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Pundit Alan Hutton has dropped a bold take involving Tottenham Hotspur and their links to Brendan Rodgers, claiming the 48 year-old will still be their number one target ‘behind the scenes’.

The Lowdown: Tottenham have targeted Rodgers

As per Football Insider, Spurs were prepared to ‘offer Rodgers the earth’ in order to bring him over to North London from Leicester City.

However, speaking to talkSPORT, the former Celtic, Liverpool and Swansea City boss claimed that he was ‘200 per cent’ staying at the King Power Stadium despite missing out on UEFA Champions League football on the final day of the 2020/21 term.

The Latest: Hutton on Rodgers to Tottenham

Speaking to Football Insider, despite Rodgers’ claim to talkSPORT, former Lilywhites player Hutton thinks that they would still ‘love’ to lure the Northern Irishman away from the Foxes, and was full of praise for what he has done with the East Midlands club:

“I think that’s who, behind the scenes, they’ll be trying their hardest. 

“Leicester have got a fantastic squad, new training ground, he’s done really, really well there. But you can’t argue Tottenham are a big draw. They’re a huge football club with everything there that’s needed to challenge the top four on a regular basis.

“I don’t know, I’ve just got this feeling that is who they would love to have. I’m not saying they can do it, I just think they would love to have him there.

“Obviously, with Leicester just dropping out the top four, you wonder if that could sway it. Obviously, Spurs aren’t in the Champions League but Leicester aren’t either. You just wonder if that may sway him one way or another.” 

The Verdict: Tottenham must not give up on Rodgers

THFC must not give up hope of trying to lure Rodgers away from their Premier League rivals.

The 48-year-old has a great track record in the top flight, having guided LCFC to two recent consecutive fifth-placed finishes, just missing out on the top four on both final days, while also achieving a very respectable second place with Liverpool in the 2013/14 season (Transfermarkt).

With Tottenham currently on somewhat of a trophy drought, Rodgers has proved that he can win silverware as well, most recently masterminding a win against Chelsea in the FA Cup final while also winning a remarkable three league titles and four domestic cups with Celtic (Transfermarkt).

Nonetheless, while it would be very difficult, Spurs must try and do all that they can to make him their next permanent manager.

In other news, find out which ‘incredible’ defender THFC could return for here!

Rangers’ James Sands failed to impress journalist Jonathan Moar against Motherwell on Saturday. 

The lowdown

Sands, who can operate as a centre-back and a midfielder, is adjusting to life at Rangers after making an 18-month loan move from MLS outfit New York City FC in January.

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He’s made a total of 10 appearances so far, starting three times in the Scottish Premiership and twice in the SFA Cup.

Giovanni van Bronckhorst named the American amongst the substitutes for Saturday’s 3-1 win over Motherwell but handed him a chance to impress when he introduced in him place of Scott Arfield in the 68th minute.

The latest

In Moar’s player ratings piece, Sands earned a rating of just four out of 10 for his cameo.

That was the same rating as Leon Balogun, who received a straight red card after less than half than hour.

Meanwhile, Moar handed three players eight out of 10 – midfielder Steven Davis and attacking duo Fashion Sakala and Scott Wright.

The verdict

What do the stats say about Sands’ performance?

Well, the £3.6million-rated 21-year-old won three out of the five ground duels he contested, so that at least was a positive (via SofaScore).

But on the other hand, he misplaced three of the four passes he attempted, leaving with an accuracy of just 25%. And overall, he lost possession with more than 44% of his touches.

From that point of view, then, Moar was right to be underwhelmed.

And it’s hard to argue that Sands has significantly improved his starting chances, even with Van Bronckhorst seemingly inclined to make changes around the Europa League semi-finals.

In other news, Andrew Dickson ripped into this midfielder.

According to reliable club insider ExWHUemployee, via West Ham News, the Irons also have West Bromwich Albion keeper Sam Johnstone in their sights for the summer alongside Alphonse Areola.

The latter shot stopper is a target for David Moyes after Ex shared news the club are interested in signing him, but the in-the-know Hammers source has now claimed that Johnstone is also a target.

Both keepers have earned praise for their performances this season, especially Johnstone, with England boss Gareth Southgate recently handing him his first international call up.

His exploits at the Hawthorns, according to Ex, have prompted the Irons to take note as they scour the market for possible future successors to Lukasz Fabianski.

The Poland ace recently signed a contract extension until 2022, but Moyes and co arguably need to start theorising when they bring in a suitable new shot stopper, given Fabianski is 36 years old.

Flocking to this Ex update that West Ham are interested in both Areola and Johnstone, many Irons were ecstatic, with one even calling it the ‘best news’ he’s heard in a while.

