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Antonio Conte has already named one player he’d like to sign at Tottenham Hotspur, according to emerging reports…

What’s the word?

Football Insider claimed that the 51-year-old has suggested his former Inter Milan defender Stefan de Vrij during negotiations to become Spurs’ next manager.

It is thought that the north London outfit are becoming increasingly confident of sealing the former Chelsea boss, and with a centre-back said to be among the top priorities, Conte has put his weight behind a player he knows well.

The Serie A champions have big financial problems, which is part of the reason why the Italian departed having only just won the league title, so they could be forced to sell some big stars, including the 29-year-old mainstay.

De Vrij is believed to be rated around £45m, with two years still remaining on his contract at the San Siro.

Get it done, Levy

Conte has a big task at his hands as Spurs’ squad is in drastic need of a major overhaul, especially defensively, where the root of all their problems seems to lie.

As explained perfectly by The Athletic and football.london during Jose Mourinho’s tenure, individual mistakes and a clear lack of cohesion in the backline were the woefully defining theme of their disappointing campaign.

It’s no wonder that Football Insider claim that the likes of Davinson Sanchez could be sold in order to raise funds this summer. He and Eric Dier were deemed “one of the worst partnerships in the Premier League” by former Spurs midfielder turned talkSPORT pundit Jamie O’Hara back in February.

It’s interesting that Conte is said to rate De Vrij higher than long-term Steve Hitchen target Milan Skriniar, who came close to joining the north Londoners last summer and again in January.

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If chairman Daniel Levy wants to take Spurs onto the next level, merely appointing a nine-time trophy winner isn’t going to be enough. He needs solid backing in the transfer market, especially when it comes to defensive additions.

Conte, as per the report, wants to sign his former Dutch colossus, and Levy must deliver him as he’d be a clear upgrade at centre-back.

The 44-cap beast was a regular in his Inter side that romped to the Serie A title with a whopping 12-point cushion. No side conceded fewer goals than his defence, either. He started 39 matches in all competitions and rated out as one of Conte’s best ball-playing options (93.8% pass success).

ESPN columnist David Amoyal waxed lyrical about the 6 foot 2 powerhouse only two months ago, claiming he was “one of the most underrated players in Serie A and even on his own team” and that he was the “anchor of [Inter’s defensive] unit.”

De Vrij was also dubbed a “monster” during his time at Lazio by their former defender Mauricio. He said to ESPN (via Football Italia): “Stefan is a great defender and deserves to be at a big club. He’s very tall, he’s strong and fast, he runs a lot – he’s a monster! He also has excellent technique and knows how to play the ball like few others, and that’s the difference between him and other players. He’s a calm defender who never gets agitated.”

Evidently, the Inter star would be a fine addition to Spurs, and if Conte truly does want him, that should be enough for Levy to pull the trigger. He must sanction this deal once the 51-year-old walks through the door.

It’s the sort of double swoop which could put the north Londoners back on the map.

AND in other news, Levy could rock Spurs’ squad by appointing 51 y/o “genius” whose “words assault you”…

West Brom can kickstart their rebuild in the Championship with a swoop for Gustavo Hamer this summer…

What’s the word?

According to The Athletic, the Coventry City midfielder is thought to be on a list of potential targets as the Baggies look to bolster a crucial part of their squad.

Albion’s relegation was confirmed on Sunday evening following a disappointing 3-1 defeat at Arsenal and with several key players likely to leave, new additions will be required at the Hawthorns.

The 23-year-old powerhouse has been linked with a move to Scottish champions Rangers in recent weeks. Hamer cost the Sky Blues around £1.5m last summer.

Shades of Yacob

West Brom are set to lose at least a pair of loanees in Ainsley Maitland-Niles and Conor Gallagher, and Celta Vigo’s impressive defensive midfielder Okay Yokuslu should undoubtedly attract interest from those in the big time.

Whilst Romaine Sawyers’ future remains unclear having fallen heavily out of favour and the same has to be said for club captain Jake Livermore, who hasn’t started a game since early February.

The likes of Sam Field and Rekeem Harper could return but given they barely featured in their promotion-winning campaign, it would be hard to envisage them featuring this time around either.

This is where Hamer comes in. After an impressive debut season in the second flight, he’s exactly the sort of player that Luke Dowling should be targeting, regardless of who is in charge at the Hawthorns.

