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West Ham United are in desperate need of reinforcements in midfield following the departure of Declan Rice and Manuel Lanzini; now a fresh update has emerged on the club's pursuit of a transfer target.

What's the latest on West Ham's interest in Youssouf Fofana?

According to the Daily Mail, West Ham are stepping up their efforts to sign Monaco midfielder Youssouf Fofana this summer.

As per the report, there are growing frustrations in east London as it is claimed that coach David Moyes and director of football Tim Steidten are not on the same page when it comes to identifying players who can improve the Hammers for next season.

Read the latest West Ham transfer news HERE…

However, the Irons are now set to step up their pursuit of the Ligue 1 midfielder over the coming days and will also make a move for his compatriot Adrien Truffert.

How good is Youssouf Fofana?

West Ham will kick off their 2023/24 Premier League campaign next Saturday with an away clash at AFC Bournemouth, so getting some business done will be imperative in the next few days.

The Hammers sold their most valuable asset in Rice last month for a whopping £105m to Arsenal, so the east Londoners are not short of financial power as they enter the final weeks of the summer transfer window.

Indeed, Moyes' side have been pushed away when approaching targets, with a £40m bid rejected for Conor Gallagher and their Carlos Borges deal hijacked by Ajax earlier this week.

As a result, the signing of Fofana could be a great piece of business for West Ham as they look to strengthen their presence in the centre of the pitch and could even be a better option than Gallagher.

The 24-year-old machine – who has a reported price tag of up to £31m – has been going from strength to strength in the French league and has been one of the stand-out performers in his position over the last 12 months.

As per FBref, Fofana ranks in the top 16% of midfielders in the top five European leagues for progressive passes, progressive carries, successful take-ons and interceptions per 90 minutes, proving that he is a confident ball-winner with strong abilities to progress forward.

When comparing the Monaco midfielder's output to Gallagher's last season, Fofana comfortably outperformed his positional peer in several key attributes including pass completion (81.6% v 81.1%), goal-creating actions per 90 (0.32 v 0.17), successful take-ons (50.5% v 42.6%), percentage of dribblers tackled (51.4% v 27%) and aerial duels won (54.8% v 40.4%).

Not only that, the Frenchman – once hailed "magnificent" by talent scout Jacek Kulig – is versatile in his positioning with the ability to play both central and defensive midfield, something that would be a precious asset to Moyes due to his desperation for quality and depth, particularly in the engine room.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for West Ham to secure the services of Fofana this summer, as he could not only provide the Scotsman with the much-needed quality and consistency in midfield next season but would also soften the blow of missing out on Gallagher too.

Arsenal are “ready to let” forward Folarin Balogun leave the club this summer and they believe it will help them sign top targets, according to journalist Pete O’Rourke.

Who will leave Arsenal this summer?

Supporters can expect serious transfer activity at the Emirates Stadium this summer as Gunners transfer chief Edu works on signing numerous players.

West Ham United star Declan Rice has been subject to bids from Arsenal as they battle treble-winners Man City for his signature, and the saga could well be one of their talking points of this transfer window.

Meanwhile, it is also believed that they’re actively pursuing a deal for Ajax defender Jurrien Timber, with positive talks ongoing behind-the-scenes as the player himself eyes a move to north London (Sky).

Southampton’s Romeo Lavia is being targeted as well, with Germany international Kai Havertz already joining Arsenal as their first signing of the summer.

Mikel Arteta’s side could spend around £200 million on fresh faces this summer, according to some media sources, so they’ll need to offload efficiently.

Of the players tipped to leave, there are a fair few, with Thomas Partey, Kieran Tierney, Emile Smith Rowe, Nuno Tavares, Sambi Lokonga and Granit Xhaka all linked with an exit (Goal).

Balogun, who dazzled on loan at Reims last season, could make way as well with a report by O’Rourke and Football Insider sharing news.

They claim that Arsenal are “ready to let” the forward leave this summer, hoping to collect around £35 million, and the club believe this transfer could help them sign top targets financially.

