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Tottenham manager Antonio Conte has made Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen his priority transfer target, according to a report by Jeunes Footeux.

The Lowdown: Lloris’ role at Spurs

Having arrived at Hotspur Way in 2012 after four years with Lyon, the France international has gone on to become a modern day legend in N17.

The Spurs captain has made a staggering 426 appearances for the north London outfit, keeping 145 clean sheets during his time with the club.

However, now 35 years of age, the shot-stopper has entered the final 21 months of his Tottenham contract, so he definitely appears to be in the final throes of his time with the Lilywhites.

The Latest: Conte wants Ter Stegen

According to Jeunes Footeux, Conte has identified Ter Stegen as a priority signing for Spurs next summer.

With Lloris’ career nearing its end, the Tottenham manager is looking for a long-term replacement for the club captain.

At 30 years of age, the Barcelona number one’s contract still runs until the summer of 2025, but the Catalan giants could be tempted into selling the German to help improve their financial situation.

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The Verdict: Fantastic prospective signing

In 2018, Real Madrid midfielder Toni Kroos heaped praise on his international team-mate.

Speaking to AS, he claimed: “Marc is one of the best in the world and without doubt he is the perfect keeper… for Barcelona.”

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Having ranked in the top 10% for goals against and the top 15% for clean sheets percentage when compared with goalkeepers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past year (via FBRef), the Germany international would certainly seem a brilliant addition to the Lilywhites’ squad.

Therefore, five years younger than Lloris, Ter Stegen would appear to be a suitable long-term successor for the Tottenham captain, and Barcelona’s perilous financial situation could play nicely into Spurs’ hands in this instance.

Leeds United made plenty of new additions over the summer, with Jesse Marsch working to add eight new permanent faces to his squad.

One man who he brought in early on was Rasmus Kristensen, who was seen as the long-term successor to 31-year-old Luke Ayling.

The Denmark international has featured six times this season and has been part of a Whites defence which has shipped ten goals in seven league games.

While his average SofaScore rating of 6.83 is the seventh-highest in the Leeds squad, there have been claims that he has struggled to adapt to the Premier League, which perhaps unsurprising in his first season at Elland Road.

However, he has perhaps disappointed offensively, and it may be that a youngster like Cody Drameh could stake his claim as a potential upgrade in the coming years.

With the 25-year-old yet to contribute to a goal at senior level, having not created a big chance for a team-mate, it makes the two assists in as many Premier League 2 games by his younger colleague look even more impressive.

The 20-year-old also scored in the EFL Trophy, outlining how he appears to have the offensive know-how to make the grade at Leeds. He was also handed a Premier League appearance, although this was part of the side which was thrashed 5-2 by Brentford.

As a youngster, Drameh is still always learning, and Marsch could duly mould him into exactly the kind of right-back that he wants the youngster to be.

Kristensen seems to be slightly more old-school, but the modern full-back must be able to bomb forward. At times, their creativity is looked upon with more importance than their defending, as outlined by Trent Alexander-Arnold.

Some have questioned the Englishman’s defensive credentials, but last season he provided a whopping 19 assists for Liverpool.

With Drameh having earned vital senior experience on loan at Cardiff City, where he earned praise for his relentlessness from his then-manager Steve Morison, he now can be ready for the step up to Premier League level.

Morison said about the Leeds full-back: “He has been excellent… he is like a Duracell Bunny, isn’t he? He just keeps going and going.”

With his non-stop running and his offensive attributes, Drameh seems like the perfect Marsch defender, and he will surely threaten to displace Kristensen if he can continue such remarkable development.

Crystal Palace are reportedly considering a move for Bristol City striker Tommy Conway in the January transfer window and it could see Steve Parish repeat some previous transfer masterclasses.

According to Football League World, the Eagles are keen on signing both Conway and Antoine Semenyo from the Robins in January, with the report claiming that Conway could be sent back on loan to the Ashton Gate outfit in order to continue his development.

