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Noel Whelan suspects Spurs have struggled to attract a ‘big-name’ manager because of Harry Kane’s potential departure.

The former Leeds United forward was speaking to Football Insider.

The lowdown

Spurs are set to appoint Paulo Fonseca as their new boss, nearly two months on from the sacking of Jose Mourinho.

Fonseca led AS Roma to an underwhelming seventh-place finish in Serie A last season, and was not offered a new contract.

The London-based club were previously said to be in talks with Antonio Conte, a title winner at Juventus, Chelsea and Inter Milan.

But those negotiations broke down, and Conte was said to harbour ‘major doubts’ about taking up the role at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Meanwhile, Kane, who won the 2020/21 Golden Boot with 23 Premier League goals, is reportedly pushing to leave the club.

The latest

Whelan thinks that Spurs may have wound up opting for Fonseca because other candidates have been left ‘questioning their fight’.

Without the sure knowledge that Kane will stay put, the job is far less ‘enticing’.

“It looks like a desperate option in many people’s eyes,” he said.

“They’ll also be wondering why they can’t attract big-name managers these days. Well, they’ve got the stadium and they’ve got the training facilities.

“But are they going to have the team? The managers are questioning their fight and what they want to do with the club.

“It doesn’t get any bigger than Harry Kane, unfortunately.

“I think that would probably be one enticing factor for any manager coming in, having a world-class striker.”

Whelan says taking over a post-Kane Spurs would be a daunting task, with the deficit between them and the title-chasing sides only widening.

“You might not have him, so how would you replace him? It makes the task even more difficult,” he said.

“It doesn’t seem an appealing project to many of these managers.

“They feel like they’re not going to be anywhere near Man City, Liverpool and Man United. Maybe missing out on the top four again.”

The verdict

We shouldn’t be overly quick to write off Fonseca as a ‘desperate’ appointment. He’s the preferred choice of Fabio Paratici, the club’s new general manager, and a strong relationship between the two could be hugely beneficial.

Moreover, he was battling against some tricky circumstances in Rome, with the club in the midst of a ‘difficult restructure’.

Still, you don’t sense that this is an appointment that will ambitious enough to leave Kane with second thoughts about moving on.

And if he was to depart, not only would it be a monumental blow to Spurs’ hopes of a Champions League return, but it might also lead other stars to push to follow him out the door.

In other news, this Serie A outfit could launch a move for a Spurs midfielder. 

Glasgow Rangers fans are livid after a report said they are at war with the Scottish National Party after it was suggested the Gers players sang a sectarian song as they celebrated the end of the season.

This past weekend was a special one for the Ibrox outfit. Their 4-0 victory over Aberdeen at Ibrox meant they completed an unbeaten Premiership season (BBC), and they also received the trophy after the match. As such, thousands of fans took to the streets to celebrate, while the players enjoyed themselves at the stadium.

There have been reports that a sectarian song was sung at the party, and it has now been said the SNP are at war with the Gers. Rangers themselves have already questioned whether the video is genuine.

The news was shared on Twitter by @PoliticsForAll, and it attracted plenty of attention from the Gers supporters. They took to the social media platform to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what the Rangers fans had to say about the news below

“And?”

Credit: @NotForMeMate

“Only one winner.”

Credit: @owenmt_1

“It’s not just selik we’ve rattled, we’ve rattled the full country, quality hahahaha”

Credit: @leewill90899218

“Let’s hope Rangers sue tinpot government and Yousaf in particular. Trumpian garbage from the SNP”

Credit: @scotgardener

“SNP regime hate Rangers as it’s a British football club, and the SNP despise everything British and have spent the past decade trying to purge anything British from Scotland.”

Credit: @BritishAlba

“That’s the best bit, Nats are utterly clueless”

Credit: @Odiepops

In other news, many Rangers fans loved this Burj Khalifa tribute.

A number of Manchester City fans have been reacting to comments from Pep Guardiola on Sergio Aguero after the Argentine played his last Premier League game for the Citizens.

On Sunday, City wrapped up the league campaign in style as they thrashed Everton 5-0. After the match, they received the Premier League trophy at the Etihad Stadium as they were able to celebrate with the fans – it was a special day for the all involved with the club.

