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Manchester United have been linked with a multitude of centre-backs so far this summer, as they look to improve on some woeful defensive displays from last season, and one man who could steady the ship for Erik ten Hag is Braga’s David Carmo.

What’s the word?

Journalist Dean Jones has suggested that the Brazilian could be an option for the Red Devils this summer, after recovering from a long-term injury to produce some excellent performances for the Primeira Liga club.

When speaking to Football FanCast, Jones said: “David Carmo has, in the past, had a lot of interest but obviously had an injury that set him back. But he could become United’s own Konate if they want to go down that path.

“It’s an interesting one, he’s certainly on a few people’s radars at the moment, more like a watch list than a genuine target at this point. If United do get in [Jurrien] Timber, I’m not sure they’ll sign two centre-backs, but if for some reason they can’t get Timber through the door, they’re going to have to look at new targets.”

The news comes after United were linked with a swoop for the defender earlier in the month.

United’s own Konate?

Konate was a huge success for Liverpool in his first season at Anfield, with his only defeat in a Reds shirt coming in the Champions League final against Real Madrid.

The French youngster averaged a superb 7.18 rating from WhoScored for his performances in the competition, while he also made 11 solid appearances in the Premier League for Jurgen Klopp’s side.

Carmo is a year younger than Konate and is even taller than the former RB Leipzig man, standing at an impressive 6 foot 5, so he could perform a similar role to the Frenchman in United’s team next season.

Last season saw the Braga man recover from a serious ankle injury to play a big part in their Europa League run, as he averaged a strong 7.06 rating from WhoScored for his performances on the continent.

WhoScored suggests that both Konate and Carmo’s main strengths are aerial duels and passing, so the similarities are clear to see. If the latter were to be as successful for United as the France international has been at Liverpool thus far, he would surely prove to be a quality prospective addition at Old Trafford.

Previous reports have suggested that the Red Devils have held talks with Braga over a move for the 22-year-old, and with Timber’s move in doubt, it would perhaps not be a surprise to see an official bid made for Carmo in the near future.

In other news… Man United now ready to pay £35m to sign Premier League flop, he’s even worse than Matic 

Gian Luca Rossi has dropped an update on the future of reported Tottenham Hotspur transfer target Gleison Bremer.

What’s the talk?

In a recent interview with Milan-based television network Telelombardia (via Sport Witness), the Italian journalist revealed that – following Alessandro Bastoni’s agent, Tulio Tinti, revealing the 23-year-old will remain at Inter Milan this summer – Antonio Conte will now turn his focus in the summer transfer market towards the Torino centre-back.

Previous reports had claimed that Simone Inzaghi’s side have already agreed a four-year deal with the 25-year-old ahead of a summer switch from Turin to Milan, however, with Fabio Paratici now set to launch a €50m (£43m) bid for the Brazilian, Inter’s move for Bremer now appears to be in doubt.

Regarding Tottenham’s interest in the defender, Rossi said: “It is no mystery that Antonio Conte likes Bastoni. Indeed, from the information I have gathered, Conte is ready to put a spoke in the wheel at Inter. The message that Conte sent to Inter is more or less: if you don’t leave Bastoni with me, I’ll go to Bremer.”

Inzaghi will be livid

Considering just how impressive Bremer was for Torino this season, in addition to the fact that Inter previously looked to have all but confirmed the centre-back’s arrival at the San Siro this summer, the news that Spurs are now set to make their own move for the 25-year-old is sure to have left Inzaghi livid.

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Indeed, over his 33 Serie A appearances this season, the £31.5m-rated talent was imperious in the heart of Ivan Juric’s defence, helping Il Toro keep eight clean sheets, as well as making an average of 3.2 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, 4.0 clearances and winning 6.6 duels per game.

The £18k-per-week left-footer also impressed in an attacking capacity, scoring three goals and registering one assist, in addition to taking an average of 0.8 shots, making 35.3 passes and completing 0.5 dribbles per fixture.

These returns saw the player who Ryan Taylor dubbed both “unbelievable” and “faultless” average a quite remarkable SofaScore match rating of 7.13, not only ranking him as Juric’s best performing outfielder in the league but also as the fifth-best defender in Serie A as a whole.

As such, should Paratici manage to steal Bremer from under the noses of Inzaghi and Inter this summer, it would undoubtedly come as a huge blow to the Nerazzurri, while also providing Conte with an excellent alternative to Bastoni on the left of his three-man backline at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

AND in other news: Paratici can seal huge Bastoni upgrade as Spurs now eye “extraordinary” £50m signing

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Tottenham Hotspur now have a ‘deal agreed’ to sign Southampton goalkeeper Fraser Forster ‘in the coming days’.