The 5 foot 6 dynamo, who has been capped at U20 level for the Netherlands, would be a like-for-like replacement for Yokuslu but he is also versatile enough to play in an advanced midfield role and at right-back – which surely draws some comparisons to ex-Baggies star Claudio Yacob.

Although Hamer has the ability to usurp his quality, thanks to his exploits at either end of the pitch.

Despite playing in a deeper position, Hamer is Coventry’s third top scorer with five goals and he’s also provided three assists. That’s on top of an average of 1.4 interceptions and 1.3 tackles defensively, and a squad-high 1.5 key passes and 1.8 shots per game, via WhoScored.

It’s no wonder his manager, Mark Robins, waxed lyrical about his ability to the Sky Blues Extra podcast, where he dubbed him “unbelievable” (via the Coventry Telegraph), whilst pundit Ali Maxwell told the EFL on Quest highlights show that the Dutchman was the “class act” of this Coventry side.

At just 23, Hamer would be a quality addition to West Brom in the Championship and whilst it remains to be seen how much he would command, Dowling should absolutely push to sign what could be their next Yacob.

AND in other news, Big Sam must axe West Brom lightweight this summer following relegation…

Football Insider pundit Alex McLeish believes Celtic won’t be happy with the delay of announcing Eddie Howe as their new manager.

The Lowdown: Howe agrees move, delay down to Bournemouth

According to talkSPORT, Howe has agreed to become Neil Lennon’s successor and will be in the Parkhead dugout for the 2021/22 season.

The delay in regards to an official announcement on the 43-year-old is thought to be due to Bournemouth’s involvement in the Championship playoffs.

Howe wants to bring some coaching staff members from the south coast to Scotland, with the report claiming the Englishman could be forced to look elsewhere, should the Cherries return to the top flight at the first time of asking.

The Latest: McLeish’s claim

Talking to Football Insider regarding that update and possible complication, McLeish, 62, believes Celtic could feel second-best due to the long process of getting Howe through the door.

“If Celtic have got to wait on Eddie, it’s not something the big clubs like to do.

“If they’re seen to be doing that then, if you finally get the manager or the coach, it feels second hand and he’s looking for something else. They will be unhappy about that. At the end of the day, they know the level they have to bring to Celtic to win trophies.

“They have successfully done it over the years. Celtic famously stopped Rangers doing ten-in-a-row one of the years. They brought the right manager in at the time. Now they have to do that again to stop Rangers, launching an onslaught.

“One of the other important things, of course, is recruitment. It would be up to that coach who comes in, with the vision, to see who should come to Celtic.”

The Verdict: Celtic shouldn’t feel second best

In our opinion, the Hoops shouldn’t be feeling like they are Howe’s second choice, should a deal go through.

Yes, it’s not ideal with having to wait until the Cherries’ season is complete, as that may run until the end of the month.

However, should Howe officially put pen to paper on a Celtic contract, there should be no comments on him taking the job half-hearted, as he revealed back in November his next position in management needs to be one that ‘really motivated’ him.

Hopefully, the club will announce Howe as their new boss over the coming weeks, bringing to an end a two-month process following talks with the Englishman at the start of April.

In other news: Odsonne Edouard closing in on Celtic exit, find out more here. 

Aston Villa manager Dean Smith came very close to being sacked by the club at one point in his tenure.

Villa are currently safe and secure in a midtable Premier League position, but it has been reported that things weren’t always as rosy for Smith during his time at the helm.

Smith nearly got the sack in 2019

Football Insider have recently reported about Smith, saying that the club would’ve sacked the Englishman if they had lost to Derby County in a Championship game back in March 2019. The defeat would’ve left them further behind in the race for promotion and chief executive Christian Purslow was reportedly ready to let go of Smith just five months into his tenure.

As much as Smith’s job was on the line, Villa picked up a very impressive 4-0 win over Frank Lampard’s Derby. Conor Hourihane grabbed a brace, with Jack Grealish and loanee Tammy Abraham scoring a goal each (BBC Sport). From there, they never looked back.

Decision to not sack Smith paying off

In the 2018/19 Championship campaign, Villa finished fifth in the table but they won promotion via the play-offs, beating Derby in the final to return to the top flight.

While they avoided relegation only narrowly last season, some quality summer spending has left them on course to secure a midtable finish this term.

