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Tottenham Hotspur are interested in signing attacking midfielder Lucas Paqueta from Lyon, according to football.london. 

The lowdown: Top talent

Formerly of Flamengo’s youth system, the 24-year-old made the move to Europe in 2019 for €35m (£30m) when AC Milan snapped up the talented Brazilian (ESPN).

Having directly contributed to just four goals in 44 appearances in Italy, he was sold to Lyon in 2020, where he has recaptured his best form with 34 goal involvements in 78 outings.

Following strong interest from Newcastle United in recent months, it now appears as though Tottenham are also pursuing the Brazil international…

The latest: Spurs interest in Paqueta

As per football.london, Tottenham are said to have been ‘tracking’ Paqueta for some time.

Along with the Brazilian, who was hailed as a ‘special footballer’ by journalist Jacob Schneider during a Europa League clash with Sparta Prague, the report takes an in-depth look at the targets for Fabio Paratici and Antonio Conte this summer as the Italian duo attempt to strengthen the squad at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

It’s also claimed that the north Londoners have shown an interest in Leicester City star James Maddison, soon-to-be free agent Jesse Lingard and newly-promoted Nottingham Forest ace Brennan Johnson as candidates to bolster the attacking midfield department.

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The verdict: Make it happen

With the wantaway Steven Bergwijn looking increasingly likely to move on this summer and Bryan Gil’s future still undecided, adding another attack-minded midfield option to Conte’s ranks would be a worthwhile venture.

Last season, Paqueta scored 11 times and provided seven assists in 44 appearances across all competitions, earning a superb 7.13 Sofascore rating whilst winning 7.3 duels, making 1.2 key passes and taking 2.5 shots per Ligue 1 match in the process.

Holding a strong stylistic likeness to illustrious names such as Hakim Ziyech, Marco Reus and Thomas Müller (FBRef), the 33-cap Brazilian would offer supreme versatility, with an ability to play on either flank, as a number 10, centre-forward and as a more conventional central midfielder.

Valued at £31.5m and under contract in France until 2025 (Transfermarkt), this would be an expensive deal for ENIC, but one which would make a lot of sense.

In other news: ‘Very recently’ – Tottenham hold talks over signing ‘one of the top strikers in England’! Find out more here.

Leeds United have been given a green light in their pursuit of Tyler Adams…

What’s the word?

The RB Leipzig midfielder has been subject of interest from the Yorkshire giants, particularly since his former manager and fellow countryman Jesse Marsch took the reins.

Major League Soccer insider Tom Bogert believes the Whites will “try for Adams” during the off-season, whilst journalist Jacque Talbot has claimed that he would be a “great addition” at Elland Road.

Now, it appears his future with the Bundesliga side is up in the air, leaving the door open for director of football Victor Orta and his team to make their move.

German outlet Kicker (as relayed by ESPN commentator Derek Rae), reports that the USMNT international is “giving thought to a move” this summer after falling out of favour under manager Domenico Tedesco.

He could be available for around €20m (£18m).

Midfield upgrade

Interest in the 23-year-old dynamo should come as no surprise and he’d be a massive statement following the arrivals of Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen, who Marsch has also worked with before, too.

The American head coach wants to press from the front, so his attackers and midfield need the energy and defensive nous to win the ball back, something that Adams excels at.

As per FBref, he currently ranks inside the top 2% of his position peers across Europe for blocks (2.50 per 90), the top 18% for passes completed (61.82 per 90) and the top 20% for pressures (22.53 per 90).

The £26m-rated machine has even been lauded as a “special talent” by Marsch himself.

“He’s a special person, he’s a special personality, he’s a special talent and the ceiling for him is massive. Massive here in Leipzig and in the Bundesliga and beyond.”

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Players like Mateusz Klich – who was deemed “non-existent” by Sky Sports pundit Clinton Morrison – and Rodrigo – who was lambasted as “completely anonymous” by LeedsLive reporter Beren Cross – underdelivered in 2021/22, so the Whites must pounce on an opportunity like this.

