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Tottenham Hotspur are reportedly interested in making a move for Wolverhampton Wanderers defender, Max Kilman, having seemingly had a long-standing interest in the Englishman.

What's the latest on Kilman to Tottenham?

According to the Mirror, the 26-year-old is among the list of potential targets for the Lilywhites this summer, with chairman Daniel Levy said to be ready to back incoming manager, Ange Postecoglou in the transfer market.

The piece notes that the experienced coach could oversee something of a mass clearout at N17 over the coming weeks, with defensive reinforcements likely to be needed amid the uncertainty surrounding the futures of both Davinson Sanchez and Eric Dier.

While the piece does not reveal how much it could cost the north London outfit to prise Kilman from Molineux, The Athletic's Tim Spiers previously suggested back in January that the 6 foot 4 ace could command a fee of around £20-£30m.

Who could Kilman replace at Tottenham?

The Tottenham hierarchy will likely be hoping that they can finally get their hands on the towering centre-back ahead of next season, having previously been linked with a move for the Wolves man last summer during Antonio Conte's time at the helm.

As alluded to above, the addition of the "generational talent" – as hailed by sports writer Nathan Judah – could prove something of an upgrade on the struggling Sanchez, in particular, with the latter man having endured a miserable 2022/23 campaign at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

The long-serving Colombian – who arrived from Ajax on a £42m deal back in 2017 – was notably booed off by the home support following a disastrous, brief cameo against AFC Bournemouth back in April, having largely been on the periphery throughout the campaign after making just eight Premier League starts.

Part of a backline that shipped 63 top-flight goals this season, the 26-year-old seemingly "doesn't have the talent" to be able to thrive at centre-back – according to ex-Colombia boss Jorge Luis Pinto – while former Spurs man Jamie O'Hara described him as "one of the worst players" that he has seen at the club.

As such, turning to a defensive "monster" like Kilman – as hailed by Wolves insider Tom Parker – could prove the final nail in the coffin for Sanchez, with it easy to see why the Wolves ace has caught the eye of late.

The £15k-per-week machine is notably a real dominant force as he won 67% of his aerial duels in the league in 2022/23, while the current Tottenham man, by contrast, won just 62% of his aerial duels.

It is the Chelsea-born gem's quality in possession that also sets him apart from Sanchez, with the former Maidenhead United starlet ranking in the top 12% among his European peers for successful take-ons as a marker of his ability to play out from the back, while his Spurs counterpart ranks in just the top 47% in that regard.

With the signing of Sanchez having seemingly "not worked" – according to pundit Alan Hutton – Postecoglou could ruthlessly ditch the £65k-per-week dud by bringing Kilman into the fold this summer.

Burnley will be looking forward to their return to the Premier League this summer and Vincent Kompany will be preparing for the huge challenge ahead of him.

The former Anderlecht boss has been a revelation at Turf Moor since his arrival less than 12 months ago, but the step-up to top-flight football will be a true test of the up-and-coming manager.

The club has already put the wheels in motion to build a squad fit to compete, with the permanent signings of Jordan Beyer and Michael Obafemi so far, but will need to add more depth across the squad to ensure they have enough quality and depth.

In the forward line, Ashley Barnes is set for a move to Norwich City following the expiration of his contract, whilst top scorer Nathan Tella is – as it stands – returning to Southampton after an incredible 19-goal loan stint at Turf Moor.

As a result, bolstering the attacking options will be a priority for Kompany in the summer transfer window, with a consistent and reliable goal-scorer desperately needed to replace Tella’s goal contributions.

One player who has been linked to a Burnley move this summer is Aris Saloniki star Luis Palma, a talented forward who could form a formidable attacking partnership with Anass Zaroury.

Who is Luis Palma?

The 23-year-old has been plying his trade in the Greek top flight and his impressive performances has attracted the attention of a number of clubs in the process.

Burnley will need to compete with Leeds United, Rangers, Anderlecht and Dynamo Kyiv who are also named as potential suitors for the promising player.

Over 29 Greek Super League appearances, Palma has scored 11 goals, registered four assists and four big chances created, as well as averaging 2.1 shots on goal, 1.4 key passes, one successful dribble and 37.5 touches per game, proving that he is a huge presence in front of goal.

The Honduran forward – praised for his “brilliant” goal contributions by Spanish agent Paulo Hernandez – not only provides consistent goal contributions but offers great versatility with experience on the left wing, striker role and in attacking midfield.

As a result, Palma could be a fantastic asset to Kompany next season in the attacking threat and combining his hunger for goals with Anass Zaroury’s creativity could cause nightmares for opponents in the top flight.