This comes after Balogun ruled out another loan move, with a well-placed source telling the site that he is ready to lay down roots at a permanent new club.

Who is Folarin Balogun?

The 21-year-old scored 21 goals and in 27 Ligue 1 appearances over 2022/2023 (WhoScored), all while notching a further two assists, potentially prompting Arsenal to demand that £35m fee.

French football expert Julien Laurens, writing on Twitter, heaped praise on Balogun for an outstanding performance against PSG at the Parc des Princes in January – calling him an “amazing talent”.

Based off these accolades, there should be no shortage of suitors.

Liverpool are in the process of rebuilding their midfield after a disappointing campaign last season and now a new update has emerged on a huge transfer target that could revolutionise the centre of the pitch at Anfield.

What's the latest on Liverpool's move for Federico Valverde?

According to reports coming out of Spain, Liverpool are preparing a €90m (£77m) bid to sign Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, an offer that Madrid will find very difficult to reject.

As per the report, Jurgen Klopp has been a huge admirer of the player for a while and there are now doubts surrounding Valverde's future at the Santiago Bernabéu due to the competition that exists in the centre of the pitch.

Will Liverpool sign Federico Valverde this summer?

There is no doubt that a refresh in midfield is needed following the departures of James Milner, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Naby Keita and the club has already secured a £35m deal for World Cup winner Alexis Mac Allister.

Many of the remaining midfield options available to Klopp are reaching the latter stages of their careers with Jordan Henderson and Thiago Alcantara well into their 30s at this point, whilst Fabinho will turn 30 before the turn of the year – so there is a real opportunity to build the next generation of success at Anfield.

As a result, the ambitious move for Valverde would be warmly welcomed as the 24-year-old would not only inject high energy, youth and a strong winning mentality into the heart of the team, but could finally replace Georginio Wijnaldum's deadly press and unrivalled work rate in midfield.

Before leaving the Merseyside giants in 2020 upon the expiration of his contract, Wijnaldum played a vital role in the success that Liverpool have experienced both in domestic competition and on the European stage, providing huge game-changing moments like his semi-final brace against Barcelona to lead the team to their first Champions League trophy since 2005.

Now Klopp could land his next game-changer with Valverde also a big game player who adopts the winning mentality and work ethic that is crucial to earn multiple accolades across several competitions.

The Uruguayan star – hailed "untouchable" by Los Blancos boss Carlo Ancelotti – is an extremely attacking-minded talent who ranks in the top 16% of his positional peers across the top five European leagues for non-penalty goals, shots in total, pass completion and progressive carries.

Wijnaldum, by comparison, ranks in the top 8% for non-penalty goals and the best 12% for shots to outline their similar attacking threat.

In comparison to Valverde's positional peers on Merseyside, neither Jordan Henderson nor Harvey Elliott were able to complete more progressive carries (70), goal contributions (11), shot-creating actions (81) or completed passes (1427) than Valverde in the Premier League last season, as per FBref.

With that being said, it would be a no-brainer for Liverpool to acquire the services of Valverde this summer as he could have a huge impact on improving performances next season and become the much-needed game-changer that the team has been crying out for in midfield since Wijnaldum departed.

Manchester United are reportedly ready to battle it out for the signing of a highly-coveted teenage starlet…

What are the latest Man United transfer rumours?

According to The Guardian's Ed Aarons, the Red Devils – as well as the likes of Manchester City and Arsenal – are believed to have made contact regarding a possible summer move for Red Bull Salzburg's Oscar Gloukh.

Writing on Twitter regarding that Premier League interest in the 19-year-old playmaker, Aarons stated: "Understand there is interest from around Europe in Israeli attacking midfielder Oscar Gloukh, who will face England in the semifinals of European Under 21s tomorrow. Arsenal, Man City, Man United and Spurs have all enquired about 19-year-old, who plays for Red Bull Salzburg."