Find all of their verdicts down below.

West Ham fans adore Ex update

“Best news I’ve heard in a while.”

Credit: @fabz_lewis

“Yes yes yes”

Credit: @whuryan_

“2 fantastic keepers would take either 1 of them”

Credit: @JamieWHU_

“Both would be very good signings IMO”

Credit: @JosephSammut_

“Johnstone for me although they are both quality”

Credit: @whufredd

“Things you like to see”

Credit: @JamieBraddley

“Get both”

Credit: @GeezerWESTHAM75

In other news: West Ham fans also went wild for this official club post, find out more here.

Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly still eyeing up a move to sign Franck Kessie in the January transfer window.

The Lowdown: Shining at AFCON

Kessie is currently shining at the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) with Ivory Coast, recently putting in a man-of-the-match performance against reigning champions Algeria with a goal that helped knock them out of the group stages.

He is ranking highly among his teammates in terms of average shots, key passes and dribbles per game so far in the tournament (WhoScored), and will now look to continue his impressive performances in the knockout stages.

The Latest: Tottenham lurking

As per The Daily Telegraph, Spurs are now getting ready to make their swoop for Kessie this month, despite his contract at AC Milan running out in the summer.

This is to fend off the inevitable competition for his signature once his deal expires and he becomes a free agent.

The Verdict: No-brainer

It is certainly a no-brainer for the North London club to sign Kessie up in January, as they could potentially get a bargain with only six months left on his contract.

Yes, that bargain becomes even more enticing if he is free at the end of the campaign, but there’s no telling which other teams will be interested, and who will be able to offer Champions League football.

Described as a ‘devastating’ player by AC Milan legend Antonio Cassano, the sky is the limit for the Ivorian, who is only 25 years of age.

Antonio Conte is even said to be a ‘huge fan’ of his, and he should know all about him having watched him in the Serie A while managing rivals Inter.

Nonetheless, as pundit Kevin Campbell has previously pointed out, it would no doubt be an ‘exciting’ move for the Lilywhites should they be able to pull it off.

In other news, find out whose THFC future is to be decided ‘this weekend’ here!

Tottenham Hotspur have now been backed to sign Danny Ings before the summer transfer window shuts by Paul Robinson.

The Lowdown: Ings wanted

As per Eurosport, Spurs are reportedly readying their first offer for the Southampton striker, who only has one year left on his current deal at St. Mary’s.

However, it is thought that a bid would be lower than the £20m price asked for by the Saints.

The Latest: Ings signing could happen at the deadline

Speaking to Football Insider, former Lilywhites goalkeeper turned pundit Robinson has backed his old team to complete the signing of Ings before the window closes, but admits that any deal could have to happen right at the end of the summer once Harry Kane’s future is decided:

“If Kane is to leave they will need two strikers in.

“Who comes in all depends on how the Kane deal is structured if he leaves. United or City may offer a player in exchange for Kane as well as the money.

“They might even sign three senior ones if Kane goes, depending on how Nuno sets them up next season. Ings could be one that we see done at the end of the window.

“A lot of Spurs’ activity in the market will be dependant on Kane’s future. The ideal situation would be Ings coming in and Kane staying.”

The Verdict: Sign

Regardless of whether Kane stays or goes, the North London club must look to complete the signing of Ings, especially if they can snap him up for as little as £20m.

The Englishman is a proven goal scorer in the Premier League, with no fewer than 55 strikes and a further 13 assists in 140 games in total over six seasons with Burnley, Liverpool and Southampton (Transfermarkt).

He could well make the difference in Nuno Espirito’s side climbing back up into the top four – after all, former top-flight striker Clinton Morrison described him as a ‘top-four quality’ player back in August of last year.

Nonetheless, it is a deal that THFC need to get done as soon as possible, as there is likely to be a lot of competition for his signature and proven top flight goalscorer aren’t readily available too often.

In other news, find out which former Arsenal star Tottenham are eyeing here!

A number of Liverpool fans have been calling for Harvey Elliott to stay put at Anfield this summer, rather than going out on loan again.

The Reds could have a busy transfer window in the summer, with incomings and outgoings both expected after what has been a tumultuous season.

Jurgen Klopp will be keen to bolster his squad, but equally, there are fringe players who could generate some much-needed transfer funds, such as Xherdan Shaqiri and Divock Origi.

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Someone who could potentially become a first-team regular is Elliott, with the 18-year-old coming off the back of an excellent season on loan at Blackburn Rovers.

The forward scored seven goals and registered 11 assists in the Championship in 2020/21, catching the eye with his vision, quick feet and end product.

According to the Liverpool Echo, the Reds are still yet to decide what to do with Elliott and Sepp van den Berg this summer, as Klopp weighs up his options.