With that being said, it will be interesting to see how Kompany develops and builds his squad to compete comfortably next season, and the signing of Palma could be a great place to start.

Journalist Fabrizio Romano has revealed that Aston Villa now have a "big chance" of signing Marco Asensio this summer with Unai Emery in love with the player.

What are the latest Marco Asensio transfer rumours?

As reported by The Athletic, the Spanish midfielder will be leaving Real Madrid at the end of the season for free when his contract expires.

The article claims that the 27-year-old had been negotiating a new deal with the club since the start of the year but has ultimately decided to reject what was on the table as he wants a "more prominent role in the team."

In the aftermath, it's no shock to learn that some big clubs may be keen on picking up Asensio and ESPN state he is now in "advanced talks" to join Paris Saint-Germain as a free agent.

Despite that, while talking about all the rumours on his YouTube channel, Romano revealed that Emery wants the player and so he could yet end up in the Premier League.

He said (2:22): “Then Premier League clubs, Aston Villa, Emery is in love with Marco Asensio so a big chance now for them to go for it on a free transfer, but also other clubs interested in Marco Asensio.

"For example, last summer, it was last August, Manchester United were in contact with Jorge Mendes about Marco Asensio. Then the player decided to continue at Real Madrid also because [Carlo] Ancelotti wanted him to stay at the club.

"Now the market is open for Asensio, and so a very big opportunity for the Spanish player. So let's keep an eye on Asensio in the next days and in the next weeks."

Can Aston Villa afford Marco Asensio?

It's not hard to see why plenty of clubs around Europe are keen on Asensio. After all, he's won nearly everything club football can offer in Spain having lifted the likes of the Champions League, La Liga, and the Club World Cup (all on multiple occasions).

He won't come cheap, however, as he is currently on around £165k-p/w at Madrid, but as he can be signed without a transfer fee, this could be an affordable deal for Aston Villa.

With all that in mind though, there will obviously be major competition for his signature and with PSG already in advanced talks, Emery and co will have to move swiftly in the next few days potentially if they are to pull off this exciting summer transfer.

Arsenal have enjoyed an impressive 2022/23 campaign and have put up a strong title fight against reigning champions Manchester City; however, look like they will just be pipped by Pep Guardiola's men.

Nevertheless, Mikel Arteta has led the Gunners to Champions League qualification and Europe's elite competition will return to the Emirates Stadium for the first time since 2016/17.

In the summer, the Spaniard is likely to invest in several positional areas to add squad depth in order to balance domestic and continental future. Despite this, Football Insider report that left-back Kieran Tierney could be set to depart in the off-season, with Newcastle United said to be in a 'very strong position' to secure his signature.

Electing to sell the Scotland international, who has been a more than able deputy for first-choice left-back Oleksandr Zinchenko when needed, would be a brave move by Gunners' chiefs and could potentially leave them with more work to do in the transfer window.

What's the latest news on Kieran Tierney and how has he faired this season?

As per FootballTransfers, Manchester City are also keen on Tierney this summer and are in talks with Arsenal over a swap deal that could see Joao Cancelo and the 25-year-old swap places between the respective clubs. And, David Ornstein has claimed that the defender could also join Newcastle United in the summer window.

The report claims that the Gunners are in the market for a new left-sided defender in the forthcoming transfer window, which could spell the end for Tierney in north London.

In 2022/23, Tierney has featured 34 times for his current employers in all competitions, registering one goal and two assists, as per Transfermarkt.

Last year, former Arsenal icon Martin Keown even went as far to tip Tierney for the captaincy at the club, stating in an interview with The Daily Mail: "I am a really big fan of Tierney, we spoke last year about captain material. I think he has had to show a lot of resolve when he has been third choice for a lot of the season, he is not really the third choice, he has come on in ten or eleven games."

Ex-Manchester United striker Andy Cole is also perplexed as to why the Gunners would look to sell Tierney, as he told King Casino Bonus with quotes transcribed by The Daily Express: "I like Kieran Tierney, he's had a few problems with injuries but he is talented. If Arsenal are prepared to sell him, he would not be struggling for options." He later added: “If you look at Tierney's situation previously, you have to ask what did he actually do wrong? He's never let Arsenal or Mikel Arteta down, of course, he's had a few injuries but he's always played well. He's a kid with a brilliant attitude."

It does seem a little odd that Arteta would look to let a consistent performer like Tierney leave the club in the off-season, especially considering that he has successfully combated 85.7% of dribbles he has faced in 2022/23, as per FBRef.