In a further Tweet, the respected journalist also went on to add that the La Liga duo of Barcelona and Villarreal are also interested in the Israeli international, with the former Maccabi Tel Aviv ace having only made the move to Austria for a fee of around €7m (£6m) during the January transfer window.

Who is Oscar Gloukh?

Lauded as "another jewel in Salzburg's collection of talents" by talent scout Jacek Kulig, the 5 foot 7 ace is unsurprisingly catching the eye of clubs across the continent, having enjoyed a dazzling start to life at first team level.

Having previously netted nine goals and registered eight assists in only 33 games during his time in Tel Aviv, the six-cap menace has since contributed two goals and two assists in 17 outings for Salzburg, having made a strong adaptation to life in his new surroundings.

A player with a "huge future ahead" – according to Kulig – Gloukh may not be expected to make an immediate impact at Old Trafford if he is to join Erik ten Hag's side this summer due to his relative youth, although the diminutive whiz could help to offer further competition and cover to United in an advanced midfield role.

It would no doubt be an exciting prospect to have the teen talent rivalling recent addition, Mason Mount for a role in the starting lineup in the years to come, with such a battle potentially set to help get the best out of both players.

There may also be a world in which Ten Hag would be able to squeeze both men into his side due to Mount's ability to feature on the flanks, with the pair potentially able to ease the reliance on Bruno Fernandes as the chief creative force in the centre of the park – the Portuguese ace having created the most 'big chances' in the top flight last term (32).

While Mount only created three big chances in the league in 2022/23, the Englishman was typically the man to deliver the goods for his teammates during his time at Stamford Bridge, registering 37 assists in 195 games for the Blues in total.

Although not at the same scale, Gloukh's impressive start to life at senior level has also showcased his creative brilliance, with the £5m-rated asset having racked up five big chances from just eight Bundesliga starts last term.

To then potentially have Mount, Gloukh – and also Fernandes – working in tandem in the years to come could prove to be a real dream scenario for Ten Hag, with it easy to see why the Dutchman is keeping tabs on this emerging, teenage superstar.

Leeds United head across Yorkshire to face Rotherham United in the Championship on Friday night as they look to move closer to the automatic promotion places.

A win for Daniel Farke's team will put them five points behind Ipswich Town and Leicester City before they play their respective matches this weekend.

The Whites currently sit third in the league table and are on course to challenge for either an automatic promotion or play-off place as they go in search of an instant return to the Premier League.

Leeds were relegated from the top-flight at the end of last season and that led to a host of first-team players exiting Elland Road, either permanently or on loan, as the likes of Rodrigo, Tyler Adams, Jack Harrison, Marc Roca, Robin Koch, and Max Wober, among many others, moved on.

However, the club's impressive form at Championship level so far may not prevent them from losing more of their star performers when the January transfer window comes around.

Other teams are reportedly eyeing up some of Farke's top players ahead of the second half of the year and the Whites could lose some key talents at the start of 2024.

However, selling big assets could also provide funds for the German tactician to splash in the transfer market to bolster his side's promotion push.

With this in mind, here are three players who could end up departing from Yorkshire in January and, in turn, fund a spending spree for Leeds.

1 Pascal Struijk

The towering central defender – Pascal Struijk – has enjoyed a terrific start to the 2023/24 campaign and has been a key figure at the back for Farke at Championship level, which has earned him interest from elsewhere.

Struijk has started 15 of the club's 16 league matches this term and showcased his defensive skills – helping his team to keep six clean sheets.

The left-footed titan has made 6.9 ball recoveries per game and won 59% of his duels in total, which shows that the young gem is able to consistently win possession back for his side whilst also coming out on top in the majority of his physical battles.

He has also made zero errors that have directly led to a shot or goal for the opposition and is yet to concede a penalty. This highlights how reliable the 24-year-old colossus has been for the Whites in defence this season.

Belgian journalist Sacha Tavolieri recently claimed that Club Brugge are keen on a deal to sign the Leeds star in a potential €15m (£13m) deal in January.

However, there is no guarantee that the Whites would be willing to sell him midway through the season, or for that fee, so there is no immediate concern over his future.