The 20-year-old has burst onto the scene this season with the Championship outfit, contributing seven goals and three assists in 16 appearances for Bristol City, having only managed one goal and one assist in 11 previous appearances.

Conway mainly features as a centre-forward and would likely challenge Odsonne Edouard and Jean Philippe-Mateta for a starting spot in Patrick Vieira’s side in the future, with his goalscoring record so far this season suggesting that he could be a more clinical option than the two Frenchman currently in Palace’s attack.

Bristol City manager Nigel Pearson was full of praise for Conway after he scored a brace in their 4-1 win over Coventry City earlier in the season, saying:

“He will probably be disappointed he didn’t get a hat-trick. But that’s what you want, you want ambitious players.

“He is a youngster, very hungry for success and he works exceptionally hard at his game and on a physical and psychological level he has made great strides over the last 12 months.”

Palace chairman Parish has seen his side have a lot of success in bringing in players after impressing in the Championship in recent seasons, with Eberechi Eze and Michael Olise both starring in Vieira’s side after arriving from QPR and Reading respectively.

The Eagles also took a gamble on Marc Guehi after he flourished in the second tier on loan with Swansea City and he has established himself as a full England international since his switch to Selhurst Park, so there is clearly a lot of talent to be found in the Championship.

If Conway can continue his impressive start to the season and earn a move to Palace in January, there seems little reason why he can’t go on to be similarly successful for the Eagles in the Premier League, so it could prove to be another masterclass by looking to England’s lower divisions for new signings.

Wolverhampton Wanderers take on Leicester City at Molineux today in what promises to be a six-pointer, with both sides currently occupying a spot in the Premier League relegation places.

Steve Davis was confirmed as Wolves’ interim boss until 2023 recently after the club failed with a number of manager approaches, with both Michael Beale and Julen Lopetegui turning down the vacant post at Molineux.

The former Crewe Alexandra boss has taken charge of three matches thus far, overseeing defeats against Crystal Palace and Chelsea on the road but earning an important 1-0 win against fellow strugglers Nottingham Forest at home.

The 57-year-old will be looking for another three points at Molineux on Sunday but will be wary that the Foxes have looked much improved in recent weeks, with two wins and a draw from their last four games.

Brendan Rodgers’ side, who have conceded the most goals in the top flight (24), have also looked much more defensively secure in recent weeks, earning back-to-back clean sheets against Crystal Palace and Leeds United in their last two openings.

The last thing Davis would have wanted, therefore, is for Leicester’s squad to become even stronger ahead of their trip to the Midlands on Sunday but unfortunately for the Old Gold, that is very much the case.

Rodgers confirmed earlier in the week that both Marc Albrighton and James Maddison would return for the trip to Molineux, with the former having been ill and the latter suspended for the game against Leeds last time out.

There is also a possibility that Jonny Evans could also return in central defence, which again would strengthen an ever-improving Foxes defence and will only make things difficult for Wolves given their attacking woes this season, with just five goals to their name in the top-flight.

Given that Maddison has comfortably been Leicester’s best performer in the Premier League this season, according to WhoScored, with five goals and two assists to his name, it is undoubtedly a blow that he will return for the game against Wolves.

Davis will no doubt be sweating ahead of such an important fixture against the Foxes, and this boost for Rodgers could prove vital in deciding the winner on Sunday.

Aston Villa are reportedly considering a move for Queens Park Rangers winger Ilias Chair in the January transfer window and he could be a big upgrade on Philippe Coutinho in Unai Emery’s side.

According to Football Insider, Villa scouts have been sent to Loftus Road on a number of occasions this season to keep an eye on the exciting 24-year-old, who is catching the eye in Michael Beale’s Championship side.

The Morocco international has been in outstanding form so far this season, contributing three goals and six assists over 16 appearances in the second tier, with WhoScored awarding him an impressive 7.24 rating for his performances.