His injury problems may have played a part in the Gunners' thinking, though the same outlet report that the Scot has also ranked well in comparison to his positional peers in Europe's top five divisions in the art of progressive carries, managing to carry out 2.92 per 90 minutes across the last 365 days, putting him in the top 20% of full-backs for this metric, showing that he can carry an offensive threat from the left flank.

Speaking to Football FanCast, journalist Ben Jacobs has indicated that Tierney may have to leave the Gunners this summer to experience more first-team football, stating: "There's a few sort of intriguing ones. Kieran Tierney is probably the most interesting for me because if you're Arsenal, you perhaps want that depth, but Tierney's kind of been ousted and lost his place since the arrival of Zinchenko. As a consequence, if he wants that game time, he's not necessarily going to get it anymore at Arsenal, even with Champions League football and more games."

Ashley Cole once labeled Tierney as a "warrior", as per The Mirror, and it is easy to see why some fans may be on edge about the £110k-a-week ace potentially departing in the next few months.

Arsenal need all the strength in numbers they can get for an assault on Champions League football next year and letting go of Tierney would be a big blow given his consistent level of performances shown at the club.

Aston Villa have reportedly exited the race to sign Rangers defender Calvin Bassey following the signing of Sevilla centre-back Diego Carlos.

That’s according to TEAMtalk, who claim that Villa are likely to be out of the race for the Nigerian, who can play at both left-back and centre-back, having signed the Brazilian for £26m.

It is believed that Rangers value the 22-year-old at a figure in excess of £25m, having been a vital cog in Giovanni van Bronckhorst’s side this term with the Glasgow outfit winning the Scottish Cup and reaching the final of the Europa League.

Even though the West Midlands outfit have already made an exciting signing at the back in Carlos, that shouldn’t halt their pursuit of Bassey.

Villa must stay in the race for Bassey

It’s no secret that Villa boss Steven Gerrard is planning an overhaul of his squad this summer with the upcoming transfer window the 41-year-old’s first summer window in charge at Villa Park.

Having managed Bassey at Rangers, the Englishman is reportedly keen on a reunion with the former Leicester City youth product, who BT Sport pundit Owen Hargreaves claimed to be “astonishing.”

The Villans proved inconsistent throughout the campaign, with the 3-2 defeat to Manchester City on the final day of the Premier League season a good example of how the entire campaign has gone for Aston Villa.

Having been 2-0 up with 15 minutes to go after an excellent display, a capitulation saw Gerrard’s men concede three goals in five minutes to lose the match.

Finishing 14th, NSWE will be planning for their side to enjoy a more successful campaign next term with the Villans finishing 17th, 11th and now 14th since returning to the Premier League.

It’s been 11 years since Villa last secured finished a top-half finish in the top flight and that will undoubtedly be the minimum requirement next season.

However, in order to achieve that feat, Gerrard must improve his defence with both Tyrone Mings and Ezri Konsa proving unreliable at times.

Bassey could provide a further solution to those problems, on top of bringing in the Sevilla colossus. He averaged 1.6 tackles, 0.9 interceptions and an 85.2% passing accuracy across the SPFL and the Europa League, as per WhoScored.

None of Villa’s current first-choice central defensive options registered more than 0.9 tackles per game, whilst only Mings bettered his interception rate and Konsa his accuracy rate.

The West Midlands club have done excellently to recruit Carlos, but their efforts to improve the defence mustn’t stop there, with Bassey an exciting prospect and one that would undoubtedly improve a Villa side that conceded 54 goals in the league.

AND in other news: Fabrizio Romano reveals “official talks” have started, Villa supporters will be gutted 

Journalist Alan Nixon has now shared an exciting Southampton transfer update involving Wolves midfielder Morgan Gibbs-White after his brilliant Championship campaign on loan at Sheffield United.

The Lowdown: Saints set for busy summer?

The Saints and transfer chief Martin Semmens could be set for a very interesting summer transfer window, with plenty of Ralph Hasenhuttl’s current crop either out of contract or heading into the final 12 months of their existing deals.

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Speaking to The Daily Echo, Southampton’s director has recently admitted that the club could move for targets earlier than in previous windows, as new owners Sport Republic seek to move the St Mary’s outfit in a new direction.

Hasenhuttl’s side are apparently frontrunners to sign Tottenham midfielder Harry Winks, who looks set to depart the Premier League giants, and Nixon has now shared another promising update for Saints supporters.

The Latest: Southampton ‘topping the queue’ for Gibbs-White…

As per the reliable reporter via Patreon, Southampton are ‘topping the queue’ to sign Gibbs-White this summer as they enter pole position.