If the club do decide that they want to raise money to bring in more additions for their squad, though, Struijk could be an option if Club Brugge actualise their interest with an offer.

2 Crysencio Summerville

Another player who has been linked with a potential move away from Elland Road at the turn of the year is the impressively talented forward Crysencio Summerville.

The Dutch magician has been in phenomenal form so far this season and clubs at a higher level have taken notice of his performances in the second tier.

Football Insider reported earlier this month that two unnamed Premier League sides are interested in the Leeds youngster, who was signed from Feyenoord in 2020 under Marcelo Bielsa.

The outlet also stated that the Whites value him at a minimum fee of £25m and believe that his price will rocket up if they win promotion to the top-flight, which is they are reluctant to cash in during the upcoming January window.

Summerville has been an outstanding contributor at the top end of the pitch for Leeds as he currently leads the club for goals (six) and assists (five) in the Championship, with Joel Piroe (six) and Georginio Rutter (five) joint-top with him for goals and assists respectively.

The 22-year-old whiz has also provided the most key passes (2.8) per game within the squad and is joint-top with Rutter for dribbles completed (2.4) per match.

He has been exciting to watch his his terrific forward play and losing him would be a significant blow, based on these statistics, which is why the club will be keen to keep him.

However, £25m is a hefty sum of money and they could have their resolve tested by Premier League sides in January, who could provide the Whites with an opportunity to reinvest that back into their squad ahead of the second half of the campaign.

3 Wilfried Gnonto

Finally, Wilfried Gnonto could be sold in January after a difficult start to the season as he been touted with an exit from the Yorkshire-based side at the turn of the year.

TEAMtalk reported at the end of October that Everton, Lazio, and Roma are all interested in a possible deal to the sign the Italy international, who is said to view a move as being possible in January.

The outlet claimed that the 20-year-old talent had agreed to sign for the Toffees during the summer transfer window but Leeds refused to sanction a transfer.

It is now stated that the Whites are looking for a fee within the region of £25m for the former Zurich star, which could take the total potential incoming sum of money to £63m if the club decided to cash in on Gnonto, Struijk, and Summerville for the reported fees.

Gnonto may be the most realistic sale at this moment in time as he has not had the impact on the pitch that the other two have been able to have so far this term.

The Italian dynamo has produced one goal and one assist in ten Championship appearances, including six starts. He has missed two 'big chances' and not created a single one for his teammates, to go along with his dismal 0.5 key passes per match for his fellow attackers across those ten games.

These statistics show that the Everton target has not been a consistent performer this term and raking in a £25m fee could be a fantastic piece of business by Leeds, who could then reinvest that money to improve their squad.

There has been a lot of talk about ins and outs regarding the goalkeeping department at Manchester United. One man who could still be moved on, according to Dean Jones when he spoke to GIVEMESPORT, is Dean Henderson.

Could a City Ground return be on the cards?

At one point in his career, there seemed to be the perfect route to the top for Dean Henderson. As David de Gea got older and his form declined, Henderson could have presented with the golden opportunity of starting in goal for Manchester United.

For one reason or another, it didn’t work out for the former Shrewsbury Town man and the Red Devils’ buying Andre Onana from Inter Milan tells you all you need to know really.

Henderson didn’t enjoy a perfect loan spell at Nottingham Forest last year either due to both injury and the opportunity arising for them to sign three-time Champions League winner Keylor Navas for the remainder of the season.

The Independent are reporting that he could return to the City Ground on a loan deal with an option to buy as he battles to establish himself as a starting shot-stopper in the best league in the world.

Matt Turner has just been bought by Forest from Arsenal for a fee in the region of £7 million as the USMNT number one himself goes in search of regular minutes.

Young academy graduate George Shelvey has been the starter in pre-season showing that the club were and still are keen on spending in that position. Turner and Henderson would provide strong competition for each other as the Reds attempt to remain in the English top-flight once again.

What is Dean Jones' update?

