Ings. Since his arrival in the Midlands two years ago, he has impressively bagged 27 goals in all competitions.

Villa sold Jack Grealish in a British record £100m deal last summer and will surely be desperate to avoid losing more star players this summer. Gerrard wants to take the team to Europe, and the best way to do that is by improving on what he’s got rather than the plugging the gaps left by high-profile outgoings.

In other news, read this big Calvin Bassey claim

Tottenham Hotspur are set to battle it out with Arsenal to secure the signing of Manchester City striker Gabriel Jesus, reports The Telegraph.

The Lowdown: Jesus’ talks with Arsenal

As per Fabrizio Romano, it is clear that the 25-year-old has asked to leave the Sky Blues this summer.

As a result, the Brazilian’s agent, Marcelo Pettinati, has confirmed that talks have already been held with Arsenal, and it is said that they are interested in the ‘project’ under Mikel Arteta.

However, Pettinati has also revealed that six more clubs are interested in securing his client’s signature.

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The Latest: Spurs keen to sign Jesus

According to a fresh report by The Telegraph’s reliable Mike McGrath, Tottenham are set to join Arsenal in the race to sign Man City striker Jesus.

Having pipped their north London rivals to a top four finish and a spot in the Champions League, Lilywhites boss Antonio Conte will be looking to strengthen his squad as they prepare to compete with Europe’s elite.

It is understood that Jesus’ agent is aware of Spurs’ interest in a deal.

The Verdict: Brilliant signing

Described as “a natural finisher” by former Tottenham forward Garth Crooks on BBC Sport, the 25-year-old’s underlying stats clearly justify this praise.

According to FB Ref, the Brazil international ranks in the 91st percentile for non-penalty goals and in the 95th percentile for non-penalty expected goals across positional peers in Europe.

With 58 goals under his belt in the Premier League and 134 in total for club and country,  Conte would be getting an experienced striker with many years left for him to perform at the top level.

Therefore, this would be a brilliant signing for Tottenham.

In other news: Tottenham Hotspur: Paratici set to back Conte with major signings

All the stats and highlights from a remarkable day’s play in Christchurch

Sampath Bandarupalli17-Feb-20221932 It’s been 90 years since South Africa were last bowled out for less than 100 in the first innings of a Test match. This 95 all out against New Zealand followed on from their 36 all out against Australia in Melbourne.ESPNcricinfo Ltd3 Previous instances where New Zealand had bowled their opponent out for under 100 in the first innings of a Test match. The lowest is 58 by England in a pink-ball Test in 2018.3 Matt Henry recorded the third-best bowling figures for New Zealand in Test cricket (7 for 23). The only people to ever do better are Ajaz Patel (10 for 119 vs India in 2021) and Richard Hadlee (9 for 51 vs Australia in 1985)ESPNcricinfo Ltd1 Henry’s bowling figures are the joint-best for New Zealand in Tests at home. Hadlee also had figures of 7 for 23 against India in 1976 in Wellington. Those are also the second-best figures in Tests in New Zealand, behind Erapalli Prasanna’s 8 for 76 in Auckland in 1976.7 for 23 Henry’s bowling figures are the best for New Zealand in Tests against South Africa. The previous best was 6 for 60 by John Reid in 1964. Henry also recorded the third-best bowling figures against South Africa in all Test cricket for 100 years.95 South Africa’s total, their lowest against New Zealand, eclipsing the 148 they made in Johannesburg in 1953. Also, by being bowled out in 49.2 overs, South Africa recorded their second-shortest all-out innings against the Black Caps.10 Number of seven-plus wicket hauls in Test cricket at a better bowling average than Henry’s (3.28). He also has the cheapest seven-for for New Zealand, alongside Hadlee’s 7 for 23.

A Champions League record long held by Manchester United legend David Beckham has been taken by Club Brugge star Carlos Forbs following his sparkling goalscoring display against Barcelona. The 21-year-old scored twice and bagged an assist as the Belgian side held the Spanish giants to a 3-3 draw in a thrilling encounter. And he notched a bit of history along the way, too.

• Forbs runs Barcelona ragged

  The Portugal winger put in the best performance of his young career as he tore Barcelona to shreds in the Champions League on Wednesday night. His display even stole the headlines away from Lamine Yamal, who scored a stunning goal of his own. But this game belonged to Forbs at Jan Breydelstadion.

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• Beckham record tumbles

  For more than 25 years, Inter Miami co-owner Beckham has held the record for being the youngest player to both score and assist against Barcelona in the Champions League. But Forbs has beaten the ex-United man's personal best by nearly two years with his virtuoso display.

• Blow for Barca as credentials take another hit

  After reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League last season, alongside winning La Liga and the Copa del Rey, Barcelona had high hopes for this campaign. But at present, they are languishing behind bitter rivals Real Madrid in the league and have had one or two setbacks in this term's Champions League. After losing to holders Paris Saint-Germain last time out, a win at Brugge was top of their agenda. But this draw leaves them 11th in the table, just outside the automatic spots to reach the last 16 of the competition. At this rate, they will have to make do with the play-offs, unless they win a few more games.