The Lowdown: Forster’s Saints departure

The 34-year-old veteran first arrived at the St. Mary’s Stadium in a £10m move from Glasgow giants Celtic back in 2014, where he has since gone on to make 161 appearances during his eight-year spell with the south coast outfit.

The shot-stopper’s contract with the Saints, however, is set to expire at the end of June, making him a free agent to any potential suitors interested in securing his services.

With it recently being confirmed by the Lilywhites that current second-choice keeper Pierluigi Gollini will be leaving the Premier League following the conclusion of his loan spell, it’s no secret that Antonio Conte’s side will need a suitable replacement.

The Italian has already dipped into the free agent market to sign Ivan Perisic, and Romano brings more good news…

The Latest: ‘Deal agreed’

In a post on his personal Twitter account, Romano confirmed that the deal is now ‘completed’, with an announcement from the club expected imminently. He wrote:

“Contract until June 2024 for Fraser Forster as new Tottenham goalkeeper. Two year deal agreed with Spurs to replace Gollini, Forster will be announced as second signing after Perisic in the coming days.

“Paperworks already completed, waiting for official statement.”

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The Verdict: Perfect second signing

With the six-cap international soon set to be unveiled as a new Spurs player, he could prove to be the ideal backup option for number one Hugo Lloris and will no doubt provide some strong cover for the Frenchman in Conte’s match-day squad.

The Hexham-born talent, who was once hailed an “exceptional” player by Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta, has got plenty of experience under his belt, not only in the top flight with Ralph Hasenhuttl’s Southampton, but also in the Scottish Premiership with the Hoops, having kept a total of 199 clean sheets throughout the duration of his career.

Standing at a staggering 6 foot 5 between the sticks, Forster’s most memorable day of 2021/22 was actually ‘one of the best goalkeeping performances in the league this season’ against Arsenal, giving a ‘ridiculous’ display in a 1-0 Saints win that helped put Tottenham back in the top four race (Josh Bunting).

In other news… a reliable journalist has shared a fresh update on the future of one of Spurs’ summer transfer targets.

West Bromwich Albion had one of the strongest defences in the Championship this season as only AFC Bournemouth (21) and Sheffield United (20) ended the campaign with more clean sheets than the Baggies (19).

One figure that played a significant part for the Midlands club at the back this season was Semi Ajayi.

With 31 league appearances to his name, the Nigerian racked up an average of three clearances per game, leaving only Kyle Bartley (4) and Matt Clarke (3.1) with a higher rate.

Last month, the centre-back put pen to paper on a new contract which will see him stay at the Hawthorns until 2025.

This shows just how valued he is at the club and how highly they rate him and his talents on the pitch.

Now that the season has ended and the summer transfer window is upon us, this will give the Baggies and Steve Bruce the chance to strengthen the squad and give them a better chance at securing promotion back to the Premier League.

While their current defensive players certainly proved their worth, one player that the club have been linked with recently that could be a potential upgrade on Ajayi is Darragh Lenihan.

With a total of 219 appearances in the Championship under his belt, the 28-year-old certainly has enough experience to come in and be a ready-made first-team option for Bruce.

In terms of his defensive capabilities, the Irishman made 58 interceptions and won 43 tackles in 41 league games this season, the second and third-highest in Blackburn’s squad respectively.

Having totalled an average of 4.1 clearances per game as well, this further highlights how significant the £14k-per-week centre-half can be at the back and why he could be an upgrade on Ajayi.

His overall performances earned him an impressive season rating of 7.1/10 from WhoScored, making him the highest-rated player at Rovers.

This would also make him the highest-rated player for West Brom by the same metric.

Labelled as a “special footballer” by Tony Mowbray, Lenihan could be just what the Baggies need if Bruce feels the need to make what is already a solid defence into a formidable one.

In other news: Bruce can finally replace Pereira as WBA eye move for “inspirational” £27k-p/w dynamo

Tottenham Hotspur are closing in on their first signing of the summer…

What’s the word?

According to Italian transfer guru Fabrizio Romano, Ivan Perisic is set to join Spurs on a two-year deal following the expiry of his contract at Serie A giants Inter Milan.

It’s thought that a medical is set to take place in north London next week, once everything has been signed. It’s also said that manager Antonio Conte wanted the 33-year-old as a priority signing for the Premier League outfit.