“Suzuki not heading to Old Trafford is an interesting one in terms of how United now look at their backup situation between the sticks.

“People might expect Henderson to take on that role at face value, but I have heard it won’t be that easy and that a transfer this month for him is still very plausible. Kovar won’t come into the frame to be that man, so I expect United to sign another goalkeeper in this window.

“Of course, they still have Heaton, and he has certainly not had a bad pre-season in terms of showing the club he is worth having around for this season.”

Who else could pursue Henderson?

When it comes to teams rivalling Nottingham Forest for Dean Henderson’s signature, the reports are very thin on the ground. It would seem that the majority of Premier League teams are content with their options in the goal as well as maybe not wanting to do business with Manchester United.

The latter point becomes apparent as reports emerge of the Red Devils being tentative to deal with Forest at the time of writing. This line in the Mirror is very damming: “Forest are keen to put the England international through a rigorous medical, which United fear could aggravate his injury, and as a result won't sanction it, reports The Sun.”

Henderson suffered a tear in this thigh back in January and so Steve Cooper’s side are clearly keen to ensure that it won’t be a recurring issue if they are to spend a sizable fee on the Manchester United goalkeeper.

Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola is closing in on another summer signing and he will be confident of landing his man before the window closes, according to latest reports.

What's the latest news involving Manchester City?

The Citizens have enjoyed a near impeccable start to the 2023/24 campaign and have only lost one of their only five fixtures in all competitions, which came in their FA Community Shield curtain raiser against Arsenal earlier this month, as per Sky Sports.

Other than that, Manchester City have defeated Burnley, Newcastle United and Sheffield United in the Premier League while also claiming the UEFA Super Cup against Sevilla to secure a first piece of silverware this term.

On the transfer front, Manchester City have secured three high-profile recruits in the form of Jeremy Doku, Josko Gvardiol and Mateo Kovacic, as per Transfermarkt, with more looking set to arrive before the transfer deadline on Friday.

According to Football Insider, Manchester City are keen on Crystal Palace playmaker Eberechi Eze; however, the Eagles are likely to demand a fee of around £70 million for the 25-year-old.

Crystal Palace are believed to hold confidence that they can keep Eze at Selhurst Park beyond the deadline and ward off any interest in his services.

As per The Sun, Manchester City youngster James McAtee is believed to want to return to Sheffield United on a loan basis and is hoping Citizens' boss Guardiola will grant his wish.

Manchester City blocked moves away for McAtee before they finalised a contract extension for Bernardo Silva; however, the Spaniard has since committed his future at the Etihad Stadium, leaving the former Sheffield United loanee free to make the switch to Bramall Lane despite his current employers having reservations over the move.

Who else could Manchester City sign?

Transfer guru Fabrizio Romano has delivered an update regarding Manchester City's pursuit of Wolverhampton Wanderers midfielder Matheus Nunes on X, stating:

"Understand Manchester City are increasingly confident to get Matheus Nunes deal done very soon after new bid revealed yesterday, in excess of €60m. Negotiations entering final stages after the agreement reached with Matheus on personal terms days ago."

Since joining the Old Gold last summer, Nunes has gone on to make 41 appearances across all competitions, registering one goal and a solitary assist in the process, as per Transfermarkt.

The Portugal international has showed his ability to drive forward from midfield in the early part of 2023/24, completing an average of 5.5 dribbles per match in the Premier League over Wolves' opening two fixtures in the English top-flight, as per WhoScored.

Compared to his positional peers across Europe's top five divisions, £85k-a-week earner Nunes has excelled in regard to successful take-ons, carrying out around 1.90 per 90 minutes in the last 365 days, putting himself in the 96th percentile for this metric, as shown on FBRef.

Manchester City need cover for Kevin De Bruyne as he continues to recuperate from a hamstring problem and Nunes could help to fill the void left by the Belgium international.

Micah Richards was left blown away by the performance of one Sunderland star in the Tyne-Wear derby victory against Newcastle United this afternoon.