If Villa can invest well in the summer once again, they could end up going one better and potentially finish closer to the European places. Considering the job Smith has done since he was threatened with the sack two years ago, supporters can be glad that Purslow didn’t pull the trigger.

In other news, ‘Phenomenal’ £47k-p/w Villa ace linked with shock exit; 8-word reveal key to any deal – report

Celtic manager John Kennedy implored referees to ‘at least make the right calls’ after his team lost 4-1 in Sunday’s Old Firm derby.

Kemar Roofe scored twice as their rivals completed a first unbeaten season against the Hoops since 1999/20.

The odds were stacked against Celtic just 26 minutes in when Callum McGregor was shown a second yellow card and they were reduced to 10 men.

Kennedy shares biggest disappointment after heavy defeat

Kennedy did not dispute the latter decision, admitting that McGregor ought to have been booked for taking down Glen Kamara in the build-up to Roofe’s opener.

However, he disputed the notion that there was any ‘recklessness’ in the first tackle on Ryan Kent, and he pointed to another instance which underlined a lack of consistency in the officiating.

“There was an incident with Edouard on the far side when he was breaking through into the final third and he got taken down with a slide tackle and it was only a free-kick,” Kennedy told Sky Sports.

“There’s no consistency there. That’s what I’m most disappointed with. Red cards can happen, but at least make the right calls.

“It didn’t quite fall into place today. I’m disappointed with the result, massively. But, as you can see, I’m a bit annoyed with the sending off.”

Kennedy nearing the end of Celtic manager stint?

Kennedy may only take charge of two more games before handing the reins over to Neil Lennon’s long-term replacement at Parkhead.

Celtic host St Johnstone a week on Wednesday before travelling to Hibernian on the final day of the season.

Up to this point, he’s overseen three wins, three draws and two defeats during his time at the helm.

Transfer Tavern verdict

Kennedy may have a point about the foul on Edouard, but the question that has to be asked is why McGregor would make the challenge on Kamara so soon after being booked.

Remember, he is the vice-captain and the likely successor to Scott Brown for the permanent captaincy. A cooler head was needed from such an experienced leader..

In other news, Kennedy had this to say about Oliver Ntcham’s future.  

Speaking exclusively to Football FanCast, Lee Hendrie revealed his disappointment over the lack of youth players that have come through at Aston Villa in recent years.

While the former Villa midfielder feels differently now, quickly praising the emergence of Jacob Ramsey, 19, and the potential of his brother Aaron, 18, he was critical of the goings-on at Villa Park prior.

At present, Ramsey finds himself as a part of Dean Smith’s first team, making his full Premier League debut against Wolves last December.

Since then, the English midfielder has gone on to make a host of cameo appearances, including against the likes of Manchester City, Manchester United and Chelsea, firmly completing that transition from the youth set-up to the senior squad.

And it is that kind of youth progression Hendrie believes Villa had been lacking prior. The retired Premier League footballer told FFC:

“I feel that’s been a bit of a downfall, that they haven’t brought enough youngsters in who’ve made a big impact over the past four or five years. [You] probably [have to] stretch back to the likes of Jack Grealish. So that’s where they’ve got to be better, in that department.

“Seeing the likes of the young boys coming through at this moment of time, it’s a great fit for Dean [Smith]. Now it’s a matter of whether they can actually step up.”

Ramsey could next be in action when Villa host Fulham in the Premier League after the international break.

Fans of Glasgow Rangers have been reacting to a post on Twitter, in which the Gers relayed news regarding their upcoming clash at Ibrox.

Following the news that Steven Gerrard’s side will be facing Celtic in the next round of the Scottish Cup, it was subsequently announced that the fixture had been selected for live television coverage on Premier Sports, with the game being scheduled for 16:00 on Saturday 17 April.

With Rangers having already wrapped up the Scottish Premiership title this season, should the Gers overcome their bitter rivals in the fourth round of the Scottish Cup, Gerrard’s side will undoubtedly be favourites to go on and win the competition, which would see the club secure a memorable double.

And, after Rangers relayed the news of the fixture’s scheduling on Twitter, fans of the club flocked to have their say on the matter, with many appearing delighted at the kick-off time. Others appeared frustrated that the match will be aired by Premier Sports, while one supporter said the change was simply ‘so unexpected’.

So, what exactly did these Rangers fans have to say in reaction to the news regarding the Scottish Cup fixture?

“Old Firm? Scottish Cup? On a Saturday? At 4 pm? Absolutely mental!”