The £22.5m-valued striker (Transfermarkt), who scored twice against the Toffees after coming on from the bench, will depart the club at the end of the season. He has scored 260 goals in 389 matches for City (Transfermarkt), becoming their all-time leading scorer, and he will be an incredibly hard player to replace.

After the match, Sky Sports spoke to Guardiola about Aguero, and he was unable to hold back the tears when describing the 32-year-old, about whom he said: “We love him so much. He is a special person for us…We cannot replace him.”

The manager’s emotional comments have attracted plenty of attention from the City supporters, and they took to Twitter to share their thoughts.

Let’s see what these fans had to say about Guardiola’s comments on Aguero

“This broke me. And this is why I love Pep & #MCFC”

Credit: @BobbieJack77

“Guardiola got me all emotional with this one”

Credit: @Demmiedgod

“And people say he hates him, have some shame!”

Credit: @poli_thundermc

“Can’t stop the tears! I’m so happy for Aguero but really sad for us fans”

Credit: @omidvheravi

“you can’t do without tears – these are emotions and this is wonderful”

Credit: @CgON0NIPt523qIA

“in tears”

Credit: @93Noorr

In other news, some Man City fans slammed this man’s performance against Everton.

Chris Hughton’s Nottingham Forest have been dealt a blow in their hopes of securing a move to bring Serdar Dursun to the City Ground.

What’s the talk?

That’s according to a report by German publication Bild (via Football League World), who claimed that the Darmstadt centre-forward, who is reportedly of interest to both Nottingham Forest and Derby County, has entered into talks with Hamburg ahead of a potential summer switch.

The two Championship clubs had been put on alert regarding the £1.35m-rated striker prior to the January transfer window, when it was claimed that the 29-year-old was keen to seal a move away from Darmstadt this summer upon the expiry of his contract at the Bundesliga 2 outfit.

Hughton must move

So far this season, Dursun has been in exceptional form over his 30 league appearances for Markus Anfang’s side, with the striker bagging 21 goals and registering three assists for Darmstadt, as well as averaging a highly impressive SofaScore match rating of 7.35, ranking him as the club’s second-best performer in the German second tier.

This kind of goalscoring form is something which has been desperately lacking at the City Ground this season, with top scorer Lewis Grabban finding the back of the net just six times over his 27 league appearances, while Lyle Taylor has scored on just four occasions over his 38 Championship outings for 16th-placed Forest.

As such, Hughton is likely to be keen to invest in some fresh attacking talent over the course of the summer transfer window in a bid to mount a promotion push in the Championship next season. The 1.9m-tall (6 foot 3) Dursun would appear to be both an improvement on Forest’s current options, as well as a cost-effective move for the club considering that the 29-year-old looks set to be available on a free transfer.

However, with recent reports suggesting that the centre-forward is entering into talks with Hamburg regarding a move, it would be most advisable for Forest to act quickly in order to try and seal a deal for the Turkish goal machine.

In other news: Hughton must sanction Forest swoop for 8-goal “winner” who fans would love – opinion

A number of Liverpool supporters have been left frustrated with an update on the future of on-loan Reds defender Ozan Kabak.

The 21-year-old moved to Anfield in the January transfer window, looking to fill the centre-back void left by long-term injuries to Virgil van Dijk, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.

It was an extremely difficult situation for Kabak to be thrown into, but after a difficult start, he has begun to look the part for Liverpool, excelling against RB Leipzig in the Champions League. The Turkey international has made nine Premier League appearances to date, although an injury is currently keeping him sidelined.

[freshpress-quiz id=“355458″]

Kabak only joined the Reds on loan, however, so it may be that he ends up returning to Schalke 04 at the end of the season, should Jurgen Klopp decide not to retain his services. According to the Liverpool Echo [via Anfield Watch], the club are yet to make a decision over the defender’s future, with Klopp mulling over his options.

[web_stories_embed url=”https://www.footballtransfertavern.com/web-stories/the-latest-liverpool-transfer-news/” title=”The latest Liverpool transfer news!” poster=”” width=”360″ height=”600″ align=“none”]

Liverpool fans unhappy at Kabak

These Liverpool fans took to Twitter to react to the update on Kabak’s future, with frustration in the air among many Kopites.