Sunderland win first Premier League game vs Newcastle since 2016

The Black Cats managed to get one over on their biggest rivals in the first Premier League meeting with Newcastle since 2016, courtesy of a bizarre own goal from Nick Woltemade in the second half.

Regis Le Bris’ side have made a dream start to life back in the top flight, but today’s victory is undoubtedly the sweetest yet, moving four points clear of the Magpies after managing to hold out for a well-earned 1-0 win.

A lot of credit has to go to the defence, with the visitors being limited to an xG of just 0.26, never really managing to create any big opportunities throughout the match.

However, Richards was also quick to praise Granit Xhaka after the match, with the former Manchester City man saying: “This man, we talked about him before the game, was brilliant again, absolute warrior in that midfield. What a player he’s been, what a signing. I’m gonna say he’s been the signing of the season so far, that’s how big I’m going.”

“He’s been absolutely immaculate in everything he does, even the way he speaks is just brilliant. Wow.”

Xhaka deserves all the plaudits after another impressive display

The Basel-born midfielder has been absolutely indispensable for Le Bris this season, starting all 15 Premier League games, during which time he’s chipped in with five goal involvements.

Sunderland could now make £12m approach to sign "unreal" defender in January

The Black Cats are assessing their options ahead of the upcoming transfer window.

ByDominic Lund 7 days ago

However, the Swiss maestro is perhaps best known for his defensive qualities, which were on show again today, making a number of important contributions.

Granit Xhaka’s key stats vs Newcastle

Number completed

Ground duels (won)

3 (2)

Aerial duels (won)

3 (3)

Clearances

4

Tackles

2

The Black Cats managing to sign the former Bayer Leverkusen man is starting to look like a real coup, with Jamie Carragher describing him as “fantastic” and the “most influential” player for a Premier League team this season.

The sky is the limit for this Sunderland side, who are firmly in contention to qualify for Europe, but Xhaka is likely to be paramount to their success, and Le Bris will be hoping for a similar display when his side travel to Brighton for their penultimate game in 2025 next weekend.

Liverpool could accelerate their interest in Southampton midfielder Romeo Lavia if Fabinho leaves the club for Saudi Arabia in this window, according to journalist Ben Jacobs.

Is Romeo Lavia going to Liverpool?

Football Insider report that Liverpool are preparing a formal bid for Southampton midfielder Lavia and Jurgen Klopp is said to be 'extremely keen' to bring the Belgium international to Anfield.

The outlet adds that any offer may be contingent on finalising the sales of Fabinho and Jordan Henderson amid interest in their services from Saudi Arabia. Fabinho has a £40 million offer on the table from Al Ittihad; meanwhile, former Liverpool man Steven Gerrard is keen to take Henderson to the Gulf region and the 33-year-old is keen to reunite with his ex-teammate.

talkSPORT understand that the Reds have moved ahead of Chelsea in their pursuit of Lavia, who is valued at around £50 million by Southampton despite their drop into the Sky Bet Championship.

Chelsea recruitment co-director Joe Shields thinks highly of Lavia and has recommended him to Mauricio Pochettino as a player that has a lot of potential to develop into a Premier League star.

Renowned transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed on Twitter earlier this year that Manchester City have a buyback clause worth £40 million that will activate in 2024, stating: "Romeo Lavia will be one to watch in the summer. Man City £40m buy back clause, valid in 2024. Chelsea [wanted him last summer] and Arsenal [still keen on Caicedo too] among clubs interested – Southampton hope to keep him."

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Jacobs thinks that Liverpool could accelerate their efforts to land Lavia if Fabinho jets off to Saudi Arabia between now and the close of play.

Jacobs told FFC: "Liverpool have always been interested in Lavia; they've explored the deal seriously. We should mention Arsenal and Chelsea because they could still enter the race, but at the moment, it looks like Liverpool are slightly more active because Arsenal have been focused on getting Rice over the line. Chelsea have focused on Caicedo, so it's not to say that other suitors couldn't enter the race, but Liverpool have looked at the deal and could well move on the deal if Fabinho ends up going to Saudi Arabia."