They are also ready to pay £20m or the Englishman after his ‘dazzling campaign’ on loan at Sheffield United in the Championship over 2021/22.

The Verdict: Get it done?

Nixon is certainly bang on the money when he references a ‘dazzling’ season for Gibbs-White at Bramall Lane.

According to WhoScored, he came in as the Blades’ best performer by average match-rating (7.14/10) while finishing the season as their top scorer (12) and leading assists provider (ten). He also topped their second-tier charts with the most attempts at goal per 90 (2.5) and joint-most key passes averaged in the final third (1.6 per game).

Former Barnsley manager Poya Asbaghi is certainly a fan, calling the 22-year-old the Blades’ “most outstanding” player earlier in the campaign.

Given Gibbs-White’s age and rising stock, Nixon’s claim that Southampton are the leading contenders to sign him comes as very exciting news.

In other news: Southampton emerge as frontrunners for ‘fabulous’ signing who’s suit Ralph ‘down to the ground’…find out more here.

Matty Cash, Tyrone Mings and Douglas Luiz all struggled for Aston Villa in their 1-1 Premier League draw against Crystal Palace today. 

After a goalless first half, Villa took the lead through a smart Ollie Watkins effort following an inch-perfect Lucas Digne delivery. However, the visitors struck back through Jeffrey Schlupp to leave Steven Gerrard’s side with just a point from their penultimate home game of the season.

Following this result, the Villans remain 12th in the table with just two matches remaining, including a pivotal final day showdown against title contenders Manchester City.

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Using Sofascore, we’ve taken an in-depth delve into the statistics to decipher which three outfield players struggled the most for Gerrard’s charges. Only those who played for more than 45 minutes are eligible for classification.

Matty Cash (6.9)

One of the shining lights for Villa this season, the 24-year-old Cash was a bit below-par here as Gerrard’s men stutter towards the end of the 2021/22 campaign.

The Poland international lost two duels, gave away possession 20 times and misplaced his only two attempts at a cross, along with 10 of his 11 long passes.

He tied with Danny Ings with a 6.9 rating, but whereas the striker featured for just 71 minutes, Cash had the entire game to prove himself, hence his inclusion here.

Douglas Luiz (6.6)

It was not the Brazilian midfielder’s finest performance in a Villa shirt as the 24-year-old lost possession 10 times on an afternoon when the hosts couldn’t get into full flow.

The usually reliable defensive midfield general also gave away two fouls, lost possession 10 times, misplaced five passes and lost five out of his six duels on an afternoon that he will want to put behind him.

Tyrone Mings (6.6)

With the centre-back’s role as club captain under question for next season, this wasn’t a display which will live long in the memory of Mings as the England defender attempts to retain the armband.

The 29-year-old failed to find a team-mate with seven passes, lost out on three duels and gave the ball away on eight occasions whilst also being booked during the 1-1 draw.

In other news: NSWE now close to agreeing deal for another midfielder alongside Coutinho

Everton will travel to Vicarage Road this evening to attempt to stop themselves from suffering the same fate as their opponents as their battle against relegation rolls on, and Frank Lampard has been given a major injury boost ahead of the clash.

What’s the latest?

Roy Hodgson took to his pre-match press conference ahead of the Everton game to confirm that there will likely be a number of changes to his team on Wednesday night, claiming that the squad were in the middle of an injury crisis.

Hodgson told the press (via Watford Official):

“I was hoping to play a similar team, but we’ve lost so many players that we find ourselves in the middle of an injury crisis.

The club website further confirmed that doubts are on Tom Cleverley, Kiko Femenía, Joshua King, Ismaïla Sarr, Emmanuel Dennis and Shaq Forde.

Players who are definitely unavailable are Juraj Kucka (knee), Cucho Hernández (hamstring), and Nicolas Nkoulou (minor groin problem).

Lampard will be thrilled

The Everton manager will surely be delighted that Watford will potentially play a weaker than usual team this evening, especially since he has injury problems of his own to key players.

Yerry Mina, Ben Godfrey and Donny van de Beek have all been ruled out of the fixture, with the two defenders, in particular, a huge loss for Lampard as they have both been positively influential in the backline over the season.

Michael Keane and Mason Holgate will be available to play in the centre-back partnership and with a weakened Watford side should be able to protect their line effectively to secure Everton more points in their endeavour to survive relegation this season.

The Toffees have won three and drawn one of their last five games, and are currently 16th in the Premier League table ahead of Leeds United and Burnley, with one game in hand on their relegation rivals and the potential of picking up a maximum of 12 points over the next four games.