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  What comes next for Barcelona?

  Hansi Flick's Barca will hope to return to winning ways in their next Champions League encounter when they take on Club World Cup champions Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on November 25. Before then, though, they travel to Celta Vigo on Sunday in La Liga, followed by a home match against Athletic Club on November 22.

With their woeful start in mind, Glasgow Rangers and the 49ers have reportedly turned their focus towards the transfer window and welcoming an impressive goalscorer for Russell Martin in 2026.

Martin praises "proper performance" from Rangers

It wasn’t pretty, and it wasn’t enough to get the fans back onside, but it was a start for Rangers, who secured their first win of the season in the Scottish Premiership in last-gasp fashion over Livingston. The Gers found themselves level as stoppage time arrived, only for summer signing Max Aarons to become the unexpected hero in the 94th minute and end what has been a disastrous run for Martin.

The travelling fans still took aim at Martin when the full-time whistle sounded and it’s clear that there’s still work to be done to get them back in his favour, but that didn’t stop the manager from praising his side.

The Rangers boss told reporters: “You saw some proper performances from people today. Tav was incredible. He played three different positions in the game. Drove the team forward, scored, and his reaction to the penalty miss was brilliant.”

“I’m really proud of the players. We deserved to win. The first half was the best we played all season, I think. The first half we deserved to win, played brilliantly. Some amazing football. We should have scored more goals for sure.”

Up next is another important game and an opportunity to make it back-to-back wins in a tough trip to SK Sturm Graz. After losing to Genk in their opening Europa League game last time out, Martin’s side must take something from the Austrian side.

In the meantime, as victories finally begin to arrive, the 49ers are reportedly aiming to back their manager with further arrivals in 2026.

Rangers join race to sign Lidberg

As reported by Sports Boom, the 49ers and Rangers have now joined the race to sign Isac Lidberg from Darmstadt 98. The Swede has enjoyed an excellent start to the 2 Bundesliga campaign, scoring seven goals in eight games to sit top of the goalscoring charts.

Now, when 2026 arrives, he could have a decision to make amid interest from Rangers, Burnley, Preston North End and Blackburn Rovers. In a hectic race, it’s fair to say that he won’t be short on options when the time comes.

Rangers star was "like the best of Zidane", now he's worse than Barron

This Rangers star who was once compared to Zinedine Zidane is now even worse than Connor Barron.

1

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Lidberg’s form is no purple patch, either. The 27-year-old scored 15 goals in all competitions last season and has since taken things up a level to attract impressive interest. As a result, there will be big questions about his future in January and there’s no denying that Rangers could do with his quality.

The Gers have looked blunt going forward ever since the departure of Hamza Igamane, who they have so far failed to replace. By adding Lidberg, they’d be adding a solution to Martin’s attacking problems. To do so, however, they may have to fend off Premier League interest from Burnley.

Como Women's star Alisha Lehmann has revealed how beating former club Juventus with her new side earlier this season has given her a big boost. Lehmann moved to Como in the summer transfer window and enjoyed a swift reunion against her former team-mates earlier this month, emerging victorious in a surprise 1-0 Serie A Femminile win at the Stadio Comunale Vittorio Pozzo Lamarmora.

• Como pull off shock win over Juventus

  Lehmann waved goodbye to Juventus in August after winning the Serie A title and joined Como Women on a three-year contract. The Swiss star said at the time that joining an independent club was an "important factor" in her decision to make the move and that she shared the club's long-term vision. Lehmann then came up against former club Juventus with Como in just their second league match of the season and helped secure a surprise 1-0 win. Lehmann admitted at the time it had been an "emotional" experience playing against her former team and has now revealed how she benefitted from the game.

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  Lehmann thrilled by victory against former club

  Lehmann told 20 minutes: "Como will continue to grow in the coming years. The victory against my former club, Juve, was incredible and did me a lot of good. I will never say anything bad. I had a good year. I am now a regular starter, and playing is the main reason why we play football. Como also has a really interesting project in women's football."

  The 26-year-old also feels she is now in the "perfect place" and is looking forward to an exciting future with the club. She added: "I feel good in Como. It’s the perfect place for me and, certainly, the most beautiful place I’ve ever lived. I live right on the lake, and it’s absolutely magnificent. I’ve even run into a few celebrities because we go to the same restaurants. But it’s nice here because everyone respects each other so much."

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  Why Lehmann left Juventus for Como

  Lehmann may have tasted success with Juventus last season but she was far from a regular in the XI and her move to Como offers her the chance to establish herself as first choice once again. The Swiss star also told she was keen to stay in Italy as she sees plenty of potential for the women's game to grow. 

  “I came here to play football and hope to earn my place by working hard,” she explained. “I came here to compete and to grow as an athlete. The rest will come if I stay true to that. For me, it’s simple: I want to play as much as possible, help the team, and enjoy football. What I love is that they [Como] take the game seriously, but also create space for players to be themselves.