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“Ivan Perisić’s set to join Tottenham, here we go! Full agreement set to be signed on a two-year deal. Inter have received final communication,” he tweeted.

“Medical could take place next week in London, once everything will be signed. Antonio Conte wanted Ivan as [a] priority.”

Big signing

On the face of it, signing a 33-year-old veteran is hardly an inspiring move. However, Perisic will add an abundance to the Lilywhites, who will be competing in next season’s Champions League after their top-four finish.

As football.london reporter Alasdair Gold put it perfectly, the Croatian star “would be a big signing” for Spurs. He’s won multiple titles – including the UCL – has bundles of experience and the exact mentality that the Italian head coach desires.

Despite his advancing years, Perisic contributed ten goals and nine assists across 49 appearances in all competitions, largely playing a left wing-back role, and that adds to his ten goal contributions on Inter’s way to the title in 2020/21, too.

Across the last three seasons alone, he’s picked up five trophies. Something that few, if any, in the current Spurs squad can match.

The 6 foot 1 dynamo, whose “physique is that of a horse” according to former manager Luciano Spalletti, is a very shrewd addition for Spurs and Conte indeed.

He’s certainly still got it, having also averaged the second-highest WhoScored rating in the Inter squad in the Serie A this campaign. He led the team for interceptions (1.3 per game) and was third for key passes per game (1.6), proving to be solid defensively and very much a creator in the final third.

Also lauded as a “physical monster” by Eurosport journalist Siavoush Fallahi, it’s evident that age is merely a number when it comes to the £125k-per-week brute.

As such, Perisic could indeed be a big signing for Tottenham heading into next season. He and Heung-min Son down the left flank is certainly an intriguing prospect indeed.

The Lilywhites faithful, and the manager, must be absolutely buzzing by Romano’s latest update.

AND in other news, Spurs will “try and sign” £18m-rated “monster” after scouting mission, he’s Bale 2.0…

Liverpool have shown ‘concrete’ interest in signing Juventus centre-back Matthijs de Ligt this summer, according to a fresh transfer rumour.

The Lowdown: Hugely gifted player

The Dutchman has emerged as one of world football’s top young centre-backs in recent years, settling in well at Juventus after making his name at Ajax.

De Ligt started 29 Serie A matches for Juve this season, and at just 22, there is a feeling that the peak years of his career remain some way away.

Liverpool have been linked with a move for the defender in recent times and now a new report is doing the rounds.

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The Latest: Liverpool again linked with move

According to Calciomercato [via Sport Witness], Julian Ward and co made ‘rather concrete’ steps towards signing De Ligt a few weeks ago and he is ‘one of the most coveted defenders’ in the market this summer.

The £63million-rated Netherlands international’s current Juve deal expires in 2024, so only a mammoth bid would likely be able to prise him away.

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The Verdict: Do Reds need him yet?

While the idea of De Ligt in a Liverpool shirt is exciting – he has been described as ‘extraordinary’ by Daley Blind – there is no great need for him currently.

Virgil van Dijk and Joel Matip are both still at the peak of their powers, despite turning 31 later this year, while Ibrahima Konate is a fantastic option, too. Joe Gomez could also stay at Anfield beyond this summer, so it is hard to see how the Juve man would start every week.

Further down the line, De Ligt could be a sensational signing, teaming up with Konate, but Liverpool’s chance to snap him up may have gone by then.

In other news, three Liverpool players have been backed to leave this summer. Read more here.

Leeds United secured Premier League safety with a dramatic final day victory over ten-man Brentford on Sunday afternoon, thanks to goals from both Raphinha and Jack Harrison.

After having a goal chalked off in the first half for offside, the Whites could be forgiven for thinking that things wouldn’t be going their way down in Hounslow but a spot-kick from the Brazilian sensation got them on their way.

Sergi Canos equalised before being sent off before the former Manchester City winger fired home in the 94th minute to seal a famous victory for the Yorkshire giants, on the same day his old club won the title for a second successive year.

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Both Harrison and Raphinha will take plenty of plaudits, especially the latter, who proved to be a constant nuisance and Leeds’ main threat all game. However, Kalvin Phillips put in an absolute Rolls-Royce of a display in the engine room to help steer his boyhood club over the line.

Despite going up against the more creative exploits of Christian Eriksen (65), it was the England international who led the match for touches, registering a whopping 92 in total across the 90 minutes, effectively making one touch every minute played.

With his dominant possession, Phillips made 58 passes, in which one was a key chance created, whilst he also did his usual defensive duties as that anchor-like rock in front of the backline.