This ranks him as the second-best performer in QPR’s side, which emphasises how important he has been to their superb start to the season, which currently sees them occupy an automatic promotion spot in the Championship.

Since signing for the club in 2018, the attacking midfielder has gone on to make 167 appearances for the Hoops, scoring 26 goals and assisting 28 over the past four years.

Glenn Murray was full of praise for the former Stevenage man on Sky Sports (via TEAMtalk) last year, saying:

“There’s no question about his talent. He’s such an exciting prospect. I noticed him a couple of years ago and he’s the real deal.”

While it remains to be seen whether or not Emery will be keen on a move for the Moroccan, there is little doubt that, on current form at least, Chair would be a superior option to Coutinho in the Spaniard’s squad.

The Brazilian has struggled immensely since making his move to Villa Park permanent last season, with no goals and no assists in any of his 11 Premier League appearances so far this season, with WhoScored awarding him a shocking 6.41 average rating.

Coutinho has averaged fewer shots (1.5 vs 2.7), key passes (0.5 vs 2.4) and dribbles (one vs 1.5) per game than Chair this season, so if Emery wants to improve his new side’s fortunes, then swapping in the 24-year-old for the former Liverpool man should be one of his first big decisions.

Everton make the trip to west London this evening to take on Fulham in their Premier League clash at Craven Cottage, and Frank Lampard will be hoping that the 3-0 victory over Crystal Palace last weekend will give his team a confidence boost ahead of this clash.

The Toffees are currently 12th in the league table after returning to winning ways last Saturday. They could even break into the top half of the table if they can secure victory over the Cottagers, which would surely delight the manager, team and supporters as they set out for a much more positive campaign than their relegation-threatened 2021/22.

In terms of injuries, Ben Godfrey, Yerry Mina and Andros Townsend remain unavailable for selection today, but Lampard has revealed a huge injury boost which could make a positive difference in his team.

Nathan Patterson is now available for selection, with the Everton boss taking to his pre-match press conference to confirm the return of the talented right-back ahead of the clash today.

Lampard told the media: “Patterson is back in the squad for this weekend. It’s a really good [selection] headache. It’s exactly what I wanted.”

With that being said, this is how Football Fancast expects Everton to line up against Fulham this evening…

Pickford (GK), Patterson (RB), James Tarkowski (CB), Conor Coady (CB), Vitaliy Mykolenko (LB), Amadou Onana (CM), James Garner (CM), Alex Iwobi (CAM), Gray (LW), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (CF), Anthony Gordon (RW)

We expect to see just two changes to the side which beat Crystal Palace last weekend, with Lampard sticking to the successful 4-2-3-1 formation deployed against the Eagles.

The first change we predict is Patterson’s instant return to the Toffees’ back four alongside an otherwise unchanged defence which includes Conor Coady, James Tarkowski and Vitaliy Mykolenko.

Patterson is currently the fourth highest-rated player in the Everton squad according to SofaScore, despite missing out on the last five games through an ankle injury he sustained during international duty last month.

The 21-year-old sensation, who was hailed as a “diamond” by Danny Murphy, will replace club captain Seamus Coleman, as Lampard will surely want to get the Scottish full-back – who has been a standout performer – back into the side as soon as possible.

The second change we expect to see is in midfield, with James Garner being given the opportunity to make his presence known in the middle of the park alongside Amadou Onana in the deep-lying role, as we discussed in a recent piece on Football FanCast.

The former Manchester United midfielder will replace Idrissa Gueye, as it could be advantageous for Lampard to give the 33-year-old a rest after performing in a number of closely-scheduled matches ahead of the World Cup next month.

As a result, the Everton boss will be hoping that the slight tweaks of refreshment in key roles whilst maintaining the formation which inspired a three-goal victory a week ago can be the winning formula that the Toffees need in order to pick up another three points on the road today.