Adams, who has been capped 28 times internationally and featured in the Champions League, would be an obvious and familiar upgrade for Marsch’s midfield.

Given the need for reinforcements in the heart of the pitch and the manager’s past relationship with the 5 foot 9 gem, Adams would be something of a dream signing this off-season.

AND in other news, Leeds could land their next £60m talent with Orta now in talks for “interesting” deal…

Leeds United star Raphinha will likely join Barcelona if they submit an offer of between £50m and £60m for him, sports journalist Pete O’Rourke has told GiveMeSport.

The lowdown

Sky Sports reported last week that the La Liga giants hold an interest in the 25-year-old and are expected to formalise that with an offer. A source told the outlet that the Brazilian ‘would like to join’ Barcelona as he looks to fulfil his ambitions of playing at the ‘highest level’.

Had Leeds been relegated, interested parties would then have been able to pounce on a release clause in the region of £30m in the player’s contract.

However, Raphinha scored from the penalty spot on the final day of the season as Leeds beat Brentford to secure Premier League survival.

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The latest

O’Rourke is confident that Raphinha will move to the Nou Camp, but only if Leeds receive what would be a club-record fee for an outgoing transfer.

For now, Rio Ferdinand’s £41.4m departure to Manchester United in 2002 remains the most lucrative sale in the Yorkshire club’s history.

Speaking about the Brazilian potentially swapping Elland Road for Catalunya, O’Rourke told GiveMeSport: “I think this one could happen, especially if Barcelona do meet Leeds’ asking price. If they get close to £50million or £60million, I would fully expect this deal to happen.”

The verdict

Raphinha joined Leeds in October 2020 for a fee of £17m, meaning they could be about to turn a £43m profit after just two years.

The £63,000-per-week winger has made a key contribution since he moved to Yorkshire, scoring 17 goals and providing 12 assists in 67 appearances (11 and three last season).

According to Transfermarkt, he has reached exactly 100 goals and assists in his career, netting 62 times and setting up 38 goals.

It would be a blow in a footballing sense for Leeds to lose a talent like Raphinha – who has been likened to a “storm” by team-mate Illan Meslier, who also called him “amazing” – but you could also argue that it would be good business from a financial point of view.

In other news, Leeds are ready to trigger this midfielder’s release clause

Glasgow Rangers are reportedly now ‘interested’ in signing Joe Rothwell this summer.

The Lowdown: Out of contract

After failing to agree on a new deal with Blackburn Rovers, Rothwell’s contract is set to expire, meaning that he will leave the Championship team on a free transfer come the start of July.

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Holding a value of £3.15m, and only 27 years of age, whoever is able to sign him could be getting a bargain on their hands.

The Latest: Rangers interest

As per BBC journalist Ian Dennis, the Ibrox outfit, as well as a number of clubs in the Championship, are now ‘interested’ in signing Rothwell.

There is also interest from newly-promoted Premier League sides Fulham and AFC Bournemouth, with the latter having a bid ‘turned down’ in the January transfer window.

The Verdict: No-brainer

To get a player of Rothwell’s quality for free is surely a no-brainer for Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s team, and should have parallels to when they signed another midfielder in John Lundstram on a free from an English club in Sheffield United.

Hailed as a ‘special footballer’ and a ‘super talent’ by his manager Tony Mowbray, Rothwell scored three goals and made a further ten assists in the Championship this season (Transfermarkt), helping them get to the brink of the play-offs.

Nonetheless, with Aaron Ramsey returning to Juventus after his loan spell, he would give van Bronckhorst another handy option in the middle of the park.

In other news, find out who else could now leave alongside Calvin Bassey here!

Leeds United are closing in on a deal for RB Salzburg midfielder Brenden Aaronson after securing their Premier League status. 