As per SofaScore, the £45m-rated powerhouse recorded a team-high three clearances, a match-best of three interceptions, and he also made two tackles and won six duels in midfield.

LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross was equally impressed by the long-serving star, claiming that he ‘Roamed across the field making the tackles the team needed him to. Brought steel to the middle of the park and read a lot of danger’ in his post-match ratings column.

The 26-year-old, who has been lauded as a “destroyer” in the past by Steve McClaren, was certainly all over the Bees’ pitch and as such, he absolutely ran the show for manager Jesse Marsch.

If that was indeed his final game in a Leeds shirt, then supporters can be delighted to have seen him at his very best one last time.

AND in other news, Beren Cross issues fresh Marcelo Bielsa claim at Leeds…

Former Premier League manager Alex McLeish has been left thrilled by the news that Tottenham Hotspur could be set to appoint Yaya Toure as a coach. 

The lowdown: Toure inbound…

Recently, a report from the Evening Standard confirmed that Spurs are considering offering the 38-year-old a permanent role at Hotspur Way.

Toure has been in situ in north London since December, working with the Lilywhites Under 18s whilst also learning towards his coaching badges.

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Having suitably impressed with his work, club officials are now set to hold talks with the one time UEFA Champions League winner over an ongoing full-time role moving forwards, a decision McLeish has given his backing to.

The latest: ‘Shrewd appointment’

Speaking to Football Insider, the former Scotland and Aston Villa boss suggested that Toure’s appointment would be an inspired one.

The 63-year-old said: “A great player. I’m sure that all the students, the wannabe coaches and wannabe players will look up to him definitely in a big way.

“Of course, that’s a massive influence. It’s a very shrewd appointment as well by Spurs. You would think that Yaya Toure will be looking at predecessors, and ex-teammates doing so well in the game now.

“He’ll be saying: ‘I want a piece of that. I want to still be involved in football,’ because of his love for the game.”

The verdict: Smart thinking

Albeit the ability to coach successfully has to come first, adding someone of the ex-Barcelona and Manchester City star’s experience and class to the coaching team in N17 can only be a positive influence on the young Spurs starlets.

A four-time African Football of the Year, Toure boasts a trophy-laden career and the type of winning credentials that first-team coach Antonio Conte would undoubtedly welcome to the behind the scenes ranks.

This is just another example of Daniel Levy and co perhaps finally getting their ducks in a row following numerous failed appointments between the departure of Mauricio Pochettino and the eventual arrival of Conte.

In other news: Report claims one ‘amazing’ Tottenham man is heading for the exit, find out more here.

Manchester United are looking to recruit a new centre-back this summer and see Villarreal’s Pau Torres as an option.

What’s the word?

That is according to the ever-reliable Fabrizio Romano who took to his Twitter page to present the latest report around Manchester United.

He said: “Manchester United are discussing Villarreal’s Pau Torres as one of 3/4 options for the new centre-back. No proposal made yet, as it depends on Erik ten Hag decision and Man Utd board changes.

“Chelsea are also monitoring Pau.€55/60m release clause into his contract.”

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A Ten Hag signing

Pau Torres’ attributes in possession make him a typical ten Hag signing.

Whilst he has scored 4.43 progressive passes per game with an average of 4.68 passes into the final third – exceptional stats considering his position as a centre-back.

As a natural left-footer, the 25-year-old Villarreal youth product presents an option that does not currently exist at Manchester United, with all of the Red Devils’ centre-backs natural right-footers.

In terms of his individual defensive stats, they are rather lacklustre this season and sit in and around the same average numbers as Harry Maguire.

Though it is worth noting that Villarreal boasts the third-best defence in La Liga this season having conceded just 34 goals throughout the entirety of the campaign, and with Torres featuring in 86% of the Yellow Submarine’s games this season, he has of course played his part in helping Unai Emery’s side to achieve that feat.

The Villarreal youth product would slot in nicely into the four-man defence at United and would most likely take Maguire’s place in the team, with the fact that he is a natural left centre-back playing a big part in this and Ten Hag also preferring a left-footed player in that position.

The Spaniard could present an astute option in the hunt for a new centre-back and as Romano points out, “he is one of 3/4 options.”

United will await the decision of Ten Hag on this signing and if he gives the green light, United will have bagged an experienced, composed, left-footed defender to bolster their ranks, something the new manager will undoubtedly love.

In other news: “Pushing to sign..”: Fabrizio Romano drops big transfer claim, it’s bad news for MUFC