كشف نصر الدين النابي المدير الفني لــ كايزر تشيفز حقيقة التفاوض مع بيرسي تاو لاعب فريق الكرة بـ الأهلي وضمه خلال فترة الانتقالات الصيفية الجارية، موضحًا وجود مفاوضات مع فاستون ماييلي مهاجم بيراميدز.

وانتشرت أنباء في الساعات الماضية عن وجود مفاوضات بين كايزر تشيفز وبيرسي تاو لضمه قبل الموسم الجديد.

وقال نصر الدين في تصريحات تلفزيونية عبر قناة اون تايم سبورتس: “ليست هناك أي مفاوضات مع بيرسي تاو لأن عقده مازال مستمرًا مع الأهلي، والأندية الكبرى تحترم التعاقدات ونحترم الأهلي لأنه ناد كبير ويجب احترامه”.

اقرأ أيضًا | مدرب جورماهيا الكيني لـ بطولات: الأهلي ريال مدريد إفريقيا.. وأفضل اللعب بعيدًا عن القاهرة

وتابع: “لا توجد أي خطوط اتصال مع اللاعب، ونحن لسنا مهتمين بالتعاقد معه ولو حدث ذلك سيكون عن طريق القنوات الشرعية”.

وبسؤاله هل هناك اهتمام بضم فاستون ماييلي؟، أردف: “كنا نتمنى التعاقد مع اللاعب لكن بيراميدز يرفض التفريط به”.

واختتم: “لا أحد يُحب الكرة العربية أو المصرية يرضى عن وضع الإسماعيلي، لكن عندنا ثقة في عودته يومًا ما لمكانته، نتمنى أن يُحقق الفوز غدًا في كأس مصر”.

يذكر، أن نصر الدين النابي سبق وأن تولى مهمة تدريب الإسماعيلي خلال عام 2016 ولكنه رحل بسبب سوء النتائج.

With the World Cup fast approaching and given the unknown territory it encompasses given its timing, the likelihood is that many squads will be selected based on early-season form for their respective clubs.

Therefore, for a team like Aston Villa, who have struggled thus far in the Premier League, many of their underperforming players will have had their hopes somewhat dashed.

This is particularly the case for Tyrone Mings, who seemed set to become a bit-part player under Steven Gerrard following the arrival of Diego Carlos.

However, his injury thrust the 29-year-old back into the limelight, where he proceeded to let his manager down nearly weekly.

The most damning notion of the 42-year-old’s lack of faith happened before the season even started when Mings was stripped of his captaincy in favour of John McGinn.

He has since gone on to record an average SofaScore rating of 6.81 for the season, which arguably flatters a man who has featured in all but three Premier League games for the sixth-worst defence.

Having featured earlier in the year for England, the 6 foot 4 giant was omitted from the most recent UEFA Nations League squad that fell to relegation.

This is likely due to this aforementioned poor start, which saw Danny Mills label the defender “terrible”, suggesting that Harry Maguire should be preferred despite the Manchester United defender having made just four league appearances this season.

The £80k-per-week ace has even been narrowly outperformed by his teammate and compatriot Ezri Konsa, who has recorded a 6.83 SofaScore rating whilst averaging 1.4 tackles and 2.8 clearances per game.

More importantly for his nation too, his 83% pass accuracy would make him a more attractive prospect than Mings, who has also made one error leading to a goal in just 11 appearances.

At a tournament like the World Cup, especially one as energy-sapping as Qatar is likely to be, Southgate cannot afford to take risky players with mistakes in them.

Having let Gerrard down – leading to his sacking – the former AFC Bournemouth man has likely played himself out of favour with his recent form and will be forced to watch on from home as England try once again to ‘bring it home’.

Wolves reporter for The Athletic Steve Madeley has ripped into Nelson Semedo after his red card at home to Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League.

The Lowdown: Semedo off

Semedo was sent off in the first half after bundling over Kaoru Mitoma when he could have eventually got a shot away.