Lampard will hope that his team can continue the momentum in their final push for survival in the top flight by taking three more points this evening which would steer them into further safety and take the pressure off the Evertonians ahead of the end of the season.

Considering Watford’s ropey looking squad, they have every chance of sealing yet another vital win.

AND in other news: Huge blow: Everton dealt big injury setback ahead of Watford, Lampard will be gutted

It is no secret that Arsenal have long benefitted from their ability to produce outstanding young talent, with the club’s academy continually churning out potential prospects.

Not only is the talent there – nurtured and fostered by the Gunners youth system – but there is also a clear pathway into the first-team, evidenced by the recent emergence of both Emile Smith Rowe and Bukayo Saka.

While the duo have taken different routes to becoming regular starters – with Smith Rowe enduring a learning curve out on loan at both RB Leipzig and Huddersfield Town – their rapid development has been a benefit to all concerned, with the two starlets having also already forced their way into Gareth Southgate’s England plans.

Not satisfied with those success stories, however, the north Londoners will be eyeing that next fledgling talent who can step into the limelight from the youth team, with 20-year-old centre-back Omar Rekik potentially the next to do so.

Much has been made of the ability of current Marseille loanee William Saliba, although with the Frenchman currently on his third temporary stint away from the Emirates, doubts remain over whether he has the backing of manager Mikel Arteta.

Should the club wish to cash in on the 21-year-old this summer, then in Rekik the Gunners boss has a perfect alternative, with the former Manchester City youngster potentially the next name on the seemingly never-ending conveyor belt of talent.

Having been signed on a £540k deal from Bundesliga side Hertha Berlin back in January 2021, the Netherlands born gem is yet to feature in the first-team, although has done enough already to catch the eye at youth level, with Portsmouth boss Danny Cowley recently lavishing him with praise.

Speaking about the central defender – whose brother Karim plays for Sevilla – earlier this season, Cowley said of the youngster that: “Omar [Rekik] is a centre-half who I watched at Bournemouth a few weeks ago.

“He’s technically very good with a lovely range of passing and he breaks his lines taking real responsibility on the ball. He looks a talented player.”

Speaking further about the current crop coming through the ranks at Hale End, the club’s Head of Emerging Talent Yousuf Sajjad called him “exciting”.

A move to Championship outfit Stoke City was touted in January, only to collapse on deadline day, albeit with that interest suggesting that it is not just those inside London Colney who are getting excited about his quality.

Equally, despite his lack of senior action thus far at club level, he has already made three appearances for the Tunisian national team, notably making two brief outings at this year’s AFCON tournament back in the winter.

The signs are there that Arteta has a real prospect on his hands, all the Spaniard needs to do now is put some faith in him.

IN other news, Vieira 2.0: Arsenal gifted chance to sign “top-class” £25m ace, he could guarantee UCL…

Southampton midfielder James Ward-Prowse could stay at St Mary’s for the rest of his playing career, according to transfer insider Dean Jones.

The Lowdown: Ward-Prowse committed to Saints

The 27-year-old committed his future to the club by signing a new five-year deal last summer and has been in scintillating form this season, having netted ten goals and registered eight assists in all competitions, via Transfermarkt.

The Saints star was heavily linked with a move to Aston Villa at the end of last season, with Manchester United also believed to be interested in securing his services.

However, whilst plenty of speculation is expected during the upcoming transfer window, Jones can’t imagine Ward-Prowse ever leaving his boyhood club.

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The Latest: Jones makes big Ward-Prowse prediction

When asked about the ten-cap England international’s future under Ralph Hasenhuttl at Southampton, the transfer insider made a rather big claim.

He told GiveMeSport: “I don’t know if James Ward-Prowse is ever going to leave Southampton. It feels to me like he’s not.”

The Verdict: Repaying the faith

Even if the opportunity arose to join a fellow Premier League club in order to compete at European level, you couldn’t argue if the £28.8m-rated talisman decides that he wanted to finish his career with Southampton after everything that they have done for him.

The Saints made Ward-Prowse captain of the club, which gave him the platform to make the breakthrough into Gareth Southgate’s England squad.

The local maestro, who has been hailed by Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola as one of “the best” free-kick takers in the world, is clearly a fan favourite at St Mary’s, having recently picked up three trophies at the Saints’ end of season awards. Therefore, it sounds like it would take a lot for prospective suitors to try and prise him away from his beloved Southampton in the coming months.

In other news… Southampton are reportedly keen on signing a new shot-stopper this summer