There is an increasing feeling that the teenager could be a handy player to have around, however, given his recent performances.

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Liverpool fans call for Elliott to stay

These Liverpool supporters took to Twitter to provide their thoughts on the matter.

“Bring Harvey back, give him mins in the first team next year and leave Sepp there on loan”

Credit: @lfcguy76

“Please bring Harvey Elliott into the fold. He’s a young, confident forward. He could offer something different”

Credit: @ReviewFootball

“We could have done with Elliott as a sub for any of our front three this season”

Credit: @ceklfc

“Keep Harvey and loan Sepp”

Credit: @biGDhee08

“Bring in Harvey Elliot, have VVD teach VDB how to defend and see them perform in the CL final in 5-6 years”

Credit: @Kristiannc991

“Give them a chance”

Credit: @eddiespana

“Elliott needs to stay, and Sepp is better than Neco so keep him too idc”

Credit: @joexlfc

In other news, some Liverpool fans are unhappy with a link claiming the Reds want to sign a Premier League player this summer. Find out who it is here.

A major update has emerged about Manchester City target Sergio Ramos, regarding his contract demands this summer. 

What’s the talk?

According to Le10Sport and Turkish journalist Ekrem Konur, Manchester City are ready to make a contract offer for Sergio Ramos, who is set to leave Real Madrid on a free transfer at the end of the month.

It is claimed that Ramos wants a £13.7m-per-season (€18m) contract and a signing-on bonus worth £17m (€20m) to sign for a a new club this summer. This equates to roughly £260k-per-week and the total package could cost City £44.2m for two seasons of Ramos at The Etihad.

Former Real Madrid player and then boss Santiago Solari called Ramos a “warrior” and a leader in 2019. He also praised the Spanish defender for his class at both ends of the pitch, after Ramos scored a dinked penalty against Girona. Solari said:

“Sergio is a warrior, a leader. He showed that in defence, and in the opposition area heading his second goal just like a centre-forward.

“He took the penalty like that [a Panenka], he’s a specialist – so perfect. He doesn’t just take them like that, but in many different ways.”

Fans would be livid

Manchester City fans would be livid if Txiki Begiristain sanctions this deal for Ramos. Begiristain must avoid making a grave error with this move.

Firstly, the finances involved are incredible for a player who would only be at the club for two seasons. City would be paying £44.2m, there or thereabouts, for Ramos to come in and not be a guaranteed starter given the form of John Stones and Ruben Dias last season, not to mention the fact that Aymeric Laporte, the man who kept Ramon out of the Spain squad for Euro 2020, is still at the club.

That money could be better spent on other areas of the squad, with City already well-stocked in central defence. Along with Stones, Dias and Laporte, Guardiola has Nathan Ake who he could call upon if needed.

The Spaniard, who wants £260k-per-week, would not be a shoo-in to start. Stones averaged a higher WhoScored rating in the Premier League than Ramos in La Liga, whilst Dias was named Premier League Player of the Season for his performances at centre-back.

This suggests that Ramos would not have an immediate claim to start and – at 35 – he is not a player who City can take their time with over the course of a few years. Therefore, City should be moving on from Ramos and looking to spend their money on other targets as their fans would rightly be livid with this potential waste of money.

AND in other news, Txiki should seal Man City swoop for £31.5m-rated beast after “amazing” Euro display…

West Ham have been given a clear run to sign Andrea Belotti in 2022, according to emerging reports…

What’s the word?

The long-serving Torino talisman was a tentative target for Irons boss David Moyes throughout the summer, with even the reliable ExWHUemployee mooting the club with interest at one stage.

And now it appears the 28-year-old forward will be available for nothing from January as he will be able to sign a pre-contract agreement with any team outside of Italy, thus opening the door for the east Londoners to strike.

“Andrea Belotti has chances to leave Torino as [a] free agent next summer, as things stand now,” revealed transfer expert Fabrizio Romano earlier this week. “He’s out of contract in June 2022 and he has not accepted yet last Torino proposal to extend [his] current deal.”

Back in May, some reports in Italy suggested the Hammers were even the ‘front-runners’ to seal Belotti’s signature, so he’s certainly a player on their radar.

Bargain swoop

The Irons were merely one striker away from achieving a very successful summer transfer window. It is the one position they still lack considerable depth in and it absolutely has to be the top priority for new head of recruitment Rob Newman.

Moyes only has one senior centre-forward at the club in Michail Antonio, 31, who has suffered from his fair share of injury problems throughout his time at West Ham. Indeed, he hasn’t started more than 24 league games across the past four seasons, largely due to those aforementioned issues.

He missed the Hammers’ first defeat of the season through suspension and his presence was sorely missed in the final third.