The referee gave him a straight red card, and after a check by VAR, the decision stood, leaving the Molineux outfit to play the second half with ten men.

The Latest: Madeley rips into Semedo

Taking to Twitter, Madeley claimed that Semedo’s defending was ‘dreadful’ to put himself in the position to foul Mitoma:

“VAR checks but the red card stands. Foul on Mitoma. I think that’s harsh, but it was dreadful defending from Semedo to put himself in that position.”

Madeley did question whether Mitoma had a clear goalscoring opportunity after Semedo’s mistake, but admitted that the right-back was ‘really poor’ in his challenge:

“Semedo completely ‘done’ by Mitoma and then bundles his over. Was it a ‘clear goalscoring opportunity’? Hmm. But Semedo really poor.”

The Verdict: Let his team down

Semedo certainly let his team down by going in so clumsily on Mitoma, and the £77,000-per-week man was always susceptible to getting sent off in that kind of area of the football pitch.

The home side had worked hard to get themselves in front through a Ruben Neves penalty, after Goncalo Guedes had equalised following Adam Lallana’s opener.

But Mitoma got the visitors level, and Semedo clearly did not fancy himself up against the Japan international upon making his run, and in the end cost his side as Pascal Gross scored a late winner.

With Diego Costa getting himself sent off last weekend, new manager Julen Lopetegui must not like what he is seeing from the Wanderers in terms of their discipline.

Tottenham Hotspur are interested in a deal to bring Edin Dzeko to the Premier League next summer.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by Italian media outlet CalcioMercatoWeb, who claim that Antonio Conte has identified the Inter Milan centre-forward as the ‘perfect replacement for Harry Kane’ next summer, with the England international being heavily linked with a move to Bayern Munich at the end of the current campaign.

However, the report goes on to state that the 36-year-old hitman would prefer to remain at the San Siro, although the Serie A side are yet to offer the Bosnia-Herzegovina international a new contract – with his current deal set to expire in the summer of 2023 – something that could open the door for Conte to move for the forward.

Underrated

While it is undeniable that Dzeko is already well into the twilight of his career at the very top level of professional football, considering just how impressive the 36-year-old has been in Italy so far this season, it is clear that the six-foot-four target man is still very much capable of doing a stellar job up top.

Indeed, over his 15 Serie A appearances – only 10 of which have come as starts – in the current campaign, the £6.1m-rated talent has been in devastating attacking form, scoring six goals, providing two assists and creating three big chances for his teammates, in addition to taking an average of 2.4 shots, making 0.8 key passes and winning 2.9 duels per game.

These returns have seen the £155k-per-week striker average an extremely impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.09, currently ranking him as Simone Inzaghi’s fifth-best performer in the top flight of Italian football – with Emmet Gates dubbing the 126-cap star as “Inter’s MVP this season”.

The veteran attacker has also caught the eye over his six Champions League fixtures in 2022/23, scoring three goals, registering one assist and creating two big chances, as well as taking an average of 2.3 shots, making 0.8 key passes and winning 4.2 duels per game.

These returns have seen the player who Sacha Pisani labelled “one of the most underrated strikers” average a simply sensational SofaScore match rating of 7.23, ranking him as Inter’s fifth-best performer in Europe’s most prestigious club competition.

Furthermore, with Dzeko having already proven himself in England during a five-year spell with Manchester City – bagging 72 goals and providing 38 assists over 189 appearances for the club, averaging a direct goal involvement every 100 minutes of football played for the Citizens – Conte knows the 36-year-old will have no trouble adapting to the Premier League.

As such, while Dzeko may not be a long-term solution as Tottenham’s potential Kane replacement up top, the Bosnian sensation would undoubtedly help to plug the 29-year-old’s goals in the short-term, leading us to believe that the signing of the Inter attacker on a free would be a very smart move for Conte to make next summer.