“Sigh I give up, we’re not meant to be”

Credit: @lfcyerms

“Smh…this club”

Credit: @BlvckLyte

“I’d have him rather than Konate tbh. Younger and proved himself”

Credit: @StephanSteyn1

“We’d be daft not to at the price”

Credit: @dazmul19761

“Take him!! He’s worth every penny”

Credit: @JokeSrirattana

“Surely we must try and keep him”

Credit: @Julie_K_83

In other news, Liverpool have been linked with a trophy-laden player this summer – find out who it is here.

Fans of West Bromwich Albion have been reacting to a post on Twitter, which relayed a report regarding the potential sale of the Baggies goalkeeper, Sam Johnstone, this summer.

According to a report by The Athletic, Johnstone is determined to remain in the Premier League next season, be that with Sam Allardyce’s relegation-threatened side or another interested party, with West Ham United, Tottenham Hotspur and Leeds United all thought to be keen on the 28-year-old.

It is also reported that, should they indeed drop down to the Championship this summer, West Brom would be open to selling the shot-stopper, with a fee of between £7.5 million and £10 million mentioned by The Athletic as a realistic figure the Baggies would be demanding for a player of Johnstone’s age, profile and contract situation.

However, after WBA Report relayed this news on Twitter, fans of West Brom flocked to have their say on the matter, with many appearing furious at the prospect of losing the £5.4 million-rated ‘keeper for the amount quoted in the report.

So, what exactly did these West Bromwich Albion fans have to say in reaction to the report regarding Sam Johnstone?

“Typical West Brom. Selling a £20m player for £7m.”

@Hayden_K_R

“He’s worth at least £12-15m, especially having just had an England call up! Doesn’t make the stupid mistakes that Pickford makes and has been far better than Pickford and Henderson this season, IMO.”

@Baggieboy75Mike

“Poor contract management. Regardless of what anyone thinks, you shouldn’t let this contract situation arise.”

@JohnPerks58

“Same old story.”

@Jameswalt101

“Didn’t we sign him for £10m? Develop him to the point of and England call up and make a loss of £2.5m. Only Albion could do that.”

@jon_hughes82

“£7.5m for an England goalkeeper. Ha, hilarious.”

@AdKido44

“Albion business this. Pure nonsense. Buy high sell low.”

@HarryWbafc

“Only Albion would settle for £7.5m.”

@ORohomon

In other news: ‘Get him signed’ – Allardyce reveals £31k-p/w priority target outperforming every WBA player – find out more here!

Aston Villa have been urged to move for Norwich City star Emi Buendia this summer by former Villans midfielder Lee Hendrie.

As to be expected, those comments have had a number of Villa fans taking to Twitter to give their thoughts on the matter.

Buendia has starred for the Canaries in the Championship this season, scoring 12 times and registering 16 assists in 34 appearances. As Norwich look set for an immediate return to the top flight, Hendrie wants Villa to land the Argentine ahead of the 2021/22 campaign.

Villa are thought to be looking for a wide addition this summer, along with another striker to challenge Ollie Watkins.

They’ve had recent success of signing stars from the Championship in Watkins and Matty Cash, and Hendrie wants them to do the same with Buendia, who was supposedly on Dean Smith’s transfer radar last summer. However, Sky Sports reported in January that Norwich value their man in the £40m-50m bracket.

Talking exclusively to Football Transfer Tavern, cited by Birmingham Live, Hendrie said:

“I would buy him without a shadow of a doubt.

“I know they talked about buying [Ross] Barkley, but Buendia, I would definitely, I don’t know what sort of fee Norwich would be looking for him, but I would certainly pay that fee. I think he’s an outstanding player.”

Villa fans react

Birmingham Live shared the story on social media on Monday, and it didn’t take long for a number of Villa supporters to give their thoughts on a possible deal.

These fans weren’t exactly ecstatic about Hendrie’s comments, though…

“4 million”

Credit: @Ashbooth71

“Buendia won’t be going anywhere with Norwich going up.”

Credit: @OxfordEVCharger

“Is Lee our chief scout in the Championship now? I make that 4 players he’s told Dean we should sign. **he doesn’t actually say anything like this”

Credit: @GuyBradley

“£40 million? No thank you”

Credit: @HoItender

“Should have had him last summer”

Credit: @Mrb47016877

“Honestly don’t think he is that good, better than what we have maybe”

Credit: @DeanKerman

In other news: Many AVFC fans react to end of year financial accounts, find out more here. 