Would Romeo Lavia be a good replacement for Fabinho or Jordan Henderson?

Liverpool look set to have a completely different midfield this campaign compared to years gone by and the notion of both Fabinho and Henderson being absent from the engine room would be a strange sight at Anfield.

Nevertheless, Lavia, who has been hailed as an "absolute monster", is a youngster with supreme potential and could form part of an exciting trio behind Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai. Last term, the Belgian enforcer made 34 appearances in all competitions with Southampton, registering one goal and a solitary assist, as per Transfermarkt.

The 19-year-old is no stranger to getting stuck in for his side and managed to amass 2.1 tackles and 1.1 interceptions per match in the Premier League, according to WhoScored.

FBRef show that Lavia is adept at driving his team forward from the middle of the park, evidenced by the fact he successfully carried out 41 shot-creating actions over the course of the season.

If a couple of experienced Liverpool midfielders do leave the club, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Klopp replenish that area of the field with some younger reinforcements such as Lavia.

Juventus transfer target Franck Kessie is currently "leaning towards" joining Tottenham Hotspur this summer, according to recent reports.

Who will Spurs sign this summer?

Spurs manager Ange Postecoglou has been backed with three major signings so far as we enter the latter phase of this transfer window, with August coming as their last chance to strengthen.

Goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario, midfielder James Maddison and winger Manor Solomon have arrived in the last month – coming after both Pedro Porro and Dejan Kulusevski made their Tottenham loan deals permanent.

The agenda for Postecoglou and chairman Daniel Levy is, now, to sign multiple senior centre-backs to reinforce a fragile defence which conceded 63 league goals last season.

Tottenham, as per rumours in the last fortnight, could also sign a star midfielder to replace Denmark international Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg – who has recently been in talks to join Atletico Madrid.

The La Liga side have reportedly seen a £16 million bid rejected for Hojbjerg, but that doesn't mean the deal is off, as The Times (SB Nation) report there is still confidence a deal will be reached eventually.

A new midfielder could therefore be a priority for Postecoglou, as they will be in need of a capable stand-in for Hojbjerg should he depart for Spain.

Kessie is one of the names linked with a move to north London, alongside the likes of Chelsea's Conor Gallagher, with La Gazzetta dello Sport sharing an update on the former.

Page nine of the newpaper (via Football Italia) say the Ivory Coast international is "currently leaning towards a move" to Tottenham.

This is bad news for fellow interested side Juve, who have been in close contact to try and seal a move for the Barca star. The Serie A giants want Kessie on loan with an option to buy, a deal which Xavi's side are open to themselves, and could well be encouraging financially from a Spurs perspective.

How good is Franck Kessie?

Over the 2020/2021 season, Kessie starred for ex-club AC Milan, scoring 13 goals and assisting four others in 36 Italian top flight starts for the Rossoneri (WhoScored).

These flashes of form potentially resulted in Barca snapping up the African last summer, but he's found consistent game time difficult to come by since, having started just seven league games last season (WhoScored).

That being said, he has displayed his quality on occasion, with Xavi praising his performance after a 1-0 victory against Villarreal in February.

"Kessie was great today," explained the Spain footballing legend.

"He recovered many balls, distributed well… Everything for the team. He is very solid.”

Former Spurs keeper Paul Robinson, commenting on Tottenham's previous links to Kessie, also said he would've fit the bill for ex-boss Antonio Conte as a "quick" and "amazing" player.

"Kessie would fit the bill," said Robinson to Football Insider.

"He is strong, quick and effective at both ends of the pitch. He ticks a lot of boxes.

“There is no doubting that he is an amazing player. The question is, would he come in and command a starting spot? Hojbjerg and Bentancur have done extremely well. [Yves] Bissouma has struggled to get a look in at times.

“Would Kessie upset that midfield? Maybe but I don’t think it’s a certainty. It’s really important that Spurs sign better than what they already have."