Without him, it means the Scottish coach has to turn to someone like Jarrod Bowen to play out of position, which seems like a crazy scenario to be left in considering they are vying for a top-six finish and are competing in the Europa League this season.

Belotti on a free would not only solve this massive quandary but also save GSB and the club millions.

The Italy international, who won Euro 2020 this summer, has proven to be a prolific goalscorer in the Serie A over several years, hitting double figures in every campaign since 2015/16, including a career-best of 28 goals in 2016/17, as per Transfermarkt.

Former Premier League shot-stopper Joe Hart played with Belotti during a loan stint in Turin and waxed lyrical about the talismanic forward to Italian journalist Gianluca Di Marzio.

“Andrea is similar to all the great strikers, English and not. It’s hard to compare him to someone else because he’s special. He’s Belotti and that’s it. He has [an] instinct for goals, personality and he’s a team player: he’s always focused on his team and plays hard to help it.”

Considering he is valued at £31.5m by Transfermarkt, Newman could secure West Ham an absolute bargain and at the same time, fix one of Moyes’ ongoing nightmares in one fell swoop.

Belotti is there for the taking and the Irons would be foolish to not make their move again.

AND in other news, Moyes could have West Ham’s next Glen Johnson in “fearless” 19 y/o gem who’s a “unit”…

The Premier League are set to be put under more pressure as news emerged involving Newcastle United’s upcoming takeover arbitration case.

The Lowdown: Arbitration calls

Amanda Staveley, who is part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group looking to take over at St James’ Park, has recently spoken to Sky Sports referencing a letter that she wrote urging both the UK government and football regulators to ensure that the arbitration process is made public.

The Tyneside club have also released a statement calling for the same thing, as they are looking to seek some transparency for supporters ahead of the hearing.

The Latest: MP’s involved

As per The Chronicle, Newcastle Central MP Chi Onwurah has also called for the proceedings to be made public in letters sent to Premier League chief executive Richard Masters and Oliver Dowden, the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS).

Newcastle North MP Catherine McKinnell is also writing to Mr Dowden, while North West Durham MP Richard Holden intends to raise the issue as well.

The Verdict: Make arbitration public

If the Premier League truly have nothing to hide with regards to the forthcoming arbitration case, then they too should be calling for the process to be made public, alongside the St James’ Park club.

That so many local MP’s are now getting involved will only add to the pressure which has already been applied by both Staveley and Newcastle, and it could well make a big difference.

It seems all set up to be a fascinating next few weeks as the arbitration process gets underway.

In other news, find out who has slammed a takeover claim from Staveley

Tottenham Hotspur are on the verge of selling two players before Tuesday’s transfer deadline…

What’s the word?

According to renowned Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano, Spurs have received an offer for right-back Serge Aurier, whilst Moussa Sissoko is in talks to join one of their Premier League rivals.

“Atletico Madrid have opened talks for Zeki Çelik as new RB – he’s one of the options. Tottenham have received an approach from Lille for Serge Aurier in case Çelik will leave,” he tweeted.

“Tottenham are also progressing in talks for Moussa Sissoko to Watford. It’s close.”

Get them gone

It has been a real summer of change for the north Londoners – but one that has been completely necessary. A lot of the same players that let Mauricio Pochettino down are still contracted to the club, so it’s no wonder they have stagnated in recent seasons.

Erik Lamela has gone and now it appears both Sissoko and Aurier will follow him out the door.

The French veteran has seen his form drastically tail off in the past year or two – as per WhoScored, Sissoko averaged 1.4 dribbles per game during the 2019/20 campaign but that halved to 0.7 in 2020/21, whilst his key passes and tackles also dropped massively.

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He cost the club £30m and is on wages of £80k-per-week, so many should be glad to see the back of him.

Similarly, Aurier’s time at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has been marred by off-the-pitch controversies and calamitous displays on it.

Last year, the Ivory Coast international was fined for breaching the country’s lockdown regulations for the third time, whilst Sky Sports’ Jamie Carragher lambasted him as “one of the biggest liabilities in the Premier League” after their Carabao Cup final defeat to Man City.

Again, if Fabio Paratici can offload him, then it’s fantastic news that’ll win over the Spurs faithful even more.

Even in the replies to Romano’s update, you can see just how thrilled they are – for example, one fan exclaimed: “What a tweet, Fabrizio!” with another adding: “Thank you for this good news.”

On the above evidence, this latest development should leave many around N17 absolutely buzzing. Spurs are embarking on a new era under Nuno and co, it’s an exciting time to support the club right now.

AND in other news, Paratici could complete Spurs’ summer business with “unplayable” £27m-rated “machine”…