Graeme Souness has spoken out on reports linking fellow Sky Sports pundit Roy Keane with the Celtic job.

The Sun revealed earlier this month that the former Hoops midfielder is keen to return to the dugout and would be interested in the vacant Celtic role, should they come calling.

Keane’s Celtic snub

Keane, who was offered the job back in 2014, was last in charge of a club back in 2011 with Ipswich Town. Since then, the Irishman has been an assistant with Ireland, Aston Villa and Nottingham Forest.

Talking in his column for The Times, cited by the Glasgow Evening Times, Souness name-checked his Sky colleague Keane for the Celtic job, claiming it would ‘be great for the Scottish game’.

“Don’t expect Celtic to roll over and accept this as the norm. They will respond this summer.

“I can’t second guess their board, but if they went for Roy Keane, as a report suggested, it would light the touch paper and be great for the Scottish game because people throughout football and far beyond Scotland would be talking about the rivalry with those two personalities in charge.”

Transfer Tavern take

If the club approach Keane and he indeed makes the move back to Glasgow, it could spark a fierce rivalry with Rangers boss Steven Gerrard.

The pair came up against each other during their respective playing careers with Manchester United and Liverpool, and Keane refused to congratulate Gerrard and Rangers following their Scottish Premiership title win.

In terms of experience, it could be a risk to hand Keane the job, however, we’re sure he’d provide plenty of entertainment in the Parkhead dugout.

In other news: Celtic keen on versatile 24 y/o with 19 goal involvements; fits club’s transfer policy, find out more here. 

Former Premier League striker Kevin Campbell has urged Glasgow Rangers to sign Britt Assombalonga on a free transfer this summer.

Campbell urges Assombalonga move

The Gers have been linked with a move for the Congolese striker (GiveMeSport), who currently plays in the Championship for Middlesbrough.

Speaking to Football Insider, Campbell believes that the £2.7m-valued 28-year-old would be a great signing for the Ibrox outfit. He said:

“I think he’ll score a lot of goals in Scotland.

“Morelos will be out. I’m sure he wants to move. Britt Assombalonga would be a handful up in Scotland. He’d be a great replacement. 

“He’ll do very well there. On a free too, good business, really great business.”

Gers step up striker drive

It seems that the Gers may be preparing for the departure of Alfredo Morelos as they look to bring in a new forward. The Colombia international has recently revealed that he is eager to play in the Premier League (Radio Caracol), so it may only be a matter of time before he departs the club.

Assombalonga isn’t the only striker the Gers are said to be monitoring – it seems that they are also in pursuit of Peterborough United’s Jonson Clarke-Harris. Either way, it is important Ross Wilson and co to plan for Morelos’ potential departure, as much as they will be eager to avoid such a situation.

In other news, an update has been provided on this Slavia Prague player’s claim.

Speaking recently to the Polish media, Krzysztof Piatek revealed that he turned down a move to Tottenham Hotspur last year.

In comments made to Prawda Futbolu (via Sport Witness), the Hertha Berlin centre-forward claimed that Spurs made an offer to loan him for one-and-a-half years back in January 2020 – when Harry Kane was sidelined due to injury – but he preferred a move to the Bundesliga.

The Poland international said: “I don’t know if I can talk about it, but Milan must have received an offer from Tottenham to loan me for 1.5 years. That was when Harry Kane was injured and I was supposed to replace him for the first three months. However, Hertha were more specific.”

Indeed, Piatek was heavily linked with a £30m move to north London in the winter transfer window of the 2019/20 season, but the £15.3m-rated 25-year-old ultimately joined Hertha in a £21.6m deal.

Transfer Tavern Take

Piatek’s rejection of Spurs is something that was likely to have been a huge blow to Jose Mourinho at the time; and with the benefit of hindsight, it could easily be argued that not bringing a striker in during that January transfer window played a large part in Tottenham’s failure to secure a place in the top four last season.

However, considering the Poland international’s subsequent form at Hertha Berlin – 11 goals and three assists over 40 appearances for the club – as well as the fact that Tottenham now have Carlos Vinicius on their books, who has nine goals and three assists over his 18 appearances for Spurs, it would appear that Piatek’s snubbing of the club could have been a blessing in disguise for Mourinho in the long run.

In other news: Tottenham are also monitoring this attacker, find out more here.