  “There’s so much potential here. Italy’s performance showed the quality and spirit in the game here, and now people are paying attention. I think the league is ready to take a big step forward. With more visibility, investment, and commitment to the players, Serie A Women can become a real force in Europe. Being part of that journey is something I’m really excited about.”

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• Lehmann 'not happy' on bench for Switzerland

  Lehmann also spoke about her experiences at Euro 2025 as Switzerland hosted the tournament and made it to the quarter-finals before being knocked out against Spain. The Como star says she enjoyed the tournament but is eager for more game time with the national team. She told 20 minutes: “We had a great time during the European Championship. It was a truly incredible experience. When you're a footballer, you always want to play. So I'd be lying if I said I was happy on the bench. Of course, I wasn't. But football is also about supporting your team. And during the tournament, we created a great bond. It was perfect.”

Now that we have some distance from the disappointing loss to Liverpool, there is plenty to be optimistic about for Arsenal this season.

For example, Mikel Arteta was backed in a big way in the summer, with players like Viktor Gyokeres, Martin Zubimendi and Noni Madueke.

Moreover, in addition to these new players, Hale End looks to have produced another superstar in the making for the club in the unreal Max Dowman.

The teenager already looks more than comfortable in the senior game and like he has a bright future ahead of him, although there was another academy superstar who was once predicted to do big things and is now worth less than £1m.

Max Dowman's rapid rise

It would be fair to say that, aside from the Champions League run, last season was one of the least enjoyable campaigns Arsenal fans have had for some time, as it felt like everything was going wrong.

Where Are They Now

Your star player or biggest flop has left the club but what are they doing in the present day? This article is part of Football FanCast’s Where Are They Now series.

However, the emergence of Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly was a real bright spot, and yet, even as they broke into the first team, there was talk of an even more exciting prospect in the academy – a 14-year-old who was playing well beyond his years.

This was, of course, Dowman, and when you take a look at his statistics from last season, it becomes easier to understand why those in the know, like Jacek Kulig, were going as far as proclaiming him to be the “most exciting prospect” he had seen “since Lamine Yamal.”

For example, in just 23 appearances, totalling 1945 minutes, he put the ball in the back of the net 19 goals and provided five assists for good measure, which comes out to an average of 1.04 goal involvements per match, or one every 81.04 minutes.

Numbers like these forced Arteta and Co to bring the youngster on the pre-season tour this year, and for the first time, fans were able to see why so many are so excited about him, as he came off the bench against Newcastle United and won a penalty in short time.

However, the most significant indication of just how highly the club rate the teenager is the fact he’s now a regular part of the first-team squad, and that not only did he make his Premier League debut against Leeds United, but that the manager felt comfortable subbing him on at Anfield when the team needed a goal.

In all, while it is still so early, the hype around Dowman is starting to feel justified, which unfortunately was never the case with a former Hale Ender who is now plying his trade in Europe.

Arsenal's original Dowman

Every year, there is a new set of exciting academy talents that fans get excited about, but sometimes, there is more than that; there is an expectation, and while Dowman looks like he might fulfil the expectations fans have of him, Charlie Patino was unable to live up to the expectations people had of him.

While it seems a long time ago now, the youngster was expected by many to be the next big thing to emerge from Hale End.

For example, back in October 2021, former Gunners’ wonderkid Jack Wilshere told the press that the youngster was “going to make a name for himself in the future” and that he was “one who everyone at the training ground is talking about.”

As if that wasn’t enough, Arsenal scout Brian Stappleton claimed that Sean O’Connor, the scout who discovered Wilshere, told him Patino was “the best player who has ever walked through the doors at Hale End.”

The hype was only further fueled when the “golden” youngster, as dubbed by talent scout Jacek Kulig, came off the bench to make his competitive debut for the club in a League Cup match against Sunderland in 2021 and scored.

With regular first-team football the next step, Arsenal sent their exciting wonderkid on a number of loan spells, first to Blackpool and then Swansea City.

However, while he did okay during this time, a total tally of seven goals and eight assists in 72 games didn’t suggest he was quite ready to play under Arteta, and so when the player’s camp made it clear he wanted to leave, the Gunners were forced into accepting a low £1m off from Deportivo La Coruna due to the lack of interest from other sides.

Unfortunately, things have not worked out for the 21-year-old, as he’s made just 12 appearances over the last year, in which he’s failed to score or assist a single goal.

Unsurprisingly, this has seen his valuation tank, and according to Transfermarkt, the former next big thing is now worth €600k, which is just £518k.

Ultimately, while there is still plenty of time for Patino to forge a great career for himself, it’s probably safe to say the hype and pressure placed on his shoulders were not justified.

Madueke upgrade: Arsenal gem who left for £0 is now "one of the best in the world"

The superstar would be an excellent rival for Saka at Arsenal.

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