The lowdown

Leeds’ 2-1 victory over Brentford on Sunday, in conjunction with Burnley’s 2-1 defeat against Newcastle United, saw the Whites avoid relegation.

Sky Sports pundit Gary Neville referred to Jack Harrison’s winner at The Brentford Community Stadium as a ‘£100million goal’ given the financial rewards associated with PL football.

Manager Jesse Marsch can now begin preparing for his first transfer window at the club without the cloud of uncertainty hanging over him.

Leeds made two offers for Aaronson in January while Marcelo Bielsa was manager, the second around £20million, but Salzburg stood firm.

Marsch is more than familiar with the player too, having overseen his development at the Red Bull Arena.

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The latest

MLS and USMNT ‘insider’ Tom Bogert revealed what he’s heard from ‘sources’ on Sunday evening.

“Sources: With their Premier League survival, Leeds United are finalising a deal to acquire RB Salzburg’s USMNT attacker Brenden Aaronson. Deal around $30million (£23.8million) was previously agreed to, pending relegation. Final steps now.”

The verdict

Aaronson is an exciting addition for Leeds.

He scored six goals and provided ten assists for the Austrian champions this term, setting up a pair of goals in their Champions League Round of 16 tie against Bayern Munich.

The supremely versatile attacking midfielder, who also has plenty of experience on the left wing and has even appeared on the right flank this term, has just won his second league title, and his sixth trophy overall.

And even though he’s still only 21 years old, Aaronson has already been capped 18 times by the United States, bringing a decorated young career with experience on the top European stage to Yorkshire.

A former coach said ‘he looks like he should be in a boy band’ and is ‘a sweetheart’ but, on the pitch, ‘he’s a killer and he’s relentless’.

In other news, this Leeds star faces a lengthy injury lay-off. 

Aston Villa have been handed a boost in their hunt for a new centre-back, with Burnley defender James Tarkowski now eyed as a potential signing.

What’s the word?

That is according to the Daily Telegraph’s John Percy, who claimed that Steven Gerrard is indeed in the market for a new centre-back and that this was always the case even before Ezri Konsa’s season-ending injury.

Taking to Twitter, the journalist said: “Steven Gerrard wants to sign a new centre-back this summer (this was the plan before Ezri Konsa’s injury, which Villa hope is not as bad as first feared). Burnley’s James Tarkowski is a free agent this summer and has been discussed, but options on the position are open”

Birmingham Mail have also reported of Villa’s prospects of signing Tarkowski and relayed the interest of several other Premier League clubs who are said to be interested in securing the services of the 29-year-old.

Along with Gerrard’s side, the trio of Everton, West Ham and Leicester City are reported to have an interest in the Burnley captain.

Supporters will be buzzing

Despite finding themselves in a relegation scrap, Burnley’s defence has not been too bad at all, having conceded 51 goals in 37 games. That is the same amount as Villa and better than the likes of Manchester United, Leicester City and Newcastle United, to name a few.

Therefore, nabbing the captain and leader of a team who are defensively competent bodes well from a Villa perspective.

Having operated in an old-fashioned 4-4-2 setup under Sean Dyche for the majority of his Burnley career, Tarkowski is the sort of defender that you might expect to captain such a team.

The 29-year-old’s statistics over the past year reflect the ideology in which he has been schooled, with his match average of 1.48 tackles in the defensive third demonstrating his consistent involvement in a low-block, and his 6.39 clearances per 90 reminiscent of a centre-back from yesteryear.

It couldn’t hurt to bring in a leader with almost 200 games’ worth of Premier League experience, especially when Villa have the opportunity to sign him on a free transfer. The club’s supporters would surely be buzzing if Tarkowski were to swap one claret-and-blue outfit for another, forming an uncompromising partnership with the stylistically similar Tyrone Mings.

In other news: AVFC eye summer move for “exceptional” £50m brute, he’s their next Idrissa Gueye