@SteveGSmith_

“Pain.”

@Charlie1872_

“Scenes.”

@rossco2586

“This is so unexpected.”

@itwasjas72

“Absolute disgrace that the SFA ever gave the rights to Premier Sports though.”

@JohnBarr92

“Naughty.”

@GaryCurran2

In other news: ‘He wants to extend’ – One pundit dropped a hint on this ‘fantastic’ Gers star’s contract amid PL interest – find out more here!

Glasgow Rangers fans are gutted after Steven Gerrard revealed Nathan Patterson is a doubt for this weekend’s Old Firm Derby.

The Gers will travel to Parkhead on Sunday to face their fierce rivals Celtic. While they have already won the Premiership title, the Ibrox outfit are still on course to go the season unbeaten (BBC), so they will still be eager to get a positive result especially after their Europa League defeat on Thursday.

However, Gerrard has provided an injury blow ahead of the clash. He has revealed Patterson is a doubt for the match, and they therefore may be without him. The 19-year-old started the game against Slavia Prague in midweek, but he was taken off after 78 minutes to be replaced by Jack Simpson.

With James Tavernier already out injured, no Patterson would leave Gerrard dangerously short at right-back. The news was shared on the Gers official Twitter account, and the fans took to the social media platform to share their displeasure.

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

“Pain”

Credit: @revanite72

“I AM NOT WATCHING THE OLD FIRM”

Credit: @JamieRFC14

“Pain.”

Credit: @Cammy_Blackk

“pain”

Credit: @_kylemorrison

“Just what we need.”

Credit: @Ellysse6

“Please be back in time”

Credit: @woofly32

In other news, Rangers fans slammed this man against Slavia.

Rangers may already have their long-term replacement for Allan McGregor sorted in 17-year-old Jay Hogarth, who was rewarded with a new contract at Ibrox recently and has been training with Steven Gerrard’s first-team.

It was revealed last week that the teenager had signed a new deal with the Ibrox outfit to keep him contracted until 2023, with him clearly having impressed those at the club with his performances with the youth side and in training.

In fact, despite being so young, he was spotted in first-team training ahead of the home game against Slavia Prague in the Europa League working alongisde the vastly experienced McGregor and Jon McLaughlin.

Therefore, he has already had the chance to impress Gerrard and his coaching staff in training, and they wouldn’t have given him that opportunity if they didn’t believe in his ability, so there seems no reason why he can’t have a bright future at Ibrox.

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Although he is probably a few years away from breaking into the first-team for matches, perhaps he could be the man to replace McGregor in this Rangers side when he eventually retires, with the 39-year-old having been a key fixture in Gerrard’s side so far this season.

Although the former Hull City man’s contract is currently set to expire at the end of the season, his impressive record of 16 clean sheets in 24 Premiership appearances speaks for itself, whilst he has made some world-class saves throughout the season, perhaps most memorably in the final stages of the 1-1 draw against Slavia Prague.

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When McGregor does eventually retire, whoever replaces him will undoubtedly have some big gloves to fill, but if Hogarth can continue to impress in the youth sides and with the first-team in training, perhaps he will be the one to step up as the veteran shot-stopper’s replacement.

And, in other news… No goals or assists in March: £1.8m-rated Rangers ace endured a nightmare month

Keith Downie has dropped an interesting claim on Mike Ashley amid the potential takeover of Newcastle United by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) group.

As per a tweet from the Sky Sports journalist, the chief executive of Sports Direct feels as if he ‘has a very strong case’ against the Premier League that he can win, and that the proposed deal between him and the KSA consortium can still be pushed through.

This follows the news that the St. James’ Park faithful have lost out on a High Court judgement to have the Chairman of the takeover arbitration panel removed, while also losing out on the full case being made available to the public.

However, this has not stopped Ashley trying to get the deal that he wants, with the proposed arbitration case between the North East club and the English top flight still pending.

Potential Newcastle takeover still on?

Despite the latest setback for the Tyneside club of not being able to have the Chairman removed, the potential takeover of the Magpies by the KSA group seems to be very much still on judging by Ashley’s claim.

If the Toon can win their case, then it may pave a significant pathway for the KSA’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) to come back to the table, as the NUFC takeover saga continues to develop.

In other news, find out which ‘outstanding’ talent Lee Clark has urged Newcastle to sign here!